See You Soon

"I'm fine."

"Then explain the blood coming from your eyes."

"I don't know. Maybe it's from over exertion. That tends to happen to us witches, Bonnie."

"Yeah, I know, Taylor, but I never bled from my eyes."

Taylor frowned, looking to the ceiling as she cleaned the blood from the corner of her tear ducts. Bonnie stood over her as Damon stood by Bonnie's kitchen entrance, arms crossed as he observed the two quietly. Bonnie looked to him promptly before turning back to Taylor, "Do you think it was Idonea?"

"No. We exorcised her."

"Then what happened?"

"I don't know, Bonnie," Taylor snapped, her temper flaring.

Bonnie cut her eyes at the younger witch, ready to snap back before the lone vampire pushed himself from the door frame to Bonnie's kitchen to literally step into the middle of the discourse, "Now, now ladies. Everyone needs to calm down—"

"We are calm," Both women regarded him.

"Right."

Taylor sucked her teeth and glared to the bloody washcloth. She had been bleeding from both nostrils and eyes up until Damon came in five minutes ago. He was right about needing to calm down but could one blame them? Nosebleeds were common but eyes? It would be odd not to be on edge and a little creeped out.

"I'm sorry," Taylor mumbled, "But there's nothing to worry about. It's just my body finally reacting to the exorcism. Every witch's body is different and may respond differently to over exertion."

"So are you saying you've bled from your eyes before?" Bonnie asked unconvinced.

Taylor didn't answer.

There was an awkward silence for a minute and Damon meant to break it to only have Taylor beat him to it by her standing to her feet to go to the bathroom, "I'm fine Bonnie. Just drop it."

Once she left Bonnie sighed and looked to Damon who turned to her contemplating something.

"Sorry for making you come over…I panicked."

Damon shrugged, "I got used to you depending on me when things get like this."

"Arrogant much?"

"No. Just an observation."

Bonnie opened her mouth to retort but realized he had a point. She then shrugged, "Okay. But I don't depend on you that much."

Damon examined her and shook his head in the negative, "I wouldn't call you dependant per se. We feed on each other—no pun intended."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"…okay. There was a pun."

Bonnie pursed her lips, eyebrow not moving.

"…and an innuendo. Look. We depend on each other."

"I don't need you."

It was Damon's turn to raise an eyebrow as his lips made an "o" shape and a hand lifted to his chest to feign hurt, "Well! You could've fooled me with how urgent your text was for me to come over."

"I panicked."

"And you needed me in your time of panic. Nothing wrong with that."

"Shut up."

"Only because you asked."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and looked to where Taylor's room was before motioning Damon to follow her outside to her porch. Damon followed without a word until they made it outside, "I hope this isn't your way of kicking me out when I just got here."

"No…" the young woman Damon had grown to admire and value when it came to her better judgment bit her lip for a second and then looked up to him, her stare firm, "I actually want you to stay the night."

"…what?"

"Don't sound too excited."

Damon blinked, "No—I-I'm just—wasn't expecting my little Judgey saying that particular phrase to yours truly."

"It's not like I'm asking you to sleep with me."

Damon crossed his arms to look her up and down. Bonnie fidgeted under his gaze, "What?"

"Nothing. Don't knock such possibilities before even giving me the benefit of the doubt. Sleeping with me would be a magical experience…for your benefit of course."

"You're an ass."

"Hee, haw."

"Could you be serious for a minute Damon? This is serious."

"I am being serious. You're the one turning me down from sleeping with you."

Bonnie's face flushed a shade darker, "Damon."

"You're cute when you blush, witch."

She glared and lifted her chin as the vampire put a hand to his head before grunting at her, "Bonnie—"

She put her small hands on her hips, her vampire glaring holes at her, "Was that necessary? An aneurysm for flirting with you?"

Bonnie's heart skipped a bit which Damon caught, making him smirk, "You're not used to guys flirting with—"

"I am. But I'm trying to ask you for help and you're playing too much."

Damon frowned, looking down for a millisecond before looking directly in her eyes, "Guys flirt with you a lot?"

Bonnie raised a brow, ready to retort with a "What are you? Jealous?" but decided against it. Instead she went on ahead and asked what she planned on asking since bringing him outside, "Could you keep your ears open for Taylor? She's as stubborn as all get out—and proud. Too proud. She won't admit that something's bothering her when it comes to her well being."

Damon looked at Bonnie, "You trust me enough to keep an eye on Taylor when you can't?

Bonnie held his gaze, breathing evenly, "Am I asking for too much?"

"No."

"Well…thank you. I appreciate it Damon. Really."

Damon merely nodded as the two stared at one another for a beat longer. He moved a little closer to her as she held her breath and moved towards her door, "I'm going to head to bed. Thanks again for your help Damon."

He followed in after her, watching her go up the stairs, "No problem."

Feeling eyes, he turned to find the younger witch of the hour sitting on the living room couch staring in front of her blankly.

Had Bonnie seen her when she came in, Damon wondered as he plopped beside her. Taylor showed no hint of acknowledging him so he decided to break her focus, "So, Bons just appointed me to baby-sit you."

Okay. Not really. But her acting like an inanimate object was a tad bit disarming.

She wasn't possessed was she?

"Taylor?"

"I'm fine," Taylor stood, giving Damon a de ja vu feeling in his gut.

"Sure about that? Evidence shows you're the opposite."

"There is a such thing as false evidence," Taylor paused, blinking and shaking her head to look down at the man, "What?"

"You're acting weird."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "I'm always weird. Elaborate."

"And now you're back to normal."

Taylor pouted in annoyance, "Whatever. I'm really getting tired of you two treating me like I'm a child."

"That's totally not what a child would say."

Taylor narrowed her eyes at him, marching to her room, "And for the record I do not need to be babysat."

A door slammed shut behind her as Damon groaned. Bonnie owed him for this.

Taylor opened her eyes to find herself sitting on the floor, back against the wall, facing her bed opposite of her. Small streams of moonlight informed her it was still clearly night time but her room being this cold only made her shake in place. She didn't move to see the presence sitting beside her.

There's a reason why you didn't fully get rid of me.

Taylor swallowed.

Is it because you did agree with me after all?

"No," The young witch whispered.

I think you're lying. How about…we help each other out?

Taylor finally turned to her left to see the faint visage of Idonea who gave the younger witch her full attention.

You give me a vessel and I'll help you avenge your family.

Taylor grinned, turning away from the ghost, "No."

…and why not?

"I'll avenge my family…on my own terms."

You didn't rid of me, Taylor.

"My luck."

Idonea turned to face forward, Well…you got yourself one hell of a problem on your hands young witch.

Taylor let out an even breath, agreeing mentally to herself, "It wouldn't be fun if you weren't a challenge."

The original doppelganger chuckled darkly, the two sitting quietly. It could even be mistaken for something comfortable.

You're going to wish you were on my side, little girl. All of that pent up hatred and hostility—You know Bonnie would never agree to your true intentions of this Paranormal Investigation team you two have.

"Bonnie won't agree…but she'll understand."

…Even if you lose yourself in the process?

"…I'm already lost."

Bonnie could feel herself wake, her body getting enough rest. That tends to be the case for her and possibly one of the reasons why she didn't necessarily rely on her alarm clock to wake her. Groaning at her blurry vision and numb limbs, she rolled to her side to find Damon lounging easily on the other half of her bed.

She stared at him for a long moment before watching him groan and nearly falling out of bed. In between his moaning she could make out him begging her to stop.

"What gave you the impression you could just lay in my bed like you own the place?" Bonnie replied, stopping his mental attack with blinking and sitting up in her bed.

"I don't know…us being close?" the man grunted.

"We're not that close," She climbed out of bed to go to her bathroom.

"Elena never hurt me when I did that."

She didn't know why, but that pricked a nerve.

"Well I'm not Elena. Get out of my room Damon," with that she entered her bathroom, locking the door behind her like that would actually stop a vampire from entering. At least it was a comforting thought.

Upon turning on the shower she could hear Damon call from behind the door, "Hey, Judgey! That wasn't meant to piss you off."

She wanted to yell back that she wasn't mad at all but then she thought against it. Rather not give him the satisfaction.

"Oh so you're just going to ignore me? Didn't see that coming."

And he pricked another nerve.

Entering the shower, she made sure to keep the water from her hair, that would have to wait for when she can dedicate an entire afternoon for her tresses.

"Boonniiieeee~"

What was she thinking giving him the okay to stay the night?

"You know…my heart breaks when we're fighting."

Scratch that, what was she thinking giving him the okay to enter both of her homes?

After cleaning herself and doing the rest of her morning routine for satisfactory personal hygiene, she wrapped herself in her towel with a death grip, knowing the vampire hadn't left her bedroom at all.

She came out of the bathroom, glaring into an empty room. Raising both brows in shock, she stopped and rolled her eyes to turn to her right, "Not surprised."

"You were at first—"

"If only you actually left my room. But hey, you're still here," Bonnie deadpanned, walking into her room fully, "You can leave now."

"I can't stay and watch?" Damon pouted, his eyes looking over her body, imagining what used to be unimaginable things that he wouldn't admit out loud any time soon in concerning a very naked Bonnie under that demon of a towel.

Bonnie turned to him, a smirk gracing her lips, making Damon feel a want in his loins to come closer to her and—

"Get out. Now."

And if that wasn't enough to kick him out, she moved her arm to throw him out of her room with that witchy ju-ju of hers. Time, and time again, no matter when and where, Damon honestly couldn't get enough of her rough housing him around.

She is, after all, the only one who could get away with that sort of thing.

The vampire was on his feet again to speed back into her room just because he was in that kind of mood, to only have her slam her door in his face with a flick of her finger as the towel fell unwillingly from around her.

He gaped. He could've actually—and it wouldn't be his fault—he couldn't believe—

"Dammit."

"You're a perv."

Damon's face fell flat, turning to the younger witch who held some old worn hardcover books. They were probably her grimoires.

"And you're up here because…?"

Taylor shrugged, "I was going to talk to Bonnie about what happened to me last night."

Damon, half-interested, looked at her fully, leaning against the hallway wall, "Well?"

Taylor raised a brow, "I don't think you're really interested—"

"Try me."

Taylor cocked her head in suspicion before shrugging a shoulder again, "It was my body reacting to being over exerted—like I said. It happens especially during exorcisms, more so when it's a bad spirit."

"She wasn't a demon though, right?"

"Right. But she was dabbling with dark magic."

"Well, how come Bonnie wasn't affected?"

Taylor pursed her lips, "That's what I wanted to talk to her about."

"Might as well go on ahead and tell me."

Taylor sighed, "Not to burst your bubble…but you're not Bonnie."

"Your point? I'd still like to know what's going on with my lil' witch."

"Bonnie isn't some object that belongs to you. Just so you know."

"I know."

"And if I wasn't crazy, I'd think you actually liked Bonnie."

"I do."

Taylor raised a brow, "Well…more than just a typical platonic friend."

"Like what?" Damon made a face of incredulity, "…love?"

"That's a bit extreme—but…"

"Yeah. You're crazy."

Taylor looked him over, analyzing him before shrugging, "Whatever, bro. Anyways. I guess I can say that the main reason for her not being affected is because she's more experienced and strong and she didn't really exorcise anyone. She supported me with her magic."

"There's more to that mini-witch. If there wasn't, you wouldn't need to talk to Bonnie alone."

"So observant," Taylor dragged.

Damon held her glare.

"…has she dabbled in dark magic before?"

Damon didn't expect the question, "Huh?"

Taylor turned to Bonnie's door, "If she dabbled in dark magic before it could also mean that her body was just used to the exorcism and the nature of getting rid of an entity that messed in dark magic."

Damon didn't reply, watching Taylor wince a little. She then looked back at him upon feeling his eyes on her, "So I'm taking that as a 'yes'? A 'maybe' even?"

Damon still didn't answer.

"…it's not like I'll judge her but she should be careful next time…if there is one thing…dark magic recognizes dark magic…or dark intent. Tends to flock to it."

Damon watched her harder, "Are you…okay?"

"Why do you ask?" Taylor turned to him fully, almost in a challenging way.

The vampire only raised a brow and was going to retort when Bonnie's door opened, distracting them both.

Bonnie looked at both of her companions in question, "…what's going on?"

Taylor looked down to her grimoires and then to Damon before muttering a, "Nothing."

The young witch headed back downstairs leaving the older adults to watch her back, one in suspicion and the other in bemusement.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know. She's your daughter."

"Quit it Damon."

"…Ok Jer…I love you too…talk to you soon…Bye," The dark brown haired young woman hung up on her younger brother as she turned to look at Stefan who was sleeping with a content look on his face. She smiled to herself as she climbed into bed with him and treated his chest like a pillow, looking up at him like she used to do when things weren't so complicated.

"Mm…staring again?"

"Mmhm."

"You don't think I'm being serious when I say that's creepy?" Stefan murmured, a grin on his lips.

"When are you never serious?" Elena countered, giggling in that breathless way of hers.

Stefan made a face of defeat before opening an eye to look down at her.

"How's Jer?"

"He's great. Safe."

The vampire nodded, "That's good."

"Have you…talked to Damon?"

Stefan's grin turned sad.

"You don't have to answer that…"

"I think he's okay for the most part…but…no…I haven't."

"…You miss him?"

Stefan's sad grin turned into a line.

"…Never mind."

"No. It's ok."

Another beat of silence.

"Yeah. I do."

Elena felt guilty all of a sudden. She knows Stefan knows her feelings about the both of them. Damon was important to her, yes. She loved him, yes. But it was never more than that taste of the stereotypical bad boy flare. She could admit that she was sexually attracted to Damon. What woman wasn't?

Bonnie.

Okay. Besides Bon—

Elena sighed sadly. Bonnie.

Stefan pulled strands from Elena's face, realizing her mood had also depleted, "You're alright?"

"You know I'm sorry…about you…and Damon. And how fickle I was and—"

"Woah, woah, Elena," Stefan sat up to look at her more closely, bringing her to sit up as well, "Damon and I had a problem before you. You don't need to apologize for anything."

"But I was stringing you both along and—I'm just sorry that I'm still part of the reason why you two don't talk as much now."

Stefan sighed, shaking his head, "Elena…I don't want to talk about that. It's not your fault what's going on between Damon and I."

Elena frowned but nodded despite how much she disagreed with him. She was older now. She can look back at what she had done when it came to the Salvatore brothers and each time she frowned and thought how she was no better than Katherine.

It was always Stefan.

It will always be Stefan.

But it didn't stop her from leading Damon on like that and then inevitably doing the same thing to Stefan. She knew Stefan forgave her and would much rather not linger on the past but the past seemed to linger over them instead.

Here they were, together, away from Damon, Bonnie doing her own thing in North Carolina and the two hardly having that much contact, and Carebear and Tyler in Florida—

Elena planted a kiss on Stefan's lips, grinning somberly as her cell phone rung for her attention. She looked at the caller id to see an unrecognizable number blaring on her screen. Glancing at Stefan, he only nodded and lay back silently. Elena climbed out of bed and answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Elena?"

Elena stopped, feeling a chill run down her back, "This is she…"

"Hello…I think you ought to come back to Mystic Falls."

Elena frowned, sensing Stefan sit back up, able to hear the person on her phone. He watched Elena in question, furrowing his brows.

"Why? Is there something wrong with Damon?"

"He is in the line of fire…but so is your friend Bonnie. It seems they got themselves in a bit of trouble."

"With who?"

"With me. And you're the only one that can save them."

Elena let out a steady breath, holding her phone tightly, "Bonnie's in North Carolina. She wouldn't come back to Mystic Falls."

"Elena. Dear. Do you really want to risk being wrong in that sentiment? I'm able to watch her eat, sleep, talk…does it matter whether she's in Mystic Falls or in North Carolina?."

Elena hesitated but headed to get her jacket before she pulled out a bag to start packing things, "Who are you? What do you want with Bonnie and Damon?"

"I'm not sure you're in any kind of authority to question me. I just suggest you come back to Mystic Falls. The quicker you are, the safer they'll end up being."

Elena's breath caught in her throat, "Ok. Just don't do anything to Bonnie."

There was a long pause before a content sigh could be heard with a hint of a grin, "See you soon, Elena."

Author's Note: Welp. And the plot thickens? I couldn't come up with anything else to say. BUT! Thank you for all of the reviews for the previous chapters! I do appreciate every single one of them. Even if there's just one it motivates me enough to continue haha. Reviews are my power drink. I digress. Tell me what you all think!