AN: The end is here. I want to thank everybody, who reviewed, followed/favourited and read:) Something new will be starting soon.

Chapter 41: Requiem

"Drink."

Hanna felt a bottle being held to her mouth once again. She drank from it desperately, expecting it to be taken away any second. But it wasn't, not until it was empty.

She ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling life returning to her body and spirit. She lifted her head, seeing Klaus clearly for the first time in a while. Her hands tested the ropes. Maybe she'd be able to break them once he was gone.

He stared at her challengingly, but she was tired of their games by now and merely looked back, her eyes impassive.

Then he reached out, ripping at the ropes, hissing as the vervain touched his bare hands.

"Is it already time?" she said, feeling strangely relieved.

"No, "he answered darkly, breaking the final rope. "I'm letting you go."

"What?" She had to have heard wrong. Or maybe he was playing with her.

But he stepped back, pointing towards a flight of stony steps. "Get up. Go!"

She just stared at him. "Why?"

"Because ..., "he said through his teeth. "... I cannot afford to lose the few people I do have in my life."

She was dumb-struck, not really having expected an honest answer.

"Go, before I change my mind, "he added, angrily.

She got to her feet, her legs shaking. She stumbled towards the stairs, expecting to hear him following, but all she heard was that constant dripping. She made it to the top and all of the stairs and suddenly stood in the middle of a forest. She breathed in the cool, winter air.

Then she listened intently, hearing the sound of campers laughing not far way.

And slowly, she made her way towards them.

(Break)

Darwin pulled up in front of the 'Super 8' Motel on 390 Greenbrier Drive right outside of Charlottesville. He parked the car carelessly on the sidewalk, not being a particularly good driver. He had only gotten a few driving lessons from Damon, but Kol had no training whatsoever.

Kol regarded the ramshackle motel with a look of disgust. "You are sure he is here?"

Darwin easily picked up Finn's gentle, but strong presence in the air and nodded. "Yes." He gripped the steering wheel tightly, suddenly unwilling to leave the car. He felt a sudden urge to drive off as quickly as the car would allow him to.

But Kol was already out of the car and walking towards the building. He yelled back over his shoulder: "Come on, Thorstar!"

Darwin got out of the car and ran to catch up with Kol. They entered the motel, and looked around. There were vases with fresh flowers on every surface, but that was the only nice thing about the lobby. The furniture was old, a distinct moldy smell hung in the air and the front desk was cluttered with tools and stacks of paper.

Darwin went up to the desk and called out: "Hello?"

A young man entered from the back room, giving them a friendly smile. "Can I help you?"

"We are looking for a man, who is staying here, "Darwin informed him. "His name is Finn. Can you tell us what room he is in?"

The young man shook his head: "I cannot give out that information."

Kol pushed Darwin aside impatiently, fixing the guy with a unwavering stare. "Tall, polite man and cute, young brunette, who arrived today. Where?"

The young man looked dazed. "Room 25 upstairs."

The stairs were rickity and Darwin half expected them to collapse under them on their way up. They came into a hallway with a stained, brown carpet and made their way down the line of doors: 9, 11, 13.

They broke into a run. Darwin's foot caught in a hole in the floor underneath the carpet and he almost fell over. He quickly regained his balance.

15, 17, 19.

Kol halted at the far end of the hallway and kicked down a door without even bothering to knock first. And there he stood, staring inside his hands hanging at his sides.

"Thorstar!" Kol reached out to grab Darwin as he ran up to him, but he dodged his arms and entered the room, stopping on the broken door.

The room was dimly lit by a single lamp. By the window was an old tv and two battered armchairs and right ahead of him was a large bed with a orange and red bedspread.

Finn was sitting on the bed, holding a smaller body in his arms. He stroked the still figure's long brown hair, not even acknowledging Kol and Darwin's presence. There was a look of unbelivable pain on his face.

Darwin gasped. "Oh God, Finn, what have you done?"

"There was no other way, "Finn mumbled, but Darwin and Kol could easily hear him. "Niklaus would never have given up. He would've hunted her to the end of the world and back."

Darwin crossed the door and sat down beside Finn. He didn't need to feel Elena's neck for a pulse, he knew there was none. There was no sound of a heartbeat and her face was pale, her lips blue, and her neck twisted in an impossible angle. At least Finn hadn't fed on her.

Darwin swallowed the lump in his throat. "Did you give her your blood?"

Finn shook his head. "No. I offered, but she declined."

Darwin closed his eyes for a second. He wanted to be angry at Finn for what he had done to Elena, to her friends, her family and of course Stefan and Damon, but he were unable to conjure up any other feeling that sadness and a deep sense of defeat.

He put a hand on Finn's arm. "Finn, I want you to get out of her. Go far away. Kol and I will bring the ... bring Elena back to her family." He corrected himself just in time.

"Very well, "Finn nodded. "Just ... let me sit here with her for a little while longer."

(Break)

(Wednesday the 30th of December 2009)

Caroline scanned the faces of the people gathered on the pews in the large church room. She saw girls, who had hardly known Elena and some that hadn't even liked her, crying uncontrollably into their boyfriend's shoulders. And she saw their friends; Tyler, Matt. Bonnie and Jeremy all stonefaced with grief. She saw Jenna and Alaric leaning against each other right at the front, both all cried out for the rest of today.

And at the back, Damon sat wearing a pair of sunglasses and to the other side John Gilbert, whose face betrayed no emotion.

Caroline inhaled, deeply, finally getting herself together enough to talk. "Elena was fierce friend, she was a loving sister and niece, but most of all; she was a good person." Caroline paused, trying to get her voice back under control as it broke on the last word. When she continued, it was once again steady. "Elena would've done anything for the people she loved, maybe even for complete strangers. Her parents death had left her with so much grief, but it had also taught her and all of us a valuable lesson: You never know when your time is up."

Caroline stopped to breathe for a second, her eyes meeting Jeremy's. "So live your lives to the fullest. And that was what Elena did and what I am now asking all of you to do. Rather than lose yourself in your grief, follow Elena's example. Live your lives and love each other."

Fifteen minutes later, Caroline was standing outside in the cold December afternoon, giving out hugs and kind words to people she barely knew and occassionally a friend.

"Caroline." She felt a hand on her shoulder, turning around.

"Damon!" She wrapped her arms around him, at the look of utter despair on his face. She let him go, before he could push her away, realizing, that she had hardly touched him, since they had been 'together.' "Where is Stefan?" she asked.

Damon shook his head. "He doesn't leave his room. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't talk. I have to practically force him to feed ..."

Caroline stroked his arm. "And you?"

"I'm dealing with it." He said no more.

On a whim, Caroline lifted her eyes, gazing towards the road on the other side of the hedges.

And there he was!

He had his hands in the pockets of his jeans, staring right back at her without blinking. He was wearing a black blazer and a white tshirt underneath.

"Excuse me, "she mumbled, quickly making her way to toward him. She stopped just a few feet away. "You got some nerve coming here!"

"Whatever do you mean?" He was frowning slightly.

"It may have been Finn, who killed Elena, "Caroline said acidly. "But you were the one that signed her death warrant!"

Klaus lowered his eyes to the ground. "You are right."

"What?!" she snapped in surprise.

"You are right, "he repeated, patiently. "Her blood is on my hands as much as they are on his."

She regarded him for a second, unsure of whether or not he was mocking her, but he seemed subdued rather than devious.

"I've noticed that you are staying with Bonnie right now, "he said. "Why?"

She sighed. "I told my mother everything about myself. Not everybody else, "she added. "She tried, but she couldn't deal, so we are spending some time apart."

He nodded as if he already knew that. "I am going on a trip around Europe to find other surviving members of the Petrova bloodline. There are bound to be other branches." He paused, fixing his pale blue eyes on her. "Come with me."

"What?!" she exclaimed once more. "I can't do that! I have friends, I have school."

"You won't be away from them forever and if school is what you really want to do, then there will be plenty of time for that, "he took her hand. "You have to stop thinking like a human. You have an eternity, Caroline."

She sent a look back over her shoulder, seeing Damon deep in conversation with Alaric and Jenna. Then she took a deep breath. "I may be in love with you, Klaus. I may even love you, "she admitted. "But you and I are two very different people."

"Maybe you could save me from myself, "he shrugged. "Or at least save a few people from me."

She gave him a doubtful look.

"Come on, "he squeezed her hand, "I'll ask nothing more of you. Just you, me, Claws and Europe."

She smiled and rolled her eyes at the mention of the kitten. "Fine, just to make your life miserable, then. But I want to see Paris first."

(Break)

Darwin knocked on Stefan's door. "I'm leaving now, "he said quietly, knowing Stefan would hear him.

There was no answer, no sound. He rested his fingertips against the door, trying to tap into soothing emotions to project them to his suffering friend; hope, acceptance or serenity. But he found none inside himself. Only sadness.

He sighed, grabbing his backpack from the floor and slowly descending the stairs, his legs as heavy as lead.

Damon was waiting for him by the front door, an unreadable expression on his face. Darwin could feel a whole mass of life energies around him and knew he had recently fed on several humans, filled himself with their blood.

But his eyes were clear and alert, the cloud of pain gone.

Darwin send a quick look back up the stairs. "Will he be alright?"

"No, "Damon answered unemotionally. "I don't think he ever will."

Darwin felt tears welling up in his eyes. "This wasn't the goodbye, I had hoped for."

"Well, "Damon averted his eyes for a second. "Things rarely turn out the way we want them to."

"I'm going to miss you all, "Darwin admitted. "But it's time to move on."

"I know, "Damon nodded slowly. "That time has come for all of us." He paused for a second, as if deliberating, then asked: "Where will you go from here?"

"NYU, "Darwin answered, sighing for the hundred time that day. "With Elijah and Kol. I can finish my studies and they can help me discover my potential. They have a long history, dealing with vampires. I've left our new adress on the kitchen table."

He did not mention that Finn was already there, waiting for them, though he had a feeling, Damon knew that.

But Damon said nothing, merely lowered his eyes to the floor. A dark look crossed his face, but was gone in a flash, and Darwin wondered, if he had simply imagined it.

"Goodbye, Damon, "he said, putting a hand on the taller vampire's shoulder. He turned to leave, but on an impulse, Damon reached out and pulled him into a one armed hug.

"Goodbye, Oddball, "he mumbled. "You are welcome back any time."

And then the moment was gone and Darwin was standing on his own two feet again. He gave Damon a watery smile and opened the door.

Then gasped at the sight of the world outside. "Oh, dear Lord."

The ground was covered in a layer of snow, he could've sworn hadn't been there half an hour earlier, white as a blank canvas and large snowflakes filled the air and the sky above.

He smiled, stepping outside and marking the unbroken surface of snow with his boot.