Written In Blood

Chapter Forty Seven.

Esther felt her power leave her gradually.
"No, sisters!" She cried. "Do not abandon me!"
"Mother!" Finn called out.
The torches flared up and, to protect her, Finn grabbed Esther as Elijah, Kol and Niklaus cowered from the flames.
After a few moments, they died out completely – Finn and Esther nowhere to be seen.

Elena was sat on the floor of the cavern.
"You can come out now. Seems your boys took care of the problem." Rebekah told her.
Elena looked at her, confused. "How did they do that?"
"Damon turned your Witch friend's mother into a Vampire." Rebekah said as though it were nothing.
"What?" Elena gasped, getting up.
"Quite clever, actually. They needed to sever the Witch line and, well, you can't be a Witch and a Vampire." The Original smirked to herself, thinking of Rayna. "In any case, you're free to go. Oh and, uh, by the way, you were right. I do prefer taking my time watching you suffer. Much more satisfying."
Rebekah left the tunnels, leaving Elena to think over what she'd just been told.

Later that night, after a visit to Caroline's house where she was told that Bonnie didn't want to see her, Elena went up to her room, in her house, to see a letter on her pillow.
She picked it up and saw it was from Elijah.
'Elena, today I did things I abhor to protect the one thing I value most – my family. If anyone can understand that, it's you. Your compassion is a gift, Elena. Carry it with you as I will carry my regret. Always and forever, Elijah.'
Elena sighed as a gust of wind blew through her bedroom.
She looked up to see Rayna.
"I'm not really in the mood for your sarcasm, Rayna." She sighed.
"I'm not here for sarcasm. I've already spoken to Bonnie about this, but I thought I'd tell you too before I take my leave." The Heretic replied.
"Tell me what?"
"It technically wasn't Damon who killed Bonnie's mum. He and Stefan came up with this plan to sever the Witch line and Damon was going to do it. He didn't care if you hated him for it, so long as you were alive to do so. He fed Abby his blood, but I stopped him from killing her and killed her, myself. It's my fault she's dead, not Damon's. So don't be mad at him. He was only trying to protect you. And now the burden of hatred from you and Bonnie is on me. Hate me. Damon was only doing what he thought was right." Rayna explained.
Elena sighed, looking down, thoughtfully.
"He wasn't supposed to get involved. He wasn't supposed to be there." She argued.
"He did it because he loves you, Elena. And I did it because I love him. I hope you can understand that."
And in Vamp speed, Rayna was gone again.

"Hello Damon." Rayna smiled sadly as she stood in the archway to the living room in the Salvatore house.
"Rayna." He sighed, getting up and walking over to her.
"I've explained to Bonnie and Elena what happened." The Heretic said. "I can't guarantee you total forgiveness, but it'll be a lot better for you than what it would've been."
"What did you tell them?" Damon asked.
"That what you did was out of love." Rayna hesitated. "And that's why I did it too."
The Salvatore brother looked at her, confused, beckoning for her to elaborate.
"I love you, Damon. Always have, probably always will. But I also love Elijah. It's been that way for almost a thousand years. But I know I can't have you both and I want you to be happy. I can't be there to see that unfold. So I'm leaving."
Damon looked shocked.
"But I thought, with all the bad stuff I've done – all the stuff I did to you – I thought you didn't even like me, let alone love..." He attempted to process the new information.
"You could single-handedly wipe out the entire Human race and I'd still probably love you." Rayna breathed a chuckle.
Damon looked at her with eyes like windows leading to a broken heart as he held her hand, moving even closer to her.
"I understand." He mumbled, leaning down.
Rayna realised what was going on and leaned up, connecting their lips in a soft, sad kiss.
"Goodbye Damon." She whispered, and in a gust of wind, she was gone.

Approaching the Mikaelson mansion, Rayna saw Elijah in one of the windows, talking to Rebekah.
He locked eyes with the Heretic and finished his conversation with his sister before making his way downstairs to meet her.
"Rayna. What happened back there?" He asked after opening the door to her.
"Abby was force fed Damon's blood, I killed her. That's what happened. And now I'm leaving. I just wanted to say goodbye to you and Niklaus." Rayna replied, looking over the Original's shoulder to see the brother in question.
"Where will you go?" Niklaus asked, standing by the right hand staircase.
"Oh, you know. Anywhere and everywhere." Rayna gave a sad smile to the brothers. "I will see you boys around, I'm sure."
Rayna exchanged her sad smile for a genuine one.
"Goodbye for now, love." Niklaus hugged her tightly.
"If I may, I'd like to speak with you alone, Elijah." Rayna said over Niklaus' shoulder.
"Of course." The older brother replied.
The pair went to the living room, where they could be alone.
"What did you want to speak with me about?" He asked.
"I told Damon I love him." Rayna hesitated, but eventually told him.
Elijah looked a little taken aback, but also rather expectant.
"Oh, right." He said, simply.
"I also told him that I love you as well. Which is why I'm leaving. Damon wants a chance at happiness with Elena and I can't be with you knowing my love doesn't fully extend to you."
Elijah looked in shock, but he subsided that and moved towards his Heretic, taking her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly.
"It's alright, Rayna." He replied. "But should you ever choose me; be sure to come running. I'll be waiting."
He smiled as she did and gave her a long, meaningful kiss on the forehead.
"Because I love you too." He finished.

The end...