She wasn't partying with the rest of Mystic Falls. Not that there were many people left to party with. Things were a total mess, despite her best intentions, despite her every effort. Most of her family and friends were dead, her town was in shambles, and she had zero love life. No matter how many times she put her neck on the line, things never worked out for her. She'd been mindlessly going on about her business until she realized they were closing in on the end of the year. When she though back to how 2015 (and the years before) had gone…let's just say all the memories flooded back and threatened to drown her.
So here she was, at a seedy motel at the edge of town. She just needed to get away to have time to think. To decide whether or not 2016 was even worth it. Her phone was sounding relentlessly, lighting up with texts from Caroline, Stefan, Matt, Alaric, demanding, imploring, inviting her to call them. At this point she knew they were worried, but she couldn't help them. She had a different sort of drowning to do. Damon was the only one who hadn't tried to contact her, and she hated to admit how much it hurt. Welp, bring on the liquor. She raised the glass in a toast to herself before tossing it back. The smooth brown liquid barely burned as it made its way down her throat.
Her vision started to get fuzzy around the edges as she watched a New Years Eve special on the barely-functioning motel tv. A knock on the door brought her out of her stupor.
She opened the door and rolled her entire head back in a full semi-circle. "How did you find me?"
"All I had to do was ask myself, where would my favorite martyr of a witch go to punish herself on a holiday? Ah yes, the crappiest hole in town."
"I can't believe the type of logic you use."
"Well, I'm not wrong, am I? Open up, Bon Bon." The man had a point. And she hated to admit it, but his presence there meant everything to her. She mock-begrudgingly opened the door wider so he could step in. "Is that bourbon I smell on your breath?"
"You got me started on the junk. In '94, no less." That got a chuckle out of him.
"Get me a glass of that garbage," he joked as he sprawled across the bed, making himself comfortable. Bonnie sighed.
"Just go, Damon. Leave me. Have fun. I'll be fine."
"I can't even tell you how tired I am of hearing you say that. 'Ill be fine, I'll be fine'" He mocked her in a parrot voice. "It's okay to be pissed off and sad sometimes, for the love of God."
She furrows her brow in her Bonnie way, and huffs at him.
"Okay, fine. I'm tired. I'm tired of all this shit. I said it. Are you happy?" He just looks at her expectantly. "I miss my parents and my grams. I miss my town. I miss the way life was before things spun totally out of control. And I really am tired. I'm tired of this lonely feeling in the pit of my stomach that never goes away. I'm tired of dying all. The. Time. I'm tired of giving everything in me, everything I have, and it's still never enough! I'm tired!" It took her a moment to realize she was shouting. Damon's face was calm, as if he expected as much. "I-I'm sorry-" She dissolved into tears, turning away. Damon jumped up and came for her at vamp speed. She was wrapped tight in his arms in a heartbeat.
"Stop apologizing, Little Witch," he said gently, his voice muffled by her hair.
He held her while she broke down and cried, harder than she even thought she could, so hard her abs ached from the effort. It took a long time before she was able to compose herself. She felt drained and exhausted, but in a cleansing way.
"I feel a little better," she admitted, mumbling into his hard chest.
"See what a little temper tantrum can do for you?" He asked, stroking his hand up and down her back.
"Is that why you throw them so often?"
"That's exactly why I throw them so often." Bonnie chuckled. "Look at me, Bonnie." She turned her face away, afraid to let him see her as a wet-eyed hysterical mess.
"Bonnie. Look at me." Damon took her face in his hands, his thumbs tracing her cheeks.
She lifted her eyes to his, and saw nothing but sincerity, concern, and a hint of the classic Damon mischief buried deep in there. "I know you're in pain. You've endured more than any one person should, and sacrificed everything for everyone else, including me. But in-" he looked at the screen where they'd begun the countdown- "ten seconds the slate will be clean and you can choose happiness for yourself. You can start again."
The crowd on the tv began to shout. "Three! Two! One!"
"Well, wouldja look at the time?" He joked.
She smiled, and though it was somewhat sad, it was somewhat hopeful. "Happy new year, Da-" He smothered the sound of his name in her mouth when he leaned down to crush his lips against hers. Bonnie's initial shock melted away, and pure want took it's place, and she kissed him back desperately, opening her mouth in a silent invitation to deepen the kiss, which Damon did without hesitation. Finally he pulled back from her, while she recovered her breath,
to grin sly but soft.
"We can start again."