Time flew by. Alaric made his move and trapped Caroline in the school to lure in Elena. He was aware of the bond between the two of them and wanted to prevent her from being used against him. Her friends wanted Elena not to go but she couldn't let Caroline suffer. Together with Stefan and Damon and Bonnie's plan to tap into Jeremy, they wanted to desiccate Alaric and put him in a sleep just like Mikael. But their plan was almost fatal. They were able to rescue Caroline but Alaric had a death grip on Stefan when Elena took a knife and forced Alaric to let go of him. Leaving Alaric in the school, surrounded by sunlight, the friends barely got away.

That same night, Klaus showed up at her window, late after dark.
"You almost died today." His words were distant and monotone.
"But I didn't." "You acted foolishly." "We had to save Caroline."
"Why didn't you ask for my help?"
"Because your bloodline created all my friends. I didn't want to put you in harm's way."
"You do know that I'm immortal."
"Alaric has a white oak steak that can kill you. And not just you. It is spelled with my family's ring. It can kill your entire family." "He would never get that close."
"I couldn't risk it. And to be quite honest, I didn't know that you would have helped us."
"It would have given you a chance at a long life."
"You're right. There was no other way. I could never let Caroline or any of my friends suffer because of me."
"And that is why I'm here."
"You have made your decision."
"It is undeniable that I will lose a lot of blood when I agree to your deal. Yet, in the wake of our little conversation that night, I thought, I'd give my family another shot. For that, I need them safe. To kill you is the easiest way to make that happen."
"I'm glad I made an impression on you."
"Elena, you've made an impression on me long before that night."
"And here I thought I only ever was a face and a means to an end to you."
"Not even remotely. But I learned to push away anything that distracted me from my goal. I would have gladly chosen Katerina over you to sacrifice, even Tatia." "But you loved her." "I did."
"Klaus, what.."
"Hush, little doppelgänger. You've endured so much pain, most of it inflicted by me and you could never feel the same way for me. And that is why I grant you your deal. You deserve peace. I will come for you in the morning; you deserve one last night."

Elena was shocked. She hadn't heard anything that Klaus had said after he basically just told her that he loved her. All hell broke loose in Elena. This was the last night she had on this earth and her brain stopped thinking, pure desire flooded through her cells. And she gave in. She walked calmly up to him, looking him in the eyes, and then she just kissed him. For a second, he didn't move. But his frozen body came alive almost immediately. He kissed her back, grabbed her hair, his other hand all over her, lifting her off her feet and carrying her to the bed. He didn't want to ask questions, nor did she.
Tangled in hot kisses and body heat, their bodies became one. Elena gasped for air while she experienced something she had never felt before. Stars exploded around her face, his body trembling on top of her.

She didn't think, only felt what he gave her and in return gave all she had. The room was entirely silent. Only the sound of chirps came from outside.
A few minutes passed and Elena was about to get up from the bed to do anything but lie there. She didn't know what to say or what to do.
"That was very unexpected."
"I have no clue what came over me, Klaus."
"Don't look at me for an explanation."
"Do you need an explanation?."
"Do you regret it?" Elena looked at him straight.
"No! I did not expect it to happen ever, but I don't regret it."
"I won't question you about it; clearly you have no idea why it happened either."
"It is my last night on earth. I don't care why it happened. I got a climbs of the man I think you could be. You deeply care about me, even if you can't show it and you're willing to let me die. Neither Damon nor Stefan would ever let that happen."
"Elena, don't see something that isn't there. Don't mistake this for something that it is not. The way I feel about you would never change things."
"I refuse to think that you can't change." "The only reason to change is going to die in the morning."
"I can't possibly be the only reason for you to change!"
"You fail to see. You're the only one who ever saw something more in me than a monster, you are the only one who could teach me how. Once again will lose something, and I didn't even have it."
"Do you wish it had never happened?"
"Never. I rather spend one night with you than none at all."
Klaus stood up and walked towards his clothes. As a last goodbye, he gave Elena another deep kiss.
"One to remember. I will come get you in the morning, love."
All she could do was nod. She had signed her death certificate. At least, as a last offering, she could give Klaus something to hold on to.

Elena wasn't nervous when she woke up. She had been ready to die for a very long time. When you live with vampires, you are constantly in danger, and at some point, you just get used to being near death. Elena had written some letters to her friends and Jeremy. Explanations for what she did and why she did it.
Klaus came and picked her up long before Jeremy was awake. He wouldn't even notice that Elena was gone until it was too late. The car ride to his house was silent. The previous night still lingered in the air and she didn't want to ruin the moment. Klaus was in his own thoughts and only looked at her once they made it to his house.
"I've prepared a bed for you, love and a nurse is here to take good care of you. It will take a rather long time, as I want you to be comfortable. Therefore, it's better for you to have a bed."
"You didn't have to go through so much trouble."
"I did."
"Thank you. Thank you for letting me in and for showing me who you could be."
"That man, love, he was your man."
They moved swiftly into the prepared room. It was Klaus' bedroom. Beautiful and powerful like the man Elena had made love to just last night.
The process itself didn't take that long and it was without pain. The nurse put a needle into Elena's arm just as she had the night after the school gym. Slowly, the blood bags filled, once one was full, the nurse attached a new one. The more bags were filled, the more light headed felt Elena. She began to see her friends in front of her, smiling at her. And then she saw her parents, welcoming her into their midst.
At last, she saw Elijah. But as it appeared, he wasn't a hallucination.

"Klaus told me about your decision. Dear Elena, you didn't have to do this. We don't deserve to be saved. Especially not by you. "
"You do, Elijah. We were friends once and then we betrayed each other's trust. But in my heart, we are still friends. You deserve to live as much as my friends do."
"I could never live up to you."
"Yes you could. And I will ask one favor of you, Elijah."
"Whatever it is."
"Be a better brother to Klaus so you can help him change. I know he wants to, he just doesn't know how."
"How can you be sure?" "Can you not see? He let me do this even though he knew he would not have an endless supply of blood anymore. He knows there won't be any more doppelgängers after me."
"I don't have your eyes, Elena, but I will try to see what you see. I owe you that much."
"Thank you, Elijah. I will forever be grateful."
"How I wish that our time together would have gone differently."
"Fate decides how we cross path with people. They enter our lives for certain reasons and they leave our lives for certain reasons. Don't doubt that."
"I don't, I could never. I'm grateful for the time we had."
"So am I."
"Goodbye Elena Gilbert. The world will miss you."
„Goodbye."

Elena fell into a sleep and didn't hear or see Klaus enter the room.
Both of the brother's listened to her heartbeat as it got weaker and weaker until it stopped completely.
"Why didn't you give her your blood?" Elijah asked. "Because she never wanted to be a vampire."