No longer being able to tolerate the pain, Bonnie's grip around Jax's hand tightened as he stood behind the chair she was sitting in.

"He's almost done." He said, kissing her temple.

Bonnie closed her eyes, the tension in her jaw evidence of her gritting her teeth.

Like it didn't even hurt in the beginning, but as time past she really started to feel it.

Two minutes later the tattoo artist was finished with her ankle tattoo.

She let out a breath.

And there it was, her first ever tattoo. "Oh my god!" She said biting her lip excitedly. She actually did it. She got a freaking tattoo!

She wanted something really pretty and girlie, nothing to in your face and bold. So she decided on a little cluster of colorful stars on the inside of her right ankle.

"Welcome to the club." Jax said from behind her, grinning.

Bonnie laughed, reaching up to touch his face.

Jax was so different from anyone she had ever known.

And it wasn't just because of the tattoos and the fact that he rode a motorcycle. It was everything. From the way he talked to the way he walked.

He was just different.

Though he hadn't said it, Bonnie could tell that he grew up kind of rough. Jax had that look about him. He was only twenty three, but his face and eyes told that he'd seen too much in his young life. Things that made him grow up too quickly.

He had an undeniable edge to him that was exciting and alluring yet slightly unsettling.

But he was also sweet and thoughtful. And so affectionate! Bonnie was so surprised at how affectionate he was with her because he looked so tough on the outside.

One would never guess that he loved to hold her hand and hug her. And every time he kissed her, he always gently held her face in his hands.

Jax Teller was a complicated guy to figure out that was for sure.

But Bonnie found herself looking forward to the challenge.

"Oh my god, will you stop!" She laughed.

Having had enough, Bonnie took the plate of fried chicken off the stove and placed it on the counter.

Away from Jax.

It was his third piece.

"Save some for dinner, geez." She said, turning over the ones still cooking in the skillet.

With his mouth full of the tasty drumstick in his hand, he pointed to the bowl of uncooked chicken by the stove. "What are you talking about, you still have more to fry...there will be plenty for dinner."

"Not at the rate you're going!" She laughed.

"I can't help it. It's good."

She smiled.

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You're a really great cook, Bonnie. I'm a very lucky guy."

"You damn right, Nirvana." Lacey said, walking into the kitchen. "So don't ever forget it."

Bonnie chuckled at the nickname.

Lacey said that Jax looked like a taller, cleaner, buff version of Kurt Cobain.

But she didn't agree. Bonnie guessed it was the long blond hair that made her friend think that, but she was wrong.

There was nothing remotely sexy about Kurt Cobain. But Jax on the other hand was a different story.

She was about to say something to that effect when she noticed Lacey was all dolled up. "Wait, you going out tonight?"

With a bottle of water turned up to her ruby red lips, the model nodded in confirmation. "I have a hot date. His name is Danny Desai...don't you just love his name! Danny Desai." She said all dramatically. "Lacey Desai." Testing it on her tongue and liking the way it sounded. She squealed.

Jax looked at Bonnie grinning. "Then I guess that means more chicken for me."

"It's all yours." She said distractedly, walking around him.

"Hey, I thought you said you wanted to chill this weekend. Get some rest."

Lacy had been on the go for weeks. If she wasn't working then she was out partying all night long. Bonnie was starting to worry. She wasn't taking care of herself.

Lacey shrugged carelessly. "I'll rest tomorrow."

"But..."

"Hey, I got to go." She said, giving Bonnie a quick hug. "Save me some of that chicken. I'll eat it tomorrow!" She said, flying out the door.

Bonnie didn't move, still staring at the door.

"You're worried about her aren't you?" Jax said from behind.

She finally turned and he caressed her face, listening as she talked. "She's wearing herself out, Jackson. She's not eating or sleeping and she's getting so thin. I don't know what to do." She said, looking up at him.

Not knowing what to tell Bonnie, he pulled her into a comforting hug. At least he could do that much.

Utterly satisfied with his belly full, Jax sat still watching television on the sofa while Bonnie played with his hair, using her fingers to comb it to the back and away from his face.

He actually looked really handsome with his hair like that, she thought.

She cocked her head to the side. "Have you ever thought about cutting your hair? I think you'd look great with your hair shorter."

He turned his head to her. "You want to cut it?"

She stopped, dropping her hand to the sofa. "You mean you'd let me?" She asked surprised.

It was just hair to him. It would grow back if she fucked it up.

He shrugged. "Yeah. If you want to cut it, then cut it."

Her green eyes widened in disbelief.

Then jumping off the sofa, she ran into the bathroom to get what she needed.

Ten minutes later, Jax was sitting by the kitchen table with a bath towel wrapped around him.

Bonnie stood at his back with her tongue poking out, carefully cutting his hair.

When she was done with the cut, she put some mousse in his hair, combing it back.

She looked at him, her face all excited, but then she frowned.

Picking up the small pair of scissors she moved in between his legs and began to trim his goatee.

Standing back when she was satisfied, she smiled biting her lip. "Do you want to see?"

He nodded.

She handed him the mirror and watched as he looked at himself.

He had absolutely no reaction.

She thought he would love it because he looked so handsome, but she guessed not.

Disappointment filled her.

She watched as he put the mirror down and stood up, towering over her. She didn't back away.

Jax was 6'1 and Bonnie was 5'2. The height difference was real.

He picked her up, sitting her on the kitchen island, standing in between her knees.

He touched her face. His eyes lowering to her lips.

Bonnie swallowed hard.

"I like it. Thank you." He said softly, staring into her eyes.

She cleared her throat. "You're welcome." She said just as softly, her eyes dropping to his mouth.

"I'm going to kiss you now, okay?" He said, holding her face.

"Okay." She said breathlessly. And she really didn't mean for it to come out that way. She really didn't.

It just happened.

He leaned in and Bonnie held her breath in anticipation, her eyes never leaving his face as he moved closer, sexily licking his lips.

He was moving in so slowly, but she stayed still not giving in to the temptation to crash her lips against his.

And then many long seconds later, he finally kissed her.

On the cheek.

Bonnie burst out laughing, throwing her arms around his neck.

The following day, Bonnie let herself into Damon's apartment, still having the key.

When she moved out, she forgot to get her crock pot and didn't notice until she needed it.

So there she was on a Sunday afternoon to get it so she could make her chili for a pot luck style dinner at Jax's best friend's house.

She was placing the crock pot on the counter when she heard a really bad hacking cough.

She left the kitchen and went to Damon's bedroom where she found him lying in bed sick, about to cough up a lung.

"You look awful." And he did.

"I feel awful." He said once his coughing fit was over.

Bonnie came closer to the bed, leaning down to touch his forehead.

He had a slight fever.

"How long have you been sick?" She asked.

"Since Friday." He answered, blowing his nose loudly.

She looked around the room. "Where's Elena?"

"In California doing her final wedding dress fitting."

Of course, Bonnie thought.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with a small sniffle.

"I needed my crock pot... Jackson and I are going to a pot luck dinner tonight. I'm making chili."

"A pot luck...how very couple-ly of you two."

Bonnie ignored the slight sarcasm in his voice.

It was safe to say that Jax and Damon didn't like each other. They started off on the wrong foot the moment she introduced them and never seemed to quite move past it.

"Well I guess I better go. I have to stop by the grocery store before I get started."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. You don't want to catch this nasty bug. It's brutal." He said and then began to cough violently again.

Something inside of Bonnie wouldn't let her walk away. She just couldn't leave him alone like this.

She took off her coat.

"What are you taking?" She asked, beginning to pick up the room. Balled up tissue, magazines, Damon's work papers and empty Gatorade bottles littered the room.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"What does it look like? I'm straightening up...it'll make you feel better if the room isn't so messy. Now I repeat,what are you taking?"

"Just some over the counter medicine." He answered, coughing lightly.

"Have you been drinking juice?"

"Yeah, but I ran out yesterday, hence the Gatorade bottles."

"Well I'll go to the store and get a few things...and I'll make you some of Nonna's get well soup."

That soup took hours to prepare.

"Bonnie, you don't have to do this." He said, wiping his runny nose.

"I know."

A few hours later Damon woke up to the delicious aroma of his Nonna's get well soup filling the air.

His bedroom was clean of all the clutter. Bonnie had changed his top covers while he slept and there was a fresh box of Kleenex on the nightstand along with a glass of orange juice and a bottle of water.

He sat up, drinking both down greedily not realizing how thirsty he was.

He stood up, pulling the blanket from the bed and wrapping it around him as he walked out of the bedroom.

Bonnie's back was turned to him as he walked into the living room. She was on the phone.

"Why are you being like this? He's sick Jax...I just can't leave him alone."

Pause.

"She's in California!"

Damon watched her shake her head. "No. I'm not going to do that. He was there for me when I had absolutely no one and..."

Pause.

"I can't believe you're getting this angry...it's a dinner Jax, not a fucking funeral!" She said, losing her temper.

Pause.

"Don't you dare give me an ultimatum!"

Pause.

"I said that I can't make it tonight Jackson, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to your friends next time, okay." She said more calmly, trying to put a balm over their first argument.

Pause.

"What do you mean don't bother?"

Damon knew that Jax had hung up on her the moment she gasped, pulling the phone from her ear looking at it.

"Shit...what just happened?" Damon heard her say. "What just happened?" She repeated, running a hand through her hair.

Did she and Jax just break up? Bonnie didn't know.

She walked into the kitchen, her mind a million miles away and stupidly touched the hot pot handle without the over mitt, burning her hand.

"Shit!" She yelled, immediately dropping the lid.

Bonnie went to the sink about to run some cold water over her hand when Damon made his presence known.

"Don't... rub some flour on your hand instead. It'll take away the sting."

She looked at him from over her shoulder. "What are you doing out of bed?" She asked, turning off the faucet.

"I needed a change of scenery." He smirked.

"Fine, then lay on the sofa." She said, walking over to the container of flour on the far counter. "The soup will be ready in another hour or so." She said.

"It smells really good. I'm looking forward to it." He said, getting comfortable on the sofa, facing her.

She didn't respond, rubbing the flour into her hand. It actually was working, taking away the throbbing sting.

Damon saw the surprise register on her face. "Told you."

"Thanks." She said going back over to the stove, this time picking up the pot holder to check on the soup.

He watched her for a few minutes, knowing she was thinking about that idiot and what just happened between them.

"You're pretty quiet over there...everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"You don't seem fine."

She sighed, turning to him. "Jax and I had our first fight."

Damon raised a brow. "Oh yeah, what about?"

She shook her head. "It's not important...can I get you something?" She asked, wanting to change the subject.

"No, I'm good for right now."

"When's the last time you took some medicine?" She asked.

"This morning."

"Then it's time for another dose. I'll go get it." She said, putting the soup on a low heat before leaving the room.

When she came back a couple of minutes later, she had the medicine along with a thermometer to take his temperature.

"Open up."

Damon opened his mouth and she placed it underneath his tongue. She stood over him until it beeped.

Taking it out, she frowned when she saw his temperature. "You still have a small fever."

He didn't care. "Shouldn't you be at your pot luck dinner?" He asked, looking up at her. Wanting Bonnie to talk to him about what happened.

"I decided not to go." She said simply, about to walk away when Damon stopped her by taking her hand.

So she wasn't going to tell him what happened between her and Jax. Fine, then he wouldn't push any further.

"Thank you Bonnie. I won't forget this."

An hour later, they sat in front of the TV watching the Walking Dead while eating their soup.

"I think that Rick is slowly turning into the Governor." Damon said, reaching for his glass of Ginger Ale.

"He's certainly gone off the rails that's for sure." Bonnie said, putting her legs up on the coffee table, crossed at the ankles.

Damon saw her tattoo and almost choked. "What the hell?!"

"What's wrong?" She asked looking at him confused.

He pointed at her foot.

Bonnie looked down, realizing he was talking about her tattoo.

"Did that piece of trash force you to get that?" He said angrily.

Her eyes widened. "What? No...no, he didn't. And what did you just call him?"

"Trash...he's pure trash Bonnie and I can't believe you're seeing someone like him...he's so beneath you!"

Shock didn't even begin to describe how she was feeling.

Bonnie sat up, placing her soup on the table. Damon did the same.

"Someone like him?"She repeated. She looked at him in disgust. "You have been with Elena for way too long because the Damon Salvatore I know would never uttered such a thing!"

"Well FYI Bonnie, the Damon Salvatore you know has done a lot of things you wouldn't approve of!"

"Well FYI Damon, I don't give a rat's ass about what you've done, but what you will not do is talk shit about Jax when you don't even know him!"

He scoffed. "I know he's trash and now he's brought you down to his level. Just look at you with that fucking thing on your ankle!" He yelled loudly, causing himself to cough.

Bonnie got up from the sofa, putting on her boots. "Finish your soup, Damon."

He looked up at her. "Where are you going?" He asked strangled.

She put on her coat. "I still have time to make it to the pot luck dinner. Goodnight."

The front door opened. "Well look who it is."

"Hi Opie." Bonnie said.

Opie was Jax's best friend. He was huge, filling the doorway with his 6'4 frame.

"Well don't just stand there, come inside."

She gave him a soft, nervous smile.

"Look who showed up...without the chili." He yelled, gaining everyone's attention.

"Thanks a lot Opie." She said sighing.

Her eyes sought out Jax and when she saw him get up from the table and walk away, she realized that it was a mistake to come there.

So they were over.

Bonnie swallowed hard. She was about to turn away and leave when Jax came back into the living room carrying a chair. He sat it down right next to his.

"Now we can eat." He said.