Chapter 1, An Unfinished Life.
Damon saunters into her living room with his head bowed, looking down at the phone in his hand. He's read the text more than three times in the last two minutes, between getting out of his car and walking into her house, but he still can't tear his eyes away from it.
Come over, right now, he reads the text for the last time before lifting his head to find the girl responsible for getting him here in the rush that he did.
'Whatever it is, Bon-' he starts to say, aimlessly losing the rest of his sentence when he sees the picture in front of him.
It's not the thousand candles burning around the living room that have him wondering what's going on. Rather, it's the small circle of three people sitting cross-legged, holding hands with their heads thrown back and the fronts of their necks visibly exposed, that has him questioning if he walked into the right house indeed.
As he stands looking at the scene before him, his conscious forgets that Bonnie's a witch, and that this scene that he's looking at, shouldn't be something surprising to him. His subconscious on the other hand, pushes him to move his feet along to where the three people are, and makes him crouch down to nudge Bonnie out of the trance-like state. He barely knows if it's really Bonnie that he's nudging, and he's barely aware that he's doing all this, because his subconscious is the one at play. Only when she opens her eyes and looks at him upside down, does his conscious mind return to the present, and he realises that he's crouched down -and apparently, broke up the concentration of the circle from what he can see.
While the other two people straighten their heads and direct their eyes his way, he quickly rises to his feet. Once fully on his feet, he holds his hand out for Bonnie, because he wants an explanation and he wants it fast. Bonnie easily takes his hand, using its support to lift herself off of the floor. Even when she gets on her feet and her eyes are set on his, they still keep their hands together.
'You came,' she breathes like she didn't believe that he would.
He would be offended, if she didn't have a point. The truth is, she sent him the text message around forty-five minutes ago, but he only read it around fifteen minutes back. It took him roughly a minute or two to get dressed, and then around twelve minutes to drive to her house, so he understands the relief in her tone.
'What's all this?' he asks, twirling his finger around to show that he means the thing happening in her living room.
When he read the text, he didn't necessarily expect the worst, but he didn't expect her to be a hundred percent okay when he got here either. He for sure thought that he would find her in some kind of emotional state or even distress. Apparently, though, he was mistaken, because the atmosphere is just a touch too creepy for his liking.
'A séance,' is her fluid answer.
The fluidity in her tone, though, he wonders curiously, it's like she's never been surer of anything in her life.
'A séance?' he repeats her answer in the form of a question, his eyes going from side to side around the room to visually confirm his question.
The burning candles, the two people and the ambience all point in the direction of said séance, but his presence kind of makes him doubt that it's that. He's not a witch, so his presence shouldn't count for anything.
'That's what I just said,' she tells him, sounding a little irritated.
'Then what am I doing here?' he wants to know.
For a long second, she looks at him like she doesn't understand him. Her look says that he shouldn't be seriously asking her that, because the answer is clear. It's a good thing that after so many years, he knows how to expertly read her.
'I'm not a witch,' he whispers to explain the meaning behind his question.
'Because, Damon,' she slants her head to the side, 'don't you think it's strange that I haven't aged in close to eight years?'
He's noticed that she hasn't aged during all these years, but he doesn't care. If he did care about it, he would've mentioned it to her, but he didn't. He isn't complaining about it, so he shrugs to answer her question.
He didn't care at the time immediately after Elena went to sleep when they went travelling around Europe and time afterwards. He wasn't there to care for the three years that he was desiccating. He didn't care that she wasn't aging in the lengthy two years with the Armory, and then Sybil, and then Cade. Neither did he care during the two years of peace that they've had so far, so he truly didn't and doesn't care, which means that he doesn't find it strange.
'It's not just that I haven't aged,' she responds to his shrug. 'My face hasn't changed. I haven't lost or gained weight. My hair hasn't grown at all since eight years ago and I haven't cut my nails since the same time,' she finishes to list.
Although he understands what she's saying, in the back of his mind, he can't help it wonder how long she's been keeping track of this. It doesn't seem like it's been close to eight years already, even though he knows it has been, but apparently she's been recording all of it. If she's been keeping track, and it obviously bothered her, why didn't she say anything to him about it?
'Maybe being with me, my youthfulness has rubbed off on you,' he tries in between his own wondering. 'I don't know, Bonnie, why does it even bother you?'
Isn't it every girl's dream to be forever young, he thinks, what did he miss, that it's not the same for her?
Pulling her hand from his, she replies with a heartfelt, 'Because it does,' to which he can't push against, because it doesn't leave any room for argument.
Because of this, he decides that it's better for him to let it go for now and rather concentrate on the witch assembly that he walked into.
Pointing at the two people across them, he wants to know, 'So what does that have to do with this séance?'
'That's Margareth,' Bonnie points to the first woman sitting flat on the floor. 'She's a spiritualist. And that's Flavia,' she points to the next woman, 'she's a medium.'
That still doesn't my question, he shares with her through a single look. As much he knows how to read her, she equally knows how to read him too, expressions and all. It's one of the things that really speak about their relationship well.
'I called them and you here,' she explains to him, 'so we could have a séance, to find out why I haven't aged all this time.'
'Are you contacting Grams? Because then I really shouldn't be here.'
He's not afraid of Sheila, but he doesn't want to be around when Bonnie talks to her grandmother. He would rather that she chooses to tell him about the encounter, instead of being present for it. It's more about being a stroke on his ego that their intimacy as at that level, to that extent, than it is about anything else.
'Not Grams,' she responds and then takes hold of his arm to pull him two steps to the two sitting women. 'We're contacting Kai.'
Without question, he lets her drag him with her to sit cross-legged on the floor and be a part of the circle. He doesn't greet the two women, because he has another pressing concern.
'Just so I'm in the loop,' he says to Bonnie directly, 'we're going to contact Kai?'
Psychopath Kai, that he hates with all his heart? That Kai?
'Yes,' she says, 'now shut up so we can start.'
While the three get into position, he returns to wondering why she didn't tell him about this, when clearly, she's been plotting it for a minute and a half. She's including him in this now, for only she knows what reason, but he would've loved to know that she had concerns about not aging. And oh, maybe Kai's involvement in this.
Putting his feelings aside, he sits in silence with his eyes open as the spiritualist begins to mutter foreign words. He looks from one woman to another while the spiritual stuff is going on, until he finally settles his eyes on Bonnie. As if in synch with his actions, the ambience dims to something softer and more neutral, if he can call it that, and Bonnie opens her eyes to find his waiting ones.
'We did it,' she whispers and then points a finger to Flavia. 'Look.'
He follows her finger to look at Flavia, the medium, and that's when Kai's voice in the medium's body speaks. He would've liked a little adjustment time before hearing that voice, if he's being honest.
'Damon? Bonnie?' Kai sounds surprised, and yet not sincere about it. 'Oh, wow, I thought for sure you'd never come to visit me, but look, here you are.'
Just the sound of that voice makes Damon want to release his hidden fangs from their prison, but he contains himself for Bonnie's sake. If she prepared a séance for Kai, then he can't mess it up for her. He may still has vivid hatred for the guy that hurt the two women that he cares about, and then joined their lives to hurt him, but for Bonnie's sake, he'll do his best to contain himself. He'll reluctantly swallow his hatred, and go through with this. He'll also let Bonnie do the opening, because he doesn't trust that he'll say the right thing.
'The life-link you did,' she gets right to the point, 'what does it do?'
It's a little disturbing for Damon to see the medium's face transform as Kai's spirit produces a smug smile. If he could avoid it, he would look away to keep himself from ever having to see that smile again, but he knows that Bonnie wants him here. Possibly for strength and support, and so he cannot fail her.
'In a hurry, are we, Bonnie?' Kai seems to taunt through his smile.
It's like Kai knows that Bonnie needs him, so he can play around all he likes with no following consequences. This angers Damon so much that he makes the tips of his fangs descend from their hiding place, just readying them for the perfect time. Kai better watch himself.
'Catch me up on current events first, please,' Kai continues. 'You know, this side of life... oops, I mean dead... isn't exactly bursting with life, so I'm as bored as you can imagine. Come on, Bonnie,' Kai's spirit inclines the mediums head to the side, 'entertain me a little.'
'Why'd the chicken cross the road?' Bonnie sarcastically obliges.
To that, Kai lets out a little laugh that is clearly fake and says, 'Ha ha, Bonnie. I expected that from Damon, not you.' Provocatively, Kai switches his stare from Bonnie to Damon to ask, 'Why aren't you saying anything, Damon?'
The little dog! Damon feels like he's a little taunt away from busting his fangs completely out just seeing what Kai's playing at. He grinds his teeth together, to keep from showing his fangs and ruining this for Bonnie. In that small time, he thinks that it would help better for Bonnie to get answers, if he somewhat entertains Kai. He's not going to like it, but he'll do it, only, he'll do it his own way.
'Just tell us why Bonnie hasn't changed in years,' he directs at Kai, sending a fierce stare his way. Kai wanted him to say something, and there, he's said it. Now it's his turn to be generous.
Kai's spirit dramatically takes in a long gasp and then follows it with, 'Oh? Bonnie hasn't aged one bit? No wonder she's still as glowing as ever.'
That's it, Damon decides, he's not going to take any of this anymore. He makes to get off his butt, but Bonnie's hand lands on his lap to keep him where he is.
'That's Flavia, not Kai,' she tells him when he looks at her to question why she did that.
Although he heeds the silent warning without protest, he doesn't let his guard down. Of course he knows that Kai's not really here, but the taunting is making him want to set something on fire and watch it burn to ashes. Still, he reasons, he's doing this for her, so he has to listen to her. Unfortunately, though, the way Bonnie restrained him doesn't go undetected by Kai's spirit in the medium's body.
'I love how Bonnie can tame you,' Kai smoothly throws at Damon in a long whisper, the nuance clearly audible.
'Kai, I swear...' Damon warns him, clenching one hand to help keep his cool.
'Fine!' Kai accepts after an eye roll, seemingly giving in, 'I'll tell you.'
Good, Damon thinks, looking at Bonnie to see if she's as relieved about it as he is. He finds her intently looking at the medium's body, as though worried that if she looks anywhere else, she'll miss something. Seeing that he won't get her attention, he looks at Kai too, letting silence settle in the room while they wait for Kai to speak.
Kai, however, to Damon's irritation, only lets out a chuckle, one that says he finds them being obedient extremely funny.
'Kai!' he demands one last time.
He swears, after this, he won't hold back. There's tolerance and then there's patience, but after those two fade, which they have in this case, all that remains is a viral need for retribution. If Kai does and says one more thing...
'Tough crowd,' Kai remarks, setting his eyes on Damon directly. It's the only communication that Damon needs to know that whatever will come out of Kai's mouth next, will be for him specifically.
'Okay,' the spirit Kai continues, 'so remember how I said that Bonnie's life is linked to Elena's?'
'We know that part,' Damon coldly retorts.
'Yeah,' Kai agrees casually, 'but now that I think about it, I don't think I ever got around to telling you the really genius part of my trick...'
It's a trick, Damon tells himself, the dramatic pause that Kai just made, is just a trick, probably one that Kai's hoping he'll react to. He won't, though, he won't react, not even by flexing a muscle. No matter how long it takes.
'Ug,' Kai complains, apparently bummed, 'I was going for a more dramatic effect, but okay, I guess I'll just do it the old-fashioned boring way. You see, Damon, in linking their lives, I linked their blood properties, so the fact that Bonnie hasn't changed, is by design.'
'What do you mean, by design?' Bonnie asks, sounding genuinely clueless of where Kai's headed.
While Bonnie might not be following, Damon has caught on quite fast enough to know that the direction this conversation is heading, is going to end at a destination that he's not going to like. Forget the Augustine prison, forget the Phoenix Stone prison, and forget the Armory prison, because the final destination that will be Kai's revelation, will probably be several immortalities worse than all the other prisons combined, is what Damon's afraid of.
His entire soul, is starting to vibrate at the thought of Kai saying what he's going to say, because he won't like it. Apparently, his soul is already starting to prepare itself for flight away from this harsh and crushing reality that's about to come out of Kai's mouth.
'What, did you think I was going to let you two off the hook after what you did to me?' Kai asks Damon. 'Nah-ah! I meant business, Damon. When I said you couldn't have both girls, I literally meant it.'
Kai better stop there, Damon thinks, feeling agitated by the vibrations of his soul. Kai better hold his mouth and not go any further.
'Shut up!' Damon abruptly roars, his fangs fully descending out of his gums and forcing him to part his lips to expose them to the spirit Kai.
Unbothered, though, Kai carries on with what he was saying. 'Had you chosen Elena, she would've aged along with the years, because Bonnie's blood is mortal. But since you didn't choose Elena, Bonnie will always be this young, thanks to Elena's immortal blood.'
He swears on his immortal life, that it feels like he can feel his heart rapidly beating through his chest. In his own ears, it sounds likes a drum circle is happening inside him where his heart is and the beat is getting louder and louder, almost comparable to a war cry.
'The only way to have Elena back,' Kai smugly dangles in a victorious tone, 'is to kill Bonnie. But you wouldn't do that,' he pauses to laugh and then only adds the challenge, 'would you, Damon?'
A thousand thoughts arise in Damon's head, immediately driving him to feel extremely helpless. What no one, but two people know about him, is that when he feels helpless, he gets violent, extremely violent, because it gives him a sense of control. One of the people who know this about him, is sitting right next to him, and he would usually consider her before acting, but man, he feels the lowest of helplessness there is right now, so he cannot, for the life of him, keep himself from being violent at the moment.
In this state of mind, he flawlessly lunges for the medium housing Kai's spirit and roughly shoves her to the side, to get rid of Kai's presence.
'Damon!' Bonnie shrieks behind him and then he feels her hands land on his waist. 'Stop it!'
He can't stop, he thinks as he gets ready to lift the medium up and fling her across the room. He can't stop, he thinks as the taunting sounds of his vibrating soul and 'beating' heart ring louder and louder in his head.
'Damon, stop!' Bonnie begs, her hands moving from his waist to his shoulders.
Somehow, as small as she is, she manages to get him on his feet and tightly grab his arms to stabilise him as they stand face to face. He looks into her eyes and for a small second, the disturbing and frantic sounds of his own soul and heart, stop long enough for him to hear her concern for him, her worry about him, screaming from the base of her eyes.
In that small second, he feels overly relieved to hear something else other than his own internal sounds. But then her eyes soften as if to tell him that it's okay because she's here, and that he should focus on her rather than being angry, and his own haunting sounds hurriedly return to him.
Damn it, he already made the choice between Bonnie and Elena once before, he's not going to do it again! He can't be forced into that position again!
'Please stop,' Bonnie begs him.
From the corners of his eyes, he sees the medium collect herself from the floor, and the spiritualist come to life from her trance. He doesn't care for either of them, and so when one of the two barely utters a rough sound of complain, he forcefully grabs Bonnie's arms.
'Tell them to leave!' he orders.
From looking at him urgently, Bonnie suddenly looks at him like she's afraid of moving or saying anything. She doesn't answer him and he's reminded that the last time that she looked at him like that, was years ago after he bit her for the first time. He's never seen her look at him with such raw fear like that again, until now.
'Tell. Them. To. Leave,' he pronounces, tactfully separating each word from the previous one to get the depth of his point across.
Fearfully, Bonnie just manages to move her head up and down once.
Chapter 2, Blink Of An Eye.