Note: When I first pictured this, this is not at all where I thought I would go, but after rereading the story and falling in love all over again with the idea; this is where it's taken me and I hope you at least give it a chance XO (typos are kind of a given with me, oops)
Chapter Three
Freak On A Leash
When Elena imagined her death; a demon sacrifice wasn't even on the list of things she wasn't expecting. So when she found herself being hacked to pieces she was grateful when she began slipping between the folds of her pain into the recollection of her terrifyingly short life. Remembering her distant mother, her borderline fictional father and then she remembered Bonnie. God, poor Bonnie. Bonnie who wouldn't know her worth if it were scrawled on her forehead. Elena had known her worth and look what it had gotten her; who knew Bonnie would be the smarter one between the two of them? Elena's back arched as a final scream tore through her body and even as she felt herself untie from her bones and begin to float outside of herself the pain stayed. She looked down at them, hunched over and slithering around as they debated what to do with her body; her precious, broken body. Rage filled her, interlocking its fingers with the pain and an unprecedented strength surpassed it all and she lurched forward – whatever she was in that moment. Instead of surging forward to the one who killed her; Nikolai, she found her vision twisting and turning and she looked over to see herself being dragged after her corpse.
The pull was magnetic and she howled in protest after the disappearing silhouette of her murderer. Nikolai was sort of smiling after the man dragging Elena's body; cigarette dangling between his thin lips as his dead eyes kept watching. Then; the sudden shift of control to the hands of gravity distracted her as she was thrown down into the Hell Hole after herself. Inside the whirlpool she felt herself being hacked apart all over again as she tried to get back into her skin; back into control, back to a time when everything made sense and she hadn't just been a sacrificial offering to the devil. She screamed and fought and pulled even as every part of her recoiled from realigning the two. It was only when she found herself bound in her own skin and digging her nails into the thick rock, through the hard wall of gushing water to get out of the hole did she realise that something else may have been fighting her for her body and she may not have fully won.
Bonnie was wheezing a little when her mother came running in, flushed and determined. Stefan sighed softly, fully intending to ignore the woman. A small part of him was sure the only reason Abby even knew where Bonnie was, was because she herself worked in the hospital. Sure, being a doctor was a demanding job as any, but the general approach Abby'd had to her daughter made his skin crawl with fury.
"How are her lungs?" She barked at the nurse behind him, her quick hands yanking the medical file away from the other woman and flipping through its pages with a haughty flick of her wrist as if she expected the words to read themselves. Stefan looked at Bonnie, his thoughts of her mother clear on his face. She cupped his cheek and shook her head; both of them well aware that Abby had yet to even look at her daughter fully.
"There was some smoke inhalation," the nurse stammered, frantic eyes shooting over to Bonnie as if the girl would start seizing at any moment, taking her career with her. "But her boyfriend brought her inhaler," Abby drew in a breath causing the nurse to fumble, "We've run the necessary tests and we're –"
"Standing around when you could be doing your job?" Abby snapped, finally looking up at the flustered woman with disdain clear in her eyes. "There are about forty people outside needing similar tests run on them and I'm sure you have better things to do than waste my time." A tight smile punctuated her attitude and the woman's head bobbed helplessly as her gaze flickered to an equally bewildered Bonnie before she fled the room. Exhaling with her eyes pressed shut Abby spun slowly on her heel and opened her eyes, holding a finger up at Bonnie. "Don't." She said her voice hard. "What were you thinking?" Her dark eyes went to Stefan then, as if he'd agree with her before she looked back at Bonnie. "The Grille?" She sneered. "Let me guess, it was Elena's idea –"
"Mom you need to call –" the police Bonnie wanted to say but she was cut off. Elena was yet to answer her phone.
"The only person I'm calling is your father." The woman snapped. "I don't know why your insubordination is my problem alone." Bonnie's head dropped down under the weight of her mother's words, Stefan's hand tightening around hers to remind her that while he might not say anything to her mother, he wouldn't let her go through any of it alone either. "And why don't you have an inhaler on you at all times?" Abby went on, "It's not my job to remind you of these things –" You should know better, she'd say; the redundancy of the woman knew no end…
"Actually yes," Bonnie snapped her head up and her eyes shining, "Yes it is. You're supposed to be at home, checking my homework, making sure I eat, reminding me about my inhaler." She was sitting straighter as her rant blossomed in front of them. "You're supposed to be a mother to me, not…whatever the hell this is." Abby's mouth fell open.
"Excuse me?" She hissed, leaning forward.
"I want you to leave." Bonnie said softly and Abby's brown eyes blinked owlishly back at her in response.
"Who's going to drive you home?" She asked, albeit awkwardly as Stefan looked over at her in obvious answer.
"The same person who's been driving me home for months now whenever I don't have my car." Bonnie said, "Besides," she went on, "It's like you said right, there about forty people outside needing tests run on them and I wouldn't want to waste your time." Abby held Bonnie's gaze for the longest moment before she slipped the medical chart back into the holder at the edge of the bed.
"Fine." Abby said curtly, "Let me know when you're home."
"Sure." Bonnie had already turned on her side, her body facing Stefan as he held her hands in his from his seat beside her bed. Abby let her eyes linger on them for a moment before she click-clacked her way out of the room. Stefan tilted his head when the door closed shut and leaned in, kissing her on the mouth, as softly as he could. Bonnie sighed gratefully.
"I love you." He whispered, still close to her mouth.
"I love you too." She said, making him smile down at her. "I'm staying over tonight, no arguments." He kissed her again.
"No ma'am." He grinned. "Come on," he moved away and she sat up as he reached for her shoes, handing them to her, "We'll get some take away and we can watch whatever movie you want. Damon won't wake up until tomorrow." Bonnie shook her head as she tucked in the laces of her sneakers, unsurprised and annoyed at his older brother.
"You never told me what happened tonight." Stefan bugged his eyes out as she stood up and stepped into the arms of his jacket that he was holding out for her. He kissed her cheek as he hugged her from behind before she spun around to look at him.
"He made me mad, I made him mad and then he threw my phone against the wall." He surmised and shrugged at her expression. "It happens." Bonnie shook her head as she grabbed her things.
"You know, one day Damon's going to realise what a shitty person he is and it's going to eat him alive." Bonnie swore and Stefan laughed, pulling her close as they walked, knowing that was likely never to happen.
Gross. I think there's like, a piece of skin stuck between my molars.
Elena hobbled down through the familiar dipping and rising walkways of the forest on the edge of the highway. Sucking at the space between her teeth she grimaced as she spat out the small crumb of skin. She looked down at herself, her drunken wobbling and blood stained clothes and began to laugh for some reason.
"You look like shit Gilbert." She said to herself as she drew in a long breath of air, trying to find her bearings. Her eyes fluttered closed as she smelled the different flavours of blood permeating the immediate area as she made her way into the neighbourhood. She scoffed sloppily at the 'wealthier' side of town, her hobbling feet slipping and sliding in the heeled boots that had somehow managed to stay in place despite the night's events. "Where…are…you." She rasped, knowing that she was hunting down one person in particular. The only person she trusted to get all the blood off of her, the only person she'd try to believe if they said 'everything was going to be okay'. She needed to find Bonnie, and Bonnie being Bonnie, was probably with Stefan. She'd just recognised the familiar curve of the road that led up the hill to the Salvatore Estate when two sets of car lights swung from around the corner, catching her off guard.
She immediately latched onto the chugging sound of her mother's car as it huffed after Stefan's Porsche. She'd gone back to fetch Elena's car, how…Bonnie Bennett. Elena watched as both cars curled into park, having sped over and hidden herself in the ample shrubbery surrounding the circular driveway.
"I'm going to call her cell again." Bonnie said as she climbed out and into Stefan's waiting arms. Elena gagged a little at the sight of them; they were nauseating. Blinking through the persistent call of blood that turned her vision a blinding red she took in the sight of her best friend. Bonnie was clearly still frazzled and concerned, shaking from the cold as she looked up at Stefan with her phone in her hands.
"Okay, but do it inside, I –" a loud crash from somewhere on the bottom floor of the house cut him off, looking back down at Bonnie his mouth was pressed flat. Damon. The word passed between them and he sighed.
"I'll be quick. I just…Stefan, I need to get hold of her, what if her mom calls and I haven't so much as gotten a text?"
"Okay, I'm right inside –" Another smash and the sudden bright light spilling out into the night from the living room caught his attention again. He growled lowly when Damon decided to turn up the sound system in the house; blaring The Black Keys.
"Go," Bonnie said with a small laugh, "Seriously, I'm just going to call her. Go deal with your monster and I'll deal with mine." He nodded and, as if he could ever forget to, swooped down and kissed her hard on the mouth.
"Hurry up; I don't like it when you're out in the cold alone." She shook her head and smiled at him, shoving him a little when he didn't leave.
"Go." She was still smiling when the he disappeared inside, leaving the door open, so that she could hear him shout out Damon's name. All humour fled her features as she looked down at the device in her hands, the glaring light illuminating her face as she held down the '2' on her keypad. Damon's music was still blaring loudly behind her as she waited. Her thumbnail flew to her mouth as the number dialled and both girls froze when Elena's cell phone began to ring. Bonnie spun around in the direction of where Taylor Swift's upbeat diatribe of shitty boys and cute outfits sang from. "…'Lena?" Bonnie stammered, taking a step towards the bushes where the girl emerged; meaning to do so gracefully, but only managing to lurch forward. Scrambling upright she was assaulted by her friend's hands on her face. "Elena what happened to you? Where did you go?" Bonnie took half a step back and ran her eyes up and down her friend's appearance. "…'Lena, what did they do?" Elena blinked and swallowed down the saliva that pooled in her mouth at the smell that was burning its way down her throat. Nothing had smelled this good to her; ever. "Elena?" The choking sound in Bonnie's voice was what refocused her eyes onto her friend's face.
"Hungry." Was all she heard herself say and Bonnie gaped first, but began nodding.
"Okay, well, come inside," Bonnie said, her words rushed and frantic, "We can get you cleaned up and Stefan can make you so –" a hard jerk from Elena pulled Bonnie back from her venturing to the waiting double doors just a few feet away. "Ow-what?"
"Hungry." Elena said again, her voice hoarse and low as she closed the space between their bodies. "So…" she gripped a hand behind Bonnie's neck, "…Fucking…" her blunt teeth nipped at the thin skin just over the pulse point, "Hungry." Her other hand had a fierce grip on Bonnie's waist, her fingers pressing in as hard as she could without bending her bones backward. Bonnie grimaced and struggled against her hold despite her confusion.
"What are you doing?" Bonnie hissed and Elena moved her hand on Bonnie's neck, pressing into the girl's windpipe with her thumb. Bonnie's heart thudded and she gasped when she watched Elena's eyes change, the pupil turning and elongating into two slits, cutting through the colour of the iris vertically. A hollow growl bubbled up her throat and washed over Bonnie's trembling lips.
"Are you scared?" Elena whispered. Bonnie's mouth fell open and she looked like she wanted to nod but even as a tear slipped past her defences she remained silent. Footsteps approaching them drew Elena's attention and with a quick glance back at Bonnie she sped off into the darkness, leaving the girl wheezing and clutching her chest. Damon's drunken feet came to stand next to Bonnie and he tapped her shoulder, curious yet uninterested at her current state.
"Stefan's cleaning up my puke, wanna see?"
With Damon put to bed and the house once again in a respectable state, Stefan made his way upstairs to his bedroom where he'd left Bonnie. She was curled on her side, her hair spilling over onto his pillow. Wordlessly he pulled off his shirt and jeans, and walked as quietly as he could to his adjoined bathroom. After showering and pulling on a pair of pyjama pants he climbed in and pulled her small body to his. She smelled like his shower gel and was in one of his shirts.
"You okay?" He said softly, her hands gripping his arms as the circled her telling him she was still very much awake.
"…Ish." She said softly.
"You end up getting a hold of Elena?" She turned and nuzzled into the crook of his shoulder, breathing him in.
"Yeah." Noting her short responses, he kissed her forehead and held her a little tighter.
"I love you." He said. She kissed his neck softly, her nose travelling up the hollow of his throat, her thin fingers raking through the strands of his damp hair.
"I love you." She breathed, falling asleep a few moments later.
"…What." Stefan said into the thick darkness. Damon stepped into the room and crossed his arms.
"When are you going to tell her?" Damon asked, not bothering to circle around the topic.
"I'm going to tell her when she's ready to know." Snorting Damon rounded the edge of the bed and came to sit down next to Bonnie's sleeping form, tilting his head to the side he tisked softly. Stefan didn't like the way he was looking at her.
"She'll never be ready." The elder Salvatore said, his voice even despite the sour stench of his breath from his drinking. Pulling a face, Stefan tugged his girlfriend closer to his body and scowled at his brother.
"Get out, I don't her waking up to you breathing on her in the dead of night." Raising his palms up, Damon walked backwards with a floppy grin on his face.
"Stranger things little brother, stranger things."
When Bonnie woke up the next morning, the only evidence she had that any of last night's events actually took place were the missed calls from her mother and the outgoing call log of her trying to get a hold of Elena.
"Wanna eat before we go to your house to fetch some clothes or?" She sat up and blinked tiredly at her boyfriend as he sat on the edge of the bed. How was it that he woke up looking like this every morning? She needed a brush, some holy water and some one on one time with her toothbrush before she even dared to be seen by herself let alone someone else. Her hands flew up to her hair, and sure enough, her curls had gone and made her look ridiculous. "I think you look beautiful." Stefan said with a warm smile as he moved to her, kissing her on her forehead when she pulled a face as he'd leaned in to kiss her mouth.
"Liar." She mumbled, covering her mouth and hurrying past him to the bathroom to use his mouthwash.
"So do you wanna wear my clothes or are we doing a drive by past your house?" He called out to her as he heard the faucet running. When she emerged she looked decidedly more alert as she tugged at the hem of his shirt that barely covered her upper thighs.
"Drive by after some coffee?" She batted her eyelashes at him, making him smile.
"You got it babe."
Stefan was looking at her profile as they walked down the hallways. Every other corner had someone dropped against a set of lockers, bawling endlessly about someone they knew that had died last night.
"You never told me how the fire started." Stefan said, pulling Bonnie closer to his side when her eyes stayed stuck on Gillian, from their English class; she'd been dating Gale, from chemistry class for almost two years now – a feat on its own. He'd been with Ahmed last night, Bonnie didn't know what had convinced those boys to end up at the Grille last night, but…they had, and now they were dead.
"It's because I don't know," Bonnie's voice was flat and distracted as she huddled into his hold; she needed to find Elena. She needed to know that smoke inhalation actually did cause hallucinations; ones so bad in fact, that you thought your best friend was going to chomp into your neck. "One second were standing there, listening to the begrudgingly-better-than-bland band Low Shoulder and next thing I know, there's this line of fire crawling up the side of the wall…" She tilted her head thoughtfully as she undid her locker door, "And it spread so fast…everything was just a mess after that." She looked up at him; he was frowning as usual. He cupped her cheek and even though he was trying to smile, all Stefan's mouth managed was an upward curve of sincerity that meant so much more to her than an attempt at placating her.
"I'm so glad you're okay." He said earnestly, moving to rest his forehead against hers. "Seriously, if anything had happened to you last night…" He exhaled sharply through his nose as he pulled away, shaking his head. "The Grille wouldn't have been the only building burned to the ground."
"Bonnie!" The solemn voice broke through her response and she and Stefan turned to look over at Colin Gray, housed in a litter of black and grey clothing and gothic embellishments that jingled as he wandered through the hallways. "Bonnie," his subdued relief was something else, was he high? "I heard you were caught in the fiery trenches last night." Stefan's frown went unnoticed by the other two as Bonnie nodded.
"I was." She said a small smile at the other boy. His blue eyes shone happily at the sound of her voice.
"Well," a flourished hand waved over at her person from where he stood, "I'm glad you didn't die." She grinned then and Stefan's frown blossomed into concern at their interaction. Not out of jealousy, he hadn't had a reason to reach that stage yet, but their interaction was odd at best. "That would have seriously sucked…" She giggled softly as he looked down at his Doc Martin'd feet. "No one gets the beauty of literature quite like you do." Bonnie pushed up her glasses to hide her soft blush at his compliment; coming from someone so in touch with the world of prose it really did mean a lot.
"…Thanks." Her smile was sincere and he nodded at her, his eyes flickering to Stefan and his blue deep-v'd shirt and away again. With one more nod and smile he spun on his booted heel and sauntered off, a flurry of black-clad minions hurrying after him.
"What was that?" Stefan said with a chuckle. "I thought Gray only spoke to the 'dead' girls?" His bulged eyes told her exactly how ridiculous he thought Colin's ways were. She shrugged and adjusted her bag's strap on her shoulder, wincing a little at the lingering ache in her lungs. Needing no more encouragement, Stefan took her bags and bumped her shoulder. "Come on, let's get you to class."
When she'd walked into class, the kids that were there took a moment to stop what they were doing and stare at her. It provided another unnecessary reminder of the fire. The fire…the fire and what happened with –"
"Snap out of it, you look stupid." Elena's voice cut through her glazed-over-eyed overthinking. "Sitting here practically drooling on yourself when we have so many more important things we could be doing," Bonnie's mouth plopped open, "Like fixing your nails for starters," Elena grimaced as she daintily lifted Bonnie's chewed down forefinger nail between two of her own long fingers (perfectly manicured of course), "How many times do I have to tell you that resembling an actual human being is good for our social standing?"
"How are, how are you –" Bonnie stammered.
"Great… now your mouth's broken too, god, what next? You're already wearing glasses." Bonnie frowned, partially because she was not in the mood for Elena's snippy commentary and mostly because she could have sworn the girl had been seconds from biting a hole in her neck. To suck out her life force or slurp her up like a Capri-Sun was anyone's guess. And now, there she sat, all glowey and gorgeous making Bonnie feeling frumpy and gross in comparison – like it was just another Thursday morning.
"Don't you remember seeing me last night?" Bonnie asked, still gaping at the side of her friend's head. Elena looked at Bonnie like she'd been dropped on her had every day since birth.
"Yes," the other girl replied with almost no patience left in her, "We went to watch that band I've been obsessing over for weeks now and then after you got mad because I got to go drive in their van with them."
"I'm talking about after that," Bonnie pressed on, "You know when you –"
"Good morning class." Mr Wroblewski said, his solemn downcast eyes even more so today. "What terrible, terrible news we've been greeted with this morning." Elena snickered and Bonnie's eyes flew over to her friend incredulously, only receiving a callous shrug and a smirk in response. Something wasn't right. No, not at all.
Elena could still feel the pull to the thumping hearts in every body that moved around her. Some thudded more proudly than others, some faintly, miserably, weighed down by weakness and shoddy diets. Elena needed sustenance and as she locked eyes with the biggest football player on the school's team; watching how his were shining with mourning – she knew exactly where her next meal was coming from.