A/N: Sorry for the LONG delay! With the holidays and everything else I had too much going on to get a decent chapter written. This week I put it on my goals to get chapter 2 published!
THANK YOU to all of those who have reviewed this story! That means so much to me!
Please read and review and let me know your thoughts!
Chapter 2:
Jeremy crept up behind Bonnie and snaked one arm around her waist. She could feel the heat of his bare chest against her skin that wasn't covered by the spaghetti strap shirt she was wearing. Despite the soaring temperature outside, and the stuffiness of Grams' house, his hot body felt wonderful.
"You are not helping." Bonnie said in a sing song voice as she put a book in the box, pretending not to be affected by his advances. She smiled as she felt Jeremy tighten his arm around her waist. He refused to be ignored.
Jeremy said nothing. He preferred to let his actions speak for him. He moved the lose ponytail at the base of her head, and kissed her neck gently. Bonnie sighed in appreciation.
"That's really not helping." Bonnie said as she leaned back into his embrace, fighting to keep her resolve. She could smell his natural scent. It was strong and intoxicating. It took all of her strength not to toss him on the bed and ravish him right then and there.
Bonnie felt Jeremy smile against her neck and slowly make his way to her earlobe. His ginger kisses left a trial of delight across her skin. A sensual moan escaped her mouth as he seized her left earlobe with his pleasure inducing lips.
"But it does feel good." Bonnie admitted breathlessly.
"Then stop pretending to fight me." Jeremy whispered in her ear. He moved the box she was packing to the floor and laid across the bed. He held one hand out, inviting Bonnie to join him. "We both know how this is going to end."
"We can't." Bonnie said resolutely. "I promised my dad I'd have the rest and my personal stuff and Gram's personal stuff packed up and put away before Tim moves in here. That was two weeks ago and Tim moves in tomorrow. I have to get this project done."
"Just join me in bed first." Jeremy pleaded. "I'll help you pack up afterwards."
"Oh no! I am not falling for that again." Bonnie said shaking her head. "You said that yesterday and the day before that. Both days all we ended up doing was making love."
"I can't help it!" Jeremy said with a guilty smile on his face. "Now that I am working I don't get to see you as much as I want to. And when I do see you the last thing I want to do is pack boxes. I just want to be with you."
"I want to be with you too, but we have work to do first." Bonnie asserted.
"I think the best part of being with you is the conversations we have afterwards." Jeremy continued as if Bonnie hadn't spoken. "Don't you love our conversations?"
The conversations Jeremy referenced usually lasted hours. They were about any and everything. Neither person in the relationship could remember ever being so open and free. They told each other things they wouldn't dare tell anyone else.
Bonnie shared her fears about being the next millennial witch, of how she was afraid she couldn't live up to the expectations of the title. She also told him of how she was afraid to learn too much and become too powerful and become like Oliver.
Jeremy told Bonnie of his dreams for the future. His goal in life was to open up a custom auto shop in Mystic Falls. He wanted to design and modify cars. He told her he often wonders how his father, a tax accountant, would feel that his only son wants to be a grease monkey for the rest of his life.
The also bonded over the lonely both of them have felt for so long. After Grams died, Bonnie was the only witch she knew about. She felt lost and alone, trying to figure out who she was and what she could do all by herself.
Jeremy could easily relate. For a man so young, he'd lost so many loved one: his parents, Vicky and Anna. He felt assured that together, he and Bonnie could heal old wounds and start their love fresh and pure.
"You know I love our talks." Bonnie answered his question. "But we don't have to have sex to have those conversations."
"I know." Jeremy quickly agreed. "But you have to admit, the sex part is pretty amazing too."
"You do have a point there." Bonnie said with a giggle. "But lately you just can't seem to get enough!"
Jeremy smiled abashedly. It's your fault."
"My fault?" Bonnie said in disbelief.
"Uh-huh." Jeremy got on his knees in the bed and scooted closer to her. "If you weren't so damn beautiful," He leaned forward and kissed the right side of her neck. "And if you didn't smell so damn nice." He said before kissing the other side of her neck. "And if I didn't love you so damn much," he said before kissing her full on the mouth. After a few seconds he flopped back on the bed. "I'd be able to be around you and not go insane when I'm not touching you. So you see you're the problem, not me."
"Oh really?" Bonnie asked smiling.
"Really." Jeremy confirmed. "So why don't you stop fighting me and let me solve the problem?"
Bonnie grinned as she looked at him, pondering his invitation. 'He looks so damn good!' she thought to herself.
When he arrived at Gram's from straight from work Bonnie insisted that he shower first before helping her. Now, fresh from the shower, his skin beamed with natural glow. His wet hair was combed back showcasing his devastatingly handsome face. Bonnie drank in hairless, well defined chest. She loved his broad shoulders and muscled arms. Her eyes were drawn to his treasure trail of hair that disappeared into the towel he was wearing. She wanted to rip it off and behold Jeremy in all his naked glory.
"Come on." Jeremy encouraged her. He reached up and grabbed her hand and pulled her on top of himself. He flashed her a cocky smile. "I'll let you be on top this time."
"You just want me to do all of the work." Bonnie playfully said as his mouth captured hers.
Being with Jeremy was like being in heaven. No matter what else was going on in her life, she quickly learned that Jeremy could make her forget about everything else and just be happy to be alive. When they were physically connected, it was like two halves coming together to make whole that was so much greater then the individual parts.
Jeremy couldn't even begin to describe the way Bonnie made him feel. To him, Bonnie was the sun. She brought heat, passion and life with her presence. Without her, existence would be cold, bitter and lifeless.
Bonnie straddled Jeremy and sat up breaking their kiss. He ran his hands up and down her stomach underneath her shirt. She smiled as she began to pull it off over her head.
There was a noise, the sound of a throat clearing near the doorway.
Bonnie's head snapped around to see who it was while instinctively Jeremy brought his hands up to her back and flipped her around to be beneath him, placing himself between Bonnie and the door.
"Did I interrupt you two?" Tim asked calmly from the doorway.
"Ya think?" Jeremy said making sure his towel was secure around his waist.
"Tim? What are you doing here?" Bonnie asked pulling her shirt down and then vainly attempting to fix her hair.
"Interrupting you two in the middle of a little afternoon delight I see." Tim said jokingly.
"Is there something specific you needed?" Jeremy asked annoyed.
"Yeah, to talk to Bonnie." Tim said smirking.
"So talk." Jeremy ordered sitting on the bed next to Bonnie.
"Is your name Bonnie?" Tim asked.
"No, but mine is." Bonnie interrupted them. "What do you need, Tim?"
"This is witches business," Tim said dismissively. He turned to Jeremy. "Uh, why don't you go put some pants on lover boy? You're in nothing but a towel and I'm fearful you going to stand up and accidentally introduce me to your one-eyed lizard with the saggy chin."
Jeremy shook his head at Tim's bizarre behavior. He stood to leave the room. "If you wanted to talk privately with Bonnie, why didn't you just say so?"
"I thought I just did?" Tim question as he watched Jeremy leave. He turned to see Bonnie frowning at him.
"You were just pretty rude to Jeremy. That's not like you. What's up?"
"How do you expect me to act?" Tim asked. "I come in to see that guy with his hands all over my sister. What do you want me to do, bake him a cake?"
"Tim, don't carry this brother/sister thing too far." Bonnie admonished him. "I mean I'm practically an adult. They last thing I need is another over-protective male figure butting in. Besides, if my actually father is cool with Jeremy, don't you think you should be too?"
"Your dad doesn't know all that you are doing with him. I do." Tim insisted.
"Be that as it may, you don't get to treat Jeremy rudely because you don't like it that he and I have a physical relationship."
"Fine. You two can bump uglies until the cows come home. That's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Then please enlighten me."
"It's about this house." Tim began. He pulled out the chair at the desk and sat down. "This is a three bedroom house with one bed room being Grams', one bed room was yours and the other was Grams' office. Now, we determined that the office was the focal point of the Wiccan energy Shelia has flowing though this house. I really don't want to disturb that room."
"So what, you want to move in Grams' old room?" Bonnie asked. She was silent for a second. "I guess that's cool. I haven't packed it up yet, but I can get it done today."
"Actually no." Tim said shaking his head. "I want this room."
"My room?" Bonnie asked surprised. "Why?"
"Bonnie, although I am staying here, this is your house. It seems fitting to me that you should move into the Grams' old room. It is the master bedroom and you are the mistress of the manner."
"I guess." Bonnie said hesitantly. Although she spent a lot of time in the house, Grams' room wasn't a place she cared to go to often.
"Good." Tim said standing. "Come on. I'll help you move your stuff down there. "
"That's all you wanted?" Bonnie asked surprised.
"No." Tim said shaking his head. "Like you asked I've been researching a way to reverse the spell that turned Tyler into a werewolf."
"Did you find way to help him?" Bonnie asked with a voice full of hope.
"No, not yet." Tim said. "But I did find out some interesting info on something called the Moonstone. With it, you could do more than reverse the curse. You could free werewolves from being able to transform only on the full moon."
"Why would I want to do that?" Bonnie questioned.
"I don't know. I am just letting you know the power of the Moonstone." Tim replied.
"Is there nothing we can do without the moonstone?" Bonnie asked.
"Don't know." Tim admitted. "But I've still got time to research, right? We are not meeting with everyone until Sunday, right?"
"Right." Bonnie confirmed. "Jeremy didn't have to leave the room for this conversation. He knows that I want to look for Tyler to change him back."
"I know." Tim said shrugging. "But he was making me uncomfortable in just a towel." He shuddered.
"Then why didn't you just say that?" Bonnie asked slapping him playfully on the shoulder.
"I thought I did?" Tim said picking up the box from the floor. "Besides, should I really have to tell a dude to put some pants on when another dude enters the room?"
"Is this better?" Jeremy said entering the room with a white V neck tee shirt and jeans on."
"I liked you better the other way." Bonnie said playfully. She pecked him on the lips and instantly Jeremy knew something was up. He grabbed her arms gently before she could walk away.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked softly.
"Nothing's wrong, there's just been a change of plans." Bonnie answered.
"What changed?"
"Tim is going to move into this room and I am going to take Grams old room." Bonnie explained.
"It's a lot of memories in that room. Are you sure you're ready for that?" Jeremy asked.
"Yeah." Bonnie said slowly. "I think it's time." She grabbed an empty box that was flattened on the floor. She paused and looked at Jeremy. "Will you come with me?"
"You don't even have to ask." Jeremy said putting his arm around her waist as they walked out of the room together.
XOXOXOXOXO
Bonnie walked into the Mystic Grill famished. She spent the past two days helping packing up her personal belongings and helping Tim move what few person possessions he had into Grams house. After working on the house all day she was looking forward to meeting Jeremy here for dinner. She looked around the restaurant but didn't see him. She checked her watch, 6:51. She was early. She grabbed a booth by the bar and sent a text to Jeremy letting him know she was there.
"You've been avoiding me." Bonnie heard a voice say. She looked up to find Damon towering over her.
"Well hello to you too, Damon." Bonnie replied sarcastically.
Damon ignored the jab at his manners and slid into the booth across from her. "I haven't seen you in weeks."
Bonnie thought for a second, trying to remember the last time she seen Damon. It was room the night she woke up from her coma.
"Yeah, I guess it has been a long time." Bonnie confirmed.
"So why have you been avoiding me?" Damon asked. "I thought we had an understanding."
He used her words against him. When Damon mistakenly thought Bonnie was still in a coma, he bared his soul to her telling her every awful thing he'd done to worm his way into her life. She heard every word and when he thought she would banish him from her life, she hadn't. She only made a vague comment to Damon stating she understood who he was and left it at that.
"I haven't been avoiding you." Bonnie replied. "And we do have an understanding so I treat you accordingly."
"Treat me accordingly?" Damon echoed. "What does that mean?"
"That means you are someone who manipulated me and all my friends just to get what you want."
"And if I recall, you thanked me for that."
"I thanked you for saving my life. I forgave you for all of the terrible things you did leading up to that point. There's a difference." Bonnie clarified.
"Now you are just splitting hairs." Damon said folding his arms across his chest.
"Oh don't pout, you big baby." Bonnie ribbed him. "I'm curious, what kind of relationship did you think we would have after your accidental confession?"
"I didn't think we were going to have any relationship at all until you gave me that big speech about understanding me. What does that mean anyway?"
Before Bonnie could answer an attractive blond approached their table.
"Damon." The blond called out. "Sorry I'm late. We ran over on the photo shoot." She turned to acknowledge Bonnie. "Oh, who is your little friend?"
Bonnie arched and eyebrow at being referred to as Damon's little friend.
"Cara, this is Bonnie. Bonnie, Cara." Damon introduced the two. "She is a model in town filming a commercial for Lou's Automotive Shop."
"Nice to meet you, Cara." Bonnie said extending her hand. Cara took the tips of Bonnie's fingers into her hand and lightly shook it.
'Oh geeze, she is one of those girls…' Bonnie thought to herself. Cara is apparently the type of prissy girl who wouldn't or couldn't give a decent handshake and was needlessly catty to all of the females.
"Don't even say that name of that awful place to me!" Cara stated. "Every guy there kept looking at me like I was a piece a meat! You think they'd never seen a girl in a string bikini before."
"You had to wear a bikini?" Bonnie asked. "That must have been uncomfortable."
Cara shrugged. "Most of my shoots involve me in some sort of bathing suit or another. When you are in the biz you get used to it. I thought I was used to men drooling over me but those brutes at Lou's were the worse! When I went on break, one of the mechanics was standing right over me. I had to tell him he was blocking my sun to get him to move. It was awful!" Cara whined.
"Bonnie, doesn't Jeremy work at Lou's Auto Shop?" Damon asked with a knowing smile on his face.
"Shut up, Damon." Bonnie retorted. The vampire's smile just widened.
"Look Cara – I am catching up with my good friend Bonnie and I'll just be a few minutes longer. Why don't you get a drink and I'll come join you at the bar when I am done here?"
"Ok." Cara said, clearly not happy that Damon wasn't going with her right then and there. "But don't keep me waiting long." She turned to Bonnie. "See you later."
"Not if I lucky." Bonnie mumbled as the girl walked away.
"I heard that." Damon said with his patented smirk clear on his face.
"So." Bonnie said nonchalantly.
"So I think you're jealous." Damon teased her.
"Think again." Bonnie retorted.
"Then how do you explain your attitude?" Damon challenged her.
"Easy. Cara's an idiot and she rubbed me the wrong way. I pity you for having to spend time with her tonight."
"Friends don't say such mean things to each other." Damon teased. "But then again we aren't friends, are we? Weren't you getting ready to explain to me the nature of our relationship as you see it before string bikini Barbie interrupted us?"
Bonnie thought about how to explain her logic to Damon. She then reached out and grabbed his right hand.
"On one hand Damon, you're a liar, a manipulator and a murder." She took his left hand into her grasp as well. "On the other hand, you're a fierce protector of those you care about; you're a great listener and you're this amazing risk taker."
"You forgot handsome." Damon interrupted.
"Damon." Bonnie said with a slight tilt to her head and a small smile.
"I'm handsome." Damon insisted giving her a cocky smile. "Admit it."
"You know you are good looking. You don't need me to tell you." Bonnie said. "I wouldn't have slept with you if I didn't think you were hot."
"Now we are talking." Damon said. "You remember how incredible we were together?"
"Damon, you are not going to side track me with a stroll down memory lane talking about all of our sexual encounters." Bonnie said with a smile. "Besides, there is so much more that makes you attractive then your admitted good looks. You also have this tender side that is an incredible draw."
"Tender side?" Damon mocked. "You're insane."
"Don't play dumb. You know what I am talking about." Bonnie said dismissing his sarcasm. "And because you are a manipulator you know exactly when to show your tender side as to pull us in."
"Us? Am I the subject of some massive conspiracy theory now?"
"Us as in women. You did it to Elena. You did it to me and I am sure if necessary you could do it to that moron at the bar to get what you want from her." Bonnie glanced at Cara and crinkled her nose. "Although in her case I really don't think she's worth it."
"Why would I go through all of that trouble of revealing some imaginary tender side when I could just use compulsion to get my way?" Damon questioned.
"If you were to compel us, it would be forced and you know it. But when you manipulate us, it's more real to you. I have to give you credit, using your vulnerability is pretty ingenious. As a matter of fact, I think you revealing your vulnerability is an even more powerful way for you to get what you want then using compulsion."
"You're insane." Damon bit out angrily.
"No, what I am is right, which why you are getting upset." Bonnie said. "But don't worry Damon. I am not saying all of this to hurt or because I am mad at you or because I want to condemn you. I am telling you this because I get you and I accept you for who you are."
"Oh really?" Damon said still angry, but intrigued.
"Yep. In the past, I tried to turn a blind eye to your shady characteristics because that made it easier to justify being with you. But look at what that cost me. I can't afford to do that anymore. Now, I deal with you as a whole. It's the only way to survive being in your orbit."
"You think you have me all figured out, don't you."
"Yep." Bonnie said with a smile. She reached out and took his hand. "Damon, it's a good thing. Now, we can have an honest, dare I say it, friendship." Bonnie joked tried to lighten the mood.
"You're boyfriend is here." Damon announced as he watched Jeremy approach their table. Bonnie pulled her hand away from Damon.
"Sorry I'm late." Jeremy said. Bonnie stood to greet him and pecked him on the lips. "There was this idiot model at the shop today for a commercial and she slowed us all down."
"Speaking of said idiot, I better get back to her before she sees something shiny and gets lured away." Damon said standing. "We'll finish our talk later, Bonnie. Jeremy." Damon said before he walked away.
"Asshole." Jeremy said about Damon. "What was he doing here?"
"He and I were just talking." Bonnie said. "I had to let him know I see him for exactly who he is."
"Come on." Jeremy said putting his arm around her. "Let's go someplace else for dinner. I don't even want to be in the same room as that jackass."
Bonnie and Jeremy walked out of the Mystic Grille with their arms wrapped around each other. Damon watched them go. Bonnie was right. She did get him better than anyone else he'd ever known. He decided then that type of understanding was all too rare and shouldn't be wasted on Jeremy Gilbert. He would make her his. Now, how to do it?
XOXOXOXOXO
"Is everyone here?" Alaric asked as he entered the Gilbert kitchen. He was the last to arrive at the house for a meeting Bonnie called. He looked around to see Elena, Jeremy, Bonnie, Stefan and Tim.
"Yeah, this is it." Elena confirmed.
"No Damon?" Ric asked.
"Wasn't invited." Bonnie confirmed. "We really don't need him for this." She explained.
"Where's Jenna?" Alaric questioned looking around.
"Out with her friend Sarah." Elena said. "We are OK to talk freely."
"Fine. Then let's get this little show on the road. Bonnie?"
"Thanks Ric." Bonnie said as she prepared to speak. Strangely, she felt nervous even though she was surrounded by loved ones. Jeremy placed a comforting hand at the small of her back and instantly she felt reassured. Oh how she loved that man! With her nerves gone, she addressed her friends.
"Ok, I've over the past two weeks I've talked to each of you separately about my desire to find Tyler and reverse what I did to him."
"Correction, what my father did to him." Tim interrupted.
"Whatever. I just want to undo what was done to him." Bonnie said. "Fixing this mess is a big problem. First we have to find Tyler, then we have to subdue him and bring him back to Mystical Falls, and then we have to find a spell that will change him back to normal. I can't do it all alone. In fact, I can't do any of it alone. I need your help."
"It's yours without asking." Stefan said which got him a sincere smile from Bonnie.
"Alright, first order of business: finding him. Alaric, this is where you shine."
"Bonnie asked me to take lead on tracking down Tyler. She assumed that I would be able to transfer my vampire hunting skills into tracking werewolves. I think I've done it." Ric rolled a map out on the counter. It had a small town in western Virginia circled. "You see this?" Ric asked pointing to the circle. "It's a small mountain town called Abingdon. It's been on every vampire hunter's radar as a hot spot for vampire activity."
"I've heard of it." Stefan chimed in. "For some strange reasons vampires are very protective of that city."
"It used to be a werewolf safe haven." Alaric began. "Back when werewolves were much more plentiful, they used to actually hunt vampires."
"You're kidding." Elena said.
"No, I'm not."
"My research supports this as well." Tim said.
"But we'll get to you later, Tim." Bonnie said. "Ric, continue."
"Everything that I can find tells me that werewolves and vampires are natural enemies. They hate each other instinctually. So naturally, they want to kill each other. Now, werewolves are only a match for vampires three days out of the month when they can take on their lycanthrope form."
"Wait a minute, three days?" Jeremy interrupted. "I thought they could only turn during the full moon."
"Another misconception. They can also turn the day before and the day after the full moon." Ric explained. "So as you can imagine, vampires were trying to kill all the werewolves they could while in their human forms and vulnerable."
"So werewolves don't have any special abilities when they are in their human form?" Elena asked.
"Oh no." Ric said shaking his head. "They still have their supernatural healing, agility and strength. It's just that in their human form they aren't as strong as vampires. The closer they get to a full moon, the stronger they become. Also as with vampires, the older ones seem to be the stronger ones.
Getting back to what I was saying, to protect themselves against vampires, the werewolves aligned with a witch in the city of Abingdon. The witch cast a spell that protected any wolf that entered in. Vampires were unable to kill them while they were in that city."
"I am confused," said Stefan. "Why would an enchanted city that protects werewolves be a hot bed of vampire activity? It would seem to me that that's the last place you expect to find a vampire."
"Because Abingdon lost its mystical enchantment sometime in the early 1800's." Alaric continued. "No one knows how it happened. I suspect the vampires found a witch powerful enough to remove the spell that protected the city. Legend has it that two days before the full moon, vamps swarmed the city and massacred hundreds of werewolves. The vampires then claimed the city for their own. It was a major turning point in the battle between the two species."
"That explains why the vampires are so protective of the city." Elena said.
"It's a symbol of their triumph over werewolves." Stefan completed her thought.
"But that doesn't explain what any of this has to do with Tyler." Bonnie said. "Can you close the loop for us, Alaric?"
"Yeah, absolutely. In the past 6 weeks or so, my sources tell me a new big bad has entered into Abingdon and it is killing vampires like crazy."
"You think it's Tyler?" Jeremy asked.
"Yeah. From what I been able to piece together, it's Tyler. The timing fits and from what I've been told, the vampires are dying horrific deaths consistent with those from werewolf bites. Every sign points to Tyler being in Abingdon."
"Good work, Ric. I think that takes care of locating him.." Bonnie complimented him. "The next step: subduing him."
"I have stuff that I think will put him down." Ric offered. "I got a tranquilizer so powerful it could put an elephant out."
"I don't think tranquilizers will do it." Stefan said. "With his supernatural healing, the drug would cycle through his system too quickly."
"Why not give him more than one tranq?" Jeremy asked.
"We don't know how much will be too much." Bonnie answered. "If we overdose him we could stop his heart and he could die."
"You think two would be too much?" Elena asked.
"I don't know, and that's the point." Bonnie replied. "We don't know the right amount to give an amped up werewolf. It's just too big of a risk."
"So Bonnie and I have come up with another method of restraining him." Stefan said. He paused and let Bonnie explain their plan.
"I am going to enchant a chain. They spell I cast will put whoever is bound by it under the control of the person holding the chain. That way, we can tame Tyler."
"So the tricky part will be binding Tyler with the chain." Ric said.
"That's where I come in." Stefan said.
"What! No!" Elena yelled vehemently. "Are you insane Stefan!"
"Elena, I am the only one who can do this." Stefan explained calmly. "I am the only one who can match his speed and strength."
"I don't care! It's too dangerous." Elena insisted. "All it would take is one bite from him and you'd be history." Elena turned to the larger group. "There has to be another way."
"He won't be doing this alone, Elena." Bonnie reassured her. "Between my magic and Ric's drugs, we are going to make it as safe as possible for Stefan to put the chain around him. It won't be risk free, but it will be much better than Stefan going in there by himself."
"I still don't like it." Elena said.
"But it's the best plan we have." Stefan told her.
"I guess." Elena conceded. "So what happens after you bind him?"
"We bring him back here where hopefully Tim will have found a way to change him back to normal." Bonnie said looking at Tim.
"Yes, while they are off playing Crocodile Hunter with everyone's favorite werewolf, I will be spending my time looking for a spell or someway to change Tyler back to normal." Tim said.
"What have you found so far?" Jeremy asked.
"Nothing useful." Tim replied. "The only sure fire way I discovered would be by use of the moonstone."
"What's the moonstone?" Stefan asked.
"An ancient mystical artifact used to curse both werewolves and vampires. Back in the day vampires and werewolves were able to room freely wherever they wanted to go. An Aztec shaman, fed up with his people falling prey to either species, cursed them both using the moonstone. It limited werewolf transformations to the full moon and made the sun the enemy of vampires."
"Impressive stone." Ric said.
"Yes." Tim agreed. "And with it, I could break the curse around Tyler."
"Is that the only way to reverse the spell?" Bonnie asked.
"They only way I've found so far, but don't worry." Tim said quickly. "If we don't have the moonstone, I've no doubt we'll figure something else out. With your powers, anything is possible. Every time I see Jeremy and he is alive and healthy and normal, I am reminded that you have no limits. We'll fix Tyler, even if we have to create a new way of doing it. You just focus on getting him back here."
"What about your father, Bonnie?" Elena asked. "You are going to gone for at least a few days to accomplish this. What did you tell him?"
"I took care of that, actually." Ric said. "I told Dr. Bennett that Bonnie missed the last few days of school because of her ordeal. In order to make up what she missed, she is accompanying me on an historical trip through Virginia for the next two weeks. He's already signed the permission slip."
"Wow you guys thought of everything." Elena said.
"We tried." Bonnie said. "Ok everyone so that is the plan. We go to Abingdon, find Tyler, bind him, bring him back here and then I break the curse."
"So good to me." Jeremy said. "So when do we leave?"
"We?" Bonnie questioned. "You are not going, Jeremy!"
XOXOXOXOXOXO
"Tom!' Carol Lockwood called out as he strode past her in the hospital hallway. "Tom, wait up!" Carol said. She quickly said her goodbyes to the administrator she was speaking with and rushed to catch up with Dr. Bennett. "I am glad I ran into you." Carol said breathlessly. It was an honest statement. She'd been looking for an opportunity to put phase two of Oliver's plan into motion for some time now.
"How are you doing, Carol?" Tom said finally acknowledging her presence. He didn't slow his pace down, however.
"I'm doing as well as could be expected. Listen, is there someplace private where we can talk?" Carol asked.
Tom stopped and looked at her, considering her words. "We could use my office. It's right down the hall." He led the way into his office. Once there, he sat behind his desk while Carol pulled up a chair. "So, what can I do for you, Carol?"
"You could join me for dinner." Carol said bluntly.
"Excuse me?" Dr. Bennett said surprised at the offer.
"I would like for you and Bonnie to join me for dinner." Carol explained. "As a way of apologizing for my recent behavior."
"I don't think that's necessary." Tom hedged.
"Please, hear me out." Carol began. She paused and composed herself. She had to play this just right so as to avoid piquing the good doctor's suspicions. "Right after Richard died and Tyler disappeared, I was awful to your daughter. I guess I blamed her for surviving their whole ordeal, while my husband did not and Tyler went missing. It wasn't fair of me and I just want to make it up to her, to both of you."
"Carol, we understand how difficult dealing with that whole situation must of have been. You don't need to do any grand gestures to apologize."
Carol smiled. "I believe you understand, but I am not so sure about your daughter. I was dreadful to her, Tom. She has to hate."
"Bonnie doesn't hate you." Tom assured her.
"How can you be so sure?" Carol wondered.
"Because she told me so, right after your confrontation in the hospital. She actually stuck up for you and asked me to imagine how I'd feel if I were in your place."
"Wow." Carol said genuinely surprised. "You daughter is very compassionate. I don't know if I could have managed to be so graceful were I in her place." Carol impressed herself by managing to compliment Bonnie with a straight face.
"She is something special." Dr. Bennett confirmed.
"Then come to my house for dinner as a way for me to say thank you." Carol insisted. "What do you say? Tomorrow – 7:00 PM?"
"We can't, at least Bonnie can't." Tom informed her.
"No? She has other plans?"
"Yeah. She is going with her history teacher Mr. Saltzman, and a few other students for a historical trip through Virginia. It's a way for her to make up some of the work she missed by being out the last week of school. They leave tomorrow morning. Over the next two weeks they are going to visit historical sites all around the state as they make their way to the other side of Virginia to a small mountain village called Abingdon."
"That sounds exciting." Carol stating trying to mask her disappointment that Bonnie was leaving and their plan was falling apart.
"Not to me it doesn't." Tom said flatly. "To me it sounds boring as hell." he added with a smile. Carol laughed despite herself. "It's good to see you laugh. You've had a rough these past weeks."
"I see where Bonnie gets her compassion from." Carol said standing. "Even though Bonnie can't make it, the offer for dinner still stands. It's been lonely in that big house all by myself. I'd love to have a friendly face to have dinner with."
"I'll be there." Tom said standing as well. He walked her to the door. "Tomorrow at 7:00 PM."
"I'll see you then." Carol confirmed. She walked out of the office with a sincere smile on her face. As soon as the door closed behind her she took out her cell phone. Now, it was time to make some calls. She quickly dialed Richard's private cell phone number. She'd given that phone to Oliver so they could stay in touch. He picked up on the first ring.
"There's been a change in plans." Carol stated as she walked toward the hospital exit.
"Oh?" Oliver asked.
"Yes. Bonnie won't be coming for dinner tomorrow. She'll be out of town. You'll have to find another way to slip you're her your little hocus pocus potion."
Oliver swore out loud. He wanted Bonnie over for dinner so they could drug her food. He'd come up with a spell to make her powers unstable and thus allowing him the opportunity to steal them. The potion had to be ingested however. He needed to drug her.
"Where is she going?" Oliver demanded.
"A summer study trip with Alaric Saltzman."
"And just where is the local vampire hunter taking her?"
"All over the state, as I understand it." Carol said as she walked to her car in the parking lot. "They are going to visit local historical sites. They are ending in some po-dunk town in the Appalachians called Abingdon. I hate mountains towns. I've never been there but I'd bet ¾ of the inhabitants are related and there isn't a dentist within 500 miles of the place."
"Abingdon?" Oliver repeated. "Are you sure that's the name of the town to which they are headed?"
"Positive. Why, you've heard of it?"
"No." Oliver lied. Of course he'd heard of Abingdon. The story of the fall of the Werewolves was well known to him. What he didn't know was why Bonnie was going there. Surely, it wasn't because of Tyler. He wouldn't go to that city, would he? It was run by vampires and they loath werewolves. As for Bonnie, vampires tolerate witches only as much as they need to. Bonnie won't be welcomed there either.
"Bonnie being away does change everything. Let me converse with Pearl. We'll form a new plan and discuss with you later." He snapped the cell phone shut and turned to Pearl, who was sitting at the table across the room.
The vampire looked haggard. The wounds she received from wolf Tyler still hadn't healed. The only thing keeping her alive was Oliver's magic potions, and even they were starting waned. With each passing day she became weaker and weaker. She didn't know how much time she had left, but she knew it wasn't much.
"Did I hear you mention Abingdon?" Pearl managed to ask.
"Yes, you did. It seems the Millennial Witch is headed that way." Oliver said joining Pearl at the table. "The question is why."
"You think it has something to do with the werewolf."
"Absolutely. That she would be heading to a place that hold such a special meaning to both vampires and werewolves can't be a coincidence."
"I agree." Pearl said.
"I'm glad because I need you to use your considerable influence among your people to send a special welcome party to meet Bonnie and her friends in Abingdon."
A sadistic smile played across Pearl's face. "I'll be happy to arrange that. I only wish I was healthy enough to join my fellow vampires in welcoming the witch to one of our most sacred cities."
"Soon Pearl, you will be restored to full health." Oliver assured her. "And I will once again have the powers of a Millennial With."
"And Carol Lockwood?" Pearl asked.
"We will do exactly what we told Carol we would do. We will find her son and punish Bonnie Bennett."
"But she doesn't know that the only way I can be healed is by draining the blood of the werewolf that bit me."
"Nor do I recommend you tell her that." Oliver said. "Ignorance is bliss in Carol Lockwood's case."
One of the maids appeared at the doorway and Pearl beckoned the woman closer. "Come human, help me up. There is much to be done." Pearl ordered.
"Remember Pearl," Oliver called out to her. "We need Bonnie and Tyler alive and relatively unharmed. The rest of the Scooby gang are expendable."
Meanwhile Carol sat down in the driver side seat of her car and pondered her next move. It didn't take long before she reopened her phone and quickly dialed a number she'd been calling so often these past few weeks.
"Hey Carol," a male voice husky greeted her.
"Mason, I have a lead on Tyler." Carol said urgently.
Mason Lockwood - Richard's younger brother and the black sheep of the family. During her 22 year married to Richard, Carol could count on 1 hand the number of times she'd seen her brother in law. Mason didn't make it to Mystic Falls often and her family certainly never ventured out to California to see the raven hair handsome surfer. However, with Richard's death and Tyler disappearance, Mason turned up to offer his support. Carol told him the best way he could do that was by finding Tyler for her. So he left and began his mission, with Carol funding his every move.
Mason was her ace in the whole, her surefire way of finding her son. Carol didn't trust Oliver and certainly not the vampire Pearl. She knew they were using her and once they were finished they'd leave her high and dry without a second thought. Mason was her way of ensuring her interests, namely finding Tyler, were taking priority. That is why Carol has been secretly funneling information to Mason about everything she found out.
"Really?" Mason asked. "What do you got?"
"A small town called Abingdon. The witch who cursed Tyler is heading there. I think she is going for a reason."
"Abingdon?" Tyler repeated. "Never heard of it. Where is it?"
"I am not certain, but I'm sure you can Google it. Just stop asking questions go check it out!" Carol insisted.
"I'll check it out Carol; I just don't want to enter into this situation blindly."
Carol sighed. "I understand Mason. I just want my son found."
"I'll find him Carol. I promise." Mason vowed. He hung up the phone and looked around his hotel room. He hated doing it, but he lied to Carol. He knew exactly where Abingdon was. Every werewolf did. It was hardwire into their genes or something. He should have guessed that is where Tyler would head not that he is a werewolf. He played stupid to pump Carol for as much information as he could. Satisfied she didn't know any more, he exited the call. Mason grabbed his knapsack and began to shove his belongings inside. He grabbed a small box from he desk and opened it up. He sighed in appreciation at the Moonstone. With his, he could break the curse and free Tyler from his nightmare. He had to find Tyler before anyone else did.
XOXOXOXOXO
"What do you mean I am not going?" Jeremy exclaimed.
"Guys, would you give us a moment?" Bonnie asked the rest of the group.
"Ah sure." Elena said tentatively. She turned to Stefan. "Come on. If you are going to be gone for the next two weeks I want the rest of the night with you alone." She grabbed his hand and they walked out of the kitchen.
"Come on Ric." Tim said clasping his hand on Ric's shoulder. "You can give me a ride home and I'll give you tips on working with an enchanted chain."
"I need tips?" Ric asked. He turned to Bonnie. "I'll be at your house at 7:00 AM. Be ready."
Bonnie nodded. "Ok."
"We'll both be there." Jeremy insisted.
Bonnie waited until everyone was out of the kitchen. She steeled herself for the inevitable argument she knew was coming from the moment she formed this plan.
"Jeremy, you can't go." Bonnie said quietly. "Besides the fact that you have a job-"
"Screw my job!" Jeremy yelled.
"It's too dangerous." Bobbie said resolutely.
"Like hell it is! Jeremy erupted. "The fact that it's dangerous is all the more reason I should go!"
"No way. Ric is the tracker, Stefan is the muscle and I am the power. That's it. The team is very small for a reason. I only asked those who are vital to go."
"So because I don't have any powers I am not vital to you?" Jeremy asked angrily.
"Of course not!" Bonnie said quickly. "You are absolutely vital to me and frankly that's part of the problem."
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
Bonnie took his hands into hers. "Jeremy, I struggle to focus when you are around me." Bonnie said bluntly. "I can't even watch a TV show with you without stealing quick glances at you. We are going into a very dangerous situation where being distracted could cost one or all of us or lives. How can I ask Stefan to put a chain around a werewolf whose smallest of nips could kill him knowing I would be distracted?"
"It doesn't have to be like that." Jeremy pleaded.
"What, am I supposed to fall less in love with you by 7:00 AM tomorrow morning when every other day I wake up more and more in love with you? Let's face it, baby, with you there, my focus isn't going to be on getting the job done, but make sure you are OK."
"This sucks." Jeremy said pulling her into an embrace. She could tell from the tone of his voice the argument was over and he was resigned not to go on the trip with her.
"I know." Bonnie said resting her head on his chest. "And I rather not spend our last night before I go arguing."
"Me neither." Jeremy agreed. He cupped her face with his hands a kissed her. The kiss started out pretty chaise, but quickly evolved into an passionate embrace. He broke the kiss and rubbed his nose gentle against her's.
"I love you." Jeremy murmured.
"I love you more." Bonnie cooed.
"Impossible!" Jeremy declared with elicited a slight laugh from Bonnie. "So, do you wanna…" Jeremy asked letting his voice trail off.
"Do you really have to ask?" Bonnie said with a guilty smile on her face.
Without any more words between them Jeremy hoisted Bonnie over his shoulder.
"Jeremy!" Bonnie cried laughing as he began to urgently make his out of the kitchen and into the living room where Stefan and Elena were seated.
"Don't mind us!" Jeremy said as Elena and Stefan chuckled. Jeremy booked up the stairs with Bonnie laughing hysterically all of the way.
"Those two seem excited." Stefan mused. He looked up as he heard the door to Jeremy's room slam.
"Maybe they have they have the right idea." Elena tittered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I mean you are going to be gone for a while."
"Two whole weeks." Stefan confirmed leaning in to kiss her.
"So I am going to have to give you a reason to want to come home when this is all over."
"By all means." Stefan said the instant before their lips met and the two fell back into the couch.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
In the town of Abingdon, Wolf Tyler lifted his head from the mangled body beneath him and howled. His black fur glistened with red blood of his victim. The vampire beneath struggled weakly to get away. Tyler growled baring his impressive fangs. He then lowered his head with his jaws opened and put the entire head of the vampire into his mouth. With a savage twist of his powerful neck muscle, Tyler ripped the head clean off of the vampire. He tossed the head away and it landed a few feet away.
Tyler howled again. This time he howl was echoed by another. First one, then two and then more until they were running together, impossible to tell apart. Tyler howled again, this time in appreciation.
His pack had arrived.
END CHAPTER
So that is Chapter 2! It kind of sets the stage and provides background for what's coming up next!
Next up the gang is in for some surprises when the reach Abingdon! Tim and Jeremy learn a bit more about each othe and Damon forms a dangerous alliance.
Please read and review!