Silent Prayers

Chapter 53

Elena nodded. "Thank you" she said, wiping at another tear that escaped.

"Let's go to bed" Stefan suggested, pulling her closer to him. He figured she could use the sleep. Stefan stood with her from the table.

"Can I talk to you Elena?" Katherine asked.

Stefan and Elena looked at each other before Stefan let her go. "I'll see you upstairs" Stefan said, walking with his brother out of the kitchen.

Katherine played with the wedding band on her hand. "So about tomorrow" she began. "I'd like to take Jeremy shopping to get a few things. You know, since he didn't really arrive with much" she explained, thinking about the pair of shorts and the couple of t-shirts she pulled out of his backpack. She saw Elena hesitate and felt the need to say something. "I want to, Elena. And besides, you know how I feel about shopping" she added with a small smirk. Any reason to go shopping.

Elena nodded. "That's really nice of you" Elena told her.

Katherine couldn't get over how sad and depressed Elena looked. "He'll be okay, you know" Katherine reassured her.

Elena just nodded again. Maybe he would, but no child deserved to be dumped like that on a stranger's doorstep. "I know" she answered. "I should go get ready for bed" Elena said. "Goodnight."

Katherine was not sure what else she could say to Elena. She didn't know her well enough. So she just followed Elena out of the kitchen and turned off the light. Maybe Stefan would know what to say.

Elena shut the bedroom door behind her, finding just a bedside lamp on. Stefan was in bed, waiting for her. He didn't say a word as she slipped out of her clothes and into something more comfortable to sleep in.

Elena disappeared into the bathroom, brushed her teeth and washed her face. She felt drained. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she saw how tired she looked. Since arriving home, she had not been able to get the worried, sick feeling out of the pit of her stomach.

Why would her aunt do this? The letter only said that Jenna could no longer care for Jeremy, and that Jeremy would be better off with Elena.

Elena thought that guy Jenna was with had a lot to do with Jenna's decision though. The same guy who told Jenna that Elena would be fine on her own at 16 after her parents died. She thought about that year and a half and all of the struggles she faced. Not only was she grieving the loss of her parents, but she was given all of the responsibilities of an adult while still trying to be a kid in high school. She had been incredibly lonely too when Bonnie had gone to London to study.

Elena thought about Stefan, and how so much weight had been lifted off of her shoulders when she met him. She finally had someone to talk to again and she didn't feel so alone anymore. While she knew she wasn't alone at that moment, she still was having trouble accepting the fact that she did not have to figure everything out with Jeremy on her own. She had a family. And Damon was right. The most important thing was that Jeremy felt safe.

And Elena would do everything she could to make sure he was happy.

When she came out of the bathroom, Stefan was still awake and waiting up for her. Elena turned the bedside lamp off and crawled in, setting down under the covers. She closed her eyes and sighed when she felt Stefan wrap his arms around her and hug her close. It was exactly what she needed.

"What can I do?" Stefan whispered. He couldn't stand it when she was worried and there was nothing he could do.

A couple of tears escaped. "I should have kept him with me" Elena cried quietly. It ate away at her every single day. Elena knew she could have made more of an effort to see Jeremy. She could have called more often, checked in on him. There were so many things she could have done differently, and the only thing she could do now was beat herself up about it.