Bonnie's date was late.

She contemplated listening to her nerves and leaving while she still had her pride. It was Friday night and the Mystic Grill was standing room only. She'd managed to grab one of the last booths and she was growing tired of dodging death glares from the pool table while she sat there alone. In the next few minutes she would confirm what everyone at school had whispered about for the past two weeks. She didn't care that Jer, she had to make a mental note to stop referring to him by a nickname she'd assigned to him long before her tenth birthday, was a junior and a year behind her in age.

Things had been...well...

She reached for the phone dancing across the table.

Where are you?

Bonnie's screen lit up with the arrival of the new text. Her fingers flew across the keys typing her response.

At the Grill.

She conveniently left off the added information that she was patiently waiting for her date to arrive. She sent a follow up to her previous reply.

Why...what's wrong?

She considered turning off the phone and tucking it away in her bag and then the vibration quickly cancelled that train of thought.

Nothin...

Her fingers hovered above the screen, waiting for her virtual companion's next line.

Miss you...made lasagna...come watch GG

When did this insanity begin? No curse words, insults, and an admission that he wanted to spend time with her. She'd kept her distance since her last visit to the Manor. Things had changed.

Jeremy Gilbert now held the title - boyfriend, and she couldn't maintain her role as Damon Salvatore's conscious.

She was becoming too attached.

Sorry...can't...rain check?

Her phone remained unusually silent, there was no response. Not even an hour after she was fully engrossed in the patty melt on her plate and the cutie across from her at the table.

Damon was mad?

This had been his idea, she'd acted on that nudging feeling in the pit of her stomach based off of his advice and now he couldn't respond to a text with one little letter, K.

Spoiled...

Selfish...

Asshat...

"Where are you?"

Bonnie lifted her face from her overly salted fries at met Jeremy's eyes. His hand had stretched across the table and was waiting to the left of her plate. How could she devote so much mental energy to Damon Salvatore when she had the epitome of sweetness right here with her? She removed her hand from her lap and laced her fingers through his, while her other hand tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm fine...what did you say?"

He rewarded her with a perfect smile and her heart melted. He had that affect on her. He always knew what to say, when to wrap his arms around her, when to lower his lids and level that hooded gaze in her direction. The warmth started in her pinky toes, rose up the back of her legs, pooled in her stomach, all before flushing her cheeks. It felt good to have one person focused on her, not consumed by a mission that involved someone else and threatened to prematurely end her days on earth.

Her eyes landed on the fluorescent green t- shirt lining his frame. Their relationship was new, so collectively they'd agreed to only exchange gifts in the form of corny shirts ordered off the internet. Bonnie had fallen for the Festivus Feats of Strength tee after one click and well Jeremy had paid five dollars extra to emblazon a cotton black shirt with shimmery white lettering Team Jeremy. They were dangerously close to becoming cliché already.

"I said we should totally go to Tyler's New Year's Eve party at the lake."

Bonnie elevated a brow and gave him a condescending smirk, "You do realize it will be December 31st and there is currently snow outside on the ground."

His grip on her hand tightened and she didn't cringe when his foot mistakenly stepped on hers. He was nervous.

"I'll keep you warm."

How could she argue with the logic in that?

She nodded and mouthed, "Okay," in agreement.

They ignored their plates for the benefit of sharing smiles over a massive brownie sundae. Their hands still entwined while they took turns shoveling ice cream and warm fudgy goodness into one anothers mouths in the midst of messy giggles.

The two were the last customers to leave the restaurant and the final two left standing in the parking lot when the manager peeled out headed for home.

Jeremy alternated between wrapping and unwrapping her scarf, arranging her floppy hat on top of her curls, and brushed her cheek with his glove covered hand close to five times. Bonnie stepped closer, sliding her arms around his waist and molding her body to his warmth. She lifted her head and the tips of their noses brushed before their lips met. Hints of vanilla lingered there and she would forever associate him with the taste of ice cream and how great it made her feel.

Her toes were frozen when she finally folded into the driver's seat of her car.

Jeremy followed behind, highlights alternating between bright and dim during their ride home, he honked the horn when Bonnie turned off on the street leading to her home. It was her intention to pull into the driveway behind her father, but the Prius had a mind of its own as it continued on a journey to the boarding house.

A thick plume of smoke rising from the back of the house caught her attention. She left her car idling as she ran in the direction of the hideous smelling fire.

There Bonnie found Damon pouring the remnants of his bottle of bourbon on the flames. He was dangerously close to the fire, the heat prickling his skin.

"Well look who finally joined the party."

Bonnie noted the anger in his voice. Extending her hand across the distance separating them.

"Get away from the fire - come inside."

The smell of charred flesh threatened to make her physically ill.

"Damon...please..."

Her eyes burned with unshed tears as fear paralyzed her, keeping her rooted to the spot where she stood.

"I had to stake Rose tonight" His voice faltered with the admission, "She attacked Elena." His eyes were black but that was the only hint of his true nature, "We tried to call you...Jeremy..."

She thought about the phone still buried at the bottom of her bag. She wanted normal - needed it - but it was a luxury no longer afforded to her.

Bonnie's fingertips stroked the layers of hair at his temples, "I'm sorry Damon."

His smile was disarming and so was the accompanying laugh, "Can't fight who you are little witch." His hand cupped her cheek, "No matter how hard you try."

She studied his back as he turned and staggered towards the house.

Maybe if she had been here? What's done is done, her mind raced with regrets and guilt, until Damon's voice broke through in stereo frequency.

"By the way cute shirt..."