A\N: Hi, everyone! Sorry, it took so long, I promise, I'll make it up to you... soon. And thank you for amazing reviews!
Chapter four
It seemed to Bonnie that she had just fallen asleep and was immediately woken up by the sound of Damon's cheerful voice.
"Morning is here!.."
Ugh.
He pushed the curtains aside, making a terrible noise. Bonnie groaned and placed her hand over her eyes, shielding them from the light. The pillow was suddenly pulled out from under her head.
"You've had enough beauty sleep," Damon said dismissively.
She gritted her teeth.
"I. Hate. You."
"Do you really?"
She sighed and opened her eyes. Damon stood by her bed. And she was at Rick's place. She was still in her nightmare.
"I've bought you breakfast," Damon said, watching her.
"Thank you," Bonnie mumbled, getting up. "Um..."
She resisted asking childishly Remember me yet?. The sparkle of curiosity in Damon's eyes was answer enough.
"There's something else for you. Since there's no way you can find something suitable in Rick's closet unless he's been hiding something from me..."
"What?" Bonnie asked, puzzled.
Damon stepped aside and Bonnie saw three brightly colored shopping bags on the chair. Her eyes rounded.
"That's for you," Damon said charmingly. "No need to thank me."
Bonnie blinked in bemusement. That was something she'd never expected.
"Damon, you..." she frowned and spoke, choosing her words carefully. "You don't have to buy me anything..." He gave her a pointed look and she let out a breath. "And... you didn't buy these things. You compelled some — "
"I chose them," he interrupted.
"Wow, I guess it's fine then."
Damon grimaced at her tone but remained silent. Bonnie couldn't help but feel a bit curious so she approached the chair and took the first bag.
To be fair, Damon was a very generous person if you forget that he didn't pay a cent. But Bonnie was sure that some clothes he chose she wouldn't wear for the sake of not being cat-whistled.
She was ready to lose her cool when she opened the last bag and saw the lingerie. All lace. He seemed determined to make an Agent Provocateur model out of her.
Or maybe, it was his attempt to mock her. With Damon you never know. Bonnie turned to him and said in a calm voice, "Damon, I appreciate your help but... it's not like I'm going on my honeymoon."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"You don't like?.."
"It's not really my style, so..." Bonnie mumbled.
She's talking to Damon Salvatore about clothes. Wicked.
He seemed to notice her hesitation and smirked.
"You shouldn't be so prudish."
Bonnie didn't like being embarrassed so she became defensive.
"First of all, you cannot compel people so they can give you free clothes," she said sternly.
"Why?"
"Because it's wrong!"
"Judgey..." Damon scoffed and Bonnie flicked her gaze upward, a frantic expression on her face. Damon noticed it and frowned.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing..." she looked away. "I... Is it okay if I take a shower now?"
"Sure," he shrugged. "And put on something I've chosen for you."
She nodded mutely and walked into the bathroom. The moment she stepped under the hot water she commanded herself to calm down but her heart ached.
This is stupid.
She shouldn't feel moved or sad because Damon used a silly nickname. But she simply couldn't fight it.
I must be strong. This will be all over soon.
Bonnie stood still, the water was flowing from the shower head, sprinkling her skin. She was trying to convince herself that everything would work out but deep inside she felt it was only the beginning. The beginning of something horrible.
And Damon was with her. She couldn't believe it. At a time like this to be stuck with a frenemy. Bonnie turned off the shower and grabbed the towel.
Damon believed her. Or so he said.
She returned to the bedroom, wrapped in a towel. Feeling refreshed and rested, she started to rifle through the shopping bags.
Of course, it's Damon... With Damon you should always watch your back.
Bonnie bit her lip, looking at the green long top which was decent enough to wear. She unwrapped the towel and let it fall to the floor.
But he was the only one who chose to believe her. There was nothing weird about feeling grateful...
The door burst open.
"You know, I've been thinking..."
Bonnie spun around, caught off guard. Damon froze in the doorway. His mouth twitched.
"Oh..." he said, looking at her. "Wow. I should have probably knocked..."
"Are you crazy?" Bonnie shouted, coming to her senses. She grabbed the towel to cover herself. Damon watched her idly.
"Get out! Now!"
He squinted his eyes and said in a dignified tone, "Let's not make a fuss over this."
The door closed behind him and Bonnie made an enraged sound.
Grateful, my ass! What the hell is wrong with him!
She got dressed quickly but it took her several minutes to catch her breath and leave the bedroom. Her cheeks were flushed with both anger and embarrassment. In moments like these she remembered that Damon must be burned. Sooner or later.
"Breakfast, sweetie," Damon called from the kitchen. Bonnie cautiously walked in and saw the vampire sitting at the table and checking his phone. He gave her a swift glance and smiled. "This is bad. Now, no matter what you wear it won't be more attractive than a lovely image I intent to save in my memory."
She glared at him and Damon stretched his arms.
"I've made you coffee," he said, nodding toward the table. Bonnie saw a steaming mug and a plate of muffins and sandwiches. Just because she remembered she was starving she took a muffin. Damon was studying her face. "So, what are you planning to do now?"
She kept chewing, without looking at him.
"Stop fuming," Damon said, enjoying watching her fuming. "You'll have steam coming out of your ears."
She roughly grabbed her coffee cup and he chuckled, "Please... So embarrassed you can't even talk to me? What's the big deal, Bonnie? Am I the first man who saw you naked?"
Usually Bonnie could easily make a retort but right now she was so humiliated that words failed her. Damon, on the other hand, was delighted for no good reason.
"My, my, I am the first one!" he leaned on the table. "What is wrong with your boyfriend?"
"I don't have a boyfriend," Bonnie said angrily.
"What is wrong with the world?" Damon asked rhetorically.
"You know, I hate you," she snapped, burning him with her eyes.
"Duh."
She frowned, folding her arms, and decided the faster they change the subject the better.
"Can I use your phone?" she asked coolly.
"Go ahead," Damon put his IPhone on the table. Bonnie took it and dialed her father's number.
The number you have dialed is not in service, please check your number and try again.
Her face betrayed no emotion. Without even looking at Damon she knew he was watching her.
She dialed her mother's number.
The number you have dialed is not in service, please check your number and try again.
"Thank you," she said curtly and walked up to the window, leaving his phone on the table.
"Any new theories?" Damon asked softly.
"That must be a spell," Bonnie muttered. "A very strong spell..."
"Let me ask you something."
She turned to look at him.
"If someone..." Damon spoke up. "Anyone... wanted to get rid of you why would he choose such a difficult way?"
"I can't understand it either. My magic is gone and..." she scowled. "It would be so easy to kill me."
"Someone tried to kill you," Damon pointed out. "Why all this trouble to begin with?.."
"I don't know. But I will."
He smirked, watching her serious face.
"You're not giving up."
"Who would?" she clenched her fists. "My whole life has been screwed up. I want to know who's behind it."
"A reasonable desire," Damon said in a soft voice. His face was unreadable, though. "Where do you want to start?"
"The witch's house."
"The witch's house," he repeated and stood up. "Fine with me."
Bonnie's lips parted slightly.
"Are you really coming with me?" she asked, uncertainly.
"Do you mind?"
He looked over at her and Bonnie felt grateful again. It was quite unusual for her to possess good attitude towards Damon.
"Shall we?" Damon smiled, bending his head to the side.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," he answered evenly.
"So how did you know about this place?"
Bonnie sighed, looking around. She had spent so many hours here and now the house felt foreign.
"It was you who brought me here," she answered, approaching the fireplace.
"Really?" a smile curved Damon's mouth. "Why would I do it?"
"Think of your raison d'être."
"I beg your pardon?" he sounded surprised and Bonnie shot him a meaningful look.
"You did it so I can get the power to protect Elena."
A shadow crossed his face, just for a moment, and in his eyes there was a flash of something Bonnie couldn't really describe. It wasn't anger or annoyance, it was like she was spoiling his fun. Bonnie blinked and saw that his face was calm again. She wondered if she was imagining things now.
"Your stories are so much fun..." Damon mused.
She didn't answer. Damon's changeable moods weren't really important now. She came here to hear the ancient whispers. But she heard nothing. She felt nothing. This place was just an old creepy house where a traitorous descendant dared to set foot in.
Maybe, the witches had punished me.
With Damon watching her she couldn't allow herself to look sad.
"This place seems dead," she said for the sake of saying something. "I've lost my connection with the spirits."
"Well, what were you expecting to see? It's just a crypt."
He strolled forward, leaving her behind.
"They say when a witch is being murdered the nature itself goes furious. Scary, isn't it?"
She was silent and it made him turn around to look at her. Damon saw Bonnie watching him intently. Her face was framed by her dark hair, and in the shadow her eyes sparkled like emeralds.
Damon lowered his chin.
"Is something wrong?"
She was clearly taken by surprise.
"No, I... I just don't understand why you..."
He nodded, smiling, and took a step toward her.
"Listen, Bonnie. You may not believe me but I want to help you."
Bonnie grinned.
"This line sounds familiar," she said, shifting her gaze to the floor. "You've said something like this before."
And you wanted to use me then.
"I don't get you," he shook his head. "Exactly, what kind of relationship did we have?"
"Let me say this," Bonnie drawled. "Damon who is showering me with gifts and trying to help me makes me believe that I'm indeed in the alternative universe."
"Ah," he smiled again.
Bonnie looked at the dusty ceiling. There was no point in staying here. Should she go and try to find her mother? Abby used to be a witch. But what if she didn't remember her? The thought that her own mother wouldn't recognize her was awful. She needed to find someone who knew a lot about magic. But she didn't know any fellow witches.
Suddenly Bonnie froze.
She was wrong. There was someone she could go to.
When I gave you the stone... How did I know I could trust you?
A strong witch with her powers active.
"I need to find someone," Bonnie said, with enthusiasm.
"Who?"
"My cousin. Lucy Bennett. She's a witch."
"Another Bennett witch?" Damon scoffed. "Honestly..."
"You don't remember her either?" Bonnie frowned. "She helped us to get rid of Katherine!"
"What are you talking about?" Damon asked slowly, as if she made no sense at all.
"This is getting ridiculous," Bonnie snapped. "How did you lock Katherine in the tomb?"
"I did it."
"Yes, but how did you capture her?"
"We fought. I won."
She exhaled slowly.
"Of course," she muttered sarcastically.
Damon's eyes were cold but when he spoke his voice was mild.
"So, how can we find your cousin?"
"I'll figure it out," she said and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean by we?"
"Where does she live?"
"I don't know. We only met once. Damon, do you — "
"I think it's time I use my connections," Damon said.
"You're going to ask Caroline's mom for help," Bonnie muttered. "Why are you helping me?"
"Why do you keep asking me that? Would you rather me abandon you?"
She looked at him intently, like she wanted to read his thoughts.
"Damon, do you believe me?" she asked breathlessly. "Do you believe I'm telling the truth?"
"I do," he said lightly. "And when I said I want to help you I meant it."
She was silent for a moment and then shook her head, chuckling.
"Wow..."
"I think I'll go and see Liz now," Damon said. "I'll drive you back to Rick's. Or, maybe you want to come with me?"
"No, not really," Bonnie said, not eager at all to see another person who wouldn't remember her.
So, they got back to Alaric's apartment and then Damon went to the sheriff's office. While Damon had been gone Bonnie was busy dividing the clothes he gave her into two piles — the 'I will never wear it' pile and the 'Works for me' pile. It was surprising but after a second look Bonnie liked things Damon chose more.
Damon returned about two hours later, with a large stack of files in his hands. He dropped it heavily onto the kitchen table and said, "Next time, please try to be more specific. You see, there are too many Lucy Bennetts in our country."
"Let me see it," Bonnie said, sitting down at the table. She started rifling through papers. After a minute or so, she exclaimed, "Got it!"
Damon pinched his eyebrows.
"Are you serious?" he looked at her in disbelief.
"Look, that's her," Bonnie showed him a picture that was clipped to the file folder. Damon took a closer look.
"I have never seen her," he said confidently. "Never in my life..."
Bonnie let out a breath and yanked the files away. Damon put his hand on the back of her chair and leaned down. Their heads were almost touching as both Damon and Bonnie were scanning the records.
"She lives in New York," Bonnie said. "I'm going to New York."
"We're going to New York," Damon echoed. "What a quest."
Bonnie looked at him under her eyelashes.
"Are you going with me? Good."
"Good, isn't it?" he smirked.
"Of course. I have no money."
Bonnie stood up, holding the file folder close to her chest. Her eyes were shining with determination.
"Can we go now?" she asked.
"Pack your bags," Damon deadpanned.
Will stood motionless and stared forward, a grim expression on his face. He looked like someone who saw a very unexpected and unpleasant thing happened.
There was not a soul around him. The street was absolutely quiet. It was an ordinary small town street. But it was missing a piece. Will looked around and waved his hand in the air. And suddenly a house appeared out of nowhere. Will's jaw was set hard.
"Bastard," he muttered.
TBC
