(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Four

Daphne is at peace with things. She really is. She did something good. Freed her friends and family from a life of pain and hurt. Things worked out in the end. Daphne smiles warmly watching them all together. Laughing, joking, smiling. Happy together. She wishes Damon was here but there is no time for that now. She didn't want to upset him by telling him what was going to happen. Maybe it was selfish of her to keep it to herself, so she wouldn't have to deal with the fallout of it. So she wouldn't have to deal with his emotions. Her eyes sadden as she turns away from the kitchen, away from the people she cares about. Tears gather in her eyes as she shuffles forward. She's done. She knows she is. She felt it the moment that spell took hold. She knew what it would do. And the bill comes due now. She collapses. Hitting the floor rather hard. It breaks the light-hearted nature of their gathering. But she held on as long as she could. She's empty. Just void of any energy, void of anything really. Nothing tethering her to living. Elena and Jeremy are at her side almost instantly, checking on her, trying to work out what went wrong, what happened. Daphne's eyes find Bonnie as she looks down at her sadly. The two of them share a look, and Daphne nods a little. Reassuring Bonnie that it's okay, that this way....this way she gets to choose how she goes. And it's rather peaceful actually. She doesn't feel any pain. It doesn't hurt. Not physically anyway. It hurts to see Elena crying. To hear Jeremy begging Bonnie for help. But it will pass. They will get over this too. Daphne lets out one last breath, her eyes closing.

"Caroline!" Jeremy starts, turning to the blonde. "Give her your blood" Caroline shakes her head.

"It's too late" Caroline whispers sadly, her voice breaking with her own emotions. "She's gone" Elena clutches to Daphne as she weeps. Grief and guilt fill her in equal measures. Just another loved one dead at her feet.

"What happened?" Elena pleads, looking around her friends for answers. Bonnie looks down at Daphne, guilt eating her up already. She knows she sort of promised that she wouldn't tell them, but she has to.

"It was the spell" She voices. They all turn to look at her. "It...had a price" Elena frowns at her. "She chose to pay it"

"You knew this was going to happen?" Elena asks her.

"I couldn't change her mind" Bonnie defends. Elena's frown turns into a glare. "Elena, you know Daph, there was no talking her out of doing this once she'd made up her mind" Elena looks down at her sister, her lip quivering as tears flow down her cheek. It doesn't make her feel any better about this. How could it?

.......

On the road, Stefan drives whilst Damon sits in the passenger seat. In the back, a casket holds Klaus' desiccated body. It's a light-hearted trip despite the purpose of it. It is a victory trip. One Original down. They finally managed it after months and months of dealing with him and his family. It is a start. It is a promise that they can do it. Damon pats the casket in the back.

"Yeah...." Damon whispers, letting out a long breath.

"What?" Stefan asks his brother.

"How many desiccated hybrids does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" Damon asks with a smile.

"You're in a good mood." Stefan points out. Damon hums and nods.

"Yeah, I'm in a good mood. Klaus is dead, my brother's halfway sane, again, and I got myself a smoking hot girlfriend" Stefan smirks a little and shakes his head. "Give or take an immortal hunter who wants to kill us, we won, Stefan. Come on say it. Say it"

"We won" Stefan repeats, but rather flatly.

"Once more with feeling"

"We. Won" Stefan repeats with more feeling. Letting it sink in.

"Thank you," Damon tells him. Stefan glances at his brother and then back at the road.

"Nah, you know what, thank you. Turns out we make a pretty good team, huh?"

"It only took a century and a half" Damon teases. Stefan snorts and nods in agreement. But it's more than that. Damon is happy and he has someone that makes him happy. That works for him. It means he is happier in his life. And everyone around him is less inclined to become victims of a shitty attitude and mood. Because things weren't this easy before Daphne showed up. Damon rests his head back and smiles. "We're leaving after this" Damon admits, Stefan glances at him again. "Not forever, but...." Damon shrugs. "Just me and her...."

"Now that Klaus is dealt with, that's a good idea" Stefan offers. "Anywhere nice?"

"Don't know" Damon answers. "Wherever she wants...she left school and was thrown into our drama, she could use a holiday" He turns his head to look at Stefan. "Somewhere hot...with a beach...I bet she looks great in a bikini" Stefan smirks and shares an amused look with Damon.

......

Meredith Fell is the only person they could think of to call. They literally have no one else to contact. Because they can't leave Daphne on the floor. They just can't. They have to do something. They have to start making plans. Bonnie knows that Daphne and Damon had plans, but until Damon comes back they can't put those plans in motion. And none of them wants to call Damon to tell him what's happened, not until Klaus' body has been dealt with. Daphne wouldn't want it to go to waste. Klaus has to be dealt with before anything else.

"Thank you" Jeremy whispers to Meredith who nods.

"I'll take care of her" Meredith assures him, touching his arm. She turns to look at Elena who sits beside Daphne. "I promise..." Elena doesn't look up from Daphne to acknowledge the doctor. Meredith watches her sadly. So soon after losing Alaric, this has to be a heavy blow to the siblings. Tyler moves to pick Daphne up but Elena drapes herself over her sister to stop him.

"Elena" Jeremy begs. He doesn't want this to be harder than it already is. Elena being defiant and in denial about events is just going to make it worse for all of them.

"You can't take her" Elena snaps. Caroline pulls Elena away so Tyler can pick up Daphne. Elena cries, breaking down, she wants to yell and scream and kick but all the fight just leaves her as it hits her. That Daphne is actually gone. They barely had any time together. Daphne spent so long away at school and she's only been back for five months. She's only had her sister back for five months and she's lost her.