The Doppelgänger Mikaelson

Ivar sat on the balcony of the Mikaelson house, his eyes fixed on the horizon as the faint hum of activity drifted from below. He seemed lost in thought, his usual sharp focus dulled by whatever weighed on his mind.

Freya stepped out, her footsteps soft on the wooden floor as she approached him. She pulled out a chair and sat beside him, studying his face before speaking. "You've been unusually quiet these past few months since we got to Mystic Falls," she said gently, breaking the silence.

Ivar let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair. "That's because my mind is elsewhere," he admitted. "I've been thinking about something… about the one who trapped Alyssa in that ice. The spell used wasn't ordinary—it was powerful. It required the blood of two doppelgängers."

Freya tilted her head, her brows furrowing. "The Guardians. That's what she called them, right?"

Ivar gave her a slow nod. "Aye. Through my long life, I've never heard of any 'Guardians' or seen one, but Alyssa's situation makes me believe they're no myth."

Freya exhaled, resting her arms on her knees as she gazed out at the view. "If they're real, I suppose we have a long enough lifespan to find out one day."

Ivar's lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "That's if they don't find us first."

Freya chuckled lightly, though there was a touch of unease in her eyes. "True. But if they're as powerful as you say, maybe they're not hiding from us. Maybe they're just waiting."

Ivar didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The quiet between them lingered, heavy with thoughts neither wanted to voice.

Salvatore Boarding House

The Salvatore brothers stared in disbelief as the figure stepped into the room. It was Elizabeth Gilbert, Elena's mother—alive, standing there as if nothing had ever happened. Damon and Stefan both froze, their eyes wide in shock.

"Mother?" Damon asked, his voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"Elizabeth?" Stefan's voice was quieter, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Katherine, who had been standing with her usual smug expression, now looked just as surprised, but a wicked grin crept onto her face. "Well, well. I think we all have some questions to answer," she said, glancing at Elizabeth with a knowing look. "I'd like an answer to that question too, Mother."

The room was thick with tension as the brothers exchanged confused glances. They couldn't wrap their heads around what was happening. Elizabeth, after all these years, alive?

"How is this possible?" Damon finally demanded, still trying to process it all. "We saw you... We thought you were dead."

Elizabeth sighed, a weariness in her eyes. "I know. I know how this must look. But there's a lot you don't know. And I'm afraid if we're going to understand any of this, you'll need to sit down." She gestured toward the couches, her tone calm despite the chaos in the room.

Katherine raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the sudden turn of events. "So, this is your big secret?" she asked, her voice dripping with curiosity.

Elizabeth shot her a glance but didn't respond to her taunt. Instead, she sat down herself, motioning for Damon and Stefan to do the same. They hesitated but did as they were told, both still processing the bombshell that had just been dropped on them.

"I'll try to make this short," Elizabeth began, her voice low and steady, "but it's a long story. I wasn't killed. I escaped. I had to survive. And now... now I'm back."

Damon's mind was racing. "Escaped? From what? From who?"

Elizabeth looked at him, her eyes filled with a sorrow he had never seen before. "From the people who took me. The ones who didn't want anyone to know the truth. They kept me hidden for years, away from all of you. I thought I had lost everything... But I never gave up."

Stefan frowned, looking between Elizabeth and Katherine, piecing things together. "And you knew about this, didn't you, Katherine?"

Katherine's grin only widened. "Oh, of course. No one saved her, Stefan. She survived on her own." She glanced back at Elizabeth. "But I guess that's something only you would know, right, Mother?"

The word hung in the air, sharp and final. The tension was thick, but Elizabeth didn't flinch. Instead, she just nodded slightly, acknowledging the truth Katherine had laid bare.

Damon turned to Katherine, still processing it all. "You're her mother?" he asked, his voice more demanding now, trying to understand the full scope of the situation.

Katherine nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm her mother. And I survived too... but not in the way you might think."

Stefan was lost for words, his gaze flicking from Elizabeth to Katherine. The silence between them was deafening, and Damon broke it by letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"So, what now?" Damon asked, his voice still uncertain. "What does this all mean?"

Elizabeth looked at both of them with sadness in her eyes. "It means that nothing is as it seems. And everything you thought you knew... is about to change."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, her eyes flickering with a mixture of regret and determination. "I never wanted any of you to be involved in this," she began quietly, her voice heavy with the weight of the years she had carried this secret. "But I have no choice now."

Damon and Stefan leaned forward, listening intently. Katherine, always the observer, was still in the background, her face unreadable.

"I am what people call a Guardian," Elizabeth continued, her tone low, as if each word was a burden she had carried alone for too long. "I've been running from my kind for centuries. After I gave birth to Katerina, I thought I could finally live a peaceful life. But they found me. And when Elena was born... they came for her too."

Stefan's face softened as he realized the depth of her pain. "But you protected her," he said quietly, more statement than question.

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes full of sorrow. "I did. But it came at a cost. I had to give her up, to her father's brother, to keep her safe. I ran again. And since then, I've been hiding. From them, from the truth."

Damon was quiet for a moment, trying to process everything Elizabeth had said. "So now what? You're saying you need help?"

Elizabeth's gaze hardened as she looked at her sons. "Yes. Because of my daughters, things have escalated. The Original Family... they're coming for us. They're dangerous, and I can't protect my girls alone anymore."

Katherine's lips curved into a smirk, but it was clear she was intrigued. "And you want our help, don't you? After everything?"

Elizabeth didn't flinch at Katherine's sarcasm. "Yes," she said simply. "I've been running for too long. And now I need to go to the very people I've been avoiding—my fellow Guardians. We are the strongest of our kind, and together... we might have a chance against the Originals."

Damon looked at Stefan, then back at Elizabeth. "And what happens after? What's the plan?"

Elizabeth's eyes were fierce now, the resolve in her voice unwavering. "After this, I don't know. But we have to stop them, for the sake of Elena, for the sake of Katerina. If we don't... the Originals will destroy everything we hold dear."

Katherine's smirk faded, replaced by something more serious. "So, what do we do now?" she asked, her voice steady, though her curiosity was evident.

Elizabeth met her gaze, a tired but resolute smile on her lips. "Now we prepare. We gather the Guardians, and we face the Originals head-on. It's the only way to protect my daughters—and all of us."

A/N

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