Silhouettes – Part IX

Bonnie couldn't help but watch him as he slept. Here was one of the oldest and dangerous men she'd ever encountered…sleeping in her bed, looking entirely out of place against her soft white sheets and purple duvet. He looked far more innocent than the things he was capable of…including the things he did to her last night. It still made her blush. Her eyes roamed his face; from his thick black lashes to the full pout of his lips. He was so handsome…she almost couldn't believe he was real. The man laying before her was a stark contrast to the man that destroyed everything in his path when he first got to Mystic Falls.

"It's rude to stare you know." His gravely voice mumbled, catching her off guard.

Her eyes snapped from her admiration of his chest to his face, and narrowed her gaze at him as she poked him in his side. His eyes were still closed but there was a lazy smile pulling his lips. "I thought you were asleep."

Then he lolled his head the side, and opened his eyes, leaving her to stare directly into the ocean depths. "I was but then I smelt breakfast." He waggled his brows at her, enjoying the deep blush that spread on her cheeks as she realized what he meant. Her scent was intoxicating to him, and her desire for him was something he was easily becoming addicted to.

Her mouth dropped open, scandalized. "Ew!"

"That's not what you were saying last night." He teased.

"Damon!" She exclaimed slapping his chest.

He pulled her closer to him swiftly, nuzzling her neck. "Mm, it sounded like that, but…breathier." He licked a path up her neck from her collarbone, and sucked her earlobe into his mouth.

Bonnie tipped her head back, gripping his arms as a gasp escaped her. "Damon…" she sighed.

He chuckled, pulling away to watch her with adoration; the bliss written all over her face. "Just like that." When her glassy gaze landed back on him, her smile turned somber. And despite trying to hide it, he noticed. "What's wrong?" He brushed a loose curl from her face.

She grabbed his hand, kissing his knuckles. "I'm happy; really happy…and I think I'm just terrified something's going to ruin it." She admitted softly. Shifting slightly, Bonnie propped her head up on her palm, facing him. "Do you ever get this feeling…like something terrible is going to happen, and there's nothing you can do to stop it?" She whispered, her eyes wide and scared. Damon's brows pinched in concern. He was use to seeing her so brave and confident; fire flaring in her eyes. But right now, she looked every bit her seventeen years. She continued. "I've been getting that feeling…and I can't shake it."

He offered her a gentle smile, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You know I'm not going to let anything happen to you. No matter how bad it gets, I'm not going anywhere." Damon's words were so full of conviction that it was enough to ease her for the moment, but the fear still sat deep inside. "Hey…" he got her attention back. "I'm always going to be with you, Bonnie."

"I know…" she whispered, choking on the words as her hand found it's perch on his chest, where his heart was. "I'm not going anywhere either." She sucked in a deep breath. She wanted to tell him, but saying it out loud made it real, and that meant it could be taken from her. Everything she loved was usually ripped away from her, and she didn't think she could handle losing Damon. She looked at him; her eyes bouncing between his trying to tell him everything she was feeling. The word 'love' didn't seem to mean enough. Her hand flexed against his chest, her energy pouring into him.

Damon's eyes closed as he experienced the deepest most profound connection he'd ever felt for another human being. Every emotion, every feeling she had filled every vein in his body, as he sucked in a shaky breath. When he opened his eyes again, they were glassy and a beaming smile broke his face. "I love you too." He whispered back before capturing her lips in a kiss.

…

Elena opened the door to Stefan on the other side with disappointment on her face. "Well…" she looked at the watch on her wrist. "You're only ten hours late, but at least you made it." She laughed sarcastically as she opened the door for him.

Stefan cocked his head, as he slipped passed her. "What are you talking about?"

She closed the door behind him and turned to face him in the foyer. "I thought you were going to come by last night. I was waiting for you."

Confusion pulled on his brows. "I was with Damon last night, Elena, I told you that."

"Yeah…and then he ditched you and you came to the Grill." She explained slowly.

"No, I didn't." he shook his head.

Elena blinked. "Stefan, I saw you. We talked."

"No, we didn't." he affirmed. "I never went to the Grill last night. Damon and I hung out at the house, then he left and spent the night at Bonnie's." He stared at her curiously. "Just how wild did girl's night get?" he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes with a huff. "I wasn't drunk. I saw you. We had a full-on conversation. You kissed me. Trust me, I wouldn't forget a kiss like that." Her cheeks flushed as she recalled it.

She seemed so sure of herself; it began to worry him. "That wasn't me, Elena."

She crossed her arms, levelling him with a disbelieving stare. "Then who was it?"

…

"Well, that's terrifying." Damon started, pouring a drink and coming around to sit on the arm of the lounge chair Bonnie was sitting in. "One Stefan is bad enough; now I have two insufferable brothers to deal with?" He chuckled when Stefan and Elena pinned him with an unimpressed stare. "Joking." He added raising a hand of surrender.

Elena crossed her arms as she paced the floor nervously. "What's more terrifying is that he seemed to know things about us. He knew about Damon compelling Caroline, and he acted like he knew me; like I wasn't just some totally random person. I was so sure it was you, Stefan. He didn't just look like you…he was you."

Stefan's jaw twitched. "Bonnie, do you have any idea what this could be?"

She shrugged helplessly, her mouth dropping open. "I don't know…it could be a doppelganger, I guess. But what are the chances of you and Elena both having doppelgangers? It can't be a coincidence." She looked up at Damon, and he shared in her look of concern. She was fearing that this was the something that was coming. "I'll do some research today. I'll let you know what I come up with."

Elena ran a hand through her hair. "And what if I see him again?"

"Play the dotting girlfriend. Don't lead him to believe you know anything." Damon piped up. "Hopefully we can figure out what the hell is going on and get rid of him."

Just then the doors opened and Alaric and Caroline came rushing in. "Guys…we have a problem." The teacher announced.

"Something big went down last night." The blonde started. "I heard my mom talking to the deputies this morning. Someone raided all the blood from the hospital. And not just in Mystic Falls; the one in Grove Hill, Keswick and Cartersville. All small towns all leading right here. What on earth could need that much blood?"

Bonnie, Damon, Elena and Stefan all looked at each other. "One wild guess as to who's behind that." Damon grumbled.

While Elena and Stefan filled in Caroline and Alaric, Bonnie slipped away into the kitchen, Damon following her. "You okay?" He asked watching her pour a glass of water and gulping it down.

"I'm trying to be." She responded honestly. There was no use in lying to him; he could read her like a book. "But none of what we just found out eases that feeling I've been getting. I thought with Katherine gone we were able to get back to normal."

Damon wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. "We don't even know what this is yet. I don't want you worrying your pretty little head about it." He planted a kiss on the crown of her head before he pulled back to look down at her. "Okay?" She forced a smile, looking up at him towering over her, and nodded.

But she did worry about it. All day, and all night. And while Damon slept that night, she tossed and turned.

Bonnie woke in a sweat. She looked to her left in Damon's California king to see him faced away from her, laying on his stomach. Careful not to wake him, she slipped out from between the sheets, her bare feet padding along the wooden floor. He rustled, but only buried further into the pillows.

She made her way down the stairs, the floorboards creaking beneath her, echoing in the silent house. When she made it to the kitchen, she had ever intention of getting something to drink, but something through the window above the sink caught her eye. With a tilt of her head, Bonnie peering deeper into the darkness, catching the shadow moving through the brush. Her chest heaved as panic filled her; she should go back to bed – she knew she should, but almost of their own volition, her feet carried her to the side door, turning the knob slowly and stepping out into the crisp night air.

Walking through the back gardens, she glanced around for the figure she saw, but only the wind whipping in the trees were enough to catch her eye. The dew on the grass was cool beneath her toes, and goosebumps raised the hair on her arms, but she continued on. Time seemed to escape her and suddenly she found herself standing in a cave, staring at the calcified body of a man. Her stomach dropped. She wasn't alone. Slowly, she turned and there stood a man, in the shadows, his face darkened by his silhouette.

"Hello, Bonnie. So glad you could make it." She couldn't see it, but she knew he was smirking.

Her eyes squinted, trying to make out his face. The voice was so familiar. "Stefan?"

He chuckled, walking further towards her, slow and predatory. "Now, Bonnie…" He drawled condescendingly. "You know that's not who I am. Take another guess." She shook her head confused. "Come on, think really hard. Dig deep."

She racked her brain, closing her eyes and tapped into her senses. Flashes from the night she preformed the expression spell assaulted her, and as if she were watching a movie, a glimpse of a witch – her ancestor; Qetsiyah, and Elena…no Amara. A man…Bonnie's eyes popped open.

Gasping, Bonnie shot out of bed panting, sweat beading on her forehead. Damon sat up with her, brushing the hair from her face, trying to calm her as the paintings shook on the walls and the bed levitated from the floor.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" Books fell off the shelf, and the lights flickered on and off.

She stared into nothingness, as dread filled her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. "Silas. He's here."

"Who's Silas?" He asked wide eyed and confused.

She continued as if she didn't even hear him. "It's all connected. Katherine, the expression triangle, the raided blood banks…Stefan's doppelganger. It's him." She rambled, putting all the pieces together.

Damon turned her to face him finally, and when her gaze met his, the magic radiating around them settled, the bed dropping two inches back to the floor. "Who is Silas, Bonnie?"

"He's the something terrible I was worrying about." She worried her trembling lip between her teeth and buried her face in her hands, bringing her knees to her chest.

He tried not to show the fear he was feeling; not for what was coming, but for how terrified it made her. "How do you know he's here?" he asked her gently, running a soothing hand up and down her back.

Bonnie turned her head to him, still resting her temple on her knees. "Because he's calling me out, Damon." She explained through her tears. "He wants me to go to him."

Damon blinked. "Well, I think you and I can both agree, that's not going to happen."

"I have to. I need to find out what he wants from us!" she insisted firmly flinging the sheet off of her and rising to her feet. She paced the floor beside the bed as Damon pushed himself back to lean on the headboard. "There's a reason Katherine used me to do that spell, and whatever is going on, I'm right in the middle of it. In the middle of it is right where I belong; you said that." She raised a brow at him pointedly.

"Yeah, that was before your life was in danger, Bonnie! No, absolutely not!" he argued with finality, his hand cutting through the air. Using his vampire speed, Damon flicked the blankets off and stood, his body naked except for his briefs.

Crossing her arms, Bonnie glared at him from across the giant bed. "So, what am I supposed to do? Just let him terrorize our home and us until he ultimately gets what he wants anyways?"

He strode around the bed coming to stand in front of her. "You don't have to do anything. That's why I'm here." He smiled easily, turning on the Salvatore charm. "Let me and Stefan look into it first, okay?" He sensed her hesitance, and brought his palms together in front of his face. "Please?"

She knew what he was doing, and she didn't blame him for wanting to protect her, but she knew this was something he couldn't bare the load of for her. She had to handle this herself; but she knew Damon, and arguing with him about it would only have them going in circles. They were both too stubborn for their own good. Bonnie forced a smile, looking up at him. "Okay."

"Thank you." He said gratefully, with a sigh of relief. "Honestly I thought it was going to be harder to convince you than that." He chuckled. "Now come back to bed…sun's not even up yet."

Running her hand over her face she shook her head. "I don't think I could sleep anymore."

"Well…." Damon lifted her easily into his arms. "I can think of some other things we can do to take your mind off it." He suggested with a raise of his brows.

It was hard not to turn to mush when he was looking at her like that. She let out a squeal as he turned and dropped her unceremoniously on the bed, before climbing on top of her.

And the distraction worked…for a little while.

…

A Few Days Later:

"Something tells me we shouldn't be doing this." Elena mumbled watching as Bonnie tucked what she needed from her locker into her bag.

In between their classes, Bonnie pulled her friend to the side to fill her in on her plan to find Silas and get her answers. "We aren't doing anything. I'm going alone. All I need is for you to keep Damon occupied long enough for me to figure out what this is all about."

"Bonnie…this is dangerous." Her eyes darted around nervously, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You said he's a two thousand year old immortal witch. What kind of friend would I be if I just let you walk into this knowing you could get hurt?"

Bonnie's shoulders dropped as she glanced back up at her. "That's not what he wants. He needs me. He's been calling out to me for days now. The longer I wait, the more intense the dreams are, and I can't keep trying to hide this from Damon."

Elena's face pinched uncomfortably. "Also, can I say…weird psychic dreams about said immortal witch, who happens to share a face with my vampire boyfriend…really creepy." She stated trying to make light of the craziness that was their lives.

Bonnies chuckled, closing her locker. "Tell me about it. So, will you help me? You know how Damon is…if he finds out I did this without him-"

"He'll tear the town apart looking for you. I know." With a reluctant huff, she nodded. "Fine, go. I'll hold him off as long as I can."

"Thank you. I'll be back before sundown." With that, Bonnie rushed down the hall to her car and stopped in her tracks at the figure leaning on her driver's side door. Anyone else would thing it was Stefan; he even dressed the same in a grey v-neck and black jeans, and dark aviator shades, but Bonnie knew he was far more sinister than he looked. "Silas…" she tipped her chin up. "I was just coming to find you."

He smirked, resting his glasses atop his head. "Yeah…I just got tired of waiting. It's funny, you'd think after waiting two thousand years I'd have learned patience…I haven't." He pushed off the car and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for her. "Shall we?"

As he drove them off the school campus, Bonnie silently sat facing forward, but Silas smirked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Your mind is racing right now. So many questions…"

Her eyes narrowed as she snapped her head to look at him. "Well then, why don't you start answering them?"

"You know my story; twisted love triangle, blah blah blah, jilted ex fiancé, blah blah blah…two thousand years of torment. But what I didn't show you is how we fix everything my psychotic bitch of an ex cursed me with. You may find this hard to believe, but I want to help you." He explained smoothly.

"You're right…I do find that hard to believe. Why are you here?" she demanded.

He chuckled. "You have Qetsiyah's fire, that's for sure. Katherine Pierce…I believe you're familiar, she woke me from my slumber along with some professor with a death wish in the hopes that doing so would warrant them a favor in return." He rolled his eyes indulgently with a careless flick of his wrist.

"Of course…because Katherine doesn't do something for nothing. What does she want?"

Silas glanced at her. "That's not of importance to me. I have my own plans." He watched Bonnie frown curiously before continuing, turning back to face the road. "I was meant to take the immortality spell with Qetsiyah, but when she realized that my intention was to give it to Amara, she killed her, forcing me to live an eternity without her."

"Tragic." Bonnie commented sarcastically.

With a scoff he continued. "She offered me the cure to immortality, promising me that I could take it, die and be reunited with Amara on the other side. But…I wasn't easily fooled. I knew it would be her waiting for me when I got there…perpetually bound to the woman I betrayed in life and in death."

"Maybe you deserve it." She fired back, looking out the window of the passing trees as they drove to the far end of town. She had no idea where he was taking them. "So, what's your plan, hm? World domination?"

He chuckled to himself. "Much simpler than that. I want to die." She snapped her head back at him in shock. "But I can't die until I've obliterated the other side and everyone in it. Yes, everyone…" he answered the question she asked only in her own mind. "Every supernatural being that's ever died is trapped there in an infinite purgatory. Only those that find peace are able to cross over."

"So do it. Why the hell are you dragging me into this?" He pulled over on the side of the road by the woods, and got out, gesturing her to follow him. With a huff, she got out of the car, and trailed behind him, barely keeping his pace. "Where are we?"

"I'm not really a people person. I like to stay under the radar." They approached a small cabin and climbed the steps to the door.

"Funny, I would have thought the opposite with all the attention you've been attracting."

He held the door open for her, gesturing for her to cross the threshold. "Oh, that was completely necessary. When you've been sleeping as long as I have, the hunger for human blood was almost…inconceivable." She looked around as he moved to the small kitchen, grabbing down a couple of glasses, and filling his with blood from a bag in the fridge. "Can I get you anything? It's been so long since I entertained guests, I forget what's customary. This world is much different from when I left it, but I think I'm adapting pretty well, given the circumstances."

There was a playful pride in his tone, that reminded her of Stefan but she didn't let herself be fooled. "How about we cut the bullshit, and you tell me why I'm involved. Why did Katherine need me to do the expression spell?" She cocked her hip, and crossed her arms.

Silas pointed at her with a long finger as he brought the glass to his lips. "Because you, Bonnie, are the key to everything. You're Qetsiyah's direct descendant, and she knew the spell for the cure. You can channel the three points of the expression triangle, contact Qetsiyah, and release me from this world for good."

Her eyes shifted. "Why can't you do the spell? You're a witch, aren't you? You're probably a lot more powerful than I am."

She noticed his jaw tick before he forced a tense smile. "Because I can't. I'm immortal. I don't have my witch powers. Until I take the cure, I can't do magic, which means I can't drop the veil to the other side and destroy it. That's where you come in. If you help me create the cure, I will leave you and your friends alone. You'll never have to see me again." She regarded him apprehensively. "So…do we have a deal, Ms. Bennett?"

…

At the end of the day, Elena was closed her locker and gasped, clutching her heart seeing Damon on the other side. "God! Damon…you scared me!" she scolded with a deep frown.

"Where is she?" he demanded looking down at her with cold blue eyes.

She acted as nonchalant as she could, swallowing. "Who?"

Damon narrowed his gaze. "Bonnie, Elena. Where's Bonnie? She's not answering my calls, she's not at home and her car's gone." Her eyes shifted away from him for a moment. "You're a terrible liar, so don't even try. Where is she?" he interrogated again slowly, stepping closer into her space.

"I don't know, Damon, okay! She said something about visiting her cousin Lucy in Charlottesville." She lied, forcing herself to look him in the eye.

He tilted his head, trying to read her. "If that were true, why would she go without telling me?"

"Because she was worried that with this new threat in town, you'd try and talk her out of it, because let's face it, Damon…you can be a little overprotective." She broke to him gently. "Look, she said she was fine. She just wanted to talk to another witch; family…someone that can help her make sense of these new powers she has." When he backed off, she allowed herself to relax, feeling successful in her deflection. "She said she'd be back by sundown."

He stared her down intimidatingly. "If you're lying…"

"I'm not."

With one last glare, he slipped passed her down the hall. It wasn't until he was out the door of the school that she finally released her breath, leaning against the lockers. Elena pulled out her phone and texted Bonnie.

Damon is suspicious. Hurry up and come home.

…

Elena watched Damon pace the floor of the boarding house living room, a drink in hand and his phone to his ear. It was well after sundown, and Bonnie still hadn't come home. Her knee bounced from her seat on the couch, as she shot a glance to her cell phone on the table. No messages. Bonnie hadn't texted back, or returned any of their calls, and the anxiety was eating her up.

"Fuck!" He tossed his phone on the table and chugged back his bourbon. "Why isn't she answering?" The question wasn't really directed at anyone, but Stefan felt compelled to try and ease his brother's concern.

"Maybe she's driving back right now." Damon answered him with a disbelieving glare. "Look, Bonnie is smart, and she's powerful. She's fully capable of holding her own. Plus, she's with family; I'm sure she's fine." He smiled reassuringly.

Elena's eyes squeezed shut as the guilt consumed her. "She's not in Charlottesville." The words blurted out of her mouth before she could stop them. Both brothers turned to her; Stefan with a confused furrow of his brow and Damon with seething rage. "For the last few days, she's been having dreams about Silas. Dreams where she sees everything that happened to him two thousand years ago. Somehow, she's connected to him, and the visions keep getting stronger and more intense. She said she needed to find out what he wanted from her, or they wouldn't stop. She begged me not to tell you, Damon." She admitted, feeling torn between her loyalty to Bonnie and her worry for her wellbeing.

Damon stormed over to her, wide eyed and riddled with tension. "You lied to me."

Stefan stepped between them, pushing Damon back with a hand against his chest. "Whoa, hey…take it easy, okay." He turned to Elena. "Why would you let her do this? We have no idea what this guy is all about."

"I didn't let her do anything, Stefan! I'm not Bonnie's keeper. Even if I told her not to – which I did, she would have done it anyways okay! And I know you both know that." She defended herself.

"Yeah, but at least I would know where she is!" Damon shouted.

Elena stood, throwing her arms in the air. "So, what? You can boot down the door, throw her over your shoulder like a caveman and bring her home!?"

"Yes!" The vein in his forehead bulged.

Stefan mediated. "We'll find her, okay."

"No need." Everyone turned to the voice at the front door and were shocked to see Silas and Bonnie standing there. "Returned, safe and sound." Bonnie stared at Damon, guilt in her eyes as she came down the steps into the sunken living room. "Hello, Elena. You sure are a sight for sore eyes." he flirted shamelessly, chuckling when Stefan stood protectively in front of her. "Relax, Stefan…she's all yours. She just reminds me of someone I used to know."

"I'm sorry." Bonnie whispered to Damon nervously. "I didn't want to lie to you."

His jaw ticked. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" She shook her head, and with a sigh of relief he wrapped his arms around her.

"No more secrets. Promise me." He mumbled into her hair.

"I promise." She whispered back with a smile, relieved that he wasn't mad.

"I'll let Bonnie fill you in on all the details, but I'm not your enemy. You all want me gone, and hey! I want the same thing…but I need a few things first. Once I get it, I'll be out of your hair." Silas smiled brightly.

Stefan glared at the man that wore his face. "Why don't I believe you?"

Silas held up a pinky. "Did you want me to pinky swear?" He smirked at the deadpan stares thrown his way. "Guess not. Bonnie…I'll be in touch." He nodded once, before turning and heading out the front door.

"Well…" Stefan let out a deep exhale. "That was weird."

"Yep." Damon agreed with a tense wince. Something told him that this was only the beginning of weird.

…

AN: Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I had a bit of a block getting this chapter where I wanted it to go. But I think it turned out okay. I really enjoyed writing Silas. I think it's my first time. I've changed a few things around with the storyline, so keep your eye out for the changes. I think in the next chapter we'll have a one-on-one Damon and Silas confrontation, what do you think!? Please review, and thank you so much for your support! - Vanessa