The Bennett Witch

A Dear Departed

The noise cancelling headphones muted the hubbub that surrounded Samara. There were people crowding the corridors of the dorms, with coffee cups in hand, trying to stay up just long enough to write the last exam for the semester. For Samara and her roommate Aviana Deveraux it was the last semester for their Master's program.

"Come on Ava, we are already running late", Samara called out walking back into the room to drag Aviana out who was still going over her notes.

"We still have like thirty minutes. I know you like to be early, just give me 5 minutes. This last page and then I'm done"

"Fine, I'll be outside. It's Grams", she said looking down at the phone that was ringing in her hand. Samara started walking towards the department building, talking to her grandmother Sheila Bennett.

"Hey Grams, How are you?"

It was not usual for her Grams to call her from her number, as she mostly got Bonnie to make the call for her. Bonnie was eight years younger than Samara, they had been living with their Grams ever since their parents divorce.

"Samara, what time does your flight leave?"

Samara checked her watch, there were almost twenty minutes or so before the exam started. So she figured that she could sit and talk to Grams till Aviana was ready.

"Departing from New York at eleven, so I will be with you and B before midnight"

Sheila paused for a second, then she cleared her throat. Samara could sense that there was something that was troubling her grandmother.

"Is everything alright? I know you are worried because the Salvatores are back in town. But trust me it'll all be fine. You said it yourself that Emily destroyed the crystal. Nothing bad will happen to Bonnie I promise."

"You are right. I worry for no reason. See you tonight and all the best for the finals."

"Bye Grams. Love you"

Ladies and Gentlemen we have arrived at Norfolk international Airport, for your comfort and safety please remain seated...

Samara checked her phone as soon as the inflight announcements began, there were some texts from Ava telling her that her sister were coming to take her to New Orleans tomorrow. Then there was a voicemail from Bonnie's childhood friend Elena Gilbert.

"Sam...it's your Grams, she did a spell and then something happened and she's not waking up. Jenna and Sheriff Forbes went to the hospital with her..."

Samara's heart sank. This could not be real, she thought. She had just talked to Grams hours ago. The sounds around her began to slowly fade, all she could focus on was Elena's voice. She gripped her phone tighter, hoping she would be able to tell that Elena was messing with her, if listened closely. It had to be a joke. There was no way.

"...I'm with Bonnie. Just come as soon as you can, I don't know what to do."

Bonnie.

Bonnie. She promised Grams that Bonnie would be safe. She had to stay strong for her sister. They would figure something out together.

When Samara knocked on the pale blue door, she was not expecting to see her sister. Her curly hair was all over the place, her eyes bloodshot and swollen. Bonnie fell into her arms as soon as she realised that Samara was home.

The two stood there for a while, Bonnie crying on her sister's shoulder while Sam gently rubbed her back. Apparently Elena had just left, saying it was an emergency.

"It'll be okay B, I'm here. We'll figure it out.", Samara whispered in Bonnie's ear.

After Bonnie had calmed down a little Samara handed her a cup of tea. They sat on the living room couch, without a word, staring at the black screen of the TV with a blanket draped over their shoulders.

Their surroundings smelling very strongly of the herbs Grams had burnt for the locator spell to find Bonnie in the afternoon.

Both the sisters had a lot they wanted to say to each other but neither knew where to start.

Grams was the only constant parental figure the girls had in their lives. Their mother left them with Sheila a year after her divorce. From what Sam could remember, she went out one night and never came back.

As for their father, he stopped coming around right where Samara started developing her powers and only kept contact with Bonnie as he had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with the supernatural.

Samara's mind drifted back to the day when she first experienced death. It was their dog Winston. She could not have been more than ten at the time.

Samara had been crying in her room all day, refusing to eat anything. In the evening Grams sat beside her on the bed. Without saying a word Samara moved over to wrap her little arms around her grandmother.

"Grams, does everyone have to die someday.", she questioned, her eyes still blurry from the tears.

Sheila nodded. Her lips pressing into a smile at the innocent question posed by her granddaughter.

"Even you?"

"Yeah baby. Even me", she answered in a calm and gentle voice.

"But you can do magic"

"Samara, for a witch, death is not the end. I'll watch over you and Bonnie from the other side. I'll always be right here when you need me." Grams held her hand over Sam's heart. Then started tickling her sides.

Samara started to laugh.

"Who wants to get ice cream?" Samara's mother Abby asked, standing in the doorway.

"Me. me. Can I give some to baby B too?."

Samara helped Bonnie to bed. She needed some rest, ever since Samara came back she could not get her sister to stop crying for more than a few minutes. The entire day Bonnie kept apologizing to her. Mumbling how it was her fault. That she was the one who convinced Grams to lift the spell on the tomb to let the Salvatore brothers out.

Making sure Bonnie was asleep, Samara headed towards the Salvatore Boarding House to see Damon for herself. Him and his obsession with Katherine was the only reason Grams was dead. And Samara was determined to make her old friend suffer.