A/N: Holy shit, where the hell have I been? Good question. Clearly not updating this fic, that's for sure.

Six fucking years ago I had an idea and decided to write it down and share it with all of you (those of you who are still with me after all this time). Season two had barely begun and I was falling in love with this show. I apologize that I've neglected it (since 2012) and failed to follow through with this idea that I thought of so long ago (back in 2010).

I feel the need to state that, unfortunately, I no longer watch The Vampire Diaries. Not that I don't plan to continue it! Time just got away from me and I was too far gone to just jump back in. Eventually, I hope to get back into the show that I was once so passionate about. Keeping that in mind - I basically forget everything that happened on that show after about Season 3/4, so please ignore any inconsistencies the following chapters may have. Please also keep in mind that my characters here as established in Chapters One to Twelve are perhaps a little more OOC than the characters we know today, although back in the beginning of Season Two, a lot of the characters on the show may seem OOC compared to the current season.

I want to let you all know that I HAVE FINISHED THIS STORY. There are three more chapters after this - already written and just need to be edited and posted. So if you're worried about jumping back in, have no fear, the end will arrive a LOT quicker than chapters have come in the past.

I'd like to recommend that everyone go back and re-read this story from Chapter One, as I did before sitting down to write the last few chapters last night.

I'd like to thank all of you who read, as well as a special thanks to those people who have been with me since the beginning and are still reading. People like you are why I felt the need to actually sit down and write a proper ending for this story.

I was cleaning out my hard drive and found a bunch of stories posted on different websites as well as a whole bunch of unfinished works. I had such a great time writing the ending to this story, and reading some of the past feedback I'd received for my stories. I remembered how great it felt to be writing again and I hope that I can entertain you all with more stories to come in the future, whether they be Vampire Diaries related or not.

Anyways, thank you to the newcomers to reading this story and special thanks to the continue-ers! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of it's characters. The ideas and plot points of this story are my own, so please be respectful and do not steal them. This fic is purely for the entertainment of the fans.

Chapter Thirteen: Confession

Considering all the shitty things he had done to Elena and the lies he'd asked Damon to make up for him, he felt pretty good about himself upon leaving Elena's room. Stefan felt like they had had an actual conversation about something real and meaningful and they were able to leave that conversation knowing where they both stood. More importantly, who they both stood with…which was clearly not each other anymore.

Stefan zipped over to the Boarding House and stopped in front of the door. He smiled to himself.

This was it. He could finally be with Katherine and not have everyone hating him for it. No more sneaking around or arguing and begging with Damon to help keep his secret. He was free to be with Katherine, who he truly loved, and he was excited for the future they could finally have together.

As he swung open the front door, he came face to face with Katherine...and her giant suitcase.

Her eyes grew wide, "Stefan!"

He looked at her funny, eyebrows furrowed and gaze jumping evenly back and forth between her own eyes and her suitcase.

"This isn't what it looks like," she insisted, her hand's grip on her suitcase tightening as soon as she said it.

"Really? Because it looks like you're going on a trip of some sort... and I'm pretty sure I haven't been invited to come along..."

Her shoulders sank and her eyes fell to the floor, "I can't, Stefan," she stated blankly.

He blinked. "You can't? You can't what? What does that even mean?" he demanded to know.

"I have to leave," she insisted, her voice cracking slightly as she attempted to push past him and through the doorway. He stood strong and pushed right back.

She huffed angrily at him, "Stefan, move!"

"Katherine, what the hell is going on here? Where are you going? And why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

"This wasn't supposed to be this way."

"What wasn't? You leaving, or me catching you on your way out?"

"All of it!" she shouted at him, her hand slipping from the suitcase and coming to cover her eyes. "This is all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I wasn't supposed to-"

She stopped and Stefan just looked at her. He didn't remember the last time he had been so confused. He reached up to grab hold of her hands, removing her right one from her eyes. He nudged her back inside the house, shoved her suitcase aside and closed the front door. He dragged her back to the sofa and he could swear he saw tears in her brown eyes. They sat down and he pulled her face towards him.

"Katherine...please explain to me what's happening here, because I seriously can't figure it out."

"I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you."

Okay, maybe there was still time for him to be more confused. He stared at her blankly.

"Stefan, this wasn't the plan! The plan was for me to come back here and screw with you. Literally, emotionally, in every way!"

His eyes darkened. "I'm sorry. What are you saying?"

"Gah, Stefan! This was a fucking game! It was all a game! I came back to Mystic Falls to screw up every relationship you and Damon had!"

He didn't know what to say, so he let her continue.

"I came here and started with Damon. I threw him down on this very carpet and jumped on top of him and tried to ruin him. I tried to get him to screw me and fall in love with me again so I could break his heart. I told him it had always been you and I knew! I knew you were listening! I came out of the room and pretended that I didn't know that you were spying on us, but I knew Stefan! I planned for you to hear us. I said exactly what I wanted you to hear and what I knew you would want to hear. And then we were together and you said that you had lied...that...that I had never compelled you and that you had always wanted me. I told myself that I wouldn't let that get to me. I ignored it, and I pushed all those thoughts about love with you out of my head because I had a job to accomplish! And then you didn't break things off with Elena and you got Damon to start covering for you. It was genius! It was like you were in tuned with what I was planning all along. You didn't tell her we were together and even Damon – Damon – didn't say anything!"

She paused for a minute, needing to catch her breath. She didn't want any of this to come out, but once it started, that damn verbal diarrhea just came flying out of her mouth. Stefan didn't say a word. He just stared. He stared her straight in the eyes and it was so overwhelming that she had to avert her eyes.

"I was teasing Damon and I heard Elena at the front door one day. I've always known she wanted Damon, Stefan. I mean, you must have known, too. They weren't very secretive about it all…with those longing looks and sinful smiles. I heard her coming into the mansion and I kissed Damon. Right in front of her - I kissed Damon and she freaked out. He was mad. She was mad. And then by some miracle, they slept together! I mean, I didn't plan on that but gah, it doesn't get better than that. Then, I went to see Elena. I went to her and I told her straight up that I knew she was sleeping with Damon and that you were sleeping with me. And that was it. That was all I had to do."

She stopped, waiting for Stefan to say something. Maybe to let it all fall into place and let him freak out and then she could just get away, just leave and never have to worry about this stupid situation she'd gotten herself into.

He looked like he wasn't getting it. He continued to look straight at her, the tips of his cute little ears becoming a little red, his eyebrows furrowing over his saddening puppy dog eyes. Katherine, for God's sake! Stop it! Can't you see these feelings are why you're in this stupid predicament in the first place! Stefan still didn't say a word, so she thought that maybe she should just keep going.

"Damon would be mad at you for sleeping with me and Elena. Elena stupidly made both Damon and you, at least briefly, mad at her because of her own stupid decisions. And then I was going to go and break your heart and dump you and leave you in the dust. Thereby, effectively fucking up everyone's life here, except my own because I would just go away...just leave and move on but I can't Stefan. I fucking can't because I've fallen in love with you again and I thought that maybe I could block it out and I could ignore it, but I don't think I ever stopped loving you, Stefan and this plan was stupid because it's not about the game anymore and so I need to leave becau-"

Before she comprehended what was happening, Stefan's hands were cupping her face, his lips crashing against hers. Her arms flung around his neck before she even took a second to think about what was happening. His hands tugged at her spiraled locks, tilting her head backwards, her mouth opening up to his tongue's plea for entrance.

She had no idea how long it had been once he pulled away. It could have been seconds, minutes, hours in between his grabbing her and his pulling away to rest his forehead against hers. All she knew was that she was gasping for breath, felt tears in her eyes and was confused as hell. She had basically said she hadn't given a fuck about Stefan, Damon, Elena or any of their feelings and here he is, his forehead pressed to hers, his hands trailing down her face to grab a hold of her waist.

"Stefan," she started breathlessly.

"Katherine. I don't care."

She blinked, her eyes trying to focus on his face, her brain looking to understand what the heck that meant.

"I don't care why you came here. I don't care what your idiotic plan was. All I care is that it failed and that you love me...that you've fallen in love with me. Katherine, I swear to God, I don't think I've ever hated someone so much, but I don't think I've ever loved someone as deeply as I love you." His thumb reached up to wipe a tear that was starting to make its way down her cheek.

"Stefan, I...I was so wrong. I don't know why I thought that stupid plan was a good idea. I don't know why I came back here."

"I do," he stated simply, his smile reaching his eyes. "Because this was mean to happen. We were supposed to fall in love again and you were supposed to make me realize that though I loved Elena, it wasn't in the right kind of way. It wasn't in that passionate, maddening, soul encompassing way that I once had, and now have again, with you."

She couldn't help it. She smiled followed by a sniffle. "Stefan, I'm so scared. And this isn't me! I'm not scared of anything or anyone. And I'm here, scared to death because I'm falling in love again and it made me want to get the hell outta here and away from you."

"Katherine, it's okay to be scared. I'm scared, too. But I was scared that you would be lying and not want to be with me. I was scared that I would leave Elena and then you would leave me. Don't you see? You almost did that because you're scared I don't love you back? Come on, Katherine. Stop being stupid about all this. Forget your plan to screw with our lives and just let yourself be happy...with me. We'll make this work and it'll be amazing. It'll be everything we want, and more."

She gazed into his eyes and couldn't help but believe him. She wasn't vulnerable. She wasn't frightened. She was Katherine fucking Pierce and she was tough as hell. But she loved this man, this man who years ago she turned into a vampire because she wanted to be with him for eternity. I guess this is my second chance.

"So, what do you say?" he smiled at her. "We're gonna do this, right?"

She grinned, "This is crazy, Stefan. I-I don't know where to go from here. I don't know what this means. I haven't been human in a long time. I almost don't remember what it was to really love somebody."

"Well, then. Let me help you remember," he smirked as he nudged her down on the sofa, his lips pressing against hers.

"Go to Damon. Fix this."

Stefan's words echoed in her mind.

He's right, Elena thought to herself. I have to fix this. And now, before it gets any worse.

She stood from her bed and looked in the mirror. Holy shit, she looked like hell. There's no way he'll want to take you back looking like this. She cringed at her appearance in the mirror – her smeared makeup, drenched clothes and puffy, red eyes.

A shower and touch up was in order before she was going to go to Damon and convince her to be with her. Hopefully, it wouldn't take too much convincing.

She sighed heavily as she grabbed a towel from the back of the bathroom door and turned on the water.

Stefan lazily drew circles on Katherine's naked back as they lay together on the sofa, a blanket pulled up high on her shoulders.

"Why don't we go somewhere?" Stefan suggested.

"Go somewhere? Why?" Katherine questioned, propping herself up higher on his chest.

"I mean," his eyes darted to her suitcase sitting haphazardly in the middle of the foyer by the front door, "you're already packed. We could just go somewhere. On a trip. Just you and me. Without worrying about any leftover drama with Damon and Elena."

She smiled, "That sounds perfect. Where should we go?"

"Who cares," he stated simply. "Anywhere. We'll think of it as we go." He smiled at her.

The front door opened and slammed shut abruptly followed by a string of curse words as Damon tripped over the focus of Stefan and Katherine's conversation.

"Why is this fucking suitcase in the fucking middle of the fucking hallway?" Damon shouted loudly to nobody in particular.

"Oops," Katherine called out.

"Why should I fucking be surprised? Everyone else's life fucking sucks and here you two are, still screwing each other on the sofa."

Stefan ignored Damon's anger and repetitive cursing to announce, "Damon, we're going on a trip. Don't know where to or when we'll be back, but we'll be gone and outta your hair in about five minutes," he kissed Katherine's forehead and Damon visibly gagged.

"Good fucking riddance," he mumbled as he trudged up the stairs.

"Should we leave like this? I mean, I'm not a fan of Damon or anything, but I think I've screwed up your lives enough as it is." She pushed herself off of him. "Maybe you should go talk to him before we leave."

"He's still pissed because Elena's pissed at him. He'll be good. Things are gonna get fixed any minute now," he winked at her.

She looked at him puzzled as she sat the rest of the way up.

"I spoke with Elena," he whispered. "They're madly in love with each other, and they both know it and as soon as she apologizes for freaking out on him...again...they'll be good to go." He stood up. "And we are almost good to go. Lemme go pack a couple things and we will be outta here and on our way." He smiled and she couldn't help but return one.

"I'll get dressed then. Meet you out front in five."