You Lost Me

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Redeemed

It all happened too fast. The moment he touched the stone it burned his skin but he couldn't let it go, the white sandalwood ash spreading quickly over his body, burning it violently. Katherine ran away, taking Elena with her and ordering the witch to follow. Elijah soon appeared in front of Klaus' twisting body.

"Nikolaus" he said simply watching the older Original.

"Elijah!" the hurting vampire yelled as he tried to recover.

"I guess we can finally end our old business"

"Do you think this can beat me?" Klaus said through clenched teeth as he slowly stood up, surprising Elijah.

The younger Original soon realized he had made a mistake and turned to the brothers who were still tied up. Breaking the rope with his hands easily, the vervain burning his skin that immediately healed, he compelled both of them to fight with him against Klaus. He handed them stakes thicker than their arms and the three of them started attacking the blond vampire.

"Some elaborated design you had here, Elijah, I'm surprised" Klaus said calmly as he dismissed each and one of the brothers attacks, breaking their stakes but not quickly enough to strike back at them. He moved to where the werewolf and Caroline lay on the floor and taking both of the stakes he turned to the brothers but Elijah intervened.

The three younger vampires finally started to feel the power of the oldest one as he started to strike them. Klaus knew he had to get rid of the babies first before aiming for the other Original. He easily had the upper hand on Stefan but Damon quickly slammed the stake into his back before he did the same with his brother, aiming at Stefan's heart.

Klaus quickly threw Damon several feet away and got the thick half stake out of his body before turning again to the youngest Salvatore. This time it was Elijah who attacked him but he was almost too late. The moment his stake entered Klaus' back, the blond's entered Stefan's chest but Elijah's strike made Klaus lose part of his balance leading him to miss Stefan's heart by a few inches. He struck back immediately, throwing the weaker Original against one of the walls, leading it to crack and several stones fall over his body.

Damon was back on his feet when he reached for the other half of his stake and ran towards Klaus again who was trying to get rid of the stake in his back. When the Original turned to the raven haired vampire, as Damon expected him to do, the younger vampire changed his course in the last second and moving to Klaus' back instead of his chest, he staked the Original, his stake piercing the flesh just by the side of the one Elijah had punctured, smashing Klaus' heart.

The older vampire turned gray almost immediately while dark veins appeared all over his skin.

Damon immediately kneeled in front of Stefan, removing the stake from his chest and tearing the flesh in his wrist, he offered his blood to Stefan, which was the best thing he had to offer.

"That's not enough" Elijah announced some seconds later as Damon tried desperately to resuscitate his brother.

Damon looked at him confused and watched as he removed the two stakes from Klaus body and waited until the older Original started to regain consciousness, he ripped his head off, watching as it rolled down near to Damon and Stefan.

In that moment Katherine re-entered the dungeon, and seeing Damon trying to help his brother she soon kneeled in front of Stefan's body, taking one of the blood bottles she had and shoving away Damon's wrist she moved it to Stefan's mouth. She looked enraged to Elijah, who smiled contently at Klaus' decapitated body, not paying attention to any of his surroundings.

"You shouldn't have gotten them involved. I told you no one could die except for Klaus" she yelled, breaking him from his happiness spell.

"They'll survive" he said simply.

"Give it to Caroline" she said while tears rolled down her face and she handed the other bottle to Damon.

"Where is Elena?" Damon slapped the bottle away, both of his hands moving to Katherine's throat, strangulating her.

"At the boarding house, Rose is taking care of her. Bonnie didn't stake Elena or Caroline to kill but Stefan is really hurt here" she explained pushing him away and turning her attention back to Stefan "Give the damn blood to Caroline and she'll wake up. Elena is probably already awake. Lucy broke the spell on Bonnie and she's probably heading there to make sure Elena is safe too"

"If she's hurt I'll kill you" he announced as he started to head off.

"I don't care about you or Elena. I did it for Stefan so be happy that you're alive and she's there, waiting for you" she looked at him with a broken gaze as she watched Stefan's motionless body.

"I'm not done with you" he informed her and finally walked away.

Katherine looked back at Elijah and with all the anger and pain inside of her, she dismissed him too.

"We're done, here, Elijah. My debt with you is paid and I hope this is the last time I ever see you" she told him, her tone had never been as dark as in that moment as she held Stefan's body against herself.

Damon wasn't surprised when he arrived at the boarding house to find only Rose there. It was the first time he was meeting with the old vampire but he skipped the introduction, pinning her against the wall demanding to know where Elena was. According to the she-vampire, Elena had left back to the dungeon to know if he and Stefan had survived the battle. Damon doubted her at first but when she said what Elena supposedly convinced Rose to let her go, he knew the blondish vampire wasn't lying. The stubbornness and determination Rose described fit Elena perfectly.

He came back to the old Lockwood dungeon but found it empty, except for Klaus' body. There were no signs of Elena, Stefan, Katherine or even Elijah. He didn't care about the three older vampires and tried to track down Elena's scent but she smelled different while she was there. The spell Lucy cast on her blood changed her smell and heading to Bonnie's house he missed the older Bennett witch too, who had already left town. When he was finally back at the boarding house, Rose was already missing too and he realized he was alone. Bonnie was feeling overly tired because of the spells she had cast and the one casted on her but she assured him she would try to do the tracking spell in the following day.

The next day didn't offer him the answers he needed but they were enough. When Bonnie and Damon went after Jeremy to do the tracking spell they found out Elena had looked for Jeremy in the previous night and told him that she couldn't bring herself to come back to town, pretending to be a miraculous survivor. She would need to leave soon for good and Jenna didn't deserve to go through that pain all over again. Her brother suggested telling the truth about vampires to their aunt but Elena was adamant. She didn't want to tell her old life to Jenna. Knowing about vampires was too dangerous and would bring unnecessary pain to her family. She didn't want her family to fear creatures threatening their lives because of her, as she had been threatened many times because of the brothers. It took Jeremy some time to finally accept it but he knew it was her decision to make. They agreed to communicate with each other from time to time, by internet or phone and saying their goodbyes, Elena finally departed.

The tracking spell failed as Bonnie had already suggested it would. The spell wasn't supposed to be done again in such a small period of time and knowing that Mystic Falls had nothing else for to him, Damon finally left. He stayed for three days after Katherine's plan was successful and he never heard of her or his brother and he didn't bother to look for them. He had only one concern and goal, and those were both Elena. She had survived, Klaus was dead, Elijah seemed to have left forever, never mentioning to go after Elena and that was enough for Damon. But in the bottom of his heart he had one small concern. He had two searches to do ahead of him and he wasn't willing to lose another day.

It took him a while but Stefan finally woke up. His memories about the battle weren't clear but he remembered fighting Klaus with Damon and Elijah. He didn't recognize the place where he woke up at but he found a letter on the nightstand by the bed where he was lay.

Dear Stefan,

She's alive; I know that was your only concern. I heard your conversation with Damon yesterday in the house. I know you did everything you did to be with her. I don't know where she is and I wish you luck in your search for her. I know Damon is probably doing the same now but don't worry, she doesn't have any enemies in my name. I made sure to kill the last one I had and make a deal with the other one. I had many enemies in those five centuries but none of them were stronger than me, except for Klaus and Elijah, so they aren't alive. Elena won't have anyone trying to kill her thinking she's me.

Caroline is also safe in Mystic Falls and that was never Tyler in the dungeon. Lucy cast a spell on a wolf and it shifted into Tyler's shape for those hours. I made sure to talk to him about his uncle and the curse and it was helpful to find a video that Mason recorded. He knows he can't ever kill someone otherwise he'll activate the curse. I don't really care about Caroline and Tyler but I know this is important to you.

Bonnie is also okay. A little shocked I guess but Lucy was extra careful. Witches are very protective of their bloodline and being a Bennett herself, Lucy made sure that Bonnie wasn't hurt in the process and she will probably come back to Mystic Falls to help Bonnie with her powers.

I know you didn't want any of this, Stefan and I'm sorry I had to turn Elena into a vampire but it was the safest thing to be done. If Klaus or Elijah ever heard of her they would try to deactivate the curse, even if I had the moonstone, they'd find a way. It was too dangerous for her to be a human doppelganger and if she ever had children at some point along her bloodline another life would be doomed. I know you'll never understand my reasons and they weren't always this pure and selfless but I tried to make amends and do the best to all of us.

As for me, I know it doesn't make any difference for you, so that's why I left. Falling in love with you was the biggest blessing but also the biggest curse that ever happened to me ever since I turned. It led me to many poor decisions and I had to deal with feelings that I didn't expect to deal with and that I didn't know how to handle. I needed closure, Stefan. I needed to leave you behind me. For the last 147 years of my life I was in love with you and at first I tried to deny and fight it but I soon realized it was a lost battle. But now too much time passed and I know love wasn't ever destined for me, so I'm finally letting it go. I hope to stop feeling it. Damn, I'll have a witch to cast a spell if I have to make sure I'll stop loving you because I need to be me again. I'm finally free and spending eternity with a heartache is a pretty poor plan.

Maybe someday our paths will cross again and if this day ever comes I hope that everything in the past 147 years will be forgiven and forgotten. But I honestly prefer if it never happens. You're finally free of me, be happy and good luck.

Love,

Katerina

Stefan re-read the letter many times and although he should be more confused about it, he wasn't. Katherine said everything he needed to know. He was deeply relieved to know it was finally done and now he had a search to do. He could finally be happy but he needed to find the woman he loved. She was his only chance to make his undead life any less doomed and any more bearable and there wouldn't be an inch of this planet he wasn't willing to look at.

He checked out of the bed and breakfast he found himself in. He soon found out he was in on a beach, in North Carolina and that was where his search would start. Being immortal never made any more sense to him and he had all the time in the world to find the woman he would spend eternity with. He passed by a beautiful beach house and felt something familiar about it. He stopped in front of it and looked carefully at each window and detail. Although his senses weren't as accurate because of his diet he recognized the smell coming from that house. It smelled like Damon and for the first time since he woke up he thought about his brother. He remembered the words Elena told him only one day ago. He knew his brother too much even if they had spent so many years apart from each other. He knew his choice would hurt him deeply and it would only bring them farther apart but unfortunately there was nothing he could do about it. He just hoped someday Damon would let it go and they could be brothers again. Elena drew them together but somehow she also pushed them apart but he was thankful for the past year he had with his old brother. Some days reminded him of who they were before Katherine came into the picture but now they were destined to take their separate paths though he knew for sure they were after the same woman and he just hoped he found her before Damon did. Actually he hoped Damon never found her. Looking at the house one more time, Stefan said goodbye to his brother and taking the deserted road, he walked away.

"I'm surprised he didn't get inside" Elena said from behind the thick and dark blue curtain.

"The only smell he recognized was Damon's. Ours are still too new for him. Yours because it's overall new and mine because I didn't stay around him enough time for his senses to get used to it" Katherine explained. "A vampire diets affects their power more than you can imagine, Elena"

There was a moment of silence as they watched Stefan walking away.

"They're both looking for the same girl"

"I know"

"And that's not you"

"No, it isn't"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm not going to do anything; I'm not the one he's looking for. Now why don't you go after him? He's looking for you; all you have to do is run and meet him down the street"

"Because now it's his turn to make a choice. I told him everything he needed to know and if he wants to find me, he'll find me"

A few more minutes passed and Katherine had a question in her mind.

"Why did you come here, Elena? You knew Damon wouldn't come here"

"I came for the same reason you did" Elena offered with a knowing smile.

"Closure…" Katherine looked at the boy walking away with more intensity.

"Yeah…"

They watched Stefan until he finally disappeared in the horizon and they knew it was their turn to break apart.

"So I guess this is where we say goodbye, Katherine"

"I know you don't understand it now, but it had to be done" the older vampire didn't show any emotion but she wasn't at easy.

"Actually I do" Elena replied sighing slightly.

"No one will ever understand the weight of being a Petrova doppelganger"

"Being the key to break a curse, it's bigger than the curse"

"We both know Stefan would never agree with changing you and lately he would leave to give you the chance to have a family and be happy" Katherine said matter-of-factly.

"And I would never want it for me if I didn't know about the curse and I never really thought about our future but I couldn't be with my teenage boyfriend for the rest of my life if he never grew older than his teenage years"

"I know you wouldn't wish it to anyone in our bloodline, knowing that you were responsible for bringing them this curse. That's who you are and the reason why both of them fell in love with you"

"But still I would rather die than become a vampire"

"I know you would and I know you can't do it to yourself now, your survival instincts as a vampire are stronger than any of your wishes"

Elena agreed quietly. That battle was lost and she had learned it a long time ago.

"I started this Elena and I can end it if you want. I could do it before you had a chance to react and stop me"

Elena looked at Katherine contemplating the offer the older vampire was making. She looked back at the road where Stefan had been some minutes ago and around at Damon's bedroom. She tried to ignore her basic instincts and took one more honesty self-knowing trip inside her heart. Was his love worthy of living so many years? Would she want to live as a dark, cursed creature for eternity all because of love? But the biggest question was, was it worth to never really give the brothers a chance to be brothers again?

Katherine watched the changes in her facial expressions and she knew exactly what Elena was thinking about and when she finally got the answer she didn't need to voice it.

"Okay" the older vampire only nodded while Elena let the tears roll down her face.

AN: So Katherine can do any sort of good after all, even if for selfish reasons. I love my Kat, being as mean as possible, but I think even her is capable of love and all things that come with it but I believe she was only capable of loving Stefan in her whole life.

And everybody left Mystic Falls. The next chapter is about the searches Damon and Stefan are doing. According to the girls they're looking for only one of them. Out of love or out of hate, it's the big question.

I don't know if people thought I had actually killed all those people but I've never received as few reviews as I did for last chapter and this is my most popular fic, so I hope you liked this one better. Thanks for everyone who reviewed and to my amazing beta, May.

I started a new AU/AH when Damon somehow ends up robing a jewelry store, when Elena is there, and somehow feelings are developed, especially on her side. Give it a shot (and a few reviews).

xoxo

Babi