interwoven

part two || letting go

part two || letting go

"I demolish my bridges behind me...

Then there is no choice but to move forward."

― Fridtjof Nansen

Mystic Falls, Virginia

The Salvatore brothers had left Bonnie alone with Emily and the Spirits after she'd agreed to the blood bond. Bonnie stood in the decrepit house and smiled sadly as Emily reached out and took both of Bonnie's hands in her own.

"History is important," Emily said, "We learn from it. Are richer for it. But this history," Emily looked around at the charred remains of the house, her eyes brimming with tears, "This pain, this death, this destruction, doesn't bear repeating. This was never meant to be your path. You're destined for much more than becoming ashes. We are proud of you. All of those before you. We're proud of you now and we are proud of the woman you'll become. No matter what happens in the future, know that much to be true."

Bonnie swallowed, tears falling from her eyes. "Thank you," she said.

When Emily pulled her into an embrace, Bonnie went willingly. She felt as Emily wrapped her arms around her, that she was being held, not just by Emily but by her Grams, by all the witches that had come before her. It was the opposite of the pain she had felt, the echo of their deaths that had come when she had channeled their powers. It was warmth. It was protection. It was love.

Emily squeezed her tightly and whispered, "This isn't goodbye, Bonnie. We're always here. Always watching. Always protecting our own."

Bonnie nodded. For the first time since her Grams died, she felt as if those words that Sheila Bennett uttered while she was alive, and breathing were true.

Before Bonnie could respond verbally, Emily vanished. She slipped through Bonnie's fingers, turning into ash and evaporating into the air.

Bonnie wiped at her eyes and smiled. "Thank you," she repeated, this time not just speaking to Emily, "All of you, for making sure I don't have to face this alone."

Bonnie turned to leave. She walked over the worn floorboards and made her way through the house and outside.

When Bonnie left the house and closed the door behind her, she found Stefan sitting on the porch steps. "Where's Damon?" Bonnie asked, looking around.

Stefan stood and turned to her. "In the car, checking in with Elena," he said, "We'll have to tell them the truth, now that we've found a way to save you both, so we're trying to see where her head is at." He studied her face and Bonnie knew as he frowned, that he noticed the tears. "You okay?"

Bonnie nodded. "Just saying goodbye," Bonnie said, gesturing her head back towards the house.

Stefan shook his head. "I mean," he sighed, "About, all of this. I know...things have been hard for you since we got here. Even before this. I hoped, knowing what you were and the ties we had to your family, things would be easier with you. But then, everything went pear-shaped from the beginning. And now, they're good. Easy. Like I thought they'd be. With you, with me, and hell, even with Damon. We're closer now. We're friends, right?"

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah," she smiled, "We're friends."

"But now, with this bond," he said, "I feel like we'll just be disrupting your life all over again, even if it is going to save it."

Bonnie sighed. "I'm more worried about disrupting your life," she said, "And hurting Elena."

Stefan shook his head. "Of course, you are," he said, "Listen, I wish there was another way, for your sake. You shouldn't have to be tied to us to be able to live your life. But...I don't regret agreeing to this. I won't regret agreeing to this. Whatever happens, I...I want you to be able to live your life. Sheila told me, the night I came to get you from Fell's Church, she said she trusted me to keep you safe. I was surprised then, and I wanted to honor that trust. I wanted to be worthy of it. I still want to be worthy of it now. And maybe the selfish part of me doesn't want to have to feel that guilt, that grief I felt when your heart stopped beating ever again. But the biggest and probably most selfish part of me, doesn't want to lose another friend. I don't want to lose someone else that I care about. I don't want to lose you. So, whatever I need to do, to keep that from happening I'm okay with that. It doesn't matter how it affects me, as long as you and Elena are alive and safe."