A/N: Oh lovelies...it's been too long. I've been trash (and busy with my school work) though the biggest reason for this late mess is that something didn't really sit right with this chapter so I let it sit in my evernote all this time. Good news is-I worked on other chapters-bad news? Still working on them, haha. But enjoy. I don't know if I'm satisfied with this chapter. Re-read the previous one (two? chapters?) as a refresher.
Love y'all.
10.
Damon stared up at his ceiling in irritation; more so out of frustration for himself than the world playing some trick on didn't sleep at all last night. Probably because he could hear the soft sobs of Elena, the woman he loved in a way that wasn't...necessarily...as romantic as he originally thought it was. It was very much similar to how he felt for Katherine but it felt more pure. It also didn't hurt that Elena wasn't as mean as Katherine. She was easier to obsess over-but-things are changing.
He had admitted to feeling some sort of thing for the witch.
And it doesn't stop there. While admitting these game-changing feelings to himself, he turned down the girl he had been obsessing over for a little over a year or two now. He could have had this girl in bed with him like he fantasized about so many times. He could have had her in his arms at this very second, kissing her all over and figuratively dying from the look of adoration in her eyes.
He could have had all that he thought he wanted to only realize that it probably would not be enough. He gets the girl. Then what? Connor's doing shady things in Bonnie's body and if he thought too much on that fact alone he wanted to kill the guy once he found a way to get his soul out of Bonnie's shell. Then there's the fact that Bonnie's spirit was no where to be found. It's one thing to admit to feeling something even a little more friendly for the witch but it's another when she's not even here to be just as aware of it as he was now.
He groaned at it all, placing his hands over his face before pulling down at his skin in frustration. Starting to wonder what Elena was doing, he heard a calculated soft weight go down his steps before trying to leave off the estate.
He sat up as he continued to listen carefully before getting to his feet. In the next second he was blocking Elena from leaving out the front door. She jumped at his sudden appearance, refusing to look him in the eye.
"There's no reason for you to do the walk of shame, Elena. We didn't do anything," He gave her a small grin that was half-hearted and a bit apologetic.
She scoffed at that before shaking her head, still not looking him in the eye, "Yeah, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but we should have."
Damon swallowed, "Maybe. But..."
"You just don't feel that way towards me anymore. Or you never have," she finished for him bitterly, he noticed.
His lips didn't move to reply however.
Elena finally brought her big brown doe eyes to glare at him in accusation, "I'm right aren't I? You just wanted to win the prize. Have one over your brother."
He glared down at her but still didn't say a word.
"And then all of a sudden you had a change of heart? You?"
"What is that supposed to mean, Elena," he finally spat, defensive.
She crossed her arms against her chest and shrugged, her usual careful demeanor now nowhere to be found. She was still clearly upset-and rightfully so, "You're selfish, manipulative, and just bad all around. You chased the girl who was dating your brother, not letting up on the fact that you loved her-"
"I don't-"
"I know you don't know anymore. I know you're 'confused'. I, know," Elena swallowed, exasperated, and inhaled through her nose. "Stefan and I broke up because of you. Because there was something we-I felt for you that bothered him. And he should! Then I open myself up to you last night, absolutely sure you would respond the same way but you throw a curveball and tell me that you're confused. That I'm confused. That whatever you felt for me wasn't what you thought it was."
Damon couldn't say anything to refute that. This morning was quickly becoming a pain in his rear.
"That's why I'm going to school early. That's why I don't really feel like talking to you about this, Damon. We didn't do anything last night. You don't really love me and I lost the guy who did but for the life of me I still want something with you and I just-I just need to go. Not think about this and that humiliating-everything. Now. Can you let me through?"
As soon as her tirade ended, her hand gestured to the door behind him before flopping back at her side.
He moved out of her way after a moment, biting his lip to keep from retorting as he opened the door for her. He could say she was unfair to be upset with him for being confused when she's been that way since they first met. He could. He should. But-let's just say he wasn't in the mood to argue. Katherine Pierce didn't like being rejected-would it be a stretch to say that Elena Gilbert is the same way?
When he opened the door to let Elena through, there stood Bonnie's person in a black tank top, blue skinny jeans and a pair of black ankle boots. Connor raised an eyebrow between the two before a ghost of a smirk graced the Witch's lips.
"Bonnie," Elena breathed out in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"Your boy toy has something of mine and I want it back," Connor looked up at Damon, regarding him with a ready taunt in Bonnie's eyes.
The dark haired vampire almost bore his fangs at the hunter but he decided to play dumb, "I have no idea what you're talking about, witch."
"Sure you don't. Anyway. I sense trouble in paradise," Connor smirked knowingly between the two as Elena dipped her head and Damon snarled.
"Nothing happened, Bonnie," Elena started, rubbing her right arm.
"Doesn't look like nothin-"
"Nothing. Happened." Damon enunciated. Elena looked at Damon for a moment before turning to look back at Bonnie's person.
Connor brought Bonnie's hands up in surrender, "Alright, 'nothing happened'. I got it. Now, would you excuse me?"
He slid past the two to get inside the estate with ease before he looked about and whistled.
"You're not coming to school today, Bonnie?" Elena offered, uncomfortable with her friend barging in as she did. It wasn't like her. And why was she acting as if this was the first time she's been inside the boarding house?
"No, Elena. I won't," Connor turned on Bonnie's heel to look directly into Elena's eyes before continuing with coated hostility, "I might go to pick up some assignments I missed but I'm still sort of feeling under the weather from that coma I put myself through. You know, the one due to my state of depression due to hurting my already dead Grams because I can't say 'no' to helping my friends from dying on a day-to-day basis. That coma?"
The response took both vampires aback. It was so "old Bonnie" that Damon felt the verbal aneurysm of guilt himself.
Elena bit her lip, flustered all of a sudden, "I-Bonnie-I'm so-we-I didn't know you felt that way-"
Bonnie's lips curved into a faux grin to Elena, "I don't expect you to, Elena. You were too busy wrapped up in your love triangle problems to notice. Not your fault though. Nor are you the only one either. In fact, I'm to blame since I allowed you all to walk all over me for as long as I did."
Elena frowned, moving to get closer to Bonnie but the Witch's body tensed and stepped back in equal measure.
"It's alright, Elena. It's alright. Just don't expect me to come to all of your rescues anymore. I might just end up losing my father in the process. It tends to be a pattern with you and I with my family getting hurt for your sake."
"Bonnie," Damon warned through gritted teeth, noticing Elena's shoulders sag in despair and guilt, "That's enou-."
Bonnie's laugh halted him, "Oh, Damon. I agree! I've been wanting to say that for the longest but my damned loyalty always got the best of me. But you understand, right? Loyalty?"
Damon's blues examined the hunter further, confused by his display. Whatever look he was giving the guy said, it made Connor wake from his snappy rant, "Anyways. Where's my Grimoire?"
"Why do you need it?"
"I'm a witch in need of her spell book. What other 'why' do you think?"
Damon shrugged, noticing Elena's hands shaking beside him. He turned to her to realize the girl was trying not to cry, "Bonnie, I know you-I know you might hate me right now-"
"I don't want to talk about our failed friendship anymore, Elena. I just want my Grimoire." The Witch's lips let out flatly as if this was nothing but known fact.
"I can get it for you! And then we can talk about everything on our way to school and try to fix this," Elena gestured between the two, her hands still shaking, "We can talk to Care and have a sleep over like we always do and-"
Bonnie's face stopped the chestnut haired doppelgänger from continuing, "You don't get it, do you? A sleepover and you two talking and gossiping about the men who ruined our lives in the first place is not enough to save our friendship, Elena."
Elena swallowed the jab and nodded, pulling in her lips to stop the tears from falling. She didn't know why this hurt more than the illusion Connor had her hallucinate but it did and it was more devastating than the former. This was real. This was happening. She was losing Bonnie.
"I can't lose you too," It was small and timid, unsure of what will come after the confession.
Bonnie's countenance didn't give anything away in her olive colored eyes when looking at Elena, before her head turned to look up at Damon, "My Grimoire?"
Elena felt her heart sink before she turned and disappeared out of the house in a flash. Neither Connor or Damon moved or made a sound until they heard a car engine start and wheels speeding off into the distance.
"You were harsh," Damon started, calmly going into the living space for a glass of bourbon.
"I was honest," Connor corrected with breeze, following after him. "'Sides, vampire-you ought to know that was all Bonnie."
Damon shook his head in disagreement, "No. Elena is everything to Bonnie. She would never treat 'Lena that way."
"You also know that that is Bonnie's biggest flaw concerning that Gilbert girl. Besides, she's done it to you; Elena shouldn't be exempt."
"I tried to kill her. That's justified," Damon raised his glass, emphasizing the point with a tight-lipped grin before taking a swig.
"And Elena's existence hurts her and her family. We can even argue that she has killed her and a couple of her loved ones. You really can't tell me that Bonnie does not feel a little resentment towards her. Remember, I'm in control of this body and brain. I know all the things it keeps to itself."
Damon glared at him.
"Just because she never says it out loud for you all to hear doesn't mean she's never thought it-even for a fleeting second," Connor crossed Bonnie's arms against her chest, regarding the silent vampire. The hunter smirked, amused, "C'mon, Damon. Was I wrong to think you knew Bonnie better than that?"
The vampire's jaw ticked.
"Ah. Right." He nodded, affirming his suspicions, snapping Bonnie's fingers. "Head too far up that doppelganger's ass to know or care, huh? Speaking of which, something happened between you two and made things a little awkward. I would be lying if I said I'm not curious as to why that is."
"As enticing as it sounds to be all chummy with someone that made a profession out of killing creatures like myself, I just don't see how that change in conversation has anything to do with why you want Bonnie's Grimoire."
Connor made a shrugging motion with Bonnie's lips before nodding shortly, "I suppose you're right. Well. I need the Grimoire so I can find the spell that took Bonnie's soul out of her body and placed it some place else entirely."
Damon didn't react to that. That alone was a good enough reason.
Connor noticed, "I have a deal with the grandmother. I won't go back on it."
"What's this deal?"
"To get her granddaughter back."
"And?"
"Oh. My part of the deal? I don't know anymore. I thought I wanted to kill Elena but I can't in this body no matter how much residual resentment this body has for her. I'll figure something out though."
"The Grimoire isn't the only thing you want," Damon says knowingly.
"It's not. I also want my things back. My weapons? I can give them to Jeremy."
"Equip the dork with weapons that can kill his sister and everyone Bonnie loves?"
"Who? Elena and Caroline?"
Damon didn't expect for that to rub him the wrong way. But it did.
Connor furrowed Bonnie's brows, slightly perplexed, "What? You think Bonnie 'loves' you and your brother? Did you not hear my spiel earlier?"
Damon's eyes cut at the hunter as he chuckled, "Wow. You're ridiculous. What exactly have you done for Bonnie that warrants her 'love' for you?"
Saved her life a couple of times though those were just instances he done on autopilot and fear for her life. Someone has to do it, if not the witch herself-which was a concern in and of itself. Plus Damon wasn't going to let the hunter get to him. Instead he took another swig of his drink, "Pass. How do I know you won't have another vengeful episode like you did at the pageant?"
"Because this body won't let me. You don't trust me. I don't care. But you trust the witch. And that's more than enough reason."
The vampire regarded the hunter a bit longer before taking in a breath, "Fine."
"I would say thanks but those things never belonged to you anyway so..." Bonnie's hand went out in the "gimme" manner that made Damon roll his eyes.
He moved to retrieve the items before pausing and looking at Bonnie's person again, "Bonnie doesn't love Stefan anymore?"
Connor blinked, slightly taken aback, "What?"
"Stefan? She doesn't hold my brother in high esteem like she used to?"
Connor crossed the Witch's arms against her chest, "Why do you ask?"
"Bonnie's constant. She loves Stefan-"
Everyone loves Stefan.
Connor looked down briefly before looking back up at Damon with a stony expression, "Abby."
Damon chewed on the inside of his mouth. He didn't give a damn about Abby Bennett. Even if she had the Bennett name. Subpar parents were never his thing.
But Bonnie cared. Even if by a little.
He held the witch's stare, almost seeing the real Bonnie in her passive face before nodding and leaving.
As soon as Damon retrieved the items Connor came there for, Stefan entered into the foyer cautiously to only be taken aback by Bonnie's person standing beside his brother instead of the doe eyed woman he broke up with not too long ago.
"Bonnie?"
"Stefan," the hunter walked past him to leave, not saying another word.
Stefan looked after her for a moment before turning to Damon with a nonverbal need for an explanation. Damon didn't have it in him.
Or actually.
"This just in, Bonnie doesn't like you like she used to."
Stefan frowned before nodding, "Well...that's to be expected-we kind of flipped a coin on her and Abby's life..."
Ugh Stefan. Always the noble one.
"Good thing I found another way. If anything she resents everyone right now-including our favorite person: Elena."
"Where is Elena?" Stefan asked after a quiet moment.
"School and probably having the worst day of her life."
Stefan raised an eyebrow at that but again, Damon didn't have it in him to explain.
"We need to talk," the younger Salvatore said instead.
Damon groaned, "I literally had too many 'talks' than a morning should consist of. Can it wait?"
"Unfortunately, no. It's urgent."
Damon finished his drink and gave his brother a here and gone smile, "Fine. Right this way then, brother."
"You and Barbie Vamp think Elena is compelled by me because of my blood?"
Stefan nodded, still expecting his brother to react negatively with the theory. Instead Damon leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together in thought.
They sat there in silence before Stefan spoke up again, "I know...how you feel about her and I know that...it's important-she feels something for you. I know she does. But her agreeing to everything you say or do has to be because your blood turned her and her being sired to you somehow. Whatever you say to her she agrees with without question-Damon?"
Damon raised his brows as a way to let Stefan know he was still listening.
"...you're not going to say anything?"
"What's there to say, Stefan? I just knew it was too good to be true. Shit. She probably is compelled because that's just my fucking luck."
Stefan frowned.
The eldest brother sighed and rubbed his face before speaking again, "But what if she's not compelled, huh? What if I got her to a good place with her vampirism somehow and you two idiots just aren't happy with that despite our little 'falling out' over the Bonnie situation? What if she actually does love me and you can't stand it? What if she told me she loved me last night?"
He heard his younger brother take in a sharp breath but when Damon looked at him, his face held no emotion.
"Well? You're not going to say anything?"Damon mocked.
Stefan opened his mouth but then closed it again.
Damon scoffed, "It doesn't matter anyway. I told her I was confused and that she was too. Now she's mad at me, and you're here, conveniently by the way, to confirm my suspicions. Like I said, my luck."
"It's...just a theory Damon-" Stefan started to pacify, even though he first came there to do the exact opposite, prepared for a violent backlash.
"No, Stefan. Don't. I don't need your pity." Why was he always like that?! His brother, always the good one, "So Elena might just be compelled. How do we prove it? I bet you already know how."
"...ask her to drink from a blood bag. Make sure to tell her how happy it would make you feel if she did. If we're wrong, I'll apologize-and I'll leave you both alone...if not...we got to fix this because you and I both know having her sired helps no one and it's not who she is."
Yeah. This morning really was a pain in the ass.
Elena looked at herself in the mirror again, steeling herself to move on with the rest of her day. So Bonnie officially hates her. Her worst fear has come to pass and it was eating at her the more she thought about it.
Maybe if she talked to Caroline about it the bubbly blond could think of some way to get all three to hang out with each other to fix the "dying" friendship.
That thought was enough to push herself away from the public bathroom mirror and walk out into the hallway to find Care. When she did, she let out a breath of excitement, quickening her pace to get to her. A couple of boys let her pass as she went, only to reveal Bonnie nodding and conversing normally with the blond. Grinning and laughing to be exact. Elena slowed, hesitating, before swallowing and finally approaching the two, "Hey."
Caroline turned with a careful and sympathetic grin, "Hi! You ok? We heard about you moving out to stay at the boarding house after what happened with you and Jer."
"Yeah, I-I'm ok. Matt's staying with him in the meantime to keep all his...uh...hunter stuff under control. Um...hi Bonnie. Here to pick up your assignments?"
Bonnie's eyebrows rose before looking to the side at the odd question. She rose packets of work with a nod, "Yup. Said I might."
Caroline looked between the two confused, "What?"
"I dropped by earlier this morning to pick up my Grimoire since her new boyfriend had it while I was in a coma apparently."
"O...k...wait! You and Damon aren't actually, seriously a thing, are you?!" Caroline nearly yelped, judging eyes falling on the doppelgänger.
"No! No. Nothing's happened! Nothing's happened," Elena internally chastised herself for being her own echo, "Look, I already brought it up with Bonnie but are you busy tonight, Care? I think we're all in serious need of a Girl Talk."
"No. I've got to get some of this work done," Bonnie answered flatly, eyes narrowing at the brunette vampire in suspicion.
Caroline did a double-take, "Whoa! That's silly, Bonnie! We all know Girl Nights are priority over everything! Plus I-we miss you! Work can wait."
Elena grinned to her. If there was anyone in this world to soften Bonnie up to something it was Care.
"Caroline. No. I'll tell you what I told Elena; a sleepover and you two talking and gossiping about the men who ruined our lives in the first place is not how I want to spend my night. Sorry. Look, I better go. It was good talking with you Care," and with that Bonnie turned to leave before all three girls noticed Damon gesture towards Elena to follow him.
Bonnie and Caroline looked between the two before exchanging looks of their own between each other. Elena grumbled, her voice cracking slightly, "I'll-I'll see you later, Care."
She left the two hastily, even though she doubt it, hoping Damon could make her feel better.
"What is going on with you, Bonnie? You never turn down a girl's night." The blue-eyed vampire said with a frown, "It wouldn't be the same without you."
Bonnie looked at her and shrugged, "You two will be fine without me tonight. If anything, Elena needs it a lot more than I do. I'll catch you later, Care."
She didn't give her the chance to respond.
Elena may still feel a little hurt by him not knowing how he really feels about her anymore but that doesn't matter. She doesn't have to hurt anyone anymore because she can drink from the bag. She couldn't help but hug Damon for this. Not just because of the blood bag but because she really needed a hug right now.
She made to kiss him but he moved his face and she caught his cheek instead.
"I-I better get to class now. Thank you, Damon."
He nodded with a tight lipped grin and she bopped out.
Sitting on one of the science tables, he bit his lip and glared accusingly at the ceiling.
"Isn't it a little creepy to be sulking by yourself in an empty highschool classroom?"
He groaned, "Go, a-way, Connor."
"I'll take that as a 'yes'," Bonnie's person came closer with a wicked grin on her face that didn't belong to her.
"Aren't you a little too old to be this engrossed with other people's personal affairs?"
"Aren't you too old to be crushing on stupid teenage girls?"
Damon glowered at him, catching the plural form of 'girl' being used.
"You are though," Connor continued innocently.
The vampire pinched the bridge of his nose, patience already gone, "What do you want? Don't you have to go to Bonnie's place and perv about being in a girl's body?"
Connor shook his head in the negative, "I'm not aware of what this body does twenty-four, seven."
Huh? That's interesting. Damon furrowed his brows at that and looked down at Connor, "What?"
"Call it the work of the grandmother. Whenever I get control of the body is when she's fully dressed and ready to go about her day."
"So...you don't shower it or..."
"Ha. No. Grandma wouldn't allow it. I might be able to change a few articles of clothing but if I try to unhook anything I'm gone."
Damon couldn't help but to picture it and of course Connor noticed, "You tried to peg me as a perv, but look at you."
The vampire glared at him.
"I told you a secret now you got to tell me yours...Or you can let me in on whatever it is you plan on doing."
"I'd rather not."
"That's cool. I guess I could hang out with Shane in the mean time-"
"Fine. Elena's sired to me, my brother and Barbie vamp called it so now we got to figure out if we can unsire her."
"Why am I not surprised that this was 'Elena'-driven?"
"You really can't stand her, huh?"
"Outside of this body, no, I can't."
Damon smirked, realizing something, "But since you're Bonnie's puppet until further notice you can't help but to want to help."
It was Connor's turn to glower.
"Alrighty then. Back to my place we go, hunter."
"This is boring," Connor started as he half-heartedly went through a shoebox of photographs.
"And you're a child," Damon retorted.
"But you're any different?"
Why did Damon agree to bringing Connor along? What was wrong with him?
"What are you two up to?" Stefan's voice carried as he made it down the steps of the library. Seeing Bonnie there, yet again, shocked him but it didn't for long. That's just how these two work. Some of the best courses of action happened due to these two calling the shots together.
"Elena's sired. You were right, and I was bitter about it. I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping she wasn't," his brother responded. "Happy?"
"No, Damon. I'm not 'happy' about it. Just-what do we do now?"
"Working on that, I guess," Bonnie spoke up to his left.
Damon nodded and held up something to him, "Remember this?"
"New Orleans?" Stefan guessed after examining the photo.
"Yup, 1942 New Orleans to be exact."
"Yeah, whatever happened to that girl you were with at the time?"
Damon scoffed, "She was no 'girl'. That was Charlotte. She was crazy about me the minute we met. So when she asked to turn her-I did."
Stefan noticed Bonnie rolling her eyes, "And let me guess, she was sired to you."
"Yup. My first clue? She kills a man with so many potential witnesses all around because he waste my drink."
"Huh. Sounds like your type," Bonnie quipped.
"Funny, except don't kill where there's witnesses. She does it anyway. Why? I told her to 'show no mercy'. And she didn't."
"I don't know Damon, it does sound like your type. Take full advantage of the situation and all-" Stefan added, crossing his arms.
"Probably if she didn't go all fatal attraction over me-then I had to make a clean break for it."
"How'd you do that?" Stefan asked.
Connor picked up something that Damon needed and he reached over to take it from him rudely. The hunter sneered and Damon ignored him, "Ah! Here."
He hands it to Stefan.
"Who's Valerie la Marche?" Stefan asked after he gave his brother a reproachful glare at his rudeness and read the name on the back.
"The witch I found to break Charlotte's little sire bond," Damon gave a pleased smirk, raising his glass of bourbon to take a drink.
Stefan looked at him, impressed while Bonnie sat the shoebox down and stood to her feet to dust herself off. Damon stood as well, patting his brother on the shoulder, "Pack your bags, baby brother. We're going back to Bourbon Street."
"Hey. I'm coming with," Connor said as sure as the sun was out as they spoke.
"No, you're not. You're staying to have a Girl's Night with 'Lena and Blondie. Keep them occupied while we're out," Damon teased, hoping to get a rise out of him.
Instead Bonnie's head tilted at that, bird-like, "You are still clearly confused, Damon. I'm going. Think about it. You'd rather I go to the one place in all of America that is probably rich with magic and my heritage to help me with my problems or should I continue seeing the Shady Professor for that instead?"
Stefan looked between the two, "She has a point."
"Fine," Damon almost hissed, "We'll pick you up to go at ten. Pack for the night. Don't have us waiting."
"You can not be serious. Why bring me along if all you want me to do is stay in here?" Connor nearly snarled as Damon grinned down at him in the motel room, "I just didn't want you to be around Professor Creep."
Stefan crossed his arms, "C'mon Damon. She would probably benefit the most from meeting Valerie. Knowing our track record with witches, she might be able to butter her up for us too."
"Yeah, Damon. Listen to your brother," Connor pressed, crossing Bonnie's arms against her chest, "I'm not staying in here all night."
"So you say but you're in a place you don't know by heart, and you going unarmed without all the magic you can have at your disposable during night fall sounds a little unwise. I'll take my chances." Damon quipped with a wicked smirk. "I'm sure we can get through to the witch just fine without you."
"Vampire," Connor started with a growl but Damon was gone. Stefan gave Bonnie an apologetic look, "I'll take you to see her early tomorrow morning, Bon. I promise."
"Why can't you just take me with you any-" Stefan disappeared as well, "Goddamit."
He stood there for a moment before throwing on the witch's jean jacket and leaving the motel room as well.
Connor walked what seemed like an hour though he was sure it was only twenty minutes. He knew where he was going and every little voice telling him he shouldn't was blaring in the Witch's mind. But this will be quick, he reasoned. He needed a new reason to pass over peacefully. He needed to see if this were possible.
He paused when he saw him and something inside the Witch's heart swelled. Or maybe it was his for the time being. He wasn't sure. The girl lost enough, it didn't seem fair to claim anything on her person as his but he did feel something: relief, sadness, and determination. A need for this boy to know where he was and what happened to him intensified. Connor knew what he needed to do now. What he wanted. What will help him pass over.
The teenage boy paused from his trek to the outdoor trash bin and looked in Connor's direction finally. Connor casually turned the corner but something told him to go back. A sick sort of feeling.
"Emmanuel," the Witch's mouth breathed out, panicked, as he came back from around the corner to see a dark figure on the other side of the street. He felt death right away.
"EMMANUEL, GET INSIDE!"
The boy jumped at that, saw the figure as well before he dropped the trash he was taking out to run back inside the house. Connor let out a breath of relief just as soon as it caught in his throat when something tackled him down hard against the concrete.
Grunting, he instinctually went for the vampire's eyes to suddenly be free from it and hauled to the Witch's feet,
"Are you fucking insane?! This isn't your body to parade around in! You put her life in danger you idioti-"
"Damon...is that you?"
Connor was still lightheaded from the attack; he thinks Bonnie's head must have hit the concrete as well. He let Damon move Bonnie behind him so he could shield her from the other vampire that sounded like a hungry, yet off,
woman. Connor's vision blurred and he couldn't help but need a drink of water; alcohol-whatever. And bad,
"Let go of me."
"Shut up."
"Damon, I always knew you'd come back to me. I must have literally counted every brick on every building in all of New Orleans." The woman said with a smile.
Connor snatched Bonnie's arm out of his grasp, turning to leave because he needed to lie down with an ice pack or alcohol in his system and he'd be damned to let the obviously ludicrous vampire boss and man-handle him around. Bonnie wouldn't stand for it and he for damn sure wouldn't either.
"No, you're stuck with me now since you were so eager to leave the room." Damon hissed, grabbing Bonnie's wrist again.
Connor growled dangerously, "If you don't let me go I will set you on fire."
"And let you put Bonnie's life in danger again? Fat fucking chance, hunter. Go ahead and try and deal with Granny Bennett in the aftermath."
"Who is she?" The woman came into view fully, looking between the two confused, "Is she...?"
"No." Damon answered, eyes holding Connor's glare.
"Then she's your dinner and you wanted dibs first. That's fair. I'll find someone else then."
"No, just-Charlotte-you counted every brick?"
"Yeah and look. You came for me."
"Great..." Damon let out exasperated. Connor's vision finally turned black and Bonnie collapsed.
"So?"
The witch that was the daughter of Valerie La Marche pursed her lips, displeased with Damon's everything but couldn't help but notice the amount of concern he had for the girl who sat in the chair, eyes milked over and no iris or pupils showing.
"I don't know what this is...I only ever seen this once in my lifetime."
"And?" Stefan prompted, who caught up to Damon, Charlotte, and Bonnie's limp form right after she passed out.
"That was my mother-when she was practicing Expression."
She told them what Valerie was really up to and what her demise was which was drunk off this type of magic. Valerie never unsired Charlotte.
"So what does that have to do with Bonnie?" Damon pressed.
"Is she practicing Expression too?"
"I don't know! We would have to ask her but apparently you don't see the current situation here, do you?"
"She looks like she's in a state of rest. And no, I don't know how to wake her and I wouldn't advise you to try to either, now leave."
"C'mon! You're a witch, she's a witch, help her." Damon barked, though the last part of his order sounded like a desperate plea that wasn't lost to the older Witch's ears.
"She made it her choice to disconnect herself with the spirits and pratice dark magic which, yes, I can sense so there's really nothing I can do," The woman stood, glaring hostily at him, "Let her rest is the best that I can offer, now get out."
Damon's jaw ticked but he obliged, gathering Bonnie up in his arms and then leading himself and Stefan out.
"If you want to break the sirebond you know what you must do," she says as a "goodbye" before she closed the door right after.
Charlotte had been waiting outside anxiously before she quickly stood to her feet once Damon appeared, "Damon I-!"
"Charlotte, you know what would make me really happy?" Damon started, not looking directly at her but knowing she was listening. He didn't have the time nor patience to properly let her go "easy".
"No, what is it?"
"Move on."
"...What?"
"Move on from me, meet someone else, live the rest of your immortal life without me in it and be happy."
"But-But I can't be happy without you in my life-"
"Charlotte," he looked at her then, eyes heavy on hers, "Please...live your life and give up on me-for me, please."
Charlotte blinked, looking between him and the witch in his arms before nodding solemnly as if she came to an answer to a question no one but she asked, "Ok...for you."
She turned and walked down the street, hugging herself as she went. Stefan frowned, "Can you do the exact same thing for Elena?"
Damon didn't bother to answer that outright. Instead he responded with the next course of action, "First things first, we gotta wake Bonnie up."
After debating with his brother on what to do with Bonnie, he gave up on trying to give her a cold shower and instead took Valerie's daughter's advice and laid her down on the bed.
He pulled up a chair beside her and crossed his arms against his chest, his right leg jumping in anticipation.
"This is like her falling into a coma all over again," Stefan mused, intrigued.
"Shut up, Stefan."
"No, I mean you by her side like that."
"Again, shut up, Stefan."
Stefan shrugged getting into the other bed of the room and going to sleep. The black haired vampire glared impatiently at the resting witch. He thought about what Connor told him about blacking out and only waking up after Bonnie was showered and dressed for the day. Was this one of those times? Was it ok to rest himself just so when Bonnie's person is up and well and, even better, with the actual Bonnie in control again, things will be back to normal?
Hopefully.
So he closed his eyes and slept.
"Hey. Vamp."
Damon opened his eyes to see Bonnie in a purple v-neck, the jean jacket she had on earlier, and skinny jeans with the signature ankle boots on her feet. She was also clean and fresh.
"Bonnie?"
Bonnie looked over her shoulder at Stefan before looking back down at Damon, "We need to talk."
No. This was still Connor.
Bonnie's body straightened and walked over to leave the room, Damon checked the time, saw it was midnight, and pushed himself to his feet.
"Where are we going?"
"Out for drinks," Connor answered, waiting patiently by the door.
Damon looked at his brother's sleeping form before grabbing his jacket and following Bonnie's small frame out the door.
Yup, the bourbon hadn't changed since 1942 and he was grateful for that. Connor had more than what was necessary and showing how light weighted the witch really was. Thanks to his vampirism however, Damon was still pretty sober.
"We can't really 'talk' if you're completely tipsy."
"Yes I can!" Bonnie's face lit up, "this is actually the best time to talk! I'm doing you, blood sucker, a huge favor!"
Bonnie's hands pushed her glass away uselessly before her body sat up straight, "Alright. Let's talk."
"What were you doing out by yourself when I told you to stay in the room?" Damon started, feeling the anger he had when he first found Bonnie's body on the ground being attacked by Charlotte all over again.
"You're not mine or Bonnie's boyfriend for one. Nor are you our father. She may not be fully grown by the law yet but I am so chill. Besides, I was looking for my new 'Unfinished Business'. And I found it."
"And what's that?" Damon asked half-heartedly, rolling his eyes.
"It's the main reason why I wanted to tag along anyway," Connor continued as if Damon hadn't opened his mouth at all, "I saw my brother. And now...I want my family to know what happened to me."
"Sorry, no can do. That will involve unnecessary drama and possibly more dead bodies if your family is anything like you."
Connor glowered, "Did you not hear what I said, vampire? I wasn't asking for your permission. They have a right to know what happened to me. The dead's loved ones need to know that they're dead. You know what I told my brother before I left to hunt vampires? 'Take the trash out every night and you might just see me again.' And he has. Even though he doesn't know I won't because I can't. Because I'm dead."
Damon shrugged.
"If I wasn't there he could have been that vampire's dinner. Not me. And this body approved of my actions."
"Of course it did. Selfless, sacrificial Bonnie wouldn't be selfless and sacrificial if she didn't," Damon muttered with a hint of irritation.
"It's her nature to be the hero, you admire and can't stand that about her so you can't stay mad at me for too long. I have her face. I did exactly what Bonnie would've done."
They sat there in silence for a moment before Damon sighed, "Say if we let you tell your family that you're dead at a place they've probably never heard of and by the hands of the very things that your mark told you to kill, what then?"
"They probably would want to bury me down here," Connor didn't sound too sure.
"You're already decomposing where Elena buried you."
"They don't care. I don't care." Connor grabbed the unfinished glass to take another swig of it, Damon stopped him.
"Look. I need to do this. I need them to know. Let me do this. The quicker I get this done, the faster Bonnie comes back." The hunter pressed.
Damon swallowed and stared down at Bonnie's eyes that had the same familiar look of determination to get whatever needed to be done, done no matter what. Even if he didn't like the idea, he'd support her, help her find a way to come out successful and alive.
Because Bonnie needed to stay alive.
Always.
And she needed to come back, no matter what.
"Alright. But we're omitting some things. Like how you died, for safety precaution. Say your work finally caught up to you. And it might be hard to explain why you were already buried and they weren't notified first. They might be the 'Justice should be served' kind of folks. And even if you weren't, bringing a decomposing body down here would be too-"
"No. They need to know the truth. Let me handle this. This is between me and my family."
"But how they respond might involve everyone else."
"You all should have thought about that before you killed a human. And you all, especially you, have little regard for other people's lives," Connor took his drink away and threw his head back to get it all in one gulp. It burned as it went down.
Damon's brow furrowed before asking tightly, "Does Bonnie think that about me?"
"What?" Connor asked with a roll of the Witch's eyes.
"I have no regard for anyone's lives?"
Connor scoffed, "whether or not she does-it's no secret that you don't. It's a known factoid about you, am I right?"
"Correction: I have my list of people I care about."
"Let me guess. Stefan, Elena, bourban, Elena, Alaric if he were still alive, Elena-"
"Bonnie."
The hunter paused and raised a brow amused, "I was getting to her."
"She's higher on the list too." Damon took a swig of his drink casually.
Bonnie's shoulders shrugged, "well. Regardless. Even if that's the case it still wouldn't be enough for Bonnie."
Damon regarded the hunter to continue.
"Bonnie's a hero. She will put her life on the line time and time again for anyone-especially innocent human life where you-" Connor jabbed a finger at the vampire, "Consider any innocent life that happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time as 'collateral damage'."
Damon's jaw was set.
"So as heartwarming as it is that Bonnie's on the list of people you give a damn about-it doesn't mean much when it contradicts her nature. That's why I'll talk to my family and I'll handle this."
Damon grumbled, "You only have one day to get that done and I'm coming along."
It was Connor's turn to grumble, "You are really protective of this body. It would be kind of endearing if it weren't so annoying."
"What can I say? I take sole responsibility over what happens to Bonnie while she's spiritually AWOL."
Connor shrugged the Witch's brows, "Aren't witches and your kind natural enemies?"
"Yeah. But Bonnie and I are different."
Connor dropped one brow, now very curious, "That so?"
"We have a mutual understanding," Damon finished his glass and gestured for another. "I guess you can say her and I just get each other and respect whatever we do-for the most part, otherwise we'll let it be known-all to make sure Elena's safe."
"But this time it's Bonnie who needs saving and you're just running a one man show to get the job done," Connor pointed out, drumming the Witch's fingers on the counter.
"Because everyone else will fuck it up. I can't risk that. Not when it's Bonnie's life at stake."
A beat passes as Bonnie's fingers stopped tapping on the bar's top and, instead, curled in on themselves, "I could be drunk analyzing all of this but it sounds like you feel something a little more serious about Bonnie than you realize."
Damon made a face, "No-"
"Sure you do. You two already got an established partnership going on." Connor brought Bonnie's fingers up as he counted them off, "One that consists of trust, loyalty and respect. And you kind of just confessed, actually-on more than one occasion, that you care about her deeply."
Damon licked his lips and refused to look at Connor.
"Just admit it, man. You love her," Connor said matter-of-factly, shrugging Bonnie's shoulders like it was no big deal.
The raven haired man closed his eyes, taking an even breath.
After a long moment of silence to the point that Connor kind of forgot what they were talking about, Damon spoke up finally, "You're probably right."
Connor was confused at first but then whooped and threw an arm over the vampire's shoulders, "That's my man! Of course I'm right! You see, Damon, you need more adult-like friends like me around. Hanging around all these young adults makes you susceptible to their cluelessness on what's already in front of them."
Damon shook his head but a small grin did break out on his lips.
"You're gonna have to let Bonnie know sooner or later," Connor continued.
"Didn't I just do that?"
"I'm drunk. It's likely that this conversation won't be remembered."
"Wonderful."
"It is. You know Bonnie would appreciate you telling it to her face. You can keep things from Elena, like this entire trip for example, but you shouldn't have to do that to Bonnie too-"
"I can't. It's easier to tell Elena these kinds of things because she won't completely turn me away-she's too kind-but Bonnie can. I'm not even sure if she would consider me a friend or one of her 'loved ones' or-" the alcohol began to blab through the vampire's mouth as he furrowed his brows and allowed his insecurities about his and the Witch's relationship be hung out in the open to dry.
"She does. A friend at least. I might have lied a little when I first brought that up," Connor rested Bonnie's head in her arms, interrupting Damon. "I like to see you bothered by whatever this face has to say about you."
"You're a twisted dick." Damon acknowledged flatly.
"Yup. Maybe."
After a moment, Damon asked carefully, "...what does Bonnie really think of me?"
"And that is where our 'talk' comes to an end. I thought I already told you but that's the kind of thing you ask Bonnie when she's fully present."
"Connor..."
"You know I'm right. C'mon, time to head back." He sat up, ready to hop down the stool to only buckle and almost topple over. Damon was quick to grab the witch by her shoulders to steady her as her laugh filled the air.
"It's only a matter of time before you fall for me too, vampire," Connor bellowed with a good-natured laugh. Damon looked around to make sure no one really heard him before glaring down at the Witch's person, "You're not my type, hunter."
Connor sniffled, chuckling, "not 'Alaric' enough for you, huh? Does it not matter that I control the face of the girl you're falling for either? Figures."
"Shut up, Connor."
"I got your 'shut up' in my...jackals..." the hunter hung Bonnie's head, seemingly passing out and doing what Damon demanded. The vampire huffed and guided them back to the motel room.
Damon Salvatore didn't normally have dreams. He just fell into a dreamless darkness for some time and then woke up when he rested enough. And if he did have a dream he was the one tampering with someone else's. He remembered the last time was Rose's. He probably messed with Elena's after Rose but Rose kind of made it not the fun thing to do anymore.
So one can understand his confusion to be dreaming about Bonnie and himself cleaning up the boarding house, laughing and practically flirting with each other. He knew he was dreaming because no way was this a reality.
No way would he be able to get in Bonnie's personal space and she not be all that fazed by the proximity. No way would he be able to graze her ear with his lips and place his hand in the small of her back as she visibly shuddered in anticipation at the gesture.
But here he was, watching Bonnie and himself act much closer than he could ever imagine. It was a weird out of body experience to say the least-but he felt a longing for this-whatever "this" was. Wishing that maybe it could happen one day.
Bonnie shook her head and pushed himself away from her, rolling her eyes before grinning to herself, "Focus, Damon. We have to get this all cleaned up-"
"I still think Stefan should do it instead. He made the mess." His other self mused, throwing a piece of a broken glass into a big trash bag. "I still don't see why we're letting him rest-"
Damon raised a brow.
"That's what good roommates do," Bonnie interrupted, picking up an empty blood bag and tossing it into her trash bag.
Damon stared at the two, swallowing before licking his lips and furrowing his brows at that.
"Well, you're better than me. I'm setting him on fire for what he did to my Persian rug," OtherDamon raised a torn piece of the rug, frowning in angered disapproval, "Bastard."
"You can always replace that," Bonnie grinned to herself, amused.
"It's the principle of the matter, ghosty," other Damon said as he huffed.
Damon couldn't keep his eyes off of Bonnie and in his peripheral he noticed his other self couldn't either. Damon then approached Bonnie, standing in front of her as she stood up straight and looked him right in the face. Her brows knitted together and Damon held his breath, wondering if she could really see him.
Bonnie blinked and turned to Other Damon, "Can you stop staring at me?"
"Why would I do that?"
"It's distracting."
"Consider it a compliment. You're looking radiant this fine morning."
Damon raised his hand to trace the edge of her jaw. She didn't stir.
"Thanks but we still have a lot to clean."
Other Damon rolled his eyes, "Can't you use your ghostly powers to get the job done instead of this manual labor we got going on here?"
"Ghostly?" Damon breathed, eyes widening. It was the first time the nicknames started to register for him as he backed away. Bonnie's head swiveled to him then, brows furrowing.
Her lips pursed and Damon swallowed, staring at them.
"Bonnie?"
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
Bonnie tilted her head at Damon even though he was sure she couldn't see him. This was trippy but he knew this was his Bonnie. This wasn't just any old dream.
He took in some anticipated air, watching Bonnie's tilted head at him before turning from him completely to look back at the other Damon. It took everything in his "dream-like" fiber to not pull her into his arms and never let go. Maybe she could come back easily if he did do that.
"What, you heard something, Casper?" His Other self inquired half-heartedly, picking up pieces of a broken mirror.
Damon reached for her as Bonnie sighed, "I don't know. Probably not."
"You can hear what I said about you twenty-four hours in advance as long as I said it in this house. You probably did hear something," The other self then gave her his full attention.
Bonnie's eyes looked up at Other Damon with an appreciative smile. Damon swallowed, his breath lodged in his throat. Whoever this Damon was-he got a smile out of Bonnie Bennett. Those were rare. He brought his hand back to his side, not touching her but instead standing beside her, while looking down at her small frame before asking in a little voice, "Is this really you?"
She went over to his other self, "Damon?"
"Yeah?" The other him answered easily.
Bonnie bit the corner of her lip, "What if I was alive?"
Damon and his other self looked at her oddly, squinting in confusion, "What do you mean?"
She shrugged but explained anyway, "I don't know...I just-do you think we'd still be-somewhat close if I was alive?"
Other him smirked, "You think we're 'somewhat close' now?"
Bonnie looked around her as if what she was about to say next was secret- and it was only to be shared between the two. Damon thought it was cute.
Looking satisfied she answered, "Closer than my relationship with my Damon back at home. Which isn't much."
Damon swallowed. He doesn't think she realizes how loaded that was.
"My Damon."
He could wallow in that, couldn't he? Even if she said she was closer to this other version of him than himself. Whatever. It was still him. Right?
His other self seemed just as amused with this answer as he was before replying, "So you like me in your own dimension too? That's all I really got out of that."
"Barely."
Both Damons grinned.
She broke his stare, "So?"
His other self shrugged, "I don't know what to tell you, Bon. Probably whatever I did in your dimension."
"Which was still be an ass trying to get a truce out of me while being obsessed over Elena?"
His other self regarded her, "Except I don't care about the Gilbert girl."
That made Damon perk a brow.
"...do you think you would still be obsessed over someone?"
His other self held her gaze, "Maybe. But I wouldn't use the word 'obsessed' to describe it."
Damon felt like something was happening. Something that might become a complication in the near future. Even though this other him was him-even though he gathered that Bonnie was stuck in another dimension and time frame-
Whatever that was about to happen might be a threat to getting Bonnie back.
And no matter how much he wanted to see where this might lead because this was just a glimpse into what could happen once Bonnie comes back-he had to do something to stop it.
Bonnie held her breath, not breaking eye contact with his other self as Damon wrapped his arms around her frame, enveloping her and saying into her ear, "You need to come back home. Your real home. You can't stay here with him."
She gasped violently, hands searching for his arms probably as she looked about her, bemused, "Damon?!"
She sounded so clear right then.
His other self blinked, confused himself, "Bonnie? Where'd she-?"
Bonnie swallowed, still trying to grasp him, "Damon is that-?"
"Sheila says you're the only one who can bring yourself back and that the only thing we-I--can do is give you the tools to do it."
"'We'?" Her breath sounded lodged in her throat when she got a hold of his hands. "You?"
"Well yeah," he started smugly, "Me-mostly."
"You." She says again, closing her eyes, "You're trying to bring me back?"
He loosened his grip but she squeezed his hands, stopping and asking him again, "You?"
"Is it that surprising, Bon Bon?"
She turned her head to look at him but she couldn't see anything. She felt him however, and she felt him starting to slip away, "No. It's not surprising... I need my Grimoire though."
"Got it."
She tilted her head at that, her hands finding themselves intertwining with his, "How are you going to get it to me?"
"Donnu but I got it," he watched their hands-they fit pretty well with each other.
She nodded, looking ahead again and swallowing, "Thank you."
"Anytime, witchy."
The last thing he sees is her hands gripping around for him before letting them fall to her sides, looking off into the distance, thinking.
He woke up to a completely empty motel room. When he got all his bearings, Stefan and Bonnie's body walked in as if they were sneaking back in to only see an awake and furious Damon glaring back at them.
Connor looked completely unapologetic albeit solemn, "I talked to Connor's family."
Damon growled. Not just because of that but from being snatched away from Bonnie without getting any real direction on what he could do here to help her get back. She needed her Grimoire. How do you send spell books across dimensions?
"...his mom refused to get the body."
Damon blinked at that, thinking about what they were talking about. When he remembered he was bemused. He wasn't expecting that statement, "She...did?"
"The dad and brother wanted to but the mother had the last say." Stefan said, "She said she knew Connor did 'dangerous things' and that she warned him that it would bring him to his end-"
Connor sighed and plopped on Stefan's bed, "-and she wouldn't be there to save him before or after it did."
Connor's laugh held no humor, "She...she didn't even bat an eye when I told her he was dead."
Maybe it was because the hunter currently was wearing Bonnie's face or they did get along somewhat last night when they had drinks but Damon felt for Connor in that moment. Disappointing parents are apparently everywhere nowadays. Despite feeling slightly empathetic of the hunter, he still had to ask, "So was there mention of vampires and Hunters and curses and murder? Anything?"
Connor looked down sadly, "I tried to mention it as carefully as I could but she didn't want to hear about it. Deep down I think they all know they just don't want any part of that world and considered Connor to have-lost his way to the dark side or whatever. And it was his fault that he died. If only it were that simple."
Damon had a feeling he wasn't just saying that for himself.
"So Stefan-why'd you agree to go with Bonnie to basically rat us out?"
Connor scoffed as he went to properly pack Bonnie's things.
"Well...it's the least that I can do-plus she said it could help Elena gain some closure and not feel too guilty about killing Connor if she helped the family get his body back."
Damon looked to Connor who refused to look back at him, "I'm sick...and tired of all these deaths happening as if they're not as important as ours. You might think they're just collateral damage, Damon, but Elena doesn't. I definitely don't. We can't keep letting this become habit. It's...it's wrong-and it takes a piece of our humanity away from us."
Connor turned to Damon and the vampire could have sworn it was just Bonnie talking to him, "Our humanity, for some of us, is all we have left."
Damon dropped his brother off at Caroline's since he refused to come back to the boarding house and now he was on his way to drop Connor off at the Bennett's since there was still a charade to keep up.
"So..." Damon started.
Connor sighed, "Look, I want to leave as much as you want me to but that was my last great idea to pass over... right now it looks like I'm stuck here until grandma Bennett comes up with something."
Damon's jaw ticked, "I saw her."
"Who?" Connor muttered, detached.
"Bonnie."
That piqued the hunter's interest, "How?"
"Through a dream. I don't dream."
"Ok...?"
Damon pulled into Bonnie's driveway and put the camaro in park, "You're not understanding me. I got to talk to her in some alternate reality."
Bonnie's brows rose.
"She looked pretty close to that reality's me."
Connor huffed, "That must have made your day."
"A little."
"If you say so, man."
"I didn't get to talk to her long but...she said she needed her Grimoire. How the hell are we going to do that across dimensions is beyond me but-"
Connor nodded in understanding, "Have you asked her about her 'Unfinished Business'? Like if I get my door to show up and she does the same over there too it would be easier to get to her that way."
"But she's not dead."
"How is she in that world? Alive?" Connor challenged.
"No-a ghost."
"She's dead over there then. We need to find a way to get her to go through a door to the Other Side."
"...you're throwing a lot at me at once, Connor."
"Comprehension isn't lost on you is it? If I can find my unfinished business and open my door at the same time as she does we can get her her Grimoire so she can come back to this dimension."
"Ok. How do we do that? That idea of yours back in NOLA was our last bet for you. And how do we know that the dimension she's at even works with 'doors' and 'unfinished businesses'?"
"You can ask her."
"How, Connor? Something tells me that was a one time 'oops' in our favor." Damon groaned.
"I can send you there. I mean, I laced your drink with this special junk that Shane showed me how to make to get you to sleep like a doornail so I don't see why I can't do it again."
Damon glared at Connor as the hunter shrugged the girl's shoulders easily.
"So you have any inkling of a theory on how we would bring Bonnie back once we get her her Grimoire?"
Connor looked thoughtful, seriously considering it before shrugging the Witch's lips, "That's probably where we perform the spell to bring her back and when I say 'we' I mean 'her'. She got herself into this mess she would have to get herself out."
Damon didn't like that. And he said so.
Connor rolled his eyes, "She knows the laws of her nature are strict and final. She was well aware of the consequences she'd have to face."
"You sound just like those witch spirits she kept blabbing about."
"Because they mean business," Connor flatly said.
Damon went quiet a minute before confessing, "She didn't get herself into this mess-we pushed her there and she just responded the best way she knew how; magic."
Grumbling, he let his head fall back against the head rest, "She shouldn't have to fix everything all the time. She has friends-"
"And you're one of them?" Connor raised a brow at him.
Damon closed his eyes before reopening them, "Yeah. I guess so. Considering I'm the only one that actively knows you're not Bonnie and I'm trying to get her back-I guess that sort of thing is what friends do."
"What about her other friends?"
Damon waved that idea off, closing his eyes again. The Stefan answer would have been, "We could all do better." Good thing there's only one Stefan in the world.
"If she had died instead-"
Damon's eyes cut at the hunter who wasn't moved by the glare and only continued, "You would do everything in your power to bring her back, huh?"
"She wouldn't even die in the first place."
Connor grinned, amused, "I see."
"This is sort of that situation already-"
"No," Connor shook his head, "My involvement makes things easier on the situation. It's not the same."
Damon fell silent before he asked as evenly as he could muster, "Are you hinting at something, Hunter?"
Connor opened the door to get out, not responding.
"Connor."
"Don't worry so much, Damon. You said so yourself...you wouldn't even allow death to be a possibility."
Connor stopped abruptly, freezing in place, making Damon sit up and look around cautiously. Next thing he knows he's baring his fangs at Caroline outside his car, who had Bonnie's person in a chokehold by the hand.
"You're not Bonnie," she hissed at Connor, veins about her red eyes looking more menacing by the second.
"Caroline, let Bonnie go-" Damon started, putting his fangs away, trying to stay calm while guazing what the blond vampire might do next.
She growled at Damon, "You just called her 'Connor', so don't lie to me, Damon. What the fuck is going on? Where's my best friend?"
Damon looked at Bonnie's person and saw fear in it's eyes. He knew lying to Blondie would do no good to the current situation, "Bonnie's soul isn't in there but you're hurting her body so let, it, go."
Caroline squinted her eyes at the raven haired man before releasing Bonnie's neck and stepping back with crossed arms against her chest. Connor coughed and hacked, admitting to himself that her choking was way worse than Damon's.
"You two better start talking. Now."
Damon and Connor exchanged looks, frowning.
Shit.
A/N: this has been sitting in my Evernote being reworked and edited on. I've had this written out already for forever but, again, I kept editing things, certain aspects when discussed in this chapter had a big impact on the story and I didn't like it too much so I had to pull back some-even though this is still a long chapter. I'm sorta satisfied with this now? Sorta? Iunno.
As for season 6 of the Vampire Diaries-can you believe this?! When the hell is Bonnie coming back? Also-man I wrote this before Season 6 did the alternate universe thing so THAT'S a bit amusing.
Also, I'm so sorry for the wait and I truly appreciate y'all for sticking through-if any of you are still into this fic, lol.
Alright...see ya.