"What is that supposed to mean?", asked Damon in his typical I'm-so-done-tone.
"Well, he's gone.", answered Bonnie carefully and looked at Caroline who was standing just a little bit left behind Damon. Caroline shrugged.
"You wanna tell me that the big bad doppelgänger just left town? Without trying to mass murder all the people that live here once again?", asked Damon not even trying to hide his sarcasm.
Again, Bonnie looked at Caroline. She brought her as back-up because she knew that Damon's reaction would probably be different from the others. Elena and Jeremy had been happy when they heard the news. So had been Caroline and Bonnie. But Damon… Damon was kind of difficult. And Bonnie didn't really want to die, so she had visited Caroline in her new apartment in New Orleans. She knew Caroline would watch her back for the day.
Caroline took two steps forward, so that she was in Damon's field of view. "Damon…", she said calm, realizing that she actually didn't know what she wanted to tell him. "We can celebrate. He's gone. And if we're lucky-" What they probably weren't. "-he won't come back again."
"Yes, of course, it's all good.", Damon answered while turning around and walking towards the front door. "The most dangerous vampire of all is running around, trying to mass murder all the humans in this world while looking like my brother. Of course it's all fine." He opened the front door and rushed out.
Caroline and Bonnie both winced when the door clicked shut loudly.
"Honestly, this went better than I imagined it to.", said Caroline a few moments later. They looked at each other and started laughing.
"One soda, please."
Matt looked up and saw Stefan taking a seat at the bar right in front of him.
"Seriously, Stefan? It's afternooon. And you only want a soda?", he asked grinning.
"Soda is the code word for whiskey, scotch and anything else that's alcoholic.", Stefan answered while trying to bite back a grin.
"Well, you gotta show me your ID. I don't know if you're old enough for alcohol.", Matt answered in a serious voice.
"Donovan, get me a drink. Now.", Stefan commanded.
Matt walked away grinning, taking two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
Stefan had no idea when exactly Matt had become one of his friends. They had never been friends, they've been two people who could work with each other if it was necessary. But now… Times were different. They made jokes, they laughed, they hung out together. Stefan would almost claim him to be his closest friend at the moment. Since Caroline was gone there weren't many people in this town anymore he was friends with. What actually didn't bother him much. It's been fun to hang out only with his brother.
Matt placed the two glasses in front of Stefan and filled them with whiskey. Matt took one of them and emptied it in one gulp. "I guess you heard the news?", he asked Stefan.
As an answer, Stefan raised his glass before he followed Matt's suit by emptying the glass in one gulp.
"You know I got your back, right?!", asked Matt.
Stefan looked at him, choosing his words carefully. "Yes, and I appreciate that. But, you know, that won't help me if he's trying to murder all the humans. Sooner or later, either every single person in this world is looking for my face and haunting me or it won't be a secret anymore that vampires exist and we'll be haunted by humans with wooden stakes. And honestly, I don't know which option is worse because in both scenarios I'm the main target."
Stefan had a point. "So, what you're gonna do about it?"
He shrugged. "Getting drunk?" He took the bottle of whiskey and re-filled their glasses.
"Count me in!", Matt answered and emptied his glass straight away before re-filling it.
"Take it slow, mate.", Stefan said.
"Sorry." Matt put his glass down. "I just…" He stammered. "I saw Elena and Jeremy today."
Ouch. That was an intense topic. Matt had been friends with Jeremy and Elena for a long time. Before Stefan arrived in Mystic Falls, Matt and Elena had been even more than just friends, actually. But that wasn't the problem. Jeremy and Bonnie had had a relationship going on before Bonnie died and came back to life. Matt had found her, Matt had been there for her, Matt had helped her figuring out all the things. And Matt might have fallen in love with her over time. But no one knew that. Well, except for Stefan. And if Stefan was a good friend he would have also told him that Bonnie had fallen in love with Matt, too. A few weeks after Bonnie came back from the dead, she'd gone to pay Jeremy a visit and broke up with him. Matt knew that though he could not tell why. But what he didn't knew was that Bonnie called Stefan right after that and met him a few minutes later in his house. They talked. Bonnie had been flustered, and told Stefan that she had fallen in love with Matt. And if Stefan was a good friend to her he would have told her that Matt was also badly in love with her. But he liked watching them. They'd been trying to avoid each other. Hadn't worked. If they were really supposed to end up together, Stefan was sure they were gonna find a way without him telling them. And he knew the day Matt and Bonnie finally find each other would come.
But Matt's problem was Jeremy. Matt felt bad about falling in love with his best friend's girlfriend. Former best friend, apparently. He might have not talked with Jeremy about Bonnie, but there had been other issues as well they hadn't been on the same page about. Many, many things. Stefan didn't even know half of them and he also didn't want to.
But Matt also felt guilty because of Elena. First he had been with Elena, then with her best friend Caroline and now he had fallen in love with her other best friend Bonnie. Besides that, he told her that he didn't support her anymore if she wouldn't stop acting like Katherine by hurting innocent people and not caring about her friends. That statement had been one of the controversial subjects he had with Jeremy.
So, overall, the Gilberts were an intense topic for Matt.
"Sorry. Hope it wasn't too awkward?!", Stefan showed honest concern.
"No, no…", Matt said quickly. Then stopped and looked down into his glass that was already empty again. "It was like we'd never been close. Like they wouldn't even know who I am.", he silently told Stefan.
Stefan nodded. He knew the feeling.
"What time is it?", Stefan suddenly asked.
Matt looked at his wristwatch. "Almost six. Why you're asking?", he added confused.
"My brother and I wanted to play football. He's angry with me because I won last time. He wants revenge." Stefan stood up. "Tomorrow is your day off, isn't it?!", he asked Matt.
"Yes, why-"
Stefan interrupted him. "Any plans yet?"
Matt shook his head.
"Great, Damon, Bonnie and I wanted to take a trip to Georgia. Wanna join us?", he asked him.
"What's in Georgia?", Matt asked curious.
"A witch. Bonnie wants some answers and we're sure that the witch is able to give her some. Besides that, if we're lucky she can tell us something about Silas and his future plans." Stefan added with excitement.
"Let me guess, that's the only reason why Damon's joining the party!?" Matt asked sarcastically. His hatred for Damon would always stay the same.
Stefan chuckled. "Actually, I asked him. I haven't told him the news yet. If I let him win now, he's not gonna be as angry as if he'd lose.", Stefan said.
Matt thought about it. Sometimes he tended to forget that Damon is Stefan's older brother. Stefan loved and admired his brother – Matt would never be able to understand why – but if Matt wanted to be friends with Stefan he probably would have to accept Damon, too.
Matt sighed. "Fine. If I can't watch him while he's with Bonnie I'm probably going crazy anyway. Where and when?"
Stefan smiled. "Ten o'clock, Salvatore house." He turned around and walked out of the Mystic Grill.
Time to share the bad news with his brother.