[She returns the smile, although it doesn't reach her eyes. Frankly, she's tired of pretending that she has the solution, because this time, she doesn't. Not beyond bringing everyone to the land of the living at her own expense.] Third time's supposed to be the charm, right? If the spell works, maybe there's a way. And if there isn't... at least there wasn't false hope.
The Bonnie I knew defied the immortal Silas. You're giving up now?
[Not that he was in a very different place. With no hope for anything, asking and nearly begging for help. Afraid, unlike what he's seeing from her now. But he's definitely throwing her own words back at her, back from the first time he found out that she had sacrificed her life for something.]
[It's a bit ironic that they're echoing this conversation, considering that this time, she has no intention - or idea - on how to make things go away.] Giving up would imply that a solution existed, wouldn't it?
Maybe I could defy Silas, but a whole dimension... [She takes a breath. There's no way she's going to show Kol, of all people, actual weakness.] That's gonna take time we don't have, if even such a solution's out there.
Well, there is. Nobody said you had to be the Anchor until the bitter end, but then - I suppose perhaps you don't want to live quite that badly. Unless there's someone you wouldn't mind throwing under the bus?
[Jeremy and Elena managed, after all. All these glorious heroes need is be convinced someone truly is the bad guy, isn't that how it goes?]
[Except she's not the Gilberts. This burden's hers, and hers alone, because she can't think of a single person who deserves this.]
Not really. Even if I passed on the burden to someone else - which I won't - the Other Side would still collapse with us in it. Plus, there's no guarantee that I'd have my powers back, or if they'd even come back to me...
[Okay, maybe she's showing actual weakness now. Dangit.] What else could the others do, then?
[Screw the distance - though some part of her will feel better later, because thank GOD that they care so little for her hometown now. Esther somehow managed to achieve the impossible? (Using Bennett magic, probably. It always boiled down to Bennett magic.)
Forget her self-vowed interest in keeping her distance from Kol, she's marching over and placing her hands around his shoulders.] That's your big plan? To just go along with whatever she says?
[He pulls back, far enough to feign surprise but not far enough to remove himself. Being touched is a feeling that's practically novel after all that solitude. There's mischief in his eyes when he smiles at her.]
When have I ever gone along with what people expected me to do? Even you know me better than that darling.
[Indeed, she does (and honestly, she could've asked a better question, if she weren't still reeling from the idea that Esther were strong enough to pull people from the Other Side). Bonnie presses her lips together, mostly to keep from grumbling even more at him.
There's not much she can do, and it's starting to wear her down. A lot. Even so, she doesn't quite pull back from him either.]
Since never. [She laughs, despite her frustration.] I should've guessed - you just came here to gloat?
[Busted! Kol huffs a laugh, his smile giving way to a grin that's just barely touching on apologetic.]
Well- yes, but I did also want to see you again.
[And that is true. There's not much harm they can do each other now, and there aren't many witches who have left quite this much of an impression on him, even in the centuries he's been through.]
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[But he smiles. Like it doesn't matter, doesn't concern him. Like he's not about to be ripped away into some kind of oblivion.]
You don't imagine it'll be as much of a burden when they find out you've let yourself die? Again?
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[She returns the smile, although it doesn't reach her eyes. Frankly, she's tired of pretending that she has the solution, because this time, she doesn't. Not beyond bringing everyone to the land of the living at her own expense.] Third time's supposed to be the charm, right? If the spell works, maybe there's a way. And if there isn't... at least there wasn't false hope.
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The Bonnie I knew defied the immortal Silas. You're giving up now?
[Not that he was in a very different place. With no hope for anything, asking and nearly begging for help. Afraid, unlike what he's seeing from her now. But he's definitely throwing her own words back at her, back from the first time he found out that she had sacrificed her life for something.]
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Maybe I could defy Silas, but a whole dimension... [She takes a breath. There's no way she's going to show Kol, of all people, actual weakness.] That's gonna take time we don't have, if even such a solution's out there.
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[Jeremy and Elena managed, after all. All these glorious heroes need is be convinced someone truly is the bad guy, isn't that how it goes?]
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Not really. Even if I passed on the burden to someone else - which I won't - the Other Side would still collapse with us in it. Plus, there's no guarantee that I'd have my powers back, or if they'd even come back to me...
[Okay, maybe she's showing actual weakness now. Dangit.] What else could the others do, then?
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Anyone who's not a witch won't be able to do much, love. It's hard to get creative with vampire powers.
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Could've fooled me. ["Even if you're an Original?"] You're not even the tiniest bit worried about oblivion? Or what that'll be like?
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[And there it is.]
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Sure you are. [Yet he's so confident that he may actually be telling the truth too?] And who's going to bring you back, exactly?
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[Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't have made the short list. Not even when she's going to try to strongarm him into doing what she wants.]
But don't worry. It's not anywhere close to Mystic Falls.
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[Screw the distance - though some part of her will feel better later, because thank GOD that they care so little for her hometown now. Esther somehow managed to achieve the impossible? (Using Bennett magic, probably. It always boiled down to Bennett magic.)
Forget her self-vowed interest in keeping her distance from Kol, she's marching over and placing her hands around his shoulders.] That's your big plan? To just go along with whatever she says?
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When have I ever gone along with what people expected me to do? Even you know me better than that darling.
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There's not much she can do, and it's starting to wear her down. A lot. Even so, she doesn't quite pull back from him either.]
Since never. [She laughs, despite her frustration.] I should've guessed - you just came here to gloat?
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Well- yes, but I did also want to see you again.
[And that is true. There's not much harm they can do each other now, and there aren't many witches who have left quite this much of an impression on him, even in the centuries he's been through.]