Sacrifice (Kat and Elena's POV)

Katherine



        It's a dark night as I run through the forest, the enemy after us with Elena at my side. I could be gone before Klaus got to me, but I won't leave her for Klaus. As we run hand in hand, I can sense that he's not that far behind us. We're running from him, because he tried to kill her by draining her. He needs her to die in order to kill vampire Alaric. I won't let her die, though. Especially, not after I just saved her life from him. If anyone's going to die tonight, it'll be me. If it comes down to it, I'll gladly sacrifice my life for Elena's.

        I stop when we arrive by a log. I could run forever non-stop, but I can tell that she won't be able to run much farther. She needs rest, so that's what I'll give her.

        I let go of her hand.

        "Rest. You need it and you've earned it."

        She sits down on the log.

        "What about you?" she asks, as she tries to catch her breath.

        "I don't need rest. If he comes close enough, get out of the way and run for safety. I'll do what I can. If he kills me, then so be it."

        "Katherine-" she starts.

        I look down at her, as I stand in front of her and speak.

        "Elena, you have more of a chance of surviving than I do. After 500 years of running, it's exhausting. If I do die though, remember that we are the same in more ways than one. And I'm not talking about our traits."

        "Then what are you talking about?"

        "Our family, Elena. Damon and Stefan don't know my past, except for the past with them. You and I both lost our parents. Klaus slaughtered my uncle, father, maid, mother, and villagers just to get back at me for running. It was 500 years ago in Bulgaria, but it still hurts. It's one of the many eternal scars that will never fully be healed. It took me meeting Stefan to love again. After he slaughtered everyone, I closed up my heart to love. I made myself not feel anything. Then I came to America in 1864 and met Stefan. I fell in love with him shortly before Damon came home on leave from the war. I instantly fell for him. I guess I'll never know if it was the uniform or something entirely different about him that made me fall for him. And what Damon and Stefan call me playing games; that just me doing what I can to make sure my family stays together. I lost it once; I won't lose it again; and your biological mother? She was my daughter my father took away, because she was born illegitimate."

        "But why would he do that? Your father, I mean."

        "It was the sixteenth century and those types of children weren't welcome. Instead, they were abandoned and even taken away from their mothers. I never saw her again, until I realized Isabelle was my daughter, when she came to town. I knew it from her looks. If I had been able to be a true mother, Isabelle would've never been turned and never met Ric. She most certainly never had turned out to be so twisted without any morals whatsoever. I would've taught her the right thing."

        "Why didn't you tell them?" Elena asks, obviously referring to Damon and Stefan.

        "Because I didn't know them very well back then. I'm not very trusting, which Damon has also grown to be like. And now, if I told either of them, they would say that I'm lying. They wouldn't know the truth, unless they read my Petrova journal."

        "You have a journal?"

        "Yes, of course. You and Stefan aren't the only ones. A lot of people do."

        "I guess it's surprising."

        "Now you know my whole story. Now we should go before he gets any closer."

        She starts to her feet, and I help her with a hand on her upper, right arm. I then take her hand and we start to run as fast as we can at a human pace.

        Suddenly, I'm thrown and land on the ground on my back. Klaus looms over me, as he looks down at me. Elena is a distance away getting to her feet.

        Run, I think to myself. She can't hear me, because her vervain necklace keeps me out of her head.

        I get to my feet.

        "Klaus."

        "Katerina."

        "You need to stop this. Haven't you done enough? She is part of my family. If you do anything to her, I take it personal. But of course, you never thought of that, did you?" I say.

        He pins me against a tree at vampire speed, hand around my throat.

        "I don't want to hear your part," he says. "Just stay out of this. When everything is over, it'll be your turn. I promise."

        He lets go and then turns around and starts towards Elena.

        "No!" I yell, as I throw him at vamp speed.

        He lands on the ground but gets to his feet unharmed. Then he glares at me and growls.

        I growl back.

        I take a few steps back when I see him willingly phase into a brown werewolf. Then he lunges at me and I avoid him. I keep avoiding him until I can't.

        Soon, he's on top of me and attacking me with teeth and claws. I scream in pain, as he does and everything starts to become distant. I vaguely hear Elena in the distance yelling my name.





        What feels like hours later, Klaus is thrown off me. I see Elijah facing off with Klaus and I smile inwardly. After everything I've done, Elijah still cares enough to save my life.

        "Katherine," Elena says, as she kneels at my left side.

        "Elena," I half-whisper.

        "Come on. We have to get out of here."

        She puts an arm around me and I put an arm around her shoulders. As we get to our feet, I lean against her. Right now, Elena is my strength. I need her to help me, because I'm dying.





        After a while, I recognize where we're going. The Salvatore boarding house where both brothers live at. As we continue on our way with me leaning heavily on Elena for support, everything is tunnel-like and dim. I can barely see anything and I'm so weak and tired.

        As we near the door, I start to feel numb and cold. Then I hear Elena, as I barely see the door open.

        "Katherine, stay awake. Stay with me."

        I barely see light and hear the door close. That's when I know that we made it inside.

        When I barely see that we're in the living room, my senses plummet and I can't feel anything.

        "Katherine," I hear Elena say, before everything goes black.



Elena



        I use my body weight to hold Katherine up, as she blacks out. Then, with much effort, I finally get her on Damon's bed upstairs.

        As she lays on her back, I take her black leather jacket off. I toss it by the end table on the floor and then go to the bathroom. I need a damp washcloth.

        A few minutes later, I come back with a damp washcloth and sit on her bedside. I put it on her forehead.

        "Hang in there, Katherine," I say, even though I don't know if she can hear me.

        I get to my feet and hurry downstairs towards the basement.

        Damon has a cooler of blood down there. If I'm lucky, there's still half a vial of Klaus' blood there. Katherine needs it, or she'll surely die.

        Once I find it, I rush towards Damon's room and then sit on her bedside. I gently lift her head and put the vial to her lips, making the blood go down her throat.

        Once I know that I gave her enough, I set the vial on the end table and gently lay her head back down. She looks better already. She doesn't look pale anymore. I take the wash cloth off and set it on the end table.

        I look down at her, as I wait for her to wake up.



Katherine



        I don't know how long I'm out, but when I come to, I feel like myself. Elena must've cured me, which I'm very thankful for.

        I sit up slowly.

        "Thank you."

        "You're welcome," she replies.

        We smile at one another, glad that we both lived through tonight.