No matter how long she lives, no matter how much of the world she sees, the goal never leaves her mind. Just one goal. She travels for centuries, always keeping one eye on the lookout. Always on the edge of her seat, waiting for a sign. One task before she is finally free.

She made a vow in the heat of the moment, desperation falling from her lips. And he had granted her one chance to fix the hole burning away in her heart. She hadn't stopped to consider the risks. She had leaped forwards gladly, taking his offer with greedy hands. Blood for blood.

There have been attempts in the past. Endless attempts. She remembers them all. Every face. Every drop of blood spilled. All the lies, the games. The desperate attempts to follow through on the deal she made so many lifetimes ago. She wasn't thinking properly at the time. Grief does that to you. You can't think straight. You are reckless. You make stupid choices, make wild sacrifices without considering the long term consequences. You promise your life away to another without caring about how long your life will be.

But she'd had lived a long life. Sometimes it felt too long. It felt like she'd been wandering from place to place, always searching for another familiar face. Always waiting for the freedom she'd given up so easily.

This is the closest she has been to freedom in a long time. She can almost taste salvation now. She can almost feel the relief ready to wash over her bones. Not yet. But soon.

Now she stands at the edge of town, cellphone clutched in one hand and a handwritten note in the other. Her eyes gaze around the familiar trees hungrily, brow furrowing slightly at the sight of new buildings taking up space in her view. The town is quiet and calm but she can hear the faint murmurings of the citizens wandering around, chatting mindlessly as they wander down the streets, sitting in cafes with not a care in the world.

They have no idea of how close they are to the chaos that she has unwillingly brought back with her.

"Mystic Falls…It's good to be home," the girl mutters under her breath as she takes in the innocence around her. Straightening her shoulders up, she tightens her jaw as she feels the storm brewing behind her small frame, clouds shifting and pulling together to darken the sky as if they know what's coming. "Prepare for war."


A/N: Hello readers! It's been a very long time since I updated this fic and after re-reading it and looking over my old plotting notes I decided it was time for a rewrite! I still love Nicola with all my heart and it's always bugged me that I never got to finish telling her story so here we go. I hope you enjoy the fresh take on her story and the first chapter will be coming very soon so stay tuned :)