Bonnie worked endlessly on the potion she was going to use to bring back the memories Damon and Elena had washed away. She thought this was pointless. There was nothing left to prove to herself. She was hopelessly in love with Damon. And nothing could change that. Hell, she spent most of her teenage years trying to convince herself she didn't have a crush on him.
Stefan already deemed he wanted no parts in this. He was content with what memories he had. Bonnie finished the potion and looked down at the deep orange liquid. She made a promise to Damon. She was going to keep it. Bonnie swallowed the potion.
In an instant she felt her heart race and she became dizzy. The room spin around her. And soon she was laying on the floor.
It was a glorious fall day on campus as sunshine echoed through the golden canopies, Bonnie kicked her tire and yelled in frustration. Ben smiled at the sight of the petite, ebony, beauty. "Hey Brain, I didn't know you were a cheerleader too," he said as he opened his trunk to retrieve his car jack and lug wrench.
"I am and I'm running late already and I can't get this stupid bolt out," she growled.
Ben laughed. "It's a lug nut and it usually loosens when you hit it a bit," he pounded on the tire wrench with his carjack and it loosened. Ben continued to replace the flat tire with the spear.
"You don't have to I got it," she insisted.
"No offense, but I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you leave and your bolts aren't tightened right. It would make it hard for me to take you on a date if your wheel flew off and you crashed."
Bonnie blushed in spite of herself. "Was that an offer? Not much of one if you ask me."
Ben finished the work on the tire and wiped his hands on his pants. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell. "Maybe if you give me your number we can see were it could go." The sly look on his face made Bonnie consider.
"Judgy, you're still here. Thank God, you're always late. I need a new ride, apparently, your boyfriend is already at the game," Damon said grabbing her keys. "Cool with shot gun?"
"Oh, I didn't know you had a boyfriend Brain. Should've known," Ben sighed.
Bonnie's face was flushed with color. How was she this unlucky in life. "Damon's joking."
"No, she my future sister-in-law so back off," Damon added.
Bonnie turned her attention to Damon. "shut up." She put her number in Ben's phone and shot a text to herself. "I'll explain after the game and I drop a bit of annoying luggage."
"I can hear you," Damon reminded her.
The pair ignored him. "I look forward to this story. You should get to the game and give them inspiration to win," Ben said.
"That was lame," Damon said then he got in and started the car.
"I'll take care of the tire for you free of
charge," Ben said walking Bonnie to the passenger door and opening it for her.
"Thanks."
Once the door was closed Damon abruptly pulled out of the spot and sped away.
Bonnie hit his arm as they drove off campus. "Why are you hitting me?"
"Because you're an ass Damon. You just embarrassed me in front of the cutest boy in my class."
"Don't you mean the dumbest, he's been in community College for 4 years. And he's 21 you're 16 that's gross."
"So Mason and Anna are gross?" she questioned.
"They're different."
"How so?"
"Most days I can tolerate Mason and Ben only wants to get in your pants. I guarantee it."
Bonnie looked bewildered. "And that's a bad thing because? "
Damon groaned as he parked the can a few rows from the field. They had started the Star Spangle Banner and the game would be starting in 5 minutes or so. "You're not that type of girl Judgy."
"You know that because?"
Damon looked Bonnie in the eye and smirked. "Then we would have went further than second base at Tyler's party. You're not that girl. But if you want to be…"
Bonnie laughed a humorless laugh. "Who are you to say I didn't." She snatched her keys and started to the field.
Damon briskly followed her. Maybe Elena was right and something was going on with Bonnie and Stefan. "I know you Bennett, and there's no way you'd unlock the freak for just anyone." He probed not sure if he wanted an answer.
She stopped short and walked up to him pure determination on her face. "He isn't just anybody. In fact you two are really close like brothers," she smirked and started away.
He grabbed her arm tight and turned her to face him. "Did you have sex with him?" Damon demanded.
Bonnie laughed. "Would it mean anything to you if I did? From where I stand I'm just a convenient victim to you."
Damon's eyes softened. "Is he what you want?"
Bonnie went to reply when Caroline called her. "Bennett, get over here now. We need you!" Bonnie rushed off and Damon let her.
After the game Damon spotted Elena at her car throwing her things in the trunk. "We need to talk," he demanded.
Elena sighed. "It's gonna have to wait I have a paper due and I only wrote a sentence so far."
Damon slammed her trunk close when she turned to him. "They had sex."
Elena laughed, then his facial expression gave her pause. "She's a virgin. She would have told one of us by now. How do you know that is true?"
"She threw it in my face," he yelled.
"That's not Bonnie she wouldn't do that."
"You always said I had a knack for bringing the worst out of her."
"Maybe she just wanted to make you mad."
"It happened and if we don't do something soon. They'll be married in Colorado living next to Lexi and Travis."
Elena sighed, "Get in." Elena sped to the north end of town to the Gilbert lake house. She rushed Damon to the door and reached above the mantel for the spree key. She let them in and led him to the kitchen.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Damon inquired.
"I don't know what you did wrong, but the first chance we get we have to use this," Elena said as she went into an old cookie jar and pulled out a vile of blue liquid.
"What the hell is that?" he asked.
"What I told you about at Tyler's party. Luca gave me this last time my dad caught us smoking in the quad. He said that it can help you influence others thoughts. And if we use enough we can erase them. I've never used it to erase a memory."
"So how do you know it will work?" Damon said in a demanding tone.
"He gave me the spell page. It says repeated doses will erase the memory. I just never had to do it. Damon looked unimpressed. "If you have a better plan let's hear it."
"Break up with Matt and start dating Stefan. She'd never pursue him if she knows you genuinely want him."
Elena frowned, "And how am I supposed to get Stefan to go out with me? He and Matt are friends. It won't go well."
Damon sighed cause she was right. "ask Bonnie for help. Tell her you really want to be with Stefan but you need her help. You can make her drink bleach."
She smirked because it was true. Bonnie would die for her and Caroline. "Fine."
Damon took the potion. "I'll take this and see if I can get them a dose or two."
Elena stopped him when he went to leave. "We have to take those stupid diaries they have. I know where Bonnie keeps hers. Can you get Stefan's?"
Damon sighed. He did not want to know what was in there. "Fine."
Bonnie laughed her way into the Salvatore living room. "We really need to get back to work," she said as Damon removed her coat. "I have no idea what we're going to do now that we're banned from the campus library."
Damon laughed at the memory of his harmless prank on the librarian. "The library in the square is better," he shrugged.
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "That maybe, but it also closes at 5. Way before we'd ever make it there."
"Unless we go first thing in the morning when it opens."
Bonnie laughed, "I'm 0.02 points away from being valedictorian, I'm not risking that."
"What's the point of this hybrid learning you're doing if you just plan on getting a huge F."
Bonnie was annoyed, "I can't believe this happened to me. I'm like the only person I know that prefers to read actual books. I'm banned from a library."
Damon invaded her space. His eyes darkened in the way she loved. "And it was well wroth it Badass Bennett," he smirked as he bit his lip. Damon loved the way here eyes studied his lips. He made a point to run his tongue slowly across his lips.
Bonnie bit down on her bottom lip as she watched Damon's delicious lips. When his hand caressed her cheek, she flinched never noticing him move. She looked up and his eyes said I'm doing dirty things to you. "I'm gonna grab some water."
"I know Stefan treats you like one of his buddies, but you're my guest I'll grab it for you."
When Damon turned to the counter with the pitcher of lemonade Stefan was glaring at him. "Can I help you. Aren't you supposed to be at practice?"
"Whatever little game you think you're playing with Bonnie you need to stop it. Now!"
Damon narrowed his eyes at his brother. "For someone you keep saying isn't your girlfriend: you same to keep her on a tight leash. That's why she stopped hanging out with you?"
"Damon for once in your life can you just be a decent brother and leave her alone."
Damon walked to the other side of the counter and sized up his little brother. "What if I like her," his confession.
Stefan froze, but he quickly bounced back. "What if she's already spoken for," Stefan countered. "We are trying to figure us out. What we value in each other and what we want to be. I want to help Matt get his scholarship so we need to win, she needs to focus on her college courses so in spring when it's done…"
"So, you two are going to avoid each other until then?"
"I want to be able to give her and our relationship the time and effort it deserves."
"You do know she has a date next weekend with Ben?"
Stefan laughed. "She said you made her feel sorry for him and she told him multiple times it's not a date."
"Yea cuz, they're probably just gonna fuck," he blurted out and Stefan punched him in the gut.
Damon groaned "Oh, am I the bad guy for knowing that no matter what her intentions, going into the situation is, he is going to take advantage of her. Just like you did."
"I'd never take advantage of Bonnie."
"So, taking her virginity when she was drunk and high wasn't taking advantage of her?"
"You don't have to be jealous Damon. Just leave her alone," Stefan said taking a blueberry off the plate of fruit and cheese Damon made and then he exited the kitchen.
Damon grabbed a handful of blueberries and added them to the glasses. He used a spoon to create a pulp and added the potion with a little lemonade to one with a curly straw. For a moment his conscience nagged at him. However, his pride quickly quilled it. He wanted Bonnie and Elena could make Stefan happy if he let her. Everyone would be OK. Most importantly, he'd get his girl.
Bonnie watched Elena with tears in her eyes. She had never seen her friend in so much agony. But Bonnie had just finished her last paper for her winter courses. Midterm grades were in and she was going to be valedictorian. She and Stefan promised to see where they could go. She could never remember how things with Stefan started to change, but they were. Now here was her best friend telling her she was in love with Stefan.
"I know you and Matt are close and he wants us to work, but I can't fight what I feel for Stefan," Elena's doe eyes looked into Bonnie's. "Do you think I have the slightest chance?"
Bonnie swallowed against the lump in her throat. And she instantly thought of Damon. She wondered many times if things with him could ever be something real and if it was all just a fantasy she was building in her head.
"Bon?" Elena probed.
"I'll talk to him and see. He and Matt aren't in the best place since Stefan took over as captain, but I'm sure I can get a solid yes or no for you."
Elena threw her arms around Bonnie and grabbed her in a tight embrace. "There's no way I can ever make this up to you Bonnie. I'll name our first kid after you. Bonnie or Bennett."
"You're my sister I want you to be happy."
Bonnie walked onto the Salvatore yacht lugging her bags behind her. "Can you do what you're here to do and help us with our bags instead of trying to get an imaginary tan," she yelled up the deck to Damon.
Lexi laughed behind her. "Everyone is intitled to their pipedreams Bon."
"That's Stefan's job. I'm the captain of this vessel and I don't do cabin boy errands," he sighed.
"What an ass," Bonnie groaned as she pulled her bag down to the lower deck. Suddenly a hand grabbed her wrist and Bonnie jumped. "What the hell Damon wear a bell," she ordered.
Damon smirked. "First you want my help, now I'm to close to you. Make up your mind Bennett what do you want?"
"For you to not be a pig this week."
"Don't want my brother to know you have wet dreams about me. And all the wonderful things my tongue could do to you."
-"Bonnie, do you mind if I share with Stefan?" Elena interjected from the doorway.
"I mind," Damon said. "No one's getting pregnant on my watch."
"That's what condoms are for," Bonnie added.
"Like you've ever touched one," Damon said making Elena cough out a laugh.
"Let's not do this in the middle of the sea where the under current is so strong."
Damon leaned in and whispered, "I know something I wouldn't mind getting under. I'm sure you wouldn't mind either."
"You're disgusting."
"I know," Damon said with a wink causing Bonnie to leave the room.
Elena walked in and closed the door. "I have the last doses for them. Looks like things are heating up with you two finally."
"She likes the friends first story," he shrugged. "Did you ask Stefan about the trip with your parents."
"We'll figure out a way to make it happen," Elena smiled.
Everyone went below deck leaving Bonnie and Damon alone to watch the stars and finish off the wine he smuggled past his parents. Off in the distant loud moaning started. "Ohmigawd, is that Elena?" Bonnie choked out.
Damon laughed with her. "We can have fun too," he said reaching out for her hand. She grabbed his free hand and he walked her over to the radio. Soon Sean Paul was blasting through.
Bonnie giggled and wound her waist against Damon's. However, it wasn't long before the liquor over took her and she needed a break. The pair returned to their seats at the lounge area. Bonnie looked over at Damon. "So how do you like working with Giuseppe?"
Damon smirked. "If you tell anyone I'll deny it, but it's pretty fun. I really enjoy getting to do all the business stuff, and the designing thing is pretty cool with our new software."
"Look at you, gonna start wearing tailored suits every day like your old man?"
Damon grimaced. "In other news you still haven't broken the big valedictorian news."
Bonnie shrugged. "Franklin wants a recount, and for my college courses not to count. That would take away a year of Math, Science, and English for me if they do."
"What a sore loser. "
"Its more his dad, he does not want to believe a girl that looks like me bet his son."
"Bonnie," Damon started but he honestly didn't know what to say.
"Some people still are ass backwards fucks. You live with it," she said like it was just natural.
Damon sat up and grabbed her hands. "Everything about you is incredible, worthy, and beautiful. Don't let anyone make you feel different," he said.
Bonnie leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "I love it when you're not an ass."
"Oh, where's the fun in that."
"We could be like Cory and Topanga instead of Shawn and Angela."
"Wow, didn't know you thought of us like that."
"Maybe that was wrong… We're Will and Black aunt viv backstage instead of Will and Uncle Phil."
"I hate when you take the sexual undertones out of things," he pouted.
"You make it difficult."
"You're going to be a good valedictorian. Don't worry about it."
Bonnie pulled out another bottle, "Drink to it."
"Like you could stop me."
The sun came up over the sea and it was a glorious sight. But already too bright for Bonnie. She knew the boat was rocking but now there was no doubt it was spinning too. "I don't know why I can feel the earth's orbit."
"We may have drunk all the wine. It's 5 we need to go soon. Let me take you to bed."
Bonnie nodded in agreement.
Damon looked around for his sunglasses. He knew he had them somewhere. "Hey why aren't we moving?" Stefan asked as he came up to the captain station with Elena.
"I lost my glasses," he slurred with a groan.
"Are you drunk?" Stefan questioned.
"I'm good."
"Damon, get back before you kill us."
"I just need my glasses to block the sun. We'll be good."
"They're on your face," Elena said.
OK. Though he would deny it Stefan was right. "I'll grab Travis," he said.
Stefan was furious. "Why can't he be responsible for once in his. Like he can't be counted on for anything."
Elena wrapped her arms around Stefan. "He just wanted to have fun. We all do. Travis knows this area better than us all. He'll get us docked in no time.
Stefan's jaw twitched. "People shouldn't have to keep cleaning up his messes. He needs to get his shit together before he really hurts someone."
"Like? He's trying. Give him credit for being here for you."
Stefan laughed. "You sound like Bonnie I've never heard anyone defend him."
Elena shrugged. "He'll be my brother in law soon so why not."
Elena walked to Damon with fury in her eyes. "Whatever you're doing with Bonnie it's taking too long. He is all over her now."
"Someone wrote stupid N-word on her locker. What is wrong with you?"
"You know who it was don't you," Elena asked.
Damon's jaw twitched. "I have an idea and when I'm through with him it won't matter."
"She told you but won't tell Stefan," I could work with that she told herself.
Damon walked over to Bonnie with there usual order. He was sure she didn't want to talk about her week but he was curious. "Since, the verdict stands when do we get to celebrate our ne valedictorian?"
Bonnie looked up at him and sighed. Damon already knew bullshit was about to come out her mouth. "I surrendered my seat. I'll get to do a speech, Sit on stage, and wear a cool sash. And most important I stop getting harassed."
Damon groaned. "They're not the type of people you back down to. Who knows if that would even make them stop?"
"We live in the south it's not like he's the only asshole like that in this town. I'm not a freedom rider like Grams. I just want to make it to college in one piece."
Damon grabbed her hand. "there is no way in hell I'd ever let anyone touch you and live to tell the story."
"Damon that's it too. I don't need you or Stefan trying to hurt someone who is ignorant and not worth it. Promise you will let it go and don't say a word to anyone."
"Bonnie you're foolish if you think Stefan and the avengers are going to let him get away with this.".
"No one saw who did it. And we'll leave it at that. When they go low, we go high."
"Taking the high road is not my forte so forgive me for ignoring your wishes and doing things my way."
Bonnie knew her pleas would fall on deaf ears. "Don't do anything stupid."
Stefan looked over at Matt. It had been a long school year yet this was the first time they were alone together. "I'm surprised you picked Pennsylvania, I'd never pictured you in a place like that."
Matt laughed because it was true. "Most of Pennsylvania looks like Kentucky and then there's Philadelphia."
"So, you're going to Pennsyltucky," Stefan said and the boys laughed. When they sobered Stefan looked over at Matt. "I'm sorry about Elena. I just… I honestly don't know what to say."
"Don't worry about it. Elena has this idea of what she wants in life and she could insert any face into that plan. I'm sorry she settled on yours."
"That was ominous and scary."
"She can be scary when she wants what she wants."
"And that's me."
"For the moment at least."
Tyler finally showed up with Jeremy. "So Mason said Damon handled it. And we need to pick him up before your parents find out.
So, he lied to me. Stefan thought. "I guess I have to bail my brother out of jail. See you guys."
The ride to the boarding house was long and quiet. Damon broke the silence. "I didn't want you guys to do whatever stupid thing you were planning. He took the hint. Then his dad was an ass so I punched him."
Stefan was fuming. He got out his car and went in the house. "You guys have your whole lives to live. I can take an L for you. You're my baby brother."
"Wow. Does that mean something to you all of an sudden?"
"Look I get you're going through some poetic existential crisis, but I'm your brother."
Stefan knew he drew the first blow, but after that was a blur. All he knew was Zach was pulling him off of Damon.
"If you lay a finger on her I'll kill you." Were Stefan's parting words.
Zachary laughed. "That took longer than I thought it would."
"I don't know what either of you are talking about."
"Damon are we really doing this playing dumb game. We all see you and Bonnie. I thought Stefan was over her for a second but the way he looks at you too... He really does need to get away after school if he is this crazy over a girl he constantly calmed was just his best friend. He with Elena. She's like Bonnie's sister. There's no conceivable way Bonnie would be with him."
"Hopefully when he gets back, he won't kill you."
"Where is he running off to anyway, I thought he and Elena were spending the summer together."
"NOLA to See Klaus."
"Well, he's going to be disappointed. Running away won't make anything change. He'll stoll be dating Bonnie's best friend."
"Maybe he doesn't want to watch the girl he loves fall for his brother."
Elena and Damon had been arguing more since Stefan's return. She was insistent that he was going after Bonnie, but Damon assured her he got the last dose of the potion before he left.
"There's no need to worry. Things are going as planned."
"He's pulling away from me. We need to do something, " she sobbed.
Damon sat next to her. She turned her big doe eyes on him. "Why us? Why can't they just love us?"
Damon wrapped her in his arms. "We're going to make them see how great we are. He loves you. If he didn't feel anything he would have broke it off before he left."
"Sometimes it feels like this is the only thing that's real. Like we tried to make our own happiness and we are the only ones not acting." Elena caressed his cheek.
Damon smirked. "It's all real. I promise."
Elena leaned in and kissed him. She planted herself on his lap and soon they were lost in each other. Each trying to feel the void in their hearts.
Damon felt guilty for what he did. And now the only person he was hurting was himself and his chances with Bonnie. He needed to tell her. He had tried to tell her for week.
If she knew what he did to her, to Stefan. Would she forgive him. Could they find away to be together. He had few options so he was going to see it through. He had to cut his ties with Elena and her craziness as soon as possible.
When Damon reached the Gilbert house only Elena's car was there. He was hoping she was the only one home.
Damon walked up the path and rang the bell. Her hair was wet in a towel like she was fresh out of the shower. "Hey I was about to meet Stefan."
"We need to talk. I can't keep doing this. What ever happens in our relationships from now on is up to fate. I think me and Bonnie have a solid chance. And I respect my brother too much to keep hurting him."
"So, what are you saying exactly, Damon?"
"We need to stop this before we both lose everything. Stefan knows we slept together and it's a matter of time before Bonnie does too. We need to distance ourselves from each other and let it be."
"So, we're going to pretend like none of this happened and when they fall for each other do nothing. I respect you too much to let you give up on yourself like that."
"Elena, I love you and I'll always care about you but…" Damon stopped when he felt her stare. "Bonnie," he said and walked around her.
