Free of family

51

"Hey. How's Alaric?" Elena asked as she and Stefan walked into the Salvatore house.
"He'll be okay. I gave him a bottle of Bonnie's herbs and he went home." She said. Elena nodded.
"We killed Finn." She offered. "The plan worked."
"Nothing worked until I see Klaus's dead body myself." Stefan interrupted.
"You do know that Klaus being dead will also mean Ark'll be dead." Caroline glared. Elena opened her mouth to explain but her phone rang.
"Bonnie. Where have you been?"
"Klaus has Damon." Bonnie said.
"Klaus should be dead. They should all be dead, we just killed Finn."
"No, Elena, he forced me to do a spell that unlinked all of the siblings." Bonnie said, upset. "He's still alive."
"Okay, Bonnie, where's Damon?"
"At Klaus' mansion. It's bad, Elena, he threatened Jeremy. And my mom and even Ark." She said tearfully, the events of the past few hours catching up to her.
"Are- are you okay?" Elena asked.
"I don't know." Bonnie answered. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I just- I have to- I have to go."
"No, Bonnie just.." Elena stopped realising Bonnie had already hung up.

Bonnie slid down the side of a car, and began to cry. She knew despite what Klaus said, she'd lost Arkyn. Even if he could forgive her- even if she stopped trying to kill Klaus, her actions had affected Alexis and Xavier, and it wasn't the first time. And even if he got over that, she knew Alexis and Xavier came first for him, so unless she came up with a pretty epic apology that would make them both forgive her, she wouldn't be with Arkyn. She couldn't believe she allowed herself to listen to Klaus. She hated Klaus. Klaus and Rebekah heard her sobs from inside the mansion.
"I don't know what she expected." Rebekah said, indifferently. "She betrayed Arkyn for friends who didn't really give a damn about her."
"Speaking of Arkyn, why was he so mad at you? What sorts of harsh things did he say to you?"
"Does it matter?"
"Considering he once adored you, yeah. I'd say it matters."
"Did you really kill an entire town just because he cared about them?"
"Are you really surprised?" Rebekah looked at him before shaking her head.
"No, not when it comes to you. You're incorrigible."
"It seems our big brother has finally realised that too."
"Ugh." Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Crying is so not my thing. What are we supposed to do. Just stand around listening to her sobs?"
"You could always go out and comfort her."
"Heh, yeah right. She doesn't deserve it after what she did to Arkyn." The sobs soon faded and they heard her leave. "Finally."

Bonnie went back to Arkyn's house, pulling on his sweater and curling up in his bed. It still smelt like him, it still felt like he was there, and it made her feel safe. She started to cry even more. The seer was right. If she had just stopped being so vengeful, he'd still be here. With her. And they would be happy. But she let Esther brainwash her. She'd honestly thought she was doing the right thing for Arkyn. And even if she didn't, it wasn't like she had a choice. Esther was channelling her line, because the ancestors wished it. But Esther wouldn't be channelling her line if she hadn't brought her back and unlocked the coffin. A few hours later Caroline came in.
"Hey, Bon." She said softly. Bonnie looked up, before another wave of sadness hit. Caroline sped to her friend's side and pulled her closer to her. "I'm so sorry." She said.
"Is it bad that when Klaus was forcing me to unlink him and his siblings, I wanted to? I didn't want Ark to die, and I wanted to... I don't know. Make up for it?"
"Only if it's bad that I want him alive and safe too."
"Yeah but you knew from the first moment. Elena and I fell for Esther's trap. You've never wanted Ark dead."
"You didn't want him dead. You just wanted him to be happy."
"He was happy with me, and Alexis, and Kol and Rebekah. And I ruined it. And then I had to sit through Klaus giving me advice, by the way, which was so weird and I know he just wants a witch on his side. And all I know is I miss Ark, but I betrayed him. Worse, I betrayed Alexis and that's something he can't forgive me for."
"He'll forgive you. And I know you and Ark had a totally epic love. But he's your first love. Maybe one day you'll get back together. Maybe you won't and you'll find someone new. And that's okay. But I can tell you this won't hurt so much one day. Every day, the pain will get just a little better. It won't ever be gone, first loves have a hold on us, but it'll be better, and you will feel better. You will fall in love again, and you'll be more mature and it'll be epic. Who know, maybe it'll be a warlock or a human this time."
"I'm done with vampires." Bonnie nodded. "As a boyfriend. I'm done. Unless it's Ark, I'm not gonna let myself fall for a vampire ever again."
"That's up to you."
"Thanks, Care." She smiled.
"Anytime. Now get some sleep."
"You talked to him, didn't you?"
"Talked to who?" Caroline feigned obliviousness.
"Caroline!"
"Yeah, I talked to Ark. I had to tell him about Finn. I told him you weren't involved, that you actually unlinked them all so you saved him."
"I love you, Care." Bonnie smiled at her friend.
"I love you too, Bon Bon."