It was a dismal night, as Elijah stood outside on the porch in the bayou, watching for any danger, knowing the Hollow was still out there somewhere. Hayley was inside in bed. When Elijah entered the room, he’d chosen to stay in in the cabin, he sensed a presence and scanned the room. When he did, he saw someone in the dressing mirror.

        “Katerina?” he questioned, shocked, not expecting to see her. Nor did he know that she was dead until now. His heart sunk, realizing she was a ghost and dead, and he knew that if he was seeing her, she was asking him for his help, the only way she could as a ghost.

        After she’d gotten his attention, she disappeared from his sight, having made it clear that she needed help and she wasn’t happy that he’d moved on. She stayed in the room though, watching him.

        “I’m sorry, Katerina,” was all he could find to say.

        Her heart sunk, hating seeing his look after finding out that she was dead.

        “Elijah,” was all she could say. She didn’t know if he could feel it or not, but she rested a hand on his arm. There wasn’t much they could say whether she was alive or not.

        He looked at his arm, feeling like she’d touched him. Then the feeling was gone.

        Katherine left and soon appeared at the place that the others were staying at. When she ventured around the house, she realized that Klaus had indeed had a child with Hayley, just as she’d heard before she’d died.

        Katherine stood in the living room, watching Klaus and Hope share their artistic abilities with one another. As she did, she couldn’t help but smile. Even if he had ruined her life for 500 years, he deserved happiness, just like she deserved it. Seeing them together, she realized that the child had changed Klaus, just as being reunited with Nadia had done for her, before she’d had to watch Nadia die.

        When she approached, she was silent until she finally sat down across the table from Hope, so now she was sitting with Klaus to her right. She wasn’t afraid of him. She’d forgiven him on her deathbed. Besides, there wasn’t much he could do to hurt her while she was a ghost.

        Hope stopped what she was doing. Being half witch, she could see her, but she didn’t know who she was or what she was. When she looked at Katherine, which Klaus couldn’t see, he had enough experience to know that his daughter saw a ghost.

        “Who are you?” Hope questioned her.

        “I’m an old friend of the family. You may not understand this, but your Uncle Elijah and I were together off and on for quite a long time. Your dad and I don’t get along very well, though. My name is Katherine. I need some help in coming back to life, which I need to convince your Aunt Freya to do for me, but it’s going to take some convincing from your Uncle Elijah. I already came to Elijah, so he’s on his way here. I’m just here waiting for Elijah to come over,” Katherine explained, as simply as she could to the little girl. She didn’t know how much the girl knew about her family, so she kept the vampire stuff out of the equation.

        “Who’s here, Sweetheart?” Klaus asked calmly, though he was suspicious. Why would a ghost be showing him or herself to his daughter?

        “Someone named Katherine,” Hope replied.

        “Well, well, Katerina. I wouldn’t put it passed you to haunt me. What are you doing here?” Klaus said, though he knew he wouldn’t be able to hear her.

        Katherine used a crayon and blank paper to write her response to him.

        Hello, Klaus. I’m not here to haunt you. Quite the opposite. I’ve shown myself to Elijah, so now he knows I’m dead. He’s coming over so he can get your dear sister to bring me back to life. I don’t hold a grudge against you. Even if I did, I wouldn’t do anything to harm you. You have a daughter to look after. I once had one too, but unlike me, you’ll be able to raise her without being afraid of what your father will do. Nadia was illegitimate so my father tore her from my arms and banished me. We were reunited before I died, but I was too afraid of your answer or what you would do at the time, to ask you to cure Nadia when I found out that Tyler bit her. That, and she just wanted me to be happy, so I want to try and do what she wished me to do.

        After reading it, he looked at the empty chair he figured she was probably still sitting in.

        “I’m sorry, Katerina. If I would have known, I would have saved her,” he told her.





        Elijah entered the house and called for Freya, as he entered the living room. No matter what, he was going to bring Katerina back to life. It had to be done. He wouldn’t just let her spend an eternity in whatever limbo she was in, since he knew it wasn’t the Other Side, because the Other Side was gone. It had to be something else for her to be able to reach out after who knew how long. He didn’t know how long she’d been dead. He cared for Hayley, yes, but Katerina would always be the one for him. He knew now that he’d been wrong to just abandon her. Somewhere between the time he’d left and now, she’d gotten herself killed. He couldn’t stand the thought or sight of her dead. She had to come back. She just had to.

        Freya entered the living room where most of her family was, as well as a ghost she didn’t know, were in.

        “What is it?”

        “I need you to bring Katerina back to life,” Elijah told her.

        Katherine got up and walked over to Elijah and Freya who stood by each other.

        “He means me. My name is Katherine, but Elijah and Klaus call me by my human name. I know you don’t know much about your family’s past, but Elijah and I have always had a thing. It’s just always been difficult since Elijah always chooses Klaus over me. I guess things have changed, since he’s choosing to bring me back to life, rather than do other things.”

        Freya sighed. She’d heard of Katherine, but hadn’t known that she and Elijah had history together, or that Klaus had anything to do with Katherine.

        “Okay, fine.” She looked at Elijah. “I’ll bring her back.”

        “Thank you, sister,” Elijah replied.





        An hour later, Katherine was alive and fed and clothed and human. She was sitting on the couch, drinking a shot glass of bourbon. She’d already informed Elijah on what he’d missed, but though Elijah was mad that Klaus hadn’t told him that she’d been dying, he decided to settle his feud with Klaus until they didn’t have anything to worry about.

        “Now that I’m alive, I’m kind of in your debt. Plus, I know about what’s been happening in New Orleans. I’m going to help take down The Hollow. I’ve never encountered it, but I’ve heard of it and I’ve known people that have encountered it. I also know its direct source of power and now that it’s awake, it needs someone with power to connect with. Last time you both saw me, I didn’t have any kind of magic, but when my long-lost daughter, Nadia, protected me from Silas and I found out who she really was, she told me that I’m descended from Travelers. I have magic,” she informed them.

        “Why would you want to take down The Hollow?” Klaus questioned, suspicious.

        “Because the Hollow can destroy everything and everyone if it wants to. It would probably take a few days and then New Orleans would cease to have anyone alive in it, once The Hollow has a full foothold into this world. It demands sacrifice. I’m going to put a stop to it permanently.”

        “You don’t have to do it alone,” Elijah reminded her. He’d already seen her dead once. He didn’t want to lose her again.

        She looked at him.

        “Well, I have to. I know it has already gone after Klaus and Marcel. I won’t let it go after you or anyone else. I’ll survive. Besides, if I need some extra power, Freya can help me. Besides, after all of this is over with, I should probably leave. There’s no room for me here when you’ve clearly moved on to Hayley. I’m happy for you if you’re happy, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

        She finished the shot glass of bourbon and got to her feet.





        That night, she stood in the middle of the house with Freya, both doing a spell.

        Soon enough, it was destroyed for good.

           



        Later that night, Katherine sat in a chair on the porch, looking into the distance.

        Elijah walked out of the house and went to sit next to her.

        “You’re right, Katerina. You don’t exactly belong here, but neither do I. Klaus doesn’t need me anymore. He’s got Hope. You’re also right that I do care for Hayley, but you know as well as I that you’ve always been the one, no matter who I love in the present century.”

        She looked at him. “If I’m the one, then why leave me for Klaus so many times? You could’ve stayed all those years ago. After getting to know Nadia though, I partly understand. Family is everything. We just don’t get the luxury of choosing who our family is. So, does this mean you and I are going away together?”

        “Well, it’s only fair we leave. Hayley can’t exactly come with me when she has Hope and Klaus. Besides, we’re long overdue for a few trips or more of our own. What do you say we go on our own adventure or two,” he said, that last one almost quoting what she’d pleaded with him to do all those years ago, before he’d walked away for the final time.





        After saying goodbye to everyone, they left. So, in the end, they got back together and finally got a life of their own.

        It was a dismal night, as a human Katherine appeared in New Orleans, ascendant in hand, injured. She’d just escaped Kai and the 1994 prison world. She’d expected to appear in Mystic Falls, but instead, she found herself in New Orleans. She didn’t know why, so she began to walk, taking a look around.

        After finding out what Marcel had done and almost did, she was furious. Instead of hunting him down though, she went to find the Mikaelson siblings and Hayley. She was smart, so that’s why she didn’t go after Marcel. Marcel was a weapon. She was human. Descended from Travelers with Traveler magic or not, she didn’t stand much of a chance against Marcel if she angered him. He was now worse than Klaus himself. Another reason was due to the fact that she had to make sure that Elijah didn’t die. Besides, even though Elijah had left, she’d do anything to keep his family safe, whether Elijah lived or not. She had at least some decency to help out his family, whether she was doing this for him or if she was doing this for those she cared for that were connected to their bloodline.





        A few hours later, she found the abandoned warehouse. She saw that they were already cured, since she saw that Elijah was outside by a fire with Hayley standing beside him. She did overhear them talking about getting Klaus back from Marcel, which she knew meant that Marcel was holding Klaus as a prisoner. She knew without a doubt that Klaus needed saving. She also realized how close Elijah and Hayley had become, which made her wonder if she even belonged in his life anymore. She wouldn’t let anyone see her upset, though.

        She put a hand on the hood of an abandoned car that looked like it hadn’t run in years, so she could at least try to go further. Everything was growing dim, but she did see Hayley finally go inside the warehouse. She’d lost a lot of blood from her time in the prison world, having to deal with Kai of all people. She knew she deserved it for everything she’d done, though. At least in her perspective, she deserved it. She knew others would see it differently. As she used the car to keep herself from falling, or try to, she finally spoke now that Hayley was inside.

        “Elijah.”

        As soon as he heard the voice and smelled blood, he knew who it was and, even before he turned around to see how bad it was, he realized that she was somehow human again.

        “Katerina?”

        He blurred over to stand in front of her, and was afraid for her life, though he didn’t quite show it. She’d lost a lot of blood and was very pale, and he could tell that she was fighting to stay awake and stay on her feet. Judging from the ascendant he saw in her hand, she’d come from a prison world, and he instantly realized which one it had been. He knew all about the two prisons worlds, and he knew about Kai. Elijah normally didn’t go around killing people, but if Kai was here, he’d kill him for harming Katerina. Right now, though, he knew that didn’t matter. All that mattered was to take care of her. Make sure she lived through this. He may care for Hayley, but he would always love Katerina, no matter what.

        “What has happened, Katerina? You’re human.”

        “Long story cut short. I thought Elena said something to make you leave, and since I was angry, I took it out on her, and she shoved the cure down my throat. After Silas drank the cure from me, I began aging and within a month, I died. I ended up getting taken by some black mass and ending up in a prison world, instead of where I thought I’d end up at. I finally found a way out with the ascendant tonight, but not before Kai did what he did,” she summarized to him.

        “I’m so sorry, Katerina,” was all he could say. He couldn’t take anything back that had happened in the past any more than she could. Everyone made mistakes. They just had to live with them and move on.

        She couldn’t say anything to that, since apologies were overrated when it came to them. They never truly got what they wanted. Then everything went black for her.

        When she collapsed, he caught her from hitting the ground. He then put the ascendant in his jacket and gently picked her up in his arms, before blurring to the warehouse. He didn’t know if she could digest vampire blood now that she was a human again. He couldn’t let her die, though. There was only one thing he knew had to work to save her life. He had to get Freya to heal her and save her life, even though he knew Freya didn’t know her. As far as he knew, Freya knew nothing of doppelgangers.

        “Freya, I need you to heal her,” Elijah stated, as he layed her gently down on the table Freya had used to make their cures on a while ago. He put the ascendant on a nearby table and used his jacket as a pillow for her head.

        “Who is she?” she inquired, wanting to know why Elijah was asking her to heal someone she didn’t even know or recognize.

        “I’ll explain later,” he told her. He didn’t feel like telling her their entire tragic love story right now. He didn’t think she had much time left, and he wouldn’t lose her again. He knew what Katerina had told him had been the truth, for once in a very long time.

        He rested a hand on the side of her face.

        “Stay with me, Katerina. Please.”

        Realizing that she was someone that Elijah cared about deeply, more so than he did for Hayley, she agreed and approached. She then began to heal her.

        Hayley silently stood on the sidelines, not having anything to say or knowing what to do, if she could do anything. Katherine was a terrible person as a vampire, but she knew she didn’t deserve to die like this. Katherine didn’t deserve this. She didn’t have anything to say, since she didn’t even know about Katherine and Elijah being together. They had clearly been together, judging from how much he didn’t want her to die.

        Soon, Freya had finished healing her and Elijah stayed at her side, waiting for her to awaken, once the blood she’d lost had been restored, and Elijah had summarized who she was to Freya. He just stood there, a hand still on the side of her face, waiting for her to wake up, determined not to leave, no matter what. He’d left more than once before. He wouldn’t leave again. Especially, when she needed him. Even when she recovered from what she’d been through with Kai, she’d need someone to protect her from non-human enemies. Someone that wouldn’t betray her or try handing her over on a silver platter. He’d protect her, no matter what. Besides, once Klaus had been rescued from Marcel and Marcel was dealt with, there wasn’t anything for him anymore. Klaus didn’t need him anymore. He had Hope and Hayley. He was sure Kol and Rebekah would be moving on as well, even if Freya stayed behind with Klaus and Hope and Hayley. This gave Elijah a new purpose. He could fulfill what Katerina had asked him to five years ago. They could go away together without worrying about Klaus coming after either of them. They could finally be happy.

        Soon, she woke up and they all left to go deal with Marcel. The Mikaelson siblings went to rescue Klaus, while Katherine met Marcel in the cemetery.

        “Long time no see, Katherine. I was surprised when you wanted to meet me here,” Marcel greeted, once he’d arrived.

        “The only reason I wanted you to meet me is because I heard about what you did. Bad move going after Elijah and Klaus. You know how much I care about Elijah, and you broke our deal we made. Or did you forget? I helped you get the tourists to come back to help New Orleans thrive like it was meant to after you and Rebekah sent Mikael here. In exchange, you keep away from the Mikaelson siblings, though I never really cared about Rebekah, considering the history you two have. I figured you’d never harm her, but I guess I was wrong. You’re just like Klaus. Worse than Klaus now, though. Tell me. Why’d you do it? What did Klaus do this time for you to strike back the way you did?” she greeted back.

        “I never forgot, Katherine. I just figured after all this time, since you never followed Elijah back to town, that you wouldn’t care what I did. Davina’s dead because of Kol. The ancestors may have had a hand in it, but it’s still Kol’s fault that she died. He deserved what came to him. As for his family, darkness surrounds them all. Everyone they touch, eventually dies one way or another,” he replied to her.

        “You think that it’s okay to do this? What you did is unforgivable, Marcel, and you know it. You may not have friends that are linked to the Mikaelson bloodline, but what happens if someone else has friends or family linked to Kol or Elijah or Rebekah? This may come as a shock to you, but I actually do have people I care about. People I don’t know who their bloodline starts with. I’ll always love Elijah, but I also have always loved another vampire. Someone I turned. If any of them die and my bloodline is linked to someone that’s not Klaus, his blood will be on your hands, and I will be your worst enemy,” she warned him, trying to get him to see reason.

        “You may be human, Katherine, but I can do whatever the hell I want now that I’m a weapon against the Mikaelsons.”

        “I’m not just a human, Marcel,” she answered. “I’m much more than that.” She magically through him against a mausoleum that was close by, and then approached. “I can do whatever the hell I want and get away with it myself, because I’m descended from Travelers. Something I learned from my long-lost daughter I didn’t ask for the cure from. You’ve been keeping Klaus captive, I’m well-aware of, and though I’ve hated him for 500 years, keeping him away from his daughter is something personal for me. My father did almost the exact same thing with me. He tore her from my arms and when we were reunited, all we got was maybe a few weeks or so and then we died together, as family, because one, I didn’t ask for the cure because I was afraid of what Klaus would say and two, everyone found out that I body jumped so I could live a little longer. My doppelganger thought it would be nice to waste the cure for vampirism on me, so when Silas drank it out of me, I began dying of old age and it couldn’t be stopped. Take it from me. The time you lose with your daughter can never be bought back.”

        Marcel got up.

        “I’m sorry about your daughter, but it’s different with Klaus. He deserves what has come to him.”

        “Why?” she questioned him. “What makes you any better than Klaus? You’ve killed just as he has. Those around you die just like what happens with Klaus and the others, and even myself. We’re all the same, whether we want to believe it or not.”

        “You hated him for 500 years. What stopped you?” he inquired of her, wanting to know.

        “When I was on my deathbed, I knew it was time to forgive everyone who ever wronged me. I even forgave Klaus, and I forgave Elijah for leaving. There’s no point in having vengeance forever, when you can’t do anything about it. Even if you do seek your vengeance and win, there’s no satisfaction. You don’t get what you want truly. Look at you. You’ve gotten your vengeance against Klaus and Kol, but what of Rebekah? You’ve lost her because of what you’ve done to her family. She loved you and this is how you repay her? I’ve stood in her shoes before, and I know that she won’t forgive you. She’ll make sure you suffer before she finds a way to once and for all, kill you, with or without her family at her side. You see, she may despise me, but we are so much alike I hate admitting it. I know what she thinks of you, and how she’s going to react to what you’ve done. As for me, I won’t side with you after what you’ve done. I’ll side with the Mikaelsons. Enjoy what life you have left, because you never know when we’ll all take it from you,” she told him.

        She figured that they’d rescued Klaus by now, so she turned around and began to walk away, leaving Marcel to ponder about what she’d said.

        As he watched her leave, he knew that he’d lost her forever as a friend and ally, all because of what he’d done over rage and vengeance.





        After Klaus was rescued and reunited with his siblings, and he and Hope bonded, his siblings and Katherine decided on how they’d get rid of Marcel. Elijah didn’t want to deal with Marcel anymore, but Katherine and Freya and Kol and Rebekah were onboard. Katherine decided to be the one, instead of any of the Mikaelson siblings, just so nobody got hurt. Plus, Katherine was more than ready to destroy Marcel once and for all. So, once Freya made the dagger that would destroy Marcel, Katherine went to the compound where Marcel was, and she used it on him, which permanently killed him.





        Once Marcel had been taken care of and everything, the Mikaelsons moved back into the compound. They were happy to be finally back home, and they began to turn the compound back into what it had once been.

        Katherine stood on a balcony in Elijah’s room that night, which Elijah entered and went to stand beside her.

        “Thank you, Katerina, for saving us all. We all owe you, even if some of us don’t want to admit it.”

        She looked at him.

        “I’d do anything to keep the Mikaelson bloodline alive. Marcel’s death ensured that, even if he was once a friend and ally, and to some, family. What will you do now? Klaus has Hope now, along with Hayley, and Rebekah and Kol are leaving town together.”

        “I hoped that maybe you and I could leave together. That is, if your offer still stands, and you’re willing to let me protect you and keep you safe as possible. Maybe there can even be a newfound relationship between us. No lies. No secrets. Complete trust and truth,” he replied to her.

        “I’d love that,” she replied.

        So, that night, Klaus’ siblings and Katherine, apart from Freya, left town on their own adventure.

*American Gothic*



Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh my little girl
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm



        “Is that what I am to you? A means of survival?” Elijah accused, as they stood in front of each other in an alleyway in Pennsylvania.

        “No. Of course you’re not a means of survival. You looked out for me when I had no one. You’ve given me a second chance now, when no one else will. I love you.” She rested a hand on the side of his face. “Elijah.”

        He turned his face away.

        “You don’t believe me.”

        He looked at her.

        “I want to. It’s my disease. I just keep wanting to believe you, but how can I when, at every turn, you give me a reason to doubt you? I don’t know you. I don’t think I ever will.” He began to walk away, but she caught up with him and put a hand on his arm. He looked at her hand and then her a couple of times, giving her the hint to let go.

        She got the hint and let go.

        “Goodbye, Katherine.”

        She could only watch, as he walked away.



*Mystic Falls*



Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm



        It was a dismal night, as they stood in front of each other at the Mikaelson place. He’d just told her that he was leaving town and going to New Orleans.

        He rested a hand on the side of her face.

        “Please, Elijah. It’s our turn,” she pleaded with him.

        “Katerina.” He looked at her for a moment, before kissing her on the forehead and telling her, “Goodbye, Katerina.” Then he was gone.



*Discovery*


All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm



        Four years later, after he’d given up on Klaus and he knew that Klaus no longer needed him, Elijah tried to get a hold of Katerina, only to find out that while he’d been in New Orleans with his family, Katerina had died rapidly of old age after the cure had been shoved down her throat.

        He stood in his dark room and finished a shot glass of bourbon, before throwing it against a wall in silent anger. Why had no one told him what was happening to her? Why hadn’t she told him? If he had known, he would have been there for her, even if he couldn’t save her. It was better than her dying with those who hated her, waiting for her to die. He was angry that no one had told him and mad at himself for leaving without even calling to make sure she was okay.

A/N: Pretend Marcel has been taken down and Elijah never asked Marcel to compel him to forget Always and Forever.



*American Gothic*



Loving and fighting
Accusing and denying
I can't imagine a world with you gone
The joy and the chaos
The demons we're made of
I'd be so lost if you left me alone
You locked yourself in the bathroom
Lying on the floor when I break through
I pull you and feel your heartbeat
Can you hear me screaming please don't leave me?
Hold on I still want you
Come back I still need you
Let me take you and I'll make you right
I swear I'll love you all my life



        It was a beautiful day, as they stood in front of each other in Pennsylvania, arguing after Elijah had found out that Katherine had lied to him.

        “Is that what I am to you? A means of survival?” he accused.

        “No.” She rested a hand on the side of his face and he turn his face away, so she dropped her hand. “You looked out for me when I had no one. You’ve given me a second chance now, when no one else will. I love you. Elijah.” When he turned his face away and she put her hand down, she added, “You don’t believe me.”

        He looked at her.

        “I want to. It’s my disease. I just keep wanting to believe you, but how can I when, at every turn, you give me a reason to doubt you? I don’t know you. I don’t think I ever will.”

        He turned around and began to walk away, but she caught up with him after a moment and rested a hand on his arm. That made him stop, look at her hand, then her, and then her hand again.

        She got the hint and let go.

        “Goodbye, Katherine,” he said, before walking away from her.

        She watched, as he left.





        That night, she handed him the cure for vampirism to show him that he could trust her. She let him choose where their relationship stood and he later broken up with her that night, leaving town for good to follow his family to New Orleans. She felt like he’d abandoned her when he did that, so she took it out on her and her doppelganger shoved the cure down her throat, turning Kat human.



*New Orleans- I Know What You Did Last Summer*


Hold on I still need you
Long in this hallway, silent beside me, driving a nightmare I can't escape from
Helpless and praying
The light isn't fading
Hiding the shock and the chill in my bones
They took you away on a table
I pace back and forth as you lay still
They pull you and feel your heartbeat
Can you hear me screaming please don't leave me?
Hold on I still want you
Come back I still need you
Let me take you and I'll make you right
I swear I'll love you all my life



        After being turned into a human, she’d went to New Orleans to the compound to Elijah. She knew that no matter what, he’d protect her with his life. And so, as predicted, he promised her that he’d protect her with his life, as usual.





        The next night, she’d gotten into a car crash, which Elijah soon found out, since he’d gone searching for her when he couldn’t get a hold of her.


Hold on I still need you
I don't wanna let go
I know I'm not that strong
I just wanna hear you say baby let's go home
Let's go home
Yeah I just wanna take you home
Hold on I still want you
Come back I still need you



        When Elijah arrived at the wreck, he blurred to the wreck and Katerina. She lay on her side. He had to make sure she was okay. He didn’t know what he’d do without her. They completed each other. They were two halves of a whole.

        He knelt at her side and saw how injured she was, so he gently picked her up in his arms and blurred her to the hospital.





        A few hours later, she was in a recovery room and would be okay.

        It was a nebulous night at an abandoned house in Mystic Falls, as a human Katherine walked over to the door to answer it, having heard the doorbell ringing in her sleep. She was worn out due to escaping Kai in a prison world and just wanted some sleep. Was that too much to ask for?

        When she opened the door, she immediately recognized Hope. She had known that Klaus had a daughter and knew that she would be three years old right now. She also knew that Hope was half hybrid and half witch and needed to be protected.

        “May I help you?” she asked the stranger holding Hope. Even though he was a stranger to her, she had a guess what he was. He was a werewolf, considering the demeanor he had.

        “Are you Katherine Pierce?” he asked her calmly.

        “Yes,” she replied.

        “The Mikaelsons and Hayley sent me to give you Hope to take care of. They are unable to right now. They want you to take care of her until they can come for her, once Hayley finds the permanent cure for Elijah, Kol, and Freya now that Marcel has bitten them and Freya has been poisoned and Rebekah has been cursed. They trust that you won’t let any harm come to the child,” he said, answering her question.

        “And what of Klaus?” she asked.

        “Marcel has him in a wall of the Garden and Klaus is linked to them while they are daggered.”

        “Thank you. You can assure Hayley that no harm will come to her as long as I live.”

        He gave her Hope and a bag of Hope’s stuff and her car seat, before walking away.

        She closed the door and walked over to the living room, before setting the stuff down. She then looked at Hope and gave a sigh. How could such an innocent child be in danger already? What the hell happened in New Orleans that caused Marcel to turn into a monster and nearly kill the only family he had ever known in his vampire life? She hadn’t know him as ruthless when she had been a vampire. He was the sweetest and purest vampire she had ever met before Caroline and Elena had come along. Marcel had always had a good heart. IF she didn’t have Hope to keep safe, she’d be going to New Orleans right now to settle things. She was beyond angry and disappointed. Had he not been thinking clearly? An attack on Elijah was an attack on her. She didn’t know Freya or care about Kol, and Rebekah had always despised her, and she and Klaus had never seen eye to eye, but when it came down to Elijah, that was a completely different game altogether. If you hurt Elijah, you were also after her.

        “Don’t worry, Hope. I’ll get you back to your family as soon as I can. Marcel won’t get away with this. For now though, you and I will have to take care of each other,” she promised out loud to both Hope and herself.





        Six months later, after a while of being settled in a small town some miles away from New Orleans, working for money for the house she was living at with Hope, with the story of being a single mother, she finally found a way to cure them. Hayley was traveling to where the cure was at, while Katherine was driving her SUV towards where they said that they would meet.





        Hours later, after delivering Hope to Hayley and while Hayley cured them, Katherine drove to New Orleans. Human or not, she wasn’t afraid of vampires nor werewolves nor any witches who would stand against her. She had Traveler magic and wasn’t afraid to use it.





        A few hours later, aware that vampires were watching from the shadows but didn’t care at this point, she entered the compound. This was between her and Marcel.

        “Marcel!” she yelled, as she briskly walked in, technically storming in.

        Marcel came to stand in the middle of the compound, which she approached and gave him a slap across the face.

        “How could you!? Are you that inconsiderate!?” she yelled at him.

        He was confused by her outburst for the moment.

        “I’m not sure what you mean, Katherine, but I’m sure whatever it is, I can fix it.” He didn’t want Katherine of all people angry at him. He knew better than to make an enemy out of her.

        “Oh, Hayley and I have already figured out how,” she said angrily. “That doesn’t get you off the hook, though. You bit Elijah knowing that there was no cure! Not only that, but you took Klaus away from Hope! I was stuck taking care of her because you weren’t thinking clearly! Now Hayley and I are stuck cleaning up your mess,” she clarified. Then she added, “I’m taking Klaus out of here and to his family. If you want to stop me, you’re going to have to kill me. After that, you and I are going to have a showdown. You almost killed the wrong person and family. I may be between enemy and ally and friend to them, depending on the situation, but I would never put their lives at risk. Klaus’ sire line may be broken, but I’ve got people in Mystic Falls I care about who I don’t even know which Original bloodline they fall under. If they were to die because you were careless, I would kill you on the spot and you know it,” she said. If the Salvatores and Caroline weren’t part of Klaus’ bloodline and Klaus’ siblings died, she couldn’t imagine a world without them.

        “Look. I’m sorry, okay? You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. How else was I going to get them to leave though? They had to fear me so I can be king again without their interference. Everything they touch always dies sooner or later.”

        “And you put Elijah’s life on the line in the process, knowing that I’d find out sooner or later, and seek my wrath upon you.”

        “All I can do is apologize.”

        “Don’t. An apology is something Elijah would want to hear. Not me. You crossed the line. We’re not friends anymore.”

        She walked into the Garden and used magic to take the wall down all at once. Then she got him on his back once she had him out of the wall. Then she used magic to get Papa Tunde’s knife out of him.

        After undoing the sleep spell, all the siblings woke up and were cured.

        “What have you done, Katerina?” Klaus asked.

        “I just saved you all and had a talking down with Marcel. You can go see your siblings. I’ll meet Elijah later. Marcel and I have a score to settle after what he did to Elijah; to all of you.”

        “Then I guess we’ll see you soon, luv.”

        He gave a smile.

        Once he’d gone, she stood face to face with Marcel, magically turning him back into a normal vampire.

        After Marcel was a normal vampire again, all he could do was look at her with anger and shock. He hadn’t know that she had magic of her own, and he wasn’t thrilled at her doing what she had to him.

        “What have you done?” he growled at her, but made no move to harm her.

        “Don’t you get it, Marcel?” she said. “I’m not going to kill you. This is your punishment until someone kills you.”

        Before he could say anything else to her, she left to go make sure Elijah would live to see another day.





        Later that night, Marcel was killed by Elijah and they got their home back, but after Kat and Elijah got back together and she told him that Klaus knew about her dying, she and Elijah left town. So, Kat and Elijah got their happy ending, Kol left town too, and Rebekah and Freya stayed at Klaus’ side.

        It was a nebulous night in New Orleans, as Elijah stood with the front door open, Katerina, now human, standing before him.

        “Hello, Elijah,” she greeted.

        “Katerina,” he greeted. “What has happened?”

        “I was angry that you left and took it out on Elena. She shoved the cure down my throat. Now I’m dying of old age. I thought you should hear it from me. I also hoped you wouldn’t mind me staying here until I either die or find a way to live,” she summarized. “Please. I can’t protect myself now, whether I’m dying or not.”

        He was silent, as he thought of what to do. This was her fault for going after Elena, as well as Elena’s for getting between them and shoving the cure down her throat. He couldn’t break his promise he made centuries ago to her though, even if she broke hers to him to never lie to him. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

        “Of course. I will always protect you,” he replied.

        He stepped aside, and she walked in. He then closed the door behind her and turned to look at her.

        “You may share my room or pick a guest bedroom. I’ll bring you something to eat shortly.”

        She gave a smile. “Thanks. I’ll share your room. It’ll make me feel safer with you around.”

        He watched her go upstairs, and then went to the kitchen to get her something to eat.

        She walked into his room and closed the door behind herself. She then layed down on his bed. Between the hitch hike here and dying of old age, she was tired and now felt warm. She closed her eyes, dozing off. Maybe sleep would give her the strength to carry on, because right now, she just wanted to sleep and maybe, or maybe not wake up. Dying was taking a toll on her.





        When Elijah had finished getting her something to eat, he went to his room and stood outside the closed door.

        “Katerina?” he called.

        He waited for an answer, but when he didn’t get one, he walked in with the bowl of soup, closing the door behind himself, and walked over to his bed. He set the soup down on the end table and sat on her bedside. He then looked down at her. He knew she was dying and tired. He could see the wrinkles and a few strands of hair were on the verge of turning gray. He also could see that something else was wrong, because she was sweaty and warm. How could a strong, independent, fearless, intelligent, 500-year-old vampiress be beaten and outsmarted by her baby vampire doppelganger so easily? He never thought he’d ever see her human again, and so like her old self. He could see it. His Katerina was just below the surface. Maybe if he could save her life, he could bring his old Katerina back. Maybe.

        He rested a gentle hand on her forehead. When he did, she was so warm that it was almost like a werewolf bite to a vampire.

        “Katerina? Katerina,” he called gently.

        She groaned softly, but didn’t awaken.

        When he figured she wasn’t waking up anytime soon, he left the room to see the only witch that he trusted. He needed a witch to save her as quickly as possible. She was dying of old age and he figured that her body was fighting it, which was what was making her sick. Therefore, he needed a witch, as well as someone who could medically take care of her. That’s where Davina and Rebekah came in. He was sure that Rebekah wouldn’t kill her, as long as he cared for her.

        As he left the house, he called Rebekah.

        “Elijah,” she greeted.

        “I need you to do me a favor,” he greeted back.

        “What kind of favor?” she questioned.

        “I need you to care for Katerina for me, while I go speak to Davina. Elena shoved the cure down her throat. Now, she’s dying of old age. She’s not in the best condition right now, so I don’t wish for her to be alone.”

        “Fine. I’ll take care of her as you wish,” she replied, even though she didn’t like it. She despised Katherine, even more now than before, after getting the cure shoved down her throat, but she was doing this for Elijah. For some reason, she was somehow his happiness. Klaus had taken enough of hers that she didn’t want that to happen to him. Elijah deserved to be happy.

        “Thank you, dear sister.”

        They hung up, and he drove towards the New Orleans cemetery, while she headed for home.

        A few minutes later, Rebekah walked inside and went upstairs.





        Once she entered her elder brother’s room where she assumed she would be, she closed the door and saw that Katherine was indeed dying. She had some gray hair and wrinkles and looked very sick. Anyone who didn’t know her, wouldn’t believe that she was once a 500-year-old vampire, always one step ahead of the enemy, and hard to get a hold of to kill or try to kill.

        She sighed and sat down on her bedside. She then looked down at her and felt her forehead. That’s when she knew that he was right. She was very sick. She took her hand away and went to the bathroom to get a wet washcloth.

        A few moments later, she came back with it and sat back down on her bedside, before starting to damp the washcloth on her forehead.





        Meanwhile, Davina was inside a mausoleum where the witches usually did magic, and pretty much lived at. She stood behind a table about to look through an old spell book, when she saw Elijah walk in.

        She looked up when he walked in.

        “Elijah,” she greeted. “What can I do for you?” He was the only Original she trusted and respected.

        “I need you to do a favor for me,” he replied.

        “And what kind of favor would that be?” she asked him, wary.

        “Someone I dearly care for is dying of old age, because her doppelganger shoved the cure for vampirism down her throat. I need you to reverse the rapid aging if it’s possible,” he answered her.

        “I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise you anything. I’m sure you already know that, though,” she replied, knowing what it was like to watch friends die, though in her experience, it was because of a war Klaus had started. She wanted to help Elijah, but she didn’t know how to if she couldn’t reverse the aging.

        “Thank you, Davina. All I ask is that you do all you can to save her.”

        “And I will,” she promised him.

        She watched him leave, and then went to work to finding a solution.





        Elijah stood at the threshold of his room, as Rebekah continued to cool her down with a wet washcloth.

        Rebekah looked at her eldest brother.

        “What did she say?” she asked him.

        Elijah took a step inside his room.

        “She’ll look for a way to reverse the aging, but she can’t promise anything.”

        Hearing the answer, she felt sorry for him.

        “I’m sorry. I know how much you love her,” she sympathized. She’d had to watch those she loved die in many ways before throughout the centuries, so she knew what her moral brother was feeling.

        “Thank you. And thank you for caring for Katerina.”

        “You’re welcome,” she replied.

        “I assume there’s no change,” he stated.

        “No. You’re right. If you want my opinion, Elijah, she needs to go to a hospital.”

        “I may do that. Thank you, dear sister. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

        She got to her feet.

        “Let me know if you need anything else,” she replied, before leaving.

        Elijah watched her leave, before going to sit beside his Katerina. He looked down at her when he did, and rested a gentle hand on top of hers.

        “I will save you, Katerina, if it’s the last thing I do. I won’t let anything happen to you, if I can help it. I promise you. You are still my Katerina. Always and forever.”





        A week later, Elijah got a call from Davina, saying that she found something. She could reverse the aging, but needed him to bring her and something that belonged to her. And so he did.

        In the end, the aging was reversed, and she and Elijah got back together.

        It was a dark night in New Orleans, as both Elijah and Klaus searched for Cami, but in different directions. The bartender was missing and Aurora was behind it.





        Meanwhile, Cami was in danger of being killed by a guy in transition who had to feed to complete it. She knew it all too well. She backed up, trying to keep some distance between herself and the vampire in transition. He kept walking towards her, though. She knew she might not survive without help. Her only hope was for Klaus to find her in time.

        A few minutes later, when she was on her back on the cement floor and trying to keep him from biting her, she heard a girl she didn’t recognize, and looked over to see her.

        “Hey!” Katherine said to get his attention on herself. “Over here.”

        He began to approach her, as the bartender got to her feet.

        She looked at her.

        “Run while you can and go find Elijah. I’m not going to get out of this, but you will. Tell him I forgive him and I love him.”

        “Who are you?” Cami asked.

        “Katherine. Now go,” she answered.





        When she was safely out of there, she called Elijah to inform him of the situation and where she was, and once they had hung up, he raced at vamp-speed to save her.

        A few minutes later, having heard everything, Klaus arrived and he took Cami home.





        As soon as he arrived, Elijah ripped the vampire’s heart out who was feeding on his Katerina. No one hurt her and lived. He then caught her from hitting the cement floor. He gently pulled her into his arms and bit his wrist, putting it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to save her.

        “Stay with me, Katerina,” he calmly said, but on the inside, he was begging for her to live. He didn’t want her to die, no matter what she was or had done. He only hoped that it would heal her, not knowing how she was human.

        A few minutes later, he took his wrist away and it instantly healed. He then put her arm around his shoulders and got to his feet with her, before vanishing to take her home with him.





        Once in his room with the door closed, he gently layed her down on his bed and sat on her bedside, hoping she would wake up very soon. He could only hope. Her wounds had healed, but she had lost a lot of blood.

        As he waited, he rested a gentle hand on the side of her face and looked down at her.





        Several hours later, she finally began to wake up, which relieved him, figuring that she would be okay.

        It was a dark night, as Elijah fought against the Hunters who had been hunting the wolves, though it wasn’t much of a fight. He was a vampire and they were just merely humans that needed stopped.





        Meanwhile an injured Katherine, covered in blood with an ascendant in hand, appeared in the Bayou woods and, once she realized that she had finally escaped, she knew that she was in New Orleans. She took a step, aiming to start walking, needing help and knowing without it that she would soon die from her injuries, but she ended up staggering and having to try and keep from falling to the forest floor from weakness. Then everything went black for her.





        After Elijah disposed of the bodies, he began to walk home through the woods, but smelling the scent of human blood, he stopped and, after hearing a slow heartbeat, he vanished to follow the scent trail and heartbeat, but soon he couldn’t hear anything from whoever it was.

        A few moments later, he arrived at the scene, only to see a very injured Katerina.

        “Katerina?” he said, surprised to see her in the same town as Niklaus.

        He was instantly knelt beside her and gently pulled her into his arms and bit his wrist, putting it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to heal her wounds.

        A few minutes later, after she had healed, he took his wrist away which instantly healed. He then gently layed her back down and started to try and revive her. He didn’t know why or how she was here or what had happened to her. All he knew was that the one person that he still loved, though he had left almost a year ago, had ended up in New Orleans one way or another. And after recent events, she was the only one he could trust. No matter how many times he had chosen family first, technically turning his back on her, she would never turn her back on him or backstab him or kill or curse someone he cared deeply about. The only thing that had made him leave was all her continuous lies. Lying was her only flaw when it came to him. She would never betray or manipulate him. And above all, they had loved each other for 500 years. That kind of love didn’t die after only a year.

        After a few minutes, he finally heard a heartbeat and her breathing.

        He sighed in relief and gently picked her up in his arms, heading back to the compound.





        Once upstairs in his room, he gently layed her down in his bed and sat on her bedside, waiting for her to come to.

        He rested a gentle hand on the side of her face and looked down at her.

        “Katerina, can you hear me?” he called to her, hoping she would wake up soon.





        An hour later, when she woke up, it relieved him.

        She gave a smile, seeing him.

        “Elijah.”

        He smiled back.

        “Katerina,” he greeted, before asking, “What has happened to you? You’re human.”

        “I took my anger out on Elena after you left and she shoved the cure down my throat. After Silas drank the cure from me, I started aging and me being me, not wanting to die, went into Elena’s body, wanting to live just a little longer. After they found out, Stefan killed me. Somehow, when he killed me, I was sent to the 1994 prison world where I ran into Kai. What you saw when you found me is Kai’s doing. That’s not the best part. Klaus knew I was human and dying, but judging from your face, he never told you. I assume Caroline told him not to come torment me on my deathbed though, since he never came by,” she explained.

        Knowing Klaus had known, it infuriated him. It didn’t surprise him, though. His brother hated her with a dark passion.

        “I’m sorry, Katerina,” was all he could say. All he could really do was to apologize for abandoning her and for Klaus going back to Mystic Falls to torment her on her deathbed. There wasn’t much he could do.

        She rested a gentle hand on the side of his face.

        “I know. You don’t need to apologize for Klaus and you weren’t there, because you didn’t know. All is forgiven.”

        She gave a smile.

        He looked at her, amazed at how much she had changed since her transformation back into a human.

        It was a dismal night in New Orleans, as a human Katherine Pierce walked, heading for wherever Elijah was at. News traveled fast, so she knew that he no longer lived at the compound with his siblings. She also knew that Rebekah had left as well, so Klaus was alone. He was the only one staying at the Mikaelson compound as far as she knew.

        Seeing a bar, she headed there, guessing that the bartender, Cami, would know where Elijah was living at.





        Once inside, she stood at the bar, waiting for Cami to finish serving drinks.

        When she finished, Cami went to her next.

        “What can I get you?”

        “Information. I need to know where Elijah is.”

        “It depends on who’s asking.”

        “Katherine Pierce. He and Klaus like calling me by my born name, though. Katerina. Elijah and I have History. We’ve been in love for 500 years, but I’m human now. I need his help if I’m to live. I’ve done things. If my enemies find out that I’m human, I have a price on my head. Please,” she summarized.

        Realizing that she was telling the truth, she sighed before giving her the address.

        “Thank you,” Katherine said, before leaving the bar and heading for Elijah’s.





        Half an hour later, Katherine was on the doorstep of his place, which looked a lot like the old slave home Marcel had grown up in that had burned down, because of Celeste and those who had followed her.

        She stood on his doorstep and knocked, hoping he would answer. It wasn’t like he had left her on the best of terms, after all.

        A few minutes later, he opened it.

        “What do you want?” he questioned, using that tone on her that he had used back in Pennsylvania.

        “It’s a long story, but I’m human now. If word gets out, I’m dead. I need protection.”

        “That’s your own fault, Katherine. Not mine. Go ask someone who cares."

        “At least give me another chance. Please,” she almost begged him, but it was a request instead.

        “I’m not ready to go through that again. You’ve caused enough harm to enough people. Just go home,” he said, before closing the door on her.

        She silently walked away, not knowing why he was being this way. It wasn’t like him to turn down a plea for help. Especially, when it was her in need. What had happened for him to do this? He was like a stranger to her now.

        As she walked, thoughts and memories flooded through her, as she tried to make sense of Elijah’s strange behavior.

        After pushing her thoughts and memories away, she made herself inside an old abandoned building to lay down for the night. After coming back after some degree of torture, she was tired. She needed rest.





        An hour later, Elijah had just left his place, when there was tremendous shaking of everything. He knew he had to find Katerina, realizing this was an earthquake and not a witch doing this.





        Once he got a whiff of human blood; her blood, he followed it to an old abandoned building. After the earthquake, it looked unstable, but he went in anyway. It was Katerina. He’d die for her if it came down to it, whether he had forgiven her or not. He lost Gia. He couldn’t lose Katerina. And if she died in this disaster after he had been, for lack of a better word, a jerk, he’d never forgive himself.

        After calling for her multiple times, he saw from a distance, her mostly buried. He could still see her head and right arm.

        He was instantly knelt at her side.

        He gently but quickly got her unburied and soon could see how injured she truly was.

        As he looked down at her, he could see that there was blood on either side of her head, some other wounds here and there, and her lower stomach was also heavily bleeding. She was still alive, but was losing a lot of blood.

        “Stay with me, Katerina,” he said, as he gently pulled her into his arms and got to his feet. He then blurred out of there and to the woods. He couldn’t exactly save her in the middle of chaos.





        Once in the woods, he gently layed her down and took her jacket off to use to try and stop or slow the bleeding of her lower stomach, as her skin paled. He took his jacket off and used it as a pillow for her head.

        As he applied pressure, she somewhat came to.

        “Elijah?” she breathed.

        He rested a hand on her forehead, while trying to stop the bleeding with his other hand.

        “I’m here, Katerina,” he assured her. “Can you digest vampire blood?” he questioned.

        “I don’t know,” she breathed, before everything went black for her again.

        He gently pulled her into his arms, as her breathing became faint from all the blood loss. He then bit his wrist, putting it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to save her life.

        A few minutes later, he took his wrist away, which instantly healed, but still held her close, waiting to see if it would heal her or if he had to get her to a hospital.

        “Keep fighting, Katerina. Keep breathing. I need you, Katerina. I need you to heal and open your eyes for me. You fought for 500 years. Now, I need you to fight just a little longer, and open your eyes just one more time,” he said, hoping she could hear him.

        A few minutes later he watched, as her wounds began to heal.

        Relieved that she’d be okay, he gently pulled her into his arms and blurred home.





        When she woke up, she was in his bed with him seated on her bedside.

        She gave him a smile and he smiled back.

        “I’m sorry, Katerina,” he apologized to her.

        She knew what he was apologizing for.

        “All is forgiven. I know a lot has happened.”

        “I’ll protect you just as you need,” he promised, glad she had forgiven him. Maybe this was the start of their new relationship. They could start over without second guessing any of their intentions.

        In the end, everyone was okay and Kat and Elijah got back together.

Where have all the good men gone

And where are the Gods?

Where’s the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?

Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery seed?

Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night

He’s gotta be strong

And he’s gotta be fast

And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light

He’s gotta be sure

And it’s gotta be soon

And he’s gotta be larger than life



        It was a dark night in New Orleans, as Katherine walked, in search of Elijah. She needed his help, since he was the only Mikaelson who would help her in her time of need. Klaus would kill her, and Rebekah despised her, and she had never met any of their siblings; Kol and Finn. She needed help, because she had just escaped from the 1994 prison world from Kai, but he had done a number on her. She was in such horrific shape that her vision was blurry and tunnel-like. She used a hand to try and stay on her feet by using her hand to grip a wall of a building.

        Cami left the bar after locking up for the night and headed down the desolate street, but stopped and approached a girl who looked like she could use some help.

        “Do you need some help?” she asked, now in front of her, though it was a stupid question to ask. “What’s your name? Can I get anyone for you?”

        “Katherine. I need Elijah,” the girl replied.



Somewhere after midnight

In my wildest fantasy

Somewhere just beyond my reach

There’s someone reaching back for me

Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat

It’s gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night

He’s gotta be strong

And he’s gotta be fast

And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light

He’s gotta be sure

And it’s gotta be soon

And he’s gotta be larger than life



        Elijah was in the bayou, heading home, when he got a call from Cami.

        He answered after a few rings, wondering why she would be calling him at this late night hour.

        “Camille,” he greeted her.

        “Do you know anyone named Katherine? Apparently, she knows you.”

        “Yes. Where is she?”

        “Outside the bar. Hurry.”

        “What has happened?”

        “I don’t know. All I got out of her was her name and that she needed you. It looks like someone injured her. She’s lost a lot of blood.”

        As she answered his question, he began to vamp speed towards where he knew the bar was at, knowing that when she said that she had lost a lot of blood, it meant that she was human. Despite everything, he would never wish death upon her. No matter what, he had to save her.



Up where the mountains meet the Heavens above

Out where the lightning splits the sea

I would swear that there’s someone somewhere watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain

And the storm and the flood

I can feel his approach

Like the fire in my blood

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night

He’s gotta be strong

And he’s gotta be fast

And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero

I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light

He’s gotta be sure

And it’s gotta be soon

And he’s gotta be larger than life



        Upon arriving, he knelt at her side and gently pulled her into his arms. As he did so, Cami left. He bit his wrist and put it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to heal and save her.

        A few minutes later, after her wounds had healed, he took it away. He then put her arm around his shoulders and got to his feet with her in his arms. He then headed to the compound, hoping she’d be okay.





        Once in his room with the door closed, he gently layed her down in his bed and sat on her bedside, his hand in hers, his right hand resting on the side of her face. He didn’t want to lose her, but in her state, he didn’t know if she could hear him or not, so all he could do was stay at her side and hope for her to fight like she always had for 500 years.





        She didn’t know how long she was out, but when she woke up, she was in his bed with him on her bedside, one hand on the side of her face and another in her hand.

        He gave a smile and she smiled back.

        “You’re awake,” he greeted. “What has happened to you?”

        He took his hands away and she slowly sat up, before telling him everything.

        In the end, she lived and they got back together.

*Pennsylvania*



You’re giving me a million reasons to let you go

You’re giving me a million reasons to quit the show

You’re givin’ me a million reasons

Give me a million reasons

Givin’ me a million reasons

About a million reasons

If I had a highway, I would run for the hills

If you could find a dry way, I’d forever be still

But you’re giving me a million reasons

Give me a million reasons

Givin’ me a million reasons

About a million reasons

I bow down to pray

I try to make the worse seem better

Lord, show me the way

To cut through all his worn out leather

I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away



        It was a beautiful day, as Katherine and Elijah stood in front of each other in an alleyway.

        “Is that what I am to you? A means of survival?” he needed to know.

        “No. Of course you’re not a means of survival. You looked out for me when I had no one. You’ve given me a second chance now, when no one else will.” She rested a hand on the side of his face. “I love you. Elijah.” He turned his face away and she put her hand down. “You don’t believe me,” she realized.

        “I want to,” he replied, looking at her. “It’s my disease. I just keep wanting to believe you, but how can I when, at every turn, you give me a reason to doubt you? I don’t know you. I don’t think I ever will.”

        She watched, as he walked away, before catching up with him and putting a hand on his arm.

        “Wait.”

        He looked at her hand and then her a couple times.

        She got the hint and let go.

        “Goodbye, Katherine.”

        She could only watch, as he left, knowing that she’d lost his trust in her.



*Night*



But baby, I just need one good one to stay

Head stuck in a cycle, I look off and I stare

It’s like that I’ve stopped breathing, but completely aware

‘Cause you’ve given me a million reasons

Give me a million reasons

Giving me a million reasons

About a million reasons

And if you say something that you might even mean

It’s hard to fathom which parts I should believe

‘Cause you’ve given me a million reasons

Give me a million reasons

Givin’ me a million reasons

 About a million reasons



        Elijah stood on a sidewalk, with her standing in front of him.

        “What do you want?” he asked, clearly not interested in what she had to say.

        “To tell you that you’re right. I’ve spent so much time running and lying just to survive, I—I’m starting to believe my own lies. I don’t even remember who I was when we first met. And I want to find out.”

        “How do I know this isn’t another lie? Katherine Pierce deceiving yet another man,” he replied.

        “Because I meant what I said about my feelings for you.” She took a little black box out of her purse. “And I’d like to think that you feel something for me, too.” She opened the box.

        “You have the cure,” he stated.

        “Yes. And I can shove this down Klaus’ throat and try to kill him, but even if I managed to do it, I’d lose you. And I don’t want that to happen.” She set the vial of the cure in his hand. “I need you to trust me. I want you to trust me. Just like I’m trusting you. You don’t owe me anything. I’m going to let you decide where we go from here.”

        He watched her walk away, before looking down at the cure in his hand.



*Mystic Falls- Mikaelson Mansion*



I bow down to pray

I try to make the worse seem better

Lord, show me the way

To cut through all his worn out leather

I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away

But baby, I just need one good one to stay

Aye-eee-ayeee-ay-ayyee



        Elijah stood in front of her, hating that he was breaking her heart, yet again.

        “Elijah, please. It’s our turn,” she pleaded.

        “Katerina,” was all he could find to say.

        He kissed her on the forehead and then was gone, following his family to New Orleans.



*Present- New Orleans*



Oh, baby I’m bleedin’, bleedin’

Aye-eee-ayeee-ay-ayyee

Can’t you give me what I’m needin’, needin’

Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith

But baby, I just need one good one

Good one, good one, good one, good one, good one

When I bow to pray

I try to make the worse seem better

Lord, show me the way

To cut through all his worn out leather

I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away

But baby, I just need one good one, good one

Tell me that you’ll be the good one, good one

Baby, I just need one good one to stay aye-eee-ayeee



        It was a dismal night, as Elijah walked home after a few shots of Bourbon. He’d needed it after giving up on Klaus. He didn’t know what he’d do now that Klaus wasn’t in need of being saved. He’d spent too long looking out for his family. He didn’t know where to go or what to do.

        He stopped in his tracks, smelling the familiar scents of Katerina, human, and quite a lot of blood. Then he followed the scent trail, all the while, wondering why she was in town.

        Soon, he saw an injured and human Katerina in an alley, from afar. He immediately was at her side, where she lay on her back. He scanned her and, seeing an ascendant not far from her, knew that she’d come from a prison world.

        “Katerina.” He rested gentle hands on either side of her head. “Can you hear me, Katerina?” he called, though he knew she’d lost a lot of blood. “Open your eyes if you can hear me, Katerina.”

        He waited, but he didn’t get anything.

        “Stay with me, Katerina. Please.”

        He gently picked her up in his arms and blurred home.

        Please, don’t leave me, Katerina, he thought.





        Half an hour later, upon his request, Freya had healed her. He now sat on her bedside, waiting for her to awaken. He may have always acted calm, but when he’d nearly lost her…he’d never been so afraid of losing her before. He knew that if she was still willing, it was time for their own happiness. He knew now what he’d do, now that he wasn’t needed by his siblings.

        In the end, he and Kat got back together, and went on their own journey.

        It was a dark night in New Orleans, as a very human Katherine Pierce walked towards the compound, not knowing what she’d be walking in on. She had just come from a prison world, so she wasn’t in the best shape. All she knew was that she needed Elijah, and she had heard that he needed her.

        She stopped not far from the only bar in town, sensing a presence.

        She turned around, only to see a lone and hungry vampire.

        He grabbed her before she could do or say anything, sinking his fangs into the side of her neck. She was human, so she couldn’t fight, no matter how much she wanted to. She was too weak to do so. All she could do was hope for Elijah to rescue her before it was too late.





        A few minutes later, Elijah finished his shot glass of bourbon and left the bar. And as soon as he stepped out, he smelled blood and saw a vampire drop a girl to the ground who he would know anywhere. He didn’t know how she had become a human, but he had to save her, no matter what.

        Before the vampire could leave the scene, Elijah ripped his heart out and dropped it next to his body.

        A moment later, Elijah was instantly knelt at her side. He then gently pulled her into his arms and bit his wrist, putting it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to save her.

        “Come on, Katerina. Stay with me,” he begged. I won’t lose you. I can’t. Not like this, he thought, as he forced his blood down her throat and looked down at her pale face. Then, as he scanned the rest of her, he realized that she had been hurt before she had been attacked by that vampire.

        A few minutes later, after her wounds had healed, he took his wrist away which instantly healed. He then gently put her arm around his shoulders and got to his feet with her in his arms, crook of arm supporting her head, right arm under her legs.

        A moment later, he vanished from the scene with her, heading across the river where Marcel and his vampires lived at. He was too angry at Klaus to enter the compound or see Klaus ever again, so he was heading for Marcel and his friends’ place. Besides, if Klaus saw her, he’d most likely kill her as much as he hated her. Being across the river was the safest place from Klaus that she could be.





        An hour later, he had layed her gently down on the couch and was now seated on the couch at her side, hoping she would be okay. She had to be okay or he would never forgive himself for leaving her, and never looking back and checking on her. No matter what, she was still his Katerina he would always love and care about. He needed her to wake up. They needed each other now more than ever before. Him to save her. Her to help him through his grief and despair.

        He rested his right hand on top of her left on, making circles with his thumb. He then rested his free hand on her forehead and looked silently down at her.





        Half an hour later, when she woke up, she realized that Elijah had saved her, and that he still cared about her, if not loved her.

        She gave him a smile, and he smiled back at her.

        “Thanks,” she said to him.

        “You’re welcome. You worried me. I thought I lost you. What has happened to you, Katerina?”

        She slowly sat up, still feeling weak, and he helped her. She then told him everything that had happened, starting the night of Elena’s graduation, and ending tonight when she had come from the prison world.

        After she had finished, it made him even more angry at Klaus for not informing him of her dying of old age eight months ago. He also blamed himself for not checking on her to make sure she was okay.

        “I’m so sorry, Katerina. If I had known—,” he started.

        “I know. You would’ve done all you could to help and save me,” she replied, interrupting what he was going to say.

        She smiled, letting him know that all was forgiven.

        He smiled back, thankful that she had forgiven him.

        They silently looked at each other, not knowing what else to say after not seeing each other for eight months. Then, it was such a moment between them, they suddenly were kissing, not knowing who started it or why they were kissing. It didn’t matter though, because they were still in love after everything they had been through together.

        It was a beautiful day, as Elijah and Finn stood in the living room of the farmhouse.

        “Goodbye, brother,” Elijah said.

        A moment later, the house blew up in smithereens.





        Elijah woke up on grass in some woods alone.

        He got to his feet and looked around, wondering where he was, since he knew the Other Side had disintegrated.

        He began to walk around to see where he was, only to see someone he had left six months ago or so. She had been a vampire, but now she was human. Not only that, she was dead. He knew she was, considering he was too.

        He approached her, where she sat with her back up against a tree, a book in her lap, looking like she was trying to do magic.

        She looked at him.

        “Katerina?” he said, wanting to know that it was really her.

        “Elijah. What the hell happened to you? You’re supposed to be very much alive and helping your family.”

        “You’re supposed to be alive too, Katerina.”

        “Well, I’m not and neither is Nadia. We died in the same night and I can’t find her. I think it’s because she found peace, but I didn’t. I died of old age not long after Elena shoved the cure down my throat. Dying sucked enough, but Damon just had to get in my head and torment me with the memory of my parents’ deaths. Nadia and I were reunited after less than 500 years, only to be separated for the last time.”

        “I’m sorry, Katerina. Why didn’t you call? I would’ve come. Who was Nadia? You’ve never mentioned her before.”

        “Because I was upset. I felt as if you had left me for your brother. Nadia was my illegitimate daughter I had in 1490, that my father tore from my arms, just moments after she was born.”

        “I’m sorry for what happened to you,” he replied.

        “So, what happened to you?” she asked.

        “I sacrificed my life to get rid of Finn, who posed a threat to Klaus and Hayley’s baby, Hope.”

        She wasn’t happy that he had to sacrifice his life, but she was glad that she wasn’t alone anymore. Besides, they’d both go back to the land of the living once she got her Traveler magic under control. Maybe this was the time to rekindle their relationship.

        She stood up without the book and went to stand in front of him.

        “I guess it’s just you and me then. What do you say we go somewhere to talk? We have plenty of time, and I’d like to get out of here.”

        “And talk about what, exactly?”

        “Us. I’ve changed both mentally and physically since you left me.”

        “Then we’ll talk,” he agreed with her.





        A few days later, when they were alive again and in New Orleans, they were back together again.

        It was a beautiful night, as Elijah stood silently on the front porch of the farmhouse, where they were keeping Hope. He had just awakened from a dram where he had seen Katerina. She had informed him that she was dead, but they would see each other soon in the waking world.

        Cami came outside to stand by him.

        “Elijah, are you okay?”

        Still looking into the distance, he assured her, “I’m quite alright.”

        “Are you sure?”

        “Yes. I’m quite fine, Camille.”

        His phone went off.

        He took it out and seeing the caller ID, answered it.

        “Katerina.”

        “Elijah. I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear your voice. Where are you? I’m going to come to you,” she replied.

        “Klaus will kill me for telling you where we are, but I think I can trust you with our secret.”

        “You mean Hope. I may have been dead, but people still talk. I promise no matter what, she’s safe with me.”

        “Thank you, Katerina.”

        Suddenly, she was pulled into an alley.

        “Hello, Katherine.”

        She faced him.

        “You must be Finn.”

        “The one and only,” he replied, before magically giving her a migraine.

        She dropped her phone and fell to her knees, screaming in excruciating pain.

        Elijah hung up.

        “I’ll be back. I need to do something,” he told Cami, before using vamp-speed. No one hurt Katerina and got away with it. No one. He would find them and end Finn, once and for all, no matter the cost. He would always love Katerina, despite everything, no matter what. He would give anything to be with her one last time.





        The next day, he found them.

        He walked in.

        “Let her go,” he growled.

        “I don’t think so. See, I think she’s something special to you. Also, I think she knows what secret you three would do anything to keep.”

        Suddenly, due to Kol and Rebekah overriding Finn’s magic, Finn became weak. That gave Elijah the chance to get Katerina out of there before the place blew up.

        A few moments after getting a distance away from the place, it blew up with Finn still inside.





        Once at the farmhouse, he gently layed her down on the couch and sat on the corner of it. He then bit his wrist, putting it to her lips, making his blood go down her throat to heal her, since she was injured from Finn’s attack on her.





        When she woke up she was healed, on a couch, and in a farmhouse with Elijah seated by her.

        She smiled.

        “Thanks.”

        “You’re welcome, Katerina.”

        He smiled.

        In the end, they got back together.

        Elijah, Kol, and Klaus found themselves in what looked to be a cabin, with four animal heads on the walls; a fox, a stag, a bull, and a wolf. After Finn showed himself, they found out that each symbolized four of their siblings. Klaus was the wolf, Kol was the fox, Finn was the bull, and Elijah was the stag.

        “Why are we here? Don’t tell me…it’s about our mother? I didn’t force her to drink blood and betray everything she holds dear. That was her choice,” Katherine said to Finn.

        “This isn’t about mother, this is about you. I want you to know how it feels to be powerless! So, I’m going to take the thing that matters the most to you. The city you’ve come to love so much.”

        “Are we quite done here? You will release us now,” Elijah said.

        “I will! After sundown. Because at sundown, when the marchers of Carillon Eve take to the streets, my barrier drops. Marcel and his hungry vampires will be unleashed to kill their way through the Quarter! I imagine that, after their atrocities, the supernatural community of New Orleans will be forced to find another place to call home.”

        “Look, I don’t care about the city. What I care about is that my very human body is lying at the feet of some very hungry vampires. Your fight is with them, it’s not with me!” Kol said to Finn.

        “All you care about is your own fragile mortality. But, what if you were made vulnerable? What then?”

        Before Finn could magically cause Kol any pain, Katherine walked in, closing the door behind herself.

        They looked at her, as she walked over to them.

        “Katerina?” Elijah questioned.

        “You must be the famous Katherine,” Finn guessed.

        “The one and only. You must be Finn.”

        “What are you doing here?” Klaus growled.

        “I’m not here to cause you trouble. I just want to help. I would’ve come sooner, but I had to learn a few tricks first and I just recently got wind of what’s going on in New Orleans,” she answered the hybrid. She looked at Finn. “You think you’re all powerful, but you’re not. I may not be a vampire or human, and I may be dead, but I have something you don’t. I’m descended from Travelers, so my magic is more powerful than yours ever will be.”

        “I never said I was. All I want is to make them suffer,” Finn informed her.

        “That was me for 500 years. I wanted to make Klaus suffer, but I didn’t. I knew I’d lose Elijah if I did. Besides, family is power and loyalty and love. You don’t turn your back on family. Nadia didn’t and neither did I. We died together as family. The only difference is that she found peace and I didn’t. Now if you’ll release your family, I’d appreciate it.”

        “Not until sundown when I release some hungry vampires,” he told her.

        “Suit yourself. I tried being nice,” she replied, before putting hands out in front of her and throwing a bunch of magic at him, which was more powerful than he could work with.

        Klaus and Elijah watched, Klaus with a smirk, amused now, Elijah silent, having mixed emotions.

        “Okay. Fine,” Finn said, giving in.

        She put her hands down, stopping, and Finn vanished.

        She faced all three brothers.

        “You’ll see me in the real world. There’s a witch working on bringing me back without the fast aging part. I’ll help you out.”

        “No offense, but you can’t do much as a human,” Klaus told her.

        “Don’t underestimate me,” she replied.

        A moment later, Klaus had vanished.

        “We’ll talk later,” she told Elijah with a smile.

        She watched, as he vanished.

        “Thanks for the save, sweetheart. I appreciate it, darlin’,” Kol said.

        “You never change,” she replied.

        She gave a smile, before he vanished.





        An hour later, a very human Katherine arrived at the compound. She used magic to bring the barrier down so she and Klaus could walk inside. Elijah would’ve come too, but he and Cami were keeping a certain secret safe.

        Once inside, the barrier went back up and she went to stand next to Klaus on the balcony.

        As he spoke, everyone looked at Klaus.

        “Vampires and werewolves of New Orleans. I have an announcement to make!” Klaus announced loud enough for everyone downstairs to hear. “By sundown, the barrier keeping us here will go down! Finn want to starve out the vampires and then release them to feed on the streets, but we won’t! I have an old, well, let’s say friend would be putting it too strongly, with me here! Dear Katerina has volunteered to help!”

        Klaus left to go find Marcel and Kol, as Katherine spoke.

        “You’re probably wondering how a human can help with an Original and magical problem. I have a lot of experience in being one step ahead of my enemy. That, and I’m descended from Travelers. Travelers are like very powerful witches. More so than witches during the Harvest season. If you let me help you, we can do anything. So, what do you say we prove Finn wrong? Most of you have lived a long time. I’m sure you’ve starved before. Even you younger vampires. You can overcome this hunger. You’re not weak.”

        There were murmurs of agreement at the end of her speech.





        In the end, Finn was defeated and put in a coffin, Esther and Mikael were killed, and Klaus began to trust her enough to let her meet Hope and Klaus went back to the compound.





        Katherine stood in the living room where Elijah and Cami stood, Hope held to Cami’s side.

        “She’s beautiful,” she said with a smile and tears in her eyes. She was still dealing with Nadia’s death. Her only child had practically died in her arms recently. She’d do anything to have Nadia in her arms again. To see her one last time.

        Memories of her surfaced, as she looked at Hope.



*Bulgaria, 1490*



        Katerina Petrova sat up in bed with her mom next to her, after giving birth to a healthy girl out of wedlock.

        “Let me see her,” Katerina asked of the maid who held her daughter.

        The maid began to, but her father walked in.

        “What are you doing, woman? Give her to me.”

        The maid did, as she was told.

        Katerina’s father stopped at the doorway and looked at her, the baby in his arms, when she begged him with tears streaming down her face, “No! Pa ‘pa! Please!”

        “No! You have disgraced this family!” he replied, before walking away to get rid of Katerina’s baby.



*Bulgaria, 1498*



        After getting off Klaus’ radar, she went back to Bulgaria to find her baby girl, when she was eight years old, but couldn’t find her. There was no trace of her, so she gave up and left Bulgaria.



*Mystic Falls, 2014*



        Katherine was surprised to find out that her long lost daughter, Nadia Petrova, was a vampire and, after hearing her mother’s side of why she didn’t raise her, wanted to bond with her and get to know her. Then, just in a few months’ time, Nadia died from a werewolf bite and Katherine died a few minutes later.



*Present*



        She came back to the present to see Elijah standing in front of her.

        “Katerina?” he said, wondering if she was okay.

        “I was just remembering my daughter, Nadia,” she informed him.

        As he stood there, he wished he could do something for her, but knew that he couldn’t.

        “I was unaware that you had a daughter,” he replied.

        “That’s because I didn’t tell anyone. I had her out of wedlock and was banished by my parents. That’s how I ended up in England. In 1498, I went back for her, but I couldn’t find her. We didn’t find each other until last year, when she protected me from Silas and told me who she was. Even after a little over six months ago, it’s hard. She died from a werewolf bite and I died a few minutes later,” she informed him.

        “I’m so sorry, Katerina. If I had known, I would’ve come,” he apologized.

        “I know, but you broke up with me. Left me for your family. I wasn’t exactly feeling forgiving.”

        She looked up at him with a smile.

        He smiled back.

        “At least we can start over,” she added.

        “That we can do,” he agreed.

        “But first, I want to hold your niece.”

        He watched, as she walked over to Cami, who let her take Hope, and wished he could give Katerina a child of her own. Even though she hadn’t raised Nadia, she was a natural.

        He smiled at them together, happy that Hope made Katerina happy.





        That night, in a room with the door closed, they began to start over and were as happy as they could be. They got back together and began to make out on the bed.