Sunday had brought a new day of anxiety as she was walking to the witch's house with Kol by her side. Originally, she was supposed to come in the afternoon like last time, but Lydia had called their cabin's landline (which Klaus had given her in case of an emergency on their end) and she had an early morning opening.
The forest had been quiet at daybreak. The sun's rays brushed against the land and the gentle warmth felt great against her skin. The wind did not stir allowing for the warmth to take full effect. The icicles dripped from the large trees as they walked on the trail. The snow was slowly becoming slush making the ground muddy and soft. She kept her eye out for any ice patches as she continued.
"Too bad we didn't have a snow fight."
She threw a wary glance at Kol. A grin appeared on his mouth causing her to pick up the pace.
"I was just saying. I won't start one I promise."
Kol was suddenly right beside her. He held out his pinky making her chuckle. She lifted her hand and stuck her pinky out and curled it around his.
"If you do, I will set you on fire."
"Kinky, I like that." His wink made her retract her hand.
"Are all of you Mikaelsons flirts?"
"Only to pretty witches."
She rolled her eyes. She was sure many witches had fallen under a Mikaelson's charm. Before her interactions, she was bewildered how their infamy allowed them access to witches. She guessed the light witches kept the reputation to keep younger light witches away.
Kol gazed around. "I'm surprised we hadn't run into my brother and Stefan. I can smell their scents around here."
She hadn't seen Stefan since their talk last night. He had listened with minimal feedback and had said he'd think about it before leaving for a walk. She grimaced. She knew he was not in danger. Yet, her stomach still turned not being near him. Klaus, surprisingly, had volunteered to check on him this morning when Stefan hadn't come back. She wanted to believe he had just gone hunting for animals at this point, but it wasn't likely.
"Can you hear them?"
He shook his head. "Too far away. The scents aren't that fresh either. They may have been around here ten minutes ago."
"I see."
Ten minutes meant nothing to the speed of a vampire. Who knows how far gone they were? She fidgeted with her hands. Why were they walking around? Maybe he and Stefan were having a talk?
"Did something happen last night?"
"I had a talk with Stefan. It was about, you know, me being a dark witch and what that entails. I just didn't want to hurt him like Elena did, so I told him "
"You aren't like the doppelgangers. They manipulate and falsify their intentions and who they are. You only made your stance clear."
"Would he see it that way?"
"I only know Stefan from the stories Klaus has drunkenly spoused. This wouldn't be the first time Stefan would be in this type of situation."
"I guess I feel guilty even though I told him he didn't have to be with me if he wanted someone loyal only to him."
And she didn't expect him to be monogamous to her if they ended up together since she couldn't be. It seemed fair. Yet, her heart still drowned in guilt. Elena's behavior had hurt Stefan and she didn't want to further any damage.
"Then you shouldn't. You told him the rules. He has the option to stay or leave."
"Ya..."
She started to walk again with Kol right at her side as she did.
"However, I do question your decision-making skills on letting Klaus go talk to him."
Her cheeks heated up. "I figured since they were friends at a point..."
"Klaus is not exactly the best at comforting others' emotions. I'd prefer a boar with Rabies before going to him for emotional support."
He had tried to comfort her when she was distressed. Klaus was gentle and warm in those moments. She knew consoling people wasn't second nature to him, but he still tried. Maybe she had seen a side of Klaus no one else saw? Her heart thumped against her chest.
"I don't think Stefan would have wanted me to talk to him right now. I wanted to give him space."
"Better than sending the competition."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She halted and faced him fully.
He tilted his head. "It is obvious my brother is doing all this to gain your favor. Do you really think he merrily invited me and Stefan? It wasn't because he wanted to. If he had his way, it would have been you and him. The only reason I am here is that I offered a magically spelled necklace to Lydia when Klaus was on speaker phone with her. To his dismay, she accepted that as payment."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because I didn't want you alone with my brother. My brother's interest must be obvious to you. He wouldn't have done this if it weren't for his interest in you."
"Wouldn't your family usually do this for witches that work for them?"
"You haven't done a spell for us yet. Every other witch had to earn loyalty when employed by us before we would offer things that weren't payment. All of this isn't necessarily from the goodness of my brother's heart. He likes to show what he can offer. Stefan would know this is true as well."
"I should go find them."
Kol grabbed her arm. "You have to go see Lydia, remember? Klaus won't misbehave if that's what you are thinking." He exhaled. "I shouldn't have spoken like that not while you're miserable."
"... Why are you acting like this?"
"The witch that I care about thinks all my flirting is a joke." His gaze lowered. "I like you, Bonnie."
Her heart skipped a beat as she tried to force the words out. She stuttered, "I didn't know that's how you felt. I thought you and Klaus considered me your friend."
He roared with laughter. "Are you serious?"
"Well, it wasn't like I was ever picked by a guy before. How was I supposed to know? Basically, every guy I knew wanted to date Elena or Caroline. That does something to your head, ya know?"
"Well, you can blind all those men now because they don't have a good set of eyes anyway."
He grabbed her hand this time. He lifted her hand to is lips before he placed a kiss.
"Don't worry it's just a kiss between pals." He winked.
"Ugh!" She huffed. "Is this how you get your sick kicks?"
"I have much sicker kicks. Care to share? We're platonic besties after all."
She had her magic curl against a patch of snow before hurling it at the back of his head. His eyes darkened causing her to suck in a breath.
"We'll be late for my appointment if we keep this up. Let's go."
When they reached the house, Lydia was standing on her porch waiting for them. She had a plush silver fur shawl wrapped around her.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to see my patient alone."
Kol nodded before sitting on a porch rocking chair.
She was ushered into the beautiful, chaotic mess that was Lydia's home. She brought her over to the velvet couch before being handed a drink.
"This drink will help soothe any symptoms from the bond forming. Unlike the previous one, this is much stronger."
She was really sick of drinking gross liquids. After she had forced herself to gulp the slimy dark liquid, she was given a small wooden crate with five jars. She would internally dread each time she'd had to drink one. The stronger version had mysterious chunky stuff in it too. She tried to shoo away the thought so she wouldn't gag or throw up.
"Unfortunately, the mail for more herbs didn't make it so I can only give you five for now. If your symptoms show up past five days, I will send more jars to Klaus through the mail to give to you."
She nodded. Every inch of her hoped this would end soon and she could figure out what the bond even was. Dread filled her head. What if it got worse? She couldn't stand the original symptoms, but what if the drinks stopped working and—
"You have to find out who created this bond." Lydia grasped Bonnie's hand. "This is no accident. Something has been planned for you. Be wary. Be vigilant."
She gulped before nodding. Lydia and she got up. They shared a gaze.
"It was an honor serving you."
"Thank you. It was great meeting you."
Lydia's warm smile, for a second, reminded her of Grams. When she was guided back outside, Kol took the crate. She turned to the elder woman one more time before waving. She gritted her teeth as she walked back onto the trail with Kol leading the way.
Maybe in another life, Bonnie could have been a healer who peacefully lived in the woods and took care of ill people. Maybe in another life, she could have lived life on her own terms. Freedom, a term she was disillusioned by, seemed to evade her grasp each time. She tried to accept each development thrust upon her, but the wheel of fate kept throwing her new shit to deal with. Was she ever an agent of herself? She seemed to be deluding herself—
No, she hissed, fate, nature, the Spirits, or whoever will never put a leash back on me. Even if I am forced from circumstance to circumstance, I will do what I wish. My will is my own.
-X-
If Elena continued moping, she may have to snap her neck. Katherine rolled her eyes as she heard Elena get the hundredth reassurance from Damon. Damon, despite his rough ulterior, was a pleaser. He would go to the ends of the Earth to make the woman he was obsessed with happy. She should know. Him being obsessed with her doppelganger only made her chuckle. Now he had gotten Elena and effectively hurt his brother yet as she saw his blue eyes, they were no more satisfied. He was a dog who had finally caught up to the car.
She leaned against the wall. Elena hadn't noticed her, but he did. He always did even in her presence. He didn't say anything and continued cooing Elena. She smirked as irritation flared in his eyes when his reassurances weren't enough. God forbid that Damon Salvatore was never "enough." She wanted to tease him, but she had a different toy to reign in. Stefan. How the witch managed to get him was beyond her.
She also needed the witch back on a leash. The witch was tolerable then. Now, she was pairing up with Klaus and his family... It spelled their inevitable doom. Klaus would be begging for the chance to get her into his clutches for his revenge and Bonnie would be aching for her own revenge. It was only a matter of time. Her illness only provided a momentary setback. She needed them separated and her back on their side. This time she'd be put on a tighter leash. Stefan would likely follow her lead.
Damon announced him leaving to go hang out with Ric at the bar. When he left, Elena turned around and jolted. Her wide brown eyes made her chuckle. The fear that clouded her eyes was akin to a fragile kitten staring at a vicious dog. She tensed up and her eyes darted around. If it had been another time, Katherine would be more than willing to scare her, but action had to be made and she needed to enroll her for help. In any other case, Elena was useless. However, Katherine needed her inferior doppelganger for this plan. A distraction so Katherine could play the puppet master in the background.
The brewing jealousy was rising in Elena. She knew it. How she evoked the witch's name... her desperation... her tone... She still lied to herself saying it was in the name of friendship. She said she cared and in a twisted way she did. However, her "love" for the witch was tainted by a venomous hatred that was simmering beneath the surface. Katherine could use all of it to her advantage.
"I need you to call Elijah."
"Why?"
"We need to know when the witch will arrive home."
"Okay... Wait, where are you going?"
"Someone has to spread the news of the witch practicing dark magic." Katherine beamed. "I reckon the Spirits at the dead witches' house would be very interested to hear that new development."
It was time to put a muzzle on that witch.
-X-
Bonnie's eyes flung open as a hand gently caressed her cheek. Stefan's soft green eyes widened.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay."
Stefan continued to trace her cheek before moving on to her jaw and then lips. The alertness drained from his emerald eyes and the softness returned. Her heartbeat picked up. Sometimes Stefan truly looked angelic even when he was sad. There was a light in his eyes that shone even in the darkness. There was an innocent warmth to him that left her breathless.
"I knew it would come to this. It always lingered in the back of my mind. You and I have mentioned it before. Yet, our conversation last night still took me by surprise."
"You can choose someone else."
"That's the issue. I don't want someone else." His hand froze. "Reality rarely matches what I want. I wanted to have time for just us before I had to accept others would be included."
"We can have moments with just us."
"I know." Stefan's jaw tightened for a moment. "I just wish I would have made different choices, especially at the beginning... when we had first met."
"We all could have made different choices. Who knows what could have been, but those what-ifs are only there to torture us. We have to keep going or we'll be stuck in our minds."
"Do you think Sheila would accept me at this point?"
"I don't know." Her hand went to his. "But it's my acceptance you need, not hers."
He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. She reached out for his hand when he got up. His gaze went back to hers and he smiled before holding her hand tighter. She wanted to beckon him to come to sleep in bed with her so that their moment alone would last. To savor this sweet and quiet moment between them.
Her heart hammered when a loud fist beat against the door. Stefan's brows furrowed but he went to the door and opened it. Klaus's chilling blue eyes were alert and lethal. She sucked in a breath as she sat up. His eyes went from her back to Stefan.
"We have to leave now. Get all your things packed and get ready."
"A snowstorm is about to hit."
"And our chances are better out there than here." Klaus snapped. "Lydia called the landline. She says we have to leave within the next hour."
"What's going on?" Bonnie interrupted.
"We don't have time. Get packed, now."