I guess I'm doin ok then! Thank you all!

I'm thinkin' this will come to an end pretty quick cause an idea screamed at me the other night and I don't think I can post that till I finish this. I gotta 'go big or go home'…uh, I mean 'all or nothing'. Ah hell, it's one of those damn clichés!

Ok, so moving along…

21

Stefan

We were no closer to finding out anything to help Bonnie, and I could see my brother's resolve start to crumble. The arrogant ass he normally was had faded over the last month as Bonnie's mood began to worsen. She wouldn't talk, wouldn't smile, and would barely feed. Her strength would deplete, and then we'd have to force her to drink. It was almost as if she were dying.

And so was Damon.

Every ounce of life from either of them was slowly leaving their bodies. Elena and the others watched helplessly, and as much as Damon and I tried to gather information concerning whatever it was Bonnie was going through, we weren't much better. We had no new information and Bonnie wouldn't talk to any of us about what had taken place that night over four weeks ago.

I heard Elena's thoughts as she walked up behind me. I had taken to scouring every inch of the internet for underground sites for our kind. Yes, they existed, you just had to know where to find them. She's dying, isn't she?

I nodded slowly, not completely sure I was telling the truth. It would seem that way, I thought to her, but I'm not sure our kind can do that…I mean, the common ways humans die.

So this is as new to you as it is to us?

Elena, I've never seen anything like it. It's like she's dying from a broken heart, but her heart is still here. Damon's face flashed in my mind. And then a thought occurred to me.

I jumped out of my seat, startling Elena, and ran into the living area where everyone was seated. Bonnie's head was in Meredith's lap, who was stroking Bonnie's curls away from her face. Meredith looked like she was taking care of her little sister, and I suppose in a way, she was. Damon stood at the window furthest away from us, not looking at us but watching the room in general. Matt had his head in a huge book, and as I zeroed in on it, I noticed it was a book passed down through generations in the Salvatore family. "Hey Stefan, you and Damon haven't changed a bit, man," he said, pointing to drawings of Damon, my father, and myself.

I walked over to him and picked the book up. There were no pictures of my mother, as she died before I really knew her, but my father looked exactly how I remembered him. Giuseppe Salvatore was the strongest man I had ever known, and I knew he had always been very proud of me. Damon, on the other hand, was not what my father had expected him to be. I remember the day he told our father he would not be going back to the University. Father had been furious with him, but Damon had shrugged him off in his usual manner. I watched him saunter out of the room as my father yelled at him in Italian. Damon must've been reliving my thoughts with me. He chuckled from where he stood watching us. "Ah, family memories," he said in a disgusted tone.

Bonnie glanced over at him, then back at me, and a hint of a smile touched her face. How I wish…she thought as she looked back at Damon, and then realized I had heard her and shut her mind off to us again. Damon heard it, too, and walked over to where she was on Meredith's lap. "Cara," he reached out for her and she sat up to take his hand. "Let's get you upstairs. You look exhausted."

I knew what Damon was planning, and I also knew it was my job to get things ready.

He had heard my revelation while I was web-searching. We were going to have Bonnie Trance, and I was going with her.

Elena

This was impossible.

I sat combing Bonnie's curls as she sat on the chest at the foot of her bed. Her heart was racing. Even without my Powers, I could feel it. She was shaking.

"I can't do this," she whispered, and then put her face in her hands.

Meredith looked over at me and her expression was sympathetic. She walked over to us and sat next to me. "What, Bonnie? What can't you do?"

Bonnie turned and looked at both of us with red-rimmed eyes. "I'm losing my husband."

The looks on our faces must've told her we had no idea what she was referring to cause she rolled her eyes and got up, stopping at the entrance to the bathroom. She turned sharply and gave us a pointed look. "I haven't told him what I saw when I Tranced a month ago, and I don't think I want to."

I nodded for her to continue. We finally hit a breaking point! "Go ahead, Bonnie."

"The elders I spoke to…," she looked down at her hands and then back at us. "My immortality is flawed."

"Um," Meredith shrugged and looked at both of us. "Am I the only one that doesn't get it?"

I shook my head at her and we both turned back to Bonnie. "I don't get it either. Bonnie," I said, turning to her, "can you continue?"

Bonnie took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. We both knew Damon and Stefan were listening, and I think at that point Bonnie didn't care anymore. "The elders told me that some hybrids don't last forever."

Meredith's expression was still confused. "And that's what you are, right? A hybrid?"

Bonnie nodded. "That's what they call us."

"That's what who calls you?"

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed. "Uh, I'm not exactly sure. I guess other vampires." She shrugged. "Anyway, because I'm a hybrid I have less years with my Damon."

"That's what they told you? These elders that showed themselves to you?" I had to be clear of what she was saying before we moved any further. Because Stefan and I were still so connected to each other, I could hear him restraining Damon downstairs. Damon's anger with these elders was getting the best of him, and Stefan began speaking to him in Italian in an attempt to calm him. I could understand his feelings totally, and I felt the same way.

Bonnie nodded and this intense sadness swept over her face. "That's what I can't tell Damon. He would die if he knew."

"No, but I would kill anyone who hurt you this way, cara." Damon's voice was soft as he opened the door and walked over to Bonnie. He wrapped her in his arms, cooing like I'd never seen before, and I felt the intense need to turn away from this moment that seemed so private. Meredith caught my attention and we both moved to leave the room when Damon's voice stopped us. "No, stay. We need to get this under way."

Bonnie looked at the both of us and then back at Damon, obviously confused. "Need to get what under way? What's going on?"

Well that answers my question, Stefan's inner voice said as he entered the room with Matt. We were all wondering… if Bonnie was keeping the boys out, was she hearing their thoughts? Apparently she wasn't, and had no clue what Stefan and Damon were about to suggest. "Bonnie," Stefan said walking over to where she stood with Damon. "We'd like you to Trance. But this time, I'm going with you."

The look on her face was pure terror. I knew she wouldn't want to see those elders again, especially now that I knew what they had told her. Stefan took a step toward her and held his hands out to her. She took them in her own and seemed to relax a bit. "Like I did when Elena was…" She didn't finish. We all knew where she was going with this.

Stefan nodded. "But this time it won't be as scary, I promise. I will be right there with you."

Bonnie looked back at Damon. "Why can't you go with me?"

Damon's expression hardened for a moment before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Because I would probably… hurt them…for hurting you the way they have. I don't believe I would be able to hold my temper long enough to get answers for you, amore. It's safer this way."

Bonnie thought about it for a moment and then closed her eyes before turning back to us. When she opened them, her bravado was back in place. "Let's do it."

Bonnie

Damn.

That was the only thought going through my head currently.

I didn't want to see these bastards that had basically stolen my future right out from under me. I was mad, and I had every right to be. The only thing I wanted now was an endless future with Damon, and they had tripped me by pulling the 'rug out from my feet', so to speak.

Damon was pacing in our bedroom. "You're gonna burn a hole right through to the first floor if you're not careful." I was trying to ease the tension, and failing miserably. "I'll be fine, I promise you. Stefan will be right there with me. He's almost as protective of me as you are."

Damon crouched down in front of me and took my hands in his. "No, cara, there isn't a soul on this Earth who is more protective of you than I. You are my world, my very life essence. I cannot exist without you."

The fear was coming off of him so strong I could smell it. I had never seen Damon this way and it was starting to scare me. He stood quickly, pulling me up into his tight embrace, and peppered my face and hair with kisses. "I cannot lose you, amore. Il mio uccellino fragile."

I pulled back to look into his eyes. "You will never lose me. We are one." Suddenly my worries over the last month seemed so silly. I had longer to spend with Damon than I was giving credit for. Even if it wasn't five hundred years, I still had a long stretch that I was not willing to treat lightly. "How long do we have?"

Damon blinked before he answered. "What do you mean?"

I opened my mind to him, finally, and he was immediately on the same page.

We undressed quickly and enjoyed each other before the circus downstairs was set to take place. I had to look at it that way, or I knew I would chicken out. No one came to bother us; they must've known how badly we needed to be wrapped in each other, both literally and figuratively.

We dressed slowly once we were sated, and walked even more slowly down the stairs to meet the group. They looked over at us one by one, and when I finally turned to look at Damon I saw the reason I fell so deeply for him. He believed in me. He loved me. He wanted me. And he would never leave me.

I nodded, and then sat down at the dining room table, preparing myself to go through this again…this time willingly. I took a deep breath and looked up at Stefan as he sat down in front of me. "Ok," I said, trying to slow my racing heart. "Let's get started."

Elena lit the candle in front of me and I focused on the light. The flames danced and sputtered, and then took on a fierce blue tint. I tried to blink and the harder I tried, the harder it became to keep my eyes open. Are my eyes closed? I asked Damon mentally.

No, he said, you're looking right at me. Don't you see me?

No… I tried to blink again, and this time I did. When my eyes opened I was sitting in a dark room surrounded by candles. I turned my head to look around and saw nothing. Stefan? I called out to the darkness and jumped slightly when I saw him walking in across from me. Did we do it? Are we here?

Stefan nodded at me, but his expression was weary. We're not alone.

Something in my gut had told me that before he said anything, but I figured maybe he needed to say it. I nodded that I knew he was right. Is it them?

Stefan's brows came together as he tried to determine what was with us, and then he spun away from me, looking into the shadows. I saw a figure walking toward us as I stood, clapping his hands and smiling. Yes, it was definitely a man, but not one I had seen before. He was tall, with chiseled features and dark hair. His olive complexion was stunning, and his presence commanded attention. Così buon vederli, Stefan.

Stefan nodded. Angelo, che cosa sono voi che fate qui?

I looked back and forth between the two men and cleared my throat. Someone mind letting me in here?

Stefan turned to look at me, alarm coating his face. My apologies, Bonnie. Angelo, this is Bonnie Salvatore. Bonnie, this is my good friend, Angelo Esposito.

Angelo's eyebrows went into his hairline and he crossed his arms over his chest. Salvatore? Your bride?

Not mine, Damon's. Stefan turned to face me and wrapped his arm around my waist to pull me to him. To anyone else it would've looked odd, but I knew it was a simple move of protection on his part. And you didn't answer my question.

Angelo blinked and finally broke his gaze away from me long enough to look at Stefan. I'm sorry, I don't remember the question.

Stefan chuckled darkly. Of course you don't. I asked what you were doing here.

Angelo narrowed his eyes at Stefan, and then he quickly smiled and clapped his hands together loudly. I was summoned.

Stefan looked down at me and our faces mirrored each other. If he was confused I wasn't sure what to classify my look as. Summoned? I asked before I could stop myself. By whom?

Angelo walked over to me slowly and stopped right in front of me. I could feel his breath fan out across my face and it made me shiver. I never know. He shrugged and inched slightly closer to me. I hear thoughts from all over the world, rossa.

I shivered again, but this time at the use of his pet name. Only Damon had ever called me that and this stranger was not welcome to do so. I'm sorry, but my name is Bonnie. Or you can call me Mrs. Salvatore, if you like.

Angelo's eyebrow raised as he looked me over. Feisty, this one. I should make a note of that.

Stefan sighed in exasperation and he cocked his head to the side. He looked so much like Damon when he did that. He must've heard me, cause he turned slightly and smiled. Angelo, you mean to tell me you were summoned here but you don't know by whom? A vampire of your stature? I find that hard to believe.

Angelo shrugged. Not sure I care what you believe, Salvatore. It's not up to you where I go…never has been.

There was obviously more to this conversation than I knew, but at the moment, I really could care less. I hate to break up this little contest between the two of you, really, but we came here for some answers.

Angelo looked over at me again, and he studied my face. Can I ask where your husband is, lovely Bonnie?

Stefan tightened his stance beside me. He's watching, I assure you.

Angelo looked back at Stefan and chuckled. I'm sure he is. He looked back at me. What is it you want to know?

I stood up straighter and squared my shoulders. Tell me what you know about hybrids.

Angelo's eyes went wide, and then the color left his face. He motioned to Stefan. You mean…she's-

Stefan nodded. I looked from one to the other; each of their faces held a different expression. Stefan's was one of pride, and Angelo's expression was pure terror. Still not sure where all this apprehension is coming from. Someone wanna tell me what the fuss is about hybrids?

Angelo cleared his throat and looked down at his feet. When he looked back up at me his face was paler, but still composed. I know they can be very dangerous.

I nodded. Yeah, I heard that somewhere. And what of their lifespan?

I could see Stefan eyeing me from where he was standing and made a mental note to tell him what I had told the girls in the room. I was sure he had heard me, but I guess I really hadn't made an effort to find out.

Angelo shrugged. That I couldn't tell you for sure. But I know some have been known to live for dozens of centuries.

And why is that? I could feel myself inching closer to him as he spoke and it was due to pure intrigue.

Because there's no way to kill them.

Stefan

I could feel Bonnie's elation at Angelo's words, though I really had no clue as to why. I must have really not been paying attention to her thoughts. Then again, once I realized what we had to do for her answers, my brain had pretty much shut itself off to everything else around me.

I knew Damon was watching through my thoughts as well as Bonnie's. It must have been torture to see your wife in danger and not be able to help at all. I couldn't imagine how I would feel were it Elena in Bonnie's place.

Bonnie kept questioning Angelo as to how he knew what he knew, but he would never answer her outright. It was begin to frustrate the both of us.

She began to rub her temples and closed her eyes. The flame is going dead, I heard Elena say from somewhere far away and I knew we had to close this session fast. We couldn't afford to have Angelo follow us through any means of transportation.

Well, thank you for your time, Bonnie said politely. We'll be going now.

Wait, Angelo said, grabbing Bonnie's elbow as she turned. She looked down to where they were connected and back up to his face, her expression deadly. Angelo let go as if she had burned him, and Bonnie stood a little straighter and crossed her arms in front of her, waiting for Angelo to speak. Give Damon my regards, Angelo said, and threw his head back, laughing loudly.

In an instant he was gone, and Bonnie and I were sitting across from each other at the table again. Damon scooped Bonnie up and into a tight embrace, kissing her everywhere he could find purchase. "Are you ok?" he asked between kisses.

Bonnie nodded. "I'm fine, I'm fine…" She looked over at me, and when I nodded, she looked back at Damon. "So who is he?"

Damon didn't have to ask who she was referring to. He shrugged lightly. "Angelo Esposito. He told you that."

Bonnie's expression went from loving to annoyed. "I know that. Who is he to you, and why don't I know his name?"

Damon shot me a glance and then looked back at his wife. "Cara, do we have to do this now?"

Bonnie shifted her weight onto one hip and crossed her arms in front of her. "Yes," was all she said.

Damon sighed and turned away from us. He turned and leaned back against the wall. "Angelo Esposito made me who I am."

Whaaaa?

Yeah, I know. You are all thoroughly confused, right? No worries. I have a plan… (Laughs evilly, and wrings hands. !)