Chapter IX
The silence stretched.
Meredith slowly hung up the phone and stared out the window. "Something's wrong but he wouldn't tell me."
Elena glanced at Stefan, who shrugged. "I can't sense anything out of the ordinary."
"It's a big city Stefan." Meredith replied, voice tight.
The true gist of her comment went unsaid. For the first time, Elena felt an urge for Stefan's powers to be stronger. It was hard enough to make sure he ate. He briefly glanced in her direction; obviously sensing what was on her mind. She lowered her own eyes, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. He grasped her hand, and smiled tiredly.
Matt paced the room, hand clasped behind his back. "I don't care if he's busy. What do you know happened to Bonnie?"
Meredith pulled her dark hair behind her ears and turned to face them, leaning on the coffee table. "From what Alaric said, she lost control of her powers in session and he was knocked out. When he awoke, she was missing and Brent was dead. Whether the boy was killed by the wave of power or something else, we don't know."
Stefan politely turned his eyes away. Elena knew that his old feelings of distrust for Alaric had come back. Meredith might be too blinded to see that her husband was hiding something.
Matt wasn't as subtle. "Bonnie never been anything but sweet and caring. It's not in her character to be a killer Meredith."
"I never said that Matt." Her voice was tight and protective. Her usual cool and calm attitude was being ripped apart by trying to protect both a close friend and Alaric. "It's simply a possibility. You haven't been around for the last couple of years. Has it ever occurred to you that people can change? Bonnie is stronger mentally than you realize and Alaric was trying to help her but-"
"But what?" Stefan's voice was calming and reassuring.
Meredith shook her head and lowered her eyes. "We've all drawn apart. Bonnie and I might have tried to maintain our friendship but we both have been so busy with school and other friends that we haven't spent as much time together."
"For true friends, time apart shouldn't matter," Stefan replied, staring at Matt who smiled and nodded.
For them, it was like the four-year gap had never happened. Long ago, even Elena's choice of Stefan over Matt had made no difference to their closeness. It was the still same between Elena and Bonnie when they spoke last, but Meredith was shutting herself away and Elena wanted her friend back.
"We'll figure this out." Elena said softly, rising and wrapping her arms around Meredith. The other girl's arms quickly wrapped around her body and returned the embrace. "But, we need to talk to Alaric."
Almost immediately, Meredith's arms tensed and she started to pull away. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she nodded sullenly. Maybe all she just needed the strength of a friend to realize that not everything was what it seemed. And perhaps, her husband had more to answer than simple, innocent questions.
The silence stretched.
Meredith slowly hung up the phone and stared out the window. "Something's wrong but he wouldn't tell me."
Elena glanced at Stefan, who shrugged. "I can't sense anything out of the ordinary."
"It's a big city Stefan." Meredith replied, voice tight.
The true gist of her comment went unsaid. For the first time, Elena felt an urge for Stefan's powers to be stronger. It was hard enough to make sure he ate. He briefly glanced in her direction; obviously sensing what was on her mind. She lowered her own eyes, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. He grasped her hand, and smiled tiredly.
Matt paced the room, hand clasped behind his back. "I don't care if he's busy. What do you know happened to Bonnie?"
Meredith pulled her dark hair behind her ears and turned to face them, leaning on the coffee table. "From what Alaric said, she lost control of her powers in session and he was knocked out. When he awoke, she was missing and Brent was dead. Whether the boy was killed by the wave of power or something else, we don't know."
Stefan politely turned his eyes away. Elena knew that his old feelings of distrust for Alaric had come back. Meredith might be too blinded to see that her husband was hiding something.
Matt wasn't as subtle. "Bonnie never been anything but sweet and caring. It's not in her character to be a killer Meredith."
"I never said that Matt." Her voice was tight and protective. Her usual cool and calm attitude was being ripped apart by trying to protect both a close friend and Alaric. "It's simply a possibility. You haven't been around for the last couple of years. Has it ever occurred to you that people can change? Bonnie is stronger mentally than you realize and Alaric was trying to help her but-"
"But what?" Stefan's voice was calming and reassuring.
Meredith shook her head and lowered her eyes. "We've all drawn apart. Bonnie and I might have tried to maintain our friendship but we both have been so busy with school and other friends that we haven't spent as much time together."
"For true friends, time apart shouldn't matter," Stefan replied, staring at Matt who smiled and nodded.
For them, it was like the four-year gap had never happened. Long ago, even Elena's choice of Stefan over Matt had made no difference to their closeness. It was the still same between Elena and Bonnie when they spoke last, but Meredith was shutting herself away and Elena wanted her friend back.
"We'll figure this out." Elena said softly, rising and wrapping her arms around Meredith. The other girl's arms quickly wrapped around her body and returned the embrace. "But, we need to talk to Alaric."
Almost immediately, Meredith's arms tensed and she started to pull away. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she nodded sullenly. Maybe all she just needed the strength of a friend to realize that not everything was what it seemed. And perhaps, her husband had more to answer than simple, innocent questions.