Hello, my lovely readers. There are only three more chaps left! On with the show…
Chapter 20: There's No Turning Back Now
The sun lit up the sky and Bonnie Bennett watched it beginning to fade away on the horizon. She felt heavy. Her heart slowed. Her thoughts went back to the day she'd killed Alaric. Her friend. The idea of killing a friend—even accidently—left a mark, an invisible scar on her heart, or her soul. Being whatever she was now, Bonnie wondered, if like a vamp, she might have lost her own and this life she lived now was a kind of hell.
"Hey," Elena said, laying her head on Bonnie's shoulder.
"Hey yourself," Bonnie replied, offering Elena a smile.
"You okay?" Elena inquired, peering up at Bonnie.
Bonnie shrugged, nudging Elena's head up and down, as if her friend were agreeing with Bonnie's unstated comment. "Sure."
"She's totally not fine. None of us are fine, Elena," Damon snapped. His eyes were darting over the darkening road ahead of them.
Bonnie hated to admit it. But she agreed with Damon. They were not okay. Nothing was fine. Nothing might ever be fine again. They might be meeting Ric sooner, rather than later. Bonnie had a bad feeling that they might not make it at all.
What was important to Bonnie was that they find Caroline's girls. They needed to get the children home. Ric's girls deserved better than whatever kind of horror show Katherine had cooking for them. And Klaus' daughter. Funny, Bonnie never thought she'd be fighting on behalf of Klaus Mikaelson's anyone. Maybe Care. If Care went nuts and decided to officially be with the Original Hybrid, which seemed inevitable at some point in time.
"We're probably all going to die," Damon told them, through gritted teeth.
For a moment, Bonnie thought this was true and then she shook her head. "No. No we're not all going to die. Someone might die. Our enemies will die for sure. But not all of us have to go down with them. Now, let's go get some straws and see who's going down with the ship."
"Hell no!" Damon snapped, banging his hand on the steering wheel. "Look, Bennett, we're not going to go get some straws, pretend like we'll do what they say and then turn around to find you've run off to play hero!"
"Damon, calm down," Elena called. "You're going to get us all killed." She sat up and took hold of Bonnie's hand. "And, Damon's right, if any of us are going to die, we'll die together."
"That is not what I was saying E-len-a!" Damon yelled.
Elena looked from Damon to Bonnie. She opened her mouth to speak again when Stefan stepped in. "Valerie was right. Before. When she said we should split up. If any of us end up…" He stopped. "There needs to be another line of defense, until we can stop their plan."
"We don't even know what they want," Bonnie argued.
"Why don't we ask them," Valerie offered, checking Matt's pulse. He'd been sleeping the sleep of the dead and Bonnie felt her heart give another, painful twinge.
"Yes. Because all you have to do is dial 1-800-Satan's-Plans for a full explanation of what the hell Katherine is up to this time!" Damon pounded his fist on the steering wheel, again.
"Pull over!" Bonnie snapped. "I'm driving."
"No, you're not!" Damon snapped. "I can drive."
"You're going to drive us into a ditch!" Elena shouted at Damon who turned around to give her a dark look.
"I'll drive," Stefan offered.
"Fine," Stefan grumbled.
"Ugh. I need to pee." Matt sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "Where are we?"
"You're alive!" Elena cried, grabbing Matt and hugging him.
Bonnie joined in, gripping Matt tightly until he let out a low groan. "Ouch. Okay, ladies. Nice to see you're happy I'm okay, but Bon, you're kind of crushing my ribs."
"Sorry." Bonnie released her grip on her friend and sat back. She watched Damon pull over and the Salvatore brothers switch seats.
Stefan peered out the window. "Can you hold it for another half-mile? There's a gas station."
Matt nodded and everyone became silent.
Bonnie looked in the rearview mirror to see Kol driving right behind them. She'd half-expected Kol to drive off five miles back. It might have been better for them if they'd taken another plane to get back to Mystic Falls, but no one in the group really wanted to get back into the friendlier skies right now.
"Gas station," Damon called out, and Stefan pulled over. Matt leapt out of the backseat and ran for the front door.
"I'm going to get a snack," Bonnie told them.
Elena got out. "My legs are killing me."
"Want me to rub them?" Damon inquired and Bonnie rolled her eyes. She missed Enzo. Where are you? she asked him, silently. If only he'd reply.
Striding into the gas station, Bonnie went over to the glass doors holding lots of caffeinated goodies. "What are we doing, Bennett?" Kol inquired and Bonnie jumped.
"Do you mind?" Bonnie snapped. She turned to face him and noted Davina wandering down an aisle, eyeing candy bars before continuing onward. "Are you in love with her?"
Kol's eyebrows rose. "Are you jealous?" His grin made Bonnie want to punch him. "Because I clearly recall making a proposition once and you soundly turned me down. Perhaps you prefer men that are spoken for. Like Damon Salvatore. I noted a bit of tension between you two."
"Kol, you're twisted. I have a boyfriend, whom I love, very much, and I would like for you to answer my question, before I act on my desire to punch you in your smug face," Bonnie hissed.
"I would like to see you try," Kol retorted, leaning closer to Bonnie.
"Am I interrupting something?" Davina's eyes were wide and she looked from Bonnie to Kol.
Bonnie shook her head and slapped Kol's chest. "Just catching up on old times." Kol groaned when Bonnie hit a little harder than she needed to. "So, I have a tiny favor I need to ask of you two."
"Oh, what would that be, pray tell?" Kol leaned against the glass doors and waited as Davina moved to stand beside him.
"I need for the two of you to create a distraction," Bonnie told them, eying the doors, expecting someone from her party to come at any time.
"Oh?" Kol looked confused. "Distract who?"
"My friends. I need them out of the way." Bonnie watched the light bulb begin to burn brightly over Kol's head and for a wide smile to appear.
"It would be my pleasure, Bonnie," Kol said, looking to Davina. "Shall we get a few things for the road?"
~0~
Bonnie felt a tug at her stomach as she stood inside the gas station and watched as Kol said something and then Davina made all her friends drop to the ground. With a quick intake of breath, she strode out of the store, tugging her new ball cap down over her hair and marched out of the store.
"Keys," Kol said, swinging the car keys in her direction. "Do be a dear, and don't get killed. I would hate for your little friends to blame me for your heroics."
"Don't worry, they know this is all me," Bonnie said. She slipped behind the wheel of the car Stefan had been driving, nodded at Davina and took off for Mystic Falls.
Bonnie knew she did not have much in the way of a head start. Damon would wake up and somehow he would find a way past Kol and begin to hunt Bonnie down. She just hoped she found her own quarry first. Or maybe he would find her instead.
~0~
When Bonnie arrived in Mystic Falls, it had begun to rain. Fat, angry drops plopped and pelted over her body as she strode up to the Salvatore Boarding House. She did not know why but her Hunter's sense was pushing her in that direction. She hoped she was right.
Opening the front door, Bonnie stepped inside. Dead silence greeted her. "Kai!" she shouted, glaring at the empty foyer and stomping into the Great Room. "You crazy son of a bitch! I know you're in here! Now, face me!"
A low chuckle sounded from behind her and Bonnie whirled around to find Kai, the fire poker in his hand and he slapped it against his open palm. "Bonnie, how nice of you to show. I was beginning to think I'd have to come looking for you." His grin made her skin crawl.
"I'm here. Let's get this over with," Bonnie dropped into a fighting stance and waited for Kai to swing his weapon.
Kai looked amused and then his eyes widened as they fell on the fire poker. Raising a hand, he waved it in a dismissive gesture. "Oh, this?" He waved the poker. "You think I meant to fight you? Silly. No! I was just making us dinner. And I thought afterward we could sit down to a nice cozy fire. Have one of those totally cheesy fire-side, rom-com love scenes. I bet you and Lena and Care Bear used to watch them all the time."
Kai tossed the poker and it hit a wall, ripping a huge hole in it and Bonnie rolled her eyes. Damon would hate that. "Oops. Guess I need to adjust to all this newfound strength. Think of it, I'm the first Heretic Wolf. Does that make me a Here-wolf? Hmm…. Need to work on that name. Don't think that one strikes terror in the hearts of people, now does it? Any ideas?"
Bonnie just stared at Kai. "You're insane."
"Yes. But I'm much more interesting company than some people I could think of. Like those pesky friends of yours. So happy we won't have to invite them to the wedding. You know, because they'll all be dead soon." Kai clapped his hands together. "Anyway, where are my manners? I'm just too excited that you showed up. And you're all wet. Let's go find you some dry clothes. Damon probably bubble wrapped some of Elena's old duds. And, again, she won't miss them."
Bonnie let out a hiss and swung into action. She closed the space between them and sent an open palm into Kai's jaw. She hoped to dislocate it so he would shut his mouth for once. Her right foot came up and she slammed her knee into his crouch.
"Maybe back when you were my age, it was still okay for guys to push their intentions on a woman, or anyone, really, but this is no longer that time. Welcome to the twenty-first century, you dick." Bonnie dug her knee into his crotch and Kai let out a groan.
"You're right. I should treat you like a dude!" Kai said and he grabbed Bonnie by the throat and tossed her across the room like she weighed nothing.
The wall behind her exploded and Bonnie felt blood filling her mouth. "Then again, I never did see the difference between women and men, little kids and adults. Other than some broke more easily than others," Kai said, striding toward her. "Not you, Bon Bon. Maybe that's why I like you. You're special. You just don't die." Taking ahold of Bonnie's arm, Kai dragged her away from the shattered wood and plaster and began to haul her out of the living room.
Letting out a cry of fury, Bonnie balled her fist and slammed it into Kai's left foot. Kai hissed in pain and shook his head. "Why don't you make this easier on both of us? I don't want the kids to be raised in a house where mommy and daddy are constantly fighting." Taking hold of Bonnie's hand, Kai swung her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist, trapping both her arms to her sides.
Kicking and screaming, Bonnie thrashed in Kai's arms. She managed to head butt him and found herself dazed from the effort. "You can't fight me, Bonnie," Kai whispered into her ear. "Now, you can play nice or I can lock you up until this is all over. I've got forever to wait for you to come around."
"I would rather die than be your bride, you monster," Bonnie snapped.
"Fine. Have it your way," Kai smacked her head into the dining table and Bonnie found blissful quiet.
~0~
A tree branch came into view just as Lizzie skidded toward Josie's flying pigtail and the feel of the wood connecting with her flesh made Lizzie's eyes fill with tears. She just wanted her mother. She did not want to be chasing after her sister, this Hope person and this Hope person's so-called family.
"Stop!" Lizzie shrieked, stumbling over to a fallen tree and taking a seat.
Josie turned to blink at her sister. "What?"
Hope looked impatiently from left to right. "We can't now! They're coming!" she snapped, stomping over to Lizzie and taking hold of Lizzie's arm; the older girl attempted to jerk Lizzie to her feet but Lizzie shoved Hope away with all her might.
Hope took several steps backward, almost falling but stayed on her feet. "You're going to get us hurt, or worse!" she warned Lizzie.
"I don't have to do what you tell me to do!" Lizzie snapped, her chest heaving as she placed her hand to her wet cheek and wrinkled her nose at the sight of blood and tears. "I don't want to go! You don't even know where you're going!"
The boy's eyes darted around them before he moved over to take a seat beside Lizzie. She jerked backward when he moved to take hold of her chin. "Elizabeth, I won't hurt you," he said gently.
Lizzie puckered her lower lip outward. "My mommy says not to talk to strangers."
"Then how did my great-aunt get you?" Hope demanded, arms folding over her chest.
"She offered us a pretty flower," Josie explained.
Lizzie's head snapped in her sister's direction and she glared Josie into silence, including a bent head, and eyes on the wooden floor. "She didn't seem scary. And then she got mean. Really, really mean." While she talked, she managed to not flinch when the boy took hold of her chin and took a long look at the cut on her cheek. "Is it bad?" she asked. She'd seen people who were scared from hurting themselves and Lizzie did not want to be scared from the stupid branch.
"You'll be fine. My brothers, sister and I used to play in these woods. When we were little more than your age. And somehow we managed to live through it," the boy offered Lizzie a smile and a light pat on the shoulder.
"But you're dead. Aren't you?" Josie blurted. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. "Sorry. That was rude."
The boy shook his head. "It's quite alright. I've been dead for well over a thousand years now. I came back to save my niece, Hope, but I'm afraid for all of you. Your mother is quite worried about you two." He placed his hands on his knees and nodded at Josie and Lizzie.
"Could you find her?" Josie asked, glancing to Lizzie, hope in her eyes.
Lizzie nodded, feeling eager to find out what their new, ghostly protector could do for them. "Yes! Find our mommy! Please!"
"I cannot do that. Yet. I need to make sure I get you girls somewhere safe," the boy told them.
"Where?" Lizzie asked him.
The boy shook his head. "I can't say aloud. I don't know who or what, might be listening in."
Lizzie looked around the darkened woods and shivered. She wished her daddy were still alive. He would help keep them safe and stop all of the bad people who wanted to hurt them away. This gave Lizzie an idea. "You think Daddy's here, somewhere, Jo?"
"Maybe," Josie perked up. "Maybe he'll come help save us."
"We're all going to die if we don't leave. Soon," Hope interjected, tapping her foot.
"Hope's right," the boy said. He held out a hand and Lizzie took it.
Together, they continued through the woods and tried not to make too much noise. Lizzie held up one, hand, batting away at branches that seemed to grow out of nowhere and snapped at her bare flesh.
Somehow, they made it out of the woods and moved toward a road. "We mustn't go where they would think to find us," the boy said.
Hope headed toward the road. "I don't know where to go."
Lizzie smirked. She couldn't help but enjoy the new girl's sudden lack of knowledge.
"I do," Josie said.
"Don't say it aloud," the boy said.
Josie nodded.
"How do we get there?" Lizzie demanded. "We don't have a car. And I'm tired. And my feet hurt."
The headlights of a car appeared and the boy pushed the girls back and toward the trees. "Shush," he whispered.
As the car approached, Lizzie felt her heart beginning to beat a million beats a minute. Or it felt like that.
The car slowed and stopped on the side of the road. A dark haired woman and a man got out. No one could stop Lizzie when she saw the man in the headlights. "Daddy!" she screamed, running toward her father.
Alaric scooped Lizzie up in his arms. "Baby!" he whispered, kissing the side of her head and holding her tight. "Hey!"
"Daddy!" Josie came flying into Alaric's leg and Lizzie looked down at her sister who had begun to cry.
"Looks like we got here right in time," the woman said.
"Who are you?" Hope demanded.
Alaric looked at Lizzie and then at Josie. "Girls, this is Jo Laughlin. Your mother."
Lizzie glanced at the woman, her head cocked to the side. Then she turned her head to see Josie. Josie tugged at her bottom lip, holding tight to Alaric's jean clad leg before she let go and moved toward the woman. "Jo, no!" Lizzie cried, squirming and slid down her father's side. "Don't go!"
"Hi," the older Jo said, kneeling down and little Jo threw her arms around the woman and began to sob. "Oh, honey…"
"Ah, isn't this cute," Katherine's voice came from the trees and then she emerged. "I just love a family reunion. Wait. No, I really don't."
"Girls, get in the car," Alaric waved for Lizzie, Josie and Hope to get into the car.
"No, no, daddy!" We won't leave you!" Lizzie shouted, grabbing for Alaric again. "Please, don't make us go!"
"Jo! Take her!" Alaric picked up Lizzie and held her out to older Jo as Hope and Henrick hopped into the back of the car. Josie stood, her feet frozen to the pavement. She looked from her father to Katherine.
"Come here, little girl, and I won't hurt your daddy. Much," Katherine grinned at Josie who took a step toward the woman and then other people, or ghosts, or bad people came out of the woods. There were so many of them. They never seemed to end. "Take them!" Katherine ordered her group.
"Jo!" Alaric thundered and older Jo took a screaming Lizzie and shoved her into the back and into Henrick's arms while Josie took another, faltering step toward Katherine.
"Josie!" Alaric shouted.
This seemed to break the spell on Josie who turned to look up at her father at the same time one of Katherine's minions moved to snatch Lizzie's sister.
"Josie!" Lizzie screamed, pounding on the window.
Hope suddenly leapt out of the backseat and let out a scream, her hands flung outward and the man who moved to grab Josie went flying into several of his friends. Josie came running toward the car and threw herself in and slammed into Lizzie. Hope hopped back in and slammed the door shut.
Older Jo began to drive through the night as Lizzie looked out the back windshield, feeling tears roll down her eyes as her father attempted to fight an entire group of supes. He disappeared from vision and Lizzie slumped down in her seat, knowing she'd never see her daddy again and hating everyone in the car for making her leave him.
Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.
Peace,
-J