In the short time that I'd been gone, New Orleans had managed to go mental. More dead Mikaelsons were miraculously rising from their graves to torture us all, leading to me questioning my entire life story. Why couldn't I have settled with a hippy? I just had to go and pick the big bad original hybrid, who (coincidentally) just happened to be a magnet for trouble.

In little to no time, I stood with Klaus, ready to do whatever has to be done to protect my child.

I'll never have another. Hope is my only hope.

Behind me, she sat in her travel seat, unaware of the tension surrounding her. She was so young, so pure. She didn't deserve this life. The evil aunt was speaking, and with every passing word, I longed to rip her head off.

She was speaking about my baby's power as if that's all she was. Not a child. Not a living being. Just a route for more power.

Dahlia and Klaus are doing a spell together now- a plan to save my baby. Elijah had one too- but that was bound to fail. Klaus didn't know it yet, but his would likely fail too.

That's why I've formed my own plan.

As Klaus stabbed himself with the golden dagger, both Mikaelsons dropped to the ground, seemingly dead. Immediately, Freya snapped awake behind me at the same time my little Hope began to cry.

Carefully, my eyes remaining on the sight before me, I lifted her. Holding her close. She looks like my Mother. Staring down at her, I couldn't help but wonder what my family would think of the situation I'm in now... if they were still alive.

Mason would be telling me just how strong she'd grow up to be. A little fighter. My Mum would he gushing about the chance for another woman in the Lockwood lines that had hopes of growing into a graceful woman- nothing like my scatter brained self.

If my plan works, I won't be around to see that happen- but that's alright. I'd made peace with that fact. There were many people in my daughter's life that would protect her. She would be loved in my absence.

When Elijah arrived, the sun had just risen. Unsurprisingly, he didn't look overly impressed.

"We need Esther's blood, don't we?" Another evil Mikaelson they had yet to revive. Her plan would follow this- but it would be so much better. She had a witch on her side.

"Our mother is buried in New Orleans. Niklaus wants us to revive the original body. "

It doesn't matter how many times we kill the awful woman- she'll always find a reason to come back. One way or another. In my arms, Hope gave a near silent cry.

"I didn't want this for her- Hope. She's going to grow up surrounded by so much danger."

"Then what do you propose?"

"Just- when it happens- don't fight it."

"Fight what? Evie- if there's something you're not telling me." He shook his head, eyes darkening, but it was too late for his warning to mean anything.

"Don't worry about it. Everything will work out in the end."

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The door has hardly opened by the time I'm speaking, working on a timer. "Did it work?" It must have. Across from Elijah at a small table, a blonde woman sits. A woman I had only ever seen at Mystic Falls.

Elijah gave a shrug.

"She's alive and kicking."

Nodding, I grabbed a bar stool and sat down. "Has she tried to kill anyone yet?"

"Nothing yet, Evie."

In a mocking tone, the blonde woman threw us both a look over her shoulder. "Let me guess-- you brought me back from the dead to torture me. "

Grinning, I bared my fangs at her. "Don't give me any ideas. You and your sister are ruining my life."

"You're still alive? Usually, the lovers of my children tend to die before the first year is up." As Esther's eyes scanned me, they flashed with understanding. She knows. But for some reason, she didn't say anything.

The door opened once again, revealing my hybrid husband. "Ah, Mother. I've arrived just in time for another one of your deaths, and as much as I appreciate the front-row seat, I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the festivities. "

And now Rebekah's here too, and what a surprise! They are all arguing.

Rebekah with her puppet speech, Elijah with his loyalty speech. I must say, this isn't how I viewed my last day of living playing out. Perhaps that what my Mother thought when she drowned. It had been a normal day- she hadn't celebrated her life. I wonder, did her life flash before her eyes?

When the siblings finally left, I rose to a stand, my eyes on the clearly fuming hybrid. As I approached, his eyes drifted towards me. They were filling with unshed tears.

"I'm just trying to protect our daughter."

"I know you are, Nik. I know. I'm trying to do the same thing."

Which is why I'd had a chat with Davina. A little while later, my life grew linked to the life of two other's. Plot twist. When we die together, our spirits will become one to protect my daughter. A power source to shield her from the world.

Klaus would kill me no doubt when he finds out, but lucky me- he won't find out until it's too late. This is what needs to happen.

The day whizzed by after that- my last day.

This wouldn't be that bad. Loads of people I care about have died. My Mother, Mason- hell, Jeremy Gilbert had died so many times he made the whole thing look easy. Held at the waist by my husband, I silently relished in his scent, knowing it'd be one of the last times I would ever be close to him. At least my death won't be wasted.

As we all gather round, Dahlia held out the white oak threateningly, her eyes switching between each and every person stood before herself. For a change, Esther is actually on the same side as us.

"One stake, three of us." The hybrid announced, his eyes dark and cold. "Even if you don't hesitate, the other two will rip you in half. Not to mention, whilst we all die- that stake won't deter my wife, who will also rip you in half. She doesn't play nice with people."

With a smirk, I shrug my shoulders at the evil aunt. "It's true- I bite."

She spoke with amusement, making me so much happier knowing that I'd be the one to kill her. " Sound thinking. But... small thinking. "

The sky rained white oak. My family was dying. I couldn't hesitate. As my hands pulled the knife out of my pocket, my eyes met with Esther's. She gave me an approving nod. She was thankful. I knew that I was doing the right thing.

I was scared- but that didn't matter. Not when I was busy protecting the people I loved. Wasting no further time, I stabbed myself. The magic running through the knife meant my death was inevitable. If I planned to kill the two witches at once, it had to happen. The knife had been coated in Esther's blood. Choking, I fell to my knees, pulling the knife out from my chest.

The pain was like nothing I'd ever felt before. The women died in no time, embracing each other before death took them. My family regained themselves, their air ways clearing. The smell of my blood reached their noses.

"Evie! What have you done?" His voice was breaking- a mix between admiration and fury. A familiarity. Brokenly, the big bad hybrid dropped down beside me, cradling me close. His eyes were watering, but I gave him a smile.

"What does it look like? I've saved the day." See, even in my final minutes, I'm still the liveliest person present. Angrily, Klaus's hands probed at the area around my stab wound, his hands coming back covered in blood.

"Why aren't you healing?"

I smiled at him, taking in everything about his face. I saw everything that I knew I was going to miss.

"Because my spirit's leaving, my strength will be Hope's- God knows she'll need it."

He growled. "You're- you're dying?"

"It was going to happen eventually."

"You're leaving me?"

He made death sound so much worse than it is. I'd never wanted to live forever. At least this way, I'll die heroically. Better yet- I'll die in the arms of someone that I love.

"Hey- don't cry. I love you." I've never loved someone quite so much. No one else had ever been quite as problematic, but no one else had been so thrilling. So present. So mine.

"I- I love you." His blue eyes shimmered with sadness. I knew it'd take a while for him to get over me, but he'd move on eventually. He had to. I clutched his hand.

"Take care of our daughter, and uh- don't miss me too much." As if that's possible. My presence is overwhelming. I'm the ghost of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future.

"Don't leave."

"You'll move on, Klaus. You'll find love again. Just protect our daughter."

"Don't die!"

"Promise me you'll protect her."

"I promise."

"Then know that I've died happily. I've chosen to do this. It needs to be done. I love you."

My hold on his hand slackened. My eyes closed. My chest felt light.

This is the end.

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