Tragic. Can I continue my story now, please?

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Josie wasn’t supposed to be the one to sacrifice herself, sacrifice everything and turn into this. She couldn’t help feeling like it was supposed to be her. Bonnie had been so determined to do something, anything to fix things. To do what she hadn’t been able to do when Enzo died the first time. The dead were back now. She didn’t have to keep looking for ways to save him, to prove to him that she wasn’t totally abandoning him by being in love with Damon. And yet, there was another hurdle to overcome. “I think we all need to be drinking right about now,” the witch mumbled, ordering another at the bar. Besides all of that going on, those pesky visions had the wonderful side effect of bringing back her nightmares. Yes, she needed more drinks.

As naive as to the idea that fate was giving him another chance at happiness, he could not refuse it. He had sworn that he would fight for her, to find his way back. Maybe Bonnie hadn’t been the one to directly bring him back from Limbo but he could only presume she was when he saw her in his view. It sparked hope that he thought he no longer had, that she hadn’t abandoned him and he had something still worth fighting for. The alternative of having been brought back to continue his suffering was not a thought in his might right now as he got closer to her. “You never lost me, Bonnie Bennett.” Even if those words sounded like a memory, they were very real, as was his touch when he leaned in to press his lips against hers. 

@magicalxkitty​

📷 ― “My father was a Salvatore.” Correcting him. “Look where that got him..” she added, exasperated. Her whole bloodline, dead, all except Damon. Despite growing up with the feeling of something was missing.. learning all she had about who she really was?  There was no connection she felt to this boogeyman title. It was merely the tragedy she always, deep down, knew to be true. Feeling more than a little vulnerable and backed up in a limbo corner: “Isn’t that why you have to play the villain?  If this is their story, where does that leave the rest of us if not stuck in the background?” 

“Funny thing that. I was never the villain.” It didn’t start that way and they’d more or less forced him into that role over the years. “But then I grew into the idea, that was it. I was the villain of their story and nothing more...that was until I met you. The rare exception.” The Salvatore who could do no harm. “I wanted to be the villain in your story too, but as it turns out, I’m pretty good at being the hero to the damsel in distress.” 

📷 ― Her head was hung loosely in her hands before it was picked back up and whipped over to stare at him. “What?” she asked, genuinely confused by the question. “No!” The temptation to roll her eyes was strong, but she held firm. “I’m thinking. As much as I would love to pretend this is just another ‘side character’ related problem for me…” Sarcasm aside, it would have been easier ― it wouldn’t be her fault, now would it?  That they were stuck here. “… this feels bigger.” Maybe she felt bad, maybe the way he sounded when he asked if she gave up, but it compelled her to fess: “Maybe it is torture but, I’m glad I’m not alone.”

The instinctive fear he’d felt was soon settled once she reassured she was not giving up. Maybe it was this place screwing with him or maybe it was knowing that if she had given up, that was it. “Yeah well, you never were much of a side character to me. You are a Salvatore.” Any Salvatore in his life had been important at some point, yet, they’d hurt him in more ways than could count, but Sarah? She was an exception, an exception that he didn’t think ever possible. 

📷 ― “So they keep telling me.” The way Sarah had her arms crossed in front of her was a telltale sign she wasn’t convinced. Joking or not, Enzo still pulled the blonde’s name out of the hat for this torment, and using the secret Salvatore niece as a plaything, which was also on brand. “Like you used me to protect Bonnie.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, a disappointed and solemn reminder that she was.. well. And if she could feel one way about what Enzo did, how could she hold onto how she felt about Caroline?  Her feet brought her to a quiet bus stop, illuminated by a single street lamp, and she sat herself down. 

“Right.” The statement caught him off guard, that and the repeated mention of Bonnie. Enzo was a little confused, he couldn’t tell if this was about Caroline or Bonnie or if it was about him. “So. That’s it?” He said as she walked off, but not far enough, as he soon followed. “You just...give up?” 

📷 ― “Right. Fun.” Sarah is unfazed. Hell, the reply almost calmed her. It was the likely answer, and surely was the least upsetting. Her dying was cut and dry, coming back was a mystery, and that was the part she hated. The unknown. “Bonnie?” she asked, but she didn’t expect a response. It was just.. the way he said it. And she didn’t agree with what he said. She wouldn’t want him to be alone― and Sarah was far more willing to forgive that explanation that anything involving Caroline. “What is her deal with me?  You don’t think it could be about Stefan too, do you?” But she couldn’t help it. She laughed, looking at Enzo, “And what lesson is that?” 

No response was given in regards to a certain witch. “Oh, I see.” He decided to focus on Sarah’s issues with Caroline rather his with....everyone. “Look, truth be told, Caroline has a good heart.” At the end of the day, Caroline was someone he considered a friend, so, he ought to help set the record straight. “Whatever she did to you, she wasn’t in her right mind. She was using you to get to Stefan. A trick that she obviously learnt from me.” The idea that this place was a subconscious lecture from Caroline made more sense. Still, he had to add some sarcasm to it. “So, I suppose. It really is about Stefan.”

📷 ― “Uh―” Okay. Perhaps, she had not anticipated that question. Or it being so direct, a yes or no. Sarah stared at him, and unreadable one (she felt like) and let out a nervous scoff. “A-and?” Terrible start, clumsy start. “Wouldn’t we just desiccate?” The word still felt weird on her tongue. Then she caught his smirk and dug her heels back in. “You said it yourself, it’s not up to us.” With the crisis seemingly averted, the young vampire crossed her arms over her chest, though she felt no wind. Her words come out soft and wary. “Where the hell are we?” 

“Dead?” He said with a shrug knowing that was the most likely answer. “The Other Side and Hell were destroyed. There’s only one witch I know powerful enough to create her own dimension but that doesn’t explain you.” Now he’d go from serious answers to silly ones, just to put Sarah’s mind at ease. “My guess is as good as yours but I bet it has to do with whatever that delicious history teacher was telling me about. Maybe she had enough, told Caroline, who got her daughters to put me under some spell and it was Caroline’s bright idea to bring you here to teach me a lesson.”  

📷 ― “Thanks! Good to know I’m not your first pick for a stranded island.” Playing against his mean spirit was a chore in of itself, but there wasn’t much choice, and she had very little else to channel her nervous energy into. Enzo then yelled at nobody and she already felt an asshole-induced headache coming on. Her palms rest at her temples, eyes closed, and she took in a deep, controlled breath. “Fucking fantastic,” were her words as she exhaled.

“Even when I try, I still can’t escape you, Sarah Salvatore.” He was not annoyed at her despite his implied tone. If anything it was a relief knowing she was not alone, still, that was a bit of a problem for him because caring for her had him keep his guard down and caused him to be susceptible to whatever torment was to come. “Anyway. For curiosity's sake. If we were trapped on an island would I be your first pick?” 

“Oh, you again.” Klaus said with a hint of a growl in his voice. He was still not over what had happened with the man and Elena, holding a grudge was his thing after all. He glanced over to the water and the crappy figure standing near it. “Where are we?”

“Yeah, me. The one you let go tell all your enemies about your little secret.” Well, not all, only Katherine and a few other people who may be just as bad. Still, it felt rather thrilling being the menace he was. “No clue, mate.” He said with a shrug, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t soon figure it out, having been trapped in plenty of cages to know when he was in one. “Still. Best you hide out here from them and  that crazy sister of yours.” 

The entire situation is strange, but what about all of this wasn’t? Gideon Anselson was still trying to come to grips with what he was dealing with, walking around and surveying the situation when he hears a voice reaching out. Moving closer, he offers a question of his own. “Ideas for what exactly?” 

“A way out.” He suggested. “Because it’s not that way.” He said, pointing towards the boat and whatever was guarding it. “A boat is a little ironic considering the last time I was denied passage on a ship, everyone was dead by the time we got to port. Including me.”

@secretlegacy

@anselson​

@xvillainnic​

“Wait, what?” Katherine held up a hand. “The father is Klaus. Are you kidding me?” She asked, completely dumbfounded, something that rarely happened. “Has she learned nothing?” She shook her head. “How could she be so stupid..” 

“And I thought you were the one ten steps ahead of your enemies. Guess not.”  It was a surprise that Katherine Pierce among all people, the person who knew Elena Gilbert down to a t had no idea. “Glad I could be of service.” Not that he needed to, but he might have just saved Katherine from embarrassment. 

“And I lost you. I lost the only person I had ever truly loved. Do you think I won?” she asked, letting her own anger get the best of her. “You were everything to me. I had yet another person I love die because of me. I left and traveled the world and tried to be happy, but do you really think I was? I cried nearly every night for years. I wouldn’t let anyone get close enough to me to have any sort of actual feelings for them. I ran from everything because I was so afraid that I would lose it all again. And when I finally, finally got to place where I wasn’t sad all the time, where I could open my heart to other people, I got with Damon and you were here. And I couldn’t be the woman you remembered me as,” Bonnie said, ranting to him. “It hurts me to hurt you like this. But you’re the one who taught me to let others in, to put myself first. So I did. It still hurts though. Because you’re hurting and I never wanted that for you. If you think I am just perfectly happy right now, you’re wrong,” she declared. She shook her head before looking up at him again. “You were the one who told me to live and let you go. And I remember you telling me to let go of my anger at Stefan for killing you before it consumed me. So maybe you should take your own advice. Don’t let your anger at everything consume you either. Because I don’t think I could live with myself if my choices led to your destruction all over again.”

“And if I could, I would take it all back because I was wrong. I told you to live and let go but I shouldn’t have.” He had to question every choice he ever made, if it was ever the right thing to do. “But if I let myself believe, for just a second, that I abandoned you? That I let you go through all that pain alone? I can’t live with myself knowing I did that.” Then he was just the maker of his own demise, no one was a scapegoat, it was all on him. “Knowing I gave up on the one thing I fought my entire life for?” Every feeling he had right now was in turmoil, and hanging onto his anger at least gave him some sense of direction. “I can’t accept it. I won’t because if there’s even a fraction of a chance, that we could go back,  I’m still willing to fight for you.” To say he had no hope left wasn’t as true as he tried to convince himself and others. 

“Are you threatening me?” He questioned, biting the inside of his cheek.

“Nah just offering you a invitation to your own funeral. Postage due.” Postage was still due on a plan that involved Dr. Whitmore and his dog, well, it was until Damon saw to kill him and pick all the members of Augustine off while Enzo continued to suffer. “Hope you’ve got life insurance, mate.” 

Josie looked away briefly and crossed her arms. “Of course I have thought about that possibility. If lizzie or I turn then… but Lizzie doesn’t want that and I…” Josie shrugged. She knew if it came down to that and Lizzie asked her, Josie would turn. “My dad doesn’t really get to keep having a say in my life forever.”

“You what? Afraid it might change you and turn you into who you really are.” He was only teasing. “Yeah. Thing about your dad, and a story I’m sure neither of them will tell you, but he wouldn’t have a say at all had I let him be blown up when we went to deal with a no-humanity Stefan and oh... your mother.”