Thank you, thank you, thank you to my readers. I really and truly cherish the messages, reviews and everything in between that you have given me during the Turning Tables saga. I know that it was quite a journey, so I thank you…
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Damon had rarely been speechless, but he was completely speechless as he sat next to Bonnie on their bed at the boarding house. When he rushed into Klaus' house, he wasn't sure was his plan of action was—but he had no intention of Bonnie staying with Klaus that night. When he heard her screaming and the commotion in the house, his legs did not move fast enough. He wasn't sure what he would see when he reached her, but when he reached her—he was relieved. Her clothes were slightly ripped, but she looked amazing to him. She stood over Klaus' charred body like a warrior who had conquered her enemy. The look on her face was hard to read and he wasn't completely able to take a breath until she rushed over to him and jumped into his arms, he held onto her and he never wanted to let her go.
When they walked out of the house and she flicked her wrist, causing the house to turn into a burning inferno, he was very impressed and even a little turned on…but he knew that this was not the time for any of that.
"I'm going to take a shower…ok", Bonnie said standing up finally.
"Ok…", he stated, "he…uh…didn't…"
She turned to him and shook her head, "He didn't", she answered simply, "and he never will".
Damon nodded as he watched her walk into the bathroom and closed the door.
Bonnie entered the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror placing her hands on the sides of the sink. She looked at her face and noticed the bruise on her cheek, she touched it slightly and winced at the pain. She looked in the mirror and then she started laughing. She had won. She had finally killed Klaus and all of the fear, anger, frustration, shame and hate died with him. She started laughing hysterically as she doubled over and then her laughter turned into cries. She fell to the floor as the relief washed over her. After all of these years of feeling as if there was a part of her that had been broken and never pieced back together, she was able to glue it back together. She cried with relief as she stood up and looked in the mirror and smiled through her tears.
"Bonnie, you ok?" Damon asked knocking on the door.
"I'm fine" she answered looking in the mirror, "I'm fine".
SSSSSS
Damon twisting the long tendrils of Bonnie's hair around his Salvatore ring finger as they lie in bed next to each other. Ever since she came out of the bathroom, they just lay in the bed quite not saying a word.
"I'm sorry", Bonnie finally spoke quietly.
"I thought you were ok".
Bonnie sat up and looked at him, "I thought I was. No, I was...for years. I was better. I had moved on and I had everything that I wanted with you and Callie".
"But…"
"But I guess I wasn't as put together as I thought…", she brought her knees to her chest, "then with Klaus killing Dr. Talbot, getting into my head and then when he almost killed Callie…something inside of me broke and maybe, I did take the coward way out—but I guess as much as I tried to push down what happened, I guess I had to confront Klaus before it could ever disappear".
Damon sat up and looked at her.
"And leaving you and Callie, that was the biggest regret that I have. I unleashed someone so hateful and so spiteful on the both of you and that was unforgivable, I can never apologize enough for that".
"Come on, I've had my less than stellar moments when you've had to bring me back. Bonnie, you're entitled to a moment or two of selfishness".
"Thanks", Bonnie said chuckling, "but Callie, so many things happened because of my decision. She didn't have me and she found out about you and Stefan".
"And she is perfectly happy with the news", Damon beamed, "keeping her quiet may not be as easy".
"She is quite a little girl".
"Strong like her mother since the day she was born", Damon touched Bonnie chin and gently moving her face so she could meet his eyes, "I was angry at you, so angry at you—but you know what, having you here with me looking at me with those eyes…how can I really stay mad at you, but promise me this…"
"What?" Bonnie asked.
"You will let me know if you can't handle something, when you feel like the walls are closing in…let me know. We have been a team before we could even stand to be in the same room together, so let's keep it that way".
Bonnie smiled, "I love you".
"You better", Damon smirked, "and don't you ever leave me again".
"I won't".
He placed his hand on the back of her neck and brought her head closer to his and kissed her softly. Bonnie closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.
"I missed you", he whispered as he moved onto her neck.
"I missed you too", she breathed out as he lowered her down on the bed.
SSSSSSS
"Mommy!" Callie shrieked running in the front door with her arms outstretched. Bonnie's eyes immediately filled with tears as her daughter ran into her arms.
When Callie reached her, Bonnie gathered her in her arms and lifted her off of the floor. Bonnie closed her eyes as she took in Callie's scent, she loved her so much that it almost hurt to think about. She held her as tightly as Callie held onto her.
Elena, Stefan, Angel and Damon disappeared into the kitchen as Bonnie stood in the foyer holding onto Callie.
"I missed you soo much Mommy", Callie breathed as Bonnie heard the hiccup in her voice.
Bonnie walked over to the couch still holding Callie and sat her down on her lap, "Mommy missed you too Callie and I want to tell you something".
"What Mommy?" Callie asked looking at Bonnie with her wide eyes.
"I am…", Bonnie choked up, "I am so sorry for leaving you".
"You didn't love me Mommy…you were in the mirra".
Bonnie shook her head at Callie's simplistic nature, "I did go away for awhile, I wasn't able to touch you…hug you…or kiss you and I am so sorry Callie, I will never do that to you again. My mommy went away when I was around your age and I never want to hurt you like that".
"I know Mommy".
"You and your Daddy are the most important people to me and I will do anything for you", Bonnie hugged her.
"I love you Mommy".
"I love you too Callie", Bonnie said kissing her on the forehead, "now, tell me all about your time with Auntie Caroline".
"Welllllll…Auntie Caroline bought me a new dress…", Callie began and Bonnie sat back listening to her daughter tell her all about her trip. She took in every facial expression and listened to every word. This was her life and this is the life that she fought so hard for and she would never give up again.
SSSSSSSS
"She wouldn't let me put her to sleep, she and Angel were talking about their dolls and how they have to get them new dresses", Bonnie joined Damon, Stefan and Elena downstairs in the living room.
Elena rolled her eyes, "Those dolls call $200 each and the clothes are just as bad".
"Leave it to Caroline to stick us with dolls that will cost us a small fortune", Damon snorted.
"I'm happy that they enjoyed themselves and I am sorry for putting you guys in that situation", Bonnie focused on Stefan and Elena.
"Bonnie, we've all had our moments. How can we judge you? It took a lot to face what happened to you and to face Klaus", Stefan sympathized.
"And you got rid of Klaus forever, that took a lot", Elena added.
Damon rubbed Bonnie's arm in support, "It's weird though, I thought that I had finally conquered him a couple of years ago and the hold he had on me—but it wasn't until, we were in that house and I was fighting him…fighting him for my life and my sanity that I felt like I could truly put everything in the past. Thank you all for being so understanding".
Elena stood up and walked over to Bonnie, "We could only be understanding Bonnie, but promise me that you will never allow that crazy Bonnie back".
Bonnie smiled as Elena hugged her, "She's gone, trust me…she will never come back".
SSSSSSSSS
While Stefan went out hunting and Damon headed upstairs, Bonnie and Elena stayed downstairs talking and laughing. When they decided that it was time to turn in, they started up the stairs, but stopped at Angel's room. They could hear the two girls trying to whisper and Bonnie and Elena exchanged look. They were supposed to be sleeping. Bonnie opened the door slightly and Angel and Callie were sitting on the bed as she and Elena peered in.
"Angel, I have a secret…", Callie grinned.
"What Callie?" Angel asked excited.
Callie closed her eyes and lifted her hand as a feather floated in the air between them.
Angel gasped as she looked at the feather floating in the air and she began to giggle.
"Magic", Callie giggled as the feather floated down.
Elena and Bonnie looked each other with both having tears pooling in their eyes before closing the door.
They looked at each other in the hallway before bursting into laughter and hugged each other through tears.
SSSSSSSSSS
Bonnie entered the bedroom where Damon had just exited the shower wrapped in a towel. "I know…ready to ravish me", Damon said standing in the middle of the floor.
Bonnie looked at him and smiled, "Elena and I just peered into Angel's room and she and Callie were still awake".
"Oh really…what playing with those dolls?" Damon asked.
"No…Callie was causing a feather to float in mid-air", Bonnie replied nonchalantly.
Damon paused, "Wait…what…"
Bonnie smiled, "I think your daughter has inherited her Bennett witch powers…sounds like we're in for some fun teen years".
"Oh great, a teenage girl who can give her father aneurysms…can't wait".
Bonnie winked at him as she walked over to him wrapping her arms around him, "Don't worry, I will be here to protect you".
"Oh really?" Damon asked rubbing her sides gazing down at her, "but for how long?"
"Forever", Bonnie answered before closing the space between them with a kiss.
Fin