AN: Yes, lovelies. If you've ever read Resentment, this is just me deciding to actually finish it now that I have time and I am in the correct frame of mind. I have a great chunk of it finished and written but bear with me and I will update every Friday.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
'Marriage counseling?' He scoffed 'Really?'
Damon Salvatore was not the type of man, mortal or immortal, to discuss his feelings and he sure as hell didn't feel comfortable discussing his significant other with a stranger. For Christ's sake, it was Friday. He could think of a plethora of things he could doing; He should be at a bar drinking bourbon, or some other hard, brown liquor, with his brother and best friend while some red-headed waitress with a southern drawl flirted shamelessly, and pointlessly, but - here he was.
And honestly, who did she think he was? Saint Stefan?
He watched the petite woman apply a thin coat of dark, red lipstick, not even bothering to acknowledge his presence nor the rant that he'd been on for the past thirty minutes. It was infuriating, maddening, watching her small, delicate hands brush the stray pieces of hair from her shoulders and into a chignon at the base of her beautiful neck with such ease as if his words didn't even faze her.
Her coolness left him conflicted and he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder like the savage that he was and pick up where they left off no more than two hours before.
But that's what she did to him.
If he had to compare his wife to something, anything, it would be Kryptonite. She could make the strongest man in the world turn to putty in her hands. She was his biggest weakness and she made sure to exploit that fact in any way possible; this counseling session being an example.
He leaned against the door frame, legs crossed at the ankle, as he took another sip from the glass of bourbon he nursed as he watched her, 'How about we ditch the shrink and I can counsel you in the bedroom?'
'Damon, please' She sighed in exasperation, finally glancing up at his reflection in the mirror, 'Can you just play nice and do this for me?'
'Play nice? When have you ever known me to follow the rules?' His smirk turned mischievous as he sat the bourbon down on the counter nearest him 'I like to play dirty, baby. You know that.'
'But you agreed-'
'Actually,' He mumbled 'You tricked me.'
Her eyes widened before narrowing considerably 'I did not trick you. I simply asked and you agreed.'
'You simply asked? You asked me during a blowjob.'
Bonnie smirked at him in the mirror before shrugging her shoulders 'You still agreed.'
'You are a wicked witch' He whispered, chuckling lightly, 'You know how to get whatever you want out of me, don't you?'
She snorted before pointing the zipper on the back of her dress 'I wouldn't be your wife if I didn't have a couple of tricks up my sleeve" Her eyes reverted to his reflection in the mirror. Her husband was a sight to behold - chiseled by Michelangelo himself. His dark, denim jeans hung low on his waist and sunk lower with every step he took towards her from his position at the door. Her body tensed involuntarily as she felt his hand snake around her front and a gentle kiss being placed on the taut skin of her back 'Just one session. Be a good boy for tonight.'
'Mmmmm...' He hummed as he zipped the black, form-fitting dress up slowly before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body into his, 'I love you in this dress.'
With her, his hands had a mind of their own, and he caught himself pulling the pin that held her chignon out and watching as her hair fell in dark waves to the middle of her back, framing her face as if it was the Mona Lisa. Blue eyes met green in the mirror and even with aggravation etched in to her features, he silently thanked God that she was his.
'Do you know how long it took me to perfect that?' She squealed, grabbing at the loose pieces of hair that fell on her shoulders.
'If we're going to do this, we're going to do this my way, and I would much rather fantasize about my hands running through your hair than what some know-it-all shrink has to say about us.' He murmured in the voice that made her heart pack it's bags and take off in a sprint.
It was the voice of a man that once was her enemy but slowly became her anchor when she had no one else. He became a best friend to her when friendships were few and far between but most of all, he became her lover. Over the span of three years, he studied her; he took the time and learned the secret language to her soul.
She closed her eye, melting into his embrace as she felt warmth begin to pool in the pit of her stomach. Was it always going to be like this with them? She could only hope.
All it took was one touch and she was clay in his hands, ready to be molded however he saw fit. He thought that he was under her spell but he was wrong; the magic he welded over her was old. It was universal. It was natural. It was power that even the Bennett line couldn't touch. She was his, utterly and thoroughly.
She wanted to be upset at him for messing with her hair but a simple 'Hmmm...' was all that she could get out as he moved her tresses to one side, replacing their warmth with the warmth of his lips.
He smiled in the crook of her neck, 'Damn, I'm good.'
Laughter filled the bathroom as she turned around in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, 'No, you're a bad, bad man.'
'Clearly, I am' Damon stated, placing a kiss on the blood red lips of his wife, 'Why else would you be bringing some random woman into our home for "marriage counseling"?'
She hesitated for a moment before laying her head against his sturdy chest, 'I think it'll be good for us, Damon.'
How could she expect him to feel comfortable airing out all his dirty secrets to some head doctor with no knowledge of the supernatural world, and besides, what real reason did they have for counseling? They argued but hell, what couple, human, vampire, or witch, didn't?
The extra stuff didn't matter to him.
'Is it because of my snoring?' He questioned, jokingly.
She smacked him lightly on the chest before letting her hand rest there, 'No! But I do think that it will be nice to talk through some things. You believe that we can solve all of our problems with vampire sex and pancakes.'
'That's not completely true...' He feigned innocence 'You forgot bourbon.'
'Oh no!' She cried sarcastically in her best Southern accent, compliments of four months where Scarlett O'Hara was her best friend 'How could I forgot? There's always bourbon!'
Damon swatted her ass lightly as she turned her back to him 'I could do without your smart mouth right now, Mrs. Salvatore.'
'But isn't that one of the things you love about me?' She asked.
He smiled as he kissed her hair 'I really do and that's why I want you to tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?'
His eyes set on the skin peeking out from beneath the neckline of the dress she bore as he searched for any imperfections or warnings that would alert him of a problem. After all, that is what marriage counseling is for, right?
She turned around to face him as she read his thoughts, 'You, Damon Salvatore, are stuck with me. It's still just you and me, remember? Stop overthinking this.'
She watched as his eyes became a darker shade of blue and shivered under his glare. His hands made their way up to her neck as he leaned forward, nuzzling in to her neck and placing a light kiss to her artery, 'Just you and me?' He whispered breathlessly in to her ear.
'You and me, baby.' She smiled.
'Good, now stay out of my head.'
'Not until you promise to stop thinking the worse of this counseling session. Just one session.'
'Just one?' He pouted and earned an eye roll from her 'You pinky promise?'
She sighed, rolling her eyes at his childish antics, 'I pinky promise.
He took a deep breath, allowing her words of assurance to sink into his mind. It should've been enough to calm him but there was still something, a horrible feeling, nagging at him. It was one of her emotions and even though she blocked her mind from his prying, he could still feel her aura 'Do you— Never mind.'
'Spit it out, Salvatore.'
'Well' Damon exhaled, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, changing his question to mirror the ones from before, 'Do you honestly think that this is a good idea?'
'Damon' She sighed, 'Stop overthinking—'
'Do you regret marrying me?' He whispered, his voice barely audible. As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to crumble up and die. He couldn't bear the thought of her regretting their union when it was the best thing to ever happen to him.
For a moment, the world around them seemed to come to a complete stop as he waited for her answer. The air in the room changed, becoming charged with another one of her emotions but this time, it was something sweeter. Something that caressed him, soothing his insecurities. She turned to him quietly and then spoke 'I've never been so sure about anything in my life as I am about being married to you. You are the best part of me, Salvatore. Don't ever doubt that.'
He sighed in relief 'I must be the luckiest man in Mystic Falls.'
Their eyes connected as the doorbell chimed, ruining their moment 'She's here' she stated, reaching for Damon's hand 'Come on.'
Bennett-Salvatore
'Thank you so much for coming.'
Bonnie smiled brightly as she sat next to her husband but to be honest, it was all an act that she mastered long before the first time she sacrificed herself willingly for one of her friends. Her poker face was a force to be reckoned with because as she sat, plucking loose threads from the hem of the dress she bore, she was a nervous wreck. She glanced at the handsome man next to her and was immediately jealous.
Was he born with the confidence of a Greek god or was that something he learned as a vampire? That was a question for another time because as he sat next to her with those translucent blue eyes that were full of mystery and dancing with mischief but unaware of all the truths to come, he was calm. That's how she wanted him to stay.
How could he be so calm?
The counselor took a seat across from them as he took her hand in his own. The simple gesture drew her out of her thoughts and back into the reality that lay in front of them. Her weak smile turned to one of embarrassment as her focus went from the man beside her to the older woman across from them.
'Thank you so much for coming. I'm Bonnie and this is Damon Salvatore.'
The counselor was a small woman, probably in her early fifties with dark hair that was peppered with gray and cut into a stylish bob. She was well put together, carrying herself in a manner that reminded Bonnie so much of her own Grams, but it was only right. This woman was no ordinary "shrink" as Damon called her; she was a witch and a strong one at that. She practiced with her Grams, a fact that Bonnie left out when telling Damon about her.
'Of course, I know who you are child' She smiled, leaning across and taking Bonnie's hand before she turned to Damon, 'And nice to meet you, Damon.'
He stared at the extended limb for a moment before right side of his mouth turned up into a slight smile as he sat forward and took her hand in his, 'Bonnie didn't tell me that you were a witch' the older woman seemed surprised that he could tell, 'Being married to one makes it easier to recognize. Nice to meet you-'
'Dr. Janet Smith' The elder woman smiled as Damon sat back against the love seat, placing an arm around Bonnie's shoulders, 'And that's interesting. Vampires are usually oblivious to our magic. You two are bonded?'
The question caused Bonnie to blush. Sure, they were bonded in more ways than one. She shook her head in agreement, 'Yes, ma'am. We are.'
'So, the rumors are true?' Dr. Smith's voice trailed off but Bonnie knew what she was asking and grabbed Damon's hand tighter, as she repeated her actions from before, shaking her head in agreement, 'Well, now that I have a little background, Bonnie, let's start with you. What would you like to accomplish by the end of this session?'
Damon chuckled at the use of his last name sans Bennett while Bonnie blushed from embarrassment. This was an ongoing debate between the two. Of course, Bonnie wanted to keep her last name to continue the Bennett line but Damon was anything but willing to compromise, 'Please, call me Bonnie.'
'See, BonBon' Damon whispered, pulling Bonnie to him and kissing her forehead, 'Even she agrees. Bonnie Salvatore sounds better than Bonnie Bennett.'
Bonnie cuts her eyes in his direction before returning her attention to the elder woman, 'I am so sorry, Dr. Smith.'
'It's no problem, child. You, please, call me Janet. Now, besides your last name troubles, what brings you two to counseling?'
'I've been asking the same question since I agreed to it!' Damon scoffed, 'I doubt that you get a straight answer. She's a stubborn one.'
'I can believe it' Janet chuckled, 'Just like her grandmother.'
Bonnie sighed, 'I am not stubborn. It's just-'
She was afraid.
She looked at the man sitting next to her and she was afraid. She was afraid to lose him, afraid that things would change, afraid that he would hate her, afraid that she wouldn't enough for him.
'We've been married for a close to a year. Our anniversary is in less than two weeks, and there's just certain... things that I don't know how to talk to him about. I figured that a mediator would be best.' Bonnie smiled weakly.
The fear she felt, he could feel, and it made him nauseous. He glared at her even as she avoided his glance, 'What things, Bonnie?'
She laughed but it was empty. Standing up, all eyes followed her as she moved toward the fireplace, 'Where should I start?'
'The beginning, preferably.'
'Don't mind him, child' Dr. Smith stated simply, cutting her eyes at Damon, 'Start wherever you feel comfortable and hold nothing back. Now is the time to get it off your chest.'
None of this was comfortable. That was the problem. Bonnie took a deep breath as she stared at the picture on the fire place mantle. How ironic that it was of Elena and Damon during happier times. At a time where Bonnie had simply been the best friend while Elena was, and probably still is, the love of Damon's life. She never noticed the framed photo before but she knew exactly who placed it there, 'It started a little over three years ago.'
Bonnie could sense Damon becoming tense. The air grew so thick surrounding them that she found it hard to breathe but Dr. Smith was oblivious to strain on their connection, 'What happened?'
'Elena Gilbert happened' Damon whispered, confusion etched into his features as he followed Bonnie's focus to the picture that he forgot even existed.
She turned to him, emerald eyes filled with unshed tears. He moved to go to her but she held up her hand, effectively stopping him in his tracks, 'No, sit. I'm okay.'
'You're not! What's going on?' Damon questioned, 'I knew this wasn't a good idea.'
She offered him a weak smile before facing Dr. Smith, 'I'm sure that you've heard of the Gemini coven. Damon and I died a little over four years ago when the other side collapsed and we were sent to one of their alternate prisons where they held one of their own.'
Janet's eyes enlarged, 'Malachai?'
'Unfortunately,' Bonnie felt her blood boiling just at the mention of his name. If anyone could be blamed for the situation she was in, it was him, 'We were able to escape but so was he. He murdered the entire coven before linking my life to Elena's. It was a game to him. It pit me and Damon against each other.'
'Your life or hers?' Janet questioned, as Bonnie shook her head, 'I'm guessing that this Elena person was someone important to Damon.'
'She was my best friend' Bonnie smiled nostalgically, recalling the friendship she had with the doe-eyed brunette, 'She was also the love of Damon's life.'
'Oh?'
'Their love was-' She sighed.
'Bonnie, what is this?' He finally stood up, reaching for her hand.
She moved out of his reach, holding her hands up as a warning for him not to come any closer, 'Let me finish, please. A love like that doesn't go away within a year, hell, not even within three years of being with someone. You carry a love like that with you for the rest of your life.'
'You're being over-dramatic.'
'I could never understand why he chose to save me just to resent me for it.' Her voice cracked as she wiped at the tears threatening to spill.
Dr. Smith looked up at Bonnie from the note pad that lay on her lap, 'Do you think that he still holds on to some of that resentment?'
'I feel like I am competing with a ghost every day that I am with him.'
'How could you feel like that? Are you losing your mind?'
'Hear me out.' Bonnie pleaded.
'Do go on and tell me how I feel, Bonnie Bennett' The use of her maiden name carried so much venom that it stung. He shot up from the sofa and to the bottle of bourbon that he stored on the shelf near the fire place. He grabbed a glass and began to pour as his eyes drifted up to the picture that Bonnie was staring at earlier, 'But know this, you're wrong.'
'Am I, Damon?'
'You are!' He bellowed, 'Do you think that I married you for shits and giggles? You are the love of my life.'
'Only because you think that she is no longer an option.' Bonnie mumbled.
Damon whirled around to face her, eyes ablaze, 'She is no longer an option. You are the only option.'
Bonnie shrugged, 'But if the opportunity arose-'
'I chose you!' He crossed the room to where she stood, towering over her, 'I chose you! Why don't you fucking get it? You are my wife, Bonnie.'
'I can't' She paused, looking up in to the eyes of the man that she wasn't supposed to fall in love with, 'I have gone over this more than a million times in my mind. There's been nights when I felt like I was suffocating due to this feeling.'
'Where is this coming from?' Damon paced the floor like a caged animal preparing to strike, 'We were fine not even twenty minutes ago. Have I not shown you that I love you? That I'm devoted to you? That I would die for you? What do you want from me, baby?' He pleaded, sick of the discussion.
'Earlier, you asked me did I regret marrying you' She stared down at the floor, unable to meet his eyes, 'And I meant what I said. I love you and I've never been so sure of anything in my life, but I don't want to feel like you're going to regret this once the honeymoon phase wears off. If she is still an option for you, then I can leave.'
'Stop while you're ahead' Damon bit out, battling the beast that was his temper. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could she doubt his feelings for her? How could she believe that walking out of his life would bring him happiness? He clenched and unclenched his fists, the action mirroring that of his jaw. He had dealt with a plethora of people in his lifetime failing to believe in him but he wouldn't take this from his wife.
'How about we all take a breather' Dr. Smith cleared her throat, breaking the silence that had grown between the two, 'Damon, please sit down.'
For a moment, not one of them moved as Damon stared down at Bonnie, waiting for her to look up, and when she did, she wanted to disappear but she couldn't look away. She could see the betrayal, the hurt, in his eyes and it made her sick.
Damon took one last look at her before turning around and running his hands through his raven hair in frustration, 'I'm too wired to sit down. Whatever else she has to say, she can say it with me standing.'
'Okay' Dr. Smith shook her head in agreement, 'Earlier, Bonnie, you said that Damon resented you after saving your life at the expense of Elena's. How did the dynamic change?'
A ghost of a smile pulled at Bonnie's lips, 'We accidentally fell in love.'
