A/N: As I was (re)watching the series finale, the idea popped in my head of writing a story about what the various characters were thinking. I wanted to start with Alaric, as I felt that the episode didn't really do him justice. He and Elena were close, and he and Damon were best friends, but I feel like the writers didn't do his relationships with those characters justice, so here's my take on what he was thinking during the episode.

My heart broke as I left Mystic Falls. This town had become my home and there were so many memories here. It was where Jo died, where my daughters were born, and where I had made so many friends. I hated to leave, especially knowing that Caroline, Damon, Stefan, Matt, and Elena were still there. But I had to think of my girls first. They needed me.

Five years ago, my response would have been different. I would have been there alongside them, fighting for this town and trying to help rescue Elena. But the death of Jo and the birth of my girls had changed me. I couldn't go blindly risking my life anymore, not now that I have two beautiful daughters who depend on me. They've already lost their real mother; they can't lose me, too.

It's not that I don't care. I know to some it must seem that way. I do care. Elena is technically my stepdaughter. I took her and Jeremy in after their Aunt Jenna died, and they would both always hold a special place in my heart. I wish more than anything that there were something I could do to help save her, but there isn't. Damon, Stefan, and Caroline are already doing everything they can. I want to fall apart, to cry for everyone that I've lost and everyone that I now risk losing, but I can't. I have to hold it together for the girls.

My heart broke even more when I demanded that Caroline leave. I know how hard that was for her. Elena is her best friend, and Stefan is her husband. Asking her to leave them, knowing that she would likely never see them again, was difficult. I wanted her to be able to stay, but the girls need her. She's the only mom that they've ever known. They can't lose her; I can't lose her.

I heard it in Bonnie's voice when she asked if I was okay. She knew how hard the decision had been for me, and I know she understood, but I still felt the need to justify myself to her. "It's not that I don't care, you know," I said. "I care about Elena. And I care about Damon. I don't want to fail them, but I can't fail my daughters. And they need their mother."

When Bonnie came up with a plan to destroy Katherine and hell once and for all, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe everyone would be okay. This was Mystic Falls, after all. We had all survived things in the past that should have killed us. Maybe this would be the same way. Deep down, though, I knew that at least someone that we cared about wouldn't make it out of this alive, even if the plan worked. Someone had to make sure that Katherine was in hell when it was destroyed.

I heard it in Stefan's voice when we explained the plan to Bonnie. He saw this as his chance at redemption. He was going to play the hero once again. I knew that Damon would try and talk him out of it, of course. But I also knew that Stefan would never let his brother die for him. My heart broke as I realized that this would be the last time I talked to him.

I waited as long as I could to tell Caroline the plan. She and Stefan had just gotten married a few hours before. How was I supposed to tell her that her husband was about to sacrifice himself to save everyone? I knew how much it would hurt her. She had lost so much, but she'd finally found happiness with Stefan. I didn't want to be the one to ruin that happiness for her.

When I told her the plan and she asked me to stop the car, I saw it in her face. She knew that she would never see Stefan again. I listened as she begged Stefan to call her and told him that she understood. My heart hurt as I listened to her tell Stefan that she would love him forever, knowing that forever for a vampire was a very long time. I wanted to comfort her, to tell her that everything would be okay. I remembered how I felt when I lost Jo and just how little words meant to me, so when Caroline got back in the car, I placed my hand on her leg and squeezed it gently. She looked at me and nodded, understanding what I was trying to say.

After what seemed like forever, my phone finally rang. I didn't want to answer it; I didn't even want to look at the caller id. I was scared of who was calling and what the news would be, because no matter what, it would be bad news. The only good thing about the phone call is that it meant Bonnie's plan must have worked, and that someone had survived. I couldn't not answer it, though; I had to know what had happened.

"We did it, Ric. Katherine's dead," Damon's voice told me on the other end of the phone. He sounded different, though. I had never heard such brokenness in his voice before, not even when Kai had put Elena into a coma and linked her life to Bonnie's. That brokenness told me everything, though. Stefan had somehow been successful in convincing his brother to let him be the one to kill Katherine. Stefan was dead.

I looked over at Caroline, knowing that she could hear what was being said. She had buried her face in her hands, sobbing. She knew from the sound of Damon's voice that Stefan was dead. I placed my hand on her back to let her know I was there and then asked, "And Bonnie?"

"She's fine," Damon replied. "She passed out because of how much strength the spell took, but she's fine."

"Is it safe to come home?" I asked Damon, knowing that Caroline needed to be in familiar surroundings right now, knowing that she needed to feel close to Stefan.

"Yes," Damon replied, his voice breaking. "Come on home, Ric. And tell Caroline…" he stopped, trying to regain control over his emotions. "Tell Caroline that I'm sorry, and that I'll be waiting for her. Bonnie and I both will."

The drive back to Mystic Falls was quiet, broken only by the occasional sob breaking free from Caroline despite her efforts to hold them back so as not to worry the girls. When we finally arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House, Matt, Damon, and Bonnie were waiting for us. All three of them looked exhausted and battered, a testament to what they had just gone through.

As soon as the car stopped, Caroline jumped out and flew into Bonnie's arms. Bonnie held Caroline as she wept, Bonnie crying along with her. Despite everything that Stefan had taken from her, I could tell that his death still affected Bonnie. I looked at Damon as he watched his sister-in-law and his best friend mourn his brother. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and instantly knew. He was human. I knew that it had to be Stefan's doing, as Damon would never willingly take the cure from his brother.

After checking to make sure that Lizzie and Josie were still sleeping soundly, I made my way over to where Damon was standing with Matt. "Ric," Damon managed to get out before I pulled him into a hug. For the first time ever, I heard Damon cry. After a few moments, I felt a gentle touch on my arm. It was Caroline. She nodded at me and I stepped back. She and Damon shared a look before he pulled her to him, allowing her to cry with him.

Bonnie came over to me as we watched the brother and sister-in-law mourn Stefan. "I think I can wake Elena up," she shared with me. I know that my face must have shown my surprise, as she hurriedly added, "I don't want to tell Damon or Caroline yet, in case it doesn't work." I nodded. That was good. Neither of them needed any false hope right now, especially Damon. After spending 150 years as a vampire, adjusting to being human would be hard enough on him, especially with Stefan's death.

A couple of days passed and it was time to prepare for Stefan's funeral. Bonnie had been working nonstop on the spell to wake Elena up and she had assured me that she was finally ready. She asked me to let her know when Damon and Caroline left so that she could start the spell. Once Damon and Caroline had left for the cemetery to have a private moment before the funeral, I let Bonnie know and then left to get ready for the funeral and check on the girls, as Bonnie had requested to be left alone while she did the spell.

I don't think the girls completely understand that they would never see their Uncle Stefan again. I had explained it to them, as had Caroline, but I'm not sure they realize that Uncle Stefan is gone for good. There had been a lot of tears shed by all four of us, but I think the girls are still holding out hope that Uncle Stefan will come back again someday. Because of that, Caroline and I felt that it would be best for the girls to stay at home during the funeral. Matt's dad had offered to look after them so that both Caroline and I could be there.

When I arrived at the Salvatore crypt, Damon greeted me. "She's awake, Ric," he informed me. Although his eyes were still filled with sorrow and brokenness, I saw something there that I hadn't seen since before Stefan's death: hope and a glimmer of happiness.