(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Fifty

Outside, Damon stands outside of the bar and turns his head, looking for Cassandra, before his eyes find Cassandra's phone on the ground. He picks it up and turns it around in his hand as he frowns, thinking about where she could have gone. His eyes flicker red as she reaches out for him. He turns his head and cocks it. He then follows the telepathic lead she is providing him.

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

Around the back of the bar, Damon walks towards an electrical building. He finds Cassandra standing just a little way down from him. She looks a little scared but is trying to be brave. To not show her fear. But he can see it. Can actually feel it. She shakes her head at him and he stops. Senses what she is trying to tell him. The red in his eyes fades as she lets the connection drop. He takes a step closer to her and from behind a man attacks him with a wooden plank with supernatural speed. It is a trap. The man then hits Damon over and over again. Cassandra hurries forward to help or whatever, she has no idea what she plans on doing. But she's been drinking and she is feeling a little braver and more confident than she probably usually would.

"What the hell?!" Damon complains. The man pours gasoline on Damon.

"No!" Cassandra shouts. The man turns to look at Cassandra, revealing vampire teeth which causes her to stop for a moment.

"Who are you?" Damon asks him.

"That's perfect! You have no idea." The man offers with a humourless laugh.

"What are you talking about? What did he do?" Cassandra asks him.

"He killed my girlfriend" He informs Cassandra before turning back to Damon. "What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you?!"

"Nothing" Damon admits.

"I don't understand" Cassandra admits.

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan, and Damon killed her. Got it?" The man informs Cassandra who racks her brain for an answer, then figures it out.

"Lexi" She whispers then jumps as the man hits Damon with the plank again. Damon moans in pain. Cassandra looks to her hand and then lifts her eyes to the attacking man. Determined. She seems to stutter as she moves, an effect of her powers as she comes to stand behind the man. She moves her fingers as the mist seeps into his head, his eyes start to glow crimson as she invades his mind. He drops the metal bar and goes into a sort of trance. Damon watches this unfold. Cassandra moves to stand between him and his attacker. "You are going to leave," She tells Lee who nods robotically. "You are going to forget about this vendetta...Forget about revenge..." She adds, Damon's eyes flicker between the two of them. "I am sure Lexi would want you to be happy"

"She would want me to be happy" Lee monotonously parrots back at her before he turns and walks away. The red mist retreats from his mind as he walks away and seeps back into Cassandra. Compulsion. Damon sees the similarities of what she just did with the compulsion the vampires have. She told him to do something. He did it. With a little help from her red wiggly mist but still the same thing.

"How did you do that?" Damon asks as he pushes himself to his feet. She glances at him.

"I didn't know I could" She answers and turns back to watch Lee leave. "I just..." They share a look, and he understands. She saw him getting hurt and instinctively used her powers to save him. "....did it" Damon moves to her side, his hand on the small of her back.

"You okay?" He asks her, she nods and then turns to him.

"Are you?" She counters, he snorts and nods as she touches his chest, checking on him. He presses his hand to hers and the two of them share a look.

........

Inside the bar, Bree is alone and taking a shot, clearly nervous and wary. Damon approaches Bree from behind.

"We were just leaving, I wanted to say goodbye," Damon tells her. Bree doesn't turn around.

"Good to see you again, Damon" She responds flatly.

"No kiss?" He asks her, Bree turns around, seemingly showing some level of fear now.

"I'm full of vervain. I put it in everything I drink" She admits to him.

"And you're telling me this why?"

"Lexi was my friend. How could you?" She turns away but Damon is already in front of her, scaring her. "The tomb can be opened"

"You're lying!"

"Emily's grimoire, her spellbook. If you know how she closed the tomb the reversal process will be in her book. You can open that tomb"

"Where is this book?" Damon asks.

"I...I...."

"You have no idea" Damon realises.

"No. I'm telling you the truth."

"And I believe you. My dear, sweet Bree. That's why I'm almost sorry" He takes a few steps towards her and she holds out her hand.

"The girl" Bree stops him, he tilts his head. "Your girl" She corrects, implying she means Cassandra here. "She's dangerous" Bree warns.

"Yes, she is" Damon agrees, he's already seen how dangerous Cassandra is, and he is not about to start underestimating her.

"No, no" She argues, taking a few steps back from him. But he moves fast, thrusts his hand into Bree's chest and grabs her heart. She grabs his arm and lets out a broken breath. "'Ware the Scarlet Witch" She manages to warn him just before Damon rips her heart out of her chest. Damon glances at the heart and frowns. What the hell is that supposed to mean? He shrugs and throws the heart down so he can clean his hands.

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

On the road, Cassandra watches the landscape pass by through the window as Damon drives them back towards Mystic Falls. Both of them pondering the day's events. Going through it all. She lets out a breath through her nose and glances at him.

"So, why did you bring me with you?" She asks him as she shifts in her seat to face him. Damon shrugs a little.

"Well, you're not the worst company in the world, Cas. You should give yourself more credit" He answers.

"Seriously?" She asks him, he sighs and shrugs a little.

"You were there in the road, all damsel-in-distress-like. And, I knew it would piss off Stefan." He admits and then looks at her. "And...you're not the worst company in the world, Cas" He offers softer.

"I used to be more fun" She whispers in admittance, this whole thing has just reminded her of who she used to be. She used to be the fun one. The party-goer.

"You did okay" He assures her.

"I saved your life!" She points out with a smirk.

"I know" He agrees, she smiles at him.

"And don't you forget it!" She teases, the two of them sharing a look and a smile, she chuckles and leans back into her seat. "Thanks" She whispers, he hums and nods. She has no idea what would have happened on that road if Damon hadn't turned up.