A Sense of Loss
Damon had been the one who found Bonnie after the ambulances took Shelia Bennett away from her home. Instantly, he had known that she needed him and instantly he had found her wandering among the gravestones. He had watched her in the form of a raven, from high above finally landing in a tree before taking human form.
She stood in front of a grave and when he peered over her shoulder he saw her mother's names.
Gail Bennett.
When he touched her shoulder he noticed she didn't even jump. She just turned and looked at him with huge big green eyes. Her face was tear stained and he gently brushed them away. The sky had remained a murky grey and was steadily rushing to meet twilight.
"My mom died before I got to know her. My Grams has always been around for me, Damon."
He tried to shush away her fears, could sense that emotion was threatening to overtake her as she looked back to her mother's grave. "Everything is going to be fine."
He had tried to reassure her but out of the fear and sadness, something else shined through. "Don't make a promise like that. Nothing has been alright since you and Stefan came to town. You two did this."
He remembered trying to touch her but it was a wasted effort when she shied away. "Stay away from me. I mean it."
Damon Salvatore watched as Bonnie Bennett drove away from the cemetery after running from his touch, and any emotions he might have been feeling for her. He remembered all of this as the funeral of Shelia Bennett took place nearly a week later. The woman had died of a stroke, or so the doctor's had sad. Damon on the other hand personally believed that Shelia had used up a lot of power binding him to Bonnie down by the tomb.
Stefan sensed Damon nearby as the casket was being lowered into the grown. He knew that his brother had been in a foul mood for nearly a week now but he still didn't understand it. He spotted him on the edge of the cemetery, his blue eyes blazing. He had never quite understood his older brother but he and any other fool could see that there was more to Damon than his snarky comments and looks. Was he evil? One could never be sure, Stefan assumed as he made his way over.
"Bonnie didn't want you here, but you came anyway?" Stefan said.
"Yes, but I can't be missing all of the festivities in Mystic Falls. Like a damn parade around here."
Stefan nodded. "Shelia was well respected in this town."
Daman scoffed. "Half of them thought she was crazy as a loon and should be locked up." He watched as the townspeople began to leave. Mostly, he was watching Bonnie, could feel that she was dying inside. She was shaky as she moved with her father to the car that awaited them.
"And where the hell has her father been? Took him a hell of a long time to get home….something is strange about him?" Damon continued to observe.
Stefan sighed. "Damon we're not going to go on another mystery hunt! You're still convienced something isn't quite right about the Lockwoods." The younger Salvatore watched that glint forming in his brother's eye and knew he was already planning something. What he was planning was the question, he shook his head. "I'll see you back at the house later. I'm going over Bonnie's with Elena."
Damon felt a twinge. He'd been forced to watch the funeral from a distance but Stefan was all easy-fucking-peasy and going over to comfort Bonnie, with Elena of course. "Do me a favor and keep an eye on things."
"So I'll see you later at the house, right?" Stefan asked.
"No. Actually, I'm gonna leave town. I have a tip on Katherine. Maryland." Damon turned on his heel and started away from his brother, only pausing when he heard Stefan asking him to be careful. "I'll see you soon little brother."
Elena practically had to drag her best friend up the stairs and into her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and took a good look at Bonnie who sat on the edge of her bed, dressed in all black, much like herself. It was the color of mourning, but Elena wasn't sure what was going through her friend's mind at the moment.
"Are you okay?"
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Do you know how sick I am of people asking me that?"
Elena nodded and leaned against the door. "Yeah. When my parents died all people wanted to do was ask that."
Bonnie nodded. "I almost forgot, Elena. I'm sorry."
"But again….are you?"
Bonnie stood then and began to pace. "She was just here, Elena. And then just like that she was gone. I don't know how to make it without her."
"But you will. You are going to get through this. I'm here for you. Caroline and Matt. Even Stefan."
Bonnie looked up and glared then. "My grandmother was in perfect health before they came."
Bonnie practically spat the word, "They" out with so much venom Elena winced. The two girls sized each other up, both wondering if this was a road they wanted to travel down, because it might be a road neither wanted to take.
"Why don't you get some rest," Elena finally said.
"You know its true, though. Don't you. That nothing bad ever happened until Stefan and Damon Salvatore came into Mystic Falls."
Elena placed her hand on the door knob behind her and twisted. "Bonnie, you're grieving right now and you want to fight with someone….but I'm you're best friend. I'm not fighting with you about this. I'll call you tomorrow."
Elena flew down the steps in a flurry and bumped into Stefan. From the look on his face she could tell he'd heard everything that had happened upstairs.
"Let's jus go she told her boyfriend." Together, hand in hand the two of them left the Bennett household.
Author's Note: Thanks for being patient and awesome and all sorts of things. Thanks for any and all reviews. :)
