Living with Malachi Parker was like waiting to be struck by lightning. Each day she healed a little bit more and her strength began to return. Despite her expectations, Kai had been attentive to her every need. There was always something to eat in the fridge and he was gentle when he changed the bandage covering her stitches. Of course, his sarcasm hadn't waned at all…but Bonnie found that she was actually starting to enjoy Kai's sense of humor—that she would ever tell him. If Kai even suspected she starting to enjoy his company, he would be insufferable about it for days.

It took three weeks for Bonnie to stop wincing every time Kai moved. The reflex was involuntary but she knew it annoyed him nonetheless. He told her as much they started sharing a bed. She found the memory wrapping around her before she could stop it…

The two of them were seated across from each other in the living room, close enough to touch and yet a million miles of emotional distance separated them. While Kai read a book of Shakespeare's sonnets, Bonnie thumbed through an old grimoire lying around upstairs. A chill hung in the air, causing her to shiver. Kai must have noticed because he closed the book and abruptly stood. Bonnie's entire body tensed as he walked toward her. Kai paused in front of her, "I'm going to get some firewood. It's getting chilly…" His voice was thick with something akin to anger as he stomped out the front door and slammed it behind him.

Bonnie shifted uncomfortably, remaining tense until Kai walked back through the door. He unceremoniously dumped the logs onto the hearth and grabbed some old newspaper from a bin and threw it on. Kai's eyes locked on Bonnie's held as he removed the dagger holding his sister's magic from a sheath at his belt. Channeling the magic through the object, Kai inhaled sharply, "Phasmatos salves a distum." Flames erupted in the fireplace, flaring dangerously before settling back down again.

Once there was a nice blaze going, Kai moved toward the couch and plopped down beside Bonnie. His fingertips slid over her wrist, stroking over the soft cocoa skin. Her pulse leapt and a smile slid over his features. "You don't need to be afraid of me."

Bonnie wasn't entirely sure if the warmth that spread through her was because of Kai's proximity or something worse. She inched closer to the edge of the sofa as she chewed the inside of her lip. Bonnie could feel Kai glaring daggers at her; his grip tightened and her breath hitched as she waited for pain that never came. Glancing sidelong at him, Bonnie tried to unravel the layers of emotion shimmering in his eyes. After a moment, she realized it was futile. "Why the hell would I trust you, Kai? You cook me a couple meals…don't stab me for a few days and suddenly all is forgiven?"

A chuckle emanated from somewhere deep in Kai's chest. He dropped her hand, stretching out on the couch and placing his feet on the coffee table. "I gave you my word that I wouldn't harm you."

"What's that old expression? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice…" Bonnie refused to be complacent for a single moment longer. "You've tried to kill me on several occasions. I'm supposed to believe that's all behind us?" She snapped.

Kai liked mouthy Bonnie much better than moping, silent Bonnie. A shit-eating grin spread across his face, "I need you." He slipped his hands behind his head, stretching out until their thighs were touching. "As hard as I've tried, I can't have a family all by myself." Bonnie rolled her eyes at Kai's cackling laugh. "You are my only hope. I won't hurt a single hair on your pretty little head."

Bonnie shook her head, "You're just biding your time." She frowned. "You know damn well I'm not going along with this stupid plan, Kai. Your mother may have been perfectly happy to sit back and be a broodmare for the Gemini coven but I won't do it." Bonnie's heart pounded in her chest and she prepared to fend him off. Her were gritted and her first tight; Kai could overpower her with very little effort but she would not go down without a fight. "Try to force me and you will rue the day you were born."

"I'm a murderer, not a rapist." Kai's smile did not wane. Bonnie was tense and on edge again. When Kai shifted, Bonnie skittered away from him. He merely chuckled at her coltishness, "I was getting up to put another log on fire but since you're up, would you mind?" Kai sat up straighter when she began to stalk away from him. "Where are you going? We were just getting to the good part."

"The good part?" Bonnie turned on her heel.

"Open communication is a vital part of any relationship, Bon Bon." Kai stood up, facing her head on. "So, let's get it all out in the open, shall we?" At no point did he attempt to touch her as he spoke. "You aren't the only one who's been hurt here. You're so focused on sins when you've done your fair share of stabbing too, sweetheart."

"You get resurrected if you die!" Bonnie scoffed. "A few hours and you're back without a scratch on you!"

"You didn't know that when you tried to take me out!" Kai argued. "I wouldn't even care if you did kill me, Bonnie. Yet you and Damon were going to get out of here and leave me behind." The façade was slipping and the hurt in Kai's eyes was growing more pronounced. He drew in a ragged breath, "I would rather be nothing than stuck here alone…" Kai's entire body seemed to sag and he gripped the edge of the couch. "I've watched every single program on television on every different station. I know every single hit of 1994 by heart! I've been to every country and visited every landmark…" His throat tightened painfully. "I can't do it anymore, Bonnie. I can't be alone here. I won't."

The rawness in Kai's confession caused Bonnie's stomach to churn. Watching him struggling with the pain affected her far more deeply than it should have. Still, she wasn't in a particularly sympathetic mood. "This prison is of your own doing, Kai!" He moved closer and they were so close now that she could smell soap on his skin. "Maybe if you left your terrible family, it would never have come to this. You don't need to be a witch to be powerful! You could've become a politician or a lawyer…" Any profession that welcomed sociopathy would've suited him well. Bonnie itched to shake sense into Kai, her hands gripped his shoulders tightly. "Instead, you decided to murder your entire family!"

Kai began to falter but Bonnie did not back down. "Now you tell me you want to start a family of your own? Let's forget for a second that this idea is insane. That you would even think I'd go along with something like that…" She drew in a ragged breath, "What happens as it grows up? Will you drain the power out of our child? Would you abandon us in this world after you get what you wanted?"

"No!" Kai exploded. His entire body was shaking with rage. The firelight was reflected in the cobalt of his eyes and it made him look positively demonic. If Bonnie were not being fueled purely by adrenaline, she would've been terrified. "Bonnie, I swear—"

Bonnie cut Kai off brutally. "Your empty promises mean nothing to me!"

"Fine! I'll prove it then!" Stalking out of the room, Kai returned a moment later with the Ascendant. Holding it out to Bonnie, he allowed her to grab it tightly. Next he took the butcher knife holding Jo's magic and settled it into her other hand. "Keep them! I don't care, Bonnie!" Emotion clogged his throat as he put more distance between them, "You have the power. You're in control. Whatever it is you want, I will give it to you."

Bonnie folded her arms over her chest. She met his fiery gaze and her voice wavered only a little bit as she spoke the words she knew would crush him: "I want you to leave me alone."

Kai was silent for a moment before he simply turned and walked up the stairs. Bonnie remained in the living room, stunned. She could hear Kai's heavy footsteps clamber into the bedroom and he began to rifle through drawers. After that, he stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door. The whooshing sound of water starting up in the shower came next. Once again, Kai was blasting Mariah Carey and singing along in his stupid falsetto. It lasted only a few moments before Bonnie didn't hear Kai's voice anymore.

Anger warred with regret. Bonnie knew trusting Kai was a bad idea; everything she'd been through in this hellish prison had proven that. And yet, she was deeply ashamed of the way she'd cut Kai down just now. In a horrible twist of fate, they were literally the last man and woman alive in this plane of existence. Would it be so bad if they got along? Maybe she had been too harsh…

Insanity was the only explanation that made sense. Reliving the same day over and over again would drive anyone bonkers and she'd finally hit breaking point. What other reason could there be for empathizing with Kai?

The firelight had already begun to die out and pretty soon it was nothing but smoke and ash. Kai hadn't forced Bonnie to eat dinner but she really couldn't stomach the thought of it. Bonnie picked up Kai's book of sonnets and thumbed through them. Although the words were beautiful, she couldn't focus. Now there was no noise at all coming from upstairs. Kai could be sneaky and silent when he wanted to be…and Bonnie kept glancing behind her, expecting him to pop out and smother her when she least expected it.

Minutes ticked away into hours and Bonnie still hadn't heard a peep. Gathering her strength, Bonnie crept toward the stairs. Ascending them slowly, Bonnie inched toward Kai's bedroom. Although the door was open and she couldn't see him in there. He was probably lurking; waiting for her to walk in. She decided it was better to avoid that room for now.

Given her injury and Kai's hovering, she hadn't gotten a chance to explore up here yet. The other rooms were closed tight, sealed closed. Bonnie opened the first door on the left expecting it to be musty. Instead, it smelled like lemon mixed with sunshine. Baby pictures and framed art hung on every wall. There was a box stuffed to the gills with two sets of every popular toy produced so far. Bunk beds were stacked by the window, catching the last rays of fading sunlight from the West. A door in the corner opened up into a closet filled with even more games, books, and clothing.

Brushing her fingertips over the velvety ear of a teddy bear, Bonnie sighed to herself. This room was a shrine to two well-loved children. Every inch of it was filled with love…unlike Kai's sparse dormitory. Bonnie wandered through the rest of the rooms. The Parker children seemed to sleep in clusters: the girls in one room, the boys in another. Mom and dad had a gigantic suite filled with witchy artifacts and framed photos. As she snooped through their things, it struck Bonnie that there were almost no pictures of Kai.

Rifling through several drawers, she found several albums. Bonnie perched on the bed, tucking her legs beneath her as she looked through them. Names and dates were printed above each photo in tight, neat scrawl. The Parkers had seven perfect children…and Kai. In every photo, Kai was drawn and brooding. There was no joy or happiness in him. While his mother and father drew their other children close at family picnics and in the Christmas card, Kai was forced to sit a measurable distance away. It was becoming clear to Bonnie that Kai had been in a prison of isolation a lot longer than she realized…

The heavy chiming of the clock told her it was nearing midnight. Bonnie rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Had she really been lost in these old photos for that long? And where the hell was Kai? It wasn't that she missed his presence, necessarily, but he'd never been gone for this long before.

Stashing the photos back where she'd found them, Bonnie peered down the hall. Kai's door was still open but the room was dark. She decided that the girls' room was her best option tonight. The bed closest to the window looked the most comfortable and she climbed in without hesitation. Although the days were warm, the nights in Portland grew cold. The shivering was putting tension on her stitches and she was aching something fierce. Bonnie recalled Kai had grabbed her a bottle of Tylenol but it was in his bedroom. She tried her best to ignore the pain and piled several more blankets on top of herself. Unfortunately, Bonnie got to the point where she could suffer no longer and was forced to get up.

Tiptoeing toward Kai's bedroom, she stepped inside and spied the bottle of painkiller sitting on top of his dresser. Moonlight spilled through the window and illuminated the space where Kai usually slept. The bed was untouched and the only evidence he'd been in the room lately was his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor. Bonnie ignored the tug of worry that niggled at her. Kai wouldn't abandon her, of that she was sure; it went against everything they'd argued about earlier. Still, she couldn't be sure of his intentions.

Unscrewing the child-lock top off the pills, she pushed open the bathroom door to get herself some water. Bonnie noticed Kai was sitting at the edge of the bathtub. He was still damp from his shower but remained naked except for a towel wrapped around his waist. Bonnie thought he was asleep at first but when he turned to face her, she nearly jumped. "What are you doing?"

"Exactly what you asked of me," Kai replied levelly.

"I did not ask you to hide out in the bathroom…" Bonnie swallowed down her pills without. There was a big part of her that was ready to walk away but something stopped her. Stalking over to him, she grabbed his hand and hissed, "Kai, you're like ice!" She noticed his cobalt eyes were red-rimmed and she fleetingly wondered if he'd been crying. Kneeling beside him, she quickly realized he wasn't emotional…he was drunk. "Drinking in the shower? That's a new low, even for you."

"Alcohol makes everything so much better." Kai slurred. He didn't fight when Bonnie to pull him to his feet. The towel he was wearing dipped dangerously low on his hips as they shuffled into the bedroom. Thankfully, she was able to get him to the bed before he lost it. Kai flopped back onto the springy mattress, pulling her with him as he fell.

Bonnie gasped as she unintentionally crashed down on top of Kai. She fleetingly worried that she would crush him but he didn't seem to mind. Suddenly, Bonnie was not cold at all…she was on fire. Kai's rough hands trailed upward, skimming the contour of her sides before his palm came to rest where her heart beat wildly against her ribcage. It was a startlingly intimate gesture. Before she even realized what was happening, Kai's soft lips skimmed over the contour of her collarbone and he pressed kisses up the column of her throat.

Once again, Bonnie was torn. Her body yearned for release. It had been altogether too long since she had been touched, teased, and pleasured. The other part of her was trying to remind her that this was Malachi Parker. Every evil thing he'd done lingered on the outskirts of her mind…until Kai's fingers found the button on her jeans. A moan tumbled from her lips as he rolled her onto her back and tugged her pants down as he went.

Moonlight illuminated the paleness of Kai's flesh, highlighting several marks she hadn't noticed before. As she arched upward to give him better access to remove her bra, she wrapped her arms around him. Time stopped dead when she realized the skin there wasn't as soft and smooth as the rest of him. There was a tangled mess of scars, clustered along his back and shoulders. "What happened to you?" Bonnie felt him go rigid beneath her and without warning, he wrenched away from her. "Kai!"

In a flash, he was on the other side of the room and throwing on whatever clean clothes he could find. Bonnie went after him half-dressed. Who the hell was around to see her chasing him down the stairs in nothing but panties and a tank top. Kai went for his keys and she threw herself against the front door.

"Get out of my way!" Kai commanded, his ire flowed outward like hot poison. When she didn't move, he took a step forward and he was trembling. "Bonnie, if you don't move now I can't be responsible for my actions!" It didn't matter…it was too late. Kai's nails bit into her shoulders as he wrenched her away from the door.

Bonnie used the momentum to drag Kai back against her. Her entire body jerked as she slammed back into the door, his full weight collapsing against her. Still weakened from the injury, she could not hold him up and they slid onto the ground. Crawling closer, Bonnie pulled Kai into her arms and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. His breath was coming out in harsh spurts reticent of sobs. She stroked his dark hair, soothing him as best she could.

In this moment, the past did not matter. They were not Bonnie Bennett and Malachi Parker. They were a man and a woman, bound in the seventh circle of hell.

Bonnie held Kai until they both fell asleep on the cold tile floor. When her eyes fluttered opened the next morning, she was in Kai's bed and there was a single daisy in a glass vase. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she touched the velvety soft petals…

Things had changed drastically since that day. Weeks passed and although it was still May tenth, they both seemed to age years in that time. Bonnie glanced up as Kai entered the room with a large bouquet of daisies. Shyly, he offered them to her. Bonnie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "What are these for?"

"It's our one month anniversary!" Kai announced.

Chewing the inside of her lip was the only thing she could to stop herself from laughing. "You can't be serious…"

Kai immediately became defensive, "Of course not." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I had to run out and grab a few things for dinner. I noticed them and…I thought they were pretty. I figured it would brighten up the house." His annoyance suddenly showed through and he made a grab for the flowers, "If you don't like them—"

Bonnie batted his hands away, "I like them, Kai!" She laughed at the boyishly handsome grin he flashed her. "I'm going to put these in a vase." Brushing past him, she headed into the kitchen and rifled through cabinets looking for something to put the flowers in. Bonnie was well aware that Kai was leaning in the doorjamb, staring at her behind. "This would go a lot faster if you just told me where it was."

"Yeah but then I wouldn't get a chance to enjoy the view," Kai countered. He made a slight cluck of disappointment when Bonnie found a blue vase hiding beneath the sink. She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly before she set about trimming stems. There was something so soothing watching Bonnie methodically arranging flowers.

Carrying the vase to the kitchen table, Bonnie set it down in the center. "Looks good. You're right, they really do brighten the house." Dragging her fingers through her dark hair to smooth it, Bonnie suddenly became aware of Kai. His expression immediately gave her pause, "What? Did I get something on myself?"

"No, you're fine," Kai replied. Sidling toward her, he used all the strength he had inside him not to reach out and touch her. "How are you feeling? Still in pain?"

"The stitches are itchy as hell but no, it doesn't hurt anymore." Bonnie gazed up at him.

Kai glanced down and licked his lips, "You mind if I take a look?" When she didn't immediately protest, he eased the tank top she was wearing up. Kai quickly and efficiently tugged off the bandage, letting out a soft hum of approval. "Looks good. I think it's about time for these stitches to come out. Just a second…" He washed up his hands in the sink before grabbing a box of matches. He ran the flame over the scissors to sterilize them before he knelt before her. "This might sting a bit."

One of Kai's hands was wrapped around her hip to steady her while the other expertly snipped the knot holding the sutures in place. A single drop of crimson blood welled to the surface and Kai swore, "Am I hurting you?"

The sensation was odd but thankfully, it did not hurt. Bonnie shook her head, "No, it's actually kind of a relief to have them out." Kai applied another bandage to protect the area until it scabbed over again. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Kai grinned. He was instantly aware of how intimate a position he was in. Part of him ached to lean in and kiss over the taut, smooth skin of her abdomen. Instead, he stood a little too quickly and cleared his throat several times, "So…since it is our one month anniversary…"

"I knew it! You're a sentimental fool," Bonnie accused, laughing as she poked a finger into his chest.

"Yeah, yeah," Kai grumbled but he didn't bother looking embarrassed. "I was thinking that maybe we could go out on a proper date." He licked his lips, "This house sits on about a hundred acres of land. Most of it's just woods but I have a favorite spot. I'd like to show it to you, if you're willing."

Bonnie considered turning him down. Although there had been furtive touches and glances since that night, they were both committed to keeping things light. An actual date seemed a little daunting. But at the end of the day, Bonnie knew they were still the last two people on earth. What was the harm? "That sounds nice." She snorted when his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You don't have to look so shocked."

"No, I…" Kai couldn't deny it. He expected at least a little bit of an argument. "Be ready to go around five? It's a little bit of a hike but it's worth it, I promise." There was something so hopeful in his expression, it touched something vital in Bonnie. Kai noticed her hesitation, "Something the matter?"

"Can I borrow the car?" Bonnie watched Kai's expression change. "I've been wearing your sisters' clothes for a while now and I was thinking I could use a couple more outfits." He'd taken her into town several times now and she knew the way. Still, he hadn't yet allowed her to go out on her own. There was a large part of Kai that believed Bonnie would run if given half a chance. This was the perfect opportunity to find out if Kai really trusted her or not.

Reaching into his pocket, Kai tossed Bonnie the keys. "Don't forget the clutch sticks a little bit. If you get in trouble, do you have my pager number?"

"Yes," Bonnie snorted at the ridiculous obsession he had with that stupid pager. Grabbing her purse, she slung it over her shoulder and slid into the driver's seat. Kai would be annoyed that she adjusted the seat and the mirrors but she didn't particularly care. This was the closest thing to freedom she'd had in a long time. As she navigated her way into town, Bonnie contemplated continuing driving until she ran out of gas. She had the Ascendant and the butcher knife with Jo's magic inside…with the right combination of spells, she might be able to figure out a way to get home somehow.

Then again, the thought of abandoning Kai grew less and less appealing as time wore on. Maybe it was just a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome but…he wasn't all that bad. Ever since the night she'd seen his scars, Kai refused to talk about his life or his family. They discussed the lack of weather, the same stupid news, and new recipes he wanted to try. Still, Bonnie wanted to know more. If they were ever going to get back home, Kai needed rehabilitation first. By some twist of fate, Bonnie had gotten the job…and it time for her to embrace it.

The local department store loomed before Bonnie. A smile curved over her lips as she tossed anything she wanted into the cart. Being the only woman on earth was a real perk at the moment. There were no crowds, no nosy salespeople, and—best of all—no need to pay! On the way out, a book sitting in a display gave her pause. A smile slid over her face as she grabbed it up and added it to her pile. Although she was running behind, she took the time to stop by the local craft store and wrapped the book up in pretty silver paper with a curly blue bow.

When Bonnie pulled back into the driveway, Kai was pacing in front of the house. He looked so stricken that for a moment, she almost felt bad for taking her time. She slid from the driver's seat, she dropped the keys into his hand and pushed the package into his hands. "I'll be ready in half an hour."

Kai relaxed for the first time since Bonnie left. He glanced down at the package and raised a single eyebrow at her, "What's this?"

"Happy anniversary," Bonnie called on her way up the stairs. She left Kai stunned in the middle of the driveway. Peering out the window in the twins' room, she watched him a safe distance. Slowly, he pulled the corner of the paper and unwrapped a red book: 1001 Naughty Crosswords. Bonnie's heart filled up as she watched Kai throw his head back and laugh. It was the first time she'd seen him so uninhibited. While she knew it wasn't a free pass into his psyche, it was a start.

For the moment, Bonnie had bigger things to worry about…like what exactly she was supposed to wear on a date with the last man on earth. Whatever way things went tonight, Bonnie knew only one thing for sure: nothing was ever going to be the same.


I don't know what else to say besides this pairing is haunting me so hard. The response to the first segment was overwhelming. I wasn't going to continue but…I did. And this little number is TWICE as long as the first one. If you like it, please let me know. You can send me messages, likes, reblogs, or tweet me Marinablack99. It all makes a HUGE difference and gives me muse to write more…

On that note, who wants more?

-Marina