Chapter 14 - Reconnecting

The room was quiet, save for the sound of Elena's voice. Her words trembled slightly as she finished recounting the events of that night—Freddy's assault, Stefan's viciousness. Bonnie sat cross-legged on the bed beside her, her wide eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Elena hadn't planned to share this with Bonnie, not today at least. She'd only invited Bonnie over to calm Jenna who was threating to call in the police. But now, as she sat here with Bonnie—her best friend who held no judgment, only care—the words flowed more easily than she'd expected. The weight she had been carrying began to lift, and for the first time, she was glad Jenna had pushed her. Maybe this was what she'd needed all along.

"…and then Stefan pulled me off the car, but he wasn't… himself. Or, he was, and I just didn't see it before," Elena said softly, her gaze fixed on her hands twisting in her lap. "I thought he was saving me, but then he… he pinned me back, and I…" She swallowed hard, her voice faltering. "I felt like I was dying all over again. Except this time, it wasn't a stranger."

Bonnie reached out, taking Elena's trembling hands in hers. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Elena's lips quirked in a bitter smile. "It's not your fault, Bonnie. None of this is."

Bonnie shook her head fiercely. "I should've been there for you. I should've pushed harder when you started pulling away." Her grip tightened on Elena's hands. "You've been dealing with all of this on your own, and I—"

"Stop," Elena interrupted gently, squeezing Bonnie's hands in return. "You've always been there for me, Bonnie. I just… needed time. I needed to figure out how to be myself again, to trust myself." Her voice softened, her gaze lifting to meet Bonnie's. "This wasn't on you. You did everything you could. I wasn't ready."

Bonnie blinked rapidly, tears spilling over her cheeks as she pulled Elena into a fierce hug. "You're not alone anymore," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm here. Always."

Elena nodded against her shoulder, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "And I'll try not to shut you out again. I promise."

They stayed like that for a long moment, the weight of unspoken forgiveness settling between them. When they finally pulled apart, the tension in the room felt lighter, the air easier to breathe.

"Okay," Bonnie said, swiping at her damp cheeks with a shaky laugh. "Enough heavy stuff. Let's talk about something that doesn't make me want to cry."

Elena smiled, a soft, genuine smile that hadn't graced her face in weeks. "Like what?"

The hours passed in easy conversation, their laughter growing freer with each shared memory. Bonnie had Elena giggling as she recounted a whispered rumor about Mr. Saltzman accidentally walking into a freshman party and awkwardly trying to "mentor" the attendees.

"The girls in the toilets at school even said he 'told them to stay hydrated and make good choices'," Bonnie said, rolling her eyes with a grin. "I mean, come on. He's not that crazy, but I could hardly tell them he was actually looking for a vampire at the time."

Elena laughed, a sound that felt foreign but welcome in her own ears. For a fleeting moment, she felt like herself again—normal.

"That sounds exactly like something he'd do," Elena said, shaking her head with a small smile.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the kind only best friends could share. Then Bonnie cleared her throat, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"So," she said, leaning in conspiratorially, "there's this new guy at school. Total hottie. I think I'm in love."

Elena arched a brow, amused. "Love, huh? That's a big word."

Bonnie grinned, undeterred. "Okay, fine. Maybe not love, but seriously, Elena, he's gorgeous. Like, movie star gorgeous. And his smile…" She trailed off, giving a dreamy sigh.

Elena smiled, supportive as ever, but her gaze drifted to the window. Her expression turned distant, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her comforter.

"Elena?" Bonnie asked, her tone softening.

Elena blinked, snapping back to the present. "Sorry," she said quickly. "I'm happy for you, Bonnie. He sounds… great."

Bonnie frowned slightly, her heart twisting at the blankness in Elena's eyes. "We don't have to talk about this," she said gently.

"No, it's fine," Elena insisted, but her voice lacked conviction.

Bonnie hesitated, then ventured cautiously, "Can I ask… are you and Stefan really done this time?"

Elena froze, her shoulders stiffening. She let out a slow breath, her hands tightening into fists before relaxing. "Yeah," she said finally. "We're done. For good."

Bonnie nodded, biting her lip. "Good. You deserve someone who loves and protects you, Elena."

The words hit harder than Bonnie intended. Elena's mind immediately turned to Damon. She didn't want to think about him—not now—but she couldn't help it. His quiet presence, his unrelenting care, the way he seemed to understand what she needed without her having to say a word. He didn't even blame her for what Stefan had done and, more importantly, he didn't know how damaged she really was.

"Elena?" Bonnie's voice broke through her thoughts, and she shook her head, blinking rapidly.

"What?"

"You were zoning out again," Bonnie said, studying her carefully. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing," Elena said quickly, her cheeks flushing.

Bonnie let it go and though her curiosity lingered she changed subject, "have you heard from Damon lately?"

Elena stiffened, her defences snapping into place. "Why would I? We're not friends."

Bonnie frowned. "Oh. I just figured, since he's been around a few times… Caroline mentioned he and Stefan are fighting again. I assumed you two had talked."

Elena's brow furrowed. "Damon and Stefan are fighting? Again?"

"Well," Bonnie said hesitantly, "Damon called me to the Grill last night. He wanted me to do a locator spell… for Freddy."

Elena's stomach dropped. "What?"

Bonnie shrugged, keeping her tone light. "He was pretty intense about it. Scary, even. Not that I'd ever admit it to him," she added with a nervous laugh.

Elena's mind raced. "How does he know about Freddy? I didn't tell him. Did Stefan tell him? Does everyone know?"

The panic was immediate, rising like a tide she couldn't stop. Her chest heaved, her breaths shallow and erratic.

"No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Damon can't know. He can't. I can't…"

Bonnie's heart stopped as she watched Elena spiral. Her best friend had gone pale, beads of sweat forming on her brow. She clutched her chest with one hand, the other fisting the bedsheet so tightly her knuckles were white. Her breaths came in short, shallow gasps, her eyes darting wildly as though searching for an escape.

"Elena, breathe," Bonnie said, alarmed, but her words barely seemed to register.

Bonnie crouched closer, her mind racing. What do I do? She thought of calling Caroline but dismissed the idea—Caroline was too tangled up with Stefan to think clearly. Jenna? No, Jenna was already overwhelmed, from what Elena had told her, she didn't want to make things worse.

That left one option. The one person Bonnie hated to admit might actually help.

With a deep breath, she grabbed her phone, her hands trembling as she dialled the number.

"What?" Damon's voice was sharp on the other end.

"It's Elena," Bonnie said, her voice shaking. "I… She needs you. Now."