(2) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Three

Damon strokes his fingers through Cassandra's hair as she rests her head in his lap. The television remote held in his other hand as he flicks through the channels to find something to watch. It's quiet. Just a moment. There is no Katherine. No head injury. No John. It's just them. Watching television together. Normal. Human.

"Reality tv?" He asks. She scrunches up her nose and he hums. "Maybe not" He offers and keeps going. "Ooo true unsolved crime" She snorts.

"If we watch this and find out you did it, I'll be so pissed" She teases, he smirks and pokes her nose.

"Probably best to move on then" He counters, she chuckles against him. "Just to be safe" he strokes her cheek and hums a little. "What about Family Feud?"

"Too easy" She mumbles. His phone buzzes with a new message and he glances at it before pulling a face. He has a feeling this is going to be something he can't avoid. He gives her the remote to keep going as he picks up the phone to read the message. It is an alert for an emergency council meeting. Of course, with everything that happened, it's not that crazy to call a council meeting. Damon looks up from his phone and then kisses Cassandra's head.

"I have to go to a council meeting," He tells her. "You gonna be okay on your own for a little while?" He asks.

"Actually I was thinking of going to the hospital to see John with Elena" She answers, he cocks his head.

"Are you sure?" He asks her. "I mean...you might not like the answers he gives" She hums and nods.

"Yeah" She answers and then shrugs. "I have to know why he..." She looks away from him and pulls a face. "Why he did what he did" She whispers. "Even if it sucks at least I'll know" She sits up and turns to face him. "Get me drunk afterwards?" She asks him, he smirks and nods.

"Yeah, whatever you want" He assures her and leans over to kiss her head.

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

Cassandra tucks her hands into her pockets as she follows Elena and Stefan through the hospital. She's now regretting agreeing to come. She has no idea what she wants to say to John. She's not even sure of the answer she wants to get from him, regarding why he did it. What would be a good answer? Nothing. Nothing would have been a good answer.

"You sure you want to do this?" Stefan asks Cassandra when they reach John's room. She hums and nods.

"Yeah" She answers. "I have to" She looks at Elena who takes her hand and squeezes. "We need answers and he is the only one that might have them....." Stefan nods and opens the door. The three of them walking inside together. Elena lets go of Cassandra's hand and moves closer to the bed where John is laying.

"John?" Elena asks. He opens his eyes and panics when he sees Elena. He tries to press the button to call the nurse, but Stefan grabs his hand and takes it away from him. "I'm Elena. I'm not - I'm not Katherine" Elena assures him. John glances at Cassandra who clenches her jaw. Oh boy, just being in the same room as him is making her want to full-on hit him with her powers for what he did to her.

"We know Katherine did this to you" Stefan points out.

"We need to know why" Elena adds.

"Hmm and if you don't tell us, I'll take it from you" Cassandra offers. Elena nods a little.

"Where is she?" John asks them.

"You tell us" Stefan counters.

"I don't know" John tries to sit up but Stefan pushes him back down.

"You're a little too weak to play tough guy. Why don't you just sit back and answer a few questions?" Stefan states. Elena places the Gilbert ring into John's hand. John looks at Cassandra.

"Cas"

"Don't call me that" She snaps at him. "You don't get to say my name at all...." She adds.

"Why did you give her that necklace?" Elena asks him. "Why did you try and take away her powers?"

"Because she's dangerous" John answers.

"No shit" Cassandra mumbles.

"You have no idea how dangerous you are" John warns her, she raises an eyebrow.

"So enlighten me" She motions with her hand. "Just how dangerous do you think I am?"

"I was trying to protect you" John argues.

"You knocked me out with a metal pole" She reminds him. "You left me inside a building which you then proceeded to set on fire.....Is that protecting me?!" She snaps.

"Yet you would trust your life in Damon Salvatore's hands" John argues.

"Shockingly, Damon is one of the few people who are honest with me, who actually protects me...." She counters. "Who didn't give me a necklace that drained me of the ability to protect myself!!!" She shouts a little, her powers flowing out of her with her emotional state.

"Cas" Elena whispers and touches her sister's arm. Cassandra takes a deep breath, calming herself down, her powers pulling back.

"See...You can't control them" John points out.

"Yeah, because assholes think they have a right to dictate my life" Cassandra counters. "And what I do with my powers...Now, tell us why Katherine's here. What does she want?" She asks him. John doesn't respond.

"She'll try again; we can't help you if you don't confide in us" Stefan adds, warning John.

"In you?"

"In your daughters then" Stefan argues.

"My daughters should have driven a stake through yours and your brother's hearts by now" John looks at the twins. "I never spoke with Katherine directly, she never trusted me," He tells them and then looks at Stefan. "So either kill me or get out because I can't stand the sight of you with my daughters"

"You see the world with such hatred. It's gonna get you killed" Elena tells John.

"Fingers crossed" Cassandra adds and then leaves the room with Elena who loops her arm with Cassandra's.