(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Eleven

Daphne follows Damon into a bar that is teaming with people. It's one of those bars that is kind of a dive but something more. Daphne glances at the notice board by the door and pauses. She reaches up and touches a symbol carved into the frame. A wizarding symbol used to mark muggle buildings that have links to the wizarding community, lots of bars usually and apothecary stores. She turns and catches up with Damon who makes his way to the bar where an older woman is standing behind it. Her eyes shift straight to Damon.

"Well, look what the wind blew in. Last I heard, you hated this place"

"Gloria. Damn! If I knew you were going to age like this, I would have stuck around"

"I always did like you better. But I see your brother is still running in the wrong crowd" Gloria points out and then looks over Daphne. "I see you picked up some better company though...." Daphne smirks a little. "I thought your kind stuck to themselves" Gloria offers. "Didn't slum it with us dirty witches"

"I'm a lot more open-minded than my pure brethren" Daphne counters. Damon looks between the two of them. This isn't getting them anywhere. This isn't getting them closer to Stefan.

"Back to Stefan" Damon complains and gives Daphne a look, she rolls her eyes slightly. "You've seen him?" He asks Gloria.

"With Klaus. Bad combo" Gloria answers.

"You know where they went?"

"They'll be back here later tonight. They're out running a little errand for me" Gloria counters.

"Gloria..." Damon starts. "Don't be a tease. What kind of errand?"

"I don't think so. You may be cute, but you're still a vampire" Damon clenches his jaw and then goes to leave. Daphne frowns and watches him go. He then seems to realise that Daphne is not with him. He turns back to look for her. But she hasn't moved from the bar. He gives her a look and motions with his hand.

"Come on," He tells her.

"You brought me to a bar and we're not going to drink?" Daphne complains, Damon gives her a look. "Sit your ass down...I'm getting a drink" She turns to Gloria. "Butterbeer, please and a gigglewater for Mr Grumpy" Damon sits back down and gives her a look. "Look, we already know Stefan is in town, I was right, of course, not much we can do until they come back here.....so relax....have a drink" She motions to the gigglewater that Gloria sets down. She and Daphne share an amused look before Daphne lifts her butterbeer to her lips. Her eyes watching Damon because she knows what is about to happen. Damon picks up the little glass of gigglewater, gives it a cautionary sniff before he drinks it. He then giggles loudly. He slaps his hand over his mouth and shoots Daphne a look, she just smirks back at him as she takes a drink from her butterbeer.

"Not funny" Damon complains and sets the glass down. She lowers her drink and shrugs.

"I thought it was hilarious" She argues. Damon hums a little. He reaches over and swipes his thumb over the top of her lip where there is some butterbeer foam before he sets his thumb into his own mouth. Daphne swallows a little and watches him as he smirks at her and removes his thumb.

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

Daphne pulls her phone out of her pocket as she leaves the bathroom of the bar. Elena's name flashes on the screen and she sighs a little. An hour. Elena can't go an hour alone without having to check-in. She takes a deep breath and then answers the phone.

"Hey" She greets and then frowns as Elena rambles down the phone in her panic. "Okay, okay, calm down....just stay hidden, I'll get back as soon as I can" She then hangs up and taps her phone against her head. Damon stands behind her.

"What happened?" Damon asks her, she turns to him.

"Klaus and Stefan showed up at the apartment" She answers and slides her phone into her bag. "Wow, do we fucking suck?" She asks him, he nods a little. Because neither of them saw Klaus and Stefan actually returning to that apartment as a possibility. It was untouched. For years. They couldn't have considered it.

"You check on her...I'm going to make a run of all the old haunts. I'll be an hour. Tops" She hums a little and nods. "Meet you back at the apartment"

...........

Later, Elena is hiding ready behind a wall with a vervain dart in her hand. She hears someone coming but it's Daphne that opens the door and steps into the apartment, closing it behind her again. Elena lets out a relieved breath when she recognises Daphne humming away to herself.

"Elena?" Daphne asks and Elena steps out of cover. "Hey, you okay?" Elena hurries to her sister and just falls into her. Daphne wraps her arms around Elena who clutches to the back of her jacket, the adrenaline wearing off and leaving her a quivering mess. Daphne strokes her back and coos softly to calm her down. But it's not all bad. Stefan had seen her, seen her and not alerted Klaus to her, which means that the old Stefan is in there somewhere. Elena pulls back once she has calmed down enough.

"Where's Damon?" Elena asks. Daphne runs her fingers through her hair before she starts rummaging in her bag.

"He's out looking for Stefan, he'll be back soon" Daphne answers. "Okay, who invited you?" She scolds and then pulls Pad out of her bag by his little foot.

"What is that?" Elena asks, shifting closer to get a better look.

"He's Pad...he's a niffler..."

"He's adorable" Elena whispers, Daphne nods.

"Yeah, but he's like a magpie on crack" She teases and tickles Pad's belly. "Anything shiny and he'd sell out his only friend" Pad looks up at her innocently. "Not usually kept as pets but..." She shrugs a little and smiles at Pad. "You've almost met before, a few times actually," Daphne tells her as she sets Pad into Elena's hand. "Kept sneaking out to go through Mom and Dad's jewellery" Elena strokes Pad's head, cautious at first before she realises that he's not going to hurt her. Daphne watches them softly before she goes about looking for something else in her bag.