Author's Note: Thank you all so much for all of your feedback. SO, I realized I made a mistake last chapter. I don't think I had Bonnie invite Stefan inside, SO let's just pretend like I did. My bad. I just got so into my writing I didn't catch it in time. Please forgive me. Anywho, enjoy.
I DO NOT OWN VAMPIRE DIARIES OR THE CHARACTERS.
Music Credit: "Never Too Late" by Three Days Grace, "Breath" by Breaking Benjamin
Chapter Five:
~*.*~
'This world will never be what I expected.
And if I don't belong, who would have guessed it?
I will not leave alone everything I own,
To make you feel like it's not too late.
It's never too late.
Even if I say, 'It'll be alright.'
Still I hear you say, you want to end your life.
Now and again we try, just to stay alive.
Maybe we'll turn it around, 'cause it's not too late.
It's never too late.
No one will ever see this side reflected.
And if there's something wrong, who would have guessed it?
And I have left alone everything I own,
To make you feel like it's not too late.
It's never too late.
Even if I say, 'It'll be alright.'
Still I hear you say, you want to end your life.
Now and again we try, just to stay alive.
Maybe we'll turn it around, 'cause it's not too late.
It's never too late.'
~*.*~
My face is throbbing. It feels like someone went to town on my skull with a jackhammer. I sat up slowly.
"Oh, Bonnie, I'm sorry. Your father, he… got carried away last night. It shouldn't have gone that far." Sharon stroked my face. I flinched away from her. She actually looked remorseful. That's a first. If she feels that bad, I must look awful.
"Can we not do this right now? My head is killing me. I'm not in the mood to do this. Okay?" I said as nicely as I possibly could. She nodded.
"It might be best if you stay home for a few days. You can't go to school looking like that." She rubbed my arm with her hand. I nodded.
"Okay, but I'm not staying in the house." I told her. She didn't say anything. She got up and left. I jumped. My phone started going off.
'You took the breath right out of me.
You left a hole where my heart should be.
You've gotta fight just to make it through.
'Cause I will be the death of you.'
"Hello?" I picked up the phone. My voice is so raspy.
"Hello gorgeous, were you thinking naughty thoughts about me? You can tell me if you were. I won't judge you. I'd think naughty thoughts about me. I mean, have you seen how sexy I am?"
"Damon?"
"Hello to you, too, Bonnie. How is my favorite Bennett doing this morning?"
"I feel like someone ran me over with a tank and then did it again."
"Ah, well, we can't all feel as good as you."
"Thank you. Your pep-talks are the best." I rolled my eyes.
"Are you dressed?"
"I just woke up."
"Well, get your ass up and get dressed. You have twenty minutes. I'll see you soon."
"Wh-?" I didn't even have time to ask him what he meant. He already hung up. I got up and grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom. I closed my eyes until I was in front of the shower. I don't wanna see myself until I'm clean. Showers make everything better. This should be no exception.
I locked the door and got into the hot water. I took my time massaging the shampoo and conditioner through my hair. I shaved and got lost in my thoughts. I did all the things I'm always afraid to do because of my constant interrupted showers. But, I think I've earned this.
I washed every inch of my body, three times. I still don't feel clean enough. I don't feel like I've slept enough. I feel sore and exhausted. Maybe I should stay somewhere else while I recuperate. I just don't see how I would get Caroline to ignore the fact that I probably look like a human punching bag.
I got out of the shower and blow-dried my hair. I dried off and put lotion and deodorant on. I waited for the mirror to unfog and I stared at my reflection. It was hard. I hardly recognize myself. My eye is swollen. My lip is cut and puffy. My jaw and nose are bruised and discolored. My ribs and stomach look like a patchwork quilt of colors. I'm sure he managed to break a few more ribs for me. The bottom of my chin is scabbing. I think I pulled something in my shoulder and from the feel of it, I sprained my knee. Well, that's just super.
I hope Sharon feels bad. I hope David feels worse. I'm going to make him see me before I leave. I got dressed quickly. I grabbed my concealer and make-up. I grabbed some clothes, a pair of pajamas, the essentials, a pair of shoes, and my work clothes. I'm not staying here tonight. I can't.
If they beat me any worse than I already am, I'm going to end up in intensive care. Then people will know what they really do to me, and I won't stand a chance in hell getting out of this alive. Fuck my life.
I grabbed my phone charger, my purse and threw them in the bag. I pocketed my phone and put on my shoes. I headed downstairs. I saw Damon already talking to Sharon. He was leaning on the wall, obviously working his magic verbally. I handed him my bag and purse and he took it no questions asked.
"Sharon, I need to stay somewhere else for awhile. Just while I heal. I think you understand why." I told her. She nodded.
"You're coming back." She told me. It wasn't a question.
"I know, but unless you're prepared to let everyone know what happened to me, you have to let me heal." I didn't back down for once. She nodded. "I'm going to find David."
"I don't think that's a good idea." She put a hand on my arm to stop me."
"Why not?"
"He feels awful about what he did." She whispered, too low for Damon to hear.
"He should." I told her. I moved my arm out of her grip and went into the garage. Sure enough, David was working on a car. He looked up when he heard the door. He gasped.
"I'm so sorry Bonnie. I didn't think I could get that out of control. You know I'd never do that to you if I had been sober."
"We both know that's not true. Yesterday morning is evidence enough of that. Don't act like you're sorry." I lifted up my shirt to just below my chest so he could see all of the damage. I couldn't even put on a bra because of all the bruising. "I'm staying with someone else for awhile. I need to get better. And I can't be here to do it." I told him, watching his reaction. He looks sad, but pissed.
"Bonnie…"
"No, if you have any more slip-ups you could put me in a coma. My body can't take it right now. You were the one who got careless. You were the one who put marks all over my face. And you are the one who lost control. Now, this is your fault. If you don't let me go, this isn't just going to stay between us. My friends aren't going to tell anyone. And if you didn't want them to know, then maybe you shouldn't have thrown me outside of the house last night." I told him, raising my voice. He didn't say anything. I took that as a good sign and left. I went to find Damon.
"All ready?" He asked. I nodded. "Good. She'll be returned safe and sound when she's healthy again. You have my word." He forced a smile to Sharon. I followed him to his car and got in. "Oh, by the way Judgy, you're staying with me."
"Damon, that's too much. I can find somewhere else." I told him.
"No, and that's final. For some reason my brother cares about you, and these days he doesn't care about a lot. I'm not gonna let you die because you're stubborn, so get over it."
Damon helped me out of the car and into the house. He set me down on the couch.
"You're going to need a lot more clothes than these." He told me.
"We can go back." I told him. "I need my car anyway." Crap. I do need my car.
"Stefan is picking it up after school and don't worry about clothes. I can just take you shopping." He decided. I laughed. For some reason, I cannot picture Damon shopping. I mean, he'd be dry-humping the saleswomen at every corner. That might be fun to watch. Just sayin'.
"You know, this isn't your responsibility. I can take care of myself." I told him quietly.
"And look how far that's gotten you." He told me evenly, looking me in the eye. The hell. He doesn't have the right. I've done the best I can with what I have.
"How dare you." I whispered. He didn't say anything. "You don't know how hard I've worked to stay alive or how much better I've made things for myself. I didn't have anyone to look out for me. Just because you've known me for a few days doesn't mean that you know me. I've been working since before it was legal. I've been helping out with the office work at the Sheriff's department since I was in junior high. I've been doing grunt work at the Grill since I was ten. I knew that if I ever wanted to get out of there I had to make it happen. I don't spend the money I've earned. I have over twenty grand of my own money, not to mention the money my Grams puts in the account. I opened it with her right before they stopped letting me see her." I was fuming. I've never rambled so much in my life. How dare he! He knew exactly what to say to push my buttons and piss me off.
"I'm sorry." He pulled me into a hug. I beat against his chest but he just held me tighter. I started sobbing against him. I've fallen so far. I'm a tattered shell of the girl I used to be. Why did he have to die? I could have used a father. Life can be so cruel sometimes. I'd give anything to live with my Grams. "You don't deserve what they did to you. You're a beautiful person – they can't beat that out of you. He will rot in hell for what he did. I promise you that." He whispered. He started humming something.
I opened my eyes. I don't remember falling asleep. I have a migraine to greet me as a wake-up call. How sweet. My pillow feels hard. I pushed myself up. Where I am? I looked around. This isn't my bed. I started to get off the bed but the pain in my ribs stopped me.
"Hold on, Tiger. You're going to hurt yourself. You have to take it easy." What? My eyes landed on Damon. Oh. This must be his room. I was yelling at him and then… Everything clicked into place. He brought me back to his house. That's right. I remember now.
"Sorry. I couldn't remember where I was." I apologized lamely. He smirked.
"I've heard worse." He shrugged it off. He's so hard to figure out. Stefan is more… I wouldn't say open, but it's more straight-forward with him. Damon is so cocky; it seems to mask everything else. Though, that's probably what he wants. "Come on. You need food in your system. Zach is cooking. He wants to talk to you."
"W-Wait. What?"
"Zach. Wants. To. Talk. To. You." He told me slowly.
"Smartass, I heard you. Why does he want to talk to me?"
"I'm his nephew, not a mind reader. I'll take you down there and you can ask him yourself. We've explained your situation and he doesn't mind you staying here. He probably wants to make sure you're okay. He's a real good-doer like that. He and my brother are two of a-kind."
"So what does that make you?"
"A different kind of animal."
"They banged you up pretty good." Zach looked at my face. It wasn't a question, just an observation. I don't like being studied. I never have. It feels a lot like being put on display. Neither of them have ever seemed very desirable to me.
Zach wants me to open up and talk to him, but frankly, I don't want to. He seems nice enough, but I don't trust him. The less details everyone knows the better.
"Talk to me." He prodded.
"Why do I need to?" I asked him.
"Because talking is healthy, you need to talk about it. Keeping everything bottled up inside all the time isn't good for you. Deep down, I'm sure you know that."
"Yeah, and I also know that not saying anything is best thing for me." I told him, ending the conversation.
"I'll be here to listen when you're ready to talk. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." He told me. He started putting food onto two plates, one for me and one for him. "I hope you're hungry. I made a lot of food and Damon and Stefan already ate." He told me, handing me silverware. I nodded. It smells good. It's just what the doctor ordered, macaroni and cheese.
The differences at the Salvatore household are evident. No one fights here. It's quiet and peaceful. When it's quiet at my house, it's eerie and deafening. Things just flow here. It's so at ease. I know that I'll miss being here even though it isn't for long.
Something tells me leaving this place is going to be a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.
~*.*~
'The world we knew won't come back.
The time we lost, can't get back.
The life we had won't be ours again.
This world will never be what I expected.
And if I don't belong…
Even if I say it'll be alright,
Still I hear you say, you want to end your life.
Now and again we try just to stay alive.
Maybe we'll turn it around, 'cause it's not too late.
It's never too late.
Maybe we'll turn it around, 'cause it's not too late.
It's never too late.'
~*.*~
Author's Note: Alright guys, I know it's shorter and not quite as action-packed, BUT it was a necessary chapter. Reviews are definitely welcome. I'm excited for the next chapter! :D Will Bonnie fit in with the Salvatores? How long until she finds out the brothers have a secret of their own? Bonnie has a surprise visitor next chapter! Stay tuned! :D
Xo Xo
Anneryn