We Were Superheroes When I was little I was called a Crack Baby. That's how I learned about my mom's addiction. The girls in school would tease me about it. When I was a little older, maybe in middle school, they teased me about being raised by my dad and his boyfriend. I just thought it was the way everyone was raised, by two people who work as a team. Gender didn't matter as long as they were a team. My dads loved me, but people didn't care. They just cared that I was being raised by gay men. Because it was out of the ordinary. When I was a freshman I met my least favorite teacher. Mr. Hill in Choir. He would pick on me like I was never picked on before. He wasn't exactly bullying, but he was pretty close to it. Every time I stepped into that class, my ego just dropped through the floor. My sophomore year in science I learned that I had a knack for dissecting. It seemed calming almost. While dissecting my first frog I felt calmer than I had ever been. That made me think that I could do it more often. I would grab frogs out of the pond in my backyard when my dad wasn't looking and I would cut them alive. Soon frogs weren't enough though. As the bullying intensified, so did my need to slaughter animals. Yes it started with frogs, but soon enough I was slitting the throats of dogs, cats, hamsters; anything I could get my hands on. Then it hit me. I knew what I needed to do. That next day I pulled my dad's old rifle off the wall and stuffed it in my backpack. I walked straight into Philosophy (my smallest class with only six people in it) that day with my head held high. I felt like I was on top of the world. My phone buzzed just as the bell rang and I hastily pulled it out of my pocket. I never got text messages. This was off. I flipped my phone open and read the message. DANI SHAY IS A SPAZ xD That was the straw that broke the camel's back. The teacher wasn't even in the room yet. I stood up to face the group of girls giggling furiously in the back of the room. I pushed my glasses further up on my nose and grabbed the gun from my backpack. I don't think I'd ever smiled at school until that day. I took out five out of the six members of the class without so much as blinking. I actually vaguely remember laughing. I was walking in cloud nine until I realized something. One of my classmates, Dusten, had escaped out the side door. I quickly wracked my brains before kicking out the window and leaping to the ground below. I left the gun by Dusten's seat before I'd left with a note. THEY HAD IT COMING. x With that, I took off sprinting across campus. As I reached the town border, I heard the sound of distant sirens. I didn't feel anything, though. They had it coming.

From The 40, One "Mary Richards, 16, was abducted on her way home from marching band rehearsal at Henryville High School on the 21st of this month. This is the seventh in a line of similar disappearances; all in the last two months." Garcia says, placing the overwhelming stack of files in the middle of the circular table. She flipped her blond hair over her shoulder and took her seat. "What makes these abductions similar?" Hotch asked, appraising the massive piles of paper he knew he was going to have to end up navigating through eventually. Emily stood to take over for the time being, "All of these girls were taken from the Clark County School District - population 7500. There's no way this is coincidence. They are all between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, and they were all members of their respective School's marching band. According to their parents, try were all abducted on the way home from rehearsal as well." "We believe the UnSub would be a person all of these girls knew well. Perhaps they all accepted a ride home from him. Furthermore, we believe the UnSub is a man between the ages of twenty and twenty five; probably someone who graduated from one of the schools in the District." "And the other girls who were abducted; what were their names?" the Communication Liaison, JJ asked, as she hurriedly jotted notes. Emily took out a folder of her own and pulled out a page with seven pictures on it with a painfully long list of names below, "Jordyn Schaeffer from Henryville High School; Kaitlyn Maloney from Silver Creek High School; Elizabeth Dickson from Henryville High School; Kayla Bagshaw from Silver Creek; Rachel Dixon from Silver Creek, and Ale Shields from Borden High School." she placed the page in the middle of the table on top of the files, displaying the girls' photographs to the five agents sitting around the table. "Are there physical similarities between the girls?" Derek Morgan, the Special Victims agent asked. "They're all honors students, but there is literally not a single similarity between any of these girls." JJ chided, "This guys has taken an Asian girl, a Black girl, White girls, even a Croatian foreign exchange student." "They're all very pretty." Morgan observed, "He could've been someone all of the girls found attractive. This could've been a hate crime. It could've been some sort of revenge scheme." "Alright," JJ silenced the group, collecting up the files, "Derek, make a call to the West Clark PD. Let them know we're on our way. See if they can get in touch with any family members or friends who knew the girls well. We'll be boarding the plane in twenty minutes." "Yes, ma'am." he murmured, as the rest of the team went about their business, trying to prepare themselves for the sticky job ahead. It was always difficult having to work on cases involving children. No one ever seemed to enjoy it, because 9 times out of 10, they got there too late. • Once safely in the plane, Reid began scanning through one of the top-most files. Jordyn Schaeffer. She seemed so familiar. He knew what it was almost immediately. He saw himself in her. Jordyn was an advanced student, far surpassing even the second-best student in her year. She had above-par grades on everything except History; just like Reid had growing up. Then he came to the darker part of the profile. Her father had abandoned her mother with two children when she was nineteen. Jordyn was the eldest, only three years old at the time of her father's departure. When her mother remarried some years later when Jordyn was fourteen, it was clear in her profile as well as her step-father's that he had begun to molest both her and her twelve year old sister. The idea physically sickened Spencer. Looking at her picture once more, he saw an innocent face, and coffee colored dough eyes that sparkled in the light. She had braces, but it only enhanced her youthful radiance. He kept sweeping back over the dog tags around her neck, though. "You okay, Spence?" JJ asked, dragging him from his reverie, "Do you have a profile you'd care to share?" "Not yet," he admitted, "but I was wondering- what if the girls didn't know who was after them? What if the UnSub used some sort of a date rape drug?" "It's a possibility, but it's more likely that he is simply someone that all of the girls knew and trusted." "Think about it, though, JJ. These girls grew up in these small towns. They only had around 2200 people in each. A stranger would stick out like a soar thumb. So he offered them a ride home. The girls all accepted a ride, thinking that he was probably a friend of Mom and Dad's, but he took them into the woods, where no one could hear them scream." Everyone sat in silence, "Well, thats a good point. We'll make sure to put that into consideration before we deliver the profile. Good work." JJ chided. "Hey, can I ask you something?" he inquired, grabbing her wrist to keep her from leaving him, "Do we know anything new about Jordyn Schaeffer?" "Why just her?" "I've got a good feeling about this one." he motioned to Jordyn's file, which he remained open on his lap. "We know that she was homecoming Princess last year. She's a sophomore and she plays Alto Saxophone in the School's marching band." He nodded, looking down at her pretty face once more. "Do you know what these dog tags were for?" Spencer asked, pointing to the loose chain dangling around her neck in the photo. "No idea." "Alright, thanks, JJ." "And Reid," she whirled back around, as if an idea had just caught her fancy, "Get some sleep please. We need you at your best when we land." • Emily's phone rang only moments after they had touched down at the port, "It's Henryville PD," she murmured under her breath to her colleagues who were gathered around, trying to sneak a listen, "You've got to be kidding me," she groaned, "Alright, we'll be there in twenty minutes." "What is it?" JJ asked, appraising her friend for all she was worth. "Another girl just went missing." she said, transferring her things into the backseat of the car that had been waiting for them. They didn't waste any time before taking off at full speed. • "What do we have one the latest victim?" Rossi asked, as they charged past the front desk of the Police station. "Are these all the men you have for this case?" Emily asked in shock, staring at the mere six men before her in brown and khaki uniforms. "These are the only men we have period. This is a small town, Detective. Things like this don't happen everyday." the Sheriff insisted. "Yes. Well, I'm Agent Jennifer Jareau. We spoke on the phone. " She shook hands with the beefy Henryville Sheriff, "Agents Rossi, Prentiss, Morgan, Dr. Reid, and our technical analyst Penelope Garcia." she pointed as she introduced the remainder of her team. "So what's the news on the latest abduction?" Morgan asked, interrupting the small talk that seemed to be getting them absolutely nowhere. "The most recent was about three hours ago. Same guy." The Sheriff outlined, running a hand over his crusty beard, "It was a sixteen year old girl walking home from marching band practice. Her name is Courtney Cummings. Her mother is out there." he nodded in the direction of the tattered old woman sitting in what appeared to be a reception area, "Leanne Cummings." "Mrs. Cummings," Emily extended a hand to the woman, "I'm Agent Prentiss. I'm with the FBI. Do you think you'd be up to answering a couple questions for me?" her tone implied that she wasn't asking as much as demanding, but the woman obliged, so there was no need for a fight to ensue. "Now, I know this is hard to think about, but we're there any enemies? Someone that Courtney was in instant competition with? It doesnt have to be a big thing. It could be a person who she auditioned against dugout a solo. Anything." "No, no one." the woman said with tears in her eyes. She looked as if she hadn't slept in days, "Everyone loved her. She was everyone's best friend. No one had a sore word to say to her." "Was there anyone- a man- who would hang around at practice. Anyone that would watch her in particular?" "No, no one. Absolutely not." "Mrs. Cummings; think really hard, please." "Well, there is her section director. He seems to take a particular interest in Courtney. He had a history of dating high school juniors and seniors, so naturally I tried to keep Courtney away from him as much as possible, but when it came to marching band, I just couldn't keep her away. She loves band. I couldn't do that to her." "Leeanne, I need the man's name." Emily asked, taking out her notepad to begin taking information. She looked up darkly, as if knowing the words by heart, "Jay Legler." "And where can I find Jay Legler?" she asked, scribbling notes hastily, "What's his address?" "He lives on College Street. It's right next to the school. He doesn't have a job besides band directing. He's there almost all day." she wiped away the years with the collar of her shirt, "You don't think he did it, do you?" Mrs. Cummings asked in sudden realization. "We don't know yet, but we'll get a search warrant and we will definitely check it out." Emily's smile was half-hearted, but it's seemed to give the older woman some comfort, so she went with it. She didn't waste any time in getting back to her team with the new information. "Alright, let's go," Hotch said. No; this was not going to be good. Child cases were never good.

The Hell Out of Dodge, Part II The Hell Out f Dodge, Part II A/N: Let me know what you think! "Well, yes, that, and there is always the fact that I'd like to get to know you. You fascinate me. You seem so strong, but every now and again, you seem to falter. It's intriguing." "My weaknesses intrigue you?" she asked in a half-hearted tone. "Well, seeing as you've become one of mine, I'd like to know what some of yours are." "We'll have to wait until I trust you a little bit more, before I start spilling my guts." Bonnie commented, looking off into the horizon, "The sun is coming up. Do you think we should get going?" "I suppose." He whispered, standing and wiping the grass from his khakis. Kol quickly made his way towards the exit, but Bonnie put a hand out to stop him, "Wait," she called, "I'd like to try something." Kol stood over her, watching as she closed her eyes and held her hand out over the headstone. In an instant a veil of flowers lay in front of the grave, as if appearing out of midair. "Thank you." He whispered, the tone of his voice one of shocked disbelief. "Now everyone knows a loved one has been to see him." The term loved one clearly made Kol uncomfortable. It was clear he hadn't been 'loved' by anyone in centuries, "What do we do now?" Bonnie asked, once they were out of the cemetery and staring back and the huge metal gate. "Now, we leave and we don't look back." He whispered, grasping for her hand as they walked down the sidewalk once more to go hail a morning cab. They stopped later on that afternoon at a hole-in-the-wall diner called Happy Days. It was a typical burger joint with one single pool table, and a few bar stools and chairs, none of which matched each other. After ordering a burger for herself and for Kol, who had never been formally introduced to the idea of ordering at a counter, she stalked over to pool table with Kol tight on her heels, "I bet you've never seen this before." She chuckled, wracking. "I can't say I have." He said, looking absolutely befuddled. "It's easy just watch me. I'll go first." Bonnie broke, but suddenly felt embarrassment at her lack of skill. Not a single ball hit a pocket. Her ears grew bright red, which didn't go unnoticed by Kol, who burst out laughing at the redness of her features, "Here, you try." She laughed, shoving the stick into his grasp, "And pretty much do the exact opposite of what I just did." The game went on for only several moments. It was practically over before it started. As soon as Kol even took the stick from her hand, she knew she had lost. In the midst of the happy daze they were both in, they could barely focus in on the voice that said, "Fancy seeing you here, Brother." They both whirled, and there, standing in the doorway, in one of his typical prim-and-proper, suit-and-tie outfits, stood Elijah Smith-Michaelson, "What are you doing here?" Kol snarled. "I suppose I could ask you the same question. And fraternizing with a Bennett witch? I'm afraid I expected more from you, Kol." "Um- there was no fraternizing…"Bonnie started, but she was silenced by Kol, who took a step in front of her. "Why are you here?" Kol ordered, "Were you looking for me? Did Klaus send you to put another dagger in my heart? I know how fickle you can be. What did he offer you this time, because you know it worked out so well before." "Actually, as thrilling as that would be for everyone involved, I'm afraid I come searching for something much more self-serving." "Out with it, then." Kol barked. "I come seeking safety. As you well know, Esther is still out there somewhere, hell bent on killing us all, and Klaus has gone off on a little killing spree of his own. I heard from the blond that talks too much- Caroline, I believe is her name- that you had left with Bonnie. And naturally, I knew exactly where I would find you." Elijah emitted a very desperate feeling. He held it together on the outside, but Bonnie could tell something was very much amiss. "No, no way. The last time I tried to compromise with you, you put a dagger in my heart. You're Klaus's lap dog. And that is all you will ever be." "I can get you in contact with other witches- stronger witches." Elijah offered, sending a half-apologetic look in Bonnie's direction. She didn't need it though. She knew he was right. "See, but the problem is that I no longer trust you, Elijah." Kol scowled, "You a scheming liar. Why should I believe anything you say?" "Because I have the little blond menace out in my car waiting for you to join us." Elijah smirked. He knew that would catch Bonnie fancy. "You brought Caroline with you?" Bonnie asked in disbelief, "Why isn't she back in Mystic Falls? Did you compel her?" fury began to bubble up inside of her, and Kol held a hand to her forearm to keep her from charging forward. "Quite the opposite, actually. She came to the house last night, and practically rammed the door down, yelling some nonsense about the witch running off with my…@#$%…brother. Naturally, I became curious, so I knew I road trip was in order." Without a pause, Bonnie tore past both men and ran out into the parking lot, where Caroline stood outside of Elijah's car. She had the look of impatience on her face, just like always, and Bonnie flew down the parking lot to meet her friend in a tight embrace, "What are you doing here?" she asked in disbelief. "You really thought I was going to let you go out and see the world without me?" she chuckled, "I knew that none of us were going to make it out of that town alive, so I did what I saw was best." "You mean getting a car with one of the people who once spear-headed a plot to kill Elena?" Bonnie laughed heartily. "No, you were right, Bonnie. It doesn't have to be all Elena, all the time. This is me taking my #life into my own hands. I knew I couldn't abandon my best friend." "Caroline, you know we made a really big mistake ever getting involved in any of this." Bonnie laughed, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the situation they had gotten themselves into. "Yeah, I know." She laughed along with Bonnie and they made their way back into the diner. "Speaking of involved," Bonnie stopped cold, a cheeky grin across her lips, "Looks like you've got your own @#$% Original now." "Oh, don't be so judgy." Caroline choked. She looked like a deer in headlights, which only made Bonnie cackle harder. "Any chance you're good at pool?" Bonnie asked hopelessly, "I kind of decided I would teach Kol and as it turns out, he's a fairly fast learner." Bonnie was determined to have some normality in her #life. If it was only for a fleeting second. She didn't want to talk about the murderous mother and the cold-blooded, younger brother. She just wanted to sit in the diner and play pool, pick up around six and keep on running. That was all she could see in her future from now on was running, so why not enjoy a little bit of freedom while she had it? Bonnie began walking through the familiar, old, musty mansion. She'd come here hundreds of times to try to seek the advice of her grandmother, and at times, even Emily Bennett. Of course, she had gone under the cover of night to avoid her father's watchful eye. Standardly known as the witch house between her and her friends, this is where she would come to connect to her ancestral line, where she would come to manifest her greater magical powers. There was something uneasy about the atmosphere though, as if she knew something horrible was about to happen. Nonetheless, she trekked on and began the ascent up the stairs to the second level of the house. One of the floorboards creaked underfoot and Bonnie felt an opposing hand on her shoulder. When she whirled around, she found herself face-to-face with the ever-imposing Klaus, "Hello, Love." he murmured, cocking his head to the side. His fangs were bared and his eyes were an unholy shade of red, glistening in the dark of the mansion. She knew what came next. He was going to suck her dry and leave her body for the rats to finish off. She took off sprinting up the stairs, desperate to find an escape. She was incredibly aware of the fact that every step she took felt as if she were wading through knee-deep mud. She could barely put one foot in front of the other. When Bonnie finally reached the top level of the house, crossing the threshold of the bedroom that had once been occupied by Emily Bennett, she slammed the door shut behind her and locked it for good measure. She fled to the far end of the room, finally release from the molasses that she had had to trek through in the stairwell. Her run was cut short when she tripped and fell headlong into a puddle of a sticky liquid. When she finally got bearings about her well enough to sit up, she gasped. She had landed in a puddle of blood. Bonnie let out a blood-curdling cry, as she jumped back to her feet, frantically trying to scrub the blood from her skin and hair with her fingernails. She stopped dead when she realized who the blood was coming from though. There, on the ground, we're the mutilated, tortured, and staked bodies of Elijah, Kol, Caroline, and Damon. In the farthest corner of the room, another body was limply hanging from the ceiling by the neck. Elena. She had the most grotesque look of anguish. To think she died in that kind of pain sent Bonnie over the edge. She fled back to the door that she had just locked and flung it open, praying she could summon enough power from her ancestors to ward off Klaus. Just long enough for her to get out of the house and safely to her car, "Fancy seeing you here." Klaus's voice called from behind. She couldn't bare to turn around. If she had, she would've lost what little composure she had left. She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. She didn't have time to devise a plan before he grabbed a handful of her crimped, black hair, pulling her head to the side, exposing her neck. She knew what came next. She let out one final cry, as he sank his fangs into her neck and drained her of what little fight she had left. (•_•) (/•_•)/ Kol frantically tried to shake Bonnie out of whatever nightmare she had been having. She had woken him, as well as Caroline and Elijah, when the screaming had begun. Cries of absolute horror and anguish filled the entire motel room, and, he feared, the entire complex. "Bonnie, wake up!" he hissed, as Caroline attempted to come to his aid, "Wake up!" Without warning, she froze an her eyes shot open. Kol dropped to the floor, clutching his head, as Caroline jumped back several feet as well, "What in hell-" he gasped at the intense pain. With both Caroline and Kol out for the count, Elijah was left to deal with Bonnie. He knew what was happening to the two. She had shot them down with aneurysms. He jumped from bed and walked calmly to her side, "Bonnie," his soothing, monotone voice seemed to be doing the job. He carefully took her by the shoulders, and turned her to the side, causing her to avert eye contact, and therefore, demolishing her ability to manufacture aneurysms. "What- did I do?" she asked in horror, as she watched both Kol and Caroline attempt to regain their composure, "I-I'm sorry." she murmured, jumping to her feet to help right Caroline once more, "It was Klaus." Worried glances were taken by all four of them. They all knew that such vivid dreams couldn't be just coincidence. Someone had put that dream in place. It was a message from Klaus. They wouldn't be getting out of this so easily. "We've got to get out of here." Caroline murmured, jumping to her feet, preparing to leave at a mere second's notice. "Yes, go quickly," Elijah urged, nearly shoving Caroline out the door. Bonnie and Kol followed swiftly behind. "How did he find us so quickly?" Bonnie asked as she ducked into the backseat of Elijah's car. Kol quickly slid in beside her and was quick to answer the pressing question, "I reckon he has a witch of his own who managed to tap into your power. That's why you had the dre-" In a second, glass shattered and flew in all directions. Blood spattered across Bonnie's face, and Kol's body jolted to the floor. He'd been shot. Elijah and Caroline jumped from the car to face whatever was awaiting them outside. Bonnie could hear the beginning of a heated dispute, but she could barely pay attention to what anyone was saying or doing. She found herself frantically trying to find the extent of Kol's wound. She knew he would heal, but from what she could see through the thin stream of light her cell phone's backlight could give off, he had been shot directly through the forehead. She prayed that he would stay unconscious long enough for her to remove it. Of course it had to be wood. She knew the second he came to, he would be in excruciating pain. Bonnie tried to keep her wit as she swallowed the bile that collected in her throat at the very thought of what she was about to do, "What happened?" he asked, eyes fluttering open, coming out of his daze. Kol was coming back and Bonnie began to panic, "You were sh-" "Get it out!" he wailed, between gasping breaths. Oh yes, he was in excruciating pain. His face congealed into ten different levels of anguish. Eventually his strength began to run low and he stopped screaming. His cries, were simply reduced to whimpers, "It hurts," he whimpered, as she slicked his drenched bangs off of his sweating forehead. "Okay, okay, I'll do it." she whispered, mostly trying to reassure herself more than him. She sucked in a final breath before plunging two fingers into the now-healing wound, "I'm sorry." she muttered, as she felt him jolt and let out a pained hiss. Finally, she managed to wedge the tiny piece of wood from the wound and it healed over in a matter of moments after she did so. The only thing proving that it had even happened in the first place was the tiny smear of dried blood across Kol's forehead, "Thanks." he gasped and she couldn't help but let out of slight giggle at how utterly glib he sounded. She continued to brush his hair from his face, as his head rested in her lap. Not even a week ago, Bonnie was hellbent on killing Kol Michaelson, and now, she didn't even know what to think. "It wasn't Klaus." Elijah murmured, stepping back into the car, his hair slightly askew, and shirt slightly muddied, "He sent hybrids." "What's this?" Caroline asked, laying eyes on the scene that had just unfolded in the back seat. Kol and Bonnie's hands joined at Kol's chest. Bonnie still found it slightly odd that Caroline had just been stuck in battle with God-knows-how-many of Klaus's murderous hybrids and she was more concerned with the fact that Bonnie and Kol were holding hands in the back seat. Classic Caroline. "It's nothing." Bonnie murmured, allowing her attention to snap to the two that were taking to the front seat, "So now where do we go? Now that we know he can tap into my mind whenever he wants, what do we do?" "We keep going. If we keep ourselves one pace ahead of him at all times, then he'll never be able to find us." Elijah began, as he started the ignition and pulled out onto the dark, secluded street. "So as long as he has his witch, we have to run." Bonnie concluded. She had feared from the very beginning that this would be the case, but she just hadn't wanted to admit it. "Of course, there is another way, but I'm sure you wouldn't be too fond of it..." Elijah began. "Tell me. I'll do anything. Do we kill her?" Bonnie asked. "If we killed his witch, he'd just get a new one. That would work for a while, but -" "Gods, Elijah! Tell me! What can I do?" Bonnie bellowed. She knew he was holding out on her, but the next thing to come out of his mouth let her know- it was definitely for a good reason. "Witches can't track vampires." Bonnie sucked in a breath. She couldn't believe what Elijah was suggesting, "Just consider it, please." he murmured, not even bothering to take his eyes off the road. "No, I will not JUST consider it, Elijah! You are asking me to give up on my morals, and leave everything of myself behind, just so we can't be tracked. And then there still isn't a gauruntee that we will be home free, anyway!" She was fuming. "We're not saying that you have to make up your mind tonight," Caroline said, twisting around in the seat so that she could look her friend in the eye. It appeared evident that she had to be the voice of reason in this situation, "And obviously you don't have to do it at all. We're not going to force you. But you are MY best friend, Bonnie, and in order to stay my best friend, you have to still be alive. And alive is definitely not what you will be if another batch of Klaus's hybrids find us!" Caroline's voice was beginning to rise, and suddenly Bonnie realized how dark her friend's eyes had gotten. "Caroline," she gasped, "When was the last time you...hunted?" she asked, seeing the veins appear around her eyes. "What? Oh!" she whirrled around in her seat, as to not frighten Bonnie with her current state, veins bulging out of her flesh; eyes as dark as night, "Sorry." she muttered, trying to snap herself out of it. "You didn't answer my question." Bonnie pressed, "How long has it been?" "Like a week and a couple days. It's fine; really! Stefan has gone for longer." "You aren't Stefan, Caroline. You're newer. You have to feed more! It's okay. I see a barn through the trees. Barns mean livestock, which means we can stop so you can feed. It might be a long time before you get the opportunity again." Bonnie never thought that she would be the one to have to be supportive of Caroline's feeding habits. After all, the one thing she hated more than what vampires were, was what vampires had to do to stay alive. "We'll convene back at the car in twenty minutes." Bonnie said, as everyone exited the car. "Where do you think you're going, Love?" Kol asked, as Bonnie stepped out as well, and began to follow behind him. "Well, I trust that Elijah and Caroline will keep to the animals, but I don't trust you. In fact, I'm fairly certain that if I wasn't following you, you would be feeding on a jogger by now." Bonnie quipped, feeling pretty proud of her self for mouthing off at an Original Vampire. "Fair enough. I must tell you though. I've never been too fond of animal blood. It's bitter, whereas human blood is sweet. But above all others, a witch's blood is far superior." his off-handed comment made Bonnie want to hurl. Was this the plan? Was he going to drain her while Elijah and Caroline were to preoccupied to do anything? "Still, I suppose this will have to do given the current situation." he poised himself to dive at a particular cow that had its head down, feeding on the harsh grasses, when Bonnie put held a hand to his forearm. "Wait. Please." she put her arm out in front of herself and began murmuring what Kol knew to be Latin. It took no more than ten seconds for the sorry animal to close its eyes and fall to the ground in a snoring heap, "There, it's unconscious now. Just do it fast please." Kol nodded and walked off in the direction of the invalid animal that didn't so much as budge while he drained the #life from it. He care to wipe the remnants from his lips but didn't bother disposing of the carcas before he returned to Bonnie's side, "Why do you care so much?" Kol asked and when she looked up to gauge his expression, he seemed genuinely befuddled. "Excuse me?" "Why do you have such regard for #life?" When Bonnie didn't think to answer straight away, Kol continued, "What you don't realize is that you are better than humans, Bonnie! All of them! You were born better! You are a witch! If you wanted to, you could have the entire bloody secret service here to protect you from Klaus's hybrids, but instead you've joined up with this motly crew. Why? I know your powers are eating away at you, Bonnie. Why don't you just use them? You have a GIFT, that so many people dream of having and you what? Use it to make cows go to sleep? It's sad. And pathetic." Bonnie's face began turning different shades of red. She wanted nothing more than to punch him as hard as she could, but she knew that would only end in her writhing in agony, possibly with a broken hand. She pulled him nearer to the side of the barn, so that she could be as good as certain that Elijah and Caroline wouldn't be able to hear them, "Because, Kol," she whispered his name pointedly, "If I give in to my powers, I lose control." "Where's the secrecy in that?" he asked, an impish grin on his face, "We all give in to our temptation sometimes." "No, you don't understand," she held out a hand against his chest for emphasis, but quickly drew it away at the cold feel of his covered skin, "The last time I gave in, I nearly killed Klaus. That is how strong these powers are! I can kill Originals!" "Well, then, Love," Kol murmured, encircling her waist with his arms, making her breath hitch, as he pulled her flush against himself, "I guess it's a good thing I have you on my side, then." His impish grin had fallen into a lazy smile. "Yeah, I guess," she muttered, entirely conscious of the mere inches between them. It felt as if Bonnie's brain was going on overdrive as Kol's lips crashed down on her. To say that sparks were flying would be an understatement. Bonnie felt her back slam against the harsh play wood that made up the barn's siding as her arms encircled his neck. She was barely even conscious of the fact that what they were doing was just so wrong. She just strange that she felt so utterly comfortable in this situation. She gasped as she felt a pin-@#$% in her bottom and her eyes shot open. Realizing what he did, Kol backed away in a second, wiping her blood from his lips, "I'm sorry." he murmured, trying to come closer. He didn't know what for. He settled for taking her hand. "Don't touch me!" she wailed, backing away, Moving along the side of the barn at a break-neck pace. Through his continuing strand of 'I'm sorry's, something caught in her mind and she froze, whirling back around to face him, "You compelled me?" she went pale as shock set in, "You compelled me!" she shrieked. She wasn't sure why she'd expected more out of him, but she had. "What? I didn't compel you! Trust me; if I were to compel you it would be for more than just a bloody kiss!" "You're a monster," she yelped, and the next sound either of them made, was the blood-curdling scream emanating from Kol's throat, thanks to the aneurism Bonnie had bewitched him with. Just then a light flicked on in the house and Elijah and Caroline came running around the side of the barn, "What the hell is going on out there?" a man in overalls and a straw hat, wielding a gun, called out into the black of the morning. If only he had seen the freak show that had been taking place in his back yard. "What the hell, Bonnie!" Caroline whispered, as she enveloped her friend's waist and yanked her to the ground, forcing her to break concentration, "He didn't compel you. You still have vervain in your system, Bonnie. You can't be compelled. Here," she bit into her wrist and offered the blood up to Bonnie, "It'll heal that bite." "Please, let me go." Bonnie muttered in a tone of monotony, "Can we please just leave?" "But, the blood-" "I don't want your blood, Caroline!" Bonnie snapped, "Once I drink that, if I die, I become like you." Caroline felt a sting at the sound of Bonnie's words, "It'll heal on its own. Can we please just leave before the Jolly Green Giant over there decides to have a field day with his gun?" The four walked in silence back to the car. Knowing that Bonnie wouldn't want to be stuck in the back with Kol for the next two hundred miles, Caroline traded him seats and took her place in the back and waited for the boys to be situated in the front. Away they went in absolute silence. -End Part Two-

The Hell Out of Dodge, Part 1 A/N: Please comment and let me know what you think! Bonnie drove as fast as her car would take her. She trudged through the rain, through the mass of people, straight to the bar, collapsing on a bar stool beside a tall man. She couldn't make out much of his features. Her eyes were still blurry from the tears. "You look like you've had a rough night," the man beside her commented. He looked as if he were numb to the world; as if nothing was shocking anymore, nothing was exciting, "What's your excuse?" he asked, still staring at her from over his broad shoulder. Bonnie thought carefully, considering her words cautiously, before speaking, "My mother, she's um, she's very sick. We don't know if she'll make it." It was true for the most part, she thought to herself. Her mother had had her neck snapped. And she was in transition and most new vampires in Mystic Falls barely made it over a month without being daggered, "What's your excuse?" she asked back, as the man took a deep breath and considered his words. She contemplated taking a look at his mind herself, with a bit of magick, but then quickly shot down that idea. That was just wrong at many, many levels. "My family crumbled. Mum and Dad died and us children sort of went our separate ways. And my way just happened to lead me to The Mystic Grill." He chuckled without humor, accepting another round from the bartender. Suddenly a chill went up Bonnie's spine and she realized how freezing she had become. She was literally shaking on her barstool. She had been drenched due to the hike from the parking lot. Rain water dripped down her face and ruined her clothing, "Oh, my apologies," he quickly stood, removing his jacket and placing it around her shoulders, "Better?" She nodded dramatically and managed to crack her best attempt at a smile, "Better."After making small talk and pounding back drinks for a good hour and a half, Bonnie finally managed to put her glass down and face the tall, oddly polite, and very not-drunk man who still sat beside her, "How the hell are you not drunk? You've had triple what I've had." Bonnie cackled, over the blare of the suddenly raging music that was being pumped through speakers. The man couldn't help but chuckle as she collapsed from the barstool and into his chest, where he caught her nonchalantly and righted her again, "Well, I've got a rather high tolerance. You on the other hand, seem to be a bit too drunk." Before he even gave himself time to think, he asked, "Where do you live? I'll drive you home." "Dad taught me never to get into cars with strangers." She laughed at a joke that was clearly only funny to her, "Of course, if you weren't a stranger…" it wasn't until that very second that he realized how close her lips were to his. "On a normal day, I would definitely take you up on that," he chuckled, sliding back a few inches to keep space between them, "but seeing how as this is by no means a normal day, I could settle for your name." "Bonnie Bennett." "Kol Michaelson." They stood there in silence for a mere second, letting this new information sink in, before Kol started nudging her toward the door once more, "Let's get you home." Once they were on the front step of the Mystic Grill, "Give me your keys." He commanded, outstretching his hand, secretly praying that observing all of what Rebekah had taught him about driving would pay "Why should I give you my keys? I am perfectly capable of driving myself hdome." "I beg to differ," Kol chuckled, watching her wobble aimlessly down the steps and very nearly directly into oncoming traffic, had it not been for him yanking her out of the way at the last moment, "Bonnie, give me your keys. Let me drive you home." He commanded, staring her straight in the eye. Bonnie's eyes did not dilate. She couldn't even tell that he was trying to compel her. Chances are, she was so completely wasted she couldn't even tell she was talking to a vampire in her current state. "Fine." She barked, yanking the keys out of her purse and tossing them to Kol. He opened the door for her and made sure she was buckled in tightly before taking his place his front of the driver's seat and adjusting the seat belt. They took the short ride in silence. When they finally arrived back at Bonnie's humble abode, Kol carried her threw the front door. After a short pause in the doorway, Bonnie complained, "What are you waiting for? Go on in." He was careful to keep her out of the sight of any parents who may have been lurking, "This is me." She whispered, pointing to the room that was practically a giant explosion of purple and black. Kol quickly took care of Bonnie, placing her on her own bed and helping her out of her shoes, before retreating to the window, "Wait," she called, managing to grab hold of the cusp of his sleeve to stop him, "I know I don't know you, but- would you mind staying? Just until I fall asleep. It's been a rough week and I don't like being alone." Considering for a long moment, he nodded and took a seat on the purple futon that was placed at the edge of the bed, "Believe me, I think you know me far better than you think you do." "Really, how do you mean?" Bonnie asked, as she began to doze off. "Well, for one thing you could say that my family and yours have had a lasting feud for years, Bonnie Bennett. And that feud is the reason I am leaving this town. There is nothing here for me anymore." "So, if there isn't anything for you in Mystic Falls anymore, where do you plan on going? Living with a relative; you don't look that old. Are you going to go live with your grandparents?" "No, I have ways of my own. I suppose I'll travel the world a bit. Get a feel for what I've been missing out on." "I know exactly what you mean," Bonnie murmured, trying to bury herself as far under her covers as possible, "You want to get as far away from this town as possible. Get the hell out of dodge before the small-town mentality does its number on you." "I suppose you could say that." Kol knew he had already said to much, and after that, he settled for watching her slowly drift off into sleep and after he was sure that she was out completely, he cracked the window and made his escape. Bonnie awoke the next morning to a blinding headache and Elena at her bedside, "You were sleeping like the dead," Elena quipped, "How long do you think it'll take you to be ready?" "Ready, ready for what?" Bonnie asked in confusion, trying to sit up, but being knocked back down by the force of the pounding in her skull. "We promised Caroline we'd go see that movie. The Vow, or something like that. Yeah, it looks totally hokey, but I think she's officially reserved the right to choose this week, seeing as the most powerful vampire in the history of time just confessed to 'fancying' her." "Alright," she groaned, rolling out of bed, and wobbling over to her closet, "What time are we meeting her?" "Twenty minutes ago." Elena laughed, "So, I suggest we hurry." Bonnie flew around the room, collecting any and all things that she may have needed to survive the day, including a load of Aspirin, "By the way, this was laying on your step when I came in." Elena handed a small, velvet box over to Bonnie. She cranked open the small box and found a bracelet, nearly identical to the one that Caroline had taken to wearing; only instead of diamonds, it displayed hundreds of tiny sapphires. Below the beautiful trinket, there was a note: Bonnie, We all have a choice. If you mean what you say, about small-town mentality, meet me on Wickery Bridge when the#moonis full, and we'll get the hell out of dodge. -Kol "Did it say who it's from?" Elena asked, admiring the large piece of jewelry, "It's pretty." She added, as Bonnie fastened the piece around her wrist. Suddenly, realization hit her like a ton of bricks, "Elena, how many Originals are there in Mystic Falls?" "Well, there's Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah, and then there were two others, but I can't-" "Kol Michaelson!" Bonnie shrieked, dropping the note to the floor, "Oh my God." "What is it, Bonnie?" Elena asked, collecting the small letter off of the floor, and giving it a once over, "What are you going to do?" Elena asked worriedly, "Where did you even meet him to begin with?" "I met him at the Grill, last night, when I went out for a drink." And so commenced the helpless rambling, "I can't believe I couldn't put two and two together. Of course he's getting out of dodge. The only people who hold the key to killing Original Vampires live in this town. And how the hell-"another thought hit her hit her and her eyes grew dark, "Elena, I invited him in." "I invited him into my house. I got really drunk at the Grill and he drove me home, and I invited him in." Elena's eyes grew huge, "Oh, my God; you didn't sleep with him, did you?" "No!" Bonnie almost laughed at the thought. Drunkenly sleeping with an Original Vampire. It seemed like something she would've done a few years back, when she was young, and naïve, and ignorant to all of the goings on of the supernatural world around her, "He just carried me in, and talked with me while I fell asleep." "And you never had the slightest clue that this was the guy that spear-headed an attempt to kill Matt? For God's sake Bonnie; Damon snapped his neck AND daggered him, and you really couldn't put two and two together on this one?" Bonnie's eyes conveyed nothing but hurt at Elena's explosion, "I'm sorry. It's been a long week. I'm just a little worked up." "Yeah, I know how you feel. It must be hard to sit there and watch as me and Damon, Jeremy, Caroline, Ric- hell, even Elijah, work furiously to save your #life, day after day. It was my mother who was just turned into a vampire because of a stupid mistake you made, Elena. It just seems like anyone who comes within a ten mile radius of you ends up dead or hurting, and somehow, you always end up coming out squeaky clean." Bonnie threw her hands up in exasperation, "Tell Caroline that you all can go on without me. I'll talk to her later." Bonnie made her way to the door, grabbing her purse on the way out. "Where are you going?" Elena asked, following Bonnie down the stairs. "Getting the hell out of dodge." Bonnie murmured, slamming the door and taking off at a dead sprint down the street. Bonnie had been walking aimlessly for a good four hours flat when she decided that she was in need of some clothing that didn't involve the pajamas which she currently wore. After storming out of her own home she realized what she would be leaving behind. There was Abby. She was going to be a new vampire, confused, a bit skittish, with only Damon and Stefan Salvatore as her training wheels. Besides that, she thought, there really isn't a downside. And right she was. Bonnie carefully weighed her options. She could stay in Mystic Falls, put up with friends that only liked her because she possessed the magick that was needed to protect them all. If she stayed in Mystic Falls, she could protect her dead beat, vampire mother. She could continue dealing with Damon's suggestive comments. Then, if she left with this Original, there really wasn't any guarantee that he wouldn't do the exact same thing. He could be just as manipulative, maybe even torturous. After all, he was one of the most feared beasts of all time. Then again, if he had wanted to kill her, or kidnap her, wouldn't he have done it last night, when she was high off her nut. She probably would've even gone willingly last night. That was one of the things that made Bonnie trust Kol. He could've taken her when she was drunken and confused, tied her up in some dingy motel, had his way with her, and forced her to do whatever magick he needed done, but he didn't. Instead, he sent her a bracelet and a thoughtfully written note. She figured she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. Of course, she wouldn't be going without backup. Bonnie pulled out her phone and dialed a number that she knew all-to-well. The girl on the other end picked up on the first ring, "Oh, my God, Bonnie. You missed the best movie ever. You can still catch me and Elena if you wanna meet us at the Grill. Of course if you don't because of the whole fallout thing this morning-" "Good to hear your voice too, Caroline," Bonnie laughed. Unlike when Elena jumped down her throat that morning, she knew that Caroline wasn't doing it maliciously. It was just in her nature to be a little bit too chatty, "Listen, I'm not really in the mood to chat about Elena right now, but I need your help. When's the soonest you can meet me?" "I can be out of here in twenty minutes," her tone suddenly changed to that of concern, "Do you want to talk about this now, Bonnie?" "No, I can't take the risk of Elena overhearing this. I need you to meet me at Wickery Bridge as soon as possible." "I'll be right over." She finished, and Bonnie disconnected the line before any further questioning could take place. Realizing that she was further from her destination than she had expected, Bonnie had to book it all the way to the Bridge, where Caroline had already arrived, and was sitting her car; completely and utterly alone, "What is going on with you?" Caroline asked, as she slammed the door to her car shut, "I know your mother is in transition and that really sucks, but you really didn't act this strange when that Luka kid and Dr. Martin were conspiring against us. You didn't act like this when you figured out Jeremy was seeing the ghosts of his ex girlfriends. Something else is going on and I really wish you'd tell me-" I silenced her, by holding up my wrist, displaying the sapphire bracelet I had been wearing since the early morning, and she suddenly understood, looking down to her own wrist, which displayed an incredibly similar trinket, "How…?" "I met Kol Michaelson-" "Klaus's brother?" Caroline asked, her eyes going huge. "Yes, Klaus's brother. I met him at the Grill last night, and I found this on my doorstep this morning, with this note attached to it," I handed her the note, and her blond pin curls fell into her face, as she bent to read it. "What are you going to do?" she asked, reading the note over several times for good measure, "Do you want to leave Mystic Falls?" "Of course I want to leave Mystic Falls. I've never wanted anything more than to get away from all of this, but with an Original…" "You don't know if you can trust him." Caroline concluded. "Exactly. Which is where you come in. That is, if you'd be willing to help me. I know that I'm asking a lot, so just say the word, and I'll leave you alone." "Bonnie," Caroline almost scolded, taking the shorter girl by her shoulders, smiling an apologetic smile down at her, "You are one of my best friends. I would do anything for you. Just tell me what you need me to do." "I want you to watch from a few meters back. Just to make sure this isn't a setup. I need someone who will be there to help me, if he really is just going to try to kill me." "And why would he try to kill you? If he wanted to kill you, wouldn't he have done that last night. You know, when you were all drunk and vulnerable?" "Maybe he likes the thrill of the kill. Maybe he's more like Klaus than we think. Klaus would never go after someone when they were drunk. There's no fun in that. Maybe Kol is the same way." Bonnie ranted, the shock of her plans finally setting in. "Or maybe," Caroline finished, pulling Bonnie from her rant once more, "he really does fancy you. I mean, come on. You're smoking hot. You're a Bennett witch, arguably one of the most powerful people in the world. And besides, he's been locked in a coffin for nearly a thousand years. He's got to be pretty @#$%-" "Oh, Caroline!" Bonnie shrieked, subconsciously plugging her ears, "Okay, I don't want to hear about the @#$% Original. I just, need to know if you can do this for me." "Bonnie, of course I can. I would do anything for you." Caroline crooned, taking Bonnie in for a tight hug, "Right now, thought, we need to go shopping." She said, a devilish grin on her face. After a short drive to the mall, they got out and Caroline directed Bonnie to one of the trendier spots, before grabbing what seemed to be a random selection off of the racks and shoving Bonnie into a changing room. Only about five minutes after having locked the door, Bonnie called out, "There is no way I'm wearing this, Caroline." "Don't be ridiculous. Come out. Let me see you!" Caroline called, excitedly. When Bonnie peeked out from behind the door, before clearing the doorway completely to show the outfit off to her friend. She looked like something from a magazine. She wore corduroy shorts that came up waist high with a white tank top with a gray knee-length cardigan and black high tops. Caroline almost cringed. Bonnie shook her head, nearly laughing, as she added, "I feel like a hooker." "Yeah, not even a high end hooker," Caroline observed, and Bonnie's eyes flew open in disbelief, "Go try the other one on." She shooed. "Okay, this is better." Caroline chuckled, admiring Bonnie as she walked out in a tight, metallic, blue mini skirt and a black tank top, which matched well with the black high tops she still wore. "Yeah, now at least I look like a high end prostitute." Bonnie yelped. "Well, we've got about an hour before we need to make our way back to the bridge. Do you want to go get something to eat. Somehow, I have the feeling that the only thing Kol is going to have on his agenda is a whole lot of blood." "Yeah, I guess you're right. Wanna hit the Grill?" Bonnie had learned quickly that the main reason Caroline had wanted to 'hit the Grill' was to apply that massive amount of makeup. Bonnie could not remember a time when she had ever worn that much makeup before and she had to struggle to remind Caroline that however attractive Kol may have been, she was using him to get out of Mystic Falls, and that was where it would end. They would be allies; a means to an end. "But you have to admit, if he tried to seduce you, you'd take a snap at it." Caroline bargained and Bonnie merely shrugged, "Say what you may, but just remember. I am always right." Caroline giggle, waggling her brow. "Is it weird that I'm nervous?" Bonnie asked, washing her sweaty hands in the rusting sink for good measure. "Uh, not really," Caroline chuckled, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "You're about to walk in to what most people would consider certain death, and you seem to be as cool a cucumber. If anything, I'd say the way you're acting now is a bit strange." "I'm not even 'scared for my #life' nervous," Bonnie continued, as if Caroline had never spoken, "It's more like the first date jitters." She barreled on, raking her fingers through her hair. "Look," Caroline began, forcing her friend to stare her directly in the eye, "When you go with this guy, there's going to be a good chance that me, and Elena and Jeremy, and Matt- we're never going to see you again. It's just the nerves that come with leaving home. I've never felt it, but unfortunately, now it looks like I'll have to eventually." Caroline's eye suddenly flooded over in sorrow. Suddenly, she wasn't the one giving the pep talk, but she was in need of one. "Car, you could come with us." Bonnie began hopefully, as if the revelation just hit her, "We could leave Mystic Falls together." "You know I can't do that," Caroline almost laughed at the hope that Bonnie's tone eluded to, "If I were a different person, I would leave this town in a heartbeat, but I'm not. I'm not strong enough, or brave enough. I'm not you, Bonnie." Bonnie had to admit, through everything that had happened over the last couple of years, she and Caroline had definitely grown closer as friends. They used to only be friends because of Elena, but that sure as hell wasn't the case anymore. Bonnie knew that threw everything, Caroline was definitely the one that knew what she was going through. She knew what it was like to have a dead beat boyfriend and parents that were never around. She understood what it was like to take the backseat in the All-Elena-All-The-Time scenario. If anyone ever had an excuse to leave Mystic Falls, it was Caroline Forbes, but still, as always, she persevered and continued on. "I am really going to miss you, Car." Bonnie belted, bringing her newfound comrade in for a hug, "Take care of Abby for me?" "Always." After sharing a brief moment of sisterhood like the good ol' days, Caroline finally asked, "Are you ready to go? The moon's almost full. We should go now if we want to make it to Wickery Bridge on time." With that, the two girl made their way back into Caroline's car and back down the road to the bridge. When they arrived, a thinly built, yet masculine silhouette stood out, standing in the middle of the bridge. Bonnie looked over at Caroline, who unlocked the car door and gave her friend a nod of reassurance. Bonnie cranked open the door and took a step out, closing the door firmly behind her. 'No turning back now.' She told herself, but it wasn't as if she was going to leave the only opportunity that would ever come for her to leave Mystic Falls. She conjured up all of the bravery she could muster and marched in the direction of the man who was still only a silhouette. She had yet to see his face. She knew it was him by the sound of his voice though, once he finally spoke, "Hello, Love." He greeted in a way that seemed almost menacing, "Glad to see you've recovered since last night's escapade." "It's good to see you, too, Kol." She said in reply, watching his features finally come into view, "I got your bracelet." She said dumbly, "You really do know how to charm a girl." "Well, I must be doing something right," he chuckled, "You're here and that's what matters. Now we have to get a move on, before my brother discovers that I'm smuggling his Bennett witch." He threw an arm nonchalantly over Bonnie's shoulders, and she gave one fleeting look back in the direction of Caroline's car, as it slowly pulled away from the bridge and out onto the main road, destined for a home, to which Bonnie never planned to return. With that, the two fled into the woods. "So, where exactly are we going?" Bonnie asked, gaining herself a fair bit of nervousness after the glare of Caroline's head lights had abandoned her completely. She wasn't completely immune to the fact that Kol hadn't said a word since their arrival on the bridge nearly an hour prior. "Arlington." He answered, never letting his eyes waiver from the spot on the ground direictly in front of his feet. Bonnie suddenly felt the need to laugh, "Seriously; I thought you said we were getting out of dodge. And we're not even going to leave Virginia?" "All in good time. There is something that I wish to show you, though. In order to do so, we have to be there before the sun comes up, and we'll have to run, so you should probably hop on." Kol suggested, pausing for a second, crouching a fraction of an inch. "What? " Bonnie backed up a few paces, "You think I'm really just going to hop on. Hate to burst your bubble, but I barely trust you as it is. I'm not just going to get on your back!" "I was afraid you might say that." His emotions were impossible to read in the pitch black woods, but something had changed in his voice, so she really was only caught slightly off guard when he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her on to his back and almost before her brain could process what was happening, they were running at vampire speed through the woods, and her arms were wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Nearly an hour later, Bonnie heard a whisper of, "We're here." As she was set back on the ground, to the dismay of her own let, which were shaking underneath of her, after having not supported her weight for that amount of time. After getting a grip about herself, she noticed exactly where they were, "Arlington Cemetery." She gasped, as she took a look around. They were already inside the gates, which were locked with a heavy duty, rustic-looking lock and key. Bonnie would only assume that Kol had jumped the fence, "Why are we here?" she asked, nervously, "The guards will see us, Kol." "They've been compelled for a long while now. They won't even notice we're here. It'll be fine. I want to show you something." Bonnie and Kol walked for a long while among the tiny head stones, until Kol came to a screeching halt. Bonnie could have swore she nearly saw a tear in his eye. He knelt before one of the small head stones, wiping some of the debris away from it, "Who is this?" she asked, kneeling on the ground beside him. Kol remained silent for a while, until he got his grips about him. When he finally spoke, Bonnie could hear his voice cracking, "This is my weakness." He whispered, "My grandson. Well, not really my grandson, but there are an innumerable amount of 'greats' in front of it, that I've chosen to abandon." "You had a child." Bonnie whispered in disbelief. "And a wife, Corinne." Kol added, his eyes glazing over, as if trying to recall some long-forgotten memory, "but when our mother changed us, I had to leave it all behind. I had to give up my family for a #life of running." He looked regretfully down at the stone once more; a dingy reminder of a #life that once was, "You know it's funny," his voice suddenly turned dark, "I remember how humiliated I was when I learned that my wife had bore me a daughter. We had been planning for a son. I told her, when the girl was born, I had no desire to know her. Now, I'd give anything to go back in time, take that child in my arms, and hold on for dear #life. The last time I saw them was the week of my transition. Corinne was at the market place, and she had her tiny child in one arm against her chest. It was just a fleeting glance, but I remembered it well. That was the last time I saw either of them. "Elijah knew of my remorse. He was the one person I went to, to talk. He is a very righteous man, as you well know. He keeps secrets well. Without my brother, I wouldn't have learned my daughter's name." "What was her name?" Bonnie asked, subconsciously imagining a girl with Kol's eyes and her hair running wild. She quickly shook the thought away, not entirely sure where it had even come from in the first place. "Her name was Emry." He took a moment to pause and compose himself before continuing, "I tried to forget my family. After several centuries, I had come to the conclusion that my bloodline had died out and my family had been exterminated. I was certain it had to be by Niklaus's hand. He has ways of finding weaknesses and manipulating them. "I never knew Gregory." He croaked, motioning to the stone in front of him, "He was born long after my brother had locked me in that coffin. Some of the Bennett witches kept an eye on him, though. They let Elijah know of him and Elijah told me. That's how I learned of this place to begin with." Without giving her actions a second thought, Bonnie asked, "Why are you showing me this?" granted, it was very touching to see one of the scariest beings to walk the planet crumble, but on another hand, it just made him that much more confusing and difficult for her to figure out. "I am telling you this, because in the bar I told that our families knew each other, and they did. Your ancestor, Ayanna, followed my daughter for nearly five decades, ensuring that my bloodline continued. The Bennett witches have a long history of protecting our secrets and I feel as if I should finally pay them back." "So, that's what you're doing by smuggling me out of Mystic Falls. You're doing Ayanna a favor?" "Well, yes, that, and there is always the fact that I'd like to get to know you. You fascinate me. You seem so strong, but every now and again, you seem to falter. It's intriguing." "My weaknesses intrigue you?" she asked in a half-hearted tone. "Well,...

Until It's All Over "Carli, it's going to be okay," Elijah sobbed, as he ran his fingers through her thick blond hair, caressing her neck and shoulders as she lay across his lap, "It's okay. You're going to be alright." "Its so cold." she murmured, her head bobbing to the side. Her sight drifting in and out of focus, "I can't feel my legs." she sobbed in horror, "I can't move my legs." "I know, it's okay. The ambulance is on its way." But he knew I'm his heart that the ambulance would never get there in time. Carli was fading far too fast, "Come here." he muttered, removing his heavy, corduroy jacket and putting it around her bare shoulders, "Better?" "Better." she murmured, settling into his lap, allowing him to run his fingers through her hair once more, "I can't feel anything anymore, Elijah." she whispered, "That's a bad sign, isn't it?" Just then, the unimaginable happened. Off in the distance, they heard the explosive blast and saw the blast of fire. Inside himself, Elijah knew what that meant. No one was coming for them. There had been an explosion. A compression bomb had been set up underneath Carli's seat. There was nothing either of them could do to stop it as the car went up in a cloud of smoke. Amazingly and unfortunately, they had both been left alive. Carli was in searing pain and Elijah had no choice but to watch her suffer. He knew what was happening; a terrorist attack. Within the next several minutes, there were a few more explosions. The city was going insane with people fleeing from buildings and running in the streets. Elijah knew there was just no way he was going to be able to get Carli to the hospital. He simply shook his head and dragged her toward the nearest alleyway where he collapsed, setting her in his lap once again, "What do we do now?" Carli asked, clearly confused and disoriented. "I'll tell you what we're going to do," he summoned up all the strength he had left as he looked down on his partner, "We're going to stay here," he whispered, "and I am going to hold you until this is over." Elijah held her against his chest and cried into her hair, kissing the top of her head dejectedly, "I'm not letting you go until this is all over. It's all going to be okay, Carli." In that split second, her breath slowed and he could've swore he saw a hint of a smile ghost across her features. Just like that, the woman who had been Elijah's partner in crime-fighting for nearly three years was gone. And he held her until it was over.