"I can't believe you packed leftovers for yourself" she chuckled, watching him simultaneously eat from the plastic container on his lap while driving.

"Packed us leftovers, yours is in the back; that dinner was delicious of course I was taking some with me."

They had already been on the road for five hours and Kai had driven the entire time while Bonnie was absorbed in the Grimoire's. The majority of their conversations had been about things she learned or information that would be beneficial to them. She had combed through the sections highlighting the forms of magic; traditional, ancestral, sacrificial – the books even discussed the beginning of dark magic and expression but nothing was standing out.

"Your dad was pissed and had a safety net to fall into if you tried to leave before I ruined his plans – I can only imagine what we're going to be up against now."

"So what are you thinking; protection shield, resurrection spell – throwing a bone and seeing if another witch will pick it up and help us out?"

"And piggyback off their magic," she thought out loud and vigorously flipped through the pages until she found one of the titles and slapped it with her hand.

"Spirit magic!" she exclaimed "How did I not think of this before? I have done this myself and it really did work."

Bonnie bopped around for a moment in her seat, her fried brain from reading for so long finally surging back to life with a purpose.

"Done what?"

"A few years ago one of the Original vampires Klaus and I had an altercation that I knew I wasn't going to make it out of and Damon came up with a solution."

She continued through the roll of his eyes.

"Klaus wasn't going to stop until I was dead and I needed to make him believe it. There's a protection spell that can be completed by harnessing the power of a group of dead witches and it prevents you from dying; allowing you to be resurrected if you did meet certain doom."

"And it works?"

"Oh yeah."

He looked over at her when she didn't continue.

"It works, trust me."

"You died?"

"Technically, yeah."

"Huh," he said genuinely surprised. "Just another thing we have in common – the walking dead."

"In the flesh," she joked back and read through the Spirit Magic section. "Usually you need a place where the witches were killed to harness their energy from but, you already got that out of the way. All that's left is the spell itself, and candles – I don't know what it is about candles."

"Helps to draw in their energy, maybe – or they need a light to find their way out of the underworld."

"Yeah I'm gonna guess it's not the latter."

"You never know," he shrugged "so even if I die during the excursion home, I'll come back to life back in present day?"

"Theoretically" she answered and he groaned in response.

"That's a little unsettling. What if I just die and you get shipped off to Mystic Falls? Got to say I'll be pretty pissed when I wake up."

"I've done it before," she said stubbornly.

"I believe you, but you also weren't jumping through time dimensions nor had an irate coven leader on your ass in the process. What if it doesn't work?"

"It'll work."

"And yet I won't be able to say I told you so if I'm right."

She turned her head looking at the side of his face, the muscles in his jaw moving being the only tell in his expression. Turning the rest of her body with it her back ended up against the door while her feet were bent in between them. Kai focused on the road and she waited a full minute before breaking the silence.

"Are you still nervous about me leaving without you?"

"Nervous" he laughed "try aware, and vigilant of the circumstances we've been up against. My dad's been trying to get rid of me for years, almost succeeded half a dozen times and I don't want to add any more to the list."

"We'll double up doses then; the protection spell and the resurrection spell as a fail-safe in case you're having trouble waking up once we get back home – and we will both make it there. I did not go through all of this time and effort to not bring you back with me; have a little faith."

Bonnie saw Kai's jaw unclench into a sincere smile, putting the cover over his basically empty container and tossing it behind his shoulder. He reached next to him and wrapped his hand around her ankle gently gliding his hand up her calf and back down leaving a tingling on her skin.

"In you, or in beating the circumstances we're up against?"

She briefly played through said circumstances – his father and his magic, helping Kai escape his prison, the impending doom she'll face from her friends – and pushed them all to the back of her mind as she kept her sights on him.

"In me," she said sincerely and he squeezed her ankle in response.

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Kai said the remark as a casual side-thought but the meaning behind it hit her a little more deeply. For almost half of his life he has been in solitary confinement – no relationship with any other person which would understandably make it difficult to connect with anyone yet Kai seemed to open up to her easily. Even before he was locked away the only real bond Bonnie knew of that he had was with his twin sister; genuine and unwavering until the bitter end where in his eyes her betrayal landed him here. He did let himself get close with Gabriela too, even if he denies it – but he was always left with his guard up against her no matter how much they both fought to break it down. Bonnie would be the first to admit how difficult it can be to trust anybody, especially when moments from your past back up your reasoning on why you shouldn't.

"What are you thinking?" he wondered as he took in her expression.

"You surprise me sometimes."

"In a good way?" he questioned with a raise of his eyebrow.

"In a confusing way," she answered back truthfully "in a really infuriatingly-unsettling-sincere yet contradictory type of way."

"How so?"

"Let me list the ways," she laughed "the person I've gotten to know and the guy I've heard all of these things about can sometimes seem like two separate people. When I talk to you it seems genuine and honest and – well – surprising at times, and then it clashes against the actions that I know you're going to continue to do when we get out here."

She shook her head and let out a huff using her hands as scales in front of her.

"Person I've spent the last couple of months getting to know," she tipped to the other hand "kid who is hell-bent on being the leader of his coven."

"Why can't I be both?"

"Because one of them plans on killing people while the other's got along perfectly fine without it."

"That guy's also recently been pleasantly distracted," he smirked and pulled her foot so it was resting on his thigh "not that I'm complaining."

Bonnie felt her cheeks flare at the sheer mention of the room-shattering sex she'd just discovered and fought the urge to pull her leg away.

"So when the distractions stop you'll be back on your revenge path?"

"How villainous," he joked back "but we both know this distraction isn't going anywhere."

"Oh really?" she scoffed.

"Oh, really," he answered back with certainty and shot her the same expression.

Bonnie gritted her teeth at his arrogance and felt a flare or irritation when her body responded to his remark.

"Don't go getting ahead of yourself Kai – being locked away in this prison world together is one thing but everything's going to change when we're back in present day. I'll be in Mystic Falls, you'll be going to Portland to ruin lives; I just don't see how this would continue in the real world."

"I'd come back," he shrugged "I'd get things squared away, pay my father a visit, and be back before you know it."

"No," she let out and shook her head trying to think straight "you don't – you aren't understanding me."

"What don't I get?"

"That this – us –isn't going to work out; we're two different people."

"We seem to be doing fine so far," he said without missing a beat and looked over at her unconvinced "and we have more in common thank you let yourself realize."

"I don't think so."

"It's true; I could probably make a chart showing me vs. you on all the things we line up on but I'll save that for another time – maybe at your house in present day."

Bonnie shook her head his stubbornness and wished they were home or anywhere that she could walk away from him instead of being cramped inside a car.

"Not gonna happen."

"We'll see."

"You'll see," she corrected earning a dark and seductive stare in return that against her best efforts sparked something within her.

"Care to make it interesting?"

"How – you want to make a bet if we're going to sleep together when we're back home?"

"Well that'd be a bet you'd lose," he laughed and oof'd at her foot swinging into his ribs "Kidding – kidding – no; how about a bet that this, what's happening between us, is going to continue against your best efforts for it not to and it'll win out in the end."

"Win – as in..."

"Damon throwing me into a wall in fit of jealous rage when he finds out he can't have you" he smiled cheekily.

"Damon?" she laughed at the absurdity "you could not be more wrong – he's in love with my best friend."

"Mm, I remember... vividly. Elena this, Elena that" he mimicked in a brooding voice "God that guy can wear out a name. Still, he seems the type that likes to have a dominance and ownership over people, am I right? Or maybe it's just with you – the witch in his back pocket."

Bonnie's eyes sliced into his and she kicked him in the ribs harder making his arms jerk the steering wheel. Kai had not been the first person to refer to her like that, Damon had even made a side-remark years ago that sounded eerily similar but she refused to think of herself that way.

"I'm nobody's pet," she said through gritted teeth.

"Hit a nerve?"

"You can be such an ass."

"Honesty works that way."

"Honest? You honestly think that he has any type of control over me?"

"No, but I think that he believes it. That you'll do anything and everything for him because of his connection with your best friend that ultimately forced a friendship between the two of you. You care about him, he's made the list; unfortunately for you that came with a whole bunch of things you have to watch out for and put up with in return. You want to protect him which, I get the sense you do for people too much and now he relies on your magic to get him out of trouble."

He continued when she didn't respond.

"I had awhile to see the type of man – or should I say 150 plus a decade or two- old vampire - that he was and I have to admit" he shrugged "I'm not that impressed."

"Neither of you seemed too fond of each other."

"Fighting for your attention," he smiled and she laughed at the thought.

"Two dominant personalities clashing and making things more difficult, how would that not get my attention?"

"Should be a fun reunion for us don't 'cha think?"

"It would definitely be... memorable. But who says it even has to get to there? You could be on a flight halfway across the country before he knows you're back."

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked incredulously "I haven't been with a group of people in a decade or two – give or take – I think a welcome home party is pretty essential."

"Even though you know these people are not going to be happy about seeing you?"

"The more the merrier," he smirked and she shook her head.

"That would end so terribly, let's just think about this for the night alright?"

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Sure, I'll think about all of the different first impressions I'm going to get while Damon grills me five feet away."

Bonnie's loud groan cut off Kai's thoughts and laughed at her genuine discomfort over the topic of him intermingling with her life back at home; the two couldn't be farther apart. She leaned forward to turn on the radio, suddenly desperate to escape this conversation and found a song she liked turning the volume up high.

Kai glanced over at her and snickered before singing along to the song; the last conversation stirring in the back of her mind for the next couple of hours.

--x—x—x--

By the time they walked through the Salvatore's house it was after 10PM and the both of them looked wrecked. Kai had driven for almost eight of the ten hours which ended in him almost driving straight through a tollbooth while she slept. She spent the last two hours lost in thought as he slept laid out beside her and still looked half asleep as he dragged his feet into the kitchen.

"Hungry?"

Her stomach grumbled in response and he smiled lazily with heavy eyelids, turning to the freezer and pulling out frozen raviolis and sauce from the fridge. Filling a pot with water he turned on the stove, placed another pot with sauce on low behind it and spun back towards her.

"I'm gonna jump in the shower quick – maybe the cold water will wake me up – when the water boils throw them in and turn it down low and I should be back."

Bonnie nodded at his instructions and he was out of sight, giving her only five minutes alone before he came sauntering back into the kitchen in just a pair of black sweatpants. She looked over at him as she was pouring in the raviolis and a few splashed into the pot, water flying back at her.

"Ow!" she let out backing away and shaking her hand.

"I leave you alone for five minutes," he murmured coming up next to her and checking her hand "I think you'll survive"

"Thanks, Doc" she pulled her hand away and looked over at his freshly showered hair in disarray and could smell his body-wash. Her eyes fell on the necklace that he always wears and she traced the symbol with her thumb.

"Jo gave you this."

"She did."

"And you still wear it."

"I do."

"Do you ever take it off?"

"Not usually, don't really need to; not going too many places and my outfits have all blended into the same wardrobe."

"How come you've kept it through all these years?"

He shrugged and put his hand over hers, lifting them both so he could see the symbol.

"I like it, looks cool, and goes with everything. Plus it makes for an interesting story behind it and paints me as a warrior of wisdom, and power, and leadership – overall sounds pretty good."

Bonnie couldn't help but laugh at the casualness to his answer, somehow expecting a more meaningful response about his sister but this one seeming much more natural. He turned back to the stove and turned it off, straining the raviolis and putting them back on the stove.

"Sauce?"

"Sure."

Sauce mixed into the pan of raviolis until her mouth was watering from hunger and he pushed a bowl across the island to her; grated cheese sprinkled on the top giving it that extra kick. Kai walked over to the fridge and poured them both a glass of juice and sat beside her digging into his meal.

They ate in comfortable silence, the occasional glance and side-comment being enough until they were finished and she hovered in her seat.

"Upstairs or living room?" he asked when she made no effort to get up and felt a wave of awareness overcome her.

"It's our last night here," she said with revelation.

"I know, pretty significant."

"The last night for... a lot of things; solitude, not having to pay for anything, this intimate snuggling thing we have going on."

"Woah woah," he said with hands raised "you went from things you'll be happy to be without to things that you'll be missing desperately."

"Kai," she sighed "this is our last night – and I mean our last night. You're going to be going off to do things I cannot think about and I am going to try and get my life back on track. This wouldn't work out for a novel's length worth of other reasons too but I'll just leave it at that."

Kai's condescending smile like he knew she didn't believe a word that was coming out of her own mouth sent a flare of anger sizzling underneath her skin. He walked towards her and spun her around on the stool, leaning against the counter caging her in.

"So what should we do, on our last night?"

Bonnie knew Kai was testing her and she felt her muscles tense in response; both in anger and against her darker more unsettling needs. Knowing that she wouldn't give herself the chance once they were back in Mystic Falls, she reached forward and dragged her nails down his chest until they wrapped around his waistband. She watched Kai's pupils dilate as he leaned in closer and grazed her ear with his bottom lip.

"Say it," he whispered.

"Say what?"

"What you want to do tonight?"

Bonnie felt a surge of adrenaline go through her at the thought of saying the words out loud; the actions somehow easier to do than the vulnerability of putting it out there. Her grip on his waistband tightened and she tried to slip her hand inside to avoid the question but he caught her wrist.

"I want to hear you say it."

"I'm not saying it."

"Say it."

"No!"

Kai pulled her off the stool and turned her into the wall behind him, pressing up against her firmly and locking her in place. His hands ran up her thighs and held onto her hips, pulling her into a roll of his hips and feeling him already hard through the fabric. She felt the familiar ache inside her that only he seemed to appease; the hunger growing more forceful each time her urges are kept at bay. Licking her lips she closed her eyes to clear her head and it only amplified his lower half flush against hers.

Bonnie could feel his body heat radiating off of him and felt his burning skin under her palms as she used him as leverage to gain her momentum against him. Her eyes shot open to Kai's darkened gaze looking back down at her, the intense and seductive look drawing her in against her efforts to not let him affect her.

Kai's hands wrapped around her wrists when she started back for his pants and pressed them flat on either side of her face. His fingers trailed up and wrapped around hers as she felt another roll of his hips and squeezed his hands, him doing the same and a jolt going through her fingertips. She gasped at the sensation and Kai leaned his forehead against hers.

"Just tell me; what do you want?"

The jolt of new magic surging through her brought back vivid flashes so sharp she could feel his power coursing through her bloodstream and the invincible feeling that followed along with it. One more jolt or roll of his hips and she knew she would be unraveling.

"I want you."

"Why?"

"What? You know why."

He stared at her with an innocent smile and patient expression; waiting for her explanation.

"Because you're attractive."

Kai's smile flashed bright and the close proximity to his face and body over the topic of choice had her closing her eyes to put some small barrier between them.

"Why do you want me, Bon?"

Bonnie had thought – with certainty – she would never find herself in this scenario with Kai Parker. After her discovery of his family she had never expected to be able to be in the same room as him without her moral outrage taking him out. The steps they have made and connection that's strengthened over the time they've spent alone has truly shown her a different person within the shell of someone she thought she had pegged.

Against her best efforts Kai had still managed to burrow himself deep inside her mind and seep into her other thoughts and feelings, slowly taking her over one emotion at a time. Bonnie had never experienced anything like this before with her exes or crushes over the years and couldn't decipher if that was the reason that she's been keeping herself a safe distance away or why she was finally acting on them. The attraction that she had towards him; over his appearance, intelligence, and begrudgingly his sense of humor drew her in like a vortex that once in his grasp was impossible to escape from. The thought that worried her most was that she wasn't certain how much she wanted to anymore.

"Because I like you."

Bonnie squeezed her eyes shut so tight you couldn't pry them open with a tool; the confession sounding amplified and hysterical out loud that she almost burst into a nervous fit.

"Look at me."

Her teeth clenched at his gentle command, fighting against it with every stubborn bone in her body. She opened her eyes and looked down, swatting his hand away when he reached for her neck. Slipping his hands around her wrists he pulled them over her head – his presence filling up the entire room and sucked the air out of her lungs. Taking a deep breath she stood her ground and glared directly up into his eyes.

"I like you too," he smiled.

Bonnie's eyebrows drew in; her features giving off an unconvinced expression.

"Is that so hard to believe?" he laughed "you've become the least annoying person I've ever met, and that's really saying something."

His grin widened at her scoff.

"You're spunky, quick-witted, got that Bennett fire; what's not to like?"

"You were pretty fond of all of those attributes before any of this started happening," she emphasized with a shake of her wrists "those are just things to like about me, they're not – it's not-"

Bonnie knew she couldn't break his hold but needed room to breathe; side stepping to the left twice and landing in the entryway to the living room. She took a step back and he followed her movements.

"What?"

"It's not the same."

"Why not?"

Their arms were outstretched in between them, what would look like a happy and romantic gesture if he was holding her hands and not her wrists.

"Because liking things about someone isn't the same as liking them; feelings, emotions and vulnerability are all a big part of becoming invested in someone. Do those sound like any traits that you possess?"

Bonnie backed up another few steps when he didn't respond and he rubbed his thumbs over her skin.

"I don't need to have an overblown emotional attachment to be invested in someone," he took a step closer and she copied his step leading her into the middle of the room. "I've gone along just fine so far."

"You said yourself girls would be more committed, with expectations, and get overly attached because you couldn't reciprocate those feelings for them. Whatever you're feeling is a lusty infatuation on overdrive from lack of any and all human touch and interaction; it'll pass."

"Then how do you know that you like me? Even my best traits weren't too high up on your checklist; dashing and cunning to throw out a few."

"Because you make me crazy," she huffed, hitting her thigh off the armrest on the couch and stiffening her arms to stop him "Like I am losing my damn mind and questioning everything."

"You were like that before," he winked.

"Yeah but at least then I knew where I stood – we stood – everything's so confusing now."

"It doesn't have to be."

"You're wrong," she tried to pull her arms away again and groaned in frustration "Would you - ? I'm not going to run."

Kai looked back and forth into her eyes before letting go and putting his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know how to explain this any other way; we're going home – as in back to Mystic Falls 2012 – and it's not going to be the same anymore. You're going to hunt down your family which says something all on its own while I try to return to some form of normalcy. Normalcy does not involve hooking up with a sociopath while he's mid-spree, even if it does come with some really intense perks."

"But you like me."

It meant to come out as a statement but it sounded more like a question.

"That's beside the point; I won't be seeing you anymore."

"And if you do? If I come back or stay in Mystic Falls and become best friends with everybody – then what? What happens when we're right back in this scenario and I have you alone while your friends are in the next room; you think anything else is going to matter?"

Bonnie hoped his words sparked an anger in her that she could feed off of but his words set off a feeling deep inside; the want betraying her mind as it fought to break free and swayed slightly dizzy at her body responding to his enticing words.

"Listen to my words, Kai; tonight is our last night together... period. Whether you're 3,000 miles away or cornering me in some room – once we're back in the real world my real life I need things to go back to my semi-usual routine."

"And what was that; go to school, see your friends, then save them all from the dilemma of the day?"

She shrugged at the spot-on accuracy of her daily schedule.

"Pretty much, yeah. I don't think I'll be putting my life on the line again anytime soon cause," she gestured to the ceiling with a wave of her hand "this sucks, but I am curious to see what kind of trouble they've gotten themselves into while I was gone."

"Yeah, I do hope Damon and Elena have gotten themselves into quite the pickle – for your sake."

"Mine?"

Kai tilted his head and leaned back on his heels.

"Well yeah, I figured Damon would be too preoccupied to try and help you escape when he first got back since he was reunited at long last with his one... true... blech-" he shuddered with a nauseated look "but now here we are, two months later, and not a pair of eyes filled with main-pain in sight."

"Did you forget about the part where he tried to magically bust me out of here?"

"With the help of my father and at the expense of myself – I do, vividly. It was clever of him I'll give him that; trying to kill two birds with one coven leader but what – that's it? A one and done type of guy 'hey at least I tried my best.'" he tsk'd and shook his head, Bonnie's teeth clenching down hard looking at his forlorn expression.

"Neither of us know if that was his first, tenth, or hundredth attempt to get me out of here. I know if he went through the trouble of searching for him in Portland then he must have tried at the very least some basics. I'm the witch of the group I – it's usually me that figures the way out of situations like this. And I did exorcise the first real and easy escape since I was dropped here 6 months ago."

"He has your magic; there isn't another witch in town he could go to? What about your family?"

"No, there isn't" she said coolly avoiding the second half of the question but she could see the curiosity swirling around his irises.

"We're not talking about my family right now" she said sternly before he could get the question out, his mouth stuck open before snapping closed.

Kai looked her over with inquisitiveness; intrigued and unfaltering as he hummed. His smiled out of the corner of his mouth and nodded; the simple gesture telling her he understood all too well and it sent a flurry in her stomach.

"Okay, we'll get back to that later. Do you want to talk about the best friend that happily has her boo back, or wasn't there some blond vampire that could compel answers out of someone? Oh wait... is there a school dance happening? That could definitely clear some things up."

"Oh my God," she let out frustrated, pushing his chest back and stepping towards him. "What is your problem?"

"What?" he answered back nonchalantly "I'm just trying to figure out where everyone is at the moment."

"By telling me all of the ways they haven't tried to rescue me? You're intentionally trying to piss me off – tonight – why are you doing this?"

"Because I want you to realize it."

"Realize what?"

"That I'm not the worst person you have in your life."

"And this is how you're trying to prove it to me?" even through her raising temperature she could feel Kai's body-heat radiating off his chest from how close she was.

"I guess," he laughed "maybe not the best execution but the point behind it is still true. I also had the opportunity to leave without you; 1. When I realized all I needed was your blood and the spell and 2. The weeks I could have spent searching for the ascendant, but I didn't. As much as I want to leave I didn't want you to be stuck here alone because trust me – even if I'm not your favorite company this is nothing compared to solitude. I do contemplate what will happen to you based off my actions and judge it between the two; see if the ends justify the means and all that."

"For example" he proceeded when she didn't "I hit you with an arrow – flesh wound – to stop you from leaving because you left me for dead. Example two; open invitation to my bed anytime you need - any, time you need - because you were having nightmares. I've even waited for you to show me and yourself signs that what you were feeling for me wasn't purely hatred before I acted on them. Whatever has happened between us while we've been here – I'm usually the one to finish it but I'm rarely the one that initiates it; maybe instigates."

"You're saying I'm the one causing all of this?"

"I'm saying we both are, mutually; as much as you try to deny it or justify why you wouldn't give me the time of day in the real world I know it's bullshit because I see the way you look at me."

"And how is that?"

"Same way I look at you."

Bonnie could see the shit-eating grin out of the corner of her eye when she finally broke contact.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Nope," she thought out loud, his laugh registering with her that she did say it verbally.

"Just one question."

"It's never just one question there is inevitably a follow-up every time."

"I promise – if you answer it fully – it'll be the only one."

"I'm already regretting this but... what?"

"Well it was originally going to be 'do you know why you're fighting this so hard?' but I'll change it to do you think you're fighting this so hard because of me, your friends, or how you feel?"

Fuck she hoped she didn't think out loud again, taking in his calm expression and small distance between them in contrast to the sheer magnitude of the living room. Bonnie knew if she backed away or made any movements he would sense it before she could put it into action; his intuition towards her oftentimes unsettling and never ceased to keep her slightly on edge. She would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she was terrified of every one of those aspects in regards to why she keeps trying to put some type of roadblock between them.

"You just wanted to know the question, didn't you?" he smiled brightly down at her when she didn't respond, her smile mimicking his over the true statement.

"Yeah actually" she laughed "so of course you made it one I do not want to answer. I don't know – all of the above? The whole package is pretty fragile and it's up against a lot of tough critics, me being the worst of them all. I still don't think I'll be able to get past what you did to your family – especially with the lack of remorse you feel over it – but even if I did miraculously manage to at one point I'll still have people in my ear telling me things I'm already telling myself. And then there will be you doing the things I'm stressing out over. I'm fighting whatever's been going on between us because every rational thought surging through me is telling me to."

Bonnie watched Kai absorb her answer, flexing his hands at his sides and grinding his teeth as his jaw moved side to side. He stared into her eyes so intensely she felt as if he was trying to have a conversation without all of the outside noise. Her line of view dropped to him licking his upper lip and biting down gently as it plumped back out. She was so distracted that it took her a moment to put together why he still hadn't spoken.

"You have a follow up, don't you?"

"I do – I really do, but I'll drop it I promised."

Bonnie couldn't help but laugh at the rushed out response, Kai needing to physically keep his mouth shut to not let it spill out of him.

"Am I going to want to answer this one?"

"Probably not," he shrugged.

"Just say it."

"If every thought is telling you to run, what's making you stay?"

Bonnie pursed her lips and had to give him credit – he was excellent at getting right to the root of questions to a place you just do not want to go to. This certainly isn't the first time she has noticed Kai pushing her to look more in-depth into her own self and bring things to the surface she never would have unearthed on her own.

This follow up was much more difficult than the original; the contrast of having many answers as to why she's fighting it to not a single solid reason for why she can't seem to break free from the invisible gravitation towards him. The actions she's displayed towards and in regards to him have come into a direct head-on collision against what her mind has been telling her to do. The connection between them has grown from a spark being lit to a fire cascading over the top of the mantle and up the wall; too powerful to be contained.

While every sensible thought was filling her head with reasons why this was wrong, an electric charge coursed through her veins reigniting every sensation that reminded her of how right it was. No matter what horrible scenario from the past or hypothetical future she conjured up she still couldn't appease the desire she felt for him. Her brain had caused a war within itself from the constant back and forth and sometimes hypocritical circumstances that would end up playing out; but through it all her heart stayed true and resolute.

"Because I like you," she said eventually, shaking her head at the preposterousness of it all "even with my every thought telling me no-"

"Oh please tell me you're gonna quote that song."

"Which one?"

"My minds' telling me no," he belted out "but my body – my body's telling me yesss."

He raised his arms near her shoulders and fisted his hands for added effect, causing her to snort involuntarily at the simple but perfect explanation for what she is feeling.

"It's like you read my mind, just in a much more theatrical way."

He lowered his hands and they landed on the outside of her arms, lazily sliding down as she felt the charge underneath her skin from his fingertips.

"Which do you think will win out in the end?"

Bonnie's throat constricted at the thought, her waging war inside heading towards its inevitable fate of having to choose a side and stick with it. A quote she studied senior year by Robert Frost pinged from somewhere in her mind;

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if I had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice.

The class discussion revolved around the different interpretations of the poem and – of course – which fate you would choose. Some of the ideas she recalls that stuck with her was that Robert Frost wasn't talking about the end of the world, but the end of a relationship; doomed to end in a fiery blaze or cut off cold and calculated. Another theory was that Frost was showing us the two darkest traits of humanity; the capacity to hate and to be consumed by lust; both lethal but lust being the main destruction of the world that we know.

Ironically enough, Bonnie felt that both explanations resonated within her and fit the current predicament she was in. If it came down to it their ongoing flirtation would come to an abrupt end by means of either a scorching lust-filled night that would set the town ablaze, or a sinister hostility that would be sure to leave an icy chill up their spine straight through to their heart. Bonnie knew the obvious choice of which she would prefer; but while one was brutal and effective the other would leave her wanting more.

"I wish I really could read your mind, I bet I would get so many answers to questions I didn't even know I had."

Bonnie pulled herself out of her ongoing train of thoughts and looked up into his smiling eyes, reaching out to trail her fingers up his naked chest and stepping into him as his arms closed around her.

"I have a theory."

Maybe she had been with Kai for too long because she knew she had on an expression that could only be considered a cheeky smile. Kai cocked an eyebrow as his grin continued to spread and pulled her in close.

"I bet I'll figure it out."

Bonnie could feel her fingertips sending out shocks against his chest – his words triggering something inside her and he slid his hands underneath her shirt roaming across her back. His hands continued to caress her skin sliding over her jeans, pulling her in closer to him and smiling at the feel of the sweatpants against her; vivid flashes of their night in the cave playing out.

"I'm not taking that bet," she murmured as her hands continued up his chest and neck, cupping the sides as her fingers raked through his hair.

"I wouldn't want to bet on something I know I'd lose either," he nuzzled his nose against hers and she felt a warm flurry start to swirl, closing the distance between them with one tug of his hair and his lips sealed over hers.