4:40 A.M.
Flowers’ Boarding House
Damon silently retreated into the shadows of the kitchen and watched Elena mount the stairs and creep out of the house, completely unaware of his presence. He considered following her, but was more interested in where she’d been than in where she was going. He assumed it was to Stefan, and the longer that confrontation was avoided, the better.
However, Elena showing up there was still puzzling him. It was hard to surprise him. . .after five hundred years, he'd seen pretty much everything. But he was baffled.
*What the hell was she doing?* he asked himself. *More importantly--why was she alone?*
Elena was never alone. In all the time he'd known her, Damon had never known Elena to not have support or someone on her side. She always had a team. So where were the rest of them?
Had Bonnie said something—let it slip that he was here? Damon's eyes narrowed briefly. No, she wouldn't do that. *Besides, Elena wasn’t looking for me. . .she was looking for something else. What?*
Rolling these questions around in his head, he headed for the basement and descended into it. Perhaps he could take a peek and find out what Elena had been searching for so intently. And maybe, just maybe, he’d get a little closer to what was REALLY going on in Fell’s Church. He knew Bonnie wasn’t telling him everything.
“But she will,” he murmured. The boxes Elena had been rifling through remained opened. Damon chuckled. “Our Queen doesn’t clean up after herself. . .naughty girl.”
As he began sorting through the contents of the crates, Damon thought back to the last time he’d been in Fell’s Church. When Elena was still dead, and Klaus was the reigning terror. Mrs. Flowers had been so accepting of all the oddities that had gone on in her boarding house, never questioning either he or Stefan. Could she have been more than just a batty old woman?
He whistled appreciatively when he came across an old book of Celtic incantations. *She was making more than grape juice down here,* he mused to himself as he leafed through the book. “Right of the Faerie Dance, Curse of Eternal Sleep, Obliterating Dark Spirits. . .” he trailed off. “This is heavy stuff. Looks like Mrs. Flowers was a witch.”
So, how did Elena know that? Had Bonnie known and sent her here? He frowned and continued looking through the boxes. *At 4:00 in the morning, alone?* No way. . .something else was going on. Something Elena didn’t want the others to know about.
Wrapped up in his thoughts, Damon failed to hear the footsteps behind him on the stairs, or feel another presence. He was still contemplating what Elena knew when pain exploded behind his eyes and his world went blank.
* * * * *
12:00 P.M.
Stonewall Park
Fell’s Church
The park was nearly deserted. The middle of the day saw all of Fell’s Churches children in school. Gazing around, Meredith remembered fondly how she used to long for the school day to end so she and Bonnie could race each other here to play Princess games and laugh for hours. She’d loved this place more than life itself back then, and it didn’t seem all that different to her now.
Except for the company. Meredith was trying to ignore the brooding silence of her walking partner, but it was starting to get to her. She’d tried to make conversation, commenting on what a beautiful day it was, but her efforts had been in vain.
Finally she couldn’t take anymore. She halted on the sidewalk and grasped his arm. “Stefan, what’s wrong?”
He looked startled. Meredith noticed for the hundredth time how pale he had become. . .and skinny. Stefan had always been slim, but now he just looked gaunt. There were sunken black circles under his eyes and she was willing to bet a lot of money that every single one of his ribs was visible under his clothing.
He shook his confused look. “Nothing’s wrong, Meredith.” He paused, then added “Besides the obvious that is.”
She shook her head. “Huh-uh. Stefan, I’m not stupid. What’s going on is not just what’s happening here. You and Elena are barely speaking. . .and you—you look like death warmed over. What the hell has happened to you?”
“I am death warmed over!” he snapped. Meredith glared at him and he cast his eyes down to the sidewalk. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am dead Meredith.”
“Come off it,” she scoffed. Then she looked up at the bright sun and sighed. He wasn’t comfortable out here. “Let’s find some shade,” she suggested and pulled him toward a group of trees. He followed willingly, if not resignedly. Meredith led him to a small bench and pushed him down onto it unceremoniously.
“Now,” she said as she towered over him with her hands on her hips. Stefan was vaguely reminded of his tutor Francesca many years ago. “Tell me.”
He sighed deeply and felt his gaze once again drawn to the ring on his right hand. It was only after Meredith sat next to him and placed her hand over it that he was able to answer her. “What is it you’re expecting me to tell?”
“That you haven’t been feeding. . .that you and Elena are having problems—you know, the truth.”
He looked away. “It sounds like you’ve already figured things out for yourself. What else do I need to say Meredith?”
She withdrew her hand at his bitter tone. *Damnit, why is he so hard to reach?* “Don’t do this Stefan,” she pleaded quietly. “Talk to me.”
He turned to meet her eyes. Their dark depths were earnest and full of unspoken fears. “Do you know where Elena is right now?” he questioned.
Meredith frowned. “No,” she answered confusedly. “Why?”
Stefan smiled ironically. “Because I don’t know where she is either. She was gone when I woke up this morning. In fact, I never know where she is. Even when she’s standing right next to me, she’s a million miles away.”
She let out a slow breath. “How long have you two been. . .distant?”
“A little over a week.”
“A week?!” Meredith exclaimed. “Only a week? You guys have made this seem like an epic struggle.” She paused, considering her words. “Then again, when hasn’t it been an epic struggle?”
“Thank you,” Stefan muttered sarcastically. He started to rise, but Meredith grabbed his arm.
“Wait, I’m sorry.” She pulled him back down and regarded him seriously. “No matter how many miles or years separate us, I am your friend. I am Elena’s friend. Nothing will change that.”
“I know.” Her words filled him with warmth. It was temporary, but it felt good anyway.
“So what did Elena—“
He cut her off. “It was me. I moved into another bedroom.”
Now she was confused again. “You moved—why?”
The dream flashed through his mind. The sound of her neck snapping. . .the taste of her blood. . .
“I don’t know,” he murmured.
Meredith wasn’t buying it. “Stefan, I know you. And I know you love Elena—“
His eyes flashed angrily. “Of course I do!”
She nodded patiently. “And it’s that love that keeps you by her side. So, I know that nothing could keep you away from her,” she continued. “Unless, you thought you were doing the right thing. . .if it were for her safety, her well-being.”
*My God, am I that transparent?*
He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. Years of bearing his burdens alone with mysterious silence screamed at him to shrug off her instincts. He’d only accepted her offer for a walk in order to get his mind off of Elena, not to pour out all of his fears for her and himself.
But he was tired. Meredith was too perceptive and he knew that lying at this point would be completely moot. He heaved a sigh that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul and met Meredith’s gaze quietly.
“I’ve been having dreams.”
She nodded as though she’d known he would say that. “Like Bonnie.”
His eyes widened. *Like Bonnie. . .* He hadn’t even made the connection.
They both looked up when a cloud covered the sun and the wind picked up. The air seemed to grow cold in a matter of seconds.
* * * * *
Same Time
Bonnie’s apartment
Bonnie shivered as she pulled her windows closed. A moment before it had been sunny and nice. She was surprised at the sudden change in temperature.
“En autome*,” Aurora called from the kitchen. “the weather is always fickle, petite.”
Bonnie joined the vampire at the breakfast bar and picked at the salad she’d prepared for her lunch. “True,” she agreed distractedly.
Aurora frowned at Bonnie’s listless behavior. She’d been acting this way ever since they’d left the cemetery the night before. She darkened to think that it was over this Salvatore. . .Damon. Was she thinking about him?
*Stop it!* Aurora ordered herself. *You will not succumb to petty jealousy!*
“Where is he?” Bonnie asked out loud, confirming Aurora’s suspicions
She sighed. “He will come petite.” She smiled and added. “Damon is more of a night person, non?”
Bonnie grinned. “Yeah, you’re right.” She rested her elbow on the bar and leaned her cheek into her palm. “I guess I just want to get the show on the road, so to speak. I’m tired of all this waiting.”
Aurora’s thoughts went to her phone conversation early that morning. She knew she needed to tell Bonnie of Elisabeth’s impending arrival, but didn’t know how to bring it up. She decided to dive right in.
“I’ve been tired of waiting as well,” she began. The tone of her voice made Bonnie look up from the counter. “So I made a phone call.”
Bonnie’s eyes were wary. “Who did you call?”
“Someone who can help us figure out what’s going on. . .and then who can help us win.”
The redhead’s eyes prodded her to continue.
“I called my sire—Elisabeth Carrey.”
Climactically, the phone rang, and they both jumped. Bonnie threw Aurora a look that said “We’re not through”, and ran to answer it. The dark-haired vampire followed at a discreet distance and heard to Bonnie’s breathless “Hello?”
“Bonnie? It’s Alaric. Have you seen Elena?”
Bonnie raised her eyebrows and met Aurora’s gaze. She mouthed Alaric’s name then replied, “No, isn’t she supposed to be with you guys?”
The worry was evident in Alaric’s voice. “Well, yes. But she’s been gone since before any of us woke up this morning and Stefan and Meredith both just returned from a walk and are very anxious to find her. Do you have any idea where she might be?”
Panic was catching. Bonnie could feel her fear mounting. “Have you checked with Matt? Maybe she’s out with him.”
Alaric let out a deep breath. “No, I just talked to Matt. He’s been home all morning.”
Desperately searching for something she blurted, “Maybe she went for a walk?”
“A walk?” Alaric sounded scared to death. “Elena Gilbert out walking in Fell’s Church?”
Bonnie closed her eyes. “Aurora and I will go look for her. I’ll call you in an hour.” She hung up before he could respond and turned to Aurora quietly.
The vampire’s arms were crossed. “Elena?”
She nodded briefly then ran a hand through her hair. “We have to find her.”
“What about Damon?”
Bonnie paused in her path to the door. “I’ll try to contact him telepathically later,” she concluded.
Aurora nodded and caught her leather jacket when Bonnie tossed it to her. “What’s the possible damage?”
Bonnie paused with her hand on the doorknob. “The damage of Elena wandering around Fell’s Church?” She turned to look back at Aurora. “Well, it’s not everyday that you run into a girl who’s been dead for almost three years.”
* * * * *
*En Automne: in Autumn
