(3) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Sixteen

Bill kneels on the floor, eyes closed. Cassandra stands behind him, her hands held out on either side of his head. Her eyes glowing red. She just needs to take away the vampires. Remove his knowledge of the supernatural, and she needs to be thorough about it. To make sure that this doesn't happen again. For a lot of reasons. To defend Damon. To protect the secret. To protect her friend's father. If he crosses Damon, he will die, Damon will kill him. She and Damon are giving this one shot. The door swings open and Caroline rushes in, throws Cassandra against the wall, and then throws her through the glass doors. Cassandra groans and turns to push herself back to her feet, cutting her hands on the broken glass. Caroline rushes to her father.

"Daddy! Are you okay?" Caroline asks as she crouches next to him.

"I'm fine" Bill assures her.

"How dare you!" Caroline snaps at Cassandra as she stumbles back through the doors. The glass leaving her hand with little puffs of red mist.

"Caroline" Cassandra scolds. "I'm trying to help..."

"By invading his mind?" Caroline argues.

"I wasn't invading his mind" Cassandra counters with an eye roll. "I was just removing any memory of vampires...including his knowledge of you as a vampire..." She points out. Caroline seems to soften a little. "Things would go back to the way there were before he found out, before he hurt you....and yes, I mean, it would also protect Damon and Stefan and Tyler....." Caroline looks down. Thinking about it. "I do know how much you cherished that relationship with him, Care, you were so close...And I know how much he hurt you...." Caroline's lip quivers as she gets upset. "So I can fix it. I can take it away from him...and from you"

"You could do that?" Caroline asks her, Cassandra nods.

"Yeah, you know I could....all you have to do is ask.....And I'll do it" Cassandra gives Caroline a small encouraging smile.

"Okay" Caroline agrees quietly. Cassandra raises an eyebrow at her. Caroline nods and looks at her. "Okay," She voices louder.

......

Cassandra stands in the doorway to the room, watching Caroline and Bill talking and smiling with one another inside. It was the right thing to do. To give them back that relationship. To take away the pain he caused his own daughter. She smiles and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. She lets out a breath and rests her head back against the door, closing her eyes. She's tired now.

"Buttercup?" She opens her eyes and lifts her head to find Damon heading towards her. He raises an eyebrow at her, she nods, pushes herself away from the door and moves to join him. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and kisses her head. He had no doubt that she would get it done. She lets out a tired breath, clutching to the back of his jacket.

"Thanks" She whispers, he hums in question. "For letting me handle it"

"Yeah, well, that's what we do, right?" He asks, she nods. "Plus, your plans have been pretty solid so far" He offers, pressing the side of his head to hers.

"Yes, because life is so set for all of us" She comments.

"That's not your fault" He argues. It's not her fault. Her plans would have worked. They would have. But someone kept going off-script. Kept doing their own thing. Kept not thinking about everyone else. Everything would be better if Elena hadn't screwed with them.

"'M tired, Damon" She whispers, he strokes her hair a little and hums. He knows she's not just talking about today. He can't blame her. It's been a long year.

"Come on, I'll take you home," He tells her as he pulls back. "This party sucks anyway" He touches her arm and she smiles a little. He pulls her closer. "What say you to a bubble bath?" She hums a little and nods. "I'll even open the good whiskey" He pokes her nose and she nods. That does sound great. No drama. Just bubbles and warmth. Peace. At least for a little while.

......

At the Boarding House, Damon pours himself a drink along with a second one. He lets out a breath and then picks the two glasses up before turning and heading to the couch where Alaric is laying, still dead from Damon's earlier attack. Damon crouches and waggles his glass next to Alaric's ear.

"Wake up!" Alaric wakes up gasping deeply. "It took a bit longer than usual, huh? Might want to get that ring checked. Hope it's not going bad"

"You killed me" Alaric points out.

"All part of the plan" Damon comments. Alaric frowns at him. "Cas was busy..." Alaric just gives him a look back because that explains nothing. "Ric, no hard feelings, all right?" Alaric shakes his head.

"You're a dick" He gets up and leaves. Damon lets out a breath and then shrugs. He knows he was doing it for the right reasons. Someone is then knocking at the door.

"Jeez, can't a guy catch a break" He complains and heads towards the door to answer it. He swings open the door to find Katherine on the other side, though Damon thinks that this is Elena. "I'll accept written apologies only," He tells her. She smirks back at him.

"Are you two lovebirds fighting already?" Katherine asks, Damon groans and rolls his eyes.

"Katherine. Wonderful. What do you want?" He complains.

"I'm just a girl looking for a partner in crime. Feel like hitting the road? Getting the hell out of dodge?" She offers, he cocks his head, appears to think about it.

"Hard pass" He offers and goes to shut the door in her face.

"Believe me...it's good." She dangles Elena's necklace in front of him to stop him.

"You should go" Cassandra states behind them, Damon looks at her and frowns. He raises an eyebrow before moving to her.

"What?" he asks her, she shrugs a little.

"Yeah, we don't know what she wants" She agrees and touches his shirt. "Don't you think we should?" She whispers, he hums a little. "Go with her" He leans closer and kisses her softly.

"Okay" He agrees against her lips.

"Are you that stupid?" Katherine asks with a smirk, Cassandra looks at her and smirks back at her.

"No, you just don't scare me" Cassandra argues, the lights flickering a little. "And you are not a threat to my relationship with Damon" Damon smiles and nods in agreement. "I know you probably find it incredibly difficult to comprehend what an honest, truthful, loving relationship is...." Katherine clenches her jaw. "You're incapable of it..." She hums a little and then gives Damon a look. "See you later" She offers and then waves over her shoulder as she leaves the room. Katherine raises an eyebrow and then turns to Damon.

"Surprised she is fine with you leaving with me" Katherine comments.

"There are a lot of things about Cas that would surprise you" Damon points out.

"Bet there is a lot that would surprise you too" She counters with a knowing smirk, stepping closer to him. He knows what she is trying to do. And it's not going to work. She doesn't get to him anymore.

"You can't get into my head anymore," He tells her. "Let's go" He walks past her, Katherine turning to watch him leave.