AN: Thank you for the reviews and favorites. I appreciate them a lot. The story has come to an end now. Hope you all liked it. I apologize for any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Enjoy this new chapter and don't forget to review. Thank you.

Chapter 39: Because I Love You

Shanyra was at Kol's house which was on the outskirt of Mystic Falls. The house was well decorated now unlike the first time she visited this place. Shae was actually waiting for Kol there. She has asked him to meet her. Kol obviously came. Since the moment Shae asked him to leave her alone, he had been depressed and broken. But now that she wanted to talk to him again, he felt hope. Still Kol was careful about getting his hopes too high. For all he knew, Shae could have asked him to meet her to break up with him. That would be very terrible. Kol knew in his heart, he wouldn't be able to handle that. So he was very determined not to let their relation go there. Only if he knew why exactly did Shae want to meet him.

"It's good to see you again." Kol said with a small smile, trying to keep his overwhelming emotions in check. He was indeed happy to be around her after not seeing her for one excruciatingly long week.

"You don't look very good. Have you been starving yourself?" Shae asked walking closer to him. Kol looked pale as if he hasn't had any blood in days.

"It doesn't matter. I'm fine now as you're here." He said truthfully. It made his soul mate sigh out heavily. A look of guilt took over her face.

"I am sorry Kol. I knew that I was hurting you but I did it anyway. Please forgive me." Shae spoke with sad tone of voice as her eyes started shinning due to tears gathering in them. Kol couldn't stop himself anymore. He pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Don't be silly. There's nothing to forgive. I understand you lost your best friend and her blood is on my hand. It is me who must apologize" said the original. Shae pulled away a little to look at his face.

"No, you didn't kill Maggie. Please don't feel guilty about it. Zuriel had you under her control. There was nothing you could do." Shanyra assured Kol that she didn't hold him responsible for Maggie's death at all. It was a relief for him indeed. Even though Shae had said it before but only now she seemed truthful about it.

"I know but-" Kol began to say but Shae stopped him.

"No buts. And no more talk about the awful things that happened in past few days. I missed you Kol. Even though I'm the one who asked you to stay away but I missed you so much." She said really meaning it as she cupped Kol's face affectionately with one hand. She looked into his eyes before pushing herself up and pressing her lips against his. She pulled away only to say-

"I don't want us to stay away from each other anymore. I love you Kol- in a way that you may never understand." What Shae said last had a hidden meaning to it but Kol was too happy that moment to ponder on it. He pulled her closer to kiss her passionately. Shae pulled away from him, only to look at him in the eye while she took off her dress, leaving her only in her bras and panties. Kol stared at her with hunger in his eyes. The intensity between them was so thick that it could be sliced with a knife. No words were said as they went back to kissing each other again. The soul mates let their emotions and bodies guide them. Before they knew it, Kol and Shanyra were on the bed, still kissing each other passionately with an intense desire for each other.

Shae was lying on her back and Kol was on top of her. He left her mouth only to start kissing her neck. Meanwhile she inhaled Kol's unique dazzling scent that always makes her aroused. She moaned out in contentment as her lover touched her in a way as if worshiping her. Shae pushed her fingers through Kol's soft hair and pulled him back to her lips again. And while kissing he took off his shirt and pants and became completely naked. He left her mouth again, only to leave a trail of kisses from her jaw line to her breasts. He unhooked her bras and started kissing her soft mounds. Then he slid his hand into her panties to find how wet she was for him. It made Kol smirk with satisfaction and pleasure. Shae moaned out as he touched her there.

"Kol please." She said arching her back into his hand.

"Tell me what you want." Kol demanded with seductive tone of voice.

"I want you to love me like this is our last time." She said more seriously than he preferred. But Kol thought nothing of it and started kissing her again. He pushed off her panties and Shae immediately felt him at her entrance. They both looked into each other's eyes as Kol pushed into her. They truly loved each other this time like never before. As if it was indeed their last time. After a passionate love making session, Kol laid beside Shanyra and kept her wrapped around in his arms to keep her close to him. He held onto her as if he'd never let her go. But Shae knew he had to, whether he wanted to or not. She sighed out quietly but heavily before speaking up again.

"Kol, would you promise me something?" She asked very delicately but with seriousness.

"What is it love?" The original asked.

"You know with Zuriel out there to get me, if anything ever happens to me-"

"Nothing will happen to you." Kol said at once cutting her off. But Shae continued as if she was never interrupted.

"If I'm no longer in your life, promise me you won't go back to the darkness again." She spoke with pleading tone of voice.

"I'll make no such promises because you'll always be in my life." Kol was about to get off the bed but Shae stopped him.

"I know if I leave you, you'll no longer have any reason to keep your humanity. You'll go back to being a monster again. I promise even if I am not with you, I'll leave a reason behind for you to stay human. A light in your life. I only need your word that you'll care about that light just as much as you care about me."

"Shae, what in god's name are you talking about?" Kol asked feeling extremely baffled now.

"Please Kol. I need your word. I need you to promise me. I don't ever want the darkness to come back into your life again. Please promise me, you'll let the light shine in your life and know that I'll be watching you." Shanyra looked so desperate that Kol couldn't help but give into her request even though he had no idea what she meant.

"Yes, I promise. I give you my word." Hearing that Shae sighed out in relief. Kol wasn't one to give his word lightly. She pulled him into her arms and embraced him tightly. Kol obviously embraced her back.

"There's one more thing. I love you Kol Mikaelson." He smiled hearing that. Before he could say he loves her too back to her, Shae spoke up again. She was still embracing him tightly.

"And because I love you, I must hurt you now to keep you safe and protect you. Truth to be told, for the first time, I truly understand Klaus and his ways of protecting the people he loves. I hope that as you're capable of forgiving him for hurting you; you have it in you to forgive me too." Before Kol could become suspicious about what she was up to or understand anything, something familiar pierced his heart. Shae has shoved a dagger into his heart in the back. She had the dagger hidden under the pillow before Kol arrived in the house. As the original slowly desiccated, his eyes asked a hundred questions that he couldn't voice. Shae stared at him with guilt and tears in her eyes.

"I am sorry my love. You've been my guardian angel since the moment you came into my life. But it's time I protect you. I love you so much." Saying that Shanyra kissed his grey lips. It was their last kiss but it only lasted for a second. Shae pulled away abruptly as she felt an overwhelming heat and energy in her body. Kol was dagger dead so she possessed the entire soul now. It took some time for her to calm down but once she did, she looked back at Kol with a sad smile on her lips.

"Farewell my soul mate."

Shanyra walked out of the house and got into her car. She sent a text to someone then drove away from there. Shae got to a place where Damon, Enzo and Emily were already waiting for her.

"It's done." She said to them about daggering Kol.

"Are you alright?" Emily asked with concern. She knew it wasn't easy for Shae to dagger Kol. Her friend however vehemently nodded her head.

"I'm fine. What about Katherine?" Shae asked.

"We gave her the cure of the cure so she can turn back into a vampire again. I bet she has already become one wherever she is right now." Damon informed her.

"Katherine said, she told you everything about how to kill Zuriel. What did she say?" Enzo asked. Since the day they killed Markos, Shae wasn't really in touch with them. She was out of town, doing who knows what. She only ever called to let them know that she was fine.

"Katherine said that the only way to truly destroy Zuriel once and for all is to destroy her soul." Shae said and Emily immediately objected to it.

"No, if the soul is destroyed it means you'll die too. I can't lose you too Shae. There has to be another way."

"It's more complicated than that. Even if I die, it won't destroy the soul. It'll just move on to someone else. And then it'll only be a matter of time for Zuriel to find it again." Shae explained.

"Of course, souls are said to be immortal" quipped in Enzo.

"So how do we destroy a soul?" Damon asked curiously realizing Shae already knew the answer.

"Well if anything, soul is also energy, a raw power. And just like any other energy, it can be transformed into another kind of energy. If a soul is no longer in the form of a soul then it is destroyed nonetheless. The ancient witches gave Katherine the spells that can make it happen. And she knows of witches who are more than happy to help us as they hate travelers. They've decided to transfer the power of the energy and create a supernatural limbo similar to the other side so that if by any chance hell breaks lose on earth after the darkness is destroyed along with Zuriel. The dead gets trapped there instead of coming back among the living."

"Yeah, that's all good but what will happen to you once the soul is destroyed?" Emily asked impatiently. She was determined not to let Shae do anything reckless and stupid. Shanyra on the other hand sighed out heavily-

"Well as the last true owner of the soul, I have to make some sacrifices in order to defeat our enemy. I'm really sorry Emily but this is goodbye."

"Shanyra, NO!" Before she could say another word, a magical force knocked her out. Katherine came out of nowhere in vampire speed and snapped Damon and Enzo's neck. She looked back at Shae. Soon they were surrounded by witches.

"Are you ready?" Katherine asked. She was happy to be immortal again. But she still wasn't safe with all the travelers out there. Shae nodded her head in reply.

"Let's get this over with. We don't have long."

By the time, Emily, Damon and Enzo woke up everything has changed. Zuriel was destroyed. The darkness was destroyed. A whole new supernatural plain was created. There were some mysteries concerning this limbo which would be revealed later. And last but not the least, Shanyra Forbes was no more. Her body was lying not far from them. There was no sign of Katherine or the witches there. Emily rushed over to Shae. She started sobbing hysterically. Damon and Enzo felt sad too. Damon dropped on his knees beside Shae's lifeless corpse.

"Is she really-?" He couldn't finish, feeling a tightening in his throat. Emily let out a scream that sounded awfully painful. They didn't know what to feel. Grateful that Shae sacrificed herself to save them all or angry that she left them like this.

"What are we going to say to Caroline and Liz?" Enzo asked worriedly. He was no less sad about Shanyra's death. After all he knew the girl for all these years.

"And don't forget Kol. Though he must be dead too. What if the originals take revenge for that?" Enzo said worriedly.

"We'll think about all of that later. First we must take her back home" said Damon, already dreading to face everyone but knew they have to.

"No no no no. You can't do this to me Shae. You can't do this." Emily continued crying. Damon put a hand on her shoulder in a consoling gesture.

"Emily please, we must leave. We don't know anything about what's going on back in Mystic Falls. The travelers could be attacking everyone there. After all their mother is dead now."

Damon picked up Shae in his arms while Emily put herself back together. They got into the car and drove off towards their home. Once they arrived in Mystic Falls, they found that the travelers did attack, and Mikael as well but the originals and everyone else were able to take care of them. They knew that Zuriel is dead but had no idea about Shanyra's sacrifice. Damon had to call everyone and ask them to come over at the Boarding house. Everyone came over right away including the originals. Among everyone Caroline felt particularly anxious. More because there was no sign of Shanyra and Kol. Still she assured herself that they were somewhere together safe and sound even though she received no calls or text from either of them. However, when Caroline looked at Emily and saw that she pretty much looked like a zombie, her anxiousness increased more.

"Damon what happened? Why did you ask us to be here?" Caroline asked. Damon didn't say anything. He only looked at Enzo who nodded back in response. Then he went somewhere and came back carrying Shanyra in his arms. He put her down on the couch. Caroline immediately rushed over to her.

"Shae! What happened to her?" She asked. If she was concentrating she'd have noticed the lack of heartbeat within Shae. Or maybe Caroline did notice but refused to believe it. But others couldn't deny the obvious.

"No, this can't be." Rebekah gasped out in horror. She very well knew what if meant. Emily on the other hand couldn't stop herself anymore and burst out in tears. She ran out of the house to go and cry somewhere alone. To some extent Emily blamed herself for Shae's death. She should've suspected that her friend was up to sacrificing herself when Shae said she was going to see her mother Eleanor. All these years Shanyra never once wanted to meet her mother. Perhaps when she learned that in order to kill Zuriel she needs to die too, she decided to meet her birth mother for one last time, in order to close old wounds and somewhat mend their relation. Emily should've stopped her from committing such madness. Why didn't she stop her? How would she ever face Caroline again knowing she played a part in Shae's craziness?

Inside the Boarding house, Caroline broke down as she finally accepted her sister's death after Damon explained everything that happened. Everyone else felt sad and shocked too but no one was more devastated than Caroline. And as soon as the originals overcame the shock of Shanyra's death, they started worrying about their brother Kol. Dozens of questions were running through their minds. The most important among those questions were, where was Kol? Why didn't he stop Shae from sacrificing herself? And now that she's gone, their brother must be dead too. Was it a mutual decision? No, Kol may agree to die but he wouldn't willingly let Shae sacrifice herself. Then what exactly happened between them.

"We have to find Kol." Rebekah said to her brothers. Tears were flowing out of her eyes.

"He's dead but his soul must be trapped in the new other side. We could bring him back." Rebekah said with hope in her voice.

"That won't be necessary." Spoke up a voice that no one expected to hear at that time.

"Davina Claire." Klaus said with a startled expression on his face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. Davina invited herself in and Marcel walked in with her.

"A couple of days ago, Shanyra came to see me. She asked me for my help" said Davina.

"What kind of help?" Klaus asked curiously.

"She asked me to keep Kol alive after her death. There's a dagger in his heart right now but as soon as it's removed, he'd wake up and should be fine. His body is currently at your mansion."

"You knew Shanyra is going to kill herself but you didn't stop her." It was Bonnie who spoke up with hostility in her voice.

"I tried to but she was very determined. And I couldn't refuse to help her either. Once I endangered her life. I owed it to her." Davina spoke loud and clear.

"And how is it may I ask you're keeping my brother alive now that Shae and her soul is gone?" Klaus asked obviously suspecting some ill intention. Marcel rolled his eyes at that and couldn't stop himself from speaking up.

"You and your paranoid mind Klaus. You really should take regular counseling from a psychiatrist. As for your question, well you must already know that there's a new supernatural limbo now created from Shanyra's soul. Davina linked Kol with it. As long as this limbo exists, your brother will live" said Marcel while giving Klaus a stern look as if daring him to question Davina further.

"Is he like an anchor now to this other side?" Elena asked.

"No, he's only linked with it. The anchor of this supernatural limbo is something else that even I don't know about" said Davina truthfully. No one else but a few witches and Katherine knew that the anchor was actually Shanyra herself or more appropriately her astral body was doing the job. Because of that she still existed in this newly created supernatural limbo and could see everyone from there. But no one would never know that because then her loved ones would try to rescue her and risk unleashing hell on earth since most of the prisoners of darkness was now trapped there. Shae knew what she was doing when she sacrificed herself. Her journey with the livings was over. She need not any rescuing.

"All I can say is that Kol no longer needs Shanyra to stay alive." She stated but Caroline disagreed.

"You are wrong. Kol needs Shanyra to stay alive no matter what. She was everything to him." Everyone knew she was telling the truth. Kol may exist without her but he wouldn't really live after losing her.

"I'm sorry." Was the only thing Davina could say. Marcel realized staying there for long wouldn't be good for them.

"Let's leave D. We did what we came here to do." Davina nodded her head and then she and Marcel both left. Silence consumed everyone for a moment. There was nothing to say anymore, nothing to do to make the situation better. Suddenly Caroline received a call. She didn't want to receive it and talk to someone but seeing that it was her mother, she had to take the call. She also worried about how she's gonna tell Liz about Shanyra.

"Mom?" Caroline spoke up with weak tone of voice. Hearing her voice, Liz immediately knew that something has happened. Something bad.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? Is everything alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Mom, Shae-" Caroline couldn't say more.

"What happened to her?" Liz asked worriedly.

"She's- she's no more mom. Shae is dead. She sacrificed herself to save us." For a while Liz said nothing. She must be rendered speechless from shock.

"Caroline, you need to come home. Now." Saying that Liz hung up. Caroline frowned in confusion. She looked at others. They were confused too. Stefan who was already holding Caroline, spoke up first.

"Come on, I'll take you home. Liz must've something important to say."

"We'll take care of her while you're gone." Tyler said about Shanyra. Even though Caroline didn't want to but she left with Stefan. What could it possibly be that her mother couldn't tell her over the phone?

After Caroline and Stefan left, the originals came back to their home. They weren't showing it but Shanyra Forbes' death had affected them deeply too. It was hard for them to believe that she was really gone. They were even contemplating leaving Mystic Falls and go somewhere far away. Where memories of Shae wouldn't haunt them. When the Mikaelson siblings entered their home, they found Kol with a dagger in his chest. Rebekah proceeded to pull the dagger out of his heart but Klaus stopped her.

"I don't think it's a good idea sister." He said.

"If we're feeling so horrible about Shae's death imagine what Kol would feel."

"We can't keep him daggered forever Nik." She argued but she understood what Klaus was thinking and started having second thoughts herself.

"Niklaus is right Rebekah. We won't be able to control Kol if we wake him up now." Elijah said supporting Klaus. Since the two of them were against undaggering Kol, Rebekah in the end sighed out heavily and gave in.

"You both are right. I just hope that Kol would forgive us for this." Saying that Rebekah moved away from Kol. But before leaving the room she looked at Elijah and Klaus and said-

"But know this, whenever you do decide to wake him up Kol will hear about Shanyra and he'll wreck havoc no matter what." Saying that with utmost certainty she left. Both her brothers knew it to be true but they still decided to leave Kol daggered. They put his body in a coffin. Soon there's going to be a funeral for Shanyra. They'd attend it and then leave this town for good. Elijah, Klaus and Rebekah all three knew that Kol would never be able to recover from losing someone who was so important to him. Kol could've died for Shanyra. They feared he'd become a monster again and this time it'd be worse than before. Elijah looked at Klaus who nodded to him. He then looked back at Kol.

"Forgive us brother but you must sleep for now. Consciousness will only bring you torment." Saying that Elijah closed the lid of the coffin. The brothers thought, they'd be waking up Kol after a long time. Perhaps a century or two. Little did they know, Shanyra had something else entirely planned for her lover and it did not involve having Kol locked up in a coffin with a dagger in his heart?