T h e M a s q u e r a d e B a l l

"How're you feeling Mal?" asked Bonnie worried as his brother walked down the stairs into the kitchen.

"I'm fine Bon" responded the boy with a smile but the girl did not budge.

"You better not..." she was about to continue her lecture when her phone pinged and looking at it she noticed a message. "It's from Stefan"

"What now" groaned the boy but the girl just looked at him and without a word showed the message.

Reading it he let out another sight and walking back up the stairs spoke in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I'll get the Grimoire; can you grab me some food?"

"Yeah."

They were in a rush to get there, but Malik remained quiet. Bonnie was worried and went on and off about the things that could have been the reason why Stefan needed their help, but none of the could think of the reason... or at least they were hoping it's nothing dangerous.

Arriving to the Boarding House they knocked on the door and Caroline opened the front door making the Bennett duo slightly confused.

"Hey, come on in."

"We got Stefan's message?"

Caroline turned around and right on time Stefan walked to them with a relieved smile soon after.

"Hey, you brought the Grimoire, thank you."

They saw Damon and Alaric talking in the back, lots of weapons laying around the big table and around it, it seemed they were all in preparation for something big.

"What's going on?" asked Malik when suddenly Jeremy walked past them and answered in a casual tone.

"We're gonna kill Katherine."

The Bennett twins looked after him for a bit before turning their gaze upon Stefan at the same time and their faces clearly indicated a request of explanation.

"I can explain."

"Please" came the simultaneous answer.

Stefan contemplated for a second before he responded.

"We're gonna kill Katherine."

Malik just raised an eyebrow but then they both walked in and remained in the back, observed everything that was going on in there.

Alaric showed the weapon to everybody and began the explanation and his presentation.

"This works with compressed air. The trigger mechanism is up here. I have two of these in a different size. For you I recommend this. It fits nicely under the jacket sleeve. You use the trigger when you're ready—"

He faked killing a vampire earning a look from everyone present and after that Damon and Stefan looked at each other, exchanging a look everyone understood, making the teacher speak up trying to explain himself.

"—You wanted me to show you how to kill a vampire."

Bonnie and Malik was concerned. Katherine was old and strong, trying to take her down was a double-edged sword and the two witches weren't sure if they could justify their intent and cause.

"I know you love Elena and you want to be with her but it's risky. Too many people could get hurt."

"Look, I want Elena back, yes but it's more than that. What Katherine did to Jenna it crossed the line. She has to be stopped before it happens again. Look, Katherine knows me, right? She knows that I'm not gonna try something in a crowd full of innocent people so that gives me an edge. I could catch her by surprise."

"We could do a spell to trap her, like the tomb spell" spoke Malik but although he meant that to Stefan he looked at Bonnie who nodded thinking about the idea.

"Right. We can isolate her, away from the others. Please?"

"Okay" responded the duo at the same time before they walked back to the living room listening to the conversations.

"Are you sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" enquired Alaric looking around.

"No, I need you to stay with Elena. I don't want her to know about this" explained Stefan then looked at the crowed. "Alright, if anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."

"Yeah. Cold feet speak now. I don't want this going wrong if someone chicken's out. Caroline" spoke Damon and his eyes landed on the blonde.

"I won't. Look, she killed me. Fair's fair. As long as there's no werewolf running around."

"Oh, I took care of Mason" reassured Damon, kinda proud of himself too.

"As long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone, he won't turn" added Jeremy but then Stefan turned to the Bennett duo and aimed his question to them.

"Bonnie? Malik? Are you with us?"

There was a long pause, everyone turned to the twins, but they just turned towards the other and exchanged a look without saying any words. After a minute they turned to the group and Bonnie spoke first.

"But no one gets hurt."

"Except Katherine" butted in Damon immediately. "Tonight,Katherine gets a stake through her heart."

They all dressed for the masquerade ball; Malik wore a suit with a black collarless shirt then placed the mask on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror but then his gaze turned to the bracelet. Looking at the pendant he smiled softly and fiddling with it left his room, only to run into his sister. Looking up at Bonnie he smiled gently, worrying his sister slightly.

"Are you ready?"

"No, but I suppose we don't really have a choice. At least I look amazing... let's go we have to meet Jeremy."

They got themselves a taxi to the Lockwood mansion, arriving there they looked around a bit, Malik was more into admiring the event while Bonnie was more focused on the job ahead. They noticed Jeremy arrive as well, both of them rushed to the boy and walking into the house the boys were walking side by side while Bonnie was scanning all rooms to find a suitable one.

As they got upstairs they noticed a room and walking in the Jeremy spoke gently.

"I thought this room could work" spoke Jeremy slightly worried and also nervous but Bonnie responded almost immediately.

"It's perfect."

Malik noticed how Jeremy just smiled at that, even if Bonnie did not notice it. He just raised an eyebrow but decided to keep quiet about all of it.

Jeremy took the weapons from the bag while Malik pulled out the Grimoire from his bag and placing it on the table him and Bonnie sat opposite each other and opening it began looking for the spell.

"Is that the spell book I read about in my family's old journal?"

"It belonged to our ancestor, Emily. The spell we're doing here is similar to the one that sealed the vampires into the tomb" explained Malik and opened it while Jeremy put the bag in the closet.

"Can you do all the stuff that's in there?"

"I mean it takes practice. I've worked on some small spells" explained Bonnie. "Spells that only do good. I don't want to know too much. I don't particularly enjoy any of this in case you haven't noticed."

"Yeah but you're 100% witches, that is so cool."

"It's anything but cool. Did your family journals tell you what happened to Emily? Or what about our Grams? It never ends well for people like us."

"If you feel that way, why help?" questioned Jeremy and looked at Malik, but Bonnie responded before Malik had a chance.

"Because I don't want anyone else getting hurt and I don't know how to stay out of it."

Bonnie began looking through the Grimoire and Jeremy kept his eyes on Malik who just smiled and whispered to him leaning closer to him.

"It is cool to be a witch... dangerous and inconvenient sometimes... but cool."

"I thought so."

The boys fist bumped but they were interrupted as Bonnie finally found the spell and looking at Malik spoke on a worried tone.

"Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Sure am, my magic recovered. Now let's get to it. We have vampires to trap. Oh I love a good masquerade ball!"

They closed their eyes and began chanting, the lights flickered momentarily but as it all stopped they opened their eyes and collecting everything the trio decided it was best to leave and they were all were going back to the party.

"We need to let Stefan and Damon know the room's ready" spoke Bonnie but then she suddenly stopped as a strange but familiar sensation ran through her.

"Do you feel that?" asked Bonnie looking at Malik who looked around as well.

"There is something in here that... I can't pout my finger on. Good odd?"

"Perhaps."

She looked around and noticing someone began walking towards her. Malik turned his attention towards the woman and as soon as they locked eyes he felt a wave of calming and comforting sensation run through him which made him smile but he remained with Jeremy and watched as Bonnie approached the woman.

"Excuse me, do I know you?"

"No, I'm a plus one, I know no one, but it's a great party though."

The moment she began to leave Malik and Jeremy walked to Bonnie immediately and the young Gilbert spoke to the witch.

"Are you okay?"

"Just got a weird vibe. Let's find Damon."

They went outside but at that moment Malik walked away from them as per the plan to keep an eye on things. Still close to his sister but also by himself. As he was sitting there he paced out for a moment and he had a flash of sensation wash through him.

The moment and sensation of sudden death sent chills down him, but he shook it off and focused on the task ahead. He did get a vision of Aimee's painful and scared face but he just tried to keep his head focused, even if he had a tear fall down his face.

He was there for a while until he got up and walked to Bonnie but noticed Elena was with them as well. He was quite surprised to see her especially since she was supposed to stay at home.

"You guys are trying to kill her here?"

"We saw an opportunity and we knew we had to take it."

"Okay, stop with the "we", are you guys crazy? You're gonna get yourselves killed."

"We know what we're doing, Elena."

"And how am I supposed to feel if one of you guys gets hurt because of me?"

"It's not just you anymore, Elena. She's messed with all of us, she has to be stopped" argued Jeremy which made Malik smile but he lost his focus for a moment and his vision started to get slightly blurry when he heard voices in his head.

"Hello Katherine" came the voice of Stefan first, then he heard Caroline as well.

"Goodbye Katherine"

Malik shook his head and everything cleared up in front of him and focused on the conversation ahead of him.

Suddenly Elena screamed and leaned forward while trying to touch her back. A moment later a wound appeared on her arm as well making them all extremely worried.

"What's going on?"

"Jeremy, it's Katherine. She's linked to Katherine, get them to stop! Now!" shouted Malik after realising what was happening.

Jeremy rushed away immediately to stop them while Bonnie went to comfort Elena.

"Bonnie, it hurts."

"I can't break the spell, Elena. I'm sorry but I can try to take some of the pain away. Okay? Okay?"

She took Elena's hand into hers and began chanting the spell quietly.

"Ascinda, mulaf, hinto, ascinda..."

Bonnie kept trying to take Elena's pain away but as it seemed fruitless Malik let out a sigh and loosening up his bracelet spoke up.

"Let me"

Bonnie wanted to argue, but the boy sat down and taking Elena's hand began whispering a spell so quietly that none of them managed to take out his words. Soon enough they noticed how her wounds began to heal up slowly.

Jeremy arrived again and looking at his sister spoke frantically.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Are they...?"

"They're stuck in there with her" said Jeremy and looked at Bonnie. "You were right; Katherine had a witch link Elena to her."

"The girl I saw, the one inside! Stay with her!"

"Where are you going?" asked Jeremy looking at Elena and Malik and sitting next to them looked for a way to help..

"There's another witch here, I'm gonna find her!"

She left in a hurry, Jeremy sat next to Elena and leaning closer removed his magical ring and gave it to Elena.

"No" spoke Elena immediately.

"Take it."

"No, Jeremy..."

"Elena listen to me: you need this more than I do."

"No Jeremy. What I need is for you to be safe."

Malik just smiled but as luck would have it, his vision blurred, and the voices flooded his mind once again.

"You know, this whole Mason thing has me a bit confused. Why a werewolf? The moonstone can break a curse that would help them destroy all vampires so what's in that for you?"

"Sorry about your pet wolf, probably should have kept him on a tighter leash."

"I'll have to remember that for next time. He's not the only wolf in town."

Right in that moment everything changed and what he saw made him almost scream out.

"Matt failed. If Matt fails, I can't."

"Tyler, look out!" shouted Caroline but the girl drove the paper knife in his chest.

He pushed her away immediately, but the girl tripped and hit her head hard on the desk and fell to the floor dead. Tyler looks at his wound but then rushed over to Sarah.

"No, no, no! Come on, wake up! Sarah, open your eyes, wake up! This can't happen, oh no, this can't happen. This can't be happening! Sarah! Sarah, get up! Sarah! Open your eyes! This can't be happening! Not like this!"

Suddenly Malik pulled himself out of the trance and he was sweating, both Gilberts were worried but Malik just grabbed Elena's hands again and began chanting but this time the wind picked up around them.

Elena felt her wounds heal and the pain began to go away rapidly as well making her sigh in relief, but Malik's nose began to bleed.

As he stopped chanting he just opened his eyes and wiping away the blood looked at Jeremy and tightened his bracelet back.

"As long as Katherine won't stab herself again she should be fine. I'll go after Bonnie and get this witch to clean up her mess. Look after your sister."

He rushed away back into the building, he got to the dining room where she saw Bonnie and the woman talk. Walking closer from behind the woman he heard part of their conversation.

"Look, I have no interest in fighting you."

"Then stop the spell you put on my friend."

"Give Katherine the moonstone and I will."

"Why are you helping Katherine? Don't you know what she is?"

"Tell your friends to hand over the moonstone and all will be groovy."

She turned away from Bonnie to leave but in that moment Malik arrived in front of her and with a dangerous tone looked into her eyes and spoke threateningly.

"I wish it was that simple darling! Bot I'm afraid there is nowhere for you to go until you stop the spell!"

His eyes had a slight glow in them, and the flames flickered for a moment making Lucy look around then back to the boy gasped in surprise.

"The anomaly... Look, I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh no. We don't want to hurt you" clarified Bonnie with the same level of threat as her brother.

"Look, the bitch saved my life and now I owe her. I have to pay up."

Bonnie grabbed her wrist but in that moment Lucy felt a powerful sensation and magic rush through her. Looking at Bonnie then Malik spoke.

"You have the moonstone. I can sense it on you."

She grabbed first Bonnie's then Malik's forearm who was a confused but with the touch came a weird and calming sensation that made him stop resisting. The room shook, the lights flickered.

"Do you feel that? You can trust me. Give it to me, it's okay."

Both of them smiled and at the end Bonnie pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to the witch.

Lucy just smiled and after closing her eyes and muttering a spell she opened her eyes and with a smile on her face walked away from them, leaving the twins by themselves. For a brief second they were just standing there before they went outside. Once they found Elena she seemed to be in a better shape.

Once they sat down Bonnie put her hand on Elena and gave her a big smile.

"The spell is broken; you'll heal up quickly now."

"Thank you, both of you."

"Just try to get home in one piece Elena" spoke Mal with a cheeky tone earning a slap on the arm from Bonnie. "Ouch, what was that for?"

"You know well."

They all just smiled and once they got the word that Katherine was knocked out Damon removed her from the premises to lock her into the tomb. Elena went to meet up with Stefan while the Bennett's were almost ready to go home when they noticed that Lucy was leaving making the two bolt after her in a hurry, Bonnie immediately called after her.

"Please, wait."

Lucy stopped and turning around looked at the two of them with a smile.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that spell. Damn vampires, they pull you into the middle of it every time."

"How do we know you? When I gave you the stone, how did I know I could trust you?" asked Bonnie slightly confused but Malik was just as intrigued to hear the answer.

"That feeling you got, you ever felt it before?"

The siblings looked at each other before Malik answered to her question.

"Being around family. Our grams."

"My mother is Joanna, first cousin twice removed from Pauline, niece of Sheila aka..."

"Grams? We are related?"

"Yeah, we kind of are. It's nice to meet you both. Seeing you two tonight was a wakeup call for me. I got to stop letting vampires control me. So thank you for that."

She began to leave but both of them had tears in their eyes as Bonnie ran after her.

"Please, don't leave! I have so many questions. I don't want us to be in the middle either. I hate it. How do we stay out of it?"

"Unlike me, you're one of the good ones, Bonnie. The middle of it is exactly where you need to be. And your brother... You take care. Don't worry, you'll see me again."

The two of them was standing there just looking after the woman leaving, wiping their tears Jeremy joined them.

"Hey, I was gonna head home, can I offer you a ride? Are you okay?"

"When did you get your driver's license?" asked Bonnie surprised.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Bonnie."

"We'd love a ride home" answered Bonnie and they began walking ahead to the cars.

Malik walked behind them and watched the two interact, he had an odd feeling that he couldn't quite explain. But once again he decided to take a step back, not worrying about it just yet.

He was hoping that now with Katherine gone thingswould get quiet for a bit... boy was he wrong.