Three Months Later...

"It's been a long summer, Damon." It had also been a terrible summer. After Rebekah force-fed Katherine the cure, she had lived a hard life as a miserable human. Now she just wanted food and a roof over her head. She felt desperate when she called Damon, but she didn't know who else to stay with. Besides, she had tried reaching out to Stefan, but he wouldn't answer his phone. As much as it pained her to admit it, Damon was her only choice. "I need your help."

"You snapped my neck, kidnapped Bonnie, and then stole the cure. Why would I help you?"

"Are you serious? I didn't have a choice Damon, Klaus made me do it. And about that cure, I didn't exactly choose to take it." Katherine crossed her arms.

"Why were you with Klaus anyway?"

She rolled her eyes. "Really? Your 150-year-old brain cells can't figure such a simple thing out? He kidnapped me and forced me on a road trip. Duh."

Damon raised his brow. "And now you want me to turn you... Well, go ahead. Drink," he said casually as he bit his arm and reached it out to her.

Katherine took it at first, but after a few seconds of consideration, she hesitantly pulled away. "I... can't, okay? If you kill me, there's a good chance I'll never wake up again."

Damon shrugged his shoulders and pulled his arm away. "Fine, but you're not staying here."

Katherine hated that she had to beg, but he left her no choice. "Damon, please. I have nowhere else to stay. I don't want to go back to the park bench. Just help me."

Damon sighed. "Alright fine, you can have the room next to Stefan's. As long as you don't bother me too much, I'll let you stay."

She sent him a smirk. "I knew you still loved me," she teased before bringing her only bag upstairs.

Katherine opened the refrigerator and closed it. Then opened it again, and closed it. Every time hoping that it would suddenly be full of delicious food, but in reality, the fridge only stored some blood bags and two cold pizza slices. "Damooon. There is no food," she complained.

"I'm giving you shelter, but I'm not responsible for you. Get your own food," she heard him answer from the living room.

"But I don't have any money," she whined and stomped her feet as she walked over to Damon.

She ran her fingers through his hair. "Get a job," he moaned.

She snorted at the thought. "Never."

"Then starve."

"Ugh. Where's Stefan?" She stood up, and he shrugged. "Hmm...? You haven't bothered to look for him? Oh, I see, you probably didn't want to either, did you? Seeing as you stole his girlfriend and all."

"Say one more word and I'll kick you out. Don't say I didn't warn you," he growled. "I haven't had the opportunity to look for Stefan because I have no clue where he'd be. Now, will you be a good girl and leave? I need my peace and quiet to not lose my mind. Especially now that I'm living with you." He crossed his legs and took a sip of his signature bourbon as two familiar figures entered the front door. "Jeremy. Where have you been?"

"I was out training with Matt." Jeremy threw his bag in the corner of the room and walked to the kitchen with a grocery bag.

"Matty Blue Blue. It's truly a pleasure to see you again," Katherine said teasingly and shot Matt a smirk.

"Katherine. What are you doing here?"

She smiled. "Pit stop. Missed me?"

He raised his brow questioningly but still sent her a small smile.

"I was wondering if- Oh! Food! Jeremy, please let me have some. I haven't eaten real food in days."

Matt walked over to her as she started moving towards the kitchen. "You could get a job at the grill. Earn some money and buy your own food."

"Great. I could really use it since Damon here refuses to feed me," she sent Damon a look and turned to Matt again. Damon sneered in his glass. "Anyways. I need some help. Since I've been reduced to a weak human girl, I need to work out to stay in shape. Feel like helping a girl out?"

"Sure why not. You can join me tomorrow, be ready at 7 am."

"7 am? That's too early, not happening."

"We have to get up early if we're going to have time before work."

"Fine, whatever," she sighed as she made her way to the kitchen to make herself a sandwich.

After eating lunch and taking a long nap, Katherine munched on a granola bar as she waited for someone to get home. She was just about to stretch her legs out on the brown leather couch when the front door flew open. Despite her now being human, she didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. "Damon, you're here," she called out but soon noticed a second pair of footsteps that made her turn her head.

"Stefan?" she whispered, shocked at seeing him there after Damon having announced only hours ago that he had no clue where he was.

"Katherine..." he stopped as he noticed her, but Damon just walked past them both to pour himself a glass.

"Where have you been?" she asked him, walking over to brush off some of the dirt on his shirt. He did not look his best, and frankly, it worried her.

Stefan looked down at her tidying his shirt, and furrowed his brows. "Some crazy lady named Qetsiyah kidnapped me. Silas's ex. You know, the guy you resurrected."

"Technically, it was all Klaus. I had no choice in that."

"Yeah... Bonnie told me all about what happened. Well, Qetsiyah wanted to use me to neutralize Silas's mental powers, with me being his doppelganger. However, Damon rescued me before she could actually go through with it."

"And we got some bad news," Damon spoke from behind her as he finished his sip. "Silas is after the cure, the cure that runs through your veins."

Katherine's eyes widened. What was that supposed to mean? The cure was gone. She had been forced to drink it. There was no way he could still get a hold of it, right?

"The cure still exists in your veins, Katherine. Silas will need to drain you of all your blood in order to become human, that's why he's out looking for you at this very second."

"What?" Katherine was getting startled. "What should I do?" she asked, agitated.

"What you do best, of course. Run."

Katherine didn't hesitate and soon headed for the door to get on the nearest train out of town. However, she didn't get far out the front door before a brown-haired woman appeared in front of her.

"Katherine Pierce. You're coming with me."

Katherine had run from Nadia as soon as she identified herself. At first, Nadia had played with her, acting as if she had been tailing Katherine to avenge her mother, which in some form was the truth. However, Katherine had never expected the words to come out of her mouth when Katherine forced her to tell the truth. She was no other than her own daughter.

How was it possible? How was her daughter alive after all this time? Katherine was thankful that Klaus hadn't caught a word of Nadia's existence because then she would be as dead as death itself by now.

She was unsure what to do with her newfound information if she was true to herself. She had always wanted her daughter and had missed her deeply during her first century as an immortal. However, things were different now. She could not play the role of a mother Nadia wanted so desperately. She wouldn't know how, how to bond with her daughter or to be a good mother. She was also human, so she wouldn't be able to spend a long time with her, which Katherine could not see the point of.

As she thought about all of this, she ran back to the Salvatore residence to look for Stefan or Damon, seeking their assistance. She needed to get away from Mystic Falls. Away from Silas and from any responsibilities that may now await her. However, she soon came to regret this decision when a very familiar figure greeted her as soon as she stepped foot in the Salvatore living room.

"Katherine!" a cheerful voice greeted her, immediately sending chills down her spine. The man before her bore the face of her previous lover, yet he was the furthest from him. "Perfect timing."

"Silas... " Katherine yelped, and she soon turned on her heel to run straight back out the door she had just entered through. Silas was quicker, however, and hurried over to her to hold her still so she couldn't run. She tried to break free, but with her human strength, she was nothing compared to him. Where was Damon or Stefan when she needed them?

Silas had already prepared a sharp piece of wood that he used to stab her artery, slowly draining her as he drank every last drop of blood that spilled from her neck. Katherine soon fell limp in his arms as everything faded out into the distance.

A few minutes later, to Katherine's great surprise, she woke up in the very same living room she had fainted in. She had been sure she would die and end up in hell or the other side, but she was still breathing.

She couldn't believe it. She was alive. She laughed ironically at herself and how genuine her saying was. I'm a survivor. Truly.

Katherine got to her feet and glanced down at Silas, who laid limp at her feet, in the middle of transitioning to a witch. "What an idiot," Katherine snickered, shaking her head in disbelief. He had just signed his death sentence. The bastard was now mortal, and she could simply end his life.

She went over to get a stake from one of the hiding places of the Salvatore brothers, which was not really hiding places to her. She easily drove the stake through Silas's chest and into his heart, killing him instantly.

"Have fun on the other side, bitch."

"Sure a little thing like you can eat all that?" A waitress placed Katherine's food on the table.

"I'm celebrating. I thought I was going to die, but I didn't. And now I'm free to be... whatever I want to be." Katherine smiled to herself and took a bite from one of the plates. So much had happened in a single day, she started doubting if it had been a wise choice to even come back in the first place.

"Love the hair by the way, bold choice."

Katherine checked her reflection with the napkin-holder, curious as to what the waitress was talking about. It was then her jaw dropped at the sight before her. What the hell was that? A full strand of her hair was gray, and she couldn't figure out why.

Katherine tried not to think much of it as she started to eat her dinner, but as soon as she took a bite, she felt one of her teeth crack and fall out. Now that was freaky.

She sped out of the café and ran to find Stefan. She stormed through the door of his residence and blurted out her question before she could even register who the two people in the living room were. "Where's Bonnie?"

The two vampires that stood staring at Silas's dead body turned to her with confusing looks.

"Did you..?" Damon asked.

Katherine cast a glance at Silas's corpse. "Yep. But we have bigger things to deal with."

"How did you..?" Elena looked at Katherine with a wondering look.

"He sucked the cure out of me, big shocker; I survived. When he was unconscious I staked the bastard. Now, can you hear me out? I mean, I did kill 'the big bad destroyer of worlds Silas' for you."

"Great book. Really." Not. Katherine scoffed at her tenth attempt to entertain herself in a way that didn't include drinking or other activities that would harm her aging body. She had informed Damon and Elena about what she had experienced at that cafe, who in turn had told Bonnie, who then let Katherine know that her body was aging rapidly. So now she not only had to live with the fact that she was dying, but the fact that she was dying ten times faster than average. It wasn't exactly putting her in the most fantastic mood.

Stefan sighed at her. "C'mon Katherine. You said you were bored, but we've been through like twenty books and you haven't given any of them a chance."

"I don't even like these contemporary books, they all suck compared to the classics. And these days I'm more of a television person, although you can't seem to afford to get one even though you're a vampire."

"And what do you want me to do about that?"

"I dunno. You're the one who wanted to hang out with me. I thought you disliked my company, but apparently not."

He shrugged. "You killed the 2000-year-old immortal that was a threat to both of our safety and in return signed your own death sentence, so I figured I could give you some company during your stay. Also, I'm amused that you're the human and I'm the vampire now. I find it funny, don't you?"

She snorted. "Yeah sure, and thanks to that 2000-year-old creepy dude, I'm dying. I don't have time to waste, so please entertain me."

"What do you want to do then?"

Katherine stepped closer to Stefan and fiddled with his collar. "You know what I want to do," she smirked and glanced into his eyes. Stefan had always seen the human in her, even when she was a vampire. Perhaps that was why she had always been so drawn to him.

He chuckled and gave her a slight smile. "Don't flirt with me, Katherine. You know I'm done with girls for a while."

"Oh, that's right. You need time to get over the horrible breakup with the not-so-innocent-anymore Elena."

Stefan sighed again and leaned over her shoulder to pick up a book laid on the table behind her. He held it up in front of her face. "What about Harry Potter? I've heard it's a big hit among beginner readers."

"Ha-ha, very funny. I'm not a beginner reader, I just think you and Damon have a terrible taste in books," she complained as she started pacing around the living room, tracing her fingers over the many books on the shelves. She leaned down to pull out a book that caught her interest when her back suddenly gave a loud crack, making her almost fall over. Stefan saw this and hurried over her, helping her back onto her feet. "My back," she gasped. "It hurts."

"You're running out of time."

"Comforting," she rolled her eyes. "This would've never happened if you didn't bring Rebekah to that bar, you know."

"How was I supposed to know you would be there as well? We went all the way to Chicago to get away from people we knew, yet you somehow still manage to show up. How did that even happen?"

"Ugh, even if you couldn't have known I was there, if only you got to her a minute before then she wouldn't have forced the cure down my throat!" she complained, even though she knew she shouldn't blame Stefan. She didn't, really, but she needed to vent out her frustrations on someone. And that someone just happened to be Stefan.

"Sorry, I'll use my telepathy next time to immediately know when you're in danger."

"Thank you."

"Come on, let's find Bonnie. It's been days, maybe she has come up with something to cure you," Stefan urged as he grabbed her hand, but she pulled away.

"Stefan, don't."

"What? Come on. We need to go."

"We both know she hasn't found any cure for me. I don't have long left, and there is nothing you can do about it. If Bonnie finds a cure she'll tell me, or else I'll just die gracefully. Just... don't leave me."

Stefan sighed as he looked at the defeated girl in front of him, studying her eyes before pulling her into an embrace. He felt bad for her, quite frankly. Despite all she had put him and his loved ones through, he didn't think she deserved what was happening to her. And since she had no one else, he had vowed to be there for her until she didn't need him any longer. "I won't, I promise."

"Oh isn't this cozy."

Stefan soon let go of her and quickly looked back towards the door. "Damon."

"Hooking up with Katherine already? How long did that take, four days?"

"We're not- " Katherine started, but Damon cut her off.

"Yeah sure. Anyways, busboy, or busgirl. Whatever they call female busboys, Matt wants you at the Grill."

Klaus sat down comfortably on his balcony and sipped on a glass of bourbon, glancing over at the setting sun with a satisfied look. He barely got to enjoy the silence for a few seconds, however, before he heard his phone ring in his pocket. He pulled it up and looked down at the caller before he put the phone to his ear. "Damon."

"Klaus. Lovely to hear your voice again. Feel like hearing some very interesting news?"

Klaus chuckled. "Go at it. I have the afternoon off. A man needs a break once or twice when building an empire."

"I hope Rebekah forgot to mention this 'cause I was looking forward to telling you this."

"Get to the point, Damon."

"Your favorite doppelganger is human again."

Klaus scoffed. "Katerina would never take the cure. Besides, I thought Silas wanted it. He's immortal and all so I would've assumed he had things his way."

"Silas is dead. You have a lot to catch up on. And as for Katherine, your batshit insane sister kinda forced the cure down her throat."

Klaus let out an irritated growl. "Is this a joke? Because if so, you're wasting my time."

"No joke. Oh, and one more thing. She's dying. So if you want your last goodbye, you better come quick."

Damon hung up, and Klaus locked his phone. He looked back up at the sunset and furrowed his brows. He now had a lot to think about.

After Katherine got home from her shift, she walked to the kitchen to get some water. She had believed the house to be empty until someone suddenly came up behind her and wrapped their arms around her shoulders. "Stefan? Changed your mind already?" she asked in a seductive yet playful voice.

"Guess again."

Katherine froze. Her brain barely making time to register who this person was before it registered the lips that almost touched the skin under her ears. She could sense his warm breath all too well as it made the hair on her neck rise as instinct. "No..."

Klaus ran his right hand slowly down her arm to her hand, causing her to hold back a shudder all while holding her tight in place with his left. She had tensed up as soon as she realized who the voice belonged to, yet Klaus's soothing gestures almost made her relax in his arms. It wasn't until he spoke that she realized who he was, and raised her guard again.

"Yes. I believe our last encounter left us with some unfinished business, sweetheart."

Surprisingly, she did not hear any of the usual venom in his tone, but she was still alarmed. Klaus was the greatest actor she knew, as well as the greatest sociopath. His threatening gentleness made her tremble with fear and something else as he still had his grip around her. "You're here to kill me, aren't you?"

"Quite the contrary, actually. You taking the cure was huge in my favor. I don't have to watch my back at all times, in fear that someone will shove it down my throat, and Rebekah cannot make the foolish mistake of taking the cure herself. You also got rid of Silas, and as you mentioned before, you did do me a favor. Therefore, as the noble man I am, I'm giving you something in return. I'm granting you the freedom you have wanted so desperately for half a millennium. You'll die eventually anyway. Dozens of enemies wanting you dead, and all that."

Katherine let the words he had just spoken sink for a few long seconds before she realized what they meant. She was actually free. After all this time, he had granted her the freedom to live her life. Although it had only come mere moments too late as she was already dying, and barely had any time to enjoy her newfound freedom.

She slowly wrapped her hands around his arm and loosened his grip on her so she could turn around to face him. She met his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she saw no ill intent behind them. He wasn't playing with her this time. He had genuinely let her go.

"Thank you," she whispered, and soon averted her eyes to the side, still nervous about making eye contact with him.

Klaus nodded, the ghost of a smile forming on his lips. "It's been a fun five centuries, and now we'll finally continue our journey on different paths. Goodbye, Katerina." He leaned in slightly to place a gentle kiss on her cheek, and a second later, he was gone.

Katherine stood there frozen, still in disbelief as she brushed her fingertips over her cheek where he had placed a soft kiss.

She whispered to herself, "Goodbye, Klaus."