…

He feels too hot, welcoming the soft mix of drizzle and snow coming down on him as he shoves his hands deep into his pockets.

His face is burning with the memory of her lips on his, her breath caressing his cheek, his throat... and he has to clench his teeth to not get washed away by the thought of her so close to him. His body was so willing to respond to her touch, and the cool air out here is just what he needs to sober up and keep his focus elsewhere.

Not on Bonnie Bennett.

Who just kissed him…

She kissed him. And he… kissed her right back. Shaking his head, he struts on, sniffing. The air smells of nothing but cold and snow out here, and it's a welcome change from the scent of her.

Closing his eyes briefly, he curses himself, then tries again with the focusing - which is so bloody difficult.

It's close to dusk, no trace of anything alive out here, but he can't count on it staying that way. The hospital isn't too far, but on foot it will take him a while, especially with the way he is limping, which means there'll be plenty of time for Rh'a or humans to cross his path.

He could take a shortcut through the middle of the forest, that way he wouldn't have to leave Bonnie alone for too long. But he's not going to do that. Too dangerous. Besides, it's probably good for both of them to keep their distance.

The way they pulled apart, both of them quiet and flustered and… unsure of how to proceed, it makes him scoff now. Part of him had been more than ready to continue to the next level - part of him is still ready now, but that would not be smart. Bonnie Bennett… is a witch, who hates him, who is way too good for him anyways, and he…

He doesn't have time for falling in love. What the hell was he thinking? Swallowing, he lifts a hand, running it over his face. He needs to focus - and not on her. Not on what just happened. He has to steal a defibrillator and bring it back to her. That shouldn't be too difficult, but in this world everything is.

Why does he even want to free her of the collar? Why has he begun to care about her so much? He doesn't even bloody like her!

It's just… She is a familiar face, and she was kind to him when he didn't deserve it. He's not a good person like her, yet she is concerned about his well-being. No one has ever been concerned about that, about him, no one has ever done as much for him as she has. And he's not that hardened that he can't appreciate that.

It still doesn't explain the kiss. They're not exactly the last people on earth. There are still options, even in this hellhole.

But he doesn't care about the options. All he cares about is Bonnie Bennett.

A sudden noise makes him tense, sets him on edge immediately. Stopping in his tracks, he scans his surroundings, wary and finally able to think about something other than Bonnie. Because someone else is out here, on his heels, and in his current state he's not very fast…

His jaw clicks as he bites down hard, contemplating his next move. It sounds like it's just one - a human. He can take on a human… Cold creeps up his spine anyways, because chances are that whoever is out here with him has people coming for them, or, worse, could sic the Rh'a on him, and his bloody leg is giving him grief.

A single bird abruptly startles up just to his left, seeking shelter in a nearby tree, and Enzo can hear the soft fall of footsteps approaching behind him, still a ways away, still out of sight, but the person is following in his tracks for sure. And unless he wants to try and hide up a tree, too, he will have to face them soon.

With a sigh, he decides to keep walking, constantly looking behind him with every other step. Soon he won't be alone anymore, but he's not going to go down without a fight. He's going to get Bonnie Bennett that defibrillator and he's going to free her of that bloody collar, and then she can help him take these assholes down.

And if it means he has to kill whoever is coming for him, then…

Too close, by the side of the road where the forest is looming, bare branches are rustling, making him whirl around, ready to charge, but… What the hell?

"Bonnie!"

She has the audacity to grin at him with an air of triumph.

"Found you," she says, like they are playing tag, and he rolls her eyes and scoffs before stalking over to her to grab her arm.

"What the hell are you doing out here?! I told you to stay inside."

She raises her head, chin jutting out in defiance as she glares up at him, the grin wiped off her face.

"Hate to break it to you, but you don't get to give me orders," she informs him, and the way she says it, so feisty, makes him smirk involuntarily.

Before he can reply a loud sneeze from her startles up a few more birds and he rolls his eyes.

"At least be a little more stealthy," he hisses at her, almost feeling sorry when he sees her tense up and cross her arms, her glare only intensifying before she looks away. Sighing, he watches her stifle a cough rather unsuccessfully, waiting until she's done. Softer, he adds, "You're sick, love. That's the only reason why I didn't want you out here…"

The look she shoots him now is different. The anger and defiance are gone, replaced by weariness and dawning understanding.

"I'm an idiot," she says, throwing her head back to stare up at the gray sky. Wiping both hands over her face, she sighs loudly. Something is going on in her, a thought process he can't follow, but when she doesn't continue moving, just stands there, shoulders slumped and stance defeated, he moves without thinking and puts an arm around her.

"Since you're here," he says, "we might as well go together. Just try to not cough so loudly." What he doesn't tell her is that he's worried she'll draw attention to herself if he were to persuade her to go back to the boarding house by herself now. At least this way - when she's by his side - he can try to protect her...

…

Bonnie feels a bit peeved. Huddling into her coat, she follows Enzo, doing her best to keep up with his suddenly rather fast gait, shaking her head at the entire situation.

There's a tension between them, an awkwardness that she doesn't know how to deal with and since he refuses to talk to her so as not to draw attention to them, she is left to stew in her own confused feelings.

She kissed this man - this vampire. She kissed Enzo! And now she has to pretend this isn't weird.

But it is! It is so very weird. She doesn't even like him, she just… needed comfort. Yes, that's it. She needed comfort, needed to feel someone else's arms around her. Because life hasn't exactly been very kind to her lately and all her friends have left her, one of them dead, one of them on the opposing side, and the rest of them strewn in the wind, and she has been alone for too long.

A sudden surge of heat creeps into her face when she remembers just how willing she would have been to go further with Enzo St. John. If he had so much as tugged at her arm to pull her toward that pile of blankets, she would have followed him without a second thought, would have…

No no no no no. She is not going to allow herself to think of him and her naked together, doing… that.

But she wonders what it would have felt like… his skin against hers, his…

No. Pushing her hands into the pockets of her coat, raising her chin, she picks up speed, forcing herself to focus on the road ahead that is slowly but surely being swallowed by the lacking light of dusk. At least she can now see the very first signs of city lights approaching, so it shouldn't be too long until they reach their destination.

.

By the time they finally do, it's completely dark, and Enzo is limping worse than ever before. Gnawing on her lip, she looks at him, her brow furrowed in thought. She should tell him to wait outside, because he'll only slow her down now, but of course that's never going to happen.

So she makes a face and keeps on following him, entering the hospital through the back entrance. Before she knows it, before she can ask him how he's going to do this, he nonchalantly puts his arm around her, tucking her close to him as if this is the most natural thing, and while she is still shooting him a bemused glance, he is already walking in like he owns the place, all trace of his limp gone as if it was never there to begin with. But the abrupt increase of tension in his body clues her in to the fact that not all is suddenly well. He simply has a stunning amount of willpower.

Like before… when he should have swept her up and undressed her and... done things to her.

Sighing, she bites her lip as she trudges on, trying hard to keep her thoughts from straying back there. Now is not the time… Besides, what if she imagined it all? Maybe he's already regretting it? She sure is. She should have never…

"Bonnie. What are you doing here…"

She freezes, feeling Enzo's tension rise even more if that is possible before he abruptly lets go of her, leaving her feeling more exposed. Colder. And she finds herself facing an all too familiar person.

"Matt," she breathes, exhaling slowly on the name, subconsciously stepping back a bit. He's not her friend anymore, not really, she knows it. Yet it's still the same friendly face.

They haven't seen each other since the day she got collared by his people, and it was probably for the best because now she feels a surge of anger rush through her, making her tense all fingers as if she can still channel her magic and send it out. The band around her neck crackles ominously, electricity building up, ready to shock her like it always does when she tries to use magic, but then she suddenly feels a hand slip over hers, fingers entwining with hers, curling around her hand, and slowly but surely, the tension leaves her as she looks to the side, where Enzo is standing right next to her now, shaking his head ever so slightly.

"You okay, love?"

"What are you doing here, Bonnie?" Matt repeats before she has a chance to reply. "And why are you with him?" He's hardened a lot more in the last few months, his features, everything looks harsher, more tired, too. But Bonnie has no sympathy for him, not anymore.

"None of your business, Donovan." Enzo's voice is a disinterested drawl, almost fooling Bonnie - if she couldn't feel the barely contained tension in him.

Matt raises an eyebrow as Enzo suddenly pulls Bonnie with him, toward Matt, and for some reason she doesn't even mind when the vampire faces off with her former friend, Enzo tilting his head a little as he takes Matt in.

"If I were you, I'd get out of the way now."

Scoffing, Matt grins, if a little hesitantly. "I don't think so. I doubt you two are here to visit anyone- "

"Which would be none of your business."

Matt clicks his tongue, looking at Bonnie now rather than at Enzo. He gives a sigh, putting a hand on the hilt of the pistol she can see protruding from his belt. He must have noticed that Enzo isn't collared or he would have just gone for the little device controlling them.

"I'm with the police, so it's my duty to make sure things are running in order. And you should know that all supernaturals have to adhere to the curfew we put in place. And you two," he checks his watch overly obviously, "only have twenty more minutes to get back to wherever you came from."

"Did you know that your people tried to sic the Rh'a on me?"

A flicker of surprise crosses Matt's features but he holds Bonnie's gaze, scrutinizing her warily. As if of its own accord, her hand turns in Enzo's, clutching it fiercely as she holds her former friend's gaze.

"Yeah," she continues, "and it's only thanks to Enzo that I'm still here, alive."

It's the first time she acknowledges it openly, and the squeeze she gives Enzo's hand hopefully underscores her gratitude. When he reciprocates the small gesture, she can't help but feel a little better, she isn't even sure why.

Matt watches her, opening his mouth, then lowers his head a bit, pinching the root of his nose as if he's fighting off a headache.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I swear I had nothing to do with that."

She rolls her eyes. It's hard to believe anyone these days, especially someone like him.

"Are you also sorry that Damon is dead because of you?"

"That's on Damon alone!" Matt's tone and stance have changed so abruptly that Bonnie tenses as she glares at him. But she doesn't have to confront him, doesn't have to say anything, because it's Enzo beside her who suddenly lets go of her hand and blurs forward so quickly that she has to blink.

The hand that just held hers is around Matt's throat now, choking him, and all Bonnie does is… watch as Matt's eyes dart between her and Enzo.

"Bonnie, tell him to stop."

As if she could tell Enzo to do anything. As if she had any power over him.

She doesn't.

"It's on you," Enzo hisses, sizing up the human in front of him like a predator, and when Matt fumbles for his weapon, it's all too easy for the vampire to swipe it out of his grasp. With a clutter, the pistol falls to the ground and instinctively Bonnie grabs it, the metal feeling strangely warm in her cool hand. "You rounded them up like livestock, Donovan. Your friends."

"Then that should tell you something about what I'll do to a freaking supernatural monster who isn't my friend!" Matt spits back, sputtering a bit when Enzo lets go without a warning.

"I should kill you for Damon alone, but since I know the lady has a soft spot for you still, despite everything you did, I'll give you one last chance to make this right."

"Enzo…" Bonnie places a hand on his shoulder, wary now. She doesn't know him well, but what she does know is that he's dangerous, and unstable. Or at least he used to be. Matt is in serious danger, but so are they. He's probably not alone, his cop friends somewhere around here, and they could be on them in minutes.

Damon's best and most complicated friend doesn't move a muscle, his shoulder hard under her grip. She doesn't want him to kill Matt, she really doesn't.

"You can't kill him."

"Oh, I can. And I will. Unless he takes off that collar around your neck."

Matt scoffs, rubbing his own neck gingerly as he meets Enzo's unrelenting stare.

"You know I can't do that."

"Why?"

Enzo's question is short, but to the point, and Bonnie is curious whether Matt Donovan has an answer. Part of her is almost a bit moved that Lorenzo St. John of all people is suddenly standing up for her.

"I don't need this," Matt says, shaking his head. "You two are gonna have to come with me."

"So you can put us in one of your cozy little cells? No, thank you. And I'm still waiting for your reply and your decision. Are you going to open the collar? Or not?"

"I can't! Okay? It's… complicated. I don't have the code. And I don't want to, anyways. You are all… dangerous. I need to protect my people from you!"

"She is one of your people. She's human just like you." Enzo pokes him hard, making Matt take a step back, his glare darkening even more. But that's not what Bonnie focuses on or cares about. No. Looking up out of wide eyes, she takes in the man right by her side, this familiar stranger, the vampire she kissed what feels like ages ago but has not even been a couple hours. He kissed her back, then pulled away all too quickly. Now she looks at him and sees… someone who's on her side. In this awful world, Bonnie Bennett suddenly has an ally again - the one she least expected to ever become one...

"She's a witch!"

Matt's raised voice brings her back into the hospital hallway. While she is half frozen, not sure what to feel or think, Enzo smirks at the other man.

"You're afraid of her."

"She's… the reason we're all in this mess!"

"You got it all wrong, mate. Surely you know that. Come on, what has Bonnie Bennett ever done to you and your 'people' that was not selfless and self-sacrificing? - And this is how you repay her?" Abruptly, he pulls her closer, holding her chin in a too tight grip, baring her neck to Matt as she swats at his hands angrily.

"Let go," she hisses, remembering why they're even here in the first place. "Let's just… get that defibrillator and leave. It's getting dark. Enzo…"

Begging doesn't suit her, so she stops herself right there. If these idiots have to continue their spiel, she'll just go alone. Trying to push herself off of Enzo's chest, she glares at them both, but the stupid vampire has a death grip on her and a mission to fullfill and she's all out of magic. Frustrated, she keeps bumping his chest until he briefly looks at her, a slightly miffed expression pulling the bow of his lips down a bit.

"You're not helping, love."

"Good, I wasn't trying to. We need to go." Her tone brokers no argument and yet here he is, arguing.

"We're not done here."

"Enzo." With a stern look, like she's talking to a small child rather than a grown man, she grabs his arm to make him hold her gaze and focus back on what really matters, and it's not Matt Donovan. "Let it go. We-"

"Listen to her, Enzo. Go before I collar you, too."

.

Just a split second. That's how long it takes for Enzo to move forward and snap Matt's neck. A split second. It happens so fast and yet Bonnie sees it as if in slow motion.

The way Matt's eyes widen, clearly not believing what is happening. And he's not alone in that either. Bonnie gasps in shock, watching it all unfold. Enzo blurring before her eyes, his hands coming up around the other man's neck, and then… the sharp sound the spine makes upon breaking. It's sending a jolt through her entire body, making her tremble.

"No."

And just like that, Matt Donovan is dead, her childhood friend, first boyfriend of her very best friend growing up… He's dead. He's barely slumped to the ground when Enzo grabs Bonnie, hard, whirling her around until she can feel herself being pressed against his too close chest.

"We need to go," he says and she can't help but glare at him in disbelief. Now he agrees? Now? And what did all this even accomplish?

Nothing.

Another one of her friends is dead. - But he wasn't a friend anymore, was he? She's just not ready yet to see it, to accept it. Matt is dead and Enzo killed him.

"Bonnie!"

"You killed Matt," she murmurs, accusing him, her voice growing louder when she repeats it, "You killed Matt. What the hell is wrong with you?! Just when I started to think-"

"What?! What did you start to think?! You told me yourself what he did. He locked you all up. He put this bloody collar around your neck - then left you with his insane buddy, and now Damon is dead because of it."

"I know that."

"Do you? Because why then would you get mad at me for killing him? He had it coming."

Hiding her face in her hands for a moment, Bonnie pulls away. She can't look at him right now, can't look at Matt either - his dead body a shadow on the ground, and she realizes that they're lucky no one has detected them yet. Soon they'll find Matt, and then…

Sobering, she forces herself to keep it together, to look Enzo right in the eyes.

"We'll talk about this," she grits out, "later. But right now, we need to get the hell out of here. Let's grab that stupid defibrillator and then go!"

With that, she leaves him standing there, out of the corner of her eye still seeing him stand around for a moment longer while she's already rushing down the hallway in search of the one thing they had come for. She'll be damned if they don't make it out of this place with it now.