Hi guys. This is the last chapter of Crawling Back To You. I feel like I can stop this story here, I hope you enjoy the ending.

Stay tuned for an AN below.

Would like to thank my beta ThroughMySoul44!

One Day Later

Elena poured blood bagsinto wine glasses and set them neatly on a tray. She was dressed in a black, lacy dress and her hair was tied into a bun, which was an elegant look and suitable for a funeral.

Damon walked over to her, dressed in a black suit, a glass of scotch in hand.

"Need some help?" He asked her.

"No, I got it," Elena smiled at him. "Are the guests here?"

"Both werewolves and vampires are gathered around the building. They are ready to say goodbye to Klaus."

Elena nodded her head, but then sighed again. "What about Elijah? How is he?"

"He's broken, Elena. He feels guilty…guilty for not making it right before Klaus died."

Elena continued to pour the blood from the bloodbags. "Any news about the travelers?"

"Nothing," Damon answered honestly. "You saw them on the battlefield. They killed the weak ones, and put the others in jail. Elijah will get to decide who shall live and who shall die, but it's not going to be pretty. No word of Kayla."

Elena sighed. "It didn't have to be like this."

"It's not your fault, Elena," Damon held her hand tightly. "You were the victim."

Elena looked deeply into his eyes. "I just want the funeral to be over. There are way too many dead bodies to bury."

Damon nodded and let her go. "I'll help you put the trays on the buffet table."

The funeral was held in the back garden of the offices, which was actually a beautiful setting. The werewolves gathered on one side and the vampires on the other, but all mourning consenually. Damon and Elena sat down in the front and looked at Elijah, who took slow steps towards the podium and cleared his throat.

"Thank you for attending my brother's funeral," Elijah started, his voice sad. "I wish I could say positive things today, but unfortunately, I cannot." He looked at the audience.

"Klaus and I were close. He used to be my best friend, and I was the one who drove him away when he chose the werewolf gene over the vampire one. But now, after all of these years, I finally realised that my brother never stopped caring for me. He died saving my life, and I'll be forever grateful for that."

He looked at Elena and Damon. "I've made mistakes, and I cannot do anything to erase them. All I can say right now is that I want to prevent more deaths. Therefore, I am ready to stop this war between the vampires and the werewolves, and I'm willing to share lands with you. There's still a long way to go, but we can at least try and negotiate, so that both vampires and werewolves start to live together peacefully again. Sam, I know that Klaus trusted you with his life," He turned his attention to a strong, muscled man who was leading the pack, still in human form. "I'm willing to try if you do. For my brother."

Sam looked quite unsure for a few seconds. "You consider giving us a good part of your land? They will be owned by werewolves, but we can manage to reserve a few areas for vampires," He said carefully.

"We will negotiate," Elijah told him.

Sam nodded his head. "Then I'll try too."

The two leaders shook each others' hands firmly, Kol looking at them with hooded eyes. Then, the bodies were buried in the garden as Elijah continued to talk about his brother as well as the other vampires whose lives were taken.

A moment of silence was exchanged before Elena started to help serve the glasses filled with blood.

"Elena, Damon," Elijah said slowly. "May I talk to you for a few minutes?"

Elena nodded her head and Damon quickly followed behind her.

"I never thanked you, Elena," Elijah started after a while. "Because of you, we got rid of the travelers. We didn't meet in the ideal circumstances, but we can both make the best out of this. Therefore, I am granting you your freedom. You don't owe me anything. If you want to be by my side, you can do so, but it'll be out of your own free will."

Elena glanced at Damon before speaking. "Damon and I will be glad to help," She said honestly. "And we thank you for your kindness. However, there is one last thing I ask of you."

Elijah looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"I want you to free any captive humans. Do that, and we'll gladly stand by you-through the bad times, and the good."

"Very well," Elijah said in an instant. "Done."

It was Elena's turn to be surprised, but she tried to hide it.

"You can move out with your family at any time you want," He told Damon weakly. "There are plenty of houses to choose from, and you can go back to your village if you want."

For a moment, Damon was confused. He couldn't believe that they had survived, that they had all made it. His mind ran back to when he had found Elena and the old village he used to live in, where he had hidden her for the first time. So much had changed.

"Very well," He cleared his throat and shook Elijah's hands. "My condolences."

Elena put some of the trays in the sink. She was all alone.Damon was talking to his mother right across the block and a lot of guests were still hanging out. She sighed in relief as she wanted some quiet and with it, started to wash some of the dishes.

She turned around, hoping to find a tea towel, but nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Kol looking at her with dark eyes.

"Oh my gosh, you scared me," She put a hand on her heart and let out a shaky breath. "What are you doing here? Elijah's in the other block."

"Oh, Elena, I'm not here for Elijah," Kol said with a grin that did not ease Elena's nerves at all.

"I have to wash these up, if you'll excuse me…" Elena said as she turned to the sink once again. However, he was faster.

"Kol, what are you doing?"

"My brother treats you like you're a fucking star," Kol growled, grabbing her face roughly. "But I lost Klaus yesterday, and now, my stupid older brother wants you by his side without even bothering to inform me about any of his choices."

"Kol, please," Elena begged. "Too many people are dead. Don't cause another war."

"Who told you anything about war?" Kol smirked, stroking her hair softly. "You're not supposed to be here, Elena. You're not one of us."

Elena shoved his hand away. "I am now."

"No," Kol insisted, grabbing her face roughly again. "You don't belong here. You should be punished. Elijah should've punished you, both you and Damon!"

At that, he started to tug at her shirt. Panic took over Elena as she bared her fangs at Kol, but he merely laughed and pinned her to the floor, his strength obviously conquering hers. Elena fought back, using her hands and legs to get him off her but he pinned her hands next to her head and held her legs in place with his own.

"Such a fierce little tiger," Kol commented, "I can't wait to have you, slut."

Elena let out a sharp cry when he unbuttoned the first button of her blouse. She continued to push at him with her vampire strength while he took off his shirt and pressed himself against her.

"Kol!" A familiar voice roared, followed by another man speeding towards her. In an instant, Kol was lifted off her and the person, who was no one other than Damon himself, lifted her from her elbow and pulled her tight against his body as she started to sob in his shirt.

Kol started to struggle against Elijah before turning to face him with anger and hate in his eyes. "We lost our brother!" He growled, "I'm the only family you have left and you excluded me from all your decisions! I deserve a say in this!"

"And you were going to get a say," Elijah said calmly. "But you and I both know that Damon and Elena were my responsibility and no one else's. It was now that you have proven yourself as a monster, Kol."

Elena was still sobbing and Damon held onto her for dear life.

"Fine," Kol growled back, his eyes burning. "I'll leave. You won't hear from me again."

"Be careful, brother," Elijah warned him, "You shouldn't act without thinking first."

Kol just shrugged. "She doesn't belong here, you know that."

At that, he disappeared.

Damon put an ice pack on Elena's cheek, but was a bit surprised when she started laughing.

"What?"

"I'm not human anymore, Damon. I'll be okay," She cupped her hands in his. "Thank you, for saving me."

"I will always save you, Elena."

"I know that," She spoke sincerely, looking at Joseph who was in his crib, sleeping peacefully. They could finally live a normal life. The worst was over.

"We can move back into the lakehouse," Damon said, cupping her face tenderly. "Joseph will grow up there, swimming in the lake. I'll be surrounded by the family I've always wanted, and I have my mom and Stefan now."

He kissed her hair lovingly. "Do you miss them? Your family?"

"I do," Elena admitted honestly, "But you know that it was never real. Technically, I had been in a coma for a long time, even after I had supposedly 'recovered'. I never did. Everything that happened from the car-crash onwards was all a lie, and therefore, I've said my goodbyes. The Elena they knew died in that car-crash. Now, I'm alive, and I have you to thank for that."

Damon kissed her lips softly. "I can't let you go, Elena, ever. Even when I do, I still somehow keep crawling back to you."

Elena smiled. Indeed, he always did.

I can't believe that this story is finished. I have to admit, I had many writer's blocks during this story because I've personally matured and whenever I see my 'old' stories I feel a bit weird, but now that it's finished I can't believe that I wrapped up yet another story.

Please read my most recent story, "Separate Souls", and stay tuned because a new story will be up in a few days/weeks, I won't spoil anything, but I've got something else planned for you :))

Thank you for your amazing support, for your reviews, alerts, hits, visits, for keeping in touch with me and for just being plain awesome. I would also like to thank ThroughMySoul44, PorkChopSmall, Cdaye8184 and any other person that somehow helped/beta-d my story at one point or another.

I love you guys!