07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

Stefan’s wonder as he saw her there, still holding the little dark-haired boy in her arms.
Elena hadn’t realized that through her link to the child, she would be able to hear every
word spoken. Or that Damon’s messages would come in the words of a child.
The little boy said, “I guess you think I’m pretty stupid.”
Stefan started. He’d never seen or heard the child-Damon before. “I could never think
that,” he said slowly, marveling.
“But it wasn’t much like…him, you know. Like…me.”
“I think,” Stefan said unsteadily, “that it’s terribly sad—that I never really knew either of
you very well.”
“Please don’t be sad. That’s what he told me to say. That you shouldn’t be sad…or
afraid. He said it’s a little bit like going to sleep, and a little bit like flying.”
“I’ll…remember that. And—thank you—big brother.”
“I think that’s all. You know to watch over our girls….” There was another of the terrible
spasms that left the child breathless. Stefan spoke quickly.
“Of course. I’ll take care of everything. You fly.”
Elena could feel the grief slash at Stefan’s heart, but his voice was calm. “Fly away now,
my brother. Fly away.”
Elena felt something through the link—Bonnie touching Stefan’s shoulder. He quickly got
up so that she could lie down. Bonnie was almost hysterical with sobbing, but she had done a good
thing, Elena saw. While Elena had been in her own little world with Damon, Bonnie had taken a
dagger and cut off a long lock of Elena’s hair. Then she had cut one of her own strawberry curls, and
placed the locks—one wavy and golden, one curling and red-blond—on Damon’s chest. It was all
they could do on this flowerless world to honor him, to be with him forever.
Elena could hear Bonnie, too, through her link with Damon, but at first all Bonnie could
do was sob, “Damon, please! Oh, please! I didn’t know—I never thought—that anyone would get
hurt! You saved my life! And now—oh, please! I can’t say good-bye!”
She didn’t understand, Elena thought, that she was talking to a very young child. But
Damon had sent the child a message to repeat.
“I’m supposed to tell you good-bye, though.” For the first time the child looked uneasy.
“And—and I’m supposed to tell you ‘I’m sorry,’ too. He thought you’d know what that meant and
you’d forgive me. But…if you don’t…I don’t know what will happen—oh!”
Another of the hateful spasms went through the child. Elena held on to him hard, biting
her own lip until the blood came; at the same time trying to shield the little boy completely from her
own feelings. And deep in Damon’s mind, she saw Bonnie’s expression change, from tearful penance
to astonished fear to careful control. As if Bonnie had grown up all in an instant.
“Of course—of course I understand! And I forgive you—but you haven’t done anything
wrong. I’m such a silly girl—I…”
“We don’t think you’re a silly girl,” the child said, looking vastly relieved. “But thank
you for forgiving me. There’s a special name I’m supposed to call you, too—but I…” He sank back
against Elena. “I guess—I’m…getting sleepy…”
“Was it ‘redbird’?” Bonnie asked carefully, and the little boy’s pale face lit up.
“That was it. You knew already. You’re all…so nice and so smart. Thank you…for
making it easy…But can I say one more thing?”
Elena was about to answer, when abruptly she was jarred completely out of Damon’s
mind and back into reality. The Tree had slammed down another spider’s leg set of branches, trapping