The Rage of Achilles
FOUR: HIDE AND SEEK

Matt had only made it to the other side of the street when he realized there were so many places Vicki could've wound up. In fact, she could be anywhere from the woods to the Donovan household. He stopped on the sidewalk in the town square and looked over at Achilles, who had just stepped up beside him and shivered. Was the night so cold? Matt wondered, feeling perfectly fine himself. Everything seemed so eerily still that night, it gave both boys the creeps.

"So," Matt looked over at Achilles, the question he'd been waiting to ask finally slipping, "What's with the scar?"

Achilles blinked for a moment at his blonde friend, but then his face returned neutral as he shrugged. "It's a dumb story, let's look for Vick." Matt stood back for a moment, taking in the dismissive behavior from Achilles. He wondered if maybe it was as important to find Vicki to Achilles as it was to himself or maybe Achilles hid things Matt hadn't noticed until now. The two walked a little further down the sidewalk until Stefan Salvatore rounded a corner and made eye contact with them.

"Hey," Matt rushed up to the teen, hoping to find a clue as to where Vicki had disappeared off to.

"Hey." Stefan gave a sideways glance to Achilles, hoping to see his face at ease. The witch was tense and raise an eyebrow at Stefan right when they made eye contact.

"Have you seen my sister?" questioned Matt, who didn't even pause to breathe before asking.

"No-" another sideways glance "- sorry."

Matt sighed, shaking his head, "I can't find her. She's missing."

Stefan nodded, his face uneasy, "I'll keep an eye out for her." Achilles thought it odd that the Salvatore hadn't even been surprised when Vicki, who was recently hospitalised, was said to be missing. He looked quite guilty. The witch wondered if Matt had noticed the same. Stefan quickly turned to leave.

"Hey," Matt called, causing Stefan to stop, "I saw you at the hospital yesterday."

Stefan stiffened, turning his torso to look back behind him at Matt, "Did you?"

Matt's eyebrows knit themselves together and he frowned, "What were you doing there?" Stefan was suspicious and Matt wasn't going to dismiss that so easily.

Stefan bluntly replied, "Visiting."

"Visiting?" Matt blinked and stepped closer to the Salvatore, "You know, Elena and I, we've known each other for a long time. We might not be together right now, but I look out for her. And I'll always look out for her." Achilles, even thought he wanted to cringe, agreed.

Stefan suddenly turns in the opposite direction like he'd just heard something. He looked like a spooked deer when it hears a twig snap. Achilles and Matt both watched as Stefan's face became angry and coloured. His voice was low when he mumbled, "Excuse me" and began to stomp off.

"Stefan!" Achilles walked out into the street after him. "What the hell, man?" but Stefan kept walking and Achilles stood still on the white lines of the street. It was silent as both Matt and Achilles watched Stefan Salvatore walk away and not think to look back. The Bennett turned to Matt with a look of bewilderment, Matt gave Achilles a questioning look and shrugged. Neither knew what spooked Stefan that night, or what drove him to suddenly walk away, but they both had a feeling it was something more than the previous conversation.

After searching a while longer with Matt to no avail, Achilles had decided to find his way home before the night got any worse. He felt like he hadn't slept in days. He brewed himself a hot cup of tea, sat down at the coffee table, and opened the book he'd promised himself to finish over the summer. It wasn't summer anymore and, yet, the book was still there. Achilles didn't know why he put off his reading, but maybe it had to do with this crazy old town and how it's been acting up lately. He recalled the feeling that sent shivers up his spine in the town square alone with Matt. Why has he suddenly felt this way? The only place he called home seemed so unfamiliar now, so new and mysterious. Achilles felt like he was put into an old, unknown house unbeknownst and was told to live there like normal. How could he live like normal with the feeling of being watch, with the sudden eerie vibes? Achilles felt like he had once in New Orleans. Not often was Achilles allowed there as a kid after moving to Mystic Falls, but every visit made him even more worried to return. He hadn't been back with Grams since elementary school. If Grams was afraid, who wouldn't be?

Bonnie arrived shortly after with news of Stefan finding Vicki, but she wasn't at ease with the subject and neither was Achilles. the Bennett's both wondered where he even found her and why it wasn't ever specified. Was Stefan hiding something to save Vicki or himself? Maybe Vicki had gotten back into old habits, or perhaps Stefan had those of his own.

Achilles was silent on the matter until Bonnie spoke up and admitted, "Stefan makes me uneasy."

The older Bennett nodded, agreeing, "Theres something off with him. I went to the hospital to help Vicki and he was just leaving, later today when Matt and I were looking for her, we were talking to Stefan and he suddenly left the conversation, and then he just shows up with Vicki magically?" His voice was accusing, tone raising and lowering to emphasise his suspicion. Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed, but she shrugged and started to walk off. Her steps slowed for a moment and Achilles could tell she wanted to say more, but nothing left her mouth and she stepped away. He decided to read a little longer and find his way up to bed soon after.

Sleep covered Achilles more than his  fluffy duvet. As he peacefully lay there, the moonlight shining in from an opening in the curtains, everything was finally still. For the first time that week Achilles truly felt calm and he barely knew.