Quick little notesies: Okay, I think I've put this off long enough. This chapter is going to be the longest one to date. I know I've said this countless times before, but this is my favourite chapter (hence the nerves). I hope you enjoy this and as always, your reviews and support mean the world. (If you'd like I suggest listening to 'Broken Bones' by Chvrches, the song is rad and I think it adds a nice touch.)

From me to you – The Battle Scene.

Enjoy.

"Truth sits upon the lips of dying men"

– Matthew Arnold, British Poet

Chaos.

That's all that made sense for the longest moment as the world broke apart and the demons fell down and around all of them. Chaos was the only coherent thing that flitted through their minds. Chaos and the promise of death. It was so loud too; the promise. The high-pitched trilling of the bird-like Summoned that spun down with terrifying velocity at their targets. The things that broke apart the deck of the ship were even more terrible. Some were these gargantuan ape-looking things, all muscle, rock and heavy glowing spittle dangling from their gaping mouths. Others were serpentine in their structure, ghostly looking apparitions that shone with their surrounding mist. Some were humanesque shapes with no faces, their hands sharpened to claws that seemed to have been dipped in something black. Others were blobs of rolling flesh with illuminated veins riddling their surface, the light coalescing around their gaping shark teeth that framed a snarling hole in their centre. The ship rocked then, from the force of the disruption to the deck and the weight of the things landing on it from above as well. That's when the moment passed; the moment were hesitation came and went, making way for self-preservation.

They needed to survive. They'd all suffered through enough, fought hard enough to see it through to another day. Yet as it stood, something else was once again trying to get into the way of that. In the way of their chance at a happy ever after. At an eternity. At peace. Lucy was the first to react. She shot out a wall of magic that seemed to suck in the immediate surrounding atmosphere before letting it all out in a pulse that sent the demons flying away from them along with bright beams of white that caused their screams to increase in pitch. It only bought them five seconds before the Summoned came speeding back in their direction but Fahada was poised with her spelled bow and arrow. Imran had his crossbow aimed. The siblings let off arrow after spelled arrow, sinking it into the heaving forms that were hurtling towards them. Loud bursts of power sounded out as the spelled arrowheads met the flesh of the impossible creatures, causing them to fizzle, explode or evaporate as they met their demise. The crystals embedded in their chests made quick work of absorbing the dark magic around them and shot at them from the Seekers.

Amelia and Lucy, stood back and held hands as they countered the spell binding the ship, a spell that would slowly drain them of all of their magic if they didn't act soon enough – if they didn't do it soon the crystals embedded in all of them would be rendered useless along with any and all white magic. They both frowned as the sphere of dark magic pushed back against them as they simultaneously warded off attacks from the other three witches whose sole aim was to eliminate them first before aiming for Bonnie and Damon. They weren't having any of it. With their chanting synchronised, their voices deepened and strengthened, their breaths coming and going as they tried to focus through the roaring of the world around them. Jeremy launched into a somersault, landing on a stray demon who'd made a beeline for Lucy, landing on the thing's back and used his two short swords to rip right through the thick neck of the Summoned and cut off its menacing snarl. With that done he ran off headfirst into the throng of demons. Stefan and Caroline chose to then flag the witches from attacks as more and more creatures appeared. Jeremy joined Alaric who was relentless in his attacks, the Original shouting out as he tore and sliced his way through the wall of damnation that pressed up against them.

Bonnie and Damon were in the middle of the maelstrom, hacking, pulling, ripping, and killing anything that got near them or came close enough to trying. Before now all Bonnie had known was the constant reminder to remain controlled and steady; but that wouldn't keep them alive so the notion had long fled her mind – she was caught up in the midst of her first true experience of her newfound physical vampirism and a small part of her was near-cross-eyed at the freedom of it all. Slowly they were making their way forward, however slight. A strong spell from Kiera sent Bonnie flying backwards losing her naginata, spinning sideways in the air, landing against Enzo, which in turn sent them both sliding across the slick ship deck. A wave splashed against the side of the ship where they landed, sprays of sea water rushing over them. They began to scream out. Damon roared out in rage. Slicing a humanoid creature in half and kicking it's corpse into the open mouth of the ape-like thing that was set on eating him it seemed. He tried to make for Bonnie but was intercepted by a swarm of the things that had been swirling above them and had to slice his way through all of them, hoping Enzo could do what Damon so desperately needed him to in that moment. One of the heaving blob-type Summoned pounced on Caroline when she turned at the sound of Bonnie and Enzo's screaming and Stefan ripped it out of her shoulder and hacked it to slithers with his machete before pulling Caroline to him.

"They have each other, you need to stay focused." She nodded and followed him back into the whirling mayhem.

Bonnie pulled Enzo up and away from the continuous sprays of water that had so much vervain in it that falling into waters now would mean a sure death for any vampire. Bonnie grunted as she pulled Enzo, who had covered the majority of her body with his, taking the brunt of the spelled water. Pushing through her own pain she struggled with seeing Enzo this way; singed and frothing where the poison had washed over him. Without a second thought to it she tore a line in his vest and pressed her hand to his chest. She let off a zap of magic to his body, where the crystals were – speeding up his healing.

"Go." He hissed, shoving her shoulder, "You know how reckless he gets." Bonnie cupped his cheek for a split second before speeding headlong back to the heart of the battle with nothing but her hands.

"Go Lucy," Amelia said, "You need to attack the witches; they need to be divided; split their focus, split their power, gain the upper hand." Lucy nodded, but stopped just before letting go of Amelia.

"If you deplete yourself trying to complete the spell –"

"I already have vampire blood in me." Amelia reminded her, "I'll be fine." Lucy became grave but nodded, every one made their choices. Turning to face the melee she broke out into a run, shooting her arm out to obliterate a demon that was seconds from deepening its bite into Jeremy's shoulder. Not slowing down she slid on the side of her leg underneath a creature that was sent careening through the air from Damon's fist where an arrow from Fahada cemented the kill. They were making progress. Hopping back up Lucy got up behind her two hybrids and focused her magic on one of the witches while she dodged demons. She chose the brunette one; she looked like the easiest target. Bridgette locked eyes with her then and Lucy choked a little in response to the attack spell the other witch was inflicting on her. She felt the warmth that spread through her chest as the crystals took the bulk of the harm directed at her. The Bennett witch forewent the panic bubbling in her lungs as they begged for oxygen. Instead she used a simple spell; one of the first she'd been taught when she was young. Control.

"Folge min bebod." She spluttered, running out of air and watched as Bridgette gasped and her back arched, "Folge min bebod." Lucy gasped again as she sucked air back into her body. She watched Bridgette's eyes glow a light green and wasted no more time; looking to the other witch she went forth with her next spell, "Forbearnan." Tessa, the blue haired witch screamed as she was engulfed in flames. They hadn't expected Lucy to be so strong, to still be able to use white magic with the veil of dark magic surrounding them all. They were wrong. She's a fucking Bennett thank you very much. Bridgette watched on icily while Kiera began to panic, shooting out magic at Lucy. Lucy smiled as she tilted her head despite the searing pain that licked at every bone in her body; sending telepathic commands to her new servant, Bridgette. Bridgette's hand lifted and closed around Kiera's throat. The command to kill was all that stayed in her head.

"Enough!" The Superior roared. Initially he'd been impressed with their offensive skills, but after killing Tessa and effectively creating a fissure in the magical dome surrounding them, he'd had seen plenty. He became livid when he saw Bridgette begin to throttle his own Kiera. His roar of anger was punctuated with a sharp spell sent to Lucy, sending the witch smacking into the side of the ship, blood oozing from the back of her head where she'd made impact. The world slowed as a rumbling thunder sounded out from above them all and the screams of the remaining Summoned being ended by final blows from the group. The Superior stepped through the wall of ashes that swept up, all that was left of Tessa and stuck his fist through Bridgette's chest, killing her. All his Summoned littered the floor dead, their black blood coating every available surface of the ship.

His eyes snapped to the last human witch as her spell finally took hold and dispelled the veil of black magic. He snarled and flashed to her – sending a pulse of magic similar to Lucy's at the rest of them, the group flying backwards, grabbing at one another, lest someone be flung overboard – stopping when he stood an arm's length away from Amelia. Grabbing her by her throat the Superior smiled as he watched the jagged ends of his stony palms and skin digging into her as he squeezed. Her blood ran red and pure as it slipped over his hand. Someone screamed out and before the Superior could turn around Imran had stuck Stefan's machete through The Superior's chest, right where his heart was. He turned then, the sword still stuck in him, his one hand still around Amelia's throat to see who'd inconvenienced him so. Imran was panting heavily, his undead heart throbbing at the sight of his wife like this. He was half mad as he stood shaking in front of the demon.

"Your family always was the biggest inconvenience." The Superior muttered and in a flash Imran's head rolled away from his body as it slumped to the ground. A denseness slammed into the group as they watched Imran's head roll toward them; his body falling to its knees, laced with veins and grey colouring. Stefan gasped and rocked back on his heels. Bonnie clutched her chest as she watched Amelia scream aloud in horror while she hung helplessly in the hold of the monster.

Fahada's cry was deafening.

The Superior threw Amelia aside and then turned in a slow circle, shoving at them with another wall of his magic, leaving an impenetrable field between him and them as he pulled out the machete and flung it overboard. In a flash Kiera appeared beside him, her throat still bruised from where Bridgette had strangled her. They watched blankly as Stefan grabbed for Fahada as she charged forward, she kept moving but had to drag him with her, the sclera of her eyes turning red even as she stayed in her human form, veins pulsing in her forehead from her screaming. Eventually she slowed and allowed Stefan and Enzo to pull her back. She knew she had to be smarter than that. Bonnie had pulled Amelia up to her feet, entrusting her to Caroline and Damon while she flashed to Lucy's side. Damon called after her but when his eyes connected with Lucy's limp body he slowed and took pause, pain riddling his perfect face. Before Bonnie could get there she collided with the Superior's wall of magic and her chest heaved as she smacked against it, having to dig her heels into the ground for every time the wall pushed her back. The dark magic ate at her skin but she pushed on. Lucy was family; really, she was all the blood that Bonnie had left. Damon made his way slowly to Bonnie, uncertain steps, more than anything he wanted to help, he just hadn't figured out how just yet. His heart also hurt for Lucy…she was family.

"Lucy." Bonnie called out as she hit against the wall of magic as it started to burn her skin, almost as much as her eyes were burning, "Lucy," she cried out again, even as she saw the blood next to her cousin's head beginning to congeal and darken with time passing, "Lucy!" She screamed out, but her cousin didn't even move. Her chest had stopped rising. "Lucy!" Bonnie wailed, her voice being cut off as something gripped her by the throat and pulled her back. The hold was cold but there was no one enclosing a hand around her as she was dragged backwards to the Superior. Damon's heart contracted painfully and for a split second he went feral as he saw his love suspended in the air the way she was struggling against the ropes of the Superior's black magic. Bonnie felt something burst in her left eye as she gagged and sucked in as much air as she could.

Damon flashed forward but a bolt of power cut through his abdomen like a spear, black smoke curling out of the wound along with the smell of burning flesh, causing him to cry out in pain as blood sprayed out from the wound. It happened in slow motion from there; his head, thrown back while his face contorted in pain as the magic sunk into him, burning him wherever it could. Bonnie's own struggle was forgotten as his scream sliced through her consciousness. Another cut into Damon's shoulder where he'd been shot with the arrow so long ago it seemed; it threw his body at an awkward angle, another in his leg and a bone crushing pulse of magic hit him, rendering him unconscious and broken on the floor. There was a thrumming of magic that pressed down on his body in pulsing waves, snap, snap, twist, as more of him broke apart before all of their eyes in mere seconds, before anyone could do anything. Bonnie clawed at the invisible vine of magic around her neck until her fingers bled where she broke through her nails, her eyes stuck on Damon's body as she struggled. Spittle and harsh breaths fell out of her mouth as she screamed his name but nothing happened and every time one of the other's tried to touch him the limb they used snapped at an odd angle, broken. Enzo's arms hung lamely at his sides as he popped them back in and tried again, mirroring Stefan who was in a blind panic.

"Damon!" Nothing. "Damon, please!" Twist, snap. "Please… no." She begged.

Please not him, not him, please, please, not him, I can't please, no, no, no, no. Anyone but him, take me, take me.

"DAMON!" Nothing. At this point Bonnie was screaming so loudly and with so much desperation that her face had shifted into its vampiric form as she begged him to move, to twitch, to do anything but leave here without him, even if these were her last moments on Earth.

Take me. She thought of her dreams and Damon's promises, and her own. Take me.

She tried finding him in her mind but there was nothing outside of her frantic, babbling thoughts as she waited desperately for some sign, any sign that he'd make it, that the worst hadn't just happened to the both of them. She wouldn't survive it. She wouldn't.

takemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakeme –

Bonnie watched desperately as even Jeremy cried out as his left arm snapped awkwardly at the crease of his elbow when he tried to touch Damon. Caroline had taken to pulling Stefan back as well while Enzo tried his best to volley between Fahada and Amelia and Damon.

"Stop!" She shouted; her voice thin and shaking, "Don't touch him!" She never thought that when she yelled those words again regarding Damon that it would be in this context. They were meant to be for Damon's protecting, not the people reaching for him. But life had a funny way of twisting your words. The last time she told someone not to touch Damon was Kai, when she'd gotten her powers back and now she was saying them again, as a vampire. A witch-vampire hybrid. About to die. Bonnie had to close her eyes as she began to cry at the sight of Amelia dropping to the floor, holding Imran's head, rocking to and fro as she wept with Fahada next to her. Stefan's eyes, lined with pain, went from his brother, to Lucy, to Imran and back. The younger brother was frozen stiff as he knelt near Damon's body, on the precipice of grief, still struggling to accept that any of it had actually happened. It was then that Bonnie realised that even if only one person had died today they would have all paid the price. But now they were all going to die and she hated herself for it, she couldn't help it. For so long she'd begun to resent having been the only one to pay the ultimate sacrifice, but looking down at Damon, her Damon, and Lucy…God, Lucy, Lucy who'd finally stayed for her…Imran and his family…Never more had Bonnie wished that it had been her instead.

But it was too late.

Bonnie felt herself get dropped next to the rest of Imran's body and she shuddered a little at the proximity, she wasn't repulsed by him, she was repulsed by what had happened to him. The dark magic held her in place and she sneered as she felt the ghost of it surround her. She was on her knees, her head up as she held the Superior's gaze while Imran's body was folded over on itself, his boot touching Bonnie's leg. He's dead, just like – she swallowed painfully and pressed her eyes shut for a moment, willing herself not to think it, but like all things it seemed, even this was in vain –

….Damon, dead.

Bonnie felt the wall of pain smack into her and it choked her, blinded her with tears as she sobbed helplessly – it's true then, everything was heightened. She sobbed, her teeth bared, fags out as she felt the crushing truth of it all. As she realised her worst nightmare.

"I'm sure for a second you thought you stood a chance," the Superior began as he looked down at her coolly, "Do you know who I am?" He asked. The tears didn't stop but something else rose up to meet it in equal fervour – a white hot rage. Bonnie couldn't help the hatred that flushed through her body then, thicker than lava as it pooled in her mouth. If she died, she was taking this fucker with her.

"…Satan?" Bonnie spat and he did that odd, hollow smile again.

"Close." He admitted, "I'm actually your grandfather."

Elena was staring ahead unseeingly as Matt spoke to her. Never in her life had she thought that she would have ever reached this point with him again. She'd fallen into bed with him because he was the only one who'd stayed for her. Who'd come to see if she was okay. Granted, Alaric had asked him to, but it still meant something to her. Damon didn't care. Stefan didn't care. Jeremy didn't care. Even Alaric left to run to Bonnie's side. Even Enzo. Caroline staying with Bonnie didn't surprise Elena; the blonde had always been closer to Bonnie because Bonnie didn't say anything about her insecurities. And Caroline had plenty of those. But sleeping with Matt was wrong; on some level Elena knew that. But she'd been lonely and Matt was always lonely so any affection that came his way sufficed in the boy's bright blue eyes. She couldn't bring herself to focus on what he was saying because he was also talking about Bonnie and she didn't want to hear it right now.

"Elena," he said, repeating her name for the fourth time now, "Why won't you answer me?"

"What?" The girl snapped.

"Where is Bonnie? Where is everyone else? You said you'd tell me –"

"I said I'd tell you and then I kissed you." Elena cut him off. Matt swallowed and nodded, he didn't need to be reminded.

"It doesn't change the fact that I still need to know what's going on."

"Why do you care?" She exclaimed petulantly, "Everyone is with her. She's safe."

"No, you don't know that," Matt countered, "Before Alaric left he said that Bonnie and Damon were in serious trouble. I'd go but he said he'd kill me as I got off the plane and I don't have money anyways so –"

"You'd go?" Elena whispered, unable to hide her disbelief. Matt frowned at her; a mirthless smile shaping his mouth as if he couldn't believe she'd just asked him that.

"Of course I'd go, I'd do anything for Bonnie, and you know that." He said. A whoosh of air left Elena, and she suddenly felt very small, very insignificant. "She's my friend and she'd do the same thing for me." Elena looked up at him then, eyes searching his face.

"Even after we?" She let her voice trail off with a lift of her brows. Matt sighed and rubbed his hands over his face tiredly.

"Look," he began his voice softer, the way it was when he had something he didn't want to say but had to anyway, "That was weird. We were both in bad spaces and everything was confusing and it's been a while for me and I know you've been off lately. It didn't mean anything, and it wasn't like it was supposed to anyway. I get that, I'm not even worried about it. All I can think about right now is –"

"Bonnie." Elena provided. He nodded.

"I feel sick to my stomach that I can't even help her, that I'm just sitting here –"

"She's died before." Elena snapped impatiently and her eyes bugged after the words left her. With a panicked expression she looked at Matt whose mouth was hanging open in shock.

"I can't believe you just said that." Matt said after the longest while, he looked disgusted, "Who are you?" She reeled back but for some reason the wrong words came out.

"I'm Elena Gilbert!" She yelled, "I'm the girl everyone dies for remember?" She felt everything come rushing to the surface then as the truth rose up over her head, "I'm the one people rush to every end of the globe to save not Bonnie. It's always been me and now I'm broken because of it. I'm all twisted and wrong because of it. She's supposed to be my best friend. But she's always dead and it's always my fault somehow. But now it's different. Damon loves her. She has Lucy back. Stefan, Caroline and even Enzo are on her side. My brother still loves her and it's probably going to get him killed," Elena shook her head, "I don't know who I am anymore and I have no one to help me figure it out because they're all with Bonnie. Worrying about her when we all know she's going to be fine, Bonnie always comes back." Matt stared at her. Just stared. Looking down at his hands to hide his tears he began talking.

"Elena, no one can help you figure out who you are, no one but you…but that being said, the fact that that's all you're worried about right now while Bon is in trouble? It's not right. Yes, Bonnie always comes back but that's because she always died, she always paid the price. The one went in the hand with the other no matter how callous you're being about it. It doesn't take away the facts: that Bonnie died for you, she died for me, and she died for everyone but herself. Every time, always ready to give into the latest absurd request from the Supernatural world. Elena all you ever did was take…first with me and then you realised I wasn't enough. Then Stefan and then he wasn't enough. And then Damon. Then Damon was too much so you took him away from yourself…still not enough …and Bonnie was never enough for you because if she was she would have never had to die in the first place. You were a good friend once, a good person and you're none of that anymore if you're sitting across from me hosting your own pity party while Bonnie fights to stay alive. Because we both know that's all she ever does and we've always let her fight alone. We call ourselves her friends but when it came down to it she was always alone and it eats at me. I can never make that up to her but it doesn't even register with her anymore, she'll never have to forgive me because in her eyes I don't even need it... Bonnie is someone worth dying for when you really think about it. And that's why I get what Jeremy is doing. He's telling her that she's worth dying for, worth loving, no matter what and Bonnie deserves to have that reminder. So when it comes down to it: I'd die for her too. And even though she'd never make me choose, maybe because she'd never make me choose and because I've finally realised who you are even though you haven't – I'd pick her over you. Just like everyone else did. Every time." With that, he patted her knee, got up and left.

"Bull shit." Bonnie said as she fought against the magic pinning her down, the Superior smiled and raised his palm, allowing her to stand. Being next to Imran was clouding her head. Having any part of what was left of him touching her was filling her with lead-like grief and she needed to think, she needed to think of a way to make sure none of it was in vain. But Imran's face and Lucy's flashed in her mind's eye again, as they took photographs on Lion's Head when he'd taken them sightseeing. Imran, Lucy, her only family …and the love of her existence - Damon.

Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

Nothing would ever suffice, but the Superior's death was a good a place as any to start – and if she just so happened to die in the process at least she wouldn't have to live without him, selfish yes, but it was the only scenario she could stomach. She heard Caroline cry out as the blonde vampire tried to push through the wall of magic between herself and her best friend. Bonnie's eyes closed of their own volition. Too much pain. She felt it eating at her dead heart.

"Abby's your mother right?" Her eyes flashed back open, they were red and black. "The one who ran from Klaus was it? Foul bastard that he is." The Superior hissed stepping closer to Bonnie, "She's my daughter; my flighty, fickle infuriating daughter." Bonnie tried leaning away, her eyes returning to their heterochromic colours of green and blue. "Didn't you ever wonder why she stopped practising? Why she really stopped? We all knew Klaus would never quit with his obsession with that sun and moon curse malarkey. So I entrusted his demise to my daughter and she failed. I guess I forgot to mention that she had Black Magic in her and it seemed Sheila's had skipped a generation," He leaned into her then and she snarled, still frozen under his grasp, "Funny how it works out like that. I'm sure you know how the rest of that story goes and just as I was about to intervene Abby gets turned, by that cretin," The Superior stuck an accusatory arm out in Damon's still unconscious person but Bonnie didn't turn, she couldn't afford to – the sound of his snapping bones was still echoing in her head. "But I suppose it's all fair. If she had waited any longer she would have Ascended and she didn't want that…which is why she is for all intents and purposes dead to me. She has no more purpose in my plan."

"You however…you held so much promise." The Superior's breath was acrid as it fanned over Bonnie's face, "Especially when you delved into Expression. I felt it all the way in Egypt. It was phenomenal and then…you went and died, still clinging to that 'good' in you. I was so disappointed and now here you are…trying to defy me in ways I didn't even think possible."

"This has nothing to do with you," Bonnie countered, "I have nothing to do with you." The sprays of brackish water still fell around them but the spell was long gone so the vervain burn wasn't a problem anymore. Angry sparks of magic zapped from Bonnie's fingertips and Kiera sent a violent pulse of magic slamming into Bonnie that caused her to fall to her knees as she cried out in pain. Her skin was stinging and her brain felt like it was seconds from imploding. She hated that it made her think of Damon and all the aneurysms she'd given him. The low thud in her chest that had started since the Superior attacked Damon felt like it was bruising her insides with all of the pain it was causing.

Without Damon. Only pain. No Lucy. Only pain. Without Damon. Why Damon? Why….

takemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakemetakeme –

Damon. His name haunted her every second.

…Bonnie? She felt her throat close.

Damon?

I'm here my love; I'm fine, just a little…broken up, God it hurts.

Nothing coherent came into her head then, just a senseless relief that he was still with her. For however many more moments.

If they died they died together, it was the only way.

"Wrong," The Superior hissed his sharp, rocky skin pressing to hers as he loomed over her, lifting her up carelessly and putting her back on her feet, getting right in her face, "You have everything to do with me. Bennetts are the strongest bloodline in the history of Magic. Yet all we've done is bend to the whims of those lesser to us. And for what? A moment's relief when a spell is successful? Witches are better than that and it's time the world is reminded." He grabbed her throat and she barely felt the pain of each incision his rough skin made into her own, Damon's presence returning to her mind had her limp with gratitude. "I hid too long because they forced my hand and it was all I could do to survive but I'm done surviving. I intend to thrive."

What is this idiot talking about? Damon wondered.

Apparently he's my grandfather. Bonnie groaned and she felt Damon snort mentally at that. I think I know how to kill him though, but I need you.

Tell me what to do.

"Starting off by killing your own granddaughter?" Bonnie hissed sarcastically, she didn't believe him but if he was telling the truth then he was more twisted than they'd anticipated, willing to kill his own flesh and blood for his cause. Bonnie felt it as Damon started putting himself together; she felt the winces, the desperate attempts at keeping as still and quiet as possible so as not to attract attention to himself. Lucky for him Kiera and her Superior were locked in on Bonnie.

"You've never had a problem dying," He said with a wet-sounding laugh, "Why start now? Or do you finally have something to live for?"

"What I have is of no concern to you." Bonnie spat, sneering in his monstrous face, "And I am not afraid of you." He chuckled some more and squeezed her throat, seeming to delight in the blood that spilled from the small wounds his jagged skin made into her skin. And the fact that they healed over and over again, which meant he could pierce her skin over and over again with sadistic delight.

"Abby is dead to me and so were you when you became this thing, Lucy left me no choice and as for your little friends, they'll be dead in a matter of moments." Kiera stood still beside the Superior, her red hair matted with briny water as she awaited her orders. If you looked into her glassy blue eyes you could see that her soul had long fled her body.

"For someone who intends to preserve our bloodlines you sure don't mind removing us from the equation." The Superior's eyes glittered, flushing with a sudden burst of light in their crimson colour.

"The last one standing gets it all, or did you not know that? Why do you think you have so few relatives? I made sure to slowly whittle you all down, giving my immediate kin the chance to join me…but none of you would." Bonnie felt her feet lift from the floor, "Lucy's heart will stop in two minutes and then I kill you and become the strongest creature to ever walk this planet." Bonnie smiled for some reason and it irritated him. "This amuses you?"

Ready? She asked Damon.

Born ready baby.

"You amuse me," She clarified, "You think that you can take and kill and ruin and be better than the creatures you hate so much? You're no better than the people who led you to think the way you do. You're a monster. You're evil. You're an abomination and I'm going to enjoy killing you."

"On the contrary," The Superior tisked, "I'm going to enjoy killing you, after I kill everyone you care about."

"Ugh," Came Damon's voice sounding annoyed, "I thought you talked too much Bonnie but your pseudo Grand-Pappy takes the cake."

"Tell me about it." Bonnie muttered. The Superior frowned looking over Bonnie at Damon who was smirking.

"Incendia!" Damon boomed and Kiera caught alight as he ran forward, straight for the wall between him and the Superior and Bonnie. He'd used the water on Kiera's skin to pull a Bonnie Bennett and he'd never been more proud of himself. With a sharp cry he leapt into the air and rolled into a perfect summersault, landing in a crouch. A wave of dispersing magic fell away with a soft whooshing sound. Damon flashed to his feet. Don't get cocky, he reminded himself, you're not out of the woods yet. Bonnie's hand gripped the one clutching her throat suddenly and she coughed out a laugh even as her eyes began to flutter. Damon held up his hand to the others behind him. They fell back, but Stefan flashed over to Lucy.

Startling the Superior her green-blue eyes lit up to a bright white light. He'd known she was half witch half vampire and he'd known she had both light and dark roots of magic in her – but he'd never expected her power to be of this magnitude. He never thought that Sheila's white magic could have ever reached this level through their granddaughter. He thought Bonnie'd split her magic with the vampire.

Bonnie grinned. The fifth element was certainly coming in handy now. She thought of Damon, standing behind her; ready to do whatever it took, of the rest of her friends and family, hoping they'd make it. She thought of Imran laying somewhere behind her, dead. She thought of Lucy laying somewhere else – dead. She thought of the way Stefan looked at Fahada when she was saying something important. The way Enzo helped Caroline remember who she was without even trying; how he made her smile, made her happy. She thought of Jeremy and how he was sure he needed to die to make it all up to her. She thought of how Damon had become this incredible man right in front of her eyes, how he'd grown with her, how much he loved her, how much he always fought for her… How utterly crucial to her existence he was.

She didn't need an incantation, some dusty old spell book, someone's blood or her own death. No, for once, Bonnie's big heart would be good enough as she channelled every ounce of love inside of her to hone in on the fifth element. She wasn't aware how her whole body had begun to glow with that white light. The same light that had kept her tethered to Damon, the same light that had gotten her home into his arms. The same light that had unbound Mystic Falls from the Travellers' spell. The same light that would now – save them all. Hell, she was about to save the whole damn world. Her one hand stayed on his hand around her throat while the other closed around his throat and squeezed. First she was using her vampire strength; to push past the stone that encrusted his form. Then, once she was deep enough she let her magic begin to roll off of her, seep through her limbs into him. Burning him from the inside out. He began to scream. The sound was so inhuman, so raw and howling but Bonnie kept pushing.

The Superior fumbled and Bonnie's feet met the floor and now she was the one holding him up. Not a second after her feet touched the ground was Damon's hand digging into the Superior's chest; bursts of magic shooting out, carving through layer of layer of rock that made up the creature to get to his heart. Once Damon's fingertips found the familiar organ he looked to Bonnie whose face was a glittering snarl as her whole body shone with power. With one final shout, Damon pulled his arm out only to punch it back into the Superior's chest and rip out his heart. Tossing the offensive organ on the floor, Damon lit it up with his mind. Pleased when it burst to flames. Bonnie gasped as she pulled back from the Superior's quickly withering form. Kiera's screaming had long ago stopped her body still and caked with layers of burnt skin. Bonnie turned to Damon and pulled him into a fierce hug, her mouth slamming to his but froze when she remembered Lucy. Flashing away she flew to Lucy who was being held up by Stefan who was warring with himself as he rocked her still body. Bonnie fell to her knees and pushed Lucy's bloodied hair out of her face. Damon had rushed to Imran's body and lifted it up, speeding over to Imran's family…they could fix this, they had to fix this.

"She didn't want me to give her my blood and she doesn't even have a pulse anymore, oh god…" Stefan lamented. Bonnie ignored him and turned back to see the Superior's body blow away in the ocean winds. Turning back to Lucy she put her hands on her cousin's chest and began to channel life into her. A life for a life. She pulled at the remaining magic of the three witches that had died on the boat as well as the Superior's and merged it with her own. She let it churn and flutter in her chest before she let off pulse after pulse of magic into Lucy's body – like electric charges. Lucy's back arched after every insertion of magic and then her mouth fell open and she gasped. Bonnie's eyes were wet in seconds with tears of relief. She looked up to Stefan – he was in bare-faced shock.

"Look after her." He nodded and Bonnie was off. Lucy began to cough as she sucked in mouthfuls of air and locked eyes with Stefan as he held her. Despite her current state – and in true Lucy fashion she flicked his nose and smiled.

"Thanks for trying to stick to the plan." She said and he laughed softly, relieved at the sound of her voice.

"I don't think I ever will again," he said with a frown, "Damon has been my only family for too long and now I have you and Bonnie. Don't ever expect me to give that up." She held his gaze with a fondness before she frowned, sensing distress.

"…What happened?"

Bonnie had flashed to Damon who'd assembled Imran's head and his body together. It was strange for the elder Salvatore. He'd been guilty of doing it to his own victims; arranging their bodies but now he was doing it in the hopes of being able to put the person back together – for real. Bonnie took his hand as they kneeled beside Imran. Amelia and Fahada weren't thinking straight, so caught up in their grief but Bonnie and Damon were determined. They communicated through different dimensions. Surely they could bring back the vampire that had given them so much to hope for? A vampire who'd done nothing but help them every step of the way; with their newfound powers as well as their relationship. He deserved to live. And so he would. Bonnie looked up when Lucy dropped down beside her and frowned.

"Stefan doesn't get to tell me what to do." Lucy said with a raspy cough. "I know the spell we need."

"We'll follow your lead then." Damon said, "You kick us off, I fall in line, Bonnie ends it off with that nifty fifth element and Imran can go back to telling me how wonderful I am."

"Ahlúttre þá séocnes. Þurh – hæle bræd." Lucy chanted. Soon she and Damon fell into a smooth rhythm of chanting and then Bonnie moved forward, holding Imran's head and neck with her hands, moving them as close together as possible and she joined in with the chanting. After thirty seconds the most amazing thing happened. His neck began to heal; the skin stitching together slowly and his body slowly clearing of its greyed pallor and black veins. Then his body lifted off of the ground as the trio continued to chant. Amelia joined in then, her voice cracked from crying. Bonnie's eyes shone bright as the fifth element flushed her magic, coalescing into falling motes of glittering, pure White Magic. They dusted over Imran's healing body and the group surrounding Imran as they held their breath. The four of them continued to chant and Fahada was the first to push them all aside when he sucked in a sharp breath. She fell on top of him and began to cry all over again. His eyes stayed closed as his arms reached up to wrap around his sister as he smiled. She lifted him up and gripped him fiercely as they hugged and then she pulled away, smiling at Amelia who did exactly the same thing and launched herself into Imran's arms. Damon couldn't help but smile. Bonnie was staring at her cousin, who she would honestly rather call her sister.

"If you die on me ever again I'll kill you myself." Bonnie said. Lucy laughed and pulled her into a hug.

"I love you too," Lucy breathed as she held Bonnie tightly; pulling away with a watery smile, "Thank you."

"Thank you for being here." Bonnie said seriously, "I know you don't like the idea of being in one place for too long." Lucy sighed but her smile didn't waver. True Bennett's never wavered.

"I was running just like every other witch with sense in them," Lucy teased, "But I'm done. Wherever you go I go. You have my word." Bonnie beamed and pulled her into another hug. Damon and Stefan walked to one another with poorly disguised grins on their faces. Damon rolled his eyes and pulled Stefan into a hug. Stefan smiled as he returned it. When they pulled away Damon's sincere face moved to an expression of mischief and Stefan groaned.

"I still think you should broaden your horizons," Damon said, "Fahada has as much if not more emotional baggage as you do and you complement each other. But I won't push it," Damon said with hands out, "You're a big boy and I don't want to be the guy who's in a relationship and happy so tries to match everyone else up. I'll leave all that to Caroline. She'll start to bug you about it soon enough…"

"You know," Enzo said to Caroline as they stood side by side watching everyone revel in the relief of their survival. They were all battered and bloodied: but alive, "I never had this, not even as a human. It's nice." Caroline nodded as a sneaky tear slipped through when she smiled.

"It's family," she said, her eyes on Bonnie and Lucy as they hugged and smiled, "It makes it all worth it."

"Almost all of it." Enzo corrected her. When she turned to him to question what he meant he bit the bullet and kissed her. A soft press of his mouth to hers and then he pulled away just as quickly. "…Now it's worth it." He murmured before stepping out of her space and walking to check on Lucy. Caroline touched her hand to her lips and sighed before she sucked in a breath and flashed to collapse on top of Bonnie and squeal like a madwoman.

Jeremy wanted to feel relieved but he couldn't shake the feeling of sadness swimming around his heart. He watched Damon and Bonnie, interacting with everyone, their eyes always flitting back to one another every other moment, connecting, then smiling like idiots. He wanted to be happy for Bonnie, he really did but being happy for her meant that he'd have to move on and he didn't know who he was outside of mourning her. Alaric had been right; he had let his misery define him and now he couldn't shake it off. He jerked in surprise when Fahada came and stood next to him. After a few moments she looked up at him.

"I know how you feel, in a way," she said without preamble, "And I'd tell you it gets better but that all depends on you so there's never really a guarantee is there?" she sighed. "But you shouldn't give up hope. You're young, you have plenty more to regret where that came from." She patted him on the arm and wandered off, leaving him pensive in her wake. Fahada walked over slowly to where Kiera's body lay and she dropped to her knees beside her. She couldn't hear a pulse anymore so it was a corpse now but that didn't change Fahada seeing something else entirely as she stared down at the charred remains. Fahada's fingers combed through the hairs that remained, remembering how the sunlight used to hit the bright red colour of Kiera's hair at the height of summer. How she'd smile whenever Fahada made her laugh, surprised her or kissed her. Fahada's chest twisted. She was grateful her brother was alive. That the demons were gone. That the Superior was gone. But she knew someone had to pay the price – someone always paid the price. And once more it had been Kiera and Fahada had managed to come out unscathed. Except now, Kiera wasn't bound by the laws of her Coven, she was bound by death. Fahada knew that Kiera had chosen to stay in the coven which meant that her delving into Expression was inevitable…and that despite it all her death was inevitable. But, when it came to the people you loved all you could hope for was an easy death and the promise of peace. Looking down at Kiera, Fahada knew there hadn't been either at play here. Kiera had been so good, so pure and now she was dead. Dead to the world and dead to their love. A love that had sealed her fate and her role in the Superior's obsession with power. Fahada let the tears fall but she didn't weep. No sound came from her, only her cold tears as they slid down her face.

She felt Stefan kneel beside her and then a sob did escape her. She didn't know what it was about him but he made her walls fallible, he made her more human somehow. She had less control of her feelings around him and she blamed his incessant sincerity and his bright eyes. He put an arm around her and she leaned into him and took a deep breath.

"She's dead." Fahada whispered and Stefan nodded. "I love her and she's dead."

"I'm sorry." Stefan replied. What else could he have said?

"I know." Fahada said, "I am too."

"So, how'd I do?"