Saying Goodbye

Katherine Pierce screamed until she felt that she couldn't scream any louder. What had happened? No, the better question was, what was going to happen? She had tried going through Bonnie, she had made peace with death, she was finally free after 500 years of running, she managed to ruin perfect Elena's life, and she was supposed to be on the other side with the one person that had truly loved her: Nadia. Instead, she had been sucked into a black hole in the middle of the church.

She had begged Bonnie for help, but the former witch had told her that it was not up to her.

Then who was it up to?

You're going to hell, Pierce the though almost immediately came to her. She felt a shiver go down her spine that seemed to be the only logical explanation even the Other Side filled with supernatural wackos didn't want her. Had she honestly been than bad?

The answer was obvious to Katherine, but even she had a hard time believing it. She felt a lump in her throat and she let the tears fall, what was the point in hiding them? She had survived childhood, the death of her entire family, being persecuted by Klaus, loosing everyone she cared about including her daughter, roaming the earth alone for five hundred years. She had thought that when she decided to die with her daughter she would have finally found peace.

Maybe not happiness, but at least peace.

"I'm sorry, please!" she choked out. "I don't want to go to hell, please!"

Everything stopped spinning and she was surprised when she didn't feel the heat of flames or the devil's welcome, instead she felt a cool breeze.

She opened her eyes, scared of what she might see, but the streets were familiar even though she had only been there once or twice. New Orleans.

She raised her head higher when she saw a man walking through the streets wearing a suit. "Elijah!" Katherine cried out as she tried to grab his arm, but her hand went through. What the hell?

"Elijah, Elijah," she said desperately. But he didn't hear her. She was a ghost. She felt a lump in her throat. Alone in life and alone in death and worse as a ghost.

She saw that Elijah went to a small alter and lit a candle. He stuffed his hands in his suit pocket and sighed. "I'm a fool." He told himself. "Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

Who? Who?

"Katerina."

She perked up, but saw that Elijah had been dialing her old number and was leaving a message. "Katerina, its Elijah. I want to see you. Please call me."

"Oh, Elijah," her voice lowered. "I'm dead, we won't see each other anymore. And even though you can't hear me, I need to say it, Elijah I love you." She gently pressed her ghost lips on his. "Thank you for giving me a second chance. I'm sorry. I don't want to say goodbye, I love you so much."

And before Katherine could say anything anymore she felt New Orleans disappearing.

Elijah touched his lips and looked around, whispering. "Katerina."

When Katherine's vision settled again. She wasn't in New Orleans. She wasn't in Mystic Falls.

She was in Bulgaria.

She was back in her country, her own village the exact replica of 1490 when she left it. Small cottages tucked together. She recognize her own house and the horse stables attached to it. She could actually smell the sweet perfume of flowers in the air. It was like nothing had change.

She looked down, she was no longer in the tight jeans and jacket. She was wearing a dark blue dress and her hair was in her natural curls with a braid.

"Katerina! Katerina!" her mother came running out of the house, crying out with glee and clutching her apron. "Hurry! Katerina has come home!"

Katherine bit her lip. Her mother would be so ashamed if she found out what she had become, she probably already knew. Her mother hugged her tightly. "Welcome back, Katerina. I missed you, my sweet girl."

Her mother's hugs were so warm, so reassuring. "Mama, I've done some awful things-"before she knew it she was crying.

"Shh, shh," she dried the tears that were running on Katherine's cheek. "I do not care what you have done, dearest. You are my daughter and a mother will always love her children no matter what."

"I'm sorry you got killed because of me." She bit her lip. "I swear I didn't want any of this to happen to you."

Her mother shook her head and patted Katherine's cheek. "It's ok, darling, its ok. I have nothing to forgive. I love you my sweet Katerina."

"I love you too, Mama."

She raised her eyes and saw her father and her sister coming towards her. Her sister who was no more that fourteen hugged her tightly. "I've missed you, sister."

Katherine hugged her tightly. "You too, sister."

Katherine's father cleared his throat. She turned to him and before she could even say anything she felt her father's arms around her. He hadn't hugged her since she had become pregnant in 1490. "Please forgive me, Katerina I've done many mistakes. I shouldn't have separated you from your daughter, I shouldn't have banished you-"

"Father," her voice was wobbly now. "I forgive you."

"Nadia, dear come welcome your mother home," her mother encouraged a small, little girl around eight years old as she came towards her carrying a bouquet of flowers. She held them up for her. "These are for you, Mama. Welcome home."

Katherine chocked on her tears as she picked Nadia up in her arms. "Come here. Thank you." She looked around and saw her family and her daughter.

She was finally home.

Katherine Pierce was dead, Katerina Petrova however had finally found peace.

THE END

R.I.P Queen Katherine Pierce, you will be missed!