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Prologue

One year to the day that Elena, Jenna, and Jules died to free Klaus's werewolf heritage he sued for peace. He and his hybrids could not overcome the four Original siblings and their ragtag alliance of vampires, werewolves, and witches. His heart wasn't really in it anyway. He had fulfilled his greatest desire – he would never be alone. He had his sired hybrids, and now he wanted to be reunited with the rest of his family.

A treaty was negotiated with all the pomp and solemnity of the Geneva Convention. Klaus would have to be satisfied with the hybrids he had already made since he would be denied access to Elena's blood. The rest of the Original family wanted to punish him, and this was the only thing they could think of. It was more to satisfy their pride then the fact that they didn't want him to build an army. The world was divided into zones. Elijah, Fin, and Kol would have the Americas, China, Egypt, and India. Klaus had the res,t and little sister Rebekah was a free agent. Visiting rights were negotiated because Elijah loved the opera houses of Europe and Klaus the night life in Vegas and New York. Everyone suspected Klaus gave up rights to Elena's blood because all the signs and portents indicated another doppelganger would be born in 500 years. And what was 500 years to an immortal?

Surprisingly, Stefan and Katherine were part of the negotiations. Elijah had claimed Katerina and demanded amnesty for her from Klaus. Klaus in turn had demanded Stefan. Elijah wasn't surprised since he knew Klaus hoped Rebekah would ultimately forgive him and chances were she would follow Stefan. Eliajh counter proposed that Stefan would alternate every ten years between the two sides. Finn and Kol sided with Elijah more to oppose Klaus then because they cared one way or another.

The non Originals felt betrayed. The ones who played a part in this epic struggle now had to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and try to move forward. The Originals hadn't really suffered. They did have to accept the fact that it was their brother that had killed their mother and father, but they had been close in life and now that their honor was satisfied and Klaus properly chastised they were ready to move on. There had never been problems among the children – it was their father that had sowed discord with his bias against Klaus. They were ready to settle down and enjoy the life this age had to offer.

The rest of the alliance had not fared that well. Alaric had bravely sacrificed his life to save Matt. The toll was heavy among the supernatural beings also. Caroline and Tyler were hopelessly estranged. Both of their mothers had died trying to protect their children and that guilt, along with Tyler's allegiance to the hated Klaus, appeared to be impossible obstacles to overcome. They both fled Mystic Falls, or Ground Zero, as Kol, always seeing the humor in everything, dubbed it.

The werewolf clan recruited to help in the battle was decimated. It was widely suspected that Fin, a legendary wolf hater, had taken them out once it looked like the tide has turned in their favor, but it couldn't be proven.

The witches had fared worst of all. Bonnie's mother and Lucy along with a handful of other witches dedicated to restoring the balance in nature were all casualties. Bonnie was the sole survivor. She was strong though, and she and Jeremy had developed a new, deeper relationship, bonding as both fellow warriors and survivors.

Stefan and Katharine had been pivotal players in the struggle. At one point Finn and Kol wanted Elena dead. No doppelganger blood; no more hybrid problem they reasoned. Just kill the current crop and Klaus wouldn't be able to replace them. Elijah and, surprisingly enough, Rebekah were opposed. The brothers only ceased their requests for her death when Stefan gave his personal guarantee that Klaus would not get her blood. His life was forfeit if he failed.

Over and over again, he and Katherine risked their lives for those in Mystic Falls. They both loved Damon and Katherine had protected Elena for Stefan's sake. She promised him she would and to his everlasting surprise she did. Sometime during that year, and for the life of him he couldn't tell you when, he finally accepted the fact that she really did love him.

Katherine was incensed that an agreement had been reached. Only Klaus's death would have satisfied her thirst for vengeance. Elijah had to drag her off a smirking, contemptuous Klaus and break her neck in order for the final ceremonies to be completed.

Kol declared that this day would be known as Day Zero, the start of a new era for the Originals.

Stefan was exhausted, guilt ridden, and heartsick over the carnage he had personally caused over the last year. The only thing that had kept him from giving in and dying was thoughts of Elena, Damon, and home. He was allowed to pick which side to spend his first ten years with, and he was headed to the Boarding House, anxious to share them with Elena.