The three steps to the front door are perhaps the most difficult steps she's ever taken in her life. It's the right thing to do, coming here, making amends. The way she left things with Jeremy wasn't right, and it's been a burden on a friendship thats come to mean more than she ever could have anticipated. So Bonnie sucks it up, squares her shoulders, and takes those 3 steps to face a fate even she can't comprehend...A fate that's both daunting and inevitable.

Inside the house Jeremy sinks further into the cushion of the living room sofa. The wound on his neck throbs like a son-of-a-bitch, and still it can't compete with the hurt in his heart. Letting out a huff of breath, Jeremy tosses the pillow aside and jumps up. He's done feeling sorry for himself, he's done chasing after women who will never feel for him an iota of the emotion he feels for them, he's done being the boy in love with the girl he can't ever have, he's simply DONE. He thought Bonnie could be different, Bonnie was different, but despite the fact that she was one of the kindest, gentlest, most warm people he knew, even Bonnie couldn't fake feelings that she didn't feel. Screw it! He is done with her. Jeremy yanks open the front door, and his world comes crashing down around him...again.

She probably shouldn't even be here, and judging by the expression on Jeremy's face, it's clear he thinks the same. But Bonnie knows that this is the right thing to do, they needed to finish this and sort things out. She couldn't live without Jeremy and if she had to swallow her pride and make the first move, then that was what she would do.

"Jer...I-Listen, do you mind if I came in?"

Jeremy looked at bonnie for another second before stepping back to let her in. She wished she knew what was going on in his head, but his face was so empty, so cold. Bonnie shivered...She didn't expect this to be easy, but she was hoping it wouldn't be this hard.

"Jeremy, you know I care for you, a great deal. You're one of my best friends and I don't make friends lightly. You mean the world to me and I would never want to do anything to hurt you. Last night, what happened between us was a mistake, on both of our ends. Things were just moving so fast! You had almost died, Stefan was stuck in the tomb, Elena had almost died, so when you tried to kiss me it just felt like one more thing in my life being threatened..."

Bonnie took a deep breath. She wished Jeremy would do something, say something, ANYTHING! But he just continued to look at her, mutely, waiting for her to bare her soul to him. Averting her eyes from his face, Bonnie moved over to the sofa and sat down. Looking at him, so tall.. so proud.. so much feeling and strength, Bonnie could no longer hold onto all of the logical reasons she was prepared to give him to let him down easily. The only defense she had left was honesty...

"I'm so afraid Jeremy..."

Bonnie paused. She had to do this, she knew that she owed it to him, but she couldn't continue. Feeling bereft somehow, bonnie folded and planted her face in her palms, she had effectively ruined one of the most important relationships in her life...

Jeremy watched as Bonnie let out a shuddering breath. Looking at her hurt, and it healed. He knew she was afraid, just as he knew that she loved him. Bonnie wasn't running from him as much as she was running from herself. Jeremy tried not to let his smile show, but inside his entire being lit up. He understood Bonnie better than she did herself, and he knew the real reason for her being here. But she was so fragile, and so precious, he couldn't afford to make one wrong move. So Jeremy let her off the hook and took the next step for the both of them.

"I know you are Bonnie. So am I..."