Abby had finished the final leg of the spell and all was left to Lucy to complete it. For a while she thought about the fact that when Lucy passes over that would be the end of the Bennett line on the Otherside. There will be no connect for them to the world of the living. Yet, Abby felt no connection to that thought, no concern, no fear. She felt free. Here she and her family weren't tools in the upkeep and breakdown of the balance of the world.

"I'm sure Bonnie will be okay with us sending Bonnie back, but I'm worried about Damon. He doesn't have his full memories and that's a problem," Stefan pressed. Caroline told him of the Plan Abby put together. Everyone knew it would come between Bonnie and Elena. And Abby was determined to save her daughter's last chance at true happiness.

"That's why you are going to take the potion Bonnie made and get your full memories back. You need to press him to get on board. It's the only way it will work," Shelia explained.

"And if he doesn't buy it?" Caroline asked.

"You give him this," Abby said giving him a surgeon with extra serum.

"Okay," Stefan agreed and gulped down the sweet concoction. Stefan didn't feel anything but soon his limbs froze, and he fell to the floor.


Christmas Eve Afterlife Mystic Falls

It had been months since Bonnie was forced to sit through that first Christmas Dinner at the Salvatore's. They invited her parents and Grams over, and Lilly took Sarah and Monique out for pictures with Santa. Bonnie and her Gram cooked in the Salvatore's fancy kitchen, and all the while she dreaded the moment she'd have to face Elena. "Please calm down," Sheila said.

"I can't she's going to be here around my child, and"-

"Damon," Abby filled in for her.

"You don't need to worry about Damon," Sheila said.

"He's wrapped around your little finger," Abby teased.

"Don't you let Rudolph hear you saying that," Sheila laughed.

"He needs to start treating her like an adult. She's not a child anymore," Abby said matter-of-factly.

"I'm going to check on Daddy," she smiled at her mother and grandmother as they continued to bicker.


"Hey," Damon whispered in her ear as he grabbed her from behind. "Want to ride on my sleigh?" he asked as he pushed his boner into her.

"For the last time, I'm not having sex with you with our parents around. It's not happening."

Damon nuzzled his nose in her neck and took in her scent. "I can help you relax."

"Damon stop and get rid of that thing."

"Help me," he said kissing her neck. "Please."

"I'm not doing this here go get your keys," she said walking towards the door.

Damon quickly followed her to the SUV he brought.


Bonnie's eyes lit up when she noticed Stefan in the kitchen making cocoa. Then the looming thought of Elena made her face drop. She turned, and Damon was no longer behind her. "One hot cocoa, hold the peppermint candy cane," Stefan said with a gentle smile.

Bonnie smiled and took the snowman mug. "You look good," Bonnie said looking over his ugly Christmas sweater.

"I'm just the world's best uncle. Monique insisted I wear it. Apparently, we are matching today," he said with a gentle laugh. "Where is my second favorite niece?"

"My daughter should always be number one in your eyes, but I'll let it go this once."

Stefan laughed, his pearly white teeth showing. "I missed you Bennett."

"I feel the same Salvatore," Bonnie said nudging him with her shoulder.

Just then Monique came running into the kitchen. "Uncle Stefan," she said as she hugged him. "You got your sweater."

"Damon's and Zach's got lost in the mail," Bonnie said with a wink.

"So, I'm the only one that looks like Christmas threw up on them."

"Hey!" Monique said.

"Monique, I know where you were going with this one, but next year bring the sweaters yourself," Bonnie informed the young Salvatore.

"That's what mom said."

"There's always New Years, they can be big babies."

"Hahaha," Stefan said.


Bonnie and Stefan sat by the fire with Sarah. Stefan cradle the little girl close and looked down at her in awe. She was the spitting image of Bonnie. It amazed him how much they looked alike. "She's like your twin, 20 years removed."

"You sound like my dad."

"Where is my favorite music mogul?"

"Coming in from Atlanta any time. He got an office down there it's nice. I think he just might settle somewhere."

"Rudy Hopkins in one place? I don't know Bon?"

"Yeah he and Abby are made for each other. Both always itching to be on the road."

"It's the 70's still in their systems."

"Now you sound like Grams." Bonnie laughed.

"I don't mind it one bit. Shelia's my favorite Bennett."

"Oh really," Bonnie said forging offense.

"Yep. I used to like... what was her name Bunny or something. But she tossed me to the curb for my brother, and things just haven't been the same."

"So untrue."

"Is that not what happened."

"Not in the slightest Salvatore. You totally ditched me for your football friends after that you started dating Elena."

"I don't recall this."

"Seriously?"

"Now you sound like Caroline," he said and they both laughed. "Honestly, I don't remember leaving you for anyone."

"Every day, after school we'd walk here and study. Then you started football so somedays you'd have practice and then you'd go to the grill with them."

"I always asked if you wanted to go."

"And watch Tyler eat. Ew." Bonnie laughed. "Then you started dating Elena who was on the cheerleading team with Caroline and then no one was around but Damon. He was a terrible study partner."

"Because Damon doesn't study."

"Oh my god, tell me about it. He did the flashcards wrong so many times. I'd just make them," she laughed.

Elena watched Stefan and Bonnie from the door way as they laughed. A jagged breath caught in her throat as she watched Stefan tenderly move a strand of hair from Bonnie's face. Elena bit her lip trying to convince herself that nothing was happening, and that Stefan's feelings for Bonnie were in the past.

"If I'm being honest, a part of me thought avoiding you would make me stop liking you."

"Stefan"-

"I never stopped loving you Bonnie. But I know how I feel for you isn't anything close to what Damon feels for you. I know he's an idiot." They both laughed. "But you and Sarah are the most important things in his life. And he's a better man with you. And I love you more for what your love's done for him. I'm sorry for Elena."

"Stefan, she made her own choices. She did what she did on her own. You didn't make her do anything."

"She did all of it because of me. To hurt me and to hurt you for how I felt for you. I played a part in ruining what you and Damon have."

"Stefan, I know everyone thinks I said no to Damon because I think he has feelings for Elena, or I'm scared he'd hurt me. It's not true."

"So, you're not marrying Damon because…" Stefan asked confused.

"It's silly, but I just want the moment to feel right and when he asked me. I just know it was too soon for us. I wanted us to grow."

"Do you feel like the time is right now?"

"Maybe," Bonnie blushed.

"Tell him."

"I want to…"

"But you're scared of…"

"He just seems happy with how things are now."

"Are you kidding me?"-

"What's going on," Elena said unable to watch them talk anymore.

"We're just wondering when dinner's going to be ready," Bonnie commented.

"Smells good," Stefan added as he cradled Sarah.

Elena watched Stefan hold onto Sarah and a twinge of jealousy roared through her body. "She's so pretty Bonnie," Elena said trying to make nice.

"Thanks. I'm going to go upstairs and feed her," Bonnie said carefully removing Sarah from Stefan's arms.

Elena watched as Bonnie left the room. "I'm going to head over to my parent's," Elena said.

"Are you ok."

"Fine," she said warming her smile to insure it reached her eyes.

"I'll drop you off, just let me grab my coat."

"I called my dad he'll be here any minute. No worries."

"Elena I'm sorry things aren't what you expected."

"Do you mean how I thought you were in love with me. How I thought that after everything we've been through, you still wanted to make us work. How stupid I feel that no matter what Bonnie will always hold your heart."

"That's not fair. It's not like that between us."

"You wish it was. That's why you're so concerned about her and Damon getting married. You want an in. You want a second chance. She had his baby Stefan. They're living together. It will never be you that she wants. It's never been you that she wants."

"It's never been you that I want," he yelled at her.

Elena's doe eyes widened, and Stefan took in a deep breath. "I don't believe you're going to pretend like everything meant nothing to you. Like I meant nothing to you." She grabbed his hand and put it on her heart. "My heart beats for you."

"Is that why you banged my brother?"

Elena looked at him in shock. "Let's be honest about why you left that summer?"

"Elena I'm not doing this with you."

"She doesn't know that you left in an attempt to get over her?"

"I think you should wait for your dad outside," Stefan said.

"You all like to pretend that I'm the crazy one, but you're in love with a girl that's madly in love with your brother. What's crazier than that?"

"I'm sorry Elena. I truly am, but I'm not what you deserve. And that has nothing to do with Bonnie. I just thought I'd be able to forgive you. That you'd get better and we'd be able to pretend everything is perfect like we've always done. That distance would help put the past in the past. It didn't. My family is my world, and I hate that I'm so far away. I do love you Elena. If I didn't I wouldn't be there. It's just not"-

Stefan was cut off by Elena's phone. "I have to go." Elena rushed out the room and grabbed her coat and bag.

"Elena did not look happy," Damon said as he entered the study.

"We got into a fight, but things are okay," Stefan smiled.

"Great, let's eat then," Damon said clapping Stefan on the back and leading him to the dining room.


Damon walked into his home and noticed his living room was trashed. He walked deeper in the room and saw bloodstains on the carpet. He instinctively searched the house for Bonnie and Sarah as he called Bonnie's cell. He got no answer on her cell, but noticed he missed calls from Stefan and Caroline. Damon called his brother.

"Damon, where are you?" Stefan asked in a panic.

"My place I can't find Bonnie and there's blood on the floor."

"I'm coming in I'll explain," Stefan said as he raced up the porch steps and through the front door. "Damon," Stefan yelled.

"Here," Damon said sifting through the wreckage that was once his living room.

"We have a problem," Stefan huffed.

"Yep, I can see that. Where's Bonnie?"

"Elena is here. Like here, here."

"Stefan, I know this. She slept on my couch."

"Elena has her memories from 'This Mystic Falls' along with Tyler, Matt, and Abby. She attacked Caroline," Stefan said in a huff.

"Where's Bonnie and Sarah."

"Sarah's at Shelia's and Bonnie's with Elena at the boarding house."

"Why would you leave Bonnie with that psychopath?"

"Caroline and Abby are working on sending Elena back. We weren't sure if you and Bonnie would be okay with that," Stefan said as he stared his brother down.

Damon sighed. He knew that Elena couldn't be a part of their world with everything happening. He knew she had to leave for his family to be whole, and to have peace. A twinge of guilt moved through his stomach as Bonnie's words played in his head. You don't understand. You're not mine yet.

Stefan noted his brother's reaction and figured he wasn't truly ready to let go of the hope of having his Elena back. "She is not going to stop until she destroys Bonnie. She is hellbent on making her suffer. That means you and Sarah are at risk here, Damon."

"I know Elena."

"You don't know this Elena. You don't know what she wants. It's not you. She doesn't love you. She loves the thought of having the one thing Bonnie wants more than life itself. That's you. You're everything to Bonnie."

Damon groaned. "How are we going to do this?"