(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Stefan approaches the front of the Gilbert house where Elena is sat on the porch, waiting for him to return of news about Vicki. He doesn't look like it went well. Elena stands to greet him, eyes checking over him.

"You're bleeding" She points out, moving closer to her.

"No, it's okay. It's okay. I'm okay" He reassures her. Though it is his blood,  he's no longer hurt. "I couldn't stop her. I tried"

"What does that mean?" Elena asks him.

"She fed, and then I lost her"

"Oh, my god"

"I'll take care of it. I'll find her, and I will show her that she can live like I do. I will make sure that she does not hurt anybody, Elena. I promise you" Stefan tries to make her feel better about this, but to be honest, what can anyone say in this situation?

"What do I tell my brother and...and Matt?"

"We'll come up with a story" Stefan answers, Elena scoffs and shakes her head.

"You mean we'll come up with a lie" She corrects him, he nods subtly.

"I'm so sorry," Stefan tells her, voice quavering slightly because he knows what this means, her reactions are very telling, he knows where this is going.

"I gave you today just like you asked. And I understand that you would never do anything to hurt me, and I promise I will keep your secret...." She then pauses. "Except with Cas...." She tells him. "I have to tell her, we don't..." She lets out a breath. "We don't have secrets from one another" Stefan nods a little, he expected as much, and she should be told given her interactions with Damon, and he knows how close the sisters are too. "But...I can't be with you, Stefan. I'm sorry. I...I just can't..." Elena glances at him before she steps back into the house, closes the door behind her before she lets herself cry.

...........

Cassandra groans, flopping back on her bed, covering her eyes with her arms. She's read the same sentence in her history textbook five times now. It's not her favourite subject, especially with Tanner, and it's even worse now that he is dead. They're being taught by other subject teachers, who have no idea where they are in their learning. Last year French. This year history. It's like she can't win. She knows she's not stupid, but she's not like crazy smart either. She gets good grades, averaging out at 3.7 GPA. That's an A-. That's not terrible. That's actually pretty good. She just wishes it was better. She wishes she was a better student. She holds up her hands and wraps her mist around them. She could cheat. How easy would that be now? But she guesses that wouldn't feel right. Anything earned through cheating isn't worth anything. It's just a hollow victory. She groans and covers her eyes again. That means, she has to do this the old fashioned way. With hard work.

............

Elena's eyes are red and puffy from crying but she wants to get this over and done with whilst she has the nerve to do so. She has to get it out. She raises her fist and knocks on Cassandra's door.

"Cas?" Elena asks. The door opens and Cassandra raises an eyebrow at her in question.

"Hey, what's going on?" Cassandra then frowns. "Have you been crying?" Elena shakes her head, because if Cassandra asks about that then she might just start crying again.

"We have to talk about something" Elena offers as Cassandra pushes open the door further, allowing Elena entry to her bedroom.

"About what?" She asks, Elena worries her lip and takes a deep breath, worrying her hands together as she paces the tiny space. She has to do this. No secrets. That is their thing. They've never kept secrets from one another and she is not about to start.

"Sit," Elena tells Cassandra who raises an eyebrow but does sit on the edge of her bed. This will be easier if they are both sitting. Elena sits next to Cassandra, both of them facing one another.

"What's going in, Elena?" Cassandra asks her, a little worried now. Elena closes her eyes, then nods to herself, steeling herself for this. She opens her eyes, looking directly at her sister for this.

"Stefan and Damon.....they're vampires" Elena admits. Cassandra laughs. It's hilarious. And kind of sweet of Elena to try and cheer her up. She doesn't believe her. Why would she? Vampires are creatures of myth. Made up. Cassandra shakes her head.

"Look, thanks for trying to cheer me up but...come on" Cassandra scolds, Elena gives her a look back.

"I'm not...." Elena stops and shakes her head, she has no idea how to prove this to her without sounding crazy. Cassandra frowns, sensing her sister's struggle. This is a big deal then. She holds up her hands on either side of Elena's head. Elena frowns and goes to move but Cassandra is faster, waves of red mist penetrate Elena's head and hold her still. Cassandra's eyes glow and her fingers move as she searches through Elena's memories, mostly of her interactions with Stefan, listening to everything Elena was told by him. All that truth. She's not joking or lying. She is telling the truth. Vampires are real. Stefan and Damon are vampires. Cassandra brings her hands back and returns to normal, as if nothing happened, and Elena won't remember a thing. "I'm not lying, Cas...All those animal attacks....the attack on Vicki, Tanner's death...it was all Damon..."

"Damon?" Cassandra asks her, Elena nods. "So...that's why Stefan told me to stay away from him..." Elena nods again. "Oh," Cassandra frowns to herself. What the hell has she gotten herself in the middle of?

"Are you going to be okay?" Elena asks her, Cassandra nods but it is stiff, unsure. She has no idea if she is going to be okay with this. How can she be? Her entire reality has been thrown off-kilter. Vampires exist. What else does? What else could be lurking around the corner? Out there waiting to pounce? To eat them? Kill them?