Baby, You're Stuck With Me

chapter one

"The Backup Plan"

Bonnie Bennett stood in front of her grandmother, facial expression a mix of confusion and fear as she listened to the words Sheila was saying.

"I can't come, Bonnie. You're not the only member of this family that knows how to make a sacrifice."

Both women were emotional, knowing it would probably be the last time they saw each other. And while Sheila knew that her granddaughter was scared of what was to come, she could not help feel that swell of pride that came with knowing Bonnie was a bright, caring young woman. She didn't need to die.

"What does that mean?" Bonnie's voice cracked as she spoke, a tear going down her cheek.

"It means that I'm going to be fine. I found peace because I made sure that you'll find yours."

Two days earlier...

Eden Barrett sat cross-legged on the floor of her dorm. Around her were her personal belongings; books, clothes, nick knacks that she'd collected throughout the years, all things that she had to pack up one last time before going back home.

It was crazy to believe that it was six years ago that she had first stepped foot on the Whitmore campus. She had been eighteen, just a baby freshman intent on living normally without her zany family and her even crazier peers. And lived normally she had. Now, she was graduating as a very well matured twenty-four year old with a Masters in Mythology & Occultism.

The only thing she didn't like about graduating was packing up all her things. It was that time of the year that she always dreaded, and usually she put it off until the very last-minute. And that's exactly what she did this time, too. Not only did she have even more things to pack. But she had to be out by the following afternoon.

She was a nightmare when it came to deadlines, really. Her professors hated it, but she seemed to get through just in time.

"Alright. I can do this." she spoke out loud to herself while pulling the hair band off of her wrist and tying her hair back, "I am a strong, motivated woman with a Masters. Clutter is no match for me or my suitcases."

For a moment, she thought about using magic to help herself out. After all, what was the point in being a good witch if she didn't use it to her benefit? However, she quickly decided against it. Her mother had raised her to do simple tasks the hard way, and save her magic for things that needed a magical touch.

Which made it extremely amusing to Eden when she'd go back home and see her mother using magic to help with cooking in the kitchen, but it was always best to just not comment on that.

'Eden..'

Her neck craned to the side as she tried to look behind her in the doorway, thinking she heard someone calling her name. Nonetheless, no one was there. Eden just marked it off as hearing things and turned back around to get started with her packing.

It was then that she saw the form of another woman who hadn't been standing there before.

"Mother of fu-" she started, jumping up as she laid eyes on Sheila Bennett, who looked very unimpressed when the younger woman.

"Eden Marie, don't you finish that sentence." The ghost warned with slightly amused, yet serious eyes.

Eden pressed a hand to her chest, as if she could make her heart beat return to normal that way and she looked at her old friend and former mentor.

"Sheila? You... you're dead. I know you're dead. I went to your funeral." She stammered, brow furrowed. It wasn't that she didn't believe in ghosts, she just thought that they remained, well, invisible.

But then.. there had been those rumors about purgatory collapsing.

"Yes, I am. But I'll be gone soon enough." The older woman stepped forward, careful not to step on anything on the floor as she smiled at Eden. "But it's great to see you, child. I'm proud of you."

Barrett witches had always been rather close to the Bennett's. As a small child, Eden would visit Sheila and sometimes she would even play with Sheila's younger granddaughter, Bonnie. However, when Bonnie's mom up and left them, Sheila didn't have as much time to visit, and by that time, Eden was mostly doing school things.

"Not that it's not pleasant to see you, Sheila. But.. why are you here? Are you alright?" Eden's eyes widened. "Oh my God, this is a warning isn't it. Some kind of freak of nature two-week notice. I'm going to die, aren't I?" Being dramatic seemed to be a part of her genes. She would always state that it got it from her mom. Which for the most part, she did.

"Hush. You're not going to die." Sheila rolled her eyes with a tiny smile. "But I need a favor from you. A big one."

"Of course, anything. You know I don't mind." The graduate replied almost immediately. And it was true. She still frowned when Sheila shook her head with a sigh.

"You shouldn't agree so quickly, Eden. You don't even know what I'm going to ask you, yet." A pause filled the air between them before Sheila started speaking again. "The other side is falling apart at the seams. I'm sure you've heard that rumors. " At this Eden nodded. Witches gossiped. A lot. "My grandchild, Bonnie. She is the anchor, the one that spirits pass through. When the other side falls apart all the way, she will go with it."

"Oh my God..." A hand flew to her mouth as Eden took the information in. She did not know anything about that Bonnie personally. In fact, she hadn't even seen her since Sheila's funeral and that was only a brief encounter that the younger witch probably didn't even remember. "But.. what is the favor?"

She didn't like how grim the other woman looked. Already, Eden could tell that the favor Sheila was going to ask of her wasn't going to be delivering a message, or putting flowers on a grave. It was probably going to go bite her in the ass several times over.

"I need you to be the backup plan that Bonnie doesn't know about. If she dies, I need you to find her spirit and bring her back."

Nothing was said, then. Eden, who was still processing the whole thing, sat back on her bed and looked up at Sheila, a frown on her face. How much faith did the woman have in her?

"Even if I could.. I don't have as much power as it would take to bring her back. And it would take.. well, a while for me to even figure out how to do that." She said, shaking her head. Suddenly, she felt older than she actually was.

Sheila stepped forward and took both of Eden's hands in hers, a sad smile on her face. Throughout the years, she had come to look at Eden as another granddaughter, and she was one of her best students not to mention a talented witch.

"My old grimoires should have all that you need, Eden. And you'll have enough power. You'll have my power."

"What? You can't sacrifice your power to-" Eden started to argue, but was hushed by Sheila again.

"I am free to do as I please with my gifts. And I want to give them to you so that you can save my granddaughter. Please, Eden. Please."

The woman's hands squeezed Eden's tighter in urgency. It was her only hope. Bonnie's only hope. Finally, after a few beats of silence, Eden sighed and nodded, squeezing her favorite teacher's hands back.

"Sure. I'll do it."

"I don't understand..." Bonnie said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Not your concern. Just know that I looked out for you."

With that, Bonnie hugged her Grams for the last time, even more tears spilling over as she buried her face into her grandmother's shoulder.

"I love you, Bonnie. You stay strong." Sheila's voice was slightly muffled, but Bonnie nodded all the same.

"I love you."

"This place is going down, isn't it?"

Bonnie looked to her left, to the vampire she had grown to hate over time. But now, she couldn't help but be glad that she just wasn't alone. In front of them, holes of light peeked through to the other side, making the fabric of their clothes to flutter and their hair swirl.

"It is." she paused, looking at the light, then looking back at Damon. "I'm sure there are a million people we'd rather be with right now, but..."

Her hand slipped into Damon's, and he gave it a slight squeeze to let her know he felt the same.

"A couple thousand, at most." He joked, but Bonnie didn't have it in her to even smile at his attempt to make light of the situation. It was way too dire.

"Do you think it will hurt?"

Her voice was slight, like a child who was afraid of the dark and asking their mother if there were monsters under the bed. It wouldn't be long now until it was over. Damon started to reply, voice grave as he too stared at the light that seemed to have got brighter by the second.

"I don't..."

And then there was nothing.