Bonnie

I knew it was a long shot. There was no way he'd be anywhere near here. And to come back to the clearing where he had been "called out", so to speak…

It had been a year since Klaus had attacked us. A whole year since Elena had come back to us. And then the kitsune…

It had been a rough year, to say the least.

Still, I felt like this place was sacred in a way. I had seen into his soul. The night that Damon looked into my eyes, the scared little boy look on his face…I had seen the look that told me how much he really cared for his brother. And I knew he was capable of something other than being such a bastard.

No one believed me, of course. They all chalked it up to sweet and innocent Bonnie, or poor childish Bonnie. No one trusted that I might know a little something.

I would prove them wrong.

* * * * * * *

Damon

The voice broke through my concentration, annoying me to my core. I knew exactly who it was the minute I heard it.

That beautiful little witch, Bonnie.

The blonde girl in my arms…what was her name again? Oh well, not that it mattered. She was just a meal anyhow. I finished with her and tossed her aside. Seedy motel rooms disgusted me, and this room was no exception. She had told me that she was 18, a freshman at Fell's Church's community college, and that she had just moved here, so this was the best she could do. No matter. It wasn't like I had wanted to sleep with her.

The voice came again, and I looked up from my dinner. She was sound asleep, limp in my arms. I could leave and be back before she even noticed. But I didn't want to come back. I wanted to see…her.

Yes, curiosity rocked me, but was that all? What could she possibly want with me? We had rescued Stefan from his hell. He and Elena were probably off somewhere living a happy life…Not that I cared in the least. But it would be interesting to find out what the witch wanted.

Bonnie…I forced myself to think her name. Her big brown eyes had entranced me that night. I let my guard down, and she saw me. The real me. No one had seen that side of me in years. I never even thought he was still living.

But she saw it. And apparently it hadn't frightened her. She was intrigued by me, I could see it as she watched me. But it had been a year now…she couldn't possibly be still thinking about me…?

Well, let's face it…look at me. And I did. I stood up and glanced at myself in the mirror across from the bed. My cheeks were flushed from my meal, but I didn't think that was bad. She would probably find it fascinating…like everything else about me. Her fear radiated off of her when she stood by me, and it damn near choked me.

Better get this over with…

* * * * * * *

Bonnie

I knew he heard me. The tingling started moments later, and I could almost hear the crow's wings beating the wind as he flew to me. What would I say? What was I doing? I was alone, preparing to face the monster I had feared for what seemed like forever. What was I trying to prove anyway? I turned to run, and then realized it was too late.

Damon stood in front of me, across the clearing, with a wild look in his eyes.

Damn.

Still, he was gorgeous. But I hadn't expected any different. He would never change, frozen in time in his early twenties. He was still wearing all black, but this time the jacket he wore so frequently was not there. Just a pair of black jeans, black boots, and a tight fitting black t-shirt. He looked at me, cocked his head to the side as he tried to probe my thoughts and frowned when he realized I could block him.

"Rossa," he said. I knew the word. It was in reference to the color of my hair, and it sent shivers down my spine to hear him speak. I nodded toward him, too stunned to speak. "You called?"

"Y…yes," I stammered. I was an idiot. What the hell was I doing?

"You look well," he said, and smiled at me.

I nodded again. Say something!!! "I'm surprised you heard me. I didn't think you were anywhere near here."

He nodded now. I could so get lost in those beautiful eyes… "I was…close."

Close could mean anywhere. With his "hearing" he could probably be in Spain and still hear me…

He looked at me again, still trying to break through my block and read what I was thinking. "So, I'm curious as to what you wanted. We haven't spoken in ages."

"I wanted to make sure you were ok." Did I just say that? Of course he's ok!

Damon smiled, and then chuckled lightly. "You were worried about me?" He took a step toward me. I froze. "Ah cara, that's…sweet."

He was only inches away from me now and I could hear my heart thrumming like a hummingbird's wings. He could hear it too, I was sure. And then he grinned widely, showing me his fully extended canines.

Oh God, I'm going to die.

His eyes snapped to mine from where he was engrossed in the blood flow at my throat. He heard me. "Rossa," he purred, and reached out his hand to caress my cheek. "Why would you assume I was here to kill you?"

My eyes widened, his confirmation ringing in my ears. "I…uh…"

He shook his head slowly. "You called me. I wanted to know what you needed." He smiled again, and I noticed his canines had retreated. "I won't hurt you."

* * * * * * *

Damon

She turned to me, not realizing I was already standing there, and jumped. That's cute. She's scared of me.

I searched her inner voice and could hear nothing. So she was blocking me? How very interesting. I would just have to speak to her vocally then. "Rossa," I called softly. She nodded toward me in acknowledgement. I was afraid my presence had thrown her into a catatonic state. Good, she's still breathing at least. "You called?"

"Y…yes," she stuttered. I tried not to think about the blood flowing just beneath her skin. It was calling to me, and even though I had just fed I was fairly certain I would have to use some restraint. No, there's something else I want from her.

"You look well," I said softly. She did. Her cheeks were flushed, in response to me I assumed, and she wore a tight turtleneck sweater with form fitting jeans. Her jeans were tucked into her knee high boots and she fidgeted…a lot.

She nodded again. Was she afraid to speak to me? "I'm surprised you heard me. I didn't think you were anywhere near here," she said finally.

I smiled internally. Oh, if you only knew how close I was… "I was…close." The truth.

I still couldn't hear her thoughts. Dammit… "So, I'm curious as to what you wanted. We haven't spoken in ages."

She smiled slightly. "I wanted to make sure you were ok."

Me? She can't be serious… "You were worried about me?" I took a step toward her and watched to make sure she didn't move away. She was still…too still. She didn't move at all. "Ah cara, that's…sweet."

I heard her heart rate accelerate. I couldn't help but smile. I felt my canines extend and tried, unsuccessfully, to hide them from her.

Oh God, I'm going to die, I finally heard from her head.

My eyes touched hers then. Why would I want to kill you? But she was blocking me again, obviously realizing I caught her slip. "Rossa," I purred in my most seductive tone, and reached out to touch her cheek. "Why would you assume I was here to kill you?"

Her eyes glazed over and widened. "I…uh…"

"You called me. I wanted to know what you needed." I smiled again, showing her my canines were firmly under my control. "I won't hurt you."

Truly I had no intentions of hurting her. She would see that soon. The night I had bathed her at the boarding house, sucking the poison from her body as she lay dying, and then feeding her my own life source should've been clue enough. I decided she may need another hint and closed the gap between us, extending my other hand to the other side of her face.

She fell, and I almost missed her. Not good.

Wait…did she just faint?

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at me. I had caught her a few inches above the ground and her eyes widened again at our closeness. Clearly she was alarmed again as I heard her heartbeats triple in syncopation. "Bonnie, I won't hurt you," I said again. "I promise."

She nodded, and looked down at where we seemed to be connected. I had leaned down in my attempt to keep her head from hitting the ground, and her backside was leaning on my thigh, as I was almost sitting. No, more like crouching. Whatever. She was touching me. I suddenly felt the need to pick her up, and fast. I set her on her feet and shoved my hands in my pockets. She watched me intently.

Then she smiled.

I about came unglued. This was a strange turn of events. I didn't want to taste her. I wanted to…

I wanted to kiss her.

* * * * * * *

Bonnie

I cannot believe I just fainted!

Apparently he didn't realize he may have had that effect on women. No, he had to know.

But he still didn't hurt me, he caught me.

I felt his leg underneath me and even through my jeans, I could feel the muscles. I don't think I had ever taken the time to look away from his face long enough to study his physique. He was created like a sculpture. I wondered if that was in response to his Change, though I would never ask him. I couldn't really imagine us having much to talk about anyway.

When he had set me on my feet, further away from him than I wanted to be, he shoved his hands into his pockets. To restrain himself? He just told me he wouldn't hurt me. For the second time in the last ten minutes.

I smiled at him, trying to encourage him to move closer. The initial fear was gone. And now replaced with something else.

He took his bottom lip in his mouth, biting down while he looked directly at my own lips. I had always heard Elena say that when a boy wanted to kiss a girl he would stare at her lips…just like Damon was doing to me now.

And I wanted him to kiss me.

I had no clue how to do it without him killing me.

Damon cleared his throat, and I looked at his eyes again. "So what was it?"

"Huh?"

"Whatever you wanted. Were you going to tell me or were we just going to stare at each other all day?" He sounded annoyed now.

"I told you."

"But that's not all, is it?" He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Damon, I—"

And then he was kissing me. I honestly thought I had fallen and hit my head, or was dreaming, because it was the only thing that made any sense. But when I opened my eyes to peek, his eyes were closed, and his lips were moving against mine.

* * * * * * *

Damon

I couldn't help myself.

I tried to be cold. I tried to be seductive, which worked all too well, because now I was kissing her. And she was letting me, without reservation.

Bonnie molded herself to me once she relaxed, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her deeper into my embrace. She felt so…good. She was warm, and petite, and smelled like strawberries. If I had any appetite for human food, which now disgusted me beyond belief, I would eat strawberries all day just to remind me of her.

What?!

I stiffened a little, trying to break the kiss. I couldn't even open my eyes. This felt like heaven.

Yeah right…you'd never know what Heaven felt like.

Bonnie broke away first. She smiled sweetly, and looked into my eyes, trying to decipher what to say. Like I was going to run away now?

"I'm glad you came."

I nodded. "I can always hear you, rossa. No matter how far apart we are. I'll be in touch."

I winked, and turned away, walking as fast as I could.