(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Damon and Daphne have somehow ended up closer together. The bubble pressed against their backs, keeping the two of them right up against one another. Like her magic is working against her mind. Against what she fears. Her magic comes from her core, her soul, her heart. It knows her. So it knows what she really wants. It knows that she wants to be with Damon. Even if she also believes she can't be with him. His arms are wrapped around her. To keep them both steady on their feet. It's like they've been wedged between two walls. Keeping them as close as they can physically get. She can feel him breathing against her. This isn't really what she had in mind when she wanted to put some distance between them. Her own magic is betraying her. Damon tilts his head, concentrating on something.

"What is it?" Daphne asks, Damon shushes her.

"Stefan and Elena" He mouths to her, she hums a little and nods. He's listening in on their conversation, his fingers playing with the back of her shirt.

.........

In another room, Elena stands with Stefan, but he seems bored, disinterested in her being here with him. It's probably very painful for Elena. To see that look on his face. To know that he has turned his back on her, on them, on their friends. That he's so far removed from the person she fell in love with.

"Stefan, I need your help. You need to give Klaus his family back"

"Oh, really? Is that what I need to do?" Stefan argues.

"Klaus compelled Jeremy to stand in front of a speeding car. Don't you get it? Stefan, he's not gonna stop until he gets what he wants"

"Elena, stop talking. I'm not giving Klaus anything" Stefan scolds, trying to walk away from her, Elena moves to stop him though, as much as she can.

"Are you listening to me? He's gonna kill Jeremy!"

"Not really my problem" Elena slaps Stefan.

"And you can go to hell!!" She rushes away from him, rejoining Daphne and Damon in the next room who both look at her. Elena frowns a little at the position they are in but she's got other things to focus on right now.

"That didn't go over well" Damon comments but Elena shoots him an annoyed look. They all know that she's not really annoyed with Damon, she's annoyed with Stefan and everything going on around them.

"Don't even start, Damon!"

"Let me talk to him" Damon counters. Elena seems reluctant, mostly because if Damon can't physically move around the house how he can talk to Stefan. How can anyone come out of this with what they want?

"I'll make sure they don't kill each" Daphne offers. "You just make sure that Ric and Jeremy are okay" Elena lets out a breath and nods.

"Okay," She whispers quietly before she leaves.

"How are we going to do this if we're stuck in this bubble?" Damon asks.

"Because we all want the same thing" She states and glances around. "Whether they like you or not, we're all on the same side. We all want Klaus dealt with...." She raises an eyebrow at nothing in particular and then lowers the bubble. Damon cringes, waiting for something to happen. But nothing does. Damon lets out a breath and looks at Daphne.

"Huh" He whispers. "Guess you witches aren't so bad after all" He teases, she rolls her eyes and lets out a breath.

"You deal with your brother," She tells him. "I'm going to have a look around" He hums and nods, heading off to find Stefan.

.......

Stefan is waiting for Damon in another room, standing there, looking out through the gaps on a boarded-up window.