Author's note: Prepare for another lengthy chapter in Damon's POV. Oddly enough most of my readers say they really enjoy reading his chapters so far! Though I must confess that I may have messed up on Meredith's character and I apologize in advance. This was first attempt at actually writing her. She's one of my favorite all time VD characters and I hate to see any injustice done upon her. I needed to do something to trigger her into action (as you will find out when you read on).

Thank you all who've taken the time to review this story and offer any insight. This fic would have never have taken off as it did without your input! Now I'll take my leave and allow you to read *takes a bow and draws the curtains*

Curiously I detected the sounds of gravel being crunched as Bonnie escaped from the room to make her desperate call. I wanted to go with her but I knew she needed this time alone. I gave it to her because after all, I knew she wouldn't be able to speak to her family after today.

My little brother also heard the noises coming from outside because he swiftly climbed off the bed and departed, leaving me alone with Elena.

"Stefan!"

She hurried to follow him, only to linger under the doorway. One hand was braced tight against the door knob as the other was in her pant pocket. I watched as she started to pull out the cell phone. Before she could answer it, I obliged to look for myself.

"What are you doing?" Elena cried out as she whirled around and tried to snatch her phone back. I held up a hand to hold her at bay and I almost flinched when saw that dreadful name flash across the small screen.

"How did she come here so quickly, let alone find us?" I asked curtly, frowning. "I thought she was out of state with her researcher lover."

"She was but they cut their trip short," Elena explained lucidly. She could see how quickly I was getting annoyed now that more people would be joining our party. She also knew very well there was no love loss between myself and Meredith Sulez. If anything, that girl was just as secretive and cunning as I was. "Damon, she called me before Stefan and I left to find you guys. She wanted to know how my trip went. I told her that something happened to Bonnie and I gave them the directions for this place. I honestly had no idea they were almost back in town when I got her call."

I guffawed over her explanation. "'Something' happened, eh? How very eloquent of you. You wish to make it a nice little surprise for her?"

I heard hurried footsteps approaching, followed by a second set; probably trying to catch up with the first. I carelessly tossed the cell phone and it landed safely on top of the bed and I watched as Elena went to retrieve it.

"We are family, Damon," she stated defiantly. The determination behind those cool blue eyes wanted my composure to give leeway. "I know it's hard for you to imagine, even after everything we've been through together, but whatever happens to one of us effects all of us."

Her bold declaration both amused and aggravated me. I grabbed hold of her wrist with an iron grip. I watched as her eyes widened from the sight of me and I knew that up close, she was trying not to drown herself in my alluring appearance, like most women did. In the past I would have taken advantage of this opportunity. I would have pulled her into my arms and kissed her, muddling the feelings she shared for both myself and for my little brother.

No longer would I engage in such a game with her.

"Let's cut right into the melodramatics then, shall we, Princess? What happened to myself and Bonnie was just that: between the two of us. Did you honestly think that everything that happened before would forever bind all of us together? Perhaps in some vile fairy tale, we all get a happy ending. We all live together in a grand castle somewhere in the countryside, protected by the graces of good fortune and love. When one of us is in trouble, the 'family' will flock together and save the day. Guess what? The 'family' was nowhere to be seen when Bonnie died. It was just the two of us. You forget how death is in your shadow. It comes in any shape and form. Death for Bonnie McCullough came at the hand of a human. The only reason Bonnie is among us now is because of me. Not you, not Meredith, not Mutt, not my little brother - me."

I let go of her and she rubbed her wrist like I branded her. Instead of leaving, she stood her ground and her mouth parted slightly.

"She's unstable."

It almost came out as a whisper as she abruptly turned away from me. I was stricken by the power of her words. They sounded like thunder as they reverberated in my mind.

It fueled my desire to leave this place as soon as possible. My little bird would probably hate me if I were to steal her away in the night before she got the chance to meet her family or even say good-bye to her friends. It was all for the better, however. She would eventually understand that everything I did was for her sake. As of now, Elena was right: she was unstable. As long as I allowed her to remain in Fell's Church, she would not get better and the dream would come to light.

"Elena?"

At last, Meredith graced us with her presence. As usual, she spoke as if I wasn't there, keeping her focus on Elena. At least that's what it looked like. I knew damn well she was too observant of everything around her to simply ignore it, especially when I saw the tall, proverbial stave strapped behind her back. It was the same, elaborate weapon she fought me with when I was human.

"Meredith!" Elena flew over and she clasped elbows with the other girl but not before setting her sights on the weapon. She still wasn't used to seeing her as a hunter-slayer. She and Bonnie only knew her as "big sister Meredith," the rock-solid figure who stood afloat whatever chaos swirled around her.

Stefan silently slipped into the room and took his place near Elena. I saw Alaric Saltzman standing out in the hallway. Was he afraid of me being in the room or was he aware of what was about to transpire?

"Bonnie's not here but Damon is," Meredith said pragmatically as she and Elena let go of one another. "This should be good."

I scoffed, regardless of feeling uneasy. In the beginning it drove me mad thinking of the many possible reasons why this particular person, a female no less, was never once charmed or influenced by me. Once she revealed her secret to me, however, it all made terrible sense and it didn't make being around her less difficult.

"Couldn't stay away for long, could you, Meredith?" I said dryly. "You just had to rejoin the madness."

We kept our distance from one another. I could easily attempt to strike her down but not before she would react. If anything else, my little brother would try to intervene. Worse, Elena would endeavor by throwing herself into the mix. The overall result would be rather unpleasant but the outcome was worth mulling over.

Keeping her sights on me, Meredith replied, "If the madness involves one of my best friends, then yes, I won't sit back and let it happen. At least not without good reason."

"Bonnie's fine."

"Not according to what Elena told me."

"Yes, the vague 'something is wrong with Bonnie' line." I couldn't help but chuckle. "I suppose I could tell you the story, or I could let Elena or my little brother inform you. Or…" I exhibited a treacherous smile. "Perhaps we can allow Bonnie herself to show you what she has become."

I was treading in deep water. She was a supposed killer with an honor code but I was purposely putting myself on the line. I had over five centuries of collective abilities and Power compared to this mortal, this possible-vampire-in-progress (Damn you, Klaus, for making this complicated). She could still find a way to get the best of me. She was always challenging to read and I couldn't even attempt to psychically assault her thoughts. Her mind was a steel trap due to her training in the hunter-slayer society. All in all, I wanted to get this soap opera over with if Bonnie and I were to depart as soon as night fell.

Meredith's fluid movements almost caught me off guard if I hadn't seen her eyes shift to Elena's face. The Ice Princess had no idea what was going on as she was promptly but delicately pushed into Stefan's arms. Fully stepping into the room, Meredith was far enough from the others to where she was able to withdraw that deadly weapon from her sheath. I started laughing again. I didn't expect her to react with such vigor! Struck a nerve, did I? I have a habit of doing that.

"Meredith!"

Alaric's voice rang out but it was too late. Not even he could stop the frightening female as she heaved the stave at my chest. Up close I saw that the ends (another two-headed stave - she sure liked to live treacherously) were adorned with wooden spikes. She didn't need to wait for an explanation of what happened to Bonnie. Deep down, she must have known what happened or suspected the end results. When Bonnie and I first became an official couple, she was difficult to win over. She was cynical when it came to vampires and to have one of her best friends who was not Elena become involved with a member of the undead who was not my little brother was out of the question. Eventually she caved and accepted Bonnie's decision. When it came to me, however… Let's just say if I could cease to exist in her world, I would do so in a heartbeat.

I grabbed the spiked head with both of my hands (because she was covering the only vulnerable part of the weapon with her own hands) and used my strength to prevent them from penetrating my chest. My fingers and palms were being sacrificed as I felt the wood slice through my flesh but it would take more than this to finish me off. I was surprised at Meredith because she wasn't pushing the weapon further into me. Instead, she kept her arms stretched out, locked in position, and she wasn't applying any more pressure. She wasn't going to kill me. The other end of the weapon was just as dangerously close to her own, fragile, mortal body. All I had to do was push it back into her and end this.

"That will prove to be a mistake," I warned her. "I must admit, however, I'm curious to see if you would be so willing… to…" She put a bit of force into her weapon. The spikes sunk deeper into my skin and I knew with another push, they would hit bone. Never the less, I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that she was hurting me in the least. "Hmmm, would you use… this… against Bonnie if you had to?"

"You shouldn't assume anything," Meredith simply replied as I felt a slight strain on her part. She was wounded by my words more than she was allowing to admit.

In the background, Elena, Stefan, and Alaric were horrified over what was going on, yet they were not about to step into the mess. While I was experiencing some agony, I could still overpower Meredith. I could hold out as long as needed while she, a human (well, somewhat) would eventually tire. If I really wanted to be unpleasant, I could use my Power to hurl her across the room, possibly breaking her lovely bones. I didn't want to feel the wrath of both Bonnie and Elena at this point so I nixed that idea.

Over Meredith's shoulder, I witnessed a red blur streak into the room. Seconds later, the pressure was relieved from my hands. I stood there, bewildered, as I saw Bonnie's arms wrapped around Meredith from behind. She wasn't pulling the taller girl back but instead she was hugging her. The stave clattered noisily to the floor as everyone's attention shifted on the two. I could imagine Bonnie's head was nestled against Meredith's backside.

"Please don't hurt each other!" I heard Bonnie plea tearfully. "Meredith! I love him and I love you! I love all of you!"

Meredith's self-assurance faltered. No longer was she the predator wanting to belittle the nasty vampire. Instead she was a frightened young woman who wanted nothing more than to comfort a treasured sister. Elena made her way to the scene and wound her arms around both of them.

I carefully curled my fingers into my palms and winced. Damn wooden spikes. I was fortunate none of them had broken off inside my body. The skin was practically all but destroyed. Not to say I wouldn't heal; it just wouldn't be instantaneous. I wouldn't forgive Meredith for this as I still hadn't forgive her for the first offense.

I couldn't help but stare over at Bonnie. She was sandwiched between Elena and Meredith with both of her arms locked around their waists. She, in turn, was gaping helplessly at me. I wasn't mad at her for going to Meredith first. I was just agitated that Meredith, normally so reserved and seemingly detached, would make her point with such exaggeration. Perhaps that was the idea behind all of this. She wasn't going to attempt to slay me (ha!) but she was showing me how much she cared about Bonnie and her wellbeing. Like with Elena, she would go to Hell itself to ensure her safety. She would die for both of her sisters.

My gaze fell back down to my hands. The wounds were at last beginning to seal up but at the cost of splattering the hard floors beneath me red. I witnessed Bonnie in my mind, the Bonnie in my dream, the Bonnie who would reap the lives of the two girls she was holding dearly in her arms. It was criminal. Her hands were clean compared to mine and I obviously meant more than just the physical sense. The old regrets came crawling back to me like a dying soldier moving across the battlefield. She was too innocent to be like myself, let alone be involved with me. In the past, Bonnie would have gone into hysterics over my predicament with Meredith. She knew Meredith better than I ever would and my little bird's flare for dramatics worked in our favor. Being a vampire gave her a different outlook on life. Seeing what she gained, what she had to give up, what would happen in the future…

She would change, whether she liked it or not.

Stefan and Alaric were now both standing by the trio. Alaric was near Meredith as he spoke with Bonnie. I was rather surprised at how at ease he appeared, considering the situation at hand. Meanwhile Stefan was holding Elena from behind, their hands joined. The picture before me was one of unity. All of the key players were there, all of them happy in each other's company. I decided I was not needed at that time.

Bonnie thought otherwise.

She carefully broke away from the group and in a couple of quick strides, she'd thrown herself against me, wrapping her arms around me. Slowly I put my arms around her and said nothing as I stroked her hair. I reflected upon how she would always attempt to make me included in everything. Even after all she'd been through, she wanted me to be with "the group." I honestly could care less about feeling like a part of anything, but if it made my little redbird happy, then I would comply… for the most part.

Too bad I wasn't feeling particularly social.

Scooping Bonnie into my arms, I carted her to the bed. I carefully placed her on top of it and shot the group a look.

"You've had your little reunion. She needs to rest now."

I heard Bonnie make a little whining sound as I smoothed her hair back. She didn't want anybody to leave, especially not Elena and Meredith. Fortunately Stefan agreed with me.

"We'll come back later," he promised gently. "Bonnie, you should try to sleep. Daytime will make you feel groggy."

Elena and Meredith exchanged their own look and before I knew it, they flocked over to Bonnie's side (at this point I attempted to retrieve the stave, only to have Meredith snatch it first - damn her). The three of them exchanged hugs and kisses. I wanted them all to get out of my sight but I held my tongue. As soon as Bonnie was rested and it was nightfall, we would go on a quick little hunt before we would ultimately depart from Fell's Church. The ties needed to be severed for her survival.

"My phone," Bonnie mumbled as she eased down onto the bed itself. "Ummm… I think when I came here, I left my phone somewhere… I think it's in my car but I can't remember… where…"

"We'll find your car and phone," Elena promised as she squeezed her hand which rested across her stomach.

"Please let me know when you find them because I'll be soooo worried…"

Meredith rolled her eyes and leaned over as she took Bonnie's other hand and squeezed it. "Quit talking and get some sleep, all right?"

"Mmmkay…"

Reluctantly the girls released their hold and one by one, the group shuffled out of the room as Bonnie at last drifted to sleep. Meredith was the last to leave. She stole a glance over her shoulder, settling on Bonnie, then quickly at me. Our eyes met and a silent agreement was bridged: we would both do whatever it took to help Bonnie.

Meredith and I would never be friends but at least we had a common goal.

I stayed with Bonnie as she slept soundlessly throughout the day. She was curled up like a kitten in the middle of the bed where occasionally her fingers twitched and she mumbled something unintelligent. When she finally settled in a fixed sleep pattern, I departed. After a quick hunt for myself, I trekked over to the McCullough home. I slipped into her room undetected and fetched her clothing. I placed them all inside a fancy but practical suitcase I charmed a young saleswoman into giving me before I arrived at the household. I also packed a couple of books and movies I remembered Bonnie mentioned enjoying.

Settled with the packing, I studied the room once more time. It felt strange knowing that it was most likely that neither myself or Bonnie would see this place again. I could hear the heartbeats of two other humans within. Her mother and father were somewhere, probably eagerly awaiting to hear from their youngest daughter again. Armed with my usual tact, I sought both of them. Her mother was taking a nap in the bedroom and I didn't wake her. I simply used my Power as she slept. Her father was in the living room watching television. I caught him before he could even make a sound. He was a large man compared to me but he was still only human. I told both of them that Bonnie was fine. She was doing some "soul-searching" and would be gone for an untold period of time. They needn't worry about her and that everything was going to be fine. I was pleased to know I didn't have to Influence Mary as she was no longer living at home. I wasn't sure about how strong her ties were to her Druid heritage and I didn't want to stumble upon any surprises. The parents were my main concern and I was grateful for my luck, as their powers, if they had any, were severely diluted. There was no struggle from either of them.

Satisfied with my intervention, I journeyed back to the cathedral by the time nightfall was upon us. I was glad not to encounter any surprise guests that may have lingered about. I would have suspected to find Elena or Stefan… Hell, even Mutt could have been waiting for me and wanting to rip my throat out for changing Bonnie. Fortunately all was quiet and I was eager to leave soon.

When I walked in with Bonnie's belongings, I discovered she was not where I last left her. Putting her suitcase down, I ventured back to the main room where Stefan and I battled and when I didn't see her, I wandered to the altar, believing she was feeling morbidly nostalgic. Still when I couldn't find her, I used my Power to search for her. To my surprise, I was able to immediately locate her. Her own Power was felt and I discovered that it was remarkably growing stronger.

Like a beacon, I followed it to an old utility room in the back. I must have missed it the first time I inspected the cathedral. It was nothing remarkable and since the door was so thin, it looked like it was carved out of the very walls that surrounded it.

I opened the door and the room was almost pitch black. I peered through the darkness and was struck by the sight of Alaric crumpled on the ground and Bonnie's lips pressed against his ravaged and bloodied neck.