AN: Hi! Here's another chapter for you guys. I hope I still have my readers on this, because things are going to start to ramp up. I really liked writing this Damon/Rudy portion, so I hope you like reading it. Please review and let me know what you think! - Vanessa

Silhouettes – Part XII

Bonnie was nervous. She had gone home the next morning, but not before giving Damon a good welcoming home, and had done what he'd asked; she apologized to her dad, and did what she could to smooth things over with him. It went better than she had thought it would, but he still wasn't pleased with her extra curriculars, however, he admitted that he wasn't in a position to make demands when he spent so much time absent from her life.

Now they were falling back into a familiar routine; cooking dinner in the kitchen and making jokes about who made a better pasta sauce.

"I have years of experience on you, Bonnie. And your mom was a terrible cook." They both chuckled.

"True, but experience means nothing when you're a natural." She teased back. It helped that her boyfriend was Italian. Her head shot up, and a secret smile pulled on her lips as she felt him approach the house.

It wasn't lost on her dad. "What's got you all smiley?" he asked. She had decided not to tell him that they would have someone joining them for dinner tonight. She knew if she did, he'd shut it down immediately. It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

The doorbell rang, and Bonnie grabbed his arm before he walked to the door. "Now, don't freak out okay…I invited someone to join us."

"Bonnie…" he drawled in warning.

"Dad, Damon is an important part of my life now. And I want you to get to know him; the real him, not whatever you've heard or read in some old person's journal. And he wants to know you too. So please just…go into this with an open mind, okay?" She pleaded with him, shooting a smile she knew he couldn't saw no to.

He huffed, tossing the dish towel over his shoulder. "Don't make me regret this." He nodded to the door, and with an excited hop she ran to the entrance.

She opened the door to find Damon leaning one hand on the frame and the other behind his back. Bonnie leaned up, stealing a quick kiss before her dad spotted them, then pulled back to look at him with a happy smile. "Hi."

"Hi…sorry I'm late; I had to make a pit stop." She stepped out of the way to let him in and he leaned in conspiringly. "So, I'm gonna make it out of here without a stake in my heart, right?" he teased, a crooked quirk to his mouth.

Bonnie playfully slapped his chest. "Yes, of course. Just be on your best behavior." She warned smoothing out his shirt over his pectorals nervously. "My dad can be very over protective."

Damon grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Hm, something we'll have in common." He raised his brows with a cheeky smirk, allowing Bonnie to lead him into the kitchen.

"Dad…" Rudy turned from the stove, a blank expression on his face. "This is Damon. Damon this is my dad, Rudy." Bonnie held her breath as her dad said nothing, but thankfully Damon did.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." He held out his hand for Rudy to shake, which he did so hesitantly. "Bonnie tells me you like scotch." He pulled his other hand out from behind his back, producing a bottle sheathed in the fancy tin casing.

Bonnie glanced up at him in surprise. It was months ago when they sat here in this kitchen and she offered him a glass of her dad's scotch. With everything going on at the time, she was shocked he remembered.

"I do…" He pulled the bottle out with hiked brows, appreciating the expensive scotch. "Can't say I've ever had the opportunity to try something this good. Thank you…" He answered genuinely, barely containing his excited grin.

Bonnie released her breath. There was something to be said about Damon's charm; he spoke easily, comfortably, as if he'd known her father for years, chatting him up about the different flavor profiles, and the one scotch he said, hands down, was the best he'd ever put on his shelf. She gave them a moment to bond over a drink in the living room, while she continued with making dinner.

"Cheers." Damon smiled, clinking his glass with him. They both hummed in approval, as they took their first sip, and they sat in a brief moment of silence. "I know you have your concerns about me, and you'd be right to do so. But I just want to reassure you that Bonnie means the world to me." He started soberingly. "I'll never let anything happen to her."

Rudy rolled the liquid around in his glass. "Sheila had told me about you. She didn't have anything good to say, if I'm honest."

Damon nodded regretfully. "I know. I was a different person back then. My humanity was shut off. I made a lot of mistakes; some I'm still trying to make up for."

"And how can I trust that you will keep her safe? That you won't turn it off again? That you won't turn into the monster I heard about and hurt her?" He questioned curtly, a tight tick in his jaw.

Damon didn't take offense. "Because back then I didn't have anyone I loved enough to keep me grounded. And I do love Bonnie. She has seen the worst parts of me and accepts me anyway. She gave me something I didn't think I deserved; hope…and that's not something I take lightly. So, at the end of day, she comes first. Her best interest is my best interest…no matter the cost." He explained frankly, but there was a finality in his tone that could not be challenged.

Rudy offered a small smile. "I'll hold you to that then."

Bonnie chose this moment to appear in the doorway. "Dinner's almost ready."

Rudy stood taking his glass with him, pointing to Damon's. "Would you like a refill, son?"

Damon blinked with a swallow. "I'd love one." He uttered back in a strained whisper, his lips hitching up on one side. It had been a long time since anyone had called him that, and it made him feel like he was a part of something…a family. It didn't matter that he was nearly a hundred and twenty years older than him, or that he was human…in this moment, Damon felt normal.

Rudy squeezed Bonnie's shoulder lightly as he passed and with a beaming grin of excitement, she bounced on her feet as she walked over. "That sounded like it went well."

Damon rose to his feet with a relieved sigh. "I think it did. You know it's been a while since I cared about making a good first impression. I really want him to like me. I felt like a teenager. I think my palms were sweating." He added with an awkward chuckle. "Is that normal?"

Bonnie ran her hands up his chest to link around his neck. "Totally normal. And adorable." He playfully scolded her with a deep frown. Adorable is not a word he ever wanted to be described as…but for her he'd let it slide. "Thank you…for doing this. It means a lot to me." She added seriously, her fingers squeezing the back of his neck affectionately.

His hands on her hips reciprocated. "I know it does. And you don't have to thank me, Bon, I wanted to." He kissed her sweetly. "Now let's eat."

Dinner went by filled with laughter and easy conversation. It was so domesticated, so completely normal that both Bonnie and Damon were able to put the current drama out of their minds. He found himself getting along with Rudy, even banding together with him in agreement against Bonnie's decision not to go to Juilliard after high school.

"Why not?" Damon frowned, grabbing another piece of garlic bread from the center of the table.

She laughed disbelievingly. "Damon…it's in New York." She stated as if that was reason enough.

"So, we'll move to New York." He answered matter-of-factly with a shrug.

She glanced at her dad, who raised his brows challengingly. She was a talented singer, and he always encouraged her to pursue it. "It's expensive." She countered.

Damon chuckled. "Money isn't an issue, Bon."

"But…" she was at a loss for words. "Mystic Falls is our home."

"So maybe it's time we set roots down somewhere else. We'd be closer to your dad's office and I already have a loft there that's collecting dust." He looked to Rudy who nodded.

"It's a good opportunity, Bonnie. It's what you always wanted."

She nodded back, slightly shocked by how agreeable her father was. "Okay…I'll think about it."

When dinner was over, Damon helped clear the table while Bonnie and her dad stacked the dishwasher. "I like him." He stated plainly, out of the blue, causing her to glance up at him with bright smile. "He certainly cares about you a great deal…and I see how happy you are."

"I really am." She leaned her hip against the counter as she turned to him. "So, is that it? The father's seal of approval?" she teased.

"Yes." He chuckled, pulling her into a hug. "I approve. He's a good man…even for a vampire." He whispered.

"I heard that." Damon announced humorously, entering the kitchen with the last of the dirty dishes. "But I'll take it as a compliment." He smirked.

They finished the evening with a night cap, and around ten o'clock, Damon prepared to leave. He didn't want to overstay his welcome. He shook Rudy's hand, and thanked him for dinner before Bonnie walked him out to the front porch.

He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head on his chest. "Are you coming back later?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." She groaned in protest. "I just got him to like me, I don't want to ruin it by having him catch me sneaking into his daughter's bed in the middle of the night." He chuckled at the little pout of her lips. He kissed the top of her head. "I'll come by in the morning with those pastries you like."

She pulled back with a satisfied smile. The way to Bonnie's heart was paved with sweets. "Deal!"

Brushing a strand of hair from her face, he gazed down at her deep in thought. "I've been thinking…about what you said. About the cure." Her eyes widened. "When all this is over…I want to take it."

"Damon-" she started to protest, knowing that it was too big of a favor to ask of him.

"Just listen, okay? Tonight made me realize that…I can be happy with a normal life. I can be happy with PTA meetings and driving a minivan, and starting my life over…as long as it's with you." His thumb caressed the angle of her cheekbone tenderly. At first, he would admit that Silas' imagery of a human life scared the shit out of him. He had no idea if he was able to adapt, but he knew now, that it would be the easiest thing he'd ever do.

He knew it was the right decision the second he saw her face light up. "Really? You want to be human with me?"

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend the rest of my life." He shot her a charming, boyish smile, that made her melt in his arms.

Bonnie stared up at him dreamily. "Neither can I." It was amazing how this man changed her whole life in the matter of a few months. He challenged her, and showed her what it was like to be loved, to be wanted, to have the world at her fingertips. He encouraged her, ignited a fire in her, made her feel alive. And now…he was giving her a future; a life she dreamed of, a family. Tears clouded her eyes, as the emotions got the bet of her, and told him she loved him in a way that seemed to supersede words. Her hands rested over his heart, and the feeling poured into him, making Damon suck in a hitched breath.

He rested his forehead on hers. "I love you too." He whispered. Feeling her love was easily becoming a drug he couldn't quit. It was like being hit with a wave of warmth from the inside, rising from his feet and filling his heart. It was overwhelming to know that she loved him so deeply. As deeply as he loved her. She was his everything.

…

Chicago 1998

It was the small moments like this that Katherine tried to appreciate. Spending most of her time on the run she couldn't afford to stay in one place too long. But she loved Pearl Jam, and so did Damon. So, while he was watching Eddie Vedder, she was watching Damon. He was carefree and bouncing around, singing along to the words and part of her wished it was her that he was dancing with. But as far as he knew, she was locked in the tomb, and that's what everyone needed to believe.

When the outdoor concert was over, she weaved her way through the crowd before Damon could spot her, but found herself bumping into a hard chest. "Oh, sorry." When she glanced up, she found herself looking at a tall man, with dark eyes and dark hair.

"Hello Katerina…or is it Katherine these days." He rumbled smoothly.

She felt ice run through her veins. No one called her Katerina anymore. "Do I know you?"

"Perhaps once upon a time. But I never forget a face…" His knuckles ran down the side of her face. "Especially this one."

Katherine stumbled back. "Klaus…how did you find me?" She knew he had his tricks. Using a host's body was one he was known for, but never had she encountered him this way before.

He laughed. "I always know where you are, darling. It's by my sheer will that you're still alive."

She tipped her chin up, feigning bravery in the face of the man that singlehandedly ruined her life. "So, is this it? Is this where you finally kill me? End this game of cat and mouse once and for all?"

He chuckled again darkly. "Oh no…watching you run has been half the fun. Walk with me will you." He gestured down the path away from everyone and the younger vampire hesitated. "Must I compel you?"

With resignation, Katherine walked beside him, her eyes darting around in alert in case he was leading her into an ambush. "What do you want from me? Haven't you done enough?" she bit out through clenched teeth.

"I assume you're talking about the girl." Katherine's head turned to glare at him sharply. "It was a shame she had to meet such a tragic end. I had such high hopes for her."

"You were the one that killed her." She desperately tried to keep the pain out of her voice.

He tsked. "It seems my brother left a few key points out. Yes, I did, but if you must know…she begged me to."

Katherine swallowed the lump in her throat, stopping to face him. "What?"

"She had already turned when we met." Klaus continued, in an American accent that wasn't familiar to her.

"She… she turned herself?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"To look for you I presume. But of course, you never stuck around long enough to be found. She had thought you were a victim in all of this."

She huffed, pressing her lips together firmly as she crossed her arms. "I was!"

"Maybe at first. But then you became the predator, didn't you? Killing your way through villages all through Europe; hundreds of innocent lives…betraying those you called friends, all in the name of what you claimed was survival. But you relished in it…you enjoyed the pain." Klaus taunted her, getting in close, smirking when Katherine turned her head away. "And once she knew who you really were…she couldn't bare live another day in your image." He uttered slowly with devious calculation. "Your own daughter." He pulled back chuckling to himself as a tear slipped down her cheek and her bottom lip trembled. "Now, Katerina…this is what I want you to live with. The knowledge that your daughter hated you so much, she begged me to end her life and save her the same fate. That…my dear," he ghosted a hand over her face, "is your punishment."

Katherine squeezed her eyes shut as her heart clenched tightly in her chest. She felt wind blow past her face, and when she opened her eyes, he was gone.

…

Present Day:

Her tongue poked the inside of her cheek, her nails tapping on her crossed arms. Bonnie had been at this for what felt like hours, when in reality it was only thirty minutes. "How much longer I this going to take?" Katherine's foot stomped the ground impatiently. Her question earned a glare from Damon, Stefan and Elena. "It's a valid question." She grumbled.

"No one is telling you to be here, Katherine, in fact, I'm sure we would all be much happier if you weren't." Damon snapped at her with a heated snarl.

Katherine shifted her weight, extending a long leg out to the side. "Here's a better question. What's she doing here?" she nodded her head at Elena, who had been standing beside Stefan silently.

"She's here because I want her to be." Stefan responded tautly, pinning her with a deadpanned stare. "Because with everything going on right now, she's safer with me…especially with you in town."

Katherine rolled her eyes with a laugh. "So, you thought putting her right in front of me was a good idea? Smart, Stefan."

"You and I both know you do your best work when no one's looking. I know all your tricks, Katherine. Leaving her alone is exactly what you'd want." Stefan stated knowingly.

"She stays." Silas piped up, much to Katherine's satisfaction. "I need someone to keep an eye on things while I'm gone." He headed in the direction of town from the middle of the forest.

Damon glared at him. "Where the hell are you going?"

Silas pointed to Bonnie as he walked backwards, never stopping his stride. "She is about to make contact with my very vengeful, very unhinged ex-fiancé. I don't want to be within a ten-mile radius." He forced a tight grin. "See ya."

Damon scoffed as the immortal stalked off. "Great…guess we're stuck with you then." He sneered at Katherine.

She held his stare for a beat before turning to Elena, unphased. "Does it bother you?"

Elena frowned, her eyes lolling away in annoyance. "Does what bother me?"

"Knowing that you share a face with the woman your boo-bear was madly in love with a hundred and fifty years ago?" she smiled cheekily.

Damon rolled his eyes dramatically, turning away and focusing more on Bonnie's soft chanting.

Stefan laughed humorlessly with a shake of his head. "You don't have to answer that, Elena. She's reaching."

But Elena stood her ground, taking a challenging step forward. "It's okay Stefan. Not at all, because now…he loves me. A hundred and fifty years ago…you were so desperate that you had to compel the love of two brothers. Honestly it makes me sad for you." She countered dryly, earning a snort of laugher from Damon in the peanut gallery.

"I may have compelled Damon's love but not Stefan's." Her eyes softened as they landed on him. "He fell in love with me all on his own, didn't you Stefan?"

"That's not how I remember it." He argued simply.

Elena pressed on. "Look at you…chasing down the past, forcing your way back into the lives of people that have moved on. Why can't you?" she demanded.

Katherine closed the distance between them, only stopping when Stefan took a step of warning towards her. "I could snap you like a twig in the three seconds it takes Stefan to try and stop me." She glared heatedly.

Elena tipped her chin up. "So do it." The older vampire hesitated. "But you won't, will you? Because you know that if you did…if you even tried to lay a hand on me, Stefan would never forgive you. He'd hate you forever."

Katherine's tough exterior falters for only a brief second before her mask was up again. "I guess we'll find out, won't we."

"Are you guys done with the bickering?" Bonnie stated exasperatedly, her arms dropping in her lap and head tilted to the side. "Trying to contact a two-thousand-year-old dead witch is not as easy as it looks, especially the supernatural spin off of Maury playing in the background." She finished pointedly.

Katherine backed away with her hands in the air in silent surrender, as Stefan stood protectively in front of Elena. There was a tense silence that hung between them, only Bonnie's chanting whispering along with the rustle of the tree leaves.

Bonnie felt a deep sinking feeling; like she was being pulled through the ground and spit out the other side. Everything was darker here; duller. The wind blowed, whipping her curls around her face. She could see Damon, Stefan, Katherine and Elena, but their voices were muted, like they were just on the other side of the veil and they didn't appear to see her.

A figure walked out slowly from between the trees in the distance. She was clothed in a long, blue empire style toga, a crown of braided gold in her dark tumbling tresses. Her dark skin matched her own, and as her bare feel stepped closer, Bonnie sucked in a deep breath. "Qetsiyah, I presume?"

"Bonnie Bennett. I've had my eye on you…" she looked at her from underneath thick lashes as she circled her.

Bonnie turned, facing her. "Then you know why I'm here."

"I do. So…what makes you think I'll help you, or him for that matter?" She uttered bitterly with a curl of her lip.

The young witch sighed. "Look, you and I both know that Silas isn't stupid enough to fall for whatever trap you spent a millennium setting up. So, your plan of conning him here with you on the other side isn't going to happen. How long can you expect to hold a grudge for?" Bonnie let her hands slap against her thighs.

Qetsiyah huffed an ironic laugh, her eyes snapping up to meet hers. "I damned him to an eternity of suffering without the love of his life…what do you think?"

"This isn't just about Silas. I know someone that wants it."

Qetsiyah hummed in approval. "Mm, yes…that blue eyed vampire with the sharp tongue. He's cute."

"If I don't help him, the people I care about are going to get hurt. And I don't know if you remember but Silas isn't one for bluffing." Bonnie stepped towards her pleadingly. "Please…tell me what I need to do."

"I understand the desperation of your situation Bonnie. My ex has a way of ruining everything that he touches. He's vengeful and bitter…ironically, we have more in common than he thinks. But I can't help you." She shrugged simply.

Bonnie's lips tensed in a thin line. "Can't or won't?"

"I won't. I'm a woman of my word, and I made a promise to Silas two thousand years ago that I would never grant him the peace he sought after. Sorry." She stated, although her tone implied, she wasn't apologetic at all.

Bonnie blinked as she watched her only hope slip from her fingers. She had come here with a plan, but if that failed, she was prepared with a backup plan. "I'm not leaving until you give me what I came for." She pressed with hard green eyes.

Qetsiyah didn't seem to be all too concerned. "Then I guess you should get comfortable here." Suddenly Bonnie's eyes darkened to black orbs and the ancient witch was bound around her arms and midsection by an invisible force, squeezing like a snake. "How are you doing this? Magic isn't supposed to work here." She stated in panic, as her feet skidded across the ground as she was pulled closer.

The smirk that pulled on Bonnie's face was sinister. "I'm special." With a gripping force, she grabbed Qetsiyah on either side of her face, her nails piercing into her skin. A wailing cry ripped from the old witch as Bonnie searched her mind relentlessly. When she was done, Qetsiyah fell to the ground, blood dripping from her nose and eyes, used and drained of her power. Bonnie stared down at her emotionless. "I didn't want to have to do that…but you left me no choice."

When woke herself from her trance, she felt herself blown backwards with the force, leaning back in Damon's waiting arms. "You okay?"

A hesitant smile cracked her lips. "I did it. I know what we need to do."