"NO!" Elena cried out in horror. Bonnie's body dropped lifeless to the cobblestones of the alley. Damon looked at her body for a moment and then his eyes softened.

"Elena…Elena I'm sorry…"

"I hate you!" Elena said dissolving into tears. He tried to pull her to him to comfort her but she hurtled him down the alleyway because she took him by surprise. He didn't try to come back. Suddenly alone in the alley Elena sank to her knees. Kol – she had to call Kol or Elijah. She pulled out her phone and called Kol. When he answered she was still sobbing.

"Elena? Elena what's wrong? Elena stay where you are…we're coming!" Kol said. Quickly they were following her scent from the ice cream shop where Elena had said they were going. Soon they picked up on her scent and when they heard her crying they hurried down the alleyway. They found her in total devastation on the ground beside Bonnie.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Elijah worried checking Elena over immediately.

"Damon…" Elena finally managed to get one word out amidst hysterical crying.

"She doesn't have a heartbeat!" Kol exclaimed where he had been checking Bonnie over, "there's no pulse! He killed her! Elijah he killed her!" Kol's face changed as his emotions overtook him and he was enraged. It took Elijah only a moment to confirm that Kol was correct. He had Elena in his arms by this time.

"Let's get them home," Elijah said solemnly.

"She will never forgive me for this," Kol said defeat dripping from every word. Elijah turned to look at his younger brother.

"Your blood?"

"She was practicing this morning and dropped a letter opener into her thigh. She would have needed quite a few stitches. I thought it would be harmless to fix it – to take care of her," Kol said obviously devastated as he cradled Bonnie in his arms.

"This wasn't your fault Kol and we'll help her see that. At least she's not completely gone," Elijah said. Elena had caught the conversation by then and her sobs came to a halt.

"She's in transition?" Elena asked – her face beginning to light with hope.

"Yes, it seems I sired a vampire," Kol sighed and kissed Bonnie's forehead.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Bonnie's eyes flew open as if she were waking from a nightmare. She bolted upright. She was relieved when she recognized the navy and white striped walls. The blinds were all down and closed on the French doors and windows – only the bedside lamp lit the room. Despite that Bonnie could see everything very clearly – too clearly.

Her hearing was almost overwhelmed as if she was at a rock concert or something but Kol's bedroom was quiet. A moment later the door opened and Kol appeared. He offered her a nervous smile.

"BonBon you're awake," he greeted.

"What the hell happened? I feel like I've been hit by a bus. Wait I was with Elena – is Elena okay?" Bonnie rushed in a panic.

"Elena's fine. She's just fine. She's in their room with Elijah. Before you ask the baby seems to be fine too." He just kept looking at her. It wasn't the way he usually looked at her it was a look of longing – almost as if…as if he was preparing to say goodbye.

"Kol, you're scaring me," Bonnie began to worry. She could feel her fear rising.

"Okay, okay," Kol hurried to her on the bed. "Bonnie I have to tell you something and I just don't know how."

"Tell me"

"Damon lost his temper with Elena, Bonnie and when you tried to protect her…he snapped your neck Bonnie."

"He killed me," Bonnie's features stilled with shock as Kol watched the emotion wash over her and take hold. He knew the feeling well – had been experiencing it ever since he had realized her heart wasn't beating as he gazed at her lifeless body in that alleyway. He sat there waiting for her brain to process the rest of it.

"I'm…this morning – your blood. I'm in transition?" Kol slowly closed his eyes before gazing at her again acknowledging her hypothesis with a look of defeat.

"I'm dead. My two options are staying dead or becoming a vampire…"

"Yes," Kol replied hoping to any deity that might actually hear him that she wasn't considering the former.

"Who knows?"

"Everyone, Elijah's put out a notice on Damon. He's to be delivered alive," Kol finished angrily.

"I want to see him," Bonnie said. "In the meantime I don't want to see Elena or Caroline, please. They would mean well but I just can't right now…" Kol nodded.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"I don't suppose Tylenol would help?" He shook his head.

"Then could you just get up here and hold me?" she asked hopefully. A small smile came to Kol's lips as her request was more than he had dared hope for. He settled on the bed and a moment later Bonnie laid atop his chest.

"I can hear your heart beating," she marveled.

"It's just slower…much slower."

"Kol…how long do I have to think about this?" she asked raising her head a little so her eyes locked with his.

"Well unfortunately original blood is more potent than regular vampire blood so probably only a few hours," Kol said gently.

"Thank you," Bonnie said. She laid her head back down on his chest and felt his arms come around her. A few minutes later the tears came as she began to mourn what she had lost – the choices that had been taken from her. He held her and rubbed her back to offer comfort.

Elena and Caroline both tried to visit her but Bonnie was adamant. She fell asleep against Kol for a while and then she wanted some tea. He was beginning to worry. She hadn't asked for blood yet and they were more than twelve hours into this. Was she really going to leave him? As he entered the kitchen Elena and Caroline could see the worry on his face.

"Has she even mentioned turning yet?" Elena asked.

"No"

"She's just being stubborn! I say put it in her tea and be done with it!" Caroline said angrily.

"Elijah would never allow that. He's a strong believer in the choice," Kol said.

"If it was Elena up there he'd be singing a different tune," Caroline scoffed.

"I don't think so," Elena said as they all watched the kettle on the stove.

VVVVVVVVVVV

Meanwhile Elijah slipped into Kol's room. Bonnie was curled up in the virtual darkness.

"Do you mind?" he asked gently.

"Elijah," Bonnie greeted. She sat up and motioned for him to join her. "Is Elena okay?"

"She's worried about you," Elijah said. "How are you doing?"

"I feel lost…"

"I would be surprised if you didn't," Elijah said. Bonnie looked surprised at his response. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"I was born a witch," Bonnie began, "and I didn't even know about that until I was in high school. My Grams taught me all about the relationship between vampires and witches…then Elena had to muddy everything up. Now here I am dead but for Kol's blood – in transition and my choices are death and becoming the one thing I was supposed to hate."

"I was born a warlock," Elijah said simply, "and yet I have been a vampire for centuries now. We all must play the hand that we are dealt Bonnie. Damon will have to answer for what he has done but you are in transition nonetheless."

"Elena never wanted to be a vampire," Bonnie began, "even though she was in love with Stefan…at least until she met you. Then I think if you had given her the choice her answer would have been different. I don't think even if she could go back to being human with no consequences that she would choose to do so." Elijah waited patiently sensing that she wasn't finished and he was really more of a sounding board.

"I think I'm in love with Kol…the once in a lifetime kind of love. This would just make it easier for him to love me."

"Kol has always had a thing for witches," Elijah said. "Has he asked you to change for him?"

"No"

"Then he would have been fine with you as a witch. Should you choose to turn I have no doubt that he will help you be the kind of vampire you want to be – whatever kind that is," Elijah said. The door opened then and Kol walked in.

"I'm sorry brother; am I interrupting?" he asked.

"No I was just keeping Bonnie company until you returned," Elijah said. He turned back to Bonnie, "it is something to think on." Then he left and Kol returned to his spot on the bed. Bonnie sat next to him as she gingerly sipped her tea. With the first sip she made a face.

"Oh I'm sorry," Kol frowned. "I forgot to tell you that any kind of food or drink will taste off right now. It's designed to get you to give into the desire for blood."

"It's an incentive," Bonnie frowned but she took another sip of her tea. When she had finished it Kol took the mug back to the kitchen.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

As he left the kitchen he saw Elijah reading in his study and no Elena in sight. There was no time like the present. Kol entered the study and flopped down in a chair.

"How's Bonnie doing?"

"She's napping again. I think she's beginning to grow weaker…" Kol worried. "Elijah, if she chooses to turn…I need a daylight ring."

"You want your ring?" Elijah asked.

"Yes. I can't imagine giving it to anyone else," Kol said confidently.

"I had it spelled earlier," Elijah confirmed nodding to where the match for Kol's Mikaelson crest ring sat on Elijah's desk. Kol picked it up and pocketed it.

"Thank you Elijah."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

An hour later Bonnie woke up her head laid against Kol's chest. She could hear his blood calling to her so loudly now. She could feel the strength leaving her body but the magic was still there. That was a comfort. She rose up and looked at Kol.

"Okay…I'm ready to do this now," she said, "on one condition…"

"Yes?"

"I want it to be your blood. Your blood started it and I want your blood to finish it," she said. Kol smiled tenderly.

"You're mine Bonnie Bennett, you know that right?" He took the ring out of his pocket. "In fact I have something for you." He slid it delicately onto her finger. She looked at it a moment and then grabbed his ring.

"They match – this is the Mikaelson crest"

"You are a Mikaelson now, my Bonnie." Kol said tenderly. "Are you ready?" She gave him a nod and he could see the fear in her eyes. "It's okay Bonnie. We'll do this together." He opened his wrist then and held it to her lips. She took a small hesitant sip and then pulled back. Kol pulled her against him to let her cry through the pain of her new fangs descending.

"Do you want some more?" he offered. Bonnie wanted to say no but the lingering blood in her mouth tasted so good and she found herself nodding. "Then take it." He settled back against the pillows and not wanting to see any hint of judgment – or heaven forbid – pity in his eyes she leaned in to his neck. She just thought about biting him and her body did the rest, her veins appeared and her fangs sank into his neck. He moaned and closed his eyes with the pleasure of her feeding.

He vowed silently that he would help her through this. He was going to make this okay for her if it took a hundred years.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Kol left Bonnie in the bedroom with her own thoughts. The house was still on lockdown though he was fairly certain she had no desire to go hunting human prey. He walked downstairs and immediately had everyone's attention. Elijah finished his phone call before Kol spoke.

"She fed," he announced simply and the emotions of the room were mixed from elation to relief.

"That was Klaus. We've found Damon," Elijah said. Wordlessly Kol grabbed his jacket.

"You two watch her. Don't let her out because if she does something she can't live with she might decide she doesn't want to," Kol said. He looked to Elijah then and the look that came onto both men's faces scared the women in the room. They walked out the door and were gone.