Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries nor am I making any profit from this. Characters, etc. all belong to their respective owners.

A/N: I know, I know. I've got zero business starting yet another story, but I just can't help myself.

But, before I proceed I do want to preface this entire fic with a big TRIGGER WARNING. In later chapters, this fic will be involving heavy subject matter such as depression and suicide. I'm very upfront about this because I don't want to possibly trigger someone and/or unnecessarily upset anyone, so please heed this warning.

She used to keep track of the days on a little notepad so that she'd know what day it was back home, thinking it'd help her maintain some sanity. She stops keeping track after Christmas.

Because, really, what's the point?

She runs mostly on autopilot. She sleeps, occasionally remembers to eat, does a supermarket run here and there when the cupboards are bare.

She reads more than anything else. It's a great way to fantasize about being anywhere else. She quickly devours The Call of the Wild, glides through Wuthering Heights, finds basically anything written by Shakespeare.

Either way, it doesn't really matter because she's officially in hell. A hell not originally meant for her, but still hell nevertheless.

"So," Damon says to Liv. "Let's talk about you getting me to 1994 again so that we can finally get Bonnie back."

"No," Liv replies, shaking her head and moving around Damon. "Bonnie may not have known when to back out, but I sure as hell do. You're on your own. All of you."

"Let me clarify this," Damon says, zipping in front of Liv before she could walk out on him. "You're going to help me. Because, if you don't? I'm going to start ripping some body parts off. Maybe I'll even go pay a visit to your dear twinsie.

Liv doesn't respond, but Damon's sure she got the message.

"Now, let's start brainstorming and get creative," Damon says, rubbing his hands together.

She's lying on the living room floor, making her way through Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. The Salvatores owned an original first edition copy with the pseudonym of Victoria Lucas and all. Well, actually, every book they own was a first edition.

She had read The Bell Jar once before when she got ambitious and signed up for a twentieth century American literature course her freshman year at Whitmore. Honestly, she had hated the book then. Sure, she had understood the literary value, but frankly, it had been too dark for her tastes and she had so much difficulty making sense of it all.

She's actually enjoying it the second time around, though. She thinks maybe it's because she finally gets it, mental breakdown and all.

"You know, you're looking pretty pathetic down there," Damon says.

She pulls the book away from her line of vision and turns her head to see Damon standing behind the couch and looking down at her, leather jacket, half-smirk, and all.

"Huh," she says emotionlessly. "Hallucinations. That's a new one." She returns to her book.

Okay, so he hadn't been expecting that sort of welcome.

"Bonnie, I'm real."

"Yeah, sure you are," she replies, still not looking away from her book.

With a frustrated sigh, he walks around the couch to her and reaches down to pluck the novel out of her hands. Then, he grabs her by the shoulders and forcibly lifts her up until she's standing.

He frowns when he fully takes in her appearance. She's lost a lot of weight and looked so tiny and vulnerable.

"Huh," Bonnie says, looking right back at him. "Maybe you are real, after all."

"Liv will be pulling us out of her soon," he explains to her.

"Well, mind if I take this with me?" Bonnie asks, taking the novel back from him. "I was just getting to the really dramatic part where she starts trying to kill herself."

Damon can't help but gawk at her slightly. He thought she'd be thrilled to see him and finally get out of here…not so complacent and blasé.

"Why aren't you happier about finally getting out?" he asks her.

"Last time didn't go so well, so…" she shrugs.

"Well, this time will, so let's go," he motions towards the door.

They make their way together through the words back to where he had ended up when Liv sent him back this time.

Bonnie vaguely thinks about asking just how this is even possible because it really shouldn't have been. She doesn't, though. She's not sure she really cares enough to ask.

They're soon enveloped in a bright light and they're back in present day Mystical Falls, and exhausted and bleeding Liv looking back at them.

"Hmm," Bonnie hums, looking around and tapping her fingers on the hardcover of the book she held in her hands.

Okay, still not quite the reaction he's looking for. She should be smiling at him, maybe even hugging him, asking about everyone else and wanting to see them.

She's supposed to be happy about being back…so why didn't it seem that way?

A/N: Short chapter, I know, but this is just to lay out the groundwork.

Thanks for reading and, as always, reviews are very much appreciated.