Founder's Ball

Dear Grimoire,

The ritual last night was a complete success. The serpentine Obelisk is still drawing down the comet energy. The offering should serve as a life, just in case one of these vampires kill me. The energy from the comet should provide enough power to amplify the regenerative properties of the crystal, and keep me safe.

I also went to check on Bonnie last night and she was a complete wreck. Grams has her freaked out with all the drunk witch banter and she touched a vampire for the first time last night. She was handing Stefan Salvatore something when they came in contact. The feeling was so horrid, that Bonnie-bear couldn't even sleep.

I feel bad for keeping the secret, but what am I supposed to do… Until she comes into her power, I'll protect her.

____________________________________________________________

"Hey… Bonnie... Wake up." Sol shook his sister awake.

"It's time for school," he said before walking out. When Solomon stepped out of Bonnie's room, he ran into his father.

They two men stared at each other for a moment, then Sol walked away.

"Son, wait!" Rudy called out. " We have to talk."

"No, we don't!" Sol snapped. "You left me in that place alone! And you kept Grams from seeing me! All because your feelings were hurt. She runs out on you so you run out on your kids!"

"Boy, I am still your father!" Rudy shouted.

"You ain't shit! We're built like my mother and you know it. You don't want us, your just stuck with us and too damn petty to let Grams have us!" Solomon went downstairs and let his dad in the hallway with red eyes, internally curse Abby, his ex-wife, and magic for ruining his family.

In her room, Bonnie buried her grief deep down and forced herself to get ready for school.

_____________________________________________________________

Bonnie was driving her car as Solomon was staring out the window. She cleared her throat and conjured the courage to speak.

"You don't have to be so mean to him." Said Bonnie.

Solomon scoffed. "Our only disagreement is about them. You hate mom because she left. And I hate him because he did have the balls too. You don't understand how much his cowardice changed our lives, and you don't even if mom really ran. She could be dead, Bon."

"Why would you say something like that?" She asked. " She left and he stayed, it's what we got. Deal with it."

"You have no idea…" he muttered.

Bonnie didn't like the atmosphere, so she attempted to change it. "How was last night? Did the date go well?"

"Yeah, it was great. But she was a squirter, so it got kind of messy."

"Oh my gosh… Sol, I don't need to know the details of your sex life." Bonnie spoke as she cringed.

Solomon chuckled at the misunderstanding. " Bonnie-bear, don't be like that. You asked so I told. She said she had a great time, best she ever had, but I had to...cut thing things off."

"Why? If it went so good." Bonnie inquired.

"You'll understand someday," Sol replied as looked out the window and thought about the lifeless melissa still laying in the ritual circle. "Sometimes, we just need to make the sacrifice, to experience something better in the future."

Bonnie stole a few glances at her brother and wondered how he could do something that would make him so sad. She then wondered if she would ever be faced with the same choice.

_________________________________________________________________

When the Twins arrived at school. Elena pulled Bonnie away and Solomon vanished into the crowd of high school students.

Later that day, when Bonnie was having dinner at Elena's house, Solomon was watching the Serpentine Obelisk collect energy for the last night. Unfortunately, The comet only lasted in the Mystic Falls sky two nights instead of three.

When the comet was too far, Solomon waited for another hour until the obelisk stopped shining. Breaking the circle, Solomon cleaned up the body and disposed of it properly. By putting the corpse in a deep hole, deep in the woods.

It was around 4 in the morning when Solomon returned. He moved through his dad's house and opened the attic. In the attic was a dusty alter and all book that he figured was his mother's grimoire.

Solomon clears a place and sets the obelisk down. He then cut his palm to draw blood. After a few drops hit the obelisk, Solomon performed a linking spell. The moment he was finished, the cut on his palm completely healed.

Solomon chuckled and enjoyed the moment. " The power of Serpentine."

Solomon laid down a boundary spell to protect the obelisk then took his mother's grimoire before leaving the attic. Solomon then magically sealed it to protect the secret of the Serpentine Obelisk.

____________________________________________________________

A few days passed and things only got worse for Bonnie. During a football game, Mr.Tanner was murdered by a vampire. Bonnie predicted the murder and she's been thoroughly shaken ever since.

Bonnie had done everything she could to avoid Grams for the time being. She wanted to avoid all the witchy talk. So Solomon was currently staying with her while Rudy was away on another business trip.

"So the founder's ball is today.."

"What about it, Bon?" Solomon asked as he flipped a pancake and pressed it to the skillet.

"You should go."

"I should not. I will not celebrate an event based on lies. No matter how entertaining." He replied and Bonnie dropped the topic.

"Well, I have to go meet Care and then go to Elena's to get ready... I hope you know that I've been waiting forever, to do things like this with you. I hope you show." Bonnie grabbed her keys and finished her juice before she let the house.

A moment after the front door shut. Solomon got a text he couldn't ignore.

From: Bonnie-Bear

Msg: Whatever I want, remember?

Solomon put his phone done and shock his head. " Whatever you want, Bonnie-bear," he muttered.

Sol ate his breakfast and then went out to find a suit. On the way, Sol thought about the times Bonnie would do things for him and send him pictures or videos of the great wonders that lived outside of Fauline Cottage.

They didn't say no to each other. If Bonnie could go out and look for a Calliope Hummingbird, for over a week, Just so he could see one, then Solomon could spend a night at a founder's ball for her.

______________________________________________________________

"Welcome to the Tailor." said the Tailor when Solomon entered the shop.

"I need a suit for the ball tonight. What do you have for a guy my size?" he asked.

The tailor looked Solomon up and down, then put on his think face. Solomon wasn't just 6'3", Solomon was also built like a linebacker. In Fauline Cottage, there wasn't anything to do but magic and exercise.

The Tailor nodded a few times and walked Solomon to a section well-made suits right around his size.

_______________________________________________________________

Bonnie and Elena were in the mirror styling their hair and doing their make when Elena's phone rang. Elena sighs and leaves to answer the phone. At that very moment, Bonnie's phone buzzes with a text from Solomon.

From: Sol

Msg: Where are you?

It was the first text she got from Sol since she tried to guilt-trip him into attending the Founder's ball.

From: Bonnie-Bear

Msg: The Gilbert House. Why?

From: Sol

Msg: What color are you wearing?

Bonnie could fight her smile as she quickly typed her reply and sent it.

From: Bonnie-Bear

Msg: White and a taste of brown.

Elena came back and the bathroom and tilted her head at Bonnie. "Someone just got good news."

"Sol is coming to the founder's ball. He'll be here in a bit." Said Bonnie.

Bonnie picks up the curling wand and continues to style her hair.

"Sol? How is he doing?" Elena asked.

"He's great. Grams is over the moon with him her. It makes my dad a bit uncomfortable. And I'm...just happy he's back."

"Oh." Elena had a dash of worry. "So… he's doing fine… you know, socially."

"Of course. He even had a date, twice. And unlike us, my twin is getting laid." Bonnie replied nonchalantly.

"Oh my god…" Elena giggled. " I guess he's doing better than fine."

"Mhmm. Thank you for asking though. Caroline thinks he's going to snap and turn into Jason Voorhees. I don't care what they say, I know he's just misunderstood." Bonnie defended her brother.

"So, is he like you? A psychic?" Elena tried to lighten the mood.

"I don't know. But he and Grams have been whispering a lot lately. They don't argue or anything. But I know they're having a disagreement.."

"Ahh. Conspiracy?" Elena asked.

Bonnie stopped styling her hair and turned her head up. She frowned for a bit and said, "I think there is. A witch conspiracy."

Elena's playfully made ghost sound for a spooky effect. "The Bennett families dark witchy secrets come back to haunt the family."

Bonnie rolled her and tittered.

"Come on, Bon. You know that would make a good movie." she poked at her friend and Bonnie silently agrees and the girls started to laugh.

____________________________________________________________

Solomon pulled up to the Gilbert House and made his way to the front door. The moment he was about to knock, the door open and revealed pleasant beauty with dirty blonde hair. She looked up at Solomon a startled look that quickly changed to one of interest.

Solomon was dressed in a slim cut brown and ivory spring suit.

"Umm hello?"

"Hi. Is Bonnie here?" Solomon asked.

"Y-yeah. Hey, Bonnie! There's a tall, dark, and very handsome man at the door for you!" she called into the house.

"I'm Jenna." she held out her hand.

Solomon put on a half-smile, but his eyes were soft and approachable. "Solomon Bennett," he replied as he shook her hand. "It's a pleasure meeting you."

"Ooh, it's all mine… Bennett? You must be Bonnie's…. Un"

"Brother." He interjected.

"Brother??" Jenna repeated.

"Twin brother," Bonnie spoke as she stepped outside. " The one that just got home."

Bonnie looked him over and nodded in approval. "You do look very handsome."

"I went for brown and Ivory. White wasn't really my color. At least not the suits from that tailor."

"Hmm, you did well." She complimented him.

"Madame LaRue taught me well," he replied with pride and extended his arm towards Bonnie. She wrapped her arm around his and the twins said their goodbyes as they walked off.

"So Bonnie has a ride to the founder's ball," Jenna spoke as Stean and Elena came out.

"Yeah, she talked Solomon into going."

"Hmm, well maybe he'll save me a dance." Said Jenna.

"I doubt it. He doesn't really like the founding families."

"No, I think he likes you just fine," Stefan added

Jenna smirked at Elena and she rolled her eyes. "Let's go," Elena called out as she stepped off of the porch.

The founder's ball definitely wasn't Solomon's scene. It was sunny, cheery, and a lot of people wearing bright colors. When Solomon and Bonnie arrived, they met the mayor, his wife, and son, Tyler Lockwood.

The introductions didn't stop there either, Bonnie made it a point to take Solomon around and help him mingle. For his sister, Sol put on a smile and endured every moment of it. Until he couldn't.

"Hey, Bon. How about you dance or take a seat, and I'll be back, ok?"

Bonnie stared with the hint of a smile and shooed him away. Solomon smiled bright and said, "Free at last, Free at last." overdramatically.

When he left, he took his time walking around all of the old founder's stuff. Unlike the people who were browsing, Solomon was looking for something. But his search was cut short when he walked into a room and saw Elena and one of the Salvatore brothers, Damon.

Solomon walked straight up to him and held out his. Damon tilted his head and was about to reject the hand when Solomon spoke. " You're ancestor saved my line. My great-great-great-great-grandmother was burned and he saved her children."

"That's a lot of greats," Damon replied.

"Thanks to Damon Salvatore…" Solomon replied with a smirk.

Damon took Solomon's hand and the moment they connected, Damon smiled.

'Ahh, so you're a witch too?' Damon thought.

'You know it. Bonnie-bear likes Elena, Bonnie-bear likes Caroline, the blonde you came with. Just a warning for services rendered, watch your step, Salvatore.' Solomon replied with his thoughts and the connection was broken once Solomon pulled his hand away.

Damon lashed a faux smile at Solomon along with a jerky head nod. His life had just become so much more complicated, and Damon didn't like that. If Solomon knew about him saving the Bennett children, what else did Solomon know, Damon thought.

"Miss Gilbert…" Solomon faced Elena. "It's not good to dwell on the past so much. Maybe you can take a break to dance with me?"

Elena happily accepted. As the two walked out together, Damon followed.

"Bonnie loves you, Miss Gilbert. I hope you not only understand that but respect it," said Solomon.

"And I love Bonnie...We were together in diapers," Elena replied.

Solomon didn't say anything, as he thought back to 'playdates' that his mom would set up to drink with her best friends. Bonnie, Solomon, Matt, and Elena would find themselves playing for hours, while their mothers laughed and talked over bottles of wine.

When Elena and Solomon arrived on the dance floor, Elena was sort of hesitant when she registered the speed of the song. Solomon didn't mind in the least. He pulled her close and led the slow dance.

Elena, though she's taller than Bonnie, is still shorter than Sol. Elena looks up and she says, "Hey, did I say something wrong?"

Solomon just shook his head. "I just remembered something… The times when our mothers would have their Saturday 'playdates'."

Elena squinted in confusion.

"It was before Abby ran off and Kelly startled to spiral."

"How can you… We were like two years old…"

Solomon smirked and gave Elena a nice twirl and put his chest to her back, then continued their dance. "I remember everything, It's my gift. Look, considering the circumstances, If you need anything, Elena, you call me."

Solomon stopped the dance. Elena turned around to look at him with a soft smile. "You called me, Elena."

"I guess I did… That's me putting in the effort to be nice to an old friend, even if she can't remember the friendship."

"Can I call you, Sol, like Bonnie? Solomon is just very old-timey."

"Sure. Do me a favor and send Bonnie over." Solomon gestures toward their audience.

Elena looks over and sees, Caroline, the Salvatore brothers, and Bonnie watching the show. She chuckles and walks off the dance floor.

"Seems like you two were having a good time," Caroline commented in her unintentionally snarky manner.

"We were," Elena replied. "Bonnie, Sol wants to dance with you."

"Sol?" Bonnie asked.

"He called me, Elena." She said joyously.

"Really?" Caroline scoffs.

"That's a good sign," said Bonnie.

Bonnie then joins her brother for a dance and the twins chat for a bit until a harmless question opens the door to something more.

"Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

Bonnie fell silent for a moment then said, "I --I think I lit a candle with my mind."

"What?"

"I know-- I know it's crazy, right? But then I thought, hey, maybe I'm starting to have episodes. It doesn't make sense any other way…"

"Bonnie… Bonnie" Solomon gets her to stop talking. " How about we go light candles with our mind?"

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"You did it once. I can show you how to do it again, but you can't tell dad or Grams." Solomon spoke in a serious tone.

Bonnie had a nervous look as she nodded her head in agreement. Solomon took her by the hand the twins left the Founder's ball without a goodbye to anyone.