Undisclosed Desires

A/N: I apologize for my absence from the fanfiction world as of late, but I'm slowly getting over my writer's block and now I'm back with a new story. This one is a Christmas present for my friend Danielle (EverlarkPearl on Twitter). I hope you enjoy the story, bb!

Summary: All Bonnie has known her entire life is the tyrannical government run by Klaus Mikaelson, and the terrible games that would be played out each year to determine which district got enough food and resources to survive. When she is forced to take part in the games, will she come out on top? {AU. TVD/THG crossover}.

Chapter 1

The sound of screaming woke Bonnie up from her slumber, jolting her awake as she scrambled to her feet. "Elena?!" Her frantic voice permeated the area as she ran towards her friend's room, swinging open the door and rushing to Elena's side, her porcelain features suffused with crystalline tears. "It..it happened again, Bonnie. Klaus...he...he killed my parents for speaking out against the government!"

Running her hand up and down Elena's back, Bonnie attempted to console Elena but she quickly found out that she was at a loss for words. This has been a nightmare Elena has lived with ever since she was five years old. Her mother and father had both went to see Klaus, telling him that they would not stand being oppressed any longer and that they were going to stand with the few people whom were rebelling against them. Their bravery had got them brutally killed by Klaus' men, and ever since that day Elena has been living with Bonnie, surviving off of what they were able to provide. It's hard for Bonnie to believe that ten years have passed.

"It'll be okay, Elena. I promise we'll get them for what they did to your parents." Flickering her watery eyes to Bonnie's confident face, Elena managed a weak smile, though it was heavily inundated by the pain of losing her family at such a young age. "Now try and get some sleep. Jeremy and I will go hunting and bring you back something to eat."

Sniffling softly, Elena rubbed at her eyes before laying against the pillow, allowing her lethargic physique to fall into a light slumber, her body shivering every so often.

After awhile, Bonnie made it outside. It was still dark, but the sun would come up in about an hour, giving her and Jeremy plenty of time to slip through the wired fence and find some tranquility in the wonders of nature, if only for a few short moments. Cocooning herself with the thin layer of wool she wore around her shoulders, Bonnie commenced her arduous trek across the run down vicinity, maple-tinted eyes taking in the people living out on the streets, forced to live off of leftovers and thrown away food. Most of them were unable to hunt, or make money since the government took most of it away from them and lived like kings. The only salvation Bonnie's home had was in the form of ruthless killing and violence. Only one person would walk away with the money, while all the other communities starved for another year.

The smell of nature propelled itself towards Bonnie as she made it to the outskirts of her town, noticing a brawny structure standing there, waiting for her arrival. "Hey Bon."

A smile adorned Bonnie's face at the sight of her long time friend. Even in the darkest of days, he always manages to make her happy. "Hey Jer."

Climbing over the barbed wire, Jeremy helped Bonnie through before they began walking out into the wilderness, the morning rays painting the stygian sky a light-hued pink. The chirping of the birds rang throughout the area, creating a languid environment as the dawn of a new day begins.

This day, however, was anything peaceful for Bonnie, or anyone else who is of age to fight in the dreaded hunger games. These games were nothing more than sheer amusement to the Capitol, who thoroughly enjoyed watching them play out. Many people died, but no one seemed to care, except for the district the people belonged to.

"Are you ready for today?" Jeremy's voice broke the silence, causing Bonnie to vacillate her gaze from the rising sun to her friend, fear a constant plague in her mind, but it was nothing that she couldn't handle.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Jeremy gave a shake of his head, his herculean physique crouching down to meet with Bonnie, looking into her eyes that held so much emotion. "Bonnie, whatever happens...I know you're going to be just fine, even if you are picked. You know how to use fire to your advantage, and that's a very powerful weapon."

A sigh escaped Bonnie's lips, contemplating Jeremy's words. He was right. She was very knowledgeable when it came to fire, and knew how to use it to flush out her enemies. Her father had taught her everything she needed to know before he had been killed. Now it was just her mother and Elena, the only people in her life besides Jeremy.

The rustling of trees distracted Bonnie from looking out towards the grassy plain, her mocha features twisting around to look at the miniature rabbit that had popped out. "Looks like we'll be having rabbit for breakfast." Jeremy chuckled softly as he crouched down, edging towards the furry creature before leaping out from behind the concealed trees, managing to grab the bunny before it had a chance to escape. The harsh sound of bone snapping in half caused Bonnie to cringe momentarily, her sorrel irises falling down to the limp form in Jeremy's arms, eventually rising upwards to meet with Jeremy's smiling face. "Mind building us a fire?"

"Sure thing." Pulling out a match from her pocket, Bonnie swiped it along the base of the tree trunk as Jeremy got a dry spot ready for the fire to burn. Smoke billowed up as Bonnie carefully ignited the pile of leaves and wood Jeremy had laid out, creating the perfect stove to cook their recently caught animal.

Their peace was short lived, however, as a blaring siren engulfed the entire area, causing Bonnie's heart to leap into her throat, palpating like a hummingbird's wings. She didn't realize how much time had went by, and now she feared she wouldn't be able to bring back any food to Elena. "Jeremy, we can't leave now! I promised Elena-"

"I'll take care of her, Bonnie. You need to go. I'll catch up to you later." Determination filled Jeremy's voice as his sinewy fingers grasped Bonnie's shoulders, silently begging her to leave so she wouldn't get caught out here. He didn't want to think of what Klaus' men would do if they found her.

Blinking back translucent tears, Bonnie managed a weak nod, her delicate fingers clinging to Jeremy for a minute longer, not knowing when she would get to have another moment like this with him. "I'll go, but you better be careful."

A boyish grin tainted Jeremy's suave visage in a feeble attempt to hide the disquietude that teemed just beneath the surface. He was nervous as hell, but he was always ready to help Bonnie out whenever she needed it, and today was no different. "I always am."

Not wasting another moment, Bonnie tore through the woods, her legs pumping her lissome frame as fast as she could go, the verdant scenery passing her by in a blur until she reached the fence. Managing to get through without much hassle, Bonnie walked down the dirt road which would lead her to the town square, where the announcement will be held to decide who's fighting this year.

Many people had gathered near the stage where Caroline is expected to come out and draw from the list of names to see who will be this year's tributes. Bonnie struggled to make her way through the crowd as the density become thicker, making it almost hard to breathe with all of the anticipation built up within her. Finding an adequate spot to stand in, Bonnie stood firm and tall, not allowing the fear she was experiencing to get the best of her just yet.

"Welcome, everyone!" Caroline's voice broke through the chatter in the audience as she sauntered onto the stage, the turquoise dress adorning her body sparkling in the scintillating rays of the sunlight, like an ocean on a cloudless day. "I'd like to welcome you all to the 74th annual event of the Hunger Games! I bet you're all excited to see who will be fighting this year. Believe me, so am I. Now, without any further ado, let's get started!"

Whiskey-tinted optics flitted around the area as Bonnie attempted to locate Jeremy and Elena, but it was like trying to find two needles in a haystack among the sea of bodies standing huddled together, watching Caroline's moves intently as she moved towards the bowl which held a list of names. "As always, the ladies are first." Dipping her hand into the bowl, Caroline swiftly took out the ball, removing the piece of paper while everyone stood perfectly still, waiting for the name to be called.

"Bonnie Bennett!"

Time seemed to freeze for Bonnie as she remained in her spot, having known that this could have happened but it still didn't take away the surprise that flooded her face. Mentally shaking herself out of the trance she was in, Bonnie began moving towards the stage, keeping her facial expression stoic so no one could see how terrified she really was.

"Bonnie?!"

Stopping in her tracks, Bonnie whipped around on her feet to see Elena trying to run towards her, but was being held off by guards. The apathetic veil diminished completely as Bonnie tried to get to her friend, only to have two more guards block her path and pull her towards the stage. "Elena! No, let me go, I need to say goodbye!"

The guards ignored Bonnie completely as they continued to drag her towards the platform. Eventually, Bonnie ceased her struggles, knowing how pointless it is to fight against them. Tentatively, Bonnie cleared her face of the tears that had fell from her eyes, wanting to be strong for not only Elena, but for everyone that is here.

"And now for the boys!" Caroline jubilantly exclaimed, as if Bonnie's outburst had no effect on her whatsoever. Bonnie maintained a steely gaze as she watched Caroline waltz about the stage frivolously, acting like these games they were playing are friendly and not a matter of life or death. You'd think she would be a little more serious.

"Damon Salvatore!"

Bonnie had been so focused on her inner thoughts that she had almost missed hearing Caroline call out the second tribute. Instinctively, she flickered her eyes to the empty space next to her, watching as a raven-haired, blue-eyed man step up onto the stage, his appearance consisting of a white t-shirt and baggy jeans, but despite his mundane dressing style, his endless cobalt blues were vacant, uninhibited by any emotion to the events taking place. It was like looking into a black void, the emptiness never ending.

A chill ran up Bonnie's spine when she finally realized Damon had turned his attention onto her, his cerulean irises never relinquishing the emotionless void that seemed to consume him, thus making it hard to tell how he was really feeling about having getting chosen. Something terrible must have happened to make him be this way. Bonnie concluded mentally, the sound of the crowd cheering becoming background music to her as she attempted to decipher this mysterious man, having this inscrutable desire to know him, to figure out his secrets.

The train barreled down the track towards its destination, the Capitol, where all the tributes would be pitted against each other. Thankfully, the speed of the train wasn't felt by Bonnie or anyone else on board as time ticked by for their mentor to show up.

She had tried making conversation with Damon, but talking to him was like talking to a wall. He wouldn't even look up towards her, not even acknowledge her presence even though they were sitting next to each other. Bonnie could feel her temper flare slightly at Damon's insubordination, not having any idea why he refused to take notice of her existence. "Alright, what the hell is your problem? We've been on this train for hours and you haven't said a single word. Don't you care about what's happening right now?"

Expelling a vexed sigh, Bonnie turned her head so she was facing the window, not expecting to get a reply from the statue that was sitting next to her.

"Why bother?"

Did he really just speak? An incredulous expression tainted Bonnie's seraphic profile as she turned to face him, seeing that his eyes were still glued to the lavishly-designed floor. "Excuse me?"

"Caring doesn't get you anywhere. It only brings you pain and suffering, so why bother doing it?" Damon's reply came out much harsher than he originally intended, but at least it left Bonnie speechless for a few moments, until the doors opened and broke the silence that had regained its reign over the commodious area.

Walking into the room with an alcohol bottle clutched tenaciously between brawny fingers, the unknown man took a seat across from Bonnie and Damon, placing his bottle onto the table while ignoring the thick tension in the room. "My name's Alaric, and I'm going to help you two survive in the arena."

Turning her attention to Alaric, Bonnie was still trying to come to terms with what Damon said. What did he mean by "caring only brings you pain and suffering"? She would have to question him about that later, when she could get him alone. Now, she had to focus on Alaric, who was busy draining the contents of his bottle. A look of indignation crossed her features as Bonnie observed his actions. "Well, are you going to help us or not?"

Alaric's brow rose at Bonnie's question, a soft chortle escaping his mouth at her stubbornness. "My, aren't you an eager one? Okay then." Putting his drink onto the table, Alaric leaned back into the chair, his eyes resting on Damon for a moment before flickering back to Bonnie. "In order to have any shot at winning, you need to have allies. Friends who will send you important stuff like medicine, tools to get food, and things necessary to live off of."

Bonnie nodded slightly, making sure to show that she is paying attention to Alaric's words, when Damon's voice startled them both. "As much fun as it is to listen to you ramble on and on, I have better things to do." Swiftly moving to an erect stand, Damon twisted on the balls of his feet and promenaded towards the door, swinging it open and slamming it harshly as he made his exit, traveling down the long corridor.

"Poor guy. It's been two years and he's still not over it." Alaric shook his head in dismay, reaching for his bottle while Bonnie gave him an inquisitive stare.

"What do you mean by that? You know something, don't you?"

Sighing a bit, Alaric gazed at Bonnie for a few minutes, seeing the blazing determination and fire dancing in her eyes. If she wanted to help this man out, then she was going to have to know the whole story. "You see Bonnie, two years ago, a boy named Stefan and a girl named Katherine fought in the games, and they're both from the same district as you and Damon. Unfortunately, they didn't make it."

"Why do they matter so much to Damon?" A dark brow arched curiously, knowing that this wasn't the whole story.

"Because Stefan is Damon's brother, and they were very close to Katherine. So when they tragically died, Damon stopped caring about other people. The pain was too much for him to bear."

Sadness filled Bonnie at Alaric's words, not knowing that Damon had lost his own brother and close friend in the same year. No wonder he behaves the way he does. "I should go talk to him."

"No, you're not." Alaric's voice came out austere as he stood up, giving Bonnie a serious look as he passed by her to refill his bottle. "Damon can be easily irascible and inimical. You talking to him is only going to make things worse, and harder on yourself. It's best if you leave him alone. He'll heal on his own time."

"And what if he doesn't?" Bonnie countered, rising up from her chair as Alaric stood near the sink, his hand transcending towards the cabinets to pull another bottle out.

"Then that's his problem. I've tried helping him, but he didn't want it."

Fueled by anger over Alaric's nonchalance towards Damon and Damon himself, Bonnie stalked off towards the door, entering the winding hallway and leaving Alaric alone with his precious bourbon bottles.

"Damon?" Bonnie's voice echoed throughout the seemingly never-ending corridor as she made her way down its dark depths, the dimly-lit ceiling the only thing providing light.

"What the hell do you want?" Damon's raspy voice startled Bonnie as she turned around, watching as Damon emerge from the shadows, his icy, hate-filled eyes making his appearance all the more menacing, but it wasn't enough to scare away Bonnie.

"I just want to talk. Alaric told me what happened two years ago. I had no idea, Damon. I...I don't know what to say."

"How about you don't say anything and keep your nose out of my business? I don't need your damn pity!"

The tone of Damon's voice caused an involuntary shudder to surge through Bonnie's veins, the heat of Damon's burning azure eyes almost too much for her to stand. He was doing a fine job of keeping his shields up, making sure that she wasn't able to break them and uncover the affliction that has crippled Damon for the past two years. "Damon, I want to help you."

"And then what, Bonnie?" Damon snapped harshly, his cerulean pools flaring with anger. "What's going to happen when you take my pain away? When you "help" me? Because in a few short days, we're going to be fighting one another, so tell me, what's the fucking point of me caring again when we're being sentenced to death?"

For the second time that day, Bonnie was once again rendered speechless, unable to say anything after Damon's outburst. He was completely right, unless if there was a way for them both to survive, which Bonnie heavily doubted. Klaus would rather see everyone die than allow more than one person to be spared.

"And as a reward for wanting to cleanse me of my pain I've had over the last few years," Damon continued, his herculean frame slowly advancing towards Bonnie's until he was whispering into her ear, his voice dark and lethal. "I'll kill you first."

With that, Damon walked away, leaving a stunned Bonnie in the middle of the corridor, trying to digest the words Damon had spoken to her. Was he truly incapable of being saved from his own demons? Or will Bonnie eventually find a way to crack the ice that encased Damon's heart? The only thing she can do is hope for a miracle at this point.

The deep blue skies of Panem were the first thing Bonnie saw as the train arrived at their destination. Gargantuan buildings stood tall and people moved about on the streets, excited for the games to begin. To them, it was just an exhilarating sporting event to spice up their mundane lives each year. No one who lives in the Capitol has the slightest idea of what the games are really like, a fact that Damon knew all too well.

Despite Bonnie's efforts to not think about Damon, that egomaniacal asshole who only seemed to care about himself, he wouldn't seem to leave her mind. She didn't understand why she kept thinking about him, but she did.

On one hand, Bonnie was angry at him for brushing Alaric's help off and for the way he treated her afterwards, but on the other, she understands the reason why he doesn't want to get close to anyone else. Losing one person, especially a family member, is hard enough, but losing another person on top of that? Bonnie couldn't imagine the trauma that must be clouding Damon's mind, making him believe that getting close to anybody is dangerous.

Pulling into the station, the train came to a stop after moving for the past few days. This was it. They were finally here. Pushing excess thoughts of Damon to the back of her mind for now, Bonnie focused on the task at hand; preparing for the battle that would take place after one week of interviews, gaining sponsors, and training. Bonnie had to make sure she is ready. The people of the district are counting on her.

Alaric led the way off the train as Bonnie and Damon followed, niether of them saying a word to each other. The walk towards to the palace was quiet for the most part, except for the occasional chatter between Alaric and Caroline.

Every so often, Bonnie's gaze would vacillate from Alaric to Damon, having been quiet ever since his last words to her. They were supposed to be fighting on the same side, at least until everyone else had been killed, but it seems like Damon doesn't care. Maybe Alaric was right and I should have kept my distance.

"We're here!" Alaric's voice broke Bonnie's thoughts, his eyes glued onto the Traning Center that was standing before them. The ethereal building was perhaps the biggest thing Bonnie had ever laid eyes on, and she could only imagine what the inside looked like.

Walking into the voluminous area, Bonnie's eyes scanned the vicinity in awe, having never seen since an intricately-designed place before. People from other districts moved around the spacious place, all wearing black uniforms. Weapons could be seen along the walls, or on tables. Out of the corner of her eye, Bonnie could see a masculine man running through an obstacle course, his suave visage filled with determination.

"This is your competition."

Craning her neck slightly, Bonnie turned to face Alaric and Caroline, both of them having experienced this many times. Deep down, she was nervous, but Bonnie wasn't about to let that stop her. "I'm ready to train."

"Good, then you'll need these." Walking over to a nearby table, Alaric grabbed a training uniform, handing it to Bonnie. "You and Damon change into these and start training. You don't have much time."

Grabbing an extra one, Bonnie made her way over to Damon, who is leaning up against the wall, not showing any interest whatsoever. "You need to put this on."

Glancing briefly in her direction, Damon gave a shake of his head. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I've been training for this day on my own, and I don't need anyone's help, especially yours."

Damon didn't know why he resented Bonnie helping him so much, but she did. Out of all the people who have tried to get through to him over these last few years weren't nearly as annoying or indignant like Bonnie. There was just something about her that both intrigued him and royally pissed him off. "Do I have to say it again, sunshine? Get lost. I'll do what I want."

Sighing softly, Bonnie laid Damon's uniform on the nearby table, her eyes flickering back to his brawny form. "You don't have to keep pushing people away, you know. Some of us actually care." Shaking her head, Bonnie walked off, leaving Damon behind to ponder her words.

After a week of non-stop training and countless interviews to garner potential sponsors who would be supplying them with gifts to survive in the real arena, Bonnie felt like she was ready. She had scored an eleven in the training session, which showed her that maybe she could win the game using daggers and knives, not just fire alone.

All the tributes were currently being sent to the arena, and now it was Bonnie's turn to go. Looking around, Bonnie expelled a soft sigh when Damon wasn't anywhere to be found. Why care about him anyways? He doesn't want your help, so why give it? These inner thoughts ran through Bonnie's head as she coiled her digits around the small token she had brought with her from home. It was a symbol of a bird, one that represented fire, bravery, and courage. Her dad had given it to her before he passed away, and now it's her most treasured possession.

"Bonnie!"

A small smile captured Bonnie's mocha features at the sight of Alaric, his exhausted but suave visage beamed down at her cordially. "Good luck out there. You are the only hope for your district. Make them proud."

"Don't worry Alaric, I will." Stepping up onto the platform, Bonnie watched as the glass doors closed around her before she commenced moving upwards, to where the games would begin.

Once Bonnie finally arrived to the battlefield, she allowed her eyes to scan the area for a brief moment. All the tributes were standing in a circular form around the Cornucopia, where weapons lay in wait for the brave tributes who make it over there alive. Looking closely, Bonnie was able to make out a few daggers lying in the verdant terrain. Those would come in handy later. Gazing out further, the familiar sight of trees completely filled the background, making it a perfect place to hide and camp out for the night.

"Ten, nine, eight..."

The countdown had already begun. A lump of saliva manifested in Bonnie's throat as apprehension took hold of her, the bloodthirsty looks in everyone's eyes growing as the numbers edged closer to zero.

"Seven, six, five..."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Bonnie forced herself to calm down, knowing that only getting worked up wouldn't do her any good. She had to come back home alive, for Jeremy, and for Elena. They were all counting on her.

"Four, three, two..."

Snapping olive-toned lids open, Bonnie focused her gaze on the daggers that were partly concealed in the grass, knowing she needed to act fast if she wanted to get them.

"One."

The sound of the buzzer going off inundated the area for a split second before the terrifying screams and yells of the tributes took its place. A loud boom resonated in the sky, signaling that the first person had been killed. Soon after, more booms filled the sky as dead tributes lay in a bloody mess, not having even come close to reaching the weapons that would have postponed their deaths a little longer.

Bonnie had managed to grab one dagger before she was pushed to the ground by a brawny boy, his hands coiling around her neck in an attempt to choke her. Gasping for breath, Bonnie rammed the dagger straight into his abdomen, watching the weight of his body come crashing down as she quickly moved out of the way, her tenuous legs running off towards the woods.

Ducking behind a tree, svelte fingers held onto the double-edged blade, watching and waiting for her next opponent to walk by when a loud groan is heard, causing Bonnie's blood to turn to ice. "Damon?!"

Running in the direction of the noise, Bonnie soon laid eyes on Damon, who was busy trying to pull an arrow out of his leg. His icy gaze became darker when he realized Bonnie is in the vicinity, gawking at him. "What? Never seen a man with an arrow in his leg before? If you're going to kill me, now's your chance."

"No, I'm not. Let me help you, Damon." Bending down to his level, Bonnie reached out to grab the arrow when Damon jerked his leg out of her reach, causing a frisson of pain to run up and down his spine, eliciting a low groan in response. "Why do you insist on being stubborn? It's going to get you killed!"

"And again, I ask, why do you care? Why are you wasting your time on someone like me?"

"Because, I..." Bonnie frowned. She didn't really have an answer for that herself. Why was she helping Damon? Was it because of the mysterious aura surrounding him when they had first met, or was it something else entirely? regardless of what her reason is, Bonnie knew that Damon needed help, or else he won't survive the night.

The sight of something falling caught Bonnie's eye. It was a gift from one of their sponsors. Reaching her hand outwards, Bonnie caught the falling parachute, eagerly opening the box to find a small stack of bandages, exactly what she needed to treat Damon's wound. "Now, hold still. I just need to take this out and wrap up the wound so you don't bleed to death."

Being too weak to resist, Damon begrudgingly allowed Bonnie to tend to his wound, letting out a hiss of pain as the arrow was removed, being meticulously replaced by bandages.

Damon observed Bonnie's actions with a bemused expression, not understanding why she was helping him after the way he treated her. "Just so you know, if you were me, I would have killed you eons ago."

A smirk spread across his face at his words, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of this young girl, but all he's met with is silence, which angered him even more. "Look, you little bitch, I don't know what game you're playing, but -"

Two more booms filled the air, cutting off Damon as Bonnie looked around at their surroundings, suddenly not feeling very safe. "We need to find a place to hide before the sun goes down, or else we'll die out here for sure. Can you walk?"

Shooting Bonnie a look of pure hatred, Damon had no choice but to comply, because as much as he loathed to admit, she was right. They would surely die if not kept out of sight for at least a little while. Taking Bonnie's outstretched hand, Damon weakly hobbled alongside her, trying to keep as much weight off his injured leg as possible.

"Look, Damon! A cave." Bonnie exclaimed softly, knowing that being stuck in a cave wasn't the ideal way of camping out but it was going to have to do. Grumbling disdainfully underneath his breath, Damon weakly walked inside, having no other choice in the matter. Once they were inside, Damon allowed his body to collapse against the craggy wall, sweat running down the expanse of his face, dripping onto his chiseled chest. Tiredly, he looked up towards Bonnie, seeing her rubbing two rocks together in hopes of lighting a fire before the sun went totally down. More booms in the sky could be heard as people dropped like flies to the ground. The only ones left are the tributes who have taken cover somewhere in the forest.

A red flame soon rose up from the ground, burning against the leaves and twigs Bonnie gathered together. It wasn't much, but at least they would be warm for the night.

Coughing weakly, Damon attempted to get comfortable, the blazing fire only accentuating the sweat sliding down from his face. "I'm sure Alaric will have them send us some water soon."

"I doubt it." Damon replied bitterly, his azure eyes fixated on the glow of the dancing flames licking the air, steadily rising upwards.

"Can't you be positive for once?" Bonnie snapped back, but it wasn't in a harsh voice. Her tone was soft but also firm, not wanting to allow herself to become cloaked in anger towards Damon, no matter how strong the temptation was.

Rolling his eyes, Damon turned away from her, the pain in his leg killing him but it was nothing compared to the abhorrent fact that he was starting to tolerate Bonnie's company. He felt like a weak child around her, unable to do anything except stare at her, wondering why she kept trying to help him. It wasn't going to change anything. He's still going to be the cold-hearted jerk everyone has known for the past two years. Nothing can change that.

Squirting his eyes weakly, Damon forced them to open, finding out quickly that the sun has risen in the sky. The pain in his leg had gone down immensely, but now a burning sensation took place in his head, a sure sign a fever had manifested.

"So, you're finally awake. You've been out for awhile."

Wincing at the rays from the sun, Damon forced himself to look towards the entrance of the cave, seeing Bonnie standing there, dark circles hanging underneath her eyes. Was she awake the entire night?

"I found some bread near a couple of dead tributes. It still looks good enough to eat, though." Sitting down next to Damon, Bonnie offered her half of bread to him, earning an inquisitive state in return.

"Are you trying to say that you left me all alone to go get food? Are you nuts? You could have been killed!" Realizing what he said, Damon instantly frowned, cursing himself inwardly. Now Bonnie's going to get the wrong impression that he actually cares about her.

"Well, looks like you do have a heart underneath all of that ice cold exterior." Bonnie flashed him a smile which only served to anger him more. No, I do not care about her. And I'll prove it once I'm well enough to defend myself, then I'll slowly and unmercifully strip Bonnie of her life.

Elsewhere, Klaus was viewing the fight, with a smug expression plastered across his features. This year's games were turning out to be the most amusing and enjoyable one yet, and it was all thanks to Bonnie and Damon.

"I believe it's time we put an end to their tragic little love story." Klaus announced, his body ambling over to the board where his loyal men were seated, waiting for Klaus' orders. "Let's kill all of them except for the ones in the cave. I have something special planned for those two."

"But Sir, if we do that then it won't be any fun for our viewers."

Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly. "Don't you worry Marcel. The viewers won't be disappointed. Why don't we create a poisonous fog for the rest of them? There's nothing like watching someone die from inhaling poison to brighten up your day."

Throwing the dirty bandages aside, Bonnie carefully wrapped new ones around Damon's leg, seeing that the wound needed water and some medicine in order to completely heal. Thankfully, she had found a spile stuck to a tree, and was planning on taking Damon over there since she had no way of bringing the water to the cave. "We need to go and put some water on that wound, then, if we're lucky, we'll either find some unused medicine or Alaric will send us some."

"Bonnie, just stop, please." Damon's weak voice barely reached Bonnie's ears, causing the young woman to look down at him in shock.

"What? Why? Damon, we've already made it this far. Most of the tributes have died by now! We'll find a way to make it out alive, together."

Coughing weakly, Damon gazed upon Bonnie's caring expression, knowing how much she cared about him but it wasn't going to happen. "We're not going to make it out alive, Bonnie. Only you are, not me."

And just like that, all of Damon's walls were shot down, allowing Bonnie to see the vulnerable side of him and not just some facade Damon would wear to cover up the emotional pain he is feeling. "Don't say that. The games aren't over yet."

Promenading towards the entrance of the cave, Bonnie scanned the area for any people that may be hiding out there, making sure the coast is clear prior to turning towards Damon, about to get him when the continuous booming in the sky commenced unexpectedly. "What's...going on?" Bonnie's eyes widened in horror as a thick fog made its way through the forest. People screamed as the poison touched their skin, eventually killing them due to the exposure.

"Bonnie?" Damon groaned weakly as he tried to see what is happening, expelling an annoyed sigh when he couldn't.

"There's poisonous fog everywhere!" Bonnie cried, her eyes looking towards the entrance of the cave. "We have to stay here until it passes."

"More wonderful news." Damon muttered sarcastically as he tried to move his leg into a more comfortable position.

"Don't try and move around so much." Bonnie scolded softly, ignoring the glare Damon sent her way. So far, no more noises in the sky could be heard, which means all of the remaining tributes have died except them. "Damon, I think...I think we're the only ones left."

"Terrific." A sigh expelled betwixt Damon's brims, his oceanic pools showing complete and utter defeat in them. He had nothing to live for anymore. Stefan is dead, and so is Katherine, the girl he secretly loved but he always knew she loved Stefan and not him. That was when he decided that he was done caring about people, because nothing good ever came from it. And now here is Bonnie, trying to make him open his heart to her when it's clear that she'll walk away victorious.

"I'm going to get us out of this, Damon." Bonnie's voice was filled with determination as she walked towards Damon, slipping an arm around him when an unknown voice stopped her.

"Going somewhere?"

Adverting her maple irises to the source of this disturbance, Bonnie glared deeply when she saw that it was Tyler, a tribute from District 8. There was something about him that she didn't like. "So, you found us here. I thought everyone died when that fog came out of nowhere."

Chuckling lowly, Tyler stepped forward, armed with a slingshot and a poisonous spike. "Nah. I escaped, and I was wandering around in this area when I heard voices in here. It's nice to see that Damon hasn't died."

Managing to stand up, Damon shot a murderous glare Tyler's way, his hand clenching into a fist. "Oh yeah? And why is that?"

"Because, I thought it would be fitting to kill you since I killed your brother and his little girlfriend two years ago."

"You what?!" Damon could hardly believe what he was hearing. He had known that Tyler Lockwood won two years ago, but he never would have guessed that this bastard was responsible for his brother's death.

"You're absolutely disgusting." Bonnie's voice shook with rage as she advanced onto him, making sure to keep her dagger concealed from sight while Tyler stood there, not at all fazed by Bonnie's words.

"I really only planned on killing Damon, but if you insist...then I'll gladly make you my first victim."

Unable to take Tyler's verbal abuse any longer, Bonnie threw the dagger as hard as she could towards his face, hoping to score a clean hit. Fear flooded her veins as Tyler caught the dagger, not caring that it sliced through his hand. "Nice try, Bonnie. Now it's my turn."

Fear crippling her, Bonnie could only watch as Tyler aimed the poisonous spike towards her and fired. Bonnie closed her eyes and waited for the lethal weapon to strike her when she suddenly pummeled towards the ground and landed roughly on her side, her mocha irises widening at the sight of Damon standing in front of her, having had enough reflexes to catch the spike and send it hurling right back towards Tyler, hitting him square in the chest. "If anyone is going to kill Bonnie, it's me!" Astounded, Bonnie could only watch in awe as a shimmer of protectiveness shone within glacier depths, igniting a warm, uncomfortable feeling within Damon, a feeling he hadn't felt before in years.

Looking over at the dead body of Tyler lying on the floor, Bonnie managed to breathe a sigh of relief, glad that the danger was finally extinguished. Her happiness was cut short as she watched Damon collapse to the floor, having taken a bit of damage from that last attack. "Damon!" Crawling towards him, Bonnie gently took him into his arms, cradling his head against her chest like she would a small child. "No, don't you dare die on me! We're going to make it back to the Capitol, and Alaric is going to fix you right up. Just hang on for a little longer. Please!"

The warmth of Bonnie's tears touched Damon's face as they fell down her cheeks, causing him to look into her pain-stricken eyes. Despite every cruel and nasty thing he said to her, he really did care about her, which is why he resented her so much, because she made him care again. "Bonnie, I've been so horrible to you. Why are you still here?"

"Because you needed me, Damon, and for some reason, I needed you too." Wiping her eyes, Bonnie looked around the cave for anything, anything that could help Damon. But found nothing.

The poison began to spread throughout Damon's body, causing his breathing to become labored. Every breath he took was a struggle as he desperately clung to life, watching as Bonnie searched Tyler's dead body, looking for an antidote. "There's nothing here!" Throwing the corpse against the wall, Bonnie ran dexterous digits through her hair, almost having given up hope when a box glistening in the sunlight caught her attention. Grabbing it up from the dirt-caked ground, hope now a burning light inside of her, Bonnie opened it, finding a syringe and a small bottle with liquid inside of it. Next to it was a note from Alaric. "Give this to Damon."

Hope filled Bonnie's entire being as she sucked the antidote into the syringe, twisting her lithe frame around to face Damon. "Damon, I have-"

BOOM

It was as if someone had smashed her with a 40-pound brick, making her instantly fall to the floor as an anguished cry escaped her mouth, her watery optics falling on Damon's perfectly still form, not able to detect the slightest movement. "DAMON!"

Gripping the needle within her digits, Bonnie examined his pale, lifeless face, more crystalline liquid splattering onto the cold soil. With the last ounce of hope she had left in her, Bonnie slammed the needle into one of Damon's main arteries, pushing the medicine into his body, needing to believe that this will make a difference. "No, Damon, please...no."

Tracing a finger over his pale face, Bonnie waited for any signs of life. A pulse, movement, anything. As time went on, the hope of the antidote working grew weaker and weaker inside Bonnie, until she couldn't take it anymore and bolted from the cave, a seemingly endless flow of tears traveling down her face. Bonnie had no idea how she could become attached to one man in such a short amount of time, but she did, all because she wanted to help him overcome the pain of his losses and learn to care about people again. But now there's nothing she can do.

"Bonnie, wait!"

Freezing in her steps, Bonnie quickly turned around, expecting to see Damon but instead was met with Alaric, who quickly took her into his arms, hugging her tightly as Bonnie drenched his shirt with her tears. "He...he wasn't supposed to die! We were supposed to win together!"

"I know, Bonnie. It's not your fault." Alaric's soothing voice did little to calm her down. Resting his chin on top of her abundance of curls, he allowed Bonnie to time to mourn before pulling her away, looking deep into her hurt-filled eyes. "If it'll make you feel better, we can take Damon with us and have a memorial site set up in District 12. I think we should grant the victor of the games that small compensation."

"Al-alright." Bonnie nodded her head meekly, unable to stop the flow of tears that ran down her puffy eyes. Even though Bonnie had won, it sure as hell didn't feel like a victory to her. She had lost the one boy she was desperately trying to save, the one boy whom she...loved.

The ride back to District 12 was worst thing Bonnie had ever experienced. Sure she had gotten the money for her district, but what good was that money if it meant losing a friend?

Deciding to go into Damon's room one last time, to say her last goodbyes, Bonnie slowly walked into the stygian area, knowing that Damon always liked his room to be dark. Flicking on the light, she plopped down into the chair next to his bed, her eyes lingering on his deceased form. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. It's all my fault! I should have died, not you!"

Bonnie swore to herself that she wouldn't cry this time, but she made that promise every time she entered his room and it never stayed. She would always walk out a sobbing mess.

Hearing the train coming to a stop, Bonnie wiped at her eyes before leaning down to press a tender kiss to Damon's lips, noticing that they felt a bit warm for someone who's dead, but she shrugged it off, refusing to get her hopes up again. Rising to an erect stand, Bonnie quickly walked towards the door, knowing she would have a breakdown if she stayed in this room for too long.

"That's all I get? Just one kiss before you bury me?"

Bonnie could have sworn that time stopped in that split second, that mere second where Damon's voice was the only thing filling up the room. If she wasn't seeing it with her own eyes then she wouldn't have believed it.

A smirk adorned Damon's face as he slowly sat up in bed, still weak from the poison that inundated his body, but the antidote had taken effect, restarting his heart days ago but everyone had been celebrating to notice. Everyone except Bonnie, that is. She was too ridden with grief to see if he was alive after they brought him on board.

"I...I can't believe it. How...how are you-"

"Let's just say the antidote worked, cupcake. Now, don't you have something to tell boozed up mentor of ours?"

Tears coruscating in Bonnie's eyes, she stood there, almost frozen in spot, letting her emotions overwhelm her before she launched herself at Damon, allowing tears of happiness to drench his clothes.

And for the first time in two years, Damon allowed himself to open his heart, to care for someone again, because he knew Bonnie wasn't going anywhere. She was here to stay.

Fin

A/N: Wow...I can't believe this fic took me five days to write. I'm really proud of myself for writing this, and giving it as a Christmas present to my friend. Hope you all enjoyed reading this. I know it was very long. Haha.