Thank you for 1000+ follows :)


Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries


The next day came quicker than I liked. All night, something had been bugging me. That itch at the back of my neck grew stronger with every hour.

Elijah noted my expression when we were getting ready to meet up with Caroline. I grabbed my jacket from the hanger out of pure habit, even though I probably could do without it, and stopped when I saw him looking at me.

''Something's up,'' I said. ''I don't know what, but something's going to happen.''

''It would be too much to hope for everything to go smoothly, would it not?'' he asked, smiling humourlessly.

''Indeed it would,'' I said, shrugging the jacket over my shoulders.

''Have you had anything to drink?''

I nodded, feeling a wave of nausea roll over me. ''It only works if I don't think about it,'' I said quietly. ''So I try not to think about it.''

I felt his hand on mine, warm and calm and safe. Something told me this was the last time I'd feel like that for a while.

I held on a little tighter.


Caroline waited for us in a clearing in the woods. She looked annoyed, and I didn't know why until I saw Rebekah leaning against a tree a few feet away.

''She's coming with?'' Rebekah blurted out. Caroline sighed, perhaps a little over-dramatically.

''Yes,'' Elijah said simply, looking his sister right in the eye. ''She is.''

Rebekah held his gaze for a long time, staring him down, until she huffed and rolled her shoulders back in dismay. ''Don't slow me down,'' she told me, and set off before I could blink.

I grabbed Elijah's hand quickly. ''Whatever happens...''

''Let's go!'' Rebekah's voice rang impatiently from far away. Sighing, I tried to let go of his hand but he didn't let me. Then, with the tiniest of smiles, his grasp loosened and my hand slid free. A cold shiver ran down my spine, but I kept it to myself and smiled back. Nodding to Caroline, I then hurried off after Rebekah.

She was going fast, but held back enough for me to catch up.

''Where are we going?'' I asked when I had managed reach her.

Rebekah didn't look at me. ''Damon hid him away in a storage unit.''

''In a storage unit?'' I repeated, imagining Klaus' body stuffed away alongside old furniture, clothes and discarded things still too filled with sentiment to throw away.

''Are you always this aggravating?''

I sighed. ''Never mind.''

We went on in silence. It was only so far I was willing to push before it began to feel like it was one step forward, three steps back, with her.

When we arrived, Rebekah forced open the gate in the fence surrounding the building, which was situated in a large industrial compound. I listened carefully for any indication that we weren't alone, but I heard nothing. By now, the worry in me was growing exponentially.

Rebekah did the same to the entry door, tearing it open like it was nothing. It was dark in there, but when we had made it inside the ceiling lights fluttered awake, illuminating everything in bright, fluorescent light.

''Where is he?'' I mumbled, feeling my forehead crease when there was nothing in there but silence.

''Damon?'' Rebekah called out and set off down the corridor. ''Damon, where are you?''

''I have a bad feeling about this,'' I said, following her, but slowly, and for once Rebekah didn't reply with a snarky comment or overextended sigh.

''Damon, this isn't funny!''

''Don't yell,'' I warned her quietly. ''Something's not right.''

''No, it's not,'' Rebekah said. ''I smell blood.''

''Rebekah, slow down,'' I hissed. But she went on, heels sounding against the floor loudly, too loud. Every instinct told me something was wrong, and we were walking straight into it.

First, I saw Damon. Then I saw the blood and the thing lodged in his chest, pinning him to the wall. He was still alive, thank god, but there was no sign of Bonnie.

And then I saw Alaric. He was moving towards one of the units, and opened it aggressively. Rebekah's fury was strong enough to rub off on me, but I couldn't let it cloud my focus. I fought it with all I had.

Alaric hauled something out – a coffin – and tore the lid off. I only barely caught a glimpse of a human profile, unmoving.

Rebekah was on him in an instant. I watched as he slammed her head against the floor and threw her like she was nothing across the room.

''Ric!'' I yelled, but he paid me no mind.

So I made for him. Every thought focused on my fingers reaching his bare skin, I moved faster than I ever had. But he was so much quicker.

One second I was running towards him, the next I lay splayed out on the floor next to Rebekah. She got on her feet, but judging by the look in her eyes it was too late.

''NO!'' she screamed, eyes locked on the coffin and her brother. She ran towards him lightning fast, but Alaric raised his arm and drove the stake into Klaus' chest.

''No, no, you bastard-''

In a split second he had her by the throat. Frantically, I looked around for something to use against him, not thinking of the obvious.

She couldn't get away from him, from the other stake now in his hand, she was going to die, and if I didn't act-

It was pure instinct. It took no more than the blink of an eye and I was next to them. The split second that Alaric's attention was divided, Rebekah managed to push him away from her, but he was still holding onto her. His other hand went to my throat, squeezing, and I felt my skin give way, blood trickling down my neck. My vision was clouded in specks, and I knew I was seconds away from losing.

My hand went to his and that was all it took.

I leaned over, coughing and spluttering. The pain in my neck was blinding as soon as the adrenaline wore off.

''What are you doing?''

Rebekah's voice pulled me from the shock of Alaric's fingers digging into my neck, ready to kill.

''What I'm here to do,'' I said, grimacing when I realised just how bad the wound was.

''You're unbelievably, ridiculously, stupid, do you have any idea-'' she said, her eyes all the while overflowing with tears.

''I'm sorry,'' I said, crying as well, too weak to keep any walls up, and her tears flooded my eyes, drenching me in heart-wrenching sorrow.

There was a crackling sound, and suddenly a wave of heat ran over me. Putting my free hand over my mouth, I muffled the sob escaping me at the sight of Klaus' body burning.

''I'm sorry,'' I gasped, staring at the flames, carrying both of our grieving. His body was burning, he was burning, and I-

''I'm so sorry,'' I repeated, moving my hand from my mouth to my chest, clenching it over my heart.

''You know nothing,'' Rebekah spluttered, and my sadness was joined by anger. She thought I didn't care that Klaus died? That I didn't care, that...

''But I do,'' I replied harshly, forcing the words out. ''Even if I'm ridiculously human to you, still.''

My mind slowly cleared enough for me to smell the blood again. I staggered over to Damon's body, still slumped against the wall. He was surrounded by a pool of red, and I braced myself, stepping through it, quickly kneeling down before him. I had to work fast so I could get back to Alaric and keep him down.

''This is going to hurt,'' I said, my breathing turning jagged, but I fought it, blinking through the tears rolling down my face. Damon nodded weakly before I pulled the rod out of him. He groaned loudly, but seemed relieved. I threw the thing away, disgusted. The smell of blood was everywhere, but it wasn't a good smell.

Maybe it was the shock, maybe it was determination, maybe I was losing it; but my body managed to go into auto pilot and continue what we had set out to do. We had to get Alaric, and get him out of here.

''Your neck,'' Damon groaned. ''How are you not dead?''

I averted my eyes, moving to Alaric and putting my hand on his. ''Because I... I already died once.''

''You-'' he spat out a mouthful of blood. ''When?''

''I wanted to tell you, I tried, but...''

''You need blood,'' Damon grunted, raising himself up on his elbows.

''You're one to talk,'' I said. With the rod out of his body, Damon came to eventually and managed to stand up as well. He limped over to the sleeping Alaric.

''What do we do with him?'' I asked, eyeing the still form in the lights from the ceiling. And the flames, the flames... ''And where's Bonnie?''

''Don't know. Bring him back, chain him up. Can you keep him asleep?''

''Yeah.''

''Come on then.''

Then it struck me. ''Wait, what if- what if-'' Klaus was dead. If he died, so would his bloodline, and... I looked at Damon quickly, watching him for any signs. ''What if you belong to his bloodline, Damon, what then?'' I asked, feeling my breath quicken again and almost losing my connection to Alaric.

''Then I'm screwed,'' he said. ''Let's do this one last thing, okay? And if I drop dead, just...'' he paused, looking vulnerable suddenly. ''If I do, tell Elena, would you? Tell her.''

I looked at him. ''Of... of course.''

Together, we carried Alaric through the hallway towards the exit. My neck throbbed, but I told myself it was nothing compared to Damon's injury, to what might happen to him – to Klaus – and kept on going without uttering a single noise. My hands didn't leave Alaric's skin.

''How did it happen?''

''It was Katherine. On someone else's orders, but it was her.''

''It always is,'' he said. ''You look good, Moreau.''

I stared at him. ''You're kidding, right?''

''Suits you,'' he just replied, then grimaced and adjusted his grip on Alaric.

While under my influence, Alaric didn't seem to be able to fight it. So, as long as I kept going, he'd be sleeping. At least, that was my guess.

''Where's Rebekah?'' I mumbled through concentration. I could still smell the fire. I could still see him.

''Moreau,'' Damon said, exasperated. ''She's probably gone to cry on a bathroom floor somewhere. Let's do this.''

''Don't talk like that,'' I said. ''Her brother just died.''

''You can't say you're not happy about it.''

''I'm not.''

Damon grunted, losing his footing for a brief second. I took the weight off of him until he was okay again. His limp slowly got better, and my neck was somewhere between painful throbbing and a dull ache.

''Well, then you're in the wrong crowd.''

My hand slipped for a second, catching fabric. I immediately put it back. ''Let's just get him somewhere safe. As quick as we can.''

With our combined strength slowly returning, we made it out the units and to Damon's car. He had parked it around the back, in the dark. Every second that passed I waited for something to happen to him, but it didn't. I didn't know how long it would take – but he was still intent on getting the job done, so I had to focus, too.

I held onto Alaric while Damon opened the door. I would sit in the back with him, never ceasing contact, and then we would bring him back so Bonnie could work on him. She had to have a spell, somewhere. Where was Bonnie anyway?

Then I sensed something. It crawled up my arms, my neck, like it always did, and I felt Alaric twitch in my arms.

''What's happening?'' I asked, suddenly feeling cold and chilly.

''What?'' Damon turned from the car, eyes darting between me and Alaric.

I kept him sleeping, while opening up, trying to figure out what it was. At first, there was something akin to a soft breeze, him sleeping. But then... it was like I was grasping at straws. I reached for him in my mind, but he slipped further and further away.

''No,'' I heard Damon say suddenly, and Alaric was torn from my grasp. ''No, no, no.''

Then, I made the connection. I gasped, staring at Alaric, hearing Damon's frantic pleas.

''But...'' I whispered.

Damon dropped to the ground, shielding Alaric from the fall but bringing him down with him. Still in silent shock, he suddenly burst out in anger.

''This wasn't supposed to happen. DAMNIT!''

I clutched my bloody neck, still in shock. ''Damon,'' I struggled through erratic breathing. ''We have to-''

''No, we don't have to do anything!'' he shouted. ''Do you understand? He's dead. Ric is dead, Elena's dead, they're both dead!''

His words couldn't be true. They couldn't.

''This wasn't supposed to happen,'' Damon mumbled again, hanging his head, clinging to Alaric's body. I stepped towards him, reaching out, but he turned his head and gave me the darkest look I'd ever seen.

''Don't touch him.''

Maybe he didn't mean to. Maybe he was heartbroken, as I was, and would be, if I could understand what was happening. But he left, bringing Alaric with him, into the night faster than I could follow, and I was left staring with empty eyes at the spot on the ground where they had both just been.


I traced the path we had taken back through the darkness. My heightened senses should've kept me steady on my feet, but I stumbled ever so often, trudging through the forest back to the meeting point.

Every unsteady step I took, I was accompanied by numb shock. The reality hadn't sunk in, couldn't sink in.

The closer to returning I got, the harder my heart began to beat. I had died, yet my heart was beating. Their's didn't. They... I drew a loud breath, gasping for air.

''Evangeline?'' Caroline called out.

I stepped into the clearing. I heard a gasp, and felt worried eyes on me. Looking up, both Caroline and Elijah were eyeing me in concern. Elijah took a step towards me, reaching his hand out. ''Your neck.''

''It doesn't matter,'' I said blankly. ''It doesn't matter.''

''What happened?'' Caroline asked.

I stared at the ground before me, a heavy and pressing feeling over my chest. I was swelling with emotions, but they had no where to go. They didn't know where to go. ''Nothing matters except that this all went to hell.''

''Ev, what happened?'' Caroline pressed, but I couldn't get any air, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't-

''They're all dead, they...''

My mind caught on the one thought that seemed to make any sense. The only loose thread tonight had been Rebekah. When Klaus died, she left, and-

I don't know if I had ever felt an anger as intense as I did just then, when it occurred to me. My first reaction was to tear, maim, and destroy anything and everything around me – but her name appeared again and again, and I knew what I had to do.

Biting down hard enough to taste blood, my eyes darted between Caroline and Elijah. Caroline frowned at me, I saw concern in her eyes, but right now I couldn't care less what anyone else thought.

''Where is she?'' I asked lowly, closing my eyes, the insides of my eyelids seemingly dancing in flames. I forced myself to breathe as evenly as possible, so not to lose it just yet.

''Who?''

''Rebekah, where is Rebekah?''

''You're not making any sense, Ev, who's dead?'' Caroline exclaimed in fear.

''WHERE IS SHE?''

I opened my eyes again, furiously screaming the words, hearing them echo back at me in the night. Elijah stepped towards me, but I backed away. ''I don't know,'' he said, and there was a ringing in my ears.

Where could she have gone? Trying to see clear through the fury, I racked my mind for any location, any possibilities. Only one stood out against the others, and my gut feeling felt as if it had never been stronger than this.

In a blur, I was gone. They were probably following me, and in hindsight that might've been what kept me alive. But I didn't care, because at the moment all I saw was red.