Author's note: Am I ashamed of how late this update is! Really I wasn't aware so much time had elapsed. So anyways this chapter is the last of the 'setting' the story chapters, so after this one the story finally get's interesting.
A huge thanks to Lalaland01 who looked this chapter over.
And of course to my reviewers! Your support and wonderful comments, are just amazing and I hope you're still with me.
So read, enjoy and review!
-Single and loving it! by Ruth South-
There are many fishes in the sea...
Darlings we all know the popular adage, and yes it's true. But what's also true is that the sea is made of all kinds of fishes and some not the kind you want catching your bait. So take it slow, sit back, bask in your own dose of awesomeness then drop the line...
-Single and loving it! by Ruth South-
Bonnie was in high spirits as she waltzed into the kitchen humming one of those songs, you never really like but the radio plays so often that before you know it, it's stuck in your head like glue on paper.
"You're in a good mood," Elena remarked eyeing her suspiciously as she paused from checking on the roast, "What's got you in such a good mood?"
Bonnie hefted herself on the counter, drawing lazy circles on the tiles with the tips of her pumps, "Can't I just be happy for the sake of being happy?" she asked with what she hoped was an innocent look.
"I swear you and Damon are worst then kids," Elena mumbled rolling her eyes, "Not even a week and you two are already pulling at each other's hair."
Bonnie laughed. If only Elena knew. She thought, "Surely we aren't as worse as your kids?" Bonnie asked with amusement.
"Honey, no one is worse than my kids," she grumbled closing the oven and moving towards the cabinets and pulling out a tiny arm followed by bouncing curls, "Gemma what have I said about hiding in the cabinets?" she asked in exasperation.
The small girl, face covered in some white substance simply stared wide eyed at Elena. Pulling her up, Elena turned to Bonnie, "Could you watch the roast for me, I need to clean her up," she asked.
"Sure," Bonnie agreed with a smile, "What's the white stuff?"
Elena stuck her tongue out licking at Gemma's cheek all the while the little girl squirming in her arms, "Icing sugar, and I have no idea how she found it," She replied eyeing her daughter.
"Ich will nicht meine sϋβe gestohlen!" Gemma exclaimed her face wrinkling into an adorable frown as Elena carried her out of the kitchen.
"I think you should invest in an English/German dictionary!" Bonnie called out to Elena's retreating form.
Smiling she slid off the counter and glanced at the pots, it seemed Elena was going all out and Bonnie wouldn't have expected any less from her friend.
Moving to the fridge, Bonnie searched its contents wondering if there was anything here that wasn't approved by Gerber and was actually edible for adults. Spotting a root beer she pulled it out closing the fridge-
"Boo!"
Bonnie yelped glad the bottle was still firmly closed, "You're such a jerk sometimes," she muttered glaring at Damon.
"You scare too easily," he said snatching the bottle from her hands, unscrewing it and taking a swing before speaking again, "And this is mine," he added waving the bottle in her face.
Bonnie snatched the bottle back and went over to check on Elena's pots.
"You shouldn't be so smug about the towel incident," Damon taunted coming to stand next to her. Sipping from the bottle Bonnie arched her eyebrow in question, "I had no choice but to roll around on your bed to dry myself," he explained with a smirk.
Bonnie snorted up her drink and after several seconds of spluttering to clear her nasal tubes she glared at him, "You wouldn't," she threatened.
"I would... I did," he replied smugly, "But think of it this way, it's like having your biggest fantasy come true. Me on your bed and naked,"
"I had no idea I had such twisted fantasies," Bonnie deadpanned.
"Really you mean not once have you ever wondered about-"
"Elena should get a leash for her dog," a voice drawled and Bonnie turned just in time to catch Caroline enter. The blonde true to her nature had dressed up for the occasion even spotting hot red high heels that seemed to go on forever, "Really a dog hovering in the kitchen is in bad taste." She added with disdain.
"Hey ditzy chick who can't read, strip club is that way," Damon said mentioning the backdoor that lead outside.
"And he barks... how cute," Caroline drawled voice dripping with sarcasm before she turned to face Bonnie a huge smile on her face, "Bonnie!" she exclaimed not even giving her time to speak before squashing her in a hug smothering her with Doir's latest fragrance.
She stepped back running her eyes over Bonnie, "You're so skinny!" she exclaimed and only Caroline could make something like that sound like a compliment.
"It wasn't on purpose," Bonnie said squirming under Caroline's scrutiny. She suddenly felt under dressed in her leggings, oversized sweater and pumps, hair tangled up into a bun on top of her head.
"No, that's a good thing," Caroline said quickly, "I know women who would kill to look like you, I would kill to look like you!"
"Enough all ready can't you see you're overwhelming Pepper Ann?" Damon asked.
"Hey!" Bonnie exclaimed at the slight. It was so like Damon to not say anything about her weight loss then jump at a given opportunity to tease her about it.
"What, you are skinny," he said with a shrug.
Bonnie huffed turning back to Caroline, "So how have you been?" she asked to change the topic.
"I've been great, but enough about me!" the exuberant blonde said her hands grasping Bonnie's arms, "How about you? I mean it's all over the papers but you know how tabloids lie..."
"I'm getting there," Bonnie replied hating that it still hurt to talk about it, just thinking about it made her feel like she'd been stupid not to pick it up earlier.
"And she would be getting there faster without having to be reminded every minute," Damon interjected with a frown.
"She needs to talk about it," Caroline stated throwing Damon a glare, "It's part of the healing process."
"Enough with your healing process," Damon cried, "You were dumped Caroline, not beaten up!"
"What's he talking about?" Bonnie asked giving Damon a disapproving look.
"My book club," Caroline replied unperturbed by Damon's rudeness.
"You mean the crazy women's club," Damon corrected with an eye roll.
"What?" Bonnie asked now clearly confused.
Caroline moved to the stove, turning it off and probably saving Elena's dinner from burning, before she turned back to Bonnie, "I run this book club, it's just a bunch of women-"
"Crazy women," Damon interjected.
"A bunch of women who meet up together weekly to discuss a book, "Caroline continued ignoring Damon, "Our current book is this godsend by Ruth South-"
"Single and Loving it?!" Bonnie exclaimed surprised it was the very same book she was reading.
"Yes!" Caroline enthused, "I tell you that book is like the bible."
"What bible do you read?" Damon asked.
"Damon seriously," Bonnie said exasperated at his actions.
Damon was annoying that was a given, but right now he was really annoying. Which for Damon meant he was probably brooding over something and just too stupid to come out and say it, instead he acted all snide and harsh.
Fortunately Johnathan used that exact moment to enter the kitchen eyes lighting up when he spotted Damon, "The Damon!" he cried practically tackling Damon in his obvious excitement.
"The Johnathan," Damon returned ruffling the kid's hair.
"Hey don't I get a greeting?" Caroline asked feigning annoyance.
"Hey Aunt Car," Johnathan greeted begrudgingly accepting the hug before catching Bonnie's eyes and rolling his eyes as if to say 'can you believe her smothering me like a baby?'
Bonnie shook her head a smile on her face. It seemed Johnathan's mood had lifted immensely since returning from school.
"You seriously need a haircut," Elena said as she entered, Gemma in tow. The girl almost shinning from her cleanness.
"But The Damon doesn't cut his hair," he argued.
"The Damon," Elena stressed checking on her pots, "is an adult."
"So if I was an adult, I wouldn't have to cut my hair?" Johnathan asked and Bonnie sensed a trap coming.
"Yes," Elena replied.
"I want to be emancipated!" Johnathan declared loudly.
He sounded so serious that it would probably be in bad taste to laugh so Bonnie disguised her laugh as a cough showing more tact then Damon who just out laughed.
"Mrs Salvatore, the table is set," Paula said with a thick accent as she appeared at the doorway, she looked like a mouse of a woman, she eyed Gemma and Johnathan warily.
"Thanks Paula, if you could just get these two seated please," Elena asked pulling out serving dishes.
"Do I really have to?" Paula asked with obvious trepidation. The poor woman looked like she'd been sentenced to the guillotine.
Gemma threw herself around her nanny's legs giving the woman no choice but to concede.
"I can seat myself," Johnathan stated strolling out with a haggard looking Paula, Gemma trailing behind her, arms wrapped around her legs.
"Those kids," Caroline said shaking her head, "When's Stefan coming back?"
That was the same question that Bonnie had been wondering about. She noted how Elena busied herself with prepping all the dishes before she finally answered, "Soon...,"
"Well it's been what over a month?" Caroline went on, "You tell him to get his ass back or I'm sending a retrieval team on him."
"Has it really been a month," Elena mused shaking her head, "It really slipped my mind."
Now Bonnie knew something was up. Elena kept tabs on everyone especially Stefan so there was no way Stefan would have been gone for a month without her knowing. Something was just not sitting well with Bonnie.
/
"Dinner went well," Bonnie remarked later as she and Elena lay sprawled on Elena's bed clad in their pjs.
Elena laughed, "I think it's largely due to Caroline and Damon behaving themselves," she said.
Bonnie rolled her eyes, years passed but obviously the little fling Damon and Caroline had years ago had its lingering effects.
"Yeah Bonnie?"
"Huh?"
Elena propped herself on her elbows as she regarded Bonnie, "What happened between you and Damon?" she asked.
"Me and Damon?" Bonnie asked obviously stalling, but Elena had that whole determined expression on her face, that just made it clear she wasn't about to drop it.
"Yeah, after you left Damon went through a really bad period," she elaborated.
He's not the only one. Bonnie thought as she remembered the rather mortifying night nearly seven years ago. Releasing an exasperated sigh, Bonnie pondered on a suitable reply.
"It's complicated," she finally said warily before she turned to Elena, "What happened with you and Stefan?"
Elena averted her gaze suddenly immersed with the duvet pattern, "Nothing," she answered.
"Come on Elena," Bonnie prodded.
"Fine," Elena relented as she sank back into the bed, "Remember how I was after Gemma was born?"
It had been one of the few times Bonnie had come back to Mystic Falls for longer than a weekend stay.
"Yeah,"
"And remember I told you how I just didn't think I can handle something like that again?" she asked softly.
Bonnie nodded.
"Well the thing is Stefan thinks we should have another one...and I can't," Elena lamented.
Inching herself closer to her best friend, Bonnie pulled Elena into a hug, "Stefan loves you Elena," she said, "He'll come around."
"I know, but the thing is Bonnie," Elena paused as she sniffled, "I did something really horrible."
"Want to talk about it?" Bonnie asked.
Elena shook her head.
"Okay you don't have too," Bonnie soothed.
And as the dread in the pit of her stomach worsened, Bonnie sent a prayer that the horrible thing wasn't what she suspected.
/
Bonnie awoke to a tapping sound on her window. Groggily she stumbled out of her bed eyes still heavy with sleep drawing the curtains back and opening the balcony doors, "What the hell is wrong with you?" she hissed wrapping her arms around herself to stave off the cold breeze.
"Come with me," Damon said stretching out his hand for her to grasp.
"Damon it's like the crack of dawn or something and I'm freezing-"
"I didn't ask you all that," he said cutting her off as he grasped her arm, "come on... for old times' sake."
"I broke my ankle the last time," Bonnie stated though she didn't resist his pull.
"You were high and there was no balcony last time," Damon said chuckling at the memory.
Bonnie scowled but followed him to the lounge chairs placed on the balcony. She took a seat, drawing her knees to her chest and cocked an eyebrow at the bottle of Bourbon in Damon's hand.
"You can't be serious?" she scoffed.
"I am, besides I like the drunken Bonnie," he said with a smirk, "She's more fun."
"More like dumb," Bonnie mumbled and of course Damon decided to cramp her space by propping himself next to her. They sat huddled together and Bonnie couldn't help thinking that the only thing missing was a blunt between them and it would be like all those years ago when Damon was her biggest confident and they talked about everything and anything.
"We were young," he said unscrewing the bottle and taking a long sip before offering it to her.
It was probably pointless telling him she really didn't drink anymore so Bonnie accepted the bottle but refrained from drinking.
"I regret what happened," Damon said softly and Bonnie almost didn't catch his words, "Maybe if-"
"Maybe we wouldn't be sitting here like this, maybe we wouldn't even be speaking," Bonnie said cutting him off.
Damon sighed leaning back onto the lounger, "So how was he?" he asked.
Bonnie frowned, "How was who?" she asked.
"Stark, your ex-husband," he supplied.
"How was he what?"
"The guy was your first right?"
Bonnie groaned laying down hands over her eyes, "Damon I'm not having this talk with you. Can you scream awkward," she growled.
"I told you about my first," he reminded her.
"Damon the whole school knew about your first," Bonnie stated dryly.
"They assumed, but you knew for certain."
Bonnie sighed, she'd glossed over the details with Elena but somehow she had a feeling Damon would know if she lied. Rubbing her eyes she stared at the sky wondering how Damon always managed to bully her into things.
"It was horrible," she mumbled cringing at the memory.
"It can't be worse than mine," Damon stated, "I doubt you were raped in the locker rooms."
"You told everyone it was consensual," Bonnie said laughing.
"I was twelve and had a reputation to uphold."
"If I remember she was what...sixteen?"
"And crazy, nearly scarred me for life," Damon said though she could tell he was probably fighting the urge to laugh.
"At least you didn't have to narrate your own deflowering," Bonnie mused.
"What?" Damon blurted, "You deflowered Troy Stark?"
Releasing a deep sigh Bonnie mumbled, "It was a mutual deflowering."
Damon threw his head back and laughed, several times he tried to talk but his words would get lost with the laughs in between.
"I swear I'll leave if you're going to laugh like that," Bonnie warned him.
He chuckled a bit as he tried to catch his breath, occasionally wiping at the tears in his eyes, "Mutual deflowering?" he asked, "Seriously Bonnie how on earth did you come up with that?"
She shrugged before unscrewing his bottle and taking a sip she immediately regretted as she began to cough from the burn in her throat.
"Easy there, that's the good stuff," Damon said picking the bottle from her clutches before she spilled it all over the place.
Once she'd recovered Bonnie laid back down, "You're such an alcoholic," she teased.
"No, I'm an occasional drinker," he corrected her with a grin as he tugged at her hair.
Bonnie smiled, "Okay occasional drinker answer something for me?"
"Anything,"
Bonnie turned her head to face him, squinting to get a look at him, "Why are you staying at Elena's?" she asked, "And don't give me that bull about you visiting."
Damon took a sip from his bottle and made a whole show about screwing it closed and placing it on the floor besides him before he turned to regard her, "I heard about the divorce, figured you'd be coming back...so here I am," he replied with a shrug before he asked her, "And you Bonnie, why are you here?"
"Besides needing to get away from everything?" she asked, he nodded. Shifting slightly Bonnie contemplated her reply, "I had a promise to keep," and she didn't need to elaborate further because Damon knew the promise she was referring to.
He leaned over her, "You know this is the part I'm supposed to kiss you senseless," he murmured grasping her chin with his hand.
"I know," Bonnie uttered holding his gaze with her own, "But we're friends," she reminded him.
"And they're certain lines you don't cross," Damon finished with a poignant smile before a mischievous grin flashed on his face.
"What?" Bonnie asked immediately suspicious from the look in Damon's face.
"Bonnie..."
"What?"
"You know just so we know you did it right you can practice your deflowering skills on me," Damon suggested wagging his eyebrows suggestively.
Bonnie laughed, "Damon no offence but you're no way close to being deflower-able," she said.
"For you, I can be your Mary to your holy spirit."
"That's blasphemous!" Bonnie exclaimed.
Damon shrugged, "Is it working?" he asked inching slightly closer.
Bonnie pushed him back, "No!"
"Liar!"
With a shrug Bonnie stood up, stretching her arms before she turned to Damon, "Seeing as you rudely woke me up, you can tuck me in," she said with a grin.
"Can I use my mouth?" Damon asked standing up.
"Hell no!"