Visitation (Vampire Diaries) (Book Six)

Chapter 8__Fade Into You

Caroline and Elena had invited me to "Friendsgiving" at the college for everyone to go to. 

I walked into the room to see Caroline and Elena.

"Nicola," Elena said.

"Hi," I told them.

"Where's Stefan and Damon?" Elena asked.

"Actually, Stefan wasn't invited," Caroline told her.

"Right," Elena said awkwardly.

They looked at me, waiting for an answer on Damon's part.

"Don't kill the messenger," I told them. "Something about an impromptu guys' weekend with Ric." 

"But he can't miss Friendsgiving," Elena told me. "I mean, Matt and Jeremy are already cleaning up the whole Tripp mess, and Caroline's mom has to work. We're already low on friends as it is."

"Okay, they're totally gonna kill me for telling you guys this, but I can not keep it a secret anymore," I told them. "Bonnie's in the prison world." They looked at me in shock. "And they're looking for a way to bring her back."

"But Damon said that she wasn't there, that she found peace with..." Elena trailed off. "Why didn't he tell me this?" 

"Why wouldn't he consult you in a decision that might permanently change your life?" I asked sarcastically. "Hmm. I wonder." Caroline and Elena gave me a look. I sighed. "He didn't want to get your hopes up. He honestly thought Bonnie died trying to free him. If she sent her teddy bear over, it mean she's still..." 

"Bonnie's still alive?" Caroline asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." 

"Oh, my God," Caroline said in relief. 

Caroline and Elena smiled, laughing ecstatically. 

"So they're in Portland right now, trying to track down some Gemini thing," I told them. 

"This is amazing," Elena told me. 

I smiled with them.

~~~~~~

Tyler set a bucket of ice onto the dinner table, standing next to me. "Surprised that you didn't go with them to Oregon to try and find a way to get Bonnie back." 

I shrugged slightly. "Three guys in a car ride across the country? Not my thing." 

Tyler was pouring wine into champagne glasses inexpertly. 

"Seriously?" I asked. "You don't know how to fill a champagne glass?" 

"I'm sorry I'm not born into a family of alcoholics," Tyler told me. 

"Oh, really?" I asked. Tyler smiled. "It doesn't take an expert to know they all have to be even, and that there can't be any slopping over the sides." 

Tyler and I smiled. 

Liv walked in. "Where do you want the stuffing?" 

"Well, hello to you, too," I told her sarcastically.

Jo walked in, taking the stuffing from Liv. "I'll take that. Hi. I'm Jo. You look... Have we met before?" 

"Liv, and no, but you're dating my Occult Studies professor, which I guess somehow earned you an invite for Thanksgiving dinner," Liv told her.

"Nice to meet you, too," Jo told her sarcastically, walking out of the room.

"Where's Luke?" Tyler asked.