The Hunger Games

By: Tracy Cook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creators of Vampire Diaries.

Couple: Bonnie/Damon

Rating: M

Chapter Fifteen

The Walking Dead

'I See The Vultures Over Head,

They Are Circling For, The Walking Dead.'

"Mm..." She hummed as the warmth of the sun painted the pale skin of her face. She could see the bright light behind her eyelids and she could feel the mild summer breeze rustling her blonde curls.

The morning had come.

She had survived the first day of the hunger games.

Letting out a loud yawn, she stretched her limbs and pushed herself up into a seated position. Her blue eyes were filled with sleep as they fluttered open and she stared over at Enzo who was curled up in a blanket at her feet. His dark hair was messy and he was snoring softly. Extending her foot, she pushed his shoulder with it in an attempt to wake him from his slumber.

His dark eyes landed on Caroline and he groaned out, covering his head with the blanket.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. Leaning over, she pulled the blanket off of his head and she flashed him a wide toothy grin, "Come on, time to wake up sleepyhead."

"Five more minutes." Enzo insisted, his accent deep and thick.

Caroline threw her head back dramatically when he said that he wanted to sleep for a few more minutes. She couldn't sleep any longer and she was starting to get antsy. This wasn't what the games were supposed to be. They weren't supposed to be hiding out in the Cornucopia and "living the good life," they were supposed to be out in the forest killing people and fending for their lives.

What honor could they possibly have if they just hid out the entire time and waited for everyone else to die?

That wasn't what her mother had done in the games. She had fought for the title.

"I can't wait five more minutes!" Caroline whined, pulling her hair back up into a tight ponytail. "I can't spend one more second hiding out in this Cornucopia, doing nothing! We need to get out there and speed up the pace of this game!"

Enzo sat up instantly when he heard that she was ready to head out into the forest and start killing. That had been what he had been waiting for. His lips curled up into a devious smirk and his dark eyes twinkled excitedly. "I like the way you think, sweetheart." His brow furrowed and he nodded in the direction behind her, "Where the bloody hell is Damon?"

Her blue eyes widened and filled with worry as she quickly turned to look at the spot where Damon had been sleeping the previous night.

He was nowhere to be found.

Standing to her feet she walked toward the spot and chewed on her bottom lip as she examined it. It didn't look like someone swept in and kidnapped him, or killed him, during the night. It looked deliberate. Damon's blankets were missing and some food, clothes, and one of the bags. "Hm..." Caroline hummed, heading toward the weapons they had obtained and looking through them. She had a strong feeling that she knew exactly where he had headed.

'Would he really betray me and our ENTIRE district all for that girl from District 11?' She couldn't believe it.

Damon Salvatore was known for making stupid decisions, but even he wasn't capable of something so stupid. Or, at least she hoped that he wasn't. He was risking his chances of winning the games and he was dishonoring his family and district.

"Do you think someone, or rather, some THING, dragged him off in the middle of the night?" Enzo wondered curiously, crossing his arms over his chest. He knew how the Gamemakers were. If the games were going too smoothly, they loved to throw in twists and turns to break up alliances and cause mayhem.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. Not unless they gave him time to pack his bag and take some weapons."

"Perhaps he was feeling a tad cooped up and he had the same thought as you did." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "He could have easily got a head start on the games? He seemed eager to kill when he asked me to join forces with the two of you."

"Maybe."

Caroline wanted to believe that he was just out in the forest killing people. She wanted to believe that he hadn't abandoned their alliance all for a girl he hardly knew. She continued to sift through their weapons and that was when she noticed that the throwing knives were missing. 'Bonnie uses throwing knives...' "Or, maybe not."

"What did you find?" Enzo asked.

She ignored him completely. "Just as I suspected!" 'Damn it, Damon!'

"Care to fill me in on what your thinking in that pretty blonde head of yours?"

"Just get your things." Caroline commanded, pulling a bag of supplies over her shoulder and equipping her quiver. "We need to go and find that dumb-ass before he makes a HUGE mistake he can't take back." She moved toward her bow and picked it up. She didn't know why she felt such concern for Damon. She didn't know why she cared so much.

'Because, he's Stefan's brother... He told me to keep him safe...'

Enzo gripped his ax firmly in his hands and his smirk stretched clear across his face, "He went after that District 11 lass, eh?"

"For his sake, I sure as hell hope not. Come on." She started moving out of the Cornucopia with her bow equipped. Listening closely for any sign of other tributes, she moved cautiously across the long expanse of grass, heading for the trees. Her eyes were open wide and scanning every inch of land. The British man from District 4 was directly on her heels.

An intense silence filled the air between the two of them.

Caroline was in concentration mode. She needed to find her partner and knock some sense into him.

Her ears twitched when she heard leaves rustling in a nearby bush. She held up a hand, signalling for Enzo to stop dead in his tracks. He did as he was instructed and he looked to the bush with inquisitive eyes. His grip tightened on the handle of the ax and he clenched his jaw.

Lifting the bow, she steadied it and drew back an arrow. One of her eyes closed so that she could focus intently on whatever was moving in the bush. She didn't want to shoot before she knew that it was an enemy. For all she knew, it could be Damon. Letting out a breath she watched as the figure moved swiftly through the bushes. One of her curls fell from her ponytail and twisted in front of her eye, but she ignored it. Her heart pounding loudly in her chest.

Suddenly, a District 12 tribute darted out of the bushes with a throwing knife in hand.

Caroline narrowly dodged the knife as it flew through the air in her direction.

Somehow, she managed to get out of the way just in time and release her arrow. The District 12 tribute had no chance. Her eyes widened as the arrow pierced through her heart and blood started to spurt from her mouth. She was coughing loudly as she internally bled to death. The blonde didn't even flinch as she watched the woman crumble to the ground.

She had been hunting all her life. This was a game. She had to do what she had to do to stay alive.

"Nice shot, love." Enzo said with an impressed look on his face.

Caroline turned and smiled widely at him. She felt proud of herself. "Thanks!"

'We're On Borrowed Time, But Time Isn't Enough.

I'm Just Trying To Be, The Best Man I Can Be.'

"You look like an idiot." Marcel said, shaking his head and laughing at the young man walking beside him. His dark hair was unruly and sticking up in every direction, he had mud smeared across his face and all over his arms and a wide grin on his lips. He looked so smug and satisfied with his knowledge of camouflage.

For the last few hours Kol had been "sneaking" around the forest as they searched for Bonnie. He looked absolutely ridiculous and it was evident that he was simply enjoying his time in the arena. He didn't show any signs of fear. He was just having fun.

"At least I'm not a dead idiot." He countered playfully.

"Hm." He visibly thought about it. "Well, in case you haven't noticed, neither am I."

"Would you care to be?" Kol asked with a waggle of his brow and a skip in his step. He wielded his sword and pointed it in Marcel's direction, but they both knew that he wasn't going to hurt him. He had saved his life.

"Would you?" Marcel shot back with a smirk.

A cannon sounded loudly overhead and they both turned to look up at the sky. Worry shimmering in their eyes. They had been searching all day and night for any sign of Bonnie and they still hadn't found her. Neither of them would say it out loud, but they were both terrified that she was already dead.

'Please let her still be alive...' Marcel thought, sending up a prayer to the Heavens.

"Don't worry, mate." The British man said, patting him encouragingly on the shoulder. "If we're having such a difficult time finding her, I'm sure everyone else is as well."

"I hope so." He sighed and started to move faster through the forest. "I just wish that I could see her again and know that she's okay." The guilt that he felt was suffocating him. Marcel had promised Bonnie that he would look out for her and keep her safe and so far he was doing a terrible job of it. 'Where the hell could she be? I feel like we've looked everywhere...'

"I'm sure she's safe." Kol said. "That girl is a lot stronger than anyone gives her credit for."

It was true.

Bonnie Bennett was one of the strongest people he knew.

She had been through more than most in such a short lifetime. She had lost her father, her grandmother, her little sister, and she had done everything possible to take care of her family and keep food on the table. Emotionally, she was strong. Physically, she was strong. But, she was also compassionate and caring and that could be her downfall in the games.

Marcel worried about if she would be strong enough to take someone's life.

"I'm gonna get a better view." He told Kol. Every once in a while he would climb up into the trees and see if he could spot her.

Crouching down, he prepared himself, and then he ran toward one of the trees and flipped up into the high branch with ease. He was now hovering at least ten feet above the other man who was staring up at him and smiling. "I'll just wait down here, if you don't mind!" He laughed.

"Just be sure to keep up." Marcel said. With that, he launched himself from one tree branch to the next, searching the ground as he flew through the sky. Keeping his eyes open for any sign of Bonnie or possible threats. Below, Kol was managing to keep up with his pace as he ran through the forest.

'Wow. That's crazy. His camouflage actually works! I can barely see him.' Of course, he would never tell him that.

'It Was A Cold Night,

We Laid With Each Other Just To Stay Warm.'

Her fingers curled against his chest and her lips curved up into a smile as she snuggled against the warmth of his body. Her long dark hair was splayed out all over his chest, tickling the sensitive skin of his neck. But, he didn't mind. He was more than content. His blue eyes were fixed on her beautiful face as she hummed peacefully in her sleep.

Damon's heart was pounding rapidly in his chest as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. He felt so anxious. It had been such a long time since he had felt anything like this, and it was frightening. The last time that he truly enjoyed just laying with a woman curled up in his arms was with Katherine. He had thought that she loved him. He had thought that she was his one and only. And she had proved him wrong. She had ripped out his heart and stomped all over it, leaving him with nothing.

Incapable of love.

Incapable of feeling remorse.

But, Bonnie was different from Katherine. She didn't seem to have a malicious bone in her body. 'If Katherine was here she sure as hell would have killed that Tyler kid herself... Bonnie isn't like that... She sees the good in everyone. Even me.'

He twisted his index finger into one of her curls and pulled on it, watching it bounce back into place and smack her in the face. She scrunched up her face and lifted a hand to swipe the bothersome curl away. Damon smirked and pulled on the curl again, watching it bounce back and hit her in the face. This time, Bonnie groaned out in annoyance and again swiped it away.

He did it again.

This time, emerald eyes fluttered open and she glared up at him. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Because." Damon stated childishly.

"Stop." Bonnie grumbled, burying her head in the warmth of his chest and snuggling close to him. She wasn't ready to get up. She didn't want to face the harsh world outside. She didn't want to face the games. She just wanted to hide out forever in the safety of his embrace.

"Good morning to you too." He said with a waggle of his brow.

"Morning."

Bonnie's head snapped up when she heard a cannon sound outside of the cave.

It was a reality check.

'Oh god, that could be Marcel or Kol... I have to get out there and find them, I can't just lay here all day!' She moved away from Damon and she pushed herself up into a kneeling position, panic written across her face. She was doing exactly what Marcel had warned her not to do. She was letting relationships and romance cloud her judgement. This was a life or death situation.

"Eleven down." Damon stated callously. "One to go."

Bonnie hated how uncaring he seemed about the fact that someone else had died. But, she also knew that he was right. After one more person died, twenty-four new tributes would be thrown into the arena and things would get even more complicated. 'I have to find Marcel and Kol before that happens.'

She moved to get up, but he reached out and gently grabbed onto her wrists, stopping her.

"Where do you think you're going?" His blue eyes widened and his lips curled playfully. He pulled her body back down on top of his and he captured her lips in a slow and passionate kiss. The kiss took Bonnie's breath away and she moaned out into his soft lips. They felt amazing against hers. Her heart started to pound loudly in her chest and her stomach filled with butterflies, but she couldn't give in. She had to be strong. She had to find her friends.

"Damon..." She reprimanded, pulling out of the kiss.

"Just a few more minutes." Damon whined theatrically, his brows knit together and a pout on his lips.

"Marcel and Kol are out there on their own and they might not have a few more minutes." Bonnie said, pushing herself off of him and standing to her feet. She immediately missed the warmth and safety of his arms. She missed the way that his lips felt against hers. The way that he set fire to her skin wherever he touched her. But, she couldn't be selfish. Not right now. She had made a promise to protect Marcel, just like he had made a promise to protect her.

For all she knew, Damon could have been sent to distract her while Caroline and Enzo killed off her allies.

The thought caused her stomach to lurch back and forth.

He sighed and threw his head to the side, "You're no fun."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him as she flung her bags over her shoulder. She didn't have many supplies left after helping Tyler, but she still had enough if there was an emergency. She picked up the throwing knives Damon had brought for her and she put them in her belt. She could hear him groaning and grumbling as he finally climbed out of bed and started to pick up his things.

He rolled up the blankets and stuffed them back into his bag and then he tossed the bag over his shoulders. He grabbed his sword and then he made his way across the cave toward the beautiful young woman from District 11.

She could feel the heat of his body pressed against her back and a blush rushed along her caramel skin.

Her heart was racing.

Damon placed his free hand on her small hip and he pulled Bonnie's body flush against his. Leaning down, he delicately kissed her shoulder and then smiled, whispering hotly against her ear, "I just wanted a few more minutes alone with you. Is that SO terrible?"

Bonnie shivered when she felt his breath rush against the skin of her neck. Her body felt like it was on fire and she was aching to just give in to him and enjoy their morning together, but she had to find her friends. "No. It's not." She admitted. "It's actually surprisingly sweet of you, but it just has to wait for now. I have to find my partner."

His body tensed as he thought about Caroline.

"Speaking of which, where's your partner?" She asked with a furrow of her brow.

Damon chewed on his cheeks as he thought about the blonde. He knew that he had destroyed his alliance with her. He knew that his father was pissed right now. "I don't think she's gonna want to be my partner anymore." He said with a forced smiled and a waggle of his brow.

"Because you came after me?"

"Yep." He said with a playful pop of the p. "Come on, let's go find your partner." He intentionally left out mentioning Kol. He wasn't excited for the "lovebirds" to be reunited with each other. He was terrified that she might choose to go back to her ex-boyfriend.

Bonnie followed him out of the cave. She was sort of surprised by how upset he was about Caroline not being his partner any longer. The two of them practically hated each other. They were allies, not friends. Not like Marcel and her. 'Who knows, maybe Caroline will surprise him like Tyler surprised me? Maybe she will understand his feelings...'

An uncomfortable silence filled the air between them.

Neither of them knew what to say. Last night they had been intimate with each other, but they weren't quite sure about their feelings or what they wanted out of a relationship. They were both from such different worlds that an actual relationship seemed nearly impossible.

"I shoulda known you'd be with him." A familiar voice shouted from above.

Bonnie looked shocked for a minute and then she stared up into the trees with a wide smile of relief and happiness. Staring down at her was her partner. They had finally found each other. She was overwhelmed with emotions and she could feel tears shimmering in her eyes. She had been so scared that he was dead.

Marcel did a flip from the trees and he landed in front of the two of them with open arms and a warm inviting smile. "Miss me?"

"Oh my God, Marcel!" She exclaimed excitedly. Running toward him, she jumped on top of him and wrapped her arms tight around his neck. His smile widened and he twirled her around in a circle, holding her up in the air. "I'm so happy to see you. I was so scared that..." Her voice trailed off as she stared down into his brown eyes.

"What about me?" Kol asked with a smirk, his arms held open. "No one happy to see that I'm still alive and kicking?"

'Kol?' Bonnie glanced over Marcel's shoulder and she saw the British man standing there with his arms open. He had mud smeared all over his body and his hair was a mess.

Damon watched her get excited and run over to him and he crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes. His stomach was lurching back and forth jealously and he was starting to feel like he didn't belong. He felt like an outsider looking in on an intimate moment.

She paused before hugging Kol and looked him over with perplexed eyes, "Why do you look like that?"

"Did no one else spend any time at the camouflage station!?"

They all started to laugh. Oblivious to the dangers of the world around them. Oblivious to Damon who was watching jealously. He wanted to be a part of Bonnie's life like they were. He wanted her to be as excited to see him. 'Maybe someday...'

"SERIOUSLY, Damon!?"

He was dragged out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar, irritating, voice. 'Caroline...?' He furrowed his brow and glanced over at the blonde who was standing with Enzo. She looked furious and he looked prepared to slaughter them all. Damon drew his sword and prepared for a fight. He knew that they wouldn't forgive him for his betrayal.

Bonnie was watching the blonde closely now, preparing to attack. Marcel and Kol both standing protectively in front of her.

Caroline ignored them all. She wasn't scared of them. Her blue eyes were fixed on Damon as she spoke, "This better all be part of our plan, Damon, or so help me God I will kill you myself!"

'Plan? What plan?' Bonnie wondered, staring over at Damon. He looked like a chicken with it's head cut off. He was staring between the two girls and trying to think of what to say. He didn't know how to explain his actions. She clenched her jaw tightly as memories of the previous night filled her head. She could recall the way that he touched her and every intimate moment. 'Was that all just a plan?'

"What plan?" She asked.

Damon swallowed hard and looked away from her. "It's nothing."

"Is that so?" Caroline scoffed. "Well, Bonnie, if you really want to know what the plan was, I'll tell you."

"Caroline-" Damon started.

"-What Damon!? She deserves to know the plan if you guys are gonna start dating or whatever, right!?" She laughed sarcastically. Everything was falling apart for her. Nothing was going as expected and she hated it. "You see, Damon and I had this WONDERFUL little plan to kill you. We figured he could seduce you and have sex with you and then your guards would be down in the games. You'd. Never. See. It. Coming." She grinned.

Bonnie's chest felt painfully tight. She couldn't breathe. Tears were filling her eyes and she felt sick. Had he just wanted to sleep with her in order to kill her? "Is that true?" She whispered.

Damon scrunched up his face and looked away from her. He couldn't deny that it was true, but he had developed feelings for her. He didn't want her to die. She had to know that right?

"Oh, it's true alright." Caroline insisted, she lifted her bow and steadied it, aiming the arrow directly at Damon. She had her jaw clenched tightly and her muscles were tense. "Now, I'm giving you one more chance to change your mind, Damon. Kill her and come back to us, or I will kill you."

Bonnie's heart felt like it was going to break through her rib cage as she stared between the two District 1 tributes. She didn't know what to think anymore. She wanted to believe that he cared about her, but maybe he didn't. Maybe it was always just about sex for him. Maybe it was just about the game. Maybe he would choose to kill her and return to his allies.

Damon's blue eyes landed on Bonnie and they held sorrow in them. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, but he didn't know how. He had never been good at apologizing. He looked back at his partner and he took a step toward her, his hands in the air showing that he wasn't planning to attack. "Come on, Blondie. Can't we just talk about this like two rational adults?"

"You? Rational?"

"Point made." He smirked. "But, come on, for old times' sake?"

"Pick, Damon."

"You can't POSSIBLY expect me to-"

Caroline released the arrow and it started to fly toward him. She was done listening to him make excuses for his behavior. He had betrayed them, he had betrayed their district, and he was refusing to kill Bonnie. So, she would have to. She would have to kill them all.

'Hell Had You By The Throat,

You Never Got To Heaven, But You Got Real Close.'

Author's Note :

Thank you all so much for reading and all of your support! Y'all are seriously so wonderful! I love you all! I'm kind of nervous about this chapter because I have been up for a long time and I hope there aren't too many grammar and spelling errors! I hope that y'all like it! :)) How did you guys like this chapter? Did you enjoy the Caroline/Enzo moments? How do you feel about them right now? I can tell you they will be getting new allies come the halfway point! ;) Did you like the Kol/Marcel moments? What about the Bamon!? Do you think Damon is starting to really fall for her? What will happen now that the truth is out though? And Caroline shot Damon!?

The next chapter will be VERY intense! You have been warned. :))

Thank you so much for reading! I love you all so much!

-Tracy Cook-