A/N: First of all thank you to everyone who reviewed and/ or added my story or me to their alerts or even favorites. I really, truly appreciate all of them. Special thanks to the "anonymous" reviewers Vie and jewelsstars for reviewing repeatedly and of course to BamonLoverr08.

Ravenshadow153: I think you owe me an update of 'The assignment'. ^^ Thanks for reviewing.

I hope I didn't forget anyone. If I did I'm sorry and thanks to you, too.

Something upfront. After all the commotion on FF because of the ratings I thought about raising the rating from T to M, so that there will be no ground for discussion because someone wants to complain about anything. If I'm going to do that it's because of a few curse words – nothing more and nothing less. For now, I didn't want to raise the rating 'cause if there are some readers out there who are listening to their parents and stick with stories appropriate for their age they should still be allowed to continue reading if they wish.

And I'll apologize right now. I'm sorry but there will be an explanation (of some sorts) in the next chapter. (When you've finished this chapter you'll know what I'm talking about).

Disclaimer: Neither the Vampire Diaries nor any of the characters or anything else you'll recognize belongs to me. Just the mistakes are mine.

So enough of my rambling and on with the story. Enjoy it!


Chapter 4:

How to proof a stubborn witch in denial that he was being honest with her? With them? Being romantic had never been one of Damon's forte. He showed his affection with offering his life for the one he loved. Showing affection meant for Damon to be ready to die for your love. However, neither was Bonnie in a life threatening situation nor was she going to stand for any of that if such a situation would arise. Okay, who was he kidding. To all their dismay such a situation would probably come sooner than anyone wished for. His little witch, however, wouldn't allow him to sacrifice himself – she was too much of a martyr herself. And though he hated to admit it, he was honored that her conscience included him into the group she wanted to save (even when a bigger part of him hated her for such silly thoughts – she had so much more to live for than he ever had had and he was the man – it was his duty to protect her).

Suddenly, Damon had an idea how to – dare he think it – court Bonnie. At the same moment the vampire cursed. He was going to regret what he was about to do but it was for Bonnie. After he came to terms with the whole 'True Love's Kiss' and 'soul mate' thing there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his Judgey. With one last glance at the grandfather clock in the hall of the Boarding House Damon went on his way.

Shortly after, he arrived at his destination. Was he really about to do that? There had to be another way, wasn't there? Though a whole week of pondering told him he had no choice but to follow through with this plan. Strengthening his resolve he knocked at his kin's door. (It still felt strange to address dumb blonde vampire barbie that.)

"Damon? What do you want?" Wow, déjà vue much? Why couldn't anyone ever say 'Hey Damon, nice to see ya' or 'Hi Damon, come in' or anything along those lines? Why was it always 'Damon, what do you want', 'Damon, what are you doing here' (and not in a nice, curious tone) or it was a 'Hell-oo Damon, come on in' (Why did anyone think that a prolonged 'hello' was seductive?)

"Caroline", he needed her help, therefore he needed to be nice to her – for now, "I need your help." There, he said it. "Okay, so what are you really doing here?", the cheerleader asked. What? Am I speaking Italian or what? She does know that I hate it to ask for help. "I told you what I am doing here. So stop making yourself dumber than you already are."

Acknowledging defeat the blonde let the other vampire enter her home. There wasn't much she good do anyway and knowing Damon it was easier to relent than to fight him for half an hour and then to cave. And it wasn't save to talk about those things out in the open – least of all in a town with a long history of hunting down everything supernatural.

"You're a girl." Way to go Damon, nice. What are you, twelve? Caroline just stood there watching him. Something was definitely off but she hadn't a single clue what it was. Ever since Damon was healed of the werewolf bite he acted strange. Not gracing him with a response to his observation the blonde vampire only raised one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

"You're a girl and I need your help. It's about your best friend", he tried to coax her. "Elena isn't my best friend. That's Bonnie", Caroline stated.

"This is about her." Did she hear that right? Damon was here, in her home, because he needed her help with something for Bonnie? That couldn't be true.

Then it dawned on the former cheer captain. "Damon, she is my best friend. I won't help you hurt her. And I won't help you to convince her to risk her life for one of your little schemes. And before you do something stupid – more stupid than what's usual for you – I tell you I will not let you hurt her. Capici?" Bonnie had done so much for her since they'd become friends way back when, now the least she could do was to stand up to Damon for her.

"That's not why I'm here. Sheesh, why do you always think all I do is causing havoc? – Okay, okay. But it isn't like that", Damon tried to redeem. "It is never 'like that' with you. It's always 'her' or 'him' and you're not guilty. So say what you want. I have better things to do than to waste my time." The blonde naïve cheerleader he'd met a year ago really had changed becoming a vampire. And she's spending too much time around you. She doesn't fear you anymore.

"Okay, you know that Tyler bit me. And that a werewolf bite is deadly for a vampire." Caroline still wasn't convinced. What was he getting at? She knew all that – and like always Damon Salvatore had been a lucky b stard and survived the inescapable. "Did they tell you how I survived it?" The blonde vamp shook her head. That was a new revelation – all they had told her was that Bonnie had found some kind of cure in one of the grimoires.

"It was Bonnie's doing. She went through all her grimoires – or the ones she owns now anyway – and searched for days for a cure. And when she did find it she helped me." He wouldn't reveal more about the requirements than he needed to. Now, for the difficult part. "I … I want to thank her." It was out in the open. Even though he knew that this wasn't his real reason it was all he was willing to give to the blonde.

The girl standing in front of him didn't look like she knew why he was there. Didn't he spell it out for her? It was obvious why he was there. Did she wanted to be asked? Did he have to lower himself and beg her? 'Cause then, he was gone. He was Damon f*cking Salvatore (in more ways than one – thank you very much) he never begged. He was the one people begged for – sex, style, money. And it didn't matter what sex they were (or gender) – he was popular with everyone (everyone but the witch. Though he was about to change that).

"I want to thank the witch and you know her longer than I do. So, you need to help." Now, it dawned on the other vampire – and for once she was speechless. That had to be a first for the egoistical, stoic, arrogant vampire in front of her.

Damon on the other hand hated this whole situation but there wasn't any other solution because he depended on her in that moment.

"I'm not going to help you prank her or to make fun of her. She's my best friend." Yeah, she definitely wasn't the girl anymore who would do anything for a good looking guy she didn't know. Turning into a vampire had made hidden traits more prominent and the reasons why she was close with his little witch were coming to the forefront. The times when she backed down from him were long gone. Damn it all to hell! And he couldn't even compel her! He needed to be honest with her – something he didn't even do for Elena – something he hadn't done since he'd been human.

Life was cruel like that. Or there really was a greater deity who was right now laughing their ass off. Forcing him to put himself at the mercy of someone who'd been at his mercy not that long ago. Karma was a b*tch!

"I'm actually honest here. Ya, ya, don't look at me like that. I mean it. She saved me – and though I hate to admit it – this wasn't the first time. I owe her. That's where you come into play. What does she want?" Inconspicuously, Damon felt if his balls were where they should be or if he really did lose them. Everything was at his place even though it didn't feel like that to him at the moment.

Caroline was dumbfounded. Was he for real? After all she knew about and experienced with him here he was asking for her help to do something NICE for the one person he butted more head with then with his brother? He couldn't be serious, could he? Scrutinizing him the blonde girl decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Bonnie was her best friend and after everything she went through – a lot of it caused by the Salvatore brothers coming back into their hometown – she deserved something nice. If she noticed that Damon was trying to frame her, she could stop the whole thing. The times when he was able to make her do anything he wanted her to do were long over. At least something good was in her turning.

"Okay, I'll help. -But- just because I'm such a good friend. To Bonnie. I couldn't care less about you. And just so you know the minute I get the feeling something is off about the deal I'm going to stop it and I'm going to turn the rest of your undead life into a nightmare. Believe me, if you think what you did to Stefan the last 150 years was bad you haven't even started to comprehend what I'm capable of doing. So, what do you have in mind?" Switching from bitchy to threatening to nice in just under a millisecond.

Damn it! He needed her. There were so many things he wanted to say to her "thread" but he was pretty sure she would be pissed off after that and would go back on her word. Answering just the last part of her response was the easier way to go. "I don't know. What do you think I'm doing here? And don't kid yourself into believing it was for the company." Okay, he was an asshole but there wasn't anyone who or anything which could change him. Not after going onto 200 years.

"So you have nothing? Honestly? You do know that when – or it's you so if is more likely – you want to make a gift to someone, it should be from you. But like I said I'm helping Bonnie here. What do you want for her? You need to have any clues. Something nice or practical? Jewelry, clothes, shoes? And don't you dare and say a broomstick or a wand", the blonde vampire instructed, "So, what do you want to spent on her?"


When he'd thought earlier this morning going to Caroline and asking her for help was going to be a nightmare he'd never imagined going shopping with her. Those chicks in those pathetic girl movies had nothing on the blonde bossing him around in the mall. And to think that he did drive two and a half hours because he 'really didn't want to buy Bonnie something in those silly little shops around town. They were just so … uh!' (Just ask Caroline.)

"Why did I bring you? That's your job." Damon was aggravated. Why did he think it a great idea to ask Caroline? And what was he doing when she convinced him to go shopping?

"I know you never had to do anything on your own. As vampire you could just compel random people to do what you wanted to be done and when you were human you had all those servants to do 'Mr. Salvatore's' bidding. But I'm not your servant and you can't compel me – not anymore. Those times are over! And you need to comprehend that. I'm not your slave. So stop treating me like one." There were a lot of things Caroline wanted to say to Damon. After all those months with her memories back her emotions were accumulating into a huge pressure. Now, however, wasn't the time to dwell in those memories. Taking a few deep breaths to regulate her – not there anymore – heartbeat she composed herself. "It's time you learn how to do some things on your own."

Damon didn't know what hit him. Why was it so difficult to meet someone who did as he asked them? He did ask her, it wasn't like he demanded it or anything. So why did she have to be so freaking stubborn? And she pretty damn well knew that he'd never asked. That's a once in a lifetime occurrence. She should appreciate it. He knew why he never honestly pursued a blonde. Too. Much. Trouble.

"You know what. Go. It's going to be easier to figure a gift out on my own than to listen to you trying to lecture me. That's just rich. And don't go blaming me for you being easy. That was all your doing. Do you honestly believe I would have gone after a FB whom I had to compel every few seconds because they didn't want to do what I wanted? You were more than willing to do those things. All you needed was some pushing and you were convinced." Yeah, he was an asshole. And he knew he shouldn't have said this stuff but she really did irritate him and enough was enough.

Caroline couldn't believe what she was hearing. He didn't just say that, did he? He compelled girls left and right wherever he went and now it was her own fault? She's supposed to be the one to blame after all he forced her to do? After almost killing her because he drank too much blood? After all those lies? After taking away her free will? The blonde vampire didn't know what to say, to think or how to react. Her mouth was agape but she didn't register anything. With one pointed look in Damon's direction Caroline turned on her heel and disappeared. There was no chance in hell she could stand his presence any longer after his spiteful words.