The Ties That Bind

Banner By: Nivieniv

Title: The Ties That Bind
Rating: PG-13
Author: Sxymami0909
Fandom: Vampire Diaries
Pairing: Damon/Bonnie
Word Count: 1790
Prompt: “The ties that bind us.” written for Fehrplay’s birthday



The first time it happened Bonnie was terrified. Being sucked into someone’s mind, thoughts and emotions running ramped…swirling around until they’re entwined with yours is always slightly unnerving, especially when those thoughts belong to Damon Salvatore.

They had been out in the woods coming back from making sure the magic surrounding the tomb was holding steady now that Katherine was entombed there when it happened. They were attacked by what Bonnie didn’t know. What she did know was Damon had readily jumped to her defense.

He fought off their attacker and got them to safety. Minutes after he was sure the threat was gone Damon had collapsed against a tree trunk leaving Bonnie both confused and emotionally torn. It was clear that he was hurt and he had just saved her life…

But he was Damon Salvatore…would anyone really miss him if she just left him there to rot? It wasn’t like he didn’t deserve it. When he groaned and gripped his bloody side from his position on the ground she made her decision, bending to his level and placing her hands over his wounds she attempted a healing spell.

Seconds later the flood gates had opened and the connection was made. She hadn’t understood what was happening and so she panicked, trying to break the connection, but then through the tendrils of fear that were flying through her she heard the sounds of Damon’s voice calling out to her…calming her.

And in that moment as they worked together to heal his torn body Bonnie was able to catch a glimpse of the real Damon Salvatore.


____

The second time it happened it was an accident. She couldn’t remember exactly what they were fighting about, the moonstone, Katherine, spells; it was always something with Damon. Opinions were being traded loudly when Bonnie’s temper got the better of her.

She could feel energy building in her and before she had a chance to control it, it bubbled over the surface, and exploded causing the glass around them to shatter. Bonnie slammed her eyes closed when she felt a sharp prick as a shard of glass embedded itself in her neck.

Damon was by her side in seconds, strong arms enveloping her body as he mumbled something about having to pull out the glass while she gasped for breath. Bonnie felt a stab of pain as careful fingers removed the glass, followed by warmth as the connection between their minds once again took over.

She could feel his anger at her and the hunger boiling below the surface. But underneath all that she could sense his fear. Not just any kind of fear, but fear for her. She vaguely remembered him using his blood to heal her and as it mixed with hers memories from his past filled her mind.

When Bonnie reached out with her mind, seeking more warmth, more memories of the man he was before being turned, Damon had abruptly pulled back effectively ending their joining of the minds. Leaving Bonnie once again gasping for air, but this time it came, filling her lungs until they were burning for release.

She was lying on the floor, hands gripping his upper arms in a vice like grip as he loomed above her. Their eyes met and she could see a mixture of confusion and relief swimming in his crystal blue orbs. Her voice came out as a breathy whisper.

“Thank you…” He nodded, but said nothing, the emotions and energy from their connection still humming in the air between them.


_____

Bonnie glanced up from the book she was reading only to find Damon’s eyes on her. She cleared her throat averting her gaze back to the pages in front of her. She could feel the weight of his stare and it unnerved her. Even after everything she’d learned about him, it was still hard getting a read on him, knowing what he was thinking.

She huffed, slamming the book shut and amusement settled onto his features as he arched an eyebrow in her direction. Her tone was irritated and it made Damon grin. “Why do you keep staring at me?” He followed her lead and closed his book before tossing it on the table.

They were all in research mode trying to find out as much information about that Klaus person as possible, but for the last half hour all he’d been able to do was focus on the young witch in front of him. She smelled sweet and spicy.

He wasn’t sure if it was some kind of perfume or just her natural scent, but it was driving him crazy. He couldn’t pinpoint why, but Bonnie’s being…her essence was familiar to him. It attracted him in a way he’d always pushed aside because of Elena, but ever since they had made that first connection…it was as if she always lingered in the back of his mind.

He was by her side in an instance startling her and she frowned as she peered up at him. “You know I hate when you do that.”

He gave her a mock thoughtful look, “Mm yes I believe you’ve said that before…”

She eyed him carefully, “Well…are you going to answer my question?”

He studied the dark haired woman in front of him taking note of her erratic heartbeat and quickened pulse. He knew he made her nervous…but there was something else beneath the nervous that he could almost feel. Damon opened and closed his mouth twice before his voice filled the room.

“When you first met me…before you knew what I was…you were attracted to me.” He cursed inwardly at what he meant to be a question, but instead came out as a statement. Bonnie blinked, confusion suddenly covering her face.

“What?”

Damon rolled his eyes as he shifted and leaned against the arm of the couch she was sitting on while motioning in her direction. “When you first met me---”

She held up a hand cutting him off and frowned, “I heard you…I just don’t get why you’d think that, let alone what it has to do with anything…”

Her voice trailed off and he grinned as anxiety rolled off Bonnie in waves. He tapped his head, blue eyes finding green. “I saw it…the memory of the first time we met. I did too…find you attractive…I believe the first thoughts that came to me were…delicious…”

She glared at him and stood, anger rising in her as energy started to pool in her body. Damon stood up quickly jaw tensing. “Calm down Bonnie…you need to get a better hold on all this power you have…control it…don’t let it control you...”

She glared daggers at him, but closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming her raging emotions, which seemed to work as the energy that had been building ebbed away. Her powers were connected to her emotions and Damon had a way of getting under her skin and provoking her like no one else.

But he was also the only one who seemed to know how to help her control it, which only served to irritate her further. When she opened her eyes he approached her slowly, with caution and she froze as his hand cupped her cheek, eyes intense, tone low.

“We can help each other…”

“What--”

He pressed a finger to her lips silencing her while her brows drew together in confusion. Damon swallowed hard. If he was being honest with himself he knew why he’d been so preoccupied with Bonnie lately. He might not know why her mind was familiar to him…but the feeling he got when they connected…the memories she brought out in him…they made him feel alive…like he could be a better person than he’d been lately.

He always said it was a switch that he could push. Good, evil, emotions, no emotions…but it wasn’t true. They were always there buried under layers of hate and anger and for once Damon wanted to let them out. He wanted to be that person again. A person someone could love.

“You and I…we’re one and the same Bonnie…no matter what there is between us…anger, attraction, hate, passion…it’s strong it evokes things within us that you can’t deny…and when we make a connection I feel…like we’ve done it before…so I propose a deal of sorts…a truce if you will. After all I have saved your life twice now.”

He smirked but gone was the cocky look from his eyes. His palm was surprisingly warm against her skin and she unconsciously leaned into it. She was crazy…these were the hands of a killer…what would her grams think if she could see them now?

But Bonnie couldn’t bring herself to pull away. She sucked in a deep breath muscles coiled in nervousness. “What kind of deal?”

He moved closer to her, his arm wrapping around her waist as one of her hands reflexively gripped his arm tightly. She could feel the air shifting as the energy around there bodies started buzzing around them. Damon could feel the shift and he dipped his head as she lifted hers slightly.

She could feel his breath against her lips as he spoke, “Help me remember who I used to be…and I’ll make sure you’re the greatest Bennett witch that ever lived.”

She didn’t know what to say. Her heart was thumping heavily against her chest and his eyes entranced her. She could see the honesty on his face and it scared her. Sure they had made connections before when healing each other, but this…it would be entirely different…it would be voluntary and out of want instead of need.

And Bonnie wasn’t sure she was ready to take that kind of plunge. She opened her mouth and caught his eyes, every intention of telling him to go to hell when suddenly she was on her toes, lips crashing against his. His hands jerked her forward against his body as he returned the kiss fiercely, deepening it until their tongues were battling.

She moaned as his mind enveloped hers letting her see into everything he hid from her last time and as he bombarded her with memories, she did the same to him. First kiss, first date, her parent’s divorce. He showed her the Stefan he used to know, why he left the confederacy, his Father’s high expectations and his failures to meet up to them.

Damon had Bonnie wrapped in his arms, hands roaming on every spare inch of flesh they could reach while emotions and thoughts poured through them as they let go, the connection between them exploding, binding them together in a way he’d never thought possible…The third time Bonnie and Damon let their minds connect it was definitely not an accident.