#bookbamon

Dinner Disaster - LJ Smith

Set in midnight, when Damon rescued Bonnie from Shinichi in the Dark Dimension. This is basically a take on what was going on in Damon's mind.  

He felt his throat closing up.

For a while, he had really believed he'd lost her. For a while, he had thought he would be too late. But, she was here now, in his arms. It doesn't matter, he told himself, trying not to think of how Bonnie had looked in there. She's here now. But he couldn't ignore how she was trembling, or the tears running down her face.

Poor little redbird, he thought, hugging her close. I'll never leave you alone anymore. I'll never let anyone hurt you. I'll never let you go.

She was so small in his arms...so soft, so fragile, and so breakable.

He wiped her tears away. If it hadn't been for him, she'd never have to cry.

He hugged her closer, as close as it could be. What if they had hurt her? What if she had died? The thought stung him; it hurt him worse than a hundred wooden spades running through his heart. He didn't even try to imagine what Elena would say, or the look on Matt's face. What if this had been her body that he was clutching, instead of her? It so easily could have been, considering how late he was.

Could you live through that, Damon? Knowing she was dead, and knowing it was your fault?

No, he thought, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. They were so soft, and tasted like strawberries. She always tasted like strawberries. I'll never let you die.

"Little redbird! I'm going to go now, and make them pay for what they did to you."

"No, don't" she said.

"No?"

"No." And suddenly, he knew. She wanted him stay with her. She needed him, even if it was just for a little while. Nobody had asked him to stay before. Nobody had needed him like that...

..."Can you remember three things?" she asked

"I'd gamble on it." He kissed her on her forehead, holding her tighter.

"First, you ruined my very brave death."

Something shrank inside Damon as she said it. But he knew she'd meant it as a joke, so he smiled and said "We can always go back and you can have another try."

"Second, you left me in that horrible inn for a week." Damon knew she'd say that, but it did nothing to make him feel better. Leaving her like that, all alone, poor Bonnie who couldn't fight a rabbit, in a place like this... " I...I didn't mean to" He knew it was no excuse. "It was only four days, but I never should have done it."

"Third..." her voice became so faint he could barely hear what she was saying. She looked up at him, her face looking so tired, it broke his heart. He knew she wouldn't remain conscious for long.

"And...fourth..."

"Fourth? You said three things." Damon smiled.

"I have to say this—" She dropped her head on his shoulder. He could feel her curls on his neck, her sweet, warm breath on his skin. He could hear her voice in his head, but he didn't know what she was saying.

"I can hear a faint murmuring sound in my head. Just tell me normally. We're well away from anyone."

But she insisted, sending the thought out explosively. It reached him, and then she fainted.

"Fourth, I know the way to the seven legendary kitsune treasures, Bonnie sent to him. That includes the biggest star ball ever made. But if we want it, we have to get to it—fast."

It was strange, for at that moment he couldn't care any less about kitsune treasures. He bundled her up in his arms, trying to warm her up. He had just hoped, when she'd insisted on speaking in their minds, that she would say it out loud, what they both knew. He didn't know what he would've done if she'd said it, he knew he didn't deserve to hear it, after all he had done, but in some part of his cold, black heart, he still hoped.

Bonnie. He always had what he wanted, but she wasn't one of the things he felt a desperate need to posses. At that moment, he was just glad that she was alive, breathing in his arms.