Nothing Dark Can Stay, Either

Chapter 68

February 2026

In seven years, Beatrix had never felt so different.

It was a strange thing, to not see the Mikaelsons for so long. Sure, they had FaceTime, and she regularly communicated with Rebekah and Kol, who were having the time of their lives with Marcel and Davina, respectfully. However, Beatrix had not seen Klaus and Elijah's faces or even heard their voices since that fateful day.

She had forced herself not to think of them, because it meant missing them.

When they had taken Hope to the Salvatore School, she had fit in right away. Beatrix had been put at ease, seeing how much she liked it there. Alaric had even offered her a job to teach there, since she knew quite a bit about magic. Beatrix declined. She couldn't picture herself as a teacher.

Instead, she had become a doctor in the Mystic Falls and Whitmore hospitals. She moved between them, treating special pregnancy cases that required her expertise. She and Hayley had lived in an apartment for the first two years that Hope had been at the Salvatore School, and it had gone well.

Beatrix had forgiven Bonnie Bennett at long last, for trapping her in the 1903 prison world. She had learned to respect Damon despite how often he made jokes. He was more tolerable now, though he carried a consistent air of sadness. Stefan had sacrificed himself, years ago, to save him. Damon was now human, and Beatrix had taken the time to help his girlfriend Elena study for her MCAT and get into medical school.

But in her second year at the Salvatore School, Hope had done a complicated spell. She astral projected herself in order to see Klaus, who contacted her (and sometimes Hayley) often. Hope had seen a brutal scene in Russia that had terrified her. Klaus, bloodthirsty and violent. He had not spoken to her since then, despite extensive pleas from Hayley and Beatrix to speak with his daughter. For the first time in two years, Beatrix heard his voice, only to have him tell her that he would not speak to Hope.

The two women had returned to New Orleans at the start of Hope's third year. They fixed up The Abattoir and moved back in. They rekindled with Vincent, Josh, and Freya, who was very happy with Keelin. Beatrix began to work as a doctor in two of the nearby hospitals.

And she was happy. She felt a freedom that she had never imagined. She did not date anyone. Flirt with anyone. Even look at anyone attractive for longer than a second. She had never thought of how good it felt to be independent. She loved it. She could focus entirely on being there for Hope, when she visited, and just relaxing after all that'd happened to them in the past.

Hayley had been the first to cave into their shared impulses. She had gone on a vacation alone. She returned looking beyond happy.

Beatrix learned that she had gone to see Elijah. Though he had not recognized him, his charm remained intact. He knew his name, but he didn't know his past. It didn't seem to bother him. He had a girlfriend, but Hayley hadn't learned her name. All she had wanted was to see him again.

Beatrix had thought long ago that perhaps, she could leave behind her magic and go to see Klaus. For closure. Yet, she had decided against it. She had gone to a therapist instead. Spoken to the human girl about her problems, compelling her to ignore any supernatural facts that might confuse her. She had healed in the correct way. She knew that she didn't need anyone to be happy. She had never been healthier. She only did small spells to revive dead plants and clean. The darkness hadn't returned to consume her.

But with Elijah, it was another matter altogether.

She couldn't imagine how he had thought that compelling away every memory had been a solution. Had it even brought him the relief he had wanted? He wouldn't have known either way. He couldn't recall who he'd been in his past life.