A/N: Hello, my friends :) Sorry it took so long! I'm glad that you weren't disappointed by turn of events and, thank you for your reviews, BROOKLYN'S JEAN-MARIE, DGfleetfox, randomlittleme, Yuumii, aprilf00l, mrs mathis, ShyButterflyKiss, niafadra, claudiahl1, DRBR-Lovely, LaKessy, Sky Samuelle, Yson.
To Yuumii: Yes, Yuichi is back but he's not alive... He's a vampire now :) He had a little rendezvous with Katherine who had offered to turn him in exchange for breaking Klaus' soul. Yuichi wanted to protect Lucy but he didn't want to die so he accepted the offer. When Klaus snapped Yuichi's neck Katherine's blood took effect and Yuichi woke up as a vampire in the morgue. It's all behind the scenes, though, I didn't want to bore my readers :)
Chapter seventeen
...to save the day
As far as Bonnie could see, there was only one logical explanation.
"I am dead," she said without any hesitation.
Yuichi shook his head.
"No, but you did try your best to be dead. Seriously, Bonnie..."
Bonnie sat up abruptly in her bed and he stopped.
"How is it possible?" she whispered, staring at him. "I saw you die..."
"Yeah..." he chuckled. "I suppose it was rather unattractive. Klaus wasn't an esthete and I was as weak as a newborn mouse."
She was listening to him, hardly believing he was right beside her. But he was real, no matter how unbelievable the thought seemed.
"How did you survive?"
"I didn't," he shrugged. "Well, long story short, I've chosen Damon's destiny."
Bonnie narrowed her eyes and grabbed his hand.
"God!"
"Please, don't be upset," he said timidly.
"Damon's destiny?" Bonnie closed her eyes. "Oh, please, don't tell me — "
"Katherine."
"Damn."
Yuichi smiled and spoke in a calm voice, "We've met the day our little gang visited that house where the witches were burned. Katherine knew about me. She wanted me to kill Klaus. One word after another and, well, I've decided to turn..."
"Why?" Bonnie exclaimed impatiently. Her head was spinning. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're not dead but why did you risk yourself to begin with?"
"You are one to talk!" Yuichi laughed.
Bonnie bit her tongue but her eyes were still blazing. Yuichi lowered his head and spoke in a hushed voice, "You need to know, I always wanted to step over my human nature. Not because I wanted to live forever; actually forever is a big disadvantage. But the shock of turning can increase the powers of the warlock like nothing else."
"Or kill him!" Bonnie exclaimed.
"Yes, you're right."
"Why now?" she said, frowning. "If you wanted to turn... I mean, you've been friends with Damon and..."
"Damon as my sire?" Yuichi looked genuinely horrified. "No way." Bonnie didn't look convinced and he sighed, "And trust me, I would have never done that if I had other choice. My mother wanted to gain more power and that caused her death. I've promised my father not to mess with the supernatural if I could walk away. But the promises... sometimes must be broken."
Felling guilty and sad, Bonnie said nothing. It was a miracle that she had kept her promise to Damon. Yuichi continued thoughtfully, "My parents and their best friends once thought that the magic could solve everything. They even began a crusade against the dark forces. And then my Mom died... You know, sometimes I think that every witch has a death wish. When you have the power, the real undeniable power to change people's destinies it's so hard not to use it. At some point you just stop caring that this power can kill you. Bonnie, you have a brave heart. And Lucy is courageous as well. When you love someone since the age of six you're getting to know them like you know yourself. She met you and this meeting made her see everything in a whole new light. She wanted to protect you, she was ready to risk her life for you. I realized it and that brought me into action.
Katherine knew about my power and she also knew that in my own way I've cherished the idea of immortality. The irony is, when I came close to getting immortal I've realized that was something I've never really wanted. But it was Lucy's life at stake. It was your life too, and it's too damn hard not to care about you. And though Damon could be a fucker the world would miss him. The end of my human life didn't seem like a big price. I hoped we would kill Klaus before he could do anything but life is a gamble..."
Bonnie was upset.
"I'm sorry..." she muttered. "I'm sorry, I should have..."
"It's all in the past, life is wonderful now," he said cheerfully. "But let's talk about you. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Bonnie almost jumped out of her skin.
"Excuse me?"
"I was gone for a couple of days and you almost got yourself killed!" Yuichi stood up. His eyes were burning. "Why did you use this spell? His soul was broken, you could have just staked him."
"At the beginning, I was using the channeling spell, with my own power. It didn't work," Bonnie said composedly.
"You should have waited; it would have worked," Yuichi said, looking at her judgingly.
"You know," Bonnie said, indignation filling her, "I wasn't sure your spell had worked!"
It was Yuichi's turn to look insulted.
"Of course it had worked! It's my spell!"
"Too bad you didn't tell me," Bonnie said snidely and got to her feet.
"I was actually busy, I was dying!" Yuichi glanced down and added quickly. "Don't walk barefoot."
"You were dying..." Bonnie repeated, annoyed, because she couldn't think of a better comeback.
"Maybe I should have left a note," Yuichi smirked.
"Maybe you should have," she said.
"Are you being sarcastic?" he shook his head. "Five minutes ago you were unconscious and now you're ready to bite my head off. That's what I call a Bennett temper..."
"Speaking of which," Bonnie gave him a pitying look. "Lucy will kill you."
"I know," Yuichi sighed. "But I just couldn't tell her that Katherine is about to sire me... Oh, poor Katherine wouldn't survive that day."
"It would be a loss," Bonnie said sarcastically. "But when are you going to meet Lucy?"
"Soon," he said optimistically. "Soon..."
Bonnie became serious.
"You... you don't want her to know what you've become?" she suggested.
"Actually I want to surprise her. Maybe, now I have a chance."
"You want to seduce my cousin with your new goth-vampire look?" Bonnie deadpanned.
"Well, that's the plan... Besides, if she sees me unexpectedly she can kill me. I think I better write her a letter first."
"You don't understand," Bonnie said patiently. "She was devastated when she thought you were dead."
"She was?" he sounded both pleased and worried.
"You can't hide forever."
Yuichi shrugged.
"I wanted to disappear and become all mysterious like Simon in Misfits, you know, but... Apparently, Lucy called my father. The thing is, a witch parent can find his kid dead or alive faster than you can snap your fingers. When I woke up after the transformation and checked my cell-phone I saw that Dad had texted me a hundred times already..."
He looked so miserable that Bonnie swallowed her laugh.
"Dad isn't amused," Yuichi complained. "I have to go to New York now. He can stake me, of course, but it's his call. Then again, he never grounded me. Maybe, I'll get away with my..."
"Death?"
Yuichi made a face at her and Bonnie laughed.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry about everything but you don't really look upset."
"It's not a tragedy," Yuichi mildly said. "At some point I was afraid my body would reject turning. And I've been badly injured, with all those burns. But being a vampire is fun. I can feel the energy coming from the nature, it's intoxicating. I had to use that switch thing already."
"Oh my God," Bonnie sounded both fascinated and disapproving.
"Hey, I'm not agitating you! Though I know someone who would love the idea..."
Bonnie raised an eyebrow and Yuichi smiled slyly.
"Damon and Bonnie sitting in a tree..."
"I will give you an aneurysm!" Bonnie warned him.
"I'm sure I can fight it!"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't act cool just because you will live forever."
"Says who? Maybe one day this world will stop surprising me. And I'll meet the sun. You heard that to die would be an awfully big adventure? I..." his voice trailed off and he frowned. "Is it Damon's ring?"
Bonnie followed his gaze and saw the familiar ring on the bed. She gasped and grabbed it.
"Why is it here?" Bonnie exclaimed desperately.
"Oh..." Yuichi rubbed his eyes. "You both are suicidal..."
Bonnie was scared beyond words. The fact that it was the nighttime right now didn't put her at ease.
"He's gonna be OK," Yuichi said. "I saw your future, he was alive there."
"You saw what?"
"The moment I became a vampire I saw the future. The vision was quick but amusing. I saw new episodes of How I met your mother and that our world will be True Blood -ed. Everyone will soon know about the vampires," he added when he saw her questioning look. "And I saw you and Damon. I even made him see it as well. Entered his dream and showed your happily ever after."
"Me and Damon?" Bonnie asked slowly. "So, after all..."
She remembered his confession. Was it real? She thought she knew Damon well enough but she couldn't imagine him saying such words to her, couldn't imagine him crying for her.
"We can go on a double date," Yuichi offered, smirking. He took out his phone and dialed Damon's number. Bonnie was watching him silently but Yuichi shook his head. "Voicemail."
"I hope he's at home now," Bonnie muttered. "I'm going."
"Let's say goodbye then," he smiled. "Can I hug you?"
She smiled back and embraced him.
"Thank you for saving me," she whispered.
"You are very welcome."
The door behind them burst open and Bonnie turned her head at the sound.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed.
Yuichi beamed.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Bennett!"
Bonnie's father entered the ward and gave the warlock a nod.
"Yuichi. Give your father my regards."
"Ok. He'll be glad," Yuichi smiled at Bonnie. "Bye, Bonnie."
Bonnie was gaping at her father and didn't even answer. She came to her senses when Yuichi had already walked out.
"Daddy?" she said, confused. "But how... Do you know him?"
Mr. Bennett came to her and hugged her tightly.
"I never wanted you to mess with this," he said hoarsely. "I never wanted you to risk your life. We'll talk."
He released her and gave her a kind smile. Before Bonnie knew it, she was smiling back.
"Let's go home, baby girl."
"Actually, Daddy, we need to stop somewhere first."
Damon was completely absorbed in thought when he reached the boarding house. The moon was shining bright; it was two past midnight and Damon hoped Stefan and Elena were sleeping. But when he opened the front door he saw Stefan's beaming face right in front of him. Damon jerked back.
"What the hell?"
"Damon..." Stefan said hurriedly. "Damon, you... just don't worry, okay?"
Damon grimaced.
"Oh, please... Don't tell me you're pregnant."
"Listen..."
"Is it him?" a familiar voice sounded. "Is he back?"
Damon froze. Then he roughly pushed Stefan out of the way and walked inside.
There, in the yellow electric light, stood Bonnie; her face was flushed and her eyes were filled with relief.
"Thank God!" she exclaimed. "Where have you been? I've called you so many times!"
Damon didn't answer. The time had stopped for him. Was he going crazy? Was she real? His senses didn't fool him. He was too annoyed with her poor writing style (SOME PEOPLE MUST NEVER KEEP DIARIES!) to start imagining her. He wasn't hallucinating. It was Bonnie.
"It's great!" Stefan said, not noticing that his brother was practically devouring Bonnie with his eyes. "Bonnie survived, can you believe it?"
Bonnie, unlike Stefan, saw in Damon's eyes promises of the eternal torture and hesitated to make another step forward. Damon stood still. He saw Elena appear next to Bonnie. She was all teary-eyed but the smile didn't leave her face.
"Damon!" she said. "Look... Look, it's Bonnie!"
Fascinating how alike Stefan and Elena were. When they were happy they acted so stupid!
'Bonnie survived, look, it's Bonnie!' he silently mocked them. 'Captain Obvious and his wife.'
Damon's eyes were boring into Bonnie's face as her smile was slowly fading. His stony-faced look wasn't something she expected. Actually, in the scenario she had played in her head, he saw her and ran to squeeze her in his arms.
'Won't happen. He's going to pout.'
And she couldn't blame him.
But he looked like he had risen from the deathbed himself. Bonnie felt desperately sorry that she had made him feel like that.
"Damon..." she said timidly. "Can I have a moment?"
"Why, Bonnie," he finally spoke. "You can have forever."
Her lips began to form a smile when he added derisively, "Anything for the great hero."
She let out a breath and nodded. Damon came to her and Elena glared at him.
"Why can't you just..."
"You. Stay out of this. You," he turned to Stefan. "Get out of here."
"What? Don't be silly," Stefan said, exasperated.
Damon didn't answer, he went into the living room and Bonnie followed him. Her heart was pounding. She partly hoped, the moment they would be alone he would kiss her. But Damon fell into the chair and looked at her expectedly.
"Damon," Bonnie started. "You look... tired."
"Thank you," he said, raising his eyebrows. "You look guilty."
She laughed nervously.
"That's stupid."
He started tapping his fingers against the arm of his chair.
"You know, if you wanna talk about stupid things..."
She knelt before him, laying her hand on his. Damon looked down at her, his expression unreadable.
"I suppose you're mad at me," Bonnie softly said.
"You suppose correctly," he answered. But he didn't try to yank his hand away.
"I understand..."
"How..." he paused. "How did you?.."
"I need to give it back to you," she said and put his ring on his hand. Damon watched her, he seemed somehow distant and that scared her. "Funny, right? It all started with my ring and now it's your... ring," she finished clumsily.
"That's way too trivial," Damon said coldly. "You should have waited till the dawn and then burst into my room. You know, the last moment effect."
Bonnie took a big breath and began passionately, "Damon, you have every right to be angry, and I'm so sor..."
"No," he interrupted. "Don't give me this I'm so sorry crap. It won't work."
"Wha..."
"Your apology means nothing."
Bonnie blinked.
"I don't apologize to you often, you know," she said. "I didn't want to scare you... or hurt you... Everything happened so fast and I... I was trying so hard but he just stood there and... I was afraid he would hurt someone..."
She looked up and her voice trailed off. Damon's eyes were blazing. Bonnie sighed.
"It's part of who I am," she whispered. "But I really didn't want to hurt you. I'm sorry..."
Damon slowly reached out to touch her hair. His touch was so gentle, even though his face was still indifferent. He stroked her cheek and leaned closer.
"It's you," he muttered. "It's really you..."
The sound of his voice broke her heart. Damon placed his hand on the back of her head and his forehead touched hers. Bonnie smiled and put her hand on his knee when her father's voice sounded from another room.
"Bonnie, it's time to go!"
Bonnie jumped to her feet.
"Just a minute, Daddy!" she shouted at the door and again turned to Damon. "Look..."
She was silenced immediately. Damon was on his feet as well, and his arms went around her, and his lips crashed onto hers. The kiss was fierce like never before. Bonnie lost her balance and couldn't feel the floor beneath her feet. When Damon let her go she could barely stand.
"You are still not forgiven."
"Bonnie!" her father called again.
"What is your father doing here?" Damon asked, confused. He was calm now, and nothing reminded of the Ice Prince five minutes ago. "And why are you suddenly so speechless?"
'Kiss me like this again and I'll be dead!'
Bonnie cleared her throat and said dignifiedly, "So... I guess we both have time to think about... everything."
"What do you mean?"
"I will... tell you later," she said and gently disengaged herself from him. "You know what, I'll text you."
"Bonnie, Caroline is here!" Elena's voice sounded.
"I'm coming!" Bonnie exclaimed and rushed out of the room. Being confused by her words, Damon stood still for a moment but then followed her. Just in time to see Bonnie being attacked (there was no better word to describe it) by Caroline and Tyler. Matt and Jeremy were there as well and Damon scowled. Jeremy should never even come near her!
"I knew it, I knew it!" Caroline squeaked. Damon rolled his eyes.
The front door burst open and Lucy came in.
"Knocking is so out of fashion," Damon said loudly but no one paid attention to him. Lucy beamed when she saw her cousin and rushed to hug her.
"How?" she asked, her eyes shining.
Bonnie sighed.
"Well, I was told not to tell you."
"What?" Lucy frowned.
Bonnie's eyes were wide when she said slowly, "The person who had saved me told me not to tell you."
Lucy froze, looking at her, and Bonnie grinned, fighting the desire to nod her head violently.
"I'm so throwing a party!" Caroline exclaimed, hugging Bonnie from behind. Lucy smiled warmly and stepped back.
Damon watched all those excited people and he didn't want to spoil anything. (Maybe, it would be good to throw Jeremy out, but even that could wait.) They were so happy. And Bonnie's face was the happiest. She was surrounded by people who loved her and she deserved every bit of that love.
Damon saw her turn to him. She smiled, he smiled back and mouthed, "I'm still mad."
She laughed silently. What a brave girl. And though Damon was indeed mad he felt the grief unclench its claws from his heart.
"Ok, girls, it's late, time to go," Bonnie's father said.
There was another hug session that Damon skipped. But when Bonnie was in the doorway she turned around and once again looked at him. His eyes glinted softly as she smiled at him.
When the front door shut after Bennetts Stefan and Elena began to scold Damon.
"Why can't you just say you're glad she's alive?" Stefan demanded.
"Be nice to her, I warn you," Elena said.
Damon sighed.
"Okay, holy duo... I'm going to bed."
"Damon, are you even listening?"
He smirked at his brother and went upstairs. His emotions were catching up to him and a warmth was spreading through him, filling his soul with happiness and pure relief. And Bonnie was still with him, he could almost feel her skin under his fingers.
The first rays of dawn touched the sky but Bonnie and her father were still in the living room, chatting in hush voices. Lucy was there as well but she was fast asleep on the couch. When Bonnie put a blanket over her, she saw how exhausted Lucy's face was. Hopefully, everything would be good now.
"So you know Yuichi's father," Bonnie whispered to her dad.
"Yes, he's friends with me and Joanna."
Bonnie looked at him knowingly.
"Joanna, Lucy's mother."
Mr. Bennett nodded, smiling.
"When we were young, we were spending a lot of time together. Fighting evil things..."
"You told me you never used magic," Bonnie said.
"I told you, I don't want you to mess with magic. Feel the difference."
She scrunched her nose slightly.
"So you and Lucy's mom and Yuichi's father were like superheroes?"
The thought was amusing.
"I was young too, you know. I thought I could change the world."
"Uh-huh," Bonnie smiled. "And you didn't want me to be like you? Not fair."
"You're my little princess," her father said. "And should be treated as such. Besides..." his voice suddenly changed. "I never wanted you to be hurt. You made me worried sick but I... I just can't help but be proud of you."
"Thank you, Daddy," Bonnie smiled and stood up. "I'm going to bed. Good... well, it's morning already."
Mr. Bennett smiled and kissed her on her forehead.
"Sleep tight."
Bonnie went upstairs. When she entered her room and saw the familiar surroundings she felt completely at ease. Bonnie wanted to go to bed but some exciting feeling deep inside her soul made her start pacing around the room.
"I'm such a chicken," she whispered and looked out the window. The scarlet light of dawn fascinated her. After everything that had happened, she stood in her quiet room, greeting a new day.
Smiling, Bonnie took her cell phone and began to write a message.
TBC right now