Chapter 8

Bonnie loved the feeling of flying.

Her legs powered her on as she swung higher in the childhood swings her father had put together in their backyard when she was a toddler.

As a child she used to be on the swings constantly. Her father would threaten to take it down if she wouldn't come in for supper, but she would whiz by her parent's after eating, barefoot onto the grass- right into their backyard and hop onto the swing as her little fingers grabbed onto the chains and her feet dangled.

She would always start off slow but as she'd pick up momentum, her excitement would take over, she'd close her eyes and smile until her cheeks hurt.

It was odd to be back on the same swing set that she knew didn't exist currently in her backyard Bonnie thought to herself as she slowed down, her feet touching the ground.

Bonnie looked down at herself and found she was wearing a simple white sundress, very similar to the one her Grams had given to her as a birthday present when she had turned five. Bonnie had absolutely adored it the moment her young eyes had settled on it, she had worn it almost everywhere she could get away with.

Bonnie touched the simple lace straps and slid her hand along the material as it settled at the trim where green ribbon lined the dress to match her eyes.

Her feet no more dangled like they did in childhood, but they were barefoot as she enjoyed the feel of the prickling grass underneath her soles.

Bonnie loosely grasped onto the chains while looking up into the night sky that held the full moon front and center. It was so big, never had she seen it so grand, its light illuminated the night. The dark had never been her friend, but the shine of the moon spread such gorgeous radiance that it had her in a tranquil state of utter serenity.

And that's when it all made sense. She was dreaming.

Bonnie had never been so self aware in her dreams, usually they were made up of random things that she had seen or thought about jumbled into chance scenarios that made no liner picture. It was always one transition into another and she would go along for the ride until she woke up. Forgetting the dream, or remembering bits and pieces and laughing afterwards at the unsystematic images and thoughts jumbled together to create such muddled dreams.

But sitting on her childhood swing set, swaying back and forth slightly had her very much alert. Bonnie felt like she had she didn't have to follow a laid out plan her mind had conjured up beforehand, but possibly make decisions in where she could travel within her own mind.

At that thought, Bonnie couldn't help but cherish the feeling being in her childhood swing once again even if it was in her mind. It was a place she would escape to when things inside the home had gotten too noisy for her ears and she'd rather embrace the feeling of flying than see the annoyance in her mother' eyes she'd catch from time to time.

Bonnie stilled her movements and looked back at her home where she suddenly heard voices coming through the open living room window as she saw her parents arguing.

"I can't stay here, this isn't what I wanted" Bonnie heard her mother say.

"You wanted me, a home, and family. How can you say this isn't what you wanted? From the moment we met this was all you talked about" Her father had responded

"I only said those things to get more power, but now I find out that isn't possible thanks to your mother. What kind of man are you, how could you give it all to her"

"I don't want the responsibility, I grew with weird things and abnormal experiences happening all the time- I didn't want that life for us or for any of my children"

"If I had known that, I wouldn't have married you. You are absolutely useless…"

"My mother was right from the start with you, but I was blinded and I didn't listen. What's done is done between us- I know there is no changing that, but what about Bonnie? How can you leave her?"

"I never wanted her. I just thought it would appease your mother and hopefully sway you to get your powers back from her. You would be a father and I thought that would change your ideas on giving it all up. Obviously I was stupid to think that. Nine months carrying your child…what a waste…and I really can't wait any longer for the day you come to your senses"

"Don't you dare say another word- you're power hungry and the only thing I feel stupid about is not seeing it from the start. Get out…..Get out right now. I don't want to be near such venom and I will not have my daughter subjected to your cavalier attitude about her existence. Bonnie is the only good that came out of us ever meeting."

"Well I'm glad one of us got something out of this marriage…cause I sure didn't"

Bonnie turned back around quickly as she heard the slamming of the door and was not surprised at the loud crash that reached her ears. Bonnie had heard it all before at the age of six, and recalled images of her younger self discovering the clay pot she'd made in class that had written across it "world's best mom" broken in pieces against the living room wall laying on the wooden floor.

Bonnie hadn't understood all of it when she had overheard her parents fight back when she was younger. All that had kept repeating in her mind was that her mother never really wanted her.

She never truly brought the topic up as conversation because she saw the hurt her father's eyes would convey and if curiosity got the best of her and she dared to venture and ask a question about her mother, her father would ignore it like he never heard.

Finally she just learned pretty quickly that bringing up her mother was a sour topic and should remain taboo. If her mother didn't want to be in her life then she wasn't going to spend hours on end thinking about her.

Over the years she had stuck to that train of thought, but often times she couldn't help wondering why she wasn't enough.

Bonnie let out a weary sigh. As the breath escaped her lungs, she got up from her favorite place that had been ruined the day she had overheard that conversation between her parents.

Why was she reliving one of the worst days of her life. Bonnie didn't understand. This was her dream and she wanted to go somewhere happy. Closing her eyes and a split second later she reopened them. Bonnie's sense of smell was assaulted by buttery popcorn. She heard cheers and screams coming from the nearby bumper cars and was captivated by the lights blinking on the Ferris wheel.

"I knew you would come here…it's one of my favorite days too"

Bonnie turned around to find her Grams standing by the cotton candy station. Delight engulfed her whole. She wasn't shocked or stumped still. Her feet carried her to Grams and she couldn't help but hug her tightly as tears overwhelmed her eyes.

"I've missed you so much" Bonnie softly said against her Grams shoulder. She was sure it was muffled but her Grams kissed her gently on the temple before pulling away and wiping the stray tears that silently ran down her cheeks.

"I've missed you too baby girl, but I've been watching you- you've been strong…I'm so proud of you"

Being able to touch, talk, and see her Grams was unbelievable. It made her feel safe and protected, like she could let her guard down and not have to worry about a thing. That's why it was so easy for her fears and insecurities to spill out of her in a rush- all at once.

"I'm so scared half the time, I need you and your gone…I'm so sorry that I couldn't be stronger for you and that I couldn't bring you back. I tried…I really tried…. I looked and searched but I couldn't find anything in the Grimoire to bring you back….I'm so lost without you Grams" Bonnie said as she once again collapsed into her Grams arms, feeling the security she so desperately needed in the moment.

Bonnie felt her Grams take a slow breath as one of her hands gently patted her head to the ends of her hair soothingly as she said "Now I know I didn't raise a fool…we both know there wasn't anything you could have done…I chose to do that spell to keep vampires in once they entered the tomb, just like I chose to undo it…its my own fault and I suppose I realize now that my passing was written in the stars for me long before you and I were born…everyone has a time and place when it all ends, mine was then"

"It's not your fault, it's Damon" Bonnie said stubbornly. "If it wasn't for him and his obsession for Katherine, you wouldn't have had to open the tomb to begin with"

"Your telling me that you wouldn't do anything for the ones you love?" Grams asked

"Of course I would" Bonnie exclaimed as she pulled back from her Grams embrace. "Why are you letting him off the hook?"

"I'm just recognizing the part I played my sweet child…..and I love you for ignoring my own faults that led me to where I'm at now" Grams explained

"What's it like…heaven?" Bonnie questioned curiously

"There's that curiosity popping up again…one of the things I love about you, but one of the reasons why I almost lost you" Grams said mysteriously as she turned Bonnie around and looped her arm through Bonnie's as they walked together. "Do remember this day?"

Bonnie looked around at the people standing in line for the rides and felt the warm night air caress her skin as she passed along a sign that read fortune teller with a arrow directed into a purplish tent. "Of course I do, it was the talk of the town for two months prior and I was so excited when you came to visit and took me to my very first circus slash carnival"

"You were eight" Grams interjected

"Yeah, and I couldn't believe you got dad to agree to let me go. I begged and pleaded with Dad a million times but you got him to listen to you. I still don't know what you told him, but it worked and I was able to join you." Bonnie said as she reminisced of the overflowing feelings of excitement coursing thorough her little hands and toes as she tumbled into her Grams car at being allowed to go after all.

"Your father had his reasons" Grams said solemnly. "To be honest I should have listened to him and not have taken you"

Bonnie stopped and turned to her Grams in confusion as she said "But why? You and I had so much fun going to the various booths, playing games, watching the animals, and going on the rides. Don't lie about it- I know you had fun, you just said earlier that it was one of your favorite days."

"It was, but it was one of the most terrifying endings to one of the best days I ever had with you. I almost lost you and it would have been all my fault…thankfully you had an unexpected savior." Grams said as she took Bonnie by the shoulders, positioning her so they both faced the opening of a tent, which held the lions that people could glimpse before the show.

"What are you trying to show me? " Bonnie questioned as she saw the tent empty expect for two lions in their cages laying down.

"To your right you'll see me talking to Miss Smith, she got into it with me about some mindless gossip and I became engaged with her I didn't realize you had drifted away- bored by our conversation." Grams explained as Bonnie saw her younger self at the age of eight casually sneaking glances backwards to see if Grams would scold her from leaving her side but knowing she wouldn't get into too much trouble because the lions were only few steps away.

Bonnie and Grams entered into the tent right behind little bonnie. When they all were in the tent, the flap- mysteriously closed behind them, but Bonnie saw as a child she hadn't even glanced back, she was too intrigued by the lions.

Bonnie bit her lip in confusion as she tried to remember this memory of going to see the lions, but for some reason she couldn't. "I don't recall this- I think I would have remembered being up close and personal with lions at such a young age, you just don't forget a memory like that"

"Just watch, your questions will be answered in time" Grams said softly as she kept her eyes glued to the eight year old Bonnie with anguish in her eyes.

Bonnie's brow arched while confusion took over at Grams obvious distress. She turned her attention back to the scene playing out in front of her.

Bonnie saw herself crouch down so that she was eye level with the lion and took one of her tiny hands to brace against the bars of the cage, after a second's thought she slowly started to fit her hand through the bars as if to pet the animal in front of her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, they have sharp teeth"

The eight year old Bonnie turned around, scared at being caught.

As Bonnie watched- she found she was just as startled at the new person entering into the scene, she hadn't even heard him come into the tent. "Where did he come from?"

"He was in the dark corner at the back of the tent from the beginning… watching you" Grams stated.

"You won't tell my Grams I tried to pet them, will you? Cause I'll get into a lot of trouble" eight year old Bonnie softly pushed past her trembling lips.

"Of course not, it'll be our little secret, but I'll need to know the name of the person who I'm helping out?"

"I'm Bonnie"

"And I'm Jimmy"

"I have a boy in my class with the same name, he's pretty mean"

"Well I hop you don't think I'm mean, especially since I'm not going to tell your Grams anything" Jimmy said as he walked closer to little Bonnie who was crouched down, still on the floor.

"Really? Wow, Thank you Jimmy" little Bonnie replied happily as a huge grin broke out across her face.

Bonnie watched the scene play out in front of her and a knot twisted inside her stomach as she watched Jimmy place his hand on little Bonnie's shoulder.

"Now for me to keep this secret I need a small little favor from you, could you help me out?" Jimmy asked earnestly, Bonnie saw the glint in his eyes, but unfortunately her younger self had know clue.

"He's a vampire" Bonnie breathed out as she turned to her Grams in horror. "Please tell me, he doesn't take my blood or do something really freaky cause I don't think I can handle this"

"It's important you watch Bonnie, we don't have much time left together" Grams said while she directed Bonnie to the scene in front of her again.

Bonnie saw as her eight year old gullible self agreed to help without even asking questions. She had closed her eyes and titled her head just as Jimmy had told her.

Bonnie grabbed onto her Grams hand as she feared the worst about to happen. "Why don't I remember this…I can't look"

"You need to Bonnie" Grams sternly replied as she applied pressure into Bonnie's hand for comfort.

"Your such a sweet little child, just like the rest…except I sense something better about you….you'll taste a lot better I believe" Jimmy said softly just as little Bonnie flinched and opened her eyes in question and confusion at hearing his words "Taste?"

"You should have stayed with your Grams, you never know when a bad man is just around the corner" Jimmy snarled and went to grab Bonnie around the neck but was stopped short when a quick blur almost too fast for the human eye to catch- hurled Jimmy across the room. A newcomer dressed all in black stood over him with their foot dug into Jimmy's neck while he struggled to get away.

"Going after girls not even out of the cradle, how pathetic can you get man"

Bonnie knew if she wasn't seeing it with her own eyes she wouldn't have believed it. "Damon?...What in the world is he doing here….he couldn't have been there…this didn't happen…it couldn't have…why don't I remember?"

"He was….and it did happen" Grams said in the background as Bonnie watched Damon drag Jimmy to his feet and start to choke him while he asked him questions about finding out where some guy- named Oliver was.

"Where is he? I was told you were in contact with him not too long ago?" Damon growled into Jimmy's ear threateningly.

"Who the hell are you man….I don't…know…where Oliver is….I haven't talked to him in years….whoever…said I…talked to him….was…lying" Jimmy managed to get out in bits whenever Damon eased the pressure from his throat.

"You better not lying to me" Damon said

"I'm Not man…I'm not" Jimmy exclaimed while Damon kicked him down to his knees.

"Good" Damon replied right before he whipped out a stake and jammed it into Jimmy's heart and twisted it deeper into place with a smile of satisfaction showing transparently as he turned around from Jimmy in victory, but stopped still as his eyes caught the little girl crouched near the Lion cages too frightened to move or scream in terror from what she had just witnessed.

Bonnie was beside herself at seeing Damon appearing so suddenly, she'd forgotten about her younger self.

Little Bonnie tried to appear calm and not scared while Damon casually walked closer to where she had been sitting on the floor stunned.

"Where are your parents?" Damon asked

Bonnie lowered her eyes as she said in a small voice "I came with my Grams"

"Where is she now?" Damon replied swiftly

"Outside talking to a friend…I just …I just…came here to see the lions" Little Bonnie whispered out, still not looking at the new pale man that stood before her. "Are… you going to hurt me… like Jimmy… was going…to?"

"I don't hurt little girls" Damon replied as he kept a safe distance not wanting to scare the girl any further, but bent down so he was eye level with the child in front of him. "I don't get a thank you or even a smile for getting rid of Jimmy for you"

Bonnie watched astounded as she viewed her younger self stop clenching her hands so tightly into little balls and slowly but surely gazed up to look at Damon quickly before lowering her eyes back to the floor. After a couple of seconds, little Bonnie got up from where she sat and finally looked up and held Damon's gaze. "You saved me….Thank you"

Damon just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as he said "Well I had nothing to do and your too cute of a little bird not to save."

Bonnie was dazed just like Damon as she viewed from his surprised expression when her eight year old self launched right into his arms. Bonnie was even more shocked to see the pleased look cross Damon features as he hugged her back.

"I was so scared and you saved me…thank you" Little Bonnie whispered softly as she nestled deeper into his shoulder for comfort as silent tears tumbled down her cheeks.

"No one's coming after you…your fine" Damon replied soothingly to calm the nerves of the child in his arms. He could tell she was five minutes away from a complete meltdown.

A moment later Bonnie watched from where she stood as Damon slanted his head to the side as if he was trying to hear for something. Seconds later, Bonnie viewed Damon gently unchain her tiny arms from around his neck and held her at distance while he explained he needed to go, but there was someone that was coming inside the tent soon after that would help find her Grams.

As Bonnie blinked her eyes the scene in front of her disappeared and she was surrounded in the woods with her Grams.

"Why did it stop, I want to see more" Bonnie stated anxiously at her Grams.

"Your going to wake up soon….I can tell you the rest. Miss Smith is the one that actually found and brought you to me in my hysterical state. I was beside myself in worry thinking the worst" Grams said as she came close to Bonnie and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"The reason why your father didn't want you to come with me was because this particular carnival had a black cloud around it from the moment it started travelling from state to state. There were reports of missing children. Your father and I had our suspicions that it was supernaturally related, but then all of sudden the kids stopped disappearing and people started to think they had overreacted. It went to ten states before coming here. There had been no recent reports, so I mistakenly thought I was wrong, your father on the other hand didn't think so. We argued, I told him he couldn't keep you cocooned from life and he finally relented." Grams explained as she dropped her hand from Bonnie's shoulder and went past her to lean against a tree for support.

"I should have listened to him, I could have lost you so easily" Grams continued saying as her voice quivered with emotion.

"But I'm okay" Bonnie said trying to reassure her. "I just don't get why I don't remember any of it….Jimmy? Damon?...Did I block it out"

"No…I took those memories away from you. When I finally calmed down, I took you to the car and sat you down and that's when you told me about Jimmy and what he tried to do and how this pale man came and saved you but that he had to leave cause someone was coming into the tent. If it was any other child I would have chalked it up to a wild imagination, but you were so set in what you were saying and me being who I was I knew it was the truth. I hugged you for a good half an hour with you trying to reassure me that everything was okay" Grams said as she went over to Bonnie and took her hand in her own. "Please forgive me"

"Grams there's nothing to be forgiven….I just can't believe Damon was there and he saved me" Bonnie replied.

"You're telling me, there's a lot that I've learned since my passing. That is one of the reasons why I can't hold Damon responsible. He saved you. I would have been broken if anything had happened to you that day." Grams replied

"Did anyone find Jimmy's body?" Bonnie asked

"No one discovered a body and I went into the tent to check for myself, Damon must have taken care of it" Grams stated

"I'm still in a daze. I just watched myself almost get attacked by a vampire and then get saved by the most unlikely person I could ever think of and I have no recollection of it until now" Bonnie said softly as her mind caught up with what she had seen with her own eyes.

Bonnie took a deep breath and while she did the image of pancakes popped up into her head as she instantly caught a whiff of them in the air surrounding her. "I think I smell breakfast cooking"

"You're waking up. Your father's home and he's trying to surprise you to make up for not being around lately" Grams supplied as she appeared in front of Bonnie and held herclose. "Don't be too mad at him...it was tough on him having me for a mother"

"Dad and I don't get into arguments, we just ignore topics of conversation we don't feel like discussing. His absence isn't really new, I get that being a single parent is tough and his job can be very demanding" Bonnie said while her eyes drifted closed with the weight of drowsiness taking a hold of her.

"He once was an inquisitive child just like you, but that all changed. He saw too much at an early age. That's one of the reasons why I didn't tell you about being a witch until very recently, I didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Than of course your mother came into the picture and well I thought he had a fence built around him, but when she left he built concrete walls with barbed wire enclosing him off to any sort of happiness. I still hold out hope, but sometimes a person's just too damaged to change." Grams soothingly said as she rocked Bonnie into a tranquil state side to side in her arms.

Bonnie inhaled her Grams scent trying to brand it to memory as she said "Don't worry too much…Dad's a survivor…..Damage can be healed"

"Try to remember your own words when your time comes" Grams ominously said

"What…What….do….you…mean…by….that?" Bonnie managed to get out, but she didn't hear her Grams reply.

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep

Opening her eyes was a struggle, but the alarm clock near her bedside wouldn't let up. She reached over and turned it off and flopped back onto the bed while her eyes adjusted to the brightness that shined through her curtains.

She was tired, not only that but Bonnie felt drained. Her skin felt hot and she decided to throw the covers off her. Bonnie might have been unconscious for the past ten hours but she felt like she'd run a marathon.

Bonnie didn't have time to digest or even partially recover from what she had dreamed about because the door to her room was being opened and her father stood in the doorway.

"Didn't you hearing me calling?"

"Sorry, I was dreaming and I must have been in really deep because I didn't hear a thing but I did smell pancakes, which I think woke me up." Bonnie said while getting up and off her bed.

"Must have been some dream" Her father replied, leaning on the doorframe.

"I saw Grams" Bonnie couldn't help blurting out and watched as her father's smile turned stiff.

"Why don't you forget about your dream, and come down- have breakfast with me" Her father stated as he stepped back from her room. Bonnie could tell he was retreating not only physically, but emotionally which caused a flash of anger. She couldn't help saying "Do you even miss her?"

Her father just turned around and left without saying a word.

Great, now she felt horrible…Of course he missed her. Bonnie thought.

She needed to wash away the dream and everything she had learned for now. Grabbing some jeans and a shirt, Bonnie dashed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and shower. Once done she came back into her room and combed her hair, deciding to let it free around her shoulders.

Bonnie glanced at her cell on her dresser and saw she'd missed a call from Luca, Caroline, Elena, and there was text waiting for her from Damon.

Deciding to ignore the calls for now, she clicked on the inbox as she walked outside of her room and went down the stairs as she read, Everyone's coming to the house, don't be late.

Bonnie's fingers travelled over her phone as she texted back, what's it about?

Almost instantly her phone received a text.

My undying love, what do you think it's about! The new creepy crawlers invading our town: Werewolves.

It had been a day since their tense moment in the car. She had deliberately stayed away from the POW wow yesterday with Damon, Elena, and Stefan because she felt it too soon to see him.

Bonnie felt that witnessing his human moment of madness in his car- even if he didn't admit to, had awakened her to a whole new him. It was enlightening, but troubling.

Bonnie couldn't go back to viewing Damon as the bad brother anymore. Some would say that was progress, she labeled it insane because Damon was no innocent bystander. If there was trouble he was usually involved, even…..even if his heart was in the right place.

Texting back she wrote, I'll see if I can make it- my dad's home today and I have a feeling he wants some bonding time.

Thinking that her comment would be the end of their conversation, Bonnie started to walk down the hall.

Just as she was to step into the kitchen for breakfast, her cell rang. She looked down and saw Damon's name across the screen.

Bonnie hesitated in answering, knowing it was going to be harder to blow off Damon if she had to talk to him over the phone. Making up her mind, Bonnie back tracked a couple steps and entered into the sitting room and finally answered Damon's call.

"Hello"

Damon didn't beat around the bush when he directly said "Screw the bonding time- I need you at the house now"

Looking over her shoulder to make sure her dad wasn't near by, Bonnie whispered back heatedly, not liking being ordered around much "Look you might not understand the concept of family since you lack actual sentimental feelings, but I can't just bail on my dad and his breakfast- it's a tradition on Saturdays which has been shoved under the rug for the past couple of weeks because of his work schedule but he's trying and I'm not going to walk out cause you say I should"

"Elena's going to be here and so is Caroline- you know if you don't show up she's going to think your avoiding her because she spilled the beans to Tyler" Damon replied smoothly

"That's a low blow- bringing my best friends into this" Bonnie said

"Are you really surprised?" Damon humorously answered back

"No" Bonnie replied bluntly. "But I can't Damon…I got to go. My dad's waiting- I'm sure Elena and Caroline will understand and will fill me in later- bye now."

Bonnie shut the phone before Damon could get another word in, which would convince her to change her Saturday plans.

Her cell ringed and she glanced down to see it was Damon again, she was tempted to answer but her father calling her name to come get breakfast swayed her away from that impulse.

Bonnie hurried to the kitchen and saw that her father had a plate already set out for her with freshly squeezed orange juice waiting for her on the table. "Thanks, dad"

"Anything for my girl" Her father replied as he dropped a kiss onto her head before joining her at the table.

Picking up her fork she plopped a strawberry and orange slice into her mouth. Looking at her dad from across the table, Bonnie realized she owed him an apology.

"Dad I just want to say for my comment earlier- I'm sorry…I shouldn't haven spoken to you in that manner and I shouldn't have questioned your feelings or grief about Grams- it was stupid of me" Bonnie said while in between her bites. She tried to make it as casual as possible- knowing her father wouldn't acknowledge it if she made a big deal out of it.

Her father smiled as an acceptance of her apology before lowering his gaze and digging into the pancakes.

Her father's way of communication on subjects he rather not discuss had been a learning process and something she had resided to accept over the years, but this one time she was hoping he would banish his avoidance and speak frankly to her.

The dream she had woken up from had stirred up old questions regarding her mother and it made Bonnie want to connect with her dad and understand his issues with magic, and resentments he had with Grams. There was so much that was locked up inside of him and she just wanted small bits and pieces to make sense of her past and her roots.

Bonnie watched her father glance over the morning paper as he drank his coffee, realizing that she would probably never get those answers, not until he was willing to give them to her.

"So what are the plans for today?" Bonnie asked as she drank her orange juice, hoping it would take away the sour taste in her mouth.

"Well you know my buddy Olsen Carter and his wife are having a barbeque today and they asked us to drop by, I thought we could swing through- I know their son has been asking after you, he's back from college I hear" Her father replied

"No way dad- I know you like him but he's a complete jerk" Bonnie said, nixing any match making efforts Mr. Carter and her father were conjuring up.

"I met him the other day, he seemed perfectly fine to me" Her father reasoned back.

"Trust me dad- if you knew half the things he did around this town- you wouldn't be so keen on me hanging around him. Four years back when David Fisher's car got vandalized it wasn't some random act- it was Mr. Carter's son. He bragged about it to his friends which travelled down into my middle school.

"No I can't believe that- I remember Olsen mentioning how his son was at the top of his class, captain on more then two teams and class president" Her father said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"And that's what the sheriff said when David Fisher accused Mr. Carter's son. Poor guy- I remember how he had saved up his money to buy his car- didn't even get to have it for a week before it got trashed" Bonnie replied as she finished off her breakfast.

"Wow- I honestly wouldn't have guessed that" Her father said astounded.

"Appearances can be deceiving" Bonnie said as she took both their plates into the sink and started to wash the dishes.

Just as she was finishing up, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that" Her father said as he got up from the table, passing by her to place his mug in Bonnie's waiting outstretched hand- before walking out and answering the door.

Bonnie quickly cleaned the mug and turned off the faucet. She dried her hands and went to the table to grab her cell and suddenly stopped to listen as she heard her father ask "Why do you need to speak with my daughter?"

"Look I don't have time for an over protective father, so your going to look in my eyes and repeat after me- Come in Damon"

Alarmed and surprised that Damon would come to her home, she hurried out of the kitchen and down the hall a she started to say "Dad- Don't-" But was overpowered by her father's darkening voice as he said "That trick doesn't work with me- you might want to try another one"

Bonnie's steps halted at hearing her father's words, just as Damon was surprised that he couldn't compel her father.

She was shocked to say the least. Her father had never spoken to her about anything supernatural and the fact he knew Damon was a vampire blew her mind. Before Damon could say anything to make matters worse, she came up behind her father and stood beside him as she looked at Damon and said nervously "What…are you doing here?"

"I came to get you cause obviously you can't listen to orders" Damon replied to her, ignoring her father all together now.

Bonnie took a peek at her father's stern face that didn't let up before stating "I told you I was busy Damon"

"Look- I'm getting a little sunburned out here- why don't you show me some hospitality and invite me in for iced tea or something" Damon said with a smirk in full display as he looked at her and then her father in a challenge.

Before she could even get a word in, her father slammed the door as he strongly replied "No"

"Bonnie open the door" Damon whined as he impatiently banged on the door.

"Why can't he come in dad?" Bonnie asked her father, ignoring Damon.

She was hoping for honesty, maybe Damon's unexpected arrival would be the fresh new start that she and her dad needed, to be more open with each other. They had never experienced anything abnormal together, but he knew Damon was a vampire and he knew that she knew Damon was a vampire- So it only made sense that he would meet the matter straight forward with no avoidance.

Her father stopped and turned back around to face her as he said tiredly "He doesn't seem right, just don't invite him in Bonnie"

Bonnie didn't even realize how much she had invested into her father's answer until she felt her spirits deflate as disappointment raked through.. And that's what had her grabbing onto the door handle and asking daringly "Why?." She was giving him the chance to salvage his answer.

"Don't Bonnie- I forbid you" Her father announced sharply at her.

"You know me- I don't follow orders without good reasons behind them. So give me a good reason- I want to hear you say the reason why dad. I want you in my life, but I also want you in my other life- the one we don't talk about…the reason I come home at late hours, why I'm starting to encounter Grams in my dreams, why I can light candles with just a thought. I'm tired of being alone in this- I know it hurts talking about the past, but I need you too…..So please daddyGive me a good reason" Bonnie managed to say as emotion wobbled her words near the end.

"Do what you want- I have nothing to say" Her father said. "I couldn't deal with her when she use to get stubborn like this and I can't deal with you now- you're just like her"

"If your talking about Grams, I'll take that as a compliment" Bonnie said as she willed her tears not to shed.

"No I wasn't talking about her" He exclaimed as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Dad!" Bonnie shouted trying to get him to turn around. He had never spoken to her about her mother until that brief comment and she could tell it hit a nerve.

"Just don't invite him in Bonnie- that's all I ask….I'm not blind to what's been going on in this town" Her father replied as he turned the corner and disappeared from her view.

Steadying her nerves, she took a deep breath in and let it out to ease the tornado rumbling inside of her.

Bonnie glanced down at the door handle she still grasped. Damon's shouts for her to open the door had all but completely died when she was speaking to her dad, but she knew that he would be out there still, waiting.

Swinging the door open. She saw Damon leaned against the doorframe not even pretending that he hadn't overheard her conversation with her father.

Arching his brow and with the most innocent smile he asked "So I guess I'm not getting an invite inside for some iced tea"

As Bonnie sighed, a rebellious smile settled on her lips.

She stared at Damon while in the process of closing the door behind her and said simply "No"

Shrugging his shoulders he said "Okay, maybe next time"

Bonnie just gave him a look that stated she highly doubted there would be any time that she would invite him in. She stepped down onto her porch and walked pasted him and down the steps.

"Where are you going?" Damon hollered behind her

"To your car- I'm pretty sure you didn't drive all this way to eavesdrop on a conversation. You came to get me so I would be at the meeting…right?" Bonnie said as she glanced back at Damon.

"Wrong…that went and past…I'm here cause we're paired up to go scout out the possible hiding grounds of the werewolves in town and then go talk to Tyler" Damon announced.

"Really?" Bonnie asked skeptically.

"Okay, you got me- find our furry little friends yes, but talking with Tyler is Caroline and Jeremy's department" Damon corrected, walking to the drivers side of his car as Bonnie reached to open the passenger door.

"Hey"

Bonnie glanced across the roof of the car at Damon.

"You up for this? I know the conversation with your father wasn't exactly the way you would have liked for it to have gone" Damon seriously questioned. "I need your head in the game not family drama."

"I'm fine- that wasn't anything new" Bonnie replied swiftly, not wanting to talk about it.

"I'll understand if you want to sit this one out, it'll be more fun for me" Damon stated with a nasty gleam to his eyes.

"No- I'll go, any chance I get to ruin your fun- makes me happy" Bonnie said smilingly.

"That's just cruel" Damon said

"What do you want me to say- I'm not prefect…I never claimed to be an angel" Bonnie said laughingly as she got into the car, with Damon following her actions.

He put the key in the ignition but before starting the car, Damon leveled Bonnie a displeased look as he said "I don't like being hung up on"

"I said bye- it's not my fault your to slow to respond" Bonnie replied

"Oh- so your going to play it off like that, now are you?" Damon asked

"Yeah, I am" Bonnie said challengingly. "What are you going to do about?"

"Why Bonnie, I'm so glad you asked" Damon said with his trademark smirk in place as the engine roared to life.

"Don't you dare!" Bonnie exclaimed as she scrambled for her seatbelt.

Damon just shook his head at her efforts and laughed as he slammed his foot on the gas pedal, speeding off.

Author's Note: Hi, everyone. Thank you for your responses and interest in this story- that's the only reason I continue with this fic….This was actually suppose to be a one shot. And sometimes I think- why couldn't I just leave it at a one shot.

I still haven't even got to that chapter which inspired the story to begin with. It just seems to be getting farther and farther away as I put more layers or people into the story….lol. But as a reader myself I like the back story to how it got to that situation.

So I suppose that's one of the reasons why I didn't just have Out of Control be a one shot.

Moreover, Well I hope you didn't get to confused with Bonnie and little bonnie in the dream portion of this chapter….hopefully it was clear enough…I tired my best to write it so it was understandable.

And I'm so glad Vampire Diaries is back on…that was too long of a break….I'm excited for the Bamon clips coming up in this week's episode…I saw some pictures…..Excited.

Anyways…. I hope you will review…Let me know what you thought…..thanks!