Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended. Yes, that includes the song, L.J. Smith and Alloy entertainment characters too.
A/N/Warning: This story has my favorite pairing Bonnie and Damon. It is completely Author's Universe, so this story not necessarily follow the book's story line. Since I'm not L.J. Smith the characters are totally OOC. I did try, though. So please bear with me a little.
I forgot. I post it without a beta check. Sorry for the mistakes and horrors.
Mirages of Love - Chapter 14
"I'll love you until the day after forever." ― Kami Garcia, Beautiful Chaos
"A lot of people like the idea of eternal love and eternal romance.
The notion of love that is more profound and deeper because it is eternal is very powerful." -James Patterson
"It isn't possible to love and part. You will wish that it was. You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you.
I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal." ― E.M. Forster, A Room with a View
Fifty years later and the nauseating sweetness between his brother and Elena didn't stop bothering him. He no longer recalls why in hell he kept contacting them. Well that's not the truth...
Damon knew why, but he would never admit it to anyone. He didn't do the feelings thing anymore. The last time his heart opened a little he came out scorched, burned to the ground. That was another part he would never in his eternal life will admit. He, Damon, one of the greatest predators was rendered defenseless in the game of love. Love for two frail creatures.
It was insane. Humans would only live at most seventy years. A short span of time and if anyone analyzed the years when humans are at their pick of strength and beauty the time was even shorter. His Princess was lucky to be living as an eternal creäture and kept her beauty.
And there it goes again thinking Elena as his. In a way she would always be his. They are not longer lovers or some strange version of a couple and she was still in his life nagging him, caring for him. Stefan was lucky. He won over Elena's heart again.
And he, Damon Salvatore, handed Elena on a silver plate to his brother.
He had enough of the painful tugs in his heart. He had enough of loving, fiercely and losing everything. He was sick and tire of how feeble feelings and emotions could be. He was a monster and he didn't care anymore.
He went off into a strange journey and lived as a vampire should live. Indulging in his desires and instincts. Living the mirage of freedom. Yes, it was a mere mirage because he the vampire who close up his heart and shut down his emotions never stopped to check out if his family was still alive.
His family. Now Elena was his family.
He finished his dinner. He let the beautiful thing live. Her heart was still beating. Damon made her stare at him and he commands her to forget him. To go back to her family and turn around her sh*t life. He rarely did this, but this girl reminded him of scary Meredith. She was the reason for his return to Fells Church fifty years after his damned wedding day.
Meredith the last human of their tiny group finally died. Her family held her funeral and he agreed to go with Elena and Stefan to say their goodbyes at night when they could go out without any trouble or risks. There were still some few old humans living in this forsaken town who remembered them, especially Elena.
Damon would never say out loud that in some bizarre way he would miss the hunter. Their last connection to his humans. The last one and finally, at long last he was free.
Damon watched the girl walk away. He turned around and walk into the woods. He never accepted Elena's invitation to stay with them. He scoffed a little at that premise. He could die of an unnecessary exposure to their sweet love.
He no longer had the patience to live through that, again. He walked slowly, savoring the night and the silence his presence always provoked. The animals knew who was the bigger predator. He relished this time. He was the master and he controlled everything. Any living thing who disrupts his domain will die painfully.
Oh! How he loves to be him.
Eventually he reached his destination. In the thickest part of the wood he owned and old cabin hidden by the surrounding woods. Only Stefan knew about the existence of this place. Is where from time to time either Stefan or himself who stayed put licking their wounds. Sometime figuratively and other times literally.
He never mind his brother using it. It was his way of retribution for everything that had happened between them. They had fought and hated each other for too long, but deep down even at their darkest times they never fulfilled their threats against each other. Maybe in a convoluted way they knew at the end of time they will only have each other. Besides, they already killed each other as humans. Why bother to do that again? Elena was an added bonus for their tiny family.
Something was wrong. It felt different. He couldn't pinpoint what bothered him. He let out his power and didn't feel any supernatural near him. He felt a weak presence inside the cabin. Like it had been used. But, by whom?
Anger was the only thing he felt. It crept slowly filling every part of him. Who had perturb his property? The fool will die. No one has survived after defying his command. The creatures of the woods knew it. Only two people were allowed to use his log cabin; the Princes and Stefan. His annoying little brother.
He stormed into the cabin thinking of nothing. He was just acting. His instinct took up everything. Damon started to relish the impending hunt. As always anticipation ignited his hunger. His fangs protruded and his face showed his true self.
Finally after too much sickening sweetness. He was free to kill and he will enjoy it.
The first room that worked as living room and a makeshift kitchen where empty. He couldn't see any recent disturbance. No traces of footprints or mark of hands were nonexistent and yet the smell was stronger.
Someone used this place. He turned to the rest of the small abode. An empty bathroom was next. It was in the same state as the previous room. Next the only bedroom. The scent was stronger. He stood there like a Roman statue. Not moving. His mind was crazy with possibilities. As soon they appear, he discarded them.
"It can't be"
Words he pronounced to one. The small echo resonating within him.
"It's her scent."
His rational part was fighting with the predator. He knew it was impossible. He never brought her here. He sent is power out searching. Maybe it was a trap. Someone was playing a cruel trick against him. Someone will pay for this and he will make sure they will suffer greatly.
The seconds passed. He let his vampire self took over and tear down the door.
Time stood still. Even the particles of dust seemed to freeze, not moving, standing still. His eyes registered what was in front of him, but his brain didn't want to accept it. His fangs receded and he forced his body to move.
He reinforced the walls around his heart and mind.
First step, second step, third step...
Now he was beside his bed. His hands wanted to touch it, but his mind still refusing the sight in front of him.
"You died, I saw you. Fifty years ago. Damn it! You died!"
Damon breathes in and her scent came in full force. It was her. It has to be her. But the room was silent no heartbeat.
His hand moved on his own accord. Soon his mind caught up with his brain commands. He touched her cheek gently. Like she was the most expensive crystal. She could break. She could disappear.
"It can't..."
Her skin was warm and yet the heartbeat wasn't there. He then tore his eyes from her face and he studies her carefully. No shoes, long luscious black dress with delicate silver touches.
"It was... what was the name the women called it.."
Damon lost himself in this reality and talk like he had an audience.
"Oh yes... strapless..."
She was wearing his gift. The necklace he sent her for one of her birthdays. Someone braided her hair and adorned it with the diamonds of that fateful night. The night they rescued her from Jessalyn. Her white skin looked so soft. Her face was so relaxed like she was sleeping. Her fiery hair was brighter than ever. No signs of her sickness remained. She was perfect.
He let out a lonely chuckle.
"You're the only one who would resemble a fairy tale..."
But this was not a movie, this was his reality. No fairy tales existed in fact, they are more like the Grimm's tales. No happy ending, a hidden message behind the cruelest punishment.
Then he let the nagging questions free. Why her body felt warm? Who put her here? Why her body didn't succumb to nature process? By now her remains are supposed to be part of the earth.
She died in front of him...
Then the volcano inside him erupted. The growl, scream that came out his mouth scared the animals of the forest. He trashed the room. He destroyed everything and when he was about to destroy the bed he stood still.
His mind was blank. He wanted to be blank because he needed to destroy the mirage in front of him. This was not real and he will destroy the illusion. He pounced over her.
Damon grabbed her with all his force. He didn't think. He acted...
Without thinking he let his vampire instinct took over. He bit her neck with all his strength. He wanted to rip her apart because she was not real.
To his surprise blood surge out of the wound and he drank. He drank before he could analyze the impossibility of it. A dead body didn't have fresh blood in its veins. He drank and drank and lost the sense of what was real. He was gone...
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
The little boy was sad. The monster has return and he shackled him again. The chains were stronger than before. He wanted to help him, but Damon kept screaming at him to stay quiet.
For so long he wanted to plea to the scary Damon to let him free. The golden angel granted his freedom and then disaster struck.
The walls were erected and the chains reappear. His surrounding where darker than ever. And he felt so scared and lost. The little boy was mad at the scary Damon. The boy could remember what was freedom and this monster keeps him trapped here.
With time he learned to be silent. The boy hid very well from the monster Damon the hope he had. The boy wanted to believe he will be free again.
And then one day everything crumbled around him. It was like an earthquake and in between of all the movement, the raging screams and the fight he heard a tiny cry.
The boy fought the chains. He was lucky with everything crumbling the scary Damon forgot to keep the chains strong. With effort he got free and with a hesitation the boy followed the cry.
Someone needed him. The path was dark and he stumbled so many times. The boy felt his knees and feet getting hurt, but he kept walking. It was an impulse, he needed to get there. He must get there.
"Please don't cry. I'm here. I'll help you.", he screamed to the darkness.
The little one didn't have a clear idea of time. That concept was managed by Damon, the monster. He only wished with all his might to find it. And like it was a magic trick he did found it.
The boy felt when he crossed to another place. He was no longer inside the monster's mind. He was elsewhere, he wasn't sure where. But it was full of light. It bothered him a little because it was difficult to see. He waited until his eyes become accustomed to his new surroundings. After some moments he found what he was looking for. He stood there watching the little girl cry.
He walked towards her. She looked at him with the cutest doe eyes, he had ever seen. She recognized him and he recognized her at the same instant.
"Red Bird, it's you."
"Damon, you found me."
The Little Damon hugs her. His Red Bird hugs him back.
"Please don't go." Her pleading reached him.
"Never"
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
The gasp stopped him. He stops drinking. Damon lets her neck go. The impossible happened. Red Bird looked at him.
"How?"
Tears appeared in her eyes and he lost it. He embraced her with all his might. It didn't matter this was a cruel mirage. He didn't care anymore. He took her face between her hands.
"I found you."
The strange sensation that similar words were spoken seconds ago came out of nowhere. He shrugged it off. He leaned down and kissed her. Her warm lips told him he was living the real thing. It was no longer a mirage. Some strange miracle had occurred and for the first time in his long un-dead life he said thanks. He was certain someone had heard it.
He didn't notice when he felt asleep.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Damon woke up. He felt as he drank a whole bar. Where was he? Slowly he registered the room. He saw the destruction. He remembered destroying it and...
He turned and saw the empty space beside him. It couldn't be. She was real. He touched her, kissed her, embraced her. He was not crazy Red Bird was here.
At vampire speed he ran out the cabin. The moon was illuminating. It was night. How long was he out? He stood outside searching her with his powers. He searched what he knew was Red Bird, but he felt something entirely different. He ran towards it.
There, in the middle of the a little clearing, he found his Red Bird. He blinked several times. The power he felt was her. She exuded eternal life. That reminded him of Elena after she drank... Comprehension hit him.
"It worked."
She turned around.
"How is this possible? I died and let you go and yet, I'm here."
"You should thank Elena for that."
"What?"
Then it hit him all the pain he hid, all the anger, all those years.
"Why?"
Confusion appeared on her features. That angered him. He ran towards her and grabbed her neck.
"Why?"
"I don't... understand. I..."
He debated if this still real. If he kills her he would be really free. He would be his old self. The uncaring vampire. No more humans to save.
Then a single tear came out of her eyes. He watched the path of the tear. He finally could hear her heart. It was beating faster than ever.
"Why do you hate me?"
That stunned him. What was she talking about?"
"Do you hate me because I died? Or because I'm not Elena? Do you hate me because you have to save me again and again?"
How on earth she could think he could hate her. He was angry at her. No that was a lie. He was angry at him because he didn't believe.
"Do you hate me because I forgive you? Why? Why?"
By now her voice was a mere murmur. He let her go. Damon knew what was about to say could change everything. He looked at her carefully drinking in her beautiful sight. He was a fool. Indeed he was; he always had his future in front of him and he never accepted the truth or the possibility of it.
"Red Bird..."
He touched her face delicately. He started to get rid of the damned diamonds. They are not for her. No, those diamonds were the symbol of her suffering; of her time as a slave. He will give her other precious stones, but not diamonds.
She didn't say anything. Red Bird let him do whatever he wanted. In a way it has always been like this. Now her hair was free and the gentle breeze played with it. It was a coordinated dance between her delicate dress and her red soft curls.
"Red Bird, you're right. I do hate you."
She opened her eyes. It was a mere second of confusion. She didn't believe she was right.
"Yes, I hate you because you crawled into my heart. Because you didn't let me fulfill my ultimate goal, Elena. I hate you because you surprised me. Because I died for you. I hate you because I promise you something it only brought heartache. Because I saved you. I hate you because I can't live without you. Because I met you and..."
He then surrounded her waist with his right arm. His left hand caressed her face cleaning up her tears.
"I hate you..."
He started a silent dance with her. Only the night and the pale moon were witnessing the moment. He let out a sight of surrender. A inconsequential memory came up. His brother a long time ago told him he was a fool. How right was Stefan.
"I hate you... because you're my home."
"I.. I.." He silenced her with a gentle cast kiss.
"Red Bird, can you forgive me?... Again..."
He knew he had hurt her even upon her own request. She had live things a girl shouldn't have live. His selfishness blinded him. He was the jerk who damned everything. Damon leaned into her. There foreheads were touching. The breeze played with Red Bird's black dress. He felt her hair touching him. A mellow caress.
"Bonnie, I hate you because I love you."
The last words came as a whisper. They were intended only to her. He moved a little. He wanted to see her face.
She gifted him with one of her wonderful smiles. She put her arms around his neck and caressed his hair.
"I have already forgiven you. Since the first day we met and..."
He looked at her. Unknowingly he was holding his breathe. He didn't need it, but it was a source for him to keep up her powers.
"Breathe, Damon... Breathe."
He let out and took a refreshing breathe. She move in a little. Now she was standing like a ballerina. His Red Bird kissed him, gently. Then silence, she haven't say anything. Another smile and a different spark in her eyes.
"Well, then... I hate you too."
For the first time he was the one smiling. He felt connected and complete. Regarding his Red Bird, no more walls.
Yes, definitely this was not a mirage anymore.
~~ Fine~~
A/N: I know! I let a lot of questions unanswered. That was part of the plan since the beginning. The huge time gap... again another part of the plan.
How I will fill in the blanks? Well that depends on you my readers. My plan is to write extras for this story. Like the DVD extras we get. There are no deleted scenes. Just hidden away waiting for anyone to ask for them. It will be a challenge for me since is the first time I'm requesting this kind of thing from all of you. And I'll be writing them upon request. I'll give you some examples. None of them are written. They are in my mind... playing and waiting.
Some examples: Who put Bonnie in Damon's cabin? How Elena and Stefan ended up married? Damon's proposal to Elena... any ideas? Bonnie's funeral, etc. A Delena common inconsequential moment. An Stefan and the memory less Bonnie bonding moment... A Bamon moment, Bonnie coping and learning what she is...
If everyone is happy and I receive no requests then this is the official end.
Thank you for reading the whole story, for those who started reading since my first post. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! For waiting the next chapter even when it took tooooooo long for me to upload it.
I really hope you like it, even though it's kind of cute. I can't help it. I like happy endings and I am a hopeless romantic. Life is too hard, harsh and real. We need some pink moments in it. Even if they came from a story written by someone who thinks she still need to improve and learn a lot. I mean a LOT!