Best Friend

Part 20 Lover, My Friend

R-M

Thank you for your support, Please Enjoy this Chapter ;)

"A couple more days. I don't want you to leave." Her voice was filled with sadness and her mouth was about to be filled with ice cream.

"I know a month is too long, but... when I come back, it'll be for good." He smiled into her cheek as they snuggled on the couch sharing a bowl of ice cream.

"Yeah, I know. It's just... when we left each other a month ago, I cried for two days. It breaks Dylan's heart."

"This will be the last time." He spoons a cold mouthful in between her lips, feeding her. "You have a month to find us a small, modest apartment, to hold us over this summer. Then we'll spend the summer looking for our dream home."

"You know Doodle, I do enjoy LA. But we don't have to live here."

"But your career is here, and you followed me. It's my turn."

"Stop making me fall in love with you, this way. My heart can't take it." Damon sat the bowl of ice cream down and turned her body towards him.

"You are my best friend, you know that?" Bonnie nodded her head. "Your happiness is mine. For the past eight years, we have battled trying to be best friends, or trying to be lovers. Even when we didn't speak for two years. But we can be both. We are supposed to be both. As your best friend my job is to know you better than anyone. As your lover, my job is to make sure you're always happy."

She leaned in and kissed his nose. "In a partnership, it's our job to make each other happy. And know each other better than anyone else." Both sighed and held on to each other.

"So, we've done, the Aquarium, the beaches, Runyon Canyon, both Santa Monica, and Venice, beach/piers. I've been to the Beverly center. I didn't like that fuckin' place."

"I know, I could see it in your face every time someone looked at your hat." She giggled.

"Yeah, well, I ain't never seen so many starin' eyes. But I will say I ain't never seen so many mixed families in all my life. I like that part about LA, people are all mixed up and there's a lot of culture."

"Yeah. It's very common here."

"Okay we did the Hollywood walk of fame, and saw some break dancers and that gold painted man. He was interesting. But I'll be damned this air ain't smoggy as hell."

"Yeah, I'm so used to it. I don't realize it." She laughed.

"Oh, that Japanese Restaurant was pretty good."

"Yeah. It's one of me and Ginny's favorites."

"We still haven't gone to Disneyland, but... we said we'd do that on his third birthday. But you know my favorite part wasn't none of that shit. I loved bein' with you and my son. Right here. I liked wakin' up and seein' y'all. Holdin' y'all, and watchin' y'all just be in my presence. People don't realize what they got 'til it's gone. I really have become humble these past two years."

"Me too." She paused "Hey Doodle?"

"Yeah baby girl?"

"Promise me, you'll talk to someone when you get back, 'bout your problem."

"I told you, if I get a chance, I'll get to it."

She turned to fearful at his lack of concern for his own well-being. "Damon Dimitri! Don't do this to me. A part of us workin' on us, is bein' honest about the things we need to work on as individuals too. Please, don't avoid this. Your fear behind the wheel is real. The military can help you, but you have tell them."

"Bonnie, you don't understand in my line of work what it means to go speak to someone. They look at you different. They start thinkin' you ain't capable of performing your duties. I'm a functional person baby girl. I can drive. I just get flashbacks sometimes and-"

"No, Damon. You have nightmares. You wake up in cold sweats and you don't know where you are. You think I don't pay attention. You jump out of bed and you ask me who I am sometimes. You've been doin' this for years. I just thought it would go away back then. Then you deployed again and it's only gotten worse." Bonnie's eyes were on the verge of tears. "Before, we separated, that first deployment, when you came back... you always felt on edge. But I just thought it because you worked so much. I was goin' through my own pain that I didn't focus on it much because I thought it was normal. But when I reflect, now... I can see that I should've paid more attention. Because now it affects your sleep. And your accident is affecting your driving now."

"Baby girl, it ain't that simple." She shook her head at him.

"Do you wanna get better?"

"I'm fine. Okay. I'm fine."

She looked at him broken hearted. "We said we were gonna do things better this time around." Her eyes watered and a few drops fell. "Ugh. I'm goin' for a walk to keep from sayin' somethin' I'll regret."

"Wait, baby girl... you just don't understand-"

"No, you're right. I don't. I don't get how someone can not want to get help for somethin' that scares them and the people who love and care for them."

"I could say the same for you." He snapped back.

"Me? Why?"

"Baylee."

"Baylee? How dare you bring her into this."

"It's true. It changed you, and because of it your fear has changed you. If I need help, then, so do you?"

"Screw you Doodle. You can't deflect. We are speakin' on you. Not me." He stood up and walked to her.

"Baby, we have both been affected by Baylee and what the pregnancy loss did to you. It was traumatic for you. It changed you."

"Fine. The day you talk to someone about your problem, then so will I. Until that day comes, I'm gonna deal with it, because it doesn't affect our son, the way your issue does."

"Our issues affect our son as a matter-of-fact." She rolled her eyes shaking her head. She needed to avoid creating a conflict between them.

"I need to go for a walk. I'll be back." She went and grabbed a jacket and tennis shoes and left. Damon sat on the floor with his son, and tried to focus on making the right decision for Dimitri. He thought about Bonnie's words, and it forced him to realize that both of them were affected by trauma. Something he never gave much thought to before.

.x.

While Bonnie was walking, she got a phone call from Abby. "Hey mom. Why are you callin' me when you have two weeks in Hawaii?"

"We came back last weekend. We are at Nik's house in Virginia."

"Oh, I lost track of the weeks. Still, your honey-mooning. Enjoy your newlywed status."

"I needed a break. I mean, I've always known he had a strong sexual appetite-"

"Oh, momma-" Bonnie scrunched up her face. "Stop it. I don't wanna hear it."

"What?" Abby laughed. "Stop it. You're a grown woman. I'm just talkin' is all. Listen, I needed to tell somebody... this man likes it in the shower, on the beach, in the water... sweetheart, there were other people in the water."

"Oh, my God momma!"

"Relax, no one knew. It just looked like we were talking, and it was early in the mornin' so there were only surfers. Then I didn't realize I was so flexible still, but I guess me taking hot yoga has helped."

"Momma, when did you start hot yoga?"

A few months ago, with Nik. We go every Saturday mornin' except, since you've been home."

"Wow. I learn something new every day. You're wild momma." Bonnie laughed.

"So, what's the problem? You seem bothered."

"Naw momma. Just walkin' gettin' fresh air." Bonnie tucked her arms in her jacket pocket and bit her lip to keep quiet. She was nervous about talking.

"Naw. I can hear it. Please, I need something I've been having sex for weeks."

"Ugh. Okay, to stop hearing you say sex, I'll talk. Doodle and I decided to work on things."

"What?" Abby acted surprised. "That's really good baby. What about Mason?"

"Aww, momma. He showed his true colors as soon as I got back. I don't wanna talk bad about Mason, because he's a man I was with. But it's just, Doodle has changed so much. Not who he is, but his perspective. He's grown up and he's the best father I could've ever asked for, for my son. He's helped me to become a better mother."

"Okay, I sense a but, commin' now?"

"But, we've been through a lot momma. Even if we wanna be better people to each other, and our son, we have things we need to work on. Things we ran from. Or I ran from. And, I'm afraid, that opening old wounds, will-"

"Force you to deal with pain? Force you to feel vulnerable?"

"Yes. I don't want that."

"Why not, it's good for your soul baby?"

"It's weakness, and my son needs a strong momma-"

"I'm gone stop you right there. The stubborn way you feel, that's my fault. I raised you that way, and I regret it. That sixteen-year-old passionate girl, let the world see her again. She could teach us all a few things. It's okay Baby. It's okay to be soft and open. That's why Doodle used to call you little birdie. He always thought you were fragile, and sensitive. And you are. If there's anyone you can be that with, its him?" Bonnie smiled.

"Maybe momma. Maybe I should. I mean, I love this man. I love him more than any man I've ever been with. It's always been him. I can't ruin this momma. I don't wanna lose him again."

"Then you two know what you need to do. Open up, trust each other, so you can let go of the past."

"Thanks momma. I should let you go now. I'm at the store I need to grab a couple things. Go back and enjoy your husband."

"Ahh. Okay baby. I love you. Enjoy your time with him, and kiss my grandson for me."

"I will. I love you too."

.x.

Damon was sitting with his son. He was reading one of his favorite books, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. Whenever he read it to his son, the little boy laughed. It was the moments like these Damon let time sit still. Loving his son, and being a father. So, when the knock at the door knocked them out of their moment. He was surprised because, Bonnie had a key. Damon looked at the door for a few seconds, and when he didn't get up, the door opened.

The worst person, he could've imagined walked through the door. When they made eye contact, Mason laughed half-heartedly. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Is there a reason, you're here?" Damon asked, not leaving his sons side.

"I live here. Why are you here?"

"You don't live here. You left." Damon remained seated, and shirtless. "I asked you to do one thing, make sure she was happy. But you didn't. You walked out on her and my son. Now granted, I know she fucked up, with both of us, by not telling you about me, and me about my son. She did. But, she loves you, to the best of my knowledge. Even though I know you ain't good enough for her, and you walked out on her."

Mason stood there and smiled. "Little country boy, got in his feelings, because me and his 'baby momma' had a fight. Listen, I don't deal with this southern bullshit. You fucking people, from your little town, acting like you can't leave the past in the past. That's my fiancé. We fucking fight, and it's our business not yours." He raised his voice, making Damon stand up. Making Mason realize Damon was more his size then he realized.

"You ain't gotta raise your got damn voice. My son, is enjoyin' readin' time."

"Oh, let me guess. You read to him, and sing to him, like Bonnie does. Trying to prove you're the perfect father to get her back. Putting on this act, so she can take you back?"

"I ain't pretendin' to be shit. I ain't never had to be fake with her. And she ain't never had to be nobody, but herself so me."

"So what, she told you 'bout the other day, now you're here to protect her? Fucking hero! I barely touched her, I was just trying to get her to listen to me, and she kept walking away. When I grabbed her, I was trying to get her to listen. I'm sure you've dealt with her fucking attitude before."

Damon stood there stunned. Remembering the day Bonnie came home and he found her in the shower crying.

"And the comment I made about Dylan not being, mine, it was anger. Put yourself in my position-"

"You put your fuckin' hands on her?" Damon cut him off.

"Whoa, wait. She didn't tell you? It wasn't really a big deal." Damon grabbed Mason by his collar and pushed him into the wall.

"Why would you put your hands on her? You trying to spark my anger. Didn't I tell you I used to have a problem?" Damon slammed him against the wall again. "You're all talk and all muscle! For what? So, you can intimidate a woman half your size. Bully her into bein' what you want?" Damon spoke harshly through grit teeth, trying to keep his son from understanding what was happening.

"Fuck you!" Mason said trying to push Damon off him, but Damon's grip was to firm. "I gave her everything."

"She was unhappy. You gave her what you wanted. This ain't her. You tried to make her this little trophy wife. She's better than that?"

"Oh yeah, is she better? Even though she asked me to adopt Dylan?"

"What?" Damon let Mason go.

"Yeah, she practically begged me months ago, to adopt him. In fact, when I came to Mystic Falls, she said she was going to get you to agree, so she could give you the paper work. But she did one better. She got you to come and sign them in person. You don't believe me? Check my bag. The paperwork is in there."

"She wouldn't do that." Damon said, becoming angrier.

"Oh no? Here." Mason grabbed the bag and slammed he papers onto the table. Then he also took out three plane tickets. "And these? These are our tickets to Europe. Check the names. I'm taking her and Dylan this summer. A family trip. She didn't tell you?" Mason grinned like a giddy high school, jock. "Look at your face. You thought she loved you? You thought she wanted you back? What can you possibly give her that I can't?"

Damon ripped up the adoption papers up. "If she's so in love with you, why hasn't she worn her engagement ring in over a month?"

"It's a fifty-thousand-dollar ring. Why would she, when her job is as physically demanding as it is? I keep it with me." He lied, he had no idea where the ring was. "If you're here, it's by default. Don't believe a fucking thing she says. She's just as pretentious as me. This is her life. She loves it. For fucks sake. You sitting here, waiting for her to spread legs, is a waste of fucking-"

Damon's fist connected to Mason's jaw. Mason tried to speak, but Damon didn't want to hear him, "Don't speak. Just...Get the fuck out of here."

"You can't kick me out of my own apartment."

"To hell I can't." Damon's face was serious, and his pupils were dilating with infuriation. "Now get out, before I throw you out." Dylan saw the action, and started to cry. Damon turned around regretful, watching his son cry. He opened the door. "You made me lose my temper in front of my son. Get the fuck outta here!" Damon slammed the door, and ran to his son picking him up. "I'm so sorry, baby boy. Daddy is so sorry." He held his son close to him comforting his cries. "Daddy didn't mean to scare you. Daddy did a bad thing. I'm sorry." Rubbing his hair and trying to hum to him. It took about ten minutes but Damon finally calmed Dylan down. He calmed him all the way to sleep. He walked to put him in his crib. He was angry.

.x.

A tank top and panty clad Ginny lay on her bed getting cozy with Mike. They hadn't slept together at all, but when they decided to have a lazy day and watch movies in her room, she decided to keep on what she slept in. A tank top and boy short panties. "You know, Gin, you're really weird. You sleep under two blankets with your air conditioning blasted."

"That's not weird at all. I wanna be cozy yet not over heated. It's perfect."

"Or just turn the air off and sleep with one blanket."

"Pft. Nah."

"Well, your apartment is freezing."

"So, get under the blankets with me." She said opening the blankets.

"So, I can burn up?" He knew he just wanted to get underneath the cover with her and snuggle. He had pure thoughts in his mind, as he wasn't expecting anything of their month-long relationship. He stared at her hard a few seconds and began to pull his t-shirt off. "Is this okay? Me being shirtless?"

"Yeah, it's okay. I'm pantless." She giggled.

"So, what are we watching?"

"I was thinking we watch a scary movie. I hate watching them alone, and since you're here, it's perfect. I like Amityville Horror.

"Oh gosh. Okay."

"What's that mean, oh gosh, okay?"

"It means you believe that story."

"Well, it's based on a true story, so yeah, of course I do."

"No. it's what they tell you so you'll watch it. That stuff is fake. None of it is real." He said getting comfortable.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Okay, none-believer. We'll see."

"Which one are we watching? The original, or the one with Ryan Reynolds?"

"Pft." She busted up laughing. "For someone who doesn't believe in this, how do you know Ryan Reynolds is in a remake?"

"Everyone knows Ryan Reynolds is in the remake. He made every guy who took a woman to see that movie, feel like they needed to be in a gym for four hours a fuckin' day."

"That's for Damn sure. He is ripped and gorgeous. No offense."

"Hey, I'm ripped..." he paused, "enough. Maybe not like him, but some may prefer a broader-formed man better."

"Mike, you have a really nice body." She smiled, and he blushed. He didn't know what to say because he wasn't fishing for a compliment. Rather he was proving Ryan Reynolds wasn't the hottest man around. "I like you a lot better than Ryan Reynolds too. I mean, sure he's funny, good-looking, and successful. But you are right here right now." She laughed.

"Okay, so if he were here then, it would be him..."

"Oh, shut up. I'm kidding." He loved her back-handed compliment, because it was the humor they had with each other. She smiled, and snuggled into him. Then she leaned in to kiss him. Her lips touched his softly, and he came back a little more aggressively, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. He felt her body warmth as she was against him, and it made him feel like touching her a little less PG than normal. He moved his hand to her thighs, and began squeezing them in between his large hands. Which made her throw one of her long legs over his hip, as they were laying and facing each other. When her legs wrapped around him, he pulled her in even closer to him and that when she felt the lower half of his body against the lower half of hers.

It was not the first time she'd felt it, but it was the first time she felt it as she lay here in her panties, while his naked torso was heating her body up. She pulled out of their kiss and he immediately apologized. "I'm sorry. I am so-" Ginny pulled Mike back in for a kiss, and grabbed his hand and moved it from her thigh to her cheeks, underneath her panties. When he felt the meat of her backside in the palm of his hands he became over heated and more aggressive as he massaged the body part with his strong hands.

"Wait, Mike... I- I've told you before I mess up with guys all of the time. I don't do relationships, and I make the mistakes of being sexual too quickly."

"Ginny, I'm not the guy who wants to have sex with you and run. I flew here from Blacksburg, with the intention to sleep at a hotel every day, and maybe go on a couple of dates. I had no intentions for sex. I've always told you we can move at your pace. I'm grateful just kissing like this and touching you. Don't feel rushed."

"But I want you, so bad. I've been fighting it for days. This morning when you were standing in my kitchen shirtless. When you hug me, and I smell you. The fact that find small ways to put your arm around me. I just want to be adults, because once you leave here... I don't know the next time I'll see you. Life is too short."

"Yeah, it is."

"So, I'm ready, Mike. I want this."

"You're sure? Because-"

"Mike... shut up and kiss me." They went at it again, and this time his hands pulled at her panties. He pushed them down her body until they were lost in her blankets somewhere. Then he turned her to her back and put one arm on either side of her. Ginny tugged at his pants and was happy to find he didn't have on boxers. He wore no boxers and was hard already. "You have a condom?"

"No. I told you I didn't think..."

"It's okay. I have one in my nightstand." When he sat up and leaned back to reach for her drawer, a nervous Ginny shut her eyes so she didn't just stare at his package. Her nerves got the best of her and when she heard him putting the condom on, and felt his weight drop back down.

Mike looked at Ginny and whispered. "Are you okay? If so, open your eyes."

She opened her eyes. I'm just... "I don't want to disappoint you."

"Same. So, let's just get the nerves out of the way. Kiss me. And let it happen naturally." When they kissed, she felt her legs being opened slowly. He planted his body comfortably between her lengthy, limbs. Heat between the two was resonating under the blankets. Once he was pushing his way inside of her, Ginny moaned into Mike's mouth.

"Oh god, yes." She felt him inside of her, and because they'd become friends first, he felt perfect in every way. His muscular legs dug into her mattress while he thrusted into her. They kissed most of the time, because they were both nervous. However, as they got more into it, Mike pulled up and lifted her tank top off. He showed special attention to her breasts, and she felt adored. Mike was gentle, yet strong, and he took care of her body. They made love for the rest of the afternoon. Several times, just getting to know each other's body. They peaked, and sweated, and held each other. When they we're done, they lay together in her bed, just staring at the ceiling, feeling completely satisfied.

"Mike?"

"Ginny?"

"I'm, umm... I'm really into you. I hope that we can make this distance thing work. I can barely keep a decent relationship in the same city." She says laying with him.

"I want this, and you want this. We can make it work for a while, until we decide we want otherwise. I'm in Gin. I'm not goin' nowhere. I want you as my girlfriend. I don't want anyone or anything else."

"Me too."

"So, umm, that was well worth the wait, but you know, we are going to have to make up for lost time whenever we are together, right?"

"Oh, hell yeah." She leaned into his lips and started kissing him again.

.x.

Bonnie walked in the door a few hours after she and Damon's argument. Before her actual walk, she sat downstairs at the park a while. But when she started to walk it was the conversation with her mother that opened her eyes. She loved Damon, and Damon was who she wanted to be with. She walked in the condo with her guard down. She had a couple of mall bags in her hand. She bought a couple of things for Damon and Dimitri from the Target.

"Hey. Got your favorite sunflower seeds." She told Damon. "I don't see how you eat these things, but... I know it has a lot to do with the Army," she laughed. "Also, I got you this coco butter and shea butter lotion you always steal from me. It's good because it lasts all day, you don't need to re-apply it. I also grabbed you some-" Damon stopped her. She was speaking nervously.

"Baby girl, stop." He grabbed the bags out of her hand and sat them down somewhere. "Whenever you have a lot on your mind, you spend hours walking around Target."

Bonnie smiled. "It's the best place to go and think."

"Naw, you just have a shoppin' problem." He pulled her into the living room by her hands and sat on the couch. "Baby girl, Mason came here."

"What?"

"Yeah. He came here and talked alotta shit. And some of it, really got to me."

"Like what?" She asked surprised and worried.

"Well for starters, how you begged him to adopt our son."

"What?!" She exclaimed. "It's not true. He begged me to do it. I told him I couldn't, and I wouldn't. But he pressed the issue. Which is part of the reason we separated." She grabbed his hand, "Please believe me. He brought it up a while back and I never could see myself doing that. Sure, I thought on it once or twice. But...Damon, you are my sons father, and I wouldn't dream to take it from you."

"And Europe, baby girl? He showed me three tickets with you and my sons names. For this summer?"

"It was discussed. But, never decided. I can't take back things that happened before you met your son. Europe was an option. None of it matters okay."

"It matters. It does. I can't give you thee things. And, I'm not okay, with this adoption idea. That hurts. I can't imagine, you askin' me that. What in world?" He shook his head in disbelief. "So, it's true?"

"Damon, I wouldn't even consider it. Especially, the moment you met your son. I was wrong." They had no energy to have an all-out war like a few nights ago.

"And you chose not to tell me he put his hands on you the other day. The day you came home cryin? Am I your second-choice baby girl? Or your back up... b'cos-"

"Absolutely not, Damon. He tried to come back a couple times already. I told him no. Look at me!" She turned his face towards her. "I love you. I don't wanna keep doin' this. I want you. I do. I will talk to somebody, about Baylee. I want you talk to someone about your problems, and I'll be by your side. I'm ready for us to do this. So, I had Mason, you had Sybil. But there's a reason we sit before each other right now."

Damon looked hurt and pained, but he believed her. He wouldn't let Mason come between them. "No matter what we've been through. I ain't never been so afraid of losin' you."

"To what? Mason?"

"To anything." He said calmly.

"Nobody, is takin' me from you." Bonnie pulled her jacket off and crawled on top of him, hungry for him. She pulled his shirt off, and wrapped her arms around him, greedily. Somehow, she'd kicked her shoes off and they were all over each other. She looked him in the face. "Its you and me, do you understand? Too much time has gone by without you. You're my best friend. My everything. You won't lose me." She held his face and wiped a couple of his tears. "I promise." She grabbed the necklace around her neck and rubbed the ring to show him. She kissed it. "I e warn this around my neck for years. I never could let you go. No matter if I tried. I just couldn't. Because deep down, I never wanted to." They rolled around the floor a little, before she looked up. "Dimitri?"

"He's sleep."

"I want you inside of me." She whispered. She stood up and stood him up with her. She walked them into the room and he had her on the bed with seconds. Their clothes gone, and Damon was inside of her. She held him lovingly, wanting to offer her comfort to him. He looked her in the eyes, and smiled.

"Do I feel good inside of you, baby girl."

"Yes, big daddy. You feel so good. Hmmm." She moaned when he thrusted harder, feeling his ego being fed by her desire for him. "Oh yes, please. Harder." She whispered. "Fuck me harder." He gave her what she wanted, and when they met in a kiss, they both become enthralled in their emotions, and nothing mattered more in that moment, than their bond.

...

The morning of Damon's departure, Bonnie was in the shower, getting ready to take Damon to the airport. She was sad. It had been a good week they had together, and they felt like a family. Her emotions were getting the best of her, and she wanted to pause the day. She hated goodbyes, because somewhere in her mind, she feared the permanence of it. Which is why she never took his ring off. She thought one day, she'd say good bye to him, and he'd never come back, and something awful would happen to him. She was never one for long, drawn out, goodbyes.

She felt a breeze hit her back for a few seconds before it stopped. Hands held her shoulders and she smiled, turning to him. He noticed her eyes were slightly watery.

"Baby girl, if we gone do this, you can't keep hiding tears from me." He wiped her tears.

"Don't leave. Stay. Please don't leave."

"I have to go. Or I'll be AWOL, and go to prison. You want me to go to prison?" He laughed, making her snicker. "Huh? That wouldn't be good."

"Of course, not. I suppose you need to go back. Oh God, where's Dimitri?"

"He fell asleep, in his high chair. So, I laid it back, and put the monitor by him. The other part is right on the bathroom cabinet. So, you can see him if you peek out." He smiled softly. "But, I think, we get one more opportunity to consummate our union." He laughed. After he pressed her back against the shower. "Look at me." She looked into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." She locked him into a kiss, "I just want you in my arms again." Her nearly broken words tugged at his soul.

"I'll be back before you know it. Everything will be fine. We'll finally be family again." She trusted his words.

...

When Bonnie got back from the airport, she was a mess. A complete ball of emotions. She knew it could've been worse than a month. After all they'd been through deployments, and separations. She planned to suck it up. Dylan's goodbye with his dad made her much more emotional, because as Damon pulled his hands apart from Bonnie and Dylan's, Dylan called for "Da Da" crying when he saw his dad walk away. Damon remained very strong, for Bonnie and Dylan. But inside it hurt him to say goodbye again.

...

A few days later

"So, answer me this, what did the therapist say to you?"

"There's been no evaluation baby girl. I just really went there and introduced myself, and mentioned my struggles with sleepin' and drivin' it was pretty brief. I guess I go back next week."

"Baby, I'm so proud of you. This is big. So, what does it mean for when you come to LA? Will you get to transfer doctors?" Bonnie seemed to have allergies, or something as she kept wiping her nose.

"I'on't know. Hopefully. But, it'll be different, b'cos I ain't gone be active duty. So..." Bonnie kept rubbing her nose, watching him speak on their video chat session.

"Well, I told you I know a great therapist. We can make it an easy transition." She looked to Dylan, who was in the tub.

"Yeah, one day at a time." He sighed rubbing his hands through his hair. "It's kinda early in the day to give him a bath, ain't it?" He asked confused.

"Well, you'd think that, except he's kinda sick. He threw up all over himself. He has a fever, so, I also gave him a cool bath. It's been hard, because it looks like early onset Flu symptoms. But, I hope not. I can't bear the thought of him bein' in pain. I know I'll have to cancel my clients the next couple of days to take care of him, knock it out before it gets too bad."

"Baby girl, is that gone affect your finances?"

"It will, but it's okay. I've already found a storage for my things. I called a moving company to get my belongings. I've spoken with Mason, and I'm removing my name from the lease tomorrow. So, I'm already getting ready to be done here. My clients know me; my career will never keep me from takin' care of my son."

"I know baby girl. That's why I love you." She smiled and put the phone to face her son.

"I would do it for you too, baby. I don't want my boys ever hurtin' if I can help it."

"And even if it's the reason I love you, just know, I'm a big boy, and I'm okay. Luckily there's only one boy for you to take care of. So, I can take care of you."

She bit her lip, shook her head and mouthed, "I- L-o-v-e - Y-o-u."

"You better." He said with a boyish grin

"So, you left your hat here on purpose. And your white t-shirt."

"Yeah. I know how much you love to smell my scent at night, and sleep in my shirts when I'm gone."

"Yeah, when you mailed me your t-shirts every month of your deployment, I just smelled them all night." She was currently wearing his shirt and smelling it. "Anyway. Your son needs some daddy face. He misses you. She turned the phone to Dylan.

"Hey baby boy, where's that ducky daddy bought you?"

"Da da. Da da." The little boy cheered.

"Duh-keee. Duh-kee." Damon repeated. Dylan looked around the water and found his ducky, but when he picked it up he just became emotional. His daddy always played with his ducky. Dylan began to cry. He whined for his daddy, and it didn't help that he was sick. "Baby boy, don't cry. It's gone be okay. I love you. Daddy loves you, baby boy." Damon's heart broke to watch his son feeling awful. "Aw man, I can see it in his little face. He looks exhausted, and his eyes are low and a lil reddish underneath. Aw hell. I wish I was here."

"He'll be okay baby. I promise. I'll get his fever down by the morning. We'll get rid of this virus. Just focus on your clearing, and your therapy right now." She said, and he saw her wipe her nose again.

"Hechu!" She sneezed, and started wiping her nose again.

"Baby girl, you gettin' sick?"

"Aww, no. Baby, I'm just gettin' a little runny nose. I'll be fine. I can't be sick, because I have to take care Dylan. But, I'm fine, I promise. How 'bout you?"

"I'm good. Waitin' to be in your arms again. I love and miss you and Dimitri."

"We love and miss you more."

"Alright baby girl. I should go, before I get emotional. I miss you two."

"We miss you two. Just make sure you get some rest tonight, okay? We agreed you'd make sure you go to bed by eight, no distractions."

"I remember my promise baby girl." He grinned. "I know you gone hold me to it. Five days down." He said grimly.

"Sixteen more to go."

"I love you, so much. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He smiled "You're so damn beautiful. I can't wait to kiss your lips again." He grinned from ear to ear. Bonnie smiled big, and blushed incredulously.

"My handsome-blue-eyed devil. Beach day soon. I love you too baby. Goodnight."

"Night baby girl."

.x.

Two am ...

Bonnie was awake with her fussy son. He didn't feel well, and his fever was barely breaking. He was taking small naps throughout the day but hardly sleeping. Bonnie was feeling the remnants of his cold infiltrating her system as her head was beginning to ache. She walked around singing to him and trying to calm him down, when her phone rang. At two am, this couldn't be good.

"Two am? Who could his be? Hello?"

"Hello, may I speak with Mrs. Salvatore?"

"Salvatore?"

"Yes, Bonnie Salvatore? Is this she?"

"Umm, I'm former Mrs. Salvatore."

"The wife of Staff Sergeant Damon Salvatore?"

"What is this about? Is everything okay?"

"Ma'am, we need confirmation that we are speaking with Mrs. Salvatore." Bonnie broke out in a sweat. She was feeling chills yet she was sweating. Her body was starting to shake, and she didn't want to argue with the person on the phone. "Are you Bonnie Sheila Salvatore?'

"Um yes. Yes, I am."

"Mrs. Salvatore, I'm Dr. Josette Parker. I'm calling in regards to your husband."

"Oh, my God, what? Please tell me, is he okay? What's going on? Where is he? Oh, my God say something, please!" Just as the doctor began speaking, Bonnie didn't really hear anything she was being told. She heard the blur of sounds and her heart sunk in her chest. Bonnie was shaking more-so and her nerves were shot, when she heard them say the last thing she wanted to hear.

"Okay, Mrs. Salvatore, please calm down. I'm calling you, to notify you, that there's been an accident..."

Excerpt Pt 21:

"And I stand by every word." Damon said walking into the house. He looked at Bonnie, and made her feel soft inside. Then he looked at Sheila. "Well if it ain't the two most beautiful women in my life. I'll be got damned I ain't seen a sight so damn beautiful in years." He walked to Sheila and leaned down hugging her like she was the one that got away. He had his own way of flirting with Sheila. He made Bonnie heart melt when he was with her grams.

The next few chapters are going to start having more flashbacks of Bamon in the younger years, again. I didn't have proper storyline for them in these most recent chapters, because I like the flashbacks to coincide with what is happening in the present day, to make it relatable and story where and why they are who the are. But I Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank you for reading!