XI.

SIX YEARS

The growl of the engine had a calming effect, settling deep inside of him and triggering a feeling of contentment. Some nights, Damon just needed to get away, not from anyone or anything in particular, he just needed some space, some peace and quiet. So he drove, with no specific destination in mind, just smooth road ahead of him and the steady hum of the car beneath him.

And some nights, when he was feeling particularly nostalgic, he talked. No radio, no voice to respond, just his voice filling the car, anticipating the reaction he would get, though he knew he'd never see it again. Sometimes he just needed to talk to Stefan. Since there was no marker here for him to drunkenly sit at, he chose to drive. He filled him in on his life; the good, the bad, the average.

"Work's going well. Bob's been talking to me about becoming foreman…" He grimaced. "Don't know if I want that. Pay's better. But all the responsibility? You know how much I like skirting that... But, we'll see. If I don't take it, I think I'll recommend Danny for it. He'll probably need the extra cash. Him and Carla are gonna start popping out little ghost babies any day now… Whattya think? Godfather sound like something you can see me being? Yeah, me neither. But Danny seems to think I'd be an all right substitute if he ever kicked the bucket. I mean, he probably already has and just doesn't know it. The logistics of everything over here are a little weird."

He sighed, shaking his head. "All I know for sure is that Gladys definitely should've been pushing up daisies by now, but there she is, every day, glaring at us through the curtain with her shifty eyes... You know, if I were still a vampire, I think I'd take her out first. She'd probably taste bitter, like mothballs, but I'd take one for the team. Bon-Bon says it doesn't bother her, but I think she's just putting on a strong front."

His mouth pulled up at the corner. "Speaking of… Bonnie and I finally took the plunge. Not marriage, not yet, but she finally stopped holding back, no more 'going slow' just in case we crash and burn… And it's good. It's really good. If I were alive, I'd be waiting for something to show up and ruin it, but… I'm not. So I guess the only one who can ruin it is us and, hell, cross your fingers I don't do that, all right? I probably need all the luck I can get…"

He snorted, drumming his hands on the steering wheel as he turned down another road. "I worry about that sometimes… You know what I'm like. You were always telling me that I was my worst enemy. That I looked for ways to make thing worse for myself. But… this feels different. Bonnie thinks I'm growing up, maturing, and sure, maybe, but, I don't know. I don't know what it means. I just know I like it. And I'm gonna hold onto it, for as long as she'll let me…"

Half-smiling then, he took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. "Thanks for listening, brother."

He hit his turning signal then, and started back for home, feeling a little lighter.

…

Bonnie laughed as Damon lingered at her mouth, his hands on her hips, pulling her along with him as he walked backwards toward the door.

She smiled, mumbling against his lips, "You're going to have to stop sometime."

"In a second." He slid his hands up the back of her shirt, palms sweeping over her skin.

She hummed, arching up into him.

"Keep doing that and I won't stop."

Framing his face in her hands, she held him steady as she pulled back. "You started it."

"Right, so you should finish it." He skittered his fingers over her, grinning as she squirmed.

A horn honked outside, demanding attention, and Damon sighed. "All right. No more distracting me. I have work. And I'm a professional."

"Uh-huh…" She combed her fingers through his hair and leaned up for one last kiss before dropping back to her heels. "You got your lunch?"

He nodded his chin toward where his lunchbox sat on the floor by the door.

"And you're bringing your extra jacket, right? It's getting colder out. Make sure you have your gloves too."

"Have I mentioned I like the worried girlfriend thing? Very cute." He kissed the tip of her nose before he reached behind him, grabbing up his thicker work jacket. Bonnie lifted his lunch box, holding it out for him. "See you tonight."

With one last kiss, he was out the door, and Bonnie was left feeling that warm, fuzzy feeling still simmering away inside her chest. Biting her lip to curb her smile, she walked back to where her coffee had been left on the counter, cooler than she'd like, but not enough to sour her mood any.

She knew they were still in a bit of a honeymoon stage, making the most of their new found intimacy, and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. If that meant waking up an hour earlier than usual because Damon had decided to bury his head between her thighs then so be it. There would be no complaints from her.

Emptying out her cold coffee, she poured herself a new mug, grabbed a quilt, and made her way out back to the deck, curling up on one of the chairs and letting the morning settle in. Six years had passed since she'd woken up in this world, and it still amazed her some days just how content she was. How good it felt not to fear for her life or wonder what enemy might be lurking around the next corner. Life was good and easy and everything she could ever ask for. She was happy to revel in it.

…

"So, what do you think?" Sara wondered, waving one last time to a few stragglers as they left the dance studio.

Bonnie stared, a little slack-jawed. "I… I'm surprised. I didn't really… I mean, I'm flattered, I just… I never really thought that was an option, I guess."

"Well, you wouldn't have to start right away. We can work together, figure out a few routines, what kind of schedule you want to work with, but… I'm already starting to show and eventually the extra weight is going to make dancing a little more difficult." She put her hand on Bonnie's shoulder and squeezed. "You're talented, better than me most days, and I can tell you love dancing. You have a passion for it and you've been good about helping the others learn moves. You'll be a great teacher, and I'd be comfortable leaving my group with you."

"Can I think about it?" Bonnie wondered. "It's not that I don't want to do it. I just recently cut down on some of the things in my life though, to make sure I wasn't stressing myself out. Give me a few days to think it over, make sure it's the right thing for me."

"Sure!" Sara nodded happily. "Let me know when you know. Like I said, it doesn't have to happen right away."

"Okay. Thanks, Sara. For thinking of me. And congratulations on the baby."

"You deserve it. And thanks, honey." She grabbed up her sports bag then and walked with Bonnie to the door, waving as they parted ways in the hall.

Smiling to herself, Bonnie made her way toward the parking lot, thinking on the offer in front of her. Taking over Sara's class could take some effort and time, but she'd been doing well, spending some quality time making sure her life was less stressful. She'd taken steps to make sure she would be happy and, so far, she was. Maybe this was a sign that she could have more in her life as long as she kept it balanced. The class didn't have to be work. She loved dancing and it would be fun to design routines and work with the girls on polishing their skill. She would think on it a little more, but she was pretty sure she would do it. Who knew, maybe it would become a regular thing even after Sara came back. She could start her own class, maybe for beginners or kids or something. That could be fun.

…

"A vampumpkin…" Bonnie shook her head as she stood behind him, leaning on the chair to watch him carve a sinister vampire face into the pumpkins she picked up for them. "Every year it's the same thing."

"That's how traditions start." He smirked at her over his shoulder. "Besides, I'm not sure you can talk, Glinda."

Rolling her eyes, she turned on her heel and strode toward the pantry cupboard, digging out another bag of Halloween candy. "Hey, don't knock the costume. It was Annette's idea that we dress up as a coven. I vetoed the warts and green face paint, at least."

"Veto powers and everything. You gonna bring along the grimoire for authenticity?"

She shook her head, scooping up the candy bowl. "Nah. It's heavy. Annette went full Harry Potter on it anyway; she's bringing us homemade wands."

He snorted, distracted for a moment as he put the finishing touches on the pumpkin. "There!" He kissed the tips of his fingers, and said, "It's a masterpiece."

Walking over, she took another look at it. "It's very scary," she agreed.

"Yup. Terrify all the little kiddies away, keep the candy for myself." He smirked at her as he stood from the table and grabbed up his pumpkin in one arm. "Fool proof plan, really."

Bonnie grinned, and reached for the door. "You know you're an adult, right? You can buy all the candy you could ever want."

"Sure. But that's different." He shrugged, stepping outside to put the pumpkin out front, by the door. "I don't make the rules, Bon-Bon."

"Uh-huh. Well, tradition says you put a candle in there. I'm sure you can find one somewhere."

"Sure. Hey, you think it's some weird form of cannibalism to put a pumpkin spice candle in it?" he wondered as he walked back inside.

Bonnie laughed to herself.

Before she could answer, there was soon a collection of kids walking up toward their house, gleefully calling out, "Trick or treat!"

…

"All right, all right…" Damon lifted his beer. "A toast… To the last time we can drink together as buddies before you officially become my boss."

Danny lifted his beer and then raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't think I'll let you slack off either."

With a snort, he said, "Don't think I won't complain about you to our friends."

Laughing, Danny shrugged. "Even trade."

Knocking their beers together, they each took a swig.

As Damon dropped his bottle back down, he knocked his knuckles over the table. "Seriously, though, you deserve this promotion. You're gonna be a great foreman."

Smiling widely, Danny nodded. "Thanks, man."

"You tell Carla yet?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "She baked a cake; she was pretty proud."

"Should be. You worked hard for this." Shaking his head, Damon said, "All right, enough touchy-feely crap. The pool table's free and I might just take it easy on you..."

With an unconvinced snort, Danny stood to follow him. "Don't start now."

Damon smirked back at him over his shoulder. "You got it, boss."

…

Damon frowned down at the garlic he was chopping to where Bonnie was sitting on the couch, a book in her lap. "You said yes?"

"Sure. What's the big deal? You love dancing," she replied, turning a page.

"Normal dancing. Line dancing is not normal. What, in all our years together, made you think I'd want to don cowboy boots and square dance?"

Her mouth kicked up, amused. "It'll be fun. We can get you a ten gallon hat and boots and one of those giant, novelty belt buckles. Come on…"

He snorted. "I'm not really the ho-down type, Bon-Bon."

"Damon, I've never seen you turn down a party, this one just happens to be in a barn."

"What barn? There aren't even any farms around here," he argued, waving the knife absently. "And you know what lives in barns? Animals. Stinky, smelly, cow-pie laying animals."

"I'm sure they'll air it out before the party." She rolled her eyes. "Brandon said Chris was going. You guys can hang out and mock everybody if that's what you want to do. But I am getting dressed up and getting by cowgirl on."

"You were plenty cowgirl enough last night." He waved the knife in a circle. "In fact, I remember you went reverse cowgirl in round two."

"Damon!"

He smirked at her.

Glaring at him, she shook her head. "You can come or not. That's up to you. But I already said I'd go."

Pursing his lips, he grumbled at her. "Fine."

Turning back to her book, Bonnie shrugged. "Fine."

She could feel him glowering at the back of her head, but he took out his irritation on the cutting board. It took him ten minutes before he said, "I'm not wearing a hat. Cover up this hair? That'd be a tragedy."

Biting her lip to keep from smiling, she nodded. "Okay. No hat."

"And those giant belt buckles are just making up for something, which I don't have to do, so regular belt."

"Mmhmm. So just you usual plaid shirt and jeans then." She looked up at him, amused. "Somehow I think you'll still fit in."

"Ha, ha," he muttered.

Damon finished prepping the sauce and then said, "We should probably practice your cowgirl skills though, keep them sharp."

Bonnie grinned and turned down a page on her book to mark her spot. "How long's dinner going to take?"

Wiping his hands on a dish towel, he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at her. "We've got time."

…

"So…?" Kayla turned on her heel, a hand on her hip as she arched an eyebrow expectantly. "What do you think? Lots of space, right?"

"How much did he say the rent was again?" Damon frowned as he cast a critical eye around the bathroom. "That shower head looks loose."

"That's an easy fix, isn't it?"

"Could be…" He turned back around and made his way out into the hall. "You know this neighborhood isn't great… Closest bus stop is at least a fifteen minute walk. And you don't drive a car."

Her chin raised defensively. "No, but I have a bike."

"There's no elevator; you'd have to carry that sucker up four floors. Not to mention, it's almost winter. We're going to have ice soon. You can't ride on that." He bypassed the bedroom to take another walk around the living room. "And what's that smell? Fish? Curry? Both?"

"It's an apartment… You're going to smell what everyone's cooking and not all of it is something you'd want. Whatever, I'll buy air fresheners. But what do you think? It's nice, right?"

"It's… something." He pursed his lips. "The carpets need cleaning, and there's water damage under the sink in the kitchen. The cupboard bottom is rotting from a leak. Also… Danny mentioned there was a bed bug issue in either this building or the one next door." He smirked. "Really want to take your chances?"

Kayla frowned. "What?" She hugged her arms around her waist and darted her eyes around suspiciously. "Gross. And you let me come in here!?"

Shrugging, he walked toward the door. "It's a fifty-fifty chance. Besides, you had another place to look at, right?"

"You mean the one that's out of my price range?" she scoffed, walking down the hallway toward the stairs. "I probably shouldn't even check it out."

"It's fifty bucks. You do a little budgeting here or there and you're golden." He draped an arm around her shoulders. "Fifty extra bucks gets you a better neighborhood, a shed you can lock your bike in, and lots of street lighting for when you're coming home from your little raves."

"I don't go to raves," she muttered, elbowing him in the ribs.

He feigned pain, but grinned. "Sure you don't, Kid. Anyway, the other building has a security guy too. And they replace the carpets every time a long-term tenant moves out, so you know you're moving into a place that makes sure they keep the building up."

"How do you even know all this?" she wondered.

Shrugging, he said, "I might've called around, talked to the manager…"

Kayla's mouth kicked up on one side. "You are such a dad!"

"Bite your tongue." He gave her hair a ruffle. "I'm just saving myself a future headache. You know how Bonnie gets. She'll start worrying about you as soon as you're out on your own. This way I can head her off, tell her you're fine."

"Right…" she said skeptically. "Bonnie's the worrier."

He pursed his lips at her, but didn't bother arguing. "C'mon. I'm hungry. We'll get lunch and then we'll check out the other place… Did I mention they allow pets?" He wiggled his eyebrows and held an arm out for her to take. "You strike me as a black cat type."

Kayla snorted, but hooked her arm with his. "Lead the way, old man."

…

Bonnie should have known that, despite his complaints, Damon would fit right into the middle of a barn dance. He was a little more flamboyant with his dancing, but he seemed to be having the time of his life.

"I hope you're getting photographic evidence of this." Chris took a drag off his bottle of beer. "Where'd he get the hat?"

"Someone lent it to him." She rolled her eyes. "He refused to wear one because of his hair, but now look at him…" She waved a hand out to the crowd, where he was grinning and laughing as he do-si-do'ed a giggling girl who couldn't be older than eight.

"He does have a knack for taking over a party."

Bonnie shook her head as she smiled. "I'm using this as proof the next time he complains he doesn't want to go out."

Taking out his phone, Chris took a few pictures with it. "I'm using it as blackmail material."

Laughing, Bonnie leaned over to see the pictures. "Send them to me?"

Chris winked at her conspiratorially.

…

Bonnie was exhausted. Between taking over Sara's dance classes, her shop, and her packed social schedule, she was just done. It was Friday, which meant she had the weekend coming up, but she had plans, so it wasn't likely she'd be getting any much wanted rest. Which was why she was currently curled up on the couch with her favorite quilt, a mug of hot chocolate in reach, and some music playing in the background. She had a headache that wouldn't quit and every muscle in her body felt strained, so she was keen to just stay exactly where she was and not move an inch. Which was exactly what she did, and how Damon found her a few hours later.

Dumping the now cold hot chocolate down the sink, he turned out the lights and walked back around to the couch. Picking her up, quilt and all, he carried her down the hall to their room and tucked her into bed.

Stretching, she blinked up at him sleepily. "Hey," she murmured.

"Hey." Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Damon rolled her wool socks down off her feet to toss in the laundry basket. "You all right? I got back from Danny's and you were passed out."

"Just tired…" She rubbed her cheek against her cool pillow. "Long week."

He hummed and kneaded his hand along her calf. "You're feeling all right though?"

"Yeah, just getting used to teaching the dance classes. More work than I thought." She shrugged one shoulder, her eyes drifting closed.

"Okay." He stood and tucked the quilt in around her before he kissed her temple. "Why don't you sleep in tomorrow?"

Her nose scrunched up. "We were going to do that thing…"

He half-smiled. "The ice rink will still be there next week."

She hummed, like she wanted to argue, but she was already drifting away. His lips grazed her cheek one last time before sleep swamped her.

…

Damon slapped her hand away from the veggie and dip plate. "Hands off. We need those for later."

"Nobody ever eats the radishes anyway," Bonnie defended, stealing a few more. "And I'm making more room for all the celery you're cutting. How many people are supposed to be there?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. Chris just said to make a big platter. Why don't you make yourself useful and get the cracker plate ready?"

"So you can rearrange it?"

"You don't put Ritz crackers next to Cheez-It's, Bonnie…"

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. "You know who you remind me of right now?"

He pointed his knife toward her, but there was no malice there, just a knowing grimace crossing his lips. "Don't say it."

"Caroline," she emphasised, popping another radish piece into her mouth. "You're going full-Caroline on this thing."

Sighing, he shook his head, putting the knife aside and wiping his hands on a dish towel before he walked toward her. "I'm not sure I like that comparison…" He planted his hands on either side of her knees, palms flat on the counter. "In fact, I think I take offense." His nose brushed her cheek as he leaned in, mouth skimming her jaw line. "I might have to punish you for it."

Bonnie shivered, biting down on her bottom lip. "Are you sure you have time for that? You have an event to cater. And who knows which crackers might be put next to which… What if the broccoli and the celery are too close together? Too much green will ruin your balanced color scheme. You wouldn't want—" Her breath caught as he nipped lightly at her neck, his hands sliding up her legs, squeezing gently.

The dress she was wearing tapered from her hips to her knees, meaning he had to shuffle it up her thighs in order to open them and carve out a space for him to stand. She turned her eyes down, following his progress as he kissed across her bare shoulder and down her arm, raising her hand up to rest on his chest.

Warmth bloomed across her heart and she smiled, reaching a leg around his waist and tugging him closer. "We'll be late…" she warned.

One of his hands fit across her cheek, his thumb skimming the edge of her mouth. "Worth it."

She scraped her teeth over his thumb and watched his pupils dilate. A shiver ran through her, a thread of confidence from just how quickly, how completely, she could grab his attention. She danced her fingers up his chest, palm smoothing over the side of his neck, skimming around the back to gently tease the loose hair there before she pulled him in. He was pushing her dress further up her hips and she wiggled side to side in an effort to help. Their foreheads pressed together, eyes caught, and she let out a shaky breath against his lips.

He licked his lips, the drag of his tongue brushing her mouth in the process.

Absently, she wondered if radish breath was a thing, and then decided she didn't care, and neither would he. She melted into the slant of his mouth, her arms overlapping around his neck, her chest arching up to press against his. It was going to be sloppy, she could tell right away. Full of laughter and readjusting. One of them would accidentally drop their hand into the vegetable plate, likely sending it to the floor. She should suggest somewhere else, somewhere there wasn't food or loose cutlery lying about, but she didn't.

Chances were, they wouldn't end up going to Chris' party. They'd probably finish off the last of whatever vegetables were salvaged as they lay curled up together on the couch. It didn't matter that she'd dropped a pretty penny on her dress or spent over an hour getting ready. This, right here, was absolutely worth it.

He was kissing down her neck when he accidentally bumped the cutting board; the crash of it hitting the floor made them both laugh. And she was once again reminded that falling in love with her best friend was the best choice she'd ever made.

…

"Okay. I think that's everything…" Damon dropped one last box on top of the dining room table and took a look around the apartment. "You see anything missing? Got all your furniture, clothes, pots and pans…?"

Kayla, hands on her hips, shook her head. "Yeah, that's all of it. Lisa helped me put the bed frame together, so now it's just a matter of unpacking everything."

"Yeah, what about the TV stand?" He rapped his knuckles against the tall, thin box leaning against the living room wall. "Hasn't even been opened yet."

Shrugging, she sighed. "I don't know. I'll get to it eventually. Honestly, I think I'll just order in pizza and pass out somewhere in the chaos."

He snorted, turning back to the box and feeling around the edges to yank the tape off. "I'm just gonna take a look at it… Could be easy to put together."

Amused, Kayla ticked a brow up. "Have at it. You put it together, we could watch Blood Ripper with the pizza."

"The first one? Going classic on me, huh? All right, I'll bite…" He turned the box over to start pulling pieces out and then leaned back on his heels as he surveyed it all. He tossed the directions to the side, sure that he could figure it out on his own.

An hour later, Kayla had a new television stand, and Damon was pleased with himself, even if it did end up taking a lot longer than strictly necessary. Bonnie arrived soon after, extra-large pizza in hand, and Damon smiled to himself, eavesdropping as an excited Kayla showed Bonnie around her new place.

…

"Don't tell your mom." Damon broke off a piece of the cheeseburger he was eating and tossed it in the air.

Mina leapt up and caught it, gobbling it down in two bites and then licking her mouth and staring at him intensely for another piece, walking distractedly at his side.

What had started out as an afternoon jog somehow turned into a fast food run. Not that he or Mina were complaining, really. The cheeseburger was a little soggy, which was why Mina was getting so much of it, and he was already mentally going over what they had at home to see if they had everything they needed to make homemade burgers, but it was still a nice break.

Eventually, he let Mina finish off the burger while he drank his chocolate shake. He'd skipped the fries, but he was regretting it a little. "Grocery store?" he suggested.

Mina's ears perked. Now that the food was gone, she was eager to get moving again.

There was a store a few blocks over where he could get everything they'd need, so they started walking over. He'd had enough of the burger to decide jogging wasn't the best choice just yet. "You know what else we need…?"

Mina's tail wagged as she looked up at him.

Damon could remember a time when the only interaction he had with animals was occasionally manipulating a crow into making a scene just a little creepier before he attacked his next meal. He was much happier with his current canine companion.

…

"I don't know, I definitely think I'm winning for better snow-person. I get bonus points for not automatically making it a dude."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You just wanted to make snow boobs."

He smirked, waving his gloved hands toward his 'masterpiece.' "And they're perfect." He tipped is head and squinted his eyes. "You know, I think I modeled them after you…" He maneuvered his hands around to gauge them and then nodded.

"Damon!"

"What? It's flattering." He crossed his arms over his chest. "She's definitely the hottest snowlady on this block."

Shaking her head, she reached over, scooped a 'snow-boob' off and smushed it against his chest.

Damon looked down at himself and then arched an eyebrow. "Was that a gesture of war, Miss Bennett?"

She grinned slowly, and then took off running.

Laughing, Damon started scooping up snow and packing it into a ball. "Just remember… you started this!"

Bonnie shrieked happily as he gave chase.

…

Bonnie accepted the mug of tea Kayla offered to her before she circled around to sit on the couch across from her.

"You're settling in nicely," Bonnie noted, taking a look around the apartment.

"Yeah. It's nice not living at home. I feel more independent, you know? Like I've finally got control of my own life." She looked down into her own mug and stirred it. "School's going well too. I still kind of feel like something's missing, but… I don't know. Maybe that goes away. Lisa thinks it's just one of those things that happen when you're in that middle-ground between being a teenager and being an adult. Like an adjustment period." Her mouth pursed. "Was it like that for you?"

"For me?" Bonnie's brows hiked as she thought back to when she was Kayla's age. "Honestly, I don't think I really got the chance for an adjustment period. One minute I was seventeen and the next thing I know, my whole life was turned upside down. Everything happened really quickly. My Grams died and not long later, my dad died. So… Yeah, I mean, I think it's normal to question who you are and what you want for yourself and out of life. Sometimes, life makes that choice for you, but if you've got the chance to figure it out on your own, take it."

Kayla nodded. "It's just weird, I guess. I feel like I'm moving forward but stuck in the same place at the same time." She shook her head. "I thought it'd be different when I realized I was gay and when I found Lisa. Like I'd find that missing piece somehow."

"I don't think anyone can be your missing piece," Bonnie said. "Other people can't fill the empty spaces. When I was younger, I went through periods of depression. I didn't know who I was, so I convinced myself that I should be someone I wasn't. I did things I shouldn't have. I became this self-sacrificing person that put herself last. But that's no way to live. Sometimes you just need to step back and really think about what you want and what you're getting. And if you're not getting what you want, then change it."

"It sounds easy when you say it, but I don't know what I want. I thought I had what I want." Kayla shook her head. "Don't get me wrong. I love Lisa. She— She's amazing. I just… I feel lost sometimes. Like I don't know where I am or why I'm here." Rubbing a hand over her forehead, she muttered, "It's dumb. Mom says I'm just having an identity crisis because life feels like it's changing so quickly. Maybe she's right."

"Even if she is, if you ever want to talk…"

Kayla nodded, smiling faintly. "I know. You're here for me."

Reaching over, she patted her hand comfortingly. "Whenever you need me."

Drawing a deep breath, Kayla blew it out noisily. "Enough of this heavy stuff, let's talk about something else."

"Tell me about your classes," Bonnie encouraged.

Kayla brightened, and the subject changed course.

…

Mina was nosing around the Christmas tree, where a small collection of brightly wrapped gifts were waiting for morning. Damon was pretty sure she was searching for the jar of milk bones he'd picked up for her, and Bonnie had insisted he wrap, in keeping with the season. Aside from the gifts they'd gotten for each other, there were two from Naomi, with attached crayon-covered homemade cards from with her little kidlettes; a neatly wrapped box from Kayla; two medium sized, messily wrapped boxes from Danny and Carla (gourmet chocolates for Bonnie and cigars for Damon, as had become tradition); a bottle of expensive bourbon from Chris and Brandon (which they'd already opened as their one Christmas Eve gift, and were currently enjoying); and finally Annette and Peter's gift of a tree ornament and a card, which he assumed held what it did every year, a gift card for a nice dinner at Rosario's Restaurant.

When Mina's tail started wagging excitedly, he whistled to call her off; the last thing they needed was her tearing all the presents open just for a treat. While she looked back at him hopefully, she took his head shake at face value and instead went to lay down in front of the fireplace, propping her head on her paws and giving him sad looks in the hopes that he would cave.

"One gift," Bonnie said, catching his hesitation. "We already opened the bourbon. She can wait for tomorrow."

"Look at that face, Bon. How can you say no to that face?" He waved a hand toward Mina, whose ears perked at the attention.

With a snort, Bonnie shook her head. "There's leftovers from dinner, give her some of the roast if you want." She wiggled off of where she'd been leaning against him so he could get up, her book perched against her knees.

Climbing off the couch, he whistled for Mina to follow as he walked to the kitchen. This was the first year they were spending Christmas out at the cabin, and Damon was glad. There was something nice about staying somewhere that wasn't home. It was kind of like a vacation, as close as they could get to one since they couldn't technically leave town. As he pulled out the platter of leftover pot roast, he found himself wondering where he might have taken her if they were still alive. Was she a skiing in the Alps type or would she prefer a sandy beach, skip the snow? He thought of how happy she was, making snow angels and snowmen, and decided she'd prefer the traditional Christmas. So it was kind of perfect, the cabin with the falling snow outside, the fire keeping them warm and the twinkling lights of their Christmas tree.

After he was sure Mina had her fill of roast, he covered it and put it back in the fridge before he returned to the living room. Flopping back into his corner of the couch, he drew Bonnie back against his side and spread his arm along the length of the couch.

"Christmas was never a big deal when I was growing up," he told her. "Dad wasn't big on gifts that weren't earned… Mom would sneak us stuff though. Trinkets and toys and chocolates. And later, when it was just me and Stefan, I'd show up sometimes, bottle of bourbon and a half-assed Christmas card…"

She turned so she could see him, her head resting on his shoulder as she watched the animation of his face. "I'm sure he misses you… He's probably got his own bottle and he's drinking it in your honor."

"You think?" He looked down at her, brow raised as he searched her eyes.

"I know you guys had your rough patches—"

He snorted. "Understatement."

"—but he always loved you. Just like you always loved him." She shrugged, and then reached forward, topping off each of their glasses before she handed him his. "To Stefan."

His throat tightened briefly, and then he knocked his glass against hers. "Merry Christmas, brother." He knocked it back in one swig, smacked his lips, and dropped the glass back to the table. "What about you? Hm? What kind of Bennett traditions do you miss?"

Bonnie smiled softly. "I don't know. I guess I just miss Grams and dad at the table, bickering like they usually did. Grams getting a little too drunk on the spiked egg nog and dad singing Christmas carols… Those old black and white movies playing in the background… It was familiar, you know? Comforting."

He nodded, watching that flicker of sadness play across her face. He brushed his fingers over her hair and leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Her brow furrowed. "Even if I were alive, I wouldn't have them…" She shook her head. "And I'm okay. I—I'm happy. We have our own traditions now, and I love them."

His knuckles rubbed across the arch of one cheek as he smiled down at her. "Me too."

"Good." She closed her book and put it aside. "You know another Christmas tradition I like?"

"What's that?"

She pointed up, a slow grin forming on her lips.

He let out a laugh as he spotted the mistletoe above. "Well. If it's tradition…" He smirked as he leaned down, and Bonnie hummed against his mouth.

They slid down the couch, wrapped in each other, and as far as traditions went, he was quite happy with theirs.

…

Damon sat back on the stool, elbows on the table behind him. "Lift your arm a bit."

Danny frowned. "You said that last time, I nearly took out that waitress."

"That's because you have terrible aim. But you throw it now, you're going to hit the wall instead of the dart board."

"What? Am not," he scoffed.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Fine. Throw the dart. See who's right."

Looking from him back to the board, Danny frowned. He lifted his arm, aimed, and let loose. The dart managed to hit the board, but barely, telling both him and Damon what they both knew. "All right, okay, quit looking so smug."

Damon grinned, drawing his beer up for a swig. "Watch a pro, brother." He stood from his stool to take up a couple darts, got into position, aimed and fired.

Sighing, Danny shook his head. "How?!"

Shrugging, Damon smirked. "Practice… Had some time to perfect my technique."

"Yeah, all right." Rolling his eyes, Danny shifted back on his seat and grabbed up a few pretzels from the bowl in front of him. "Hey… What do you call the Children of the Corn's father?"

Raising an eyebrow, Damon slid onto his own stool. "Hit me with it."

Danny grinned. "Pop corn."

Rolling his eyes, he snorted. "Already starting on the dad jokes. You got it bad."

Shrugging, he admitted, "Won't be too bad, right? Carla's excited. She wants a brood, but I'm trying to focus on just the one for now."

"Yeah, so, shouldn't be too long, huh? Then you won't have much time for darts and beer, it'll be all diapers and baby powder."

Danny grinned. "Sacrifices, man. We'll just have to hang out at the house more."

"Not sure baby vomit goes with this jacket," he muttered.

"Y'know, one day it's gonna be you. Mark my words." Danny pointed at him with the neck of his beer bottle. "Little Damon Junior, running around, causing havoc."

"Damon Senior's not done causing havoc, so Junior's gonna have to wait."

Humming, Danny wondered, "Have you and Bonnie talked about it? About kids?"

He shrugged. "We're happy where we're at."

"I get that," he said, nodding. "Still expect you to play the cool uncle though."

"You kidding? I'll spoil that kid rotten." He winked. "I won't just be cool, I'll be they're favourite."

…

"Hey! Sorry I'm late," Bonnie said, a little out of breath as she untied the scarf from around her neck. "Ran into traffic. Did you see the road work they're doing over on Matheson Street?"

"Yeah. Potholes." Naomi nodded. "Reggie Walters threatened to sue the city if somebody didn't fix them…"

Snorting, Bonnie hung her jacket on the back of her chair and then motioned a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?"

"Mm, yeah, get me a raspberry tart? They're addicting!"

Grinning, she nodded. "Sure, be right back." Rubbing her hands to get the chill out, she made her way to the short line leading up to the counter and scanned the blackboard of menu items for which hot drink she wanted.

It was a few minutes before she arrived back at the table with two raspberry tarts and a hot chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkled bits of candy cane on top.

"What?" she said, seeing Naomi's look. "I like holiday themed things."

Naomi grinned, shaking her head. "Don't I know it? The shop looks like winter threw up on it."

Unrepentant, Bonnie shrugged. "I like it. Makes it feel cheerful."

"Mmhmm. Y'know, Valentine's Day is coming up. We should probably trade some of that fake snow in for paper hearts."

"Nope. Not until February." She lifted her chin. "I have a system."

"Yeah? And does that system include hiring any new people? Kayla's not at the shop as much anymore with her college classes picking up and since you're busy twice a week with those dance classes, I need an extra hand."

Bonnie nodded. "I know, you're right. I've been thinking about putting an ad out. Unless there's something you know that you think would work…?"

Naomi shook her head. "Not personally. We can put up a 'we're hiring' sign and see who it brings in."

Her nose wrinkled uncertainly.

"Let me guess, you've got a system for hiring people too," Naomi mused.

Bonnie wasn't actually sure. When she woke up in the other world, everyone thought she'd been there a while, so she had a pre-made staff that had stuck with her the last six years. "No. But I should," she decided. "So, ad first, we'll see who bites, and then you and I can go through the resumes, see if anybody sticks out. How does that sound?"

Naomi nodded. "Sounds good to me." She took a sip from her tea and then leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "So, did I tell you about Jasmine's parent-teacher conference?"

"Mm-mm, how'd it go?"

"Great! My baby girl's the best student in the class, and I'm not just saying that. Her teacher had nothing but good things to say. Never been so proud. He even mentioned moving her up a grade, said she was testing out of math and her grades in her other classes were high enough."

Bonnie beamed. "That's amazing! Good for her!"

"Yeah, she's been doing great. Not sure how I feel about moving her up, but we're talking about it. Seeing what she thinks about it."

"Wow. She's growing up so fast." She shook her head, smiling thoughtfully. "You know, I still remember being her age. Just me and Caroline and Elena, we were attached at the hip. Caroline was an overachiever, she'd get A's across the board, and her mom even mentioned moving her up, but she didn't want to… She wanted to be in the same classes as us." A wistful stab of sadness pulled at her chest, but she tried to shake it off. "Anyway, that's really awesome. Jasmine's so smart. Her momma taught her well."

Naomi grinned, and shrugged one shoulder modestly. "Well, you know how I do."

"Yes, I do, and you should be proud!"

Smile softening, Naomi nodded. "I am."

Bonnie smiled.

"Now. Tell me about you. I feel like we only see each other at work lately. What's going on?"

Bonnie sat forward a little to get comfortable as she talked. Naomi was right; they needed to visit more often. Just as soon as her schedule thinned out a little more.

…

"What's all this…?"

Damon shrugged as he turned to her. "Just a little mood lighting."

"A little? I think you emptied out my supplies…" She grinned though, casting her eyes across the many platforms holding flickering candles. "Valentine's day isn't for another week…"

"I know." He tossed the lighter away and walked toward her. Scooping her bag off her shoulder, he put it on the counter and then circled around her to help her take her jacket off. "This isn't for Valentine's Day."

"No?" Her brows hike curiously. "Then what's it for?"

"Just because."

Biting her lip, Bonnie looked back at him. "You sappy romantic."

He rolled his eyes as he hung her jacket on the rack. "I prefer 'sensual' or 'ridiculously attractive' to 'sappy.'"

"Duly noted." Reaching for him, she hooked a finger in a belt loop of his jeans and tugged him toward her. "So what is this mood lighting for exactly?"

He stared down at her, a grin playing at his mouth. "Come here…"

Bonnie laughed lightly as he took her hand and led her into the living room, where the furniture had all been pushed out to form a space in the middle. "Pillow bed?"

"I was going to make a fort, but it kind of defeats the purpose of all these candles." He led her into the pillow bed and then grabbed up a bottle of wine and a couple glasses he'd placed just off to the side. "So?" He poured her a glass and handed it to her. "How was your dance class?"

Sighing, she sunk back on the pillows and sipped at her wine. "Long…"

Taking a deep breath, she soon found her rhythm in sharing her night at the dance studio, and her day at work. She talked a bit about the rest of her week too, hiccups that tripped her up or argumentative customers. It wouldn't be until later, until the candles were dying down and she was laid out, her head on his chest, heartbeat strong under her ear, and the wine long gone, that she realized the whole point was for her to relax. To decompress a little.

"Hey…"

"Hmm?" His fingers stroked through her hair tenderly.

"Thanks."

"For what?" He kneaded his hand down the nape of her neck soothingly and her eyes fell to half-mast.

"Looking out for me."

He turned his head to see her, smiled, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, where he mumbled. "Always."

Sliding her leg over his, she pressed a little closer, rubbing her face against his chest. "Yeah?"

"You're stuck with me."

Bonnie nodded. "It's mutual."

"Good."

MYSTIC FALLS – 2013

Caroline Forbes was a fixer. A doer. A can-do, will do type of person. She was persistent and focused and she never let anybody tell her that she couldn't do something, no matter how impossible it might have seemed. This, for the most part, was something to be admired. She could admit that, occasionally, she could get a little too focused on something. In most cases, however, her persistence ended with good results. Never let it be said that Caroline didn't put in one hundred percent, and then an added ten just for good measure.

Six months ago, when Bonnie and Damon were effectively stripped from their world, Caroline had made it her mission to get them back, whatever it took, and she had jumped into said mission with both feet. If one were to look at her To-Do List, it would have read as follows:

1. Fix Mystic Falls so magical beings (ie. vampires!) can get back into it

2. Resurrect/bring back/fix the whole Bonnie/Damon/dead mess (maybe just Bonnie… fine, Damon too)

3. College

4. Live happily ever after (and kick bad guy ass in the process!)

A few amendments to said list had to be made over that course of time. Like 'make sure vampire hunters that are currently using Mystic Falls as a catch-all to kill vampires get their rage-a-holic asses out of my town!' and 'remind Stefan why friendship is good and running to ignore feelings is bad' and 'keep Enzo from becoming Damon 2.0 and killing everything that moves because he has the munchies.' Simply put, it was a very long, very stressful, very busy time. But, Caroline persevered and juggled her responsibilities until she managed to get everything back under control. Well, technically the vampire hunters were still lurking around and Enzo occasionally killed people without remorse, but he definitely tried to narrow that to enemies and not just regular, innocent people, which was a tick in the 'win' column as far as Caroline was concerned.

Regardless, the most important part of the list was Bonnie (yes, and Damon too, she guessed… if she had to). Now, it wasn't easy to track down, just like Bonnie's vagabond cousin who never seemed to stay in one place long before cashing in her chips and moving on to the next town, chasing whatever caught her eye for the moment. Unlike the unflappable and stable Bonnie Bennett, her cousin Lucy was flighty, happy to move wherever the wind took her, and digging her heel into Caroline's last nerve. But, for all that Lucy was difficult to find, or keep in one place, she was also strong, smart, and well connected, which meant, after months and months of searching and planning and calling in far too many favors, it looked like Caroline was going to be welcoming home her best friend (and, fine, Damon too, whatever).

Cheerfully, she made her way through the small house she was renting, just on the outskirts of town, and poured herself a drink as she hummed cheerfully under her breath.

"You look chipper," Stefan commented, joining her in front of the fire and accepting the glass of bourbon she passed his way. "And… you're drinking bourbon." He frowned. "You don't like bourbon."

"It's a special occasion." She knocked her glass against his and tossed her drink back before pursing her lips. "Oh. Ew. No. I need something to wash that taste out."

Stefan chuckled under his breath and sipped at his own drink, watching her mix up something else. "So? What's this special occasion then?"

"I… Well, we, are going to have to set up the spare bedrooms. We have guests. Okay, technically not guests, but you get the idea…"

Brows furrowing, he asked, "You didn't invite Enzo to stay here again, did you? Because that didn't turn out so well last time…"

"No, I didn't. Although, I think shoving him in the fireplace and threatening to set him on fire was a tiny bit excessive…" She raised an eyebrow back at him.

Stefan shrugged. "It didn't feel that way at the time."

"It never does with you two… In fact, if I didn't know different, I'd think it was some weird kind of foreplay. Kind of like how Bonnie and Damon used to fight all the time and get up in each other's faces. There was definitely some sexual tension there."

He blinked at her. "I'm not sure which one of those I should comment on first…"

"Stenzo. That's got a nice ring to it, actually. It definitely flows."

"Uh-huh." His mouth turned up with amusement as he nodded, rolling his eyes. "Back on topic, just who are we having stay with us?"

"Well, that's the best part…" She bounced on her heels a bit, lit up proudly. "Lucy found someone who can help her cast the spell."

Stefan stared at her a long moment, his mouth settling into a line. "No."

Caroline's excitement faded abruptly. "Okay, I know what you're thinking, but this is real this time. I know we chased down lead after lead and came up empty. I know we've tried things like this before. But this is different. I can feel it. I know it's going to work!"

"Caroline…" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Don't 'Caroline' me. I know that voice. That's your 'I love you, but you're wrong' voice." She pointed at him seriously. "Stow the condescension, all right? Look, just meet with Lucy and this other witch and then you can tell me how much the plan sucks. Except it doesn't and you're going to be thanking me for the rest of your undead life."

Tipping his head, he considered her a long moment, before finally nodding. "Fine. I'll meet with them."

Giving a little squeal of happiness, she hopped on spot and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "See? Was that so hard?" She leaned her head back to see him and raised her eyebrows. "When are you going to realize I am almost always right?"

"Almost always."

She nodded. "Like… nine times out of ten."

"Pretty good odds, but possibly a little biased coming from you…"

She laughed. "Where's your proof?"

"I think I can make a compelling argument that might sway you…" He wrapped an arm around her waist and squeezed gently.

"Yeah?" She leaned into him, arching her back so their chests were pressed flat together. "I'm eager to hear this."

"What do I get if I win?"

Her smile softened and she stretched her fingers along the nape of his neck. "What do you want?"

"Simply…?" Stefan's hands swept up her back. "You."

"And not so simply?"

"You."

Her mouth stretched into a slow smile as she ducked her eyes.

"I'm looking forward to that."

"To what?"

"To you still making that face decades from now..."

She bit her lip as she looked up at him. "Might take some work. If I've learned anything about love, it's that staying in it is not easy."

"No, it's not…" he admitted, nodding. "But it's easier with the right person."

She sighed gently, gazing up at him with a soft smile. "What's this face tell you?"

"Nothing I didn't already know."

"Which is…?"

He leaned in close, their noses brushing, and in a quiet tone, nearly at a whisper, he said, "You love me."

Her mouth ticked up at the corners. "Do I?"

"You do."

"Is this another theory you plan on proving, Mister Salvatore?"

"In elaborate detail…" He started stepping backwards then, bringing her along with him. "Are you up for that? It could take a while."

"Oh, I'm really interested in hearing what you have to say…" she giggled. "Lead the way."

So maybe 'return Bonnie (and Damon) to the land of the living' could wait just a little while longer… It wasn't like they were going anywhere.

[Next: Chapter XII.]

author's note: sorry this took so long. my muse wandered off for a while there, and then i got busy with school and practicum. but the muse is firmly back now that tvd has returned.

a few people have asked how long it'll take to get back to the 'present,' and i'm thinking about 6 chapters to cover the remaining time, as well as cover their wedding. that's not really a spoiler, since the summary states that she's his wife, lol. so that's on the way. also, many have wondered how time passes in mystic falls. as we see in the last bit, for stefan and caroline, it's only been six months. so one month for every year that damon and bonnie have experienced.

again, sorry for the long wait, i know it probably caused a few readers to give up hope, but i swear i'm back and will work to keep updates more frequent. so let me know what you thought of the update and if you're still reading!

thanks,

- lee | fina