(It all just snaps into place, suddenly.)
You're on the bottom of the lake bed, for the second time, and you can feel it, feel the life slipping away from you as you watch Stefan drag Matt to the surface and you get it now. You get everything. You've never felt surer, more certain, and it's funny because it's all about to end.
(But that's okay, you decide. Because you get it.)
You finally understand why your dad made Stefan take you before him, because the thought of choosing yourself over Matt rips your insides up and makes your heart hurt even more than it does with the pressure of all this water on your body. You understand why Rebekah did what she did – you do, and you can't find it within yourself to blame her.
(You've been living on borrowed time for a while now.)
But most importantly you get it. You understand who it is. Who it's always been. Because he was right, in the end. He was always right. You didn't want safe. You wanted a love that consumed you, passion and adventure and just a little danger. And he gave you that but you were too caught up in your safe love that you didn't realise it.
(No, your mom was right. You knew how you felt but you just didn't want to say it, didn't want to lose them.)
You release your last breath and just wait for a while. You could try to save yourself, but what's the use? It's over, and you'll never admit it but you're secretly a little glad that it's ending this way. No big fight, no vampire bite, no broken neck. You're dying the way you should have a year ago, the way you should have with your parents.
(You hope you get to see them again soon.)
You don't want to leave them. None of them, but especially not him. But you know, now. You get that this is it, this is fate restoring the balance and you just hope that he won't throw the good away in himself again because you love him, oh so much and the sudden realisation that you haven't told him that yet hits you and fuck, that hurts.
(He deserved so much more than you've ever given him.)
You're almost gone, now, barely left and that's okay. It's okay. You'll get to see your mom and dad and Alaric and Jenna and it's just going to be okay. You'll miss them and you like to think they'll miss you, but that's going to be okay too because nobody can really live forever and you'll get to see them again soon. You seem him in your head, just for a second, and a smile curves on your lips.
("I love you.")
Fin
A/N: Ahhhh the final was freaking amazing! Bit slow to start but then Klaus asdfghjkl and then Ric asdfghjkl and then Damon asdfghjkl and flashbacks asdfghjkl and Elena asdfghjkl. Just a lot of asdfghjkl okay?
Anyhow, this is just a quick oneshot I wrote right after I saw the final. Hope you like, please review!