Best Friend
Pt 13- Spilled Milk
R-T
*Thank you for your reviews, follows, favs, I appreciate you. Merry Christmas! Please Enjoy!
"Ginny... is that...?" Damon asked but trailed off when he saw the man kiss Bonnie.
"Yeah. That's... her fiancé." Ginny said grimly.
"Oh, this is too, too good to be true." Sybil laughed. "Well, who's ready for church? I sure am."
Bonnie quickly let go of him, jumping down. She adjusted her clothes and spoke lowly, pulling him to the side. "Hunny, what are you doing here? You didn't say you were coming early? In fact, you said you'd be pushing your flight back?" She asked confused.
"Yeah, but when we spoke on the phone a few days ago, you seemed stressed out."
"I mean it's to be expected, I'm helping to plan a wedding."
"And, bam. I'm here. So, let's do this."
"Two weeks! You can't possibly be here two weeks. I know how your schedule is."
"I mean, I will have to fly back in a couple of days, then I should try to be back for the wedding. I came to see my girl, and our son. What's the problem?" Just then, Bonnie saw Damon get out of the truck, and her nerves tensed up.
"Let's not talk about that right now. Go in my momma's house and wait for me. Get situated and I'll be back in a couple hours. I'm heading to church."
"Good I'll go with you. It's been a while for me. But I can-"
"No, just go ahead and-"
"Baby girl... what's the hold up?" Damon said walking to Bonnie and her fiancé.
"Nothin' he's gone wait here," She looked to him, "Right? Get situated, and we are goin' to church. I'll see you when we get back, hunny." She kissed his cheek. "Momma, can you maybe...?"
Bonnie was reaching, for anything to hold onto, because she dug a hole at this point that the depth was pulling her under. "Sure baby." Abby looked at the man, "Come on in, let's get you fed."
But at this point both men were really sizing each other up. "Uh, Babe. Who's this calling you baby girl?"
"Baby girl, who's this callin' you babe?" Damon was in slacks, with a button up and a tie, with his baby smooth face, and sparkling blue eyes, and he stared at a man, in what appeared to be some trendy form of men's fashionable attire, and his face was clean shaven, with a barber shop taper and his facial hair was in perfect placement, neatly trimmed. He had brown hair and green eyes, and a few peppered in grey hairs, but Damon could tell the man was in his late thirties. He was older than Bonnie and himself. Not far from Abby's age, but still young.
Damon stood before them with his freshly shaved face, and the man before him with a clean, trim.
"Doodle, I mean Damon, this is Mason. Mason, this is Damon." She gulped. "Damon, Mason, is my fiancé." Damon's jaw locked and ticked, hearing the words leave her mouth. They shook hands. A tight, firm grip, two men of a strong, athletic nature but in two very different ways. Mason was an athlete, Damon was a soldier. One trained to win, the other to kill. Either way it was a recipe for disaster. At this point, Damon realized Mason had no idea who he was. Which placed Bonnie in another lie.
"Nice to meet you." Mason said skeptically. Damon said nothing in return, just nodded his head.
Bonnie could barely look either man in the eye. It appears, there were some things she's omitted, and she was caught in a difficult situation. It was very clear when Mason looked up and said, "Where's my little man?"
"What?!" Damon exclaimed. Ginny jumped out of the truck.
"Mase! What a surprise." She walked to him giving him a hug.
"Ginny Baker, I sure hope you're not easing up on your daily habits."
"Not at all. I'm always ready. I run every day and well, I'm eating okay. This country food, is..." she rubs her stomach in a circular motion but then trailed when she saw Damon walk to the truck and get in and close the door, angry. Bonnie looked at Mason, and smiled.
"Hunny, please. I need to go to church alone. Can you stay here until I get back?"
"No. who is that man, and what the hell is his beef?"
"Hunny, he doesn't have a beef. This isn't like that okay. Please, I will explain everything when I get back."
"Hey," Ginny chimed in. "I'll stay here with Mason. We can go to that Diner."
"Ginny, you don't have-"
"No, I do. Bon go to church. I will keep Mason entertained, with pancakes."
"I don't eat pancakes!"
"Mason, humor me. You can get an egg white omelet. Just, let's put your things down and have some breakfast. I had some questions about my contract anyways."
"Alright. You know I'm always good for business." He said. "Babe, is everything okay?"
She wanted to say no. But she couldn't. "Yup. Everything's fine." But he was aware something wasn't right.
"No. I'm goin to church with you. I haven't seen you in two weeks. I miss you." He looked at her suspiciously. "Can I see my little man?"
"He's asleep." Ginny watched Bonnie buckling. At this point, Ginny realized everything she knew about Bonnie in LA, would look completely different to her than it would to Mason. Bonnie having omitted her son's father, and their past, would play a huge role in this trip and what it meant for Bonnie and Mason's future.
"Umm, Ginny, would you mind riding with Dylan and Damon, while I take my momma's car to talk to Mason. Abby looked on worried.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, momma. Everything's fine." Mason looked at the way Bonnie was speaking. He didn't like it.
Ginny watched Mason. She was thinking she should ride with Bonnie, but the thought of leaving Dylan in a car with Sybil wasn't happening in Ginny's mind. "Sure Bon. You're going to the church, right?"
"Yes. Of course, I am. I mean, we are. Might be a few minutes after you though." Bonnie assured her with a smile. Ginny looked at Bonnie, then at Mason.
"Okay. Don't be too far behind." She looked at Mason. "See you guys soon." She walked back towards the truck and sat with Dylan.
"Ok, momma. We gone head out in your car." She told her mother as she handed her the keys.
"Okay. Drive safely." Mason took his things with him in the car, and reluctantly got into the passenger seat.
"Babe, what's going on?"
"Okay, Mason," she took a deep breath as she started the car. "Mason, the first thing I need to do is apologize. I haven't been entirely honest with you. Well, in part I have. I would like to say it's true, I hadn't been in touch with Dylan's father for over two years. That is true. But he didn't opt out of being in his life. He had no idea about him."
"What?" He asked surprised.
"Umm, Bonnie's legs shook as she drove. Yeah. He was in Georgia. And Texas, and Iraq."
"What the hell? Babe, why would you lie?"
"Because in my mind, he wasn't ready to be a father. I mean, that's what I thought, but I was wrong."
"What are you saying?'
"When I came here to help my mother, I ran into Dylan's dad. I had no idea he'd be here, because he lives in Georgia. He found out about Dylan, and-"
"Bonnie. Please tell me that, wasn't the man, the one who I shook hands with."
"Yes, Mason. That was Damon. Dylan's birth father." He didn't speak for a bit. He put his thumb and index finger onto his forehead, and rubbed the space on the bridge of his nose. He tried to remain calm, but he slammed his fist into the inside of the door.
"You left my son, in the car with a stranger?!"
Bonnie jumped at the impact, it surprised her. "He's not a stranger he's his father." She spoke quietly.
"No. I'm his father. He's a pathetic piece of shit who hasn't been there he past two years. I've been there!" He yelled.
"Mason, please don't be angry at him. As I've said he had no idea. This is my fault. Mine. Please don't be angry with Damon. Damon, didn't even realize-"
"No. STOP! Don't make an excuse for him. There was a reason he wasn't around. Whether he knew or not, he gave you some reason to doubt him. Now, he's in the car with our son, and he was sizing me up, like... don't make me-" she put her hand on his hand and he pushed her hand away. "Stop. How could you, keep this from me, for two years? I proposed to you. I wanted to give you the perfect life. Now, we have to worry about some asshole trying to take our son."
"Mase, please. This is a stepping stone. If we can all be amicable for Dylan. He needs this. He needs the truth and for us to all be adults about this."
"Says the woman who lied for two years." She tried to fight her tears, as they were almost to the church. She didn't have the gall to show up emotional. "Fine. I'll keep my mouth shut for church. But this is far from over." As they pulled into the parking lot, Bonnie saw Ginny standing with Mike and Damon was holding his son, standing next to Sybil. Bonnie grabbed Masons hand and when he saw Damon holding Dylan he squeezed Bonnie's hand. She winced and played it off as they approached the group.
Damon holds Dylan and he hopes the point is being proven to Mason of who he is, because he knew Bonnie hadn't told Mason initially. Mason played it cool but he watched Dylan and Damon and he was bothered. Dylan hadn't seen Mason yet, and Bonnie tried to distract him. "Listen, there's a bigger picture here. This is for Dylan. So, please just understand that I did this. I messed up. It was no one's fault but mine." He looked at her and didn't really speak. He just moved her hair out of her face. Then he started adjusting her clothes. He was a perfectionist.
He looked at her long and hard. He was angry with her. He was beyond angry. But Mason Lockwood was a perfectionist. He leads a life most men would dream of. He had the perfect life, with the perfect fiancé, the perfect lifestyle, they had the perfect little boy, and as far as he was concerned, he was Dylan's father. He held her by her face, and planted the deepest kiss to her lips. Damon's cheeks started to turn a little red.
His hands moved to her body and he held her against him. "We'll talk more about this later." He said looking her in her eyes intensely. Then he smiled and grabbed her hand.
"Everything okay?" Ginny asked.
"Yes. Everything's perfect." Mason said. Bonnie looked and smiled, nodding her head. Dylan was smiling with Damon, who pretended not to pay attention to Bonnie and Mason. He was playing with his son, who had grown, in this short time, very attached to Damon.
Mason watched and tried to play everything cool, but he was as bothered as he could be.
Once church started, Bonnie thought it would be best if she and Mason didn't sit near Damon and Sybil. So, she opted to sit a few rows back to avoid, distracting Dylan. The last thing she needed was Dylan to see Mason during the service and start to cry.
"I'll sit with you and Mase. Between the three of them, they have Dylan."
"No. why would you leave him with strangers Ginny?"
"I'm sorry, I thought-"
"It's fine." Bonnie interrupted her. "I told you Mason, Damon is his father. He's fine. I wouldn't lie to you about Dylan's safety." Bonnie, Mason and Ginny sat a few rows back when the service started.
"Damn, I'm hungry. I didn't eat."
"I have some muffins. Zucchini blueberry. I'm not sure, if you want one."
"In your purse?"
"No hunny. They are in the truck. Damon's truck." He rolled his eyes.
"Never mind. Let's just go eat after this."
..x..
Damon sat with Dylan, who was being antsy. He wasn't used to sitting for so long without his mom, nor was Damon used to having an almost two-year-old in a church service. "Hey, fella... what's the matter?"
"Let me try. You obviously know nothing about children." Sybil said. "Come on, come here little guy." She reached for him and he turned away from her. "Oh, come on now, don't be shy, little guy."
"Naaahhhh." He screamed at Sybil, making Bonnie stand up and head towards him. Ginny pulled her by her arm.
"Let Damon, try. If you run up there, he's going to feel like you don't trust him." Bonnie sat back down. Reluctantly. She watched on. The little boy was almost impossible, but Damon remembered what Bonnie had done, and he pulled his son into his chest, and started to sing.
He sang quietly, but the way he sang, she could tell the song he was singing by his movement. He rocked and hummed lowly in Dylan's ear, and Dylan slowly started to calm. Mason never sang to Dylan. It wasn't his thing. He was more of a typical dad. He played, and did airplane. He helped him pretend to work out, he put a ball in his hands and played catch. He bought him every boy toy an almost two-year-old could have, and showed him how to flex. But he never sang. When Dylan got outta hand, he handed him to Bonnie.
Bonnie's eyes watered. Damon was so patient with Dylan. No matter his temperament. And because of it, Dylan, latched on to Damon.
They somehow made it through church. By some miracle, Dylan sat with Damon the whole time.
...
They met up after church, and at this point Dylan was walking as Damon chased him outside. When Mason walked up, Ginny held Bonnie so Mason and Damon could talk.
"Stay. Just watch how they interact. Maybe, they should meet officially without you."
"But Ginny, these two men hate each other. When it's me they should be angry at."
"Oh, they are angry at you. But, let them be men about this." Ginny was curious to see how they'd react to each other, and she was sick of watching Bonnie have to feel like crap. Even if she was barely discovering things about Bonnie, she knew her best friend's heart, and she hated seeing Bonnie in pain. So, she wanted the two men to deal directly with each other.
...
"Hey. Bonnie uh- told me who you are." Mason said walking up to Damon. Damon looked up. "As you can imagine, this is news to me."
"You're, news to me." Damon said. While Dylan sat in the grass playing with it.
"Right. Listen, I'm not at all happy about this. I won't lie. I've got my fiancé, and our son, and I think life is perfect, then, in pops... you."
"You ain't exactly what I had in mind when I found out I had a son. My son. My blood." He said looking over at Dylan who was distracted by grass and butterflies.
"He may be your blood, but I've been helping her raise him. I'm there when he gets sick. I'm there when he's constipated. I'm there when he can't sleep at night. This is cute and all. You over here playing daddy, for the time being. But just know, that woman, and this little boy are leaving in two weeks. They are coming home, where we live. The condo in the city. Leaving this Podunk town and going back to our lives. This country, small town, isn't where she is in life anymore. She's a successful physical therapist in LA. She works with world class athletes. This may have been cute growing up, but we are adults now." Mason didn't really care how he came off. He was a man who took what he wanted and made no excuses.
"I umm, I took anger management courses, way back when. Bird's grams, used to help me out with my issues." Damon laughed. "I may have really took all of what you just said the wrong way some years ago. What I'm gone do, for Bird, is I'm gone play nice. I'm gone allow you to believe what you want. I'm not in competition with you. This is my blood son. Ain't nothin' you can eeeeva eevaaa do, that's gone change that. All I ask, is that until I get her back, and I will get her back, just treat her right. Because what you got is temporary." Damon nodded his head cockily and smirked.
Mason about picked Damon up by his collar, but just then Dylan recognized him. "Masey! Maseeey!" He got up and ran to Mason.
"Hey little man. I've missed you. Give Massey a big hug." Mason grabbed him as Dylan's arms wrapped around his neck and picked him up. "Oh, I missed you." He looked at Dylan's face, and smiled. "You're looking more and more like mommy every day."
Damon held back his disdain. He needed to prove to Bonnie he was supportive of her in every way. Even in ways he didn't want to be supportive of. He didn't support her and Mason, nor did he support Mason playing daddy. But what he wanted was his wife and son back. And to do that, he had to prove he would cooperate.
He looked at Mason as Bonnie approached them, "Please, them genes don't lie one bit." Smirking he turned to Bonnie and spoke. "He was a little tricky in service today. He didn't wanna cooperate, but daddy, just has a special touch. What can I say? I think it's just our natural connection."
Bonnie smiled at Mason holding Dylan. "I saw that Damon. I was really impressed with your patience. I almost grabbed him, but... You handled it very well."
Mason interrupted them before they got too reminiscent. "Well, babe. Let's go. I haven't seen you in a couple weeks. I'm ready to have some family time." Emphasis on family as he looked at Damon.
"Wait a minute. I came to meet Dylan today. Damon only gets so long with his son. Why should we just say good bye because dear old, daddy substitute is here. After all, Damon, is the boy's father." Sybil said.
"Sybil, stay out of this."
"No, Bonnie. Someone must look out for Damon. It's obviously not going to be you. And therefore, he needs me. I look out for him. I care about him. I LOVE HIM. You have no idea what loyalty is."
"Loyalty! You wanna talk about loyalty? You pretended to be my friend, so you could move in on my failing marriage! So, you could comfort him when he was finally alone!" Bonnie yelled. The people outside turned to hear her, and an embarrassed Bonnie turned and walked away. Mason and Ginny walked after her, with Dylan.
"Sy, I know you're tryna be there for me. I know you're tryna protect me. And I like that fierceness about you. But don't do that! Don't come between me and my son's momma. I don't need protection from her. I just need support."
He walked away and towards Bonnie who was always ahead of him. Mason walked with Bonnie and was holding Dylan. He handed Dylan to Ginny and excused them. Ginny held Dylan as Mason and Bonnie walked ahead. Mike Caught up with Damon, who stopped at Ginny and Dylan. "What's goin' on Ginny? Why did they walk ahead?" He asked looking at the couple.
"I don't know, I think Mason just figured out Bonnie used to be married." She looked on too. "I'm sure everything's fine though."
"Oh shit." Damon said. He was at a crossroads. He didn't know what to think or how to react. He and Bonnie were getting along. They were talking through their problems. It felt like there was an upside, to their relationship. Then this man shows up without warning. It hit Damon like a ton of bricks.
"Can I hold him, Ginny?"
"Sure Mike. If he'll go to you."
"What? Pft. Kids love uncle Mike."
He smiled and she laughed. "Yeah, not as much as they love auntie Ginny though."
"Yeah, I love 'em, but I sure ain't ready for for 'em." Ginny laughed. "I sound terrible, right?"
"No. I'm not either. But I love me some Dylan. We hang out to give mommy and daddy, date night sometimes." She said it, and Damon looked at her like he couldn't believe it came out of her mouth. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry. Uh, I had no idea about you until I came to Mystic Falls."
"It's alright. This is really gone take a lot of getting used to for all of us." Damon said.
"So, Ginny... you play ball?"
"I do."
"I played ball too. In college."
"Really? What happened? Why'd you stop?"
Mike looked at her and cleared his threat. "I loved ball and hated college. I hated school. I couldn't keep my ball scholar ship with my terrible grades But I knew I had to have a job that was physically demanding and toughin me up. I had a very, practical joker, slacker attitude. So, I joined the Army before I got my degree, and never looked back. But, hopefully, I'll have a son one day, and I can teach him to play ball."
"Or a daughter, right? Little girls love ball too."
"Especially if I have a girl. Hell, I don't need a princess. Nope. My daughter's gonna hit a ball, catch a ball, throw a ball, throw a mean punch and shoot a gun." Her eyes lit with glee.
"Right? I say the same thing. Girls can do the same thing, boys can do." She smiled at him for his ideals being similar to hers.
"In most cases." Then she was taken aback.
"Oh Pft. I knew it. Too good to be true. A man, who believes in equality for women, can't possibly exist."
"No, I just, don't ever want to see a woman pee standing up." He said making her laugh. "But, I mean to each their own. I've seen drunk women do some strange things."
Ginny kept laughing, then sighed. "You got my kidneys sore Mike. You're a funny guy."
"That's why Sinatra fell in love with me. I'm the Dean Martin in his life."
Damon smirked. "More like the Sammy Davis Jr." He then looked at Bonnie and Mason again, who looked to be arguing.
...
"When were, you going to tell me about this man being your husband?"
"Ex-husband. I'm sorry. We were only married for three years. No one knew about it, besides the Army, and my grams."
"Great, you were an Army wife. Which means he's some, fucking... veteran or something. Now, I'm the asshole, who took the wife and son of a war hero. You have me looking like a jack ass Bonnie. What, is he a fucking sniper, is he going to shoot me?" He asked sarcastically.
"Mase," she grabbed his hands. I wanted to leave my old life behind. It was painful and complicated. When I met you I was starting over. How could I unload the baggage on you? I'm not one to need a pity party. I didn't want anyone to ask questions. I just wanted to move on." He turned away from her.
"Move on from what?"
"It's complicated Mason. I can sit down and tell you but it would take a while. I realize I was wrong, but I wanted to leave things behind. I wanted to be a better person. You helped me become better. I didn't need you thinking differently of me." He snatched away from her.
"I think differently of you, I do. You're a liar." Bonnie but back her tears. "And I'm not stupid. He did something to hurt you. He did, or you wouldn't have neglected to mention him. And he thinks... he thinks I'm going to just, be okay with him trying to move back in the picture?"
"He... didn't really hurt me. We were young. We got married before we were mature enough to handle it. Damon is not a bad guy. I was seventeen when I got pre... when we got together. What can we do to move past this? I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I love you, and I'll make this up to you." He grabbed her hand and turned around. When he realized they were being watched, he kissed her. He grabbed her passionately and kissed her. She looked at him like he did a complete one-eighty.
"Come on sweetie. Let's go play nice." He grabbed her hand and walked them towards the group. Damon noticed a change in Bonnie's demeanor as the couple approached them. Ginny, worried, because she knew a different side of Bonnie. The side she knew of Bonnie, was in LA, and she was different with Mason than she was with Damon.
The only person to witness these two sides of Bonnie was Ginny. She worried which side of Bonnie she was about to see.
"So, everything okay, Birdie?" He asked as they approach.
"Yes. Perfectly fine. Mason and I were just saying, it would be nice to get to know each other on a more social level. We can have a fun outing with Dimitri."
"Dylan." Mason corrected her. Damon looked at him, and his neck hitched back at the notion that he had the gall to correct her.
"Yeah, sure. I think that's a great idea. Why don't we all go home today, and figure something out, and make a day of it tomorrow?" Mike said.
"You sure everything's okay, baby girl?" Damon asked again.
"Of course, it is. I'm-" Mason interrupted her.
"She's fine. I don't need you checking on my fiancé."
"Mason?"
He looked at her. "I'm sorry." Then he looked at Damon. "I'm sorry to all of you. This is all new to me. I didn't mean to be rude." Ginny thought his apology was weird, but she was waiting to see how everything played out. "Sounds like a plan. We should all call it a day and try this again tomorrow. I'm exhausted from the flight, and I miss my fiancé."
"Great. I'm Mike, by the way. And this is Sybil."
"Nice to meet you both." He was still holding Bonnie hand. Ginny had never seen Mason and Bonnie hold hands.
"We should head back to my momma's place. Dylan needs to take a nap."
"Ive got my things in the car. I think I should get a room downtown, in the city." Bonnie looked at him, stunned. As did everyone else. Even Sybil. Although Sybil was entertained by him, because he was exposing Bonnie's truths.
"Hunny, my momma will be expectin' you."
"Your mother," he enunciated the correct pronunciation, "I'm sure will understand. I'm here for a few days. I'd hate to take a lot of business calls at your mom's place. It would be rude." He smiled and kissed her on her cheek. "Then I head back to LA, and I'll probably be back for the wedding.
"Probably?" She smiled, confused.
"Yes. Baseball season is over, and I'm in talks with some players from UCLA, USC, and... a kid from Cuba. So, depending on their availability, will depend on my availability for the wedding." He looked at her lovingly. "So, let's make the most of these next few days, just in case."
"Okay hunny. Well, Ginny and I will drop you downtown, and then head back to my mother's." A subtle smile struck her face. She looked at everyone. "Well, it's been an awfully long morning. Ginny and I should get going."
"Hey Bird. I'll be glad to drop Ginny off. I'm sure Damon and Sybil won't mind. You go ahead and drop Mason off so you can spend some time with your fiancé." Mike said.
"No. It's fine. He's tired. I should let him get some rest. We'll see you all tomorrow."
Everyone parted ways, and headed in their own respective directions.
..x..
Later that afternoon just as the sun was setting, Bonnie had walked out to her mom's porch and had a conversation with Ginny. They spoke about what happened that day, and Bonnie wanted to apologize to Ginny.
"I'm sorry. It's been a rough couple of weeks. I hope you know, I never intended for you to be here, and wrapped up in all my issues. I honestly didn't want to address these issues."
"Bon. You know what, this has been such a learning experience for me. I never had a family like this. So, it seems dramatic to you, but I feel like I'm a part of your family."
"I don't know how I got so lucky to have you. I tell you, if I never decided to become an independent woman, almost five years ago, I never would've met you."
"I have you wrapped around my finger. I'm your son's god mother. I'm your best friend. I'll be your maid of honor when you get married..."
"If I'm married. I'm sure Mason is pretty done with me, right now." She rubbed her hand through her hair, and bit her bottom lip, thinking about how the day played out.
"Yeah, what was that about today? I've never seen him act so strange."
"Mason, is a perfectionist. He hates looking bad. He hates being put on the spot. I think he wasn't sure how to react today, and naturally he was upset. I can't blame him. I never told him details about Damon." She sat in her church clothes still but with house shoes on her feet.
"I always knew Lockwood had a thing about how people perceived him, but I didn't realize until today how much he doesn't like feeling dismantled. And he handled everything rather well, but I just worry about you."
"Don't. I'm fine. I'll fix this."
"Yeah. I know you will. Just don't compromise yourself to do it."
"Of course, not." Bonnie hugged Ginny.
"I'm serious, Bon. People. Au ink I'm the last person to understand you. It's crazy because I've known you less time than all of these people, but don't forget, of all these people... I'm the only one to see you with Mason, and see you with Damon. I see the difference." Bonnie looked worried by the statement but she wanted to turn the conversation around.
"So, what the heck is happening with you and Stefan?"
"I don't know. I like him, but he really seems to have some things he needs to work on."
"Yeah, like what?"
"Like don't get me wrong, he is amazing in bed. Like, he has stamina that I'm not used to. But, he just says the wrong things at the wrong times sometimes, and he is very jealous."
Bonnie laughed. "Child, Salvatore men are territorial."
"Speaking of which, Damon, played his part very well today. I was surprised, how well both him and Mason seemed."
"Right? Doodle surprised me. He used to block any and everything that looked my way."
"Something tells me you like that, though."
"I won't lie. When I'm with a man, I love feeling like he's protective of me. Doodle always was. Mason is different. Mason is protective of us as a brand. You know, he'll say something like, we work too hard to be going through this. Or we work too good together. He loves the way we build together and succeed together. He loves the way we look together, and he has this whole power couple mantra about him. He pushes me ya know? He pushes me to be the best version of myself."
"Right. You guys are a power couple though. I can't even lie about that." She laughed. "But is it what you want? Something tells me, you don't want all of what comes with Mason."
"Enough about me. I want to hear about you and Stefan, because you and Mike were pretty friendly today and I know how you are." Bonnie said.
"Well with Stefan, I think he liked me because I reminded him of someone. I kind of got that feeling when we ran into that Sarah girl. She was leaving his house as we were showing up one day."
Bonnie gasped. "No. You know he had a thing for her in high school."
"There ya go. You answered my question. He was telling me how he's only into one night stands. But he said he liked me. And I asked if he'd ever liked any other women. He said, he hooked up recently with a girl he had a thing for in high school. He said he really liked her but she didn't give him the time of day, after their hook up. Then he said it hurt him, the way she treated him."
"What in the world? Stefan hooked up with Sarah, and she did say she wanted to get together sometime. Maybe she had questions about him. Hmm anyways keep talking."
"Listen, I refuse... to come between star crossed lovers." Ginny laughed. "The morning we ran into her, it was the way he looked at her that let me know, I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Like I said, don't get me wrong. I really, really liked him. But I also put all these little clues together about him. And if she had sex with him, trust me, he doesn't disappoint. So maybe it was bad timing. But they looked at one another like they had a lot to say to each other. So, I left. I just didn't want it to be awkward. I know, he cares about that girl. I just made it easy for him. Before we got too deep."
Bonnie patted Ginny on the back, making Ginny roll her eyes. "That is mighty big of you Ginny. And selfless."
"Yeah, yeah. I let a perfectly good guy go, because in my mind, he deserved for the girl who royally fucked up with him, to really make it up to him. Besides, my life is too busy to entertain a serious relationship. Stefan is a relationship guy, no matter what he says."
"He is. He's a good guy."
"When that girl said, she came back to Mystic Falls, to us that day I met her. I know now, what she meant. She came back for Stefan. I can tell."
"Damn. Love will make you do crazy, and strange things." Bonnie said, looking at the black sky. "It will make you let a perfectly good person, go. Love will make you look at someone, and let them go, to be happy with someone else. Love will allow you to let the person you care about go, if it means they'll be happy. Because their happiness matters to you."
"Thats deep hun. Like... think about it. Telling someone you love to go after someone else. Pft. It's deep for real." Headlights were driving up the street. The truck turned into the Salvatore's driveway. "Is that Damon?"
"Yeah. Hmm. Wonder what he's doing. He shouldn't be drivin' especially as it starts gettin' late." She looked but not too hard. He headed over to her when he saw her on the porch.
"Hey baby, here. Dimitri wanted to come outside. I need to head to Nik's we are going out to dinner tonight." Abby walked out handing Bonnie Dylan.
"I need to go shower. I'm a mess." Ginny said. "I'm still supposed to help out tonight at the B.I. So, wish me luck." Ginny said.
"Good luck boo." She said. "Okay, momma. I'll see you later." Her mom, left, and spoke to Damon as she headed out.
"Hey Damon Dimitri." Abby said as he walked up. He tilted his hat to her.
"Ms. Abby." He smirked. "Drive safely."
"Will do suga."
He looked at Bonnie preemptively. "Baby girl."
"Doodle."
"Damn, you know... today hit me in the face like a fuckin' barrel of liquor. It played in slow motion. One minute, I was havin' a sweet moment with you. Next I was watchin' the car crash play in front of me in slow motion." She looked at him pained. "I wanted to be angry at you, for so many reasons. It was one of the worst days of my life. Number one, I saw the man, who literally took you from me." He grinned confusingly, "and I hate him. Like I literally, can't stand him."
"Doodle, I-" he interrupted her and lifted his hand to finish speaking.
"Please let me finish." She nodded to him to continue. Knowing today had to be hard on him, she listened. "I hate him. Number two, I honestly get it now. I see what you mean, when you say what you say about Sy. I get it now, why you don't like her. I don't see what you see when you see Sy. I don't see her the way you do. At least I didn't until today. But today, seein' you with that pretentious prick, I realized somethin' for real. He isn't good for you. You deserve better. I can say all of that and more. Because the truth is, he ain't good enough, and you do deserve better. But the honest to God truth is, ain't nobody ever gone be good enough for you, and you will always deserve better in my eyes. Better than me and better than any man I can ever imagine. I have a shit load of words about him. I do. I watched him carefully today. But I won't do that. You don't deserve that today. One day, you can ask me and I'll tell you, but not today. Right now, I just want to say, today wasn't easy. But we have a son to look out for. We've got to make this work." She could tell it was hard on him, and he was trying to be okay for her.
"Today hit you hard, I tried to soften the blow, I had no idea he'd show up, unexpected. He doesn't usually do things like this."
"You love him?"
"I do."
"Well, go after him. Tell him how you feel."
"Why are you doing this? If you don't like him, or think he's good enough?"
"You deserve to be happy. Even if it ain't with me." He took her by surprise. He's never accepted her with another man. So, listening to him say this, meant a lot to her.
"There isn't much I can do right now. He's in the city and I'm here. I did try to call him, but he had to take a shower. My momma took the car, so..."
"Take my truck. I'll watch Dimitri."
"Oh, Damon, he's very temperamental."
"Bird, he's my boy, I ain't gone hurt him. All I can do is try. I got two years to make up for. I'm in love with this little boy. So, I'm tellin' you, go and let this man know how you feel and tell him you love him. He needs to hear it today. Trust me."
"Did you drive here, to tell me this. You put yourself behind the wheel, to tell me to go after a man, you don't like."
"Not exactly. I put myself behind that wheel, to come check on you. Today was a hard day, I saw it in your eyes. I heard it in your voice. Even though, today was one of the hardest things I've ever endured, and I've been to war, I have never seen you look as emotionally distressed as I did today. Suddenly, the way I felt didn't matter anymore. I was worried about you."
"You, drove here... tonight... to check on me Doodle? Even after all of what happened? You put yourself behind the wheel for me?" She became emotional, hearing him.
"Yes. I hated seeing that look in your eyes." Bonnie slowly leaned in and hugged him. Right now, he wasn't her ex-husband. He wasn't Dylan's father. He wasn't the man she loved more an anything. He was her best friend when she was sixteen, right now. He checked on her, like he used to.
... Ten years ago ...
Today was Bonnie's dad's birthday. Her mother usually drove to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery. She sat there for hours with flowers and silence. Bonnie hated going, and sitting in silence with her mother. It was uncomfortable, and when she stared at her father's headstone for too long, she felt like crying. She stayed in her room and held the teddy bear he gave her. Mrs. Cuddles. And just sat in her bed staring at the collage of pictures of her and her parents on her wall and every place they visited her father. It was early in the afternoon and she saw a shadow approach her window, before she heard the knock.
She stood up and walked to the window. When she opened it, he stared at her for a few seconds.
"Yes, Doodle?"
"I had a feelin' you'd be here. I kinda thought you wouldn't be with your momma."
"Come in, before you fall."
"We both know I won't fall." He laughed.
"Yeah, but, I hate standin' in the window on edge, so get your tail in here." She snapped. He climbed through and she sat back down with her teddy bear. "It's Saturday night. Thought you had a date with Rose."
"Ehh. I did. But when I remembered it was your pops birthday, I told her I'd call her later. I wanted to check on you."
"Doodle, why do you do that? Stop checkin' on me. I'm not a child. You're such a big brother."
"You see me as your big brother, Bird?" He asked confused.
"You act like it. I'm okay with that. I don't have any siblings." He looked at her and tilted his head. Sometimes he saw himself as a brother figure, and other times he was confused behind the way he was supposed to feel about her. She was this beautiful, brown skinned girl with green eyes. He always looked at her like family. But then a couple years ago, she started changing. She was asking different questions. She was having more mature conversations. She was wearing lip gloss and laughing at him differently. She smelled different. She joined the cheerleading team. She wore her clothes differently. He tried his hardest to not look at her differently. He tried his hardest to remember the annoying little sister things she said and did just two years ago.
She was sitting in her room today with a tank top on and an opened flannel over top. She wasn't wearing a bra. He didn't realize until she sat Mrs. Cuddles down and smiled at him. "Besides, you bein' my big brother, means, I won't get played by no crazy boys. They know Damon Salvatore is a crazy as heck hot-head who kicks anybody's ass that gets outta line." He bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to stare at her sixteen-year-old body. He barely heard anything she said.
"Big brother. That's weird. I mean, clearly, I'm your best friend. Right?"
"You are." She was so oblivious and comfortable around him she didn't realize he was trying to avoid looking at her.
"Doodle, I know you came here today because-"
"Of your daddy. Yup. He was a great man. Just wanted to check on you, but I should go now. Bye." He spoke in a hurry. He had to keep his mind off her in an unsavory way, and his eyes to himself.
"No. please stay." She turned him around and hugged him. Pressing her body against his, he squeezed his eyes shut to avoid feeling how he felt. He forced himself to think about other things, like Stefan in a pink thong. But it wasn't working. He immediately pulled his groin away from her and stood by the window.
"Hey, Doodle, what the heck is goin' on?"
"Birdie, why ain't you wearin' a bra?"
She immediately turned red and held her chest. "Oh, my God. I forgot. I'm doin' laundry today. I'm so... embarrassed." She ran to her closet and closed the door. He turned towards her closet.
"Bird, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you." He sighed. "Come out please." She opened the door slowly. "Hey, I didn't mean to notice."
"I didn't think anyone would notice. I'm so small chested compared to the other girls in school. I mean look."
"No. just button your blouse. Please."
"No seriously, Doodle. Look." He turned towards her. "I don't really see you as my brother. You are my best friend, which means, iota treat you like a girl. So, I can show you this." She pulled her tank top against her skin, "Boys ain't never gone look at me. I gotta a little girl's chest."
She didn't realize her small b-cup fit her frame perfectly. "That ain't true. You look fine. You're petite. They're... petite." He stuttered, and swallowed hard, looking away. She looked at him and frowned.
"All of the girls are full c-cups. I'm the girl with the tomboy body. Your girlfriend, Rose... she's gotta c-cup."
"Stop comparin' yourself to other girls. God blessed you with the way he wanted you to be proportioned." He turned away from her adjusting his pants.
"I love you, so much. I guess you're gonna be my best man when I get married, not my maid of honor. You will let my future husband know he better treat me right and all that good stuff. And if he's a jerk, don't let me marry him. You hear me. Don't, let me marry a man, that don't deserve me. God knows my daddy always said no man will deserve me, but the one that is for me, is the one that puts a smile on my face when I'm sad. An extra thump in my heart when I see him for the first time after a long time. And a lump in my throat at the thought of living without him."
"I promise I won't let you marry a man that don't deserve you. I will always look out for you, because your daddy told me to." Bonnie hugged him, and pressed her head against his chest.
"Thank you Doodle. Thank you for always knowin' what to say and when. And thanks for checkin' on me today."
"Anytime Birdie. I'm never gone stop checkin' on you." He pulled up and gave her a friendly, little smack on her lips. She smiled sweetly and they continued to hug, while he forced himself to imagine Stefan in a thong.
...Present Day ...
Bonnie smiled at him. Remember when we were younger, how you climbed into my window to check on me sometimes? And I always thought you'd hurt yourself and fall out of the dag on tree?"
"Yeah, and we both knew I wouldn't hurt myself."
"Yeah, but these days it's different. You getting behind a wheel putting your life in danger for me. Don't do it. I really don't want you driving, because I believe your problem is more serious than you think."
"No. some days I'm fine Bird. Some days I'm not. Maybe comin' to see you kept me calm." He hugged her and spoke at the top of her head. "I'm never gone stop checkin' on you." Dylan was playing with some toys on the porch. They heard him crash two toy trucks and go "Boom." He looked at her and gave her a friendly, little smack on the lips.
"I'll watch our son if you wanna use my truck to go fix things with your fiancé. Matter of fact, it's a good night for Dimitri to meet my parents." She sighed, and smiled. She may as well do what she can to ensure her son had a relationship with as many people who wanted to love him and were his family as she could.
...
When they walked to his parents' house, she walked him inside. Everyone was surprised to see how they had entered the house together, with this little boy. Giuseppe knew about Dylan. But he waited for them to present them to him.
"Hello, ya'll. Ms. Lily, Stefan, Giuseppe, I... first want to apologize, for his absence. I just, had a lot of terrible, reasons, but he...nor you all deserve this absence. But this is Dimitri Dylan Bennett-Salvatore. Your kin. Damon's son."
"Oh, you can't be serious?" Lily asked in surprise, jumping up and walking to them. "Is he really?" She said smiling.
"Yes." Bonnie said crying. "I'm sorry. I... have no words."
"Oh, my word." Lily picked him up. "Damon, Bonnie, he's beautiful." Damon stayed close by as Lily held her grandson for the first time. She watched the little boy as he just remained quiet. He was skeptical of everyone. But he's was so comfortable with his father, that he didn't flinch when Lily, grabbed him, at first. Once he noticed he didn't know her he cried for his father again. Bonnie flinched wanting to grab him, naturally, but she looked at Damon, who looked at her and gave her the signal to leave.
Her eyes watered. She'd never left Dylan with many people, and she knew, with Damon there was no option. She had to trust him more than anyone. Damon told Lily to walk Dylan into the kitchen where they had some treats to calm him down.
"Singin." She called out. "He loves to be sang to." She said as Lily turned to her. "You made me love you, is his favorite."
A song Lily used to sing to Damon and Stefan. The reason Bonnie started singin' to Damon in the first place. Lily giggled gleefully, with tears in her eyes and looked at Bonnie and Damon. "I can definitely do that." For the first time in years, Damon was happy for his mother. Holding his son, watching her cry.
"Bird, baby girl... he's gone be okay. I promise. And thank you for this. This means a lot to me." He said. She nodded her head and walked out, crying. He gave it a minute and ran after her. He grabbed her and held her, feeling her fear. "Everything's gone be fine. I promise. By the time you get back, he's gone be so spoiled he ain't gone know you left." That comment made her cry harder. "Ay..." he looked at her as she leaned on his truck, "baby girl, please, everything happened for a reason. Your fiancé will forgive you. Just take my truck. I'll be fine here. I should probably spend some time with my momma anyway. I ain't been too sweet on her since I been back. Today I may need to swallow my pride, and just... be nice. I mean, Dimitri, needs to know her and G."
Bonnie nodded her head smiling, and crying. Mixed emotions going through her mind. "Yeah. I know, Dimitri will be fine. I'm just... I have a lot to fix. So, I should go. I'll see you later." He handed her his truck keys and she grabbed the door and held it a minute before opening it.
"Ain't no use cryin' over spilled milk. Think positive thoughts." He said, even though he had to tell himself the same thing.
"If only it were that simple."
"Big girl panties." He said. You ain't that sixteen-year-old girl no more. You're a grown woman. I trust you can handle it, like a grown woman." He kissed her forehead, and walked into the house, where his son was already relaxed with his grandparents and uncle Stefan.
But, a minute later, Stefan ran out quickly to speak. "Birdie, uhh. Thank you."
"Sure, Stefan."
"Can you let Ginny know I'll be by to pick her up later."
"Sure will. Uhh, about Dimitri, please tell Damon he needs a diaper change, and he can't eat any crazy amounts of sugar. He becomes very anxious, and it can be hard to calm him down."
"Like any kid?" He smiled.
She giggled. "Just make sure he-"
"Baby girl," he called her Damon's nickname in a mocking Damon tone, "get your ass in that truck and we'll see you later."
She got into the truck and headed to the Hotel, to size up her problem, and prayed to herself that she could fix it.
But this would be different. Mason, and Damon, were two different men.
Excerpt Pat 14:
"We are going to Europe in few weeks. We will be there for the summer with our son, Dylan. Then we are coming home and getting married in the Fall. We are getting the condo of your dreams, and then I'm buying us matching Range Rovers. One white and one Black. I'm starting my business, and then we are going to extend our family, and you're going to mother the rest of our children. I'm going to give you the perfect life. The life where you never have to worry about anything. Everything you want will be at your disposal. We aren't derailing our plans because you fucked up. Get on the bed."
I realized I forgot the excerpt last week to the next part My bad. Ginny explains her and Stefan to Bonnie while they bond, she gets to know Mike some. Bonnie and Mason have a relationship that Damon doesn't understand, but.. it lights a fire under him. HE realizes he has a lot to wok on. But... Bonnie realizes she has to come to face her truths. Mason may seem OOC idk, he wasn't on TVD very long, but in this story there will be some positives and negatives to him. Sybil and Mason have specified roles in this story for a reason. I like how every review, is like, everyone has a different perspective on things in this story. That really makes me feel like it reaches everyone in a different way. I appreciate you all. And, again, there are things in this story that are not really going to seem easy, but I wanted to make it seem realistic to any characters situation in this story. I have a few chapters left, but I am excited for you guy to read the chapter when Damon and Bonnie finally get very real with each other. I have really taken time to write that and put some truth into it. Thank you for reading, and as always reviews are appreciated. Thank you, Hope you enjoyed it.