A/N: How the ball should have gone down. Point. Blank. Enjoy you guys!
"Should I put you in time out now, or wait until later?"
Stefan turned his head only infinitesimally to look at his brother. He understood the reason for the question and the implication it implied—that while in public Stefan didn't know how to act. Well, with all their chips being down, and they showed their final hand and still lost the pot, Stefan figured the war he started with Klaus was finally over. However, the next step obviously was convincing the first family of vampirism to leave town permanently. If they had to share space for the next thousand years, Stefan had no idea what he might do.
He could always go back to Italy where he was living before the soil of Mystic Falls called him home. Maybe his thought on that was too simplistic because he had avoided Virginia for an obvious reason. Now if he had listened to his instincts and stayed away his life would probably be radically different.
"Just do me one huge favor, Damon…stay away from me."
Damon smirked and was ready to reply he'd stay on his arse like white on rice all night if he felt like it, but then someone entering the sprawling mansion caught his attention, and Damon became awestruck.
Stefan inwardly rolled his eyes and looked towards the entrance as Elena walked through in an elaborate ball gown that looked custom made for the occasion. With her long raven locks swept to one side, hands ensconced in black satin gloves, and a black fur-lined shawl wrapped around her shoulders, Elena held up her skirts as she stepped through the atrium marveling at the opulence of the room.
It was a little startling that Stefan had no outward reaction other than mild interest in her looks because she was simply a female. Last year he would have been at her side instantly—no no—they would have arrived together like the new age Barbie and Ken. Men would have stared at him enviously, whereas the girls would attempt to scratch Elena's eyes out. All of that should have irrationally saddened him but Stefan felt an odd sense of relief.
He no longer had to constantly show he was worthy of being loved by a human.
Neither brother made any kind of move to walk over to Elena. That was only because Elijah popped up out of nowhere, offering to take her shawl and to hand her a flute of champagne. A waiter passed by the Salvatore boys, and both retrieved a glass for themselves and finally headed in opposite directions.
As usual Damon went sniffing after Elena and Stefan tried to locate one person he might be mildly interested in having a conversation with. Unfortunately no such person was around.
And as much as he may have wanted to engage in conversation, of course the last person he actually wanted to talk to appeared right behind him bringing along his aura of doom and gloom.
"Stefan," Klaus said jovially enough.
The caramel-haired vampire slowly turned around Russell Crowe/Gladiator style. He imagined himself saying: My name is Stevanious Decimus Salvatorious, sibling to a dumb ass brother, ex-lover of a science fiction double, and I will have my revenge in this life or the next.
There was an orchestra playing in the background but the music was all wrong. It quite simply wasn't dramatic enough.
"What do you want?" Stefan asked or more like demanded.
Klaus flashed his dimples until his eyes turned flat with calculation. "The same thing I've always wanted for a thousand years. To be reunited with my family."
Stefan held up his glass in salute. "And are you learning that family can be highly overrated? Men like us—we're better off left to our own devices because family has a way of bringing out the worst in us."
Klaus stared at Stefan a bit strangely for a moment as he reflected on his none-too-subtle words. He knew of the Salvatore boys' history with one another and it was painfully obvious to everyone with a working set of eyes that Damon fancied himself in love with Elena just like he fancied himself in love with Katherine. Stefan was quite simply tired of having to share everything he had with his brother, and yes—even Klaus could commiserate with him on that front.
His eyes betrayed him by searching the crowd for the one brother everyone he ever encountered preferred over him.
Elijah was currently holding court with Elena looking a little too comfortable talking to the doppelganger as if they were life long friends. Niklaus was neither foolish nor stupid and it seemed his dumb brother on the other hand was allowing himself to be ensnared once again in the Petrova trap.
Pussy whipped, all of them were pussy whipped yet the only one to tap that was Stefan.
And from the looks of things Stefan could careless who Elena decided to take home and screw tonight. He had absolved himself of the doom that was his relationship.
Interesting indeed.
"Has your time with me changed you so much that you won't even bat an eyelash if I ask you how you'd feel about Elena screwing your brother?"
Stefan's eye twitched only at Klaus imprudence, not the actual implication. Stefan shifted until he stood almost toe-to-toe with Klaus, staring the hybrid in the face.
"What Elena does…I don't give a damn anymore. Our relationship has run its course," Stefan hunched a shoulder and buried his hand in his pant pocket. "You were right the other night, Klaus. Elena is much better off without me or Damon in her life. Ever since we showed up…our presence has caused the systematic murder of her family. And that's blood that will never wash off."
Klaus smirked but not because he was laughing at Stefan. "And I have to admit I was wrong, Stefan…you do have a brain. You were able to evade me for weeks, enlisting the help of the hundred dead witches and one very determined Bennett to keep my family from me. You can be resourceful when you need to be…"
"If you're about to extend me an offer of employment to rejoin your harem, here's what I'm going to say to that, Klaus. Go get a blow job from a damn shark." With those parting words, Stefan walked off.
Music for a traditional waltz began to play. Damon—per usual had bullied his way to a dance with Elena who tried to keep her game face on. She was here, rubbing elbows with the family who were the predecessors of the vampire bloodline, waiting to have a meeting with the matriarch of the family. Elijah told her that Esther would only speak to her alone. Damon was determined not to let her out of his sight for a moment, whereas Stefan was simply there to make sure none of them were falling into a trap.
As she danced with Damon who moved surprisingly well, not so surprising since this wasn't their first time dancing together, she couldn't help but search the room for Stefan.
He looked so dapper in his tux, like the Stefan she fell in love with. But there was Damon who had been all the things she needed him to be as she was plagued by insomnia because she was worried about Stefan as he traveled the nation over with Klaus doing Lord knew what.
She missed what they had but knew she needed to officially let him go. However, call it her stubborn streak, Elena wasn't quite ready to let him go because she still believed he loved her, despite what came out of his mouth.
One of the things Elena learned about Stefan was that he'd say what was necessary to get someone to believe he no longer cared, and the harder he fought, that just meant the more he cared.
However…there was something bothering her about her own assumption. Stefan was detached—yes that was a given considering she admitted to him about kissing Damon. Maybe deep down she came clean because she was hoping it'd be the straw to break the camel's back, and Stefan would finally let all of his humanity come back in, and he'd fight for their relationship.
Didn't happen, though.
Now he kept her and everyone else at arm's length. Except one person.
"You haven't seen Bonnie since you've been here, have you?" Elena questioned.
She and Damon were now dancing face-to-face. "No. And why would I be looking for the witch?"
Elena pursed her lips in disapproval. It irked her Damon could sometimes treat Bonnie as if she were no more significant than the man who delivered his dry cleaning.
"Because she was invited and you know she holds a special place of hatred in her heart for Klaus. And what is with him? One minute he's trying to kill everyone in sight, and the next…he's saving Caroline's life."
Damon snorted. "Yeah, he would definitely take home the Super Villain of the Year Award."
Elena chuckled a tiny bit.
"But let Bonnie take care of Bonnie and Klaus and whatever else comes along because that's what she's good at. You want to know what I'm good at…watching your back…" he ran his eyes over Elena salaciously, which made her blush profusely. "And your front," he added.
Back across the room, Stefan hung on the wall like a picture cataloging everyone who was present. Some the couples he saw dancing really made him want to scratch his scalp like a primate. Rebekah and Matt, Elena and Elijah, and Klaus and Caroline, now the last two he could honestly say he didn't see coming.
Upon thinking about Caroline his thoughts shifted to Tyler and Stefan wondered why he hadn't asked where Klaus' first successful hybrid was. Inwardly, Stefan shrugged. He and Tyler had never been close, never been friends, and that certainly wasn't a missed opportunity he was crying any tears over.
He roughly ran his hand over the back of his neck. Stefan hated formalwear when he was human which meant he detested it now. His bowtie felt like a noose around his neck, and the orchestra music was making feel him tried and sloppy. Stefan flicked his wrist and glared at his watch. The party had been in full swing for an hour and a half and Bonnie had yet to walk her tail through the front door. Didn't she know she was the only remotely interesting person he liked being around?
Stefan growled lowly. He didn't like feeling antsy and like some prepubescent boy waiting for his crush to acknowledge his existence. These feelings were reminding him that as long as he may walk the earth, he was still a seventeen year old boy.
He couldn't take it anymore. If he couldn't see Bonnie with his own two eyes, he'd call her and hear her voice. If she decided not to show up to the invitation only ball, that was her prerogative, but to leave him stranded—freaking unacceptable.
Just as he pulled his cell phone out of his pant pocket a hush kind of fell over the entire room. Stefan stared out into the crowd and noticed that almost everyone was gazing towards the atrium.
Pushing away from the wall, Stefan's patent leather shoes scuffed across the marble floor until he could see what had drawn everyone's attention.
Bonnie stood under the massive chandelier with a no-nonsense look on her face, yet she still managed to captivate the audience with the pose she was inadvertently striking in her elaborate sweetheart neckline, flower embellishments full skirt gown. It was beautiful and classic—like a young bride she looked because the dress was white, alabaster, the color of a vampire's skin. Yet what made the gown even more stunning was the peek-a-boo split in the front that only became noticeable when Bonnie walked, exposing her left leg all the way to her upper thigh.
Instantly his thoughts shifted to the gutter, and Stefan imagined licking whipped cream off Bonnie's leg and other places to boot.
What was wrong with him? Having feelings of horniness and battling sexual frustration on a daily basis? Just pop a Fuckitol tablet and then say Fucukitol saved my life.
A server with a tray full of champagne flutes paused in front of Bonnie who took one and then lifted the glass up towards Esther who had been watching her closely from the staircase. The younger witch took a tiny sip after Esther held her glass up in tribute to Bonnie as well. After the brief acknowledgment, Bonnie sat her flute down the server's tray and became self-consciously aware of the fact she alone had the impact to halt the dancing and stop all conversation. She smiled at everyone who gawked at her and little by little conversations resumed but tongues were wagging about her. Bonnie felt the tips of her ears burning.
She dipped her head a bit and tried her best to get lost in the crowd. Unfortunately the room was too big and no matter where she went, Bonnie stood out like Lady Gaga.
Elijah stepped into her path, and Bonnie raised her chin. And he wasn't shy about letting her know he was checking her out.
"Miss Bennett, welcome to my home."
Bonnie folded her arms over her chest. "Next to your brother you are the last person I actually want to have a conversation with. Can you step aside, please so I can say hello to my friends?"
Elijah honored her request and allowed Bonnie to pass, yet he caught her by the wrist and swung her around until her chest ran into his and before she could deliver a shout of protest, they were dancing.
"I owe you an apology for going back on my word. I had promised that I would kill Klaus yet I let him play me for a fool, and as I result," the corners of Elijah's eyes crinkled not in humor but with something else—regret maybe, constipation, Bonnie wasn't sure. "I was stabbed through the heart."
Bonnie shrugged as if to say would you expect anything less from a snake? "Well, you know what they say, Elijah, never trust a scorpion even if it promises not to sting you if you help it across water. So you can't get mad when he does and ask why he betrayed you. It's his nature. Animals can't fight their nature."
"So very true, Bonnie, and might I add how exquisite you look tonight? Not a man in this room can keep his eyes off you."
She slighted Elijah with a bored look. "Sorry, you must have me confused with some chick with self-esteem issues. Flattery will only get you in the grave with me."
He chuckled wholeheartedly at that. Something caught Elijah's attention and he infinitesimally nodded his head and stepped away from Bonnie.
"My mother would like to have a word with you."
Yeah, and Bonnie would like to have several with her as well. Bonnie looked around the massive room and spotted Damon and Elena having their usual moment of Damon trying to put the moves on her while Elena pretended to be annoyed. Matt was standing next to Rebekah as the both of them blonde and blue-eyed just crowd surf.
She didn't stop craning her neck until she spotted Stefan who had his gaze locked on her like a torpedo missile. Instantly she felt warmed by the gesture and he mouthed if she were okay. Bonnie nodded her head and then picked up her skirt, walked up the grand staircase, and headed into one of the rooms with the mother of the Mikaelson clan.
The room was intimately lit, the furnishings expensive and tasteful, yet Bonnie felt no warmth in this place. Finn stood next to his mother's side like a bodyguard and didn't leave until he was given the order to do so.
Esther stood in front of a lacquered desk but waved her hand to the brown leather sofa offering Bonnie a seat.
She chose to remain standing. "You wanted to have a word with me," Bonnie spoke calmy though on the inside she felt her limbs wanting to tremble.
Esther offered her a crooked smile. "I did, Bonnie. I know you must think the worst of me."
Bonnie gave an undignified snort. "Well, my mother and I were trapped in a cave trying to unlock your coffin and instead of saying 'thank you for freeing me', you put a spell on us or knocked us unconscious or whatever it was you did. I'm sorry if I'm not feeling…receptive to you right now."
Esther smiled. "Your spirit reminds me of someone. She was strong-willed and keenly intelligent. I respected her," she took a seat on the couch. "And it's due to her how I am alive today."
"So you're not a vampire?"
"No. Nature has strict laws about being both at once."
"Yet your son is a hybrid."
"And I tried every measure I could think of, in those times, to make sure he never activated his dormant side."
"Yet he did anyways."
Esther didn't look sad or resigned. "Yes, he did," she replied flatly after awhile. "But I didn't want a private audience with you to talk about my son. It was to tell you…my family and yours have been connected for over a thousand years."
Bonnie's eyebrows nearly lifted off her forehead. She took a step toward Esther before pausing.
"How do you mean?"
"Please," Esther tapped the couch. "Sit. It is a long story to tell."
Bonnie sat down reluctantly and listened as Esther filled in the blanks to her family history she never would have learned about otherwise. The more she listened the more fascinated Bonnie became in wanting to know this Ayana woman and the countless others Esther used for her own gain. And the more she listened and heard the underlining implications of what was being shared with her, Bonnie felt her blood pressure skyrocketing.
And at the conclusion of Esther's story that's exactly what she did—skyrocketed off the couch and paced madly around the room.
"You've been using my family for centuries…putting us in danger at every single turn and inadvertently or purposely making us indentured slaves to all of your kind. Give me one good reason not to kill you right now!"
Esther stood to her feet as well and stared imploringly at Bonnie. "Because the story isn't complete. Tonight I am implementing a ritual that will bind my children's lives together, and I will need your help along with Abby's to right the wrong I created a thousand years ago. Klaus must be killed—and it is my duty to see that it is done.
"I owe you a world of thanks, Bonnie," Esther continued, "and I'm here to restore to you what I took from others in your family for so long."
Esther held out her hands, palm facing up and waited for Bonnie to place her hands on top.
"Why should I trust you, Esther? Your family has proven to me time after time again that they can't keep their word. What makes you any different?"
Esther smiled then. "I'm a witch and witches watch out for their own first and foremost."
Stefan didn't know what was going on upstairs. Bonnie and Esther had been missing for nearly half an hour yet the party was still in full swing. He had lost count of how many glasses of champagne he had consumed as he waited impatiently to finally have a moment alone with Bonnie. If he didn't talk to her soon, he might have to cause a scene.
A door opened and Bonnie stepped out and began walking down the stairs. She appeared fine for the most part as Stefan met her at the bottom of the staircase.
When she reached him, her floral and natural scent flooded his nostrils and Stefan's eyes were two seconds from rolling into the back of his head. She smelled so good he had the sudden urge to lick his fingers clean.
"Tovarich," Stefan said standing perhaps three inches too close to her.
She smiled a great smile of relief and boldly ran her eyes over Stefan and nodded her head in approval.
"Are you all right?" Stefan handed her the other half full flute of champagne.
Bonnie accepted the drink and took a small sip. "I will be, Stefan. You look amazing."
"And you look like a goddess. On top of being Miss Popularity. You weren't even been in the building for five minutes before Elijah was crowding your space and then Esther…"
She grinned, "Now you."
Stefan took a sip of his champagne. "Now me. Are you sure you're okay?"
Bonnie nodded. She felt better than okay, she felt freaking ecstatic. She had a stock pile of a thousand years of power zinging through her veins. If she wanted, Bonnie could lift this sprawling mansion over her head with a single thought. Yet no one could know the source of her strength. Not yet at least.
"I'm fine, but you know what I can't do? I can't prance around like everything is kosher. Why do you think it took me so long to get here? It wasn't because I wanted to look nice. Klaus has killed entire families—or ordered others to kill off entire generations, and the good people of Mystic Falls just welcomes him in with open arms," she shook her head.
Pride danced in Stefan's bluish-gray eyes. He snickered in appreciation of her spiel. More than likely she rehearsed that.
"You do realize he can hear you, right?"
"Does a fart smell?"
He couldn't help it. Stefan laughed. Lately Bonnie had been the only person who could get him to remember he knew how to do that.
Bonnie continued. "I will never be a fan of his, trust him, or like him, so I can walk around with the stink face and be at peace. I only came just in the event anything should go down."
Part of Stefan wished Bonnie would stop shouldering the responsibility of keeping certain people from making dumb decisions e.g. Elena. It wouldn't surprise Stefan if Elena confided in Bonnie that Esther wanted to talk to her, so naturally Bonnie would take it upon herself to support her friend in anyway she could. If that meant dressing up in a ridiculously beautiful gown and acting disinterested in everything around her—so be it.
Yet Stefan wanted Bonnie to admit that she liked dressing up because it was fun and it was what girls her age did. They went to parties, flirted with boys, and acted totally irresponsibly.
Bonnie on the other hand would never admit that.
However, the only thing Stefan wished was liable to go down was the zipper to his pants and the one holding Bonnie's dress in place. Stefan found it astonishing and a little off setting that he was finding it difficult to keep his hands to himself. He was desperate to know what she'd feel like in his arms.
He was a man-of-action now, so Stefan took her champagne glass out of her hand, and handed it blindly to one of the party goers who looked less than thrilled by being confused with the hired help, took Bonnie by the hand and led her to the dance floor.
Stefan could feel her dragging her feet. "What are you doing?"
Stefan tossed his answer over his shoulder. "We're going to cut a rug, Bons." He swung the diminutive girl in front of him, and planted one hand firmly on her tight waist, and held Bonnie's right hand in his.
He began to lead her into a contemporary tango.
"What are they trying to do, make a baby?" Damon asked as he watched his brother dance with the witch. Grudgingly he had to admit they moved well together. Bonnie trusted Stefan as evidence by the fact she allowed him to thrust her into the air for daring lifts that would've had anyone else screaming to high heaven.
They were putting on quite a show that they had drawn the attention of Klaus' disgruntled and newly risen brothers: Kol and Finn.
Out the corner of his eyes Damon tried to gauge Elena's reaction to her best friend dancing with her ex and looking more than comfortable doing so.
Elena had perfected her poker face over the last few months, tightening up her veneer, growing a hard shell over her skin. As much as Damon knew it was necessary, he kind of missed soft and naïve Elena. Damon wasn't really sure how to read this Elena, but he knew her heart and right now it was palpitating and possibly aching.
He was an expert on standing aside and watching the person you love in the arms of someone else.
Well, there was one remedy to the melancholia choking the air between them. Damon extended his hand. Elena stared at his appendage, then up at Damon. She wasn't going to engage in some primitive caveman display. Stefan could dance with who he liked. They were no longer together.
Still…
Watching Stefan dance with Bonnie…it was hard to miss the look of peace on his face. Stefan hadn't looked that relaxed in months. Did it prick Elena, rub her the wrong way that she wasn't the source of Stefan's sliver of joy? Naturally.
She still loved him.
"I need to use the ladies room. Excuse me," she walked off before Damon could say anything.
Without her permission Bonnie felt her body get loose as she rotated her hips and moved her feet across the floor. She hadn't felt this carefree in months having spent so much time walking on eggshells, pins and needles.
Stefan spun her around and dipped her causing her to giggle—actually giggle. She was a little rusty in that department.
Bonnie began to rundown a checklist on the little disasters she encountered and/or had to fix this past year alone. Having to send back Matt's sister, having to save Matt, being cheated on by the first guy she loved who not once said he loved her, discovering her mother was alive and kicking and had opted to raise her ex-boyfriend's son instead of returning home to her own flesh and blood.
When she looked at things in this light, the scales certainly didn't tip in her favor.
But there were little things she was getting used to. Like being able to talk and open up to someone who didn't know her history like the back of their hand, and could offer up a fresh perspective. Of having someone to watch after her instead of always having to watch over others.
And what do you know, that person was standing right in front of her making her remember what it felt like to be young and to actually have a crush on someone.
Bonnie gulped at the sudden realization.
She was crushing on Stefan. OMG I'm crushing! Bonnie thought wildly. And the crush didn't just extend to the Stefan she met when he moved back to Mystic Falls, but part of her liked Ripper Stefan as well because he was more—what was the word?—assertive, take charge, goal-oriented? The duality of not only liking a vampire but liking the brute part of him as well slightly petrified Bonnie because what did that say about her?
Awkwardly, Bonnie pulled away from the younger Salvatore. He frowned at her, his forehead began brooding.
"Sorry, nature calls," Bonnie said lamely and quickly rushed off to the bathroom which of course she had no idea where it was to begin with.
Well she found one on the second floor. Bonnie sat down at the vanity and looked at her reflection. She sat for a moment before opening up her clutch and removing her lip gloss.
Her face was fine but she felt if she was going to hide in the bathroom like a two-year old she might as well make good use of the time.
She couldn't believe this. Had her feelings for Stefan changed so dramatically from…hell she didn't even know what label was appropriate to place on what they had because nothing seemed fitting. They weren't friends. Accomplices—maybe. Associates—for sure. But there had been nothing intimate between them until Stefan enlisted her help with the coffins and they began spending all their free time together.
That had to be it, then. Bonnie had grown used and accustomed to Stefan's presence and…and? And what? She latched on to his attention?
Okay, he was cute. No, puppies were cute. Newborn babies were cute. Stefan surpassed both. He was…hot! Dashingly debonair and could make plain tee shirts and flannel threads look like haute couture fashion. Bonnie couldn't forget about his perfect hair, nor those deep-set mood ring eyes. One minute leaf green, another minute aquamarine, then sometimes hazel, and plenty of other times they were gray.
Questions began to plague Bonnie. Was Stefan struggling with the same realization, or was this one-sided? Was he still in love with Elena or was he over her? Bonnie had seen plenty of guys, Matt in particular struggle to get over the brunette eighth wonder of the world. The confused witch didn't know what it was about her friend that could make a man or monster depending on one's perspective like Damon fall for her, or to garner the unofficial loyalty of a thousand year old vampire. That had to be Elena's supernatural talent other than being a doppelganger or perhaps it was a side effect of being one.
It was best not to look too deeply into anything. Not the way Stefan smiled at her, or the way his entire demeanor seemed to lighten up and change simply because she was near. It meant nothing. He was still a vampire in love with a human who happened to be her best friend.
Suddenly the door flew open and a despondent Klaus walked in.
Bonnie's eyes enlarged to UFO proportions as she was seemingly ignored by the hybrid. His bowtie was unraveled, the top three buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, and his eyes were glassy. Was it even possible for his kind to get drunk?
What an epic failure, Klaus thought and flounced backwards on an overstuffed chair and chugged from a bottle. Finally he noticed that he wasn't completely alone in the room. The Bennett witch was staring at him with wide eyes in the reflection of the mirror.
"Witch," he said.
"Piece of shit," escaped her mouth before she could stop it. Bonnie quickly stuffed her lip gloss back into her purse and rose abruptly from the vanity. As she neared the door, Klaus shot off the chair and barred the exit, preventing her escape.
Bonnie cursed in her head and glared up at him. "Move, please," she bit out through clenched teeth.
"You're Caroline's friend, right? How do you win that girl? I buy her a diamond bracelet and a gorgeous gown…and still it's not enough."
Bonnie snorted derisively. "Oh, so now you like Caroline? Umm, excuse me but weren't you the dummy who commanded her boyfriend to bite her? Do you think Caroline is going to turn a blind eye to that? You really are as dumb as you look. And my friend can't be bought."
Klaus drew his lips in as if he ate a lemon and anger flashed through his eyes. If he was going to kill her, Bonnie already decided she'd come back and haunt his ass.
The fire in the hybrid's eyes dimmed. "You know, I wanted no part of this…lavish farce of an affair. But my mother insisted she wanted to forgive me and unite the family again. I can't help but feel like my brothers are looking for a reason and way to kill me in my sleep."
"Good for them," Bonnie sniffed.
Klaus moved away from Bonnie and flopped on the chair again. He leaned back until his head rested on the back of it.
"This was not the plan I envisioned in my head…"
Bonnie rolled her eyes and opened the door. "I hate to break this to you, Klaus, but you have no one to blame but yourself. You treat people like crap and then expect them to be all lovey-dovey towards you. That's not realistic. But, again why am I wasting breath talking to you?"
Saying nothing further, Bonnie walked out of the room and bumped into a hard chest and dark eyes.
"Sorry," Bonnie mumbled and walked around the vampire who had been identified as Kol. He really did look like Elijah, startlingly so. Still he was on her do-not-trust list.
"I'm afraid I'm the one who must apologize because you've been in my home for over an hour, and I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Kol…Kol Mikaelson."
He held out a hand towards Bonnie who ignored it. She pursed her lips. Kol's smile was meant to disarm but it did little for Bonnie.
Kol let his hand drop back to his side. "Is Niklaus crying his same old tune of no one loving him? In a thousand years he's still a scared little imp with daddy issues."
"As nice as it is to bash Klaus, I have friends who are waiting for me. Excuse me."
Kol of course began to walk back down to the main floor with Bonnie, keeping stride with her. She sighed in exasperation.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the younger Salvatore, and from what I've been able to gather you were the most successful in almost killing my brother."
Bonnie halted on the grand staircase and faced Kol. He was trying and failing from keeping the mirth off his face. Instinct was telling her that Kol wasn't looking to validate the stories he's heard about her to give justification for attacking her at a late date in retaliation. She still had to tread carefully.
He smirked again. "All I can say to that is, damn I missed a good show."
"It was a great show…until Elijah ruined everything," Bonnie proceeded down the stairs again. She spotted Damon and Elena sharing some heated words. Matt had disappeared, and Caroline stood talking with Mayor Lockwood more than likely about Tyler.
"Yes, he has that one irritating factor about him. His moral compass has ruined a great many of my plans. Please," Kol extended his hand. "Allow me to pay tribute to your bravery with one dance."
Bonnie just stared at him.
"I noticed you didn't come with anyone."
"I didn't," she answered and wondered where he was going with this.
Kol saddled just a bit closer to Bonnie. "That prompts me to ask what is wrong with the men of this town?"
"I'd like to know the same thing," she said a bit bitterly.
"Well, I have the perfect solution. Men always want what they can't have. So-,"
Bonnie sighed and slapped her palm in his.
Stefan had been circling the room like a caged wolf. Elena had come to him not long after Bonnie just ditched him on the dance floor. She needed to find a way to shake off her personal pit bull aptly named Damon long enough to finally go and have that talk with Mama Original. Yeah, it felt great to snap Damon's neck like a chiropractor gone wild, but now his adrenaline was up.
It increased greatly as he spotted Bonnie dancing with Kol. He watched them like a stalker, confiscated another flute of champagne and threw it back like a shot.
Kol said something that made Bonnie laugh and the Original had slipped his hand on Bonnie's thigh.
Stefan bit a piece of the rim of the glass off like a Styrofoam cup. Chewing glass was…not fun.
Bonnie's back was pressed against Kol's front. "This house offers great views of the town, but I'm staring at the best one."
Okay so she may have blushed at the lame come-on. Bonnie felt like she was in foreign country with no passport or visa. Here was this gorgeous guy flirting with her and all that was going through her mind was why? Why wasn't he chasing after Elena or Caroline? Most guys did and Bonnie had resigned herself to the sidekick role. She was only good for one thing.
Anger rushed through her veins and suddenly she just wanted throw up both middle fingers before blasting the mansion to smithereens but she suppressed it.
Kol spun her around and the song came to a close. "We should do this again."
"What makes you think I'd want to see you again after tonight?" she asked a little saucily and wondered where this was coming from. Hadn't she just realized that she might have a crush on Stefan?
Yeah, crushes come and go but actually being involved with someone…it wasn't rare but for her it was.
Not saying she wanted to be with Kol. She only just met him and she wasn't sure what Esther had in store for her family.
"I'm a confident man, Miss Bennett, and I'm also a gambling man. I know when to go all in and when to fold. And I'm not folding. Not by a long shot."
Kol took her hand and kissed it. He took two steps backwards and disappeared.
Well, the night had been interesting and weird and now all Bonnie wanted to do was go home and experiment with her new powers. She didn't see any of her friends and thought just as well. Things across the board were just off and not right. Bonnie did want to speak to Caroline and ask how she was handling the loss of her father, but if she were in such high spirits to attend the Mikaelson family ball, well—Bonnie knew appearances could be deceiving, but Caroline wouldn't have shown up if she were a ball of misery.
And as much as Bonnie wanted to touch base with Elena, she knew instinctively that Damon would be right there beside her and she was in particular mood to deal with him or his snark. Bonnie was exasperated by Elena's indecisiveness and knew her friend was going to have to make a choice and stick with it. Either she was going to be with Stefan—if he allowed that—or with Damon or with neither one. It was time to bring this long, drawn out, tired, played triangle to a close and roll the credits.
Bonnie's chauffeured ride pulled up and the valet opened the back passenger door, yet someone whistling caught her attention before she climbed into the vehicle.
It was Stefan who naturally eyed the vintage 1940's Rolls Royce with admiration prior to looking at Bonnie. "Nice ride."
"Compliments of Esther Mikaelson."
"Her way of saying thank you?"
Bonnie shrugged. "I suppose."
The two stared at one another before Stefan spoke again. "So you were just going to leave without saying good night? That's not the Bonnie I know."
"The Bonnie you know has recently gone through some alterations. She's not as sweet as she used to be."
Stefan cleared the space that separated them. "That's a shame because I like sweet Bonnie. Nevertheless, I'm more than ready to get acquainted with this new Bonnie. She seems like a fun gal."
"She is, and hungry. I get it they're rich, but the least they could have done was offered more than finger food at this shindig."
"Then let's go get something to eat," Stefan suggested. The both of them climbed into the back of the car and sped off into the night.
They were both dressed to the nines and being driven around in a classic car to boot. Instead of taking advantage of their situation by going to some insanely expensive restaurant and ordering everything off the menu, they opted to go to the one place that offered sugary fountain drinks, deep fried thinly sliced potatoes with grilled cowhide all smashed between a sesame seed bun and special sauce.
McDonald's—yes, they told the driver to take them to McDonald's.
Bonnie sipped on her coke and Hi-C mixed drink as she walked towards the door barefooted and jingling her keys in her hand. Stefan followed after her carrying their food and Bonnie's shoes. She opened the door, turned on the light, and stepped into the foyer.
Stefan pointedly cleared his throat. "Hello…you gotta invite me in."
Bonnie smacked her forehead. "Right, about that…"
"Un-hun, you want to eat?" he dangled the paper bag in front of her. "Then I need in."
Bonnie rolled her eyes and then broke her cardinal rule about no vampires in the house. It was a rule which could become null and void if said vampire was currently holding your quarter pounder with cheese and your stilettos hostage.
"Stefan, bring your paisley white ass on in."
He laughed ruefully and stepped over the threshold and entered Bonnie's sanctum.
They made themselves comfortable on the floor in front of the TV. Stefan had shed his jacket and the bowtie, and Bonnie merely covered herself with a towel because she didn't want to take her dress off yet.
Bonnie had devoured all of her French fries in less than five minutes and stared longingly at Stefan's. He picked one up, dabbed it in ketchup before holding it out to Bonnie who bit down on the ketchup covered end.
This was—nice Bonnie thought. It had been so long since she had a chill session with anyone. It was her official night off duty if you will, where she could just indulge in being young and in high school with no more worries than completing her homework. And it felt good to be around Stefan and away from the constant noise and drama that was associated with the Mikaelsons and even her friends.
The serenity of the moment, however, was shattered when both of their cell phones beeped. They had just received text messages.
Stefan cursed under his breath and reached for the device. He paraphrased, "It's Elena. Looks like my brother snapped Kol's neck. I guess we should have stayed around for the after party."
Bonnie could do nothing more than roll her eyes at the news, which was old to her by now.
"I'm over Damon's crap," Bonnie said and bit into her burger.
Stefan threw his phone on the couch and hoped it got lost between the cushions. "You and me both, tovarich."
Then, Bonnie's house phone rang. The two looked at one another already knowing who would be on the other end.
Bonnie hefted to her feet, walked the short distance to the kitchen and picked up the cordless.
"Hello?"
A hysterical Elena began ranting at the mouth about how she had to reject Damon for the millionth time and to show how much he hadn't evolved from his old ways, got into it with Kol and as a result broke the OV's neck.
Then the conversation shifted into Elena's constant disappointments and let downs by Stefan who just vanished without letting her know where he was headed off to.
Bonnie who had her back to the living room at this time kind of forget about Stefan's super hearing so she gasped a little when in the next second he was standing right behind her and plucked the phone out of her hand.
The young girl took that as her opportunity to vacate the kitchen and head upstairs and shed her gown. The magic that had surrounded the evening was quickly dissolving and Bonnie figured Stefan would be making his grand exit to go and talk to Elena very soon.
As much as she may have liked having Stefan's friendship Bonnie had to constantly remind herself that his life was still entwined with Elena's, and anything concerning her—Stefan made it his number one priority.
Did this bother her? Not in the past but now that things were shifting and she was learning to trust Stefan more and more, Bonnie felt an irrational sense of territorialism flash through her. Was it such a bad thing to want that kind of devotion for herself?
She didn't think so.
Bonnie reached behind her and lowered the zipper to her gown, stepped out of it, and reached for her robe. Too bad she didn't have the opportunity to put it on before Stefan was in her room.
Her heart got lodged in her throat and she forgot about the fact she was standing before him dressed in nothing but dark purple lingerie.
Stefan passed his eyes over Bonnie languorously and licked his lips involuntarily. Bonnie allowed him to get his look before she covered herself with her robe.
"You have to go," it wasn't a question.
"Actually I don't. Elena is going to have to learn to deal with her Damon problem on her own. I can't help her with that."
"Nor should you have to," Bonnie added quietly.
The tension began to suck all the oxygen out of the room. Bonnie shifted her weight on her feet and wondered if Stefan was going to make any kind of move.
He cleared his throat before speaking. "I'll be downstairs. We should watch a movie or something unless you're tired and you want to go to sleep."
"No, I'm not tired. We can do that. Go pick something out. The DVD's are in the top cabinets of the entertainment center."
Stefan said nothing else but headed to the door. He paused before exiting. When he faced Bonnie, the heat of his eyes scorched her.
"You don't know how badly I want to kiss you right now, Bonnie…but I won't."
That's what he wanted to say to her, but instead he went with, "I'm glad you invited me in."
The minute he left the room, Bonnie released the breath she had been holding, and on wobbly legs went to go have a seat on the edge of her bed.
She had heard his thoughts as plain as day, as if he had spoken the words aloud. Stefan wanted to kiss her? He actually desired to taste her lips? And how badly did she want the same thing also?
Chapter end.
A/N: Thursday night's episode left me feeling…like as a viewer and supporter of Bonnie Bennett that my wants, needs, desires for this awesome character are being blatantly ignored. That is the general consensus going around on Tumblr which I'm addicted to by the way. And I didn't know anything about the big reveal until afterwards and if I had known ahead of time I would have been feeling underwhelmed which I felt regardless. So pretty much Bonnie and her ancestors have been used like slaves since the inception of vampirism. You don't say? As if I couldn't already figure that out on my own. And the only reason Stefan is talking to her in the upcoming episode is to ask her or "tell" her to find someway to rescue Elena. Like seriously stick a tracking chip in that girl and be done with it. And only talk to Bonnie if you genuinely give a good hot damn about her well-being, not to use her skills to save arses and still walk away without the respect or being able to go home at night to cuddle with a hot ass boyfriend. Urg, stopping now. Thanks for reading