07; The Meet Up

A few hours before the sun came up, Francesca slowly opened her eyes and rolled over on her side. She looked at Damon's peaceful face, he still had a small smile on his lips. She sighed and rolled over onto her back to stare at the ceiling.

She was beginning to have second thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder if she just made a huge mistake. It wasn't that she regretted being with him, but she knew her track record. At some point she was going to run and hurt him all over again and she was so tired of hurting him.

With a sigh, she glanced over at him again, thinking that she needed to get out of there, she needed to be alone with her thoughts. She slowly sat up, keeping an eye on him, before she quietly placed her feet on the cold hardwood floor.

Very slowly she stood up from the bed then leaned down to pick up her clothes. She quickly but quietly put her clothes on then walked across the floor, careful to not make a sound and slowly opened the bedroom door.

She walked out into the hall and quietly shut the bedroom door then tiptoed down the hall and down the stairs. She breathed a sigh of relief when she made it outside and sat down behind the wheel of her car. She leaned her head against the headrest as she played with her car keys.

"Should I leave? Should I stay? I don't know what to do." She groaned out loud in the quiet car.

She looked up at the bedroom window and thought about last night. It was wonderful, Damon was wonderful and he was right, she does love him, she just can't say it to him.

"But why? Why can't I just say 'I love you Damon', why is it so hard to say that to him?" She asked herself as she covered up her face with her hands and sighed loudly.

She was so lost in thought, it took her awhile to realize her cell phone was ringing. She quickly took it out of her pocket and hit the green talk button.

"Hello." She said.

"Hey, baby doll, I've got good news for you." Max said.

"What is it?"

"I found Katherine."

"That was fast."

"Well you was right, she is in Mystic Falls and she wants to talk to you."

"Well goodie for me." Francesca said sarcastically.

"She wants you to meet her at some place called 'Fell's Church'."

"I know where that is. When?"

"Now."

"I'm on my way." She said, ending the call and cranking the car. She might not know what to do about Damon, but at least she could take care of one problem... Katherine.

•••

Francesca parked the car then grabbed her over-sized purse from the backseat. She got out of the car and walked toward the church. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Katherine standing a few feet in front of her with her back toward her. Francesca used her vampire speed to run the rest of the way and stand behind her.

"I'm surprised you picked to meet here, this is the place you almost died, right?" Francesca said.

Katherine turned around and smirked,"Yeah, but luckily I got away."

"You said that wrong, you should have said, 'unfortunately I got away'. But whatever." Francesca said. She couldn't believe how different Elena was from Katherine, they may look alike but they act nothing alike.

"Oh, Franny, always with the jokes."

Francesca took a deep breath and rolled her eyes, she hated to be called 'Franny'.

"I would say I'm surprised to see you here, but honestly I'm not. You've been chasing Damon around for centuries." Katherine said.

Francesca shrugged her shoulders,"At least I don't have to compel people to love me."

Katherine threw her head back and laughed out loud,"You think I compelled Damon? Poor naive, Franny. I never compelled him, he wanted to be with me."

"I don't believe you."

Katherine laughed again. "What? You thought he loved you? He never loved you, Francesca. He was just using you, I was the one he really loved."

"You're lying."

"Am I? Let's see, he took me to a clearing in the woods once, there were purple wildflowers all around. He told me he took you there and gave you a amethyst ring. He also said that is where he told you he loved you, but he didn't mean it. He only said it because he was hoping to get under your dress that night. How am I doing?" Katherine asked her.

Francesca felt like her heart was breaking, how else could Katherine know all of that unless Damon did tell her. She felt tears come to her eyes but she quickly wiped them away before Katherine could see them.

"From the look on your face I would say I'm right. Sorry to be the one to break it to you Franny but it's the truth."

Francesca said nothing as Katherine began to slowly walk toward her.

"You know, I never really understood why you and I didn't become friends." Katherine said.

"'Cause you're a psycho bitch."

Katherine laughed as she stood in front of Francesca. "I'm not that bad, matter of fact I can help you."

"You can? How?" Francesca asked her with a confused look.

Before Francesca could stop her, Katherine drove a stake into Francesca's stomach. As Francesca screamed and doubled over in pain, Katherine leaned down and whispered in her ear,"I can help kill you. I'm sure Damon would thank me."

Katherine pulled the stake out and raised it high to stake her again, in this heart this time. Before she could bring the stake down Francesca tackled her and they both fell to the ground.

"You bitch." Francesca yelled out as she punched Katherine in the face. Katherine pushed her off of her then quickly stood up from the ground before kicking Francesca in the stomach a few times.

Francesca raised up on her hands and knees to cough before mumbling through the pain,"You didn't kill me."

"You're right, the stake didn't kill you. But the vervain will."

Francesca looked up at her in shock. "What?" She breathed out.

"I soaked the stake in vervain, it should be hitting you right... about... now." Katherine said slowly.

As if on cue, Francesca screamed as she fell to the ground. The vervain was making her insides feel like it was on fire. She needed blood and she needed it fast.

"Goodbye, Francesca... forever." Katherine said before quickly running away.

Francesca rolled around on the ground, screaming out in pain. She couldn't believe this was how it was going to end for her.

She had spent so many years running to keep from being close to people, now here she was in pain and wishing someone was there by her side. She wished Damon was there, even if he never loved her, she still loved him.

"But it doesn't matter anymore." She thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

In her mind nothing mattered anymore because it was all over.

•••

A/N; Big thanks to xoxobianca, David Fishwick, Miss. Bonnie. Booth. , Crumberries and sam riggs. Also thanks to everyone reading and adding the story.

Happy reading!
xx