stefanswifey01, NYOFACE, mrs mathis, claudiahl1, ShyButterflyKiss, randomlittleme, Airangel1992, DamonBonnie Salvatore, aprilf00l, thank you! This story is almost over, so please stay with me for a little bit longer to see the ending ;)

to DamonBonnie Salvatore: Oh yeah they did... :) But the spell was broken because Bonnie was willing to risk her heart when Damon said he needed her. Now Damon, not Jeremy, is the person she wants to protect most.

Chapter fifteen

Tango on the edge of a cliff

It was the beginning of a new day, and Bonnie, who was slowly waking up, felt a surge of energy, rushing through her entire body. She opened her eyes to see Damon's face inches from her own. He seemed absolutely relaxed. Bonnie smiled faintly. She acted so out of character last night (she never rushed her relationships) but she had no regrets whatsoever.

"I have to go," she whispered.

"Why?" he mumbled with his eyes closed.

"Still have things to do. A hybrid to kill."

Damon opened his eyes and stared at her.

"You look beautiful," he said hoarsely.

Bonnie smiled at him.

"I feel amazing."

"I know," Damon said modestly.

She laughed and brushed her fingers through his hair. Damon raised an eyebrow.

"I noticed it, you like to play with my hair."

"You hate it?"

"Bonnie, you can touch any part of me and, believe me, I will love it."

She huffed, blushing slightly, as he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Thank you, little witch."

"For?.."

"I don't know," he responded casually. "For everything... For your trust. For amazing morning sex."

Bonnie's face turned puzzled.

"What morning sex?"

Damon smirked.

"Now, that's a good question..."

He put his hand on the back of her head and captured her lips in a slow kiss. Bonnie melted at his touch. Damon's kiss was so possessive and so real...

She felt strong. Strong and happy. All fears that were torturing her since the blue fog had appeared were now gone. And her powers seemed stable. That realization made her freeze in Damon's arms. He felt it and slowly loosened his grip on her. Bonnie gave him a quick look and rose up on her elbow.

With her heart beating fast, she looked around and saw the curtained window. Curtains were dark and heavy but it wasn't enough to hide completely the golden sunshine outside. Bonnie's lips parted slightly, the wheels in her head were turning and her next word was...

"Jeremy."

Damon grimaced, impatience clear in his eyes.

"Okay, that was a turn off!"

She looked at him, confused.

"What?"

Making a visible effort to be calm, Damon smirked and pulled her closer.

"Just joking, come here. Though I was hoping for something more sexy. Like 'Damon'."

Bonnie frowned when he wrapped his arms around her and started to kiss her.

"Damon... not now, we can't!"

"Well, I think it's something we must do right now," he muttered. "And again after that and over and over."

"You do realize that the spell is broken?" she managed to say. That was quite impressive considering that Damon did his best to silence her with a kiss.

"That means you're not dying anymore," he muttered, hugging her tightly. "What a splendid reason for a little celebration..."

"Damon, I want to know what's happening!" Bonnie exclaimed. She pushed him away and he let her go. "Honestly!"

She got to her feet and began to dress. When she turned around to look at him again she saw him standing right next to her. Bonnie cleared her throat, averting her gaze.

"Don't you want to put some clothes on?"

"Why?" he said, dead serious. "Are you afraid you won't be able to resist me much longer?»

"You are unbelievable."

"Poor girl. You can look, you know. Just don't turn into stone."

Bonnie gave him a sarcastic smile, "Whatever".

"What do you have in mind?" Damon asked lazily. He was getting dressed slowly and didn't look at her.

"You know."

"Yeah... I mean apart from your obvious intention to ravish me."

Bonnie sighed dramatically. "Stop dreaming. You are safe with me."

Damon buttoned his shirt sleeves and came closer to her. With a smirk on his face, he wrapped his arms around her and put his cheek against her temple.

"What was the last night then?" he whispered. She smiled and closed her eyes. "Bonnie... Let's stay here..."

"But we can't..." she answered, enjoying being in his arms. She felt so secure and warm.

"Even you can't protect everyone," he said softly. "Let's walk away."

Bonnie opened her eyes and slowly stepped back. Damon saw her face and frowned.

"I had to give it a try."

"But you knew all along what my answer was going to be," she said evenly.

"Doesn't make it easier for me," he muttered.

She frowned and he said softly, "You do realize why the spell was broken."

"I suppose I broke it," she said composedly. "Unintentionally."

"You don't love him anymore."

"Damon, I care about him."

"I ask you not to mess with Klaus."

Bonnie shook her head and looked away.

"You are not serious..."

"Just..." he said, choosing his words carefully. "Let me handle it. Stay away from him."

"I know how to kill him."

"I'll find another way."

"Damon, I can do it," she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"But you don't have to do it," he said, half-impatient, half-irritated.

Bonnie didn't answer. She watched him and her mind traced back to her first fight with Klaus. She remembered Damon back then. His determined face, his eyes blazing and his only desire to protect Elena.

"Can you kill him?"

"He's got some kind of protection spell."

"You have the power of a hundred witches. Break it."

"I'm trying!"

He didn't resemble that man. Now he really cared about her. And she wasn't just a weapon for him anymore.

And that left him without any weapon whatsoever.

"You remember what Sheila told you about the blue fog?" he asked slowly. "It brings out your worst fear. And all this time the only terrible thought has been haunting me. The thought that something bad could happen to you. And therefore to me. Now the spell is broken but my fear is still with me. Please, don't go after Klaus."

"I can't..."

"Bonnie, I won't lose you. No matter what it costs me, I won't lose you. Don't fight him."

She was near to tears but she whispered again, "I can't..."

He held her gaze for a long time and then looked away. Bonnie rubbed her forehead unhappily.

"Don't even think about doing something reckless," she said firmly.

"Like kidnapping you?" Damon spat sarcastically. "Or feeding you my blood?"

Holding her breath, Bonnie approached him and touched his hand with her fingertips. Damon clicked his tongue impatiently but didn't move away. He refused to look at her. But her skin was so warm and as always she smelled so good... And he was in love with her. What a pain to be in love with someone so stubborn... So strong. Someone he had to reckon with.

His thumb caressed her pulse point lightly. Bonnie looked up at him and Damon nodded.

"I won't do anything reckless," he said slowly. "If that's what you want. But you have to promise me something as well... You won't give me a reason to do something... something you would never approve of."

"Damon," she whispered. "I'm not going to die! Everything is different now. And I will use only my own power. I'm strong enough and his soul is broken. I won't die. Trust me."

"Okay," he said heavily. "We won't bring it up again."

Her face brightened and she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. Damon closed his eyes.

'If I do it right... If this time I do everything right... she will be okay, won't she?'

Lucy arched her eyebrow when she saw Bonnie walk in through the front door.

"And here comes the walk of shame," she said teasingly.

Damon, who was right behind Bonnie, glared at Lucy.

"Are you jealous?"

"Hardly," she said, but there was no venom in her voice. Bonnie smiled.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "The sun is shining bright... Maybe you can tell me why?.. What did you do?"

Bonnie made a helpless gesture.

"Well... nothing magical."

"So it wasn't magical?" she heard Damon's soft voice.

"I mean it was magical but not magical magical," Bonnie felt stupid, her face was flushed.

Lucy smirked and Damon said in a solemn voice, "Whatever you did you should have done it sooner."

"What about the spell, Lucy?" Bonnie asked loudly.

"I think I'm ready. Can I use it on your boyfriend?"

"Use what?" Damon asked suspiciously.

"The Barrier," Bonnie said quickly. "If we trap Klaus he will..."

Damon didn't wait for her to finish; he turned to Lucy, frowning, "Go ahead, do it."

"Fine," Lucy said and began chanting the spell. After a minute she told Damon, "Try to go outside."

Damon reached the door and stopped there.

"It's working."

"See?" Bonnie said, beaming at her cousin.

Lucy smiled back. "I'll practice more."

"I'll help you," Damon said.

Lucy shrugged, "You don't have to."

"Anything I can do I will do" he responded gloomily.

"I'll go upstairs, I need to change," Bonnie said quietly.

Damon seemed to perk up.

"On the other hand, Lucy dearest, you can practice by yourself."

"Aren't you cute."

Damon rolled his eyes but Lucy wasn't paying attention to him anymore. She was concentrating on chanting the spell. Bonnie smiled again, she was secretly glad that Lucy was patient with Damon.

Damon himself was acting very composedly. Bonnie was surprised and pleased. After all, he was trying for her. And he called himself her boyfriend. When they went out of the boarding house he said, "Let's take my car. You can leave yours here."

She nodded and he smiled at her. "You finally have a boyfriend who owns a good car."

He said that in such a matter-of-fact tone of voice that she felt really happy. And their way to her home was good. Except for the fact that Damon hated radio today. First, he disapproved of the song Who will take my dreams away? and flipped to another station. Then he heard Shot by The Rasmus and began flipping through the stations almost furiously. Bonnie saw him frown and put her hand on his. Damon squeezed her fingers lightly and turned the stereo off.

She could tell she was in love with him.

"Hey."

Bonnie came back to reality and turned around. Damon was talking on his cell phone. She gave him a smile and went upstairs.

Damon sighed.

"So, what's new?"

"You tell me. How come the spell is broken?" Stefan asked.

"Oh, it's a long and a very private story," Damon said, pacing.

"Is Bonnie okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

Damon paused before answering, "Yes."

"Where are you?"

"Her place."

"I see... Look, we need to act quickly and save Jeremy."

"Whatever you say, brother."

"I know you're worried about her. But we have to end this."

"How's your love life?" Damon asked in a bored voice.

"You'll be surprised."

"Humor me."

"Well, I proposed."

Damon blinked.

"That's one hell of a way to solve your problems!" he said, amused.

"I really want to be with her. You know it."

"Well, good for you."

"So... Are you..."

"Just two words, Stef. Bonnie Bennett."

"Okay."

"You might want to know... We're killing Klaus. Tonight."

"I'll come to Bonnie's place."

"Cool."

"Until then."

Damon put his phone back into his pocket. Lucy was still in the living room, practicing the spell. He decided not to bother her and went upstairs. The door of Bonnie's room was open and he entered without knocking.

Apparently, the witch was taking a shower. Damon walked around the room, studying the decorations. Then he sat down on her bed and closed his eyes.

Lucy was a strong witch. She could hold Klaus back.

Still there was Elsa. And Raymond. And maybe someone else.

Power-channeling was dangerous for a witch.

Crap, he forgot to ask what Elena had answered Stefan.

But then again who the hell cares...

He felt someone's hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes. Bonnie was in front of him.

"I didn't hear you walk in," he said slowly.

"Oh."

He rose to his feet and looked at her closely.

"Are you feeling okay?"

She didn't answer. Her face was unhappy and she didn't look into his eyes. Damon frowned, slowly slipping into despair. He didn't understand why his emotions suddenly had betrayed him.

He touched Bonnie's hand and saw the black smoke between her fingers.

"Bonnie what..."

"It's nothing."

He looked up, alarmed. Bonnie didn't move, her eyes were lifeless and she was fading away before his eyes.

Damon's eyelids were heavy when he bolted awake. He was regaining his consciousness as he listened to the soft murmurs downstairs. He heard hushed voices and after that — quick footsteps.

Bonnie came in the room. She was wearing a white top and jeans and her hair was loose.

"Damon," she said, smiling. "Finally you're awake. I didn't realize you were that tired..."

Her smile faded when she saw his face.

"What's the matter?" she asked quietly.

He said nothing and she got onto the bed and hugged him. Damon felt her curls brushing his cheek. Her hair was still damp from the shower. He liked the feeling.

Damon turned around and took her in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. She seemed so small. 'I love you' was on the tip of his tongue. But he didn't want to say anything that right now would sound like 'goodbye'. Instead of that he kissed her roughly, putting all of his feelings into the kiss.

Bonnie was lying in his arms and he was hugging her tight, pressing her into his chest as if he wanted them to melt together.

She was alone in a hotel corridor. She didn't know how that had happened.

Back into her home she had tried another locator spell to find Jeremy and it had worked. The spell had led them to a small hotel. And so they — she, Damon, Stefan, Lucy, Alaric and Tyler — entered its lobby. The next moment she was all alone.

Bonnie frowned, looking around.

'My mind's playing tricks on me. Or someone is playing with my mind.'

She could still feel Jeremy's presence but he was on the other side of the building. Bonnie narrowed her eyes and went down the corridor.

The place seemed deserted. She didn't see anyone and didn't hear anything. All the doors were shut and there was no even a faint light coming from the rooms. She reached the end of the corridor and saw that the last door was open.

"You took your time."

Bonnie froze, holding her breath.

'So it's a trap.'

"Please, do come in. I was waiting for you."

She put her hand upon the door knob and slowly opened the door wider.

Klaus stood by the window. He was wearing a nice suit and in the window Bonnie could see his reflection, him fixing his cufflinks. His movements were teasingly slow.

"All alone? Elsa is so good at this maze spell. A finger snap and people spread around like shattered glass."

Bonnie clenched her teeth and walked in. The door slammed shut behind her. Klaus smirked and turned around to face her.

"So what now?" he asked. "No small-talk? And I was so trying to create a noir atmosphere..."

Bonnie furrowed her brow but didn't say anything. While she stood still, her eyes flickered around this very fashionable dim lit room.

"We're alone. And I'm going to kill you," Klaus said simply. "Unless..."

At once Bonnie raised her hand and hit him with a spell. Klaus didn't move and sighed, feigning boredom, "Oh... Impressive."

"I know it still hurts," she said quietly.

He smiled at her, his strange pale eyes twinkled. "So nice to hear your voice finally. But I guess you will never learn. Stop trying to kill me. You just can't do it."

He was still holding her gaze, there was something mesmerizing about the way he looked at her. It was a long moment, and then she saw him right in front of her. Bonnie flinched as he grabbed her and turned her face up to his.

"Don't move," he ordered, looking into her eyes, and Bonnie froze. His fangs retracted and he lowered his head to her neck when she whispered something.

"Come again?"

"Vervain," she repeated. "It's in my blood..."

She squeezed his hands, her nails scratching deeply into his skin.

"I know you can compel witches," she muttered. Klaus tried to move but he couldn't lift a finger. "And you are faster than me. Thank you for coming so close. Now you're really going to die."

He tried to push her away but it was too late. The blinding unbearable pain hit him. It wasn't like anything he had experienced before. He was practically in Bonnie's arms and it was like she was burning him over and over.

"I can't be so noble and say I'll be happy if you're happy. 'Cause I know I'll never be happy without you. I love you, Elena. I'll always love you."

Stefan stood in front of the massive double doors. The last thing he remembered was entering the hotel. He was right behind Lucy who had just answered his question about the Barrier, "No vampire can escape until I lift the spell."

And then, it was like he got inside the giant kaleidoscope, everything went bright and blurry. Before he could make a sound he was alone and his own words, the part of the speech he made when he was proposing to Elena, echoed in his head.

Slowly, his mind cleared. He knew what was going on.

'Damon is right,' he thought, with a fierce, newly reborn faith in his older brother. "It doesn't matter that I still can't control it. I need to get over my own fears. And Elsa is a bitch, but she's not very creative. I won't see anything I'm not ready for.'

He lifted his hand to open the door but stopped.

'I can lose her. Forever. I can lose her love and her respect. I can even stop caring about her. I can betray Elena and my brother and Lexi's memory...'

Stefan closed his eyes and turned around to escape but he found himself facing the same door. His heart sank. He didn't move, he didn't touch the door but it was opening with a sickening creak.

And Stefan saw a bedroom. A beautiful, elegantly decorated bedroom. He entered slowly and looked around. On the wall there was a large antique mirror. All the furniture seemed very expensive. Stefan came closer to the king-sized bed and saw the pictures on the bedside table.

Elena alone. Elena with him. Elena in her wedding dress and him wearing a tuxedo.

He felt warm, it was like he belonged here. Stefan smiled raising his head and his glance shifted to the mirror on the wall.

He didn't see his reflection. He saw the dark streets of a small village, streets that were covered with the corpses. He could recognize their faces. All of them. Stefan came closer but the image didn't change. It wasn't the mirror. More like a window to the past.

A very familiar feeling swept over him. He wanted to disappear, to wipe out the traces of his own existence. He remembered killing them all, one by one... He could never forget. And nothing would lift this heaviness of his heart. He would never get better.

He had to learn to live with that.

'Yes, it was my choice. I wasn't brainwashed or compelled, I just wanted to kill. I didn't want to care and now I can't change what had happened. Being a monster then was my choice. But being with Elena now is also my choice. No matter what happens, I'll always love her.'

Damon didn't say it would be easy. And Damon didn't promise that the guilt would fade away. But Stefan, after all, had the greatest motivation.

The sudden sound of shattering glass made him wince. Stefan stepped back and the bedroom around him disappeared. Now he was in a hotel hallway. For a brief second he caught a glimpse of silver hair and saw with astonishment Elsa's face right in front of him. Her eyes were clouded. Then she crumpled on to the floor and Stefan saw Damon. His mouth was covered in blood.

"What a stupid boring bitch," he said, grimacing. "She was so consumed with whatever she did to you she couldn't even notice me. God, I hope one day I'll understand why all the women are so obsessed with you."

Stefan inhaled deeply.

"You killed her..."

"I sure did," Damon said, wiping his mouth. "Don't tell Bonnie."

Stefan stared at the dead blonde on the floor. He thought he'd feel relieved but it was more like his emotions were turned off.

Damon watched him warily.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"You just stood there and stared at her. Why didn't you attack her?"

"I was trapped in some illusion."

Damon shrugged.

"That happens to you from time to time."

Stefan nodded and said, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Let's go find Jeremy."

"I'm going to help Bonnie," Damon said, his face turning serious.

"You're right. Let's find her first," Stefan said and instantly heard a familiar voice.

"Poor Elsa. She wasn't my favorite person in the world but this is just sad."

Damon rolled his eyes impatiently. Stefan stepped closer to his brother as he saw Raymond appear before them.

"Hey, Stefan. And Damon, I'm so pleased to see you again."

"I don't have time for you," Damon said, irritated. "So you need to die very, very fast."

"Stefan," Raymond said. "I see you're still nursing your brother. All is forgiven then?"

"We can take him," Damon muttered.

"Don't let him get too close," Stefan spoke, not averting his eyes from Raymond. "He will tear you apart."

"I'll rip his heart out faster."

"Rip the heart out, what a cliché..." Raymond drawled. "You are no fun. Have you ever, I don't know, compelled a mother and tell her to burn her child?"

"No," Damon said. "But I'm not a psychopath."

"No, you're just a loser who likes fucking his brother's girlfriend."

"Raymond, there's two of us," Stefan told before Damon could say anything. "So get the fuck out of our way before it's too late."

"You are so brutal, Stef," Damon said sourly.

"Here he comes," Stefan whispered and Damon saw Raymond move.

Lucy felt the illusion spell break and now she could see her surroundings. She was in a dark hotel room. Her Barrier spell was still working. And thanks to the blood connection she could feel that Bonnie was alive. But her cousin was fighting and her enemy was strong. It must have been Klaus.

"You..." she heard a faint whisper.

Lucy swiftly turned around and saw someone crouching on the floor. She recognized Jeremy even before he took the hood off of his head. The boy's face was as white as chalk.

"I remember you," Jeremy said hoarsely.

"Yeah..." Lucy said, feeling sorry for him. "Jeremy, right?"

"Is Bonnie here?" he asked, slowly getting to his feet. "Is she okay?"

"She..." Lucy started but stopped as her eyes suddenly went wide.

"What?" Jeremy demanded. Lucy paid no attention and burst out of the room.

"Damon!"

"I'm fine!" Damon spat, angrily. He got hit pretty bad. Raymond stood across from him, smirking derisively.

"So, Stefan, you were saying..."

Stefan's bruised face was slowly healing. He watched Raymond's every move.

"So pathetic," Raymond said, checking his nails. "The great Salvatore brothers. And you burst in here like some kind of rescue heroes. Well, now you're both going to die and I'm going to get along with another witch. Life is so fucking boring..."

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked slowly. "Klaus wants Bonnie to be with him?"

Raymond raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't talking about her. You know, he wanted to compel her... Just to have a little fun. But after all he'll kill her, of course."

Stefan's eyes turned black and Raymond huffed.

"Oh, come on! She tried to kill him twice! Seriously, what is wrong with this bitch? Did she have a death wish? Maybe, she wasn't satisfied with her life?"

He shrugged and heard Damon's cold voice, "Now you will let me pass."

"I don't really think I will."

Damon lunged for him and Stefan moved as well. But Raymond was faster. And the next moment Stefan found himself lying on the floor, with his throat cut. He was still conscious but the terrible pain was blinding him. Damon sucked in a short gasp of breath when Raymond's fingers grasped his throat.

"You are so stupid," Raymond said, his brow furrowed. "What were you hoping for? I'm older than you."

Damon's lips moved but no sound came out.

"I beg your pardon?" Raymond said, relinquishing his hold.

"I said..." Damon whispered. "It's not always about the age."

Raymond sneered but suddenly his face winced and he let go of Damon.

"Stefan!"

Damon straightened, rubbing his throat. He saw Elena who rushed over to wounded Stefan and turned his gaze to Caroline who stood in front of him. Raymond's body was on the floor between them, the stake sticking out of his back.

"Nice one," Damon said croakily. "I guess today's battle-cry is Stab your enemy in the back."

"I killed him," Caroline said, almost surprised with herself.

"Yeah-yeah..." Damon rolled his eyes. "And so our Barbie turned into Buffy. Just like that."

"Damon, I just saved your life," Caroline said, indignantly.

"And I'm very grateful."

Damon turned around to check on his brother and saw Elena's worried face.

"Why are you here?" he asked, frowning. "Caroline..."

"I couldn't stay at home knowing Tyler and Bonnie are in danger," Caroline said. "And Elena was worried about Stefan."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked pale Stefan. His wound was healing quickly. "We promised each other, no more secrets!"

"Where's Tyler?" Caroline demanded.

Damon didn't answer, he wasn't really listening. Before anyone could call him he was off. He needed to help Bonnie.

Stefan was by his side in a heartbeat.

"I'll help you."

"I'm not speaking to you," Damon said snappily.

"Why?" Stefan was genuinely surprised.

"You gave Elena Mom's ring!"

"I told you I proposed!"

"This ring is supposed to be on my future wife's finger!"

"That's not fair!"

"That's tradition!"

"But what if you never get married?"

"It'll be your fault, you selfish brat!"

"Da — Look, it's Lucy!"

Damon stopped and saw Lucy Bennett run into the hotel room, her long hair flying behind her.

"Let's go," Stefan said but Damon didn't move. His face turned terribly pale. Stefan stared at him. "Damon?"

The older Salvatore clenched his fists and went after Lucy.

He was still alive. He stood there like her spell wasn't affecting him at all. Bonnie was chanting furiously but her power wasn't enough.

'No way', flashed through her mind.

Her eyes were probably filled with desperation. Klaus saw it. And then he smiled.

"I won't let you escape," she whispered. "Not this time."

She let out a shuddering breath, allowing the magical energy fully take over her body.

"You can't do it without killing yourself," Klaus said calmly. "So, just knock it off. I have a better proposition for you. Hear me out."

Bonnie closed her eyes and silently whispered, 'I'm sorry, Damon.'

When she opened her eyes again, there was only her power. Her natural fear of death had disappeared. Probably, there was the darkness awaiting her but she knew she wouldn't be alone. She would become the part of something great, she would join her ancient family. Of course, she would lose herself but it wasn't scary. A little sad. But not scary.

Once more Bonnie closed her eyes and made a step into the darkness.

Damon slowly walked in, fighting the tight feeling in his chest. Back in the hallway he could swear there was a look of desperation on Lucy's face. But it didn't really mean anything...

He saw Lucy right away. She was kneeling over someone lying on the floor. Not very far away Damon saw the remains of what used to be Klaus. There was no doubt about it — the Original was dead.

So Bonnie had killed him and fainted from exhaustion. That should be it. But she was safe now... She was safe and she...

Suddenly Damon's face was distorted by a spasm of grief and he rushed over.

Lucy looked like someone who was trapped in a nightmare. She was chanting the spell with the hysterical notes in her voice. And Damon who was now on his knees beside Bonnie understood what she was trying to do.

He bit deeply into his wrist and brought his bleeding hand to Bonnie's lips.

"Come on," he whispered. "Drink it, drink!"

Bonnie's face was calm, her features were soft and peaceful. And he hated it. Something inside Damon was telling him to shake Bonnie, to wake her up no matter how. His blood was in her mouth now but it didn't change anything.

Damon looked up and saw Lucy tremble, her eyes wide with horror. Fierce fury broke over him and wiped out every other feeling.

"Do something!" he roared. "Save her!"

Lucy winced and to his surprise started her chanting again.

"Bonnie!" Damon heard behind his back. "Bonnie!"

So many voices. Alaric, Stefan and Elena, Caroline and her wolf-boy... And then he heard a new voice...

"Bonnie!"

Damon flinched as if he had been slapped. He whipped around and saw white-faced Jeremy.

Not the best time for a reunion...

Before anyone could even blink Damon slammed Jeremy into the wall, breaking his ribs. The young Gilbert gasped with pain but Damon wasn't done, his hand was around Jeremy's neck.

"Damon, let him go!" Elena shrieked. "Let him go! It's not his fault!"

Damon didn't listen. He didn't care. He was past caring. Nothing mattered. All he wanted was to rip someone apart, to make blood cover everything, to see only blood... Because he was a vampire and only that could help him in his rage.

He didn't realize what was stopping him, his anger completely blinded him. Then he felt Stefan's grip on him and heard his brother's voice, "I need you to calm down."

And, strangely enough, Damon stopped his struggling.

Stefan let him go and stepped back. Damon could see Jeremy now, his face was even paler than before. Elena looked at Damon like he was someone she never knew. Then she shook her head and looked away.

Damon turned around on wobbly legs. He saw Lucy and Caroline kneeling over Bonnie. Caroline's face was like the mask of the unbearable pain and the shock. He couldn't see Bonnie's face. And he couldn't hear anything except his own heavy breath.

It was when Caroline started sobbing quietly. Damon swayed and turned away from them all. He couldn't stay here. He couldn't hear that Bonnie wasn't here anymore. He couldn't look at her.

Stefan saw his brother storm outside at the vampire speed. There was a loud noise like a door slamming shut. But as Stefan looked closer he saw that the door was literally ripped off.

TBC