It was a beautiful day in Oregon, as Katherine Pierce drove out of town, heading for Mystic Falls to make sure those she cared about were okay. She couldn’t call because of nothing electric working or technology working anymore, so she had to drive. As she drove in the four door pickup truck she’d stolen, with windows down and the backseat full of all sorts of guns and ammo, she kept a hand gun in her lap, fully loaded. She wasn’t taken any chances. She also had a first-aid kit under the passenger’s seat and a full three containers of gasoline in the back of the truck.497Please respect copyright.PENANA07lm0AwrHB
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A few weeks later, she pulled up in the driveway of the Salvatore boarding house. It looked untouched, but she knew all too well that looks could deceive.497Please respect copyright.PENANAapGpqbfl7Z
She got out of the truck, closing the door as quietly as possible, the gun in her new holster she’d found a week ago.497Please respect copyright.PENANA3A62AqSEQZ
She walked up to the door and knocked before walking in, closing the door behind herself.497Please respect copyright.PENANAKXr2EgRGsj
“Damon?” she called.497Please respect copyright.PENANAanWnvykr01
She entered the living room, where she saw him by his drinking table, drinking from a bottle of Bourbon.497Please respect copyright.PENANAHy9EjXOlvq
“In what universe do you have the right to be alive?” he said in the tone he always reserved for only her.497Please respect copyright.PENANAbYlFFKrpl3
“Maybe because I’m still a survivor,” she said, knowing his real question was how she was still alive. “Look. I didn’t have to risk my life coming here, but I did. I came back to make sure you’re okay and alive.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAQOyCiugPwq
He finally looked at her. “Why would you even care? You didn’t care before, so why now? It’s different now. Everyone I’ve ever loved and cared for is dead.”497Please respect copyright.PENANA0qPW86ptw8
“I’ve always cared. It was just easier for me if you thought that I didn’t. I know it’s bad now, but we have to stick together.”497Please respect copyright.PENANARhcTPCSslT
“Thanks, but I’d rather take my chances here.”497Please respect copyright.PENANArujG5EXQFY
She sighed. “Fine. Just be careful and good luck.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAdE7U5w3qg8
He watched as she left.497Please respect copyright.PENANAjiIyLMd2bX
After leaving, she drove around and found that those she had known or hadn’t known were dead. There was still one person left to check on though. She hadn’t seen her, so she assumed that she was home, staying as safe as she could.497Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ay9YoOg0T
She parked in front of the house and stood on the porch and knocked.497Please respect copyright.PENANAdkp1VfJ3ZF
“Caroline?” she called through the door.497Please respect copyright.PENANAHL4RbTQzUU
“Get out of here. Just go,” she heard from by the door on the other side.497Please respect copyright.PENANArZuwksZfuh
“I know you’re alone now. I’m sorry for your loss. I know I’m not the best company in the world, but you don’t have to be alone. Damon already said no, which is understandable. I just want to help who I can. It’s best if we stick together. I have all the weapons and ammo we could need in the truck and a few other things we’ll need. If you pack now, we can get out of here before dark.”497Please respect copyright.PENANA8nEPH0xCyO
Caroline didn’t like Katherine very much, but she’d seen enough zombie movies to know that Katherine was right.497Please respect copyright.PENANAT5TQHm0OCk
She sighed. “Fine. I’ll come.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAgW9IPxfNly
A few minutes later, Katherine was driving out of town, Caroline in the passenger’s seat.497Please respect copyright.PENANAzWtkPIT20Z
“Where are we going anyway?” Caroline questioned.497Please respect copyright.PENANAM3MpsAFNGV
“New Orleans to the compound. Sure, it might be dangerous at first, but the compound is built strong enough to keep those zombies out. Plus, I need to know if they’re all alive.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAnFil9Zqd4V
“Makes sense,” Caroline replied, agreeing with her for once.497Please respect copyright.PENANAuTFyg9YPFV
“Before we get there though, don’t be mad at Klaus, but I have to tell you something,” Kat informed the blonde.497Please respect copyright.PENANAya9TVWI2rg
“What?” she asked, assuming that she wasn’t gonna like this.497Please respect copyright.PENANAXiC5QUsWL7
As Kat drove, she told the blonde about the one night stand Klaus and Hayley had and about the baby named Hope they had had together.497Please respect copyright.PENANAQmscNeySB7
“That’s all I know,” she finished.497Please respect copyright.PENANASbUQiYCI2T
“When’s the last time you heard anything from New Orleans?” she asked the former vampiress.497Please respect copyright.PENANAeOJGHcRXjx
“A year. I haven’t heard anything since the cure was shoved down my throat. I haven’t even spoken to Elijah since he left right before I tried to kill my doppelganger in anger. I know I should be apologizing to Elena instead of you, but I’m sorry about that by the way.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAeNUYsqG3Np
“I’m sure he’s okay,” she assured the brunette.497Please respect copyright.PENANAp0MnIftkwW
Kat was silent.497Please respect copyright.PENANAPFUi2E8v9L
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Several weeks later, when they were half way to New Orleans, they saw a blonde and a guy with one hand, on the side of the road looking like they were having truck problems and were clearly arguing with each other.497Please respect copyright.PENANA8BCnTtlOqf
Kat stopped the truck in front of them and rolled down the automatic passenger’s window, looking at them.497Please respect copyright.PENANAxJqXAjVe0V
“Need some help?” she questioned.497Please respect copyright.PENANAiQ4SKxDHvy
They looked at them.497Please respect copyright.PENANACZoYLwsES3
“We’ve got this, Sweet Cheeks,” the guy replied to her.497Please respect copyright.PENANAVE782EecXZ
“Clearly. Look; you’re in the middle of nowhere with nothing but highway. It’s dangerous. If you want, we could give you two a lift somewhere, or you can join us. We’re going to New Orleans to see if some friends are okay. Our friends have a strong compound,” Kat explained.497Please respect copyright.PENANALzw1tovUSy
“We should go with them,” the blonde told him.497Please respect copyright.PENANAWZxEjxNY3R
“Fine,” he replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANA0WHCucr2WH
“Great,” Kat said, and set the bag of weapons on the floorboard so there was space for them in the back.497Please respect copyright.PENANAIvVwAcunxF
Once they were in, Kat continued the drive.497Please respect copyright.PENANAzJMfr3iQzk
“I’m Katherine by the way and this is Caroline. Who are you two?”497Please respect copyright.PENANA0GQf1d8Yoz
“I’m Andrea and this is Merle. We’ve been looking for the group I got separated from. His brother, Daryl, is with them.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAVbEHy6e3fF
“Well, nice to meet you. What did you do before the zombies happened?”497Please respect copyright.PENANAq6nNKbiAzJ
“I was in college and sometimes spent the summer with my sister Amy and my father. He taught us how to fish. I lost her a year ago though. She turned into once of them and I had to shoot her,” Andrea explained.497Please respect copyright.PENANALLNd13mj9X
“I’m sorry for your loss. Luckily my family is long dead, so they don’t have to get killed by zombies. It’s a new world now, so it’s best that we don’t keep secrets. My parents were slaughtered by the Original werewolf-vampire hybrid Klaus in 1492 as vengeance for me running and turning. I turned myself into a vampire and I’ve been a survivor ever since, but now I’m human again, because the cure for vampirism was shoved down my throat. Caroline has only been a vampire for a few years. You can choose to believe me or not, but it’s true.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAXiTQaGYaMa
“I believe you. I’ve always been open-minded,” Andrea replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANA8P7r5TLTb6
“Thanks. What did you do before?” she said to Andrea, before asking Merle the question.497Please respect copyright.PENANAkqR2hSTB8v
“I’ll put it this way, Sweet Cheeks. I’m ex-military, but I also was in and out of jail a lot.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAWwf9IS8viM
“Well, not everyone is perfect. I can be pretty bad myself. I’ve killed many for 500 years, but being human has changed me. I don’t go around killing people anymore. Caroline hates killing though,” Kat replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANA4iaj2PQFUc
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A week later, they made it to New Orleans.497Please respect copyright.PENANAMM3Z79y89g
Kat parked in front of the compound and they followed Kat to the front door, who then opened the door and walked in. Andre and Merle also walked in. Kat stood by the door and looked at Caroline.497Please respect copyright.PENANAoo1nFJcTdW
“See if you can come in.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAC7RX7458Gy
She tried but was barred.497Please respect copyright.PENANAxk5BWRgNLD
“Let me call them so you can be invited in,” she told her, before calling loud enough for them to hear, “Anyone here?”497Please respect copyright.PENANABoWGV1PWWQ
A blonde stranger holding a three year old girl appeared at the top of the stairs. “Come in.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAk34W2wpugc
Caroline walked in and Kat closed the door.497Please respect copyright.PENANA2MXQo4WM3r
“Who are you?” Kat asked, once the girl was downstairs, standing in front of her.497Please respect copyright.PENANAhZUKopgbQk
“Elijah mentioned you might have a little bit of an attitude. I’m Freya. You might’ve heard of me. I was thought to be dead, but was actually taken as prisoner by our Aunt Dahlia.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAVq2WLtm9Oc
“Well, I’m glad that you found your family. This little one must be Hope,” Katherine said with a smile.497Please respect copyright.PENANA0Pv7PKMSir
“Yes. And she’s all yours if anything happens to the last of us.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAOR66VL5HkQ
“What’s that supposed to mean?”497Please respect copyright.PENANABDdsx2StIN
“I’ve been trying to stay away from Hope all I can but sooner or later, it’s going to happen, which means that I must go, though Elijah has chosen to stay. Klaus is just fine and Rebekah is daggered. Her box is across the river if you want to wake her up. Kol is safe with his new love life Davina Claire,” Freya explained.497Please respect copyright.PENANAbCFr5BGHKf
“Where is he?” she asked, her worst nightmare happening.497Please respect copyright.PENANAymuwuYbGs1
“He’s in bed.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAjfLEq6hcr7
“It was nice to meet you,” Kat replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANAnz23cDzqvs
“You too. Here.” She gave Kat Hope, whom Kat took, before Freya left.497Please respect copyright.PENANAPzIbqJ6eMZ
Kat looked at Caroline. “I know you have no experience, but take Hope. I need to see Elijah. My last memory of him can’t be the breakup. Please. I don’t want him to die alone.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAbPtct12zWp
Caroline took Hope, not knowing what the hell she was supposed to do.497Please respect copyright.PENANAbH9I29y7I5
Kat looked at Andre and Merle. “There’s plenty of Bourbon here and probably some human food too. Help yourselves.”497Please respect copyright.PENANArRpi0Vu0Bn
Kat went upstairs, while Merle helped himself to a bottle of Bourbon.497Please respect copyright.PENANANxmo5MJrsF
When Kat entered his room, she saw Klaus seated on his bedside, obviously staying with him until the very end.497Please respect copyright.PENANAhMTDZ0nvtj
She walked up to them and stood behind Klaus with a hand on his shoulder.. She didn’t think he’d attack her or anything, so she wasn’t afraid.497Please respect copyright.PENANA6bqaxjUn7f
“Katerina,” Klaus greeted, not looking at her. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.” He knew how much she and Elijah loved each other.497Please respect copyright.PENANAPCsoxArY8k
“I know. It’s not your fault. Caroline’s downstairs with a couple human friends we made. I should be the one to do it when the time comes.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAgn2jSJzzEo
“Thank you, luv.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAImfXrT7uXE
She took her hand away and he vanished from sight. She then sat on his bedside, her hand on his right one and her other one gently on the left side of his face.497Please respect copyright.PENANA99Td6gY9LN
“Katerina,” he greeted. “You’re here.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAzK8y0rrHSh
She smiled. “Of course I’m here. I love you, no matter what. You know what has to be done though.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAnSJQOOgrWv
“I love you too, Katerina. I know. Don’t think that this is your fault. Think of it like this. You’ll be taking my pain away. Do me a favor, though. Look after what’s left of my family; Especially, Hope. She just lost her mother. I wish for you to take over as her mother.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAginkeWxuVC
“I will. I promise you,” she replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANAIhpHBYuZrn
He closed his eyes, ready for the inevitable.497Please respect copyright.PENANAjiMLguTXHy
They shared one last kiss, before she took the White Oak stake from on top of the end table, and staked him, killing him.497Please respect copyright.PENANAX0siEt06sq
Afterward, she slid to the floor, her back against the bed, her arms around her legs and head down, and cried. She didn’t want anyone to see her cry and never had. She’d never liked to show any weakness in front of anyone.497Please respect copyright.PENANArSHNajx7Nr
As Klaus mingled downstairs, getting to know Andrea and Merle, he and Caroline heard her crying her heart out. Care had never witnessed any weakness from Katherine, nor had she ever took her for the type of girl to break down after a loss. That was more of her style. She always hated someone to be hurting one way or another though, no matter who it was. She always felt like no one, no matter who it was, should have to deal with anything alone.497Please respect copyright.PENANApkNgJw4Ipr
“I should make sure she’s okay. Take her,” Caroline told Klaus, always being a good samaritan.497Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5gfn0fqCm
He took Hope. “Of course, luv,” Klaus replied.497Please respect copyright.PENANAIcLV0zOFrv
Care blurred upstairs and walked into Elijah’s former room, closing the door behind herself. She then sat on the floor next to the grieving human, an arm around her in comfort.497Please respect copyright.PENANAC6jUrhJ0jp
“I’m sorry, Katherine,” was all she could say.497Please respect copyright.PENANAIgR4BunIpD
Katherine let her try and comfort her, though nobody had ever done that before. She was glad that unlike others, she wasn’t trying to tell her that everyone would be okay, because in this world, nothing was okay. She was also glad for the comfort and wasn’t surprised, knowing how much Care hated people being in pain.497Please respect copyright.PENANAOed20YAwAP
After what felt like a while, she finally was able to get control over herself and stop crying, which she did. She then lifted her head and wiped her eyes.497Please respect copyright.PENANAQLNAEEHoCP
“How about you go to bed. It’s been a while since either of us have slept,” Caroline suggested.497Please respect copyright.PENANAippOrBSwDD
“Good idea. Elijah would want us to stay rested and wanted me to take care of his family, so that’s what I’ll do. He wouldn’t want anyone to give up, either.”497Please respect copyright.PENANAH7cUtmaf3H
A few minutes later, Elijah’s body was taken care of and Kat was asleep in Elijah’s bed. The others were asleep too, Merle and Andrea in separate guest rooms and Hope in her room, while Klaus and Caroline were asleep in Klaus’ bed after making love. They were finally together.497Please respect copyright.PENANArnqd2fAHTn
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A month later, after everything that had happened, Merle and Andrea hooked up and Kat slowly healed from the loss of Elijah. Hope was a part of that healing and for once in their lives, she and Klaus had bonded and became friends.497Please respect copyright.PENANAjK9XlgFnid
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Years later, when all the walkers died out from hunger and being killed by survivors, things began to get back to how they were before the walkers. So those who were survivors, lived as happily as they could. Kat even reunited with her vampiress daughter, Nadia, and Damon was one of those survivors as well as Andrea, Merle, Kat, Hope, Caroline, Klaus, Davina, Kol, and Rebekah.