GRETEL THE GUARDIAN―niklaus mikaelson

chapter seventy three.

"Are you sure that Stefan and Damon are cool with us crashing at their place?" Caroline wondered nervously.

"I can't go home because my brother is trying to kill me. So their place is mine now too." Elena announced before spotting something much more interesting from down the hall. "See you guys later."

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Enola sat on the sofa at the Salvatore Boarding House with Caroline and Bonnie as Elena came barreling into the room with a crate of wine. Only there was a blood bag sitting on top and they all knew only one person in that room could drink from a blood bag and keep it down. Until now.

"One for you, one for you, and one for you," Elena cheered, passing the bottles of win out.

"I'm assuming this is for Caroline," Bonnie hummed, going to hand the blood bag over to Caroline.

"Actually," Elena quickly intercepted. "It is for me."

"I thought—"

"Are you saying that—"

"How—"

"Thanks to Damon," Elena took a long sip from the blood bag before pulling away with a relaxed sigh. "I am now a functional dysfunctional vampire."

"That is amazing," Bonnie smiled, happy for her friend unlike a certain blonde who could never keep her comments to herself.

"What do you mean thanks to Damon?" Caroline narrowed her eyes.

"He suggested that I try it again, so I did and it worked." Elena explained shortly. "No more snatch, eat, and erase."

"So where is Damon?" Enola wondered. She anxiously looked around the room, praying he wasn't hiding around the corner. They had not left things on a good note and she had been dreading any awkward run ins tonight.

"Out with Stefan for the night. Matt is looking after Jeremy. Don't wait up. Brother bonding." Elena read a text off of her phone.

"So you guys do check up texts now? What else do you do?" Caroline scoffed in disbelief

"I know that you're not the biggest fan, but he kind of changed my life." Elena said. "Would you mind laying off on all the hate?"

"New girls' night rule—no boy talk." Bonnie decided.

"Now that is something I can get behind," Enola agreed.

"Plus," Bonnie began, whipping a baggie of sorts out of her pocket. "Why talk when we have this?"

"Is that stoner tea?" Caroline gaped.

"It's spirit tea. It opens up your chi or whatever. It's not drugs." Bonnie reassured. "Shane is helping me do natural magic without having to access the spirits."

"Mm-hmm," Caroline hummed skeptically.

"Don't judge," Bonnie warned.

"Okay. Fine." Caroline huffed. "I hereby vow not to be judgmental for the rest of the evening."

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Enola sat in a bathtub across from Elena while Bonnie and Caroline were sprawled out across the cool tiled floor. It had been so long since they had all been able to let loose. It felt good considering they had been at each others throats lately. They needed this. They needed each other.

"Check this out—vampire speed." Bonnie grinned, showcasing a video of Elena using enhanced speed to dash across the foyer of the Salvatore Boarding House.