Just another quick word of thanks, especially to deenew, Jade, and Jamix.

deenew: so I'm thinking Bonnie is still around first trimester, heading into the second.

Jade: oh, I know. Damon - and Delena - was my first favorite (before I fell in love with Caroline and Bonnie. lol And then with Enzo, and Bonenzo. And now I'm admittedly all over the place and can picture a lot of couples and all.)

But ya, part of me didn't want to do this to Damon because of that. But I "had to," for the story...

Jamix: aw, I know. It was admittedly hard to write Damon's fate like that. He did do a very noble thing, his motives were always good, just the execution wasn't... But I like to think that in the end he did get that freedom, just how he told Bonnie.

Thanks so much also for the kind words. I realize that Benzo isn't as popular as Klaroline, Bamon, or Delena. Or even the OC insert fics. But I'm happy that I get feedback at all. I never thought I'd get to see 80 reviews for this. Honestly, I'm super happy with that.

Plus, I'm sure the weird summary doesn't help matters. lol

And I know that reviewing takes effort and time so I appreciate each and every single one. :) So, thank you!


It had gotten a little warmer, finally. Bonnie only noticed it now that they were spending their second night out in the open, giving their horses time to rest, giving themselves time, too.

She lay cuddled up with Enzo in the carriage, while Klaus - out of some random burst of selflessness, had taken on "first shift" and was now looking out into the night.

Enzo was for once already sleeping, a sure sign that he wasn't doing as well as he had tried to make her believe, but Klaus had checked on the arm earlier and assured her that it wasn't looking any worse, and she believed him.

Suddenly, the dog that had lain on the other side of her, stirred, looking over to where Klaus sat by a small fire, then he looked at Bonnie as if to ask for her permission to go over there.

"You want to keep him company?" She asked, smiling at the animal. "Go," she then said, and the dog went out, only to look more like a wolf again once he was out there, carefully approaching Klaus.

She watched them both for a bit, how familiar they seemed, sitting together, staring at the flames, into the night, then she curled up once more, snaking her arms around Enzo, holding him, until Klaus came to wake them both up, hours later.


He'd given them the night. He'd seen how exhausted the girl was, how drawn her face had looked. He'd seen how his stranger of a cousin had flinched when he'd accidentally bumped into him earlier. Klaus had simply known he was the one in the best condition and if he wanted their mission - his mission - to be a success, he figured it couldn't hurt to take on a little more of the burden for one night.

With any luck, they'd make good way the next day and could potentially even reach the town, or settlement, Enzo had indicated on the map before it got too dark.

Bonnie's strange wolf-dog had provided good company, even waking him up once when he'd fallen asleep for a dangerous moment. A moment he wouldn't tell anyone about…

With a sigh, he stood up and walked over to the carriage. It was time. Dawn would arrive soon and they needed to get on their way.


They had been on the road for a while. Bonnie had felt much better after a night of sleep, but she could tell how agitated Enzo was. He had not liked it when he'd realized what Klaus had done, but Bonnie had told him to swallow his pride and be grateful, and he'd given her a look and moped for a moment, but then he'd grudgingly admitted that she was right, and Klaus had been right, because he was feeling better, and now here they were, the settlement finally coming into view on the horizon.

There was a chance that Caroline and Cole had gone on their way and left. Enzo had told Klaus as much when they had made their plans, but the man had been willing to risk it, anyway.

Bonnie had to wonder what he really saw in this trip. An adventure? Something that made him feel alive? He had been putting on a facade ever since they had first met him, like he didn't have a care in the world.

But she had quickly realized that the opposite was true. That he was lonely, that there was something deeper hidden inside of him, something he played away with cocky aloofness. She had to wonder how his relationship with his family really was, when he had seen Esther last.

Whether he had anyone…

"I guess we should wake him up," Enzo quietly said from where he sat next to her, holding the reins in one hand, his injured arm hidden under his coat.

Bonnie nodded and made her way to the back, carefully shaking the man awake. He startled, looking up at her confused. For a moment she was sure he had no clue who she was. Then a flicker went through his eyes, and clarity returned.

"Hello, Bonnie Bennett," he muttered, and she tried to be friendly, though she hadn't exactly warmed up to him. For some reason the fact that her wolf had taken a liking to him made her feel like he deserved a bit of her kindness. She hoped she wouldn't come to regret it.

"We're almost there," she informed him, pointing toward the front.

"Your settlement…"

Bonnie wanted to correct him, say that it wasn't "theirs," but it didn't matter, and she knew he didn't mean anything by it, so she simply nodded, then went back to sit beside Enzo, wrapping an arm around him under his coat.

"You think they'll still be there?" She asked him, and he shrugged.

"Hard to say. Staying would not exactly have been a safe choice, but… I know Caroline. She has a sense of duty - and entitlement. She is quick to form bonds with people, and she's fiercely loyal. I have a feeling she stayed." Enzo looked at her briefly, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Are you okay, babe?" Bonnie cupped his cheek for a moment, frowning at him. Then it dawned on her. "You're worried about bringing them into this, aren't you? That it might endanger them?"

He pressed his lips together in reply, not saying anything.

Bonnie inclined her head, thinking. She tightened her grip on him, cuddling up closer. "Do you think Cole will be willing to give Klaus' treatment a try?"

Enzo sighed. It took him a while to reply, but Bonnie didn't press him.

"I don't know," he said. I'm worried about that, too. That it couldn't work. That it could hurt him. I just… I just wish it could have been me. I don't want to risk anyone else's life…

It'll work, Bonnie assured him, forcing herself to believe in her own words. "It will work…


Jo had opened the door of the Red Cross building to see the three of them stand waiting in front of it. When her face fell on Bonnie, she gasped.

"I wasn't expecting you back here," she said, obvious surprise in her features. She was standing motionless for a while before she remembered her manners and beckoned them to come inside, opening the door wide, leaning against it as she did. "Come on inside." Then, when her gaze fell on Klaus, she frowned at them, inquiring, "And who's your friend? He looks familiar."

Klaus stepped forward, gallantly taking her hand, smiling at her. "Klaus Mikaelson, my dear. It is my pleasure." And he walked close to her, whispering something into her ear that Bonnie didn't catch but that made Jo's cheeks flush even while she rolled her eyes at him.

When he had walked past, Bonnie frowned at Jo, a question in her eyes that the other woman answered with an awkward grin. "Oh, I know that type. Words… they love to hear themselves talking." And she gave a brief chuckle, then touched Bonnie's stomach, quickly changing the subject. "How's the pregnancy going?"

"Good, good," she replied, sounding a little too forced to her own ears, clenching her teeth briefly to stop herself from continuing in the same vein. "Just a little queasy at times…"

Jo smiled.

"Tell me why you came back? Last time I saw Lorenzo, you were well on your way back to the homestead…"

Bonnie grimaced, then told her story, summarizing in a few sentences that barely did her ordeal justice, but it had to suffice, because she had already spotted Cole and Caroline, standing among their group of fellow deserted comrades, almost exactly as it had been the first time they had gotten there.

Enzo was giving her a hug, then nodding to Cole, before Caroline suddenly looked over to her and called out.

"Bonnie!" She rushed over to her, embracing her like a long lost friend, and Bonnie felt weirdly comforted by the other woman's sincere affection.

"I'm so glad he got you back! Good job, Enzo!" Caroline smiled at her, so obviously happy at seeing them that Bonnie started feeling guilty for what they intended to spring on their friends.

"We weren't sure you'd still be here…"

Caroline chuckled, and Cole put an arm around her, raising his eyebrows. His stoic calm was in place as usual, but Bonnie could tell there was a certain tension hiding underneath.

"She wanted to stay," he grumbled, "didn't want to leave the settlers having to deal with people coming looking for us," he stared over at Enzo, who nodded, then back at Bonnie, apparently feeling the need to explain for her, "military police should still be looking for us - especially for me…"

A deserted Eternal. Of course.

The Silveren had lost two of their most valuable soldiers within the last few months. It must have been quite the blow. And it was only the beginning.

Enzo licked his lips, getting straight to the heart of the matter. There was no time for small talk and keeping up with the latest. War was waiting, and so was a potential chance at peace.

"Nik here," Enzo put a hand on the other man's shoulder, "says he might have a way to end the power of the Eternal sources. A way to end the suffering inflicted by the Eternal weapons."

Cole raised an eyebrow. He seemed very guarded. Squinting at Enzo, he asked, "You believe him?"

Enzo clenched his teeth briefly, then nodded. "But," he added, "he promised to demonstrate it first, on a volunteer."

"So why didn't you do it? Why do you still have your arm all bandaged up?" Caroline challenged, a strange fire in her eyes that Bonnie had to smile at involuntarily. She saw the blonde tighten her grip on Cole's arm and saw herself in them.

Caroline was fiercely protective of what she loved - who she loved. She didn't want Cole to be the Guinea pig. Bonnie couldn't blame her at all.

She turned to Enzo, who swallowed, looking very unhappy. "I wanted to…," he started, averting his gaze because he couldn't look Caroline in the eyes.

But then Klaus cocked his head, and, walking very close to Caroline, until Cole glared at him and he backed away, still smiling at her suggestively. "Poor fool got tricked into wearing an Old One by my dear mother, I heard," he said, "The damage done by those - damage to the tissue, the veins… - it's too vast. I can't possibly begin to repair that and extract the source material. It's all that keeps the arm together, in fact, all that keeps the bloodstream going."

Caroline's frown deepened, but when she looked at Enzo again there was also understanding in her features, and she seemed genuinely open to listen now. "So… you came here for Cole then? For him to risk it. I don't think-"

"I'll do it," Cole quickly said before she could even finish voicing her doubts, and she gave him a half glare that showed more worry than annoyance.

"Can we talk about this?" she hissed at him, but he gave her an apologetic look, kissing her on the head briefly before returning his attention toward the others.

"You were willing to try it?" He addressed Enzo, who nodded at him

"I don't need to tell you why," he gave Cole a pointed look, then continued, "But yeah, anything to end this nightmare and stop any more of our people from becoming a weapon of the territories."

Cole inhaled deeply, nodding. "Then let's do it," he whispered, and Klaus gave him an approving pat on the back.

"That's the spirit," he said, "You Eternals really are the new knights, aren't you? If only you didn't have such a bad reputation as the vilest killers out there, the myth would be alive. - Oh well, time to change history, I guess. I'm eager to get this under way. But if you need another moment with the lady…" Klaus grinned at Caroline, and she rolled her eyes at him just as Cole shook his head.

"We're good to go," he announced, "let's get it over with. What do I need to do?"

With that, their little group quickly discussed the details and they soon found themselves all waiting with bated breaths as Klaus got out his suitcase, examining his tools quickly, then nodding to Cole.

He was sitting on one of Jo's sick bay beds, sleeve rolled up, and began unraveling his bandage once Klaus had given him the go ahead.

Bonnie couldn't help but stare as she saw the silvery mark on the other man's arm, similar to Enzo's, yet also so very different. She finally began to understand Klaus' earlier words, his complete refusal of even trying his technique on Enzo.

Cole's scar was just as blazingly shiny as Enzo's, but it was shorter, cleaner cut. As if his skin had healed better after having been cut open, no frilly ends, just a long straight line where Enzo's was crooked and meandering, and after having carried the Old One also joined by another line right next to it as if the old scar hadn't fit anymore.

She licked her lips, absently grabbing Enzo's arm where he sat next to her, watching.

You alright, love?

Fine, just… She trailed off, realizing that she was too queasy for this. She half hid behind Enzo, too captivated, too anxious to leave, but also too terrified, too nauseous to look as Klaus was carefully placing a scalpel above the scar tissue, ready to make a neat incision. Bonnie stifled a gasp when Caroline suddenly stopped him, grabbing his hand.

"Whoa," she made. "You didn't mention you were gonna cut him open like that! Can we at least… give him, I don't know, local anesthesia?"

She stared at them all, her gaze at last landing on Jo. "Please?" she mouthed, but it was Klaus who calmly answered.

"We can't do that. I need him to tell me when the pain is changing. He can't do that when he's on medication. Besides, anesthesia doesn't really do all that much for an Eternal to begin with. I'm sorry, love."

Caroline glared at him but remained silent, her lips pressed together, showing how upset she was. She held Cole's free hand tight, focusing on him.

"You sure you want to do this?" She eventually asked, looking so resigned it was evident that she already knew the answer. "This doesn't seem like a good idea at all…"

He looked at her mildly, a small smile on his face. "I'm used to the pain, Care, I'm willing to do this for a chance to finally be free of it…"

He nodded to Klaus, ready to continue, and the next thing Bonnie saw was how the sharp end of the instrument sliced into the blazing skin on his arm, and there was a stifled scream and a loud curse and the moment seemed to last forever. She heard Klaus and Cole talk in muffled voices and hissed, heard them talk about pain intensity, heard Klaus' instruments clutter when he switched to something else, saw him pour a liquid…

She felt the tension in Enzo's body as he watched while she only stared at him. She saw him clench his jaw too hard again, and she couldn't look, couldn't look until it was all over and she heard Klaus' excited, if quiet voice announce, "You're welcome." Just that.

Bonnie slowly allowed herself to look back at them, at Klaus, at Cole. At Caroline, wide eyed by his side, carefully, gingerly touching Cole's arm with her fingertips.

There was a gleam in Klaus' eyes that told her he had been at least a bit surprised, a bit excited that it had actually worked, and the realization gave her pause. It could have gone either way…

But it hadn't.

She stared at Cole's arm, now only dark, dark skin, dark red blood dripping from it along the old scar. But the sheen was gone, the silvery blaze. It was just a normal wound now, and Jo quickly rushed over to examine it.

"This actually looks like something I can stitch up," she said, sheer wonder in her gaze. She quickly got her things and turned to the others.

"Some privacy now, please? Show is over. Let me stitch this man up, and then we can discuss how to proceed from there."

How to proceed…

Bonnie exchanged a glance with Enzo. Shock in their faces, wonder.

Hope.

It was working. Klaus was really on to something.