I DO NOT OWN TEEN WOLF, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, OR THE CHARACTERS.
Chapter Ten:
I stayed at Derek's with him and Laura for a few days. I knew that I was pushing my luck with Damon, but I couldn't bring myself to leave. I didn't want to. I felt safe here. When Damon showed up at Caroline's, he proved that he could still get to me there. As much as I love Caroline and Liz, I'm just not ready to go back. I wasn't ready to see the porch that he had attacked me on. I knew that I would have to it sometime, but I wasn't ready for today to be that day.
"You don't have to go back before you're ready, Bonnie. You know that, right? You're always welcome here and that's not going to change." Derek promised me. I sighed. I knew that he meant it and that his words were sincere, but I still felt like I was imposing.
"Even if I wanted to, I can't stay here forever." I told him. He didn't look convinced, but I didn't expect him to. He's such a good person – he and Laura both. Being around them is humbling.
"Bonnie, you know that my brother isn't about to kick you out. And I highly doubt that he's even to going to complain about sharing a bedroom with you." Laura spoke up. I laughed at her blunt words. Derek cracked a smile, but looked a little uncomfortable at her outburst.
"She's not wrong. We both love having you here and I know Caroline and Stefan don't mind visiting you here, especially if this is where you feel the safest right now." Derek agreed.
"I'll think about it." I relented.
"I'm going to go unpack some things in my room and listen to music, so there's no way that I'll be able to overhear you." Laura excused herself. Subtlety isn't her forté, but she manages to get her point across.
"I mean it, Bonnie." Derek said, as soon as his sister was out of earshot. I gave him a sad smile.
"I know you do, Der. You're kind of perfect that way. You never say anything to me that you don't mean. I love that about you. And sure, I'm fine staying here for a while, but moving in here? No matter what either of you say, I'd feel like I was imposing. So far… since leaving him, all I've done is drag other people down into my mess. I don't want that, especially for you and Laura. You both deserve better than that." I argued. I knew he wasn't going to agree. He never does, when this comes up.
"Why don't you let us decide what we want and what we're willing to do for you? You're not some burden, Bonnie. You make me happy. I've never felt like this with anyone else – you know that. After all of this is over, and one day it will be, that's not going to change. I want a future with you. You're worth fighting for and no matter what you tell me, I'm not going to stop fighting for you. You know why." He lamented.
"You always know exactly what to say." I breathed. I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I love you, too, you know." I told him, before I lost my courage.
"I know. And I fully intend on marrying you someday." He replied. I was floored. I didn't know what to say to that. "I've loved you for longer than I should have."
"Derek…"
"Tell me that you'll stay. You want to. We want you to… You seem happier here. You're allowed to do things that make you happy." He kept trying to sway me and it was working. I was running out of reasons to say no.
"I'll stay." I agreed. He beamed at me and touched his lips to my forehead. I heard Laura's bedroom door open and I knew that she had been listening. Truthfully, I hadn't expected anything else from her.
"You better not fuck things up with this one. I like her and fully intend on becoming her sister one day." Laura mused. We all laughed at that. All the tension was gone. Even if it's just for today, I'm happy and things are more than alright.