Epilogue: Run

A/N: Ah, the epilogue. I wrote most of this before I even wrote the first chapter. It was kinda my muse, tbh. I really didn't think it would take 30+ chapters to get here, but here we are. This could serve as a conclusion to Run, or a teaser for the next story. I mean, its definitely short enough to be.

Enjoy?

-x-x-x-

Run: to move about in a hurried or hectic way; to avoid capture, at large; to be continuously active or busy

"Hold still."

You're in the woods now and its dark. The only thing that helps is that all the way out here, away from the polluted air of any nearby cities, the moon illuminates most of your surroundings.

You grip Elena's forearm and shoulder and see the way she grimaces. You apologize, "Sorry. Just... on the count of three..."

Her bated breath gives you the opportunity. You know better than to actually pull on three and you tug, just as you push her shoulder back in place and you hear that distinctive pop.

"Argh!"

You let go, grimacing at the dull pain shooting through your own shoulder from the sudden action. Elena mirrors this as she holds her left shoulder.

She glares at you, "You said on three."

"Well technically it was," you say cheekily, you just didn't count.

"Great," she mutters and then leans back for a moment before breathing in and out, and then meeting your eyes again, "Thanks."

"No problem," you shrug one shoulder, sitting back as well and closing your eyes for a second.

When you open them, you see Elena staring at you like she used to before you and she were on a talking basis. You're still not 100% sure what the tiny downturn quirk of her lips mean so you've translated it as her expression when she's trying to figure you out.

At least now, she's conscious enough to do that.

"What?"

"You're…Are you okay?" she asks, identical eyes observing you, "You're a little pale."

You let out a small chuckle but grimace.

"We just ran from a terrible bus crash that could've very well ended our lives," you say. Anyone who was still around by the time you dragged Elena out of that bus had to be much further from the area than you two by now. Going through the forest was the safest bet but you have to admit, you have been feeling lightheaded. "I think that's to be expected."

"Seriously, Katherine," she says, cradling her arm. She pauses, closing her eyes to gather her focus. "It'd be great if you came out unscathed from all this… andI'm probably not one to talk, but you don't look so good."

You place your hand inside your jumper, over the pain on your lower side, and pull back with red tinted fingers.

"Okay," you concede. The bottom of your tank top must be soaked under but you don't want to make things seem worse than they already are, "I think I may have pulled a stitch or two. Nothing too serious though."

Elena nods with concern, surprisingly alert, "Let me see."

"No," you say firmly. You want to roll your eyes because there's no reason she should be worried about you when half her face is bleeding, her shoulder was just forced back in place, and she's unsubtly trying to stay cognisant."We have worst things to worry about right now."

Her frown doesn't leave her face.

"I'm fine."

Elena shakes her head, leaving it at that, "So what now?"

First things first, you think and say, "We need to get out of here."

"To where?" she repeats the question from the bus, "I mean… what the fuck even happened back there? Those people…"

You bite your bottom lip as you remember Caroline's words from weeks ago, "If anything happens with them, it's on you."

You hadn't invited the Mikaelsons to visit you but you hadn't told them to go away either.

You couldn't find Caroline in the wreckage of the bus crash. If she wasn't able to get away like you convinced yourself she did and something happens to her, you'll never forgive yourself for leaving her behind. You don't even want to think about Rebekah right now. As safe as she is, you wish you could've done something about her siblings.

Glancing at Elena, you remind yourself, First things first.

"Q and A later," you dismiss as you look around the bank you're in. "Right now we need to get out of here before people start coming. Are you good to walk?"

Elena nods, pushing herself up only to stumble when she stands tall.

You hold her up.

"Okay, that's a no," you say.

You brush locks of straight hair from her soaked temples to assess the damage better. Blood, sweat, and dirt, but mostly the former.

She winces away.

"I'm fine," she says, echoing you.

"Funny, I didn't ask if you were. Please tell me that you're not going to pass out again."

"I won't."

Her eyes areclosed, and you don't believe her for a second but regardless, you pull her good arm over your shoulders.

"I'll hold you to it then. Keep up alright? I can't carry all your weight for you," you say, pulling her along the bank to the slope that leads up onto higher ground. It takes a few steps before you and she decide on an agreeable pace but you're getting somewhere so that's something.

After passing a couple of trees you can't help but wonder aloud, since you never gave an answer the first couple times, "Aren't you going to ask where we're going?"

"Why would you… say that?"

"Cause that's your thing. Infinite questions and all."

Elena lets out a soft scoff, "Okay then, smartass. Where are we going?"

She usually asks much harder questions. She doesn't, for example, askfor the third time who those people were, nor does she question again how the bus flip like it did. But to your honest relief, Elena hasn't asked why you didn't just leave her behind, because you don't think you can answer that.

Not yet.

"I don't know."

Even from this angle you can see her glare.

"Hey," you shrug one shoulder, "I never claimed to have a plan after we left. Hell, we didn't even escape as planned—but that's besides the point."

"…The point is?"

"Point is, plan or not there's only one thing we can do now."

There are two outcomes to this situation and only one of them is acceptable.

You can't get caught.

Neither of you can get caught.

"We run."

-x-x-x-

A/N: Thanks again to EVERYONE! You have all been amazing, for reviewing, alerting, faving and of course, just reading!

Sorry, to all the pro-prequel readers, it's going to be a sequel. I know you want answers, and I have them, I promise. The sequel will also alternate between Katherine and Elena's pov. So stay tuned!