Chapter 8
AN- Major Apologies folks, this chapter is a whole 2 weeks later than I planned thanks to a lovely case of writer's block that hasn't hit me in a long time. I'm sure some of you know what its like to stare at a blinking cursor for hours at a time. Once again I'm sorry guys. I love getting reviews though, that's what helped me to write actually so thanks to everyone for the feedback. On a side note, am I the only one mad that AS USUAL Bonnie suffers painfully and it's just the first episode…writers couldn't give her one break? Not one? Anyway, hope you Enjoy!
"Where are you going?"
"I need to think"
Think Salvatore think.
Forcing his brain to work didn't seem to be doing him any good. Couldn't his stupid brain understand that this was important? He was worried about his friend and the only way his mind would be at ease is if he heard her voice, not likely, or saw for himself that she was in one piece.
Stefan decided he wouldn't try to convince her to come back. Replaying everything she said he knew that would be pointless at least until he could convince her that things would be different. Besides, Bonnie needed as much time as it took to focus on herself and he wouldn't get in the way of that; just as long as she was okay.
The young vampire took a breath to relax his mind allowing thoughts of whiskey and late night video games to fill his mind. Once the familiar calm washed over him he was ready to try again "Alright, let's lay this out." he said aloud as the gears turned in his head "I've already checked with all the family I could get in touch with but none of them have seen or heard from Bonnie"
Stefan paced his room with the deepest frown as he realized something "Which was pointless since she isn't really close to her father's family." He stopped mid pace "And since most of her mother's family is dead they wouldn't be much help either"
Frustrated hands ran through already ruffled hair "This is a small town; someone had to have seen her leave." He thought looking about his room as if the answer was somehow lying in plain sight.
The group had all come together at the boarding house after Bonnie's exit. Matt, wearing his guilt like a winter jacket, had agreed to help Elena turn. Poor guy Stefan thought. Everyone else he could think of that was usually up and about that time of night could be accounted for in some place or the other.
"That leaves…" he trailed off as the answer smacked him in the face "Of course"
"Having fun talking to yourself?" came the sound of Damon's amused voice from the doorway
Stefan's eyes cut to his brother annoyed to be disturbed in the middle of a breakthrough "Can I help you?"
"I came to see how your search for Judgy was going. Although it seems your journey to crazy land is going much better"
"Funny. So you came to see how my search for Bonnie is going huh? Did Klaus come knocking?" he asked mockingly
Damon made a face "No."
Stefan looked at his brother expectantly when he said nothing else "Well?"
He rolled his eyes in response "Look, I'm only going to say this once, I'm not going to repeat it and you better not either" it took another roll of his crystal blue eyes and a shake of his head before he continued "You were right okay?" Stefan just waited for him to elaborate "We did chase our witch out of town. Not appreciating everything she's done over and over well, that had to leave a 'we don't care' taste in her mouth."
Naturally Stefan's brow furrowed in confusion "We? Since when do you care about Bonnie?"
"You know me. I'm not into the whole Oprah hold hands crap. It's not that I don't care I'm just a self absorbed asshole who hates getting in touch with feelings." He was interrupted briefly by Stefan's loud scoff "Anyway, the point is the only way we can convince her to come back is if we convince her that things will be different. Considering all the shit we've pulled, that won't be cake"
Not only did Damon just admit Stefan was right, he admitted he did in fact care about Bonnie and he understood what it would take to get her back. What. The. Hell? "Wow. Those words must have tasted bitter coming out of your mouth. Too bad Bonnie wasn't here to hear all that"
Damon's finger was pointed at his brother to let him know he was serious "She will never hear those words because like I told you, I'm not going to repeat myself. I have a reputation to protect. Now, you've been 'thinking' for a while now. What have you got so far?"
"Well it just hit me that Bonnie put Klaus back in his body before she left which makes both him and Tyler the last ones to see her. One of them might know where she is"
"Wolf boy wouldn't have been able to keep a secret like that from Blondie. Klaus is your best bet"
Stefan nodded in agreement picking up his keys and cell phone "Then let's go ask him"
"You go. I have the Council to deal with. If their going to make a move it'll be soon"
"What happened to your very strange change of character just now? I thought you wanted to help me find Bonnie."
"That hasn't changed. But you were the one who was buddy buddy with Klaus not long ago you'll have a better chance of getting him to talk" the elder shrugged "Besides handling the Council has always been my job"
A slow smile appeared on Stefan's face "Oh I get it. You're afraid to face him"
"Damon Salvatore is afraid of nothing." He gritted out
"Uh huh. I'll see you later scaredy-cat" Stefan winked at his brother.
Of course when he was facing the door to Klaus' mansion he had to admit he was a little nervous himself. Klaus could kill him just like that. He wasn't afraid to die but he did want to live long enough to see Bonnie again.
"Well well, someone has a death wish" was Klaus' greeting. To Stefan's surprise he stepped aside and let him in "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You were the last person to see Bonnie before she left. You wouldn't happen to know where she is?"
Klaus was all smiles as he sat down "Even if I did know why would I tell you? You may be the only one in that lot that the witch still considers a friend but she didn't tell you where she was going so why should I?"
"I just want to know she's okay" Stefan said seriously
The smile on Klaus' face grew larger "Has your Ripper heart grown fonder in her absence? What will Elena think?"
"This has nothing to do with Elena. Do you know where Bonnie is or don't you? Is she okay?"
The tone of Stefan's voice had the hybrid sitting back and observing him. Perhaps his previous question was not as off base as he thought "Bonnie Bennett dessicated me and transferred my soul into Tyler's body and back. Not to mention she's one of the only people who has ever come close to killing me. Wherever she is I'm sure she's just fine."
Klaus had a point. It wasn't like Bonnie couldn't take care of herself he knew that. Maybe he should consider letting her come back on her own and accept that she was 'just fine' in the meantime.
"Since you seem so concerned though, I'll throw you a bone. I may have given my assistance in finding her a place to stay outside of Mystic Falls" he held up his hand to stop Stefan from speaking "But I wont tell you where"
The young vampire was confused as ever "Why are you helping her? Not long ago she was your enemy"
"She still is, but I've come to admire her. Standing up and saying 'no more' to the Elena charm along with her other accomplishments…believe me there are very few that have earned my admiration but you have to admit she deserves it."
Stefan nodded slightly understanding Klaus' motive "Thanks for the help" he mumbled and turned to leave only to be stopped in his tracks by Klaus' voice.
"I will say this, if you wish to find her don't be too concerned where she lays her head for the night but rather where she spends her days" the hybrid gave one of his famous smirks and walked up his grand staircase leaving Stefan to show himself out.
He left the mansion in deep thought wondering what Klaus meant about how Bonnie spent her days. Unfortunately the black SUV following him didn't even register on his radar.
It was funny; when he came too from his vervain induced slumber the first thing on his mind was what Klaus had said to him earlier. Bonnie was his friend, she was hurting and pissed as hell and naturally he was worried about her.
But as he thought more about it he could admit that he missed her more with each day that she was gone. He wouldn't exactly describe it as his heart growing fonder but he did miss her.
Surrounded by hay in a dirty cattle cell he thinks back to when he first enlisted her to take down Klaus; how she penetrated his defenses with simple touches and mesmerizing eyes. At the time he didn't want to think of why she was able to do that, his focus had been on Klaus. But now, possibly about to die, he couldn't think of a better time.
Why not his brother? He knew him better than most. Better question why not Elena? She was the great love of his life right? So why is it that she hadn't been able to get through to him in his dark days? Stefan let his eyes travel to the wall of wood separating him and her. Maybe it was because Elena didn't really know him, at least not when he wasn't in love with her.
She knew him as her protector, her lover, as someone struggling with inner demons, as a brother. But with Bonnie he was just Stefan. Stefan-the one most never met-loved to laugh, to drink with friends, enjoyed doing something crazy every now and then. With all his sins weighing him down over the years he had lost that but with Bonnie, even in the state he was in, he had found that part of himself again.
She was like Lexie in that regard; able to pull him back from the clutches of darkness and remind him of who he was. But she wasn't Lexie, she was Bonnie Bennett. Her effect on him is different, stronger. If he's really about to go without seeing her again he decides to replay his favorite memories with her.
The first is when he woke up next to her on her Grams' kitchen floor after a night of drinking and laughter. Not only had he actually slept but he woke up rested. Who wouldn't after waking up to the scent of nature and her warmth that seemed to wrap around him? His thoughts are immediately pulled to the night they played video games; the night she kissed him on his nose when he tucked her in. It was innocent, but left an imprint on him that causes him to smile despite his current situation.
Elena chooses that moment to tell him she was on the bridge the night she died because she chose him. His body goes still for a moment but her words don't move him as he expected them to and he knows why. It's time to face the music he realizes so he makes a statement that he is sure she doesn't expect.
"But you didn't just choose me, you chose everyone else as well"
"What?" he hears the crack in her voice and knows it's his words not the vervain that are responsible.
Now it's a question "If it had just been between me and Damon, no friends, no brother, who would you have chosen?"
"Stefan I don't-"
"After everything we've been through I think you can give me the truth. Think about it long and hard. What would your choice have been?"
Silence meets his ears and he doesn't need another minute of it to make his decision "That's what I thought. I-love you Elena, with my very being, but even the greatest loves come to an end. I love you enough to let you go…and be with Damon"
His vampire hearing picks up the subtle drop of tears on the ground "I don't understand"
"I'm also doing this for me. It hurts trying to fight this, you and him. So I'm not going to fight it anymore. I'm letting go…for me"
He didn't need to look up to know both Caroline's and Rebekah's eyes were fixed on him in disbelief. Elena's breakdown in the adjacent cell almost pulls him in, almost.
"You know I love you right?" she asks through her sobs
He whispers knowing she can hear "I know"
This would be a very suckish way to die, too melodramatic as his brother would say, and he's glad he decides to act on one of the guards at the very moment Damon and Klaus come busting in to the rescue. Klaus' only concern is Caroline of course much to Rebekah's chagrin and Damon runs to Elena who still hasn't shaken out of her emotional state. That leaves Matt to ask if he's alright after informing them that the good Pastor Young must have escaped.
As he watches Elena get consoled by his brother he shakes it off and gives Matt a small smile "I'll be fine".
Bonnie cricked her neck as she relaxed her stance. She was in the middle of another lesson with Professor Shane and he was as always smooth talking her along the path he paved.
"Magic is a wonderful thing. But, like everything else in life magic is governed by rules. The beauty of expression is there are no rules. There are few spells that are required but mostly it is your will; your will be done." He said in an epic voice that made him sound like a narrator for some biblical event. "You imagine it, you want it and it will happen. Now I believe you're ready to graduate from the basics so its time to try what you've learned on me"
Was this guy crazy? "No, I can't do that."
"Why not? I trust you" he shrugged with confidence
Her eyes moved to the broken chair in his office "Did you see what I did to that chair?"
"Bonnie you are a quick study I know you can control this power and not kill me" he chuckled and she couldn't help but do the same "So-" he stretched his arms wide "-do your worst. I trust you"
"Okay, but you asked for it"
Bonnie bit her lip thinking of how to unleash her magic on the professor. In seconds his right arm twisted at a painful angle above his head and she watched, with a little excitement, as his face turned red.
Her next victim was his left kidney which contracted with the motion of her fingers. "Ow!" he grunted out barely able to keep himself standing. She couldn't deny she was enjoying this, having a life in her hands.
"Alright why don't we- take a-a break and start again?" Shane said through gritted teeth. His pain voice seemed to get through to her.
"Sorry!" she released her hold on him and winced at the visible relief on the professor's face. "I am so sorry" "It's okay" He waved it off while hunching over and excused himself from the room leaving her to her thoughts on what she just did.
It was unbelievable how much more power she had gained in such a short time. With each passing day she felt more powerful, unstoppable and most importantly free. This kind of power can get to your head a little voice warned.
Yeah yeah Bonnie thought but couldn't deny the truth in those words. What if this was dangerous? Was there some fine-print rule she was breaking? She didn't feel bad using expression so there couldn't be anything wrong, right?
She decided the sweet smell of her raspberry lemonade lip gloss would be enough to put her mind at peace for now. Walking over to the chair where her bag rested she began searching for it only to freeze when her fingers grasped her cell phone. Bonnie pulled it out slowly wondering why on earth she still kept it in her bag. She hadn't turned it on since she left so it wasn't like she was using it.
There must be a ton of messages the earlier voice said.
But you have no interest in hearing them said another. It's probably a bunch of babble begging you to go back. Once the battle of her inner voices started, her eyes began staring at the device with contempt. The second voice was probably right but still, a part of her was curious.
She turned the phone on and listened intently to the chorus of messages asking if she was alright and where she was. There was a message of apology from Caroline saying she was sorry for not thanking her and that she was grateful she saved Tyler and all of them. Elena sounded like a frightened puss saying she was sorry, that hoped she would come back and that they could move on from the past. Yeah right
Stefan had left the most messages; there was at least one for everyday she was gone. He never asked her to come back, he knew better, just told her to be safe and that when she was ready he hoped she would let him know how she was.
A sigh escaped her lips. If she wanted to talk to anyone it would be him, at least to ease his worries, but a part of her was a little mad at him. In the midst of her blowout he still managed to defend Elena somehow. For that reason he was gonna be punished like everyone else for a little while.
The most recent message was from Damon and a frown immediately graced her lips as it played "Judgy I know your having a 'find myself crisis' and I get it but we're in the middle of our own crisis right now. The Council has Caroline, Elena and Stefan. I don't know how much time they've got but we need you. Now get your witchy butt back h-"
Bonnie ended the recording with a heavy sigh and closed her eyes to hold back tears. She stiffened her back when she heard Shane re-enter the room.
"I think I'll be seeing blood in the toilet for a while but I think I'll live" he joked but she didn't respond "What's wrong?"
Taking a deep breath she calmed herself "My friends are in trouble." She told him opening her eyes not caring if he saw them glistening "Not that I'm surprised"
"What are you gonna do?"
Bonnie turned her phone off and threw it back in her bag "Nothing"
"Nothing?" at the nod of her head he smiled "Not to say I'm not impressed but it's only been two weeks since you left them. That much love couldn't have left the building in such a short time."
"It's not that I don't want to help, every part of me wants to. But I won't, not this time. Anyway the message is a day old. As hard as it is I have to trust that Damon figured it out without me"
The moment of truth "Are you truly ready to turn your back on them?
"Most people don't know what they have until it's gone. They need to learn that I won't always be there just because they need me to be." Bonnie swallowed past the lump in her throat and stretched her muscles "Now, where were we?"
She was too wrapped in her thoughts to notice Shane's evil grin.
A vampire walking through the woods was a pretty natural occurrence in a supernatural town. After all, it was the perfect hunting ground for all vampires, vegetarian and carnivorous alike. But this vampire wasn't hunting for food. This hunt was different. He was looking for a friend.
She had been gone a few months now, not a word. All their efforts to find her had been a huge failure and he had considered giving up. But for some reason, after months of searching, he believed that he would finally find her.
The witch manor came into view through the trees and an unexpected rise of goose bumps on his skin gave him pause. Funny, he wasn't aware a vampire's skin could still get prickled by goose bumps. He followed his feet nonetheless walking across the clearing, up the old steps, through the corridors and down to the basement room drawn by the same invisible force that led him to the house in the first place.
He wondered briefly why he hadn't been assaulted with aneurisms the moment he stepped into the old house but all thought left him when he walked through the basement door.
She was standing right there, in the center of the room, with her back facing him as still as a rock.
"Bonnie?" he called out but got no answer. The slight tilt of her head gave him the impression that the name seemed to sound strange to her; something wasn't right.
For a moment he thought she was just going to stand there but the witch slowly turned her head and the rest of her body followed. Her eyes were black as night and her skin was covered in black veins.
"Bonnie?"
Stefan's eyes opened suddenly and he realized with a sigh of relief that he was lying in his bed. It was a dream.
"You have to save her Stefan" he jumped at the voice. It was Sheila, standing over him with a life or death look in her eyes "You have to save her before she's lost forever"
He blinked and she was gone. He didn't need to be told twice. Stefan sped out of bed and into his clothes. He wasted no time calling everyone to meet him ASAP. Making sure to stress that it was about Bonnie got the whole gang there in less than ten minutes.
Stefan wasted no time as everyone sat down "Bonnie is in trouble"
"What's wrong?" "Is she okay?" "Did you hear from her?" were the series of questions that hit him at once. He decided to answer the last one.
"No I didn't hear from her but…I saw Sheila. She told me I had to save Bonnie."
Jeremy and Matt asked in unison "From what?"
"I don't know but she wouldn't have crossed the veil like that if it wasn't serious"
They all shared looks. It was disconcerting to think the one person they always turned to for help was the one who needed it.
Caroline was of course the first to point out "We don't even know where she is. And I think I speak for the rest of us when I say we can forget Damon's theory that Bonnie would come running back when she heard we were in trouble. Obviously that's not going to happen"
"She's pissed worse than I thought" Damon said in his own defense
"Ya think?" Caroline scowled in his direction eliciting a growl from him in response
Stefan stepped forward to stop an argument before it started "Turns out none of you know Bonnie as well as you thought. Sure you guys were all tied at the hip growing up but none of you know the person Bonnie has become; what her deepest thoughts are, what makes her laugh, what she likes or doesn't like."
"And you do?" it was the second time Elena had opened her mouth since being there. She was still crushed by everything Bonnie had said and Stefan was sure she felt worse with him pointing out her shortcomings as a friend.
Naturally Jeremy tried to placate his sister "Truth is we're all guilty of the same thing. The moment Bonnie became 'the witch' that's all we saw her as. Especially when shit hit the fan"
"That's not true" was Caroline's objection but with 'Oh really?' looks from Stefan, Matt, Jeremy and Tyler along with shamed looks from Elena and Damon Caroline frowned deeply "Okay so maybe it is true. We get self absorbed from time to time but that doesn't mean we don't care."
"Actions speak louder than words Caroline. It's time for us to act. We have to save her from whatever it is we need to save her from and at the same time show her that we care about her beyond her abilities as a witch" Stefan declared not noticing his brother's fidgeting across from him.
"Dammit!" Damon exclaimed rising from his seat to go pour himself another scotch. He sighed "That last part might be tricky now"
Stefan furrowed his brow "Why?" he was met with a dead on stare "What did you do Damon?"
"When you, Elena and Blondie got captured…I gave the witch a little call"
Stefan's eyes widened "You didn't-"
"I did. And I might have-sort of-ordered her to get her witchy butt back here."
"What the hell did you do that for Damon?!"
"It was a reflex, sue me! I told you I'm no good at this Oprah shit"
"You're just no good period" Caroline snapped at him and he sped in front of her ready to respond "How many times do we have to go over this, I'm an ass Caroline! But tell me something, if you're so good how come Bonnie hasn't returned your phone calls huh? Maybe it's because she's just as pissed at you as she is with the rest of us. So why don't get off that high horse Blondie"
"You son of a-"
"Just stop! Both of you!" Elena screamed and all eyes fell on her "How is this going to help Bonnie? If she is trouble we don't have time to argue about who screwed up more, we all screwed up! The only thing that's important is getting her back safely" she finished with tears in her eyes.
Matt finally stood up to speak "Elena's right. Bonnie is what's important here. So what we need to do is find her. Then find a way to keep her safe. Question is where do we start?"
Stefan had a theory "Something Klaus said had me thinking. We all let Bonnie down in showing that we appreciate her but one person that never failed to do that was Sheila. It makes sense that she would go somewhere where she would be closest to her"
Tyler finally chipped in with questions of his own "Where would that be? Besides Sheila's house and graveside?"
"Whitmore College. It's where Sheila taught Occult for many years. I'm willing to bet that she's there; it's far enough away from Mystic Falls but still close to her Grams"
Caroline was calm again "What's the plan?" the question was directed at Stefan
"We go to Whitmore and we don't come back without her"
"She's not going to want our help. She may not even know she needs it yet" Tyler pointed out.
"Doesn't matter, we hang around whether she likes it or not." Stefan said with finality looking at each of them "We all agree, whatever it takes...we save her, we appreciate her, we do not lose her." It was all the plan they needed.
Heads nodded in succession "Agreed."
