Free of family

24

The next day Arkyn went to school with Rebekah and Alexis. He made good on his promise to keep Jeremy away from Alexis, intercepting the boy any time he came close to her. Eventually when school was over, he'd met the girls at his car.
"You should go talk to Bonnie." Rebekah offered.
"What?"
"You should talk to Bonnie. I can drive us home-"
"You've never driven a car, Bex. There's no way I'm letting you near my car."
"I've seen you drive."
"Until you actually get a legitimate license, you're not going anywhere near my car, especially with Alexis in it. You may be immortal, but she is not."
"She is right here." Alexis glared, "but she also agrees with Ark because she values her life."
"We can wait here."
"Or we can walk home." Alexis suggested.
"She doesn't want to talk to me. I can't force her to want to talk to me."
"It's the perfect timing. I've invited Elena over to look at homecoming dresses."
"Why would you do that? You were literally begging to kill her the other day."
"She's fishing for information, and Alexis will make sure I don't kill her, right?"
"Call me Lex. But yeah, I will. And Caroline's busy with Tyler. Bonnie wants you back, Ark. She's just worried. So go talk to her. There can only be one of us moping around."
"What information is Elena looking for?"
"About Mikael. She knows he's our father. She wants to know why we're running."
"How did she find out? It wasn't me, it wasn't you, Bonnie wouldn't have said anything and Klaus is out of town. Xavier and Alexis also wouldn't have said anything."
"Why are you so sure it wasn't Bonnie?"
"I told her all about Mikael. If she had said anything, Elena wouldn't be asking questions. And she's avoiding anything that could harm me- she knows Mikael's bad. Plus, she wouldn't betray me like that."
"Exactly, so go talk to her. She still loves you, you still love her."
"And you have been thinking of what to say since yesterday, suggesting you do actually plan to talk to her. Now's perfect."
"Okay, fine." He sighed. "I'll see you guys at home. And be careful with what you divulge to Elena. I'm pretty sure Damon's already woken Mikael, but we can't give her any leverage. Not if it ends up helping Mikael."
"Really?" Alexis folded her arms.
"Lex, you know Mikael's dangerous. He's just as bad as Klaus. Bringing him in only means double trouble. I mean Klaus- at least he's somewhat loyal to Rebekah and Elijah- he would never kill them permanently. Mikael has no such loyalty. He wants us all dead, and he has the means to. He'll kill anyone who gets in his way. At least with Klaus I have a guarantee he won't kill you."
"Okay, matter dropped." She said.
"Thank you."
"Okay, Bonnie's heading out now, which means we have to go." Alexis spotted the Bennett. She and Rebekah turned and walked away. Arkyn headed to her car, standing beside it. She groaned when she saw him.
"We need to talk." He said.
"No." She refused.
"You can't make decisions for me."
"Well this is my decision to make. I don't want to be with you anymore."
"Look me in the eye and tell me. Tell me without your pupils dilating, without your heartbeat quickening, without your voice trembling that you truly don't care for me anymore, and I will walk away." He vowed. She held his gaze during a long pause as she finally shook her head.
"You know I can't do that." She muttered.
"I love you, Bonnie, and I'm not going to let some vague premonition that may or may not be true destroy that."
"It was your mother." She said. "The whole ghosts thing- it was your mom again. Beware the original witch. And the witch also said to beware me."
"Maybe she meant you'd break my heart as a result of her premonition. Or maybe she did mean that you'll end up killing me. Who cares? I've lived a thousand years and if ever you feel the urge to murder me, then you'll probably have a good reason, because there is no way that you'd ever hurt me unless it meant that I was bad. That I was evil and that would make me a danger to you. To Xavier and Alexis, and me- sane, good me- totally understands. Okay? And if it's an accident, I understand. Besides, how much longer am I destined to live?"
"But what if-"
"Besides I would rather live a life where I love you than a life where I don't love at all. After a while, it gets old- living. I have one weapon- just one that could end all this. I even almost did a couple times. Ninety years ago when I first got it, and then over the decades, but I figure I can't leave Kol behind. One day we'll meet, and then I met Aly and Xavier was born and Alexis and there's no way I could ever leave them behind. And now I've met you and for the first time in a very long time, I'm truly happy. I love you, Bonnie. And I'm not gonna walk away on some witch's say so. Not unless it's your say so." He took steps forward throughout his speech until he was right in front of her. He leaned out and caressed her cheek.
"I- stop it!" She stepped back. "I can't- I can't think! Not with you being so... so you! I love you Arkyn, but I could never forgive myself if I ever hurt you. I don't want to hurt you."
"And you won't. Only you can decide what you're going to do. Screw fate or whatever. Elena was a doppelgänger fated to die and yet she's still walking and talking. You're a witch- fated to be the enemy of vampires, but Caroline is your best friend. Screw destiny. It has no place here in Mystic Falls."
"She was a seer."
"Visions aren't always literal. They have different interpretations." He took a step closer to her again. "Come back to me, Bonnie. Please?"
"Promise you won't let me hurt you?"
"If it makes you feel better, I'll leave town if you're suddenly possessed by an evil spirit who wants to kill me. And your grams said the spirits don't hate me, so as long as I stay on their good side, I think we're good."
"Deal." She smiled and he leaned down to give her a kiss.
"I missed you." He said, once they pulled back.
"It's been two days."
"I didn't know if you'd take me back. It was an eternity."
"You've told me you loved me about five billion times." She said. "I figure you should know that I love you too."