Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Two

Damon and Diana walk through the hospital together, still talking. Damon is still processing that this girl that has seemed so....straight laced. He's seeing her in a whole new light. He tucks his hands into his pockets.

"So have you talked to Ric about this?" Damon asks her, she shoots him a look.

"I can't tell him" She argues. "I can't tell him about any of this....it's bad enough I told you...." she shakes her head. "There's a reason we just can't go around telling the truth... because it comes back to bite you... hard." She gives him a look. "You and I both know that" He nods, he can't fault her there. "He wouldn't understand" She whispers.

"But I do?" Damon asks her, she shoots him a look. "Fair enough" he offers. "Hey, whilst we're sharing" He starts. "Katherine is in town" She frowns at him.

"The doppelgänger thing?" she asks, he nods. "How do you know?"

"I saw her thinking she was Elena....talked to Elena"

"Who doesn't remember it?" she asks, he nods.

"Oh and the Mayor is dead" Her eyes widen slightly. "He was affected by the device"

"But not a vampire" She adds, he nods. She groans. "Just when you deal with one thing" She starts. "Two more pop up. Like a damn hydra" she offers, he frowns. "Water monster from Greek mythology" She explains. "Cut off one head, two more grow back"

"That's where that comes from?" he asks her, she sighs and shoots him a look.

"Diana" Tyler states approaching her, she looks at him. "Do you know where Derek is?" He asks her. "I gotta call him and it's not going through"

"He's at the lake house" She answers. "If he's gone for a run he won't have a signal..." She lets out a breath. "I'll drive up there if you want a ride" Tyler nods. "I'm sorry about your dad" She offers, he nods again. "You wanna go now?" She asks him.

"Yes" He answers. Diana shares a look with Damon.

"I'll make sure Elena gets home" He tells her.

"Thanks" She counters. "For...you know, and...can we keep that between us?" he nods and winks at her before walking away. "Strangest conversation ever" She mumbles to herself.

.............

Alaric walks towards his kitchen, his cell phone pressed to his ear as he talks with Diana. He missed her this morning, waking up to an empty bed sucked. But having her sleep in his bed at all, after everything they've been through the last 3 months, was amazing, and something he is determined to keep going.

"Matt and Tyler are fine...it's Caroline they're worried about" Diana tells him down the phone as he turns on his coffee machine.

"What about John?" He asks.

"I didn't go in to see him" She admits. "I..think I would have hurt him"

"Don't blame you" He mumbles. "Are you on your way back?"

"No..I have to drive Tyler up to the lake house" She states. "He wants to tell Derek that their dad is dead"

"The Mayor?" Alaric asks as he moves around his kitchen. "That whole thing was a shit show" He admits.

"Yeah, it was..." She sighs.

"You could come back, we could stay in bed...." He offers.

"That sounds amazing" She tells him. "And something I would love to do but....I feel kind of responsible here" She whispers. "I gave John that device"

"That is not your fault" Alaric is quick to tell her. "You thought it was deactivated, just like the rest of us"

"I should have known better" She counters with a sigh. "I have to go....I'll be back soon" She hangs up and takes a breath. Alaric glances at his phone and sighs. He knows this isn't her fault, he knows who he is blaming, who they should all be blaming for this. John.

............

Derek climbs out of Diana's jeep as Tyler heads towards the Lockwood Mansion. Diana joins him as she tugs her jacket around herself.

"You going to be okay?" Diana asks Derek who takes a deep breath and shrugs.

"No idea, Di" he admits. "Things have just been....crazy" She nods in agreement, they have, and to him, that's without all the supernatural stuff.

"You know where I am" she assures him. "If you need anything"

"Miss Gilbert" Liz Forbes states from the doorway of the Mansion, Diana looks at her. "Would you join us?" Derek and Diana share a look.

"You're in trouble" He whispers to her, she shoots him a look and heads into the house.

...........

Carol Lockwood is talking with Liz Forbes, Damon, and Diana in a room in the Lockwood Mansion.

"I want to know exactly who's responsible for killing my husband." Carol tells them.

"I'm looking into it but you have to be straight with me. Is there any reason Richard was affected by the vampire device?" Liz asks Carol.
"What are you implying? That he was one of them?" Carol asks Liz.

"No, no. No one's implying that." Damon defends.

"Your deputy screwed up, plain and simple which makes you responsible."

"Carol..." Damon scolds.

"Your husband is the one who helped John Gilbert execute his idiot plan in the first place. And you" Liz starts as she turns to Diana. "Were you part of this?"

"I knew he had the device" She admits. "But I didn't know he was going to use it...not last night"

"You've been working with him since he got to town" Liz counters.

"Liz..." Damon warns.

"Someone got my husband killed." Carol snaps.

"We're all on edge here. You've suffered a great loss. The whole town has. We have to stick together, okay? Trust each other, we'll get through this." Damon offers and shares a look with Diana.

.............

Diana walks towards her jeep as she leaves the Mansion, she pulls out her cell phone and dials before pressing it to her ear.

"Hey" Alaric greets her.

"Meet me at the hospital?" She asks as she unlocks her jeep

"Okay" Alaric answers. "Why?"

"Gonna talk to John...need you to stop me from killing him" She tells him, he laughs a little.

"Not sure I'm the best person to do that, Diana...I will let you" She smiles and opens her jeep door. "But sure...I'll come watch"

"I'll see you there" She counters and hangs up, she chuckles a little and climbs into her jeep.