Disclaimer: I fully recognize that I do not own these characters.
"There. That should be enough to keep you alive until the boat comes," Damon tells her as he throws the last piece of firewood onto the slow burning blaze.
Despite Damon's efforts with the fire, Bonnie still shivers uncontrollably. The ocean breeze and the shock of Jeremy's death hindering her body's attempt to regulate its temperature.
"Thank you," she manages behind chattering teeth.
Both parties are quiet as Bonnie stares intently at the fire as though her gaze is enough to force its warmth to engulf her.
Damon stares intently at the girl.
He'd promised he would find her and he did just that. Then he made the mistake of promising that he'd bring her home in one piece.
Judging by the current state of things, he was certain he would get her back to Mystic Falls as a corpse and not a live functioning human being.
If he didn't do something he would have to show up at Elena's door with a Bonnie-sicle and not the girl's best friend.
With a sigh and a melodramatic roll of his eyes, he abandons his sandy seat, and joins Bonnie next to the fire.
He shrugs out of his jacket, wrapping it around the girl's petite frame.
"Damon. What are you doing?" she questions his uncharacteristic ministrations, although her curiosity regarding his behavior doesn't stop her from pulling the jacket closer to her body.
"I was tired of watching your impersonation of a nearly hypothermic witch."
"Funny," she says drily
"You should laugh. Maybe the movement will stop your blood from icing over," he says leaning over and bumping his shoulder against Bonnie's.
"Like you care so much," she tells him, moving her body so that it is further away from him and closer to the fire.
"You're right. I don't care if you freeze to death. I just don't want it to happen on my watch. I promised Elena that I would bring you home safely. So just try not to die until my promise is fulfilled judgey."
"Of course, you only stayed behind for Elena."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It's not like I've never helped you before. It's not like I never saved your life, your brother's life, and the life of the girl you love, a million times over. Of course you wouldn't stay just to make sure I was alive. You only did it for Elena," she bites back, surprised by the bitterness encasing her tone.
Why should she care if Damon rescued her only because of his affection for Elena? She shouldn't. She didn't. She couldn't.
"Don't get sensitive on me Bonnie," Damon orders hoping to ease a bit of the quickly forming tension between the two.
"I'm not being sensitive. I'm not even surprised. I understand that you- I get it. You don't like me. Never have, never will. I'm not your friend. I'm just the witch you frequently need to save your ass."
"There is absolutely no alcohol on this island. We are not talking about convoluted feelings of a teenage girl."
"Forget I even said anything," Bonnie replies coldly, throwing Damon's jacket back in his direction.
She was well aware that the warmth of the jacket had been the only the keeping her from feeling the cold, but she be damned if she accepted help from Damon Salvatore, especially since his help was only offered for Elena's sake not Bonnie's.
"Don't be stupid Bonnie. Take the damn jacket."
"I'd rather freeze."
"No you wouldn't. You'd rather prove a point. Fine, I get it. I was wrong. Sorry. Now take the jacket."
"No."
"Bonnie."
"I don't care what you promised Elena. I don't want your help to survive on this island. I can do just fine without it until the boat comes."
"That maybe so, but I need a judgmental witch to protect me from any fun activities that might tempt me."
"Make your jokes Damon. You've made it very clear how much you think my life is worth. I just don't care to be bothered with someone who thinks so little of me."
"I don't think about you at all," he declares quietly
"Great," she replies staring into the fire, her back turned to Damon.
"I don't think about how strong you are. How you're always brave and fearless even if it means hurting yourself to save someone else. I don't think about how forgiving you are. How after I…after all that I did to you, you still allow me to live. I don't think about how damn attractive you are. How after I saw you dancing with Jamie at the 20's dance I wanted to snap his neck. I don't think about you at all Bonnie Bennett. I can't afford to."
His admission causes her to turn sharply. Beholding his blue eyes as they reflect the brilliant orange flames.
Regarding his features carefully, she is able to discern the sincerity of his words. She knows that he's divulgence is a heartfelt one.
"Damon…"
Instead of replying to her, he forces the jacket back around her body, before tucking her underneath his arm.
He pulls her legs into his lap and holds her tightly against his chest.
Bonnie doesn't say anything, she simply lays her head against the place where his heart used to beat.
Nuzzling her face into his shirt, inhaling his expensive cologne, his scent giving her the comfort and warmth that she lack mere minutes ago.
Damon moans at the sensation of having her soft body wrapped around his own.
"Damon?"
"Yes Bonnie?"
"I don't think about you either."