FALLEN EMPIRES, Klaus Mikaelson

four

ALBA

The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts while the stupid ones are full of confidence- Charlie Bukowski

Bukowski really nailed it with this one. This line alone is the sole reason I find myself sitting on the roof of the boarding house at the most ungodly hour in the morning. Of course Damon Salvatore is pouring himself another drink because it's five o' clock somewhere, right? The shrill sound of Damon's phone has me leaning forward perking my ears to catch his conversation.

"You're interrupting my drink," He tells the person on the other end with annoyance.

"You miss me?" I miss when I staked you to that tree and left you for the wolves; good times.

"Katherine. Where are you?" I roll my eyes at the curiosity in Damon's voice. He's such a sucker for doppelgängers.

"Lurking outside your window, pining away," she giggles causing me to snicker. What a bitch.

"What do you want?" Damon sighs losing all patience with the vampire.

"I'm homesick, what have I missed?" She fakes sadness no doubt pouting in a phone booth somewhere.

"Well, Stefan's still Klaus's little prisoner and Elena still thinks she can save him and no one's thought about you since you left." He finishes pausing to take a drink from his glass. I sniff the air and nod in appreciation. Bourbon tonight, so much better than his scotch supply.

"Hmm is that all that's happened since I've been gone?" She asks clearly already aware of my presence in Mystic Falls.

"The only things that matter," Damon retorts shoving me into his could care less pile. Aw let me look in my pocket for the cares I don't have.

"And what does matter to you? Oh let me guess Elena and the fact that you can make your move on her now since you gave up on your brother." Katherine may be a ho, but at least she's an honest ho.

"I didn't give up on him; I just don't know where he is." Damon explains in irritation. Well maybe if you weren't attached to Elena's side like a Velcro monkey people would quit calling you out on it.

"Hmm," Katherine hums like she has a secret. She knows exactly where Stefan and Klaus are.

"But you do. Are you trailing them?" Damon perks up considerably knowing for a fact she is.

"A hybrid who wants me dead and his sidekick who is off the rails, I couldn't be further away." Which means…

"Which means you know exactly where they are," Damon takes the words right out of my mouth. Score one for Salvatore.

"All I know is that Klaus pitched a fit once his hybrids didn't work; now he's looking for answers." Now who does Klaus trust enough to go to for answers such as these? She would have to be powerful and full of juice to be on the receiving end of the hybrid's frustrations. I shake my head, my lips curling into a smile when only one witch comes to mind. Gloria.

____________

The bar is empty when I finally arrive eight hours later. The stools have yet to be taken down and the glasses are still in pristine condition on the shelves. No slutty waitresses or business suit clad men laughing loudly in the corner over something that isn't even remotely funny. This place is actually tolerable for once.