Three's a Crowd: A Bamonenzo Story

Kayer713

Chapter Nine

She didn't say anything. Her mouth hung open in shock. As Bonnie tried to find something, anything to say to her, Elena only stared. Behind her, everyone looked uncomfortable. Except for Tyler who was beyond confused.

"Did you say that you're in love with Damon?" he asked dumbly.

Stefan tried to clear the area.

"Hey there's cake, Caroline ordered a cake. Why don't we all go have a slice, huh?"

No one moved. He looked at Damon who was running his hand through his hair.

"Who wants cake when there's about to be blood," Enzo murmured.

Valerie folded her arms under her chest, "My money's on the witch."

"There will be no money and no blood," Damon insisted.

"Now can you two vultures just please give us a little privacy?"

He gestured toward the others.

"That goes for Teen Wolf, Buffy and Supercop too."

Jeremy gave him a look but of course Damon ignored it.

"Shouldn't Jeremy be Blade?" Tyler whispered as they filed out of the room.

Enzo snickered.

"Nah, Gilbert's definitely closer to a girl with a stick."

Valerie glanced back at the both of them.

"I don't know who the hell you're talking about but their names are atrocious."

Jeremy turned to Matt.

"Please tell me again why you didn't stake him when you had the chance?"

Once they'd exited the room Stefan cleared his throat.

"I'd better make sure they don't kill each other. Caroline?"

But she was behind Bonnie on the cellar stairs. And Bonnie couldn't get through because Elena blocked the doorway.

"I think I'm just going to hang out here," she conceded.

Damon shook his head.

"Elena, Bonnie can we go talk outside?"

Elena finally broke her silence.

"What's there to talk about? My best friend just said that she's in love with my boyfriend. What happened while I was asleep?"

Bonnie's eyes began to tear up.

"Elena I am so sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen this way."

Damon stepped between them.

"Don't blame Bonnie for this. It's not her fault."

Elena was shaking her head.

"I'm not understanding."

He swallowed.

"She wasn't the one who initiated things. It was me. She was perfectly fine with Enzo but I'm the one that pushed her because…well I'm in love with her too."

Elena took a step back from him, disbelieving.

"What am I like in the Twilight Zone? Bonnie and Enzo? You and Bonnie?"

She stumbled into Stefan.

"I-I can't. I just need to take a minute. This is too weird."

With that she rushed out the nearest exit into the backyard. Bonnie started to follow but Stefan held up a hand.

"Maybe you should give her time," he suggested.

"I'll see if she's okay."

He left them inside and went out to Elena.

"You okay?" Stefan asked.

Elena glanced out at the grass, visibly shaken but surprisingly calm considering the circumstances. He'd expected more hysterics.

"When did Bonnie start dating vampires? And Damon? I haven't been gone that long have I?"

She looked back at him. He saw her eyes glistening and his instinct was to comfort her. He welcomed her into his arms.

"I never saw this coming."

He could relate.

"It'll be okay. Whatever happens. Damon and Bonnie both care about you. And I'll always be here."

Elena sniffled.

"You always have been," she agreed.

Stefan remained silent, allowed her to process. She'd have to talk to Damon and Bonnie but for now she just needed to cry it out. After a while Elena finally spoke again.

"It's weird but I feel a kind of sense of relief."

He raised his brows as she pulled away.

"Relief? Why?"

"I'm human Stefan. I want a family, to go to medical school. I want a normal life. I know Damon said he wanted those things for me but…come on could your brother really be happy living as a mortal? Raising children?"

Well she definitely had a point there. One that he'd tried to get Damon to see a long time ago.

"You and I both know that Damon would never be happy as a human. Giving up everything he is as a vampire. Now, he doesn't have to. And I don't have to spend the rest of my life worried that he somehow resents me for making him choose to."

She wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"Hey, you deserve someone who wants what you want in life," Stefan encouraged her.

"And you'll find that. You're a beautiful girl. I have faith in that."

Elena offered a sad smile.

"Yea, well I already had that but I screwed it up and let him go."

Stefan wasn't sure how to respond to that so he said nothing. Elena sighed heavily.

"He was standing right in front of me all along."

He shifted, shaken by her statement. Standing right in front of her all along? She couldn't be talking about…

Had she said this a year ago he'd have jumped at the chance. What they'd had was beautiful, epic. He'd never love anyone that way again. But now he had found love again. With Caroline.

"I guess I'd better go inside and talk to Damon."

She touched his cheek.

"Thank you Stefan."

He was unable to answer, dumbfounded by her admission. Elena left him outside to ponder her words, his feelings and the sheer craziness of what both his and his brother's lives had become in only the past few days.

Inside Bonnie and Damon were still in the kitchen but Caroline had retired to the living area. Elena met Damon and Bonnie's stare as she shut the door behind her. Bonnie swallowed.

"Elena, you know I'd never try to hurt you—" she began.

"Well this hurts," she cut in, "and I'm not going to lie, seeing the two of you together is going to take some getting used to but…"

Bonnie wiped her own tears from her cheek.

"I love you both so much," Elena continued.

"Bonnie you're such an amazing person. You're kind and you're caring and any man would be lucky to have a woman like you. And Damon, you don't give yourself enough credit for how wonderful you really are. I could try to hate you but I know it wouldn't last."

Damon looked hopeful. After what they'd had he didn't want to just trash her feelings.

"So you're okay. With us? Together?"

"I'm okay with the both of you being happy. And if that means together then I'm going to have to accept that."

It was just what Bonnie needed to hear. The tears continued to run as she met Elena across the floor.

"I've missed you so much," she confessed, "I'm just happy that you're still my friend."

She attempted a hug but it was obvious that Elena wasn't ready. It would take time. Even still, Elena didn't hate her so that was a start.

"So much has happened since you've been gone. I've wanted to tell you everything!"

Damon couldn't help but to chime in.

"Between her and Caroline you've got an entire encyclopedia's worth of gossip in that diary of yours."

Of course the most shocking of information had already been revealed.

"Maybe you can start by telling me why the front window's boarded up," Elena remarked.

Damon watched as the two headed back into the living area no doubt to meet Caroline. The second he heard her squeal he knew it was on. As much as he'd like to be with Bonnie now and watch her in her happiness, Damon knew that if he saw her he'd want to touch her, put his arms around her, kiss her. And even though Elena wasn't spitting nails at them, her wound was still very fresh. So instead he decided to lay low until the party was over. Hey it wasn't like he liked many of the guests anyway.

Damon leaned against the sink, glanced outside. There he saw Stefan just standing there. He knew his brother. The fact that he wasn't inside meant that he was deep in thought. Perhaps he needed a drink.

"Bourbon?"

Stefan turned around, saw the glass offered and after a moment accepted it. Damon let the door shut behind him and took a sip of his own glass.

"A penny for your thoughts Eeyore."

Stefan drank as well.

"You never watched Winnie the Pooh."

Damon shrugged.

"Elena told me about it."

Stefan sighed.

"She'll be okay by the way," Damon told him. "She took the news a lot easier than she could have."

Stefan nodded.

"Yea, she did."

They were silent. Finished their drinks.

"So who's on your mind? Valerie or Elena?"

Stefan glanced down at his glass.

"Something Elena said," he admitted. "It doesn't matter."

"Apparently it does to you or you wouldn't be standing out here."

Stefan conceded his point.

"Yea. I'm happy for you Damon. You have what you always wanted. True love. And Bonnie suits you. I take great comfort in knowing that from now on when you get out of line she'll be there to kick your ass."

Damon rolled his eyes.

"What makes you so sure I'm going to be the one to get out of line?"

Stefan gave him a knowing look.

"Okay," Damon had to give in, "but for the record if she kicks my ass it's because I let her."

That got a laugh out of his baby brother.

"Riiight."

His spirits lifted, Stefan accompanied his brother back inside where the friends talked, laughed and caught Elena up on things that had happened since her sleep. She'd met Valerie already and had the cliff notes version of the heretics. No one had wanted to go into what they'd done to Matt and his class. That would be saved for later. She wasn't too pleased to learn that the whole time she'd thought Jeremy was in Art School he'd really been hunting vampires but the cat had been let out of the bag the second he'd returned to Mystic Falls.

Upon hearing that Damon was actually in love with Bonnie too Tyler dropped his drink.

"What is going on with everybody and these confessions?!" he asked, bewildered.

"God what's next? Is Enzo going to confess his feelings for Stefan?"

Enzo gave him a look.

"It's no secret. Everybody knows I think he's a panty-waist Nancy boy that can't hold his drink. Isn't that right Ripper?"

Remembering that Enzo had literally just lost Bonnie, Stefan let that one slide but Valerie elbowed him in the gut. Damon shook his head and told him to grow up. After the party Elena left with Matt and Jeremy. It was decided that she'd stay with them until she worked out her dorm situation back at Whitmore. Tyler would be leaving first thing in the morning and Enzo for some strange reason disappeared with Valerie. Stefan took Caroline back to the dorm but his mind was still a bit distracted.

That left Damon and Bonnie alone for the first time as an official couple.

"You kept your promise."

Damon looked over at Bonnie who watched him with emotional eyes.

"My promise?"

She took a step toward him.

"At the car. The one you made to me about…never mind. You kept it."

Damon took a step closer to her.

"I meant everything I said to you Bon. You will never come in second to anyone with me."

She took another step toward him.

"I love you Damon Salvatore."

He took another toward her.

"I love you Bonnie Bennett."

They met halfway and he scooped her up into his arms. As he held her, their lips met and he pushed his tongue inside to dance with hers. The kiss was intense, a desperate need that had been held off for far too long. He'd been starving for this witch, thirsting for this witch, craving for this witch from the marrow of his bones. God he'd wanted to do this for what felt like centuries. And now she would be his. Completely.

Damon kept his kiss fervent even as he carried her to the nearest surface. Being in the den it was the desktop which he emptied in a matter of seconds. When her behind landed on top his hands roved over her body. He could feel Bonnie's breath hitch as he slid under the back of her shirt. There he met her bare skin and she moaned audibly. God was this woman perfection.

"Damon," she whispered, most likely concerned with exposure.

Anyone could waltz into the place and catch them there—anyone meaning Stefan of course because no one else had the key. But Stefan wouldn't be back anytime soon. And even if he did well, Damon had never been opposed to putting on a good show.

"It's okay," he whispered, still kissing her.

His hand found the back of her bra strap and he skillfully unhooked it. He'd had over a hundred forty years of practice undressing women. And compared to what they used to wear modern bras were a breeze. He felt Bonnie breath against him as she was finally freed of the constraints. Which caused all the more surprise when she used her magic to push him away.

"Hey what gives?"

But when their eyes locked he saw no resistance there. Only an intense need of her own. He watched her slide off the desk, her eyes never leaving his.

"If you want this so badly," she whispered as she pulled her shirt over her head.

Damon marveled at the reveal of her topless and bare.

"Then I guess you'll have to catch me."

With that she released him and vamp-sped for the first time up the stairs. Damon was after her immediately, tracking her to his bedroom. There he pounced, pinning her to his bed with ease. Bonnie smiled up at him, a crooked, seductive smile that made his body burn with pure want. She was more than a witch now, more woman than she'd been only a day ago. If she wanted she could toss him through the window, set him ablaze, do away with him entirely.

Instead she submitted. To him. It was the greatest high he'd experienced since becoming a vampire.

After hastily doing away with the remainder of their clothes they finally became one flesh over and over again. Their night didn't end until he'd made her scream, tasting his Bon Bon even after the sun came up.

EPILOGUE

It had been a little over a century since that fateful day. Since her mortal life had ended and bore her something better. Bonnie snuggled against her mate, Damon Salvatore just as the wind picked up around them. She didn't need the heat, she was a heretic after all but she liked the feel of him anyway. Sensing her desire, Damon tightened his hold on her.

"What do you think is keeping Stefan?" she asked, "usually he'll beat us here."

Damon wasn't concerned.

"He'll be here. And with that girlfriend of his too."

Bonnie smirked.

"Hey I like that girlfriend of his. She's literally the only other person like me on this planet that actually knows the pain of being with you moody Salvatore brothers. You be nice to her."

"Speaking of heretics, have you heard from Nora?"

Bonnie sighed.

"She said she'd be here but I'm not sure about Mary-Louise. I know we've had our issues in the past but God you'd think that after all these years she would realize that I don't want her girlfriend. I'm already taken."

Damon gave her a playful squeeze.

"Well can you blame her? I mean you're the most beautiful being walking this earth. Of course she thinks her girlfriend wants you."

Bonnie had time enough to laugh off the compliment when footsteps crept behind them. She and Damon turned to find Stefan and Valerie, hand in hand.

"Running a little late there Brother," Damon noted. "What gives?"

"We had to stop for lunch," Valerie answered for him, "With all of that travel we were famished."

Bonnie noticed that Stefan's fly was open. Her eyes met Valerie's and the two shared a giggle.

"Sure. Lunch," she repeated.

Stefan followed her glance and quickly rectified the malfunction. Embarrassment bloomed on his face. But he was happy. It looked good on him.

"So is it just us this year?" Stefan asked as he looked around.

Their usual group consisted of more people. Nora would show up, sometimes with Mary-Louise, Caroline with her beau. Enzo was a regular with his mate as well. He'd stopped using the term boyfriend/girlfriend after the thirty year mark. Said it seemed a bit of an under acknowledgment. A true romantic.

"No such luck," Damon teased.

"Enzo said he's coming. And he's bringing his mate too."

It was no secret that Stefan hadn't approved of Enzo's relationship at first but he'd long since accepted it as reality. Damon on the other hand hadn't much cared (as long as his friend was over Bonnie) but being who he was, Damon he got a kick out of using it to annoy his brother. Bonnie nudged him.

"Hey this is a happy occasion," she reminded him, "don't go starting anything."

Damon feigned an innocent look.

"Me? Start something? I was just making conversation."

"Uh huh yea," Bonnie gave him a playful side-eye.

They enjoyed a few more minutes of conversation before the wind kicked up once more and she caught Enzo's scent. For all of eternity she'd remember that scent. He'd been her first vampire, as well as the first boyfriend to truly put her needs before his. (Jeremy as young as he was had tried but kissing his dead girlfriend had put a damper on that.) Enzo had opened the door to so much more not just in her love life but in her life in general. He'd shown her that she was more than a sacrificial lamb. For that he'd always hold a special place in her heart.

Stefan and Valerie turned as well just as the couple walked up.

"Glad you could make it," Bonnie beamed.

"Enzo, Sarah."

They returned her smile.

"How was it in Prague?"

"Prague was last decade," Enzo corrected her, "We just concluded our stay in Paris."

Always traveling, always together. In her human life Sarah Nelson, born Sarah Salvatore, had been a photographer. As the bi-racial daughter of Stefan & Damon's descendant Zachary, Stefan had watched over her from afar making sure that she lived, prospered and most importantly stayed away from all things vampire. Initially Enzo had sought her out as a means of torturing Stefan but something had formed between them. Her goal had been to see the world and capture it with her camera. When she'd met an untimely death Enzo's blood had revived her and given her an eternity to fulfill that dream. The two were now inseparable.

"It was a sad goodbye," Sarah added, "considering we can't go back for another fifty years, or at least until everybody who knew us is dead."

Damon wiggled his eyebrows.

"You don't have to wait fifty years for that."

Stefan rolled his eyes.

"You're a riot Damon."

"So is Caroline coming?" Sarah asked, "Enzo and I were thinking of trying New Orleans next and I need her opinion on some things."

The Big Easy was where their friend was staying now. Along with her longtime love, Klaus Mikaelson.

"She's probably running late," Bonnie figured, "especially if she's not alone. I imagine there's not enough room on any plane for the size of Klaus's ego."

Even Stefan had to smirk at that one. Damon took the opportunity to turn her words back on her.

"Now, now what happened to not starting anything on this happy occasion," he teased.

Bonnie stuck out her tongue in response.

"Doesn't matter because Caroline and Klaus aren't—"

"Aren't here?"

She glanced up at her best friend's voice, walking up the hill with the broadest smile. Behind her was none other than an amused Klaus.

"Tell me how you really feel why don't you?" he quipped at her comment.

"Oh my god, you made it!"

Excitement caused her to rush from Damon's arms to meet them halfway for a hug.

"Of course I made it," Caroline remarked, "you think I'd miss your rebirthday?"

Not for the world.

"Klaus almost didn't make it. Another wolf faction acting up but he took the time out to join me for this special occasion."

Typical Caroline, trying to be peacemaker. She wanted so desperately for them all to get along. Remembering her reaction when Bonnie had first fallen for Damon, Bonnie could relate. She offered her hand.

"Thank you for coming."

Klaus took it, kissed the top for either a gesture of truce or to piss off Damon. With him you never knew.

"The pleasure's mine."

Just as Caroline had accepted Damon, as Stefan had accepted Enzo with Sarah, Bonnie'd had to suck it up and accept Caroline with Klaus. She was happy that her friend had found love—especially after the break-up with Stefan—but Klaus didn't exactly make it easy for people to forgive him his past wrongs. They'd all had a complicated history with the Original. Especially Stefan. But they'd managed to be on good terms for Caroline's sake.

"So we couldn't help but notice a couple of heretics on our way up," Caroline warned.

As she yet spoke another familiar face made her way toward them. Nora. She'd come after all. And not alone. Bonnie was more than surprised to see Mary-Louise with her. Though they'd long since made peace with the whole Mary-Lou killing her thing, they would never be best friends. The girl was way too jealous of Bonnie and Nora's friendship. Still, she was glad to see them and waved them over.

"I don't believe it."

Nora smiled as Bonnie hugged her first. Mary-Lou stiffened but when Bonnie hugged her next she didn't reject it. After a hundred years that was progress.

"This day wouldn't be possible if it weren't for you," Bonnie turned back to Nora, truly grateful.

Her friend and sire shook her head.

"Please, you're my friend—my first friend outside of my family. It was the least I could do considering it was my fault how things went down you in the first place."

Bonnie started to correct her, to remind her that Mary-Lou was responsible for her own actions but was distracted when Damon called to her.

"Bon, the sun's setting."

It was time! The group huddled together at the hilltop to watch the sun over the horizon. Once it set it would officially be Bonnie's Rebirthday. Damon held her close and she breathed him in. This was their tradition as it had been every year since she'd become the undead. They'd come together to watch the sunset, to share drinks and stories and memories. It had started with just her, Damon and Stefan and then the others joined. No matter where they were, what they were doing, the goal was to meet this one time of the year and celebrate the immortality of the witch who'd given so much for them.

She remembered when Elena had come. And Matt as well. It had been years since they'd passed. Shortly after graduation the two had been married and bore four children. Bonnie often looked in on their descendants (without their knowledge of course) just to put a smile on her face. She'd never reveal herself on account of her promise to Matt. He wanted his family to live normal lives—to never have to deal with vampires or magic like he and Elena had. She respected his wish and watched over from afar. The Donavans would be proud of their legacy.

Jeremy and Tyler had come a couple of times as well. But Tyler had been busy with his new life away from the supernatural and Jeremy had been distant ever since seeing her with Damon. They'd ended up losing touch for years. Eventually she'd learned that he'd continued to hunt vampires but somewhere in his forties he'd retired and settled down. By then Elena's kids were old enough to babysit their cousins.

"Hey, you okay?"

Damon was watching her, curious.

"Me? Yea just remembering all of the times we've met up here. With everybody."

He nodded his understanding.

"I wish I could say it gets easier but what do I know? I don't befriend humans much."

Not since Alaric. He'd married his nanny, raised his girls and lived to a ripe old age.

"Hey the circle of life right?" Bonnie remarked.

Enzo overheard and injected a comment.

"I don't know if you two have heard but that doesn't really apply to us anymore. You know being immortal and all."

It had applied to Julian. When Stefan and Valerie had finally caught up to him and staked him into oblivion. Bonnie smiled at the thought.

"And that's where you're wrong, friend," Klaus remarked haughtily, "True immortality is for those of us in attendance who cannot be killed."

Enzo rolled his eyes. Bonnie saw his mouth open for a comeback but his eyes met hers and he thought about it. This was Bonnie's day. Baiting Klaus into an argument wouldn't be conducive to a celebration. The hybrid would probably turn it into some blood contest just to prove himself superior. Enzo relented for her sake and she mouthed the words "Thank you."

"Enough talk about killing," Stefan announced, "Look the sun is set."

Everyone took note and grabbed their partners closer.

"This is a day of life," Valerie agreed, "of a new beginning. For Bonnie. Happy Rebirthday."

Everyone echoed the sentiment.

"Happy Rebirthday!"

Now that the sun was completely set it was time to party. As the group headed back to Salvatore Manor, Bonnie couldn't help the smile on her face. These were her friends, this was her family. And they were all here in Mystic Falls for her. She'd never thought it possible but this was the happiest she could ever recall being. While she continued on she felt a quick tug from her waist and instantly knew that it was Damon. She turned to him, expecting a mischievous grin, but instead finding the most serious love in his eyes.

"Damon?"

He brushed her cheek, stared into her green eyes.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you, Bonnie Bennett?"

She felt her heart swelling at his proclamation.

"Every day for the past hundred years," she breathed.

Damon held her gaze.

"And I'll keep telling you even until the end of forever."

His lips stole hers then, sealing his promise for eternity.