"Kodi! Hey Kodi!"

Kodiak halted his steps and turned his head around to see who was trying to get his attention. He smirked when he saw his cousin, Xavier, stumbling through the brush and all but tripping over a few stray broken branches. His bright green eyes danced with excitement as he scrambled to his feet and bounded over to Kodiak happily.

A soft oof pushed from Kodiak as he got mauled by his cousin onto the grass, wrestling him down and around all the dead leaves from the large maples in the woods. They laughed and roughed each other up like all young boys did at their age. The two enjoyed a small tussle before rolling off of each other and shaking the blades from their clothes.

"Hey Kodi? What are we going to do today?" asked Xavier, curiosity growing in his eyes as his brows waggled with anticipation. Kodiak knew that out of all of his friends and family, Xavier enjoyed the adventures he created the most.

"Well, I found this neat wooded area just outside The Falls. You wanna go explore it?"

Xavier's green eyes widened as a soft whine issued from his throat. "Don't tell me you were trying to find that tomb again," he said, a slight reprimand in his voice. "You're going to get in trouble by your dad if he finds out."

Kodi shrugged, sauntering off on his own as his friend gazed after him. "Well, if you're too scared to go, I'll just go by myself."

"I never said I was scared!"

"Then what is it?"

"It's just...I don't think it's a good idea. Maybe we should at least get some more of us to come with?"

Kodiak's mouth formed into a twisted expression, as though to say 'Oh come on!' But he let his head sag slightly and just walked off as his small satchel swung at his side. Xavier kept up with his protests until he knew that he was only going to get things done with Kodiak if he just did what he was suggesting first. So Kodi merely stated that he could do whatever he wanted and when he was ready, to meet him at the outskirts of The Falls.

Not wasting another minute, Xavier dashed off into the woods to gather up some more people.

As Kodi reached the edge of the woods, he waited half an hour for Xavier. His fingers dipped into the grass and he smiled, feeling the faint pulsation of magic beneath his palm. The magic felt familiar and warm - like it was something closely related to him. His blood sang out in greeting.

But there was also something dark about it. As if it were giving off a warning. He pulled out his notebook from his satchel and began scribbling some things down. He'd have to ask his mom about it later when he got the chance. Or his dad.

The snap of twigs and crunch of leaves caused Kodiak to snap the notebook closed. He stood up, turning to glance over his shoulder. Xavier brought two more with him - one he hadn't expected to tag along at all.

To Xavier's right was Janus, their werewolf friend who was only a couple of years older than them. He was going to be graduating from high school next year. The other was Amira, Kodiak's twin sister. Her light chestnut curls bounced around her shoulders and she sighed, shaking her head and probably wondering how she got roped into getting brought out there in the first place. But when her blue eyes met with his, they just smirked.

Kodiak's grin grew more when he saw Amira waving a map back and forth in the air.

The journey through the woods was full of laughter and jokes, Xavier mostly the one making them. Kodiak didn't do much talking but he laughed and smiled when it was appropriate. He was too busy concentrating on just what direction he'd taken to get to where he knew the tomb to be. Kodiak could feel worry clutching at him, feeling that he may have gotten them lost.

Janus, however, caught the scent of a trail marking Kodi had left behind previously and he also spied the magical burn he'd left on a nearby tree. They were definitely going in the right direction now. It wasn't long before they reached another clearing and were standing in front of a cave with a giant stone rolled in front of it.

There were weeds and vines and various other flora wrapped around the mouth of the cave. He saw Amira double checking the map and she nodded before rolling it up and putting it away.

"This is definitely the place," she mused, reaching a hand out to touch some of the greenery. "The magic surrounding this place is pretty old."

"So, what Aunt Lonnie said was true!" Xavier could barely contain his excitement. He was practically vibrating. "We actually found it!"

Kodi placed his hand on the stone, feeling the intricate markings along the surface and the soft hum of magic that was seeped inside of it. If what his mother said was true, then this was where his grandmother had sealed away an evil entity. From what he'd heard about stories from within the Gemini, the Bennett-Parker line of magic was not one to be trifled with.

Janus sniffed the rocks and wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "...something smells dead."

Amira smirked, elbowing his ribs gently. "If it's something evil in there, then we would want it to be very dead."

Xavier nodded. "Dead, dead."

Rummaging through his satchel, Kodi pulled out their Uncle Josiah's grimoire from inside. He thumbed through a few of the pages. He saw Amira shrug off her book-bag and did the same, only she pulled out their Aunt Lydia's grimoire. Xavier, not wanting to be left behind, pulled out his mother's grimoire - Abigail; one of the two leaders of the Gemini Coven.

Unfortunately, Kodi and Amira's father (and the other Gemini Coven leader), Thomas, was away dealing with West Coast coven matters so he had taken his grimoire with him.

They pooled over the books, studying what they may have needed to know in order to gain access to the tomb. It would have been easier if they had their grandmother's grimoire, or even their grandfather's. Apparently both books were sealed away in the Gemini Archives where access was restricted.

"I found it!"

"Me too!"

"Yeah, me too!"

The three of them jumped up and Janus ran across the small clearing after making sure that things were secure in their area. He came back just in time to see the three Gemini witches cutting their hands with a switchblade. They each took the other's palms and began chanting, the wind and magic swirling with fervor around them. The witches couldn't stop the smiles from forming on their lips and their friend, Janus, could only look on in wonder.

"Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis, per Vasa Quo Errum Signos. Phasmatos selvus Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis, per Vasa Errum Quo Signos. Phasmatos selvus nos ex malom terra mora Vantis Quo Incandis per Vasa Quo Errum Signos. Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis."

The rock shuttered, dust and dirt flaking off the edges as vines and branches snapped from being pulled apart. The carved markings outside of the tomb glowed a pale yellow before the door was completely opened. A chilling breeze pushed against their bodies when the stone fully rolled away.

The three of them coughed and Janus jumped behind a nearby bush to protect himself from the overwhelming stench inside. Surely what was in there had to have been dead by now. It would be safe.

Volunteering to stay and keep watch, they left Janus behind and delved further into the tomb. The walkway was a bit narrow, but fully opened up once they got to the heart of the cave. Kodiak looked around with wonder as his twin clicked on a flashlight.

"So, did your mom ever tell you the story about our grandparents?"

Janus shook his head as he stepped over a cluster of rocks. "Nah, I've heard stories about what this town used to be like before our grandmother cleaned it up though."

Kodi scoffed, pushing through another passageway. "You mean about vampires infesting Mystic Falls?" He rolled his eyes. "I don't believe it."

His cousin pouted. "My mom wouldn't lie about that!"

Amira cuffed Kodi on the head and he winced, sucking air through his teeth. "What Kodi's saying is that other than Aunt Caroline, we've never seen any other vampires in this place. It's hard to believe they outnumbered witches."

Xavier nodded and was about to make a comment when he seemed to have missed his footing and tripped into a nearby passage. A bright orange glow permeated from the space and Kodi was immediately throwing himself through the hole. Amira was behind him and they were surprised to see all of the candles in the room burning with a strong light.

"Whoa," they all said together. Kodi helped Xavier to his feet.

Entranced with the large stone wall that had similar markings as the stone that had closed up the tomb, Kodi yelled out when he heard his twin shrieking in horror. He and Xavier physically jumped, hands at the ready to start launching counter spells. But he looked at his sister and followed his eyes in the direction she was pointing at.

There, huddled on the ground, appeared to be a dessicated young woman. Her dress was in half tatters and had faded over time - the iron chains that bound her disappearing under the hem and ruffles of the skirts. They heard bones creaking, the dust falling off of her that had collected over the years.

Immediately the three of them clutched their bandaged hands to their chests. Kodiak took a cautious step forward, unwrapping his hand and letting the blood flow freely. There seemed to be a new light shining in the brown pools of the creature in front of him - the only color apparent amidst the dead, graying skin that made up the rest of her.

"...are you a vampire?"

The woman's eyes seemed to dim a measure and the arm she was about to reach out with fell back at her side.

He watched her glance over his shoulder and he followed her gaze which went past his siblings and toward the large stone wall. Which, now that he looked at it, appeared to be some kind of divider. Was there someone on that side as well?

"Are there others like you over there?"

The woman continued to say nothing. Instead, she averted her gaze and appeared to be staring at the floor. Kodi pushed past the others and placed his hand on the wall.

Amira grabbed his shoulder suddenly, causing him to gasp. "Jesus, Mira!"

"What are you thinking?!" she whispered harshly. "You're not thinking about unsealing that wall, are you?"

"Don't do it!" Xavier said, his previous excitement completely gone. "Let's just go! We need to go!"

Kodi shook his head. "You guys aren't curious why our grandmother sealed these vampires down here?"

"No." Even though Amira was saying it, he could see it in her eyes that she didn't mean it. She was curious, just like him.

So, after ten minute of bickering with Xavier, they all focused on unsealing the wall that separated the dissicating female from possible others on the flip side. They found two male vampires wearing tuxedos. They were also gray and shriveled, seemingly dried out from lack of blood.

Looking at each other, they placed a barrier spell around them before flinging their hands forward - flecks of their blood spraying across each of their faces. Their skin began to brighten just a measure, but only enough to cause them to jump up from where they laid prone on the ground.

Before the two men could jump up and feed, the chains that bound them rattled loudly and they fell to the ground. Only the woman stood on shaky legs and watched the three of them huddled together. They were about to lower the spell so they could leave, but the teenagers were immediately greeted by the sight of their aunt, Caroline, looking every bit as flustered and frustrated as they knew her to be.

"What are you kids doing here?! I have been looking everywhere for you!" Caroline grabbed Xavier and Kodi by the scruffs of their jackets. "Your parents are going to have a...field...day…" She lowered them down and it was at that moment that Caroline met the gaze of the very old looking vampire. "...my God, Elena."

"C-Care…"

"Kids," said Caroline, her voice deadly serious, "go back outside where Janus is and wait for me."

"But-"

"NOW!"

They didn't waste a second. Like they had been ordered, they ran out of the cave and all but plowed into Janus. In the middle of cussing and fussing at him being the worst lookout ever, Caroline appeared at the mouth of the cave and sighed.

"You stay here and keep watch. I'll be back." A low groan pushed from her throat. "I don't have time for this. I have two weddings to plan. I don't need their drama back in my life." She cut her blue eyes over in their direction. "If they try to do anything crazy, you lock them back up. Got it?"

The four of them saluted to her. "Yes ma'am!"

After Caroline returned with fresh blood bags, Elena, Damon and Stefan all stepped out of the tomb where Bonnie had buried and sealed them away. The world had changed and yet it had stayed the same. However, they weren't allowed to go too far since neither Caroline or the children were permitting them to step beyond the threshold of the cave.

Now that she was getting a good look at them, Elena thought the children looked eerily familiar. Especially the young teenage girl who had thick, soft chestnut brown hair and startlingly gray-blue eyes. Her heart-shaped face and full lips made her look almost identical to Bonnie.

Were these her children?

They had referred to Caroline as "aunt" so she could only assume. A weak smile formed on her lips as she looked between the three that smelled human. "Hi, I'm Elena. I'm a friend of your mom's." She was looking directly at the young girl.

She looked at her suspiciously. "How come we've never heard of you?"

"I don't know!" she said, unable to disguise the hurt in her voice. "We were like sisters until she locked me in this tomb!"

One of the boys sidled up next to the girl, eyeing her just as suspiciously. "...for some reason, I doubt that."

"My mom doesn't do anything for no reason," said the girl.

The boy nodded. "Our dad, however, is a completely different story…"

Damon growled in frustration which, in turn, caused the young boy at Caroline's side to raise his hackles. "Bring your mom here and she can prove it to you herself!"

Caroline hissed at Damon before kicking him in the shin. "Bringing their mother won't do anything."

He sucked in air through his teeth while taking a step back. "Geez, Bon-Bon still that pissed off with us?"

Elena turned her eyes toward Caroline, silently asking her if it was true. Was Bonnie still that angry with them?

The blonde sighed and shook her head. "These aren't Bonnie's kids. These are her grandkids."

Stefan's jaw dropped. "Her...her grandkids?"

The three of them turned to look at the three witches who puffed their teenage chests out in defiance.

"And Bonnie?" Elena felt her hands trembling. "Where's Bonnie now?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you actually care. Last I checked, you switched off your humanity before you were buried."

"What happened to her?!"

"She's dead, Elena!" Caroline narrowed her eyes at the three of them. "She's dead and these are her grandchildren."

"No…" Elena fell to her knees. "...she never came back for us." Tears streamed down her face and she couldn't help but look at the children. She'd missed so much… so, so much.

"Why didn't you try to get us out, Blondie?"

"Damon, don't start," she said while pointing at him, "or I'll have them seal you right back up again." Caroline gestured to the kids and began ushering them out toward the edge of the forest.

"W-Wait!" Elena scrambled to her feet. "How? How did she die?"

Caroline halted her steps and looked back at the three of them over her shoulder. "She died the way she wanted to: of old age."

It was like someone had punched Elena straight through the chest. "...and how did she live?"

She heard her friend sigh, a sad smile ghosting across her features. "She lived the way she wanted to: surrounded by those who loved her and who she loved just as much."

Bonnie watched as Elena wept over her grave. Stefan and Damon had placed flowers there and Damon made an off-handed comment about her last name. And "who the hell is this Kai person"? She shook her head and sighed, not sure if she was comforted or annoyed that they hadn't changed.

Seeing Elena so broken brought a little bit of hope to Bonnie. Apparently she'd made the switch just seconds after Bonnie had decided to imprison her there. It must have been too much and it was a shame. Elena had missed so many things in her life as a result.

A large hand slipped into hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. She looked up and saw Kai looking down at her fondly. Though they had both grown old and passed on from old age, they were back to their young and vibrant selves now that they were on the Other Side. Kai had no unresolved business and was ready to pass on - to embrace the next phase of life and find peace. He was ready to be reincarnated.

Lord, he wouldn't shut the hell up talking about it.

But he'd stayed because Bonnie had had something lingering on her person - something that had prevented her from being able to leave. And now he knew why.

"Do you feel better now that your friend's out?"

She nodded. "I guess," Bonnie said softly. "...to be honest, I genuinely forgot about her for a bit. And by the time I remembered, I was well on my way to calling it quits for this life."

The world dissolved around them and he pulled her against his side. She wrapped one arm around his waist, snuggling up with her as the world continued to grow warmer and brighter as they walked on. Bonnie paused and Kai stopped walking so they could face each other.

"Thank you for waiting with me."

He flashed his trademark grin. "Hey, remember what I told you before?" Kai brushed a stray curl from her face. "No more solo vacations. I was included in that, remember?"

She smiled and then looked toward the light that was shining toward fiercely in their direction. "What do you think it'll be like when we get there?"

"I dunno," Kai said with a shrug. "But that's what makes it an adventure. We'll find out together. I'm here. You're here."

Tears brimmed her eyes; the last tears she ever hoped to shed.

"...and that's all that matters."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"From start to finish."

AN: And that's it. I'm an emotional mess. Thank you so much, Bonkamily (you know who you are) for inspiring me for this story. I love you all so much. Please feel free to review and support this story. I cannot begin to express how happy I am to enter into the New Year with these feelings of accomplishment! See you all in The Reset Series! MUAH!