3. The Anchor

DALLAS :

Some hours later, Caroline had explained everything about the plan with the twins, to Bonnie and Damon. Alaric had joined them, giving some details about the person that was supposed to arrive the morning after. Then, Caroline and the girls had shown Bonnie and Enzo to their room, as for Damon. Everyone had done whatever they wanted after that : Bonnie read while Enzo was busy playing guitar, Damon went out to feed from some human, Caroline worked a little on her laptop, and Alaric took the girls to the park.

Later on, some time during dinner, the bubbly and enthusiastic blond vampire had noticed Bonnie and Enzo seemed rather distant from each other, whereas Damon and Bonnie couldn't stop smiling at each other, and rolling their eyes when the other said something stupid or sarcastic. It seemed their friendship was going back to what it was like before. It felt a lot like old times, Caroline had thought.

On the other hand, Enzo looked a little out of here, forcing smiles and not talking much. He seemed resigned about something, hopeless and kind of devastated. Caroline was 90% sure he had also noticed what was happening between his girlfriend and his former best friend, and didn't appreciate it a lot. Because, you know, it was obvious, according to Caroline at least, that Damon and Bonnie were slowly but surely falling in love with each other. Passionately in love, even !

It didn't take a genius to notice that. It had started the moment they got trapped in 1994. There, they had become friends, learning to bear one another, care for each other. Bonnie had sacrificed herself to save Damon, and allow him to come back home, to Elena. It was something Damon didn't take for granted. It meant a lot to him : it was the first time, since his younger years, that someone had put him first. It was the first time, since a lot of years, that someone had believed in him, hadhad hope for him.

Bonnie had willingly saved Damon : she had proven him he was worth it. That he was worth being the first choice. And, though he may have loved Elena, he was still her second choice, and it hurt him. What Bonnie had done, her selfless personnality, had opened his heart, melted it to the point he couldn't help himself but wanting to protect her at all cost. Because he really couldn't live without her : Bonnie was his hope, his savior, his home. She was his happiness. And maybe he didn't know it yet, but through all these years, he had become her best friend (that he knew), but not so long ago, he had completely fallen in love with her. And it had happened so naturally, that he still hadn't noticed it. It's funny that, when two people are in love with each other, the only ones who don't seem to notice it nor know it, are said persons. That's what Caroline had thought when she had watched them during dinner, and even before.

Damon was natural with Bonnie. He was his true self, he didn't try to be someone else, someone better, like he did with Elena. Because he was trully becoming better, not trying anymore. And without changing. Unfortunately, it wasn't like that with Elena, and eveybody knew it, even him.

Nevertheless, after spending decades loving Katherine, and years pursuing Elena before finally getting her, it was something hard to admit to himself. That Elena may not be the best thing that had happened to him, but Bonnie was. Somehow, it would be admitting he fought passionately for Elena, hurt his brother badly, and sacrificed so many people, for nothing. It meant he had wasted six other years, besides the decades he had spent mourning Katherine, chasing someone who wasn't his real soulmate. Another useless relationship, in other words.

And he had wasted enough of his time, since he had become a vampire. It had to stop. He had lived enough meaningless love stories already, and now, he wanted to settle with the right person. And this small voice in his head, was whispering to him that this person was Bonnie.

Leave it to Enzo to be the one standing between him and his happy ending. How ironic !

BAMON :

The next day was not so restful. Everyone had woken up early, waiting for the Gemini survivor to arrive and tell them how they were going to save Bonnie. The twins were still sleeping though : Caroline had judged they needed as much sleep as they could get, since they'd be the ones performing the spell later on.

As everyone was eating breakfast in the kitchen, Damon decided to get out and take some fresh air, in the garden. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was stressed out and nervous as hell, about this spell. He feared the twins might not be able to do it right, or that it would be too dangerous and too strong for them. He was frightened they couldn't save Bonnie, and he would lose her. Seeing her eat her pancakes on the kitchen counter made him realize it could be one of the last times he ever saw her do that. And that thought had shaken him so intensely that he had to get out and breathe.

The thought of losing her was unbearable.

Bonnie saw him walking out of the kitchen, looking scared and uncertain. Immediatly abandoning her pancakes and the others, she followed him outside. She spotted him standing in front of a tree, throwing some stones at the birds, which were eating the tree's fruits.

She quickly walked towards him, standing beside him, and made her presence known by clearing her throat :

- Here I thought you had actually matured up, then I find you throwing stones at some innocent little birds. , she teased, side-eyeing him.

- And here I thought you had finally understood how to choose a good boyfriend, yet I find you playing lovebirds with Enzo Saint Guitar. , he teased back, smirking lightly.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, before punching him in the arm. Damon just smirked bigger, amused.

- So... you were smiling and rolling your eyes at me during dinner, and now you join me in the garden to lecture me about being evil with the birds : does that mean I'm forgiven ? , Damon asked hopefully, staring at her beautiful green eyes.

- Slow down, Damon. I'm still extremely pissed at you for abandoning me, I still think it was wrong for you to do that. And I'm still hurt. , she paused, before looking down. But I'm not blind : I can see that you're doing everything that's in your power to try and save my life, since you came back and learned I was dying. And one thing I'm not, is ungrateful. So thank you. For doing this. I apreciate it, and I'm thankful for it. , she admitted, looking back up to see his reaction.

- Anything for you, Bon Bon. , he replied, after nodding.

The beautiful green-eyed enchantress smiled a little. But she was still curious about his sudden need to get out of the house, when everyone was in the kitchen, enjoying a good moment, before things became more serious.

- Are you... okay ? , she asked him, worry undeniable in her eyes.

The blue-eyed vampire took a deep breath before giving her an uncomfortable smile.

- When am I not ? , he stated, winking at her. But she knew better.

- Three years apart didn't make me forget all about your behavior. I'm still able to distinguish when you're joking to hide your emotions,from when you're joking because you want to make an impression on people. , Bonnie told him, looking serious.

- Geez, Bon. Must've been missing my ass like crazy, then ! , Damon joked again.

- What is it Damon ? I'm serious. , the witch questioned again, voice stern, ignoring his comment.

Her former best friend sighed annoyingly, before giving up and admitting his worries :

- I'm just thinking about the spell... : what if it doesn't work ? , he fixed her deeply, allowing her to see how much he cared about her and how much he was scared at the idea.

- Then, I'll die. And there's nothing we can do about it. , she answered strongly, looking intensely into his blue orbs, while swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat.

- No, you won't. Because you dying is not an option. You should know that, after everything I'm doing to make sure you survive. I'll find something, I always find something. , the vampire assured, more so he could convince himself.

Bonnie simply nodded, not really believing in anything anymore. She had died so many times, and she thought this time would be the fatal one. She didn't think you could avoid death all your life, nor defeat it forever.

Suddenly overwhelmed by all the emotions she felt hope, despair, anger, sadness, power, strength, belief, love, emptiness the Bennett witch turned to face the only person she thought could make her feel better in that moment, because he understood what she felt : he had been through it before.

- I don't want to die, Damon. I'm not okay with it, not again. , she breathed, tears forming in her beautiful green orbs, while lokking deeply at him.

The second those words left his best friend's mouth, Damon's heart broke into a million of pieces. He knew she had been holding back her feelings, keeping them to herself, because of pride. She did not want people to see her vulnerable side, to think she was weak. She wanted to convey the image of an eternal fighter, an independent woman who could save herself and take beatings. But she had already been that woman three times before, and her ressources were being reduced. She didn't have the courage, the faith, anymore. She was tired, and she needed someone to tell her it was going to be okay, that they would find a way. Someone who understood her. Unfortunately, she had tried with Enzo, but he just didn't do it. He was not enough, he was not what she needed, who she wanted.

Damon was.

Witnessing her distress, Damon sighed heavily, not bearing to see his Bonnie like this, and reached for her right hand, holding it tightly to his heart.

- Hear that, Bonnie ? No, of course you don't hear anything. Because you can't, since I'm a vampire. My heart's not beating anymore. Yet, I can assure you with all my heart, that I'm not letting you die. Your boyfriend's crazy bitch sister, is not going to be the one ending the famous, powerful, admirable, strong and beautiful Bonnie Bennet's life. When you die, it will be surrounded by your family : your gorgeous children, your immortal best-friends, and your amazing grandchildren. And trust me, it's not going to be before a very long time. I promise you, Bonnie Bennett, that no matter what happens with that spell, if the plan works or not, I'm not giving up on saving your life. And you won't give up either. Because you're a fighter, you're a survivor, and you're the strongest person I know. We're gonna get through this, you're gonna get through this. Got it, Bon ? , he passionately told her, emotions flooding his speech.

The tanned witch opened her glossy lips, allowing some tears to roll down her cheeks, as Damon's speech touched her soul, in a way no one had ever did before :

- Ok. , she whispered, swallowing hard, staring intensely in the vampire's blue eyes.

- Good. , he said, before squeezing her hand and pulling her into a warm, needed and loving hug.

They enjoyed their hug, the first one since a very long time, smelling and breathing the other's scent in. They had both missed that : touching each other. It felt so right, and so good. Like coming home after a long vacation in a foreign country.

Damon held her waist tightly, still aware of his vampiric strength, and discreetly smelled her hair. He had craved this since his return : having Bonnie in his arms again. Holding her small body close to his, feeling her human's warmth and vulnerability, and being close enough to be able to hear her heartbeat. Which was one of his deepest secret : he loved hearing her heartbeat. First, because it meant she was alive, and second, because it was the most beautiful music to his ears.

But he quickly chased that thought away, feeling like a stupid romantic teenager, much like Stefan's type.

Bonnie shut her eyes tightly, closed them to enjoy it even more. Funny that this hug was bringing her more comfort than Enzo's hugs and kisses. She felt so at ease, peaceful, and safe in Damon's arms. He had told her all of this with passion, and that's what she needed. That's what she had missed the most during those three years. Damon's passion, Damon's protection, Damon's love and loyalty. He had been the first one to provide her those emotions, out of Caroline, so genuinely and so strongly. He knew her better than anyone else, loved her more than anyone else.

He was her profound best friend. And he had stayed for her. He was back.

The young woman wrapped her arms around the dark-haired vampire even harder at that thought. Knowing she could die any moment now, especially since she had been feeling even worse in Dallas but had obviously not told anyone Bonnie decided to tell Damon what he had wanted to hear since he had come back :

- Damon, I... I forg- , she started, but was stopped by Caroline bursting in the garden and screaming :

- BONNIE ! DAMON ! THE GEMINI SURVIVOR IS HERE !

At Caroline's announcement, Damon immediatly pulled away from Bonnie, not without a lot of difficulty, and looked at her apologetically.

- We should go before she comes dragging us by the ear. You know Blondie can be quite over reacting sometimes. , he stated sarcastically, but that was very accurate.

Bonnie sighed, irritated that she had been interrupted, but nodded before trailing behind him, to join Caroline.

They followed her to the living-room, where Alaric, Enzo, the twins, and a grey-haired old man, with light brown eyes, were waiting. He was talking to the twins and Alaric, completely ignoring Enzo. Bonnie immediatly sensed the power running through him. She also sensed he didn't like vampires. Not that much. The old man raised his head up as he acknowledged Bonnie, Damon and Caroline walking into the room.

Caroline was about to speak and introduce them, but she was cut by said old man :

- Good morning. You must be Bonnie Bennett, the sick witch, and Damon Salvatore, the bloodsucker. , the man stated, with a low and hoarse voice.

Judging by the term he had chosen to describe Damon, Bonnie was confirmed she was right about him not liking vampires that much. And she also told herself she didn't like him calling her « the sick witch ». It was quite...humiliating. Made it seem like she was a vulnerable, poor, and weak mess in desperate need of salvation. Everything she hated being seen as.

- Indeed, I'm Bonnie Bennett. The one who helped killing one of your sweetest member : Kai Parker. , she added, wanting to put him back in his place. Damon smirked at that. Enchanted to meet you, sir.

- Likewise, Miss Bennett. Call me Farell. Farell Parker. , he ignored her comment but still arched a brow at the mention of Kai.

- Parker ? Wait... So you're actually close family, to Jo ? , Alaric intervened, a look of confusion on his face. He wasn't expecting that.

- I'm her grand-father, actually. , Farell revealed, like it was no big deal.

Caroline and Alaric's mouths stayed opened, shocked. They thought Jo was the last member of the Parker branch. Well, her and her parents. But they had all died at the wedding.

Bonnie, Damon and Enzo simply glanced at each other, more confused and curious than shocked. They had somehting bigger on their mind than Jo and her family's fate. Bonnie's state seemed way more important. Don't get them wrong, they loved Jo, but the tragedy had happened a while ago now, they had all moved on. Even Ric. While Bonnie's imminent death was happening NOW.

Noticing everyone was dying to know why the hell he was alive, but didn't want to seem rude by asking, the Gemini survivor explained himself very quickly :

- Long story : when we received you and Jo's wedding invitation, I just had learned that I had cancer. My wife, Georgia, didn't want to leave me alone at home, while she would be at our granddaughter's wedding. I reassured her and convinced her I'll be okay, and told her to go. What a huge and ironic mistake, huh ? Fate can be very tough on us, sometimes. Anyway, I didn't go to the wedding, obsvously and stayed at home. The moment I learnt what had happened, I didn't have time to mourn my lovely wife, and I ran away. Kai was still alive then. I knew he would find me and kill me too, since I was the last survivor of the Gemini Coven. So I hid in another Coven, the one of my best friend since childhood, until someone informed us Kai Parker, my grandson, was dead. Definitly dead, and not coming back. So I returned to my home, mourned the love of my life properly, and every other single member of my family that I had lost savagely : my children, my grandchildren, my friends, my cousins, my brothers and sisters. After that, a very gifted witch of my best friend's coven found a spell to allow me some more years , before my cancer kills me. It didn't heal it, it simply reduced it a little. It was four years ago : I'm 80 and I was supposed to die at 76 years old. Then, Alaric obviously did some research and found me, the only Gemini Survivor. He got my number and explained everything to me : that Jo's twins, my grand-grandchildren, were saved and transfered into Caroline, a vampire. They were alive. He told me about your case, and since I've alway had a lot of respect for the Bennett witches, I accepted to help. Now, here I am, before your eyes : but we should hurry up, because from what it looks like, I have only some weeks left before death takes me, and your friend only have a day or two. , Farell shared his story in one breath.

Bonnie felt touched by his story : he had lost every single member of his family in the most horrible and savage way. He had lost the love of his life, and plus, he had led her to certain death, without knowing it. Somehow, she felt like she could get along with him : she understood him, since she had also lost her entire family. She was the last Bennett Survivor too. Maybe she didn't really like him at first, but after hearing his story, she respected him and thought he was touching.

Damon and Enzo stayed silent, only waiting for Farell to tell them more about the spell that could save the witch standing beside them. Only then they would react.

Caroline wore that sorry face that she always put on when something touched her, or that she felt sorry for someone. And Alaric simply stared at him, thinking back to his wedding, or more like his bloodbath groom party...

- Right. I'm sorry for everything, Mr. Parker. You lost your entire family, and I lost my fiancé, and it was all because of me. I brought her into this supernatural mess, I should have kept her away from this world. Maybe she would be standing with us as we talked, if I did. , Ric finally replied, guilt overwhelming him, as he looked straight into the man's eyes, wanting to be punished for no reason. Well, he thought he deserved it.

- Don't lose yourself to guilt, over something that is now part of the past. It's behind us, and though it may always hurt, we have to move on. What occured on that weddind day is not your fault, Alaric. And Jo was part of the supernatural world since she was born : do I need to remind you she was a witch herself ? She was meant to be brought into this world. You can't fight destiny. , Farell nicely replied, not wanting this man to blame himself for a stupid reason. Everyone was starting to like the survivor more and more as he spoke.

Ric nodded, relieved Jo's grandfather wasn't blaming him over the death of his granddaughter. He would have totally understood if he did. Caroline smiled sweetly at the old warlock, and then at Ric. She was glad they understood each other. But she also wanted to save her best friend. Enough talking was done : they had to talk about serious things.

- I don't want to sound rude, but as you said, we don't have a lot of time. We have to talk about the spell my daughters have to perform to save Bonnie. What do you know about it ? , the blond vampire finally asked, which earned a look and nod of appreciation from Enzo and Damon.

- Of course, I get it. You're lucky, I know the spell very well : I had to perform it in my young years, to save an important member of the Gemini Coven. , he learned them. The spell is not that tiring nor that dangerous, the difficult part of it stands in what is needed to do the spell. , Farell informed them, watching them closely as he did so.

- What do we need for the spell to work ? , Enzo chimed in, suddenly interested.

- Candles, the thing that is making Bonnie sick, a personnal object and the hardest one... : an anchor. , the grey-haired wizard enumerated, fixing Bonnie.

- An anchor ? , the Bennett sorceress asked, intrigued.

- Yeah : an anchor, as in the one thing that is making you want to stay alive. , Farell answered her, neutral.

Caroline looked at Damon, suddenly worried and feeling that it would be harder than they had hoped. The sarcastic vampire looked back, sharing the exact same thought and communicated his worry through his eyes, to which Caroline sighed heavily. She was tired of everything having to be complicated.

Damon guided his look towards the Gemini sorcerer, groaning and rolling his eyes :

- God, are you for real ?! What does that even mean ? Why do you always have to do such complicated and mysterious spells ? What is it with you and your psychic things ?! As if it wasn't already complicated enough, you just made it an even shittier situation. I hate magic. , he grumbled, getting annoyed with all this witchy mess.

Farell Parker just smirked at him knowingly : he could understand this annoyance and hatred, since he felt exactly the same way towards vampire kind.

- Can you be more specific about what an anchor is ? , Bonnie ignored Damon's intervention, as Enzo silently agrreed with him, for once.

- I can't be much more specific than that : an anchor can be anything. It can be an emotion, a feeling, an object, a thought, a memory, a person...etc. Really anything. , he explained truthfully.

- Seriously ?! Gosh, can you be even more vague ? Witches and their fuzziness ! , the blue-eyed bloodsucker complained loudly, again.

Both Alaric, Enzo, and Caroline glared at him, silently telling him to shut the fuck up. Bonnie just ignored him again, having learned to put up with Damon's assholtitude.

- How can I know what's my anchor ? , the Bennett sorceress questioned him, confused.

- You have to search within yourself, maybe accept things that you are denying or too blind to see yet, before finding it. You have to find the reason why you want to live, because this spell is about staying alive. It holds onto the power of the person's anchor to allow it to annihilate whatever danger is an obstacle to the person's survival. Do you understand it better like that ? , the sorcerer tried to explain as best as he could.

- I think I get it. , Bonnie nodded, understanding the essence of the spell.

Damon rolled his eyes at the survivor's explanation and then arched his eyebrows at Bonnie's reply. How the hell could she understand this gibberish ?

- How the hell can you understand this gibberish, Bon ?! , the vampire wondered outloud, turning to face his witch.

- I'm a witch, Damon. I'm born to understand this witchy gibberish. , she smirked back at him, winking.

- Okay, great ! So, while you work on finding your anchor, I'm gonna go buy some candles, Damon's going to find Bonnie's personnal object and Enzo's going to give you those bitchy pills, okay ? Meanwhile, is going to teach the spell to the twins and Alaric will stay with them. Is that okay ? Cool, now go do what you have to do. We'll meet with everything in one hour. , the bubbly blond vampire ordered, as usual, without asking for anyone's opinion.

They all just stared at her, completely still and amused.

Caroline moved to get her keys and bag, when she noticed they were looking at her funny.

- What ?! Don't tell me you have neurons and hearing problems now ?! Just move your asses and get started ! , she repeated, before taking her bag and keys and exciting the house.

They waited for the door to close and the car to start before laughing. They all laughed, including Farell. Caroline was just one of a kind, and Bonnie was thankful for her best friend, in moments like this. Even in the worst situations, Caroline always stayed herself and got to say those kind of things. They really needed some amusement and laughing felt great. They had been so stressed out and nervous over the past few days : Caroline's bitchy side and boss attitude had made their day. And they loved her for that.

However, she was right on one point : they didn't have any more minute to waste. So they all got started on their mission, given by their Master Chief aka Caroline Forbes.

- I already got the pill, here's one. , Enzo informed Farell and gave the warlock one of the pills. I kept the last box of it after learning what they did to you, in case someone decided to use them against you. We have many ennemies out there, love. , he specified as Bonnie looked at him with a questioning gaze.

BONENZO :

As Damon, Caroline, Farell, Alaric and the twins were occupied with their part of the mission, Bonnie and Enzo ; who had done his part as we said earlier; decided to work together to find Bonnie's anchor.

No need to say it was a tough task. They had been going at it for twenty minutes now, but anytime Enzo suggested something, the witch didn't thing that was it. « I simply know it's not that, Enzo. » she told him several times, with a look of annoyance and absolute knowledge.

So here they were, standing in their bedroom, trying to think harder than usual :

- Come on, that stupid anchor can't be so hard to find ! It has to be something logical, love ! , Enzo pointed out, as he stood up from the edge of the bed to walk towards his girlfriend, who was standing beside the door.

- I agree. But sometimes, logical things are the hardest to see and find. , the Bennett replied, defeated.

- We're gonna try something : when you died the first time, it was for Jeremy, right ? Because you loved him and didn't want him to die. , her vampire boyfriend started.

- Yeah...But I was young and naive, it can't be that. Jeremy was my first love, but it wasn't that magical or epic between us : it's not enough to be my anchor. , she answered, sighing loudly. She was getting tired of this.

The british orphan sighed too at Bonnie's explanation. He was running out of idea. He was worried as hell for Bonnie, but he didn't have any other option. He was the one who had put her into this situation, yet he wasn't even able to help her find that stupid reason why she'd want to stay alive.

He stayed silent for some minutes, as the sorceress was going through her memories to try and find the answer, before suddenly grabbing Bonnie's hands and looking deeply into her green eyes :

- What if your anchor is a person, and that person is me, love ? After all, when Damon abandoned you, you were so hurt you weren't that joyful about living anymore. Though you didn't want The Armory to find you and kill you. But you had lost your happiness and your zest for life. I'm the one who protected you, I'm the one who fell in love with you and made you love life all over again. That's partly why you fell in love with me : you held onto me when you had nothing and no one anymore. I think it's enough to make me an anchor, don't you ? , Enzo passionately stated.

At first, the caramel witch felt sorry for him. After what Caroline had made her realize about her relationship with Enzo, she didn't think he could be the anchor. But now that she thought about it, Enzo was right on one point : he had been the first man with whom she totally had fallen in love with. A much stronger and mature love than what she had had with Jeremy. And, though she may not be conscious yet about her deep feelings for a certain blue-eyed vampire ex-best friend of hers, what Enzo had just stated was true. While Damon was gone, Caroline in Dallas with Alaric and the girls, Matt chasing vampires out of Mystic Falls , Stefan running from Rayna, and Elena asleep in her magical coma, Enzo was the one who had been there for her. He had brought her security, love, care, attention, tenderness and importance. So of course, she had grown fond of him. And she really did love him, more than she had ever loved someone before. But not as much as she was starting to love Damon, which she didn't know unfortunately.

So, after analysing her relationship with Enzo and what he had just pointed out, Bonnie convinced herself that he was right : he was her anchor. It was logcial, after all, since he was her boyfriend, whom she loved a lot, right ?! Right. It couldn't be more logical, it had to be him.

So she addressed him a bright smile and nodded, squeezing his hands :

- You're right, babe. I'm so stupid I didn't think about it sooner. Of course you're my anchor. Who else could it be ? , she said, but Enzo didn't notcie the tone of hesitation and self-convcition in her voice.

- Well, you said it yourself, beautiful : the most logical things are often the hardest ones to see. , the brown-eyed vampire replied, before stroking her cheek delicately.

- We found it. , Bonnie spoke, but it still sounded like she was convincing herself, instead of being sure of it.

- We found it. , Enzo repeated, staring deeply and lovingly at his lover, before kissing her.

One hour later, everyone was reunited in the living-room, each one in possession of what was needed from them, to be able to do the spell. Bonnie was cuddled up in Enzo's arms on the couch, next to Caroline, Alaric was sitted on an armchair with both girls on his laps, while Damon and Farell were standing in the middle, beside each other.

Bonnie was the first one to speak and break the silence :

- Hey girls : are you sure you want to do this ? You know it's not a punishment nor an obligation, you're free to go play in your room if you don't want to try that game. , she told them sweetly, a warm and caring smile on her mouth.

Caroline and Alaric had agreed to tell their twins the spell was a new game, but that it was a little bit different from the Barbies or stuffed animals they usually played with. Making it appear as a game would be much easier for them to focus and put everything they had in them into the spell. This way, they would be interested in what they would do, and there was a better chance for it to work without them being in any danger.

- No, Auntie Bon, we want to try this new game. , the first one answered her aunt.

- Yeah, it seems so cool and funny to do ! And we get to use our powers, since we are not allowed usually. , the other one continued, glancing accusingly at her mother and father.

Both Caroline and Alaric laughed at that. Reassured, Bonnie nodded before signaling at Farell they could start.

- So, I got the pill, the candles, and the twins are trained enough since it's only about siphoning magic, so it's not that difficult nor that dangerous to do. I need Bonnie's personnal object, now. And I'll also need the anchor to be by my side, along with Bonnie. , the Gemini only survivor informed them.

- I got the personnal object, Merlin. Here. , Damon finally intervened, not forgetting to give this vampire hater a famous little nickname of his.

Farell rolled his eyes before nodding and taking the object from Damon's hands. He had come to understand what type of person the blue-eyed man was. He got used to it, and found it quite amusing. The others watched with attention, as Damon handed Bonnie's childhood teddy bear.

The powerful witch widened her eyes, surprised that Damon had managed to find a personnal object of hers, and more so, her childhood teddy bear.

She raised her head and stared at him surprisingly :

- I didn't know you had kept Mrs Cuddles . I thought I had lost her once more after coming back from the other side.

- I kept her safely with me since the moment you sent her to me, to tell me you were still alive. She's a precious reminder that you're a fighter : couldn't forget her in some weird place. , the dark-haired vampire answered Bonnie with a smirk.

Caroline discreetly smiled at that. Was it possible to actually ship your best friend with someone you hated, in reality, as you could in TV shows ? Because she was starting to think they would look very cute together. Their love story would be epic : from ennemies, to allies, to frennemies, to friends, to best friends, to lovers. She loved that kind of love stories.

Enzo simply alternated his gaze between his girlfriend and ex- best friend, not understanding what they were talking about.

- Who's Mrs Cuddles ? , he questioned her lover.

- My childhood bear. I loved her a lot as a little girl, but I lost her when I was 7. When I got trapped in the Other Side with Damon, I found her back and - , she started explaining, gladly remembering this episode of her life, but was interrupted by Damon himself.

- We don't have time for that. If you don't know who's when you're dating Bonnie, it says a lot about your relationship. You'll catch up later to try and know her better than I do. Now let's start that damn spell and save Bonnie. If you don't mind, Farell. , he snapped, gesturing for the sorcerer to go on.

- Alright. Bonnie, I need you to come next to me. And if your anchor is a person or an object, then I need it too. If it's a feeling or something else, you have to give me your hand for me to connect with it. Which one is it ? , he explained before looking at her.

- Hum... My anchor's Enzo. , she quickly answered, after clearing her throat.

She didn't dare looking at Caroline or Damon, but she still managed to catch Damon's angry and annoyed eyes. The blondy vampire took notice of his jealous stare.

The couple stood up and went to stand beside Farell.

- Good. Now, I need you, girls. I need one of you to stand in front of your aunt, and the other in front of Enzo. , they happily obliged. Great. Now, I need you to take their left hand with your left hand, and entertwine your right one with one another. Just like this, perfect. , he commented.

Everyone watched closely as he formed a circle around the four of them, dispersing the candles, the pill and the teddy bear.

- We're good. Bonnie, I must tell you that this spell might hurt you at some point, since it will be siphoning the effects of the pills by holding onto the part of you that is holding itself onto your anchor. Got it ? , Farell informed her, as he tried to explain what it meant.

- Got it, Farell. Get started. , she ordered nicely.

The Gemini warlock nodded, before bending to look at the girls :

- Okay, girls. So now, you're going to do exactly what we did during the training : recite the words I taught you and concentrate on their meaning. When you feel your powers coming, that's where the game begins : you recite the words louder and louder, until your aunt Bonnie drops your hand. Okay ? , he explained one last time.

They nodded and Farell joined the others on the couch, telling them not to get too close, in case it would break the girls' concentration.

Everyone watched closely : Enzo with hopeful eyes, Caroline and Alaric with worried and curious eyes for Bonnie and their daughters, Farell with confidence, and Damon with eagerness and despair.

They held their breath, as the twins started reciting the spell, Bonnie and Enzo closing their eyes to stay focused. It was now or never.

Seconds passed. Minutes lasted. Heartbeats accelerated. Breathes stopped.

And suddenly, the ground started shaking. The twins let go of their hold, as a powerful blast of wind unleashed itself on the living room, sending everything flying across the room : chairs, tables, windows and doors burst opened, and everyone held onto each other not to be taken away. Bonnie and Enzo released their joined hands, as the british vampire was thrown in the nearest wall , by the power of the wind.

- WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING FARELL ?! , Damon screamed, as he fought to stay up, holding onto the edge of the nearest wall.

- ALARIC ! TAKE THE GIRLS AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE ! , Caroline yelled at him, worried for her daughters.

- I'M NOT LEAVING YOU THERE ! , he yelled back, clutching onto the couch.

- WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS, RIC ! JUST TAKE THE GIRLS ! , the blond vampire repeated.

Ric nodded and caught the girls' arms, holding onto anything he could as he excited the house in a hurry, telling the twins everything was going to be okay. That it was part of the game.

Once they were gone, Damon cleared his thoughts, and took a glance at the middle of the living room, where Bonnie, Enzo, and the twins had been standing before it all got worse : Bonnie was still standing, eyes wide opened, completely still . She seemed lost, unconscious of what was happening.

Farell noticed Damon's surprised and serious look, brows furrowed, and looked in the same direction : he instantly understood the matter.

- I know what's happening : Enzo wasn't Bonnie's anchor. So, her emotions are lashing out, and trying to find something to hold onto. , he stated calmly. She's losing control, and since she's a witch, her magic's touched too.

- And how the hell do we stop her ? It ? , Damon screamed back, annoyed, and a look of emergency in his blue eyes.

- You can't. Unless someone finds her true anchor. , Farell revealed tragically.

Enzo stared at Damon and Farell, alarmed. If he wasn't his anchor, then who, or what, could that be ? He ignored his little inner voice, which was pointing towards Damon.

Just as he was about to tell Damon to try, resigned, Caroline appeared in front of Bonnie :

- BONNIE ! Hey, look at me ! It's me, Caroline. You have to stop this before you destroy my entire house. Do you hear me, Bon ? You can hurt yourself, STOP. , the witch's best friend tried, determined to make this mess stop.

Remaining still and mute like never, Bonnie simply stared at her vampire best friend : a look of emptiness and nohingness in her beautiful green eyes. She was not herself anymore, due to her emotions and magic going all over the place. She was drowned in them, and Caroline's reasoning was not strong enough to snap her at of it.

Instead, another powerful blast of wind ejected her away from the crazy-witch, making her land on the other side of the room, against a window.

- Guess you're not her anchor either, Care. , Enzo commented while smirking.

- You think this is time for jokes ?! BONNIE'S DYING IF SHE DOESN'T FIND HER ANCHOR NOW ! Here's another proof of what a shitty boyfriend you are to her ! , the blue-eyed vampire glared at him, a strong urge to strangle his best friend's boyfriend taking over him.

Enzo glared back at him, ignoring his insult. He was right on one thing : they didn't have time for personnal issues.

- Calm down, young men. Bonnie doesn't need another fight starting while she's struggling with hers. We don't have much time : if we don't find her anchor in less than twenty minutes, she'll die. , Farell intervened, dead serious and frightening.

- Pardon me ?! You didn't specify this when we asked you about the spell ! , Caroline jumped in, trying to stand up from the floor after being thrown away, a menacing glare directed at the Gemini Survivor.

- I figured you wouldn't want to try it. And we all know this spell is her only chance. There's no other way to heal her. Believe it or not, I did it for her. Now go back to thinking hard : you are the only ones able to find her anchor, since she's not herself right now, and that you know her better than I do. , he defended himself.

- Grams. We can try Grams. She was her grandmother, and Bonnie loved her to so much. She wanted to give up and kill herself when she was trapped in 1994 with me, but Grams was the one to give her her hope back. She was the reason she fought and came back. , Damon suddenly remembered, knowing how important Grams was to Bonnie.

- That could work. Try it. , Farell nodded, sounding hopeful.

Once more, Caroline decided to be the one acting. But this time, having learned her lesson, she stayed right where she was.

- Bon, listen. , she spoke softly as the Bennett's eyes raised to look at her. You have to think about Grams, focus on her, on her memory. Do you remember when we were kids, and that she took us to one of her classes in Whithmore ? We had so much fun, we played roles : I was the studient, and you were the teacher. Grams watched us and laughed hard, because we were so ridiculous. Then, she took us to eat an ice cream, and told us about the time she sold them too. Elena was there too. We were so happy. , Caroline started telling the anecdote, remembering that day like it was yesterday. Focus on that, focus on her. Grams' smile. Grams' laugh. Grams' voice and eyes. , she continued, seeing that Bonnie's gaze softened.

- Grams... , she whispered while smiling.

- Yeah, that's it, Bon. Grams. , Caroline smiled sweetly, thinking that was it.

Damon and Enzo watched closely as Bonnie started moving towards Caroline, a teary smile on her face. She was coming back to the world, slowly.

But she suddenly stopped. Her eyes became hurt and angry, and the ground started shaking even harder.

- Grams... , she repeated. She's gone... She's not here anymore, she's dead. , she spit out. She was killed because of all this, the Supernatural. , her voice became low and threatening.

In one second, she raised her hands and sent everyone flying across the room, once more.

- Wrong one ! Grams is not her anchor. We're making her mad, now. , Damon groaned, as he removed the piece of chair planted in his back.

- Maybe it's not working because Grams is dead. So she can no longer be the reason why she wants to survive. It has to be still present, I get it now. , Farell thought.

BAMON :

- I've had enough of this already ! YOU ARE NOT DYING BONNIE BENNETT ! SO SNAP OUT OF IT DAMN IT ! , Damon yelled, planting himself in front of Bonnie, not minding her powers and unstable state.

No one said anything as they noticed Bonnie's attention focused on the dark-haired man. They had tried everyone, Damon was their last hope.

- Listen to me, Bon. Your emotions are all over the place. They're flying everywhere, because your beloved boyfriend was not your anchor. , he went on and ignored Enzo's huff. You're lost right now, drowned into your feelings : Elena's absence, Gram's death, my abandon, your different sufferings, as you died three times. All of this is mixing together, clouding your consciousness. But you have to fight it. You must find your anchor, search for it into your brain. Because if you don't, you're gonna die. And as I told you in the garden before we started this and that it turned out to be a complete mess, this isn't an option. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure nothing happens to you. And that means that I won't accept you dying on me. Remember The Other Side ? You were the one to give me hope, to believe in me, and save me. Well, I'm willing to do the same for you now, okay ? I believe in you, I know you're strong enough, because you're one hell of a woman, and you can do that. You can survive this. I need you to survive this. I'm not giving up on you, I'm not abandoning you ever again. And if you die now, Bonnie Bennett, then know I might die too. Because I can't live in a world where you don't exist, where I don't get to hear your little annoying judgy voice or your lovely and peaceful heartbeat. I spent three years away from you, because I thought it was best for you. During those three years, I didn't stop thinking about you, about how much I missed you, how much I admired you, how much I loved you. And I held onto that. So please, find the strength to forgive me, and hold onto that. Come back to me, Bon. , he blurted, saying whatever crossed his mind and not caring about the others, and what they would think of his speech. His only concern was getting her back, saving her. He wanted her back in his arms, safe, and alive. And if he had to go to extremes and completely lay his feelings for his best friend on the table, then he would. And that's what he did.

He fixed her as tears streamed down her cheeks. She stared at him a long moment before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. They all noticed her eyes seemed back to normal : she was conscious, and life was coming back into her green orbs. She was snapping out of it.

She re-opened her eyes, and threw herself in Damon's arms, holding onto him for dear life. Her sobbing warmed his heart, because he recognized it as the kind of sobbing you had when you were relieved and happy. And right now, Bonnie was relieved and happy to be alive. She had made it. She was back. She had come back to him : the worst period of his life was over, he didn't have to worry about her death anymore. But he would still watched her closely : he wouldn't risk losing her to something else.

Damon wrapped his arms around her small body, and kissed her hair, releasing a breath of relief too. A tear rolled down his cheek and landed on her hair, unnoticed by the others.

Bonnie left her head and looked directly in his eyes, her lips lifting up on the corners :

- I forgive you, Damon. , she whispered, before collapsing in his arms.

Damon smiled brightly, like he had done when she had come back from the Other Side and had jumped in his arms for a hug, before frowning and catching her as she fell, looking alarmingly and threateningly at Farell.

- BONNIE ! , he screamed, scared.

- Don't worry. Forgot to mention that part : the person collapses when his or her anchor is found. That's normal. She made it, Damon. She's safe, now. Healed. , he quickly informed him, smiling too.

Caroline and Enzo precipitated themselves towards Bonnie and Damon, as the wind stopped and they could move again. Caroline helped Damon put her best friend on the couch, as Enzo simply watched, feeling left out and weak. He was relieved and happy as hell that Bonnie had survived : hell he would have go crazy if she didn't. But it also confirmed one thing, that he had been dreading :

Damon was Bonnie's anchor.

And it meant a lot more than what it looked like. When Bonnie wakes up, Enzo knew things were about to change significantly.

************ TO BE CONTINUED ************

Hey everyone ! First, I wanna thank those who take the time to post a review once they read the chapter. It's highly appreciated, and it's a pleasure to know what you thought of it. That's what makes me want to continue, it motivates me. And thanks to the ones who shared it on twitter too, I see you. :)

So, what did you think of this chapter ? He's longer than the previous ones. I can't do more than that for a chapter, because it takes a long time to write (it's 15 pages long on my laptop). However, I have to inform you that this short fanfiction is almost done. There are maybe 1 or 2 chapters left (not sure because it depends on how things go, if I'm inspired or not...etc), but not more than that. You're allowed to share it as much as you want though ! lol

See you for next chapter, impatient to discover your thoughts on this new one ! See ya ! And more Bamon to come : maybe a little event that contains some lip lock ! ;)

KatemonLazuli