p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"Ch.2: The Decision/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat entered the cemetery with Elijah at her side, heading for the area that Davina usually hung out in. Even back in the day when Kat had once called New Orleans her temporary home. Then, when they got there, they entered the mausoleum. She'd grown since Kat had last seen her, but she could still tell who she was./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Katherine?" Davina inquired. "It's been so long." Then she added, "You look different."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's me, Davina. I came to Elijah for protection. The cure got shoved down my throat. Elijah and I would like to make sure that this cure for vampirism didn't do anything past making me human again. No one's ever taken this or any cure before to be human again. I didn't even want this. This was an accident," she explained to the teenager./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You're always welcome. You know that. I'm sorry about what happened to you. I'll do whatever I can, obviously. Why come back after leaving, though? Other than the obvious need for protection against all your enemies. You left without an explanation. I always wanted to know why."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"One word. Marcel. I killed some of his vampires, trying to prove a point. I was trying to stop him from controlling all the witches. Nobody deserves to be controlled. Witches deserve to be free. Now that he's not in control as far as I see, that means all witches are free now. Not every witch likes me in the world, but your kind have always been my favorite next to the Bennette bloodline. Anyways, when I left without a word, I was fleeing from Marcel's punishment. If I hadn't, I would've probably been another vampire in his Garden, waiting to be rescued or relieved of their sentence. I had to flee to survive. Now, I'm here to make sure that I can survive as a human," she informed her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDavina hated the idea of what Marcel would've done to Katherine, but she was glad to have an explanation after all of these years./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I was unaware that Marcel was your enemy," Elijah finally said, keeping in his unpleasant emotions of what Marcel would've done to her. He was glad that she'd chosen to flee, instead of staying. He'd do anything to make sure she lived as long as possible./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, now you know. Asking you to choose me over Klaus wasn't my reason for sending him here. I knew only Klaus could put Marcel in his place, since I couldn't. I just wish Sophie would've lived through all of this. But I'm glad to still have Davina here," she replied to her favorite Original. "But let's worry about Marcel later. Right now, let's concentrate on making sure the cure hasn't done anything to me," she added./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Very well then," he agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And I'll have a talk with Marcel after this. Make sure he doesn't do anything to you," Davina interjected./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Thank you, Davina."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile./p
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p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt had been a few weeks after they'd gone to see Davina. She was a powerful witch, but still learning some things, so it took the witch a while to make sure nothing other than becoming human had happened to Katherine. And now they knew that something was wrong. Time itself was catching up with her. Her hair had started to go gray. And that's what led them to this moment./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat was in their room, upset at what was happening to her for obvious reasons. Turned out, none of her enemies would be responsible for killing her. Time would do it for them./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanElijah stood in front of her in their room, a hand on the side of her face./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We'll figure this out, Katerina. We always find a way. You know that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not this time. You can't stop time. Not even your mother could stop time. This is it. Everything I've done in the past centuries has caught up to me. I'm dying. There's no way to stop this," she replied to him. And they both knew she was right. This was real. There was no loophole. Nobody could stop time. Not even the most powerful witch./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you're dying, I'm dying with you. I've had a lot of heartbreak in my thousand years. More than you know. But losing you would be my last. I didn't spend 500 years looking out for you to lose you to a simple human death," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What about Klaus and Rebekah?" she inquired./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They have each other. They'll be okay. Besides, it's time to change the age old tune. Don't you think? I may have had others, but you've always been the one. Let's do what you suggested before I left. Leave together. We'll use the time we have left to live our lives together. We'll find another cure and I'll take it. We'll grow old and die together," he replied and suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not that I'm not happy about your decision, but this isn't something to jump on just because this happened to me. Are you sure you'd rather do this than live another century with them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Katerina, there won't be another century if I lose you, anyway. Whether I'm human or not, if you die, I'm following you. My purpose was always Klaus, but I've learned to honor love when I find it. And I wouldn't be able to live another century without you. There's no world without you in it, family or not. This isn't something I just thought of out of the blue. I've been contemplating this ever since you called me and told me you were human."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If this is what you want, I won't try to stop you. I know I wouldn't be able to stop you, even if I wanted to. But I left Davina without a word once. I won't do that again to her. I have to say goodbye before we leave town. And you should talk to them before leaving," she replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Agreed," he stated./p
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p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe next day, Elijah drove himself and his Katerina out of New Orleans, searching for a cure for him and a place they could call home. He hoped their plan would work out. He didn't want to live in a world without her in it. He couldn't bare it. Or the thought of it. He was willing to be human and die with her. He was just as certain about this as he'd always been when it came to saving her, even at the cost of his life if it ever came down to it. And this was it. It was time. He'd lived for far too long. He felt it was the right thing to do. Die the way he wanted to. With Katerina. Like Rebekah had asked of him not that long ago back in Mystic Falls. Maybe it was selfish, but he'd put everyone else first before himself for a thousand years. It was time he changed the tune. For once, be selfish and put himself and Katerina first. Let his siblings worry about each other. Let them live without him as a mediator or a peacekeeper. He made a vow a long time ago that he'd protect Katerina at all costs. Now, he was making a promise to live and die with her. And he actually felt good about this decision. He didn't have the weight of his siblings' well-beings on his shoulders anymore. And for once in a very long time, he was more happy than he remembered ever being before./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat entered the cemetery with Elijah at her side, heading for the area that Davina usually hung out in. Even back in the day when Kat had once called New Orleans her temporary home. Then, when they got there, they entered the mausoleum. She'd grown since Kat had last seen her, but she could still tell who she was./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Katherine?" Davina inquired. "It's been so long." Then she added, "You look different."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It's me, Davina. I came to Elijah for protection. The cure got shoved down my throat. Elijah and I would like to make sure that this cure for vampirism didn't do anything past making me human again. No one's ever taken this or any cure before to be human again. I didn't even want this. This was an accident," she explained to the teenager./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You're always welcome. You know that. I'm sorry about what happened to you. I'll do whatever I can, obviously. Why come back after leaving, though? Other than the obvious need for protection against all your enemies. You left without an explanation. I always wanted to know why."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"One word. Marcel. I killed some of his vampires, trying to prove a point. I was trying to stop him from controlling all the witches. Nobody deserves to be controlled. Witches deserve to be free. Now that he's not in control as far as I see, that means all witches are free now. Not every witch likes me in the world, but your kind have always been my favorite next to the Bennette bloodline. Anyways, when I left without a word, I was fleeing from Marcel's punishment. If I hadn't, I would've probably been another vampire in his Garden, waiting to be rescued or relieved of their sentence. I had to flee to survive. Now, I'm here to make sure that I can survive as a human," she informed her./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanDavina hated the idea of what Marcel would've done to Katherine, but she was glad to have an explanation after all of these years./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I was unaware that Marcel was your enemy," Elijah finally said, keeping in his unpleasant emotions of what Marcel would've done to her. He was glad that she'd chosen to flee, instead of staying. He'd do anything to make sure she lived as long as possible./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Well, now you know. Asking you to choose me over Klaus wasn't my reason for sending him here. I knew only Klaus could put Marcel in his place, since I couldn't. I just wish Sophie would've lived through all of this. But I'm glad to still have Davina here," she replied to her favorite Original. "But let's worry about Marcel later. Right now, let's concentrate on making sure the cure hasn't done anything to me," she added./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Very well then," he agreed./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"And I'll have a talk with Marcel after this. Make sure he doesn't do anything to you," Davina interjected./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Thank you, Davina."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe gave a smile./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt had been a few weeks after they'd gone to see Davina. She was a powerful witch, but still learning some things, so it took the witch a while to make sure nothing other than becoming human had happened to Katherine. And now they knew that something was wrong. Time itself was catching up with her. Her hair had started to go gray. And that's what led them to this moment./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanKat was in their room, upset at what was happening to her for obvious reasons. Turned out, none of her enemies would be responsible for killing her. Time would do it for them./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanElijah stood in front of her in their room, a hand on the side of her face./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We'll figure this out, Katerina. We always find a way. You know that."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not this time. You can't stop time. Not even your mother could stop time. This is it. Everything I've done in the past centuries has caught up to me. I'm dying. There's no way to stop this," she replied to him. And they both knew she was right. This was real. There was no loophole. Nobody could stop time. Not even the most powerful witch./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If you're dying, I'm dying with you. I've had a lot of heartbreak in my thousand years. More than you know. But losing you would be my last. I didn't spend 500 years looking out for you to lose you to a simple human death," he replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What about Klaus and Rebekah?" she inquired./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"They have each other. They'll be okay. Besides, it's time to change the age old tune. Don't you think? I may have had others, but you've always been the one. Let's do what you suggested before I left. Leave together. We'll use the time we have left to live our lives together. We'll find another cure and I'll take it. We'll grow old and die together," he replied and suggested./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Not that I'm not happy about your decision, but this isn't something to jump on just because this happened to me. Are you sure you'd rather do this than live another century with them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Katerina, there won't be another century if I lose you, anyway. Whether I'm human or not, if you die, I'm following you. My purpose was always Klaus, but I've learned to honor love when I find it. And I wouldn't be able to live another century without you. There's no world without you in it, family or not. This isn't something I just thought of out of the blue. I've been contemplating this ever since you called me and told me you were human."/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"If this is what you want, I won't try to stop you. I know I wouldn't be able to stop you, even if I wanted to. But I left Davina without a word once. I won't do that again to her. I have to say goodbye before we leave town. And you should talk to them before leaving," she replied./p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Agreed," he stated./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe next day, Elijah drove himself and his Katerina out of New Orleans, searching for a cure for him and a place they could call home. He hoped their plan would work out. He didn't want to live in a world without her in it. He couldn't bare it. Or the thought of it. He was willing to be human and die with her. He was just as certain about this as he'd always been when it came to saving her, even at the cost of his life if it ever came down to it. And this was it. It was time. He'd lived for far too long. He felt it was the right thing to do. Die the way he wanted to. With Katerina. Like Rebekah had asked of him not that long ago back in Mystic Falls. Maybe it was selfish, but he'd put everyone else first before himself for a thousand years. It was time he changed the tune. For once, be selfish and put himself and Katerina first. Let his siblings worry about each other. Let them live without him as a mediator or a peacekeeper. He made a vow a long time ago that he'd protect Katerina at all costs. Now, he was making a promise to live and die with her. And he actually felt good about this decision. He didn't have the weight of his siblings' well-beings on his shoulders anymore. And for once in a very long time, he was more happy than he remembered ever being before./p