Chapter 2

The dream caused bonnie to lie awake, long after it had taken place, staring at the plain white ceiling, processing. She wondered what the dream meant. Is he truly alive or in some other form? More importantly, is he safe? Where is he? The dream hadn't provided bonnie with a whole lot of information. It had provided a small amount of comfort though. It was a comfort to hear him call her redbird again, to feel his cold skin against her warm skin, to hear his voice, that reminded bonnie that he and Stefan were noblemen in 1500's Italy with its superior and arrogant tones. It was the most beautiful sound bonnie had heard in a while

Bonnie felt that the girl she was in the dream, innocent and light, wasn't really who she was anymore. Well, maybe she was still a little innocent, but she didn't have the same bubbly, light personality. That had left with Damon from her life. This bonnie was a little darker, and little less dependant. She tried to look after herself as much as possible, after all look what happened last time someone took care of her. When she thought about it, it was funny to bonnie how Damon's presence brought out that side of her. She wondered if Damon would love who love who she was now, the new bonnie. would he mind the changes in her personality? She knew she would love Damon whoever he came back as.

Bonnie turned over with groan as she gave up trying to come up with an answer. She was far too tired and it was far too early for her to try answering a question only Damon really could answer. Her room was in pitch darkness, only slightly relieved by the light filtering through the white curtains that matched the bedspread. When bonnie again turned to check the alarm clock on her bedside table, six am flashed up at her, bright and red.

Bonnie threw herself dramatically back on her fluffy pillows and sighed. Two more hours and Meredith would be here to go to school with bonnie, three more hours and she would be in her first class, trying to focus, even though it didn't really matter. She would be doing it all again anyways…six more hours she would meet the rest of the group, matt, Elena and Stefan for lunch, which was the bright spot in Bonnie's day. She could talk about anything with them and not feel judged. They could talk about the experiences they shared, ones no one else would understood. Then finally after another two

Hours of lectures, she would return home. She now called home a small apartment near Dalcrest College. She lived by herself, but Meredith only lived down the street in a townhouse she shared with Alaric. Bonnie didn't mind living by herself, it made her feel more independent and grown up, less like a little girl. Meredith was constantly checking in though, making sure bonnie had enough food or that her bills were being paid on time. They always were enough food and she was always on time with her bills. Bonnie never gave Meredith any reason to be concerned, but bonnie could tell that her friend still was worried, for some reason.

Bonnie jumped out of bed then giving up on sleep and headed towards her wardrobe. Slipping on a pair of grey skinny jeans and pulling on a red tank top, bonnie wondered if she would dream of Damon again tonight. She surprised herself by really hoping she would. Bonnie got her wish, after a day of school and meeting friends, that night she did dream of Damon again.

This time she found herself standing alone on a beach at night time, the only light coming from the silvery-white moon that hung large and bright against the inky-black night sky. Bonnie felt her bare feet sink into the soft, usually golden sand, now paled by the silvery moonlight as she turned around to search for him. She instinctively knew he was here somewhere, she just had to wait. She didn't have to wait long though. Turning around frantically for a second time, she felt herself bump into something cold and hard as marble. She was caught in this thing's arms as she fell back from the impact and was suddenly staring up at a pair of beautiful black eyes that bonnie thought resembled something of the night sky above them, set in a smiling, perfectly chiselled face.

"Hello redbird" bonnie had known he would be there.

Returning herself to a standing position in his arms, bonnie threw both arms around his neck and held as tight as her small frame allowed "I knew I would see you again" bonnie mumbled into his neck. He smelt comforting and strangely like home, as clichéd as that sounded.

Damon leaned away slightly from her and looked on her with an amused smile "you knew, did you?"

"Well maybe I didn't know, more I had a feeling" bonnie answered sheepishly.

Damon chuckled and pulled her in closer so his chin was resting on top of her bouncy, strawberry –red curls "well you're feeling was right, I am back again"

"For how long though" her voice was tense and anxious.

"Not long enough" Damon answered. To bonnie ears he sounded almost wistful and sad

"Where are you Damon?" bonnie asked, her voice was stern trying to inject as much of the real Bonnie's personality into the dream as possible. She felt herself slipping back into her old self, the moment she was caught in her strong arms

If Damon was shocked by Bonnie's sudden change in attitude, he didn't show it for he answered calmly "I'm where you left me, in the dimension of the kitsune treasure with the star ball. I'm making my way out, but it's not easy, you know how difficult it was to get there…" he looked away then for a moment then before focusing his eyes back on Bonnie's face with a fierce intensity "I need time redbird, just give me time"

"of course, take all the time you need" bonnie could herself faltering under his gaze as she tried to search for any signs of this hardship he mentioned, but she find none. Obviously in this dream world they created injury and pain didn't show through.

"I'm fine, kitten, there is no need to worry" Damon said when he noticed Bonnie's wide brown eyes study his face worriedly

"That's good." bonnie sounded comforted" we all miss you, you know. I even think Meredith does a little bit" Bonnie finished with a small smile

"Ah yes scary Meredith, how is she?" Damon laughed

"She's engaged, going to be married in six months"

"Oh, that gives me plenty of time to get back" Damon said slipping out of Bonnie's grasp to pull her down the beach by the hand

"You'll be back by then?" Bonnie asked a wide smile on her face. It was nice to hear a definite timeline for his return.

"I will try. The wedding would make for a good entrance wouldn't it? Imagine this; just as the priest says whoever has reason why these two should not be lawfully wed, speak now or forever hold your piece, I throw the doors open and storm in"

Bonnie couldn't hold back a laugh "Meredith would kill you!"

"I know" he laughed. Bonnie could have sworn she saw a small amount of fear on his face, but she could have just imagined it. Damon couldn't really be afraid of Meredith, could he? The thought made bonnie smile a little

"Bonnie…how is my brother?" Damon looked uncomfortable, but also concerned

"He's ok, I think, Still misses you of course. You know, I really think he loved you, even if you two didn't have the best relationship."

"I think you're right. He is my little brother, the only person I want causing him trouble is me. I have tried to protect him, in my way. Katherine started out that way, protecting him, you know. I wanted to find out what kind of girl she was, who my brother was so fascinated by. I didn't plan on what happened after…I didn't set out to hurt him then, as bad as our relationship was"

"Of course you didn't! Besides you have forever to make it up to each other, right?" Bonnie comforted. She didn't like seeing the pain in his midnight eyes when he thought about the past.

Damon smiled as she said this and responded by pulling her in to a kiss that was both sweet and slow, yet it was still far too soon to Bonnie when he pulled away and rested his forehead against Bonnie's. "You always see the best in me don't you? Even when I'm only showing the bad" Damon grinned in wonderment

"Always will to" bonnie answered sincerely

Damon's grin grew wider and he kissed her again, this time on the forehead "there's something I want to show you before I have to go" when he said this, bonnie noticed for first time where they were heading to. In the direction they were walking, bonnie could see a rugged cliff, topped off with grass that looked lush and green even in the darkness. Further down this cliff bonnie saw an opening. The short distance of this opening from the sea told bonnie that the cave it seemed to lead into filled with water when the tide came in. Pointing in that direction bonnie asked "are we going in there?"

"Yes," Damon answered as they suddenly came to a stop in front of in it "trust me, you'll love what is inside" with that Damon pulled her into the cave behind him. The path they followed was slippery and wet from the sea water that flowed in from time to time, but Damon stopped bonnie from slipping by keeping a firm grip on her hand. They hadn't walked very far before Damon stopped and said "we're here"

When bonnie stepped out from behind Damon, she was amazed by the sight before her. In front of her was a large rock pool filled with clear water. The light from the silvery moon shone down on this rock pool from a crack in the rocks surface up above. This made the water of the rock pool seemed silvery yet clear at same time. It was breathtaking.

"Damon, where are we?" Bonnie wondered why she hadn't asked this question before. In any case she wanted to come here again.

"Were not really anywhere, really. This is a dream world formed by our memories or wishes. For example, I remember playing in a rock pool like this when I was growing up"

"Oh. What about the waterfall?"

"That was me too, I'm afraid, did you like it?"

"Of course I did! It was beautiful. This is too…" bonnie broke off by heading closer to the rock pool. She had an overwhelming urge to dive into it, to feel the silvery water against her skin, to completely submerge herself in it. But there was a part of her that said that to do so would be a bad idea.

"You want to get in, don't you?" Damon asked. He was behind her now with one hand on her slight shoulders.

"Yes…But it's the way out, right?" bonnie didn't realise she knew that until she said it out loud, suddenly it all made sense. Reality was pulling her back in again.

"It is…you need to go back to reality, redbird. We both do" Damon answered sadly.

"But what if I don't see you again?" bonnie cried

"Your going to see me again, bonnie" Damon soothed

"I will?"

"Of course," Damon answered "now you need to get into the pool. It's for the best"

"Ok" bonnie agreed. If Damon said it was ok, it was ok. She trusted him.

Damon then helped bonnie slide into the rock pool, keeping a firm grip on her hand until she was submerged in the water of the rock pool. When he let go of her hand, bonnie shot up awake in her room, her duvet pooling around her waist. This time though, when she woke up from her dream, she didn't need to process, she was perfectly calm. In fact a wide smile spread across her face as she remembered she would definitely be seeing Damon again

(Hey everyone!:) what do you all think of it ?good or Bad? Review and let me know! )