Chapter 1

"Baby girl, I've made you some soup… you need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." She replies weakly, with her eyes closed shut and her back still turned away from her Grams.

"Bonnie, you haven't eaten a thing in days, this is not right, Enzo wouldn't want this…" Sheila pleads with her, as her concern for her only granddaughter rapidly increases. Since Bonnie received the news that Enzo's convoy had been ambushed, she had completely shut down, physically as well as emotionally. Intent to close herself away, Bonnie had retreated to the confines of her bedroom, their bedroom, and had not left it since. Sheila had called Rudy and informed him of the news; he was away on business in Japan and although he promised that he would catch the earliest flight back home, Sheila didn't dare hold her breath. Albeit a very accomplished businessman, when it came to being a father Rudy was absent at best. Sheila had practically raised Bonnie on her own, after Bonnie's mother walked out on them when she was only four years old, and up until Bonnie married Enzo last year, Sheila was the only real family Bonnie had, just as Bonnie was all she had too. It went without saying that Sheila loved her granddaughter fiercely and therefore seeing her so lost and void of feeling worried her greatly. But sadly, despite all her efforts she could not get through to her. So, Sheila called upon Bonnie's closest friends to help. In the face of Enzo's unknown fate, Bonnie was going to need all the support she could get right now; and the fact that Bonnie had not even shed a tear since she received the call, left her feeling very uneasy.

As soon as Sheila called and told them what happened, Caroline and Stephan immediately came over, as did Matt and Tyler. But unfortunately, much like Sheila, neither one of them could get through to Bonnie. Sheila had also left a message with Katherine, Damon's fiancé, who explained that he was away at a medical conference in Washington. Katherine had assured Sheila that she would let Damon know, but she had not heard anything back- not until last night, when Stephan confirmed that he had spoken to Damon himself, who at the time was totally unaware of the news, mainly because Katherine had failed to inform him. As soon as Damon hung up the phone, without further delay he checked out of his hotel, made his apologies to the medical board and jumped on the next available flight. Sheila knew that if anyone could get through to Bonnie, it would be him, and for her granddaughter's sake she was banking on it.

Feeling somewhat deflated and at a loss of what to do, Sheila lays a kiss on Bonnie's head, whispering that she'd be right back, before heading downstairs to talk with Caroline. After sending Stephan home to relieve her mother of the twins, Caroline had insisted in staying over for a second night running. To say that Sheila was internally grateful, would have be an understatement.

Hearing movement above her, Caroline leaves the kitchen to greet Sheila at the foot of the stairs. "How is she?" She asks worriedly.

"Not any better, still refusing to eat… although from the little morsel she did manage to eat yesterday, she could barely keep it down, so…" Sheila sighs, "I don't know how to help her right now, it's like my granddaughter disappeared the very minute she was told about Enzo's convoy… To be honest, I'm just praying for a miracle, the fact that they didn't find Enzo's body, there's still every hope that he's alive- although Bonnie won't hear it- she's convinced that he's dead- and worst of all she blames herself for it."

"But that's ridiculous!"

"You and I both know that, but try telling her otherwise, as far as she's concerned the last words she exchanged with him were in anger; and for that reason, she believes he left for deployment in the wrong frame of mind."

Caroline shakes her head in disagreement and frustration. "She's clearly in shock, she's not thinking straight… Seriously Sheila, this needs to stop. I'm going back up there to speak to her…" But before Caroline can even make it half way up the stairs, the doorbell rings; putting pause on her intent as she turns back around and follow Sheila to the door.

It was Damon. They were not expecting until tomorrow morning.

"Sheila, I got here as soon as I could… Where is she?"

"Oh, thank God you're here!" Sheila exclaims, hurrying him in, genuinely relieved to see him.

"Bonnie's upstairs". Caroline informs him, relieving him of his luggage and then his jacket.

Neither Sheila or Caroline need to say much else, he can tell from their expressions alone that Bonnie was in a bad shape. With that disturbing thought in mind as quick as a shot he flies upstairs, not really knowing what to expect, but instinctively aware that he will do whatever he can to help his best friend through this.

"He knocks on her door as a mere formality, before letting himself in. With the heavy curtains drawn, he is immediately greeted by darkness, and finds he must blink his eyes to readjust to the lack of light... It doesn't take him long to spot her on the other side of the room, curled up in foetal position, with a tray of untouched food beside her. His heart constricts.

"Bonnie". He immediately goes to her.

In somewhat of a daze, she barely recognises him at first, as he pulls her limp form into his strong embrace. "It's going to be okay…" He whispers to her repeatedly, rocking her gently against him. With her cheek pressed up close to his chest, she breathes him in, and between the distinctive smell of his cologne and his voice, she finally realises that it's him and finds herself clinging on.

"Damon?" She asks just to be certain.

"Yes it's me," he replies softly, tilting her head up ever so gently to meet her eyes with his own… "I'm here now", he reassures her. And it's that familiar understanding which seems to resonate in the depths of his crystalline pools that causes her bottom lip to tremble, as the wave of tears that she's managed to keep at bay thus far now suddenly overwhelms her. Finally, in the comfort and safety of her best friend's arms she gives in and allows herself to fall apart.

For a while he says nothing and just holds her, as she in turn cries her heart out... "It hurts... it hurts so much..." she sobs.

"I know Bon, I know... I'm worried about him too, Enzo is as good as a brother to me..."

"I'm so sorry..."

"Hey, stop that, you have nothing to be sorry about."

She disagrees... "It's my fault, we argued the night before he left, I didn't want him to go- I had this awful feeling that something bad was going to happen on this tour, but he wouldn't listen to me. Instead, he promised he'd be back- but oh no, I had to go and fill him with doubt instead, and now he's out there, all alone, missing, probably dead... and I..." she trails off, finding it hard to say out loud the thoughts that have plaguing her mind for the past two days.

"Listen to me Bonnie, you can't blame yourself for this- and more importantly we have to have faith that he's going to okay…"

She shakes her head… "You don't understand, I can't lose him, not now…" she exclaims hysterically , as she goes on to reveal her greatest fear. A fear that has gradually transpired over a series of events this week- and the knowledge of (unbeknown to anyone else), now tolls heavily upon her heart; leaving her emotionally paralysed from the moment she answered that dreaded phone… "Damon I'm pregnant, and I won't… I can't have this baby without him."