…..

Jeremy tried to process what had happened earlier day. It was true that everything was changing for the worse ever since the Salvatore brothers showed up in Mystic Falls. Maybe John was right. If he had managed to kill all vampires in Mystic Falls that day Elena wouldn't become a vampire. Suddenly the very thought gave him a cold feeling and he felt ashamed. He shouldn't have agreed with John. Vampires like Elena and Caroline could have loved ones too, not every vampire had to be evil. Maybe it was the hunter instinct.

He looked for Bonnie in the cafeteria, after the literature class she was supposed to be here.

And there she was.

'Bonnie.'

Bonnie was taking food to eat to her plate when Jeremy called to her. She suddenly turned her attention to him.

'Jer.'

'We should talk.' Bonnie let Jeremy lead her to a table.

'I am not angry with you' said Bonnie while playing with her food. 'I just can't continue this mission anymore.'

'Despite my past mistakes, I care about you. I won't force you into anything you don't want to. If I knew that magic could kill you…'

'This isn't just me Jer! We are taking a huge risk for ourselves and sacrificing lives for a cure that we don't know for sure that exists. Look at everything we have been through. I think it isn't worth it.'

Jeremy looked thoughtful. 'I wanted the cure for Elena. For us to have a normal life.'

Bonnie held his hand to show him that she understood.

'I know, I want that too. Not just for Elena and myself. For you, my mom, Caroline, and Tyler.'

A cheerful voice interrupted their heart-to-heart moment.

'Normal is for losers, children! Besides if something is too good to be true then you must better believe there is a big con behind it.'

Kol pulled the chair and sat beside them without waiting for an invitation. He looked at their hands and tried to hide his irritation with a smug smile.

'And you are here because..?' Jeremy gave him an annoyed look.

'I am simply paying my debt to Bonnie and making sure not anyone forcing her to sacrifice herself for the stupid cure. Not to mention, Rebekah is on the loose. She might try something sneaky.'

He took the apple on Bonnie's plate and took a bite.

'You enrolled in school?' Bonnie asked curiously.

'Yeah,' Kol answered unbothered. 'With one or two compulsion tricks. By the way, while I was choosing classes, I saw Shane's name. How is that guy still alive?'

Kol looked at Bonnie, sensing that she might have something to do with it.

'It was me,' Bonnie admitted. 'I knew you had him and would torture him for an answer so I did a protection spell on him but Shane somehow linked himself to April. Normally it would only hurt me, I would have a nose bleed or something. But I felt more powerful.'

'One of many dark effects of Expression, little witch. You are not channeling your power but from the dead.'

Kol saw Bonnie's face got darker with regret and pain and tried to lift her mood by saying 'But don't worry half of your problems will be solved once I killed Shane.'

'You are not killing Shane, Kol' Bonnie interjected.

'Why not? He caused all of this. And he doesn't seem the type to let you out of his hook easily.'

'Wait a second' Jeremy interrupted their argument. 'Shane made it clear that Bonnie needs him to survive. He may be used to Bonnie.'

'No,' Kol took another bite from his apple. 'He wants her to depend on him. He won't do anything to help Bonnie get rid of the expression.'

'And what do you want? Are you helping Bonnie with the goodness of your heart?'

'I am helping her because she saved my life. I hold witches in high regard. And I pay my debts. You better remember it, Gilbert.'

'Enough, both of you! Kol, don't threaten Jeremy again.'

'Bonnie, do you trust him?' Jeremy asked curiously.

Bonnie looked at Kol and somehow she didn't see any sinister glint of murderous intent. He wasn't doing this because of an agenda.

'He said he is going to help me. I trust him to keep his word.'

….

With her shoulders down from stress, Bonnie went to the bathroom at a fast pace. She had no idea what to do with Shane. Could Kol find somebody to get rid of the expression? Shane made it clear that she needed him. But Kol was probably right about Shane wanting her to depend on him. What did Kol want? She wasn't sure whether he was trustworthy.

Thoughts in her head didn't stop her from hearing a scream and a vengeful voice. Both of them were familiar.

'You little wench!' A moan followed it afterward.

When she opened the door she saw Elena who was daggered from her torso and Rebekah who was manically whispering death threats at her for trying to kill her brother.

'Let her go!'

Bonnie instinctively threw Rebekah to the other side. She drew the dagger away from Elena's torso.

Then she heard other voices coming. If they see the damage and Elena's bloody torso, everyone would get suspicious.

Footsteps were coming and she had to something. Panicked, she thought 'don't let them see, don't let them see'. Then the whole school's lights went out. Getting more panicked, Bonnie cracked the bathroom's mirrors. Then suddenly somebody snatched her away from the event scene.

As sunlight greeted her face as she saw Kol. He gently drew her hair to behind her ear and put her ears a headphone.

'Easy, easy you are fine,' he reassured her. 'Just concentrate on music.'

Her ears focused on the music while she examined Kol's features. Noticing her stare, he couldn't help but smile. His hand was still on her hair.

'Oh this is precious,' Rebekah crooned behind them.

'You know I am almost touched, I thought you didn't care,' Kol said smugly.

Rebekah pretended to not hear him and said 'You know you are pretty Bonnie. You can do better than him, you are just not trying enough. Did he ever tell you about Anne Mary Claire in the 1900s or the messes he made in 1700 Spain because he was heartbroken over a witch?

Bonnie had been watching the exchange between siblings. She was trying to understand Rebekah's motives.

'I don't know about Kol's past and what he has done. Whatever the things they were, they won't change my decision. So you attacking Elena means you are giving up finding the cure?'

'Hardly, I still intend to find the cure. A fairy tale doesn't scare me.'

'For one last time, Silas is not a fairytale, Reb. Though I hope you never get to find out the truth.' Kol interjected.

'Whatever you are going to do, you will have to do it without a Bennett witch.' Bonnie closed the discussion.

Then Jeremy showed up.

'And without a hunter,' he added.

Rebekah watched the trio in a calculating manner then seemed like given up and left... For now.

'So it seems.'

Bonnie let out a long breath. Kol seemed to be pleased with the whole situation.

'Why are you smiling,' Jeremy couldn't help but ask.

'It has been a long time since somebody backed me up in a family argument let alone winning it.'

Involuntarily, Bonnie gave a small laugh.

'Glad that I made you laugh at last' Kol gave her a flirtatious smile.

As if Jeremy giving them a suspicious look wasn't enough Elena came.

'Bonnie, thank you for saving me... Look I know things are getting out of control right now...'

Not letting Elena finish her sentence Kol started to laugh.

'Now I see it. Is this some kind of plot to gain the little witch's sympathy and make her help you? Did you and Rebekah plan this together?'

'Knock it off' said Jeremy walking towards Kol. 'She knows I am not on board with the cure anymore. Your sister attacked her, again.'

'And she had a good reason mate, again.'

Elena looked at her brother and Kol, studying them like a detective. She knew these types of arguments. Hanging out with Stefan and Damon she was subjected to it quite regularly. Oh, gods no.

'Enough both of you,' Bonnie shouted coming between them, stopping them from starting a fight.

'Kol, I know you have every reason to suspect Elena but there is no way Rebekah would team up with her with anything.'

'Oh, don't be so sure darling. Anyone can team up with each other as long as they have common interests.'

Elena couldn't hide that she was annoyed by the discussion. 'I won't listen to this. We can speak at a more convenient time.'

'There is nothing to talk about Elena. I told you, I am done with this mission.'

'No, not about it. About us. I never intended you to get hurt,' Elena said solemnly.

Bonnie didn't know whether she and Rebekah planned this or not. But she was sure Elena was telling the truth this time. Elena never intended for her to get hurt yet she always ended up being the one.

'It doesn't matter anymore, Elena.'

With that Bonnie left, leaving Elena, Jeremy, and Kol behind.