Two Way Street

If there were a way to measure his rage on a scale of one to ten, Damon figured he'd be at about a fifty, because he was seeing red.

Pure, unadulterated, blood red.

As he moved through the courtyard with a fist at one side and his iPhone at the other, he bounced back and forth between the two courses of action that he so desperately needed to take.

Call Bonnie, find her, and explain himself or find Stefan and punch him in the face.

The latter sounded like the option his body wanted to dismantle first, though his brain knew that the first was so much more important.

Bonnie was a thousand times more important than his appointment to kick his brother's ass.

So, regretfully, Damon unclenched his fist and let out a sigh as he took his phone into both hands and typed Bonnie a text message faster than the speed of light, in hopes that she's reply to it sometime this century.

Where are you?

No answer, of course, as a minute or two rolled by and he ticked his jaw as he looked around.

It didn't help that this place was so fucking huge that it'd literally take him a day or two to find her, if he were lucky.

He needed some help.

His prayers were answered in the form of a golden blonde with a pastel pink dress as he spotted Caroline from across the event, chatting to Elijah, with a smile as bright as day on her face.

He'd apologize later for cockblocking her, he mentally recorded.

"Elijah hi, good to see you," he said quickly before turning the girl and clearing his throat. "Hey, got a minute?" Damon asked a bit breathlessly when he walked over and the girl's forehead wrinkled when she noticed the desperation and exhaust in his tone.

"Uhm, not really, Damon, what's up?" she asked. "Did you run here?" she added skeptically and Damon let out a bitter as he shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I might as well have."

Caroline's eyes narrowed as she looked into his and she politely excused herself from Elijah's side before walking with him to a quiet corner and placing both hands on her hips.

She needed answers immediately.

"What's going on? What is so urgent that you decided that you needed my help right now during the middle of an event?" she whispered hotly. "Do you have any idea how nervous I am—"

"I can't find Bonnie," he blurted and she stopped talking almost instantly as she stared into his eyes and he cleared his throat to better explain himself. "I mean, she took off before and I really just need your help finding out where she is. Please."

Caroline pursed her lips as she studied Damon's gaze, before shaking her head in confusion.

"I-I'm sure she's around here, somewhere. I mean, she's planning all of this with me—"

"Then page her on your little walkie or something, Caroline… because I need to talk to her. I have some things to say," Damon responded, with a bit of desperation in his voice.

Caroline sighed as she fixed her headset and then pressed the button for Bonnie's channel before speaking ever-so-clearly.

"Bonnie, come in," she said simply, as she looked into Damon's eyes; a small dash of her own hope disappearing when she received no answer. "Bonnie, it's me… Caroline. Can you hear me?"

She listened as the static on the other end started for a moment and then the line went dead, as Bonnie so obviously shut it off.

Caroline licked her lips as her blue eyes met Damon's and he knew even without her saying a word what it meant.

"Damon—" Caroline started and he shook his head as he began to walk away; only stopping to look at her once more before completely taking off.

"I'm sorry for uh—ruining your little moment with Elijah back there… Enjoy the rest of the night."

Caroline opened her mouth to speak, but Damon was already off, as he slipped both hands into his pockets and walked out of the courtyard and around to the entrance to the valet.

As he waited for his car, he felt his phone buzz with a message and he pulled it out to read the words that were displayed on the screen.

"If I hear from Bonnie, I'll make sure she gives you a call," Caroline wrote.

Damon inhaled a deep breath when he heard his car pulling up and he typed a quick message in response before climbing in.

"Thanks, Blondie."

XXXXX

Bonnie swallowed hard as she looked at her own reflection in the mirror before her; trembling as her fingers massaged her head and her hands coursed over her jaw.

If there was one word to describe the feeling that she had right now it was rattled. She was completely and totally distraught beyond belief.

Clearly, Damon had something going on with Rebekah Mikaelson that he hadn't told her about and just by the tone of his voice she expected the worse of it.

She just knew by the look of the girl's face what had happened. The sparkle in her eyes gave it away so much, it was impossible to miss.

The way Rebekah looked at Damon was the way Bonnie looked at him; at least it felt like it, anyway.

The goofy grin, the stifled laughs, the glimmering eyes—she had experienced all of that tonight and to be honest, it had been the closest she had been to uncovering what it really was that she had felt for Damon before the accident—before she forgot everything.

She swallowed hard as she bit back the feeling in her stomach that threatened to erupt; the feeling that threatened to consume her, the longer she let her mind settle on it.

She actually wanted to love Damon, again. She wanted to feel all of those things she'd witnessed in her wedding and honeymoon pictures, as the two looked like the happiest people on the face of the planet when they were within one another's arms.

She desperately needed to feel the way that she had, once upon a time, not only for her sake, but for Damon's as well.

They'd had little progress and small victories, sure, but she could tell that it would be only a matter of time before Damon completely unraveled.

It could take weeks, months, years, even, but he would snap. He would get sick of this merry-go-round-love, and he would be the one to file for a divorce; citing the fact that he just couldn't love someone any more than they actually loved him.

Bonnie felt a tear rush out of her eye at that, before she quickly wiped it away.

She hoped—prayed—that someday, she'd be able to love Damon Salvatore the way that he so clearly still loved her. She wished that she could just remember everything, without a second thought, just so she could have something to offer him; something more than blank stares and empty nods anytime he accidentally brought up something that served as an inside joke between the two before he gently apologized for speaking too much, and then had to explain it to her in different terms.

By then, the moment had always lost all of its novelty.

Bonnie blinked as tears lined her eyes and she jumped when she heard a knock on the door to the private bathroom before she turned on the faucet and glanced at herself again.

"Someone's in here," she said firmly and she listened as the footsteps didn't dissipate and the person on the other side sighed softly.

"Bonnie, it's me," Stefan said. "Can I come in?"

Bonnie turned off the water and wiped her eyes again; thankful that she had taken Caroline's advice and doubled up on the waterproof mascara, before she headed to the door and unlocked it—turning the knob ever so slowly.

When she opened up, Stefan was standing there, with his boyish stare and a sad look in his eyes before he walked in and locked the door behind her.

Bonnie retreated for the mirror again, as she took to fluffy her hair and smoothing out the imaginary wrinkles in her dress.

Stefan watched her all the while.

"I'm just freshening up," she said gently, without looking into his eyes. "What's up?"

Stefan remained quiet for a moment, as the only sounds in the elegant bathroom were Bonnie shuffling around before the vanity mirror, before finally, he took a step in her direction.

Bonnie looked over and noticed the distressed gleam in his eyes as he stared at her. Her heart immediately crumbled to pieces.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, as her eyes narrowed and he shook his head softly. "I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"You didn't do anything, Stefan," she replied. "If anything, I should thank you for being here. I mean… I can't face Damon right now, and Caroline will just have so many questions, but you're… here. And I appreciate that," she said.

Stefan inhaled deeply as he took a seat on the counter in front of her. Bonnie folded her hands over her chest.

"I didn't know about Rebekah and Damon," he said as she looked into his eyes. "I mean—I knew that they knew each other, from Dubai. I heard a lot about her. I just… I never figured there was anything else to know. I didn't know things would be that way," he said.

Bonnie nodded at that as she tucked a strand behind her ear and looked off.

It was now as obvious as day that things were "that way."

"I shouldn't have come with her—"Stefan started and Bonnie stopped him with a hand.

"She would have been here anyway," she offered a feigned smile. "Elijah is her older brother. "It's not your fault she was here. And whatever Damon did; that's not your fault, either."

Stefan didn't say a word as Bonnie leaned against the counter and looked down.

It felt like there was a knot in her chest.

"I just—how could I be so stupid?" she asked, as she looked up and met his eyes, with water filling her own. "He's Damon Salvatore; a ladies man—a player," she laughed bitterly, as her fingers tightened at the ceramic sink. "The women at my job kept going on and on about him these past two weeks—as if he was some celebrity. They were obsessed with him. When women are that invested in a guy like him, it usually means something, right?" she asked as she blinked away her tears. "The way Rebekah hugged him and looked at him… it was like she was in love with him… Like he gave her a reason to feel that way," Bonnie said.

Stefan didn't say anything as Bonnie grabbed a handful of tissues and sniffled softly, though she was clearly on the edge of a major meltdown.

"I wanted it to work, Stefan—"

"Maybe it can," he said lightly. "Maybe he just needs another chance."

"To do what? Screw the woman at the coat check?" she asked brashly as she blew into a tissue. "I can work through forgetting us; having to find our way to love again… Fighting for it because I somehow lived. But cheating, Stefan? Why would I give him another shot? People cheat when they don't think that the person that they 'love' is an option for them, anymore… I was no longer an option. And you know what? That hurts; a million times more than me forgetting who he is… Because he had the choice, Stefan… I didn't."

Stefan ran his tongue over his lips before he pressed them into a thin line and shook his head.

"So what do you want to do, Bonnie?"

"I want to leave him," she nodded as she stared into Stefan's eyes and spoke with a strong voice. "I want to sign those papers and I want to get out of this while I still have the chance and my sanity," Bonnie added as she began to pace the ground. "I mean, thank god that I already don't remember him, right?" she laughed. "It'll be that much easier to just fucking move on."

Bonnie felt her body stop when Stefan grabbed her at the hands and pulled her in front of him quietly, while he stared into her olive eyes.

Bonnie's cheeks felt red with fever as he looked directly at her, and she shut her eyes softly when she felt him wipe away a few of her stray tears with his thumb.

"Just talk to him, Bonnie," Stefan said as her brow furrowed and she took in a deep breath. "I know your head is just spinning right now and you have every reason to be upset but… you're gonna regret it if you just do something without really thinking this through."

Bonnie let out an incredulous laugh as she shook her head and bit her lip.

"He didn't think it through when he was so obviously screwing her."

"Bonnie—"

"No, Stefan. I-I can't. I can't be that girl who takes a guy back after this. After he continually ruins her, again and again. The doctors said that I pushed him out of my mind for a reason… What if this was it? What if he told me all about her?"

"Then let him tell you that again," Stefan answered as she rose a brow. "Force my brother to man up and just tell you everything, so that if you do indeed decide to leave this, it'll be with a clear conscious and full mind. Don't rush this, okay?"

Bonnie breathed in as she stared into his eyes and dropped her hands to her sides.

Stefan was right.

Whatever had happened between Damon and Rebekah—and quite possibly Damon and whoever—deserved an explanation before she could feel no regrets about it, whilst being on her way.

She had a strict no tolerance for cheating, and if Damon had really done what it so appeared to be, she'd be leaving anyway.

But perhaps it'd be better for her soul to know each and every reason why she was going to turn her back on this love, once and for all.

She didn't owe that to Damon, but she definitely owed it to herself.

Bonnie was awakened from her thoughts when Stefan leaned in and wrapped his arms around her shoulders; pulling her deeply into a warm embrace as her head landed against his chest and his forehead on her shoulder.

Bonnie took in a deep breath as she savored the scent of his familiar cologne and Stefan's plan stroked along her back as his eyes remained completely open.

Wiping himself clean of any traces in this thing with Rebekah would be easier than it seemed, he realized, if pushed just a little—but not too much—to tip the scales. He'd have to make hard and defined moves to get his way with this, but he'd also have to sit back, relax, and wait—watch while his brother genuinely combusted on his own, and Bonnie fell deeper and deeper into his words, until finally, she had believed that this entire thing was her idea in the first place.

He'd have to make Bonnie believe she wanted this, while convincing his brother he had his back.

And it wouldn't be a simple task, but it would be worth it in the end when the papers were signed and it was all over.

Just like it never should have started.

"I'm sorry, I'm a complete mess," Bonnie apologized gently, when she looked into Stefan's eyes and offered a sad nod. "One minute I'm angry, the next I'm crying—"

"And either way, I'm here for you," Stefan said softly as his hands cupped her cheeks. "And I'll get you through this, Bonnie—I promise."

Bonnie took in a quiet mouthful of air and she nodded her head before smiling in his direction; eyes full with confidence.

"I trust you."

XXXXX

Klaus didn't say anything as he stared at the 52 inch flat screen in Damon's living room, pressing away at the buttons on his XBOX controller, while his friend sat in silence beside him, doing the same exact thing.

This had been the most intense game of Madden that the two had ever played, and it wasn't for reasons of stark competition, either.

When Damon called Klaus and told him to come over immediately, the man didn't know what to expect, as he cut the re-painting of his den short, and found himself to Damon's place, in less than five minutes flat.

Donned in his alma mater's hoodie and a pair of Nike gym shorts, Klaus raised a brow as he walked in and Damon plopped on the couch—Samuel Adams in one hand and a pair of videogame cases in the other.

"Madden '13 or Call of Duty 4?" he asked.

Klaus chose the prior.

When it seemed like hours passed—though it was just seconds—as Damon started the game console and tossed him a controller, Klaus finally cleared his throat and turned to face him.

Damon remained unphased all the while.

"I take it you skipped the party," Klaus guessed.

Damon laughed sourly before taking a chug of his beer and shaking his head.

"No, I went."

And that was what led them here; still in silence, three hours later, as they almost finished off the twelve pack of beer—mostly thanks to Damon—still pushing through this game tirelessly, as if their lives depended on it.

When Damon attempted for a touchdown, Klaus didn't even press a button to present the defense, and his best friend turned to face him wide-eyed, as he clearly just threw the game.

Damon huffed when he set his controller down.

"I was going to beat you, fair and square," he said and Klaus didn't budge, as he reached forward for his last unfinished beer and placed it to his lips.

"I don't care. What the hell's the matter with you?" he asked bluntly.

Damon scoffed as he rose to his feet and stretched his arms.

Damn; he really had been at that game for a while.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine," he said.

"You don't look fine," Klaus said as he narrowed his eyes. "You actually look kind of pathetic."

Damon sucked in a deep breath at that and licked his teeth before placing his beer to his lips.

"Thanks. I'm happy to know you still care," he said sarcastically, as Klaus rose to his feet and stared at him angrily. "What?"

"What kind of dumbass thing is that to say, Damon? If anything, I care too much while you don't, even the least bit. If you were expecting me to help you, you might wanna clue me in to what the hell happened tonight," Klaus said sharply.

Damon pressed his lips into a thin line.

Klaus was right; he had no counter for that, at all.

"I screwed up, with Bonnie—as usual—and probably won't get a chance to fix it… Not this time."

Klaus stayed quiet as Damon rose to his feet and chugged down the rest of his beer in one shot; letting out a hefty sigh when he was all done.

He'd promised Bonnie he wasn't going to drink tonight, but those words obviously went to hell.

Just like everything always did, when he was concerned.

"And let me guess—Stefan was there to pick up the pieces, as always—"Klaus started and Damon stopped him immediately.

"What is your gripe with the Stefan thing?" he asked as he stared him down and narrowed his eyes. "Alright, yeah sure, I get it; I'm an idiot because my brother is closer to my own wife than I am, but so what? It doesn't mean every bad thing that happens is tied to him—"

"But it is quite the coincidence, isn't it?" Klaus pushed as Damon shook his head and began to collect the empty beer bottles. "Are you not noticing a pattern, Damon? That Stefan is there every time you 'screw up?'"

"Maybe because I am a perpetual screw up!" Damon yelled as his eyes widened, and Klaus sat still as Damon stalked towards him with hands rolled tightly around the bottle. "Maybe he's always there because he's the better man! Because he knows how to be there for her; because I know nothing… Because I don't deserve her—"

"She married you, didn't she?" Klaus asked as his eyes glared in Damon's direction heatedly. "She wanted to be with you, Damon, so pardon me but—who gives a fuck about what you think Stefan deserves!" he said as he rose to his feet. "Do you love her?"

"Of course I do—"

"Then pull you head out of your ass and fix what's wrong instead of allowing him to be the one to take care of that," Klaus said as he shook his head. "And while you're at it, realize your own self-worth… Because you're going on and on about how your brother is so great, but clearly, she thought there was something great about you, too. So, run with it, why don't you?"

Damon brushed his fingers through his hair and didn't say a word as he watched Klaus collect his car keys and his hoodie, ready to depart for the night.

He knew his best friend was mad at him, but there was no one who was angrier with Damon than he was with himself.

He was letdown; completely disappointed with the way he let this Bonnie thing unfold, it almost seemed like a joke when he replayed it in his mind.

Was this really the best he could do?

"Klaus—"Damon started, and the man turned around to face him with pale blue eyes to meet him. "We have things to talk about—"

"Save the explanation for Bonnie," Klaus said as Damon licked his teeth and his friend neared the door. "She's the one you ought to pour out to. Not me."

Damon watched on as Klaus opened the door to leave and at the very moment he was about to walk out, Bonnie was turning her key in the lock.

She looked up first at Damon and then Klaus, before she ordered the former a cold stare and the latter an easy smile, though it hurt so much to pretend.

He stepped aside to offer her a direct path in and Bonnie nodded graciously at the motion, as she looked up at him.

"Hi, Klaus," she said.

"Goodnight, Bonnie," he replied, before ducking out and pulling the door shut behind him.

Bonnie skin tingled as she pulled off her light jacket and placed it on the hook; dropping her keys and her purse on the table by the door, as she slid out of her heels.

Damon watched her soundlessly, as she seemingly went through every motion—every action—as if he hadn't even been standing right there.

When Bonnie walked past him and towards the spiraled staircase, he decided he couldn't hold it in any longer.

He couldn't just ignore her the way she disregarded him. He never could.

"Do you wanna talk?" Damon asked as Bonnie set foot on the staircase and slowly made her way up. "Now that we're both here?"

Bonnie shook her head without even turning around; looping her hair into a ponytail as she continued to walk.

"I'm tired and you're drunk. Maybe tomorrow."

"You're full of shit and I am totally fine, so let me rephrase my question; Bonnie—you should come down here so we can have a talk. Please."

Bonnie spun around to eye him from the top of the staircase and she peered at him so coldly, he was convinced right then and there, he'd actually turn to ice.

Hell, he was shocked he didn't become a glacier.

"What do you want?" she asked harshly as she shrugged a shoulder. "To apologize? To justify the reasons why you are such a whor—"

"Let's not start with things we don't mean," Damon said, as he took a step in closer and continued to look up at her. "I just want to have a civil conversation. That's all."

"How about you go fuck yourself?" Bonnie asked rhetorically as she looked into his bright blue eyes. "That is, if you haven't had enough of Rebekah tonight, already."

"Cute. Did Stefan teach you that one?" he shot back and her eyes flashed to rage.

"What the hell does this have to do with Stefan? The fact that he's my friend bothers you, now?"

"It does when you go off with him and come back acting like this," he said. "So c'mon, tell me—what's he feeding you?"

"Only a bunch of bullshit about me giving you another chance!" she yelled back and Damon shut his lips. "He was on your side tonight, Damon, and Lord knows why! You're an asshole—"

"Bonnie, that's not fair—"

"Don't you dare begin to preach to me about what's fair and what's not, Damon," she whipped around as she bit her lip and curled her fists. "Because you are the last person who can argue about that!" she exclaimed. "Is that the reason I wanted a divorce? Because you are just so mind-numbingly selfish that you can't think of anyone else but yourself?"

"I don't know, Bonnie," he said as he began to ascend the stairs, his skin heating with the fire the closer he got towards her, though she moved away from him with each step. "Was I the selfish one when I called you every single day while I was gone just to tell you that I loved you? Was I the selfish one when I sent white lilies once a week, every Tuesday for six months because they were your favorite, to let you know that I remembered when we met? That I was so…happy to have met you?" he asked as he stepped in closer and stopped before her, as they stood now in the hallway. "Or was I the selfish one when you told me you needed space though you had that—you had oceans worth of space!—But I gave that to you anyway and I stopped calling because you didn't want me to—because you told me not to," Damon erupted as she stared into his eyes and shook with each word. "Oh that's right; you don't remember anything, Bonnie."

Bonnie felt the lump in her throat increase as she shook her head and they stared one another down. She'd honestly never wanted to hurt someone so badly before.

"I probably didn't need space," she guessed with shrugged shoulders. "I probably needed you, Damon, but you didn't get that. You weren't here—"

"And now I am," he stated as his stance grew stronger and eyes fiercer. "So let's just settle this, once and for all."

"Fine," Bonnie breathed, as she folded her arms over her dress and met his eyes. "Tell me the truth, then; did you sleep with Rebekah?"

"No, I didn't," Damon said and Bonnie snorted. "What?"

"You're lying," she shook her head. "You did—you had to have slept with her!"

"And what makes you so sure? You asked me for the truth and I am telling you that I didn't, Bonnie."

"So, why did she act that way? Why did I see her in yours arms, as if you were finally being reunited with someone that you loved—"

"Because she fell in love with me," Damon cut in and Bonnie's brows knitted as he licked his lips and looked to the ground. "And I did a really lousy job at stopping her."

There was a long silence between the two as Damon fidgeted with his hands, and tried to suck in deep breaths through his chest, though he was too anxious to.

Bonnie swallowed hard as she stared at him and pinched the bridge of her nose accordingly.

"I don't understand—"

"After you told me that you wanted 'space'—whatever that was, I—Rebekah and I became close," he explained as she looked up at him and digested his words. "I told her everything, Bonnie; about me… about you. I was supposed to be her 'mentor' while she was interning, but she literally knew me like the back of her hand… and it was because I wanted her to."

Bonnie looked into Damon's eyes as he struggled to speak and she remained with a hardened glare. Damon chewed at his lip.

"It was wrong because I gave her the wrong idea," he said honestly. "She believed that I wasn't happy—which I wasn't—and because of that, she wanted to 'save me from my marriage.' Rebekah wanted me to be with her and she tried—pretty damn hard—to make it a reality, too. She was just there all the time. And it became pretty hard to escape her; I was consumed by her."

Bonnie dissected each and every word that passed Damon's lips before finally parting her own to speak.

"So you… had an emotional affair with her," she deducted. "Unless you two… kissed, or something," she said shakily and Damon shook his head as he stepped in and took her hands.

His fingers wrapped around hers.

"I swear to you that it never went past my own feelings of loneliness for you. I… fucked up by letting her fall for me, Bonnie, but don't you see the reasons why?" he asked. "Because I thought I needed someone to want me—to need me… And you didn't. I—the first time I'd heard from you in two weeks was when you sent me an email telling me that we were getting divorced. So, I called you and we argued and then…" he stopped his words as Bonnie knew the rest.

She crashed her car.

Bonnie ran her fingers through her hair as she shut her eyes.

And suddenly, she felt like the worst person in the entire world.

"Bonnie," he stopped her by the wrist as she turned around to walk away and he noticed a stream of tears sitting at her cheeks as she stared at him. Damon immediately frowned upon first sight of them.

"I pushed my husband into another woman's arms," she said with a nod. "I said I needed space; who needs space when the person they're married to is thousands of miles away?" she asked, as her tears continued to flow. "A-And you sent me flowers, every week. My favorite flowers—"

"I didn't mean to throw that in your face," he apologized, but she ripped her hand away and shook her head. "I wanted to jog something, Bonnie—anything—"

"When I've just been so ready to up and leave you? Why?"

"Because I love you!" Damon finally exploded and Bonnie stood still as her body quaked and his eyes lined with tears. "Because I love you so much, Bonnie, and I've never stopped. I can never stop feeling what I feel for you right now."

She watched as Damon eased his hands into her own and she refused to look into his eyes this time.

They were just too heartbreaking.

"And I know… that there is nothing I can say that'll make up what I did to you. There aren't enough words in the English, Spanish, Italian and French dictionaries that can described the pain that I feel knowing that I hurt you… But please; believe me when I tell you this much—that I am completely in love with you and I always have been. I always will be."

Bonnie's brows knitted together as she let those words filter all the way down to her soul and Damon blinked back a few tears while they stood in silence.

She'd known that he felt this—that he loved her—all along, but actually hearing the words? Well, they spiked something completely different in her heart than just thinking them.

Bonnie glanced up at the wall and her eyes came within direct vision of framed black and white photograph of the two in Venice on their Honeymoon; smiling at one another, while he held her hand in his own.

As if the world revolved around them two.

She felt something in the pit of her stomach as she realized Damon was looking at the same photograph too, and she suddenly backed away at that.

He looked at her softly.

"I just—"she never finished, as she took off down the hall to their bedroom and Damon pursed his lips.

No; he wasn't going to let her walk away twice in one night.

"Bonnie," he said almost inaudibly as he walked into their room and he saw her just standing there, with a determined look on her face as he neared her silently. "Bonnie?"

His thoughts were stifled and words cut off when she pressed her lips to his, and Damon's back slammed door shut so roughly, he was surprised it didn't come off of the hinges.

He didn't have time to think, as her fingers curled between his raven locks, and their bodies pressed towards one another so tightly, he found it so damn hard just to breathe.

Damon shut his eyes when Bonnie pulled his arms through his sweater and shirt; planting her lips along his collarbone as her fingers yanked at his shorts.

What the hell had gotten into her?

"Bonnie, Bonnie—"he said breathlessly, as he pushed her slightly away and met her eyes; she was breathing deeply. "What are we doing?"

Bonnie smoothed her hair back and inhaled longingly, as her palms landed on her face and she studied his eyes.

What the hell was she doing right now?

She slowly but surely remembered, when her hand pressed against his muscled abs, and her fingers trailed all the way down his stomach and gingerly back up to his chest.

"Rebekah made you feel wanted," she said, as he hands explored his frame and she looked up into his eyes. "You liked how she made you feel because you were needed; she needed you."

Damon sucked in some air when her hands made their way over his muscular shoulders and arms—he honestly believed he could get off on that just alone.

"She doesn't compare to you at all," he said. "No one does—"

"Prove it," she said, as she slipped out of her dress and Damon's eyes glowered at her beautiful frame that became unraveled without the fabric as his eyes coursed over her skin. "Do to me what you wanted to do all those months while you were away; what you couldn't do to her because you wanted me," she challenged. "Because I want you too, Damon—and I need you. And despite everything else, it's enough, for now. It's what I need, right now."

Damon closed his eyes as her hands pressed along his skin and he leaned in closer towards her ear; his lips brushed against them as he pushed her hair aside.

He spoke in a soft whisper.

"I tell you I made one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life and you want to sex me up afterwards? I'm not quite sure I understand the method to your madness," Damon confessed and Bonnie breathed as she blinked softly; feeling his cool breath dance along her skin as she toyed with the string to his shorts before looking into his eyes.

He was staring right back at her.

"You don't have to," she said as he licked his teeth. "The only thing you have to do is tell me that there isn't anybody else," Bonnie added as she studied his eyes. "That it was only just me."

Damon's hands ran along her sides and he shook his head at the ridiculousness that Bonnie ever believed that she could be just a number. Not to him; not ever.

"There will never be anybody else," he said truthfully in response. "There never was… 'In sickness and in health,' Bonnie,'" he quoted and she pulled him in for a kiss as his fingers drummed along her thighs.

"Until this bed do us part," she joked as she motioned behind them.

Damon didn't hesitate to grab her by the waist and push her onto the mattress; devouring her instantly, while her legs wrapped around him tightly.

Forcefully.

When he buried his head in her chest, she raked her nails across his back and begged the room for air as she breathed in completely, before letting it all out.

Deep and shallow, she would have to remember; much like the thrusts of Damon's tongue.

"Did I like to do this fast or slow?" she asked, as he peeled off his shorts and boxers; his fingers immediately getting to work on her black lace underwear.

When he wiggled them off and threw them to the ground, his hands pushed beneath her back and she arched her body to the ceiling.

"Depended on the day, or night," he said between kisses. "Or my crime," he confessed.

Bonnie sent her tongue across her lips when his mouth pressed to her stomach and her hand formed a fist around his dark hair; causing his head to tilt up at her. She contemplated- painfully- before finally pulling him up to meet her; green eyes glistening against blue, as they both tried to control their breathing though it was already getting erratic.

And things so close to the point of no-return.

"Surprise me," she breathed, as her hand pushed his head back down and her nails scraped along his scalp. "Dealers choice; pick your poison."

Damon licked his tongue across her stomach and never even flinched when Bonnie's hands dug into his neck—surely leaving his blue and bruise for the morning that he he'd happily have to explain at work.

She closed her eyes when she felt his soft lips plant warm kisses along her skin until suddenly, he was above her again, and had her hand pinned at the wrists over her head while she looked at him.

He admired the sight, accordingly.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Salvatore," he said gently as his knee pushed her legs apart and his mouth met her ear. "I already have."

A/N: Hey hey hey! SO, two updates from me in like the span of a week? WTF? LOL. Enjoy it while it lasts, I've been inspired/have had the time to update lately. Get it while it's hot. ;) Speaking of… How did you all feel about Bonnie and Damon getting a little hot at the end of this chapter, finally? The best I can say is that sometimes when people are getting to "know" each other again, the physical route may be the road most awesomely traveled. LOL. This doesn't mean that things are necessarily "fixed" between them, but you WILL see a change next chapter in regards to the way that they treat each other from here on out. Now, as for Damon's "secret" about Rebekah… was it as bad as you all thought? I didn't want to make him a flat-out cheater b/c I'd never want Bonnie to go for that, however, he did make a mistake by getting too close for comfort and hopefully she can forgive that in due time, right? What do you think it was that made BONNIE be the one to ask for space to begin with? Does she have secrets of her own? Also, other thoughts on the Daroline/Stefan and his still manipulating(?) ways/Klaus throwing some truth juice in Damon's direction? All reviews are appreciated. As always, thank you all for reading and if you live in the USA, have a happy Fourth of July! Love you all and until next time! PS: Someone was concerned that this story will become "Stefan friendly" with Damon being made out to be the bad guy and I can promise you that while Stefan may be good with his words with Bonnie and Damon, it doesn't mean that he's a GOOD person; especially NOT for her. He's an obstacle; a really batshit crazy one. And while Bamon will continue to reconnect and rediscover what they once meant to one another, it wouldn't be nearly as fun without some schemed intervention. Don't worry, though; they'll catch a break, soon. And I promise you will love the reason why. Food for thought. Ta-ta for now, loveys!