(3) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Nine

Damon pushes open the door to their shared bedroom to find Cassandra already awake. It's still early and she usually sleeps as long as she can. But here she is. Awake and dressed. He watches her as she tests her outfit, standing in front of the floor-length mirror. She hums a little and twists and turns.

"You're up" He comments, leaning in the doorway with two mugs of coffee. "I was expecting you to be sleeping, still" Cassandra turns a little to check out her reflection. She wrinkles her nose and then waves her hand over herself, red mist washing over her. When it disappears she is wearing something completely different.

"Well I am awake" She counters. "And feeling rather good actually, for the first time in a while" She turns again and then pulls a face. "Why can't I figure this out?" She argues. "Nothing...Nothing looks right"

"You look great" He assures her. She waves her hand again, shrouding herself in more mist, changing outfits again.

"Why are you bribing me with nutmeg coffee?" She asks, he lets out a small laugh. Caught out.

"I know where Stefan is" He admits. "Up for a road trip?" He holds out the mug to her when she moves closer to him.

"Where is he?"

"Windy City." He answers as she takes the mug from him, she cocks her head.

"He's in Chicago?" She asks, he nods and takes a drink from his mug. "Well, how do you know that?" He cringes a little and then looks at her.

"Katherine....when she called last night" She hums a little.

"And you trust this information?" She asks him, he shrugs a little.

"If he's there, great, if not....then we'll take the weekend, do some shopping" He offers. "Eat some pizza...." She nods a little. That does sound nice. Take some time away from Mystic Falls, even hunting Stefan. A break from Elena.

"Your car or mine?" She asks him, he smiles and kisses her softly.

.........

Damon drives Cassandra's little bug. He's starting to really like the little car. He glances across at Cassandra who sits next to him. She hums along to the music on the radio. Sunglasses over her eyes. Feet up on the dash. Comfortable and relaxed. The second they left town it all just flooded out of her. He likes seeing her like this. When nothing is bothering her. When there is no stress. No fear. Just...them. Together.

"You know the Stefan that we find might not be the Stefan that left" He admits, she rolls her head to look at him.

"You mean we might get a version of him that doesn't have a stick up his butt?" She asks him, he smirks a little and then it fades.

"I mean that it might be the version that attacked you at the station" He answers, she lets out a breath and pulls off her sunglasses.

"I'm...stronger now" She points out. He nods in agreement. "I have a better understanding and connection to my powers...."

"I know, honey" He assures her. "I just....for us to come so far and work so hard just for you to die again"

"I won't" She stops him. "You've got my back" He nods and smirks at her.

"Always" He assures her. She smiles back at him.

"As long I don't do something truly terrible to you, right?" She points out, starting to smirk. "Like kill your puppy"

"I don't have a puppy" He counters.

"Then I'll get you a puppy and kill it" She smirks, he gives her a look.

"Wow, little dark there, Buttercup..." He comments.

"Hypothetical" She waves her hand a little, dismissing it. "Of course"

"Hopefully" He argues. "I mean puppy murder is even dark for me" She hums a little and looks out the window. He gives her a weird look and then turns his attention back to the road. That was very dark for her. She reaches for her bag when her cell phone rings. She rolls her eyes as she reads the cell phone screen. "Elena?" He asks her.

"She texts me three times a day and tries to call at least five" She points out as she turns off her phone. "Jeez desperate much" She slides her phone back into her little bag and leans back in her seat, returning her sunglasses to her eyes. "Pathetic" She comments. "What's it going to take for her to get the message? For her to back off? That her trying just makes it worse?" He shrugs, because he has no answer for her, he thought Elena would have figured it out weeks ago, but alas, not.

...........

In an apartment building in Chicago, Cassandra and Damon walk through a corridor heading towards a far apartment. It's disgusting here. Damp. Dark. Decaying. Cassandra pulls her coat closer to her and peers around.

"Stefan could live anywhere in Chicago and he chose this dump?" She asks as she runs her finger over the wainscoting along the wall and then pulls a disgusted face at the dust that comes off of it. She rubs her fingers together to remove it.

"There used to be an all-girls high school around the corner, but it shut down for attendance issues." Damon answers and holds out his hand to her, motioning for her to join him. "Weird" He teases as he touches the small of her back. He then breaks the lock and opens the door. "Here we are. Stefan's second personality home" He heads inside first and she follows, closing the door behind her. The two of them then take a look around. But find nothing. No Stefan.

"He obviously hasn't been here in a long time" She points out.

"Tour is not over yet" He goes toward a wall shelf panel next to the refrigerator, puts his hand to the edge of the panel and pulls. The panel swivels open to reveal a dark back room. Damon motions to it, walks inside, and pulls a light cord. The light reveals there's a lot of alcohol on shelves against the back wall.

"Stefan hid his alcohol. What a monster" She teases and smirks at him. Damon nods for her to try again.

"Look harder" She gets closer and sees a list of names.

"It's a list of names" She points out.

"Mm-hmm"

"These are all of his victims" She realises and touches the wall, drawing her fingers along the names, he hums and nods. "I thought he was such a bore" She complains, Damon lets out a breath. "What the hell? He was hiding all the fun stuff?" Damon smirks and looks at her. She glances back at him and then turns to face him. "So...What were you doing in the 1920s? Paving the way for women's liberation?" She teases with a smirk.

"I was around" He answers, taking her arms in his hands. "Chicago's a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche. But I could avoid him and still indulge in a few Daisy Buchanans of my own" He wiggles his eyebrows at her before he kisses her softly before pulling away from her, she cocks her head.

"Where are you going?" She asks when she realises what he's doing. 

"His old stomping ground" He answers and kisses her nose before he moves to the door.

"I'm coming with you" She argues, going to follow him. But he can't let her. If Klaus is here, he needs to believe she's dead still. 

"No" He is quick to stop her. She gives him a look. "You stay here and whip up an actual plan. I'll come back when I find him" He gives her a look, she sighs and then nods in agreement. "Good girl" He offers and then leaves. Cassandra sighs and looks around, she pulls another face.

"Ew, Stefan, really?" She asks no one. This place is disgusting.