She promised herself she wouldn't do this. She wouldn't go running back to the family that broke her. The family that broke themselves long ago. She didn't want to do this, but then again, maybe she did. Who knew? She could never think straight these days.

Rebekah Mikaelson stood with her bags fully packed and resting on the bed while she looked out the window, wondering how she got to this point.

She even considered jumping, but it wouldn't do any good. She was immortal after all.

She knew the answer though. Deep down it was undeniable. Yes, she hasn't heard from Elijah and that worried her. Last she heard, he was down in New Orleans searching for their brother's redemption.

But underneath that, she knew she wouldn't be able to stay away from Klaus for too long. They were family. He was her brother, and as much as she hated it, that meant something of great value to her. Even if it didn't for him.

So her bags were packed, and she was building up the courage to actually put them in the car.

I'll come back. I'll just go and see where Elijah is and then I'll be on my own.

Sounded easy enough, right? Just go for a day or two, threaten Klaus and tell him where he went wrong in his existence, then be back on the road by sundown again. And leave for good. Unfortunately, it was never that easy. 1,000 years is enough proof to know the odds of anything ever working out the way that it's planned.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Rebekah turned her head to see a blue-eyed Salvatore standing in her doorway, eyeing the suitcases warily.

She was relieved to see him, not that she would ever admit that; but lately, he seems to be the only one that's been around. As much as she hates to admit it, she's grown oddly use to the vampire's presence in her mansion. Seeing him right now brought comfort when she needed it most.

Rebekah turned her back to the window to face him fully. This was what she dreaded most. The company that she's grown accustomed to will be long gone and who knows if she'll ever have it again.

Rebekah Mikaelson rarely ever faced goodbyes because being a thousand-year-old immortal being meant she never really had to. Not with people she cared about at least. Sure, her family has parted ways numerous times and have all been daggered, but a permanent goodbye was a different story.

But she's grown to care about Damon Salvatore these past few days or so.

"New Orleans," she answered, "Elijah has been MIA these past few days and I don't trust Klause as far as I can throw the bastard." Turning back to the window, she said, "I just have to make sure Elijah hasn't faced the wrong end of the dagger, and all will be good."

Damon challenged her. "Then what?" She turned to face him, wondering what he meant. He continued, "Okay, so you go to New Orleans and find that Elijah is in fact lying in a box somewhere in a dingy old basement owned by Klaus. Then what?"

"I take the dagger out," she said, as if that would fix all the world problems.

"You're not gonna come back, and you know it."

Damn him. Damn him for saying it.

There. It was said. The world she's repeated to herself over and over again since she made her decision to leave, but never once did she say it out loud. Damn him for giving her thoughts a voice. Damn him for making it more real. Too real.

Rebekah opened her mouth to say something, but what could she say to that? That it wasn't true? Lie. That she would be back? Big lie.

She said the one thing she couldn't lie about. "I don't want to stay though."

Damon didn't want her to go. He grew just as comfortable with her as she did with him. Maybe even more. She's made these past few days actually bearable, and made him feel less crazy about reality. He didn't want to lose that.

Who would've thought? They both started as enemies. She killed Elena, nearly killed Matt, tortured him...

But they killed two of her brothers, played with her emotions and broke trust, and conspired against the only family she's ever known...

Just maybe they weren't so different as people made them out to be.

"I know you don't," Damon said, trying his best to hide the pain he actually felt.

"Thank you, Damon."

Three words that took Damon by surprise since he was never used to hearing them.

"For what?" he asked with genuine curiosity laced in his voice.

Rebekah sighed, unsure of whether to proceed with what she was about to say. She might as well, considering it could be her last words before she gets to New Orleans and Klaus daggers her for the umpteenth time.

Or maybe it's just something she really needs to say...

After a pause, she said, "For making my last few days in Mystic Falls memorable." And just above a whisper, she added, "Because I'm never coming back."

"Never?" Damon said, trying to hide the fear of losing her. He didn't know if it was the fear of losing her, or her understanding. Maybe it was a collection of everything good he's seen in her that he overlooked before.

"Even if I don't stay in New Orleans, I'm not coming back to Mystic Falls." After a quick pause, she added, "Ever."

Damon looked around the room, trying to focus his attention on anything else, but his eyes kept going to the suitcase that rested on the bed they occupied with each other not too long ago. He couldn't help but wonder how easy this was on her. Was it easy? To just pack everything up and leave? She's lived a thousand years and this isn't her first time, so has she become numb to leaving everything behind?

And everyone?

Or does this hurt her? And if so, what hurts her most? Leaving and not being able to settle down in one place due to her family? Having to go back to what she's trying to escape? Or it being able to escape no matter where she goes?

A thousand years means a million memories that haunt you no matter where you go or where you end up on the globe.

"You don't need to thank me," he finally said. It was lame, and he knew that. But he didn't honestly know what else to say. Should he be the one thanking her?

"Can I ask you something?" The question caught him off guard, and gave him monumental anxiety.

Let's try to not think of everything you've done wrong since your birth. Get it together.

He nodded and she continued. "What's your reason for staying here?" He couldn't look her in the eye. Not after the weight of that question.

"I'm serious, Damon. I get it. You grew up here. You have memories here, and now you have some "friends" here, but honestly, is there anything left except for a broken promise?"

"Why I'm here is none of your business, Rebekah," Damon snapped. He didn't know why he stayed here. It was a town that flooded him withmemories and not all of them were good.

The only good thing he had left was Stefan, but he was...well, he was gone. Damon wanted to vomit just thinking about his baby brother again.

He wanted to vomit then get drunk.

"You stay here because you keep thinking something good will come out of it. That these years and all the years before weren't a waste. Believe me, I've been there and done that. You keep clinging to hope that you can bring your Elena back. The one you fell in love with. And even if you bring her back, and you don't feel the same way, then you did something good for once. Something good to hopefully make you forget about the bad. Even if it's for a moment in time. But when that moment is over, you'll be left alone once again. Stefan is GONE, and the world is huge," she stopped herself, not wanting to go further. "Admit it, Damon. If not to me, then to yourself. You owe yourself that much."

He didn't want to hear it. Actually, he wanted to leave, but not before he told her how wrong she was. Except she wasn't wrong.

"I've don't a lot of bad shit in my life, Rebekah," he said after moment of contemplation. "I you're right, okay? You're right, and I hate that you're right cause you're you."

She scoffed. "Take the heat off you as much as you want, Salva-"

"But," he continued, ignoring her, "but there isn't anything left here anymore. Not after Stefan..."

He can't say the words, and I can't blame him.

"I don't want to be here!" he finally admitted. She looked at him with caution. She's seen him lie enough to know when he's telling the truth. And it isn't that hard to figure out. Mystic Falls is a small town where the dead never stay dead and the alive face the consequences, and therefore, it becomes a vicious cycle no one can escape from.

"I don't think anyone wants to be here," Rebekah whispered, turning back to face the window and watch as the cars flew by. Normal people in normal cars. She would never be normal, and the realization broke her heart once again in that moment.

She didn't want to go to New Orlean, but she had to admit, she couldn't wait to get out of Mystic Falls.

"I need to leave here," Damon whispered more to himself.

Yeah, right. He'll never leave.

She scoffed again, and turned to face him. "And where do you plan on going? You have your precious Elena to bring back, and Silas to vanquish." She moved past Damon to close her last remaining suitcase. "Face it, Damon. You're not going anywhere."

Seeing that she was having trouble closing. Her suitcase, Damon playfully slapped her hands away and started to close it himself.

"Okay," he started, "none of what you mentioned is actually my problem if I'm being honest-"

"Which is rare," Rebekah interrupted.

"And," he continued, ignoring her, "New Orleans."

That caught her attention immensely. "What about New Orleans other than the fact I'm giving up my freedom to save one brother from the other."

"Only answering your question," Damon said with his infamous smirk.

"I'm not in the mood to play mind games, Salvatore," Rebekah said between clenched teeth, losing patience rapidly.

He chuckled. "You asked me where i planned on going."

"Oh dear." Rebekah finally caught on, and smacked Damon on the shoulder out of frustration. "You bloody idiot! You can't go to New Orleans with me!"

"And why not?" Damon asked, eerily calm after her outburst. "You said it yourself that there was no point in staying."

"I didn't mean to follow me to New Orleans to rescue the same brother who would like nothing more than to see you dead from the brother who won't hesitate to rip your heart out if you blink in his direction!" Rebekah rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. She didn't know vampires could be this prone to headaches, but here she is. Desperately looking for some type of relief that didn't come from the person standing before her right now.

"What are you saying?" Damon said, highly amused.

"I'm saying the only person you'll have on your side will be me, and I don't know how much I can help you when it comes to battling with my brothers." Rebekah said more calmly.

Damon took a step forward, leaving still too much space between them. "I've handled myself against both of your brothers before."

"Is there anything I could say or do to convince you otherwise?" Rebekah pleaded in one last attempt to save both of them. Her brothers hated Damon most of all. That was no secret to anyone. She didn't particularly care what Klaus had to say about the matter, but she doesn't trust the bastard.

Damon snapped, "No! No, there is nothing you could do or say, Rebekah!" He ran his hand through his hair in frustration then down his face, and rubbed his eyes hard as if a headache was starting to come on. He took a deep breath, "You said it yourself. Nothing you said was wrong, and I am so tired of being in the same place and seeing the same people who once thought of me as the monster that they pegged you guys as."

Rebekah looked down shamefully. They weren't monsters, but she couldn't help but wonder if they all got what they deserved. If everything that was bestowed upon them by the Mystic Falls gang was justified.

"You're not a monster, Damon," Rebekah said in an attempt to console the broken man that stood before him. He reminded her of Klaus in that moment. Even if you don't want to, there is something that draws you to them. Maybe it's the bad boy image or the good guy underneath. Either way, he's the one you hate to love.

Damon sighed. It's been a long time since anyone's said that, or thought that. Thad why he needed to go to New Orleans with Rebekah. He wouldn't tell her that though - not right now at least.

"I know I'm not. At least not all the time, but once someone thinks something of you, you're image is tainted in their mind. That's all they see you as. No matter what you say or do," Damon said solemnly.

She understood it, and quite frankly, she could use the company. Plus, if this is what Damon wanted or needed then she shouldn't be the one stopping him.

Yes, she understood it because she too has been where he is. She's always been in that place

Her entire family actually.

"Go home. Pack what you want. Meet me here in an hour. I'm driving," she said, already setting the tone for how the ride to New Orleans was gonna be. She couldn't contain the smile from her face though, and neither could he.

"I'll be back," he said as he winked and used his vampire speed to get back to the boarding house.

He debated leaving a note. Would they even care? Elena wouldn't, and everybody else had his number. Plus, if they called nagging him then he could just hang up so it all worked out.

As he packed his bags, he thought of the last year or so. Then he was plagued with memories he's had in this boarding house through the decades. His memories even took him as far back as his childhood.

As far back as to when Stefan was born, and he shed a tear thinking of where he was now. Where they bother were now. He wanted to break right then. He wanted to fall to his knees and yell for Stefan.

Truthfully, he wanted Stefan to barge through Damon's door and say he's not letting Damon go anywhere when they need him most. Not because he doesn't want to leave, but because he wants his brother back.

And he knew that if Stefan was here, he would care enough to stop him from leaving. He might have even gone with...