AN: This chapter is a bit long. I apologize for that, just take it slow and in a few sittings if need be. haha This is picking up right from the last chapter and is continuing Bonnie's dream/past. This is the final part of this section...yay! We made it. This was very difficult for me to write but I hope that it fully explains what happened to Bonnie and why she has been reluctant.
Please read and review and above all, I hope that you enjoy this installment. Take care, be safe and be good people.
Chapter 7- Hell and High Water - Part 5
Bonnie was sitting at the table with Grams, her grandmother, Sheila Bennett, discussing the situation she found herself in, much to her dislike. But she had to, Elena wouldn't forgive her if she let Damon die and then she would leave Bonnie and Bonnie couldn't have that, plus she wouldn't forgive herself if she let anything happen to Elena.
"Bonnie stay out of it. He killed a witch and deserves what he gets. What was he thinking?" Sheila shook her head in disbelief. "The witch's sister has every right to exact her revenge. He is old enough to know better and can't use Elena as an excuse for his stupidity."
Sheila hated that Bonnie felt the need to protect Elena and by extension Damon, any time they got themselves in trouble. She tried to tell Bonnie to back away from Elena, just a bit, especially once she got romantically entangled with the Salvatore boy. She knew he was reckless and unlike his brother, he had a talent for getting into trouble and bringing others with him.
"But Grams, Elena will just die, she loves him so much. There has to be some way of fixing this and protecting him and Elena," beseeched Bonnie quite animatedly.
"Yes dear, there is, let the witch have him. Bonnie you are blinded by your love and loyalty for Elena. Something about this doesn't sit well with me. Of course all witches are not good, per say, but there is more to this and for that reason you should not get involved."
"What do you mean Grams?" Bonnie asked, getting a bit upset with her grandmother for her less than concerned attitude. Bonnie knew her grandmother didn't like Damon.
Sheila had a natural distrust of vampires, yet she always viewed a person or being based on their actions and motivations. Sheila Bennett was wise and knew looks could be deceiving and the supernatural world was not always black and white. And yet she was less than thrilled when she found out about Elena and Damon, it was like adding fire to gasoline. Separate they were tolerable, if not dangerous, in their own ways, but together they were weapons of destruction and everyone was in danger, but especially Bonnie.
"How did she know about Elena? Her status as a doppelgänger is not a commonly known fact and yet she knew and wanted her blood for a ritual? Think child." Sheila was disappointed that Bonnie couldn't think past what Elena wanted or thought she needed. If kryptonite was Superman's weakness then Elena was Bonnie's Achilles heel, Sheila Bennett sadly contemplated.
"Well maybe the Spirits told her. I don't know," Bonnie insisted, but there was doubt and irritation in her voice, she just wanted the elder witch to help, not question and give a sermon.
"Bonnie stay out of it. Something is not right and Elena needs to learn that you are not her magical fixer-upper." Sheila sternly commented.
It was no secret that the Bennetts were witches, hence Elena had always known about Bonnie's powers, and as children growing up, she would on occasion ask Bonnie to do things, just kid stuff really. Get cookies from the kitchen without parents seeing or fixing a grade or helping her with her chores, nothing but child's play.
It wasn't until the vampire came into the picture that she began to need Bonnie more and more, almost expecting Bonnie to use her gifts for their needs. After the secret about her being a doppelganger came out, thanks to Damon, then it was 'we need a spell for this or that', or 'Damon needs a new daylight ring', or 'Damon thinks this or that'.
Everytime Sheila turned around it seemed that Bonnie was asking her or Lucy for help with a spell or ritual, and always at the behest of Elena for Damon. Sheila was tired of it, but Bonnie never complained. Duty bound and willing to do anything that was asked, never wanting Elena to be upset with her.
"Grams really, that is not fair. She just needs help sometimes," Bonnie said in denial.
"Well maybe she shouldn't be in bed with a vampire or at least not one as impetuous, reckless and clearly dim-witted. And for her to want to become a doctor, maybe she could try acting smarter. And learning self defense wouldn't hurt either." Sheila deadpanned.
"Grams you are just sayin that because you don't care for her much." Bonnie noted sadly.
Sheila got up from the table. "That may be true. And I have my reasons, she's using you, Bonnie. Wake up!" Sheila was getting tired of this discussion.
"But…"
"No, I am telling you to stay out of it. Don't let Elena entangle you in this mess. Damon is a two hundred and fifty year old vampire, he should have learned by now there are consequences to all actions." Sheila says with finality and walks out.
XX
Bonnie located the witch and decided to go reason with her, witch to witch. She surmised that they could come to terms that would best serve them all, and she being a witch meant that she was reasonable and really didn't want any form of blood shed.
Bonnie stood in front of the witch, confident that she could make her see a bigger picture, which they were witches and witches were beyond pettiness, thus leaving Mystic Falls without seeking her justifiable revenge.
Bonnie stood proud, all five feet, two inches of her, before the other witch, who reminded Bonnie of a young Helen Mirren, all regal and poised.
"I have no quarrel with you Blessed one, but I will avenge my sister and I will take what is rightfully ours and anyone that gets in my way will regret it." She says vehemently.
"What do you mean by that? What is yours?"Bonnie asks, confused.
"Ahhh, I see that you are championing a cause that you are not well informed with the details." The tall blonde witch smirked. "Such a young thing you are. It surprises me that you are The Bennett Witch."
Bonnie snapped, "Just tell me what you think you know!" She didn't like the mocking way that the older witch was watching her or talking to her as if she was stupid.
"The vampire traded the blood of the dopplegänger for a spell to see his deceased brother. When my sister came to collect he reneged and brutally killed her for no reason. And now, where she would have only taken a vial or two, I will bleed the bitch dry as the vampire watches and then I will take his heart." She gleefully remarked with a hateful glint in her eyes.
"NO! You can't have her. She is innocent. Elena hasn't done anything to you. It's not her fault. And I will protect her." Bonnie stated as her mind was spinning, not able to believe what Damon had done. She could believe it, but she just couldn't fathom why he would do something so stupid.
"You can try, but I will have my pound of flesh," the witch promised heatedly then she flicked her wrist and she was gone.
Bonnie just stared at the empty space, in a daze, realizing that although she had hoped for a peaceful resolution to this debacle, it wasn't going to happen and she may be very much over her head.
She called Lucy, hoping she would help her since she couldn't go back to Grams begging for help after being told to stay out of it. The call went straight to voicemail, Bonnie left a message.
It was time to have a talk with Damon and Elena.
XX
Bonnie was back at the Salvatore broadingschool facing Damon with a dark countenance.
"Damon did you offer up doppelganger blood...Elena's blood in exchange for a spell then reneged?" Yelled Bonnie.
"It wasn't like that." Damon said raking his hands through his usually perfect hair.
"Then how was it, really?" Bonnie was livid, trying to control her magic.
"I needed the spell and after she did it she named her price. I couldn't let her have Elena." He stated with anger.
"I don't believe you. How did she know?" Bonnie questioned. She was glaring at the vampire waiting for his reply.
"Know what?"
"Oh come on Damon, how did she know that Elena was a doppelganger?" Bonnie's magic coiled in the palms of her hands as she watched him.
"She didn't." Damon sighed heavily. "When I went to her for the spell, at first she refused to help. She said that she didn't do favors for vampires. I told her I would pay her, any amount. She laughed and said there was no amount of money I could pay and nothing that I had that could make her change her mind."
Damon was looking down at his feet as he continued. " I might have told her...no, I did tell her that I had connections and could get my hands on doppelganger blood. Once I said that, she agreed."
Damon looked up, eyes moving from Elena to back to Bonnie. "She wanted the blood first but I told her I needed the spell done first before I could get the blood. Once she did it, I told her to give me three days. She came calling after the third day, I told her I couldn't get the blood. She said that was the deal, the blood for the spell and that I needed to uphold my end."
Damon continued, "I told her I would see what I could do. Then I hauled ass. She tracked me down, said she wouldn't kill me, but she would send Stefan's spirit to the void to punish me if I didn't produce the blood as promised. I didn't know what else to do so I told her I would procure it and deliver it to her that night at a designated location. At the rendezvous spot, I came up behind her and broke her neck after I bit her." Damon calmly finished recounting his traitorous deeds.
Bonnie stood there mouth agape, taking in everything he said, trying to wrap her head around what he just told her. Her mouth and brain were misfiring and no words came out. The silence filled the room like a sick perfume.
"You fucking idiot. Asshole! You turned her? Why would you do that? You deserve what you get." Bonnie saw red.
"You selfish piece of shit. You offer to give her the blood for a spell that she does and then you kill her but that isn't enough, you have to humiliate her by turning her." Bonnie is furious and her voice is low. "And now you have put a fucking X on Elena." Bonnie's magic wanted to be unleashed and she was close to allowing it.
"Bonnie please don't be cross with him. He wasn't thinking. You know how he can get sometimes. He didn't mean it. Please try to understand Bonnie." Elena was pleading with her friend while the vampire in question stood quiet.
"He knew what he was doing! And you are defending him? How can take his side?" Bonnie snatched her hand away from her childhood friend, not looking at her. She returned her gaze back to Damon.
"I should let her have you. I should fucking hand deliver you to her." Bonnie's voice was cold and without feeling and her eyes were coal black.
Suddenly Elena shrieked, falling on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, "No...no, please Bonnie I will just die please for me...if you ever...ever...loved me.." The girl hiccuped as she tried to continue to speak. "I will never forgive….never..if you...if you let him die...i will never forgive you!" Elena cried out as Damon picked her up from the floor, cradling her in his arms.
Bonnie looked at the spectacle of Elena and the words she spoke cut her deeply. Her heart felt like it was broken in a million pieces.
Damon, still looking at Elena, rocking her, said resolutely, "Bonnie do what you have to. I would do it again, it was for Elena, maybe one day you'll understand" The vampire then walked away leaving Bonnie there with a broken heart and an equal mix of fear and loathing.
XX
In her special place under the weeping willow tree the tiny witchling sat with a heavy and broken heart. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to kill Damon herself. And yet she remembered the look in his eyes and the way he said her name, not an insulting nickname or that stupid 'Bon Bon', he called her by her name and in that moment she thought she saw a glimmer of regret and then it was gone.
She knew how Damon was, she even considered him a friend, maybe that was too strong of a word, more like a frenemy, but she just couldn't excuse his actions this time. And for him to suggest that she couldn't understand. What the fuck? Sure, she didn't love Josh, not like the 'Last of the Mohicans' type love, but she loved her family and friends and would do anything in her power to protect them, but that didn't mean she would go around being homicidal just for fuck sake.
Damon used his love, more obsession for Elena like a 'get out of jail' card for anything he did that was wrong or hurtful to others or selfish and up until now Bonnie went along with it, put up with it and defended it. How could she continue to turn a blind eye?
The poor witch held up her end, yeah she threatened him, but she did nothing to him and he did the worst, most despicable and petty thing he could have done to her, to any witch.
And yet, she knew that for Elena and their friendship she would intervene. And she could hear Grams' voice saying 'Every action, whether intentional, unintentional or accidental has consequences, one must be prepared to face them. This is how we learn and mature.'
Deep down Bonnie had a bad feeling that she was going to learn this lesson because she had decided that Elena was worth any consequences.
XX
Bonnie found herself in the woods just beyond the old cemetery finally having found the witch and where she was holding Elena and Damon.
Facing off with her, Bonnie had to admit that she was powerful and she underestimated her. The older witch's magic spiraled out from her, beams of blue and gold rushing towards Bonnie wrapping around her and then throwing her against a tree. Bonnie extended her hand sending a blast of magic hitting the witch in her chest knocking her a few feet away.
While the witch was incapacitated bonnie untied Elena's bonds and used her magic to free damon from the vervain soaked ropes and chains.
"Run,'' she yelled.
Without needing to be told twice, Damon picked up a bloodied and unconscious Elena and ran through the woods , as a blur in the night,not looking back and not once thinking of what might happen to Bonnie. He had Elena, he would keep her safe, she was safe in his arms now and that was all that mattered.
"Bitch, you will pay a high price for your interference." She flicked her wrist, Bonnie fell to the ground in agonizing pain as both her knees were broken. The protective spell she had in place was easily broken by the other witch's powerful magic.
"You will suffer and then die and I will have your precious friends anyway." The witch scornfully mocked. "They will suffer for the pain and humiliation that my sister went through. They will pay for her agonizing death, but better to die a witch than to become an abomination."
Bonnie could barely think the pain was such she had never experienced. She tried to summon up a healing spell, but could think of none. In a fetal position she lifted her arm and flicked her wrist giving life to the leaves and branches on the ground. They attacked the witch, hitting her, spinning around her. Blocking her view of Bonnie as she tried to crawl or drag herself away from the witch.
She laughed, lifting her arms in the air, her magic caused the debris to stop mid motion then fall, all at once, to the ground. "Parlor tricks from The Bennett Witch. How so very disappointing." She mocked and continued laughing as her magic caused vines and roots to burst through the ground grabbing bonnie squeezing the life out of her...
"Evangeline Proudfoot release my granddaughter!" Sheila Bennett was furious, her hazel eyes now black, her arms by her side with hands clenched into fists as her magic pooled and churned waiting to be unleashed.
Once Bonnie went against her expressed wishes to not get involved, Sheila was going to let her handle her own business, but as she watched and realized that although Bonnie trained and had raw power, in this fight, she was woefully out of her depth. Also the other witch intended to kill her granddaughter, and she would not allow that. She had no choice but to intervene.
Sheila was ready for the witch to make a move.
Evangeline tilted her head to the side and smirked as she sent a blast of magic towards Sheila, but Sheila had a strong protection spell surrounding her so the blast rebounded and hit the other witch.
Sheila smiled, surely the other witch didn't think she would be easily bested. Bonnie was released from her bonds.
Sheila walked over to the other witch, she had recovered and threw a hex towards Sheila, but she merely waved her arm sending the hex towards a tree. The tree immediately started turning black, dying.
Enraged, Sheila lifted the witch in the air, her magic containing the other's magic. Suspended in the air, struggling against the vice grip, unable to use her hands or a strong enough spell to counter the elder witch, she glared at Bonnie with hatred in her heart.
Sheila's magic tightened. "You will leave my granddaughter alone and you will leave Mystic Falls."
"And what of my sister? What of my right? Your granddaughter has no right to deny me my due." The witch hissed.
"Find your vengeous with the vampire, I could care less, but the doppelgänger and my granddaughter are off limits. Take your wrath elsewhere, not here, not in my town."
Sheila's magic was strong and was slowly killing the witch, warning her of the seriness of the situation, but it was taking a toll on the elder witch.
Evangeline, bloodied and outmatched by the elder witch, would not leave without some payment for her loss, she wanted a life for a life, but she would take what she could, she thought. Under her breath she was chanting a spell.
"Do I have your word you will leave," Sheila questioned.
The witch did not reply.
"What say you?" Sheila waited.
Sheila's magic sent a warning in the form of hundreds of sharp painful cuts slashing the witch's body, it was then she noticed the witch's mouth moving, but before she could completely stop her, Sheila heard a angizing cry from behind her.
Bonnie had been watching her grandmother in awe of her absolute power and formidable strength. So enraptured with the scene before her she didn't notice the slight ache behind her eyes or the blurriness or the dryness in her mouth or the blood dripping from her nose and running out of her ears and eyes. At the same time as Bonnie wiped at the moisture coming from her eyes, seeing that it was blood, the spell was cast and a white hot pulse flooded her head causing her to grab her head with both hands, curled up on the ground letting out a banshee type shriek.
Hearing the sickening sound coming from her granddaughter, Sheila asked, "What have you done?"
The witch just weakly smiled, but having no strength to speak.
Sheila loosened her hold, "Speak," she commanded.
Again, nothing.
Sheila Bennett unleashed her full power upon Evangeline Proudfoot.
The Bennett magic rushed into the witch's body creating chaos, boiling her blood, burning her from the inside out, shutting down her organs one by one. Blood seeping out of all her orifices.
Sheila was so overcome with rage that she was losing herself. She was going to kill the witch, to teach her a lesson, but she stopped herself. She would not lower herself, plus she had to tend to her unconscious granddaughter.
She stopped her vicious attack, lowered Evangeline's body to the ground. She stood over the witch, bloody, broken and bruised.
"Evangeline Proudfoot, you will not die this day by my hands. You will never return to Mystic Falls, you will never use your power against any Bennett ever again for the day that you should, you will drop dead and crows will feast on your flesh." Sheila Bennett cursed the witch.
XX
Bonnie awoke from her dream reliving the events of her past, crying. After that night she was never the same. Not just because her sight was gone, but the confident, spirited, happy teenage witch of her youth was gone also. Everything she knew, her way of life, the people around are, and the way she related to herself was forever altered, never to be the same again.
XX
Another three weeks had passed away in a blur of sleepless nights, tearful dreams and grudging reflection. Nights leaving a fatigued Bonnie confused and restless during the day, barely eating and strangely not hungry.
She couldn't define the feeling, she knew she wasn't eating much, if at all, due to sleeping whenever she could sleep. For Bonnie, sleep had always trumped food, hell, most everything really. She should be starving, but there were no hungry pains or stomach growls or any discomfort at all, she couldn't say she had a feeling of a stuffed or overly full belly, like after Thanksgiving dinner, but satisfied as if she had just enough. It was weird, but the least of her concerns.
Now into the fourth week of this unique torture, The witch was ready to listen even if begrudgingly.
She called out to her Grams, her ancestors and the spirits not sure if she would get an answer, of course she thought they should since they were harassing her, but whatever.
She felt the warm Bennett magic in the air and her body experienced a warmth she had been missing for some time.
A presence filled her room, she knew it was her Grams. She sat up wiping moisture from her cheeks.
"You are a very stubborn child, but I knew that." Sheila Bennett chided.
Bonnie felt her bed shift with the weight of another body sitting on the edge next to her.
"Grams why, why this maddening torment? Why the dreams? I am so tired," she whispered hopelessly.
"Bonnie all these years you shut us out not wanting to listen or to take responsibility. You have caused so much unnecessary pain to yourself and others with your stubbornness. Sometimes words are not enough." Sheila admonished.
"You didn't help me. You let me suffer," Bonnie heatedly interrupted.
"No child, you suffered because you didn't like the answers you were given. I told you not to interfere. But you chose to anyway and I had to let you continue down that path."
"I..I was trying to help. To do what we are supposed to do, what I am supposed to do as The Bennett Witch." Bonnie tried to reason, she had spent many nights trying to convince herself.
"No, you refused to see reason or logic. Clouded by sentimentality and lack of self awareness, you failed to clearly assess the situation. Compounding matters by acting like a petulant child by handling the situation with resentment, anger and fear leading you further astray." Sheila sternly reproached.
"That's not fair. You can't know what it feels like to be useless, to depend on others, to be so disconnected. And the spirits wouldn't help, no one...helped." Bonnie whispered the last part head bent down, knowing that if it wasn't for Grams she would be dead.
"Child, my dear child, the spell had been cast, it was done, once spoken it couldn't be reversed or taken back. I tried to tell you, we all did, but you would not listen. There was nothing we could do." Admitted Sheila sadly, wishing that Bonnie would understand.
"But there is always a loophole, Grams. Always!" Bonnie pleaded.
"Most often that is true," Sheila agreed.
There was silence.
"My love, if you continue down this path you have chosen it will end badly for you and many others. You are The Bennett Witch and with that title comes specific obligations and responsibilities.
"Oh Grams what does that even mean? And why does it mean helping another vampire?" Bonnie was frustrated.
Sheila sighed heavily, her poor baby truly had lost her way. "You think you are where you are because of a vampire? If that is honestly what you believe then you are blind but it is not only your eyes that are impaired."
The elder witch continued, "You will protect the child. If you do not you will never find peace."
"Grams are you threatening me?" The young witch asked, astonished, she couldn't believe her Grams was threatening her.
"Love, it is a promise, none of us can walk away from our destinies and find peace. It is time for you to move on from the past. On deaf ears, I once advised you. Now, again I advise you and you are at a crossroad. Please do not make the same foolish mistake." She pleaded.
Bonnie took in the sage words of her grandmother, finally listening, albeit with reluctant open mindedness.
And in that moment she allowed a small truth to surface...she missed her Grams so much and she loved her with all her bull-headed heart.
It was Grams that came to her rescue and it was Grams that always loved her and took care of her when her parents didn't, and it was Grams that she could always trust and depend on, even if she tried to believe otherwise.
"I'm sorry Grams for being so disrespectful to you, the ancestors and the spirits, but mostly I regret shutting you out. I have so missed you. I should have listened to you, i just ...i just...didn't want to lose her , but the truth was I already had." Bonnie whimpered as more tears flowed.
Sheila Bennett hugged her granddaughter in a lopsided hug, but it was tight and radiated warmth and love. "Baby I know. I love you, have always loved you and will always love you. I want the best for you. You and Lucinda are my girls. And you both are Bennett witches. We always protect our own."
That hug was everything to Bonnie. "I know Grams." Sheila released her.
"I'm afraid," Bonnie finally admitted out loud.
"Yes, I know, but you will embark on this journey. Remember you are not alone. Now get some sleep." Sheila got up, tucked Bonnie in and kissed her on her forehead just as she had done so many times before when she was a child. Watching Bonnie with a smile on her face, she disappeared.