A/N: Here it is, the final chapter of the four part finale. I honestly never thought I'd make it this far into the story. There were so many times where I was ready to quit, call it a night and just delete 'Benny's Baby', but here it is one chapter away from being completed.
ONE LAST THING! There is one more chapter after this, the epilogue, and I will tell you right now you're going to want to stay for that. Trust me, you'll thank me later (or after you've read it) and that will go up in a few days. You'll understand when you get to the end of this chapter. I hate depressing chapters they really bum me out (that's why I've been taking my time to update).
But for now, read, and don't forget to leave a review if you hated or loved what happened!
Benny's Baby
Chapter 18: The Parting of Ways
Benny carefully opened the door to the nursery, and doing his best to be quiet, peered in. It took him a moment to realize what he was doing; there was no one in there anymore, no reason for him to be quiet. He took a couple steps in and stopped when the unexpected flood of emotions washed over him. A light dust coated the room, and in the dim light he could make out the crib, toys, everything he had gotten for his son. Everything that no longer had a purpose. He took a seat in front of the crib, and leaned his head against it.
"I don't know if you can hear me," whispered Benny aloud as he closed his eyes. "But it's been a long week since you left and things have gotten so bad, especially between your mom and me."
Benny watched from a distance as Erica and Sarah talked animatedly. He could see little signs of hesitation, caution almost, but for the most part Erica seemed happy. Or maybe she was trying to hide her pain and sadness, like him. But to see her so happy, when he felt so alone and lost, it hurt. He began to approach her and she looked up.
And then he saw it, pain, anger, hatred, sadness and more. There were tears and she quickly disappeared down the hallway. He saw Sarah looked around, and when they locked eyes she darted after Erica.
"Just give her some time," said Ethan as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's going through the same things as you, everybody deals with things differently and at different times."
"She leaves in three weeks," said Benny as he felt tears at the corners of his eyes. "How am I supposed to make things right when she can't even look at me?"
"Ethan and Sarah are handling things like pros though. I know they're acting strong for Erica and I, but I overheard them talking, and I know I ruined their chances together."
"What am I supposed to do?" asked Sarah as she crossed her arms. "You already know how she feels, and I'm her best friend, I can't force her to meet with him."
"Benny's really worried about her," pleaded Ethan. "She won't even look at him, and he's feeling just as bad as she is. They need each other right now. All he wants is to meet up with her and he's trying-"
"Erica can't look at him because he reminds her so much of Eric! Ethan you don't know what it's like, not being able to have a family. At least you get that, vampires don't. Can you imagine everything you ever wanted in your hands, and then to have to ripped away. I don't think Erica will ever be able forgive him. Just give them space."
"Benny's just as upset, he loves her. You don't think he feels just as bad about this? After all Eric was his son too!" They stared at each other frustrated. "I just want things to be normal again, between us, between them. I don't want to be on anybody's side."
"I know," said Sarah as she sighed. "Rory and Della broke up because they were arguing about Benny's choice, and if he did the right thing. They broke up because they have different opinions on some else's problems. Can you believe that? It's so stupid."
"Sarah can I ask you something?"
"Yeah anything."
"I know your leaving with Erica when she goes away for college, but what are you going to do after that? We haven't really talked about what happens next or what happens with us."
"I'm going to Europe, remember?"
"Yeah but after that. I mean you're going to come back right?"
Sarah said nothing and instead pulled Ethan into a hug. "I've been thinking about it a lot, this whole Eric thing has made me realize a bunch of things. Like I'm never going to have a family, that I'm going to have to say goodbye to friends, and that maybe you and I weren't meant to be together. You're going to get older and I'm always going to be the same, can we really do that to each other."
"I thought we were going to find a cure together."
"We both know that's not possible, Ethan it's time for us to grow up. We can't keep putting blind faith in something that may never happen. There's a huge vampire colony in Europe and I think it might be better for me if I just stayed with them. If I learned to embrace my vampire side."
"Oh..." He pulled free from her arms and backed away. "I-I have to go, can't be late for class."
Benny ducked backwards in enough time to avoid Ethan as he rushed past him. Sarah and Ethan were over, Della and Rory had broken up, and Erica couldn't even look at him.
"Who can I talk to when everyone I know around me is in pain because of me?" asked Benny as he leaned his head against his knees. "I don't know what to do."
It was another week before Benny found the courage to enter the nursery again. When he did he found it less painful and more inviting than last time. He smiled as he opened the curtains and felt the warm sunlight filter through. He took a seat in the same place as last time and began to talk aloud.
"Your mom and I talked today for the first time since you left us, and even though it hurt, I was so happy to hear her voice. I know she misses you, and I know she can't look at me because she thinks of you. It's funny, I thought I wouldn't be able to look at her the same way again, but that sadness it's starting to go away."
"How did you know I would be here?"
Benny took a seat on the bench next to Erica and looked up at the leaves as the rustled in the afternoon breeze. It was a beautiful day out, everything you'd expect from a Whitechapel summer. He thought about her question for a moment and then answered.
"This is where I first told you about him, about-"
"Don't say his name," said Erica as she suddenly jerked to the side. "Please just don't say his name."
"It's been two weeks, and you haven't even talked to me about what's happened. I saw the way you looked at me in the hallway, and the way you run away from me. I know what you're feeling, and I want you to know that I'm here. That we can talk about this, you don't have to be alone."
"You look so much like him, and it hurts so much. I've been trying to be strong, to think about everything that's happened but the more I do, the worse it gets. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do this anymore."
"Do what?" asked Benny afraid of the answer.
"This, us. Benny whatever we have it's dead, and I can't even look at you. I don't want to I blame you for everything, but I do. I can't help it but it keeps happening, I hate you and there's nothing I can do to stop these feelings. I don't want to, but I do, I hate you so much."
As she began to cry a gentle breeze shook the tree causing a several leaves to fall. One of then landed in her hair and Benny carefully removed it.
"When this all started, I was afraid to tell you about him because I thought you wouldn't be able to look at me the same way again. Now I'm losing you, and there's nothing I can do to stop it. You don't have to do this alone. You're graduating in week and a half, I don't want you do go away feeling like this. I'm here and I always have been."
He held out the leaf to her, and she looked up for the first time. He saw her blue eyes and instead of sadness there was something else, a strange sense of warmth he hadn't felt in weeks. He loved Eric, but Erica was the reason he had set out to create his son. She reached out for the small leaf and stopped.
"I'm sorry Benny, but I can't do this."
She was gone, and again he found himself alone.
"I don't blame her for hating me though, things just keep falling apart," said Benny as he picked up his old stuffed rabbit. "I hurt so many people. Sarah's leaving Ethan, Rory and Della broke up, even Grandma looks depressed when she thinks I'm not looking. All of this because I created you, because I had a son... What can I do to make things right?"
He turned the old toy over in his hands wishing it could somehow grant him the answers he needed. He noticed a couple of strands of his son's hair and then looked up. How was that possible?
"Today is the last day we can talk about this," said Benny as he closed the second to last box. Unlike the previous times he had spent alone in the nursery the window was open letting in the afternoon breeze and light. The crib lay dismantled in the corner and various boxes were packed and labeled: Baby Stuff. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and smiled.
"Last time I was here I told you how I wasn't sad anymore, that I was ready to move on. It doesn't mean that I don't love you, because I do, but I think it's a sign that you're telling me that I need to make things right again, and not just for your mom, or me, but for everyone."
He stopped and pulled an envelope out of his pocket. He placed it in Benny-Rabbit's arms and them both into a box. "I love you more than you'll ever know. And I just wanted to say it out loud one last time before I put everything away, before I..."
He looked up. "Eric Weir, you were my son and I loved you," tears welled up in his eyes. "One day I'll figure out a way to bring you back, because I know I can! It may take a while but I will find a way, but right now your mom and and my friends need my help first."
Erica walked through the park and watched as families played together on the jungle gym. She watched as siblings chased each other around, and smiled at the sight of a young couple pushing a stroller in front of them. It took her a moment to notice Benny sitting on the edge of the green field his back turned to the families.
It was strange how the sight of children didn't cause her pain, but the sight of him hurt more than anything she had ever known. She slowly approached him and took a seat on the ground. In front of them was nothing but the bright green field and trees beyond it.
"You know I was never ready to be a dad…. No matter how many times I told myself that I was ready, that I could raise Eric, deep down I knew that I couldn't do it." He didn't look at her and instead kept his gaze focused on the sky. "And the more I thought about it, I think things happened this way because I needed to see how difficult it was going to be…. That life isn't as hard as I thought it was, that maybe I needed to grow up."
Before she could say anything he held up his hand and continued to talk. "But why did it have to happen this way? Why did it have to happen to us? We tried to be a family, we tried everything to make things work. And it didn't, all I did was cause you pain, make things worse for us. I ruined our group of friends, ruined any chance any of them had at a relationship and all because I wanted to prove you wrong. You're right to be angry at me, to hate me. Maybe it would've been better if it never happened."
"Don't say that," said Erica as she looked down at her cell phone. The background image was Benny holding Eric with a smile on his face. "What about everything good that happened between us?"
"You can't even look at me. And every time you do you see Eric. The pain you experience is the same thing I feel when I think about everything we did together because I know there's no going back for us. I just want you to know that I'm sorry for everything that I did. And I know it may be to late, but I wanted to know if maybe one day we can be friends again."
"Benny I'm not going to come back," whispered Erica as she pulled her knees close to her chest. "Whitechapel isn't my home anymore, I'm only going to get older, Eric was a sign that I can't be human anymore. Everything that happened between us though, it was special."
"Then why are you doing this?"
She said nothing.
"Why are you doing this to us?"
"Just stop!" screamed Erica in anger as she jumped to her feet. "I love you, but I can't be with you, ok? Having Eric made me realize how much we're meant for each other, and that one day I'm going to have to say goodbye to you. I can't do that, I don't want to do that. I can't do it twice in one lifetime. Everything that happened between us was special, but I can't lose you too."
Benny said nothing and stood up. He took her hands in his and leaned in. "I'm so sorry." He pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry for everything I've done, but I've got to make things right."
"What are you talking about?"
"You graduate in a few days, and then you leave after that. This is the first time we've talked, actually talked with one another. I just needed to hear that you loved me, before I did anything else."
"Benny-"
He placed a kiss on her lips; she backed away when she noticed his eyes were glowing. "And I hope after all of this, maybe we can find each other again."
"What are-"
"Do we really want to do this?" "We need to."
"I casted a spell that would only activate once I kissed you," said Benny as he took a few steps back. "It's going to erase Eric from our memories. We'll forget everything about him, and anyone who's seen him will forget about him. Pictures, written words, everything will be gone."
"Did our son just talk?" "He's crawling?"
"Why would you do that?" screamed Erica as she grabbed him by the shoulders. She felt memories suddenly racing past her. "Why would you do that! What right do you have to do that?"
"To make you forget, to take away the pain from everyone. This was the only way, to fix everything."
"It was so stupid of me to try and get you involved in Eric's life, now get the hell out of my house!" "Why didn't you call me this morning?"
"What about us? What about our memories?"
"They'll be altered, everything that happened will be re-written, and everything that happened between will cease to exist in our minds. Sarah, Ethan, Rory, Della, my Grandma, Doctor G, they'll all forget about Eric."
"But-but us…."
"This is where we say goodbye to each other," said Benny as he looked into her eyes. "This is where we say goodbye to our son."
"This is Eric he's my… my…" "You mean our son, because he's as much mine as he is yours."
Erica said nothing and leaned her head against his chest as she felt tears of relief well up in her eyes. "You always have to do stupid things like this."
"If we do like each other, then we'll be able to find these feelings afterwards. One day you'll understand, one day I'll be able to make things right. But for now, this is the only thing I can think of."
He pulled her into one last kiss and then whispered: "Goodbye Eric."
"Goodbye Eric."
"What's his name?" asked Ethan at long last. "Eric Weir," said Benny with a proud smile.
The first thing Benny noticed was how close to Erica's face his was, and apparently she noticed as well. They both pulled back shaking their heads in disgust and confusion.
"Where we about to… you know?" asked Benny as he rubbed his hands on his pants. "Kiss?"
"Why would I ever kiss you?" asked Erica in annoyance. "And what are we even doing here? Is this one of your stupid spells gone wrong? I swear if you made me do something stupid I will personally rip off your arms and make you eat them."
"I don't remember!" yelled Benny as he held up his phone. "Besides it says you texted me."
Erica looked down at her own and rolled her eyes in annoyance at the background image, which somehow managed to be Benny giving her a thumbs up.
"You know what, I'm going home."
She turned to leave when Benny called out to her. "Erica wait."
"What?"
"Well your leaving for college in a few days, and I know that we argue a lot but I might sort of kinda maybe will miss you. So while we're here why don't I get you a 'going away ice cream cone'?"
"Really?"
"Y-you know what your right," said Benny nervously as he rubbed his arms. "It was stupid of me to ask. Your a vampire so you don't eat anyways."
She smiled, she had never seen Benny so nervous before. It was kind of cute. "I could go for some ice cream."
"Really?"
Benny smiled as she walked alongside him and for a moment neither of them knew what to say or how to act. Then acting on instinct he grabbed her hands in his. There was something oddly familiar about it...
"How about a movie instead?" asked Benny a huge smile on his face. He suddenly turned red as he asked: "Or maybe we can go for a walk in the Whitechapel Gardens?"
"The gardens," said Erica as she blushed. "The gardens sounds romantic."
"Why are we blushing?"
"I have no idea."
A/N: And there you have it. Memories are gone, Eric never happened and they all move on with their lives. OR DO THEY? I can't tell you the answer to that, but if you read the chapter carefully then maybe you'll be able to figure it out. For now I'll say goodbye, and I can tell you right now the epilogue will go up on May 5th and will conclude this story the way it was meant to be ended.
Don't forget to drop a review, and I'll see you guys on the last chapter of Benny's Benny!