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The mood in the house changed drastically as it felt more like a prison. For the last week Elena had been the only one to leave the house. She'd made stealthy beignet runs and plenty of trips to the drug store for magazines and movie rentals – anything that she thought might cheer them up but nothing seemed to be doing the trick.

"Where are you off to this morning?" Elijah asked. He had just fallen right into step with Elena as she walked along the sidewalk.

"Grocery shopping," Elena said. "We're out of almost everything so no more avoiding it. Last night we ran out of the last of the ice cream and caramel syrup so before we have a crisis on our hands I figured I'd better go."

"We'll help," Elijah said and Elena jumped when she realized Kol was also walking with them.

"I'm not going to let you in," Elena said firmly.

"I know – I just want to talk to her," Kol sighed.

"She misses you," Elena said.

They finished the shopping quickly and everyone was loaded down with bags as they walked back to the girls' townhouse.

"Bon, Care I'm back! Come out to the gate and I'll pass them through," Elena called. The girls appeared a moment later and all Bonnie and Kol could do was stare at one another. Elena began to pass the bags through while the girls carried them into the house.

As they came back for the second trip Bonnie reached to take the bags from Kol out of habit. Her arm crossed the threshold to grab the bags and she didn't realize it until Kol's thumb rubbed the back of her hand. Bonnie's first instinct was to use whatever magic necessary to get her hand back but she hesitated as her eyes were locked with his. He wasn't making any attempt to pull her across though he could easily do so.

The others had been finishing up the groceries oblivious to what was going on next to them. Now they were all staring at Bonnie and Kol.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"He's not hurting me," Bonnie replied though she never took her eyes off Kol.

"I think we're good here Care," Elena said where she was leaned against the outside of the gate in close proximity to Elijah.

"Okay," Caroline sighed, "but I think I'll go sit on the balcony for a while." She disappeared.

Kol was completely amazed when Elena casually turned her attention to Elijah and started up a conversation. He glanced at her a minute and then turned his attention back to Bonnie. His thumb was still rubbing the top of her hand and she was watching him do so.

"I miss you," Bonnie finally admitted after a long silence.

"I miss you," Kol replied sincerely. "Come out Bonnie – let me take you to dinner." He could see the war raging in her eyes. She was conflicted.

"I can't" The fact that she wanted to brought him hope.

"You told me you trusted me," Kol became edgy.

"With my life Kol," Bonnie said sincerely and she pulled him forward until he was at the edge of the threshold. He could feel its invisible power brushing against him. She reached up and caressed his cheek. He closed his eyes and tilted his head into her touch.

"But this isn't just my life," she continued after a long, charged moment. "This is Stefan's life and the baby's life – maybe even Caroline's life." She remembered how Klaus had raged outside the house all night.

"Bekah's my big sister Bonnie. I love her but for a thousand years give or take we've all tried to help her through the immutable fact that vampires can't procreate. So imagine my shock to see her with child. Just how far along is she? Is that permissible to ask a lady these days love?" Bonnie smiled.

"Yes people ask that these days," Bonnie replied. "She's nineteen weeks or just one week shy of five months."

"How long have you known?"

"Three months," Bonnie said.

"I can't believe she was in the same house with all of us and no one knew," Kol marveled. "That was a very powerful spell." Bonnie shrugged. Her legs were getting tired but she didn't want to stop talking to him so she slid to the ground against the bricks curling her knees to her chest. He followed her down and her hand never left his.

"Is the baby…normal?" Kol worried.

"The heartbeat is perfect. Rebekah, Caroline and Elena counted all the heartbeats in a minute and it's right on track. I imagine the spell allows for the baby to be born human and then revert to vampirism once they've finished growing. There was mention that the resulting offspring would begin to require blood in their late teens. That should make beginning to date fun." Bonnie quipped.

"That's my niece or nephew," Kol smiled. "When will we know?"

"Well normally by now she would have been to the doctor and had a sonogram but we're worried about what might be discovered so that's not possible. So I guess when the baby is born. They did that for hundreds of years before technology."

"Do you know what I want to do most in the world right now?" Kol asked gently. Bonnie looked at him waiting for his answer.

"I want to carry you to my bed and kiss you senseless my little witch." She looked at him with longing in her eyes and maybe something more but his reaction to Rebekah's news had been a setback. They sat there for the rest of the afternoon with their hands joined and they talked of nothing and everything. It was all he could get but it was her and that was enough.

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