Maeve pressed the phone to her ear when she heard the click of the call. "brother bear! Where are you?"

"Right behind you." Maeve flinched and jumped up in surprise hearing Ezekiel's voice in her ear.

"You crazy idiot!" she cursed placing a hand on her chest. "you scared me."

"That was the aim." His lips curved into a smile but his eyes told a different story. Both of the siblings acted like everything was normal knowing their Pops had an ear out to their conversation. Silently both of them conveyed a lot of words, emotions with only their eyes. One thing was sure, none of them were ready for the inevitable.

"We're about to start watching friends. You know it's no fun without you." Maeve tried her best to keep her voice from cracking. Ezekiel pulled his younger sister into a hug.

"He did love to do that. So, I guess I am right on time. Let's go." He said a mock happiness wiping Maeve's tears. 

"Maeve.." a meek voice called her. Behind Ezekiel stood Amara with a tired look. She made her way to the siblings and pulled the young hybrid into a tight hug.

"I'm here auntie. I'm right here." Maeve rubbed Amara's back shushing softly to calm her. She spread her arms to invite Ezekiel into the hug. He wrapped his arms around joining them in the hug.

"Now this is not fair." they pulled away immediately hearing the voice of Kade come from beside them. Kade stood at the doorway of his room looking at the three of them simultaneously with a betrayed face. "You have a family hug and not invite me? Is this what I get for feeding you all, raising you?"

The three smiled immediately going in for a hug. Kade placed both his hands on the back of his grandchildren smiling to himself. Ross stood at a distance watching the family. He used the camera in his hand and snapped a quick picture of all of them.

Ezekiel was the first to pull away hearing the click of the camera. "Excuse me Cadbury." he began in a strict accent which almost sounded British, "what are you up to?"

"Nothing sire but what Mr Kalon instructed." Ross told them showing the camera in hand.

"To click pictures of us all?" Amara concluded turning to look at her father with a questioning look.

"What? I wanted one last nice photo of us all before time is up." Kade reasoned with them.

"Why are you so ready to give up? Why not just take those damn medicines and stay?" shouted Maeve angrily refusing to let go of Kade.

Kade placed a hand on her shoulder tilting his head to a side with a softened look, "I have lived a long life, Maeve. All I wanted before I die was to see my granddaughter. Now I have you, this family complete after nineteen years. I can see my son in your eyes, it feels like I can finally say that goodbye I couldn't the last time."

"But I just got you." Kade hugged Maeve placing a hand flat on the doorway to steady himself, "I am not ready for a goodbye."

"No one is, Pops. We cannot let this be our goodbye." Ezekiel backed up his sister rubbing away his tears with the back of his left sleeve.

"I...I got two grimoires which have this healing spells. It will help you. I can help you." argued Maeve shaking her head.

"Come inside." Kade invited the three inside his room. He settled with much efforts back on his bed and shifted up against the headboard.

"I have lived a good eighty years. Watched my children grow up to these amazing people. Get married and my beautiful grandchildren. What more could I ask for in a life?"

Ezekiel made a comical face waving his hand in her air, "I don't know, off the top of my head──something like expansion of business, multi-million contracts, a big pack. Not to mention a curator of rare antiquities from supernatural world."

"We have rare antiquities of supernatural powers?" Maeve reiterated looking flabbergasted.

Kade snapped his fingers pressing his lips into a thin line, "I knew I forgot something to show you."

"Not fair. You bored me with shares, equities and nonsense for hours but this you couldn't mention?" Maeve slapped her thighs with a scoff. "Enough of that. I'll get the grimoires. I'm going to heal you."

"You are not!" dictated Kade startling Maeve. "Those kinds of spells have negative effects on the one who performs them. Don't you dare do something that will harm you."

"But Pops if I ca──"

"No! Absolutely not. I have lived a full life. Of happiness, grief, pain and content. I will not live on more knowing I caused my favorite granddaughter pain and suffering."

"I'm your only granddaughter." chastised Maeve making him chuckle.

"Come on, now..." Amara broke up the brewing argument. "He needs to rest and so do the rest of you."

"Five more minutes, Amara." Kade defended his grandchildren.

"Five more minutes, Mom." The siblings whined.

"No. Off to your beds." Amara said sternly.

"I am the next Alpha and she gets to boss around. How is that fair?" Maeve complained in a hushed tone so that only her grandfather could hear. He chuckled at that looking at Ezekiel who gave a similar reaction having heard what Maeve said.

"Okay. Now enough with the whispers off you go." Amara rolled her eyes.

"Good night, Pops." Maeve kissed his cheeks and sprinted away.

"Good night. We have to watch the rerun of Friends tomorrow."

"Holding onto that." Maeve fisted her hand and raised it. It was their way of sealing a deal. 

Maeve made her way in her room and plopped on the bed with a sigh. She stared at the ceiling replaying her grandfather's words.

She pulled out her phone and dialled a number she was supposed to hours ago.

"Good to know I don't have to drive all the way to Georgia."

"Yeah." she chuckled, "anything new in Mystic Falls?"

"Katherine wants to help kill Klaus. That I think is lies. Not to mention Isobel is here. Yeah, came a few minutes ago at Gilbert house."

Maeve sat up hearing Damon's words, "what? Why's she here?"

"John called her. She's our chance at finding Klaus."

"Wait wait wait, you want to find Klaus? Why?"

"To kill him of course. Find him before he finds us. Simple. Now, tell me how's your grandfather?"

"He's talking like it's his last day. Refuses medicine and doctor. I mean...he's given up." Maeve closed her eyes feeling a grim feeling run down her spine like a shiver.

"I am sorry Maeve."

"Distract me. Tell me what're you gonna do about Isobel?"

"She's more of a trouble than anything. Bonnie is working on getting more strong. That grimoire could help but it's a long search. You know how it is..." Damon trailed off. Maeve licked her lips thinking to herself.

"But you don't have to worry about it. We can handle it. You be with your grandfather." Damon told her.

"It's okay, I am doing fine. She can seek help from her ancestors. I mean, Dr Martin told me that Bennett witches soul keep a watch on their newer generations. She could ask them." Maeve paused for a minute before adding more, "There is a grimoire with dark green cover, it has the spells she might need." Maeve replied.

All the way in Mystic Falls, Damon sat comfortably on the couch inside the parlor, sipping on Bourbon. A smile curled on his lips hearing Maeve. "That would be awesome. Thank you, little devil."

"Anything for a friend." Maeve whispered in the call. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will not. You need to be with your grandfather. Don't think about Mystic Falls. We have Bonnie to handle the witchy stuff."

Maeve sighed lying back on the bed, "fine. Take care."

"Bye little devil." Damon ended the call. Maeve stretched her hand out holding the phone on the bed.

It was the crack of dawn when Maeve woke up to a loud and rapid banging on the door. She stayed up until midnight worrying about everything and reliving every possible memory that sprung in her mind about her grandfather.

She shuffled to the door and opened it. She squinted her eyes at the light that evaded from behind the person that stood out of her room. 

"What is it?" She grumbled adjusting to the light.

"It's Alpha. Amara sent me to get you. The doctors have put him on oxygen." That's all the man said before Maeve pushed him aside and ran to his room. She stopped in her tracks shocked at what she saw. Kade laid still on the bed with an IV needle through his vein. Oxygen tubes were helping him breath through the nose. His eyes were closed. 

"Auntie..." Maeve croaked stepping closer to the bed. Amara looked up from her seat at her niece,

"Jason, the Omega who stood outside his room as guard all night called everyone. He had a terrible coughing fit and couldn't breathe." Amar summed up for Maeve. Maeve sat on the bed and held his hand in hers.

Maeve looked at Kade when he curled his fingers around her hand. "Mae..."

Maeve shushed him placing her other hand on top of his, "don't talk."

"It's fine. Look at this. Everyone is here." Kade smiled looking around the room. Amara, Maeve, Ezekiel, Ross, doctor Patterson and a few council members crowded the room, all with their eyes on Alpha Kade.

"You just focus on being better."

"Maeve. It's my time now. I can feel it."

Maeve sniffled, "I'm not ready to say goodbye."

"Then leave me with a promise." Kade retorted with a sharp inhale of breath, "promise me no more hiding. You will stop wearing that ring and accept yourself."

Maeve hesitated. She looked away from Kade hiding her tears and dread. "Mae, I want you to look me in the eye and promise me."

Maeve turned to him again slowly nodding her head, "I will stop wearing the ring."

"And you will not stop your Alpha instincts from taking over." Kade added, "be as strong as your father and as graceful as your mother."

"I promise I'll try to not be afraid of myself anymore. Grow into the woman you always believed in." Maeve smiled.

"This pack..." Kade coughed placing a hand to his chest. "needs the two of you. Needs Maeve Kalon, the Alpha to protect this pack and her brother Ezekiel to get off his ass and start with growing the business."

"Hey!" squeaked Ezekiel, "she gets to boss people around and I get bossed around? Why?"

"Because clearly I'm better than you...stronger, prettier."

"Debatable." Ezekiel grumbled with a side glare.

"Honeycomb?" Amara stood up to her feet and walked to the side of the bed, "take care of yourself──and these two, so the house doesn't burn down." Both the siblings looked offended before flattened her looks,

"You're right." Kade fell into another coughing fit. Maeve and Ezekiel moved away from the bed as doctors surrounded him checking his vitals and trying to help him.

"His pulse is dropping. Blood pressure lower than usual. Heart rate slowing down." A nurse announced. 

Everyone in the room were on their feet holding their fists tight in an attempt to stop the tears. "Oxygen level low."

The tinnitus beep of the heart rate monitor echoed inside the room. A single tear rolled down Maeve's cheek as she stiffened standing next to her brother. Amara slumped down in the chair with her mouth fell open. She hid her face in her hands. Ezekiel wrapped his hands around Maeve letting his tears fall down.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." croaked Maeve leaning into Ezekiel. "I couldn't say goodbye. I couldn't say it! I didn't say it! I didn't say goodbye." She kept repeating like a broken record falling to her knees. Ezekiel dropped his knees himself crying.

"It's going to be okay, Mae. It's gonna be okay." he kept telling her lies before he let his sister cry on his chest as he did himself, resting his chin on her head.

The doctor took out the plug and hung his head low, "time of death 5:45 AM."

Maeve sat on the edge of the bed holding her phone to her ear. Her eyes were set zoned out on the carpet laid out on the floor of the room.

"Hello little devil." came a groggy yet cheerful voice of Damon over the speaker.

"Hey Demon." Maeve wished lowly.

"That is not a way to start morning. What's wrong?"

Maeve sniffled, her tears collecting in her eyes again, "he's gone, Damon. I couldn't do anything."

"What?" Damon's voice raised in shock of her words.

"Grandpa died an hour ago."

"Maeve...I am so sorry."

"I am too. I mean, I could have done something right? I mean, what's the use of all of thi──" she trailed off whimpering. She placed a hand to her mouth covering a cry.

"Maeve don't you dare blame yourself. There wasn't anything you could have done."

"How can you say that? How could I have not done anything? I am a witch. I am supposed to be the Abomination──capable of anything. Look at this, I sat and watched as he took his last breath. I could have done something but I didn't because he asked me to. I am at fault."

"You are not! You respected his wish. I know you could have done something but think about what would have happened later? If you would have gone against his wishes he would have been mad. Now that would be your fault. This isn't." Maeve nodded at his words looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I think I just needed to hear that. I have to announce it to the pack now and prepare for the funeral. I'll let you get back to sleep."

"Not important. Should I stay online? I'll be there listening."

"Nah it's okay. I'm sure Mystic Falls is upto mischief and will the Pyro to burn stuff up."

"Sometimes my plans don't go well, not always, little devil. Take care of yourself and don't hesitate to call me."

Maeve dropped her hand on the bed that held the phone before she broke down again.

All the way in Mystic Falls, Damon got up from his bed, still holding his phone. He stared at the wall thoughts running through his head. He cared about her. Maeve was his friend and he knew what he needed to do.

The Kalon Pack was one of the strongest and largest Packs in the world. They were respected in the Lycanthrope community as were they in the business world.

Inside the gated community, they had built for them, centuries ago, a grand hall for a gathering. Marble flooring shone in the setting sun as the pack gathered wearing black honoring the Alpha who passed away.

Maeve stood behind a glass door watching as people came in through the main entrance with a sad smile on their faces. "Who are all these people? Should we do a ID check?" asked Maeve growing restless and rubbing her hands together.

"It's a big pack, Maeve. All are flying in from all over to pay their respects." Ezekiel told her. He turned to his mother who walked in toward them.

"Mom, we don't have to do this today you know. Take the day for yourself."

"It's okay. I'm moving." Amara nodded with a tight smile.

The three turned to the door again prepared to leave and greet the people who had gathered in the hall. Maeve intertwined her hand with her aunt's preparing the step outside. Ezekiel's eyes roved around the people inside the room when one particular one caught his attention. He drew a confused look seeing him in the room.

"What's he doing here?" Ezekiel thought out loud. Maeve stepped to his side looking through the glass door. Her eyes widened in surprise at the man.

"How'd he know?" Ezekiel asked his sister.

"I called him this morning not knowing what to do. Didn't think he would actually..." Maeve twisted the knob and opened the door. The three stepped inside the room and took place by the small podium installed.

Ezekiel stood ahead and addressed everyone who gathered, "thank you everyone for coming here to pay a tribute to my grandfather, the Alpha of the Kalon Pack. Please join us in the back lawn to pay the final rites to my grandfather.

All headed to the back door but Maeve remained in place. She stepped closer to him still shocked to see him in Georgia. "You came. Why?"

"For you. You lost someone close to you. I thought you'd want someone with you. I stepped up." Maeve didn't respond with words but hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Demon." Maeve mumbled in the hug.

"Don't spread the word, little devil." Damon joked. Maeve pulled away wiping away her tears. "I'm here for you. Come on, time to say goodbye."

Damon wrapped his hand around her shoulder and started walking to the back door.

A funeral pyre was set up. Everyone circled around with their hands joined in front and heads low. Maeve made her way next to her aunt and brother. The priest and head councilman father Gregory stepped forth with a flame torch in hand. He placed it on the pyre and stepped back again.

Everyone watched as the fire engulfed the pyre. Maeve sniffled softly stepping ahead and turned to the gathered crowd,  "As you know I am his granddaughter. He was my support, my rock, my best friend, my pops." She began, "Some of you are well aware of just how playful his personality was. He loved to crack jokes, he enjoyed making people laugh, pranking them. Especially, if it's someone who tried stealing his nachos." A few people laughed but their sadness could be felt.

"Every time we trained he would tell me, Constant Vigilance, Potter. His favorite Harry Potter character was Alastor Moody. The time last year when the witches attacked my home, they called me an Abomination. I cried, I cursed my birth. He held me close and told me to not let those some stuck up narrow minded souls get me down. If they call me an Abomination then so be it. Embrace it, the good way. Accept it as your identity. Show them the good in you, show them what you are capable of. He told me, never be bothered with a painting others did for you, about you. Remember a painting is always from the point of view of the painter and not the subject. So, today I seal the deal, pops" she raised her fist in the air, "No more spells or herbs to hide myself. I truly accept myself and show them I am Kade Kalon's granddaughter. The one who isn't afraid of anyone. Even said so, I don't know how to say a goodbye. I am not good at saying goodbyes. So, I leave you with a promise." Maeve finished.

She sucked in a long breath and began again, "My greatest regret that I will carry with me to my pyre will be the fact that I couldn't and I didn't say goodbye. Instead, I promised him that I will no longer fear. I will cause fear. So here I stand, facing you all, making a promise; I will be the best of me."

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Raven:)