How About One Last Dance

Summary: Season 7 Off Canon – When Damon realizes his time is cut short, he finds Bonnie to spend whatever time he has left with her.

Song Inspiration: All I Ask – Adele

AN: Back with another Adele song, because who doesn't love Adele?! This one is a bit more angst and not a happy ending, but will still have a beauty to it. Hope you enjoy.

…

I will leave my heart at the door
I won't say a word
They've all been said before, you know
So why don't we just play pretend?
Like we're not scared of what's coming next
Or scared of having nothing left

Look, don't get me wrong
I know there is no tomorrow
All I ask is

If this is my last night with you
Hold me like I'm more than just a friend
Give me a memory I can use
Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do
It matters how this ends…
'Cause what if I never love again?

…

It was a late night, and she was grateful to finally be home and crawling into her own bed, but she was caught off guard when she saw Damon standing at her window, with his back to her, his hands holding himself up on either side of the window frame.

She rolled her eyes as she flicked the light on. "You just spent three months letting me nag and follow you around Europe; aren't you sick of me yet?" she teased, dropping her bag to the floor, but the smile fell from her face when she saw his head hang. "What's wrong?" Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for him to face her.

"Klaus is dead." He uttered forebodingly, and her heart plummeted to her feet.

"What?" He turned and the look on his face told her that it was true. It wasn't often that Damon showed his emotions so openly, but with the moonlight shining through the window, the tears were pooled in his eyes. Bonnie swiped at the tears that fell down her cheeks. "Well, I'll find a spell…something to save you, and Caroline and Stefan." She sprung into action, rushing to the grimoire on her vanity and flipping through it, but Damon sped to her, putting a gentle hand on her wrist.

"Bonnie…it's too late. I don't have much time." He explained in a strained voice. "I just needed to see you." It occurred to her that out of all the people he could have spent his last moments with, he came here. She watched as he picked a song on her Bluetooth speaker and the soft piano of an Adele song filled the room. "How about one last dance?" Damon held out a hand and she placed her shaking one in his, burying her face in his chest, as he soothed her quiet sobs with strokes of her hair. "Shh, it's okay."

"How am I supposed to do this without you?" she cried, and his thumbs smudged the tears away.

He forced a watery smile, looking down at her as they swayed. "You'll get by. You're strong." There was so much that had been left unsaid between them; so many emotions and feelings that the two of them buried deep below the surface for too long. Feelings that were not appropriate for two people that considered each other best friends…

Her green eyes shone. "I'm scared."

He nodded with a deep swallow. "Me too. But if there's one person in this world, I'd want to spend my last moments with, it's you Bonnie Bennett." She rested her head back on his chest and squeezed her eyes shut. "You need to know how much I admire you; your strength, your heart, your loyalty…how despite all the terrible things I've done, you can still find it in you to forgive me."

Bonnie gripped him tighter, knowing it was the last time she'd have him this close, and she felt her heart break in her chest. She thought she had been doing the right thing…the loyal and noble thing, but now she wished she had been selfish. "Damon…" her voice trembled. "There's so much I haven't told you."

He cradled her face in his hands, his eyes darting back and forth between hers. "You don't have to tell me. I already know…" his brows slanted sadly when she broke down and her face crumbled. "Hey, hey…it's alright. I think we both know that there was always something more between us; more than just friends."

Bonnie nodded, biting down hard on her lip. "I know that it's wrong." She whispered. "But for right now…can we just pretend that that's okay? Can we just have one moment where we don't have to feel guilty?"

Damon smiled. "Yeah…" He felt a wave come over him, and Bonnie was quick to hold him up.

"Damon?" Panic filled her voice. "How long do we have?"

He shook it off, steadying himself on his feet. "I don't know…Bonnie, listen to me. I'm s-sorry." He stuttered as the emotions washed over him. "For everything that I ever did that hurt you. For letting you think that you weren't by far the one of the most important people to ever walk into my life. All I wish is that we had more time…" He dropped his forehead onto her hers, and as she cupped his face in her small hands, his came up to hold them there, his thumbs stroking the backs of her hands.

"This isn't fair…" she cried.

"I know." He squeezed his eyes shut and the tears slipped down his cheeks. "I've come to realize that most things in life aren't fair…especially for people like us." Damon slowly pressed his lips to hers, and she kissed him back with a sigh of relief. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time." He trailed off as his knees gave beneath him, and Bonnie lowered them both down to the floor. "It's happening…" he breathed before he groaned in agony, clutching at her desperately. "Don't leave me, Bonnie."

Bonnie cradled him in her lap, brushing the raven locks away from his forehead, fat tears falling on his shirt. "It's okay…I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He coughed, and drops of blood splattered the hardwood floor. Fear was painted across her face and her mouth fell open as she held him tighter. "Damon…Damon, look at me…" He swung his eyes up to look at her and for the first time, she saw a different Damon…a human Damon. "I love you." Her lips trembled as she expressed the words she'd been holding back.

He smiled beautifully, and his hand came up to touch her cheek. "I love…" but before he could finish the grey crept up his neck and spread over his face. Bonnie brought her hand to her mouth as she watched the life leave his eyes and with it, she wondered if anyone else would ever fill the hole he left.

…

AN: I know, it's sad! But I needed to get that out. Sometimes I need a bit of sadness and heartbreak in my stories. Sorry, that it's on the shorter side. I'll be back with another one soon. - Vanessa