Hi all! To start I'd like to thank everyone whose taken an interest in this little series of stories here. To let you know, this is a part 2 to the first one-shot, because Sky Samuelle wanted to see the tactics Damon would use to get Bonnie to marry him and then my mind went crazy with ideas and I had to write them all down. So I hope everyone enjoys this, 'cause I had fun writing it. Also! Send prompts my way peeps. This series is for you guys after all.

P.S. I realized after writing this that there's no Caroline anywhere to be seen. So, I promise to try to write a Bonnie/Caroline interaction in the future, because I love her and I can't believe I neglected her like that!

Coming Around

"We should set a date."

She could feel him hovering just behind her shoulder as she stood at the kitchen island finishing off her plate of grapes. The gang, minus Caroline and Tyler, had gathered at Bonnie's tonight for a well deserved night in.

"A date for what?"

He leaned in close, humming the wedding march before giving her ass a gentle smack and making his way to stand on the opposite side of the island.

"I don't believe I said yes."

"Right, so that's why you called Elena and told her?"

She hadn't told him that she'd talked to Elena. Her eyes shot to the girl in question nestled snugly in her boyfriend's lap. She gave an apologetic smile with combination shrug in return. "Sorry, Bon. I kind of congratulated him when he opened the door."

Bonnie just shook her head in disappointment and refused to look at Damon's shit-eating grin splattered face.

"But in Bonnie's defence," Elena continued, eager to be the good best-friend again, "she did say she hadn't agreed to anything yet and that she was thinking..." She trailed off as Damon levelled a glare at her.

"Why don't you two comprise with a long engagement?"

Well if it wasn't Saint Stefan to the rescue, Damon thought with a roll of his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye studied Bonnie as she thought about it. He could pinpoint the exact moment Bonnie decided it was a good solution – the way her features softened out, her lips turned up the tiniest bit and she looked thoughtfully at something non-existent to the left – and he frowned in annoyance.

"That's a horrible idea." He blurted before anyone could praise it.

The others looked at him as if he had declared himself a vegetarian.

"How is that a bad idea?" Bonnie exclaimed.

It was a matter of principle. He could feel something crawling under his skin at the thought of Stefan being the one to convince Bonnie to marry him. He proposed; he should be the one to convince her. But he didn't want to sound petty so he said, "Stefan came up with it, ergo it's a horrible idea."

"What are you? Ten? Why would I marry you when you can't even act like an adult?"

"Trust me, Hun. I'm all adult – XXX." He leaned over the island towards her until their noses were almost touching and whispered silkily, "But you already knew that."

Her eyes locked on his and for a moment if felt like his heart was beating, then something in his head went pop. "OW!" He grabbed at his head as if that would help ease the momentary pain while Bonnie moved away from island and her plate of unfinished grapes to plop onto her couch in the living room.

"That was entirely uncalled for." He commented, swinging around to look at her over the half-wall. "You know, I think I'm being pretty mature here."

She refused to look at him so he continued.

"I mean, look at Stefan. He's been with Elena forever, but has he proposed?"

Elena visibly tensed in Stefan's arms as he glared at his brother. Damon made his leisurely way into the living room, sitting unceremoniously on Bonnie's legs. She growled, wiggling back and forth until she managed to get them out from under him and placed them roughly on his lap, making sure to kick him in the process. All the while Damon continued to speak, "What exactly are you waiting for old man? She won't be young forever."

"Not that it's any of your business Damon, but I asked Stefan to wait until after I was done College to turn me."

"And I respected her decision. We're in no rush." Stefan said, drawing circles on her back. Elena melted against his touch, leaning in briefly to give him a chaste peck on the lips.

"That's pathetic." Damon scoffed. "If you were serious about each other you wouldn't wait."

He turned to look at Bonnie pointedly before stating, "I think this is proof that I love you more than Stefan loves Elena. You should marry me."

The sharp look she was giving him was dimmed by the small smile she was trying to fight. "First of all, this isn't a competition, and secondly," she turned her attention to the golden couple giving them a warm smile, "I think it's sweet."

"You would." He grumbled under his breath.

"Drop it."

Over the next month and a half Damon implemented a plethora of different strategies to get Bonnie to agree to marry him.

One time, in an act of true desperation and, in Damon's opinion, shear evil genius, he had stopped in the middle of sex – after having spent the better part of half-an-hour torturously winding her up – and refused to continue until she agreed to marry him. Livid, Bonnie had simply gotten out of bed, went to the bathroom and took matters into her own hands. When she was done, her lips drawn and silent, she returned to bed and went to sleep, leaving an extremely frustrated Damon to attend to his own needs. She didn't speak to him again for two days.

Suffice to say, he would never be using that tactic again.

On another occasion, he had purchased the gaudiest engagement ring he could find knowing she would hate it and want him to take it back. He refused to do so unless she came with him. Little did Bonnie know she was walking into a trap.

As soon as they entered the store Damon made a big show of being the 'happy couple' excited to find the right engagement ring. Bonnie was forced to play along, glaring murder at him every time the attendant looked away. You see, Bonnie hated making a scene or drawing too much attention to herself – and Damon, knowing her weakness, exploited it in order to get her to pick out her own engagement ring.

Underhanded? Maybe...

Effective? Incredibly so.

When he noticed the attendant about to place the ring Bonnie had reluctantly picked out (a simple white gold band with two tiny diamonds on either side of a slightly larger one) into a little velvet box, he got an idea. "Actually," he called out loud enough to get everyone in the store's attention, including the attendant's who turned back to him, "could she just wear it from now? She's been bugging me about this for ages..."

He could feel the muscles in Bonnie's back tense where his hand was splayed.

"Of course," the attendant complied, walking over to them and giving the ring to Damon. Bonnie hesitated for a long while (but not long enough to draw attention) before placing her hand slowly on the counter and letting Damon slip the ring on her finger.

It was alarming what an affect such a small gesture could have on a person. Both Bonnie and Damon were taken aback by the power of seeing the tiny band resting snugly on her finger and for a moment they simply stood there, taking everything in.

Damon, being the first to recover, leaned in close, his lips brushing lightly against her ear as he whispered, "See? That wasn't so painful, was it?"

The look she sent him, covertly masked so that only he could interpret it, clearly told him that she would be showing him the true meaning of pain as soon as she got him alone.

Every morning over the past month and a half, Bonnie had been waking up to find notes in place of Damon. Whether she was in his bed or her own, it didn't matter. The notes had ranged in tone from amusing and sweet to borderline insulting, but all had been hand written and many of them, she was surprised to find, tended to lean to the poetic side. She kept them all in a box underneath a loose floorboard – and that's a secret she was going to take to the grave.

Bonnie rolled over, fighting hard to stay a sleep. She luxuriated in the feel of sheets against her skin and the way the mattress seemed to swallow her up while maintaining firmness. This was heaven. But try as she might, Bonnie couldn't shut her senses off long enough to drift back into the abyss and eventually the smell of bacon floated its way towards her, knocking what little hold on sleep she had out of her grasp and making her mouth water. Crawling her way across the King sized bed of amazingness, Bonnie started briefly at the contact of the cold floor against her bare feet before making her languid way downstairs.

As she entered the kitchen she was greeted with the image of Damon Salvatore, a towel draped across one shoulder, leaning over a hot stove working his culinary magic as he turned eggs into omelettes. Throwing a cheeky smile over his shoulder at her, he greeted, "Well good morning, Goddess Divine."

"Morning to you too, Sexy Back." She replied, enjoying the view of him dancing to music only he could hear as he continued to cook. "What are you doing?"

"Making us breakfast, like a good husband." She walked up behind him and he stopped what he was doing long enough to place a chaste kiss on her lips before turning off the stove and plating the omelettes. He placed it beside the bacon he had removed from the oven just before she got downstairs. "See? I even made your favourite... banana pancakes."

Frowning, she looked further down the counter until she saw the big stack of pancakes. "You made pancakes and omelettes? You expect me to eat all that?"

"Why do you think you won't be able to?" He asked, throwing his arms carelessly around her waist and dragging her closer to him.

"I guess we'll find out."

"Don't worry. I'll help... because I'm wonderful like that." He leaned in close, his breath fanning across her face, lips only inches apart when Bonnie suddenly lifted a piece of bacon to her mouth and took a large bit.

He reeled back and glared at her as she moaned in delight. "Mmm, delicious."

"You know, sometimes I think you only married me for my cooking."

"Guilty as charged."

He rolled his eyes, tapping her lightly on the behind and turning her to face the kitchen table. "Go sit down. Today, I'm serving you."

She complied, but tossed a suspicious look back at him on her way. "Why are you being so nice?"

"I can be nice." He countered, slightly offended, as he brought the food over and sat down beside her.

"Yes you can, but there's usually a catch. You didn't kill someone did you?"

"Recently? No," he scoffed, brushing the idea aside with a gesture. His eyes widen suddenly as he sprang from his seat, "Oh! That reminds me."

He moved over to the microwave and removed two mugs before walking back, "No breakfast is complete without a little vitamin AB positive, if you know what I mean?" Sitting back down he placed a mug in front of her before taking a sip of his own. "Ah... that hits the spot. Just the right temperature too."

She stared at the mug blankly for a moment struggling to understand what was happening. He eyed her expectantly, a teasing smile spreading across his face, "Well, aren't you going to drink yours? Or are you just going to stare at it some more?"

Slowly she reached for the mug. It was warm in her hands, but not hot. She brought it closer to her face and the aroma seemed to hit her full force. It was appealing in a way the food wasn't. The scent was full-bodied and slightly metallic, but there was something under that... something intoxicating, like... life.

She raised the mug until the rim finally met her lips and, closing her eyes, she titled it up just marginally – just enough to taste. As soon as it hit her tongue she groaned in appreciation. It tasted even better than it smelt: sharp and sweet, with a rounded aftertaste that left her wanting more. Ambrosia. Before she even registered it she was drinking large gulps. She could feel a tightness pulling around her eyes and the sweet tension of her fangs elongating as the warm blood continued to slide down her thro –

Bonnie shot up in bed, her breathing erratic as she frantically tried to find her bearings. The sun was streaming in through the cracked curtain on her window and falling in a thin strip across her bed. Concentrating on that thin strip of light she slowly managed to calm down. Frustrated with herself for overreacting to a dream, Bonnie tossed herself roughly back onto her mattress.

It had just felt so real. For a second there she was convinced she was actually a vampire. The blood... she could still taste it. Turning over and away from the window, her hand came in contact with a piece of paper. Sitting up she placed it in the stream of light to read:

Roses are red, violets are blue

If you weren't so stubborn, I'd be married to you

And suddenly it all made sense.

"How did you know?" Bonnie asked as Elena got up to put season 3 of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. into the DVD player so they could continue their marathon.

"Know what?"

"That you wanted to spend forever with Stefan."

Elena paused in her motion of switching the DVDs out to sit back on her hands and look over at Bonnie. Understanding where this was coming from, she answered earnestly.

"I can't imagine living without him."

"Yeah, but forever... that's, you know... forever."

"Yeah I know... but if Stefan feels for me even half of what I feel for him, then it wouldn't be right for me to leave him."

"What do you mean?"

Moving away from her spot on the floor, Elena came over to sit beside Bonnie, all the while trying to find the right words to express something she had realized a while ago but never voiced.

"I mean... let's say, we broke up because I didn't want to change and it be weird for him to still date me when I'm eighty. Well then, I would only spend the rest of my life missing him, while he might spend the rest of eternity missing me."

"So you're doing this for him?"

"Partly. And partly for me too, 'cause I'm selfish and I want forever with him. I don't want a limit on our time together. So really, it's for both of us."

Bonnie studied her hands in her lap, taking everything Elena had just said into consideration. There was a doubt – no, fear, lingering in the corners of her mind she couldn't seem to dispel. Hesitating slightly, she took a deep breath before saying, "You don't know that he'd stay mourning you forever... he could move on."

"I know. But if it were me... I wouldn't be able to. It will always be Stefan for me."

"You're getting desperate." Bonnie offered as a greeting as she marched into Damon's room unannounced. Looking up at her from where he leaned against his headboard, he closed the book he had been reading and smirked knowingly at her.

"What makes you say that?"

"Making it so that I dream about being married to you."

"You dreamt about being married to me?" He started, narrowing his eyes in contemplation. "You know, I'm pretty sure that's what people call a sign. I think it's telling you, you should marry me."

"Really? 'Cause I think it's telling me you're a manipulative bastard!"

"Bonnie! Why would you even –" his face suddenly dropped the mask of feigned indignation he had began with and he placed the closed book down beside him as he continued speaking with a sense of offhandedness, "Yeah, I don't have the energy to pretend. So... what gave it away? Was it the vampire thing? I thought that might be pushing it..."

"It was you making me breakfast."

"I've made you breakfast!"

"Omelettes and pancakes? You're not that dedicated a boyfriend."

"Aha! But I wasn't your boyfriend, I was your husband. If you married me, I'd step it up a notch." He smiled enticingly at her.

She shook her head, coming over to the bed and crawling her slow way towards him. Once she reached him she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Tempting."

She shifted then, to lie against him, using his chest to lean her back on and his shoulder as a pillow while he took the opportunity provided to snake an arm around her waist. They stayed like that for a while, not really doing anything other than soaking in the other's presence before Bonnie broke the silence. "Is that what it's really like for you? With the..."

"Yup." He hesitated a moment before asking, "Not as bad as you thought, huh?"

He took her silence as the closest thing he would get to a confirmation. "So... what are you doing this weekend?"

"I don't really have anything planned."

"You want to get married?"

She turned her head towards him and gave him the stink eye.

"I know you want to Bonnie. What are you so afraid of?"

She was about to offer up a smart mouthed remark before she stopped herself. Leaning further into him, she took a deep breath before deciding to answer honestly. "I don't know. I just... I feel like I'd be cheating. Everything must come to an end: that's the rule of nature."

"All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity." He quoted quietly.

"What's that from?"

"Hamlet... I think." She felt him shrug beneath her. "I can't remember anymore."

"Yeah, well that sums up how I feel."

"Well technically, you'd still be dying and passing into eternity. You'd just be experiencing it differently than most people."

Bonnie always found it a little strange when Damon made really good points. Even after dating him for years she sometimes forgot how amazingly intelligent and insightful he could be. She bit her lip gently, trying to figure out how to bring up the thing that had been really bothering her lately. Deciding there was no neat way to do it, she dived right in.

"And then, I've been thinking about my Grams –"

"She's dead. Get over it." The words had left his mouth before he'd even realized he had something to say on the matter, and immediately they both froze. "Bonnie." He began quietly, but she was up and out of his arms faster than even he could move.

Seeing her making for the door he shot in front of her. "Wait, no! That's not how I meant for that to come out."

Her vision was beginning to blur as a few stray tears traced their way down her cheeks, but she still managed to level him with a death glare. "Move. Or I'll do it for you." She threatened just above a whisper.

He hesitated for a second before stepping to the side and allowing her to pass. Though he had been sorely tempted to keep her where she was so she could hear him out, he had enough common sense to know that right now he would more likely receive a stake through the heart from her than a bent ear. He'd give her a few hours to cool down and then he'd corner her.

Several hours later he found her sitting in front of the lit fireplace in the living room. She sat on the couche staring into it blankly, looking deep in thought. Coming close enough that he knew she was aware of his presence, but staying far enough away that if she threw something pointy at him he could make a clean get away, he cleared his throat awkwardly before beginning.

"What I meant was... that you can't keep living up to these imagined expectations of what your Grams would have wanted. You have to start creating your own moral compass and stop using hers. You're two different people, Bonnie. You're allowed to make your own decisions based on what you believe."

When she didn't respond, he took a few cautious steps forward until he was standing in front of her. "I can't pretend to have known Shelia very well, but... I do know she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in and I can imagine she'd want you to be able to do the same thing... That's what I meant to say."

Bonnie continued to stare off into the fire silently. After a long while, Damon could feel something inside himself deflate, dragging his shoulders down with it, and he turned to make his slow way back to his bedroom when finally she spoke.

"I know – that's... you're right, but... I can't help wondering what she would say about all this."

He turned back to her, almost overwhelmed with the relief that he felt having her speak to him again, but he couldn't help lifting a curious eyebrow. "If it means that much to you, why don't you just ask her?"

"What?"

"I'm not so sure about this anymore." Bonnie said, grasping the picture tightly to her chest.

"It'll be fine, Bonnie." Damon comforted breezily from across the room. "I'll be right here the entire time. You have nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, but –"

"If you don't want to do it then –"

"No, I do." And she did.

"Then do it, Bonnie. You're the only thing holding yourself back at this point."

Gripping the frame's edges tighter, she nodded in acceptance of the encouragement, before stepping into the circle and placing the picture of her Grams in the centre. Then stepping back out she took a few calming breaths before beginning the incantation. She could feel the flames of the candles as they began to rise with her power. She waited for something in the air to change to signal the completion of the spell, but the room remained unnaturally still.

"Bonnie." Damon's voice called gently, breaking her concentration. Feeling disappointment tearing at her heart she opened her eyes to look at him, only to find her view of him clouded by something.

"Grams?"

Hi Baby Girl.

The tears sprung to her eyes unbidden and there was nothing Bonnie could do to contain them. "Grams... I've missed you."

I know Sweetie, but I've been right here. I'll always be with you – you know that. Shelia gave her a warm smile, no less comforting for being transparent.

"Grams, I... I have so much to tell you."

No need, Baby. I've got eyes. I know what's been going on.

"I didn't peg you for a voyeur, Shelia. Just how much have your eyes been seeing?" Damon interjected, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Damon." Bonnie reprimanded.

Enough to know that you came for my blessing, so I would watch what I said if I were you. She shot back over her shoulder at him.

That shut him up.

"So you know why we called you?"

Shelia remained silent, but her head dipped marginally in consent.

"Grams... I'm so sorry."

What for?

"For everything. I feel like I'm betraying you."

Oh no, Baby Girl. You've never done anything you should feel ashamed of. I'm proud of you. Of the young woman you've grown into.

"But it was my fault you –"

Now none of that! I was a grown woman. I knew exactly what I was doing and I'm tired of you carrying around this unnecessary guilt. We all make mistakes sweetie.

Bonnie tried to digest what her grandmother was saying to her and as she did she felt a heaviness lift from her heart. It was almost dizzying. She had become so accustomed to the weight she had forgotten she was carrying it, and now to have it gone... It was like she was floating.

Now... let's get to the matter at hand, shall we? You and Damon?

"Yes."

And you love him?

"...Yes."

And you want to know if I'm okay with you spending forever with him?

In her periphery she could see Damon's head snap round to focus on her but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eye and instead focused harder on her Grams. "Yes."

Well, I can't say I'm thrilled. She shot Damon a dark look. But like I said, I've got eyes. I know he makes you happy. I also know that he'll keep you grounded, the way you do for him. That's something not everyone has. And it doesn't hurt that he loves you more than you can imagine.

Bonnie snuck a peek at him to find him staring hard at some imaginary spot on the ceiling, pretending he wasn't in the room. She'd never seen him look so uncomfortable before. It was kind of endearing.

Baby, her Grams continued, drawing her attention back to her, I know that's not the real issue. You're afraid of change. You're afraid that if you take these leaps you'll lose yourself along the way. But I can promise you that no matter what your decision you will never stop being Bonnie Bennett.

"Well technically she'll be Bonnie Salvatore..." Damon couldn't help but point out. Both Bennetts glared at him so he decided to add as a sort of peace offering, "but she'll still be Bonnie, regardless."

Turning back to each other, Grams spoke serenely, Bonnie Bennett: the last of the Bennett line... My Grandbaby. It's time for me to go.

"Already?"

I've stayed long enough. Just know you have my blessing.

"Grams don't go yet, please." But she was already starting to fade, until all that remained of her was her smooth, mellow voice.

Keep the boy in line, Bonnie. For the good of the world – marry the man.

Damon felt his eyes widen at the shear genius of the notion. Why, in the last month and a half, had he never thought of appealing to her big humanitarian heart? Marry the vampire; save the world.

The sound of Bonnie sniffling yanked him back into reality and he moved to sit beside her on the hardwood floor. He placed a reassuring arm around her softly shaking shoulders and drew her closer until she was sitting snugly in his lap.

Resting her forehead against his chest she continued to cry until eventually she managed, "She's gone."

"Hey now, you heard Shelia. She's still around somewhere – watching us, being all old and pervy."

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

"Something like that."

"Well stop."

They fell into a silence then, where he simply held her and she cried, and when eventually her tears dried up and she could feel her eyes begin to droop in fatigue, she spoke softly, barely loud enough for him to hear, "I want to spend forever with you."

A soaring feeling filled his chest as he waited for her to fall completely asleep before moving her to her bed. He lay down beside her and watched as her breath moved through her in a slow, even rhythm - memorizing her features for the millionth time since he realized he loved her. And now he would get to spend the rest of eternity memorizing her every feature, because Bonnie was a woman of her word and she wanted forever... with him.

But he'd probably get her to say it again tomorrow while she was lucid. You know, for insurance reasons.