A/N: I am so sorry with the delay for this story. I had very little inspiration and with a rough weekend last week I just did not feel like writing. This chapter is finished and I'm already working on the next, so yay! I hope to update this fic at least once week.

Happy reading!


/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After a quick shower, Bonnie padded downstairs to the clean kitchen that appeared to be empty. Bonnie looked to the back door and saw it open and wandered out in search of Winnie.

Leaves crunched beneath her feet as she wandered barefoot through the open field of trees behind Grams house. Bonnie stopped and closed her eyes allowing her mind and body to connect with nature. After a moment, Bonnie felt the presence of her cousin and continued on her search. Bonnie ventured further into the forest as she reflected on the last time she admired nature and her heritage as a witch. Too long, she concluded.

Thinking back Bonnie realized that once she came into her powers she didn't get a chance to enjoy the sheer beauty of magic. Not with all the drama that vampires, werewolves, and hybrids brought with them, but she couldn't blame them for her misuse of power. She did it to help her friends, her family. Bonnie had always been protective of those closest to her and stubborn like her Grams, but Winnie was always there to pull her back to the present, so she wouldn't wear herself thin. Bonnie felt content in knowing that Winnie was back in her corner looking out for her.

Looking ahead Bonnie spied Winnie sitting cross legged on the ground with her eyes closed in silent mediation. Smiling at the image ahead Bonnie made her way over.

Winnie slowly opened her eyes and gave Bonnie a smile as she gestured to the seat in front of her. Bonnie nodded once before she sat down on the ground across from Winnie mirroring her pose. They reached out in unison and grasped each other's hands as they matched their breathing and began the meditating exercises taught to them a long time ago by Sheila.

After a brief mediation session, Bonnie and Winnie trekked back towards the house.

"I haven't done that in a long time." Bonnie said with a satisfied sigh as she reentered the house and took a seat at the kitchen island. "It seems like there's always something or someone more important around that I have to take care of."

Frowning slightly Winnie waited patiently for her to continue.

"It's just... there has been more than one occasion where I've had to save someone from death. I feel like I owe it to Grams since I couldn't save her." Bonnie really did feel as if she owed it to Grams, but was doing it for herself as well. Her friends were the only family she had left, so she felt as if she really had to fight to keep her family intact.

"I know that Aunt Sheila does not blame you for that. She knew of the risks when it came to this family and witchcraft."

"I know." Bonnie sighed. "I just wish I could've done more. I've been practicing this all alone and at one time I thought I could connect with someone, but they were just using me. I feel like everyone uses me in one way or another." She finished quietly.

"You know you have me and I think that we can help each other. I haven't been able to practice my magic as much as I would've liked, but I've picked up a few things after I started reading my mother's grimoire. I saw that you have Aunt Sheila's so maybe we could compare notes and see what happens?" Winnie asked reaching for Bonnie's hand squeezing lightly.

"Honestly? That would be perfect. It's nice to know that I'm no longer the only witch in town. That gets lonely and exhausting."

Fidgeting slightly, Winnie nodded. "Birdie, umm... I think I need to tell you what's been going on with me and why it took me so long to get back home."

"Okay" Bonnie responded cautiously. "If it's hard for you to talk about you can wait until you're ready. I'm just glad you're here and whole. But I did find it weird that I couldn't get in contact with you. It's almost like you disappeared off of the face of the earth."

Laughing nervously "Kinda. It sure felt like it. I'm not sure where to start, but I want to share some of my emotions with you first."

Nodding slightly Bonnie waited patiently for Winnie to continue. Winnie looked up and immediately locked eyes with Bonnie. Staring back in confusion Bonnie waited and immediately felt a myriad of emotions washing over her: betrayal, anger, resentment, frustration, loneliness, sadness, confusion and numbness.

Breaking eye contact Bonnie struggled to catch her breath as she processed the emotions and turmoil that Winnie had been feeling. "My god, Winnie. What happened to you?" She asked voice laced with concern.

"Joanne happened. She um... she had me placed into a detention center for girls after I came into my powers. She was always so mad that couldn't control them like she wanted me to." Winnie mumbled. "I tried to reason with her and explain what I knew about being a witch, but she wouldn't listen. After an argument I lost control and that's when she decided to ship me off."

"What?! What about Uncle Adrian? There's no way your dad would let that happen!" Bonnie exclaimed. "I know he worked a lot, but you're still his daughter. She can't do something like that without his permission."

"Yeah… Dad was away a lot and she sent me there while he was out of town. Since they are married and he gave her guardianship it was legal. But I haven't spoken to him in a while. Just a few times on the phone, but whatever Joanne told him about my behavior or whatever, Dad believed because he never came to get me or showed much concern on the phone."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Winnie sat on her bed reading through her mother's grimoire in hopes of finding something to help her control her powers. She had been stressed out, a lot. With school, missing Bonnie and Aunt Sheila, the constant fights with her stepmom, and coming into her powers she found it hard to keep control. Winnie discovered while reading her mother's grimoire that some witches could more or less control a particular element more than the others. Winnie found out that hers was Air considering that during intense and highly stressful situations it would get a little more windy.

While pouring over her mother's grimoire Winnie felt as if she were finally connecting with her mother. Nose buried in the crinkled pages, this was how her stepmom, Joanne, found her. Joanne had always expressed her displeasure with witchcraft. Sure she put on a look of understanding when talking to her dad about it, but being a devout Christian, Joanne thought it was the work of demons. It was hard living in the house with her, especially when she got into one her fits and preached to her and told her she was going to hell. Winnie just wished her dad were home more, but more than that she wanted, no needed, to be back in Mystic Falls.

"I thought I told you that I didn't want you studying that witchcraft in my house."

Closing the grimoire with a sigh, Winnie looked up at her stepmom to gauge what mood she was in today. Staring at her intently Joanne stood unwavering in the doorframe with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Great, she thought, she's definitely in a mood.

"I know, Joanne, but I just thought that there would be something in here that would help me control my powers since you won't let me go home to Aunt Sheila."

"I've said no and I won't say it again. She fills your head with nonsense and every time you come back home after a visit with her you're spouting off about magic and herbs." she barked. "I got another call from your school today. You were being defiant and rude to your assistant principal, Mr. Barnes. You need to learn to control yourself or prepare to face the consequences."

"I caught him looking down my shirt after I dropped my book and bent to pick it up. So I called him a perv which isn't being rude, since I didn't say it to his face. He must've heard me which isn't my fault. I was just being honest. Plus, I don't think it's appropriate that a grown man stands around ogling young women at his school. He's like a predator. It's disgusting. He's disgusting."

"If you stop dressing so provocatively he would be able to control his urges and advances. You're 16 years old and you dress like one of those hookers downtown!"

"I dress like a teenager! All I wear are jeans and t-shirts, which isn't exactly provocative in my opinion. Even if I did wear those long skirts and blouses you're always buying me Mr. Barnes would still find a way to stare down my shirt because he's a pervert." she yelled.

Winnie was sick of Joanne trying to control her. She missed her aunt and Bonnie they would understand her and Aunt Sheila probably would've gave Mr. Barnes a piece of her mind, especially if Winnie told her how he was known to be touchy with the other teachers and gawk at the young girls at her school. His behavior was appalling, but people like her aunt who went to church with him blamed it all on the women and their attire.

In the midst of her anger, Winnie felt herself lose control of her emotions and the wind begin to pick up around her. Winnie's bedroom window opened with a bang as the wind outside began to howl. Joanne turned her eyes to the window and gazed outside in fear and anger as Winnie struggled to gain control of her thoughts and emotions.

"Control yourself!"

"I'm trying!" Winnie cried. Closing her eyes, she slowly began to count as she took even and measure breaths. With each breath she took the wind begin to die down and finally calm. When she opened her eyes made eye contact with Joanne who stood before her with barely contained rage.

"I'm sorry, Joanne. Aunt Sheila said that a witch's powers are controlled by her emotions and as a young witch I—"

"That little display was the last straw. Pack your bags you are out of here tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Winnie asked in confusion. "Are you sending me back to Mystic Falls?"

"No." Joanne said as she began towards the doorway. "You're going somewhere where girls like you are not a threat to yourself or others." Moving swiftly Joanne slammed the door behind her with a bang.

Sitting down heavily into her desk chair, Winnie stared at the door as Joanne's threat echoed in her head. Where is that?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Girls like me were sent to juvenile detention centers when their parents were sick of raising them. The people who ran the center were awful and inexperienced. To this day I don't think they knew what they were doing." Winnie said with a laugh. "Joanne told them that I was uncooperative and disobedient and that she just couldn't 'handle' me anymore and that I needed more help than she could give so she took me there. It hurt to hear her say that because I begged her to send me back to Mystic Falls to be with you and Aunt Sheila. At least I would be with people who loved and cared for me. My family. Joanne never listened or cared. I think she may have been jealous of something, I don't know. I know that she was hateful. The one thing the center did save me from was being stuck with her."

Adjusting her glasses, Winnie stared down at the table as she continued, "The counselors there were a bunch of quacks. Apparently, Joanne also told them that I was hallucinating and going around saying that I was a witch, so they prescribed me a couple of antipsychotics. The meds made me feel weird but they mostly made me really tired. I became even more depressed and even with the drugs nothing helped they just upped my dosage."

"Oh Winnie. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't believe she would do that to you!" said Bonnie with an angry toss of her hair. "If I ever come into contact with Joanne she'd have wished she had treated you better. What a bitch! I can't believe Uncle Adrian didn't do something."

"You know dad. He traveled a lot for his new job he barely had time to do anything when he was home. He was always busy," Winnie said. "I thought that once I talked to him and tried to explain what was going on at home and with Joanne that he would come and get me and bring me here, but it never happened. Not with my stepmom and the counselors working against me and refuting everything I said. I just never felt so alone."

"Well, you're not now" Bonnie said. "You're with me, your family. Once everyone knows you're back in town you will be among friends."

"I'm so glad to be out of there and here with you."

"How did you get out of there? Did you run away?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, but I had help. Her name is Patricia and she was one of the night nurses who also happens to be a witch."

"Another witch? What did she do?"

With a small smile, Winnie continued, "Another good thing that came from me being in the center was that I learned to control my powers and with the help from my mother's grimoire, I learned a couple of things. Well one night Patricia caught me reading mom's grimoire. I lied and told her that it was an old journal of my mother's, but she just smirked at me. Then she said that she knew exactly what it was I was reading, then Patricia showed me her powers. I was stunned, to say the least. My guard was still up and I was afraid because I didn't know her. Was she good or bad? Over the next couple of months, Patricia would come to my room and she would make pillows flight, lights flicker, make my flowers new, you name it she did it. It reminded me a lot of Aunt Sheila, like when she would make it rain on her garden. It was refreshing and for the first time since I got there I didn't feel so alone."

Bonnie smiled at her and motioned for her to continue.

"I didn't feel crazy and I finally felt like I didn't have to just stay there and wilt away into nothing. So I stopped taking my meds. It was hard because I felt like I needed them, but Patricia told me that I didn't need them and that I didn't belong there. And she decided to help me get out." Winnie said. "It didn't take us long to come up with a plan, but there were a lot of ways we could get caught and that could result in Joanne finding out and sending me somewhere far worse and Patricia losing her job. The hard part came when Patricia decided to help purge my records from the system and getting me on the first bus out there. It took a little while but she did it little by little so no one would know what she was doing, but she did it. And a week ago, Patricia bought me a bus ticket and snuck me out of the center to the bus station me where she put me on a bus. She weaved a couple of protection spells over me so that I would make it here safely."

"Wow, Mouse! That's amazing and also a little daredevily for you." Bonnie grinned. "I'm so proud of you. I'm glad to hear that there are witches out there who help out their own. I've met a couple that were more like psychopaths and I thought that was the norm."

"Wait, what?" Winnie asked with her nose wrinkling in confusion.

Waving her hand in dismissal Bonnie changed the subject. "We'll get to me later. I'm starving. Hungry?"

"We'll stick a pin in that because we will revisit that later. But we should eat I can ear your stomach. How about Chinese food?" asked Winnie with a tilt of her head.

Rolling her eyes playfully, Bonnie pulled out a stack of to go menus from the kitchen drawer sliding them over to Winnie. "Choose whatever your heart desires."

The girls giggled to themselves as they poured over the menus going back and forth weighing the pros and cons of each item. Another familiar game that they've played before where they argue about different foods, but always choosing the same options.

After recounting the events leading to her being locked away she felt lighter, but there was something else bothering her. Winnie wondered when she would tell Bonnie about the visions that she had been having. She was afraid to speak them out loud for fear of them coming true. A superstition that had been passed down from previous generations of Bennett's. On second thought there were a lot more superstitions from her mother's grimoire that didn't make any sense, but she couldn't help that sense of dread cloud her thoughts.

Her vision was always the same: A supernatural battle that ended with Bonnie dying in her arms. A sight she had nightmares about often, but were thankfully not present last night. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Winnie returned to the conversation after quickly deciding that she would tell Bonnie later. Much later.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

They refused to let the depressing drama and turmoil put a damper on their mood, so they did what normal people would do, talk around it. Throughout the rest of the day, Bonnie caught Winnie up on all of the happenings in Mystic Falls; Abby abandoning her for a second time after releasing Esther from her coffin, Caroline being turned into a vampire by Katherine, Tyler becoming a hybrid, Elena flip-flopping between the Salvatore's, and Klaus.

"Wow," said Winnie in a daze. "That's a lot to take in and a lot to fucking handle alone."

"I wasn't completely alone. I had Caroline and Elena." Bonnie responded.

At the mention of the latter, Winnie snorted. "It seems like Elena has been at the center of most of the drama that's been going on around here. Nothing has really changed since we were kids."

"Elena is human. Everyone else is not and we can all fend for ourselves when it comes to the supernatural, but she's…" Bonnie paused in thought.

"A damsel in distress?" Winnie quipped.

"Mortal." Bonnie shrugged.

"So are you, Birdie. So am I. Just because we're witches doesn't make us invincible. We have to look out for ourselves. I understand that you've been trying to keep the balance, but it seems the more you try the more out of whack everything gets."

"It sure seems that way, especially with all the death, including mine."

Mouth falling in disbelief, Winnie stared at Bonnie in astonishment. "You died?! And then came back to life? You know what? I'm not going to even touch that subject tonight because I feel like this conversation will go even farther left than it already has."

"Agreed." Bonnie promised. "I don't know how we got there, but let's leave that for a later date. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. I think I'm going to head up to bed."

"You read my mind." Winnie yawned. "Do you mind if I sleep with you? Just for tonight. Last night was the best sleep I've had in a while."

"Of course." Bonnie answered.

The two made their way upstairs and after completing their nightly routine they both settled into Bonnie's bed. Snuggling deep down in the covers Winnie turned to Bonnie. "It was good hanging out with you today. Just us." Pausing in thought Winnie yawned before continuing. "Do you want to break the news to the Scooby gang that I'm back in town?"

Bonnie lay in thought. It wasn't that she didn't want everyone to know that Winnie was back in town, but she didn't want them to see Winnie how they see Bonnie, witch on demand. Was it too much to ask for one more day where they were just the Bennett's and not just witches for hire? Absolutely not.

"I just want one more day. I don't want to worry about rogue vampires, originals, psychopaths, or anything else, but you and me. We'll let them know the day after tomorrow." Bonnie explained with a yawn.

"That's fine with me." Winnie replied, "but you know that Caroline is going to show up with soup because you're 'sick'."

"We'll see. She usually gives me my space."

"Whatever you say."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Caroline Forbes was a worrier so when she received a text from Bonnie the day before that she was sick. That was okay. But the second day in a row without talking to her best friend she needed to see her to make sure she was okay. She just hoped she wasn't moping over her loser ex-fling and if she was Caroline was determined to bring her out of her funk with an impromptu Girls' Day. That would be perfect. Keys in hand, Caroline got in her car to make her way to Bonnie's. Thinking quickly, she decided to head to the grocery store for Bonnie's favorite snacks, just in case.

After the quick stop at the grocery store. Caroline and snacks were en route to Bonnie's. If Elena wasn't so caught up in being in the middle of the Salvatore's she would've called her to meet her there, but of course Stefan (and Damon) took priority over her best friends, again. With a sigh Caroline pulled into the driveway behind Bonnie's Prius.

With her hand poised to knock on the door Caroline paused as she focused in on the sounds from inside the house. Two heartbeats. One upstairs and one towards the back of the house. Who could be at Bonnie's? Bonnie told her that she wasn't dating right now. Unless… it's a secret fling! Go Bonnie! Caroline thought.

*knock knock*

Caroline waited a beat before continuing. Listening closely Caroline heard two voices, but couldn't make out who was talking. Sighing audibly, Caroline knocked again.

"Bonnie! Open up. I know you're home and I know you're not alone. Whoever he is I hope he's cute" she yelled through the door.

Opening the door swiftly, Bonnie ushered Caroline in. "Jeez Care! You don't have to be so loud I don't want the neighbors all in my business. And it's not a he it's a she." Turning away from Caroline, Bonnie began her way to the kitchen with a smirk on her face.

"Ooh really?" Caroline cooed following her with grocery bags in hand. "Well do I get to meet the she that you're ditching our lunch date for two days in a row?"

"You've met her before." Responded Bonnie as she gestured towards the kitchen island where the she in question was sitting.

Face scrunched in confusion, Caroline rounded the corner and spotted the young woman. Caroline's eyes widened in recognition, "Winnie? Oh my god!" Within seconds Caroline had dropped the bags and had Winnie locked in her embrace. "I can't believe it's you! I've missed you so much! You look so grown up! When did you get here? How long are you in town for?" she rambled.

"Care. I don't think she can breathe with the grip you have on her." Bonnie laughed as she went about putting on a kettle for tea. "You were right Winnie. I should've known Care would show up."

"Oh! I'm sorry! Sometimes I forget my own strength." She said quickly letting her go. Caroline held Winnie at arm's length as she took her in. Hmmm. Looks like she lost weight. Her hair is longer and curlier. Ugh, but she's still wearing those dreadful glasses. I wonder if she would be open to contacts? Thank god her braces are off.

"I can hear you thinking. And no. No contacts. Don't worry you didn't strangle me to death. But you can't still be getting a hang of this vampire thing" Winnie asked.

"How did you " Caroline asked. "Witch. Of course. You witches are so in tune with everything."

"Yep." Winnie said popping the 'p' before plopping down at the kitchen island where Bonnie placed a cup of tea for her. "I have to say, Care, vampirism looks good on you."

"Of course. Everything looks good on me." Caroline stated with a roll of her eyes. "But thanks. You look stunning. But when did you get back? Are you here for good?" Caroline questioned excitedly. "I've missed you so much. I'm sure Bonnie told you that it's been a circus here."

Caroline noticed the cousins didn't stray far from each other. Where one moved the other wasn't far behind. Not much has changed since they were kids. Caroline smiled inwardly as she thought about the last couple of years and how rough they had been for Bonnie. Bonnie lost Grams', then her mom running off again, and her dad never being home Caroline always felt guilty that Bonnie was so alone. If anyone deserved to have someone in her corner it was Bonnie. Bonnie sacrificed a lot for her friends and the safety of every she deserved to be happy. Guilt crept up on Caroline again as she thought about her actions. Looking between Winnie and Bonnie she vowed to be a better friend.

"Bon caught me up on the supernatural that this town seems to be centered around. And to answer your questions: I just got back a couple of days ago and I'm staying indefinitely." Winnie stated as she got up and pulled Caroline back in for a hug, much gentler this time.

"Well that's great!" Caroline said excitedly as she released Winnie. "Everyone will be so happy to see you! I think we should celebrate! Oh Bonnie, we should take her to the Grille and surprise everyone. They are going to freak when they see you."

Bonnie and Winnie locked eyes in silent communication and with a quick nod Bonnie said, "Sure, but we should get dressed first."

"Yay!" Caroline exclaimed with a clap of her hands. She turned and followed the girls upstairs when she had a great idea. "Wear something cute because you never know who will be there. Winnie maybe you can help me in trying to persuade your dear cousin into giving Phillip a chance."

"Phillip? Are you talking about Phillip Waters? The one who puked in the class aquarium in 5th grade?!" Winnie exclaimed as she dug in her suitcase for something to wear.

"The very one." Caroline smirked as she settled on Bonnie's bed before sending a quick text. Turning her attention back to Bonnie who stood in the middle of the room glaring at Caroline.

Bonnie shook her head furiously, "He had a stomach virus and that was closest thing to him.

"He killed all those fish." Winnie said pausing her movements as Caroline snorted with laughter.

"Anyways, I don't think it's a good idea. I mean I like Phil but I just don't feel that way about him." Bonnie finished with a shrug. Turning her back around to face her closet Bonnie was going back forth between two choices. One was a dark green dress with spaghetti straps that fit at the waist and flared out stopping at her knees and the other was a floral print skirt that brushed her ankles that would look cute with a crop top.

"The green dress it brings out your eyes." Winnie said as she tied the laces of her converse sneakers already dressed in skinny jeans and oversized grey sweatshirt with Whitmore emblazoned across it in black. Walking over to the open closet Winnie took the dress of the hanger and thrust it into Bonnie's hands.

"Great choice!" Caroline replied from her reclined position on the bed. "That dress will look great with your brown booties and maybe your cream cardigan just in case it gets chilly out later. Now you." She said turning her attention to Winnie. "I'm sure there's something in Bonnie's closet that you can wear, since I know that jeans and t-shirts are all you own. Maybe you'll meet someone tonight, too."

Winnie rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed loudly. "Absolutely not. I look fine. And aren't we trying to hook Bonnie up with Phil?" she said crossing her arms in a defensive stance.

"Fine." Caroline ground out. "Only because I should focus on one thing at a time and we have to see who catches your eye out here."

Winnie snorted.

"But one of these days I am going to get you into a dress or skirt. Mark my words."

Bonnie laughed as she put the finishing touches on her makeup as Winnie and Caroline continued their bickering. They were both stubborn and often butted heads, but it was always with love. Turning in her chair she regarded the two with a smile, "Alright! I'm ready. Let's go!"

The trio made their way out of the house piling into Caroline's car making their way across town. Caroline turned on the stereo system and the car was filled with N*SYNC. The girls whooped with excitement before singing along to 'I Want It That Way.'

While they drove alone Bonnie decided to call Elena to see if she could pry her from Stefan's side. It had been a couple of weeks since Elena chose Stefan over Damon, again, and the couple have been MIA as they tried to get some much needed time together. Maybe if she told Elena that there was a surprise waiting for her if she could extract herself from her boyfriend.

"I don't know Bonnie. I'm with Stefan right now and " Elena started.

"I get it. You guys are in love and blah blah blah, but I promise you do not want to miss this surprise." Bonnie said with a glance towards Winnie who grinned in return.

To be honest, Elena had been feeling guilty for abandoning her friends and since she skipped out on the last couple lunch dates. She missed just hanging out with Bonnie and Caroline without all of the supernatural clouding their lives.

"Okay." Elena responded with a sigh as she looked over at Stefan with a defeated expression. Have fun, he mouthed at her with a slight smile. "I'll meet you guys there in 15 minutes. This surprise better be good," she finished with a laugh.

"Great! See you there!" Bonnie replied ending the call.

"It looks like we're getting the band back together!" Winnie exclaimed from the backseat.