What Lies Beneath

Chapter 12: Going Home

Bonnie Bennett had seen her best friend go to the Mystic Falls Cemetery time after time when her parents first died. If she was missing and couldn't be found, it was likely that she was sitting against their large tombstone, writing in her diary. Since meeting Stefan she hadn't been by as much and that was a good thing of course. It meant that she was moving on, trying to heal. Bonnie had never exactly understood the peace or serenity she had she achieved by being alone, surrounded by the dead, but now she did. It's what brought her to her grandmother's grave more and more. But usually at night or when she was sure everyone was in school so she wouldn't be seen. As far as her friends knew, she was still at her relatives' house.

However it was time to come home now. There were people who needed her.

Sitting comfortable before the shiny headstone, she placed a fresh bouquet of flowers on the soft ground. Her fingers traced the lettering itched into the marble in the form of Shelia Bennett and she sighed, forcing herself not to cry. For about three weeks she'd been hiding away at the manor and letting Damon take her mind off of her screwed up life. It was crazy and so out of character for her, but it's what she needed so that every time she closed her eyes, she didn't see her Grams lifeless in her coffin. Besides it's not like her family would have understood, not really. Perhaps the grief aspect but not all of the supernatural mumbo jumbo currently hovering over her like a cloud.

Damon understood.

Damon didn't judge.

Damon didn't try to make her talk about her feelings.

Damon was a nice release.

And yet she had not forgotten all of the horrible things he'd done once upon a time. All of the murders and generally bad behavior. He had his part to play in her grandmother's death just like Stefan and Elena, and the other vampires from the tomb. They weren't best friends or boyfriend and girlfriend, but like Emily's spell wanted, there were certain things she could share with him that she couldn't tell anyone else. There were ways he could make her feel better that others didn't possess. She dared anyone to judge her for the biting or say it was wrong when they hadn't experienced the trauma and tragedy she had. Yes it was akin to losing oneself in drugs but just for a little while she wanted to float away.

Wasn't that normal of all people with emotions?

She was going to tell Elena everything though, she hadto. She didn't want them to have secrets anymore because secrets only caused drama in the end. As soon as she got the nerve, she was going to explain about Damon and her actions. And she expected Elena to do some explaining of her own.

While locked away in the manor, exploring its many rooms and hidden passageways, she'd discovered a few interesting tidbits that had her curious. She knew that her best friend loved Stefan religiously, but she was growing closer to Damon as well. It shouldn't make her jealous or wary, but it did and she wondered what the future would hold for them. Elena did look like Katherine after all and Damon so wasn't over her. He was angry at her and it helped their…sham of a relationship grow but he wasn't done with her. Not by a long shot. Nonetheless his rage at what she'd done made her feel better about actually being his…friend? Were they friends? It was hard to say considering everything that was going on, and everything they didn't say to each other.

Sometimes feeling was deeper than words. Sometimes people really communicated when they stopped talking, and that is how things went with Damon Salvatore. The moment they stopped going around in circles over their blood attachment because of Emily's spell, they were actually able to have fun. To make out for the sake of making out and trade jibes without underlying hostility. She didn't trust him, but she decided that wasn't necessary to lose herself in his intoxicating presence.