Chapter 13: Who Will Cry For Me?

Date: October 26, 2019

Parings: Bonnie & Marcel, Bonnie & Caroline.

A/N: I just want to say that it boggles my mind that I started this story in 2013 and you guys are still here supporting me, long after the show has ended. I do not take that for granted. Thank you. Also, this story is so far from canon so if you read something that doesn't fit the storyline, it's loosely based.

Marcel was in a bind. The witches were after him and with Davina bereft of Bonnie's powers, it was more tedious keeping track of the witches in the quarter. Not to say that it was impossible, but it was easier for witches to fly under the radar right now. All it would take was for one witch to successfully practice a spell without consequences for things to start unraveling. Thankfully, he still had fear on his side but with Bonnie running around unchecked, that was soon to change. There was also the issue of Klaus. Klaus was a wild card and Marcel couldn't help but feel like Klaus's return is the beginning of the end of his reign. Kingdoms fell all the time but Marcel was not ready to relinquish his power.

Since Bonnie's departure, he has been on edge. As much as he tried not to let it affect him, her absence was felt. He had grown to care for the witch and while his interest in her began with less than admirable intentions, they had a bond that he cherished despite not knowing much about her. He hadn't allowed himself to get close to anyone in that respect since Rebekah. Learning that yet another woman in his life was linked to Niklaus pissed him off. The bastard always seemed to have a leg up in every situation.

Vampires have heightened feelings. The amount of time it took for him to fall for Bonnie was less than a month. She was beautiful, witty, guarded, and powerful but underneath all of that she was lost, vulnerable, and afraid. It took Bonnie several months to grow comfortable around him. Their relationship began to take on a new meaning six months in, after a drunken night at a Beyonce concert she begged to go to. The Creole queen's music unleashed a side of Bonnie he had never seen and he couldn't bring himself to resist her charms. Since then, it was a year and a half of mutual respect for one another with the occasional sexual trysts. Marcel always fought against his feelings for the young girl for fear that she didn't feel the same way. Rebekah's inconsistency left a scar on his heart and now with Bonnie gone, those scars were reopened.

The wounds deepened once he learned that Bonnie was now living with the Hybrid. The betrayal and rejection were all too real. Another girl lost to Niklaus. As much as Marcel tried not to let it affect him, each day he found himself losing the battle. The human side of him wanted to storm the trenches and demand that Bonnie leave with him but the Vampire had too much pride. If she wanted to leave, it didn't matter to him. He survived three hundred plus years before her and would survive long after she was gone. He didn't need Bonnie Bennett, but that didn't stop him from wanting her.

Currently, Marcel sat in Jackson Square. Though he was far away, he could see Bonnie seated inside Café Pontalba. He was still angry about the assault but had calmed enough to realize he got exactly what he deserved. Most of the anger had worn off and in the days since she's been gone, he found himself missing her. It was nice grabbing breakfast with her, walking around the city aimlessly, teasing the tourists and hitting up the endless parties hosted by various supernaturals. New Orleans was truly a town that never slept. There were no curfews and no inhibitions. Everyone partied all night long and still managed to make it into work the next day… most of the time.

It was fun having someone to enjoy the city with. Being around Bonnie, someone who had never experienced the Big Easy, made Marcel reconnect with the only place he's ever called home. That nostalgia tempted him to go into the Café and beg for her forgiveness, but pride halted him. Nothing he could say to her would make things okay and after the way she lit him up, literally, he wasn't interested in part two.

His trance was interrupted when his phone rang. Thankful for a reprieve from his racing thoughts, Marcel answered without hesitation.

"Go ahead."

"If you're going to stare that hard, you should probably offer a girl a drink; wouldn't you say?" A slow smile slid across his face as Bonnie's voice filled his ears. He bit his lips and glanced in her direction to find her staring directly at him.

"How did you know it was me?" He wanted to know.

"I had a hunch," she offered. Truth is, she sensed someone was staring at her and used a spell to enhance her vision. It didn't take long for her eyes to land on him. "Got something you want to say to me?"

"Nope, just admiring, that's all." It was weird for him; talking to her so casually after she broiled him on his living room floor. Rationally, he should hang up the phone and put as much distance between them as physically possible but his hormones had other plans. Judging by the flirty tone in her voice she was on the same page. "Glamour me," he demanded. The moment Bonnie gave him the okay, he sped over to the café. Bonnie balked at how quickly he appeared before her. She could never get over how fast vampires moved despite being around them for many years. She glanced around at nearby tables to see if anyone was paying any attention to her, once she confirmed they weren't, Bonnie lowered the glamour she placed on him. She couldn't have the patrons thinking she was talking to herself.

"You seem… well." Bonnie began, giving him a once-over. He looked good. Better than she remembered and he still smelled as nice as ever. Marcel smiled, thankful that she was even speaking to him.

"All things considered," he teased. Bonnie bit her lip, wincing a little as she remembered her attack on him. Past Bonnie would have been remorseful. Present Bonnie wasn't, because if she had to do it again, she would.

"That is what happens when you cross a witch, we get creative. Marie taught me that." Bonnie mentioned. She wasn't a callous person by nature but her nature died a couple of years ago. Marcel twitched at the mention of Marie's name.

"I have my reasons for why I did what I did. I didn't know who you were back then but I know not to ever make that mistake again," he expressed genuinely. When he met Bonnie, he simply saw her as a means to an end. It was never personal on his behalf and was only looking out for the best interest of the city. Bonnie knew this, and while his betrayal hurt, it stung a little less knowing that he didn't set out to hurt her intentionally.

But he did, and he paid for it.

Silence blanketed the two of them as they both took in the other's features. Marcel's sienna brown skin glistened in the sun. The amusement in his chocolate eyes flittered when he noticed Bonnie studying his features. His white Henley was similar to the one Klaus wore earlier. She smirked a little, wondering if his sense of style was all that Marcel inherited from him.

"You're starting to smell like him, you know." Bonnie raised a brow at Marcel's observation. The heightened smell of a vampire always amazed her. It also presented a problem whenever she needed to keep some things a secret.

"It hasn't been that long," Bonnie countered. Marcel scoffed.

"It doesn't take long for him to hook his claws in anyone. You're no different." Marcel hated the idea of Bonnie living with Klaus. He just couldn't pinpoint if it was jealousy, principle, or a little bit of both.

"I'm very different, actually," Bonnie argued. She didn't like what Marcel was insinuating. "I know what I'm doing." Bonnie leaned back in her chair, her arm propped against the back and her legs crossed.

Marcel leaned in. "And what are you doing? Besides pissing me off." Bonnie arched an eyebrow as a small smirk marred her features.

"How am I pissing you off, Marcel? I'm a free agent, remember?" Her words mirrored a conversation they had months ago when she heard of Marcel sleeping with a witch from the quarter, Sophie Devereaux, when he reminded her that he was free to do what and who he pleased. It was the first and last time Bonnie let her jealousy show.

Marcel's jaw ticked. She had recited his words back to him and he couldn't say he enjoyed it. "Women. You don't forget shit, do you?" Bonnie chuckled.

"No, we don't. We're also very petty," she added. Marcel licked his lips. "Are you jealous or something?" Marcel tilted his head in question. Bonnie elaborated. "Of Klaus and I; are you jealous?"

"How can I be when you're sitting there looking at me like that?" Marcel smirked. "I doubt you look at him like this." His candor made her shift in her seat.

"I don't," she confessed. The smirk on Marcel's face grew. "So, I take it you're not mad at me anymore." She thought she would never hear from him again after what she'd done to him. She couldn't help but feel relieved.

"Oh, I'm still pissed," he assured. "I just can't shake you." Marcel never hid what he was feeling. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was vocal about it. His blunt candor was what Bonnie liked most about him. Marcel watched as Bonnie studied him. Her green eyes held that deep forest green color that appeared whenever she was excited or aroused. "You really do smell like him; in a weird way." Marcel wanted to scrub Klaus's scent off Bonnie but it was more than just her being around him. He couldn't put his finger on it.

"What weird way? I'm staying in his house, of course I smell like him." Bonnie squinted. "If you're insinuating that we—" Marcel cut her off.

"No no, that smells different. If you were with someone else, I'd know." Bonnie rolled her eyes at the subtle threat. Men were still men, even if they were a different species.

"Free agent, remember," Marcel smirked.

"Do you want me to put my scent all over you, Bonnie?" His question warranted a dinner roll launched at his head. Marcel chuckled loudly, catching the roll with ease. He took a minute to survey the table. "Crawfish Étouffée, good choice." Bonnie smiled at his approval. He was always criticizing her food choices. Upon her arrival, all she requested was french fries, burgers, and milkshakes. She had no interest in trying something new until Marcel started cooking for her, strong-arming her into trying it.

Bonnie smiled at the memories.

"Walk with me," she demanded as she stood to her feet. Marcel took a moment to admire the dress she wore and how it accentuated each of her curves before also standing. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a couple of hundreds to pay for the bill. Bonnie knew better than to protest. They've had that argument too many times to count and she never wins.

The two of them walked arm in arm in silence. It felt good being with Marcel, it always had. When she arrived to New Orleans, she was a mess. Her magic was depleted and she was homeless. She sought refuge in a women's shelter run coincidentally by Marie. At the time, no one knew she was a witch and she wanted it to stay that way. Her grams and father left her money in the wake of their deaths, but other than using it to feed herself, Bonnie didn't spend it. She wasn't mentally capable of taking care of herself properly. Newly resurrected, there were still things she had re-learn. Like how to drive, how to transact basic business. It felt weird; as if she had landed on a foreign planet and everything was done exactly the same but different.

Getting to New Orleans was a story in itself. Surviving New Orleans would not have been possible if it wasn't for Marcel and Marie. Between the two of them, they helped put Bonnie back together. Marie helped her reclaim her magic and Marcel helped her reconnect with being a woman. If she was honest with herself, she left Mystic Falls as a scared little girl. Marcel helped her connect with the woman inside, even if he didn't realize it.

"Marie wants to kill you," Bonnie confessed. Marcel chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I figure as much. I killed her people." Bonnie frowned. He wasn't taking the threat seriously.

"They're my people too," she reminded him. "I still don't know why you did it. It would be easier to defend your ass if I knew the motive. You killed more than two dozen witches, Marcel and when I questioned you about it you gave me a shady ass nonchalant answer." Bonnie tried to keep the judgment out of her tone but every time she thought about what he did, she wanted to piss in his mouth. Marcel's steps slowed to a stop. He stared down at Bonnie and sighed before leading her to a park bench.

"About eight months ago, I saved Davina from the Harvest. It's a ritual that witches do every three hundred years that restores their connection to their ancestors to keep their ancestral powers flowing. Father Kieran told me about it and asked that I help. During the ritual, they take four young girls from their coven and slaughter them as a sacrificial offering to the ancestors. I have a rule against abusing kids, Bonnie, so I got involved but I was too late. There was one girl left, Davina, so I grabbed her and ran. I kept her hidden from her coven because everyone was out to kill her to complete the harvest. The night I killed those witches, it was because they somehow found a way to get to Davina even though they didn't know where she was. I couldn't let her die, Bonnie, so my guys and I found them and murdered them one by one to stop the spell they were doing. It was only supposed to be 24 of them but three of Marie's witches were there and got caught in the crossfire."

At the conclusion of Marcel's story, Bonnie took a minute to absorb everything he told her. She felt relieved that Marcel didn't randomly set out to mass murder her kind, however she was still troubled.

"I don't know much about the magic they practice here. What I do know is that it seems much darker than the magic I practice… well, practiced."

"Most of the magic used here is dark. Dark magic always requires blood or some form of sacrifice." Bonnie nodded, her way of agreeing with him.

"Davina is how you kept the witches in line," Bonnie acknowledged. "Why did you guys need to siphon my magic," she asked. Marcel figured this question was soon to follow. With a sigh, he answered as best he could, praying to God he didn't piss her off in the process.

"As each girl was murdered during the Harvest, her power was transferred to the next. Since Davina was the last one, she had more power than she was used to. She couldn't control it and it was beginning to destroy her." Marcel paused to study Bonnie's features. He was not interested in getting baked all over again.

"She mentioned that channeling another witch may help her control her powers and since you were the closest witch to us, I had the bright idea to use you. I planned to tell you, I swear, I just didn't want you involved in this shit and I wasn't sure how you'd take it so like a jackass and a coward, I never brought it up."

"Well, I wish you would have said something. Half of this shit could have been avoided." The annoyance she felt was accurately portrayed on her features. Marcel winced slightly. In retrospect, he knew that Bonnie was right but he also knew that she was stubborn and adamant about not being included in anything supernatural.

"You wanted nothing to do with anything supernatural, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. But look at me now, caught dead in the center of the very bullshit I didn't want to be caught in. The minute you gave the okay to channel me was the minute I got sucked in, whether I was aware of it or not." Though Bonnie chastised him, there was no anger in her voice, just exasperation. She had no clue how to climb her way out of this. "Now I have to figure out how to stop Marie from killing your ass. By the way, she made it very clear to me that if I wasn't going to help her I better not stop her and since I can't leave well enough alone, I'm fucked." Bonnie was going to attempt to have a sit down with both parties but she knew deep down it would probably end in disaster. Still, as she told Klaus, she had to try.

"I can handle, Marie," Marcel assured. Don't get yourself involved in this. The look between the two of them made it clear that Bonnie wasn't going to listen so easily. "I mean it, Bonnie."

"I can't let her kill you, just like I can't let you kill her. You guys will have to go through me."

"It's not me you'd have to worry about."

"I know that," said Bonnie.

"Then why are you defending her? This is your problem, Bonnie. You don't know how to sit back and just let shit happen. No one is asking you to charge into battle. I'm simply asking you to sit on the sidelines." Marcel's words hit a little too close to home. This exact mentality is what landed her in an early grave and yet, she couldn't seem to break the habit.

"It's different this time…" her voice trailed off but Marcel heard her clearly. He waited silently for her to elaborate but she didn't. The words slipped before she could catch them.

"What do you mean, Bonnie?" Marcel's voice lost its austerity. For a moment those walls she fought so hard to keep up wavered and he caught a glimpse of that vulnerability he first saw when she arrived. "Bonnie…" His tone was gentle.

Marcel didn't know about her past. He didn't know the sacrifices she made. He didn't know that she gave her life for the wrong people. She never told him how she died, or that she even died in the first place. Despite how close they've gotten, there were still many things they didn't know about one another. She remembered that now.

"Don't do that. Don't close yourself off. Talk to me," he pressed gently. It was rare that he saw this side of Bonnie and knew that any amount of force would chase her back into her shell. This Bonnie needed to be coaxed out. "Why is it different this time?" It was clear to her that he wasn't going to let this go easily.

'It's different because I know you'd do the same for me; even if I didn't ask you to,' she wanted to say. Unless she was angry, Bonnie always had a hard time expressing her true feelings. She had a bad habit of prioritizing everyone else's comfort over her own; her greatest flaw.

Bonnie kept her lips glued and Marcel sighed; frustrated. "You know, after all this time, I assumed we'd be over, this. Have I not proven myself to you already? You fucking charbroiled me in the middle of my living room and I'm still here, Bonnie." As Marcel spoke, he questioned himself. He was asking Bonnie to express herself and open up about his feelings, yet, he's never taken the time to do the same. What did he feel towards her?

"I care about what happens to you, Marcel. If she kills or does something to you…" Bonnie wasn't ready to finish that statement.

"Then I suffer the consequences and you move on with your life," he finished for her.

"I can't do that." Marcel grabbed her face, angling it so that he had her full attention.

"Yes. You can. It would be selfish of me to expect anything different from you, Bonnie. Families lose their loved ones to gang violence in this city every day. Do you see them all riding around looking for the ones that pulled the trigger? No. They move on with their lives. The ones that retaliate are the ones that end up dead right behind them. This is no different, Bonnie."

Bonnie understood what he was saying but despite that, her heart felt the complete opposite of what he was saying to be true. "I get what you're saying, Marcel, but you don't understand what it's like to have this power. If I know that I can help you, both of you, you can't ask me to just sit back and let you two self destruct." Bonnie hesitated before adding, "I care about both of you." It was the first time she ever alluded to having any type of feelings towards him. Marcel didn't take it lightly.

"And I care about you too; which is why I can't let you get wrapped up in this shit. I don't know what you ran away from, Bonnie, but I know that if Klaus was involved, it could not have been good. Remember that. Don't let him weasel his way back in."

If Marcel was being completely honest with himself, he could admit to falling for Bonnie not long after they met. He kept those feelings suppressed since they knew virtually nothing about one another, until very recently when she was no longer around him on a daily basis. When not in his presence, he was constantly worried about her. Knowing that she had taken up residency with Klaus did not ease his concern.

"I can handle myself," said Bonnie, squaring her shoulders. She was always ready for a challenge.

"I never doubted you," he assured. "Just don't underestimate him. There's always an ulterior motive with him. Always." Outside of Klaus's family, no one knew him better than Marcel. He had no doubts that Klaus was up to something. Knowing what his endgame is was the biggest battle. Klaus was a master strategist with over a thousand years of practice and expertise. To outsmart him was a monumental task but it wasn't impossible. Marcel has done it once before and he would do it again if push came to shove.

"I know, I won't," Bonnie answered. Having faced Klaus once before, she knew how crafty he could be. She also knew not to take Marcel's words lightly.

Marcel gently pulled Bonnie closer to him, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "Be safe. That's all I ask. I'm here if you ever need me. No matter what 'side' you're on." His words were comforting and Bonnie was grateful for them, for him.

"Okay." She paused, "You mentioned Davina needed help channeling her powers," she began. "I can help her if she'd like. She knows how to contact me," Bonnie stated, referencing the summoning spell she gave Davina. Davina was the first and only person she'd given it to. To this day, she wasn't sure why but she didn't regret it.

"She's okay now, but I will pass the message along."

The two of them lingered briefly before saying their goodbyes and parting ways. Bonnie felt a little better knowing that her relationship with Marcel was somewhat patched, even if it wasn't fully repaired. She still wanted to get him and Marie in the same room together for a pow-wow, however, she left that task for Klaus. He seemed to have a greater influence on Marie than anyone she could think of so he was the better man for the job.

As Bonnie headed back to her loaner car, she caught a glimpse of familiar blonde hair. She paused in her tracks when she realized who it was.

"Caroline." There was no need to shout. She knew Caroline could hear her. The blonde stopped in her tracks and turned around, zoning in on Bonnie instantly. The two of them stared at one another from across the street before Bonnie made the first move. Caroline stood frozen, waiting until the distance between them closed. Silently, she anticipated Bonnie's reaction.

"Bonnie, I just want to say—" Caroline was cut short when Bonnie pulled her into a tight embrace. Dropping her shopping bags, Caroline returned the hug, tears seeping from her eyes. "I thought you hated me," she confessed.

"Disappointed, but I could never hate you," Bonnie said truthfully. Caroline winced.

"Shit, that might be worse." Bonnie laughed.

"Trust me, if I hated you, it'd be much worse." Caroline smiled at her friend.

"It feels weird. I've never turned off my humanity before and while it was easier, I felt like I took a backseat in my own life and was just watching things happen to me," Caroline confessed.

"It was weird to see you that way. A reminder of how much things has changed since Elena died." A thick silence quickly blanketed them as it did anytime she mentioned Elena.

"I know," Caroline managed to say. "I'm really sorry about all the things I said to you. I wish I could say I didn't mean them, but an ugly part of me did. I just said it so callously. There was a better way to get my point across." The depth of her apology surprised Bonnie. She was so used to half-assed apologies from everyone without any real acknowledgment or accountability that hearing a real one sounded foreign to her. Bonnie blinked a few times, struggling to find the right words. Her initial response was to placate her friend but as Marie taught her, apologies are owed and accepted, not excused.

"Apology accepted," she said with a small smile.

"Are you hungry? We can get some Beignets and coffee or something at Cafe Du Monde."

"I just ate, but I could never turn down Beignets," Bonnie said with a grin that Caroline returned. The two of them began walking in the direction of the Cafe.

"Just so we're clear, this whole Kill Klaus mission is Damon's idea. I agree with what you said. I'd rather not kick the bear and live my life Klaus-Free. He just can't let go, Bonnie and it sucks because if he gets involved, then Stefan gets involved and then I fall down the rabbits hole and as much as I'd try to stop you from going in after me, you'd get roped in as well and I really don't want that to happen. You seem happy here and I love that for you." As Caroline spoke, Bonnie realized the error in her self-destructive ways in the past. Her feelings always got her roped into shit she had no business being in. Sometimes she wished witches could turn off their humanity too. She was tired of being a slave to her nature.

"I know it's all him. We just have to find a way to talk him out of it or convince him otherwise." As much as Bonnie threatened Damon, deep down she wondered if she would ever actually carry out that threat. It seemed that whenever she thought he couldn't possibly get any worse, he'd come through for her in the most unusual ways. She couldn't tell if it was his one redeeming quality or a manipulation tactic.

"Let's just desiccate him and deal with him later. I'm sure Stefan wouldn't mind." Although it was an off-handed suggestion, the idea seemed like a win to Bonnie. Caroline lifted a brow when she noticed Bonnie seriously considering her suggestion. "I mean—wait. Are you seriously considering that?"

"It's the lesser of the two evils. For Stefan's sake, we can't kill him and as much as I hate him, I don't think I have it in me to kill him," she confessed as they arrived at the Cafe. Bonnie opened the door for Caroline, following her to the counter to order. Once they took their seats, Bonnie continued the conversation after murmuring a spell to keep any other supernaturals nearby from listening in.

"Do you think Stefan would let us desiccate him? How long would we keep him under?" Caroline wanted to know the details, even if they were just speculating.

"I think we'd have to convince him but I don't know. Maybe? I really just want you all to put as much distance between you and Klaus as humanly, or inhumanly, possible." Between Klaus, Marie, and Marcel, she wasn't sure what was about to brew. She didn't want Caroline getting caught in the crossfire and she didn't want Stefan and Damon getting in the way. Their timing was impeccably horrible.

Bonnie sighed, "Let's just shelve that idea for now." She didn't want to talk politics, she just wanted to catch up with an old friend. "How have you been? All things considering."

Caroline felt guilty for misreading the situation. It was clear that Bonnie just wanted to have a normal conversation. Blushing, she went along with the change in conversation. "Oh, right," she smiled. "I'm okay, really. I'm trying to sort through all of the things I've done the past two years. Honestly, it's a lot easier than I thought it would be. I mean, I can't change all of the horrible things I've done so I just have to accept them and move on. It's not like I went on a ripper binge or anything. Surprisingly, Stefan didn't either. I think in a way, I kept him distracted enough to not want to tear through a small city." Caroline smiled to herself when she realized that the Ripper was not as unhinged because of her.

"That's good to hear, Caroline. If you ever want to talk things over, I'm here," she offered.

"What about you? Are you okay? What's been going on?" Last time they saw one another, Bonnie mentioned that she had died. The confession was a gut punch to Caroline. Ever since, she'd been dying to know what happened, however, there never seemed a good time to ask.

"I'm okay. Trying to keep everyone from killing one another and getting killed in the process." Though Caroline took that to mean Damon and his vendetta against Klaus, Bonnie also had Marie, Marcel, and Klaus in mind; so many moving parts.

Caroline got quiet, then silently asked, "How did I not notice you were dead, Bonnie?" The guilt ate at her. She claimed to be Bonnie's best friend and didn't even notice she was dead.

"No one noticed, Caroline," Bonnie began.

"But I should have!" Her outburst garnered attention from a few nearby tables but they quickly returned to their conversations.

"It was after we graduated, Care. Elena was dead and I tried hard to resurrect her but it was too much on me. I died. By then, you had turned off your humanity and left with Stefan, already. Damon was there but barely functional. No one noticed because everyone was grieving, I guess." It's the story she told herself over and over again to cope with the fact that there was no one in her life at the time to mourn her. The ache would never leave her heart.

"You don't have to sugarcoat things for me, Bon. If you didn't notice I was dead, I'd be livid." Bonnie bit her bottom lip. Caroline was right, she shouldn't mask what she felt. As much as Bonnie tried, she still found herself reverting back to her old ways. She was sick of it.

"You're right. I was pissed. It still hurts; and even though logically, I know your humanity was off, I'm still upset that you turned it off in the first place, Care. I felt completely abandoned. I thought that if I brought Elena back, you would come back and, I don't know, we could maybe move on, finally." Bonnie felt that familiar twist in her chest and paused to keep her emotions in check. Caroline could hear the way her heart raced.

"I didn't think about that, Bonnie," Caroline answered truthfully. "I just wanted the pain to stop. Tyler was gone, Elena and my mom were both dead, it was too much and I had the option to make it stop so I gave in. I turned it off." Caroline never stopped to think about her friend and what she was going through and how much she lost.

"I don't have that option, Care." It was the only time she envied vampires. "When shit gets rough, no matter how bad it gets, I can never just run away from it. I'm always left behind to pick up the pieces with no help. Do you see why I don't want to get roped into this shit again?"

"You have me this time," Caroline offered softly.

"I can't put stock in that," Bonnie paused at Caroline's pained expression. "I'm sorry, but I can't. You all have a shoddy track record when it comes to keeping your word. You let the circumstances change your mind." Bonnie couldn't trust any of them. It was hard to trust, period. Ironically the only person she could actually trust to remain their authentic and true self was Klaus. The Original Family, for the most part, keeps their word. Maybe it was their archaic upbringing, but Bonnie knew that good or bad, they always followed through.

Perhaps that is why she ended up on Klaus's doorstep.

It was a tough pill for Caroline to follow but she had to accept her friend's truth. Bonnie was always considered a low-maintenance friend. They always assumed she was strong enough to handle anything and didn't need anyone's help. They assumed wrong and they never bothered to check.

"I feel terrible." Caroline wasn't looking for sympathy and Bonnie didn't offer any.

"I appreciate your remorse. I can admit that when it came to Elena, we all were blind. The allure of the doppelgänger is real. No one can understand or explain it but now we know better, so we should do better."

"I agree."

"I know you won't listen, but by any chance, can I persuade you to leave town and take the other two with you?" Caroline gave a pointed look.

"The best I can do is try to keep them distracted but you know how they are." Caroline took a few moments to give Bonnie a once over. "I love the hair, by the way. We match now," she stated with a grin. Bonnie smiled and Caroline tried to ignore the familiar scent that came from her friend. She wasn't sure what to make of it.