I would like to acknowledge that I do not own any of the characters in this story, they are the properties of L.J Smith, and the C.W. Thank you all for visiting this story. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1

Taking a final look at the three envelopes she had laid on the table, Bonnie let out a tired sigh and her eyes lingered on the envelope for Damon. It had been two weeks since Elena had been put in the vault, and it had also been two weeks since she last heard from him. She understood why he wouldn't want to be around. The pain of looking at the reason why the love of your life remained in a coma had to be unbearable.

Everything came down to Elena. Elena was what made Damon happy. So as she thought about what she could do to help ease Damon's resentment towards her, she made her decision. Although she'd miss Caroline and Matt she knew that they would be able to get on without her. She would also miss Damon a great deal, but she was not what made him happy.

"It's not like I have anything left to lose anyway. This way I'll be reunited with Grams, and dad" she thought to herself. Maybe in heaven or whatever plane she landed on she'd finally find peace and be with her family. She looked at Ms. Cuddles "They say third times the charm right?"

Placing the envelopes in her purse, she made her way outside her house and headed for the post office. Handing the envelopes to the clerk, Bonnie eyed her "Would it be okay to send these out a week from now?" The clerk smiled "Of course just mark the day you'd like for us to send them out." Bonnie nodded her thanks, and made her wait out to tie up a few loose ends.

That night she packed her bags, and headed for her Prius. She took one last look at her "home" although to her it wasn't really a home. It was a place where she once lived. There were no happy memories of her mother reading her stories, or her father kissing her head goodnight making her feel safe. She hadn't had a home since her grandmother had passed away. Which is why selling her house wasn't really difficult for her. There was no real attachment there.

Driving down the road she lingered at the sight of her grandmother's, letting a single tear drop from her eye Bonnie let out a breath " I'll be seeing you soon Grams."

A week later Damon Salvatore and his brother, arrived to a Caroline who looked to be on the verge of tears and an anxious Matt Donovan waiting at the front door of the boarding house. Although he was curious as to why Caroline and Matt were at his home, Damon was more curious as to why his best friend was not.

He and Stefan had decided to take a much needed brother road trip. Stefan wanted to clear his head about his feelings for Caroline, and Damon wanted to clear out his feelings for Elena. He thought it would hurt just a bit more knowing that he couldn't be with Elena until Bonnie's life ended. However he just attributed it to the fact that he knew that they would be together in the end. However a nagging voice in the back of his mind was telling him that it just wasn't the case.

Stefan stared at Caroline and Matt "Hey guys what's going on?" He was met with silence until Damon continued "Yeah and where the Hell is Bonnie?" he asked trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. He was really anxious to see her. He'd never admit it but he missed his witchy best friend. She was the purest thing in his life right now. If he had to make the decision he'd save Bonnie again. What's another sixty to seventy years to wait for Elena? Heck he waited one hundred and forty five years for that whore Katherine.

Instead of an answer, all of sudden Caroline let out a heartbreaking sob "I don't know where Bonnie is, all Matt and I got were these letters." Damon's easy demeanor changed and his jaw tensed. He had that feeling that shit was about to hit the fan. He looked to Matt who appeared to be holding in his tears "When did you get those letters?"

Matt exhaled, "Just today but I think Bonnie had this planned for at least two weeks. I tried to go see her at her house but she wasn't home. I thought she just needed time to deal with everything so I backed off. You know how Bonnie is she takes the world's problems and puts them on her shoulders." Before Matt continued Damon made a beeline for his mailbox and tore open the envelope that had Bonnie's return address on it.

Dear Damon,

If you're reading this, I know that you aren't okay. Don't worry because I promise you that you will be. I want you to know that I'm not mad at you for avoiding me. I completely understand. I probably couldn't stand to look at me either knowing that I'm the sole reason that you can't be with Elena. You and Elena are my best friends, and I'm not going to be what stands in the way of your happiness. I want you to know that this wasn't a hard choice, and I don't want you to feel bad or guilty. I mean really Damon, what do I have left. My mom is a vampire who wants nothing to do with me. My grams and father are dead. At least this way I'll finally find peace on my terms, not anyone else's and my two best friends can finally be happy. Don't take too long reading this. Elena is probably slowly waking up and I'm sure that your face is the first that she'll want to see. I love you both and hope you have the wonderful life that you've been fighting for.

"BONNIE WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE?" Damon screamed.

Bonnie made her way aimlessly through a beautiful garden. She felt a sense of familiarity as two figures approached her. As the figures came closer Bonnie found herself staring at her grandmother and her father.

"Grams? Dad?" Bonnie said with a watery eyed smiled. They both came up to her and embraced her. This is what she'd been hoping for. "I'm finally reunited with you" she said inhaling the scent of her grandmother." She looked around taking in their surrounding "Where are we? I know that this isn't the other side."

"Child when the other side collapsed, some of the bad supernatural went to Hell, and the good ones went to Heaven." Sheila explained to her granddaughter. Bonnie was confused, she committed suicide and from all she heard suicide was a one way ticket to the fiery pits. Bonnie looked to her father and grandmother "I don't understand how I can be in Heaven when I killed myself?"

Rudy looked at his daughter. He'd been watching over her from Heaven since the day he died. The sacrifices and pain his child endured for those who claimed to be her friends. He should have been there for her more to make her realize that she was special and to put her needs first when others wouldn't. Rudy put his hands on his daughter's shoulders, "Bonnie there's a difference between suicide and self-sacrifice." He shook his head, "The things this family has sacrificed for the Gilberts…."

Bonnie cut her father off "It wasn't just for Elena, I did it for Damon and me too. Honestly I had nothing left to lose." Her grandmother interrupted her this time "Child, you could have gone to college, fallen in love, marriage children…" before Sheila could continue Bonnie sighed "Really grams? In case you haven't notice I'm not exactly lucky in the love department. Besides my life wasn't meant to last long anyway. I've died twice before this for crying out loud. This time it was on my terms. Not because some big bad monster was out to get me. It's because I had nothing to lose and my friends had more to gain with me gone."

Before the three of them could argue anymore, a gentle male voice interrupted "Bonnie Bennett, it is not your time sweet child." Bonnie felt dread wash over, she thought she was done that she could finally be at peace. Apparently she wasn't good enough that even death didn't want her. She looked to the direction of the voice, at a black gentleman who looked to be about the same age as her grandmother.

"What do you mean it's not my time? Does the world get a kick out of me dying over and over again? Please just let me stay dead." Bonnie implored near to tears. She was so tired of her earthly life. "Who are you anyway? Are you God?" The man gave her a gentle smile, "No but I'm sort of his secretary I'm one of the only ones he speaks to, and he told me to tell you it is not your time. My name is Joshua, keeper of the garden."

Bonnie felt like she was about to pee in her pants, she didn't want the divine authority of the universe angry with her, "Is He angry with me?" Joshua shook his head, "No Bonnie He loves you, contrary to popular belief He holds the humans who remain good although they suffer so much very dear to His heart. You have the power to bend people to your will, but yet you don't abuse it. It was the people who you love that did. You have a great destiny Bonnie and you have to go back."

"Please….I don't want…" Bonnie began as she looked to her grams and her father. Joshua spoke again, you're resurrection arrangements have already been made. Before Joshua could say anymore, "What about Elena?"

Joshua smiled to himself of course this girl would think about her friend, "She'll remain alive you've technically been dead on earth for about forty five minutes." Joshua turned and motioned for someone to come closer, "she's ready."

Bonnie saw a man with a light brown trench coat, white collar shirt, and a blue neck tie. He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. Bonnie also notice he seemed to have perpetual bed-hair and the bluest eyes. He raised an eyebrow "Your body is in the Pacific Ocean? You couldn't make it easy for me could you Bonnie Bennett?"

Rudy embraced his daughter, and promised that they'd be reunited again, when her time finally came and she fulfilled what she was destined to do. She inhaled into her grandmother's arms, "Grams I miss you so much. I don't want to leave." Sheila looked to her granddaughter, "It's for the best child, have faith He sometimes doesn't make sense, but He loves all his children and wants what's best for them."

With one last look at her family Bonnie put her hand into the hand that bedhead held out to her. All she saw was a flash of bright wide light, and all of the sudden she felt like she was being stabbed by icicles all over her body.

Elena's eyes fluttered open to see Damon's face in front of hers with a small side smirk, " Damon" she exclaimed breathlessly. Damon's face contorted, "Um Elena you know I love you right?" She nodded "What's wrong?"

Damon shrugged, he honestly wasn't in the mood to spare anyone's feelings even if it was Elena's " You've been in a coma for two weeks, and no offense but two weeks of straight sleep really does nothing for your breath."

Elena's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment, she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she was brushing she was hit with the realization, that she was alive, and that it could only mean one thing.

She hurriedly rinsed her mouth and made her way back to Damon, "What happened to Bonnie? Did you kill her?"

A tick found its way to Damon's jaw, "I'm astounded by your faith in me Elena." Damon rolled his eyes and made his way closer to Elena so he could look her directly in the eye, "Bonnie was my best friend too, and no I didn't kill her. OUR best friend thought that I resented her because I couldn't be with you. She being the selfless person that she is decided to go sacrifice herself."

Elena was dumbfounded, "So you didn't resent her for not being able to be with me? Are you saying it was easy for you to choose her over me?"

Damon looked at Elena like she had grown another head. He wondered briefly if Elena was human again, or if she somehow got turned into a vampire while she was in her casket. Damon raised an eyebrow, "So all you got out of that was I would choose Bonnie over you. I mean never mind that Bonnie only made it two weeks, and not sixty to seventy years of life. Never mind that Bonnie thought she had nothing left to live for here. Wow Elena, were you always this selfish?" He shook his head and began to walk away.

Before he could get too far, Elena grabbed him "I didn't think our reunion would be like this. I'm sorry for accusing you. I mean it must be the lack of food from being asleep for so long. We'll find a way to make this right and get Bonnie back. I love you Damon."

Damon just nodded and felt that he needed to get away from Elena because he might throttle her, "I'm going to head over to the Grill to get you some food. I'm sure you're starving." He left Elena to her devices and made his way to his Camaro.

Walking into the Grill, Damon found Stefan, Caroline, and Matt huddled together in a booth. It looked like they were expecting someone. Stefan motioned for him to join them "How's Elena taking the news of Bonnie." Damon tensed, "She's taking it surprisingly well…Hell you would think that Bonnie didn't even die for her" he replied bitingly.

Caroline gave Matt a look that said "I told you so." Although it surprised her it warmed Caroline that Damon aka I don't give a fuck Salvatore was taking Bonnie's death really hard. Caroline looked at Damon, "Maybe it's just that she's overwhelmed by being back so early…Oh who am I kidding Elena, will always think about Elena first. I mean I love the girl but human or vampire, there's no denying that she's always had a selfish streak."

Stefan looked at Matt, Caroline, and his brother. There was no question that Elena did have that Petrova selfishness running through her veins. To choose his brother over him. To sleep with both brothers. Elena could deny that she meant to hurt either one of them all she wanted but the truth was that she did. Even days before her coma he caught her eyes lingering at him for longer than they should. Leave it to her to want him when she couldn't have him.

Damon finally broke the silence, "I don't care what we have to do we're getting Bonnie Back!" His face was determined daring any of the people at the table to disagree."

Matt finally spoke up, "I miss Bonnie too, but shouldn't we just let her rest in peace. It's what she wanted."

Damon slammed his fist on the table, "No it's not what she wanted. She thought it's what I wanted. She thought that I resented her for not being to be with Elena. That couldn't be the furthest thing from the truth. I resent her for showing me how good life could be beyond Elena. Against her better judgement she sacrificed herself for me. Twice!" he continued on, "Me the person responsible for taking every possible good thing she could have had on earth. I didn't deserve it but she offered me her friendship and tried giving me happiness despite what it might cost her."

"I have to get her back, if only to tell her that if I had to make the same decision, I'd choose her again and again because it's what she deserves. She's the one who deserves to be happy." He finally let out a shaky breath as his brother stood up and walked him outside before he could make a bigger scene.

"You're in love with Bonnie" Stefan stated, it wasn't a question. It was the first time he'd seen that look in his brother's eyes. It was pure love, not love that was tainted by competition or obsession. It was the love that was formed from the bond of friendship. It was what he felt for Caroline.

"We'll get her back, Damon" Stefan promised, he knew his brother all too well and may God have mercy on anyone who was in the wake of a heartbroken Damon Salvatore.