So, I'm back from my little trip – and as I promised, I wrote everyday^^. So there you go, a new chapter. Sadly, Damon isn't in this one – not really, just a few side notes. This is purely a chapter for the friendship of Bonnie and Elena (or what's left of it).

Now, as always a HUGE thank you to Avecia, my sweet beta. You're the BEST^^.

And then, to my readers. AND my reviewers (you make my days, people!).

So, I don't own anything about VD, and don't GET anything for messing with them.

OH, and I'll ignore the new season in this story (even if the start was incredible and had me reeling for HOURS on end).

Now, on with it!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

As Bonnie closed the door to her house behind her, she heaved a sigh of gratitude. She had spent the whole day with a fellow witch, trying to find a way to reverse a permanent spell. Of course with it being permanent that was easier said than done. Also, she couldn't just blurt out what kind of spell it had been. To imagine the trouble she – and Damon – would be in, if it came out that she had turned a vampire human; or at least, into something closely resembling human for he still had a few traits of those bloodsucking demons left.

His senses were still way better than should be possible, and he was just as fast and strong as before her spell – as he found out that he still could throw his brother against walls, he grinned like a madman. It only saddened her that this grin hadn't lasted more than a few seconds.

It's true that she had hated vampire-Damon (and boy was she glad that he couldn't use his compulsion any longer – or that he lost his fangs and the growly- face).

It didn't matter that Elena always tried to tell her that he wasn't just a self-serving, murdering, infuriating psychopath. She never believed it. But after everything that had happened, she just hadn't had it in her to hate him any longer.

So she divided her time between school, trying to find a way to make him a vampire again (they wouldn't try to just give him vampire blood and snap his neck – somehow they all doubted it would be that easy) and spending time with him.

It was kind of masochistic what they did, really. Spending so much time together just reminded them of what they had lost - and that was most certainly not healthy.

She could just let him be. Let him wander aimlessly through the big boarding house, lost to the world around him – because that was all he seemed to be doing most of this days.

It would be the less painful solution – not to be reminded what they both had lost. And that she stripped him of his only solution to this kind of heartache, because surely it would be better if he could turn his emotions off again.

She rather would have him sarcastic, obnoxious, rude and dangerous, than this catatonic puppet he was half of the time now.

With dangerous she could work – a few well placed threats and a reminder that she had been powerful enough to make him ‚human' and her town would be safe – well, as safe as it could get, knowing its track record.

Leaving her jacket, shoes and purse on a side table beside the front door, she went upstairs, glad this day was finally over. In her room, she put on the light and went to her vanity to take out her earrings, as she heard a voice behind her.

"You know, with the life you lead – and the people you know – you should really start to be more paranoid. Entering a room and not making sure you're not the only one in it? It's bound to get you killed, sooner or later."

At first Bonnie just stood there, too shocked to say or do anything.

There were so many thoughts running riot in her head, that she had difficulty sorting through them.

"I haven't invited you in. You can't be in here… Damon said you had left town…"

The woman on the bed looked confused for a moment, but then she seemed to realize something.

"First: I don't need an invitation to come inside. I'm not a vampire – not exactly.

Second: I think you got something else mixed up. I'm not Katherine, either."

There was atmosphere so strong hanging over the room that one could nearly cut it with a knife.

Then Bonnie bounced forward and had the other woman in a tight hug.

She hadn't even thought that it could really be Katherine, just messing with her mind.

And as she – Elena – reciprocated the hug, she couldn't hold back the tears that had threatened to come since she'd caught a look at the oh-so-familiar figure on her bed.

After a while she pulled away again – even as everything in her just wanted to stay where the hell she was - to look more thoroughly at her friend.

"My god, Elena you… you're here! You look so… so…"

"Try 'you look so alive, Elena'. I think that would be quite appropriate."

Bonnie was – again – at a loss for words.

In all her joy of seeing her best friend again, she had forgotten how it should be impossible for her to be here.

"Oh… OH! Yeah, you… how?"

Elena just patted the bed beside her, telling Bonnie to take a seat without actually using words.

"I know that Damon told you what had happened that night. How I died, and how it was my own decision.

And I was there as you told him what had happened after you were done with your spell. So… there's no need for either of us to go there. Now, for why I'm alive… I'm gonna tell you what I know, but please don't interrupt me, just listen, 'kay?"

Bonnie nodded, eager to know why Elena was back again – so she could go back to hugging her.

"Alright, so… the first thing I actually remember after I lost consciousness is waking up in a room with way too much light. First there were voices, all of them speaking too fast, too loud, or in languages I couldn't understand. I saw glimpses of people, too.

It took a while till everything sorted itself out.

Then there was Jeremy, on his knees, telling my corpse he's sorry. Or Jenna, tired, wearing black and in tears. This one time I even saw Caroline, sitting in her hospital bed, pale, crying and sobbing.

I visited all of you, at one time.

But, like I said, that were just glimpses.

Then suddenly, the multitude of voices stopped, the light wasn't all that garish anymore, and the air around me was somehow crackling – like electricity.

Then it became like in one of those really horrible movies of the afterlife – the voice that told me my 'little witch friend didn't want to let me rest quite yet' hadn't made it any less like one.

The next thing I know, I'm lying right on top of my own grave.

That was really disturbing, by the way… looking at my own damn headstone.

Luckily, I wasn't naked or something like that – it would've fit right into the bad-movie-cliché though.

So, I was back and didn't really know how… I also knew that I couldn't just walk home. I was supposed to be dead – hell, I had already been buried.

But there was this pull in my chest… like I had forgotten an important date, and my body was trying to remind me of it.

So I went were it lead me… right to the hospital, and into Damons room.

I was shocked to see him like that, to say the least.

So I just… took off and ran.

It was my luck that my panic-run brought me right into Katherines arms, really.

First, she was just as confused as me. So she went back here, listened in to a few conversations, and figured everything out.

I don't really know why, but she kind of took care of me.

She showed me how to use speed without knocking down trees; to regulate my strength… things like that.

I came back here, every time I could. Sat in the tree outside of Damon's room, or tracked Jeremy and Jenna.

I just wasn't able to bring myself to go to them. It had hurt – still does – to remember the things Jeremy said and… I thought it better this way. And now I'm here. I'm here to say goodbye, and to ask you a few favors."

After her monologue, Elena took a deep breath, and leaned back against the headboard, signaling that she was done speaking.

And Bonnie just sat there, blinking owlishly, trying to process everything she had heard.

"Okay… good, just to make sure I got this right: you woke up… somewhere in a sort-of afterlife. Had a few glimpses down to us living, then came back – because of my spell – and ran away. Right into Katherine. Who helped you, the whole time?"

"That sounds about right, yeah."

More blinking from Bonnie, and a patient face from Elena.

"So. I know there should be other things on my mind right now. Like, how my best friend isn't dead anymore but… what did you mean with strength, speed and things like that? Aren't you… human?"

Now Elena sighed, her expression turning from neutral to frustrated.

"I have no idea what I am. I know I'm not a vampire. Or a brain-munching-zombie, for that matter. But I'm not entirely human, either.

I'm really fast and strong, have these incredible senses… that's not all, but the rest I'm still figuring out for myself.

But I have no inclination to sink my teeth into a neck and take a sip.

So… no idea what I am, but I'm on it. As is Katherine."

Bonnie suddenly looked really drawn and tired.

"What… I made Damon human and you… un-human?"

At this Elena had to giggle. It was just like Bonnie to actually say everything that mattered out loud – but to not get it, at the same time.

"No, Bonnie. You hadn't done a thing to us separately. Katherine thinks that you took a little of Damons…life force, and gave it to me.

He's not a vampire anymore, as I'm no longer human. We are both just something in-between. And I think I got a few strange presents from my trip to the land of dead as well. But these are the parts I'm still 'trying to figure out'. But…as we're already discussing this…I ask my favors now:

Please stop searching for a way to reverse your spell. It could either just send me back into my grave… or it could just as easily kill Damon, and leave me with all his vampire traits.

The other: As I said, I'm here to say goodbye. I'm leaving town – I'm leaving this country – and I don't know when, or even if - I'll be back. So. Please tell Damon I'm alright. And only Damon. At the moment I'm just not fond enough of Jeremy to ease his conscience and Jenna will be okay, with a little more time. As will Stefan, Caroline and everyone else.

But Damon looks like he's slowly falling apart, so please tell him everything will be fine. That I'm still out there… and tell him I'll be in contact, as soon as I can.

And that he should keep this a secret between the two of you. Can you do that? Please?"

Bonnie took a moment to go over everything Elena said, before she nodded.

"I'll do it. You're my best friend, and I let you down, so I promise to do everything you asked of me. But… are you sure you want to go? You could just… stay here. I'll help you figure everything out."

"No. It would be nice to be with friends again, but my place isn't here in Mystic Falls anymore. I have to go – and I have to do it now before I change my mind. So… please don't search for me. I'll come to you, when I'm ready. Goodbye."

Then she gave Bonnie a final hug, and with an incredible show of speed, was out the window and gone.

Xoxoxxoxxo

Hope that wasn't too boring. But it had to be like this, trust me!

Now, I've done my part, now PLEASE click on the little button below, and let me know if you (dis)liked it!

So long,

Zora