Duplicity.

vii. Miscalculations

SEVEN, miscalculations

      ELENA GILBERT'S DISAPPEARANCE sent everyone who cared about her into a panic. But what else did they expect? She was the human doppelgänger after all and people were going to want her for a multitude of reasons, the main one being for Klaus Mikaelson. To offer her life in return for their own. It was a twisted mindset to have and when fear overpowers your morality, what can you really do except try to survive? Even the noblest hearts are driven to commit desperate acts. Stefan and Damon Salvatore had to learn one way or another just how far people would go to save themselves. They thought that by keeping Katherine prisoner in the tomb there would no longer be any threats looming over them and most importantly, Elena's life.

She was safe now.

Or supposed to be.

Had Klaus taken her right under their noses?

The news of her disappearance had caused a churning sensation in Stefan's stomach. His whole world had been flipped upside down. He didn't know what to do. This helpless feeling was suffocating him and he could only imagine what Elena must be going through. Damon, on the other hand, was drowning in guilt for dismissing Katherine's warnings so causally.

After so many lies and acts of deceit from Katherine, how was he to know she'd start telling the truth at the most convenient time? He was afraid of falling for one of her traps again. Maybe if he had chosen to listen this time none of this would've happened.

Since the mention of Klaus and his threat to Elena, they have yet to figure out why he even wants her to begin with. Yes, she's a doppelgänger but what does that have to do with him? How exactly did their two existences intertwine with each other?

A question the Salvatores were trying so hard to find an answer to. Every possibility they could think of ended in more questions. Things just didn't make sense.

"What else did she say?" Stefan asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Just that Elena's in danger... and we should probably start playing nice with Himari." Damon recounted Katherine's cryptic message.