Cousin, Dearest.

Preface/Prologue Type Shit

5 Years Later

Have you looked into that spell I sent you?

Clara read the text message, feeling a lump form in her throat. It's not that she hadn't because she had looked into it. But, she gave herself too much hope and was disappointed when she learned that the spell was a dead end. To make things worse, she was currently sitting by the pool of a fancy hotel; Lucien's idea. Her eyes moved over to him, he wasn't even dressed in pool attire. He wore a dark suit and a wicked smile. He'd told her he needed to get a few things together to explain his absence in the last few months. Clara understood but made him promise he wasn't up to his old ways.

She tore her eyes away from him and looked back at Hayley's text. What could she even say? With a sigh she pressed in her reply: I'm sorry, Hales. But that spell is nothing but a dead end. I've been looking through grimoire after grimoire and I feel like I'm close... just don't get your hopes up like I did.

Hopefully Hayley didn't blame her too much for finding nothing but dead ends. Spells that amounted to nothing, witches that feared Marcel too much to talk to her. Apparently, the big bad upgrade had ties in places other than New Orleans. Or the witches were smart and kept as far out of vampire business as they could.

"I thought I told you to have fun."

Lucien's breath against her ear made her jump slightly, but she couldn't put on an angry face. "I'm not here to have fun, Lucien. I'm here to satisfy whatever you need to do."

His smile faltered as he took on a more serious look, "You'll get them back, love. You managed to bring me back from the dead, and the Mikaelsons aren't even there yet."

"Just tell me you weren't doing anything the old Lucien would."

"I wasn't."

"You're wearing a suit at the bloody pool!" She was above using such terms like 'bloody' but in her frustration it slipped out.

"Darling," Lucien took her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes, "It was just regular business. Instead of compelling myself money I compel myself business. It's much more fun." She wondered what he meant by fun.

Clara nodded, but kept her eyes hard. "Don't get yourself in too much trouble. We've got to go to New Orleans soon."

"Why?"

"The 5 year anniversary of my family's downfall. I'm going to ask Marcel if I can see Klaus." She explained, then felt her phone buzz again: Don't blame yourself, Claire. But she did. "I miss him."

"Do you not miss your siblings? Remember them? Tristan and Aurora." Lucien snapped.

The sudden fit of rage angered Clara, so she touched his face with her hand and siphoned the magic in him. She set her eyes hard on him and spoke lowly. "Do not ever bring them up. Do you understand me?" Between his groans of pain he nodded. "I love them. But they chose their own fate and I will not let them ruin me for it. Now, get up. I hope you've finished your business with the large fellow because we are leaving."

"Very well. I could use a change of venue."

Clara picked up her back and stormed away, she really need to speak with Niklaus. She could explain that she did get Lucien back but he still annoyed her to no end. Though, she loved him with all of her heart. He was the one and the only. Therefore it wouldn't be easy to just 'breakup' of that ever happen.

"And don't even think about breakup with me, love. You're stuck with me for life." Lucien added with a wink.

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"Clara de Martel." Stefan said with a smirk.

"Stefan!" Clara felt joy bloom in her heart when she saw her old friend. "You're here? Goodness, you look great. Why are you in Maine?"

Stefan's features changed. He frowned, his eyes took on a disparity that broke her heart. "I'm sorry. I saved my brother from dying."

"What? Damon? What are you talking about" she asked.

"Let's just say Mystic Falls was about to go down in hell fire." He began, "And we killed the devil... but Katherine Pierce was going to take over and I couldn't deal with Katherine AND a dead Damon. So Damon couldn't die."

Clara's stomach dropped, and her throat tightened up before she could speak. His expression explained everything but she still tried to talk. "What's going on?"

"I died, Clara."

She let out a short laugh. "I see you-"

"I'm sorry. I know you're you wanted to visit me soon but I had to save my brother."

At this point she was crying. Crying for he friend she lost, remembering the family she lost. "Why? Damon was an infamous dick. Why did you have to pay the price?"

"The person he was now was the person that needed to know Elena. Elena loved him and he needs to know her as he was. I did this for him. My family." He touched my shoulder, which caused more tears, "Surely you understand that."

"Ha! My siblings were pure evil unlike Damon."

"Everyone can change."

Clara glanced at Lucien; For two years he's proved how much people can change. Maybe he can. But her heart ached for Stefan. They talked a bit more and she'd learned that Caroline had started a school for hunters and special children in training. Even being vampire she'd still write them a check. Under both her name and Niklaus' name. She knew he loved her.

Lucien came up behind her, his arms held her gently. He kept silent and let her say her final goodbyes.

Stefan died because Klaus' ex took over hell.

"I hope you find peace, friend."

The ghost of the vampire smiled. "I have." Then he disappeared, leaving Clara burying herself in Lucien's chest.

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I wanted to make something before the series started sorry