Nightshade - A Bonnie Bennett Story (Vampire Diaries / The Originals)

EPILOGUE

I woke up to the deafening silence of the Bourbon Street apartment. Memories of the previous night danced behind the darkness of my eyelids. I had no recollection of getting back to the apartment, but the last wave of magic had knocked me out, so the foggy memory wasn't exactly a huge surprise. I cautiously stretched, expecting to be sore from head to toe, but the pain never came. No aching muscles, no pounding headache. I didn't even feel drained. My best guess was one of vampires had given me their blood. It was then the realization hit me: I didn't even know who had survived after I lost consciousness.

I glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it was early evening. As I tried to remember what day it was, flashes of memories from the battle with the wraith flooded my mind.

Oh my god. Cass.

In a few short days, I'd really grown to like her brother Roman. He was good company, and the last thing I remembered was him, nowhere in sight as he was tending to his near-dead sister. I was pretty sure it would kill him if he lost her.

I sat bolt upright and swung my feet off the high bed. I hurried down the hallway, yanked the door open, and screamed in surprise as I came nose-to-chest with Elijah, barely catching myself before I ran into him. He smirked, clearly entertained by my display.

"Good evening, Miss Bennett." He was debonair as always, perfectly pressed and primped. No one would have guessed that only a few hours ago, he'd been knocking on death's door.

"Elijah, is everyone okay? Did everyone make it back?"

"There were a few witches lost citywide. Roman and his sister are both fine." I heaved a sigh of relief.

"And Klaus?"

"He sends his regards. I came to fill you in on everything. May I come in?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"How angry you are with me for using you like a well-dressed battery." I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I assure you, I'm not angry nor am I here to do you harm. You have my word."

"Fair enough. Come in. You have to fill me in on what happened. I've got a big blank spot in my memory. Is it over?"

"As we speak, a chartered vessel is dropping a safe into the Atlantic ocean. The captain and his crew were all compelled to take the trip with no GPS or trackable devices, and they'll forget the drop location the moment they dock. Cass placed a cloaking spell on the safe so any potential explorers won't find it as long as she lives. The final spell you performed last night demands the blood of a Bennett witch, and if the rune Baptiste and Dalcour used on the dark object are to be trusted, even your blood wouldn't actually open it. All possible safeguards were taken to ensure the box would never be opened again."

Klaus and I had discussed this plan at the Compound, and I knew deep down hiding the box where no one could find it was the right thing to do. I tried to remind myself that was more than enough, but the what if was still nagging at me in the back of my mind. We could have waited and found a way to destroy it. But I had to agree with Klaus's reasoning. As long as there is a Bennett witch walking the Earth, the risk of the rune not working and the wraith getting free was too high.

"Bonnie, I owe you my life." His eyes were glassy as he expressed his gratitude.

"You don't owe me anything, Elijah."

"Quite the contrary. I know our past has been, shall we say, complicated?"

I had to laugh. "Yes, I think complicated is an apt description."

"Of all the gifts I've been granted in this long life, unfortunately, the ability to go back and correct the past is not one of them. You're a remarkable woman, Bonnie Bennett. I deeply regret my past actions, and I hope that you can one day forgive me."

"We've all made mistakes, myself included. We've all done things we tried to justify in one way or another. As far as I'm concerned, my hands are every bit as dirty as yours, my friend. Besides, if I could forgive Klaus for everything he's done, you've got nothing to worry about. I'm all about second chances these days."

"Point taken." He flashed me a knowing smile. "Truly, Bonnie, thank you. My family and I owe you a great debt. As do the witches of New Orleans. I can't speak for the covens, but should you ever need anything, all you have to do is pick up the phone."

"A Mikaelson favor in my back pocket. Not a bad vacation souvenir."

Elijah laughed. I didn't even know he was capable of actual laughter, but there it was.

"The sun is about to go down. I think we should crack open a bottle of that fancy bourbon you gave me. Want to join me for a glass on the balcony?"

Elijah offered a genuinely warm smile. "That sounds wonderful."

I'd come to New Orleans a week before my vacation with friends to enjoy some quiet rest and relaxation. Instead I'd made friends with a former nemesis and gone to war for the witches of a city that was not my own. It seemed no matter where I visited, I always wound up right in the thick of the fight. Maybe I needed to accept that the quiet suburban life might not be what the universe had in store for me.

I breathed in the fresh air and the flowery scents floating on the breeze. I turned to Elijah, holding up my glass.

"We won."

"Indeed we did. Cheers." We clinked glasses and each took a sip. Just then a light knock sounded at the front door.

"I'll be right back," I said as I placed my cup on the table and went to the door to greet my guest.

"Who is it?" I called out as I neared the door.

"Bonnie Bennett, you better open this door."

I squealed in excitement and ran the rest of the way to the door, whipping it open when I got there. Caroline stood on the other side of the door, that familiar smile beaming back at me. I jumped into her arms wrapping her in a bear hug.

"I missed you," I confessed. "I have so much to catch you up on."

"I'll say," she replied as I let go and led her into the apartment. I stopped off at the cupboard and grabbed her a glass, then led her to the balcony. "I was just picked up at the airport by Klaus. Since when do you hang out with the Mikael—" Her words cut off as she caught sight of Elijah leaning against the railing.

"Hi?" The greeting she gave Elijah sounded much more like a question. He smiled knowingly, and she snapped around on me, her eyes bugged out.

"You know," I said to Elijah, ducking around Caroline's accusatory glare, "that sly little smile of yours isn't helping people's assumptions." I handed Caroline her glass and poured her a few fingers, which she downed in one gulp. "It's just a friendly drink, nothing more."

"Klaus seemed to think otherwise," she countered.

"Klaus is an ass," I replied, although it wasn't really a fair statement these days. I never thought I would see the day when he and I would be something resembling friends, but given what we'd been through, I was inclined to call him just that. However, Elijah on the other hand, echoed my statement by holding his glass up again for another toast. I obliged and sipped my bourbon.

"Well, that may be true. You're going to have to tell me everything that happened before I got here. His highness was pretty tight lipped with the details."

"I will," I said as I poured her another glass. I wasn't in a great hurry to rehash everything that had happened. I wanted to enjoy the rest of my visit without the threat of certain doom looming overhead. Pretty soon, we'd be joined by Damon and Elena, and there was even a possibility Jeremy would be coming into town. My mind wandered to Enzo and my heart ached for his absence. For the first time, I was actually looking forward to the idea of getting a quiet moment to write to him in my journal.

Caroline put her arm around my shoulder and pulled me to her. I rested my head on her shoulder. As much as I missed Enzo, I needed to remember to enjoy the time I had with the people who were still here. We stood there a long moment taking in the rapidly growing crowd in the streets below, a sign of the festivities to come.

"Welcome to New Orleans."