A/N: Rewrite of a drabble from forever ago.

The original took place after the events of s7, but the rewrite takes place after the events of 8x03. In this ficverse, Bonnie chooses Damon to live instead of Enzo. So Enzo is dead in this fic, and this is a flash forward to after Sybil and Selene are taken care of, as well as Cade.

This is a...sort of...sequel to 'The Hardest Choice, The Easiest Truth'


You'd think after running crazy through the woods, bleeding, and trying to prevent someone from killing you while they held a stake to your chest, and growled at you, you'd be completely off them in every possible way. Espeically after you had been literally dragged to hell and back by two bitches of sirens and their boss. The big guy. Cade. AKA, the devil, aka, one major jackass. Not to mention, having gotten in that position while trying to keep the person safe!

Any normal person would avoid the culprit that at all costs, even after sanity was gained back on both sides, and both sides went through the trouble trying to save each other from an evil soul sucking wench. Ironically, Rayna, and the Siren sisters could both be described as such in one way or another...

Well, Damon had never been normal; doing the average and expected was not his deal, and that certainly wasn't about to change. He had spent months, years, a century even keeping her safe before she was even born. Every second of his existed since 1864 had been tied to her. Bonnie Bennett would not be able to shake him even if she literally shook him. Which...had happened a few times. Hands on the shoulders, full on, "You're fuckin' crazy!" shake.

Bonnie was one hell of a spitfire. A fiery, glorious spitfire with an even bigger kick than any hell fire could give off... So, four months after the whole ordeal - Sybil and Selene gone, Enzo's death having slowly settled into the slightly dusty sunset that was their life, Damon was there. They were all there. Stefan, Caroline, Alaric, Josie, Lizzie, Matt, and Tyler. For the first time in a long time, they had not a single thing to worry about. It was almost so perfect, that, that in itself was anxiety inducing. However! It was all relative. They really did have nothing to worry about. No monsters, no murders, no thing.

As Damon looked across the clearing at Bonnie, the snow falling in blankets from the night sky as the crescent moon shone brightly down, he knew he was supposed to be there. He knew Bonnie had chosen him for a reason. She had promised him she wouldn't give up on him - and she didn't. It was a universe truth, that no matter what, he would always be where she was. Even when he was so far away that it seemed like not even the magic of the ancestors could bring him home. Bonnie always knew how to bring him back.

Maybe he wanted to give some huge speech about love, life, happiness - that's what he would normally do. There was one Damon Salvatore in the universe, and he was one of dramatics, angst, tension, intensity in the glowing light of fire, or in the pouring rain. At least, that was who he used to be; or, perhaps it was just half of the man he truly was.

All Damon really needed was a little nod, and a smile from his brother to motivate him into shoving his hands into jean pockets and head over to Bonnie.

"Merry Christmas." he said with a low chuckle. The brown skinned woman turned her fluffy hat covered head to look at him. Her lips pulled up at the corners.

"Since when do you like Christmas?" Bonnie teased, turning round to face him, the rest of their little family scattered around the snowy field in the middle of no-where to watch the falling stars.

Damon smiled at her, then chuckled, "Since right now." he replied.

Damon had not truly celebrated Christmas in decades. Certainly, he was used to tall trees covered in tinsel, ornaments, popcorn, and candy canes. With presents lining the undercarriage of the tree, and everyone woken up bright and early in the morning. At least, that had been something he remembered from childhood. As terrible as Giuseppe was, Lily had always done her best to ensure they got a true Happy Holiday.

"Are you staying at the boarding house tonight?" he questioned, knowing everyone else was staying over. They planned to open presents. It was the twins first christmas that they would actually remember.

Bonnie looked at him curiously, and brushed a loose curl behind her ear. "I might be. Why, you have a present for me?" she teased the towering man who looked at her with such admiration, and something she couldn't quite place.

"Well, actually..." Damon started, and then removed his hands from his jeans pocket to pull out a small red felt box and held it to her.

She blinked, looking surprised and her emerald eyes shifted up to his face as though to ask what was in the box before she even opened it. However, he handed the box to her without saying anything, and she opened it slowly with one of her gloved hands. Inside of the box was a beautiful silver heart shaped locket dangling from a silver chain.

"Damon...wow, you didn't have to." Bonnie whispered, and Damon took liberty to take the locket out of the box completely, and then take the box from her.

"Look, here." he said queitly, even though he knew most of the people in the field with extra hearing, were probably listening... On the front of the locket was the letter B, and as he turned it around, on the back was inscribed: The One & Only.

Bonnie put a few fingers to her lips as she looked at it with emotion slowly building in those doe eyes of hers, and when Damon opened it to reveal a photo of them from Amsterdam, tears formed along her lashline.

"It's beautiful, thank you, so much." she said looking up at Damon who simply nodded; and for a few seconds they just looked at each other with emotion filled eyes, and snow piling on their hair, on their noses, and coats. He handed her the pocket which she held in her hands like it was the most precious gift ever.

"I have one more thing." Damon said and reached into his back pocket as the petite woman looked at him curiouser, and almost like she might combust entirely if he pulled out another sentimental gift.

Bonnie swallowed and sighed a little, "You really don't have t-" she started but then Damon revealed the letter. The one he had written all those almost four year before. Before he has dessicated himself out of desperation to keep her safe.

"The l-letter..." she whispered, and wondered if Damon was going to ask her to read it, or if he was going to read it.

Instead, Damon ripped it in half, and her eyes widened, she then ripped it in half again the other way and again, until it was in eight ripped up pieces envelope in all.

"This..." he said shaking the ripped up pieces for a second, "...might have said how I feel about you, explained everything; but, this letter is the past. I want it to stay in the past. You didn't read it then. You don't need to read it now."

Bonnie furrowed her brow, holding onto the locket still, mildly confused. "I wish I would have, I..." she sighed, and shook her head a bit.

"You don't need to read the letter. I don't need the letter to tell you I love you." Damon said, looking her straight in the eyes, with such affection, and even a little fear there. Yet, this fear wasn't the fear that she didn't feel the same. Rather, it was the fear that he might wake up, and every single moment of the last six years with her would be a dream.

She smiled softly at him, a few of her tears spilling from over her lashline, and she knew. She knew she loved him too. Not like a friend, or family; but like a star, a burning passion that only soulmates could understand.

"I love you." Bonnie replied queitly, her heart squeezing in her chest.

Damon didn't need to say anything else, he didn't have anything else to say. He was content looking into her stunning face, and taking a step forward, eliminating the space between them. Placing a singer on her soft warm cheek, he watched her smile grow, and her face flushed pink. When Damon leaned down, Bonnie leaned up, and all in a moment their lips pressed together. Warm, melting together perfectly.

It was a kiss that each of them had waited their entire lifetime for. One which encompassed every emotion they could possibly feel, and in this fleeting moment they knew they were right where they were supposed to be. Feeling the cold breeze brush against the skin, they wondered why they hadn't kissed sooner.

When the kiss broke their lips clung to each others a bit, like they didn't want to be apart. Bonnie looked at him, her face flushing happily.

Damon gently took the necklace from her hand and stepped around to help her but it on. She smiled looking down at it, and they ignored the few pairs of eyes that were on them. He did his best not to listen in on whatever Caroline and Stefan were staying about them.

However, it was definitely too late because Caroline was hurrying over excitedly with a huge grin on her face.

"This is great! Oh my god, we can go on double dates!" the blonde giggled as Damon was stepping back in front of Bonnie.

Bonnie and Damon shook their heads at each other as Caroline continued talking. Damon grabbed Bonnie by the waist and pulled her closed to him once more. Pressing his lips to hers for a passionate kiss, not caring who was watching or listening. Bonnie wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned up into the kiss, until she was on her tiptoes, and he held her ever tighter.

Suddenly, with wild playful screams the twins zoomed over, and crashed into Damon, sending both him and Bonnie into the snow on the ground.

"Christmas, Christmas!" Josie and Lizzie giggled and squealed, bouncing up and down on their small feet. Damon and Bonnie laughed, though Damon was resting on top of her and she was breathing heavily.

"Merry Christmas, Damon." Bonnie chuckled lightly looking into his eyes.

Damon smirked crookedly, "Merry Christmas, Bon Bon." he whispered, kissing along the side of her face, all the way to her ear.