A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews, follows and favs :) You make me so happy and I'm determined to finish this story by Aug 31st. LOL it is priority. I really like that a couple of people have seen what I'm doing and trying to convey. Also, I'm sorry if the format is all over the place and for any typos, I try to proof read it and I'll miss a few things.
A big special thanks to Meye for making a cover for my story! And she's been so good at helping me, this being my first fic and all. :) Thank You!
Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the CW and LJ Smith.
"Shit, damn, crap, hell," Caroline muttered walking through the Salvatores' front door, "I can't believe it, I'm mad as hell, I should go there and compel them."
Caroline had spent the last week looking at every town within a fifteen mile radius, searching for a RV rental company. Damon was annoyed; he had enough of all this road trip babble. He watched as the bubbly blonde walked up to the Scooby Doo gang all seated in the den.
"What's wrong Care?" Elena asked.
"We can't get an RV, and I've searched and searched."
"We could drive separately," Tyler suggested, "get an SVU or something?"
"That defeats the purpose of the entire trip Tyler!" Caroline shouted, her hands flailing in the air.
Damon chuckled, vampire Barbie was really upset. Damon looked over at Bonnie; she was looking through some books, hardly engaging in the conversation. Stefan was sitting across from her staring at Elena, Tyler was as still as ever and Elena had a worried look on her face.
"Well, I guess we just have to find another way to spend winter break then," Elena said.
"FUCK THAT!" Caroline shouted, "I wanted this to be the time we get to act like high school seniors, travelling to NYC and back via RV would have been epic and so much fun!"
Damon was becoming irritated. He either needed Caroline to stop talking or for someone to stake her soon. Damon groaned and walked over to the sofa, sitting beside Bonnie. She looked up at him and he smiled, wiggling his eye brows. Bonnie rolled her eyes and continued browsing the book.
"Caroline, we can go to like the beach or something, it's not that big of a deal," Elena said simply, her eyes pleading with her friend.
"I guess," Caroline sighed, "It just wouldn't be the same though."
Damon was really over this conversation and began to contemplate why he didn't have friends his own age, I could definitely use some.
"Alright guys, what can we do instead?" Caroline asked her friend, "nothing too extravagant because we still have spring break!"
"We can visit Duke, its close enough and I'm pretty sure we could compel someone to get us to stay there for the week, and that way we could have the pre-college experience," Tyler suggested.
"Sounds good, by the way Ty, I'm sorry for shouting at you, vampire hormones," Caroline laughed.
"It's ok babe," Tyler said with a smile.
"So are we in agreement? Leave for duke tomorrow? If Damon stays we can just take one car."
"You are quite the comedian," Damon replied unfazed by the vampire's comment.
"Caroline, leave Damon alone," Elena said, "What do you think Bon? Duke for the week?"
"No, I can't."
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Bonnie. Conversation just got interesting, Damon smirked. Stefan's face held shock and amusement. Tyler's on the other hand, held worry and fear.
"Why the hell not?" Caroline queried.
"I'm going to NYU."
"No, we aren't," Caroline stated.
"No, you guys aren't, I am."
"What are you saying Bon?"
"I have to go, because I made an appointment, and I haven't visited yet plus there are some things I've got to do."
"Bonnie! You're ruining EVERYTHING!" Caroline shouted.
Damon looked at the Bennett witch, her face was impalpable. She looked as if no matter what her friend dished out, it wouldn't change her mind about driving to New York.
"Sorry, I have to go," Bonnie shrugged.
"If you're going to drive there all by yourself, you're going to need a few travel accommodations," Stefan said.
"Yeah, I'm going to look in to it," Bonnie said with a smile.
Damon saw the smile and for some reason, he felt a little disturbed. Did Bonnie always smile at Stefan like that? Damon was so lost in thought that he hadn't heard the conversation he was being dragged in to.
"What?" Damon asked.
"I was telling Caroline that you definitely have to come with us to Duke," Elena said smiling.
"uh," Damon stuttered.
"Not necessary, Damon is going to be my travel companion."
The room went silent; there was no sound except for that of the birds chirping and cars driving by. Everyone stared at Bonnie, mouth opened. Everyone but Damon that is, who was trying to figure out what was happening.
"Wha, what do you mean?" Elena asked.
"Exactly what I said, Damon is coming with me."
"Why?"
"He has business in New York."
I do? Damon thought. Hold on, dumbass, she's giving you an out. He didn't believe it. Bonnie Bennett was willing to spend 10 hours in a car with him just so he wouldn't have to deal with Elena for a week. He smiled; the witch was warming up to him.
"I do," Damon replied, "I was going to deal with it when we all went together."
"Oh," was all Elena could say, suddenly looking disappointed.
"Well, ah thanks for telling us before," Caroline said accusingly, "Your newly found 'friendship' with Bonnie is annoying and inconvenient."
Caroline walked over to Tyler and kissed him on the cheek, "Stef and lena, we will talk tomorrow about Duke, safe travels Bonnie and Damon."
Damon watched as the blonde left, hybrid in tow. Caroline was very hot and cold these last two weeks. Damon turned his attention to Bonnie, who was now getting up to leave as well.
"I'll text you the details and we are taking my car, meet me at my house around 7ish," Bonnie said as she walked out the front door.
Damon was relieved and anxious. Relieved that he didn't have to spend a week watching Stefan and Elena make gooey eyes at each other and anxious because he was spending a week with Bonnie Bennett. What had he just gotten himself into?
Bonnie was startled when she saw the figure sitting in the swing on her porch. She took a step back and observed the hooded figure. This was the first time they have been alone together since the whole Klaus fiasco. As he approached her she took the opportunity to really look at him. He was slowly becoming himself again.
"Hey," Stefan said.
"Hi."
Stefan motioned for them to sit on the swing and Bonnie complied. She sat beside him and used a quick spell to turn off the porch light. She didn't want her father to know she was downstairs and she didn't know how long this conversation was going to last.
"We haven't really spoken in a while have we?"
"Not since you came to my house demanding I find a way to stop Elena's transition because this wasn't what she wanted."
"I'm sorry Bonnie," he paused and gazed out onto the horizon, "for everything, I wasn't myself."
"I know Stefan and I accept your apology."
"I feel like I'm the cause for all of this, if I hadn't come to Mystic Falls seeking out Elena, none of the things that happened would have happened."
She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "Hey, this isn't all your fault and besides we are beyond all the fighting off evil guys, like Caro said, it's time for us to be regular high school seniors and for you to be one for the billionth time," she laughed.
Stefan smiled. Bonnie was a lot happier and less stressed since the newly found truce. She was more like the Bonnie he had met the first time. The one who hadn't known she was a witch and thought it was all just some croc. Bonnie was no longer naïve, she had matured but was still able to have fun.
"Thanks Bon, it means a lot," he paused swinging for a while before he said, "I-"
"Wait, this is a good game, I bet I can guess what you're going to say next!" she squealed.
"You're a witch, how is that fair?"
"No witchy powers needed, you're going to say, 'I want to talk about your relationship with my brother'," she said giving her best brooding Stefan impression.
Bonnie watched as Stefan laughed silently. She knew that was the real reason why he was there, everyone was suddenly alarmed at Damon and Bonnie's growing friendship. She would expect a phone call from Elena later that night.
"Yes, what is going on between you two?"
"Nothing, Damon needs a friend that isn't Elena and because of my need to save everyone, I've decided to be that friend."
It really wasn't anyone's business what her and Damon did or how their relationship had evolved. Not that she'd ever admit it to anyone, but Damon was a nice guy. He was smart, he had aspirations, and he just hid it all under a thick layer of jerk.
"I know, he's hurting and I wish there was a way I could help," he said sadly.
"Damon needed a wakeup call and that's exactly what I gave him."
"What do you mean?"
"I told him all the things everyone has been too afraid to tell him, I even kicked him out of my car," she chuckled, "he had to walk back to Mystic Falls without his vampire abilities."
Stefan watched Bonnie intently, her eyes lit with amusement. She enjoyed messing with Damon. It was their dynamic and would always be.
"You've become stronger."
"Yes," she smiled, "I've been working on spells and Damon got Lucy to help me with practicing."
Stefan paused, they really have become close. He hadn't realized because he never saw them together and he had his suspicions when Damon had mentioned she knew where he was when he had gone 'missing' for two weeks.
"What has Damon told you, in regards to Elena?"
"That he's staying away and he doesn't want to come between you two, any more than he already has."
Bonnie watched as Stefan contemplated his words. Bonnie wanted both Salvatores to be happy and in her opinion, the dopplegangers where the worse thing to ever happen to those two. They had almost destroyed the brotherhood between the two, but what Bonnie had noticed was that no matter what, Damon was always Stefan's choice. She knew that for certain when Stefan went with Klaus to get a cure for Damon's wolf bite. Stefan would always love his brother. Damon, Damon was getting there.
"He told me the same."
"Typical Damon, he doesn't have an original bone in his body."
"Are you sure about traveling with him Bonnie?" he asked, his concern showing on his face, "I know you guys are becoming friends, but he can become really overwhelming."
"You don't get it Stef, I have to take him with me because I don't want your girlfriend messing up any progress I've made with him."
"What?" he asked with confusion etched in his face.
Bonnie considered whether to tell him what Elena had said to Damon last week. She didn't want to admit it to Damon but it seemed that she was trying to hold on to both of them and Bonnie was not going to have it.
"I just meant that being around Elena right now might be best for him. It's going to be all couples around him, he doesn't need that."
"You care about Damon?"
"He's my friend, Stefan and I always look out for my friends."
"I see," Stefan rose from the swing, "well just be safe, it's Damon, crazy, impulsive Damon."
"I'm a big girl, I can manage myself Stefan, but thank you," she smiled.
They embraced and Stefan watched as Bonnie opened the door. She stopped before closing the door and waved goodnight. Stefan returned her waved and smiled when she shut her door. Bonnie was becoming protective of Damon.
Damon had to leave the boarding house. Elena said she was going to take a shower and that they needed to talk afterwards. Hell to fucking no! He had used the opportunity to leave the boarding house in record time. He thought about going to Bonnie's but decided against it, she still hadn't really spoken to him all week. She had sent her checking in text every other day but that was it.
He entered The Grille because there was really nowhere else to go in this dumb town. He like Mystic Falls but was seriously considering leaving, he could always just write Stefan every week to let him know he was alright. Damon headed to the bar and ordered two shots of Tequila.
Damon had made it a mission to avoid Elena all week, which wasn't hard since she and Stefan were spending their time trying to get the Gilbert house sold. He thought it was a good decision, Elena and Jeremy couldn't live in the house, since Jeremy and abandoned his life here and Elena was at the Salvatore mansion every day.
Damon was taking the second shot when he saw a familiar blonde boy walking towards him. He looked so familiar but Damon couldn't place his face at all. The young man looked up at Damon and shot him daggers. Ok, someone's a bit touchy. The boy approached Damon.
"Fuck you dude!" the young man shouted, "you ruin everything and believe me, you will get yours!"
The young man then left, leaving a very confused Damon sitting at the bar. Who was he? Damon would have gone after him, but the guy was clearly intoxicated and Damon didn't feel the need to attack him. Plus, he had more urgent matters to attend to, like his upcoming road trip with Bonnie. Damon took another shot.
Bonnie shut the door and saw her father fast asleep in the couch with the television on. She went over to him and fixed the pillows, he mumble and opened his eyes.
"Bonnie, dear, is that you?" he asked.
"Yeah dad," she replied taking the cup off the ground.
"What time is it?" he said groggily, "I was waiting up for you to tell you that I'm going away on business."
"You told me before and that's ok, remember, I'm going to New York for the week."
"Oh, I forgot, are you leaving tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Bonnie stared at her father; his job had made it practically impossible for them to spend time together.
"Well, I hope you stay safe, and I put money into your account, you use it whenever."
"I'll bring back a souvenir."
"You have to," he smiled, "it's a Bennett tradition."
Bonnie laughed as she watched her father drift back into slumber. She took the cups and plate up off the floor, turned off the television and headed to the kitchen. She was going to New York, for a week, with Damon. Crap. The Damon part hadn't really registered to her until a while ago. She, Bonnie Bennett was going to spend a week with Damon Salvatore alone. Crap. She reached into her pocket to text Damon the details when she realized she was getting an incoming call, Elena Gilbert. Bonnie ignored the call and composed a text.
Bonnie: Meet me at my house, 7am, we should get to New York by 5pm, we can stay at a hotel near campus, my appointment isn't until Monday so we can sight see tomorrow and Sunday. Any other plans for the week can be made there.
Damon: Ok. Beautiful, sweet dreams and see you tomorrow bright and early.
Bonnie read the text and put her phone on her counter. She heard it vibrate again and checked her phone, thinking it was Damon sending another text; instead it was Elena calling again. Bonnie let the call ring out, she really wasn't in the mood to speak to Elena tonight. She headed upstairs, mentally preparing herself for the week that was ahead.
Oh, no I do not hook up, up I fall deep, 'cause the more that you try the harder I'll fight to say goodnight.