AN: I wanted to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, following and making this a favorite. It is greatly appreciated. I am having a hard time gauging if the chapters are too long or not, I personally like long chapters but I don't want to overwhelm you guys. So please let me know if this chapter is a decent length or was the first better to get through. Also please remember that this is AU and does not follow directly from canon, however please know that all things will be revealed and explained, this will also clarify why some characters are acting OOC. I can't thank you enough for the reviews and the time you are taking out of your busy day to read my humble attempt at story telling. I hope I don't disappoint. Much love to you. Be good to yourself, those you love and those you don't.
Here is chapter 2...
Chapter 2 - The road to hell and all that jazz
Bonnie's kept replaying what the hybrid said like a sick, demented song on repeat, She sensed your magical signature. Bonnie knew when it happened, when the cloaking spell final gave way, she felt it, but she had hoped and even prayed to the goddess that no one was seeking her out, but of course her prayers weren't answered. Of course not!
All she wanted was to be left alone and as Lucy put it, to wallow in her grief and self pity, yet it was more than that. She had nothing left. Hadn't she given enough?
For nearly ten years she paid a great price for someone else's precious life, so they could have their happy ending, but it wasn't for her benefit. It never was for Bonnie's benefit. Bonnie wanted to blame Damon or even Elena, but it was no one else's fault, not really. It was hers for not being strong enough to speak up or to say NO! She allowed Them to use her, to take her for granted and ultimately ruin her.
It wasn't like she had been naive or uneducated in her craft or even a novice, it was simply that she had been unable or unwilling to sacrifice her loyalty for her truths. She didn't want to confront her insecurities and she did not want to see the truth, so she followed blindly for the sake of friendship and nostalgia.
Bonnie sat on the in-wall cushioned bench with her knees tucked under her chin while she wrapped her arms around her legs. Her head leaned against the warm window glass, she liked feeling the sun's warmth on her face, but the heat suddenly disappeared. Now clouds began forming blotting out the sun's rays of light, leaves started dancing chaotically in the air as the gentle breeze turned harsh and raindrops beat a strange melodic tune on the tin roof.
Bonnie had become used to the sudden changes in the weather in Florida so she thought nothing of it. But soon a fierce storm was raging outside, the rain was hitting the window and roof so hard that it sounded like marbles were hitting the house, yet Bonnie still sat there consumed by her thoughts.
The howling wind picked up forcing the rain to fall slanted, trees to sway violently, branches to break off and debris to fly about hitting the house and other fixtures. The clouds turned darker and the day took on a gloomy demeanor. It was late afternoon but it could have been dusk, early evening. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed to a beat born from sorrowful anger, making it look like a strobe light flickering in the blackened sky.
With a forecast of sunny days for the remaining week, the storm appeared to come out of nowhere, but it mirrored the internal storm of emotions brewing and raging within Bonnie's head, heart and wounded soul. Feelings of loss, guilt, pain, hatred, fear and despair flooded Bonnie's body and in doing so fueled the deluge covering the earth. The overwhelming emotion that sought dominance, which wanted to choke the little bit of life and fight she had left, was loneliness.
It wrapped around her, a shroud of heaviness that clung to her, separating her from everyone and everything, even her magic felt distant, disconnected. It was as dark as the blackness and dark hues of gray she lived in everyday. And within that loneliness, covered and buried deep, was a bittersweet fruit she could no longer eat...It was hope….hope for happiness, hope for love...hope for sight...hope for life. She no longer felt it, therefore she no longer had use for it. She no longer bathed in its sweet scent or bright light.
What Lucy didn't understand, that Bonnie kept to herself, was that it wasn't pity or fear or even despondency that she wallowed in, and embraced, it was the lack of hope that loneliness bestowed her, which she drank as if it was the best and sweetest wine from Dionysus' own collection.
The emotions collided with each other causing her head to ache and tears to fall from her sightless eyes.
Her magic bowed up and waged war against her will trying to gain dominance over her to no avail so it continued to wreak havoc outside in the form of a severe thunderstorm with bolts of lightning hitting ground in random places. Her magic had hummed with delight as she used it against the hybrid. It had been an instinctive and natural response. It was the first time, in a long time, that it had been unleashed in that manner and with that much force.
It wanted more, it wanted to be free, it wanted its mistress to embrace it , to command it, to use it for more than to grow plants or to light a candle. For far too long expression's mistress had been dormant.
A taste was all that was needed to ignite the spark. Soon The Bennett witch would rise from the ashes like the great red phoenix.
Both expression and spirit-born magic hummed in agreement, soon the earth would quake and the Bennett Queen would be reborn.
Lucy's Bedroom
Lucy sat on the floor surrounded by candles within a circle of salt in front of her grimoire. She had locked her door with both a locking spell and the lock on the handle after she entered, she also said a silencing spell in the room so nothing could be heard.
She hated doing things behind Bonnie's back but enough was enough and the time had come for Bonnie to remember who she was meant to be, who she was and what she could do.
Lucy had been working on this particular summoning spell for some time now and she hoped that it would finally work. She needed reinforcement and by the goddess they would damn well talk to her. For the last few years she had been trying to contact her ancestors with failure after failure, but each time she would tweak and refine her spell hoping it would work, but it didn't. She had almost given up but something kept pushing her, maybe it was her magic. She was glad she listened, after seeing what Bonnie had done to the hybrid, she knew there was still some fight left, a spark of life. She felt it in her bones and her magic, her body tingled and the hairs on her arms and back of her neck rose, today was different.
She heard the storm raging outside and smirked, she knew it was Bonnie's magic causing it and that meant that she was fighting with and within herself on the decision to help the hybrid's child and to break free from this self imposed prison.
So Lucy decided today was the time for action. She would be damned if she continued to let her baby cousin slowly die because of the stupidity and carelessness of others especially when they were supposed to be friends of hers. Plus there was a bit of guilt on her part, maybe had she been there things would have turned out different. Lucy straightened her back, flipped her hair back and with a determined face decided that what if's and guilt had no place in her thoughts or life and it was doing what she had to do, now, to make things right.
Lucy began to chant in Latin, her complex and specific summoning spell calling forth the spirits of her ancestors, hoping they would answer her. Sweat beading on her forehead, her chanting grew slightly louder as she concentrated on what she desired, the candles flickered then the flames shooting up almost reaching the ceiling, lowering to normal, Lucy opened her eyes when she felt the presence of spirits in her room. Unshed tears glistened her eyes as she saw before her, her Grams and two other women.
"Oh Grams, I'm so happy to see you", she cried.
"Baby girl it's good to see you also even if it isn't for the best reasons." Sheila Bennett stood poised and graceful with love and pride in her eyes looking at her granddaughter. Lucinda was a lovely woman, tall and elegant, even if she wore some inappropriate outfits. But Sheila had to smile to herself because that was "Lucy" , her wild, unapologetic, sassy child.
"My dear, this is the great mother, Ayanna and this is her daughter Amina." Sheila introduced as she faced the other women with a smile on her face.
Lucy bowed her head, "I am honored to be in your presence blessed ones."
Ayanna laughed from her belly, "No need to be so formal dear one, plus we don't have much time for it.
"You know that Bonnie is not doing well", Lucy asked, but it was more of an accusation as she was looking at each woman with a bit of irritation. They had to know she thought and the fact they hadn't helped pissed her off.
The three older Bennett witches looked at each other, but it was Amina who spoke. "We know, dove and we are going to help."
"But why haven't you? All this time and no word from you or the spirits." Lucy was confused and angry.
"My dear child", Grams said sadly, "Bonnie has been blocking us. She refuses to seek us out and she has not allowed us to come to her."
Lucy's face shows every emotion like snapshots. "But how?"
"She placed a cloaking spell on herself and magic and even the house as you know."
"Then what has happened to the cloak, Grams?" Lucy knew there was a cloaking spell on the house and she was okay with that because she knew that Bonnie wanted no contact from her past, but she didn't know she was blocking the ancestors. And if she had a cloaking spell strong enough to block the Bennett witches, how was the hybrid's witch able to find them? Something else had to be going on, something or someone else was at work here. Lucy's wheels were spinning, thoughts and questions trying to understand what else was at play.
"Look child, listen, Klaus, the hybrid, has changed since the birth of his child, but the fact remains that he has amassed an ungodly amount of enemies in his lifetime. These enemies seek his destruction by harming or using the child. And on top of that list, is the most pressing issue of this foul spirit trying to take the child to feed its hunger for power. Klaus Mikaelson and the rest of his siblings need you and Bonnie to help protect the child," Aynna said in almost a plea as her emotions enveloped her.
"He and his siblings weren't always as they are now. Due to the interference of their parents their destines were altered." Amina grabbed her hand giving her support as she continued to speak.
She continued. "But he and they have been given a chance at redemption and it is through this child. The child is Klaus' heart, the living, breathing personification of his heart. Before the child Klaus only knew how to love with demands, but now he knows the glorious healing power of loving and being loved unconditionally."
"And I promise you this, if the child dies there will be no place under the heavens that will not suffer his wrath, destruction and fire which he will rain down on mankind and supernaturals alike. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Pompeii will both pale in comparison as cliff notes of a bad day. The balance will be tipped and death and hell will prevail."
"Holy shit", Lucy cursed forgetting she was in front of her Grams.
"Lucinda, watch that potty mouth of your'', Sheila chastised.
Amina smiled turning towards Sheila, "well she does have a point and the correct response, hell I'm dead and that scared me", she deadpanned.
Ayanna cleared her throat, "I'm sorry to have been so "fire and brimstone", but I know that child, all of them and I know what they are capable of doing and I may have even down played it just a bit. The point is, that Bonnie has a destiny and purpose that she has been hiding from for the last ten years. Apart from her own path, she is somehow tied to Klaus and that child."
"Now is her time! There are forces that are rising up trying to tip the scales of balance, pushing their agendas, thinking there will be no comeuppance. The supernatural world, for the last ten years, has seen an increase in wars and unrest, now is the time to put things to right and Bonnie, Klaus, you and the Mikaelsons will be the hands to do it."
"The Mikaelson siblings will be the sword, You, my dear will be the shield, Klaus will be the breast that devours and Bonnie will be the iron fist wrapped in the velvet glove."
"Ayanna, great mother, I mean no disrespect but while that sounds all great and epic and all, I how am I supposed to get that girl to do anything?" Lucy was flabbergasted, did they know who they were talking about? Ten years of nothing, of waiting because her baby cousin was as stubborn and bull-headed as a mule and oftentimes, if not given her way she could act like a jackass.
"Telling Bonnie what she was or was not going to do was paramount to telling the sun not to rise or telling fire not to burn or telling Samwise Gamgee not to follow Frodo or …."
Sheila chuckled, then cleared her throat successfully interrupting Lucy's ramblings, "child, now that Bonnie is no longer blocking us or our magic, magic will have its way and I will have a chat with my stubborn granddaughter." Sheila had an almost sinister smirk on her face.
"Time is short. We will keep in touch." Amina smiled.
"Lucinda you are the illumination that lights the way in all darkness. Your fidelity has not gone unnoticed. Although you think love is lost, you will find it in an unlikely place. Remember who you are and never change, your wildness, your fight, your fierceness are all weapons and gifts. You were not born to be the Bennett Queen, you were born to be her hand." Ayanna wanted Lucy to know that she was very important to Bonnie and the Bennett line, but she conveniently neglected to tell her that it would come at a heavy cost.
Lucy bowed her head, tears running down her face. "Thank you, blessed ones. Grams I love you and miss you so much."
Sheila smiled and reached out with her ghostly hand to caress Lucy's cheek, "I am so proud of you, never change, although that language of yours could stand a bit more refinement," Sheila winked at her.
Lucy felt the faintest touch on her cheek and she sobbed more as the three appropriations vanished, but she felt determined, happy and ready to kick a little ass. And she was also very glad that she wasn't going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with Grams….boy was Bonnie in for it, she thought as she wiped her tears away.
The Forest
Klaus prided himself on many things such as his love for his family, his killing skills, his strategic mind and his knowledge of things important to his circle of power. Among many other traits and skills he had cultivated over the many years the most important was his keen sense of observation and ability to read people. And yet with everything he noticed about the tiny witch, she took him by surprise.
This momentary weakness caused him to see red, not only because she handed him his ass on a platter, the very thought put an involuntary smirk on his lips, but because he let himself be distracted and therefore his didn't fully calculate and process the information presented to him. It pissed him off thoroughly because it caused him to act emotionally. He had attacked her out of pure anger and frustration and that was a baby vampire mistake, which may cost him dearly, regardless of what the other Bennett witch said.
He Had noticed the way she walked into the sitting room, but dismissed it as her putting her game face on, not that of practiced steps, counted and rehearsed by a blind person. She was skilled in her mannerisms, she faced him and turned her head in the direction of her cousin, but it had been the sound, not her actually seeing her or him, but there was something about the way she attuned herself to the space around her that would lead anyone to think she was sighted.
Again, he took in the slight misdirection, so quickly corrected that a human wouldn't notice and a supernatural most likely wouldn't if they weren't paying attention. But there was a minute moment that he sensed her watching him, hers eyes burning into him, seeing more than the monster pass the beast but the man that was once there.
But he had to be wrong, clearly he was, but something was nagging at him, a mystery within a puzzle wrapped in a riddle that he had to solve, fuck, only he could solve it, of that he was sure of. It was not only that, but her magic, it connected to the magic in him. It called to him both his wolf and vampire sides. He couldn't understand it.
When he first approached the small cottage he felt some type of barrier, a ward to keep unwanted visitors out, more specifically vampires and maybe other supernaturals. Klaus was prepared to wait outside for one of them to come out.
He had stepped up to where the invisible wall was, he lifted his hands out palms out, he felt a shock, not strong but a warning. Since he knew it couldn't kill him, although he figured it would hurt like hell, he decided to test the flow of magic and its resistance. He had pushed his hands through. To his disbelief nothing happened, so he slowly walked through. As he had walked past the barrier the magic washed over him spreading warmth throughout his body. It felt strangely welcoming. He couldn't explain it. But it did explain the weird look on Lucinda's face when she sensed he was a vampire when she opened the door.
All these thoughts were driving him to want to kill something if for nothing more than as a distraction. The helplessness he felt compelled him to want to inflict as much pain and suffering upon a living creature as he could.
If misery loves company then his need to make others suffer would not be satisfied by just drinking dry one human. He needed to bring about death and destruction. What better way to do that without a high body count, or at least a high human body count? It was to unleash his beast.
As Klaus drove to the National forest he witnessed the change in the weather, he knew it was the witch, apparently she was in just as foul a disposition as he was, he wondered if she knew what she was doing, he also wondered if he was having the same affect on her as she was having on him.
Once he found a lone path deep in the woods, less traveled and deserted, he walked further into the dense wooded area. His wolf loved nature, to be surrounded by it and truth be told, his vampire side had become accustomed to it as well.
He found a small patch of pine needles under a tree that looked dry and for the most part clean, he undressed, folded his clothes and placed them under the pine needles hoping to keep them dry. The rain was coming and the sky was ominous and dark and it would cover his activities since nightfall was still a few hours away.
He allowed his wolf to take control, he fell on his hands and knees and began to feel his bones shift, there was no pain, just the uncomfortable feeling of bones, skin and teeth moving, shaping and reforming.
Fully transformed Klaus stood regal in his wolf form, his coat shiny and black as midnight and piercing golden eyes. He let out a howl, informing any living creature in the vicinity that the big bad wolf was out and looking for blood.
Bennett Residence
Bonnie walked barefoot on the spongy thick grass, past the boulder under the old weeping willow tree until she was at the edge of the small pond which stood in front of the waterfall. She was back in Mystic Falls and this was her favorite place. She found this special spot when she was five years old. She ran, crying, holding Ms. Cuddles into the forest upset that her father would not be home for her birthday. Grams let her run into the wilderness knowing that she would be safe.
Bonnie could see plush greens and the sparkling blue water, the deep orange, red and purple in the sky as the sun was fading. Oh, how she missed the colors of nature. As she twirled around taking in the sights and smells of the forest her attention is drawn to the sound of a child crying.
Bonnie walked to the child who was sitting under the weeping willow with a face covered by dirty knees. Funny how she didn't see the figure before. The child seemed familiar, so Bonnie dropped down on her knees before the child.
"Are you hurt," Bonnie inquired of the child softly. When the child looked up Bonnie gasped and drew back falling on her butt. She was facing her younger self, a cute big green eyed chubby face with two pigtails on either side of her head.
In a sweet angelic voice little Bonnie spoke. "Yes, can you help me? I'm so lost and can't find my way." Little Bonnie's bright eyes shone with unshed tears.
"You aren't lost, you know the way home. Follow the path back," Bonnie stated matter-of-factly.
Little Bonnie shook her head, "no, the path is gone and I am so lost. If I don't get back home in time he will be so sad," little Bonnie pleaded, her face scrunched into a frown and eyes big.
Bonnie had to hide her smile as she saw her own face make that trade-mark look that kept her guilt ridden father wrapped around her finger, well when he was home that is. "Who will be sad", Bonnie inquired.
Little Bonnie smiled, a smile that could brighten the night, "my friend, he needs me, he's all alone and so very scared, but I am lost and I can't get to him", at that sad thought, little Bonnie's smile disappeared.
Bonnie looked around, she didn't see anyone else. "Is he here in the forest?" Adult Bonnie was ready to go searching for the child. Her maternal and protective senses on alert now.
"No, he is hiding, he can't fight for himself, I have to find him. Will you help me?" Little Bonnie's face changed to that of sheer determination.
She stood up and looked directly into Bonnie's eyes, instantly her viridian eyes turned white, she grabbed Bonnie's wrist in a vice grip hold. With the authority of an elder witch, centuries old, she spoke, "Bonnie Marie Bennett, you were never meant to be a servant to others, your fears and insecurities dictated your actions based on the perceptions of those that could never understand you, never contain you and could never be your equals. You will help the child; he is your destiny."
She continued, "the road to hell may be paved with good intentions as you well know, but you will find the road to redemption is paved with blood!"
Then child Bonnie said a spell in a language that Bonnie didn't quite recognize and then she was gone.
Bonnie looked down at her wrist, there was a glowing hand print that shimmered rapidly and then faded. As it faded Bonnie felt pain like she had never experienced before. She fell to her knees, the pain radiated from the wrist but moved up her arm, across her chest to her right shoulder, down that arm and then spread down her body and up to her head.
Bonnie cried out in agony on her hands and knees.
She wondered if this is what it felt like when she gave Damon and other vampire aneurysms.
Did she cause this kind of pain on the hybrid?
That thought was short lived because she could not maintain any coherent thought or command bodily functions, all she could do was scream out in pain while she lay in a fetal position on the soft green grass.
Bonnie woke with a start, she moved so quickly that she almost fell out of her bed. The pain was gone but she was a sweaty mess, as was her sheets and nightgown. Her heart was banging against her chest so hard she thought she was having a heart attack or some type of heart failure. It was just a dream she tried to rationalize, she was okay.
She remembered the storm finally stopping, but she was so tired and stiff from sitting on the bench for so long(apparently she had fallen asleep), so she went into her bathroom and took a shower and put on her nightgown.
She still had a headache even after the shower so she climbed into bed and tried to quiet her mind, but it was no use. She knew that Lucy was right.
And she was tortured by guilt with equal measure of fear.
But it was blue eyes that caused her true unrest. She couldn't see the true color of his eyes but she could get a basic idea. She wished she could see the exact shade of blue his eyes were. Were they the bright blue of the sky or the blue-green of the sea in which she would drown in them.
Blue...midnight blue...blue violet...aquamarine eyes that held the world's wealth of sadness and pain. She felt his pain, she felt his dark aura, even as she held him in his place, she felt sorry for bringing him more pain, he was a creature acquainted with pain, acquainted with woe.
She really didn't hold it against him for raging and charging at her, like Lucy said, who could blame him, but still her answer was no.
She knew of the original hybrid, heard the rumors spoken in hushed voices, the creature merciless and cruel, the monster all other monsters feared and despised, the one witches either hated or wanted. Although most of her kind hated vampires(or so they said) and saw them as abominations, Bonnie learned the hard way that vampire, human, or witch, it didn't matter, it was the inner motivations that made one an abomination or an angel.
Long gone were her childish and naive, black and white views of right and wrong. These days she was less inclined to assign labels to others and certainly much more less inclined to judge.
She saw in truth that everything was gray.
She was surprised to find out that it was true that he had fathered a child. She surmised magic had to have been involved, but that didn't make the child an abomination or less in need of protection. The child had a family of originals and a witch so what need did they have for her, she reasoned.
Now Bonnie was sitting on the side of her bed shaken by her dream and needing to sort her thoughts and another shower. She didn't want to wake up Lucy to have her come to her aid so she did something she rarely did, she used her magic to change her sheets and make her bed. She felt her magic hum with happiness.
As Bonnie got back in bed she realized two very important things, the first being that something or someone was pushing her to help the hybrid. The second was that she was not going to help the hybrid, come hell or high water, she refused to get involved.
With that final thought and show of defiance, the tired witch drifted off to a peaceful and dreamless slumber.