Chapter 7
Bonnie grabbed Izzie's hand as they exited the plane and entered JFK airport. She checked her watch and it was just past 10 p.m. She was hoping with choosing a late flight that Izzie would sleep, but her daughter was so excited to be in New York that she had talked Bonnie's ear off about what she wanted to do and all the places her aunt Caroline promised to take her. Bonnie walked over to a row of chairs, and sat Izzie down to pull out her jacket from her carry-on and said, "Okay baby, we are going to get our luggage and hopefully find a cab to take us to the hotel."
Izzie frowned and said, "Mom I'm not a baby and why can't we stay with Aunt Caroline, she always takes me to ride the horses?"
Bonnie zipped up Izzie's jacket and said, "First of all I know you are not a baby in age, but as a term of endearment I will always call you my baby and second Aunt Caroline is in the middle of moving into her new house and we are here for Gigi and Papa anniversary party, so it will be more convenient with us being downtown in a hotel."
Izzie's eyes teared up as she looked at Bonnie with Damon's blue eyes and said, "I'm sorry for being mean, but do I have to eat the deer meat and if Aunt Caroline is moving what will happen with her horses Tinkerbell and Spitfire they won't be horsemeat will they?"
Bonnie laughed and hugged her daughter then got up and grabbed Izzie's hand and walked toward baggage claim and said, " No sweetheart endearment means a way of expressing love or affection, and don't worry the horses aren't going anywhere, only Aunt Caroline is moving. You remember her mom Elizabeth will still be there with the horses."
Izzie walked slowly behind Bonnie and Bonnie could tell that Izzie was adding endearment to her vocabulary so she would make sure to use it in the correct way in the future, once she felt she understood it's meaning she pulled her hand from Bonnie and crossed her little arms and mumbled, "Well I don't want to stay in a stupid hotel, why can't I stay with GiGi and Papa?"
Bonnie sighed and gathered her thoughts while she had a complicated relationship with her parents, it was a different story when it came to their only granddaughter. The word no was not in their vocabulary when it came to Izzie and along with Grams her grandmother they spoiled her every chance they got. Her mother Abby went overboard in making sure Izzie never felt like she was different or lacking because she didn't have a father, therefore she never missed the opportunity to make Bonnie feel guilty about not telling Damon she was pregnant. Her father was a different story, he didn't want the Salvatore's to know anything about Izzie as he felt they couldn't be trusted and would either turn their backs on Izzie or try and get custody of her. Her grandmother was a little more subtle as she always brought up breaking the Bennett generational curse of being a single mother. Grams often reminded her that while the Bennett's came from a long line of independent woman they also had the habit of not feeling they required to #1 be married before bringing a child into the world and #2 because of that Independence they didn't feel the need to have the traditional family unit with mother, father and children. Grams had hoped that the curse was broken when Abby and Rudy got married, even though they didn't get married until Bonnie was 4 and now were approaching their 25th anniversary. She had hopes that Bonnie would give Izzie the stable family environment that Bonnie was raised in. Bonnie wasn't up to the same arguments when she was around her parents and Grams, so staying with them was out of the question. As it was she was dreading the anniversary party and having to deal with not only her parents and grandmother but all of her nosy relatives who still asked about the identity of Izzie's father. Depending on which relative you asked some of the guesses had been one of Bonnie's college professors who was married and wouldn't leave his family, a musician who was on the road and didn't have time for a family or a rich playboy who realized having a black wife wouldn't be good for business, which wasn't far off from Damon. Bonnie grabbed Izzie's hand again and said "I thought it would be fun if we stayed in a hotel where we can have room service and breakfast in bed, there is a pool you can swim in, and we are going to a fancy party for Gigi and Papa so you get to wear your new dress."
Her stubborn daughter just like her dad was not willing to give up without a fight said, "I bet Grams would make me breakfast in bed, and plus I could work on my magic lessons."
Bonnie laughed because the last time they visited her parents her grandmother Sheila who taught Religious Studies at NYU had been working on a conference about the occult and witchcraft and her daughter became interested in spells so to divert her interest her grandmother took her to a David Copperfield show and now Izzie was fascinated with magic. "Izzie I promise to make sure you get to spend time with Grams, Gigi and Papa, and ride the horses, but we are only here 3 days that doesn't leave a lot of time for us to spend together. I thought this would be a girls weekend where we could get away from work and school and spend some time together aren't you excited about that?"
Izzie continue to pout and mumbled, "I see you every day, and it's been forever since I've rode the horses and you don't let me do any of the fun stuff like GiGi and Grams."
Bonnie grabbed their luggage and almost headed toward the rental companies to just get a rental and drive to the hotel, she knew it was past Izzie's bedtime and when she got sleepy she was either hyper trying to avoid going to sleep or cranky and by the pouting and whining coming from her daughter it looked like cranky it was. Bonnie then remembered how she hated New York traffic so she decided against the rental and proceeded toward the airport exit and just prayed they would be able to find a cab and get to the hotel before Izzie had a complete meltdown.
As they exited the airport and Bonnie began looking at the row of vehicles looking for a taxi she spotted a blonde woman running across the street waving her hands, "OMG Isabelle Bennett you have gotten so big, oh I've missed you so much".
As the women got closer Bonnie realized it was her best friend Caroline Salvatore. Izzie dropped her backpack and ran into Caroline's outstretched arms. "Auntie Caroline I've missed you to, do we get to go to your house?"
Bonnie reached down and picked up Izzie's backpack and walked over to Caroline who had picked up Izzie and said, "Caroline what are you doing here, I told you we were going to stay at a hotel?"
"Bonnie Bennett if you think for one minute I was going to let you stay at a hotel and miss out on time with my god daughter you were sorely mistaken, I cancelled that room as soon as I found out where you planned on staying."
"Caroline I don't want to inconvenience you, didn't you just get moved in and didn't you say that Stefan parents were planning a party tomorrow night?"
Caroline started walking back across the street with Izzie in her arms, so Bonnie had to run to catch up with them. As Caroline reached a white Range Rover she opened the back door and started buckling Izzie into the backseat and she turned to Bonnie and said, "Listen I know you are going crazy and you have to be nervous about Damon being back in the picture. I figure you need someone to talk to and plus Stefan is actually in LA until tomorrow so it will give us time to talk and plus I miss my god daughter."
Bonnie looked back at Izzie whose bright blue eyes were now darker showing just how tried and sleepy she was, "Okay Caroline pop the trunk and let's get this show on the road."
Caroline took Bonnie's bag and threw it into the trunk and screamed, "Yes we are going to have so much fun."
Bonnie got into the front seat and put on her seatbelt as Caroline got into the driver's seat and pulled away from the curb. Bonnie was looking out the window looking at the skyscrapers as Caroline drove toward the highway away from the city and Bonnie remembered the night Damon first told her he was in love with her. It was a Thursday night in September and it was still unseasonable warm and they had just left the office after a long day at work and instead of going home Damon had convinced her to catch a boat and view the New York skyline.
They were surrounded by tourist and other couples but to look at the two of them standing along the rear of the boat you would think they were the only ones on the boat as they were so wrapped into each other.
Bonnie was standing with her back to Damon's chest and he had his arms wrapped around her telling her stories of how when he was younger he and Stefan spent their summers on Martha Vineyard and he loved being on the water and how close they were. He told her that after he went off to college and started working at Salvatore Industries he wasn't able to spend time on the island and it also changed his relationship with Stefan since they both envied the other. Damon was the oldest son and expected to take over the company one day so he had a lot of pressure and responsibility. Stefan being the younger son had more freedom, but felt like an outsider because it was rare that he was included on business meetings and other than attending annual board meetings he was never consulted on company business. Damon was frustrated of the freedom Stefan had while Stefan was frustrated with the attention from their parents Damon had.
As Bonnie explained to Damon that it didn't have to be that way and how growing up as an only child with a father that was a police detective and mother who was a civil rights activist she often felt they cared more about work than her. She urged him to reach out to his brother as Stefan was one of her best friends and she knew he missed his brother.
Damon turned Bonnie around and rubbed his fingers down her cheek and said, "Actually I am in debt to Stefan because it's because of him that I found the love of my life."
Bonnie mossy green eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "What did you say?"
Damon grinned and as he bent down to capture her lips, "I love you Bonnie Bennett."
Hearing those words fueled the fire in me. As our kiss deepened I ran my fingers up the back of Damon's neck and then through the back of his hair. I pulled the top of my body as close as possible to his hard chest and I felt his hand skim over my backside as his lips left my mouth and began a journey down my neck. I knew if we didn't calm down I would let him take me right here on the deck in front of a boat filled with people.
I moaned, "Damon wait we need to get off this boat."
Damon grabbed my hands and started walking down the stairs and said, "The boat hasn't even started back yet, I can't wait that long."
We found a cabin downstairs that was empty and Damon turned me around and his lips met mine and without breaking the kiss he pushed me up against the wall and deepened the kiss as his hands traveled down to my thighs pushing my dress up to my chest as my hands reached down and unbuckled his pants. "Tell me you love me again I whispered."
Damon's reached over and locked the door and said, "You complete me, and if you need to hear it again I will never get tired of saying I love you."
I pushed his jacket from his shoulders as I wrapped my legs around him and kissed his neck and unbuttoned his shirt I groaned. "You feel so good."
Damon ripped my panties off with one pull and pushed his fingers inside of me and said, "Hush Baby we need to be quiet"
He moved his fingers in and out of me as we continued to kiss until we ran out of breath, he pulled his fingers out of me and put them in his mouth and I couldn't help but to let out a moan. I reached down to grab him and he was hard as a rock, he managed to get my dress off and proceeded to unfasten my bra and I pulled his shirt from his pants as he grabbed my legs and pushed me back up against the wall as he entered me. I gripped him tightly around the waist and began moving back and forth. My moans became louder as he continued to bounce me up and down his dick.
"God baby you are so wet and tight" he whispered in my ear.
I pulled back and looked him in the eyes, and while staring into his eyes that were now a dark blue I realized I was in love with him too. I started to moan as he moved us over to a desk in the room and I pushed him down so I was on top and continued to move up and down slowly, methodically as we continued to not be able to look away from each other. He grabbed me around my waist as he pushed harder and harder into me. I closed my eyes and heard him say, "Look at me baby I want to see your eyes when you come."
I felt my release coming. I touched his face as he rose up and started kissing down my chest until he grabbed one of my nipples and swirled his tongue around and around. I felt his penetration go deeper and deeper I felt him beginning to tremble inside of me and then he grabbed my butt to keep me inside of him as we reached our climax together and reached down and bit down on his lower lip and said, "Say it again"
Damon chuckled and pushed my wet hair from my forehead and kissed me back and said, "After that experience I think it's your turn."
I laughed and got off him and walked to gather my things and turned around and say him staring at me and so I bent down letting him get a good view of my ass and picked up my dress and said, "Uh you weren't so bad, I walked back over to him and kissed him and rubbed my nose to his nose and looked into his eyes, I think it's a given that I love you as well seeing I let you bring me down to a bottom of a boat for a quickie."
Damon got off the desk and grabbed his shirt and said, "Who said this was quickie, I see a long night ahead of us Bonnie Bennett."
"Bonnie are you listening to me." Caroline said as she pushed Bonnie in the shoulder.
"I'm sorry Caroline what did you say?"
"It's not important, what's going on with you. You've barely said ten words since we got into the truck."
Bonnie looked back to see that Izzie was asleep and said, "I've been thinking about the first time Damon told me he loved me. We were having a discussion about his relationship or lack of with Stefan and I encouraged him to reach out to Stefan. I know they are closer now and it's inevitable that Damon is going to find out about Izzie so I plan on telling him once I return to Mystic Falls. I'm just afraid of what the repercussions it will have on not only my relationship with Stefan, but your and Stefan's relationship."
Caroline glanced over at Bonnie and grabbed her hand and said, "What's changed your mind about Damon knowing he has a child. What's been going on since he's been in Mystic Falls as he met Izzie?"
Bonnie shook her head and replied, "No but he's asked about her and wanted to meet her and he even brought her the cutest little Crayola design and tracing set when she wasn't feeling well."
"Well that's nice and everything but telling him about a child you had eight years ago and kept from him is a hell of a lot of difference than introducing him to a child he thinks you had on the rebound. Forget about the fallout with Stephen and you and even me and Stefan, have you thought about not just Damon's reaction but dear old Grand mom Lily's reaction?"
"Yes I'm afraid of what Damon will do, but I can't let that fear stop me from something that might benefit my daughter. Tonight on the plane she was so excited about seeing you, my parents and Gram. She is having trouble adjusting to her new school and classmates and she is missing having people who love and support her and here I am keeping another side of the family from her."
They pulled up to the driveway and Caroline turned the car off and said, "It's not that I'm advocating you not telling Damon, but girl his family is a piece of work. No one knows that better than me since I'm married to a Salvatore, I just don't want to see a big fight over Izzie or even worse Lily rejecting her, if she is already having problems with the kids at school she doesn't need Lily monster on top of that."
"That's what I've used to think to justify not contacting Damon once Izzie was born, but I've always prided myself on putting my daughter first and now that she has been asking about a father, and even made me promise to start dating, I feel I need to tell Damon and give him a chance to have a relationship with his daughter. If he is not willing to put Izzie first then I'll make sure he is not a part of her life. I refuse to have him only be a part of her life when it is convenient for him or as long has his mother gives her blessing."
Caroline reached over and gave Bonnie a hug and said, "I will support you no matter what, now what is this about Izzie classmates giving her a hard time. Do I need to make a visit to Mystic Falls and her school? I'm not above terrorizing a 3rd grader."
Bonnie opened the door to get Izzie out and said, "Don't let Izzie hear you say that or she might take you up on it."
After Bonnie had put Izzie to bed she joined Caroline on a tour of the house that eventually ended with them on the patio overlooking a lake sharing a bottle of wine. Caroline took a big gulp of her wine before refilling her glass and looked at Bonnie and said, "There something I need to tell you, and I hope it gives you some peace of mind, but I also don't want it to influence your decision on what to do about Damon and Izzie."
Bonnie laughed and she said, "Caroline slow down what is it?"
"Well you know how you said that you were afraid of what repercussion it would have on my and Stefan relationship and Damon and Stefan relationship when he finds out about Izzie?"
Bonnie looked at Caroline and she felt her stomach drop like she had just went down the embankment on a roller coaster, "Yes that's been something that has always tormented me."
Caroline took another gulp of her wine and blurted out, "It's not really a secret between me and Stefan."
Bonnie screamed, "What when did you tell him, what did he say is he going to tell Damon?"
Caroline grabbed by hands and said, "Calm down Bon, I really didn't tell Stefan or better yet I didn't keep it from him. He has known from the beginning. He never believed that you would go off and have a one night stand when you left New York. He was very angry and upset with Damon when he let you leave and didn't follow you and try and get you back. He has always felt protective of you and since he was the one who recommended and talked you into working for Damon he felt responsible that your heart got broken. It didn't help that as soon as you were gone that Damon took up with Felicia so needless to say Stefan hasn't made any effort to divulge your secret. It's not something we have discussed at length but I know first-hand how mad Stefan was and felt that Damon not only betrayed you but him as well."
Bonnie got up and started pacing, "I never blamed Stefan for talking me into working for Damon. I've always felt so afraid that he would be caught in the middle if I told him the truth about Izzie's father. You don't know the guilt I have over not letting him be a true uncle to Izzie. I know she has Tyler and Matt, but I know how Stefan always watched out for me when we were younger and he would do the same if not more for Izzie but I knew that if Damon ever found out he was Izzie's father and Stefan helped raise her he and his parents would never forgive Stefan. How does Stefan not hate me for the position I put him in?"
"No Bonnie it's just the opposite Stefan feels he is protecting you, he knows his family and like you he doesn't trust that Damon would do the right thing and put you and Izzie over what his Mom or the board tells him. I didn't tell you this to make you feel guilty or so you would tell Damon. I felt you needed to know this so you can make the decision on if you tell Damon based on what's best for both you and Izzie. If you don't completely trust Damon to do what's best for Izzie then I know I'm willing to help you in anyway, and while I haven't talked to Stefan I can bet he would agree."
Bonnie went over and gave Caroline a big hug and said, "I don't know what I did to deserve you and Stefan but I am beyond grateful."
Caroline hugged her back and laughed and said, "Oh you know that's just how we roll and it's not one sided, I can't even begin to count the number of times you have been there with me when my parents divorced, and all the time me and Stefan broke up and got back together in college. We may not be blood but we are family."
After indulging in more wine and a dip in the hot tub Bonnie showered and got ready for bed. Caroline had given Izzie her own room that she designed with a princess theme complete with a chandelier, hanging chair, an shaggy rug which was very different from the artistic room she had at home. Bonnie wouldn't be surprised if Izzie woke up in the middle of the night and become uncomfortable with everything in the room and make her way to the room Bonnie was using.
Bonnie hadn't been in bed very long when her phone rang, thinking it was one of her parents or Grams complaining she hadn't come by with Izzie, she answered the phone without looking at the caller ID and said, "It was late getting in and Izzie was tired and not in a good mood, I've already put her to bed, I will bring her by tomorrow before the party."
"Well Bon Bon if I say I'm tired will you come put me to bed?" Damon responded in a husky voice.
"Damon, I thought you were my parents, what are you calling so late?"
"Is it embarrassing to admit that I missed you?" Damon responding just as husky.
I laughed and said, "It's been less than 24 hours since you last saw me, and I haven't been gone long enough for you to miss me."
"Oh I disagree Bon, it's been 7 years and now that I have you back, I can't go a weekend without seeing that judging little face of yours."
I have to admit hearing Damon say that he missed me started to warm my heart, but I wasn't going to let him know that, "Well Damon it's been very hard on me. Seeing you again after all these years and then to find out you are getting married hasn't been easy on me. Don't get ahead of yourself just yet, until the world knows you are a free man and not engaged we are still just co-workers I'm not the type to be someone's side piece or a homewrecker."
Damon voice got lower and he said, I'm sorry, I know I messed up royally, I'm doing everything I can to be the man you want and the man you deserve, and it will happen and when it does happen you won't have any more excuses, so tell me Bonnie when I announce I'm not or never been engaged what will we be then?"
Before I could answer I was saved by Izzie walking into the room, carrying her bear Ms. Cuddles and saying, "Momma I woke up and Ms. Cuddles wasn't happy, I think she needs you."
Bonnie moved the blanket back and said, "Come on in baby."
Izzie crawled up and got in bed with Bonnie and said, "Remember Mom I'm not a baby, it's Ms. Cuddles who is not used to Auntie Caroline room for me."
Damon laughed and said, "Precocious isn't she? I haven't met her yet, but I already like she keeps you on your toes."
"Yes sometimes she is 7 going on 15, and I want to slow time down and keep my little baby that used to follow me around and thing I hung the moon, but my little baby is a now a little girl and already showing signs of a strong Bennett woman." Bonnie squeezed Izzie and kissed her on her forehead.
Izzie opened her blue eyes and said, "Momma who are you talking to?"
Bonnie paused and looked down at her daughter and instead of feeling nervous or scared she felt a sense of peace. She and Izzie bundled in bed with Damon on the phone felt like the family she always wanted but was afraid to wish for. Bonnie looked into eyes that was so similar to Damon's and said, "It's my friend Damon who brought you the Crayola Tracing Pad when you were sick."
Izzie loved the gift and hadn't stopped drawing on it since she got it. "Can I tell him Thank you Momma?"
Bonnie heart stopped, "Sure sweetheart, before she handed Izzie the phone she said, Damon Izzie would like to thank you for your gift."
"Hi this is Isabelle Bennett, thank you for the tracing pad I love it, did you know I like to draw?"
Damon for some reason he couldn't explain was very nervous and wanted to make a good impression on Bonnie's daughter. "You are very welcome, Isabelle, and no I didn't know that you liked to draw, but I love to draw too in fact I want to be an architect so I know your mom is a wonderful designer so I thought you might like to practice so I thought you would like something you can practice drawing and design."
Izzie replied, "I haven't decided what I want to be yet, I think I like to design things like my mom, but I like to cook, ride horses, magic and dance too, but then I like science so I don't know what I want to be yet."
Damon laughed and said, "Well I think you have awhile to figure it out, look at me, I'm still trying to be an architect."
You could see the wheels turning in Izzie little head as she paused then said, "Will your mom not let you be an architect, my mom tells me I can be anything I want to be, I just have to work hard?"
Damon replied, "You know Isabelle, you are a very smart little girl, you are right my mom doesn't want me to be an architect she wants me to be a businessman, you are a very lucky girl to have such an understanding mom."
Izzie yawned and said, "I know, do you want her to talk to your mom?"
Damon laughed and said, "Well I'm hoping that with working with your mom, she will see what a good team we are and see how good I am at being an architect"
Izzie then asked, "Me and my mom are a team are you on our team?"
Damon asked, "I would love to be on your team, do we need a team name?"
Before Izzie could respond Bonnie interrupted and told Izzie to tell Damon goodnight as it was well past her bedtime, "I'm sorry but I have to go now because it's passed my bedtime, so I can't work on our team name now, but if you call me tomorrow we can."
Damon said "I would like that very much Isabelle"
Before Izzie handed the phone back to Bonnie she shyly said, "You can call me Izzie because we are on a team now."
"Well goodnight Izzie, have sweet dreams." Damon heard her hand the phone back to Bonnie and waited for Bonnie to say something.
"Well it's getting late Damon, I will see you when I get back."
Before Damon hung up he said, "I promised Izzie I would call her tomorrow, and for some reason I can't explain, she is somebody whose promise I never want to break, so I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight Bonnie, dream about me."
A/N
So Sorry for the long wait, I wanted to have interaction with both Damon and Bonnie (sexy time) and Damon and Izzie but not ready for them to meet yet, I also felt I needed to add a chapter to clarify some things regarding if Stefan knows that Damon is Izzie father. I want the story to center on Damon, Bonnie and Izzie and if there ware issues with both Stefan and Caroline and Stefan and Damon it would take away from story. That is not to say that Damon and Stefan won't have problems but I didn't want to have a trust issue between Stefan and Caroline.
It looks like Damon and Izzie are going to meet sooner rather than later, but I haven't decided if when he meets her if he will know she is his daughter or if I should wait. I'm leaning toward waiting because I want him to have developed a relationship with her so its more of a blessing or wish come true for both of them. What do you think?
I'm hoping to have the next chapter up in a couple of weeks.
