The first time he sees her, she remains blissfully, safely, unaware of his presence.

In truth, at first, he doesn't know why her wellbeing matters, why he cares so much about a single human girl – one thing his siblings remind him of constantly is that mortals are their inferiors; food, Rebekah says.

That's all they're good for.

But laying eyes on this girl – and of course, he needs to know her, hear her voice, know her name; hell, he'll take whatever he can get – is like a burst of light, a sudden explosion too bright to ignore, after the concept of eternal imprisonment (and he doesn't miss the irony of that statement; because, obviously, he'll live forever, without or without her.)

Finn knows he can't tell his family.

Finn knows that with Mikael still after them all, he can't be distracted.

Finn knows, and yet, he doesn't care.

They wouldn't understand.

-}

The first time he meets her, Finn is shocked into silence by her phenomenal beauty.

He can imagine the sneers his siblings would wear if they could see him now; so quick to judge are they. So Finn pulls himself together. She's just a woman.

No, she's so much more than that.

When she smiles at him, a smile in return feels like the most natural thing he's ever done.

"Good evening, my lady," he says, bowing.

She curtsies, as is custom, and he discovers that her name is Sage.

The same herb his mother spells – or, rather, 'spelled' given that she's dead – to ensure privacy in their home.

And it feels oddly fitting that that would be her name; she is to remain secret from his siblings.

For her own protection, of course.

Sage is full of energy, positively radiating; in some ways, it exhausts Finn (there are days he wonders how he keeps up.) She's confident and strong and so full of life – it's refreshing.

Upon their first conversation, he knows this mortal girl has captured his heart.

-}

The first time he confesses his true nature, she accepts with open arms.

"I shan't love you any less," she promises.

Sage allows him to feed on her – she's mainly curious about whether or not it would hurt. Finn resists; if he starts, there's no one around to force him to stop. But she trusts him. She slices her wrist a blade, teeth grit against the pain – because, dammit, it hurts like a bitch – and offers it to him.

He latches onto her arm, groaning at the feel of her delicious blood slipping down his throat. She watches him in fascination as he looks at her, tracing the veins beneath his eyes. Finn expects to see her cringe in disgust – he wouldn't blame her. Instead, she smiles; that's when he understands what it really means to be loved.

For informational purposes, it doesn't hurt. Not a single bit. He was gentle.

-}

The first time she meets his family, he thanks the Gods ("No, Finn," says the voice of Niklaus in the back of his mind, "we are the Gods) that his siblings don't kill her on sight.

Elijah, of course, doesn't approve – there is no place for a human girl in their midst, not when their father is so adamant on hunting them all down and killing them a second time. Still, he finds it in himself to congratulate Finn on controlling his bloodlust.

If there's one thing they can agree on, it's that Sage has the sweetest scent they've come across in what feels like a very long time.

Finn keeps her at his side at all times after that. He already knows.

Niklaus offers to kill Sage, feels as though he would be doing his big brother a favor, but when Finn shoots that idea down by embracing a more demonic appearance, all he does is laugh. If Niklaus wanted her dead, she would be.

And, given that she's still very much alive, Finn stays happy.

Rebekah is jealous and judgmental – it's expected; she was always a petulant young girl, even when they were human. Always and forever, she is to remain the most important female in her brother's lives, not to be outdone by some commoner. Unlike her half-brother, Rebekah doesn't talk about killing Sage. She simply acts and manages to sink her fangs into Sage's neck before Finn tosses her across the room, snarling.

She's his sister, his only sister, and he would die before causing her harm.

But he'll be damned if he let her hurt the one good thing in his life.

Much to their surprise, and Finn's admittedly slight suspicion, Kol greets her warmly – well, as warmly as a vampire with a cold heart is able. "I do believe our brother's in love," he says with a twisted smile, almost mocking. "You would greedily keep her to yourself?"

Finn doesn't smile.

He carries Sage away.

-}

The first time he kills her, it's with a declaration of love.

It's the first and last time Finn sires anyone, curses them to eternal damnation. And in the beginning he's afraid he's done it incorrectly. Naturally, his pride prevents him from seeking advice among his siblings.

So they stay in secret – it's easy to sneak away from his siblings to see his lady friend. They're too arrogant to suspect he would keep something from them. Usually, he wouldn't, but this was too important.

(– Kol would know how to do it – he's created countless vampires over the years to provide entertainment; mortals weren't as durable. Once they outlive their purpose, or he becomes tiresome, he kills them without thought.

"The gift of immortality is not something to be given lightly," Kol grins. "None deserve it more than we."

Niklaus would know, as well – it's his belief that the entire supernatural community (and what a small community it is, though they have the power to change that) should bow before them in terror and admiration.

"We five possess such a power that enables us to change lives," Niklaus announces. "Would we begrudge them this?"

Elijah is much too cautious to sire his own bloodline but he understands the process. He's thought about it over the years. But he decides not to and warns the others against expanding the predatory species. To create a vampire would be to alert Mikael of their whereabouts, or, at the very least, the location of one who may be willing to divulge information of Elijah and his family.

"And none will," Rebekah says, "Mikael would kill them. What do we care?"

Elijah's gaze remains steady. "And they should die for us?" he asks, challenges.

Rebekah says nothing –)

Sage opens her eyes. Finn has never felt such relief. He strokes her face, caresses the side of her neck. She reminds him that she needs to feed in order to complete the transition. He nearly forgets with the knowledge that she'll be by his side from now until forever. Eternity doesn't seem so bad if he gets to keep her.

It's a night of questions and inquiries that go, and remain, unanswered.

-}

The first time she feeds, she kills a man.

And his wife and children.

Finn will live with this shame for the rest of his existence – all the mistakes she makes, all the blood she spills, are on his hands. He made this monster, his beautiful nightmare, so they could be together forever.

Sage is silent – a way to honor those whose lives she stole. And when she looks at Finn, he realizes that she could massacre an entire village alone and it wouldn't change his feelings. From heaven to hell and everything in between, he will always care for her.

"Are you well?" he asks and holds her face between his hands.

She looks fine. "You love me still, after what I've done?"

"Always," he vows.

When she kisses him, he can taste the blood.

-}

Their happiness ends.

"Mikael is close," says Elijah. "We must flee."

Finn has to find Sage, to take her with them. He can't leave without her. The first time in many moons that they've been apart; of course his father decides to attack.

"Forget the girl," Rebekah hisses.

Kol snarls, "Finn, she must stay behind."

They're a flurry of action, packing what they can, taking what they need. Elijah and Kol work on destroying all evidence that they were there. Niklaus and Rebekah compel their brother's playthings to act as momentary distractions – they won't last long; Mikael will obliterate them on sight – which should provide them with enough time to escape.

Finn leaves. He has to find her.

And he does.

Sage is feeding, though she quickly departs from her meal when she notices his panic. They return to where his family is waiting.

Niklaus, with a silver dagger dipped in white oak ash.

Finn barely has time to run with his true love before his brother plunges the dagger into his heart. Sage screams and foolishly rushes to aid him, though Kol stops her from getting herself ripped to pieces.

"Go now," he commands.

Niklaus carries Finn, further and further from their murderous father – they're a family; they have to stick together.

Sage would draw too much attention.

-}{-

a/n: meh. obviously, i don't own tvd. because if i did, finn and sage would have lived and been together forever and made other ships seem tragically insignificant. btw, this took hours to write - mainly because i'm super lazy - and i'm not really sure if i like it very much.