I am so sorry for the overdued update! Here it is!

Chapter 14: Solitude of a Vampire

French Quarter, New Orleans

"I've words on Kol. He's in Rome, in case you want to find him," Klaus said.

"For what?" I asked.

"It's not the end of the world, little vampire. You had a fight, in no time you'll be destroying another hotel's suite with your lovemaking," he remarked and I rolled my eyes.

"Funny," I said. "I think I should go," I said.

"To?"

"I don't know. I've never not had any purposes in life. Back then there was saving my own neck, to saving Elena, to resurrecting Kol. And now?"

"I supposed it'd be selfish for me to ask you to stay," he said and I raised my eyebrow at him in surprise.

"I think I need some time alone," I said and gave him a smile. "But I'll definitely come back."

"I hope next time you'll come back in one piece and not a wailing mess," he said and I punched his arm, laughing out loud.

"Please don't remind me of my hysterical moments," I said, grimacing at my memories when I was without humanity, prompting Klaus to laugh.

"Oh love, that will still be brought up at my daughter's eighteen birthday," he said.

"I'll come back, for you and your daughter. Someone needs to make sure she doesn't grow up as gullible as her Aunt Bex," I said.

"I heard that!" came Rebekah's voice from her room upstairs.

"So when are you leaving?" Klaus asked.

"I think I'm gonna take one last walk here. There's no other streets like New Orleans," I said and Klaus nodded.

"I could throw you a farewell party if you want," he offered and I shook it off.

"Don't be dramatic. It's not forever," I said, waving him goodbye as I grabbed my leather jacket.

I thought about going to the Rosseau's but decided against it. After the failed Harvest, I hadn't been around the witches. My thoughts went to Davina and I sighed in despair, missing the little witch. She had always reminded me of my young self and it was such a tragedy; what happened to her.

I bought a single red rose, which was her favourite. She had thought it was classic and romantic, an idea that I had gagged. Entering the La Fayette cemetery as quietly as I could, I headed to her tombstone.

"I'm leaving town for some time, D. I hope…wherever you are, you are at peace," I said, gently caressing the cold stone, tracing her name. "Take care, little witch," I said, kissing my fingers before pressing them on her tombstone.

I shrugged of the sadness that was clouding my head as I exited the cemetery. It was quite a lovely day for my last one at the French Quarter. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks, feeling my moves were being watched. There was a short silence before I dodged the coming attack from my front. I gripped her arm and placed her in my chokehold.

"You picked the wrong day, darling," I said, tightening my grip, effectively choking the brunette vampire. "To mess with me."

"Vanessa Gilbert?" she managed to ask, through the chokehold. I released my hold on her and slammed her, quite gently, against the nearest wall.

"Who's asking?" I asked. She looked at me in the eye, her brown eyes reminded me of someone that I hadn't seen for ages.

"My name is Nadia Petrova," the brunette said fiercely, the Petrova fire glinting in her eyes. "And my mother needs your help."

Virginia

"I thought there would be more resistance," Nadia said in her thick accent as she parked the car near an abandoned house.

"Your mother and I have a complicated relationship, but I love her like a family no matter what had happened between us," I said, glancing at the brunette, still registering the fact that this vampire was Katherine's daughter. "You have that, you know."

"What?"

"Something that only we Petrova women have. The will to do anything required," I answered, and she looked at me questioningly. We entered the abandoned house and a woman appeared.

"Where's the other two?" the witch asked.

"You need all three?" Nadia asked and glanced at me.

"It's okay. Go get them, I'll see you back in Mystic Falls," I said and she nodded before speeding away. "So, what do you guys need?" I asked.

She didn't answer me, but merely gave me a metal bucket and a knife.

"Here goes my old habit," I said and pushing the dark thoughts away, I made a long vertical deep cut, something that I wasn't able to do during my human years.

It took almost an hour for the bucket to fill due to my healing factor and I turned around when I heard my sister's and Stefan's voices.

"Vanessa," Elena said in surprise.

"Yes, hello sis, Stefan. Fancy seeing you here," I said dryly.

"Nadia took you too?" Stefan asked.

"I came, willingly," I said, watching as my cut healed and the last of my blood dropped into the now blood-filled bucket. "That should do it," I said, looking at the creepy witches and they nodded, permitting me to leave.

"Anyway, I'll see you back at home," I said dismissively to the two vampires.

"You-you coming home?" Elena asked.

"That's where Katherine is, right?" I asked Stefan, ignoring Elena.

"Yes, she's in the Boarding House" he answered and I chuckled.

"Right, I forgot you burned our house. Bye!" I said sarcastically to Elena, before leaving.

When I reached the Salvatore Boarding House, it was quiet. I made my way upstairs when I heard Liz Forbes and Damon talking. Huh.

"If you kill her, it's murder. I'd have to bring you in, lock you up...there's all that paperwork..." Liz said.

"Every awful thing I've ever done is linked to her. She taught me how to kill. I don't enjoy it. She ruined me and I can't take any of that back," Damon said angrily and I rolled my eyes.

"Wow, blaming a dying person on your selfish, monstrous acts? You and Elena really is a match made in trash world," I said, and Damon glared at me.

"Finally escaping your psychotic boyfriend?" he shot and I laughed.

"Elena dumped you for Stefan already?" I asked and smirked when he fell silent. "Don't worry, Stefan's with her. I'm sure she'll be safe. Now if you excuse me, I want some time alone with Katherine."

Katherine was sleeping peacefully and at that moment, she looked so fragile and innocent. I stroked her hair gently, and she stirred in her sleep.

"Vanessa?" she asked meekly and I smiled.

"Hi, sis," I said, smiling. She touched my hand and reached for my face.

"You're actually here," she said and I smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry," that was all I could say.

"For?"

"I'm sorry this happened to you," I said. Katherine fell quiet and she bit her lower lip.

"I don't know what to feel. After all these years cheating death and escaping Klaus, I never had a choice to just…die," she said.

"You always survive," I said and she laughed weakly.

"I supposed it's time for me to not to," she said.

"I think it's okay, Kat. You've been running and looking out for your neck for five centuries. I think you deserve to get some rest," I said.

"That's the nicest way someone had ever told me they wanted me dead," she said with a laugh before it turned into a coughing fit. I just smiled at her, brushing her hair softly like how my mother would have done when I was sick.

"Don't you ever get tired?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes,"

"Then I supposed it's okay," I told her and she fell silent.

"I need to tell you a secret," she said after a while.

"And what's the price I have to pay for this secret?" I asked her.

"Your forgiveness," she said and I straightened up a little, growing weary of her being serious.

"What is it?" I asked.

"That day…you didn't die," she said weakly and closed her eyes almost in agony to say the words. "I killed you."

Then realization dawned on me. "The day of the accident?" I asked her and she nodded. "I remembered you pulled me out of water and then you carried me away," I said.

"You were still breathing even after I reached the hotel I was staying. You were a bit pale though, but alive nonetheless. Your heartbeat was slow, but it was steady. And I made a selfish decision to just…snapped your neck," she confessed and I just stared at her.

"Why did you?" I asked her softly.

"I…I wasn't really thinking. I tell myself it's because I missed my sister and you looked exactly like her…but I supposed, I just wanted to use you," she admitted. "I'm sorry for whatever I've done to you. I did terrible things to survive and I'm sorry if it ever hurt you. I'm only looking out for myself," she said, something I never thought Katherine would never do even on her deathbed; apologizing.

"Kat, believe it or not, I've forgiven you a long time ago. I…I'd like to thank you for everything. If it wasn't for you I'd have died, drowned. If you hadn't killed me and turned me into a vampire that day, I would either die or become one nevertheless. Thank you for teaching me how to be a vampire, how to embrace my monstrous side and how to survive. Without you, sister, I won't be who I am today," I told her sincerely, feeling the hot tear welled up in my eyes. Katherine let out what seemed to be a mix of sobs and chuckles and I wiped her tears as well.

"Oh V," she said and held my hand tightly.

"Katherine Pierce, you are an amazing woman. You taught me resilience and strength…well, how to be selfish too," I said and laughed. "Thank you, for being a sister to me when I had no one."

"When I snapped your neck, you were just another puppet in my schemes. And today, you are my sister. You meant so much to me, Vanessa. Katherine Pierce does not love anyone but herself, but God do I love you," she told me and I nodded, holding back the sobs although it did escape me. I kissed her hand and sobbed. I never thought this would be the end of us.

Stefan knocked and walked in and I nodded at him. Looking at Katherine one last time, I felt my heart tightened. She looked just like Elena. But this face, I would miss it. I bent down and kissed her forehead, wishing her luck. She would need it on the Other Side.

"Goodbye, Katherine," I said softly and she gave me a weak smile.

"One last thing, Vanessa," she called out when I was almost at the door. Turning around, and looking at her from afar, I felt my heart crushed even more. It was almost as if watching your mother die. I knew this would be the last time I ever saw her. I never imagined it would be this painful and heartbreaking. I had to depend on my vampire hearing to hear Katherine's last word to me and I smiled.

"Survive," she said and I nodded.

"Thank you," I said, before closing the door.

Thank you, Katherine Pierce. Thank you for everything.

"Nessie…" I bumped into Jeremy down the stairs and I gave him a faint smile.

"Hi," I said, before ignoring him and going towards the door.

"Wait!" he said and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just…I just want to tell you I'm sorry. For Kol, for everything," he said and I rolled my eyes.

"Be on your deathbed and I might consider forgiving you," I said coldly and my phone rang.

"Don't tell me you're here too," I said to Klaus and I heard him chuckled.

"Well, I was about to gloat over Katerina's dead body but a certain blonde changed my mind," he said. "You need a ride?"

"Yeah, I'll go back with you," I said.

"Nessie!" Jeremy called me again upon seeing me leaving without a goodbye.

"Yes?" I said impatiently and he sighed, frustrated.

"Please, you're my sister…"

"Funny, you didn't think of that when you staked Kol in the heart."

French Quarter, New Orleans

"You've been quiet for the whole ride," Klaus said in the car as we reached the quarters.

"I know she's your number one plaything but she…well" I said and shook my head.

"Never thought you would be this distressed at her death. After what she's done to you," he said and I shrugged.

"She…she was family. Despite everything," I said. "She was there when I had nobody. When I turned, when my parents died, when I was confused and just so…hungry. She was there."

"I supposed I understand," he said quietly. I wondered if he was thinking about Marcel and the day he turned him.

"I don't know Klaus," I said, finally opening up. "Life without a purpose is just…meaningless. Katherine had only one purpose in her life, to survive. So did I. But now, I…I don't know," I admitted.

"If you want my opinion," Rebekah chimed from the backseat and I groaned. "Take it from the two of us that had been living for a thousand years," Rebekah began. "Sometimes life does get boring. And it becomes so depressing and miserable for someone who has an eternity."

"And?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"But the company is what makes it tolerable. Even if it was my controlling brother who wouldn't allow me to date and live my own life, it was still what made it bearable," Rebekah explained.

"So the reason why we broke up is because I'm not good enough? To accompany Kol for the rest of his life?" I asked her.

"The opposite actually," Klaus said.

"Yep. You are too good to be true and Kol, well he is always afraid of good things," Rebekah said.

"Don't fret. He'll come to his senses," Klaus said.

"When?" I asked and huffed. "I can't wait forever," I said.

"Maybe you don't have to wait that long," Rebekah said with a smile. I looked at her questioningly and Klaus let out a sudden laugh. I turned to the road and standing in front of our car, was Kol Mikaelson with a bouquet of hydrangeas.

"Son of a bitch," I said under my breath, and the two Mikaelsons just laughed.

"Sorry it took me so long," Kol said and I rolled my eyes as I exited the car.

"Don't worry. We have an eternity ahead of us," I replied and he gave me the widest of smile before pulling me into a tight hug.