Bittersweet Memories

I completely forgot about Kol and Rachel and headed back to the gym with Klaus. Needless to say, I was genuinely happy for the first time since coming back to this place. We were in a slow dance when I noticed Klaus looking over at Tyler and Caroline. He said he'd leave Elena be, but he never said anything about Tyler, who is still sired to him. I could feel his grip on me loosening, he was going to walk over there. But, I stopped him. I dug my fingers so far into his shoulder, making him face me again.

"Leave Tyler alone."

"Ugh." Klaus scoffed. "Fine, fine. Anything else?"

"Yes!" I laughed. "Same goes for Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, Jeremy, and Stefan."

"Okay, now you're going overboard." Klaus laughed. "Stefan Salvatore can take care of himself, he doesn't need your protection. It's called a compromise, love."

"Fine." I agreed. "But Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, and Jeremy. They're completely off limits, got it?"

"Yes, I got it." Klaus said. "Besides, I'm quite found of Miss Forbes. She's the only one of your friends who are slightly tolerable. Plus, I'm sure you'd never talk to me again if I happen to murder your best friend."

"You are correct." I smiled. "If you hurt my best friend, it'll be more than just not speaking to you, I promise."

"Okay, enough of his hostile conversation. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow." I said.

"Tomorrow?" Klaus asked. "Having second thoughts?"

"No." I shook my head with a smile. "I need to say goodbye to my family and friends. I need them to know I'm not dead this time and I'm just choosing to leave because it's something I want. I think I'm gonna have to assure my family that I'll be back to visit."

"Well, I'm sure Kol isn't coming with us. He's more of a free bird, he'll probably stick around to watch after Rachel. If that makes you feel any better." He laughed.

"No!" I stepped on his foot. "It doesn't! That actually doesn't sit well with me at all!"

"Relax, lovely." Klaus spun me around. "One indiscretion and he's back in the box, I promise."

"Niklaus! What did we just talk about? Love and loyalty. You can't keep putting them in boxes when they misbehave." I told him. "Besides, Kol does anything I don't like and I will be the one to deal with him. He does not want to deal with me when it comes to my family, I will ruin him."

"It's funny. You said something along the lines of that the last time we were in this gym. Remember?"

"How can I forget?" I laughed. "You were keeping me against my will, threatening my sisters life in the process."

"And that's when I started to fancy you."

"What?" I said. "Holding me against my will? That's what got you going?"

"Not exactly." He started smirking at me. "Your bravery, that's what did it. Here I was, the hybrid, the alpha, threatening you and your family. You could care less about that, you weren't afraid of me. Usually, that's insulting, but with you it was different. You, this little feisty, new vampire, you would of ripped my head off right then and there if you could. I admired that."

"You are a very complex individual." I laughed. "But it's flattering."

"Come on, love. Let's get out of here."

I followed Klaus' suggestion and we headed outside. I wasn't sure where we were going, but I was growing bored of the dance anyway. I should probably start packing since we'll be leaving tomorrow. I didn't know where we were going, but I didn't care. I'm unsure of whats come over me, I just knew I wanted to be wherever he was. We saw Stefan and Damon outside, Damon gave me a look of disgust and I just laughed. I stopped laughing though, when we weren't able to go any further without being blocked.

"What the hell!" I yelled, still trying to leave but being forced back, most likely by magic.

"You can stop trying, princess." Damon laughed. "You too, Klaus. We aren't going anywhere."

"Your mother did it." Stefan said.

I looked over at Klaus and he was pissed. "What the hell is she doing now?"

"Probably trying to kill me again." Klaus said, then started to yell like she could hear him. 'THIS IS GETTING REALLY OLD, MOTHER!"

"That depends." Damon said smugly. "Does she need Elena to do it? Because she took her."

"Elena sure is a hot commodity in your family, huh?" I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Whatever, I'm gonna find Bonnie, maybe she can fix this."



Here all of us vampires were, in Alaric's classroom with Bonnie. She was trying to undo Esther's spell and get us the hell out of here, and also locate Elena so Team Save Elena can do what they do best and save her. In this case, I hope they do save her. Esther wants one thing and one thing only, to rid the world of her children and all vampires. It seems she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants.

"You should head home, Rachel." I told her. "This might get ugly."

"No." Klaus said. "I don't want my mother getting her hands on her."

"I'll take you home when the spell is lifted." Kol said before turning his attention to Klaus. "Then, we go kill our mother."

"Which is taking entirely too long!" Klaus yelled, grabbing Bonnie's date, Jamie, by the throat. "You better work harder, witch, if you want your date to still be breathing in the next five seconds."

"Niklaus, get off him!" I yelled. "He has nothing to do with this!"

"She's right, Klaus." Stefan said. "Bonnie's not gonna help us if you start killing the people she cares about."

"You said not to hurt Bonnie, you said nothing about him." Klaus told me.

"Let him go. NOW." I said and Klaus finally released him.

"I suggest you keep a tighter leash on your boyfriend, Savannah." Damon said. "He's very violent, reckless, sadistic...need I go on?"

"Yet he still has more control than you do." I smirked. "If anybody knows reckless, it's you."

"You're one to talk about recklessness. You go from me...to him! He's a psychopath, he can't help but hurt people. Me? I just want to hurt people."

"Damon, that's enough." Stefan warned.

"Yes and you've proved that, time and time again. You wanted to hurt me, you took joy in hurting me. It's who you are, Damon. You get off on hurting your girlfriends, ruining their lives. It's okay, Damon. I accept you for who you are." I said sarcastically.

"Oh bloody hell, the two of you fight like you're still together." Kol added.

"You said I couldn't hurt your friends. But you said nothing about Damon." Klaus said, staring a hole into the side of his head.

"I don't care what you do to him, go for it." I laughed.

"Oh please!" Damon yelled. "If you wanted Klaus to kill me, if you really wanted him to do it. I'd be dead already!"

"ENOUGH!" Bonnie screamed. "I can't concentrate with all this yelling! If the two of you can't be in the same room with each other, then one of you has to leave."

"Behave, Damon." Stefan warned him again. "Anything, Bon?"

"Esther's blocking me. I can't find out where they are, but she seems to be using some sort of hot spot." She said.

"I know exactly where she is!" Klaus said.

"The spell is undone. You can all leave now." Bonnie told us.

Klaus was the first one out the door, while Stefan waited around to at least thank her before him and Damon left the school.

"Kol, please take Rachel home now." I said. "I'm gonna go find your brother."

When I finally found Elena and Jeremy, Klaus was already long gone. They were sitting with Alaric and I knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" I asked, directing my question at both Jeremy and Elena.

Elena went on to explain what happened. How Esther used her blood to make Alaric an original vampire who hunts vampires, probably as dangerous at Mikael himself. She did this to assure her children will be destroyed. Elena gave me those pleading eyes, but I just ignored them. I know she wants Klaus dead, she doesn't have to feel bad about it.

"What happened to Esther?"

"Alaric killed her when he woke up in transition. Klaus came and took her body." Jeremy said.

I looked over at Alaric and started to tear up. I wasn't as close to him as Elena and Jeremy were, but we were pretty close. I know for a fact, the last thing on earth he'd want to be is a vampire.

"I'm not gonna complete the transition." He stated. "I've cheated death many times, but now it's time for me to go."

Jeremy started to cry, but he said his goodbyes before leaving. Surprisingly, Ric asked to have a moment alone with me. Elena agreed and headed outside.

"So this is it." I said. "You're a great person, you know that right?"

He ignored me. "Promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me, one day, it doesn't have to be soon. But one day, you'll mend your friendship with Elena."

"Ric.."

"It's my dying wish, Savannah." Ric laughed, trying to make light of his current state. "She doesn't have many people left. She needs you."

"One day." I whispered. "Thank you."

"For what, kid?"

"I don't know." I smiled as I started to cry. "Being a bad ass vampire slaying history teacher. For looking out for all of us. Especially, Elena and Jeremy. You were there for them when they needed somebody, a father figure. Mostly, for being a true friend to Damon, he needed somebody like you in his life."

"I'm gonna miss you, Savannah."

"I'm gonna miss you, too." I said before giving him a hug. I started to wipe my tears away as I stood up. "I'm sure Elena wants to say goodbye now.."

I left the tomb and passed Elena, giving her a nod. I wasn't making up with Elena anytime soon, but one day, it might actually happen. Everyone was outside the tomb with candles lit for Alaric. He really touch all of our lives, he was a good man. Look at me, speaking like he's already dead. But he's made his choice, I don't see him deciding to be a vampire. He doesn't want to kill his friends or the friends of his loved ones.

"Here." Caroline said, handing me a candle and lighting it. "Some night huh?"

"Never a dull moment in Mystic Falls." I cracked a joke.

Alaric soon came out of the tomb with Elena and a small smile appeared on his face as he saw all of us out there. The people who cared about him, giving him a proper send off. No words were spoken, just a nod and a smile. Then he went back in the tomb to be alone, it was emotional for all of us. I looked over at Damon, he was hiding it, but I knew he was hurting inside.

"This might be a bad time to ask, but you're on clean up duty with me tomorrow morning, right?" Caroline said.

I gave her a smirk. "Of course. Bright and early, bring the coffee."

"You got it."

I looked at Elena, almost walking over to her to apologize for her loss, but I decided against it. I went home to get changed into some normal clothes.

"Now what?" I asked Klaus.

"Well, my mother is dead again...for now. Your history teacher isn't becoming a vampire, so I say we have nothing to worry about at the moment. We'll leave tomorrow evening as planned."

"Sounds like a plan." I said as I grabbed my car keys off the coffee table.

"Where are you going? Haven't you had your fun for the night?"

I gave Klaus a smile. "There's something I have to do, it won't take long."



I walked through the cemetery, looking for the tomb Alaric was in. I had a bottle of bourbon in my hand and I held it out as I approached Damon. He was outside of it, with his head down, his bottle of bourbon nearly gone.

"Looks like you need a refill." I said, making him look up at me.

"Savannah, I really don't feel like fighting right now. Rain check?"

"I come with a temporary peace offering." I said, handing him the bottle. I took a seat next to him as he downed the last of his own.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked.

"Believe it or not, I came to check on you." I said, snatching the bottle out of his hand and taking a swig.

"Why? Why the hell would I need checking on?"

"Because you just lost your best friend, Damon." I said. "I know you were hiding your pain earlier, but I know you better than that. I can tell when you're hurting."

"You're observant. Good for you." He said, giving me much attitude. That was expected.

"And you're an ass, I'm glad nothings changed."

"I think Klaus will be pretty upset you're here." Damon smirked. "With your ex-boyfriend, making sure he's doing alright."

"We're not talking about Klaus, that's not why I came here. I just came to check on you, that's all."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because I'm not a monster, that's why." I laughed. "Despite being a vampire, I still feel. Besides, After tomorrow you'll never see me again."

"Why?" He sounded genuinely interested.

"Because I'm leaving town again. Don't worry, I'm not faking my death again, no need to get all destructive."

"You're leaving for good?"

"I think so." I nodded. "I'll come back to visit my family from time to time, but I'm moving on."

"Wait. If you're leaving, you need to know-"

"Damon, don't." I stopped him. "Whatever you're gonna say, just don't. It doesn't matter anymore, okay?"

"Savannah-"

"Damon." I shook my head again. "Listen, Ric's all alone in there. You should be in there with him, nobody should have to die alone. I'm sure he'd like his best friend to be the last person he sees."

Damon was reluctant, still wanting to get whatever he wanted to say off his chest. But I refused him, I didn't need to know, I didn't want to know. He eventually went inside to stay with Alaric and I headed home and started to pack for my new life.