Thanks for all of the reviews, I am getting the hint, but that won't come up for a while yet. Oh and Damon's luv Bunny – the two have been hungering for each other for five years, what did ya expect him to do – read her sonnets? LOL Got the idea … I guess. You want better description (at least a better image) then I hope it's in this chapter.

Disclaimer: Characters, places, and the like from the Vampire Diaries are the property of LJ Smith. I'm just borrowing them to create this tale. All other characters that have no ties to any other fics belong to me!

Chapter Four

"What is my sister doing in the arms of an older guy?" Mary eyed Damon murderously as she growled.

It took all the composure that most of this circle of friends had to not chuckle at Mary's comment. If the young woman only knew how much older Damon was and why, she might not have been giving him such a dirty look.

Damon and Bonnie on the other hand didn't flinch. She was just beginning to sleep, the best she had in too long. He was focusing on her, not caring what the others said. All the pair needed then was one another, and Damon was determined that he'd never lose his Bonnie again.

Elena quickly rested a hand on Mary's arm. "Damon is the only one of us who seems to be able to block whatever is happening to Bonnie. She's sleeping now, so let's all go downstairs and talk."

"And leave my sister alone with an older man holding her - completely unsupervised? I don't think so! You know me better than that little Ms. Elena Gilbert!" Mary spat, pulling Bonnie out of her slumber.

That annoyed Damon to the point of Bonnie having to hold him to her so that her elder sister would live through the night. "Elena's proper title and last name is now Mrs. Salvatore, Ms. McCullough. Now that Bonnie is awake, I don't see any reason to move the meeting."

The group felt the tension in Damon's words. Bonnie slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. "It's alright, Damon. Mary's just worried about me, and I can sleep some more later on."

"She's having a hard enough time with her reputation in this town without anyone calling her a whore outright as well." Mary crumbled into a chair and rested her forehead on her clinched fists. The strain was obviously getting to her.

Stefan could sense that the threat here was significant, and was glad that he had agreed to the extra day of their visit. "Mary ... Bonnie, please tell us what has been happening since we all left Fell's Church last time?"

Bonnie began. "Things were normal for the first few month. The usual looks and people avoiding me since I'm considered the town witch and all of my friends seem to drop dead. Then two little girls moved to town."

Margaret continued. "The funny thing was that no one has ever seen them with their folks. And they never go to school, but aren't yelled at for it. Everyone goes on and on about how sweet they are and how they wish that the rest of the kids in the town were just like them. I heard the older one whisper, 'they should be more careful what they wish for – because we might give it to them.' It scared me so I've been keeping a tight watch on the pair ever since."

"The very day they were first seen, Mr. Janders threw Bonnie out of his store - claiming that he refused to serve anyone who served Satan." Mary said.

Damon could feel that memory tear at his Bonnie's heart. "He was always so nice to me before, and told me that everyone deserves the right to worship as they see fit. But things didn't stop there. Within a year of that, every store refused to do business with me; people on the street would taunt and threaten me. The following year they started throwing all kinds of things at me. It just went down hill after that. I was expelled from college on unjust terms, but every time I get a layer they turn on me in a week of coming to this town! Only Mrs. Flowers has remained my friend. The girls seem to have no power over her. With Halloween on the way there has been talk of a witch burning in the middle of town. Not too hard to guess who's going to be tied to the pole."

Bonnie shuttered in her love's arms. She just wanted to wake up and have it all be some kind of bad dream. That is except that her friends were together with her in this room, and she had Damon holding her tight. Those were that only good points about her life at that moment.

Looking over at her sister, Bonnie saw a strange smile come over Mary's face. It was as if the town nurse was finally accepting what was obvious – that her little sister was deeply in love, and the 'man' truly loved Bonnie back with an equal love. A slight nod from her elder sister confirmed Bonnie's hopes.

Elena was happy that things looked to be working out. "Well, we keep Bonnie inside and out of sight, then once we get rid of those two girls everything should go back to normal."

Mary shook her head and released a shuttering sigh. "We've had to keep someone here on guard at all times these past three days. A group of fanatics tried to come in and drag Bonnie off. I got them to leave by scaring them more, but I didn't know what else to do. In their eyes we're holding Bonnie prisoner, but the truth is we're protecting her from all of them. But, it may not last. I was told to not be in the house tonight by a friend at work. According to her, she wouldn't want to see me hurt because of the witch's hold over me – especially when she gets sent to hell, where she belongs."

All three vampires growled at the obvious threat to their friend – Elena's being the darkest. "Then we move Bonnie to the boarding house before any of them show up."

"No, they've been watching the house for days and are probably outside right now. They'll follow us and then everyone will be in harm's way – especially Ms. Flowers." Bonnie's voice cracked. She was more frightened at the idea of being dragged away from her Damon.

~Don't worry, mio fiamma. No one will tear you from my arms. For now relax against me, and we will see what we can do.~ Damon sent to her so gently that Bonnie almost found herself nodding off to sleep again.

Mary sighed, grabbing everyone's attention and keeping her sister awake. "There is another option – a three-point plan. We take three cars, make it seem like all three could have Bonnie in it. Only one will, and whoever drives it cannot get caught for any reason."

"I doubt that any human could catch me." Damon chuckled as he opened his eyes and looked at Mary for added emphasis. "Besides, I don't think they'd like what they'd get if they were to corner me."

That sent a chill up and down Mary's spine. "Fine. That means Bonnie goes with you. Elena now is one time that you and Stefan cannot be seen. The two of you should try making a break for the boarding house at the same time the rest of the plan goes into action. Margaret, maybe you should go with them."

Margaret grinned at that. "Yeah! And I don't think anyone would mess with either one of my big brothers!" She was proud to have the vampires as her relations, and by Elena's marriage to Stefan that was what the pair was now.

Damon and Stefan looked at one another - taken aback by the little girl's words, while the rest of the group gaped at Margaret in their stunned silence. Until Damon remarked with his normal sly smirk, "she doesn't know you very well ... eh, little brother?"

"You didn't see what I did to Tyler Smallwood. Now did you? Oh yes, Tyler's attacker was myself, Mary. He was threatening harm to Elena and I, and then attacked me outright, so that should rescue me under the plea of self-defense. Though it didn't take all that much defense in reality."

"Oh yes. But then you had to be made extremely angry then – didn't you?" Damon winked at Elena and Margaret. He only wanted to get his brother ruffled, as he always did. No sense letting the rest read him easily when he was supposed to be an enigma to them.

Stefan glared hard at Damon. "Anyone who dares to threaten my wife and our little sister would get no less than the same, if not much more, than Smallwood did."

"Do I detect the hint of a backbone growing in you little brother?" Damon pushed on, playing shocked at the thought before chuckling at his own humor. Bonnie knew the truth, but snuggled her face into his chest to prevent her laughing outright and giving her love away.

~Tempt me, big brother!~ Stefan sent.

Margaret was the next to growl, startling them all. "Will the two of you please grow up? For Pete's sake, you're both over eight hundred years old, and I'm acting more mature – a nine year old kid who is about to turn ten! Why can't you two act your age instead of your shoe size! Or the IQ the two of you appear to have? A negative 200!"

For the first time in a while, the group chuckled at her outburst. But then the Salvatore brothers turned it into fits of laughter. Stefan leaned heavily on Elena. "Sweetheart, where's my cane?"

"Someone find my walker!" Damon wore a sly smirk on his face as he looked down on the laughing woman in his arms. He preferred it when Bonnie laughed; she had a beautiful smile that lit him from within. "And maybe my viagra as well."

That turned the fits of laughter into howls. Bonnie glared at him with a bright red face, slapping him across the chest in her shock. "You're pushing me, Damon!" Though her mind said something very different. ~Given what I felt five years ago, I don't think that you would need that drug for another millennium or so – if then.~

Damon raised an eyebrow to his ladylove. "Obviously not quite far enough, Bonnie."

"Be careful just how far you do push me! You really could end up biting off more than you can chew with me." Bonnie slammed him in the face with a pillow. She knew that Damon was having a hard time keeping his mask up with her last remark. And if all went well, she would get him to nibble at the least (rather than scrape the surface).

"No, you should be careful of how far you push me. I don't give up easily, and I never give up what I gain." Damon growled, the two seemingly unaware of the others staring at them in stunned silence – each wondering just how far the pair was going to go with this. ~Are you sure you know what you are getting yourself into, dear love? Once you take that step … well. You saw what Elena had to go through to return to being human. Thought it would seem she prefers being what you want to be.~

~You've had me almost as long as we've known one another. Yes, this is what I want.~ Bonnie softly cooed to him, enjoying the feeling of love he sent her. "We will just see how little you do gain, how much you are going to give up willingly, and how much you are going to lose. See, I'm playing to win."

"It is too bad that you will not. For you have yet to beat me without an intercession, Bonnie." Damon was still glaring, with a sly smirk of triumph on his face. ~Without question, I would never give you up - not even to save my own life. I love you mio piccolo fiamma~

"Times change, so get ready to be knock down a couple ladder rungs, Damon Salvatore!" Bonnie's eyes glittered with the laughter she want to give off. ~Not as much as I love you.~

Gasps filled the room. Though the lovers were only being playful until they could get some time alone, the rest thought Bonnie had just signed her death warrant. A chuckle in the doorway broke that uneasy tension. She saw through their little dramatic scene, and knew that the pair had to really be hot for one another to be teasing at the severity level this soon.

"The more things change I guess. Hey Bonnie, does the phrase 'famous last words' mean anything to you?" It was Caroline - the last member of the circle, who had been added in five years before when Klaus kidnapped her as ransom against Stefan.

"Haven't a clue as to what you mean, Caroline. So, how long till they come to grab me?" Bonnie tried to chuckle, but it was hard. Her playfulness disappeared as she settled down into Damon's arms once again.

Caroline shook her head with a sneaky grin on her face. "You're not going to get taken, girl. I've messed up their times and messages enough to give us ten minutes to move you out of town. I bought a little cabin in Kentucky that daddy knows nothing about. You can hide out in it until things here straighten out ... or whatever. Better than the idea of three cars loads – since there is ten watches about to turn around and head back this way. Can you be ready in five?"

"No problem." Bonnie was starting to feel alive again. Her friends were around her, her love was holding her, and it looked as if she could very well live to see the coming sun rise.

Five minutes later the McCullough house was empty. Elena and Stefan took a very happy Margaret to the boarding house for an overnight. Damon followed the directions Bonnie read off of the note Caroline had given them. And the others scattered fast. By the time the watches returned, the trail was ice cold.

****

During a long stretch of road, Bonnie rested her head on Damon's arm and dozed off. She finally found herself in a wonderful dream. She was with her friends and her love in a large field having a picnic. Damon was resting against a large tree. Bonnie felt strange, as she rested back with her head on Damon's stomach. She felt slightly dizzy, hungry, and full all at once – and her back was sore too.

In front of them all was a large group of children playing tag. One little girl looked their way, smiled, and excitedly waved – Damon chuckled. "Did you ever think we'd have this kind of life together, my Bonnie? Bonnie? Wake up love."

Bonnie came back to reality as she noticed that the car was stopped and Damon was brushing his fingers gently up and down her cheek. "How long have I been out of it?"

"A couple hours. We're in Kentucky and safe. According to Caroline's note, we have another hour before we get to the cabin. Are you hungry?" Damon asked, his mask down for his beloved.

Bonnie smiled at the concerned look on his face. "A little. And you?"

"That can come about later. Right now, you are my first priority – as you will forever be, if that is what you still want."

Bonnie grinned and nodded. Damon ferociously laid claim to her lips for a few moments in his happiness. He had searched the centuries for the one woman he knew for certain would never betray him, the one woman who would want to be with him forever, the woman he had been looking forward to spending his existence with – his sweet Bonnie.

~You know that we are going to gain much unwanted attention and talk being a single couple. ~

Bonnie sighed. She thought he meant they would have to play like they weren't together – good friends or siblings. "Well, what ever will keep us safe."

"Do you really think that I could keep my hands off of you?" Damon playfully growled in her ear. ~I meant that I want to at the least call you my wife, not my girlfriend or fiancée. Unless you have changed your mind about becoming my Queen of Darkness and my wife.~

~You are my love and my life. Does it feel like I have changed my mind, Damon?~ Bonnie possessively rubbed her dark vampire love's chest. "I don't want you too, my only love. I want to be with you … forever!"

Damon pulled a small dark red velvet box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a beautiful gold ring. Its center was a large heart shaped lapis lazuli stone, and in all four sides of the surrounding band hearts had been cut out of the metal. Bonnie sensed its power, one that echoed Damon own lapis ring. He intended for it guard her from the sun, if she ever changed.

~Will you marry me, Bonnie? And someday, when you are ready, will you become my Queen of Darkness?~ The look on his face was serious, but Bonnie could see in his eyes that Damon was terrified she would say no and he would be alone again.

~You know that I will! I love you Damon Salvatore!~ Bonnie could barely hold the tears back.

Damon too was finding it hard to hold his emotions back as he slid that ring on to her finger. He wasn't going to be alone the rest of his eternity. Bonnie would be at his side, as his beloved. "I love you Mrs. Bonnie Salvatore."

Bonnie felt her heartbeat race at that. She had often signed her diary as Damon's wife, and now he just made it come true. "And I will never stop loving you Damon Salvatore … my husband, my only love."

This time it was Bonnie who took claim of Damon's lips hungrily. ~You are my husband, Damon. You have been for a very long time.~

Damon pulled her back and glared obsessively at his soon to be eternal mate. "We'd better get you some food. After all, you are going to all the energy you can get once we get to our honeymoon cabin. Now are you scared, mio piccolo fiamma?"

"Not when I have the hottest looking husband there is! We'd better hurry, because I don't know just how long I'll be able to keep my hands off of you." Bonnie chuckled when Damon softly growled at her challenge.

Damon quickly got out and moved around the car to help his bride out of it. He never knew how much power this one woman could give him with a single ravenous glare. He was hooked and completely addicted to it. Bonnie could sense it in all of the looks and feelings he was sending her, he wanted to consummate their private vows.

"Dessert after dinner, my beloved husband. I'll eat here, and we both know what you got coming to you for dinner." Bonnie whispered into Damon's ear just before she flung her hair back to expose her neck.

Damon growled just before he opened the restaurant door. "I thought I showed you why it is dangerous to tease like that, beloved."

Before she could speak a waitress came and showed them to the last booth – far from any glancing eyes. Leaving them with two menus and time alone.

Bonnie shot him her most innocent look as she opened her menu. "Darling, who said that I am teasing this time? Then again, who said that I was teasing the last time?"

"You did, after I asked you whether you wanted to change or was teasing me. I can't wait until we get home. Mmmm, you smell so good. There's something different in it. New perfume?"

Bonnie was surprised. "No, it's the one you gave me before you left. Your sniffing is starting to drive me nuts. Could you cool it down for a little bit?"

He did while they ordered, him convincing Bonnie that she would need a lot of energy – so that she would order a big meal. Soon they were again alone, seemingly adoring one another and whispering love to each other in the eyes of the other patrons that had seen them go past. And in their way that is what was happening.

"Just until we get home. And then you will be all mine, Bonnie. Remember that my wife." Damon grinned teasing one of his fangs into lengthening.

"Damon Salvatore, I have been yours since the night you first kissed me. Do you remember that night, my husband?" Bonnie smiled as the waitress brought their orders a few minutes after they came in.

Once they were alone again, Damon began rubbing his wife's inner thigh – enjoying how Bonnie squirmed because of his sensual touch. "Do you remember what I said to entice that sweet first kiss from your lips, my beloved wife?"

"Word for word. You said that it was that the goddess of fate had to be shinning down on you at last, because a sweet red head was in your presence. That it was considered good luck to entice a consensual kiss from a red haired lady. I knew that you were full of it, but I never kissed an Italian male before. And I am glad that I did." Bonnie giggled as she played hot by fanning herself.

She remembered how special he had made her feel that night. It was as if none of the other girls were there. ~That's because in my eyes, you and I were the only people there, cara.~

Bonnie grinned as he licked away some Alfredo sauce from his lips. ~Tell me what made you grow cold before me, my love.~

~Mio amore. You don't understand. I hope that you will still love me when I tell you the whole truth. I could hide it from you, but that's how much I love you. I want to be open to the one person that I completely trust with my heart and soul.~ Damon visibly took a breath and then began to speak in a very low voice.

"It all began when I was preparing to go to the University. I was young and thought that I knew everything there was to know, but for my father I was going to waste my time being shown what those idiots thought they could show me anyway. But then I met her … Felicity.

"Father didn't approve of her because she was not of our class, but I adored her with all of my heart. She was the first I dared to care for after my mother's death. She meant the world to me, and I thought at one time that her feelings for me were the same. A week before I was to go to the University, father had me come to the inn where she worked. He never knew that she and I planned to elope the next day.

"I thought that he had come to his senses and was going to allow me to marry my sweet Felicity openly. I was horribly wrong. When I came in I saw her carrying on like a donnaccia … a slut. But that was not all … she was doing so with my father. He swore that it was for my own good … that she was know for such comforts to those who pay her enough, yet that was all it took to turn my heart to stone when it came to him.

"Years later, after I had turned, she and I met up again. She was married with two children and another on the way. It seemed that my father had told her that it was suppose to be a joke, and I would not be angry with her. She claimed that she never wanted to harm me, and that she was still in love with me. But I was iced over, so her words made do difference then. I decided that I would never risk myself by letting any that close to me again – not even my family.

"Before, I was trying to get on well with Stefan. But, after that I refused even his hand. I went after Elena as a lark, a way to hurt my little brother as I had been hurt; just as I had done with Katherine centuries before. It wasn't out of love, only simple revenge – that he would be hurt as I had been. I wanted him to know that you can never trust anyone completely – anyone but yourself that is. That is until that night, the night that I showed myself to Stefan … the night I first saw you face to face.

"I saw you when I followed you, Meredith, and Elena out of the cemetery. I was hunting and felt the explosion of Power, then saw the three of you. I saw you a few other times after that. But the night of the party, no that was the first time I fully looked upon you. I was stunned by how you looked dead at me and seemingly accepted me for who and what I was. Then we spoke and it was like you had made me a part of your world without question or fear.

"At first I was going to teach you the hurt such naïveté brings. But that first kiss opened a place in my heart, and lit a fire in me that I couldn't shake. I forced myself to focus only on Elena to try and snuff it out, and for a short time it did. Until you called us back.

"Your call, within it I sensed a call to me alone. A plea to return to you. And I did. I wanted you to ride with me to the boarding house, but Stefan refused me that time alone with you. I wanted to kiss your lips, but Matt robbed that from me. I told my little brother that I was going to guard you while they talked to Vicki that night. I knew that Klaus was near and wanted to kill you so we wouldn't have contact with Elena. He was going to have Matt stand watch outside, but I informed him that I would handle whatever came out better than a human.

"I held you close to me, to show Klaus that you were under my protection. I knew when I saw the message on the mirror that he had directed it towards you. I didn't answer Stefan because I was focusing on calming you before doing as he asked. I hated how you took your hand away when both knew you didn't want to, but I wasn't going to force you. When I said that I could do better than Vicki, I was talking about you my Bonnie. I came back because you brought me back – whatever was a threat that would make you cry out for help the way you did was a threat I wasn't going to let you face alone."

Damon and Bonnie were nearly finished with their dinners, and he appeared to be nearly finished with his nerves. She could feel that he was afraid that she wanted to leave him. Bonnie smiled, "so that's why I've always felt safe with you since that night in the clearing. Before that I was terrified of you, like a mouse looking at a black snake. But then, I felt you open up to me mind to mind. You started to make sense to me. I love you, and I know that I'll never be alone again – I have you with me, and that's all that matters. Not our pasts, only our now and our future."

"Mio fiamma." Damon took her hand and gently kissed it. "What did I ever do to deserve you, my love?"

"You came out of the darkness, and you let yourself trust me. Not to mention risking yourself for your brother after professing to hate him. Can we go home now? I'm ready for dessert, and I'm sure you're hungry for the dinner I have for you." Bonnie teased as she rubbed her hand higher up Damon's leg till he grabbed it and gave her a glare of warning.

It was defiantly time for them to get to their temporary home … and fast.

****

Damon pulled up on the cabin and sat for a moment with his eyes shut – Bonnie felt him use his powers. "It seems safe, but I want you to stay in here with the doors locked until I make sure."

"Since when have you live by the rule 'better safe than sorry'?" Bonnie's grin dropped the second Damon looked over at her. She saw a heat in his eyes that left no questions as to his seriousness.

"Ever since I fell in love with you, Bonnie Salvatore. I'll be back soon." And with that he got out of the car, made certain his 'bride' was lock safe in it, and turned into his crow form to fly about for a more thorough search.

Bonnie sighed, "I love you to, my Damon."

The minutes seemed to tick by slowly as she waited for her love's return. Bonnie thought back to his kisses, and how it felt when his arms wrapped around her. Never in five lonely years had she felt so safe, or loved. Ten minutes had passed, and she shifted slightly as her muscles became cramped. Twenty minutes clicked by and she became worried. Damon should have been back by now.

Wouldn't he have contacted her if something were wrong? If he had been hurt, wouldn't have she felt it? She began to wonder if she should go looking for him. He had told her to stay in the car, but if he needed her help…

Thirty-five minutes sent her into a panic. She began looking around, hoping for some sign of him. Her hand was itching to open the door, longing for her love. Forty minutes had passed and he hadn't even sent her a thought or feeling. Bonnie didn't like the waiting. She was worried for her husband and didn't like not knowing that he was all right.

Once forty-five minutes had passed without word, Bonnie couldn't take it. She started to unlock and open her door, but someone beat her to the punch! Damon quickly helped his wife from the car. "It's safe, sorry I didn't talk to you. I didn't want anyone knowing that you were in the car alone."

Bonnie broke down into tears as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deep. She rested her head on his shoulder as her eyes refused to hold back the tears her fear created. "Don't you ever scare me like that! I was about to come looking for you!"

"Oh Bonnie. You know that I would always return to you. I'm just glad that you didn't. Come on, I think you could use some sleep." Damon led his love to the porch.

Finally gaining control over her sobs, Bonnie took a breath. "Am I going to be sleeping alone?"

~Only if that is what you want my wife.~ Damon sent along with the worry he felt that he would not be holding her in his arms on this what he felt was his and Bonnie's honeymoon night.

"What I want is my husband's arms wrapped around me. Oh Damon, I don't want to be without you. Especially tonight of all nights." Bonnie snuggled against that cool chest and calmed down.

"And I want to keep you with me as long as you will stay with me, my love. Now, I do believe there is a little matter of my carrying my bride over the threshold." Damon never felt this way since he was last in love. He scooped up his lady, and couldn't hold back a grin as she giggled.

He and she now had a reprieve, one that she deserved. But how long it was going to hold, and all the surprises they had ahead of them.

Hope I get a few comments.