(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Forty-Two

A/N - SO JUST A QUICK QUESTION REGARDING ATLANTA. I CURRENTLY HAVE IT PLANNED THAT IT IS STILL DAMON AND ELENA THAT GOES. I JUST WONDERED IF THAT WAS SOMETHING YOU GUYS WOULD RATHER SEE BETWEEN DAMON AND CASSIE INSTEAD???

.....

Cassandra sits next to Bonnie on the floor of Elena's bedroom, Elena and Caroline across from them. A collection of candles in front of them. Bonnie sighs and looks at Cassandra.

"What are we doing?" Bonnie asks Cassandra who shrugs and glances at the candles in front of them as Caroline lights them.

"I don't know." Cassandra answers. Caroline shoots them both a look.

"Be quiet and concentrate." Caroline scolds them. "Close your eyes. Now take a deep breath. Bonnie. Call to her"

"Emily, you there?" Bonnie asks.

"Really? 'Emily, you there?' That's all you got? Come on" Caroline counters.

"Fine, geez." Bonnie caves and then takes a deep breath. "Emily. I call on you. I know you have a message. I'm here to listen." The candles immediately flare stronger. Elena glances at Cassandra.

"Did that just..." Elena starts and shares a look with Cassandra.

"Yeah, it just happened" Cassandra mumbles.

"It's just the air conditioning." Bonnie points out.

"Ask her to show you a sign. Ask her" Caroline pushes, Bonnie shakes her head. She wants this to be over. "Emily, if you're among us, show us another sign" Caroline does it instead. They wait a moment, but nothing happens.

"See?" Bonnie tells them. "It's not working" The windows then burst open, scaring her. "I can't, I'm done" Bonnie rips the necklace off and throws it on the ground next to the candles, which blow out, scaring her more. "Get the light. Please, get the light!" She begs.

"Hold on. I got it" Elena stands and moves to the light switch, turning the lights back on.

"You guys, the necklace. It's gone" Bonnie admits.

"Okay, fun's over, Cas. You made a point, and I get it. Now give it back" Elena scolds her sister.

"What?" Cassandra argues. "I didn't take it" There is then a noise somewhere in the house. Cassandra turns. "What was that?"

"I don't know" Elena answers. "Jeremy, are you home?" She shouts expecting Jeremy to shout from downstairs, she then stands to double-check, walks into the hall to check for her brother. Bonnie sees the crystal on the floor in the bathroom. She goes in to get it.]

"Guys..." Bonnie calls for her friends. The door slams shut as soon as she's inside the room. "You guys open the door! Help me!" Elena, Caroline, and Cassandra rush to the door.

"What's going on, Bonnie?"

"Bonnie!" Caroline shouts. Cassandra, Caroline and Elena pound on the door as Bonnie screams for help. Cassandra steps back from the door and looks down at her hands. Elena seems to sense where she is going, turns to Caroline.

"Try the other door," Elena tells the blonde, Caroline hurries out of the room to check from Jeremy's bedroom. Elena and Cassandra share a look, Elena nodding encouragingly at Cassandra who takes a deep breath and throws out her hands. Her red mist energy flinging forward and hitting the door, flattening against it, covering every bit of the surface and seeping around the frame. Cassandra concentrates and curls her fingers, attempting to open the door, but whatever magic locked it, is just as powerful. Cassandra's eyes begin to glow brighter as she pushes more into it and finally, the door swings open, the red mist dropping to the floor and retreating back to Cassandra. Bonnie stands with her head in her hands inside the bathroom. Elena hurries into the room as Cassandra brushes her hand under her nose, her skin coming back bloody. She shakes her head. This has happened before. A few times in the months she spent attempting to control her powers, she would test the limits of what she could do, and then either she would get a nose bleed or she would collapse. She pulls her sleeve down over her hand and turns to the mirror to clear away the smeared blood. Not wanting to worry them. This isn't about her. This is about Bonnie.

"I'm fine," Bonnie tells Elena as Caroline hurries back into the room.

"Unbelievable. You were totally faking it" Caroline complains

"Caroline, come on." Elena scolds slightly.

"No! You scared the hell out of me" Caroline scolds, her voice breaking a little. She is actually upset about this.

"Bonnie?" Elena asks.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine" Bonnie assures them. Cassandra's eyes follow Bonnie as she crosses the room. Cassandra then frowns to herself, something about this whole thing feeling off. Feeling wrong. She cocks her head. Bonnie looks straight at her and Cassandra's eyes begin to glow red.

...........

Cassandra, Elena and Caroline rush down the stairs after Bonnie who is hurrying away from them, attempting to leave the house. Cassandra holds her hand behind her back and curls her fingers, pulling at her powers.

"I can't believe I fell for it," Caroline complains.

"Are you okay?" Cassandra asks Bonnie as she follows her. 

"I must go" Bonnie answers, Cassandra frowns because that's a little more formal than Bonnie usually talks.

"She's leaving. I'm leaving" Caroline counters.

"You guys can't leave" Elena defends, trying to keep them all together.

"I can. I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night" Caroline argues.

"Thank you for having me. I'll take it from here" Bonnie tells them.

"Where are you going?" Elena asks.

"Back to where it all began" Bonnie answers. Cassandra grabs her wrist and Bonnie snaps her head around to her.

"It's not Bonnie" Cassandra comments. "I'm guessing...Emily" She offers, Bonnie holds up her head.

"I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed" Bonnie/Emily tells her and then throws out her other hand.

"Wait!" Cassandra warns but she throws Cassandra back and into Elena and Caroline on the stairs.

"Hey!" Caroline complains and shoves at the two bodies on her. Elena helps Cassandra up and they share a look as Bonnie/Emily leaves the house. Elena then chases her down the stairs as Cassandra follows. Elena tries to open the door, but Emily has spelled it shut.

"What's happening?" Caroline asks.

"I don't know. The door, it's not..." Elena argues as she keeps trying the door. "Cas" She turns to her sister who nods and moves closer, knowing what she is asking for. She holds out her hand but the door suddenly swings open and Jeremy walks in. The girls scream in alarm, and Jeremy is really confused.

"What the hell?" He asks them. Cassandra leans on her knees and closes her eyes as she tries to calm down. Elena runs her hands through her hair and she nods a little. Telling herself that they are fine.