A/N: Hopefully y'all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :) Be warned, both characters get are a little OOC at times, for story purposes. Also, apparently one-shots that are long as crap are a new thing for me. Because of this, I've broken this story up into six parts. It was written as a one-shot, so it the chapters are a bit off, that's why. I'll be posting one chapter a week. There are a ton of ships throughout this story, but it is Derek/Bonnie endgame. And it is definitely a slow burn that spans over the years. *Trigger warnings* (And I may have consumed way too many Swedish Fish and Hot Tamales while writing this…)

Love,
Anneryn


I DO NOT OWN TEEN WOLF, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, OR THE CHARACTERS.


I danced around the kitchen and sang along to my 90's pop Pandora station. I was mid Macarena, when someone knocked on my front door. I decided they could wait a second and I finished one of my favorite dances from my childhood. I wiped my hands on my apron and set the timer for the chocolate chip cookies I was baking, popped the cookies in the oven, started the timer, and took off my apron, before dancing over to the door.

I had to stretch a little, so I was on my tiptoes and I could see through the peephole. There's a guy that I've never seen before standing out my door. I debated internally whether or not I should answer the door. I've seen every Criminal Minds and Stalker episode. I know exactly what kind of creeps I could be answering my door to. He looks harmless enough, but then again, don't they all? He knocked again and looked agitated. Maybe he'll just be a salesman? Ugh. I hate salesmen. I took a deep breath and I opened the door. He opened his mouth and then closed it. He looked me over and a smile ghosted across his face.

"Can I help you?" I asked him, trying to keep my voice even. He's… He's… Wow. He stands at least a head taller than me, with dark hair, stubble that looked like the beginnings of a beard, a knee-weakening smile, and intoxicating hazel eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I know that you don't know me and it's weird to have someone banging on your door so late, but I just moved in a few days ago and I locked myself out. My uncle has my spare, but he won't be back into town until tomorrow and the super isn't answering my calls." He explained. I nodded, slowly.

"So… You want somewhere to crash tonight?" I guessed. He nodded and grinned at me, sheepishly. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and I kicked myself. How can I say no to that? I must be crazy for what I'm about to do, but something in my gut is telling me to trust him. My Grams always used to say that the Bennett women were intuitive and that we shouldn't second guess ourselves… Well, here goes nothin'. "Don't make me regret letting you stay." I told him. He chuckled. "Do you swear that you have zero homicidal tendencies in your body, because if you do, I'll shoot you." I demanded. He was laughing openly, now.

"I swear and I really appreciate this. Apart from Peter, I don't know anyone in this city." He thanked me. I nodded and kept staring at him.

"I don't think anyone really considers Mystic Falls a city… More like a really small town." I laughed. "Peter is your uncle?" I asked. He nodded. "If you're staying the night in my apartment, I should at least know your name. I mean, hell, you haven't even bought me dinner." I teased him. He cracked a smile.

"I'm Derek, Derek Hale." He introduced himself and offered me his hand. I glanced down at mine and wiped a bit of flour onto my pajama shorts, before touching my hand to his. He's surprisingly warm.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Bonnie Bennett." I supplied, before stepping out of the doorway, so he could come inside. He followed me inside and I shut and locked the door behind him. I started walking to the kitchen, when I realized that I still had his hand on mine. "Sorry," I apologized, before letting his hand go.

"I wasn't complaining." He replied. I tried to ignore the goosebumps that he was giving me. God. I'm going to have to make him sleep out in the hallway, just so I don't jump him in his sleep. Down girl. "What are you making?" He asked, as he looked around my place.

"Cookies," I supplied with an effortless grin. "I have chocolate chip in the oven and some no bake cookies in the fridge cooling."

"Do you like to cook?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I like to bake and I was craving chocolate. You can make yourself comfortable." I told him, gesturing to one of the bar stools at the island. He shook his head.

"I've been sitting for most of the day. It's good to be on my feet, actually." He declined, as he leaned against the fridge, making himself more comfortable.

"So, if you don't kill people in your spare time, what do you do?" I asked, hoping that he really wasn't lying about having homicidal tendencies. I bent down to open the oven and check on the cookies. I turned around and saw him looking at me funny. I raised my eyebrows at him. "Were you looking at my ass?" He let out a breathless laugh.

"Guilty," he admitted. I rolled my eyes. "I'm a carpenter, but today I was drawing up different floor plans." My ears perked up at his admission.

"So… you're good at fixing things?" I asked, hopefully. Well, maybe letting him stay wasn't such a bad idea, after all. He nodded. I beamed at him and clapped my hands together. "That's great, really. My shower head keeps falling and I've tried to fiddle with it and I'm pretty sure that I've just made it worse… and temperamental. I would love you forever and bribe you with cookies if you looked at it for me. I'm really not above bribing." I gestured to the oven to prove my point. He just looked amused. Hey, who would turn down free cookies?

"I don't mind taking a look at it." He told me.

"Great, it's right through here." I grabbed his hand, again, and led him through my apartment, through my bedroom and into my adjoining bathroom. I gestured to the shower and leaned back against the door frame. He let go of my hand and opened the door to my shower and stepped inside. He pulled the shower head down and inspected it.

I'll just stay out of his way and watch him work. I'm fine with that, really.

"Your screws are stripped and it's a pretty old shower head. I can fix it, but I'd need my tools, so the earliest I would be able to do it would be tomorrow." He told me, looking over at me. I nodded.

"That would be great. I would really appreciate it." I admitted. He put the shower head back and stepped out of my shower. The way that his Henley is hugging him, I bet he looks even better after he showers… He isn't making this easy on me. Like I needed more visuals of him doing naughty things. Down girl.

"You're giving me a place to sleep and cookies. It's the least I can do." He smiled.

"Awesome," I breathed. I refrained from fist-pumping, but just barely. I was serious about trying to fix it and failing. The shower head isn't just temperamental. I'm convinced that it has a personal vendetta against me now, too. "I'm a total night owl, so I'm sorry if you have to be up tomorrow. I don't sleep much. I normally crash around five in the morning and get up around noon."

"Do you work?" He asked, curiously. I nodded and walked back into the kitchen. I heard him follow behind me.

"I'm an advice columnist. I really only have to go into the office once or twice a week and I don't have any set hours. Most of my work is done from home, so my sleeping schedule doesn't really create too many problems. I like it. It's a nice change of pace." I explained.

"Do you need any help with anything?" He offered, as I moved the dirty dishes into the sink. I bit my lip and considered it.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" I asked him, instead of giving him an answer. He shook his head. "Are you hungry?" I asked, looking through my cabinets. I tried to reach a box of pasta that I don't remember putting up that high.

"A little," he admitted.

"Well, if you really wanna help with dinner, you can." I offered. He nodded and walked up behind me. I tried to ignore how much his body heat was affecting me. I can't remember the last time I had a guy here, who wasn't like a brother to me. He reached up and grabbed it for me. He placed it on the counter next to me and I swallowed, weakly. "Can you grab the sauce, too?" I asked him. He reached up again and grabbed one of the jars of Alfredo sauce and put it next to the pasta. The timer for the cookies went off and I couldn't really move with Derek so close to me. I cleared my throat weakly, but he didn't move. I turned around to face him and looked up at him. "Would you mind…?" I asked him, softly. I gestured the oven.

"Oh, yeah, of course," he moved over, so I could get past him. I grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the cookies out of the oven. I kept the oven on, but let the cookies to cool on the counter. "You're a 90's fan?" He asked me. It took a second for his question to register. I nodded as N'Sync filled my apartment.

"Is that your way of telling me that you're not? Because 90's are classic." I teased, as I pulled some chicken I set out this morning, from the fridge and some broccoli.

"I can listen to it from time to time." He replied, evasively. I laughed and turned around to face him.

"Is that your macho way of saying that you secretly love the 90's and fangirl when you hear the music on the radio?" I pressed. He laughed.

"Yes," he replied. I smirked.

"Good answer," I told him.

"I aim to please."

"I'm sure you do." The words slipped past my lips because I could muzzle myself. I tried to ignore how dirty it sounded, but he just laughed. "Alfredo okay?" I asked him.

"It sounds great. I can't remember the last time I had a home cooked meal." He admitted.

"You're not big on cooking?" I asked, as I tinkered around the kitchen. I pulled out a glass pan and lined it with a big of olive oil. I took the chicken from the package and gave it a quick rinse, before adding it to the pan and sprinkling it with seasoning. I put it in the oven and reset the timer.

"I don't like cooking for myself, no." He replied.

"So, no girlfriend? Boyfriend? Both?" I pressed as I grabbed a cutting board, so I could chop the broccoli. I gave it a good rinse before breaking it down. Derek laughed. I smiled. His laugh is the warm, infectious kind. I love it.

"I've never had a boyfriend, but I don't have a girlfriend." He replied. I nodded and put the broccoli in my vegetable steamer.

"Not married? Divorced? Kids?" I kept questioning him. I knew that I should probably stop while I was ahead, but if I'm going to be spending the night with the guy, then I wanna know more about him. Sue me. I passed him on my way to the sink. I pulled two pots off the drying rack and filled one halfway with water. Derek took the one with water from my hands and carried it to the stove for me.

"No to all of your questions." He told me. I nodded. "What about you?" He asked as he took the other pot from my hands and set it on the stove, before dumping the sauce inside. I sprinkled a smidge of salt into the water, hoping to help it boil a little faster. Derek turned on the burners and looked at me expectantly.

"I don't have a girlfriend or kids." I replied, smirking. "Ha, no to all of them, too." I sighed. It sounds so depressing, when I say it out loud. "Wine?" I asked him.

"Sure," he agreed. I took two glasses from the drying rack and set them upright on the counter. I grabbed a bottle of unopened Moscato from the fridge and handed it to Derek with my bottle opener. He didn't say anything as he opened it for me.

"A girl could get used to this." I teased. "I'll just knock on your door, when I need help fixing or opening things." I told him, seriously.

"I don't mind." He smiled. "So, did I pass?" He asked me. I knew he was referring to my questions. I shrugged.

"We'll see." I sang as I poured wine into both glasses. "I get curious. I can't help it. It's part of why I'm a writer." I admitted. "You can ask questions, too." I reminded him, taking a sip of my wine.

"Why did you answer your door for me?" He asked me, catching me off guard.

"I almost didn't. I was this close," I held up two fingers, "from ignoring you. I've seen way too many crime shows. I dunno, gut feeling and all that." I answered.

"I'm glad you did." He told me, sincerely. I handed him his wine and just looked at him.

"Who knows, maybe we'll become friends? I'll make sure you don't starve or have a heart attack from eating take out all the time." I joked and took another sip of wine.

"And I'll make sure your shower head doesn't kill you and rescue you from pickle jars." He offered.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." I told him truthfully.


We ate dinner and binged on the cookies. Derek's a lot more interesting than he let on. He grew up in another small town, Beacon Hills. He was ready for a change and his uncle lives the next town over. He has two sisters, but he doesn't really keep in touch with either of them. His mother and the rest of his family were killed in a fire, when he was younger. He didn't go into too much detail, but part of me thinks that there's more to that story, than he's telling.

I told him about growing up in Mystic Falls. I talked about my friends and the ones that I'm still in touch with. I promised to introduce him to Caroline and Matt. I told him about my Grams and that she passed. I told him that both of my parents liked to be MIA and pretend like they weren't actually parents, but it's not a big hardship to me. I've dealt with it and moved on.

We watched bad reality TV and talked all night. He didn't have to work the next day and I've already written my columns for the next couple of days. We didn't really have that much in common, per se, but I liked his company. He's surprisingly easy to talk to and comfortable to be around.


I forced my eyes open and winced as bright light flooded through my previously closed eyelids. I tried to pinpoint the source of the annoying banging, but couldn't. I groaned and tried to sit up. I frowned, when I couldn't. I looked down and saw a leg thrown over mine and an arm securely around my middle. I glanced to the side of me and saw a very attractive, sleeping Derek. I shrugged and settled back onto my warm, neighbor pillow. I closed my eyes, but the banging only got louder.

"What is that?" I whined. Derek chuckled and his chest vibrated. I looked up at my shaking pillow and he smiled down at me.

"It's probably my uncle, Peter." He sighed. I frowned, again.

"But I'm comfortable," I complained. He laughed louder, now.

"So am I," he agreed. "I should let him in, because he won't go away, until I do." He told me. I nodded and sat up, so he could detangle himself. He placed a kiss on the top of my head and walked over to the door. I took a second to appreciate just how well he wore his jeans. I don't even remember what time we fell asleep. It was almost seven in the morning and we were halfway through another episode of Love Prison, the last time I looked at a clock. I tried to make out the time on my cable box. I willed my eyes to focus and realized it was only ten thirty in the morning.

"No wonder I'm tired," I mused out loud. Derek opened the front door and I saw his equally attractive uncle. Peter stepped inside and Derek shut the door.

"You're the neighbor who so graciously took my nephew in, so he didn't have to sleep in the dangerous hallway?" Peter asked me. I blinked and nodded. I am so not a morning person. "She's even lovelier than you let on, Derek." Peter smirked at me. I stayed impassive.

"It's too early for you to be flirting with me." I told him, yawning. Derek laughed. I looked down at the floor underneath me and wondered why moving took so much effort. It's so unfair. Why can't I just levitate? That would be awesome. Derek offered me a hand and helped me to my feet. I looked at him for a second and wondered if he read my mind. "Coffee?" I asked them. I didn't wait for an answer before trudging over to the kitchen switching my coffee maker on. I stretched and willed myself to wake up faster, with no avail. I looked over at the guys and saw them both staring at me. I glanced down and realized that my tank top had ridden up while Derek and I were sleeping. I pulled my shirt down and stared at them. "You don't look as old as Derek said you did." I teased Peter with a straight face. Derek shook with laughter and Peter scowled.

"Here is your key, nephew. I suggest you don't make a habit of locking yourself out of your home." Peter scolded him. Derek just nodded, looking uninterested in his uncle's half-hearted lecture. I don't blame him.

"Breakfast, anyone?" I asked them, still struggling to wake up completely. Both of them perked up at that. "I told you that I wouldn't let you starve, Derek."

"Are you on the menu?" Peter asked as his eyes twinkled. I laughed and grabbed eggs from the fridge.

"You can have what I give you or nothing at all." I told him, still laughing. If you expect me to take anything seriously, before I've had my coffee, then you're sorely mistaken.

"I wouldn't argue with her." Derek advised him. I shot him a smile and began pouring coffee into three mugs. I set out creamer and sugar. I gestured to it and they both walked over.


I made enough eggs for everyone and cut up some fruit. Derek sat next to me and Peter just seemed amused by the entire situation. I can't quite get a feel on Peter. He seems sincere one minute, but then he says something like he knows something you don't know and it's the biggest secret in the world, the next. I wouldn't be surprised if the man secretly headed the mob, or worked for the CIA. He's not someone who I'd want as an enemy.

Peter decided that he was going to wait at Derek's place and that he'd leave us to talk. Subtlety isn't his forte. I wonder if Derek will ever tell him that nothing actually happened between us last night.

"If I don't go over there soon, he'll probably rearrange all of my furniture." Derek told me. I laughed. "Thank you, again, for letting me stay last night. I owe you dinner soon and I'll be back later to fix your shower head, if that's okay." He offered. I nodded and stifled a yawn.

"I'm probably going to squeeze a nap in and then try not to die in my shower." I joked. "Do you think the super would notice if I just bought a new shower head and kept the old somewhere… like the trashcan?" I asked him. He laughed.

"I'll tell you what – why don't you nap and then you can come over to my place and shower? Then we can go get you a new shower head and I'll buy you dinner, since you've made me two meals now." He suggested. I bit my lip and thought over his tempting offer.

"I can shower here. It's not that big of a deal." I told him. He gave me the look.

"I just met you. How can we become friends if I find your dead body, because you were stubborn? I can't have you dying on me." He pointed out. I sighed.

"Yeah, well, that's true, but…" I tried to argue with him and found that I couldn't. I sighed. "You're lucky that you're cute and I'm too tired to have awesome logic, right now." I gave in. He smirked.

"You think I'm cute." He repeated. I rolled my eyes and willed myself not to be embarrassed, as I grabbed his arm and gently led him to the door.

"Like you didn't already know what you look like." I countered. He still looked amused.

"Let me see your phone." He requested. I handed it over.

"Why?" I asked him.

"So, you have my number and I have yours." He pulled out his phone and snapped my picture. I glared at him. I'm probably making some derp face. I frowned and did the same to him.

"I'll call you when I'm conscious. If you don't leave now, I'm probably going to fall asleep standing up and I really will die and it'll be all your fault." I threatened him. He laughed and gave me a quick hug, before disappearing into the apartment next door. I shut and locked the door behind me before I walked back to the make-shift bed on the floor. I snuggled into the blankets and closed my eyes. My bedroom is way too far away.


Ringing filled my ears and I tried to wake myself up enough to find out where the noise was coming from. I felt around for my phone blindly, until I found it. I answered it and pulled the blanket back over my head.

"'Lo?" I grumbled, already falling back asleep.

"Hey, it's Derek. Did I wake you?" He asked me in an amused voice that let me know that he was perfectly aware that he had. I grunted into the phone, instead of giving him a dignified response. "It's a little after two. Did you want to shower before we left?" He asked. I groaned. "I could always come by and knock on your door. I know how much you like that." He teased.

"Calm down, Satan." I told him. I stretched and yawned. "I'll get up if you promise to make me coffee." I tried to bribe him. He laughed.

"I can do that." He assured me.

"Cool. Lemme grab my things and I'll be over in a sec." I hung up and dragged my carcass to my bedroom and stifled a yawn. I grabbed some clothes, lotion and my conditioner. I doubt he'll notice if I bum everything else off of him. I left my apartment and went to his. I didn't bother knocking before going inside. He looked up and nodded at me. I yawned, again. "Nice place," I commended him.

"Thanks. I'm still getting everything unpacked." He told me, setting his book down. I ignored the not-so-subtle way his eyes traveled over me. Hooking up with him just screamed bad idea. We're neighbors, so it's not like we'd be able to avoid each other, if things went south, which the undoubtedly would. Not only that, but I can't remember the last time I made a friend this easily. I don't think I have, since I was in diapers.

"So… bathroom?" I asked him. He nodded, snapping out of his trance. He took my hand and led me to the bathroom. His apartment has the same layout as mine. I followed him into his bedroom and looked around. It's pretty sparse, but he did say he was still unpacking. I eyed his bed and I'd be lying if I said part of me didn't want to roll around in those sheets with him. He cleared his throat and I looked up at him. I followed him into the bathroom.

"Do you need a towel or…" He offered. I nodded, mentally kicking myself for forgetting one. He handed me a towel that he had waiting.

"Thank you, for this." I told him, sincerely. He nodded and shrugged.

"It's the least I can do." He brushed off my gratitude, with the beginnings of a smile.

"Well… if you don't mind, I'm just gonna get naked and shower." I said, just as awkwardly as I felt. He smirked and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I don't mind." He told me, not turning around. I shrugged and decided to call his bluff. I slipped my thumbs into the waistband of my shorts and pulled them past my hips and let them fall the floor. I raised an eyebrow and he still didn't budge. I pulled off my tank top, suddenly thankful that I fell asleep with a sports bra on underneath of it. He exhaled sharply and shifted uncomfortably.

"You can go now." I dismissed him, playfully. He nodded and swallowed thickly.

"Yeah, I'll be out there." He gestured vaguely to the rest of the apartment. I nodded and shut the door after he stepped out. I turned on the water and finished stripping out of my clothes. I didn't know what to think about the exchange that just happened. I'd say that there is mutual attraction between us, but I think friends would be the smarter move… friends who didn't screw each other's brains out. Yeah, that's what I need to keep telling myself.

I washed body and washed my hair as quickly as I could. Thank God I shaved last night, when I showered before he came by. I hope he doesn't mind that I'm borrowing his body wash and shampoo. I rinsed my hair and lathered in my conditioner. I let it sit for a few minutes, before rinsing that, too. I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I did my best to towel dry my hair, before putting lotion on. I put on my under-things and stepped into my jeans. I pulled them on and put on tight violet v-neck tee. I pulled on a gray cardigan and boot socks.

I left the bathroom, my conditioner, keys and pajamas in hand. I saw Derek sitting on the couch. He motioned to the coffee table and I saw a mug of coffee waiting for me.

"Thanks," I murmured as I picked up the cup. "I'll be back in five minutes and then we can go." I told him.

"Take your time," he replied with a soft smile.


"You're so handy. I should change your name in my phone to 'Handy Derek Hale.'" I teased him, as I actually changed his name. He laughed, like he knew better than to argue with me and try to prolong the inevitable. He adjusted my new shower head for the last time, before stepping out of my shower. "It's fixed?" I asked him, excitedly. He nodded.

"It is." He told me.

"I can't wait to try it out and not fear for my life. It's so beautiful. If you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I moved into my shower and tried to start a family and have little shower babies." I beamed. He laughed, again. I took a bite of pizza that I was working on finishing, while Derek was doing the grunt work, so to speak. "Thank you for the pizza." I said through a mouthful. He nodded.

"You know, it might be easier if I give you a spare to my apartment, in case I lock myself out again." He proposed, as we left my bathroom and went back to the living room.

"You've known me for like a day. Are you sure that's a good idea? What if I snoop through all of your stuff?" I asked him.

"I'm not that interesting." He shrugged.

"Okay, I don't see any problem with that." I agreed. "But I'm definitely going through your stuff."


Our friendship only grew from there. We hung out on a regular basis. He'd come over if there was a movie on that I was too afraid to watch by myself. I'd come over if he wasn't sure if what to with most of his décor. True to his word, he did open my pickle jar, when I couldn't get it open myself, among other things. I made him dinner a couple of times a week and we both kept each other company. It was perfect.

Things stayed that way for a year, after he moved in. Then, I got promoted at work and I was writing for two columns, instead of one. The new one required me to actually spend time at the office, so I wasn't home as often. Derek took on bigger projects at work and we started seeing less of each other.


"Oh my, God, you're serious… Aren't you?" I asked the guy that Caroline had set me up with in the lobby. He smirked and nodded. He's nice enough, but I'm not sure if there are any sparks, yet.

"You're really not going to invite me up?" Kol asked me in disbelief. I shook my head.

"I don't know you. I'm not going to invite you into my home, no." I clarified. He looked just slightly discouraged.

"Then can I at least take you out again, so I can get to know you better?" He asked me. I shrugged.

"Maybe," I told him. He leaned closer to me and placed a hand on my waist and another on the side of my face. His thumb stroked my cheek, gently. "Kiss me and we'll see." I breathed. He didn't need to be told twice. He covered my lips with his and my eyes slid shut. I kissed him back and I felt his kiss in my toes. It's not the stuff that they write fairy tales about, but maybe one day, it could be. "Yes," I agreed, pulling away.

"I can take you out again?" He asked me. I nodded. He smiled and leaned in for another kiss. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him back. His grip on my waist tightened and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I gasped against him let myself get a little lost in the kiss. The man has skills. A throat cleared behind us. I pulled away, trying to catch my breath. Kol nodded to whoever was behind us. I detangled myself from him. He leaned in to give me a quick kiss. "Friday?" He asked me. I nodded. "I'll pick you up at seven."

"I'll be here, in the lobby." I told him. He just smirked.

"Goodnight darling," he started to walk away.

"Goodnight Kol," I said to his retreating form. I touched my fingers to my lips and turned around. I saw an amused Derek watching me. "Hey," I greeted him.

"Hey yourself, good night?" He asked, referring to Kol. I nodded and tried to ignore the jealous twinge that slipped into his question.

"I can't really complain." I told him. "What about you? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Any hot dates lately?" He asked me. He shrugged.

"There have been a couple with potential, but nothing special." He answered. I nodded. "What are you doing the rest of tonight?" He asked. It was my turn to shrug.

"I was thinking about binging on Supernatural and possibly trying to give myself diabetes by inhaling ice cream… that I don't actually have. Wanna join?" I asked him, hoping for an impromptu hang session. He smiled and nodded.

"I've gotta get my Bonnie fix, somehow." He told me, putting an arm around my shoulders. We walked up the stairs to our apartments in comfortable silence.

"Your place or mine?" I asked him.

"Do you have any cookies?" He asked me. I shook my head.

"No, but I do have brownies." I replied. He laughed.

"I'll grab the ice cream and be right over." He said, heading to his place as I unlocked the door to mine. It's so easy to fall back into our rhythm. You would never have known that it's been months since we've hung out or seen each other for more than two seconds, as we passed each other in the hall.

I took off my jacket and scarf. I slipped off my boots and socks. I pulled off my sweater and jeans. I was walking to the laundry room across from my bedroom when I heard the front door open.

"I only have vanilla. I hope that's okay." He apologized. I laughed.

"It's ice cream. Whatever you have is great." I said loudly, so he could hear me. I deposited my clothes into the washer and walked into my room. I pulled off my bra and pulled a pair of boxers out of my pajama drawer that I'm pretty sure are Derek's and they somehow got mixed in with my laundry. I frowned when I didn't see any shirts in the drawer. I wonder if I have any in the dryer?

"Hey, I also brought Warrior, because I know you have a thing for Tom Hardy. What do you wanna… Oh…" I heard Derek's voice from my doorway and I froze. I looked up at him, like a deer in the headlights. It took me a second to register that I was practically naked. I covered up my chest with my arms and spun around. "I didn't think… I'm sorry." I heard him walk away.

Fuck. It's my fault. I didn't think to shut my door. I'm so comfortable with him here. I didn't even think to... I sighed and pulled on a clean tank top that was sitting on top of my dresser, followed by an oversized sweater. I yanked the boxers on and left the room, hoping to get the awkwardness over with and out of the way.

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie." Derek apologized, as soon as I stepped into the living room. He looked me in the eye and I blushed.

"I shouldn't have left the door open. It's not all on you." I assured him, trying to shoulder my share of the blame. He didn't look even a little convinced.

"I should have knocked." He shook his head.

"Let's just not bring it up anymore… like ever… That'd work for me. Never is good." I suggested. He nodded, but I could tell that things were going to awkward, for at least a while.

"You look great, by the way. You know, without clothes." He told me with a completely straight face. My jaw dropped and I picked up a throw pillow off of the couch and threw it at him. He caught it easily and his face broke into a grin. I picked up another one to throw, but he grabbed my wrist. I tried to wrestle it away from him, but I just ended up stuck on his lap with my arms pinned behind me. I kept wiggling, trying to get free. I felt him harden beneath me and I stopped moving. "Do you feel better now?" He asked me. I shook my head.

"No," I told him. "Take off your shirt and I'll feel better. Fair is fair." I replied. He looked at me like expected me to get off of his lap. "You do realize that you're holding me in place, right?" I reminded him. He let me go and I stood up. He followed suit and pulled off his shirt. I bit my lip when I looked him over. The man is seriously built. My God, he could give Adonis a run for his money. "Okay," I said, weakly, "I feel better now." I finished, quietly. He smirked and put his shirt back on.

"No more weirdness?" He asked me. I shook my head. Awkward crisis adverted. Well, for the most part. "Good, come here." He pulled me into a hug. I squeezed him back, before letting go.

"I believe you said something about ice cream?"


I opened my eyes, just to close them again and burrow back into Derek. Falling asleep together has become a habit of ours, whenever we have late night hang-outs. It's comfortable and it really hasn't changed, since the first time it happened. Derek must have felt me move, because his arms tightened around me.

"Morning," he whispered. I grunted in response. He laughed. "Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Are you offering to cook for once?" I asked him, half wishing that I was still in a deep sleep.

"Would you like me to?"

"Yes," I yawned. "But I'm not ready to move yet."

"I can't attempt to burn your kitchen down, unless you move." He tried to reason with me. I shrugged.

"I guess you'll have to wait, then."

"Then you'll starve." He pointed out. I sighed.

"I hate when you're right." I complained. "Fine, but I expect coffee." I gave in and let him get up. I made a face and he laughed at me.

"You forget that I know you." He teased as he walked into the kitchen barefoot. I watched him with a small smile, from our usual spot on the living room floor. We normally pass out in front of the TV, so it makes things easier. I got up to go brush my teeth. I moved slowly and without proper motivation. I went through my morning wake-up routine and walked back to Derek.

"Derek! I know you're in there! Open up!" Someone yelled from outside. I could hear banging, but it sounded like whoever was yelling, was banging on his door and not mine. I gave him a questioning look, before walking over to the door and looking through the peephole. I heard Derek laugh behind me, because I had to get on my tiptoes. I flipped him off, without turning around. It's not my fault that I'm short and whoever designed these doors made the peepholes too high. There's some brunette girl yelling at Derek's apartment. She's pretty.

"Who is that?" I asked him, as I moved, so he could creep on her, too. He sighed.

"That would be Jennifer. We went on two dates, before I told her that I wasn't interested in seeing her anymore. I don't even know how she got my address. She's been blowing up my phone nonstop. She's convinced we're soulmates or something." He explained. I nodded.

"Did you sleep with her?" I asked him. He looked uncomfortable and scratched the back of his neck. I hit his arm.

"That's why!" I hissed. "Girls get attached, assbutt." I scolded him. He shrugged and looked like he knew he had made a mistake. Well, at least he knows now, because she won't leave him alone. Good. Her crazy is his karma for thinking his man parts.

"She threw herself at me. I wasn't going to… but she made it impossible to refuse."

"I'm sure that you enjoyed no part in it." I rolled my eyes.

"Can you get rid of her?" He asked me. I glared at him.

"Seriously?! I shouldn't have to deal with your crazy exes! I have enough of those on my own."

"Please, Bonnie? I've tried to talk to her. She won't take no for an answer. Just tell her I'm seeing someone or that I'm seeing you or that I died. I don't know. Just anything to get her to leave me alone." He pleaded. I sighed. He gave me his best puppy dog eyes and took both of my hands into his. I melted, just like he knew that I would. He really does know me too well.

"Fine, but you owe me and breakfast better be immaculate." I told him, pointing a finger at him. He nodded as I huffed. "Go to the kitchen and I'll handle this." I advised. I ran a hand through my hair and glanced at my pajamas. Well, this will have to do. I slipped my feet into a pair of slippers and opened the door. I peeked my head out, before coming out into the hallway and shutting my door behind me. "Can I help you?" I asked her, in my best non-threatening voice. She looked over at me and gave me a panicked smile. I winced. She's not even trying to hide her level of crazy.

"I'm Jennifer, Jennifer Blake. I'm looking for Derek. Is he here?" She asked me. I shook my head and kept a straight face.

"No, I haven't seen him since yesterday. He and his girlfriend left as I was getting home." I lied through my teeth. Her face fell.

"Really? He has a girlfriend? He said that he wasn't ready or looking for a relationship. That was only two months ago! Who could he have met in two months?! They can't be that serious… Can they?!" She sounded frantic and she looked terrified. I blinked and opened and closed my mouth. Wow. Just wow.

"I think they're engaged." I lied, again. She looked like she was going to cry. I patted her arm, awkwardly. "They're really in love. I've never seen him this happy. She was talking about wedding colors and everything."

"But… But if they're not married yet, then there's still time!" She said, like she was trying to convince herself.

"Did you two date long?" I asked her, changing the subject. She shook her head.

"Just two dates, but I knew the moment that I laid my eyes on him that he was the one. I just knew. I can't explain it. He's perfect." She said, dreamily. I didn't know what to say.

"Well, maybe you're one is still out there? He and his lady are really serious. I don't think he'll be on the market anytime soon. Sorry." I apologized, lamely. She looked pissed.

"I can't believe this! I finally find someone and this happens! No one is man enough to accept my love!" She cried, as she stormed off. I stared after her. Is she for real?! Wow. I blinked a few times and went back into my apartment. I locked the door and walked over to Derek. I wrapped my arms around his middle, from behind him.

"Why do you date such crazy ass people?" I asked him, softly.

"Because not everyone can be awesome as you," he replied. I laughed and let him go.

"That's true. So, coffee?"


"Oh, my God, how can you watch this?" I asked Derek, as I cringed at the gore that filled Derek's TV screen. "I like thrillers as much as the next person, but I'd like to sleep nightmare free tonight. There's a reason I'm not big on horror movies." I complained. Derek slung an arm around me and laughed.

"How can you not like Hostel?" He teased. I looked up at him and glared.

"There is something severely wrong with you… seriously wrong." I told him, moving his arm off of me and getting off of his couch. I glanced at his clock and sighed. It's five and Kol is picking me up at seven. "I should go home and shower and start getting ready."

"But watching this without you takes all my fun away. You're so cute, when you're scared." He teased. I scoffed and hit his arm.

"I'm always cute!" I retorted as I slipped on my shoes and headed out the door. I heard him turn off the TV and follow behind me. "That wasn't an invitation." I told him. He didn't look fazed.

"You've never cared if I bothered you before." He just shrugged as he followed me into my apartment. I looked at him and tried to figure out if he was up to something else.

"Fine, but no peeking while I shower," I teased.

"I promise." He agreed, smirking.

"Good." I retorted, before disappearing into my room and into the bathroom. I made that I shut the door behind me, before stripping out of my clothes and turning on the hot water. I was about to step into the shower, when Derek knocked on the door. "Give me a sec!" I hollered at him, before getting into the shower. I made sure that towels were in place, so he wouldn't be able to see me through the shower door. "You're good!" I yelled. I heard the door open and I started going through my shower routine. "Did you miss me already?"

"Maybe," he laughed. I rolled my eyes, even though I knew that he couldn't see me.

"Is this your way to meet Kol?" I asked him over the water.

"I have to make sure he's good enough for you. Sue me." He replied. I peeked my head out of the shower and made a face at him.

"This is our second date. Things aren't even serious between us. Unlike you, I can keep it in my pants until I'm serious with that person." I teased him, before finishing my shower.

"I don't care. If he breaks your heart, I'm going to break his face. It's my job as you're best guy." He told me, seriously.

"And I love you for it, but you aren't allowed to scare him tonight."


Derek kept stealing my makeup and messing up my hair, while I got ready. I kept my attire dressy casual. Kol texted me this morning and told me to dress to impress. I didn't want to take any chances. I was in midnight blue, skinny jeans that hugged my assets in all the right ways. I paired them with a black and beige, lace wrap-top that stopped shy of my naval. I pulled on my boot socks and over the knee, flat soled, black leather boots. I grabbed one of my nicer jackets. It's a double breasted, white peplum coat with black accents that I forgot I owned. I picked up my black clutch and went into the living room.

I saw Derek lounging on the couch finishing off my Doritos stash. He looked up when he saw me. I did a small spin in front of him, with my coat in hand.

"What do you think?" I asked him. He stood up and smiled.

"I think that you look beautiful and if you go out tonight, then Kol will definitely have some competition. He'll have to beat guys off of you with a chair." He replied. I felt heat rising into my face and I knew that I was blushing something fierce.

"A chair?" I echoed. He just shrugged.

"I don't think a stick will be enough." He explained.

"Be careful, D. That'll go straight to my ego." I teased him. He laughed.

"I can't have that now. Can I?" He teased me back. I tried to hit his arm, but he caught my fist in his hand and pulled me into a hug. Someone knocked on the door. I looked over and the door opened. Kol walked inside. He looked surprised and then pissed.

"You're early." I said, stupidly. He's an hour early, actually. It didn't take me that long to get ready, even with Derek doing his best to distract me.

"What's going on here?" He asked instead of really responding to me. Derek and I let go of each other at the same time.

"We were hanging out, like I said, you're early." I replied, quickly becoming frustrated. Is he serious, right now? "Kol, this is Derek. He's my best friend, apart from Caroline." I introduced him. "Do you make it a habit to just walk into people's apartments?" I asked, seriously regretting giving him my apartment number, instead of having him pick me up in the lobby, again. Who just barges into someone's home uninvited? Rude.

"I did knock, love." He said, turning on his charm, like he realized the error of his ways. If he thinks that's going to fix this that easily, he's delusional.

"You should've waited for me to answer the door. Just walking into a woman's home is creepy." I shuddered. He smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, darling. It won't happen again. I'm sorry. Derek, is it?" Kol asked, holding his hand out to Derek. Derek nodded.

"It's nice to meet you." He replied, cordially, but coolly. Kol gripped his hand tightly and Derek seemed to grip his hand even tighter. Yeah. This is just perfect. It's already turned into a pissing match. That's just great.

"Did you want to go, then?" I asked Kol, trying to salvage the night and not have it end in a literal pissing match. I'm definitely not going to be the one to clean that up.

"Of course," he said with a smile and let go of Derek's hand. "I thought I texted you to say that I would be early, but the message must not have gone through." He frowned. I nodded, even though I wasn't convinced. He's not getting off that easily.

"It's okay." I lied. "D, can you lock up when you go?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Of course, be safe. Have fun." He told me with a smile. Well, that could've gone better. I nodded and we were off. I need to get Kol out of here before they get into a fight. There's no way that I'd be able to break it up, myself. I don't have a good feeling about this…


"You look lovely tonight." Kol breathed, as he pulled me into a kiss. I smiled against him and kissed him back. "I'm sorry about earlier." He apologized, as he pulled away. I looked up at him and tried to see if he was being sincere. "I just walked in at the wrong moment and I shouldn't have gotten off on the wrong foot with your friend."

"He's a good guy. It'd be awesome if you guys tried to get along. Can't have my best friend and the guy I'm dating killing each other, can I?" I teased. He smirked and kissed me, again. Despite earlier, I'm trying to make the most out of tonight. If tonight's a bust, I just won't go out with him, again.

"I'll try my best." He promised.

"Thank you."

"You can thank me, by having dinner with me." He breathed. I nodded, but didn't move away from him. I touched my lips to his and reveled in how nice it felt. "If you don't stop doing that, we'll never make it inside the restaurant." He mused. My stomach growled and we both laughed. "Come on. I can't have you starving on me, darling."

He led me inside and I tried not to let my jaw drop too far. I'm not sure that I've ever been anywhere this nice. I knew that he was taking me outside of Mystic Falls, but damn. I feel massively underdressed. Kol must've sensed my uneasiness, because he took my hand, as the host recognized him and led us to our table.

"May I interest you in something to drink?" The host offered. He looked at both of us expectantly.

"Moscato?" I asked, as I looked at Kol. He nodded.

"A bottle of your best," Kol requested and the host was off. I took off my coat and placed it on the empty chair next to me. I felt Kol's eyes look me over, before I sat down. "You really do look breathtaking, tonight." His eyes twinkled as he drank in my appearance, after he complimented me. I blushed and tried not to let my nerves get the best of me.

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."


Kol and I held hands as we walked down the otherwise vacant street. It's so serene out here. We're far enough away from town, that we can see the stars and it's beautiful. It's a pretty perfect way to the end the night. Even with the rocky start to our date tonight, I'd say that Kol has more than redeemed himself.

"We should do this more often." Kol told me, softly. I glanced over at him, questioningly.

"Walk?" I guessed. He smirked and shook his head.

"Spend time together," he supplied. I nodded, slowly.

"I'd like that."

"Let's get you home – shall we? I can't have you freezing on me." He winked. I laughed and let him lead me to his car.


The ride back to my place was nice. We didn't talk much, but it was a comfortable silence. He kept looking over at me and smiling. I couldn't help smiling back. We held hands the entire time. It was nice.


Kol opened the car door for me and helped me out. He walked me into the apartment building and up to my apartment.

"I had a nice time. Thank you, for tonight." I thanked him, softly. A small smile played on his lips.

"You don't have to thank me, darling. The pleasure was mine." He assured me. "The night doesn't have to end here. How about a night cap?" He suggested. The seduction that oozed into his voice, when he asked, wasn't lost on me. I sighed, inwardly. Everyone knows what that's code for and I'm not that kind of girl.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kol." I touched his arm, gingerly. He nodded, but didn't really look dissuaded. He leaned in and touched his lips to mine. I stood straighter, so I could kiss him easier. He looped an arm around me and deepened the kiss. I groaned and let him take control. He backed me against my front door and let his hands wander. He grabbed my ass and I pulled away. "I don't mind a little PDA, but that's a little much for the hallway."

"Sorry, love," he apologized and looked at me, sheepishly. I nodded and watched him with wary eyes. He leaned in to kiss me again and I turned my face, so his lips met my cheek, instead. I'm officially over this date.

He tried again and I gave him a chaste kiss. I tried to pull away, again, but he held me to him, so I couldn't move. This kiss was different than the ones we've shared before. It was hard and demanding. It wasn't flirtatious or yearning. His teeth pulled on my bottom lip. It wasn't gentle or playful. I yelped, as the taste blood filled my mouth. I tried to back away, but he only held me tighter. I cried out, when he fondled me rougher, than before. I kept trying to push him away, but he held fast. I shoved him, again and managed to move my mouth away from his.

"Get off of me." I gasped. He shook his head and ignored my plea. A sadistic smirk contorted his face. I kept pushing against him, but he was relentless.

"Don't be like this, darling. You know that you want me, just as much as I want you." He tried to sway me.

"Kol stop!" I raised my voice. He backed me against my door again and panic was starting to set in. I wedged my knee in between his legs, but he maneuvered himself, so I couldn't move it. He bit down on my neck and I cried out. "Derek!" I screamed, praying to God that he was still home. "Derek!" I screeched louder than before. Kol tried to kiss me, again, but I kept moving my face away from his. I heard a door open and I prayed that it was Derek.

"Get the fuck off of her, now!" Derek yelled. Kol looked up in surprise, but he didn't budge. Derek grabbed him and pulled him off of me. My hand flew to my chest and I tried not to hyperventilate. Derek pushed Kol into the wall and Kol shoved him back. Derek punched him in the jaw and pulled his arm back to hit him again, when I snapped out of my daze. I rushed forward and grabbed his arm.

"Derek, he's not worth it! Stop! He's not worth it!" I begged him not to hurt him anymore. As much as I don't mind seeing Kol bleed, I don't want Derek to go to jail over it. "Do you really want to get arrested?!" I asked him, hoping to reason with him. Derek dropped his arm and stared Kol down.

"I don't want to see you around here anymore and I better not catch you around Bonnie, again. Am I clear? Otherwise, you'll be leaving here with more than a bruised face." He threatened him. Kol glared at him, but his smirk stayed in place.

"I'm sorry I got carried away, darling." Kol apologized to me. I didn't move. I just looked at him, like he was high. "I'll be seeing you." He waltzed away, like nothing had just happened. Yup. This is my life.

"Oh, my God," I breathed. Derek turned to face me and he pulled me into a hug.

"Did he hurt you? You're bleeding. Are you okay? You're trembling." He asked me. I nodded.

"Did that really just happen? I can't believe that just… Wow. Thank you. I was so… I couldn't get him… He wouldn't stop and I thought… Thank God, you were home. I didn't know what to do or how to… Derek, I'm so fucking glad to see you… so glad." I whimpered, trying to make sense of it all.

"Come on. Let's get you inside." He started to walk me over to my door. I shook my head.

"Can I just… Can I stay with you tonight?" I asked him, quietly. "I don't wanna be alone tonight."

"Of course, you know I don't mind. Come on. You can take a bath and I think I have some ice cream. We can watch some stand-up and you'll feel better." He promised. I nodded and followed him inside. We didn't talk as we walked to his bathroom. For a guy, he's strangely tidy.

He drew a bath for me, true to his word. He left the bathroom and shut the door behind him. I stared at the tub and waited for it to fill up. When it was full, I stripped out of my clothes and sank into the hot water.

I don't know what to think about tonight or how to process things. I just don't get it. I never saw it coming. Aren't you supposed to? I mean, what about those notorious gut feelings people get that warn them about things like this? I got none of that. Is that a bad thing? Is there something wrong with me? I mean, I didn't have a good feeling about tonight, but it wasn't anything more than what I get, when I'm overanalyzing everything and being excessively cautious.

It's not the first time that I've had someone take things too far, but it's enough to rattle me. It could've been a lot worse, but I'm not a fan of feeling helpless like that. That's how he made me feel. Did I lead him on?

I jumped when Derek knocked on the bathroom door. I covered my chest, instinctively. "Are you decent?" He asked, loudly.

"You can come in." I told him. I pulled my knees up, so he wouldn't be able to see anything. He opened the door and stepped inside. He glanced over at me, but his eyes didn't linger. He waved the clothes that he had in his hand.

"I figured you wouldn't want to run home to grab clothes, so I grabbed you these." He explained. I nodded, as I eyed the makeshift pajamas he had gotten for me.

"Thank you. I'm really glad that you're in my life." I told him. I meant it. I really did. I hope that he knows just how sincere my words are. My nose started to burn and I knew that tears weren't far behind. Why do I always cry when I'm stressed out? I hate it. "You're seriously a great guy." I added, as I swiped at the tears that betrayed me and fell down my cheeks.

"You bring it out in me." He replied, with an easy smile. I laughed and gave him a small smile back. More tears started to fall. He moved closer and crouched down next to the tub. He didn't hesitate to put his arms around me. I tensed for a second, before relaxing into his embrace. If it was anyone else, I know I wouldn't be okay with this, but it's Derek. I know that he would never hurt me. "He's an idiot." He said, nonchalantly. I laughed. Such a guy thing to say, but he's not wrong…

"I'm almost finished in here." I told him, giving him his cue to leave. He nodded and kissed my hair.

"If you're lucky, you'll have hot chocolate and ice cream waiting for you, when you're done." He hinted to me.

"Am I lucky?" I asked him, hopefully.

"I'd say your chances are looking pretty good." He smiled, before leaving me to bathe. I soaked for a few more minutes, before draining the water from the tub. I hopped into the shower and rinsed off the suds in a daze. I toweled off and put on the clothes Derek had gotten out for me. I pulled on the boxers and rolled them up, so they wouldn't fall off of me. I did the same with the sweatpants, before putting on the Henley.

I walked into his bedroom and saw him lounging on his bed with the ice cream and hot chocolate he promised. He already had one of Kevin Hart's stand-up specials paused and ready to go. He smiled when he saw me.

"I was beginning to think that you found a portal to Narnia." He teased me. I made a face at him and stole his bowl of ice cream, from his hands. He took it back and I stole his spoon. He didn't even try to stop me. I cozied up next to him and we shared it.

"I need to find a guy like you D." I sighed. He put his arm around me and gave me a pointed look. "You know what I mean. There's a reason we've never… You know… We're… If we did and it ended badly… It'd be disastrous. And face it, you're too awesome to lose. And you wouldn't know what to do with yourself without me." I joked. He chuckled.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Thumbelina."


The next day, I had five texts from Kol and two voicemails. I deleted them all, without reading or listening to them. I don't want to hear what he has to say. I'm not interested.

Derek and I didn't bring up the elephant in the room that I brought up last night. But, I didn't think that we would. There really wasn't anything else to say. We're friends and we work that way. I would hate to lose that, especially since we've become so close. The only other guy friend that I've been this close with is Matt. You don't find friendships like this every day.


We fell back into our normal rhythm. We both made time out of our busy schedules to see each other, even if it was just watching really bad reality TV for a couple of hours. He would let himself in and raid my fridge for leftovers. I would make him go with me for late-night taco runs. Life was good.


A/N: I have a link on the bottom of my profile of the outfit that Bonnie wore on her date with Kol, in case anyone is curious! It took me almost two months to write this (the entire fic). So, I'll pretty much love you forever, if you review. :) Happy holidays!

Love,
Anneryn