(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Fourteen

The drive is quiet. Elena is more than happy to just curl up against the door and just stare out at the road as she processes everything Stefan said to her, the pain and the hurt it caused her to hear him tell her that he didn't want to be with her. Daphne pulls a cigarette from her case and sets it between her lips. Damon's going to let that one slide, because it's been a long day and they all have their vices. He'll be drinking up a storm when he gets home.

"So..." Damon starts, tapping his fingers on the wheel. "You turn into a dog" He looks at Daphne who smirks back at him as she clicks her fingers, a flame erupts from the tip of her finger and she uses this to light the cigarette.

"It was just something I learnt to do" Daphne answers eventually as she blows out smoke. "I mean...I guess a part of it is that...my dad did it too and I wanted to be connected to him..."

"Dad turned into a dog?" Elena asks, leaning forward a little. She's not dumb enough not to figure out that they're trying to take her mind off of Stefan, and talking about her sister's magical ability to turn into a dog might just do it. It really is working. She's far more interested in her magical sister than wallowing in her own heartbreak.

"No, my dad" Daphne comments and looks back at Elena. 

"Oh, right, that makes sense" Elena mumbles to herself. They've been through Daphne being adopted, so of course she meant her original dad, her biological dad. Elena just forgot for a moment. 

"What?" Damon asks, looking at Daphne. "You don't share a dad?" Daphne hums and shakes her head. 

"I'm a changeling" Daphne admits. He frowns at her. "It means that I was swapped as a baby with the real Daphne Gilbert..."

"Oooo plot twist" Damon states under his breath. He didn't see that coming. "You okay with that?" He asks Elena who nods. 

"Well, Grayson and Miranda weren't my parents either, so..." Elena answers and then shrugs. "Seems they liked collecting us" She teases, Daphne snorts and looks at her. 

"That's a nice way to think about it" Daphne offers softly. "I feel bad for Jeremy...He's the only one of us that was actually born to them....he's actually the odd one out" Elena and Daphne share an amused look before Elena is chuckling. Daphne having managed to cheer her up. Daphne can still feel the pain and hurt radiating from Elena, but it has lessened slightly. 

.........

Daphne runs her fingers through her hair as she crosses the Gilbert living room to answer the door. She'd come home with Elena to make sure she was okay, she's not, she's upstairs and crying and heartbroken and there is no magic for that. She pulls open the door and raises an eyebrow. Damon stands on the other side of the door. He holds up the bottle of whiskey and shrugs.

"Figured we earnt this" He points out. Daphne lets out a breath as an owl makes a noise behind her. Damon gives her a look and steps into the house. She sighs and closes the door as he makes his way into the kitchen. Daphne follows, joining him in the kitchen doorway where he is staring at the owl sat on the kitchen counter watching them back. "What is that?" Damon asks, Daphne gives him a look and smirks.

"It's a dragon" She answers, he gives her a look. "It's an owl, vampire-boy, I'm sending a letter" She moves past him to join the bird who coos a little when she reaches him. Damon snorts slightly.

"Urm why not just drop a text?" He teases.

"Tech doesn't like too much magic" She argues as she rolls up her sheet of parchment, her letters. "Too many ancient witches and wizards in one place makes it go fucking crazy" She holds out the letter to the bird. "Thanks, Archimedes," She tells the bird who turns and flies out the open window. She uses her wand to tidy up her stationary.

"Glasses?" Damon asks, she hums and motions to a cupboard. Damon moves to collect two as Daphne closes her trunk and locks it up again. He pours them each a drink and sets the bottle down, turning to face her. He holds out a glass and she lets out a breath as she takes it. The two of them sharing a look. "What now?" He asks her, she shrugs.

"We'll find another way" She offers and taps her fingers on the counter. "You want your brother back, Elena wants her boyfriend back...I want to not have to live with my sister crying and in pain all the time, so..." She lifts her glass to her lips. "We'll keep going"