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Valeria was currently sitting on the hallway floor outside of Hope's room just thinking.
She didn't know how something like that could've happened. She tried to go over it time and time again in her head not believing what happened.
She had just gotten off the phone with Klaus who explained the whole thing. She didn't know why she was so upset at Elijah. Maybe she just needed someone to blame other than Hope.
Valeria knew it wasn't their fault, not even hers which it took Kol a while to convince her it wasn't.
When Hope arrived she was in Valerie's arms asleep. Valeria wanted her to continue sleeping for a while. She needed to prepare to tell her what happened to Hayley since she didn't know yet.
Valeria kept going over how she was going to tell her she didn't have the words to tell someone their mother was dead but she had to.
Damon was currently walking down the hall. Valeria didn't even bother to turn and look; she just waited until he was sitting next to her then he was quickly joined by Stefan who sat in front of them on the floor.
"You guys don't have to be here, you can go home," Valeria told them.
"Absolutely not" Damon replied and pulled out a bottle of bourbon placing it in the space in between them on the floor. "Kol got us a plane ticket too we will be there with you"
"What about the rest?" Valeria asked, looking up to them.
"They're going to stay, the school still needs people here but we're going. What was not enough for you?" Stefan tapped the girl's knee making her chuckle.
"Thank you" she said softly, giving them both a slight smile.
"So shall we drown our sorrows?" Damon put up the bottle of bourbon.
"Damon I can't be drunk Hope could wake up" she countered, eyeing the bottle.
"I know which is why I got something to wash it down" he then pulled out a bag of blood. "And last time I checked it's past twelve and you know I can't pass a celebration"
"Even if you have human tolerance now?" Valeria raised her brows watching as Damon poured the bourbon into the cups and passed it to her and another to Stefan.
"It's still pretty high" Damon winked at her and raised his glass out. "Probably shouldn't mention it since it's really embarrassing"
"Yeah don't" Valeria said and raised her cup too. "To Hayley"
"To Hayley" Stefan raised his glass and clinked it with them then they all brought it up to their lips taking a drink.
There was a long pause, everyone having different thoughts in their head which they chose to keep to themselves until Valeria broke the silence.
"I should've gone..." she broke again, setting down her cup.
Damon sighed, having heard the same thing over and over again since they found out about Hayley.
"Valerie went and looked how it ended up" Damon began to speak and set his hand on the girl's hand. "I know you want to fix the world that's just the beauty of you but sometimes things aren't fixable"
"I just wish I could've done something..." Valeria wiped the tear that had fallen from her eye.
Damon and Stefan frowned, feeling bad for the girl. The older Salvatore pulled the girl in with his hand making her head rest on his chest while his chin rested on the top of her head.
"I know" he replied and held her close while she hugged back as well.
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After a while Valeria had headed into Hope's room sitting down on the empty bed in her room since she didn't have a roommate.
Valeria knew it would be any second before the girl woke up.
She could hear Kol's voice from far away, him being the only one speaking in the building since everyone was mostly sleeping.
He kept asking her if she was alright and she would reply with a simple yes.
She didn't know what room he was in but her enhanced hearing was helping her listen to him.
He kept listening to him talk to Damon until she finally was interrupted by Hope snapping up from her sleep.
"Mom?!" Hope shouted looking around causing Valeria to get up from the bed immediately approaching Hope slowly.
"Hope..."
"Mom?!" She said once again trying to remember what happened.
"I'm here Hope you're safe you're okay" Valeria reassured still approaching her slowly.
"Where's my mom?!" Hope exclaimed looking at Valeria now whole the little lights in her room bursted caused by her magic.
Valeria gasped and turned to Hope. "Okay breathe..." She sat on the bed and took Hope's hands.
"What happened?! Where is she?!" Hope questioned looking at Valeria's face that dropped with a frown. "What?!"
"She's gone..." she finally said, trying to keep her tears in.
"No..." Hope shook her head, beginning to tear up. "No...no...no!" She began to sob and Valeria brought her into a hug holding her closer.
Hope held onto Valeria tightly while she sobbed and Valeria also held the girl tightly feeling the tears just falling from her eyes not being able to contain them anymore.
Valeria thought it would be this bad but the way Hope was holding onto her was breaking her more than when she was told Hayley was dead.
Maybe Hope was holding on thinking she could feel something.
Anything.
To fill the hole that was left empty in her heart just like in Valeria's.
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Downstairs Kol had Caroline looking for flights while he heard the scene unfold upstairs in Hope's room which made him stop talking and shut his eyes.
Damon noticed this as well as Caroline and they fell silent as well.
"Are they okay?" Damon finally asked, wanting to know if they were.
"Not even close...look you guys got to stay with her. I have to take my flight right now since I can't be near Hope but I'll try my best to be around" Kol explained to Damon and Stefan who were stepping in the room.
"Don't worry we got her well make sure she gets to see you too" Damon reassured knowing it was hard for Kol not to be around Valeria but he also understood Hope needed Valeria.
"I'll see you guys there then" Kol took his bag and headed out the room while everyone in the room just sighed and continued to do what they were doing.
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Valeria stepped into the compound with Hope by her side as well as Stefan and Damon.
Freya was there receiving them and gave Hope a hug but the girl let go immediately.
"Where's my dad?" She asked Freya who frowned and looked over to Valeria whose face dropped as well watching Nora and Mary Louise enter the room.
"He'll be around..." Freya then paused when she saw some flowers that were in a base die gasping.
"Kol is here..." Valeria said, feeling his presence.
"Right...I'll be in my room" Hope stormed away leaving the rest there.
Valeria frowned, hating the fact Hope had to be alone since most of her family couldn't be around her.
The ones that could were doing their best but there was only so much they could do.
"I'll go talk to Kol and get ready..." Valeria stepped away as well.
Anyone would notice the amount of tension that was going around with everyone but no one dared to bring it up.
All they cared about was getting through the day but it was more than that it was their life now even if they hated to admit it.
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Upstairs Valeria entered her room which made Kol look up from him buttoning his shirt.
He gave the girl a sweet smile and Valeria returned it while she approached him.
"You're going?" She asked in a low voice looking down to the few buttons he had left to close.
"I'll try but I can't really be around..." Kol trailed off, he knew the girl was upset and she was trying to hide it.
Everyone was upset. It was like there was something wrong in the world but it couldn't be fixed like the world had stopped working.
"I know and as much as I want to be with you I can't...I need to be there for Hope and..." Valeria cleared her throat pushing her tears back.
"I get it I'll be fine..." he stopped her as he cupped her face with both on his hands bringing her head in closer just as close for him to rest his forehead on hers. "I just fear you won't"
"I'm going to be okay. I have to be, trust me I'm heartbroken but I can't just mope around the twins are flying in too Alaric figured it would be good for them to be here for a while" she mentioned. "Could you go pick them up so they're ready?"
"I will" he sat his hand on the back of her head and brought her into a hug and she hugged back as well.
As much as Valeria wanted to pause time and stay in Kol's arms forever not having to worry about all the problems she had around her but she couldn't.
"Trust me darling I could do this for the rest of my life but we can't. I have to go '' Kol disconnected and returned to their original position.
"I know" she nodded and pulled away from his face to look at him.
"I'm sorry it had to be today" Kol frowned and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"Me too" Valeria shut her eyes, feeling him move away from her. "I'll see you later"
"Bye Val" Kol walked out of the room leaving the girl there.
She was already dressed for the funeral wearing a black dress and her black heels as always.
She took one good look in the mirror fixing her makeup a bit to walk back out only to meet with Marcel in her doorway making her pause.
"I'm sorry I was about to knock but..." Marcel entered the room, making her go back in and shut the door. "It's still spelled right?" He asked and she nodded.
"Why?" She questioned not knowing why the man was acting so weirdly.
"I need you to do something for me, look I got Elijah and Antoinette captured. Klaus bit her and you know he won't cure her..."
"Yeah and I won't either if that's where you're going" Valeria scoffed, crossing her arms up to her chest.
"Just hear me out he wants his memories back but Vincent won't do it and you can siphon them of compulsion and at the end you can decide about the bite" marcel proposed making the girl sigh.
"What do you think everyone is going to say about me siphoning things again Marcel, trust me I would help you I want Elijah back just as much as the next person but if I'm being honest I'm scared to siphon anything or even do magic" Valeria admitted to him.
"What about the others?"
"I'll do it but we have to be quick. I promised Hope I was going to be here. It's already bad enough with klaus" Valeria told the man and he nodded.
"I promise but we need to go right now"
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When Valeria arrived with Marcel she walked behind him following him where Elijah and Antoinette were at.
The vampires that were there looked at the girl surprised to see her back. Her heels clinked on the concrete floor filing the silence.
"You and them heels" Marcel chuckled and stopped walking, turning around to her. "Before we go in there just know he remembers nothing he probably doesn't have any idea who you are only if you bring up something and maybe he'll know but other than that there's nothing"
Valeria just nodded confident enough that she would be fine to see him. She followed Marcel again who opened the gate seeing Elijah there with a very sick Antoinette.
"Brought a friend? I don't think this is Vincent Griffith" Elijah sat up watching Valeria enter seeing how the girl kept his eyes on her.
Antoinette just sighed knowing who the girl was and turned to Elijah.
"After you see what she can do you'll see we don't need Vincent '' Marcel pointed to Valeria while he smiled and she mirrored it.
"And you are?" Elijah looked at the girl unimpressed.
Valeria just stood there trying to figure out what it was about him that seemed so off. So different.
She didn't know what to feel about him because it wasn't him.
"I'll try my best not to be too offended..." Valeria frowned and looked over to marcel.
"I suppose I knew you once" the man said not wanting to be rude thinking the girl was sympathetic.
"Once upon a time...does the name salvatore ring a bell?" Valeria mentioned.
"I know of them, not much though" he replied.
"I'm Valeria Salvatore. I'm engaged to one of your siblings, Kol and I'm a heretic, part siphon and part vampire" she explained.
"So you must be like them...remind me why is she here again?" Elijah asked, turning away from her.
"So ignorant, how could you have fallen so far..." the girl shook her head. "If you could just listen. I can siphon her bite and the compulsion that's why I'm here"
"And how do I trust you? All I know you were foolish enough to fall for one of them" he got up from his seat walking towards the girl.
"I'm sure this is your doing" Valeria glared at Antoinette. "You and your family brain washed him to hate them just like you do with your stupid cult that is nothing but insecure..."
She then looked back at Elijah with a hurt face. "You know I thought it would be easy to come here and see you but you saying you can't trust me just tears me apart. I used to be one of the people you trusted the most..."
"For all I know you could be lying just trying to get revenge for what happened" Elijah shrugged making her scoff.
"Even after that I would've never wronged you..." she said looking at him. "You basically raised me, you were there for me every time I needed someone you stepped up. Yes I am upset for what happened and yes I might have the same impulse but I came here to help but I won't anymore this version of you is not worth saving"
"Not even the old me?"
"I'll get him back as soon as she's gone" Valeria pointed at Antoinette. "Now if you excuse me I have to be there for a teenage girl who just lost her mother you could imagine her grief and if not you'll see when you have to watch her die because maybe I am like them Elijah"
She then turned on her heels and stormed away.
Marcel sighed and shook his head while he glared at Elijah. "How do you want me to help when you can't help yourself man!"
He then walked out as well.
"You pissed off the wrong person" Antoinette said weakly.
"Not like she was willing to help," he shrugged.
"She was Elijah, she might have a short temper but she would've. She was our last chance"
"No he'll just have to convince Vincent" he stated.
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Valeria rushed down the hallway trying to get outside to the car to make it in time back to the quarter.
"Val!" Marcel called out. "V wait!"
Valeria finally turned around to see him. "Marcel I have to go"
"I know I know but look we need him back if you could just send one of the heretics please" he pleaded to her.
"Fine I'll call one of them but I have to go" she went to open the door.
"Thank you, please tell Hope I'm sorry I didn't make it but I'll be there tonight"
"I will," she replied, not looking back.
"And V...happy birthday" he said, making the girl shut her eyes.
Nobody had said it to her yet she didn't even want someone to bring it up she didn't want to acknowledge it.
"Yeah..." she muttered and got in the car to drive off.
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Once Valeria was back she entered the compound to see a very disappointed Freya there.
"Please don't tell me I..." Valeria paused looking at Freya's face. "I missed it"
"It's not like there was much to miss, Greta's vampires ruined the whole thing" Freya replied to her while she rolled her eyes.
"They want antonette and Elijah marcel has them..."
"Wait, you did it?" Freya interrupted her.
"You knew?!"
"Yes I told marcel to ask you"
Valeria sighed and shook her head. "I didn't but i'm sending one of the heretics to do it I just wanted to scare Elijah"
"I don't think Klaus will be too happy about it..." Freya mentioned.
"I know i'm getting ready to go see him just keep it a secret until it's finished" the heretic suggested and she nodded. "I got to go find them"
Valeria stepped away and entered the kitchen to see everyone there drinking.
"Found a good excuse to drink huh?" Valeria scoffed as all the heretics looked her way as well as her brothers and Kol.
"At least we bothered to show up to the poor girl's mother's funeral!" Damon mocked her, causing her to glare at him.
"I had to do something but for now can one of you do a favor for me go to the address i just texted and meet Marcel there" Valeria instructed to the heretics.
"I'll go" Valerie took her stuff and left.
"I have to go see Klaus in the bayou. I'll meet you guys there later?" Valeria told all of them and they nodded.
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Valeria walked through the Bayou trying to find Klaus but it seemed he had already found her.
"Walking through the wilderness and you still can't wear different shoes?" Klaus said, causing the girl to turn. "Thank you for coming" he smiled at the sight of the girl.
"Of course" Valeria rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him as he returned the action as well.
"I'm sorry about all of this, I really am..."
Valeria immediately pulled away to see him. "No it's fine...well none of this is fine but..."
"I know..." he frowned. "This whole thing is just..."
"Complicated" Valeria finished. "Unfair, literally everything but good"
"If this gives you any comfort I'm glad you're here" he smiled and the girl and she smiled back.
"So I can kick your ass every time you get out of line?"
"No" he chuckled. "Because you're my best friend"
"Oh now you admit it?!" She scoffed. "I'm glad I'm back too even with all this going on I promise I'll make it better I'll find a way to bring you guys all back"
"I have no doubt but for now we need to be here for Hope the rest can wait" he said to her and she nodded.
"I don't even know how to be there for her, it just feels like I'm not enough, I'm not Hayley..."
"It was the same when you were gone" he mentioned. "I had everyone but they just weren't you. I don't think no one can compare to any of us there's just this special feeling from a person that no one can replace"
Before Valeria could answer Klaus' phone began to ring. She looked down to notice it was Freya calling.
"I have to go, this must be her saying they're on their way..." Klaus told her and she nodded.
"I'll be here, don't worry" she reassured giving him one last hug.
"And happy birthday val" Klaus smiled as he pulled away.
"Thank you" she smiled back then walked away.
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A while later everyone arrived at the bayou to say goodbye to Hayley.
Kol was holding Valeria in his arms as she watched Freya and Hope with the twins by her side as well as her brothers.
They tried to maintain a distance from Hope knowing the spell on Kol wasn't holding too well anymore.
Eventually the heretics along with Marcel, Josh and Vincent arrived as well.
"People will forget the things you said, forget the things you did, but no one ever forgets the way you made them feel. Hayley Marshall... made me feel like I was part of a family. And when the realities of this life became too much to bear, we shouldered them together. We laughed, we cried. When I failed, she lifted me up. And when I succeeded, she danced by my side. And she did that for all of us. No one will ever be able to replace her, or heal the pain we feel at her loss. But we can honor her with our actions and with our words... We can love each other the way she would've wanted us to love." Freya spoke as everyone listened.
Most were tearing up like Valeria while she held the twins watching as Hayley's log sailed away and Hope said goodbye.
"I have to go..." Kol gave the girl a kiss and sped away.
Valeria was confused and then she looked up to see Klaus there even if he wasn't supposed to be there.
"Let's pack it in, everyone. Take shelter." A wolf said as it began to thunder.
"Come on before it gets too ugly" Damon said to the girls.
Valeria nodded and began to head out with them. They arrived home fine until Valeria was knocked out in her room causing her to fall to a deep sleep.
-five more chapters and the epilogue and I'm done...wow