(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Sixty-One

Daphne is clearing away her experiment equipment, ingredients and her books which surprised Damon when he walks into the Gilbert house. Last he knew, she was still working on things. He suddenly has a very painful gut feeling that she found nothing that could help Stefan. She said she would try, and she really did try, she held up her side of it, he knows that. He's watched her push herself for weeks to fix this. Spell after spell. But if she can't find anything, then he really does fear that there is no bringing Stefan back. She is the only one that might be powerful enough to find a way around it. A way to fix it. She glances at him, seems to understand that look in his eyes, and he is very much aware that he is wearing his emotions on his face. She drops onto the couch and then lets out a breath. He joins her. Looking disappointed but understanding at the same time. The two of them watch as the last of her equipment disappears into a case, locking up.

"So that's it?" He asks, his voice breaking. She hums and glances at him. Watching him. She can see it, all over his face. He jumped to the one conclusion that made sense. Packing up her things. Putting everything away. 'Giving up'. He's close. That is that. It is done. Nothing more to do. No more experiments to run.

"Yes," She answers, watching his face. "That's it" He looks down at his lap and closes his eyes. Her jaw and cheek twitch. He hates that they might be stuck with this version of his brother. Stefan is the good one. The pure-hearted one. The one that does the right thing in the face of everything bad. Losing that might just be the worst thing to happen to Damon. To lose that hope that as a species they can be good. Daphne's fighting a smile so much. She slides closer to him. Her hand lands on his shoulder. "Damon"

"I know, Red, I know that you tired" He assures her. "It's just..."

"What if I told you that I had figured it out," Daphne tells Damon and yes, it takes him longer than he likes to admit to figure out just what it is she is talking about. "Would you help me do it?" He blinks and then snaps his head around to her.

"You..." He stops and then lets out a small laugh. "You are packing up because you figured it out" He realises, she hums and nods.

"I need to lure him somewhere safe" She admits. "Somewhere I can safely test it" He nods.

"Okay, I can get him to the cell in the basement, do you think that will be enough?" He asks her.

"I can enchant it, put some boundary spells on it to help keep him stuck" He nods and pats her knee.

"Teamwork makes the dream work, right?" He teases, she smirks at him and then hums. His fingers curl softly into her knee. "You had me going then" He adds, she smirks. "But you actually did it" He lets out a breath, she nods.

"Sleepless nights and missed meals...totally worth it" She adds, he glances at her. Softens. She really didn't have to do this. Elena aside. She didn't know Stefan when all this started. She had no idea of the person he was before this. This Stefan that they have is her only realist with him, but they are telling her that this isn't him, and she's just...okay, 'I can fix that'. No question. Just...help. Just diving straight into it. He really wants to kiss her right now. But he knows that things are kind of paused on that front. They flirt and banter but nothing more. Despite the fact that they slept together. And that they have both basically admitted that they feel more than friendship for one another. But she's not ready for more. She is terrified of something. Of herself. Of that side effect. The front door opens and closes as Bonnie lets herself in. She pauses when she sees Damon.

"Ah, don't mind me," He tells Bonnie as he stands. He then winks at Daphne. "I'll text you when it's sorted" She nods. The two witches watch as the vampire leave.

"What's that about?" Bonnie asks.

"Just Stefan" She offers. "I think I have it figured out, how to undo the Ripper thing, but I want to keep him away from everyone else until I know for sure that it's going to work"

"Smart" Bonnie tells her. "But that's great though"

"What's going on, Bon?" Daphne asks her softly and pats the couch next to her. Bonnie lets out a breath and sits with her.

"I told you that I've been having these dreams for days now. Like the witches are trying to send me a message"

"Yeah, you told me" Daphne assures her.

"I think I know who can open the coffin, Daph" Bonnie admits. "And I need your help to find her"

"Find who? What are you talking about?"

"I couldn't place her face at first. Then I realized..." Bonnie pulls a photo out of her pocket and shows Daphne.

"Merlin's hairy nutsack" Daphne lets out. "Bonnie, is that...?"

"It's my mom," Bonnie admits, her voice breaking. Daphne looks at her surprised. She doesn't remember meeting Abby Bennett. But she remembers all of the photos. The whispers and pleading from Bonnie for her mother to come back. The pain that Abby left when she abandoned her family, her daughter, caused Bonnie. To find that their future and their safety now lies in that woman's hands does not fill Daphne with hope or joy. It fills her with nothing but unease.