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Alaric knocks on the door of the nice home in the town of Mystic Falls. His throat tightens as Elena Salvatore opens it. "Alaric, hi." She says awkwardly. She looks up at him. His eyes were red and puffy, tear stains all over his cheeks. His shirt was disheveled and his hair was a mess. "What happened?" She asks, letting him inside.
Damon Salvatore approaches the two as Alaric looks down at the ground. "It's Katherine." He says lowly. He looks between the two of them. "She's..."
The couple seemed to realize what he meant. Elena shakes her head. "No," Her eyes gloss over as she covers her mouth. "No, no, no." She cries. Damon walks to his wife, wrapping her up in his arms. The guilt in Elena's heart laid heavy. She was so close to Katherine for so long. Even after everything happened with Damon. Elena always thought Katherine would figure it out, but she didn't.
Damon's eyes watered as he thought about the Vampire. The way she laughed at his stupid remarks with an additional eye roll. Or the way she did everything for him and Elena, even when she despised him. Alaric watches, feeling nothing but misery about the fact that he failed Katherine.
Meanwhile, Matt Donovan sat in the sheriffs office. A piece of paper sat in his palms, given to him by Katherine only hours ago. His eyes were glossy as he looks at the note written by his true love.
Dear Matt,
If you're reading this, it means my clock has run out, and I'm gone. I've thought about this. How I was going to stop it, how I was going to save myself so I could watch you grow old, have kids, a family. But, I always knew there was no saving me. It was fate.
I think back to all of the things you and I did together. All of the memories. The screaming, the laughing, the crying, the smiling. And I think about the way you never treated me anything less than a girl. A girl you had the choice not to love.
I thought about what would've happened if I were able to take the cure. Maybe we would've gotten married. Had a few kids. I always wanted to name a daughter Lucille, after my father, I guess. Or maybe we couldve named her Vicki. And maybe a son, named him Tyler. Maybe I could've been a lawyer. Or something cool like that.
I want you to know that I will never be mad at you, Elena, Caroline, Alaric, or even Damon. We worked so hard to find a cure, but we just couldn't. And that's okay. I lived an amazing life. With you, with them, with my family. So, please, don't let my memory be the reason you can't be happy. You can move on, find love. I will be watching, and if I don't approve, you'll know. Stay safe, my love.
Sincerely,
Katherine Tatia Augustine Valentine, your favorite vampire.
Matt chuckles, wiping a tear from his face. He turns to the open drawer, where a photo frame laid staring up at him. It was a photo of him and Katherine at a party. His hands were wrapped around her waist as hers were around his neck. She kissed him softly, and you could see their smiles. She was happy in the photo, as was he. He was her first love after the witch she met in New Orleans. She was his first love after Rebekah. She was his epic love, and he'd never forget her.
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The sky was a stunning blue. The clouds painted like little cotton balls in the sky. The New Orleans streets roared with energy as she walks the opposite direction of the crowd.
The cemetery, however, was empty. The stones seemed to watch as the girl with black hair walked down the paths. Her hands grazed each and every tomb, like she had been waiting to reunite with them all these years.
She wore a dress. A long, white dress. She was supposed to wear it the night of the Harvest, but Jane-Ann insisted on something shorter. It was her favorite dress when she was human. It had short sleeves and the dress swayed with the wind. There were buttons up the front, and a cute stitching on the bottom of the skirt. She was barefoot, she realized. The cold stone hitting her feet as she walked along the cemetery paths.
When she finally got to the front, she couldn't help but admire the place she had been born. She sometimes wondered what would've happened if she never left. Maybe, she could've made a difference in the French Quarter. Or maybe, she already had.
"Katherine Valentine."
She turns around, her skin glowing in the sunlight. Her hair swung around her shoulders, the dark brown tints shining through. A necklace rested on her chest. A pendant, really. It was an old necklace, but before it was her most prized possession. A necklace her ancestor, Tatia, had been given by a mystery lover many years ago. The bracelet on her wrist shined in the light. It had been her daylight bracelet, something Bonnie Bennet had made for her a years ago. Katherine smiles wide as she stares at the tall young man. He had shiny brown hair, and blue eyes for days. Her first true love. Her first boyfriend. The boy she gave everything to before he had been possessed, and then killed.
"Kaleb Westphall." She says finally.
Kaleb smiles softly. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She giggles, running towards him. Kaleb opens his arms, scooping up the Valentine as he spins her around. She holds on tightly, a wide smile on her face.
When he finally sets her down, he cups her cheek, looking down at her. "I've missed you, so much." She says.
"I will always wait for you, Katherine. Even if it takes me hundreds of years to be with you again." She smiles up at him, and she did something she never thought she'd be able to do again.
She kissed him.
Maybe someone can have more than one epic love. Katherine did. She had Kaleb. He was her first. Maybe, originally, he was meant to be her only. Plans didn't turn out, of course, and then she had Matt. And Kai, sweet and manipulating Kai. And as years went by, she had many loves, but none as epic as them. Katherine was okay with that.
And as she squeals, Kaleb spinning her around as he kisses her again, she can't help but feel joy that she is now with her first epic love.
Laughing, Kaleb sets her down again. "I was thinking I'd take you to see some old friends of yours. Maybe Josh and Aiden. Maybe even Cami, if you wish." Katherine looks down at Kalebs hand, which he holds out for her to take.
Smiling softly, Katherine places her hand with his. "I will follow you wherever you lead me." She says finally. Kaleb grins, the two walking down the cemetery path. Katherine smiles as she looks around the city of New Orleans.
