The dinner with Bonnie had me in a confused spiral. I was so out of place, so we decided to look more into what was going on.
There could be a chance that Kai is alive.
I want to know if it's true.
We went to Damon and Stefan's considering their large selection of books. I don't know what we were looking for, though, because I don't think these books have a manual on how to find your maybe-not-so-dead boyfriend.
Everyone is helping us flip through these books. I don't get the point, though. We can't find anything.
There's a map laid in front of us in case the locator spell finally works, but what's the point? I slam the book that I'm flipping through shut. Everyone's heads whip towards me.
"What's wrong, Elle?" Damon asks.
"Stop. Just stop. There's no point in doing this anymore. We've been looking through these books for hours trying to find something when there's obviously nothing to be found. Just give it a break. Please. We won't find him. He's gone." I whisper the last words. Elena walks over to me and gives me a small smile.
"Don't say that. He's alive, he has to be. We'll find him, we promise." She says as she places her hands on my shoulders. I smack her hands off and back away a bit.
"Oh, would you give it a break?" I ask, my voice raising. "He's gone! Stop raising my hopes when I saw him die with my own eyes! Just stop!" I scream. Books go flying. Candles go flying. I'm pretty sure Elena goes flying.
Well, she deserved it, that bitch.
My eyes have been closed since I started screaming, but I feel small hands on my cheeks. I open my eyes to Bonnie looking at me with a calming expression.
"Elle, hey. It's okay. Breathe in, breathe out. Just go outside. Calm down. We got this." She whispers. I can feel my bottom lip start to quiver.
I can't cry.
It will make all that badass stuff look not-so badass.
I nod and turn to walk out the door. I'm barely a step out the door when I hear a small gasp. I quickly turn around and walk back inside the room, and I see Bonnie picking up the map.
"Bonnie? What's wrong? Did something happen?" I ask frantically.
"It worked," She whispers. "The locator spell says...Portland."
I can feel something come up in me. I don't know if it's thankfulness, or eagerness, or what.
All I know is this is our sign that Kai is alive.
We just need to go find him.
"Are you sure you don't want anyone else to come with you?" Damon asks. I open the door to the driver's seat while Bonnie opens the passenger door.
"I just want Bonnie with me. If we do find him, I want it to just be me and him together. Plus, Bonnie is my favorite." I joke, sticking my tongue out. Damon also sticks his tongue out in response. We get in the car and shut the doors.
"Be safe." Damon says. I smile and nod.
When I was younger I would wish for siblings. Older or younger, it didn't matter because I just wanted someone to take care of or someone who would take care of me. But they could also be a best friend.
Bonnie was always that missing part. She's my best friend, but she's also my family.
Damon and Stefan are like that. Especially Damon. Damon can laugh with me, but he's always being protective.
And I can talk to Stefan about anything, and he'll care and reassure me that everything is okay.
All of my friends are like family, but Damon and Stefan definitely win the top spot. And if I can't find Kai, I know they'll be here to give me a hug and tell me everything will be okay.
They're my family.
They'll always be my family.
"Don't we technically need to fly there?" I ask Bonnie as I drive down a small secluded road. She looks up at me, confused for a minute. She was going through spell books. I probably ruined her witchy juju.
"Yes. Yes, we do. There's a spell that can get us there faster, though, and all we need is to be in a place in the middle of nowhere and something that belonged to Kai." She responds.
"That sounds more like a locator spell." I reply.
"I know, but if we want the connection to the place we're going to to be strong, we'll need something of Kai's. We're going there to find him, so that's why any special item is needed." She explains. I look down.
I have his clothes on. Like almost every item of clothing is his. I'm wearing his sweatpants, his shirt, and his jacket. I know it sounds weird, but I miss him so much, and this is the closest thing I have to him. I'm wearing my own shoes, though, because Kai has bigger feet than me.
I point to the jacket I'm wearing.
"Will this work?" I ask. She smiles and nods.
"You're wearing his clothes again, aren't you?" She asks even though she already knows the answer. I nod, ashamed.
"Hey. There's nothing wrong with that. You miss him. And you love him so much. Don't let anyone tell you it's not okay to mourn." She states.
"But don't you think it's weird that I'm wearing his clothes?" I ask. Bonnie shakes her head.
"My ex-boyfriend left his shirt at my apartment by accident when we broke up. I was so sad that I put his shirt on my pillow, and I cuddled with that pillow for a few weeks. Everyone mourns in their own way, Elle. There's no wrong or right." Bonnie replies. I smile.
"Thank you, Bonnie. For being so supportive and sweet. I love you, B." I whisper. She grabs my hand.
"I love you too, E." She whispers. We're getting closer to the field. Closer to Kai.
Hopefully.
"Turn right." Bonnie says softly. I do, and I park in the middle of the field. It looks oddly familiar. I stop the car, and we both get out.
"You ready?" Bonnie asks.
"Ready as I'll ever be." I whisper. I think I've repeated that phrase times when I wasn't even ready. It's just become glued in my brain I guess.
I slip off the jacket, holding it tightly in my arms before handing it over to Bonnie.
"I'll need your help with this spell. Just repeat after me, okay?" She asks. I nod.
We grab each other's hands with the jacket in between them. She starts saying the spell and I follow. We have our eyes closed, but I can still feel everything whirl around us. I feel her hands slowly slip from mine, making me open my eyes.
Portland. We're here in Portland. With the chance of finding Kai. I don't know what will happen but if there's a chance of finding Kai, I'll do anything.
"Where the fuck are we?" I ask, already frustrated.
We ended up in an even more secluded area. When we opened our eyes, we were surrounded by trees. We've been walking for about ten minutes trying to figure out where we are.
"Okay, calm down. I've got this. I think we're almost there." Bonnie responds, spinning around a few times.
"That's like the tenth time you've said that, and where is there exactly?" I ask.
"Well, you'll never find out if you keep distracting me." Bonnie replies. I groan. I keep quiet after that, though, because I know Bonnie will find out where we are soon enough.
"Told you." She whispers after a few minutes, and I look up.
We stop in front of a house. Kai's house.
I remember him bringing me here.
And then stabbing me.
Wonderful memories.
"How do you know he's here?" I ask.
"You gave me his jacket. That's all I needed." Bonnie vaguely explains. I smile at her.
I can't see any lights on in the house. That's not a good sign. Me and Bonnie walk up the steps to the front door. I raise my hand to knock but stop. I turn to Bonnie.
"You'll never know if he's inside unless you knock." She says.
I nod to myself and take a deep breathe. I knock on the door. Nothing. I knock again. Nothing. I look at Bonnie, and I already know there's a worried look on my face. Bonnie reaches for the knob.
"Are you crazy? That's breaking and entering." I whisper.
"You're dating someone who killed his whole family. I'm sure seeing if the door is locked or not is okay." Bonnie replies, making me glare at her.
She twists the knob, and the door opens. She takes a step forward. I'm about to stop her again, but it really doesn't matter at this point. I follow after her and shut the door behind me. I look around, taking in my surroundings.
I never got to come in last time. In fact, I never made it past the tree stump.
So, this is where Kai grew up. It seems pretty normal, but then again, his family was a family of witches. I walk in the kitchen, and I hear Bonnie's steps follow after me. She doesn't want to leave me alone. I hear a creak and turn around quickly. Someone walks up a few feet away from me and Bonnie.
And I recognize the face.
It's Kai. My Kai.
But he's clean shaven, and he has-
Blonde hair?
"Didn't anyone tell you breaking in is wrong?" He asks with a pout. He looks like Kai, but I can tell he isn't.
"Kai?" She asks, hesitant. The man lets out a laugh and shakes his head.
"Oh, no, I'm much better looking. My name is Brandon. I'm Kai's twin. Well, triplet." He corrects himself. Me and Bonnie's faces are both etched with confusion.
"You still don't get it? Wow, you girls are stupid. Me, Kai, and our lovely sister Jo are triplets. Did he not tell you? Aw, that's sad. He probably won't like that you guys are here." Brandon whispers, stepping closer to us. He's a replica of Kai, just without the stubble and with bleached hair. I can tell by looking at his eyes that he's just as sinister as Kai once was. Maybe even more.
"He's alive?" I ask.
"Very much. Ugh, all he does is talk about you. Elle, this, Elle, that. It gets boring after a while. You sure are pretty, though." He compliments. He continues to take small steps towards me, and I can see Bonnie shift in the corner of my eye.
"Are you a siphoner or a witch?" Bonnie asks. Brandon looks deep in thought.
"More so a siphoner." He responds quietly. I give him a confused look.
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"You would know, Elle. I mean, you are one." He says, smirking. And then the realization hits me.
A Potens Siphonis.
"You're like me." I whisper.
"I am. I might be a little more powerful, though, considering I've been practicing with magic longer. You see, I've known about myself since I was a toddler. I even got sent to a prison world when I was 16. For things I'd love to describe in explicit detail, but it's too long of a list. I guess me and Kai have a few things in common." He states. I shake my head.
"Maybe you did. But Kai is better now. He's good. He's trying to be good." I correct him.
"Yeah, you guys really shouldn't have come over here." He shakes his head with a smile.
Before I know what's happening, Brandon has me in a headlock, with his right forearm pressed against my throat and his left arm wrapped around my stomach. He has a tight grip on me, and I can barely move. I can see Bonnie start to say a spell, but Brandon stops her.
"Do it, and I kill her. I'll do it. I can do it as fast as you can blink. There's so many ways I can do it, too." He whispers, his lips brushing against my ear. Bonnie stops what she's doing.
"Please don't hurt her. If you're going to kill someone, kill me." Bonnie states. Brandon chuckles.
"Oh, I was just kidding. I have to have her." He responds.
What?
He backs us up against a wall. He lowers his hand and I try to move, but he grabs my throat and pins me against the wall.
"I just need you for a few things. Magic, leverage over Kai, et cetera." He says quietly. I whimper, trying to get out of his grip. He lets me go but stands right next to me.
"Run, and I kill your precious Bon Bon." He threatens.
Bonnie looks at me and I give her a look.
I'm assuming she wants me to get away from Brandon and to come to her, but I sense that Brandon is capable of anything. I shake my head, and her eyes widen. Brandon is looking down the hallway for some reason. Almost as if he's watching out for someone. I move behind him and lift my hands up about to say something. Before I know it, I'm on the ground with him on top of me, pinning my hands above my head.
"What did I just say?" He asks. He puts his face right in front of mine. I try to move away from him, but I can't.
"Do you not think I'm serious?" He asks. He reaches behind him and puts his hand in a fist. Bonnie starts choking.
"No! Stop!" I yell.
"Let go of her!" I hear a voice in the hallway yell. I turn my head.
And this time it's actually him.
It's Kai.
Brandon slowly gets off of me and walks slowly toward him. He opens his hand, and Bonnie stops choking. She falls on the floor, and I rush over to her.
"Are you okay?" I ask, holding her. She nods. I look over at Brandon and Kai. Kai has his brother pinned against the wall.
"Don't you ever touch her or Bonnie again." Kai whispers.
"You were right about Elle. God, she's hot." Brandon whispers. Kai glares at him.
"I've had it with you." Kai states quietly. He snaps Brandon's neck, and his body drops to the floor. I let out a gasp.
Kai rushes over to me, and I stand up. I look at him for a second before he's grabbing my waist and kissing me. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back. He deepens the kiss, but I have to let go. I can feel the tears stain my cheeks.
"I- how are you alive?" I ask.
"I'll explain later. We have to get out of here. Brandon could wake up at any second." He says, helping Bonnie up.
"Is he a heretic, too?" Bonnie asks. Kai shakes his head.
"He was sent to a prison world because he learned how to do magic too well. He can't really die. He couldn't handle how powerful he was, and he killed people left and right. He's crazy. Like me." Kai explains.
"You're not crazy. Let's just get out of here." I whisper. Kai looks back at his brother's body.
"Yeah, we should probably do that." He replies.
We do the same spell we did to get here to get back to Mystic Falls.
Well, to the field where my car is.
"Remember when we watched the stars out here, Elle?" Kai asks, smirking. My face drops.
That's why it's familiar. Because me and Kai almost had sex out here.
Wonderful.
I glare at him, and he laughs. Bonnie opts to sit in the back seat so that me and Kai can sit next to each other in the front. Kai holds my hand as soon as I start the car. After I'm driving for a few seconds, he looks me up and down.
"Are you wearing my clothes?" He asks, smiling.
"Yes." I mumble. He puts his hand up to his ear.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asks.
"Yes!" I reply louder. He laughs as I playfully punch him.
"Can you at least explain why you never told me about your brother?" I ask. Kai sighs.
"I guess I can. I never told you about him because he's done some pretty horrible things. I'm a hypocrite saying that, though, considering the things I've done. He's killed hundreds of people. It gains him more power by killing people. He's killed multiple families, church groups, and even kids. He's just such a horrible person that I didn't want you to know about him." Kai explains.
"He looks like he's the exact same age, though. Shouldn't he look 16, since that's how old he was when he was out in a prison world?" I ask. Kai shakes his head.
"Brandon is smart, surprisingly. He escaped the prison world easily, and he tried to kill the Gemini Coven along with our dad, who was the one who put him in the prison world. He also tried to kill our whole family, but I guess I beat him to that a couple of years later. I thought he was dead. It seemed like our coven had killed him, but I guess he was too powerful to kill at that point. Without me knowing it, he put a protection spell on me. I came back to life after Klaus killed me. Brandon was there. He brought me to Portland for some big surprise. He said he needed one more thing, though. He had us cloaked, but he uncloaked us, saying the big surprise would come to us. It didn't take long for me to figure out it was you. When I found out, he snapped my neck and left me in our old bedroom down the hallway. Seeing him have you pinned on the floor ignited something in me. Jealousy? I'm not sure. I just wanted you safe even though I knew he wouldn't kill you. He won't kill either of us. He wants us with him to help him. I don't know what exactly he's planning, but he will stop at nothing to get us on his side. He will kill everyone if he has to. He will kill Bonnie, he will kill Damon, he will kill everybody. He just wants us. He doesn't know we live in Mystic Falls, though, so we should be okay for a little while. As long as we're cloaked, we can stay here." Kai explains everything. It's a lot to process.
"Didn't you tell him about me, though? How does he not know we live in Mystic Falls?" I ask.
"I told him that we were visiting your mother and your aunt and that Bonnie was with us. I told him we only came to Mystic Falls on holidays. We need to get a cloaking spell done soon." Kai responds.
"I already did one." Bonnie speaks up. I give her a silent thank you. By now, we're only a few minutes away from Damon and Stefan's house.
"Bonnie?" I ask.
"Yeah?" She replies.
"Is it okay if I just drop you off here? We can explain everything to everyone later, I just want to be with Kai." I ask her. I can see Kai smile out of the corner of my eye. Bonnie smiles, too.
"Of course. I can tell everyone most of the story, but I'll let Kai do the rest tomorrow. You guys can have the rest of the day to yourselves. You deserve it." She whispers. I give her a smile before I pull in front of Damon and Stefan's house.
"Thank you for helping me today. I love you." I say to Bonnie.
"I love you, too, Elle. And it's no problem, just don't have too much fun you guys." She replies.
"Bonnie Bennett, I'm going to beat your ass." I joke. She laughs and gets out of the car. I make sure she gets inside even though it's still bright outside. I look over to Kai.
"Let's go home." I whisper.