A/N: ****This story is an AU/OOC. Let's pretend all this shit happened on the show…LOL!*****
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Oblivion Chapter 15: Terminus
"Morning." Damon rolled over in bed, his hair all over his head, wearing a pleasing grin on his face.
Bonnie turned around to look at him, delightfully moaning. "It is a wonderful morning." She reached over and kissed him on the lips.
"Today sucks ass," he announced dully, tiredly lowering his eyelids.
"Hey!" Bonnie whacked him over the head with her pillow. Damon sexily chuckled.
"I don't mean you beautiful. We are leaving out today for the stones. Tupac is hell bent on putting those vampires' into population."
Bonnie poked out her lip, pouting. "I was hoping we could spend the day together."
"I know, there's nothing I'd rather do then to spend all day in bed with you, just hanging around the house, doing absolutely nothing at all, then to go on this trip."
"Well, it's barely light. Let's go down to the creek," she suggested.
Damon's eyes expended as wide as headlights with thought. "No, let's go to the bathhouse. All the couples go there. We are a couple now, right?" he winked.
"I don't know. Are we?" Bonnie joked.
"Why you little." Damon bowled over on top of her, tickling her. Bonnie squealed and happily shouted for him to stop.
"Am I hurting the baby?" he inquired with concern, rubbing her naked belly.
"You're not hurting the baby." She gave a giggle as she combed her fingers through his hair.
"I can't believe we're having a baby," he said dreamily.
"I know. I'm still in shock. What do you think your brother will say once he finds out?"
"He is going to be ecstatic. My brother desires to have a normal life. I can't wait to take a boatload of that green shit back home to him." He waggled his brow.
"Do you think he and Elena will get back together?" she asked.
"Why would she? She's in love with me," he said confidently, with a disdained wrinkle of his brow.
Bonnie thinned her eyes, suspicious by his belief. "Well, it did take a sire bond for her to see that she had feelings for you, Damon," she reminded gently.
"No, she had deep feelings for me, which is why she was sired," he corrected rudely.
"Okay, but your brother was madly in love with her. Caroline told me that he would take her back… in a heartbeat. I kind of hope they get back together." She gave a half shrug.
"Why are you so concerned about my brother's happiness?" he said perturbed.
Bonnie scowled at him but remained quiet.
"Here, give me a kiss," he said sweetly as he reached up to peck her lips. Bonnie halfheartedly responded to his affections.
"Come on. You ready for round two?" he dawdled kisses down her slender neck.
"I kind of want to talk about some things that are bothering me. One of those things being when we return home. I'm not sure that I'll get the proper prenatal care here in Gardenia, here on this planet."
"You want to go home?" Damon said, a brow pointing with deep interest.
"Yeah, I do."
"I wanted to go home at first, too, but now I'm not so sure that it's safe for you to try and open a portal to send us back home Bonnie," he advised austerely.
"Yeah, I was thinking about that, too," she added.
"…and I think we should stay here for a while. You know, give everyone back home some time to heal before we return."
Bonnie gave a distrustful laugh. "…so, you rather they suffer, thinking that we are dead, then to return home and give them back their happiness?" Her face contorted with displeasure at his absurd views on the matter.
"No. No, that is not what I want. I want for you and the baby to be safe."
Bonnie's brow furrowed as if she had more questions than a true resolution to her inquiries. "Are you concerned about how Elena will feel about me having your child? You know she wants to start a family with you one day, right?"
"How should I know how she's going to feel Bonnie, and it shouldn't matter as long as we're happy. Right? Right?" Damon reddened with aggravation.
"Damon, why are you getting all upset? I think this is something we should discuss. I want us to prepare for the chaos that will soon be our life once we return. We are not simply lovers we are friends, too. I thought that I could talk to you about anything in my life," she expressed, disappointed.
Damon rolled his eyes and threw himself angrily back against the bed, gnashing his teeth over her question. "Why do you always have to bring her up? We just declared our love for each other. We should be here talking about baby names and planning our life together."
"I'm sorry Damon. I am not trying to ruin your day, but I grew up with Elena. I care for her and all my friends. I can't help how I feel," she said harshly and then climbed out of bed.
He sat up quickly in bed, "Are you seriously getting angry with me because I don't want to talk about Elena?"
"No, I'm getting angry with you because you're being so insensitive and your unwillingness to talk about the woman you, 'Claim' to not be in love with."
"Oh, my God, you're being so fucking ridiculous!" he yelled insensitively.
"…and you're being a selfish jerk who seems to think that fucking a woman is the only way you can express your love!" she insulted coldly and then stomped off to the washroom. The door closed with a thunderous whack behind her.
Damon yelled at the top of his lungs, his body going rigid as he flung himself back down to the mattress. "Bonnie wait!" He called to her, sitting swiftly back up in bed. He looked abstractly down at the floor, seeing Bonnie's nightgown and panties. He jerked out a chortle, grabbed his twitching loin, and fell back down to the bed, again, slapping his hands down on his face. "I'm a fucking dog," he uttered.
Bonnie came back in to the room, still pouting over their last words from moments ago. She grabbed her clothing from the day before and hurried into them.
"Bonnie, I'm sorry, okay?"
"Shut up." She huffed. She went to the kitchen and grabbed a pail to fetch water for her shower. Damon hurried into his underpants and hurried after her.
"Bonnie, look," he lulled. "I'm sorry, but I do not want to hear Elena's name. I do not care how she will feel about all of this. I care about you and what's going on with us."
"No, you don't, because if you didn't care about how she feels you wouldn't get angry every time I mention her name. Be a man and admit that you care, and then, maybe we can move on with our lives," she strongly protested and then stormed out of the house.
Damon stood frozen at the door, dumbfounded. He dragged himself to the kitchen table and plunked wearily down in to the dining room chair. "Why do relationships have to be so fucking hard?" He gave a long pause before lifting his head back to the heavens and yelled, "Fuck!"
He rushed to stand and then threw the chair across the room.
::::::
After rolling around and screwing each other's brains out, Tessa and Stefan lay in each other's arms, snuggling and feeling each other up.
"No," Tessa said, shooing away Stefan's attempts to feed from her with a jerk of her head as she lay pillowed against his muscular bicep.
"Please, I just need to fuck and feed from you. My life depends on it," he whispered playfully into her ear in a deep, sultry voice and giggled.
"You've had enough Stefan. You need to learn to control your lust for blood," she replied coolly. She stood up, stark naked, and walked to the embankment of the pond, her olive-skinned body slowly descending in to the beautiful, clear, electric blue water.
Stefan's peepers thinned to a spellbinding regard for the goddess as she enchantingly swam about the pond. He grinned mischievously before jumping in to the water to join her. He swam over to Tessa and took her up in his arms, planting kisses on her face and down her neck.
She grabbed ahold of his face and simply beheld him with her glassed over eyes.
"What the hell is wrong with you," was Stefan's reply to her serious gawking of him.
"Your face." She pushed his head down in to the water and held him there for a few seconds before swimming back to the bank and climbing out of the pond. She grabbed her clothes from off the ground and start dressing herself.
Stefan emerged from the water, laughing. "Bitches are fucking psycho," he mumbled.
"I heard that. Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" she grinned.
"Manners are for people who seek the approval of others and who want to be accepted into society. I have neither the inclination nor the patience for either, so fuck manners," he replied, sleeking his hair back on his head and shaking out the leaves and the dirt from his pajama bottoms.
"I think I liked you better when you were a love-sick puppy over the Amara look alike. You may have been a sad little creature then, but at least you were a proper gentleman," she affronted.
"Oh, and Silas the whoring psychotic was a perfect gentleman?" Stefan snorted at her irrational observation.
"Yes, he was," she simply answered.
"Well, excuse the fuck out of me," he replied.
Tessa finished dressing and gathered up the few things that she had removed from her nap sack and stored them away. She climbed on her horse to leave.
"Well, Silas look alike… thanks for the fuck, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either." She gave an insolent smirk and then tried trotting off.
Stefan vamped up. He raced over to her and snatched her down off the horse. He held her rigidly by the neck, his front to her back. "If you think you're leaving me out here, alone, no clothes, no pussy, no blood, well, you better think again," he said, his lips brushing against her ear.
Tessa's body evaporated into ether before his very eyes. Now she had him by the throat. Once again, she had to use her powers against him. Stefan wilted like a dying plant in her deathtrap; tears trickled from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks as the pain she administered was much too great for him to bear.
"I have no time for games doppelganger. You attacked me once; you come for me, again, and you'll join your look alike in the afterlife," she threatened with tightened lips and then pushed him to the ground with a shove of her hand. "...and besides, I'm really not looking forward to telling Bonnie that I killed her man's brother, so get your shit together."
"Damon's here?" he strained to say.
"Ah, there is a sliver of humanity in you." She grinned sexily as she observed the hopeless look in his green eyes. "Yes, your brother is here."
"Why didn't you tell me; you, stupid bitch?"
"Oh, quit whining. You would have found them eventually, and there's no way I'm going to serve up a town full of innocent people to a blood thirsty vampire," she censured. Tessa climbed back on her animal.
"Please, take me to my brother. You are a witch. You can contain me," he implored, on his knees, his eyes a gloomy, bloodshot mess. He waited for her to answer as Tessa sat high upon her horse, mulling over his words. "Please Qetsiyah. You can hide me in your wagon. No one has to know I'm with you."
"Stefan, I can't. I can't risk you hurting anyone."
Stefan walked up to her, his shoulders slumped, and his expression despicable. Tessa viewed him with a solicitous guise. She gave a conceding sigh and a strong roll of her eyes. "Come on."
He grinned before jumping inside the carriage. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before taking cover under the tarp, laying in the wagon.
"Something tells me I'm going to regret this," she garbled.
::::::
Bonnie marched angrily down to the well. She could barely fish the pail out of the watering hole, as she was so angry and hurt with Damon. Her lips shuddered; she tried fighting back her tears, but they kept on falling and she would hurriedly wipe them away. She struggled to carry the heavy bucket of water back home. The weight of her emotions and the container of water was unbearable, but she puffed out her chest and found the strength to carry the pail and all her pain as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Damon stepped outside. He was alarmed to see Bonnie fraught with the heavy bucket of water. He ran to her, trying to take the vessel. She switched it to the other hand, evading his help.
"Give me the damn bucket Bonnie!"
Soon they were at their doorstep and climbing the stairs to enter the house.
"Are you really going to be this angry with me over something so simple!" He shouted.
"Yes! Yes, I am!" She let the pail fall to the floor, wasting water that she had worked so hard to retrieve. "The whole thing with me tricking you was for me to finally put my insecurities away, and then you go and pull this shit!"
"Are you fucking kidding me? I drank the elixir. I gave you and my child up to prove to you how much I love you!" he flushed with anger, veins bulging in his temple.
"How is your love going to benefit me if I can't even talk to you about the shit that bothers me? You are more than my lover now Damon you are supposed to be my best friend, I thought, but if you cannot be both, then I don't want either!" She grabbed her water and hurried off to the bathroom.
Damon's feet cemented to the wooden floor, immobilized by her disputes. It took him several seconds to move after being lashed by her weapon of words. He walked to the door and knocked.
Bonnie was standing in the mirror, crying and rubbing her belly. She looked at the door through the reflection. "What do you want?"
"May I come inside?" he asked.
She stood silent for a couple of moments before answering. "Whatever," she said, looking at her watery, red eyes.
Damon walked inside, his head hung low. He sat down on the commode and clasped his hands over his lap.
"Bonnie, despite what you think of me, I am your friend."
"No, no you're not. The moment we made love our friendship ended. I can't do this Damon."
"Bonnie, no. Don't say that." He got up and cradled her in his arms with his hands resting on her belly, and his face nuzzled into her neck. She placed her hand on top of his and smiled sadly at him in the mirror. She closed her eyes and pressed his face hard against hers. "Damon," she called, taking his hands as she turned around to face him.
"I can't do this," her voice broke with overcoming emotion.
"Bonnie, we can work this out. I love you, and you love me, that's all we need," he implored avidly.
"No, we need more than love. We need trust. We need friendship. Love is not always enough," she reminded.
"We can make this work. I'll do better." He took her by the shoulders, his voice pouring with sentiment.
"I must do what's best for me and the baby. I can't keep arguing with you, it's stressing me out, and what I need now is a friend. I need someone who will understand and listen to me with an open heart when I unleash all the thoughts rolling around in my head. We are not yet there Damon. I'm going to move back to our old place. You stay here. We need some time apart."
"Bonnie don't do this. We just made up."
"Damon!" she exclaimed loudly. "Let me have my space, please."
He held her, regarding her with hurt in his eyes. He nodded. "No, you stay here. I want you to be comfortable."
"Thank you." she grinned.
"Do you want me to leave right this minute?" he asked dully.
"No, I want to see you off on your trip with Tupac. We can sort things out when you return."
"What about the baby?" he inquired.
She grabbed his hand and rested it against her tummy. "You'll only be up the road." She lightly tittered. "Your child is in good hands. Nothing is going to happen to her."
"How do you know it's not a boy?" He gave a sad smirk.
"Maybe it's both." She giggled.
"Bonnie, I don't want to lose you."
"I know. I'm so sorry Damon," her voice wavered. She hurried out of the bathroom, crying, leaving Damon alone.
::::::
Shing fitfully paced the floor in his chambers, a scowl on his face, waiting for Luna to reveal the outlander's whereabouts.
Luna strolled casually in to his chambers, not an urgent bone in her body. She, unlike Shing, was very patient.
Shing turned his gaze to her. He instantly lost his frown once seeing how beautiful Luna looked as she walked in to the room in her long, sheer, turquoise gown. He shook himself internally from his fleeting, lustful thoughts.
"Where the hell have you been? I've been asking for you for hours," he hissed.
"Calm yourself," she said coolly, in her sultry voice. Luna's creepy little smirk, quickly reappeared.
"I cannot tolerate this waiting. While I twiddle my thumbs this outlander grows stronger."
"She has not grown stronger. I've been watching her every move, waiting for the perfect moment for you to strike, and that time is now. Love has made her weak."
"Okay, where is she and what is this new information?"
"She's in Gardenia. Her name is Bonnie Bennett. She is traveling with a super human, named Damon. His blood has special healing qualities; his blood can make inferior humans, like the Bara, stronger and faster. You'd be wise not to take her or her companion for granted," she warned.
"I don't care about her special friend. They will fear me, and I will destroy them," he announced confidently.
"Of course, you will," she flattered.
"The mage says you have something for me?"
"Yes," Luna pulled out a pouch from her cleavage and handed it to Shing.
He took the small sack and looked at it, his gaze scrutinizing. "What is this?"
"A backup plan."
"I don't need a backup plan. You said the outlander was vulnerable. What are you hiding from me?" Shing dimmed his eyes at Luna.
"It would be wise to have a backup plan, my king."
They stared each other square in the eye, Luna's words sinking into his awareness. Shing broke their trance first and opened the pouch to find it contained a shiny, black powder.
"What do I do with this?"
"If things should go awry, simply blow the powder into the witch's face. It will incapacitate her long enough for you to destroy her," she said, bestowing him with a gloating grin.
:::::::
Damon wrestled with securing the saddle to his animal as he prepared it for his trip. He looked inside his bag, his face saddened at not seeing Bonnie's blood inside. He looked down at the path leading to the house that they once called Home.
"Hi," a soft, famine voice called from behind. He looked down at the tawny finger tapping him on his shoulder. He turned around as if the creature behind him would be the end of him.
Damon's lips furled into a beatific grin when he saw that it was Bonnie. "Hey… hey," he stuttered.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said delicately.
"You didn't sound like yourself. I didn't know who the hell felt tough enough to touch me." He gave a mirthless laugh.
She followed with a soft giggle of her own. "I want you to have this." She held out her hand, holding a backpack. He took the bag and looked inside.
"Your blood." He raced her a moon-eyed elated gaze.
"I can't have the father of my child, starving out in the wilderness, now can I?"
"No, we don't want that." He smirked.
"Bonnie, I don't want us to end. I really hope you reconsider, putting me out." He chuckled bashfully.
"Damon. Damon," her voice wavered as she stepped closer to him, taking him by the hands. "Don't think about that right now. Focus on the mission. Think of those baby names. I want to see a list of names when you return."
Damon swallowed deeply, finding himself unable to speak. He soon gained his composure. He held his head high and stared Bonnie deep in the eyes. "I love you Bonnie. Hold on to that."
"I know, and I love you, too. I'll be here, waiting for your return," she declared and then wrapped her arms around him. Damon closed his eyes and clutched her tightly to him. Bonnie tightened her embrace, not wanting to let him go. He did the same.
"Hey, Damon and Bonnie," Zinnia greeted.
Bonnie and Damon held onto each other a little longer, not caring that they were making Zinnia wait for their reply.
"Hey," Bonnie finally replied, wiping a tear from her cheek. Damon still did not speak. His focus was still on Bonnie as he stood there, his hand tightly interlocking hers.
"Oh, don't cry. Damon will return," Zinnia reassured before giving her a quick hug.
"Damon, will you please keep a look out for my husband. Make sure he comes back in one piece."
"I'll do what I can," he replied distractedly.
"Thank you. Have a nice journey, Damon," Zinnia said. She regarded them for a second more and then left.
They watched Zinnia as she walked away before looking back at each other.
Damon took Bonnie by surprise as he knelt in front of her pregnant belly.
"Damon," she said in warning.
"I just want to say goodbye to my baby Bonnie, that's all," he said sternly. He viewed her with a unyielding look, his jaw deeply clenching.
She nodded, giving him permission. He lifted her shirt. "Wait until I return. I want to see you be born. I mean it kid. You hear me?" he said, gently poking her stomach. She gave a playful eye roll and giggled.
He kissed her belly, giving it a long, lasting, pure kiss. Bonnie's expression became more serious as his lips lingered against her flesh. She swallowed, as passionate feelings moved through her. He got to his feet, regarded her tawny face, and then pecked her lips. She grabbed him by the neck and planted a hard and long moist kiss to his mouth.
"I love you, so much," she blurted and took off sobbing.
"I love you, too," Damon whispered to a fleeing Bonnie.
::::::
Stefan peered from underneath the canvas once hearing the hustle and bustle of people and city life.
"Gardenia," he read from the sign above the great, gated entry.
Tessa looked back down at her carriage, seeing Stefan peeping out from under the tarp. "If I can see you, they can see you," she snapped. He hurriedly concealed himself.
Tessa kept trotting along to the back entrance of the town. "We'll be there soon. The main part of the city is not so big," she advised. Stefan smiled at hearing the trotting of the horse along the dirt road. It took him back in time when he was a boy.
Stefan's thought dwindled as he squirmed about the carriage. He grabbed his gut as waves of dark, smoky veins waved across his face. His nose wiggled intensely about as a wonderful aroma surged into his senses. He licked his lips, feeling his sharp teeth protrude from his gums. "Oh, god," he moaned with pleasure as the scent of fresh blood filled the air. He clutched his abdomen ever so firmly, trying to massage the gnawing and twisting of his starving muscles.
"Hello, there! Are you okay?" Tessa brought the carriage to an abrupt stop to help a couple standing outside their home.
"Please! My husband has been hurt. I need help taking him to town. He needs a doctor," the woman said frantically.
Tessa looked back at her cart, a worried look in her eyes. She ran to the couple and knelt over the man, inspecting his injury. She ripped fabric from her cloak and tried desperately to cover the man's wound.
Stefan's eyes bulged. He raced from the wagon, forgetting all sense and reason as he raced to his prey.
He wrenched the man up into his sadistic clutch, and savagely bit into him. He growled and gave a gratifying and baleful chuckle before going back in to take every drop of the man's crimson life force.
The wife let out a bloodcurdling scream. Tessa fell to the ground, fossilized with astonishment as the horrifying and graphic killing of an innocent human being played out in front of her very eyes.
"Abena! Abena!" Zinnia screamed, running to the sound of her friend's desperate cry for help, Bonnie on her heels.
Abena could not speak. She could only scream as Stefan feasted on her mate.
Zinnia came to a full stop, petrified with shock. She helplessly watched until Stefan finished gruesomely feeding on and beheading her friend.
"Stefan!" Bonnie shouted in horror.
Stefan turned his gaze slowly around to her. "Bonnie! Hey!" He smiled through his blood-laced lips, his hands coolly, dropping the corpse to the ground. "Where is Damon?" He asked nonchalantly.
Zinnia soon came back to reality as she viewed the body of her slain friend. She charged Stefan, murder in her eyes as she grabbed him by the collar. She latched onto his flesh and ripped a plug out of his neck.
Stefan backhanded Zinnia, sending her airborne. Her body collided with the barrier of a home. She zoomed to her feet, hands balled into fist, her eyes deep set and red. She spit out Stefan's gore, still eye balling him.
He stumbled back on his feet, dazed by his injury. He scowled at Zinnia. "You are going to regret that, you ugly amazon looking bitch."
They went rushing each other. They rammed into each other like titans, punching, kicking, and ripping each other to shreds.
"Stefan," Tessa muffled, meditatively getting to her feet.
"Stop this; both of you!" Bonnie yelled.
Zinnia soon had the upper hand on Stefan. He was astounded by her brute force after she body slammed him to the ground. Zinnia straddled him and begin using his face as her own punching bag. Her licks hit him with lightning speed. She burst his nose and had him spitting out his own blood and a few teeth.
"Bonnie do something!" Tessa blasted irately, tugging crudely at the hair on top of her head.
Seeing Stefan subdued, Zinnia staggered over to a garden tool. She grunted as she raised the wooden apparatus over Stefan, preparing herself to impale him.
"Zinnia, don't!" Bonnie warned, a threatening look in her eyes.
Zinnia stared seriously back at Bonnie, holding the weapon in the air, contemplating, when Tessa struck her with a strenuous range of her magic. Zinnia quivered with torment. Her orbs rolled, revealing nothing but the white of her eyes as she sunk slowly to the ground against all her great efforts to fight through the horror being wielded against her.
"Qetsiyah!" Bonnie shouted, but her alerting call fell on deaf ears as Tessa continued her deadly assault against the woman, she called friend.
"Enough!" Bonnie held out her hand and Tessa fell lifelessly to the ground at the open and close of an eye. Bonnie looked around at her friends, seeing them all out cold. She sharply inhaled as her eyes watered with fear and anguish. Guards soon approached.
Bonnie looked abstractedly over at Abena, hearing the woman babbling about her husband being dead, as she strongly pointed her finger at the culprit, Stefan. Bonnie pressed a hand to her pregnant belly, weakened by the thought of what would happen next.
"Bonnie, did you see what happened?" The guard asked.
"I… I-," Bonnie stammered, not able to find the words.
"She did nothing! She tried to defend that monster! She and Tessa tried to defend him!" Abena wailed, spilling the beans.
"Bonnie, do you know this man?" the guard asked in a more stern tone.
"Yes, I know him, but I didn't see what happened. I arrived after. I arrived after, ok," she answered emotionally, and grimaced over at Abena.
"He's dead," one guard said of Stefan.
"He's a vampire, and Tessa's a witch! Burn them!" Abena shouted.
Bonnie simply surrendered. She lowered herself down on the steps of the woman's home, defeat in her eyes.
"Lock them up. Take Zinnia home. Bonnie, please come with me." The guard held out his hand, showing Bonnie the way.
::::::
Lucy managed to collect ten more spell books from friends and from acquaintances of friends, and still she could not find the right spell to help her bring Bonnie home or to even help her find out where on earth she had sent Stefan. If she at least knew where she sent Stefan, and her original note to Bonnie, she would at least have a starting place.
She went to the bar and poured herself another stiff one; drinking and smoking a little reefer seem to help calm her nerves these days.
"Oh, Bonnie, maybe I should let you go." She teared up with sadness. "I don't even know what it is to have a life anymore," she spoke softly, looking vaguely down at another memoir from some witch that she could not even pronounce their name. "If that bitch Elena don't stop coming over here, I'm going to vanquish her ass," she uttered with a roll of her eyes after hearing the doorbell ring.
Lucy walked to the door, bitching underneath her breath. Caroline, Enzo, and all the others did not ask her day in and out if she had found a spell to save the Salvatore's and Bonnie. They knew to wait until she contacted them about her findings, but Elena on the other hand, was insanely persistent, and Lucy now hated her.
Lucy yanked the front door open, ready to rip into the doppelganger. She was flabbergasted to see Klaus standing at the door.
"Klaus, hey. What are you doing here? How did you know that I was here?"
"Tyler told me after I called him for the one-hundredth time." He grinned.
Lucy gave him an inspecting once over, noticing one hand was behind his back and that a medium size box was sitting on the ground next to him. "What is that?"
"Witches' memories. Melissa told me that you had exhausted all your connections, so I called in some favors."
"Oh. Well, thank you! Come inside." She bestowed him with an obliged smirk.
"Oh, this is for you." He pulled a long, stem, yellow rose from behind his back.
"Oh, you didn't have to do this."
"Of course, I did," he replied, grabbing the box and bringing it inside the house.
He sat the box down on the coffee table, opened it, and pulled out a bottle of wine, Chinese takeout, and six journals. Lucy sat down on the couch, suspiciously surveying his gifts and then him.
"What the hell is all of this?" she questioned, frowning.
"I want to help you with your efforts in finding Bonnie and Stefan—and Damon, too. If that is what the others, want. Him I can take or leave." He went inaudible towards the latter.
Lucy sharply inhaled, rolling her eyes skyward. "I am not about the games Klaus. If you want Caroline, you need to tell her, but you don't need to try, paling up with me, pretending you care about Bonnie to try and win Caroline over," she advised maliciously.
Klaus grinned in amazement and then scowled after the realization of her words set into his awareness.
"Enjoy the six-hundred-dollar bottle of wine love. I can tell you are not use to nice things." He snatched his jacket up off the couch and walked to the front door with great purpose.
"Ugh! No, he didn't!" Lucy strutted to the door with heavy footsteps, a grimace on her face.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" she shouted down the steps.
"Niklaus, the one and only sweetheart!"
"I don't know why you came here. You show up, unannounced with wine, takeout, and a damn rose. Forgive me for being suspicious!"
"Excuse me for fucking remembering that I met you when you were trying to save an old friend's life. I was riding down the street; you crossed my fucking mind. You looked quit smashing that day. I kind of fancy you, and now you've gone and ruined everything by acting fucking daft!"
"Well—well, shit," Lucy stammered for words. "I didn't know," she sassed.
The air filled with an excruciating tenseness that had Lucy feeling mortified with her behavior and her hasty judgement.
"Are you hungry? I have Chinese takeout and a bottle of wine. The good stuff." She joked.
It took Klaus a while to get over his anger. He grinned and then let out a handsome little chuckle. "Ah, yeah?" he replied, playing along.
"Yes, would you like some of my wine?" she smiled.
"I can use a class of wine. This chick I know is driving me up the fucking wall."
"Come on." She waved him up.
Once inside, they sat down on the couch. Klaus sunk deep into the sofa, making himself comfortable, gaping his legs all-wide. Lucy folded her feet underneath her bottom; they looked shyly at each other.
Klaus cleared his throat. "You look very beautiful."
"I'm wearing sweat pants, an oversize sweatshirt, and my hair is in a messy ponytail," she refuted condescendingly.
"Do you always make everything in your life this difficult Lucy?" he bequeathed her with an adoring grin.
She slapped her forehead and laughed at herself. "I'm sorry."
"You look naturally beautiful to me, and I mean this. I'm not buttering you up to get something out of you. Even when I came by here to say my goodbye's to Stefan, you were breath taking in your frayed patch work jeans that you wore with this sexy-," he crooned. "…grey off the shoulder sweater." He gave her an alluring and reflective gleam of the eye.
She blushed. "Oh, my God. You remembered what I was wearing? The greatest love of my life couldn't even remember my favorite color."
"He was an ass." He attractively smirked.
"Yeah—he was," she answered dreamily.
Silence found its way between them.
"…so, uh… so uh, do you and Stefan have a thing that might resume when he returns? You kissed him that day when I was over."
"No." she dangled. "We were… how do you say—friends' with benefits."
Klaus nodded. "Mm, okay." he paused. "You don't think he'll be angry that you, Melissa, and Enzo have been staying here in their home since they've been away?"
"Away, Klaus?" she gave him incredulous look.
He snickered. "Well, I know they'll be back."
"…and how do you know?" she asked seriously.
"I have this gut feeling that they will. Bonnie Bennett is a marvelous young woman, and I know if anyone can find their way back home, she can."
"I hope you're right, but in the meantime, I want to continue to help her," Lucy added.
"…and as well you should."
"I can only imagine the shit that Stefan has gotten himself into. I don't imagine that he got his humanity back just because he traveled to another time."
"I suspect that wherever he turns up, he is probably completely alone. Maybe he found himself an abundant supply of blood," Klaus said. They laughed.
"God, I hope so, because if not, he's going to completely destroy someone's life."
"Don't think like that. I'm sure Stefan is staying out of trouble." Klaus grinned, giving her hand a comforting pat. "…so, let's break open this bottle of wine and start looking through these journals. Shall we?" Klaus grabbed the bottle of wine and hopped to his feet.
"Klaus," she called after him. "Thank you for thinking of me."
"It was my pleasure Lucy." He smiled and hurried off to the kitchen.
::::::
Bonnie looked worriedly down at Zinnia, brooding over Stefan's fate. She had to protect the one thing that Damon had left. She exhaled. She was in a tough position, and not with only Zinnia and the people of Gardenia, but with her own morality. Stefan killed an innocent man, and here she was wanting to protect him.
It occurred to Bonnie what a hypocrite she was when it came to her friends back in Mystic Falls. They had all done horrible things, and she had done horrible things trying to protect them. She got up from the chair and walked to the window. She hugged herself as she blankly gazed out at the beautiful day that didn't inspire her to happiness at all.
She deliberated over ways to save Stefan and to get Tessa out of trouble. One of her theories even included blackmailing the people of Gardenia. They needed her, she could use her power as a pawn to free her friends. She frowned up at her idea. She couldn't do that to the people who had given them a home away from home.
Zinnia moaned. She grabbed her forehead and slowly lifted herself away from the bed. "That son of bitch. Where is he?" she stewed.
"How are you feeling?" Bonnie inquired, ignoring her intimidating words.
"I feel well enough to get the bastard who killed Keme." She angrily climbed out of bed and start putting on her shoes.
"That bastard is Damon's brother, Zinnia," Bonnie stated cautiously.
Zinnia turned unhurriedly around, her eyes like saucers. "What did you say?"
"The man that killed your friend, Keme. He's Damon's brother."
Zinnia walked back to her bed. The weight of the world resting on her shoulders, dumbfounded.
"Zinnia," Bonnie called softly.
"I can't let what your friend did go unpunished, Bonnie, and Tessa? How could she." She paused, hurt in her eyes.
"I won't kill Damon's brother, but I can't make any promises on the town's behalf. We have laws," she responded. "My people will want justice for Keme's murder. They won't take his death lightly," she explained, her tone severe and cold.
"I understand, but what about Tessa? What do you think the people will do to her?"
"Her life will be spared, but some form of punishment will have to be administered. She abetted him in the murder of Keme."
"Zinnia I don't see it that way. She was trying to save Stefan's life. You were going to kill him. You were the judge, juror, and executioner all in one," Bonnie argued.
Zinnia yanked a troubled glimpse in her direction. "I was not playing judge and juror. I was defending my people. Abena was scared out of her mind. Did you not see what Damon's brother did to Keme? Are you actually trying to defend that monstrous bastard?"
"Yes, I am defending him. Not all vampires can control their hunger. Stefan lost his brother. He probably turned off his humanity to cope. This is precisely why I demanded that the vampires—your people created be locked up."
"…so, why isn't Stefan locked up? ...and why would he turn off his humanity and seek violence to help ease his suffering? He shouldn't be so weak!" Zinnia huffed, puffing out a vexing grunt.
"Stefan has been around a long time. He learned to control his blood lust."
"Oh, so that's why he attacked and killed Keme, because he can control his lust for blood?"
"He attacked Keme because he's on an unknown planet. He's probably starving, because God knows there is no life wandering around on this God forsaken place!" She rested.
"You've been a vampire for like two point five seconds and you act like you understand the ends and outs of what a vampire goes through. Try having a little compassion."
"It's apparent that we won't see eye to eye in regard to Stefan, but I think it's in Tessa's best interest that you take her powers, because if she goes on the attack, again, in Stefan's honor—she could end up dead." She wrinkled her face furiously, and crossly fold her arms.
Bonnie raced Zinnia a crossed eyed look and then stormed out of the house, leaving her door wide open.
Zinnia practically threw her body down in the chair and began crying into the palm of her hands.
::::::
Tupac and his men arrived at the mines after a full day's journey. Multiple guards protected the mines, but Tupac felt confident that they could take the enemy and secure the stones.
Damon crouched behind the bushes, waiting on Tupac's signal. His mind was not on the mission—it was back in Gardenia with Bonnie, and on Stefan. He missed his brother terribly, and now that he was having a baby, he longed for his brother even more.
A part of him wanted to go back to Mystic Falls, kidnap his brother, and bring him here, to New Earth. Damon wanted his child to know its uncle, and for Stefan to be a part of his child's life.
Though there were days when he believed that Bonnie was all he needed, he longed to share his happiness with his brother, too.
Stefan was always happy for him. Even when he took the most precious thing in the world from him, Stefan was still happy for him.
Damon frowned when he recalled all the hell, he put his brother through, and he hated it more that Stefan was caged in a safe while he rolled around in the hay with the love of Stefan's life all summer long.
He could not celebrate all his accomplishments and the good deeds that he had done on New Earth not when he had done so many horrible things back home. He felt punishment was more befitting for him.
He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight. He did not want to think about how horribly he treated his own brother anymore. He was angry that Bonnie even brought up his brother and Elena.
::::::
After successfully raiding one of Emerald City's mines, Tupac and the group started their journey back home. They stopped for the night and set up camp.
Damon set up his tint and kept his distance from the others. He preferred to be alone, and to suffer in silence. He blocked out the men loudly talking and laughing yards away from his tint as he whittled on a block of wood. He wanted to make something special for Bonnie and his child.
"Damon, come join us by the fire?" Tupac said, crawling in to his tint.
"No. You guys have fun," he replied dully.
"Uh, oh. Are you having woman troubles?" Tupac crouched down across from Damon, a jug of liquor in hand.
"What gave it away?" Damon's face was ornamented with a sad smirk.
"You wanting to be alone for starters, and secondly, you're trying to whittle a toy. Looks like it will be an ugly toy at that."
Damon chuckled gloomily. "I'm making a toy for Bonnie and the baby."
"Talk to me. There's no shame in expressing yourself," Tupac advised.
"Bonnie's angry with me because she feels I'm not being a good friend to her. She wants to go on and on about Elena, and I don't even want to hear Elena's name."
Tupac nodded. "What is she saying about Elena?"
"She wants to talk about how all of this will affect Elena, and because I don't want to talk about Elena, she thinks I still care for her," he nagged animatedly.
"Well, do you?"
"Do I what?" Damon frowned.
"Do you still care about Elena?"
Damon's face went blank and his eyes glassed over as he sat, reflecting over Tupac's question.
"I love Bonnie, but yes, I do still love Elena, and I don't want to see her hurt. I know she is going to be devastated once she sees that Bonnie and I are in love and having a child. I do not want to hurt her. Not to mention, I died, vowing that I love her, vowing that she was the only woman for me. When I return, she will think that we are still together. She will expect us to be together. She's back home now, thinking of killing herself over me," he expressed despairingly, his voice brittle with emotions.
"…so, you don't want to talk about her with Bonnie, because you're afraid that if Bonnie knows that you are still in love with Elena, you'll lose her."
Damon gave him a knowing look. "Bonnie wants to return home. She thinks it will be better for the baby." He rested. "I'm scared as hell to return home. What if after I see Elena, all the affections and fondness I felt for her, returns?"
"…but Damon, you said you love Bonnie."
"I do love Bonnie! I love them equally, but I choose Bonnie, because she is the one I want to spend forever with, but how can I remain loyal to her if someone else also has my heart? I am afraid I will mess up and lose the best thing in my life, and that person is Bonnie."
"Damon, I don't understand. You were so sure that she was the one months ago. Elena seemed like an afterthought to you," Tupac said disappointingly.
"She was at the time, but the longer we stay here, and the closer I get to Bonnie, the more I keep thinking about Elena and how all of this will affect her."
"I think you need closure with Elena. Once you know that she is okay, once you finally end things with her, you can fully commit to Bonnie. I have seen the look in your eyes when you talk about Bonnie, Damon. You love that woman, and right now when you talk about still loving Elena, it seems as if it pains you to feel that way about her," Tupac expressed overpoweringly, thrusting out his fist, his face intense, and his eyes thinned to slits.
Damon blew out his cheeks and relaxed his shoulders. "You have no idea. I was miserable with Elena in the end. When we first got together, everything was so perfect, but as time went on, I realized how much alike we are, and frankly, I do not like myself. I am a selfish bastard, but Elena is self-absorbed and disloyal. Being with her did not feel quite right. We were toxic and it was exhilarating. How disgusting." His face twisted with disdain.
"Things that are so wrong, seem to always feel so right," Tupac said, looking nebulously at the fire before turning up his jug of alcohol.
"Give me a swig of that," Damon said holding out his hand. Tupac passed the jug over to Damon, who took more than a swig.
"…so, what should I do?" Damon asked, wiping droplets of liquor from his mouth.
"You need to be there for Bonnie Damon. Whatever she wants to talk about, you need to listen."
"…but she will go ape shit if I reveal my true feelings about Elena. She made me drink a, 'Vanishing' potion for God sakes!" he spat. "She's so damn insecure."
"You can oblige her without going into depth about your true beliefs on the matter. Tell her that you know Elena will be hurt, but that you will make it somehow. Assure her Damon, it should not be too hard to reassure the woman you truly love."
Damon sat quietly, assessing Tupac's advice. "Yes, you are right. I appreciate you listening to me."
"Anytime, that's what friends are for." Tupac grinned, and Damon gave him a crooked curl of his lips, smirking.
"Now, give me that damn knife and wood and let me whittle your woman and child a proper toy," Tupac mocked, snatching the items away from Damon.
::::::
"Hey. Hey. Hey," Stefan called, an arm pushed between the bars, smacking Tessa on the cheek. "Hey! Wake the fuck up and get us out of here."
Tessa moaned groggily as she tried rousing herself awake. "Where the hell are, we?" She lethargically pulled herself away from the floor, to sit up, and investigate her surroundings. "They locked me up?" she questioned, astounded, tears forming in her disappointed eyes.
"Yes, we're in a shitty ass cell. Now, use your magic and get us the fuck out of here," Stefan bitched.
"I don't think that will be wise," Bonnie advised, stepping out from the shadows.
"Hey, look who it is, ole' Bon Bon! Who the hell knocked you up girl?" Stefan grinned. He got up and hurried to the cell door.
"Something tells me there is a ripper in our midst." Bonnie rolled her eyes and sternly fold her arms, ignoring the question posed to her.
"Yup. Now get us the hell out of here so I can see my brother," he said, pulling on the locked door.
"I can't let you go Stefan. You killed a man. Remember?"
"Quit with the self-righteous bullshit Bonnie and open the goddamn door. I want to see my brother," Stefan demanded nastily.
"Why, so you can kill someone else?"
"Your friends killing a motherfucker never stopped you from helping them before, so it shouldn't stop you from helping me—your friend, now." He scowled and yanked impatiently on the door of his cell.
"I'm not setting you free, and if you say one more word, I'll lay your ass out."
"Fuck you!" Stefan furiously shook the door with his powerful grasp, breaking and chipping away at the cement, fortifying the bars to the floor.
With a wave of Bonnie's hand, she sent Stefan flying away from the door. "Otum adnarvet esnavit atim," she spoke. Stefan vampire sped to the bars, hitting the invisible barrier. He bounced off the boundary and crashed in to the wall. He zoomed to his feet and started cursing Bonnie. Tessa laughed.
"Fuck you Bonnie! Nobody likes your sanctimonious ass. You bitch!"
"If I had some salt, I'd mute his ass. Ugh," Bonnie grunted, annoyed.
"Here, let me." Tessa removed some salt from the pouch hanging from her cape. She looked at a lit candle in the room with a focused gaze as she blindly sprinkled salt alongside Stefan's cell wall.
"Tessa, you better not mute me, so help me god, I will kill your beautiful ass."
Stefan was soon muted. Tessa and Bonnie looked over at him as he shouted and turned red in the face and threw shit about.
"Ah, silence is golden." Tessa let out a hearty laugh.
"Magic is the perfect mute button for assholes," Bonnie added, and they erupted into a larger than life cackle. They soon calmed as the situation at hand began to take a toll on their deportment.
"…so, does Zinnia hate me?" Tessa asked, a gloomy look, tinting her face.
"Let's just say, she's not too happy about the fact that you helped Stefan. She wants me to take your powers."
Tessa zoomed her a wide-eyed, horrified gape. "Bonnie, you can't do that to me."
"I won't Tessa, but you have to let me handle this."
"Bonnie, you stood there today while Stefan was being brutally beaten by Zinnia. I was not sure if you were going to let her kill Stefan or not. You cannot let them kill him," Tessa added imploringly.
"You didn't give me a chance to intervene! I'd never let anyone hurt Stefan, and since when did you start defending the doppelganger that shares the face of the bane of your existence?" Bonnie protested avidly and genuinely.
"I know, it's weird, but surely you must understand," Tessa gave a bashful chuckle.
"I guess." Bonnie looked pensively at her.
"Where's Damon?"
"He's on a mission with Tupac."
"Bonnie, let me escape with Stefan. I'll take him far away from here. When Damon returns, you know he'll want the same thing."
Bonnie fluttered her lashes mawkishly at her.
"Bonnie, surely you aren't going to allow these people to keep us here, locked up, and to stand one of their tribunals?"
"Tessa, we need to wait and see what they decide. The guard told me that Viho and the other council members are meeting in the morning. Trust me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or Stefan. You know that, right?"
"No, Bonnie. I don't know that. We have history, and it's not a good history. I made you the anchor."
"No, you saved my life. Yes, maybe there was another way, but at the time, you didn't know me, but you still helped me, so I'm going to help you now." Bonnie laid her hand on the bar.
Tessa looked affectionately down at her offering. She rested her hand on top of Bonnie's and smiled. "Bonnie, you are so kind. I wish I were more like you. You have a good heart. This is rare, it was rare in my time, and it is most certainly rare in your time."
"Thank you." Bonnie bequeathed her with a precious grin. An awkwardness ensued.
"…so," Bonnie dragged out. "How did you two, end up together? I cannot believe Stefan is here."
"I ran into him in the woods. He was starving, filthy, and I slept with him. Oh, god. I'm so embarrassed." Tessa rested her head up against the bars, her eyes closed. She was mortified.
"Oh, my God. You slept with Stefan?" Bonnie went slack jaw.
"Yes," Tessa grumbled, her face still hidden. "I could not resist that face, it's so adorable."
They looked back over at Stefan who was still bitching and angry.
:::::::
Zinnia walked hastily to Viho's chambers. Even though she was first lady over the town, Tupac left Viho in charge of security. Zinnia was a little worried about him being in control because he was a stubborn man and it was hard to communicate with him.
Before Zinnia knew that Stefan was Damon's brother, she was ready to rip out his heart and set him on fire, but now she wasn't so sure that killing the brother of the man that had helped saved their town and her life was such a bright idea, but every time she would reflect over the manner in which Stefan killed her friend, she became apoplectic.
In her godly opinion, there was no justification for what Stefan had done, but she needed to protect him because there was too much at stake.
She arrived at Viho's chambers. She drew in a long breathe, preparing herself to face the stubborn man. She entered his office. She watched as he busily shuffled through scrolls on his desk. She stood, looking at the man for several seconds before he noticed her.
"Oh, Zinnia. Hello," he greeted aloofly.
"Viho, how are you?"
"Not well. I've been receiving visitors all morning about this mysterious man who wandered into our town and murdered Keme," he explained frustratingly.
"That's exactly why I am here to see you. I know the outlander's name."
Viho snapped his gaze up to Zinnia. His brow puckered as he rose to his feet.
"You know this man?" he asked as he walked over to her, his eyes still narrowed in confusion.
"He's Damon Salvatore's brother."
Viho tilted his head back to the ceiling, shocked. He placed a hand on his hip and walked back to his desk to sit. Finding out that the outlander was Damon's brother knocked the wind out of him.
"This puts us in a very difficult position, but…" he trailed off. "We have to uphold the law. The other council members and I have decided to put him to death, tonight, and to imprison Tessa Bennett for the rest of her days in Château d'If. We will stake him and set him afire in the square, the people will witness."
Zinnia's mouth went ajar, and her eyes widened in horror. "You and the council made this decision? My husband is the head of the council. You cannot make a huge decision like this without him. I should have been at the meeting in his stead!" Zinnia's disproof became more passionate the more she fussed.
"Your husband put me in charge of security while he's away. Damon's brother and Tessa came into our town and killed one of our residents. I know Tupac; he'd never let this man get away with murdering one of our own in cold blood!" Viho refuted just as strongly.
"No! You do not know my husband. He would never do this to a friend. He'd give them a chance to tell their side of the story and then he'd choose a punishment befitting the crime after hearing all the facts and seeing all the evidence!"
"He decapitated Keme! You and his wife witnessed this! What more evidence do you need? A life for a life. That punishment fits this crime. A man shouldn't be murdered for working out in his yard!"
"Viho, you're right, but we need Damon and Bonnie, especially Bonnie. Her magic has saved us countless of times. They have done so many wonderful things for our town. We simply cannot lose them. If we kill Damon's brother, I'm certain they will leave us, or worse, they could take revenge. Please, wait for my husband to return," Zinnia pleaded.
"The execution stands. He must be punished, his wife, and this town demands that he be punished!"
"Do they know that the outlander is Damon's brother? I am sure if they knew that, they wouldn't be so quick to make that decision, not even Abena would want that if she knew the ramification of this judgment."
"I am done with this discussion, Zinnia," Viho said.
"I hope you sleep well tonight knowing that you have fucked us all," Zinnia said angrily before tramping out of his office.
"Zinnia!" Bonnie shouted.
Zinnia looked around to see Bonnie running towards her.
"Don't run, Bonnie. You're pregnant," she chided.
Bonnie stopped running and walked the rest of the way.
"Zinnia, hey. What did the council members decide?"
Zinnia lowered a remorsefully aspect in the opposite direction of Bonnie. She shifted nervously, not able to find the words as she parted and shut her mouth numerous times to speak, but her voice went mute.
"They decided to execute Stefan, tonight, in the town square, and they have sentenced Tessa to a life sentence in Château d'If."
Bonnie grabbed her heaving chest as she swayed on her feet.
"Bonnie, are you okay?"
Bonnie was crippled with trepidation, terror snuffed out her voice.
"Come Bonnie, let me take you home."
Bonnie jerked her gaze up at Zinnia. Her shock morphed into unadulterated anger. She snatched away from her friend's grasp and ran off in the direction of Gardenia's jailhouse.
"Tessa! Stefan! Tessa! Stefan!" she called frantically, ripping the hinges off the doors of the building with her powers.
"Bonnie! What's wrong!" Tessa inquired anxiously.
Bonnie flicked her wrist and the cell doors open.
"About fucking time," Stefan said, flashing out of his cell.
"Bonnie, what's wrong?" Tessa asked again, utterly bothered by the state of her friend.
"They're going to kill Stefan tonight in the square, and they've sentenced you to life in prison," Bonnie panted, freight and worry in her voice.
"Uh, yeah, that's not going to fucking happen," Stefan said coolly, resting his hands on his hips.
Tessa was in complete and utter shock.
They all remained like statues standing in the middle of the jailhouse as if Bonnie had never entered the building and announced horrible news.
"Hello! Let's get the fuck out of here!" Stefan spoke up.
"Good idea," said Tessa. They began heading for the exit when Stefan stopped abruptly in his tracks.
"Are they under attack?" Stefan whirled a staggering glance around to look at them as if they had the answers.
"Oh, my God. They are at war with a neighboring city. Maybe they are being attacked." Bonnie paused with a thought. "You two go. I have to stay and help these people."
"Bonnie, we aren't leaving you here alone," Tessa said with conviction.
"Speak for yourself," Stefan added.
"I could put you to sleep and let them kill your ass," Bonnie threatened.
"Who would you like for me to kill?" Stefan shot her a smug grin.
"Anyone who's not screaming for dear life dumbass," Bonnie smarted with a roll of her eyes and started for the door.
They took off for the heart of the town to see Shing and his colossal soldiers, slaughtering every Gardenian they could find. Gardenia guards feebly tried to defend the town, but they were useless against Shing's power and his enormous army.
Bonnie kept a careful eye on Shing as people frantically ran around her. The entire world stopped. No one else existed but her and this giant of a man, sitting on top of his horse, the massive sun blazing at his back.
Shing looked around the city for Bonnie Bennett, as he had seen her face though his mind meld with Luna. He spotted her. He looked at Bonnie threateningly as he slowly came down off his horse. He walked menacingly in her direction.
"He's the one from my dreams," she whispered. She was riveted by his giant footsteps as they quickly closed the gap between them. Her teeth began to chatter, and her hands quivered as fear cloaked her body like a second skin.
Shing threw up his hand, hitting Bonnie with a focused ray of his power.
She gasped in agony and fell to the ground as she clawed at her chest and her neck for air. She grabbed her belly as the muscles in her abdomen stretched, twisted, and burned. The horrific pain radiated from her body to her brain.
Bonnie lifted her trembling hand to her nose. She wiped away the warm liquid and looked down at the crimson fluid on her fingertips. She glowered at the sight of seeing her own blood. Black strains rippled over her body as dark magic manifested. She got to her feet, working through the tremendous pain searing through her.
Shing was bewildered at how strong the tiny woman in front of him was.
Bonnie threw out her hand, exerting her power against him.
He cried out. His legs buckled beneath him, and he dropped to his knees. He began to convulse and bleed from his orifices.
He became enraged at being bested by such a tiny and inferior being as he let out a deafening and rancorous yell. He tried deflecting her assault. His resistance was futile.
As Bonnie used her powers against Shing, Damon and her child came to mind.
Her powers began to turn on her.
Shing's eyes widened with pleasure at seeing her weaken.
He crawled weakly over to her and rose to his feet. He provided her with a gloating and sadistic smirk before backhanding her.
The blow sent Bonnie flying across the ground. The earth cut into her like a sharp knife, cutting into a tomato, ripping and tearing her skin apart. She hit a building. She wanted to burst into tears at feeling her skin on fire, from the slashes caused from her skate across rocks and dirt. Bonnie looked down at her pregnant belly. She immediately forgot the horrible pain she felt.
Shing ran over to her. He grabbed her by the collar and tossed her across the passageway. He held out his hand, and Bonnie's body went magically sliding across the ground back over to him.
While Bonnie was battling to the death with Shing, Tessa and Stefan had become the deathly duo of slaying.
Abena watched as Stefan took on her attacker. Stefan pressed the knife against the man's neck, partially breaking skin. Stefan looked deeply and ominously into Abena's eyes all the while. The man's legs bowed underneath him, and he dropped to the ground, still preventing the knife from entering him.
"Die," Stefan said through clenched teeth as he pushed the dagger slowly through the man's flesh. He grinned as the knife broke through skin and tissue, splicing through the man like a razor. "Yeah, that's it, you son of a bitch," Stefan gloated. He yanked the weapon from the man's flesh, licked the blade clean, and shoved the cadaver to the ground.
"Don't kill me," Abena's voice cracked with fear. Stefan walked gradually over to her, a smile still on his face, he held out his hand in offering to help her stand. Abena looked at his offering hand with doubt in her eyes.
"No, I don't trust you."
"Fine. Stay on the ground for all I care."
"Stefan, leave her alone. Let's go." Tessa turned around and started walking to the town's square.
Stefan remained, still looking at Abena. "I'm going to do for you, what I can't do for myself," he said, kneeling in front of her. He looked her square in the eye and dilated his pupils. Abena's eyes mirrored his. He start compelling her.
The woman looked out at nothing, dazed. "He killed Keme! I have to find Keme!" she shrieked, panicking.
"Keme's dead. Now get the fuck in the house," Stefan instructed and took off like vapor towards the town square.
"Is that smoke?" Tao asked, his eyes filled with horror as he looked in the direction of their home.
"Gardenia's on fire!" Cheyenne yelled.
Damon and the others were within reach of the city. They spiked and spanked their horses, provoking them to go faster than a trot.
The others soon took notice of Bonnie and her perilous situation. They rushed to her defense. Stefan jumped on Shing's back and tried to take a plug out of his neck. The wizard tossed him into a burning building with his powers.
Zinnia charged Shing. He stopped her dead in her tracks with a snap of his wrist, breaking her neck.
Shing looked back down at a bloody Bonnie. He picked her up by the neck, lifting her until her eyes met his.
"You think you can defeat me… girl?" he mocked in his baritone voice.
"Please," Bonnie said, spitting out her own blood as she feebly tried to peel his fingers away from her neck. She tried her hardest not to cry as she hard pressed her lips together.
"You are with child, so unfortunate that your child has to die with you." He raised his sword, readying it to plunge into Bonnie's heart.
"You are not the one to bring me down," she strained through tight lips.
Tessa telekinetically floated a razor-sharp spear through Shing's abdomen.
Shing dropped Bonnie to the ground and turned around to see Tessa, standing there, wearing a proud look. He sent his sword soaring through the air, impaling Tessa right in the chest.
"Tessa!" Stefan went racing to her side. He looked at the sword afraid to remove it from her body. "If I remove it, you'll bleed out," he said, vamping up. He pressed a hand hard to her profusely bleeding wound, feeling her warm, creamy blood, drenching his fingers as it gushed out of her.
"Give me your blood," she choked out, hugging his hand tightly to her injury. He ripped open his wrist and shoved his appendage into her mouth. Tessa sucked greedily on the warm, watery liquid of life as it ran down her throat like rivulets.
Bonnie struggled to get to her feet, her hair all over her head, her clothes torn as blood streamed from her nose, and over her lips.
"SHING!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her teeth laced with her own blood. "I will defeat you," she said, emotional.
Shing laughed. "Not in this lifetime," he answered as he pulled the pouch from out of his shirt. He hurriedly poured some of the black powder into his hand and blew it into Bonnie's face.
She screamed, and her body recoiled as the powder stung her eyes and blistered her skin.
Shing started using his powers against Bonnie, hopping to finish her off.
Damon came riding wildly in to town. His core trembled at the sight of the large man standing over a bloody and bruised Bonnie.
"Bonnie!"
He vampire sped off his horse, racing to her rescue only to be stopped by a flying spear that hit him with such velocity it lifted him up and flung him yards across the square.
He wriggled timidly about the ground and looked disbelievingly down at the spear lodged deep in his chest.
"Motherfucker," he said breathlessly, his eyes watered as the searing pain began to travel through his body.
"No. It is not real. It's not real," Bonnie whispered hauntingly.
Dark magic soon prevailed; Bonnie magically healed her wounds and went on the attack.
"Damon!" Stefan yelled.
Monkey Man came galloping up the pathway. He leaped onto Shing and bit off the side of his face. Bonnie teleported over to Shing. "You ripped out my heart. Let me return the favor," she angrily sobbed and then plucked his heart from his chest, ending him once and for all.
"No, it can't be," Shing uttered his last words through his mushroom eyed gape and fell dead.
"Monkey Man bring Damon to me." She fell to the ground, exhausted. "Go! Go! You stupid ape! Go!" Bonnie became hysterical and enraged with her animal friend.
"Damon," she muffled. She lifted her shaky hand into the air, spelling Damon's body over to her.
"Damon," she continued to cry as she scooted closer to him.
"Bonnie," Stefan whispered. "You and Tessa can save him. Stop crying. Do your witchy thing."
Tessa crawled over to them, her injuries almost completely healed. "Remove the blade, it didn't impale his heart. We can save him. Bonnie give him your blood."
Stefan took Bonnie by the hand in a blink and bit into her wrist as she lay there, still sobbing and weakened by the battle and grief. He pushed her blood covered wrist to Damon's mouth. Blood flowed into him. A few moments had passed when Bonnie felt Damon suckling on her wrist. She was tickled with amazement. "He's alive!" she said elatedly.
Stefan slapped Damon across the face, hard. "Wake up dickwad!"
Damon's eyelids lifted. His mesmerizing, blue eyes beamed at the sight of Bonnie kneeling over him. He took a little more of her blood, sweetly kissed her wrist, and then pulled away from her. He closed and opened his eyes, adjusting his vision. Stefan slowly tilted his head into Damon's view.
Damon widened his eyes in amazement and lifted his head to get a better view of his brother. "Stefan," he gasped. "How am I seeing you right now? Are you real?" he asked dazedly.
"It's me, Damon. It's me," Stefan shook his head, grinning.
"I missed you so much," Damon, declared.
"Of course, you did!" Stefan said arrogantly. They all laughed.
Damon practically jumped out of his skin when he saw Tessa. "Okay, I don't even want to know how and where the hell you came from Miss., Crazy pants came from, but stay the hell away from me!" "Whatever," Tessa grumbled with a strong roll of her eyes.
Bonnie caressed Damon's face, putting his focus back on her. "It's okay Damon. She's with us. Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm much better now. What about you? What about the baby?" he asked fearfully as he placed his hand on her baby bump.
"I think we're going to be okay," Bonnie sniveled and bestowed him with a loving grin. She leaned into him. He closed his eyes as he buried his lips into her hair, kissing her head.
"You're pregnant with my brother's baby? How? You know what, tell me later. I'm too exhausted to hear about this shit right now." Stefan coolly blew them off.
"Stefan, we should probably go," Tessa said.
"No, wait. You just got here Stefan!" Damon protested.
"Damon, I killed a man, and their council wants my head. I can't stay here bro, but I'll be in touch, lover boy."
"Stefan, we have to go now!" Tessa demanded, alarmed as guards jogged over to them. They looked up to see Viho, Tupac, and Zinnia, accompanying their patrol.
"See you soon brother." Stefan threw Tessa over his shoulder and they vanished.
"STOP THEM!" Viho bellowed.
Tupac did not look happy as they came traipsing up to the pair.
"Damon, Bonnie," Tupac greeted before getting to the point. "We have to take your brother into custody."
"Well, I can't let you do that," Damon said his body now erect. "Dozens of people are laying dead in your town, killed by the hand of your enemy, and you are focused on my brother," he stated angrily.
"…and I agree, Damon, but the council is pushing me on the matter. I have no choice," Tupac answered, annoyed.
"Okay, you take my brother into custody, and then what?"
"He's been sentenced to death," Viho answered guiltily and lowered his head in shame.
"What? You cannot sentence a person to death without some kind of trial. What the hell kind of judicial system are you people running here?" Damon barked, jumping to his feet.
"No one is dying tonight, but we will need to retain your brother until we come to some resolution, so please go after him and ask him to return. It will bold well in his favor if he turns himself in willingly."
"What the hell do you mean we have to come to a resolution?" Aakesh asked angrily. "We have made a decision and that decision is final."
"I'm not telling my brother a damn thing." Damon took a defensive stance as he grind his jawbone severely.
"My son has been imprisoned in the town hall for a little over two months and has not been able to adequately provide for his family because you said that he could possibly be a threat to this community. Now this outlander arrives, kills one of our people, and you want to retain him in a cell that he is clearly able to escape any time he wants. Since when did you become such a hypocrite, Tupac?" Aakesh added.
"Bonnie and Damon have saved our lives and this town numerous times. Your son allegedly, sexually assaulted someone!" Tupac spat indignantly.
"Fine." Askesh grunted and he and the other council members walked away.
Tupac waited for them to leave before conversing with Bonnie and Damon further. "Damon, Bonnie, I know you all are not happy with the council's decision, but you have to bring your brother in if you want me to help clear his name."
"I got a better idea. Me and my family will pack up our shit and return home to Mystic Falls tonight, so you can consider us banished." Damon took Bonnie by the arm and turned to leave.
"Damon, don't be hasty!" Tupac yelled after them.
"Damon, we can't do this to these people," Bonnie whispered.
"Sure we can," was Damon's final word on the matter.
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