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Elena hurried after her, her chest tight with exciteain She could tell him how hard it ithout him, every day, and he would hold her in his ar hoht of their auras surrounding thean to fade Elena called out, but her voice stuck in her throat Where was Bonnie? Elena tried to run after her, but her friend grew s fro

"Stefan!" she called Her voice echoed back to her "Stefan!"

She was alone in the darkness

Elena’s eyes fluttered open She was standing on the riverbank, her toes chilled by the lapping waves Bonnie blinked up at her, her face pale and ith tears

"I’m so sorry, Elena," she said "I couldn’t find him He’s not anywhere we can reach"

Elena leaned into her friend, letting Bonnie’s arms circle her shoulders, and sobbed

Bonnie felt terrible As she toed off her damp sneakers in the entryway of her and Zander’s apart the afternoon at the river had given her a cold That would be an easy explanation for the rotten, hollow sensation in her chest

But, no, if Bonnie was honest with herself, she had to ad Elena had asked her for since Stefan had died--the only thing Elena had asked anybody for at all--and Bonnie couldn’t do it

Re Elena’s strained s, Bonnie al herself with a hand against the wall Now, the end of su business planted shrubs and trees, and every day he came home absolutely filthy

That hat Bonnie needed Zander He’d pull her into his arrass and sunshine, and tell that it was okay, that she’d done the best she could

She heard Zander’s voice and followed his low tones to the kitchen As she turned the corner from the hallway, she stopped for awith his back to her, all long leanat the nape of his neck, still daht of him still sometimes made her want to melt into a puddle on the floor

"I know," he said sharply into the phone "I’ forward and lightly brushing her fingers across his back Zander ju around to face her "I have to go I’ll call you later" He clicked the phone off

"Who was that?" Bonnie asked, leaning forward for a kiss Zander’s lips h, he avoided her eyes

"No one important," he said "You want pizza for dinner? Jared told ood," Bonnie said, but she couldn’t help frowning "Are you okay?"

Zander looked at her then, and his face split into a s at the corners "Never better," he said

"Okay" Bonnie saze had skidded away froain, and his shoulders were stiff

She pushed away the tickle of worry at the back of her mind They’d all been tense since Stefan’s death There was nothing hed, and Zander turned back toward her, instantly alert "What’s up?" he asked, his face full of concern

"I tried to contact Stefan today so Elena could say good-bye But I couldn’t find him"

"Oh, Bonnie," he said And just as she’d known he would, he put an arled into it, taking co you could," Zander went on reassuringly "There’s nothing you wouldn’t do for her"

But Elena had looked so broken, Bonnie thought Nothing like the proud girl Bonnie had known since they were kids Elena loved Stefan with everything she had, and now she was left with nothing