chapter rating: pg-13/teen
word count: 11,720

Epilogue.

PART TWO

Caroline texts constantly. It doesn't bother Bonnie as much as it could; she knows her friend is only worried. Ever since news of this 'Brenna' has made its way around the group, everyone's gone out of their way to check in with Bonnie and make sure she isn't in danger. She loves them for it, but she's getting a little tired of the tension and worry floating around. She'd much rather meet Brenna and just get it over with.

With a roast in the oven and a barrage of unread and unanswered texts piling up from Caroline, Bonnie puts her phone on speaker as she moves around the kitchen, talking shop with a regular customer.

"I can have a shipment out by this weekend," she says. "I'm guessing by the quantity that you're putting it in the town's water supply."

Jordyn, someone Bonnie met early on in her 'heroic' career, snorts. "At this point, I kind of have to. I don't know how bad Mystic Falls is, but we get some strange people around Salem."

"Is there ley line activity or do you think it's just because of the town's reputation?" After digging out a good knife for chopping vegetables, she closes the drawer with her hip. "Mystic Falls has a high concentration of ley lines, but there's also a lot of history and a lot of bloodshed. It leaves an impression."

"I'd say 50/50. We get a lot of tourists that just want to freak themselves out and vampires use that to their advantage. But, the town has a reputation for a reason. And I've looked it up, we do have our fair share of ley lines..."

Bonnie hums. "Well, I'll help how I can. Shipment shouldn't take too long to get there."

"Thanks. We seriously appreciate it. I don't know where we'd be without your help."

"It's no big deal," Bonnie dismisses lightly. "Always happy to help."

"Bon, I've known you almost ten years, and you've saved my bacon a few dozen times."

"Like you said, you live in a highly supernatural area. Anyway, I'm glad we ran into each other. If I remember correctly, you saved me the first time around."

"One rogue werewolf can hardly compare to how many vamps you've helped me put down."

"I'm not keeping a tally." She carries a colander of veggies to the sink to scrub them clean. "That was our job then. Bouncing around, helping out where we could. We wanted to make a difference."

"And you did." Jordyn sighs. "I still get people that come around here looking for you. You're a bit of a legend around these parts."

Bonnie scoffs. "For what?"

"You've put down some big players. Things like that get around." She clucks her tongue. "If you weren't out of the game—"

"Happily out of the game."

"Still, you were good at it, you know? I know it was dangerous, but you really evened the playing field out."

Bonnie half-smiles. She's a bit nostalgic, if she's honest. Once upon a time, she and Damon were the biggest threat around, and people knew it. They would arrive in a town, bent on helping the people, and put down whatever enemy they faced. It felt good, knowing she was using her powers to help others. But, it wasn't without its downsides. "I have my fair share of scars that say otherwise, but thank you."

"Anytime. That reminds me... I know vervain is usually your go-to response to problems like this, but is there any chance you might be able to get werewolf saliva?"

She pauses. "Are you planning a particularly long and cruel death for a specific vampire or...?"

"Not a specific one, no. But, I feel like having it on hand could keep a few bloodsuckers at bay."

Bonnie hums. "I can get some, if I ask nicely, but it's not something I would give to just anybody. You know my rule..."

"'Only the deserving.' I know. It's a little hard to parse out who is or isn't lacking in a soul when I've got hungry vamps taking a bite out of our local economy every other day."

"I get it. The vampire problem down there is serious. But, werewolf saliva isn't much of a quick fix." Much as Bonnie doesn't like vampires, at least in the general sense, she's seen what a werewolf bite can do to them, and she's not eager to do that to anyone else. Not unless it's the only option left.

"Hence, the vervain. But, the saliva could give me a little edge."

She frowns thoughtfully. "Let me think about it. And see who might be willing to lend a hand. All right?"

"Sure. Thanks!"

"No problem. I'll bill it to the same card you gave me last time. Let me know when it arrives."

"I will! Have a good night!"

"You, too."

As her phone disconnects, Bonnie brings her vegetables back over to the counter and the waiting chopping board before digging out a salad bowl. She's slicing a cucumber when her phone lights up with Caroline's familiar face. Rolling her eyes, she reaches over and answers it.

"You're getting a little clingy, you know that?"

"You didn't answer my texts!" Caroline cries.

"Care, I'm making dinner and dealing with work. My hands are a little full."

"Well, too bad. There's some snoopy stranger wandering around asking questions about where to find you. I can't believe I'm all the way in Florence while this is happening... Maybe I should come back," she worries.

"No, definitely not." Bonnie shakes her head, her hair brushing her shoulders. "You've been putting this trip off for over a month. You've only been there a week. Whoever Brenna is, she's not here. I'm fine, I promise."

Caroline sighs, not completely convinced. "I just find it sketchy. Aren't you worried?"

Bonnie presses her lips together. "Not really," she admits.

"How? I'm in a completely different continent and I'm nervous."

"You're an anxious person." Bonnie shrugs as she cuts up a few mushrooms to toss in the bowl. "In the past, I could usually feel when something was coming. I'd just get this icy, prickling sensation right in my bones. Like, death was reaching out and giving me a head's up..."

"That's not creepy at all," Caroline mutters.

"It was, and it was unnerving. Every big threat we faced, all the enemies we fought, I always got that feeling before they showed up. This doesn't feel like that. I don't know who Brenna is or what she wants, but I'm not getting any 'impending doom' feelings."

"Well, not to knock your gut or anything, but I'm still going to worry about you until we figure out who she is."

Bonnie grins. "As soon as I know, you'll know."

"Good."

"Onto more interesting things, how is Beth enjoying Florence?"

"She loves it," Caroline says, her voice ripe with adoration. "I don't know how much she's getting out of it, but I'm cramming as much sight-seeing in as I can. I know we've got tons of time to show her everything, but it's weird. Time just feels like it's going by so fast sometimes. I can't believe she's already five."

"She's still your baby and she always will be. From the day you brought her home from the adoption agency, she's been attached to your hip."

"Yeah, well, she's got Stefan wrapped around her finger. You know how I am. I want to spoil her rotten, but I also know my limits. It's been seven days and I have no idea how we're going to get everything he's already bought her back home. We might have to just ship it ahead of us. I'm not kidding, Bonnie. She saw a horse yesterday and Stefan asked how much it was and then started looking up what it would take to have a horse moved from Italy to back home. I mean, don't get me wrong. We have plenty of room and building a barn wouldn't take that much, but still. It's the principle of the matter."

Bonnie grins to herself. "I know the feeling. I'm glad you're having fun, though. It sounds like Beth is enjoying herself."

"I'm glad we're doing it before she starts school. I'm excited for her to get out there and spread her wings, but I'm definitely going to cry on her first day of kindergarten."

"Well, you have a few months before that happens. Are you guys planning on spending the summer there, too? Or are you traveling around a bit?"

"We haven't decided. Florence is beautiful, but there's a lot more to see out there. Once June ends, though, we might move on. We're trying to narrow down a short list of places we want to show her."

"We might come out and meet you somewhere this summer. I've got my hopes set on a nice, sandy beach. We can spend a couple weeks catching up under the sun."

"That'd be great! Are you sure you don't want to come out sooner?"

Amused, she shakes her head. "I know you're worried, but honestly, I'm not."

"Fine." Caroline sighs. "But, I still want to be the first person you call if she shows up."

There's a certain presence that Damon has that fills up a room, or, in this case, a house. Bonnie can feel it in the air as soon as he gets home. A warm feeling of anticipation bubbles up inside her. "Hey, Care, I gotta go. Dinner's almost ready and I think Damon's home. We'll talk more tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure. Just, stay safe in the meantime!" she demands. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Bonnie refocuses on the salad, throwing the last of it into a bowl just as she hears Damon's voice call out to her from the hallway.

.

.

.

Damon pushes the front door open and walks inside the house, wiping his feet on the welcome mat as he goes. He kicks his shoes off just inside the door, shrugs off his jacket and hangs it on one of a line of wooden hook strung across the wall. The ringing of a bell can be heard before a black cat hurries down the stairs and makes its way to Damon, weaving in and around his feet as he walks. He reaches down to scratch its head and drag a hand down its slinky back before he continues down the hallway.

"Bon! You'll never guess what was left outside of my shop…"

"Damon, I swear, if you brought home another cat you found in some random box, you're sleeping on the couch."

Looking down at Murray, meowing up at him from around his feet, he shakes his head. "She doesn't mean it."

"I do mean it. And I know you think witches without black cats are breaking a rule somehow, but one is enough."

"Why not live up to the image if you can?" He shrugs and takes a turn right into the kitchen. "But, sadly, no, there were no more abandoned black cats to adopt. Instead, I found this perfectly healthy human being to bring home." He walks to the kitchen island and steals a cucumber from the top of the salad she's put together.

Bonnie slaps his hand away absently and then looks past him to where Brenna is lingering in the doorway.

Damon whistles, snaps his fingers, and then points to the floor, as if to tell Brenna to catch up.

"Damon," Bonnie chides, wiping her hands on a dish towel, her gaze still on Brenna. "She was at the shop?"

"Came in as I was closing up." He shrugs. "Says she's Lucy's kid."

Bonnie's eyes widen in surprise. "Lucy my cousin?"

"Yup." He steals a tomato and pops it in his mouth.

"She died," Brenna blurts, shifting her feet awkwardly. "My mom. She, um… She was sick."

Bonnie frowns. "I'm sorry. I hadn't seen your mother in a long time."

Brenna steps forward then, eyeing her. "You look pretty young for someone my mom knew forever ago… Like, before I was even born…"

Bonnie glances at Damon, whose brows hike. "Long story, Kid."

"I have time." Brenna tilts her chin stubbornly. "And I wasn't asking you."

Rolling his eyes, Damon snorts. "You see the attitude I get? Introduce someone to one of their last relatives and all I get is sass."

"One of?" Brenna tips her head curiously. "There are others? Like, living ones? Because I heard about a vampire in Connecticut…"

Pattering feet can be heard then, before a tiny ball of energy comes racing into the kitchen from the living room. "Daddy!" Sasha throws her arms out and leaps as high as she can.

Damon grins, reaching down to catch her. He lifts her up and settles her on his hip. "Hey, Little Bug." He presses a kiss to the top of her head, her hair bound in two distinct puffs on either side. "How was my favorite daughter's day?" She's his only daughter, actually, but that's beside the point.

Sasha sighs, long and heavy, and then lays her head on his shoulder, staring up at him from eyes that mirror his own. "I did a lot of things."

"Yeah? How many?"

"At least eight," she tells him, very seriously.

"Eight?"

She nods solemnly. "So many."

"The most." He stares down at her from wide eyes. "I bet you were happy when mom picked you up from school."

"I made her a necklace out of macaroni."

"And cheese," Bonnie adds, smiling. "She took it out of her lunch and threaded it in between because, apparently, you can't have macaroni without cheese."

"Uh-huh… That's a valid insight, Bug."

"Thank you." She wiggles around in his arms to get a look at the stranger in the kitchen. "Who's she?"

"Why don't you ask her?" Damon suggests.

Sasha stares at Brenna, her brow puckered. "Are you a witch, too? I'm a witch, but I don't have all my powers yet. Except when I'm really mad or sad or happy and also once, when I got sick, I made the crackers float. Can't have soup without crackers."

"Hard rule?" Damon asks.

She nods sagely and then looks to Brenna again. "It's okay if you're a witch. Mommy and daddy are witches. They're good. But, sometimes daddy has to be bad. He says it's 'cause mommy is too good and he has to make it balance."

"Someone has to Crucio our enemies," Damon agrees fondly.

Bonnie shakes her head. "Sometimes I worry about your influence."

He merely grins at her.

"I'm Brenna," she finally says, taking a step forward. "I guess I'm your cousin, a few times removed."

"I have another cousin?" Sasha perks up and then looks to Damon. She reaches up and cups his face. "Daddy, did you hear?"

"I did. What's that make it now? You've got two werewolves, two humans, and now a witch. Not bad."

"Beth might be a witch, you don't know," Sasha tells him. "Uncle Stefan says if she was, she might not show her powers 'til real late. Mommy didn't have powers 'til she was old."

"She was seventeen, Bug. She was hardly old."

Sasha scrunches her nose up. "She didn't even make crackers float!"

"Yeah, well, she was a late bloomer. She made up for it later."

"I'm right here," Bonnie says, sounding exasperated. "And I already told you, Sash. I don't think Beth's a witch. When Uncle Stefan and Aunty Caroline adopted her, they did a pretty thorough background check. Her birth mother was as human as they come."

"What about her birth daddy?" She wiggles. "Or what if he's like my daddy? He wasn't a witch either."

"Special circumstances."

Sasha pouts, her lower lip jutting out. "I want Beth to be a witch."

"Well, you can still hold out hope for miracles."

Smiling, she nods, and then turns back to Brenna. "You're a witch. I can tell."

"Yeah?" Brenna half-smiles. "How?"

Sasha shrugs. "You feel like momma."

"Well, you're not wrong. I am a witch. Comes with being a Bennett, I guess."

"I'm a Bennett," Sasha tells her proudly. "And a Salvatore."

"Yeah, I see that." Brenna looks to Damon. "When you said you knew her, I didn't think you meant you were married to her."

He shrugs. "I like the element of surprise." To Sasha, he says, "Come on, let's give mommy and Brenna a chance to talk. They've got family business to discuss."

"Is Brenna gonna stay for dinner?" Sasha asks.

Damon glances back at her. "Yeah, if she wants."

"You have to stay for dinner," Sasha tells Brenna.

Brenna's lips quirk. "I'll see what I can do."

Damon looks to Bonnie then, leaning down for a kiss. She meets him in the middle. Leaning back, he searches her eyes to see if she's okay with him leaving and, when she nods, he presses another kiss to her forehead. And then he's carrying Sasha off to the living room, listening to her chatter away about the eight-plus things she'd done that day.

.

.

.

Left alone, Bonnie turns to Brenna and smiles faintly, drumming her fingers against the counter. "I'm not sure what to say… I haven't talked to Lucy in a while. I didn't even know she had a daughter." But, she knows Brenna is a Bennett. She can feel it, just like she did all those years ago, when she met Lucy. More, Brenna doesn't feel dangerous. There's a certain kind of energy that people carry. She always kind of picked up on it, especially around vampires, but it's increased over the years. She doesn't get that feeling from Brenna.

"She mentioned you a few times, but… She said she hadn't seen or heard from you since before I was born."

"How old are you?" Bonnie wonders.

"Seventeen." She shifts her feet and shoves her hands in her pockets. "Sorry for just showing up like this. I would've called, but…"

"But, you didn't have a number. I get it." Leaning back against the kitchen island, Bonnie crosses her arms loosely. "Can I ask why you were looking for me? I mean, I get wanting to be around family, but…"

"But, we don't know each other. Yeah." Brenna nods. "Before my mom died, she was being headhunted by this shady group. They said they needed a Bennett witch and she was the only one they could find. But, mom didn't agree with what they were doing. Long story short, they took me to make her do it and, well, she destroyed them. It wasn't easy... I kind of feel like she might've overdone it, magic-wise, and that's why she died. It wasn't sudden or anything. But, she just got tired after that, run down, and, a year later, she went to sleep and didn't wake up."

Bonnie's heart clenches. Memories of Grams flood her and leave an all too familiar sting. "I'm sorry. That must've been really hard on you."

"It was." She chews her lip. "My mom always said that she wished we had more family. She said she regretted not sticking around to get to know you better. That was how I knew where you grew up. After she died, I don't know, it just felt like something I had to do, so I went to Mystic Falls hoping you might still be there."

"I left a long time ago. A little over twenty years, actually. We spent some time traveling, fighting the good fight, and then we settled down here, almost eight years ago."

"Because of Sasha?"

Bonnie nods. "When we found out I was pregnant, it just seemed like a logical step. But, Mystic Falls comes with its own set of issues. Matt's got it handled, but we didn't exactly want to raise our daughter there. So, we moved out here." She tips her head. "My brother-in-law, best friend, and five-year-old niece live farther down the property. They're on vacation right now, though."

"The five-year-old, that's Beth?"

She smiles. "Yeah."

"And the never-aging thing?" she wonders.

"It really is a long story, but… I'll tell you sometime." Bonnie pushes off the counter then. "Dinner's almost ready. You're staying, right?"

"I'd like to, if that's okay."

"Of course. It'll be nice to have another Bennett around. I mean, obviously Sasha's one, too. But, trust me, she's definitely half her father."

Brenna snorts. "He seems all right."

"He has his moments."

"I couldn't find you anywhere, you know. Everyone I talked to that recognized your name never said a thing. I had to track you down through Damon."

"The Bennett name carries a lot of weight in the magical world. Not always a good weight." She frowns. "I wanted to help people, and I did. But, there are other people that would use us up and spit us out. I wasn't willing to be anybody's magical tool. So, the people I'm close to keep my whereabouts quiet." She stares at Brenna then. "As a Bennett, you're going to see that a lot. We have a legacy to live up to and it can be hard. It weighs on you. But, you have to be your own person first."

"Is that what you did?"

"I had to. I went through some things, struggled with my self-worth, and found myself the ultimate sacrificial lamb."

"What changed?"

"A lot, actually. My friends stood up for me, my now-husband risked everything to bring me back from the brink, and… I learned to love myself. I decided I wanted to live and I wasn't going to let anything get in the way."

Nodding, Brenna chews on her lip. "Without my mom, I… I don't really know what I'm doing. I mean, magic-wise. I have her grimoire and she tried to teach me things, long before my powers manifested, but, by the time they sparked, she was already sick."

"So, you want my help?"

Brenna stares at her. "I don't want to feel like I'm the only one left and I guess I thought if anyone should teach me how to use my magic, it should be another Bennett."

Bonnie nods slowly. "Okay. I can do that."

"Really?"

"It'll take time and a lot of work, but… Yeah. I'll help, whatever way I can."

Brenna grins then, wide and hopeful. "That'd be great. I— I can get a job and find a place in town. And I can do my schooling online."

"We can iron out the details later," Bonnie tells her. "For now, let's just have dinner and catch up. You can stay here tonight. We have a guest room. I'll make it up for you."

"Oh, you don't have to…"

"Brenna… Seriously, you came all this way. It's fine."

Brenna's eyes sparked with a sudden shine. "Thanks," she said, but it was strangled.

Bonnie was reminded of when she was 17 and her Grams died. When her mother was turned. When she lost her dad. Eventually, it started to feel like none of her family was safe. Like she was bound to be alone, no matter what she did. Her heart went out to Brenna. That was no way to live, and it was a recipe for low self-worth and depression. She didn't want to see Brenna follow in her same footsteps. In fact, she vowed that she wouldn't let that happen.

…

"What do you mean she's there?"

"I mean, she's in the kitchen talking to Bonnie." Damon sits back in his favorite armchair, his legs outstretched and crossed at the ankle. Sasha is sitting in his lap, a book open and propped against her upturned knees. "She showed up at the shop, said she was a Bennett."

"And you believe her?"

"She's certainly got the stubborn thing down pat. Anyway, Bonnie gets a feeling when someone is 'family.' If she's giving Brenna the time of day, I can only assume she does. Besides, the rugrat seems to like her."

"Right, because the logical decision here is to base things off whether your seven-year-old likes them," Stefan mutters.

"She's got her father's instincts."

Stefan sighs, and Damon imagines him pacing, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Damon, this girl has been chasing Bonnie all over the States. She's tracking down our oldest and closest friends. You don't think that's suspect?"

"Her mom was Lucy. Apparently, she died."

"Daddy…" Sasha reaches back and pulls at the collar of his shirt. "Is Brenna an orphan? Are we gonna adopt her?"

"You always ask the hard-hitting questions, Sash. I blame your Aunt Caroline for that. Listen, I'll let you know when I know, okay?"

She smiles at him brightly, and he can already see the cogs moving in her head. She's been vocal about wanting a sibling, but she was thinking of someone younger, not older. He and Bonnie have been discussing it, but they're not sure. They've got the shop and Liv has been asking them to take up teaching positions at her school. A change of pace might be nice. Adding anther kid to that would make things a little stressful, so they're considering waiting until they're sure what they want to do and are settled. Sasha snuck up on them last time. They'd been traveling around, helping out where they could, when Bonnie realized she was pregnant. Damon was happy to lay down the proverbial wand for a while. Although, child birth was no picnic, and he means that seriously. He could feel every wave of pain Bonnie went through. If they did end up having another kid, he was the one who was going to take the epidural.

"Do you want us to come back? We can catch a red-eye in," Stefan suggests.

"Nope. Stay where you are. If something goes wrong, I'll handle it. She's just a teenager, Stef. She set herself on fire earlier trying to show off. Trust me, she's not a threat."

Stefan grunts disagreeably. "Fine. But, if anything goes wrong…"

"You'll get to say 'I told you so.'" He grins down at Sasha, who smiles back at him and sticks her tongue through a hole where one of her front teeth is missing. "You wanna talk to Uncle Stefan, Bug?"

"Yeah!" She takes his phone from his hand and presses it to her ear. "Hi Uncle Stefan. How are you? I'm very good," she says cheerfully, and without any pauses for him to respond. "Is Beth there? Can I talk to her, please?"

Damon snorts. "Short-lived conversation."

.

.

.

Brenna feels awkward at dinner. She doesn't mean to stare, but she knows she is. She feels like she walked into a feel-good family moment she might've seen on retro TV. They all just seem so… normal and happy. It wasn't that Brenna's life was unhappy, it was just different. It'd always been just her and her mom, making it work in their tiny apartment with the wonky heater, non-existent air conditioner, and a few too many 'Overdue' bills in the mailbox. In comparison, Bonnie had a loving husband, an adorable daughter, a veritable mansion, a sprawling acreage, and a flawlessly young looking face. Brenna can admit to feeling a little bitter about the facts.

Still, she joins them at the dining room table, shifting awkwardly in her seat, picking at the napkin laid out in her lap. There's a roast in the middle of the table; Bonnie's sliced it up and served it out on each of their plates. Damon is cutting up Sasha's food for her while the seven-year-old happily tells them every detail of her day. It's peppered with random questions that she tosses in Brenna's direction.

"Me and Katie went on the monkey bars and she said she could hang upside down longer, but I did, so she had to give me her cookies 'cause I won." She turns to Brenna and says, "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior, technically. But, I started doing school online last year, when my mom got sick." She shrugs and pushes her peas around on her plate. "I was ahead when she died, but it's been a few months, so I'm probably behind now."

"Do you like school? I like school mostly 'cause I get to hang out with my friends. Like Katie. I didn't like her cookies, though; they tasted funny." Sasha scrunches up her nose and shows her dad. When he does the same back to her, she giggles. Returning her attention to Brenna, she wonders, "Who's your best friend? Mine is Beth, but Katie is my best friend at school."

"Uh…" Brenna looks from Sasha to Bonnie and back. "I was really close to my mom. And there was a girl that lived across the hall. Dana. She was really nice."

"Mommy's best friend is daddy, and also Aunt Caroline and Uncle Matt. Uncle Tyler says he's mommy's best werewolf though and that makes him even more special."

"Uncle Tyler is a liar," Damon says.

Bonnie snorts and rolls her eyes. "Damon."

"Do you know who daddy's favorite werewolf is?" he asks Sasha.

She sits up taller in her chair. "Cousin Mason 'cause he bit that vampire that scared mommy so bad she went into labor." She twirls her fork around. "But, it's okay, 'cause I was ready to be here."

"That's right. The best kind of werewolf is one that pulls its weight."

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "Tyler's saved your life on no less than six occasions."

"And I've saved his on at least eight. He needs to catch up."

"Uh-huh." She points her fork at the salad bowl. "Don't forget to eat your vegetables."

Damon sighs, long and loud, but dishes himself out some salad before he passes it in Brenna's direction. "So, Baby-Bennett, where were you before you hit the road in search of what you thought was your last living family member?"

She uses the tongs to fill her salad bowl and then leans back against her chair. "Chicago. My mom and me had an apartment there. Wasn't much, but it worked for us." She shrugs. "Anyway, I wasn't allowed to stay there after she died… I might've run out before DCFS could ask too many questions."

"Where's your dad?"

"Damon," Bonnie says, widening her eyes at him in a way that clearly suggests he needs to be more empathetic.

Damon stares back at her, his brows hiked.

Brenna gets the idea that they have a lot of silent conversations through facial expressions alone. Clearing her throat, she tells them, "He took off when I was little. Mom doesn't really talk about him."

"I'm getting déjà vu, Bon…"

Brenna looks from him to Bonnie questioningly.

"My mom left when I was little," Bonnie explains. "She had her reasons, but—"

"But, they sucked." Damon spears his fork through a tomato in his salad and swings it around. "So, you've just been thumbing your way around the country? Little dangerous, don't you think?"

"Daddy, what's 'thumbing'?" Sasha wonders before tearing a bite off a buttered roll with her teeth.

"Hitchiking, baby. Something you and Brenna should never do."

"Is it bad?"

"It's dangerous, because you're relying on people you don't know not to hurt you." Damon stares at Brenna, his eyes wide with emphasis.

It doesn't feel like a threat, even though it could very easily be one. Instead, it almost feels like… concern. Not for her, she doesn't think. They hardly know her, so they can't be that worried. But, maybe for this wife. For losing a family member. Brenna chooses not to put much stock in it. Still, she defends her actions. "I didn't hitchhike the whole time. I had a car in the beginning, but it kicked the bucket halfway to Mystic Falls—"

"That's where Uncle Matt and Aunty Dani and Cousin Tori live!" Sasha informs her.

"Yeah? I think I met your uncle. He was the Sheriff down there."

"Yeah, that's him!" Sasha nods excitedly. "He hunts bad people and makes the town safe. Sometimes mommy and daddy help. Tori's gonna be just like him. She's gonna hunt and she's a cheerleader."

"Yeah, she's a regular Buffy in the making," Damon says.

Both Sasha and Brenna stare at him, confused.

"Culture today," he scoffs.

Bonnie rolls her eyes fondly. "All right, Old Man. Try not to take it personally. They weren't around for the Civil War either."

"Har, har." He turns to Sasha then. "Cousin Brenna here met all your favorite people. Aunt Elena, your cousins, Mason and Josh."

"I met Jeremy, too."

Damon pauses then before slowly turning to look at her. "Jeremy Gilbert?"

"I ran into some trouble in Kansas. He kind of saved my life." She shrugs. "I caught a ride with him about halfway through New Mexico."

"Huh. Wasn't sure Little Gilbert was still alive."

Bonnie shakes her head at him. "How was he?" she asks Brenna. "We haven't seen him in… a long time."

Damon snorts. "He took Bonnie dating a former vampire kind of personally."

"Former?" Brenna stares at him, her brow furrowed. "You can't stop being a vampire."

"You'd be surprised." He grins at her. "But, seriously, how was he? Was he mopey? Still pining for Bon-Bon?"

Bonnie scoffs. "It's been twenty-five years, I'm sure he's over it."

"Ignore her, she has no idea the affect she has on people." Damon waves a dismissive hand. "So, spill the sad truth, Bren."

"He was okay, I guess. Seemed kind of bitter about life in general, but…" She chews her lip then and turns to Bonnie. "He said if I found you that I should pass along a message."

"Of course he did," Damon mutters.

Bonnie smiles gently. "What'd he say?"

"Just that he hopes you're happy. That you deserved to be happy." Taking a look around at the people at the table, Brenna nods. "I guess you are."

Bonnie's expression softens. "I am."

"Who's Jeremy?" Sasha wonders.

"An old friend," Bonnie tells her. "From a lifetime ago."

"Oh." Sasha reaches across the table to pat her mom's hand. "Do you miss your friend?"

Tipping her head, Bonnie grins down at her daughter lovingly. "I just hope he's happy, too."

"Okay." Sitting back down, she scoops up a bite of mashed potatoes and hums to herself as she eats them.

"Brady Bunch vibes?" Damon wonders, staring at Brenna knowingly.

Re-runs on TV give her a vague idea of what he means. She shrugs and admits, "Kind of."

"Don't worry. We're on our best behaviour. We're just as weird as any other family."

Brenna snorts. "I'll take your word for it."

Damon winks, mouth kicked up at the corner. It's friendly and lighthearted and, for the first time since she started this bizarre journey, she thinks she might be safe. Really and truly safe.

.

.

.

Bonnie shows Brenna the guest room, where they make the bed together. "This is all you brought with you?" She nods her chin toward the ragged bag Brenna's been carrying around with her.

"Yeah. It's not much. Just some clothes, my laptop, and…" She pauses and reaches for it, digging out the old yearbook to show Bonnie. "This is how I tracked you down. After the Sheriff shut me down, I broke into the library and went through the town records… There's not a whole lot in there about you, so—"

"So, you tracked down my friends from high school." Bonnie takes the yearbook from her, smoothing a hand over the top, and takes a seat on the edge of the bed. "This was forever ago…"

"I guess I lucked out that you're still friends with them." Brenna sits down next to her, rubbing her hands over the holes in the knees of her jeans.

"Yeah, well… I didn't always think I would be…"

"No?"

Bonnie shakes her head. Opening the yearbook, she thumbs through it, stopping on a few different pages to gaze at the familiar faces staring back at her. "I became a witch when I was the same age as you. It all happened really suddenly for me. One minute I was just your average teenager. I was a cheerleader and I had my little group of friends. I was looking forward to prom and graduation and college… Maybe traveling, too." She smiles to herself before shaking her head. "And then these two vampires moved to town. Brothers. And one of my best friends fell in love with one of them. And then my Grams, she was telling me that I come from this long line of witches and I needed to be prepared. Honestly, I thought it was a mix of alcohol and dementia or something. But, she was just as sharp as ever."

"So, what happened?"

She laughs. "What didn't happen? It was just this never-ending fight against doppelgangers, werewolves, vampires, original vampires, hybrids, each other, death, siphons, ourselves… Honestly, it was four of the most complicated years of my life. And near the end, I… I was lost and my self-esteem was in the toilet and I'd become this magical tool to wave away all the bad. You know? People come to you when you're a witch; they expect you to always come through in the clutch. And when you care about them, you start to think that you should, no matter what it costs you. But, that kind of thinking is devastating and self-sacrificing, and it can only lead to one thing. Your own demise."

"How do you change it?"

"You learn to value yourself. You stop putting other people before you… And the people that really love you, the ones you want to hold on to, they'll understand."

Brenna stares up at her and then blurs out, "I think my mom died because of me."

"If she did die because she overused her magic, then I think, if you asked her, she'd tell you it was worth it to save your life. The difference between my situation and yours was that Lucy was your mom. As much as I love myself now, as much as I fight for my independence and my life. If someone ever made me choose between myself and Sasha, I'd fight with everything I had in me and die a thousand times if that's what it took. Because she's my little girl, just like you were Lucy's." Reaching for her hand, Bonnie takes it between two of hers. "Do you think your mom loved you, Brenna?"

She nods, blinking quickly against a sheen of tears. "I know she did."

"What do you think she'd want for you?"

"I think…" She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, shakily. "She'd want me to be happy… To have a good life… To be a good witch and a strong person."

"Okay." Bonnie nods. "Why'd you go looking for me?"

"Because… I was alone. The only other Bennett my mom knew about was you. I thought if I could find you, I wouldn't be alone anymore." She looks around and shakes her head. "I didn't really think it through, you know? That you'd have a family and a life. I just thought… You'd be like me. The only one left. Alone and just trying to get by in the world. Because that's what we were always doing. My mom and me. She'd take these jobs sometimes, to make extra money. When people need serious magic, they want a Bennett. It kept the lights on and food in the fridge, but… It didn't feel right. It was like she was trading bits and pieces of herself away to help other people. When I asked her how to be a witch, what kind of witch I should be, all she'd say was 'be yourself, Bren, be your own witch.' But, what does that mean?"

Bonnie nods. "It means you get to spend some time figuring it out. There are a lot of different kinds of witches. We've all got our own agendas and our own ideas of how to use magic. Some of us serve the Balance, others serve themselves. You figure out where you want to be and you build yourself a life there."

"Is that what you did?"

"I was ready to sacrifice myself for my friends and the world. I threw myself on the pyre and tapped out. And then my friends stepped in and pulled me back. They showed me there was another way. That they could love and support me as much as I loved and supported them. So, they did." She pauses a moment, before saying, "Damon was a vampire. He was one of the first people to turn my life upside down, and not in a good way. We hated each other then. We just couldn't see eye to eye. What we wanted and who we cared about and what lengths we were willing to go to, it all clashed. And then something changed. We grew up and we found common ground. We died together, resurrected, and fell in love. And when it was time for me to let go, he gave up a part of himself to save my life."

"He stopped being a vampire."

"It's complicated, but, yeah." She nods. "We've all got our own journey to figuring out what we want and who we want to be. Yours is just starting, but… You don't have to do it alone. When I was seventeen, I lost my Grams, and my dad not long after. I found my mom and then lost her, too. More than anything, I lost myself. I had no one to turn to or lean on and it made me vulnerable. It made things so much harder than they needed to be. Look, Brenna… You're a Bennett. And I will be here in any way I can so you don't have to go through what I did."

Brenna stares down at their bound hands a long moment and then nods. "Thanks."

Letting her go, Bonnie stands. "Bathroom is across the hall. There's lots of towels, so feel free to shower. I think there's a fresh toothbrush in one of the drawers. I also left some clothes out for you, just in case. We can wash what you brought with you in the morning. On Sundays, we have a family breakfast, so we'll be up pretty early. I usually do yoga in the morning; it helps me center myself. You're welcome to join."

"Okay."

"Have a good sleep." Bonnie smiles. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

Brenna nods. "I'd like that."

Turning on her heel, Bonnie leaves, padding downstairs to find Damon in the family room. He's sitting in an armchair, his legs stretched out on an ottoman, absently flicking through a book. Bonnie climbs into his lap, her knees sinking down on either side of him. He puts the book aside and wraps his arms around her. "Hey."

She hums and rests herself flat against his chest. "Today's weird, right?"

"Little bit, yeah." He rubs his hands up her back and over her shoulders. "You feel good about this?"

"She's just a kid."

"So were you when you took on an original hybrid."

She snorts. "True. But, I think her life experience might be a little different from my own."

"Here's hoping." He leans down to press a kiss to the crown of her head. "Are we adopting a teenager?"

Bonnie sighs. "I don't know. It's too soon to tell, right?"

He shrugs. "I'm the impulsive one in this relationship, so you already know what I'm going to say."

"Do I?'

"She's your family, Bonnie. Probably the only one left. And she's had a pretty hard life, which means you're already feeling bad for her. Probably mentally painting her room and teaching her the ways of your juju."

"Oh, I'm mentally planning? Like you aren't already dadding her. Bringing her home like a lost puppy and telling her she shouldn't hitchhike or trust strangers..."

"She's a Bennett. I'm predisposed to caring about Bennetts."

Bonnie laughs and tips her head up to see him better. "You're such a dork."

His brows hike. "I know."

Sighing, she says, "Liv and Luke would take her."

"You wanna send her to Temecula?" Damon frowns. "I've got nothing against what they're doing. That school helps out a lot of kids. But, most of those kids were kicked out or abandoned."

"Technically, Brenna's alone. Her mom's gone, she doesn't know where her dad is—"

"But, she's got us." Damon stares at her. "If Brenna wants to go to school there, great. It'll help her get a handle on her wonky little fire spells. As much as her magic matters right now, I think what she really needs is family. And you're it, Bon."

"We're it. If we take her in, she lives here, with us. With you and Sasha." She pushes up to sit in his lap properly, putting a little space between them so she can talk seriously. "I like Brenna and I want to help her, but I don't want to put you or Sasha at risk."

"Did I mention she set herself on fire when she tried to attack me earlier? She's a kid. If I wanted to, I could take her out in my sleep. Hell, Sasha probably could, too. What's this really about?"

Bonnie drops her head back and lets out a sigh. "What if I can't help her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, she lost her family, Damon. When I lost my family, I was a mess. I didn't pull myself together. I just kept falling apart. How am I supposed to help her through this?"

"You're not seventeen anymore. But, what you learned back then can help her." He settles his hands on her hips and squeezes gently. "Hey, I know first hand that you're a kickass witch and an amazing mom. Whatever Brenna needs from you, I'm sure you can do it. But, if you don't, if you think she'd be better off with Liv and Luke, I'll support you. We can visit her on holidays, build up a relationship with her that way. Whatever you wanna do, I'm with you."

Bonnie's heart thumps in her chest. "I know," she says softly. Leaning in again, she settles her hands on his chest. "I'll sleep on it, okay?"

"Okay." He kisses her forehead one last time and then pats her butt. "Come on. I need a shower before we go to bed."

Groaning faintly, she pushes up off of him. He takes her hand as he stands and draws her along with him as he climbs the stairs and walks them down the hall, passing through their bedroom to the en suite bathroom.

They undress each other more than themselves. With Damon kissing down her neck and pressing up against her back, she already knows this shower isn't going to be quick or particularly focused on getting clean. She's not opposed to it. It's been a long day and she could do with a little personal time. With a seven-year-old running around, they take whatever time they get.

So, when they step into the shower and her back meets icy cold tile, she welcomes him happily. She wraps her arms around his neck as he reaches down, hooks his hands under her thighs, and lifts her up. Legs wrapped around his waist, she runs her fingers through his wet hair and rubs her nose against his, their lips dragging together.

For a little while at least, the world fades away, until there is only them.

.

.

.

After their shower, Bonnie trades her towel in for a nightgown and they make their way into their bedroom. Damon's arm is around her waist, his body pressed to her back, teeth scraping over the nape of her neck, only to find a familiar lump lying in the middle of the bed, covered by the blanket. They exchange a look as they separate and walk to either side of the bed. Dragging the blanket and sheet back, Sasha is revealed in her bright purple pajamas, Miss Cuddles pillowed under her head. She's fake snoring, loudly and dramatically.

Damon laughs and lays down next to her, scooping her up into his arms and dropping her on his chest. "What's this strange little thing doing in our bed?"

"I don't know." Bonnie checks that her hair is securely wrapped before she lays down on her side of the bed. "I've never seen it before."

Sasha giggles. "Yes, you have. I'm Sasha!" She sits up on her dad's stomach and makes a face at her mom. "I'm yours. I came from your belly and now I live here. But, daddy says I don't have to pay rent 'cause my face is too cute."

"Oh, is that what he says?" Bonnie smothers a grin.

"Yup!" She nods. "Daddy, tell mommy that I'm hers and I get to sleep in your bed tonight."

"Would if I could, Little Bug. But, you know her, she's a tough nut to crack."

"Nuh-uh." She rolls herself off her dad and crawls to her mom, stretching her little arms over Bonnie's body and resting her head against Bonnie's chest. "Momma?" she whispers.

Bonnie runs her fingers over Sasha's hair and mimics her tone, "What?"

"I need to sleep here."

"Yeah. Why's that?"

"Daddy's scared of monsters. I have to keep him safe."

Bonnie grins. "You know, I've always thought he was. And he definitely needs a protector."

"Can I do it?"

"You can most definitely protect him." Bonnie nods. "You and Miss Cuddles."

Nodding solemnly, Sasha reaches her leg over and pushes her tiny foot against Damon's ribs. "Daddy, I'm gonna keep you safe from the monsters, okay? Me and Miss Cuddles will fight them for you."

"All of them? Sounds like a big job, Bug." He hooks a hand around her ankle and lifts it like he might eat her tiny foot.

She giggles. "Momma's gonna help."

"Well, in that case, I feel safer already."

"I better stay though, okay?" She moves to lay between them and stretches her legs out as far as they'll go.

"If you think that's best." Bonnie reaches down and pulls her side of the blanket up until it reaches Sasha's chin.

Damon does the same; his free hand turning the lamp out beside him. He rolls onto his side then, an arm tucked under his head.

Bonnie turns over too, reaching an arm out toward him. Their hands meet across Sasha's belly, fingers knitting together.

.

.

.

At 8 am the next morning, Brenna wanders into the kitchen, bleary-eyed and half-asleep, to find Damon and Sasha making pancakes. They're singing along, loud and off-key, to seriously old music.

"Whatta man, whatta man, whatta man, what a mighty good man…"

Damon is dancing —if that even applies to whatever he's doing with his body— and singing into the spatula like a mic. "I want to take a minute or two, and give much respect due to the man that's made a difference in my world…"

"Brenna!" Sasha suddenly squeals, turning from where she's sitting on the island counter to see Brenna walking toward them. "Daddy's making his world-famous pancakes."

"Yeah?" She half-smiles. "Smells pretty good."

Damon nods his head toward the sliding glass door leading out onto the porch. "Bonnie's out back, communing with nature."

Feeling a little more awake, Brenna chews on her lip as she nods. "Okay." She makes her way over to the door, glancing back once to see Damon throw a blueberry in the air, where it lands right in Sasha's open mouth, making her giggle and clap. Leaving the glass door open, Brenna crosses the large wood deck, hopping down to the grass below.

The grass is damp with dew and a startlingly lush green. The treeline is at Bonnie's back, but to her far right is a wall of flower bushes, overflowing with huge, blooming roses. Bonnie's standing in the center of her yoga matt, her hands pressed together in a prayer position.

"I'm not interrupting the zen, am I?" Brenna wonders.

A smile breaks across Bonnie's mouth. "No, not at all." Dropping her hands to the side, she gives her upper body a shake, loosening up. "It's just another way to connect with my magic."

"How?"

"You talk to it. Talk to nature and your ancestors. You reach out to everything around you and try to feel the core of it."

"The core?"

"Magic lives in everything. The grass, the trees, the air… The better connection you have with all of it, the more respect you show it, the stronger you are."

Brenna looks around the yard, abundant with life. "So, it talks back?"

"In its own way, sure."

Padding feet can be heard then, before Sasha comes racing toward them. She doesn't stop until she reaches Bonnie's legs, wrapping her arms around them and resting her head against Bonnie's hip. "Breakfast," she tells her.

"Already?"

Sasha nods.

"Okay." Bonnie rubs a hand over Sasha's back and then steps off her yoga mat to start rolling it up.

Brenna makes her way over to the rose bushes. She stares down at them, her brow furrowed, and wonders how she's supposed to talk to nature.

Sasha walks over with her. "You have to be gentle," she tells Brenna, before reaching a hand out to a closed bud and cupping her hand around it. When she draws her hand back, the flower is unfolding, petal by petal, to show a vibrant red rose. "We're all flowers, so we gotta be gentle with each other and ourselves. That's our family motto."

"Really?"

Sasha beams up at her. "Yeah." She reaches over and takes Brenna's hand then. "What kind of flower are you?"

Brenna swallows tightly. "I don't know."

"That's okay. We can find out."

She nods. "Yeah. I think I'd like that."

.

.

.

They eat breakfast out on the deck, taking in the cool morning air, fresh with the smell of flowers. There's a plate stacked high with pancakes, a large bowl of blueberries and strawberries, a can of whipped cream, a plate of bacon, a jug of orange juice and a carafe of coffee spread out.

Brenna watches Damon hand a plate to Bonnie with a smiling fang-face on her pancakes. Bonnie rolls her eyes but her mouth is upturned in a smile. On the side of the table, Sasha has made a circle of blueberries around her pancake and filled it with whipped cream.

"You want any pancake with that whipped cream, Bug?" Damon asks.

She merely grins at him and drops a strawberry in the very center. "Perfect!"

Brenna cuts off a bite of her pancake and pops it in her mouth, humming appreciatively in surprise. "These are awesome."

"They should be. He's spent twenty-five years perfecting his recipe," Bonnie tells her. "Trust me, I was there for the first batch and it wasn't pretty."

"Genius takes time," Damon points out.

Brenna shrugs and cuts off another bite. "I don't know about that, but these are the best pancakes I've ever had."

"See?"

Before Bonnie can respond, there's a sudden storm of voices can coming from the front.

Brenna tenses, and then feels a wave of power surround her, making the hairs on her arm stand and everything on the table rattle. She looks at Bonnie and Damon, who've both tensed, and realizes it's their magic, anticipating an oncoming threat. She's never felt anything like it. Her mother was strong; she'd always known that. But, this is different. Strangely, despite how strong their power suddenly feels, how it seems to wrap itself around, she's not scared. In fact, she feels safe.

.

.

.

Bonnie's first thought is to grab Sasha and move her out of the line of fire. She's not sure who's coming or why, but she's not willing to leave her daughter in the line of fire. She looks to Brenna, too. She's only seventeen and she barely knows magic. Mentally, she starts going over where she can put Brenna and Sasha that will keep them both safe. But then, all her panic and concern flees her abruptly.

A familiar gang of faces, packing all too many weapons, is circling around the house, crossing through the backyard.

Damon blinks in surprise. "What the hell?"

"Jesus…" Matt races ahead and up the porch stairs, coming to a stop next to Bonnie. He reaches a hand out and rests it on her shoulder. "We got here as quick as we could. We weren't sure what we'd find..."

"Not enough pancakes, that's for sure." Damon looks from him to those trailing behind: Elena, Tyler, Liv, Mason, and Josh. "Did you guys drive here overnight?"

"That's what happens when you send out an SOS text. And some of us took a plane, thank you very much." Tyler scowls and then motions down the table to a wide-eyed Brenna. "Is that her?"

"SOS text?" Bonnie asks, shaking her head in confusion. She's still feeling a little overwhelmed by the there-and-gone threat.

Damon winces. "Yeah, I forgot I sent that. In my defense, when she first showed up, I thought she might be a threat. So, I called in the cavalry… And then I forgot to call them off."

"So, she isn't a threat?" Liv wonders, raising her stake gun up to rest it against her shoulder casually. "Are those blueberries?"

"Fresh from the garden," Bonnie tells her, before turning to Damon. "I can't believe you called them all in."

He shrugs. "There was a strange girl stalking our friends. Of course I called them in."

"You said you weren't worried!"

"I always say I'm not worried." He rolls his eyes. "It's a defense mechanism."

"And not calling them back when you realized she wasn't a threat?"

"She caught me off guard with the 'Bennett' thing. I forgot I sent the text at all." He pops a stray strawberry in his mouth. "On the bright side, their reaction time was pretty good considering how far away some of them were. All we're missing is—"

"Bonnie!"

They whole groups turns as a panicked Caroline comes rushing across the backyard, flushed and flustered. Stefan is just behind her.

"Caroline?" Bonnie stands from the table. "What are you doing here?"

"We caught a flight in."

"From Florence?"

"Stefan talked to Damon last night. He said not to come back, but…" Caroline gathers Bonnie up in a hug, squeezing her tight, and then looks down the table to the only unfamiliar face there. "Is this her?"

"Yes. And she's not a threat." Bonnie holds her hands up to stem any hostility. "Guys, this is Lucy's daughter, Brenna Bennett. She's family."

Awkwardly, Brenna raises a hand to wave at them.

"Wait, you're a Bennett?" Matt frowns "Why didn't you just say so?"

"Uh, I didn't know any of you…" Brenna shrugs.

"Valid reason," Elena admits, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jeans and rocking back on her heels. "Sorry for, uh, vamping out on you… I thought you might be dangerous. I was just trying to scare you off."

"I didn't take it personally." Brenna looks around at the group curiously. "So, this is everyone, right? I recognize most of them from your yearbook."

"Really?" Damon snorts. "Some of them aged terribly."

Bonnie swats at him. "Be nice."

"Fine." He stands from the table. "I'll make more pancakes while you guys catch up."

"I'll help," Stefan offers, following him inside.

Sasha stands on her chair and bounces a little. She reaches for Tyler, who's standing closest to her, and pulls on the sleeve of his jacket. "Are you staying?"

He grins at her and hooks an arm around her waist, lifting her so she can sit in the crook of his elbow. "I'm sure we can stay a day or two."

"Mommy, Uncle Tyler is staying! Which means Aunty Liv is, too." She peeks over Tyler's shoulder to her cousins and smiles at them, wiggling her fingers in a wave.

Josh smiles back and reaches a hand out to bop her nose. "We can stay 'til tonight but, since it's not life threatening, we should probably head back. We've got school, too, Sash."

She pouts, but then turns her hopeful gaze toward Elena.

"One night won't hurt," Elena agreese, reaching a hand out for Sasha to give her a high-five.

Content, Sasha turns herself around and then kicks a leg out, catching Matt's elbow with her foot. "Where's Tori?"

"Back home. She couldn't come out." At her disappointed sigh, he smiles reassuringly. "But, her birthday's coming up, so you'll see her soon."

"Cross your heart?"

He waves his fingers over his heart in an X. "I promise."

To Josh, who's wandered closer to the table to steal a bite of her pancakes, Brenna wonders, "How'd you get here so fast?"

"Took a plane." He shrugs. "It's protocol to head out as soon as the SOS text comes in."

"You guys just load up and come in from wherever you are?" Brenna looks around at all of them. "Just like that?"

Matt shrugs. "We thought Bonnie was in trouble. That's pretty much the only reason Damon texts."

"He texts me pictures of dogs that he says look like me." Tyler rolls his eyes. "One was a cat, but it looked like it had sideburns, so he said it still counted."

Sasha giggles and then reaches a hand up to touch Tyler's sideburns. He fake-growls at her, but it only makes her laugh harder.

"He has a strange way of showing his love." Bonnie shrugs. "Guys, I'm sorry you came all the way out here on a false alarm."

"It's fine," Liv says. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm glad we're in time for breakfast," Mason adds, circling the table to steal Damon's chair. He cuts himself off a bite of Damon's pancakes and pops it in his mouth.

After that, everybody starts dragging chairs up to the table, scooping up handfuls of blueberries, strawberries and bacon. Josh pops into the kitchen and returns with more plates, cutlery, and cups.

.

.

.

"I swear I remember telling you and Carebear not to come back… That was a thing, right? You might be the only person I talked to post-SOS text…" Damon's eyes narrow thoughtfully as he whisks a new batch of pancake mix.

Stefan shrugs, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. "Caroline was worried. We caught a flight out right after."

"Where's Beth?"

"Asleep in the car. I should go get her, actually. We just didn't want her too close to the house until we were sure what we were dealing with. It was a long flight, though. She crashed." He backs up toward the doorway, but pauses. "This Brenna, she's been okay?"

"Just a lost kid like I told you. We're either going to adopt her or send her off to school with Liv and Luke. Haven't decided yet." He shrugs. "You might have to double up on uncle duties."

Stefan rolls his eyes. "I just want to be sure you know what you're doing."

"I am." He starts pouring out a pancake in the hot pan. "She reminds me of Bonnie. Maybe we can do a better job of keeping this one from self-destructing."

"Can't hurt to try." Stefan nods before leaving, en route to collect his daughter.

Damon focuses back on the pancakes before casting his gaze out toward the deck, where his closest friends are all collected around his family. They'd hopped on planes or into their cars and come rushing out as soon as they could, all in an attempt to keep Bonnie safe. Not for the first time, he appreciated that he kept this strange collection of people close. He also digs his phone out and sends Tyler a picture of a soaking wet Chihuahua gritting its teeth in a strange looking smile.

Tyler texts him back a series of emojis that range from a glaring face to a knife.

It just makes Damon laugh.

.

.

.

A slightly overwhelmed Brenna leaves the collection of loud people currently filling the deck to join Bonnie, who's washing dishes and tidying up the kitchen.

"Too loud?" Bonnie asks.

"Kind of… Did you need some help?"

"Sure. You can dry." She passes Brenna a dish towel and then a dripping, freshly washed plate. "I get it, you know. How overwhelming it can be. Years ago, I was stuck in a prison world for, well, months. It was so quiet there that I desperately missed noise. But, when I got back, everything was so loud. It creeps up on me sometimes, even now. I love them and I'm happy they're all here, but sometimes I just need a break."

"You're lucky." Brenna stacks the plates off to the side. "They just dropped everything and came running."

"That's what you do for family." Bonnie pauses then, her hands deep in the dish water. She turns at the waist to look at Brenna. "Damon and I talked and… If you want to stay here, you can. I can help you find a school nearby. We can practice your magic together. I'll teach you everything I know and… We can be your family, Brenna. But, if you don't want that or you don't think you're ready or maybe it's just too overwhelming, then… Liv and Luke run a school in California for witches that were abandoned by their families or their covens. So, if you want it, there's a room there for you. It's a great school with amazing people and teachers. They'll help you learn magic in a safe, supportive environment and give you everything you'll need to succeed in the world."

"Everything?"

"Liv and Luke have done wonderful things. They've given kids a new home and a family and taught them the best parts of magic. They've shaped strong, good people into amazing witches and warlocks. I really think you'd be happy there."

Brenna nods. "And here?"

Bonnie turns to look at her. "I want what's best for you, Brenna. It's not up to me."

Chewing her lip, Brenna drops her gaze to the plate in her hand, drying it off absently. She can hear the people on the deck, their voices and laughter all mixing together. She doesn't hate the idea of the school. What she saw on the website was interesting. But, she can't help but wonder what happens if she goes. Does she video chat with Bonnie every once in a while? Maybe exchange letters or Christmas cards? Post-graduation, does she just head off to college, start her life, and think back vaguely on the only two members of her family that are still alive? Ever since her mom died, her only mission has been to find Bonnie, and she thought when she left Chicago that it was just to prove to herself that she's not alone. That there was at least one other Bennett out there, still making her way through the world, whatever that might take. But, since she's found Bonnie, all she's felt is this unfamiliar yearning for something she hasn't had since her mom got sick.

A family.

Maybe they don't make it work in the long run. Maybe their personalities are too different or they want different things or a few months pass and they decide they don't want this interloper invading their life; she's not sure. But, she looks at Bonnie and Damon and little Sasha and she wonders what it would be like to be a part of that. To have people like those collected on the deck come running to help save one life. Brenna loved her mother with every fiber of her being, and she misses the life they used to have. But, it's different now. Life is different now. And for once, she's wondering if maybe it could be great. Not better, not exactly. Just a different kind of good.

"Sasha said something before breakfast, about a family motto. She said you have to be gentle with yourself and everyone else. She also asked me what flower I am and…" She shakes her head. "I don't know. But, I'd like to find out." She looks at Bonnie then. "Can you help me?"

Bonnie stares back at her and then smiles slowly. "Yeah. I think I can."

Nodding, Brenna smiles, too. "Okay."

.

.

.

Later, Brenna and Bonnie rejoin everyone on the deck. Brenna finds a seat next to Josh while Bonnie pulls a chair up next to Damon. Sasha and Beth are playing in the grass, chasing butterflies. Tyler and Matt are exchanging 'war' stories. Liv and Mason are talking about music. And Stefan and Caroline are pressed up close together, arms wrapped around each other, talking in hushed voices.

Damon's arm winds around Bonnie and pulls her closer. "How'd things go with the kid?"

"I think she's going to stay." She tips her head back on his shoulder and presses a brief kiss to his chin. "Thank you."

His hand finds her shoulder and squeezes gently. "What for?"

"Everything." She rubs a hand over his thigh. "My family, my friends, my life."

"You did that all on your own."

"No." She reaches up and hooks her hand around his neck, tugging so he'll look down at her. "We did it together. All of it."

Damon smiles slowly. "I go where you go." He presses a kiss to her temple as he says, "Always."

Bonnie melts into those words. She looks out at her friends and family and knows he's right. Twenty-five years later and these people still have her back. Damon is still right here next to her. And now, they have a new addition to their family. Another Bennett to help carry on the legacy; one less sacrificial than it has been in the past. Between the three of them, they will create a new legacy. One of strength and power, love and gentleness. The Bennett name will carry on. Their power—in Bonnie, Brenna, Sasha, and even Damon— will forever be one to reckoned with.

And they—as a family, as a couple, as individuals— will never wilt.

end

note: that's a wrap!

i really enjoyed writing this story. season 6 will forever remain my favorite season, just because it had so much potential. we finally saw something happening between bamon that lent itself far beyond friendship. it's too bad the show didn't follow through. but, it gives me plenty to work with. the show writers did a huge disservice to bonnie and the bennetts, frankly. the way she was treated as a magical tool and never really given a chance to see herself beyond that. even when she straight up said that, she still ended up giving away too much of herself for other people. so, i'm happy to write a story where her friends recognize what she's given and they love/support/protect her as much as she has them.

i really loved writing sasha in this, too. i wanted bonnie and damon to have a family of their own and writing her was such a joy. i'm not generally a big fan of writing kid!fic, but i like these two as parents. so, i hope you enjoyed that, too. :)

i do have ideas for a sequel, but i'm not sure i'll end up writing it right now. there's just no guarantees. i'm working on updating the WIP fics i still have open. plus, i'm working on a soulmates fic and possibly a fake-dating fic. lots to look forward to!

please try to leave a review! it's hugely encouraging!

thanks so much for reading,
- Lee | Fina