Bonnie felt as if her world had been turned upside down. She and Tyler were defiant in the face of opposition. Unfortunately, it was a great deal of opposition and it came from all sides. Richard and Carol were adamant that Tyler needed to do the honorable thing by marrying Elena. They would not tolerate their grandchild being born a bastard. Grayson and Miranda Gilbert were of a similar opinion even if their objections were less forceful. The Gilberts had to walk a fine line since their position with Bonnie was precarious. Grayson knew his brother had been killed for being a traitor to the Benedetto organization.
Her own family had some fairly stringent objections, too. Big John had not learned about Elena's pregnancy until he returned to Milazzo. However, he picked up the phone and called his niece to offer his opinion. John believed that Bonnie deserved a man that she wouldn't have to share in any capacity with another woman. He wanted to unite their two families but not at the cost of her well-being. Her uncle was well-informed about Damon's extracurricular activities and he knew the toll they took on her mental and physical health. John cautioned her against repeating unhealthy cycles with Tyler.
He also believed that it was unwise to displease the Loiacono and the Gilbert families on such an important matter. Big John reminded her that the trait of a good boss was doing the right thing for the people that showed loyalty to the organization. The Loiaconos had stuck with the Benedetto family for decades. They worked as double agents with nary a complaint. Grayson remained loyal even after Bonnie had his brother whacked. It could be disastrous to repay their loyalty by making their grandchild a bastard. Bonnie quickly learned that Big John's opinion was shared by most of her close relatives.
Abby was the only person that encouraged Bonnie to do what made her happy. She loved her mother for offering the support she desperately needed, but it just proved the merit of Big John's argument. Abby's selfishness had resulted in her abandoning Bonnie when she was little more than a toddler. Her mother's actions were the sole reason that she had been married off to Damon when she was 17-years-old. After divorcing Rudy, Abby should have married Alaric. Their marriage would have united the Salvatore and Benedetto families together forever. Instead, her mother had selfishly chosen to do what made her happy. The girl no longer blamed Abby for her actions, but she couldn't behave the same way. Bonnie was the boss of the family and that meant doing what was right even when it was inconvenient.
She had tried talking about the situation with Tyler but he blew up at her and stormed out. Bonnie could only remember seeing him this enraged a handful of times. Tyler had immediately gone to his parents and the Gilberts and told them in no uncertain terms to mind their business. He also reminded everyone that even if Bonnie broke up with him, it didn't mean that he would rush to the altar with Elena. He wasn't in love with her anymore. Tyler refused to suffer a loveless marriage for the sake of others. Plenty of babies were born to unwed parents. He even went to talk to Father Finn for some religious guidance.
Needless to say, everyone was walking on eggshells around the young couple. Bonnie had listened to their objections and didn't want to hear anything more. Tyler was prepared to curse out anyone that even thought about telling them to break up. Bonnie knew that they couldn't go on like this but she didn't have the heart to end the relationship. She had sacrificed and endured so much for the betterment of her family. Bonnie had a hard time summoning the courage to let Tyler go. What good was being powerful if she had to live a life of misery? Was she supposed to spend the rest of her life alone? Bonnie put on a brave face during business hours but at night she crawled into her mother's bed and wept until she ran out of tears.
The current state of Tyler and Bonnie's relationship made dealing with Damon more difficult. The news had traveled quickly between their intertwined families. Damon had offered to be a kind ear but she knew he was delighted by the situation. He had warned her repeatedly that the relationship was temporary. His disingenuous concern just made Bonnie want to slap him. However, she had decided weeks ago that violence wasn't the answer. For whatever emotional trauma Damon had heaped on her during their marriage, he had never physically harmed her. Bonnie would always be grateful for the seemingly simple act of restraint. They had both grown up in homes where violence and abuse seemed as normal as breathing.
Damon had also taken advantage of the emotional upheaval. He proposed that Zacharias and Ayana become Co-CEOs for Velocita. It wasn't what Bonnie wanted but she didn't have the energy to fight him. She discussed his proposal with Richard and Ayana. Both agreed that it was better to compromise than to drag the company through a bitter power struggle. Bonnie saw the wisdom in their counsel and accepted Damon's offer with one caveat. She still wanted to restructure the top of the company. The Salvatores were not innovators and she wouldn't allow the company to remain stagnant. Damon agreed to the caveat and even encouraged Bonnie to continue courting investors from the tech world. He readily admitted to focusing on the status quo rather than striving to be an industry leader. A board meeting was scheduled in two weeks. Damon would formally submit his resignation and name his successors.
Bonnie was hoping for a few days of peace to regroup and reclaim her sanity. The stress wasn't doing any favors for her blood pressure and Cole was concerned. Abby had scheduled a much needed spa appointment for Wednesday morning. However, Tuesday night she received a call from Hayley Mikaelson. She was inviting Bonnie out to lunch. The two women had become fast friends after she married Damon. Hayley had been one of the few women that could somewhat understand Bonnie's unfortunate lot in life. Unfortunately, this didn't appear to be a friendly rendezvous. Moreover, Hayley was reluctant to offer a satisfying explanation.
The young woman realized that her friend's invitation was some sort of set up. However, she didn't believe that the Mikaelsons would try to harm her. She knew that their alliance with the Salvatore family remained strong. Their marital troubles aside, Damon would slaughter all of Elijah's siblings if they killed her. Nevertheless, Bonnie decided to take Cristian, Lucy, and Gemma with her. She trusted her cousins to watch her back in any situation. They would also be useful in providing counsel if Elijah was offering some sort of deal. Afterall, she was already doing business with his younger brother. It was an arrangement that would start paying dividends almost immediately. The drug trade was a nasty business but it was profitable.
Bonnie arrived at the restaurant at exactly 2 o'clock. She had convinced Hayley to change the meeting time to accommodate her spa appointment. Bonnie was pregnant and could not afford to neglect her mental or physical well-being. Keeping her appointment turned out to be wise. She felt relaxed and refreshed after a morning of pampering and luxury. More importantly, she no longer felt as if she was balancing on a knife's edge. Bonnie would be clear-headed and somewhat patient while dealing with Elijah. Generally, she managed to keep her temper in check. However, everyone had limits and Elena's pregnancy had pushed Bonnie well over hers.
Bonnie prepared to speak to the hostess when Hayley walked over.
Hayley smiled and said, "Hi."
"Hi," she replied coolly.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet me today, Bonnie. I know you have a lot going on."
Bonnie shook her head. "Anything for a friend like you, Hayley. I'm so grateful that you're allowing me to hold my event at your gallery on such short notice."
Hayley swallowed thickly and nodded. "It was no trouble. Frankly, having tipsy investors in my gallery can only be a good thing. I reserved the private dining room for us. Just follow me."
"I hope that you don't mind that I brought a few guests with me. After the unfortunate situation with my younger brother, security has become more of an issue for my family," the young woman explained.
She glanced at the three individuals behind her. Hayley felt guilty about using their friendship to lure Bonnie to the restaurant under false pretenses. It had taken two days for Elijah to finally wear her down. She only relented when he explained that this could be a matter of life and death for many people. She was glad that Bonnie had been able to read between the lines and had come prepared. Hayley didn't know what was happening because Elijah refused to involve her in his criminal activities. However, she did know that for days he had trouble sleeping.
"It is no trouble at all." She continued, "Security has become and issue for my family, too."
Bonnie nodded and followed Hayley through the restaurant. She tsked softly, "Such uncertain times we are living in. Sometimes it feels as if the world has gone mad."
Hayley opened a set of frosted glass doors that led into the private dining room. However, it more closely resembled a lounge. It had a bar and several intimate seating areas.
Her green eyes narrowed when she realized that Niklaus and Father Finn were there, too. Bonnie knew that this meeting wasn't about business-not really.
Elijah stood up and walked over to his wife and Bonnie. He said, "I am sorry for the subterfuge, dear. I didn't know another way to arrangement a meeting without attracting the wrong eyes. Your husband is still very interested in your whereabouts."
"I am aware," she replied smoothly. However, her eyes slid to Niklaus.
He looked pointedly at Bonnie's guests.
She took the hint and said, "Allow me to introduce my cousins: Cristian Benedetto, Gemma Benedetto, and Lucy Bennett."
Elijah knew that these weren't merely Bonnie's cousins. They were heavy hitters in her organization. He had heard many stories about Lucy alone. He wondered how many weapons the woman had hidden on her right now. Bonnie had obviously seen through Hayley's attempt to mislead her.
He smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. These are my brothers, Niklaus and Finn."
Lucy offered a crooked grin. "We're acquainted with both. I quite enjoyed Mass on Sunday, Father Finn."
The older man inclined his head in thanks. "Will I see you at Mass tonight?"
"No, I don't think that you will," she returned.
Elijah looked to Bonnie. "I was hoping that we might discuss something delicate. I do not know if the topic is common knowledge."
Niklaus looked vaguely ill.
Bonnie smiled at her cousins. "There's a bar. Go make me jealous."
Lucy squeezed Bonnie's hand and then walked across the room.
Hayley said, "I think I will join you all."
Elijah walked towards the opposite end of the room with Klaus and Finn on his heels.
Klaus pulled out a chair for Bonnie before sitting down beside her.
Bonnie flashed an appreciative smile and settled down. "What can I do for you, Elijah?"
Elijah straightened the cuffs of his crisp shirt. "Recently, an unfortunate situation has come to my attention. Alaric contacted me over the weekend looking for a name. Father Kieran pointed your husband in Finn's direction."
Bonnie's face remained neutral but her blood ran cold. During the counseling session, she told Damon to leave the matter of her rape alone. She wasn't interested in getting retribution with his assistance. She should have known that Damon wouldn't let sleeping dogs lie. He still didn't respect her position as boss of her family. Suddenly, her vow to remain nonviolent with her husband seemed more unobtainable.
She replied, "Judging by your guests...you already know the name that my husband is seeking. Why am I here, Elijah?"
Elijah tried to pick up anything from the girl's stoic expression but found nothing. "Well, it occurred to me that you might have sent your husband on this mission to destabilize the alliance."
Niklaus shifted in the seat beside her. He said, "I told you that wasn't the case, brother."
The older man silenced his brother with a look. Elijah knew that Niklaus was incapable of being objective about Bonnie. He had to evaluate the young woman without his brother's involvement. Finn was overly fond of her, too.
Bonnie laughed softly. "If I wanted Nik dead, I could have blown his brains out weeks ago. Better yet, I could have had him killed in some entertainly gruesome way while he was in prison. Instead, I arranged a very lucrative drug deal by calling in a favor with my estranged father. Surely, you don't believe that I would go to so much trouble just to have Damon kill him now."
Klaus ignored Bonnie's laugh and focused on her eyes. Those green gems had always held the truth for him. He didn't like what he found there now. Elijah was skating on thin ice and didn't know it. Klaus had asked to take the lead in this meeting but his brother rejected that idea firmly.
"Did you decide to arrange this deal before or after you did that to his hand?" Elijah asked bitterly.
He did not approve of Bonnie's methods. His brother did something unforgivable but he would never simply accept someone torturing him. It was the reason Elijah would never turn Niklaus over to Damon. He knew the horrors the younger man could visit on his enemies. Alaric had spoken in broad strokes of Giuseppe's painful final days.
She glanced at Niklaus' hand with a fond smile. Bonnie found that she still felt a wave of pleasure at his pain. Then she turned to look at him. "I started working on this deal before I had Nik's tendon severed. In the beginning, I thought it might be best to kill him. Your brother behaved very poorly after your son's christening. However, I can accept that he was under the influence that night and not in complete control of himself."
Niklaus looked down at the table feeling utterly ashamed. The night of the christening joined a long list of things he wished to take back. He didn't want to think about how far things might have gone if Bonnie hadn't been armed with a switchblade. Perhaps the only silver lining had been his decision to stop using cocaine.
Elijah's eyes snapped to his younger brother. His stomach plummeted as Niklaus refused to meet his gaze. They would definitely discuss this later. Elijah had been under the impression that Klaus' indiscretions were in the past. He swallowed thickly and looked back at her. "I'm sorry for…"
She waved off his concern. Bonnie didn't particularly care if it was genuine or feigned at this point. She said, "I've made my peace with Nik. He apologized and then I made him bleed. My grandmother always told me that blood was the only acceptable recompense and she was right. Seeing Nik bleed for me lightened the burden he placed on me when I was still a young girl. To me...the debt is repaid and I have moved onto bigger and better things. Niklaus is worth more to me alive than he is dead. My family has never sold drugs and we never will. It's a nasty business that my great-great-grandmother abhorred. I have no doubt that she would be waiting for me in the afterlife if I sullied the business that she built. However, there are other ways for me to benefit from the drug trade without touching the stuff. I thought Nik would be the perfect business partner."
The older man still couldn't get a read on Bonnie and it left him unsettled. He countered, "Let's be honest...this deal with Niklaus isn't just about profit. You want to establish a connection with our organization independent of the Salvatore family."
"Obviously," she replied with a deadpan expression.
He didn't appreciate Bonnie's tone but he pressed forward. Elijah said, "While the deal is lucrative, Niklaus' position affords him limited power. Any binding alliance would have to be formed with me. At the moment, I am not certain that I am willing to involve myself in your marital discord."
Bonnie shrugged and said, "I also knew that might be a possibility. But it was an opportunity that I couldn't afford to pass up."
"My brother would offer you his loyalty because of his guilt. I would require more of you," he said with a voice like steel.
She laughed airily and said, "Your brother raped me repeatedly. And you believe that you have any right to require, demand, or ask anything of me. I have to say...that takes balls. But I assure you the only person at this table that has any leverage is me."
Elijah tensed when Bonnie began laughing. Her eyes seemed to darken as she spoke. "Excuse me…"
She snapped, "I was not done speaking! You would do well to listen carefully, Mr. Mikaelson. I like Niklaus. I would even admit to caring for him. Our friendship is complicated as many things in life tend to be. I value him more than perhaps he even knows. However, I will not be threatened or coerced into doing anything...and certainly not by the likes of you. You hold exactly zero cards and yet you come in here acting as if you have the high hand. If I were so inclined, I could call Damon right now and tell him the truth."
"That would mean war. I would not hand my brother over to be slaughtered by the Salvatores. Would you throw us all into chaos over some childish tantrum?" he replied angrily.
Bonnie shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "What do I care of war between your families? I can pack up those dear to me and retreat to Milazzo while you and Damon fight to the death. You're very evenly matched, it would be a complete blood bath. Then when it's over, I could swoop in and finish you off or I could reconcile with my beloved husband. An even better option, would be to bring the full weight of my family's organization on your heads when you are both mired in the blood and guts of your own men. I could wipe you both off the board and take your place. My uncle, John, would be thrilled by the notion. He despises the Salvatores and he would bay for Nik's blood if he knew the truth of what he did to me."
Elijah's blood ran cold as he listened to the girl talk about the utter destruction of his organization as if it were mere child's play. The girl that was young enough to be his own child had walked him into a corner with death as the only possible exit. Damon would not listen to reason if he learned that Niklaus was Bonnie's rapist. He would want blood and would cut down anyone in his way.
Niklaus shook his head. His brother had cocked up this entire situation. He looked at Bonnie and said, "Elijah does not understand you but I do. I am not demanding anything of you, but we are in a bit of a bind, love. Damon has focused on this and he will not relent. Even without the truth surfacing, the alliance will suffer if Finn does not offer a name. Elijah would like to frame someone for the crime...to give Damon closure on the matter. We could use your help doing that."
Bonnie smiled at Klaus and gently squeezed his uninjured hand. Then she looked at Elijah. "Was that so hard? All you had to do was ask nicely. Of course, I'll help direct Damon onto the wrong path. I don't want him poking his nose into this anymore than the three of you do. Do you have any fall guys in mind because I have a few?"
Elijah blinked a few times as if the situation would magically change. Bonnie had gone from planning his entire family's demise to speaking cheerfully in a matter of seconds. He cleared his throat and said, "Ah, yes. There are a few men that are quietly known to have certain...proclivities. Their deaths would be no great loss to the world. However, Niklaus does not remember specific dates. Therefore, we can't verify possible alibis. We can't afford to have the story fall apart under scrutiny."
She nodded. "Leave the names with me and I will figure out which man fits the bill. In the meantime, I will distract Damon. My righteous anger at him meddling in my affairs should give you a few days' cover. When the time is right, I'll give Damon the name of our fall-guy. I wouldn't ask Father Finn to commit any sins on my behalf."
The priest inclined his head in thanks. However, he had been willing to make the sacrifice for his family. Finn was comfortable with the inevitability of his damnation. He could never receive absolution for the atrocities he committed before joining the priesthood.
Elijah handed Bonnie a scrap of paper with four names written on it. "These men are our best prospects. And I apologize for my demeanor. I am just concerned for my brother's safety."
She took the paper and glanced at the names. She recognized all the men as working for the Salvatore organization. She glanced at Elijah and said, "I understand the desire to protect your siblings from harm. I also understand why you would doubt my intentions with Niklaus. I hope that after this little matter is put to bed...you will realize that I am only looking for friendship."
All three men stood up when Bonnie did.
Niklaus asked, "Could I speak to you for a moment?"
She nodded and walked away from the table to achieve a level of privacy. "Yes?"
"I am sorry that you're being dragged into this...that you are having to clean up my mess. We just couldn't think of another way," he confessed.
Bonnie smiled wryly. "It's fine. It is my fault for opening up to my husband. I should have known that he wouldn't respect my wishes. I won't make the mistake of trusting Damon again. We should get lunch sometime soon...without the extra company."
"I'd like that," he replied with shock in his voice.
She said, "I said that we would be friends, Nik. I meant that. Call me when you have an afternoon free..."
"I will. It was good seeing you, love," he said.
Bonnie smiled at him and then headed to the glass doors.
Her cousins followed her without question. They weren't able to hear any of the conversation because of the distance. However, Bonnie's body language and facial expressions had been telling.
Lucy was the only one with some inkling of what the conversation was about. Cristian and Gemma were in the dark about Klaus' crimes against their cousin. She knew that Bonnie planned to use the monster to her advantage. However, Lucy wanted nothing more than to castrate the sick son of a bitch.
Once they were in the car, they all looked at Bonnie expectantly.
She said, "I need to go to Velocita. Apparently, there has been a misunderstanding on a personal level. I'll take care of it."
Gemma glanced at her cousin because she knew better. Something was very wrong and Bonnie's reluctance to share was disconcerting.
Cristian felt just as uneasy as he started the car. He never had a problem obeying his younger cousin as the boss of the family. Yet in this moment, he wanted to protest. They couldn't protect her without understanding the threat.
Lucy was in the backseat with Bonnie. She reached over and took the younger girl's hand. She whispered, "Do you want me to call, Tyler?"
She tensed for a moment and shook her head. While seeing Tyler would be comforting, he was too volatile at the moment. She said, "No, I'll talk to him later. He has enough on his plate. But I want you to come into the office with me."
The older woman gave a curt nod.
Cristian turned on the radio to disrupt the charged silence.
Bonnie was grateful for the distraction. She had to be calm when confronting Damon. She was only in this mess because she lost control in his office previously. A few sentences uttered in the heat of the moment had forced them down this perilous path. She couldn't make the same mistake twice. She hoped that Lucy's presence would keep her from losing it with Damon. Her cousin was known for flying off the handle but she could be a calming force when necessary.
Lucy looked up when Bonnie handed her a piece of paper. She glanced at the names and then frowned.
"Run down everything about them. I need to know what they were doing five years ago," she muttered.
Everything clicked into place and Lucy's lips thinned ominously. "I'll take care of it, cugine."
She slowly released a breath and then sought the Saint Christopher's medal around her neck.
It didn't take long for Cristian to pull into Velocita's parking structure. He went up to the executive level and found a parking space. He looked over the seat. "Do you want us to come in with you?"
Bonnie said, "Just Lucy...I don't want Damon to feel like we're ganging up on him. We'll be back soon."
Cristian didn't look pleased with that at all. He nodded and said, "We'll be out here if you need us."
She smiled at him. "You don't need to worry about me, Cris. It's just a clubby chat between estranged spouses."
Gemma rolled her eyes and said, "Let's just hope he doesn't go off the deep end like his uncle did. Stronzo..."
"Damon wouldn't dare," she replied with certainty.
Lucy huffed, "I'll gut him like a fucking fish if he tried."
Bonnie climbed out the car with a worried expression. She knew that Lucy's declaration was no idle threat. Nevertheless, Bonnie didn't think it would come to that. Damon never laid a hand on her and she doubted that he would start now.
The two cousins took the elevator up to the executive floor. Then they made a beeline for Damon's office.
Bonnie hoped that he wasn't busy but she was willing to wait. This wasn't something that could be left for another time. Bonnie meant what she said about letting the Salvatores and Mikaelsons slaughter each other. However, that was only a last resort. Truthfully, a mob war would prove costly even if Bonnie's organization wasn't involved. Moreover, it would draw the attention of local and federal authorities. Once the war ended, doing business would be even more hazardous.
Damon's secretary, Dianne, smiled when she saw Bonnie. However, the smile faltered when she saw the thunderous look on the young woman's face. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Salvatore. I'll let Mr. Salvatore know that you are here."
"Thank you, Dianne," Bonnie replied.
Lucy whispered, "You know we are going to have to tell Cris and Gemma something. They work for you while on this side of the Atlantic but ultimately, they work for Uncle Johnny. If they are truly concerned...they'll tell him that something is wrong."
She nodded in agreement. "I'll tell them a version of the truth."
The older woman didn't look appeased but nodded. There was risk involved with having partial information floating in the world.
Dianne hung up the phone and stood up. "Mr. Salvatore can see you now."
Bonnie and Lucy walked into the office once Dianne opened the door for them.
Zacharias stood and prepared to leave the office.
The girl's eyes hardened and said, "No, you should stay."
He frowned and slowly retook his seat.
Damon looked uncertain. He couldn't think of anything he'd done to earn his wife's anger. "Bunny…"
Bonnie remained quiet until she heard the door close. She said, "I am going to speak calmly because what I really want to do is gouge out your fucking eyes."
Damon's eyes widened as he stepped around the desk cautiously. Immediately, he feared that Bonnie learned about his scheme with Elena. "What did I do?"
Lucy hung back but she looked murderous as well.
"Truthfully, I am responsible for at least part of this for ever thinking that I could trust you. I told you a terrible secret that haunts me to this day. Something that still causes me a great deal of shame whenever I think about it. I trusted you with this secret because I was trying to ease your conscience. I didn't want you walking around believing that you had violated me in such a heinous way."
Damon had a brief moment of relief before he realized that he was by no means off the hook. "You have to understand…"
She interrupted him, "I don't have to understand shit, you faithless son of a bitch! I told you about the worst thing that ever happened to me. I told you in a counseling session and then I asked you to leave it alone. How many people have you told? Alaric knows the truth. I can assume that Zacharias and Stefan know what happened, too. You told Father Kieran about me. You told Elijah fucking Mikaelson! Who else, Damon? How many other people have you shared my shame with?"
Zacharias was immediately concerned about Bonnie's information source. They had kept their inquiries quiet.
Damon looked pained as Bonnie railed at him. He hadn't considered how she would feel about others knowing the truth. He had naively believed that she would never know. He approached Bonnie with his hands up in surrender. "I can see now that I didn't handle this right. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you or humiliate you, Bonnie. I was just grasping at straws trying to find out who did this to you."
"That is none of your business! I told you as much during the counseling session. The things that happened to me are personal. I do not want or need your help with getting justice or revenge. It is better to let sleeping dogs lie."
Damon glared. "How can you say that? This man raped you and he just gets to live his fucking life!"
"I know what he did to me, Damon! I was there. I suffered through it. I still have nightmares about it. It completely fucked up the way I look at sex. But I have chosen the way I wanted to handle it. You have no right to interfere where you aren't wanted!"
Zach understood Bonnie's position but it was a slight that Damon could not allow as boss.
"That's the thing that I just don't fucking understand. Do you really hate me so much that you won't let me help you? Or are you protecting his son of a bitch?" he growled at her.
Zacharias stood up and said, "Maybe we should all take a breath. Damon...this is leading us nowhere."
Damon batted Zach's hands away. He said, "I asked you a fucking question. Are you protecting the son of a bitch that raped you? You got feelings for him or something? Maybe…"
Bonnie looked as if she wanted to murder him. Tears filled her green eyes. "Maybe what? Say it, Damon. Fucking say it and I swear to God I won't be responsible for what I do next."
Lucy quickly moved between them and pulled Bonnie away from her husband. She knew that her cousin meant her threat whole-heartedly.
Zacharias pushed Damon around his desk and growled, "Shut your fucking mouth. What you almost said can't be taken back."
Bonnie said, "No, don't stop him. Let Damon show his fucking stupidity. Prove to me how little you respect me. Come on! Don't be a pussy now, Damon. Say what's on your mind. Go on, ask if I wanted it!"
The room went eerily silent for several minutes.
Damon tried to calm down because he had gone too far. He said, "I feel helpless. There is some sick fuck out there that hurt you. And I'm just supposed to go on with my life. He's gotta be someone I know! Am I working with someone that raped my wife? It's driving me fucking crazy, Bonnie."
"Do you hear yourself? You've taken my trauma and somehow made it about you! What the fuck is wrong with you? Where is your sense of empathy or compassion? You want to know who is sick? You are."
He asked, "Why won't you give me a name?"
Bonnie shook her head, "Because I don't want to dredge up the past. It's like reliving the trauma and I can't keep doing that. Killing him won't change what happened to me, Damon."
He slowly approached Bonnie and sighed softly. "This isn't just about revenge. It worries me that there is someone out in the world that hurt you so bad. He's still out there...free to do it again."
She studied Damon's face looking for some hint of deception. She said, "He wouldn't hurt me again, Damon. It's been years."
"That's the part that confuses me. Why would be stop abusing you so suddenly?" he asked with concern.
Bonnie said, "He's in prison on an unrelated charge. He can't hurt me anymore, Damon. It's over."
Damon seemed to relax just a little. "He's been in prison this entire time?"
She nodded slowly.
Lucy hoped that Bonnie hadn't painted them into a corner with her lie. However, she understood the desperate need to divert Damon's attention. They would have to choose a patsy quickly and have him whacked in prison. She would have to pull Brady into this. He wouldn't question why they needed to whack some bastard in prison with a known affinity for little girls. He would think it was a freaking public service.
"How much longer does he have on his sentence?" he asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, Damon. I don't exactly keep tabs on the man. Every once in a while I make sure that he still behind bars where he can't hurt anyone else. I won't let him hurt another little girl the way he hurt me."
It wasn't what he wanted but Damon was willing to accept it for now. He didn't want to upset Bonnie more than he already had. "I am sorry for telling other people...I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to protect you and I didn't know how else to do it."
"I am capable of taking care of myself, Damon," she replied.
Damon took her face into his hands and said, "I know but it doesn't stop me from worrying. I love you and I don't know how to fix us. But if I can keep you safe...then maybe that is enough. If I can keep you safe and happy then maybe being apart from you won't hurt as much."
"I'm not trying to hurt you," she whispered in reply.
"I know that...I do. But it doesn't mean being apart from you doesn't tear me up inside. I know that's my problem and not yours…"
Bonnie said, "We're still family, Damon. Your problems are mine and vice versa. I wish that you would have just come to me first. Talk to me like your equal instead of trying to override my desires."
He nodded. "Let me make it up to you."
She snorted softly. "How do you plan to do that?"
"Give me a couple days to figure something out," he replied hopefully.
"Getting slow in your old age?" she asked wryly.
Damon huffed out a laugh. "No, I just have a better understanding of what things are worth now."
Bonnie eyed him warily.
"Do you still feel like gouging out my eyes?" he asked.
"Yes, but I won't seeing as they are your most attractive feature."
He grinned, "You like my eyes."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You know that you are pretty, Damon. Stop fishing for compliments."
Damon balked at being called 'pretty'. "I think you meant ruggedly handsome."
She smirked. "Stefan inherited Giuseppe's handsome looks. I am afraid you inherited your mother's more delicate features."
Lucy and Zacharias both chuckled in amusement.
She added, "When I call you a son of a bitch...I mean it."
Damon raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that I can stomach being a pretty son of a bitch."
Bonnie huffed out a laugh.
"Do you want to hit me as payback? I'll let you," he muttered apologetically.
She shook her head. "We're adults. We are capable of using words to settle our disputes."
"Yeah...we are," he acknowledged.