10:25 A.M.
Bonnie's Apartment
*Salvatore.* Bonnie felt an ache begin in the pit of her stomach. She had a million questions, but found that her mouth suddenly didn't work.
Matt's did. "What did you say?" he whispered incredulously.
Elisabeth kept her eyes fastened on Stefan and Damon.
Bonnie turned to gauge their reactions. Stefan's eyes were wide, one of his hands was clenching the tablecloth. Damon's face looked as impassive as ever, but Bonnie could see his nostrils flaring, and could furthermore feel the turmoil taking place in his mind. All of her instincts screamed at her to reach out to him mentally, but she squashed her feelings down, knowing it was not what he wanted.
"Salvatore," Elisabeth repeated softly. "Sebastian Armando Salvatore. He was born late on the night of October 25th 1544 to Giuseppe, Conte di Salvatore, and his wife, Isabella."
*Tomorrow's the 25th,* Bonnie thought absently.
Stefan had gone still, his face completely white. "That is the night I was born," he murmured rawly.
Elisabeth nodded, her eyes solemn and full of unshed tears. "Yes," she replied. "You, Stefan, were born earlier in the evening. The doctors could not understand why Isabella did not improve after your birth. The reason was revealed when she went into labor again hours later." She paused and cleared her throat. "Sebastian was too much for her."
"'Dream of the one whose birth meant death. . .'" Alaric quoted again.
Stefan's lips were trembling. "Are you saying-"
"Sebastian is your twin brother," Elisabeth finished for him.
"My God," Meredith breathed.
"No."
Damon's voice was firm, his eyes dangerous. "No," he stated again, as they all turned to look at him.
Stefan's face was still shocked, but full of compassion. "Damon-"
"No!" Damon bit out. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I have no reason to lie," Elisabeth broke in quietly. "Do you honestly think I would make up something like this?"
Damon glared at her and shoved his chair back. He stood and paused, trying to calm his rage. "I've spent centuries seething in anger over my mother's death," he finally answered in a deadly voice. "I hated my brother for years, and now you tell me that it was for no reason." He glanced down at Stefan, whose gaze was firmly fixed to the table. "My entire existence has been built on lies."
And with that, he stormed onto the balcony and slammed the glass door shut behind him. Bonnie jumped up immediately, but Aurora grabbed her arm.
*Let him go Petite.*
Bonnie felt her eyes narrow. *He needs--*
*To be alone,* Aurora finished. *Give him time.*
Bonnie sat again, but didn't take her eyes off of her balcony. Damon was leaning over the railing, his back rising and falling rapidly with each of his shaky breaths.
"Stefan," Elisabeth was saying. "You know that I am telling the truth. You feel it."
He nodded, his eyes still cast down. Bonnie reached a hand out and squeezed his gently. She thought she heard a distant *Thank you.*
Matt cleared his throat. "How do you know all of this?" he questioned. "How did you become Sebastian's guardian?"
Elisabeth finally tore her eyes away from Stefan and regarded Matt. "It's a long story," she warned.
Alaric sighed. "I think we can make time," he told Elisabeth seriously.
She nodded in agreement, and pushed her chair back. "Let's move into the living room, where it will be more comfortable. Aurora?"
"Oui?"
"Pouvez-vous nettoyer la table? Je faus parler avec les autres.*"
Aurora smiled slightly. "Bien sur, chere.*" She stood up and began gathering plates. Elisabeth moved away from the table, Stefan, Meredith, Alaric, and Matt close behind.
Bonnie hesitated, looking at Aurora steadily. She still didn't understand what it was she was feeling for the beautiful French vampire-just as she didn't understand why her attention kept shifting to the balcony. Damon and Aurora were at war in Bonnie's mind, and they didn't even know it.
"Je sais,*" Aurora murmured. She didn't look up from her task. "I know."
Bonnie sighed, searching for what she wanted to say. "Aurora-" She was silenced as the violet eyes finally did shift up.
Aurora put down the stack of plates she was holding and reached a gentle hand to Bonnie's cheek. Her touch was cool. "Allez Petite,*" she ordered quietly. "You need to hear Elisabeth's story." She paused and glanced at the balcony, where Damon still had his back to them. "We will talk later."
Bonnie nodded and scurried away, her eyes on Damon the entire time. His anger and hurt radiated through her. When she tentatively reached out to him with her mind, she was rewarded with only a vicious snarl. With a silent yelp, she jerked her mind back and quickly took a seat next to Stefan on the couch. Elisabeth was on the other side of him; Meredith and Alaric had taken the loveseat, and Matt had struck a very Damon-like pose against the wall.
Elisabeth appeared agitated, and Bonnie was surprised. She had thought there was nothing that could upset the powerful vampire. But here she was, pale and trembling. It further plummeted Bonnie's already sinking spirits. When she finally began to speak, it was in a voice tinged with sadness.
"I was already an old and powerful vampire by the time I took up residence in Florence in the year 1540. It was the Renaissance that brought me. The talk of the art and literature coming out of Italy was almost unbelievable." She smiled faintly. "As curious as I've always been, I decided to take a prolonged holiday. I ended up staying for over four years."
A loud beeping filled the room, causing Elisabeth to pause. Matt sheepishly reached for his belt. "It's my pager, I'm sorry." He checked the number, frowned, then turned to Bonnie. "Can I use the phone for a sec?"
*That feeling again.* It was Cecily. She felt her mouth draw into a tight line as she nodded slightly in assent. She watched him move to the hall table and pick up her cordless. Then he moved closer to the door and began to dial.
"I will wait for Matt to finish," Elisabeth said when Meredith threw her a questioning look.
Stefan took a deep breath, and sat back, running his hands through his hair. Bonnie chanced another look out to the balcony. Damon had not moved. She turned her attention back to Matt. His back was facing them, but Bonnie could hear him mumbling something like "I'm sorry, I had to go." Her mind could sense his anxiety, but she felt no sympathy for him. . .only anger. Days of frustration were building up quickly and she knew that something bad was going to happen once Matt hung up that phone.
"I'll be there," he said quietly as he pushed the button to end the call. They all watched as he turned slightly and sighed. He placed the phone back on its base and moved back into the main room. His face looked tired.
"You're leaving again, aren't you?"
Matt turned to her, resignation in his eyes. "Yeah, Bonnie. It was my mom. She's not-"
The rage inside Bonnie exploded. "You asshole! Stop lying to me!"
Matt froze, as did everyone else in the room. "What?" he whispered.
Bonnie stood swiftly and crossed the few feet to stand in front of him. "You've been lying this entire week, Matt Honeycutt. Stop using your mother as an excuse!"
"Bonnie-" Meredith began gently.
Bonnie's eyes never wavered from Matt. "I know you're lying Matt. I can feel it. She saw fear enter his eyes and it only elevated her anger, driving her accusations onward. "You've been seeing her again, haven't you?"
Matt's eyes darkened and Bonnie knew she was right. Vaguely, she heard Alaric ask, "Seeing who?"
"Cecily," she answered sweetly. "Matt's cute little Elena replacement." She heard a gasp from Stefan, but didn't care. "The whore that he cheated on me with."
"That's enough!"
Matt's voice was hard as stone. His breathing was shallow and his face pale, but none of this brought Bonnie any comfort. She was too upset.
"That's enough, Bonnie." he repeated. His hands came up to his face and rubbed tiredly at the skin there. "Cecily is not a whore." He sighed. "But I have been seeing her lately.
Meredith stood and approached them. Her arms were wrapped around herself. Dark circles were plainly visible under her eyes, and her lovely dark hair was dull and limp. "Why didn't you just tell us then?" she asked Matt. "Why did you lie?"
"Because!" he exclaimed as he swung his gaze back to Bonnie. "I knew I would get this reaction."
Bonnie snorted. "I'm sorry Matt-how do you want me to act? Do you want me to throw a party? I guess I skipped that part in 'The Ex-Girlfriend's Proper Etiquette' handbook."
She heard a pointed cough coming from Elisabeth but ignored it. She was geared up for a fight now, and she could tell that Matt's anger was swiftly reaching the same boiling point that hers was at. All she needed to do was push him over the edge. . .
"What's the matter Matt? Seeing Elena again just reminded you of how you couldn't have her? So you had to go back to your substitute?"
"Bonnie!"
Her words died in her throat as she turned to the voice behind her. Shame washed over her when she saw the wounded look in Stefan's eyes. He was looking at her with disbelief and pain that she'd never witnessed before and she was instantly full of regret. Her eyes dropped to the floor and she stepped back from Matt's stiff form.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, not sure if she was apologizing to anyone in particular. She was surprised to feel a hand on her arm, and looked up to see Elisabeth smiling slightly at her.
*It's alright love, you're just angry.*
Matt cleared his throat and they all turned their attention back to him. He met Bonnie's gaze for a second, and she felt how she'd altered their relationship only moments before. It was like looking at a stranger. But he looked away before she could really speculate about it, and opened his mouth to speak.
"It's not about me dating Cecily anymore," he said quietly. He looked pained. "She is-amazing, but. . ." He broke off. "Damnit."
"Out with it darling," Elisabeth prodded. "I can read your thoughts, but you might as well be the one to tell them."
Matt glared at her as his body took on more of a defensive posture, reminding Bonnie oddly of his football playing days. He squared his shoulders.
"The fire was arson, right?"
They all nodded. They'd heard the same information at the scene last night that he had. Damon had made sure of it.
"I found something at Cecily's apartment last night," he continued, dread filling his voice. "A pile of her clothes in the bathtub. They reeked of gasoline."
Bonnie blinked rapidly. *Don't let this one turn out to be as psychotic as the last Elena look-alike was. . .* Matt looked into her eyes and she felt him thinking the same thing.
"Wait a minute," Alaric spoke up. He moved closer to them, pushing up the sleeves of the sweatshirt Matt had lent him. Both he and Meredith were in borrowed clothes, since all of theirs had gone up in the fire. "Are you saying that you think that your new girlfriend is the one who set fire to the hotel?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Matt corrected lamely. He looked around at their outraged faces and threw his hands up in frustration. "I don't know!" he exclaimed. "She left me at the coffee shop a little bit before the fire broke out. She could have done it, but-"
"But what?"
He glanced at Meredith. He swallowed deeply, and copied her position of hugging himself. "But it's not something she would do," he said finally. "Cecily couldn't hurt a fly."
Bonnie made an outraged noise and Matt swung a glare at her. "She couldn't," he repeated. "And she had no motive to do it either."
"But you still think she did it."
Elisabeth's quiet comment stilled them all. Matt regarded her suspiciously, knowing she was reading his thoughts again, and resenting it completely.
"I don't know," he said again. His face was serious. "But I do know that I care a lot about this girl. . ." he trailed off, his eyes wet.
Bonnie felt a lump forming in her throat. All she could feel was the heat of the fire, and see the look on Stefan's face when Alaric told him that Elena hadn't made it. Matt's pain was incomparable.
"She killed Elena and you care about her?"
Matt stepped over to her quickly. "Careful Bonnie," he warned. "I think you and I have had just about all we can take of each other this evening."
She opened her mouth to reply but Stefan cut her off, coming to stand between the two of them. He looked at Matt with deep concern and sadness.
"Do you think she might have killed Elena?"
Matt's jaw twitched, but he met Stefan's gaze steadily. "Maybe."
Stefan accepted this quietly, then added, "And do you love this girl?"
He considered the question. Then, "Maybe."
Stefan nodded, and let his head droop down. He stepped away, placing both hands on his hips. When he looked up again, his green eyes were hard. "Go then," he told Matt.
The blond shrugged his shoulders, but nodded slightly in response. Bonnie didn't understand.
"Go?" she questioned.
"To confront her," Stefan answered.
Bonnie felt her anger rise again. "Just him? If that bitch killed Elena, I have a few words for her myself."
Matt let out an exasperated sigh. "Right now, you're the one being the bitch Bonnie."
She slapped him. And God, it felt good. It had all of her pain and anger behind it, and it snapped his head to the side. Meredith drew in her breath sharply, and Alaric's eyebrows hiked up into her hair. Her hand was stinging painfully, but she didn't care. She couldn't take her eyes off of the red handprint quickly rising on Matt's cheek.
He brought his face back around with ice in his eyes. "Do you feel better?" he asked simply.
"You just told me that you think you're fucking the person who killed one of my best friends. How do you think I feel?"
His face was as unforgiving as she felt. Stefan reached out to her but she shrugged him away.
"Get out," she whispered to Matt, not even aware of the tears that were beginning to stream down her face. "And don't come back until you know which side you're on."
He left without a word, the door slamming painfully behind him. It had been shut for only two seconds before they heard Elisabeth's brisk voice. "Aurora."
Bonnie hadn't even noticed the dark-haired vampire come out of the kitchen, but she was instantly by her sire's side. "Oui chere?"
Elisabeth's eyes were on the door. "Follow him."
Aurora obeyed immediately, striding out the door and putting on her jacket all in a quick series of graceful movements. Again, the door closed loudly and Bonnie jumped in response.
Meredith sighed. "Bonnie-"
She shook her head violently, and made a quick dash down the hall to her bedroom, all her curiosity about Sebastian lost in her anger and Matt's betrayal. When she closed herself in the dark safety of her room, she stumbled over to the bed and collapsed. She cried silently, wishing for something and not knowing what it was that she wanted.
She sat up quickly when the door opened, spilling the dim light from the hallway. A figure stood in the doorway, and she began to wipe at the wetness on her face, expecting to hear Meredith's stern voice. "I'm sorry-"she began, but paused when the figure silently entered the room and closed the door, leaving the room in darkness again.
A weight sat next to her on the bed and her mind immediately flared up. She began to tremble. *Oh God. . .*
"Don't apologize," Damon murmured. "He deserved it."
A sob choked in her throat and Bonnie realized that this was what she'd wanted--to hear his voice and be near him. The tears started afresh and she threw herself in Damon's arms, no longer able to resist the urge. She buried her face in his chest and cried in earnest.
*What is happening?* she cried mentally. *What happened to all of us?*
*I don't know,* was his simple reply.
She fully expected him to pull away. Not wanting to feel that, she started to pull away herself. She was shocked when his arms encircled her and pulled her back against him. His grip was non-negotiable.
Bonnie gasped. Her nose hit his neck and she inhaled his scent. She'd never been this close to Damon, not even when he'd kissed her years ago. Their minds merged, and she was aware of the fact that he was concerned about her. Damon. Damon was concerned about her.
*Never underestimate yourself Bonnie,* he told her fiercely.
She clung to him for dear life, everything else leaving her mind. She knew this wouldn't last, but for a few precious minutes, there was nothing wrong. . .there was no Sebastian, no Matt. . .no Fell's Church. There was only Damon and herself. . .and the inexplicable bond that was drawing them closer together every second. It felt right.
* * * * *
*Pouvez-vous nettoyer la table? Je faus parler avec les autres: Can you
clean the table? I have to speak with the others.
*Bien sur chere: Of course dear.
*Je sais: I know
*Allez Petite: Go small one
