Work Text:
“It’s been 6 months! I thought you said you opened the atlas for her to see.” Caroline huffs, flipping her blonde hair back.
“I did! I opened the garage door too. Awful suicide option by the way. Slipping something in your drink is a better option, that way you’re asleep when it happens. Though I did unfortunately wake up.” Kai explains, swirling the brown liquid in his cup, before taking a sip.
“Where is she then?” Elena asks, tapping an impatient foot on the ground. He rolls his eyes, his patience for this group running thin.
“Like I told you the last time you forced me to one of your scooby-doo meetings, she’s not in the prison world. The locator spell didn’t pick her up. I may have a lot more power now I’m Gemini leader and all, but I can’t find her. Either she didn’t take back her magic or she’s cloaked herself.” He puts down his glass, pressing his lips together.
He’d tried many times to find the Bennett witch after she hadn’t reappeared after her birthday rescue mission. Her location and safety had been on his mind since finding out her plans of suicide. He’d felt guilty; responsible for her misery.
It was his fault.
It was partly why he’d stuck around Mystic Falls, keeping an eye out for the Bennett witch, hoping that he would get the opportunity to apologise, and possibly form an allegiance with her. Waiting for her meant inheriting her ‘friends’. Friends a word he’d use loosely to describe them. Magical leeches, seeming more fitting, especially coming from a former siphon. The dynamics of the group had him ready to go back to Portland and wait for her return out there. Two of the vampires had turned their humanity off, and acted out after Damon, his broody brother and their eternal damsel in distress had initially provoked their blonde friend. He thought her request to be left alone had been reasonable, but in classic entitled fashion, they irritated her and she’d in turn forced Steven into turning his humanity off also. It made the rave he’d been forced to attend far more interesting. He’d wondered if Bonnie would have been able to handle a social situation like that had she returned in time. Damon had gotten his brother to come back to it not too long after, and blondie was tougher but he couldn’t care less. He was glad they didn’t know about the other prison world.
Jo and Alaric had gotten married at the end of May and moved away to some middle of suburbia town in Texas. He attended the wedding to save face for the coven, though he could feel the hatred from the older members of the coven, and his immediate family.
Fuck them though. He’d fly back and forth for coven meetings, wanting to spend as little time with them for the moment.
During his time in Mystic Falls, he’d managed to get himself a job at a music shop. Wooing the manager with his musical knowledge for his ‘young age.’ He’d also taken up camp at Sheila Bennett’s home. The one location in town where the vampires were not permitted inside. He hadn’t touched anything in case Bonnie came back, and took up residence in the downstairs guest room. It felt cosy. Far more comfortable than the house he’d grown up in. Faint magic humming throughout the house, and grimoires at the ready in her office and in the attic. He’d also scoped out the old witches house, taking the grimoires out. He wasn’t sure if it was Luke’s empathy or building himself a new life away from his piece of shit father, but he almost felt normal.
“Well, she has to be somewhere! She wouldn’t just come back and leave. She would have said something.” Caroline tries to rationalise the situation. He bites his tongue, watching her repeat herself from the last time they had dragged him to the boarding house.
“She’ll turn up.” Damon pours himself a glass of bourbon.
“I know her. She’ll come back.” He says, almost as if to convince himself. Did he know her?
“If we’re done, I have a job to get to.”
“You have a job?” Elena asks, confused. He laughs dryly, nodding.
“Not all of us have dead parents we can live off of.” He shuts his eyes, instantly regretting his comment. He didn’t technically need this job, he had funds from the coven, but the job kept him occupied during the day. “Sorry. I’m leaving.” He points behind him with his thumb, taking a few awkward strides before leaving. He sighs after shutting the door, hopping in his car and driving down into the town.
-
“Parker!” His co-worker greets him, his legs swinging on the checkout desk. “Jackson!” He greets back, walking behind the desk, signing in, in the back room, before coming back out.
“How's it been today?” He asks, putting on his lanyard. Jackson shrugs.
“Not bad, It’s been quiet.” He hops off the desk, changing the store music to a Led Zeppelin song.
“Dazed and Confused?” Kai raises an eyebrow at him.
“You know me, I love the classics.” Jackson mimics playing the guitar.
“Where’s Williams?”
“El Jefe’s on lunch. Told me to tell you to move some of the vinyl out from under the shelves. Fill them up.” Kai nods, looking out to the store.
“At least play something more current. You’re turning into an old man.” Jackson nods, pointing his finger out.
“Got it.”
-
Kai hums along to the latest Arctic Monkeys song playing over the speakers. He stretches his arm out, on his knees looking for any more 7’ records. His fingers begin to tingle, leading to a full body tingles. Magic?
He shudders, trying his best to ignore the nagging sensation. He retracts his arm, flattening the cardboard box he’d emptied, taking a sturdy breath and walking towards the front desk.
“That’s it, right?” He asks Jackson, walking past him to the back, disposing of the recycling.
“Yeah, think so. Next delivery is Tuesday.” Kai sighs, leaning on the counter of the desk.
“I hate dead shifts.” He mutters. Kai stands, grabbing a pile of pamphlets by the checkout. Straightening them and putting them back in place. “You and me both buddy. Welcome to Mystic Falls.” He jokes, brushing back his overgrown hair. He looks from Kai to the door as the chime alerts them of a new customer.
“What?” Kai asks, standing up.
“Major hottie alert.” Before Kai could get the chance to get a look in, he felt a searing pain smack through his left cheek. “Oh shit.” Jackson hisses. Kai’s nostrils flair, hands tingling in anger.
“Ow!” He hisses, holding his hand to his searing cheek. “What the hell is your problem?” He asks through squinted eyes at the perpetrator in front of him. His mouth gapes as his vision clears, shocked at her presence. He falls back onto the counter he’d hauled his body across seconds ago.
Bonnie was here.
Bonnie Bennett was here at his place of work, right in front of him. And she’d slapped him. His mouth gapes slightly. Her hair had grown, now below her collar bones. Her outfit fit her body better than most of the outfits he’d seen her in both personally in 1994, and in pictures her friends had laying around.
He was stunned to say the least.
“B-,” he attempts her name softly testing out the waters.
“How dare you!” She interrupts him, poking at his chest. Shit . He was screwed. “This is where you ran off to?! What is wrong with you!” He knits his brows together in confusion.
“I-“
“I don’t want to hear it!” She brushes her hair back, continuing her act. “You ran off! Who does that Malachai!” She crosses her arms across her chest. He looks between her and then back at Jackson, who’s watching invested. “I’m sorry?” He questions, still confused. He rubs his cheek, the pain still there.
“Sorry, what’s going on?” Jackson points between Kai and Bonnie. “Wait, sorry, who are you?” His coworker asks her. She raises her hand up, a shining band on her ring finger.
“Maria Parker, his wife.” Jackson looks between the two in shock.
“Dude, I thought you were single?” She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest.
“You’re telling people you’re single now?” she leans over, looking pointedly at him. A shocked look on her face, similar to the one she had pulled when she’d found out he’d murdered his siblings. Kai’s cheeks burn, he looks up, catching a couple of the customers watching the situation.
“Wait, can we discuss this out back?” He feels his heart rate speed up.
“You want me shut up? You said you wanted to settle down properly and when I said I was ready you left! No note. Nothing!” He hears a couple of judgmental tuts, his coworker brings his hand up to shield himself away from his view. “It wasn’t like that, I-“
“You what? My grandmother was right about you!” She takes off her ring, “Here! Have it back since I clearly mean nothing to you.” throwing it at him, storming out.
“Shit.” He picks up the ring, turning to Jackson.
“Cover me please,” he doesn’t wait for his response, chasing after the Bennett witch.
He looks around, worried he’d lost her again. He sighs, before his mouth is covered. She pulls him over, hiding at the side of the building in the alleyway.
“What was that?!” He whispers harshly.
“You don’t have to whisper, we’re cloaked.” He sighs, “Where’s my ring?” She ignores his question, holding her palm out, waiting for him to hand it over. She takes her ring; putting it on, before tucking her hair back. “Have fun at work.” She smiles, wiggling her fingers.
“Wait wait! Bonnie!” He calls after her, rushing behind her, bumping into one of the customers from before. “Sorry.” He apologises, while the older woman continues to glare at him, brushing past him to get to her car. What the hell just happened?
-
She sits at the table in the garden, an empty cup next also on the table. He hesitantly walks over, taking his seat opposite her.
“Good evening,” she says simply, bringing her cup to her lips.
“I-“ he starts, before she holds a finger up to silence him.
“I’ve got to say, I’m surprised you managed to keep the house intact.” She looks around the kept garden. “Though, it looks like you need to work on your organic magic.” She motions towards the sad looking flowers. He chuckles nervously, bringing his hand up to his hair, tugging lightly at it. “I’m also surprised that the ghosts of all those witches who’s grimoires you stole haven’t hexed you either.” He brushes his hair back, pressing his lips together.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t want to stay with your vampire friend’s house and this was the only place I knew they couldn’t get in without an invitation, I’ll leave if that’s what you-”
“Shut up.” She silences him. She takes the tea pot, filling his cup up for him. “It’s not poisoned. Should be, after what you did to me, but in my… sabbatical, I was informed you’re the new Gemini leader.” He presses his lips together, biting at his cheeks to stop from smirking. Hearing her acknowledge his position made his stomach turn, though not unpleasantly.
“I really am sorry. I really didn’t want to hurt you, it never was the plan. I just wanted to scare you a little, get you to get us home. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and then you wanted to spit the world in half, it made me mad. I hurt you and I am sorry.” She sips from her cup, looking down at the red liquid in the cup.
“I know you helped me, on my birthday.” She pauses. “I know you sent Jeremy back to help me with the atlas, and with the garage door, I think.” She presses her lips together. Nodding in acknowledgment at him. He decides not to press her on how, just grateful that she’s talking to him, semi soothing the nagging pangs of guilt in his stomach.
“When did you get back and where have you been? I couldn’t find you using a locator spell. ” He asks, taking the tea cup into his hands. She looks up, lightly pouting her lips.
“The stone took me almost 2 weeks to get. I came back, I was going to stay but something told me to run, so I did. I took miss cuddles, and went to see my cousin Lucy. Her place has a barrier spell, blocked my location from anyone. I needed space.” He nods, bringing the cup to his mouth. The tea was sweet, and strangely familiar. Not quite like how he remembered Sheila's recipe, but it was comforting. “I was mad.” She pauses, shaking her head. “I was angry actually. Furious even. I wanted to kill you, make you suffer as much as you made me, so be very grateful,” she says casually, rubbing her lips together, the pigment of her red lipstick redistributing. “I was mad at my friends too.” She sighs. “I was essentially dead for 10 months. 4 months I was stuck with Damon, and then you showed up. I was hoping that maybe for once, luck was on my side. Someone decent with good intentions was there to help us. But that would have been too easy right. I was alone for 4 months. 4 months in your prison, without a single soul to interact with. I wanted to die when I got back to the boarding house and they weren’t there. I don’t know what happened but I feel like you were a part of it.” She sighs, looking down at her mug. “It’s been non stop since I was 16. 16 . They couldn’t try harder for me? And when I got back I overheard them talking about using me as bait for Caroline.” She rolls her eyes, putting her cup down.
“You know, if it counts for anything, she wasn’t that bad. I could stand her then, now she’s back, she been very irritating. No offence.” She glares at him, clearly unimpressed. “Tough crowd.” He presses his lips together. “Bonnie, I know you probably don’t want to hear me apologise again, but I really need to know how sorry for what happened.” She nods, bringing her hands together. “I did wrong. I knew what I did was wrong and I still did it. I was in a haze and was power hungry. You were my key out. After 18 years in an isolated prison world, a witch from the exact bloodline needed to escape appears and it gives me something to anticipate. I know what I did was wrong, trust me, but when I saw red I couldn’t control what I did. I merged with my brother Luke. He didn’t want Olivia to merge with him and he pushed Jo out of the way, kinda useful by the way, cause she’s pregnant and that would have added to my death count.” He jokes. She doesn’t budge. He gulps, looking back down at his thumbs. “I apologise and take full responsibility for all the pain I’ve caused you. I’ve never met anyone like you, and I really did mean what I told you in the cave. You are smart, brave and so incredibly loyal. I also couldn’t be around your friends and their drama for as long as you have.” She nods, holding onto her arms over her chest.
“I’ve been watching you.” She pops her lips together. “Lucy dropped me back off her a couple days ago. I casted a glamour over my dad’s place just in case. I can see you’ve been… human. I’m not saying I’m forgiving you. You hurt me, physically and then you left me there.” Her voice hitches. “All those times you talked about killing yourself, I didn’t have that privilege. I could have died had I successfully killed myself.” Her fiddles with her fingers. “I really don’t want to ever think about that place ever again. I don’t know if I can be in this town either,” she exhales. “My cousin told me that to move on I need to put a foot down and start living for me. Not be so selfless and be more selfish. I want to live life, I won’t die again. And I don’t want magical drama in my life anymore.” She looks at him. “I need to make my peace with you, otherwise you’ll stay on my mind.” He nods, a slight sadness pulling at his chest.
“So… no more apologies. I don’t want to talk about that anymore.” She says simply, pouring herself some more tea.
“Okay…” he nods, “Can we talk about what that was back at the store then? Cause what was that?” He puts his cup down. She shrugs.
“Public Humiliation. Thought you’d enjoy the attention.” She picks up a spoon, stirring her tea.
“So you made me a runaway groom?” He raises an eyebrow.
“It’s a small town, gossip spreads. I think being unreliable and deadbeat suits you well.” He scoffs, shaking his head. Of course she’d make him out to be a piece of shit. He couldn’t blame her, it was quite the performance. And he was still thinking about the glare that the old woman gave him hours earlier.
“You said you were my wife,” he raises an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. She rolls her eyes.
“And threw the ring at you. You’re single now. New start.” She claps her hands together, mocking him. He chuckles, pouting his lips at the thought. A new start.
“I’m starting college in a week. Lucy had me apply to schools on the west coast so I’m close to her. I’m going to tell the others in a couple of days, I just need some more time to myself.” She rests her head against the backrest of Sheila's lawn chairs. “Thought I’d let you know.” She takes a band from her wrist and ties her hair up into a loose bun, loose strands framing her face. He smiles small, a look of content on her face. “Anyways… I know you have your job and whatnot. If you’re staying, You can stay here.” His heart rate speeds up. Shocked at her words. “She left the house to me and I mean, I’d only be here during the holidays if that, and I saw you made the spare room yours, so unless you’re going back to-”
“You’d let me stay here? For real?” She slowly nods.
“Thank you.” He smiles warmly at her. She brings her lips together, smiling at him.
“Do you want to get dinner?”
“You wanna get dinner with me?” He perks up. She scowls, rolling her eyes.
“Takeout Parker. It’s getting late and I don’t want to cook.” He chuckles, nodding. “You’re paying too, by the way.” She says simply, standing up from her seat.
“My pleasure Mrs Parker.” He decides to tease her. She turns around, glaring at him, raising her hand. His eyes begin to water, his head hammering in pain.
“Okay okay, sorry.” He hisses, waiting for the pain to let up. She smiles, disappearing into the kitchen door.