Thank you all for your reviews and your acceptance of this fic idea. I appreciate your support, especially now when the show is over. Thank you so much!
Guess it's Damon Salvatore's birthday! Happy Birthday to that Cocky Bastard of a Character.
Disclaimer: You know how it is, the CW and the rest…
Six Months Before
Bonnie slammed the door to her car and pulled out of the garage of her apartment building. Kol had a way of dropping in whenever he felt the need to and it was beginning to bug her. It took 3 months for her to threaten him enough with another clothes bonfire for him to come get the stuff he left. She reached over and turned the music on in her car as some of her favorite pre-club music filled the air. As soon as she got down to dancing and singing, the phone switched to a phone call coming in. She glanced down to see her father's face filling the screen. It was predictable that he would call her now, especially when all she wanted was a night off. She quickly pressed the green button as she pulled onto the highway, "Hi Daddy!" she stated in a faux joyous way.
"Bonnie…how are you?" Rudy Hopkins asked in his bass level voice. Bonnie always marveled at how her father's voice commanded attention.
"I'm good…just great."
"I spoke to Alan earlier…"
There it was. She had been waiting for this call for a couple weeks and here it was, "Mr. Fant…really? What did he say?"
"He said that you are handling one of the most important cases in the history of the firm."
Bonnie's heart dropped into her stomach, of course it would be portrayed as that, "Dad, Mr. Fant was exaggerating. It's a divorce case."
"A divorce case for the firm's top client."
"Yes…it's a divorce case for Tyler Lockwood and Dad, its not a winner," Bonnie confessed.
Rudy gave her a disappointed scoff, "There is no such thing. You can win anything with my blood flowing through your veins."
"Not only is Tyler a crap client, his wife got a new lawyer and he's good, Dad."
"You're better," Rudy answered simply.
Bonnie smiled. Nothing like encouragement from a girl's dad, "Thank you, but with a crap client and an attorney who apparently knows all of the ways to win…I don't know about this."
"Bonnie, you know that you can win this. Use whatever you can to get that W, that's what I taught you."
Bonnie bit her lip. Damon had already knocked her off game. However, there were a million ways for her to gain some ground and she would do exactly that.
"You're right Daddy," Bonnie smiled slowly.
"I will be in town next month for Mayor Forbes birthday party, so I will see you then."
"Ok, does mom know you're coming into town?"
"Bonnie, I don't clear my schedule with your mother," Rudy snapped.
She rolled her eyes, "Of course not," she sighed heading towards the club.
BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD
Bonnie entered the bar and could already hear the conversation, laughter and music filling the air. Her run in with Kol had definitely soured her good mood. All she wanted was a night out with her best friends to forget about her case and forget about the mess she had made of her love life in a day. She looked around and found Elena and Caroline sitting on a couch drinking and giggling.
"Tell me you ladies ordered me something too," Bonnie plopped down next to Caroline.
"Wait…those pants…how did you get them on and I'm jealous," Caroline made Bonnie stand up again and turn around, "Elena, look at her ass…why is Bonnie so lucky?"
"Is she drunk?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah," Elena handed Bonnie a martini glass.
Bonnie sipped and immediately the liquid spread from her mouth down to her chest and she felt a little heat. She danced a little, "This is amazing."
"A little something Elena got the bartender to make and I swear there's nothing but alcohol in it and a dash of pineapple juice," Caroline took a sip.
"Yes, I needed something to loosen you two up…now who wants to come dance?" Elena stood up and gestured for Bonnie and Caroline to follow her.
"Ok…ok…fine," Bonnie stated downing her martini and placing the glass down on the table as Caroline pulled her onto the dance floor.
The three women went out to the middle of the floor and begin bopping to the music. Bonnie allowed everything to drift out of her mind, as she moved to one of Beyonce's latest songs. This was what she needed—just a night out with the girls to forget everything that happened over the past two days. When she turned back around to look at her friends, Caroline had found a guy to dance with keeping the reasonable 'married woman's distance' and Elena had just found a guy, who had twirled her around and they were dancing looking in each other's eyes as if they'd known each other for years. Somehow, the girl's night had turned into 'Find Cute Guys to Dance with Night'. Bonnie moved to the music swinging her hips, when two hands slowly made their way onto her torso guiding her hips. The hard chest behind her indicated that he was also tall. She moved her arms up to touch him and she closed her eyes.
"I knew you would be a good dancer," he whispered in her ear and it was as if a bucket of cold water was poured over her head. She immediately stopped dancing and turned to stare at him, it was as if his eyes glowed in the dark lighting, "hello Bonnie."
"Are you stalking me?" she narrowed her eyes.
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
Damon cocked his head to the side, "See that guy dancing with your friend over there?" he gestured to Elena and the brunette, "that's my little brother, Stefan, and looks like he likes your friend…a lot."
Bonnie looked at Elena and Stefan dancing and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, "Of course," she snorted turning to walk off of the dance floor, but Damon held onto her hand.
"Come on Bennett, we were having a good time."
"Until I saw your face…" she commented as something clicked in her mind, "and it wasn't that great of a time, you're a horrible dancer…surprising actually."
"What's so surprising about it?"
"You're good in bed and usually that would translate to the dance floor…"
"Ahh…so you admit that I was good in bed," he pulled her closer against his body.
"I never denied that fact," she swayed with him, "I just have no intention on every repeating that mistake again."
"Oh really?" he moved her closer.
"Damon, what do you want with me?" she asked looking up at him, "we're on opposite sides of the courtroom. We had a first date where we both left some aspects of our life out…what exactly do you want to come out of any of this?"
"I want to get to know you. Not the attorney, but Bonnie Bennett. I mean that, no more games," he looked down at her and he looked sincere.
They swayed to the music for awhile, "Why?"
"Because you intrigue me."
"Well I'm also the opposing counsel on one of your cases, so as long as we are on two separate sides…you don't get to know anything else about me other than the fact that I am going to make sure you lose this one," Bonnie smiled widely before walking away from him, despite the fact that her entire body was humming from his touch, his voice and his mouth being so close to her neck. Her body wanted Damon Salvatore, but her mind knew better and this night…her mind was going to win.
BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD
Bonnie rolled her eyes as she heard Elena chatting with Stefan while they walked into Bonnie's apartment. The club turned out to be a fun experience, Bonnie and Caroline spent most of the night drinking, talking and laughing on the couches watching Damon try to dance. Elena spent most of her time talking to Stefan. Bonnie had to admit that Elena and Stefan did make a cute couple. Her friend had not smiled this much since her parents died in a car accident in a few years before. It was good to see.
"Ok, I'm actually off tomorrow so we can meet up for brunch, I will text you the place…ok…yes…ok…" Elena giggled, "I will talk to you later Stefan, take care."
Bonnie watched as her friend smiled from ear to ear and ended the phone call and then glanced up at Bonnie, "Don't say anything."
"Don't say that I just witnessed you revert back to a high school girl?" Bonnie teased.
"Bonnie…stop," Elena hid her eyes as Bonnie laughed.
"It's ok, its really cute and Stefan appears to be a nice guy…either way, he seems better than his brother."
Elena's eyebrows raised, "Oh no Bonnie, I saw you dancing with Damon…who is very sexy, I might add and you looked like you two were getting along."
Bonnie smiled, "We were getting along in the sense that I didn't want to kill him, but nothing is going to come from it."
"What?" Elena moved closer to Bonnie, "why won't you give him a chance?"
"Because this divorce case is one of the most important cases of my career and if I want to become partner, I can't allow anything to get in the way of me winning—that includes Damon, it especially includes him."
"But you want him don't you?" Elena smirked.
Bonnie gasped and playfully smacked Elena's arm, "Elena!"
"Hmmm…well, I just want you to be happy Bon…whether its with Damon or someone else. I never want to see you hurt like you were after what happened with Kol."
Bonnie rolled her eyes, "Speaking of Kol, he came here tonight, before I left for the club. He tried to get me to forgive him."
"And…"
"And I don't feel it anymore. After what happened and the way it happened, I just don't feel what I felt for him before."
"Hmmm…" Elena frowned.
"What…what are you thinking?"
"You and Kol, I always thought…nevermind," Elena shook her head.
"Elena, tell me."
"Ok. I always thought that you two were born out of circumstance."
"Elena, I loved Kol," Bonnie defended herself. Still to this day when she said his name, it stirred up emotions within her…mostly bad at this point.
"I know you did and I'm not saying that you didn't, I'm just saying that…maybe you don't feel anything more because it was a circumstantial relationship and his actions made those circumstances disappear," Elena shrugged.
Bonnie frowned. The more she thought about Elena's words, the more she thought that she may actually be right.
Present Day
Damon watched as Bonnie and the detective entered the interrogation room. He studied them both, the way she kept her jacket closed tightly around her body and the way his eyes were filled with fire. They had been together. He could see the look on Bonnie's face that made him believe that she was…what…defiant…angry…disappointed…he wasn't sure, but he knew what he felt and it was furious.
"Damon, I see that you have an attorney present," Kol stated sitting down as Bonnie stood up with her arms folded across her chest near the edge of the table.
"Apparently," Damon looked up meeting Bonnie's eyes.
Bonnie took a seat next to him and he noticed Kol's eye twitch and jaw clench, "So what do you want to ask me Detective?" Damon sat back.
"Well we know all about your relationship with Olivia Lockwood, you were lovers correct?" Kol asked waiting for confirmation.
Damon noticed Bonnie shift away from him a little, but also could see that her eyes stared at Kol without blinking, "I was her attorney in her divorce proceeding and after, we did become closer."
"Closer…a sexual relationship?" Kol prodded.
"Really Kol?" Bonnie asked in disgust.
"Bonnie, he was with her when she was hacked to death…these questions are relevant…so Damon, answer the question...did you and Olivia Lockwood have a sexual relationship?"
Damon looked over at Bonnie, who refused to look at him and then turned his gaze back to Kol, "Yes."
"For how long?"
"Not long."
"How long?"
"Maybe a week or two."
"Which one…a week or two weeks."
Damon stared at Kol without opening his mouth.
"Ok, so maybe we will get to that later…tell me about last night, what happened?"
"Don't answer that," Bonnie stated.
Kol's head snapped towards her, "Bonnie."
"Too broad, if you want to ask my client a question about what happened tonight…you give a time."
Damon looked over at Bonnie. She had turned into lawyer mode and he realized right then, he didn't deserve her or her help.
"6pm last night," Kol stated.
"I went to dinner at Bud and Marilyn's with Olivia."
"Uh, huh and were you two alone?"
"We were alone."
"And what were you doing at dinner?"
"Eating."
Kol smirked, "Were you celebrating or…"
"We were celebrating the finalization of her divorce."
Bonnie's breath hitched.
"Uh, huh and did you two drink alcohol?"
"Don't answer that," Bonnie spoke up again, "and you know what, my client is not saying anything more. If you're charging him…fine…but we're not giving up any more information and if you don't mind, I want to talk to him alone."
Kol stood up, "Bonnie, I think you need to let this one go."
"And I think you need to leave the room," she countered.
Kol shook his head in disgust before walking out of the room and slamming the door.
"Just answer one question for me?" Bonnie whispered avoiding Damon's eyes.
"Bonnie, look at me," Damon stated quietly.
"You went to dinner and what happened afterwards?" Bonnie asked avoiding his gaze.
"What?"
Bonnie turned to him with her emerald eyes staring back at him with a look he couldn't read, "What happened after dinner?"
"We went back to her house. We had some wine, we kissed…I don't remember the rest."
"You don't remember the rest; you're being serious right now?" Bonnie chuckled humorlessly, "you expect me to believe you don't remember what happened?"
"Bonnie, we drank wine and I don't remember. I closed my eyes for a second and when I woke up again, my face was bruised…my hands were bruised…and Olivia…she was covered in blood, I was covered in her blood. I don't remember anything else."
Bonnie shook her head.
"Bonnie, I would never lie to you…" he stated noticing her eyes narrow, "not about this. I honestly don't remember, someone must have…"
"Drugged you?" Bonnie supplied, "I'm supposed to believe that?"
"Or do you want to believe I killed Olivia? I know you don't trust me. I know you hate me, but you agreed to be my attorney…you know me Bonnie, you know more about me than many people do…you told me that you could fall in love with me a couple of weeks ago and now you believe that I could be capable of killing someone?"
Bonnie turned to look at him and all the moments that they shared passed her by, "No," she answered quietly.
"I know that things between us fell apart but…"
"I lost a lot."
"But I never wanted to hurt you. I'm sorry for what I did," Damon reached over to take her hand but she moved it away and stood up from the table.
"I will see if they are going to formally charge you tonight and if they are, I will go home and change and meet you at the arraignment if there's time," Bonnie swallowed, "and umm…I will call Stefan and tell him to get here as soon as he can."
"Bonnie, say you believe that I am innocent," Damon looked up at her with his blue eyes glistening at her.
"I'm representing you, that should tell you something," she stated before turning and heading out of the door.
Five Months Before
Damon opened the envelope that his assistant had placed on his desk and chuckled, Bonnie had filed a motion to cease Olivia from spending any funds from the joint account that she and Tyler shared. Over the last couple of weeks, Bonnie made some pretty big legal maneuvers and this was the latest. She had put a gag order on Olivia and various members of her family from even thinking about talking to the media or any future publishers, had Olivia removed from the mansion that she shared with Tyler and into a smaller apartment that Tyler so graciously offered to pay for and lastly, she made a motion to reduce the spousal support payments that Tyler was responsible for during the divorce proceedings. She was trying to put the screws to Olivia, so that she would cry 'Uncle' and agree to whatever settlement that Bonnie and Tyler presented. Damon was impressed and a little turned on that she was being smart about this, but he was going to win this one. It wasn't just his ego on the line, but he also felt strongly that Tyler was hiding funds and the forensic accountant would find something. Lastly, Luke was basically hounding him every day about the progress he was making on his cousin's case.
Damon pressed the speaker button on his phone and listened to the phone ring, "Bonnie Bennett's office," Jenna answered.
"Jenna…so happy to hear your lovely voice today," he smiled, "is your boss available?"
"Mr. Salvatore…I will connect you," Jenna stated in an amused voice.
"Thank you…and will I be seeing you tonight at Mayor Forbes' Birthday party?"
"You may…" Jenna trailed off before putting him on hold.
Damon smirked as he read through the newest documents.
"Yes Mr. Salvatore," Bonnie's sultry voice came over the phone line.
"I got your latest filing."
"And you need me to explain it to you?" she asked innocently.
"You know I understand exactly what you are doing and I am impressed."
"Because I live to impress you," she remarked sarcastically.
"It won't work."
"What won't work?"
"You trying to squeeze my client until she agrees to whatever puny settlement your client offers her. She knows what she is worth and she knows your client better than either one of us does, so I don't think she will give up until she gets what she is owed and trust me, I won't either."
"Well Damon, you should probably suggest she get a part time job because the money from that joint account is not hers to use anymore."
"Savage," Damon stated.
"Well you know…"
"So anyway, moving on to something more personal…"
"Oh no, we don't do personal," Bonnie cut him off.
"Mayor Forbes' birthday party tonight, will you be in attendance."
"Yessss…" she replied guarded.
"Good, well so will I."
"Why? You don't know Mayor Forbes."
"Ahh…wouldn't you like to know how I got an invite."
"I know your brother is coming with Elena, but how did you get an invite?"
"Bonnie, I've made some friends around town and you would be surprised at how charming they find me."
"So manwhoring around town?"
"Now, now no need to be jealous, Bonnie. Olivia was invited and she asked me to accompany her. She is aware that your client has been smearing her name around town and she would like to be with someone who won't whisper behind her back."
"Such the gentleman."
"And who's accompanying you?"
"My father," Bonnie answered.
"Oh the great Rudolph Hopkins, Esq. will be in attendance. I may have to get some pointers from him," Damon teased.
"Whatever…stay away from me and my father."
"Maybe you will save a dance for me, the tango perhaps…"
"Goodbye Damon," Bonnie could barely hide her chuckle.
"See you later," he sung as they ended the call.
Damon smiled as he looked down at the papers. His conversations were Bonnie were interesting. They hadn't been in court for awhile, but they had spoken over the phone and through filings. Every time they spoke it was an underlying current of sexual tension. He had seen her a few times in the courthouse when he had other hearings and each time, their eyes always seemed to meet each other. He would grin at her and she would give him the finger…it was a perfect relationship. He was looking forward to seeing her at the Mayor's party. Although she had made it clear that as long as they are opposing counsel, she would never allow anything to blossom between them, he couldn't help but have some very X rated thoughts about her and their time together after their internet date. There were very few women like Bonnie Bennett.
"Damon, Lucas Parker is on the phone for you," his assistant called from outside his office.
Damon sighed. Luke had called him once a week since he arrived in town and every conversation was spent with him stating that he couldn't tell Luke anything.
"Hello Lucas," Damon breathed.
"Damon, Olivia tells me that Tyler cut off some of her money…what are you doing man!" Luke seethed on the other end.
"My job, you asked me to represent your cousin and I am doing that, but it takes time. It's not a quick fix. There's a lot of money at stake."
"I understand that, but you understand how important this is."
"I do."
"Ok, I just want my cousin to get everything she deserves."
"And she will, I got this."
"And Tyler's lawyer, heard she's a real bitch."
Damon frowned, "She's good at her job, she's not a bitch…she's cool."
"She's working for him."
"Because she has to. It's her job, I don't take it personal. She's a good attorney and that's why Tyler has her, but I will make sure Olivia gets what she deserves and that's it."
"Good, leave that bastard she married begging for mercy," Luke fumed.
"If he's doing what I think he's doing, I will," Damon agreed.
BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD
Bonnie finished pinning up her hair when her doorbell rang and she rushed to the door. She had just slipped on her purple evening gown and finished her hair in enough time for her father's arrival. Her father told her he would be at her apartment at 7, so of course he was there at 6:45. She knew him so well.
She opened the door and Rudy was standing there, "And you are dressed…I am pleased," he hugged her.
"Daddy, I know how you are about time. I just have to grab my purse and then we can leave," she walked over to the couch checking to make sure she had everything.
Rudy looked around Bonnie's apartment, "So I see all of the pictures of that detective are gone."
"Well he's gone, so the pictures had to go too," Bonnie shrugged.
"I always knew you could do better," Rudy escorted her out as Bonnie rolled her eyes.
Moments later, they were in Rudy's newest buy, an Aston Martin. Bonnie almost wanted to gag at the mere thought of how many young women he probably picked up in this car. Rudy and Bonnie's mother, Abby, were high school sweethearts along with Elena and Caroline's parents. Abby and Rudy were the couple that you would see in magazines. He was the star of the football team and she was a cheerleader, which was more than likely one of the issues—Rudy still saw himself as a star and the center of attention when it came to women. However, Bonnie could never deny that her father loved her and treated her like one of the most important things in the world to him.
"So how's the case going?" Rudy asked as he drove towards the mayor's mansion on the other side of town.
"It's going, you know. We have a forensic accountant going over Tyler's finances right now," Bonnie gazed out of the window.
"A forensic accountant?" Rudy glanced over at her, "does opposing counsel suspect that Tyler is lying about his finances?"
"I think Damon believes that Tyler is covering up something…"
"And you?" Rudy asked.
Bonnie looked over and sighed, "I'm not sure anymore. I've told Tyler over and over again how important it is to be honest with me and for some reason, I believe he's keeping information from me."
"So you didn't hire a forensic accountant before the motion that Damon filed?"
"No."
Rudy sighed, "Bonnie, I know that you're a fantastic attorney—but come on, that was a rookie mistake."
"Tyler declared all of his financials Daddy, they were notarized. I think that I'm just being a little paranoid about everything. You know this case is what will decide if I become partner or not."
Rudy nodded, "Yes, Alan may have mentioned that."
Bonnie felt her stomach twist. It was always an unspoken truth that this Lockwood divorce would determine her career at the firm and now that her father confirmed it, she felt nauseous.
"Oh come on Bonnie, you know that you can win this," Rudy went on.
"I can, I know I can…it's just, Tyler is not exactly the best client."
"They never are," Rudy remarked as they pulled up along the rather long driveway to the mayor's mansion, "but you have to make them the best client that has ever walked through your door. Bonnie, this is about winning…and while the way you win may not be fair, you still get the 'W'"herBonnie down the stone path where the party was underway. Bonnie could hear the conversations, the light music playing from a band and the clinking of glasses. She was sure that her mother and her grandmother were already there, so she chose to come with Rudy knowing that her father needed someone in his corner. They walked down the steps leading towards the guests who were smiling, dancing and drinking below. As she made her way down with her father, she scanned the crowd. She knew that Elena and Caroline were there somewhere. Her eyes drifted over the usuals that attended this event every year and then her eyes fell on a tall, olive skinned man wearing a grey suit staring back at her with a pair of crystal blues. He was holding a glass full of brown liquor and when his eyes met hers, he gave her a smirk and lifted his glass up slightly with a tilt of his head.
Bonnie gave him a small smile as she moved her eyes away from his and looked over at her father clearing her throat, "Umm…I don't see Mom or Grams," she craned her neck to look at the crowd.
"Unless they are standing down there with the young man in the grey suit, I doubt you would," Rudy commented.
"Dad!" Bonnie gasped.
"Who is he?"
"Opposing counsel."
"Ahh…looks like a cocky son of a bitch to me, guess I should introduce myself while you look for your mother," Rudy stated letting her go.
"Daddy…no…don't," she attempted to grab his arm, but he was out of her reach before she could go after him and heading towards Damon, "damn it!" she whispered.
"Mmm…Rudy…look at him strutting across the lawn like some kind of rooster," Sheila Bennett, Bonnie's grandmother scoffed walking up next to her.
"Grams…"
"Mother, please we are on our best behavior tonight," Abby Bennett whispered joining the other two Bennett women.
"You are," Sheila stated simply.
BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBD
Damon couldn't stop admiring Bonnie in the formfitting strapless purple gown that she was wearing as she made her way down the stairs with her father. She looked like a vision walking down those steps and he almost forgot that they had rules.
"My daughter interests you?"
Damon froze as he sipped on his drink and turned to see Rudy Hopkins standing next to him, "Your daughter?"
"You can't bullshit a bullshitter, I saw you from the moment me and Bonnie stepped into the garden. Rudy Hopkins," Bonnie's father held on his hand.
Damon looked down. He wasn't sure he trusted this, but he wouldn't be rude. He stuck his hand out and firmly gripped Rudy's hand, "Damon Salvatore, I hear you're the attorney going against Bonnie in the Lockwood divorce," Rudy continued.
"So I am and you are one of the top attorneys in Washington DC and also Bonnie's father."
"Correct, I noticed the way you were looking at my daughter and I'm only going to tell you this once…stay away from her. My daughter has goals and whatever you are attempting to do by getting in her head…don't."
"Mr. Hopkins, I can assure you that I welcome the challenge and I would have you know, your daughter is no wallflower in the courtroom. In fact, she's put me through legal hell this week."
Rudy looked over at Bonnie standing with Abby and Sheila, "Yes, I have taught her well," he smiled broadly.
Damon looked over at Bonnie with her narrowed eyes and smiled, "She hates that you are talking to me," Damon stated through his smile.
"Yeah, well…my daughter hates a lot of things I do," Rudy stated as he picked up a glass of champagne off of a tray and lifted his glass to Bonnie with a smile.
Bonnie tried to read the lips of her father and Damon, but to no avail. "Who's that man that Rudy's with?" Abby asked.
"Opposing counsel in my divorce case."
"He would go make friends with your enemy," Sheila rolled her eyes.
"I'm pretty sure he's defending Bonnie, Mother."
"Hmmm," Sheila stated as she walked away and over to a few of her colleagues from the University.
"Did you talk to Daddy today?" Bonnie picked up a glass of champagne and turned to Abby.
"No, I figured it would be best to see your father here and not speak to him over the phone."
Bonnie laughed, "Mom, will you two ever make up and be nice?"
Abby wrapped her arm around Bonnie, "You are the best of both of us and that is all the nice we need," she stated kissing Bonnie's temple.
BDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDBDB
"Lizzie…Jocelyn…please stop running," Caroline yelled as her blond twins ran around the yard blowing bubbles, "anyway, so I saw Damon here with Olivia Lockwood…are they dating?" she whispered.
"No he claims he is playing her shield, if she's with him people won't talk badly about her," Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, that'll stop it," Caroline rolled her eyes, "but I have to admit, Damon looks pretty good tonight. That grey suit brings out his eyes."
"Caroline…"
"What?" she blinked innocently.
"It was a one-time thing that will never be repeated."
"But why not? I understand that while the divorce case is going on you can't date or bone each other…but after? All bets should be off."
"I'm not talking about this."
"Ok fine, don't humor the old married lady."
"Caroline, you are far from old…stop it."
"So what are we talking about?" Elena asked sitting down at the table joining Bonnie and Caroline.
"We're talking about the fact that you've been dancing with Stefan all night not to mention that every weekend you are with him too," Bonnie threw a napkin at her friend.
"I'm sorry, it's just that…" Elena turned to see Stefan and Damon talking by the bar to Matt, "I haven't felt this way about someone in a long time. Stefan's great you know, caring…smart…hot…he asked me to meet his father next month at their house in Upstate New York."
"Is that right?" Bonnie asked, "so you two are moving pretty fast."
Elena shrugged, "I can't help it Bon."
"I'm happy for you," Bonnie reached over and took Elena's hand.
"But I want you to be happy too," Elena squeezed.
"I am happy; I will be happier when this case is over…but I am happy. I'm fine."
"Well Caroline, I think your mother will kill me if we don't at least get a couple of pictures dancing," Matt walked over holding out his hand interrupting the ladies.
"Yes because it is her party and we do whatever she wants," Caroline sighed taking Matt's hand and following him onto the dance floor.
Stefan took a seat next to Elena and Bonnie looked up at Damon who smiling down at her, "Don't even ask," she mumbled.
"Come on Bonnie, just one dance."
"Where's your client?" she asked.
"She left, where's yours?"
"On a business trip."
"So we can have one friendly dance…I promise we won't talk about the case at all," Damon held out his hand.
"Damon…come on…"
"One dance, please…don't embarrass me here, Bonnie," he widened his eyes.
She shook her head hiding a smile, "Fine…fine," she reached out and took his hand. She felt the sparks immediately. It wasn't something she expected or even knew would come, but they did. They were the kind of sparks that were dangerous. Damon smiled as he led Bonnie out to the dance floor.
They walked over to the middle and he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, "Keep your hands PG," Bonnie warned him.
Damon gasped, "Your father is here, why would I ever do anything but that?"
Bonnie raised an eyebrow as Damon laughed, "I'm not that bad."
"Oh but you are."
"I've been a good guy lately; you've been the mean lawyer."
"Whatever…and I thought we weren't discussing the case."
"Fine…you look very, very pretty tonight Bonnie and I mean that…no hidden agenda," Damon remarked sincerely.
She smiled, "You do too…"
"I look pretty?" Damon asked.
"Yup," she answered as he twirled her around and she laughed, "but I guess the proper word would be handsome," she stated as he brought her back to him.
"Thank you, I appreciate the compliment," he smiled down at her and then looked around, "not a bad party here…the booze and food seem to be top notch."
"Yes, Mayor Forbes does a great job every year when she has this party."
"So I saw you speaking with your mother and her sister…"
Bonnie chuckled, "I'm sure my Grams will love that and she loves absolutely nothing…that was my mom and my grandmother."
"So family affair?"
"You could say that."
"Your father didn't walk over to them when he left me."
"Yeah, well my mother and father aren't exactly the best of friends…I'm their love child, the only good thing to come out of their marriage let them tell it," Bonnie shook her head, "so when my father is in town, they don't cross paths often unless I need them to…you know birthdays, graduations…"
"A wedding?"
"That's not happening any time soon."
"Hmm..." Damon replied thoughtfully as they swayed, "you know I snuck into one of your hearings the other day…it was a preliminary hearing defending some guy for a DUI charge."
"Oh yeah, that was a favor for one of the administrative assistants that works at the firm…it was her nephew, the police officer completely overreacted. The boy was on pain killers, not alcohol…he had oral surgery a day before."
"Yeah, I heard your argument. Very impassioned. You're good in the courtroom."
"Well my father wouldn't allow me to be anything less and I was an ADA for a couple of years after I graduated from law school."
"So what made you give up on being an ADA?"
Bonnie smiled, "Still doing research?"
He shrugged, "I wouldn't be a good attorney if I didn't."
"And you don't know what happened to end my prosecutorial career…no googling?" she prodded.
"Was it scandalous? An affair with a judge?" he wiggled his eyebrow.
"No…I worked in the domestic violence hearing room. I started out in preliminary hearings and continued on from there to major cases. One of my defendants who got off on a technicality, didn't exactly like me much as you can imagine. I walked into my old apartment one day he was waiting behind the door with a knife…"
Damon stopped swaying and stared down at Bonnie, immediately he felt a need to find this unnamed asshole and kill him or at least, castrate him.
She looked at him, "Now don't stop dancing, its not that big of a deal…well not now anyway. After throwing me around for a bit, he let me know all the fun things he was going to do to me."
"And what happened?"
"Kol…Kol happened, we were going on a date. He came, knocked down the door and shot him. That was it. Benjamin Holder found himself bleeding out all over my tan carpet," she shook her head, "I loved that carpet."
"Ahh…and is Kol…"
"The ex-fiancee."
"Got it," Damon nodded understandably.
"So, my mom and my Grandmother were less than happy about me being an ADA and my father wasn't too crazy about it either. Kol's brother owns a couple of media outlets and that's why we were able to keep it out of the news. So I walked away from the DA's office and joined the firm I'm at now and the rest is history."
"Wow."
"Yeah…very dramatic, but I'm where I'm supposed to be at Briddle, Asher and Fant."
"So I'm basically going up against one of the absolute best in Mystic Falls," Damon shook his head in awe.
Bonnie smiled widely, "I guess you can say that."
"If I ever get in trouble, I guess I should call you, huh?"
"Maybe," Bonnie answered.
Present Day
Three hours later, Bonnie and Damon walked into his condo as the sun slowly rose into the sky. Damon was arraigned on 2nd degree murder, was given $50,000 bail and had to forfeit his passport. The proceedings were draining and Bonnie was exhausted. Stefan stated he would be in Mystic Falls by mid-morning. Every time they read the charges, Damon could see Bonnie visibly recoil. He wasn't sure if after everything sunk in that Bonnie still believed him. She didn't say a word as they drove from the police station to his condo.
When he walked into his apartment, he stopped to look in the mirror. With his blood stained shirt, beard growing in and his bloodshot eyes—he looked like hell. Bonnie stood by the door, she wasn't saying anything and he couldn't read her face, but he had to know.
"I'm going to take a shower, get out of these clothes…will you still be here when I get out?" he turned to her.
She looked at him for the first time since they entered the condo, "Damon, Stefan will be here soon and I want to take some time to…"
"Please," he walked over to her, "I know that this is the last place you want to be and I'm the last person you want to talk to, but Bonnie…I just need…" he breathed out running his hands through his hair, "this situation is fucked up and I need you…I just want to talk to you about everything, go over everything."
"Ok…"
"So you will stay?" Damon asked.
She closed her eyes and breathed out slowly opening them again staring into his eyes, "I will stay."
Well…the question in the air is still 'What did Damon do?' One thing we do know is that he won the divorce case, but how did he win is the question?
We met the Bennett family and they do not disappoint. The Salvatore family will be making an appearance soon.
Please show your love and support…thank you, I appreciate it.