Disclaimer: The characters of the Vampire Diaries and Twilight do not belong to me. It is the property of L.J Smith and Stephanie Meyer. Suing is futile.

4 days ago, Mystic Falls

Klaus huffed as he zipped up his jacket. "I can't believe we need to get permission to get out of the house. Like some hormonal teenage boys"

"Tell me about it. I think Alaric is one eye roll away from locking me in my room" Damon said. "Are leaves supposed to be this loud anyway?" he added. "I swear Alaric or Elijah can hear these leaves crunching"

"Stop being so paranoid"

"Me? Paranoid? Klaus, you're the poster boy for paranoia! I wonder what you were thinking when you pissed off that vindictive witch. What, did she breathe too loudly in your presence or she threw around some bones?"

"It is none of your business what I did. Besides, someone is hunting you too, aren't they?"

"Pfft" Damon scoffed. "Haven't you heard? It came through the grapevine that I've got an unkillable enhanced original on one side, a badass Bennett witch on the other, and an army of originals at my beck and call. He decided not to risk it"

"He's not coming after you anymore" Klaus stated plainly, as the woods finally gave way to Mystic Falls nightlife. They made their way slowly over to the Grill. "By the way, we are not at your beck and call" he added over his shoulder before disappearing into the building.

"Uh huh. Of course, not" Damon smirked as they split up inside.

That was their first mistake.

Esme and Rosalie were waiting when Bonnie and Alaric got off the plane. After loading their small luggage-most of which contained grimoires-in the trunk, they headed to the Cullen's home. Bonnie had just thrown together some stuff as quickly as she could since they had left almost immediately. She was pretty sure she had forgotten her toothbrush. If this was any other visit, she would have relished a shopping trip with the Cullen girls but this being the situation it was, well, she could always borrow a shirt or a pair of shoes.

When they got to the house, Carlisle was waiting with the boys and Alice. Stefan had had another episode and being the doctor of the family-even though he could do barely anything to ease the boy's pain-he had stayed behind to monitor him. He had Stefan on a blood transfusion and was simultaneously feeding him lots of blood. Bonnie figured he had either thrown up blood or had bled a lot from the nose, eyes and ears. She barely recognized Stefan as he attempted a smile that looked more like a grimace on his too pale face, as what she assumed to be another cramping pain lanced through his stomach, a pain she was sure the strong grip he had on his stomach did nothing to alleviate.

"Hey Bonnie" he rasped

"Stefan. Oh God. You look terrible"

He chuckled, or attempted to, as he got caught in a coughing fit that left him wheezing. "That was awful. Please don't make me laugh"

"Oh. Sorry Stefan" Bonnie apologized quickly. "Hi" she finally greeted the other Cullens.

Alice practically bounced over. "Hello Bonnie. You know what, as soon as you get Stefan all better, we are so going shopping"

Emmett and Jasper sniggered, while Edward let out a long-suffering groan. "Now, now Alice. Let Bonnie settle down first before you empty out Burberry" Carlisle softly admonished. "Bonnie, Alaric, you're very welcome"

"Thank you, Carlisle," Alaric answered. "Stefan, how are you feeling?"

"Like crap" came the prompt answer

"Alright, tell me everything. Don't leave anything out"

Stefan had barely begun to speak when he suddenly went rigid, and very white. The subsequent seizure was so sudden, Alaric jumped up from the couch in shock. The convulsions were so severe, the IV ripped out of his arm, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. Carlisle swore softly under his breath and moved to treat the seizing boy, only to be held back by Alaric.

"What are you…?" Carlisle started to question

"I came up with a theory after our call yesterday, and Bonnie and I discussed it further on the flight" Alaric said by way of explanation, before nodding to Bonnie. The young witch gestured to Emmett to hold down Stefan, as she put her hands to his temple and muttered a spell under her breath. She was still for about half a minute, a look of utter concentration on her face, before she broke into a smile, mumbling a there you are under her breath. A slight tremor run through the house, and would have been unfelt by any human in the room the same way only the vampires heard the wind pick up speed a bit outside. "Bonnie, not now" Alaric commanded

"But I can feel her" the teenage witch replied, the wind outside noticeably stronger now

"Her?" Esme asked in confusion. "What does she mean?"

"BONNIE!"

Bonnie let go of Stefan with a start, Alaric's yell still lingering in her ears. She bent back over Stefan and muttered another spell, causing him to go boneless in sleep before facing Alaric, surreptitiously wiping blood from her nose.

"Ok, what was that about?" Emmett finally asked

Alaric sighed. "You remember how Stefan hasn't spoken to his brother lately?". They nodded. "Well, Damon's missing. Has been for four days. We know who took him but we don't know where they are or where they have him. And for the better part of four days, Bonnie's been trying to find him through every witchy way she knows. The witch who took him thought she could get to Klaus this way. Due to the threat to their lives, Elijah and I decided to keep Klaus and Damon within our sights, and in the house at all times. But they managed to sneak out one evening and while they were separated in town, they grabbed Damon. I don't think they knew much about who they were taking. They must have just seen him with Klaus and assumed they must be really close-Klaus is not known for having a lot of friends-and grabbed him to use as some kind of leverage to get Klaus. We didn't know he was gone until late the next day because Klaus just assumed he had left without him. When we realized what happened, Bonnie started to try to find him, but to no avail. Now there are very few witches in this world who can go toe-to-toe with Bonnie, so we figured she had help, maybe a coven, that was cloaking Damon's whereabouts. We'd been searching for two days when your call came in yesterday. When you mentioned your concerns about whether it was a side effect of Bonnie linking them, I postulated that because of the link Bonnie created, Stefan was somehow feeling his brothers' symptoms. And if that were true, we could establish a reverse connection of sorts through Stefan and find Damon"

"Oh" was all Carlisle could muster, while the Cullen kids fell uncharacteristically silent

"So, now what? Is it true? Is Stefan feeling what his brother is feeling?" Esme asked

Bonnie nodded. "I caught a glimpse of her through Damon's eyes. I think I can find him"

"By her you mean the witch, right?" Emmett asked

Edward groaned. "Who else would she mean, you dumb ass…"

"Edward!" Carlisle reprimanded sharply

The boy had the good sense to look abashed. "Sorry Em"

"So, if you think you can find him, why did you not do that at once? Or am I missing something here?" Esme asked

Bonnie threw a glare at Alaric. "I was going to. But someone decided it wasn't worth it"

Alaric sighed. "You know that's not true" he chided softly, before turning to the Cullens. "Bonnie had been using magic almost nonstop these past two days to find Damon, and she has gotten very little rest. I am no witch but I know she needs a lot of energy to perform a spell of that magnitude, and her schedule over the last two days says otherwise. So, she decided to tap into her expression to do the job. Isn't that right Bonnie?"

Bonnie looked down demurely.

"Expression?" Rosalie asked. "What's that?"

"Bonnie is…special" Alaric said, for lack of a better word. "She can tap into different forms of magic. Expression, or dark magic if you will, is a manifestation of will. And Bonnie is nothing but a bundle of strong will"

"So, the tremors and the mini tornado outside, that was…" Jasper asked

"Yes. That was her attempting to use expression"

"Okay, so…"

"I put Stefan to sleep, and he won't wake up until I want him to. Thought it would put him out of his misery for a while. And also keep Damon out of his. For as Stefan sleeps, so does Damon. And as long as they sleep, that raggedy bitch cannot hurt them" Bonnie said. "Forgive my French" she added hastily as she saw the look the adults were giving her.

"Oh. So, you can fix him, right? He'll be okay?" Edward asked, hopeful. Bonnie nodded, and Edward heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God"

"As soon as she gets some rest" Alaric added. "We know what to do now, and we need Bonnie at full mast. Go get some rest"

"I'll take you" Alice pronounced happily. "You're staying in my room"

When the girls had disappeared upstairs - Rosalie following Alice and Bonnie almost immediately - and Jasper and Emmett had gone to finish a project they were working on for Stefan, a calm descended over the room. Stefan was going to be okay.

It was a somber affair twenty-four hours later in the living room of the Cullen house. A visibly refreshed Bonnie came down the stairs, where Emmett and Jasper had set up a bed. The bed was plain looking and it had no head rest. They wanted to make Stefan as comfortable as possible, though they all probably knew by now that it was going to be a painful affair. Alice and Rosalie laid down the candles they had purchased the previous day-as Bonnie had been resting-since she didn't bring enough, and Carlisle came down with Stefan in his arms.

After depositing him on the bed, everyone turned an expecting look to Alaric, who just dialed a number on his phone. "Bonnie's about to start. Keep an eye out. Now remember we are not sure where he is, we just assume and hope they'll have him in Mystic Falls or at least close by. We have only one shot at this so please keep the kids in line. Oh, and Elijah, do try and keep Klaus away from the witch. We need her alive. Okay, bye". He ended the call and nodded at Bonnie. "It's time"

"Ok. Emmett and Jasper, hold his legs. Alice, Rosalie you can help them. Alaric, grab his arms" Bonnie ordered. "Incendia circulus"

The candles suddenly burst into flames that went high into the ceiling and creating a ring of fire about 2.5 meters above their heads. The Cullens shrank back from the flames automatically, while Alaric muttered a that's new under his breath.

"No, don't worry. The flames won't hurt you. They won't even feel warm on your skin. I just need them to draw on" Bonnie tried to calm the Cullens. When they cautiously walked back and took their positions again, she nodded and rubbed her hands together before placing the on Stefan's temple. "Here we go"

Edward clamped his hands over his ears for what seemed like the zillionth time in a couple of minutes. Blast that damn vampire hearing. Stefan had started screaming almost immediately after Bonnie held his head. The screams morphed from those of pain to that of pleading in the span of thirty seconds, and then into threats in another minute, then quickly back to pain. At one point, Edward had tried to forcibly pry Bonnie lose when he couldn't take Stefan's screams anymore, but Carlisle practically carried him out of the house, where he now sat with his mother and his hands smashed against his ears in a futile attempt to drown out the sound. He had tried biting down on his fist to deal with the nerves, but his mother immediately vetoed that idea when she pulled out his hand and gave him a disapproving look that would have translated into pain on some part of his anatomy if the circumstances were different. Thank God for small mercies. Hasn't it been too long anyway? How long does it take to magically find someone? Edward was in the middle of shaking his head to clear his jumbled thoughts, only for Bonnie's there you are, bitch to cut through. He was off his feet and in the living room before Esme could comprehend what was happening. The scene that greeted him was like something out of a vey horrifying horror movie.

His siblings and Alaric had let go of Stefan's limbs and were now staring at Bonnie from across the room, with Alaric being on the phone as well. The real catch though was Bonnie and Stefan. Bonnie's eyes had turned milky white, and while her hands were still on Stefan's temple, the candle flames had gone out and Stefan was no longer thrashing. But he was so still, Edward wasn't even sure if he was breathing. A moment later though, Edward shrunk back into his father as Stefan breathed deeply and opened his eyes; eyes that were the same milky white as Bonnie's.

"W-What is happening?" Edward stammered, only to be shushed harshly by Alaric. He watched dumbfounded as Bonnie started talking and calling out things that only she could see, with Alaric relaying her mutterings to whoever was on the phone. He suddenly realized they were descriptions as he heard stuff like windows tainted, Mystic General calendar, fireplace with broken grate. And then, wait, I know this place. Damon, lets try and get to the kitchen. Just follow my lead, go where my eyes lead you. Yes, that's it. One corner of the island jagged. Son of a… its okay, Damon. Rest now. We're coming for you.

Bonnie ended the séance or possession or whatever it was she was doing to Stefan or through him. She opened her mouth to say something only for Alaric to interrupt. "We know where he is now Bonnie. Elena and Caroline heard the description. They knew it was Dr. Taylor's house almost immediately. Apparently, you spent a lot of time there as kids"

"So, you found Damon, right? That means Stefan is going to be okay? No more seizures and intense headaches and stuff like that?" Rosalie asked. Bonnie nodded. "Oh, okay. I'll uh…I'll get him a change of clothes" she muttered before quickly disappearing upstairs.

By this point, Alaric had finished his call. He came back to Alice wiping Stefan down with a washcloth while Carlisle gently cut away the bloodied shirt. Stefan looked very pale, but it was nothing a few pints of blood wouldn't fix. The worst was over, and by the time the blood was gone and he was clean again, he looked close to normal.

"They found him" Alaric said, more for Bonnie's benefit that anyone else. She clasped a hand to her mouth and stifled a sob. "He's a little banged up but its nothing a bath and a long sleep won't fix. He'll be okay"

Bonnie sniffed. "But I felt him, and it felt worse than a few scrapes and bruises. I need to see him"

"Soon. I promise" Alaric said. "Why don't you go get some rest? That was a very potent spell"

Bonnie gave a watery chuckle. "I'm more hungry than tired, to be honest"

"I'll fix you something" Esme volunteered almost immediately. "I made Stefan some spaghetti. Would you like some? Or something else if you'd like? We've got lots of food"

"Some spaghetti would be great, thank you"

"Okay" Esme said, getting up. "Eddie, you wanna come help me in the kitchen for a bit?" she asked her son. The events of a few minutes ago may have taken a physical toll on Bonnie and Stefan, but it had mentally exhausted Edward. Seeing Stefan like that had done something to his insides; something he was yet to recover from.

"I uh I th-thought maybe I'd go hunting. Get him some fresh blood. He likes deer" he mumbled so softly it took even the vampires a lot of straining to catch what he said

"Of course, Edward, you can go" his father assured. He gave a jerky nod and blurred out of the house and into the forest. Carlisle called Emmett and Jasper to go after him, reminding them to grab some empty bottles to drain the blood into. "Look out for him, Emmett. Don't push him. When he's ready, you bring him home"

Alaric watched, slightly transfixed, as the Cullens moved about and fixed things for Stefan. It was obvious they loved him very much. If nothing at all, Edwards breakdown-in-the-making proved that much. Technically, now that the threat to Stefan's life was no more, he didn't need to stay with the Cullens any longer, and they knew it. Alaric thought it was the main reason why they were all so jumpy and trying to get as much of Stefan as possible. They didn't want him to go. Alaric thought about it while he watched Rosalie change Stefan's shirt and Alice pull a pair of socks onto his feet. Stefan was relatively safer here than he was in Mystic Falls, and the Cullens seemed to genuinely care about him. There was nothing pressing he was needed for in Mystic Falls, and his friends could always come visit. If anything, he was sure the Cullens would be happy with the company. Stefan could at least finish the semester in Forks. He was sure Damon would understand.

"We have to get going soon if we want to catch a flight back to Virginia today" he announced, not missing how the Cullens' faces fell. He was now positive he was doing the right thing. He continued. "I want to be there when Damon wakes up tomorrow. Lord knows what he would get into on his own; possibly dismember that witch before anyone could blink" he chuckled. "Carlisle, I was wondering, if it wasn't too much trouble, could Stefan stay a bit longer? At the very least until this semester's over?"

Esme's breath hitched from the dining table where she was watching Bonnie eat and Alice all out screeched. "Really? He can stay?"

Carlisle smiled knowingly at Alaric. "It won't be any trouble at all, Alaric. We'd be happy to have him"

When Stefan woke up Bonnie and Alaric were gone, and despite the blood transfusion he was receiving, he was not entirely out of the woods yet and was grateful for the cup of warm blood that Edward thrust into his hands. After drinking half, he took a look at his surrounding and realized from all the green that it was his room, though it was almost unrecognizable from all the wrapped presents covering almost every surface. His confusion showed on his face as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Alice and Rosalie dropped off Alaric and Bonnie at the airport in Port Angeles and took that time to get you a couple of get-well gifts" Edward explained

Stefan gaped. "This is from just Alice and Rose?"

"Yep. Emmett and Jasper made you something. I don't know what. They're being all secrety about it, but I know it's in the garage, and mom and dad went out to dinner. I think its just an excuse to get you more stuff though"

"But… this… where am I supposed to put all these?" Stefan stuttered

Edward shrugged. "You'll figure it out". He took a closer look at Stefan. "Go back to sleep. You're still pretty unwell"

"What did you get me?" Stefan asked sleepily, reclining back in the bed

"We'll pick something out together when you're better" Edward said as he smoothed the covers over Stefan, before stretching down in the bed beside him. "Anything you want"

Whew, this was a long one. But I thought I owed it to you guys to put up a longer chapter since I haven't updated in a while. Anyway, enjoy!