A/N: I'm updating this chapter early to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time out to read this. This chapter focuses a little on Bonnie's friendship with the other characters. Also this Chapter is broken into two parts because I loved both quotes so much I figured I could just break it up and use one for each part. So I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 5

"We are an arrogant species, full of terrible potential but we also have a great capacity for love, friendship, generosity, kindness, faith, hope, and joy."

Dean Koontz

Damon had been staring at the witch from the living room. She had been cooking breakfast and it surprised him. He had awoken to an empty bed and after panicking for a minute had sensed Bonnie nearby. Entering the kitchen he had saw Bonnie over the stove cooking.

"Hey Damon." She said in the middle of flipping a pancake.

"Hey?" he asked his expression reading what the hell.

"Hey." She answered not understanding his confusion.

"Yesterday you we're freaking unconscious and having nose bleeds and today you're in the kitchen cooking and cheery."

"I feel better Damon." He raised an eyebrow at her trying to figure out if this was a façade or was she truly okay after everything that had happened.

"Damon you can stop staring at me like that. I'm not faking. I really am okay."

"I still don't believe it."

"Will this help?" She walked over to him and sat herself up on the counter in the kitchen. Pulling the collar of his shirt, he was now standing in between her legs. She pulled his face as well and kissed him as deeply as she could.

"Sorry to interrupt." Damon had licked his lips as he turned to stare at his brother.

"Stef you have bad timing." He said as Bonnie hopped off the counter and moved back to the stove.

"I was only coming to make breakfast. I didn't know anybody, much less Bonnie, was going to be down here."

"It's okay Stefan. Besides I already made breakfast." Bonnie said eyes moving to the stove where Stefan could see pancakes.

"It smells delicious, Bonnie." He took a seat next to his brother and gave him a look that could be interpreted as 'what is going on with Bonnie' to which his blue eyed brother shrugged his shoulder

"It sure does." Elena agreed with her husband as she came into the kitchen.

"We'll sit down so I can amaze you with my awesome cooking skills." Stefan and Elena had shared a look with each other.

"I'm glad that you're all gleeful… but how come you're all gleeful?" Elena moved to take a stand next to her best friend. "Yesterday you were knocked out in the bed and unconscious for more than four hours."

"I know but I'm fine I promise you. Ask Damon?"

"She's fine." He said giving Bonnie his sex smile.

"I don't want to know how you know." Elena said moving to sit at the island next to Stefan. Bonnie moved back around the counter and pushed three stakes of pancakes towards each of them.

"Tea for Elena and Coffee and a cup of blood for Stefan and Damon." She watched as the three dug into the breakfast. Elena raised her head first.

"These are sooo good."

"I know." She took a seat next to Damon with her own stack of pancakes.

"These banana nut pancakes are one of the few things she can make really well." Damon answered in the middle of bites.

"That and great chocolate chip cookies." She said proud of herself.

"Well I must say I'm impressed." Stefan drank some of the coffee that sat next to his plate.

"Yeah I don't cook often so relish in this moment." Damon pulled her so she was sitting on his lap.

"My baby's amazing."

"Good for you both." Elena said. The rest of breakfast they had small talk while they finished up. When they were done Elena moved to wash the dishes. She had told Bonnie it was the least she could do.

"So do you guys have any plans today?" Stefan inquired.

"I've got work." Elena said washing dishes.

"So do I?"

"No you don't. Matt doesn't want you back at work until he knows your okay for sure." Damon drank the last little bit of blood that was in his cup.

"That reminds me I have to call Caroline before we get our asses handed to us." Elena finished the dishes and headed back out of the kitchen.

"What about you Damon?" his little brother had asked.

"I've got a meeting with the council today." As he exited Stefan looked to Bonnie.

"Well Stefan that leaves you and me. What do you want to do?"

"Let's catch a movie."

"Do you know what you want to see?"

"No but we can check it out when we get there."

"That was a good movie. I didn't think I would like it." Stefan said throwing his empty popcorn bag in the trash.

"Stefan I wouldn't steer you wrong." Bonnie took a sip of the soda she held in her hand.

"No you didn't. It was a nice movie." He said getting a weird look from Bonnie.

"Crazy Stupid Love was a phenomenal movie." She said causing Stefan to laugh at how much she had actually like it. He supposed it was but being a guy he couldn't really say that. So he changed the subject.

"So what do you want to do now?"

"We're in a mall Stefan? What do you think I might want to do?"

"Obviously" He said feeling ashamed he had asked.

"It's okay. I'm not really the shopping kind but I don't have anything else to do." The witch wrapped her arm around Stefan's as they searched through the mall. The majority of the day was spent with the two talking and enjoying lunch. They walked into the house in the early afternoon to see that no one was still home.

"I have to admit Stefan you're not so bad to hang out with."

"What is that suppose to mean?" he asked a little offended.

"I figured spending time with you would be like hanging with an old man. You know because you like antique things."

"Bonnie, that hurts." he nudged her as she laughed and placed her bags down.

"Sorry."

"Well, I was so wrong. Now I'm going to watch some TV. Wanna join?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Two words. Jersey. Shore."

"What is Jersey shore?"

"Oh Stefan. What is Elena going to do with you? How can you be married to her and not even know what Jersey Shore is?"

"I've heard of it. Just never watched."

"Today's your lucky day then. I'll set up the Netflix on the TV. There was a knock at the door. As Bonnie had set up season one on the TV, opening the door their stood Tyler.

"God Bonnie I heard you got hurt. You can't call and let someone know you're okay."

"Sorry Ty forgot."

"Next time I'm bringing the whole Calvary." Bonnie looked out to see two vehicles pulling in. She could tell that it was Damon and Elena's car. "Looks like Damon and Elena are here."

"Yeah." The two walked toward the wolf and witch and greeted them.

"Hey sweetie long day at work?" Bonnie said.

"Not really." Damon answered. The witch had moved towards Elena and grabbed her hand.

"I wasn't talking to you Damon." Elena laughed as she stood next to her best friend.

"Yeah but it was the last day. So I'm officially on vacation for three months."

"Do you want to celebrate by watching…?" Stefan started from in the living room.

"Jersey Shore." Elena had finished for her husband, looking at the screen which was setup with the show's name.

"Mind if I stay?" Ty asked.

"Of course, you have to watch. Stefan has no idea what it is." Tyler shook his head from left to right as he walked to Stefan and Elena. Bonnie could hear him mumble shame under his breath.

"Bonnie, please do not tell me you're making my brother watch that horrid show." Damon had moved past the door and was following Bonnie into the room where everyone else sat.

"I'm not making him watch it. More like giving him a nudge to watch it. Why you want to watch?"

"No. I don't want to see these people be complete idiots on TV."

"Well it's more like a family night so you kind of have to watch it." Damon sighed and gave up before he could even argue.

"I'm going to need a few drinks." As the drinks kept coming Damon began to blame the liquor for the reason he was actually starting to enjoy the show. But he knew he hadn't had that much, maybe only two glasses and a half.

"Wow. How many times do these two argue?" Damon asked referring to Ronnie and Sammi.

"They do that a lot." Elena answered from her spot beside Stefan.

"Are you actually getting into the show?" Bonnie asked lifting her head off her boyfriends lap to make sure she could see his face when he answered.

"No. Maybe."

"Nobody can resist." Elena spoke trying to plead their case.

"Besides who doesn't love fist pumping." Tyler said as he thrust his balled up hand in the air. Bonnie and Elena joined in as Damon and Stefan just laughed.

"Welcome to hell. Stefan." Damon said sipping his drink.

"Well at least it's entertaining." He watched the trio as they continued to fist pump when he heard the front door.

"I'm going to get the door." The vamp said wanting to leave them to their silly show.

"On your way back could you get some more to drink?" Elena asked politely.

"I'm not a waiter. You know where the kitchen is."

"I'll get it for you Lena."

"I'll go with you. I need some more to drink." Tyler added getting up but was then followed by Stefan and Elena.

"I might as well go now." She said following the other two.

Damon ignored them as he answered the front door. There stood a male who Damon had never seen before in his life. "How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm looking for Bonnie Bennett?" he looked the dark skinned male up and down, taking in his appearance.

"Who's asking?" He asked.

"I'm just looking for Bonnie. I checked her home already and she told me about this place."

"Who the hell are you?" he reiterated again for the tall man.

"Nathan!" he heard Bonnie say. Damon turned around to see her standing behind him.

"Bonnie." He said as the witch ran to the man gripping him in an embrace. "It's so good to see you again."

"You too." She was still holding on to him.

"How can you tell you haven't even looked at him yet?" Damon said still wanting to know who this man was. She let go as she laughed at him.

"I'm sorry." She pulled him into the house ignoring Damon.

"Who the hell is he?" he asked as the two continued to smile at one another.

Chapter 5 Part II

"Times change and we change with them."

-William Harrison

"Who is this?" Damon wanted to know, jealously surfacing on his face.

"Damon relax, this is Nathan my Cousin, on my mother's side."

"He's protective isn't he?" the man said staring at Damon.

"He can't help it." Bonnie said pulling him into the living room. "Guys I want you to meet Nathan."

"Nathan. Why does that sound familiar?" Elena asked.

"You use to live around here when we were little." Tyler finished. "I remember you. You dated Melanie Thornton in like the 11th grade. She was hot man."

The man couldn't help but laugh at the boy's statement. "Yeah, I guess she was. You must be the Lockwood boy?"

"Tyler." Nate smiled as he shook Tyler's hand. Then his eyes moved over to the brunette.

"I think I know who this lovely lady is?" Elena gushed as he took her in. "Elena Gilbert. You grew up. I must say you are beautiful."

"Thank you." She answered sheepishly.

"Do you remember when you had a crush on me?" As the brown eyes grew in size, by that information, they moved over to the witch who was now staring at the floor.

"Bonnie!" Elena said giving her friend the death glare.

"Sorry, it slipped out one day." She held her hands up, in defeat.

"Don't worry it was adorable. She told me you and Caroline had a crush on me."

"Caroline is going to kill you when she finds out."

"We'll let's try not to tell her okay." She smacked Nate's arm for telling Elena.

"What?" He asked grinning at his cousin.

"That's for you. The one who can't keep his mouth shut." Nate rubbed his arm and kept on with his conversation.

"I can't believe all of you guys are so big. The last time I saw you all, you were yay high." He said motioning with his hands.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" She asked.

"That's right. I came to tell you that we found him."

"Found who?"

"The demon."

"It's been eight years."

"I know but we finally found him and we were wondering did you want to come and help us finish the job."

"What?"

"I figured you'd want to be there with us at the end since you were there in the beginning."

"I don't know."

"I understand if you don't want to."

"You know what. I'll do it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad." He got up to hug her once more. "I'm staying at the hotel on the outside of town. I'll be back tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. to get you."

"Okay." She led him out the door and turned around to see her friends leering at her.

"Look guys I know what I'm doing. I'm going to go and be back before you know it."

"Really? I don't believe that load of bull. He said himself you guys have been looking for him for about 8 years. I don't think this take down is going to be as easy as you think."

"Okay so I might be gone for awhile. I'll be fine." Bonnie said trying to show them that everything would be okay.

"I'm going."

"Damon you have don't have to worry about me all the time. Besides aren't you working on something with the Founders Council." He rolled his eyes.

"The founder's council can handle that."

"We're going, too." Stefan said standing beside the brunette.

"I don't want to hear it Bonnie, we're going." Elena spoke up as well.

"So am I." Tyler added.

"I don't need all of you guys to take care of me."

"We know but this is something we want to do." Elena walked up to her friend wrapping an arm around her. "Besides I've always wondered about what you did when you ran away."

"From the things I do know, they have been very exciting years." Tyler thought.

"From past experience I know that the people from your past aren't always the most trustworthy." Damon said as Bonnie stared at him.

"This is family."

"So was Gracie." He got a look from Bonnie. This wasn't the same. She and Nate were blood family.

"I've known Nate all my life. This is completely different family." She said still not getting him to change his mind.

"I guess we'll find out when we leave."

"Damon you may not trust him but trust me. He took care of me when I ran away. He kept me safe."

"Okay." He said heading up to his room.

"It's time for me to go then." Tyler said motioning to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow at 8." As he left Bonnie looked to her other friends.

"I should head to bed too." The witch said moving to the staircase.

"Night Bonnie." They spoke in unison as she walked upstairs.

Damon was packing his clothes. He had found out that they were going to North Carolina. Bonnie had gone back to the house to grab a few more things. Most of their stuff was there but Damon had always kept clothes at the boarding house. "Do we need to bring any of our own weapons?" Elena asked standing at Damon's door to his room.

"No she didn't say but I guess, it wouldn't hurt to take it." She thanked him and continued on her way. Damon thought that Elena loved her weapons a little too much. He bent down to grab the shirt that slid off the bed when he saw something shimmer from the sun. Reaching underneath the bed he pulled it out and noticed it was a ring. Taking a closer look he knew it was the ring that Anna had in her hand two nights ago.

Looking at it he knew right away what kind of ring it was. It was a sunlight ring, specifically the one that belonged to the vampire that they had captured. His mind wondered to why Anna would put this on Bonnie's finger and then he remembered what Alaric had told him. If put on the witch who spelled the ring some type of light would flash or something like that.

He wondered if that was what she was trying to tell him the other night before she started choking. Holding the ring up to the light he looked for anything that stood out about it. "I don't think we need that many clothes. But I took enough just in case." Hearing her voice he brought the ring down stuffing it in his bag.

"Better safe than wearing the same two outfits for a week."

"I guess." She said sitting on the bed. "Nate said he's on his way. I told him that you guys were coming and he said the more the merrier."

"Is everyone else ready to go?"

"Tyler's just got here when I pulled up and Elena and Stefan are walking downstairs now." She looked out the door towards the hallway to see them carrying their bags down. The two grabbed the bags and made their way down.

"Tyler and I are riding with Nathan. The three of you can take Damon's car."

"Why do you have to ride with him?" the blue eyed vamp asked getting a sigh from Bonnie.

"I want to catch up. I haven't spoken to him in so long. Don't worry you'll have me all to yourself when we get to where we're going." The sound of a horn filled the air.

"He's here." Bonnie said going to open the door. She waved as she grabbed her bags and headed out.

Everyone got in their respective cars, "You can just follow me." Nate had said to Damon.

"I figured that." He said sarcastically. Bonnie looked back at Damon who gave her a sweet smile. He's not going to make this easy.

"So Bonnie what have you been up to?"

"Nothing really, attempting to be normal. How about you?"

"Same old same old."

"So is anybody else in on this besides me and you."

"It's pretty much the old group." She looked out the window as the ride continued. "Why you scared you going to see someone you don't want to see?"

"No I just wanted to know if you guys had found any new people."

"We don't let just anybody into our group that easily."

"You let me in that easily."

"That's because your family. Family is always invited." She smiled and turned to see Tyler with his earphones in his air looking out the window.

"How is he?"

"Who are you talking about?" Nate said giving her a smile because he knew who she was talking about.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about." She grinned causing Nate to start to laugh. "Come on, don't be immature about it."

"He's fine. He's happy now and I think he's moving on. You know after leaving us like you did."

"That's good." Was all Bonnie could say as Tyler pulled out his earphones.

"The stupid ear bud stopped working."

"Maybe because you keep twisting the string so tight around your IPod."

"That could be it."

"No that is it." Bonnie said to Tyler who threw it back in his bag.

"Fine it's my fault. Can we just turn the radio on, please?"

"Sure." She reached over and turned it on placing it on a station that was playing John Mayer's song Half of my Heart. They sat back and let the music fill their ears.

"````````````````````````````````````````````````

Damon hadn't said anything for the whole two hours they had been on the road. Stefan was beginning to worry because he hadn't commented on Elena's or Stefan's taste of music this entire ride.

"Damon what's wrong?" His brother asked looking at him from the passenger seat.

Damon contemplated on whether or not he should answer his brother and decided why not. "I don't understand why Bonnie is coming out here to help him. Something just seems off about her lately."

"You heard her he's family and you know how Bonnie feels about family."

"I wish she didn't sometimes. Let people help themselves."

"Is that all that's really bothering you?" Stefan seeing that his brother wasn't that upset with these people that he didn't even know.

"I have a feeling in my stomach that I can't trust someone. That they are leaving something out."

"Don't worry about Nathan. I'm sure he isn't going to let anything happen to her." Damon looked at his brother and smiled. He had no idea it wasn't Bonnie's family that he was worried about, but someone who his much closer to home.

"You're right. If something terrible was going on I'd know." he turned his attention back to the road, trying to let the feeling that Bonnie was hiding something from him fade away.

A/N: I know Damon is getting a little suspicious about Bonnie. She better make sure she keeps it together. But that may be harder said then done seeing as how she's going back to the place where it all started. Dun, Dun, Dun….