Last night's bites
"Would you all just bloody stop hovering!"
"See, I told she was fine" Klaus said, moving away from the couch where Rebekah war currently lying, staring daggers at them all.
"How are you feeling, sister" Elijah asked, sitting down carefully next to her.
"I'm fine! My head hurts, but it's nothing I haven't lived through before."
Caroline snorted a little. "What" she asked defensively when Elena and Bonnie gave her a stern look. "It's funny because she's not actually alive."
"Yeah, hilarious" Rebekah snapped. "Now get off the couch and let me rest."
"Are you sure you're okay" Kol asked, touching her forehead.
Rebekah instantly slapped his hand away. "She didn't give me a bloody fever, you idiot" she sneered at her brother. "I said I was fine."
Kol rolled his eyes. "Fine. Next time you can carry your own damn ass back inside the house and remove the stake impaling you. And you owe me a new shirt."
Elena stepped in to diffuse the building argument between them. "What happened? Did you see anything Bonnie?"
"No, just Esther and Finn and whoever was holding me. He was supernatural, though. I gave him an aneurism."
"Werewolf" Rebekah said. "I should have smelled him a mile away."
"Great, so now we're being invaded by werewolves" Klaus muttered. He poured a glass of scotch and handed it to Kol and then one for Elijah.
"I think Esther was chanting something when she touched you, but I couldn't hear it" Bonnie said.
"Couldn't you like do a magical check up or something" Caroline suggested. "To see if someone put a spell on her?"
"No!" Bonnie gave Caroline an incredulous look. "I'm not a magical x-ray machine, Care!"
Caroline just shrugged.
"So we have no idea why Esther was here" Elena surmised.
"Well, she managed to ruin the party, as always" Klaus said darkly. "We'll have to do something about that."
"Yes, by all means let's focus our vast energy and resources on stopping our dear dead mother from crashing parties all over the state" Kol snapped.
"Funny" Klaus snapped back. "But if you even had half a working brain, you would know I was talking about this house. We need to protect it against Esther so she can't enter anymore. It's too dangerous having her and Finn running around out there."
Bonnie rubbed her forehead. She was beginning to get a headache. "We can't just spell her out and hope that will make everything better. Are you going to stay here for the rest of your life" she asked.
"Bonnie's right" Kol agreed.
"Well, of course you would think so" Klaus argued.
"What is that supposed to mean" Kol asked hotly.
"Only you seem to be reluctant to tell us what's really going on" Klaus surmised.
"Not two seconds ago you accused me of brain failure and now I'm plotting behind your back" Kol scoffed. "Paranoia has turned you crazy, brother."
"You know what's going on" Klaus yelled. "You know something is wrong and you know that I know you know…"
"My, what a knowledgeable family we are" Kol teased. "Good for us."
"Don't play games with me" Klaus roared angrily.
"I think that's enough for now" Elijah stepped in between them. "This is exactly what Esther wants, for us to fight amongst ourselves. Kol, if you know something, from Bonnie or otherwise, now would be a good time to share it."
Bonnie suddenly felt very much put on the spot as several pairs of eyes turned to stare at her.
"It's the werewolves" Kol said, drawing the attention back to him. "I've suspected for some time, and I'm sure you have as well" he said to Klaus. "Esther is going to use them against you."
"Against all of us" Klaus said.
"Against you, you twat" Kol yelled at him. "You're the one who bloody murdered the crazy woman in the first place! Mikael would never have haunted us the way he did if it wasn't for you and now the bloody werewolves wants to end us all because you can't make people love you so you try to rule them instead!"
Elena's eyes widened and Bonnie took a quick step out of the soon to be path of destruction between Klaus and Kol.
"Maybe we should just take a step back" Caroline whispered, taking Elena's hand.
"Now Kol" Elijah started. "That's not true and you know it. Niklaus is not the only one to blame…"
"But he's the most responsible" Rebekah interjected hotly. "It's all your fault, all this, the reason we are like this!"
"I think we should leave" Caroline whispered as Elijah tried to physically make Rebekah sit down again.
Bonnie and Elena both nodded quickly and almost ran backwards out of the room as Kol picked up a frame from a table and threw it at Klaus' head.
"I can't believe I'm about to be related to them" Elena muttered as she stopped outside the mansion and removed her shoes.
Bonnie did the same with a frown. "Something happened."
"What do you mean?"
"They were all getting along pretty, well not good, but better than usual and then Esther did something to Rebekah and now it's like world war three in there again" she said as a loud crash come from somewhere inside.
"I hope you're thinking of serving valium as a side dish for Thanksgiving" Caroline said. "Great, now Kol is yelling about something that happened in the fifteenth century."
Elena sighed. "They're going to be at it all weekend probably."
"So" Caroline asked as the three girls started to walk down the drive way.
"So I kinda had plans with Elijah tomorrow" Elena muttered. "I have an appointment with Meredith to check the baby and I wanted him to come, you know, to make it more real."
"Oh" Bonnie sighed. "I'm sure he'll be there, Lena."
"Not if Kol and Rebekah are fighting about who gets to kill Klaus" she said quietly.
"Then we'll go with you" Caroline said, draping an arm around Elena. "Right Bon?"
"Of course we will" Bonnie said, taking Elena's hand.
"Thanks guys. I think this kid is going to need a couple of fairy godmothers."
"Care, your phone is ringing" Elena complained as she tried to turn around in the bed and accidentally pushed Bonnie over the side.
"Ooof" Bonnie grunted as she collided with the floor. "Thanks Lena."
"Sorry" Elena mumbled.
"That's not mine" Caroline said from the end of the bed where she was curled up.
"I can't believe we did this again" Bonnie muttered as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Yeah, you really need a new bed, Lena" Caroline complained as she tipped over the side as well. "Ow."
Bonnie tried to stretch and rub out the kink in her neck. They had walked back to Elena's house after the decidedly bad party last night and all fallen asleep in her bed.
"Sure, I'll just ask Ric for one. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to oblige, especially given the circumstances."
"Make sure he gets you one not quite so girly too. I can't really see Elijah enjoying a pink headboard" Caroline giggled.
"Maybe he's more into coffins" Bonnie laughed.
"I'll have to ask" Elena said with a smile.
"Kol knits."
Caroline and Elena both whipped their heads to stare at Bonnie. "You lie!"
"He told me so last night" she said with a nod and then started to laugh.
"He told you he knits, at a party" Elena asked. "I literally don't know what to do with that information."
"Well, now you know you'll never be in need of another pair of fluffy socks again" Caroline guffawed. "Maybe we're all getting itchy sweaters for christmas."
"What a treat" Bonnie laughed. "We'll be like the Weasleys. I always wanted to be like the Weasleys. Except for the red hair. Red's not really my color."
A knock on the door interrupted them and Alaric's head appeared. "Is it safe to come in?"
"It's fine, Ric" Elena said with a yawn.
"Hey Mr. Saltzman" Caroline greeted. "Thanks for letting us crash here last night."
"No problem. And I think Ric is just fine now."
"What's up" Elena asked.
"Jeremy and I are going to cook some breakfast" Alaric said with a raised eyebrow.
"And by cook you mean" Elena said.
"I mean we were kinda hoping you three would do the cooking while we set the table."
Bonnie and Caroline started to laugh as Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine. Give us a minute, then we'll meet you downstairs."
Alaric nodded and closed the door again.
"Sorry guys" Elena apologized.
"Don't be sorry, this is like the closest thing any of us have anymore to a normal family" Bonnie said. "Well, apart from you, Care."
"Yeah but my mom is never home anymore. Since she found out about the vampires, it's like she's been working almost nonstop to make sure no one else finds out. Which is good, I totally get it, but I just wish she would be home a little more sometimes."
"She's coming to Thanksgiving dinner, right" Elena said. "At least that's something."
"She said she would, but I'm sure something will come up."
Care, she's doing the best she can" Bonnie said. "At least you have a mom and you know the only reason she's working so hard is to protect you."
"Yeah, I know" Caroline sighed.
"Let's make pancakes. This feels like a pancake kind of morning" Elena suggested, getting out of bed.
Breakfast was more relaxed and comfortable than Bonnie had dared to hope. Jeremy was smiling and making small talk, Caroline was pitching ideas for a baby shower that Elena kept shooting down and Alaric had hidden his face behind a paper.
"How about an under the water theme" Caroline suggested.
"Given the way my parents died and I almost died…" Elena made a face.
"Oh god, I'm so sorry" Caroline gasped. "Water is definitely off the list! Promise!"
"Maybe we should focus a little more about Thanksgiving and a little less on the fact that Elena will be a mom at eighteen" Alaric suggested from behind the paper.
"Yes, thank you" Elena muttered. "So, I have the menu down, I just need some help doing the shopping."
"Jeremy and I will handle that" Caroline quickly volunteered.
"What? Why" Jeremy asked with a mouth full of bacon.
"Because we're the strongest" Caroline said with an eye roll. "And I've already picked out the most beautiful turkey!"
"Wonderful" Jeremy muttered. He took another piece of bacon, just for good measure.
"I'll help with the decorations" Bonnie offered.
"Actually, I was hoping you might make the pies" Elena said. "The smell of pie makes me just a little bit sick and Ric can't really do it."
"Maybe we should ask Elijah to chip in" Jeremy said. "I mean, it's for him that we're doing all this crap right? OW!" He gave his sister a hard glare. "You kicked me!"
"It's not crap" she hissed at him. "We're doing this because we do this every year. Too many things have changed this last year, but we're still here, against all odds. That's something to give thanks for."
Bonnie nodded. "Besides, you're going to be family no matter what. Might as well get used to a lot of awkward family moments"
"I can hardly wait" Alaric sighed. "When's your appointment?"
"In an hour" Elena said, looking at the clock.
"It's very nice of Meredith to make time for you on a Sunday."
"Yes… You've said that… Several times" Elena said with a knowing smile.
"Yes well…" Alaric cleared his throat. "You two coming along?"
Caroline nodded. "We're the moral support, in case the baby has horns or something."
"Caroline" Elena gasped.
"Sorry, I'm just trying to prepare you, in case!"
"It will not have horns!"
"It might have a tale, though" Jeremy snickered.
"Jer!"
"I bet it comes out wearing a suit" Caroline laughed.
"Guys" Elena said in a high pitched voice. "That's not funny!"
"Sorry" Caroline said.
"Lena, you have to learn to laugh about these things" Bonnie said. "People are going to start talking soon and they are going to say some pretty nasty things, no doubt. You have to have some kind of humor about it, or else it's going to drive you crazy."
"I agree with Bonnie" Alaric said. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but we just have to try to be positive about it. As long as the baby is healthy and doesn't have 666 tattooed on its forehead, nothing else really matters."
"Gee thanks" Elena muttered. "Did Stefan and Damon RSVP?"
"Yes, I think Damon said something akin to not a chance in hell he'd go" Alaric responded.
"Nice" Caroline muttered under her breath.
"Can you just talk to him again? It's really important that we're all here" Elena begged.
"Sure. I have nothing better to do than to beg the guy who killed my wife and your biological mother to please please celebrate Thanksgiving with me" Alaric muttered as he got up from the table.
Elena gave Bonnie a look. "It won't be that bad!"
"It'll probably be worse" Bonnie sighed. "But at least than you gave it a try."
"I hope you all have really good apologies on hand when everything goes off without a hitch" Elena huffed.
"Hey maybe you should have Meredith give you a head scan while you're there" Jeremy suggested and received another kick. "Would you cut it out?"
"Just be nice, alright Jeremy" she hissed at him and got up as well. "I'll go get ready."
Caroline looked at her clock. "I think I can just run home and get some clothes before we have to go" Caroline said. "You want to go?"
"No half my clothes are here anyways, I'll just go change too."
"Alright I'll meet you back here in about half an hour, then" Caroline said with a smile and a wave as she hurried out of the door.
"So, this is a little awkward, right" Jeremy asked.
"A little, yeah" Bonnie agreed.
"You and Kol, huh?"
"It's not really a thing."
"He's kind of a sociopath."
"I think most people are in this town by now" Bonnie quipped.
Jeremy snorted.
"I am not trying to flaunt it in your face, Jer."
"He is."
"Kol likes to flaunt" she agreed quietly. "But he's been asleep in a box for a century, so I think we might have to cut him a little slack on his social norms."
"So that excuses him for everything that he's done?"
"Jer, what has he really done, huh? Fought with his brothers, been horrible to his sister, slacked off in English? I think he actually might be the most well-behaved Original so for."
"He tried to kill me in Denver."
Bonnie pursed her lips a little. She wasn't sure if Jeremy would ever get over the whole Denver incident. So much had happened to him there, so many people had lied to him and even though Kol's transgressions seemed small in comparison to Elena's, it was easier to hate Kol for his betrayal. She was just about to respond when there was a knock on the door.
Jeremy got up to answer. "Great, just when I thought it couldn't get more awkward."
Elijah took a careful step into the house. "Miss Bennett. Good morning."
"Bonnie is fine, Elijah" Bonnie said with a small smile. His politeness always threw her off a little, perhaps because Kol seemed to have forgotten the meaning of the word.
"Yes, of course. I am here to escort Elena to her doctor's appointment."
"She's just upstairs, getting ready" Bonnie told him
"I think I'll head out" Jeremy said, staring between Bonnie and Elijah and when none of them responded immediately, he turned and almost ran out of the door.
"I think he still thinks it's a little awkward with you and Elena" Bonnie said as an explanation for Jeremy's behavior.
"Of course" Elijah said again with a nod. "Are you alright after last night? I understand it must have been a bit frightful for you."
"I'm okay. I think I'm starting to become battle hardened, actually. How is Rebekah?"
"Argumentative. But I'm beginning to think that's how she was born. With our mother, one shouldn't be surprised, perhaps. Niklaus is with her now, most likely arguing to his best abilities about how she should be recuperating."
Bonnie smiled a little. As an only child, she had always envied people with siblings and the close bond they shared, but hearing the Originals talk about their siblings mostly just made her grateful that her parents had settled for her only. "How is Kol?"
"Kol is angry, but like Rebekah, that seems to be his default mode and I'm not that concerned yet. He went for a long walk this morning and I suspect he will return home sometime tomorrow."
"A long walk?" Bonnie frowned. "How long are we talking?"
Elijah shrugged a little. "Kol likes to walk when things goes beyond his control. When he was a child, he would disappear for hours, sometimes days, after a fight with mother or father. Believe it or not, there was a time he was almost fearful of confrontation. Today he seems to relish it, as long as he is guaranteed a victory. Unfortunately, against his siblings, he seems to always be fighting a losing battle." Elijah smiled a little. "He and Rebekah were such nice children, though."
Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Are they twins?"
"Yes, Kol is just a few moments older than Rebekah. Something he will never let her forget."
"It's a little weird hearing you talk about them like that when you know them today."
"I would imagine so." Elijah pulled a little at his lip. "I will say, though… I am very happy that he met you."
"What?"
"Kol is difficult at the best of times and he thrives on the fights he has with his family, but after he met you, Bonnie, he seems a little more complacent, more thoughtful in a way."
Bonnie tried not to blush too much. Something in her wanted to point out to Elijah that Kol seemed mostly interested in the physical side of their relationship, but talking about sex (and especially talking about sex with Elijah, who was Kol's older brother) made her hands sweaty. "I don't really think that's me" she managed to stutter.
"I think you mean more to him that you will allow yourself to admit. Kol doesn't give his affections easily, not today, but he does loves fiercely when he does." He suddenly fixed her with a stern look. "I would hate for his affections to be in vain!"
Before Bonnie could answer Elena came searing down the stairs. "Hey let's get this over… Elijah?"
"Hello Elena."
"Uh, I didn't think you'd make it."
"I promised I would."
"Yeah but…" Elena met Bonnie's gaze for a moment. "I just thought, with everything going on with your family…"
"Elena, when I make a promise to you, I intend to keep it. And you are family now. You and…" He looked at her stomach for a moment.
Bonnie almost wanted to laugh. She hoped that Meredith would be able to determine the sex of the baby soon so everyone would at least have something to call it instead of "it". Hopefully a sonogram would also prove that there were no tails, horns or otherwise unfortunate signs of the child's rather unconventional heritage.
"Oookay" Elena managed to squeeze out. "So, we should go, right?" She looked at Bonnie again.
"I'll just see myself out. I'm sure my homework could stand some attention today" she said with a smile as she scrambled off the couch. "I'll talk to you later?"
"Sure" Elena said, giving her a quick hug.
Bonnie woke up as her phone started to beep. "What?" She lifted her head from her math book and sighed. Somehow, she had managed to fall asleep yet again. Page 287 was completely covered in drool. "Get it together Bennett" she whispered as she wiped it off with her sleeve. She pushed the hair out of her eyes and picked up her phone to see who was texting her. "What are you doing?" She read out loud and almost dropped the phone when she saw the sender. Damon wanted to know how she was doing? Did she accidentally wake up in some alternative universe?
She stared at the phone for several minutes, like it might just magically figure out a reply on its own. When nothing happened, she sighed and put the phone back down. Maybe if she ignored the text, it would be like he never sent it!
When the phone beeped again, she was ready to flush it out in the toilet in order to avoid it. She couldn't contain a small smile, however, when she noticed Kol's name light up on her screen. Rebekah had taught him how to text, which meant he didn't use any of that ridiculous abbreviations people seemed so fond of today. She thought about her reply for a moment, then quickly texted him back. She leaned back, basking in the glory of a well worded text, until it hit her that she had agreed to meet up with him and she was covered in drool. "Shit!"
"You know, when you asked if I wanted to take a walk with you, I didn't actually think you meant literally."
"You should know I am always quite literal" Kol replied with an easy smile. "Besides, I like walking around the town. I used to live here, remember."
They walked through the town in silence for a while until Bonnie stopped to rub her hands together. "I should have brought a jacket."
"You know" Kol started, copying her tone from earlier, "I didn't think you would ever be a damsel in distress."
"Cold is hardly distress" she retorted. "But I'll let you buy me a cup of coffee at the Grille anyways."
"Lucky me" he joked,
"You are lucky" she agreed with a smile.
He rolled his eyes, but took her hand and led her towards the Grille. "There you go, milady. Only the very best of the fried food selection for you."
"You are too kind, gentle sir" she replied in an off-southern accent.
"Oh would you look at you two."
Bonnie turned around and almost stumbled into Damon. She tried to come up with something to say, but her tongue had apparently grown about three sizes and she decided it was best just to keep quiet.
"Shouldn't you be home, making life miserable for your brother" Kol asked with a smile.
"Well, I could, but then I decided, why not make life miserable for you instead" Damon said, also smiling.
"You're going to have to try a little harder then, mate" Kol quipped cheerfully.
"Don't worry, I intend to" Damon responded, giving Bonnie a sideways glance. "Is this your plan to save yourself from the original mommy dearest? Witch bodyguard?"
"I don't need a bodyguard" Kol smirked back. "I just prefer to keep good company."
"You should ask Bonnie to do the same."
"Okay, I think that's enough macho show off for one day" Bonnie decided and started to push Kol towards an empty table and away from Damon. She had a feeling it wouldn't be too long before they tried to stake each other.
"It's a little pathetic, what you're doing" Damon continued like Bonnie hadn't said anything.
"Whereas pining for the cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff who is dating your little brother is what, exactly" Kol asked, still smiling. "And now you seem to be pining for her best friend. You might actually have reached a whole new level of pathetic, Damon."
"Why don't you just leave Bonnie alone and we'll all get along" Damon suggested easily.
"Bonnie can go out with anyone she pleases" Kol told Damon with a smirk that continued to widen. "And she pleases me." He patted Damon on the shoulder as he brushed by him.
Bonnie sat down at the table and gave Kol a stern look. "That was classy."
He leaned back in his chair a little. "And I'm all about the class."
"Clearly" she said with a frown. "Maybe next time it would be easier to just pee on me."
He smirked a little. "Would you like that?"
She wanted to throw something at him. "No! I want you to stop baiting Damon. Especially now when we're all expected to be on our best behavior for this Thanksgiving dinner."
"Yeah about that, do I really have to go? I didn't really like the pilgrims that much anyway."
"You didn't like the pilgrims?" Bonnie was sure her eyes were the size of saucers.
"No they were a bunch of boring old white men who wouldn't crack a smile even if you tried to carve one directly onto their faces. Oh and they most certainly did not have turkey, cranberry sauce or pie for the first Thanksgiving."
"Oh my god, you're ruining Thanksgiving" she moaned, hiding her face in her hands. "You truly are evil!"
He laughed. "Sorry, love. The indians were actually a lot more fun, if you ask me."
"I'll never ever ask you about Thanksgiving again" she swore.
"I can tell you about christmas" he offered cheekily.
"Don't even" she snapped, but couldn't suppress a smile.
"Or the fourth of july. That was a really fun weekend! Elijah had a ponytail back then."
"You're kidding?"
"No, and Nik was rocking a semi mullet. He did look a bit like the pictures I've seen of a Jon Bon Jovi."
"If only Instagram had been invented 200 years earlier" Bonnie sighed wistfully.
"It would have been full of Rebekah and her selfies" Kol concluded.
"I wonder how you looked" Bonnie mused.
"Amazing, as always" Kol summed up with a wink. "You can't desecrate perfection, not even with a mullet."
"It's actually amazing that you're able to anywhere with that huge ego of yours" Bonnie muttered and gave their waitress a smile. "Just a cup of coffee, please."
"And for you" she asked Kol with a smile.
"The same" he said without looking at her.
"Alright, God Bless" she said in a high pitched voice.
Kol snorted as she turned to leave. "Fat chance."
"You're going to Thanksgiving" Bonnie said.
"Fine" Kol said with a face. "But I'm not sitting next to Elena."
"I'm sure you won't even be placed in her vicinity" Bonnie laughed. "Stefan, Damon and Elijah will be too busy fighting over who get's to sit next to her."
"Poor Lijah. He really does have the worst luck in love" Kol sighed. "Maybe Bekah and I should get him a book for christmas to help him overcome that?"
"I think it might just be a little too late for that now. They're seeing the baby today."
"Seeing the baby" Kol asked with a frown. "How is that possible?"
Sometimes it was easy to forget that Kol had been stowed away in a box somewhere while the world took several great technological leaps forwards. Bonnie wasn't exactly sure how she was supposed to explain the wonders of a sonogram to him. "Uh, it's a machine that sort of looks into the stomach."
Kol's frown deepened. "Looks into the stomach? Is she being probed?"
"No! It's not like that, thank god. It's a bit like x-ray, you know?"
"So she gets a picture of her stomach taken?"
"Well, in a way I guess you could call it that" Bonnie mused. "But it's a picture of the baby, or a video. And you can tell the sex of the baby too, probably."
Kol looked like he had just been told fish could fly. "That sounds a lot like witch craft to me."
"Well, I suppose it is a little bit like magic, only medical magic."
"I really hope it's a girl" he said with a smile. "Just so Lijah will have to deal with puberty and horny teenage boys."
"Won't it be a little weird to be an uncle at the ripe old age of what? A thousand years?"
"I haven't actually thought that much about my role in all this" he admitted. "I'll obviously be the incredible handsome, fun uncle. Nik will the incredibly annoying uncle and Bekah will be an overbearing mother hen, no doubt. She get's that from our mother."
"I don't think your mother is taking home any awards for mother of the year."
"She wasn't always that bad. Believe it or not, there was a time when she wasn't actively trying to kill us" he half-joked. "Maybe it's menopause."
Bonnie snorted into her coffee. "Maybe."
Kol shrugged a little. "It doesn't really matter either. She'll have gathered the werewolves soon enough and then we'll see who's left standing."
"Do you think she knows about Elena" Bonnie asked. It had been eating away at her ever since Esther and Finn had appeared at the party. If Esther knew something, if she was planning to do something. In a way, she was glad that Elena was so surrounded by vampires. At least a werewolf couldn't just attack her out of the blue then.
"Probably. Mother was always so connected to nature's balance and something like this would have caused a wave of energy throughout. I'm surprised you didn't feel anything?"
"I've been on the magical mend for some time" Bonnie admitted. "Ever since my grams died, it's been a little hard for me to really connect. I have all these grimoires, but there's not really that much about connecting with nature, it's mostly just spells and a few family recipes." She twitched her nose a little. "Besides, Esther most be channeling someone or something really powerful and I'm not. Without my grams or mom, there's only so much I can do right now. If you want your candles lit, however, I'm your girl."
"That sounds so dirty coming out of your mouth" he said and leaned in. "You're welcome to light my candles any day, Bonnie Bennett."
"You have a one-track mind" she told him.
"Me? You're the one that started!"
"I didn't start anything, I told you a sad story about how my powers are hardly working." She threw her napkin at him. "You could be more sympathetic, you know, instead of making dirty jokes."
"Oh I never joke about being dirty" he said with a smirk.
"You two really make me sick!"
Bonnie looked up and saw Matt standing beside their table. "Hey Matt. What's up?"
"You need a refill" he asked.
"We're fine for now, Matt, thanks" Bonnie said, giving him a smile.
"There's a game on thursday" Matt said, looking at Kol.
"So?"
"So you're on the team. You skipped on practice twice last week" Matt told him.
"I promise you, my ability to catch a hunk of sewed together pigskin hasn't deteriorated since then" Kol snapped at him.
"Whatever man, just be there. Justin is still out with a broken toe, so we need everyone there."
"You want me to pinky swear" Kol asked.
"If it'll make you actually turn up, yeah sure."
"I'll make sure he's there" Bonnie promised. "Don't worry Matt, you'll win the championship this year."
"I'll never understand the american fascination with football" Kol admitted as Matt walked away.
"You do know you're american too, right? Like probably more American than the rest of us. Your family was one of the first settlers."
"And look what it got us" he said. "I'll promise to go to the game if you're there to cheer me on."
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"No, I'm offering you a deal. A good deal!" He waggled his eyebrows a little.
"I'll think about it" she said with a frown as her phone started to ring. "Hey Lena."
"It's a boy" Elena almost screamed into the phone.
"Congratulations" Bonnie beamed as Kol rolled his eyes. "From Kol too. He's really happy for you! How's Elijah?"
"Staring a whole into the sonogram picture. We disagree about the way the baby is turned…" There was a scuffle. "No no, that's an arm, you're turning it upside down. Like that, see?"
"Lena" Bonnie asked.
"Just a sec, Bon. No, that's the arm, there" Elena continued to argue. "Right there! No of course that's not a leg, have you ever seen a leg look like that?"
Bonnie just smiled. Elena was lousy at multitasking. "It's a boy" she told Kol as Elena continued to argue with Elijah about the position of the baby's arms.
"I heard. I think everyone in here heard, actually" Kol said.
"Alright, well obviously our child does not have leprosy" Elena snapped, "and that is clearly an arm!"
"Lena, how about we talk later" Bonnie asked. "I'll come over and you can show me the baby's perfect and leprosy-free arms" Bonnie suggested.
"Sorry Bon, that would be great" Elena said. "I can't wait to show you!"
"Sounds great" Bonnie said, hanging up. "You should come too."
"And stare at a picture of a baby with leprosy? No thanks" Kol said.
"These pictures are always blurry in the beginning" Bonnie said. "Come on. Embrace your new role as uncle and just look at a blurry picture of Elena's womb."
"Oh well when you put it like that." Kol rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever. But you owe me!"
"You always say that" Bonnie laughed and got up.
When Thanksgiving morning finally arrived, Elena and Elijah were no closer to reaching an agreement about the baby's position in the picture. Bonnie had immediately sided with Elena (mostly out of loyalty as the picture looked more like a peanut than a mostly human baby) and Kol had taken one look at the picture and asked if it was an octopus Elena was expecting. Elijah had taken his brother outside and preceded to yell at him for thirty minutes while Elena furiously explained Bonnie that a mother simply just knew these things and that the limb in question was most definitely an arm. Bonnie had sagely just nodded and smiled.
Luckily there were so many things that needed to be done before they could all gather around to have Thanksgiving dinner that Elena and Elijah put the argument on hold. Bonnie had baked five pies, just be sure and Caroline and Jeremy had filled up the kitchen with groceries and were now fighting over the right way to stuff a turkey. In the end, Alaric had taken over the kitchen and had, to everyone's surprise, proven himself a decent chef.
Elena had stayed out of the kitchen mostly, as the smell of cooking made her feel sick, and had instead busied herself with obsessively cleaning the house, as if any of the guests would care whether the upstairs bathroom had spotless tiles under the shower.
"This will be fun, right" Caroline said as she prodded the turkey to make sure it was ready.
"I'm not sure fun is really the right word" Alaric interjected as he effortlessly stirred in three different pans.
"Frightening" Jeremy suggested.
"Freaky" Bonnie said.
"Delightfull" Caroline snapped at them, swinging the turkey baster wildly over her head. "We have to find some way to make this work. We're stuck with each other for good now."
"Suicide never sounded so good, huh" Jeremy muttered as he passed Bonnie, who just rolled her eyes.
"Turkey is done" Caroline happily announced. "Where are the guests?"
"On their way, presumably" Bonnie guessed. "They probably couldn't agree which car to go in or something and got into a huge fight."
"They should really try out for family feud" Caroline suggested with a smirk. "Or Jerry Springer."
Bonnie snickered. "I'm sure they'll be here soon. Elijah wouldn't be late for this, he knows how important this is for Elena." Just as Bonnie said that, there was a knock on the door. "See" she said with a raised eyebrow directed at Caroline.
"Just get the door, please" Alaric asked. "The sooner we get this started, the sooner it will be over."
Caroline took off the ugly "World's best chef" apron and opened the door. "Welcome to our house of horrors" she greeted as Damon and Stefan walked inside. "I'm glad you're here, Stefan."
"I would like to state that I am here under duress" Stefan muttered as Damon gave him a push.
"Well, as long as you're here" Caroline said with a cheery smile. "Damon, never a pleasure."
"You too, Barbie" Damon said, looking around the house. "Did you hire a house elf for the night?"
"Elena's been going a little crazy with the cleaning" Jeremy said. "Bonnie, could you give me a hand with these."
Bonnie took one of the dishes from him and walked to the table. "We're pretty much ready to eat, we just need to get Dobby from upstairs and the Originals to show up."
"Funsies" Damon said in a fake cheery voice.
Caroline, who had been peaking out of one of the windows in the living room yelled "they're here" and Bonnie nervously fixed her dress as Alaric made a face.
Elijah was first through the door, carrying a bottle of vine.
"That's not going to last long in this company" Caroline muttered darkly.
Kol breezed in next, wearing a scowl and the most fitted button down Bonnie had ever seen. "Hello love" he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "Nik's bringing the good stuff, no worries" he told Caroline.
"Would someone please fetch the owner of this house" Rebekah hotly demanded from the door. "I don't intend to spend my first thanksgiving in years outside this shack!"
"I'll get the house elf" Jeremy volunteered.
"You're late" Bonnie told Kol, who just rolled his eyes.
"I think Bekah tried on every piece of clothing in the entire house" he told her. "And when she was finally done, she didn't want to drive in Nik's car because he always make her sit in the backseat.
"You guys make me so happy to be an only child" Caroline said. "Would you like a drink" she politely offered though.
"I'm about a bottle ahead of you already" Kol admitted.
"Kol, could I have a word please" Damon said in his falsely-nice tone.
"Contentious" Kol said with a smile before turning around and walking into the living room.
"This is going to be a long night" Alaric muttered as he walked past Bonnie and Caroline with the turkey.
Elena arrived downstairs in a huff a couple of minutes later and graciously invited Klaus and Rebekah inside. Klaus handed Alaric a bottle of bourbon and Rebekah pushed a very yellow bouquet of flowers into Elena's hands before she hurried after her brother towards the table.
"Alright, well, let's eat" Alaric declared and they all sat down at the table.
"Where's Matt" Jeremy asked.
"He's spending Thanksgiving with Tyler and his mom" Elena said in a tone that indicated that no one should ask about that again tonight.
"So what's the deal with this" Kol asked. He was sitting next to Stefan, who was wearing an almost identical expression of annoyance
"Basically, you eat until you feel like calling 911" Stefan explained in a sullen tone. "And pretend to like the people you're eating with."
"This is a silly tradition" Rebekah piped up. "The pilgrims didn't have turkey, they…"
"Thank you" Alaric said loudly. "I think we'll save all the fun stories from way back when America until after dinner!"
"Dig in" Caroline said with a big smile. "I've been waiting all year for the yams!"
"What the hell is yams" Kol asked.
"Sweet potatoes, mostly" Stefan said. "It's the orange goo over there."
Kol made a face. "Could someone just pass the bourbon, thank you!"
"Let's say grace before we move in on the hard liquor" Elena said in her sweetest voice possible, indicating to Bonnie she was about to snap.
"I'll do it" Bonnie offered quickly before Kol might take it upon himself to completely ruin their meal with the worst grace ever. "We have had our differences through the years, some more than other, but we're here now, together and united and for that, I give thanks and call us all truly blessed."
"Amen" Caroline quietly added.
Elena looked a little displeased at the very untraditional grace, but Alaric gave Bonnie a smile and a nod. "I think that was very appropriate" he said. "Now, dark meat or light meat?"
Everyone started to pass plates and dishes around and for at least half an hour there was a general spirit of happiness and contentment in the room. Even Damon managed something that might actually be a smile as Rebekah passed him the vine.
"I'd like to make a toast" Elijah said with a smile gracing his lips, standing up. He looked around the table. "I want to thank you all for coming today to celebrate not only Thanksgiving, but also the joining of our extended families. I am also very happy to announce that Elena is expecting a boy come next year."
Bonnie noticed that Elena's smile was stretched so wide it actually almost looked painful. She smiled herself, it was nice to see Elena so happy for once. She turned to give Kol a look when his right hand snaked up her thigh.
"What?"
"What are you doing" she asked with a smile.
"Your thigh looked cold" he leaned in and whispered.
"I assure you it's fine" she laughed.
"Well maybe my hand was lonely" he said, gently squeezing her thigh. A soft smile settled on his face.
"Looks like you managed to domesticate him" Damon commented a few seats down.
Bonnie took a deep breath and ignored him. "Thank you for coming" she told Kol.
"I expect some kind of reward later" he told her, the smile turning devilish.
"Of course you do."
"Could you guys not" Jeremy asked with a frown as he placed the potatoes in front of Bonnie. "It makes me feel nauseous."
"Then look the other way, mate" Kol snapped.
"Kol, behave" Elijah was quick to scold. "Remember our talk."
"Remember the part where I told you I didn't care" Kol fired back at his brother without even turning to look at him. "It still goes."
"Drink some more wine" Bonnie said, trying to diffuse the situation. She really just wanted a nice meal without any worries or fights.
"Hand me the red then" he sighed and poured himself a very generous glass, which he immediately downed. "You know, I never used to drink before."
Bonnie snorted so hard down her own glass of wine she worried she might actually have broken the glass. "Yeah right."
"Ow, Rebekah" Elena suddenly exclaimed, staring at Rebekah,
"Sorry" Rebekah apologized quickly. "I didn't know you were sitting so close."
Elijah frowned a little as he looked at Elena's hand that was bleeding a little from a small wound on her arm. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, sure" Elena said, shaking her head slightly. "I was just surprised. I'll go clean it up." She stood up shakily and made her way to the kitchen.
"Was that really necessary, Bekah" Klaus asked with a stern look at his sister. It was the first time Bonnie had ever heard chastise Rebekah over her manner towards Elena.
"I didn't do it on purpose" Rebekah snapped at him. "I'll go see if she's okay."
"Sit" Elijah ordered. "I'll go."
"We'll both go" Rebekah said with a glare and got up quickly.
"Well, that escalated quickly" Damon muttered, pouring himself another glass of wine.
Bonnie looked at Kol, who seemed to share a look with his brother. It was almost like they were having a silent conversation. Suddenly they both got up and followed Elijah and Rebekah.
Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Did we miss something?"
"I feel like I'm always missing something in this company" Stefan quietly mused.
"It's your sanity" Damon helpfully supplied him. "Have some more wine."
"I think maybe we should go see what that was all about" Bonnie suggested with a frown. It seemed like a big deal for what essentially was most likely just a little accident.
Caroline nodded and got up and they both walked towards the kitchen when they heard a crash, like someone had fallen over and taking half the kitchen appliances with them.
"Lena! Is she alright" Caroline yelled as she saw Elena lying on the floor. Elijah was kneeling next to her, trying to get a response out of her, while Klaus and Kol were both staring at Rebekah.
"Mother?" Klaus had discreetly picked up a large kitchen knife.
"So much strife" Rebekah said, looking at them. "Look at you!"
"What the hell is going on" Bonnie yelled, looking confused between Rebekah and Elena on the floor.
The rest of the party quickly joined them in the kitchen. "What's happening? Elena?" Alaric hurried over to Elena's lifeless body.
"Is she alright" Jeremy asked, looking wildly around too.
"She'll be fine" Rebekah assured them. "In a while. Good as new."
"What did you do" Elijah asked angrily.
"What had to be done. I am sorry to see you hurt, but…"
"Enough" Klaus declared angrily, charging at her with the knife.
Rebekah lifted her hand and sent him flying across the room, but the commotion was enough for Kol to sneak up on her and without much ado, he snapped her neck, letting her collapse on the floor.
"What is happening" Caroline screeched at them. "What the hell did she just do?"
"It wasn't Rebekah" Klaus said, picking himself up from the floor. "It was Esther."
"Esther?" Bonnie stared at Rebekah's form on the floor. "But how is that even possible?"
"Blood curse" Kol sighed, wiping his forehead. "She must have linked herself to Rebekah when she attacked you at the party. She can control another person that way or posses them."
"Rebekah is possessed by Esther" Caroline asked, clearly confused. "But why? And what did she do to Elena."
Elijah held up a small wooden needle. "She poisoned her."
A/N: Happy New Year! My NY resolution? Update this more! Please feed the poor, starving writer (who's cranky because she's on diet and training for a marathon) by leaving a review. Did you make insane NY resolutions too?