A/N: Sorry this is a day late, folks! Caught a 24-hour virus that was so vile, I had to have my mom come out and baby me for a spell. Many thanks to all of the reviews so far!

2.

Damon and Bonnie lumber arm in arm through the shadowed foyer of the manor. Upon entering the library, she deposits him as gently as she is able on a nearby couch.

Dumping her satchel, she moves to the bar and pours him a few fingers of what she assumes is scotch into a crystal-etched highball. Handing it to him, she returns to the bar to pour herself a conservative amount of the same. Turning to face him, she sips tentatively, unused to the bite of the liquor.

She studies the planes of his face as he in turn studied the flames of the fire in the hearth nearby. Noting his empty glass, she takes it from him, returning with the entire bottle. Placing it in his hands, she uncorks the decanter and he continues to drink deeply from the bottle.

Raising her eyes to the room's entrance she notes Stefan ghosting past with a concerned look on his face. He opens his mouth and Bonnie shakes her head in rebuke, cocking her head toward the front of the manor. Casting a glance in Damon's direction, she softly says "I'll be right back." She makes her way outside of the manor, with Stefan hot on her heels.

In a hushed voice, he asks "What's going on?"

Mindful of the vampiric hearing, she whispers, "In the car." She motioned him into her Prius. Starting up the Toyota, she puts some music on. "He's hurting, Stefan."

Blowing out a breath, he says, "Elena."

"Yes." She confirms.

"What's your part in all this?"

"The last time he got really emotionally bent, he 'killed' Jeremy. I'm trying to keep anything like that from happening again."

He looks at her. "What about the danger to yourself?"

She assures him, "I'll be fine. I just need to see him through tonight. I don't think his seeing you is going to help matters, though, so stay scarce, alright?"

Stefan impulsively clasps one of her hands in his. "Thank you, Bonnie. I know that you and Damon don't see eye to eye on much, but I thank you. For my brother."

Looking down at their hands, she responds with a faint, "Okay." Pursing her full lips resolutely, she looks up and confessed, "God help me, Stefan, I feel sorry for him. Despite of all mayhem he's unpacked since he came back to Mystic Falls."

"Just help him and keep the town and yourself safe."

"That's what I'm trying to do. There may be a spell that can help him."

He quirks an assessing eyebrow skyward in a manner eerily similar to his sibling. "A spell? Well, since you've been batting a thousand with your spell-casting these days, I'm going to leave it to you."

She nods absently and then says, "You should probably stay at Elena's tonight. I don't know if he should see her for the time being, either."

He sets his thousand yard stare for some distant point beyond the windshield of her car. "Right."

Shaking her head sadly, she doesn't realize that she's muttered aloud. "All this pain in the name of love. Thank God, I've dodged that bullet."

"What are you saying?" He asks, turning his sharp eyes back to her.

She does a double-take and then grins sheepishly. "Sorry, that was a private thought that got loose." I must be more tired than I thought. "I was thinking that there must be some kind of curse on the men who dare to love a Bennett woman. They all seem to die early."

"Oh?"

She meets his eyes. "That's why my mother divorced my father. Not for lack of love, but because she loved him too much and didn't want to deprive me of a dad. I think he both loves and hates her for leaving. He never quite bought into the whole witch lore and goes ballistic whenever any of my relatives brings it up."

"I'm really sorry, Bonnie."

She smiles, disentangling her fingers from his. "Don't be." Lightening her tone, she says impishly, "I'm safe. I'm the sidekick in this entire epic saga being played out here and quite resigned to the fact that I'll never inspire nor have that 'one true love'," she sketches air quotes with her fingers.

Stefan spears her with a look of total disbelief. He turns to face her as fully as the small cabin will allow. Slowly, as if not to startle or provoke her into action, he lifts both hands to cradle her face. His eyes are serious as is his tone. "You listen to me, Bonnie Bennett. Were it not for Elena, you are exactly the type of girl that Damon and I would've pursued. He and I would've loved you as you so deserve. So, fair warning: once he's worked out his issues and dealt with his grief, watch out."

A tumult of emotions runs through Bonnie: incredulity, disbelief, sadness all churned by a consuming longing for something she couldn't put a name to. Stefan watches all of these flicker across her features. Feeling a need to drive his point home, he shakes her head gently to emphasize his argument. "You. Are. Epic." Drawing her face to his, he bestows a featherlike kiss to her forehead.

Moving away, their eyes lock and they smile at one another. Bonnie is the first to speak. "You Salvatore men and your damnable forehead kisses should be outlawed," she says with wry humor, breaking up the seriousness of the moment.

He releases her with a chuckle.

Bonnie sobers a bit, looking around. "Listen, I'd better get back in there and make sure he hasn't escaped or started to backstroke in the scotch." She turns down the music, powers off her engine and they step out of the car.

As she makes her way to the door, she turns, giving him a heartfelt smile. "Thank you, Stefan."

Stefan grins. "You're welcome, Bonnie." He shoos her back into the house. "Go. Fix my brother. Be epic."

Taking a deep breath, she repeats on a doubtful sigh against her better judgment, "Epic."

A/N2: Would love to read your thoughts on this particular interaction!