(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter One Hundred and Five

Elena and Stefan are rushing towards John who stands in the square looking suspicious but unalarmed by everything going on but turned toward Grayson's office, just to watch it burn down. Watching his hard work.

"Where is Damon?" Elena asks him.

"With the rest of them, where he should be. It's over for Damon" John answers.

"You're crazy!"

"Why? Because I'm doing what should have been done a hundred and forty-five years ago? This is the right thing, Elena" John argues. Stefan is looking at the building. John looks at him. "Go ahead, you won't make it out. It'll save me the trouble of killing you myself." John warns Stefan. Stefan turns to Elena, ignoring John.

"You know the building well, is there another way in?" Stefan asks.

"Utility door, there's one around the side" Elena answers. Stefan rushes off toward the building, Elena follows him but John catches her arm.

"You take one more step and I'll alert those deputies that they missed a vampire" John warns.

"I'm asking you not to"

"That doesn't mean anything to me"

"As my father, it should" Elena points out. John kind of stares at her.

"You know" He points out.

"Cas told me...I wasn't sure....now I am" Elena admits and then pulls her arm free of him. Rushing after Stefan.

........

Stefan runs towards the emergency door to the office building but Bonnie arrives to stop him.

"Hey, you can't go in there!" Bonnie scolds. Stefan opens the door. "The fire will take you out"

"He's my brother, Bonnie!" He goes into the building, he tries to open the basement's door but the doorknob is too hot. Bonnie is looking at the building when Elena arrives.

"Stefan!"

"Elena, you can't go in there!" Bonnie scolds.

"Bonnie, what are you doing?" Elena asks.

"I'm sorry I lied to you both" Bonnie admits. Elena gives her a look.

"Cas will never forgive you if something happens to Damon" Bonnie looks away and closes her eyes before nodding. Bonnie then catches Elena's arm, closes her eyes and begins to recite a spell.

"Ex spiritum intacullum, in terrum incendium, fes matos salvis adisdum!"

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

In the building, Stefan can finally open the door but the fire is too large. Suddenly, the flames diminish, thanks to Bonnie's spell. Stefan goes into the basement and finds Damon.

"Damon! Come on, hurry!" Stefan picks Damon up and vamp-runs out of the basement.

........

Outside, Bonnie finishes her spell and looks at Elena who can't read the outcome based on her friend's face.

"Bonnie...Bonnie, what is it? Are they gonna be okay?" Elena asks Bonnie, worry gripping her heart. Stefan and Damon come out of the building, Elena runs toward them.

"Oh my god!" Elena gasps slightly. Damon pushes at Stefan, but he's still unsteady on his feet.

"Cas" He breaths and then attempts to go around the front of the building.

"Damon" Stefan scolds following after him.

"She's inside," Damon tells him and motions to the building. Stefan and Damon share a look before Stefan nods.

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

Stefan pushes open the door to the office and Damon pushes inside, moving straight to Cassandra, who is conscious and propped up against the wall. Though she doesn't seem to have been awake long. She turns her head and looks straight at him.

"Damon?" She asks, relief flooding her, she sets her head back against the wall and closes her eyes. He moves to her and crouches. Relieved himself that she's fine.

"Come on, X-Girl" He teases and helps her to her feet. Her arms wrapping around his neck instantly so she can kiss him. He holds her to him as he kisses her back. That relief pushing them to reaffirm this. To double-check that they are both alive. He pulls back and nudges her nose. "Let's get you out of here" She hums in agreement and lets him help her out of the building. Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie are waiting for them outside.

"Oh my god, Cas!" Elena hurries to her sister and hugs her tightly. Cassandra's jaw trembles as she fight tears. "Are you okay?"

"John knocked her out pretty hard" Damon points out.

"I'm fine" Cassandra offers but her voice breaks.

"Hey, it's okay," Elena tells her. "You're okay" But Cassandra is unsure if that's true. Her head is killing her and she honestly feels so emotional over what happened. Damon touches the small of Cassandra's back and she lets out a breath as she pulls back from Elena. "I need to pick up my dress," Elena tells Cassandra. "But then we'll go home, 'kay?" Cassandra nods a little. She just wants today to be over now. Damon pulls Cassandra aside to talk to her.

"I'll meet you at yours" He brushes her hair back. "We'll have some ice cream, huh?" She nods and sniffles a little.

"Yeah" She whispers. He knows someone is going to have to keep an eye on her with that head wound. Just in case. Elena moves to Stefan.

"I have to..." Elena tells Stefan who nods.

"Yeah, go...look after her" He assures her.

"Cas" Bonnie starts, Cassandra snaps her head to her.

"Don't talk to me" She snaps at Bonnie who looks down. She can't believe she trusted Bonnie. That her so-called friend betrayed and lied to her. "You've done enough" Cassandra touches the back of her head as she walks away with Elena.

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

Elena can't find her dress. It's gone. Which just prolongs them leaving the school and all Cassandra wants to do is take a shower to wash this day off of her and eat ice cream. That's all she wants. She doesn't want to stand around waiting on Elena.

"I can't find it" Elena complains and pulls a face. "Maybe they moved it to the locker room" She muses and then looks at Cassandra who gives her a look. "Sorry"

"It's fine, but...I should just go home" Cassandra tells her.

"Are you sure?"

"I've got my bug," Cassandra tells her. "I just...I just want to go home" Elena looks at her sadly and nods.

"Okay, I won't be long" Elena offers, Cassandra hums already walking away from the school.