I know I haven't updated in forever and I know that all of you must hate me. I hate myself. Writers block blows. I wrote about four different versions of this chapter before I wrote this one. And I don't even particularly like this one very much, but here it is. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it was worth the wait.
She's still curled up in bed, her face buried in her pillows and her hands underneath the mountains of fluff. Her face is twisted into a frown; her nightmare is too real, too frightening. Her body feels heavy, as if there's a weight upon it, and Bonnie struggles against it, struggles to get away from the screaming and shouting. A man's face is in her mind; she's curling her fingers in his dark hair and his lips are brushing over her skin, over the pulse in her throat.
"You have to wake up, Bon-Bon. I can't do this without you."
"Bonnie!" A large hand is on her back, fingers spread between her shoulder blades, and she jerks awake with a gasp; Andrew is staring down at her with a frown. "You alright? You looked like you were having a nightmare." His hand feels strange on her, like it's not supposed to be there.
She shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. The man in her dream wasn't Andrew. His pain had been her pain and she so desperately wanted to save him. But who was he?
"I'm fine." Bonnie offers him a shaky smile. "I just need to stop eating before bed."
"I told you that root beer float wouldn't do you any good!" He laughs and she tries to, but her throat is tight and that man's face flashes in her eyes. "Come on. It's our day off and I want to spend it with my favorite girl."
Andrew walks from their room and Bonnie watches him go before she pushes herself up and off of the bed. Their nightstands are littered with photo frames with the two of them, kissing and hugging at the park, at the beach, and she looks happy.
It's not real.
She shakes her head to dispel the thought and rummages through her dresser to find some clothes. She slips into a loose pair of shorts and a tank top before a chill settles over her. Bonnie looks to the window; there's nothing there and her heart drops. Was something supposed to be there?
Her eye catches sight of a handheld mirror on the desk and she goes to pick it up, but as soon as her hand touches it, Bonnie feels a spike of pain drive through her temple; she drops it. Andrew is calling her down for breakfast.
She walks down the hallway and floats down the stairs, gazing at all the pictures on the wall. Every single one is filled with happiness and joy, but Bonnie doesn't feel anything when she sees them. No little twinge of love or melancholy. Nothing. She's tracing one with her fingertips when the doorbell rings.
"Will you get that, Bonnie?" Andrew's in the kitchen, cooking up a storm, and so Bonnie obediently makes her way to the door.
Her throat tightens when it opens. The man from her dreams is there.
"Bonnie." He sounds breathless and something echoes in her mind; this isn't right. He shouldn't be breathless- "Bonnie, do you recognize me?" He's lingering on the doorway as if he can't come in.
She can hear footsteps and Andrew is approaching them both, menacing and terrifying. "You're more trouble than you're worth!" He raises one hand and the man on the door sinks to his knees, crying out in pain. "You don't have a chance, Salvatore!"
Bonnie glances between them and memories begin uncoiling in her mind: Andrew trying to touch her and it causes pain, Elena and Stefan-
Damon.
"Damon." The vampire looks up at her and Bonnie remembers everything; her power is surging through her and she feels anger.
She turns to Andrew and is aware that the house is falling to pieces; this man is a monster. "Bonnie, let's just-" Bonnie raises her hand now and Andrew is pinned to the wall with a scream; his flesh starts to peel and burn and Damon is beside her. His hand on her back feels right.
"Where's the mirror?" His lips brush her ear and she's safe now; her powers are back and Damon is here.
"It's upstairs on the desk. Second door on the right." Damon darts up the stairs and Andrew sneers at her.
"You know he's just using you right? He's using you to get Katherine back." The words hit Bonnie like a physical blow and for a moment, she is shaken. But then she's angry again.
"Why should I believe a word you say? You tried to control me, you kidnapped my father and you've done this!" She gestures with her free hand to Andrew's broken world. "You're going to tell me where my father is and you're going to tell me now!"
His fibula snaps with a sickening crunch and Andrew howls like an animal. "I'm not telling you anything!" His ribs crack; the pain must be unbearable. Bonnie smiles. "He's in a cave in the woods!" The young man pants, his eyes twisted shut. "Bonnie." She's ready to break his neck, but his eyes open and the tears there are very real. "I loved you. My mother told me you'd be my bride, that our bloodlines would produce a child more powerful than Emily, than you or me. What can Damon offer? Half a heart? Immortality? He's a monster, Bonnie."
Bonnie doesn't say anything for a minute and then Damon returns, the mirror in his hands. Andrew stares at it, his eyes dead.
"Break the mirror. The spell will end and you'll be free." He sounds defeated; a pang of regret shoots through her.
"You're not coming with us?" She has mixed feelings; after everything he's done, she hates him, but mercy has always been her worst trait.
"I'll stay here." Andrew gives her a bitter smile and then glares at Damon. "Remember what I told you, Bonnie. May it serve you well."
With that, Damon throws the mirror against the wall and it shatters; she feels her insides being ripped apart and Damon pulls her close. The burning walls of the house disappear and instead, they're falling, spiraling downwards until they hit hardwood floors. Hard.
"Bonnie!" Elena's falling to her knees beside them both; Stefan's gripping his brother's hand, trying to pull him to his feet. "Are you okay?"
The witch locks eyes with Damon and he's the first to look away. Andrew's words are still ringing in her ears and with the vampire's hearing, it's impossible for him not to know what went on. Katherine. It's always been about Katherine.
"No. It's not okay." Bonnie stands. She's going to find her father and then never think about Damon Salvatore again.
"Bonnie-" Damon tries to grab her arm, but he pulls back, his hand burnt.
"Don't." She's on the verge of crying because she trusted him. And this is what it gets her. "Just don't."
Bonnie flings the door open and Damon's feet are cemented to the floor and whether it's because the witch is doing it or he's just unable to move is something the vampire will never figure out. All he knows is he has to watch the most important thing in his life walk away.
What do you think? Read and review!