SECRETS OF THE TOMB — Kai helps his sister, Jo, and Elena out of a dangerous situation from the previous night before. Which leads Damon, Kai, and Chris to work with Bonnie and Grams to open the tomb, however everyone gets a shocking surprise by what they discover.

The server had set up a small table for the two of them, pushed up against the island counter, with a pizza in the middle and five multicolored candles providing a warm glow in the barely lit section at the Grill.

"I know I wasn't great. But I thought it would be a fun thing." Ben said excitedly, patting behind his chair at the table.

Still clutching her crossbody bag, Jo hesitated for a moment before seating herself. As soon as she was situated, she reached for a slice of pizza while looking up at a very eager Ben.

The date was interesting enough. Ben asked if they could meet up in the town square after his afternoon shift at the local mechanic shop. It was karaoke night at the Grill. Ben thought it was a cool idea to sing Santa Monica by Everclear.

Jo's lips twitch. "It was fun. My brother and I love Everclear. Sparkle and Fade is my favorite album by them."

"Cool, although next time I'm going for something lighter, I promise," Ben mumbled through a full mouth, half of his slice of pizza already gone.

The two sat at the table and fell in complete silence. Desperate to find something to talk about, Jo's eyes wandered around the bar area, wondering why her brain was suddenly shutting off.

"How did you manage to befriend Mystic Falls's It girls?" Ben asked, breaking the quiet.

"Like who? Bonnie Bennett? She's sort of dating my brother." Jo responded as she finished her first slice. "She's nice. We're not exactly friends. It hasn't been easy making friends out here. Mystic Falls is very different from Portland."

"Why did you guys move here?" Ben must have begun to feel her own distress about this. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have …"

Her cheeks burned. "It's fine, not really a secret. My parents and my younger siblings died a few months back. Chris Parker, he's our uncle."

"The catering dude, yeah, he's totally awesome. He hooked me up with a side gig right out of high school." Ben told her, slumping back in his seat.

Jo gave him a tired smile. "Sounds like Chris. He's been so generous about us moving in with him. We're all trying to cope still. I know I'm still a mess about everything."

"You're strong. I can tell." For some reason, his tone had become oddly lustrous. "Gilbert and Bennett are good people. Stick with them and you'll be part of their clique in no time. Might wanna join the cheer team or student council."

Jo shrugged. She wasn't that girl anymore. She hadn't been in a while. Her coven's activities took her away from being a normal teenager.

Ben stared at Jo for several seconds before looking back down at the final half-eaten slice of pizza on his own plate.

"How about we go for a walk?" Ben suggested.

"Sure," Jo mumbled, staring at her empty plate.

As the two got up from their chairs, Ben threw down some cash and they left the Grill to head out to the square, walking side-by-side. All the while, both of them were waiting for the other to strike up a conversation. They simply trudged onward. Only the surrounding stragglers kept the atmosphere from being completely silent.

Internally, Jo began to panic. This was everything she was looking forward to, finally having the freedom to be a normal teenager for one night. For the first time, she was on a date with a cute boy, maybe on her way to having a companion in her life like Kai always had. Yet she felt like she was doing something wrong by being here. Why did she let Kai's words shake her? The karaoke was a fun gesture. Now her thoughts were stuck on her family. Dead parents. Dead siblings. Her loneliness and inability to move on. She took a deep, unnecessary breath. She stopped in place, causing Ben to take notice and do the same.

"Jo?" His hand gently clasped her chin, bringing Jo's blue gaze up to meet his own. "I had a great time with you. I wanna see you again." His thumb gently traced her lip as he spoke. Jo watched as he leaned closer. Cold breath fanned across her face. "Can I kiss you?"

Those dark eyes, now so very close to her own, were incredibly deep and unfathomably dark. And she was falling into them.

"Do it then."

With a conquering smirk, Ben claimed her parted lips. Their tongues rolling together, and Jo's glided over unnaturally sharp teeth. His hands carded through her hair and guided Jo's head to one side, exposing her pale throat, which gleamed in the moonlight.

Jo's dazed mind filled with a sudden pleasant fog, she barely registered the fact that she'd gone slack in his arms or that Ben's eyes had changed from dark brown to red as he detached himself from her lips to the curve of her jaw and down her neck. His cold tongue left at her pulse point and sharp fangs exposed to her.

Jo gasped, but before she could scream. Ben clapped his hand over her mouth, smothering her until she saw darkness.

There was a feeling of something cool underneath her skin.

Jo felt as if a dreamless sleep had taken over her.

Until the dim lights in an unknown room were turned on a few hours later.

"Jo?" The velvety voice of Elena Gilbert roused her from her rest.

"Damon? Damon! Damon, get your ass out here right now."

He turned his head slightly and saw Damon coming out with a mug, wearing black jeans, bare-chested, and a smile edging up the corners of his lips.

"Breaking and entering once again, you are not a smart kid, Malachai." His voice was a low rumble, deep in a sedative kind of way.

Kai closed his eyes and prayed for patience. "Someone kidnapped Elena last night."

"Okay," Damon said, scratching at his jaw.

Kai's whole body was tensed up, waiting for a fight. "My sister is also missing."

"How is this my problem again?" Damon's smile grew just a little, and it softened his face away from the hard edge that made him look guilty. "That's got nothing to do with me."

This confrontation could spiral out of control fast. "You can't possibly believe that this doesn't directly involve you?"

"We had a truce, and you broke it," the vampire's voice pitched up a bit. "Whatever happens to your other moxie girlfriend and your doughty sister isn't my problem." Damon snarled, sarcasm giving his words an uglier tone than Kai had ever heard.

"I know this is about the grimoire, which you now have. The least you can do is help me find Jo and Elena."

Damon just shrugs.

Kai couldn't take it anymore. He used one hand and tightly gripped the amulet around his neck, siphoning a bit of magic, sending Damon flying into the air and onto the hard ground.

"My sister's in danger because of your ass, so you better come off whatever you know," Kai said, not holding back on his temper. "What did you find out from Jeremy's little friend?"

Damon was pulling himself up from the floor, growling.

"Anna's a vampire. She wants to grimoire to free her mother who's in the tomb with Katherine." Damon spat and pushed past him. "Is that good enough for you?"

Kai dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and then followed him. "No, where is she living? I'll find her."

Damon pursed his lips and shook his head. "I can't help you. And even if I could, I won't."

Kai felt his lungs tighten up as the reality of the situation set in. "Damon, please."

"I like seeing you at my mercy, but remember you aren't a real witch," Damon said with the slow start of a grin and something different flashing in his eyes. "You'll tire yourself out by using that bit of magic you can siphon from that amulet."

"You're a fucking dick," Kai said, letting his anger swell up a bit more. "You don't care about anything but yourself."

Damon stared hard at him. "Now you're getting it."

The vampire's phone started buzzing. He reached into his pocket and answered it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Damon, I have your pretty doppelgänger girlfriend and the witch." Kai watched as Damon's face turned crimson. "So how about you tell me you have the grimoire and I won't kill either of them?"

"I should tell you, Anna, you got the wrong witch," Damon said gruffly and wiped his face. "Last I heard, Josette Parker isn't active anymore. Probably lost her magic, should have taken her brother, or better, the Bennett witch."

"Don't screw with me, Damon. I know you. You'll come for Elena."

Damon's next response was concerning. "See, that's where you're wrong."

Kai knew Damon was going to mess this up, getting his sister and Elena killed, so before the older man could continue, Kai lashed onto him. A surge of power ran through his veins.

"Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem." Kai chanted. Damon dropped to his knees, and the phone fell to Kai's feet. "Phasmatos Tribum, Nas Ex Veras, Sequitas Sanguinem."

Kai could see images. Flashes of a motel on the outskirts of town. He saw a petite Asian girl, Anna, and then a small glimpse of the bartender, Ben. Kai growled they were in this together.

Releasing Damon, who was shaken up by what just happened.

"What the fucking hell, man? " Damon asked steadily, like Kai wasn't rattling him. "What did you do?"

Any other time, Kai might have laughed at Damon's pain, but he only shook his head. "I can siphon magic from you," he said and met Damon's narrowed gaze with one of his own. "So let this be a warning to stop fucking with me, Damon."

With that, Kai moved on out of the boarding house, leaving Damon shook.

Elena felt the floor drop out from underneath her.

"You're wasting your time; Damon isn't going to make a deal with you." Elena cried, her hair swaying from side to side as she grew progressively berserk.

Anna huffed out a laugh. "Trust me, I'll get what I want."

"How?" Elena questioned, the slight concern in her voice changing quickly to full-blown uneasiness after the vampire's answer. "Jo doesn't use magic. I'm not sure if she can anymore."

"Oh, she can." Anna stared at her with a deadpan expression on her face as she gritted out. "She probably just has a mental block. Which can be easily removed. Once I threatened to kill everyone she loves."

"Why are you doing this?" Elena still had the guts to ask more questions. "Do you want Katherine out that bad?"

Anna held her gaze steadily. "Please. No one I know wants to see that whore again." There was a slight smile on her, but it seemed hollow. "Except that love-struck idiot, Damon."

Elena didn't feel any better.

"Then what's in it for you?"

"My mother, she's got herself trapped in there because of her friendship with Katherine," Anna whispered, voice softer now, soothing. "She just had to toy around with both of the Salvatore brothers. And when she got caught, so did my mother. I watched Johnathan Gilbert take her away."

Elena pulled in a shaky breath. She could relate. She could relate to the pain Anna felt.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm not doing this. I will not bond with you over dead mothers." Anna said, and her tone was grave. "Ben, get out here."

Ben came out of the bathroom, pulling Jo in tow. Elena resists the urge to clench her fists. The other girl looked as though she'd gone through hell.

"I'm heading out, the plan is still on," Anna snarled, and her voice echoed a bit through dingy and open space of the motel. "Just make sure you keep a tight grip on them. Compulsion doesn't work on witches, just use violence."

"Copy that, babe," Ben exclaimed next to her, his voice all hushed in excitement. "We can celebrate later in the hot tub with a bottle of bubbly."

Anna wrinkled her nose before turning to leave.

"Sit!" He ordered Jo. Elena watched as the other girl took a seat on the bed. "So you're a witch. But a futile one."

Jo shuddered and turned her face away from him. She folded her arms and looked sternly at the wall.

Ben brought his face close to Jo's and growled slowly, "Anna's no joke, she'll kill everyone you ever cared about," he said, and it sounded like it physically pained him to say so. "She'll do anything to get her mother back."

Elena grimaced at him in pity, "It doesn't have to be this way, we could work together."

Ben froze, his shoulders stiffening until he went still. "Yeah, that's not gonna happen. Sorry."

Ben turned to look her in the eye, staring her down. Elena stared back, just as intently.

"You should let us go." Jo shot back at him. "If my brother finds us here, you are in for a world of hurt."

"Are you serious, I'm a vampire, I'll get the drop on that bastard before he can chant a spell."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Jo muttered. She gave Elena a look. One that was assuring.

Elena had seen Kai in action. The other twin was skilled. Ben was a newbie vampire, unlike the stalker pizza delivery guy from the decade's dance. And Kai had no hesitation when it came to staking the more adequate vampire.

An hour passed.

Ben was pacing in front of them, bitching about Anna and how she treats him like an idiot. Jo rolled her eyes but was composed. Elena wondered if Kai and Jo were telepathic twins. If they could read each other's thoughts and sense the other's whereabouts.

"So, witches don't have eternal life, right?" Ben asked as he hand-cupped Jo's cheeks, squeezing them. "You guys die like humans."

Jo didn't move. Elena could hear her dragging in a breath that felt painful. "We are humans, just a little extra something," Jo said feeling a little defensive. "And yeah, we die."

Ben's lips nudge up under Jo's ear. "Damn, that sucks," the vampire said, and then grinned, looking a little sheepish. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure Anna will let me have a little fun with you before we dispose of your body."

Jo jerked her head back from him.

The motel door flew open behind them and Elena was the first to jump back, yelping into her hand before she realized it was Kai kicking down the door, allowing sunlight to enter the room. Ben screamed as the light burned his skin. Kai moved to rip the curtains open, allowing more sunlight to pour in.

Ben jerked back, so hard and quickly that he nearly fell, the mask over his features dissolving in a storm of horrified terror as loud and clear as a screech.

"Malachai, be careful," Jo's voice was wavering but her tone was definite.

Ben kept backing away, shaking his head, "Come on man, I was just following orders."

There was a grim look clouding Kai's blue eyes as he raised his arm, and Ben began levitating in the air.

Jo was watching with an apprehensive stare as Kai cocked his head slightly with uproar. "You didn't think I was gonna let you mess with my sister and get away with it."

Elena felt chills by his words.

"Motus."

Ben was knocked into a wall.

Kai let a wooden stake fall into view and used what little reserved magic he had left to throw it directly into the vampire's heart. Ben didn't even have a chance to react before he crumpled up like a corpse.

Elena stared over at Kai sharply, a million questions bombarding her mind at once.

"You were right, I shouldn't have… god I just wanted to remember what it was like to be normal again." Jo huffed out, and her glossy eyes looked a bit troubled, but her jaw was set with acceptability.

Kai pulled his sister into a hug. "I'm sorry. I came running the second I got your location from Damon." His arms wrapped themselves around her small frame in a protective way.

Elena let out a shuddering breath, her back sagging against the motel door. "How?"

"I siphoned some magic from Damon earlier," Kai said after a few minutes, absently stroking loose strands of hair from Jo's face.

Jo sucked in a breath. "You can siphon from a vampire?"

His grip tightened on her. "Yeah, there's a lot of loopholes I didn't know about." Kai's expression softened when he glanced at Elena. "Come on, everyone's worried sick."

"Oh my god," Bonnie choked out, wiping at her suddenly wet eyes. She swallowed and began again, her voice rough and unsteady. "Elena, are you okay?"

"Bonnie," Elena whispered into the stillness. The other girl's astonishment was overwhelming enough to send her knees wobbling beneath her.

Her best friend's timid smile greeted Bonnie. Elena jumped in Bonnie's arms for a few seconds, and the two hugged each other with relief.

"I don't know what would have happened to us if Kai didn't get there when he did," Elena replied tiredly.

Bonnie nodded and felt her eyes fresh with moisture. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

Elena hesitantly pulled away, peering over her shoulder to see the rest of the Parkers in tow behind her. "I'm okay, now. We all are." Elena commiserated, running a hand through her hair.

Bonnie hadn't even seen the twins moving to come inside. Grams was already standing right next to her and tossed their guest a little welcoming smile.

"Come on in Ms. Gilbert, call your aunt. Jenna's worried sick."

Grams straightened up and offered her arm to Elena. Her best friend hesitated before deliberately taking Grams' arm, allowing the older woman to guide her to the kitchen.

Bonnie turned her head to take in Kai, who walked forward with nonchalant. His presence sent chills down Bonnie's spine.

"Thank you." Bonnie covered her heart with her hands. "You keep saving us."

"It was nothing," Kai said quietly. He was staring at Bonnie with a strangely intense expression. Bonnie had no idea how to interpret what he was thinking.

"That's Malachai, he can't take that hero's hair off for a second," Jo called out with faux annoyance in her voice. "I didn't doubt for a second he wouldn't come."

Kai shot her a look, and Jo carefully didn't grin as she walked through the foyer.

"How did you find them?" Bonnie asked curiously. She didn't know why but she felt afraid of his answer.

"A little help from Damon," Kai said with something pleased in his voice.

Bonnie looked at Kai with a worried expression. "Really?"

He laughed, but it sounded a little strained. "Let's just say there are many things that can fuel a witch's power." Kai's face was stricken. "For me, it was extreme wrath and uncontrollable rage. If anything happens to Jo…"

Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest.

"I get it."

Kai held her arms around his chest and closed his eyes, just breathing her in.

"I was able to use my powers on Damon," he whispered hoarsely. "I could see inside his head, last night he went to the motel they were staying at. Seems like he and Anna were arguing over the grimoire."

Bonnie felt something stir in her chest. "Wait, isn't that Jeremy's friend? She's after the grimoire, too?"

"Her and Ben were working together, vampires by the way." His tone tries for casual dismissal but falls far short into the territory of worried and secretive.

Bonnie's face scrunched in confusion as pulled out of his embrace. "Holy crap."

"Holy crap is right."

Bonnie was startled at the voice. She turned around and saw Chris Parker walking out from the basement. Both his niece and nephew were surprised to see him moving into Sheila Bennett's foyer. The man arrived only hours before them. He and her Grams had been having a private conversation earlier, Bonnie could only hear bits and pieces but it sounded like their plan with the counsel wasn't going too well.

Bonnie frowned. She slowly turned to face Chris as an unsettling feeling sunk in her chest. "So, what do we do now?"

"We don't do anything. You three are kids. Let the adults handle it."

Bonnie felt a spark of anger, both in Kai's defense and in her own.

"Handle it? Elena and Jo were just kidnapped." Kai began snapping, his brows furrowed with temperate anger. "Did you all forget Damon tried to kill Bonnie twice now?"

"He did what?" Grams returned to the hallway, and her tone demanded an answer out of shocking distress.

Bonnie rubbed her forehead tiredly. "Grams…"

Kai seemed hesitant to speak up again, "Last night, we … look we didn't want Damon to get the grimoire, we tried to steal it first…."

"Kai came up with a half-baked plan and your granddaughter was very close to being a vampire," Chris said it with a voice so hard it almost physically hurt to hear.

Bonnie let out a small, frustrated exhale. "Grams, you don't understand…"

"I think I've heard enough." Grams shut everyone up. "Clearly, asking you kids to stay put is out of the question. And I understand that you all are being targeted by more than just Damon. I still don't fully understand the situation with Ms. Gilbert and that vampire woman, but I am concerned for the safety of you girls."

Bonnie laughed at that, an almost hysterical edge to it. "Damon won't leave us alone, even if we wanted to stay put."

Kai ducked his head, pinched his lower lip, before squinting his eyes at her grandmother. "I can't just sit back and let this shi– crap happen. I may not be a witch like you, Mrs. Bennett, but I'm very capable."

Chris made a sound like he's sucking his teeth but says nothing.

Grams raises both brows haughtily. "Oh, my granddaughter told me much about you, Mr. Parker."

Bonnie glanced between Kai and her grandmother.

"It's Kai or Malachai," Sheila smirked with a nod, and Bonnie's insides froze. "I wanna protect your granddaughter, Mrs. Bennett."

"I want to do the same thing, but I'm not risking you to do it. You also have your sister to protect."

"I'm not as impaired as you guys make me out to be," Jo stated her opinion out loud, from what she was hearing.

"I'm also the one who's in charge of you two." Chris reminded them.

"Then act like it." Kai snarled as the tension grew worse between them.

Before Chris could argue, the doorbell rang. Bonnie moved to answer it and she wasn't at all pleased with who was standing there.

"What the hell do you want now?"

Everyone turned to see who was standing there.

Kai made a disgusted sound. "Get out of here or else," the witch threw out, sharp and disdainful.

"Calm down Malachai, I've got news." Damon lounged against the doorframe, one eyebrow raised questioningly. "Well, is anyone gonna invite me in?"

"NO!"

"Damn, okay," Damon said, clearly amused. "As hard as it is to accept, we're all on the same side, after the same thing."

"How do you figure?" Bonnie asked, voice carefully blank. "You want to open the tomb to release your vampire girlfriend, and we now have another person after the grimoire."

"Anna wants her mother out of the tomb, you do know that?" Jo said without much strain.

Damon nodded his head, face darkening. "Yes, she told me, but it's not gonna happen. I did plan on keeping my end of the deal, but then your brother betrayed me."

Bonnie could practically feel Kai's hatred. "I'm not gonna say that I'm sorry we got the grimoire without you last night because I don't trust you."

Damon huffed out a humorless laugh. "Tell me how you really feel, Malachai."

"Enough of this." Grams cut them off. "Witches being pulled down by vampire problems. As much as we tried to stay out of it." Bonnie gave her grandmother a sad look. "I'll open the tomb; you get your girl, and we'll destroy the rest with fire."

Bonnie had not seen that response coming; she flinched as if her grandmother had hexed her.

Chris also looked flabbergasted. "Sheila?"

Grams crossed her arms over her chest. "I just want this to be over," she said softly.

Kai's eyes went wide, and then hard. "Are you happy now?" he snapped at Damon.

"I'll be happy once this charade is over and I have Katherine back," the vampire said. He was staring vigorously at Grams, a slight frown between his eyebrows. "I can handle Anna. Her mother won't be stepping foot out of that tomb."

"Good." Grams smiled. Unlike the sweet one she had given Kai, this was not a friendly smile.

The corners of Damon's lips turned up. "I'll meet you all in the woods tonight."

With that, Damon walked off and disappeared into the gloaming twilight. There was a long beat of silence ringing through the living area.

"Are we really gonna help him?" Chris's question seems innocent enough, but the reaction it raises is anything but.

Grams swallowed hard. "He won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"You trust that he'll keep his word," Kai said with a benumb frown.

Grams held up a hand. "For now, let's just try to get rid of him and the girl. Those vampires won't be getting out."

Bonnie gave her grandmother a quizzical look, which changed to something else when she realized Grams's seriousness. "Grams, you're not strong enough."

"Don't worry, I can help."

Jo turned a grave face to Chris. "How, you haven't used magic since…" Jo got cut off.

"I'll do the spell with Mrs. Bennett." Kai volunteered with a wicked, beautiful smile. "I got granddad's amulet and still juiced up from siphoning from Damon. I should be good."

Bonnie's heart overflowed.

"I'll help with the spell too," Bonnie gave Kai an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "The three of us, no way can't we get it open."

"That might work." Chris tried to keep the grimace off his face.

"Then it's settled." Grams stated, no room for argument in her tone.

"I'm coming too."

Elena poked out of the kitchen.

Bonnie shook her head, dismissing the idea. "No, you're going home," she ordered. "Let us witches deal with it. Stay home and make sure Jeremy and Jenna stay put."

Grams didn't miss a beat. "She's right. You and your family are in danger. Whatever connection you have with this vampire Damon's trying to rescue, it's best you stay out of sight."

Bonnie gulped down her worries and pulled Elena into a hug. "I'll call you when everything's safe."

Elena sighed and gave her a faint smile. "Okay."

"Alright, Sheila, while you get them ready to do the spell. I'll go pick up some supplies." Chris said as he twirled his key ring around his finger. "It's gonna be a long night."

Once nightfall came, everyone gathered in the woods. Chris worked his way up to the tomb with a shovel to clear the muck away. Then set the torches like Sheila recommended. Kai watched as his uncle laid up the cans of gasoline nearby.

"So, this is your plan to destroy them?" Kai waved a hand in the general direction of gasoline cans.

Chris looks Kai over for a few seconds. "This is everything we need. They won't be getting out. That's a promise."

"Hey, sis, Uncle Chris is finally taking charge." Kai tried to say that seriously, but it came out with a laugh. He couldn't even pretend. "We might have a solid chance tonight."

"Shove off Malachai." Jo's tone was razor blades buried in cotton candy. "You're jealous because he won't let you use the flamethrower."

"I'm good with fire," Kai answered automatically, already well out of his depth to argue with his sister.

Jo's eyes glittered. "Oh, like the time you burned your eyebrow off in middle school, and mom had to pencil it back on."

Bonnie made a choking noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

Sheila's gaze was twitching from one twin to the other. "Alright. Let's get serious here. This is gonna be a difficult night."

The amusement was wiped from Bonnie's face instantly. "Sorry, Grams."

Damon waltzes right through the woods, whistling to get their attention.

"The witch gang's all here," Damon commented with a grin, peering over Kai's shoulder.

If it wasn't for Sheila agreeing to help Damon, Kai would have done his best to deck the smug bastard. "Let's get this over with Damon." Still furious that they agreed to work with this demon.

"We're ready," Bonnie announced as she kept a steady eye on Kai. He nodded to her to reassure her he was ready.

Sheila moved to light the torches. Bonnie was in the center middle between her grandmother and Kai. While Chris and Jo stood off near the tomb entrance with Damon watching.

"Air."

A gust of wind blew.

"Earth"

Kai used his siphon magic to mulch the forest ground.

"Fire"

Sheila raises the flames of the torches.

"Water."

Bonnie held up a water bottle and sprinkled it on the soil.

"Really spring water?" Jo asked, instinctively shushing her voice.

The older Bennett blinked once and slowly. "As opposed to what?" Grams asked her with a smug look.

Chris's mouth twitched. "Not every spell needs to be blessed by a priest, Josette."

Damon scoffed as he unzipped his bag and pulled out what seemed to be a blood bag.

Kai cuts him a corner-eyed look. "What the hell?"

Damon raised a sculpted eyebrow, smirking."Katherine's gonna need something to rosey up those cheeks. Unless one of you is offering a vein for her."

His attention was caught by Bonnie snapping her fingers. "Let's do this."

Kai moved in closer to the Bennetts. The three of them held hands, facing each other in a triangle. They kept their eyes closed and chanted the spell as rehearse only a couple of hours ago. While they were chanting, Kai could hear Damon mouthing off to his sister and uncle. He kept his focus. He knew what was at stake here.

Only a few more seconds into their chant, the torches were flaring up. Soon after the door to the tomb creaked open, Sheila paused, then Kai opened his eyes staring at Bonnie, before looking up.

"Holy shit, it worked." Damon's eyebrows shot upward.

"Of course it did. I know my stuff." Sheila said with a bogus smile. The vampire didn't seem impressed.

Chris looked at Damon sharply. "Sheila's one of the best to do it."

"Don't you have some fires to build, Christopher?" Damon met Chris's peer without blinking. "I'd hate for this plan to backfire."

Chris' face fell a little, closed off in a second. "Don't you worry your head about it."

"Good." Damon shrugged without taking offense. "Let's go, Josette."

Jo opened her mouth – and then closed it again. She looked honestly baffled. "Excuse me?"

Damon shook his head with perhaps only half-faked despair and jabbed his finger towards the entrance. "You didn't think I was going to walk into this tomb by myself. No, see you my dear will be my insurance to make sure your brother and the old lady don't seal me in."

Kai's mouth was dry. "You must be out of your fucking mind…" he said, clenching his fists to keep from grabbing the vampire and breaking his face.

Damon glanced at him with amusement. "Malachai, relax."

"I will bring those walls down, and you'll never see your wretched whore again." Sheila might sound pissed, but she doesn't change her mellow tone.

Kai almost choked on his tongue.

There was an amused twist to Damon's mouth. "Sheila, you won't bring the walls down if I take her. You wouldn't risk the life of another witch."

"Damon, this is insane," Bonnie said as she looked back at Kai with wide eyes. "We promise not to double-cross you."

Damon turned those bloodthirsty eyes on Bonnie. "YOU'RE A LIAR!" he hissed the words out. "I trusted you, Bonnie, and your boyfriend. I honestly plan on just taking Katherine out, keeping the others locked away. But you betrayed me. I'd do anything to get Katherine back. I'd kill every single person out in these woods tonight."

Only a few meters over was a party the older kids were having in the woods, near the church ruins. Forbes, Donovan, and Lockwood were all out there with the rest of their classmates getting drunk or high. Kai walked past his fellow teammates, who asked him to have a cold one with them. Kai declined as he escorted his sister through the creepy townie guys trying to hit on her.

The look on Bonnie's face was open and almost raw with honesty. "We're sorry…"

A murmur of laughter ran through the vampire. "It's too late, so what's it gonna be Josette?" Damon asked a hint of mockery in it.

The hesitation was second, but Kai hears it. His sister looked vaguely sick but said, "I'll go."

"Josie, no," Kai spat, his eyes popping wide.

"What? I'm not an invalid." Jo made sure to point out. "I can protect myself. I'm not afraid."

Kai nodded, but his mouth was still tight with anger and fret.

"Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on her. Promise." Damon sniffed, with an attentiveness that was followed by a trademark smirk.

Kai shot him a disbelieving look. "Right, like you haven't laid a hand on Forbes," he scoffed. This was bullshit.

Damon smirked wider, running a tongue along the inside of his lower lip.

"What can I say? I have a soft spot for witches." Damon grabbed the torch from the circle. "After you."

Something flickered across Jo's face, and he could see she was haunted by what was happening. Jo snarled at Damon before walking inside the tomb, ahead of the vampire.

"It's been an hour."

Kai forgot how to breathe.

"It's only been ten minutes, Malachi," Chris muttered softly. He was looking out intensely, and Kai found himself crossing his arms. "We don't know how deep that tomb is."

There was straight-up pity in Bonnie's eyes, and Kai couldn't even be pissed.

"Jo's strong. She can handle it."

Kai chuckled, and it was a bitter sound. "I know that…"

He paused as he spotted a girl walking towards them. Those dark locks and features looked familiar. She was the girl he spotted inside Damon's mind. The one who kidnapped his sister and Elena.

"Hey, where are you going?" he spluttered at her disdainfully.

"None of you can stop me," the vampire said, fixing furious eyes on Kai.

Chris took a step forward.

"Christopher, let the young lady go if she wants." Sheila's tone was indifferent, pleasant even, a blandness in her voice edging out how she felt about this situation.

Kai expected Chris to get angry, but he didn't; instead, he just stepped aside, and Anna grabbed a flamed lite torch before rushing into the tomb. Both Kai and Bonnie gave Sheila a confused look.

"She's trying to get her mother," he shook his head in disappointment. "You shouldn't have let her go inside."

"Neither one of them is getting out of there," Sheila said evenly. Her eyes were on Chris, her exterior remained calm.

"Mrs. Bennett, what are you up to?" Kai asked, his voice stormy and his body stiff.

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door."

One of Bonnie's eyebrows lifted. "What's the seal?"

"Some seals keep vampires from entering," Chris answered, standing by the entrance. "This one keeps them from coming out."

Bonnie's eyes went wide, and Kai could see even Sheila pause for a second.

"Jo's in there." Kai did his best to keep any irritation out of his voice.

Sheila's expression was eloquent. "Jo will be the only one coming out of that tomb tonight."

"She's all that matters."

Kai couldn't quite hear his heartbeat, but the inside of his head fell so silent that he came close. "You knew… that's why you let Damon take her."

Chris moved and put a hand on his shoulder. "Jo is capable. Your mother was a brilliant witch. She taught Jo enough."

As Kai opened his mouth to agree. He heard something that rocked his core. Jo's screams echoed through the tomb. It was raw and primal, an agony that echoes off of the tomb below, and the stars above.

Kai tried to move out of the circle away from Bonnie and Sheila.

"Malachai…" A hand grabbed his arm, gripping him so tight, holding him in place. Kai knew there would be bruises if Chris didn't let up. "Don't leave the circle." His uncle's face was flushed red.

Kai's pulse beat in his fingertips. "That's Jo, he's hurting her."

Sheila shot him a wicked look back, "If you leave now…"

"Kai, please listen to Grams. We need you here."

"I'll go inside."

With a heavy breath, Sheila stared. "Chris…"

The older man shook his head slowly. "I'm human, I can get out, I'll get Jo."

Kai clucked his tongue and glared at him. "You don't have your magic; you could get hurt in there."

"I'll get Jo out. That's important."

Chris's expression showed he'd made up his mind and had accepted his fate, making Kai feel fear in his heart.

"Uncle Chris… I…" Kai stuttered, his voice struggling to find words.

"Save it. Let me do this for Jo." Chris' words were final and abrupt, and it rings a startled look out of Kai, a look that quickly morphs into anxiety.

Chris dashed into the tomb. Kai couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He could possibly lose the last remaining members of his family tonight.

Bonnie shuttered and forced her thoughts not to go dark. "I know what you're thinking, don't… Chris will get her out. They both will come back to you."

Grams took a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was going to say. "Keep your mind focused. That is the only way this is going to work."

With a great effort, he kept a straight face. "How can I? Chris could die. Jo could die. We're helping Damon Salvatore for fuck's sake."

"Damon isn't coming out, none of them are…" Sheila reminds him.

Coming through the tomb entrance wasn't Jo or Chris. But the vampire Anna and an elderly Asian lady, who must have been her mother.

"Damon… he has your sister and uncle."

Kai huffed. The tensity in the air felt like it might snap.

"That bastard."

Anna's voice was barely even a whisper. "He won't let them leave. Katherine was never in the tomb. We all knew… everyone knew except him."

"Oh my god." Bonnie's throat was nearly too tight to get the words out.

Anna flailed her freed arm at Grams. "He's down there lashing out. Let this barrier down. I just want my mother. We're skipping town, I promise."

"Grams, we don't have a choice. Damon is playing it smart," Bonnie admitted defeat even though it made something twist up inside of her.

Sheila frowned and narrowed her eyes at Bonnie. "Absolutely not. Emily Bennett died because of that harlot."

Kai started to lose his patience. "He has my sister; I can't let him hurt her. Please, Mrs. Bennett."

Grams looked at the younger man's shaky hands, then studied his vacant stare. "I'm sorry, Malachai, but I'm not strong enough to bring the seal down just to let them come through and put it back up."

"Mrs. Bennett, you aren't alone." Bonnie noticed how uneasy Kai looked. "The three of us, we're more powerful together than you think."

"He's right, Grams," Bonnie said before turning to him. "It's like you said, many things can fuel a witch's power. Wrath and rage, right?"

That almost got a smile out of Kai. "Wrath and rage."

Bonnie took a deep breath in through her nose. "Use that pain to save your family," she jerked her grandmother's grip. "We can use our powers to protect this town."

"Bonnie's right," Grams agreed with a faint smile. "We need to live to fight another day. We need Chris and Jo back."

Sheila grabbed her grimoire, searching for the spell. Bonnie leaned into Kai's shoulder.

"I promise, nothing will happen to your family."

Kai set his mouth in a stubborn line. "Bon, I don't know what I'd do tonight if…"

The cool night breeze sent shivers down her spine. "Nothing will happen. Don't think about it."

Grams' voice was so soft that Bonnie had to zero in on her words. "Even if we're able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long."

Facing her grandmother square on so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"We have to try."

The three gathered around, reciting the spell Sheila highlighted for them. Anna held onto her mother's limp body, watching them. The torches flared up, yet no one was coming from the tomb.

"It's working."

Anna moved forward, taking her mother with her.

"We're leaving. I just wanted my mother. I'll stay away from Jeremy."

While Bonnie could hear Anna's plea, she maintained her focus on the spell. This wasn't how they wanted the night to unfold, but what other choices did they have? One tomb vampire was escaping. Damon was holding Jo hostage. And Chris Parker was their only hope, and he was powerless against the vampire.

"Bonnie, keep going."

Grams shouted towards her, she realized she was burning out.

"Malachai, fight through it."

Bonnie opened her eyes a bit, noticing how staggering Kai looked. Her grandmother wasn't looking much better. However, Kai wasn't an ordinary witch. Whatever power he was siphoning was quickly fading.

"There's no way he can hold on much longer."

The torches began to falter.

"He's gonna have to," her grandmother appeased her. "Dammit, Chris…"

The torches almost extinguish themselves. Bonnie felt dizzy and unsteady. Even Grams was trembling under her touch. Kai was on the verge of collapsing as he stopped for a moment, gasping for air.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Kai cried out hysterically.

"Malachai, focus," Sheila said through gritted teeth. "Your family needs you."

"I can't…."

Bonnie's eyes were burning.

"Yes, you can."

They continued chanting until Bonnie spotted Damon exit the tomb first, followed by Jo, who turned around and embraced Chris when he exited. The door to the tomb closed, and the torches died out.

Chris and Jo move from the entrance of the tomb and ran over to Kai, who was kneeling over, groaning and grunting like the weight of the entire world had suddenly fallen upon his shoulders.

"Oh god, Kai. Is he okay?" Her voice was sharp, a little high, and Bonnie could hear the tears in it, the way they tightened her throat.

"He's tired. He's a strong one. For a siphoner."

Bonnie's own eyes welled up with tears. They were slowly rolling down her cheeks as she stared at Jo's pale, grueling face.

Seconds later, Damon walked away from the entrance, looking completely miserable. Bonnie wasted no time moving to march over to him. She was barely able to keep her legs from shaking.

"You bastard!" she shouted, cheeks flushing crimson in anger. "This was all for nothing. Your girlfriend wasn't even in the tomb. You hurt Vicki, you hurt Caroline. You ruined everything, and for what?"

There was silence between everyone.

Chris's eyes were intense, and he looked at Damon in a way that was dark and grim. "It's time you leave town, Mr. Salvatore, and don't ever return."

Damon stepped back; he no longer wore his self-satisfied smirk. He took one last look out at all of them before making his exit as he vanished.

"What a rush, I feel like I'm twenty-two again." Chris smiled just a little, and it softened his face.

"Please remember that you're not."

"Let me enjoy this, Josette." Chris shook his head, a shadow of a dimpled smile appearing on his face.

Sheila walked unsteadily into her home; Chris gently grabbed her arms to guide her inside.

"Sheila, let me help you." Chris walked her into the living room.

By the entryway, Bonnie and Kai stood together.

Kai felt his lungs tighten up as the reality of the night set in. "Thank you, Bonnie. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to them."

She cuts him off with a hand on his lips.

"It was nothing, after everything you and your uncle have done for me." Bonnie shushed him, moving right up into his space, until they were touching at the knees and the belly, and she was straining up on her toes to replace her fingers with her lips.

"It's nice having you all here, there's no way Grams and I would have survived this on our own. I feel like I'm a part of something, like a …"

"Witch Coven." Jo interrupted, shaking her head. The couple stared at her. "That's what it was like with the Gemini Coven, with our parents. We were a family, we took care of each other, no one was supposed to be left behind…"

Kai frowned at his sister. "Jo…"

"You didn't leave me behind," Jo muttered, leaning forward. "Damon blackout and went crazy when he realized Katherine was never in there, he broke down, if Chris hadn't arrived, well, who knows what would have happened."

Kai's whole body was tensed up. "I was never going to abandon you, never sis."

"I know it's not the same." Bonnie started, her eyes going unfocused for a second. "But you can think of Grams and I as your new coven. You guys aren't alone anymore."

"Neither are you," Kai told her as he looked at his girlfriend intensely. "I promise you, I'm always here for you."

Bonnie gave a laugh that very nearly turned into a sob. "Same here."

"Guys, get in here right now…"

Bonnie and Kai flinched from the sheer volume of Chris's voice. The three rushed into the living area. Kai noticed at first, but was slightly confused until Bonnie screamed.

"Grams?"

The older Bennett was lying on the ground, her face looking stiff and muted.

"She isn't waking up."

Jo pushed between Bonnie and Kai, kneeling beside Chris, feeling Sheila's pulse.

"Seems like it's paralysis or numbness." Jo grounded out. "I think Mrs. Bennett is unable to move parts of her face and arms."

Bonnie gasped and swayed, but she stayed standing.

Kai's eyes flashed to meet his sister's, brows twitched together, "Okay, Josie, what does that mean?"

"She might be having a stroke." Jo gave him a most warning look. "That spell depleted her."

A wave of dread washed over everyone.

Chris gave Bonnie a long, pensive look, his eyes filled with sadness. "On the drive here, she mentioned having trouble seeing in one or both eyes."

"Those are stroke symptoms..."

"I'm calling for an ambulance." Kai moved to the kitchen where the house phone was.

As the Parkers were fussing over Sheila. Bonnie stood numb. Unable to help her own grandmother. She watched as Jo tried to diagnose Grams, and Chris recalled symptoms she might have had after leaving the woods.

"The ambulance will be here in five minutes."

"Her head should be slightly raised and supported," Jo informed Chris. "Help me place her on her side."

Kai moved to touch Bonnie, who flinched.

"Trust Jo, this is her thing," trying to calm her down, but Kai knew he was failing.

Bonnie just felt weak. She had no clue how to react. All she could do was watch Jo and Chris, while being pulled into Kai's space.

Sitting in the waiting room was excruciating. Every time the door opened, her head would pop up, looking, hoping it was someone for her. When morning came, Elena and Jenna showed up to sit with her after Kai and his family left a couple of hours ago to clean themselves up and rest.

Subconsciously, Bonnie shifted further to her left, accidentally bumping her legs with Elena.

"Should we call your dad?"

"I called and left three messages," she answered back, voice gruff and hoarse. "I'm not sure if he's even in the States. Last Grams told me that he had a business deal in Vancouver."

Her entire body was shaking from staying up all night with worry. She needed coffee.

"Gosh, this is his mother-in-law you'd think…"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

"Rudy and Sheila never saw eye to eye," Jenna interrupted, voice tense with mild fury. "I just never thought he'd be so reliant on her."

It's true. Once Bonnie's mother walked out on them, her father did the same. Always working. Never home. Never in the country. Infrequent calls and updates. Grams was her guardian for the past ten years.

Bonnie covered her mouth as her emotions finally caught up with her. "I can't lose her."

"You won't, she's fighting to get back to you," Elena trained her eyes on Bonnie. "I just know it."

Bonnie held her breath as a tired-looking surgeon emerged from the emergency ward.

All heads turned to watch the doctor walk towards them, and he paused before them, frowning while standing on the tip of his toes, staring at the three women.

"Ms. Bennett, your grandmother had an ischemic stroke. The supply of blood to the brain was reduced completely, which prevented brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. That's why her vision was blurry, and she went into paralysis."

"Doctor, is she okay?" Jenna asked with a dangerous calm.

"Yes. However, she will need surgery. We'll have to transport her to Whitmore Medical Center. Right now, she won't be able to walk or talk. She's still hooked up to the machine. But she's alive."

"Thank god," Jenna whispered, then looked at her niece and Bonnie.

"She's alive."

Bonnie tried to muffle her sobs, but they poured out of her.

"We'll let you see her before we take her to Whitmore. Give the nurses an hour to get her ready."

"Doctor…?"

"Lowen."

Jenna forced some levity into her voice. "Dr. Lowen, thank you."

"Does Ms. Bennett have somewhere to stay?"

There was a brief pause. "She's staying with us." Elena held up a hand to respond to the doctor.

"Okay. Professor Bennett's recovery could take a while."

"She'll be in my care until her grandmother returns."

Dr. Lowen sent Jenna an approving look. "Alright. They'll call you when it's time."

"Grams' alive," Bonnie said, with a lump in her throat.

Elena smiled and rubbed her arm. "I told you, Grams is fighting to get back to you, Bonnie."

They both jumped when a familiar voice broke in. "Bonnie?"

Right there, Kai appeared before them, his hands already reaching for Bonnie's.

Elena tilted her head to her aunt. "Jenna and I were gonna go grab some coffee. You two want anything?"

"Sure, coffee for me," Kai said as he held on to Bonnie. She didn't move as he brought his thumb up to her lip. She watched with gleaming eyes.

Elena pulled Jenna away, leaving Bonnie alone with Kai.

He looked exhausted and scruffy, like he didn't even bother to rest up, shower, or eat. Kai crowded close to her, pressing against her so that she would understand that he wasn't letting her loose.

"How is she?"

"Alive," Bonnie said succinctly. "They'll be moving her later to Whitmore Medical Center. She'll need surgery. But she'll be okay."

"That's great, Bonnie… I'm sorry."

Chewing on her lip, she took a moment to compose her reply. "Not your fault. I don't know what would have happened if Chris and Jo weren't there. She'd be dead."

"She's not though, she's still here."

Bonnie could hear the guilt heavy in Kai's voice.

Leaning forward, lowering her voice. "Kai… I almost lost her," she said, her voice breaking. Her body crumpled in toward Kai. "She's all that I have left. My dad doesn't even care enough to answer my calls. I don't even know where my mom is. If I lose Grams, I'll be alone."

"You won't and god forbid you did lose her, you'll still have me," Kai answered truthfully enough. "And Josie, Chris, the Gilberts, even Forbes. We're all here for you. You'll never be alone, Bonnie Bennett. Ever."

Bonnie put her head on Kai's shoulder. "You're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time."

"I feel the same way. Outside of all the craziness. I haven't felt this alive in months."

Bonnie smiled – a very small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Things will work out for them. It has to.

AN: It's been a long, long time. Work has kept me away but with the holidays I was able to review my pre-written chapters and I decided to upload once again. I want to at least finish season one of TVD, which I have already outlined from eps 1-22. My goal for 2024 is to upload all of it.

Author's Note PS: Grams is still alive in my fic. I would never kill her off. I figure if there was a third witch with a bit more experience than Bonnie, then Grams wouldn't have strained herself as much, and with Jo being a medical expert (and future doctor) she would be able to keep Grams alive until the paramedics arrive. And yes, the Parkers and Bennett are their own little witch coven, because Bonnie deserves that support system.