Bonnie knows better than to think Esther Mikaelson has good intentions for the house-warming ball they'd all been invited to, but she's never been one to back down from a situation where she might need to protect her friends. She knows Esther speaking to Elena could be dangerous in multitudes of ways, so being there to ensure her safety was the best thing she could offer.
Finding something to wear is difficult, to say the least. After searching through a collection of Grams's old things, she comes across a beautiful turquoise gown that brings out the green hues in her eyes. It's only slightly out-dated, but it adds to the vintage charm.
It cinches around her waist and sweeps to the floor in its length, outlining her beautiful figure with shimmering threads. It comes with white gloves that nearly reach her elbows, and they fit snugly when she pulls them on.
After her hair is pinned up in a gorgeous updo with small curls falling loose, she leaves Rudy's house and departs for the Mikaelson ball.
xxxx
"Are you sure about this?" Bonnie asks Elena as they cross the threshold of the ball. The Salvatore brothers are probably inside somewhere already, but she hopes the chatter echoing through the tiled foyer will help conceal what she's saying from their hearing. "What if Damon tries to stop you? He's controlling and he's an ass, and there's not one good bone in his cold dead vampire body." She could see Elena purse her lips at this and knew she should feel bad for insulting the older Salvatore, but she just couldn't. He wasn't a good guy and he certainly wasn't good boyfriend material, and driving that home wasn't something she was particularly ashamed to be doing. She'd seen how the two had grown closer as of recent, and it left an uneasy pit in her stomach.
"It'll be fine, Bonnie. Just.. keep an eye out for Damon. I'll text you the plan after I get a chance to talk to Stefan." Bonnie realizes just how beautiful her best friend looks with her dark hair twisted and curled and her dress reminiscent of a twinkling night sky. She gives the Gilbert a nod, pressing her lips into a nervous line. "Just be careful, okay?"
Elena then leaves, and Bonnie is left to wander through the crowd. The violin that's filling the air is a gorgeous melody, echoing eerily through the entrance hall along with the chatter of the many Mystic Falls guests. She's keeping an eye on the Mikaelsons that she can see so far— Kol is at the base of the staircase talking to Rebekah with what she presumes to be a psychotic grin plastered on his face, and Esther is perched near the top, standing next to her son Elijah and sipping from a wine glass.
Just as Bonnie's heading to the refreshments to get a drink and try to blend in, she hears him. She freezes in her tracks. Kai.
"Whew, this place is massive. Did you see the, uh, fountain thingy out front? Makes you wonder if they're compensating for something. Maybe it's the overly murder-ly family." He's chatting away as Bonnie turns to face him.
He's handsome. Black suit, fingers adorned with rings and a beautiful, smooth face just like it had been the day Bonnie had met him a year and a half ago. He's holding two champagne glasses, and it takes her a moment to realize he's offering one of them out to her. She takes it, still in disbelief.
"You're really here," she says, not trusting her throat not to close up. Kai had become something so important to her she didn't really understand it. When his family had moved to Mystic Falls, it was mainly because of her Grams. After Grams had died and Kai no longer had a witch tutor to help him control his siphoning abilities, his family had stuck around anyways. Just a month ago, though, they'd taken a temporary trip back home to help the rest of the Gemini coven make the move to Mystic Falls. His absence had felt like a century, particularly in the wake of the drama with Klaus and everything else that had happened in Mystic Falls. She hadn't realized just how much having another witch around helped.
"I'm here," he agrees, taking a sip from his own glass. "At least I think. Pretty sure there's, like, an angel in front of me, so." He raises his eyebrows at her like he's daring her to argue.
"Oh, stop it, Kai—" she starts, feeling heat rush to her cheeks. "You know why we're here, right?"
Kai waves a hand. "The Elena drama? I managed to get the run-down from Darren. Something-something crazy Original mommy wanting to speak to the famous Gilbert doppelganger." He wiggles his dark brows. "Real interesting stuff. You know what's more interesting? You in this dress." He downs the rest of his champagne and places the empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. Bonnie gulps the last of her drink and does the same, giving the man a grateful smile as she does.
Before she can begin to reply, Bonnie begins to notice the crowd has suddenly fallen quieter. When she looks up she sees the Mikaelsons have moved to the bottom of the staircase. Elijah is looking out as if he wishes to speak.
"Welcome, all. Thank you for joining us." There is a brief silence in which everyone seems to be watching him, and his gaze flicks over to Esther as she descends the staircase. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a century's old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner and join us in the ballroom."
Before she can think or protest at all, Kai is taking her hand and leading her to the ballroom. She can feel his touch like electricity, even through the glove. Something about her soul sings when he's around; like the two are matched for each other.
"What would Sheila say if she saw you in the lion's den for Elena? Or dancing the waltz with the debatably sociopathic reject of the Gemini Coven." He's light-hearted as he says it, but then again he usually is. Bonnie gulps; the mention of Grams makes her heart jolt.
"It doesn't matter," she says quietly, surprising herself. "Grams hasn't been here to see what I've had to do since she's been gone. What I've had to become. The lion's den isn't really a lion's den when you're a lion yourself. Besides, I'd do anything for my best friend and you know that." She swallows, feeling Kai's hand in hers as the waltz begins.
She makes brief eye contact with Caroline, who is surprisingly dancing with Klaus, and looks away hurriedly.
"Have you ever gotten tired of the martyr game, Bon? Have you ever considered you could be spending a quiet Sunday playing Monopoly and drinking wine or something with your Grams if it weren't for vampires?"
"Kai, don't," she starts, looking into his gray-blue eyes. "I can't right now. We need to focus on Elena and the plan. Or at least I do."
They're dancing in step now as they move in time with the rest of the couples on the ballroom floor. Kai feels closer to her than he has been in awhile, one hand in hers and the other warm on her waist. She can see the faint mischevious light in his eyes and the dimples revealing on his cheeks when a smile tugs at his lips. Her breath catches in her throat.
"Don't leave again," she says, and it's barely a whisper. She can feel tears inexplicably welling in her eyes. "Don't. I can't do it alone."
"Bonnie," he says, and it's earnest and deliberate. "The Gemini Coven would have to literally explode through this wall like the Kool-Aid man and take me hostage for me to leave you again, okay? I'm not going anywhere."
She nods, her throat closing up. She can feel his chest close to hers- sense the heat radiating from his body. She spends the rest of the dance feeling devoured by his touch and presence; wanting more.
After they've left the ballroom, however, Bonnie feels her phone vibrate at the telltale sign of Elena texting her. When she digs her phone out, she sees the message. "Stefan is knocking Damon out. Going up. Keep an eye out for me."
"Everything alright?" Kai asks, creeping up behind her. He slips his hands onto her waist, running his palms over the feeling of her hipbone. Her heart stutters in her chest and she swallows, slipping her phone out of sight.
"Fine," she says, trying to keep her composure at his touch. He's just rubbing her hips, but it seems almost too perverse and sensual to happen in public. She turns to meet him, pulling away from his grip. "Are you going to help me with this or not?"
"Help you with having a good time? Y'know, Bonnie, I'd love to. Maybe some more alcohol, or a quick sneak out back-"
"You know what I mean, Kai," she says, her voice low. His hooded eyes look disappointed and his handsome face is unimpressed.
"Fine, twist my arm why don't you? I'll do whatever you need. Just loosen up." He takes one hand and cups her jaw, pulling her face up and towards him. His thumb gently grazes the skin there, sending chills up her spine. She feels hazy, suddenly, clouded by the desire unfurling in her stomach at his proximity. Then their lips are touching; gently caressing each other as his hand slides up into her hair. She can taste him and she pushes into the kiss, groaning at the intensity pulsing through her.
Bonnie breaks away first. His handsome face looks open and wanting, his eyes sparked with lust.
"Elena needs me," she says abruptly, but she regrets it even as she does.
Against all odds, Kai is her safe haven and her refuge from Mystic Falls vampires. Leaving him there to follow after her best friend is hard, and the regret chases her up the staircase as she does.