Ω 001 ; open } { i got the surprise, surprise of my life -- i had to stop and stare

[veryemerson]

The first thing he notices is that the sun’s up.

It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if they had actually been driving all night, but Stefan knows for a fact that they haven’t. In fact, the clock on the car radio proves that. The digital read out says just after one AM, but from the looks of things, it was suddenly closer to one PM. That, and

Comments

for Katherine

[breakthelock]

Usually, Jeremy Gilbert drives wherever he wants (thanks to Damon trying to force a car on Elena who wouldn't take it) in Chicago. It's safer that way, but sometimes he likes to get out on the sidewalk and walk around.

It saves him money on gas since he's not really working at the moment. Surviving in Chicago, training with Wes, and keeping up in school is hard enough without the added factor of a job to take up his time.

He has no idea that the woman walking down the sidewalk is not his sister but Katherine instead. Jeremy waves, surprised to see her there since he didn't think she was going to be over on this side of the city today. Neither of them usually head uptown, he was meeting one of his friends from school there.

"Elena, hey."

There's just slight confusion on his face, because he wasn't expecting to... run into her.

[petrovafire]

Katherine cuts back through an alley. What she's curious about is Stefan's old apartment in the 20's. Nostalgia sets in as she steps out onto a familiar street with particularly unfamiliar buildings. It's a strange, lopsided nostalgia she isn't used to. She wonders if her own apartment - or apartments she used for a few weeks thanks to very gracious dead tenants - are still standing

[breakthelock]

Jeremy has not seen Elena yet today. On top of that, he knows that the Rift has made Elena's hair curly before. She hated it because it reminded her of Katherine. Everyone complimented her for the new look, and she hated it even more and got angrier about it.

It's why he thinks he knows better than to mention the difference right now. The Rift probably did it, and she'll get all angry about it again, ridiculously angry. Jeremy gets why it bothers her, but she was in a bad mood for the entire day.

He doesn't even think for a moment that it could be Katherine. For some reason, it hasn't occurred to him that she could fall through. It's mostly been the three of them for months and then Caroline fell through so he doesn't think about it. Jeremy should, but he doesn't and Katherine falls so quickly into playing the role perfectly that he's still not aware that there's anything to be alarmed about

[petrovafire]

Were Katherine aware of this, she would have a good long hard laugh. Because, seriously, the rift has a sense of humor she can get behind. Unless it permanently straightens her hair. She'd get bored after a while. She likes her waves. And curls. Her hair has body. And personality. Elena, while - fine, she has a personality, has less of one. And she has guilt. And those beady eyes.

Jeremy really should study his sister more closely - but not close enough that it brings to mind Flowers in the Attic, she thinks.

Interesting. Jeremy is in school. She files that information away. The last time she remembers seeing Jeremy, she had kidnapped him. Oh, memories.

"Well, that depends on your definition of okay," she answers, without thinking. Wait a minute, that is not the response she'd decided on. She smiles wider, taking a moment. "Everything is not okay," she then adds, furrowing her brow. She's getting frustrated. Jeremy is there but her attention is now on the fact that she's saying things that are not conducive to pretending to be the

[breakthelock]

The Rift has a great sense of humor. It turned Damon into a sparkling in the sun vampire for a day too. He was not all that pleased, but he tried to pretend like he wasn't bothered at all. It's a Damon thing.

Jeremy would start to recognize some differences as the conversation went on (he does know his sister pretty well), but thankfully (for him), Katherine's rift change will help him in that area. It's nice when the Rift is helpful for a change.

Oh, memories indeed! That is a memory that Jeremy is grateful to say that he never experienced.

The answer that she gives to him immediately makes him suspicious and concerned at the same time. Jeremy folds his arms across his chest, taking a step back as he looks at her again. This is weird. This is not normal weird but very weird. The response that she gave is nothing Elena would ever say to him.

Even if she wasn't okay, she wouldn't admit to it unless things were very bad and she wouldn't start out with those words. He is so confused. Again, he doesn't immediately think Katherine

[petrovafire]

Katherine is not as grateful for a rift change she's not aware of, yet. She can't pinpoint what just happened. All she knows is she let her tongue get away from her and Katherine is a very deliberate person. She doesn't speak without knowing exactly what she'll say. She's calculating. She knows how to get a certain reaction out of someone. She can predict what you'll do before you do it, Jeremy. But, this, she isn't prepared for

[breakthelock]

Jeremy highly doubts that being unconscious counts as having a nap, but he completely believes that she'll bring this up as soon as she can. He'll add that to the list of reason why he really doesn't like Katherine. The list is really long already so it never hurts to add more to it.

It's not as easy as it might look, Katherine. It's complicated, and Jeremy already has his guard up because of what she said. Elena would never say it like that. She'll say she's fine, paste on a smile even when she's not.

He knows his sister, and it's why he doesn't relax even when she looks like Elena again, gaining the expression that he's seen before on his sister. Jeremy looks at her, waiting for the answer to his question.

Then she answers the question completely honestly despite the fact that she obviously doesn't want to be honest at all. Jeremy's mouth drops open for a second, because he's... shocked. Sefan. He doesn't miss that. Stefan's here and with Katherine? Jeremy needs to get in contact with his sister, because this is not his sister

[petrovafire]

He doesn't like Katherine because he's biased towards not liking Katherine. Yes, she bit into him, but he is the one who thought he could steal her moonstone. And yes, she kidnapped him but he's the one who died - thanks to Sheriff Forbes - and Bonnie is the reason he was even seeing Anna. Everything else is circumstantial, Jeremy.

Jeremy relaxing again relaxes Katherine only momentarily until she loses all control. This is Jeremy's fault. He has a device. Or, an ability. Or, Bonnie is running around. Is this some kind of weird gambit, forcing confessions out of her? Because, she is not amused, Jeremy Gilbert

[breakthelock]

Jeremy will freely admit that he's biased to not liking Katherine. There are plenty of reason that he's biased in this way, and they haven't gone away. He still is aware of how biased he is, but he doesn't have any idea that he ends up seeing ghosts from the second death

[petrovafire]

Considering the new card in Katherine's deck of cards, Jeremy will probably find out. Even if she wants to keep things close to the vest, it's not as if she can unless she simply stops talking - which is an option she'll think of exploring after she double checks his theory. There will be tests. A lot of tests. Enough to confirm what's happened to her. But, she doesn't have time to say random true statements in an effort to say untruthful ones.

She isn't going to apologize. Jeremy's offended. Maybe bruised. But, at least he doesn't fall to the ground. Not that she would care. She's too busy caring about her own problems.

"I can lie," she snaps, rolling her eyes. "I don't pretend. I act like her when I have to. When I'm asked." It worked when she had been lesser known, when people weren't expecting her to show up -- like the Spanish Inquisition. "But, you're right. I was getting good at being her

[breakthelock]

Jeremy really loves this new card that Katherine's been dealt. It's nice to ask questions and get straightforward, honest answers for a change. He knows he can believe these answers that she's giving them, because she literally has no choice but to tell the truth. It's not something that he'd usually want to take advantage of, but desperate times call for desperate measures

[petrovafire]

Katherine hates how smug Jeremy must be feeling. Neither of them know what's going on and a part of her still thinks it has something to do with Jeremy. But, the other part of her knows Jeremy Gilbert is doing what he does best - being useless.

He doesn't know. She could have -- been Elena only momentarily as part of a plan. A plan that she herself would never decide to do-slash- execute. No, she knows she's between a rock and this ugly car. And Jeremy Gilbert but he's always an afterthought.

"Two, three times?" Why does how many times matter? "Thanks. I was there." He doesn't need to explain just what happened. She was involved. Katherine keeps her eye on Elena's little brother.

"You're both in school," she says, listening.

Sorry, Jeremy, that's not how this works. But, just because she can't lie, doesn't mean she can't be vague.

"Because Stefan did a bad thing. Several bad things." She looks at Jeremy straight on. "And, no, it's not my fault." Besides, Stefan's bad things streak was just starting. What's frustrating? The

[breakthelock]

Jeremy does feel smug, and it's nice to be able to have all the answers for once. It's nice to know that she can't directly lie about anything so he's going to appreciate being able to be smug for once.

He was trying to remember how many times he's seen her pretend to be Elena, if they match up with the answer she gives. "Just thought you'd need the reminder," Jeremy says since she's so used to lying. It's going to take some adjustments, and he has no doubt that she'll be able to adjust, give vague answers instead of direct answers.

Jeremy looks at her at what she says before he nods. "Yeah, we are," he says, but he hasn't said which school. There are plenty in Chicago, and Elena goes to college.

Bad things. Jeremy keeps that in mind. He doesn't know what it means, because it's frustratingly vague, but he keeps it in mind. He's not really sure what it means, but he's not going to forget either. "Whose fault is it

[petrovafire]

If she decides she wants to she will backhand the smugness off his face. But, he can't help how happy this is making him. She's not known to be the most honest person.

"Well, thank you, Jeremy, for the reminder." There were a few times where she simply pretended to be Elena because she showed up and people called her Elena. There were times she got to Jenna as Elena. And there were times she had been asked specifically. Jeremy ... should be aware of those but, how should she know? Did timelines differ?

"Klaus'" she answered, this game getting very old.

She knows Damon is in the city, thanks to Elena, but she's testing Jeremy. And for the time being he passes that test. Sighing, she looks away. Jeremy is still tense, afraid.

"Man up, Gilbert. I'm not going to kill you."

[breakthelock]

Jeremy would not be surprised if she backhanded the smugness from his face. In fact, the possibility is on his mind now, but he really can't help it. Katherine has always been strong, with all the answers. It's kind of nice that something has been taken away.

"No problem," he says as he folds his arms across his chest, and it hasn't occurred to him that she might not realize he's from a different timeline than her. He knows she is, because she knows all these things that he doesn't.

"When-- Look, the last thing I remember, I died the second time, and Damon was dying of a werewolf bite." Caroline filled him in on the fact that Damon didn't die of that werewolf bite, but he wants Caroline to know that Katherine is here before Katherine knows about Caroline.

It's mostly why he's not mentioning her even if he knows it's inevitable that she find out.

It's less that he's afraid of her and more that he doesn't exactly trust her for obvious reasons, but he does force himself to relax slightly.

"What are you going to do

[petrovafire]

Katherine wishes she had all the answers. Sometimes, she scrambles for them, or, she has an answer for an answer. But she'd be pleased as punch to know Jeremy sees her as the girl with all of them.

"That's the last thing you remember," Katherine asks. Well, that's a few months behind her. Not many. Mostly the summer and into October. But, it's a good deal of time. You woke up here after getting shot?" she adds, thinking about how traumatic that would be.

She reaches into her purse to try her phone again before pulling out a notebook - or a journal she does not recognize.

"Now how did that get in there?" Sorry, Jeremy, she's distracted now. "I don't remember having the urge to Dear Diary my life away." Oh well. "I'm going to make the best of it. What I always do," she says, answering completely truthfully but not because she has to. Jeremy, she doesn't lie all the time. Just, often.