Disclaimer: I do not own the movie Anastasia or Vampire Diaries; all rights go to the rightful owners. I do not own any of the lines from Anastasia that I have in this fanfiction.

A/N: Get the 'joke' from the title? And the quote from the show?

Chapter Thirteen-

Lena's tears had since stopped, and now she stood stuffing her few folded clothes and belongings into her suitcase. She hadn't even changed out of her beautiful gown, but now the shimmering only made her feel sad. A knock sounded at her door, and her face crinkled. "Go away, Damon. You're the last person I need to see right now."

The door opened, letting the light from the hallway filter into the room as the Empress entered without a word. Lena turned around, already about to weep and scream simultaneously. Instead, upon seeing who had come in, she drew in a startled breath. "I'm sorry! I–I thought you were—"

"I know very well who you thought I was," said Annette, stepping further inside. "Who exactly are you?"

Her hands clasped to her stomach, Lena managed, "I was hoping you could tell me." The Dowager walked around her, examining her for only a second before facing the large balcony and gazing out at the city. "My dear, I'm old, and I'm tired of being conned and tricked."

Lena spun to look at her. "I don't want to trick you!"

Annette faced her. "And I suppose the money doesn't interest you either?"

Shaking her head, Lena told her, "I just want to know who I am. Whether or not I belong to a family–your family."

The Empress looked at her with a sad smile. "You're a very good actress. The best yet, in fact, but… I've had enough."

As Annette walked past her, Elena's eyebrows lifted. "Peppermint?"

The Dowager paused. "Oil, yes, for my hands."

"Yes…" Elena moved out onto the balcony, grasping at straws in her memory. "I spilled a bottle, the carpet was soaked, and from then on it always smelled like peppermint." She unconsciously reached for her necklace, playing with it with a smile and laugh as she recalled this incident. "Like you."

Her eyes fixed upon Elena, Annette dropped slowly onto the seat of the vanity. "I used to lie there on that rug and breathe it in… I missed you so much when you were away." Lena paused, looking around as though broken from a trance. "When you came here. To Paris." She lifted her hand to her head, feeling faint. The Dowager, a wide smile appearing on her face, patted the bench she was sitting on. Lena obliged and sat beside her.

Noticing her chain, Annette gently inquired, "What is that?"

"This? I've always had it, ever since before I can remember."

"May I?" asked Annette, raising her hand. Lena nodded and removed the necklace to hand to Annette. Staring down at it, she felt her heart skip. "It was our secret. My Elena's and mine." She took the music box in her other hand, showing them to Lena, who smiled.

"The music box! To–to sing me to sleep when you were in Paris!" Lena began to hum her song from what felt like so long before, but this time, it had different words. She turned the charm into the keyhole and the top lifted, its tune beginning while its dancers twirled. "Hear this song and remember…"

Her eyes wet, Annette joined her. "Soon you'll be home with me, once upon a December. Oh, Elena. My Elena." Joyfully they embraced, neither able to believe that this moment had really come for them, but both with tears of happiness running down their cheeks.

Outside, having heard bits of this reunion, Damon kissed his hand and sent it to the young woman in the room above him. I will always choose you. With this final thought, he walked on down the sidewalk. He had done everything he needed to. Goodbye, Lena.

Well… almost everything.