Around 2 AM, Dr. Holland and Cole Lockwood had emerged from the operating room with good news. The surgery to remove the bullets and repair the damage to Ric's leg had been successful. The doctors' only concern was the possibility of a postoperative infection. They provided detailed instructions on how to minimize Ric's risk of infection. Dr. Holland also informed Zach that Bonnie had made his services available to them indefinitely. He would stop by the Salvatore Manor periodically to monitor Alaric's recovery. The man was polite but did not seem enthused about his new role as Ric's private physician.
Zacharias asked his wife, Meredith, about Dr. Holland's reputation. She spoke about the doctor in glowing terms. Meredith assured Zach that he was one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Southern California. It made him wonder just how much money the man owed the Benedetto family to be this indebted to them. Their family's primary business in the United States was arms dealing. He couldn't imagine that the good doctor would have any use for military grade firearms. However, the other component to the Benedetto business model was smuggling. Perhaps Dr. Holland had overextended himself purchasing black market antiquities. Zach knew how easily people could find themselves in a hole that way.
He had also talked to Meredith about preparing a room for his brother at the Salvatore Manor. Ric was in stable condition but Dr. Holland wanted to wait a full 24 hours before moving him. When the time came to transport Ric home, they would be using a fully staffed ambulance. Zach wasn't willing to take any unnecessary risks with his brother's health. As vile as he was, Zacharias still grieved the loss of Giuseppe. He both loved and hated the man that had raised him. He was not ready or prepared to lose another brother in less than a month's time.
Unfortunately, the injuries that Ric sustained during the shooting were not the only cause for concern. His brother had lived a hard life and he had lost the genetic lottery. Ric had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a bad heart. Giuseppe and Alaric had both inherited congenital heart disease from their father, Domenico. The stress caused by the shooting could act as another post operative complication. They would have to consult his long-suffering cardiologist on the matter. Fortunately, the old man had also been Giuseppe's doctor. He knew how to keep their family's secrets and wouldn't bat an eyelash at an unreported shooting victim.
Zacharias could think of a million things that he should be doing at this moment. Instead, he sat vigil beside his older brother's bed and watched the monitors as they tracked his vital signs. Damon and Stefan were keeping him apprised of everything happening outside of the makeshift hospital. Zacharias considered the benefits of arranging a similar set-up for their own organization. There was little doubt that access to this state of the art clinic had saved Alaric's life without involving law enforcement. In the past, they had doctors work out of safe houses. In worst case scenarios, critically injured men had been dropped off at emergency rooms alone. This was a much more appealing option.
Ric groaned as he stirred from an unpleasant dream. He reached to pull the oxygen mask off his face. Despite the cool gush of oxygen flowing into his nostrils, the mask made him feel as if he was suffocating. He stopped short when someone's hand impeded his progress. Ric peeled his tired eyes open to see who was about to get cursed out. However, he settled down seeing the worn expression on his younger brother's face. It looked as if Zacharias had been through hell.
Zach slowly released the oxygen mask once he was sure that Ric would leave it in place. He leaned forward to get a better look at his brother's pale face. Ric had awakened a few times since coming out of surgery in the middle of the night. However, each time he had been groggy, unfocused, and unable to stay awake for more than a few minutes. The nurse monitoring his condition assured Zach that it was normal. The anesthesia and extreme blood loss had done a real number on him. Moreover, he was on a powerful pain medication to reduce the stress on his heart.
Ric stared at Zach expectantly. He had better start talking if he expected Ric to leave on the oxygen mask.
The younger man's lips curled into a knowing smile. It didn't matter that Ric had nearly died, he was still the same asshole he had always been. He said, "You were shot tonight at Peppe's. You were brought to an off-the-books clinic where a team operated on you to save your life. The surgery was successful but you're going to need rehab on your leg. The bullet tore through muscle before becoming embedded in the bone."
Ric closed his eyes as he tried to move his leg. He hissed when it felt as if he was being sliced with a hot knife. This wasn't the first time he had been shot but this certainly felt more serious than the other times.
Zach glared at him and asked, "What the fuck did I just say to you? I said you were going to need rehab for your leg. And you thought it was a good idea to move that fucking leg?"
He forced a small grin at his brother. Ric knew he was going to be okay if Zacharias was cursing at him. If there was truly something to be worried about his soft-hearted little brother would be teary-eyed and acting like a mother hen.
A latina woman in her 30's walked into the room having heard Zach's tirade from down the hall. She smiled and said, "I am glad to see that you are awake, Mr. Salvatore. I'm Carmen and I will be taking care of you today."
Zach sat back in his chair with an unhappy scowl. He asked, "Can you get that oxygen mask off him? He's already tried to pull it off once. He'll do it again soon enough. He's an impatient son of a bitch."
She walked over to the monitor and checked Ric's O2 stats. She said, "Your brother still needs oxygen but I can switch him to a nose cannula. It will make it easier for him to communicate. And it should be a little more comfortable for him. Would that be okay, Mr. Salvatore?"
Ric nodded at her. He had a lot of questions and he couldn't ask any of them with the oxygen mask muffling him.
Zach said, "Yes, that would be great."
She moved to the other side of the room and opened a cabinet. Moments later, she returned with a nasal cannula and made the switch. Once Ric was settled, she said, "If you start feeling short of breath don't hesitate to call for me. I am going to increase your oxygen just to err on the side of caution."
Carmen changed the oxygen flow on the monitor and then checked to make sure his IV's were untangled.
Ric croaked, "Thank you…"
Zach frowned and said, "Sounds like his throat is a little dry. Can he have water?"
She nodded and said, "But only a few sips at a time. Dr. Holland has restricted him to liquids for now. Water, juice, ice chips, and even some broth if he's hungry."
Zach stood up and grabbed the water pitcher and poured a cup for Ric. He added a straw and then retook his seat.
She said, "I'll be right down the hall if you need me."
"Thank you, Nurse Carmen," Zach said.
She quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door to give the brothers privacy.
Alaric fiddled with the bed control until he was propped up.
Zach held the cup for Ric so that he could drink from the straw easily.
The man took a few sips and then collapsed against the pillows from the effort. He scowled at the smug look on his brother's face. Ric asked, "Where is Jamie?"
He put the cup down and gave Ric his full attention. "Jamie is at home with Abigail. But there's talk of sending him to Milazzo for a few weeks. Nothing has been decided yet but he's obviously shaken up from last night."
Ric suddenly realized that he had no idea what time it was. Unfortunately, his room lacked windows so he couldn't even tell if it was day or night. He asked, "What time is it?"
Zach glanced at his watch and said, "Noon."
He closed his eyes in exhaustion. "I've been out that long?"
"Well, you had major surgery, fratello. You were lucky that the hitter was such a bad fucking shot. A better marksman at such close range would have put you out of your fucking misery," he replied.
Ric closed his eyes again. "How is Jamie? You said that he was shaken up…"
"He was in shock for awhile...couldn't even speak to hear Bonnie tell it. He was well enough to Skype with Big John this morning."
He snorted, "I suppose he's the one that suggested sending my son halfway across the world."
Zach frowned and shook his head. "No, that came down from his big sister."
"Bonnie?" he asked surprised.
"She's angling to send Abby and all of the kids home to Milazzo. The threat here is making her uncomfortable. She would probably proposing sending Sarah if she thought Damon would agree to it. The game changed last night when someone tried to whack you, Ric."
Ric conceded, "The Benedetto compound is probably one of the safest places in the world for them. Might do Jamie some good to go home. That's what Abby always calls Milazzo...home."
Zach said, "I've noticed that Bonnie does the same thing."
"It might be good for Jamie to get away from California for awhile...get away from me," he muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"I tried to make things better with him last night, but I only made things worse," he admitted.
Zach frowned and replied, "Taking the boy to Peppe's was probably the dumbest decision you've had in awhile. Your son is afraid of you…"
Ric chuckled darkly and said, "My son...my son thought about killing me last night. I saw it in his eyes. He looked so much like Abby in the moment. I was sure he was going to pull the trigger."
The younger man's brows furrowed in confusion. He wondered if perhaps Jamie had lied about a mystery woman gunning down Ric to cover his own crime. They had all taken Jamie at his word with little evidence to the contrary. The only proof of this alleged gunwoman existing was a message she sent Ric saying she was on the way to the gym. Zach licked his lips anxiously as he gathered the courage to ask a question he almost certainly didn't want answered. Lilly being untrustworthy was more palatable that his 11-year-old nephew trying to whack his own father.
He asked, "He didn't...did Jamie shoot you?"
"No. Lilly is the one that shot me like a fucking dog...crazy bitch. Jamie came downstairs after she took off. I couldn't move and could barely talk. I told him to call for help but he wouldn't say a word. He just kept looking at me. Then he picked up my gun and I swear to God I thought he was going to end me right there. It was like I could see him mentally weighing his options. He must have decided that he couldn't do it because he turned away from me and looked towards the main entrance," he recounted in a pained voice.
Zach said, "I have no idea what the fuck to say to that."
"That it's my fault. I lied to the kid his whole life to protect my marriage to Jo. Then once he finds out he's my kid, I make shit worse by flying off the handle with Abby. I've always prided myself on having my shit together. I have a lot of flaws but I've never been a woman batterer. All the terrible shit I picked up from Gio, I was proud that smacking around women and children wasn't one of them."
He sighed heavily. "I'm not giving you a pass, but none of us have been okay since Giuseppe died. It's good that he's gone...fucking psychopath that he was. None of us need his shit in our lives. But that doesn't mean that losing him hasn't left some sort of mark on us. When did you start drinking heavier than normal?"
Ric was unwilling to agree with Zach but he saw the truth of his words. Ric had started drinking more the moment they decided that Giuseppe had to die. It had only grown worse in the aftermath of his death. Ric was a few years older than Zach was so he actually had memories of their father. However, Giuseppe was the one that raised him as he grew into manhood. He loved his brother despite the years of abuse.
"Fuck off," was his erudite response.
Zach said, "Damon and I both think that you need to spend some time in rehab, Alaric. We love the fuck out of you, but you are at risk of destroying the people you love. We're not going to stand by and let you do that. We thought you were capable of pulling yourself out of this tailspin but we were wrong."
"I don't…"
Zach shook his head. "This isn't a suggestion. It's an order from Damon. You're going to rehab and you're going to back off this custody shit with Abby until you're stable. If you don't agree, we'll send you back to Milazzo with our uncles. You know as well as I do that our family home can be a safe haven or a prison depending on the situation."
Ric gritted his teeth and glared at his brother. "You expect me to leave the family with war on the horizon?"
"You are useless to us like this. You were nearly killed by a crazy bitch that has probably never held a gun in her fucking life. Let's be honest it's a good thing that she's such a terrible shot or you would have died," he snapped.
He went quiet because it was true. Ric was so wrapped up in his own shit that he hadn't realized she was behaving strangely. He frowned, "I didn't even see it coming. She was antsy about telling Stefan that I might be his father. I told her that we all agreed that wasn't something we were doing."
Zach looked puzzled. "All of this because she wants Stefan to know he might be your kid? That can't be the whole thing…"
"It's what we argued about last night. She's mentioned it a few times before...usually after we've fucked."
The younger man stood up from his chair and ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair. "How much of a possibility is this, Ric?"
"Honestly? I was fucking Lilly almost as much as Gio was at the time...maybe more. I was a teenager and my sister-in-law was willing to open her legs whenever I even looked at her."
"What the fuck does she want? She went as far as trying to kill you. It can't be about Stefan knowing the truth. It has something to do with someone trying to provoke a war between the families," Zach wondered aloud.
Ric blinked. "You can't think she's involved in that. I mean Damon could have been killed that night outside the hospital. One stray bullet and he would have been dead."
An uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. "Maybe Lilly didn't want Damon dead that night, but she arranged the perfect way to spark a war between us and the Benedettos. If Tyler would have died that night without being able to tell Bonnie that Damon warned him about the driveby…"
Ric said, "It would have been like knocking over dominoes. I've known Lilly most of my life. She's not smart enough to pull off something like this…"
"Of course not...someone is obviously pulling her strings. I can only think that Lilly was pressing the issue about Stefan because she wants to use him in some way. Maybe make him boss after Damon was out of the way. You might be more inclined to support your own son's rise to power," he proposed.
Ric snorted. "There's no way in hell the Benedettos would stand for Stefan taking what belongs to Bonnie's son."
Zach said, "I don't know. Bonnie loves Stefan like a brother. I don't see her killing him over the business. Although, maybe Bonnie wasn't meant to survive this either."
The older man shifted in discomfort. "Lilly wouldn't kill her own grandchildren."
He glared Ric. "You and Stefan give this bitch entirely too much benefit of doubt. She never had much in the way of maternal instincts. Why would she give a fuck about grandchildren that Damon never intends for her to know? She certainly hasn't acted as if she gave a shit about Damon until recently. She's been focusing on Stefan…"
"Because he's the weak link," Ric said with a sigh.
"Our nephew is a good kid but he can be just as unhinged as the rest of us...probably more so because he repressing all the shit we work through with alcohol and violence. Stefan is a simmering pot of rage, you learned that when he nearly whacked you in December. Which was a breakdown courtesy of the Lilly. And for some reason you decided to fuck her again anyway. Please, tell me that you've been using condoms."
Ric scowled and said, "Lilly is too old to get pregnant."
Zach looked like he would have slapped his brother if he weren't fourteen hours removed from being shot. He asked, "Are you fucking stupid?"
"I got shot by my brother's ex-wife that I've been fucking off and on since I was sixteen. Yes, I would say that I'm fucking stupid," he snapped.
"Glad we can agree on something," Zach replied heatedly.
Bonnie was more than a little nervous about how tonight would play out. However, she had worked too hard to let Klaus slip through her fingers now. The attempt to incite violence between their organizations made this partnership even more crucial. Her relationship with Damon was improving but they were too volatile for her to rely solely on that. Moreover, the driveby outside the hospital reminded them all that nothing was guaranteed. Damon's position as boss meant that he could be killed or imprisoned at any time. The cold truth was that Bonnie needed to be prepared to operate her business without him.
It would be easier to focus on tonight's setup if she wasn't worried about her family's domestic issues. Unfortunately, Ric had put them all in a terrible position. Jamie was bearing the brunt of his father's stupidity but it had ripple effects for the entire family. Bonnie was still trying to process Damon's claim that Jamie had considered killing Alaric after he had been shot. She wasn't inclined to believe a word from his uncle's mouth. However, Ric had been around enough killers to see the truth in his own son's eyes. Bonnie was more certain than ever that the right place for Jamie was Milazzo. Big John and Gianni were the stable male role models that her brother desperately needed. Moreover, outside of Shadow Hills, Bonnie couldn't think of a place where she had ever felt safer.
Sending her family to Milazzo would certainly ease Bonnie's burden. She could focus more of her attention on the business and less on the daunting task of keeping them safe. However, she was also mindful of the fact that sending Jamie away could do more harm than good. She didn't want to alienate her brother or make him feel as if he was being punished. Abby had deferred the decision to the leader of their family. She would take the children to Milazzo if that was what Bonnie thought was best. Her position as boss flipped the typical mother/daughter dynamics on its head. Nevertheless, Bonnie was grateful that Abby's support had been unwavering.
Tyler said, "They're coming out."
Bonnie broke out of her musing and looked toward the back entrance of Klaus' club.
Klaus was walking toward the armored luxury van with Marcel and Vincent.
She hadn't anticipated Vincent accompanying them but it didn't alter her plans.
The three men climbed into the van and moved into the empty seats. Once everyone was seated, Tyler quickly pulled away from the club. They had a tight schedule to keep tonight.
Bonnie smiled. "Hi, Nik. How are you doing tonight?"
"Good. And you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
There had been rumors flying around all day. Someone from the Salvatore family had been hit but no one seemed to know who it was or if they survived. Elijah had his suspicions because he reached out to Alaric but only received a terse text in response. The two men were the best of friends and spoke almost daily. Under normal circumstances, Alaric would have called Elijah.
She said, "Never better. How is Kol doing?"
Klaus suppressed a smirk at how quickly Bonnie maneuvered away from the top he wished to discuss. He wondered how much she knew. He said, "He's been bitching all day about the hospital, so I'd say that he's on the mend. I am sure when he's released tomorrow, he will also complain about home, too."
Truthfully, Kol had a long road ahead of him. However, being released from the hospital was a step in the right direction. Esther had even seen fit to return to California to support her son's convalescence. She had been fussing over Kol for days and pestering the hospital staff. Although, he complained about Esther's mothering, Kol was soaking up all the attention. Being the fifth out of seven children meant he had missed out on some of this attention as a child.
Bonnie chuckled and said, "There isn't much else to do when you are confined to a bed. Why not make everyone around you miserable, too?"
He hummed and said, "I suppose that is true."
Lucy added, "Misery loves company."
Bonnie nodded in agreement. She said, "Michael should be waiting for us at the warehouse with the product."
Klaus motioned to the black duffel bags they had brought to the van. "And we have the money. I'll want to sample to a few packages to ensure everything is on the up and up. You understand…"
She chuckled softly, "I brought some testing kits or you can do it the old fashioned way."
Vincent cleared his throat. Elijah had given him strict orders to get Klaus out of that warehouse in one piece and not high. He had put particular emphasis on ensuring his younger brother wasn't high around Bonnie. Vincent got the feeling he was missing pieces of the puzzle. Even as Elijah's second-in-command, he knew there were certain secrets he would never be privy to.
Klaus smiled at Bonnie's foresight. "While the old fashioned way would be infinitely more fun, I'm afraid I have to be a professional tonight."
Bonnie smirked at him and asked, "Is big brother making you behave?"
"Unfortunately. I suppose I will just have to celebrate this successful partnership some other night," Klaus said.
They were five minutes away from the warehouse when Bonnie's burner phone began to ring. She closed her eyes for a moment because this was the signal. She answered the call, "Uncle Richie? We're on our way to the warehouse now."
"Don't go to the warehouse, Bonnie. Our guy on the organized crime task force just called me. They're going to bust the warehouse."
"Shit," Bonnie said. "We'll call it off then."
"No. that's not necessary. Most of the product hasn't arrived at the warehouse. We'll just change locations. I have already spoken to Rudy about it. I'll text you the location. Then you need to get rid of that phone."
Bonnie said, "Alright. I'll see you soon."
Klaus looked at Bonnie expectantly. He had been able to overhear part of the conversation but not everything.
She said, "We've had a change in plans. The feds know about the deal. They're going to bust the warehouse. The drugs were being transported to the warehouse in a staggered convoy. Most of the product hasn't arrived. Richard is going to reroute the convoy to a different location. The deal still goes down tonight if you want."
Klaus looked at Vincent to confer silently.
Vincent asked, "Do you think it's safe?"
"I wouldn't be going if I didn't," Bonnie replied.
Klaus nodded. "Then we get this done tonight."
Bonnie showed the address to Klaus and then tossed her phone to Lucy in the front seat. "Destroy that phone, Luce."
Lucy rattled the address off to Tyler and then took out the SIM card before snapping the cheap thing in half.
Tyler made a sharp U-turn and headed towards the Heights where the new exchange would happen.
Klaus sent a message to his couriers redirecting them to the new address.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived a automotive garage in the Heights. A bay door opened and Tyler drove right inside and parked.
Inside the cocaine was already being unloaded from the vehicles.
Bonnie climbed out the van and walked over to her father. She hugged him. "I am glad you are safe, Abba."
"I am glad that you are safe, too," he said with a relieved smile.
Klaus and Marcel inspected the product.
Lucy said, "I have the testing kits if you want to begin."
"Yes," said Klaus. It was better to get it done quickly. His couriers would arrive soon and they could get moving.
A handsome young man walked up to Bonnie and Rudy.
Rudy said, "Bonnie, I'd like for you to meet Tomas. He's Tommy's oldest son."
Tomas gave a grim smile and shook Bonnie's hand. "I am sorry about the inconvenience tonight."
"No harm done as long as we walk away from tonight without shiny bracelets," she replied.
"That is something we can agree on," he replied with a nod.
"It's nice to meet you. My dad has talked about you a lot," Bonnie said with an amused smile. Rudy was obviously proud of his godson.
He chuckled and said, "It is nice to meet you, too. My dad has talked about you alot, too. Apparently, you are an accomplished dancer."
Bonnie raised an eyebrow and looked at her father.
He said, "It is a father's prerogative to brag about their children. You and Tomas have given Tommy and I a lot to be proud of."
They watched as Klaus and Marcel tested the product to make sure it was as advertised. Once they were satisfied with the quality, they handed the money over to Tomas.
Tomas shook Klaus' hand. "It was nice doing business with you, Mr. Mikaelson. I look forward to doing this again soon."
"I believe that we will," Klaus said with a nod.
Rudy clapped Tomas on the back. "Tell your father that I'll come up for a visit soon."
Tomas nodded in understanding. "I'll let him know."
Bonnie walked into her bedroom and kicked off her boots. She was exhausted and felt glad that her night was finally over. Bonnie would be happier if Tyler was with her, but their relationship had rules. The first rule was that Sarah could not know that they were dating yet. Sometimes Bonnie hated the rule that she made. However, she didn't want to confuse her little girl by introducing Tyler as her boyfriend so soon. Moreover, they were both on the rebound. Bonnie wasn't naive enough to ignore the possibility of their relationship ending as quickly as it had began. If she had her heartbroken, she didn't want Sarah to suffer, too.
She laid across the bed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She had been without it for several hours now. Bonnie frowned at a half dozen messages from Damon. She called him to see what was wrong. Bonnie hoped that Ric hadn't kicked the bucket while she was out of touch.
Damon answered immediately, he demanded. "Where the hell are you?"
Bonnie bristled at his tone but decided to give him some leeway. It was obvious that he was upset about something. She said, "I am going to give you a moment to rethink your tone of voice. It's late and I'm not in the mood to argue with you, Damon. If you can't be respectful, we can try this again in the morning."
He went quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. I am not interested in arguing with you either. I certainly didn't mean to be disrespectful. I heard that there was a drug bust tonight. I knew that you were supposed to be with Klaus. I was worried that you got arrested when I couldn't get in touch with you."
She softened hearing the genuine concern for her safety. She said, "I am fine, Damon. I just made it back home a few minutes ago."
"I'm on my way to Abby's house now. Can I see you?" he asked tentatively.
Bonnie was tempted to say no because she was tired. However, Damon was trying not to be a complete asshole. She felt it was her duty to meet him halfway. He did have a legitimate reason to be concerned about her. She took a deep breath and said, "Okay. How far away are you?"
"Maybe five minutes away?" he replied.
"I'll see you when you get here," she said. Bonnie ended the call and groaned. She laid there for a few minutes and literally felt her eyes about to fall closed.
Bonnie pulled herself back off the bed with a groan and stripped off her clothes. She changed into a pair of soft cotton shorts and a tank top. Then she threw an oversized cardigan over it. Bonnie planned to crawl into bed the moment Damon left.
She padded out the bedroom with a yawn and then headed onto the front porch just as Damon pulled up. She leaned against a pillar and waited for him to get out of the car.
Damon looked like a hundred miles of bad road. He hadn't slept in over 24-hours at this point. He walked up the walkway quickly and pulled Bonnie into a hug without thought. He remained quiet for a moment as his heart rate returned to a normal rhythm. He asked, "Why didn't you answer your phone, Bunny? I was worried sick about you."
"Who takes a cell phone to a drug buy, Damon?" she asked seriously.
He frowned at her but had to admit that she was right. The feds could subpoena GPS information from phone companies to learn where a phone was located at a particular time. "What happened? All I heard was that several people got scooped up during a raid. It took a lot of work to find out that only Morra's people were arrested. Why weren't you and Klaus there?"
Bonnie considered her husband for a moment and said, "We received a warning from someone on our payroll that the bust was going down tonight. It gave us enough time to change course and locations."
Damon raised an eyebrow at Bonnie's explanation because something felt off about it. If he wasn't dead on his feet, he probably would have figured it out on his first try. "Then how come some of Morra's guys were arrested tonight?"
"I guess not everyone got the message in time. It's unfortunate," she replied with feigned concern.
He slowly released Bonnie as he mulled over her words. "That's one hell of an oversight, Bunny."
She said, "My business, is not your business. I've made this clear to you. All you need to know is that I am safe, unharmed, and not in police custody. I can say the same for every member of the Mikaelson organization."
Damon studied her closely and then broke out into a smile. "My sneaky little Bunny."
Bonnie huffed out a laugh and sat down on the porch swing. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. I am the picture of innocence."
"You are a duplicitous manipulative bitch but I happen to love that about you even when it's directed at me," Damon said with a grin.
She laughed harder and said, "We have such sickeningly sweet pet names for each other 'duplicitous manipulative bitch' 'alcoholic whore'."
"You've never call me an alcoholic whore," he said with a frown.
She chuckled and said, "Yes, I have. Maybe just not to your face. Or maybe I called you a cokehead whore."
He hummed and sat beside her on the porch swing. He said, "You have definitely called me a cokehead and a whore. You're right we are practically swooning over each other."
Bonnie elbowed him gently. "You look like shit."
"Well, you look beautiful," he said with a grin.
"Liar. I am going to have bags under my eyes by morning," she complained.
Damon shook his head. "You always look beautiful to me."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Butter me up when I'm not working on three hours of sleep. Cole is going to chew me out about not resting. But today wasn't my fault…"
"You had three hours? I am officially envious. I can't remember the last time I closed my eyes. It was probably the night before last," he complained.
"You should be in bed," she pointed out.
Damon asked, "How could I sleep knowing my pretty little wife is out in the streets being a drug queenpin while the feds are sniffing around?"
"I am not a drug queenpin. I didn't even touch the stuff. You know my family's rule we don't sell drugs or people," she said haughtily.
He chuckled at her offended tone. He said, "Excuse me for mislabeling you."
"You are forgiven." She said, "But seriously, you should be at home in bed, Damon. Running around on no sleep is dangerous. It makes you an easy target."
"You mean just in case my mother tries to whack me again?" he asked bitterly.
Bonnie felt bad for him. She squeezed his hand. "Do you want me to just kill her for you? I could arrange something quick and painless. You know Cris loves experimenting with poisons and shit. We can slip a little something in her morning pot of tea and that will be the end of her."
Damon considered Bonnie for a moment and realized that she was serious. It was actually a heartwarming offer in his estimation. He said, "No, I need her alive for now. It took a few hours to convince Zach of that. He was ready to murder her last night."
"I don't blame him. I'd kill anyone that dared take a shot at one of my siblings or cousins," she said darkly.
Damon said, "I agree but she's more useful alive until we find out who she's working with. Then I'll throw her to Zach. He can kill her so that Stefan doesn't look at me with those sad fucking eyes of his."
Bonnie asked, "He's not still claiming that she's innocent, is he?"
"Not since Ric woke up and told us she's the one that shot him. Now he's just fucking sad. He actually fooled himself into believing one of our parents was capable of loving us."
She said, "You know that there's something wrong with Lilly, not the two of you."
He laughed tiredly. "That's what I told Stefan but…"
Bonnie rested her head on his shoulder. "I get it. Watching Mama raise my siblings makes me feel...broken. I know she loves me but it'll never be the same as what they had-a real mother. It makes me wonder what was wrong with me. Maybe it was just that Rudy was my father, you know? Maybe she couldn't love the child of a man that beat the shit out of her for years."
Damon wondered the same thing about his own mother. It might be why she always had a softer spot for Stefan. He was the kid that she wanted to take when she left Giuseppe. It seemed like she truly believed that Alaric was his father. There was no doubt that Giuseppe was Damon's father. His brothers had been too young for her to fuck when Damon was born. "Do you ever feel that way when you look at Sarah? After everything I did to you?"
Bonnie shook her head and said, "Sarah is my little gift from God. You can't understand the strength that little girl gave me. I had to survive for her because she needed me. Everything I do now is making sure she grows up better than I did. That she doesn't end up broken and desperate for love and attention from the wrong men. I never want kind words and a nice smile to be enough for Sarah to follow a grown man into a bedroom at a party. And God forbid if someone does hurt her, I want Sarah to know that I will burn the entire world to get vengeance for her."
Damon took her hand and kissed it softly. "I want that for her, too. I don't want her to cope with the shit life will throw at her in the ways that I have. Addiction runs so heavy in my family…"
"Mine, too," Bonnie added. "It's one of the reasons I didn't start drinking even when I was depressed. I was scared of the pit I might fall into. Not that I handled my depression in any healthy or rational way."
He chuckled. "Why the fuck did we think it was a good idea to have children?"
She said, "Well, it was expected of us...continuing the bloodline and all that. Besides, I'm Catholic. I don't believe in condoms."
Damon snorted and said, "You'll slit a man's throat but you draw the line at prophylactics?"
Bonnie laughed heartily and said, "My relationship with religion is multilayered and paradoxical. Mind your business, heathen."
He smiled at her and then closed his eyes for a moment. "At least our kids will be beautiful. How could they not be? I mean look at the two of us. We're fucking stunning, Bunny."
"I am not about to stroke your ego. It is big enough, Salvatore," she teased.
Damon chuckled and said, "I am going to be good and not make a joke about my big cock right now."
"Does it count as being good if you still mention your supposedly big cock?" she asked.
"Supposedly?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "You can't mean that Tyler's is bigger!"
Bonnie laughed harder and rested a hand on her belly. "Do you really want to talk about another man's cock?"
"No, but is it bigger than mine?" he asked.
"Are you drunk?"
"No."
She gave him a look.
"No! I had two drinks with dinner. You know that's barely a drop in the bucket for me. Now stop avoiding the question."
Bonnie shook her head. "I am not telling you about Tyler's junk. That's weird even for us."
Damon relaxed and grinned. "Then he is smaller than I am. You wouldn't hold back if you could say he was bigger. You like knocking me down a peg whenever possible."
"I was just trying to be nice to you since your mother is plotting against you. Tyler is a superior lover."
He snorted. "I don't believe that for a second."
She shrugged and said, "Believe what you like. He's...he knows what I like because he asked me. And if I didn't know what I liked, we experimented to find out. That is what making love should be, not what we used to do. You and I used to fuck and that has a place in a marriage, too."
Damon looked as if he had been slapped. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Don't get angry at me. You are the one that kept pursuing this conversation," she huffed.
"I'm not angry...I just want to understand," he muttered.
Bonnie said, "You and I fucked a lot and it was good. I enjoyed it. But it was never really about what I wanted or liked. You would come into the bedroom at night and decide that we should have sex and we did. You controlled what we did and how we did it. I didn't object because I liked making you happy but there wasn't room for me to figure out what I liked. It was always consensual so don't think I am suggesting otherwise."
He frowned as he considered what Bonnie was saying to him. He asked, "Why didn't you ever say anything? If there was stuff you wanted to...I'm a very open-minded man."
"With your wife?" she asked with a deadpan expression.
Damon admitted, "I probably would have been reluctant in the beginning but I would have come around. There was a whole teaching you about sex thing that ended up being a kind of kink for me."
Bonnie laughed at that. "I watched a lot of porn to learn about sex."
He stared at her slack jawed. "You're kidding, right?"
"Nope. I started watching porn once we were married. I knew the clinical stuff about sex. And of course I knew certain aspects because of what happened when I was sixteen. But I felt like I didn't know the stuff that would keep my husband's attention. So I watched porn on the internet."
"I have so many questions…"
She said, "And I am not going to answer any of them."
"What? You can't tell me that you were watching porn and then just shut down," he argued.
Bonnie said, "Let's draw this out to it's logical conclusion. You're going to leave here erect and lonely. Why do that to yourself?"
He said, "You know what...I'm adding mean to your list attributes. You're a cold woman, Bunny."
"Do you still love me?" she asked mockingly.
"Infinitely more than you can understand," he said sincerely.
She elbowed him in the stomach. "Stop…"
Damon grabbed her elbow with a grin. "Stop elbowing me, woman. Your elbows are pointy."
She was about to say something snarky but instead grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Here feel that!"
He let her elbow go and put his other hand on her stomach, too. "Wow, that's actually pretty hard."
"Yeah, I know," she said with a small smile. "They've been moving and kicking a lot lately."
"Really? Have you started thinking of names and all that?"
Bonnie nodded said, "Mostly family names...from both of our families. Excluding your father and grandfather because fuck both of those guys."
He chuckled deeply. "I guess that is fair. Is there a name you like most?"
"I have been pretty set of Stefano from the moment Dr. Huerta told me one of the twins was a boy."
Damon beamed and said, "Stefano is a good name."
"He's been a good brother to both of us. For a middle name, I was think Paul or Alonzo. Without the two of them, Stefan and I would be dead," she said reverentially.
Damon knew that Zach wouldn't be thrilled with his great-nephew having the name of a traitor but Bonnie's reasoning as indisputable. Whatever hostilities Alonzo harbored against Giuseppe it didn't stop him from protecting Stefan outside that church.
"Those are both sold choices."
"You're not upset that I didn't choose Damon Jr?"
He laughed and said, "Hell no. Why the fuck would I want to curse our son with my name?"
Bonnie chuckled softly. "Had you thought of any names?"
"Not really. I'm not good at naming shit. Naming our kids feels like something I shouldn't fuck up. What about girl names? Sheila?"
She shook her head. "Too much pressure to fill those shoes. Having people tell me that I remind them of Grams is enough pressure. I wouldn't want that for our baby girl. I was thinking Sofia, Emilia, or Gianna."
He chuckled and asked, "Gianna as homage to your uncle?"
She laughed and said, "There are a lot of boys named Gianni or Johnny because of my uncle. But I can't think of any girls named Gianna. I know he isn't fond of you but he's been such an important part of my life."
"What do you think of Rosemary as a middle or first name?"
"For your grandmother? I think that would be sweet, Damon," she said.
He said, "Gianna Rosemary Salvatore and Stefano Paolo Salvatore. Those are good names, Bunny. Strong names."
She corrected him, "Gianna Rosemary Bennett-Salvatore. Stefano Paolo Bennett-Salvatore. So that our children never forget where they come from."
Damon huffed out a laugh. "When they have to learn to spell all that, I am sending them to you. I won't take the blame for those incredibly long names."
Bonnie stuck her tongue out at him. "You're lucky that I am a nice Bennett woman. Or did you not notice that my cousins all bear the last name Bennett regardless of the marital status of their parents. We do not abandon our identity for any man. Marriage can be temporary but the blood in our veins never changes."
He shook his head with a smile. "My militant little wife. How did I never notice?"
"You didn't look close enough and I am good at pretending," she said with a shrug.
"Do you still feel the need to pretend with me?"
"No. Either I tell you the truth or say it's none of your business."
Damon hummed in agreement and closed his eyes for a moment.
Bonnie settled against his side and stared up at the sky. After a few minutes, she realized that Damon had gone completely still. She looked at him closely and said "Damon…"
"Hmm?"
"You need to go home. You're exhausted and you are about to fall asleep on my mother's porch."
Damon opened his bleary eyes. "I'm not ready to leave you yet. I want to see Sarah, too."
Bonnie sighed softly. "Come on...you can crash on the couch. Sarah will be happy to see you in the morning."
"Really?"
She nodded and said, "It's a long way back to the manor. I won't have you driving in this state."
Damon watched as she stood up.
"Come on. This offers expires the moment I step into the house without you."
He slowly got up with a groan.
She laughed softly. "You sound like an old man."
"I am an old man, Bunny. At least I feel like one," he complained as he walked into the house with her.
Bonnie nodded her head toward the living room. "I'll go scrounge up some linens and pillows for the couch, yeah."
"Thanks," he said. Damon walked into the living room and took off his jacket. He sat down on the couch closed his eyes while he waited for Bonnie.
She returned a few minutes later and asked, "Are you wake?"
He groaned and said, "Mostly…"
"Well, take your shoes off. Mama will have your head if she finds your shoes on her couch."
Damon took off his shoes and then stretched out on the couch.
Bonnie shook her head since she'd brought a sheet for nothing. She draped a blanket over Damon and then handed him two pillows. "I'll see you in the morning."
Damon stuffed the pillows under his head. "Thank you, Bunny."
"You're welcome," she replied. Bonnie turned out the lights and then left the room.