Cade returns to Mystic Falls and demands Damon to do the unthinkable, which leads Kai into getting involved once again with the Salvatore Brothers. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Lucy hit the open road with Enzo as he presents a subsequent plan for everyone. And Bonnie and Kai's future hangs on a thread.

An hour into their drive, and Bonnie passed out in the backseat, snoring gently amidst a nest of blankets. Lucy cast her younger cousin a glance over her shoulder and smiled. Some laid-back country song came on through the speakers and Enzo was humming along with the words.

"Sucks that Kai couldn't join us, it would have been great to catch up with him."

Enzo's fingers tap against the steering wheel in time to the song that's blasting out the radio. "I still can't believe he got Alaric to come back to Mystic Falls." His eyes were on the road ahead. "I mean, I'm grateful though, he can at least get his magic back."

Lucy sticks her hands out the window, letting it ride the air draft outside. "Yeah. But what's next? He faces Cade alone?"

"With Damon's humanity back on, hopefully, he'll be of use to us in this fight." Enzo massaged the bridge of his nose.

"After that shit he pulled with Bonnie, I doubt Kai will let him come around anymore." She let out a long breath, sounding deeply content. "I'm just so worried about her. Bonnie has played the strong one for so long, and now she's broken down to nothing. If something happens to us or Kai. I don't know how she'd go on."

On the radio, a guitar plays soft and sweet. Glancing up, Enzo reads the road signs as he passes. The heat was on high and the cold remained outside.

"Bonnie will be taken care of, no matter what. You'll be taken care of no matter what. I won't let anything happen to either of you."

With every mile passing, the anticipation in her stomach builds more and more. "After the wedding, when we move out of Sheila's house, where will we go? Are we really saying goodbye to Mystic Falls?"

Enzo quirks an eyebrow at her, half challenging, half questioning. "After the wedding, you and I are honeymooning in Bora Bora, getting a couple's massage, then we'll make love on the beach all night long." Lucy laughed, turning to look at Enzo. "When we do return, it will be to our beautiful home that I've purchased for us. Away from Virginia."

In the backseat, Bonnie slept on, oblivious to what was happening upfront in the Jeep Wrangler. They were silent for a few long moments. Along the deserted highway, Lucy noticed a few noteworthy sites. As Enzo drove, she spotted an artistic welcome sign that largely states North Carolina with the state flag in the lower right corner.

"Wait a minute, you didn't?" Lucy asked with a confused brow. "Are we really moving to the countryside?"

Enzo grinned wildly. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

"You're fantastic at this."

Kai knitted his brows, looking at the blonde. "Just a little trick my mom taught me to control myself."

Caroline took a deep breath, scratching her head, trying to think of how to say this. "These past few days, Lizzie and Josie haven't been siphoning me. And I saw Josie trying to levitate a pencil on her own."

"Josie's very talented, just like her mother."

Next to him, Caroline nodded solemnly. "She reminds me a lot like Jo."

Kai's eyes bulged as he realized where the topic of conversation was heading and immediately turned around.

"Look, I'm going to take off. I need to meet up with Valerie. She's helping me with a couple of spells. The sooner I get to full strength, the sooner we can get rid of Sybil and her sister. Then figure out what we're going to do about Cade's deal with Stefan."

Just then, there was the sound of a car door slamming outside. Caroline wrinkled her brow, and turned to the door just as a shadow fell across the window, and Damon Salvatore stumbled through the doorway of the armory.

"We have a bit of a problem." The older vampire waved a hand at them while he stood still.

Kai made a face before huffing. "You have about ten seconds to get the hell out of here."

Damon sighed, shaking his head, and something like pain flickered across his face. "Cade's no longer in hell. He's been freed, and he wants Valerie dead."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kai grit out and forced himself not to pace around. "Where's Stefan, can't he stop his boss from killing his girlfriend?"

Damon shook his head firmly. "We're talking about the devil. Stefan can't commend him to do shit. This falls on us."

Kai exhaled, and Caroline stood behind him warily, not saying a word.

A half weary, half-amused smile crept onto Damon's face. "Look, I know you're still mad at me over the little situation with Bonnie…"

Damon's words were cut short when Kai shot a glare at him. "You tried to force yourself onto her, after she rejected you."

"You did what?" Caroline ached her brows, begging the question of whether he was telling the truth.

Damon looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry about that. Stefan got into my head and my wires got crossed. But this isn't about me. Valerie is in danger, and you need to protect her from me."

Kai glanced at him and brushed his shoulder off, quietly. "From both of you."

"The girls are asleep, and Alaric is on his way back." Caroline said with a tight little smile. "I'll monitor Valerie and you two go deal with Cade."

Damon opened his mouth to speak, and then, seemingly, as if he could not find the words, he shut it. Caroline shot a look at him.

Kai sighed deeply and stared away. Ultimately, his inner battle fell to a draw, like it always did. "You want to start by explaining how the fuck is Cade here on earth? And do you even have a plan?"

Damon scoffed, offended. "I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't. And thanks to that idiot Donovan and his father, they rang that damn hell bell and Cade was able to escape hell."

Kai's jaw tensed, and Damon only looked more nervous. "If you even try to doublecross me, I'll rip your heart out of your chest."

To his surprise, the vampire winced. "My humanity is intact. I won't be doing anymore stupid shit."

"Was getting in Bonnie's pant the last stupid shit for you?" Caroline said with a firm voice and actually managed to shut Damon up for a moment.

A dry chuckle reverberated through Damon's body, and it was somewhere between disbelieving and mocking.

Rubbing wearily at his temple, Kai said, "Let's move out. The sooner we handle this, the sooner I can get away from you."

Damon froze in the doorway, Kai mere steps behind him to exit the armory. The vampire just narrowed his eyes at Caroline. The latter's expression just looked disappointed.

Thirty minutes from their destination. They pull up at a gas station so Enzo could get some fuel for the Wrangler. Bonnie goes into the convenience store with Lucy, who was picking up a bridal magazine at the counter, while Bonnie went to purchase some snacks and drinks.

Lucy leans heavily on the counter, a deep sigh emitting from her frame. "This is the dress. It's being shipped tomorrow."

On the magazine cover was singer Ciara and now-husband Russell Wilson. Ciara was wearing a one-of-a-kind Cavalli Couture gown featuring Chantilly Lace and floral appliqué with a long train and veil.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow, rocking on her feet. "Must have cost a fortune, not like the St. John's aren't strapped with cash."

She tapped her card on the terminal and paid before heading back out with Lucy. Enzo was still at the pump getting gas.

"So wait, have you two picked a date yet?" Bonnie demanded, taking a step forward.

Lucy's eyes twinkled. "April, 9th."

Bonnie's head shot up in disbelief. "Luce, that's like a few weeks away." She said. "We need more time to plan and invite everyone."

"Invite who. It'll just be you, Valerie, Kai, Matt, and Dorian." Lucy smirked back with an almost charming smile. "We can even have the ceremony at the armory. All I needed was my dress and Enzo's wedding ring. I don't need anything else."

Bonnie swallowed hard. "As the maid of honor, you have to let me do something."

"Make sure you and Kai are present. That's all I'll ask of you."

She smiled up at Lucy, though her eyes remained anxious. "Of course."

Lucy lifted a perfectly shaped brow at her. "How's things with Kai? Is his magic…"

Bonnie nodded with a sigh. "It's better, no more headaches or nosebleeds. He's performing more powerful spells. Valerie is getting him to siphon from smaller magical objects. It's off and on. But his training with the twins is going great. Caroline said the girls are learning to control their powers."

Lucy leaned back casually. "That's good. It's hard being so young and having to learn self-control."

"Kai's a brilliant teacher, reminds me of Grams." The sun glinted and Bonnie squinted as she watched Enzo finish up at the gas pump.

Lucy laughed at that, an almost hysterical edge to it. "Sheila was amazing, there was no one like her."

"I wish she was here. I know I'd have my magic back with her coaching me." She said, her lips disappearing into a thin line.

Lucy looked at her pointedly. "Is that what you really want, Bonnie? I know you and Kai are trying to figure out how to make things work. Or are you thinking about becoming a vampire?"

Bonnie leaned up a little and shoved a hand down one of her jeans pockets. "Kai wants to take the cure from Elena."

"Wait, really?" Lucy asked. She looked wary, but also somehow curious.

"He wanted to make sure he could get his powers back first. Now that he has, I think that's the plan. He'll go back to being a siphoner witch and be the leader of the Gemini Coven."

The older Bennett tilted her head at Bonnie's words, expression shocked, but eyes hawk-like. "Bonnie, that's great."

Bonnie huffed out a humorless laugh. "You don't think this is crazy, Kai's giving up his immortality for me."

Lucy regarded her for a moment before the corner of her lips curled up. "Why would it be crazy?" She reached out and grabbed Bonnie's shoulder. "Kai is in love with you. He wants to make you happy, and he probably wants to have all the normal things that you want. I doubt he ever thought he'd meet a girl that made him want to settle down and have a family. But he did, with you."

Bonnie swallowed hard, ignoring the tears flooding her eyes. "At least the Bennett and Parker bloodline won't end with us."

Immediately, Lucy pulled Bonnie into a tight hug. "No, it won't. You two will continue it. Making witchy siphoning babies. Enzo and I will watch over the family line as long as we live."

A sob tore through Bonnie's throat, and her body agonized with a tremble that threatened to consume her.

"I'm getting my happy ending." She said and was terribly aware of how harsh her voice rasped.

Lucy cleared her throat, a wry little smile on her face. "Yeah, you are."

On the grassy football field of Mystic Falls High School, Kai and Damon found themselves being ambushed by Cade the second they arrived. It was like he'd been spying on their every move.

"This must be the mighty Malachai," the devil in a sharp suit said. His dark eyes glinted with amusement. "My darling Sybil told me so much about you."

"Funny, where is Sybil, anyway?" Damon asked, unable to mask his amusement.

Cade shot him an annoyed look. "I have dealt with Sybil and her sister. You no longer have to worry about them."

Kai took a stab in the dark. "Dealt with, as in?"

"They took a permanent trip downstairs." Perhaps it was inevitable. "They will no longer be bothering you." Cade intoned slowly.

A wicked smile crept up Damon's face.

"Mr. Salvatore, you should be at work," Cade informed him. "You only have a few more hours before your brother's beloved girlfriend is dead."

Alarm flashed across his features before he shrugged hesitantly. "I told you Cade, I'm on a redemption arc." Damons said, shaking his head. "I'm not in the business of killing people, it doesn't matter how evil they are."

"I want to renegotiate whatever deal you have with Damon and Stefan." Kai's voice tapered off, growing even more uneasy. "Valerie is off limits."

Cade's grin was fierce. "Okay, is Bonnie off limits as well." Kai's heart leapt into his throat. "I ran into her at a coffee shop this morning. What a pretty little thing, so fitting to be a queen in hell. I was thinking about taking her for myself. I know Bennett witches to be the most powerful witches on earth."

Kai couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He didn't know his own name anymore.

"You're out of luck. Bonnie isn't much of a witch these days." Damon sounded less wounded, more angry.

Kai cringed. Damon sounded too defensive.

Cade gave him a look that said he didn't believe any of it. "Nothing I can't fix." He said, scanning the field with a thinly veiled look of disdain. "I figured you were coming up with some elaborate plan to kill me. I'm here to tell you, you're wasting your time. Fire can't kill me. Extracting my heart won't kill me either." Cade's smirk was directed at Kai. "And your petty magic won't work on me, witch. So I suggest you get back to work, Damon, or you'll be joining Sybil soon."

Kai bit his tongue. "If you go anywhere near Bonnie."

"I won't bother her as long as you don't do anything stupid." Cade responded cheekily, flashing him a tight smile. "Damon works for me and must do as I say. You and your girlfriend are of no concern to me, unless you get in my way."

Cade vanished into thin air.

Kai trembled, and he felt the brief twitch in his forehead that he sometimes got before he lost it. Blurred vision, quick breaths, chest tight, eyes on the border of tearing up.

There was a huff. "Calm down, Bonnie will be okay. Maybe you should sit this out."

"Valerie is going to die because of you and Stefan." Kai said, voice wavering. "And unlike you, I don't abandon my friends."

Damon's head snapped to the side, his ears ringing. "You've had friends for a couple of years now and you think you know more than me. You think you're better than me. Is that it?"

The tension was unconcealed between them, leaving Kai's thoughts to run unbridled.

"I don't think Damon, I know." He felt the words torn from him, like pulling a dead tooth. "You're nothing but a user and a waste of space." Kai's lips twitched minutely. "And if anything happens to Bonnie or Valerie, I am holding you responsible."

Damon's eyes as his expression dissolved from anger to disappointment, finally settling on defeat. Kai took this as his moment to storm off and go find Valerie to make sure Cade didn't do anything hasty.

They all climbed onto the sidewalk and walked along to the house that had a for 'Sale Sign' with the sold sticker across it. Enzo could hear the gasp that escaped Bonnie and Lucy's lips.

Both Bennett women looked up at the Southern Colonial style brick mansion. Which was sitting on nearly half an acre of land. Enzo allowed his eyes to follow one gutter piper down the side of the house into the front garden, where there was a selection of dandelions and hibiscus. A veranda wrapped itself around the house, where a swing seat sat to the right of the front door, swinging lazily to the intermittent afternoon wind.

Bonnie clapped Enzo on the shoulder. "Holy shit, who did you compel to get this place?"

Enzo gave her his most lascivious grin. "No one, I just dipped into the armory's funds and got someone to purchase the house in their name."

There was a pregnant pause. "Who?"

He replied weakly. "Donovan." Enzo moved away from Lucy to open the front gate and head toward the front door.

Enzo opened the stained glass door before stepping aside to allow the two cousins in. Lucy looked around with wide, curious eyes as he showed them through the house. The house had a gigantic living room, a dining room, and a breakfast nook off the kitchen. Brand new appliances, redone bed and bathrooms. A screened back porch with an indoor and outdoor pool.

Lucy made a face. "This is a lot. Too much for two people."

Bonnie nodded. "It's nice though."

"Do you love it?" Enzo advised with a smile.

Lucy giggled and nodded. "I do but…"

"No buts," Enzo said, with an amused glance, as he raised his brows at Lucy in question. "This will be our home soon. You deserve the best and I'm giving that to you."

"Wait, so what about the armory? If you two are living out here, who's going to be running the place?" Bonnie asked softly, after a moment of silence.

Enzo gave Bonnie a long, pointed look. "I spoke to Kai. He agreed to take over with Valerie and the help of Dorian."

"How would that even work?"

When Bonnie glanced back at Lucy and Enzo, she saw their faces glowing with excitement.

"Kai told me he plans on taking the cure." Enzo explained as they entered the foyer. "Now that he's regaining his powers, he plans on training the little rugrats. Valerie suggests they open a school for supernatural kids. Apparently your boyfriend has a gift."

"You want to turn the armory into a school?"

Enzo answered Bonnie's question with, "I think it's best. Lucy and I want to travel the world and explore. Meanwhile, the rest of you are living in Mystic Falls, constantly in danger. The younger generation of witches and supernaturals need people like you all to help them figure this shit out. Lucy and I could recruit young kids and send them to you all."

"Who else would be in on this deal?" Bonnie asked curiously.

The vampire ran a hand through his hair self-consciously. "You, Kai, Valerie. Not to mention Jeremy and Alaric are master hunters, Caroline would be a great admissions director for the place."

Lucy clapped her hands together, laughing merrily at all the possibilities. "We would be like the X-Men. I think I'd make a pretty great Storm."

Bonnie was considering it.

"This is a lot to take in." Then she straightened. "That place is your family's legacy."

Enzo opened his mouth, clearly to agree, but then he hesitated. "I want my legacy to be something different from what my father was. I want to help people like us, not hunt and experiment with mystic creatures. So many of us are out there, lost and alone. If there's one thing Lily Salvatore taught me is the value of family and support. You all are my family and I want to support you all the best way I can."

"Lorenzo." Lucy replied, an indulgent smile tugging at the corners of her lips

"I don't even have my magic anymore." Bonnie said, confused, a sinking feeling in her gut.

A soft, unreadable shadow fell across Enzo's face. "If anyone can prevail, it's you, Bonnie Bennett. Keep working at it, just don't give up. Kai is still going, you should too."

After their loss today. Everyone met up at the grill to nurse a couple of glasses of bourbon. Valerie had her head in her hands, and a stray piece of her hair fell onto her fingers. She brushed it back, groaning in anger. Kai sat next to her, still in a foul mood. Caroline was just sitting back, gulping her drink down, not making eye contact with Damon on the side of her.

"We need a new plan."

Damon only hummed as he inspected his drink.

"I can't believe you thought you could just walk up and kill the devil."

Damon scratched at his face. "Most things die when you burn and behead it, Valerie."

Kai sipped his drink. "We don't have time to argue about how stupid Damon is." His stricken look silenced them and he grimaced. "We need a smart plan before Cade shows up looking for Valerie's head on a platter."

"We need to change the equation." After a brief hesitation, Caroline added, "If Cade's mortal again, he can be easily killed."

"How the hell are we going to manage that?" Valerie barked, rudely interrupting her.

"Not a chance in hell, blondie." Damon snarled, hands wavering by his sides. "You want to jeopardize my future with Elena just to kill the devil."

"And save Valerie's life, not to mention the entirety of humanity, is banking on this." Caroline snapped. "Stop being a selfish prick."

"That's actually a brilliant idea, Caroline." Kai interjected. "We give the cure to Cade. He'll age and shrivel to dust. Just like that old ex-girlfriend of yours."

Damon sighed, looking reluctant to argue about Katherine Pierce's timely death. "Then we lose the small vial dose of the cure we have."

"Not really, Kai will take the cure from Cade and then you can take it from him when Bonnie dies." Valerie informed him, poking him with her finger.

"Excuse me?" Kai could feel Damon's gaze staring across from him. "Why would Kai take the cure?"

It did not faze Valerie. "I thought you knew."

Damon raised an eyebrow at them. "Nope, they did not inform me of this decision at all."

Kai ran a tired hand over his face and said in an exhale, "I was waiting until I got my magic back fully."

"According to Cade, you're the mighty Malachai," he said pointedly. "Are you really going back to being a mortal witch again?"

"I never actually wanted to be a vampire," Kai broke off. "I like who I was. Things were easier just being a witch. And I don't want this for Bonnie either. I'm taking the cure after we get rid of Cade."

Damon blinked at him, taken aback, before perking his eyebrows. "You two were going to go behind my back and take something that wasn't even yours."

Kai must have waited a moment too long, because Caroline said, "It's what Elena would want. She'd want us to save everyone and for Bonnie to be happy. God, why are you so damn selfish."

"Oh please, Caroline. You only wanted Cade gone so that Stefan can come home. I know your marriage with Alaric is on the rocks, but Stefan has moved on." Damon laughed, unable to hold back. "A bit of a downgrade but whatever."

Valerie leaned back and watched him for a moment. "Screw you Damon. I know if it was up to you. You'd let me die."

"That seems to be the plan, Ms. Tulle."

Kai's eyes snapped up. He unfurled himself from the chair and stood, stopping inches away from their new intruder. Caroline curled up behind Damon, who was now standing tall. Valerie remained in her seat, still unfazed.

"I'm getting sick of how lazy you've been behaving." Cade narrowed his eyes and rubbed them tiredly. "I told you a hundred people or your brother's girl. So I'm here to start on the job you won't."

"Why do you want to kill me off? Isn't Stefan doing his job right?" Unexpectedly, Valerie's voice echoed around the room.

"He's doing an amazing job." Cade gave her a look of vague irritation. "In fact, he took the task and ran with it."

"What do you mean? What task?"

An uneasy laugh escaped Cade. "I gave him the same choice as Damon, kill a hundred people or kill your brother's lover. Stefan chose to kill Elena Gilbert."

"He'd never do that," Damon scoffed. His gaze was callous and unyielding as he waited.

"He didn't even hesitate." Cade continued slowly, studying their reaction. "Sadly you have, so I'm afraid I'll have to kill Valerie."

Damon wasted no time to react, he sped behind a server in the empty bar, and bit into her neck, drinking her dry.

"That good enough for you?" Damon tosses the deceased woman onto the floor.

"That woman was an innocent person, her soul is no use for me." Cade smirked. "You did good though, but you'll have to do better before tomorrow."

Cade vanished once more. Everyone stilled, an ominous feeling washing over them.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Caroline shrieked, lurking over the dead woman.

Damon's face contorted into an expression that could freeze hell, though the determination edged into his features looked more prone to raise it. "I have to go to New York and stop Stefan."

Caroline tossed him a hard look. "We need to figure out how to stop Cade."

"I can't risk Elena, okay." Damon sighed and cast his eyes to the ground. "And I'm sorry Valerie."

Damon raced out of sight. Caroline didn't follow suit. Instead, she leaned against the wall, gnawing on her lip.

"We'll use the cure on…"

Valerie waved the other blonde off. "There's no time for that, Caroline. It's over."

Opening his mouth to speak, Kai found himself struggling for words.

"I will not let you die." He finally managed.

Valerie inhaled deeply, her hand finding Kai's easily. "If you get involved, then Bonnie could be at risk, and no, I do not want more people dying for me. This poor woman was enough. It's over."

He let out a low cry, but nodded.

"One of us needs to follow Damon," Caroline placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "He doesn't stand a chance against Stefan, not when he's like this."

When he spoke up again, his voice was unmistakably quieter. "Stick close to Valerie." Kai frowned, and his gaze hardened. "In fact, go back to the armory, and lock her in one of the cells. I'll see if we can buy some more time with Cade."

A chill raced up Caroline's spine, wondering what Kai's plan was. "I'll keep her safe until I hear from you."

Kai looked back at Valerie, pursing his lips considerately. They had to save her. No way he was losing anyone else.

Without waiting for the caller to say a word, he said, "We have a serious problem."

A loud crash resonated through the phone before the familiar voice spoke up.

"Really, Kai?" Bonnie asked, sounding tired and worn. "No, hello babe, I miss you. Or how's your trip going?"

Guilt lurched in Kai's middle. "Babe, this is serious. Cade is trying to force Damon to kill Val-Valerie."

His voice shook. He hated it when his voice shook. Spending years repressing every emotion he'd ever felt until he was a heartless machine did that.

"Hold on. Why would he want to do that?" There was fear in Bonnie's voice.

His hands were shaking. One still twisting cruelly at his hair. "To fuck with us. Why else? To make matters worse, he ordered Stefan to kill Elena too."

Silence flowed from the other end of the phone line for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, "FUCK! Why is it always something?"

"Bonnie, what is it?" Kai hears Lucy's voice holler tentatively.

"It's Cade. He wants Stefan and Damon to kill Valerie and Elena for some sick reason." Bonnie responds immediately.

Kai's fingers tightened around his cell phone. "Bon, calm down, okay. Caroline has a plan."

"Oh really. Tell me, what has Mrs. Saltzman come up with?" Bonnie asked, harsher than she intended.

Kai swallowed thickly. "We use the cure on Cade. It might be the only way to kill him."

"The cure we agreed you would take."

His jaw clenched, and when he spoke, the word came out like it burned him. "Yeah, I know. Damon isn't fond of that idea either."

"Well, screw Damon and screw this plan. We need that cure." Bonnie replied, voice getting louder. "We are not sacrificing our happiness, I won't let us."

"Bonnie, I can't let Valerie die. I can't do that. And we can't allow the devil to just roam and torment us." Kai rushed his words. He took the phone away from his ear sluggishly to end this, although he felt sick knowing this was hurting Bonnie. "I'm sorry, and I love you. But if Caroline's calculations are correct, then we can still get the cure, if not. We'll figure something else out. Protecting our home and our family comes first."

Everything stopped. Bonnie's breath hitched. "When did you become the moral compass of the group? I feel like I'm dating Scott Summers."

His cheeks flushed. "Does that make you Jean Grey or Emma Frost?"

Bonnie laughed almost sadly, "I'd like to think I'm a bit of both."

Kai let out a low chuckle. "You'd look so sexy with red hair."

"Not to interrupt your inappropriate conversation, but someone here has something important he'd like to share." Lucy says, far away from the phone.

"After Tyler died, Jeremy asked me to keep Elena's body in a safe place." Kai's eyes widened at the sound of Enzo's voice over the phone. "The body is no longer in New York."

There was silence for a moment. Twin sets of breathing, both too loud under the stress, were the only white noise.

"No way. Elena's here. In this house."

Relief floods through him. "Bonnie, get the cure asap and I'll text you my location."

"Fine." Bonnie cried out in sobs. "Caroline's plan better work out for us."

His eyes faded completely as the line went dead. Kai feels the first bit of solace all day.

It was early evening when the warmth of the day persisted. The sunset was beautiful, casting a glow of red and orange over the clouds of the horizon, and painting the sides of the high palm trees with its warm glow.

The breeze stirring the evergreen leaves and teasing Enzo's hair was almost warm. His arms tightened reflexively, and he cast a slight, tired glance over at his fiancee.

"It will work out, love."

A heavy breath passed through Lucy's lips. "Oh it better, the last thing we want is the devil showing up at our wedding trying to get revenge if we cannot kill him."

Enzo offered a small smile. "I trust Caroline on this. One thing about blondie is that she looks out for her town and her friends."

A flush rose to Lucy's cheeks, but she still wouldn't acknowledge it.

"Everyone except Bonnie." Lucy said, and there was a heaviness in her tone Enzo had never heard before, an unfamiliar weight Lucy seemed to carry with her.

"That's not fair."

Lucy's impassive expression fell slightly, lips pursed as she looked away from Enzo.

"It's the truth. If Bonnie's not there overextending herself for them, they don't give a rat's ass about her. All those years when the armory was after me, and Bonnie had to give everything up to help me. No one was there for her, except you. When she turned into a huntress, it honestly surprised me when Donovan showed up. He at least changed his tune. But Caroline, Alaric, Damon, they don't care."

Enzo remained quiet.

"Kai has been so good to her, to us. I know he made some huge mistakes, but if anyone deserves a break, it is him." She tipped her head up, caught his eyes with hers, sharp as ever and brighter than usual in the sunlight. "I'm just worried this will crash and burn for all of us."

Enzo held Lucy's face and ran his thumb across her cheekbone, a warm caress that made Lucy thrum with want all the way to her toes. She closed her eyes and leaned into the touch.

"I love you, and I won't let any harm come to you."

Enzo brought his mouth to Lucy's. Claiming her with a brutal kiss. Lucy ran her tongue over the seam of Enzo's lips and parted them. She sighed into the motion while Enzo pressed their bodies closer, carding his hands through Lucy's hair.

He pulled away, dazed, and cleared his throat. "Bonnie, we need to get a move on."

"I'm coming," Bonnie said firmly. "I'm not an expert at drawing blood."

Lucy kissed Enzo again, deep and soft and filled with everything both of them deserved. She pulled away with a hazy smile and replied, "I love you too."

"How romantic?"

Lucy and Enzo were pulled apart from each other. The vampire's eyes widened as he turned towards the person who grabbed him.

His mind blanked at the sight before him.

Lucy was on the ground, out cold, with Stefan Salvatore standing there with a red brick in one hand. Enzo moved back, getting ready to fight the other vampire off.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, mate?"

Stefan's eyes were emptier than he remembered them—more burdened—but something similarly resolved them to be calculated. It was so strange seeing him like this.

"I never liked you, Enzo. You were a pathetic friend to Damon and leech. I'll be glad to be rid of you."

Stefan spun with a roundhouse kick, aiming at Enzo's face. Instinct took over and Enzo ducked. He straightened as Stefan regained his balance. Both men looked at each other, extremely annoyed. Enzo paused slightly when he heard Lucy groan behind him.

"Stefan, fight whatever's gotten a hold of you."

Enzo watches as the other vampire ponders for a moment, before he moves to kick him again. The move was predictable, and it sent Enzo staggering back. He reels, dizzy not from the force of the blow itself but from the intent behind it.

"Nah, I don't think so." There was a shine in his eyes in his excitement.

"Enzo, run." Lucy whimpers, she squirms in her spot, her voice comes out with a shrill muffled gasp.

Enzo's eyes flickered to her for a moment, a mistake on his part. Stefan grabs a hold of him and pins him against the front door of the house. Somehow Bonnie isn't hearing the commotion. Enzo struggles against Stefan. The other vampire's breathing becomes heavy and his face shifts to glowing red eyes.

Stefan ranks his nails along Enzo's chest and sinks his entire hand inside of him, blood popping up around them. Enzo tries to scream, but only bubbles of blood leave his mouth. Lucy, however, lets out a small shriek as she watches. Enzo was opened wide, red liquid pouring out of him. Stefan goes directly to his heart, the squall of his chest cavity sounding in the process.

Stefan digs it out and then lets Enzo's body drop as he rips it from the vampire's corpse. He holds it out to Lucy.

"I'm doing you a favor, Luce. Someone as great and sexy as you deserve someone more exciting than Enzo." Stefan throws the other man's heart to the side. "Did Sheila ever tell you about our brief fling in the 70s? That was one hell of a woman. I could use someone like you. My current girl might die tonight knowing my brother's incapability and I'd love to have you as a replacement."

"You sick fuck."

"You can consent or I can just take you either way." Stefan demanded, taking a step forward.

"Stay the hell away from her."

This time, Bonnie met his approach with an almost terrifying look.

"Oh goody, it's Bonnie," Eyes alight with feral excitement, Stefan surges forward. "I can finally end the Bennett lineage once and for all."

Bonnie licks her lips. Raises her fists. "If you want me, come get me."

Stefan charges right at her. Once he got close to her neck, Bonnie ducks away and pivots around him. She just barely gets away in time, but when she does, Bonnie takes the syringe and jams it into his neck. She watches as Stefan falls backwards off the porch.

"Lorenzo, he… he…" Lucy's voice hitched, a sob climbing in her throat that she quickly smothered.

Bonnie's eyes fell over the body of her friend. His ripped out heart was a few feet away from him. Lucy turned to make her way over to his body. Fat tears track cut through the red staining Enzo's face as she wept over her boyfriend.

Bonnie takes in the scene before her. Her knees buckled. Worn out from supporting her flagging body. It hits her all over, and Bonnie screeches. A wave of energy radiates around her as she screams out.

Pain hammers through her skull, and she starts to fall. Her last thought was of Kai, and the future they'd dreamed of together.

AN: I'm back! So sorry this took so long. I've been so busy with work and school. In fact, I probably won't have the next chapter out until next month. But I'm still here and I will complete this story, so bare with me. Once I'm finish with my fall semester, I'll update weekly again. Chapter ten will be an emotional rollercoaster, RIP ENZO. Lots of Bonkai scenes (promise), and a member of the gemini coven will return.