He's been out of blood for weeks, anticipating her return and being disappointed at the end of each day, until she finally pops up and drops something heavy on his lap- jolting him from his thousandth crooked nap.

'What the hell is this?' She yells. It's not the huge blood bag he was fantasizing about. It's a photo album, powder blue front, already open as it rests on his thighs.

Bonnie points down at a picture with a particularly handsome young man, around sixteen if he can read his own acne correctly. Besides his younger self is the formidable Sheila Bennett, and together they're sat at a picnic bench weaving with other people who are little more than strangers to Bonnie but were practically family to her grandmother.

'Oh my god I remember this. The old coven-palooza gatherings. The Gemini used to host one every year.'

'And my Grams used to go?' She's calmer now, taking notice of how Kai is smiling at the picture. Her dramatic entrance was more out of shock than anything else.

'Your Grams was on the committee for it.'

She devours that little bit of information more than anything he's ever told her.

'What are you doing?'

'Basket weaving.'

'Basket Weaving?' Bonnie scoffs.

'Don't knock it until you try it. I happen to weave a mean basket.' He never thought he'd get a chance to boast about his craft skills but here they are. 'I couldn't participate in all the other classes because they required magic so Sheila used to sit out with me sometimes and teach me the boring stuff, like basket weaving, reading palms, how to count cards when no one's looking.'

Bonnie grins, dimples in her cheeks, eyes gleaming.

'She taught me that when I was nine.'

'But can you make a soumak weave?'

'Well she died before she could show me so...'

In the awkward silence she snaps the book closed and lifts it off him, leaving him feeling empty. She's going to go away again.

'I could show you, if you want.' His stomach flips as he offers- why does he care this much over weaving?

Bonnie looks like she's going to laugh in his face, cold smile spreading over her features. But then suddenly her eyes sparkle and the smile is warmer.

'Maybe.'

'It's a date.'

Her face drops and he immediately regrets ever learning how to speak english. But before he can stumble to take back his words she heads straight to the bar, having decided to ignore his comment.

'I don't have any blood but pick your poison,' She indicates to the shelves of alcohol.

'Vodka.' He decides '-But can you mix it up with something fruity?'

She arches an eyebrow, waiting for the punchline. When he gives her his most innocent look she rolls her eyes and reaches under the bar to pull out some soda. Bonnie finishes mixing up the cocktail in a jug, stirring thrice clockwise and anti-clockwise before it's ready to serve. Then she heads back to him, pouring the mixture into the empty bottles attached to his head, dignity be damned. Best of all it mixes with some of the remaining animal blood. The effect, as he takes a nice long sip, is that he is happily satiated for the minute.

'Sheila taught you how to mix drinks too.' He says after another long sip.

'How do you know that?'

'Stir clockwise three times and anti-clockwise to cancel out the-'

'-strain.' Bonnie finishes. Of course there's no scientific reason for the stirring thing but there's also no denying that Sheila made the best drinks.

Bonnie's eyes cast down, her face suddenly crestfallen as she thinks about her grandmother.

'And then she locked you away in the Prison World.' She looks back at him, trying to make sense of everything she knows now. How her grandmother was practically his family but still incarcerated him. It either knocks her grandmother off the pedestal or sinks Kai even further. He'd gotten so bad she had to lock him up. Bonnie steps back, ready to leave.

'But she also sent you to me.'

She pauses mid-step, heel on the ground, toes lifted up.

The thought had never occurred to her before, that maybe Sheila Bennett knew exactly what she was doing when she sent Bonnie to 1994. Her eyes are huge as she thinks and he's afraid to say anything in case she follows through on the exit. She may be quiet but at least she's still here.

Her mouth opens and closes a few times until she finally says,

'Damon was never supposed to come with me.'

He can't help it, he's gotta ask.

'What?'

'Damon only came with me because we were holding hands when the other side was destroyed.'

The thought of that makes his stomach sink. How different would their relationship have been if Damon had never been there in the first place? He's as lost in thought as she was but when he comes round, it's to her intense 's green eyes have latched onto his grey ones and he doesn't feel the need to say a word. It disappears entirely too quickly as she absconds from the tension, jumping back to the real world.

She comes back in less than a day, but this time she's not alone.

Bonnie stands with one hand on a familiar casket and a packet of pork rinds in the other.

'You hate pork rinds.'

'And you hate Elena, but I still need her. Just like you need your gross, greasy little snack.'

'I see what you're trying to do and kudos for the effort, but it's not going to work.'

He expects her to break something or blink away with the coffin, but instead she picks up a chair with one hand and plops it down right in front of his. She sinks into it, knees almost brushing against his.

'What are you doing Bon?'

'I'm convincing you.'

'I already told you I can't-'

'And I know you're lying. I know you Kai, you never do anything unless you've thought it out a thousand times. And you wouldn't just do this without having a failsafe.'

He tries to summon some of his menace back. The problem is they've bonded enough for her to think she has a hold on him. And he's not so sure she doesn't.

'I'm not leaving here until you undo the curse Kai.'

'Then I hope you're prepared to stay here forever.'

If only.

'You do this and I'll forgive you. I'll even let you out of the chains and you can roam the Prison World freely.'

'A cage is a cage, no matter how big.'

'I'm not letting you out.'

'I'm not undoing the curse.'

She leans back, starting to get irritated by how circular this is but forcing herself to remain civil. This is growth and he's finding it hilarious.

'Why not?'

'You know why. She brings nothing but trouble. And it tickles me to think Damon's still out there suffering.'

'I'm suffering too Kai.'

'And you'll suffer more if I wake her up. Why can't you just go on and live your life without her, Bonnie?' He raises his voice to match her's, getting angrier.

'I am living my life Kai.' She shouts back louder, before tamping down her tone. There's no need, he'd still listen to her every word if she was screaming in his face. 'Look at what I'm doing. I'm travelling the world, rebuilding my coven. I'm living Kai but I need my best friend back because I hate every moment that I'm living.' She leans forward, closing the space between their knees as she pleads, but he's the one to move back, trying to get as much distance from her as he can. 'I feel guilty over every little thing I do. I eat breakfast and get sad about the fact that Elena can't. I'm with my friends, and I'll feel guilty because she's not there and it's my fault. I can't even watch TV without wanting to cry. If you wake her up, Kai, I promise I will stay away from her.'

She's lying, of course, it's obvious. She'll say anything to make sure she doesn't have to spend eternity convincing him.

'And you're just going to forget about hating me if I fix this?'

'Enzo said to me,' He nearly gags at the mention of her ex but, out of respect for the dead and for her, he keeps a blank face. 'If you hold onto hate it'll eat at you.' She looks genuinely wistful as she talks about him and it feels like a knife in Kai's stomach, twisting with each sad blink. 'I don't want to hate you Kai, but I need you to give me a reason to stop.'

He wants to play hard to get, see if he can get her to come back with a whole presentation complete with pictures, but she's about to cry. Lip curling inwards, tiniest quiver, eyes taking on a glassy sheen. If he says no, he loses her, and this time it's forever. He'll get no more visits or bribes. But if he says yes then he's giving up his revenge. His only link to the outside world. It's either Bonnie or his desire for retribution. Deja vu all over again. Last time he chose revenge and he paid the price. If he gives up the curse, he gives up control. Control is the most important thing he has.

But Bonnie is about to cry.

'I'll undo it.'

Her black pupils flick up to his, swallowing the green whole as they dilate, mouth agape in shock. This wasn't what she was expecting either. Maybe because she doesn't want to give him the option of changing his mind, she doesn't ask him to repeat himself. Her chair scrapes against the stage as she shoots up, eager to get back to Elena. He waits until she's by the coffin again to add;

'But I want Ms Cuddles in return.'

'What?'

'You heard me.'

'Why do you want my bear?'

'We bonded. She's got a very calming energy, Besides if I'm going to fix Elena only to be granted an eternity of isolation then I choose her as my cellie.'

Bonnie looks sceptical but when she has to choose her best friend's life over her teddy she agrees- albeit sullenly.

'Fine, let's do this. Undo the spell then I'll give you the bear.'

'Alright then, unchain me.'

She's stuck on the spot, Bonnie thought he'd want the bear first, shocked by how compliant he's being. Now she's frozen as she realises there's no other way. If he knew being nice would throw her this much he'd have done it a lot earlier.

'How do I know you won't attack me if I release you?'

'You don't. But Bonnie,' he drops his voice and it comes out softer than he ever thought possible. 'I'm asking you to give me a chance.'

The repetition isn't an accident. It's a reminder of the last time they were in this situation and how badly it went. He's begging her with an earnest plea for that second, second chance.

'Besides we both know you can take me if things go wrong.' If she won't trust him, he can at least give her enough credit to trust herself.

It takes six, apprehensive, steps for her to come back to him. All the while they maintain eye contact. Twist of her fingers, a muttered spell and the thick chains slacken with a clink. He shimmies them off with slow, sore movements. Kai rises to his full height, going from looking up her, to a brief millisecond where they're equal, and then finally claiming his peak by staring down into her. He can see how big he looks in the glassy reflection of her eyes. His hair is a complete mess as he throws the ugly hat off. There's barely any room between them and Bonnie seems to notice this too. She corrects it by taking a step back and giving herself space to breathe. But the second she steps away his knees give out and he collapses back onto the chair.

'Agh,' he hisses, squeezing the blood back into his legs. 'Give me a minute. I've been in that chair for…'

'Eighteen months.' She answers for him, looking almost apologetic as she catches his wincing.

Eighteen months. Not as long as he thought.

Bonnie moves to open up the casket while she waits for him to gather his strength. Surprisingly, she's not very patient, hurrying him along with sighs and tapping fingers.

'Kai if you're messing me I won't hesitate to-'

'Kill me. Yes, Bon, I know what you're capable of.' He replies, equally as irritated as she is. 'But it's kind of hard for me to get my strength back when I've had nothing to eat but cocktails and animal blood.'

She chucks him the packet of pork rinds.

'Thanks but as tasty as these are,' he shakes the packet before opening it, 'It's my vamp diet that's sorely lacking.'

'I don't have any blood to give you.'

Except that she does. Gallons of it.

'No way.' She says, reading his thoughts.

'Fine. Then be prepared to wait a while for me to gather my strength.' Crunch, as he pops a pork rind in his mouth and stretches his legs out in front of him. Bonnie rolls her eyes and heads to the bar again. He thinks she's making herself a drink to pass the time. But then she takes the butcher's knife and drags it against her palm and his entire mouth starts salivating.

'Quit panting, you sound like a dog.'

'Do you have any idea what you're doing to me Bonster?'

Her breath catches as she looks over at him. He knows he must look like a monster, black veins clawing up his cheeks, gnarly fangs bulging from his gums, but she crosses the space back to him, glass tumbler half filled with her blood. Kai digs his nails into the arms of the chair to hold himself back.

'Are you sure?' Why is he asking her that when every fiber of his being wants nothing more than too down the glass of blood like it's tequila.

'The sooner you get your strength back the sooner you can wake her up. And I don't entirely trust you not to change your mind so let's get this show on the road.'

She passes the glass to him and his eyes linger on her wounded hand, it's a lot deeper than he thought. As soon as the drink is in his grasp, she heads to the bar to wrap a makeshift bandage that's made out of a dishcloth around the bleeding.

She stays away and stares at a poster dead ahead. Anywhere but at him, while he drinks her blood. Kai still can't actually believe this is happening so, grateful that she's not looking, he pinches himself hard enough to bruise. Sure enough, he's still here with a glass half full of Bonnie Bennett's blood- willingly given, he might add. It's wild- would it be weird to sniff it first? Doesn't matter, when is he ever going to get this opportunity again? It smells like the most delicious thing he's ever going to eat, stomach already growling and throat burning in anticipation.

And it's gone.

Already down his throat.

He tried to savour the moment but he was just so. Damn. hungry.

But the after effect he appreciates quite nicely. Nothing feels sore anymore, his lips don't feel so crusty, the constant ache in his throat is gone and- he hops onto his feet- legs are all better.

Is he smiling?

He's smiling.

He's grinning like a fucking madman.

Bonnie stays where she is. The movement is covered by the countertop, but he hears her hand wrapping around the handle of the knife. Why is she afraid of him all of a sudden?

Kai catches his reflection in the mirror as he walks slowly towards her. Back to his handsome, un-desiccate d self.

Ah.

He looks like his old self, so she's worried he's going to act that way. To her credit, as fearful as she looks, she doesn't back away from him. She doesn't even loosen her grip on the knife when he rounds to her side of the bar. Absorbing her gaze as he takes his own wrist into his hands, his fangs rip into skin and he catches the blood in a new glass for her.

'I'm not drinking that.'

'Fine, but I'm warning you, having a curse removed from you while also bleeding out probably isn't going to be fun.'

She bites the inside of her cheek while she thinks it over, but he knows he's got her because her fingers reach for the glass the second he stops talking. Bonnie downs it in one go, refusing to look at him while he commits the image of her drinking his blood to memory. She's a neat drinker, not a drop around the sides of her lips.

'Now can we please do this already?'

'Bonnie, please don't flirt with me when I'm about to undo a curse.'

She scoffs, incredulous glare on his back while he stalks over to the coffin. He places one hand around Elena's wrist and holds the other out to Bonnie. She still looks annoyed, directing the frown at his outstretched palm.

'I need to touch you for it to work.'

'Will it hurt?'

'Maybe. I've never siphoned a curse from a person.'

She stomps over, muttering an 'I knew it,' at the revelation that all he has to do is siphon away the spell.

The feeling of her soft hand slipping into his, their scarred palms pressing together, is something he will never forget. For as beastly as he feels there's something human that stirs in him as her delicate hand is safely encapsulated in his own. When he closes his eyes to search for the curse he does his best to be as gentle towards Bonnie as possible. He's pretty sure if Elena was awake she'd be crying at the pain. It's not entirely without hurt, despite how he tries. But the crescendo is a sharp sting as he pulls out the last of the dark magic. She's trying hard not to hiss, face contorted.

'Done.'

'That's it?' She looks skeptical.

'I tried to make it not hurt.' He shrugs. And the look she gives him back is different to anything he's seen on her before. Bonnie's looking at him like she's analysing him, reading the changes in his very soul and trying to decide if it's real.

Elena gives a little cough but Bonnie doesn't immediately tend to her friend at the sound. She keeps her stare on Kai, her hand moves slowly to hold onto Elena's, while she reaches into her pocket, fingers brushing her ascendant.

There's just tile and brick where she stood now.

She comes back a week later and he's hung around the bar that whole time to make sure he won't miss her. Her presence pops up as he's busy making himself a pitcher of margaritas and Bonnie's across the room. Good timing.

He only meant to turn around but in a blink he's abandoned his drink and is right in front of her.

'Sorry,' he apologises, noticing how startled she is by the quick movement. 'Still adjusting to vampire reflexes.'

'Right.' She nods, not entirely engaged with the conversation as she takes in how close he is.

'What took you so long?' He sounds demanding and takes a step back to rectify his tone. He has to play nice with Bonnie.

'Catching my best friend- who's been asleep for years- up to speed. And it's not like you were going anywhere.'

'You're forgetting that I've got the ability to fly a plane and a damn big world to explore. A day later Bonster and I would have been in Australia.' He lies. He would have waited for her for years before actually deciding to leave.

'I've got your co-pilot.' Hanging limply in one hand is Ms Cuddles. She lifts the bear to push her into his chest, still clutching the paw tightly. 'Treat her well.'

He holds the bear, taking a step back to try and shake off her grip, but Bonnie just extends her arm in the extra space.

'Why her?' She asks, staring sadly at the bear. Is she- is she trying to guilt him into letting her keep Ms Cuddles?

'It's not my fault you like Elena more than you like the bear Bon.' Her hold on it drops and she stuffs her hands into the pocket of her leather jacket. She's made her choice and now her rejects will stick together.

'But why Ms Cuddles? You could have asked for anything else and you chose my bear?'

'What can I say? I have a thing for taking away the things you love.' He replies dramatically, wiggling his eyebrows villainously to avoid giving her a real answer.

'Or,' Bonnie takes an unconscious step back, eyes becoming hard. 'Is it because you hid the cure for vampirism inside her?'

He turns the bear flat, noticing the long red stitch along the seam of her back. 'Oh Bonster, right in the back? Poor Ms Cuddles.'

'Don't try and distract me from the fact that you lied to me.'

'How?'

'Don't give me tha-'

'I still gave you Elena back. All I asked for was Ms Cuddles and anything that may be inside her is technically a part of her- or was until you gave her an involuntary cure-dectomy.'

She wants to hurt him, he can tell from the way her fingers are flexing. She's so mad it's glorious to witness in the moment but he's worried about the aftermath. She'll get mad at him, he'll get mad at her and then someone gets hurt. It's a never ending cycle with them.

'Why should I give it to you?'

'You mean other than the fact that I'm the one who risked life and limb to get it in 1903,' his voice rumbles low and he counts the number goosebumps along her neck. 'It's mine Bonnie. If I'm going to be the nice prisoner I'd rather not have a dependency on blood.' He never wants to risk being desiccate d again and he seriously misses real food.

'God,' she scoffs, giving him a cold laugh. His muscles tense at the sound. 'There are so many people out there that deserve this more than you.'

He can't argue with that.

'People that haven't lied to me, or stabbed me, or siphoned me and generally hurt me all around,' her words clutter over themselves as she hurls them at him. She doesn't sound like someone who's forgiven him. That was part of the deal too. But deep down he knows he can't enforce that part. If she ever forgives him he wants it to be real.

Besides, she's right. There's no way he deserves this cure more than anyone else. And from what he remembers her mother is still a vampire. So right now she's stuck between a very heavy decision, give the cure to the man she hates or to the mother she loves. Bonnie's too good and moral to just not give Kai the cure- she needs a reason. She's waiting for him to do something so she can deny him his humanity. But he does something unexpected instead. He breaks their cycle.

'So give it to them.' Kai says it quietly in the hopes that she won't hear it, still not completely committed to the idea until he sees the shock blossom across her face.

'I'm not bluffing, I'll do it.' She warns him, fingers tightening in her pocket. He guesses she's got one hand wrapped around the cure and another around the ascendent.

'It's not an empty offer. You're right. Other people probably need it more. They can probably use it better too. What's the point of being human if I'm stuck here right?' He can't muster up the strength to sound as brash as he was. He's not grinning anymore, deflating the further back she treads.

He's treated to that same look on her face from their last goodbye, looking for the cracks in his character. Oh he's in bits for sure, but he can still hold the pieces together as she flickers out.

Now he's been upgraded to the premium prison world experience he's free to go wherever he wants. The first place he dives for is the local hospital. Bloodbags galore but he's not stupid enough to gorge himself, rationing them instead. He figures it'll be about ten or so years before he's in any real trouble. Will he still be here ten years later?

Turns out his penchant for control is actually a good thing when it comes to vampirism. He'd like to stay in Mystic Falls for as long as possible, out of some sad sense of hope that Bonnie will come back so he sets up camp in casa Salvatore. It's so much better with all the modern perks. In the last twenty or so years Uncle Nephew Zach must have gotten the heating fixed. And he has the entire journal collection, complete and up to date, to peruse. The dvd collection has expanded nicely and he can now successfully binge all of the sequels he never knew existed. Die Hard should have quit while they were ahead. And while he's busying himself he finally has time to actually check out his new abilities.

Technically, if he deducts the time in hell and the time in the chair, he's only been a fully functioning heretic for, give or take, about eight days and it's starting to show.

Still no sign of her but he's a patient man. He manages to wait a whole week without overthinking, periodically visiting the bar to make sure the huge sign that says he's at the Boarding house hasn't fallen down.

Day eight, he starts to get worried.

The need to see her, to hear her, is starting to overwhelm him. It's not enough that he's a witch and also a vampire, but couple those together means he's in store for an emotional rollercoaster. Every feeling is more intense. Even back when he was human Bonnie had an intense effect on him, she works over his undead heart worse. To expel the nervous energy building up the longer he waits, he decides to go for a run one morning. Unsurprisingly, vampire speed is awesome. Surprisingly it's still boring without her here. Mindless destruction helps get her off his mind. Half of him is yelling about how wrong it is to pelt the Lockwood Mansion with stones at superhuman strength until it comes crumbling down, the other half decides to get a flamethrower.

But there are only so many buildings he can go around destroying before he has to confront his feelings. He does that by going back to the bar and finishing off that pitcher he forgot about when he gave away his cure. Tastes horrible and sour but damn it if the buzz doesn't help him ignore his sadness.

He went months without seeing her. Why is he so antsy all of a sudden?

Because what if she's not coming back ever again? She's got everything she needs from him and she doesn't have to play nice back. Now he has eternity to rot in here, alone, and stew in the fact that he gave up his only hold on the outside world, all because he didn't want to make her cry.

Bonnie abandoned him.

Again.

On his ninth batch- stupid vampire metablism makes is so hard to get drunk and he sees why Damon is a borderline alcoholic- he realises something.

This is grief.

This aching in his gut and stinging in his chest. Symptoms of loss. Loss of family, love, friendship. But how can he have lost the things he never had? Deep in the feeling-sorry-for-himself and guilty-all-round stage of intoxication that he comes to the conclusion that Bonnie's definitely not coming back. There's no reason for her too. And to make it worse he can feel Ms Cuddles judging him. She's sitting on the counter beside him, her own drink untouched. Beer for the bear. Her beady brown eyes show nothing but his sad reflection in them. Does she hate him too? He did trap her here with him, and now he's showing her an awful time. A silly little memory hits him with his next chug. Bonnie, touring Ms Cuddles and Kai around Mystic Falls. Hugging someone for the first time in decades.

He can't shake the memory and it's birthing an idea. Even in his stupor the idea gives him a small bit of joy. It's rare and fleeting so he decides to chase it down. Heading back to the Salvatore house, he packs a backpack full of blood bags and alcohol and dumps it into the boot of Damon's car. Slipping into the driver's seat, he reaches over to buckle Ms Cuddles into the passenger side. The nearest airport is Dulles international and it's a long drive. Kai takes out a couple of blood bags and mixes them into a decanter of whiskey. All those times he made fun of the Salvatores' need to validate their masculinity by drinking come to the forefront of his mind as he takes a swig. Turns out the sting on the way down is the main attraction.

Heartburn not heartache.

Unfortunately driving a car drunk is easier than piloting an aircraft. Because he needs to actually be able to read and process all the dials and knobs but right now, as he sits in the cockpit of a Boeing 777X, it all just looks like a big blur. So he stumbles out of the plane and back through the walkway to sober up in the airport.

He does a little shopping while he's at it. There may not be any wi-fi but there's still tons of gadgets to play with, a lot more music to listen to, movies to watch. As good as some of the bands are he always drifts back to the "old" ones. Pfft, old. God. They're still current to him. He's an old man out of time, quite literally. A CD, white background and a heart made of words, stares at him from the rack. Two words he hasn't thought about in a long time. It takes a lot of effort to find the speakers and fumble to get the little plastic circle into the sound system. But eventually he figures it out and with supernatural speed he's lying on a bench in time to hear the somber guitar begin playing. Ms Cuddles held to his chest, he stares up at the ceiling and mumbles with the mumbling.

'On a wheelie onawizardinawayyyy' Despite not knowing the lyrics, he belts it out with such assurity you'd think he wrote it. 'I know I know I know I don't wanna stay!' Hopping onto the bench, filled with a second wind of drunk energy as the music crescendos, he strums his air guitar. 'I don't wanna stayyyyyyyyyyy!' He finally drops back down, legs dangling awkwardly over the metal as he hugs the bear again. Kai falls asleep wondering why it's called Yellow Ledbetter.

He wakes up with a splitting headache, nerves on fire gut feeling yanked. After downing a blood-bag and taking a shower in the employee locker-room (turning Ms Cuddles around so she doesn't see anything perverse) he remembers vague snippets of his plan. It still sparks a little comfort, so he decides to go ahead with it. He's gonna one up Bonnie and give Ms Cuddles a tour of the world. And now he's sober he can actually find a better plane. Following a self-guided tour of the airfield and hangars, he decides the private jet would be a way better mode of transport, less clunky than the commercial liner. The only problem is that it needs fuelling up before take off and he needs to get it out onto the tarmac. Not huge issues but they delay him enough that he's rethinking this idea.

No, he can't live his life waiting for her.

Kai has to let Bonnie go.

He gets the jet out to the end of the runway and then heads back inside to get his things. Backpack and bear safely in hand, he walks back down.

When his foot hits the tarmac everything feels different. Like he's stepping on hot coals and he needs to make it to the other side for safety. But he's afraid of what's on the other end of the feeling because it's like looking into the abyss, it's unknown.

He sees her round the corner of the cabin first, ducking her head as she takes a step onto the staircase platform, stepping out into the light. She sees him immediately. How can she not they're right opposite each other and the only two people in the world. Kai is glued to his spot. Worried if he moves closer she'll turn out to be a mirage.

'You've only been alone for thirteen days.' Her voice carries over to him, hands clenched at her sides. There's a little red capsule in her right fist. 'So why is Mystic Falls nearly a ruin?'

'It's been a hell of a thirteen days Bonnie.' He nearly chokes over the sound of his own voice, the sound of her name on his tongue. She has the gall to stand there and let her eyes droop, as if she's not the reason he's like this. But there she is and all he can think about is how much he forgives her for floating a pick axe into his chest, for stabbing him with a pen and abandoning him in 1903. Because she came back.

'What's with the plane?'

'Ms Cuddles and I planned a three month tour of the world.'

They don't run down the tarmac towards each other.

Instead, they both take tentative steps towards each other. Bonnie steps down and he's already at the foot of the staircase, underestimating his pace. She keeps one step for the sake of being almost equal in height. Not a word as she holds the cure up.

'What changed your mind?' Kai doesn't take it immediately.

'I forgive you.' She says it loud enough to register, because she doesn't want to repeat herself. 'For the stuff you did to me alone, if you want forgiveness for the other stuff you'll have to ask your dead family.' It's begrudgingly given but this is a pass/fail situation.

'Say that one more time.' He'll try his luck. Astonishingly she actually repeats the three words, this time with less bite as she sees him struggling to believe her.

'I forgive you.'

He doesn't…

He doesn't know what to say.

What do you say when you get that one thing you've always wanted, but never thought you'd get?

'Oh my god, you're actually speechless.' She smiles at him, full of amazement and humour at his silence. 'Do you want me to chuck the cure into your mouth while it's open that wide?'

Her grin hits him in the cheeks, spreading through his insides and at the same time as his laugh her face lights up. He's melting at the gaze and he knows that it will make it all the more painful when she leaves.

'If you keep looking at me like that Bonster, I'm gonna kiss you.' He says it in the hopes that it'll break the tension. She'll snort in disgust, roll her eyes and walk away.

But Bonnie's eyes linger on his lips instead, as if she's calculating how genuine a threat it is. When she looks back into his grey eyes, they grow in size, trick of his vision as she moves closer to him. He stops her in place, planting his forehead against. Her forehead is warm against his, he can feel the pleasant heat behind his eyelids as they hood to look down at her. This is enough. This will be enough to get him through his incarceration. But she gifts him more, almost drawing back but pushing herself forward at the last second to plant a chaste kiss against his lips.

Fireworks.

Every colour of the rainbow, all shooting through his vision. His chest is humming, glowing, lava as he melts into her. He's not sure if he's allowed to touch her, worried she'll disappear in his grip. In his indecision his hands are just hovering, but she weaves her fingers between his to guide them to her hips while she moves her own around his neck. When she pulls away he doesn't feel the itch for more like when he siphons. Instead, for the first time since he can remember, he is gifted a moment of complete satisfaction. He feels complete. Realisation doesn't dawn on Bonnie's face, she knows what she's done and she's resolute with her choice. He can feel it in the way her thumb brushes his cheek.

'I'll see you in three months.' She whispers, before dropping her hold on him completely and stepping back.

He wants her to come with him, let her show him the world without all the gross other people to disturb them. But not yet, he's only just earned forgiveness. He's playing the long game, and so is she.

'How will you know where to find me?' His own voice is heavy in the contentment of knowing she's coming back. Knowing Bonnie wants him back.

'I'll just follow my gut.' She shrugs. 'Goodbye Kai.'

He grins from ear to ear, bittersweet longing stretching between them. But he knows she'll return to him, so he'll say it without meaning it.

'Goodbye Bonnie.'

Neither of them move in the correct direction to leave. Instead, he goes for a taste of her lips one last time, relishing as she meets him halfway.

A/N: Now that you've read it, can a girl get a comment?