(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninety-Two

A/N: FOR THE DANCE, I PREFER TO IMAGINE THE SONG ARCADE BY DUNCAN LAURENCE. I JUST FEEL LIKE IT FITS BETTER FOR DAMON AND CASSANDRA. (I AM VERY MUCH CURRENTLY IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG FOR THE COUPLE) 

Cassandra makes her way down the stairs and looks for Stefan but she doesn't see him. She is going to be humiliated and it's not going to be her fault. Her breath catches as embarrassment hits her. This is going to be horrible for months. She knows things like this don't go away in small towns. But she doesn't have to worry long. Damon is suddenly there, taking Stefan's place. She pauses slightly on the stairs, surprised by this. He gives her a look and nods for her to join him. She lets out a relieved breath, smiles and heads down the stairs towards Damon. He holds out his hand towards her and she takes it, moving to stand at his side.

"Where's Stefan?" She asks him.

"I don't know" He answers as they walk through the little foyer and outside where they approach where all the other girls and their escorts are gathered. Damon squeezes Cassandra's hand, because he can literally feel how nervous she is about this. Can see her going through the dance in her mind before they actually do it. They pass by Jenna, Elena, and Alaric. Elena frowns a little.

"What is she doing with Damon?" Alaric asks Elena who shrugs.

"I have no idea" She answers. "Where's Stefan?" Elena counters as she looks around for him. Cassandra comes to stand across from Damon, the two of them lined up with the rest of them. Both lines step closer to each other, falling into a bow and curtsey to their partners. Cassandra clutches to the skirt of her dress as she meets Damon' eyes.

"What are we gonna do?" She asks him.

"Right now, we just have to get through this" He answers as they both pull back from the bow and step back into line. Cassandra keeps her eyes on Damon, trying to calm her nerves. "Trust me?" He mouths at her. She nods, without hesitation. The music picks up and the dance begins. She wasn't sure about the whole hand thing that's part of the dance. That whole close but not touching part. It didn't make a lick of sense. But she gets it now. That promise of touch. That promise of contact. The tension. The warmth. Being that close to her partner but not allowed to touch. Not yet. Just a taste. Cassandra lets out a breath as they move back to the first position. And then they are embracing. His arm around her waist, hand in hers. And moving. One foot after the other. Her mind going through the steps. Her eyes on her feet. Damon tugs her closer to him. "Stop thinking so hard" He whispers to her. She lifts her eyes from her feet to him. "Just let go" She lets out a breath, relaxing into the dance with him. A bubbling in her stomach and her chest. But it's not really nerves anymore. It's something else. His hand feels warm against her back. But comforting. She feels safe. She doesn't worry about dancing, about making a fool of herself. It feels like forever and nothing when the end comes. She steps back from Damon. Eyes still locked with his. She can see it. He felt it too. Whatever just happened. Whatever just passed between them. It isn't just her that's feeling it. She manages to catch her breath and her eyes flicker around. Unsure if she can look at him now. Because if she does, she has no idea what she's going to do.

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

Cassandra stands on a small stage with the other girls, Caroline at her side, her fingers locked with Cassandra's in a show of support. Plus Caroline knows how nervous Cassandra's been. Cassandra looks around the crowd, seeking out her sister, finds her with Jenna and Alaric.

"Elena" She motions for her sister because this is about everything now, not just the dance, and that includes Elena. Elena shakes her head but Cassandra gives her a look to get her ass up here. Because she is not doing this alone. Elena moves through the crowd and takes Cassandra's hand, letting her help her up onto the stage. Elena touches Cassandra's arm.

"You were amazing, Cas," Elena tells her, Cassandra shrugs a little. "But where was Stefan?"

"I don't know" Cassandra complains as she stands at her side, adjusting the bottom of her dress. Caroline leans closer to Cassandra.

"Where is Amber?"

"I don't know" Cassandra repeats, because she literally has no idea where they are, only that she is pretty sure that they are together and that's not good. She just wants this to be open so she can deal with it. Mayor Lockwood passes the girls and moves to the podium microphone to talk to the crowd.

"Before I crown the winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these young ladies for their efforts to better our community," He tells them all which gains him a round of applause. "So, without further a due it is my honour to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Miss Caroline Forbes!" Caroline looks completely surprised by her win. Cassandra claps her hands with a smile, because Caroline deserves it more than Elena does, no offence to Elena but Caroline works a lot harder.

"Congratulations!" Elena tells Caroline who hugs the twins tightly.

"I actually won!" Caroline whispers to them, her surprise clear on her tone. She pulls back and moves to the Mayor who places a sash around her shoulders. Cassandra glances out over the crowd, finds Damon, but he's not alone. A Sheriff's deputy is talking to him. Cassandra's eyes follow them as they move away from the crowd. And she instantly knows something has happened. With Amber and Stefan missing, it's not a huge leap to figure it out.

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

Elena walks through the building with Cassandra who hops a little as she pulls off her heels. She's not going to walk around in them if she doesn't have to. Elena hands over a pair of Cassandra's boots and she pulls them on instead. They in no way go with her dress but her part is done. Damon turns to them when they approach where he is waiting for them.

"What is it, did you find him?" Elena asks.

"There were signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom" Damon answers. None of them noticing that Bonnie is eavesdropping a short distance away from them. "There was blood and that Amber girl is missing"

"Oh my god! He wouldn't hurt her, he won't!" Elena defends, Cassandra turns a look on her.

"Really?" She asks. "Given what he is...it shouldn't be that surprising that something like this is happening..." She complains and rubs her head.

"Let's just find him, okay?" Damon offers. "Let's go, come on" He motions for both of them to move. They need to find Stefan. And the sooner the better right now.