(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Damon doesn't let Daphne linger too long alone in the kitchen. He clocked on pretty quick why she is being so testy with them. And he knows it is nothing to do with them and the fact that they weren't around. Daphne is a reasonable young woman, she'll understand perfectly why they sent her away to protect her. She's talked with them with fondness before this. It's not them she's angry at. He sees straight through her.

"I know why you're angry" Damon comments as she stares out of the kitchen window.

"How could you possibly know that?" She asks, a bite to her tone, but he knows it's nothing to do with him. He touches her arm and comes to stand in front of her. Her jaw trembling a little with the contained emotions.

"You think that being angry, that pushing them away, means it will hurt less when they have to go" She pulls a face and looks away. "Tell me I'm wrong" She lets out a breath but can't do that. She can't tell him he's wrong. She is angry but not at them. At her luck. At how she finally gets to meet her parents only to know she has to send them away again. She's trying to protect herself from the pain that it is going to bring her. To have them taken from her again. It's not the healthiest way to go about it, but it is incredibly human of her. She lets out a shaky breath and then shakes her head. She can't tell him he's wrong. A tear slides down her cheek and her jaw trembles. So proud and confident all the time that he knows what this means. Showing weakness like this. He pulls her closer, letting her rest against his chest. Daphne fights it. Not really used to the whole comfort thing but it doesn't take long for her to relax into it, into him and she cries into his chest, wrapping her arms around him to clutch at the back of his jacket. He never really cares all that much when people cry around him, he's usually always the cause, but something about Daphne crying makes his chest ache. He's feeling concerned. It's likely the reason he followed her. To check on her. To make sure she's okay. He draws his hand up her back to comfort her. Closing his eyes as he presses his head to the side of hers. Daphne pulls back once she's calmed down a little. Not completely but for now it's as calm as she is going to get.

"I need to talk to Bonnie" She offers as she rubs her hands over her face to get rid of any tears that are left, and any proof that she cried at all. She clearly doesn't like people to see her being weak. Even if she's had good reason to be. "I need to find out what spell she did and why this has happened...." Damon touches her arm, wrapping his fingers around it to stop her from walking away from him. "I can't deal with this" She motions to him.

"What?" He counters with a frown.

"You being all...." She pulls a face. "This" He gives her a look. "Nice, it's weird"

"I'm nice" He argues, she raises an eyebrow. "To you" He adds, she hums a little and looks up at him through her lashes. That confuses her as well. She's seen him interacting with the others and whilst he can be polite, he's not exactly known for being nice. His fingers seem to be burning through her jumper now, warm, intent.

"Well, it's weird" She points out. "Weird..." She shrugs a little. He leans closer to her though and raises an eyebrow.

"Good weird?" He asks her, she sighs a little and fights a smirk. "You know we almost..." He puckers his lips a little and she sighs softly.

"Yeah, I know" She agrees, his eyes search hers.

"So you've been thinking about it?" He teases, she bites her lip and gives him a look.

"You're hot" She reminds him. "Of course I have" He leans closer still, intent very clear. His hand moving from her arm to her waist. But she stops him, a firm hand on his chest. She then pulls a face and he understands.

"Ghost parents watching?" He whispers against her head, she hums and nods. "Okay" He agrees, but he can't help but think that things keep getting in the way. Things popping up at the wrong moment to stop him from kissing her. Maybe he's not meant to. Maybe this is the universes way of telling him that he doesn't get to kiss the hot witch. He doesn't want to accept that, especially when he's never wanted to kiss someone as badly as he wants to kiss her, but he's gotta look at the way things play out. The two of them share a look and he can see the same reasoning in her eyes. Something is going to have to give here. They are either going to kiss or both stop feeling attracted to one another. "I'll give you a ride into town" He offers as he steps back from her. She nods and looks away. In the doorway, Tinker slaps Sirius' arm and gives him a look. He turns to her confused. She gives him a dirty look and walks away. Sirius pulls a face, utterly lost off as to why she'd hit him and give him that look. She's scolding him for something he doesn't know he's done.

"What's that face for, Fae?" He asks as he follows her.