Bonnie zipped the red hooded sweatshirt that she had swiped from Tyler. She liked the way his scent wrapped around her like a comforting cocoon. The temperature had declined sharply after sunset. Surely, the rain Bonnie smelled in the air earlier would turn into snow overnight. It was seven o'clock but they were just putting the final touches on the ward to protect Mystic Falls. She had assumed that Lucy would do the heavy lifting since she was the more experienced witch. However, the older woman had insisted on teaching Bonnie how to create wards. Lucy had explained that wards were an essential means of protection for witches.

The Scooby Doo Gang plus Nadia had split up into two-person teams while Lucy stayed at the house with her daughter and Katherine. Each team had two natural cowhide bags filled with a variety of magical items. They were responsible for hiding each of the bags at predetermined spots all over Mystic Falls. Once all of the bags were in place, the protective ward would shield the entire town from travelers. Travelers outside the town limits would not be able to cross the border. Moreover, the ward would expose any passengers riding shotgun in human vessels. They would be able to identify any travelers possessing innocent townsfolk by their obsidian colored eyes.

Bonnie and Tyler held hands as they walked through the darkened forest. They had already stashed the first bag in the cemetery near Sheila's grave. The young couple was on their way to the waterfall in order to hide the second bag. They were both eager to finish the task because Nadia had demanded a meeting with everyone. As predicted, she did not take the news of her mother's capture well. However, her chat with Matt had been positive enough that she did not immediately decide to kill them all. He even got her to admit that Katherine deciding to possess Elena's body had been unwise. Nadia explained that she had offered her own body as a vessel but that Katherine had turned her down. Bonnie was surprised by Katherine's shocking maternal streak. She was hopeful that Nadia would be able to convince Katherine to accept the new vessel Stefan found.

The couple slowed to a stop as they reached the lake's shore. Bonnie used a keen eye to study all the surrounding trees. Her green eyes locked on a massive yew tree. The tree was not only tall but also had strong branches that stretched wide. They needed a hiding place that would not be disturbed by animals or inquisitive, but ultimately innocent, civilians. She motioned to the tree and said, "That one is perfect. The branches look sturdy enough for me to climb. Can you give me a boost, Ty?"

Tyler was not fond of Bonnie scaling trees. She had done the same thing at the cemetery without incident. However, the forest did not have the benefit of being lit by antique cast iron lamps. Bonnie could slip and fall if she could not see where to place her feet. He followed his mate over to the tree and scowled as he peered up through the branches. "How far up do you need to go?" he asked.

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed as she gauged the distance. "I don't know…ten feet might be okay. Why?"

"Maybe you should let me hang this bag," he suggested.

She lifted an eyebrow but smiled fondly at her boyfriend. Bonnie could feel his concern for her through the bond. She appreciated the way that Tyler worried about her but it wasn't necessary in this situation. Bonnie had been climbing these trees since she was a little girl. Furthermore, the green eyed witch knew how to be careful while doing it. She asked, "When is the last time you've climbed a tree?"

Tyler huffed and said, "I don't know…probably elementary school."

"You are more likely to fall out of the tree than I am. Besides, you would be a better spotter for me than I would be for you."

He smirked. "Are you asking me to catch you if you fall?"

Bonnie gave a playful roll of her eyes and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him. She draped her arms around Tyler's neck and nodded. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Never," he replied fervently. He kissed her softly and gently backed her up against the tree.

She giggled against his lips. Bonnie pulled back from the kiss and said, "Ty…"

The hybrid groaned and said, "I haven't been able to touch you all day."

She gave him an unimpressed look. "That's not true at all. We made out in the pantry like two hours ago. We almost got caught by Matt, too."

He huffed, "Fine. I haven't been able to touch you as much as I want."

Bonnie bit her lip and looked up at Tyler from underneath her long eyelashes. "I feel the same way actually. That is even more reason to stop dragging our feet. The sooner the ward is in place, the sooner everyone can go home. Then you can have me all to yourself."

"Really?" he asked with a doubtful look. He knew that Lucy and her daughter would be staying with Bonnie for a few days.

She nodded and said, "I can be quiet."

He chuckled darkly because Bonnie was quite vocal when they made love. Tyler enjoyed every second of it. "If you are able to be quiet then I am not doing something right."

Bonnie struggled to ignore the tingle that traveled down the length of her spine. She said, "Well, there is a soundproofing spell in my grams' grimoire that I have been meaning to test."

Tyler nuzzled her neck and growled quietly. "I am more than happy to help you. Of course it would only be for academic purposes."

"Of course," she replied teasingly. "Will you give me a boost now that we have procrastinated for several minutes?"

He forced his most put upon expression and took a step back. He clasped his two hands together to form a cradle. He complained, "If you insist."

Bonnie laughed softly as she removed the cowhide bag from her purse. She tucked the bag into the sweatshirt's pocket for safekeeping because she needed both her hands for climbing. Then Bonnie stepped onto Tyler's hands and he boosted her onto the tree's lowest branch.

Tyler stood beneath the tree and watched as Bonnie scaled the branches with ease. Her supernatural agility and speed were on full display. Despite being worried for her safety, Tyler was proud of his mate. Bonnie was taking to her new abilities like a duck to water. He was actually looking forward to shifting with her during the full moon.

She climbed about eight feet before she had to stop. It was harder for her to transition from one branch to the next because they were spaced farther apart at that height. Bonnie balanced on one branch and launched herself upwards. She grabbed the other branch that was a few feet above her head.

Tyler winced and called up, "Seriously, Bon?"

Bonnie looked over shoulder and chuckled. "Sorry. I don't need to go any higher. I promise."

He could tell from their bond that she definitely was not sorry. Bonnie seemed smug. He shook his head in exasperation.

She pulled herself onto the branch and found her balance. Then Bonnie took the cowhide bag from her pocket. She used twine to secure it to the tree branch. Once Bonnie felt confident that it would stay in place, she began her descent.

Tyler watched as Bonnie slowly made her way down to solid ground.

Bonnie hopped down when she was a few feet away from the ground. She smiled, "You were worried for nothing."

"You are a show off," he said with a smirk.

She grinned and took out her phone. She sent a message to their friends to let them know the bags were in place. She already had a message from Caroline to say that she and Stefan were already finished.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah I'll race you to the car?"

Tyler chuckled and said, "Okay but there should be stakes to this race."

"What kind of stakes?" she asked curiously.

"If I win, you have to go on a real date with me," he said.

Bonnie's eyes twinkled in amusement. She kissed him softly. "I think that I can agree to that."

He asked, "What do you want if you win?"

She bit her lip and suggested, "You could stay with me for another week…"

Tyler was pleasantly surprised by her request. He was obviously going to throw the race. "Okay. I'll even give you a ten second head start."

Bonnie leaned up and pecked his lips. "That's very gracious of you, Ty."

"Go," Tyler said with a smirk.

Bonnie sprinted away from Tyler. She was moving even faster than she had just yesterday afternoon. There was a noticeable difference now that Ayana's curse had been broken. Bonnie was nearing the street when a heartbeat in the distance captured her attention. She changed direction abruptly and used her sense of smell to track the animal. Bonnie was reminded of the scent that had caught her attention yesterday. Tyler had seemed certain that the unseen animal had been a deer.

She slowed down as she approached the animal's position. Bonnie didn't want to scare it away. She haltingly stepped into the small clearing. She smiled broadly upon seeing two whitetail deer drinking from a stream. It appeared to be a doe and her fawn.

The doe looked backward as if wary about Bonnie's presence. However, the fawn seemed completely uninterested in the new arrival.

Bonnie didn't move any closer but she said, "You don't need to be afraid of me. I promise that I won't eat you. I've always thought venison was a little gamey."

The doe stared at Bonnie unblinkingly.

"I guess that joke was in poor taste, huh?" Bonnie inched closer to get a better look at the deer and her little one. "You are gorgeous. I have thought about putting corn feeders in my backyard, but old man Jameson is a hunter."

The mother went back to drinking from the stream once she was certain that Bonnie didn't pose a threat.

Bonnie was thrilled that the deer hadn't run away from her. She had worried that the deer would perceive her as a predator now that the curse no longer suppressed her wolf side. However, it seemed that her connection to nature as a witch still had a larger presence.

Bonnie walked until she was only a few feet away from the deer. She sat down on the ground and just watched as they moved into the stream to frolic.

She had been there for about five minutes when she felt genuine fear through the bond she shared with Tyler. Bonnie quickly got to her feet and ran to find him. She had assumed that he would simply find her when he realized that she had not gone to the car. However, the sheer feeling of panic penetrating the bond indicated that something was very wrong.

Bonnie ran through the forest tracking Tyler by his scent. She found him with ease but her fear only increased. "Ty?" she asked cautiously.

Tyler's eyes were bright gold and his fingers hand transformed into claws. He growled, "Get behind me."

Bonnie obeyed without question. She whispered, "What's wrong?"

"You don't smell him?" he asked. His muscles were coiled as if he was ready to strike at the invisible threat.

She inhaled deeply and tried to pick up on whatever had triggered this reaction in her mate. It was faint but Bonnie smelled another wolf. "He must have been upwind so that I couldn't smell him from my position. Do you recognize the scent?"

"Yes, and it is bad news," he replied. Tyler swept Bonnie up into his arms and sped them out of the forest in the blink of an eye. He stopped only when they reached the car.

It took Bonnie a moment to regain her bearings once Tyler placed her on the ground. She wanted to know what was happening, but it could wait until they were out of harm's way.

A loud howl drew both teenagers' attention to the forest.

He said, "Go home. I will be there when I can."

Bonnie's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No. I'm not leaving you here, Ty."

"Bonnie," he growled. "I smelled Klaus."

She blanched at the mention of her mate's sire. "Are you positive it was him?"

"His is a scent that I won't soon forget."

"You are just going to confront him?" she asked incredulously.

Tyler rolled his eyes skyward because he didn't feel like having this argument with Bonnie. He grabbed her face and kissed her roughly. "Go home. I don't want him to know about you yet."

She immediately understood Tyler's concern. However, she still didn't feel good about leaving Tyler alone with Klaus. Bonnie removed a vial of the immobilization potion from her pocket and pressed it into his hand. "I don't know how long it will last on someone like him but…use it and then run if he's here for a fight."

"I will," he promised. Tyler unlocked his car for Bonnie and then handed her the keys.

Bonnie swallowed thickly as she climbed into the car. She started the car and said, "Don't let him kill you. I love you."

"I won't. I love you too, Bon," Tyler swore as he closed the door.

He stood there and watched his mate speed away from him. Afterwards, he swallowed thickly and headed back into the forest. He stopped a few feet in and closed his eyes. It took only a matter of seconds for Tyler to hone in on Klaus. He breezed through the darkened forest until he reached the top of the waterfall. He skidded to a stop on the rocky outcropping and then looked for his sire.

Klaus swaggered into view with a smug smile. "Hello, Tyler."

The hybrid tried to remain calm even though his instinct was to attack the obvious threat. He nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Klaus…"

He leaned against a tree and smirked. "I was wondering when you would realize that I was here…watching. I was beginning to feel disappointed in you, my boy. However, I suppose your preoccupation with the lovely Bennett witch can be excused. She smells delectable by the way."

Tyler growled at the mention of Bonnie. "Leave her out of this."

Klaus looked around for dramatic effect. "I did. I announced my presence to give you time to spirit the girl away. Certainly you didn't think I lingered downwind of you by accident."

His muscles were still tense as if he were ready to strike. However, he thought it was reasonable to assume that Klaus wasn't there for a fight. He begrudgingly said, "Thank you."

The blond hybrid lifted an eyebrow. Normally, Klaus would love to needle his progeny, but there were more pressing issues. "What do you know about the travelers?"

"That's why you're here?" Tyler asked suspiciously.

Klaus asked, "Why else would I be here?"

"Mayhem, chaos, death, revenge," Tyler listed off a few options in a sardonic voice.

"Perhaps another time," he replied with a grin.

Tyler relaxed incrementally. Finally, he replied, "They are trying to bring down the veil to the Other Side to free the travelers that have died. They also plan on destroying the Other Side along with all the witches that have passed over."

Klaus had been monitoring the traveler situation from afar for months. The band of magic practitioners had been on the periphery of his awareness for centuries. However, they usually steered clear of him for good reason. While Klaus had an affinity for witches, his disdain for travelers was the thing of legends. He had easily slaughtered thousands of travelers in his long life.

Klaus did not fear the travelers, but he had never been foolish enough to underestimate them. He knew a thing or two about nursing a grudge for centuries. In fact, he was in Mystic Falls to ensure that the travelers didn't inadvertently free the only man he had ever feared—Mikael.

He derisively asked, "Am I to assume that you and your friends are trying to stop them?"

Tyler resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Klaus' dismissal of their efforts. He said, "We have help from the witches on the Other Side. They have a plan to stop the travelers for good."

"How?" he asked curiously.

Klaus was prepared to slaughter every traveler in the continental United States. However, Elijah had warned against such an action because it would keep them from New Orleans for too long. They were barely holding onto their Crescent City kingdom. Moreover, Elijah did not like the idea of dragging a heavily pregnant Hayley all over the country. Klaus was not willing to let her out of his sight during her pregnancy. He could not allow one of his enemies to use his unborn child against him again. The brothers had brought Hayley to Mystic Falls. Rebekah was protecting her at the family's mansion in town right now.

He shrugged his shoulders. "There was a lot of magic talk that was over my head."

"Then perhaps you can set up a meeting between Miss Bennett and me," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Tyler tensed at the mention of Bonnie. He had absolutely no interest in allowing his mate in the same room with that maniac. However, he knew disobeying Klaus' order would go over like a lead balloon. Before he could answer, he heard someone barreling towards them.

Klaus glared daggers at their uninvited guest.

Damon slowed to a stop behind Tyler. He answered the younger man's puzzled expression, "Bonnie…"

Tyler nodded in understanding. He should have known that Bonnie would send some form of backup. "When would you like to meet with Bonnie?"

Klaus was pleasantly surprised. He had assumed that he would have to use compulsion to get Tyler to obey him. "Tomorrow morning. We can meet at my home since I can assume that Miss Bennett will not extend an invitation to her humble abode."

Damon snorted. "Not on your life."

The original hybrid glared at Damon. While he would love to rip the out the cocky bastard's heart, he might yet prove useful. One never knew when cannon fodder would become necessary.

Tyler shared Damon's sentiment but denying Klaus was short-sighted. He said, "We'll be there."

"Just the two of you," Klaus added for clarification.

The younger man answered before Damon could say something to infuriate Klaus, "Just the two of us but we need something from you."

Klaus laughed. "At what point did you think this was a negotiation?"

Tyler said, "You need us as much as we need you in this situation. I seriously doubt that you want your nutty parents crossing the veil to screw up the good thing you have going in New Orleans. If you were capable of stopping the travelers on your own, you wouldn't be standing here talking to me of all people."

He tensed at the mention of his parents. "What is it that you want?"

"Only information," Tyler answered honestly. "Your family was in New Orleans during the 1700's, right?"

"Briefly," he acknowledged. "We had a much longer stay in the 1800's. Why does that concern you?"

He asked, "Did know the Lescheres Family?"

Klaus didn't show his surprise at hearing the name that was a blast from his past. "I may have known them in passing. What is your interest in that family?"

"I've been doing some genealogy research on my family. I found out that I am related to the Lescheres. I thought you might be familiar with them since you were in New Orleans around that time. Apparently, they were sort of big time sugarcane importers."

The hybrid scoffed. "The Lescheres were rum makers. That is how they made their riches. I will tell you what I remember of that family but it is not much."

Tyler said, "Anything is better than what I have now."

Klaus eyed him for a moment. "What is it that you have now?"

"A journal of a relative that set off on a trip to Barbados," he explained vaguely.

Klaus could tell that Tyler was withholding something from him. He intended to find out why the boy was poking around his deceased wife's family. He supposed it was possible that Tyler could have been descended from the Lescheres Family but it was still an odd inquiry. "I am sure that we can arrange something beneficial to both parties."

"Then we have a deal."

Klaus tipped his head in acknowledgement before disappearing into the night.

Damon was practically seething with rage. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I think Klaus has information we need." He amended, "That Bonnie needs."

The vampire's anger cooled only slightly. "Let's go. I promised Witchy that I would get you back to her safely."

Tyler chuckled.

"What is so funny?" Damon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bon has you wrapped around her finger," Tyler said.

Damon's blue eyes bulged as he said, "There's still time for me to kill you and blame it on Klaus."