On the Town

"You'll be fine with me," Bonnie said as she led Tyler down the street. "Don't worry." They reached the streetcar stop where she fished out change for both of them. "Klaus could stand right next to you right now, and he wouldn't even know you were there."

"Really?" Tyler said.

Bonnie could see the streetcar coming down the tracks. "Really," she confirmed.

"So where are we going?" Tyler asked as they boarded. She sat down and he followed suit, squeezing in next to her. She couldn't remember the last time someone had sat down next to her. Well, Marcel had, but he didn't count because he annoyed her. Usually she cast an illusion to make the seat seem taken, even on days when the streetcar was packed with people. Very rarely did she ever share a seat, but Tyler didn't think twice about sliding in next to her, taking up a substantial amount of space with his broad shoulders and big arms.

"The aquarium," Bonnie answered, pressing herself as close to the window as she could.

"It's still open?"

"No."

But they were a witch and a hybrid so there was really no reason they should adhere to rules like that.

Tyler looked skeptical when they got off at their stop, and she led him toward the aquarium. In the night it was only lit up by a few exterior lights casting a white glow onto the pale walls. She led him around to a side exit and spelled her way through.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked as she led him inside.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "There are only a few people who walk around every once in awhile, and they won't be able to see us or hear us anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a witch, Tyler," she said. "Just try to relax."

They reached a glass corridor, steeped in one of the tanks with water on both sides and overhead. It was darker than it would be in the daytime, but the light from the tanks provided enough for them to see. It was full of giant, silvery fish with glittering scales. They swam without a care in the world, unaware that the two people staring at them were currently breaking and entering.

Tyler moved to the other side. "I've never been to an aquarium before," he said.

"I hadn't either," Bonnie said. "Until I came here." It had been one of her first stops once she moved into the sightseeing part of her time here, and once she established that she didn't like the crowds or the expensive entry fee, she decided she'd come after hours when she could enjoy it on her own.

"Why do you like it here?" Tyler asked, walking ahead. Bonnie followed after him.

"It's nice," she said.

"Well, don't be too specific," he said, glancing over his shoulder.

Bonnie pursed her lips in annoyance. "I like all the water," she said. "I like blue." She sped up to walk past him. "Let's find the sharks. They're better."

When they found them, they sat themselves down on the risers in front of the tank. It went from floor-to-ceiling with various fish, turtles and an occasional shark swimming lazily inside. They sat in the dark with only the bluish light from the tank to illuminate the space. This was how she liked it. They were quiet for a long time before Tyler, sitting near her feet, straightened up. "I hear someone coming."

"That's great," Bonnie said dully. "I told you it's fine. See?" She nodded to the door where a dark haired woman was walking through, listening to her MP3 player and nodding her head along. She paused for a moment to peer through the tank before she started walking again, her gaze sliding over them without pause.

"Oh," Tyler said, once the woman was gone. He turned back to the tank and waited a few minutes before speaking again. "Do you think Marcel's okay?"

"Yep," Bonnie said. If Klaus had killed him, she would have gotten a call by now telling her all about it, inviting her over for a congratulatory drink and also to dispose of the body and prepare for a foolish retaliation from Marcel's people. Her phone remained silent so Marcel was still very much alive.

Tyler sighed. "Caroline's going on a date."

She looked at him. The back of his head really since he seemed to be refusing to look directly at her. "Sorry," she said.

"I might go back."

That surprised her. "Yesterday-"

"I know," Tyler said. "But if I don't go..."

"Yeah, I get it," she said. "So what are you thinking?"

"I haven't decided yet," he said. Finally he turned around. "If I do go back, I won't tell anyone about you. I'll keep that promise."

She shrugged and turned her gaze back to the tank. A turtle was moving past, its fins cutting lazily through the water. "I wasn't worried."

"What would you do?" Tyler asked. He was still looking at her. "If you were me? Would you go back?"

"No," Bonnie answered. "I wouldn't go back for anything."

Tyler didn't look as put off by her answer as she expected him to be. Maybe he was getting used to this new Bonnie. "But if you were me," he said. "Would you go back?"

One of the sharks, the smallest of the group, swam near the top of the tank before making a sharp turn and heading back in the opposite direction. "If I were you," she said, after a long time, "I wouldn't go back."

"Why not?"

The same reason she wouldn't go back. There was no one there for her, not anymore. She was better off here.

"Do you think anyone back there cared about you - cared what would happen to you - except for Caroline?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tyler said. Fast.

Bonnie blinked. "Who? Besides your mom. Who?"

He opened his mouth to answer, and she actually thought he would. She didn't know what name he'd say. Maybe Jeremy's, maybe Matt's. But he hadn't spent that much time with them since...everything.

Tyler still hadn't answered.

"Come on," Bonnie said, climbing down the risers. "I'm thirsty."

Two Months Ago

"You didn't see who was with her?" Klaus asked.

"No," Bonnie said. The bathroom was currently empty, after she'd put it into the head of the two girls giggling that they could do that elsewhere. "But she was in a hurry to get them out of here so it was someone she didn't want me to see."

Bonnie had been sitting at the bar with a margarita when Lydia appeared. It had taken Bonnie a moment to notice her, but once she did she raised her hand in a wave. Lydia had returned it with a smile too stiff to be genuine then she'd bolted in the other direction. It had taken some maneuvering to see what Lydia was hurrying off to, and even then Bonnie had only caught a glimpse of her heading toward the exit alongside a taller, distinctly male figure. She hadn't seen his face.

Klaus made a humming sound. "Is she still there?"

"Yeah, I saw her come back in," Bonnie said. "She might be looking for me. I don't know. What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing yet," he answered.

"She's up to something."

"I trust your assessment," Klaus said, "but I see no reason to get into a fuss just yet. Stay there, see what she does. If-"

The bathroom door swung open, and Lydia entered. "I've been looking for you," she said, meeting Bonnie's gaze in the mirror.

"Have you?" Bonnie said. "What for?" She turned around to face her, keeping her phone pressed to her ear. Chances were Lydia already knew who was on the phone with her, as Bonnie was sure she'd been eavesdropping. "Klaus?"

"Yes, love?"

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll call you back." She didn't wait for his answer before ending the call and folding her fingers around the phone. "So," she said. "What's up?"

"I wanted to buy you a drink," Lydia said, stepping past Bonnie to check out her reflection in the mirror. She toyed with her curls and took a tube of lipgloss from her bag to reapply to her lips, cutting her eye to Bonnie in the mirror. "I love your dress."

"Thanks," Bonnie said, leaning against the counter. "It was on sale. I like yours, too."

"I stole it," Lydia said, screwing the top back on her lipgloss. "Compulsion," she added.

Bonnie smiled tightly. "So," she said. "Here alone?"

Lydia didn't miss a beat, smiling demurely. "I don't plan on leaving that way though. You?"

"Same."

Lydia's smile widened. "How about that drink then?"

"Sure," Bonnie said. "Give me a minute?"

"Meet you at the bar."

Lydia glided from the room, and Bonnie watched the door swing shut behind her. She considered calling Klaus back, but she didn't have anything to say really. If Lydia was doing something she didn't want Bonnie, and therefore Klaus, to know about she wasn't about to spill it. Whoever it was she'd been with, he was a big enough deal that Lydia didn't want him getting anywhere near Klaus. And she could try to get that information by force if need be.

Bonnie started a text to Klaus. I'll see what I can find out, she typed. She pressed the SEND button just as she heard the metallic whine of the door, looking up into the mirror just in time to catch a blur of chocolate hued curls coming toward her followed by fangs piercing her neck. She screamed and was sure it was drowned out by the music outside. Her attempts to pull away were stopped by Lydia's strong hands, holding her in place.

The pain was blinding and magnificent. It had been awhile since she'd felt fangs in her throat. She couldn't say she'd missed the sensation. Gritting her teeth, Bonnie steeled herself against it, pushed the pain out of her mind to focus on a spell instead. The fangs were gone, the hands released her, and Bonnie stumbled toward the sinks to grip the edge and hold herself upright as Lydia coughed blood onto the floor behind her. With a grim smile, Bonnie dropped her gaze to her neck, pushing her hair out of the way to see.

She watched the ragged bite mark heal itself, leaving only shining blood in its wake.

If she was in a formal gown, it would be prom all over again.

Bonnie turned back to Lydia, looking at her with wide eyes, part furious part terrified. She stood as if she was paralyzed, trembling slightly. With a flick of her wrist Bonnie broke her neck and watched her fall in a heap onto the floor before reaching for her phone to call Klaus.

"Yes, love?"

"Lydia just tried to kill me."

Klaus was silent for a moment, processing. "I assume you're alright," he said.

"Yeah," she said. "What do you want me to do?"

"I'm curious," Klaus said, "about what you want to do."

"I want to kill her," Bonnie replied. It was a roiling, heated sensation in her chest that electrified every part of her, made her magic spark and reach out with murderous intent. The place where Lydia had bitten her (she'd gotten a good one in, too) still tingled, the pain replaced by magic and healing though Bonnie still felt the remnants of the assault. The last time someone had taken a bite out of her throat, she'd let them live. She didn't see any reason things should play out that way again.

Klaus laughed on the other end. "All in good time, love. Bring her to me."

Present Day

Bonnie bought their first round of drinks. And the one after that since Tyler lacked funds, and she had plenty. They'd tried playing pool but the tables were all occupied, which left them the dart board in the corner. Bonnie had never been a darts kind of a girl so she sat down and watched Tyler as he sent each pointed end straight into the center of the target.

"It's been forever since I've done this," he said, pulling the darts from the board and coming to lean against the table where she sat, drinking from her straw.

"Thrown darts?"

"Just hung out," Tyler corrected. "It was even before I left Mystic Falls."

Bonnie tried to think of the last time she'd had any recreational hang-out time. There was plenty of it here, though she suspected it didn't really count because all that hanging out was done by herself. Delving into her recollections of Mystic Falls wasn't an option. It would only depress her.

Tyler set down the darts and rolled them along the table with the tips of his fingers. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What happened?" he asked. "I mean, specifically. You said you died, but I don't...What's the story?"

Maybe it was because she'd had one too many drinks or maybe she just wanted to get it out of the way, if she and Tyler were really going ahead with this weird alliance they had going, but she inhaled and prepared to tell all.

Well, the abridged version. She told him how she'd died and instead of crossing over she ended up being brought back by Qetsiyah. She made it sound so simple like that. Dead then alive then in New Orleans with Klaus. Quick and easy. "If I'm dead then no one can ask - or demand - anything of me," she said. "So I'm here."

"With Klaus. Who doesn't ask or demand anything," Tyler said sarcastically.

"I make the rules with Klaus," Bonnie said. "He's a monster, but he knows where I draw the line, and he's fine with that. Which is more than I can say of...other people." She lifted her drink to her lips, bypassing the straw and gulping it down.

"They really miss you," Tyler said, "and if you were to tell them how you felt, I think they'd listen."

Bonnie said nothing.

"What about Jeremy?"

"What about him?" she said, trying not to fixate on the memory of Jeremy's brown eyes and goofy grin. It almost made her feel bad, how she didn't feel anything that she used to.

"Do you miss him? I mean I know you guys had broken up but...I don't know. Do you?"

"Not as much as you'd think," she answered. "I don't really miss anyone."

It was a strange feeling, this indifference she'd managed. Fond feelings had once existed, so strong she was willing to die for them, and now she couldn't remember what those felt like. Everyone back home was just a hazy memory, a notch on the board of Bonnie's life. They ran on a circuit she'd gotten off of a while ago.

Except for Tyler who had managed to get on the same one as her.

"Not your parents?"

"Never saw much of them anyway." She wondered what they were, what they were doing. Abby was probably off doing whatever it was she found so much more interesting than her own daughter, and Rudy was either sticking it out in Mystic Falls or he'd returned to his life of frequent flyer miles and rental cars. Whatever it was, they were probably getting on just fine without her. "Want another beer?"

Tyler looked like there was more he wanted to ask, but Bonnie was already making her way to the bar. When she came back with their drinks, he was sitting down in the seat opposite hers.

"So," she said, pushing his beer toward him, "you going back or not?"

"I don't know," Tyler said. "Me and Marcel talked about it. He said he'd get me home if I want."

"That's decent of him."

"I just don't know if I want to go," he said.

"I think you do know," Bonnie said. "You just don't want to say it. You think you'd be an asshole."

She remembered when Tyler hadn't cared about being an asshole.

He leaned forward. "Enlighten me."

"You can go back," Bonnie said. "There's nothing keeping you here. Marcel will let you leave, and Klaus is going to be here, not there. You'd be a little bit safer back in Mystic Falls, but you just don't want to go. You want to see Marcel win. You already know my opinion on the likelihood of that, but if it happens then you get a front row seat to Klaus' end. It's selfish because you know Caroline wants you back, and if she knew you had the chance to come back but didn't take it...? Why shouldn't she go on that date?"

Tyler blinked. "Very astute, Bonnie. You should take that on the road."

She smiled a little. "It's selfish, sure. But in the few months that I've been here, there's one thing that I've learned, and it's that being selfish gets you places. Look where it's gotten Klaus. Where it's gotten...everyone. Sacrifice gets you nowhere. It killed me. So if you want to stay you should. Just do whatever you want to do."

"I'd still be sacrificing my relationship."

Bonnie sighed heavily. She almost said something rude. Then she decided she should say it anyway. If she started sparing Tyler's feelings now who knew what that would escalate to. "What relationship? You're here, she's there. You don't speak, and she's going on a date. You don't have a relationship."

Tyler didn't look offended. He actually laughed a little. "Are you trying to get me to stay or get me to go?"

"I'm trying to get you to decide."

"I'm still in a relationship," he said. "Even if Caroline's not."

Well that was just pathetic.

"I'm mad at her," he went on. He shook his head slightly, turned his beer bottle in a circle. "Why isn't she in this anymore? We said we'd wait until we found a way, and I'm waiting so why isn't she?"

"I don't know."

"She could be kissing someone else right now."

"She could," Bonnie agreed.

"I could be kissing someone else right now."

"You could."

Tyler scanned the room like he was looking for a potential partner. The girls next to them were too drunk to be promising candidates, and the rest of the patrons were middle-aged. Tyler's stare revolved back around to land on Bonnie, and he cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.

"No," she said.

"What?"

"We're not kissing."

"I wasn't-"

"You were," she said. "And first of all, it won't make you feel any better about Caroline. It'll probably make you feel worse."

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Uncertain about your kissing ability?"

Bonnie let out a laugh. "I'm an excellent kisser," she said. "You're just mad at Caroline which brings me to my second point: I don't want to have anything to do with your already exhausting relationship crisis."

Tyler laughed a little as he took a swig from his bottle. He put it back down on the table and stared at it for awhile. "So does that mean you wouldn't kiss me back?"

She probably would. Why not? Mystic Falls was miles away, and no one in it mattered anymore. She wouldn't lose any sleep even if it went further than a kiss. For all intents and purposes, he wasn't Caroline's boyfriend anymore, and Bonnie wasn't convinced it would really change anything if he was. Her old self wouldn't have entertained the thought of kissing Tyler, but this one was almost curious. She'd heard enough stories about Tyler in school, from various girls he'd hooked up with and Caroline, too. It might be nice.

She wouldn't be finding out tonight.

"That's exactly what it means."

When they arrived back at the house, the windows were dark. Bonnie felt around and only came away with Marcel, wandering the house. "Klaus is gone," she said. "Marcel's inside, and he's in one piece."

"Good," Tyler said as he mounted the stairs. He reached the door but didn't go inside. Instead he spun back around to face her. "This was fun."

Bonnie nodded her agreement.

Tyler smiled as he came back down the stairs. "We're friends, right?" he said. "Officially?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "I guess."

"Are you sure?" Tyler said, arching an eyebrow. "You wanna sleep on it and get back to me tomorrow?"

"Shut up," Bonnie sighed, making him laugh. "We're friends. Until one of us leaves." Which may be him, a lot sooner than she'd expected.

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it," he said. "I've got an answer to your question, too. The one about who cared what happened to me."

"Then let's hear it."

"You," he said, pointing a finger at her chest. "You put Klaus back in his body because he was gonna hurt me. So yeah. You cared." He was looking at her too intently for her to look back so she dropped her gaze to the ground instead. "When you died," he said. "Well, when I heard about it, I was really...you know."

Bonnie blinked, unsure of what she was supposed to say.

"So I'm glad you're not. Dead, I mean. And I'm glad you're here because I don't know what I'd be doing without you."

"You'd probably be fine," she said, folding her arms.

"You think?"

"Maybe."

Tyler smiled and stepped a little closer to her, pausing like he was waiting for her to take a step back. She didn't, and he leaned to press a kiss to her left cheek. "That's probably not up to par with the makeout you were imagining earlier, but it's still pretty nice if you ask me."

Bonnie laughed. "Whatever. Have you decided what you're gonna do?"

"I'm gonna stay. I want to see it through," he said. "Besides, if I go then who's gonna look out for you?"

"I can look out for myself."

"I know," Tyler said, nodding his head. "But it doesn't hurt to have a second pair of eyes, right?"

She opened her mouth to tell him she didn't need his eyes, but he raised his hand in a wave and said goodnight. She watched him go into the house, and once the door had closed behind him, she tilted her head up to the sky and exhaled up at the sparse arrangement of stars.

As she looked back down, Bonnie saw a flicker of movement in the window. It was the highest one, directly facing where she stood on the path. The curtain, a pale white color, fluttered as if someone had just let it fall closed again.

It was the attic window.

Bonnie stared at it for a while, trying to see if it would happen again, but it never did. Finally, she turned and started walking home.

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