We're Golden

Chapter 4

"It's Abby. She's back".

That was all Stefan heard his mom say before he bolted for the door without a word.

He knew something wasn't right the moment his mom called him into the living room when he was supposed to be doing his homework. She asked him to sit down and took the seat next to him. Her eyes were begging him to stay calm and be rational, and he knew.

But he waited for her to speak anyway, using up the last of his restraint on her and when she did, he was gone the next second.

"Stefan!" She called out to him as he twisted the door handle and he turned around to look at her.

"Take my car" she said, "It's faster" and she tossed him the keys he easily caught before twisting the handle again and walked out the door.

The drive to Bonnie's house that usually took him ten minutes was instantly cut in half and he jumped out of his mom's car before it fully came to a stop on her driveway.

He could remember the first time he ever did this so clearly in his mind as he walked up the porch steps. Back when he was smaller and his mom was the one to drive him here.

And his heart was beating out of his chest just like it did back then as he twisted to handle and walked through the door.

"Bonnie" he said quietly as he walked into her room and saw her sitting on her bed. She looked so small, with her legs tucked against her chest and her head resting on her knees.

She looked up when she heard him calling her name and he saw the tears in her eyes when he walked to the side of the bed.

"I was trying to keep the monsters away like you said" she told him, her voice shaking. "But you weren't here, and I couldn't do it by myself".

"I'm here now and I'm not leaving. It's you and me, Bonnie" he said sincerely as the tears fell down her cheeks and she nodded.

"It's you and me, forever" she whispered and crawled to the edge of the bed to get to him and she gave him the warmest hug she'd ever give another human being.

And in that moment he felt her step back from the ledge she was about to jump from.

When she pulled back again she made room for him on the bed and they laid there side by side, quietly staring at the ceiling.

When he finally looked at her he saw the tears sliding down the side of her face, going into her ears and he took her hand. That got her attention and she looked at him.

"They left, Stefan. They left without even saying goodbye, and I don't think they're coming back".

Her bottom lip was quivering and when she was done speaking the sob slipped through her lips, so he pulled her to his chest and she cried, clutching onto his shirt.

And all the pain she was feeling filled her room and he felt it too.

"Stefan!" Sheila yelled again and grabbed onto his shoulders when he tried to get past her to head up to Bonnie's room. When he looked down at her she sighed and she looked tired to him, and worried, but most of all he could see the regret in her eyes because after all that's why Abby was here. She was here because Sheila let her be here.

After all these years and Sheila let her come back here.

"Why would you do this, Grams?" He asked the question before he could stop himself, but he was confused more than he was angry because she was supposed to protect Bonnie from them.