Elijah entered the room where Bonnie was seated, sipping a cup of tea, just staring in the open. Lucy was upstairs, exhausted, and asleep. Elijah was in his room, not seeing the need to be around Bonnie; if Lucy wasn't around, she'd be even more moody. But he couldn't hide from her forever.
"Elijah, can you tell me what you know about Vincent?" She asked, sensing his presence, and he came to sit in the chair next to her, and she handed him her laptop. He read what she showed him.
"What would the ancestors want with him?" Elijah said, frowning. His brown eyes searched Bonnie's face for answers, but all she was focused on was him, looking for the same answers.
"What's the history there?" she asked.
"We have lived in New Orleans on two different occasions; you know how well my family is at pissing off witches." Elijah said she nodded.
"No, I mean with Vincent and the ancestors; it seems like he hates the ancestors but," she trailed off.
"Yeah, no one else took up the mantle until he did; you know how the ancestors are; they don't help you unless it serves them." Elijah said dismissively, "But if he really possesses one, it could mean trouble for us." He frowned. He didn't like the idea of them having a foot in the living, doing whatever pleases them, and working on a way to destroy his family.
"What happens when they have no leader?" she asked him.
"Magic goes on a frenzy and then completely stops," Elijah said
"So basically, Vincent is a conductor?" she asked, looking at him intensely, making him shift in his seat Elijah shook his head
"Its more complicated than that; Vincent is their way of controlling the masses; their spells are done, which means covens are in control," Elijah pondered. "If they lose ancestral magic, there is no telling what really becomes of them," he said as he looked into the fire.
"The longest they were without a leader was after Davina." Elijah said, "They were people who tried before Vincent, but because the ancestors didn't want them, I think they died or were just asleep." Elijah said
"Like a coma?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. He nodded.
"I have something else to ask of you but it will have to wait until we are back," she said
"Anything," Elijah promised. Bonnie laid her head back on the chair and smiled with her eyes closed. She yawned.
"We really shouldn't make promises we cant keep," Bonnie said
"I promised my friends I would always be there for them, and here I am working with the enemy, cities away from them." Bonnie said
"I love them so much, yet I wasn't there when Caroline found out she was pregnant when she lost her mom. I wasn't there for Elena when Jeremy left, when Damon left her." Bonnie said, "They both needed me to protect them from Kai, and yet I told them no."
"Bonnie, they broke their promise with you first." Elijah said, confused at her loyalty
"I don't want what they did to me to define our friendship or how I treat them," she said. "I do not need anger; it will just leave me alone."
"Bonnie, what I have learned over the years is that anger protects you; yes, it causes you too lash out at those who do not deserve you, but if you keep it in, you will lose control."
"The only emotion that isolates you is fear: fear of change, fear of love, fear of being unworthy and Bonnie, you are one of the most fearless people I know, cause you deserve all those things and more," Elijah said firmly
"Your friends kept you in a box; only useful has a witch when you are far more than that." he said "The Salvatores did not help; having a doppelganger as a best friend did not help either," Elijah said. She opened her eyes and stared at Elijah for a while.
"I know what it's like to be a shadow, to hide myself, and I will tell you its okay to show yourself," he said. Bonnie laughed, and he smiled at her.
"I think I'm having an identity crisis," she sighed.
"I'm not telling you to forget them, but maybe its time to move on," he said softly. "All beings grow apart sometimes."
"Have you drifted apart from your siblings before?" she asked. He sighed and nodded.
"I have wanted to move on them so many times, they are so consuming, we all are but i must keep them together, plus i miss them when I am apart from them," he said
"Noone will ever know you like they did," she said
"Yes, but sometimes its fun to find people like that," he said, smiling softly. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep.
Elijah watched her and thought of someone who was willing to get to know him. Despite his history and what he had done to her cousin, he would have made no mistake if Bonnie did not encourage her. She probably tried her best to ignore the chemistry, and it would be easy once they landed in New Orleans; he never had reason to visit Bonnie outside of her invitation. His family found asylum in her home—something he did not think he would do anytime soon.
He has even more reason to protect the Bennett linage; they always seem to find their way in their lives. Ayanna had always been their home, away from Mikael and even Ester. A thousand years have passed, and here the Bennetts have found them again.
He just hoped Bonnie knew she did not have to force herself to forgive him; he wanted their bond to come naturally; they were kindred souls, like her and Freya are. He understood a bit of her, her undying loyalty, and her love for friends. He understood what it means to do whatever you have to ensure their safety—to love a mother who wanted nothing to do with you.
She was always right in her anger. He did not regret his action because, at the time, he did not know she was working on something to keep them protected. He would do it again in a heartbeat, knowing that he would allow her to get her vengeance, even if he had to knowingly walk into it.
His eyes drifted into her as he heard her murmured something in her sleep. "Its dawn has always been the fiery one."
"Bonnie," he said quietly, in case she was still sleeping. Is she dreaming? having a vision? He looked at her for any other signs. But her lips were pursued, and her eyebrows were knit together.
Bonnie dreamt of being a man; he was in love; no, he was obsessed with power; with being strong; with revenge; and with her, her eyes looked so innocent, but all Bonnie saw was scorn and anger; her red hair that lit came alive in the sun, under the moonlight; the woman wished she could kill him with it—the softness of her skin against his; but Bonnie felt her pulling away from him, like she was repulsed; her sadness was real. The woman felt trapped, trapped in her mind, trapped by the men in her life, and she was plotting, patiently waiting for the right time to strike, and when she did, she would be free.
Bonnie woke up with a start, and Lucy, who was next to her, got up too. Lucy looked around.
"Are you okay? " Lucy asked, and Bonnie nodded.
"I'm just ready to end the world," she said eerily.
"Maybe we should all go out today. Its Sunday, and we start travelling tomorrow night; that spell we did was taxing," Lucy said, soothing Bonnie.
"I think so. It's been a while since my visions have been this upsetting," she told Lucy. "Usually I have Klaus with me, and somehow I'm able to detach from the person I'm seeing, but when I'm away," she said ahead of her, her eyes empty.
"I understand. I actually don't, but I'm here for you," she said.
"I know,'' Bonnie said, leaning on her cousin.
"Can you get on your knees and then ask him to make pancakes." she asked, pouting
"We were having a nice moment, really," Lucy said, coming off the bed and marching into the bathroom.
"Oh, come on, you've been doing all the cooking; lets try something new," Bonnie shouted.
"I hate you truly; he cooked before i slept with him," lucy said
"I have been hinting the last few days, and he hasn't gotten it, so maybe he needs more motivation." bonnie said, laughing
"What do you think of the beach?" Lucy asked, coming out with her toothbrush.
"Who comes to Austria for the beaches? I want to see the castles." Bonnie said it dreamily. She got up and joined Lucy in the bathroom.
"I guess, is the water even blue here? I see why white people came to our part of the world; the water is not blue but not completely dark, just ugly and filled with stones." Lucy said, shaking her head. Bonnie giggled
"What?" she exclaimed, "who even thinks of that? Who even lives in Maine? Of all the places a witch could be," Bonnie snickered
"I'll have you know Maine has its charm." Lucy laughed because she agreed with her cousin.
"Come on, I'm sure if we begged him, he would cook; hell, he probably would have been listening to us anyway." Lucy said
"If I had super hearing, I would train my ears to hear Beyonce's voice." Bonnie admitted,
"Beyonce, unless its an album, I don't want to hear from her." Lucy said
"Come on now; I want her deep voice all the time." Bonnie said, and Lucy giggled. The girls started to walk downstairs.
150 years ago.
Aurora was sitting in the living room, sad, when Lucien walked in with red lilies.
"What is wrong with my love?" Lucien asked, coming kneeling to where she was. She lifted her chin and looked him in the eyes.
"Its Tristan; he is coming for me," she said sadly. His chest burned at that name.
"You don't have to go; the two of us together are more than powerful enough." He tried to say it softly, but it came out harsh.
"I know how you feel about him, but he is my brother." Aurora cried; her shoulders sagged; she was tired. She felt she was always between men in her life. Forever powerless against them, in her mind, her brother's letter just made it worse.
"I am sorry; just after all these years, he still controls you and who you love. Don't you see that he doesn't love you?" Lucien tried to reason.
"How different is my life here? I'm just like those human wives waiting for their man to come home for entertainment." She yelled, moving away from him. "What's the point of me being free if I am locked up here, drinking from blood bags, and not going anywhere?" she said, disheartened.
"You chose to come here, my love; I said you would hate America, but if change is what you want, I will give it to you." Lucien said.
"I don't want to just change cities and live a new life. I want to destroy their lives." Aurora said, "That's why I chose this city; its where I was told the human doppelganger would be, but of course the witch lied." Aurora said she got up and started to pace.
"What witch? Who lives here?" Lucien asked her, and she stopped and looked him in the eyes. He never saw her this mad, his delicate flower. She looked at him like she wanted to burn the world and him with it.
He stepped back. She laughed, put a smile on her face, and said, "Don't worry about it; it can't be helped now." Aurora said,
"I am going," she said repeatedly, looking out the window across the road to her neighbours, who were arguing again.
"Aurora, tell me," she said, coming up to her and gripping her shoulders. She turned to him, trying to move out of his grasp. But he held her firmly with his hands and glower
"You're hurting me," she said, her eyes getting glossy. "You're just like them. All the men in my life." She said, looking at him, His heart broke. He released her and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her hair as she sobbed into his shirt.
"Let us go hunting tonight," he suggested, and she nodded against his chest.
A few days later
"Lucien, I am not running from Tristan; I miss him; he's my only brother after all." aurora said
"But?" he said, looking at her away from his papers.
"You have to carry on the plan for me," she said
"What plan?" he asked, skeptical. Is her mind truly broken? Should I have taken more care?
"Don't look at me like that, not you too," she said, pushing her hands through her hair frustrated.
"I know my mind was broken even before I was compelled to be Rebekah, before I became a vampire." She smiled at the memory in front of them. Things were simple then, with men chasing after her because she was a princess and she was beautiful.
"I was always spirited, hidden away for my protection, consumed by my fantasies." Aurora admitted gazing off. "But still, my mind works, for just this once," she affirmed.
"There is a way to be more powerful than the Mikealsons." She said, "Will you help me?"
"Aurora , what are you saying?" he asked, confused
"I mean tipping the scale, me and you being at the top, getting our revenge." She said, "You getting your revenge on the Mikaelsons and even my brother." She said, Lucien froze studying her; there was no way he heard her right.
"That's why I do not want you to fight him; its his time to say goodbye to me. While you start my plan, I will be locked away; you will move on from me." She said she was stopping herself.
"Are you going back to your brother for revenge?" Lucien asked, and she nodded.
"We were both his prisoners; you treated me more harshly than me." She said she got up and sat on his lap, touching his left cheek.
"What is your plan?" He asked; he was not sure if she lost her mind or really found a way, but he would listen to her, like he always did.
"The wolves, we will start with them; we can't deal with them ourselves, so I have a human." Aurora said, "You must never visit him as yourself." she said
"Why do we need wolves?" he asked confusedly, resting his chin on her head.
"We'll work on a spell that will make us more powerful than the original," she said with a laugh. "Do you not see that the only way to get through vengeance is to outlive them?"
"No witch will help us." Lucien said
"Humans love to experiment, my darling, vampires, wolves, and witches. Science has gone so far; the only purpose a witch serves is putting the ingredients together and a few words," she exasperated.
"Okay, okay, tell me." He said patiently, She did almost everything; she's been planning this for 10 years. She was not sure if he would make it to the end; she just needed him to do all the dirty work before he took his place next to all the men in her life. When she has her way, they will all be dead.
It started with her obsession with following the doppelganger Katherine; it got easier when a witch was nice enough to develop a body-jumping spell with the help of a money-hungry witch She would jump into a man's body. She turned him, of course, and followed her around, thinking she would see Klaus. Like Elijah, she thought she could get him when he turned, but she learned the doppelganger had to be human. She did her research on everything magical then; the only thing that was more powerful than an original was an original hybrid, but he was just one wolf. What if she could be more than one wolf? Where did the wolf curse come from? Her mind started to turn. Looking for things more powerful than him, she wanted to spear him at first, but if she killed Elijah, he would retaliate.
She couldn't ask the wolves for help; they would laugh at her face before killing her, and witches, well, they had moral compasses. Most of them did anyway, but when she saw humans being stronger than vampires, more cunning, and so easy to manipulate, she found the right one.
She fed him for years with money, vampires, and wolves, but now everything is being worked out; she needed to pull away; she needed a puppet; and who better than Lucien? He was playing the part so well. You'd think he suspected something knowing she did this under his noses for years, but he wanted to see the good in her, the sweet innocent girl who could run to him when she's in trouble.
"I'll help you," he said. She pulled from under his chin and looked softly into his eyes.
"Really," she said, pretending to be shocked. He kissed her on her lips.
"Of course I will follow you to the end of the world," he said. She nodded; she really did need him to keep things on track. She felt herself slipping away again, to when she was first free from the compulsion.
Present day
Aurora was compelled by Lucien to carry out his plan beyond her imagination. He came and sat next to her, looking at her. Manipulating her brother, the Mikealsons.
"Thank you for helping me ditch the hybrids," she said, looking at him.
"Anything for you, my love." She took the glass of wine he handed her, sipped, and gave Lucien her attention.
"Forgive me if I do not drink all. During our years apart, I was able to find a scientist that was able to help me with my illness." she said as she put the glass on the centre table
"What is it?" he asked, curious. She smiled at him.
"I take a few pills now and then when I feel myself slip away." He nodded and touched her hands.
"Thank you, Aurora." He told her, taking her hand up and kissing it.
She laughed and looked at him. "what do you have to thank me for." she asked
"When you left, you left me with a purpose and renewed hope. I have learned so much because of you; no longer am I hot-headed, impatient, and timid." he said
"You were never timid, my darling; you just need to work on your self-esteem a little." Aurora said, he got up and brought a dagger near to her. She panicked and sped off to the door, but he stopped her.
"I could never hurt you," he said. "You always saw me."
"What is this?" she asks, pointing at the dagger and looking him in the eye.
"For you, for your brother," he said, looking down.
"Have you changed your mind?" he asked, not surprised but pissed. He wanted to lash out, but he could not; it was her brother, after all.
"No, its too quick of a death; I found a witch willing to trap him in his mind." Aurora said she was thinking about the witch she met before she came here.
"Like the Strix plan to do with the Mikealsons before breaking the sireline," he asked, and she nodded.
"I want to break him, to make him almost like me, to hear him plead for death, to see him give up," she said. She looked at him and begged, "Please understand."
"Of course," he agreed. "Everything else is falling into place," he said, smiling at her before pulling her in for a kiss. She stiffened, and he pulled away.
"It doesn't matter how he dies, just as long as you and I stay alive on top of the food chain." He said. She nodded and put her head on his chest.
"On top of the food chain," she repeated. He pulled away from her and gave her a glance.
"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked. She smiled nervously and nodded.
"Of course," she affirmed. "I just wish I could have planned with you," she said, touching his cheek. "I missed you more than I thought I would."
"But I can tell you everything. And show you how much I missed you." He said she pulled him in for a kiss this time. He was shocked.
"You have changed," he said, looking at her again.
"You can't be the only one," she simply said, pulling him into his room. He followed her along.
"Are you sure you don't want to slow down?" Lucien asked her. She practically threw him on the bed, ripping his clothes off. She rolled her eyes at him.
"Unlike you, it has been a while for me, so let me scratch my itch before you tell me how my idea is going," she said.
"You gave me more than an idea," he said, rising from the bed with his elbows and her hands on her waist.
"Are you going to keep talking, or what do the young ones say now?" She wondered, "Are you going to put out?". He laughed, pulling down for a kiss and giving into her desire as he always has.