February 26, 2010

"She's almost here."

Damon rolled his eyes, allowing them to flicker over to the clock across the room, before they fixated back on Stefan, who was pacing in the doorway of the living room. "Well, she's taking forever."

"Are you two going to tell me who we're talking about here?" asked Elena from the couch. "I don't like how secretive you're being. Leaving the room to answer calls... the 'she' you mentioned yesterday, when we found out that Katherine turned Caroline. Please don't tell me you're negotiating with that evil bitch."

"You want to tell her, Stef?" asked Damon, getting to his feet so that he could serve himself a glass of bourbon. "Or should I?"

Stefan heaved a sigh. "Maybe we should wait until Alaric gets here."

"Hell no. You know how she is, she's gonna make a move on him the instant she sees him. Poor Jenna doesn't stand a chance."

Elena was only growing more confused. The door opened, and Stefan quickly snapped his head up eagerly, only to appear crestfallen seconds later. It was Alaric. Not her.

"Who's car is out front?" asked Alaric, gesturing outside. "There's a lady sitting there like a private investigator, just staring at the house."

The two brothers made a face.

"Let me guess," said Damon. "You drove by her and she winked."

"Yeah," said Alaric, scrunching up his nose in confusion. "How did you know?"

Damon drew a slow sip of his bourbon before saying, "'Cause she's my little sister."

Elena gaped at the two brothers. "I'm sorry... what? You two have a little sister?"

"Nope," noted Stefan. "She's older than me, so... my big sister."

Elena was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact they had a sister, in general. "But— but you've never mentioned her."

"Stefan never told you he had a brother," Damon said, patting his chest. "Yet here I am."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Different situation." He offered Alaric some bourbon, and the man took it carefully before going to sit beside the doppelgänger. "It's been sixteen years since she last set foot in this town. She doesn't like it here. I've been updating her—"

"We," corrected Damon. "I called her a few times, too."

"We've been updating her," said Stefan. "We didn't want to ask her to come here unless it was absolutely necessary. But after what Katherine did to Caroline... it is absolutely necessary."

"Hang on," said Alaric. "So when telling us everything that happened in 1864, you didn't think to mention that Katherine turned three of you?"

"Katherine didn't turn her," said Stefan. "And... we refrained from mentioning it because she asked us to. She figured we'd leave soon. In fact, she wanted us to."

"And you didn't listen."

They looked up as a dark-haired woman appeared in the doorway. She had on sunglasses, a leather jacket, and a sundress with combat boots, which she purposely dragged across the ground as she moved through the entrance hall, pulling a duffel bag and a suitcase behind her.

"Maddy," said Damon, slowly making his way over to her. "Nice to see—"

"Don't," she said sharply. "I'm not happy with you."

"What's first on the list?" asked Damon snidely. "Let me guess, you want to avenge Zach?"

"We'll get to that, after I tell you all about how murderous I felt when Stefan told me how you abused that poor girl who's now a vampire against her will. The fact you would ever do such a thing... after last time..." she gritted her teeth, and Elena could see her hand trembling, as if her instinct was to smack Damon, but she was holding back. The doppelgänger figured that Maddy, like Damon, had a far greater tendency to react with violence. If she was older than Stefan, chances were, she'd spent many more years being mistreated by their father.

"For now..." Maddy pushed her bags into Damon's hands, giving him a cheeky smile. "You know where my room is."

"I'm not your servant," he noted as she slowly removed the sunglasses, revealing eyes that matched his exactly. Aside from the most obvious feature they shared, the three siblings had a very similar eyebrow shape, and a nearly identical complexion. Not to mention Maddy's nose was just like Stefan's.

Maddy's lips curled upward. "No, you're not, but you need a lesson in being a gentleman. Hurry along, now. There's a lot we have to get done today. If I don't get to relax after my trip, neither do you."

Damon rolled his eyes, and took the bags with him as he trotted toward the stairs. The woman went over to Stefan, her gaze softening. Elena could distinguish a more motherly demeanor being displayed toward him. Considering that Maddy looked to be in her early twenties, she imagined that the girl had had to be a second mother to Stefan, after they lost theirs.

"I'm disappointed in you, too," said Maddy, reaching her hand up to ruffle his hair. "But I don't have any lessons for you, fratellino. Not yet."

"It's good to see you again, Maddy," said Stefan, bringing her into a tight hug. "I was hoping you'd come, after Lexi..."

"He killed a woman who was like a sister to us," replied Maddy. "Just after I learned what he was doing to that girl. I would have killed him, Stefan. I did kill, when I heard the news. A couple of ex-convicts who got in my way."

She purposely moved past Alaric, brushing her leg against his knee, and taking the opportunity to wink again. "What about you, gorgeous? Gonna introduce yourself?"

"Alaric Saltzman," he said, getting to his feet respectfully and extending his hand to her.

She took it delicately, but shook it firmly. "That's right," she murmured. "The vampire hunter whose name is a mouthful. Saltzman. Huh. Hadn't heard that one before. Alaric, though... cute. Unique. I suppose it's a good thing that people don't tend to say one another's surnames when in throes."

The man cleared his throat awkwardly, sitting back down as the vampire acknowledged Elena at long last. The doppelgänger couldn't help but gulp, catching on to the slight sneer that rose in the woman's face.

"Elena Gilbert," said Maddy slowly. "Katherine's... doppelgänger."

"Yes," said Elena nervously. "And you are...?"

"Madeleine Salvatore. I prefer to be called 'Maddy' these days."

"You'll always be 'Little Lily' or 'Sissy' to me," said Damon as he came back into the room. "So... care to explain your backstory to them?"

Maddy reached for a bottle of bourbon. "Well, I suppose I ought to. I've already heard about everything you've been up to. Witches and tomb vampires and that asshole of Mayor that for some reason, died with them. Katherine's back and everything is just peachy."

"Who turned you?" asked Elena abruptly. "If it wasn't Katherine..."

"Stefan," said Maddy simply. "But I hate her all the same. Go on. Ask your questions. I'd rather address your specific queries instead of being made to rant about my entire life. No one wants that."

Elena blinked. "Oh... okay. So... how old—?"

"Three years younger than Damon, four years older than Stefan. I was twenty-one when I turned. That'll make me... one hundred and sixty-seven this March."

"And why didn't Katherine—?"

"I wasn't interesting to her. I had my own problems at the time. My mother died when I was fifteen, and it was the only thing that spared me from being married off young. Thus, the instant I turned twenty-one, my father became... eager to get rid of me. Other girls my age were married by then, and since Katherine looked younger than me... it made me appear quite inept especially when I was near her constantly while she was manipulating both of my brothers and maintaining an outward appearance of courting them.

"While she was going along with her little scheme, I was doing everything in my power to delay the unavoidable marriage my father had set for me with a Confederate soldier who was the son of a wealthy landowner the Salvatores had done business with in the past. He wasn't someone I thought I could ever love. He struck me, when we met. I questioned why he was fighting for the Confederacy and he... did not take it well. Unfortunately, there was no getting out of it. The man I preferred to marry was already in an arrangement of his own."

"Let me interrupt," said Damon, as if he was just itching to make a point. "She had a thing with George Lockwood."

Elena gasped. "Tyler's ancestor?"

Maddy glared at her brother. "Yes. The point is that I was so occupied, that I failed to realize what Katherine was doing with Damon and Stefan. Had I paid more attention..."

"Hey," said Stefan, casting her a worried look, which led Elena to believe that Maddy blamed herself often for their predicament. "You couldn't have known. She hid it well, and so did we. Katherine would have just compelled you to forget."

The woman sighed. "I suppose so. I still remember the night it all happened. I almost wish I could burn it out of my mind..."

"Madeleine."

She glanced up from where she was mending the hems of a handkerchief. "Good evening, Father," she said stiffly.

Giuseppe came to sit beside her. "I hear you were with George Lockwood again."

She didn't deny it. "He did not wish for me to ruin my dress, and offered me a ride in his carriage."

"You are not to see him again, do you understand me? The scandal that would arise if you were to ruin your husband's reputation by parading around with that boy... it is unthinkable."

Maddy had to refrain from gritting her teeth. "I never wished to marry him. I told you long ago that George had asked for my hand in marriage."

"Something that could not be allowed, as his father had already selected a partner for him. Alas, this is not what I wish to discuss with you tonight. There is danger that you must be made aware of."

She frowned. "What do you mean, Father?"

"We live amongst demons. Surely you have heard talk of the mounting deaths this town has faced. Vampires exist, and live among us. Your brothers will be helping to round them up. You must remain inside this house until we have finished the last of them off. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Father."

"Have you known of any vampires? Has anyone mentioned them to you before?"

"The usual gossip led me to hear the word for the first time. But I know nothing of—"

There was a thump upstairs, and a gasp of pain, followed by Stefan crying out, "Katherine! Katherine!"

Giuseppe bolted to the room. Maddy followed, gasping when she made it to the doorway and found Katherine on the floor, shaking and appearing to be in extreme pain. Stefan was at her side, shirtless, and cradling her face in his hands.

"Go get the Sheriff!" Giuseppe said to his son. "Tell him we have a vampire."

"What?" Stefan said. "No!"

"Do as I say, son! Nothing that you feel for her is real. She's a vampire, Stefan! A monster! I fed you vervain hoping that it would expose her."

Maddy gaped at Stefan, who didn't seem surprised to hear that Katherine was a vampire. "How did you know?" he asked.

Giuseppe was disappointed as he said, "Your sympathy for their plight. I didn't raise my sons to be so weak." He tossed him a shirt. "The Sheriff, now! Go, quickly! Now, son!"

Albeit hesitantly, Stefan rushed out of the room. "Quickly, Madeleine," said Giuseppe, "fetch me the bottle of liquor in my study."

She didn't dare disobey. She rushed down, returning with it and handing it to her father, who popped the bottle open and poured it onto Katherine, who screamed as her skin began to burn all over again.

Maddy was forced into her room while the Sheriff and several men arrived to take Katherine away. She could hear Damon and Stefan yelling, begging them to leave her alone. Their pleas were only acknowledged by their sister, who was powerless to help them.

"Do you know what they'll do to you if you're branded a sympathizer?" she heard Giuseppe yell at Damon. "You'll be killed along with them!"

"Then let me be killed!" Damon snapped.

Her curiosity got the better of her. As her door remained unlocked, she bolted out the instant she heard the men moving downstairs. By the time she made it outside, Katherine was already being loaded into a cart.

"What's happening?" she shrieked. "How can she be—? Did you know—?"

Damon ignored her, looking at Stefan murderously. "You promised you wouldn't tell him!"

"I didn't think this would happen," said Stefan desperately.

Damon rushed off without another word.

"Stefan!" Maddy cried. "Tell me what is going on!"

"Stay inside," he told her weakly. "Don't leave the house, Madeleine, promise me."

"But—"

"Promise me!"

She flinched, never having seen him so distressed. "I promise."

She'd gone back inside, pacing the study and looking out the window ever so often. She could hear voices, and soon, her patience abandoned her. Holding up her skirt, she rushed out, following the voices that were leading her back to the cart, where she knew her brothers would be.

She'd just seen where her father was when he raised his gun, and fired twice. She screamed when she realized that he hadn't shot any vampires. He'd shot Damon and Stefan.

"NO!" she screeched. "NO!"

"Madeleine!" said Giuseppe sharply, shoving his gun into the hands of one of his companions before seizing her by the shoulders and shaking her roughly. "You were to stay in the house—"

"You killed them!" she sobbed, trying to break free of his hold. "You killed them! How could you?"

He slapped her across the face when she refused to quiet down. She withdrew immediately, shielding her cheek and doing nothing as he grabbed her other arm and began to drag her back to the house.

She hadn't stopped crying, even when Johnathan Gilbert arrived to speak with her father. Surprisingly, she was allowed to sit with them, and listen in on their conversation.

"May I offer you a drink, Mr. Gilbert?" Giuseppe asked, ignoring the way his daughter stared at the far wall like a zombie.

"Thank you, Mr. Salvatore," said Johnathan, casting Maddy a worried look, but saying nothing.

"This won't take much longer," said Giuseppe, as if speaking to the both of them.

Johnathan assented. "I want to make sure the Founders' Archives are accurate."

"Be sure you document the loss of civilian life in the church."

"They were hardly civilians, Mr. Salvatore."

"As far as anyone needs to know, they were. As the record keeper for the Council, what you write will be passed down through generations. Certain details should be kept only between you and me."

"For example...?"

"My sons. They will be remembered as the innocent victims of the Battle of Willow Creek, not for their shame."

"Certainly, Mr. Salvatore."

Maddy couldn't contain a scoff. "Liars," she whispered. "You are both liars... and murderers."

"Madeleine," scolded Giuseppe. "Do not—"

"Why should I quiet down?" she demanded, getting to her feet. "Here you are, hiding the truth about my brothers, whose only crime was that they were tricked by a monster! They saw good in them, Father, what if not all vampires were evil? What if innocents were killed in that church tonight?"

"I'll take my leave," said Johnathan, sensing that Giuseppe was thoroughly embarrassed with his daughter's outburst. He rushed out, and as soon as the door shut, Giuseppe had thrown Maddy to the floor.

"I ought to send you to an asylum," he snarled. "Foolish girl— you have brought nothing but humiliation to this family! Speaking to the town members about how proud you are that your brother abandoned the Confederacy. Spending time with that Lockwood boy and leading everyone to believe you are a whore. I should have sent you to finishing school as soon as your mother died! Perhaps then you would have been a proper lady."

"Send me anywhere you please!" Maddy challenged, getting back to her feet. "Perhaps an asylum will grant me the peace I will never have. My brothers are dead at your hand, and you are more worried about what the townspeople will think about my impending marriage, which I never wanted!"

Giuseppe couldn't contain his rage. He never could, when it came to his children. He started to beat into her, just as he used to with Lily. She begged him to stop, and he continued to leave her bruised. His fury was so great, he might have killed her if a figure hadn't thrown him off of her.

"Dear God!" cried Giuseppe when he saw Stefan standing beside his sister, who was covering her aching face and sobbing.

"Even in our death, you feel only shame?" asked Stefan.

"You're one of them now," he said, horrified.

"No. Father, I came to say goodbye."

"I watched you die..."

"You were there when we were shot?"

"He pulled the trigger," gasped Maddy. "He killed you..."

Giuseppe seemed proud of it. "You were both dead to me the moment you sided with the vampires. I only thank God that your mother isn't alive to see the disgrace you've become."

"I haven't turned yet," said Stefan slowly. "I don't want to. I'm going to let myself die, Father. Please."

"Yes, you are."

Maddy didn't see what happened next. All she knew was that somehow, Giuseppe ended up staked and bleeding. Stefan drank his blood, and the next thing she knew, her father was dead, and her brother was pulling her to her feet. By some miracle, she hadn't bled, and had not fallen victim to Stefan's hunger.

"When I realized what my brothers had become," said Maddy, aware that Elena was casting her a pitiful look, "I knew that I had to make a choice. I refused to age if they wouldn't be doing it alongside me. Instead of allowing us to be separated... I asked them to turn me. Stefan obliged when Damon refused. A knife in the gut was all it took. When I woke up, I found my lovely brothers brought me the body of the man I didn't wish to marry. He was my first kill. A delicious one, at that."

"And now, here you are," said Damon. "Out of hibernation and willing to kick Katherine's ass."

"Yes," said Maddy, smoothing down the skirt of her dress as she sat down. "One more thing before we get to business." She faced Alaric. "Just to confirm what I know... you're the one who was married to Elena's biological mother, yes?"

"Uh, yeah, that's me," said Alaric.

"He's taken, though," said Damon. "So don't even think about it."

Maddy fake pouted. "Well, of course he's taken, look at that face." She wiggled her eyebrows at Alaric, before becoming completely serious and crossing her arms. "So, what's this conversation you wanted me to listen in on? Stefan claims the Lockwoods might be 'ninja turtles.' I think I might have known if George was part turtle."

"We were hoping you could shed some light on the Lockwood family," said Stefan, looking at Alaric.

He frowned. "Now, why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?"

"Well, you wouldn't," said Damon. "But your dead, not-dead vampire wife might."

"Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together," mentioned Elena, in case Alaric didn't know what they meant.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town," added Stefan.

Alaric pursed his lips. "Isobel's research here in Mystic Falls is rooted in folklores and legends, but at the time I thought much of it was fiction."

"Clearly it isn't," said Maddy, who was already growing impatient. "What else was in it?"

"The lycanthrope," admitted Alaric.

"Wait, like werewolves?" asked Damon.

They all looked at Maddy, who was the only one who didn't seem surprised as they all considered the fact that the Lockwoods might just be werewolves.

"You know something," said Damon. "Spit it out."

"I dated a guy who claimed to be a werewolf a few years ago," said Maddy. "He disappeared after one full moon where I sent one of my associates to monitor him. I found her body mauled beyond anything I'd ever seen before. I haven't encountered one since."

"This is getting way too Lon Chaney for me," said Damon. "I've been on this planet one hundred and sixty some odd years, never came across one."

"Why do you suspect the Lockwoods anyway?" asked Alaric.

"Because vervain didn't affect the mayor at Founders' Day but the Gilbert device did and it affected his son Tyler."

"And," added Stefan, "at the school carnival his uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought with one of the carnival's workers. It suggests some sort of a supernatural entity."

"If his eyes glowed golden, he's a werewolf," said Maddy. "That's about all I've heard about their physical aspect. I've never seen one in wolf form. And only that one guy ever admitted to me that he was one. I could have known others but just never found out, for one reason or another. Although..." she frowned, "that might explain a lot of things about George's behavior in the past."

"If witches and vampires exist, I guess it isn't so far-fetched to consider wolves exist, too," said Stefan. "Isobel's research could confirm it."

"Well," replied Alaric, "all her things are still at Duke. I mean her office is still there. She's technically still missing."

"So can we get access to it?" asked Damon. "Ric, we need to know what we're dealing with. If this wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. It means Mason Lockwood is a real-life Lon Chaney and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney junior, which means Bella Lugosi, meaning me, is totally screwed."

Alaric sighed. "Yeah, alright. We could take a drive up there today, if you really want to."

"Can I go?" asked Elena eagerly.

"Of course," said Alaric, just as Damon said, "Absolutely not."

Maddy rolled her eyes. "Let the girl go, Damon, it's her birth mother we're talking about. If you need a different Salvatore for company, I'm happy to take Damon's place."

"Hell no," said Damon. "You've done too much rolling around with wolves. Give the rest of us a turn."

"What can I say?" said Maddy, shrugging her shoulders as she got to her feet. "It looks like wolves are my type."

A/N: Hi, all! There is a lot that will change in this story in regards to TVDU canon events, birthdays, and the timeline I usually base myself off of. It will take awhile to get more interesting while stuff moves toward the point where Maddy meets Klaus, who is her love interest. This story is going to be a long one, potentially even the lengthiest I've ever written (if it surpasses 1,124 pages, I'll scream). Anyway, I'm not completely sure what parts of TVDU canon will and won't be included, but one thing is for certain: absolutely everything is subject to extreme alterations. All TBD, please bear with me, and enjoy!