What Lies Beneath

Chapter 50: The In-Between

"You didn't have to come you know. This was a pretty standard sort of mission."

Bonnie pushed her black hair out of her face and glanced to her boyfriend. She knew he meant well and that as always he was trying to look out for her, but sometimes he could be selectively obtuse with certain situations. Damon wasn't stupid by any means; he was just being blank to test the waters and see if there were any rough waves on the horizon.

"Right. I should have just chilled at home watching bad tv while my boyfriend and my best friend jetted off to parts unknown." She rolled her eyes playfully. "With ample time to stare longing at each other."

He snorted. "Denver is hardly parts unknown. And the only person I stare longingly at is you…but not lately cause you put out now."

She hit his shoulder with her tiny fist. "Ha ha. Don't forget who saved your ass from Kol earlier."

He slung his arm around her shoulders and kissed her noisily on the cheek. "I don't. I'm just saying if you were worried about Elena and I falling into each others' arms, you're kinda stupid. I only fall into your arms."

Bonnie smiled; she couldn't help herself. "It better stay that way."

In truth Bonnie understood that she had nothing to worry about on Damon's end. He was hers and he wasn't going anywhere. Well he wasn't going to leave her for her friend—he could still die if Klaus had his way but she didn't wanna think about that. Yet when she'd found out about the trip to Denver to get Jeremy to talk to the recently deceased vampire Rose, she had not seen a reason to stay behind in Mystic Falls and do nothing. It wasn't like she could help Stefan get the location of the final white oak stake out of Alaric, and she honestly wasn't in the mood to decorate for another silly dance with Caroline and Matt. So tagging along just made sense—besides what if they needed her to kick some Original ass?

Naturally Elena welcomed her with open arms…not that she had much of a choice. They were in a weird place and in all truthfulness she hated it. Elena Gilbert used to be the one person she could always confide in about anything. She was the first friend she had ever made. They had a bond and it really sucked that she was not sure if it still existed. Not talking about the elephant in the room was stupid but safer. Whenever she considered airing all of her pent up emotions it just seemed easier to fake it. The scary thing was that since turning her emotions off once, it wasfrighteningly easy now not to give a shit.

Elena did talk to her however, mostly about Stefan and her unresolved feelings for him. After all they had been through she was in love with him even now, and Bonnie was sure he felt the same way. But there was all this other shit in the way. Klaus, the fear that all vampires would be wiped out if all of the Originals died, whatever she had locked up inside where Damon was concerned—Stefan felt they shouldn't think too deeply about their feelings until all of their issues were fixed. He was a smart guy, that one.

I can help him with the Original stuff but only Elena can make herself not feel anything for Damon. Maybe she already has. What's the point in lusting after someone forever if you know you'll never have them? This isn't some fun crush on a celebrity type deal, it's real life. If she is still into him she can't feel too good seeing us together.

That should make me upset—realizing that she could be hurting but I swear I don't have it in me to care right now.

I think I'm broken.

The cool night air stirred again and she shivered, pulling her gray sweater tighter around her small frame. Damon closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his cheek to the side of her head. His black shirt was unbuttoned, the two sides open but he didn't seem to feel the cold at all. He was warm against her, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hands. He didn't say anything but she knew he was thinking, wondering if things would ever be normal again. She didn't think they would be.