At the edge of town, Caroline was among Matt, Rebekah, and Klaus. Stefan had called her to meet the two Originals and while she was opposed to meeting them with just Matt, she had to know what was going on. Though Stefan's request to bring Matt did sketch her out. She trusted Stefan, but that trust did not extend to the two she was currently staring at.

Still, she had to know. Since the afternoon, the sky had a shimmering red wall around it. When she first saw it, she freaked out. She had already been on edge because her mother had texted her an ominous message about wanting to talk about something when she got home late.

Now that she was at the edge of town, she could see that the wall was a dome shape. It was massive. It covered the town until the very edge. The sunset sky really showed how red the barrier was.

"What is it?"

"A protective magical barrier," Klaus responded. "Usually you can't see the boundary. This barrier is powerful."

"But Matt said he couldn't see it."

"If humans could, the town would be freaking out right now." Rebekah then pressed her hand against the barrier. Her hand didn't go through as if a physical wall was there. "Can you press your hand against the barrier?"

Rebekah's eyes had settled on Matt. So, that's why they wanted him to tag along. Matt's eyes went to hers and when she nodded, he went over to the barrier. Unlike Rebekah, his hand went through as if it wasn't there. Caroline let out an audible gasp.

"No supernaturals can come in. None can get out." Rebekah tilted her head as she examined the barrier. "It would be difficult for any witch or coven to try and magically tear this barrier to shreds. I've never seen a barrier this large."

For a moment, Rebekah and Klaus forgot they were there and talked among themselves as they analyzed the barrier. Their shared amazement made Caroline wonder why. She only felt a sinking feeling looking at the boundary. Its oppressive, intimidating... was aura the right word? Its presence was constantly there.

Caroline cleared her throat. "So we're trapped and you two are in awe over this barrier thing?"

"We're only trapped for the moment at least and again, I said it was a protective barrier. The creator is no other than Bonnie." Klaus turned to face her. "She is still sleeping. I am sure creating this barrier took every ounce of energy out of her and after Katherine's attack—"

"Attack?"

"It's a bit of a story."

"I've got time." Caroline then pleaded, "she's my friend. Please, tell me."

-X-

Bonnie slowly blinked awake. As she began to grasp where she was, she jerked up before getting on her unstable legs and darting to the bathroom. Her stomach emptied itself into the toilet. She coughed before resuming her vomiting.

She felt hands grab her hair and put it into a ponytail.

"Thanks," she said between coughs.

"No problem." Kol paused. "Though I usually tie women's hair back for a different reason."

She turned to face him when her gagging had paused and sent him a dismissive wave. It was too earlier for his antics and she was throwing up.

"No. You've been... banished from this room."

"Banished? And who will enforce that?" He chuckled.

He handed her a wipe to clean her mouth and then a cold water bottle to drink. In the middle of her sips, he gave her a nausea pill which she snapped and gulped. She forced herself to keep it down even as she coughed and had dry gags. When her stomach decided it didn't hate her, she kicked Kol out of the bathroom to his dismay. She brushed her teeth and then showered, albeit incredibly slow. The shower was amazing. The hot steam had made her forget how terrible she had felt since her eyes opened. The nausea was no longer plaguing her and her muscles relaxed under the hot water.

She headed back into the bedroom with fresh pajamas. Kol was sitting on one side of the bed while Klaus sat on the other. She hadn't questioned it when she slid back into the soft silk bed. She smiled when the covers got in contact with her skin. The bed and comforter alone may be worth thousands upon thousands but in that moment Bonnie could understand why it was worth it.

"Are you feeling better?" Kol piped up.

"Nausea has gone away."

"Sorry about that... We had a doctor give you a morphine shot. You were in pain while you were unconscious. We couldn't just leave you withering in pain."

Note to self, no morphine. She combed through her memories but must have been really out of it if she couldn't remember being in pain even in a dream. Then that memory hit. What had caused the need to get a morphine shot in the first place.

Her smile disappeared. "Katherine must have been watching me. I guess she expected me to do something drastic so that she could attack..."

"She failed miserably and now she is stuck in Mystic Falls with the rest of us. It'll make hunting her down easier."

"It worked," she said in awe. "It really worked."

"While I am equally amazed at your magic, why? We could be ambushed if light witches gather around the barrier and it collapses."

"The Spirits will try to go after more people associated with me. They may even threaten the townspeople so I could come out of hiding. I thought this was a good way at protecting everyone and buy us time."

Klaus interrupted. "You're powerful, but you could have gotten hurt. You're not a god."

"I could be."

Her answer made Kol and Klaus chuckle which worsened when she huffed. The one time she tries to be intimidating to them she is mocked. She was about the swipe them off the bed with her magic when she realized she had no magic to use. She tried to hide her frown. Maybe her magic was just tired? She had just endured trauma to her body and strained herself. Yes, that must be it.

"Maybe one day." He winked. "The day you become a god would you give me a grand entrance?"

"Just for you?" A smile started to form on her lips. "Can the one-day-god request food?"

"How about it, brother?"

Kol rolled his eyes. "Considering I'm the only one who can cook worth a damn. What do you want, sweetheart?"

"Um." She blushed. "Anything. I am just really hungry."

"Anything and a lot. Got it."

Kol got off the bed and headed out.

She leaned against the bedframe. Her eyes settled on Klaus who in that moment resembled Lucifer. His blonde hair glowed against the sunlight that poured out the window as his soft blue eyes watched her. His pale skin contrasted against his black shirt and dark jeans. She fidgeted with her hands to distract herself from being caught up in his beauty. She needed to focus on the matter at hand and say what was now nagging in the back of her head. Even if she never intended to leave, she still needed him to know.

"I don't think I got to give you a full thank you for all you have done for me."

"And it's not needed. Consider all my actions, my redemption in your eyes."

"The villain always gets a redemption story these days," she joked.

"The good guys are convincing when it's you."

She winced. Good guys... They always sacrifice so much. Intentionally or not. Klaus gave her a sympathetic look before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"One day this pain will all be just a memory."

"Promise?"

"Promise." His thumb grazed her cheek. "Now, we have to figure a way to stop the Spirits. Considering you've always found a way to circumvent people, I have faith this will be no different." Klaus paused. "While my feelings of leaving still stand, I understand why you felt angry."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I talked to Stefan about a few things with Kol while you were asleep. He had brought up how you were displeased by me deciding for you to leave, and I understand why you would not be happy with me deciding for you. I should have convinced you to leave instead. The past few days all I felt was fear for your safety. Fear has always motivated me to make rash and drastic decisions to keep my family safe. Considering how terrible that has worked in the past, I should have known better, but I didn't. If this ever happens again, I will try to convince you of my plan and respect whatever you decide."

She accepted his apology with a nod. While she wished things could have been different, she was at least thankful Klaus would likely not try this again. He was learning from his mistake and had accounted for how she felt and backed down. Something her old friends had lacked at the end, maybe even middle, of their relationship. The lack of boundaries and respect had decayed that past relationship. The one she was starting with Klaus was being built on those things. It may not be perfect, but he was trying.

"Stefan wants to talk if you were willing to." Klaus placed a quick kiss on her cheek when she nodded and then got up. "I'll get him and check on Kol to make sure he doesn't go overboard."

What had they talked about? Her nervousness worsened when she remembered how the last encounter with Stefan had gone. She bit her lip. Maybe she could jump out a window? She mentally chided herself. Seriously, Bon? Be an adult! She groaned. She hated confrontation despite her nature to go head-on against a problem, especially when she was the one who fucked up.

Stefan entered the room a moment later. His expression was blank which revealed nothing. She almost groaned again. Think. What should she say? She's the one who messed up.

"Hey. Klaus says you're feeling better. That's good."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you," she blurted out.

"Rebekah told me." He waved off her apology as he settled in front of her on the bed. "I want you to know... I can't treat you like Elena because I am not selfish with you. It would have been the right thing to have sent her away, but I didn't. My behavior with her as I look at it from here was obsessive and selfish. I should have never entered her life like I did. I was always meant to be in your life, Bon. It should have been you, but I made a choice then I cannot undo. We have to live in the present with the consequences... I gave up so much for her, but I cannot ask myself why because even I don't know. That wasn't love whatever it was. I understood your anger about leaving, but I couldn't about Elena before talking with Rebekah. I can see why you feel miffed."

"It was immature of me to compare. I can't even say it is simple jealousy because it's not. I just feel I always have to come last to my friends or that I am not good enough to be with someone. Good enough to be happy."

Happiness had always been ripped away from her. She only got to savor a taste before it vanished from her grasp. It was an entity she never knew intimately. Now, she feared happiness because inevitably it would leave her. She had wondered if she wasn't good enough to keep it around.

"Caroline and Elena would never want you to think that. I don't want you to think that. You are good enough. You are more than enough." Stefan's hand covered hers. "Because I love you."

Her heart fluttered. "I love you, too."

"I'm glad you agree saying I love you wasn't too early." A crooked smile appeared on his lips.

"After everything we've been through, it isn't." She giggled. "I have also come to understand why you and the others did what you did. I know I shouldn't compare anymore or try to. My insecurities shouldn't cloud what I have which is enough. More than enough."

After a few minutes, Klaus came back in with a tray of food and handed it to her. Her stomach growled as she stared at her mini-plates. Was Kol insane for making her dessert in the late morning? Yes. Was she going to complain? No.

"Since you have a party tomorrow, everyone is being recruited to help decorate so many of us will be busy." He smirked. "Also, you can't come out of this room until tomorrow night."

She gaped. "Are you serious?"

"You're the one who picked Elena, Caroline, and Rebekah to plan the party," was all he said before leaving and closing the door.

It left the two of them alone again. She cleared her throat.

"Also, I want to make sure we still are on the same page about things."

"I and Klaus had a huge talk about it when you sent him to check on me while we were in Ohio."

"What did you talk about?"

"Gentlemen's honor," he replied causing her to groan. He chuckled. "If it had been old Klaus I would have said no. However, I understand he is trying to be better not just to you but in general. Even before his interest in you, Rebekah talked about how he was really trying to bring his family together again. He wasn't even interested in making more hybrids but focused on his family."

"If you aren't okay with it, you don't have to do this."

"For once you get all the attention, now you don't want the spotlight and are even scared of it?"

"I just want to make sure you are okay."

"I'm okay."

She nodded when she met his gaze. She leaned closer to him until their lips touched. She shivered when his tongue grazed against her bottom lip. His dark green eyes became clouded with want. She sighed into his mouth as his fangs toyed with her bottom lip as well.

"I want you," he said as he pulled back. "But not when you are hurting. A lot has happened."

"Who knows when it'll stop?"

She then pulled him closer by snatching the back of his hair. Veins appeared below as his eyes darkened. He let out a feral growl. He was a beast in that moment caged by desire. She was ready to unlock it.

"Fuck me."

Author's Note: I will be going on a brief hiatus. Just Add Magic will return to its weekly scheduling again soon! Thank you so much for your support. For my followers who are wondering if I will be bringing back some of my older stories, there will be some surprises soon enough. *wink* *wink*

Thanks again to all my readers! The last few years have been a bit of hell for me so it is nice to return to writing again on a much better note. Thanks :)