Charmed/VD: Unexpected Old Friend

Ch.1: Look Who's Barking

It was a dismal night, as a human Kat walked down streets. She'd found a way to get out of Virginia, away from a town where nearly everyone hated her. She'd then found a way to get to San Francisco. She knew a few people in this city. People that protected as many as they could from danger. Kat wasn't innocent by any standard, but she needed protection. Since she didn't want to deal with Originals, the Charmed Ones were her best bet. They were powerful with magic, after all.

After a long walk through the city she hadn't been in since she'd been a vampire and had helped them a few times, she reached her destination. She then looked around to make sure no one was following like she'd been doing since getting the cure shoved down her throat, before heading up the steps and stopping in front of the front door on the porch. Then, after a moment, she rang the doorbell, hoping to not be interrupting anything.

"Katherine, what are you doing here?" she inquired, when the door opened.

"I need your help. May I?" Kat replied to Piper.

Piper stepped aside to let her in, and then closed the door when Katherine entered.

"What do you need? We're kind of in the middle of something right now."

"Protection. Just in case. I screwed up and got the cure for vampirism shoved down my throat. I'm human now. I made too many enemies as a vampire. Right now. I just need a place if you'll have me. I can help you in any way I can in return. Minus magic, of course. You guys protect me. I'll help you in return."

"We can talk about this later, but as for now, yes. You can stay," she replied.

"What can I help you with?" Kat inquired.

"How are you with dogs?" Piper inquired.

"I grew up with a few that would wander around my village centuries ago, but I never really owned any. Why?"

"We have a banchee to track down. We did this tracker spell. Pru won't come out from under the bed. The spell turned her into a dog."

"I think I have just the thing. You have a cat. Dogs eat anything they can. Lure her with cat treats," Kat replied.

Piper led her to which room Phoebe was in, trying to get Pru to come out from under the bed.

"Look who's staying here for a while," Piper informed.

"Katherine," Phoebe greeted her.

"Piper told me what happened. Let me try," Kat told her. Then when Phoebe got up, Kat took her place. "Hey, Pru. It's been a while. Why don't you come out?" She showed her a cat treat that Piper had given her from the treats in the kitchen. "I've got a treat for you. You hungry?"

The white Husky started to scoot towards her, lured by the treat.

"Good girl," Kat praised her, and helped her out from under the bed the rest of the way, as she ate the cat treat. Kat looked at the two that were still intact. "It makes sense why a tracking spell would turn her into a dog. They have keene senses and know how to track. Now, why don't you do your thing? I can't help magically, so it's just you guys. I'll make myself at home while you guys get rid of that banchee."

Pru sat down and watched, as she told them all of that. Since she was transformed, she couldn't say anything back.

Kat was sitting on the couch after having eaten, taken a shower, and such, a drink in hand. She hated being human, but she figured it would be better now that she had the protection of the Charmed Ones. Besides, human or not, if she helped them out, they could help her too. It had been centuries since she'd been a human. She'd forgotten how to be a human, so she needed help to be one. And she knew they always needed help one way or another. She figured it was a better situation than her putting her life in the hands of any vampire or hybrid that either cared, used to care, or would never care about her well-being. She knew how quickly those she knew could turn on her if she did anything they didn't like. Witches were better, but the one she trusted most in New Orleans didn't have the power of protection like these three had, she knew. Sophie. And she wouldn't risk Sophie's life. She was too good of a friend of hers. These three risked their lives everyday, but they had real magic. Not ancestral magic like Sophie had. They were the better option for her if she wanted to live, which was something she normally chose.

When they returned a few hours later, Kat turned from where she was still on the couch to see that Pru was herself again, so Kat assumed that they'd gotten rid of the banchee.

"It's good to see that you're back," Kat commented to the eldest sister.

"Ya. Thanks for that," Pru replied.

"My village had dogs, so I just remembered what dogs like. Pretty much everything. But I'm glad that you've back to being yourself again. As much as I don't mind dogs, I wouldn't want you having to be one forever."

"So, I hear you're staying for a while," Pru replied, changing the subject.

"I am. You three are safer company than any vampire or hybrid. Klaus will never help me unless it's to stay on Elijah's good side. Elijah left before I got the cure shoved down my throat. I don't want to deal with him for a while. Damon hates me. Other witches I know don't have the power to protect me. And the wolves that can protect me live in the same city as Elijah. And as many enemies that I've made throughout the centuries as a vampire...I don't stand a chance out there on my own."

"If we help you, what do you want in return?" Pru questioned, since as a vampire, she'd always wanted something in return.

"All I'm asking for is to stay here and be my protection if it's needed. I'll tell you the same thing I told Piper. I'll help you any way that I can. I have nothing to lose but whatever's left of me right now," Kat replied.

"Fine. You can stay," she agreed.

Kat watched her leave, she assumed to go upstairs. Then Piper also left.

"Wanna tell me what's on your mind? You usually have more to say," Phoebe questioned her, and went to sit by her on the couch.

"Mostly, life. I know I've been a bad person, and I know I screwed up. Elijah was always there to fix any mistakes I made, but this one, not even he can fix, even if he knew what was going on. I wasn't always like this. I never wanted to admit it, but Elijah was right. Once upon a time, I was just like my doppelganger. The difference is my century was the 1400's, and my parents weren't killed in a car. They didn't exist back then. And unlike my doppelganger, I once had an illegitimate daughter, which my father tore away from me. I was nothing but a rebel child and a disgrace. I never followed the rules. The one time I decided to follow my heart, I got burned. I was banished to England just for having a child with someone my father didn't choose for me. And there's where I met Elijah and Klaus. I went back for my little girl in 1498, but I couldn't find her anywhere. I gave up looking, but I never gave up hope that some day we'd find each other. But now, unless she was turned into a vampire, it's impossible."

"Well, I always believe that nothing's impossible. Not if you believe it enough. Where there's a will, there's a way."

The youngest witch gave a smile, when she told the former vampiress that.

Kat gave a smile back, even though she didn't believe in that sort of thing. Not anymore. Once, long ago, she had believed, but Klaus had ruined so much of her life that she didn't really have hope anymore. She was nothing but a weak and broken human now.