Setting: Sometime after episode "I Alone", they manage to rescue Bonnie. She helps everyone and they defeat Kai. The Gemini coven abolishes the merging ritual. It's been months since then, Elena still does not have more memories and after Damon "let her go" and focused on helping Bonnie, she decided to try again with Liam and the normal life route. Damon and Bonnie get closer because of their new found friendship and Jeremy, while reasonably upset, targeted all his frustrations on Bonnie. He also was not very happy with their close bond. They were both lonely after a few months and got together. I guess because of the holidays, I accidentally gave it an end of the year vibe. However, I couldn't conceive them getting romantic in such a short time so in this story, it's a year later, they are now in Junior year and the fall semester is ending.

No copyright infringement intended, of course. Have a good read.

Bonnie was just getting back from a weekend with her mother. Emotionally and physically exhausted, all she wanted to do was take a hot shower in Damon's amazing bathroom with the best pressure ever. After coming back from the "1994" and dealing with Kai and the Gemini Coven family drama, she thought long and hard about her own family and seeing as all she had left now was her ever elusive cousin Lucy and her mother, she decided to extend the olive branch. The weekend did not solve all their issues but at least they had started to air out the laundry and make steps towards a more open relationship where calling her mother wasn't tied down to supernatural drama of the week. Sighing she went under the heavenly shower spray and took he time washing her hair and her body, finally relaxing. After her shower she headed to the walk-in closet where she had a few clothes there for when she spent the night there. As she was putting on her dress she heard the front door with a muffled voice. She stepped out of the bedroom to ask Damon to help her with the stuck zipper on the back of the dress.

"Hey Damon, can you help me with my dress, I hate when this… " She stopped when she saw Damon and Elena looking really tense and standing very close together. "Oh, hey Elena! What's up?"

"Hi Bonnie, I didn't know you were already back from your trip." She replied nervously.

She paused looking at Damon and said "I have to go do some studying for the finals so I'll catch up with you on what happened with your mom later ok?" She turned around and left the room like she had hell hounds after her.

"Ok, I'll see you later" Bonnie said as her best friend left. Weird. "Damon what's wrong with Elena? You guys look upset." She frowned.

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry. Something happened between Elena and I while you were gone and…" She didn't even let him finish. She already had expected that to happen.

"Oh...Well, I hope you two are happy together." Bonnie said without a trace of bitterness or irony. She was too tired and prepared for that.

"Bonnie, I swear it's not…" He said pleadingly, eyes begging her to see it his way.

"What? It's not what it looks like? You didn't mean it? It was an accident? What could you possibly say to me that would make me feel better about this?"

She was prepared for him to just break up with her, she hadn't anticipated his attempt at explaining his actions. That took her by surprise and honestly it was a little silly for him to try and downplay what happened. She just wished he had waited for things to be over between them first.

"I didn't want to hurt you. It didn't mean anything, it was just a stupid spur of the moment thing!" He said suppliantly hoping to earn forgiveness that he didn't know was already bestowed.

"No, I'm really sorry Damon" She apologised sincerely. "I don't want to make this harder than it has to be. I'm not going to cry or scream or make you feel guilty. I'm just hope that somehow our relationship was enough for you to still care about me." Sighing, she continued, "I just wished you had enough respect for me to at least break things off before you did this. I would've understood, you know? It's not like everyone hadn't already warned me, you included, that getting too deep in with you would spell disaster." She explained trying to joke about it.

That stung him more than a screaming match, her slapping him or using the aneurysms on him ever would. She didn't even seem upset or scorned. She was trying to make light of their relationship ending! Why was he the one that seemed more broken up about it than she was. She looked like this was expected and she held nothing against either of them. Apparently, she understood why he did this when even he didn't and she accepted it like it was no big deal. Did she even care about him? About them? He didn't understand, "Why are you so calm about this? Why aren't you upset!?" he started to raise his voice.

"Damon, come on. None of this is exactly a surprise. It was pretty much written on the wall from the beginning. It's been weeks since we really touched each other for more than a platonic peck on the lips, you spent all your time with her since her break up with Liam. I just started to prepare myself early because I could see where it was all heading."She spoke softly and reassuringly, trying to soothe his agitation. Frankly, she didn't understand what he wanted her to do? Did he want her to be angry and resent them? Shouldn't he be ecstatic that she wasn't whamming him against the wall in anger?

"You don't have to feel guilty, I knew what I was getting into…We had a good run and your were good to me. I hope the progress we made won't be for nothing."

"What, are you saying it's all good? Water under the bridge we can just go back to being members of the Scooby gang?" He exclaimed, unhinged.

Why did she care so little? Had she already moved on and decided she was no longer invested and waited for him to make the one mistake he had been trying to convince her he wouldn't make since they got more serious?

"So everything is ok now? We can just be friends!? No feelings getting in the way or anything? Did you even love me? Why do you not care that it's over between us and that I betrayed you in such a horrible way. She's your best friend! I don't even understand why we did this. Why were you so sure that it would happen?"

"Damon, there's no need to get upset. As for whether I loved you, of course I did. I still do, you're one of my dearest friends and an important part of my life. I would be dead ten times over if it weren't for you and you brought me back to life twice now. Of course I care about you and always will. I just knew it was a matter of time before Elena fell for you again regardless of her memories being gone."

"I don't want to be your friend!" He spat.

He hated the way she was so matter of fact about the whole thing. She loved him as a friend? So what? this was just a temporary thing until Elena deigned to have him back in her oh-so-holy good graces? She never believed they would work. Somehow that was even worse than her not loving him. It meant she never believed him when he confessed the darkest part of his soul to her! She never believed any of his promises of his love and fidelity. He felt condescended to, like he had been played like a fool.

"Oh well, I suppose I should thank the great Bonnie for holding my hand until my other guardian came back" He snapped sarcastically.

"Um… Seriously? I don't understand why you're so mad. I'm the one who got cheated on and dumped remember? Why are you so pissed off? I am just trying to keep the peace here! I told Caroline not to attack you or Elena, I just want us all to be friends. I saw a different side of you when we were gone and you came back. Why are you trying to make this difficult?" Again, her tone showed her confusion, and dismay, at his agitation.

She was basically freeing him from any blame or retribution on their friends' part and trying to keep the good relationship they developed in the last few months. Believe it or not, her favourite aspects of being with Damon all had to do with the time they spent talking, hanging out, playing games, etc. She really thought that they could at least stay friends. She was disappointed he didn't seem to even want her friendship anymore.

"Do you not even want to be friends and hang out anymore?" She asked blinking her teary eyes, somehow that was worse than him being in love with her best friend. "I really though we had gotten close and you valued me as someone you care about now."

Her reactions were so infuriating! He didn't want to be her friend, he didn't want to share her with the others and be one of the other idiots who thought they could ask the world of her based on her friendship with them and never actually do anything for her. Her eyes became moist as she tried to ask why he didn't want to be her friend. He was baffled that she thought that all they needed to do was remove the sex and make outs and they could just go back to normal like there was never anything deeper between them. This was maddening! He knew he had no right to be angry at her because they were over as a result of his transgression and he was in the wrong. He just couldn't bear the way she talked about them as if being a short-term, low stakes couple was a foregone conclusion.

" I am angry because you apparently never really gave a shit about our relationship and are completely okay with me getting together with Elena. Also I didn't dump you, I just wanted to confess what I had done because I felt so guilty betraying your trust in me. Seems like I didn't need to worry about it after all since you had none to speak of." His eyes looked black with fury. He appeared to being this close to snapping her neck. "How can you talk about us like, like…"

"Like what?" She interrupted him, her wet eyes turning angry, "Like we all know Elena is the love of your life and you are hers? Like I knew the minute she was emotionally available again you would go back to her in nanoseconds? Guess what. That's exactly what happened! Are you seriously angry at me for knowing what you would do and not holding a freaking grudge!? What is wrong with you? I get it now, I guess I was the only one who valued our friendship while we were gone but there's really no need to act like I'm a heartless bitch that was using you! If anything in this scenario I was the one being used as a substitute!"

She turned around, gathering her bag and jacket to cover her still open back. She was just in a hurry to leave because she was losing her patience with him right now. Stopping right before the door as she left her copy of the keys, she asked "And what the hell is it with that whole 'I didn't dump you' thing? Are you telling me that you were going to keep dating me while in love with Elena? The path was pretty clear after what happened between you guys!"

He opened his mouth, probably to throw another stupid objection and she cut him off, "Whatever, Damon. I really thought you had changed for the better and I was rooting for you to be happy. For once, I wanted you to see that all you needed to do to get the girl is be yourself and not try to compete with anyone. You won her over without her considering Stefan so there was no rivalry with your brother. Are you just mad because I am not heartbroken? Do you care so little about me that you wish for me to lament and hold on to you like this even after you get with her?"

"Bonnie, you don't understand. I-"

"No Damon, that's it with this conversation. I wanted to be friends and you don't even care enough to give me that. Just leave me alone. I'm sorry it had to end this way. I'm sorry you made it so. Matt will be by to get my stuff if you don't mind, then I won't have to see your face to come back and get it" She walked out slamming the door shut. Leaving him behind to stew in his anger and resentment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two Weeks Later

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finals were finally over. Bonnie hadn't seen hide nor tail of either Damon -no surprise there- or Elena, which that did surprise her but she guessed Lena was embarrassed and felt bad for the whole thing and they probably were also making up for lost time. She was still upset at Damon for not even having the decency to take her forgiveness and trampling all over their friendship in the process. Honestly, she really didn't understand why that man refused to have it easy. How many guys had their girlfriend forgive them for cheating with their best friend and wished them luck in their new relationship? It was almost like his ego had been hurt because she wasn't on her knees begging him to stay with her. Just thinking about it made her huff in irritation over her breakfast.

"What's up Bonnie? Did those eggs mortally offend you or something?"

She looked up to see Stefan and Caroline arm in arm looking happy but concerned for her. The sight made her smile. She was really happy those two finally saw sense and got together. They looked so much happier. Stefan always looked at Caroline like he couldn't believe she gave him the honour of her affections and Care always seemed content and secure, never doubting his devotion.

"Hey guys, want to join me?"

"Sure!" Caroline replied merrily. "It's been so busy with exams and now the holidays are upon us. Ugh, I feel like we haven't talked in forever!"

Bonnie smiled and answered "Care, we saw each other on Saturday. It's only been five days." Caroline pouted

"Maybe but you were doing reviews and I was planning for the festivities so we didn't have any girl talk time. Also, with most of my usual party equipment in Mystic Falls, it's been so difficult to coordinate with Mom." She added, dejectedly, " I just wish we could do something about that stupid barrier."

"I know sweetie. I'm sorry I have been so busy, I will definitely find a way to rectify that." Bonnie tried, to reassure and cheer up her bubbly friend.

"No!" Exclaimed both her friends, to her shock and surprise.

"I mean, we don't want you to exert yourself or do something dangerous that could kill you. There's no more Other Side to come back from after all." Said Stefan. "

Yeah, Bonnie. We don't want to lose you again because we decided to dump all the problem solving on your shoulders. There is too much at risk" Caroline added fervently. Bonnie was moved by her friends' looking out for her. Since she came back from Kai-land, her friends had all apologised for always taking her and her powers for granted and expecting her to save everyone without making sure that it wasn't at the cost of her safety. She knew they all felt incredibly guilty and really she didn't know why since she would always be willing to do anything for her dear friends.

"Aw, you guys are sweet. Don't worry, it's all research for now. I promise I will be careful. Besides you guys' couldn't have known that the Other Side crumbling automatically meant me going with it or that people passing through me weakened and hurt me. I should have told everyone from the beginning. I understand why Jeremy is so mad at me still." She saw their guilty expressions and tried to steer the conversation away from the topic.

"Anyways, Care how is the party planning going for both Christmas Eve and New Year's? Do you have your seating charts completed?" She teased her control freak friend. She did not notice Stefan still looking frowning deep in thought.

Stefan felt horrible every time the group's mistreatment of Bonnie was brought up. The shame at the way they all behaved as if this young fragile girl was their weapon shocked him and choked him with remorse. The saddest part was, the only reason any of them finally pulled their head out of their asses was thanks to Damon who had been royally pissed after all the attempts to rescue her from the other side had failed partly due to the fact that he had seemed to be the only one taking rescuing Bonnie as a priority.

Flashback

It was right after the last attempt through Liv had failed. They had all met in the girls' dorm room to think about what to do about Kai, the coven and Bonnie. After listening for a while to everyone's arguments, questions and proposals, it seemed Damon had had enough.

"Everyone shut up right now!" He shouted, glaring at every occupant in the room. He started with Jeremy.

"You! You will keep your Debbie downer, woe is me crap on mute. I don't care that your fucking feelings were hurt because she didn't tell you she was about to die until the last minute. I don't care that you don't want to get your hopes up and be disappointed. How do you think Bonnie feels, huh!? You think this is about you? It's not! If you don't want to help you're welcome to go hole up in Mystic Falls were nothing can hurt but don't sit here acting like you're getting the brunt of the pain here. Let's be honest, that's always Bonnie."

He sneered while Jeremy blushed angrily, unable to formulate an adequate response. He turned to Alaric.

"And you, I am freaking sorry I compelled you. Normally I would consider this to be one of the rare occasions where I apologise sincerely but you need to pull your head out of your ass. You basically told me that the life of a teenage girl, who has saved all of our asses at every opportunity, almost died -once by your hand, by the way- and did die for us, is less important than the risk of danger to your two-weeks girlfriend!? Are you seriously telling me that I was wrong to dismiss your right to agency when you were willing to leave Bonnie alone with a psychopath who killed two of his siblings in cold blood when your girlfriend has everyone here to protect her? For fuck's sake, the only reason why you're even here is because Bonnie let you through as the anchor!" Again, the addressee didn't have much to say in their defence.

"What about you Tyler? Forcing Liv to lift the spell before she could get to us when you found out Kai was out -which he did all by himself to boot, meaning leaving Bonnie alone there was for nothing-, did it help? She at least had magic she can use at a distance which makes Kai redundant. What does Bonnie have? You seriously put someone you met like yesterday before one of your childhood friends who defied her whole line of ancestors to make sure Klaus didn't die and kill you in the process?"

Tyler defended himself "Damon, you don't know what Live has done for me. She save me from being a werewolf again!" Damon thundered "I don't care! Bonnie saved your life when you didn't so much as say a hello to her. Liv has her magic while she is defenceless!"

"And you!?" He looked at Elena and Caroline. "Her so-called sisters. First you never realised she was gone during the entire summer thanks to dumber Gilbert. I never was her friend, what was your excuse for believing the bullshit about staying with her mom and missing her father's funeral? Did you even know that being an anchor was actually painful for her and had physical effects on her body? Did you even bother to check with her that having all these people going through was not dangerous?"

Caroline tried to argue, "She never told her any of this. We would have never asked her to do it if we knew the consequences. Don't you dare judge us here like you're better. She hated you!" Damon smirked.

"As I said, what's your excuse? She didn't tell you? Did you ever ask? Did any of you ever wonder how she felt with all the magic she had to do during those years? You knew she had just died silently to not rain on your parade, what more did you need as an indication that if she was ever in trouble you should be the ones to ask? It was easy never asking because then the burden of the sacrifice and the secret was solely on her" Caroline looked close to tears as she considered what he had just said. She looks Stefan as if to ask to make his brother back off. Damon saw the look.

"Oh Brother you know better than to even try with me. We both know we are guilty of seeing her, at best, as 'Elena's friend' and, at worst, her shield and a weapon to fire at her enemies. Every time she was hurt, our priority was to make sure Elena forgave us for hurting her friend. She was collateral to sacrifice at Elena's altar." Elena couldn't take anymore, she jumped to her feet and said angrily "I would never want Bonnie to be sacrificed for me. She is my sister, her life is just as important as mine."

"Please Elena, you really don't want to argue with me on this. You have the privilege of having your brain washed but you caused her pain by blowing yourself up with me and passing through her. You were always the reason why someone on her family had to die, you may have been angry at us but you started to take it as status quo. I am sure your memories are great right now but you stopped giving a shit about Bonnie right after you became a vampire. You almost killed her with your switch off and yet Matt being hurt is what woke you up. Not almost killing your supposed sister. Even with your memories re-wired you somehow think that the only way anyone care about Bonnie is through you. I was looking to free her way before you 'asked me'. Like I needed your favour as motivation to help her. When we were over there you wanted to languish about the past instead of staying on track and finding her and you had the balls to say Bonnie was means to your gratitude for me. Don't you dare act as if you're innocent!"

Everyone in the room was quiet, Damon's chest was heaving from his rants and the silence was heavy with meaning and guilt. Matt cleared his throat and did what he never thought was possible. He agreed and sided with Damon Salvatore.

"You're right Damon. We should all be focusing on saving the person to whom we all owe our lives many times over. I, for one, prioritise saving Bonnie over everything else." He turned to Liv, Luke and Jo and said "No offence, you guys but she's my friend. I have to help her."

After that, the witches in the room tried to find a way to neutralised Kai and Damon set about reaching Lucy to see how she can help since 1994 was created by a Bennet witch. Matt and Jeremy went to the Boardinghouse and then Bonnie and Grams' houses to see if there are any books or grimoires that could give them some info on the spell.

End Flashback

Stefan's attention rejoined the conversation as Bonnie was trying to convince Caroline to not ostracise Jeremy, Damon and Elena form the festivities. For his part, he wasn't sure he wanted to be asked his opinion, his brother always had his support but he had to admit Damon did dig his own grave pretty deep with his treatment of Bonnie after the break up. Too bad, after his sticking up for Bonnie and their closer friendship after she got back, Caroline had finally gotten over her Damon hatred but the fool had to re-ignite it by screwing up again. Although this time it was tinged with pity because everyone knew the person Damon was making the most miserable was himself. It also helped that Bonnie had remained in good spirits.

"Come on Caroline, you can't hold a grudge forever, you know? Besides isn't it a little strange that you're taking this worse than I am? You can't push them out of our group, we're a family. I want them there. Please?" She pleaded, trying to appeal to her friend.

After her return, Caroline had seemed to aspire make up for any affection deficit Bonnie suffered by acting very protective and being eager to do anything to make her happy. It was a good thing Bonnie was an altruistic person as her happiness was very much centred around her friends having fun.

"Ugh! Fine! I guess I can extend the list of guests." She mock sighed as if carrying out a Herculean task.

She then grumbled low enough for only Stefan's sensitive ears to pick up "I don't even know why you want these traitors and that whiny stupid man-child to ruin the mood. All they will do is indulge in self-pity and try to ruin the night for everyone else. Like their problems are not their own fault." He looked at her both surprised and amused at her overprotectiveness.

"Wait, why is Jeremy on your blacklist now?" He asked, looking between the two girls as Caroline scowled and Bonnie face burned a little in discomfort.

"That little shit tried to guilt Bonnie into dating him again. He dared to say that he forgave her for her actions and that he was ready to pick things up where they left them off."

"He didn't try to guilt me Caroline, he just wanted to know if there was still a chance!"

"He said you stole his sister's boyfriend and that now that Damon has recovered his senses and gone back to Elena, you should wake up too and apologise for cheating on him! How is that not trying to guilt you into dating him?"

"He only said that after I rejected him, it was spoken in anger. I won't hold it against him. He's had to deal with a lot these past few years."

"So have you!" Caroline snapped, "God, Bonnie. Will you stop being a martyr and everyone's cheerleader already? Of course that idiot takes you for granted, he does nothing to warrant your loyalty and yet you give it so freely to him. Be less of an easy target will you." Bonnie winced at the comment and looked down at her plate. Stefan put a hand on Carolin's wrist to suggest restraint as her face softened.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Bonnie. I don't want to bring you down but you have to understand that it's those tendencies that leave you in danger because you try to fix everyone but yourself. I love your big heart but you need to protect it as well."

"I am aware that it's a problem, you know?" She confessed in small almost childlike voice, "I just…I don't want to be responsible for fallouts between my friends. I'm just trying to keep the peace."

"Bonnie, I know it's in your nature and you've been the referee and peacekeeper since forever but the fallout here is Not. Your. Fault! They need to deal with the consequences of their actions otherwise what's the point? Jeremy had no right to act like such a jerk and Damon and Elena should have never gone behind your back. They should have just told you upfront what was happening. Although to be honest, who the hell knows what that exactly is. Elena avoids me like the plague and Damon is not exactly my friend."

"I am sure that they have already sorted out everything and the happy couple will be jovial during the holidays, you will see! Hopefully Damon will have pulled out the stick from his ass. Seriously, did you know he showed up at the dorm room saying that he wouldn't leave until he talked to me and then said that he wouldn't let Matt get my stuff and he keeps breaking into my room to leave his apartment keys in random drawers. I don't get why he's being so childish. I all but gave him my blessing to have a Happily Ever After with Elena and he keeps trying to make it difficult to go back to normal."

As she ranted she caught a look between the couple.

"What's that look for? I know, I know…Elena can not be exactly pleased. I tried to talk to her and ask her to get my stuff, you know when Damon is not home, but she told me she can't help me with that. I think she thinks I'm pissed and is waiting for an appropriate amount of time for them to be 'official' or something."

"Bonnie…?" Stefan asked hesitantly, "Have you actually talked to my brother since you guys broke up? I mean face to face?"

"No, and I refuse to be the one to cave in this instance! He made me out to be some kind of heartless bitch and even said he didn't want to be my friend! I mean really? Must we go back to antagonistic acquaintance? And why is so insistent I pick up…" She stopped talking seeing another look,

"What's this look for now?" she asked startling the two vampires.

"Oh, it's just that maybe you should talk to him?" Caroline pressed.

Bonnie looked at her disbelieving, and exclaimed "Didn't you just say I shouldn't dole out forgiveness like candy? Why would I talk to him when I can't identify any wrongdoing on my part?"

"I'm not saying you should forgive him but maybe talking will get him off your back." She suggested and relented with, "But either way, it's your choice. Just keep me updated so the seating chart is not a mess. Lucy and your mom are still coming right?"

"Yup!" Bonnie answered jovially, very happy with the change of subject.

"They both promised me grimoires with these really cool spells for gardening. You know I took that botanics class right? Orgo-chem is pretty cool too; knowing all these effects and combinations of molecules in nature is really cool. Have you seen the campus' greenhouses? They're awesome! "

She continued to babble happily about a bunch of things and then finished her meal. She had to go to Mystic falls to take care of her grams' greenhouse and yard which she usually did every Friday but with the end of exams she could go earlier. She waved them goodbye after hugging Caroline. They watched her drive away through the window.

"Your brother is an idiot."

"I know…Do you think she even has an inkling?"

"Pfft…Bonnies Bennet is innocence and naivety personified. The poor girl will need it sky-written, probably."

"How can she be that innocent after dating Damon for months, though? Actually, nevermind. I guess that's where the appeal comes from."

They both sighed wearily praying for all this drama to end soon. Poor, sweet, Bonnie Bennet would probably have to go through quite the turmoil before the end though. She really had no idea what was waiting for her.

Author's note

Hiya!

A oneshot turned 3-chapters I started eons ago. I am picking it back up. I hope to finish it by the end of month.
I will admit this was partly a rant fic because I was fucking tired of seeing Bonnie being miserable and left behind. The other half was just thinking about Bamon, how I would see them in the future and how they would deal with the Elena problem. I wondered if Bonnie would be able to ever take their relationship that seriously, in terms of longevity. And I could see Damon kind of stumbling and being unsure. Wasn't even sure they would stay together but the more I wrote, the less it made sense if they didn't so here we are.
Hope you enjoy.
( *^-^* )