For You, My Love, I Would Do Anything

Chapter 4: True Love Is Not Real Unless It Is Returned

A week had passed since the birthday party for Klaus, and Damon was doing his best to keep Katerina as far away from the untriggered hybrid. Every time he would hear talk of Elijah or Klaus showing affection towards the brunette, he would always be there, asking her to go on walks with him or if she wanted to see the gardens out back. He could tell that both Mikaelson brothers were beginning to become frustrated, but Damon couldn't have cared less. All he cared about was making sure that this innocent version of Katherine stayed innocent.

"Whatever your plan is," Stefan spoke as they were getting ready in their bed chamber, "I would start executing it now. The full moon is this month and that's all that Klaus needs in order to start trying to break his curse."

Damon was just slipping into his coat when Stefan told him this. "I know, brother. What do you think I've been doing this past week?"

"The only thing I've seen you do this week is take Katherine for walks. How is that productive?" Stefan asked, his arms coming up to cross over his chest.

Damon turned away from the mirror to face his younger brother. "Exactly," Damon said. Seeing the furrowed eyebrows that only signaled confusion from Stefan, the older Salvatore rolled his eyes and stepped towards him. "Think about it. Klaus and Elijah want to charm Katherine into doing whatever they say. That would include keeping her attention and taking her on nature walks or riding in their carriage or whatever the hell it is they do to make their victims like them before they kill them. If I do all of that work instead of them, it will only bring Katherine and I closer instead of Katherine and Klaus." Damon winked at Stefan and made a clicking noise with his tongue, turning back to the mirror to check his hair.

Stefan thought for a minute before he sighed. Stepping forward, he looked at his brother from the mirror. "Damon," he called. When Damon grudgingly gave him his attention, he asked, "Are you spending time with Katherine for a reason other than trying to keep her attention off of Klaus?"

Damon rose an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Elena and I have seen how you've been acting around her, Damon. You're happy with her. We think you're falling in love with her again," Stefan explained.

For a long moment everything was silent. Then Damon, in an attempt to hide his feelings over what his brother just told him, began to laugh. "Good one," Damon grinned. "This is Katherine, Stefan. This is the bitch who ruined our lives and pinned us against one another. Why would I ever love her?"

"Because she's not Katherine, Damon. She's Katerina. She's the Petrova beauty, the one who, before Klaus ruined her life, was sweet and loving and cared for everyone she knew. Here, Katherine Pierce doesn't exist, but Katerina Petrova does. I think you're falling in love with the girl who was supposed to be yours but wasn't because of everything that happened to her. I think you're protecting her not because you know what will happen if you don't, but because you honestly, genuinely love her," Stefan said, watching as his brother's face went from stony to soft, his eyes mournful and loving as he spoke of the Katherine he could have known but never met.

Then Damon's expression became guarded once more, but Stefan knew that he was right. His brother, Damon Salvatore, was falling in love with Katerina Petrova, the human who turned and went on to change their lives as Katherine Pierce.

Damon being Damon, however, just laughed it off and said, "I think you and Elena need to re-evaluate your priorities, little brother. I came here to save everyone who's ever had the displeasure of meeting Katherine, not to fall in love with her. Now, how about we leave this Katherine talk and focus on succeeding in what we came here to do, got it?"