I opened the front door to find Caroline standing there with a slush puppy in one hand and a tired smile on her face. I took the drink and nudged the door aside with my foot, silently telling her to get in.
"Thanks, I really need a sweet treat today," I said, taking a long sip.
"Did your day also suck?" Caroline asked, tossing her bag and jacket onto the couch. "Because mine sucked a lot. Matt is still being weird about the breakup and… well, Tyler kissed me."
"What?" I choked, nearly inhaling my drink. Sure, I knew it happened in the show, but in this timeline Tyler and Care barely interacted. I'd handed him off to Reid specifically so she wouldn't get bitten and die.
"Yeah, I don't even know," she sighed, stealing my slush for a sip. "We've been friends since we were kids, but it's Tyler… I don't know what's going on anymore. Also, Lena told me Rose is dead."
"She had a long run," I said dryly.
"Yeah. Five hundred years on the run because her friend pissed off super‑powerful vampires. No daylight ring. Must've sucked. I hope she's at peace now." Caroline lifted the drink in a little toast.
"Well, at least on the Other Side there's no need to run. She's probably fine. Bored, though," I said, thinking of the supernatural afterlife.
"Speaking of the Other Side…" Caroline glanced at me.
"Yeah, the house is finally ready. Someone's dropping off the furniture today. I'm heading over in a few hours — want to come?"
"Wait, the witch house is done? Did you hire those guys from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition who build mansions in a week?" she asked, shocked.
"There's nothing a bunch of money and compulsion can't do," I smirked. "And it took a whole month. Those TV guys do it in a week."
"Whatever, it's still super fast. Did you pick cute furniture? And did you go for a witch cave or a witch attic?" Caroline babbled. "Never mind — you need to make sure pirate boy is real, so you need to talk to Emily."
"Yeah, yeah…" I muttered, reclaiming my drink.
At the Witch House
The car barely passed through the front gate before Caroline started gaping. I drove with a proud smile — the house looked exactly like the blueprints. Exactly like my dream home.
"Oh my god, maybe I should start blackmailing vampires for money too," Caroline mumbled as I parked in front of the main door.
"What would you blackmail them with?" I asked.
"Never mind that. When can I move in?" she said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, I'm pretty sure there's a room with your name on the door, so… whenever," I shrugged, pushing open the large white front door.
"There's a room for me?" she squeaked, hugging me. "Yas queen."
Before I could reply, someone appeared on the white marble stairs.
"Greetings, young ladies."
"What's a witch house without a ghost, am I right?" Caroline said, grinning at Emily.
"Yeah, yeah, the house doesn't even need furniture to be ready for Halloween," I said. "Emily, hi. Good thing you showed up — I need to talk to you."
"What's the matter, granddaughter?" Emily asked, face unreadable.
"I have a ghost stalking me. He mentioned your name," I said casually, watching her reaction.
Her eyes narrowed — barely.
"You don't say…" she replied in the same flat tone. "Does he happen to behave like a brat?"
"Yes. So you've met him," I said, sharing a look with Caroline. So it wasn't just a sexy pirate dream after all.
I was about to interrogate her further when the doorbell rang — the furniture delivery.
Ghost problems would have to wait.
1 April 2010
I spent the whole night arranging furniture and making the mansion livable. Emily, even dead, was surprisingly helpful. The other spirits pitched in too — apparently moving objects was something they could do.
Caroline wanted to stay, but her mom called her home before dinner.
I took a short nap in the morning, then kept unpacking through the afternoon.
I was shelving books in the library when my phone rang. I answered without checking the caller ID.
"Yeah?"
"Hey Bonnie, it's Reed," he said. "Tyler just told me his uncle's pack is in your town — and they've got a vampire."
I froze.
I remembered the show — Tyler told Jules about Caroline, and she was tortured. But I didn't think it would happen now. Caroline wasn't that involved with Tyler.
Except… yesterday she did mention Tyler kissing her.
"Thanks for the call, Reed. I owe you one," I said quickly, hanging up.
I cast a locator spell on Caroline and bolted out of the house.
By the time I arrived, Damon and Stefan were getting their asses handed to them by the werewolf pack. At least they weren't stupid enough to fight a pack during the full moon.
Actually, they did do that two nights ago.
They were that dumb.
I heard Caroline inside a caravan, begging Tyler to get her out. She was wounded — and I saw red.
Before anyone noticed me, I snapped three werewolf necks with three finger snaps. They finally noticed me, but were too busy trying to stake the Salvatores to react properly.
I ignored the brothers and went straight for Caroline.
"It's been a while since I got the taste of a witch," the werewolf guarding the door said with a disgusting grin.
I didn't reply.
An ice spear formed behind him and shot through his heart. His body froze solid in seconds.
The pack froze too — pun intended — staring at their dead popsicle friend.
Before they could react, someone hit them all with a pain spell. Damon and Stefan staggered to their feet and stared at me.
"Don't look at me," I said, nodding toward the man approaching with his hands raised.
"Elijah made a promise to Elena. I'm here to see it upheld," Jonas said.
I ignored him and went inside.
Tyler stared at me with wide eyes. I shoved him aside and went to Caroline. He'd already gotten her out of the cage, but he was still a dick for getting her involved in this mess.
I helped her up.
"Bon, you came," she said, smiling weakly.
"Of course I came. You got caught by raging mutts — I had to put them down," I said, pulling her along.
"You need to go. Get out of here. Now," Jonas ordered.
I glared at him. Bossy warlock.
But Caroline needed me. Hunting wolves could wait until tomorrow.
And so could Elijah bloody Mikaelson.