AWAKEN ; benny weir [2]

two

Three days have passed since Ethan awoke from the Lucifractor explosion, and his brain was everywhere at once. With summer started and no supernatural antics to shut down, Ethan was losing his mind without Benny, Ellie, Sarah, or even Rory & Erica. 

"Ethan? What's wrong?" Mrs. Morgan asked as he sat at their kitchen counter, severely infatuated with the wall behind his mother. "You've been quiet this week."

"Oh, it's uh- nothing," he tried to say.

"Where's Benny and Ellie?"
Ethan couldn't help but hesitate at the familiar question that his mother asked, knowing exactly where they were.
"I haven't seen them in a little bit," she offered, slightly confused as to why she hasn't seen the two kids that came to her house every day.

"U-um... Ellie's staying with her grandparents," Ethan lied. "And Benny is with his dad for a few days."
Just like he rehearsed.

"That's a shame; they love to come over at the start of summer," she said.

"You know, Ethan? You're lucky to have two decent parents," Mrs. Morgan told him, breaking into a maternal speech. "Benny's mom is out of the picture and Ellie doesn't even have a mom. She barely has a dad, since he works so much."

"Lucky me..." Ethan tried to say, as he felt his voice breaking.
"It's even worse when you don't even know how one of your parents died. I remember when I heard about Amelia having that heart attack on that hike and—!"

"—Mom, can we please talk about something else?" Ethan pleaded. He couldn't stand to talk about Benny and Ellie, especially when he couldn't even talk to them. "That's an awkward subject."

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For the first time in years, Ethan was completely alone on a Friday night.
He couldn't help but stare into his home's foyer, desperately wanting to see Benny or Ellie barge into the house like it was theirs. Ethan wanted to hear that knock on the door of Sarah's vampiric tradition needing to be allowed inside, knowing it wouldn't come.

But now, Ethan was just alone watching TV in the middle of his living room.

"You look really lame right now," Jane said, annoying her older brother from the stairs.
"...Thanks."

His attention shifted from his little sister to the home telephone ringing from the kitchen. Ethan groaned from idleness and put the corded phone to his ear.

"Morgan's residence, Ethan Morgan speaking—!"

"Ethan, you have to come quick!" said Ms. Weir. "Benny is responding!"

Ethan said nothing as he smiled the biggest grin he has had on his face in days. "O-Oh my god, on my way!"
He jumped around his house and shoved his shoes on, quickly running out the door and straight to Ms. Weir's house.

He didn't even try to knock on the door as he just rushed in and down the basement stairs, making his way into Ms. Weir's magic room. Ethan saw her standing over Benny's mattress and smiling at him. 

"Ethan, finally!" she grinned.

"Hey!" Ethan smiled. "You said he's waking up?"

"Yes, but he's not fully conscious yet," Ms. Weir explained, peering over to her grandson who still laid comatose on the cot. "I was thinking that your psychic energy could... give Benny a jumpstart."

"O-Okay, okay," Ethan exhaled. "I can do that."
He stuck out his arm and cautiously placed his hand on Benny's shoulder, with the touch thrusting him into another powerful vision.

The air was condensed in a thick white fog. Ethan could barely see what was in front of his eyes, except for a tall amicable silhouette that stood far out in the distance. Benny's silhouette.

"Benny! Benny! It's Ethan!" he yelled. Benny's silhouette stepped a bit closer and cocked its head forward.

"...Ethan?"

Snapping back into reality, Ethan flinched at the feeling of Benny jolting upright from the cot. The mage panted from fear and confusion as he finally woke from his spell.
"W-What happened?" Benny heaved, his voice hoarse from lack of use.

"You're okay, dear. Breathe," Ms. Weir assured him, holding a supportive hand onto her grandson's shoulder. "Stern's explosion from the Lucifractor put all of you under a stunning spell. You're the first to wake up."

"Where's Ellie? Is she okay?" Benny asked quickly, ignoring the stings from the cuts and slashes on his face.
"She's right beside you, dear," Ms. Weir told him, pointing to the bed next to him. 

Benny whipped his head to his left, seeing the sight of his mage partner unconscious as he was just moments ago. He swallowed hard, knowing this was the last view he wanted to see.
"Aw, man."

"Let's give him a minute, Ethan."

Ethan and Ms. Weir left the magic room, leaving Benny alone with Ellie and Sarah. 

Benny lifted himself off the cot, wincing at the sudden soreness he felt from the blast. He must've gotten pretty banged up from the explosion, but he was thankful it was him and not Ellie.
"El?" Benny asked, waving his hand in front of her face. "C'mon, swat my hand away."

Benny couldn't help but feel that lump swell in his throat, trying to swallow it down as hard as he could. He took hold of Ellie's hand, intertwining his fingers with her own and squeezing it as he held back that lump.
Before Benny could beg for a response from his girlfriend, he instead raised a question. A common accessory he would feel when they held hands was the presence of an item that held immense significance to not only Ellie, but to the existence of her magic guidance.

"What the fu—?"

------------

"Where is her bracelet?" 

Ethan and Ms. Weir exchanged looks to one another from the question Benny raised. Did they want to admit that it was missing, or should they lie to him?
"Well?"

"Benny, it's gone," Ethan broke to him. "I tried to find it when I woke up on the street, but—!"

"—Wait, wait, stop," Benny interrupted, fuming. "You're telling me that the one item we needed to keep away from Stern other than the Lucifractor is just gone?" 

"Benny, just hold on—!"

"—Ethan, do you know how important that thing is? Ellie needs that to keep control of her powers! She can't NOT have it, are you stupid—!"

"—BENJAMIN!"

Benny halted his angry rambling at the sound of his grandmother scolding him like he was five years old again. He shut up and listened to her.

"We know how important it is," Ms. Weir stated. "Ellie's powers are controlled when she is not conscious. Her bracelet's absence is not Ethan's fault... do you understand?"

"...Yes, Grandma," he sighed. He was exhausted.

"Ellie and Sarah will wake up by the end of this week," Ms. Weir assured the boys. "We can deal with this when the time comes."

------------

Benny chose to continue sleeping in the cot that he woke up in, forcing himself to be there for the possibly of Ellie waking up. He needed to be the first person she sees.

"You're gonna be good, El," Benny whispered to his left, wishing she could give him a response.
"You too, Sarah," he added, whispering a little louder to the vampire who was also unconscious on the other side of the room. "Ethan is probably hella worried about you, too."

He felt like he could cry, if he was being honest with himself. The fact that he was awake and Ellie wasn't made him feel queasy.

Regrettably, the spellcaster glanced to his wristwatch. 4:37 am.

"Ughhh..."