Midnight

What Elena saw made her say, unsteadily, "I think maybe we missed the trunk and…found…the edge…"

On the ground in front of her and as far as she could see, was the star-studded darkness of space. But washing out the light of the stars was a huge planet and two huge moons, one swirled blue and white and one silver.

Stefan was holding her hand, sharing the wonder with her, and tingles ran up her arm and into her suddenly weak knees, just from his feather-light touch on her fingers.

Then Damon said caustical y, "Look up."

Elena did and gasped. For just an instant her body was completely unmoored. She and Stefan automatical y wound their arms around each other. And then Elena realized what they were seeing, both above and below.

"It’s water,"she said, staring at the pool spread out before them. "One of those freshwater seas Sage told us about.

And not a ripple on it. Not a breath of wind."

"But it does look as if we’re on that smal est moon,"Stefan said mildly, his eyes deceptively innocent as he looked at Damon.

"Yes, Well, then there’s something exceedingly heavy at the core of this moonlet, to al ow for eight-tenths the gravity we normal y experience, and to hang on to so much atmosphere

– but who cares about logic? This is a world we reached through the Nether World. Why should logic apply?"He looked at Elena with slightly narrowed, hooded eyes.

"Where is the third one? The grave one?"

The voice came from behind them – Elena thought. She was

– they al were – turning from looking at bril iant light into half-darkness. Everything shimmered and danced before her eyes.

"Grave Meredith; laughing Bonnie;

And Elena with golden hair.

They whisper and then are silent…

They plot and I no longer care…

But I must have Elena,

Elena with the Golden Hair…"

"Well, you’re not going to have me!"cried Elena. "And that poem is a complete misquote, anyway. I remember it from freshman English class. And you’re crazy! "Even through her anger and fear she wondered about Fel ‘s Church. If Shinichi was here, could he bring about the Last Midnight there? Or could Misao simply set it off with a languid wave?

"But I will have you, golden Elena,"the kitsune said.

Both Stefan and Damon had knives out. "That’s just where you’re wrong, Shinichi,"Stefan said. "You wil never, ever touch Elena again."

"I have to try. You’ve taken everything else."

Elena’s heart was pounding now. If he’l talk sense to any of us, he’l talk to me, she thought. "Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the Last Midnight, Shinichi?"she asked in a friendly tone, inwardly trembling in case he should say, "It’s already over."

"She doesn’t need me. She wouldn’t protect Misao. Why should I help Her?"

For a moment Elena couldn’t speak. She? She? Other than Misao, what other She was involved in this?

Damon had a crossbow out now, with a quarrel loaded in it.

But Shinichi just went rambling on.

"Misao couldn’t move anymore. She had put al her Power into her star bal , you see. She never laughed or sang any longer – never made up any plots with me. She just…sat.

"Final y she asked me to put her into myself. She thought we’d become one that way. So she dissolved and merged right into me. But it didn’t help. Now…I can barely hear her.

I’ve come to get my star bal . I’ve been using its energy to travel through the dimensions. If I put Misao into my star bal , she’l recover. Then I’l hide it again – but not where I left it last. I’l put it farther up where no one else wil ever find it."He seemed to focus on his listeners. "So I guess it’s Misao and I who are talking to you right now. Except that I’m so lonely – I can’t feel her at all."

"You wil not touch Elena,"Stefan said quietly.

Damon was looking grimly at the rest of the group at Shinichi’s words, "…I’l put it farther up…"

"Go on, Bonnie, keep moving,"Stefan added. "You too, Elena. We’l fol ow."

Elena let Bonnie go some feet ahead before saying telepathical y, We can’t break up, Stefan; there’s only one compass.

Watch out, Elena! He might hear you! came Stefan’s voice, and Damon added flatly, Shut up!

"Don’t bother tel ing her to shut up,"Shinichi said. "You’re mad if you think that I can’t just pick your thoughts right out of your minds. I didn’t think you were that stupid."

"We’re not stupid,"Bonnie said hotly.

"No? Then did you figure out my riddles for you?"

"This is hardly the time for that,"Elena snapped. It was a mistake, for it caused Shinichi to focus on her again.

"Did you tel them what you think about the tragedy of Camelot, Elena? No, I didn’t think you’d have the courage. I’l tel them, then, shal I? I’l read it as you put it in your diary."

"No! You can’t have read my diary! Anyway – it’s no longer applicable! "Elena flared.

"Let me see…these are your own words now."He assumed a reading voice. ‘Dear Diary, one of Shinichi’s riddles was what I thought of Camelot. You know, the legend of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and the knight she loved, Lancelot.

And here’s what I thought. A lot of innocent people died and were miserable because three selfish people – a king, a queen, and a knight – couldn’t behave in a civilized way.

They couldn’t understand that the more you love, the more you find to love. But those three couldn’t give in to love and just share – al three of them…’"

"Shut up!"screamed Elena. "Shut up!"

My God, Damon said, my life just lapped itself.

So did mine. Stefan sounded dizzy.

Just forget about all of it, Elena told them. It’s not true anymore. Stefan, I’m yours forever, and I always was. And right now w e’ve got to get rid of this bastard, and run for the trunk.