Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, or The Originals in any way shape or form. I just merely enjoy playing with the characters for my own, and your personal amusement…

When Damon walked right into the house, without announcing himself, Bonnie followed him feeling confused. He seemed to know just where to go, peeking into rooms as they passed. It surprised her just how comfortable he’d gotten in the couple days there and keeping the Cold One’s words in mind, she remained reserved about the situation.

The two soon found Klaus and Kol in a sitting room. The hybrid with a drawing pad, and Kol fiddling with what appeared to be a broken iPod. “Where’s Bella?” he asked.

“That devious sister of ours is with Elijah upstairs. He’s showing her mother’s grimoires,” Kol answered after he threw the device across the room.

“What crawled up your butt and died?” Damon questioned, taken aback by the attitude.

Klaus smirked as he eyed his younger brother. “Kol teased Bella about his music device and carried on to the point that she spelled it. It won’t work for him until he apologizes to her.”

Bonnie went to pick up the iPod and tested it. Sure enough, it was working. “Great. I had wanted this particular model. Which way is Bella?” she asked, looking up at the men.

Kol glared at her. Klaus chuckled and returned to her sketching. Damon smirked and shook his head and gestured with a single finger for her to follow him as he lead her upstairs, using his nose and ears to locate his girl. Quickly they reached a room and he opened the door to find Bella lying across a bed, flipping through the pages of a book, open in front of her. Scattered around her, were several more.

“Looks like you’re having a good time,” Damon greeted, causing her to look up in surprise.

The smile she gave him lit up her face, and Bonnie could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she watched her. “Damon!” Bella exclaimed, scrambling off the bed to run to throw her arms around him and laid a heavy kiss on his lips that surprised not only the Bennett witch, but the vampire as well.

He held her close, hands gripping her waist as he looked into her eyes. “Not that I’m complaining, but that was one hell of a greeting, Gorgeous.”

“I missed you. And oh my god, these book that Elijah have let me see! All the magic through the years! Even our mother’s! I could read these forever!” she grinned, pulling him over to the bed. “I mean, they aren’t exactly like what I remember seeing Dahlia perform, but there’s so much to learn!”

“Are you able to perform any of it?” he asked, glancing over at Bonnie quickly.

Bella frowned slightly and shook her head. “Some, yeah, but a lot of this I’m just not familiar with. I was killed before my magic began to manifest in nearly all my lives,” she shrugged, attempting to brush off the uncomfortable subject of his brother and ex-girlfriend’s doppelgangers nearly always wanting her dead. “Anyway…did you find anything?” she asked, looking up at him, then over at Bonnie with a friendly smile.

“Uh, actually, yeah. I think we found something that may be able to fight your aunt,” Bonnie answered.

Bella slowly smiled, cautious optimism peeking through as she turned her full attention to her. “Really? What did you find?”

Bonnie was quiet for a moment as she hesitated on how to breach the subject of the journal. “Actually, Bella… It was you that may have given the answer.”

She raised an eyebrow in response, not quite following. “I’m sorry. I have no idea how to fight my aunt. The only way I thought out of her reach was death and she clearly made she that wasn’t an option.”

Pulling the journal out of her satchel, Bonnie held the book out to her. Bella blinked as she stared at it, wanting to reach out to see just what was written, but not wanting anything to do with the book. “Oh. I had forgotten about that. I honestly don’t know how that still exists. It was just my thoughts and dreams that I wrote down. I didn’t even know anything about my life with my aunt at the time I had that.”

“I know,” Bonnie softly smiled in understanding. “I think it was your dreams that were telling you, or at least trying to prepare you for this inevitable confrontation. From what Damon had explained to me about your life, besides this current one, the time you had with him may have been one of the ones that you advanced the furthest in. I think you only have what memories you have now, and your magic, because of your proximity to your family, past lives, and attempting to force them out.”

Reaching out for the book, Bella could not help but feel a sense of unease within her increase. Opening it to the first pages, she looked over her handwriting from another time. It was the same as now. Moving over to sit on the bed, she silently read her old memories, smiling as her fingers gently felt over the pages.

Damon wanted to let her have the time to get reaquainted with her written memories, but Bonnie was just a bit more anxious. “I’m sorry for having read some of it myself when I found it, but there were some entries that alluded to a story that you thought about. You had pieces of a plot in this journal which makes me wonder if you have that story somewhere else.”

Damon eyed her curiously before looking to his girlfriend again. “What story?”

Looking up, Bella was confused for a moment as she tried to recall her time in Mystic Falls. “I had these thoughts, dreams a lot,” she answered, tapping on the journal. “There was a recurring theme to them and it was – scandalous considering the social norms of our time then. Still, they would not go away so I began writing them down into a story. I had another book that I often kept with my journals that it was in.”

Bonnie looked up to the vampire. “Do you have any idea where this book is?”

He shook his head as his eyes narrowed, considering the possibility. “You’ve seen how many we’ve had. I think I’d remember if I saw that, especially if it was in Isabella’s handwriting. But considering her history with Stefan – I wouldn’t put it past him to have it in his possession and not realize its significance.”

“I thought you and Stefan got along,” Bonnie mentioned, turning back to Bella.

“This Stefan, and when he was human, yes. However, there were other versions of him over the years – his doppelganger predecessors, who had just as much of a hand in my deaths as Katherine and other Petrovas. I actually had the theory that because of our history, and the fact that there are currently two Petrovas walking, he doesn’t have those desires in him to kill me,” she explained. “Elena had been nice in the beginning but the change in her was quite fast with her animosity towards me, going as far as to come between Damon and I when she decided to appear in his bathroom. I know she is your friend but until whatever spell is over us and affecting her is removed, I don’t know if she and I would ever be friends. Now I’m not saying this to sway your relationship with your friend, but I just wanted to make sure you are aware that what we feel about her may not change.”

“I completely understand now, more than before,” the witch murmured. “While I may not be able to do anything to fix what Elena has done, I do want to help you with this – aunt that is coming.”

Giving her a gentle smile, Bella nodded. “Thank you. I truly do appreciate it. I know you don’t particularly like my family for what they’ve done, but I do hope in time we could try to get over the past events and move forward peaceably.”

Bonnie nodded, unable to voice further opinions as she was still struggling with her ingrained dislike for vampires in general. “I’ll give Stefan a call and ask him about that book.” With that, she stepped out of the room, allowing Damon and Bella some privacy. Dialing Stefan, she let out a sigh, wondering just how everything would go down.

“Hey Bonnie,” Stefan greeted as he answered her call.

Letting out a sigh, Bonnie glanced around her to find she was thankfully alone for some sense of privacy. “Hey. I’m over at the Mikaelsons right now to help with Bella’s situation but we found out that there was a journal she wrote when she was alive in your time. She said it was written like a story. I was wondering if you knew about this or where it might be?”

He was silent on the phone for what felt like an eternity, prompting her to call out his name again to get his attention. Really, he was standing in his room, thinking about the very book she mentioned, staring at a small trunk he kept on the bottom shelf of his bookcase. “I’m still here. I think I have it. Let me look and I’ll give you a call back.”

Confused about his sudden aloofness, she let him go, wondering how things would turn out. For some reason, she felt as if she and Damon should have gone and spoken to him in person about the book.

~o.O.o~

Meanwhile, at the Salvatore home, Stefan was sorting through his collection of memories, setting aside journals of his own he kept separate for one reason or another before coming across the one that belonged to his would be sister-in-law. Frowning as he unwrapped the cloth it had been protectively packaged in, he opened the book to the first pages, reading a few words. Smiling slightly at recalling the day he found and saved the book, it was short lived as he skipped to the back of the book where the pages had been carved out to reveal a very dark item that belonged to Bella, nestled safely inside.

A very small part of him struggled with wanting to bring it to her, to the Mikaelsons at all. It was as if something knew it was dangerous, but to whom? His ears could pick up their house guest making his way to his room, no doubt detecting his warring emotions.

“What is the matter?” Jasper questions.

Stefan continued to look down into the open book and narrowed his eyes. “You’re the empath. You tell me.”

“I could,” he carefully drawled. “But it wouldn’t explain the reasons for the emotions. I would guess they involve Bella after the call you just received.”

“Yep. They want this book, and I want to give it to them, but a part of me doesn’t want to hand it over.”

“Hm,” Jasper canted his head to the side as he continued to study the other vampire. “I could go with you after sundown to ensure that you hand it over.”

Stefan continued to stand there, not able to move forward until Jasper used his gift to make him more agreeable. Only then, did he follow him out of the house, although the Cold One could feel there was a reluctant pull in his step that had him confused.

“What’s in the book?” Jasper curiously questioned, as they made their way through the woods, glancing towards the Salvatore.

“A story,” Stefan murmured, feeling his steps becoming more sluggish as they grew closer to the Mikaelson property. “I should go back…”

Just as he started to turn, Jasper grabbed him by the collar and bent his arm behind his back. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I do believe there is something more involved with keeping you from wanting to deliver this book to Bella. I am going to make sure that you do. Let’s move.”

Through his protests, Jasper practically dragged Stefan the rest of the way at vampire speed. When they reached the front door, the empath loaded him with so much lethargy that he quite literally was the only reason he was being held up by the scruff of his neck, and by the time someone opened the door, Jasper stood there with a scowl. “Ya’ll think Bella could remove whatever magic is influencing this guy?”

Klaus blinked at Stefan’s state, who struggled to lift his head like a sleepy drunk, and smirked. “I am sure she can try. This certainly appears to be what my lovely sister has theorized when it comes to Miss Gilbert, Petrova, and now Mr. Salvatore is affected by whatever extends from her own curse. However, do come on in,” he gestured for the two to enter.

“I’m gunna kill you all,” Stefan slurred as Klaus helped Jasper pull him to the sofa in the sitting room.

“Quite the common threat you’ve made time and again and failed,” Klaus sighed. “Although, this time, I doubt that our dear sister will allow you the smallest opportunity – regardless of her relationship with your brother or not.”

“What’s going on down here?” Bella’s voice interrupted, causing the men to tense.

Jasper pried through fingers and ripped the book from the eternal teenager’s grip just as Damon, Bella, and Bonnie joined them. Handing it over with a small smile, he nodded respectfully to his friend as he handed the novel over and stepped back. “I believe this belongs to you.”

Bella tore her eyes from Stefan, softly thanking Jasper before focusing her attention on her old journal. Swallowing as she opened it, she could feel everyone’s eyes on her as she read the words she wrote nearly two hundred years before. Just as she was about to look to the back, she quickly closed it with tears in her eyes and let out a shaking breath.

“What is wrong?” Damon asked at her side. He didn’t care much for whatever was in the book except for his girl’s well being and she was far from alright.

“Um,” she blinked as held the book. “I think the answer just may be in this book, like Bonnie said, but I would have to read through it,” she admitted, looking away from them.

Klaus grinned, pleased that it would mean the end of a large threat against his family and forthcoming child. “That’s splendid! How do we get rid of the wicked witch then?”

Bella shook her head and looked around, finding that like Damon, Jasper ignored everyone’s joy at that news and was focused on her despair instead. Something simply wasn’t right and suspicion was rising within him that whatever was going on in her head was nothing good. “I – I need to be alone,” she announced, backing away from each of them, even a hurt Damon, and ran out the door.

“I’ll make sure she gets back to Charlie’s safe,” Jasper said as he stopped Damon, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me. She doesn’t want anyone around her right now. Whatever she is upset about, it’s not good. She’ll come to you when she is ready.”

“How the hell can she be upset about being about to get rid of her aunt who’s been after her for centuries?” Damon argued.

Hesitating as he wasn’t sure he could accurately explain what he felt from his friend, Jasper shook his head. Sorrow and grief were so heavy in her emotions, that they clouded anything else that lead him to only one conclusion. “Only Bella could say, but I’m betting it’s the method she must take. Tell me Salvatore. Have you been giving her your blood?”

“Of course, but it’s been a few days. Why?”

Jasper looked back towards the door and hummed. “I don’t know. But I’m not exactly liking what I felt from her. I want to see what she’s feeling while she does her reading,” he answered, stepping back and sent out a wordless communication to the one person in the room that he felt might be able to help with what he suspected that Bella. “While I’m keeping an eye on Bella, find out from Stefan what he knows about that book. I think there is more to it than she’s going to ever tell us.” With that, he disappeared from the Mikaelson house to take over watch over the young witch.