Thank you guys for reading! :)

…

Bonnie was in the elevator riding up when she finally had the chance to think about what she was doing.

Panting, she looked to her side, where her thief had sunk to the ground as soon as they had somehow - and quite miraculously - made it there, and the smile he gave her almost made her smile back. He did look kind of cute where he sat slumped next to the large package of toilet paper and the remaining grocery bags that she had all stuffed in there with them. (If she had to use the darn elevator, she might as well bring everything up at once. Including that stupid thief.)

This whole thing was ridiculous, wasn't it? Ridiculous and dangerous. Bringing a criminal up to her apartment… What on earth was she thinking? Plus, it wouldn't end there, would it? She'd have to try and take care of his injury. And then what?

"You don't need to do this."

"I know that," she retorted so quickly that he didn't have a chance to say anything else. But when she dared take another glance down at him, his smile was still there.

"You're a good person, love. You know there's not many people like you…"

"Dumb enough to let a complete stranger into their apartment because he got injured stealing from them? - Yeah, I don't doubt that one second." She rolled her eyes, staring hard at the changing numbers. Three more floors and they'd be at their destination.

"You live in the penthouse or something?"

Gritting her teeth, she tried to ignore his attempt at making conversation or whatever it was, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Seems awfully far up."

"Yeah, well. Sorry for the inconvenience," she snapped, studiously watching the numbers rise.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Didn't you?" Huffing, she gave in, looking down at him again, fists pushed into her waist. His smile was gone. So was the color in his lips. Biting hers, she unwrinkled her brow a bit, crouching down in front of him. "Will you be able to get up? Because I can't carry you…"

There. A hint of life back in his features, the smallest sign of that smile, only one corner of his mouth curling up.

"If not, just leave me here. Which you should probably do either way…"

"We've been over this. I'm not gonna let you bleed to death. And leaving you would mean you die." Pushing herself back up, she sighed. The ding of the elevator came just in time, sparing her from having to continue this conversation when the doors opened with a soft whoosh.

Stepping out, Bonnie checked the hallway, which was still just as deserted as before. She wasn't sure whether that was good or not, maybe it wasn't. But somehow she felt a little better knowing that no one would see her try and wrangle an injured stranger into her apartment.

Behind her, the doors wanted to close, and she quickly put her hand out to make them stop.

"Alright, time for step two," she announced, then placed one of her grocery bags in between the opening before she jerked her head in the thief's direction. The nonchalant words "You coming?" were on her lips, but just one glance at him told her that he wasn't just going to get up and walk over to her. Making a face, her mouth a thin line, she bent down, extending an arm to grab his.

"Come on," she muttered, tugging at him, first gently, then with all her strength. "You need to get up."

"Mmmh," was all he said, his gaze unfocused, and she slapped his cheek, feeling how clammy his skin felt. (Someone else's skin… she hadn't touched anyone's skin in so long…)

"Hey. Hey!" Now would be a good time to call his name, shake him out of this state he was slipping into. But they hadn't gotten to that part yet. "You need to move. Come on, help me a little."

Shaky and slow, he finally did just that, getting his legs under him, pushing himself up with her help, until he was leaning against the elevator wall, Bonnie pushing against his chest to keep him upright. (A nice firm chest it was, too… - Though his heartbeat seemed a tad too slow.)

"You'll have to put your arm around me."

"What?"

She squinted up at him, rolling her eyes yet again at how dense he was.

"Your arm, around my shoulder," she explained. "So I can help you walk."

"I'll be fine on my own." Said it, and didn't move anyways. His defeated look was almost endearing. Bonnie's mouth threatened to break into a true grin. Clearing her throat, she took his arm and put it around her shoulders for him.

"I don't bite," she told him with her best stern voice, then took the first step, relieved when he was following. "What's your name, anyways? I think if I bring you home, I'll deserve to at least know that about you. Not just that you're a thief."

Achingly slowly, they made their way, and when she shot him a sideways glance, she half-expected him to ignore her question, but when she had all but given up on getting a reply, he mumbled with a voice so low she could barely understand,

"Enzo."

"Enzo? Really?" Frowning at him, she clicked her tongue. "Why does a thief with a British accent have an Italian name?"

"You'd have to ask my parents. If you find them…"

There was information in that statement that she didn't quite know how to read, but it was probably not the smartest choice to ask about it now.

"Well, anyways. Here we are. Can you hold onto the wall for a sec? I need to unlock the door."

He nodded, licking his lips, slumping against her door-frame while she took out her keys. Keeping an eye on him, she quickly opened the door, then slung an arm around his waist before he could slump even lower.

"Just a little further now. To the couch."

"Quaint."

"What?"

"The apartment. It's… quaint."

"Right…" She had never been good at making small talk. Caroline would have a fit if she saw her right now.

"You haven't told me your name…"

Stiffening, she stopped in her tracks for a moment, unsure of how to answer that. It really was none of his business. But he had given her his name, and he was in her apartment now, and besides… it was a little too late to suddenly be cautious.

"Bonnie."

"Enchanté, Bonnie."

They stood there for a moment, looking at each other, and the smile on her thief's - on Enzo's - face had grown into one that could have been called flirty under other circumstances, and Bonnie had to chuckle.

This guy was something else.

"You forgetting that you tried to grab my stuff down there?"

"How rather inappropriate, love."

The way he winked at her made her swallow, her cheeks flushing.

"I meant, attempted theft. You tried to steal-"

"I know what you meant. I was just…" The words ebbed away, and they reached the couch just in time for him to flop down on it, and with a soft thud, she came to sit right next to him, suddenly exhausted.

"You're heavy."

"It's the boots."

"The… what?" Looking down at his feet, she did see he was indeed wearing boots, but for some reason it made her laugh anyways. (What the hell was wrong with her?)

"Your groceries are still out there, Bonnie. You should probably get those before someone tries to steal them…"

Snorting, she rolled her eyes at him.

"You're one to talk."

"Exactly."

His eyes flickered briefly before they dulled again and she caught herself wishing to see that light in them again. With a sigh, she clapped her thighs as she sat up straighter again, then got back to her feet.

"You're not gonna bail once I'm gone, are you?"

She only had to look at him once to know he wouldn't be able to even if he wanted, and his half-shrug only underscored it more.

"I'll stay right here, love. Promise."

"Okay…"

…

When she was back, he had slumped deeper into the cushions, his breathing so shallow, so low that for one awful second, she thought he was gone.

She had shrugged out of her coat and left it in a heap right next to her groceries - the whole apartment a mess now - and sat down on the couch beside him again, gently shaking him.

"Hey… Enzo?"

His name felt foreign on her tongue, like a strange caress, and she swallowed, unable to say it again for a while. But at least he finally stirred a little, if not enough to open his eyes.

"I'm sorry, love," he mumbled, just that, and she sighed, watching him for just a moment longer before she took another look at his arm.

It really didn't look too good.

"I'll grab my first aid kit. I'll be right back…"

His arm shot out to grab hers before she had a chance to get up, and he stared at her out of glassy eyes.

"Will you?"

"What?"

"Be back?"

Furrowing her brow, she leaned over just a bit more, cupping his cheek. (Why, you idiot? Why are you doing that? He's a thief, a criminal, and you've known him for all but an hour or two! Are you that desperate? - Yes, yes she was…)

"Yes," she whispered, smiling, feeling his jaw muscles dance under her touch. "I'll be back. I'll only be a minute. Okay?"

At some point, he had begun to shiver. She didn't quite know when, but the irony wasn't lost on her that he hadn't shivered out there in the cold before. Only now, in her warm apartment.

It couldn't mean anything good.

"Hang in there, ya?"

"Uh hunh…"

As his hand fell away, she pressed her lips together with worry, then got up and rushed over to the bathroom, to find the first aid kit. Rummaging through her cabinet, she simultaneously tried calling Elena, praying to whatever powers there were that her friend would answer.

"Bon, I'm in the middle of a shift. It's crazy again today so if this-"

"This can't wait," Bonnie interrupted Elena, and the pause on the other end told her that she had gotten her attention.

"You okay?"

"I… it's not me. Elena, I… there's a man in my apartment-"

"What? Like, you mean like… Gosh, Bonnie, you safe? Do I need to call the police?"

"Not like that. I… he's not here to harm me. Well, not anymore…"

"What?!"

Poor Elena sounded shrill with shock and worry. Bonnie swept a strand of hair out of her face, poking her head in the cabinet under her sink. There: the kit. Finally. Coming up, she banged her head, cursing quietly.

"Bonnie, you're freaking me out. What's going on?"

"I'm fine, Elena. Really. The guy… it's a long story. Suffice it to say he did a stupid thing and paid for it by hurting his arm. Now he's lying on my couch, bleeding badly and I don't know what to do."

"Have you tried-"

"- calling an ambulance? Yup. No luck. The lady basically told me to leave him to bleed to death."

"It's that bad?"

Bonnie made a face.

"It's not good. - Elena, I'm really worried. He's losing consciousness…"

Arriving back in her living room, she saw that her words were all too true. Her thief was lying sideways on the couch, his feet still on the ground, but all tension had left his body, his injured arm having fallen to the side, staining the cushions where it now lay. (She'd never get that out again…)

"Okay. Tell me where he's hurt." Elena gave a sigh on the other end, in her scrubs, resting her head against the wall as she listened to Bonnie reiterate what had happened, how and where Enzo had gotten injured."

"Alright," Elena said. "You have a first aid kit?"

"Already got it."

"Good. Listen. You'll need to grab your sewing kit, too, okay? Then describe the injury to me. And, show me so I can take a look. You'll probably have to stitch him back up."

"I don't think I can do that."

"If you don't want him to die, you'll probably have to. Come on, I'll walk you through it. It'll be okay."

Bonnie wanted to believe it, but suddenly she felt awfully shaky. She was good at sewing clothes, but people? The thought made her stomach revolt.

"I need to see the injury now."

Right… With ginger movements, she tried to push the bloodsoaked sleeve up, but it wasn't working so well and she was afraid of making it worse.

As if she had read Bonnie's mind, Elena piped up.

"Take your scissors and cut the sleeve away. You don't want to aggravate the injury."

"Yeah, okay. Hold on a sec…"

Seconds later, and she was done, the sleeve gone, her hands almost steady again. Turning the camera around, she showed Elena the arm from a few different angles, then faced her friend again.

"So, what do I do?"

"Wrapping your belt around the upper arm was a great idea. You probably saved his life that way. Good job, girl!"

Chuckling softly, Bonnie ran a hand over her face.

"But how can I make sure he stays alive?"

"I think it looks worse than it is. Should be easy enough to fix. Well… the gash seems deep, and if I'm not mistaken, I think he fractured the arm, too. See there, on the side? That's a piece of bone."

Bonnie felt ready to puke.

"What do I do about that?"

There was a pause on the other end that made Bonnie's panic soar to a new level

"Elena!"

"You'll have to try and push the two pieces back together so that the bone can fuse together…"

No. No no no no no.

"Do it quickly. While he's out."

"Oh gosh… Do I have to? What if he wakes up?"

"We'll deal with it if it happens…"

How reassuring… Gulping, Bonnie eventually got to work, following Elena's instructions as best as she could.

"Just like that, yeah. Now, you might have to tug at his arm a little to make sure you get the angle right. Kinda like with two Lego blocks? You wanna make sure they fit together properly before pushing them together, right?"

"Ugh, Elena… Can you not with the Lego, please? It kinda hurts my brain."

Her friend chuckled, watching from the other end as Bonnie gingerly lifted her thief's arm, her hands feeling weirdly weak as she did.

"And now, tug. - No, harder, Bonnie. Remember, you can't break it anymore than it's already broken, and we really want to get to the part where you sew the gash."

"Do we, though?"

Elena's light laughter somehow made it the tiniest bit better - as did the fact that her patient was at least not complaining - or stirring at all, for that matter…

"He's cute. - Didn't think he'd be your type but-"

"My type?! - Are we really doing this now?"

Elena grinned, and Bonnie huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"It's not like that, okay?" she then continued. "He… kinda tried to steal some of my groceries."

"Wow, that's… that's awful, Bonnie. I really don't think you should be alone with someone like that. Hey, maybe if I try the police again for you-"

"Don't, okay? It's fine. He's not gonna do anything now."

"You don't know that…"

But something told her that she did. And maybe that was stupid, or dangerous, but for some odd reason, she didn't want to call the police on this guy anymore. In a way he had gotten his penalty already, as evidenced by the fact that she was currently butchering his arm, tugging and tugging until she finally seemed to get it right.

"Just teach me how to do sutures," she therefore said, looking at Elena with a tired expression, blowing that obnoxious strand out of her face yet again, her hands now covered in blood.

In the end, all things considered, it didn't take too long for her to finish her task, but by the end of it, she was exhausted anyways. Exhausted, and relieved.

Slumping back against the side of the couch, right next to him, she looked at Elena, a silent "Thank you" on her lips.

"Yeah, of course. - You sure you're okay, Bon? I could try sending Damon if you don't want the police…"

"No. Thanks, Elena. I'll just… let him sleep a bit and then send him on his way. - I can send him on his way when he wakes up, right?"

"Sure. Tell him to take it easy, though, and try to get to a doctor within 24 hours. Someone will have to change the dressings, and he should get some antibiotics to make sure the arm doesn't get infected, and a tetanus shot… - And feed him some orange juice or so before you let him go. He might feel a bit groggy with the blood loss…"

Already, Bonnie had zoned out a bit. Something told her that he wasn't going to go see a doctor… And what was she supposed to do about that?

Probably nothing… (But…)

…

He came to with a start, trying to sit up so quickly that Bonnie had trouble getting to him fast enough to push him back down onto the couch.

"Easy, Mister."

His gaze was blank for a few seconds. Then recognition flooded back, and she could feel his heartbeat calm a bit under her touch. Self-consciously, she stared at her fingers, splayed out on his chest, and eventually she pulled away.

"Bonnie?"

"Hey. I was getting a bit worried. You were out for a while…"

"I…" He closed his eyes, running a hand over his weary face. Then he looked at her again, his eyes strangely greener than before, mirroring hers. "I'm sorry, love. I'll be out of your hair in a minute."

With a strangely swift movement, he came to a sitting position, hoisting his legs back over the side of the couch. His face seemed to lose color again at the motion, and he grimaced, just as Bonnie put her hand out again, trying to stop him. (As if there was a darn magnet hidden in his chest, and her stupid hand made of metal… She just couldn't keep her hands off him, could she? What was next? Was she going to jump his bones? Had she forgotten so quickly? He was a thief, a criminal. He was bad news…)

Oblivious of her internal monolog, his gaze fell on his arm, then on her, and something in it made Bonnie want to squirm.

"You did this?"

"Uh…"

"You wrapped it."

"I couldn't exactly let you bleed out. It's the whole reason I brought you up here, remember? Just so you wouldn't die?"

"Right." He pressed his lips together (too nice lips…). "Well. Thank you, Bonnie. I have overstayed my welcome - so I'll better…"

"I asked my doctor friend for advice, you know? Because you broke a bone, too. And this… it was not pretty, okay? She said you'll need a follow up appointment with a doctor." She raised an eyebrow, trying to get her point across, and he nodded as he slowly got to his feet.

"Of course."

"Tomorrow. Or, within the next 24 hours."

"Will do," he muttered, smirking at her in that weird non-committal way that told her he was going to do no such thing, but that - at the same time - made him look even cuter. (And why did he have to be cute, dammit?! - She was just desperate. Yeah, that was it. And who could blame her. She hadn't had a guy anywhere close to her in… way longer than the damn virus had been around. - Bonnie Bennett, you're pathetic.)

Sighing, she followed along as he made his way over to the entrance, catching herself getting more worried with every new step he took. He was slow, much slower than before, his face almost as ashen again as it had been before.

"Orange juice!" she blurted out, grabbing his uninjured arm, making him flinch away a bit before he caught himself.

"Orange juice?" His incomprehension was kind of adorable.

Forcing herself to focus, she shook her head, grinning. (Like an idiot! Pull yourself together, girl. Get that grin off your face!)

"I mean… um, for the… my friend said it'll help with the… um… with the blood loss. You know, since I couldn't give you an IV, which she would have preferred. But since no ambulance was willing to pick you up and they said that the hospitals don't have capacities anymore anyways-"

"Bonnie?"

"Yeah?" Her cheeks felt too hot all of a sudden. He was going to tell her to shut up, wasn't he? Because she was rambling like an idiot.

"I think I need to sit down…"

"Oh." Oh! "Of course. Here, let me… come on…"

Wrapping her arm around his waist, she hurried to guide him over to the nearest chair, in her kitchen, helping him sit down. He was breathing in short bursts again, his lips the color of his skin.

"Maybe now would be a good time for that orange juice - if the offer still stands?"

Beaming at him, she chuckled, rolling her eyes at herself as soon as she turned toward the fridge. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Here."

She placed the cup before him, sitting down in a chair on the opposite side - as far away as she could. Because clearly, his presence did something to her. (And she had never even been one to like the bad boys…)

"I'm sorry, about that… I think I just need another minute…"

The smile slowly fell off her face, seriousness taking over.

"You need more than a minute, … Enzo," she told him, then sighed. "You're not going to the doctor, are you? If I let you go now?"

He smiled at her, not saying a word.

"Enzo, I don't know you. I don't know why you did what you did - and I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that whatever it is, it is probably because of this whole virus-thing, but what I do know is that you can't go on like that."

Looking down at his cup, the orange juice almost gone now, his shoulders, his whole posture grew way too tense.

"You were lucky it was me today."

"I know…"

"Someone else might have left you down there. Or shot you…"

"I know…"

"And, call me stupid, but I really don't want you to go out there now and die anyways. Not after I tried so hard to save your damn life."

"Bonnie…"

"No, listen to me. You need to take this seriously. Your arm… needs more care. You need more care."

"I can't afford that, Bonnie! Why the hell do you think I was out here in the first place? Stealing other people's - your - bloody things?! Huh? It's because I don't have any money. So, no, I'm not going to see a bloody doctor so they can look at my arm and charge me a ridiculous sum just to tell me to take it easy. Because I can't take it easy and I can't rest, because I don't even have a bloody place to stay right now!"

He banged a fist on the table, leaning back in his chair to glare at her, and while she should have been upset with him for his outburst, for his angry and condescending tone, all she felt was sorrow.

"Where have you stayed up until now?" she whispered when he remained quiet after that, and his features softened ever so slightly.

"Wherever I wouldn't freeze to death… A car, an entranceway… just, somewhere…"

Biting her lip, she looked at him, watching as his shoulder slumped and he slouched down in the chair.

"How long has this been going on for?"

He scoffed, staring hard at his right hand, his fingers tapping a silent beat against each other.

"Suffice it to say I came here to play music. Next thing I know, they stopped all flights to and from Europe and the UK, and I got stuck here, with nothing…"

For a while, everything was quiet. Then, Bonnie stood up, Enzo's wary gaze on her as she walked over to him, holding out a hand.

"Well, I'm sorry you got here at such a bad time, Enzo. And I'm sorry we met the way we did. - But. Maybe we can try and start over. Since it's kinda too late now for the whole 6-feet-distance, why don't you stay here for a few more days. Just until you feel a little better?"

The slight curl of his lip was back, that little motion that always seemed to change his entire expression profoundly, and her heart skipped a beat. Shaking the tiniest bit, she held her breath as she waited for him to take her hand, to say something. Then, when he finally did, a shy smile appeared on her face, as he said, "Are you sure, love? Frankly, I don't think you should-"

"I am sure. - But just so you know, you'll have to listen to what I say, starting with going back to the couch and lying down. Now. You look awful.

"Well, you look pretty," he muttered, making her raise an eyebrow as she shot him a look. "And bossy," he added, then followed her anyways.

This was going to be interesting. She only hoped she wasn't going to regret it...