Author's note: I will forever be Team Bamon and watching their scenes together has given me so much hope for the two of them, but doesn't mean I don't respect the relationship Bonnie and Enzo have. Hopefully, I've captured a little bit of that spark. I'm very interested in seeing what the rest of season 7 holds for everyone.
As always, I do not own the characters. They are the property of LJ Smith and the CW Network.
Thanks for taking the time to read and if you want, please leave a review.
Chapter 2
Rayna angrily sat and tried to ignore the millions of images floating in her mind of the hundreds of vampires she had killed over her long life. She couldn't believe that she had let herself get into this predicament. She knew there was no cure for her blood, yet this British vampire had still taken her and tied her to this chair in hopes of saving his girlfriend. She knew if she really tried, she could escape. After all, she had had many close calls in her long life, but she was tired. The phoenix stone was destroyed. All of the vampires had escaped and although her all-consuming hatred for vampires was still potent, she wanted a break. A break before she had to start her lonely life on the road as a vampire huntress.
"Wake-y. wake-y, Ms. Stake-y." Damon sing-songed as he and Enzo walked up to a chained Rayna.
Damon was frustrated. Couldn't anyone see he was trying? Yes, he desiccated to save his best friend and brother from always having to save him. He was trying to do the noble thing. How was he to know that Matt would start hating Stefan enough to realize the crazy vampire huntress to hunt his brother? How was he supposed to know that the armory would come after Bonnie, and she, in turn, would look to Enzo for support only so he could fall in love with her and poison her? He wasn't. And now, that he was back, he was going to do everything in his power to make things right.
Damon had already proved that he could get things done. He had saved his brother. And yes, his brother was still angry. They were closer than they had been in years. He had a lifetime to get Stefan to forgive him. Bonnie was another matter entirely. First, he had to save her from dying and then he could spend the rest of her lifetime making amends. Despite everything, he wanted - no, needed Bonnie to be in his life. He valued her meaning of friendship and everything she had sacrificed in its meaning. He would save her life, even if she never forgave him.
"I already told you everything. There is no cure for my blood." Rayna declared.
"And why would I believe you? I think you know more than you're telling us." Damon returned.
"As far as I know, there is no cure for blood. Bonnie Bennett will die. Soon." Rayna answered.
"Well, has this ever happened before?" Enzo inquired. He couldn't lose Bonnie. She finally accepted him into her life. She had become the family he had always craved. While he was bothered by Damon's overprotectiveness of Bonnie, he knew that Damon would do anything to save Bonnie's life.
"A witch dying because of my blood?"
"Yes."
"I don't keep track of the witches poisoned by my blood." Rayna quipped.
"Well, maybe I should jog your memory." Damon said menacingly, taking a step closer to Rayna.
"Haven't we done that before, Salvatore? How did that work out for you?" Rayna asked sarcastically.
"You're right. Last time, it didn't work out. But, today is a whole new day. And I have nothing to lose. My brother is mad at me, but alive. And Bonnie is furious at me and dying. I have one person that I need to save. And you're the key. So, are you willing to bet on your chances now?" Damon threatened.
Rayna weighed her options. With the phoenix stone destroyed, there were hundreds of vampires on the loose. Vampires that needed to be dealt with. She could use Damon and Enzo's concern for Bonnie to her advantage.
"I may know a way to help Bonnieā¦" Rayna hedged. "But, you have to do something for me."
"Of course we do." Damon acknowledged. "And that would be?"
"I have heard of a witch who survived being poisoned with my blood. A long time ago, but there aren't a lot of details."
"So, you know nothing?!" Damon shouted incredulously.
"Not nothing. I know where to start looking for answers."
"And where would that be?" Enzo asked.
"Not unless I come with you and we take out a few of the phoenix stone vampires along the way."
"Bonnie doesn't have time for that!" Enzo said angrily.
"You want to know how to save her or not?" Rayna asked. "Those are my conditions. And I offered the only solution I can. So, can you untie me so we can go?"
"Just one second, Ms. Eager Beaver. My associates and I need to discuss." Damon responded. He urged Enzo out of the room so they could talk about Rayna's offer.
"It's a long shot." Enzo said as they walked towards the house where Bonnie was waiting.
"Yeah, but it could save her life." Damon insisted.
"But, it could lead us nowhere." Enzo argued.
"But, it could save her life." Damon countered.
"She may not want to trust some old story from Rayna."
"That's why we make this decision without her."
"She really won't like that."
"Oh, I guess you missed the part where it could save her life. Look, I'm not the one who spent the last three years poisoning the woman I claimed to love. She is dying because of you Enzo. So, excuse me, if I want to actually come up with a solution that could save her."
"Oh, please mate. Why would you want to save her now? Didn't you abandon her? So, excuse me, mate, if I choose to ignore everything you have to say."
"I desiccated myself so I could save my best friend. And three years later, despite my best intentions, she is dying. And it is all your fault!"
"Damon! Stop!" Bonnie shouted, rounding on the two dark-haired vampires squaring off on each other. "What is going on here?!" She stared at both Enzo and Damon.
Damon was definitely her least favorite supernatural being right now, but in a perverse way, she was glad he was here. No, she definitely didn't forgive him, but even she couldn't deny that Damon usually got what Damon wanted. Bonnie had come to cherish her friendship with Damon. She was devastated when he chose to lay in a coffin near Elena over staying with her while she lived her life. In the three years that he had been gone, she had learned to depend on Enzo. She had even grown to love Enzo, in spite of his flaws. She wasn't ready to give up her time among the living, even if it meant having to deal with Damon.
"Nothing." Enzo and Damon agreed simultaneously.
"Really? Because it looks like something." Bonnie took a step closer to Enzo. "Seriously, what is going on?" Bonnie intertwined their hands.
"We were having a discussing a strategy to save you." Enzo said, placing a light kiss on the back of her hand.
Damon scoffed. "We have a plan to save you. But, he's not willing to try."
"That's not what I said." Enzo scowled at Damon.
"Enzo. I trust you. If you don't think it's a good idea. We'll find another way." Bonnie replied.
"And did you get to be so stupid, Bonnie? I thought you wanted to live!" Damon shouted incredulously. "This is a lead. A way to save your life and you just want to throw it away?! Why? Because I think it's a good idea. Grow up! I'm trying to save your life. And once that's done, I won't even expect a thank you. In fact, you can return to hating me if you are so inclined. But, at least you'll be alive."
"Stupid! How dare you call me stupid? You're the coward who ran away from his life?" Bonnie shouted. She was furious. How dare he call her stupid? "And you thought you'd just wake up and everything would be the way it was. Well, life doesn't work like that. I don't work like that. You had become my best friend Damon. And then you left me. I told you how much your decision hurt me and yet you still did it. And now you're back. The only reason you're here is because you may be of some help in finding a cure. But, make no mistake, we are not friends! I do not forgive you! And once this is over and a cure is found, I hope I never see you again!"
Bonnie was torn between wanting to see how her words affected Damon and walking back inside the house with Enzo so he could comfort her while she raged. She hadn't wanted to give Damon the satisfaction of baiting her into an argument. She had moved on with her life. And to prove it to herself, she wanted to show Damon that despite his reappearance into her life, she neither cared nor wanted his presence.
Struck speechless, by the force of Bonnie's resentment towards him, Damon didn't really know how to respond. "I wasn't calling you stupid. I just think your decision is stupid."
"That's it? That's all you have to say to me? Really?" Bonnie asked, stupefied by Damon's response.
"I thought you wanted to find a cure so you could return to your fairy tale life with Enzo and never see me again? Or do you want to finally let me explain myself?" Damon asked sarcastically.
Damon didn't know what to do. Normally, when he was angry and unsure of a solution, he would lash out and drain some random person. But, not only was he trying to be a better person for Elena, he also wanted to be a better friend to Bonnie. He knew she angry right now. But, he was sure he could reach her. And if he couldn't, at least, he would do the unselfish thing and stay with her while they found a cure and then he would try to respect her wishes.
"You're right. We don't have time for explanations. We need a plan of action." Bonnie replied. She was determined not to let Damon ruin what remaining time she had on this Earth. "Enzo, what about this lead? Why is it so risky?"
"Rayna has heard of a witch who survived." Enzo said. He knew Bonnie had a lot more to say where Damon was concerned, but she obviously didn't want to do it right now. "But she's a little sketchy with the details."
"But, at least, it's a lead." Damon added under his breath.
"And she'll only tell us if we take her along and kill a few of the phoenix stone vampires along the way." Enzo continued as if Damon had not spoken.
"And why are we so willing to trust Rayna?" Bonnie asked curiously.
"Why would she lie?" Damon countered.
"Maybe because she wants to escape and he back to her huntress life?" Bonnie replied matter-of-factly.
"Are you a vampire? No. Then, she doesn't want you to die." Damon argued.
"But, I am with two vampires. One of whom, I'm sure she'd love to torture and stake." Bonnie said sweetly.
"Fine. You go talk to her. See what you think. But, why you're in there having 'girl talk', just remember of the three of us, only one is on the verge of death. And there are no other options." Damon reminded her. With that parting shot, he walked towards his car. "Just call me when you two decide to hit the road."
Watching Damon drive off, Bonnie was reminded of why she spent so much time trying to kill Damon before she had become his friend. He was an arrogant, annoying selfish bastard who always thought he was right.
"Love, I'll go with you to talk to Rayna. I don't want you talking to her alone." Enzo said gently.
"I have to go by myself. She may not want to share anything with me if you're there."
"Or she'll manipulate you."
"Or we'll use her to find a cure and save my life in the process." Bonnie said with a grin. "We don't have a choice. A possible lead is better than nothing. Please Enzo. I trust you. Trust me. Have a little faith in us."
"Love, I have complete faith in us." Enzo gave Bonnie a quick kiss on the forehead. "Now go and talk to the crazy huntress so we can save your life."
"This will work, you'll see." Bonnie said walking towards the shed where Rayna was being kept.
