(2) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Seventy-Two

Damon explains everything to Cassandra, of course, he does, they have this system that works, they share, they tell the truth, they are honest with one another. It's working, why would they change it? Why would he risk what he has with her? She listens to him, patiently. Studying him. He seems to be in good spirits, considering.

"She seems desperate for me not to dagger Elijah, which means that it is exactly what she wants me to do" He points out, she hums and taps her fingers on her knee. Damon watches her a moment before he realises. "You think I should do what she wants"

"Yeah" She answers, he gives her a look. "But it's Katherine, so it's more than that....why does she want you to do it?" She inquires. "What do you think happens when an Original falls into one of those magical comas?" She asks, giving him a look with a raised eyebrow, the implication clear in her look. He snorts and nods, catching up.

"Connection is broken...Compulsion wears off. Katherine is free" He realises, she leans closer to him.

"But I think she'll stay" She admits, he frowns at her. "We have what she wants" He just frowns harder at her. "Come on" She teases, running her fingers through the hair at the base of his skull. "Imagine running from someone for 500 years, only to end up in the town which has the two doppelgängers that said someone wants to get his hands on....and the moonstone" He snorts. "Even if she gets free....she ain't going very far because she'll try and use us and the stone to bargain for her life. But Klaus wants her too" She gives him a look. "It might not save me and Elena from him or from the sacrifice but it might save the rest of you if we can make some kind of deal with him, we hand her over....and we get rid of Katherine too" Damon grabs her face and kisses her, watching her mind work like that, he's never been more impressed or turned on by her, and he is usually very on both accounts.

"Who knew you were so diabolical" He teases against her lips before he pulls back.

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

Cassandra and Jenna work on setting the table for the dinner party. Damon had a few words for Cassandra when she arrived, mostly because she's wearing that skirt again, and it's really not fair when he's trying to concentrate. He loves it though. But he also took his conversation with Alaric in the next room just so they could talk without him getting distracted.

"So what's going on with you and Ric? I feel like there's some tension" Cassandra asks of Jenna who snorts a little.

"I don't know. I really like him, Cassie. It's more than like and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him" Cassandra frowns at her and tilts her head slightly.

"Like what?"

"Things I don't want to believe" Jenna answers. "Things I don't believe, not if they're coming from John's mouth"

"I wouldn't trust anything that comes out that man's mouth either" Cassandra offers and shrugs. Jenna nods a little and then turns to her.

"You and Damon seem to be..." Jenna pauses to think on the right word. "Progressing"

"Well, I like him and he likes me....so" Cassandra shrugs a little. She doesn't really want to talk about this with Jenna. She doesn't really feel up to defending her relationship with Damon to another member of her family.

"Don't get defensive" Jenna assures her. "I think it's great" Cassandra looks at her surprised. That's the first time anyone has said something nice about her dating Damon. The only person that isn't instantly telling her it's a mistake.

"What?" Cassandra asks her.

"He makes you happy" Jenna offers with a small smile. "And you're being careful?" She asks, Cassandra nods with a small smile. "Then that's all that matters...you've had a tough year, and you were so...broken after the accident, and the time you've been spending with him, I see the old you coming back but there is something stronger in there now too...." Jenna's face falls when she sees tears in Cassandra's eyes. "No, hey, come on, what's the matter?"