Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twelve

Alaric is setting a few things in boxes in Diana's room when she walks in, he glances behind him and relaxes seeing her in one piece and completely unharmed. He closes the box and moves towards her as she closes the bedroom door.

"I was worried sick" he scolds slightly, he knows it wasn't her fault, he's just pointing out that he was worried about her.

"I didn't know that was going to happen" she whispers. "I honestly had no idea what was going to happen...." he nods a little. It was an unknown, they had no idea what was waiting for her on the other end of that trip. "Do you want to see it or not?" she asks him as he sits on the bed, he smiles and nods.

"Show me" Alaric states, Diana chuckles and holds out the lasso towards him. "That's it?" he asks, she shoots him a look.

"I know it doesn't look like much right now" She agrees. "But watch" She adds and tightens her hold on the lasso, it begins to glow.

"Wow" He breaths. "So what did you have to do for it?" he asks her. "You didn't have to sell your soul or anything?"

"No, Zeus gave it to me"

"He just gave it to you?" He asks her, she nods.

"Yeah, that felt weird to me too" She admits. "I mean this is a weapon that Athena wasn't even allowed to wield anymore....and he just....let me have it?" she sits on the bed with him. "I'm guessing he wants to see what a few millennia locked away has done to it, maybe...." she shrugs. "Maybe it's not so bad anymore" Alaric gives her a look, she sighs. "I know" She assures him. "I'll be careful with it" she loosens her hands around the lasso and it stops glowing. She throws it onto her dresser and sighs.

"What was he like?" He asks her.

"Tall.." She answers. "He called me child, which...pissed me off" he smirks a little and pulls her closer to him. "He actually seemed really....interested in how the lasso was going to react to me" She admits. "Like he was looking for something"

"And that doesn't worry you?" he asks her, she nods.

"Yeah, it does...." She answers. "But...I can't worry about it when Elena is off running around after vampires and hybrids like she's not a human, and a stupid human at that" he gives her a small smile and touches her bump.

"You're going to be a great mother" he whispers, she frowns a little. "Fiercely protective and badass" she chuckles a little, her mood bettering slightly. She touches his face softly.

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

Alaric wakes to Dian playing with his hair, her fingers brushing through the locks as she mindlessly stares out the window. He hums a little and closes his eyes again.

"Did you sleep at all?" Alaric asks her, she hums and looks at him.

"Don't think so" She answers and curls into his side as much as she can, he kisses her head. "I got to pee again" she complains and climbs out of her bed and heads to the bathroom. Alaric sits up and glances to the lasso on the dresser.

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

Downstairs, Damon and Elena are cooking together.

"I just don't know why you want to bring chili to a potluck. Everybody brings chili." Damon complains. Aaric enters with Diana, she glares at Damon a little before turning to Alaric.

"I'm going to go out back...get a handle on the lasso" he nods a little.

"Just go easy" he offers, she gives him a smile and heads out back. Damon raises an eyebrow at Alaric.

"Lasso?" Damon asks.

"Yeah..." Alaric answers but doesn't offer any more, Diana is currently mad at them, so he is too.

"What time do you and Di want to go to the Lockwood party?" Elena asks him.

"Ah. Those founders parties aren't really my thing plus Diana didn't sleep very well...babies were fussing all night"

"Show up, there's going to be nine other people that brought chili." Damon comments.

"It's an old family recipe, okay?" Elena defends.

"Yeah! I know. I knew your old family. They made sucky chili." Damon looks at her and smiles. She laughs. Alaric look between them and frowns.

"Why are you here, exactly?" Alaric asks Damon.

"She knows."

"He thinks I'm going to break. I'm not going to break. I am just going to keep making chili, pretend like I didn't just spend the entire summer looking for someone who didn't want to be found." Elena informs them.

"She's in denial." Damon points out, Elena looks at him and whispers.

"I'm not in denial."

"No?" Damon gets closer to her and touches her necklace. "You're still wearing this necklace. Isn't this the reminder of your unbreakable bond with Stefan?" Alaric watches them, confused by whatever this is.

..........

Later, someone rings the bell causing Elena to walk to the front door to open it revealing Caroline on the other side. She's holding a bowl of food in her hands.

"I come bearing gifts!" Caroline announces.

"Please say that's not chili..." Elena begs of her. Caroline steps aside. Bonnie appears and comes in. "Bonnie!"

"I'm back!" They embrace each other. "I leave town for the summer and everything goes to hell for the both of you." Caroline and Elena look at each other. Jeremy comes down the stairs.

"Bonnie!"

"Jeremy." Bonnie rushes over to him and they kiss and embrace each other. He looks over Bonnie's shoulder and sees Anna looking at him in the mirror on the wall. "What is that?" Bonnie asks frowning as she pulls back from him.

"What?" Caroline asks.

"Magic" Bonnie answers. "I can feel..." She heads through the house and out the back, followed by the others who are confused. Diana is spinning the lasso around outside. "Diana, put that thing down!" Bonnie warns, Diana drops the lasso and it stops glowing.

"Bonnie" Diana scolds and bends down to pick up the lasso up.

"No" Bonnie warns, Diana sighs and shoots her a look. Diana goes to pick it up again. "Diana. Where did you get that thing?" Bonnie asks her, Diana looks at Alaric who shrugs a little.

"Zeus gave it to me" Diana answers and picks up the lasso, ignoring Bonnie's look.

"Did you steal it?"

"What? No" Diana defends. "He gave it to me, then muttered about something or other and Ares and destiny" Diana mocks slightly.

"Yeah, because it was corrupted by Ares, you shouldn't be touching it...."

"Well look, I am...nothing bad is happening" Diana shakes the lasso at her.

"It was gold" Bonnie whispers, Diana nods. "Not red"

"Why would it be red?" Diana asks her and then realises. "When Ares used it...it was red?" Bonnie nods. "And gold?" Bonnie looks at her.

"When Athena wielded it" Bonnie admits and reaches out to touch the lasso, runs her fingers over it, she and Diana share a look. "You got fat" Bonnie then teases, Diana smirks a little.

"Yeah, I did" Diana agrees and touches her bump, Bonnie chuckles a little and hugs Diana, she hugs her back.