Summary: Stefan feels guilty about being involved in turning Bonnie's mother into a vampire to save Elena.
Bonnie fought back tears as her hand gently rested on her mother's lifeless form. Despite the strained relationship they shared, the last thing she desired was this fate for Abby. The notion of any witch or warlock enduring the transformation into a vampire, permanently severed from nature, was an agony Bonnie wouldn't wish upon anyone. She heard Caroline open the door and walked to the open area of her house but not close enough for Elena to see her.
"She doesn't want to see you," Caroline asserted firmly.
"Please, just let me talk to her," Elena implored, desperation etched on her face. Caroline sighed before responding.
"Abby is in transition. It's going to be hard over the next few days and Bonnie needs some time to deal. Then, I think you should give it to her" Caroline explained. Elena, driven by concern, wasted no time pleading her case.
"She's always been there for me Caroline. Please, just let me be there for her too" she continued her plead. Elena never wanted this to happen and didn't know that Stefan and Damon would go to such lengths to protect her even if it meant hurting her friends and family in the process.
Caroline met Elena's gaze and sighed, recognizing the inevitable truth that needed to be told. "I'm sorry Elena. I know you want to help, but put yourself in her shoes...everything that happened tonight was to save you. And that's okay cause she loves you so much...but somehow she's always the one who gets hurt"
Elena's face reflected a mix of hurt and acknowledgment. This was her burden to bear; Bonnie's mother became a vampire because of Damon and Stefan's actions to save her.
"You're right. I just-" Elena's voice faltered, her eyes stinging as she fought back tears. "Just tell her I love her okay"
"Of course I will" Caroline responded softly as Elena took one last glimpse into the house before walking away.
Behind the wall, Bonnie couldn't contain the tears streaming down her face. The overwhelming weight of always being called upon when her friends needed something had taken its toll. Ever since Elena became entangled with the Salvatores, it seemed to be nothing but pain for everyone. From Grams to now Abby, Bonnie was done helping the Salvatore's.
***
Five days had passed since Bonnie's mother was turned into a vampire. Stefan, burdened by guilt, sat alone with a heavy heart, sipping bourbon from his glass. Although he and Bonnie weren't particularly close, the weight of the suffering he inadvertently brought upon her and her family haunted him day and night.
Damon, on the other hand, displayed a callous indifference, constantly justifying his actions in a way that grated on Stefan's nerves. Feeling out of place within the so-called Mystery Gang, as Damon liked to label their group, Stefan wrestled with the uncertainty of his role. As Damon pursued Elena with his usual charm, he didn't know how he felt about that. But he knew he had to make things right with Bonnie. Unable to ignore the remorse any longer, Stefan decided it was time to face the consequences of his actions. He set out to find Bonnie, walking to her home with a sad heart, hoping to make an apology.
***
With Caroline's assistance, Abby's transition into vampirism had been progressing smoothly, though her mother still grappled with the pain of being unable to access her magic. Elena had been persistently calling Bonnie for the past five days. Seated at her kitchen table, eating a bowl of Applejacks, Bonnie hesitated to answer Elena's calls. The unresolved feelings from that fateful night lingered, making the prospect of speaking to Elena an unwelcome one.
