(life jacket)

"Stefan- Stefan's dead, Margot."

Her phone slipped from her hand only to be caught by Klaus who was standing behind her with his arms around her waist.

"What do you mean dead?" Klaus asked as he tightened his hold on the woman who was clearly in shock.

"His- His heart was ripped out of his body- I- It was Julian – one of the heretics. He possessed Tyler's body or something–" Caroline explained as she sobbed through the phone.

The hybrid sighed as he uttered a soft, "We'll be there in a few days," before hanging up. "Love?"

Margot shook her head in his chest. "We never should have left," she whispered, regret filling her as she held onto him.

It had been just under five months since the ball. Margot and Klaus had moved out of the shit hole known as Mystic Falls and now lived in a small beach house in Australia. Was it because Margot wanted to see Klaus shirtless 90% of the time? Yes. Yes, it was.

Kol had moved to New York along with Elijah while Rebekah had gone to Italy. Everyone had been happy and safe. Until now.

It was too good to be true, really. If anything, the Mystic Falls' bad luck followed them wherever they went.

"I– I can bring him back. I can bring him back, Nik– I have to–"

His hand came up to her hand, gently holding the back of her neck as he played with her hair while he held her. "You can't tamper with the dead, my love. It never ends well."

"He's my dad. He's all I have left, Nik."

— — —

Screaming filled Margot's ears as she walked into Elena and Caroline's dorm room. From the sounds of it, it was Bonnie and Damon.

"My brother is over there!" Damon yelled.

"I know that!" Bonnie retorted.

"So is Alaric- So is your Grams," Margot heard Damon say as he threw something metal across the room.

"I know that, Damon... Enzo is here."

Margot frowned. Who the fuck is Enzo?

"Well, if it's not Mr. Butterfingers himself. How'd it feel to have your only hope of coming back slip through your fingers?"

"Are you serious?" Bonnie spoke after a minute of silence, "You found another Traveler?"

Travellers? Weird. Margot hadn't heard about them in years.

"Well, then, get on it."

With that, Margot walked in, "Talkin' to ghosts now, are we, little witch?"

"Margot?" the pair asked, shock coating their voices as they stared at the heretic. "What are you doing here?"

"Caroline called. Merry Christmas to us, I guess. Now, who is this lovely ghost we are talking to and how do Travellers have anything to do with my father's death?"

"Where's Klaus?" Damon asked.

"He's getting a snack. Now tell me why in all hell my father got murdered. And if you don't-" she paused as she grabbed onto a fire poker before walking closer to the vampire, "-You can join him on the other side."

"The Travellers took over Mystic Falls. These witches, Liv and Luke found out they came here because of the doppelgangers. So, they wanted to kill one but they didn't succeed. Stefan died trying to save Caroline from Julian," Bonnie explained, silently wishing Margot would kill the vampire. He had gotten very annoying in the past month.

"And who is Julian? And where is he? He and I need to have a little chat about manners."

"He's a heretic. And Lily Salvatore's husband."

Margot turned, "Lily had a husband? Poor guy. No wonder he went on a killing spree. Why kill my dad though? What did he have against him?"

"Stefan killed his other wife, Maria."

"Lovely. You mentioned two other witches... Liv and Luke? Where are they?"

Bonnie shrugged, "No idea. I think Elena and Caroline are taking care of them."

The names were familiar. Way too familiar. "Do you happen to know their surname?"

"Yeah. It's Parker, why?"

Margot grinned mischievously, "No reason. Old friends, per se. So, when are we killing the travellers?"

"We- We can't get into Mystic Falls anymore."

Margot frowned, "And why is that?"

"The travellers put a spell on the town. It eliminates spirit magic. Travellers have access to it but we... we get stripped of everything if we pass through. Ergo, death."

Just then the door opened and in walked Klaus. He had a small drop of blood on his lip earning a sigh from Margot. "You've got a little something," she said softly, gesturing to his lip.

He sent her a smile before wiping the red substance off his lip.

Just then, Bonnie gasped in pain.

"What was that?" Margot asked.

"Another supernatural died... I feel them all."

"That's bloody fantastic. How does that help us?" Klaus asked, already pissed about being near the Scooby Gang.

"Tyler?"

Margot and Klaus shared a look as the witch turned to face what appeared to be an empty bed.

"Is that you?... You're dead and you're you. Caroline was right. Dying eliminates your Passenger... I did but we can bring you back. I need you to trust me, okay?"

"So the witch can talk to ghosts now?" Klaus asked as he watched the witch pause with every sentence, somehow speaking to Tyler.

Margot nodded, "Seems like it. There is Enzo and now Tyler. Enzo's... Who's Enzo again, Bon Bon?"

"One of Damon's old friends," she paused, glancing over to a chair in the corner before correcting herself, "One of Damon's enemies."

"Now that makes much more sense."

— — —

"So, how does this work?"

"Being an Anchor is like being a gateway. Usually, it's one way, but when the travellers die, Liv and you will do the spell. Both of your magic, combined with all those travellers opening the gate at once will allow the people on the Other Side to push their way through me like Markos, another traveller, did."

Bonnie paused her steps, staring at the door in shock.

"Stefan?"

Margot's eyes widened. "My dads here?"

They stayed silent for a second. Margot assumed Enzo was speaking.

"No. It's Silas."

Margot and Klaus's eyes widened. "Silas isn't in a tomb anymore?"

"We killed him."

"Guess we missed quite a bit, huh, love?"

Margot nodded as she leaned into his side, "Guess so."

"I'm going to help you bring your friends back to life. And me, along with them. So, what do you say? Bygones?" Silas asked as he walked closer to Bonnie.

— — —

"Az vezat esvet," Silas spoke as they sat in a mausoleum just outside of Mystic Falls.

Margot had done a quick spell to let her hear what the man could say. It was quite hard joining in a conversation when you couldn't hear half of it.

"Az vezat esvat," Bonnie repeated, screwing up the words slightly.

"Esvet, not vat. I feel like I'm teaching calculus to an infant. Margot, why can't you do it?"

"I'm not the Anchor. And she'll get it if you stop being such a dick. So, why don't you shut up and help her with the goddamn spell."

Silas smirked, "Cute. Hey, when I come back from the dead, I'd love to take you out sometime."

Margot scoffed, "First, you have the same face as my father. Second, you tortured my father and third, I have a boyfriend. Why would I go out with you?"

The man only chuckled, "Feisty, I like it."

Bonnie grumbled. She was getting more annoyed by Silas with every minute, "I'm sorry. I'm a little nervous about unleashing a plague onto humanity."

"Ooh! I've been upgraded to a plague? Oh. How biblical and fitting, seeing as I probably will kill a lot of people in an epic, all-inclusive way once I'm out of here. Oh, speaking of, how is my shadow self? Is it a crime for someone so good-looking to be so sad all the time?"

"Teach her the spell now or I'll make sure you stay on the Other Side for the rest of time."

Just then, the door opened to reveal Elena and a blonde girl.

"Margot? Klaus?" the brunette asked as she went to hug the brunette heretic.

"Hey, Lena. I see you've been having fun."

The doppelganger smiled at her, "I missed you."

Margot nodded. The girl had hurt her dad. She had every right to be mad but she still felt a little pity for the girl.

"Did you find a traveller that's going to get us out of here?" Elena asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Yep. Learning the spell as we speak. I'd introduce you, but, um–"

Elena glanced at no one in particular as she spoke, "Thank you, whoever you are."

"Oh. Just the perfect specimen of man, that's all," Silas spoke with a smirk as he looked Margot up and down once more.

"Moody old lady. Kind of senile," Bonnie answered Elena, earning a chuckle from Margot and Klaus.

"Got it. Well, I'm going to go call Damon, and let him know that we're ready."

Margot glanced at the blonde woman, "Liv, right?"

She nodded, earning a smile from Margot, "Walk with me?"

Klaus chuckled from behind her, "Don't go too hard on her, love. You need her for the spell."

She grinned, "Doesn't mean I can't rough her up a bit."

With that, the two women walked out of the crypt. "Shame about your brother. I heard Caroline killed him. I guess you're used to deaths in the family though, aren't you, little Livvy?"

Liv's eyes widened, "How do you know that? Who are you?"

Margot smirked as she sped the girl against a tree. Liv attempted a spell, yet it didn't work. "I'm a friend of your brother."

"Luke?" the girl gasped against her tight hold.

"Kai."

Liv's eyes widened, "No- No!"

Margot smiled cynically, "Yes. Now, tell me where he is 'cause I know he's not dead."

"I don't- I don't know. Ask Jo! Ask Jo."

"The bitchy twin?"

"Yes. Who- Who are you? How do you know Kai?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to dot, dot, dot. I look forward to doing the spell with you, sweetheart. Try not to die. I'm sure Kai wouldn't be happy if your death wasn't by his hand."

— — —

Not long after, Margot and Klaus were taking a stroll through the grave yard until they were rudely interrupted by Damon.

"I know I'm not exactly your favourite person right now, Margot, but we three need to have a chat," the blue-eyed vampire said as he walked over to the couple.

"What is it now?"

"Listen... I wanted to spare you the gory details, and then I figured, well, I'll be lying, and then the whole point of saving the universe would be moot because you'd be even more pissed. So, here it is; Project Kaboom needs someone to trigger the explosion, so to speak."

The couple glanced at each other before looking back at Damon. "Are you... No, Damon, seriously?"

Damon sighed but didn't answer.

"Out of all the idiotic plans you could make, this is the one you chose? What happens if it doesn't work?"

"... Well Klaus can't die and you're an all-powerful witch-vampire. I'm sure you're crafty enough to figure out a way to come back to life."

Margot scoffed, "You want us gone that badly, don't you?"

"Well, I can't say I'd be jumping to have you back."

"Easy, mate. That's no way to treat a lady," Klaus spoke up in a threatening tone as he stood slightly in front of Margot.

"Really though, you can't die and Maggie can be brought back with everyone else. It's a done deal, really."

"A done deal? What, so you're playing games with your brother's daughter's future? Real nice, Damon. And, if Nik passes the border, who's to say it doesn't kill him too? He won't have any magic if it strips it all away from him."

"We've already decided, kid. It's best if it's the two of you."

Klaus frowned, "Who's we?"

Damon paused awkwardly.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Salvatore. Who signed our death sentences?"

"... Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, myself, Enzo... pretty much everyone, even Donovan."

"Yeah well Donovan can shove a stick up his ass for all I care," Margot spoke, her voice an octave deeper as she thought through a plan. "What about the spell? Doesn't Parker Junior need help?"

"We've already got it covered. You, little siphon, are going to put some of your magic in a necklace for her to channel."

He didn't give them time to answer or rather argue before he sped away.

— — —

Margot had stolen Damon's car. If she was going to do this, she had to get revenge somehow. She had also told Klaus she was going to be in the shower for the next hour which left her completely alone in the driver's seat at the entrance of Mystic Falls.

She took yet another sip from her bottle of bourbon before her phone buzzed. It was Sheriff Forbes.

'They're here. Go now.' The message read.

Margot sighed before starting up the engine only for someone to open the passenger door before entering. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Always and forever, my love."

Her eyes widened, "No. No, Nik. That's not how this works. The second we cross that border you're going to feel everything! Centuries of pain to be relieved! I can't let you go through that. I won't."

He grasped at her hand that was sitting on the glove box, "I refuse to let you die alone, Margot. I don't care what pain or trauma I have to endure. I will be beside you every second. Now, my beautiful love, drive."

Margot sighed, pulling his face closer to hers, placing a delicate kiss on his lips before the door opened yet again. Damon.

"Did you really think I was letting my brother's kid die alone?" he asked with a smirk as he got into the back seat.

She grinned slightly before turning to face the road and then her foot hit the pedal. The car sped past the border, pain immediately blossoming in the trio as they reached the centre of the town.

"Hurry, love. We have to die while we're still supernaturals–" he glanced at her as he watched blood stain her shirt, wounds opening, the very same wounds Gloria had inflicted on her months before.

The car sped up. It was at its highest speed as they passed the town square.

Margot's hand came down to hold his as she turned harshly.

"Nik..."

"I know. I know, love."

With that, the car sped into the Grill, smashing through the wall before everything burst into flames.

— — —

Death was weird. Everything felt normal and everything looked normal. It was just like living another day.

When Margot opened her eyes, her hand was still wound with Klaus' as they sat in the wrecked car. "Nik," she whispered, her hand coming up to his face.

His blue eyes opened. "I'm here, love."

"I'm here, too, not that you cared to ask," Damon grumbled from the backseat earning a soft laugh from Margot.

"We need to get to Bonnie before it's too late."

Damon sped off, leaving the couple on their own.

Margot groaned slightly as she got out of the car, Klaus following suit. Her eyes widened as she walked past a body. "Shit," she muttered.

It was Liz.

She couldn't leave her, not like this. It was Caroline's mom. The woman who baked them cookies during their study nights, the woman who caught them making out in Caroline's closet and only chuckled. She was like a mother to Margot.

"We can't leave her," Margot muttered as she gripped the pillar that was set on top of the woman.

The hybrid sighed before going to help her. Together, they slowly lifted the stone pillar before setting it aside.

Liz groaned in pain signalling that she was alive.

"We need to go, love. She's gonna be okay."

In The Cemetery | Five Minutes Earlier

The travellers passed through Bonnie one by one until there was only the Scooby Gang left.

Liv continued to chant as blood ran down her nose, dark red drops staining her lips as she channelled the necklace Margot had given her.

Luke watched from behind her before running out to Bonnie, "Bonnie! Hey! Look, it's too much for her! We need to start now!"

"No! We go together," Stefan argued. "Margot, Damon and Klaus aren't here yet!"

Luke shook his head, "I don't care," before using Bonnie to travel to the land of the living.

"You need to come through," Bonnie shouted at the remainder after Luke disappeared.

The wind howled around them, the leaves blowing harshly as the other side slowly died off.

"What about everyone else?" Tyler asked.

Enzo rolled his eyes before walking to Bonnie, "Don't have to tell me twice." And then he disappeared.

Then Tyler.

It was just Stefan and Lexi now. "Go, Stefan! I'll wait for the rest!" the blonde yelled.

"I'm not leaving my daughter!"

Instead of listening, Lexi grabbed onto Stefan, forcing him to touch Bonnie which sent him to the living. "No," he muttered as he looked around.

"We'll find her, Stefan," Bonnie reassured him.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked as she entered the grave site, helping Stefan to his feet. "Who are we missing?"

Just then, Bonnie began to cough. The other side was tearing her apart from the inside. Blood covered her hand as she moved it from her face.

"Bonnie? Are you okay?" Stefan asked, immediately standing and helping the woman stand.

Lexi, on the other side, accidentally grabbed onto the witch while trying to help her. "No," she whispered as Stefan and Caroline came into sight. "I'm so sorry, Stefan."

He shook his head. "She'll be here. I know she will."

At that moment, he didn't care about Klaus or Damon. All he cared about was his daughter. She came back for him and she was dead because of him.

"It's okay. I can do this," Bonnie spoke, her voice trembling. The witch then walked away, leaving the living. Lexi held onto Stefan, comforting her best friend as his thoughts consumed him.

"She's gonna be okay, Stef. It's Margot, she's always okay."

"Bonnie!" Damon yelled as he ran over to the witch, Alaric following behind him.

"Thank god! Where's Margot and Klaus!?"

"I left them! I thought they were right behind me but then I saw Ric!"

Bonnie quickly grabbed Ric, sending him to the living before looking at Damon.

— — —

Back in the tomb, Luke held onto Liv as she screamed while chanting. The spell was tearing her apart, much like Bonnie.

"Screw this," he muttered before standing. "I won't let you die for them, Liv. Phasmatos fumos extas," with his chants, the candles died out and Liv's words came to a quick stop.

The spell had stopped and it couldn't be restarted.

— — —

"Where's Stefan?" Damon asked as he stood in front of Bonnie.

"He made it through. Everyone did."

Just then, Margot and Klaus ran up the hill before meeting the pair.

"Thank god," Bonnie muttered once again before she grabbed onto the three of them.

Nothing happened.

She grabbed onto them again.

Nothing happened.

Damon sighed, "Well, would you look at that."

Margot stared up at Klaus with a frightened expression on her delicate face. His hands came up to cup her cheeks, "It's okay, love."

In The Tomb | Three Minutes Later

Stefan ran into the tomb only to see the candles unlit and Luke and Liv nowhere in sight. "Oh my god. Liv!" he yelled as he paced through the room, Lexi beside him as Bonnie walked in.

"We need to find them. We need them to start the spell again!"

"We can't, that was our one shot," Bonnie explained.

"But Margot, Damon and Klaus are on the other side. We have to-"

"Stefan. It's too late."

Just then, the three entered the tomb only to see Stefan fall back into Lexi's arms as tears fell from his eyes. "No- No."

Bonnie glanced back, seeing Klaus holding Margot along with Damon who stood next to them.

"They're here," she almost whispered. "You can say goodbye."

Bonnie then walked out along with Klaus and Lexi, leaving Damon and Margot who stood in front of Stefan.

"You two finally had everything you wanted. You were so happy, both of you. You should be here," Stefan said as he let out a heart-wrenching sob.

A tear fell from Margot's eye as she kneeled in front of her father. "This isn't your fault," she whispered even though he couldn't hear it.

"I love you both. More than anything."

Her hand came out, reaching to hold his. He could feel it. With the other side collapsing, he could still feel her.

"Sweetheart," he whimpered as his hand grasped onto the invisible force. "Please don't leave me."

"We don't have a choice, brother," Damon said as he placed a hand on Stefan's shoulder.

"Thank you, Dad. For everything," Margot said softly as tears streamed down her face, her grip on his hand tightening as she placed a kiss on his cheek, "I love you, Dad."

With one final squeeze, she and Damon walked out only for Damon to stop her. "I'm sorry, kid. I know now isn't the greatest time for apologies but... no time like the present, right?"

She smiled as she pulled him into a hug, "Thank you, Uncle Damon. Guess I can't haunt you now, huh?"

"We can haunt each other... wherever we are."

They held each other's hands as they reached Klaus and Bonnie who stood on the perimeter of the forest. Klaus immediately embraced her, holding onto her side as Bonnie grabbed onto Damon's hand and Margot's free one.

The living group watched as Bonnie held her hands out, presumably holding onto the others.

Klaus held onto Margot a little tighter as the wind picked up blowing leaves every which way. "This place is going down, isn't it?"

"It is," Bonnie answered. "I'm sure there are a million people we'd all rather be with right now, but..."

"Couple thousand at most," Damon answered, glancing at Margot.

They all chuckled softly.

"Always and forever, right?" Margot asked, looking up at Klaus.

He nodded as he pressed his lips against hers. "Always and fore-"

White light had consumed them.

Peace.