There she was. The woman he had loved for lifetimes; reborn once more. Though her name, hair and style had changed, he'd recognize her any when and anywhere. Her face was sewn into every inch of his dreams, her aura seared permanently into his mind's eye.
The only problem was his brothers. Elijah and Klaus had left their impressions on her before he'd even gotten the chance, lying in a coffin as he was. Her opinion of vampires less than favorable Mikaelson vampires even less so.
Well, he couldn't have that. He would just have to change her mind, sway her to see vampires - or at the very least him - in a different light. It wouldn't be the first time. The challenge was doing so before the memories bled through entirely.
He idly wondered if he'd missed another of her rebirths during his most recent stint in a coffin. There would be hell for Nik to pay for if that was the case. The thought of her living a lifetime without him by his side as intended, lost and constantly searching for something she couldn't know was missing him, made his blood boil. Made him want to let loose an apocalyptic rage on the town that had twice been his birthplace. Let the world feel the pain he felt every time he lost her.
He just about managed to calm himself, before he destroyed the room before him, restraining his rage as her laughter rang out across the grill like the most perfect melody. Her joy unknowingly soothing the beast within him as it always did.
He watched her for a moment longer as she conversed with her friend and as he nursed a glass of whiskey. She didn't know who she was or who she'd been yet but she would. The magic that kept her memories secured would unravel once they locked eyes. Just not quite yet.
Because while Kol may know her as Renata, his first and last love, in this lifetime she was known as Bonnie Bennett.