Maria Salvatore || The Vampire Diaries

nineteen

Maria's POV

We drove all the way to Chicago, I hadn't been here in decades. Although I don't really remember much of it for some odd reason though. But it was a new day, bright and early.

Klaus pulled up to a random bar that I've never seen before, "What are we in Chicago for?" I ask, as the three of us walk towards the entrance.

"A witch lives here, she'll give me the answers." He replies and we all walk in. It was empty, though it was still the early in the afternoon so it made sense.

A woman who looked oddly familiar but I couldn't really remember walked out from behind the bar, "Klaus Mikaelson, to what do I owe the pleasure."

Klaus grins at the random woman, "I need your help Gloria, I can't seem to make my hybrids."

Gloria lets out a light laugh, "I knew you'd come knocking on my door some day with a problem."

Stefan steps forward and stares at her, "I know you, from the 20's. Shouldn't you be-"

"Dead? Yeah, a few spells and herbs slowed down the aging process, it will all catch up with me one day though." Stefan hums at her words, but something Stefan said caught me off guard.

"You were here in the 20's?" I ask, Stefan turns to face me, he looked confused but nodded. "I was a ripper then." I absorb his words before shutting my mouth.

"I can try and help you with your problem, I just need a bit of time to figure it out." Gloria announces and Klaus nods, I follow Stefan, who starts walking behind the bar.

"I was here in the 20's too." I mumble, Stefan turns to look at me quickly, "What?"

I shake my head, I didn't know if this was the right time to get into it.

"Why?" Stefan pesters on.

"I left Katherine before, once. It was 1920 sometime, I was gone for a year. I travelled America and stayed in Chicago for a bit." I tell him in a hushed tone, Stefan looks shocked.

"How did we not see each other?" He asks and I shrug, "I don't know. I barely remember it."

Stefan turns to examine the rest of the bar, before he freezes. "What?" I ask, after nearly bumping into his back.

Gloria and Klaus were still talking quietly across the bar.

He leans forward and grabs a picture off the wall, staring down at it. He hadn't moved a muscle or said anything.

"What is it Stefan?" I ask, starting to get worried.

Stefan doesn't answer, he just stares at the photo with a pale face. I don't ask again, I just reach for the nearly destroyed picture and grab it from his hands.

I look down at it and my body freezes as well, my heart stopping. I must've looked just as pale, probably more so.

The image was simple, it was of Stefan who stood there with a sinister smirk on his face. It was clear he wasn't himself, he wore an old fashioned suit, his hair was styled nicely. But that wasn't the shocking part, the shocking part was Stefan stood beside Klaus.

Klaus was dressed just the same, their outfits clearly showed that this was taken in the twenties. They both looked quite comfortable around each other.

But the absolute worst part was that I was in the picture too, Klaus's arms were wrapped securely around me. I was staring at him with a wide grin, and he was staring down at me with a even wider smile, our faces close, lips nearly touching.

"What the hell is this?" I ask, my eyes filling with tears. I didn't even realize that happened until I looked away from the picture and up to Klaus.

Klaus stared at me with a serious expression, "How did we know you? How was I with Maria? I didn't even know she was alive." Stefan adds on and Klaus shakes his head.