Chapter 3: The Spell
They woods are eerily silent when they meet the next evening, with not even a rustle in the trees. Bonnie is the first to come and starts setting up as quickly as possible. She doesn't want to draw it out. Matt comes next, eyes wary and watchful. He's had too much disappointment in his life to fully have faith that this will work. Caroline appears at full vamp speed, making the most of her powers while she still has them. She's wearing the blue ball gown that she wore to the Mikaelson's ball and Bonnie and Matt stare at her in bemusement.
"What?" she snaps defensively, "this is just in case we go back as we are now. This is a very expensive and very beautiful dress and I don't want to lose it. Who knows when I'll get a chance to wear something like this again? It will be back to Forever 21 soon."
The other two smile and Caroline joins in with a reluctant giggle.
"So how have you been spending your last hours of this life? I looked through practically every issue of Cosmo and Seventeen. I swear, I'll be so ahead of the trends back in 2009."
Bonnie raises an eyebrow. "That's what you did?"
"Yeah…among other things," Caroline replies, a little guiltily, and quickly changes the focus off of her. "What about you Matt?"
He shrugs. "I went to work."
"Seriously? Matt, you've had one last day and that's how you chose spend it?" Caroline splutters.
"I don't have anything going for me here," he says quietly, "everything I want – it's back there."
There's a silence as they let Matt's words sink in. This is really going to happen.
He grins ruefully. "I totally should have checked the winning lottery numbers though."
The girls laugh and then simmer down quietly as they wait for Elena to appear. Bonnie checks her watch.
"She should be here by now," she frets, "I hope she hasn't changed her mind."
"Nope, I'm here," Elena materialises beside them, "it took a while to get away from Stefan and Damon. They've been…suspicious."
"They didn't follow you here did they?" Bonnie asks in alarm.
"They got an urgent call from the Sheriff so they went to meet her at the grill." She shoots a pointed look at Caroline.
"OK, fine, I told her!" Caroline admits in a rush, "but I thought she might have ideas about how to help in the past. You know, with the Council and stuff. So they can protect the town better this time round. Plus, she provided a good distraction for the Salvatores."
"Let's hurry," Bonnie takes a packet of herbs out of her bag, "we don't know how long we have until they come looking for Elena."
The stand in a circle around the small fire in the middle of the pentagram Bonnie has drawn. Bonnie throws the herbs on the fire with a Latin phrase, and jumps back to complete the circle as the fire starts to spark. They clasp hands and Caroline, Elena and Matt gaze at each other gravely as Bonnie closes her eyes and begins the incantation.
"Elena!"
They turn their heads to see Stefan and Damon speed through the woods and stop at the edge of the circle. Bonnie stumbles over her words, momentarily distracted.
"Keep going Bonnie," Caroline cries, a note of desperation in her voice.
"How did you know where I was?" Elena asks them.
"How do you think?" Damon scoffs, "we squeezed it out of Sherriff Mom. Literally."
Caroline glares daggers at him.
"What are you doing Elena?" Stefan doesn't phrase it like a question. He knows exactly what she's doing – she can tell from the pain in his eyes.
Hope radiates out of Elena's face. "I have a chance to fix things. I can be with my family again."
"Don't be an idiot Elena!" Damon exclaims, "it's an impossibility. Do you think if the spell worked that someone would have tried it by now?"
"You're going to get yourself killed," Stefan agrees.
"I'm sorry but I have to try. It's my family," Elena whispers.
"Screw it," Damon flings up his arms, "if you're not going to stop it, I'll stop it myself." He launches himself in Elena's direction and is immediately rebuffed and sent sprawling by an invisible force. Bonnie doesn't even open her eyes but a small smile appears on her lips as she chants. Stefan sidles cautiously towards them.
"Don't do this Elena, we can talk about it. Maybe we can find a way to all go back together," he urges.
Bonnie is speaking the spell loudly now, and squeezing Caroline and Elena's hands so tightly that she's nearly restricting the blood flow. Matt studies Bonnie then nods at Elena. It's about to happen. She looks in turn at Stefan and Damon, holding their gazes for a few moments.
"I love you both. I will always love you," she tells them, tears in her eyes.
The world turns white and then there's nothing.