5. I don't kiss and tell

Stefan's arrival caused Bonnie to come back to her senses, as she realized she just had kissed Damon, her best friend.

Guilt rised into her, and the witch hastily pulled away from Damon's kiss, face flushed. The vampire frowned, not sure how to interpret her movement.

But as he was about to say something, Stefan entered the cabin, and Bonnie took one step back from her best friend :

- Hey, brother ! , Stefan greeted. Bonnie, it's good to see you. I'm glad you're okay. , he smiled, and gave her a quick hug.

- Yeah, hum... Thanks. Glad to see you too. , the brunette beauty answered weirdly.

Stefan hadn't noticed her frozen look, and Damon's intense glare , directed at the Bennett witch.

- So, how's it going so far ? , the youngest Savatore asked, as he turned to face his older brother.

- Hum... Ric sent me a text thirty minutes ago, saying they didn't notice anything suspicious, or dangerous. , he replied absently, eyes still focused on Bonnie.

This time, Stefan noticed the intense looks his brother , and Bonnie, were giving each other. He also picked up Bonnie's quick heartbeats, and Damon's weird behavior. Tension could be cut by a knife, in the room. Not dumb, he immediately understood something was up.

- Hum... Did I interrupt something ?, he questionned, with curious green eyes, as he frowned and looked at Damon.

Bonnie exchanged a look with Damon, completely ashamed of herself, before focusing her view on the wooden floor. She couldn't do that right now : she couldn't face what had just occured between them. It was still too soon. However, she still caught a glimpse of hurt and anger in her best friend's baby blue eyes, as she spoke :

- Nothing. You interrupted nothing. I was just... telling Damon that I was about to call Enzo, since he hasn't for a while now. , Bonnie answered hurriedly, before rushing outside.

Stefan's brows furrowed even more, as he saw Bonnie's nervous expression. She obviously was in a hurry, and wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. That much could be guessed. He still didn't know the reason why, though. But as he glanced at his brother, he noticed Damon's hurting stare, and figured out something important might have happened between the oldest Salvatore and Bonnie.

- O-kay... Care to tell me what happened, Damon ? , Stefan asked, lifting his eyebrows in this famous way.

- Not now, Stefan. I don't want to talk about it. , Damon replied angrily. Let's just get things prepared for when the others arrive. They should be there soon. , he suggested, before turning on his heels and heading towards the living-room.

Stefan didn't insist : he knew his brother would open up to him when he felt like it. Meanwhile, he wouldn't be able to get anything out of him. Not before Damon would decide to confide in him.

So instead, Stefan simply nodded, and followed his brother to help him with whatever they had to prepare.

Leaning against a tree outside, Bonnie sighed deeply, as she looked at her cellphone.

She didn't know why she had reacted this way, after her and Damon's kiss. Stefan's arrival had brought her back to reality, and she panicked. She freaked out, realizing she had kissed her best friend. Which was something she didn't plan on doing before figuring out her feelings and getting a hold on them.

The Bennett Survivor shook her head, as she swallowed hard. She had searched hurriedly in her brain, to find an excuse, and be able to get out of that cabin as fast as possible. Well, to run away from Damon, would be more accurate. She felt like a coward : Elena had told her to face her feelings and not deny them anymore, but she hadn't expected to kiss Damon right away. She was supposed to see where things went with Damon, before doing anything. At least, that's how she wanted to proceed. But she had lost total control : that's what she hated, and that's why Bonnie had freaked out so much. It wasn't like her to lose control : since she had learnt she was a Bennett witch, Bonnie had made sure she was always the one controling her feelings and her actions. It was a way to protect herself, keep any harm away from her. Nobody could use her weaknesses against her if she dominated them.

Control was her shield, and Damon had passed through it so easily.

However, she couldn't bring herself to regret that kiss. It felt so right, and so good. Mind-blowing. Pure. Real. Her emotions were all over the place the moment his lips touched hers. And she loved that feeling : passion. Bonnie had been craving this kind of love, for so long. And she only had been able to dream about it, before Damon kissed the hell out of her, in this cabin. That's when she understood Enzo had only been an illusion : she had mistaken loneliness for love. Bonnie needed someone to love her when Damon abandoned her, and Enzo had been that person : therefore, she had assumed she was in love with him. But it was completely wrong. She was completely wrong. Damon was the one she was in love with, since the beginning. Since Elena fell into that coma, and they got closer and closer, to the point they even killed to save each other. Damon had saved her again and again, dessicated while thinking it would protect her, and he had moved heaven and earth to find a way to cure her. Whereas all Enzo had done was give her the stupid poisonous pills, and agree with her on anything she said, because he didn't want to upset her. Enzo was a lonely vampire, obsessed with his orphan state and craving somebody's love. He just wanted to be loved it could have been anybody : Bonnie, Caroline, Lily, or any girl who would have given him some attention.

And Bonnie had recognized a part of herself in Enzo, regarding this aspect of his personnality. That's why she thought she had fallen for him : she felt like he understood her. But in reality, she didn't need someone who would understand her : she needed someone who would make her forget she wasn't loved. Someone who would change that feeling she had, by loving her unconditionally. And that's what Damon made her feel like.

Sighing, Bonnie ran her hand into her hair, not knowing how to feel. Scrolling down her phone's contacts, she let her finger linger on Enzo's name, as she thought about something she hadn't told anyone, not even Damon :

BONENZO

DURING BAMON'S ROADTRIP

It was late at night. Probably around two in the morning, as Bonnie felt the Camaro stop. She kept her eyes closed, still in a deep sleep, but she felt Damon moving beside her , and getting out of the car.

Curiosity taking over, the Bennett witch opened her eyes slowly, and looked around to see where and why Damon had stopped. As far as she knew, they hadn't reached the cabin yet.

She spotted four or five other cars in the parking lot, and a small shop in the back. They were at a gas station.

As she turned her head towards the shop, she noticed Damon going through the sections, probably looking for some food and water to buy. After all, there was nothing left for them in the cabin. Shrugging, she made herself comfortable against the passenger seat, and planned on falling back asleep, but her phone's ringtone stopped her from doing so.

Groaning, Bonnie grabbed her phone, and looked at the name appearing on the screen : it was Enzo. Her boyfriend, that she hadn't once thought about since he had left Dallas to take the flight with Alaric and Caroline. She really didn't feel like dealing with him, right now. Her feelings towards him and Damon were confused and jumbled, and she needed a break from it.

Realizing she didn't really have a choice and that it wouldn't be fair to Enzo, the brunette sighed, before sliding the green lock to answer.

- Enzo ? , Bonnie asked sleepily.

- Hello, love. Am I waking you up ? , Enzo replied.

- Hum...Kind of, I was asleep while Damon went buying some food, but it's nothing. , she informed her boyfriend.

- Sorry, beautiful. , the british vampire apologized.

- Why are you calling ? , Bonnie questionned, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible, as her eyes ached for some more sleep.

- I wanted to tell you that we're here. We arrived like ten minutes ago, and we're heading towards a safe place to check on The Armory. , Enzo told her, nervousness in his voice.

Bonnie immediately sensed that something was wrong, and that it wasn't all he had to say.

- Alright. Well, we should be here in one hour or two, I think. , she paused as Enzo hummed. Is that all you were calling me for ? , she pressed, urging her boyfriend to blurt out whatever was making him nervous.

- Actually, there's something else I need to talk to you about, love... , he sighed, hesitant.

- What is it, Enzo ? , the witch insisted, getting nervous as well.

She heard her boyfriend taking a deep breath, and sighing deeply, before blurting out :

- Listen, Bonnie... , the vampire paused, scaring her. I think... I think we should take a break, for a little while. , Enzo finally let out, with his accent.

Bonnie sat up straight in her seat, as the words left Enzo's mouth. She parted her lips, shocked. She really didn't expect him to break up with her, just like that. Over the phone, above all. But she wasn't mad. She felt...weird. And sad. But she didn't really understand where it was coming from : she was confused about her feelings for Enzo and Damon, but they both knew nothing about it. So why did he want to take a break, when she had done nothing to hint at a break up ?

- Wh-what ? Enzo... why ? What's going on ? , Bonnie uttered, clutching her phone against her ear, as she checked outside to see if Damon was still in the shop.

- Love... , he sighed once more, sounding really hurt and heartbroken by what he was saying. I think it's time we stop denying reality : you've been distant with me since Damon came back. And I've been telling myself that it would get back to normal, but it's not. , he revealed honestly.

- Enzo, I'm sorry... I didn't want to. It's just... Everything went so fast since Damon returned, and so much happened and I'm still struggling to be back to my old self. I'm lost. , Bonnie explained, feeling bad.

- I know, gorgeous. I'm just saying that, after everything we went through lately, maybe we need some time apart, and alone, to remember who we are. As individuals. And maybe check on our feelings. All these adventures have affected them, love. , Enzo stated sweetly, but emotion was very perceptible in his tone.

Closing her eyes, Bonnie thought about what Enzo said. He was right : they had lost themselves, along with all of these events that had happened since Damon's return. They weren't living their relationship in the safe, warm , comfortable and isolated cabin like they had been doing for the past three years, anymore. They had run away from The Armory, teamed up with Damon, and confronted the outside : the real world. Maybe that was one of the reason why their love hadn't survived. Or that it had been were fine when they were just the two of them, without any complications : but not when they had to face various situations. Situations that had cast doubt on their feelings for each other, had caused both of them to re-evaluate how they felt towards the people they now rubbed shoulders with : Caroline, Alaric, Stefan, Damon. Bonnie knew it was for the best.

But even though she agreed with all of this, it still hurt Bonnie to let go of Enzo : the only person that had been there for her these past three years. The man who had made her believe in love again, made her feel loved and protected again, after Damon's abandon. The one who had helped her get over Damon's abandon, and then over her anger towards him. Enzo had been the one to advice her to talk to Damon and forgive him. She would never forget that : he was amazing. And he would always hold a special place in her heart, for that. Like Jeremy. He was part of her love life. But she still thought their relationship deserved more than a break up over the phone. That's why a part of her was angry at Enzo for calling her only to blurt it out like that.

- You're right. But you could have said it in front of my face, though. I thought our relationship meant more than that, to both of us, Enzo. , Bonnie swallowed, as she waited for his reply.

- It does, Bonnie. I'm not underestimating our relationship. And I'm not saying this is a definitive break up, either. It's just a break. We could take back from where we left off, once we're all figured out and healed from all of this drama. , Enzo denied. But for now, I think it's really better like that. The flight made me take that decision, because I got hours to think about it. And I didn't have enough strength in me, to wait until we took down The Armory and you think that everything is fine, before I tell you that. The faster we heal ourselves, the sooner everything can get back to normal. We both have serious issues to deal with, love. , he continued, and something was telling Bonnie that even though he hadn't mentioned it, Enzo had noticed she was falling for Damon.

From that perspective, Bonnie could understand why Enzo was doing that : he didn't want to keep denying reality and lie to himself, only to be disappointed later on. She had been denying her feelings for Damon since his return, and Enzo had been denying her change of behavior towards him. They both had been ignoring that their relatonship was falling to pieces, since day one of Damon's wake up. Which prooved they weren't meant to be in the first place. Enzo was doing this now, because he had finally opened his eyes, and that it hurt too much to keep playing the ignorant one any longer. He was fed up with denial.

- We do, right ? , Bonnie laughed tearily, trying to make their break up sound better. It was never easy giving up on a love story, no matter what the problems were.

- Indeed. Our Beauty and the Beast modern story is way more complicated than the fairytale. , he laughed back a little, joking, as Bonnie smiled.

- I do love you, Enzo. I'm sorry it turned out like this. , Bonnie's voice cracked, as she realized they would probably not get back together, and that she would probably not see him as often. You're a great friend. , she let a tear roll down her left eye.

- I love you too, Bonnie. Thanks for giving me all of you during our three years. I'll see you later, love. , he replied, swallowing hard.

- Take care, Enzo. , Bonnie added, before hanging up and sighing deeply.

Well : that was a big step. She didn't know how things would go when she would see him again at The Armory to fight, but she felt kind of relieved. Letting go of her illusion was hard, but she knew it was healthy. They would both be okay : Enzo would move on, just like he had from Maggie and Lily. That's how life worked.

She looked at the shop and saw Damon coming out, heading towards the car with food in his arms. She quickly put her phone back into her purse, and went back to her sleeping position. Bonnie closed her eyes, as she pretended to be still asleep. She didn't want to talk about it with Damon : she felt like her break-up with Enzo was something personnal, that Damon couldn't really understand, since he hadn't been there for the past three years.

Damon entered the car, dropped the food in the backseats, and started the motor once more. As the Camaro moved out of the parking lot and back on the road, Bonnie fell back into sleep, easily. Tomorrow was another day.

They had broken up. Indeed. Over the phone, yeah, but they did. So why was she still feeling ashamed, like she had betrayed Enzo ?

Because that was Bonnie Bennett's nature : when she loved someone, shared intimate things with him/her, as you can in a relationship, Bonnie was loyal. It was in her core : her kind, generous and unconditionnal way of loving would always be stronger than any other desire she had.

And for once, her desire had overpowered her. Not even one day after her break up with Enzo, she had kissed Damon. She had given into her deepest desire. That's what made her feel ashamed. Damon wouldn't understand, since he was all for the « I don't care about the others, as long as I have what I want. ». Hence Elena, the perfect example to illustrate that side of him : Damon hadn't even cared about how bad he had hurt his brother, and still had gotten with Elena.

But she also thought about what her Grams had once said to her, when she was still alive : Sometimes, our desires take over. Because they're what show us the best thing that could happen to us, and make us happy. Those desires are good, Bonnie. So,make sure to listen to them, when they show up. Grams had always been right about everything she said. Somehow, Bonnie knew that this desire to be with Damon, was a good one. What could be better than falling in love with your best friend ?

Shaking her head, Bonnie finally decided to press the call button. She put the phone to her ear and waited for Enzo to pick up. They had more important things to deal with right now : her desire to be with him would have to wait a little bit longer.

- Hey, love. , Enzo answered after two rings.

It was funny how he still called her that, she told herself. Habits were hard to change. But she quickly remembered that it was Enzo's personnality : he called every girl « love », « gorgeous » or whatever. It was part of his charm, he was a gentleman. Always had been, always will be, even after their break up.

- Hey. I'm calling to inform you that Stefan arrived. He's at the cabin, with us. How about you, Caroline and Ric ? , Bonnie asked.

- We checked The Armory : Alex is still here, with her team. Everything is going as planned, for now. We were about to head to the cabin, when you called me. , her ex boyfriend replied, neutral.

- Perfect. When do you think you'll be there ? , the witch questionned, as she looked at the cabin.

- Thirty minutes at most. , he stated.

- Okay. So, hum...I'll see you in a few, then. , Bonnie nervously said, not feeling very comfortable with the idea of him being there soon, in the same room as her and Damon, after what happened.

- Bonnie, it doesn't have to be weird between us. Nothing's wrong, so relax, love. I'll see you soon. , Enzo laughed, before hanging up.

Except everything was wrong for Bonnie. Knowing she had to come back into the cabin, since she couldn't hide outside forever, the green-eyed beauty started making her way back towards the small habitation.

Once in front of the door, she stopped, and made sure to take a deep breath and exhale, before entering.

Everyone was finally reunited at the cabin.

Bonnie and Caroline were filling the weapons with wooden bullets and vervain small bottles, while Enzo, Stefan and Damon adjusted some last minute details for the plan.

Well, Damon was more like glaring at Bonnie, while Enzo and Stefan exchanged points of view, and randomly looked at the oldest Salvatore with a weird look. It was unusual for Damon to be so quiet, when they were talking about a plan. He always had something to add, whether it was about something he disagreed on, or an idea that popped up in his brain.

However, his focus had been on Bonnie, since she had come back into the cabin. He didn't like how she was acting, ignoring what had happened between them not so long ago. The witch had been avoiding him since she came back, barely answering his questions or talking to him. She even made sure not to make any eye contact with him, for more than one second.

Damon knew she was tormented and confused about their kiss. Hell, he was too ! But one thing he was sure of, is that he hated her attitude towards him, right now. It's like they were back to when she was still angry with him, except this time, something important and mind-blowing had occured between them. It was usually his habit to run away from complicated feelings and situations, not Bonnie's. She was making him crazy, but he would find a way to get her alone and talk some sense into her. Because their kiss was certainly not pointless, and the vampire didn't regret it one bit. Bonnie had to know that.

- Everything's ready, guys. , Caroline spoke up, stepping toward the three men.

- Great. I guess we can head towards The Armory, then. , Enzo said, looking at her.

- I think we should repeat the plan to everyone one last time, just to make sure. I want to get out of that building, without having to save one of you because some details were forgotten. , Ric suggested seriously, glancing at everyone.

- I agree. We're never too careful. , Stefan nodded, as he turned towards Damon.

The blue-eyed vampire took it as his cue to explain it all. He clapped his hands together and started listing everyone's mission in the plan, as Bonnie tried to focus on what he was saying, and not on his lips :

- Alright ! So here's the plan, kids : me, Bonnie and Enzo show up at The Armory, asking for Alex, and saying that we have a suggestion to make to her. We make her believe that Bonnie's still ill, and that in exchange of her opening the vault, we want to trade one of her minion's life, with Bonnie's. Thing that she'll probably agree with, since her main issue is rescuing her sister, who's in the vault, no matter the price. Once she'll lead us to the vault, and Bonnie open it, Caroline and Ric will appear out of their hiding place that they will discreetly hide in while we're negotiating with Alex, and attack them. Meanwhile, Stefan will sneak into the vault, find the Everlasting, burst it into flames, and come back to us. , he paused, and directed his eyes on Stefan's. By the way, you'll only have some minutes to do it, since we won't be able to fight The Armory forever. So hurry up, brother. , Stefan nodded, urging him to go on. Finally, we'll all get out of the building, Alex and her team on our heels, but Bonnie will stop them by doing some spell to trap them in The Armory, making it impossible for them or the creature, to get out. They'll be all killed by this creature, and everything will be over. The End. Simple, huh ? , Damon finally finished, smirking and wiggling his eyebrows, as he looked at everyone.

Their faces were nervous and hesitant, but they all nodded anyways. The plan was risky, and they were aware anything could happen and complicate it, but they couldn't do better. They would have to improvise if things didn't go as planned.

- Any questions ? , Stefan added, as he stood next to his brother, eyeing everyone.

- What do we do if Stefan doesn't come out of the vault, in time ? , Caroline asked worriedly, showing some concern for her ex boyfriend, to which Damon smirked.

- I'll be fine, Caroline. The vault's not that big, I'm sure I'll find him easily, and in time. , Stefan reassured her, smiling a little at her.

The blond nodded, but Stefan could tell she was still worried and not sure about his answer. It warmed Stefan's heart, knowing that Caroline still cared for him, after he had abandoned her.

Why does it have to be me, Enzo and Damon, who negotiate with Alex ? Only two of us would be enough. , Bonnie suddenly spoke up, not happy and bothered with the idea of teaming up alone with both Enzo and Damon, after what had happened this morning.

- Because Alex knows Enzo is the one who gave you the pills, and she also knows you both teamed up with me to try and save you, after I woke up. She'll find it weird if only you and Enzo show up, suddenly leaving me behind out of nowhere. , Damon hissed, as he glared at Bonnie, knowing exactly why she had asked that.

It irritated him that Bonnie was so keen on avoiding him at all cost, even for a mission. He could understand she was disturbed by their kiss, and that she felt weird about it, but she didn't have to act like his presence bothered her so much. In front of him, more so. She'll have to deal with her problems for once, and she couldn't avoid the confrontation forever. He would make sure of it.

Bonnie said nothing and swallowed thoroughly, as she realized she was acting stupid. Her behavior and attitude were getting childish, and she needed to stop that. She was an adult now, so she needed to act like it and face Damon when he will talk to her. But not now.

- I guess we can go, now. , Stefan stated, as he threw a weird look at Damon and Bonnie, not missing their silent argument.

- I'll ride with Bonnie and Enzo, and you guys will ride together. , Caroline ordered, not leaving any other option for the group, as she looked sternly at Damon, Alaric and Stefan.

- Alright. Come on, time to go kick some ass ! , Damon agreed, getting out of the cabin, the rest following behind him.

Bonnie didn't protest : she wouldn't get to ride with Damon, and Caroline will be there to make the situation between her and Enzo less weird. She knew about Bonnie and Enzo's break up : the british gentleman had told her, needing to confide in someone. And though she was happy that her best friend finally had opened her eyes, along with Enzo, she still felt bad for him.

Bonnie hopped into the car, next to Caroline, as Enzo sat in the backseat. Caroline was driving, and they both knew it wasn't up for discussion. They also knew the bubbly vampire had imposed the pairs because she didn't want to have to ride with Stefan. But they said nothing about it : it was a sensitive subject.

Damon sat in his Camaro, as he waited for Stefan and Alaric to join him. Stefan sat next to him, and Alaric behind them, after putting the weapons in the trunk.

After checking to see if they hadn't forgotten anything, both cars left the cabin and headed towards The Armory.

DEFAN/DALARIC

The ride was silent.

Damon focused on the road, lost in his thoughts, while Stefan eyed him attentively. He knew something was up between his brother and Bonnie. Now that he had given him some time, he wanted to question Damon about it. Curiosity was a very bad habit of Stefan's personnality.

- So, hum... What did I walk in onto, between you and Bonnie, earlier ? What happened ? , Stefan finally spoke up.

It caught Alaric's attention, as he stopped looking through the pictures of the twins in his phone, and got interested in the conversation that Stefan had started.

Stefan watched closely, as Damon's eyes didn't leave the road , not bothering to look at his brother. He tightened his hold on the steeringwheel, debating on whether he should tell his brother and Ric.

But he gave in, since he needed to talk about it. Stefan, his broody and moral brother, and Ric, his only guy best friend, were the only ones he could ask advice to. The only ones he could confide in. So, why not ?, he thought.

- We kissed. , Damon blurted out, shrugging, like it was no big deal.

He didn't need to look at his brother and Ric's shocked expressions, to know that they didn't expect this. He heard Stefan gasp, and caught a glimpse of Ric furrowing his eyebrows with a funny face, in the rear-view mirror.

- Wow. , Stefan commented, still a little taken aback and shocked that Damon had kissed someone else, other than Elena.

- That's quite the event of the year, buddy ! , Ric smirked, but you could tell he was serious.

Damon finally directed his eyes towards his brother and the rear-view mirror, leaving the road for only a minute, when he exclaimed :

- Oh, come on ! You both know I already kissed and had sex with another woman than Elena, three years ago. It shouldn't shock you that much. , he rolled his eyes.

- Oh yeah ! What was her name ? Wait, I remember : Krystal, with a K. , Ric laughed, wiggling his eyebrows as Damon glared at him in the rear-view mirror.

Stefan ignored Ric's comment, before putting on his serious face, as Damon liked to call it :

- You did. But Bonnie's not a random girl, like that Krystal one : she's your best friend. It's the first time, since Elena fell into that coma, that you kissed another woman, who means a lot to you, and that you have profound feelings for. , the youngest Salvatore stated, lifting his eyebrows, as he dared Damon to deny it.

Damon blinked, annoyed that his little brother was pointing the obvious. But he couldn't deny the truth of his words : Bonnie was the first woman he had kissed because he had feelings for her, and not because he wanted to forget Elena, or listen to her advice of living his life during her absence. He had kissed Bonnie because he desired it.

- You think I don't know that, Stefan ?! , he glanced at his little brother, a serious look on his face.

- So... what does it mean to you ? What are you gonna do about it ? , Ric asked, staring at Damon, as he waited for an answer.

The dark-haired vampire took a deep breath, shaking his head, and sighed. It was a question he would love to have the answer to.

- That's the problem, Ric : I don't know. , he replied.

- Oh I think you know very well what you want to do about it, and what it means to you. Thing is, you're scared of it. , Ric pointed out, knowing he was right and that Damon was simply lost and unsure of this situation.

- I'm not the only one who's scared about it, anyways. , Damon brushed it off, as he focused once more on Stefan. Bonnie has been avoiding me since the kiss. She won't talk to me, nor look at me. I don't know what to do. , he confessed, a hurt and desperate look on his face.

Stefan nodded, and smiled a little. It was becoming clear now : Damon was afraid, because for the first time in the centuries of his vampiric life, he had fallen in love with someone else than a doppelganger. Katherine wasn't controlling his type of women anymore, and he had fallen for a woman who actually wanted him too, and made him her first choice. It was new to Damon, so he didn't know how to react to that : the notions of right and wrong were messed up in this situation, because he didn't think it was possible for him to love someone else than Elena. But he did.

- You're in love with her, right ? , Stefan guessed, watching as Damon shifted a little in his seat, uncomfortable.

Silence lasted for one minute, before Damon opened his mouth to reply. He was measuring the impact of his next words, in his mind :

- I am. , he finally confirmed, as he stared intensely in his little brother's green eyes.

Stefan and Ric gave each other a look, before focusing back on Damon. They knew him admitting he was in love with someone else than Elena, was a big deal. It meant Damon had moved on.

Ric observed, as Stefan nodded his head at Damon's confirmation, and tapped his shoulder in this brotherly way he was very known for. He understood what his brother was going through, because the same thing had happened to him when he had found out he was in love with Caroline. They both thought Elena was the love of their life, and that they could never love someone as much as they had loved her, but they became aware of the fact that they were wrong.

As Lexi had once told Stefan : « Contrary to popular belief, there are actually multiple loves. Especially for a vampire. The only way to find another, is to let go. And move on. »

Lexi couldn't be more right : the Salvatore brothers had both let go of Elena, in the lover kind of way. But she would always remain special to them, she was their friend : the one who had healed them both from the misery Katherine had put them into.

- Then you should tell her, and go for it. Because Bonnie's worth it, Damon. And you deserve her too. , the green-eyed Salvatore encouraged him.

- Bonnie's the type of woman you need to fight for, Damon. And from what it looks like, she might actually be the one for you. , Ric agreed, nodding and giving a small smile to let him know he really meant what he said.

Damon acknowledged them both with a long stare, before concentrating back on the road. He could see the building of The Armory coming into view, which meant they had arrived.

- I know. That's why, after we took down Alex and her little munchkins, I plan on making her mine. But before that, I need to make sure Enzo's not in the picture anymore. , Damon declared, smirking as he winked at his brother and best friend.

- Enzo shouldn't be a problem anymore : he confided in Caroline during the flight, and he told her he and Bonnie broke up. , Ric informed him, surprising both brothers.

The blue-eyed vampire kept himself from stopping in the middle of the road, and getting out to do a happy dance on the sidewalk. Things couldn't get any better.

- They did ? , Stefan asked again, dumbfounded, as Ric nodded once more for confirmation.

- Oh, Ric, buddy : you just added fuel to the fire ! , Damon smirked again, sounding as determined as he had never been.

Ric just laughed, and Stefan grinned, trully happy for his brother. They were both really intrigued to see how things would go from there, between Bonnie and Damon. But they quickly became serious again, as Damon pulled up near The Armory.

Caroline, Bonnie and Enzo were already there, since their car was parked not far from them. The fun could start.

- Okay, so : everyone got their weapons ? , Alaric asked, as he took his from the trunk of the blue Camaro.

- We're good, Ric. , Caroline answered, holding a gun, as was everyone else.

- Good. Then we're gonna head in. , Damon informed them, as he locked the car up and handed Bonnie a gun. For you, Bon Bon. You may have your magic back, but you should know by now that Alex loves using those wicked little weapons that desable any magic. , he explained, and stopped her from protesting, as she was about to open her mouth.

- So : Damon, Bonnie, Enzo, you enter first, by the front door. I'll take the one behind the building : Caroline and Ric noticed that Alex wasn't using it and that there were no bodyguards to watch it, during their reconnoitring. , he then turned towards Caroline. You and Ric will vamp speed inside, as soon as Alex made them enter , and find a hitting spot. It should be okay, since she'll be focused on her conversation with them, and she doesn't expect anyone else to be there. And the plan goes from here. , he added as he looked at everyone to see them nodding.

They all checked if their weapons were filled one last time, before separating to do their mission. Just as Caroline was about to vamp speed with Ric in a hidden place, near the door, Stefan grabbed her wrist :

- Be safe. Don't show up before you receive my text, okay ? , he said.

- I'm not stupid Stefan, but thanks for your concern. , she spat back, before speeding away with Ric.

Stefan sighed and vanished behind The Armory.

BAMENZO :

Bonnie was standing between Damon and Enzo, as they were about to start the plan.

Taking a deep breath, Bonnie made sure to look ill and exhausted, before mentioning for Damon to knock.

The sarcastic vampire made a show with his fist, wiggling his eyebrows and smirking, before finally knocking on the door. Bonnie rolled her eyes, annoyed with his cool behavior when they were just about to fight The Armory, and gave him a look. He simply shrugged and winked at her, waiting for someone to open the door. Enzo also rolled his eyes, trying not to focus on the fact that he wanted to strangle the vampire right now.

Bonnie quickly looked around her and spotted Caroline and Rick, hidden behind a bush, near them. She mentioned the door with her head, as she heard footsteps coming. Caroline nodded, and sank deeper behind the bush.

It was Alex herself who opened the door.

- Well, well... If it isn't a surprise ! , the brunnette exclaimed, lifting her eyebrows. Finally decided to give in, brother ? , she smirked, crossing her arms and looking at Enzo.

- Kind of. We have something to suggest to you, sis. , Enzo replied, eyeing her with a disgusted look.

- A deal ? Hmm, interesting enough. , Alex nodded, as she stepped back to let them enter. Come in. , she invited them.

Enzo was the first one to step in, as Damon made sure to stay close to Bonnie, when the Bennett witch followed her ex-boyfriend.

- Oh, little warning : if you try anything, my team will kill you before you can vamp speed out of here. , she threatened, replacing one of her loose curl. Now follow me, I'll lead you to the living-room : Will and Alfred here, will stay behind us and make sure you behave well. , she winked, before walking past them, into a corridor.

The three acolytes looked at each other, before following Alex. Bonnie swallowed, as she watched one of Alex's boyguards close the front door : she hoped Caroline and Rick had had enough time to enter. Or else, they'd be in deep shit.

- Will and Alfred, that's it ? Nice to meet you, guys. Nice suits. , Damon commented, smiling in this sarcastic way of his.

- Don't start, Damon. Let's not chit-chat with the ones who are going to try and kill us in some minutes ! , Bonnie hissed, whispering and glaring at him.

- Geez, relax, Bon. I'm only making new friends. , he winked, as she rolled her eyes and threw her arms in the air, helpless.

- You're gonna get us killed, dumb one. , Enzo shot daggers at him.

- And you're boring me to death with your useless comments and constant interventions when I'm talking with Bonnie. I'm trying to have some fun on our suicide mission. , Damon spat back, glaring at the britsh vampire. This one was really getting on his nerves, lately.

Bonnie just shook her head and sighed. It was going to be the worth part in the plan, actually : being alone, with her ex-vampire boyfriend, and her vampire best friend, who she was in love with. Destiny had a very big sense of humor, she thought. But it wasn't all that fun for her.

Alex finally stopped, to enter a big living-room. She mentioned for Bonnie, Damon and Enzo to go first, as she followed them close behind, after ordering something to one of her bodyguards. Bonnie looked at Damon, to see if he had heard and if they had to worry about it, but he shook his head negatively. It was nothing threatening.

The pair walked in the middle of the living-room and observed the giant place more attentively, trying to get familiar with it, just in case. There was a big couch in the middle, on a red carpet, several chairs and tables around it, a library in the back, and a pool table which was situated not far from it. Damon noticed there was no window, which meant they couldn't get out of here easily if Alex tried anything on them. Shit, he thought. However, there was another door in the back, just next to the library, but he had no idea where it led. Still, it could be a possible emergency exit.

Bonnie's eyes didn't leave Alex, as she sat on an armchair, near the white couch. The witch was extremely mistrustful and wary, concerning Enzo's sister. The green-eyed beauty was suspiscious of every single movement Alex did, not trusting her one second even though Damon said she would be interested by their fake deal.

Once she was settled comfortably on the armchair, the Saint John brunette invited them to sit on the couch, with a wide smile. She was really hard to read, when she wore such expressions, which seemed sincere. They did just that : Enzo on the right, Damon in the middle, and Bonnie on his left. There was no way she would be sandwiched between the two vampires, the witch thought.

- So, let's go straight to business : you said you had a suggestion to do to me, I'm all ears... ? , Alex asked, alternating her gaze between Bonnie, Damon and Enzo, until one of them answered.

- Indeed. , Damon confirmed with a fake smile, as Alex's eyes focused on him. As you can see, Bonnie's getting worse. We haven't found any solution to heal her from those poisonous pills yet, so you're our last chance. , he explained, glancing at Bonnie to see if she was believable enough in her fake sick state.

The powerful witch did her best to look as pale as death. She pretended to be physically weak, as she made sure to hold onto Damon as if she was on the verge of collapsing. Which earned her a look of disapproval, from Enzo. Alex still thought they were together, so she should do that on him and sit next to him. Catching on, Bonnie whispered Enzo's name, asking him to come next to her.

- Sorry, love. I'm here. Breathe, and hold onto me. , the british vampire happily obliged, knowing it was only for pretenting.

Bonnie place her head on his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, and held her hand.

Damon kept himself from rolling his eyes and grunting, not liking it. But he knew Alex had to believe them, so he said nothing and focused on Alex's reaction.

- Hmmm. I see you're still madly in love with the Bennett witch, brother. , Alex stated, watching him craddle Bonnie. And from what I'm seeing, Damon actually jumped to the rescue of his best friend, who he had purposely abandoned three years ago. , she added, as she smirled at Damon, which he returned sarcastically. But I don't see how I can help you, since I don't have any solution either, to heal her. Our tests to make an antidote have all failed. , Enzo's sister specified, crossing her legs and waiting for their reply, eyebrows lifted.

- We know that, sis. But we may have a solution. At least, we'll want to try and see if it works. , Enzo chimed in, looking up at her, as Bonnie did the same.

- I'm curious about what this solution may be. Enlighten me, Bonnie. , Alex questionned, interested, as she ignored Enzo and focused her attention on Bonnie.

The witch was smart : she knew it was a test, to see if they weren't lying , and to check on the reality of Bonnie's sick state. Bonnie made sure to keep her pale face on, as she pretended to sit up straight, with a lot of difficulty. Damon and Enzo were impressed by Bonnie's ability to act so well. For once, the acting classes she took in the theater option of her highschool were worth it.

- We...um...We think that, maybe, trading one of your member's life with mine, will heal me. , Bonnie explained with a small voice, purposely hesitating on her words to be believable.

- So... You want to kill one of my members, and take his life to heal yourself ? , Alex repeated, biting her lips and tapping her chin with a finger. I don't see what I have to win in all of this. Why did you think I'd agree ? , she replied, furrowing her eyebrows, as she uncrossed her legs and put her hand on the armrest.

- Because in exchange of this sacrifice, Bonnie will open the vault for you. , Damon added, winking at her.

- Really ? You seemed pretty hell bent on not letting the creature that's inside, get out. , Alex insisted, watching her closely.

- Just look at me right now, Alex. I can barely stand on my feet, my throat hurts when I talk, and I already died three times. I'm sick of it. I want to live the life I deserve and aspire to, and get the chance to enjoy it with my boyfriend. , Bonnie lied, sounding sincere, as she threw a quick look at Enzo for support. He squeezed her hand for emphasis, adding to the masquerade. I'll open your damn vault, if it's what it takes to ensure my survival. , she finished, a look of (false) determination on her tanned face.

Alex studied her for some seconds, watching for any sign of nervosity or hesitation, but she found none. She looked at Enzo, noticing his desperate eyes, and looked at Damon who shifted on the couch, staring at her hopefully.

After some seconds of silence, she finally revealed her answer :

- I believe you. , she said, sounding convinced.

Bonnie internally exhaled in relief, as Damon and Enzo glanced at each other and silently transmitted their confidence about the plan.

- So, do we have a deal, Miss Saint John ? , Damon wiggled his eyebrows, an ironic smile plastered on his pale face.

- We do. , Alex confirmed. But I'm not that stupid : Bonnie will open the vault first, and we'll do the sacrifice right after. , she specified.

Damon and Enzo made sure to look hesitant and worried about her intentions, making their behavior more coherent with the situation. They needed to look like they didn't trust her and were scared she would not keep her word.

Alex seemed to be completely taken in, and didn't doubt one second about their honesty, regarding Bonnie's safety.

- I promise. The vault is important for me, because my sister's in it. I'm not that evil : if Bonnie does her part, I'll do mine. I only need her to open the vault, and I want nothing else. , Alex reassured them.

- Perfect. May you show us the way to that mysterious vault, then ? , Damon smirked after clapping his hands and standing up in a hurry.

He was tired of discussing things with that crazy bitch. Besides, it was getting annoying and he needed the action.

Alex stood up as well, as she placed herself in front of Damon and smiled at him.

- As you want. Follow me. , she gestured with her head, and started walking out.

Bonnie looked at Damon, before standing up and keeping her hold onto Enzo. Now was not the time to let Alex figure out their lie. Damon nodded at her, letting the ex-couple walk before him, as he brought up the rear. It was now or never.

An enormous, iron-made door. That's what Bonnie was staring at.

She knew she had to do the spell and open the vault, but she was really scared of the creature which hid inside it. This couldn't be good. There were so many options for their plan to go to waste. Stefan could get trapped in the vault, Alex could find out their plan and mess it up, or Bonnie could fail the spell that was supposed to trap Alex, her team and the creature in The Armory, which would result in the creature being free, and The Armory after them. Worst nightmare ever.

However, the Bennett witch calmed down and put her pessimism aside, as she stepped in front of the vault. She was standing one meter away from it. The green-eyed beauty searched for Damon and Enzo, who were on her left side, as she heard Alex ordering her to recite the spell. Enzo offered her a small smile, and Damon silently nodded at her to go on. But Bonnie could still read the fear in his eyes.

- My sister's been trapped in there for years, I just want to free her. , Alex stated once more, a genuine and sad expression in her brown eyes. You know the spell, right ? , she asked, since she saw Bonnie hesitating a minute.

- I do. I'm just concentrating : this spell is a hard one. , Bonnie answered, before closing her eyes.

Everyone stayed silent, staring at Bonnie with a mix of different expressions : anxiety, nervosity, fear, hope, admiration, awe. They expected anything to come out of that vault the minute it was opened, but they were all absorbed by the desire and the mystery that this creature had instituted around her.

Bonnie took a deep breath, repeating the spell in her head, before reciting it out loud :

- Terra mora vantis quo incandis, per vasa quo errum signos. Phasmatos selvus terra mora vantis quo incandis, per vasa errum quo signos. Phasmatos selvus nos ex malom terra more vantis quo incandis per vasa quo errum signos. Terra mora vantis quo incandis. , she recited, rising her hands and keeping her eyes closed.

A blast of wind appeared out of nowhere, which caused Damon, Enzo and Alex to put their arms and hands before them, protecting themselves. Of course, it wasn't affecting Bonnie, since she was the one doing the spell. After several seconds, they heard a click, and the door opened. Bonnie immediately stepped back, sensing something horribly evil inside, and she opened her eyes to look around her.

Damon winked at her, as he stepped aside, Enzo joining him. They watched as Alex was about to walk towards the vault, but was stopped by Caroline pinning her against the wall.

The three sighed in relief, happy to see that Caroline and Alaric had been able to enter the building, and were coming to help them.

- WHAT THE HELL ?! , Alex screamed, taken by surprise.

- It's not nice to leave your guests behind. , Caroline smirked, before flashing her fangs at her.

- Please don't. I promise I only wanted to save my sister, nothing more. , Alex pleaded, eyes terrorized.

- You pursued my best friend for three years, forcing her to hide. Away from me. You deserve what I'm going to do to you, bitch. , she said before going for her throat.

Fear taking over her, Alex screamed, and waited for the pain to shoot through her, as Caroline was about to drain her. But suddenly, the blonde vampire put her mouth away from Alex's neck, grabbed a weapon in her coat, and knocked her out with it.

- Luckily for you, I'm less of a bitch than you are. , Caroline spat out, as Alex fell unconscious in front of her.

She turned around, and winked at Bonnie, to which the Bennett sorceress responded by whispering a « thank you ». However, Caroline didn't notice one of Alex's bodyguards, who was about to shoot her with a wooden bullet.

- CAROLINE ! BEHIND YOU ! , Bonnie yelled, but it was too late.

As she turned around, the man shot and the bullet made its way towards Caroline's heart. Bonnie instantly reacted, lifting her hands and sending him crashing down against the nearest wall. Along with the bullet.

- Wow. Thanks, Bon ! I'm gonna help Enzo, you should help Damon. I can see they're in need of some girl power to fight ! , she thanked her, before winking and nodding her head towards the two vampires, who were fighting against five men.

- I'm on it. , Bonnie replied, just as she saw Stefan entering the vault.

He sent her a look, silently asking her to protect everyone, especially Caroline. The witch nodded, before coming to Damon's rescue, as he was about to get staked.

- I never thought a human would be too much for you to handle, Damon. , she smirked, before knocking the guy out with a wave of her hand.

- Oh, please. You have powers : it's a big advantage ! I wouldn't count on your fighting abilities, though. , the black-haired vampire teased her, as he tossed the stake on the ground.

- Oh, really ? Don't underestimate me, vampy. , Bonnie winked, before turning around and starting to fight with one of their ennemies.

She literally kicked his ass, without magic. Punching him in the jaw, the stomach, and then lifting her feet to struck him down. Then, she happily turned around with a tentative and seductive smirk.

- You were saying ?

Damon blinked, shocked. And turned on. Was it normal than watching the girl he was madly in love with, and that he had kissed hours ago, made him want to take her right there and then, against a wall ?

- DAMON ! Are you deaf or what ?! , Alaric suddenly pulled him out of his wicked thoughts, waving his hands in front of him.

The vampire had been so focused on imagining what Bonnie looked like naked, that he had completely blacked out for a moment. He was just noticing Ric standing in front of him.

- I'm a vampire, Ricky. I can't be deaf. , he rolled his eyes. What is it ?, Damon pressed, seeing Ric's worried face.

- Stefan didn't come out of the vault yet, and more and more bodyguards are coming our way. I never thought they'd be so much. Must be the security guys, or something. Anyway, we're running out of time and we're outnumbered right now. Ric told him, eyes pleading to find a solution.

- Shit ! , Damon cursed. Wait... I think I saw a bottle of alcohol in the living-room : go get it, I have an idea. , he remembered.

- A bottle of alcohol ? How the hell is it gonna help us, mate ?! , Ric replied, getting confused.

- Just get the damn bottle, Ric ! RIGHT NOW ! , Damon yelled, urging him to leave. I'll help Caroline and Bonnie with Alex's minions.

- Ok, ok. I'm on it ! , he answered, before disappearing discreetly in the corridors.

Damon didn't get the chance to say more, as two bodyguards jumped on him. He grunted, snapped the neck of the first one, and bit the other one, before banging his head against the wall.

He then looked to see if Caroline needed some help, but she seemed to do very well, judging by the number of bodies around her. Enzo was quite effective too, for once. His eyes searched for Bonnie, who he found giving aneurysms at every men she could. Feeling his gaze on her, the witch turned around and nodded, confirming that she was doing just fine. Damon nodded as well, and he got back to fighting, as he saw three other bodyguards arriving towards them.

Minutes passed. Caroline, Enzo, Damon and Bonnie were losing strength, as they kept fighting and fighting. Bonnie was getting exhausted, since she was human, and she fell on the ground when one of the member of The Armory shot her with an arrow. Unable to move as the pain hit her everywhere, she looked up to see her attacker ready to end her life. Frightened at the idea of dying again after everything she had been through to survive, Bonnie scanned the room for the nearest help, but Caroline and Enzo were both busy with someone else. So she did the last thing that could save her, hoping he would hear her.

- Damon... , she whispered weakly, clutching her stomach.

*** TO BE CONTINUED ***

Hey ! So I know Chapter 5 was supposed to be the last one, but I got so inspired that I wrote like 30 pages. So I decided to split it in two : which means a Chapter 6 is coming. And this time it will be the last one. For sure.

Tell me what you thought about it, feelings and all. I know I was a little harsh on Bonenzo for making them break up on the phone (much like ugly Beremy), but I really didn't have the strength to write a whole face to face scene with them breaking up. I didn't have much idea on how I would make them react, interact, and all. So yeah... But I promise I'll make it up to you in the last chapter !

I'm warning you there's a lot of action coming in Chapter 6, since it's the end of the fanfiction. So be sure not to miss it !

REVIEWS MUCH APPRECIATED OF COURSE

(and I thank again the ones who actually take the time to comment, as a writer that's the interesting part ! )

** KatemonLazuli **