Dinner at the Salvatore's

Stefan was getting ready to go to school. He had been starting to feel a little better thanks to Caroline and Bonnie. They kept his mind off of things and helped plaster a smile on his face. He was lucky to still have them in his life.

He was grabbing his jacket when he felt his brother's presence. "How may I help you?" He said politely because even though Damon was dating his ex girlfriend, and he had every reason to hate him, his southern manners—and the fact that he was genetically linked to the blue eyed specimen—made it hard.

"I know that you don't necessarily like talking to me or Elena, but I… we would appreciate it if you would join us for dinner." Stefan face read 'did you really just ask me that', his heart said 'like hell I would', and his mind said 'maybe one day but not anytime soon' "I know it's a lot to ask after everything that has happened."

"It is."Stefan interrupted him. Damon stopped speaking to rearrange his words.

"I know that you still love Elena and want her to be happy. I want to show you that she is."

"I want her to be happy, I do, but I don't know if I'm ready to see her when she is, at least not yet. It makes the fact that I'm still heartbroken over this woman who flaunts her relationship around, seem pathetic."

"You won't be there alone, the witch and the blonde will be there also." Stefan thought about this, it would make it easier for him to share the same breathing space with Elena and Damon. And Caroline did say it would be easier for him once he got use to seeing them together.

"I don't know."

"That's fair but when you make up your mind the dinner will be here, tonight at seven o'clock." With that Damon turned and exited his brother's room.

"Do we really have to go?" Bonnie said walking beside Caroline. They were headed to the bench to eat lunch.

"Bon, it can't be that bad. Suck it up and deal with it." The witch pouted her lips as she sat her tray down.

"Fine," Caroline laughed, Bonnie gave up so easily. She was pretty sure she would go on about Damon being the devil and all but she just agreed, which was fine with her. What Caroline didn't understand was why Bonnie was having a really hard time trying to like Damon. Her thoughts were halted when she heard her friend's voice, "Do you think Stefan's going to be there?"

"Yes, I am." He said grabbing a seat next to her. She flushed from embarrassment then turned to look at him.

"It's not going to be weird for you." Bonnie asked trying to see if she was the only one who felt this way.

"It won't be if you don't make it." Caroline butted in giving Bonnie a warning look that said if you talk Stefan out of this we will have a big problem. Bonnie glared back but didn't say anything else.

"I'm pretty sure it'll still be weird though." Stefan said coming to Bon's rescue.

"At least I have someone who agrees with me. Caroline over her thinks that this is going to be tension-free."

"I don't think that. I think it'll be whatever we make."

"That's a good way to see it." Stefan said pondering the idea. Caroline smiled and took a bite of her apple.

Stefan ate his lunch and included himself in any part of Bonnie and Caroline's conversation that he could. His thoughts then seemed to travel to why it was that Bonnie didn't want to go to this dinner. Was she really having such a hard time trying to get along with Damon? Caroline, Elena, Jeremy, Alaric and even he had constantly fought with the dark haired vampire but all seemed to forgive him just as quickly.

What made Bonnie hold out for all this time? He didn't want to say because of her Grams death or because he tried to kill her because Damon had killed Jeremy and Alaric, turned Alaric's wife into a vampire, used Caroline as a chew toy, made his life a living hell for a century and repeatedly got on Elena's bad side. At first Bonnie not wanting to be bothered with Damon was understandable but now not so much. As the bell rang for next class they all departed to their next periods.

Caroline was getting dressed ready to get this evening over with. She knew it was going to be a tough one because Bonnie didn't want to be there and Stefan had to eat dinner with his brother and ex-lover. Putting on her earring she heard her phone ring.

"Hello…Hey Elena. You sound nervous."

"I am. I have a feeling this dinner is going to be hell."

"It'll be fine."

"I just talked to Bonnie and she sounded irritated and Stefan still won't say more than two words to me." Caroline tried to soothe her friend again.

"Listen it'll be fine, I promise. Do you need me to come over early and help with anything?"

"Well Damon and I are almost finished cooking, but could you stop by the bakery and pickup the strawberry cheesecake we ordered?"

"I can do that."

"Thank you, Caroline."

"Just make sure to relax." Elena laughed on the other side of the phone and Caroline knew that her words were finally seeping into her friends head. "I'll see you in a bit."

They said bye to each other and Caroline hung up the phone. She looked in the mirror once more to make sure that everything was okay, put on her lip gloss, and headed down stairs. She was grabbing her jacket when she thought she'd send a quick text to Bonnie and Stefan. After pressing the send button she placed the device in her purse and made her way to her car.

Bonnie looked down at her phone and read the incoming message.

It'll b ova b4 U no.

She smiled Caroline was going to try to make this night enjoyable for everybody. Bonnie was still sitting on the bed, she was going to enjoy this, the best that she could. Grabbing her keys she headed to her hybrid and began her journey to the Salvatore manor.

Pulling up at the front, she got her purse and made her way to the door. Breathing in deeply, she lifted her hand and knocked twice.

Stefan was sitting in the foyer when he heard the door. He strolled over and opened it up to see Bonnie's smiling face. "Hey."

"Hi Stefan," She came in and Stefan helped her with her jacket, hanging it up in the closet by the door. "Is Caroline here yet?"

"No, she went to the bakery for Elena." Bonnie nodded her head as Stefan led her into the living room. Damon and Elena came out of the kitchen and towards the witch. She hugged Elena and gave her a smile.

"Glad you decided to come, Bon."

"Anything for you,"

"Bonnie." Damon said trying to be civil to her. She only gave him a small smile and nodded acknowledging his greeting. Elena wasn't pleased with it but knew she had to ease Bonnie into liking Damon. She was about to say something to her friend when there was another knock at the door.

"I'm guessing that's Caroline." Elena moved towards the door letting the blonde in.

"Hey Lena," She hugged her friend and gave her the desert.

"Care, thanks again."

"No problem." She turned towards everyone else. "Hello Damon. Stefan. Bonnie." They retorted back as they heard the sound of the oven beeping.

"Dinners ready." Elena said walking back into the kitchen. "Come on Damon I need you to do one more thing."

The two faded into the kitchen, as Stefan, Bonnie, and Caroline took their seats at the table. "We're going to have fun tonight guys. Enjoy the food and the company."

Stefan agreed but Bonnie had been quiet. When Damon and Elena came back out they placed the lasagna, bread, and salad on the table, then took their seats. There was an awkward silence between them all until Caroline spoke.

"The lasagna is amazing. Did you get it out of a box or is it homemade?" Caroline said because she knew that her friend was no top chef when it came to cooking.

"Ha ha, but it's actually homemade, Damon made It." The sound of someone coughing caught their attention. Bonnie was grabbing a napkin to cover her mouth, when Stefan patted her back.

"Are you okay?" He asked her. She cleared her throat and nodded yes.

Caroline looked over to Bonnie she knew what that was and if she knew what that was she was sure Elena did too. She watched as Bonnie looked back down playing with the food on her plate. Her promise to Elena was not going to be broken; tonight was going to be fun.

"So Elena, are you coming to see us kick some ass at this year's cheerleading competition?"

The brunette smiled as her eyes left Bonnie's face. "Where's the competition this year?"

"Florida. And this year we have added an extra cheerleader."

"Do I know her?" Elena asked picking up a forkful of food.

"He's sitting at this table." Damon and Elena's eyes moved towards Stefan who was looking at Caroline.

"Really?" Damon said a smile forming on his face. "A cheerleader Stef? It's nothing wrong with that at all." Damon said sarcastically as he laughed.

"There's nothing wrong with being a male cheerleader." Caroline said helping to defend Stefan.

"Yeah you're right but it's something wrong with being a blood thirsty monster and cheering."

"I'm okay with it."Caroline inserted again.

"You're special Barbie." He said sipping his drink. Elena looked over to Stefan, who just smiled back.

"So Stefan, do you like it?" she said trying to see if they could get a conversation started.

"It's okay." Elena lowered her head. She didn't want him to respond with two word sentences to her for the rest of her life. Caroline huffed again she had to come to the rescue, Stefan and Bonnie were not making this dinner any less awkward than it already was. She would make Elena feel better by trying to get to know Damon a little better.

"Who taught you how to cook?" She asked eyes traveling over to Damon who sat at the head of it.

"I spent a few years in France and learned some things."

"Was it just as beautiful as it is today?"

"It was even better." Caroline smiled; she had always wanted to see the world. Now being a vampire and living forever she would eventually get the chance.

"I can't wait until I can explore the world, the beautiful places and different cultures."

"You'll love it. Just ask Stefan." He said looking over to his brother. "Tell Caroline what you think of the world?"

"It's so many ways to explain it."

"I only have eternity for you to tell me."Caroline laughed along with everyone else at the table, except for Bonnie. When they heard the metal fork hitting the plate all eyes were on her.

"Are we really about to talk about this?" Bonnie said to Caroline, who was about to speak when Elena started.

"Bonnie…" The witch looked toward Elena.

"I'm just asking her a question."

"Do you have to be rude?" She retorted getting a look from Bonnie.

"Rude would've been me throwing up this dinner, or making remarks when you tried to talk to Stefan, or when you call yourself being romantic with Damon. So if you think that's rude I have whole list of things that I can do to add to that list."

"Bonnie, why are you acting like…" Elena said but was cut off by her friend.

"Like what, like a bitch?"

"You know I wasn't going to say that?" She said her eyes showing it all. Bonnie looked around the table to see Caroline still shocked at her outburst while Damon and Stefan just sat back not saying a word.

"You might as well have. I mean I don't know why the hell I'm here, listening to him talk about his life. To be honest I couldn't give a damn."

"Bonnie what's your problem?" Caroline said blue eyes staring deep into Bonnie's green.

"My problem, for starters I don't even want to be here, I can't stand his ass, and this whole situation is just stupid as hell." Bonnie snapped.

"That doesn't give you the right to act like this." Caroline said confused on what was happening.

"It doesn't but did you really expect me to sit through this whole dinner and not say how I felt."

"You didn't have to come." Damon said and received a glare from Elena for getting involved and from Bonnie.

"I wish someone would've told me that. I wouldn't be here now."

"You know where the door is." He motioned with his hands.

"Damon?" Elena said trying to get him to stop talking.

"No for once I actually agree with your boyfriend." She said with a sarcastic half smirk.

"Just talk to us Bonnie, What's really wrong?" Caroline said moving closer to her friend. Bonnie stood up and moved around the table.

"I can't don't you get it. None of you do. You just don't understand and I can't make you."

"You could try." As the words left Stefan's mouth Bonnie stared at him for a second and he could have sworn she was contemplating on whether or not to.

"I have to get out of here." She moved to the front door swiftly and was gone, leaving an empty silence. Caroline was about to follow her when Stefan held his hand up for her to stop. She hesitated but finally sat back down letting Stefan go after her.

Once he was outside he saw Bonnie leaning against her car. He walked up to her and leaned on the car beside her. She didn't look at him but she knew it was Stefan standing beside her. "I left my keys in my jacket pocket, in the manor."

He didn't say anything for a few more minutes until he felt that she was relaxed. "What was all that back there?"

"You heard me I can't stand Damon."

"Yeah but that's not the only reason. I know you Bonnie you wouldn't be this upset over Damon, especially since he hasn't done anything lately. And this development wasn't recent you have been feeling like this for a while now."

"It's funny how only you can see it and neither of my two best friends could tell until I had an outburst. I guess things happening in my life aren't that important to them anymore."

"Now we both know that's not true. They care so much."

"If that's true why is it that I barely see Elena anymore and the only time I get to hang out with Caroline is between classes at school or at cheerleading practice?"

"I can't answer that. That's something you have to talk to them about." Pause "Now are you going to tell me what's really wrong?" Stefan waited for her to answer; he could see she was taking the thought into consideration.

"It's just hard for me."

"What?"

"After the killing, hating and everything in between, it's hard for me."

"I know he did a lot to hurt you but…"

"To admit that I like Damon." Stefan stopped because her words had thrown him off.

"Wait you like Damon?"

"Not like that. I enjoy his company occasionally and I shouldn't because of everything he did to me and everyone I love. "

"I know but he's changing."

"That's what's making it so hard. I spend all this time hating him. Not only because it's natural for me to do so but because of his actions. Then the conversation at dinner just added to my anger."

"What do you mean?"

"All four of you talking about your lives."

As Stefan begin to put two and two together he sighed, "You don't like us talking about forever and eternity."

"It just reminds me that I'm running out of time with you guys and soon enough you'll all be gone with only me here."

"And Elena."

"Be serious Stefan, Elena dates vampires soon she'll be one as well."

"I see. How about I make a deal with you? Conversations about eternity are off limits. We are all going to live in the moment." She looked up with hope in her eyes.

"I'd like that. It would help me to enjoy the time I have left with you guys."

"It's settled then."

"Thank you Stefan." She pulled him into a hug. He held her back.

"Now you should talk to Caroline and Elena about this." He turned to walk back inside but Bonnie hadn't moved, holding out his hand she looked at it before she grabbed it and he lead her back into the manor.

"Wait Stefan," He turned watching her. "I can't. I can't do it." He watched as she walked away from the house leaving her car parked in their driveway.