Chapter 12

A/N - Thanks so much to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I really appreciate everyone for taking this journey with me, and i hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Our story has almost come to a close - this is the last real chapter, and I'll be posting an epilogue soon. Let me know if you want more! Trying to start writing more again. xoxo, problematiqueroyale

When Bonnie opened her eyes she looked like she was ready to kill him. He didn't blame her.

"Bonnie. It's me." He paused, looking at her. "I'm sorry."

She was cradled in his arms again, like 1994. This time she didn't move. She just stared at him with those piercing eyes as the anger left and something else replaced it.

It was almost painful for him to acknowledge what was happening. He hadn't been himself for so long, and now he had a choice. He knew he had to confront the thing he had been hiding from for years, now, or never.

"You were right," he said. He held her gaze. "About me."

She was much too close to him. Before she could respond, he gently pulled her face towards his.

When he kissed her he left again. He wasn't in 2016, or 1956, or even 1994. Everything was just her.

Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer. She hadn't realized how much she had needed him, too. She knew Stefan and Caroline were probably still there, and she didn't care. They were alone.

Somewhere in an alternate universe, maybe in a magical world created by Bonnie, maybe just in their minds, Damon and Bonnie were back in 1956. Him in his smooth leather and her in a fashionable pant set. But it was empty this time, like the prison world. Bonnie found Damon lying in the road, looking somber.

"Hey, stranger."

He looked up. "Well if it isn't my favorite witch." Then he looked around. "Why are we here? It's 2016. You left a long time ago."

She was surprised he had somehow remembered, and wasn't sure what that meant. She smiled. "I have my magic back. I just wanted more time..." she trailed off, looking at the dark sky. It was cold and she could see clouds moving across the expanse, blocking stars before allowing them to reappear.

He stood up. "We have all the time in the world, Bon."

"It's not that simple."

"Uh, yeah it is," his snark was back. "I don't do complicated." He obviously wasn't aware of his last relationship, then, she thought.

"You do realize we can't be together in the present, right? There's too much...going on. It's not like 1956 or even 1994. I just knew I needed you back; I don't care about that. And I wanted you to know how I feel."

"Why do you have to be so damn difficult, Bonnie Bennett." It wasn't a question. "I want you. I want you here, I want you back home, and I want you regardless of my past with Elena. No one knows me like you do – you've established that." He chuckled.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from his. She laughed sadly. "It's crazy because part of me still doesn't want to go back. Sometimes it's nice not having to deal with all the bullshit."

He grinned. "Unfortunately for you, that's my middle name." She laughed again, more genuinely this time.

Vamp speed and he was centimeters from her face. His eyes had that crazy look that she loved for some reason. "Look. I don't care what year it is or where we are. This is us now." He raised a hand to stroke the side of her face, gentler than she would have imagined he could. "Trust me."

She looked behind him at an incoming car. The old model made a lot of noise, splitting the silence of the night she had created. It raced towards them with no sign of slowing down. She looked back into Damon's eyes. They were reassuring. So she didn't move. As the car drew closer, they both closed their eyes, holding each other, and a bright light pierced their eyelids, the sound of the engine rushing around them.

"I do." And then everything was black.