Adeline was laying on her bed, scrolling through her phone looking at pictures of her and her friends. So much had changed in the last few months and she never took the time to settle down and reminisce—to say goodbye to her old memories—to who she used to be before she turned. The pictures started as her, Elena, bonnie and Caroline at sleepovers, dances and just being together—then pictures of Matt and Tyler and as she kept scrolling Damon and Stefan.

"Taking a stroll down memory lane?" Klaus questioned, walking into her room.

"Do you do that a lot?" she huffed.

"Do what?" he smirked.

"Scare people—you scared the hell out of me." Adeline sat up on her bed, eyeing down the original.

"I told you I was coming back." He laughed. He was right he did tell her, and she didn't know why she expected him to knock on the door or ring the bell, that was not Klaus's style.

"What are you so smiley about?" she questioned taking note of the grin that was draped across his face.

"Back your bags love—we're finally getting out of this one pony town." He grinned.

"And where are we going?" she questioned.

"The French quarter—New Orleans."

"Okay—I've never been to New Orleans, how long are we going to be gone?" she questioned. Adeline hadn't picked up on the fact that he was asking her to leave for good—to move there with him. She thought he meant a trip like a vacation.

"We are moving there." He informed her.

"Wait – what?" she asked, eyes wide with shock. "I can't leave Mystic Falls."

"Sure, you can love! There is a whole world out there outside of this place—and you said yourself there is nothing left here for you since your parents passed."

"I know what I said but I didn't think about leaving so soon." She admitted. It wasn't that Adeline didn't want to leave—she had thought about it often. She was a vampire now and there was no way she could stay in Mystic Falls forever; she wouldn't age a day and eventually people would notice.

"Well, my siblings are ready to leave and quite frankly so am I." he admitted. "The only reason I stayed was for my Hybrids and for you."

Adeline's heart skipped a beat in her chest when he spoke those words. He stayed for her—so she would leave for him. It was time for her to explore the world and see more than this town had to offer anyways, she had all the time in the world to come back to Mystic Falls if she wanted.

"Okay." She breathed. "I'll come."

A heart melting grin spread across Klaus's face and he picked her up off the ground, twirling around in his embrace then pulling her in for a kiss. He was happy she agreed to go—he was finally getting her out of this town and away from the Salvatore's, specifically Stefan.

"Let's get you packed then!" he smiled. "You don't have to bring much, just whatever you can't live without because I can buy you anything you want—A whole new wardrobe if that's what you desire."

Adeline laughed and rolled her eyes at him—must be nice being filthy rich she thought. She grabbed a bag out of her closet and filled it with everything she wanted and needed to bring. She took the photos of her parents and stuffed them in the bag, she wouldn't be able to leave them behind and she knew that. She ran her fingers over her old cheerleading uniform but decided against bringing it—she was ready to let go of that part of herself.

"You could bring that if you want—could be fun." He smirked.

"You're ridiculous." She laughed.

She pushed her weight down on the bag and then zipped it shut. She was ready to go—the only thing left to do was to go say goodbye to her friends.

"I have to go tell them." She breathed.

"Can't you just send them a text?" he teased; he knew she would never do that to her friends. Adeline glared at the hybrid which made him laugh. "Alright but make it quick." He caved.

"Okay, I'll try to hurry and then—" she started.

"And then you're all mine." He interrupted, she smirked and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving for the Salvatore house.

****

She let herself into the Salvatore house, walking into the living room to join the brothers who were sitting the fire having a drink. Adeline immediately noticed the blood on Stefan's shirt and how he looked like shit.

"What happened to you?" she questioned.

"Klaus happened." Damon laughed under his breath, taking another sip of the bourbon. "I told him he needs a little human blood—can't heal quick enough just sipping on the bunnies."

"Klaus was here?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Yep, but don't worry—he let me live." Stefan scoffed with sarcasm and downed the remainder of the drink in his hand. Adeline was mad he came over here and hurt Stefan, but she also knew she couldn't actually expect him to do nothing. I guess it was progress that he didn't just kill him anyways.

"That's what you get for messing with another man's girl." Damon scoffed. The irony behind that statement was just too much for Adeline to handle, she laughed under her breath.

"You're one to talk." Stefan snarled.

"Touché" Damon shook his head and smiled.

Adeline decided it was best if she talked to Elena first—the boys, mainly Stefan were clearly not in the best frame of mind right now. She decided it would be best to start with Elena, giving Stefan a little time to cool off.

"Is Elena still upstairs?" Adeline questioned.

"Yeah—same place you left her a few hours ago." Damon teased. Addy rolled her eyes and went upstairs to find her friend.

Elena was sitting up on the bed and it looked like she was reading through some of her old journals.

"You're back!" Elena smiled at her friend as she walked into the room.

"I'm back." She nodded. "What are you doing?"

Elena patted the spot next to her on the bed, gesturing for her friend to come sit by her—so Adeline did. Before Elena could show her, Bonnie and Caroline knocked on the bedroom door and let themselves in.

"No way." Bonnie smiled. "Is this a good old fashioned slumber party?"

"Oh my gosh you guys!" Caroline squealed "We haven't done one of these in forever!"

"It can be—if you guys want!" Elena smiled. "It would be nice to be surrounded by my girls—with everything that's happened the last few days."

"What—nothing majored has happened." Bonnie teased.

The other two girls joined them on the bed and Adeline felt a lump grow in her throat—she loved her friends so much and this was going to be much harder than she thought.

"So, what do you have there anyways?" Adeline questioned, gesturing to the journal in Elena's hand.

"One of my old Diaries actually." She admitted. "I was just doing a little reminiscing of simpler times."

All the girls looked at each other with sympathetic smiles—so much had happened to all of them this past year but somehow, they were still here despite all of it. The four of them made it through.

"Read some to us." Caroline suggested.

"Okay— "Elena reluctantly agreed. "But you have to promise not to make fun of me!"

"We won't." Adeline promised.

Elena took a deep breath, then looked down at her diary and began to read.

"Last night Adeline, Caroline and Bonnie slept over. It was so much fun! My mom let us stay up late and watch movies, but really, we just whispered about boys. I think Caroline has a crush on Matt, I don't blame her he is pretty cute—but he is one of my best guy friends. I braided Adeline's hair; I have always been so jealous of her long blonde hair. Bonnie totally swears she is a witch, she has this crazy intuition its like a sixth sense. I can't wait to start high school with my best friends—it is going to be the best four years of our lives."

Elena looked up from the diary with a tear dripping down her cheek—only to realize the rest of us were crying to. That sleepover between us seemed like so long ago but Adeline remembered it like it was yesterday. Her mom and dad were still alive and so were Elena's—there were no vampires and no death. But look at them now, Bonnie was a witch and the rest of them were vampires.

"You guys—" Caroline wept.

"Not what we expected huh?" Elena sobbed.

"Not even close." Bonnie smiled through her tears.

The four girls leaned in at the same time and wrapped their arms around each other in a group hug.

"I don't know what I would do without all of you." Elena smiled. "We need each other – all of us, so promise right now we will always be here for each other, that we aren't going anywhere."

The tears were streaming down Adeline's face faster now—and her stomach was tied into knots. This was too much for her—these memories, the moments with her friends that had been there for her from the start.

"I promise." Caroline smiled.

"I promise." Bonnie repeated, wiping the tears from under her eyes.

All the attention turned onto Adeline now—her heart was ripping to shreds inside her chest. Her friends were going through so much and the selfless part of her knew she couldn't leave them now—no matter how bad she wanted to go with Klaus.

"I promise." She wept, choking on her tears as she spoke.

"Okay onto happier topics!" Caroline ordered.

"Okay—but I just have to do something really quick." Adeline said, standing up off the bed. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

The trio looked at her with curious eyes. "Is everything okay?" Bonnie questioned.

"Yeah." She lied. "I'll be back!" Adeline turned and left the room before they could ask her anymore questions. When she got to the bottom of the stairs she headed straight for the door.

"Leaving again?" Stefan called from behind her.

She turned to face him—she looked sick, her face was white as a ghost and there was a tear lining down her face.

"I'm coming back." She choked.

"Adeline—is something wrong?" Stefan asked, with concern in his voice. He was worried about his friend and could tell something was really upsetting her.

She covered her mouth, trying to keep herself from sobbing and took a deep breath. She couldn't break down here—not right now.

"I just—" she started. "I need to talk to someone, but I'll be back."

She knew Stefan would push for more answers so she walked out the door and shut it behind her before he could.

***

Adeline was supposed to meet Klaus back at his house, so that is where she went. She felt like she was going to throw up with each step she took towards the front door—she took a deep breath and then let herself inside.

"Finally!" Klaus huffed, walking towards her and tossing a new set of bags into the pile of bags that were sitting on the floor in the foyer. "We are ready to get the hell out of her."

She stood in silence—she was trying to think of the words to say but nothing would come out.

"How did it go with your friends? I'm sure they were all upset you are leaving with the big bad wolf but I-"

"Klaus." She choked, cutting him off.

He looked at her and the smile on his face quickly faded. There was something wrong and it didn't take an idiot to figure that out.

"What?" he questioned. "What is it?"

She shook her head, and the tears were back again, falling from her eyes without control. "I can't come with you." She wept.

"Why not?" he questioned, Adeline could already see the pain behind his eyes. Her heart was betting rapidly, her palms were sweating, and the tears were relentless.

"I can't leave my friends right now—they need me."

"And what about me?" he scolded. "Is this about Stefan?" He was getting angry now.

"No!" she cried. "God No Klaus, of course not." She stepped towards the Hybrid wanting to touch him, but he stepped away. Her heart was shattering in her chest.

"So, what am I supposed to do Adeline?" he sighed, she could see his eyes getting watery. She had never seen Klaus come even remotely close to crying.

"There are planes and trains and cars Klaus—this isn't goodbye." She sobbed.

"But it feels like it is – doesn't it?" Klaus snapped and those words cut through her like a knife. She did not want this to be goodbye—not forever.

"We have eternity Klaus—all we have is time." She pointed out.

Elijah was at the top of the staircase—out of sight from the couple but he was listening to the whole thing. His throat was tight, and he was fighting his emotions. He felt awful for his brother – and the girl because he knew this was a painful and selfless decision.

"So, what do you expect? I am supposed to just let you go for now?"

She knew the longer this conversation drug on the worse it was going to be for them both. Adeline didn't know what she expected—she wanted to be with him, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her friends right now. She took a step in towards Klaus and gently kissed him on the lips, her salty tears wetting both their mouths.

"Goodbye Klaus—for now." She whispered and stepped away, heading for the door before she couldn't force herself to leave.

"Adeline—wait!" he choked. She turned around and saw a tear falling from his eyes and slowly sliding down his cheek. "I love you."

The words she wanted to hear—the words she didn't know he was capable of and he finally tells her, he finally lets her in. She felt like throwing up—it was hurting so bad. Adeline hated herself in this moment, she hated the loyalty and obligation she felt to her friends.

"I love you Klaus." She cried and stepped out of the Mikaelson Mansion.

Klaus stood in the middle of the floor—staring at the door she left through. He thought about chasing after her—but he didn't know if it would work. He had never felt anything like this, the pain was immeasurable, but he knew now, he finally admitted to himself that he was in fact—in love with Adeline Andrews.

"Niklaus—" Elijah spoke softly, coming up from behind his brother who was still staring at the door.

"Just don't Elijah—Not right now." Klaus pleaded.