A/N: No copyright infringement intended. I do not own the characters. The characters are written in my own likeness, OOC. This is an AU. Sorry this chapter is so long.
A reminder, my other handle here on FF is, 'Queenbmia.' I have added this story to that handle as well. I have added the last chapter over there though because I've found that account gets less reviews than this one… LOL!
Oblivion Chapter 12: Pseudo Paradise
Damon opened his eyes to see the back of Bonnie's head as they lay in bed together. A slight grin crept across his lips. He pushed his nose into her soft tresses and snuggled closer to her. He nestled his covered penis up against her covered rump, wishing that they were completely naked as they lay hugged all up and spooning.
He listened for his unborn child's heartbeat. He was relieved to know that her being pregnant wasn't a creation of his mind's eye.
A year ago, he probably would have argued avidly against the whole idea of a domesticated life, but now, he was excited and intrigued by it all. He wondered what it would be like to be a father. He wondered what Stefan would be like as an uncle.
As thoughts of being a father diminished from his mind, he began to think about what Bonnie would do once she learned of her pregnancy. At the rate the baby was growing, he was sure that morning sickness was soon to come.
Sunlight began to fill the room. Normally, by this time of morning, he would be awakening to an empty house. Bonnie would be gone, but not this morning.
She was sound asleep. He did not remember a time when she had slept so serenely since they had been on new Earth. The baby had a positive effect on more than just him.
He rubbed his cheek against hers and stroked her arm with his strong hand. Her warm body was heaven against his cool physique.
His affectionate caresses progressed beyond touching and cuddling. He kissed her all over her face and neck. He snickered lowly at his deviousness of stealing kisses and fondles from her.
The image of an angry Bonnie made his heart flutter with fondness.
Monkey Man decided to let out a booming roar outside their window. The animal was merely flexing his wind pipes but the sound of it gave Damon a shock.
He jumped clear out of bed, startling a sleeping Bonnie in the process.
Her eyes opened wide as headlights, alarmed.
"I'm stronger than you!" she yelled, yanking herself from the bed. Her blinkers scanned the room. She released a loud, reliving sigh once realizing she was not in harm's way, but at home in her own bed.
"Bonnie, you okay?" Damon asked, jumping back on the bed, looking worriedly at her as he waved his fingers down the side of her face.
"I'm okay. I'm okay," she said groggily and fell back down to the mattress.
"I'm guessing you're going back to sleep?" He delivered a soft chortle.
"You got it," she replied, shielding her face from the well-lit room with the blanket.
Damon watched her for a few seconds more and then jumped out of bed, vexed at hearing Monkey Man still being all loud outside their window.
"Shut up, you, mangy beast!" he blasted.
Monkey Man grunted and bared his teeth.
"Stop smiling at me. You've ruined everything," he nagged.
Monkey Man slung mud at him. Damon closed the shutter doors at vampire speed, successfully blocking the hurling muck.
"You little shit," he mumbled.
"Damon! Good morning!" Tupac waved as he strolled up the walkway, wearing a gleeful grin.
"Ah, great," Damon murmured with a roll of his eye. He closed the shutters, got fully dressed, and took his time going out to visit with Tupac.
"Tupac, I like you and all, but it's really too damn early for a visit. Don't you think?" he chided, he was in a mood.
"Here's the two-hundred shillings I promised you. Doesn't this make my visit worthwhile?" he replied, holding the bag of coins out for Damon to take.
"Thank you. Now, go away."
Damon turned Tupac around and pushed him in the direction from which he came.
"Hey, I thought we could hang out without the women," Tupac said disappointingly.
"I'm trying to get one, and you're ruining it for me, so Bye," he enunciated.
"Oh, so you and Bonnie are trying to have a romantic morning," Tupac replied, his back to Damon. He continued. "This reminds me of the time that Zinnia and I had our first date." He beamed in retrospect. Damon went back inside the house, and Tupac was still talking.
"Hey! You don't have to be so rude!" he yelled, seeing that Damon was gone. He kicked rocks and left.
Damon sat down on the bed, placing the bags of coins on the floor. He was enthusiastic about watching Bonnie sleep than doing anything else. He begin caressing her face all over again.
"I'm stronger than you? What were you dreaming about Bonnie?" he whispered once recalling her outburst from earlier.
He cautiously observed her for a few minutes more before deciding to get the day started. He made her a hearty breakfast consisting of bread and honey, two lean slices of meat, fruit, and he brewed her favorite tea that he kept warm over the fire in their tiny little oven/stove. He went on to prepare her shower.
Bonnie's eyes fluttered open to land immediately on Damon's ass. He was standing in front of the table, counting their money. Not that he didn't trust Tupac, but he didn't think that Bonnie would take too kindly to him watching her as she slept.
Bonnie cursed herself internally. She wanted to be out of the house before Damon got up. She didn't trust herself to be around him. She put up a great front, but she played them making love to each other repeatedly in her head. The images of Damon's cock popped in her brain every six seconds of the day.
She scanned his masculine figure; as she swooned over his outer appearance, she started visualizing how beautiful he was when he would kiss or declare his love to Elena. She now was on the receiving end of his affections. She felt overwhelmingly blithe about his love.
She now knew the simplest things about him, like how husky his voice was in the morning, or when he was in a serious mood. She lucidly remembered his touch and the way he looked at her before they made love.
Bonnie sat up slowly on the side of the bed, her mantra of thoughts still on him.
If it weren't for the aroma of the homemade bread and meat, she would have forced herself back to sleep, so she could conjure up sweet dreams about them.
The wooden frames squeaked as Bonnie moved about the bed, alerting Damon to her being awake.
"Morning," he greeted in a low, deep voice, giving her a fiery gleam.
God, why does he have to look at me like that? Why is he so good looking? If he were ugly, things would be so much easier. Maybe I should sleep with him one more time. What could it hurt? No one needs to know, Bonnie conversed internally with herself.
"Are you okay?" He came and sat down beside her.
The bulge in his pants made her uneasy and moist in the panties.
"Hey you. You okay?" He squinted his eyes, worried; he comfortingly massaged her uncovered leg.
Bonnie swallowed deeply, nervous that his hand was touching her so seductively.
"I'm okay," she answered mawkishly.
"Are you sure? You seem worried, and this morning, you screamed, 'I'm stronger than you.' What was that all about?"
"Yeah, I had that same nightmare, again, but I'm okay. I don't think it's anything to be worried about," she replied, shifting her gaze illicitly about, not making eye contact with him.
He puckered his gaze suspiciously at her.
"Well, if you need me, I'm here for you. You know that, right?" he said seriously.
She looked at him, surprised by his words. She believed him. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Damon Salvatore wouldn't be there for her. He returned her sweetness, with a beatific grin of his own.
"Thank you. I feel safer, knowing that you're here for me."
"You do not need to thank me for something that I take pleasure in doing, and that's protecting and loving you." He grinned and gave her hand a loving squeeze. Their little exchange immediately turned into one awkward moment, as they gave each other lovesick puppy eyes.
She cleared her throat, prompting him to speak.
"Are you hungry? I made some breakfast, and I filled the pail for you to take a shower."
"Oh, wow. Thank you, and I am starving by the way." Bonnie gave her stomach a pat and a gentle rub.
He looked down at her belly, remembering that she was now carrying his child. He reached his hand over and gave her tummy a gentle pat, his eyes dreamily transfixed on her abdomen.
She gave him a curious gaze. "Uh, are you okay?" She narrowed her lashes and derisively snorted.
He widened his eyes, snatched his hand from her, and jumped to his feet.
In a fleeting moment, he had almost forgotten that he, not her, knew that she was pregnant. Here he was again, wanting to confide in her about the baby, but fear of what she might do overtook him. It was his baby, too, but unfortunately, Damon didn't have a say over her body, so he did the only thing that he could do, he refused to let Bonnie know about the pregnancy.
He had to give his baby a fighting chance, but looking down at Bonnie, who was selfless, and who would rather die herself than hurt the people she loved, it made him feel ashamed of himself. She did not deserve his lies, but she also did not deserve to give up everything to please her friends, and he would make sure that those types of things never happened to Bonnie, again.
He easily talked himself out of telling her the truth, but unfortunately, it wasn't soon enough for her to pick up on the fact that he was hiding something.
"Why do you look guilty? What did you do while I was asleep?" She stood up, crossly fold her arms, and sent him a reprimanding look.
"What? I did not do anything but be the best friend you could ever have, and I certainly do not kiss and cuddle you while you sleep. God, you are so accusatory," he babbled in feign defense, inadvertently spilling the beans on himself, during his idiotic rambling.
He shifted nervously on his feet, his cheeks bright red as he waited for Bonnie's response.
"Whatever, Damon." She shooed him off with a rude wave of her hand and scurried off to the washroom.
He upturned his brow curiously at her. He was prepared for her to tear into him, but she completely shrugged off his inconsequential reply instead.
He remained rooted in place, dumbfounded by their insignificant tiff, but he kept an eye on the bathroom door as if he were expecting her to pop out and rip him a new one. He shrugged once he realized his paranoia had gotten the better of him. He cleared the coins from the table and sat down to have breakfast with Bonnie
"Aww, you're waiting for me. This is nice, I think," she said, presenting him with a grateful smile.
"Oh, I'll get that," he blurted. He rushed to pull out her chair. She looked back at him, blushing as she blindly lowered herself down to sit.
Bonnie started greedily stuffing her face, forgetting that Damon was there, staring at her.
"What's in the bag?" she inquired, her mouth full.
"Tupac dropped off the money he promised."
"Oh, why didn't he stay to visit?"
"Beats me. I asked him to stay, but he was in a rush to get back home. You know him," he replied artlessly, omitting that he rudely got rid of their guest.
"What are you doing today?" she probed.
"I thought maybe we could check into getting a bigger place to live. What do you think?"
"Sounds nice," she answered absentmindedly.
That was all they could think to say to each other. Through the rest of the meal, all they could conjure up were erotic glances. Bonnie found herself shy under his sensual gape. She politely excused herself from the table.
She went to the stove and topped off her cup of tea. She looked out the window, seeing a horse-like creature feeding yards away. Realizing that the room was as quiet and as still as the sea before the storm, she peeped over her shoulder to see if Damon was still there.
He was sitting at the table, relaxed, legs spread wide, coolly drumming his fingers, a faraway look in his eyes. She could not help but smirk at how adorable he was. She turned back to the window to look at the creature as she sipped on her hot beverage.
"What's got you so preoccupied over there?" he asked, scooting his chair across the floor, it loudly screeched as he moved it over the wood. 'Oops, sorry." He flinched.
Oddly, the noise didn't take Bonnie away from marveling over the creature outside.
Damon came and stood by her. He looked out the window to see what had her so captivated.
"You okay?" he asked, not even noticing the creature, grazing outside their window,
"I want to ride one of those horse creatures. You rode one. What was it like?" she replied abstractedly.
"What?" he crinkled his eyes.
"That horse thingy over there." She pointed.
"No! No, you cannot ride one of those in your delicate—," he stopped mid-sentence, bucking his eyes.
"In my delicate what? O M G, are you saying because I'm a woman I can't ride that beautiful animal?" She frowned.
"Not because you're a woman. You're so tiny. That thing is huge."
"I don't care. I want to ride one. They look fun."
"They're amazing!" he gloated and then caught himself. "I mean… they're okay." He shrugged animatedly.
"Please teach me how to ride one," she pleaded, fluttering her lashes at him.
"Well, when you beg like that—who can refuse," he philandered and gave a wink of his eye.
"You're a mess." She shook her head dubiously at him and gave a little splutter.
::::::
There was not a whole lot that people could do in Gardenia, but the natural beauty of the planet was like no other. Damon could marvel at his surroundings all day. He didn't feel like he had to look over his shoulder all the time like he did when they first arrived.
He sat out in the town square watching Bonnie as she mingled with the town's women.
This was his first time observing the people and how they interacted with each other.
"I'm ready," she informed
"You're done gossiping?" he joked.
"I was not gossiping," she corrected sassily.
"Sure, you weren't." He smirked. "Do you mind if we stop by the townhall to speak with Tupac?"
"Nope." She gave a polite grin.
He draped an arm over her shoulders. She pressed her lips together, giving an apprehensive grin, but gave in to their romantic cuddle. She meandered an arm around his waist. He took the basket of goods that she was totting. They looked like the perfect doting couple as they walked in perfect stride up the walkway. She did not make a fuss as his fingers lovingly caressed her naked shoulder, and he bequeathed her forehead and cheek with solicitous kisses.
Bonnie brought them to an unforeseen stop as she believed she saw someone that she knew. "Oh, my God," she said stunned. "Is that Qetsiyah?"
"Where?" Damon's eyes thinned to slits as he searched the sea of faces in the crowd. Bonnie tapped him on the chest, trying to get his attention. "See, over there." She pointed.
The woman turned quickly away from them and slid her cloak further down her head. "No way. There's no way in hell that Qetsiyah is here. She killed herself, right?"
"Yeah, I guess," Bonnie whispered, still trying to see the woman's face.
"Come on babe." Damon curled his arm around her waist and nudged her along.
At the booth, the woman peered over her shoulder, thunderstruck by seeing them.
"Qetsiyah, here's your payment. You bought some real fine pieces this time. I have no doubt we'll sell them all by week's end."
"Never mind that. Who's that couple?" Qetsiyah pointed at Bonnie and Damon who were leaving the courtyard.
"Oh, that's Bonnie and Damon. They're the outlanders I told you about."
"Oh. Well, thank you for the payment. I don't think I'll be returning for a while." Qetsiyah snatched up the bag of money and hightailed it out of town.
Damon peeped inside the townhall to make sure the environment was peaceful before leading Bonnie inside.
"Tupac, my man," he greeted happily.
"What do you want?" Tupac pouted.
"Oh, now."
"How are you doing, Tupac?" Bonnie inquired kindly.
"Your boyfriend here-,"
"Are there any houses for sale around here?" Damon cut Tupac short, preventing him from divulging what happened between them earlier that morning.
Oddly, the news of Bonnie and Damon wanting to buy a bigger home intrigued Tupac. His demeaner transformed in a flicker of an eyelid.
"You want a bigger house? Okay, we built three new homes very recently. They're not furnished."
"How much? We have schillings," Bonnie toyed and then gave an adorable giggle, tickling Damon.
"For you…," Tupac twisted his face in thought. "…a thousand schillings," he said seriously.
Bonnie went slack-jaw.
"What the fuck?" Damon scrunched his eyes in disbelief. "I sense this is about this morning," he said coolly, giving Tupac a callous languish.
"I am only kidding. You two can have the home for free, but you will have to buy your own furniture," he advised.
"Why the change of heart?" Bonnie's eyes dimmed with an inkling.
Tupac blew out air. "Look, I won't pussy foot around with you. I need you to make day-walking bracelets, rings, whatever—for my men. They're ready to get back to their everyday lives. They've been here a couple of days now, without incident. We've even let them go several hours without feeding, tempting them with human blood, and no one failed."
Bonnie inhaled; her deportment filled with misgivings about his request. Damon looked down at her with a wondering guise.
"I'm really not comfortable with this. These vampires' will not only own the night, they'll own the day, too." She rested. "I'm the only one in this town that has the power to stop them, and with these many vampires running loose, it'll make it much harder for me to contain and defeat them," she expressed strongly.
"… and I do understand your position, but I need my men. Our quarrel with the Bara intensifies every day. I give you my word that these men will not cause you or the people of Gardenia any harm. Please, reconsider your position," he implored tenaciously.
She gave a loud sigh, relaxing her body. "I know I'm going to regret this," she replied, reluctance lining her voice.
"No, you won't," Tupac answered seriously.
She gave him a doubtful glimpse.
Damon's spectacles ping-ponged between them.
"How many rings do you need," she conceded with a roll of her eyes.
"Thank you, Bonnie! Thank you! Thank you!" He tower his fingers and lifted his voice to the heavens.
"I need at least a hundred rings, but—there is one problem." He paused dramatically.
"What now?" Damon grimaced.
"We don't have many precious stones in our possession. Most of the jewelry made is with shiny rocks. The piece you are wearing is real, but it was taken from the dead. The merchant who supplies us with these jewels lives in a faraway village. She brings her goods here to be sold in our city."
"Oh," Bonnie frowned as she took hold of the gem hanging from her necklace, giving it an uncomfortable once over.
"Sorry, Bon Bon," Damon said regretfully.
"No, don't be. You didn't know. I still love my necklace." She grinned preciously.
Damon took her by the waist, pulled her into him, and gave her an angel kiss.
"You two ready to go?" Tupac asked.
They nodded in agreement.
"Tao, keep an eye on things. I'll be back shortly. Let's go." Tupac gestured to the exit.
He marveled over the unsuspecting duo, grinning. Bonnie was completely enamored with Damon and everyone else could see it but her.
"How adorable." Tupac smirked.
::::::
They ran into Zinnia on the way to see the houses. Bonnie and Damon walked in to what was a much larger place than where they currently lived but it was still quaint.
Instead of being a two roomed house, it had an open floor plan, two bedrooms, and a large bathroom. The bathroom had a bathtub along with a shower. The kitchen was separated by an archway entry with tiny cabinets on both sides of the porcelain sink, and it had a tiny oven/stove that sat across from the cupboard.
In this house, their bedrooms actually had doors. There were plenty of windows of all sizes, and unlike their current home, this house had an aqueduct system, which helped to drop the temperature in the home tremendously, according to Tupac.
Hearing that the house had its own cooling system made Damon see red. After all he and Bonnie had done for the people of Gardenia, he could not understand why Tupac and his friends didn't put them in the better house to begin with.
Damon got over his anger rapidly when he thought about investing in a new home with the woman he wanted to spend forever with. Suddenly, a little thing like keeping the house from them did not seem such a big deal in retrospect.
"Do you like the house?" Zinnia asked.
"I love it!" Bonnie beamed.
"Do you want it?" Tupac asked.
"Of course, we want the house. What kind of dumb ass question is that?" Damon barked spitefully.
Tupac ignored Damon's snide remark. He was use to him being occasionally rude.
"Damon," Bonnie warned. "When can we move in?"
"Anytime you want," Zinnia said happily.
"Oh, Zinnia. The horses; can anyone ride them or do we need permission?" Bonnie asked.
"They belong to all of the people. You don't need permission."
"Really? Well, Damon I guess we're going riding."
"Yup." He rolled his eyes.
"Bonnie do you think you should be riding a horse in your delicate condition?"
Zinnia's comment came right out of a horror movie. Damon froze up on the spot.
"In my delicate condition? You too, Zinnia?" She frowned.
"It's getting late. Bonnie we better get our things if we want to stay here tonight?" Damon intruded agitatedly.
"Bonnie, I wasn't trying to be mean. You can do what you want, but maybe when you're further along."
Tupac seeing a terrifyingly, pale Damon felt compelled to intervene. "I think what she means, Bonnie, is that you are really small and they're such large animals."
"No-," Zinnia started.
"Zinnia, may I have a word with you," Tupac said while grabbing her by the arm and dragging her outside.
"Bonnie, I'm going to take a look around the house. Wait here," Damon spluttered for words and then rushed outside behind them.
Bonnie was too upset about Zinnia's comment to even think about their suspicious behavior.
"Bonnie's pregnant," Zinnia blurted once seeing Damon.
"She is, but I haven't told her."
"Damon, you have to tell her!"
"I can't!"
"Why?" she asked heatedly.
"If I tell her, she'll get rid of my kid!" he broadcasted loudly, enraged.
"You don't know that!" she shot back.
"I do, because I know Bonnie!" he refuted in a raised voice. "…so, if you two will be so kind as to stay out of my fucking business!"
"But-,"
"Zinnia, this is Damon's decision. He knows Bonnie better than the both of us. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"Ugh," Zinnia pouted and then stormed off.
"Go after her!" Damon blasted irately, gesturing to an angry Zinnia.
"Can you two find your way back?" Tupac asked.
"Yes!" Damon colored with exasperation.
"Listen, don't worry about Zinnia; she won't say anything," Tupac pleaded as he backed down the pathway, remorse tinting him.
Damon looked back at the house, tightly fisting the hair at the top of his head.
"Damon," Bonnie called as she stepped out onto the porch.
"Yeah," he mumbled.
"Where are Zinnia and Tupac?"
"They had to go," he replied, diverting his dreamy-eyed daze elsewhere.
"…so, you love the house?" she stated happily.
"Yes, I do, and even more so that I know you'll be staying with me," he replied languorously, his eyes pools of dismay.
"Do you think we should continue to share the same bed?" she questioned unsurely.
"…and why not Bonnie," he answered nastily. "All we have is each other. I feel safe when laying next to you. I don't feel alone when you're near, and I know you feel the same way, so don't tell me you don't." His voice fractured with emotion.
"Damon."
"What, Bonnie?" He was angry.
"I'm sorry. I'm scared, okay?"
"...but you are not sorry enough to stop sleeping half naked in the same bed with me."
"Ouch." She gave a mortified glance.
Damon immediately regretted what he said. "I apologize, Bonnie."
"No, you don't have to apologize. You are right. Well, now we'll have two rooms. I can sleep in the other room."
"You don't have to do that," he replied imploringly.
"I know it's not fair that I sleep in my skimpy night gowns. It is not fair to you, but like you said, I feel safe when you are beside me. It's just you and me, Damon," she explained somberly.
He grinned. He took her into his arms and squeezed her snuggly. "I want to keep sleeping with you," he whispered into her hair.
"I want to keep sleeping with you, too." She giggled, and seconds later, they laughed at their pathetic display of emotions.
( ~ )
Stefan rolled out of bed feeling like death. He was bitten over twenty-four hours ago, and his injury was already beginning to affect him. He sat up on the side of the bed, his boots, hitting the floor with a soft clomp. Instead of going out and screwing some hot babe or feeding on some poor sap, he went to his bedroom after giving Elena a piece of his unhuman mind and crashed.
He rolled up his shirt sleeve and inspected the werewolf bite on his arm, his orbs a black pool of void. His predicament didn't seem to make him flicker with the slightest human emotion.
Stefan's eyes went bloodshot and shadowy veins pulsed across his cheek. He smirked, and his incisors extended in a wink. He moved about the house like wind whizzing through tree branches to the one whose blood was summoning him. He stopped precipitously in the kitchen ingress and gave his prey a threatening, enflamed gape.
The broom Melissa was holding, slipped from her hand, and hit the floor. Her peepers went bug-eyed once spotting the full-on vampire standing menacingly in the doorway. She balled her hands into fist and started backing away from him. Stefan sneered, peeling his vampire face.
"Sweet Melissa," he sung, closing the distance between them as he prowled over to her like an animal sneaking up on prey. Stefan was now standing in front of her. He placed a hand on the kitchen counter and jut out a knee. Melissa gripped the countertop, anchoring her quivering figure.
He looked down at her fingertips, whiting as she tensely gripped the countertop. He skated a hand over to hers and covered it with his veined, well-manicured hand with its handsome shapely fingers.
"You don't need to be afraid of me," he honeyed with his silvery tongue, giving her an alluring ray. "I like you Melissa," he said youthfully and animatedly.
She fearfully combed his face, reading his demeanor. "I'm not afraid of you." She yanked her hand away from his with a roll of her eyes and started picking up the broken glass from the coffee mug she broke earlier. Stefan watched her for a moment and then began helping her. He squatted down in front of her, immediately, spying her tiny droplets of blood that had summoned him to her. He swallowed deeply, fighting his blood lust.
"I don't need your help," she quipped.
"…so, you're a witch?" he joked.
"What?" she wrinkled her face with disgust. "You know what the hell I am."
"You're obviously not a good witch, or else you would've twitched your nose and this shit would've been cleaned up," he said nonchalantly still picking up debris.
Melissa gave him a murderous glower and then threw the shards of glass at him. She preceded for the door, opting for a dramatic departure. He whooshed to the exit, cutting her off.
"What do you see in the pooch, little witch?" He feathered the back of his fingers down her cheek. She winced.
"Give me a kiss?"
"Get out of my way," she said through clenched lips.
"Give me a kiss and I'll move." He leaned against the door, coolly folding his arms, and crossed his foot, "…or," he paused dramatically. "A kiss can save the dog's life." He gave an evil grin.
She tensed and reddened with angry, fisting her hands. She raced him a penetrating scowl and delivered a concentrative waive of pain against him.
Stefan closed his eyes, pressed his fingers strongly against his temple, and hummed through the pain. She ceased her rain of power. Stefan's eyes popped open; he released a handsome chortle. "Is that all you got?" He cocked his head handsomely to the side, laughing. She unleashed another assault against him.
Her eyelids went like shutters and speedily opened wider after feeling Stefan's lips contact hers. She flailed her hands about. His mouth overpowered hers, parting them for access. He meandered his tongue into her mouth. She hummed into his orifice. He gripped her face with a tenderness that no true monster could bestow. Melissa's body slumped. Her eyes slowly closed. She timidly bobbled her head from side to side as she evaporated deeper into their carnal osculation.
He pecked her lips sensually a few more times before ending their smooch altogether. He loomed over her, fanning her cheek with his finger, his eyes filled with deceit. Melissa stood there with her eyes closed, head tilted, her lips still puckering, and giving kisses.
"That flea bag can't make love to you like me," he whispered, a dangerous, and conniving tone in his vocals.
Her lashes slowly lifted once the coldness of his voice reached her awareness.
"You've got what you wanted. Now move," she replied lividly. She rudely wiped his kiss from her mouth and shouldered passed him.
Stefan deliberately turned his hawkish gape to her, tracking her out to the living room.
"Tyler." She came to an unexpected stop at seeing him sitting on the couch, his head lowered, and his hands clasped together between his legs.
"I didn't know you were coming over," she said, her eyes filled with culpability.
"Yeah, I just got here. Lucy let me inside. I couldn't sleep, too, worried about Stefan."
"Don't you dear be worried about that blood sucking asshole. He made a pass at me in the kitchen," she went on to explain, walking over to him. She sat down next to him. She traced her hand in a circular motion repeatedly over his stiffened muscles, trying to comfort him.
"He did what? Did he hurt you?" Tyler crinkled his eyes, miffed by her reveal.
"No, he didn't hurt me, but he kissed me against my will."
"I'm going to kick that motherfucker's ass," he blurted, springing to his feet.
"No!" she grabbed his shoulder and forced him back down. "I kind of kissed him back. I'm sorry."
Tyler grinned. She gave him a curious mien. "Why are you smiling?"
"You women just can't resist a bad boy."
"Shut up." She whacked him on the shoulder. "No, but seriously, you're not mad?"
"Melissa, we just met last night, and besides, you have yet to kiss me," he challenged with a flirt and bequeathed her with a yearning look, taking Melissa's breathe away.
They engaged in a starry-eyed gleam. She leaned into him and closed her eyes. Tyler's amber eyes twinkled with joy at seeing her make the first move. Her lips now touched his. He pushed his mouth gently back into hers.
Stefan covertly entered the room. He poured himself a drink. He stood in front of the fireplace and watched them kiss as he leisurely sipped on his bourbon.
Melissa and Tyler started out with lenient and desirous smackers, and then intensified their kiss to a hot sultry wit of the tongue, and nibble of the lips. He ran the tip of his tongue over her strawberry tasting mouth, relishing in the feel of her warm, ample, and moist chops. He hummed with pleasure as they ended their light contact. They continued to flirt, and forehead kissed.
"Let's not stay around here. Take me riding," she suggested.
"I'd like that," he replied.
"Aw, aren't you two adorable. The lame witch, and the flea bag." Stefan gave them a smug grin.
"Ugh." Melissa angrily grunted with a skyward roll of her peepers. "Tyler, let me get my things, and we can go." She diverted Stefan another serious eye roll before leaving.
"I'm going to fuck her before I die," Stefan broadcasted, his gaze ravenously trailing her ass as she hiked up the stairs.
"You are so fucking pathetic, with and without your humanity," Tyler insulted.
"Says the pathetic loser whose ex fucked his mother's murderer." Stefan stood there still wearing that same self-satisfying sneer.
"Caroline screwing Klaus makes her the pathetic one not me, but let's talk about how your girl fucked your brother right here in the same house you sleep in night after night, now that's pretty fucking pathetic." Tyler reciprocated Stefan's arrogant leer. He strolled over to him, hands in his jacket. They stood eye to eye, sizing each other up.
Stefan drank the last swallow of his liquor. He swished it around in his mouth, looking at Tyler.
"We'll see how pathetic I am after I fuck your girl," he threatened, pouring himself another drink. He held the tumbler up to his mouth to take a sip, when his brow piqued with a thought. "You know you won't be around to protect her all the time. She has the hots for me. I could feel it when she kissed me," he gloated.
"I've got news for you—leech. You'll be dead before too long, so you better think about saving your life instead of thinking about your next piece of ass, because my bit is doing its thing." Tyler grinned devilishly as he tapped his index finger against his neck and then gestured to Stefan's.
Stefan lost his cockiness. He lifted his hand and traced his fingers over his neck, feeling the soreness of his flesh.
"Tyler, I'm ready," Melissa announced, wearing her purse, and her bomber jacket.
Tyler backed slowly away from Stefan, still wearing his gloating sneer. He spun around, placed a hand on the small of Melissa's back, and lead her to the exit. He opened the door for her and then looked back at Stefan. "Hey, do you want a white or a black casket?" Tyler derided and presented him with a sinister smirk.
Stefan waited until they were gone before he went to the mirror in the foyer. He pulled down the collar of his shirt and scrutinized over his purple, blotchy skin, and the blackening of his veins. "I welcome death," he whispered to his ghostly reflection.
:::::
Bonnie and Damon took what little they had from their old house to their new home.
They spent the next few days at market, buying things to fix up their new place.
Bonnie bought beautiful chandelier candle holders, curtains, and wall ornaments for them to hang around the house. They decorated their home with bright, brilliant colors that gave it a bohemian vibe.
Their living area had one cozy bean bag chair and a small photon style love seat, and they placed a small table on the side of it and a much larger table in front of it for a place to sit their candles and other things.
Their bedroom was long but not very wide. Damon opted for the much larger bed. It was a real pain to get it in the house, and he fought Bonnie helping him every step of the way. He would not let her lift, carry, or help him move anything.
His adamant behavior did not sit well with her.
"Where are you going?" he stewed.
"Away from you," she replied heatedly, marching away.
"Aw, man. Are you mad? I'm looking out for you. I'm trying to be a gentleman," he groveled, dropping what was in his hands to go after her.
"I know you're trying to be a gentleman, but I'm not a helpless kitten, and I'm tired of you treating me like one. Don't carry that. Don't touch this. You can't ride that. You can't do this," she mimicked. "Just stop!"
He exhaled exhaustingly, placing his hands on his hips. Keeping the secret that Bonnie was pregnant was harder than he thought. He wanted to be the protective father to be, but in her eyes, he was coming off like a madman.
"Look, I'm sorry. I guess I'm taking things a little too far. Will you forgive me?" he brooded.
She raked him over with ambiguity.
"I'll forgive you, but only if you ease up."
"Okay, I will. I promise." He crossed his heart and then made a steeple of his fingers, giving her an imploring look.
"You are so full of it."
"Yeah, now come help me make the bed." He gave her a loving grin.
"Now you want some help." She shook her head at his dubious behavior.
They went to the bedroom. She squeezed on the opposite side of the bed and waited for Damon to spread the sheet over the mattress. He threw the cover up in the air. Bonnie jumped on the bed, laughing all the while as the sheet cascaded down, and covered her.
"Oh, no! Where did Bon Bon go?" he jested, and she laughed.
He fully made up the bed with her still laying and cackling out of control under the covers.
"Since Bonnie's not home, I guess I'll go for a ride."
"Don't you dare leave me!" she squealed excitedly.
He ran out of the house, leaving her beneath the covers. She broke free, her hair all over her head. She looked around the house wide-eyed, not seeing him.
"You bastard!" She ran out the house, finding Damon outside, splitting his sides with hilarity.
He took off towards the stables and she ran after him still laughing.
"What took you so long?" he said jokingly as she came running in to the stable, huffing and puffing.
"You cheated," she was tickled.
Damon saddled the animals and then helped Bonnie up onto one before saddling his.
"This thing is huge," she said regretfully.
"You changed your mind? Good." He waggled his brow, gratified.
"No, I am going to conquer my fears."
"Great." He frowned up in response.
He grabbed her animal's reins and led them out of the stable.
"This thing's hair is so prickly."
Bonnie complained unendingly about the animal.
"Will you be quiet and enjoy the ride. Look around you. Feel the breeze; smell the flowers," he stated enthusiastically.
"Are you Damon Salvatore, because the Damon Salvatore I know is not a naturalist."
"I'm the one and only, baby."
"Please."
He gave an attractive chuckle.
"This really is a beautiful world. The sun shines so differently here," she observed.
"This is a really beautiful place." He gave a wonderous grin. "I don't know if I even want to go back home. Well, I do. I want to go back for my brother; he's the only person back in Mystic Falls that I miss."
"I miss Stefan and Caroline," Bonnie replied dreamily. "…and the others, too." She gave a half shrug and then giggled at her remark.
"It is hard to believe that I feel the way I do about my brother, considering the way I've treated him over the years."
"All siblings have their issues," she reminded.
"Yeah, but I've been a dick to my brother. He didn't deserve all the horrible things I've done to him over the years."
"Why have you been so mean to Stefan?"
Their horses clicked clacked along, taking them on a nice little trot through the wilderness as Damon reflected over the past, and Bonnie listened committedly.
"For more than two centuries, I've been carrying around a grudge for my brother because he convinced me into being something that I revel in—every waking moment of my life. It took me being—possibly a billion miles away from my brother to even see how stupid I've been." He rested.
Bonnie kept her eyes glued on him.
"I left my brother when he needed me the most, and he didn't want revenge against me for leaving him. Everything bad that's happened in my life, all of my heartaches have been of my own making."
"I thought all this time that you were angry with Stefan because of Katherine." She wrinkled her brow with inquisitiveness.
"En, she was part of the reason, but not the entire reason."
"I think it's safe to say that new Earth is the therapist that you needed in your life all along."
He looked back at her, wearing a handsome, lopsided grin. "No, you're the therapist that I've needed all along."
"Aww, you always know what to say to the ladies." She giggled.
Damon gave a hearty chortle and they shared a longing gleam.
They trotted along on their horses for a few hours more before deciding to head back to Gardenia.
"Come on, it's getting dark. I'll race you back," she baited.
"I don't think that's a good idea." he frowned.
"Omigod! Are you still acting like the overbearing old man?"
He strongly cocked a brow, thinking. "If you knew what I knew, you'd be more cautious, too," he advised seriously.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bonnie became alarmed. "Are these horses dangerous?" She looked down at her animal, freight in her eyes. Her creature became uneasy and started neighing and bucking.
"Whoa. Whoa," Damon said grabbing the straps, trying to calm the creature.
"I don't know anything, B-town. I'm only reliving the past. You know, the horse and buggy days. I'm being overly cautious. I'm sorry," he said contritely, his face angelic and kind.
The tension in her face softened. She bestowed him with a loving glow. Seconds later, she was cunningly grinning. "Loser does the chores!" she blurted and took off.
"Bonnie! God damnit!" he growled and whacked his horse's ass. The stubborn animal angrily snorted and erratically circled, trying to get rid of its rider.
"You, filthy beast! Yah! Yah!" He kicked the animal's sides with his heels, sending it flying after Bonnie.
He soon caught up with her. They were now riding neck and neck. He looked at her rear end hopping up and down on the animal and it instantly reminded him of something else she rode with just as much vigor, him.
He was utterly enamored at how passionate and daring Bonnie was. New Earth had him seeing her in a whole new light.
He wondered how the hell he missed this wonderful lady riding on the side of him for two whole years.
He was abruptly taken away from his thoughts once remembering his surroundings. The forest ahead of them was thicker and he wanted Bonnie to slow down.
"Slow down, Bonnie!"
"What?! I can't hear you over me kicking your ass!" she yelled back and went even faster.
"Damnit, Bonnie! You're so hard-headed," he chided.
The gates of Gardenia were ahead. She slowed down and then came to a complete stop. She waited for an angry Damon. Several seconds later, he was there, and he was not a happy camper.
"What the hell, Bonnie?"
"I won!" she gloated, doing a little jig on her horse.
Damon couldn't help but be amused.
::::::
Tyler and Melissa rode along the highway. He couldn't think of one thing to say to her. He was too preoccupied by his encounter with Stefan. He gloated about biting him. He mocked his impending death.
Melissa too was consumed by her thoughts. She turned her sights upon Tyler; he was brooding and gripping the wheel of the car for dear life.
"What's on your mind?" she questioned dully, keeping her eyes fixated on him.
"I said some cruel shit to Stefan back at the house. I asked what color casket he wanted. Who does that? What have I become?"
Melissa grunted mirthlessly. "You are the same man you were before you bit Stefan. Right now, he's bringing out the worse in everybody. Don't feel guilty for standing up for yourself."
"…but he's not himself," he defended.
"Yes, he is himself. Do dark thoughts ever roll around in your head?"
He wrinkled his face and shrugged. "Yeah, sometimes. I guess."
"Tyler come on, be honest. There is good and bad in all of us."
"Yeah, this is true. I know when Caroline slept with Klaus, I wanted to stake her, and watch her burn." He glowered.
"Wow, so you two were pretty hot and heavy at one point?" Melissa was taken aback.
"Yeah, we fell in love. She helped me through some rough times. It was when I first learned that I was a werewolf. She helped me through some rough times in my life."
"I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two."
"Ah, that's okay. I'm over it now, kind of. I grieved. I was angry for a while, and now I just hate her fucking guts." They laughed. "Now, back to what you were saying about Stefan and dark thoughts."
"Oh, yeah. When a vampire turns off their humanity, all the darkness, lustful, and desirous thoughts rolling around in their heads, they speak out, and act on those feelings. Their inhibitions are buried. All that's left is impulsiveness and self-gratification."
"Wow, you know a lot about this stuff." He looked at her and grinned.
"Well, I have a great teacher, Lucy. She's the best."
"Yeah, she seems pretty cool. I hope you all will stick around, and I can get to know you better." He looked at her desirously.
"I'm hoping we'll stick around, too."
"Yeah, it'll suck if all we share is one spontaneous kiss and a joyride. I'd like to take you on a date, show you Mystic Falls."
"Well, I'm sure I'll be here long enough for us to do all those things."
He reached over and took her hand. His happiness left him. "Before we can really enjoy each other. We must save Stefan. He was never my best friend, but he seemed to be a stand-up guy when situations arose."
"Don't worry, we will, but if we cannot save him, I don't want you to be angry with yourself. You did what was right. You saved a person's life, and I think the stand-up guy inside Stefan knows this." Her words put a smile on his face.
"You hungry?" he asked.
"I'm starving."
"Good. I'm going to take you to my place and make you my famous waffles."
"You cook?" she squealed jovially.
"Yeah, girl," he kidded.
What started out as a tense and upsetting ride ended with them being amused and contented with each other's company.
::::::
Three weeks had gone by, and Damon and Bonnie were trying to get settled into their new way of life. Damon started his job as captain of the guard, and sometimes he had watch detail, and Bonnie worked at the bakery.
It was now the weekend and they found themselves sitting around, enjoying the coolness of their new home and its beautiful, cozy surroundings.
Damon worked on making Bonnie a new basket for her clothes and other items, and Bonnie sat on the couch, reading, and later that night they would attend the town's bonfire.
Whilst Damon worked on Bonnie's basket, he kept glancing over at her. He could hardly perform the task at hand because he was enthralled by Bonnie and her beauty. His eyes wandered over her slender, curvy body and lingered at her tiny baby bump.
He swallowed nervously looking at her pregnant belly. Sooner or later she was going to realize that she was with child. He was thankful that Zinnia and Tupac had agreed to keep his secret.
In addition to Bonnie's tummy growing, she slept a lot when they were at home. He was surprised that she was awake, now.
They had been overwhelmingly busy working on their home, their jobs, and helping Tupac with the city that she didn't have time to think about all the changes going on with her body, he suspected.
Bonnie broke away from her reading. She caught Damon staring at her.
"Why are you looking at me?" she flirted.
"…because you're gorgeous," he flattered and blew her a kiss.
She caught his kiss, placed it on her lips, and blushed. She pushed her book to her face and folded herself into a ball on top of their little sofa.
"Oh, wow, do not tell me you're shy?" He dropped everything in his hand and walked over to her on his knees. He tried prying the book away from her hand, but Bonnie held on strongly.
"Give me the book," he said, trying to kiss her.
"Oh, God!" She jumped off the couch, pushing him to the ground, and made a mad dash to the bathroom. She burst through the door and start tossing her cookies.
Damon's mood changed drastically. It was the third day of morning sickness for Bonnie. Soon, she would start to suspect that she was pregnant if she weren't asking herself that question already.
In the bathroom, Bonnie had finished puking. She wet a cloth, washed her face, and rinsed her mouth. She looked in the mirror, pondering. She had yet to have her period.
"I can't be pregnant. Jeremy wore a condom. I saw him take it off," she murmured in recollection.
Bonnie ran her fingers through her hair, looking at her sad, bloodshot eyes in the mirror. She lifted her shirt and felt her tummy. "Why is my stomach so hard and tight? Omigod, he ate that fruit. I'm pregnant." She started to cry. She abruptly stopped. "No. No." She vehemently shook her head. "He wouldn't do that to me. He wouldn't lie to me. Damon would never lie to me."
"You've been eating a lot of bread lately. You've been under a lot of stress, too. It has to be why I'm late. It has to be why my stomach is getting bigger, right?" She wiped her face and licked her salty tears from her lips. She looked in the mirror, again, having an epiphany of a moment. Nothing in her life seemed real right now. Not even herself. She found it unbelievable that she could be pregnant.
"Oh, God. I can return us home. Everyone will know I'm pregnant. They'll know I've been fucking Damon. They'll judge me. They'll laugh at me." She dazed at her reflection, feeling sorry for herself, hating herself. She was self-righteous Bonnie Bennett. She would not have a child out of wedlock. She didn't go around having unprotected sex. She was perfect. She was powerful. She was an upstanding citizen.
"Yes, I'm eating too much, that's what it is. Jeremy wore a condom, and Damon is a vampire, so it's impossible that I would be pregnant." She straightened her hair, dried her tears, and smiled proudly in the mirror. "Now, let's go out there, and enjoy spending this time with the man you love, before you return home to Mystic Falls…" she dropped off. "To mystic Falls. Where he'll fall in love with Elena, again, and he'll forget all about you." She lost her smile and begin pitying herself, once more.
She loudly grunted and stomped her feet against the floor, fighting the negative beliefs filling her brain. "Don't do this to yourself Bonnie." She looked in the mirror, yet again, and forced a smile. She dazed at her fake and unfeeling grin for so long that she became tickled. She dissolved into full on laughter. Her laughter inadvertently made her feel better. She closed her eyes and blew out her cheeks, filling herself with courage and dignity, and then grabbed the doorknob.
Damon was standing on the other side of the door, eavesdropping in on her alone time. He had heard every word she said. He whooshed back to the couch, grabbed a book, and posed as if he had been there all along, and not nosing around the bathroom door, listening in on everything she did and said.
"Are you okay?" he asked, providing her with an immaculate poker face.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied with a nod, but she couldn't let go of what she had been thinking about when she was in the bathroom.
"I'm late, Damon. I know I asked you this before, but are you sure you didn't eat the fruit that Tupac told you about?"
"No. No. No, Bonnie," he replied uneasily. He lay the book on the table; he nervously fidgeted. He sat back on the couch and then got up and went to the kitchen and piddled around.
She got up and tiredly walked over to the table and rested her hands on the back of a chair. "I'm gaining weight. My hair is growing like grass, and I missed my period."
"Bonnie, you've been under a lot of stress lately, and you've been indulging in a lot of sweets and breads," he explained gently. He walked over to her and grasped her shoulders. His eyes burrowed into hers penetratingly. "Everything's going to be okay. I don't want you stressing out and getting yourself sick with worry."
"I won't, but you don't hear a heartbeat inside of me right now?" she asked, her eyes a shimmery mess of worry.
"No. You're not pregnant." He gave a soft, short handsome chuckle.
She smiled and blew out her cheeks, reassured. "Okay, I need to relax. Maybe my cycle is different or changing because of this planet."
Damon was dying inside. Lying to Bonnie wasn't right and he knew in his heart that his sinful actions could be the end of them, but being with Bonnie was a dream come true, and now they were having a child. The only thing missing was Stefan.
He took her chin, lifted her head, and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. "Everything is going to be all right Bonnie. We are going to be happy here. We are a family," he declared with conviction, his jaw profusely grinding.
"Yes, we are." She happily curled her lips, displaying a gorgeous smile.
They stared at each other, getting lost in the moment. Damon was feeling many things in this instant that he simply needed a hug. He pulled Bonnie into him and held her tightly.
"Mmm, I needed this," she hummed with delight as he held her in his arms.
He droned with desire as she strongly massaged his back with the palm of her hands. She grinned from ear to ear at hearing him moaning with bliss. She became frisky with him as she playfully ruffled his hair and kneaded his scalp with her fingers. Damon chuckled and crooned. "Mm, don't stop baby."
She giggled at his remark.
"Everything is going to be okay, Bonnie."
"I know, and it's because I have you," she said dreamily.
Damon's eyes beamed like a light house. He hoped that Bonnie would remember those words once the truth revealed itself.
:::::
Melissa tossed and turned in bed. She could hardly sleep as she was insanely happy about her day with Tyler. She turned on her back, her eyes wide and filled with ecstasy. She rolled back over to try and get some rest. She screamed at seeing Stefan sitting in the chair across from her bed.
"What the fuck are you doing in my room!" she rudely blasted.
"Well…," He paused with a shrug. "I can't visit Lucy. I overheard that bitch on the phone with someone and then she left. Yeah, that bitch is not coming back tonight, so that leaves you," he announced as if she were the next contestant.
"I don't give a shit that Lucy isn't here. I want you the fuck out of my room!" she insulted blaringly.
Stefan leaned forward in his chair, smirking handsomely at her. "Sweetheart, you forget that this is my house." He seductively clamped his hands between his legs.
"Fine, then I'll leave." She preceded to get out of bed.
He moved at the speed of sound, pinning her to the bed with one hand. She shivered not knowing what to do or if she'd be okay as he stood over her in a menacing manner. His hand felt like the weight of all his body were sitting on her chest. "Stefan, please. Don't' rape me." Her voice trembled.
He laughed. He laughed so that he had to grab his gut to ease the discomfort of his abdomen twisting all up with amusement. He started to sober as he sat down on the side of the bed and freed her from his iron block pinhole.
"I am the monster in nightmares, but a rapist… I am not," he clarified with a poke of his finger to her nose. The room fell silent. Melissa's chest heaved, and she wished like hell that her unwanted guest would go away.
Stefan crossed his legs and rest his hands in his lap and started to talk, "Melissa, I want to die. I want to be with my brother. I don't want to kill anyone else." He fell back. "Well, maybe I do." He laughed dreamily a vague look in his eyes. "Why can't you fucking bitches just bring my brother back? Why do the things we want in life have to be so hard to obtain? All I want is my brother." He looked down at her and caressed her face.
"Stefan, we'll bring him back."
"Sh," he buzzed, pressing a finger to her lips.
"I know you will, because if you don't—I'll have to start killing you bitches. One by one." He gave an evil grin.
"You don't want to do that," she said.
"…and why not beautiful?"
"…because if you do that, you'll never see your brother, again, and you don't want that. Do you Stefan?" Melissa found her courage.
He jerked out an impressed grunt. "I guess you're right." He smiled.
They shared a look. Stefan's eyes were watery. Melissa reached her hand down to his and clutched it warmly. He squeezed her hand back and then blinked. He squeezed out a tear. He jumped up, turned his back to her, and quickly wiped the tear away.
Stefan unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off, and threw it to the floor. He stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers and then climbed in bed with Melissa. Her eyes bucked with alarm. She went paralyze with fear. He scooted close to her and swathe an arm over her body. "It's okay," he whispered, his lips brushing her earlobe. "Don't be afraid. Mm, your body is so warm, so warm." He smiled and closed his eyes.
"You want to fuck?"
"NO! I DON'T WANT TO FUCK YOU! YOU, PSYCHOTIC PIECE OF SHIT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Suit yourself, but you're missing out," he said coolly and shrugged off her offensive words.
"Oh—my—God," Melissa mouth, horrified, her lips shivering, and her eyes pooling with frightened tears.