𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚: Abeyance || D.S & S.S (TVD) **REWRITING**

[*Chapter Forty*]

"You're missing out!" Damon yelled.

"You can tell me all the details later," Darcy yelled back, jogging down the stairs and exiting the boarding house.

"Something's wrong. She's not her usual sassy self," Damon commented, eyes still fixed on the space Darcy just resided.

"That could be for many factors. The circumstance she's somehow still alive, when an average human would have died, or how she's beating herself up lying to her friend about why his sister's dead body had been found. That and making sure Jeremy is stable," Stefan muttered, staring down into the crimson liquid before tearing his gaze away as Damon turned his attention on him.

"Those or something much more," Damon said, staring around the room with creased eyes.

*•*•*•*•*

Darcy slid the key into the door and stepped into the house; she raised her brows at Elena and Jenna congregating in the hallway before making her way up the stairs.

"Hey, Darce! Can you tell Jeremy to get his butt downstairs? Elena's taking him to school," Jenna called.

"No need, I'll take them," Darcy said, sending a brief smile to the strawberry blonde as she made it to the top of the stairs.

Jenna creased her brows at the dark-haired girl and shook her head as she buttoned her jacket and slipped her bag over her shoulder.

"Are you sure you're okay to go back to school, Darcy? As well as taking Jeremy?" Elena inquired, frowning.

"Yes, Elena, for the last 100 times you've asked me. I'm fine. We can go in my baby now I've got her back," Darcy said over her shoulder.

Finally, after what felt like a hundred years, she's got her car back. Don't get Darcy wrong; she loves her bike. But her car is basically her baby.

A tap sounded on the doorframe causing Darcy to swivel on her heels and face Jeremy, who had been standing there for a few minutes watching while she rubbed at her head as she talked to herself.

"You know, talking to yourself is a sign of madness?" Jeremy said a tilt of a smile on his lips. The expression wiped away as she continued standing there, staring at him with a vacant look. "Are you okay, Darcy?" He asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, I'm good, Hen...Jer. Just a lot on my mind with Matt and Vicki," Darcy said, gazing down at her feet. "I should be asking you how you are. But I won't pressure you. Just know when you're ready, you can talk to me."

"I-I... What do we do about Matt? I can't look in his face knowing we know the truth."

There's nothing they can do but be there for him as his friends. That's what Matt needs right now, and she can't imagine his Mother is being much help. Darcy's just glad he's got Caroline, no matter how overbearing she can be at times.

"Be a friend, Jer. That's what he needs," she said, picking up her bag and kissing his cheek before leaving the room. "Be down in five!"

If it's another thing of Jeremy's love for Darcy, it's how she doesn't suffocate him when times are hard. She would wait until he's ready. He's grateful and selfish for that. He rubs at his chest, knowing she would be disappointed, possibly indignant, if she ever learned of the thoughts currently flying through his mind.

Ruffling a hand through his hair, Jeremy turned to leave the room but stopped glimpsing something on Darcy' desk. "Wait! You've forgotten something," Jeremy called after Darcy had left the room.

He knows Darcy lately has not left anywhere without the odd-looking piece of jewellery and walked over to her vanity table. He picked up the necklace only to drop it with a clang and jerk his hand away. Letting out a pained hiss, he shook his hand and then abruptly halted his movements upon noticing the faint rosy pigment draping his palm.