While this is supposed to be a short, light read, it wasn't in my original plan to bring up Kai and the rest of the 'main' story. I think its because that would mean having this story be a whole lot longer than I wanted it to be. But Im still thinking about it, we'll see where Im taken with this...

12th Bite

Bonnie held been, understandably, distant. While Damon made breakfast each and every day, Bonnie wasn't always there for it. Most days, she wasn't around. Most days, Damon ate alone. Bonnie didn't complain about being bit anymore but she also stopped talking and very plainly sealed herself up.

Her presence brought a chill Damon couldn't cut through even if he tried.

Today, after being gone for 2 weeks, Bonnie showed up. She didn't knock or ring the bell; she simply appeared like an unexpected snowfall. She silently descended upon him, bringing in the sensations of winter with her.

"And the wicked witch is back," Damon said with a smirk.

"I'd look much better than you in ruby shoes don't you think?" Bonnie responded in an even tone.

Damon placed a plate of pancakes in front of her. "Vampcakes for the lady."

Bonnie's upper lip stiffened at the plate in front of her. "No thanks."

Damon took the plate back. "No need to be hostile to the vampcakes darling. They've done nothing wrong."

Bonnie shrugged. "I don't want it. I came here to let you feed. Now hurry up so I can go." She raised her wrist and aimed it at Damon's mouth. "Come on, I'm not getting any younger… or older. I'm not totally sure what the set up here is."

Damon took her hand, making Bonnie flinch, and then lowered it. His thumb slowly dragged across the vein in her wrist. He could feel the blood running through it. He felt her pulse. Even as someone who is undead, to feel someone with a pulse and to hear a steady heartbeat came as something to be in awe of. Bonnie was one of the few people he knew that was still warm, still fragile and yet incredibly strong.

"Damon…" Bonnie said. Damon could hear her heart beat faster.

"Where are you going? Where do you go?"

Bonnie's face suddenly twisted up as if she was disgusted. She pulled her arm away and grabbed her backpack. "I'm leaving."

"Hold it!" Damon reached for her and Bonnie struggled against him for a moment. "I said hold it!" He tightened his grip on her arms. "I'll feed." Damon's eyes darkened as his fangs sprouted. He pulled her closer and took a fist full of her black hair. He pulled and Bonnie's head bent back, exposing the length of her neck.

Damon bit her. Bonnie gasped, however, silently. She sucked in a sharp breath of air and clutched his shoulders. She let out an agonized whimper after a minute. It was only then that Damon realized what he'd been doing. She's in pain because he didn't know how to be gentle with her.

He let go of her short hair but hadn't released her body. His arms warmed around her, almost affectionately. Slowly, he tongued the puncture wound on her neck. He licked and sucked at the damage he'd done. He was sorry. Bonnie stood there trembling in his arms as he cooed against her.

There was another long moment of silence before Damon finally unraveled himself from her. He took a small step back to see her face. Her green eyes stared up at him and he felt his heart wanting to burst.

"Bonnie…" Damon whispered.

Bonnie took an unsteady step back. Her eyes shined with tears perhaps from the pain but definitely from relived memories. But this was different, right? He isn't the same one who cared so little back then. Right?

"Bon…" Without thinking, he reached for her again but she smacked his hand away.

"I'm leaving," Bonnie said before taking her bag again and hanging it on her bleeding shoulder.

Walking quickly down the road, Bonnie felt desperate to escape him. She was fighting it but her legs gave out anyway, and she dropped to the ground crying. None of this was fair.

Suddenly Damon was standing in front of her. He hesitated but then kneeled to pull her into his arms. He couldn't let her walk away alone. Not this time. It's easy to be mean, it's easy to pretend he didn't care, but Bonnie didn't deserve it. Of every one he's ever known, Bonnie is the only one to be so openly kindhearted, sad, angry, anything. She wasn't afraid of feeling things unlike him. And he was destroying that bit by bit—that which made Bonnie so precious.

"I'm sorry," Damon said. "Look, look at me." He took her face in his hands. "I'm sorry. You don't have to do this for me and I get that—I'm thankful for that."

"You don't know how to be thankful… for anything," Bonnie said. Her voice was low and full of contempt for the vampire.

"Well, I have all of eternity with you to figure it out," Damon joked knowing it wasn't necessarily funny.

"That sounds..." Bonnie started seriously but found herself chuckling anyway. "That sounds terrible. We are not spending forever together."

Damon took in the sight of Bonnie's smile. Even though he knew it wasn't one of happiness, there was hope there. He smiled too.

Damon stood and then helped Bonnie up from the ground. He dusted off her shoulders with his hands and adjusted the collar of her plaid shirt. Bonnie scoffed at the gesture.

"Well you would first need a few vital things like a magical map out of here. And you don't have the map or the magic."

Bonnie shook her head and grinned. "When there's a will, there's a way, Damon. And if it means escaping breakfast with you, I've got more will than you can imagine."

"Rude."

Bonnie left again, this time saying she'd be back. Damon, being a vampire, had a strong urge to stalk the witch while she was away. Damon took a deep breath and decided against it for now. Only when he was on her good side that they were able to bicker and he preferred it that way.

Believe it it not, I finished this chapter two days ago, It originally ended at the part where Bonnie stormed off after being bit. But I sat on the chapter... I just couldn't end it so dark. please comment. love, daliha.