AN: Forced to go on without Bonnie, Kol attempts to assuage his heartache until he comes across a new hope.
In 2013 Riverdale, Jughead's skeptical nature causes conflict with Betty as Toni and Cheryl simultaneously end their relationship as well. As Toni drowns her sorrows, she is forced to manifest her unique abilities when a known enemy shows up.
Bamon teams up to take on Kai by surprise, only to find Kai's nowhere around.
That's it! We're done with NOLA 2010
I don't know what to say about this chapter. Except, have you ever been just absolutely crushed because one minute you're all in love and the next minute it's gone and you hate everything? That's how Kol feels. If you've heard the song by My Chem and the story of the demolition lovers, then you probably know what I mean. Like where are you, I just miss you
Songs for this chapter
Give 'em Hell Kid- by My Chemical Romance
My heart is broken- by Evanescence
Alone- by Marshmello
New Orleans 2010
Oh baby here comes the sound
I took a train outta New Orleans and they shot me full of ephedrine
This is how we like to do it in the murder scene
Can we settle up the score?
If you were here,
I'd never have a fear
So go on live your life
But I miss you more than I did yesterday
You're so far away
So c'mon show me how
'Cause I mean this more than words can ever say
Give 'em hell, kid- My Chemical Romance
New Orleans 2010
Rebekah's POV
"God, this is worse than I thought," Abby murmured, having a front-row seat to Kol's meltdown.
Rebekah watched as the youngest Mikaelson brother attempted to break down the barrier that was keeping him from slaughtering the young harvest witch. The only time she'd seen Kol even this distraught was when Henrick was lost to the wolves. Her heart ached for the pain she knew he was feeling. He would likely not see Bonnie again, possibly not even in this lifetime.
Once, long ago, Rebekah held the same sentiments about Marcel Gerard. Sure, the Ripper occupied her mind and affections for a time, until Nik inevitably ripped that apart, the same way he did with Marcel. Rebekah had always believed that when you find your person, you inherently knew. She didn't need a spell to tell her that her person was Marcel. No spell could convince her anyway that he wasn't. The difference with Kol and the witch was that she was mortal. Even if they could be reunited she may be old and gray by that time. It was that thought that pulled at her heartstrings.
"Uncloak us," Rebekah said to Genevieve. She looked between the vampires present, Abby, Klaus, and Rebekah, tossing a precarious glance in the direction of her two witch companions as well.
"You'll need to control him," Genevieve's dark-haired friend said, before she turned her wary gaze to the fuming Original.
"That's fine, just do it!"
At Rebekah's insistence, Klaus gave her a small nod and placed his hand in Abby's. Genevieve waved her hand revealing the other two Originals, along with Abby, who materialized next to Kol. Kol glanced at them all, then his gaze was on the red-haired witch for a split second before he pounced on her, twisting her head all the way back. Not a second later, a swipe of his hand slashed the throats of her two companions. They fell to the floor, writhing and choking as blood sputtered from their necks. Kol proudly wore their blood spatter across his face and the suit he donned, akin to a prize of war. He turned around to glare at Abby but Klaus stepped in front of her.
Davina, still on the opposite side of the barrier, cried out in antipathy the moment she witnessed her dead witch sisters. "Oh, fuck this, you all are on your own here!" She vanished into a cloaking spell.
"Kol, don't do anything rash now. You don't want to spend all your Bonnie free time in a coffin, do you?" Klaus positioned softly as Kol broke off the leg of a chair and took slow steps in their direction.
Oh God, he's trying to kill Abby! Rebekah couldn't let him do that, it would doom any chance at getting Bonnie back, ever.
Kol ignored him, addressing Abby directly. "Where is she? Why can't I feel her?"
"That's far enough Kol," Rebekah warned. He ignored anything Klaus and Rebekah were saying, utilizing tunnel vision on Abby.
"Why did you let this come to pass? Did you want to abandon your daughter again? Trying to fashion her into the likes of you, the very archetype of monumental failure who runs from their problems?!"
"Kol!" Klaus zipped in front of his face, eyes glowing with his hybrid rage. "Cease your verbal venom, Abby is not to blame. You should be directing your rage towards Esther. She's the sole responsibility for your current pain."
"What pain do you speak of, Nik? All I feel is contempt and rage for each of you who conspired to rip my Bonnie from me. Especially her," Kol thrust an indignant nod toward Abby. He was clearly seething with venom and Rebekah couldn't be certain Abby would still have her head or heart if Nik wasn't standing between her and Kol.
To her surprise, Abby stepped out in front of Klaus, matching Kol's dismay.
"I did what I had to do to protect my daughter and even your ungrateful ass. Don't you ever come at me like I don't care about my daughter, her heart is in pieces right now! All to keep you alive Kol. As if a thousand fucking years wasn't enough! Bonnie had a decision to make and she made it, even though it hurts like a bitch. She just wanted you safe, she did this for you!" Rage began to take over Abby and she trembled as her words reached Kol's audio senses.
"I didn't ask for this! I only wanted her !"
"Would you rather have her watch you die?"
Kol didn't answer, instead continued glowering at Abby as if she was his greatest enemy. Then his eyes shifted between Abby and his siblings. "We could have found another way," he tried.
Rebekah's heart bled for her brother. He was excellent at disguising his pain as anger and lashing out at other people. She knew Kol all too well though. He wasn't processing that Bonnie would leave him on her own accord, he refused to accept that she would find separation the best possible solution. He found someone to blame instead so he could rage at them in favor of not holding any anger for Bonnie.
"If there was another way, don't you think she would've done that instead, jackass?" The veins began to slither beneath her eyes, indicating her growing rage. She was tired of Kol painting her as the culprit.
Klaus placed his arm around Abby's stomach and murmured in her ear. "Temperance, Abigail. You'll work yourself up into a heavy appetite, you don't want to slaughter the innocent people of New Orleans do you? Though that would a sight to behold,"
Abby closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.
Kol dropped the makeshift stake he'd held. "You're a Ripper, aren't you?" He laughed. "Well, that's rich. It explains why you're so keen on being Mother of the Year."
"Shut up, Kol! We've all heard enough of your whining. You don't have children, you don't know what it's like to want to protect them at all costs, to sacrifice everything for them. The sooner you cease your attempt on Abby's precious life, the sooner we can get to figuring out just how to get Bonnie back."
"When you're in love, everything is a risk, brother. You're risking your heart the entire time. There's no way around it. But you must trust that she'd come back to you if she could," Rebekah added.
"Fools, I have no plans to kill her. I just want her to understand how much she's hurt me and Bonnie. When she abandoned her daughter for the second time,"
"I didn't have a choice!" Abby said through closed lids.
"Of course you did, you chose your fate,"
"So did Bonnie! And guess what, it wasn't you! A bunch of innocent people will live on now, thanks to my daughter's sacrifice. I couldn't be more proud of my Bonnie."
That was the wrong thing to say. Kol zipped over to Abby but suddenly faltered with a broken neck. Davina appeared with Marcel, holding the dagger she used for the spell.
"You're probably gonna need this," she said as she handed it to Klaus.
"Can we get to work now?" Marcel asked.
"We're missing Elijah's blood," Klaus reminded him. "No matter, I will procure it," he said with that signature charming smile that indicated malice. Rebekah raised her brows.
"Why don't you just compel someone to do it for you?" She questioned.
"That's exactly what I intend to do," he replied, continuing to smirk his malicious grin. He had to be up to something that neither Abby or Marcel was aware of. Of course, Rebekah had to follow. As long as Kol was daggered he wouldn't be a problem for the witches.
Klaus's POV
Hope was skipping as Klaus held her hand, walking at her side out in the bayou. This was completely normal for an ordinary father and daughter pairing. What wasn't normal was what he requested of Hope, knowing absolutely no one in Marcel's entire entourage would approve. He had to do this in private.
"Hope, darling. Do you remember what you and Daddy discussed before our walk?" He said as he paused to kneel down before Hope.
She got quiet and looked alarmed. "It's a secret, right?"
"Absolutely,"
"Mommy says I'm not supposed to use magic unless she tells me to,"
"Your mother is a wise parent. But I'm your parent as well, Hope. Your parents will never lead you astray, and you know the plan to save all of Mummy and Marcel's friends?"
"Yes!" Hope jumped, giddy at the prospect of being a hero.
"We're just getting a jump start on that, it will be a surprise for everyone. But don't reveal it yet, until I give you the ok. Can you keep a secret sweetheart, so we can surprise Mummy and all our friends?"
Hope nodded with so much enthusiasm. "Very well then. Go ahead and remove your bracelet, and focus on this," he pulled out a vial and watched as his daughter's powers manifested to something he'd only witnessed Davina do. Hope's magic was potent but gentle and as a few drops of blood oozed out of her hands into the vial, she just smiled. She was happy to help. When she was done he sealed the vial and gave Hope a proud hug.
"Remember, don't give away the surprise," he said when he pulled back to look in offspring's blue eyes.
"I won't!"
Kol's POV
Vibrations of powerful magic crept into Kol's sixth sense before he opened his eyes. Magic that told him he'd been unconscious for days, perhaps even weeks was prevalent in the atmosphere. It was fantastic to feel magic but it wasn't hers. He couldn't feel her at all anymore. When Kol first became vampire, and lost the ability to feel and envision his intended, the girl who had haunted his dreams in the months before his transition, it was a feeling very much akin to heartbreak.
Now, having lost access to Bonnie, after having had but a fleeting chance to have, hold, and love her, it felt like his heart had been torn from his chest in a cold and unforgiving fashion. Compounding the devastation was that during his slumber, she's all he dreamed about. Foolish of him to think the mythical sandman would provide a reprieve from the pain shrouding his heart. No, Kol would be granted no rest, no mercy. Damn that cruel, merciless fate.
Faint traces of Bonnie's scent still lingered and Kol realized he was in the suite they shared for one night at Marcel's secret quarters. Another scent that was slightly recognizable, belonged to the magic he felt swirling about. Eyes still closed, he realized he was paralyzed from his neck down.
"Davina Claire," he grumbled. "Release me at once,"
"I can't," she replied gently.
Kol's eyes snapped open. "The longer you hold me captive, the angrier I will become. I hardly think you want an angry, hungry vampire breathing down your neck,"
Davina clicked her tongue and rose from her seat adjacent to the bed Kol laid upon. She unscrewed the top off a blood bag and presented it to Kol. "If I give you this, will you shut up?"
"I can't move at all," he said, annoyance evident in his delivery.
Davina sighed and lifted the paralysis spell so Kol could at least sit up. As soon as she did, she found herself locked in a chokehold.
"You test what little patience I have left. I could have killed you easily by now," he hissed in her ear.
"If you kill me, there'll be nothing blocking Bonnie's magic! You'll die and all of this will be for nothing!" She cried.
"Lift the spell captivating me,"
Davina worked her magic and Kol thrust her aside, speeding out of the complex. He came to a stop finally in the middle of Bourbon Street, inhaling the air deeply to catch the scent of his next victim. A young woman walking hand in hand with a young man walked into his line of view and Kol nearly stopped breathing when he realized she resembled Bonnie, only taller with long, natural curls and bustier around the chest. From the conversation he picked up on, they were tourists. Unable to keep his eyes off of her, he stalked their movements until the man left her side, obliging her request for a drink.
Kol replaced the space he occupied. "That was quick. It better not be-" the woman turned, looking up into Kol's amber eyes. "Oh I'm sorry," she said, then scanned the crowd. "Where's…"
Kol peered at her with curious eyes. "What's your name, love?"
Suddenly intrigued by his accent, the woman turned back to Kol, really taking in the sight of him. Vampire senses alerted Kol to how her breath caught and the change in the rhythm of her heartbeat. Even more obvious to the naked eye was the way she'd straightened her back so her bosom looked more prominent.
"Angelique. What's your-"
"Are you with him, Angelique?" He gestured behind her where her male companion was waiting in a line.
"Oh he- don't -don't worry about him,"
Kol smiled. "I won't," his eyes widened in compulsion, this was too easy. "Neither will you. Come with me,"
He turned and began walking.
"Where we going?"
"Somewhere private," was all Kol said.
There was no way Kol could take the rage boiling underneath the surface of his collected facade out on Bonnie. No matter that her decisions had left him positively miffed and dismayed, he would never target his little love or hurt her the way she'd crushed him. Angelique, however, was a different story.
In her hotel room, aggressive sex wasn't enough to sate the monster inside. He was famished, with a ravenous hunger that only blood could quell. When Kol was finished wearing her out, he sank his teeth into Angelique's neck, draining her slowly, but surely. As she whimpered on the precipice of death, he made sure it hurt. Her dying pain was the only thing that could simmer his rage.
Mystic Falls 2010
Klaus's POV
Back in Mystic Falls, Abby rushed into the ballroom of the Mikaelson mansion, having heard a commotion.
"What the hell is-" she paused when she saw Tyler Lockwood, dead before Klaus. "What have you done?! That's Bonnie's friend!"
"I had to test a theory if I'm going to go through with the hybrid agenda," Klaus replied unapologetically.
"Babe, do you understand those witches will put you down if you go this route! And me too. Please don't do this Nik," she said, backing away from him slowly. This pained Klaus, it was as if she didn't believe in him.
He flashed towards her, capturing her arms hostage above her head. "Don't recoil from me, Abigail. I'm merely creating a contingency plan should the hybrid agenda fail in its endeavor or fail me. I need you by my side, always,"
"I'll always be by your side. But if you back us into a corner with your bullshit, I'll have to love you from a distance,"
At those words, Klaus felt his heart swell. He leaned down until he was face to face with Abby. "Are you admitting the obvious fact that you love me?"
Abby glared at him defiantly, until her expression softened. "As if I could deny it," she murmured against his lips. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth, nipping at her lips as he took her breath away with his kiss.
Part of him thought it would be an absolute laugh if he were to make love to Abby while Tyler slumbered upon the ground in transition. He figured Abby wouldn't think so, yet still decided he'd put that theory to test. He pressed against her as he kissed her, grinding between her legs. "You love me as I love you. Let me show you how much I care for you,"
"Not here, there's a dead body right behind you,"
Had to at least try.
"So what's your contingency plan?" Abby inquired through a soft murmur.
"Hope's blood along with my own will transition the young Lockwood-" Klaus, noticing Abby stiffened when he mentioned that, tightened his grip on her hands above her head but somehow she overpowered him and thrust him off of her. He stumbled back and was met with a slap to his left cheek that turned his head sideways. His hybrid face manifested and he was ready to take Abby then and there, whether she was willing or not, her aggression always spurred his arousal. Except he'd gotten to know her well enough to be aware that would incur her wrath, the likes of which he wasn't keen on inflicting upon himself.
"You got Hope's blood?! That's why you wanted to come back here?"
"Abigail, love. My daughter wasn't harmed, she used a painless spell to extract her blood," he explained as his face of a beast subsided. He reached for Abby but she pulled away.
"You didn't tell her mother, did you?"
"I don't need Hayley's permission to work with my daughter! I can protect her better than anyone!"
"You're selfish! And paranoid. And you can sleep by your fucking self tonight!" She shouted as she raged at him. Klaus grabbed her arms and pulled her into an embrace. The more she refused him, the more he wanted her. Only this time, to his dismay there were tears in her eyes.
"No, Niklaus, STOP IT! Do not touch me," she shook her head she squirmed away, eyes shining brightly. She flashed away as soon as she was free and Klaus roared. Abby had left the building, he could tell that much.
He flashed down into the basement of his home, grabbing the newly turned human doppelgänger by her hair. He pulled her upstairs amidst her protesting and shit-talking to await Tyler's awakening.
"Silence," he demanded when they reached the ballroom. He looked into her eyes, compelling her. "When Tyler awakens, offer him your wrist. Let him drain you dry,"
"Klaus, don't do this! Wouldn't you prefer to torture me instead? Or have Elijah torture me?" Katherine came up with every excuse she could think of to try and save her ass until Klaus compelled her to remain quiet.
Another hour and a half passed by before Tyler stirred himself awake. He sat up, taking in his surroundings.
"Tyler Lockwood. I have a gift for you," Klaus smiled as he dragged Katherine towards him. "Drink, or you'll die."
"Elena?" He whined.
The doppelgänger nodded her head vigorously.
"Don't fall for her tricks, this is Katerina. Did you know she's now human? Her doppelgänger blood is no longer useless to me," Klaus slashed her wrist and held it up to Tyler, who shook his head and refused.
"Where the hell is my mom?"
"She's dead, so there's only one other person I can leverage against you. That would be your precious Caroline. Do you want her life on the line as well?" Klaus asked, quickly losing his patience. He was about to shove Katherine's blood into Tyler's mouth if he didn't readily comply.
"Mother fucker, I'll kill you!"
Klaus sighed and pressed the bleeding wrist into Tyler's incessantly protesting gob. Katherine gasped and sobbed as Tyler sucked down her blood, eventually falling over. Tyler threw his head back and growled, glaring at Klaus as he dropped Katherine.
"Now," Klaus said gently. "You will do as I say. Make no moves against me and your life and the lives of those you care for will be protected. Is that understood?"
With a face full of rage on a bloody expression, Tyler's chest heaved before he grumbled, " Yes,"
"Excellent! Your first order of business: dispose of this, will you?" He gestured to Katherine.
New Orleans 2010
Three months post-Bonnie
"You're only hurting yourself! What would Bonnie think? You think she'll come back to you, knowing how you've reacted without her?"
What would Bonnie think? "Do not speak of her to me, ever," Kol ordered. That Davina even had the audacity to bring Bonnie into this astounded him. Bonnie left him, her opinions were irrelevant and could not be used to manipulate him.
"I just wanna help you! But you have got to stop spiraling," Davina insisted. Why she was here, Kol neither knew nor cared, but she was upsetting the mood he'd had going.
"I'm simply enjoying my free time, there's nothing wrong with that," Kol said as he dropped his latest victim.
"Stop killing people and you won't be daggered, I'll help you find your way back to her. But I need a show of good faith,"
That caught Kol's attention. "How?"
Riverdale 2013
Jughead's POV
Pop's ice cream was surprisingly still cold when Jughead let himself inside Betty's front door. To his dismay, the first thing he saw was pin-straight, side-swept ginger locks flowing down over Cheryl Blossom's bright red blazer as she swept past the staircase and into the den, flashing him a coy smile.
"Betty, what the hell is going on?" He asked as he entered the den, placing her sundae on the mantle nearest the doorway. Alongside Cheryl, the parties present were Betty, Toni, Kevin, and Veronica.
"Cheryl has something that can help find Archie," Betty replied, giving him an assured, yet hopeful look.
He scoffed. "This again? Really, Betty?"
"Just hear us out, Jughead," Toni pressed. As loyal as Toni was to the Serpents, he couldn't fathom the far-fetched idea that Archie was part of some ancient prophecy and was off doing the Lord's work or whatever the fuck she and Cheryl came up with in New Orleans. It was more likely they had an allergic reaction to the vervain herb they'd picked up in their travels. It was also more likely that Betty's psychotic excuse of a father murdered Archie too. Except Hal Cooper, also known as The Black Hood was long dead by now. There would be no finding Archie in living, breathing flesh. He'd be nothing but a corpse.
Choni and this group of sycophants would need to realize that by now. It's been three years. Even Veronica wasn't that daft to still believe there was hope for finding him, at least alive.
"The harvest witch said we wouldn't see Archie again due to a prophecy," Cheryl began. "My nana said she felt a great shift in the atmosphere months ago, and now her medium abilities are somehow disabled. And my beloved Toni here, while taking a very impulsive step away from our relationship, had a most frightening encounter, shortly thereafter. Which, in retrospect helped her realize stepping away from Cheryl Blossom was really a fool's decision, one could only make under the clouded judgment of-"
Toni rolled her eyes and threw her hands up. "Cheryl, get to the point!"
"Patience, ma cherie ," Cheryl gave her best soothing voice and a sultry look to Toni. The two epitomized the phrase 'get a room' since they were always all over each other. Jughead guessed all that passion between them occasionally culminated in heated arguments and disagreements. It's why they were constantly on and off.
And speaking of the harvest witch, Jughead figured she and her cult may have worked some sacrificial ritual on Archie. He'd done some research and found that the Harvest was a ritual in which four teenaged girls were slaughtered for some witchy reason. The only logical thing he could fathom of that was that maybe they'd targeted Archie. Which further supported his theory that Archie was fucking long gone!
"As I was saying," Chery continued. "According to Nana, the veil between the living and the dead has always been-"
"Stop talking, Cheryl," Jughead demanded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Archie is dead, you guys. Just stop all this already! You're only hurting yourselves."
"If that were true, then why wasn't Cheryl's Nana able to reach him? She would have been able to up until a few months ago. She reached Betty's dad," Veronica, inputting her true convictions to this outrageous discussion and making Betty shudder with traumatic memories of her father being revealed as a masked serial killer.
"Not you too," he shook his head.
Toni pulled Cheryl aside. "You know what, I can tell my own story, Cher. Just let me do the talking, I can get through to him."
"Toni," Cheryl said loud enough for the whole room to hear. "When will you realize that hobos aren't the sort of people you can get through to?"
"Jughead is part of this, too Cheryl," Betty said.
"Hobo? Right," Jughead groaned before he took his leave. He stepped out onto Betty's porch and leaned against the wall for a moment. The door opened again and Toni and Cheryl came outside, standing before Jughead.
"Cheryl, go ahead," Toni prompted. Cheryl just glared at the Serpent. "Apologize, babe!"
"Fine. I'm sorry I called you a hobo. Something I wouldn't have said if it weren't true but not to worry. Your hobo status won't affect our endeavor to find Archie, however, that shitty, defeatist attitude will. As the best friend, you are morally obligated to keep the team spirit up and you are failing, Jughead Jones! Why don't you just admit what's really happening here?"
"Cheryl don't ," Toni warned, grabbing her hand. But Cheryl pulled away and continued with the fucking audacity.
"You don't really want to find Archie, do you? Afraid of the competition, you're worried Betty will go dashing back into his arms if he is found and alive? Because lord knows she would have never looked your way if Archie had not been forced out of the picture, Jughead!"
Jughead narrowed his eyes, casting an auspicious over her from scalp to feet. "You're a stone-cold bitch, Blossom, but you don't know everything. You think you do,"
"True as that may be, I'm also gifted in calling it as I see it. Not hard at all, when you're so transparent," she stated with a venom-filled smile. "Why not just relish in the fact that you're second place in everyone's life? TT, shall we?" She turned to Toni, who wore a look of dismay plastered across her features. Toni said nothing, clicked her tongue, and flipped her hair as she turned to leave. Cherry Bombshell scoffed and pranced after her.
Jughead didn't know what Toni saw in Cheryl but if she kept such ungracious company around, Toni was going to find herself all alone. She was already causing problems among various Serpents trying to start the Pretty Poisons, and Jughead didn't want to suspend Toni's rank due to her girlfriend's loose cannon behavior. Cheryl was becoming a force to be reckoned with, that was a problem in itself.
"Jug," he flipped around to see Betty standing in the doorway. "Don't listen to anything she says. I shouldn't have asked her here, but I thought the time was coming for Archie to come back and the Blossom's have the information that will help bring him back, I'm sure of it!"
"You're reaching Betty. You're reaching too far this time. What even is this fucking Archie-centric prophecy? Do you know? Does anyone know?" Jughead pressed.
Betty shook her head. "No," she softly replied. "But Jug, I have a feeling if we can find a way to contact him. There's something bigger going on, I don't know how but I just know. Don't you trust me?"
Jughead's gaze wandered for a second until he affixed his glare back on Betty. "It's like I said, Betty. You're reaching."
He spun and stalked off her porch, leaving her teary-eyed.
Toni's POV
"What reason do you have to read Jughead like that? This is the sort of existence you want to have?"
"Jughead knows this, as well as everyone else. I need no actual reason to be this vicious, I simply am. They can all feel free to tremble in their off-brand shoes," Cheryl said with a smile.
"You simply are. Right." Toni sighed. "Listen, Cheryl, this was a mistake. This whole elope against the wills of our families. We certainly aren't ready and the Serpents are already on my back about you."
"What are you saying, TT?"
"The weddings off,"
Cheryl fumed in the eyes but physically kept her composure. "You've made the mistake of leaving me once, TT. What bad luck will follow you this time around?"
"Don't know, don't care but don't come by my place anymore. I'll send Sweat Pea with your shit."
"Toni, if you do this again, this is permanent! I won't let you come back, no matter how much groveling you do!" The panic was evident in her eyes but Toni couldn't stand for this anymore. She was beginning to feel as though Cheryl's heart was more self-serving than the purity it beheld when they first got together.
"You need to get over yourself," Toni scoffed as she stepped past Cheryl.
"Toni, wait. You don't mean that. I didn't mean that. I was upset, I panicked at the thought of losing you. Especially after what happened, TT, I couldn't bear to be without you if you're to be in danger."
"I can take care of myself, Cher. I always have. Besides, I have the Serpents,"
"Right, your makeshift community of brother/sisterhood," Cheryl cast a glance downwards. "They always did come before me. Not even the Pretty Poisons could sway you,"
"I'm a Serpent by blood, remember? They literally are my family."
"Of course. I guess there's nothing left to say,"
"One more thing. Take this back," Toni pulled off her engagement ring and pressed it into Cheryl's hands. She didn't mean to come off so harsh, but it was for Cheryl's own protection as Toni had some sleuthing to do.
As she walked away, it hurt more and more but she reasoned, at least this way, anyone coming after Toni would leave Cheryl out of it. One thing she didn't want was Cheryl being targeted for her own mistakes, especially having never come clean about what happened in New Orleans.
Toni continued down the street until she ended up at Pop's Choc'lit shoppe. Fangs was leaning up against the side of the building. He appeared quite dismayed.
"What's up with you?"
"Kevin," he responded with a scoff and shake of his head.
"Mmm. Cheryl,"
"Drink?"
"Fangs, it's not even five o'clock yet. Of course I want a drink!"
He grinned and escorted her to the Whyte Worm where together they drowned their sorrows over their respective love lives going down the drain. It seemed as though the partners they loved and cared for would never be on the same page as them. What with Kevin's flaky attitude and Cheryl's need to reign as the supreme queen of terror, showing only her soft side to Toni. It was beginning to cost Toni her other relationships with her crew.
At just past seven pm and the sun was beginning to set when Sweet Pea came over to cut Toni off. Good thing too, because the spins had begun to manifest their presence.
It was Sweet Pea who escorted her drunk ass home and Sweet Pea who put her inside the door then fucked off like he really had somewhere else to be. It was Sweet Pea who had left so abruptly that he didn't hear Toni screaming when she witnessed the scene in her dining room. Jughead or Fangs would never do that shit, not even Tall Boy. And it was Sweet Pea who would live to regret the moment he'd left a Serpent to hang.
Toni sank to her knees, realizing she wasn't alone in her home.
"Toni, Toni, Toni! The Pink Witch. Have you missed me?" A voice crooned from behind her.
"I told you," Toni said slowly. Fear overwhelmed her when she realized he was back and just as before, her eyes lit up in a pink glow as her defenses took hold. "I am not a witch!"
Jughead's POV
He hated having to do this, but clearly Toni's girlfriend was out of control. It was time for Toni to decide between Cherry Bombshell or the Southside Serpents. If she chose the Serpents, she'd have to abandon these far-fetched Archie prophecy notions and focus on their own, homegrown issues. Jughead strolled up to Toni's house, intent on banging on her door with as much force as the po-po, but before he could knock, he heard a scream and a bright pink light glowed under her door. It radiated so much heat, he had to step back to avoid getting burned.
"What the hell?" he asked himself.
He started around the backyard but three different hues of green, red, and lavender floated in front of him. Jughead didn't remember getting high or dropping acid so when the glowing colors morphed into three women in their respective colors, he dropped to his knees.
"What's going on?!" he demanded.
"We'll keep her safe," the lavender one, nodded assuredly. "You, however, must sleep. Now," she blew dust into Jug's eyes and he blacked out.
Davina and Kol's POV
New Orleans 2013
Davina led Kol back to the same Marcel Gerard made his headquarters three years ago, except it was no longer disguised as a warehouse, it was a large mansion on two acres of property. He remembered when he'd first arrived here, under the illusion he'd come to a separate location than Bonnie and Salvatore. Yet, with the witches and their cloaking spells, it turned out to be an illusion.
Hayley greeted them at the front door. "Kol! Wow, long time. What brings you back here?"
Davina sighed. "It's possible that Bonnie's in some sort of danger," she said quietly.
"She is in danger, I felt her." Kol corrected Davina matching annoyed scoffs with Hayley.
"I get it, you wanna check on her. Now that she's back after the other side went down and she.. uhh… I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you didn't know about that, judging by that look," she said when Kol frowned as she spoke.
So Davina was keeping secrets; that was no surprise to Kol as he had already figured as much.
Davina sighed louder and shifted her footing. "Can we just talk to Abby, please?"
"Sure," Hayley led them inside which looked nearly the same as it did three years ago, except the luxurious decor was out in the open, not hidden in a decrepit style cloaking.
"I'm gonna request that y'all have your discussion out on the patio because if anything breaks, Marcel will kill me for letting you in. You are the mini Klaus. Who's still pissed at you, by the way, but he's not here right now. You're welcome," Hayley held the French doors that opened to the patio for them as they stepped outside.
"I consider it a good fortune Abby is now fond of me," Kol chuckled. Davina rolled her eyes.
Hayley pressed the intercom button on the outside wall. "Abby, you have guests on the patio," she turned to Kol and Davina. "Abby will let you out. I have to go do Hybrid Queen shit. And Kol, give Bonnie mine and Hope's regards if you do get to see her. She still talks about her constantly,"
Davina's eyes were going to roll into the back of her head. Yes, everyone loved Bonnie. Enough already! It felt so disrespectful that they flat out ignored Davina's relationship with Kol. It was as if they never happened. Davina's heart would likely still be in one piece if that were true.
Abby flashed to Hayley's side. "Queen shit?"
"You already know,"
The Hybrid Queen and Royal Concubine nodded acknowledgment towards one another before Hayley zipped off to her queen shit, as tensions were brewing among some wolves and vampires. Davina was glad she wasn't exactly in the middle of that.
"Abby, you look quite the vision," Kol began. "I must say, hybridism is a fantastic look on you. Why you've probably aged in reverse! If I weren't-"
"What's going on with Bonnie, Kol? Because I spoke to her last night and she's doing just fine. You still can't go near her," Abby declared firmly. Oh how Davina wished Kol would listen to this wise, immortal woman! He was looking to get himself killed trying to get back to Bonnie on this fool's mission.
"No. She's not. I can't explain it but I felt her, briefly. She was filled with terror and regret until this one here, helped to cloak her again," Kol gestured shamelessly to Davina, giving no fucks.
Fucking Kol and his big mouth! Abby's face slowly morphed into a frown as Davina stammered. "A-Abby, I c-can explain,"
"Yes, please do!" Abby crossed her arms and stood in a defensive stance.
"Bonnie asked me to help cloak her again, she said somehow her shield fell when she came back from the prison world,"
"Get to the part I don't know,"
"She never told me why, just that it was important and she wanted me to leave quickly. I don't know but it seemed like she was constantly looking over her shoulder. I asked her what's wrong and she said she's handling it," Davina reasoned insistently.
"Esther?" Abby wondered.
"No, Esther has been in Australia for the past six months. I've tracked her all over and that's where she's settled," Kol said. "Davina here is going to help us extract the Nine Lives Spell she's been using and shred her soul so she won't be back,"
"We'll need Hope," Davina added. " If this is going to work,"
"Of course it is, just as you promised, dear," Kol assured Davina.
"Or we will all die,"
"No, she's too young," Abby rejected the notion due to how dangerous it was, facing off with Esther once again.
"Abby, there's not enough time to find another witch strong enough. Bonnie's the only one I can think of, except if she uses magic on Esther it'll affect Kol, too. Get Hayley on board. Your daughter is in trouble, she just doesn't want to worry you,"
Davina was realizing the more she spoke, what a damn fool she was. Of course they would do anything to help Bonnie, no matter how dangerous it was.
Abby huffed. "You should've told me about this, Davina!"
"If it's not my mother pestering her, it's something else, powerful. If we take out Esther first, she'll no longer be an issue and we can focus on Bonnie." Kol positioned in an attempt to quickly change the subject. There was no time for female squabbling.
Mystic Falls 2013
Bonnie's POV
"You ready, Witchy?" Damon asked as he braced himself to kick down the door. Bonnie was standing on the side of it heaving her chest up and down.
There were a few sure things running through her head. First, Kai's strange infatuation with her had escalated to a full blown obsession, where he was pulling out all the stops to manipulate her into thinking there was something brewing between them. Second, the only thing that was actually brewing between was a sham of a supernatural marriage that he'd fooled her into. This made her powerful but she would have to find a way to reverse this. Third, it occurred to her that this was exactly the sort of spell Kol spoke of on their last day together. And now he was nowhere to be found, even though he'd felt her. Over two months had passed and still no sign of him. The panic was real. And lastly, for whatever reason Kai would absolutely not die, even though his heart had been ripped out on more than one occasion, although he did lack the ability to siphon magic from anything that had been sage wafted.
Bonnie figured out that last one after she had to resurrect Elena after Jo's bachelorette party.
Bonnie and Jo pulled up to the boardinghouse, where there was a full on party in effect. A text from Careline came through, indicating she and Elena were in Stefan's room. Rushing past the party-goers, Jo's attention was pulled away when she noticed a scantily clad dancing too close to Ric. Jo waltzed up to her fiancé, and shoved the girl away, staring Ric down as his smile faded.
Up in Stefan's room, Bonnie got to work, conjuring Elena's spirit back into her body, using an old vial of her doppelgänger blood. As her magic manifested, there was a knock at the door. Everyone glanced at each other, wondering who it could be.
"Uh, just a minute! I'm getting dressed!" Caroline called out.
Bonnie halted her spell and lit a bundle of sage and waved the smoke around the room. On an impulse. Caroline grabbed the bundle and wafted it over Bonnie as well. "For extra protection!"
"Thanks Caroline, but it doesn't work like that," Bonnie shook her head with a smile.
"You never know!"
The knock at the door was louder now, when Bonnie continued the spell. She ignored it and conjured Elena back to life, who awoke with a gasp.
The knocker was pounding on the door now. "What?!" Caroline swung it open and there he was again. Kai Parker, standing before the threshold.
"Not you again," Stefan groaned.
"Me again!" Kai giggled. "I'm here to help," he lingered at the doorway, seemingly reluctant to step inside.
Elena rose and fixed a glare on Kai. "Why won't you fucking stay dead?"
Kai focused on Bonnie, wearing his insufferable smirk. "Hey Bonbon, could I see you outside real quick? We've got personal business to discuss."
Bonnie frowned. "You're being weirder than usual. What's wrong with you?"
Kai sighed, his patience apparently at a loss. "I'll just go back to the party then,"
"I don't think so. Get the hell out of my house, you aren't welcome here," Stefan said in a defensive stance.
"Maybe I'll meet a nice horny girl who'll treat me better than you ever did. Oh wait, I did that already. Couple weeks ago," he flashed a wink at Bonnie.
Pressing her fingers into her temples, Bonnie replied, "You need to leave everyone alone Kai. And there is nothing between us. There never was!"
"Jealousy is cute on you. Denial, not so much. Oh well," he sighed. "I guess I'll see you later," he turned to leave. As he walked away, Bonnie and the vampire entourage exchanged glances.
"Ok, you saw that right?" Bonnie asked them. "He's all powerful, he could've taken you all out. He's planning something!"
"No," Stefan said. "The sage. Bonnie, I have a theory I wanna test but only if you're ok with it," he looked at Caroline.
"Parker! Get back here!" Bonnie called as she stepped out into the hallway. She walked down the corridor slowly. When she reached the end of the hall she turned back to look at Stefan who poked his head out of his room. He nodded encouragingly, and she turned back around.
"God, you scared me!" She exclaimed when she met Damon's eyes.
"Two questions: why is Kai in my house and why are you looking for him?" Damon asked in a drunken slur.
"Shhhh!"
Kai stepped out from around the corner. "You called, I've come. I was trying to enjoy the party, but I guess I can spare you the time of day. Or should I say night? You know because it's night,"
"Shut up before I kill you again," Damon muttered.
In a bold move, Bonnie walked up to Kai, holding her arm out.
"Bonnie, what the hell?!" Damon asked, flashing between them.
"It's ok. You can't siphon me, can you? And you couldn't enter Stefan's room,"
Kai's smirk faded and then a frown marred his expression.
"Go ahead, touch me," Bonnie goaded. "You have my permission,"
He grabbed her hands and jerked towards him.
"Bonnie!" Damon yelled.
"It's fine!" Bonnie groaned but she wasn't being siphoned. Kai just glared at her.
"This a power play, Bonbon? Does it get you hot to have the upper hand?" Kai hissed.
Bonnie twisted her face into a sneer and held up her other hand. "GET OUT!" She shouted and cast a spell that relocated Kai somewhere off the Salvatore property.
"What the hell was that? You're taking a huge risk-"
Stefan and Caroline sped out into the hall. "The sage! Damon, the sage protected her,"
Bonnie lit more sage and had the vampires inconspicuously waft it all over the boarding house. This would prevent Kai from entering.
Kai's memory manipulation spell along with that matrimony spell -honestly this guy had spell after spell and Bonnie resolved to not trust his magic anymore; he would just twist it with an underlying spell- had begun to unravel in the few days since Bonnie ditched Kai, her memory regaining its proper clarity. She could feel his presence in her blood, intensely at first, yet it was fading, likely due to his failure to bed her. Strangely enough, he wasn't around but Damon came up with a plan to come at him in a way he wouldn't see coming. They were doused from head to toe in sage and Bonnie was cloaked. Damon would lead the attack and Bonnie would use their combined magic to take Kai out, seeing as how he couldn't siphon either of them while they were saged.
"Can't wait," Bonnie said, giving Damon the green light to kick open the apartment door. He and Bonnie walked inside at human pace. She held her hands out, feeling for a sense of him being nearby; there was none.
She looked to Damon. "Do you hear anything?"
"Nothing, no heartbeat or breathing," he shook his head.
Bonnie sighed. Well, that was a bust. Then a thought came to her. "We're robbing him, then."
"I love the way your brain works, you know that? I'll take this TV and-"
"Damon, you idiot. The grimoires," she rolled her eyes and gestured toward his bookshelf. "He can't manipulate anymore spells if he doesn't have access to his spellbooks, right?"
"Gotcha. I'm still taking the TV, tho," Damon said.
Back at the boardinghouse, Bonnie was in Damon's room sifting through Kai's grimoires. Multiple bookmarks and notes on how to weave different spells together were marked across each one.
"Shiiiiiet, if I would have known how clear this HD was, I'd have invested in one of these ages ago," Damon mused as he flipped through the channels. "Welp, good thing I don't have to now. Hey Stefan, did you see our TV?"
One particular spell caught Bonnie's attention. Her heart nearly stopped when she came across a spell that had the most notes. It was interwoven with three other spells.
Damon caught the skip in her heartbeat at the same time she spoke his name. "Damon," she said with a trembling voice.
He dropped the remote and sped over to Bonnie. "What is it, Bonnie?" He looked at the page and then he looked at Bonnie. "Looks like this prick has bigger plans for you,"
"Damon," Bonnie squeezed him. "I can't,"
"You won't Bonnie! I promise,"
AN: Any guesses on what Bonnie's discovered in Kai's books? and why is Toni acting like she's not a witch?
Please read, share, add comments or kudos and let me know if you're enjoying this! I love hearing what you all think!
Also, look out for my crossover fic, it's going to start in Got Your Back :)
I will be reading back to hunt for any errors and correct them as I see them.
And another thing, I just realized this is more than 20 chapters lol please stay with me.