Behind the Scenes

Summary: AU-AH. This is loosely based on the relationship between Kat and Ian on set and my take on what may have happened behind the scenes. We all know they were very close, so part of me wondered how they would have played out if things were different. Bonnie and Damon are co-stars on a tv show and the chemistry between them is electric. But the love triangle isn't limited to the show.

Song Inspiration: Hope is a Heartache – LEON

Stuck in emotions and I don't know what they mean
Keep thinking about us and how things get in between
But if it is love, it doesn't matter, you don't belong to me
But I think you know, hmm

When I talk about you, I'm afraid to say too much
Somebody asked about you, if there's something more to us
But if it is love, doesn't matter, there's nothing to discuss
And I think you know
Oh-whoa

Think back to the hotel, to where no one else could see
Us two in the hallway saying things you shouldn't say to me
And if that is love, then what's the point now? You got someone to hold
But does she know, know?

…

"Why are yelling at me?" he exclaims in a confused tone.

She spins on him with a fire in her eyes. "Because I'm mad! I'm tired of watching you try and proof yourself to someone who is never going to look at you the way you want her to. You've made mistakes…we all have! So why is it that she holds you to a different standard? You should be with someone who accepts you…all of you." she releases an exasperated sigh. "She's never going to forgive you for the terrible things you've done in your past; don't you see that?"

His eyes darken and he yells back at her bitterly. "Yeah? Well, who would?!"

"Me!" She steps closer to him, suddenly her tone changes and her eyes soften. "I have been here through everything! I've helped you through some of your darkest times and stood by you when everyone else turned their back on you." Tears spring to her eyes. "But how could I possibly measure up to her – the love of your life." Realization dawns on him, and his eyes widen. "I…" she stops herself in a panic. "I have to go." She mumbled pushing passed him.

He grabs her arm looking down into her eyes intensely. "No…tell me." He dips his head forcing her to look at him, and his hand loosens, snaking up her arm to cradle her neck. "Say it." He whispers urgently.

She swallows, finally meeting his gaze. "I love yo-" She barely got the words out before his lips crash down on hers, and she throws her arms around his neck as he hoists her up to wrap her legs around him and settles her down on the couch. He hovers over her, slipping between her legs and grinding against her, making her moan.

Their hands roam, and aggressively pull at each others clothes as their tongues danced against one another. He pulls back, their noses barely touching, and offers her a hint of a smile before going in for another kiss.

"AAND CUT!" The director called out from behind the camera. "That was great guys, I think we've got enough. That's a wrap for tonight." Everyone clapped and hollered, and after the long night it was finally time to go home.

I forced a tight-lipped smile, as Damon slowly pulled back, licking his lips and shooting me a smirk. I had been both excited and nervous about today; it was the first real relationship arc for my character after six years on the show. But it was also with Damon, a man that I lusted over for the last four years. It was hard to stay professional around a man like him, especially when he pinned you with one of those smirks; I know I wasn't the only one that fell victim to his charms. "You can get off me now." I quipped good-naturedly, trying to hide my embarrassment.

He did so slowly, and as he stood, he held out a hand to help me to my feet. "You okay? You've been quiet all day." He observed, running his thumb over the back of my hand. Damon had a way of comforting me; after years of working so closely, twelve plus hours a day on set and a significant amount of time off set, he probably knew me better than anyone. Our whole cast and crew were like a family, but Damon had a special place in my heart.

How does one tell her co-worker that your reaction to their make out sessions was not acting at all? I was still tingling from it. The truth was I couldn't. Not only would it make our working relationship awkward, but our friendship as well. It was an unwritten rule between us; of course, there was unresolved sexual tension and flirty innuendos and far more physical affection than what would normally be expected from friends…but we kept it platonic. "I'm fine." I opted for instead. "It's just been a long night."

He threw an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in as we walked off set. "Come on, let's go get a drink."

…

4 Weeks Later:

Stop staring. I watched him speak so passionately, his hands rolling, the flex in his fingers and forearms, the curve of his lips…the wild blue of his eyes. Stop. Staring. I forced my eyes to look down to my lap as Damon continued to describe the complexity of his character on the show and the direction of his story. The episode where my character's feelings were revealed was set to air next week, and the network had set up an interview for the two of them to discuss their roles and gauge the audience response.

"Bonnie, Aaliyah has been sort of a pillar for Jaxon," she gestured to Damon, "she keeps him on track, like a moral compass, basically since the beginning."

"She's been mine too." Damon interjected with a joke, shooting me a lopsided smile and resting his arm along the back on my chair. He sure knew how to work the cameras…and me.

The interviewer laughed. "My question is – when are they going to just give in and get together? I mean, it's clear that there is chemistry there and the last few episodes have been hinting at something more, building some tension…what do you think the writers have in mind for your characters? Can you give us a little teaser?"

I blinked, a little taken off guard, glancing at Damon to see him staring at me with a look that made me weak. "Well, you're a good tease so, go on…tease it up." He said playfully.

I widened my eyes at him, but I recovered quickly. "I think that the last couple seasons there's been a bit of a will they/won't they vibe between them." I glance to him, and he held my gaze. "They have this banter that is just so playful but yet loving and dynamic that eventually it will have to lead somewhere." I looked away finally. "But ultimately, we trust the writers to do what's right for the progression of the show. I guess we'll just have to see." I said evasively and he nodded in agreement.

"There are fans out there that have been sounding off saying that the 'Aaliyah/Jaxon ship is end game'." Damon and I shared a chuckle. "We know that on the show they are best friends, but that's actually true in real life, isn't it?" the interviewer directed at the both of us.

"We're all really close; the whole cast is like one big family." I started with an easy a smile. "The last four years has really bonded us…there's a lot of love there."

He rested his hand on mine, where it was placed on my crossed knee. "Oh yeah, I adore Bonnie. I mean…we spend every single day together, it's hard not to be best friends."

His hand felt so warm. I glanced at him and there was a silent moment before the interviewer interrupted. "Just friends?" she asked mischievously.

My heart slammed in my chest and I was sure my cheeks were red. "Just friends."

…

My heels clicked on the floor as Damon ushered me out of the interview room with a gentle hand on the small of my back. "What was that?" I asked him with a side glance.

"What was what?" he asked innocently, but he knew full well what I was talking about.

"We talked about this Damon…" I started with a shake of my head.

We rounded the corner, and he pushed open the door to the main lobby. "Well can you blame me? I have a hard time keeping my hands to myself as it is, and you look stunning in that dress." I raised a brow at him, and he flashed his eyes at me. "Plus, don't think I didn't notice all that ogling you were doing." He teased with a husky whisper in my ear, as we headed for the exit.

I rolled my eyes, but I cursed myself for letting him catch me slipping. "I wasn't ogling." I grumbled, pulling my sunglasses from my purse and slipping them on.

Our security detail met us at the door and ushered us out through the paparazzi crowding the studio. Damon followed behind me, and kept a hand on my shoulder. He knew I hated this part. Once we both got in the car, I let out a relieved sigh.

"You were ogling." He continued.

I stared straight ahead as well pulled away from the curb, but I couldn't help the smile. "So were you."

"Well, yeah…but I'm not afraid to admit it. Come on Bon…these last few weeks have stirred things up between us. Don't tell me you haven't felt it."

Oh, I felt it. Our scenes together had been steamy and put us both in minimal clothing, and close proximity. I've felt his lips on my stomach, I've been trapped between him and the cold tile of the shower wall…I've had to stop myself from saying his name when I was supposed to be calling him Jaxon. "Don't go there…"

He turned towards me slightly. "Why not?" Damon brushed my hair back, that had conveniently been a curtain to shield my face from his piercing gaze. "What are you afraid of?"

You. Falling head over heels for my best friend and co-worker and getting bitterly disappointed when it all crashes and burns around me. "I'm not afraid." I defended, pulling away reluctantly.

His eyes narrowed on me, like he was trying to read passed my bullshit response. "Want to know what I think? We are a hair away from crossing a line that we can't come back from and that scares the shit out of you."

Ding! Ding! Ding! God, why did he have to know me so well? "Okay, fine. Yes, that scares me…because you're my best friend and crossing that line will change everything, okay. I can do the banter, and the flirting and the sexual tension, but anything further than that…" I shook my head, dropping my eyes back to the shaking hands in my lap.

"So, you admit there's sexual tension?"

I swung my head to him with mirth in my eyes. "Well, duh." We both chuckled, and he pulled me in to rest my head on his shoulder, kissing the top of my hair sweetly.

"Okay Bon-bon…" I closed my eyes at the soft whisper of his voice. "You win. For now."

…

I sat in my chair reading my lines in between takes when I heard the laughter bubbling from one of the sets. My eyes darted up to see Damon doing a scene with Elena and they both seemed to be having a hard time holding it together long enough to get their lines out. It brought a smile to my face, hearing him curse and make a face, asking to go again. Then she leaned forward resting her hand on his chest as she giggled uncontrollably, mumbling her apologies.

Something inside of me didn't like that, and I felt jealousy rise up and sit heavily in my chest. My focus was completely drawn away from my lines, and I watched the rest of the scene play out. It was a dramatic scene, that had them arguing back and forth, until she throws herself at him for a passionate kiss, that he allows for a moment before pulling her off him with a broken 'I'm sorry' and walks away leaving her standing there alone and embarrassed. I had to watch the scene several times…too many times. It was like a bad car accident; I couldn't look away.

This shouldn't bother me. This was work. We were professionals. They were my friends. But I knew just as well as everyone else, the on again off again relationship they had when the show first started years ago. He would tell me if things were on again, right? I forced myself to go back to my script, re-reading the same lines over and over again.

"Hey Bon." My head shot up to see Damon in front of me, handing me a hot coffee from craft service, before dropping into the chair beside me. "What are you doing after this? Want to grab some dinner?" he asked casually, lolling his head to the side to look at me.

I glanced over at him over the rim of the cup with an amused smile. "It's three in the morning."

A grin pulled on his lips. "Breakfast then."

I chuckled. "Sure."

Elena ran up behind Damon, covering his eyes with her hands. "Guess who?" she whispered in his ear.

He laughed, pretending to think about it. "Hm, I wonder." Most of the cast was already gone and Bonnie only had one more scene before they wrapped for the night. "Miss. America?" he said hopefully.

Elena giggled, letting her hands slip away as she popped her head around. "Ha ha. Are you ready to go soon? I'm starving." She turned to me. "You're coming, right?"

I tried not to let my disappointment show. "I have one more scene." Here I thought it was just the two of us.

"We'll wait." Damon promised.

I could see the annoyance on Elena's face, but she forced a smile and a nod. It was a long night; I could blame her for wanting to get out of here. "It's okay. You guys go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Damon frowned. "Are you sure? Cause I don't mind."

"Mhm. My scene is with Tyler; I might be a while." We all chuckled. He notoriously forgot his lines.

"How are you getting home?" He pressed, concerned. My car has been in the shop and on the days we were working together, he made a habit of picking me up and dropping me off, even though the studio could make those arrangements for me.

"I'll get a ride." I assured, but he held my stare, unsure. "Damon, I'll be fine; go." I gave his shoulder a playful shove and Elena came around to give me a hug.

"I'm going to grab my stuff." She directed at him. "I'll meet you at the car?"

Damon stood, and I looked up at him. "Text when you get home, okay?" I nodded with a smile, and then he leaned down to kiss my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I watched him walk off, and I winced at myself for allowing myself to think that the invite was just for me. For allowing to let that it wasn't, bother me. Damon and Elena were still friends, even on their off moments, but she could tell something was different. I recognized that look in her eyes; the subtle touches, the bashful smile…she was sinking her hooks back in.

…

We all sat along the panel at Paley Fest, answering the questions directly from the fans as they came. I enjoyed this more than the other interviews; being able to interact with the fans, finding out what they thought of the show and what they wanted to see happen.

Stefan was on my left and to my right was Damon, and to his right Elena, Caroline and Tyler. I did my best to ignore his arm along the back of my chair, but I could feel his fingertips just barely touching the back of my neck. Stefan answered questions about what his favorite scene was in the show and Damon covered his microphone and leaned towards me whispering in my ear.

"Any scene with his shirt off and a mirror." He snickered with a little smirk.

I couldn't help the laugh, as I pushed his shoulder playfully. He held my gaze for a brief moment and we both glanced away. I couldn't forget where I was; in a room with thousands of people, several cameras and Elena watching speculatively. Over the last couple weeks, things had been weird between them. She seemed to be trying to get closer to him, and while Damon was polite and friendly, he didn't respond to her advances. I couldn't help but wonder why. There was a time when he would have jumped at the chance to get back together with her.

"This question is for Damon." My head snapped in the direction of the voice in the crowd. "Who do you think Jaxon should chose? Aaliyah or Olivia?" I could see Elena watching him with silent curiosity, and I dropped my gaze to the table in front of me. We all knew how the season would end – Jaxon goes back to Olivia and Aaliyah is left broken hearted.

"What do I think?" I glanced up, and found his eyes on me. "I think he should choose Aaliyah." The whole crowd went wild. Damon turned his head back to the crowd. "I mean, come on…look at her." Oh God. I let out a nervous laugh. "Honestly, I think that Olivia and Jaxon look good on paper, but they don't bring out the best in each other." I could see Elena's tense purse of her lips, but she smoothed it out quickly, aware of the cameras. "Jaxon and Aaliyah are best friends; they know everything about each other…who wouldn't want to fall in love with their best friend?" He asked rhetorically, turning his gaze to me again.

I felt my whole face flush, and I forced a tight smile to my face as the next question was asked.

…

Damon and I hung back a little longer than everyone else after the press conference; opting to do a little meet and greet with some excited fans. For some of the others, they preferred to get out of the mayhem right away, but this was the best way I could show my appreciation, and it was rewarding to see how much it meant to the fans. After signing autographs, we were finally ushered away by the PR team, and we headed back up to our rooms to change and shower before meeting up with the group for drinks at the bar.

The elevator ride up was tense, and I could feel Damon's eyes on me, but I focused on the PR manager's explanation of tomorrow's schedule. She got off on the floor below us, and now I was left alone with Damon…and the silence was deafening.

"Am I getting the cold shoulder right now?" he asked slightly amused by my silent fury.

But now that he said something, I could barely hold it in. "Kinda, yeah."

He tossed his arms up as the doors dinged open and I strode down the hallway, with him hot on my heels. "What did I do?"

"You know what you did. You shouldn't say things like that." I walked quickly, even in my heels, but Damon managed to keep stride.

"What, I was answering the question!" he exclaimed in that mischievously innocent tone; I was certain he was trying to hide a smirk, but I didn't dare glance at him. "Bonnie, can you stop for a second?" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. "What are you so worried about, huh?"

The rumble of his voice sent a shiver up my spine and I had to blink to avoid getting lost in his sensual gaze. "You get people all worked up." I stuttered out.

He stepped closer to me and I stepped back. "Do I get you worked up?" he smirked.

"You make everyone think there's something going on between us when there isn't." I insisted on a ramble, neglecting to respond to the very true answer to his question.

"Isn't there?" He fired back, and my mouth parted as I tried to come up with a response. "Bonnie…we have been playing this game of cat and mouse for some time." His finger tips ran over my shoulder and down my bare arm. "Aren't you tired of running from me?"

Yes! God, yes. And it seemed the harder I ran, faster he followed. Wouldn't it be nice? To just give in and let the wave pull us under? To succumb to what we've both wanted for far too long? Wouldn't it be a relief? "Yes…" I foundmyself saying out loud, answering my internal question. He gently backed me to the wall in the hallway. Too late to take it back now.

Damon's lips pulled in a boyish grin, and he flashed his eyes at me as his fingers captured my chin lightly. "Then let me catch you." And then he was kissing me. The taste of his lips wasn't new to me, but this feeling was. When we were acting, it was different; he was Jaxon and I was Aaliyah, and I had learned to compartmentalize those feelings. But now…I was just Bonnie and he was just Damon.

…

I dropped the magazine on Damon's coffee table, and planted my hands on my hips. "Have you seen this? We are all over the front page." I exclaimed. Said front page was from Paley fest, both of us looking at each other; Damon with a smirk and me with a sparkle in my eyes that betrayed me completely. I couldn't blame them for the headline. Love in the air on AND off set? We have sneak peak photos with all the dirty details!

He picked it up with a smirk. "Ooh, dirty tabloid gossip; it's been a while since we've had any good publicity."

"No, no, not good publicity! Damon, they think we're having some secret love affair." I grumbled.

He laughed, dropping the tabloid back on the table. "Then let's not keep it a secret."

I closed my eyes. Lord, give me the strength. I released a huff and locked him with a deadpan stare. "We agreed that it would be more professional if we didn't draw attention to our relationship when it was this new."

"No, you agreed." He pointed at me. "I was perfectly content with making a statement and letting PR handle the rest. And to be fair, that picture was before we started dating."

The last month since Paley Fest swept us away. With the season on hiatus, the two of us were able to squirrel away, hiding at either his place or mine and relish in this new found relationship. But it was new…and the last thing I wanted was to have a bunch of people and cameras flashing in our faces asking questions we weren't ready to answer. Not to mention the producers or our friends…or Elena. I got anxious just thinking about it. Elena…another topic we had yet to touch on. I don't even know if I wanted to, but I couldn't help be curious if he still felt something for her.

I plopped down on the couch next to him. "I'm sure this is going to ruffle some feathers."

He sighed, and turned to face me, pulling my legs onto his lap. "Probably…but I don't care." I stared to protest, but stopped me. "Bonnie, if I was concerned or worried at all about how the press or anyone's opinions would affect our relationship…then I wouldn't be in it for the right reasons. I care about you…and I don't care if people want to put us under a microscope, and analyze what we are to each other or how long we're going to last. It doesn't change how I feel about you." I smiled sweetly, and his kissed the back of my hand. "You want this, right?"

"Yes, of course." I assured him eagerly.

"Then let them say whatever they want."

…

The buzzer of the intercom startled us both awake, but when he saw that it was well after 2am he chose to ignore it. Whoever it was, kept ringing the bell until finally he got up out of bed in frustration. "It's okay, go back to sleep. I'll be right back." He carefully tucked the blankets back around me and kissed my forehead before pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt.

I heard him walk down the stairs and the soft click of the door. I slipped out of bed and padded to the window with curiosity. Elena was pacing outside, in baggy sweatshirt, and ballcap, chewing on her thumbnail as she waited for Damon on the front steps. On the off season, most of us stayed on the east coast, and for the three of us, New York was where we planted our roots; it was easy to hide when there were so many people. I tried to make sense of what they were saying, but only got bits and pieces.

"Is it true?"

"Elena, can we do this another time? It's late."

"No, we do this now. How could you not tell me? I had to find out from US Weekly!"

"We haven't told anyone yet."

"So, it is true. Well…is it serious? Do you love her or something?"

He glanced back at the front door. "Can we not do this now?"

"Oh my God…she's here, isn't she?" Damon was silent. "What about us…I still love you, Damon." She reached for him, but he grabbed both her hands before they could make contact with his chest.

"We've been over for a long time, Elena. It's time to move on." He released her, and she nodded sadly, wiping her tears. She stared at him for a while longer before walking back to her car.

When Damon got back upstairs, I crawled back into bed and sat there cross legged. He looked exhausted as he stripped off his shirt, and mussed his hair. "Is she okay?" I asked him quietly.

He dropped onto the edge of the bed, with his back to me. "I don't know…she's upset." I crawled over, and snaked my arms around his neck, kissing his shoulder and resting my chin there.

"I'll talk to her, okay?" He nodded, and I kissed his cheek reassuringly. "Come back to bed."

We nestled back in under the covers and he wrapped his arm around me.

…

I was nervous. This was my first public interview since Damon and I made an official statement about our relationship a couple months ago and the tabloids and TMZ had been buzzing with the question on everyone's mind – where did Elena Gilbert fit into this?

I stood backstage at The Tonight Show studio, waiting for my name to be announced.

"And now a lady that steals the hearts on and off the set, star of the hit show 'Fell's Church' Bonnie Bennett!" I walked out, waving at the fans and giving the host a hug before sitting down as everyone applauded. "Bonnie, you look lovely as usual. Thanks for coming." He said as he sat down.

"Thank you for having me." We got caught up in small talk, talking about the show and plugging for the new season before he changed the subject.

"Okay, so I tried to be good, but I can't resist and I'm sure I'm not the only one here dying to know. You and Damon Salvatore." The crowd cheered and a blush flushed my cheeks. "What can you tell us?"

I shifted slightly, and crossed my legs. "Well…obviously we've been great friends for a long time, and we care a lot about each other. But it's new and exciting and we're just seeing where it goes." I recited one of my practiced statements. Damon and I agreed to try and keep the inner details of our relationship private from the press; as much as we could anyway.

Jimmy chuckled. "Oh, you can give us more than that, can't you? Was it all those sexy scenes that did it?" He joked. "Those baby blue eyes?"

I laughed. "Let's just say it was a long time coming. He is…a very charming man."

"Does this make things awkward onset at all?"

I forced a smile. I knew where this was going. "Why would it be awkward?"

"Well, your co-star Elena and Damon had a very public on again off again relationship so I'm sure everyone is wondering how that affects work and the dynamic between the three of you." He prodded.

I took a moment to compose myself. This was on the no talk list, but I did my best to keep my cool while being put on the spot. "We're all professionals, Jimmy, and more than anything we're still really good friends. We can all be mature and still do our jobs without letting something like this get in the way."

When the interview was over and I went back stage, and ripped off the mic and battery pack as my assistant fell into step beside me. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, we were very clear that Elena was not on the table." She explained, grabbing the equipment I dropped in her hands.

"Whatever, I'm just glad it's over. Can you bring the car around? I want to get out of here."

The truth was, things had been strained between Elena and I. After our talk, we ended on good terms but I could tell she was still unhappy about how it all came out…and it was awkward, but we all decided we'd put that aside to make sure it didn't affect our performance at work.

…

"Charming, huh?" Damon boasted as he stirred the sauce for the pasta. My interview was playing in the living room and I rolled my eyes as I turned from my spot of the couch to face him.

"Well, I wasn't going to say that you basically stalked me until I gave into you." I turned back, and Damon came over placing his hands on my shoulders as we watched the rest of the interview play out. "Ugh…" when it was over, I turned off the tv with a deep sigh.

Damon placed a kiss on the top of my head. "You handled it well, baby. Don't worry." He moved back to the kitchen to finish with dinner, and I joined him, hopping up on the bar stool. "Here, try this."

He held out a spoon for me to try the tomato sauce, and I closed my eyes, humming my approval. "Mmm…I love it when you cook for me."

His eyes darted to my lips as I licked them, and he gave me a serious look. "Well, maybe I could cook for you every day. Maybe…instead of going home you could just stay here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out something, sliding it towards me on the counter top. It was a key. "Move in with me."

I was stunned into silence. This was the last thing I expected him to say. "You're serious?"

"I hate it when you leave, Bonnie. I miss you the second you walk out that door, and I've tried to take things slow because the last thing I want is to scare you away, but I love you and I've been dying to tell you for…far too long." He confessed with a nervous smile.

"Yes." I answered softly. "Yes, I'll move in with you." I grabbed him by the waist of his jeans, pulling him closer to me. "And I love you too."

…

Two Years Later:

Damon and I sat side by side on the couch, his arm around my back and my hand on his thigh as we answered the questions from the Entertainment Tonight interviewer.

"So how does it feel after eight years of working on Fell's Church to finally see it come to an end?" she asked."

"Well, I feel like we've told the story as best we could for our characters." Damon started. "It was the best eight years of my career; if it wasn't for this show I never would have met my wife, so I'm pretty grateful." He smiled down at me.

"Me too. Plus, I think it would be pretty cliché to write in a pregnancy this late in the game." I held in a smirk as Damon snapped his head to look at me with shock written all over his face.

"What did you just say?" he whispered.

The interview chuckled. "Wait, did we just get breaking news?"

I stared up at him with excitement in my eyes. "The doctor called this morning." He crushed his lips to mine, the interview forgotten as he swept me up in his arms with elated laughter.

"Well, you heard it here first, America. Bonnie and Damon Salvatore have a little one on the way! We'll be back with more farewell interviews from the cast of 'Fell's Church' as we say goodbye to the cult classic show. I'm Nicolette Murphy with Entertainment Tonight; see you tomorrow!"

…

AN: Hey Fam! I really enjoyed writing this one, I hope you liked it! - Vanessa