Chapter Nineteen

Bennett and Gilbert

Bonnie

"I mistrust all frank and simple people, especially when their stories hold together"
― The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway,

Bonnie felt funny, which was a rather funny thing to think. Because when you rationalised everything: her life, her family, her love interest and her supernatural abilities everything just fit on the spectrum of abnormal.

She felt a heavy gaze rest on her: as she kept her eyes shut. Mentally counting to ten and breathing shallow breaths. She was stunned when with what seemed like growing impatience, a set of arms jerked her into their hold. Planning to mold her like shrink wrap against their body, the fresh scent of pine wood and power invaded her nostrils. As a child, she'd been enamoured with Elizar, his scent, his pretty purple eyes, rich laugh, kind smile and cheery disposition — riches gifted and disposed for her.

Much like she had a smile reserved for him, he returned the favour. She could feel the embers of that smile as he kissed her forehead. His voice came out muffled as her limp arms remained at her side.

'This is going to seem extremely shallow; and you have every right reserved to punch me when this is all over,' the depth of his baritone sent ripples down her spine. 'but this isn't a hug.'

A giggle exploded from Bonnie's lips, jovial enough to shake both of their frames, she felt his weary gaze puckered down on her. But her body and mind didn't seem to care, especially when she coughed out: 'God! Grams was right we Bennett woman really know how to pick them.'

When a resounding 'Hey!' From both her father and lover sounded, she felt hot liquid splash down the contours of her cheeks. 'What's happening,' she whispered.

For something that wasn't a hug, his arms tightened around her as he peppered her forehead with light kisses, like he'd done in her younger years: 'Well you didn't know before, know who you were ... what you were ... so it was easier to conceal you back then. Binding your powers wasn't originally a goal of mine, but a necessity regarding your survival. A half Aurelian made out of love — was not unheard of. But one conceived with a witch, even that was testing the universe. But now ... you know ... who I am ... who Aramanda is... who you are to a degree.

The chains of your bonds surely can't withstand a truth like that for long. Sheila, I'd take everyone else to another room while this takes place. Retina damage is not ideal even for the self-healing vampires.'

'And yourself?' Grams voice asked her father and mother it seemed. Mother... what a wonder it was to think of something like that... and just know it was true. It was growing easier now to sense her presence. If Zar smelled like pinewood and a dash of whiskey. Then mom, she reminded Bonnie of lavender and a winter's breeze. It was very easy to be absorbed by the whole matter.

'Damon! Come on, he said ... you're really not going to leave. Whatever is happening to Bonnie, it's clearly on a level of supernatural that Caedmon a full-fledged Aurelian and Elijah an original cannot stand. But you charming, stupid Damon, will always have it on good authority; that probably dying for the woman you live is better than stay around— 'complained Caroline, tugging on the stubborn vampire's arm.

From between the small gap in her father's arms, Bonnie waved a hand towards the direction of the door. A pitch current of white energy swirled from her fingertips as the swooshing noise of the opening door and the undignified harrumphs of her guests sounded in her ear.

She heard the slam of the bedroom door she and Elena had occupied in their coma inducement. 'And Elena?' She asked.

'I think you already know the answer to that, Bellamy.' For something that wasn't a hug, she could appreciate that unlike Elena who'd lost a loving set of parents, to gain a mediocre pair. She had happened upon the inverse.

'Then after this ... whatever it is ... I have to go back ... I have to save her.'

'An admirable pursuit, but would she want that ... will she let that?' Zar asked, as the slow lick of heat began creeping up her frame. From the corner of her eye, she viewed the emergence of the golden specs pop into life, only they were different, a white gold tinge that could easily be mistaken for silver like moved in a haunting fashion towards her caramel complexion.

'They've changed.' She noted with childlike wonder, distracted away from her fear for her friend, replaced, and rightly so, for self-preservation for herself. She curled into her father's embrace, her gaze easily glittered with worry.

'Yes Cher, they have mon petite, they're ain't nothing to worry about, papa and mama are here for you.' His crisp accent dropped to that of a thick Cajun drool she'd been oh so fascinated with in her youth, highlighted a lot of talents it seemed but then again, he was other worldly... and her father.

She had a father... it felt like a silly thought to be concerned with, she'd thought she'd always had a father... but Rudy anyone could see was distant and cold. He cared but just not enough...

'When you were a babe, and it was decided the best resolve that could take place was binding your Aurelian half. Being a witch was enough to handle, being thrust upon with powers until the age of sixteen seems fitting. It was all we could hope for... but clearly, the well-made plans just could not play into the hopes of a father,' he said with a sigh, squeezing her even tighter when she felt the initial onslaught of the golden flecks.

'But then you died anyway.' Came the small voice of Abby... no, Aramanda who wrapped her smaller set of arms around her family. 'Every failsafe we'd employed was corrupted. And though you weren't a fully realised Aurelian, the barriers set in place around your original powers — your birthright seeped through. Have you ever wondered why you were abnormally stronger than your companions. Why you were able to literally peer and incept Elena's memories on a visceral level.'

'You are born of the both of us, and now that you know, the full realisation may not have sunk in yet... and we don't expect it to have. But it needs to sink in physically. I'm sorry Bellamy, of all the ways to hurt you, this was not one of the ways I ever conceived.' Whispered the kiss of Aramanda's sorrow. She too had green eyes, Bonnie's eyes. She had become an Aurelian after her death, not born one, had she had a hand in deciding her eye colour or had fate just been —

A scream ripped past her lips as the onslaught of golden flecks descended with immutable candor.

Elizar squeezed her tighter.

'Zar, you have to let her do this! You cannot absorb her pain, baby,' Moaned Aramanda.

'But…' he began his excuse, as Bonnie felt her mother begin to pry his strong arms away from her frame. 'Abby,' he growled.

But Aramanda with a liquid smooth tone said: 'patience my love, when the same occurred for me, you had to exercise restraint, that same restraint needs to be shown now. The faster you allow this process to happen. The faster Bonnie can accept this change.'

It started with white ribbon like tendrils, something Bonnie had never witness. A naïve assessment came to mind, she had never seen someone change/ become an Aurelian. She spoke up despite the anticipation of pain and worry: 'Is this normal? Were they this colour for you?'

Abby shook her head:' I was made a creature of nature – mine remained golden. You are a child of nature two-fold, of a witch and an Aurelian. A strange hybrid made of love and adore, you are a unique creature. We are here Bon-Bon. '

Bonnie gulped.

Instead of the biting and gnashing of her flesh, the relentless targeting of her tendons and the transformation of her blood count. The ribbons began to wrap around her, for a moment she was going to comment how relaxing the process was, no intrusion occurred; until the tiny pin pricks became jarring daggers plunging into her.

Bonnie collapsed as the pulse of energy that had emitted from her body, the blinding white light began to spire itself from her body like some funnel of energy. Pure energy, travelled through her retinas, pushed itself from her mouth muting her scream. Hands wrapped themselves around her, two sets. They were meant to let her change and transform by herself, and yet her parents, two people who been hiding in plain sight, stayed at her side.

'Bonnie!' came Damon worried yells, he banged roughly on the door rattled it. Tried to jar it with his shoulder. She could not answer him.

'Bonnie!' he cried.

'Damon, that won't hel—' began Stefan.

'Fuck off Stefan!'

The light dissipated, it was slow to leave the room, slower even to sweep away from her body, the energy that had come to consume her remained however, concealed somewhere safe inside her. She'd curled into a ball. Her parents wrapped around her like a protective shield. Their collective breathing remained harsh and rushed.

The door slammed open, maybe flew open as a rush breeze hoovered over her, sharp eyes inspecting her, or whatever he could see through the gaps her parents had left for him.

His voice was softer, far more hesitant than before: 'Bonnie.'

'Damon.' She called, she could feel him, a void in the beating hearts entering the room. She hadn't shouted but the impatient banging on the bedroom door was evidence enough to Bonnie who found her favourite set of eyes laid upon her, that he cared deeply for her. He raked her like a starved person, she opened her mouth to thank him again, for looking after her and her heart. But he occupied her mouth with his own. It wasn't as hungry as she expected: it was worse: it was passionate. What little breath she had, he absorbed, what little balance she had, he snaked an arm around her waist.

She was very aware her parents and a comatose Elena filled the room, but for that moment she had what she needed: Damon.

He broke away, two emotions at war with one another as he offered, her parents an apology: 'Sorry.' The word ripped through his lips with little premeditated thought, a frown marred his expression, as Aramanda advanced, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

'Don't be ... if you're enamoured now and Bonnie is in her neutral state, could you imagine what I faced with Elizar?'

Damon blinked at her.

'So, what you guys are also like sirens?'

Aramanda seemed to consider him for a moment before making a non-committed noise of agreement.

'Nature is somewhat seductive, I suppose,' Aramanda continued on thoughtfully, seeming to float away from Bonnie, to the inert figure lying peacefully on one of the beds.

Bonnie watched her mother study Elena; whose chocolate brown hair fell into her face. Sweeping it back with the tips of her delicate fingers; Bonnie realised how ethereal and equal Aramanda was too, Elizar.

'It was Elena's hematuria … still is… it's why she has so much belief in you… and by you and mean you're being. Don't get me wrong, she loves Bonnie Bennett, she's just happened to be a bit more seduced by the idea of the creature created to protect her.'

'It sounds like you speak from experience?' noted Matt.

Aramanda hummed. 'Witch or Aurelian, the Bennett lot were created for one sole purpose… protect the Petrova line…' a bark of laughter escaped Aramanda's lips, as she cast a look over her shoulder, to a wide-eyed Katherine who was entering the room with Caedmon close to her side.

'Don't look too surprise, why do you think Emily did not fight you as much as she could. A brilliant powerful witch had to surround your line, Amara saw to that, as did the universe…. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We are after all, talking about Elena.'

'You're strange, sometimes you speak as if you are born as Bonnie's mom, and others…' noted Tyler, tentatively looking between Bonnie and Aramanda.

Aramanda offered him a beautiful smile, and Bonnie watched mildly amused to see pink dot his cheeks.

Aramanda looked at her delicate long hands… 'You may be onto something…Mr. Lockwood,' and then she clapped her hands and turned back to Elena and Bonnie. 'So, what do you want answered first, why going back to find Elena, may not be the best thing to do, or who I am, I know you wonder too… it's your eyes Bonnie. How could a mother not tell what her daughter thinks of her…' she said seemingly reading Bonnie.

'Both,' breathed Bonnie, looping her fist against Damon's shirt. An O expression popped on Bonnie's face in the next moment, as she felt a cool brush of lips ghost against her forehead. She looked up to find

Damon's curious gaze on her, as he offered a shrug of the shoulder.

'I suppose the most prevalent question needed for you both, all of you,' she said casting a look over grams too, and back to her husband. 'is who I am. I am and will always be Abbigail Kathra Bennett-Wilson— if you're are wondering about the middle name, then you can always question: Tiffany.'

Bonnie's eyes widened, as she spun to face Grams, whose avoided her gaze.

'Wait, wait who the hell is Tiffany, why are is your grams blushing; is she…' began Caroline looking excited.

'He,' said Grams crisply. 'is Abby's God-father… '

'And the Aurelian's perception of death.' Said Zar waving his hand.

Everyone looked somewhat mutinous in wanting to find out more before Abby reigned them in: 'But when I died, two personas had to remain intact. Abby and Aramanda. As Aramanda, Tiffany took me under his wing (he was in fact distantly the Aurelian for Katherine's older Doppelgänger —Tatia.),' Aramanda ignored Katherine's appalled expression.

'If you are wondering Katerina, why you do not have an Aurelian— the whole dying and becoming a vampire had not been planned in your lifeline, we foresaw. Your spontaneity actually withheld your meeting … Caedmon.' Said Zar, oblivious to the rush of heat colouring Caedmon's cheeks.

Bonnie spied Katherine's lips move quickly, as a rush of Bulgarian slipped through the air.

'Tiffany always knew I was a quick study. If a Petrova had an Aurelian watch them as a sign of obligation, then a Bennett had one watch over them out of adore. Tiffany, was as much a father figure to me as my own father, and in this new life, he made sure I could fain such a power, incept everyone's thoughts to believe Aramanda was far older than twelve years since her creation.'

'So… Tiffany cared for Grams, Zar cared for Abby and Caedmon cared for Bonnie, what about Emily, who watched over her?' question Stefan, leaning against the wall, his body positioned towards Elena's slumbering form.

Bonnie looked between her mother, father and grams, but it was Caedmon who answered: 'Oh that, was … I do not know if she needed one… or if it was because she was so tangled with Katerina, if we felt it was safe, sorry love.'

Katherine huffed. 'It would have been you Caedmon, I suppose. If I hadn't changed. Has this been since time and memorial, or was there a specific date this came into fruition? The pairs between Aurelian, doppelgänger and Bennett witch?'

Aramanda blinked and turned from the doppelgänger.

'Why wouldn't Elena want me to save her… how could you believe that? I …'

'And that answers it. It's always you Bonnie, who must always save her. She is in your debut but always believes you owe her the world. Even when you were just meant to be a witch, she would have seen you as someone better. Someone she could never attain and hold onto. You would forget about your best friend, your little human and move on and be something better without her. But you also came back for her; your humanity was something like your downfall.'

'I told you bleeding heart, would hurt you,' whispered Damon. She cut a look to him, unable to elbow him. It was true.

'And besides, it must be me… who saves her.'

Caroline squeaked.

'And why's that,' Katherine asked defensively. She'd immediately been taken with Aramanda it seemed, something Bonnie was happy to note.

'Because for roughly five months, Elena Gilbert was my charge… and the rumours were true….at least the Mikael one was… I did desiccate your father… but not the reason you think.' Answered Aramanda facing Elijah.

They sat at the dining table, Aramanda placed a cup of hot coco in front of Bonnie, offering her a lovely smile, an Abby smile, she'd often worn for her daughter. It was why it had taken Bonnie so long to comprehend how her mother could ever leave her. And though Aramanda did not take the time out of her day to make Bonnie hot chocolate while she visited the Aurelian's, she had offered her soothing teas, seemingly out of nowhere, like a wise creature.

Bonnie breathed a soft thank you, which birthed one more special smile, before her mom tucked herself on Zar's lap, lapping their hands together. The silver bands on their fingers seemingly linked.

Bonnie smiled sadly at this, with all that was going on. Could she ever reach a point like that… marriage had never really been at the forefront of her mind, but… seeing her parents… Damon's large hand rested on her knee offering a small squeeze. She jerked away from her parents to lock gazes with him. He'd been strangely quiet, his eyes often found on her profile, her neck or hand; but hardly spoke. She frowned and leaned in closer to him… 'What … is something wrong?' she whispered.

He nodded, his eyes locked on hers and she felt a crescendo perform rolls down her body. 'What?' she offered him anxiously.

He ran his thumb across her brow: 'If you don't stop frowning like that, I will have to think of— Owh, Bonnie!' he yelled as she jammed her foot on top of his own.

'Glad to see some things haven't changed despite your choice of relations,' smirked Grams.

'I was checking my Bonnie Spellman was still there, hadn't been abducted or something,' he growled under his breath.

She cupped his face with her brush of her finger tips, offered him a sweet smile before turning to her parents.

'So, Mikel, why did you desiccate him?' Bonnie asked half distracted by the kiss Damon placed on the palm of her hand.

'Because I thought he was the one who killed me and tore me away from my child. And for a man who was happy to break the laws of nature and time in order to make his children immortal. I thought he'd be able to understand my ire towards him.'

Bonnie snapped her hand and attention back to her mother, her eyes blazing silver as white gold flecks burst into life, they began to rush towards Bonnie. Before Zar raised his hand, and the flecks pushed in their place.

'Calm Bella, be at peace Bellamy.' He crooned. Bonnie stared wide eyed at her father.

'Could you always do that?'

He nodded. 'It would have looked strange to show favouritism towards some neophyte I'd never met before.' He noted.

'You seem relatively calm about this now. My father's murdering you… why is that?' Elijah mused.

Aramanda hummed.

'It made sense at the time. Elena was a doppelgänger and before anyone knew, the sun and moon curse was a falsehood, a belief in it seemed true. Or, how Mikel's love for Niklaus shown through it meant that an innocent's life was in danger. Yes, Bonnie was safe for the time being, and if I had; had let Elena perish… then Bonnie would have remained dormant, and maybe none of this craziness would have occurred. Tyler would still be a human, as would Caroline. No, vampires would be here either… but she was Miranda's daughter. '

She sighed running a hand down her face. 'And what kind of monster could I / would I be, if I could not save a mother's child. But even then, even if it wasn't the right thing to do. I was her Aurella, by default. You all more or less know the story… or the supposed one. Because as a witch, it would have taken a lot of power out of me to desiccate him. As an Aurelian, the flecks were my aid. He had something smart to say when he realised and I quote: "Ah so you are like the Caedmon boy. So, Ayanna lied to me, to Esther. She knew his truth. She knew the root of his immortality. And now you hold it, I am happy for the dagger that found its way into your abdomen… we weren't too off then… death was the root—" I almost snapped his neck as his desiccated veins became more apparent.'

She chuckled softly. 'The fear shown in his eyes then. I think he assumed I was stronger than him— that I was exactly like Caedmon. So, he told me a secret and I told him mine. He knew who killed me… said it was an age-old generational grudge and that, that person with his arrogance had hidden it inside his equal in mind…. It didn't make sense until he pointed to Elena… mind… my murderer I'm guessing and hopping had hidden their face, their prospective of what occurred inside a section of Elena's mind. And if so… well it'd explain why Elena is how she is.'

'What do you mean by that?' snapped Stefan. Aramanda studied him for a long moment.

'Damon said it best once— Elena isn't like Katherine. Sorry Katherine. But before this reformation, you were a bitch. Before her parent's death, nor was Elena. I don't know, because it's a guess, but the bitterness of Miranda and Grayson, could have algamated and feed the memory of my murderer's persona. It is rare, but a memory can influence your personality.'

Aramanda jumped from Zar's lap.

'I am going to sound selfish, in order to wake Elena, we are going to have to find out why that memory had such power to transmute Elena's personality. She did love you,' she told Stefan. 'Doppelgängers often do. It's also why Stefan was often Katherine's choice. I can make sense of the lore… behind the doppelgängers and maybe why, why Dagon is working with The Mikealson's. But I need two people to trust me… to travel with me.'

Bonnie looked to Damon, offering a small squeeze of his hand.

Aramanda with a glorious glint to her eyes, offered… Stefan and Caroline a grin. 'How do you feel about an adventure?'

A/N: We're in the endgame now... no, no, what I mean, things have no choice but to start making a cohesive sense to y'all. More Bamon after the next chapter, but it's such an adventure story, Bamon dabble need more attention. But if you can tell next chapter will deffo me Steroline. Like I said before, I don't hate Elena, I feel Plec forgot to right, she didn't deserve to be that entitled and winy, I believe she deserves a redemption. I have the gall and audacitybr /

to extend some kind of olive branch to Damon and Katherine* side eye the hell out of me*.

I love Zar and Aramanda too, Bonnie just deserves loving parents. and you heard about Tiffany, there is one more Aurelian ally and the rest ... well not all of nature is good.