A/N: Bear with me as I try to get this story back on track. During the clusterfuck of the last few months, I did miss a few episodes and since the Season 1 DVD won't be released until Aug 31st (according to Amazon) there will most likely be a few inconsistancies.
Why am I here? Bonnie wondered to herself as she messed up for the millionth time on Caroline's precious dance routine.
"Just keep going," Meredith encouraged with a small smile. Bonnie tried to smile back at her but she missed another step and bumped into Shannon.
"Watch it, Bennett," Shannon hissed under her breath. Bonnie wasn't in the mood for the cheerleader's attitude right now. With a mere thought she tripped the junior and watched as Shannon crashed into Nikki before catching her balance again. There was a chuckle from the crowd. They must have looked like clumsy idiots.
Bonnie tried to find her place in the routine again. This was the last football game of her high school cheerleading career, she should be happy. The Mystic Falls Timberwolves were the Virginia State Champions in their division. Today was supposed to be a great day. But it wasn't. It meant nothing. Without a second thought, Bonnie stepped out of line and walked toward the fence that separated the track from the bleachers.
"Where are you going?" Caroline called frantically over the music. But Bonnie ignored her. There were more important things than cheerleading.
"TOUCHDOWN MYSTIC FALLS!" The announcer's voice squawked loudly drowning out the melody coming from the band. "Number Seventeen, Senior Stefan Salvatorrrrre!"
Bonnie glanced up into the stands just long enough to see Damon waving his dumb "I'm a STEFANATIC" sign. What a fool she'd been to think that he might have liked her. The witch imagined herself setting the sign on fire and watching his reaction as the flames made their way to his hands then down his arms to his leather jacket...
"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Meredith grabbed her by arm interrupting the day dream. Distracted Bonnie let her friend lead her to the sidelines as they waited to see if the kick was good. Bonnie couldn't help glimpsing over her shoulder for one more peek at Damon. The regret hit instantly when she saw him hugging Elena.
With a dark scowl on her face she scanned the crowd for Katherine but she was nowhere to be found.
"You ready!" Meredith chirped.
"What?" Bonnie returned her attention to the game.
"Six and the extra point. Let's go!" Meredith said as she began running to start her tumbling pass. Following a few steps behind her Bonnie prepared for her first element.
The crowd counted the points loudly as the two cheerleaders flipped down the track.
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
SEVEN!
Bonnie heard the final number and pulled her knees to her chest for the back tuck.
Bonnie….
She wasn't sure if someone called her name or if she just imagined it, but either way it broke her concentration and she didn't finish the rotation. Bonnie let go of her knees barely in time to get her hands in front of her. There was a thud as she face planted onto the track in front of the entire town.
"BONNIE!"
The witch tried to get up quickly and save some of her dignity, but the pain in her left ankle prevented her from doing much more than falling backward onto her ass. Tears of humiliation began to pour down her cheeks. This could not be happening.
"Is she Ok?"
"What happened?"
"Can you get up?"
"I think she's hurt."
Bonnie turned her head away from everyone trying to hide the tears. As she did she saw Stefan standing nearby with a little cup of Gatorade in his hand, staring at her with his intense black eyes.
"What are you looking at?" she whispered low enough that only he could hear her.
He quickly chugged the liquid and turned away. Bonnie felt slightly better knowing that the guilt was eating away at Stefan Salvatore.
-o-
Bonnie sat on the bench in the girls' locker room holding an ice pack against her very swollen ankle. Caroline and Meredith had gone back to the game, leaving her all alone and that was fine with Bonnie. She really didn't want to be around anyone right now.
It was Thanksgiving and any other year, she would have been excited about the game and going to Gram's house afterward for a delicious home-cooked dinner. Turkey, stuffing, Gram's famous macaroni and cheese, which was probably ten thousand calories a serving, but it was soooo delicious.
But not this year.
There was no dinner at Grams.
Well, there really wasn't much to be thankful for anyway.
"Guys, I'm fine. You don't need to stay here with me," Bonnie called to her friends as she heard the door creak open.
"The Girl's Locker Room," Damon's familiar voice spoke aloud. "Now this brings back memories."
Bonnie clamped her jaw shut and said nothing as she heard the door close and the lock click.
"Need some help?" Damon asked as he stood several feet away.
"Not from you," Bonnie replied as nastily as she could manage. But it was hard. It was always hard to be mean when Damon was acting somewhat civil. Acting. That's all it was. That's all it ever was with him.
She kept her focus on her ankle and the ice pack. Using her peripheral vision she couldn't help notice how happy he looked (for someone who was supposedly heartbroken). His eyes sparkled beneath his tossled hair. A lopsided smile played across his lips as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans and stepped toward her.
"Stay away from me," Bonnie warned snapping her head in his direction, "or I will kill you."
"I'll take my chances," Damon's smile grew wider.
Bonnie dug her fingers into the cold plastic bag as she debated whether or not to take him out at that moment. But more than she wanted him dead, she wanted answers. She wanted to know WHY. There were so many questions to ask but she couldn't bring herself to form the words. It wasn't like they talked that much when they were together.
Together.
Could you even describe it that way? What went on between them had never been defined or discussed. Damon wasn't your typical boyfriend – if he was a boyfriend at all.
Had it just been about sex? But it couldn't have been. He could have anyone he wanted. He didn't have to be with her. And it wasn't like it only happened once. It kept happening, and getting more and more amazing each time. At least, that's what Bonnie thought. Maybe Damon didn't think it was that special. Maybe he was just looking for a distraction until he un-tombed his precious Katherine.
Bonnie leaned back on her hands and allowed Damon to remove the ice pack and look at her ankle. It had swelled to almost twice its size. The deep purple contusions stood out against her dark skin.
"OWWWW!" Bonnie used her powers to knock Damon over as he attempted to bend her ankle.
"I think it's broken," Damon told her.
"Thanks, Dr. House," Bonnie attempted to be sarcastic as she rested the cold pack on her ankle again. She could still feel the sharp sting from where Damon had tried to move it.
Closing her eyes she took a few deep breaths to help manage the pain. Broken. That meant a cast and crutches and maybe even no driving. A tear escaped as she realized things weren't even close to getting better.
She felt the tip of Damon's finger on her face gently wiping away the wetness on her cheek.
"Just go away," Bonnie ordered, quickly replacing her sadness with anger. There was NO WAY in hell she was going to let him see her cry.
But he didn't leave. Instead she felt him sit down behind her, centering her between his legs. There was a light rustling then a crunching sound.
"Here," Damon held his arm in front of her. Blood leaked from the bite marks in his wrists.
"I'm not…," Bonnie sat up pulling her head back. As she did she felt herself pressing against Damon's chest. A feeling she thought she'd never experience again.
He moved his wrist in front her mouth. Holding it there patiently. The blood was flowing quicker now and a thick trickle was on the edge of his skin, its next destination her uniform. Bonnie wiped it away with her thumb, smearing it down Damon's forearm.
Damon moved the wound closer, until it was centimeters from her mouth. Bonnie reached her other hand up meaning to push him away. To tell him that she didn't need or want anything from him – especially his blood. It was just a broken bone. It would heal. It's not like before… when she was dying.
Bonnie
She felt his face descend into the nape of her neck and instinctively arched her neck back against him. His free hand slowly slid up hers, making the hair on her arm stand up. The vampire gently cupped her hand against his wrist and brought it to her mouth.
Bonnie pressed her lips closed, not wanting his blood.
Bonnie
The warm wetness pooled against her mouth as the sound of her name echoed through her body. Everything in her began to respond to him. Pressing her back into him again, she felt the addiction of his embrace overcoming her common sense.
Drinking vampire blood.
It wasn't a big deal.
She'd done it before...
With her eyes closed Bonnie parted her lips slightly letting a few drops slip past her teeth and onto her tongue.
Warm.
Thick.
Sweet.
She pressed her mouth against him, opening it wide and sweeping her tongue over the blood on its surface. The viscous liquid ran down her throat warming her from the inside.
She knew she didn't need very much to heal. She knew she should stop. But she didn't want the moment to end.
She felt Damon shift behind her. His hand left hers to travel back down her arm to her side. There was a slight tickle as his palm made its way across her bare midsection. He pulled her closer against him and she felt his breath against her ear again.
With small hesitant gulps she tried to suction more blood from the wound but it was already beginning to close. Bonnie laced her fingers through Damon's, keeping him close to her.
Damon gave her one final hug before twisting his arm breaking the contact between them. Without a word, he stood up and pushed down his jacket sleeve. Bonnie watched in silence as he walked across the tile floor, around the corner and out the door.
Bonnie was alone again.
Thank You to everyone who has reviewed!
Gemma
