The Original Ripper

Chapter 18: "Thank you for your friendship"

As Katherine was lying in the hospital trying to survive, Layla sat waiting. Stefan was talking to Nadia. Layla was just trying to keep an eye on the heartbeat. It wasn't Katherine's time, Layla thought back to all of the two had shared over the years or so she'd been alive. They didn't have enough time together. She didn't try and make the most of her time. But that's what happens with immortality. You let the time escape from you. When the next day came Layla walked into the Salvatore house with a bottle of wine from her many misadventures from being a pirate. She put the wine down and walked over next to Stefan.

"Don't let the sights of a fragile human Elena lookalike cloud your judgement." Damon held his glass up with Layla snatched and he looked at her genuinely surprised. They all did.

"First off Damon sweetie, Elena's what? 5 years old? Katherine's older than all of you combined. So Elena is the Katherine lookalike." Layla snarled with her bitch face on. "So don't think I won't compel you to eat your own flesh until I say stop."

"Why is it always cannibalism with you?" Damon bit back questioningly.

"Because no one wants to eat their own flesh. Also this game better end soon, I have a dying old lady who I'd rather be spending time with. And now, because I helped her escape Niklaus I ended up locked in a box for 500 years a black horizon of torture. It's nothing like being dead." Layla informed Damon knocking back the shot.

"I think she beat all of us." Damon commented jokingly.

"However she was my best friend once. And just as innocent as none of you. Katherine chose to run from Nik instead of facing him head on like Elena wanted to. It was her fault, she wanted Klaus in town. She chose to run and avoided the deaths of many people indirectly by her. Every victim she had she cause directly. So you hypocritical twats and Caroline and Matt, the next shot you take for an awful thing Katherine did, I want you to think twice, because I have proved before I will not think twice in ripping one of your hearts out." Layla spat knocking back another shot. "Your turn Stefan."

"In 1864 Katherine moved into my home, compelled me to love her, seduced my brother, fed us full of vampire blood, and then started a war with the town that got us killed." Stefan sighed complying with Damon.

"Exactly, bottoms up" Damon cheers and he and Elena drank.

"But centuries before that she was just an innocent girl who was shunned by her family. So for 500 years she lied and manipulated and did whatever she had to do to survive. That's what she is a survivor. SO that's the girl I will drink to today." Stefan informed everyone with a small smile taking his shot. Layla got another one and downed it smiling.

"Same for me." Layla smiled up at him patting his chest.

"Please, one what? Month of hot sex with an original vampire while pretending it is a relationship and she'd got you brainwashed into liking Katherine?" Damon snarked looking over to her. Elena's eyes went wide looking between the two.

"What?" Bonnie and Elena asked quickly.

"Oh my, I'm sorry you were hostage and dead and I forgot." Caroline stumbled upon her words.

"Bottles empty." Stefan informed him.

"That's why you never send a bus boy to do a man's job." Damon smiled in satisfaction. Layla then glared at him baring her fangs.

"Better watch your back, because I'm ready to rip your heart out any minute you piss me off too much." Layla snarled shoving past him and grabbing the wine and stalking upstairs. Once Layla got up there she poured two glasses of wine and sauntered over to Katherine handing her one.

"Layla," Katherine smiled taking one of the glasses.

"I guess I wanted my goodbyes now." Layla shrugged.

"Of course, meeting you 500 years ago, it was fun. When I met you, you were crazy; you were unlike anyone I'd ever met. I always wondered now, what it would have been like to know you if you were human. If you were any different. I always felt bad that I got you daggered for 500 years but I know you don't regret helping me. You've been one of my favourite people for 500 years and I'm glad I got to know you." Katherine whispered holding her hand tightly. Layla smiled taking a sip of wine with Katherine.

"I know you would have hated it, but one of my happiest times, was when I was a pirate. I loved the adventure, the thrill, finding new things and taking them from everyone. I wish I was still alive so I could have stopped Nik from killing your family. But you had your pain and you survived. That's who we are Katherine. We are the big bad's of everyone's story. But no one ever bothered to realise we have endured more than anyone else. We accepted our reality. Maybe in another life we could have found happiness. I wish it didn't have to end this way, I wish it didn't have to end at all." Layla shared brushing a tear away from her face.

"Thank you for being there Layla. You were by far my best friend. So you like being a pirate, I left you some treasure, it's all yours. Just go to this address. I figured I owe you at least this." Katherine informed her with a small laugh. Layla nodded as the two finished their wine. "This is really good wine." Layla smiled brushing her hair to the side. "Also with you and Stefan, he's a good one, and you're lucky to have him. Don't let him go, you like him a lot but you also let good things go for your family. So don't. Thank you for your friendship." Katherine smiled at Layla pulling her in for a hug. Layla cried lightly on Katherine smoothing down her hair. Layla took the wine and let the house. Stefan was outside and he walked up to her.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked holding her face softly. Layla nodded blinking back tears. He could never hate Katherine, but he also saw that even though Katherine had unintentionally put her in a box for 500 years, Layla was willing to accept the consequences. She loved Katherine.

"I'll be fine. It's just another person I have loved and lost. I thought after Kol...I'd never feel this pain again. It just makes me realise how bad I needed to say goodbye. Thank you for being there for me Stefan." Layla whispered brushing some of his hair back. Stefan leaned down kissing her lips softly holding her waist.

"You and Stefan Salvatore, sister? Now why didn't we hear about this?" Klaus called out watching his sister brush the tears away from her face. Layla let out a small laugh patting Stefan on the chest as he pulled her in kissing the top of her head. She met Klaus half way and he pulled her in for a tight hug as she broke down in tears. "It'll be okay love, what we love lives on in our memories." Klaus whispered pulling her with him. Layla had called Stefan the next day. She'd taken a trip to Paris for a little while. When she was over there she shopped and got the thing Katherine wanted her to have. It was a bracelet that Layla had given Katherine all those years ago. Smiling Layla played with it.