Elements of an Ill-fated Romance
A/N Hey I just wanted to say thanks for the reviews. You guys are so awesome. So this chapter sort of just popped up and wouldn't go away and it sort of lends itself to the closing of this series. Let me know what you think as you know... Reviews make the world go round! ;)
Playlist: She is Love by: Parachute & Amazing by: Hedley
Chapter Six: A Paradigm Shift
Stefan had just lit the fire. It wasn't exactly chilly but it created a nice effect for the mood he was trying to set. He turned and stared at Elena who was seated on the sofa. Her feet pulled beneath her body, hair down, cheeks flushed with want; she raised her arms in a welcoming gesture.
"Come here." She whispered and there was no mistaking the seduction in her voice.
He was at her side in less time it took to blink. Cupping her face between his palms he stared into her eyes. The flames of the fire danced in her pupils. Looking down to her lips he moved in and just barely brushed them with his own.
"I love you." And the words are uttered in the midst of an exhalation of breath. And he's not sure who said them only that they exist between them.
His lips on hers, her hands tangled in his hair... it's the perfect moment until...
The sound of the front door slamming makes them jump apart as voices are heard in the foyer.
"What are you complaining about; I got him didn't I?"
"Have you seen my shirt?" Damon retorted.
"Oh please; you're not complaining about a little blood... you of all people!" Bonnie is quick to shoot back.
They enter the sitting room, Damon heading for the bar to pour himself a drink. "Hey drinking someone's blood is a lot different than having a head explode in your face!" Dropping a few cubes of ice into the tumbler he poured dark liquid to the brim. Drinking deeply he swishes it around before swallowing. "I think I even swallowed part of him."
"Like you haven't swallowed worst?" She arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.
"Oh is that your attempt at being explicit?" The sarcasm in his voice is evident and it makes her cheeks flush.
Standing on opposite sides of the room Stefan and Elena are seated on the couch right in the middle of what seems to be a showdown between the two of them.
"What is going on?" Stefan asked looking back and forth between the two completely bewildered taking in Damon's bloodied attire and scowl.
"Little Broomhilda here thought it would be a good idea to blow up a vampire's head while I was in midst of taking him out."
"If by taking him out you mean getting your ass beat." She quipped.
"I had him!"
"You had nothing but a lot of his fist in your face!"
"Wait; hold on! What happened?" Elena stood throwing her hands up to stop the bickering. Turning to her best friend she sighed. "Bonnie..."
"Why does she get to go first?"
"Because you lie all the time!" Bonnie answered hotly.
"Whatever!"
"Can we please just calm down and get to the bottom of this?" Stefan, always the voice of reason, remarked quietly. "Now did I hear correctly; there's another vampire in Mystic Falls?" He asked.
"There was another vampire... not anymore." Bonnie stated glancing to Damon before turning back to Stefan.
"What; how is that even possible? I thought they were all burned in the basement fire." Elena stated looking to all three faces.
Damon shrugged, taking another drink from his glass. "Perhaps starfire over there didn't get them all. You know she isn't known for her accuracy."
"It's just a shirt!" She yelled.
"It's 100% Italian silk!" He pointed out grabbing a handful of the material to emphasize his point. "I got it from Italy... you think they sell stuff like this here in Mystic Falls?"
"Did you even pay for it or did you just compel the salesman?" She asked after a moment of thought.
"Not the point!" He shot back.
She shook her head in utter disbelief. "You are unbelievable."
"Can you guys just tell us what happened? I thought you guys were just going to run by the Mystic Grille to make sure nothing was going on. "
"We were..." Bonnie remarked turning to her best friend and Stefan. "We were actually just leaving when we were ambushed on the way to Damon's car."
"Ambushed; by a vampire?" Stefan asked looking to his brother for answers.
He nodded but it was Bonnie that continued the story. "Yeah... the guy was fast... I didn't even realize what was happening until he had me pinned against the wall about to rip my throat out."
"Oh my God; Bonnie are you okay?" Elena asked placing a hand on her arm trying to comfort her.
She smiled slightly. "Yeah... Damon... pulled him off before he could do any damage." Her words sounded awkward even to her own ears. Looking up her eyes locked on his. "He saved my life." She said the words for the first time out loud and for the first time since they stepped over the threshold of the boarding house there was no anger in her tone... only quiet relief.
He had saved her...
Elena turned to the older vampire with gratitude in her eyes. "He did?" She asked softly and Bonnie tries to ignore the way her heart aches at the way he looks at her best friend. There's such quiet hope in the way he stares at her. Instead she looks away not wanting to analyze her thoughts or feelings.
He catches her stare a moment before she turns away. "Yeah and she repays me by ruining my favorite shirt!" He remarked trying to lighten the heaviness of the mood.
"Yeah how exactly did that happen?" Stefan asked.
"I blew him up." Bonnie stated.
"You what?"
"You blew up a vampire?"
The questions are almost simultaneous in their delivery from the couple.
She shrugged slightly. "Not all of him." She muttered uncomfortable. The sight of someone's head coming apart is not something she wants to think about. It's a horrific site even if it is a vampire.
"Yeah just his head... right in my face, all over my shirt and maybe a little in my mouth." He frowned running his hand through his dark locks. "And I'm going to have to wash my hair about 12 times before I get all of him out of it!"
"Hey at least you're alive to wash your hair! God; you are the most ungrateful person I have ever met!"
"Ungrateful?" He asked indignantly.
"Did I stutter? I mean would it kill you to thank me?"
"You want me to thank you; for drenching me in brain debris?" He asked.
"How about for saving your life?"
He stared her down. "When you actually save my life; I'll thank you. But since hell won't be freezing over anytime in this century or the next don't hold your breath."
She shook her head from side to side. "It just pisses you off that I had to come to your rescue doesn't it?" She asked. "Little Bonnie Bennett having to help big bad Damon Salvatore with one of his own; it just burns you up huh?" She taunted with a smile seeing right through his act.
"Are you delusional or just hard of hearing; I told you that I had him. I didn't need your help! And if there ever comes a day when I need the help of a witch trust me, you're the last person I would call! You're not exactly batting a thousand in the trust department."
"You're one to talk!"
"You know I haven't forgotten about your little hiccup with the device!" He stated harshly.
"And I haven't forgotten about the crystal and your attempt to kill me!"
He rolled his eyes as if dismissing her statement. "Oh come on! That's ancient history! You can't keep bringing that up!" He retorts and she rolls her eyes. "You know what the hell are you still doing here anyway?" He asked. "Isn't it past your curfew little girl?"
"Just came to get my car keys!" Dangling them she smiled sarcastically. "I'm out of here." She remarked turning on her heel and walking out.
Elena sighed following her out. "Bonnie wait; let me walk you to your car." She offered already on her heels.
Damon sighed. "Good riddance." He stated before throwing back another drink. The brown liquor burned his windpipe but in a good way. "I'm going to take a shower... or three." He stated.
"Wait I need to talk to you."
"About what?" He asked with a heavy sigh his tone becoming bored even before the conversation began.
"I'm thinking... perhaps you shouldn't go with Bonnie on these little stakeouts anymore."
Damon raised an eyebrow and looked completely confused. "What; why?"
"Well I mean you guys obviously don't get along and maybe it might be better..." Stefan began.
"What do you mean we don't get along; what are you talking about?" And Stefan couldn't help but be confused at the genuine bafflement in his brother's tone.
"What do you mean, what do I mean? You guys were about to start World War Three in here."
Damon rolled his eyes and shrugged. "What; that? That was nothing." He dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"It didn't look like nothing to me."
"That's because you're too sensitive! I mean look at you; you're practically oozing with estrogen! Besides if I didn't go with her, who would... you?" He asked with a sardonic smile. "Oh that's funny... that's... that's really... funny."
"I'm really trying not to be offended." Stefan muttered.
"No it's okay... be offended. I don't mind." He stated off-handedly. If he noticed Stefan's raised brow he didn't mention it. Instead he put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Look you going with Bonnie wouldn't work at all."
"Why not?" He asked staring down at Damon's pale hand before looking back into his eyes.
"I mean you're not really cut out for what we do out there." He stated shaking his head from side to side.
Meanwhile outside...
"Bonnie would you slow down please?" Elena called out trying to keep up with her friend's fast pace.
She stopped abruptly and whirled around almost colliding with the taller brunette. "God he's such an asshole! Did you hear him in there; 'When you actually save my life I'll thank you!'" She mocked by imitating his voice as she rolled her eyes. "I should have set his sorry ass on fire!" She yelled over Elena's shoulder toward the front door of the boardinghouse hoping that he heard her.
"Are you okay to drive home; you seem really angry right now." Elena remarked placing a hand on her friend's shoulder in support.
Bonnie exhaled deeply before shaking her head. "No I'm fine... besides I'm already going to have a hard time trying to think of something to tell my dad... it's way past my curfew." Running a hand through her hair she looked up and smiled. "Sorry about that in there... I don't know what came over me."
"No don't apologize. I know firsthand how frustrating Damon can be." She stated. "You know maybe it might be a good idea if you guys stopped with the patrols and stuff."
Bonnie furrowed her brow. "What; why?" She asked.
"Well it's just... I know that you're not really comfortable with him after everything and... I know that you only agreed to do this because I asked you to."
"Yeah but you know I couldn't turn my back on our town... I mean if there is someone or something out there trying to hurt the people we care about I can't just stand by and do nothing. Personal feelings aside it's sort of like my duty... my responsibility because of who I am."
Smiling in admiration of her friend she nodded. "Okay well then maybe you should start going with Stefan instead." She offered trying to be of help. "It's just I really hate seeing you so upset all the time."
"I'm not upset." Bonnie stated instantly.
Furrowing her brow she stared at her best friend. "Bonnie you just had a screaming match with the Salvatore boardinghouse door!" She laughed softly.
Shrugging slightly she sighed. "Well yeah but that's... what I mean is that I don't think... that going with Stefan is a good idea..."
"Why?"
"It's just... I mean he's not exactly exuding super strength these days...you know since he took a permanent hiatus from drinking human blood." She remarked uncomfortably. "It's just that... I know I talk a good game but the only reason I'm still here... standing in front of you right now is because Damon pulled that vampire off of me. And you know that I think Stefan is great but I'm just not sure he's strong enough to take on a real vampire."
Meanwhile inside the Salvatore Boardinghouse...
"I've fought off vampires before." Stefan remarked tiredly.
"But not while trying to train a witch... look I know it doesn't look like it but her and I have an understanding... a system. Why mess with something that's working?"
"Is it? You guys are constantly at each others throats. You don't even like her."
He shrugged absently walking to the fireplace. The flames danced before his eyes reminding him of a certain brunette. "She's okay... She's a hell of a lot less annoying than Caroline I can tell you that." He sighed tiredly feeling something like a smile come to his lips. "I mean she's no Emily Bennett... and I'd never tell her this in person... but with the right training... she could be... hell she could be better."
Stefan remained quiet in silent surprise at his brother's words. "You really think she could be more powerful than Emily?"
"Maybe." He answered pensively. "That vampire was pretty damn strong. He might have killed me if she hadn't of been there... she really came through."
"Okay... but you guys argue all the time. That can't be good for either of you."
"Maybe not... but in a jam I know that she will be there... same goes for me. She's got my back... and I've got hers out there." He stated resolutely.
Meanwhile outside...
"Are you saying that you don't think Stefan can protect you?" Elena asked trying to keep the defensiveness in her tone to a minimum.
"I think he would try really hard. But you said it yourself... Damon is stronger than Stefan and I don't always know when my powers are going to work or how they're going to work." She stated trying to be as diplomatic as possible. "I just need to know for a fact that if for some crazy reason my abilities go a little haywire there's someone there to back me up..."
"And you think Damon is that person?" Elena questioned and Bonnie gave a defeated nod as her repsonse.. "But you don't even like him." She remarked.
"Like him or not he's good in a fight...and as much as I hate to admit it I'm really glad he was the one there tonight... As crazy as this sounds... I know that our resident homicidal vampire has got my back." She stated. "No matter which way I spin it the fact remains... he saved my life tonight."
"Are you saying that you trust Damon?" She asked.
Meanwhile inside...
"So then you trust Bonnie?" Stefan asked.
There's a long pause before both individuals answer at the exact same time...
"Yeah... I guess I do."
"But if you breathe a word of this to your girlfriend or that pyromaniac best friend of hers I'll kill you myself." Damon threatened seriously before leaving the room.
Meanwhile outside...
"But if we could just not bring this up to anyone that would be great..." Bonnie remarked with a smile to her best friend.
"Of course... whatever you want."
"Thanks! Night Elena." And then she was in her car and driving off. All the while a pair of blue eyes watched her until she was out of sight.