A.N. Hey all! I hope this new year is treating you all well, and hope it continues to be bright and beautiful. Thank you for all the love, I truly do enjoy reading your replies! You all make writing this so much fun, so I thank you for being you.
Chapter 31: With every beat of my decayed heart
The connection I felt once that was so strong with Damon suddenly snaps back into me causing me to fall back onto the ground. It was like my magic had him in its grasp and then someone or something had snapped it causing it to flow back into me. Wind swirls around as my magic is out in the air causing high winds.
The words "Better next time buttercup." echo all around, in the trees and in the wind as our magic collides.
I look up at Lucy expectantly and she's looking down at me. "You heard that right?"
"Yes, yes I did." I say as she helps me up. "What the hell just happened?" Lucy asks as I'm still a bit dumfounded.
My connection to Damon had been severed by another witch who was blocking me. Though the witch could only block me for so long, it was the audacity of someone to be so brazen that really angered me. As for Enzo, that bastard had been working with another witch the whole time! All of this was for fun for him. We were all pawns in his game. I shook my head. I would never be another pawn again.
"He's working with another witch. "I spit out causing Lucy to throw her hands up in the air.
"Well shit!" Lucy bellows. "Between the two of us, and probably the people we associate with, anyone could be helping him." Lucy says pulling out a cigarette which was a nervous habit.
I shake my head. "No, it sounded like that bitch from earlier, the one that we met at the town hall meeting."
Now it's Lucy's turn to look at me enraged. "Does she not have anything better to do, then to mess with us?"
I look over at Lucy curiously. She almost as fired up as she had been upon learning the truth about Elijah. "Did she do something to you?" I ask suspiciously.
Lucy shakes her head. "I'm fine, you on the other hand look like you're hanging on by a thread."
She was right, I was trying not to freak out but what I wanted to do was freak out and act out. I lick my lips. "I think I want to try again and maybe talk to this witch."
"Not happening." Lucy says so matter of fact that I look up at her.
"What?" I asked furrowed brow. "Damon needs me Lucy!" I remind her. "You do realize that everyone pretty much hates him, I'm all he has." I say my voice catching as I'm on the verge of tears.
Lucy walks closer to me and puts her hands on my shoulders. "I know you want to help him, but honestly B, you're way too emotional right now." She says her voice sounding so motherly right now that I might just cry. "You've already had a hard couple of hours and this is just adding to it. Right now– you have to calm down."
"I can't! I burst. "I can't just do nothing." Sigh. "He's my friend." I say my voice soft and scared. Damon wasn't the best person in the world, he had many, many faults. But he was my friend, and my friend had a way with words that angered many people. Not everyone could see the loveable side of him.
I start to pace as plans form in my head as Lucy continues to keep a watchful eye on me.
"I know you can't just sit still and do nothing." Lucy says while I continue to pace back and forth. "But Bonnie, listen to me–" She says causing me to stop mid stride. "You need to take a breather for a second. Damon is a vampire. Let me get in touch with Vincent and we can start looking for him. You can also call his brother and we can all organize a search." Lucy says with a smile. "Nobody is stronger than the two of us together, not even that bitch!"
I crack a smile as Lucy begins to laugh as well.
Together we were stronger, we were Bennett women, strong like grams, strong like Emily and strong like every woman in our line.
Our moment is tainted when my phone blares to life with a loud ring and we all know who it is. Looking down at the picture of Damon, I answer the call.
I spoke before he could. "You're working with a witch?"
Enzo smiles into the phone. "Sometimes you have to align yourself with the right person."
"This won't end well for you, I'll make sure of it." I spit out.
"That's the passion that I want!" Enzo says with a snap of fingers. " See you still have it in you."
I nod. "I do, but it'll never be for you. I will never forgive you for what you've just done and what you're going to do." I say pausing. In the background Lucy is giving me her best Sheila Bennett look, that tells me to tread lightly. Instead of doing so, I chose revenge.
Enzo sighs again. "In time, you'll see this was all for us. And yes you will forgive me, because you've forgiven Damon for much worst."
I tilt my head back and look up at the sky all the while chuckling bitterly. "Yeah, I did forgive Damon for a lot of shit, but you aren't him and you never will be. Nothing could make you him, no amount of black, no leather jacket or boots." I pause. "I wanted you to be him...even wished you were him...pretended you were him whenever my eyes were closed tight and you'd beg me to open them." I trail off. "The only reason why I even looked your way was because you reminded me of him, I was missing him and settled for you." I admit. "I guess now you know the truth you had been begging me for."
"You're lying!" Enzo screams. "You loved me! You loved me like I loved you."
I hold the phone close so he can get a real good look of my face. "Look at my face and listen to my words. Nothing could ever do the trick Enzo, because you are not Damon and you could never be him." I smile into the phone. " "You're a stain on my reputation, one I will look forward to erasing completely from my life."
The line goes silent suddenly as Enzo hangs up the phone. Lucy looks at me like I've lost my mind.
"What the hell was that Bon?"
I lick my dry lips. "Enzo is too much of baby not to throw a fit and drown his sorrows, now we just have to keep our eyes and ears open for his next move." I say finding my inner strength. "He wanted my attention and now he's got it."
DS-DS-DS
Damon
With a smirk on his lips, he can only give Bonnie credit for her originality. My had she changed from the once almost muted mouse who was self righteous down to the bone. Now though, she was still that girl who cared, she still held onto her morals, still had standards– still held everyone accountable but with it came this personality and sass that had made her even more desirable.
Flashback Damon
1994
A few measly months was all it took for him to realize that he was crushing on Bonnie Bennett big time. Yes she was the same Bonnie Bennett he had found incredibly annoyingly so judgmental. Everything about her was the same, same green eyes that had gotten him hypnotized on more than one occasion, same heart shape mouth...same everything. And yet she was completely different at the same time. Bonnie without an expiration clock looming over her head was a foul mouthed, girl who had not one care in the world. The doom and gloom that had followed her since she was the best friend of the doppelganger had vanished like a fog lifting to reveal a vivacious woman who he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of.
It started out innocently enough, well innocent for him that is. They were stuck together which was something he had considered a nightmare for the longest of times. They had already fought like cats and dogs and that hadn't stopped here but what occurred was that he started to notice her, notice her more than just a nuisance, more than the best friend of the woman he loved, he for the very first time noticed Bonnie. But here, Bonnie was more free, she dressed in cut off shorts that accented her shape. And that mouth was lethal.
He had been standing at the bay window in the front of the house watching as the witch as lay on a blanket a book of spells open though she had never really looked at it. Instead she had her walkman with her, headphones playing a old song. Laying on her back, she wore cut off shorts, a white tank, blue and white flannel and her feet were bare. She looked so freaking peaceful and it drove him crazy! Without Elena he was going insane and here Bonnie was laying about like life was all good.
Stomping outside he marched down to where the witch had lay, shades covering stunning eyes. He stood blocking her sun till she acknowledged him.
"You're blocking my sun." She says not bothering cracking an eye open.
"And you're getting on my nerves, how long has it been since you actually cracked open your spell book?" He wasted no time interrupting her if she were to speak. "Too long! I need to get back to Elena so you, do your witchy–"
She sits up causing him to take a step back. Soon the shades are tossed to the side as she looks up at him. "I'm not doing shit! This is the first vacation I've had in ever and I am not going to end it because you're afraid your fickle girlfriend may go back to her ex boyfriend."
"Wow."
"Too harsh, well deal with it." She says standing. "If you're itching to go back go find another witch to do your bidding because this one, is on vacation till further notice." She says a flicker in her eyes. She snatches up her blanket, shades and book and walking back into the house.
He watches her the whole way, a little bit ticked off, a lot of bit impressed and way too turned on for his own good.
Feeling eyes on him he turns his head only to see nothing, but the same feeling of being watched follows him till he finds a spot on the couch across from Bonnie as he watches her instead.
End of flashback
He chuckles to himself, of course Bonnie of the new would chose violence instead of going with the flow. The old Bonnie would've served herself on a platter for Enzo with a pretty bow wrapped around till he unwrapped her. This Bonnie, this Bonnie had two fingers up in the air as she provoked the person she knew would only crumble under pressure. Damn he was proud of her.
The sound of the door opening brings him back to the present, as he still wears a smirk on his face as Enzo walks in this time with Celeste in tow.
"Looks like your plan failed." He says a grin appearing on his face. "You thought it would be that easy to get Bonnie Bennett?" He scoffs. "You don't know her at all." He says bored already.
Enzo only places the phone in his back pocket. "My plan will work Damon, she just can't help herself when it comes to you." Enzo says in a huff. "It's quite sad, she can do a hell of a lot better and yet she still carries a torch for you."
He tries and fails not to look intrigued because Enzo is soon rolling his eyes.
"You're loving this aren't you?" Enzo asks not giving him time to speak. "You may have won her heart, Klaus Mikaelson may have won her body but, in the end I will have her and the two of you can fight till the end of time trying to get her back."
He sits up now. "I'd rather her with Klaus then to ever be with you again." He grounds out. "You don't deserve her."
"Neither do you, yet you still couldn't let her go, and now look where she's run off to." Enzo voices outraged.
He keeps his face plain but the words stick to him and sting just a little bit. He refused to let Enzo get the best of him, Bonnie was just in her wild phase and Klaus was her personal wild card, it would fizzle out, he knew that first hand, look at him and Elena? They were at the end of the line and they both knew it.
Celeste pulls out a cigar and lights it up. "You both are the reason for this situation." She says with a puff of air. "In actuality Bonnie can do better than both of you. Someone of that pedigree could go far, should go far but the allure of a vampire it always stops us good girls in our tracks."
Blue eyes light up as he see's her. "What do you want with Bonnie?" He asks a glare sharp on his face. "I get his problem she dumped him, you on the other hand never say the real reason you have a problem with her?"
The witch walks over to him and get real close. "It's not her I'm after but it's her I have to go through." she says so easily and so chilling he edges back just a little. "I want revenge and she's how I will get it." She says flicking her wrist. He's now in front of her as Enzo looks on in the background. "I'm only going to ask you once more, join me Damon– your much more useful than that one." She says looking over to Enzo who opens his to speak only for nothing to come out of his mouth. "Play by my rules and everyone wins."
When she reaches out to touch his face he grabs her hand. "I said it twice before and I'll say it again. I play by my own rules." He says with a genuine smile. "And so does Bonnie, you've only pissed her off even more, I pity you, girls got a mean streak."
She licks her lips. "So do I." Celeste says turning around to face Enzo. "He's all yours, just make sure he doesn't turn to dust or you'll be in a pile right next to him."
They watch as the witch leaves the room and once the door closes, he cracks his neck and lunges forward.
KM-EM-KM
Klaus
The moment he heard her scream all thoughts of Elijah were gone. All he knew was that he needed to get to Bonnie and fast. When they made it to her she and Lucy were leaning against the car drinking out of a flask.
"The fuck!" He says causing the women to look up at him. He's at her side as once inspecting her face and looking at her clothes. "I heard you scream." He says narrowing his eyes at her.
She wipes her face before speaking, but he can see that her face had been red, someone had dared to make her cry. He shots a glance in the direction of Lucy who only shakes her head. "Bonnie?"
She bites her lip, and fidgets just a little as Elijah stands off close but not too close, Rebekah is also watching with baited breath. "I'm fine, really I am." She says finally looking up at him. "It's Damon, he's not okay and it's all my fault." She says launching herself into his arms.
Over her head he shares a look with his siblings, as well as Lucy. His siblings look on with cation. Rebekah looks like she doesn't know weather to feel pity for him or for Bonnie who looks so freaking sad. Elijah, on the other hand looks smug, as an eyebrow is raised like I told you so. It's only when Lucy speaks does she shed some light on the problem.
"Bonnie, first of all this isn't your fault." She says making Bonnie look up from burying her face in his chest. "And secondly we have a tale of a bitter ex and that bitch of witch who has grudge against all of us, mixed in with a best friend that just so happens to get on the last nerve of everyone he meets."
BB-BB-BB
Bonnie
When we get back to the house Rebekah pours me some tea as Klaus sits next to me his hand in mine. Lucy is looking at her phone texting while Elijah is standing by the window. Why he was still here was beyond me.
I take a sip. "I know you all must think I'm being dramatic and maybe I am just a little, but Damon is my friend–"
Klaus licks his teeth. "You don't have to explain yourself." He says causing me to look over at him. "I've seen how protective you are over your friends," Pause. "You even went against me to protect them, so I get it."
"You do?" I ask looking over to him. I know we're in the room with several people but in that instant, I felt like it was just me and Klaus.
"I do. They aren't worth a damn, your friends, Damon is worth pebbles but he's important to you." Klaus says rubbing my hand.
On impulse I lean close to him and place my head on his chest as our hands are linked. "I'm glad you understand–" I say with a pause.
"Sometimes you have to walk through broken glass and fire for the people you love." Klaus says suddenly and it's like he gets it, not many would understand what I was trying to say without saying too much but Klaus he got it.
I sit up and hug him real tight. "Thank you, I'm glad you understand, because I am going to go and save my friend."
"We're both going." Lucy says across the room causing me to sit back in my seat. "I've been sending out texts to witches in that area along with that one picture you sent me of you and bitter Billy." Lucy says looking down at her phone again. "Well find him in no time."
"His name is Damon." I say a patiently before beaming over at her. Lucy has my back and I've got hers and together we'll save Damon. "And I'll get in touch with Stefan after scribing to get a direct location." I say almost excitedly.
Klaus lets my hand go and walks over to the drink cart, his mood changing quickly. Once he pours himself a drink he looks over at me. "So you just plan on leaving, running off and saving Damon?"
I blinked rapidly. "I thought that was established."
Rebekah speaks suddenly. "Do you have a plan, a real plan?" She asks as Marcel walks in and stands next to her. He whispers in her ear and she shakes her head before looking back at me expectantly.
"We're going to go and find Damon, everything else will fall into place once we link up with Vincent and Stefan."
Klaus had downed his first drink and now is on to his second.
Elijah fixes his shirt."Your inability to come up with a formal plan can get Lucy harmed so maybe you might want to rethink that plan?" Elijah says from his spot against the window.
Lucy rolls her eyes. "I don't need you to worry about me, you should be worried about when I strike against you because it'll swift and fast you bastard." Lucy growls out in the direction of Elijah. "As for the plan, that plan was mine."
Elijah scratches his neck. "Lucy."
"I don't care what you have to say Elijah, so do me a favor and keep my name out your mouth." She says looking back at her phone.
I walk over to Klaus who was way too quiet.
"Klaus? What are you thinking." I say standing next to him. He passes me a drink and I take a healthy gulp of it.
"I'm thinking the plan sucks, what you need is to let me come along and help you. I'm the scariest thing anyone has ever seen and I'm dying to meet the person who made you cry." He says reaching for both of my hands. "Let me do this for you, let me help you."
I look down. "I appreciate your offer, I really do, but I can't ask you to do that."
Klaus lets go of my hand immediately. "And why the hell not!" Klaus roars. "Answer me?"
"Don't yell at me!" I say as Klaus fumes in front of me.
"Then answer me!" Klaus bellows out in true Klaus form.
"Because this my fight!" I admit. "And I'm going to win and I'm going to do what I should've done a long time ago, I'm going to end it for good this time."
I turn on my heel needing some space because that got heated real quick. I don't get far because Klaus is still standing behind me so close I can feel his body heat. He bends down close to my ear and then says "Not without me."
Stefan
Their at a diner down in the center of town where they can see and hear just about everything. Well, at least he can. Vincent, the warlock that has found himself friends with his brother sits across from him, a plate of food in front of him. That many plates consist of scrabbled eggs, hash browns, bacon and sausage and to finish it off orange juice. When he questioned the amount of food the warlock had ordered Vincent had simply looked his way and said, if shit goes down and really why would shit not go down, he wanted to be ready and he refused to fight on an empty stomach.
He agreed and ordered a slice of apple pie and coffee. He didnt miss the surprised look that crossed the mans features once he too scarfed down in his food in record time.
"Shouldn't your brother be here by now?" Vincent asks, while putting a napkin over his empty plate.
He looks down at his watch and shrugs. Damon was usually late, or at least he ran on Damon time, but when it came to Bonnie he was way to territorial and anal to be late. That could only mean one thing, his brother was still mad at him. They had gotten into another argument about Damon and his choices and how those choices effect other people.
"He's probably trying to avoid me." He admits honestly. "Or," He says pausing to take a sip of coffee. "He and Bonnie got caught up on the phone." He says and thinking about it really, that was probably what was happening.
Vincent looks up at him with curious eyes. "You two seem strained."
"Years of being together will do that to a person."
"Or maybe its your opinion of B." Vincent adds causing him to snap his eyes upwards.
He pushes his plate away and shifts in his seat. He can swear the longer Vincent looks at him the more his skin feels like flames are beginning to lick his skin. Fidgeting he takes off his leather jacket. "Did he, did he says something to you?"
Vincent crosses his arms in front of his chest. "He said enough. It's the bitter undertones that give you away." The warlock says leaning forward. "Your jaw clenches with the mere mention of Bonnie, a girl who is suppose to be your friend, and the very woman who is the reason your still walking about undead."
His phone vibrates on the table a old picture of Elena fluttering across the screen with it. He quickly sends the phone call to voice mail only to look up to see Vincent looking at him expectantly. Clearing his throat his speaks. "It's not that I don't like Bonnie, or that I don't understand how it could happen, how they could have developed a connection." Pause. "This thing with Bonnie and Damon it had the potential from the very beginning but he wanted Elena and he got her in the end, even if it wrecked everything and everyone in the process."
He opens his mouth to say more when he phone goes off again. He doesn't have to look at it to know who is calling. He had made a promise to Elena, a promise he had intended on keeping because he couldn't bare to see her hurt. But that was one promise he was not going to be able to keep, Damon had made his decision the more he pushed his brother pushed back.
Stefan Flashback
On the balcony he stood outside looking out at the city lights as the town buzzed with activity. He could hear it all, a raccoon rummaging through the trash, the sound of a moan from lovers who could never be but somehow found each other in the dark. He could hear cars, laughter and the sounds of lonely wails. It was all around him, everything but what he heard most was the sound of Bonnie pouring her heart out to Damon, just like he had Damon pour his heart out to Bonnie.
"Please be safe and most importantly, please come back to me."
The connection Damon and Bonnie had formed was one of innocence. It was something pure and untouched...it was something his brother had wanted his whole life. And he found out with his best friend. He just found it at the wrong time. If only Damon had come to town not hellbent on revenge, then maybe this thing with Bonnie could've started much earlier, but now it was all a tangled mess.
Hearing footsteps he looks back to see Damon with his bourbon in hand. "I thought I told you to stop eavesdropping on me."
He holds his hands up in the air. "I can't help it that I've got good hearing." Pause. "Seems like the two of you just keep missing each other."
"When this is all done, we'll get to talk in person" Damon says stiffly. "Every word that was left between messages will finally get to be said in person." He says with a nod. "The way it should be."
He nods his head. "And what about after that Damon, do you plan on coming home or–"
Blue eyes glare at him. "I already told you, right now M.F. is in the rear view, when Bonnie is ready we'll come back."
"And what about your girlfriend!" He burst finally. "She begged me to bring you back home to her!"
Damon finishes his drink. "Elena never should've put you in that position." He admit lowly. "And you never should've taken her up on the offer."
Green/ grey eyes glare. "You're mad at me for trying to help you and your girlfriend get it together."
"I'm mad because you cant just leave it alone! I told you I didn't want to deal with the Elena drama but you can't help yourself." Damon says loudly. " You asked before and I said it in so many words but now I will say it out loud, I'm not in love with her anymore, I'm not in love with Elena, not like I use to be." He says quieter now. "I hope I answered your question fully for the last time." He says storming back inside.
End of flashback
The phone rings again and it by the hairs of his chin that he hasnt smashed it to up his phone he swiftly turns off the offending device that only serves as a reminder of his recent failure.
He lets out a sigh and wipes his face. "I promised I could bring him back to her because it was what she wanted but Damon...he has other plans." Paranoid he turns his phone back on and when it comes blaring to life, he's got many messages from Elena. Holding up his phone he lets Vincent see it. "He cant have them both but he'll play this game for as long as he can." Pause. "He'll leave Elena twisting in the wind till Bonnie can see me, like he see's her."
Vincent tilts his head to the side. " We both know he doesn't want them both." Vincent says simply. "As for Bonnie, it's not her fault that he fell in love her."
"You're right." He admits finally. "Bonnie is an amazing girl, she's resilient smart and beautiful." He says a small smile forming on his lips. "She's got this humor that is all her." Pause. "She's also been through more than anyone could stand, and yet she still stands with her head held high and her morality in tact– most would crumble by now.
"Then what's the problem?" Vincent asks hotly. "Because from what I've heard and seen, Bonnie is just out here trying to live life, after life or at least the life of friends tried to knock her down."
He looks down feeling shameful. He knew that he along with Damon and so many people had all lent a hand in the demise of Bonnie. They had pushed her, poked her and stuck her in positions they would never do to each other. When he look up Vincent is already looking at him like he's the worst and that rarely happens, most people like him, see him as the good brother but Vincent is far wiser than most. The regent of NOLA has heard stories first hand and if looks could kill he'd be dust by now.
"I know it's not her fault– its just easier to blame her then Damon." Pause. "I've seen the signs for a long time now, Damon throws himself into things out of blind devotion and recruits everyone to get what he wants. He did everything to get Elena, broke hearts, fractured relationships..."
Vincent rolls his eyes. "That sounds like its more about you than it is about Bonnie or Damon." Vincent snaps all patience leaving his face and voice. "From what I've heard you two fall in love with the same face, essentially different versions of the same woman and your brother dismantled your relationship to get said woman in this lifetime."
"And now that he's decided he wants Bonnie, I'm left to pick up the pieces of the woman he wanted so badly that he was willing to trample over my heart in the process!" He snaps. "Listen, Damon and I will always be brothers and as much as he hurt me I could never hurt him that way. But, Klaus is a different story. He never liked Damon before and I'm quite sure he wont take to kindly to the fact that Damon is out to win Bonnie."
His phone rings again and a long sigh follows. Instead of it being Elena it's Bonnie. When he looks up Vincent is on his phone and all he can say is shit.
BB-KM-BB
Bonnie
I stand almost shell shocked by everything Klaus has just said. He hated Damon always had, and then feeling was mutual between them. The last thing I expected was for Klaus to want to hop on the lets save Damon train.
"Klaus, you guys don't even like each other." I remind him as he takes a hold of my hand.
"But, I like you," Klaus says reaching for my other hand and pulling me forward. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way the choice is yours Bonnie– but either way it'll end the same way, with me going with you." He says brightly. "The choice is yours." He says leaving a kiss to my forehead and walking away.
I watch as he walks away claiming he's got to talk to his warlock and then to look to Lucy who only shrugs her shoulders. I may have wanted to do this my way, but it seemed like Klaus had a plan of his own.
An hour later
When I sit down next to Lucy and begin scribing she nudges me a smile on her lips. "I guess your boyfriend told you."
I nudge her back only to have her smile again. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Maybe not yet but the writing is all the wall."
When I look up Klaus is talking closely with Rebekah and Marcel though he never turns around, I have a feeling he's been listening the whole time.