OMG I just love these two. Before we get to present-day Bonnie I had to write about 2010 Bonnie. Her trajectory ties into the plot of our present-day Bonnie, and I cannot wait for you all to read what I have coming. Current-day Bonnie and Damon will be the focus of the next chapter. I might trade off each chapter, I am not sure yet. But it is all necessary for the plot, not just fluff. See you all soon 😊!
I'm too tired to list the cast, you all know whose who lol!
2010 Bonnie returns
Bonnie groggily woke up from what felt like a 72-hour deep sleep. Once she fully opened her eyes, she shot up in her bed realizing the spell worked, but how could she have remembered there was a spell that worked? She felt something shock her in her pocket and quickly investigated what it could be. To her surprise, she pulled out a piece of paper with a note from the Bonnie she switched places with.
Upon discovering the note, a flutter of surprise and warmth coursed through Bonnie. "Check your dresser, the other Bonnie should have known better about manipulating your mind to forget. This is our secret, don't hold back, suffering doesn't make you stronger, live your best life, love, B." The words, imbued with empathy and understanding, resonated deeply, stirring something within her that she hadn't realized was dormant.
With a gentle smile playing on her lips, she let herself fall back onto the bed, her arms open wide as if to embrace the world. Her heart raced with a cocktail of emotions, the vivid tapestry of her recent experiences unfurling in her mind's eye. The memory of Damon's kiss, intense and unexpected, caused her to wince, her heart fluttering uncontrollably—a clear signal of the turmoil and confusion that lay ahead.
Determined to shake off the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, Bonnie decided a long, soothing shower might just be the escape she needed. She carefully wrapped her hair, tucking it under a shower cap, and stepped into the steamy embrace of the shower. The sound of water cascading around her created a cocoon of tranquility, momentarily distancing her from the chaos of her thoughts. She allowed music to flood the space, her iPod connected to the speaker, filling the room with melodies that usually calmed her spirit.
However, as "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry began to play, a palpable groan escaped her lips. The song, emblematic of youthful love and unbridled passion, hit too close to home, stirring memories of Damon that she was desperately trying to compartmentalize. With a swift motion born out of a mix of irritation and a desperate need for distraction, she turned off the water and changed the song, her movements brisk and decisive.
The opening notes of "Heads Will Roll" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs filled the room, its energetic beat a stark contrast to the previous song's tender nostalgia. Bonnie found herself smiling, a genuine expression of delight, as she caught her reflection in the mirror. The music's invigorating rhythm inspired her to dance, a spontaneous burst of joy that felt both liberating and affirming. As she moved, she felt the weight of her recent experiences begin to lift, replaced by a sense of anticipation and readiness to face the day. This moment of solitary revelry, dancing before the mirror, became a silent declaration of her resilience and a testament to her capacity for joy amidst the complexities of her life.
As Bonnie reflected on the serene elegance that the other Bonnie carried with such ease, she felt a spark of inspiration to venture beyond her usual simplicity in hair and makeup. With deliberate care, she styled her hair into soft, flowing waves, each lock falling into place with a grace that mirrored the effortless beauty she admired. Her fingers moved with precision as she applied mascara, transforming her lashes into dark, captivating frames around her verdant eyes. The mascara didn't just highlight her eyes; it seemed to whisper stories of the depth and mysteries behind them. Opting for restraint, she chose a subtle neutral lip color, its gloss catching the light just so, and ventured into the realm of blush and bronzer with a light hand, aiming to capture the essence of the other Bonnie's radiant complexion.
Standing before her closet, she sought out pieces that strayed from her norm, clothes that would not only brave the October chill but also embrace her figure with confidence. The choice of opaque black hose paired with black boots and shorts, topped with a cropped olive-green sweater, was uncharted territory for her. Yet, as she dressed, each piece felt less like a departure and more like a revelation, a harmonious blend of her own essence with the allure she admired in the other Bonnie. The reflection that greeted her in the mirror was both familiar and new. A blush of pride warmed her cheeks at the realization of her potential for change, a fleeting moment of self-doubt dispelled by the empowering affirmation of her reflection.
The discovery atop her dresser, a thick book filled with journal entries and spells chronicling the events of 2010 to 2011, drew her in with an irresistible pull. Her fingers traced the dates, pausing on October 22, 2010, as she delved into the recounting of a meeting with Esther after the coffin opening and a ball she would have bypassed even with an invitation. The turn of a page revealed a gap in the days, an omission that piqued her curiosity until the reason revealed itself—a spell thwarted by the unforeseen consequence of Damon turning Abby into a vampire, and the aftermath.
As Bonnie mulled over the revelations nestled within the pages of the journal, her thoughts danced around the complexities of destiny and morality that the narrative had unveiled. The transformation of Abby into a vampire, a decision made without her consent, gnawed at Bonnie's sense of justice even though her venture into the other timeline she learned Abby loved being a vampire. "What an ass," she thought, her mind painting Damon with broad strokes of annoyance and frustration. The decision to close the book was deliberate, a pause on the influx of revelations that demanded reflection. Yet, her mind couldn't help but wonder, weaving together the threads of what she had learned with the fabric of her own experiences.
She thought about her goal to get rid of the Mikaelsons and quickly remembered that Klaus had a daughter in the future. The existence of Klaus's daughter was a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit her understanding of the man she knew—a man she once believed was beyond redemption. Yet, the undeniable evidence of his contributions and the unexpected nuances of his character forced her to reconsider her stance. The dilemma of whether to intervene in the course of events or to let them unfold weighed heavily on her, a testament to the burden of knowledge and power.
Her contemplations were abruptly interrupted by Abby, whose presence offered a brief respite from the storm within. Their exchange was a dance of words and withheld truths, with Abby's casual compliment on Bonnie's outfit serving as a momentary diversion from the weightier matters at hand.
"The ball tonight, I think I should go," Bonnie ventured, her words a deliberate pivot as she sought to conceal the journal's revelations from Abby. Her mother's puzzled reaction was met with a hasty, if not entirely convincing, explanation of psychic intuition—a testament to Bonnie's quick thinking.
"Huh, well I was going to throw away the invitation, one of the Mikaelson siblings briefly stopped by, I didn't want to bother you while you were taking your time in the shower, but the person we freed is the Mikaelson matriarch, and she wants to thank us for freeing her, I didn't think you'd even want to go, and I sure as hell don't" Abby explained, her words tinged with a mixture of reluctance and resolve,
"You would be correct in that assumption, having vampires in my friend group is already enough for me, but it can also give us the knowledge we need about what they're all up to" Bonnie mused aloud. Her response wasn't just an agreement; it was an acknowledgment of the delicate balance she navigated daily, the line between friend and foe blurred in a world where alliances were as fluid as they were fraught.
"Do you need me to go with you? I'm sure I could find something to wear" Abby proposed.
"No, I need you on the outside in case something happens, I'm going to go to the storage unit to go through grams' catalog of fabulous dresses and outfits." Bonnie smiled to herself as she sat up from the bed.
"It's a little adult for a teenager, but, if she has the crimson red velvet dress with the deep V neck, that's your winner" Abby smiled, thankful for the easiness of the conversation.
Shortly after, Bonnie quickly went through the storage unit and found the sleeveless crimson red dress with a deep v that cinched at the waist and fanned out into a long flowing skirt. Bonnie thought there was no way in hell she could pull that dress off but then changed her mind as that's precisely why she needed to wear it with the confidence to match. She found matching red stilettos in her grams' things and quickly grabbed them as well as a few other vintage pieces and outfits.
As Bonnie grabbed what she needed she quickly ran to the store to pick up a few items for her hair and makeup. As she walked out of the store, she noticed Caroline's and Elena's car at the grill which reminded her of the missed texts she had from the both of them that she had yet to answer. Bonnie called Elena to check – in as the night ahead loomed large in her thoughts, weighted with the knowledge from the journal about Elena's fateful encounter with Esther and the plea for Bonnie's intervention to spare Elijah's life.
Elena's voice, laced with concern and the implicit support that defined her, was a balm to Bonnie's frayed nerves. "Hey Bonnie, we checked in with Abby since you weren't answering us, everything okay?" she asked.
Before Bonnie could fully respond, Caroline's presence made itself known with her voice cutting through with a blunt precision revealing the revelation about Damon and Elena's kiss, a secret Bonnie had inadvertently shared with Caroline.
"Oh, yeah sorry about that, it kind of just came out," Bonnie confessed as she winced with discomfort.
"Yeah, apology acceptance is pending" Elena playfully teased earning a giggle from Bonnie.
"I'm actually in the area and am currently looking at your cars at the grill like a total stalker, mind if I join?" Bonnie asked and was met with enthusiastic approval. Caroline's voice, vibrant and unmistakable, pierced through the phone with a resounding "yes come in,"
"We'll order extra fries come on in" Elena laughed into the phone before hanging up. Bonnie placed her shopping bags in the car, then she made her way to the Mystic Grill. Once she stepped inside, Caroline's jaw dropped, a silent but eloquent testament to the surprise and admiration that Bonnie's appearance commanded.
Caroline's teasing greeting, "Uhm hi, Bonnie the sex witch, where did my friend go? Did you hit your head a little too hard in the tomb?" was as flamboyant and exaggerated as Caroline herself, sparking an immediate flush of embarrassment across Bonnie's cheeks. Elena, ever the mediator, cast Caroline a look that gently chided her for the boldness of her remark.
Elena's gaze lingered on Bonnie with an admixture of admiration and surprise. "Yeah, you look hot Bon, I have to borrow those boots," she remarked, her voice a blend of genuine compliment and the light-hearted envy that only the closest of friends could share without offense.
Bonnie, with the poise of someone who had come to terms with the maelstrom that had become their lives, responded with a wry smile, "I figured it was time for a change, everything has been so chaotic so might as well adapt to the chaos."
"Understatement of the year" Elena sighed in response.
"Bonnie, are you going to the ball?" Caroline quickly asked.
"Yeah, I think I might make an appearance, Abby got the invite and thought I wouldn't want to go," Bonnie said in between bites.
"I'm shocked you'd want to go" Elena continued.
"I might as well see what exactly we're up against, plus, I'm the reason mother Mikaelson is here." The weight of her words hung in the air. Elena's look of concern was palpable, her brows knitting together in a silent expression of worry that Bonnie was quick to recognize.
"I promise I'm not there to play bodyguard, to either of you or anyone, just strictly pleasure, it may only be for like 10 minutes max," Bonnie added, a smile tugging at her lips as she nonchalantly popped another fry into her mouth.
"With your luck, you can seduce the Mikaelson brothers and convince them all to pack up and leave Mystic Falls," Caroline groaned, her tone playful yet tinged with a hint of real concern. Her words, a light-hearted attempt to deflect from her own tangled feelings towards Klaus,
The conversation shifted as Elena broached a request, her voice laced with a mixture of determination and apprehension. "Esther wants to meet with me, so maybe, if possible, I need your help on distracting Stefan and Damon so they don't ruin this for me." The mention of Damon's name was enough to send a ripple of emotions through Bonnie, her reaction a silent testament to the complicated web of feelings and history that bound her to him. She gulped her water a bit too eagerly, the cool liquid doing little to quell the warmth spreading across her cheeks.
"Uhm, I'll do what I can? I can't make any promises," Bonnie managed, her voice wavering slightly with the weight of the request and the uncertainty of what the evening would demand of them all.
The trio's conversation flowed effortlessly, a blend of laughter and serious deliberations, until the unexpected arrival of Rebekah Mikaelson sliced through the normalcy of their evening. Caroline eyed her intently and saw Rebekah giving Matt an invite. Caroline finally agreed to go to the ball as if she weren't planning on making a dramatic entrance regardless.
Bonnie and Elena ultimately decided that they would get ready together and ride together to the ball. Both girls took advantage of their time together to divulge in girl talk as they did their hair and makeup. Bonnie felt waves of guilt for not disclosing her recent adventures through time and universes. As Elena spoke about the kiss with Damon again, Bonnie would quickly change the subject because she strangely felt a pang of jealousy about hearing it again, nothing like how she felt the first time. After dancing around the truth, for the both of them they finally were putting on the final touches of their look. Elena opted for her hair to be curled and kept to the side while Bonnie opted for a middle part and soft waves that fell perfectly on her back.
Elena's voice, brimming with admiration and a touch of surprise, broke through the bustling atmosphere. "You look good, Bon, I'm shocked you would wear something that revealing. I may need to go through your grams' things as well," she squealed, her eyes sparkling as she took in the vision of her friend, who was meticulously adjusting her dress with boob tape to ensure everything stayed perfectly in place.
"You too, like a true princess up to no good," she smiled, her compliment a testament to Elena's striking appearance and the mischievous glint that often danced in her eyes. Yet, amidst the light-hearted banter, Bonnie's thoughts briefly darkened, the memory of Caroline talking about Elena's life in the other world casting a momentary shadow over her expression. It was a fleeting frown, born of a deep-seated wish for her friend to experience a love that was as boundless as it was free from turmoil.
"What's wrong? Is it the hair? Should I put it on the other side?" Elena anxiously asked.
"Oh no, not at all, I just remembered whose house were going to, that's all, I probably won't stay too long" Bonnie shook her head and noted Elena's quick acceptance of her explanation.
With a final glance at their reflections, a mutual acknowledgment of their readiness to face the evening's uncertainties, Elena posed the question that hovered on the brink of their departure. "Well, it's time, are you ready?" she asked. Bonnie, with a nod, signaled her assent, the two of them engaging in last-minute touch-ups before descending the stairs, and making their way to Abby who was waiting for them in the car.
Upon arrival, the imposing facade of the Mikaelson residence loomed before them, a testament to the power and mystery that dwelled within. Abby dropped them off with parting words, "Call me if you need me, I'll be up,". Both girls nodded before waving goodbye.
The moment stretched, taut with anticipation, as Elena and Bonnie prepared to enter the Mikaelson's domain together, arm in arm. Bonnie, her senses heightened, felt a ripple of anxiety wash over her—a premonition that Damon, with all his chaotic allure, was just beyond the threshold. Despite the whirlwind of emotions his presence evoked, she steeled herself with the reminder that this version of Damon had not yet traversed the long, arduous path to redemption in her eyes. He remained, in this moment, a beautiful enigma, compelling yet unproven.
As the doors swung open, ushering them into the heart of the evening's intrigue, the immediate shift in the atmosphere was palpable. Damon and Stefan, each caught in their own orbit around Elena, soon found their gaze irresistibly drawn to Bonnie. The transition was seamless, a testament to the magnetic force that seemed to emanate from her. While Stefan's approach to Elena was swift, marked by concern and curiosity, Damon's movement towards Bonnie, the beautiful witch in red, was deliberate, a predator's grace in his stride, his intrigue palpable in the air between them.
"This is the wrong place to be when you finally decided to look like that," Damon remarked, his voice a low timbre that resonated with a mix of amusement and thinly veiled desire. His eyes, wildly dark, blue and penetrating, widened as they took in the vision of Bonnie clad in crimson, her brown skin glowing as if she were gold in the Amazon. The implication of his words, veiled in the dangerous dance of predator and prey, hung heavily between them, charged with an unspoken tension that threatened to consume them.
Bonnie, undaunted, met his challenge with a scoff, her response a perfect blend of disdain and intrigue. In this charged exchange, the chemistry between them crackled like a live wire, an electric current of attraction and resistance that defined the complexity of their relationship. Bonnie, the powerful witch who donned her vulnerability like armor, and Damon, the vampire whose charm was as dangerous as it was enticing, found themselves locked in a moment that transcended the ordinary, a dance of wills that spoke of possibilities yet unexplored. For a moment Damon almost forgot the danger surrounding them.
"What are you two doing here, this wasn't in the plan" Damon questioned as he looked between Bonnie and Elena.
"Shall we?" Elena quickly interjected to Bonnie as she pulled her ahead. Damon and Stefan stood behind the two, dumbfounded.
Damon and Stefan, momentarily left in the wake of Elena and Bonnie's departure, exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. "You saw what I saw right?" Damon's question to Stefan went unanswered, the latter's attention already recaptured by Elena and Bonnie's retreating figures. It was a moment of unspoken acknowledgment between the brothers, a realization that the evening's dynamics had shifted in a way neither had anticipated.
Damon, in a rare moment of introspection, found himself grappling with the undeniable allure that Bonnie exuded. Acknowledging her as one of the most captivating women not just in Mystic Falls but in many of the places he had wandered through eternity, Damon was forced as always to confront the barriers that stood between them. His attraction to Bonnie, a maelstrom of admiration and desire, was tempered by the knowledge of her disdain and the impossibility of a connection beyond their fraught coexistence. Yet, as he watched her navigate the room, her presence a beacon of strength and beauty, he found his thoughts drifting, his concern for Elena momentarily eclipsed by the enchantment that was Bonnie Bennett.
Across the room, Klaus and Elijah, two beings who had known countless decades and witnessed the ebb and flow of power in all its forms, found themselves captivated by the sight of Bonnie. They watched as she greeted Matt and Caroline. The crimson fabric of her dress, a striking contrast against her golden-brown skin, seemed to amplify her allure, rendering her a vision of power and elegance that demanded attention. As she casually brushed her hair back, the scent of warm vanilla and sandalwood wafted through the air, a fragrance that spoke of warmth and mystery, ensnaring both Klaus and Elijah in its intoxicating embrace.
The grandeur of the Mikaelson ball was palpable as Bonnie and Elena navigated through the throngs of Mystic Falls' elite, making their way to the base of the opulent staircase. It was there that Bonnie's gaze first locked with Esther Mikaelson's, the matriarch of the original vampire family. Esther's eyes, ancient and calculating, scanned Bonnie briefly, acknowledging her presence with a mixture of curiosity and wariness before surveying the rest of the attendees.
Elijah with the other Mikaelson siblings, welcomed everyone to the ball and announced that it was time for an old traditional dance.
"I'll greet the Bennett witch and make sure she isn't here for any nefarious reasons cooked up by our mother," Elijah said in a low tone to Klaus after his speech.
Klaus, momentarily distracted by Caroline's elegance in the blue dress he had given her, responded with a nonchalant "Very well then," his attention divided between the intrigue Bonnie presented and his own complicated feelings for Caroline.
As Elijah approached Bonnie, the timing coincided with Damon's aborted attempt to engage her, a detail that did not escape Bonnie's notice. Elijah's greeting, "Miss Bennett, it is a pleasure," was formal, his gesture of kissing her hand a nod to traditions long passed, yet Bonnie's response was anything but submissive. Her sneer, "I can't say I return the sentiments, but it's nice to dress up every once in a while," was a clear indication of her stance, even as she observed Damon diverting his path towards Elena.
Elijah's observation of Bonnie's distracted gaze was astute, noting her attention flitting between Damon and the Petrova doppelganger. "I suspected you might have been here for other reasons, but your eyes keep flitting around to a certain Salvatore and Petrova doppelganger, I can't say I'm curious, I would just think you had more important things to focus on for a woman of your caliber," he mused, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and respect for Bonnie's evident powers and status.
Bonnie, caught off guard yet poised, masked her momentary embarrassment with a smile, asserting, "She's my best friend, I couldn't care less about Damon, I just want to make sure she's safe." Her confidence was palpable, even as Elijah pointedly remarked on her racing heartbeat, a detail Bonnie deflected with humor and a self-conscious gesture towards the revealing nature of her dress.
The invitation to dance, "Do you dance Bonnie Bennett?" was Elijah's attempt to delve deeper into the mystery that was Bonnie, an offer that was part intrigue, part challenge. Bonnie's acceptance, "I guess I do now," marked the beginning of an unexpected alliance, her decision to step onto the dance floor with Elijah a bold statement in itself.
As they moved to join the other dancers, Bonnie was acutely aware of the multitude of eyes upon her, including those of Damon, Elena, Caroline, and Klaus.
Bonnie never cared too much about Miss Mystic Falls, she pretended to because of Caroline, but never understood the pomp and circumstance of it all and unfortunately had to learn the dances to help Caroline practice. She was pleased that the years of learning the steps could finally be put into use as they all lined up to dance.
Amidst the dance, Elijah seized a quiet moment to express his gratitude, his voice a blend of sincerity and curiosity. "I never got to thank you," he said, the words floating between them with the grace of their movements.
Bonnie, ever poised, responded with a prompt "For?" prompting Elijah to continue, "For releasing my mother. I almost believe that she wants us to be a family again." His gaze was searching, attempting to read the nuances of Bonnie's reaction, a skill honed over centuries of intrigue and survival.
"Ah, well if she can keep your psychopath of a family off our backs, it's my pleasure" Bonnie's returned, tone tinged with sarcasm.
"I believe you have caught the eye of someone you wanted," Elijah said in a low tone, still dancing.
"I don't know what or who you're referring to" Bonnie answered with a smile and followed where Elijah's eyes went. Bonnie's feigned ignorance was betrayed by a fleeting glance towards Damon where they both briefly made eye contact a silent acknowledgment of what might lie beneath the surface.
Elijah then quickly twirled her into Klaus' arms.
As Klaus took her hand, continuing the dance, his words, "Bonnie Bennett in a red dress, like a devil in sheep's clothing," were both a compliment and a challenge, drawing a blush to her cheeks
"Takes one to know one" Bonnie retorted as they continued dancing.
"I've been around the world hundreds of times, and there's no other place that has women who were built from the flames of stars themselves like they do in Mystic Falls" Klaus smiled at Bonnie's unamused expression.
"Yeah…and on that note, I think I'll go find wherever Elena went since Damon is cozying up with your sister" Bonnie smiled and stepped away to find Elena. Klaus smiled to himself already plotting on the possibilities of having a Bennett witch wrapped around his arm.
Bonnie made her way to a tray of champagne to grab a glass and swiftly took a sip as she watched Elena re-enter the house, most likely to go to Esther. Bonnie noticed that it looked like Damon was about to follow her, and suddenly remembered Elena wanted her to distract both Salvatore brothers.
As Bonnie elegantly made her way into Damon's line of sight, the sudden shift in his attention was palpable, a testament to the undeniable pull between them. "You," he remarked, a note of surprise in his voice as his eyebrows knit together in a playful challenge.
"Me," Bonnie replied, her voice laced with amusement and a hint of mystery, her smile a subtle acknowledgment of the game they found themselves in.
Damon, unable to resist, quipped, "I get a smile? That's new," his eyes sparkling with intrigue and an unspoken curiosity about the change in her demeanor.
Bonnie, ever poised, offered a hint of her evolving outlook, "Yeah well, let's just say I have a new perspective on life," her words deliberate, inviting him to ponder the depths beneath her surface. Yet, she was mindful to avert her gaze from his lips, a silent battle between her memories and the moment at hand.
"Clearly," Damon responded, his tone a mix of admiration and restraint, his own gaze betraying the effect Bonnie's presence had on him before he composed himself by clearing his throat, breaking the momentary spell.
Bonnie, seizing the moment, lightly teased, "You seemed like you were on a mission," her head tilting towards the staircase, hinting at the night's unfolding drama.
Damon, momentarily caught in the gravity of his intentions, found his resolve waning under Bonnie's nonchalant confidence. "Yeah, your friend has a death wish, and I seem to be the only one who cares about preserving her life," he scoffed, his concern for Elena surfacing amidst their banter.
Bonnie, unfazed, reassured him, "Well, maybe you should trust her, Damon, plus, I'm here if anything should go wrong," her confidence shining through as she gulped her champagne.
Damon, noticing her liberal consumption, couldn't help but caution, "Easy," a protective edge to his voice.
"I can handle my liquor," Bonnie retorted, her expression a mix of amusement and challenge, sparking a gleam of mischief in Damon's eyes.
"Champagne is hardly liquor," he teased back, earning an eye roll from Bonnie, their playful back-and-forth a dance of words and glances.
"Are you doubting my drinking skills?" Bonnie laughed, the sound light and carefree, a rare moment of levity between them.
Damon, his gaze intense, offered a challenge, "I'm doubting your ability to have actual fun. I think tonight is a fluke and a distraction from whatever plan you and Elena have concocted, and I will not be distracted," his words heavy with implication, yet his attention irrevocably fixed on her, captivated by the vibrant life force that Bonnie represented.
Bonnie catching a glance at Elena descending the stairs was a brief anchor to reality amidst the swirling intrigue of the night.
Turning her attention back to Damon, she leaned in, her proximity a testament to the charged atmosphere between them. "See, I would believe that, but," she paused, her voice a whisper, charged with a cocktail of defiance and allure as she locked eyes with him, "You already are."
The words were barely out before she boldly finished her champagne and handed her glass off to Damon as a silent challenge, her departure from his space as graceful as it was deliberate.
Bonnie made her way through the throng of guests and tripped on her dress. Stefan's quick reflexes prevented her fall.
"Wow, are you okay?" Stefan's concern, laced with amusement at Bonnie's state.
"Bonnie's explanation, "Yeah, totally, I'm not used to these heels," accompanied by a flash of her stilettos, was a mix of truth and jest, a moment of levity between them.
Stefan's acknowledgment of her successful diversion of Damon, "Your plan to distract Damon worked, I didn't even have to snap his neck," shifted the tone back to the gravity of their situation, his voice carrying the weight of their shared responsibilities and the constant dance on the edge of danger they performed.
"Yeah, well, I do what I can for the ultimate plan to" Bonnie gestured her hand across her neck which made Stefan chuckle.
"Maybe no more kill gestures until we're out of the lion's den" Stefan cautioned with both jest and truth. His face turned more serious when he could hear a slight commotion outside.
"I'm sorry I have to go," Stefan said to Bonnie before vamping out of the home.
Her decision to follow, drawn by the commotion outside, led her to witness the aftermath of Damon and Kol's altercation—a stark reminder of the volatile nature of vampires, specifically blue-eyed Italian ones.
The aftermath of the altercation left Bonnie with a sense of weary resignation, not at all surprised by Damon's impulsive actions, likely spurred by his tumultuous feelings for Elena. As she observed the fallout, a sigh escaped her, a silent acknowledgment of the chasm between the Damon she had momentarily connected with in another realm and the one before her now—his redemption, a distant horizon not yet in sight. Reflecting on Elena's love for him, Bonnie found herself puzzled, unable to reconcile the behavior she witnessed with any trait she could admire or embrace.
Elena's voice, weary yet determined, broke through Bonnie's ruminations. "I'm ready to go home," she announced, turning to Bonnie with a look that mirrored the evening's toll. Bonnie's response, light-hearted yet tinged with the fatigue of the night, "Me too, I think I may be seeing two of you? And I know Katherine isn't here," elicited a small smile from Elena, a brief respite in the night's emotional turbulence.
Klaus's offer of accommodations, delivered with a charming yet mischievous grin, and Elijah's amused acknowledgment of the situation, were quickly dismissed by Stefan's timely intervention. "Won't be necessary, c'mon, I'll take you both home," he stated, his tone a mixture of protectiveness and resolve.
Elena shrugged as she looked at Bonnie, Bonnie decided it was best for Stefan to take them both home as she didn't want Abby seeing her like this.
The drive was a quiet reflection of the distance between Stefan and Elena, a space filled with the unspoken and the unresolved. Bonnie found herself adrift in thoughts of alternate realities, contemplating the unexpected logic behind Stefan and Caroline's union in the world she had visited—a pairing that, upon reflection, seemed to align with the unpredictable nature of their lives. She wondered how the other Bonnie was doing, and if Damon was happy to see her.
Lost in her contemplation and the soft hum of the music, Bonnie was jolted back to the present by the chime of her phone. Elena's assumption that the message was from Caroline was met with a moment of hesitation as Bonnie checked her phone, only to find a message from Damon, a proposition for a real drink that elicited a groan of mixed emotions. Stefan's timely arrival at her house seemed almost orchestrated by some unseen connection to Damon, a thought that lingered as she prepared to leave the car.
"Bon, are you sure you want to stay home alone?" Elena asked as Bonnie was about to get out of the car.
"Abby's here, I'm fine, you two have a good night, thanks Stefan" Bonnie said, noting Elena's sad expression and Stefan's hollow smile in return. Stefan waited until she unlocked the front door and waved to them before leaving.
The moment Bonnie's feet were freed from the confines of her heels, a small but significant victory in the grand scheme of the evening, she allowed herself a smile of relief. The quiet of the house enveloped her as she tiptoed to her room, mindful of Abby's rest, her thoughts swirling with the evening's events and the unexpected message from Damon. Opening her phone once more, she was torn between the desire to retreat into the comfort of her bed and the lingering thrill of the night that made her crave more.
With a mixture of apprehension and boldness, Bonnie replied to Damon's text, 'Don't make me regret this, I'll be ready when you get here.' The moment she sent the message, she tossed her phone onto the bed, distancing herself from the rush of emotions that coursed through her at the thought of seeing him again. The rapid ding of her phone's notification pulled her back, a mix of nerves and anticipation fluttering in her stomach as she steeled herself to check his response.
'Keep the dress, I'll be there in 5,' Damon's message read, sparking a conflict within her—irritation at his audacity to dictate her attire and a reluctant flutter of excitement. Opting for comfort over conformity, Bonnie chose sweats and a hoodie eschewing the restraints of her earlier ensemble for the freedom of soft fabric against her skin, her nipples perked up in response as she opted to forego a bra. With a touch of lip liner and her hair left down as a nod to the night's earlier glamour, she readied herself for whatever the night might still hold.
The sound of another text had her hurrying, the anticipation of Damon's arrival a catalyst that quickened her pace. Slipping through the house with a practiced silence, she stepped into the cool night air, the sight of Damon waiting in the driver's seat sending an unexpected shiver across her skin. His gaze followed her as she made her way to the car, a silent exchange charged with an intensity that belied the casual nature of their impending meeting.
As Bonnie slid into the passenger seat, the space between them was filled with the tangible presence of unspoken thoughts and feelings, a connection that, for all its complexity, was undeniably compelling. The tingle of her skin under his gaze was a testament to the intricate dance of attraction and resistance that defined their relationship, a dance that, for tonight at least, they seemed willing to explore of Form
"Sporty spice, I like it," Damon quipped, his eyes appreciatively taking in Bonnie's casual attire, a stark contrast to the elegance of the ball gown she had worn earlier.
"Yeah, to keep me in that dress, you'd have to throw another ball worth going to, otherwise, you get off-duty Bonnie" Bonnie joked as she fastened her seat belt.
"As opposed to Bonnie the nun, or Bonnie ruiner of fun?" Damon teased as he started the car and pulled away from her house.
"Just because I choose who I have fun with, doesn't make me boring, I can be a real riot" Bonnie countered her voice a mix of amusement and assertion.
"With who, Jeremy? Please, I'd rather watch Stefan hunt squirrels for breakfast" Damon said as he scrunched his face.
"I must have suffered some type of traumatic brain injury to even agree to go to a bar with you," Bonnie rolled her eyes which elicited a satisfied smirk from Damon.
"Your loss in better judgment… is my gain witchy" Damon responded with a devilish grin.
As they delved deeper into their conversation, Damon ventured into more personal territory, "Something is different about you, and I don't mean how hot you look tonight—" His observation, cut short by Bonnie's quick interjection, was a rare moment of vulnerability veiled in their customary banter.
"Okay, let's stop before you get ahead of yourself, I've always been hot first of all and maybe I'm curious," was both a rebuff and an admission from Bonnie.
Damon's curiosity piqued, "Curious?" he echoed, his expression one of mock surprise, a playful prompt for her to elaborate.
Bonnie's response, a mix of candidness and contemplation, "I mean, I feel like you're going to be a part of my life whether I like it or not, and I just – Want to see if there is truly another side of you that I'm missing,"
Damon's playful retort, "Spoiler alert, I'm much worse than you think I am," accompanied by a theatrical wiggle of his eyebrows, was a deflection wrapped in humor, a momentary mask for the genuine curiosity and apprehension that flickered beneath.
Bonnie quickly changed the subject and talked about the Mikaelson ball and how creepy the whole family seemed together; she made sure not to bring up the altercation with Kol. After a few more minutes they made it to the Mystic Grill.
Upon entering the Grill, the sight of Rebekah and Matt in deep conversation momentarily tempted Damon into his old habits of meddling and mischief. However, Bonnie's preemptive glance, sharp yet not without humor, was enough to curb his impulses, her warning clear in her eyes. Damon's response, a widened smile of acknowledgment, was a silent concession to Bonnie's unspoken request for peace.
"Well - there's just one bar and you promised to display these oh so impressive skills" Damon teased as he walked towards the bar with Bonnie reluctantly following.
Matt had just gotten up to walk away from the bar when he spotted Bonnie.
"Bon" Matt warmly greeted the with, but with caution as he eyed the company she was with.
"Don't ask, it's nothing, someone, has to keep him out of trouble, are you okay?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Matt's hand, knowing that he definitely was not okay.
"I will be, call me if you need anything" Matt quickly looked between Bonnie and Damon before with concern before leaving.
"Well if it isn't Cinderella and the Beast" Rebekah greeted them with a sigh.
"I believe you mean-" Damon started as he swiped a bottle of bourbon.
"No, I meant what I said" Rebekah smiled sarcastically at Damon before turning her attention to Bonnie who was eyeing the glass Damon was pouring her drink into.
"This is a curious sight, Bonnie Bennett out to play with the vampires tonight" Rebekah eyed the witch with intrigue.
"I decided to take the night off from trying to kill one of your siblings and regrettably killing my liver with another sibling on my shit list" Bonnie joked. Damon raised his brows in amusement as he bought shots for the three of them.
"Here's to a temporary ceasefire then" Rebekah rose her shot glass to Damon and Bonnie who rose theirs in return.
The warmth of the shot cascading down her throat served as a temporary respite for Bonnie from the maelstrom of emotions swirling within her. The conflict between the urge to flee and the desire to explore the possibilities that had been hinted at in another world left her momentarily lost in thought, a divergence from the present that didn't go unnoticed by Damon and Rebekah.
Damon's question, laced with genuine concern, "Hey, where'd you go just now?" pulled her back to the reality of their shared moment at the bar, his voice cutting through the noise of her internal deliberations with an unexpected warmth.
Bonnie, seeking to deflect with humor, raised her glass in a mock toast, "Oh, it was- it was nothing, uhm, here's to, here's to me for being the main reason why you two both had a miserable night, because no Esther, no ball." Her attempt to wear the evening's disruptions as a badge of honor was met with mixed reactions, a reflection of the complicated dynamics at play.
"Or, here's to Bonnie for finally embracing her devastating beauty and outshining her counterparts, I swear if it weren't for mother making sure we were on our best behavior, Nik and Elijah would be fighting over you right now." The mention of her brothers' potential interest in Bonnie, coupled with Damon's visibly unamused reaction, added layers to the already complex interactions.
"Oh wow, do I sense a hint of jealousy?" Rebekah asked as she surveyed Damon's micro expressions on his face before he took the shot.
Bonnie nervously laughed to break the sudden tension"Well, you can tell them both I am highly uninterested"
Damon's response, a blend of sarcasm and a hint of bitterness, "We know, the high almighty Bonnie Bennett wouldn't dare stain her reputation with the likes of any of our kind," prompted an eye roll from Bonnie, an unspoken acknowledgment of their ongoing dance around each other's feeling.
As the night wore on, and the alcohol loosened inhibitions, Rebekah decided to have some fun and directed a question to Bonnie, "So Bonnie, if you had to choose, Damon or Stefan,"
Rebekah smirked as the question was a deliberate provocation, a challenge that hung in the air, heavy with implication.
Damon's immediate discomfort and his protective response, "You don't have to answer that," was a rare show of vulnerability, a glimpse into his complex feelings towards Bonnie.
"No, I'll answer, in what context" Bonnie inquired as she narrowed her eyes at Rebekah.
"Romantic, who would you choose, if it were up to you" Rebekah continued, forcing Bonnie to confront the hypothetical that lingered between her and Damon, a question that, regardless of her answer, promised to shift the delicate balance of their interactions.
Damon's abrupt declaration, "This is getting weird, and I suddenly have to powder my nose," broke the intensifying tension with a hint of his characteristic evasion, masked by a feigned nonchalance as he staggered toward the restroom. His departure left Bonnie and Rebekah in a moment ripe for unguarded conversation, an opportunity Rebekah seized with pointed curiosity.
"I've been watching you, both of you this entire night, your movements, you're scared to make any type of physical contact with him, why," Rebekah probed, her observation sharp and unwavering, directing her full attention towards Bonnie. The question, unexpectedly direct, sent a wave of embarrassment through Bonnie, revealing the inner turmoil she battled—fear of the magnetic pull she felt towards Damon, amplified in the absence of barriers once erected by spells and circumstances.
Bonnie's response, a torrent of reasons and rationalizations, revealed more than she intended. "Should I be going out of my to touch him? I barely tolerate him, he's the worst, plus I'm pretty sure him and Elena are in love with each other which is problematic because of the other brother and just-" Her words cascaded out, painting the complex web of relationships and emotions that entangled them all.
Rebekah's counter, however, cut through the confusion with the precision of a knife. "Okay stop, first of all, Elena is in love with attention and feeling as if she's needed, she's a simple girl, and Damon like's simple with a pretty face, he doesn't have to work as hard to actually have a heart because she'll draw one up for him, if a part of you likes him, why would you hold back," she challenged, her insight laying bare the dynamics at play, urging Bonnie to confront her feelings head-on.
"It's so much more complicated than that," Bonnie murmured, the weight of her emotions and the intricacies of their lives rendering her momentarily defenseless in the face of Rebekah's blunt assessment.
Damon's return, marked by his inquiry, "What's more complicated?" injected a sudden shift back to their layered reality, his timing impeccable and his interest piqued despite his feigned indifference.
"Just girl talk you wouldn't begin to understand," Rebekah deflected with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, preserving the sanctity of their exchange for just a moment longer.
"What do you say we three get out of here?" Damon asked as he looked between Bonnie and Rebekah.
Rebekah looked back at Bonnie.
"Sure why not?" Bonnie responded in a drunken haze.
Bonnie's agreement, albeit blurred by the haze of alcohol, signaled a readiness to step into the uncertainty of the night with Damon and Rebekah, a decision propelled by a desire for freedom from the evening's revelations.
As they left the confines of the Grill, the car ride became a fleeting sanctuary of music and dancing, with Bonnie and Rebekah surrendering to the rhythm of the songs that filled the space between them. Bonnie, with the window rolled down and the wind weaving through her hair, embodied a moment of pure, unbridled joy—a stark contrast to the complexity of her thoughts and feelings. Damon, catching glimpses of her through the rearview mirror, was struck by the sight of her carefree spirit, a reminder of the multifaceted woman who continually challenged and intrigued him, her beauty accentuated by the freedom of the moment and the night air that tousled her curls.
Once they got to the boarding house Damon placed a finger to his mouth pretending he cared about waking Stefan.
"I can do a privacy spell" Bonnie said quietly. Rebekah and Damon looked at each other and shrugged.
With a flicker of the fireplace coming to life under her command, Bonnie recited the spell with a quiet confidence, her words weaving a protective shroud around them, ensuring their revelries wouldn't disturb Stefan's rest.
The night transformed within the walls of the Salvatore boarding house as Damon initiated a backdrop of music, setting the stage for an evening removed from the usual peril and urgency that defined their lives. Bonnie and Rebekah, emboldened by the night and the music, found themselves lost in the moment, their laughter and movements a testament to the earlier cheers to a temporary ceasefire.
Damon, drawn to Bonnie's vibrancy, made a tentative attempt to join her dance, his fingers barely grazing her arm before she instinctively pulled away. The momentary furrow of his brows betrayed his confusion, a silent question left hanging in the air, quickly brushed aside by Rebekah's timely intervention as she pulled him into dance.
As the night deepened, the barriers between them seemed to dissolve under the influence of the music and the alcohol. Bonnie, her inhibitions fading, surrendered to the night, her laughter and grace captivating. Damon, from across the room, found himself ensnared by the sight, the simplicity of the scene before him striking a chord within, a sense of déjà vu enveloping him despite the novelty of their shared joy.
Compelled by the need to be closer to her, Damon navigated the space between them, drawn to Bonnie with a pull he could neither deny nor understand. It was a moment suspended in time as his hand found the curve of her waist beneath her hoody, the lightest touch sparking an electric connection that surged through them both, a tangible manifestation of the chemistry that simmered just beneath the surface. Bonnie quickly pulled away even though the physical and emotional current was too potent to ignore.
The sharp intake of breath they shared in that fleeting contact was more than a reaction; it was an awakening, a realization of the depth of the bond that could exist between them, as the current of energy flowed through them both.
"I think I'm going to be sick" Bonnie quickly announced which broke Damon's gaze and caught Rebekah's attention as they looked at her with concern. Bonnie immediately ran to the nearest bathroom she knew of to release the contents of her stomach.
Her spell didn't work as well as she thought it would because it was Stefan who heard her which made him immediately go to the bathroom to make sure she was okay. Damon and Rebekah almost beat him to the bathroom as they came up behind him.
"I, will handle this, Elena wouldn't want either of you near her" Stefan ordered. Damon scowled at him in response.
"C'mon Damon, Stefan needs as many brownie points as possible from Elena right now" Rebekah tugged at Damon's arm before pulling him away. Damon reluctantly followed as he needed to process his unexpected feelings from the night.
Bonnie flushed the toilet and leaned against the cold tiled wall, her thoughts racing, and wondering why she even went out in the first place. She heard a soft knock at the door and was mortified that it could be Damon.
Alone and vulnerable in the aftermath, she was relieved yet embarrassed to hear Stefan's voice instead of Damon's. He offered a semblance of comfort as he provided her with a cool, damp towel, and asked how she was feeling.
"Embarrassed, exhausted, and surprisingly better" Bonnie sighed deeply as she dabbed her skin with the towel.
"Definitely have been there" Stefan let out a light chuckle, which made Bonnie feel more comfortable.
"Do you mind if I shower here? And maybe you can take me home? I…I think I'm supposed to be home first thing in the morning" Bonnie quickly thought about the journal entry and how she read about Esther coming to her and Abby the morning after the ball.
"Yeah, I'll uh, grab you some fresh clothes, there's an extra toothbrush in the drawer" Stefan gave Bonnie a quick smile before leaving her to it.
Bonnie stood up to rummage for a toothbrush and was thankful when she saw some hair ties, most likely left behind by Elena in the drawer as well. As she took off her hoody, she forgot she didn't have a bra on, and her skin quickly raised against the sudden cool air. When Bonnie finally undressed, she stepped into the warm shower that was calling her name.
As Bonnie surrendered to the warmth of the shower, her thoughts drifted to Damon—their brief but electrifying contact, the possibilities that lay in the other world, and the tangled web of relationships that defined their reality. The memory of their connection in another realm brought both warmth and confusion, a contrast to the cold reality of her current predicament and the speculation about Damon and Rebekah's actions. She had read in her diary that they slept with each other, and Elena was bothered by it. Elena, she thought, she still could not believe that in the other world, she ended up with Damon rather than Stefan, and then felt sad because after all they had been through, ultimately Elena didn't get the fairytale ending she had fought for, and in reality, settled for a love who didn't love her back the way she wanted him to.
Damon tried to distract himself with Rebekah and acted as if he didn't care about the night's turn of events. Attempting to immerse himself in the diversion she offered, his mind, traitorous and unyielding, wandered back to Bonnie. There was an unspoken rule within him, a boundary he had imposed on himself regarding Bonnie Bennett. She wasn't just Elena's best friend; she was an enigma, a force of nature that he, despite his centuries of experience, found both daunting and mesmerizing. The guilt that gnawed at him for harboring any thoughts that strayed from platonic was a testament to the pedestal he had placed her on—a goddess among mere mortals, and he, merely a heathen undeserving of her regard.
In the labyrinth of Damon's experiences, women had come and gone, many swayed by his charm and the allure of danger that he embodied. Yet, the Bennett women, especially Bonnie, remained aloof, their interactions with him colored by necessity rather than desire. Their tolerance of his presence was a courtesy extended on behalf of Emily, a connection rooted in history and obligation rather than genuine affection.
The memory of the first time he tasted Bonnie's blood, under the extraordinary circumstances of Emily's possession, was etched into his being. It was an experience that transcended the mere act; it was a revelation, a taste of power and purity intertwined, a flavor that lingered in the recesses of his memory, evoking a hunger that went beyond the physical.
This inner turmoil, the battle between his inherent nature and the reverence he held for Bonnie, left him adrift in a sea of conflicting emotions. The brief contact they shared earlier in the evening, a touch that sparked an electric connection, had only served to deepen the complexity of his feelings. It was a moment that defied the simplicity of attraction, hinting at depths yet to be explored, at possibilities that Damon had never allowed himself to fully contemplate.
In the quiet of his thoughts, Damon Salvatore found himself at a crossroads, caught between the desire to maintain the facade of indifference and the undeniable pull towards Bonnie Bennett. It was a pull that challenged his perceptions of himself and of the potential for something more profound than he had ever allowed himself to imagine. The realization that Bonnie, with her strength, her integrity, and her unwavering spirit, had unwittingly become his compass in a world of chaos, was both unsettling and illuminating, a paradox that Damon Salvatore, in all his years, had never quite encountered.
He started kissing Rebekah with intensity, trying to get Bonnie out of his mind. He even tried to picture Elena a few times but kept going back to Bonnie and the way her breasts heaved with her breaths in that red low-cut dress, and the way hints of her waist would peak under her oversized hoody when she'd run her fingers through her hair as she drunkenly danced. He could tell she wasn't wearing a bra under her hoody which made him respond to Rebekah more hungrily and roughly which she liked. Damon grew harder at the memory of how grazing her skin with his fingers felt, and how forbidden it felt to think of Bonnie this way, but she chose to go out with him tonight, he thought. Something had changed in her and he needed to find out why.
Emerging from the shower, Bonnie felt a sense of renewal wash over her. The discreet knock at the door signaled Stefan's thoughtful provision of clothing. His gesture, simple yet considerate, left her momentarily touched. "Thanks," she murmured, a whisper of gratitude as she took the offered sweatshirt and pajama pants, closing the door with a soft click.
Dressed now in clothes far too large, she couldn't help but laugh at the comical length of the pants, adjusting them as best she could. Letting her hair down, she allowed her soft curls to frame her face once more, a semblance of normalcy and beauty reclaimed after the tumultuous night. The reflection that stared back at her from the mirror was a reminder of her resilience, her ability to maintain her grace despite the chaos that often surrounded her.
Stepping out, she found Stefan waiting, a silent sentinel ensuring her wellbeing. "Thanks again, I promise I'll get these back to you," she said, her smile tinged with sheepishness at the oddity of the situation.
Stefan's offer to take care of her discarded attire, while well-intentioned, sparked a moment of panic as Bonnie envisioned her undergarments tangled within her balled-up clothes.
"Uhm no, that's totally okay," she stammered, the thought of Stefan discovering her lacy thong amidst her hoody and sweats causing her cheeks to warm with a blush.
Stefan's assurance was delivered with a mild amusement that suggested an understanding beyond the surface concern. "Bonnie, I'll make sure no one else sees your things in the laundry, trust me it's fine," he said, his tone carrying the weight of an unspoken promise of discretion and respect.
Relinquishing her bundle of clothes into Stefan's care, Bonnie pressed her lips together in a line of resolved trust. She then turned back to the room where her shoes and purse lay.
Damon caught her scent in the air for a brief moment, which helped him to finally climax. Instead of taking the time to catch his breath with Rebekah as they both finished, he knew he had to see what Bonnie was up to since her scent was in the air.
"I'm impressed, although the bar was incredibly low," Rebekah said quickly, breaking the silence as she caught her breath.
A quick chuckle escaped Damon as he sat up to get out of bed.
"You like her don't you" Rebekah asked as she pulled the sheets over her.
"Don't make me regret letting you spend the night" Damon returned with an undertone of orneriness.
"Ass" Rebekah retorted with a slight smirk as she watched Damon put on pajama pants before heading out the door.
Damon, driven by an inexplicable pull, sought out the remnants of Bonnie's presence, finding solace in the lingering scent of sandalwood and vanilla that filled the bathroom she had used. The warm, humid air was a testament to her recent presence, enveloping him in a moment of unexpected tranquility as he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The sound of her laughter, however, a melody that stirred something within him, propelled him from his reverie, his vampire speed a convenient tool as he descended to the source of the sound.
Upon entering the kitchen, he found Stefan and Bonnie mid-conversation, her holding a glass of water, both pausing to regard him with a mixture of surprise and amusement as he appeared in just his pajama pants. Stefan's knowing smirk, a silent commentary on Damon's state and recent activities, only added to the charged atmosphere.
"Don't stop the hilarious conversation on account of little old me," Damon quipped, feigning interest in the fridge's contents while masking his irritation at seeing Bonnie in Stefan's clothes.
"Well, I think I'm going to call it a night, I'm ready when you are Stefan," Bonnie announced, her voice tinged with discomfort, keen to escape the burgeoning tension and Damon's disconcerting gaze.
"I'll go start the car," Stefan quickly offered, sensing Bonnie's need for an escape.
Damon, ever the provocateur, couldn't let the moment pass without an attempt to sway Bonnie's decision. "Wait wait wait, do you know what time it is? Just sleep here," he suggested, closing the fridge to fully engage in the conversation.
Stefan, aligning with his brother for once, added, "It's up to you Bonnie, we have plenty of bedrooms to spare," signaling a rare moment of unity between the Salvatore siblings.
Bonnie, however, stood firm in her decision. "That's nice of you both, but I have to be at home in the morning, no later than 9, it's just easier if I go home now," she argued, hoping to end the discussion there.
Damon, undeterred and lacing his words with sarcasm, countered, "We have alarms, plus, Stefan is a terrible driver at night," an attempt to lighten the mood that only served to roll annoy Bonnie.
"Okay, well I'd rather not be woken up by the sounds of Damon Salvatore and Rebekah Mikaelson, I've already gotten sick once tonight," Bonnie retorted, her words sharp, cutting through Damon's facade and drawing a chuckle from Stefan.
Stefan, attempting to mediate, addressed Damon directly, "Damon if she wants to go home, I'll take her home," his tone exasperated yet firm.
Damon, feeling a surge of responsibility—or perhaps something more—insisted, "No, I'll do it—"
Bonnie interjected, her patience thinning, "No, Damon, seriously I don't have the patience for this, plus you have company." Her plea was directed at Stefan, seeking an ally in her desire to leave.
Damon, however, was not ready to relinquish his role so easily. "First of all witchy, you're my company, I'm the reason you're here in the first place, it'd be rude of me for my younger brother to take on my responsibilities," he smirked, his tone light yet revealing a deeper insistence on being the one to ensure her safe return home.
The ensuing agreement from Bonnie, "Fine, but you're driving me home with actual clothes on," was a concession laced with irritation, a compromise that acknowledged Damon's stubborn involvement in her departure.
He tried to lighten the moment, adopting a tone of sarcasm, "Deal, I'll just grab one of Stefan's sweatshirts since that's the theme for the night." His attempt to jest, however, was quickly overshadowed by the gravity of the situation. Stefan cleared his throat to break the obvious and entertaining tension.
"Thank you Stefan, for everything" Bonnie turned her attention to the younger brother.
"Yeah, anytime, I'm going to bed" Stefan patted Damon on his shoulder and gave him a knowing smile before leaving the kitchen.
"urning his attention back to Bonnie, Damon couldn't help but ask, "How are you feeling?" His voice carried an unusual seriousness, a concern that stripped away the facade of indifference he often wore.
Bonnie's reply, laced with her characteristic snark yet revealing a hint of vulnerability, was a testament to their complex relationship. "Better, clean, and only slightly buzzed now, how are you feeling, big guy?" she teased, prompting a smirk from Damon.
"How would you know?" Damon raised his brows.
"You're disgusting, and I highly doubt Elena would be impressed with your choices tonight," she chided, her words cut deeper than intended.
Damon, unfazed on the surface, retorted with his own challenge, "You chose to have a night of debauchery with me, so how impressed would she be with your choices?" His words, though masked in jest, revealed a hint of the turmoil beneath.
"I'm not the one that's in love with her, am I? I'll be waiting by the front door," Bonnie shot back, her swift departure leaving Damon to confront the discomfort her words stirred within him.
She wasn't wrong, however, everything felt slightly wrong. He found himself questioning how true that statement was since he did easily sleep with Rebekah, and whatever was happening between him, and Bonnie was beginning to overshadow everything that puzzled him. He forgot that he even told Elena he loved her tonight.
He walked out of the kitchen and quickly vamped upstairs to change into jeans and a black sweater. Rebekah was thankfully fast asleep.
He made his way downstairs and saw Bonnie playing with a candle she had lit with her magic. Once she heard him walking closer, she blew the candle out and turned to face him.
"Ready?" Damon asked as he jingled the keys.
Bonnie sat up from the couch and walked up towards him, he eyed her as she ran her fingers through her hair out of habit. The slight action and the scent that came off of her neck from doing that made him widen his eyes as he controlled the hunger he felt.
The tension between Bonnie and Damon was palpable, a charged current that flowed silently as they moved together towards the car. Damon's actions, though silent, were filled with an unspoken care, evident as he opened the car door for her—a gentlemanly gesture that didn't go unnoticed.
In the quiet of the car, with the world passing by in a blur outside the windshield, Bonnie found herself caught in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, feeling as though she'd been awake for days on end. The weight of the revelations and experiences from another realm pressed heavily on her, casting a shadow over the present and coloring her interactions with Damon in hues of longing and confusion.
She sat there, lost in contemplation, grappling with the desire to open up to Damon, to share the truths of the other world where their connection had transcended the boundaries she had always maintained. The question of whether Damon harbored any remnants of those memories, any echo of the Bonnie from that other reality, lingered at the forefront of her mind, a tantalizing possibility that both intrigued and unnerved her.
As the silence stretched between them, Bonnie's focus shifted from the external to the internal, where the urge to rekindle that electrifying touch, to feel the rush of their undeniable chemistry once more, became overwhelming. The complexities of their entangled lives, the looming presence of the Mikaelsons, all faded into the background, rendered insignificant by the magnetic pull she felt toward Damon.
In that moment, with the quiet hum of the car as their only companion, Bonnie wrestled with the impulse to bridge the gap, to reach out and shatter the barrier of silence and uncertainty that stood between them. The craving for connection, for the affirmation of the feelings that had been awakened in that other world, was a beacon in the fog of her thoughts, guiding her toward a decision that could alter the course of their relationship forever.
Bonnie getting more and more lost in her thoughts but still had plenty of liquid courage left in her couldn't take it anymore as the music being played was bringing her back to the private room with Damon before the explosion.
"Damon, stop the car!" Bonnie yelled.
Without hesitation, Damon complied, confusion etched on his face as he brought the vehicle to a halt, turning to face her with concern. "Is everything okay?" Damon quickly asked in response.
"No, everything is not okay Damon, you felt that earlier too didn't you," Bonnie asked as she unbuckled her seat belt to turn and look at him.
"Yes," Damon admitted, his voice heavy, his gaze locking with hers, a silent confirmation of the undeniable pull they felt.
"Something happened to me... I went to the future, not necessarily mine, but to another universe..." she tried to explain, her words a mixture of confession and confusion. She spoke of journals, of predestined events, and of a future entwined with Damon's in ways she couldn't yet fully understand or accept.
"I, I knew, I even knew you were going to sleep with Rebekah tonight" Bonnie didn't know if anything she was saying was making sense and didn't know if it was her anxiety or the liquor or everything combined.
Damon's confusion mirrored Bonnie's turmoil, his single-word question, "Okay?" a placeholder for the myriad of questions that Bonnie's revelation had sparked within him.
"And I, I had to let it happen because I don't want to screw up my future and maybe you were supposed to sleep with her or maybe it doesn't matter I don't know, but I can't sit here and act like it doesn't bother me and possibly sit through you and Elena and just I can't do it, I can't!" Bonnie exclaimed as her voice got louder with all her words tumbling over each other.
"Okay, hold on" Damon stated before his face scrunched up with confusion, "What?"
"You don't remember because she put me back in time before the switch happened, but Damon, at some point in my life I will fall in love with you, I feel it, even now, and I barely tolerate you at the moment, I'm not saying I'm in love with you right now, god no, but I, I feel something other than a general dislike and I know myself, I know I won't be able to sit on the sidelines as these feelings grow," Her final sigh, a release of pent-up emotions, resonated in the confined space of the car, a testament to the courage it took to lay bare her heart and the fears that accompanied such a revelation.
As they sat in the car, enveloped by the night's silence, Damon closed his eyes momentarily, grappling with the revelations Bonnie had just poured out. When he looked out the windshield, his expression unreadable, Bonnie felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, fearing the imminent change that seemed to hang in the balance.
"Say something, literally anything, please," Bonnie implored, her voice softer now, laden with vulnerability as she sought any sign of understanding from him.
Damon's question cut through the tension, "Why, why would you tell me that?" His voice was tinged with a mix of hopelessness and confusion, struggling to grasp the weight of her words.
Bonnie's response was heartfelt, "I had to Damon, I'm sorry," as her eyes brimmed with tears, revealing the depth of her turmoil.
Damon wrestled with a storm of emotions. The idea that Bonnie could harbor any feelings for him was unfathomable, not because it was unwanted but because he deemed himself unworthy. "I'm terrible for you, Bonnie. I've tried to kill you, I hurt people, do you understand?" His anguish was palpable, a stark admission of his darkest moments.
Bonnie, tears now streaming down her face, acknowledged the complexity of their situation, her plea for understanding mingled with a half-hearted attempt to escape the intensity of the moment. Yet, Damon's guilt was immediate, the thought of causing her pain a new burden he hadn't anticipated carrying.
In a heartfelt confession, Damon revealed his own inner conflict, "Do you know how hard it was when you showed me the slightest amount of positive attention not to want to touch you, kiss you, make a pass at you, and mean it?" His admission that thoughts of Bonnie had intruded even as he professed love to Elena underscored the depth of his turmoil.
"I never thought, since the moment I met you, that you would ever even want to be in the same room as me for longer than 10 minutes, you were always a what if, as unattainable as taking a piece of the moon, and yes I felt it, I can't stop thinking about it, I can't stop thinking of you under me, wrapped into me" Damon continued, Bonnie finally looked up at him.
Bonnie, finally meeting his gaze, found herself at a crossroads, their mutual attraction and the confession of feelings laying the groundwork for an uncertain future. "Okay, well, now what?" she asked, her voice betraying her nervous anticipation.
"I take you home, and we sleep on it, I want to kiss you, but not here, not like this, I want you to sleep on this, make sure what you're feeling is real" Damon said in a softer tone as he eyed Bonnie whose demeanor seemed slightly more relaxed.
"Yeah, okay" Bonnie muttered as she glanced at him, trying not to blush like a school girl hearing their crush say they liked them back.
The drive home remained silent until they pulled into Bonnie's driveway. Damon's chivalrous act of opening the car door for her was a prelude to his bold request, "Can we sleep on it together?" His touch, light as a feather, reignited the spark between them, as he placed strands of her hair behind her ear, a silent acknowledgment of their mutual desire.
"Okay, but don't make me regret this Damon" Bonnie eyed him with a serious expression so he would take her seriously, which he did. He quietly followed her into the house, careful not to wake Abby who was asleep in the living room.
In the quiet of Bonnie's bedroom, a place she had once shared with Damon under far different circumstances, the air was thick with anticipation and a newfound awareness of each other.
Bonnie's admission of exhaustion was tinged with nervous energy, a subtle acknowledgment of the shift in their relationship as she prepared for bed. Damon's concern, voiced softly as he inquired about his presence in her bed, highlighted the delicacy of the moment. His question wasn't just about physical proximity; it was an inquiry into the boundaries of their newly acknowledged feelings.
Bonnie's assurance, though laced with weariness from the events of the past few days, invited Damon into a space that was both familiar and entirely new. As Damon joined her, the distance he maintained was a silent promise of respect, an unspoken agreement not to rush the fragile connection blossoming between them.
"Damon, it's okay, I'm not going to change my mind in the morning, I mean I kind of hate how you haven't showered since…" Bonnie teasingly raised her eyebrows.
Damon's response, "Yeah yeah yeah, witches are always so judgy," was met with a smile, their banter a comfortable dance they both knew well.
"Goodnight, even though I still kind of hate you," Bonnie teased a statement that captured the complex layers of their relationship.
The moment Damon's fingers lightly traced the side of her face, they both paused, breath held at the electric connection that sparked between them, a tangible sign of the attraction they were only beginning to explore.
As Bonnie drifted into sleep, Damon's gaze lingered on her, taking in the remnants of her makeup, the delicate winged eyeliner that seemed to speak volumes about the care she took in her appearance and reminded him of a bird taking flight. Waiting for her breaths to deepen, he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, a silent vow of protection and care. "Goodnight my little bird," he whispered.
His arm, carefully wrapped around her, was a promise of safety, a physical manifestation of his willingness to guard this budding connection with everything he had. As they both succumbed to sleep, the world outside faded away, leaving only the fragile beginnings of a relationship neither fully understood but were instinctively drawn to explore.