I'll kiss your open sores

-Nirvana

#

So this was it, her ultimate stage dive. This was the moment she hurled herself into a surging crowd, faithful and trusting that they would celebrate her, that they would embrace her and not toss her out on her ass. She sighed, leaning her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. It had taken Bonnie exactly three weeks to get out of her lease and pack everything up in boxes. She wasn't going to kid herself, the idea of moving in with Damon scared her shitless.

Sealing shut another labelled box with duct tape; she took a pull from her beer and scanned the empty apartment. The naked floor that had once anchored the bed she had shared with Kol, the spot that had once hugged his piano and the musty tinkling of his piano on rainy Sunday afternoons. The apartment seemed so bare now, like undisturbed bones that breathed only dust mottled air. Bonnie had packed the ways away in storage, rented a container close to her office even though Damon had insisted she move in with her things so that she could feel more at home in his space. She thought it too cheesy to tell him that wherever he was, was now her home.

The peal of the doorbell jolted her back into the present, made her choke on her beer as she scrambled to her feet to attend to the movers.

"Kol" she blinked owlishly, the tenor in her voice stolen away by shock.

"You haven't been taking my calls" he said simply, brushing past her and into the bareness of their old apartment. His gait was improving, she thought as she watched his casual strides, ripped jeans and heavy wool sweater shaping his form.

"I've been busy" she shrugged her shoulders, folding her arms across her chest.

"I hear you're moving" Kol's gaze narrowed on her , licking the length of her body from her Pearl Jam tee-shirt to her ripped black jeans.

"Katherine?" she jerked her head up, cocking it to the side.

He nodded and Bonnie's eyes darted down to the bottle of wine and two paper cups he held in his hand.

"I came prepared for a proper good-bye, "he raised the bottle, gesturing to the white paper cups, "If you'll have me"

"Well, since I was already out of my stash, you saved me a trip to the store" she feigned a playful shrug taking the drink on offer. They sat on the floor, knees up and heads leaning against the wall.

"Are you happy?" Kol asked, his eyes fleeting to the shadows that treaded along the walls, spreading into the worn hardwood floors.

"Yeah, I'm happy" she smiled, big and glowing.

"No feelings of dejavu?"

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't feel like you've been down this road before?" he tapped his head against the wall, heavy-lidded eyes spying her.

"Kol, "Bonnie shook her head, eyes narrowed toward him.

"You're just replacing another reckless relationship with a pianist with a rockstar" his brows furrowed as he licked his lower lip.

"Not fair, I'd hardly call you reckless" she chuckled, nudging his arm with her elbow.

"I just don't want you to get hurt,"Kol murmured, pressing a hand to her knee. Heaving another heavy sigh, she grasped his hand and held it close to her cheek. Her eyes darted from his golden summer hair to his sad, muddy eyes.

"You let me worry about my heart" her voice was coarse, a big smile blooming across her face.

"What about your career?" he said softly, his gaze dragging slowly down her face. Bonnie felt his eyes cling to every feature on her face and she cleared her throat before she responded.

"I'm happy at Mainstay Magazine" she replied gruffly, tipping her head back to take another long drink.

"No more aspirations of Rolling Stone? "he raised an eyebrow, a flicker of a smile lighting his golden face.

"Kol, it is what it is and right now, this is it" Bonnie blew her hair away from her face, quickly fluffing her blunt bangs with her fingertips.

"I'm going back to New York" Kol announced hastily, as quickly as he guzzled down half his wine.

"No more aspirations of Benaroya hall?" she gave him a sidelong glance, watching as he pondered her question with his eyes staring deep into his paper cup.

"I'm a Mikaelson, New York will be better for me" he announced, sounding hopeful. Bonnie patted his knee, offering him an affectionate smile.

"Everything will work out, "she finally said, nudging his shoulder with her nose and resting her head there. They had come full circle, Bonnie thought, no more resentments. She was truly happy.

ooo

"You know what I'm fixin to do to you now?" Damon pounced on her as soon as they have finished packing her things away because Bonnie had insisted on clearing away everything before they relaxed. It was late and her head buzzed from the champagne they had consumed earlier with their Thai takeaway. Damon threw his arms around her waist and drove her against the wall. Gliding his fingers down to her hips, he secured a tight grip around her buttocks and buried his mouth along her neck. Bonnie whimpered, tilting her chin up to provide him better access to the spot he was seeking feverishly.

"Read me a bedtime story?" she moaned, brushing her flushed cheek over his stubble jaw.

"I'm gonna play your body like a bad bass guitar, leave you weak and knock-need" Damon grabbed her legs, lifting her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Looping her arms around his neck, she arched her back and pressed herself closer to the growing pressure between his legs.

"No knock-knees please, I love my legs, I like being able to walk" chuckling huskily, she hooked a finger into the waistband of his jeans as her mouth lingered over his mouth.

"You really do talk too much" his voice was gruff, filled with a deep ache for her. He moistened his lips, her breath tickling his lips and the vibration of her voice there doing immeasurable things to his groin.

"A vast vocabulary, the hazards of being a writer" Bonnie whispered, teasing his lips with her tongue. Hissing in a sharp breath, Damon plunged in with an urgent, heated kiss. His hands fisted into her hair, his mouth spread deliciously deep over hers as he carried her to the kitchen.

"You know we eat here right?" she panted as he lay on the island counter. Propping herself up by her elbows, Bonnie observed as he pulled her jeans over her undulating hips. She gasped when his teeth pulled the lacy material of her black panties down her legs and clenched her eyes, stifling the torrent of giggles bubbling inside her throat.

"And that's exactly what I intend on doing" he growled, head dipping between her legs.

ooo

Bonnie sat between Damon's legs, her back leaning against his oiled chest and his guitar nestled between her legs as he strummed it. She loved the way his fingers brushed pat her inner thighs whenever he toyed with the body of his bass guitar, just before the tips tweaked the wailing strings.

"Read to me" he murmured against her neck, "and I'll play for you"

"I like to see it lap for miles, and lick the Valley's up" Bonnie read softly, languidly as his fingers flexed the guitar strings. She felt his teeth rake across her damp skin and paused briefly to savour the moment.

"To fit its ribs and crawl between…" she continued, tossing her head back to rest it blissfully against his shoulder. Damon lowered his head, parting her lips with his tantalising tongue.

"Who's that?" he purred against her mouth before kissing her again.

"Emily Dickinson" she breathed, burying her face against his neck, her naked legs tangled with his.

Ooo

It took them weeks to get a rhythm going, long weekdays of her going to the office or working from home the days that Damon wasn't working on Restless Soul's upcoming album and weekends of the band playing some concert or intimate dinner parties at Alaric's Tuscan home. They always declined the raucous parties Enzo invited them to and tried to stay away from the growing paparazzi interest around Damon Salvatore. Bonnie wanted to keep as her Alabama, she didn't want to share his soul with the waiting world but she knew she had to let go like a parent did on her child's first day at school.

"A star is born "she teased, one evening as they finished making love before heading out for the night.

"I want to own you forever" he said, his thumb pushing her chin and tipping her head up to him.

"I'm not yours to own" she chuckled against his mouth as she crawled over him.

"But you'll be mine to keep" he draped his arms around her wriggling body, kissing her sweat glazed forehead.

"Let's get his and hers tattoos" Bonnie joked, pinching his nipples between her fingertips before teasing her tongue around the swollen nubs.

She never expected him to take her seriously but then again, he was a rock star.

ooo

Bonnie bit her lip, flinching as she watched the needle pierce her skin creating psychedelic waves of dark ink. Her fingers laced through his fingers, tangled together like vice grips. She felt better knowing that Damon was there to help her through her pain.

"I just branded you," Damon wet his lips, giving her a wink.

"I just branded you, Alabama" she chuckled, flinching swiftly at pain pressing her raw skin.