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CHAPTER 14: THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

❝ you cannot atone for your mistakes if you keep running from them. ❞

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"LEAVING SO SOON?"

Alaric has returned to Mystic Falls with Lizzie and Josie. Kind of. They were located at the armory just outside of town. He had not planned on returning so soon but something odd was happening to his daughters. He brought the girls to the armory on the search for something that might help him manage them. He was not at all expecting to run into the man who killed his fiancé at the altar. He figured they were much safer at the armory.

Enola was thankful when Alaric agreed to watch over Hope and Finn. She had gotten word from Caroline that Stefan had planned on leaving town. She nearly scoffed at the audacity. She had spent the past few days trying to fix what he broke. He did not get to run away from the mess he created. Especially considering the fact he has yet to apologize. And she knew apologizing would not bring Enzo back from the dead. But it was the least he could do.

"Look," Stefan sighed. He didn't even turn to face her as he continued to pack his bags to leave. "You are not going to talk me out of leaving town. You might as well save your breath."

"The most tortured place in hell is reserved not for traitors, but for cowards. The weakest and most spineless nobodies." Enola said. "Because it seems to me that traitors make a choice. But cowards? Cowards are too afraid to do anything besides run away with their tail tucked between their legs."

"You would know all about running away, wouldn't you?" Stefan scoffed, finally turning to face Enola.

"That is different. I was running from grief." Enola countered. "What are you running from? The consequences of your own actions?"

"Guilt," Stefan spat, voice cracking slightly. "I am running from my guilt because I don't know what else to do."

"Face it," Enola spat. "You do not run. You do not hide. You face it."

"What if—" Stefan hesitated. "What if I don't know how."

"Then figure it out," Enola says. "That is just what it means to be human."

"And as awful as that sounds, we have got bigger problems." Damon announced. He had always known how to make a grand entrance. "Cade has Elena."

"What?" Stefan blinked.

"How?" Enola demanded.

"Long story," Damon grimaced.

"Does this have something to do with your new bestie—Kai Parker?" Enola scowled.

"He is certainly not my bestie after this little stunt," Damon argued.

"Wait, wait, wait—rewind." Stefan interrupted, very confused. "Kai is dead."

"Ish," Damon cringed. "He is alive enough to screw me over and kidnap Elena."

"Then he turned her over to Cade," Stefan realized with a deep annoyed sigh.

"Apparently," Damon shrugged in thought.

"And how did the asshole get his hands on Elena to begin with?" Enola inquired.

"Not important," Damon waved off. "But Kai being Kai tried to cheat the devil. Kept an ace up his sleeve and now Cade wants that too."

"In exchange for Elena," Stefan huffed.

"Putting aside the fact that you were gonna blow out of town without having an epic bro moment, I hope wherever you are going can wait." Damon pleaded. "Because I really need you guys today."

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"That is Kai Parker?"

Enola and Damon were huddled in a dark corner of a bar and grill. It was surprisingly easy to find Kai without any help from magic. He wasn't much of a mastermind. Quite the opposite actually. Which certainly made this a whole lot easier. Though no one had expected to find him center stage while singing a haunting rendition of Knocking On Heaven's Door.

"Yes," Damon muttered bitterly. "That is Kai Parker."

"You let that fool kill you?" Enola chuckled.

"That is beside the point," Damon scowled.

"Then what is the point?" Enola huffed.

"The point is that he thinks I am dead and does not know you exist," Damon claimed. "So he will not see us coming."

Damon motions to Kai who is now approaching Stefan at the bar. Enola could not help but scowl at the sight of the heretic. He was the one who had put her sister into a supernatural coma. She was grateful she was immortal. Otherwise she would not be able to see her twin again in this lifetime. Either way, she uses enhanced hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation at the bar.

"Well, well, well, Stephan Salvawhore." Kai hummed nonchalantly. "How did you even find me? A locator spell?"

"Yelp, actually." Stefan informed. He pulled his phone out into the open with an unimpressed look. "CobraKai1972 wrote: grunge music selection weak, drinks even weaker. Thirty minutes later: drinks getting better, love this place, microphone emoji, fireball emoji."

"Yeah, what can I say?" Kai shrugged with a small grin. "I'm a sucker for second chances these days."

Enola and Damon were briefly distracted by a cute bartender with blonde hair and smooth curves. She sauntered over to them with a little bounce in her step. It was obvious that she was trying to be seductive. And judging by the looks she received when she walked past, it was working for her.

"Can I get you two anything?" She smiles.

"I—I will have a bourbon." Damon stuttered like a fool.

"A margarita for me," Enola said curtly.

"Anything else?" She hummed, eyeing the two flirtatiously.

"Nope," Enola decided. "That should do it."

"Alright. I will be back with those drinks." She hummed. She shot Damon a beaming smile before strutting away and Damon nearly tripped over his own feet to follow.

"Where do you think you are going?" Enola scowled, grabbing a hold of Damon.

"To have some fun," Damon chided. "Keep an eye on our boy."

Damon left Enola seated alone at the booth to watch over Stefan and Kai. Though she figured he had it covered. She admittedly forgot that he was human and easier to kill while she was off enjoying herself. He must have forgotten too. He was busy trying to get a special dagger that could potentially kill the devil. He was now a fragile human who should not be making threats when it was a lot easier to kill him.

"I am assuming you are here because I gave Elena to Cade?" Kai hummed.

"Actually," Stefan corrected. "I am here for what you didn't give Cade."

"Yeah, I guess that is what I get for trying to pull one over on a psychic." Kai chuckled. "Listen, I am sorry, Steven, but that dagger is my insurance policy in case Cade ever tries to send me back to that hot spot."

"You want an insurance policy? How about this?" Stefan began. He cleared his throat before sitting forward. "You give me the dagger and I will kill him."

"Cade is the devil," Kai reminded. "I looked into his eyes when I was handing over Elena and I decided that it is not worth the risk. Why would I trust you?"

"Because you are afraid of him. And I am not." Stefan shrugged simply.

"Yeah, but that is not the only difference between us, is it?" Kai grinned. "For example—me, I am this all powerful heretic, right? And you? Well, you are just a puny vampire." He reached for said puny vampire without a second thought. Though he was in for quite the surprise when nothing happened. "Oh."

"You can't siphon me. I'm human." Stefan smiled sweetly.

"Are you serious? That is insane?" Kai gasped dramatically. "That is like a major life change. Wow. Okay." He rubbed his temples in an attempt to process all this new information. "I tell you what? I change my mind. You can have the dagger." He pulled the dagger out into the open and stabbed Stefan straight through the hand. "For the record, killing Cade is not the only thing this dagger is capable of. Because when you kill the devil, hell goes alone with him. Speaking of which, any last words before I send you there myself?"

"Enola," Stefan grunted out.

"Enola?" Kai echoed. He was confused for a brief moment before his neck was being snapped from behind with unbridled ease.

"What took you so long?" Stefan grunted. He harshly yanked the dagger out of his hand, scrambling to stop the bleeding with napkins.

"Sorry. I went to put in a song." Enola apologized awkwardly. "What did you say to piss him off?"

"Where is Damon?" Stefan questioned.

"That would have pissed me off too," Enola scoffed. "Let's go."

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Enola walked behind Stefan and Damon at a leisurely pace. She had already done all the heavy lifting. The least they could do was carry the prisoner inside. Though what she had not accounted for was the more than awkward atmosphere that filled the air the moment they entered the armory.

"Sorry. This place had the nearest holding cell." Damon chirped. "A little help?"

"Follow me," Caroline commanded, refusing to even spare Stefan a glance.

Enola watched as Damon and Caroline carried Kai away before turning towards Stefan and Alaric. Though her gaze was flickering around the room for her children that she did not spot anywhere. A confused frown tugged at her lips. She was looking forward to seeing them before everything went to hell. Literally.

"They are upstairs with the twins," Alaric answered. "Which is why I cannot believe you brought him here."

"What else were we supposed to do with him?" Enola demanded. "We don't even know if he can be killed—or whatever you do to a person who is already technically dead."

"All we know is that we have a way to eliminate Cade and right now that is the priority," Stefan said sternly.

"No. That is your priority." Alaric corrected angrily. "Kai is quite literally my worst enemy."

"As soon as you hear from one of us, you can do whatever you want with him." Stefan said.

"And where are you going?" Alaric questioned.

"To clean this up," Stefan waved his injured hand in the air before disappearing around the corner with a pain filled wince.

"Then we are going to kill the devil," Enola continued. "And for that, we are going to need your help."

"Fine," Alaric nodded, eyeing Enola closely. "But I want something in return."

"What could I possibly give you?" Enola quirked a brow.

"Advice," Alairc began. "You are the mother of two very special individuals. How do you do it?"

"How do I do what?" Enola frowned in confusion.

"How do you raise two very special individuals when you are different from them? They are a quarter witch. You are not." Alaric blurted. "Do you—Do you call someone? I have tried looking for a solution in my books, but I am not equipped to handle this."

Enola came to the conclusion that Caroline and Alaric had it easier. They were always complaining about how their kids were acting out instead of actively searching for answers. They are always scouring the earth for a supernatural solution instead of realizing that their problems are a lot more human.

"They are not triggered by some magical development or coven secret or anything you are going to find in your books," Enola chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Alaric inquired.

"The issue is a lot less supernatural and a lot more mundane," Enola explained shortly. "They have been split up and moved around. They are confused and scared and children. They may not understand the tension, but they can certainly sense it." She smiled sadly as she chose her next words carefully. "Children are sensitive."

"So Caroline and I are bad parents?" Alaric scoffed.

"No. But you could do better." Enola reasoned. "I could even do better. My kids have never had a place to call home because we are always moving. I say it is to keep them safe. But maybe that is just an excuse. Because they are safe wherever I am."

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Enola left Hope and Finn in the very capable hands of Caroline and Alaric. She could tell that her advice had gotten to him. And not in a good way. He was overanalyzing all of his actions. But she could not say she regretted what she said. It was true. Most of his parenting related problems were not supernatural related. Of course she knew this from first hand experience. Raising extraordinary children is no easy feat.

"Why the hell does Cade want to meet here?" Stefan wondered.

"Beats me," Damon shrugged. "He doesn't wear the cape or carry the pitchfork, so maybe this is just his way of being dramatic."

Enola was the first to climb out of the vehicle with Stefan and Damon following close behind. Her mind kept wandering to her husband as she stared up at the sunset. She wished he was here with her. But she had left him in New Orleans. Not willingly.

"Things have a way of getting bloody with Cade," Enola hummed, eyes flickering to Stefan. "So if you would like to talk about what will happen afterwards, I am all ears."

"Look—me leaving is for the best." Stefan tried to reason.

"For who?" Enola countered. She was just handing out unsolicited advice left and right. "For Damon? For Bonnie? For Caroline?"

"I am trying to protect them," Stefan argued. "I cannot atone for my mistakes if I keep making them."

"You cannot atone for your mistakes if you keep running from them," Enola pointed out.

"I don't know what else I am supposed to do," Stefan huffed.

"Stay," Damon muttered. "You are supposed to stay."

"I can't," Stefan reasoned, looking down sadly.

"Then why are you still here?" Damon challenged.

"Cade is free because of me," Stefan reminded. "That is why I have to kill him."

"You might be a human now, but you are still annoyingly self-righteous." Enola huffed. "Not everything is your burden to bare—"

Enola was interrupted by a light pinch in the base of her neck. Her eyes shot up just in time to watch Damon collapse like dead weight. She immediately found Stefan with an apologetic look as her vision began to blur. Quiet pleas left her lips as she fell to her knees but they fell on deaf ears. But it was far too late.

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Enola and Damon woke to complete darkness. They took a moment to collect their bearings before the familiar sound of a powerful bell rang out. They shared a knowing look upon realizing that they had been left out of the plan. They scrambled to their feet before using their heightened senses to locate Stefan and Cade. It was not too difficult. It was the sound of a struggle near the rocky caves of Stevens Quarry which lured them in.

Enola and Damon found a dangerous ledge hidden behind a waterfall. They quietly stepped behind the flowing water only to be met with the sight of a familiar coffin. And the idiot who decided to venture off alone only to get beat up by the devil the moment those bells stopped chiming. They admittedly watched for a moment before intervening. Let us call it karma. For always being so self-righteous.

"I miss this kind of violence. It is personal. Direct." Cade smirked wickedly. Stefan received a harsh kick to the ribs. Again and again and again. "Now you know what I always have. The human mind is weak. And its flesh is even weaker."

"We had a deal, Cade." Damon said sternly.

"Our deal was that you would bring me the dagger in exchange for Elena," Cade seethed, shoving Stefan to the ground.

"Does it matter? You got what you wanted." Enola reminded, nodding to the knife Cade had easily been able to steal from Stefan. "My sister please."

"Fine," Cade muttered bitterly. "I will give you one soul."

Enola watched in absolute horror as Cade set the coffin that stored Elena on fire with ease. Her gasp ripped through her throat at the pain in her chest. She went to take a step forward only to get held back by a pair of strong arms. She had half the mind to tear his head off for stopping her charged anger from destroying the devil.

"No," Enola breathed in panic. "No!"

"The question is which soul are you going to save?" Cade tested. "Elena's or Stefan's?"

"I am not letting my sister die," Enola spat, stepping forward.

"Unfortunately, that choice is not yours." Cade decided, eyes latching onto Damon immediately. "I am curious, Damon. What is it like to be the first person to know how hell on earth feels?" His eyes were glowing with excitement. "Save Stefan and risk losing the one person you have ever loved for good or save Elena and watch your brother wither away."

"Screw you," Damon spat.

"A more important question then—who is it going to be?" Cade taunted, eyes moving to the coffin on fire. "I suggest you answer soon or the flames will make the decision for you."

"Damon," Enola warned nervously. Though it was fruitless. She knew who he would pick. It was selfish of her to hope otherwise.

"Damon," Stefan grunted in an attempt to sit up. "You know what to do."

"No. I can't." Damon denied. "I am not saying the words."

"Fine. Then I will." Stefan said. "Cade, take me."

"Enough from the angel on his shoulder," Cade huffed, sending a hash kick towards Stefan before turning back to Damon. "I am doing you a favor, Damon. To finally get over the one that got away. This exact choice has defined your life since the moment you arrived in the town of Mystic Falls. It has only brought you an immeasurable amount of pain and suffering. It can all end now."

"Damon," Enola selfishly pleaded.

"Choose," Cade pressured.

Stefan had been alive for nearly two hundred years while Elena had just entered adulthood. It was not fair. None of this was fair. But Enola knew who she would choose in a heartbeat. Though she could not force that decision on another. People do insane things for the ones that they love.

"I choose me," Damon spoke with finality. "Stefan is human. He has lived a supremely messed up life. His soul is already damned. Take me. You will get us both eventually."

"I have to say—I am intrigued." Cade nodded.

"Well, act now because it is a one time offer." Damon spat.

Enola was silent. She did not want any of these people to die. Every single one of them were all a detrimental part of who she was. But she also knew that not everyone was going to make it out of here alive. It was something she had come to terms with the moment she rolled into town.

"Are you aware of what you are offering me?" Cade questioned, taking slow and tentative steps forward.

"My soul," Damon agreed. "In eternal anguish. Twisted and black and delicious. Just how you like them." His jaw was tightly clenched as he continued to taunt. "So come on! Eat me."

"I would like nothing more," Cade smirked. He reached through the fire of the coffin and tore a wooden piece clean off before tossing it at the feet of his next victim. "But it requires you being dead."

"Damon, please don't do this." Stefan begged, unable to do anything to stop this.

"Are you . . . " Enola hesitated. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"This is what I need. Call it retribution." Damon decided. He reached down for the wooden stake. "It has been a hell of a ride." His eyes landed on the devil before flickering to the burning coffin. "Put Elena out first. Then promise you will keep your grubby paws off her soul permanently."

Enola felt a shred of pain when Cade did what Damon demanded. A lot has changed since the last time she saw him. He had changed. She had come to the conclusion that they all had. Some negatively and others positively. But what stayed the same was their determination to save those they loved.

"Your move," Cade taunted.

"Damon, don't." Stefan pleaded and begged.

"See you in hell, Cade." Damon decided.

"Yes. You will." Cade confirmed.

Damon looked from Cade to Stefan before finally landing on Enola. He gave her a soft and apologetic smile before using the jagged piece of wood to impale his heart. She had to look away as gray veins crawled up his neck and as his eyes clouded over as he surrendered to death. She was right there to catch him before he hit the ground, but that was not enough. Because he was already dead.

"No," Stefan choked out.

"Until next time," Cade winked coyly. "I have a soul to drag to hell."

Cade was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Enola and Stefan alone to cradle a very dead Damon. And the only thing that could kill him because—and let's face it—he did not think either of these fools had the guts to actually kill him. Little did he know just how wrong he was.

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Cade walked through the plains of purgatory with determination. Though he would have preferred the soul of Enola Mikaelson, he decided that Damon Salvatore would satiate his needs. For now. He was a picky man. He was an even pickier eater. And while Damon Salvatore was nothing special compared to Enola Mikaelson, he planned on enjoying this meal as if it were his last feast.

"There is no point hiding. You are dead. Your soul belongs to me." Cade claims. Silence. "I am psychic, remember? I know you can hear me."

"Hiding ain't my style, Cade." Damon hummed, stepping out of the shadows to face the devil. "Annoying you on the other hand—it is right up my alley." His eyes flickered around the falls curiously. "So I guess this is where the tragic tale of Damon Salvatore ends."

"Look on the bright side—your suffering is just beginning." Cade smirked deviously.

Cade took a deep breath before forcing Damon to come forward. With his mind. It took no effort to do so. Though he stopped when the soul was halfway across the clearing. He opened his eyes as the thunderclaps from above came to a sudden halt.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Damon blinked. "We taking an Uber instead?"

"We have a visitor. And her pain will almost be as sweet as yours." Cade hummed. It only took him a moment to leave the supernatural purgatory to face the visitor. "Miss Bennett. You are just in time."

"Where are my friends?" Bonnie demanded, oblivious to Damon who stood a few feet away.

"Don't worry. They're safe." Cade hummed. He paused. "Except for Damon—Damon is very dead."

"What?" Bonnie choked out.

"Relax. You share my psychic gift." Cade chuckled in amusement. "So if you will just open your mind . . . "

Bonnie took a long and deep breath. She was learning how easy it was to open her mind recently. She was thankful for that because it only took a short moment for her to enter the supernatural purgatory where Cade searched for lost souls. Her eyes landed on Damon almost immediately.

"You should not be here, Bon." Damon warned.

"Let him go," Bonnie growled.

"And why should I do that?" Cade chuckles in amusement. "Damon sold his soul to me."

"Like you said, we share the same gift." Bonnie spat. "I won't let you take him without a fight."

"I was hoping you would say that, but I must warn you: if you attempt to keep his soul on this plane, your mind will surely shatter." Cade taunted. He did not need to say any more as he used his mind to reel the lost soul towards him.

"I said no!" Bonnie growled. She struggled to pull the lost soul back to her.

"Or maybe your body will give out first, leaving Elena Gilbert to wake up in a world without her best friend." Cade continued. "At least she will still have her sister."

"Shut up!" Bonnie scowled.

"For the last time—release Damon or risk losing more than him." Cade threatened.

"He is right, Bon." Damon tried. "You got to let me go."

"Not gonna happen," Bonnie decided through clenched teeth.

"Please, let go, Bon." Damon begged. "Or I will."

"Damon," Bonnie pleaded. "Don't you dare."

The begging was fruitless. Damon was holding on by a thread and Bonnie was tired. At this rate, Cade would surely win. And then he was yanked from his supernatural purgatory by a sharp pain in his chest. His eyes blinked into focus to find the bane of his existence standing there with an unreadable expression before glancing to the blade that had been forced through his heart.

"Bet you didn't see that coming," Enola taunted.

"Go to hell," Cade choked out.

"You first," Enola dared.

Enola twisted the blade deeper into Cade before yanking it out in one swift movement. She watched as his body came alight with hellfire before he self imploded. The blast was so big that it knocked her a couple feet back. It took her a long moment to register the fact that she just killed the devil before her eyes immediately began to search for her friend.

"You alive?" Enola called out.

"Unfortunately," Bonnie sighed. "Nice save."

Enola scrambled towards where Bonnie laid. Neither of them were quite prepared for the bone crushing hug that followed. It had been a very stressful few months thanks to the devil who had been tormenting them. Plus everything else that had been going on. The hug was very much needed.

"Are we late for the group hug?" Enola and Bonnie turned to find Stefan and Damon approaching.

"Damon?" Enola blinked.

"You okay?" Bonnie questioned.

"That little psychic blast must have blown me back into my body," Damon commented, eyes falling to Enola. "Let me do the dirty work next time. We both know that I am better at it."

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"Where are they?"

Enola was unable to celebrate the small victory that had been made when Caroline suddenly called in a panic. Kai had escaped and spent the better half of an hour hunting for the children. He was thankfully interrupted before fleeing with his life. Though that did not last long. He was captured and put in a prison world where he would be unable to hurt another soul ever again.

"Upstairs," Alaric informed.

Enola disappeared down the long hallway where she followed the familiar heartbeats that belonged to her daughters. She did not want to come off as crazy for memorizing every skip and stutter after she almost miscarried. But she did. She had always been too observant when it came to her kids. Too diligent. Perhaps that is why Alaric had come to her for parenting advice.

Enola stopped outside of a mahogany door on the second floor. The east wing was full of plenty of guest bedrooms. It was meant for the interns who were busy at work until the early morning hours. Unfortunately, the armory had been closed to the public with everything going on. Fortunately, that gave her a place to hide her children when the chaos became too much. She was not expecting the chaos to find them here.

Enola sighed before gently pushing the door open to reveal Hope and Finn curled up in bed together. She smiled softly at them before quietly making her way forward. She sat at the edge of the bed admiring them for a long moment. While they both had the same auburn hair, Hope had her father's eyes while Finn had her mother's.

"I heard you two had quite the adventurous day," Enola spoke softly.

Both Hope and Finn did not say a word as Enola welcomed them in her arms for a hug. She felt like a horrible mother. She had been so absent these past few days. Maybe it was because the devil was in town or maybe it was because her friends needed her. Either way, she had gotten far too comfortable dropping her children off with other people.

"It was horrible," Hope sobbed.

"Please never leave us alone again," Finn begged.

"I promise," Enola whispered. "From now on, you two are stuck with me."

It took Enola an hour to put Hope and Finn to bed. She quietly closed the door behind her before making her way towards the nearest exit. She stepped down the stairs at a hurried pace to find everyone already waiting with solemn expressions. She paused as she studied each and every one of them with bated breath.

"How are they?" Caroline broke the tense silence.

"Shaken up. But alive." Enola answered. "What is it? What did I miss?"

"Bonnie?" Damon hummed. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"I just spoke to Kai," Bonnie confessed. She hesitated, eyes flickering around the room in uncertainty as she spoke her next words. "We didn't destroy hell."

"What are you talking about? Cade is dead. I killed him." Enola frowned.

"He is not the one running hell," Stefan spoke up slowly.

"If he is not the one running hell, then who is?" Enola demanded.

"Think of the only person worse than Cade. The only person who knows where all your weak spots are. Who wants to hit you there over and over again. Who will stop at nothing to make sure that you and everyone you love is dead." Bonnie ranted. She paced the lengths of the room anxiously before stopping in front of them. "The one who wants revenge for what we did to her."

Enola could only think of one person. And while she was not there for their untimely end, she knew it was brutal. She could only hope that her assumptions had been wrong, but judging by the looks everyone wore she knew that she was right and that the one person she despised more than anyone else was coming back to bring hell on earth.

"Katherine,"

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AUTHORS NOTE.
this chapter was a long one. two more and enola will finally be reunited with klaus. i will try to get the last two chapters posted this week. until next time, my loves!!!