WOODS

"This the spot Emily Bennett was killed?"

Anna's lip curled at Jeremy's question, her expression a mixture of bitterness and resignation. "The founders were assholes," she replied, her tone dripping with disdain, "they thought it was poignant burning her where previous witches were burned."

Bonnie's eyes, heavy with the weight of the past, wearily traced the decrepit house ahead. "And you watched it?"

Anna's mind drifted back to that haunting moment, the memory still vivid in her thoughts. "Emily knew about my mother being in the tomb," she recounted, her voice tinged with sorrow, "when we would meet, she would just repeat, 'You'll see her again.' The final time I saw her, it was like she knew they would come for her. She told me what she'd done to help Katherine, and she promised she would tell me more when I returned the next day, but she'd been caught. Damon was there, too, trying to save his precious Katherine. I knew she was an evil vampire slut, but Mother made me hold my tongue."

Jeremy chuckled nervously as they stopped in front of the abandoned, run-down house, his attempt at humor falling flat against the backdrop of Anna's somber recollection. His brow raised at the state of it, his incredulity evident. "It looks really homely."

Anna smirked, nudging her boyfriend playfully as Bonnie walked ahead of them and entered the house, her determination evident. As they began exploring the interior, Anna suddenly froze, her body seized by an inexplicable force.

Jeremy's eyes widened in alarm, his concern palpable. "Are you okay?"

"I can't move," Anna struggled against the unseen restraint, frustration evident in her voice.

Jeremy attempted to assist her, his efforts proving futile against the invisible barrier. He turned to Bonnie, seeking answers in her expertise. "Bonnie?"

Bonnie held up her hands in a gesture of innocence, her confusion mirroring Jeremy's. "I'm not doing anything."

Anna's skin tingled with discomfort as she felt the searing heat spreading from her hand, her eyes darting down to where her ring rested. "My ring. My ring's not working."

"Bonnie, do something," Jeremy implored, his voice laced with urgency.

"What?!" Bonnie snapped back, her frustration palpable.

"Anything that stops me burning alive," Anna retorted sharply, her tone edged with pain.

With a frustrated huff, Bonnie closed her eyes, focusing her energy. Suddenly, Anna felt the intense heat dissipate, replaced by a cool relief that flooded through her. With a sigh of relief, she slumped into Jeremy's comforting embrace, his arms wrapping around her protectively.

As Anna began to regain her composure, she pulled away from Jeremy's embrace, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the room. "I should wait outside."

Jeremy's concern for her grew evident, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Help your sister," Anna replied with a soft smile, her hand gently caressing his face. Jeremy kissed her tenderly before she began to leave, her departure punctuated by a parting shot at the unseen force. "Didn't know you could be such a bitch, Emily!" As the door slammed shut behind her, Anna whirled around, flipping off the door with a defiant gesture. "Screw you too!"

Bonnie stifled a laugh at Anna's display of defiance. "She's spending too much time with Aella."

"Yeah..." Jeremy smirked, his gaze lingering on Anna's retreating figure. "...I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing yet."

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Bonnie addressed Jeremy, her voice laced with determination. "Can you hand me the grimoire?"

Jeremy complied, retrieving the spell book with a sense of trepidation. "Are you sure about this?"

Bonnie accepted the grimoire, her fingers brushing against Jeremy's in passing, a hint of teasing in her tone. "Are you worried about me?"

Caught off guard, Jeremy stumbled over his words, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Of course I am, you're my sister's best friend."

"Is that all?" Bonnie's query held a hint of disappointment, her gaze searching his face for something more.

Jeremy's unease was palpable as he attempted to clarify. "I think we're friends, too, right?"

Bonnie looked a little disheartened as she let out a short laugh, her features relaxing. "Friends? Yeah, of course."

Shifting her focus to the grimoire, Bonnie opened the ancient book and began to recite the incantation written within its pages. Almost immediately, ghostly voices whispered around them, their spectral presence permeating the air.

Jeremy's eyes darted around the room, his unease growing with each whispered word. "What is that?"

"The spirits of the witches who died here," Bonnie explained, her voice barely above a whisper as she felt the weight of their presence. "I can feel them."

"Okay..." Jeremy's gaze flitted nervously from shadow to shadow. "What are they saying?"

Closing her eyes in concentration, Bonnie strained to decipher the ghostly murmurs. "I can't tell. But I'm feeling some kind of energy pushing against me."

Hope flickered in Jeremy's eyes as he sought reassurance. "Good energy?"

Bonnie's expression remained uncertain as she met his gaze. "I'm not sure."

"What's happening?" Anna's voice echoed through the closed door, her concern palpable even from the other side.

Jeremy and Bonnie were startled at the sudden interruption, their nerves still raw from the eerie atmosphere of the abandoned house. Jeremy managed a shaky laugh at his own jumpiness, finding a semblance of reassurance in Anna's presence. "Bonnie feels an energy."

"Good or bad?" Anna pressed, her voice tinged with urgency.

"I'm not sure," Bonnie responded, her tone subdued as she felt the mysterious energy enveloping her. "But I'm finding out."

As Bonnie's focus intensified, Jeremy watched with a mixture of awe and apprehension as she abruptly left the room, descending into the depths of the basement below.

"What's happening?" Anna's voice reached them again, her concern echoing Jeremy's own uncertainty.

"Bonnie's going into the basement," Jeremy called back, torn between following his girlfriend and staying put.

Anna's directive spurred him into action. "Then follow her!" he urged himself, a surge of warmth flooding his heart at Anna's protective instinct. "But be careful."

Hurrying to catch up with Bonnie, Jeremy found her standing at the center of the basement, her gaze fixed on the surrounding space. "Here. This is it," Bonnie declared suddenly, her voice carrying an air of determination. "Help me set the candles."

As they arranged the candles, Jeremy couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, the whispers growing louder with each passing moment. "What the hell are they saying?" he muttered, his nerves on edge.

Bonnie remained focused, her eyes closed in concentration as she listened to the spectral voices. Jeremy watched in silence as her lips moved soundlessly, his curiosity piqued by her enigmatic behavior. When Bonnie's eyes fluttered open, he couldn't help but inquire, "What is it?"

For a moment, Bonnie's gaze held a distant look as if she were peering into another realm. Then, with a shake of her head, she dismissed his question. "Nothing."

Suddenly, all the candles ignited simultaneously, casting an eerie glow across the dimly lit basement. Jeremy jumped at the sudden burst of light, his unease growing with each inexplicable occurrence. Bonnie's cryptic behavior only served to heighten the sense of foreboding settling over him, leaving him to grapple with the unsettling mystery unfolding before his eyes.

"They're ready." Bonnie's voice was flat, almost devoid of emotion, as she closed her eyes, surrendering to the cacophony of voices swirling around them, growing louder and more insistent with each passing second.

Suddenly, Bonnie's cry pierced the air, and Jeremy instinctively moved closer to her, his concern evident in his voice. "Bonnie?"

But Bonnie remained unresponsive, her cries intensifying with each passing moment. Jeremy's fear escalated as he reached out to her, his own voice trembling with anxiety. "You're scaring me here, Bonnie."

With a sudden, gut-wrenching scream, Bonnie threw her head back, her anguish reverberating through the empty house. Jeremy's own scream mingled with hers, a desperate plea for her to return to him.

Jeremy's heart pounded in his chest, his desperation mounting with each passing second. He attempted to reach out to her, but before he could make contact, an invisible force sent him hurtling against the wall. He cried out in pain, his voice mingling with Bonnie's agonized screams.

Outside, Anna pounded on the door, her own terror mounting as she heard the sounds of distress emanating from within. "Jeremy?! What the hell is happening?" she shouted, her voice laced with urgency.

Despite his own pain, Jeremy struggled to rise, his determination to reach Bonnie overpowering his fear. Anna's futile attempts to break down the door echoed in the air as she was forcefully pushed away from the house, landing in a tangled heap on the ground.

In an instant, the tumultuous cacophony ceased, leaving behind an eerie silence. Jeremy, finally free from the invisible restraint, staggered to his feet and rushed to Bonnie's side. "Bonnie!" he exclaimed, his relief palpable as he reached her. "Are you okay?"

Bonnie's hysterical laughter filled the air, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I did it," she murmured between sobs, her voice tinged with disbelief.

With gentle care, Jeremy supported Bonnie as they made their way out of the house, Anna rushing to their aid as they emerged into the open air. Together, they helped Bonnie to her feet, her repeated mantra of 'I did it' echoing in the stillness of the night.

As they exchanged uneasy glances over Bonnie's head, Jeremy and Anna couldn't shake the feeling that they had just witnessed something far beyond their understanding, a sense of unease lingering in the air despite Bonnie's apparent triumph.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

Damon strode into the now eerily quiet mansion, the air thick with tension and the remnants of chaos. His gaze swept over the scene, landing on Liz and Carol, who stood together, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern. With his signature smirk firmly in place, he sauntered over to them.

"Hey. How is he?" Damon's voice was casual, almost indifferent, as he addressed the two women.

Liz's brows furrowed deeply as she replied, her tone heavy with dismay, "He's dead."

Undeterred, Damon crouched down beside John's lifeless body, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he observed the Gilbert ring adorning John's finger. With a nonchalant gesture, he picked up John's arm, casually tossing it back onto his body.

"He'll be fine in a couple of hours," Damon declared, his confidence unwavering.

Liz's eyes widened in disbelief, while Carol's mouth opened and closed soundlessly, struggling to comprehend Damon's words. "What are you talking about? Damon, he's dead," Carol protested, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Damon straightened up, his smirk widening into a grin as he explained, his words dripping with amusement, "Well... here's the thing. John's ring; it's an old Gilbert family heirloom. It protects its owner from death by a supernatural entity."

"But he's not breathing," Carol gestured incredulously towards John's motionless form. "He has no pulse."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Damon hoisted John's body up under his arms, preparing to drag him away. "He will be. Trust me," he reassured them, his tone dripping with confidence. "We're gonna need a cover story... epileptic fit, alcohol binge, banana peel, whatever works. But right now, I just have to get him out of here."

Leaving Liz and Carol dumbfounded, Damon began to make his exit, dragging Elena's sperm donor out of the large house towards his car. When he saw Aella's car not too far from his, his brow furrowed. With a huff, he picked up John, heaving him over his shoulder; he huffed as John's blood began to soak his shirt.

As he approached Aella's car, parked nearby, his brow furrowed in confusion. Dropping John unceremoniously to the ground, Damon strode over to the driver's side, where Aella sat motionless.

"Hey there, Pixie," Damon greeted her, his tone laced with both concern and annoyance. "I thought you were taking the Psychotic Doppelgänger home—shit!"

Aella remained unresponsive, her eyes closed in an unsettling stillness. With a frustrated sigh, Damon shook her gently, attempting to rouse her from her slumber. "Come on, ya little midget, wake up," he urged impatiently.

Aella groaned weakly in response to Damon's prodding, her movements sluggish and disoriented. "Mmnot midget," she muttered groggily.

Relieved to see her stirring, Damon chuckled softly. "There you are. Felt like a nap in the middle of the day?"

Aella's eyes fluttered open, squinting against the harsh sunlight as she mumbled incoherently. "Katherine was there and then—" Her words trailed off as she reached up to touch her head, recoiling at the sensation of wetness. "Whoa, that's not nice."

Damon gestured to his bloodied shirt and hands with a wry grin. "Be thankful it's your own."

Aella's confusion quickly turned to understanding as she glanced down at John's prone form. "Ew, John Gilbert blood," she remarked with a grimace. "Yeah, I like my own."

As Damon dialed Stefan's number, Aella's memories of the recent events began to resurface, her dazed expression morphing into one of annoyance. "That dude should not be around balconies," she declared with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

"Hey, bro!" Damon greeted Stefan enthusiastically as he answered. "Yeah, we have a problem."

Aella's eyes widened in realization as she recalled the events that had transpired. "Son of a bitch knocked me out with my own car," she muttered incredulously, casting a glazed glance at Damon. "What an asshole!"

OLD WITCH HOUSE

Anna's grip tightened on Bonnie's arm as she pulled her and Jeremy away from the dilapidated building, her voice laced with urgency and frustration. "What the hell was that?!"

Bonnie extricated herself from Anna's grasp, her gaze still fixed on the abandoned structure looming behind them. "A test, to see if I was strong enough," she explained, her voice tinged with a mix of uncertainty and determination.

Anna's protective instincts kicked in as she turned her attention to Jeremy, her anger evident as she noticed his discomfort. "A warning would have been nice," she snapped, her fangs threatening to emerge as she brushed the dust from his shirt.

Jeremy offered her a reassuring smile as he gently took hold of her wrists, his touch grounding her. "I'm okay," he assured her, his gaze shifting to Bonnie. "Whatever happened, it's done, right?"

Bonnie nodded in affirmation, though her expression remained guarded. "I think so."

Jeremy's curiosity got the better of him as he glanced back at the ominous house. "What was that chanting? There has to be something to help us translate that chant."

Bonnie's response was evasive as she shrugged, attempting to downplay the significance of the encounter. "It was just a warning."

Anna's suspicion grew at Bonnie's vague explanation, her gaze piercing as she addressed the young witch. "A warning? What kind of warning?"

Attempting to deflect further inquiry, Bonnie waved a dismissive hand. "It's not important," she insisted, though her demeanor betrayed her discomfort.

Anna took a step closer to Bonnie, her tone firm. "You know I can tell when you're lying, right? We all agreed we're in this together. What were they saying?"

Jeremy, though less confrontational, echoed Anna's sentiment, his expression earnest. "Anna's right," he affirmed. "We said we're friends too, right, not just you and Elena. Friends are honest with each other."

Unable to meet Jeremy's gaze, Bonnie relented, her admission reluctant. "It's just a lot of power to have access to," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "They're just telling me to be careful with it."

Though Jeremy seemed satisfied with Bonnie's explanation, Anna remained skeptical, her senses on high alert. "Well, exactly how much power can you draw from a hundred dead witches?" she pressed, her concern evident.

Bonnie closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath as a whirlwind of leaves began swirling around them, stirred by an unseen force. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the sky above darkened, clouds swirling ominously, illuminated by flashes of lightning and punctuated by the distant rumble of thunder.

Anna instinctively moved closer to Jeremy, a protective stance born of both her vampiric instincts and her concern for her friends. She could sense the raw power emanating from Bonnie, her vampiric senses picking it up, a potent force that seemed to pulse through the very air around them. It was a sensation she had experienced before, reminiscent of the magic that had enveloped them when Aella had performed her own spells, but this felt distinctly different—darker, more foreboding.

Jeremy's shock was palpable as he uttered Bonnie's name, his voice tinged with disbelief at the spectacle unfolding before them.

"Bonnie," Anna echoed, her tone urgent as she called out to her friend, her concern evident in her voice.

Bonnie's eyes flickered open, the storm above gradually dissipating as she regarded the bewildered couple with a small, enigmatic smile playing upon her lips. Despite the lingering traces of the tempest that had just passed, there was a sense of calm about her, a quiet assurance that belied the intensity of her earlier display.

"The answer to your question is: a lot," Bonnie finally responded, her words carrying an air of mystery as she left the true extent of her newfound power tantalizingly ambiguous.

The words hung in the air, laden with significance, as Anna and Jeremy exchanged incredulous looks, their minds racing to comprehend the magnitude of what Bonnie had just revealed.

MYSTIC FALLS

Mystic Falls Town Square buzzed with its usual blend of activity, the crisp air tinged with the scent of coffee from the nearby cafes and the distant chatter of residents going about their day. Liz Forbes emerged from the police station, her phone pressed to her ear as she engaged in a conversation with Carol, her longtime friend, and confidante. With a weary sigh, she leaned against her patrol car, absorbing Carol's complaints about the day's latest issue. "Carol, it's been dealt with."

As Liz prepared to end the call, a sudden presence caught her attention, causing her to tense involuntarily. The voice that addressed her was familiar yet laced with an undercurrent of tension.

"-Sheriff Forbes."

Liz turned to find Matt Donovan standing before her, his expression dark and brooding. The memory of the previous night flooded her mind, the anguish of her daughter's tears still fresh in her memory. She braced herself for what was to come.

Ignoring Carol's continued chatter on the phone, Liz raised a hand to signal her imminent departure. "Carol, I'll see you soon," she said curtly before ending the call. Turning her full attention to Matt, she faced him with a mixture of apprehension and concern.

"Caroline is looking for you," she informed him, her tone clipped and businesslike.

But Matt's demeanor betrayed no hint of compliance or deference. His demand was unexpected, and Liz felt a cold chill run down her spine as he spoke.

"I wanna see Vicki's file."

Liz's eyes widened in disbelief at the audacity of his request. "What?"

Matt's voice was tinged with barely restrained anger as he clarified his intentions. "My sister," he bit out, his words laced with bitterness. "Remember her? I want to see her file. I want to see how you covered up that she was killed by a vampire."

The mention of vampires sent a shiver down Liz's spine, and she glanced around discreetly, ensuring that no one else was within earshot. She leaned in closer to Matt, her voice low and urgent.

"Matt, you need to calm down," she urged, her tone tinged with a hint of desperation.

But Matt's frustration boiled over, and before Liz could react, he seized her shoulder with a vice-like grip. Pain shot through her, but Liz fought to maintain her composure, her instincts kicking into overdrive. With a swift, practiced motion, she twisted Matt's arm behind his back, pinning him against the door of her patrol car with a forceful shove.

"Matt, you need to calm down now," she asserted, her voice firm and commanding.

Despite his struggles, Matt found himself unable to break free from Liz's hold. Instead, he continued to vent his pent-up emotions, his words cutting like knives. "How could you do it? You're supposed to protect this town, and you're protecting the monsters."

Liz's grip tightened on Matt's wrist, her patience wearing thin as his accusations hit close to home. She hissed down at him, her voice edged with frustration. "Matt, shut up."

But Matt was relentless, unknowingly striking a nerve with his next words. "After all, one's your daughter. Right?"

The weight of Matt's words crashed over Liz like a tidal wave, leaving her reeling in shock. Her grip on him slackened, her fingers trembling as she struggled to process what she had just heard. "What?" Her voice was barely a whisper, lost amidst the bustling noise of the square.

Matt's face drained of color, his features contorting with a mixture of fear and regret. He took a step back, his eyes darting around nervously. "Nothing," he stammered, his voice barely audible.

But Liz couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gripped her. It was as if a dormant memory had been stirred from its slumber, whispering its secrets in the recesses of her mind.

Not anymore. My daughter's gone.

The words echoed in Liz's head, a haunting reminder of the pain she had buried deep within her. She fought to push the memories aside, to ignore the nagging sensation that clawed at the edges of her consciousness.

Desperate to make sense of it all, Liz stepped closer to Matt, her voice trembling with urgency. "Matt, what do you mean one's my daughter?"

Because the moment you abandoned your daughter, you abandoned me too.

You just lost the best thing that ever happened to you.

I'm sorry to both of you. I'll be better, I will.

I'm going to forget that you're a vampire.

Matt recoiled at the sight of the Sheriff, frozen in place like a statue, her features etched with shock and disbelief. The guilt gnawed at his insides, twisting and churning with every passing moment. He knew he had stirred something deep within her, something she had tried so desperately to bury.

"I'm going to forget that you're a vampire," Liz's voice was barely a whisper, but the weight of her words hung heavy in the air.

Matt's brows furrowed in confusion, his mind racing to make sense of her cryptic statement. "What? Sheriff Forbes?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

But Liz seemed to snap out of whatever trance had gripped her, her expression clouded with confusion. "What?" she repeated, her voice hollow and distant.

Realizing the gravity of what he had just revealed, Matt shook his head frantically, taking a step back. "Forget it," he pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation. "Forget I said anything. I was just upset."

Without waiting for a response, Matt turned on his heels and fled, leaving Liz standing alone in the square, her mind spinning with unanswered questions.

As she watched him disappear into the crowd, Liz felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, her thoughts swirling like a turbulent storm. Slowly, she made her way to her patrol car, sinking into the driver's seat with a heavy heart.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as the weight of the truth settled upon her shoulders. With a trembling hand, she wiped away a stray tear, her heart aching with a sense of loss she couldn't quite comprehend.

"Oh my god," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own ragged breaths. It was then, in that moment of clarity, that Liz realized the full extent of the secrets she had been forced to confront. And as the first tear trickled down her pale face, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again.