DAY 6771

(Tuesday May 10th 1994 / Thursday November 22nd 2012)

3:31 P.M – THE AIRPORT

What would she find more upsetting, he wondered: Waking up cuddled up in the passenger seat of a car, knowing she'd been drugged, or waking up in the trunk of a car? Kai considered the options he had, with the backpack thrown over his shoulder and Bonnie safely in his arms as he walked through the forever empty airport in Portland, Oregon. It always took him by surprise how easy she was to carry around, even across long distances.

The first time he had to carry her was the day he shot her with the arrow, trying to stop the escape plans that rudely enough didn't include himself. She still managed to get Damon out and temporarily destroying the ascendant, giving him a severe scare about whether he'd be able to fix the damn relic again. But after locating all the different pieces and assessing the damage, Kai realized that there might still be hope. And he knew Bonnie was still alive. Her unexpected and violent betrayal had woken the beast in him, but the shot from the crossbow had been fired to wound, not to kill. She would live to fight another day. Because the inevitable truth was that even though he was furious at Bonnie for postponing his escape, he still needed her. And not just for the spell. His sanity had been put to the test with the constant empty stillness of the prison world, and now that he had a living human being for company, even somebody who challenged and hated him as much as Bonnie did, he had no intentions of letting her go that easily. So, forcing his fury away, he had carried her through the woods and back to the Salvatore's boarding house where he could properly check on her wound and wait for her to wake up.

The second time had been after the escapade at the hospital. Her stubborn resistance had been dampened after the altercation in the car, and she had been complacent and driven them back to the Salvatore house without any more fuss. But when he'd gone to get the backpack out of the trunk Bonnie had made a final run for it, sending him flying a good 15 feet away with a quick spell. Cursing he'd dropped everything in his hands and started after her, through the foyer and left through the hallways of the massive house, turning a sharp right into one of the common rooms and then heading straight for the doors out into the huge garden. How Bonnie thought she could get away was beyond him, but the thrill of the chase had put a big grin on his face by the time he caught up with her, half-way across the lawn. Locking his arms firmly around Bonnie, he stopped her momentum by lifting her up and swirling them around until they faced the house again. She was screaming for him to let go, kicking her legs into thin air and fighting against his grip. Kai couldn't help laughing, the witch too small to stand a chance against his height and strength, but she refused to yield. He could sense her magic starting to build up in preparation for another defensive attack, but he didn't feel like weakening her power with his siphoning now just before the eclipse. «Bonnie,» he urged, his voice still filled with traces of glee. He allowed her feet to barely touch the ground and leaned down towards her ear, his voice more serious as he whispered «I thought you wanted to go home?» Her body went rigid against his, and all that remained was the heaving of her chest as she gasped for air after the intense run and struggle. He held her in place for a few more seconds, waiting for her breathing to become more relaxed and even. "Fine," she finally muttered. She pushed against his arms, and he let go without a word, watching her walk back towards the house with strong determined steps. A smirk lurked at the corners of his mouth before he followed.

This would be the third time. Or rather the fifth, seeing as he had to carry her from the kitchen to Damon's car, then to the airplane, and now from the airplane to the reliable old car he usually drove while in Portland. He had considered giving her a new dosage of drugs to keep her sleeping, but it would seem like he didn't have to. It was a little under half an hours drive to his family home, and he highly doubted that she would wake up before they arrived.

He walked through the open doors out of the airport and instantly locked eyes on the '88 Cadillac Brougham that stood parked at the curb. When was the last time he'd been in Portland? 18 months ago? The car hadn't moved since then, as always, and he delicately put Bonnie down on the roof of the car before opening the door on the driver's side.

He put his foot on the clutch and turned the key in the ignition, and the car instantly woke back to life. Nice. His gaze shifted to the passenger seat of the car, wondering for the last time whether to place Bonnie beside him inside the car or shove her in the trunk. Then he remembered the look on Bonnie's face after she'd sent her magic away, and his face grew hot with anger again. No chance in hell. She deserved to be taught a lesson. Anyhow, he could always soften her up with a delicious dinner meal later.

He stepped out of the car again, keeping an eye on Bonnie as he walked around the car and popped the trunk. There was plenty of room for a sleeping witch, so he dropped the backpack into a corner before picking up the Bennett-witch and gently placing her inside, careful not to bump her head against the edges. However, if Bonnie were to wake up before they reached their destination; she would no doubt try to get out. Better to be safe than sorry. He grabbed hold of some old rope coiled together at the back of the trunk and used it to tie her hands together.

It must've been at least 7 years since the last time he used the rope, during one of his bleaker and more suicidal periods in the prison world where he ultimately ended up hanging himself. The familiar disappointment at waking up once again hadn't been too much of a surprise, but he had always lived in the hopes that the cursed spell keeping him alive might one day falter and allow him to actually die.

Of course, lately the spell had been a blessing, considering how eager Bonnie had been to end his life now that he finally saw another way out of here and wanted to live. He rubbed his chest on reflex, the sensation of having a pick- ax punch through his flesh still vivid in his mind. Despite his growing experience with innovative and violent deaths during his years of isolation, the element of surprise had thrown him off and made it all the more painful. The revival spell would always bring him back, but it did absolutely nothing to impede his senses when it came to physical pain.

He watched Bonnie for a few more seconds, her face serene and trapped in deep sleep. It made her look fragile, even innocent, but the witch had proven herself to be neither of the two. He couldn't wait to see her face once she finally woke up. Smiling he shut the lid to the trunk and took his place behind the driving wheel. If he didn't make any extra stops along the way they would arrive just before 4:00 P.M. Bonnie would be starving when she woke up; and probably furious. Not the best combination, but he looked forward to it none the less. If nothing else, it would make for a very memorable Thanksgiving.