Chapter 7 – They came to play

After speaking with Bonnie they had decided to meet at the cemetery near the graves of Elena's parents. Strangely Bonnie had thought that whatever was stalking Elena would not attack her near consecrated ground. Given that Elena had always felt safe and centred when near her parents it was one of the few aces they held that they could use for now. Someplace they know they wouldn't be disturbed. Elena has stopped on her way there to pick up a few sweetpeas for her parents. Once she had pulled up on the gravel path she set off towards the graves laden with blankets, her journal and a few candles. Once there she began to set up whilst waiting for her friend. Looking at her watch she noticed that Bonnie was running late and so she did what she always did when she was here. She knelt in front of the grave and spoke to her parents. She told them about everything that had happened since her last visit - how Jeremy was doing and Alaric's progress with the adoption.

'I miss you guys,' she verdantly whispered to them.

'There has been so much going on that its becoming difficult to remember what normal is. But you know, I won't be without the good things I have found. Everything in nature must be balanced, remember Dad, that's what you always said. You were right. There are a few things that have happened since Aunt Jenna passed. Some good…but mainly bad. But last night… last night,' she couldn't carry on. The experience last night had been a haven compared to the torment and horror she had seen each night. She had never felt anything as intense, secure and all-consuming as what she has felt last night. She knew that without it she would have broken. Silently and alone.

So very much alone, the voice whispered in her ear.

Closing her eyes once she realised she could no longer see the graves in front of her. They were distorted by the tears that were gathering. She hadn't cried since Jenna's funeral and now after supressing them for so long, she couldn't stop them. They swelled inside her chest and burst out of her with all the force of a flood. She cried for Jeremy who couldn't remain naïve, who had lost several people to whom he had opened up his heart and lost them through no fault of his own, to forces he had absolutely no power over. She cried for Matt who struggled around Caroline though it was evident that he still loved her. They had both struggled to piece together their friendship one painful pebble at a time. The Sheriff had refused to acknowledge Caroline as anything other than a monster to be put out of her misery at the first opportunity. Her heart broke whenever she came across Ric in solitary moments where she glimpsed the deep well of sorrow within him. Moments where he still grieved openly but only for a small amount of time yet so deeply that to look at him was to share the moment as equal in understanding and fresh grief. His sorrow was not spoken nor in sobs but rather in silent moment of complete standstill. His eyes would flood with such despair, love and eternal heartbreak yet she had only glimpsed it once or twice over the past few months.

And then there was Damon. He had changed over the past few months and she wasn't naïve enough to believe that he had changed utterly from the cunning , malevolent, sociopath that had arrived in Mystic Falls. Yet he was one of her dearest friends. The burden left on her shoulders since Stefan had left had been shared and, if truth be told, he had carried the majority of the burden. He had been patient, understanding and always there when she wanted to reach out to him. But she never did. She couldn't allow herself to give in to the desire to lean on him too much however much she wanted to. How much she wanted to lean on him. It made her feel utterly selfish to think on it and realise that the comfort she needed would take advantage of his feelings for her. She needed him in ways she couldn't tell him. In ways that would be sure to complicate their relationship if she was to reach out to him.

She refused to equate her feelings for Damon into something tangible. She couldn't face losing someone she held dearer to her than … she wouldn't finish that thought. She would just take her moment, get it out of her system, clean her face and carry on. It was expected if not by everyone else then definitely of herself.

But for now she cried.

Wearing her grief, anguish and pain like a cloak she didn't hear anyone approaching. Not until she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. Surprise caused her to turn around quickly to see who it was only to find a pair of concerned brown eyes and the soft features of one of her best friends. Bonnie didn't see Elena when she had arrived at the cemetery. The only clue she had that what she was seeing was Elena was that they had agreed to meet at her parents resting place. She had been covered in a shroud of black fog that seemed to thicken the longer she watched. Her innate abilities allowed her to cut through the shroud and get to her friend but now that she was closer to her she saw everything that had been hidden inside her friend all this time. The anguish she had gone through was painful to look at and everything about that look of pain and despair called to Bonnie. The need to comfort, protect and cherish. She shot forward grasping her friend to her in a deep bear hug. But despite feeling the sorrow in Elena subside the shroud wasn't lifting from around them. It seemed to be refusing to leave them. Looking within arm's reach of them she saw that Elena had brought a set of blankets, one for each of them. Since Bonnie had arrived late the blanket had laid in wait but seeing it now made her think of something she had read about in the Gran's grimoire. Grasping it to her she flung the blanket over them both so that they were covered and hoped that she had remembered the spell correctly.

Videatur Lumine

Lumen splendere

haec caligo oculis tuis dimittere

Repeating the incantation she felt the swell of her magic being called forth and with each repetition she knew that she had remembered the right spell. Despite the density of the fog around them they could gradually see that there was a faint light building within the palm of Bonnie's hand. By now the incantation had been repeated enough for Elena to grasp the words. Turning to face Bonnie she saw the nod that Bonnie gave her and started to recite the incantation in time with Bonnie placing her hand underneath the hand that held the light. The light gradually grew stronger, larger and brighter until Bonnie knew that it was ready she flung her hand away from them both with Elena's hand lending further strength to the spell. As she stretched her hand out as far as it would go Bonnie called out the final command of the spell.

Luminos!

With the final command given the magic was drawn from a deep well within both Elena and Bonnie and the light shot out from them. It expanded through the fog blazing a trail that as it grew disintegrating a path in the fog that engulfed them much like a pebble that had been thrown seamlessly over the surface of a river. The light grew so bright that their both grasped onto each other hiding their closed eyes in each other's shoulders. They didn't see the light change course and shoot upwards, expanded outwards and disintegrated every trace of black fog that had grown to engulf the cemetery. After a few minutes the girls found that they were able to open their eyes without encountering the light that had just a moment ago shone so brightly that it threatened to burn out their retinas. Both were breathing heavily as the adrenaline coursed through them and gradually loosened their arms around each other. Looking at each other they both smiled in relief and couldn't help but give a nervous giggle that started to grow into a full out laugh. Whatever had happened they had stopped it together. With magic. Neither of them could think of anything to say.

'Well played you two but still … what the hell!'

Both girls turned to look at Damon to where he stood a few paces behind them. Looking at each other they both turned to him and shrugged together. This only confused Damon more and of course the girls laughed even harder.

Author Note – I was trying to think of a flower that wouldn't be cliché to place on her parents grave and, given how easily distracted I can be, I found a site where the meaning of flowers and their images stood side by side. For the sweetpea I read the following:

SWEETPEA -

Good-bye, Departure, Blissful Pleasure, Thank You for a Lovely Time

Given where I know I'm going with this story I thought this flower was exactly what was needed. I love how a little bit of thought behind these things can lead to something more meaningful. Also the spell cast by Bonnie is a Latin translation of the following rhyme:

Light be seen

Light be bright

Dismiss [Remove] this darkness from your sight

For some reason there is no Latin word for 'remove' and so I've had to substitute 'remove' with 'dismiss' instead. I'm sorry to say that I don't know Latin but I found a cool translation site for the rhyme.

This chapter did start out a bit angtsy but I like the way it has ended so I thought better than to change it. I hope you like – if you do let me know with reviews