(2) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Seventy-One

Cassandra sits at Damon's side at the Grill, her food almost finished in front of her. They had barely started when Alaric joined them. It seemed preplanned between him and Damon so Cassandra can't be too mad. Alaric spent the morning with Elijah and Jenna, so it's information, and any information that might help them in any way is going to be good. Going to help them solidify their plan, to adjust it accordingly. To be prepared.

"Other than your lecture on the history of Mystic Falls, did you get anything out of Elijah?" Damon asks as Cassandra chews thoughtfully on a fry.

"No, it was boring. Of course, Jenna thinks he's charming."

"You sounded jealous" Damon points out. "Sound a bit jealous?" He asks Cassandra who smirks and nods.

"Kinda do" She teases and pops another fry into her mouth. Damon hums in agreement, the two of them sharing an amused look. It's kind of cute how much Alaric likes Jenna. "Don't look so worried, Jenna really likes you" She assures him softer, Alaric glances at her, she nods reassuringly.

"I just need the right opportunity" Damon adds as he glances to the Grill entrance just as it opens, Elijah and Jenna enter the Grill. "Ah, there's Jenna with her new boyfriend," He tells Alaric who rolls his eyes a little. "Hi" Elijah and Jenna walk up to their table. Cassandra touches the knife next to her plate. It won't hurt him, she knows that, but it might give her a little joy to jam it into Elijah.

"Hey, guys" Jenna greets with a smile.

"So I hear you two had quite a meeting of historical minds today" Damon points out, his fingers brushing over Cassandra's leg under the table, he can see she's about ready to launch herself at Elijah to stab him.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that" Jenna agrees.

Alaric: Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade" Alaric gets up from the table, wanting to leave.

"No, you know what? We should continue this. I'd be very interested to hear about the history of Mystic Falls"

"You are?" Jenna asks her. Cassandra hums and nods.

"Let's have a dinner party"

"Ooh, my girl" Damon teases. "Full of good ideas." He tells her with a wink. "I'll be happy to host. Say tonight. Maybe?" Cassandra hums in agreement. "Jenna?"

"I don't know if tonight works..." Alaric starts.

"Yeah, I'm free" Jenna interrupts him with a smile.

"It'd be a pleasure" Elijah agrees. Damon pats Cassandra's knee and smiles.

"Great" He comments. Cassandra hums a little, thinking about this plan. It's going to be difficult pulling it off with Jenna around, they'll have to keep her out of harm's way. She doesn't want to but she'll hex her if she has to. Just to keep her safe from all of this. Jenna doesn't deserve to get all caught up in this, even if Cassandra also believes she should be told to protector her. Her mind is a mass of contradictions. Trying to figure out all the best ways to protect her family and loved ones.

.....

Damon cuts the engine of his car, parked up in the forest not too far from the tomb. He glances at Cassandra who sits in the passenger seat, her fingers toying with a loose thread on her skirt. Damon leans closer to her, brushes her hair back from her face as she stares out in the general direction of the tomb. She knows that they need Damon to talk to Katherine, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. This woman has an uncanny ability to get into his head. She screws with him in ways only she can.

"I'll wait here" She assures him, not really wanting to talk to or look at Katherine. He kisses her head and then pulls back, she grabs his arm. "Damon, remember..."

"Play the game" He finishes and nods. "She ain't getting in my head, Buttercup" He promises her and then climbs out of the car. Cassandra pulls her jacket closer to her as she sinks into the seat. Getting comfy. She doesn't know how long it is going to take. Or the state Damon's mind is going to be in when he gets back. She can handle him. Keep him calm, but it doesn't mean she likes having to use her powers on him, even if it's just a little bit of emotion manipulation to keep him calm. She reaches over and turns on the radio, something to keep her entertained.

......

Down in the tomb, Katherine's body has desiccated from a lack of blood recently. Damon crouches in front of her and waves a bottle of blood under her nose and pours some in her mouth. She starts to drink, gulping it down greedily.

"Great. Drink up. Good girl" She takes the bottle out of his hands and continues to drink. Damon gets up. "I've come bearing gifts. I didn't have time to properly shop, but I did get a couple of things. Hmm?" He hangs some clothes on the iron grating for Katherine. Katherine looks normal again and crushes the empty blood bottle in her hands. Damon looks down at her. "Wow, that blood did the trick."

"What is it you want, Damon?" She asks him.

"Guess who's back in town? Your old friend, John Gilbert"

"Really. Why?"

"Says he loves his daughters, wants to protect them from Elijah and big, bad Klaus" Damon rolls his eyes at his own statement.

"Touching" Katherine pulls herself up from the ground.

"Yeah, right. He told me this old wives tale about how to kill an Original" Damon explains, watching her, waiting to see her reaction on this.

"And you want to know if it's true. If it was, I wouldn't tell you" Katherine goes over to the clothes Damon has hung up and grabs a jacket off the hanger.

"Now, why not? I mean, you want Elijah and Klaus dead as much as I do"

"Klaus, yes. Elijah, no" She corrects him. "He's compelled me to stay in here. If he dies, I'm stuck forever"

"Sucks for you." He mocks.

"Forget it, Damon," Katherine tells him. "Killing Elijah would be a suicide mission. You can't do it"

"Can so" Damon counters.

"Can't" She argues.

"Even with a dagger and a little white oak ash?" Damon asks her, she turns and looks at him with an expression of surprise.

"No. Damon, if you kill Elijah, then I'm stuck in here forever" She complains. And just like that, exactly like Cassandra said she would. Cassandra isn't stupid. She knew Katherine would give something away.

"You're really scared" Damon comments, keeping up the charade.

"Just get me out of here first and then I'll help you. I'll...I'll help you kill Elijah or...or protect Elena and Cassandra. Whatever you want"

"I get you out of here and your ass is sipping Klaus-free margaritas on some unknown island somewhere. No way"

"That's not true. I'll stay. Damon, please just don't do it"

"Well, thank you, you've told me everything I need to know"

"I've told you nothing" Katherine argues as he leaves. Damon smirks a little and then vamp-speeds out of the tomb.