A/N: I do not own the characters and the locations, every right belongs to the creators of the TVD universe. To L. J. Smith, Julie Plec, and Kevin Williamson.

This is a fanfic about what could happen when Stefan went to New Orleans, in season 7.

Warning! This story won't have a happy ending!

There's always third person pov, but it changes.

Stefan was driving in the Canal St, near to New Orleans' French Quarter's heart. Three weeks ago, he had to ran away from Mystic Falls. If he was honest, he didn't mind it. He couldn't live with the tought that Rayna would hurt his family. He had to run, that was the only way he could save the others. It was enough that he was marked, the others didn't have to be marked too.

The Sun was shining in the blue sky, tourists were walking down the streets, it had seemed to him like a usual day in New Orleans. Excapt the fact, that vampires were everywhere too. Stefan realised that maybe coming actoss New Orleans instead of driving in the highway wasn't the best idea. But because of something, he felt like he had to come this way. He couldn't say why, just. A quiet voice screamed to him. It didn't go away, playing with him hour by hour.

He didn't cared about the voice, just drove to the next motorway access ramp. But before he could reach the end of the way, his car - that wasn't the old red Porsche, but was a modern grey Opel - started to make weird sounds. Neither he liked it or not, he had to stopped by a side street, to fix the problem.

He just got out of the car, he didn't even had a time to take a look at it when two men walked to him. He realised that they were staring at his daylight ring, the thing that let him to be in the sun and not burn.

"Hey kid. How did you get that ring?" aked the taller one, pointing at his hand. He seemed like he was in his thirties, but Stefan knew that not everything is what it looks like. He had lived enough to know that the stranger who just asked him was a vampire. Also his face turned to a vampire face just for a second. He saw Klaus's face enough times to recognise the hybrids. They haven't looked like this.

"Family legacy" he answered the man's question. He lied easily. In the past, he learned that if someone asks that question, than the answer always had to be that. Never else.

"That's cute" said the other man. He seemed younger than the one who asked first. He haven't had any tone in his sentence. It was impossible to recognise what he was truly thinking. And besides of it, he had an amazing poker face. "In our city, vamps have to win the chance to have a ring like yours. You must come with us, the King will decide what will happen to you" he spoke again. The King. He was the other reason why Stefan didn't wanted to stay in New Orleans for long. He knew that if Klaus realizes that he has werewolf venom in his system, - and he will - he'll heal him immediately without a second thought. He knew he only had a day left of his life, but he hasn't felt the symptomps of the werewolf bite. He'd rather die than get staked by an ancient sword that would torture his mind. And besides, no one will miss him, he thought.

"Earth to stranger!" the older man said to him, and waved his hand in front of his face. Stefan hadn't realised that he was lost in his thoughts. He hasn't said anything, just nodded and followed the other man. They haven't used their vampire speed, simply walked like normal people.

About fifteen minutes later they

arrived at The Mikaelson mansion. The older man, who was walked by his side all way there, now grabbed his left forearm, and led him inside. He didn't object, accepted that he was threated like a prisoner, like a villain, who has just been confronted with his crimes to be prosecuted.

He hadn't seen that the younger vampire has gone, just after when he came back with a black man who'd Stefan didn't recognise. He was just as tall as Stefan, and it was visible that he wasn't just any vampire.

"So, you're the next vampire who has a daylight ring" he said, like it was the most clear thing in the world. Stefan hadn't answered. He wanted to hear first what the man wanted to say to him. "Who are you? I am sure that you're not from New Orleans. So tell me about yourself!" There was something in his voice that scared Stefan. He know he has to start to talk. "My name is Stefan Salvatore, and I'm from Mystic Falls" he said, tried to not to take emotion in his voice. He tried to sound confident, but it didn't worked. He saw the realisation in the vampire's eyes when he said his name. He stared at him for a moment before he spoke again. Or just wanted to speak, because Niklaus Mikaelson, the king himself walked in. He didn't looked at Stefan, he didn't noticed him yet. "Marcellus, haven't I told you to not to bring any vampire here just because they have a daylight ring!" he said bored and he looked bored. He rolled his eyes, then looked right to Stefan. At first he shocked, but this shock quickly turned into a smile. He ran into him, and hugged him tightly. "Nik.., you're... choking me!" Stefan tried to say while gasped for air. Klaus let him go, but left his hands on his shoulders. The vampire who was holding him now released him, and stood next to his partner. "Ah, right, sorry!" Klaus said lightly. The other three vampires were behind Klaus' back, so he couldn't see what Stefan could. The shock on their faces. "Is it just me, or really he..." started a sentence the vamp who held Stefan, but it was finished by the man that Klaus called Marcellus "...has said sorry? No, it's not just you" "Why are you so shocked now?" turned Klaus back to them. "Haven't I told tales about my favourite person in the world? My ripper..." Klaus said, as he smiled at Stefan again. Now it was his time to roll his eyes. "He's my best friend, brother, wingman, bestman, boyfriend, so, everything" Klaus started to explain. Stefan just stand in silence, not knowing what to say. But by the look of the vampires, he knew that he has to start to talk. "As you already knew, I am a vampire. And yes, I'm a ripper. But I only hurt people when I turn myself off. I have met Klaus in Chicago, in year 1921. Back then, I wasn't excactly a saint, to be honest. He didn't like me, and I didn't liked him, that was clear. I don't remember how did we become friends, but we did. And now, here we are. That's our story in a nutshell" he explained. He looked to Klaus, who's smile has faded. Stefan saw that he was staring at his neck. He knew that Klaus recognised the sign of the werewolf bite. "What's that crossword puzzle on your neck?" he asked him, not so happily. He knew that Klaus knew the answer for his own question, but doesn't want to believe it. "Leave us alone!" he ordered, still looking at Stefan. The vampires left them, each went on their own way. It was clear for Stefan that they feared from Klaus. He was, after all, the Original Hybrid, the world's greatest creature.

"Tell me! Everything!" Klaus asked desperetely. Stefan saw the tears in his eyes. He felt guilty, because he knew, that Klaus was crying because of him. And it hurted him. That's why he feared so much to see him today. He knew he only had half of a day left, and he didn't wanted to spend it with crying. The werewolfs were against his idea when he arrived to them, they didn't wanted to bit him, so he had to beg them. About an hour of arguing, one of them did it. Bit his neck, condemning him to death. Stefan knew what he asked them to do, but it was the only way out. Or staking. But he had to move, so the stake idea wasn't good.

He started to talk, making himself cry with every sentence. "Three weeks ago, Rayna Cruz, the vampire hunter has marked me while I was tryna protect Caroline and the heretics from her. I had to distract her, so I left everything and everyone behind, bought a new car, and ran away. I realised that I have to die, that's the only way out of this. So today dawn, I went to a werewolf pack, begging them to bit me. One of them did it, I thanked them, and went back to the highway. I was driving across New Orleans when I heard that my car made weird sounds. I stopped to check it, but the two vampires stepped to me, and brought me here. And from now on, you know the rest" he cried now, and so as Klaus, too. It hurted Stefan to see Klaus broken, but there was something else in his eyes too. Anger. Anger flowed through his veins. Now he was like the man the horror stories were about. Stefan would hate himself if Klaus would do anything stupid.

"I'm going to kill that bitch!" he said confidentaly. His werewolf eyes were glowing in the colour of gold, his fangs bit into his lips, and his claws started to come out. "But first, you are gonna drink my blood!"

"No" Stefan responded. It doesn't mattered how much he didn't wanted to die, it was the right thing to do. He had to do it for his friends, his family. This mark created a little connection between him and Rayna, so he knew that if he dies, she won't waste her time, she'll find new vampires in a new country.

"How do you mean 'no'? That's not an aswer, and what I said wasn't a question. When I said it, I meant it. I won't let you die, that just wouldn't be me. Freya must can do something! I can't lose you!" he started to freak out, and got mad. He was desperate, and Stefan hated to see him that way.

"Niklaus!" Stefan raised his voice. He hasn't used to do it often, especally not with him, but he had to take back the controll. "Listen to me" he started. "Even if you'd feed me with your blood, and I'd be fine, you still can't kill her. If you do it, if she losts her last life, then everyone who'd she ever marked die as well. You would kill me too. Either way, I die, or eventually she'll stake me, and I would be tortured in my own mind till the end of time. I don't wanna die, but it's the walkable way. The right way. And besides, no one would miss me. No one needs me" he said, crying again.

"I do. I need you" Klaus said, he has cried too. He didn't wanted his soulmate to suffer, so he accepted Stefan's choice. That he chosed death. It hurted him, like nothing before, and he made a swear, a swear about that he will get revenge for this. "I need you. The real you. You saved me multiple times, now it was my turn to gave it back, and I failed. Please forgive me!" he whispered, as he leaned his forehead to Stefan's.

"It's not your fault!" he whispered back. But Klaus didn't believed him. He should've feed him with his blood, he should've save him. He cursed himself for his decision to respect his choice. "This is the end..." Klaus felt that Stefan was barely standing, he knew that he will die soon, so he led themselves to his room. They laid next to each other, while Klaus said quietly: "Close your eyes"

Stefan did as Klaus said, weakness took over his body, but before darkness totally dragged him down, he felt that Klaus held his hand, and it made him smile.

Klaus saw as Stefan smiled weakly, it made him only feel more guilty. He knew what he has to do. So he closed his eyes too, going into the world of his deams.

In the fantasy he created, they were back in Chicago, in the 1920s. At the Gloria's - the bar where they met. Light jazz music was playing in the background, and they were sitting in their usual table.

"I could have thought it!" Stefan said, as he looked at Klaus.

"Well, I was feeling nostalgic" he said, not breaking the eye contact for even a second. "You know, living here, in that century, killing with you, was always one of my favourite times. It has always had a special place in my heart" his eyes faded just for a moment, to remember it excactly.

"Yeah, I loved it too. I was feeling epic!" Stefan answered. "But just right after you gave my memories back" he added. Klaus chuckled. He raised his glass to say a toast.

"To our friendship!" he said.

"To our friendship!" Stefan said too, raising his own glass.

In that moment they cheered their glass, the fantasy fade away, pulling Klaus back to reality. He realised that Stefan's skin faded to grey, his veins came out, and he let his hand go. Which, Klaus knew, only meant one thing. That his soulmate gone away. He had died, and went to a better place. Where's no pain and suffer, just happines and peace. He knew that he will never see him again, he have a straight way to Hell, while he was sure that Stefan is in Heaven.

He sobbed for hours till he finally could get himself leave...