(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Elena has made her way to the bleacher around the back of the school, somewhere she can be alone to lure in Stefan. To get him alone and relaxed enough that Daphne can get him. She knows the role she has to play here. She lays back on the bleachers, staring up at the sky. She's drunk. She knows that much. But dealing with Stefan as he is, means that she did drink a lot tonight. Stefan approaches the bleachers, watching her.

"Daph used to teach me the constellations" Elena voices. "When we were younger.....How did I forget them all?"

"You're drunk" Stefan points out. "You need to go home" She sits up and then pushes herself to her feet.

"Fine" She caves. "Urgh. Let me find my car"

"You're joking, right?" Stefan asks her.

"Uh-oh" Elena mock teases. "It's the fun police. I thought that ripper Stefan was supposed to be the life of the party"

"Well, alright, I'm driving you home. Come on" She climbs over the railing instead. "What are you, five? Get down." Stefan scolds her.

"Why?" Elena counters. "Are you afraid that I'm going to..." She pretends to almost fall and then laughs. "Oh. Ha. That was close. Klaus would not be happy with you"

"You're hilarious," Stefan tells her dryly, clearly very unsatisfied by drunk Elena.

"Look, Stefan, no hands" She removes her hands and starts falling back but catches the railing just in time. Stefan's not amused anymore. She laughs but finally falls. She screams but Stefan rushes beneath her and catches her. "I knew you'd catch me" She points out. They look at each other. He releases her gently. Suddenly a spell hits Stefan in the back. Elena looks over Stefan's shoulder and sees Daphne pointing her wand at him. Stefan falls to the ground unconscious, with a thud. Daphne walks over to Elena who looks down at Stefan.

"Are you okay?" Daphne asks her.

"Yeah. I'm...Fine" Daphne gives Elena a look and Elena closes her eyes. "No, I'm not" She corrects and looks at Daphne. "Let's just get him out of here...Do you have...?" Daphne holds up Alaric's car keys and Elena takes them from her before heading towards where Alaric's car is parked. Daphne lets out a breath and looks down at Stefan. She is going to have to use magic to move his solid ass. She holds out her hand and twists slightly. Stefan kind of shakes as the magic attempts to levitate him. Daphne pulls a disappointed face before shifting her stance. "Do you want some help?" Elena asks, Daphne shakes her head.

"No, no, I got him" She holds out her other hand and concentrates on moving Stefan. They really should have recruited either Damon or Caroline to use their vampire strength here. But Daphne manages to use her magic to lift Stefan. With her concentrating on Stefan, Daphne misses that they are being watched by a ghost. By Vicki Donovan whose smoking. Vicki looks at the floor and blows the joint. Daphne closes the trunk and as she's walking around the side of the car her foot hits a gas can on the ground. She frowns a little and nudges it with her shoe. "I see all the geniuses came out to the bonfire tonight" Daphne complains and kicks it aside. Vicki throws the joint on the ground. Gas on the ground starts burning and the flames make toward the car. Alaric's car burns too, with Elena in it. Daphne tries to open the door but she can't. Elena and Daphne share a look before Elena tries yanking on the door handle to get it open but it won't budge. She pulls out her wand and aims it at the car. First things first. Deal with the fire. "Aqua eructo!" Water streams from the end of her wand and envelopes the flames. Dousing them. She keeps the spell up until she is sure that the fire is out and it cannot hurt Elena. She then hurries around to the driver's side door where Elena is sat, trying to get the door open. But it's stuck. Daphne sets her wand to the handle. "Alohomora" But nothing happens. "Dunamis" She casts but again, nothing happens. She yanks on the door handle. She only has one more unlocking charm so it has to work or she's going to get creative. She holds out her wand again. "Aberto" Nothing. She growls a little and then steps back. Her eyes scanning over the car before she moves to the trunk. "Finestra" She shatters the back window and slides her wand away. "Come on" Daphne orders Elena who nods in agreement. Vicki is sat next to Elena now, watching her before she reaches out. Suddenly she's reaching up to clutch at her head. Daphne glares at her from the back of the car. Not on her watch. But she gets it now. What happened. Vicki is trying to kill Elena. Daphne assumes this is to do with Klaus' ritual and Elena not staying dead. Well, if the ghosts want Elena dead, then they're going to have to go through Daphne.

"Stefan" Elena tries and he wakes just in time to help Elena get herself out of the front seats. Vicki tries to grab her but she can't anymore. She looks at her hands and then at Daphne who sticks out her tongue at her before she turns her attention to Elena, helping her out the back before they both aid Stefan, pulling him out.

"We're going to need to talk to the baby bro about his choice in girlfriends," Daphne tells Elena who frowns at her.

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure Vicki Donovan just tried to kill you" Daphne points out. Elena closes her eyes before running her fingers through her hair. Daphne reaches out for her. "You're burnt" Daphne offers and Elena looks at the side of her hand.

"It's not that bad" Elena assures her.

"Hmmm, I've got a paste that'll clear it right up" Daphne comments as she takes Elena's wrist gently, careful of the burn. "It's not that deep..." She tells herself, she knows Elena assures her, but noting it herself is better. She knows Elena might actually play it down to make her feel better.