(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Eighty-Three

Damon heads into Cassandra's bedroom and glances around with a smirk. Every time he comes in here, he sees something different. This time, it is the stuffed bear on her bed and the new necklace hanging on the edge of the mirror.

"Ah, just like I remember" He teases as she shuts her bedroom door behind them. Damon then picks up the stuffed teddy bear from the pillow on her bed, lays on her bed and holds the teddy bear on his chest. She rolls her eyes. "Did you know that your uncle has been kicking it with the Founders' Council?" She looks at him surprised.

"What?" She voices, he nods.

"Yep."

"Perfect, we'll just add it to the growing list of how everything is falling apart" She complains. Damon cocks his head when he notices a broken lamp and points an arm of the teddy bear towards it.

"What happened right there?" He asks, she glances at the broken lamp and sighs.

"Nothing" She answers. That had been a slip up the night before. Too much to drink. Too little control over her powers. She seems uncomfortable. He looks at her and raises an eyebrow. "Look, I called because Elena's worried about Stefan" She rubs her head. "And I don't care enough to deal with it right now" He frowns a little. "She says that he says" She rolls her eyes at that. "That everything's okay but he's clearly struggling. How long is it gonna take before he goes back to normal?" She asks as she turns away from him to grab a jumper from a pile of clothing on the floor. He pulls the trash can from out under her bed and tilts it so he can peer into it. That makes more sense. There are a number of empty liqueur bottles inside.

"A few days, give or take" He answers.

"It's been a few days." She complains as he pushes the trash can back under the bed. "It's been weeks"

"Give then, I don't know." He offers and then stands. "What's the big deal?" He asks. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing" She mumbles and then pulls her hair back to tie it up. He gives her a look, making it known that he in no way believes her. She sighs and swallows, setting her shoulders back as she pushes past him to pick up her boots. "Elena is annoying me" She admits. "Because she's worried....on and on and on." She complains. "'He's not himself, Cassie'" She mocks. "Why is that my problem?" Damon goes toward the dresser, opens a drawer and looks into it.

"Well, maybe his problem is that he has spent too long not being himself" He offers as he takes a bra from the drawer, he smirks a little. Cassandra snatches it from him and put it back in the drawer. He takes a picture from the mirror; she tries to take it back but is too slow. She sighs and holds up her hands, pulling slightly to use her powers, mist snatches the photo from his hands and replace it back on the mirror. He huffs and gives her a look. "That's cheating" He points out, turning to face her. She folds her arms over her chest and he leans closer to her, raising an eyebrow. "So what's with the drinking?" He asks, she rolls her eyes at him.

"None of your business" She grumbles.

"Is this about Vicki?"

"Don't" She snaps a little. "I don't want to talk about that" Her eyes start to glow red and he gives her a look, because she doesn't need to do that.

"Touched a nerve there, didn't I?" He asks her and touches her waist. "Cas" He starts. "You gotta get over this or it will eat you alive" He offers. "You did what you had to do to protect your family...and no one blames you for that" She looks away from him and pulls a face. She blames herself. "It's my fault anyway" He reminds her, she glances at him. "You know, one of those things from that long list of things that I have done that you should hate me for" He teases a little, she gives him a look.

"I do" She reminds him. "Hate you for them...." He clenches his jaw a little, she shrugs back at him. "But there are other things that I like you for" She counters softer. "I was upset and angry with you....but I never actually hated you" She assures him and then moves to pick up her necklace from the mirror and pulls it around her neck. Damon lets out a breath and smiles to himself. That's probably the best thing she could have said to him. He turns and brushes her hair from the back of her neck and helps her with her necklace, clasping it against her neck. His hands moving to her shoulders as she settles the stone against her shirt. "Thanks" She offers softly, he hums and nods pulling back from her.

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

Cassandra tucks her hands in her pockets as she walks along the edge of a lake with Elena and Jeremy. Elena finally caved. Agreeing to tell Jeremy something about what was going on. But she agreed on telling him that they are adopted and not about the vampire stuff. It's a start. Cassandra would have told him everything, just get it over with.

"I just can't believe mom and dad never told you that you were adopted" Jeremy offers as he walks between his sisters.

"I'm sure they would have eventually" Elena offers.

"Why were you worried about what I thought?" He asks them.

Elena: Because...I don't know. It's weird. Going you're whole life thinking you're related by blood to someone.

Jeremy: Does it bug you that we're not?"

"No, Jer..." Cassandra assures him. "You're our brother, that's all that matters" She assures him, he smiles at her.

"So, Mr Saltzman said you've been doing great in history now" Elena turns the subject to Jeremy.

"Yeah, yeah he's really been helping me out. He gave me some extra credit and stuff"

"He loved your vampire paper" Elena points out, glancing at Jeremy out the corner of her eye to gauge his reaction.

"He thought I had a clever angle" Jeremy adds.

"What drew you to that subject matter?" Elena asks him. Trying to be coy and subtle about the whole thing.

"I don't know, boredom or maybe I'm just as nuts as the long line of Gilbert crazies" Jeremy answers with a shrug.

"Gilberts aren't crazy" Cassandra mumbles.

"Easy for you to say, you're not one" Jeremy counters teasingly, Cassandra stops and looks at him.

"Ouch" She comments, he smirks and then dodges her hand as she goes to hit him. He laughs and dodges the two of them as Elena joins in.