I apologize for the delay in updating. I just got back to school, and everything got really crazy. I'll try to stay on schedule from now on. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

A Good Thing

In the morning, Bonnie stayed in bed long after she'd woken up. She spread her arms to the sides and closed her eyes, listening to the apartment. The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound except for her breathing.

Until the knocking started.

Bonnie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before she rolled out of bed to pad her way to the front door. A glance through the peephole revealed a head of shiny blond hair, and for a split second, panic seized her chest. It faded quickly, as soon as Bonnie reminded herself that blond hair didn't automatically mean Caroline anymore.

Just Rebekah.

Once her heart slowed itself to its regular pace, Bonnie opened the door.

Rebekah stood in the hallway dressed in a white sundress, sunglasses dangling from her finger tips and her lips smeared with pale pink lipgloss. Her mouth curved upward into an amused smirk, and she let out a barking laugh.

"When my brother told me you were here I didn't believe him," Rebekah said. "Faking your death isn't that surprising, I suppose, but following my brother to New Orleans? That I did not expect."

"Did you drag me out of bed just to see me with your own two eyes?" Bonnie said, leaning against the door.

"I came to request my invitation," Rebekah said. "Elijah tells me I should be allowed entrance into your home."

"I'll need Klaus to tell me that," Bonnie said. "I'm not inviting you in."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes. "At least help me move in?"

Bonnie took in Rebekah's empty hands and the equally empty hallway. "Looks like you've got it covered," she said.

Rebekah smiled. "You know, Matt and I were in Ireland when we heard about your...demise. He was very upset about it. The whole thing nearly derailed our trip, but Matt decided against going to your funeral."

"I'm sure he'll make the same decision about yours," Bonnie said breezily.

Rebekah pressed her lips together. "I see no reason we can't be cordial, Bonnie, as it appears we're on the same side."

"I'm on Klaus' side," Bonnie said. "It doesn't take a genius to know that you're probably not there yet." Just because Rebekah was here didn't mean she was going to be fighting for Klaus' cause.

"I was here when this city was built," Rebekah said. "If you ask me I've got just as big a claim to it as Klaus and Marcel do."

"Throwing your hat into the ring then?" Bonnie asked. "That would be interesting."

"On the contrary," Rebekah said. "I don't care what happens to this place. It's just a city. They used to fall and be rebuilt all the time in my day. As long as I'm still here when construction starts, I'm fine."

"That's good to know," Bonnie said dully. "We done?"

"I heard it's because of you I'll be getting a roommate," Rebekah went on. "Thank you for that."

"Well I know how desperate you are for friendship," Bonnie said. "I thought I was doing you a favor. Where's Hayley anyway?"

"She'll be here soon," Rebekah said, "once I'm all settled in. I'm very excited about it. I think we bonded quite a bit last night. Feel free to come by whenever you like. We'd love to have you over some time. For dinner, for drinks. We can have a girls' night, I know you probably haven't been able to have many of those since your death."

"Bekah!"

Bonnie didn't need to look to know it was Marcel making his way down the hall, but she almost laughed at Rebekah's face as she turned to face him. A mix of annoyance, surprise and vague interest.

"Marcel," she said. "It's been awhile."

"Agreed," Marcel said, opening his arms to pull Rebekah into a hug. She returned it, patting his back and releasing him within seconds. "You look beautiful. As always."

Bonnie blinked in Marcel's direction, trying to figure out what his game was. He was a flirt, but he'd be careful about flirting with Rebekah. No matter how appreciative Marcel was of a beautiful woman, he had a city he was trying to keep hold of, and Klaus' sister wasn't going to be anyone's first choice in an ally. Bonnie wasn't even sure if she was on Klaus' list.

"As do you," Rebekah said, turning her lips upward into a smile that looked a bit too stiff to be genuine.

"Well," Bonnie said, "I'm gonna go." She moved to step back into her apartment, but Marcel held out a hand.

"Not so fast, Bonnie," he said, smiling at the roll of her eyes. "I'm inviting you to a party."

"Another one?" she said. She'd be glad when Klaus wrapped up this thing with Marcel. At least then she wouldn't have to go to anymore of his parties. After so many, they were all starting to form one amorphous blob, and it wasn't very fun hanging out with a bunch of vampires who'd probably love to rip her head off. If Marcel's orders ever changed, they'd do that in a heartbeat. For now they pretended she wasn't even there.

"We have to celebrate Rebekah coming into town, don't we?" Marcel said. "What do you say, ladies? It'll be fun."

He knew she'd have to go. Klaus' orders.

"I'm always up for a party," Rebekah said. "We'll see you there."

Two Months Ago

Another night, another party, another expensive dress. It was the first time Bonnie had been invited to Marcel's castle of sorts, located in the center of the Quarter. In the gold glow of the lights everything was dim and warm looking. The room was also stifling, packed with vampires from end to end who laughed and drank and danced together. Some of them stopped to speak to her, questioning who she was and looking amused when she told them. The novelty of her being the only practicing witch in town had worn off to be replaced by her status as The Witch Who Slept With Marcel. That one seemed to be sticking.

She hadn't seen Marcel in awhile, and she hadn't seen him when she'd come in. The only contact she had with him was through text message. When he extended the invitation to this party (for an occasion Bonnie hadn't been filled in on) she'd known she'd be expected to go even if the night was going to be spent reminding Marcel of the main objective of a one-night stand. So she'd found a dress, found shoes, did her hair. It was incredible how easy she'd fallen into the routine.

"Bonnie!"

When she turned she saw Marcel coming toward her, grinning as he leaned against the bar. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Fine," she answered stiffly. "You?"

"Great," he said. "You haven't returned any of my texts."

Bonnie shrugged her shoulders and reached for her drink. "Sorry, but I figured you'd catch the hint. It's been a couple weeks though so I admit, I thought you'd catch it sooner. We're not having sex again."

Marcel's smile widened. "Why not? I thought you enjoyed yourself."

"I did," Bonnie said. "It was nice."

"That's the best adjective you can come up with?" he said. "Nice? How about something a bit more powerful? Something that truly encompasses the experience? Mind-blowing? Breathtaking? Spectacular? How about thrilling?"

"You thought all those things? Thank you," she said. "That means a lot, but I think one of us enjoyed it way more than the other."

"No need to downplay it, Bonnie," Marcel said casually. "I was there, remember? I heard every appreciate sound and statement that you made, and there were plenty of them. Want me to give you a replay? I think I can convincingly imitate at least half of them."

Bonnie pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Or," Marcel said, "we can replay the whole thing. Upstairs. Together. It'll be fun, and you know it'll be fun. That's why you're making that face right now. You want to, so why don't you?"

It would be fun. If Marcel shut up and put his mouth to other uses, it would certainly be fun. Maybe it would even top the first time.

"Because," Bonnie answered, "it was a one-night stand. You know how those work."

Marcel rolled his eyes. "Bonnie-"

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Bonnie asked. Maybe that was his plan all along. He already knew she found him attractive, attractive enough to sleep with, and she was here with Klaus. Marcel wasn't stupid, and like Klaus, he knew the value of a good witch.

"Am I seducing you?"

"You're annoying me."

Marcel laughed.

"I've got a good thing with Klaus," Bonnie said, crossing one leg over the other. "He gives me everything I need. Place to stay, clothes to wear, money to spend."

Marcel's fingertips ghosted across her wrist. "He doesn't give you everything you need."

It was Bonnie's turn to laugh. "No one gives you everything you need," she said, once the laughter subsided. "But I do have a good thing going with him. Do you think I'm gonna throw it away for sex?"

"It was good sex," Marcel reminded her.

"It's not even love," Bonnie said, reaching for her drink.

"So you'd throw it away for love?"

Bonnie looked down at her drink and saw Jeremy's face in the amber hued liquid. It had been awhile since she'd thought of him, not since that night at the house with Marcel where she'd known for sure he'd disapprove. She wasn't supposed to be in New Orleans, having sex with a self-appointed king. She was supposed to be back in Mystic Falls with him. "No," she said.

Marcel made a clucking sound with his tongue. "When you change your mind about the sex," he said, "you know where I am." He gave the room a cursory once over and raised his arm when he saw someone he recognized, who Bonnie couldn't make out in the crowd of people. "I've got someone you should meet."

Bonnie sighed. "Do I have to?"

"You'll like her," Marcel said, extending a hand for a girl who was cutting through the mass of people to reach Marcel's side. "Bonnie, meet Lydia. Lydia, say hello to Bonnie"

Lydia's smile didn't falter as she extended her hand to Bonnie who shook it casually. "She works for Klaus," Marcel said, and for a moment Bonnie was confused about which of them he was talking about.

"Yeah, I've heard of you," Lydia said, before calling out for a drink. "I love your dress," she added.

"Thanks," Bonnie said. She didn't let her eyes linger on Lydia too long before she was back to looking at Marcel, blissfully unaware that the girl at his side was selling him out. She was a better person to do it than Bonnie had thought, if Marcel liked her this much.

"I've known Lydia for years," Marcel explained. "I sired her myself."

Even better.

"Really?" Bonnie said. "That's...nice."

She almost felt bad for him.

Present Day

Bonnie sat at the bar with her drink, listening to Rebekah and Marcel flirt behind her. Rebekah had warmed a bit more to him since they'd gotten there, though she hadn't completely abandoned her chilly attitude. Now it was just sprinkled with some smiles and laughs. It had been going on for awhile. If the two of them didn't retire to Marcel's room upstairs before the night was over, she'd be very surprised. Chances were they were both waiting to see if Klaus would make an appearance. Seeing his new enemy and sister headed upstairs together was sure to piss him off, but Klaus probably wouldn't come. They'd have sex either way.

When Rebekah flitted away to speak to Elijah on the other side of the room, Marcel leaned against the bar at Bonnie's side. "Having fun?" he asked.

Bonnie nodded her head slowly. This wasn't the best party he'd ever thrown. She'd have rather headed to Turbulence, but it was work. Klaus was going to depositing some money into her account soon. The least she could do was earn it. She doubted Marcel was going to make any big moves with Rebekah and Elijah around, but Bonnie's presence was required whenever Klaus wasn't going to be there no matter which of his siblings was in attendance.

"You?"

"Of course," he said. "It's a shame our friend couldn't come tonight. I'm sure he'd like to get out of the house."

Bonnie didn't dare say Tyler's name with Rebekah and Elijah so close. They were distracted enough that they probably wouldn't notice it, and the music was so loud there was a chance they couldn't hear it, but the risk was too great. "Yeah," she agreed.

Thierry approached, putting a hand on Marcel's shoulder and nodding to the door. Looking around, Klaus entered. The enraged flicker of Marcel's eyes only lasted a few seconds before he replaced it with a dazzling smile. "Klaus!" he exclaimed, leaving Bonnie's side to make his way toward him, Thierry following him. "You made it!"

Bonnie swiveled around on her stool to face them completely, watching them embrace, each of them wearing similar looks of false gentility. Marcel called for someone to pour Klaus a drink, and once it was in his hand, Klaus bent his steps Bonnie's way.

"I see you're enjoying yourself," he said, claiming the spot occupied by Marcel only moments ago. He downed his drink in one gulp.

"Is it that obvious?" Bonnie said. "I'm surprised you came."

"I'm trying something new," he said. "If you'd like to leave, you may. I can work this room on my own."

Bonnie arched an eyebrow. "That's not like you. Worried Rebekah may switch sides?"

Klaus didn't answer, and Bonnie knew she was right. As expected Marcel was back at Rebekah's side now, an arm fixed around her waist while he tried to convince her to do karaoke with him. On the other side of the room cake was being brought out, already cut into neat slices. Marcel really knew how to go all out on short notice.

"Should I invite Rebekah into my apartment?" Bonnie asked.

"Not yet," Klaus said, tilting his head to the side. "I need more time."

"Fine by me," Bonnie said, sliding off her barstool. "I'm leaving."

"Are you going home?"

"I think I'm gonna stop by the club first," Bonnie lied. "Don't want this dress to go to waste."

"No, we don't," Klaus agreed, his gaze sliding up and down the line of her dress. When he found her eyes again, he smiled. "Have fun."

"Aren't you supposed to be at the party?" Tyler asked when he opened the door to find Bonnie at the door, holding a foil wrapped slice of cake in hand. He'd been laying down, if not sleeping, shirtless again with tousled hair.

"It was a bad party," Bonnie said, stepping past him, "and Klaus is there so I don't need to be. I brought you cake." She shoved the cake toward him and continued into the house, shrugging out of her jacket to toss it onto the chair.

"Thanks," Tyler said, looking suspiciously at the aluminum blob.

"It's good," Bonnie said, sitting down. "Chocolate."

Tyler unwrapped it as he sat down across from her, tearing pieces of it apart with his fingers. He popped a bite into his mouth and chewed quietly. "Good," he muttered.

"Told you," Bonnie said, folding her hands in her lap and leaning back against the sofa.

"How are you here right now?" Tyler asked. "Isn't party attendance part of your contract with Klaus?"

"It is," Bonnie said, "but he's at the party so I don't need to be. Marcel's going to sleep with Rebekah so Klaus is a little testy. So, what's new? Any more mysterious sounds from the attic?"

"Yes," Tyler said. "And...Marcel wants to be my mentor."

Bonnie blinked. "That's interesting."

"That's what I thought."

"There are worse people to be your mentor," she said. "Like Klaus." Granted, Marcel wouldn't be her first choice either, but she'd take him over him Klaus who more likely to get jealous and irritated about his students going on to do things with his lessons and try to take it from them.

Tyler nodded his agreement. "Yeah, I know. I just...it seems weird."

"Yeah, but you should take advantage while you can."

"While I can?"

"Marcel's not gonna win this," she said. "He can't. He'll put up a good fight, but it won't be enough."

"You're sure about that?" Tyler asked, eyebrows raised. "Marcel seems pretty confident."

Confident was Marcel's default setting. He wasn't going to be anything less, especially not in front of someone else. If there was any doubt left in Marcel, he wasn't about to show it to anyone who could use it against him. It was a good strategy, if strategy was what it was.

"That's just how he is," Bonnie said. "Self-doubt isn't really his style, but if you're gonna stay here you should know when you need to get out. When things go south, you'll need to run. Klaus isn't going to let Marcel live so there won't be anyone to protect you, and Klaus will find you. There's only so much I'll be able to do for you."

Tyler was quiet as he picked at his cake. He was thinking, and Bonnie thought about trying to soften the blow a little bit. It wasn't like she'd hand him over to Klaus when the time came. Maybe she'd be able to give him some advance warning? Get him out of the city before Klaus got around to collecting his spoils? The house may be first on Klaus' list. He knew what it meant to Marcel. If Klaus didn't claim it for himself, he'd burn it to the ground.

"What if things start going south for Klaus?" Tyler questioned. "What's Marcel going to do to you?"

Bonnie shrugged. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," she repeated.

"Because he likes you?"

Bonnie laughed. "No," she said. "Marcel doesn't like me." Maybe he did at one point. At the very least he'd found her interesting (still did) and he'd liked having sex with her (probably still did), but he didn't like her. She wasn't one of his family members, one of those people he'd handpicked to call his own, and after what had happened Marcel wasn't going to be making her an honorary Daywalker either. "He knows power when he sees it. I'm a powerful piece on a board of powerful pieces, and he'd rather I was on his side than not. But he doesn't like me."

"He said you guys hooked up," Tyler said, popping the last bit of cake into his mouth, looking directly at her.

Bonnie pointed her eyes to the ceiling. She'd think Marcel would keep that quiet as it had become a less than stellar subject with his people. With them he liked to pretend it hadn't happened, but Tyler wasn't one of them, not yet, and he didn't have the baggage that made it such a point of contention with the others. More likely than not Marcel thought it would add a nice shock factor to things with Tyler. Or maybe he just wanted to brag.

"Been waiting awhile to ask that?"

"I figure now's as good a time as any," Tyler said, "since you're being so nice."

"We did," she admitted. "Just once."

"And you're sure he doesn't like you?"

"You of all people know about sex without feelings or commitment or anything else," Bonnie said, smiling. "I can't even list all the girls you've slept with so you can't judge me."

"I'm not," he said, grinning down at his hands. "You were just never the type."

"That was then," Bonnie said, shrugging her shoulders dismissively.

"Anyway," Tyler said. "Why's Marcel not going to do anything to you?"

"If it looks like Klaus is going to lose - which he won't - Marcel's not going to do anything to me because I'm not going to let him," she said. "I'll leave, and they both know I will. I'm not here to martyr myself for Klaus. When I decided to go to him for help, it was because he was the best choice. He can give me everything that I need, and if that ever changes, I'll move on. You've got Marcel right now, but if that changes, you need to be ready to go, too."

"You're sure Klaus is gonna win?"

Bonnie nodded. "There's no way he can lose."

"Do you want him to win?" Tyler asked. "I mean, do you think he deserves it?"

"Of course he doesn't deserve it," Bonnie said. "That doesn't mean he won't get it. You didn't deserve to be run out of town, but it still happened." She didn't deserve to die alone beneath her school, but that happened, too. "Do you think Klaus deserved to get a kid? He's still gonna have one. Klaus is the stronger of the two of them, and that's all that matters."

"I think there's a chance," Tyler said. "For Marcel, I mean."

Bonnie shrugged. "Maybe."

"I want him to win," he said earnestly, folding his arms.

"Don't do that," she said, surprised at how quickly she spoke.

"Do what?"

"Get invested," Bonnie said. "If you want him to win then you'll do whatever you can to make that happen. You'll walk through fire to make that happen. You'll die to make that happen. Don't do that. It's not our fight so we don't have to win it. We just have to survive it."

"He could be me," Tyler said. "I could be him. If I were him, I'd want-"

"It's not you," she said. "It's him. You're Tyler, he's Marcel. If he loses, you don't have to lose with him."

"But if he wins, I'll win, too," Tyler said. "If Klaus wins, you'll win, right? If Marcel wins, I get Klaus off my back for good. I can go home if I want. If Klaus wins, you get to keep your apartment and your money. We win if they win."

Yeah, if Klaus won Bonnie would be a permanent fixture in New Orleans, at least for the foreseeable future. She'd keep a firm hold on her Good Thing if Klaus wrestled the city away from Marcel. "Well, one of us is going to lose," she pointed out.

Tyler shrugged. "It's not gonna be me."

Bonnie laughed. "Okay, Tyler. We'll see."