Chapter 4

AN: Hey guys I'm back with another chapter! Sorry it took so long, I've been moving and it took up a lot of my time. All mistakes are mine and will be fixed at a later date. As you can see I've changed the rating, majority rules, but nothing like that will happen anytime soon I'm afraid (well duh, it took 4 chapters to finish the first day lol)

"Care" she greets, she can't help the slight crack at the end as her suppressed emotions threaten to spill out at the mere prospect of hearing one of her best friend's voice. Even if this isn't the same Caroline she grew up with, it's some form of her just the same, and she's alive.

"Is everything ok?" the concerned tone mirroring Lydia's expression as she stares up at her. Bonnie clears her throat and gives Lydia a reassuring smile, despite the overwhelming emotions she feels at hearing the voice on the other end of the phone. It sounds so much like Caroline. Her Caroline.

"Yeah, I'm great. Just needed to clear my throat" It's a reasonable enough lie. After years of dealing with the supernatural world, Bonnie's become a pro when it came to lying, sounding convincing. Not something she's proud of but a fact just the same. "What's up?"

"Oh" came the familiar perkiness "How's the new place? Well, I know it isn't perfect. I mean if you'd gone with the one I recommended then it'd be perfect, but I guess it'll have to do."

The fond smile that brings on her lips is a genuine one, Same Caroline in any world the smile seems to reassure Lydia that all was well, as she gives a huge smile looking up at her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to fly over there to help you decorate? I have no problem buying a ticket right now. Knowing you, even if it's a monstrosity over there you'll try and reassure me that everything's perfectly ok when in fact, it's not! It's not ok. It's the opposite of ok -"

Her smile drops at the very familiar rambles or her friend. Or well, this version of her.

"Can I talk to Aunt Care?" Lydia asks with such excitement, that her whisper is almost a squeal.

Bonnie mouths 'just a minute' and nods her head forward towards the direction of the stairs. Lydia sighs heavily and nods in understanding, turning to walk away and give her mom privacy.

"Hey, is everything ok?" she throws back cutting off the ramblings of the other female.

"What? Yes of course it is. Everything's great. My show has been picked up for a second season; I have a beautiful condo, I'm successful, have the most perfect nieces and nephews slash godchildren, everything is perfect"

Bonnie nods her head even though the other can't see her, though the situation is completely different from her Caroline, everything else, from the personality and reaction felt so familiar. So much like the Caroline she knows and loves. She's not even surprised about the show tibbit. There's never been any doubt that Caroline would end up either on tv or working behind the scene like a producer or something. She's not sure which in this case, but she doesn't dwell on it.

Well, a tv show is the only thing her brain can conceive that Caroline could possibly be talking about, but maybe it had nothing to do with that as well.

Taking the familiarity into consideration, she doesn't even hesitate with her response, "But..?"

"But?" Caroline asks, a slightly high pitch at the end of the word "no buts. Ok, maybe..I may have run into Tyler the other day, and those stupid feelings came rushing back like it's high school all over again, and I don't know if it's because I want to start over and was never truly over what we had or I'm desperate to hold on to something that's no longer there, just so I can have my dream wedding because all men are jerks and I'm going to be single forever because the last decent men seems to already be taken or gay."

So even in this world Caroline and Tyler was a thing, and he's also ok in this world. Even though Damon is clearly not a vampire and she may or may not be a dormant witch, she wonders if Tyler had triggered his werewolf genes.

If so, that'd be proof that this world does house some sort of magic.

She would have a chance, hope, that they could find a way back to their world. To their reality.

A deep sigh from the other end brings her back to the present "I know what you're going to say, and you're right"

Bonnie scrunches up her face in confusion "and what exactly was I going to say?"

"You're really going to make me say it out loud?" a pregnant pause "That I'm overthinking and overreacting more than usual becau-" another pause and sighs deeply "because of the last three months."

Bonnie remains silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. With everything she and Damon discovered so far, it's easy to deduce what caused everything to change in the past three months. Especially since one of the many things she and Damon discussed on their findings is that Stefan and Elena died three months ago.

"Bonnie?" She snaps out of her thoughts, realizing she's been silent for too long. Caroline was waiting for a response, a typical Bonnie's advice or comfort. Typically she would genuinely feel for her friend, and she still does - despite this not being her Caroline - but a plan was already forming in her head. A way to get her back to her loved ones.

And a big part of her feels bad for using her friend's emotions for her own benefit.

"You're wrong" she finally says "that's not what I was going to say. You're not overreacting. What I was going to say is, why not try. If he's not the one then he's not the one, but you'll never know unless you go for it. Damon and I are planning a housewarming party; why don't you invite him along and see how it goes?" It's a gamble; a bold move she knows, but a plan had already formed, and if she wanted to get home she had to play her cards right.

There's a long pause on the other end before this Caroline replies "I don't know. About inviting him. You know I'll be there in a heartbeat."

"This can be the ultimate test. If you two survive this trip then you have a shot"

Another pause "When is this housewarming party? I won't overstep, but I do have suggestions when it comes to planning"

Bonnie shakes her head fondly at the familiarity "sure thing"

"And besides if it doesn't work out, I can always still go for becoming a Salvatore" She says with obvious humor in her voice "James is a fixer upper but I love fixing things"

Bonnie fakes laughs along Who's James?.

"Oh good, the tv's set" Emilia says as she plops down on the couch simultaneously grabbing the remote off the cushion; her legs splayed over the arm of the chair, hair still up in a loose bun.

"Don't change the channel idiot, the brats are quiet" DJ scolds his sister, his continuous attempts to argue his own room case to Damon all but forgotten.

"The brats will watch anything moron" she shot back, flipping through the channel until she found what held her interest.

The twins starts to stir from their resting position when the cartoon they've been watching was no longer on display, one looks as if he's about to start up some type of fit, but stops when whatever is on now catches his attention and lays back down on his stomach.

With them quite like this he can't tell the two apart.

Damon watches their back in forth from his spot on the La-Z-Boy, pretending to read the tv guide as he observed the children, really looking at them. If his hundred plus years as a vampire taught him anything is how to blend in to his surroundings - of course he didn't really need to at the time with compulsion at his beck and call - and taking the opportunity now to learn these children's personality and behavior will help to blend in until the Bennett figured out a way for them to get out of this Bizarro world.

He has to admit, while looking at their features, he and Bon Bon made beautiful children, her genes seems to be dominant. Looking at the four of them with the matching curls and honey skin. The girls look like Bonnie's clones, even DJ - a male version - with some characteristics that remind him of himself. The twins - though sporting the same curls and skin tone - features matches his own with the exceptions of the green eyes they inherited from miss witchy, like her genes couldn't let him win.

Maybe once upon a time he'd thought of children, when he was human, but that possibility was wiped away the moment he was turned.

Did he like kids?

Not particularly.

The little vermins can be such a headache sometimes, even now, he's growing a slight migraine with the two arguing back in forth over something so meager.

Alana walks in from the kitchen with a cup of some type of drink and quietly walks over to the couch and lifts Emilia's head to sit, letting Emi's head rest on her lap. This action doesn't deter Emi from arguing with her younger brother, and the arguing doesn't seem to bother Alana who pays no attention.

"I haven't seen this episode" Alana comments before taking a sip of her drink.

He eyes the suppose child of his brother and girlfriend. His blue eyes narrow slightly as he really takes in her appearance. She's the spitting image of his brother. Her hair, eyes, facial features.

He gets the girl and his genes dominate

Which just wasn't really fair.

So, maybe it's childish to focus on his fake children looking more like Bonnie and Stefan's child favoring him, but it's been a long weird day and some immaturity is acceptable.

"It's new" Emi answers now ignoring her brother's glare " -ish...I think."

Just then, Lydia skips down the stairs and enters the family room where they're all gathered, a huge grin on her face "Aunt Care's on the phone" she says.

Emi shoots up into a sitting position, body tuned so that she's facing the back of the couch, arms leaning on the backrest to face Lydia. He can't see her facial expression but by the way her body seems to vibrate he knows it's an excited one. Alana turns her head to watch her ecstatic cousin but otherwise made no other movement but to listen with interest.

"Dibs on talking to her first" Emi squeals, hopping over the couch and nearly tripping over.

"Wait" Lydia says, stopping her sister who's halfway to the stairs "Mommy and Aunt Care are having private time"

Damon automatically grins at the information Blondie can come in handy, I trust Bon Bon knows how to wiggle out information from her BFF

Emi groans and flops back down onto the couch, resuming her previous position "Which means talking to Auntie is out of the question"

DJ groans loudly earning the attention from everyone in the room, including the twins "s'not like her number isn't programmed in all of our phones, but the important thing we need to focus on is why I deserve to have my own room"

Back at this again?

"Save it, twerp, the room is mine. Get over it"

He tunes out the arguing as his thoughts drift to the Bennett upstairs. It hasn't escaped his notice how calmly and in stride she seems to be taking their predicament. He could be overthinking, but he doesn't want to take the chance of Bonnie taken to playing house and abandoning the mission to get home.

As soon as the thought entered his mind he chuckles out loud at the ridiculousness of it. Of course she wanted to get back home just as much as he did.

Her best friends are like sisters to her, and she's still with that baby Gilbert.

"Daddy" he's brought out of his thoughts by Lydia's voice. He looks up from the TV guide he really wasn't reading to meet the eyes of his supposed youngest daughter. He doesn't get a chance to react before she's pushing his arms apart and climbing onto his lap, her legs curled up under her as she faces the tv, her head on his chest.

The hell..?

His arms lay beside him awkwardly not knowing what to do as the little girl watches TV as if it's the most normal thing to do.

Which it isn't.

"Do you think Alana's still mad at me?" the question is so soft he can barely hear her over the back in forth between the two eldest and the tv playing in the background, but surprisingly he does.

He can only guess she means about what happened this morning, this sappy shit isn't his thing, and he has no idea what her father would do in this situation. His first instinct is to shove her away and pond her off to Bonnie, but he's pretty sure that's not considered 'playing along' or 'not rousing suspicion'

Damn, he misses compulsion.

How does he even begin to pretend to be a parent? His mother was there for him until he was seventeen when she died, and she was gentle to him from what he remembers, but that was a different time and while he remembers many things about her, nothing was helpful for this situation. His own father wouldn't be a good model to go off of so scratches that off immediately.

He can always imitate Stefan's insane your pain is my pain compassion, it's the closest non messed up parent he can think of.

No, there's also Liz, and she's actually a parent and a good one too.

He opens his mouth with every intention of using the two as a model for a response but his brain and mouth decides not to cooperate with one another.

"How would I know? I'm not her" it's too late to take back the comment, it's already left his mouth. Sad eyes look up at him and deciding to climb out of the hole he currently dug himself he quickly amends "So why don't you go over there and ask?" The little girl looks from him to the other girl still sipping on her beverage and watching...whatever is playing on the flat screen.

She looks back at him; a small resigned smile on her lips, she surprises him again when her small arms wraps around his neck in a fierce hug "Thank you Daddy" she whispers.

He just awkwardly pats her on the back until she lets go and slides off his lap, timidly walking over to her cousin on the couch.

Damon watches; not out of sheer interest, just observing really.

Alana glances up at her from her spot on the couch, the two stare at one another without saying a word for a few moments before Alana slides over - Emi no longer lying down but sitting crisscrossed on the couch - and pats the seat next to her.

Lydia's back is towards him so he can't see her face but just knows she's smiling, when she sits next to the other girl he's proven right, seeing the huge smile on her face. All five children eye the television, watching whatever it is that's holding their interest.

Just like an episode of the Brady bunch tied up in a neat bow.

The impulse to roll his eyes at the sweet little reconciliation is strong but he resists.

The Bennett may think otherwise - that this is another world or something - but he's not a hundred percent sold on that theory.

This all seems fake to him. A created concoction to distraction them.

From what? He doesn't know, but it's the theory he leans more towards.

Still, he's glad the noise ceased, it's been a tiring day.

Speaking of the devil, his eyes catches Miss Witchy descending the stairs, her eyes instantly connects with his and tells her with his eyes that they need to talk. He wants to find out what she's been talking about with blondie, and if she has a game plan.

He has a feeling that their partnership will run smoothly and they'll be home within a couple of days.

Her eyes roam from his and she takes in the children watching tv as she walks further into the room, completely disregarding the telepathic message he's clearly sending her.

"How about we order take-out for dinner" she suggests, earning the attention of all six children.

"Chinese?" Emi asks

Bonnie lifts up a cordless house phone where the hell did that come from? "Someone find the number to the Chinese restaurant"

"On it" DJ hopes up from his spot on the floor and jogs his way to the kitchen.

"Hey, wifey" Damon stands up from his seat, walking over to Bonnie's short frame "I was just won-"

The little non witch doesn't even look his way and side steps him like he wasn't even there "What are you guys watching?" She asks the girls, sitting on the armrest of the couch they're sitting on.

Scratch the smooth partnership thing.

He takes that back.

He almost scoffs, and she acts like he's the immature one.

Little Bon Bon is really ignoring him.

Yeah, he started it by avoiding her after the little present fiasco but seriously!?

"Passion Island" Emi answers "Rose is going to choose between David and Johnny. My bet is Johnny"

"Totally Johnny" Alana agrees

"Mommy, I sit with you" one of the twins- he thinks Justin because of his soft voice - says getting up from his sitting position and runs towards Bonnie with open arms, wanting to be lifted. She does so easily, sitting him on her lap and he snuggles up to her.

"I got the number" DJ announces jogging back into the room. "Come on" he groans loudly, throwing his head back when he sees the tv "This crap's still on? Let's turn it to something we all want to watch"

"Quit complaining there's ten minutes left" Emi says distractedly.

Damon walks over to the former witch with intent "Bon, think we co-"

She turns her head, not to face him but beyond him to DJ, holding up the house phone "before I call, what do you guys want to eat?"

Fine, if judgy wanted to act petty he'll let her. She can't escape him forever.

Her dad would work late into the night so when he came home she was already asleep in bed. It was always Grams who tucked her in a night. She would sing to her until her eyelids grew heavy and dreamland welcomed her with open arms, her grams voice a faint echo that comforts her before she's completely bathed in peace.

She cherishes those moments, it's one of her favorite memories as a child. Grams was - Is - always there for her making everything ok.

So now, tucking in the twins who have been putting a fight the entire time, singing to them seems like the most natural option to calm them. The songs her Grams would sing wasn't necessarily lullabies per se. She'd sing classic songs from the radio or movies, if they're fast she'd slow it down in a remixed version.

Sometimes they would be lullabies; Classics like Twinkle Twinkle little star, or the ones she learned from the different contents of Africa. Bonnie's favorite had always been Olélé! Moliba makasi.

She's currently sitting on the foot of the bed to the left, she'd just tucked them into their blankets; mimicking what her Grams used to do for her, then she begins to sings.

'Hush little baby don't you cry' as she sings in a soft tone the twin on the right - Justin she figures by how much calmer he seems than his brother - eyes droop until they're closed shut, a small smile on his lips. It's Jordan who fights sleep the longest, but soon he too drifts off.

Apparently, movie night in this 'family' is a thing. They'd all sat in front of the tv and ate Chinese until the sunset and outside was filled with darkness. Checking the time and seeing that it was nine o'clock she figured it was an appropriate time as any to send the kids to bed and later discuss her newfound plan with the annoying ex vampire.

She let's the older kids stay downstairs to watch tv and the twins did not think it was fair at all, it was both adorable and frustrating how much they protested.

She ignored Damon the entire time - she's allowed to be petty sometimes, he did leave urine coved covers for her to wash - and she could tell it was getting under his skin. The big baby.

"Awww such a picture perfect moment" Damon's sarcastic voice drifted to her ears effectively ruining her peaceful moment. "Now, if you're done playing mommy" she turns to face him, he's leaning against the threshold, arms folded at his chest. He brings one hand up, curls his pointer finger towards himself, indicating for her to come to him.

She gives him a sarcastic smile and in a too sweet sickly tone says "After you honey" He turns from her and leaves her alone with the boys. She takes one last look at them before she gets up to leave the room, closing the door behind her.

When she enters her temporary shared room, Damon's already sitting on one side of the bed, back against the headboard, legs crossed, looking smug.

She rolls her eyes at the sight "What do you think you're doing?"

He feigns a shocked look, putting a hand on his chest "whatever do you mean? I'm just waiting for a secretive little miss ex witch to dish out any info she received when she talked to little miss ex baby vampire or, I don't know, see i she has some sort of plan. But little miss ex witch decided to ignore me for hours despite sharing information is very pivotal in our quest to get home" somewhere in between his speech his pretense slipped and was all but forgotten.

She crosses her arms over her chest, lifting a single brow "feel better? I haven't hid any information from you, we're about to talk aren't we?" He glares at her but she doesn't give him a chance to respond "I did talk to this version of Care" she says, making her way to the other side of the bed and sitting at the edge facing him "long story short, I convinced Caroline to bring Tyler to our housewarming party"

"One," he holds up a finger " we're not having a housewarming party, and two," another finger "how is this beneficial to us?"

"One, yes we are, and two, it's simple. We see if Tyler triggered his werewolf genes. If he has it proves that magic exists in this world. If it exists all we have to do is either unlock my dormant powers or find another witch"

"That's your best plan?" he asks exasperated "hope that the mutt grows sharp teeth and claws?"

She rolls her eyes yet again "It's not the best plan, but it's one we have now. We'll also take this opportunity to invite others. Maybe family members. Once we unlock our phones we can scroll through the contacts. The Bennetts are a line of powerful witches, someone in my family has to be a practicing witch"

That insufferable grin slowly appears "Should I wear my good tie? Maybe a blazer?"

That actually brings out a genuine chuckle.

"I'm showering first" she announced as she stands and walks over to the dresser to look for something to wear to bed.

"By all means Bon Bon" she hears him say.

She finds a long shirt and some shorts and heads to the en suite bathroom.

"Oh, and Damon" she says turning to face him

"Yes dear" he's still in the same spot, his hands behind his head now, that smug look still in place.

"you're sleeping on the floor" his smug look fell and she turns back to face the bathroom door, a smug look of her own and place as she opens and closes the door behind her.

What did you guys think? I know it's not the most eventful chapter, but this concludes the first day. This chapter turned out longer then I thought it would be, I plan out each chapter with bullet points and I wanted to cover everything. I love reading the comments and seeing everyone thoughts. Before I go, I just want to say thank you to everyone who comments, favorite, follows, or just enjoy reading this little story of mine. It really warms my heart, and I'm genuinely thankful. So Thank You everyone.