A/n: Edited on 2/25/2015.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 24: Castle Walls
Mystic Falls
Present – March 4, 2011
"Just a few more minutes, Bon," the powerless witch told herself as she drove down the main street.
Damn. Ever since she became a witch, death followed her with the guarantee of vampires and all the nonsense around her. She should've been used to it by now, but no! There had to be another death thanks to a cruel fate. It was a fate accomplished by the most hated Original of all.
April Young died too young by his hand. Of course, that was only a suspicion, but who else could Bonnie think of that fit the description so well? April was an innocent bystander in all of this.
There was a cold fact that Bonnie realized once again in the midst of all the chaos. Klaus didn't play around just for kicks. It was befitting in a way. He meant what he said in his words. He would hunt all of them until their end, and he reminded them. Combination of the two deaths closest to him forged a spiraling path of no return. Facts were facts.
This wasn't like before when everything was child's play. The stakes were higher. Tougher. People were going to get hurt and some of them will die. Just like how April did, and Bonnie was sure more of them would die later down the line. Maybe some stupid and naïve part of her thought Klaus wouldn't cross a line into such territory, but this was the Original Hybrid they're talking about.
That's one of the reasons why Bonnie's so adamant about regaining her magic. With her magic restored, she can fully protect her friends again. And who knows? Maybe they could gain a miracle somehow. Convincing an enemy to become a potential ally would definitely weigh more into their favor.
Her thoughts cut short once her phone rang.
"What's up, Stefan?" Bonnie answered her phone after looking at the contact name.
"I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page," he said as Bonnie heard shuffling noises and voices in the background.
"On everything that's going on, yes. On why you calling me now, no. What are you doing if you don't mind me asking?" The powerless witch asked in concern, keeping her eyes on the road as best she could.
"After what Damon and Elena saw about April's death, we've been shown that Klaus is starting to begin executing his plans. We can't take any chances, even with just suspicion. It's not safe with you not having your magic, and Elena and Jeremy's situation isn't too pretty as we all know." Stefan explained with a heavy sigh following closely after. "We're limited on locations on where Klaus can't go, and we can't leave Mystic Falls with the barrier spell still up."
"I know, I know. I'm still working on getting around that part with the spell." That damn barrier spell was always going to be a hitch if they didn't do anything about that. "We're going to be able to do this. We just need to get the ball rolling," she stated, putting the pieces together.
"We're lucky that you convinced your father."
"Trust me, Stefan. I would have done it without his permission either way. You know what's going on."
She didn't know what convinced her father to loosen the strict reins, but at this point, she didn't care. Bonnie was close to achieving her goal. With everything that had gone on for the past two months, it left her little time to think of anything else other than keeping Elena and Jeremy safe from Klaus' plan of destruction. Let's not forget about the hollow part inside her that had ached for wholeness.
The drive from her house to the Police Department wasn't far, but it gave her enough time to collect her thoughts. Driving had always cleared her head, and it relaxed her. It also gave her something else to focus on.
She exhausted the use that the journals already provided, and she kept hitting dead ends. Dead ends halted her chance to restore what was stolen away from her. As much as Bonnie didn't want to, she possessed only one other option. That option was still occupying a prison cell.
Pulling up into the parking lot, Bonnie shifted the gear to put the car into park and gathered her messenger bag. She got out from the driver's seat and locked the car behind her, her paranoia still affecting her. While Bonnie kept the notion of what danger Klaus could bring in mind, she had to focus at hand. It was time to get some answers from Professor Shane. After all, he was the only who dropped in on the last hint about the possibilities.
Walking inside, instead of being of greeted by the sheriff before, the secretary at the front desk welcomed her into the building.
"Hello. Can I help you, ma'am?" the plump woman asked.
"I need to speak to someone held here. It's Professor Shane." Bonnie requested, tapping her foot silently while on edge.
"I'm going to need a name, please." The secretary went through the process of protocol, but it did little good for Bonnie's short amount of patience.
"Bonnie Bennett."
Surely, people would know her name after living in the same small town her whole life? Bonnie stomped the urge to snap at the plump woman taking her time behind the desk. Blame it on the anxiety, but there was so much riding on her and she didn't have time to waste. Time wasn't a freaking luxury that anyone possessed these days, especially not with Klaus breathing down their necks.
She crossed her arms and briefly glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Everything was mocking her, and she knew it. Before the urge to snap became too great, someone high above must have heard Bonnie's plight when the sheriff entered the lobby with a stack of paperwork in her arms.
"Bonnie," said the sheriff in surprise. "What brings you here?"
"I need to talk to Shane again." Bonnie responded quickly, having enough of being at a dead-end of the search to get her magic back.
"I let you in once already. There's no need to do it again." The sheriff told her in a tight tone as she paraded towards the secretary's desk. She handed the decently sized stack to the plump secretary, glad to be rid of the annoying and tedious part of her job. "Take care of this, Brenda. I need this done before lunch."
"Yes, ma'am."
Bonnie shook her head and ignored Liz's opposition. She didn't know how many times she had to repeat it. "I need to talk to Shane. It's only one more time that I need information from him. Please let me have this chance."
Liz reacted faster than a whip. The older sheriff gripped the teenager's elbow and ushered her to one corner of the lobby, away from the prying ears of what witnesses could be nearby. Mystic Falls was already in a precarious state, and she couldn't risk the exposure of anything supernatural at this point. Things were already bad with the recent attack, and sweeping it under the rug was already hard to do these days.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you think that there's been enough damage done? Haven't you learned anything?"
"I'm doing what I need to do. My magic was taken away from me, and I doing all I can to get it back. Without it, I'm useless. I'm just a liability. What good am I to the others if I can't protect them?" Her desperation and frustration began to spill out as she tried to plead her case to the sheriff.
Still to this day, there were some things about the supernatural world the sheriff will never understand. She'd never know the necessity of blood for a vampire. Liz didn't understand about the consequences of a werewolf curse. The sacred part of possessing of what was a part of a witch's soul never crossed Liz's mind. However, the sheriff knew the deadly actions of what could take place if a situation went any further, supernatural or not. Liz had seen enough people dying because of how a group of kids kept sticking their necks out for just one girl's desperation to correct her undesirable immortality. Her daughter became collateral damage, and she refused to see more become of it.
"You're better off if you stay out of it. We don't need any more trouble that you and your friends cause. It's enough already."
"That's the thing. Trouble's already here, and it's not going away. It's not going to stay way by just being swept under the rug." Bonnie argued.
"You don't think I don't know that." Liz sharply snapped before she could control it. From recent events, Bonnie and Liz could agree on that things have been beyond stressful. Both of them were pushed to their limits in trying to protect the ones they cared about.
That's what they were. Protectors. Sheriff Forbes had the job of protecting the people within the small town. Bonnie Bennett took it upon herself to guard her friends. However, being a shield of sorts of them was faulty with her magic gone, leaving her painfully hollow. Cracks began to form in the gang's armor, and she refused to let the cracks grow any bigger. She couldn't fail again.
Bonnie failed too many times. One of her best friends dead and in the ground was one of her biggest failures.
"I know you're trying to protect them. I understand your loyalty to them." The sheriff released a heavy sigh. Trying to understand anything these days proved to be easier said than done. "But there's been too much happening as you can already tell. What else do you think you can gain from doing this?"
The answer to that question weighed heavily on her mind for a while. Bonnie knew the cost of what she was about to do, but she was tired of being the weakest link in the chain. "I'm regaining the part of me that was able to protect this town. Look at it like this, I'm just trying to do the right thing. I lost my best friend because of how reckless I was. I tried to get her back, but...I failed. There should have something I could've done. I can't just stand here while everyone around here falls dead. I know it's a lot to ask and hard to understand. But please, don't let me pass up on my chance in doing something."
Bonnie had other reasons in trying to do what she was doing, but none of those reasons were going to be brought up with the sheriff.
Liz knew she was going against her better judgment. She should have sent the girl on her way with an urgent call to her father in the following. Then again, there were other messes she had to think about. The sheriff secretly possessed some sliver of hope that things could change if the gang stepped up to the plate. It was a risky chance, and an even more risky game they were playing. Liz could give them a chance without any harm. It wouldn't ruin anything.
Sighing with her tired face returning to a stern expression, the sheriff nodded. "This is the last time I am letting you go through. Get what information you need and be on your way. Twice is enough."
Bonnie's mouth turned up into a grateful smile, hope shining in her olive-green eyes for the first time in a long while. "Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."
With her chance in her wake, the magicless witch could become full of magic once again.
"You're going to have to wait for a few minutes. Getting him out of the cell and into an interrogation room is a bit of work." The sheriff quickly reminded her.
Her happiness outweighed her impatience, but she kept her emotions at bay. No need to make a fool of herself. The door to getting to her goal was finally opening, and there was no way she was going to screw this up. She couldn't afford to let everything she worked so hard for to just slip from her hands. There wasn't any other option.
She waited patiently for a few minutes outside of the door while the sheriff got everything straightened up.
After texting a bit to Jeremy to see he was okay, Sheriff Forbes finally walked out from the encoded door. Ready as ever to get the ball rolling, Bonnie sent one last text to Jeremy, and waited for the sheriff's permission. She was so close now. So close.
"Shane's ready for you. You know the drill about how this works. Just make this quick." The sheriff went through the same routine in an empty monotone.
"I still appreciate you for doing this, especially after..." Bonnie's voice trailed off, silently referring to Caroline's tragic passing. "You know what I mean. You won't regret this." There weren't enough words in the dictionary to describe Bonnie's gratitude.
Liz nodded silently, gesturing with her head that Bonnie could go in. Her eyes followed the young Bennett as she tried to walk normally through the entrance way to one of the investigative rooms. She knew what she was doing. She knew what was going on. Might be a slight change, but it was harmless. At least the poor girl would have her magic again.
After all, it was the result that would matter.
Bonnie walked in one of the guarded rooms, her mind focusing in on what she needed to do. She saw Shane still dressed in his orange jumpsuit with handcuffs around his wrists and ankles. Much like last time with the same scenario. Bonnie needed answers, but at least this time she wasn't angry. She was desperate, but she couldn't show that to him. Bonnie needed to be assertive and to the point. There was no other to get this type of information, and he was the last resort she had.
"Bonnie." He said her name out loud. "It's been a while."
"Yes, it has."
Bonne slid out the chair from underneath the metal table and sat down. She remained composed and in control. No need in blowing her cover with what she needed to do. Get the information and get out.
"Well, whatever I'm here for, I can take a guess and say that you've made progress in your search."
Well, that's one way to point out the obvious.
"Yeah, basically." Bonnie said as she grabbed her messenger and took out the old leather-bound journals; placing them on the table waited for his reaction. "Tell me if you recognize these."
Her olive-green eyes peeled for any sign of recognition. Shane was well-versed in anything that was particularly odd. Journals of a witch should fit the bill on that one. The extent on how much he knew about magic while she practiced expression proved her theory to be true. As soon as his eyes landed those journals, Bonnie found the flash of recognition that she'd been looking for during this exchange. She craved the knowledge that would lead her to the last piece of the puzzle in her quest.
His hands touched the old volumes like they were precious porcelain. One foul touch and they would break. She watched the professor turned to the first page in awe and finally seeing him glance at the owner's name in the corner of the page made her day. All the fruits of her labor were worth coming together.
"These are Emily Bennett's journals. They're just...wow." The professor was still in awe of the rare artifacts. "Where did you find these?"
"I only did what you told me to do. You told me to backtrack and I did my homework. And, sometimes help comes from the oddest places." Bonnie explained, keeping her eyes trained on every move he made. "Now, it's your turn."
"Turn to help in what?"
"I'm at a dead end, and I need a new route to get me to the destination." Bonnie grabbed the last journal in the stack, and turned to the last page. "You already know that Emily dated her journals and is meticulously about that. But then there's this sudden stop. There's no other memoir of her writing or anything. The trail went cold and until I can find out what happened, I'm stuck in the dark. That's where you come in."
Shane shook his head. "As much as I want to help you, I can't. I'm stuck in this jail cell, and I can't get out."
"Then tell me where to go. I can find whatever you need." Bonnie tried to come up with a situation. Things shouldn't be this difficult, and what's so hard about actually getting a bit of information?
"You're forgetting, Bonnie. Even with me giving you the location of what could help you with Emily's journals, all of us are still stuck with the barrier spell up. Whitmore College isn't in Mystic Falls. Besides, they have everything in my office under lock and key with the investigation and the charges against me for suspicion. My hands are tied."
Bonnie didn't know how to process the disappoint washing over her. As much as she wanted to let her emotional turmoil take over, now wasn't the time to give in. She'd learn to become harder, not to give up so easily. Everything that happened taught her that lesson that well. She was too determined to find what was stolen from her. And she was going to take it back whether the Spirits liked it or not. Spirits be damned and all their rules.
"What do I do then?" She asked the question mostly to herself.
Shane opted to answer her, anyway. "For as long as I've known you, I know you'll find a way to do what you've set your mind to. You have what it takes, Bonnie, magic or not."
Elsewhere...
How long does it take for a person being in one place for months on end to snap?
Let's just say that it's not good to have a witch locked in the basement for a long time. Charlene's usual patience was wearing thin from being caged up like an animal. Staying below in Klaus' basement seemed like a dungeon sometimes. Oh, he let her come out since he had to make sure she was well taken care of. After all, it's always smart to keep your tools sharpened and ready. Not letting them ruin and dull from their earlier condition would be folly. Also, she was the only witch in town able to do magic, and the other little details added in already. Besides, it's only by Elijah's doing that Klaus enabled Charlene to come out of her prison.
The blonde witch had finished reading through her favorite cookbook a second time that early afternoon, bored out of her mind and plain annoyed. Despite her boredom sometimes, Charlene usually worked her way through it, but she had enough this time.
Opening the door and locking it behind her, Charlene marched up the stairs until she made it to the first floor. Though a wallflower once before, she never really spoke out on what she felt unless she had the courage, but living for a century changed her way of thinking.
"Klaus!" she called through the expansive mansion as she walked into the foyer.
"It would be helpful if your voice didn't burst my eardrum." Klaus' voice answered just a few feet away behind Charlene. She turned around seeing the Original Hybrid in all of his oppressive glory like he usually displayed. And just her luck, he appeared to be in a foul mood.
Then again, when wasn't that a rare thing?
He also reeked of his scotch too so it didn't surprise the witch in the slightest. She had seen the habit long enough to know the predictable behaviors. Charlene was always careful, but at this point she threw caution to the wind...only by a bit.
"You're sober enough to talk?"
"I'm standing before you, aren't I?
"Just in time, I guess." Charlene surmised dryly, really not in the mood to get into a spat. Pissing off an Original wasn't the wisest thing to do. It wasn't good business.
"What did you call me in here for?" Klaus inquired.
"It's pretty simple." The witch answered. "I want to go out."
"Out where?"
"You know what I meant. I meant 'out' as in I want to be out of the mansion. Not just outside in the backyard of your property. I would like to get some real interaction with new people instead of seeing the same faces every day." Believe it or not, being around Klaus' presence all day and night wasn't healthy, especially the way he was. He was already hard to handle before, but everything pushed him over the edge now. Wounds were still fresh and he's still working in the vengeance mindset.
That's why she wasn't shocked by his refusal. "Out of the question."
Ever since that last spat between them, the will power to keep her magic in check was proving to be difficult. No matter how high and mighty Klaus tried to appear, he would always fall like kings before him have. He may have a tight grip over the quaint town of Mystic Falls, but he won't have it for long the way he was going. Charlene still had her own reasons for staying.
"May I speak frankly?" Her request left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"It's never stopped you before." Klaus retorted.
"Fine. How much do I ask of you, Klaus? Think about it. I'm here at your request. You want your grand plans of revenge to be executed with my magic. You came to me. Despite all the high demands and complicated orders, have I ever fail to deliver?" she questioned him.
The Hybrid smirked loftily at the little blonde witch, turning on his heel and gestured with his hand in terms of direction. "Let's take this into my office."
Charlene rolled her eyes. Typical of Klaus to agitate her in the expert subtle ways he was known for. She followed him into the study, lined up with shelf upon shelf with books. The familiar of old paper and knowledge filled her nose, reminding her a few times of drowning into a book to learn about magic. Charlene turned her attention to Klaus, who was all too happy with serve himself with another glass of scotch. The alcohol still reeked in the place. As if one alcoholic wasn't enough.
"You brought me here, Klaus. Are you going to answer my question or not?"
"I'm going to tell you a story, love. I'm sure you know this one by heart." Klaus took a seat on the edge of his desk, casually taking a sip from his glass. "There was once a pure-hearted angel. Kind and untainted, her curiosity about the outside world around her ruled her actions. She learned about the world, and her heart ached at the sickness plagued everywhere. Her heart also ached at the sadness, tragedy, and the cruelness of what life can bring. However, she remained resolute to put her faith in the goodness that she rarely saw despite by what she saw from above."
Charlene sighed inwardly. "What's the point in this?"
"Shh, love. I'm getting to the best part." Klaus hushed her, resuming his tale. "Now, the angel reserved a few parts of her heart exclusively for a few lucky souls. She never admitted aloud to the other angels that she cared for others more than the rest of humanity, but she still did her duties. It was in her nature to care for others no matter what. But alas, tragedy struck. A very special person close to her heart fell ill with a sickness. The angel couldn't bear with that loss because she knew it would break her heart. So she did what no other angel did. She made a deal with the devil and helped her loved one back to health. In the end, her selfishness and caring became her downfall. She fell from heaven and descended into the tainted darkness."
His cruel words were calculated. Klaus knew where exactly where it would hurt her. Judging from the way her fists tightened, the darkening in her expression, and the tense air changing, he hit close to home. Right on target.
"Did I hit a nerve?" Klaus goaded.
Her answer didn't come in words, but in a few shattered crystals from the chandelier above them, probably more becoming broken within a few moments.
"That's tragic. That was Rebekah's favorite. Oh, well." Klaus charged at Charlene, and came behind her with his arms around her shoulders and next in a steel grip. "Isn't this just surprising? This brings back old memories."
"Help-mmmm!" Charlene's cry for help failed and became muffled due to the Original's hand clamped over her mouth.
"Shhh...it's okay. It's only me. It's only Klaus. What harm can he do?" Klaus whispered cruelly in her ear, faking sincerity and false security. His breath fanned hot on her neck like dragon flames. "Then again, you perfectly know what I'm capable of."
His fangs extended out, the need to drink weighing heavily on his mind. He heard the little witch's heart pounding the blood through her veins. The jugular vein seemed all too tempting to pass up in an opportunity. Witch blood was very rare to taste, and Klaus hadn't drank in a while. "Do you know what the worst fate is for a witch?" he asked, his hangs so close to her skin.
Charlene gulped, her fear blocking her magic. Biting her lip, she tried to come up with an answer. "I don't know."
Klaus tsked at her. "Don't lie to me, witch. It doesn't take much to figure out you're a bad liar as far as from what I've seen from my point of view. The worst fate for a witch such as yourself isn't death, but becoming what witches despise. A fate far worse than death." He loosened his hand over mouth in letting Charlene speak clearly. He wanted to hear her cries for mercy. "I wonder how well you fare as a vampire."
"Don't you dare!" Charlene cried out desperately, struggling against a thousand years of strength.
Klaus released a humorless laugh. "Sorry, love. I already have." He bit into his wrist and the blood began to drip. Forcing his wrist into her mouth, Klaus didn't give Charlene enough time to rebel. The witch was forced to taste and drink his blood with the coppery metallic flavor on her tongue.
When Klaus deemed her in having enough, he jerked her from him, Charlene spinning around and landing on her own two feet. Klaus' thirst remained unquenched and the little blonde witch looked very appetizing.
There was leftover blood caked around her mouth. Charlene lifted her fingers in feeling the red sticky substance on her lips. The bitter taste of Klaus' blood remained on her lips as a reminder of Klaus' actions. Immediately ashamed, she wiped away the blood with the back of her arm. She couldn't hold back the disgust and shame beginning to bubble to the surface, but she had other problems. Concerned, she felt around her neck. No bite marks. Thank goodness.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Charlene asked confused.
"'What can I say? You have a tendency to push people to the edge, including me.'" Klaus reiterated Charlene's words back at her. "As much as our professional relationship remains the same, you and I tend to have our crashing moments. It has become quite tedious and repetitive. I only have so much tolerance to spare."
'Oh, yeah. You have tolerance as much as the desert has water,'she thought sarcastically. She held back the urge to fall back into old habits. Retorting back to Klaus with sarcasm wasn't the smartest thing to do at this point. Charlene was smart enough to keep her mouth shut unlike some who were brave to wise up against him. Even those moments were rare on her part.
Klaus took her silence and kept going. "There's a different between you and me. I don't hide who I am. I don't cower behind this angelic façade that you've created for yourself."
"We get the point that you're a monster. That wasn't a hard fact to figure out. I think most of everyone I know around here is a monster somewhere inside." She had her fair share of dealing with the wicked ones of the night. She was durable.
"You're missing the point." Klaus said. "Things will remain the same no matter what white lies you tell to others. Personally, I don't care. But don't you dare insinuate lies about who I am. As I recall, you came to me for my help. Information may have been one of your goals, but we know what was on your mind that night. You gave into your sins. I only supplied the deal you couldn't resist."
Flashes of pain from that night struck her. The cold reminder pinned her with hundreds of needles. Trying to stay composed was out of the question at this point. Klaus already did the damage. A tear escaped from her eye, showing her pain and guilt. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction, the witch quickly wiped the wetness from her face, but she knew Klaus won the battle this time. He bested her.
"Please..." she requested. "Don't."
"You have no room for demands, love. Your pathetic simpering has no meaning to me. I don't care. After what you've done, I shouldn't even do anything for you. I'm already gave you my warning. Try what you did again, and I'll turn you into a vampire. Pure and simple." The Original had his fill of dealing with her too and replacing her could prove to be a wise decision if it weren't for a few things. That would even be a more complicated situation.
"Niklaus!"
Elijah's voice carried through the study, effectively bringing Klaus' mood to a lower standard with the scolding quality in his tone. Just what Klaus needed. Great.
"Is there anything I can help you with, brother?" Klaus offered, but the tight tone was enough to let Elijah know that this wasn't going to be a nice exchange of words. Hardly any conversations with his grieving brother were pleasant these days.
Elijah eyed the discomforted witch, already fully knowing of the conversation spoken between them. His dark eyes shifted then to his brother with disappointment. "There's a lot you can help me with, Niklaus. That doesn't mean all of my wishes are going to be granted." The eldest Original walked towards Charlene, and laid a hand on her shoulder. "You can leave the premises for a while this evening. Just be back before midnight if you can."
Klaus' eyes narrowed at his brother in anger at his audacity. To give orders like he was the leader? Like he was the alpha of the pack. And to just easily make Klaus' words disappear in a puff of smoke like it never existed. Klaus' blood boiled at the thought. Elijah hadn't forgotten so easily who was in charge, but Klaus always could be wrong. Klaus could never figure out the family he slowly destroyed over the years. All he had now was the remnants of a broken family.
Charlene didn't need to be told twice. Gratefully nodding to Elijah, she changed directions and hurried away from the brothers. Being Originals left a toxic effect on who were involved with them.
She ignored the loud voices from downstairs as she made up the staircase. There was bound to be unpleasant exchange of words, and there was no way she'd be a part of it.
Finally coming into the bathroom upstairs, the witch closed the door behind her and clicked the lock. Charlene splashed water on her face, trying to get past the disgust and shame rising to the surface. Sometimes, all of this was too much was to bear. Things seemed to be more complicated than normal, and that was saying a lot. Charlene had her fair share of complicated before, but this?
"No." Charlene told herself. "You can do this. Pull up your britches and keep it together."
There was no need to lose her cool now. She had to keep her wits about herself to see to the end of this plan. She wasn't a quitter. Charlene was in this for the long haul, and she wasn't going to let Klaus scare her so easily. Yeah, her display of her magic wasn't the way to go, but she had other ideas. As Klaus' only witch in Mystic Falls and the barrier spell in place, it gave her a rare advantage. Her usefulness and magic prevented her from Klaus killing her and tossing her dead carcass to the other vampires.
Besides, she didn't come this far for nothing.
Hearing a buzz from her phone, she broke from her pity moment and read the message.
Lupa: How's my favorite witch?
Charlene just rolled her eyes and deleted the message. That was just a waste of time. Scrolling for the contact, the witch quickly dialed the number and waited for an answer. On the third ring, someone picked up from the other end of the line. Finally. "Hey, you're not usually one for sending texts. If you want to talk, you usually talk regardless. But if you must know how I am, I'm fine as I'll ever be. Both of us can handle Klaus. We've done it before. By the way, I was wondering if you can help me with a favor."
{Louder Than Thunder}
Later that evening...
Mystic Grill
The Mystic Grill was buzzing with activity as the usual hustle and bustle of customers stormed in. Despite the isolation of the small town, it didn't stop people from doing their normal routines. Enjoying their lives was part of that. The drinks were still flowing and the food was ready and cooked to be eaten. Little people cared about the restrictions and curfews as of late. It didn't dampen their spirits.
However, watching everyone from her booth, it really boggled Bonnie in how people could be so oblivious to what's around them. Sometimes, she found herself envying them. To go on with her life as if the supernatural realm didn't exist. The urge to stick her head in the sand didn't suit her, but it seemed like the perfect temporary solution at times.
Drinking her iced tea, Bonnie had to admit that she had loved the solitude for herself, but not so much as she had hoped. Having the time to step back away from the others and just focus on her own priorities, it was a relief. There was still the task of protecting Elena, but she'd always been used to that. There was nothing she wouldn't do for a best friend. Besides, Elena was the only best friend she had left. Bonnie couldn't afford to lose another one.
Although it'd been more of lonely existence, Bonnie was content to not handle the weight of everything for once. She kept her own priorities straight, and it helped her out. With Shane's help, she had more of a lead in finding the last piece of the puzzle. Watching the people being happy gave Bonnie a small comfort. It showed her that there was a small sliver of hope after all. Some light on the horizon in this dark town.
Bonnie giggled at one of the jocks singing on the karaoke stage, his voice not so on key with the song. It also didn't help with the jock's drinking too considering he was half-dancing and half-slugging around like a zombie.
"You find that entertaining?"
Bonnie turned her gaze to Matt's voice and offered a small smile. "I don't know if I could say that I find entertainment in underage drinking considering we've done it before."
"First off, that's one of the new students that came by a few months ago. And I hate to say it, but he kind of failed a few times so he's at legal age." Matt answered Bonnie as he picked up the plates and glasses from the booth behind her. "Can I get you anything?"
Bonnie's mouth dropped. "He's legal? Really? How old?"
"He's 21."
Bonnie couldn't help, but disagree. "He doesn't even look like he's an adult. Looks more like a teenager to be honest." She said, pointing to the drunk singing klutz with her finger. "I mean look at him."
"Yeah, I gotta admit. Appearances can be deceiving, but I'm not lying. I wouldn't be lying about a potential drunk in the grill. Someone has to take care of the place." He said proudly, finally finishing in cleaning of the booth next to Bonnie. He stared at her for a moment in concern, wondering how she'd been. It'd been a while since any of the gang came to grill so seeing Bonnie was new. Deciding to check up on her, he yelled to his manager. "Hey, Hank! I'm taking a break!"
"Fine by me!" He heard in the kitchen.
Getting the okay, Matt planted himself a seat across from Bonnie, happy to see a familiar face. "You sure I can't get you anything? You can put it on my tab?" he offered.
Bonnie shook her head. "No thanks, Matt. I'm just fine with the tea."
"How have you been?" Matt asked, curious since it's been a while they've spoken to one another.
The little witch shrugged her shoulders, playing with the straw in her iced tea, bringing around in a circle on the edge of the glass. "Everyone's been okay. Just hanging in there like usual."
"It's nice you're talking about the others, but I was talking about you specifically." Matt corrected her.
She blinked at him in surprise, not used to the questions, but she welcomed it anyway. It was nice that someone felt concern for her just to be courteous. She felt liked there was more to the friendship than the witch on speed dial. 'Magicless witch,' her mind cruelly reminded her of that fact.
"I'm tired, but it's going to be worth it. That's all you need to know." Bonnie reassured him, letting him hear only what was necessary. She didn't want to burden him with her demons. God knows she had enough now. "How are you since what happened with April?"
Matt's face fell at the mention of her. Then again, everyone's face did when someone spoke of the recent murder, despite of moving on with their own lives. "I'll manage." Matt answered.
"I'm glad." Bonnie concluded, putting the subject to a close.
After a moment of silence, Bonnie's attention shifted to the abrupt thud coming from the stage. She stood abruptly to see further in what was going on. "What the hell?"
"Man, he really had one too many." Matt got up from his seat, and took the tray holding the used up glasses and plates with him. "I better go help the poor guy out. Sorry for this to cut short, but I'm glad we've got the chance to talk."
"So did I." The witch watched him leave, watching with amused yet concerned eyes as Matt helped the poor jock from his faceplant to the floor.
Knowing the jock was in safe hands, Bonnie just went back to herself and her thoughts, trying to figure out a way to make this right. Yeah, Bonnie went to the grill to mull over her thoughts and chill out, but she had another reason in mind. The last thing Shane told her ringed in her mind.
"Once you see her, you'll know."
That was easier said than done.
She sat there for hours, waiting for something to turn up, but nothing. Nothing that gave off a witchy vibe. Everyone here was human. The only vampires lurking around were the ones she knew, and they were hiding in their foxholes in trying to come up with a plan to be rid of Klaus once and for all. It was left up to Bonnie to try to change the odds in some shape or form. There were hoping on a whim, and a lot was riding on that small whim. She can't screw up. Not today.
She got up from the booth and left a more of a tip than usual for Matt. She owed him a small kindness. She was just about to leave before Bonnie could think of anything else. A loud voice broadcasted through the speakers, announcing another contestant to come to the karaoke stage. Bonnie paid little attention to who was called, but her attention definitely was caught up to the shooting pain of someone running into her shoulder.
"Oh, God! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." A clear female voice apologized.
Bonnie brushed off the wrinkles on her shirt, and looked up to reassure her. She was met with two bright blue eyes. "It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Thanks. That really means a lot." Bonnie felt a soft hand graze her injured shoulder, the pain from the collision almost gone.
Bonnie held back the urge to show any surprise, but there was no doubt. Looking onto the stage, she found the woman who healed her. The familiar air about her that seemed to spark and react to everything was what Bonnie sensed from every witch. Bonnie could never forget that. There was no way.
The blonde walked up to the stage, calm and confident as she stepped in her comfortable stride. Bonnie couldn't help, but watch as the young woman completely dropped any hesitation and just fell into the music.
"The day I first met you, you told me you'll never fall in love. But now that I get you, I know fear is what it really was. Now here we are so close yet so far. Haven't I passed the test? When will you realize? Baby, I'm not like the rest."
She was the one. She was the witch. Charlene Davis.
"Don't wanna break your heart. Wanna give your heart a break. I know you're scared it's wrong, like you might make a mistake. There's just one life to live. And there's no time to wait, to wait. So let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break. Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break. There's just so much you can take. Give your heart a break. Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break. Oh yeah, yeah."
Bonnie knew what she had to do now.
A while later...
Bonnie watched her for hours. She had to if she wanted any chance of talking to her alone, and it had to be just between them. She had already came up with plans in trying to make their "chance" meeting inconspicuous. God, as if she hadn't felt guilty enough; it was like she tore a page out of Damon's book in stalking people for a meal. Well, Bonnie was proud to say that she wasn't doing this in trying to harm people. No, she was too good to do that. Besides, the witch hasn't posed any threat to her friends and it wasn't like Bonnie could do anything against her. Powerless without her magic, she just hoped that Charlene would listen to reason and can come to see her reason.
Other than the generous donation in a healing spell, the witch gave away no hint of being who she was. Every part of her displayed to the world was taken for as being human. And for the most part, Charlene kept to herself, except to the other brunette who had her back turned to Bonnie. Bonnie didn't have the vampire hearing to help her so she could only guess what was being discussed.
It was close to ten o'clock with the curfew coming in. Everyone proceeded to leave the grill and go outside to their cars. Bonnie took her cue.
Following the halo of blonde hair, Bonnie tiptoed through the crowd, keeping an eye out for the witch and anyone else that could be close. Weeding everyone out, she finally found her outside going towards her Toyota Camry.
"Hey!" Bonnie called after her, trying to not make her walk so rushed for appearances' sake. She couldn't give Charlene a reason to get suspicious.
The blonde witch stopped in her tracks, stopping in the middle of the process of getting in her car. Her facial expression remained neutral before she gave a polite smile at Bonnie. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked.
Yes, a lot. A lot more than she thought. Bonnie was truly at a loss. She didn't know whether to just jump and spill what she wanted to say or just keep working Charlene in. Both of them sounded like viable options, but she honestly didn't know. You'd think that there would be some clear plot, but nothing had ever been clear. Not for a while now. Every one of them, including Bonnie, were operating on guesses and hope. There was no definite guarantee in anything to work out smoothly. They would just have to take their chances and hope that Klaus won't be able to reign seven hells on them before anything else happened.
"Do you have a minute?" Bonnie knew she was taking a risk, but she didn't care anymore. Playing it safe wasn't going to get her anywhere.
"If that's what you need then, yes. I don't mind." Charlene responded with an unexpected kindness that surprised Bonnie.
She threw in the catch. "In private?"
Bonne could feel the witch's eyes on her, feeling slightly uncomfortable as she studied her. She felt like Charlene could see right through her. Looking into her eyes, Bonnie found a something different with Charlene. Something Bonnie hadn't seen in a long time since her grams died. A terrible wisdom existed and was hidden beneath the outside of what Charlene showed to the world.
Finally after a few moments of consideration, she finally agreed. "Let's talk in my car."
Following Charlene's lead, she went into the passenger side, keeping her composure as she heard the doors locked, leaving the two witches alone in the vehicle.
Charlene was first in breaking the silence. "You took a big risk in trying to doing this, Bonnie. But I'll admit, I have to give you credit. Not many people can find me."
So she knew.
"You know who I am." Bonnie's question came out more as a statement.
Charlene nodded. "Witches keep close in communication, and I've heard a great deal about you before all of this. Besides, it's not difficult to recognize a Bennett witch."
Witches despite being probably the most powerful had rules to follow. The Spirits and other witches didn't take too kindly to the rebellious natures that sprouted up from the ground on occasion. They were grounded in their rules and their way of life for a reason. At least in their point of view. At this point, Bonnie really didn't care. In the beginning, she was doing what she thought was best for her friends. Keeping them protected no matter what the cost was the best thing. Bonnie was willing to go the extra mile, even using expression for the means of trying to help them. Then all she worked for had fallen down into pieces, leaving her hollow and weak and bent. She refused to be broken by them. This time, this was going to be for her foremost.
"I'm sure you have." The powerless witch commented.
"I have a pretty good idea on what you're here for, Bonnie."
"You do?"
"Yes, and the answer is no."
That was a bullet to the heart.
Bonnie's voice broke. "No...you can't."
"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I truly am, but I can't get involved. It's too risky." The witch explained, keeping her composure and her sight trained ahead of her.
"Why because you're working for Klaus?" Bonnie directed the question at her with a bit of anger in her tone.
The mention of his name hit a sore spot for the blonde. Bonnie saw a flash of anger in her eyes and watched as the witch finally gazed in her direction, the rare anger not exactly belonging to Charlene's face.
"Because I'm in it deep enough as it is, and there is enough that's involved. Do yourself a favor and just stay out of trouble. God knows you're already in too deep." Charlene responded with too much familiarity.
"I know you're working for Klaus. There's other people who know you're here. Stefan recognized you, and Damon also remembers you too." Bonnie pointed out.
A humorless chuckle escaped Charlene's throat. "Oh, and I'm sure the whole town probably knows too with you around." Her sarcasm really wasn't needed at this point, but she couldn't help it. It had been a long day for both. "Seriously, Bonnie, even if you have the means to get my help, I wouldn't deliver. There's too much at stake."
"What did Klaus offer you? How did you get tangled with him?"
Charlene froze. Bonnie didn't know how much the question extended with that question alone. It seemed like the same story every time you hear of someone getting involved with the Hybrid. Once you're in, you can't get out. It's nearly impossible.
She released an exhausted sigh as she answered. "He offered me information, but it's nothing that you could get anyway."
Bonnie took a deep breath, and finally spoke. "What if I told you that you could get the information you want from another source instead of waiting on Klaus until the end of eternity?"
Watching Charlene, she could see the shock and realization coming up to the surface. She could see the blonde trying to swallow the huge lump in her throat. Bonnie hated to use someone for her own gain, but times were desperate. At least in the end, both of them wouldn't leave empty-handed. All of Bonnie's hard work would come together if she played it just right. She hoped someone like Charlene could see her case, and be willing to lend a helping hand. Just to at least get Bonnie's magic back.
"You don't even know what I'm looking for." Charlene's rose an octave higher from the shock.
Extending some sympathy, Bonnie grasped Charlene's hands, squeezing them gently. "I know what it's like, Charlene," she used her name for the first time, "to be caught in a trap with no way out. You don't have to go through this anymore. I can help you."
As much as that sounded wonderful, it was too good to be true. Bonnie didn't fully understand the entire situation. Charlene was deeper than Bonnie imagined, and there was no simple solution. "I don't know, Bonnie. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but there's no point in trying to get yourself killed. I'm already in too deep. Besides, I've had enough making deals to last a lifetime."
"I have proof of what you're looking for." Bonnie quickly said before Charlene could end the conversation. She reached into her messenger bag, and took out the journals. She displayed them before the witch as her proof of her word. "These books have the information of what you're looking for. I can show you everything that you need to know."
Charlene's eyes widened. What Bonnie was offering sounded too good to be true yet here the girl was, showing the evidence of one of the reasons why she came to Mystic Falls. Bonnie was ready to make a compromise, and there seemed to be no conditions. Simple and clean. No manipulative means to an end. Not anything according to Klaus' own terms. It was too promising now with the truth in front of her.
"So, you're offering information for me in exchange for my help in getting your powers back?"
"That's pretty much it." Bonnie concluded. "There's no strings attached."
Charlene knew she was in for one hell of a risk if she pulled this off. It wasn't supposed to be for the enemy's favor, at least in Klaus' eyes. She was working for him. Not any of the others. However, there's been enough of these games of cat and mouse between her and Klaus. She had enough of being threatened of not doing her part, using his grief as an excuse to hurt her. Well, he's going to have to deal with more than just her with two witches in town, and not just one. It's time that the odds were evened out on both sides. Charlene didn't do this often, but Klaus pushed her too far long enough.
"Fine, I'll do it. But this needs to be planned out carefully, and we can't afford any mistakes. I'll leave that up to you on where you want it." Charlene grabbed her notepad from the middle console and handed Bonnie a pen too. "Write down your number on here, and I'll text you on when I can come. As soon as you're done texting me, delete it. I can't risk anyone finding out, but I have no doubt they will eventually. I just need to buy some time."
"Sure, no problem." Bonnie said as she wrote her number as fast as she could. She couldn't help the burst of happiness inside. All of her hard work was coming together, and she'll be able to reap what sowed. The fruits of her labor will be in full bloom. "Thank you so much for doing this. You have no idea how much this means to me."
"You're a good person. I can see that, and it's not hard to tell. I don't mind giving to others if they're honest about it. You were humble and forthcoming, which helped you a lot. I just want you to keep your end of the bargain." Besides, no one should have their powers taken away. Not at least when Bonnie had been trying to help her friends. Charlene could only hope that Bonnie would learn from her past and make a difference in the future.
Even if it meant Charlene giving her a boost.
"I promise." The female Bennett swore with the happiest smile she had in a long time gracing her face.
Charlene smiled in return. "Good."
Before Bonnie could say anything else, her phone rang loudly with Damon's name popping up on the screen. "Excuse me," Bonnie said before taking the call. "Yes, Damon?"
"Where in the hell are you?!Shouldn't you be back already from your witchy adventures?"Damon spat out from the other end of the line. Really, how touching to have a vampire bark orders through your phone.
"I'm fine, Damon. As much as your concern for me is touching, I'm not the one you should be worried about considering I'm not the main target." Bonnie reassured him, but she didn't know if that would be enough for him. Damon had a funny way of showing his concern for people when most of the time, he only showed concern for only two people. Elena and Stefan.
Charlene's breath hitched for a moment at the mention of his name. She didn't need to be part of this. She got what she wanted, and it was going to come soon. No need to waste time. "You can go ahead and go, and I can meet you up later." Charlene offered by unlocking the doors. Hell. She'd get out if it would speed things up.
"It's alright. Nothing I can't handle." Bonnie told her before getting back to Damon. "Can't you just wait patiently until I can get back? I have everything under control."
"Put her on the damn phone, Bonnie."
Silence.
"I know she's there, Bonnie. You don't think I didn't hear her with you?I can hear her breathing for God's sake."
"Damn vampire hearing," both of the girls muttered.
"I heard that too, you know."
"I really don't care what you hear, Damon. I'm not going to do anything with you shouting demands through the phone." Bonnie warned him in a tight tone. Damon was so lucky Bonnie didn't have her magic or otherwise he'd be having a huge migraine with a few busted blood vessels in his brain. Before she could say something else, she felt the same soft hand from before rest on her shoulder. Turning her head, she met Charlene's gaze, surprised to see her so calm. It's a wonder how people can be calm when dealing with Damon.
"Let me talk to him." The witch softly demanded, but there was a firmness in her voice too.
Bonnie handed her the phone, waiting for the bomb to be dropped.
"Hello, Damon. It's been a while."
Everyone thinks that I have it all
But it's so empty living behind these castle walls
These castle walls
If I should tumble, if I should fall
Would anyone hear me screaming behind these castle walls?
There's no one here at all behind these castle walls
- "Castle Walls," by T.I. ft. Christina Aguilera