Whoever said time heals all wounds obviously doesn’t watch The Vampire Diaries.

When the CW drama returns on April 1 (8/7c), Damon discovers that a lot has changed during his three-year desiccation. Unfortunately, Bonnie’s fury remains unwavering.

“Coming back into the fray, she is not having it,” second-time director Ian Somerhalder tells TVLine. “She is not happy with him at all. And why should she be? He abandoned her. There’s no two ways about it. So he’s going to have to really build that back up as the season continues.”

Of course, Damon’s decision to go all Sleeping Beauty on his friends is merely the latest in a string of selfish decisions on his part.

“Bonnie gets consistently screwed over by this man,” Somerhalder admits. “Like Stefan, she goes to great lengths to help him, and she just gets shit on as a result of it. She really, really does. And she tries so hard to give him the benefit of the doubt because they’re bonded. There’s a bond there, and he does love her. She’s his best friend. She and Ric are really his best friends, other than his brother.”

Not that Somerhalder is particularly proud of Damon’s relationship with his brother, either…

“Damon is the biggest burden on the planet,” Somerhalder concedes. “He’s Stefan and Elena and Mystic Falls’ biggest liability — and I say that with love. Damon desiccating, while his intentions may have been pure, was a super cowardice act. He left everyone high and dry, but because he’s such a vulnerable character, the audience forgives him for so many things. At the end of the day, come on, this guy does terrible things to people and just gets away with it. Poor Stefan, you know?”

We’ll have more on Somerhalder’s episode for you in the coming days. For now, drop a comment with your thoughts below: What are your hopes for the rest of Season 7?