AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hello everyone!

This is my version of how I think TVD should end. FAIR WARNING, what you'll read is going to be really dark and would probably hurt many people's sentiments. So do not read if that isn't your cup of tea.

However, if you do continue onward, let me assure you the story does not end in the way this one-shot is written, i.e., there's a twist at the end. This twist (not necessarily my version of the twist; I'm not choosy) is something I hope actually happens on the show. But you have to read the whole thing first. It makes the twist so much better.

Again, sorry for the dark theme but I hope you enjoy.

P. S. this was written before the season 7 finale aired. Thus, whatever you read is not a spoiler and if there is anything written in this story that clashes with what happened in the finale (for example, someone's death) then please disregard that. This one-shot does not follow the season 7 finale canon.

Now for the main thing. Happy reading!

DISCLAIMER: Not my show. Everything other than this plot belongs to Julie Plec & Co. I am just a fan who likes to play around with them.

Running.

That's all she remembered.

200 years. 6 months. 13 weeks. 2 days. 1 minute.

But all she remembered was running.

If anyone had told her before that one day she'd live to be about two centuries old she'd have laughed at their face.

If anyone had told her that one day she'd be without anything in her world- no friends, no family, no love… no home- she would have gaped at them; but soon ignored their words because that's what happens when you are one of the most prettiest, most popular girl in the school- you get a lot of jealous and sometimes downright mean words thrown at you.

If anyone had told her that when that particular someday came, the day she'd be two centuries old and without anything, she'd be eighteen and beautiful and so impossibly dead- she'd definitely have them get admitted somewhere.

But now as she stood eighteen and beautiful and so impossibly dead, staring ahead of her for her two centuries old best-friend-turned-enemy to finally come face-to-face, she didn't waver. She didn't cower. She didn't back away.

Scared for whom? They were all gone anyway.

If today she had met that someone she would have hugged them, not let them go until they had promised that they would go to her old, naïve, human self and tell all that they had not told her, and done everything in their power to make sure she listened damn the consequences- because anything, everything was better than this reality.

The reality of 200 years, 6 months, 13 weeks, 2 days and 9 minutes old Elena with no home, no family, no love; waiting to be killed by the one person she had loved most since she could say her very first sentence. She had nothing to lose after all.

She was the last one of them left.

The first on her target had been Caroline.

Sassy, protective, loyal Caroline; whose first priority had always been to save her children.

But unfortunately it had been her that quality, the quality that made her her, that ultimately led to her downfall.

Or it would have been if Alaric hadn't jumped in front of her.

Brave, selfless Alaric who died saving the one woman he had unwittingly given his heart to. The brave, foolishly selfless Alaric who died protecting the one thing that had introduced him to their dysfunctional little group in the first place, the one thing he loved and craved above all else- family.

The grief and guilt blinded Caroline. She became reckless. But her unbelievably strong self-control that was a superpower all on its own had saved her from the destructive path she was about to take. She focused on keeping her girls safe- she owed it to Alaric to not let his sacrifice go to waste. She ran with her kids far, so very far that she knew the Hunter would not be able to follow them.

She was wrong.

The Hunter caught up to them, and the sight of a dagger driving into her daughter's heart blinded her with unbearable rage and pain. She ran with her only remaining family far away and compelled the distraught twin to forget them all- magic and vampires and family- and told her to live a normal happy life like her father had so wanted. And one day, when all this was over, she would go to find a Heretic who would say a secret word and the memories will come back. Hopefully by then the Hunter would be long gone and though she would be angry- so very angry- that her mother made her forget them all, she should know that it was for her own good. And that no matter how wrong her actions were, her mother loved her, that her father had loved her and her sister had loved her, and one day… maybe she'd be able to forgive her and love her too.

So after a tearful goodbye, Caroline Forbes returned to her home where the Hunter was still waiting. And as the fight ended and the light went out of her former best friend's eyes, the Hunter smirked down at the graying body before her and turning her back walked away, leaving a burning building in her wake.

The third (supposed to be second but oh well) target was Stefan.

It was annoyingly difficult to track him down, thanks to his years of practice at evading his brother. But no matter. She would find him, she promised herself; she would find him and listen to the crackle of his burning bones in the background while she gave in to her century's worth of relaxation.

Hmm, that sound- what she wouldn't give to hear that melodious sound…

Ironically it was his brother that led her to Stefan. The Hunter laughed as she caught up to him. It was almost comical how easily Stefan had fallen for it. And as she saw the horror dawn on his face when he realized that it had been a ruse that Damon was not in danger- the Hunter almost felt bad for him.

'Almost' being the operative word.

"Don't fret, darling", she purred from where she leaned, staring down at his bound and injured body, "I would give you one last chance to say goodbye to your one true love. He'd be here shortly- no need to look so surprised! I'm not completely heartless…"

"No", he croaked, coughing up blood as he talked. "Please don't… L-let him… go… You have me…"

"Stefan, Stefan, Stefan", she admonished lightly, "when would you learn? You know this thing you have- this protective instinct that you have for your brother- this is going to be the death of you. Literally."

"I l-love my brother…"

"Yes, yes, I know. It's downright sickening, honestly. But, you're lucky I like you. You get to see his face before you die! Yayy right? Come on, look happy! You've got the best deal I've offered anyone."

Stefan wheezed, not hearing a thing she said. He could feel the life slowly leave him and he prayed to anyone who would listen that his brother didn't try to something like come to save him. He wished fervently that once in his life, Damon would do the selfish thing for the right reason.

But as the door opened before him and Damon burst in, Stefan gave out a painful howl- not for the pain of the fire poker that was thrust halfway into his back but at seeing the utter despair in his brother's eyes.

"Oh, how lovely", the Hunter smiled. "I do always love a good reunion."

"Damon, go!"

The last thing he saw before the fire poker completely pierced his heart and his life left him was his brother's anguished expression as he ran towards him.

"Hmm… a good reunion indeed."

The person that entered the room startled Elena. She had not been expecting him and from the looks of it neither was he.

"Elena?"

"Enzo?"

Enzo flashed to her checking to see if she was really there. Elena was slightly uncomfortable when he pulled her into a hug. They had been friends sort of once upon a time but never close enough to touch. "What-", she started but Enzo interrupted her by starting to talk.

"You- you are alive?"

The question brought her to a standstill.

"What?" She asked, clearly confused and slightly agitated. "Of course I'm alive. And what are you doing here?"

Enzo looked at her oddly for a minute and then realization struck him. He stumbled back slightly, his face losing all color.

"If you're not dead then… Damon-"

"What?" Elena asked, her previous discomfort forgotten as she strode up and shook his arm to bring him out of the daze. "What about Damon?"

The fourth target had been Damon.

Surprisingly he had been very easy to catch.

He still visited Elena's coffin whenever he could so it was just a matter of waiting on the Hunter's part. Like clockwork, on the third day of her wait Damon strode into the storage shed that held Elena's coffin. Stefan's death had not been good on him, the Hunter mused as she looked at his sunken eyes and clearly slowly desiccating figure. The only reason he was still fighting onward and had not voluntarily bit the dust (or, you know, 'poof'-ed away without his ring) was because of his dream of one day reuniting with Elena. The Hunter internally rolled her eyes. It was so predictable it was a surprise that she hadn't already died of laughter.

An idea formed in her mind and a slow, evil smile grew on her face. God knows this chasing stuff was getting old soon. She needed to do something to jazz it up a little.

It took patience though for her plan to work. Patience and a good I-phone.

"Hey, Damon", her video self said a few days later when Damon opened his phone to see the video message alert blinking. With extreme caution he slid his finger across the answer button and what he saw made his undead heart clench in dread. "How are you doing bestie? Good, I hope. Oh, how am I? Don't worry, I'm having a gala time with my other best friend here." The video-Hunter positioned the phone such that the camera could include the coffin resting behind her. "Remember her? Well, who am I kidding? Of course you do. Isn't she the one who left my old self for, when you couldn't handle reality? What would she about that, Damon, hmm? I wonder…" She paused for a moment dramatically then sighed. Flicking open the lighter in her hand, she hummed sadly. Turning her emotionless eyes to face Damon, she muttered coldly, "I guess we'll never know."

The loud clank of the falling phone was the last thing that was heard in the room where Damon had been hiding.

When he arrived at the place the coffin was still burning, the last embers dying as the sun set in the background and the stars started twinkling in the sky. Damon fell on his knees, staring helplessly at the burning remains of his beloved. He sat there as silent tears fell down his face, watching the last of his hope die with the embers. He didn't even register when he felt the sharp kick in his back, falling on the floor his eyes still on the ashes.

"It's pathetic" he heard a distant voice say though he was beyond comprehension at that point. "I figured you'd be a better adversary but I guess loss really is paralyzing, huh?"

He felt the warm breath against his ears and a voice, loud and dark and emotionless, whispered to him, "how does it feel, Damon? Seeing your loved ones dying in front of you? First Stefan, then Elena… rejoice, Damon. You finally are what you always thought you were- alone. Burn now, Damon. I had wished to see Stefan burning at my feet but oh well. The other Salvatore would do."

Oh right, she thought closing her eyes as she hummed along with the crackling sound of his burning body. That does sound soothing.

Bonnie walked away from the two burning piles but stopped, turning to smirk at Damon (or the pile that used to be Damon) devilishly.

"I almost forgot! Elena's alive. That's just the coffin I burned… You're welcome."

She stood, waiting for her former friend to come through the door. She had seen her enter the compound where Elena and Enzo were hiding (Elena mourning the loss of her loved ones and Enzo plotting ways to bring back his) and rushed to the innermost area of the compound.

Enzo had been gone for the last two days… and she knew he wouldn't ever return again; the decapitated head of her only remaining friend thrown through the window was kind of hard to ignore. Bonnie had thrown it with the intention to scare her half to death and to alert her presence in a very dramatic fashion- on both counts she succeeded.

Elena stood waiting, deciding she was done running. She had nothing and no one left to lose- all she could do was not give Bonnie what she wanted the most from her now.

Fear.

Elena had been protected all throughout her human life and even through her vampirism; Bonnie was expecting her to back down and accept defeat.

But she won't. She won't back down without a fight.

The explosive spell that she had gotten from a witch they'd become friends with as a gift was charmed on the door and Elena crouched on the farthest corner of the room in wait for her entrance.

The spell didn't disappoint. The moment the door opened the spell activated and the assailant was knocked of their feet, the wall breaking their moment as they thudded painfully against it, falling in a heap.

Yes, fortunately for her the spell worked.

Unfortunately, the spell had worked on the wrong person.

Bonnie chuckled as she entered the room unharmed, seeing Elena's shocked expression. "Honestly, Elena", she drawled out. "Next time you trust a witch, make sure she's not a distant cousin of the person who you are running from."

"What? How-?"

"Long story short, someone's from Dad's side of the family married a witch from another coven. Family comes first. No matter how distant."

Elena took that moment to flash to her and give a hard blow to her gut, but Bonnie had been expecting that. Holding on to the hand she twisted her twist painfully causing Elena to scream in mind numbing pain. She pushed Elena away, who in turn righted herself quickly and turned to face her, gritting her teeth in pain as she twisted her injured hand back in place.

Bonnie cocked her head on the side, staring at her sadly. "Is that a way to greet an old friend? I'm hurt."

"You are not my friend", Elena growled running at her again, kicking her feet from underneath her. Bonnie landed with an 'oomph', turning her head to glare at her smug figure. "You are a monster posing as my friend."

Bonnie stood up with inhuman speed and raised her eyebrow at her mockingly. "Oh, Elena Gilbert, how you wound me..."

Bonnie picked up the big sofa easily, causing Elena's eyes to round off in horror. She threw the furniture at her with surprising ease, causing Elena to duck behind the wall to save herself from the impact. What she failed to notice was that Bonnie had already anticipated her movement and was on her before she could flinch. She pushed Elena's head into the wall, hearing the satisfying crunch and the pained scream when her skull fractured.

Pulling her by the hair she thrust her against the floor, her booted feet on her back acting as an anchor. "You know what your problem is, Elena? You think you are always right. But guess what? You are not."

She pulled Elena's hands behind her back, hearing the tear of the tendons when she pulled too hard. Elena screamed in pain. She hadn't expected Bonnie to be so powerful, hadn't believed Enzo when he had told her of how bloodthirsty and cruel the Hunter Bonnie had become. But seeing the woman she once called her best friend pull at her ligaments like it was rope, unflinching of the pain she caused, a dread like no other gripped Elena. When Enzo had gone on and on about how they could bring Bonnie back if they tried hard enough, if they searched long enough- she had somewhat believed him. Believed him when he said that there was anything of the Bonnie they loved still alive inside.

But he had been wrong. He had been so very wrong. And that... terrified her.

But she had to try. She had to at least try to appeal to her Bonnie, the Bonnie she was desperate to believe was still somewhere inside her. Bonnie Bennett couldn't be dead. She had to try.

"Why are you doing this, Bonnie?" She groaned, the slow throbbing pain of her tearing limbs blinding her, "I'm your friend."

Bonnie laughed, a loud inhuman laugh that send chills down her spine and said, her voice low and velvety, "this is the problem with you guys, you know? You just don't learn. All of your friends- oops! Our friends- died doing what they thought were their best intentions, their strengths. All of them. Alaric for his family. Caroline for her humanity. Stefan for his unflinching love for his brother. Damon for his staggering love for you. Enzo, dear sweet Enzo... you know, if things had been different and life had treated me better, we would have been so happy. So very happy."

"You killed him, Bonnie."

"Hmm... for his love for me. Or the old me, really. All of them died for their love, their weakness. What does that tell you?"

"It tells me", she croaked out, "that you... are crazy..."

"Maybe." She kneeled over her, her mouth near her ear as if to whisper a secret. "And you know your weakness?"

Elena stared ahead, ignoring her words. She knew her end was near; she could almost feel it. And she lay there wondering what she could have done differently to save her friend, Bonnie stuck her hand in her chest and wrapped her fingers around her heart.

"Hope", Bonnie whispered almost reverently and pulled her heart free out of her body.

Elena awoke with a gasp, the loud ringing of her alarm continuing from the nightstand. Wiping her hand over her sweaty forehead, she stretched to shut off her alarm.

"A dream", she muttered shaking, trying to calm her heart. "Just a dream. It's alright. Just a dream. A-a weird, very detailed dream..."

She looked around the room and gasped when she realized where she was. Tripping out of our covers that had tangled themselves snugly around her legs, she ran out of her old bedroom and raced down the stairs to the living room. The aromatic smell of pancakes drifted from the kitchen and Elena had to hold on to the banister to stay upright. Tears stung her eyes as she remembered certain details of her dream and hoped that the reality would be different. Wiping at her wet cheeks, she took a deep breath to steady herself and entered the dining room, stopping in shock at the sight.

Miranda Gilbert stood over the pan, making the fifteenth pancake of the slowly disappearing pile. Understanding what was happening she slapped the hand of her teenage son Jeremy lightly when it slowly made its way for another helping of the pancakes.

"Jeremy", Miranda admonished, causing Jeremy to flush in embarrassment at being caught and Grayson Gilbert, who was mixing the batter, to chuckle.

"Sorry, Mom", he muttered.

"Go wash your hands young man", she scolded lightly. "And call your sister down, it's time for breakfast."

Jeremy turned to leave but saw Elena standing near the door, tears dripping down her eyes.

"Uh, Lena?" He asked, a little freaked out by her tears. Girls, he thought. I'll never understand them.

Grayson who had also noticed Elena frowned in confusion and concern. "Elena, darling. Are you okay?"

What the two men and Miranda didn't expect was for Elena to come barreling down the rest of the distance and charge into Grayson's arms. "Daddy", she sobbed.

Clearly worried about his elder daughter, Grayson rubbed his hand comfortingly on her back. He shot a glance at Miranda, who met his gaze with worried eyes of her own.

"What's wrong, honey?" She asked, causing Elena to leave Grayson's embrace and throw her arms around Miranda.

"Mom! Dad! You're alright!"

The two parents shared a concerned look but could not say anything because Elena had pulled them both closer for a three-people hug, with Jeremy watching them awkwardly.

After Elena had calmed down, Miranda decided to broach the subject. "What happened, honey?"

Elena opened her mouth to answer but closed it again when she realized she couldn't say anything without sounding crazy. It had been a crazy dream, but it had felt so real. She could still feel the phantom hand of Bonnie as she thrust her hand into her chest and pulled her heart out. She shuddered at the memory.

But that didn't matter, she decided. It had been a dream, and hopefully it'll be just that and nothing more. Schooling her features to normal she smiled and her parents and replied, "nothing. Stupid dream. I'm fine now... I love you."

Miranda smiled happily at her daughter and squeezed her reassuringly. "We love you too."

"All of us", Grayson added, pulling Jeremy into their impromptu group hug, laughing at his grumbles and a drawn out "awww man!"

Elena smiled to herself. It didn't matter what the dream was or how it ended. The reality was this. Her family and friends were safe and that's all that mattered.

3-4 months later...

"So the background decorations have been handled and the flower selections have been selected and I have notified Care of their prices and stuff..." Elena said out loud, clicking her pen anxiously as she tried to remember if there had been any more specifications handed down by Caroline. She could get kind of psychotic when it came to party planning and Elena was not planning on being the unlucky lamb-of-the-day. her mom was planning an important dinner for a business partner slash old friend and Elena needed to be home... well, 20 minutes ago would have been preferred.

"Elena, calm down", Bonnie reassured. "It's all perfect. You did your job. Caroline won't kill you."
Elena groaned out loud. Her mom was going to kill her. She couldn't even look at her phone in her freak-out moment-she didn't want to see the number of missed calls.

"You think it's OK?" she asked.

"Yep", Bonnie smiled. "Trust me."

Elena smiled at her best friend, mentally reassuring herself that her friend was safe and well and still her friend. It had been months since that weird dream and though she didn't remember everything perfectly anymore, she still remembered the dream-Bonnie's last cruel smile and shuddered at the memory. It wasn't true, she knew. But something in her always made sure to check a few things constantly. She had become a little bit more paranoid than before, which she attributed to the fugitive-ish quality of her dream. But otherwise everything was quite normal and she had practically forgotten the dream completely.

Except for that nagging-
Shaking out of her reverie she realized that Bonnie had been saying something. "Um... what?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes playfully at her best friend and said, "You can go. I'll take care of Care. And no, she won't kill you. Have fun at the dinner!"

Elena laughed to which Bonnie joined in. They both knew how much Elena hated these family/colleague dinners.

"Bye" she said and walked away. As she rounded the corner she bumped into someone.

Hard.

"Oof", she muttered from where she had fallen, rubbing her bum to soothe the pain a little.
The boy she had bumped into knelt down to help pick up her things, muttering a quick but genuine apology. Picking up everything they stood up, Elena blushing slightly as she stared into the concerned eyes of this guy. Hmm he's so... Elena focus!

"Um, sorry I wasn't looki-"
"I didn't mean to-"

The two looked at each other and laughed at them speaking together.

Elena feeling a lot more relaxed now asked, "So what are you doing here? I haven't seen you around here before."

The boy smiled, his eyes twinkling slightly. "I'm here with my uncle visiting a friend of his."

Elena frowned curiously at the coincidence. "Did u get lost... or?"

He smiled sheepishly running a hand through his hair. "Yeah... sort of. I lost the address of them and now I'm... really confused about where I am."

"What's their name? Maybe i can help?"

"The Gilberts. Miranda Gilbert."

Elena looked at him in surprise and a brilliant smile grew on her face. "This is so weird... that you came across me."

The boy's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before understanding what she meant.

"Gilbert?" he asked pointing at her.

"Gilbert." she confirmed pointing at herself causing them both to laugh. When their laughter died down she smiled at him and said, thrusting out her hand to him for a shake, a slight blush on her face. "Elena Gilbert."

The boy smiled and met her hands with his, his green eyes sparkling lightly that made her think of kisses underneath bridges, crows and oddly enough the feeling of drowning.

"Stefan Salvatore."

Author's note:

Done!

What do you guys think? Please leave a review and let me know. This is my first angst one-shot and I am a little freaking out here-was it good? Terrible? Should I do more dark fics in the future? Please please please let me know! It would be much appreciated.

Until next time,

Much love'

L (MissSalvaforbeson)