Tearful Goodbyes

Alaric moaned as he ate a hamburger. "Mm. Oh, my god."

Elena laughed. "Mm..." Jeremy moaned as well.

"You've been deprived of greasy goods for too long, my friend," I commented.

"You have no idea how much I've missed this." He gripped the bottle of bourbon. "And this." Elena snatched the bottle from him. "No, hey. Hey!"

Elena took a swig of the bourbon. "She just got her humanity back. Let her live a little," Jeremy said.

He reached for the bottle, but Elena - going all authority figure - held it away from him. "Hey, you wish."

"I'm dead – what are they gonna do, throw me in juvie?" Jeremy asked.

"Well, at least you'd have a place to live." Ric grinned.

Elena and I grabbed some of the food and threw it at them. "You both suck!" Elena said, smiling.

"Hey! Now there it is – that smile. I wasn't sure we were gonna see that again," the alcoholic history teacher commented.

Elena's smiled turned sad, and her eyes glistened with tears. "I did some pretty terrible things." She took a shaky breath.

"Hey, no. No tears. If Caroline was right, we only have until tonight. We need a no-crying rule," Jeremy said.

"But the crying's good. It means that I'm finally feeling something, and right now I..." She held both of their hands in hers. "I feel happy."

I smiled sadly at them. If only this could last and we'd be one questionable family - a typical atypical family - again. Why did Esther have to choose Alaric? Why did Jeremy have to be a hunter? We lost too much already and then the last two family members we had left were taken from us.

Elena unclasped their hands. Alaric looked to me. "We have some serious talking to do, young lady. What were you th-" I gave him a 'shut the hell up' look, since Elena didn't know. "Thinking not ordering chicken wings?"

I sighed in relief and smiled gratefully at him. Elena looked suspicious. "Something's going on here. You've been acting weird and now they are two. Tell me."

Saved by the phone. Elena groaned and took it out. "It's the Grill – it must be Matt." She pressed the 'answer' button. "Hey, you went AWOL this morning. What happened?"

A couple seconds later, Elena's eyes widened and she gaped.

"I don't know where they are, so I guess I can't help you..." Alaric signaled that he'd do something and Elena nodded. "Please, don't hurt anyone. I'll find Silas and I'll get the cure."

"You know," Jeremy started, outside of my room as I got changed into my cap and gown, "I've think I've sprained my vocal chords from yelling at you so many times on the Other Side?"

I laughed and placed the cap of my head. "Is that even possible?"

Jeremy chuckled. "You've screwed up a lot."

Sighing, I opened the door to him. "I know. I've screwed up in so many ways, but you have too so no judging," I warned, grinning. I did a twirl in my graduation outfit. "What do you think?"

"You'll look like everyone else there," Jeremy said. "But at least you're alive for today."

"And proud of it." The corner of my mouth twitched upwards as I studied his face. "What do you think of all this? Of me being... you know-"

"Pregnant with the guy who's tried to kill us repeatedly's child?" I groaned and nodded. "Surprisingly okay, actually. I think it has something to do with you naming it after me."

I gaped. "You heard that?"

He nodded. "I've heard a lot of things. I've seen them too... and I'm warning you, Lucy, if you try to kill yourself again, I'll come back from the dead and murder you myself."

"That defeats the purpose."

Jeremy shrugged. "And if you sleep with another Original-"

"Wait, Jer, did you see that?" I asked, frightened and shocked at the prospect of my brother seeing... uh... Ew!

He shook his head fiercely. "No. Ew... God no. Ew!"

"My thoughts exactly," I said. "We don't talk about this ever again."

"Agreed."

I laughed. "Come on, let's go find Elena."

We found Elena in Damon's bedroom with said Salvatore.

"Elena-" Damon enclosed the cure in her hand. "-take the damn thing. I want you to take it."

Elena hesitated, but gave it back to Damon. "I can't."

Damon looked almost saddened. "Well, I guess that answers the sire bond question." Jeremy moved and the floorboard creaked. "You two gonna help a brother out, or are you just gonna lurk?"

Our sister turned around to see us.

I shrugged. "It's her choice."

"Did you mean what you said? In the cellar? About me being a vampire?"

I shook my head. "No. I was upset."

She tilted her head to the side. "One hell of a mood-swing."

"Well she is preg-" Jeremy caught himself, but finished his sentence while still in shock. "-nant." I elbowed him in the gut and he grunted in pain. "Sorry."

"That's why you've been acting so weird." Elena's face broke into a smile. "You're pregnant. Who's the dad?"

"We don't have time for this now," I said. "We have a graduation to go to and a cure to talk about."

"But-"

Jeremy was my saviour. "Look, Elena. You're my sister and I love you, no matter what you choose."

"How is it even when you're dead, you're the bane of my existence?" Damon snapped. He raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm wondering... you got the innocent, pure Lucy to loosen up and let her hair down?"

"Not now, Damon," I growled.

He shot me a sardonic grin, but quickly switched his attention to Elena. "We don't need the cure for Silas – he's a calcified statue."

Damon groaned. "What was that?" Elena pressed.

"Nothing," he insisted.

"Take off your shirt."

"Elena, there are children present," Damon scolded.

"Fine." She pulled down the collar of his shirt almost viciously to expose the wound on his should. He cringed in pain. "Damon, why hasn't this healed?"

"Because the bullet was laced with werewolf venom, okay? The hunters are dicks."

Elena began to pace. "We need Klaus. We need his blood. Lucy, you have to get Klaus-"

"Klaus would rather see me die. Plus, Klaus is a thousand miles away sipping Hurricanes on Bourbon Street," Damon interrupted.

"That wound will kill you!"

"What about the cure?" Jeremy suggested. I could see he was delighted at the idea of a human Damon.

"Jeremy's right. If you're human, the werewolf venom won't hurt you," Elena said.

"And here I was, so moved by your speech to save mankind," Damon mocked. "Sounds like Vaughn's awake."

He walked past us and out the door. "Damon, wait," Elena said, before she left, she turned to me. "Call Klaus. Please. For me."

I nodded and she smiled, following Damon.

"Klaus freakin' Mikaelson, I swear to God, if you don't get here right now and save Damon's ass I will kill you. Metaphorically speaking, considering if you die everyone I love dies..." I sighed heavily. "Just get the hell over here... please."

I put my phone in my pocket. "My brother will come. He never could resist the pretty Lucinda Gilbert."

I spun around on my heel. Kol, Klaus' brother, was smirking at me. "My brother hasn't mourned me very much. He certainly hasn't avenged my death and for what? A one night stand with a witch he's been chasing? It's pathetic, really. I've heard about your condition. Consider this me getting my revenge... hitting two birds with the one stone."

Looking around me, I saw that no one was here in the hallway. At least no one would have to face the wrath of the crazy Kol Mikaelson.

As he approached me, I backed away, suddenly feeling very powerless. "You'd kill your own niece or nephew? That's cruel. Even for you."

He scoffed. "That child means nothing to me." His hand gripped my neck and I gasped for breath. "I wonder how Klaus will feel when he discovers I've killed his precious little Lucy and his hybrid baby... how Elena and Jeremy Gilbert will feel when they find out their sister and her unborn child are dead. And I'll have front row seats. Isn't it exciting?"

I coughed weakly. "You're a monster," I wheezed.

His expression darkened. "You watched me die and caused the death of my entire bloodline - hundreds of thousands of vampires slaughtered because of your family's selfish desires. You're just as much of a monster as I am." A smirk crossed his features that were so similar to Elijah's. "And those twelve witches you killed to save Bonnie. Tut, tut. I'm ashamed. I thought you were the good one." His grip tightened. "I guess I was wrong."

There was only one thing I could do. It was worth a try.

I clenched my fist and he cried out in pain. I had never harmed an Original like this before. Usually, they would grunt for about a moment before recovering and attacking me. It felt spectacular. There was all this power rushing through me, but it felt like... it felt like it wasn't mine.

"Witch! Stop this!" Kol yelled.

I stepped away from him, leaving him in the High School hallway. A mistake I would later regret. I should have done something to stop him.

Bonnie was staring at the stage. She looked sentimental. "What's up?" I asked her, worried.

She shook her head and smiled. "Nothing. I'm... I'm fine."

Bonnie always did prefer handling things on her own. She didn't like other people helping her. That was something we had in common, her more than me, though.

Caroline approached us. "Where is everyone?"

Matt arrived all of a sudden. "I'm here."

"Where have you been?" Caroline questioned.

"Oh, you know, making plans for the summer, dodging death by vampire hunter," Matt answered.

I smiled. "So... the ushe?"

"Where's Elena?" Bonnie asked. "We can't do this without her."

As if on cue, Elena walked up to us along with Stefan. "I'm here." She hugged Bonnie. "Thank you for today."

"I can't believe it. We're actually all here. We are all here together!" Caroline exclaimed. Bonnie was crying beside me. "Bonnie Bennett, are you crying?"

"It's our last hurrah before you guys go off to college," she sobbed.

"Before we go off to college," Caroline corrected.

"I... kinda sorta missed the deadline. You know, being an emotionless bitch," Elena said.

"Well, the perks of being a vampire – we can go wherever we wanna go. We can choose our own roommates. We could – we could get a triple room!" Caroline said enthusiastically.

Stefan, Elena and I laughed at Caroline, not unkindly. Bonnie smiled, tears pooled in her eyes.

"I'm happy we're all here," Bonnie said.

There was something... off about Bonnie. She wasn't always this sentimental. That was Caroline or Elena.

"Aw!" Caroline exclaimed. "Group hug!"

"Ah, I don't – I don't hug..." Stefan stated.

I rolled my eyes. "Get in here, big guy."

The six of us wrapped our arms around each other. This was our last day in high school. This was my last few days here... in Mystic Falls. There was no doubt in my mind that I would return, after the whole baby business was over.

Bonnie's dad, Mayor Hopkins walked onto the stage. "Welcome parents, family, and friends. What a beautiful day for a graduation. Thank you for joining us today on this special day, as we celebrate our graduates. So let's get started. John Albrecht. David Bance. Sarah Beasley. Um, not to play favorites, but I am especially proud of this next graduate, my lovely daughter: Bonnie Bennett!"

Bonnie went up to the stage and hugged her dad.

"Savannah Davis. Matt Donovan. William Duncan. Caroline Forbes. Congratulations."

They all collected their diplomas and sat down.

"Matt Freeman. Elena Gilbert. Lucinda Gilbert. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Elena said, receiving her diploma before me.

The Mayor shook my hand and smiled, handing me the diploma. "Well done."

"Thank you." I smiled at him.

I walked away from the seated audience and the students receiving their diplomas and dialed Klaus' number again. The Mayor continued to call out the names.

"Klaus, this is like the one hundredth voice-mail I've left, but I'm begging - yes, begging - you to save Damon's life. Call me as soon as you can."

"Okay, just hang on a little longer. Lucy's calling Klaus again," Stefan said, on the phone to Alaric.

I hung up and shook my head sadly. Suddenly, there a sharp noise, Stefan, Caroline, Elena and I clutched our heads.

"Remember us, Lucy?"

She thrusted her arm out towards me. The pain was becoming unbearable, until it stopped all of a sudden. I looked up to see a headless Aja, her body falling to the floor. All of the other witches gaped in shock and fear.

"There are plenty more of these to go around. Who's next? I can do this all day."

I smiled when I realised who's voice that was.

"How d'you get here so fast?" I questioned Klaus, frowning. "You didn't answer any of my calls."

"I was already on my way. I might have took a trip after dropping you off. There was no way I was missing your special day." I raised an eyebrow. He took out a piece of paper from the inside pocket of his coat. "I received your graduation announcement. It was... very subtle." I shut my eyes tightly, smiling. "I want to apologise for my behaviour."

My head shot up, grinning madly. "You're apologising?" I asked, feigning over-exaggerated shock. "I never thought I'd see the day."

He chuckled. "I apologise when it's due. This..." He glanced to my abdomen. "Took a while to come around to."

I exhaled loudly through my nose. "You're telling me."

"As a graduation gift and a 'please forgive me' present-" I laughed. "I've cured Damon and... you can inform your friends that Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls."

"Seriously?" He nodded. I smiled widely and happily. "Thank you."

He slowly walked towards me and kissed my cheek. "It's the least I could do. Congratulations, Lucy." My smile only widened at his quoting of what I had said to him when he was back in the house. "Let's get out of here, before twelve angry hybrids decide to pick a fight."

"You're really leaving," I said, avoiding Stefan's eyes. "Would you have stayed? For Elena?"

"Yes," he answered honestly. My stomach fell to the floor. "But I would have stayed for you too. My place isn't in New Orleans, watching Klaus have the one thing I want the most. It's having a life of my own, somewhere far from Mystic Falls."

I smiled at him. "You deserve it... and as much as I want you with me - I want you to be happy."

He smiled back at me and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you again."

I nodded. "I'll see you again too."

There was one thing I wanted to ask, but I feared the answer.

Did he love me more than Elena?

I finished packing up my stuff. I didn't have much since most of my clothes had burnt in the fire.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked, entering my room.

"New Orleans," I answered, folding a dress and placing it in the bag.

"With Klaus?" she questioned.

"With Klaus."

She didn't reply for a while. I struggled to shut the suitcase and had to sit on it to close it. It wasn't a very large one, just enough to fit everything I needed. I had enough money to buy whatever else.

"Lucy," Elena started. I turned towards her. "Who... who's the baby's father?"

I took a deep breath, slightly afraid of her reaction. "Klaus."

Her eyes became like tennis balls as her mouth fell. "Klaus. Klaus. You slept with Klaus?"

I let out a shaky laugh. "I love how it's easier to believe that I'm pregnant with a miracle baby than it is that I slept with Klaus."

"He's a horrible person, Lucy," she said. "He's tried to kill all of us. He killed Jenna!"

"You don't think I know that?" I exclaimed, almost shouting. "But it's not like we're saints. We killed two of his brothers! But it doesn't matter, because we're the 'good guys.'"

She sighed sadly. "Look, I don't like Klaus, and I never will, but he's kind to you. He won't hurt you. And you're pregnant... with his child. Which is pretty damn unbelievable." She smiled. "I'm going to become an aunt."

"So this is where the goodbyes are?"

"Jeremy!" I ran into his arms and engulfed him in another bone-breaking hug. "I thought Bonnie put the veil up?"

"She resurrected me before she did."

I let go of him. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she - uh - she went to visit her mom for the holidays."

I nodded. "That's good. She's had a tougher time than any of us." A full-on grin embraced my features. "You're back! You're actually back for good! Don't you dare die on me again!"

This was more difficult now that Jeremy was back. But I still had no choice. I had to go. But it sucked leaving just after he was resurrected.

Jeremy laughed. "New Orleans, huh? Make sure to send me a postcard."

"I'll call you every day." He raised an eyebrow. "Fine, once every other day. Both of you. Don't get in any trouble while I'm gone."

Elena snorted. "That's impossible to do."

"Make it possible," I said.

Elena bit her lip while Jeremy shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. I pursed my lips. I didn't want to leave them. It felt bad to leave them.

"So this is goodbye," Elena stated, tears in her eyes. God! There were too many tears today.

I nodded, tears welled up my eyes too. I didn't want to cry, but between pregnancy hormones and a pretty heartwrenching goodbye, I didn't have a choice.

"I'll miss you guys," I sobbed.

Elena embraced me. Jeremy soon joined in our hug, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling us closer.

I didn't know what New Orleans had for me. All that I knew, was that I was ready for it.

A/N: The sequel has been up for a few days now. It's called 'A Touch of Hope'. I plan to update the next chapter within the next few days. The first chapter is basically chapter twenty of this story.

Thank you so, so much to everyone who has follow, favourite and reviewed this story. It means a lot. This is my longest fanfiction and the only one I've completed - other than one-shots. I think there will be visits back to Mystic Falls in the sequel. She won't be completely out of their lives. Oh - and phone calls, of course!

Love you guys!