TETHERED

Chapter 21: Infirmus

"To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom." - Bertrand Russell

The vampires cautiously walked back to the Weir's front door, Rory was frantically ringing the doorbell. The three waited in anticipation as Evelyn opened the door, a tear falling from her eye. The three vampires' facial expressions sharply changed to shock as they saw this.

"Oh God, what's happened now?" Sarah asked worriedly.

Evelyn wiped her fallen tear and motioned to them, "Come in kids," she said softly.

In the Weir's living room, a powerless Benny lay unconscious on the couch, Ethan kneeled on the floor by the couch holding his hand, begging Benny to wake, as confirmation to know that his friend was truly okay. Ethan had seen a lot of things, but Benny's powers being taken had to top his list as the worst; and he could not even imagine how it felt for Benny.

Evelyn and the vampires stood in the vestibule, watching Ethan and Benny, in sadness for both really. "Actions have consequences. It had to be done." Evelyn said to them. "Had the circumstances been different, we would have had to vote that Benny be put to death."

Rory made a loud gasp sound, "But he was just trying to protect Ethan and Jane."

"That was taken into account, that's why he only lost his powers." Evelyn said placing a hand on Rory's shoulder.

Sarah looked around, "Where is Jane anyway?"

"She wanted to go outside and play with one of the neighbor kids. I didn't think it would be the worst of ideas. She's has had to endure enough."

Erica continued to stare at Ethan who seemed to be in a deep trance, just staring at Benny, "What about poor Ethan?"

"Unfortunately I couldn't shield him from this… I was the one who had to summon the both of them back here." Evelyn answered solemnly. Sarah and Erica were nodding, knowing now it's why Ethan and Benny suddenly disappeared earlier. "Ethan hasn't left Benny's side since it happened." Sarah wryly laughed. Evelyn noticed this, asking her, "What is it dear?"

Sarah recalled what she hadn't too long ago told Benny, "Benny was jarring with the guys at the vampire council, he wanted to retaliate. I warned him not to for the obvious reasons, but also because it would probably push Ethan to the point of no return if he lost Benny too."

"Undoubtedly," Evelyn said looking at the two boys, "What of the vampire council?"

Erica scoffed, "They're pretty much turning a blind eye to what Jesse had done and they basically want us to help them cover this up, and even the police department's involved."

"I'm not really surprised that there are vampires on the police department payroll with all the almost daily strange happenings around this town." Evelyn said.

Sarah saw the depressed look on Evelyn's face, "You gonna be okay Grandma?"

"I'll be fine, honey. I just felt powerless watching them basically tear Benny apart for his powers." She then reached in her pocket for a purple glowing ball of energy. "I also feel responsible because I had to help in making that brainless decision. As much as I tried to show them that Benny was just doing what was right, the more they wanted to persecute Benny for doing it," she sighed, "we agreed on a two week deferment of returning his magic..." Evelyn trailed.

"You want to give it back now." Erica said finishing her sentence.

Evelyn simply nodded, looking at her unconscious grandson, "As I said, actions have consequences. Surely as soon if I gave them back to Benny, someone would find out and we'd both likely lose ours, permanently, or worse."

"What do we do in the meantime?" Rory asked.

Sarah answered asking more of a question to Evelyn, "Since they took his powers, it's probably going to take Benny some time to recover?"

"It will, but overall he should be fine. Although it's not him I'm primarily concerned about." She said, looking to Ethan who was approaching them.

Ethan walked up to the four, "Hey guys," he said in a depressed tone to his friends.

"Hi Ethan." Sarah spoke softly; Erica and Rory couldn't find it in them to say anything. The whole situation was one that truly left them all speechless.

Ethan looked at Evelyn, "I'm going to get a blanket and pillow from Benny's room to make him comfortable."

"Yes dear that's a good idea." Evelyn said, all four watching Ethan slowly walk up the stairs. Just then the telephone rang, "Oh dear, I wonder who this is." Evelyn walked over to answer the phone.

The three vampires just looked from Ethan to Benny, "Rory, go upstairs and help Ethan." Sarah asked of him.

"Ethan needs help getting a pillow and blanket?" Rory asked her, then noticing the harsh look on her face, "Oh… never mind, sure I'll go and help."

Erica and Sarah then walked over to Benny's bedside or couch-side as the case may be. Sarah stroked loose hairs out of his face as Erica commented, "It's funny, I like him better awake and spouting nonsense than unconscious and in pain."

"Ms. Weir doesn't seem too worried, not about Benny's recovery. I agree with her, we need to worry about Ethan. It's like everything has been piling on him like a ton of bricks. I'm waiting for him to just explode, or worse." Sarah said in utter disbelief of the day's events.

Upstairs Rory knocked on Benny's door, "Ethan?" He gently pushed the door back to see Ethan curled up in a ball on Benny's bed, hugging Benny's pillow and crying into it. Rory rushed over to hug Ethan, in a calm voice Rory asked him, "Ethan, what's wrong?"

"I-I saw this, Rory." Ethan cried into the pillow. Rory just continued to hold Ethan and looked at him while he explained. "I had a vision that something bad was going to happen to Benny! And as always, I said nothing to anybody! That's how all of this started, if I had been more forthcoming about what was happening to me; then none of this would have ever happened!" Ethan shouted.

Rory gripped Ethan tighter, "You don't know that for sure, Ethan. Don't your powers show you the inevitable?" Ethan looked at Rory and simply nodded, "Then would it have really mattered if you told anyone or not?" Ethan simply shook his head, wiping a tear out of his eye. Rory put his hands on Ethan's shoulders and said calmly, "You could have had the vision weeks ago and it still wouldn't have mattered if you had warned Benny about it. Sooner or later it was bound to happen. There is nothing that anyone could have done to stop it."

Ethan agreed with Rory, probably for the first time ever, "You know, I don't say this often Rory, but, you're right." Rory brightly smiled as Ethan continued, still holding his depressed tone, "But still, it's not fair, not to Benny. If it wasn't for Benny, Rory, I think my whole family would be dead, myself included or worse, Jesse'd have gone after you all… and left me."

Rory stared at Ethan.

Downstairs, Evelyn put her phone back on the receiver, shaking her head, "Well that was Ethan's aunt and uncle, they're in town but they've run into some trouble making arrangements with Ross' body, with the police. Seeing as how he was murdered and it's an ongoing police investigation."

"So what are they going to do?" Erica asked curiously.

Evelyn shook her head, she wasn't really sure, "I can't say honestly. They're at the police station now answering questions and doing paperwork. John thinks they're just going to wind up checking into the hotel, and see Ethan and Jane tomorrow."

"What a mess." Sarah commented sorrowfully, watching Benny's unconscious form, resting on the couch.

Rory and Ethan then came off the stairs, Ethan with a pillow and blanket in tow. Sarah saw Ethan's red eyes and face. "You okay Ethan?" She asked softly.

"I am." He said clearing his throat and faking a smile. Rory was behind him shaking his head 'no', Sarah saw this.

Evelyn decided to tell Ethan about his relatives, hoping to bring a bit of good news to him, "Ethan dear, your aunt and uncle are in town. They'll be staying at a hotel tonight, today they're at the police station answering a few questions and sorting out some paperwork."

"Do they really know what happened?" Ethan asked softly, draping the blanket over Benny and gently tucking the pillow under his head, almost not even listening to Evelyn. It's not that he didn't care about his relatives coming, but at that moment in time, it felt the only people in the Weir living room were himself and an almost lifeless Benny.

Evelyn responded, "It didn't appear that they did." Evelyn and the vampires could just only look from Ethan to Benny in silence; it was a situation that no one could seem to wrap their heads around.

Meanwhile in Benny's unconsciousness, he was having a dream of sorts, and he was confused in it. He was standing outside his elementary school on a beautiful sunny day. It confused him, he didn't know if he was awake, asleep, or worse, dead. "This is crazy." Benny whispered, looking around in shock and utter confusion.

"You should remember this day, Benny." A woman's voice echoed.

Benny jumped in surprise at the sudden soft and oddly familiar voice, "Who's there?!" Benny yelled looking around in a circle in a defensive stance.

"Look closer, Benny." The voice asked of him.

Benny looked to see some a bunch of young children playing on the school's playground, except for two boys who were sitting by their lonesome, one boy seeming to console another one who had been crying. "I remember you telling me about this day, Benny. Some bullies stole Ethan's lunch and you offered him yours… and in this same day you protected him from those same bullies after they terrorized him on the playground."

Benny sharply turned around to see a pretty woman standing there with long brown hair, a nice smile on her face, and tears in her eyes. "MOM!" Benny yelled rushing to hug her tightly. She was surprised at first before embracing her son back. He quickly let her go as he realized something that scared him, "If you're here… am I?"

"No dear, only sleeping." She answered, "Call it a dream, a vision, your subconscious, something surreal or even spiritual or supernatural if you'd like." She saw a smile appear on his face before it quickly fell, "The fact that I'm here tells me you need me to be." She gently grabbed one of his hands, "What's going on sweetie?" She pulled him to a bench that coincidentally seemed to be next to them.

Benny stared at her in confusion, wondering how she knew something was wrong, "How do you-?"

"I'm your mother Benny, I know everything." She partially joked.

Benny briefly smiled at that before frowning, "Ethan's parents are dead, and I'm to blame."

"How so? Are you the one that killed them?" Mrs. Weir asked him, holding his hands.

Benny answered on the verge of tears, "No, but there are things that I did that could have avoided them being killed by Jesse!"

"Benjamin, I think that you and I both know that that's not true." She said in a soft voice, pulling Benny onto her shoulder, gently playing with his hair.

Benny still disagreed with her, "It is true! I left Ethan vulnerable multiple times or I used magic to make things worse for him! Jesse abused Ethan and I wasn't there to stop him! And I've been using magic and it's been all over the place and it's like I can't control it, I-" Benny stopped midsentence crying, "It's all my fault!"

Mrs. Weir held Benny in her arms while he cried, rubbing his back and whispering, "There there dear, stop. Calm yourself."

"I, I let my best friend get hurt and it's like when I try to make it up to him I make things WORSE! I don't deserve magic!" Benny yelled.

Mrs. Weir roughly grabbed her son's shoulders, "Benjamin Weir you take that back!" Benny's tear-filled and almost bloodshot looking eyes stared at her when she did this, she continued, "I can't think of anyone better who deserves magic." She held his cheek and wiped away a tear with her thumb. "Okay, so maybe you went a little overboard, so what? At least your heart was in the right place. You were just trying to protect, Ethan… but I think deep down, you already knew this." She kissed the top of his forehead before he then sat up.

"Th-thanks, mom." Benny said wiping a tear from his eyes, "Not like me to just break down like that. Usually I make some kind of stupid joke instead."

Mrs. Weir smiled, "You wouldn't be human if you didn't have emotions. You had to let all of that out at some point dear. Anger, frustration, rage, confusion… even, love."

"Love?" Benny questioned.

His mother smiled, "Come on Benny, there is more to this talk than just your magic. You love him don't you?"

"Of course I do mom! He's my best friend!" Benny snapped.

She continued to smile, "No dear, I mean, you're in love with him."

"I-I-I…" Benny stammered before looking at her confused, then looking at the ground in thought. "I don't know." He whispered unsure of how he truly felt about Ethan, he had never really thought about it until now. But he did know that things were definitely different between them.

Benny's mother decided to break it down for him, "Dear, you've gone through great lengths to protect and help your friend. I'm sure you'd do so for any of them, but I think the fact that you're willing to lose everything without a second thought for Ethan says something." Benny then looked at his mother intently, "Some might call that a true sign of friendship… I think it's also a sign of true love and devotion."

Benny sat there speechless wondering how his mother, his deceased mother, seemed to know more about what was going on in his own life that he. She continued, "Well think about it dear, your magic seems to misfire when you see him hurting right?"

Benny simply nodded, looking at his hands recalling a few times it did, "Yeah, I almost hurt Rory and I might have broke a guy's nose." Mrs. Weir's eyes bulged, "What?!" Benny shouted defensively, "Mom I, I couldn't help it, I felt almost compelled to do it, for Ethan!"

"All of those things, that was your magic playing off your emotions. I know you sweetie, you deflect with jokes and shenanigans, but deep down, you feel things too." His mom continued, grabbing one of his hands, "I think you've also been feeling guilty, helpless, sorrowful, in mourning, and even powerless… which is quite literally now."

Benny was on the verge of crying, "S-so what do I do now?"

"Tell Ethan how you really feel about him, Benny," She answered, "But before you tell Ethan, you have to admit it to yourself first."

Benny sat there pondering what his mother was saying, before he looked at her with a smile, something he hadn't really done in days, "Thanks mom," he whispered.

"Don't mention it, baby." She said kissing his forehead.

Benny chuckled, or made what sounded like a chuckled, "I miss you, mom."

"I miss you too dear." She responded, wrapping her arms around him.

Benny asked her, "What if he hates me afterwards?"

"Honey, you two are so inseparable until it's not even funny. Trust me Benny; you two are going to be friends forever, whatever the outcome."

Benny wasn't as optimistic, "You think so, mom?"

"I know it to be so honey." She answered getting stray hairs out of his face. "You must also continue to protect him dear."

Benny agreed, "Of course mom, always. Not just E, but all my friends."

"No dear, I mean there is an impending danger soon to befall Ethan, and he's going to need you dear."

Benny groaned as his mother said this, "Mom, how much more does Ethan have to take?!" Benny made a click sound with his teeth, "What's to come mom?" He asked irate.

"I'm not entirely sure Benny, but know this; Ethan will be crossing paths with many people over the course of the next few days. Someone presenting themselves as having his best interests at heart, are in fact quite the opposite, they are looking to harm him." She answered, fear in her tone.

"Do you know who it is?" Benny asked her, "Maybe if I know who it is I can try and stop them."

Ms. Weir shook her head, "I don't know Benny, but I trust you'll figure out who before something happens to Ethan."

"What if I don't, what if I fail, I don't even have my magic!" Benny yelled.

Ms. Weir chuckled, "You will bring down anyone who hurts Ethan, magic or not… so, how're Evelyn and your father?" She said wanting to change the conversation for Benny's sake.

Benny then looked at the ground, "Gram's fine… dad's disappeared."

"Oh, I'm sorry dear. I know he took losing me hard, but he should have stayed for you." She grabbed Benny's hand, "His loss though, he's missing out on seeing just what kind of young man you're becoming… I am so proud of you."

Just then a silent wind began to rustle around them. It wasn't an eerie wind, it was a gentle one. "It's time…" Mrs. Weir said softly.

"No." Benny whined, hugging his mother, "I don't want to leave; I want to stay here with you."

Ms. Weir chuckled, "I know baby, but you have to go. Besides, I can think of at least two people who'd miss you as much as you miss me."

The wind around them got stronger as the light around them got brighter.

Benny's voice echoed, "Will I ever see you again?"

"Anytime you need me dear." She said wrapping him in a tight hug.

A tear fell from Benny's eye as he whispered, "I love you, mom."

"I love you too Benjamin, now, wake up." She said softly.

Benny then blinked sharply, he was confused, "Wake up?"

"Yes dear, just please, wake up." His mother's voice said slightly altered.

Benny sat there confused, he was about to look at his mother once more before there was a bright white light that blinded his vision, followed by a huge crashing sound, before then it all went dark.

The next thing Benny knew, he heard a familiar voice whispering to him, begging to him, "Benny please, be alright." The voice begged, "This is all my fault, I should be the one lying here not you." Benny was beginning to wake up as he felt something gripping one of his hands, "Benny, if you can hear me, wake up, please." Benny hadn't yet opened his eyes, but he picked up on the voice, the voice that was soft but full of sadness, Ethan's.

Benny then gripped the hand that was holding his, Ethan gasped, "Benny?" Benny made unrecognizable mumbling sounds before trying to talk. "Don't talk B," Ethan said softly, "I'll go wake grandma."

"D-don't." Benny hoarsely said, grabbing Ethan's wrist. Ethan looked at Benny, Benny saw the look of concern that was all over his best friend's face, "I'm fine E, let grandma rest."

Ethan asked presumptuously, "So you remember what happened?"

"The last thing I remember was my magic being forcibly removed from me, the jerks." Benny said quietly, "How long have I been out?" He asked.

Ethan answered, "Four days."

"FOUR DAYS!" Benny snapped, before seeing a smile growing on Ethan's face, "Dude come on, seriously?"

Ethan told him how long he'd really been unconscious, "Eight hours." Then their joking moods changed back to serious ones as Ethan admitted, "Benny I thought you were a goner."

"E, you know it'll take more than someone sucking out my magic to get me." Benny joked. Ethan looked away from Benny. "What's wrong?"

Ethan whispered, "I saw it, Benny."

"I'm sure it was horrible to watch, it sure didn't feel good on my end." Benny placed a hand his stomach; it being one of the areas where they hit him.

Ethan corrected guiltily, "No Benny, I saw it in a vision."

"Ethan…" Benny said in a warning tone, knowing what Ethan was about to say and do next; which is blame himself for what happened not only to himself, but to Benny too.

And sure enough, predictable Ethan began, "Benny, I should have told you. That way you could at least been prepared for what was going to happen to you, even if it couldn't be stopped! And please don't tell me it's not my fault, because it is!" Benny sat there in silence just staring at Ethan, "Well say something B!"

"Well you said don't say it's not your fault, if I can't say that, then there's nothing else to say. We both know with your visions, knowing what's to come doesn't matter, it's coming. We could have prepared for the council or my grandma's powerful friends but it wouldn't have mattered." Benny was about to continue when he was engulfed in a strong hug. "E… too tight!" Benny gagged.

Ethan loosened his grip on Benny, "I'm just glad you're alright." Ethan whispered.

They both pulled back from the hug as they both deeply stared at each other. Benny's mother's words were echoing in his mind.

"Tell Ethan how you really feel about him, Benny," the words echoed.

Benny immediately grabbed Ethan and pulled him to him, kissing him directly on the lips. A move Benny initially feared as Ethan did nothing, he didn't even push Benny away… in fact, Benny noticed that Ethan was kissing him back just as much. They stayed like that for a good 30 seconds until they both pulled away, heavily breathing, resuming their staring at each other. Benny made a soft chuckle sound.

Then Ethan's eyes bulged and a look of fear came across his face and Benny noticed this,
"Are you okay, E?" Ethan didn't respond or do anything, "I-I'm sorry E, it just felt like the right thing to do. I'm so sorry if I did something wrong, Ethan!"

"No…" Ethan whispered, before yelling "NO!" and taking off upstairs in a flash.

Benny yelled to him, "Ethan, wait!" He then heard a door slam upstairs, Benny let out a deep sigh after. "Anymore great advice, mom?" Benny asked dryly, sitting there in utter disbelief in what just happened.

"Death ends a life, not a relationship." - Mitch Albom

End of chapter 21.

I meant to update before Christmas. I've been wracking my brain over this chapter, I actually purposely made a cliff out of chapter 20 so I could start this chapter – that's when I pretty much got writer's block and I went through dozen's of scenarios for Benny and Ethan in this chapter; I was either going to make it an Ethan chapter or a Benny chapter, so this is what my mind came to.

And yes, it appears Ethan will wind up in danger yet again, and I don't think anyone (other than Benny) will see it coming!

A lame idea and some cheesy and sucky writing I'm sure, but the thought of Benny's dead mother giving him some guidance here is what came to me. In the series his mother's not even mentioned, so I'm just going on the assumption she's dead – besides if she is, it makes Benny an even more interesting character. The quotes were just something to get my 'creative juices' flowing for this chapter (and even this story again), might continue using quotes to cleverly use in these chapters, might not, just depends.

Wish Canada would get it gear and do SOMETHING for the show or the movie, ANYTHING! In the U.S. were approaching the three year mark (this October) since it stopped airing on Disney Channel.