A/N: Thanks again for the reviews. I love seeing your inputs and yeah there is more behind Stefan dating Elena who looks like Katherine. This chapter is the longest by far, but I hope it's to your liking...there's Bamon. And for face claim of Damon's father, I picture a current Jason Gedrick with icy blue eyes.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 4: Friends

Bonnie pulled into a parking lot. The garage named Mason's was sprawled in graffiti like writing on top of the building. And before she could get out of the car, a tall, lean dark-haired man came waltzing out of the building. He wore a tattered white beater, a pair of grey oil stained trousers and black boots.

The man grinned as he threw the soiled towel over his shoulder and he waved her over.

When she stepped out of the car the first thing she noticed was the man staring her down. The toffee toned woman stepped to his side as he proceeded to introduce himself.

"Mason Lowery. You must be Bonnie Bennett." Mason held out his large hand, and she took it into a firm handshake.

"Nice too meet you, Mason."

"Likewise. So this you." He nodded towards her Prius.

"Yeah, it's seen better days."

"I'll bet, everything has seen better days before Damon." Mason grinned.

Bonnie tried to smile but luckily he was already walking over to the car. 'Was he just being funny?'

"Mhm, yep. Broken head light, paint damage, needs some serious buffering." He kneeled down, gauging the condition of the car. "I'm going to take a look at the engine. Y'know sometimes these little fender benders turn deadly... Why don't you go inside while I run a quick diagnostics test."

Bonnie tilted her head to the side, "Oh, okay. I'll leave you to it." She smiled and made her way over to the building.

It was a hell of a lot cooler than the outside, that she could be thankful for. The place was different, an old Pontiac was dangling from the ceiling attached to a contraption. There were also doors, a wooden table and chairs. Bonnie walked further inside, unaware of the African-American man watching her.

"Ahem."

Bonnie glanced back at the sound of hearing someone clear their throat. She another tall, muscular man approach her. He was bald, brown-skinned and not to bad on the eyes.

'Hi." She said, not wanting to appear unmannerly.

"Connor Jordan, and you're Damon's friend right?"

"Bonnie Bennett, and yeah I guess you could say that." Her tone and facial expression were a bit uneasy. Partially because she hardly knew anything about the guy except him and Stefan were brothers.

Connor cocked his head and raised his brows. "Right, you see I doubt Damon would be doing anything for someone short of a 'friend'. It's okay, I get it."

"Get what?" Bonnie questioned.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing I mean you probably know Damon a hell of a lot better than me. He's all screwed up." Connor picked a tool Bonnie wasn't familiar with and began walking over to the Pontiac. Bonnie followed behind, albeit curious of what he meant.

"So, I take it you guys aren't close."

"Eh, he use to be a real cool dude before... y'know. But he changed, started being a dick. Especially after Stefan left for college to New York." Connor continued to gossip unwittingly as he worked on the car.

Bonnie felt bad for gaining information on Damon this way, but she knew he would never tell her these type of things. At the same time she was interested in finding out who he was. Aside him being drop dead gorgeous, she wanted to know what he poised on the inside.

"Do you know what happened?"

"You'd have to ask Mas, all I know is that his ex-girlfriend left him and something. Guess he thought his shit didn't stink" Again he chuckled. "Apparently so if she left."

She lowered her eyes to the floor, feeling bad for him. Getting his heartbroken must have changed his demeanor. "I see. I think I'm going to check and see if Mason found anything. Again, nice meeting you." Bonnie, for some reason didn't appreciate the way Connor was talking about Damon. Even though she didn't know him that well - not at all really. She still didn't like it, whether she knew the person or not.

Bonnie headed over to where Mason was working on her car. "Hey, is the engine alright?"

"Yeah, it passed. Just trying to add this lightbulb."

She nodded and took a few steps closer. "So, you had this shop long?'

"For a year, give or take. Y'know if it wasn't for Damon I wouldn't even have this place."

"What do you mean?"

Mason set his wrench down on the ground and stood up. He wiped a bit of sweat from his brow before continuing. "The guy who sold me the place lied about a few things. I ended up owing extra money that I didn't have and Damon was there for me...he's a great guy, Bonnie. Any woman would be lucky to have him." The sweat covered man grinned before walking away. "Be right back, gotta get another part!"

Bonnie wondered why the man from earlier, Conor would say something completely opposite of Mason. It wasn't until she heard the familiar tune of her I-phone did she snap out of her thoughts. Not bothering to read the screen, she answered the phone and placed it to her ear.

"Hello"

"Bonnie."

She smiled because she recognized that voice immediately."Hey, what's up?"

"Just making sure Mason is keeping it professional."

"He is. I was wondering.." Bonnie switched the phone to her other ear. "Stefan isn't around is he?"

Damon scowled after hearing his brother's name. "Why would Stefan be here?"

"Oh, I just thought since you guys were brothers, you lived together."

"No, he stays at the dorms." Luckily, he thought. "Why are you looking for Stefan?" Damon asked but it sounded more like he demanded to know.

Bonnie shrugged even though Damon couldn't see. "Oh, nothing really. Just needed his help with something." She answered nonchalantly.

Damon flipped his cyan eyes before resuming their conversation. "Anything I can help with?" He didn't even know why he was still offering to help her, he in fact owed Bonnie nothing especially after getting her car fixed and returning the wallet. If anything, she should be trying to please him. But he was curious with what kind of help she needed particularly if it involved Stefan. He knew it wasn't sex, nothing even remotely close. But what? Homework? After thinking that, he was going to quickly make up an excuse but it was too late.

"Actually, I think you can." Bonnie went on to tell him about needing a portrait of someone for her photography class.

Damon rested easily after finding out she didn't have some hard calculus test and needed a study partner. Now being someone's model for a little bit surely he could manage that.

"Alright, well when you finish up with Mason stop by my place. I'll text you the address. Bye."

Click.

Bonnie scrunched up her face, she was going to suggest they meet some place open like a park but Damon hadn't given her the chance. And it would be rude her to call back and suggest another place, especially since he was taking time out of his day to accommodate her.

Bzzz.

New Message

-400 Crestwood Lane.

...

This was her first time visiting the Hills so she really had no ideal where she was supposed to be. But with the help of her handy-dandy Map, she followed Siri's instructions. Crestwood, only housed one home, the gates were open and her mouth fell agape. At that moment, Bonnie concluded that Damon had serious money if his house - mansion was the only one on the street.

Finally, she pulled into a long entrance that housed a magnificent mansion. It was breathtaking to be exact and she found herself just sitting in her car staring at it. After gawking, Bonnie exited her Prius and trotted over to the elegant glass engraved doors. She hit the doorbell twice, wondering if that was too many. As she waited, she ran a hand through her hair attempting to give it umph'. When the door opened, Bonnie was not expecting the woman who answered the door to do so.

"Can I help you?" A beautiful tanned-skinned woman with long light chocolate-colored hair asked.

"Oh, I- I think I have the wrong address."

"Who are you looking for?" She asked.

"Damon, Damon Salvatore." Bonnie answered.

"Well, you're at the right place. Please come in." Lucy quickly tugged on Bonnie's arm and rushed her into the mansion.

Once inside the foyer her emerald eyes observed the beautifully designed area. It was like something she saw from a movie.

"Damon! You have a visitor!"

Lucy waved Bonnie into the sitting room, who followed behind her obediently. "Please sit."

Bonnie sat down in the same white Lombardi chair that Damon occupied only a few nights ago. While Lucy sat in one adjacent of the bronzed beauty.

"I didn't know Damon was married." Bonnie commented, after looking over the large diamond ring on her finger.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners. I'm Lucy Salvatore, Damon's step-mother." Lucy held her hand out for Bonnie.

"Bonnie Bennett."

The two women shook hands, before resuming their conversation.

"It's so nice to see Damon finally with such a nice looking girl. Thought I'd never see the day."

"Oh, thank you. But no... me and Damon are jus-"

Again Bonnie was interrupted by the man in question. "Just what?" He asked, while taking in Bonnie's appearance. She didn't know how lucky she was, because if Lucy hadn't been in the same room he might have seriously caught a case. Clad in only a white towel, his obsidian locks were left moistened from his prior hot shower.

Lucy rolled her eyes and pursed her lips together.'Showing off as usual'

"Damon, how nice of you to join us. I was just telling Bonnie here how nice it was to finally see you with such a beautiful fine woman." Lucy grinned and glanced at Bonnie. "Like father, like son."

Bonnie had never wanted to swipe her V-card so easily before. Because if all she cared about was looks then surely he'd be on the floor by now. She did her best to not droll and kept her composure as he came in. Bonnie willed her legs to cross back over each other.

"Right." He replied, now stepping further into the room. Damon inwardly smiled when he noticed where she was sitting. "You look very beautiful, Bonnie." His hand captured hers and brought it up to his lips, placing a tender kiss upon her hand.

"Thank you." She did her best to avoid blushing.

Lucy made a face before standing up, "Well, excuse me. I'm off to see your father. I'll be sure to tell him how sorry you are for not coming." She gently wiped the invisible dust from her cherry red dress. "And it was lovely meeting you Bonnie, I hope to see more of you." Lucy glared at Damon and then quickly dismissed herself.

Bonnie looked to Damon worriedly after placing her hand in her lap. "I didn't interrupt anything did I? I mean if you need to be some where we can do this another time." She told him as she stood up, ready to make a haste exit if needed.

"No." He said sternly, giving her a near ominous look that all but scared Bonnie. "We have plans so let's get to them."

She simply remained quiet and nodded solemnly. Aside from his eyes being so beautiful, he definitely knew how to make them look terrifying. Even last night when Damon was angrily glaring at Stefan it really scared her.

"Upstairs. The lightning is better." Back to his normal self, Damon dramatically waved Bonnie to follow. "Come along."

Bonnie again nodded, grabbed her camera from her side, oblivious to the bothered look on her face. When she glanced back to him, she noticed that his eyes were back to their sensual state.

...

One Flight of Stairs Later

Bonnie wasn't going to lie, her eyes were practically glued to his derriere the entire climb that she bumped into him when they reached the top of the stairs.

"Sorry." She apologized and stepped over to his side.

Damon tilted his head down the hall way. "This way."

It took Bonnie a minute to realize he had left her behind, while she was too busy staring at all of the family pictures hanging on the wall. She could tell the difference between he and Stefan easily. In another photo she saw the woman from earlier, Lucy and a handsome mature man. His eyes resembled the same as Damon which meant that he was his father.

Glancing back down the hall, Bonnie followed in the same direction as Damon. The double doors were slightly ajar and she knocked lightly before pushing them open. His room was quite the opposite of what she was expecting. It was very modern and sleek, almost as sexy as Damon. Everything from the white silk sheets housing his bed, to the black polished furniture throughout the room.

There Damon was, laying on a lounge chair similarly positioned as Rose from the movie 'Titanic'. He even threw a hand near his forehead as if he were parched. She could have sworn she heard Celine Dion's 'My heart will go on' echoing throughout her head.

"Capture me."

His tone was dead serious but Bonnie couldn't help but laugh out. Damon grinned and then looked down at the covering that masked all his glory. He went to take off his towel but Bonnie's voice stopped him.

"You can leave the towel on... why don't you come over here." She held her camera steadily as she stepped over to the french doors that led out into the patio.

"You know, you're going to get an A. I mean with Stefan - wouldn't expect anything above a C"

Bonnie opened the doors and waited for Damon to resume position.

"So, what's up with you guys anyway?" She asked, now readying her camera.

He shrugged, "Eh, if you knew Stefan for over eighteen years you'd understand. Siblings can be quite the vexation. Especially when their younger." Damon kept his head still, all the while watching Bonnie do her thing. She was passionate, that's what he liked. Just the way she held the camera let him know this was her ardor.

"It's just, he seems like a really nice guy. Have you guys never been close?" Bonnie began to capture stilled images of Damon. And to be completely honest, the first three shots that she took would have worked out perfectly. She could have easily thanked him and left but she didn't. Instead she waved her hand to lure him further into the moonlight.

"Well you know me, I'm simple. Stefan is the drama queen."

Bonnie lowered the camera from her eye to glance at Damon incessantly. "Actually, I don't really know you Damon. Aside from your name and being brothers with Stefan." She looked down at her recent photo, extremely happy with it because of the vulnerability he poised. The way his eyes played off the moon. His ivory skin that seemed almost pellucid. He looked like he belong on one of those Greek God movies or so she thought.

Damon glanced out in to the city, considering his view gave him that right. This is where the challenge came in. He loved talking about himself, but it felt different with Bonnie. She wasn't just asking about him, she wanted to know him - know who he was. But he wasn't sure she would like the real him, or maybe he didn't like the real him.

"What do you want to know Bonnie?"

The fact that he wasn't looking at her indicated something was wrong. She picked that up in psych, unless the person was preoccupied. So instead of answering right away, she put her camera around her neck and stepped out onto patio with Damon. Verde eyes found the marvelous sight of the city. Definitely something she didn't get the chance to see every night. An uproar of wind danced around the pair as they watched the starry night.

"You know what Mason told me."

A look of disdain crossed his features until Bonnie continued.

"He said you were a great guy." She let her eyes attempt to find his. "Any woman would be lucky to have you."

Damon looked at her for the first time since she stepped outside. "You belive that?" He asked in all seriousness.

"I do. You've been nothing but kind to me."

"You're not going to head Stefan's snarky comments?" He asked, taking a few steps closer to the caramel belle.

Bonnie eyes marveled the sight of a half-clad Damon stalking forward.

"Are you Bonnie?"

She immediately glanced back to his face and shook her head. "N-no."

He stepped closer, effectively invading her personal space. Damon lowered his head to meet her at eye level. "I'm not as great as you think."

Bonnie swallowed thickly when she felt his breath tickle at her ears. Unsure of what she got herself into.

"I do things. Bad things... very bad"

"Are you warning me?"

"Yes" Again he purposely let his warm breath slither across her ear as he drug out te word 'yes'. Damon placed a chaste kiss on the delicate, sensitive flesh of her neck. "You don't want this." However the next kiss was a bit more salacious and he allowed his mouth to open, placing a wet, warm kiss on the underside of her ear.

But she did, she did want it and more. Bonnie allowed him to continue his kisses because it felt so good. Not like other guys who were sloppy and sucked to roughly resulting in hickies. She did her best to avoid moaning, but when he planted another lascivious kiss to her sweet spot and unintentional moan escaped her lips. And of course it encourage Damon, causing him to pull away and stare at her lips ceaselessly.

Bonnie knew what he wanted and for that very reason she chose to give in. She began the move but Damon finished it as their lips met for the first time. He had never known lips as soft as hers and hungrily devoured them into greedily sucks.

This what now how she planned that talk to go. It was supposed to be finding out more about Damon and not what his lips felt like - which were great by the way. Bonnie kept her eyes closed the entire time because she used her hands to see. Her right hand ran up the side of his neck until her fingers got lost in his lustrous locks. While she delighted in the expertise kissing, Damon had other plans which was evident when he placed both hands down on either side of her hips and took a step forward causing her to step back.

The routine continued into Bonnie's leg hit the edge of Damon bed. "Lay down." He practically commanded. And she obliged, sitting back on the bed while resting on her elbows.

"Give it." His finger waved in a come hither motion as he glanced to her camera.

It took her second to realize what he meant but when she caught on Bonnie took the camera from around her neck and handed it to him. "Take it."

He took the camera and carefully set it on his nightstand. Now giving Bonnie all of his attention, Damon lowered his eyes to her small but curvy frame.

As she waited on the bed, Bonnie was aware of the visible protuberance underneath the towel.

Damon climbed onto the bed, ready to show her what could have happened if Stefan hadn't ruin the moment like pest he was. She scooted back a bit and he grabbed at her ankle and roughly pulled her to him. "Where are you going?" He asked, now wedging himself in between the softness of her thighs. "You wanted me to take it right, Bon-nie" Again he enunciated every syllable in her name as he started his assault on her neck again.

"Damon." She moaned his name, as he pushed himself against her. He wanted to know what she did to him, wanted her to feel it. Bonnie put her hands on his chest and gave him a slight push.

He stopped and leaned up to look into her sight. "What's wrong."

"We should stop." Bonnie knew if she didn't stop it here then she wouldn't be able to before it was too late.

Reluctantly, he lifted himself from the warmness of her thighs. His pale hand shot up and rubbed at his disheveled locks. "Yeah." He licked at his lips and moved completely off of her. Damon wanted to ask if she was a virgin, but he settled with her just not being 'that kind of girl' instead.

Bonnie tried to study him but he didn't seem upset or angry, outwardly anyway. But she was glad that he respected her wishes. She too went to fix up her sure to be bed head. "It's just that.. I-" Her explanation of wanting to stop went unheard.

"You don't need to explain yourself."

She watched him grab a pair of pants from the lounge chair and headed into the bathroom.

By the time he returned, Bonnie had her camera in hands as she sat on the edge of the bed. Damon expected her to be gone but a part him was pleased that she still here, which was suprising because he usually like to be left alone after such acts.

He buttoned up his pants as he approached Bonnie. "Staying for dinner?"

"No, I just thought it'd be rude of me to just leave without thanking you or saying goodbye." She said, looking at his still shirtless body.

"Mhm... C'mon, I'll walk you down."

Bonnie stood from her spot and followed Damon over to the door.

They walked down the steps silently, until they reached the front doors.

"Well, thank you. For everything..." Bonnie smiled and hugged Damon. "I hope I get to see you again soon."

"It's what friends do." It only took him a second to reciprocate the gesture. "Sure you will." And where there's a will there's a way.

He watched her slip pass him and head over to her reconstructed Prius and drive off into the night. Damon grunted and looked down at his crotch. "We both need a drink."

...

"So what's going on with the little schoolgirl" Mason asked after downing another shot of bourbon. "You fuck her yet?"

Damon lifted a finger at the bartender, indicating he wanted another drink. He heard Mason's question but he didn't answer right away. This was his whole reason for needing a drink at the bar, to ease his case of major blue balls.

"Working on it." He partially lied to keep Mason from hovering over his back.

"Ahh, finally met someone who doesn't drop the panties on the first night huh?"

He took a sip of his drink and nearly choked. Did Mason just question his game? Maybe telling the truth wouldn't hurt.

"It isn't like that..."

"You like her?" Mason asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Genuinely concerned for his friend, he looked at him void of any humor.

Damon polished off the rest of his drink and shrugged, cyan orbs staring at all the various liquors on the shelf. Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Jameson - some of his closest friends.

"You know how that goes. Just sleep with her, if you don't like her then she'll be just like the rest. Wam bam thank you mam."

After hearing those words and letting the alcohol swarm his head he snapped. "That's the thing. I wanna' get into her pants to see if I actually like her but I want to like her before I get into her pants... see my problem." Because Mason was use to Damon's 'crazy eyes' it didn't faze him.

Mason snorted, "Well, only time will tell. And if you do then not getting in her pants won't bother you. It'll be the last thing on your -" He looked over Damon, given his reputation. "It just won't matter, as much."

Damon nodded. 'That'll be easy' Sarcasm at it's best.

"Katherine's back."

"No fucking way. How you know?"

"Selfish bitch had the audacity to come on my property." He spat.

"Damn, maybe she wants to apologize. Set things straight."

"There's nothing to set straight. I close that chapter long ago."

...

When Damon returned home the familiar scent of Acqua by Nobile flushed his senses. He came into the sitting area where he found the only man he ever loved.

"Mio figlio, sono a casa."

Damon sobered up almost immediately at seeing his father sitting right in from of him. "Papà" Words couldn't express how happy he was to see his father. When he was on his death-bed weeks ago.

"Bambino, venire" Giuseppe held his arms out for his son. Damon hugged his father proudly, not caring that he was man. Oh how he missed that scent lingering throughout the house.

"Ti senti bene, papà?"

Lucy smiled and chose that moment to comment. "The doctor said he was fine to leave. He just needs to relax and take it easy, which is exactly why we are all going to the country club friday for a family outing."

She walked over to her husband and kissed him on the cheek. "Doesn't that sound nice, tesoro?"

Giuseppe nodded and looked to his beautiful wife giving her loving kiss on the lips. "Of course."

Damon shuddered, he knew that look well enough. His father was definitely feeling well.

...

Two Days Later.

Bonnie and Hayley sat in class talking about how hard professor Shane's class was until their own came trudging in. The girls had already showed their portraits to each other. Bonnie wasn't to brag but her for sure was A material, while Hayley on the other looked like she just took a photo of her mother standing in the kitchen. Aside from the quality she bet Hayley would receive a C.

"I still can't belive you got a hot guy like that to model for you."

She smiled and placed her photo back into the portfolio. "Yeah, he's just a... friend of mine."

...

At the end of class everyone had turned in their first assignments, and as usual they would have to wait until next meting to get their grades. But Bonnie wasn't worried, the picture definitely demonstrated her level of creativity.

"So, do you or not?" Hayley asked.

"Yeah but how can you be so sure that I'll pass the exam." Bonnie asked, obviously skeptical of how she could promise such a thing.

"Look, do you wanna pass professor Shane's class or not?" Hayley asked with finality.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, I'm willing to do just about anything. Even tutoring." Somehow at the end of class, she mentioned how she had a low D in professor Shane's class because the exams were so hard. Not to mention they had another hard one coming up after Spring Break ended, and since Hayley had an A, she promised Bonnie could get the same.

"Okay then. Meet me at the second modular outside of the library at six p.m. Alright?'

"Yeah, tomorrow six p.m"

The girls said their goodbyes and Bonnie drove off leaving Hayley to herself.

Hayley pursed her lips together, unsure if bringing Bonnie in would be best thing. Of course he'd be happy about it right?

...

A/N: Translation for Damon/Giuseppe Conversation. Thought it would be nice to throw in a few Italian words during their reunion.

"My son, I'm home."

"Dad"

"Child, Come"

"Are you well, dad?

And Lucy said 'Darling' at the end of her sentence.