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let's talk about it
ATHENA'S VISION BLURS AS SHE RUNS INTO THE HOSPITAL, STEFAN CLOSE BEHIND HER. Her eyes land on Bonnie and Matt, and she stops before them, struggling to find her voice. "What happened?"
Matt shakes his head, tears in his bright blue eyes. "We– we were driving, and Tyler heard this noise,"
Stefan's brows furrow. "A noise?"
The trio share wary glances as Matt nods, oblivious. "He got this migraine or something and lost control of the car. And I thought that Caroline was fine, and then– and then she wasn't. I'm sorry,"
Athena steps backward, practically falling into the empty row of chairs across from Matt and Bonnie. Stefan mirrors her, taking her hand in his as he looks around the hospital worriedly.
Bonnie, seeing Athena's state, taps Matt's arm and stands. "Will you show me where the vending machines are?"
The blond boy nods, standing to lead Bonnie down the hallway. The witch looks over her shoulder at the couple still seated, and jerks her head in a nod, a clear action to discuss Tyler's apparent affliction to the Gilbert device.
"Mayor Lockwood is dead," Athena mutters, her fingers tracing the edges of her bandaged arm as she recalls the burning basement. "He was in there with us, and one of the tomb vampires killed him."
Stefan leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why would he have heard it? He's not a vampire, and neither is Tyler."
Athena shakes her head, feeling more exhausted than she ever has. "I don't know, I don't– I just want this day to be over."
He sighs knowingly, pulling her towards him slightly so she can lean her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about all of this. I know it's a lot, but you're strong and so is Caroline. She's gonna be fine, I promise."
"I just," Athena sniffles, squeezing her eyes shut. "I can't imagine what she felt like after my accident. I hate feeling so helpless. Caroline is going to die and I can't do anything about it."
"Athena! What's going on with Caroline? What happened?" Elena's voice breaks through the silence of the waiting room and the brunette sighs, wiping her cheeks as the doppelgänger comes to a stop before them.
"Tyler got into an accident while they were in the car," Athena shook her head, biting her tongue to steady her voice. "He and Matt are fine, but they don't think Caroline's going to make it. I don't– I don't know much else than that, her mom is here somewhere, I'm sure you can ask her."
Elena's stomach drops with dread and she watches Stefan use one of the tissues off of a coffee table to wipe beneath Athena's eyes and murmur soft reassurances to her. Wringing her hands together, Elena sighs. "Hey, um, I'm– I'm sorry about what happened,"
