Chapter 19

( Hello guys, sorry for the lengthy absence. I have school and work among other things. I can't promise to upload on the regular but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. The story will get done, slowly but surely. You might want to read back multiple chapters to get an angle on what's going on. Thanks NorahB for the uplifting and inspiration. Enjoy! #Happyreading

Declan's walk back to town is lonely and cold. He drapes his hoodie over his head just as rain threatens to pour from the sky. He feels his phone vibrate and immediately ignores it.

It vibrates again and he reluctantly hits the answer key.

"Declan?" Abby whispers, " Are you okay? Where are you?"

He remains silent.

"Say something to me, your starting to freak me out!"

He opens up his mouth but closes it, abruptly hanging up.

He didn't feel like talking, even if he did,he knew he didn't want to talk to her, what could he possibly say? At this point he didn't know who to believe.

Could Ms. Bennet really be capable of doing something like that? Murder?

Physically, he knew she could but, morally? No. There's no way.

Bonnie Bennett was a good friend. His Mother and father's best friend. How could she do that to them?

As much as Matt was painted as the villain, he'd been a victim, and potentially an honest one.

When the crossroad comes to go into town or take Bonnie's house, he takes it to town.

He'd go to Abby's collect his things and leave.

He'd had enough of this. All he wanted to do was find out about his parents, not star in an episode of supernatural. He wish he could take it all back. Alaric was right. Now he'd wish he'd left sooner than later.

After grabbing his things from Abbys, he walks to the bus station. He takes a moment to glance at all the things he'd grown to know and love about Mystic Falls, in such a small amount of time. The grill, the town center,Abby's apartment. He sighs and continues his walk.

He takes a seat on the bus bench and pulls out his mothers necklace. It shines in the bus booth light, he then pockets it and pulls out his phone, ready to text Abby.

To :Abby

Hey, it's me…..Sorry I couldn't talk earlier, I was trying to…..neither mind… Being with you has been great, you're an awesome, amazing person. Look….Some things have come up back home with my parents…...things I'd rather not tell you. You don't have to respond. You can forget me and delete my number, it'll be better it you do.

He hits the send button and tucks his hands in his pockets, waiting for the bus.

"That's not going to go over well, ya' know?"

"Look who ever you are I don't feel like talking…. I'm not in the mood." He shakes his head.

"Suit yourself Declan but you and I both know Abby's not going to like that text."

He turns around quickly to see Alaric.

"Alaric, why are you here? How'd you find me?"

Alaric playfully shakes his head, cracking a grin.

"It wasn't hard kid," He takes a seat on the bench next to Declan, " its classic Salvatore 101… you can never leave without saying goodbye to the girl. Add a rainy night and a bus station," he chuckles, "Yeah you definitely get this from your uncle."

Declan drops his head and sighs " those people aren't my family. I'm nothing like them."

"Sure you are-"

"Maybe biologically but not verily. I know nothing about this life, this supernatural reality." he stands and uses his hands for emphasis, " so much blood has been spilled. Your family's blood, my family's blood. Matt was right, there's nothing here to find, no real answers, just bloodshed and turmoil. No wonder my parents didn't survive. How could they?" He sits back down, a little further away from Alaric.

"Declan this life hasn't always been easy. It's hard, your parents accepted and lived with that. We all did. You need to understand-"

"Well can you understand how a friend could burn them alive turning them to ash? Because I can't. The diaries painted Bonnie Bennet as such a good person. How could she do that?why?" He stares Alaric in the eye, without a hint of backing down.

Alaric's quiet for the moment, analyzing the words that had just come from Declans mouth.

"Declan you came here with questions, you can't get upset when you don't like the answers."

"Why didn't you guys just tell me." He almost begs.

"Bonnie wanted to, truth be told, I didn't think you were ready?"

"How could you know?...You barely know me."

"I read people well. You were having a good time, finding out the mother of your girlfriend killed your parents can really put a dent into things."

"Abby's not my girlfriend."

"I said all that and all you heard was girlfriend, that's really the only part you picked up?"

Declan shakes his head.

"Gesh you Salvatores are so clichè, get a grip."

Alaric's smiling but Declan holds a glare.

"I'm serious Alaric why? Why'd she lock them in that fire?"

They're interrupted by the screeching of bus tires coming up behind them.

"You want to keep going kid?"

"I'll catch the next one, please continue."

"I thought so, okay so it is true...Bonnie did lock your parents in that fire."

Declan holds his temples, impatiently waiting for an logical explanation.

"Not in the way you think. I remember it like it was yesterday," he frowns, "it's not a day I like to remember, Damon and Elena were like family to me." he lets out a breath, " anyway, it was founders day. There were parades,floats, crowds, you get the picture. Everyone was blissfully happy. Damon didn't want to go out but Elena begged him. She had been working double shifts at the hospital and this was her only day off. They left you with Caroline, one of the twins weren't feeling well and she'd be staying home anyway. Damon warned your mother about going out. When word had spread he was human, he knew old enemies would come for him. Just as his old war buddy O'toole did. Elena thought different, she'd talk to Matt, apologized and cleared up the situation."

"Or so she thought, talking didn't work. They hadn't known Matt had flipped a switch already ." Declan says, filling it in for himself.

Alaric shook his head, "Unfortunately no, during nightfall vampires attacked the event, most people fled, others ran to the tower or open buildings. Bonnie was there with Abby, she just gotten back into town. Me, Matt, and others tried to kill as many vampires and save as many humans as we could. The center had cleared out but the tower was overrun by vampires," he gags a little and closed his eyes, "I can still smell the blood,"he slowly opens them, sighing," As you know many didn't make it out alive. Matt instructed Bonnie to ignite the tower in flames. Once the fire ceased, we staked anyone who wasn't dead."

"Not everyone was a vampire or dead, so why not make sure before you-"

"He didn't want to risk it. They could've gone to nearby homes or other highly populated areas. Plus he knew Damon was up there. That was just the cherry on top."

"And my mom?"

"Collateral damage. Matt was vengeful but he never meant to hurt Elena, even if she and Damon were together."

Declan nods, taking it all in.

"So Bonnie did it in the end?"He asked.

"She did and it took a massive amount of energy from her. She didn't know her best friends were up there until it was too late."

"Still...she-"

"And she lives with that decision every day Declan. Not only did she kill her best friends, she left you an orphan. Trust me, not a day goes by that she doesn't regret it. Bonnie Bennett would go through hell and high water, heck, even risk her own lift to protect the ones she loves."

"I understand Alaric…... It just…..still…..doesn't take away what she did."

He lays a hand on Declan's shoulder, "Its hurting her worst than it is you or me. After everything that happened I had to be the one to tell her. She woke up to find her two best friends had been murdered by the hand of her. She couldn't handle it and eventually fell into a deep depression for years. That's where her and Abby fall off."

Declan's taken back a bit.

" Look Declan I know we haven't always been honest with you but it's the truth. Bonnie didn't do it intentionally, and I know deep down you believe that."

"I do."

"So now that you have the truth, the real truth, what are you planning on doing?"

Look, even after all that, I think it'd be best to go. I'm not apart of this this." he looks back at the town, " I'm just some college student looking for his place in the world."

"Okay I respect that."

"Good."

Alaric stands, " It's time for me to finish this."

He holds his hand out to Declan. "Get home safely and promise me you'll never look back."

Declan's a bit skeptical about Alaric's choice of words,"I thought you wanted to let it go. I thought we couldn't touch Matt."

"Look," he sighs, " I was wrong to stand down when he murdered that girl. It's hard for me to see him as what he is today, even after all he's done. In a way I still see them all as my students, young,misguided and misunderstood."

He puts his hand on his shoulder again, and levels his eyes to Declan's.

"You take care of yourself Declan. I don't ever want to see you again. At least not in Donovans Landing." He smiles.

" The feelings mutual but Alaric…..what are you planning to do?"

Declan says each word slowly, especially at the end of his sentence.

Alaric heavily sighs,"What I have to," Alaric's eyes go dark for a moment, "it's either me or him. I refuse to let him keep hurting Bonnie or anyone else."

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