The final chapter. This is it. The last one to come. The closing to an amazing journey. I would like to thank all of you for your dedication to this story, through the twist and the turns and the maturing of the characters, as well as myself. This is the first story I have ever completed, and the feeling of accomplishment is washing all over me. I would never have gotten this far in a million years if it wasn't for you, so thank you all so much!

So, on to the ending. I hope you guys like it! Let me know what you think!

I do not own The Vampire Diaries. I do own this plot, and all original characters.

Chapter 25: The Last Attempt

Caroline's P.O.V.

Nik and I took our time walking to the Mikaelson Family Cave. We filled our distance with small talk between joined hands. When we did reach the cave, Ester was pacing nervously as she went to check that everything was in order. Her stressing was very clearly making everyone else in the room nervous. Once Rebekah saw us though she hurried over, next to me. The following instant, Benjamin had burst through the door behind Nik and I. He was doubled over, clutching his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Just as he was about to speak, I heard Ester exclaim.

"Where is Henrik?!" I could here Mikael's sigh from across the room.

"He's probably still at the house. I'll go fetch the boy." He said as he slipped passed his wife, around us and through the door.

"I don't think he's at the house." Rebekah whispered urgently to me. It was clear that she didn't want to worry her mother any further, but she was quite concerned. After Benjamin was finally breathing regularly, he joined in, though his eyes were wide and surprisingly full of fear.

"I heard that Henrik was going to be with you two." He said guesturing to me and Niklaus. "Something about watching the wolves turn tonight." I suddenly felt my blood begin to freeze. There's no way that this was it. This couldn't be. I mean after everything, there is no way this is happening. I took a step closer to Nik and grasped his arm firmly.

"We have to go." I told him, as I looked him dead in the eyes. My worry was transparent. He nodded to me and moved in the direction of the door. I stopped him for a second and looked over at Rebekah. I quickly moved in and hugged her tightly.

"Try to keep Ester calm and make sure she doesn't leave." I whispered in her ear. She nodded as I took a step back. I took her hand in mine, and placed into it a thing I really didn't want to give up. "It's broken. Do you think you could take it to Ayanna to fix for me?" I asked her and she nodded again as she looked down at the silver locket in her hands.

"Don't worry, Little Sis. We'll be back soon with Henrik." Niklaus told her quietly, and I forced a smile in hopes of not worrying her too much. Just as I was about to leave, something caught my eye. In the stack of blankets, out jutted the spine of an old frail book. I quickly pulled it out, and rushed for the door. I didn't want to waste any more time.

I had to go. I had to run. I couldn't fail, not this time. All this time I spent here, and I never thought that this could still happen. I thought after all the things that had changed since my arrival that this would have changed too. My brain flooded with all these little thoughts of ideas, worries and blame. There were so many things I could have done to prevent this if I'd have just paid attention. 'Oh, Henrik. I'm so sorry.'

"There are three different clearings where the werewolves usually congregate during the full moon. From here, there's one to the South, one to the east and one southeast." Benjamin explained.

"I'll take the east clearing." Nik offered quickly, then he gave me a quick smile.

"I'll take the southeast." I added, and Benjamin nodded as he headed south.

"If you don't find anyone, proceed south." We all agreed and then hurried off our seperate ways.

All thoughts left my mind as I pushed myself to run faster and faster. I had to get there before anything happened, before the werewolves discover him.

'Just hold on Henrik. I'm on my way.'

Benjamin's P.O.V.

My bad feelings always come true, but there was something different this time. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was definitely wrong. It wasn't long until I was near the southern clearing of the woods, and I knew in an instant that this was the right one. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I could hear the men from the area ahead of me. I was relieved that they hadn't changed yet, but there wasn't much time left until they would. I couldn't worry about that now though, I told myself as I scanned the surrounding area for Henrik.

When I spotted him, I slowly inched that way. I hid in the bushes and behind the trees trying my hardest not to be spotted. After a little rustling, I came up to Henrik. He glanced over at me, slightly startled, but then he just grinned.

"Hey! I came out here looking for Caroline and Nik, but I found the wolves first." He whispered to me excitedly. Henrik had a glow of excitement in his eyes, there was no fear like I wish there was. He should be afraid.

"Henrik, you're not supposed to be here. You need to get home, now." I whispered at him, as we crouched behind a bush. It was the only thing between us and the soon-to-be savage wolves. He looked back at me with a baffled expression.

"It's ok. Niklaus and Caroline are out here too." He replied back in a whisper.

"No, they came out here looking for you. They were really worried when you weren't at your family cave." I tried to explain everything to the young boy. "They weren't coming out to watch the wolves, you were lied to." I whispered urgently. A moment later, a blonde head of hair popped up on the other end of the clearing by some trees. I could see the distressed look on her face, as I tried to subtlety wave her over. Caroline inched slowly around the perimeter towards us.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" She demanded in a angry whisper at Henrik.

"Well, you guys didn't invite me. So I thought I would surprise you." He answered, looking surprised by Caroline's harshness.

"Invite you?! Invite you to what, a bloodbath?!" She shot back at him. It was at that moment that a pacing werewolf stumbled upon us.

"Hey, Leith! Look who I found." The man shouted back at the alpha. All heads in the clearing turned towards us, as we got dragged up by our collars. As we were brought before the glaring pack and their furious alpha, the moon above us hit its highest point in the sky. Echoing howls shuddered through the pack as the crunching sound of bones breaking reached my ears.

I quickly stood up, unsheathing my sword and taking a defensive position between Caroline and Henrik and the wolves. "Step back." I said over my shoulder at them, as Caroline grasped Henrik's arm and yanked him back into the bushes and farther away from the men screeching and writhing in pain on the forest floor.

It wasn't long before several, large, hulking forms took the place of the men surrounding us. A sudden fear crept over me. It would be hard enough to hold my own against all of these wolves, but to defend Caroline and Henrik too. I wasn't sure if this would end well at all. I took a deep breath, and then the alpha lunged at me. I swung my sword as quickly as I could towards the nearing wolf, whose teeth were bared. Terror ran through me as my blade tore through the creature's shoulder.

"Stay back!" I heard Caroline tell Henrik as she pushed him further back into the shrubbery. Next thing I knew, she was chanting something behind me and then a hurtling ball of fire flew past me and rammed into a wolf in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I shouted at her, as she came up next to me, spellbook in one hand and her other hand out-stretched as a warning.

"Helping." She shot back at me, "There's no way you can take them all by yourself. So suck it up and let me help." I nodded at her, and then we each dove separate ways. I swung my blade as fast and strong as I could, while she continued to wield fire like it was an everyday occurrence.

"HENRIK!" Niklaus came running in moments later, he also had his sword bared. His face showed a mix of shock and confusion. I would have rushed over to him to explain, but at that second the alpha jumped back into the fray, attempting to bite my head off.

"Nik, quick! Get Henrik and get out of here. We'll fend them off." Caroline shouted at him once she got another offensive spell off. Niklaus glanced back at the boy who had pulled a dagger from his boot and was cowering off to the side, hoping none would notice him. Once Henrik saw Niklaus though, he bolted off in his direction. Unfortunately, Klaus wasn't the only one to notice Henrik.

I quickly fell to the ground, to dodge the alpha's attack. I stood right away and plunged my sword into the enormous wolf's chest. His cry was deafening. I tried to run, to beat the wolf moving in to threaten Henrik. I wasn't the only one who saw the looming dog, since Niklaus was also moving in to save him. I heard foreign words echoing around me, getting louder as I moved closer to Henrik and Niklaus. Just as Nikalus had gotten a grasp on his younger brother, and Caroline was just about done with her spell, the wolf made a powerful swipe at the child.

I could hear the impact on Henrik's back, and then a greenish light appeared, floating around him and Niklaus. I blinked my eyes for a second, and the two were 15 feet further away than they were a instant ago. I dove forward, slashing my sword once again, now towards the animal that attacked Henrik. The form crumpled to the ground, the same way Henrik crumpled into Niklaus's arms. I rushed forward, worried about the boy. He was only barely breathing, his heartbeat was almost gone.

"NIKLAUS! Take him home, now! Maybe Ester can help him, but you can't leave him here." I said desperately. Niklaus nodded as he picked up his little brother and started running back towards the village as fast as he could. I turned back to see Caroline, with tears streaking down her face, and at least half a dozen wolves still looming hungrily over us. There was nothing left to do, but stop the blood thirsty wolves, and pray that we don't get hit either.

Caroline's P.O.V.

Benjamin turned back to me, with an almost defeated look in his eyes. I didn't know what to say, as my burning hot tears ran down my cheeks. I tried to shake it off, as I turned back to face the enemies left in front of us. There were at least six, and I wasn't sure how either of us would make it out alive. Both Benjamin and I glanced at each other with steely gazes. We nodded and each launched ourselves into the fray. By this time, I had grabbed the dagger that Henrik had dropped and I was eager to spill blood. They wouldn't get away with this, I don't care who they are. I found myself grief-stricken and desperate for all this fighting to end. I chanted the little rhyme I'd recited several times already throughout this fight, to make another ball of insatiable flames. I hardly need to look at the grimoire anymore to remember the words, then I hurled it at the closest wolf. I summoned another fireball and threw it at the next one, both fell to the ground without another move.

A moment later, another wolf has moved towards me, followed by another, and another. Benjamin had taken one down, but the last three had their eyes solely on me. I slowly tried to back away, as I hoped that he would pull one off of me, but instead I was startled when my breath was knocked out of me as I backed into a tree. I quickly tried to mutter the spell once more, as I hoped it would make them feel nervous and back off. What luck I might have had though, failed me. Their growls filled the air all around me. Two lunged in at me at the same time, and I could have sworn my life flashed before my eyes. When I looked again, I realized it wasn't my life, but Benjamin who stood in front of me. He had dove in, at the last second, with his sword swinging. He took out the first one, but the second one got him, and he collapsed to the ground.

"BENJAMIN!" I screamed as his lifeless form fell at my feet. I pushed the fire that hovered over my hand at the the second wolf who had just mutilated Benjamin. The third, and final wolf moved in towards me, the glowing hatred radiated in his eyes. I attempted to avade his attack, though his claws pierced through the skin of my arm, digging deep into the flesh. I didn't focus on that though. I quickly spun, digging Henrik's dagger straight into his heart.

The moment that the last wolf hit the ground dead, I fell to my knees and let out an agonizing scream that must have echoed for miles. Tears were flowing rapidly down my face and my emotions trampled all over me. I couldn't control my breathing, not that it felt like I could breathe at all. My stomach was in knots, and it suddenly felt like my heart had been ripped out.

It was all over. I'd failed. Everything . . . everything I came here to do, to change, to save. I'd failed, and there wasn't gonna be another chance. It felt like I had been shattered into a million little pieces, so many that I could never be picked up and put back together again. There was no hope now. I'd lost all of it. Then I gasped. An idea suddenly popped into my mind. I wan't sure if it would work, but at least it was something, a way to prevent them from turning into the monsters I knew in my time.

I flipped through the pages of the grimoire, to the spell I had used on Clarissa in the town square, The Moving On spell. Hopefully, if I did it right this time, Ester, and all the Mikaelsons wouldn't react as badly as they are supposed to. If I do it right, they will mourn Henrik like normal people, without the use of magic. I prayed with all my might that this would work. This was my last resort. I recited the words on the page, pouring all the magic I had left into the spell. I commanded it with all I had in me, to work.

"Surge, et de populo, et memoriam eius. Et de cogitationibus dolore et reus, affectus fuerim. Cor absque cura vivere aur dolorem." Moving on from people and memories past. Of painful thoughts and guilty feelings. To live without worry or a hurting heart.

I stood, desperately wishing that this would solve everything. I knew it wouldn't change what's already happened, and what's already been lost. But I hoped this would save the future, and everyone in it. The power stung as it passed through me. It was like a wave that overtook the entire forest as well as the town, rippling over all of it.

I slowly started walking back to the village, grimoire in hand, without bringing myself to look at the massacre that lay behind me. A second later, it felt as if I couldn't move at all. It was if I was being sucked backwards, through the air. I glanced back to see a glowing portal, leading back to my time.

"NOOOOOOO!" I screamed as I tried to grasp something to keep me from going. Yet, all I touched was air, and I was sucked back to my own time.

x x x

The haze broke slowly, as I tried to reacquaint myself with my surroundings. The fog all around me, thinned and I forced myself into an upright position. My arm burned! I pulled it forward into my line of sight and saw the scratch from a werewolf I swear I obtained 5 minutes ago. Though, as I watched, the pain slowly subsided and the wound healed itself like it always does. I sighed as all the other bruises and scrapes on my body healed as well. I was back to being a vampire, I suppose. My connection with the earth that I had before was gone, and the only thing I was left with was a splitting headache.

I glanced around the spare room of the Salvatore Boarding House, and it was still as stuffy as ever. I pulled the blanket back, and swung my legs over the side. I was about to push myself up, when my fingers brushed past a leather bound book. I exclaimed, realizing it was Ester's grimoire, and for some reason a sigh of relief passed my lips.

There was no way Ester could have cast the spell, because I have the grimore. I chuckled to myself. I pulled the book onto my lap and started to flip though the old, worn pages. I went all the way to the back, where the most powerful spells resided. I flipped the last page, looking to find the forbidden spell, and gasped. The page was gone, missing. It had been ripped right out of the spine.

I bolted up, quickly changed back into my modern clothes and dashed down the stairs. I expected to find someone there, even if it was just Damon, but the house was completely empty. I ran straight out the door with my vampire speed. I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. All I wanted to know was if Nik was here or not. Had Ester still cast the spell? Of did mine prevent her from doing so? Where things the same as when I left? Or is everything completely different? I needed those answers, and there was only one place I would find them.

I sped over to the Mikaelson Manor, and I wasn't sure if I was wishing for him to be there, or for him not to be there. I didn't even hesitate to open the door. I burst in, about ready to shout for him. But before I could open my mouth, an incredible force knocked me back and pinned me against the front door.

"Nik!"

"You dare barge into my home after what you've attempted to do." He spat those words in an enraged whisper, his mouth near my ear and his hand around my throat. I took a shakey breath, grasping his hand with mine as I tried to pull it off. All my questions, and this was my answer. The man I cared about so deeply. The one that, that I loved, holding me at choke point. There was no mercy, no love, no human frailty. Just bitter rage.

"What? You have nothing to say?" He demanded of me, pulling his head back to look into my eyes. I searched his with mine, only to see the tortured, and torturing soul I saw before I left.

"There is nothing of 'My Hero' left in you, is there?" I asked him without a falter. The moment he heard my words, his grip weakened, and his eyes went wide.

"What did you say?"

The End

Epilogue

P.O.V. Unknown

The air around me suddenly shifted. I lost my breath and my vision blurred. I quickly stumbled to a bench that was on the street corner of the park. I felt like I couldn't see anything at all, even though the sun shown so brightly through the sky. It was like I didn't have control over anything anymore. Tears streamed unvoluntarially down my face, and my whole body began to shiver.

"Excuse me, Miss? Are you alright?" A man's voice appraoched me. I glanced up to see a simple man in a dark blue police uniform.

"I . . . . I" I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a stutter. Wow, I had been a very long time since I had last stuttered. I took a deep breath and tried again. "I can't see. I think I've gone blind." I answered as I searched the space around me for the images that always used to be there. They were missing.

"Blind?" The police officer asked, "Can you see my hand? How many fingers am I holding up?" He propmtly shoved three fingers right in front of my face.

"Three, but that's not the blind I'm talking about. I don't know what words will make more sense." I sighed at him. "Like 'Amazing Grace' in reverse. " I could tell the man was very confused by now.

"Ok, just tell me your name."

"Well, I used to be called Clarissa." I answered meekly.

a/n: And that is the ending of A Forgotten Time! Thank you all for sticking it out with me. Through all the rough patches and the breaks between chapters. Please let me know what you think! Love you all, and feel free to hit me up any time. =D

DramaticInvisibleGirl