(2) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Sixteen

Cassandra is sitting at a table in the Grill, alone, reading the Petrova book, a little notebook of translations at her side. She's making some headway with it. But it's not perfect. This book is old and the translation programme is lacking something so some of the words are out of place. She reaches for her coffee cup and takes a drink as she turns the page in the book. Damon suddenly appears in a chair next to her, she lifts her eyes and looks up at him.

"Really?" He asks her, she shrugs a little and sets her coffee down. "I leave you alone for an hour and you got back to that book?" She raises an eyebrow.

"You said five minutes..." She argues and then looks at her watch. "Two hours ago" She reminds him and lowers her eyes back to her book. "So I entertained myself" Damon pulls out the seat across from her and sits. "Why are you late anyway?"

"Well..." He draws out, she sighs a little and looks at him.

"Out with the scheme" She pushes, he smirks at her.

"How'd you know?" He teases, she raises an eyebrow at him. "Okay" He caves and leans forward as she closes the book. "Jenna went to high school with Mason Lockwood" He explains, she nods in agreement. "So I figured a social gathering would be a good way to get to know the guy" She narrows her eyes a little. "So I told Ric to tell Jenna and..." He shrugs. "Barbecue" She hums a little, watching him.

"You plan on doing something to get him to reveal if he's a werewolf or not" She realises, he opens his mouth to argue, but thinks better of it.

"Yep. I'm gonna put some silver into Mason Lockwood and prove he is a werewolf." He tells her, she tilts her head. "Oh, come on..." He leans closer to her. "You are dying to know just as much as I am. We both want a firm stance on this, a yes or no....werewolf or not..." He pokes her nose. "Dinner or...Dinner" She smirks at him.

"Just...." She sighs. "As long as Jenna doesn't get hurt, you can do whatever you want, okay?" He nods.

"Okay" He agrees. "So...I'm going to order a pie. Grease the wheels in my favour" He rubs his hands together before standing.

"Peach cobbler" Cassandra offers, Damon frowns at her. "It's Jenna's favourite" She gives him a look and he smirks before he heads towards the counter. Cassandra goes back to her book, leaning back in her seat.

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

Elena and Jenna are in the kitchen, preparing food for the barbecue. Elena brushes her hair over her shoulder and lets out a breath. Worried about spending an afternoon with Damon when she still doesn't like him. But she has Caroline.

"Thanks for letting me invite Caroline. She could use a day of distraction" Elena tells Jenna who nods.

"Well, she's not the plus one I'm worried about. Why is Damon coming?" Jenna asks.

"Because he and Cas are...I don't know if dating is the right word" Elena answers and frowns, then looks at Cassandra as she walks into the room. "Cas..." Cassandra hums as she moves to the fridge. "Are you and Damon...together? Together together?" Cassandra turns and frowns at Elena. "What are you two?" Cassandra snorts and shrugs.

"Who knows" She answers as she grabs a can of soda.

"That doesn't bother you?" Elena counters. Cassandra tilts her head and gives Elena a weird look.

"Why would it bother me?" Cassandra asks. "No pressure. No...expectations. Just...two people that have fun and coffee and..." She stops and glances at Jenna who gives her a look. "Not have sex" Cassandra adds, Jenna hums and shakes her head. "Why does it need to be anything else?" Jenna raises an eyebrow and nods a little. "I know you don't like him, Elena, but I do. And we have a friendship that's built on mutual trust, respect and support. Something I have been sorely missing in recent months" She gives Elena a look. Elena looks away from her sister. Jenna frowns a little and looks between the two sisters. Not sure what has been going on between the two of them. Mason walks into the room, he holds up a couple of shot glasses.

"Good news! I found the shot glasses!" He cheers.

"That would be my exit" Elena comments and leaves the room.

"Yeah, I'm out too" Cassandra sets her soda on the side and follows Elena out of the room and into the living room where Damon waves with his fingers. "Hey, when did you get here?" Cassandra asks making her way towards him, he shrugs out of his jacket.

"Just now" He answers and then moves closer to her but pauses, he has no idea what the protocol is here for greeting someone with PDA issues. Hug. Handshake. Damon holds out his hands and then cocks his head. "What do I do here?" He teases. Cassandra gives him a look. He hums thoughtfully before he settles on patting her head. She smirks back at him. "Hey, Buttercup" He whispers as he steps closer to her. "See you've put that book down" She hums and nods in agreement.

"My brain needed the break" She offers and shrugs. He glances around and then raises an eyebrow.

"He here yet?" She motions over her shoulder.

"In the kitchen with Jenna," She answers and then moves to sit on the couch with Elena and Caroline. Damon watches the three of them a moment before heading into the kitchen.