23. Graduation

Complete story — includes the ending

On Graduation Day, Mystic Falls is overrun with ghosts intent on settling old scores and fulfilling their supernatural destinies. Damon's life is in danger the hunters come back and shoot him with bullets laced with werewolf venom. Matt and Rebekah are caught by Rebekah's ex-boyfriend hunter determined to find the cure. Determined to save Matt, Rebekah kisses him and says that it was thing she feared the most. As Elena, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and Matt gather for the graduation ceremony and the ghosts converge, help comes from the now-hero Klaus, after Caroline repeatedly calls him to help. Elena tells Stefan she wants him to have the cure instead of her, but later, we find out he denies her and gives the cure back to her. Caroline receives a touching and unexpected graduation present from Klaus: He gives Tyler his freedom back, allowing him to return to Mystic Falls to be with Caroline. Klaus then tells her that though Tyler is her first love, he intends to be her last. Then Bonnie bravely gives her own life to bring Jeremy back but ensures she'll be fine with her Grams, and the Spirits of Witches. Elena then tells Damon that she loves him and in death he is the only one who makes her feel alive. They kiss passionately as Stefan overhears the conversation with tears in his eyes. Stefan drives off to dump Silas' body with Lexi. The veil drops again and the ghosts all disappear. Jeremy says good-bye to Bonnie, but they quickly realize Jeremy is now alive and Bonnie isn't. Rebekah goes to see Matt and they decide to go on a summer road trip together to see the world. Elena faces Katherine which eventually leads to Elena shoving the cure down Katherine's throat, turning her back into a human. Finally, Stefan discovers a horrifying clue to the mystery surrounding Silas: Stefan is Silas' doppelganger. Then a vengeful Silas traps Stefan in a safe and drops him into the lake.