Chapter Fifteen
New Orleans - French Quarter

Bonnie showed up on Marcel's doorstep drenched in rain and tears. She had nowhere to go and needed to leave The Abattoir as soon as possible before she leveled it and the surrounding city. Klaus had kicked her out and she honestly didn't see that one coming. As much as it pained her to be away from the twins, there was no fight left in her. She was beyond broken.

For three days she cried. Those days felt like a blur. After the first day, Marcel realized that the weather the city was experiencing was not the cause of a sudden storm surge as the weatherman stated. It was Bonnie. Her pain cut so deep, it affected the weather in, not only the city but most of the state. Marcel kept his distance, not sure how to handle the situation. He wanted to help but knew more than anyone just how stubborn Klaus was. Nothing would change his mind and short of causing Bonnie great misery, nothing else would satisfy that tyrant.

After the second day, he'd given up on trying to get her to eat and instead, settled for fruit smoothies and bottles of Ensure purchased from the local grocery store. At the rate she was going, Bonnie would be skin and bones before the week was over. He hated seeing her so distraught but there was absolutely nothing he could do. It seemed as though all hope was lost.

On the third day, the tears finally ceased and though the weather was still shitty, at least the city was no longer under a flash flood advisory. The citizens were rightfully terrified by the threat of the levees failing again and Marcel wondered briefly if he'd have to charge in Bonnie's room and demand she suck it up for everyone's sake.

Catatonic, Bonnie laid in bed and stared listlessly at nothing. If she noticed Marcel's presence, she never acknowledged him. After a quick scan of the room, he noticed that the fruit smoothie he placed on the dresser earlier that morning was gone. His shoulders sagged with relief as he realized that maybe all hope wasn't lost.

"You were one day away from a feeding tube, girl," Marcel joked, more so to himself than anyone else. Bonnie didn't respond. Marcel didn't expect an answer. Bonnie waited for the inevitable pep talk but it never came, instead, he picked up the weighted blanket that had fallen to the floor and gently placed it on top of her. He kissed the top of her head and exited the room, taking the empty glass with him.

This became their routine until a solid week passed since she landed on his doorstep. Marcel appeared three times a day with some form of a meal and Bonnie begrudgingly accepted each one. Marcel couldn't ask for more. Between the smoothies and her magic, her body survived on the bare minimum.

On the seventh day, Marcel lingered after collecting her empty glass. Bonnie felt the edge of the bed dip under his weight and waited. She was sure he was sick of her by now.

"Rebekah is coming by tomorrow," Marcel began. "I don't think Lina is willing to accept any more of our excuses." At the mention of her eldest, Bonnie cringed. She had never been apart from her children this long and with each passing moment, she longed to see them, feel them, smell them.

Each day that passed, she empathized with Klaus a bit more.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She was the villain and Klaus constantly reminded her of that fact.

"You have enough people kicking your ass, you don't need me to jump in." Bonnie felt a small portion of the weight on her shoulders lift if only a little.

"I'm sure you don't have anything nice to say to me, either." Her voice sounded foreign. She hadn't heard it in a week. The grogginess in her throat didn't come from sleep.

"That's not true," Marcel countered. "I'll admit, after the third day, I was ready to drag your ass out of bed and make you face your problems but, I know what it's like to be beaten down by Klaus and I knew there was nothing I could say that neither of you hasn't already said so, I left you alone. Sometimes, we as black people just need a space where we can be fumbling, weak, idiots," he teased lightly. The corners of Bonnie's mouth twitched. "We're always expected to be strong and that shit gets old. Tough love isn't always the answer."

His words pierced her soul, producing several tears she thought had dried out.

"I can't fix this," she confessed after a long moment of silence.

"I know," he agreed. Bonnie felt the last traces of hope slip through her fingers. "Some things can't be fixed but what you can do is create something new from the broken pieces and hope that it's something everyone can live with."

"How do I do that?" It was a good question that Marcel didn't have an answer to. He pondered it for a while before speaking up.

"I don't know, but you can start by sweeping away the old pieces first and start from scratch. Save what you can and throw away what you can't." He wasn't sure what he was saying exactly since he wasn't made aware of all the details, but he was sure that when the time came, Bonnie would find a way to apply his words and make them useful.

"Okay," was all she managed to say. Silence passed before Marcel made any moves to leave. She watched his retreating figure, finding that she missed his company more than she realized.

"Oh and Bonnie?" He turned to face her and grinned a little at the anticipation in her eyes. He offered a small smile before hefting his chin.

"It's time to stop apologizing and fight his ass back." As he left, a small smile appeared on her lips as she took his words into careful consideration.

It was just what she needed to hear.

-X-

Once the last of his items were tucked away neatly in his suitcase, Tyler zipped it closed and placed it near the door. Tonight he would be leaving. A week had passed since he met with Bonnie and she'd yet to show up. He knew the odds of Klaus letting her out of his sight were slim but despite her missing the date, Tyler lingered, hoping to hear from her.

He didn't.

At least he would leave the city knowing he gave it his best shot.

His thoughts were cut short when he sensed her just on the other side of the door. She hadn't knocked yet but she didn't need to. In a flash, he was standing before her and his heart broke at the sight of her. Never had he seen stress affect someone in that capacity; not even when his mother spent months grieving over his bastard of a father.

"I'm only here to say goodbye, Tyler. That's all," she communicated and Tyler nodded solemnly.

"Come inside, I'll order some tea."

The two of them sat for nearly an hour, not saying a thing but savoring each other's presence. It was more than he could ask for, considering he may never see her again. The air between them was somber and Tyler found himself reflecting on the past four years they spent with one another.

"If I'm being honest with myself, Bonnie, I can admit that even though you were with me physically, your heart was always with him and I get it now. I get why you couldn't be with me fully." It was a hard pill to swallow but Tyler had been taking that medicine for years now. "Honestly, it's a bit freeing to know that it was you not me." Bonnie's shoulders sagged despite his playful smirk. "Poor choice of words, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she muttered. She seemed small at that moment and Tyler wanted nothing more than to comfort her but he refrained. It didn't feel right. Nothing felt the same as it once did.

"It hurts but I don't regret any of it. I'll never regret our time together," he confessed. "You gave me a small bit of my life back. I was just existing before the three of you came along. I forgot what it felt like to live." He paused before ducking his head to meet her gaze. "You did that for me," he said with a small smile. Bonnie's chest ached at the gesture. She was going to miss him.

"I didn't mean to string you along," she confessed. "You deserved better than that and I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you." Try as she might, she could never scrape Klaus from her mind and now she realized she never would. "I pray you live a happier life after this," she stated genuinely. Tyler nodded.

"I hope you do too. Klaus is the absolute last person on earth that can judge you and even though you made a colossal mistake," he paused and offered a small smirk to indicate that he was only half-serious. "You don't deserve to be on trial for the rest of your life. At some point, you're going to have to own up to it and start fighting back. Don't let him turn you into a punching bag. Even prisoners have fundamental rights." Bonnie smiled softly.

"You're too good for this world, Lockwood." And she meant it.

"Yeah, I know," he teased and Bonnie's chuckle nearly turned into a sob. After sobering, Bonnie finished the last bit of tea in her mug.

"Klaus knows you're here. So, if you wouldn't mind doing me a favor by leaving in one piece, that would be greatly appreciated." Though her tone was light, the look on her face was telling. She was genuinely concerned for his safety.

"I can't run from him forever, Bonnie. I'll do my best to stay out of sight but if he catches up to me, I'm not backing down; no matter how foolish." His days of quivering in fear of Klaus Mikaelson were over.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. Men. "Just… stay alive please."

"I'll do my best." It was a promise he intended to keep.

-X-

Klaus felt as though he was truly cursed. Despite being the one to send her away, each day, he fought against seeking her whereabouts. He could feel her magic throughout the city. Each raindrop that came in contact with him drove him nuts. The twins' constant berating was beginning to get to him. He couldn't stand to see her face but he also couldn't stand being away from her. He wondered if this was what it was like to finally lose his mind. The Hunter's Curse was easier to deal with than this. There was a longing in his chest that wouldn't go away and Klaus found himself shifting each night to deal with the ache. For the past week, he sat outside of Marcel's house, just to be near her. On several occasions, he thought about breaking and entering, but the barrier her magic created around the house kept even him out. He had no one to blame but himself.

This was beginning to get a bit pathetic.

He didn't know what he wanted from her. He thought sending her away would allow him a chance to heal from the damage she inflicted, but it only made things worse. Still, he couldn't deny that time apart gave him a chance to sort through his thoughts. Ideally, he wanted his family to be restored, yet realistically, he had no clue how that would ever happen. His pride wouldn't allow him to accept any form of apology and his ego was too big to accept what Bonnie had done to him.

In addition to sending Bonnie away, Aurora was next to go. With Bonnie not around, it was hard to tolerate Aurora's incessant nagging. Her purpose had been served, at least for now, and though Klaus knew that using her was wrong, he had other things to worry about. He hoped she would get the picture and stay gone but judging by the amount of missed calls, that wouldn't be happening soon. Aurora was crazy and would only yield to brute force and brutal honesty.

In Bonnie's absence, Rebekah had taken the dutiful role of the favorite—and only—aunt. Klaus was grateful for the distraction. Nikolina was a handful; her interrogation tactics could rival his own and while he admired her skill, he didn't like being on the receiving end of it. Nicky had resorted to giving him the silent treatment—Bonnie was clearly his favorite.

"You know what I think," Rebekah said out of the blue one day while they all sat at the breakfast table, eating silently.

"No, and quite honestly, I don't care," Klaus mumbled, as though everyone at the table didn't have superb hearing. His mood had been sour since Bonnie left.

"I think you should join Bonnie on her vacation," Rebekah continued, unperturbed. "And when you come back, leave that stick in your arse, behind." Nikolina's giggles were cut short by the look her father gave. Rebekah smiled innocently. "I'll stay here with the twins until you two get back, how's that?" He knew his sister well enough to know how to read between her lines. 'Go get Bonnie.', was what she was really saying. When Niklaus refused to entertain her bright idea, Nicky spoke up.

"Maybe then, you and mom won't be mad at each other anymore." Klaus tried to think of the last time he'd heard his son speak a full sentence.

"When are you going to stop being mean to her and let her come back home?" It was Lina's turn to speak up. She wasn't one to mince words.

"How are you so sure that this is my fault?" Rebekah nearly laughed at the incredulous look on Klaus's face.

"Because Mom's never been gone this long. You made her leave!" Nikolina was convinced. "I know you did!" She spoke with so much conviction, Klaus was reminded that his children were also part witch. The judgment on Lina's face made his stomach twist. Klaus swallowed the growl growing in his chest.

"Nikolina…" The warning was ominous but Nikolina didn't care.

"I won't let you bully me like you bully everyone else, Dad. Mom taught me to stand up to bullies and I don't think it's fair that you made her go away. You're mad she had a boyfriend but you have a girlfriend!" Nicky's giggles were cut short when Klaus slammed his hand on the table and stood to his feet, eyes aglow. His swift movements caused everyone to stand at attention. Nicky moved to stand in front of his sister while Rebekah stood between the three of them.

"Nik, I advise you to cool it. Fast!" Rebekah's warning left words unsaid but they needn't be uttered. Though they put up a brave front, Niklaus could hear the quickening in both of his children's hearts. The look on Lina's face was reserved yet there was a bit of fear in her eyes that nearly stole the wind from his lungs. The same look was mirrored on Nicky's face and Klaus was haunted by Bonnie's earlier words.

"What happens when they become teenagers and begin acting out?"

Regret pierced his heart as realization set in. He swallowed the thickness in his throat as his eyes danced between the three of them and slowly, he backed away from the table. Without a word, he disappeared.

-X-

Bonnie took an Uber back to Marcel's place, feeling twenty pounds lighter after exchanging her goodbyes with Tyler. It felt good knowing she didn't have to constantly be on edge, hoping that he wouldn't show up and get himself killed because of her. It wasn't much, but it felt like a step in the right direction. The situation with Elijah was better left untouched for now and while she hoped to one day repair the thousand-year brotherhood she destroyed, right now, she could only relish in the small victory she accomplished tonight. Tyler was safe and in the wind and as long as she never saw him again, he'd be okay.

All of that shit flew out of the window as she exited the car to find Klaus sitting on the steps, seemingly awaiting her arrival. A million thoughts ran through her mind as she braced herself for what was to come. Instinct nearly made her run and jump into the backseat of the Toyota Rav-4, but the driver was long gone, taking with him her last shred of hope. Though she'd done no wrong, she felt caught in the act of something immoral. What she looked forward to the least was the disappointment in his eyes each time she let him down.

In the back of her mind, she wondered if this was how habitual cheaters felt each time their significant other stayed up late to catch them in the act.

She was about ready to check into an insane asylum.

Bonnie was ready to prepare her defense when she noticed his countenance. Nothing about him was combative. Instead, he was completely defenseless with his head down and his hands in his lap. Maybe this was a ploy to get her to lower her guard. Maybe he was ready to finally put an end to her once and for all.

No.

Instead, she was met with meekness. He looked broken. Their eyes met and the sight nearly broke her heart. He looked like a kicked puppy. Instantly, she grew alarmed at the look of despair on his face.

"The twins—" It was the first words she'd spoken to him since he kicked her out.

"Unharmed," he acquiesced. Bonnie relaxed a tad. She stood awkwardly in front of him, quietly assessing the scene before her. He seemed dejected, humbled, and yet, she couldn't figure out why or what caused it. Nothing on Earth, it seemed, could humble Niklaus Mikaelson.

The thought unnerved her.

"Klaus…" She quietly goaded him to speak up but was met with the distant sound of crickets. Again, panic rose within her as she silently prayed he would state the reason behind his visit. Naturally, she thought of Elijah possibly being in peril but dared not to voice her concerns.

"Klaus, you're scaring me." The slight tremble in her voice caused him to look up. The same fear he saw in Lina's eyes earlier was present on Bonnie's face.

"I get why you ran from me," he whispered. Of all things to come out of his mouth, this was not what Bonnie expected.

"What?" The shock was apparent.

"Had I been around, they wouldn't have turned out so perfect," he confessed painfully. "I would have ruined them. Like everything I touch." There was a long pause. "You did the right thing by keeping them from me, I see that now."

"Where is this coming from, Nik?" She closed the gap between them. Though he was sitting, they were at eye level. The only word she had to describe the look on his face was 'tormented'. "What happened?"

"Perhaps the reason I was so angry with you was that I knew deep down how right you were. I'm not cut out to be a father. I never will be. I'll only ruin them." Bonnie's heart pounded as she tried to navigate his words to piece together what happened to lead him to such a grave state. "Nikolina stood up to me today," he began. "She gave me quite the earful. You'd have been proud." He released a humorless chuckle. "In turn, I nearly did what I've always done." He paused as he gathered his thoughts. The lump in his throat was back and suffocating. "I got angry," he confessed and Bonnie held her breath as she anticipated what he would say next. "Until then, I thought you were being dramatic. I didn't see…" Bonnie's face flushed hot with dread but remained silent as he told his story. 'Unharmed,' she repeated his words in her head.

"What happened, Nik?" Her tone was firmer this time. Their eyes met again and Bonnie fought against reaching out to him. She wanted to calm him but felt she no longer had that right.

"Rebekah stopped me," he muttered. "I wish I could tell you that I stopped myself but I didn't. Rebekah saved me from doing something stupid." Klaus's blackout rage had been the talk for centuries. Everyone feared it except him.

Until now.

"I can't say what I would have done." The confession unnerved him. It was the scariest part of the situation. "If Rebekah hadn't been there…"

"But she was," Bonnie cut in. It did no good to any of them to allow him to finish that thought. She took a moment to drop her bag and moved to sit next to him. "The Klaus I knew—the one I ran away from—wouldn't have given a damn who was around but that's not you anymore, is it?"

"I don't know who I am." Whomever he was destined to be was lost in a millennium of suppressed emotions.

"Then let us help you discover who you are." There was another moment of silence. "I don't have the answers," she began. Her fingers nervously brushed a few unruly curls behind her ear. "And I'm far from perfect but Nicky and Lina are the only motivation I have to keep me on the right path. But it doesn't stop there; you have to want it for yourself. You have to want to change. You can still be the monster you set yourself up to be out there, but in here," she moved to place a hand on his chest, "here is where they need to see a different side of you." She paused to let her words sink in. "I know my lack of faith in your ability to be a father has probably damaged your confidence, but please don't let me get in the way of you making an attempt."

"She was afraid of me, both of them were," he whispered. There was a brokenness in his tone that nearly shattered her.

"All the more reason to show them the other side of you. The side you showed me." The side she fell in love with, she failed to say. Carefully, she took his large hand into hers, cupping it supportively. "I was afraid of you at first, too," she reminded. "But it didn't last."

"Things would be a hell of a lot easier if you still were," he teased, earning a bump in the knee.

"You'd get bored with me really quick if I was afraid of you," she countered. His irises glowed, earning him a solid middle finger. There was a small smile on his lips that was returned with a pensive look. "In truth, I don't think I was ever afraid of you—per se—I'm afraid of what you're capable of. You're so unpredictable." She was still triggered by his threat to turn her into a vampire months ago, even if deep down she knew he wouldn't.

The air between them became lighter as they both exhaled their sorrows into the muggy Louisiana air. The cicadas hummed as the moon ascended into the night sky. They took a moment to enjoy one another's presence. It'd been a while since they've been able to co-exist without turmoil.

"I'm afraid of what I'm capable of, too," he murmured. Bonnie turned to face him, contemplating his profile.

"Then that's a step in the right direction," she encouraged. "Your recklessness and subsequent refusal to rein it in is why I left, not you," she insisted. "You don't have to give your heart to me ever again; I lost that right. All I'm asking is that we find a middle ground so that our poisonous relationship doesn't affect our children. I won't let you punish me forever and I can't have you murdering people the three of us care about. I know you're pissed with Elijah and want to murder Tyler on sight but love it or hate it, they mean something to the twins, and killing either of them would hurt our babies and I can't let you do that. It's not about sparing your enemies, it's about protecting them."

Bonnie watched as Klaus grit his teeth in anger. She didn't worry about retaliation. If she could read him well, she knew that he was beyond acting out. His irises glowed as he stared at her. The murderous look on his face for once was not directed at her.

"What a web you've weaved," he chuckled humorously.

"I know," she sympathized. "For a while, I honestly thought we'd never see one another again and if by chance we did cross paths, I always assumed you'd want nothing to do with me or the twins. With that in mind, I acted carelessly. I didn't seek to betray you like this. Things happened organically and I guess," Bonnie paused as she sorted through her thoughts, "in my mind, having them there with me was my way of having you around." It was fucked up but true. As Klaus's sire, Tyler's presence helped to ease the ache of Klaus's absence—the same went for Elijah.

"I won't kill my brother," Klaus began after allowing her words to sink in. "But I can't guarantee I won't snap and kill Lockwood." He swallowed the thickness in his throat. "I won't hunt him down. That's all I can promise." His words were a sweet relief, though she couldn't delude herself into thinking he'd let go so easily; if anything, Klaus was very imaginative.

"It's a start," she breathed. It was more than she could ever hope for.

With him near, she felt at ease. With him calm, she too felt calm. Her eyes closed briefly to allow herself to bask in the sereneness. She didn't know how long they'd last like this. All it took was one ill-begotten thought to send him over the edge again but tonight, they made progress. It felt like a step in the right direction. It felt as though they were getting somewhere.

Without being made aware, her magic encompassed the two of them. It'd been a while since her magic engulfed him like this—years, in fact. Klaus too allowed himself to be swept away in the moment. For ten minutes they sat. It was the most at ease his wolf had been in a very long time and secretly, he hoped it would last.

"Is there anything I need to know?" His question was loaded and Bonnie tensed only slightly. She need not ask what he meant.

"Tyler and I are through. You won't see or hear from him ever again. We said our goodbyes." Though, if she had to guess, he could smell the hybrid's lingering scent on her from hours earlier.

"And what of my brother?"

"I haven't seen Elijah, Klaus. I swear" Her voice shook with anxiety as his eyes bore into hers.

"How am I ever supposed to trust you to be alone together?" His question made Bonnie falter.

"I can't answer that, Nik, but what I can say is that I will never do anything to ever hurt you again—"

"Intentionally," he finished. With a heavy sigh, he chuckled breathlessly, unable to look at her. "You keep using that word and I can't help but feel as though it's a cop-out. Nothing you've done—so you say—has been intentional. I can't say if that makes me feel better or worse. My enemies have done countless things to hurt me intentionally, but none of it has measured to any of this. Yet, you expect me to simply get over it because it wasn't 'intentional'. Do you understand how this uncertainty drives me fucking insane?" Silence befell them and Bonnie felt herself begin to lose hope. This felt like a conversation she was cursed to relive for the rest of eternity. Instead of preparing a rebuttal, she allowed his words, his hurt, to engulf her. As she replayed his words in her mind over and over again, one thing became clear.

"You're afraid." This caused Klaus to start. Before he could argue, she spoke up. "You're afraid I'll hurt you again." He wanted to deny it—to tell her that she was wrong but instead, he remained silent. False Pretenses required too much energy to uphold "The only way you'll know that I won't is if you stop fighting this and allow it to happen. I don't have all of the answers. I can't say the right things to make you hurt any less but I do know that I don't ever want to be the cause of your heartache ever again. I don't know what happened when you bit me but I feel it, I feel all of it and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did this to you; to us." As Bonnie spoke, Klaus felt a small flicker of hope rise in his chest to his dismay. He wanted to believe her, to give in, but she spoke a good game before and as a result, he was horribly burned.

They sat silently once again as Klaus contemplated what to say next. "I don't remember biting you," he began. Instinct led him to reach out and grab her thigh. "But I knew it had to have happened once I shifted back." The moment he touched her, a jolt of electricity shot through her, awakening so many different emotions. Emotions that weren't entirely hers.

Bonnie's heart began to accelerate from his touch. Her breathing hitched each time his thumb ran across the mark, the fabric of her jeans was the only thing that stood between them. She bit her lip and shifted in her seat, waiting for him to say or do something. Their eyes met and her breath was stolen by the heated look in his gaze. The nerves in the pit of her belly bloomed, causing her to stir out of his grip. Instinctively, she stood to her feet and folded her arms across her chest, choosing to focus on the overwhelming humidity and not his heated gaze.

"I thought you bit me on purpose. To prove a point," she muttered once she was sure her voice wouldn't betray her emotions. Though her back was turned, Klaus could read her well.

"Perhaps my wolf did but again, I wasn't in my right frame of mind." Part of him was glad it happened, though he'd never admit that to her. With their bond sealed, it calmed most of his thoughts of her fidelity. She was his, just as he wanted it. Still, the bond didn't make her completely submissive to him. Witches couldn't be compelled and while a lesser being would succumb to him completely, Bonnie was stronger than that. He still had to work for her.

"The results would be no different if you were," she countered. To which Klaus didn't bother to object. The silence was broken by him moving to stand. Bonnie tensed noticeably but said nothing. She was acutely aware of his proximity a hair's breadth away from where she stood. His body heat engulfed her and Bonnie closed her eyes, barely able to keep her composure.

"Probably not," he said honestly. The bass in his voice compelled her to turn to face him. While Bonnie avoided his gaze, Klaus used the moment of silence to observe the differences in her features. She was much smaller than when she left a week ago, due to the stress he caused, no doubt. She trembled slightly as if she had a case of nerves and the restlessness was apparent in her eyes. His chest ached to see her in such a fragile position, even if he was the one that caused it. Instinct compelled him to unsheathe his fangs and bite into his wrists.

Bonnie's heart skipped a beat when she was presented with his blood. It called to her, like drugs to an addict, yet PTSD from his threats of turning her into a vampire nearly spawned a panic attack at the mere notion. Her heart accelerated in her chest as she backed away ungracefully.

"You're not well," he explained.

"I'm fine," she insisted. Though she'd drank from him since being threatened, there was no rationalizing with fear. The mark didn't erase her memory.

"I'm sorry I did that to you." He didn't need to explain. His apology seemed unreal. He never apologized for what he thought was justified. "I only wanted you to feel the betrayal I felt," he explained. Bonnie fought to keep her anger in check.

"The difference between us is I never sought to hurt you, Klaus. I honestly thought at the time that I'd be a blip on your radar. A notch in your bedpost. Though what we had was real, I truly thought that with time, you'd move on. Had I known then what I do now, I would have never done this." Bonnie closed her eyes and took a deep breath while trying to keep her emotions at bay. "That's what I mean when I say it wasn't intentional. I don't say that as a cop-out, I say that because I truly didn't get how deep your feelings for me ran. I thought I knew but I had no clue." Her understanding of his feelings for her didn't sink in until the moment he bit her. The realization incapacitated her for the past week. "I'm only a human Klaus, I can't feel things as intensely as you can. What you felt for me in three months felt like all the emotions I've amassed for you over the past decade. I wish—" Bonnie's voice betrayed her by cracking under the weight of her tears. "I wish I knew about the bond sooner. I wouldn't have left, despite all of my fears." Her eyes closed once again as she struggled to hold herself together.

"I understand now how much I hurt you but," she swallowed the thickness in her throat. "You keep torturing me in spite of all of that and I don't know how much more of this I can take." Her lips trembled as she wiped her eyes. The tears began to fall in a steady stream as the flood gates opened. Her tears softened him enough to pull her into his strong embrace. Klaus held her as she cried and felt the strings of his heart being pulled upon each time he felt a tear hit his chest.

He massaged her back gently, meditating on the words she spoke. He could feel how tired he was, how tired she was. He too felt tired. He waited until she calmed a bit before offering his bitten wrist to her again; not accepted no for an answer this time.

"Drink. I don't want our babies seeing you like this." She bit back every retort as she took a hold of his wrist. It was all he needed to say to convince her to accept his offer.

A/N: Thank you all for sticking with me during my hiatus. I did not intend to take as long as I did. That said, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If not, I love you. I had so much anxiety posting this because I knew what you all wanted to happen but it was pre-written (mostly) so I knew what had to happen lol. I hope you all don't hate me lol. Bonnie and the twins will reunite soon, I promise lol. Let me know your thoughts and as always, thanks for reading!