Whatever It Takes {Two | Alaric Saltzman}

I Alone

The sound of the front door, Alaric's footsteps weaving their way into the kitchen, and a set of keys meeting the white countertop pulled Abigail from the office.

"Hey." Glancing at the clock, he kissed her cheek. "Sorry it's so late."

"Oh, I-" She followed his eyes, registering just how many hours had passed since his usual arrival time. "I was so busy I didn't even notice. What kept you?"

"I, uh, I don't know..." His face contorted. "I-I don't know."

"You don't know?" Fear. That was the only thing she felt. It was the irrational kind. The kind that made her freeze. The exact same kind as his. "The last time you didn't know where you were, you were-"

"I know! That's why I'm freaking out!"

"Hey, hey. Look at me, Ric." She took his face in her hands. "It's not happening again. It's not."

"Then wh-"

"I don't know. I don't know. But it's not happening. It can't be. So, tell me what you remember."

"Breakfast in bed, rushing out of the door, ten o'clock, office hours, lunch, three o'clock, and then-" He squeezed his eyes shut. "Abigail, I can't remember anything since my last lecture."

"You're on vervain, aren't you?"

He reached for his wallet, finding the pocket he stored vervain in empty. "Damn it."

Jeremy was jogging just ahead of Abigail on the trail that connected her and Alaric's apartment building to the Whitmore campus. They were talking more than they weren't and laughing more than they had in a long time, but they both knew it was because the other was holding something back. And as the well-worn path turned to concrete, there wasn't much more to hide the truth.

"Seriously, I shouldn't be winning."

"Living without booze doesn't make you Iron Man!"

"I'm a Hunter. Plus, I work out."

When he looked back at her, she smirked. "I can still vamp circles around you."

He scoffed. "You mean, you can cheat."

"That's exactly what I mean." A childish laugh escaped her as she used just enough of her supernatural speed to get in front of him. "Or I could pants you in front of the entire women's volleyball team."

"Doubt they'd mind." He stopped. "Seriously, Abigail, what's going on?"

"You first." She looked him up and down. "What did you do with my miserable half-drunk brother?"

"He canceled Bonnie's cell phone, cried until there was nothing left, and got all the grief out of his system. He is ready to move on." He pointed at her, motioning for her to speak. "Now you."

"It's about Bonnie."

A short while later, Elena joined them at a picnic table. They explained everything Damon had told them, all that they'd learned from Jo, and, most importantly, what it meant for them all. What it meant for the one person who gave them the chance to be sitting together, after all that they had been through, more than once.

His expression had not changed, but there was still no way to read it. "Damon said she found peace."

"He thought Kai had killed her, but he just found out that she's alive, and he's doing everything that he can to-"

"So, you're back to defending him? Wow!"

Abigail leaned forward. "Jeremy-"

"Oh, you too? Okay..." He shook his head. "And all it took was one hollow promise to bring Bonnie back."