“There’s nothing to read into. I’m here to collect my beloved Damon andStefan is just helping me.”Bonnie looked at her with her brows knitted and her mouth pursed, butdidn’t venture a word.“Bonnie?”“Um-hm?”“Did I just say what I thought I said?”“Um-hm.”Elena, with one motion, gathered an armful of pillows and deposited themon her face.”

“There's nothing to read into. I'm just here to collect my beloved Damon and Stefan is just helping me.”

“Whatever. I just won’t have Elena hurt, is all. Or the little red-headed witch.” “Ah, yes, sweet Bonnie. I wouldn’t mind one or two like her. One for Samhain and one for the Solstice.”Damon snorted drowsily. “There aren’t two like her; I don’t care where you look. I won’t have her hurt either.”

“I know I’m just a human woman, but so help me, if anything happens to her while she’s with you—”“I assure you she’ll be in good hands.”“Mm-hm, that’s part of what I’m worried about.” She pointed at his hands. “Hands off, mister.”

“Bonnie laughed, and I mean she threw her head back and cackled up into the rain. They say it only takes a tablespoon of water to drown a person. I was hoping they were right. But Bonnie didn't drown, which was an amazing shame considering the size of her mouth.”

“Damon spoke without moving. “I’m not like you.”“You’re not as different from us as you want to think,” Matt said. “Look,” he added, an odd note of challenge in his voice, “I know you killed Mr. Tanner in self-defense, because you told me. And I know you didn’t come here to Fell’s Church because Bonnie’s spell dragged you here, because I sorted the hair and I didn’t make any mistakes. You’re more like us than you admit, Damon. The only thing I don’t know is why you didn’t go into Vickie’s house to help her.”Damon snapped, almost automatically, “Because I wasn’t invited!”Memory swept over Bonnie. Herself standing outside Vickie’s house, Damon standing beside her. Stefan’s voice: Vickie, invite me in. But no one had invited Damon.“But how did Klaus get in, then—?” she began, following her own thoughts.“That was Tyler’s job, I’m sure,” Damon said tersely. “What Tyler did for Klaus in return for learning how to reclaim his heritage. And he must have invited Klaus in before we ever started guarding the house—probably before Stefan and I came to Fell’s Church. Klaus was well prepared. That night he was in the house and the girl was dead before I knew what was happening.”“Why didn’t you call for Stefan?” Matt said. There was no accusation in his voice. It was a simple question.“Because there was nothing he could have done! I knew what you were dealing with as soon as I saw it. An Old One. Stefan would only have gotten himself killed—and the girl was past caring, anyway.”Bonnie heard the thread of coldness in his voice, and when Damon turned back to Stefan and Elena, his face had hardened. It was as if some decision had been made.“You see, I’m not like you,” he said.“It doesn’t matter.” Stefan had still not withdrawn his hand. Neither had Elena.”