(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twelve

Daphne sits on the bed as she reads through one of the books from Stefan's bookshelf, Elena paces as they wait on Damon to return. Daphne is not as worried as Elena is. Though Daphne assumes that worry is actually for Stefan and not for Damon. Whilst she clearly cares, her mind is definitely on Stefan. Daphne closes the book and looks at her sister.

"How did you meet?" She asks, Elena frowns and looks at her. "I just have what Jeremy knows...What he told me" Daphne adds and shrugs. "How did you meet Stefan?"

"At school" Elena answers. "Officially" Daphne cocks her head and Elena lets out a soft breath before moving to join Daphne. "He was there the night of the accident, pulled me from the car...."

"Saved your life" Daphne adds, Elena nods. Daphne remembers how much Elena wrote about Stefan, with such fondness, love....it's more than just some boyfriend-girlfriend thing here. Elena writes about Stefan in the way that Harry talks about Ginny. "You really like him, don't you?"

"I love him, Daph" Elena corrects her softly. "And he's saved me, so many times...I owe him as much back." Elena shrugs and looks at Daphne. "We have to save him from Klaus"

"I know" Daphne whispers and brushes Elena's hair back from her face with a smile. "We will....you have me here now." Elena nods and smiles back at her.

"I've missed you" Elena admits. She really has missed having her big sister around to comfort her and tell her that everything is going to be okay. Things would have been a lot better with Daphne around.

...........

Later, Daphne is sat alone, the noise from the shower in the next room the only sound in the small apartment. Pad naps on the table, hugging a gold galleon that Daphne had given him. She's been plotting and planning and trying to work out how to get Stefan back to Mystic Falls. She knows a little of what happened through Jeremy, and she's picking up things. But she knows that Stefan doesn't belong with Klaus and he's only there because of some deal he made to save Damon. The apartment door opens and Damon walks in. Daphne glances over her shoulder at him.

"Anything?" She asks, he shakes his head.

"Where's Elena?" He counters, she nods towards the bathroom door.

"Bathroom" Daphne answers as she turns and digs through her bag. Damon drops onto the bed with a sigh and presses his hands into his eyes. He pauses a little when he hears a pop and whirl. He lowers his hands, finds Daphne now looming over him. She smiles and he cocks his head.

"What?" He asks her.

"Don't you want to know what I came up with whilst you were gone?" She asks him, he gives her a look. "It's no fun if no one wants to hear how genius I am" He smirks up at her and then reaches up with his hand to brush her hair back from her face.

"Fine, then tell me" he offers as he plays with her hair. Red hair has never really been a thing for him, but he kind of likes her hair.

"We use the most powerful of magic to get your brother back" He hums and nods along, he likes the sound of that. Power is good. Power could work. Just enough to get Stefan away from Klaus.

"Okay" He leans up a little. "Hit me with it"

"Love" He groans a little. That is not the answer he wanted. "It's magic, Damon, whether you believe in it or not" She points out. "It is capable of breaking and stopping the darkest of curses...." she pokes his nose. "It's pure light magic...." She leans up and he sighs.

"Okay" He draws out. "Whatever...Let's say I believe in all of that....what's your plan?"

"Elena" She answers as she picks up Pad from the little table he's sat on. "She's plan a"

"And what's plan b?"

"I hex his ass and drag it home" She comments and tucks Pad into her jacket, Damon snorts.

"Why don't we just skip to b?" He asks.

"Because...if we force him, he'll fight it" She points out as she sits on the bed with him. "He has to choose to come back...and she's how we're going to do that"

"You don't know Stefan, though...." He argues.

"No, I don't know your brother, but I know my sister, and I know she's stubborn and determined and tenacious and this is what she wants to do...so we let her and we make a plan b and c and d....and as many as we need until we fix this for her" She turns to grab her bag and it's then that he notices something off about her back. It's such a weird thing to notice. Such a weird thing to him. But his eyes catch something. Like an orange glow that flutters. He leans up and frowns at her. He's never seen anything like that before. And he's surprised he didn't notice it before. Maybe because the apartment is dark. She flicks her hair back and pulls her journal from her bag as Pad climbs up to her shoulder to get comfy. "Elena'll need time to convince him" She offers.

"Then I'll buy her some" Damon assures her. "What about you?"

"I'll be around" She looks at him. "Keep an eye on her...." He nods and lets out a breath.

.........

Elena leaves the bathroom with fresh clean clothing on after her shower. Daphne thought that it might go better if she isn't all rushed and grossed out from the road trip. Plus it doesn't hurt for her to freshen up for her boyfriend. No harm in it. Elena notices the two of them talking quietly with one another. Damon's arms folded over his chest but he leans closer to Daphne with a smirk. There is something going on there. Something between them. Daphne would be good for Damon, Elena just isn't sure if the same can be said about Damon.

"What are you two whispering about?" Elena teases them, Damon glances at her as Daphne shifts away from Damon.

"So we have a plan," Damon tells Elena, Daphne turns and gives him a look. "Daphne has a plan"

"Thank you" She mutters under her breath as she pulls her bag strap over her head.

"I'll distract Klaus and you deal with Stefan" Damon continues, Elena frowns and looks at her sister.

"What about you? Where will you be?"

"Close by" Daphne assures her as she moves closer to her little sister. "I'll be real close" She promises.

"Okay," Elena whispers. "Thank you" Daphne gives her a smile and pats Elena's head.

"But you're going to have about five minutes tops before that hybrid freak rips my heart out" Damon warns, the two Gilbert girls turning to look at him. "So please, tell us you can do this" He adds, Elena nods and look between Damon and Daphne, both of them are relying on her to do this. To distract and talk to Stefan. To convince him to come home.

"I can do this" Elena assures them both.