A/N – Ok, I had to because how many times is Damon going to say that he doesn't care about Bonnie? I just feel like it's all foreshadowing to something bigger and ok I'll totally bite. First time with Bamon though there are hints of Delena and even a little Daroline and Dalaric if you squint.

Spoiler Alert – You probably won't want to read this if you haven't seen 4x14 'Into the Rabbit Hole'

Through the Looking Glass

He keeps telling everyone he doesn't care about the witch – but who's he really trying to convince?

He's caught himself saying it more than once in recent days, to Shane mostly but also to himself. In fact he's just said it again while being pulled by a rope like a damn dog on a leash (by a hunter who calls himself Vaughn but almost reminds him of Ric so he tries to you know….connect with him in some way, on some level and yeah he's fishing but he figures if this Vaughn guy really wanted to kill him he would have done it by now and the Team needs a hunter since Ric's been gone and no Baby Gilbert does not count) trapped on a cold gray island and he sort of feels like he's on a really crappy version of Survivor (he only knows cause Blondie forced him to watch it a few times when he was forcing her to do so much more) and this is definitely not where he was planning on taking Elena for their first vacation.

Vaughn is going on about how they need to destroy Silas with the cure, to protect his friends, to protect themselves, to protect the witch. He rolls his eyes and scoffs, literally scoffs and says "If you're trying to convince me to waste the cure on Silas to protect the witch you're going to be disappointed. I don't care about Bonnie." An awkward silence falls between them after that as Damon starts to feel his words fall heavily on his shoulders.

He's standing in the cave beside Rebekah. Elena's screaming and crying and hysterical because Katherine had to show her face, a face that looks exactly like Elena's and he frowns as he suddenly realizes there really isn't much of anything that separates the two anymore except that Elena's sired to him and she says she loves him and Katherine isn't and doesn't. And Jeremy's lying there, motionless, and he strains his ears but can't hear his pulse, but he does hear a weak 'thump thump' a little further away.

He looks to his right and he sees her crumpled and lying on the rocks and he can barely hear her heartbeat and can't hear a single breath. He feels his own chest constrict for the briefest of moments and his brow furrows as he notices Elena picking up Jeremy's lifeless body (because she can do that now) and in a flash is gently picking up the little witch cradling her against his chest as he looks down at her curiously. He feels his own pointless breath, breath that he doesn't even need, that she needs, get caught somewhere in his throat as time seems to stop for second then with a jolt starts up again when he hears Rebekah scream.

He's running as fast as his weakened body will let him, nestling her closely to him, taking care not to drop her as he stumbles on a protruding boulder. And not until he's sure they're far enough away does he stop and drop to his knees and bite into his wrist and silently prays for her to awaken.

He can still hear Elena screaming her brother's name and he knows he should be with her, consoling her, but who is here for Bonnie? He scans the surrounding woods and sees no one around them and then lowers his gaze back to the witch and suddenly wonders how many times you can save someone with your blood before it starts to mean something.

She coughs and stirs and looks at him and he stares unblinking into her hazel eyes.

They share this moment, though neither will ever admit to it. And he'll keep on saying he doesn't care, and she'll keep on giving him the evil eye, but they will forever have this moment, and will probably repeat it again, and maybe someday he'll say he cares and she'll look at him with an emotion other than hate.