(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninety-Four

In his apartment, Alaric jumps when he turns around to find Daphne standing in his living room, she smiles brightly at him and holds out a brown paper bag to him. Lunch. She did promise she would be back for lunch. He actually assumed that she would have gone off with the others into the woods to talk about the stakes. Dealing with Klaus and his family of psychos seems a lot more important than Alaric, in his opinion. But here she is. Trying to force sugary pastries down his throat. She shakes the bag at him, he shakes his head.

"I still can't eat anything" He argues, she blows a raspberry.

"You didn't touch your breakfast, you have to eat something" She argues as she sets the bag down.

"Damon and Stefan already left" He informs her, deflecting. Trying to get her to leave. So he can wallow in peace. Instead, here she is, trying to take care of him.

"I know" She assures him as she sits on the arm of the chair. "I'm joining them after I've made sure you've eaten something" She gives him a look when he makes no move to even look in the paper bag. He lets out a breath and then picks up the bag. He can see that she is not going to leave until he at least takes a bite out of something. He knows why she is doing it. Because he spent months looking after Elena and Jeremy, and now she is returning that by looking after him now when he needs someone to look after him. It's a sandwich that she'd brought him, one of the Grill's chicken salad subs. A very popular choice. Delicious. He sits on the couch and sets out the napkin on the coffee table, to set the sandwich down. He looks at Daphne.

"Are you going to watch me eat all of this?" He asks her, she shrugs and taps her fingers on her knee.

"I'll settle for a bite" She answers. He lets out a breath and then takes a bite of the sandwich. He still feels sick but it is not as bad as it was this morning. So that is progress. He supposes. It's still not great. He finishes his bite and looks at Daphne who snorts and smirks, he is taking her literally and that's fine. If that is what it is going to take to keep him alive, then she'll take it. She stands and then nods. He gave her what she wanted. That's enough for now. And pushing him isn't going to help either of them.

"You want me to bring you dinner later?" She asks, he shakes his head.

"No, it's okay" He assures her. She hums and then apparates out of the apartment. He does not doubt that she will be back with dinner later.

......

In the woods around Mystic Falls, Stefan jumps a little and then glares at Daphne as she appears between him and Damon, Damon is used to it by now so barely reacted to her just popping up. His hand, however, goes to her back.

"Hi" She teases Stefan who lets out a breath and shakes his head. They head on through the trees, heading towards the meeting spot. Ahead of them, through the trees, they can see that Caroline, Matt, and Elena are already waiting for them at the predetermined location. A broken stone pillar is a marker. Stefan, Daphne, and Damon approach the three of them.

"Where's Bonnie?" Stefan asks noting that the other witch on their team is missing. Caroline and Elena turn around. "I texted her too"

"Um, Bonnie's mom bailed on her" Caroline admits, Daphne lets out a breath. "Again. So, I think we should leave her out of this one"

"What are we doing here?" Matt asks. Damon motions to Daphne.

"Daph found some more white oak" They all turn a look at Damon, surprised. "Long story, wait for the movie" He offers.

"Hang on. White oak? You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?"

"Nope. We all have a weapon" Stefan throws down a duffel bag with white oak stakes in it. Daphne lets out a breath.