A/N: The next chapter will be the final chapter, it will be the epilogue.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, they all belong to the writers and creators of The Vampire Diaries.

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"How much longer is this going to take?!" Katherine paced the back of the occult shop, it had been closed for the last couple of hours, they had used a spell to keep the Salvatore's and the original sister away.

"Well if you stopped interrupting every five minutes it would be quicker. Anyway the spell I did won't wear off anytime soon." The witch Julia spoke happily.

"How can you be so sure?" Katherine was dubious of the witches claim. Every spell had a loophole.

"You've said it yourself 'Love is a vampires greatest weakness', unless they miraculously fall in love they won't be waking from this spell." Julia watched as Katherine's face slowly formed a smile. She was right you can't fall in love with someone in a couple of hours.

"Fine we have time, but why is it taking so long anyway? I thought you just needed their blood and some stuff for your hocus pocus. I didn't steal a family heirloom from my lookalike for it not to work."

"I'm following the instructions you found in the Gilbert box. Humans can only take so much blood at a time and since he has to ingest one pint of blood from five different people...it's taking a while. I'm trying to make it faster by doing a spell but it won't work at all if he starts vomiting." Julia tried to explain to the older doppelgänger without angering her.

"I get it...just hurry up! The sooner they are human the sooner we can kill them. Klaus will be human and I can spend the next decade hunting him like he did me. The original hybrid will finally know weakness." Katherine smirked as her plan was coming together.

Katherine wanted to be rid of the original hybrid but a white oak stake to the heart wouldn't work without killing her in the process and she liked her life. And it would be exceptionally better without Klaus hunting her down.

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The occult shop in the quarter wasn't very big, but it was enough to house all the bodies that currently lay comatose on the floor. Elijah and Elena's bodies were placed on a large table in the back room, due to them being out for a longer period of time they were placed in a more convenient space. Whereas the other four had to placed where space would allow them.

For the moment the shop was closed and wouldn't be opened until the witch had completed her task. Katherine had used her abilities of compulsion to keep customers away, and even found time to move the excess bodies.

Rebekah and the Salvatore's weren't needed so she moved them with vampire speed to a warehouse outside the French quarter. Using vervain to weaken their state and binding them up, it would give her enough time before they awoke from their snapped necks and chased her down.

In the back of the occult shop the witch Julia continued to chant, lying on the table as Elijah on the right and Elena on the left. Katherine was still pacing and getting a little anxious, although the amount of room wasn't much as she had to avoid the bodies placed against the wall with their legs spread across the floor.

No one had noticed the first movements of an original. It was only slight, but it was enough to out anyone on edge if they had seen it. A drone like voice filled the room as the original began to fight through the daze, movement under the eyelids would have been seen if anyone looked.

As Elijah started to get his bearings, he could recognise the common chant of a witch. Even in his dreary state he knew to take in as much information as he could, so he didn't move. He wanted to see who was in the room, where and what he could do to get out of this current predicament. Using his senses he licked up the footsteps at the end of the table, the woman chanting was across the room. He could hear three heartbeats in the room and he also sensed fellow vampires with him.

He didn't move or make a sound, not until he felt that he had the advantage. He was about to move when he heard the witch speak up.

"It's nearly done! He only needs her blood, once he has finished drinking I will start the spell. After that his blood will be the cure and you will be about to turn them human." Julia explained what was going to happen to Katherine. Unbeknownst to them they hadn't notice watching them, once he knew that the witch had the other persons attention he opened his eyes.

At first he thought that the brunette was Elena, but the tight curls and classic strut that was used to reach the witch, he automatically knew it was Katherine. Not only that but Elena's scent filled his nose, she was beside him and he al out smiled at the thought. He was shocked to hear the words of a cure come out of the witches mouth, but he reframed from releasing any emotion and especially not a noise to alert them of his reawakened state.

Although he was a original he felt the obvious complaint in his body and mouth. He needed blood and from what he could gather his blood was probably used for some spell. His teeth ached as he took in the smell of the witches blood, the pumping of blood got louder. Soon it was so loud that he used all his strength to throw Katherine across the room and bite into the witches neck.

Julia screamed as fangs pierced her neck. She couldn't concentrate to use her magic, Elijah was draining her, he stood behind her holding her in place as the witch fought uselessly against his strength. It would look as though he had unravelled but really this was also a ploy to get his sustenance and to gain control.

He had his fill with just a few gulps in the most precise position, only a matter of seconds had passed. His fangs slowly slipped back into his gums and his black veins disappeared. He adjusted his suit as the witch lost her balance and slipped to the floor, Elijah paid no mind to this and retrieved a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket pocket and wiped his Crimson stained mouth.

Movement was heard behind him and when he turned around he was met with the same face that had haunted him for a millennia, only it wasn't Tatia, it was Katherine. The one who had betrayed him and run away. She adjusted herself as a malicious smirk donned her face. She was preparing for a battle and this time she wouldn't run because he was the understanding brother.

Known for her acts and games, Katherine put on a show that could convince any fool to fall at her knees. But elijah wasn't that man anymore. He had Elena and knowing this made his see the flaws in her façade. She tried to use century old feelings that he had for her, but it didn't work, Elijah saw through it all and all that remained was the shell of the woman he once believed to love.

"I didn't expect you to be awake so soon. But then again you did fall so easily for this face. Precious, innocent Elena has wormed her way to the heart of an original...how sweet." Katherine taunted with the most cheerful face that it put Elijah on edge, she was planning something.

A growl erupted from Elijah's mouth but as he was going to speed towards Katherine, she lifted her hand brandishing a broken piece of wood. She had moved herself over and place the handmade stake over Elena's heart.

"Uh uh I wouldn't do that, unless you want her to die. You can show no emotion Elijah but you being awake tells me everything I need to know. You love her and now I'm going to kill her, unless you LET MY WITCH FINISH THE SPELL!".

Elijah was halted in his position, either he loses Elena or he dies alongside his family human. In the end he could only nod, he could have a life human if it meant being with Elena. He watched as Julia struggled to get up, she drank something from a bowl and Elijah found the witch getting stronger.

"Finish the spell Julia before anyone else wakes up." Katherine continued to hold the stake over Elena's chest, watching elijah with a careful eye. She watched as he stood nonchalant about the situation, even though he was fuming inside. He stared at the limp body of his love and tried to think of ways out of this mess.

It was a small movement and if he wasn't a vampire he would have missed it, but elena moved her head ever so slightly. Elijah wanted to jump with happiness but he didn't he still remained in the same relaxed position, and this time he didn't have to fake it.

The witch had started fed the blood to the human in the corner and now she was performing the last part of the ritual. The human would be transitioning soon, Elijah had to think of something, and he could hear the speed pick up in the Bennett witches heartbeat. She was coming back also. But he wasn't the only one to notice as he glanced at Katherine beginning to unravel.

"HURRY UP! They are waking up, finish the spell!" Katherine shouted across the room, but she looked just in time to see Elijah moving a little "You maybe be faster as an original, but you won't be fast enough to stop the stake. DON'T MOVE!"

It was only a second later that Elena woke up and gripped Katherine's arm that was hovering above her. Katherine groaned in pain as Elena used her vampire strength to turn the tables on the situation. Elijah didn't hesitate to use the time to approach the witch, but surprisingly she surrendered.

"Wait! I can help you!" Julia pleaded while bending her body slightly in an act of surrender.

"You don't have anything I want..." Elijah played with the sleeves of his suit jacket while he watched the witch cower at his superiority.

"She killed my family! I want this just as much as you, let me finish the spell" Julia didn't get to finish the sentence as she was cut off by the voice of the big bad wolf, Klaus.

"Yes brother, let her finish the spell. What more could we want...a human doppelgänger and to torture her for the rest of her weak and pathetic life. Maybe even get her to carry on the Petrova bloodline." Klaus looked at Elijah cheekily as he put the piece of paper he was holding in Elijah's hands.

When Elijah read the black ink, he cottoned onto what his brother was talking about, instead of killing the human they could use the cure to their advantage, Katherine drinking it would benefit them, five hundred years of chasing down this woman and finally they could use her like she did them.

"Yes brother I agree, she should complete the spell." Elijah gave a small smile to his brother and then turned to the witch with nothing but a serious face "You may finish this spell, but if you attempt anything on our lives I won't fail to kill you where you stand. Do you understand?" Elijah watched as the cowering witch nodded furiously, wiping the tears quickly from her face.

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When Elena woke she found herself in a strange position, she was lying down and she could hear her own voice, except she wasn't talking. It then hit her that Katherine was in the room she opened her eyes to find that an arm that looked like hers was holding a pointy object to her heart.

Elena had the advantage as Katherine was unaware of her being awake. She quickly thrust her left arm up and put a death grip around Katherine's hovering arm. Elena watched as Katherine locked eyes with her and tried to wriggle her way out of the vice grip. Katherine didn't give up and wrapped her other hand around Elena's neck.

Elena looked around for something and found a jar of herbs, but she didn't care what was inside she just needed Katherine to drop the stake. She smashed the jar against the table in a struggle and picked up a loose piece and stabbed Katherine in the neck. Katherine began to gurgle as blood pooled in her throat from the shard of glass in her throat. She retracted her hand from Elena's neck and held onto her own, at some point she had also dropped the stake.

Katherine grabbed the glass and removed it from her neck, her vampire features were showing and went to attack Elena but she was stopped by a pain in her head. She screamed in pain as it got worse, when she glanced around she found Bonnie Bennett with an evil smirk on her face and her hand held out. Witches was Katherine's last thought as her brain was being fried.

Elena moved the stake out of reach and lifted her head to see her two best friends gazing back at her, meanwhile the three originals were having a discussion in the corner. They didn't seem to notice them torturing Katherine a bit more than they needed too.

"That's enough darling. We need her alive. Try to leave some brain cells intact Bon Bon."' Kol's voice carried through the room. Seconds later the groaning had stopped and Katherine was breathing heavily on the floor trying to recover from the recent attack.

"Alive for what?! She's used us and she killed my brother!" Elena was angry, she didn't understand why Klaus and Elijah didn't share the same sentiment.

"Well love...we are making her human, who can she taunt then hmmm." Klaus smiled at Elena's positive response, clearly she agreed. She understood the terror she felt to be human amongst stronger vampires and if they could in fact make Katherine human then it would be revenge. She wouldn't be able to outrun them, she could be compelled and she would be everything she hated, weak.

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"It is done!" Julia cheered after chanting for the duration of ten minutes.

"Are you sure this will work?" Elijah asked the middle aged witch. She nodded in reply while adding on a little information.

"It should work...I followed the instructions, she just needs to drink his blood." Julia told the original in a small voice.

"Thank you, you may leave...but if you tell anyone about the cure or what you have done, I will kill you and everyone you know." Elijah threatened, he knew that Katherine had taken her family from her but that still left friends and distant relatives.

"I won't. I wanted to kill Katherine once I made her human. At least with you I know she will suffer more than in death. If you ever need a witch...come find me. I'm Julia Walters." Everyone watched as she walked out of the shop, they didn't need her anymore and although it was her shop she would return tomorrow. A threat on her life was enough to make her leave, she didn't want to be on the bad side of the strongest vampires in the world.

Klaus walked to Katherine who was slouched in the corner, they hadn't done anything else to her. Bonnie had subdued her for now, they didn't want to risk hurting her too much in case the injuries transferred to when she becomes human. Having a dad doppelgänger was no use. Kol cut the humans arm and poured the blood into a bowl, he filled it and walked over to join Klaus.

Elena tapped Katherine on the cheek and said "Wakey Wakey!" Katherine started to open her eyes and at the sight of Klaus she tried to shuffle back but she was against the wall. She saw the blood in the bowl and knew of what they wanted, she tried to fight. Using her arms and legs Katherine kicked and screamed trying to get the blood away from her but strong hands held her down.

Caroline held her shoulders, Elena an arm and Elijah the legs. Klaus held Katherine's face, he wanted her to see his face as she swallowed the very thing that would make her human. Opening her mouth and tipping her head back as Katherine tried to keep her mouth shut, it didn't work as Klaus's strength was too much. Kol poured the blood down her throat and Klaus used force in shutting her mouth again after the contents was gone.

Everyone let go after Katherine had stopped fighting. The kicking and flailing arms had halted in movement. Instead her limbs had gone limp. It would seem that Katherine had passed out, they were all beginning to believe that it didn't work. Until they heard it...thump...thump...thump...thump.

The heartbeat was getting stronger by the minute, and Klaus chuckled in happiness, he clapped his hands together and picked up his human doppelgänger. "Oh Katherine...I have many plans for you. Brother, drain the human. We don't want the cure walking around the city. This stays between us."

Klaus looked at everyone before walking out of the shop with Katherine in his arms and Caroline by his side. Kol did as his brother asked and drained the blood from the human. He let the blood flow into a jar in the room. Elijah checked that no remains of the cure or information of it remained in the building before leaving himself with Elena's hand in his.

Kol collected the jars and put them in bags, they left the shop ten minutes later with the cure in hand. Bonnie locked the shop doors behind her and made sure the sign said 'closed'. Everyone went back to the compound to start a new life with the love their lives and with the prospect of a better future.