CHAPTER XVII
❝ Is that me? ❞
"You must be Caroline." said Lucy as a blond head poked from inside the door of the Bennett House, her confused eyes trailing over the witch standing in front of her.
"I'm sorry, but... you are?" asked the confused blonde.
Lucy had immediately left for the Bennett House after the whole incident in the forest, and of course she passed by the Gilbert girl who was just leaving the house with a crestfallen look.
"I'm Lucy, Stefan's friend. You probably won't know me, but I know you." said Lucy. "You're Liz's daughter, right? Caroline. Caroline Forbes."
"Um...yeah..." said Caroline albeit hesitantly.
"I-I came to meet Bonnie. Is she in there?" asked Lucy with an expectant look on her face.
"Um... she - I -" said Caroline, tripping over her words before exhaling sharply. "She wants to be left alone for some time."
"I understand-I-I completely understand." sighed Lucy. "But, I just wanted to see her, you know, after-after what happened today."
"I know, I-I truly know, but-" began Caroline but a third voice cutted her off.
"It's okay Caroline. Let her in." came Bonnie's voice as the blonde turned around to look at her friend standing there, her eyes sombre and the residual tears still visible from when she heard the conversation between the blonde and Elena.
"Thank you." Lucy muttered, entering inside the Bennett House, following after Bonnie who took a seat beside her transitioning mother.
"Um.. how-how is she?" asked Lucy softly, her eyes travelling to the Bennett Witch unconscious on the bed.
"She's transitioning, but hasn't woken up yet." sighed Bonnie.
"And how are you?" she asked, her eyes shifting to Bonnie sitting there with a melancholic expression etched on her face.
"I'm fine." she replied shortly.
Lucy sighed to herself. Bonnie Bennett wasn't the one to open up easily. But why should she? She barely knows Lucy, who is just a friend of Stefan in her eyes, and someone her mother had warned her about.
Yes, Lucy was aware of what Abby had told Bonnie, and was all ready to bring it up in this conversation.
"You know, I once had a small kitten." began Lucy. "I loved her more than anything else. I would never leave her out of my sight, take her everywhere with me no matter how much I was scolded for doing so. But, somehow, not even days after, she ran away. And then years later she also came back. I rejoiced at her abrupt arrival, but destiny had other plans as she met with an accident. Severe condition. Very little hope for recovery. I was saddened to no end, but I dare not show it. What would people say? I'm crying because of someone with whom I've not even spent a few days? Someone I'd only known for the beginning few days of my childhood? But, she meant something to me. She was a piece of my soul. So why am I afraid of showing that I care? That I'm affected?"
"You might be wondering why I'm here in the first place." continued Lucy after a short silence in which she expected Bonnie to say something but nothing came; but the expression on Bonnie's face gave it away that Lucy's words were having an effect, albeit slowly, on her. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything that happened tonight."
"You don't need to be sorry." Bonnie said quietly, her eyes still not leaving the sleeping figure of her mother. "Nothing that happened today was your fault."
"But, maybe it was my fault." said Lucy hastily. "Your mother was forced to transition today to break the link between Esther and your bloodline, to save Elena Gilbert. But there is a part of me that wants to believe that Stefan had done it to save me as well."
"Save you?" asked Bonnie in a confused tone.
"Um... The Original Witch linked me as well to her children. Their end brings my downfall as well."
"I'm truly sorry," said Bonnie sincerely. "If I'd known that this all, then-"
"Then, what? You would have denied from allowing her to channel you and your bloodline? But why would you? I'm no one important. In fact I'm someone your mother especially warned you to stay away from."
"You-You know? How-"
"Yes, I know. And I'm not here to provide any sort of explanation." Lucy said firmly. "Because there is no way that what Abby told you was anything but the truth. I won't deny it. But, I would just like to add a few things to whatever she told you. My coven, us Stygians. We're not some sort of cult. We're just a witch coven, a family, a bit huge perhaps, but a family nonetheless. We might do a bit of dark magic, but we're not some satanists. And-And what exactly is dark magic? Do we have a definition of that? Because to me it's just magic done without keeping the balance of the Nature. Yes, yes I did sacrifice people, beings, and god knows what. It was one time. But-But that doesn't make me dark hearted or anything. I know-I know that I'm far from innocent. I'm not saying that I'm a good person or anything. But, what exactly makes a person a good person? One may be a good guardian, a good employee, a good child, but not a good partner. What actually makes a person 'a good person' or 'a bad person', is the aspect that outweighs all others. It doesn't overshadow the others, they are still there, needed to be tended to and looked after, but at the end of the day it's just this one aspect that shines the most, this aspect defines us. And-And I don't know that in-in me, what is that aspect."
"You, you are not a bad person." said Bonnie, her eyes finally shifting to Lucy. "Everything that you are doing, you do, is to help Stefan. You are just trying to help a friend. There's nothing wrong with that."
"I don't do everything for him only. I've to look out for myself as well."
"That's a normal human trait. Nothing to be ashamed about, because you are not hurting anyone here."
"Thank you." said Lucy, looking at Bonnie with a soft smile. "I guess the whole consoling thing turned the other way around, huh?"
"Yes." she chuckled softly before turning her gaze to her mother.
"If she chooses to turn, she might not be a witch anymore but she will still be your mother. Don't forget that." said Lucy, having noticed her gaze as well.
"She is a wonderful friend." said Lucy, referring to Caroline who was out somewhere in the house preparing things in case Abby decides to transition. "And, uh, dopple- I mean Elena Gilbert, she wasn't responsible for any of what happened today. No matter what I think of her, I know that she is someone who cares for her friends, willing to sacrifice herself for her friends, and so are her friends, all ready to do the same for her. I guess-" she laughed mirthlessly "-I guess it's one of the things I envy about her, besides the fact that she is hurting Stefan so damn much."
"I think you should talk to her as well." advised Lucy. "I'm not forcing you or anything-" she added hastily "- I just think you should. But at the end of the day it's completely your choice, no one can force you."
"I, uh, appreciate your compassion." said Bonnie, looking at her directly. "Thank you, but I'll see whenever it deems fit. I don't think that I would be able to talk to her anytime soon after what happened today, but thank you for the advice. I appreciate it."
"I know your mother doesn't particularly like me, but, uh, whenever you need any sort of help, I'm just a phone call away." said Lucy. "And, also, I know that you are not willing to speak about yourself now, but whenever, whenever you feel better or feel like you need someone to talk to -I know you have your friend with you- but still, whenever you need to talk about anything, I'll be there."
"Thank you." said Bonnie, smiling at her sincerely. "And, I, uh, have your number."
"I know." smiled Lucy. "But, I'm quite surprised you actually saved it."
Bonnie just smiled slightly at her before standing up, her mood slightly better, although not fully healed.
"I'll see you out." she said as Lucy followed after passing by Caroline who smiled at them slightly, quite happy that someone was able to improve Bonnie's mood slightly, although, of course, it can't be healed completely given that her mother had been turned into a vampire, killed to live a cursed life forever unless she chooses to end it now only.
"If Abby chooses to transition," sighed Lucy when they had reached the front door of the Bennett House "there will be several things you will be needing. Including a house completely bare of any sort of sunlight, unless you decide to make her a daylight ring - which you probably should - then I could arrange it. Or maybe if she needs to go somewhere away from humans, to practice control, then I've an outhouse in the forest, but it's way too far from here, but-but I could arrange one nearby as well, away from any humans-"
"Thank you." interrupted Bonnie. "But I'll call if I need any help."
"Ok," she said awkwardly, getting inside her car. "And, uh, ya, call me whenever you need anything."
"Ok, I will."
◇◇◆◇◆◇◇
"So, um, you are saying that there is still a white oak tree out there capable of killing you." said Lucy as Rebekah kept walking the length of the room, her phone in her hand as she searched through the possible locations of the white oak tree and Klaus, well Klaus is Klaus, he just sat by the fireplace, a charcoal pencil dancing in his hands across the glistening white sheet of paper as he drew a charcoal sketch.
Lucy had gone to the Mikaelson Mansion after leaving the Bennett House, having decided to break the link between her and the Mikaelsons then and there only.
"Yes, I guess you heard it quite fine at once." said Rebekah snarkily, her eyes not even leaving the screen of her device.
"Careful, Rebekah," said Lucy calmly, "you might want to mind your sharp little tongue there, because you never know what could be the next thing coming out of my mouth."
Rebekah opened her mouth to say something, the look on her face clearly giving away that she knew exactly what Lucy was talking about; but Niklaus cutted her off, snapping his eyes to his sister's.
"End it now Rebekah. We've enough problems to waste our time on these little arguments." he said firmly.
"Fine, Nik. Do whatever you want." said Rebekah snarkily, stomping out of the room angrily leaving the two of them alone.
"Where's Kol?" asked Lucy after a short silence in which Niklaus peacefully drew and she just sat looking thoughtfully at the licking flames of fire.
"He's gone." he said simply, continuing his sketch, although his eyes kept shifting to her once in a while.
"Gone? Where?"
"No idea. He just fled away."
"Well," she sighed. "I'll be needing each of your siblings' blood to break this link. The faster you arrange it, the easier it is."
"I have everybody's blood except Finn, who, of course, fled away." he said, still continuing his sketch.
"And what about this whole white oak thing?" she asked from her place, opposite to his, on the sofa.
"The natives wrote a story about us. According to which, there is still one tree out there, perhaps a sapling which slithered its way out, and is well capable of killing us." he informed. "Rebekah is searching upon it. Luckily, she might find something productive anytime soon."
"I'll talk to the Mayor, now-" she said but stopped slowly looking at her watch and changing her words "- not now, tomorrow morning or afternoon perhaps. I won't be able to wake up early considering it's already around two thirty am."
"You're a heavy sleeper." Niklaus smiled slightly, looking at her briefly before his eyes turned back to his sketchbook.
"Certainly." she nodded. "By the way, what are you drawing?"
"Well, it's almost done." he said, increasing his pace slightly and then turned the sketchbook towards her after a minute or so when he was done.
"Wow," she chuckled softly, her eyes taking in the sight before her. "Is that me?"
"No, it's the next door neighbour." he joked.
"Oh no, you found my twin already." she grinned as they both laughed lightly.
"Come on, it's you only. Am I that bad artist?" he asked jokingly.
"On the contrary, you are a wonderful one, even better than Da Vinci." she winked.
"Wow, that's a bit much buttering." he laughed.
"Is that really me?" she asked once again.
"Of course it's you."
"No, it's just that, why would you draw me?" she shrugged.
"Is it so hard to guess why?" he said softly, his voice lowering a little above a whisper; leaning forwards and looking into her eyes as if gazing deep within her soul.
A short silence followed his question which was, unfortunately, broken by a forced cough by Lucy.
"Ok, jokes aside," she said awkwardly before plastering a smile on her face as if nothing of that had happened, "but can I like, frame this picture or something?"
"Uh," Niklaus chuckled to himself softly, completely understanding her reaction as more determination and motivation filled him. "Come on, I have something more to show you."
"Seriously?" she chuckled as he stood up, offering his hand with a slight bow of his head, jokingly pretending her to be the queen.
Niklaus led her to his art studio, all the way holding her hand and letting it go only when she moved forward to turn around the painting perched over the stand in the middle of the room, various brushes and paints scattered over the table accompanying it.
She chuckled softly to herself, her eyes raking the portrait in her hand, the painting so lively that it felt as if she was looking at a clicked picture of herself.
"You can hang this one at your home." Niklaus offered.
"Your sister won't be too happy when she comes to know that you are fraternizing with the enemy." she said jokingly.
"Same with your friend, Stefan." he added with a chuckle.
"But, it's not like we are enemies. We're working towards a common cause, break the link and find the white oak." said Niklaus.
"And you aren't working towards either of them."
"You are distracting me."
"Oh," she chuckled, "then I guess I should leave now."
"Oh no, I didn't mean it that way." he said hurriedly, making her laugh at his reaction.
"Kidding." she laughed.
"So, on a serious note, the portrait is absolutely ravishing, thank you so much for letting me take it with me." she smiled sincerely.
"Oh, it's nothing, I have several more." he waved it off with a smile.
"Really? I would love to see them."
"Well, here you go." he said, picking up another sketchbook which was lying on the couch and handing it to her.
"Oh, god," she breathed out, flipping through the several pages as Niklaus watched her curiously for her reactions. "I thought many more meant other portraits and sketches of different people, not of me."
"Do you, like, you know, regularly sketch random girls like this?" she asked.
"Well, I sketch regularly, but not any random girl," he said. "Just a few that enthral me quite a lot. And you are one of the very few of them in the span of my thousand years of life."
"But, why me?"
"Because I fancy you. Is it so hard to believe? You're smart and beautiful."
"No one is dumb or ugly. Everyone is beautiful in one way or another, one just has to see."
"My bad," he pursed his lips.
"Look, Nik, you're a wonderful person, you are funny, sarcastic, kind - wait not exactly kind but kind of kind - and, and you are wonderful person, maybe a bit evil but that doesn't matter, everyone has their demons and bad side, I do too and I'm neither proud of it nor ashamed, I just accept it and move on." she started rambling, saying things that could have been apparently a nice heart to heart talk, but the pace of her voice just turned it all out as an extensive ramble in what Niklaus assumed to be nervousness. "But, but, I'm not here, in Mystic Falls, for all this, I just came to help Stefan so that everything can go back to normal, and I'm not at all looking for a relationship right now-"
"There is no exact time for love. It just happens out of the blue." interrupted Niklaus with an understanding smile.
"Sure, I get it," she took a deep breath, her calm facade coming back as her voice turned into a soothing one. "but, this is not love. It's just a simple crush, a teenage crush-"
"Do I look like a teenager to you?" he chuckled.
"Fine," she shrugged. "it's just a little crush which will fade away with time."
"But, I don't want it to fade away. You, you are different, unique from anyone out there. Your aura, your beauty, your charisma, it's all very appealing and it draws me in."
"But, Nik, I already said I'm not looking for a relationship here. I'm not willing to be with, not only you, but anyone, right now."
"It's okay," he shrugged, "you do your thing and I'll do mine - working towards changing your mindset."
Lucy sighed exasperatedly at his words. "It's not a game, Nik. I am not a game. It's my life."
"Please don't think that I'm considering this a game." he justified his words. "It's your life, and I'm just willing to bring some beautiful changes in it, but of course not without your consent."
"And I've not given my consent."
"So, I'll work towards attaining that, then," he shrugged. "And, hence starts a new phase of our life from tomorrow morning."
"I'm Niklaus Mikaelson." offered his hand to shake which she eyed warily.
"We're not some high school students, Nik." she sighed exasperatedly. "This-This all is childish."
"Oh, come on, love, give it a try. I dare you. Let me do it once my way and if I fail, - which I certainly won't - I give you my word, I'll step back myself. Then no more fancy gifts and romantic pictures." he offered his hand once again which she eyes warily for a second, contemplating her decision before sighing in defeat.
"Fine," she said, finally accepting his outstretched hand for shaking. "Let's see what you have Niklaus Mikaelson. And, by the way, I'm Lucia Wright. But I prefer people calling me Lucy."
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A/n:
Guysssssss, I'm dying for your views on this chapter, please do tell your views 😭😭
Until then,
Ripahhhhhhhhhh.
Word Count : 3200