A/N: Here is where we start alternating POV's.


Shades of Green

-Eden

Snoring off a hangover, Kai hadn't even realized he'd been asleep. Not until the sound of his phone's ringtone roused him from a groggy state of affairs. His arms lifted his upper body slowly, his dark hair strewn about his head in a completely unflattering fashion. Clad in just his boxers, he gazed over his form lazily as he tried to grapple how he'd gotten into that state in the first place.

At least Kai was in his own bed.

The phone had stopped ringing. He was beginning to think it had all been a dream. Some whiskey-laced mirage of his own machination that he was more than happy to blissfully fall back into. And he would have done just that. Gladly, even.

The booming chorus of Ultra by KMFDM shook the hangover straight out of him. Kai snatched up the phone and answered, flipping onto his back as he draped his forearm over his eyes.

"Hello?" The hangover may have been gone, but the sleep was in full swing in his voice.

"Kai! Wake up!" It was Liv and she was giggling and shouting. Or was it shouting and giggling? And since when did his younger, Edgelord sister giggle? "Wakey wakey!"

He didn't know whether to laugh or get angry. Kai chose neutrality, managing a small snicker. "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

"Get your ass over here and take us home, Big Bro," she demanded. He could hear Luke snorting in the background.

Kai lifted his arm off his face so he could see what time it was. The digital red numbers said it was 2:45AM. Was that real? "The hell? What are you doing out this late?" He sat up on his elbows before settling his shoulders into the headboard. "Where the hell are you even at, Liv?"

There was a mild struggle with the phone and Lucas managed to wrestle it from his twin. At least that's what Kai could only assume from all the noise on the other end. Confirmation was given when he heard Luke laughing into the receiver.

"We're at The Falls. Back to School party."

He slowly wiped a hand over his face. "Okay."

"Been drinkin'."

"I can tell."

"So be a responsible adult and come pick up your drunk siblings. Unless you want us driving?"

Clearly he didn't. "You know underage drinking is illegal, right?"

Luke shushed Kai viciously through the receiver. "SHHH! What happens in The Falls stays in The Falls!"

"I'll keep that in mind," Kai mused, throwing the covers back and swinging his legs off the edge of the bed. "Along with all the other shit I have to remember about this sleepy little town."

"Don't you knock Mystic Falls! Mister I've-only-been-here-for-two-months-and-insist-on-being-a-hermit!"

He barked a laugh. "You shut-up. I'm settling at my own pace, you little punk." Kai grabbed up his jeans that were hanging on the back of his chair, practically hopping into them.

"Whatever." Kai could literally visualize his brother waving him off in dismissal. "Just hurry up. I can only keep Liv on her feet for so long before she decides to sleep out here."

"Are you both by yourselves?" he asked, propping the phone on his shoulder while slipping one of his arms through a sleeve of his hoodie.

Luke hummed. "Nah, our friend Bonnie's with us. She didn't like the idea of us being out here by ourselves so she stuck around."

Kai zipped up the hoodie's front, pausing as his brows furrowed. "So why didn't you just have her drive you back?"

"'Cause she's staying at our house tonight!" bellowed Liv, causing him to blink.

"I already called my Grams to come get me, Liv. I told you that."

His hand hovered over his keys on the dresser. That wasn't a familiar voice at all. But who was he kidding? Outside of his family, nobody's voices were really familiar. He was still "the new guy" around Mystic Falls. But this voice sounded pleasant, light but reprimanding. How long had she been suffering through his siblings' shenanigans?

Liv's low whine cut through his thoughts and he cleared his throat loudly, causing that same voice to make a soft noise in response.

"...am I on speaker?"

"Yes," Luke said lazily, "because I was tired of holding the phone to my face."

"Christ. Gimme fifteen minutes."

"Kay! We'll be drinking in the meantime!" Liv shouted back before dissolving into another fit of giggles.

"Liv, come on…" It was Bonnie's voice again. "You've had enough. You'll make yourself sick…"

Dear God. He sighed. "No more drinking. I'll be there soon."

Both of his siblings gave a unison response that sounded more like a garbled mess spitting out of a Furby than actual words. Why couldn't they have called Jo? He heard Bonnie sighing on the other line before the call ended.

As he headed out the door, Kai could only hope that Bonnie was able to keep his siblings in line until he got there.

Kai couldn't help the slack-jawed expression that painted over his face. His siblings were a giggling, drunken mess - hanging onto his body like little spider monkeys. Normally this would have been both annoying and adorable. But he was distracted by a pair of eyes. Completely distracted.

They were the brightest shade of green Kai had ever seen.

Thank God Bonnie was preoccupied fussing over Luke and Liv and not paying attention to him. Because he probably would have looked like a creep. He even felt creepy as his eyes roved over Bonnie's figure. Her soft, caramel skin seemed to give off a faint glow from the full moon hanging over them - beams of light streaming from the canopy of trees.

Clad in skinny jeans and a loose fitted top, the fabric hugged all of her curves nicely - accentuating her exotic look as her hair fell around her shoulders and back. The fullness of her curls framed her face and despite her fussiness over his siblings, Kai couldn't stop himself from smiling as she, too, smiled at some off-handed comment his brother was mumbling.

How in the world had he missed her in the two months he'd been there?

Kai managed to wrangle his siblings into the backseat of the car with Bonnie's help (there was no way he was dealing with either of them riding shotgun). They squealed and kicked up a fuss, causing both Bonnie and him to sigh in unison. Kai gave her a sidelong glance and she seemed to realize it as well. He then nervously rubbed his palms along the thighs of his jeans.

"Uh, thanks for sticking around."

She shook her head while brushing some of her hair behind her ear. "It's fine. They're in good hands now, right?"

He laughed, nodding. "Yeah, something like that." Kai paused as he met her gaze. They stood there silently for a while before he finally extended his hand out to her. "I'm Kai, by the way."

Bonnie took the offered hand, giving it a polite shake. Jesus, this was awkward. Who shook hands anymore? "Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins."

He let her hand go after a moment, the warmth she left behind lingering in his palm. "You gonna be alright by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My grandmother should be here any second." No sooner had she said it, a soft honking sound came just down the road where an Oldsmobile had just pulled up and parked. Bonnie smiled and, again, Kai smiled right along with her. "And there she is."

Bonnie waved back to the car before she turned back to Kai's car and tapped on the window of the backseat to get Liv and Luke's attention. They gave happy, drunken waves and she laughed before looking back at him. Kai didn't think he'd ever get tired of looking at her.

"Drive safe," she said, cutting into his thoughts and he nodded slowly.

"Yeah, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Bonnie turned and started heading toward the car, putting further distance between him. Kai could only watch with mild amazement. Seriously. How had he missed her in all this time? He needed to get out more.

Kai waited until the Oldsmobile pulled off and headed down the road before clambering into the driver's seat. He hadn't realized how quiet it was until his eyes lifted to the rearview mirror to see Liv and Luke passed out in the backseat. Shaking his head, Kai cranked up the car and started the drive back to the house. Hopefully he could sneak them back in before their dad got wind of how late they were out.

As the radio droned softly, Kai seemed to be on auto-pilot. He knew the route like the back of his hand despite only having been there for a couple of months. Barely aware of the soft snores from the back, Kai's thoughts returned to those shades of green that were Bonnie's eyes. Yeah, he most definitely wouldn't get bored with looking at them.

When his siblings were more sober, he'd have to do some needling. He wanted to know more about the girl named Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins.

Shaking his head, he took the exit that would get him to the house the fastest. For the first time since he'd gotten to Mystic Falls, he was actually okay with being away from the big city. Because in that sleepy little town was a mystery he was dying to solve.

The mystery of Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins.


First Brush

-NR

Bonnie wasn't really excited about attending this year's "Back to School" bash at the falls. Sure, they were going to be seniors, but they were still in high school, and Bonnie was desperately counting down the days until graduation.

It'll get better in college, it has to. The mantra ran through her head on a constant repeat.

"Bonnie, come on let's go! We have to get the perfect spot. We're finally seniors!" Caroline called out as she flew by, arms loaded down by "necessities".

"As if she hasn't had a spot picked out for the last year." Kat said dryly as she followed the blonde whirlwind out the door.

"Last year? Last year, try the last three years." Elena countered, following her twin out the door as she slipped on a pair of aviators that obscured half her face.

"You're all dreaming if you think she waited until high school to plan for this." Bonnie chimed in, face scrunched up in concentration.

"BONNIE!" It was a shriek that carried across the yard, and into the house, but Bonnie ignored her.

"She sounds pissed, maybe you should leave."

Bonnie didn't even bother to address the voice coming from her left. One more turn….

"YES!" Bonnie jumped up and did a quick victory dance. "In your face, Baby Gilbert! Better luck next time." She hurriedly grabbed her bag and cleared the front door just as Caroline leaned on the horn.

"I'm done. Jesus Care, calm down. The Falls will still be there when we arrive." She slid inside the back seat next to Kat who shot Bonnie a wide grin. "You know you just made his entire week, right?" Bonnie paused as she was putting on her seatbelt, 'What, how?"

"Oh come on, you know Jer has a major crush on you!" Kat laughed. "Why do you think he kept offering to mow your dad's and your grandmother's lawn all summer?"

"I thought he was doing it for the money!" Bonnie was aghast, and a little embarrassed. Her eyes narrowed, her grams probably knew it too, and used his crush for very cheap lawn care. She'd have to have words with her grams when she came to pick her up later tonight.

"No big surprise you didn't pick up on it, it's not like you have a lot of experience with guys lusting after you." Elena remarked off-handedly from the passenger seat. Bonnie was a bit taken back by the careless words. She knew she wasn't a Bulgarian goddess like Kat and Elena, or a beautiful blonde like Caroline and Rebekah, but she liked to think she stood out in her own merit.

"Wow, that was a bit bitchy, sister dear. Did you want to try that again? Because I think you want to try that again." Kat rubbed Bonnie's arm soothingly.

Bonnie couldn't see her, but she knew from experience that Elena was rolling her eyes, "I wasn't trying to be mean, she knows that. I just meant out of all of us, she's the least experienced, that's all. It's not like it isn't true."

"Yeah that's even worse. Quit while you're ahead." Caroline snapped. Bonnie inched down in her seat. "Guys, chill. I know it wasn't meant to be mean." She didn't want to be the cause of any kind of bad blood, especially while Caroline was behind the wheel.

"See! Thank you Bonnie, you always have my back." Elena turned and beamed at her before turning back to pick at Caroline's driving.

"You shouldn't let her off the hook so much, Bon Bon." Kat said, closely watching her face. "I don't know what's been up her ass lately, but she's taking it out on you for no reason."

Bonnie waved her off, "She's probably just stressed. I know things with Stefan has been weird, what with his brother coming back into town and all. She'll settle down soon."

Kat groaned, "Oh yeah, him." She put special emphasis on the last word. "He is such an asshole, I don't even know how he and Stefan are related."

"He can't be that bad." Bonnie tried to reason with her, but her friend was having none of it. "He's a douche, I'd steer clear if I were you." At that she went back to her phone, and Bonnie spent the rest of the drive listening to Caroline and Elena bicker.

When they arrived at the falls, there was already a good sized crowd. Bonnie shrugged and smile widely as Caroline sent a vicious side eye her way. She started unloading the car as an apology to the other girl.

"Oh, there's Stefan." Elena took off her cover-up, leaving her in short shorts and a bikini top that would be more suited to her twin. She shook her long straight hair and put an extra sway in her hips as she walked to meet her boyfriend. Bonnie looked over to see Stefan exit a baby blue Camaro, even from here she could tell he was agitated. Elena ran the last few steps and threw herself at him.

Elena kissed Stefan like she hadn't just seen him a day ago. Bonnie started to turn away when she noticed the driver of the car was unabashedly watching the two. She couldn't tell what the look on his face was, but he didn't look too thrilled to have a front row seat to their very public display of affection.

"Ugh, so not classy." Caroline wrinkled her nose, "Well, I'm not waiting for her to help us unload. She'd better not bitch about the location we chose." Bonnie turned away from the couple who were still wrapped around each other, "Lead on, Care bear."

With Caroline leading the way, the girls eventually found what Caroline had decided was a prime spot. They met up with Rebekah and Matt, and proceeded to set up shop. Bonnie realized she had forgotten her bag, so she walked back to the car to retrieve it. She was locking the vehicle again when she felt herself get picked up and swung around.

"You need to eat more, lil bitty. I can toss you around without breaking a sweat." She scoffed from her position over Masons shoulder, spotting Tyler right behind him. "I should hope so, we don't need any weak ass firemen!" She tapped his back twice, their signal to let her down. He set her on the ground and ruffled her hair. "Stop that! I've told you about messing with my hair Lockwood." She tried to sound stern, but secretly she like it when Mason rough housed with her, it kinda felt like she had an older brother.

She hadn't been that close to Mason growing up, he'd always just been Tyler's cute, older uncle. But a year or so ago, he'd had an accident on the job, and something in him had changed.

Bonnie guessed it was the near death experience that did it. Whatever it was, Tyler was happier with his uncle around a lot more, and he seemed to have adopted Bonnie as an honorary niece/little sister.

He broke out in laughter, but it soon died when he spotted Elena and Stefan still standing next to the mystery man in the Camaro. Or actually, Stefan standing next to it, while Elena was leaning over to speak to the driver. Stefan was scanning the area, and he raised his hand in a wave when he saw Bonnie standing next to the Lockwoods. He said something to Elena, and walked over to say hi.

"I swear I'm adopted." He greeted the group, sweeping Bonnie up in a hug. Both Lockwoods gave him a nod of hello.

"Going that well, huh?" Bonnie asked sympathetically.

Stefan shook his head, "I don't even know why he's here. I mean, I know why, he's gonna be working at the family firm, but I don't know why he insists on inserting himself into my life. I can only deal with his bullshit in small doses, but he's always in my face!" He finished his rant. "God, that felt good to get out."

Tyler nodded, "Yep, kinda skeevy to be hanging around a high school party. I mean, you'd have to be pret-ty desperate." He dodged Mason's swing. "You're lucky my ass drew the short straw this year, I could call The Mayor to pick you up."

"Low blow." Tyler switched gears when he saw Luke and Liv down by the water. "There's my girl, thanks for the ride, Uncle Mason!" He called as he took off. Bonnie was watching Tyler make his way towards his girlfriend when she heard Stefan groan. "Incoming."

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" The voice was unfamiliar to Bonnie. She turned to meet the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Matt had some very nice eyes, but even he had nothing on these. She saw Mason tense, and move closer to her side.

"Damon, why are you still here, you were supposed to just drop me off then leave." Stefan ignored his brother's question.

"Easy little brother, you forgot your phone. I was merely bringing it to you." Though he was addressing his brother, his eyes stayed on Bonnie.

Stefan frowned, "That's not my phone, and you know it. Bye now."

"Stefan, don't be rude!" Elena chastised, "He can stay if he wants."

"Nah, I'm not staying….unless someone asks me to." His gaze was still focused on Bonnie alone. She looked around, was he asking her to ask him to stay? Stefan looked extremely annoyed, verging on pissed off. Elena was looking back and forth between Damon and Bonnie with a frown on her face, while Mason...

Mason was standing stone still, drilling a hole in Damon's head. He'd also shifted his body to partially block Bonnie from Damon's roving eyes. Mason did not like this guy at all, and everyone could sense it. But none of that seemed to faze him. He took a step forward and offered his hand to Bonnie, "Damon Salvatore, older and better looking brother. And you are?"

"Oh that's just Bonnie." Elena jumped in to answer the question. Bonnie winced, she wasn't sure why, but that comment and dismissal of her existence hurt more than what she said in the car on the way over.

I'll show you 'just Bonnie' she thought to herself. She lifted her chin, threw her shoulders back, and flashed him a smile, "Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins." She said placing her hand in his. His hand engulfed hers and sent sparks shooting up her arm. "Pleasure to meet you." She threw in an extra bit of southern charm for his benefit. She may not be the most gorgeous girl around, but she knew how to lay it on when needed.

His thumb caressed the back of her hand, "Pleasure is all mine." He murmured. Bonnie felt her face heat up, is this what it felt like to be the center of someone's attention? His eyes stayed locked on hers, and she didn't dare blink unless this whole thing was a figment of her imagination.

"I'm Mason." His gruff voice broke her out of her trance. She withdrew her hand from his, taking notice of how he somehow seemed to caress her fingers as she pulled her hand back. Damon barely spared him a glance before returning his attention to Bonnie.

Mason tapped her back twice, and she turned to look his way, he gestured to where Tyler was standing at the base of one of the falls watching as Liv climbed. "Oh my god." She turned back to Damon, "Nice to meet you, hope to see you around." Grabbed Mason's hand and they both sprinted to the lakeside.


Turns out Tyler had no clue that his brash and outspoken girlfriend was terrified of heights. According to Luke, who had re-appeared to talk his sister down from where she was clinging to the rocks, Liv had been determined to jump so she had been pounding the shots to psych herself up. However once she started climbing, she made the mistake of looking down, and promptly lost her shit. Bonnie was glad Mason was still there, because he was the one who climbed up to get Liv, while Luke talked her through it. She vowed never to leave land again.

That was far from the only drama of the day. At last count three couples fought and broke up (well four, but they had made up by the end of the night, so Bonnie didn't count them) Mason took off shortly after his 'heroic' rescue of Liv. His initial reason for being there was not just to drop off his nephew, but also to make sure the bonfire that would be lit later on was safe.

The town had tried outright banning the back to school parties at the falls, but found that the kids would sneak off and have them anyway, so in a stroke of common sense, they'd agreed to just for one night let the kids have their fun. There would be extra cops on patrol around the falls, just in case people needed help and to catch anyone that thought they could get away with drinking and driving.

The fire department did their part by setting up the bonfire, and would stop in every now and then to make sure it was being tended to properly. The proposal was met with some grumbling by parents, of course, but in the years it had been in effect, there had been no drunk driving incidents, or fire mishaps.

They did almost had a catastrophe on their hands when the keg ran out, and it seemed as if nobody had thought to bring another. Rebekah saved the day on that one, she called one of her brothers (most likely Nik) and whined at him until he gave in and bought a few to tide them over.

Bonnie was getting a refill when she overheard a few people talking about some hot guy that just moved in one of the new apartments on 13th street.

"I heard he was living with someone?" One girl asked, swaying slightly.

"No, Bobby owns the truck rental place, and he told Bobby's cousin James that it was just his sister helping him move in, he's single." Bonnie recognized the voice as Tiki, gossip that she was, it didn't surprise her that she had all behind the scenes gossip. "Oh, but he also smokes. Danny delivered a pizza to him, and both he and his sister were outside smoking."

"Gross." Bonnie wasn't sure if it was the smoking comment or the copious amount of beer, but the first girl gagged. Bonnie got her drink and quickly moved on, sometimes she swore she was what her grams called an 'empath'. If she was anywhere near someone throwing up, she could count on herself doing the same, it was weird.

When night fell, the boys on the football team lit the bonfire with a victorious yell. 'It was pre-made for you jackasses, all you had to do was light the damn thing.' Bonnie thought. She was currently laying on an inflatable raft tied to a tree, gently bobbing up and down with the waves. She suddenly remembered the blue eyes of Stefan's brother.

No one had ever looked at her like that. No one. He had a gaze that would turn you inside out and fill you with warmth. She wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving ends of that look all the time. She'd seen it be given to all her friends at one time or the other, but nothing for her.

Nobody ever really looked at her, plain old Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins. She was the 'nice' one, the respectable one, the one who never rocked the boat. The girl who had been left behind by her mother and father, and lived off and on with her kooky grandmother who drank just a bit too much.

Didn't she deserve someone that would look at her like she was their world?

Didn't she deserve someone who wouldn't abandon her?

Didn't she deserve love?

Yes. The answer was a whisper on the wind. Bonnie decided she would at least try. She knew she was still a minor, and still in high school, but they could be friends, right? The rest of the night was spent looking out for her friends while mentally scheming of ways to cross paths with Stefan's enigmatic older brother.


The party was winding down, and honestly Bonnie had been ready to go hours ago. She'd already made plans for grams to pick her up, so she said her goodbyes to whoever was left and made her way to the clearing to wait for her grandmother.

She walked up just in time to hear Luke shush someone over the phone, "SHHH! What happens in the Falls stays in The Falls!" Bonnie laughed to herself, this should be good. Liv spotted her and bounced over excitedly, "You're staying at our place tonight right?" Bonnie shook her head, "No, I told you, I'm heading home with grams."

"Boo, you're no fun." Liv pouted. "I'll stay with you until your ride gets here, though." Bonnie bargained.

"Don't you knock Mystic Falls! Mister I've-only-been-here-for-two-months-and-insist-on-being-a-hermit!" She didn't think Luke was aware of how loud he was being. Luke evidently had had enough of holding the phone to his ear, so he put it on speaker and dropped down to sit next to the girls on the ground.

"Nah, our friend Bonnie is with us. She didn't like the idea of us being our here by ourselves, so she stuck around."

"So why didn't you just have her drive you back?"

"Who's he talking to?" Bonnie wondered. The voice was male, and he had the rough voice of someone who had just been woken up.

"It's just Kai." Liv said, half leaning over Bonnie to yell, "Cause she's staying at our house tonight!"

Bonnie sighed, this is why she never drank too much, "I already called my Grams to come get me, Liv. I told you that."

"But whyyyy." Liv whined.

"….am I on speaker?" The voice, Kai, came back.

"Yes, because I was tired of holding the phone to my face." Luke was reclined on his back blinking up at the night sky.

"Christ. Gimme fifteen minutes." Bonnie could hear him moving around what she assumed was his place, probably getting dressed in the dark.

"Kay, we'll be drinking in the meantime!" Liv attempted to get up, presumably to find another drink. Bonnie grabbed her, "Liv, come on. You've had enough, you'll make yourself sick."

"No more drinking. I'll be there soon."

"Kay, thanks, bye!" Both said in perfect unison. Bonnie gave a little sigh before she ended the call. Great, now all she had to do was keep them occupied till he got here.

She managed to get them talking about stars and constellations, which busied their minds until she heard a car approach. It was unfamiliar to Bonnie, but when Liv saw it, she popped up and announced it was her brother.

'Thank God!' She stood and got the siblings to their feet. They managed to maneuver the twins into the backseat, with Luke talking the whole time. Bonnie smiled as she tried to make out what he was saying, but he was probably speaking in his and Liv's strange twin speak that they sometimes lapsed into.

They both let out a sigh of relief when both were inside the car. Bonnie turned to look at their older sibling. He was tall, pretty blue/grey eyes, it was kinda dark so she really couldn't tell. Dark hair that was mussed by sleep, and Bonnie once again felt bad that he was woken up to come and fetch Luke and Liv.

"Um, thanks for sticking around." He didn't sound as gruff as he did over the phone, his voice was nice though.

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "It's fine. They're in good hands now, right?" He didn't seem like the type to rat them out to their father, but she wanted to make sure. He nodded, "Yeah, something like that." He held her gaze with his before holding out his hand, "I'm Kai, by the way." She shook his hand, and for the second time that day introduced herself "Bonnie Bennett-Hopkins."

His hands were nice, he had a good firm grip, but she was reminded of how her entire arm (and other parts of her) tingled when Damon shook her hand. That settles it, she thought to herself, I need to see if he was just flirting, or if he really wanted me to ask him to stay. She really hoped it wasn't just in her head. She liked the way Damon made her feel, special, like she was the only girl worth talking to.

"You gonna be alright by yourself?" Kai's voice broke into her thoughts.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. My grandmother should be here any second." Just then she heard the tell-tale honk of her grandmother's car. She smiled at Kai, who smile back, "And there she is." She noticed he had dimples as well. He was cute, she'd have to see if Caroline would be interested, or depending on his age, maybe even Jenna.

She waved to her grams before tapping on the window to rouse the two slumped inside, they both waved back drunkenly, and Bonnie couldn't hold back her laughter. She wished she had thought to record a little bit of them drunk off their asses. She turned back to see Kai already looking at her.

'Poor guy', she thought. 'He probably can't wait to get back home and go back to bed.'

"Drive safe." She backed away from his car.

"Yeah, goodnight."

"Goodnight." With that she turned and headed to her grams' car. She got settled in and waited for her grams to start the interrogation. Instead, she kept her focus on the car ahead of them. "Who is that?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's Luke and Liv's brother, Kai. Luke called him to give them a ride. I feel so bad for him, poor guy was obviously asleep when he called." Her grandmother nodded but didn't say anything else, just put the car in drive and headed home.


N.R

They arrived back at her grandmother's cottage, each woman lost in their own thoughts. Bonnie showered to get the smell of the lake and bonfire out of her hair, and went to the kitchen for some of her grandmother's special tea. Bonnie didn't know what was in it, but it was the best thing to have after a night of drinking to stave off a hangover.

She was standing by the sink when she thought to call and make sure the Parkers had made it home. Not that she was worried, but two people were a lot to handle on your own. She sent a text to Luke first.

-Make it home okay?

-gunna sleeppbed.

Okay, that was kind of in English. She sent Liv two texts, but got no answer. She decided to brave the insanity and actually call Liv.

"Hello?" Bonnie looked at her phone, that was not Liv's voice.

"Oh, I think I might have the wrong number?" She hadn't meant for it to come out as a question, but hearing a different voice than what she was expecting kind of threw her off.

"Bonnie?" Okay, this was weird, he knew her name? "Huh? Who is-?"

"It's Kai, Liv's brother?" And this is why Bonnie should not drink, who else would be answering Liv's phone?

"Oh, right! Hi. God, I was worried I'd called the wrong person by accident."

"Is something the matter?"

Bonnie nearly melted on the spot, he'd just met her and already he was inquiring about her well-being. That's it, she was calling Jenna tomorrow (or later today) and hooking them up. And then she'd introduce him to Mason, she'd have two adopted big brothers!

"Hmm? Oh, no! Nothing like that. I was just making sure you all got home alright. I texted Luke and he responded with a bunch of mashed keys, so I knew he was fine. I was more worried about Liv since she wasn't answering my messages."

She heard him chuckle, "She was probably too busy groaning about a migraine."

"Is she okay now?" Bonnie made a mental note to either find out what was in the tea, or get her grams to make a big batch of it to give to Liv, and Kai too, for being such an awesome sibling.

"Yeah, she's good. They both are." It sounded like he had plopped down on a couch, "So, how are you?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine. I didn't drink too much. It's not really my thing. But, thanks for asking."

"Does everyone in Mystic Falls party like that? Or is it just you guys?"

She saw her grandmother peek round the corner, point to the tea still in her cup, and mime drinking it. Bonnie huffed out a quiet laugh, "It can get a little wild sometimes, but it's not that bad. I think we're all excited since its senior year and everything."

"I can get that."

While there was a lull in the conversation, Bonnie took the opportunity to gulp down the last of the tea. She placed the cup in the sink, "Well anyway. I just wanted to make sure that you all were okay."

"Thanks, Bonnie. You're a good friend."

"Um, thanks, I think?" She laughed, the day and the tea making her sleepier by the second. "I should probably go thought."

"Yeah, it is kinda late." She wondered if it was too early to start referring to him as big brother. Mason hadn't minded at all. She trudged up the stairs, "Goodnight."

"Night."

Bonnie tossed her phone on the dresser, she'd worry about charging it tomorrow. She snuggled into bed and fell asleep thinking about sky blue eyes.


-Eden

Kai was no push over when it came to strength. He worked out regularly and liked to believe he could hold his own when it came to a real tussle (excluding his scrawny high school days; those didn't count). But wrestling with two very sleepy and very drunk teenagers was a completely different story. He was already mentally planning how to blackmail Jo into being the one who took care of the next drunk sibling.

Luke and Liv snorted loudly as they collapsed onto the floor while Kai shut the door and locked it behind him. They were crawling on all fours, shushing each other, before falling into another snorting-laugh fit. Kai bit back a groan as he reached down to haul them up by the scruff and was leading them to their respective bedrooms. Good thing their dad's hearing wasn't what it used to be or they would all be getting an earful right about now.

While Luke had been proactive in removing his clothes and climbing into bed to pass out immediately, Liv had been less accommodating. Kai had to cover her mouth to stop her mid-shout about having a migraine. It wasn't until he made her promise to get changed that he, in exchange, would get her water and a couple of aspirin.

Even though he hadn't been to the house as often as he should, Kai could navigate through that kitchen with his eyes closed. Their father was a man of routine and old habits. No matter what house, he knew that Joshua Parker would always put things in certain places. It was fucking clockwork.

Seriously, Kai could have been blind and still been able to find everything.

He was back in Liv's room in less than five minutes, holding out the aspirin and water for her as she sat up sleepily in the bed. Once she drained the glass and handed it back to him, Kai was tucking his little sister in as her blonde curls fanned out across the pillow.

He turned to leave the room when Liv's cell phone started going off. Kai quickly zipped back across the room to answer, not even looking at the display to see who it was. It was already after three in the morning so they needed to have a damn good excuse for trying to rouse any of his siblings.

"Hello?"

"Oh, uh...I think I might have the wrong number?"

Kai recognized the voice immediately. "Bonnie?"

"Huh? Who is-"

"It's Kai, Liv's brother?" He glanced over his shoulder just as Liv mumbled something about him being too loud and to go away.

"Oh, right! Hi. God, I was worried I'd called the wrong person by accident."

Kai quickly dipped out of his sister's room and started making his way into the living room where it was quieter. "Is something the matter?"

There was a small pause before he heard a noise from her end. "Hm? Oh, no! Nothing like that. I was just making sure that you all got home alright. I texted Luke earlier and he responded with a bunch of mashed keys so I knew he was fine. I was more worried about Liv since she wasn't answering my messages."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes as he sank into one of the reclining chairs. "She was probably too busy groaning about a migraine."

"Is she okay now?"

"Yeah, she's good. They both are." Kai paused, sinking into the chair a bit more while brushing his fingers through his hair. "So, how are you?" He hoped he didn't sound like an idiot. Kai cleared his throat for added measure.

"Me? Oh, I'm fine. I didn't drink that much. It's not really my thing. But, uh, thank you for asking."

"Does everyone in Mystic Falls party like that?" He grinned, unable to hide the smile in his voice. "Or is it just you guys?"

There was a soft laugh on the other line, as if she were trying to keep quiet. "It can get a little wild sometimes, but it's not that bad. I think we're all just excited since it's senior year and everything."

He hummed and nodded like an idiot because seriously, who could see him? "I can get that."

Because he did. High school hadn't been that different for him and Jo either. He remembered the summer house parties back in Portland, as well as the various beach parties that involved copious amounts of alcohol.

Not that they ever got away with being that drunk, though…

"Well anyway," Bonnie's voice cut into his thoughts. He sat up just a bit in the recliner. "I just wanted to make sure that you all were okay…"

"Thanks Bonnie," he said, leaning forward a bit. "You're a good friend."

"Um, thanks, I think?" She laughed and Kai already knew that he probably would never get tired of hearing that sound. "I should probably go though."

"Yeah, it is kinda late."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

When the call ended, Kai felt himself leaning forward so that he could rest his elbows on his knees - the phone cradled in between his palms. What was a nice girl like that doing hanging around his rowdy ass siblings? Well, it didn't matter. He'd definitely have to get the details from Luke and Liv later when he got the chance.

Opting to just crash on the couch, he settled under one of the goose downs and rested his palms behind his head. He replayed the whole encounter in his mind, recalling Bonnie's eyes and just her overall presence. Kai most likely had a stupid grin on his face but he didn't care.

Mystic Falls didn't seem so bad after all.