Tiberius Salvatore: The eldest brother

54

"I'm sorry." Was all Stefan said to his brother. They were at Charlotte's funeral. Rio was dressed in his best black suit and he stood with an arm over Anya's shoulder. The sun was shining brightly and birds twittered their natural song. It was as though nature couldn't sense what a dark day it was. Rio refused to reply to his brother so Stefan carried on. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but had I known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it."
"At least lend me the courtesy of having her funeral in peace." Rio said, in a voice void of emotion. Stefan nodded and walked a few paces away. Rio tightened his grip on Anya as he pulled her closer to him. It was his turn to go up, to read out the eulogy he wrote.  "Charlotte. Charlotte was amazing. She was kind, and strong, and beautiful and smart. She was everything. I came up here with a eulogy I'd been trying to write, but I can't seem to fit her on a page. She was loving, and I'd known her longer than I've ever known anybody. It feels like we met a lifetime ago. I was in trouble and this, this angel saved me. This person I am today, wouldn't exist without her and- and the thought of having to still go on is unbearable. Lottie. Ahem, Charlotte was the love of my life, and she will not be forgotten."
"My mother had a lot of hardships in her life. But she always pulled through because that's the sort of person she was. There simply isn't any word to describe the kind of woman she is. My mother managed to put a smile on the face of everyone she met. She was charming, and friendly. And she was the one person I could count on. She was my mother. And I don't really know what to say, because I don't want to say goodbye to the soul that burned so brightly in this world." Anya said, and turned to Rio. She buried her head in his chest and he hugged her tightly as they walked away from the front. A lot of people were there including the Mikaelsons, the Salvatores and their friends and Samantha.
"Hey, Sam." He greeted, not even bothering to smile. 
"She's a vampire. How did she die?" 
"It seems as though whenever you kill an original, their entire sire line dies with them."
"What about you?"
"Finn was her sire. But she wasn't mine. I was turned by Katherine."
"I'm sorry. I really am."
"She meant the world to you, too." He gave her a sad smile. Anya tugged out of his grip and motioned to Zachary. He nodded and reluctantly let her go to her boyfriend.
"How's Anya doing? Do you need me to come by every once in a while? Bring some food."
"I'd appreciate the help. Maybe after the news has sunk in? It's still pretty fresh."
"Yeah, of course." She nodded and he walked away. He bumped into Klaus who gave him a hug.
"I keep expecting her to be in the corner somewhere, beckoning to me. To tell me she's not really dead." Rio confided.
"She's been around for so long, I didn't expect her to die. She wasn't supposed to die." Klaus said, his eyes watering.
"No, she wasn't. And she's not the only one who's dead now. Amy was turned by Lottie in 1880. There's Laura, and Jackson. Cody, Elizabeth. All these people are all dead. And Lottie's still dead. It's not fair, Klaus. She just found her daughter. She was supposed to live a long happy life with her daughter. It wasn't her time." Rio shook his head. "And Finn was your brother. You must feel upset, no matter how you hide it."
"Finn stopped being part of the family long ago."
"Family is forever, Klaus."
"What are you going to do? Are you on speaking terms with your brothers?"
"I think I'll just leave this town. I can't risk Anya getting hurt, now more so than ever. I lost Lottie, and I'll be damned if I lose Anya too. Jus- just don't kill them Klaus. After all they're my little brothers. I don't know if I can forgive, but-"
"I understand. I will not go after them unprovoked."
"That's the best you can do, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so." Klaus said grimly. Rio just sighed. He sounded defeated- he tried but he'd done all he could. And the woman who meant the most to him was now dead.
"See you when I see you." Rio said. A phrase he'd said to Klaus every time they parted.
"Not if I see you first." Klaus pulled his friend into another hug. They were both grieving for the loss of Charlotte Salvatore.

Later that night, the house Charlotte made for him stood tall. It was still in Anya's name so no vampire could get in, but there was something different about it. Perhaps it was the fact that it was stripped bare. Or perhaps because of the melancholy atmosphere. But the house looked, for lack of a better word, trouble. Mystic Falls would grieve the death of Charlotte, just as Rio, and Anya and Samantha all would. Charlotte had lived her final chapter, and would now move on. Rio and Anya stood in front of the replica of the Original Salvatore house. Behind them, Charlotte's ghost stood knowing how deeply this would affect her family.

A/N- The end, guys. Sorry, I didn't actually want to kill Charlotte- it sort of snuck up on me. :( :( :(