Dear diary

In just a few weeks from now I will be going for my audition in Atlanta and although I have had to sacrifice a lot I know it will all be worth it. I've lost some weight but Connor said I still have to lose a bit more. He has been my rock during this time especially since my mom and friends aren't very supportive. I've had a big fight with my mom about Connor and she thinks she can forbid me from seeing him.

I'm eighteen years old so I can make my own decisions about my life. They just don't understand what it is I am trying to become, but Connor does. He knows the dreams I want to achieve and he is having me do whatever it takes to reach them. It is because of that fact that I am falling in love with him. The others may not see it or understand our relationship but I don't care, no one is going tell me whom I can and cannot see whether mom likes it or not I will be going to Atlanta. I am not working this hard to give up on my dream now.

Bonnie

The college campus was quiet tonight since many of the students had gone home for the spring break. The garden on campus that was normally filled with students socializing or studying under trees was deserted and leaving Damon and Elena to have the place to themselves as they walked along of path on the grounds enjoying their rare date night. Damon had an arm wrapped around her while Elena was snuggled in close and had a hand resting on his chest as they walked along.

With a twenty-two month old demanding most of their attention, date night like regular teenagers wasn't something they got to enjoy too often so when the opportunity did come up and allow them to have some alone time for a couple hours they were sure to take advantage of it. Tonight was one of those nights, as Elena had come down for spring break with Claire to spend time with Damon and also take a look what could possibly and hopefully be their home the next school year.

It had been a very good week as they had Damon's dorm to themselves since Galen Vaughn had gone home for the week. This allowed Damon and Elena the chance to see what it would be like to live together next year and they were both enjoying the family time they got to themselves. The three of them hadn't had this much time together since Christmas break and Damon loved being able to spend more then just a weekend with his girls.

As the sun was about to set the two got themselves comfortable by an oak tree to relax under the pink sky during the sunset. Damon was sitting on the lush grass with his legs bent as Elena snuggled in between his legs with her back against his chest and her cheek pressed up to his. Damon slowly wrapped his one arm around her while the other was behind them keeping them stable. He pressed a kiss to Elena's cheek while she leaned into him.

"I think that was the first time in a long time I've had a hot meal" Elena told him as she recalled the dinner Damon had treated her to for their date. With Elena taking care of Claire on her own for the most part dinner during the week was usually quick or warmed up later when Claire was asleep.

"Yeah and maybe in about 18 years you'll get another one" Damon teased with a smirk before leaning in for a kiss.

"Well in just a couple months you will be home so I expect you to cook and then entertain our daughter while I eat" Elena told him with a laugh.

"And what makes you think I'm gonna cook?" Damon teased.

"Because Jenna already have a recipe book of meals she wants you to make us" Elena laughed as her fingers interlinked with his.

"Is that the only reason why I'm missed in Mystic Falls?"

Elena couldn't help but laugh as she turned her head into him so her nose could graze against his neck and inhale his scent. "Your not bad to look at either" Elena tease and she could feel Damon's chest vibrate from his laughter and then his lips against her forehead.

Elena had a smile on her face as she snuggled a little closer to him enjoying this alone time they were able to take advantage of. She was so grateful for Sage and Rose who were probably just as excited to babysit Claire as her and Damon were to enjoy a date night.

"I could get use to this" Damon said with a sigh as he looked around at the quiet campus. "The three of us living here in an apartment" he told her with a smile as he started to daydream about what their future could be like if Elena was accepted to go to school here. They had endured a tough year with him being away majority of the time and thankfully that stage in their lives could finally come to an end.

"I haven't been accepted yet," Elena reminded him not wanting them to get ahead of themselves.

"You will be" Damon assured her knowing just how hard Elena was working on keeping her grades up.

"We don't know that" Elena told him sadly and Damon just pressed a kiss to her temple while wrapping his arms tighter around her.

Biting his bottom lip Damon looked around at the campus as their mood had taken a drastic turn when they started discussing Elena coming to school here. They had a great night together and the last thing Damon wanted was it being ruined by the thought about what would happen in the fall. They still had a whole summer together to enjoy before the issues of the fall would creep up on them.

Squealing in delight, Claire was running around the dorm room as Sage was following behind the twenty-two month old. Claire had a huge smile on her face as her dark curls were bouncing in her pigtails. Giggling with excitement she crawled to hide behind the chair at Damon's desk while both Sage and Rose pretend not to know where the little girl had run off.

"Oh where could she be?" Rose said in an overdramatic tone.

"R.J. we lost her" Sage said to Rose as she pretended to cry.

Not wanting to see them worry Claire popped out from her hiding spot so that the girls could see her and she happily ran over to give Sage a hug to make her feel better.

"Oh thank god we found her!" Sage cried out as she picked Claire up and set her on her lap while giving her a big hug. "I don't know what we would do if we lost this little munchkin" Sage added and then gave a giggling Claire a kiss on the cheek.

"You'd have some explaining to do to Damon" Rose teased as she reached out to tickle the little girl.

"No I'd be on the lamb," Sage laughed while she snuggled with Claire.

The two girls had been having a lot of fun babysitting Claire so that Damon and Elena could enjoy a date night. When they had waved bye to the parents it was hard to tell who was more excited, Damon and Elena or Sage and Rose. Over the week Sage and Rose had spent a lot of time with Claire along with her parents so when they got the chance to babysit her, Claire would be okay being left with them.

"Bug!" Claire chirped as she started looking around the room.

"Where's your ladybug?" Sage asked as she too glanced around the room for the plush toy ladybug that Claire carried around everywhere. She was sitting in the middle of the room with Claire sitting on her lap as they both were looking for the ladybug.

"Oh dear we lost it" Rose said as she shrugged her shoulders and then got up to see if she could find where Claire had hid it.

"Oh dear…" Claire mimicked with wide eyes looking a little worried about where her toy was. Both Sage and Rose couldn't help but laugh at the little girl and her knew phrase.

Rose started to look around the dorm room for the stuff ladybug, checking behind the sofa, under the beds, tables and in the corners. Biting her lip and wondering where Claire could of put it she looked inside Elena's suitcase and the baby bag but saw it nowhere.

"Oh dear" Claire repeated as she bounced off Sage's lap and followed Rose around in search of her ladybug. Following behind Rose's footsteps the little girl checked under the chairs for her toy and then ran over to peak up onto the bed. Rose moved over to the kitchenette and as she started to open up the cupboards the plush ladybug fell out of one of them.

"Ah ha!" Rose said out loud and then held up the toy.

"BUG!" Claire cheered as she ran over to Rose and retrieved her newly found toy. With a smile on her face, Claire held out her hands and reached for her toy happy to see it again. When it was in her grasp she hugged it close to her body and had a huge grin on her face.

"Did you hide bug in the cupboard?" Sage said with a laugh as she took out her phone and snapped a picture of the little girl hugging her toy. Just as Sage had snapped the picture they all heard the sound of keys coming from the other side of the front door. Sage looked over at Claire with excitement and huge smile on her face. "Who could that be?" she asked the twenty-two month old.

"DADDY!" Claire squealed as she ran over to the door and started jumping up and down as she watched the handle of the doorknob being turned. "DADDY, DADDY!" she chirped again as she was clapping her hands while still holding on to her plush toy ladybug.

As the door swung open Elena walked in first and it was obvious that they could hear Claire calling for daddy on the other side as Elena faked a sad face at her daughter. "Mommy is here too," she said as she knelt down and got a hug from her little girl. Damon was walking in right behind her and when Claire caught sight of daddy it was all over for mommy as she ran for her daddy.

Sage and Rose laughed as they came to stand beside Elena while Claire was wrapping her little arms around her daddy as he was lifting her up into his arms. "Maybe he has cookies hidden in his pockets" Rose suggested as they all smile on while watching the interaction between father and daughter.

"I've checked, he doesn't" Elena answered as she shook her head. "She's a daddy's girl and has him wrapped around her little finger." It was amazing to see the two together as you would never think that they were forced to spend the weekdays apart. The smile on Claire's face and the sparkle in her eye when she was with Damon was like nothing else and the moments were sadly few and far between during the school year. "Thanks so much for doing this, its been a much needed night out for us" Elena said to Sage and Rose as she turned to thank the two for taking care of Claire so that her and Damon could get some alone time.

"Hey any time, we had fun," Rose said with a smile. She then stepped forward to where Damon was holding Claire and she reached out to tickle the little girl. "Didn't we?" she said in a friendly voice.

Claire burst into laughter when Rose tickled her stomach and then hid her head in the crook of Damon's neck. "Oh dear" Claire said with a smile as she looked over at Rose.

"Oh dear?" Elena repeated with a laugh, as she had never heard her say that before.

"Yeah, its her new favorite saying" Sage laughed.

"Oh dear" Damon said as he looked at his little girl with a smile.

"Oh dear" Claire repeated with a giggle loving all the attention.

Damon and Elena thanked Sage and Rose one last time as the girls headed out the front door waving bye to a tired Claire as she rested her head on Damon's shoulders as he little hand waved to Sage and Rose. Closing the dorm room door after they left Elena turned to look at her daughter as she let out a yawn and rubbed her little fists over her tired eyes. "Somebody had a eventful day," Elena said with a smile as she leaned in to give her little girl a kiss. When she pulled back she looked up at Damon with a smile and then leaned in for a kiss as his free hand came to wrap around Elena's waist pulling her in close.

After a moment they heard Claire let out a mumble from being squished by her parents. With a giggle Elena pulled away and ran her fingers through Claire's dark hair. "Sorry honey but you have to share daddy," Elena said with a laugh, as the three got ready for bed. Damon was holding Claire close to his chest as he fell back on the bed with a giggling Claire resting on his stomach. Climbing on the bed next to them Elena was all smiles as she was happy to get as much family time as they could. Elena and Claire a fun week her on campus with Damon but tomorrow they would be heading back to Mystic Falls.

With her music blaring in her ears and her breathing was heavy as she was running as fast as she could on the treadmill. Pressing the button on the speed to increase it, Bonnie quickened her pace a little more. Her forehead was glistening with sweat but and she was tired but she wasn't going to give in yet. Working out in the gym had become a regular lunch routine for her and after spring break she bumped it up to working out after school as well. Bonnie was weeks away from her audition in Atlanta and although her body was sickly thin she wasn't stopping now.

Her bones were becoming much more visible over the last few weeks, her ribs noticeable through her tank top and her arms and legs were like twigs. While her family and friends worried about her and begged her to get help and get better, Bonnie refused. Her mother forbid her daughter from seeing Connor anymore and told her daughter she wouldn't be going to Atlanta but Bonnie ignored her. She continued to see Connor behind her back, and while she was sleeping with him she also allowed him to tell her where she needed to lose more weight. The dark circles under her eyes were getting worse with each coming day and Bonnie refused to listen to anyone's pleads.

Bonnie was so focus on her workout that she didn't even notice as Elena and Caroline had entered the school gym as they were looking for their friend. As the girls came around to look at their friend they both had worried looks on their faces. Today was their first day back from spring break and already Bonnie was blowing off spending time with them to work out in the gym. "Hey Bonnie" Caroline said in a worried tone that made Bonnie roll her eyes. Biting her bottom lip Caroline shared a look of concern for their friend.

"Maybe you should take a break," Elena suggested as she took a step towards her friends while Bonnie was refusing to make eye contact with them.

"I don't need to take a break," Bonnie told them and instead of slowing down she increased her speed.

"Maybe you should have some water," Caroline suggested as she moved over to the bench across the room to get Bonnie's water bottle out of her bag. As she unzipped her bag to get her water bottle she noticed Bonnie's cell phone sitting on top as it was displaying a missed call from Conner and a text to meet up after school. Shocked to see it Caroline picked up the phone and looked over at her friend with concern. "Why is Connor still calling you?" Caroline asked her friend knowing full well that her mom had forbid her from talking to him anymore.

"Hey stay away from my stuff!" Bonnie snapped at her friend as she continued running on the treadmill.

"Are you still talking to him?" Caroline asked.

"I said leave my stuff alone!" Bonnie bark at her friend and she jumped off the treadmill. She intended to race over to Caroline and grab her phone off of her but her body didn't have the strength. She suddenly felt light headed and as her hand came up to hold her forehead her legs were giving out under her. Luckily Elena was standing beside her and noticed what was about to happen and immediately reached out to grab her friend.

"BONNIE!" Elena yelled in terror as her friend collapsed in her arms. Caroline quickly moved to her friend's side and forgot all about Connor, as she was worried about her friend. Elena slowly lowered Bonnie to the floor and her head was resting on her lap. She was slowly gaining consciousness again and as her eyes fluttered open she was looking up at her friends worried eyes looking down at her.

"Drink some water" Caroline told her and held the water bottle out for her. A disoriented Bonnie looked at her friend a little confused as to what was going on but accepted the bottle and brought it to her lips. Gulping back the water Bonnie slowly started to sit up even though Caroline and Elena tried to get their friend to relax.

"I'm fine, just a little head rush" Bonnie told them as she set the bottle of water down and moved to get to her feet.

"Just take it easy Bonnie" Caroline begged her friend.

"I said I'm fine" Bonnie snapped at them getting to her feet and grabbed her phone away from Caroline while she was at it.

Elena too got to her feet but kept her eye on her friend just incase she needed her help again. The bell rang ending the lunch hour and a concerned Caroline and Elena watched as their friend was picking up her bag and looking at her phone to read the message form Connor.

"Bonnie, what are you doing? Please tell me your aren't still talking to that creep" Caroline asked her.

"Try and mind your own business Care" Bonnie snapped at her.

"We're worried about you" Elena added. She hated seeing her friend like this, seeing how thin and tired she was becoming. Her grades were suffering and the obsession with losing weight and making it into the modeling world was definitely a big concern for her mom and her friends. They had told Bonnie to stay away from Connor but it was now obvious that she wasn't listening to them and was seeing him behind their backs. Connor had a big hold on Bonnie and Elena felt that if they didn't save Bonnie soon things would get worse.

"Well you don't have to be" Bonnie told them and then left the gym and her friends standing their shocked and wondering what else they could do when Bonnie obviously didn't see anything wrong with what she was doing.

"This is insane!" Caroline cried as she watched Bonnie leave or at least what was left of her. "That creep has her handing on his every word because she thinks he is the only one who can make her dreams come true and he is going to get her killed."

"What are we gonna do?" Elena asked knowing they had to help their friend from herself.

"I don't know" Caroline said doing her best not to cry as she was so scared for her friend right now.

The two girls had gone to the cafeteria for lunch earlier and they had waited for Bonnie to join them but she never did. After Elena had spent her spring break at Virginia State University with Damon this was the time Caroline was able to catch up with her friend. It was obvious to Caroline that Elena had a great time on spring break and being able to be with Damon for longer then a weekend was good for her and Claire. She could also see that having to say goodbye was that much harder for Elena and even Claire who seemed to be asking for daddy more and more. Yet as much as what Elena was going through Caroline had to fill her friend in on Bonnie and her growing trouble. She had told her how Mrs. Bennett had forbid Bonnie from seeing Connor anymore especially after learning that she was being intimate with him. It came as a big shock to Elena at how much had gone on while she was away and how her friend's life was definitely at risk.

"There has got to be more we can do" Elena said as the two left the gym and joined the large crowd of students making their way to their next class.

"Bonnie seems to be in denial that there is something wrong and unless we can make her see what the bastard is doing to her we can't help her" Caroline said in frustration. "I'm so scared for her right now and I feel like I can't get through to her."

The girls made their way to class and since all three of them had the same class they hoped they would have more time to talk to Bonnie after class. Along with a number of other students the girls entered their history class with Mr. Saltzman whom was beginning to write on the chalkboard. Elena and Caroline took their seats but they soon noticed that as the class filled up the seat to the left of Caroline remained empty. That seat was usually occupied by Bonnie but as the second bell rang to let students know they should already be in class the seat stayed empty.

"Okay everyone here?" Mr. Saltzman asked as he began the lecture for the day.

Caroline and Elena shared looked of concern as they began to realize that since Bonnie wasn't in class there was a good chance she was with Connor and they had no idea where.

"I'm so worried about her," Elena said in a worried tone as she sat in the family room staring at her laptop on the coffee table. Following school Elena had picked Claire from daycare and while she was unable to get a hold on Bonnie they informed her mother about what was going on. Now Elena was stuck waiting to see if her friend was all right and felt so helpless as she talked to Damon on Skype.

"Have you tried calling her?" Damon asked, as he was multi-tasking with his studying. Finals were a month away and he had a lot to study for in the next coming month. After Elena and Claire had left it meant that it was time to prepare for finals and now his and Galen's dorm room was covered in textbooks and notes from both of them.

"I've tried but she's not answering. Damon you haven't seen her lately she looks so thin and sick I don't know how to help her. This guy has her convinced to keep losing weight and not to eat" Elena said as she ran her fingers through her hair and thought about how Bonnie's appearance had changed so much from a month or so ago. "She needs help and no matter how much we try to help her she pushes us away" Elena added scared for her best friends life.

"I'm sorry" Damon said as he could see how troubled Elena was about what her friend was doing to herself. Sure Bonnie and Damon never saw eye to eye on pretty much anything and Bonnie's opinion of him was not a subtle. In fact every chance Bonnie got she was open about letting everyone know she disapproved of him and Elena. Though Damon could really care less what Bennett thought of him he did know that it bothered Elena and he did his best to just ignore her. With that all being said he didn't want any harm to come to her and didn't want some guy taking advantage of her like Connor was.

'Yeah…" Elena mumbled and then looked over at Claire playing on the floor with her doll. The little girl was so excited to see her daddy on the laptop and spent a good five minutes blabbering about her day and although most of it didn't make sense she was getting to that age where she could string a few words together. After that Claire stayed in the background playing but every so often came over to the screen to see if daddy was still there.

"Daddy!" came Claire's voice a she got up from her spot on the floor and stumbled on over to stand by her mommy and see daddy on the laptop screen. "Hi daddy" she said with a wave and that adorable smile of hers.

"Hey ladybug, what do you have there?" Damon asked as his face lit up at the sight of his little girl.

"Baby!" she told him proudly and then held up the doll that Damon had bought her over spring break.

"Can you give baby a hug?" he asked her.

With a dramatic nod, Claire held the doll close to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. Her head rested on the dolls head and her little hand patted the back of the doll just like the hugs her mommy and daddy give her at bedtime.

"Aw that's very nice of you" Damon said to his ladybug as the little girl smiled at him and then turned and walked away to go and play. "God I miss her" Damon said in a sad sigh.

Elena could see just how hard this was on Damon to be away from his little girl and miss out on some of the new things she learned on a daily bases. She hated seeing that sad look in his eyes when he had to say goodbye because he had class or had to study and at night time he wasn't able to kiss his ladybug good night.

"Just over one month to go" Elena reminded him softly and breaking Damon from his trance. "Just over a month and then you will be here with us for four months" she told him, as she too couldn't wait for Damon to be done school for the year.

"Yeah I just have to survive 5 exams each worth about 50% of my mark" he told her as he looked at all his textbooks and all the work he had ahead of him in the next month and a bit. It was true he was almost there but this was definitely going to be a long 6 weeks.

"So how was your first day back?" Elena asked him.

"Not bad, Galen is living out of his suitcases still so our dorm room is a mess but professors are getting us ready for finals so the finish line isn't far away." Damon told her.

"Well I can't wait to have you home for the summer" Elena told him with a smile. "Anyway I have to go and get dinner started, Jenna and I have a some wedding stuff to go over when she get home so I have to cook."

"You cook?" Damon said with a laugh and Elena gave him an evil eye and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Haha yes I can cook" Elena told him while Damon just laughed while he played with his pencil. "Any I got to go so…" she started to say even though she didn't really want to say goodbye.

"Can you just leave it on?" Damon asked her with a plea. "I just want to watch Claire for a little while longer."

Elena smiled and gave a nod as she moved the laptop so that Damon would have a clear view of Claire playing on the floor. "Love you babe" Elena said as she waved to him one last time.

"Love you too" Damon said as gave her one last smile before he saw Elena making her way to the kitchen to make dinner. This left him sitting at his desk staring at the screen as Claire playing in the background. He had a smile on his face as he watched her and couldn't believe how big she was getting. Leaning back in his chair Damon started to do his homework with the sound of Claire's little voice talking in the background.