AN: This is the last chapter of this fic, I'm going to miss it too. This fic has been an emotional rollercoaster, and what it has taught me is that I should write more Klaroline next to Elejah because it's fun. Shout out to Siberia21 who let me use her as my sounding board, Rising Phoenix-82 who wanted this fic I hope you liked it, ahyeon, and everyone else who reviewed this story and everyone who read this story.
I love you all so much, I hope you all are doing well, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you guys! Anyway, the last chapter!
Jeremy's the first one she sees as Elijah parks. She still forgets about vampire speed and in a second she's hugging her little brother who looks so much older.
"I love you, Jer." She says, and looks around the house. There's Alaric, Caroline, Jeremy, Matt, Klaus, Rebekah, Kol, Freya and Elijah's just entered the room. She moves from person to person, she loves these people, even Klaus. Even Klaus, they all matter, they're all so important to her.
Caroline wraps her arms around her and keeps her the longest, but she is surprised when Elena hugs the hybrid next to her.
"Thank you." Elena says so only he can Caroline can hear, and he doesn't question it.
This is not going to be an easy time, she is filled with grief and cautious joy and Matt promises to be around for a few more years, and Jeremy begins to speak.
"If I wanted to become a vampire, would one of your turn me?" He's learned that he still has a lot to do, he has a lot to show Elena, more art to do, there's so much more of the world to see and he can't leave his older sister alone so soon. Elena hugs him tightly and he coughs. Pain sparks in his torso, and he needs Elena to stop with the death hug.
"I'm not a vampire yet, Lena, loosen your grip." Jeremy says and the others laugh. Elena gives him a watery grin and gives a looser hug, she's not losing anyone else, at least not for a while.
"I'm sorry, I just-" Elena can't finish her sentence and Jeremy understands. She can't think of losing anyone else, especially not after Bonnie. Jeremy understands, they lost the same people, grieved differently and they were each other's anchors through grief for a long time. Thank god she's not losing Jeremy. She can't imagine living forever without her little brother.
"If Ric can do it, so can I." Jeremy says and Alaric fakes offense for a moment, his reaction gets a few laughs.
"I want to live completely, see the world and create things everyone will see, maybe fall in love. My time isn't over." Jeremy explains and they all understand with a sudden clarity that soon Matt will not be with them for these get togethers they have so rarely. The Mikaelsons look to each other, and Alaric grins at Jeremy.
"It's a hell of a ride in the beginning." He says and Jeremy grins.
"Well it's a good thing I'm not doing it alone." Jeremy says and the vampires smile because it's a nice thought but it isn't a walk through the park. Elena squeezes Elijah's hand and he squeezes her hand back, reassuringly. They have each other and their families, that's more than most people can say or hope for.
"Klaus is quite the artist, I bet you could both learn something from each other." Caroline says and Jeremy looks at Klaus for a long moment, he has a long list of sins against everyone in the room, but they've all committed crimes against each other, broken each other's hearts and fought.
"I'm up for it if you are." It's the first time in decades he's spoken to Klaus directly.
"I am." Klaus confirms unnecessarily, Caroline would probably talk him into it regardless. He'd do anything for Caroline and she'd do anything for him, it's how they work by now. He looks at her with love filled eyes before the group breaks off into different conversations.
Freya and Elena want to hear about Matt's human life, Jeremy and Klaus have disappeared to his studio, Elijah is sitting with Alaric and Caroline asking questions about his life, how it was to teach and how Damon is doing. Rebekah and Kol observe the others around them and make bets. It's not completely light hearted, there's still heaviness in the air, the future, regret and grief are still there but they don't take control of everything.
They're all healing from different things, it's going to take time and each other to get through it. For the first time in a while, Elena is looking forward to the future.
She isn't the only one.
finis