Chapter 3

Bonnie found herself outside of a building and nothing about this place seemed familiar at all. All she could see was dried grass and a single road that went for miles. Bonnie didn't care where she'd end up, she just kept on running on the road making sure that she was far away from the three psychos. She realized she had teleported herself outside, a fleet that she had never tried before. Her legs were getting tired and she began to worry until she saw a semi approaching. She knew it was dangerous, but she really didn't see an easier option. Bonnie stood tall and stuck out her left hand and raised her thumb. Her heart started racing as the semi slowed down to a halt. The sign on the license plate read Kansas. She definitely wasn't in Mystic Falls anymore.

Bonnie climbed and opened the passenger door and let out a sigh of relief as she eyed the older woman who was seated at the driver's seat. The truck driver had a warm face and kind blue eyes with crow's feet marring the edges of them betraying her age. Reaching her hand out to Bonnie she smiled, "Hi I'm Sue, what's a pretty little thing like you doing out here alone and in the middle of nowhere?" After releasing Sue's hand Bonnie strapped on her seat-belt, "Sue it's a long story, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Sue smiled, "We've got time. It's about two and half hours from here to Junction. Whatever the story is, I'm glad I found you before dark. You never know what type of crazy people are running around these parts." Bonnie shook her head "you have no idea" she thought to herself as she remembered what transpired between her and the men she'd met earlier today. As they drove, Bonnie filled Sue in about the normal parts of her life and how she wanted a fresh start. Bonnie reminded Sue of herself in her younger years. She too had lost her parents and was pretty much on her own since she was eighteen. When they got to Junction they stopped at a little diner and had dinner together.

Before she left Sue handed Bonnie a few newspapers to help her get started. She checked herself into the Courtyard Junction City Hotel and looked through her backpack thanking the heavens that she was smart enough to invest ninety-eight dollars for its waterproof design. Bonnie emptied out the contents which were her Grimoire, wallet, and her cell phone. A shopping trip would be needed for at least one week's worth of clothes. She turned on her phone to find that it was still halfway charged. She decided that she'd make a phone call to Matt since he would most likely not be around Damon or Stefan for that matter.

Mystic Falls

Matt and Caroline were sitting together at Mystic Grille processing the information that Lucy had given them. Caroline stared at the entrance wearily as she saw Stefan and Damon walk in. She knew that Damon would demand answers, but Lucy had sworn them to secrecy. As expected, Damon rushed and proceeded to interrogate them. When they failed to provide answers Damon saw red, "What do you mean she magically swore you to secrecy? Who the Hell does she think she is? Narcissa Malfoy! Give me a fuckin break!"

Matt shook his head he was about to explain the details when he felt his phone vibrating. He would thank the caller for giving him the perfect out to excuse himself away from the three vampires. As he made his way out, he looked at his phone and saw Bonnie's name lighting up his screen. Surprise, panic, and joy filled him at the same time. He tried to whisper but he couldn't as he tried to hold down tears, "Bonnie? Is this really you?" The sound of her sweet voice filled his ears, "Yes Matt it's me. I'm so sorry to leave like that. I just wanted to tell you that I'm okay and that I love you. Please let Caroline know that I love her."

Worry began to fill him, "Bonnie, where are you? You're not in any kind of trouble, are you?" Before he could get an answer, a hand swiftly swiped his phone from him before he could protest, Damon Salvatore sped off with his cell held up to his ear.

"What the hell Bonnie? How could you do this me?" Damon was relieved but anger and hurt took over. How dare she call Matt before she called him! Didn't she know he was going crazy over her whereabouts? Bonnie was taken aback by surprise that Damon was on the other line and was at a loss for words "Damon…" she began, but he interrupted her to continue with his rant, "I've been crazy trying to find you, to find out what happened to you. You're alive and don't have the decency to call your best friend to let him know you're okay."

Bonnie was trying to hold in her tears, "Look I tried, I'm sorry okay. I just didn't want to call you because I thought you might be upset. I tried to give you back Elena but somehow, I'm alive and I'm sorry. I didn't call you because I didn't want to hear the disappointment in your voice, knowing that I'm the only one standing in the way of you being with the person you truly love." Damon for his part didn't know what to say. He was upset and surprised at the same time. Elena was alive and so was Bonnie. He didn't know how this could be, but he'd take it. Anything to have Bonnie alive and breathing. Damon pinched between his eyebrows, "Bonnie listen, where are you? I'm coming to get you." He suddenly heard her screaming, "Bonnie! Bonnie! What's going on?"

"Bonnie is not available right now." Damon heard a male voice say. The blood in his veins ran cold, "Who the Hell is this? If you harm one little hair on my little witch's head your days will be numbered. I will find you and I will kill you." All Damon heard on the other line was click. Crushing Matt's phone in is his hand, Damon jumped into his Camero and raced back to the boarding house to work on finding Bonnie.

Junction City

"Bonnie Bennett, if I remove my hand from your mouth do you promise to stop screaming?" whispered Castiel whispered in her ear. Although her heart was beating a thousand beats per minute, she managed to slowly nod her head. As he released his hold on Bonnie, he scanned her over to make sure that she wasn't hurt. Bonnie stared at him wide eyed, "What are you? How did you find me so fast?"

Castiel was never one to hide the truth, "I am an angel of the Lord. I was chosen by Him to bring back to life from your watery grave. I know you fear me Bonnie Bennett but be assured that I mean you no harm. I'm sworn to protect you." Bonnie shook her head in amazement "Werewolves, vampires, witches, ghost, I guess I've seen it all now."

As she continued to stare "I'm so sorry Castiel, but you're not quite what I pictured in angel would like". The angel gave her a small smile and by instinct held out both of his palms to Bonnie urging her to place her hands in his. Bonnie couldn't explain it, but for some reason she wholeheartedly trusted the being that stood before her and placed her palms on his. Immediately, visions of the war in heaven invaded her mind. Castiel's memories of Sam and Dean were so vivid. Bonnie could feel the affection that Castiel had for the brothers and was gaining an understanding of what Dean was going through.

Although she could appreciate what Dean and Sam had done to try and protect the world, she felt a little bit of anger, because of the way they would take Castiel for granted, and sometimes be unforgiving towards him. Green eyes met blue, "We're a lot alike, Castiel angel of the Lord".

Lebanon Bunker

Rubbing his head, Sam looked at his older brother who seemed to be in deep thought "Amara?" he questioned causing Dean to stare at him. Dean shook his head, "Castiel and Bonnie. I've never seen him act protective of anyone outside of us before. Dude it's weird" he finished as he took a swig of his beer.

"Do you think he's in love with her?" the younger Winchester questioned. Dean nearly spit the beer out of his mouth, "No, he's not protective of her the way a lover is, it's more of fatherly or brotherly protectiveness coming out." After a while, Sam decided to get on his computer to see if he could do some research on Bonnie Bennett.

He found she was the daughter of the late mayor Rudy Hopkins, and the daughter of an Abigail Bennett Wilson. As he looked at pictures of the mayor, his eyes widened in horror, "Dean!". Dean jolted from his spot on the couch and made his way towards Sam to see what had caused his brother to bellow. As green eyes scanned the pictures of the late mayor, his made a fist "Son of a bitch!"

Mystic Falls

Stefan and Elena watched Damon as he paced the boarding house willing his phone to ring. He had hoped either Bonnie or his contact who he had trace Bonnie's phone could give him information.

Elena who had been awake for the last few days was becoming irate, "Damon why don't we just let Bonnie be, she clearly doesn't want to be found. It's the least we could do for her. Maybe she's just over Mystic Falls."

Damon listened to Elena's words and was reminded of the words Bonnie had wrote in her letter "I mean really Damon, what do I have left?...At least I get to die on my own terms." He looked to Elena and then at Stefan and assessed himself. He tried to put himself in Bonnie's shoes, and he remembered all the times that she had saved them, all the times they used her power for their own gain, all the times they took her for granted until the new big bad was needing to be dealt with. As if Stefan was reading his brother's mind, he let out a sigh "It's our fault. We used Bonnie's love and friendship with Elena to make her do magic for our gains. It was always about Elena, we never cared about anyone who got hurt in the process." Stefan put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "If you let me, I want to help you find her. Not to force her to come home, but to tell her that I'm sorry for the role I played in hurting her."

As if all the memories of Bonnie's friendship came flooding back to her, Elena started to feel guilty about Bonnie sacrificing herself for the third time. How could she have been so selfish when she had first woken up? She remembered the time that she found out her best friend had died and how she had been gone for weeks, and no one even noticed. She remembered when Bonnie's grandmother had passed away and the girl still offered her unconditional friendship. When Bonnie's mother was turned, Elijah had apologized to her, but no one had ever offered up an apology to Bonnie who had very little but lost the most. A tear ran down her cheek "I want to help too. I owe it to Bonnie. I know I was a bitch when I woke up, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for the part that I played in my best friend losing all that she loved."

Blue eyes met brown, and for the first time Damon offered Elena his genuine signature smirk and hugged her. If he was going to convince Bonnie to come back, he would need all the reinforcements that he could get to bring her home. His phone finally vibrated, and he and Elena pulled apart, "Tell me you found something" After Damon had gotten off the phone from his contact, he looked at his two companions, "Get your bags packed it's going to be a long drive. We're going to Kansas."