This story happens after Nightfall. It's a Donnie-book ff. It includes spoilers, some violence and some sensuality. Not suitable for readers under thirteen years.

7

Bonnie was resting in Damon’s arms. It was such peaceful place… Every time she was with that monster, she would feel impossibly safe. How could that be?
Bonnie didn’t have the answer, but she would stay there forever anyway.
“Are you hungry or thirsty, baby bird? I know you need to feed more often then I do.” Damon asked breaking the silence while stroking her hair.
Her stomach was already complaining about the lack of food, Damon had probably heard. It was so embarrassing…
“Yes, I’ m a little… Maybe…”
“That’s okay, redheaded witch… I love to feed you. Your parents are sleeping anyway. I’ll get something for you in the kitchen.”
Damon left the room and Bonnie stayed on the bed. A few moments later, she heard a winging. The window was closed, but she saw through the glass a dark shadow, something like a crow.
Oh, no…
He was there. Edgar.
Damon came back with a tray full of food in his hand. Although he had no need to eat, he was able to swallow regular food and enjoyed to share with Bonnie.
He met her eyes and saw her fear.
“What happened?” He asked.
“I saw a shadow through the glass. It looked like a crow…” She answered.
“A crow? If Edgar were here I’d feel it…”
“I know, but shouldn’t we be more careful?”
Damon stepped closer to the window and opened the glass. There was no crow. He couldn’t feel any vampire next to the house. Everything seemed to be safe.
“He is not here. Maybe it was just a crow. A real crow.” Damon said.
“I’ve got a bad feeling, Damon…” Bonnie said.
“Don’t worry, little witch. I know you’re afraid but now I am here with you, and whatever happens I will protect you.”
Damon sat on the bed and brought the tray next to Bonnie. He started to feed her like a baby, the way he loves to do. Soon she forgot about the crow and felt safe again.
After feeding her, he held her close.
“Why don’t you try to sleep, my red-haired song bird?”
“I can’t…” She murmured.
“Why?” Damon asked.
“It’s hard to sleep with such a handsome vampire by my side…” Bonnie answered.
“You’re such a teaser…” He said and bent to kiss her.
They were never tired to kiss each other. She was already falling asleep, but her lips knew by heart the way to his.
Knock-knock
They heard someone knocking on the window. Damon turned his head and saw Edgar there.
Damon jumped to the window.
“Don’t leave me here alone!” Bonnie whispered trying to keep her voice down.
Damon turned to her, remembering that he shouldn’t leave her unprotected.
“Do not invite him in!” Damon hissed. Then he stepped to the window and opened.
“Hello dear friend! I was afraid I would never see you again!” Edgar said.
“I’m going to tear your heart out.” Damon said coldly.
“Don’t be so rude, Damon. We’ve got a score to settle but we can do this as gentlemen. You were so sweet taking care of your girl. You really love her, don’t you?”
Damon didn’t answer. He just took a look at her, instead.
“Come on, Damon. I know you won’t say it aloud. But you could only break that spell if you truly loved her. And you did, since she’s alive. And you still do. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here, ready to ‘tear my heart out’”.
“Please, Damon… It’s a trap, can’t you see? He wants you to go out since he can’t come in. Don’t go out, please…” Bonnie said.
Damon stayed in silence. He was simply staring at Edgar with those black eyes. There was hatred and menace inside them.
“You thought you could ambush me? You never learn, Damon. I’m always one step ahead.” Edgar said calmly.
“You were not one step ahead when I beat you on that duel.” Damon finally said.
For the first time Edgar lost control and it was possible to see anger in his face.
“We are going to correct that. Now.” Edgar hissed, “Why don’t you come outside and stop hiding under these baby bird’s wings?”
Bonnie grabbed Damon’s arms, but it was too late. The way Edgar dared to call Bonnie by the pet name Damon had given her drove him madder than the suggestion he was a coward.
Damon jumped over Edgar and they both fell on the ground. Bonnie looked through the window and saw they were really fighting. She knew sooner or later Edgar would use his spells to kill Damon, so she had to cry for help.
Bonnie got into a trance and soon she was calling Stefan. “Stefan, Edgar is here and he is going to kill Damon! Please, help us!”

Stefan woke up in the boarding house. And so did Elena.
“Bonnie and Damon are in danger. Edgar is there. I have to go.” Stefan said.
“I’m going with you.” Elena said.
“No, you are not. This is too dangerous.”
“Of course it is. But he’s too strong, we need to stick together. If you die, he’s going to kill me anyway. I’d rather die by your side.”
Elena and Stefan headed to Bonnie’s house.

Damon threw Edgar in the middle of the trees. Edgar simply canalized his Power and threw Damon on the ground writhing in agony.
Bonnie gasped. Damon’s pain was her pain. Without thinking she went down the stairs and left her house, the only safe place she could be on that moment.
“Please, don’t hurt him.” Bonnie begged running through the yard.
“Bonnie, come back to the house…” Damon whispered, but it was too late.
Edgar grabbed one of her arms with one hand and her red hair with the other. Bonnie screamed for the pain and he seemed to enjoy that.
“Look at her, Damon. Look her for the last time.” Edgar said
“Do not touch her!” Damon hissed but he still couldn’t find strength to get up.
“Let’s make a deal, Damon. If I kill you, I’ll take her as my slave. If you survive, I’ll kill her. What would you rather?” Edgar said smelling Bonnie’s hair, “She smells so good… I think I’ll take a sip of her blood right now.”
“Take your hands off of her!”

8

Bonnie turned her head. It was Matt. I cannot believe it, she thought. Matt is going to die now, and Damon is going to die now, and I am going to die now and when Stefan gets here he’s going to be pretty upset…
Oh… All the hope is gone…
“Take your hands off of her, you disgusting piece of dead meat!” Matt said.
Edgar looked at him like if he were a puppy. “And what exactly are you going to do if I don’t ‘take my hands off of her’? I am stronger, faster and smarter than you. What could you possibly do?”
Edgar had just finished the sentence when he let go of Bonnie and screamed. He fell to his knees and had a long stake covered with blood crossing his heart.
Bonnie astonished saw Stefan behind Edgar. She couldn’t believe he was finally dead.
Matt walked slowly toward the agonizing vampire wizard. “I can keep your attention while Stefan plunges a stake into your back.”
“Oh… I cannot believe it! You just killed Edgar!” Bonnie exclaimed.
“He’s been killed by his own confidence.” Stefan said coldly.
Although he was dying, Edgar was very strong. He kept on talking until the last moment.
“Your brother might have killed me, but you lost anyway… I’m the only one who can break the spell,” Edgar said, “Your love is a blessing and a curse. As long as you love her, she will never be happy…”
When Edgar finally closed his eyes, Damon was still trembling. Everybody was bewildered by his words, but Damon was hurt and needed help. Bonnie ran to him and knelt on the floor.
“Damon…” She whispered and took his hand.
“The worm is dead.” Damon said.
Elena and Meredith finally got there and walked to them.
“We brought Meredith’s car,” Elena said calmly, “We can dispose of the body…”
Then she saw Damon on the floor. “Oh my God! What happened here?”
Bonnie was crying and holding Damon.
“Stefan, I need to talk to Stefan…” Damon almost yelled.
Stefan knelt on the floor and took Damon’s hand.
“I want you to promise… You’ll look after Bonnie…” Damon said.
“He doesn’t need to promise anything! You’ll be here, Damon!” Bonnie shrieked.
“Yes, he does! I’m dying, baby bird…” Damon whispered.
“No, you’re not!” Bonnie hissed.
Damon looked Stefan straight in the eyes again. “Do you promise?”
“I promise.” Stefan answered, “But I know you’ll be here to do that.”
“You’re a witch, Bonnie! Are you sure there’s nothing you can do to help him?” Meredith asked.
Bonnie lifted her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know… I don’t have my Celtic magic book here…”
“Maybe if you use Stefan’s blood! Stefan is his brother and a vampire as well!” Elena said.
“Maybe… But I’ll need a candle. A red candle.” Bonnie said.
“I’ll get one!” Matt said.
“The candles are in the kitchen!” Bonnie said. Matt headed to Bonnie’s house.
Damon was not being a part of the conversation anymore. His eyelids were closed but he was trembling and sweating, like if he had a fever.
Matt came back with the red candle and matches. Stefan took Damon’s dagger and cut his wrist.
“Let the blood spill all over his heart.” Bonnie said. She didn’t know how she knew that, but suddenly every step she had to take was clear in her mind.
Matt gave her the candle already lit and she got into a trance. She started to manipulate the Power Stefan was sending to Damon. The energy was like a ball in Bonnie’s hand. She could almost feel it.
Then she threw the energy ball over Damon’s chest, where Stefan’s blood had been spilled. And it was like a wave of Power inside Damon. He rose all of a sudden, like when one wakes up after a nightmare.
Damon was still dizzy, but he was definitely alive.
Meredith and Elena hugged Bonnie. “We knew you would save him!” Elena said.
“I’ve always known how powerful you were. Now you proved yourself a grown up witch. Congratulations, Bonnie!” Stefan said.
Matt took Bonnie’s hand. “How are you?”
“I guess I’m fine… I’m just incredibly tired…” Bonnie answered.
“That’s normal. You used too much of your powers. Now you and Damon need to rest.” Stefan said.

Bonnie was taken almost unconscious to her room. Elena and Meredith changed her clothes and lay her in the bed.
    Stefan and Matt disposed Edgar’s body and took Damon to the boarding house.
    No one knew how Bonnie would feel after the events of that night and all the effort she had made. No one knew what Damon would be like when he woke up the morning after.
    The only thing everyone knew for sure was that Bonnie and Damon would sleep apart through the rest of the night, but their hearts would be together the whole time.
    

9

When Damon finally opened his eyes, Elena was sat on the bed touching his forehead. It was almost noon.
“Stefan, Damon woke up!” Elena said.
Her golden hair was shinning under a sunbeam.
“Good morning, angel” Damon said with his most seductive voice.
Elena took away her hand but he grabbed her arm and kissed her hand tenderly.
“Good morning, Damon. How are you feeling?” Stefan asked.
“I’m great.” Damon answered and stood up. “I’m just hungry…”
“Damon, be careful… Bonnie must be still weak today and she’ll be pretty upset if she finds out you fed on other girl…” Stefan said, “Why don’t you come with me? We could hunt a rabbit, or a fox…”
Damon smirked.
“Thank you, but I’ll pass, little brother. Rabbits or foxes are not in my menu.”
Elena was still wearing a white nightgown and her body was easy to imagine under the fabric. Damon stared at her entire body from head to shoes.
“After having almost died last night, being around such a beauty is a gift from the Gods…”
Elena giggled and hugged Stefan. Stefan glared at him serious.
Damon simply smiled and left.

Bonnie woke up late. She looked through the window and realized it was going to be a sunny day. Damon is going to manipulate the weather, she thought.
She put some jeans and an old green t-shirt, just to stay at home. Then she went down the stairs and found out she was alone; her parents had gone shopping and Mary was at work.
She headed to the kitchen to have her breakfast.

Damon was walking on the street and the sun was not bothering him. Of course he was wearing his sunglasses, but he was even enjoying the sunlight. The girls were not hiding their bodies under heavy sweaters and he could admire the view.
A beautiful brunette wearing shorts came in the opposite direction and he couldn’t stop looking. She’s so hot, he thought. He felt a rush of desire all over his body and almost ran after the girl.
But he had to see Bonnie. He was starving and his baby bird would end that craving.
When he finally got to Bonnie’s house, he wanted to enter through the window.
But…
He couldn’t.
He tried to jump but he wouldn’t leave the floor. I must be still tired because of that spell, he thought.
So he just rang the bell, like any human would do.
“I’m coming…” He heard Bonnie say.
When she opened the door, she had a huge surprise.
“Damon!” She hugged him. “I thought you’d come straight into my room…”
“I’m still weak…” Damon said, hugging her back.
The touch of her body against his was magical. The desire burned him deeply again. He completely lost his mind and his hands went down her back until the jeans. Bonnie felt uncomfortable with the saucy caress and gasped. She pushed him away offended.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“I’m sorry… It’s just that your body is so… delicious.”
Bonnie playfully slapped him on the face and giggled.
“You’re saucy!”
He smirked and kissed her mouth one more time. His lips left hers to get to the neck. Bonnie was expecting him to bite her, but he didn’t. He just gave several kisses.
“Won’t you bite me?” Bonnie asked.
“I don’t feel like biting…” Damon answered.
“Aren’t you hungry? Have you fed before come here?” Bonnie was nearly upset.
“Were you having breakfast, baby bird?” He asked a little puzzled.
“Yes, I was…”
“Do you mind if I join you?”
“Oh, of course no… Let’s go to the kitchen…”
Bonnie had left a bowl full of cereal and milk on the sink. Damon took the bowl and mixed the cereal with a spoon. He was curious. He approached the bowl to his nose and smelled.
“Do you want to taste it?” Bonnie asked, “It’s really good…”
Damon had already tried human food other times, but it was only for fun. He could share food with his baby bird, but the taste meant nothing for him.
But he was feeling different. He felt his stomach twist and took the spoon into his mouth.
“It tastes good…” He said, chewing and swallowing.
“It does…” Bonnie said, “Do you want some more?
“As a matter of fact… I do.” Damon said.

After the breakfast, Damon took Bonnie in his lap. He had to sit down; for the first time she seemed to be heavy. I must be still weak, he thought. But he didn’t tell her anything for he didn’t want Bonnie to worry about it.
Bonnie was feeling something different about him. She didn’t know what, but something inside him had changed. Edgar’s words wouldn’t leave her mind: “Your love is a blessing and a curse. As long as you love her, she will never be happy…” What exactly Edgar meant?
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight, piccola strega?” Damon interrupted the confusion inside her mind. “There’s an Italian restaurant nearby…”
“Oh, you’re speaking Italian?” Bonnie said flattered.
Damon lifted her chin, so his eyes met hers. “Of course, I am. I’m your Italian lover, remember? Cara mia…”
Bonnie giggled and snuggled down on his lap.

In the restaurant, Damon was charming and handsome, as always. The strangest was that he was eating so much spaghetti… It must be because the sauce is red, Bonnie thought.
“You are greed…” Bonnie said.
“I’ve always been greed, amore mio…” Damon said, and then stroked her face.
A beautiful waitress stepped by and he took a look at her legs. Bonnie was watching while he turned his head to stare the girl’s body like if Bonnie were suddenly invisible.
It was like a stab in her heart. When he turned his back again Bonnie was almost crying. He realized she was hurt.
“The waitress is very interesting, isn’t she?” Bonnie asked.
“No… It’s not like that, baby bird… Her shoes, she was wearing nice shoes… I thought about getting one pair for you…”
“Sure…” Bonnie said with the sadness in her eyes.

After the dinner, Damon’s black Ferrari was waiting for them. He opened the door for Bonnie, as a real gentleman should do. But she was still sad.
While he was taking her home, he tried to cheer her up and she even smiled. But Edgar’s words were still inside her head.
When he parked in front of her house, he decided to break the silence.
“What’s the matter, little witch? Is this because of the waitress? I promise you I won’t do that again, right?”
“What’s happening, Damon? There’s something different about you and we both know that.” Bonnie said, “Why don’t you share with me?”
Damon sighed.
“I don’t want to lose you.”
“I don’t want to lose you, either.” Bonnie said, “Edgar said I would never be happy as long as you loved me. Is that what he did to you? He turned you into something that will hurt me when I think I can’t be more happy?”
“You don’t understand, baby bird. He did turn me into something else. But it’s not something that will hurt you anymore than I already did.”
“And what did you become?” Bonnie asked.
“I’m not sure.” Damon answered.

10

Damon was worried. He hadn’t needed to drink blood for one entire day. More than that: he had not wanted to.
He was not strong anymore. He was not fast anymore. The sunlight was not bothering him anymore. He had eaten human food. And he had liked!
The girls were arousing other cravings on him. Desires that had not crossed his mind for almost five hundred years. But how would he tell Bonnie about it?
He couldn’t. She wouldn’t love him. Not now that he was not a powerful vampire anymore.
Feeling sad and weak, Damon headed to the boarding house. After all, he couldn’t sleep on the graveyard tonight.

Bonnie couldn’t sleep. Damon had some suspicion he wouldn’t share with her. But why would he hide what’s happening from her?
He’s been acting different. He’s not so strong, he’s eating human food, and he’s not drinking blood… And he didn’t manipulate the weather although it was a sunny day.
Oh… Would it be possible?
Damon is human?
But if it were possible, why would Damon hide it from her?
Since she couldn’t sleep, Bonnie decided to go to the boarding house and have a conversation with Elena and Stefan about it.

Damon went into the boarding house feeling small. Stefan could easily kill him if he wanted. Damon could only hope Stefan would help him now.
    “Damon!” Stefan said. “How are you feeling? Is Bonnie okay?”
“Bonnie is fine, little brother.” Damon said with a grim smile. “Unfortunately, I’m not quite as well.”
“What happened? Are you still weak because of that spell? Are you in pain?” Stefan asked.
“Yes, I’m weak, little brother. I’ll be weak for the rest of my life…”

Bonnie was shielding her mental waves. That was something she could easily do. The same way she could connect with Damon, she could hide herself from him.
    That was what she needed now.
    She was looking through the window, trying to listen to what the brothers were saying.

“What do you mean? How would you be weak for the rest of your life? Is it some sort of spell?” Stefan asked.
    “Yes, little brother. It’s a spell. Bonnie is a very powerful witch and Edgar could sense it. He knew Bonnie would do her best to save me.” Damon swallowed. “She did save me. But with a price. I’m not a vampire anymore.”
    “You’re not a vampire anymore? And what are you now?” Stefan asked.
    “I’m human.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I’m absolutely positive. The only thing I haven’t done yet is to take off the ring under the sun.”
    “Does Bonnie know about that?”
    “Of course, no. I can’t tell her.” Damon snapped.
    “Why? She’s your girlfriend, she should know.”
    “She won’t understand. She won’t love me anymore.”

Bonnie gasped.
It’s truth. Damon is not a vampire anymore.
But why would he think she wouldn’t love him anymore?
Bonnie decided she wouldn’t eavesdrop any longer.

Damon gasped. The redheaded beauty went into the boarding house wearing pajamas with a drawn kitten on the front.
    How appropriate, he thought. Her big brown eyes were staring at him. She was like a kitten. And he would never be able to protect her.
“I’ll let you talk.” Stefan said and left the room.
Damon couldn’t meet her gaze for too long. After all, he could see in her eyes that she had heard the truth. She was probably going to break up with him and he’d have to learn to live without his baby bird.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Damon?” Bonnie asked.
“Because I wanted to delay.” Damon answered.
“Delay what?”
“This moment. The moment when you tell me you don’t want to be my girlfriend anymore and ask me if we can still be friends.” Damon sighed. “That’s okay little witch. Every relationship ends, great loves always part and life goes on.”
Bonnie stepped closer and looked into his eyes. Her expression was puzzled.
“I don’t understand. I still want to be your girlfriend. Why are you saying these things?”
“You still do?”
“Yes.”
“But I am not that powerful vampire anymore. I can’t protect you, and now…” Damon stopped. His eyes were already trying to figure out what her body was like underneath the clothes.
The fact was that now that Damon was human, he was not longing for Bonnie’s blood anymore. He was longing for her body. Of course he was going to bleed her anyway, since she was a maiden in both senses. When he thought about that, he felt some kind of vanity he hadn’t felt for years and years.
Damon closed his eyes. It was a crime to think about that. She is so precious, I won’t have her hurt, he thought.
“What?” Bonnie asked getting closer. She hugged him. Her smell was sweet under his nose. Her skin was soft. Her body against his was making him crazy.
“Share your feelings with me. I want to help…” Bonnie murmured.
The new craving was burning his entire body.
“Bonnie…” Damon whispered.
“Damon…” Bonnie whispered.
He kissed her. But the kiss was not enough. It was like he would never get enough of her. He pulled her closer.
“My baby bird…” he said. “I’ll take you home. I don’t want you wandering alone at night…”

Damon drove her home. When he parked in front of her house, she took his hand.
“I don’t want to go to my room. Not alone, at least.” Bonnie said.
“You don’t know what you’re saying. I’m not a vampire anymore…” Damon said.
“I’m aware about it.” Bonnie said.
“I don’t want to compromise your maidenly modesty…”
Bonnie giggled and bent to nuzzle his neck. She was not a woman yet but she certainly knew how to seduce.
Damon gasped and sank his hand between her curls. “No baby bird…”
It was too late.
“I’m not scared…” she whispered into his ear. “Why don’t you go inside?”
“And what about your parents?” Damon asked.
“They’re gone for the weekend. And Mary is at work. You just have to leave before noon…” Bonnie answered kissing his neck.
“And what if she comes home earlier? I’m not a vampire to jump from the window…” Damon asked stroking her hair.
“Then I’ll have to hide you inside my closet…” Bonnie said and giggled.
Damon took her in his lap and kissed her.
“Are you sure? After having gone through that door I won’t be able to restrain myself and you’ll be mine.”
“I want to spend the night with you.” Bonnie said.

As soon as they were inside the house, Damon took her in his arms as far as her room. He lay her on the bed and knelt by her side. “May I ask you one thing?”
    “Anything!” Bonnie answered.
    “I want to see you naked.”
    Bonnie flushed.
    Damon smiled. He kissed her softly and tenderly then moved away to look into her brown eyes.
He didn’t say anything.
He took off her socks. Then he took of her pajama pants. She was wearing yellow panties. Would the bra match?
Then he took off her pajama shirt. She was wearing a white bra. Her translucent skin looked so fragile he was afraid to touch. “Come sei bella”
Bonnie felt ashamed and covered herself with the sheet. Damon bent to kiss her lips one more time. He could see her eyelids closed; her long lashes over her cheeks and her blue veins embellishing her necks. Old habits die hard, Damon thought.
His lips met the soft skin of her neck. He planted tiny kisses all over her neck until he reached her lap. He nuzzled there for a few seconds, feeling the bra strap. Subtly he opened the bra under the sheet.
Bonnie gasped, but closed her eyes swimming in pleasure. She raised her arms, so he could take off the bra. Damon heard a low moan. This is heaven, Damon thought. He could imagine her small breasts through the soft fabric of the sheet.
Damon’s hands stroked her legs then, still under the sheet because the mystery was not ready to be revealed. He pulled off the panties.
Damon met her gaze.
Bonnie smiled.
Damon pulled off the sheet and finally saw her entire body naked.

            * * *

The sun rose. They were both naked under the sheet. Bonnie was still sleeping when Damon woke up.
While he was watching her sleep, Damon thought about her life and his life. Or should he say ‘our lives’?
He was almost five hundred years after all. Maybe he should settle down.
But she was so young…
Maybe he should buy a ring.
Maybe.
Would she say ‘yes’?
Of course she would. She would be his wife.
Wife?
The word didn’t match with this girl. She was a baby bird. His baby bird.
But every woman loves jewelry.
Woman?
Every girl loves jewelry.
Now things are different. Instead of a lapis lazuli, the ring would have a diamond.

11

When Bonnie woke up, Damon was wearing pants, but his chest was still naked.
Oooooh… Gorgeous…
“You were so beautiful sleeping…” said Damon bending to kiss her. “Go back to sleep. It’s just 8h00am.”
“Then why are you already up? Come back to bed…” said Bonnie.
“I can’t, little witch… I have to sort something out before we meet tonight.” said Damon.
“We’ll be meeting tonight?”
“Of course we will. And when I pick you tonight, I’ll have a surprise for you.” Damon kissed her again.

Damon and Bonnie were holding hands. He was walking her home after a perfect night. Although Bonnie is clumsy, they had danced and had too much fun together.
    “Have you ever thought about the future, red-haired song bird?” Damon asked.
    “What do you mean? If I’ve decided my career?” said Bonnie.
    Damon gave a sarcastic smile. “Have you thought about what to do after graduating in high school?”
    Bonnie stopped. “I don’t know…”
    Damon took her hand. “Well, I have. And it happens that I am rich, baby bird. And I’m crazy for you and I also want you by my side. So…” Damon took a box from the pocket of his black leather jacket, “I got this ring for you, and I hope you take it!”
    Bonnie stared at the diamond ring with wide eyes. She couldn’t find her voice for a few seconds, enough for Damon to panic.
    “Say something, little witch…”
    “Are… are you talking about marriage?”
    “Yes, I am.” Damon said, “Sweet Bonnie, will you marry me?”
    “Marriage? Isn’t marriage supposed to be boring?” said Bonnie.
Damon smirked, “Do you remember last night?”
Bonnie flushed.
“If we were married, every night could be like that.”
Bonnie giggled. “Yes, I will marry you Damon!”
He hugged her, lifting her up and nuzzling her hair. They were both tightening their arms around each other. The classical decision had been made irreverently, but a proof of mutual love had been shown anyway and happiness was like a waterfall inside of them.
Damon put her on the floor again and kissed her cupping her face in his hands. Then he slid down onto one knee and placed the ring on the third finger of her left hand.
“It’s such a beautiful ring…” said Bonnie.
“Yeah, it’s such a beautiful ring.” said someone else mimicking Bonnie.
Damon turned his head to see two guys. One of them was tall and blond and the other was short and bald.
“We liked so much this ring that we want it.” said the bald one.
“And we’re gonna take it right now.” said the blond.
Damon stood up. “I don’t think so.”
Bonnie held Damon’s waist. “Damon, please…”
“You’d better listen to your girlfriend, metrosexual.” Said the bald guy who seemed to be the boss. “’Cause we’re gonna hurt her if you don’t cooperate.”
“If you hurt her, I’m going to rip your head off.” Damon said totally unaware that he couldn’t kill so easily anymore.
Then everything happened and Bonnie was lost in the middle of the fight. The two thieves came towards Damon. Damon punched the bald guy, but the blond one kicked his stomach and Damon fell to his knees.
Damon really knew how to fight, and even though the teams were not even, he proved to be a tough guy. But every time he was facing one, the other would take advantage to beat him up, and this was something Bonnie wouldn’t stand to watch.
She had to do something.
Suddenly the worst happened. The blond one held Damon’s arms, so he couldn’t defend himself and the bald one started to punch him.
Bonnie would never remember how she managed to cast that spell. But she just couldn’t stand Damon being beaten up like that. She just threw a huge amount of energy over the bald one and he fell on the floor unconscious.
The blond tried to run away bewildered, but Damon knocked him down.
Bonnie ran to Damon. He hugged her affectionately. There was blood all over his face. His hands were hurt. But his baby bird was safe.

Damon walked Bonnie to her house.
    “Maybe I could ask Mary to see your wounds.” said Bonnie.
    “That’s okay, baby bird. It’s just a scratch.” said Damon.
    “But you are bleeding.” said Bonnie touching his face.
    Damon kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry about me, little witch. You just saved me. Everything will be fine.”
    Bonnie didn’t like the way he looked at her. His eyes were sad. There was a lot of pain inside of him. Bonnie wanted to hug him and tell him there was nothing wrong with him. That he was just a man and he was not invincible; but he was the man she loved and nothing else could ever matter.
    But she didn’t.
He just left her. She watched while he went away.

12

The next day Damon was still sad. When he met Bonnie, he didn’t kiss her.
“Bonnie, we need to talk.” said Damon.
He was leaning against the wall inside Bonnie’s bedroom. He seemed to be brooding and Bonnie felt a twist in her stomach.
“Aren’t we talking now?”
He sighed. “Yes, we are. But there’s one thing I need to tell you.” Damon said and, looking into her eyes stroked her face. “You know how much you mean to me, don’t you?”
Bonnie was trembling. Her heart was pounding inside her chest. Damon felt that and held her close to him.
“Do you remember that curse?” Damon began.
“I don’t care about that curse!” Bonnie was already crying.
“Yes, you do,” Damon said while caressing her hair, “because if you get hurt I’ll get hurt,” then he held her face with both his hands, “and I’m selfish enough for require you not to get hurt.”
Bonnie was sobbing and the tears were wetting her face. She had already understood what that meant.
“You proposed me yesterday…” she whispered.
“And I will keep my word. I’m still your fiancé”
“You are not breaking up with me?”
“Of course not; I would never break up with you.”
“Then why are we having this conversation?”
“Because I need to remove the curse.”
Bonnie swallowed. “And how do you plan to do that?”
“I need to go to Florence. There’s a vampire witch extremely powerful living there.”
“And why can’t we go there after the marriage?” Bonnie asked.
“Because we are not going there. I have to do it alone.” Bonnie gasped but he was still talking. “And we can’t get married before because I have to leave now. Before the curse gets you hurt.”
Bonnie’s heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Or that was what it felt like. “And how long will you stay there?”
“I don’t know.” Damon said quietly.
“You don’t know? What is that suppose to mean?”
“It means I’m going to leave you now and you might not want to wait for my return.”
“But you just said you would still be my fiancé…”
“Baby bird, I have to leave but I still want to marry you when… when I get back,” Damon sighed, “but I don’t want you to wait for me for your entire life. I don’t know how long I’ll stay in Florence. It could be three months our thirty years. It all depends on how long the spell would take to remove the curse.”
“Why, Damon? Why are you doing this to us?” Bonnie’s voice was barely a whisper.
“You don’t understand, Bonnie! Edgar didn’t want to kill me. He wanted to destroy my life. I’m cursed!” said Damon.
“But it’s also a blessing, I remember he said that!” said Bonnie.
“It was a blessing because I could make love to you!” said Damon.
“It was?” Bonnie whimpered.
“It is a blessing… I just need to make sure I’ll always be only a blessing. I can’t risk your life.” Damon stated.
“What if I die away from you? If you’ll be gone for so long, I might die before you come back…”
“I would turn you before I leave if I were still a vampire. But I am not and Stefan would never agree with that.” Damon sighed. “You are not going to die because of me… I can’t stand to be the danger in your life. And now that I’m human, I can’t protect you anymore.”
“But you’ll leave me alone anyway…”
“No, you won’t be unprotected. I’ve already talked to Stefan. He’ll be looking after you while I’m gone. As long as it takes.”
“It’s all decided then. My opinion won’t matter anyway…”
“Listen, baby bird… I’ll leave my ring with you now, as a prove that I’m coming back as soon as this curse has been removed.”
“Since you are not a vampire anymore, what difference does it make? You’re giving me a ring that it’s not important…”
“It’s not truth, little witch. This ring is very important. It’s really hard to find someone who makes this special kind of jewelry to vampires. This one has been mine for the last five hundred years, so it means a lot to me, just like my jacket.” He took off his ring and tried on Bonnie’s fingers until it fits on the index finger of Bonnie’s right hand. “And besides, I’ll probably become a vampire again. I’ll have to hide in the shadows until I find you. That’s how you know I’ll come back for you.”

After making love to Bonnie for the last time, he kept her in his arms for the rest of the night. He couldn’t sleep, thinking about how much he would miss her, so he spent the whole night watching her carefully.
But he had to leave. He had to try and make things right. So he kissed her forehead very lightly and touched her red curls one last time before he left the house.

Her name was Giuseppina. She had long white hair and violet eyes. Although she was a vampire, she was dressed as a witch: black dress and black pointed hat.
“What can I do for you, Damon?” said Giuseppina.
“I’ve been cursed by Edgar, the wizard. I was going to die and this witch I love cast a spell. I didn’t die, but I became human. And as long as I’m next to her, she’ll be in danger.” said Damon.
“But this is a problem you could solve simply by staying away from her.”
“Yes, I know. But…”
“But you don’t want to. Obviously. How much do you love her?” Giuseppina asked.
“Much.”
“Enough to stay away from her to protect her?”
“Of course, I’ve already left her… I did what I had to do. But I still have hope that this curse can be removed and we can be together again.”
“This woman you love; tell me about her.” Giuseppina said.
“She’s still a girl actually,” Damon smiled and went on, “She’s flirty, exuberant, funny, childish, even silly sometimes. But she’s always loyal and tender.” Damon let the memory of Bonnie fill his mind and felt a little nostalgic. “Of course she’s pretty. Not in the classic way, but she’s… different. She has this red curls and… her eyes are brown. She looks like a kitten.”
“A kitten?” Giuseppina prompted.
“Yeah, a kitten. Young, naïve, playing with a ball of wool…”
“I see. You really love her.” Giuseppina stated. “However, you must be aware that this will not come without a price. Are you willing to pay the price?”
“Anything.” Damon answered.
“Well… To remove the curse I have to change everything that happened after the curse. Everything will be the way it was before you’ve been cursed, including her feelings. Of course you’ll have to abdicate making love, since having become human is part of the curse. You’ll be a vampire again.”
“Fair enough.” Damon said.


* * *

It had been three months since Damon had left. Bonnie had already got used to Stefan near her house. He’d keep his promise to Damon no matter what.
The first five weeks after Damon’s departure she had cried almost everyday. Whenever she was in her room, she would remember the feeling of safety his arms would bring.
She kept both his rings in her hands. The engagement ring was always there to remind her of their love and his protective ring was always there to remind her that Damon had left.
Bonnie was in her bedroom, crying on the bed while touching his ring.
“Won’t you come back to me, my love?” she whispered.
Suddenly she heard a noise next to her window. She opened the glass looking for Stefan.
He was not there.
In the sky, the full moon was white. The winter was coming and the cold wind was shaking the leaves.
Bonnie rubbed her own arms over the red sweater, trying to get warmer. She stared at the yard, looking for the source of the noise. A bird, maybe?
Bonnie looked intently through the leaves of a big tree next to her room. Then she saw a black shadow on a twig.
There was a big crow expecting to be invited in.




The End