Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirteen

Diana sits on the porch swing with a tea and a shopping catalog, a page of baby cribs in front of her. Damon sits next to her, she ignores him. He swings his legs a little and looks at her, wanting her attention. She's not going to give it to him. He clears his throat and she still ignores him. So much for coddling.

"I need your help" Diana barks out a laugh and shoots Damon a glare.

"No," She tells him.

"You don't even know what I want yet" He argues.

"No" She repeats.

"You're pissed we went to Chicago"

"No" She argues. "No, I am pissed you didn't even tell me you were going" He glances at her. "I am pissed that you put Elena that close to Klaus..." She leans closer to him, between them, the lasso begins to glow. "I am pissed that you allowed her to talk to Stefan on her own after what we saw in Tennessee"

"It's about Caroline" he offers, she sighs and closes her eyes, the glow on the lasso dying down. Caroline hasn't done anything to upset her. Not doing this would punish someone that hasn't done anything wrong. And Caroline is still her friend.

"Fine" She admits. "But nothing dangerous, okay? Ric is still upset about the whole time slip with great great grandpappy yesterday" He frowns at her. "Long story" she offers.

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

In the town square, Diana walks with Liz and Damon. Diana is still trying to get her head around what happened to Caroline whilst she was away.

"So Mayor Lockwood called your gay ex-husband to torture your vampire daughter?" Diana asks, Damon shoots her a look.

"Tactful, Watchdog," He tells her.

"Yes. I've been keeping him detained to make sure the vervain's out of his system." Liz answers her and then turns to Damon. "So you could, you know..." She points to her eyes, meaning the gift of compulsion.

"Can't we just kill him?" Damon asks them.

"No, Damon!" Liz warns.

"He's still Caroline's father," Diana adds.

"He sounds like a douche-bag to me."

"Yeah, well, just 'cause you and I are on okay terms doesn't mean that I'm suddenly a big advocate for your lifestyle," Liz tells Damon.

"Is that what you told him when you two got divorced?" Damon asks. Diana shoots him a look this time.

..........

Diana, Liz, and Damon head down the stairs of the city jail cellar.

"Double check him for vervain before you compel him," Liz warns them both, Damon nods and looks at Diana, she hums a little and turns to the door which she pulls open. They enter the cellar where Caroline was formerly detained. Bill is tied to the chair and has duct tape on his mouth. Damon removes it.

"You brought another vampire into this?" Bill scolds and then looks over Diana. "And whatever...this is" Diana shoots him a glare.

"This happens to be a very hormonal demigoddess, so watch your tongue" Diana scolds.

"It's the best thing for all of us, Bill," Liz tells Bill.

"So, Bill, I hear you're into the whole daddy-daughter vampire torture thing." Damon points out as he and Diana stand before him.

"I was trying to help her."

"Well, if there's anyone who doesn't need help, it's your annoying control freak of a daughter." Damon bites him on the neck and drinks some of his blood. "Yep. He's vervain-free." Damon comments.

"Just erase his memory, Damon." Liz counters.

"So, Bill, I have a question. What makes you think that you can change the basic nature of a vampire?" Damon asks him but Bill remains silent. "Diana" Damon states. Diana raises an eyebrow at him. "Do your...mind thingy" She sighs and then grabs the lasso from under the back of her jacket.

"I want to try this thing out" She counters.

"Didn't Ric tell you to leave that at home?" Damon asks her, she shrugs and draws her fingers over the rope.

"Yeah, maybe" She answers and smirks at him. "Did you know that Athena used to use this lasso to demand that people tell her the truth?" She asks Damon who shakes his head. "That's how the story goes anyway" she looks at Bill. "I mean...this is all just stupid fairy tale stories, right?" She smirks and throws it out wrapping it around Bill then tightens her hands on the rope, it begins to glow, she then pulls the rope taught. "The Golden Promise compels you to reveal the truth." Diana states, Bill fights it though and starts screaming. Diana tugs harder on the rope. "The Golden Promise compels you to reveal the truth," Diana repeats firmer.

"The mind's a powerful tool." Bill rushes out and lets out a relieved breath, Damon stares at Diana a little. "It can be trained and retrained. You just have to be strong enough."

"Which you clearly are not" Diana offers and smirks at him. She loosens the lasso and pulls it back. "That was fun" she looks at the rope. "Been a while since I've...you know..."

"It was three days ago" Damon points out. "Smoky Mountains"

"Yeah but all I did was hit a werewolf in the face" She argues. "It's not as fun if I don't get to really hurt someone" she sighs. "Your turn..." he nods and turns to Bill. He grabs his face and compels him.

"You will leave town immediately. All you remember is you came to bring your daughter back-to-school shopping."

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

At the Lockwood Mansion, Damon is looking at allllll the chili made by the founding families. Alaric walks towards him and hands him a beer.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret...Founders parties are just an excuse for the council to gather in back rooms and plot against vampires." Damon points out.

"Hey, uh, I think you need to take a beat with Elena." Alaric offers.

"Excuse me?

"Whatever it is you two have going on, I think it's a bad idea." Alaric scolds.

"I don't really think it's your problem, Ric."

"It is my problem. Diana is my partner, she's already worried enough about Elena, you're not adding this to her stress levels"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"What I think is you need to take a beat." Liz walks up behind Alaric.

"Damon? Sorry. Uh, the mayor just called for the council meeting." Liz tells him, Damon and Alaric share a look.

A/N - JUST A QUICK QUESTION, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WHOLE LASSO THING, IT WAS PART OF MY ORIGINAL PLAN ONCE I HAD COME UP WITH THE WHOLE FUTURE GAL GADOT THING, BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT IT, LET ME KNOW.