The Witches's Theft

10

He looked down at his phone that was ringing off the hook. Wow, that must've been like the tenth call that he's gotten from Rachel today and its only 5pm. In fact, if he went through his call history Rachel had been calling him like that all week. Asking if he found someone to help him. Leaving voicemails about being his support system, and making herself available. He even found a note on his car that she had left one day. The only person he cared about was Mila knowing that she still had two parrents, and Bonnie getting better. There simply wasn't enough space in his life to make another mistake with Rachel's face on it.

He got out of his car as he reached the fork in the road that would lead back to the barn. There was something off. Different even about this place that he had visited so many times since moving Bonnie there. He knew every tree, and leaf in the wind, and there was something different here. He caught sight of a red ribbon tied to one of the branches. He reached up and untied it and smelled it. It smelled like Rachel.

"I wanted to leave you something to make you feel better," she said coming out of the woods from behind a tree.

His eyes widened. "How did you even know I was here?"

"She looked down at the ground sheepishly. "I've been trailing you sometimes. Only because it felt like you were hiding something and I wanted to help. You kept coming here looking so sad. So I tide a ribbon to the tree for you to find. In the hopes that it would perk you up."

"Okay, thanks crazy, but I don't want your ribbons. In fact, you should go. You shouldn't even be here," he said, heading back to the driver side door.

"But why not? I helped you in the bar, didn't I. Do you need back up? Whats down there?"

He stepped out of the car exasperated. "Not you. In fact I don't want to have anything more to do with you Rachel." He shook his head. "You interviewed with my family. Our relationship crossed the line a bit, but we didn't go off the rails. So now we can just part ways with no harm done."

"Its not that simple?"

"And why not?"

"Because your on this hamster wheel, doing the same thing over and over. And if you don't do something now to stop this. You're never going to be happy," she said placing her hands on his chest. "That wheel is owned and operated by a monster named Bonnie."

He pushed her back. "Don't talk about her like that. You don't have one single clue what she's going through."

"Okay, but I know you. I know that she never asks if you're okay because its expected that you always are. As if you're no more than a robot. But you and me have been banished to the island of misfit toys for a long time now. Mostly because we're broken. So if you don't let go of her now you will always be broken," she said her voice choking up.

"I used to think that. She was a liability, something to fear and nothing about her could I ever want, need, crave." He looked down the direction of the trail where he knew she was waiting on an uncomfortable cot, wrapped in blankets. "But the happiest I've ever been." He searched for the right word. "The only time I've ever been whole, is when I was with Bonnie. So those things I said before were wrong. I was wrong."

"I wish I knew who you were before you died. When you were still a fresh faced kid. Not for sex, but so that I could be your friend. The one who you would know loves you unconditionally, and perhaps down the line you would have never fallen for a dud like Bonnie."

"Its because of Bonnie, that I haven't snapped your neck already. So why don't you just get out of here," he said pointing to her car.

"Its so sad. You're still viewing her as some sort of savior. Damon I saved you." She stared at him with wanton abandon and adoration. The crazy in the glint of her eye.

His mouth dropped. "From what?" And just like that the love and spice she had been showing him disappeared. Replaced by a calm coolness that he almost found to be more unnerving.

"Bonnie isn't the one who needs help. You do."

She stormed off to through the woods to her car on the other side. He didn't pay to much heed to her statement. Other than to hope that this was officially done, and her brand of help didn't include popping up somewhere else. He had enough to worry about already then being, Single White Femaled. Such a human problem. Sometimes he missed human problems that could be solved by calling the law or killing someone yourself. Not unknown illnesses capable of taking down a newbie vampire, and ruining his entire life. As well as the only family his daughter has ever known.