Three's a Crowd: A Bamonenzo Story
Kayer713
Chapter Six
Kayer713
"What's Donavan up to?"
Damon had parked out of the way by the police station. Once he'd seen Matt rushing out he knew the sheriff was on to something. Valerie didn't comment, having decided to avoid all conversation with her least favorite Salvatore.
He watched Matt pull off, then followed after.
"Keep your phone ready. Just in case we need to call Stefan. I'm sure you memorized his number by heart."
She grit her teeth, briefly considered setting him aflame but opted instead to keep the peace. Stefan wouldn't take too kindly to her barbequing his only brother. Even if he was a dick. She just hoped this thing could be over with soon.
Because Bonnie didn't have any of Enzo's personal effects, she was unable to do the locator spell. That didn't stop her however. During their last date she'd learned where he was staying and wasted no time directing Stefan there. They arrived in a little under fifteen minutes. Stefan quickly parked and the two gained entry with ease. Courtesy of a quick spell.
"It's not breaking and entering if there are no finger prints," she joked as she entered Enzo's dwelling.
Stefan followed.
"It's not breaking and entering if nobody owns it," he added.
Enzo obviously couldn't have entered if there was an owner. Or a living owner anyway.
"I need to find something that's his, not left over from whoever used to live here," Bonnie thought aloud.
She took a look around. Throughout their time together Bonnie had learned that Enzo could be sentimental. But unlike Stefan and Damon, he'd lost everything that had mattered to him so what he did love he kept on his person. Still, there had to be something here that he owned. Whether it mattered to him or not.
"What about this?"
She turned to find Stefan holding a phone charger.
"I found it plugged in. Most likely Enzo's."
They would have to take that chance. Still, Bonnie couldn't help but to feel that they could do better. She headed upstairs and began searching bedrooms. There were three of them. Only one looked lived in. Immediately she knew his scent, noticed the crumpled sheets. This was the first time she'd encountered his bedroom.
Had she ever been in Damon's bedroom?
Bonnie moved to the dresser, found a comb. A dark black hair was left in its teeth. Enzo's.
"Stefan, I have it," she called down to him.
"We can get started with the spell."
Prep didn't take long. Feeling the pressure of time, Bonnie elected to do it right there in the bedroom. Stefan sat with her, available for channeling if she needed to use him. Bonnie appreciated it. She knew that he and Enzo didn't really care for each other. To say they'd never gotten along would be an understatement. But he was doing this for her. And to save Matt. Because if she knew Enzo he wouldn't take too kindly to being hunted.
The locator spell revealed that Enzo was near the Mystic Grill. They had to get there before he left. Stefan stepped on the gas as Bonnie pulled on her seatbelt. They were going to make it to him and stop whatever madness Matt had planned. Because she damn sure wasn't going to lose either of them.
Enzo sat at the park bench, glanced over at the Mystic Grill. He'd chosen this location because it was at the center of the town. Out in the open. If anyone wanted to come after him, they'd be sure to find him here. He wanted them to find him. Unfortunately nothing seemed to be happening.
Well this is a disappointment.
He came to his feet. He should have called Bonnie and found out why he was supposedly in danger. And who the hell it was that posed said danger. Maybe he still could. If anything it would hasten the attack. God could he use a good fight right now. He pulled out his phone, scrolled down to her name, prepared to tap. Let his finger hover.
"Well, are you going to call her or not?"
He recognized the voice behind him with mild annoyance.
"Mary-Louise. To what do I owe the displeasure?"
The blond heretic gestured toward the Mystic Grill.
"Nora and I were just about to have dinner. A nice quiet dinner. I've been planning this for weeks. So color me surprised to find you of all people staking out the place."
He looked at her, wondering. Was she the threat Bonnie spoke of?
"Relax, I'm not here for you or Nora," he remarked, "I'm expecting a visitor."
She wasn't appeased.
"Well have your visit elsewhere," she snapped, "I don't want any incidents or distractions to ruin this for us. She's finally started speaking to me again and if you ruin this night you will rue the day you were turned."
He decided that she wasn't the threat. The woman was too quick tempered. If she'd wanted to hurt him she'd have used her magic instantly.
"I wish I could but I have to be sure that my admirer can see me."
He sat back, demonstrating his intention to stay put. Mary-Louise glared, opened her mouth to no doubt recite a curse but something stopped her. Enzo followed her gaze to the approaching car and muttered a curse of his own under his breath. It was Stefan Salvatore. And in the passenger seat, none other than Bonnie. With his vampire sight he could see the expression on her face upon spotting him with Mary-Louise. It wasn't a very pleased one at all.
"Now you've brought them," the very pissed off heretic fumed.
"I might as well take Nora elsewhere. It's already ruined."
Enzo paid her no mind, watching as Bonnie exited the vehicle. She glanced from him to Mary-Louise, suspicion in her countenance.
"What's she doing here?" was her first question.
Stefan stood at her side.
"She was just leaving," Mary-Louise responded, ready to huff off.
Stefan stopped her.
"Wait, we need to ask you about something. Do you know anything about a bar massacre last night? Thirty people. Witnesses described a male with dark hair. Around 5'10. A vampire."
She barely cast him a glance.
"Does that sound like me or anyone I'd associate with?"
Enzo looked at Bonnie.
"Sounds like someone I know," he responded.
"Damon didn't do it," Stefan cut in.
"But as we both know, he's not the only vampire in town who fits that description."
Before Enzo could reply, Bonnie intervened.
"You were with me until you dropped me off. I'm not accusing you of anything, but I have to ask. Did you have anything to do with it?"
He tried to look blank, nonchalant.
"Why wouldn't you accuse me? Damon told you about my dark past didn't he?"
Instead he looked hurt. Not that she'd accused him but that she was here in the first place instead of accusing Damon. Bonnie had seen this before. Rather than face her he was going to try to drive her away by making her angry. He reasoned that if she thought he'd killed thirty people then she wouldn't want to be around him. And he wouldn't have to be around her. But his game wouldn't work because she saw right through him.
"You didn't do it," Bonnie affirmed, "It's not your style."
He raised an eyebrow.
"My style? So you know how I kill now?"
She didn't take the bait.
"You wouldn't just randomly kill thirty people. Especially without a catalyst. You're just like Damon; something would have to set you off."
Enzo straightened up on the bench, visibly uncomfortable with the comparison. That was when Stefan's brows drew.
"You mean something like a confrontation with Damon?" he remembered.
Bonnie looked at him.
"Last night, it was pretty late, Enzo came back to our place looking for Damon," he explained.
"He was upset about the way he's been acting around you. Damon was out and Enzo just took off."
He eyed him with suspicion.
"Maybe he found a substitute for Damon."
Itching for a fight, Enzo was on his feet.
"Maybe I'll substitute your face for Damon." He cracked his knuckles.
Bonnie stepped between the two.
"Hey, we don't need this right now! As we speak there's an unsolved mystery and a grieving sheriff bent on avenging the dead. So can we please get back to trying to find out what happened before anybody gets violent?"
She looked from vampire to vampire, sure to drive her point home. Neither argued.
"Well I'd wish you all luck with that," Mary-Louise commented, "but I really don't care."
She turned on her heel, leaving them for the Mystic Grill. Bonnie rolled her eyes. In the time she'd spent with Nora she'd actually proven to be a pretty nice person under all of the heretic dramatics. What she saw in Mary-Louise Bonnie couldn't figure out. The girl was cold as ice.
"So I'm supposed to be in danger?" Enzo inquired, "Pray tell from who?"
Bonnie saw him glance at Stefan. Daring him to make a move.
"Stop it, he's here to help," she scolded, "but we have to figure out who did this murder because Matt's convinced that it's you."
He laughed out loud.
"Matt Donovan? Mystic Falls' finest? Are you serious? He's a danger to ME?"
It was a rich laugh, he was genuinely amused.
"Bonnie, Love. I guess you don't know me as well as you thought."
She stepped closer, up to his face. The proximity wiped the smile away. His eyes flashed and the attraction was evident.
"I know that I'm not going to let either of you hurt each other. If that means using my magic then I have no problem with that."
"As you've proven earlier."
The fight with Damon. She remembered and felt a pang of guilt over its outcome. She'd hurt him in more ways than physical. Enzo took a step away from her.
"What do you want from me? I'm going to defend myself."
"You're stronger than him," Stefan reminded him, "You're faster too. You don't have to hurt him to keep him from killing you."
"So I'm supposed to just let him live another day to try to kill me again? Because he's your friend?"
Bonnie shook her head.
"We'll handle Matt. He's just hurting right now. His head's messed up from all that's happened. I used to feel the same way about vampires. When my Grams died I blamed Stefan and Damon. I hated Damon and tried to kill him at least twice. But now—"
"Now you love him."
He dared her to deny it.
"Don't tell me how I feel."
He shrugged.
"Interesting that you blamed Stefan AND Damon but when was the last time you tried to kill Stefan?"
Stefan gave him a look.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Damon the man-whore gets all the girls, Stefan the bloody Ripper gets a free pass. But I'm the one being hunted for something I didn't even do. That's balanced."
Stefan and Bonnie exchanged expressions.
"Hey I have to live with the things I did every day for eternity, the weight of all of those deaths and all of that pain," Stefan told him, "I don't expect you to understand because clearly you don't care about who you hurt but the guilt I feel is anything but a free pass."
Enzo's eyes leveled on him.
"Oh cue the violins."
Stefan's jaw clenched in a visible effort to keep his cool.
"Bonnie, if it's alright with you I think I'm going to go sit in the car before Matt becomes the least of his problems."
She nodded her understanding. Like Damon, Enzo knew how to grate on an enemy's nerves. And he certainly considered Stefan an enemy.
Why was she comparing him to Damon?
"Just keep an eye out."
She turned back to Enzo, her eyes narrowed. He shrugged.
"Since I'm not allowed to defend myself, what am I supposed to do about Matt?" he sighed.
She was just about to reply when she heard the screech of tires.
"GET DOWN!"
Damon.
Behind her Stefan whirled around in time to hear the crack of a gunfire. The next thing she knew she was on the ground, beneath Enzo.
"You alright Love?"
She breathed.
More bullets sounded, repeated in rapid succession. Enzo vamp-sped off of her and she sat up to see Matt's car running off into the Mystic Grill.
"Oh my god!"
Damon's car screeched to a halt. Valerie shot out.
"Is anybody hurt?"
Bonnie's concern went to the one mortal on the scene right now.
"Where's Matt?"
Valerie didn't answer.
"STEFAN!"
Bonnie followed her eyes to find Stefan on his back behind her. Though she wasn't as fast, she managed to reach him after Valerie did. His chest was bleeding, his eyes wide. His breathing labored.
"No!"
He tried to look over at them, both on either side but grimaced with each movement. Bonnie took a look at the location of the bleeding. She couldn't see under his clothes but it looked near enough to his heart.
"Oh god no," Valerie was crying, "I won't let you die. Not when I just got you back."
Bonnie was shaking her head. Not Stefan. She couldn't lose another person she cared about. Automatically her mind went to Damon. If he saw his brother shot, Enzo wouldn't have to worry about Matt. Damon wouldn't even bother to toy with him, just rip his heart out on sight.
"Take care of him," Bonnie urged her.
"I'll be back."
She hurried toward the now wide open wreck of the Grill. Inside was a mess. Chairs, tables strewn about like a kid's old toys. She found Damon lying on the floor, his skin sizzling red. Enzo was yards away, smoking just the same.
"Vervain bomb."
Matt climbed from behind the counter, dusting himself off. His eyes were wild, full of pain that she'd never seen in him before.
"You thought Enzo could out-do me but you of all people should know not to underestimate the human spirit."
She shook her head.
"Matt, I know what you're going through. I lost my whole family remember? Grams, my mom got turned, my dad's dead. Hell my ancestor Emily was burned at the stake because of Katherine Pierce but you know what? This hatred, this rage, this revenge isn't going to fix it. I know because I tried that too. And you know what happened? Innocent people died."
He looked at her.
"Remember the Gilbert device? I tried to get rid of the vampires and Mayor Lockwood died. Tyler almost died. Caroline would have died if not for Damon's blood. Because of that she was turned. And remember Kai? I tried to get him back too and you see where that left us. Matt, you can't go down this road. Trust me, I've been down it and both times it only led to more pain and death."
She felt the tears escaping her eyes. She didn't care. She couldn't let Matt do something that would get him killed. Stefan was already collateral damage in his war. One of the only vampires in town who tried to do the right thing nonstop. And when Caroline found out, she'd be crushed. The ripple wave of pain would continue. Matt didn't say anything, appearing to consider her words. Surely her experience in this realm of vengeance had him thinking. She saw his eyes tear up as well.
"I just want my town back," he admitted, "I just want my friends back. You, Caroline, Elena, Tyler and Jeremy. I just want my sister back."
Damon was moving. Enzo was still out. She would have to get Matt out of here before they came to and reacted to his attack.
"I do too," she confessed.
Matt wiped the sweat from his forehead. She noticed that he still held the gun.
"But we'll never get it back, will we?" he commented more than asked.
"Because Vicki is dead. Caroline is dead and Elena will come back most likely when we're both dead seeing as women live longer than men."
His eyes were hardening again.
"And you want to know who started all of this?"
She didn't like where this was going.
"Damon. He killed Vicki. His girlfriend killed Caroline. His mother brought back Kai. If it wasn't for Damon—"
Matt's car suddenly shifted. Both eyes went that way to see it flip over. Beneath it a disheveled and very much irate Mary-Louise climbed to her feet.
"What the bloody hell did you do to my dinner?!"
Her white dress was covered in oil, dirt and debris. Her own blood, from wounds healed now, stained the fabric. She glared from Bonnie to Matt.
"This was for Nora!"
Rather than respond, Matt aimed his weapon to fire. Before he could the heretic shot to Bonnie, grasped her wrist and began siphoning her magic. Bonnie screamed out in pain. She saw Matt aim again at Mary-Louise when he began to choke. She'd successfully disabled the one witch that could oppose her. Smart move. But was it enough? Falling to his knees, Matt still clutched the gun. He fired a couple of rounds before the pain of the siphoning ended.
Bonnie fell to the floor to discover a new pain, sharp and in her collarbone. She tried to swallow but couldn't. She heard coughing, then saw Matt leaning over her.
"Bonnie I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, she jumped out of the way!"
He was crying now. Trying to put pressure on her collar. But it hurt too much! She screamed in pain before everything began to fade.
"No, don't touch her!" Matt.
"Let me help her!"
A familiar voice. Was that…?
The salty taste of liquid running down her throat. Bonnie felt herself energizing, the pain subsiding. The bullet lifted from her body as her flesh closed up behind it. She opened her eyes to find Nora and Matt leaning over her.
"What are you doing here?" Bonnie asked once Nora retracted her wrist.
Nora glanced around.
"Mary-Louise and I had a date. We were supposed to talk."
Reconcile.
"What happened here?" Nora asked.
Shame filled Matt's countenance as he swallowed.
"I did."
He took Bonnie's hand, "I'm so so sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt. I just wanted them dead. Damon, Enzo. You were right about what you said about revenge. Because of me you almost died."
He looked at Nora.
"And because of a vampire you're still alive."
Was he seeing the error of his ways? Was this finally over? Bonnie squeezed Matt's hand as he helped her up. This was the Matt she remembered. Tender, sweet, a gentleman.
"I guess I'd better get out of here before the Twilight twins wake up," he noted.
Bonnie agreed.
"I'll keep them off your back."
Matt nodded before pulling her to him for a hug of apology.
"I am so sorry Bonnie. If you'd died I would have never forgiven myself."
He wouldn't have had the chance because either Damon or Enzo might have killed him. But she didn't mention that. Matt hurried out, leaving his side-turned squad car for later. Bonnie turned to Nora.
"I don't know how to thank you."
She shrugged.
"You don't have to. It's what friends do, right?"
Speaking of friends.
"I'd better check on Damon and Enzo."
Nora nodded.
"And I'll find Mary-Louise."
Bonnie cringed at the mention of her name.
"You know what, I know you love her, but I really think you could do better."
She left it at that.
Damon was crawling to his feet when she approached him.
"You okay?"
He grunted.
"Where's Donovan?"
"He won't be a problem anymore. We talked it out."
He paused, sniffed the air. Then he looked at her.
"Why is there blood on your shirt?" his voice got tight with concern.
To calm him, she touched his face.
"Hey, I'm alright."
He stared at her almost like he didn't believe her. The intensity in his eyes expressed what she'd heard him drunkenly confess hours earlier. His gaze didn't waver, causing a tremor in her chest.
"I'd lose my sh*t if anything happened to you, Bonnie."
She leaned in, embraced him.
"I know."
A shifting of chairs caused them to glance over to the left where Enzo had been. No one was there. Bonnie sighed, regretful for the pain she must be causing him. But she cared for Damon, deeply she realized.
"Aren't you two getting cozy?"
She sprung up from Damon's chest to see an exhausted but very much alive Stefan and Valerie entering the Grill.
"Stefan!"
Leaving Damon in surprise, she ran to him, hugged him then hugged Valerie for her efforts.
"Great to see you alive and kicking."
His eyes fell questioningly on the bloodstain of her shirt.
"You too."
Damon came up behind her, rested a hand on her shoulder.
"So where's Matt?" Stefan asked.
"He saw the error of his ways," Bonnie replied, "You guys have nothing to worry about."
"Does Enzo know that?"
He'd been awake to hear her conversation with Damon.
"He knows."
"So this is over," Stefan reasoned, "no more looking over our shoulders expecting Matt to pop out with his wooden bullets."
Damon noticed the stain on Stefan's chest. His eyes narrowed.
"The Matt part is," Bonnie noted, "but we still don't know who killed those people at the bar."
"Enzo didn't do it?" Valerie asked, not as convinced.
Bonnie nodded.
"He was upset but not enough to wipe out thirty people. Like I said, he and Damon have the same M.O."
Damon looked at her.
"Hey, I'll have you know that I'm one of a kind. If anything he copies me."
Even Stefan rolled his eyes.
"Let's just get home," he suggested, "I'd like to change clothes and have a long hot shower if you don't mind."
No one disagreed.
"I'll ride with Stefan," Valerie volunteered, "Bonnie I think you and Damon have some things to discuss."
Bonnie gave her a look but wasn't against the switch. After her talk with Stefan she was confident in his love for Caroline. And she did need to face Damon. The four split up and headed back to the Salvatore's.
"I can't believe you tried to kill my friend," Nora fumed.
"After all of that you said about being supportive and accepting my life choices!"
The two had been arguing since they'd left the Mystic Grill. While Mary-Louise had insisted that her actions were justified, Nora hadn't seen things the same way.
"What does that Bennett witch have to do with me supporting you? I told you they started it when they ran that car through the restaurant and right over me!"
They'd arrived separately, driving their individual cars but Nora followed her estranged girlfriend back to her place. Now they stood outside the house Mary-Louise had acquired, fighting on the front porch.
"That wasn't Bonnie that was Matt. You could have killed him without hurting her," Nora protested.
"The witch that protects him? What do you think she was going to just stand there and let me tear him apart?"
"No but you made him shoot her, Mary-Louise. She would have died and you would have let it happen."
"It wouldn't have been such a bad thing."
Nora stepped back, angry and hurt.
"Are you listening to a word that I said? She's my friend—the only one who's been nice to me, helping me with school and dealing with those dreadful coeds and you just have no problem killing her. Do my feelings not matter to you anymore?"
Now Mary-Louise was hurt.
"You would question my love for you over a straight girl crush? How could you even think that you don't matter to me anymore?"
Nora shook her head.
"The fact that after all I just said you continue to think that this is about some stupid crush. Newsflash, I can have female friends that I don't want to fuck. I'm not a man."
Nora climbed back into her car, finished with the conversation. Panicked at the prospect of losing her, Mary-Louise ran after her.
"Wait, where are you going? We need to finish this!"
When Nora pulled off, she stared after her. She couldn't believe this was happening. Over a hundred years together and it was all falling apart over some mortal witch. She almost yearned for the prison world again. At least there she and Nora had each other.
They could have that again if Bonnie weren't in the picture. If there was no Bonnie to encourage her to stay at that college, interacting with those lower life forms referred to as humans. Encouraging her to change. If only something were to happen to her…