(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninty-Eight

Cassandra can't believe her luck. Because of course, something is going to go wrong. It's been too good, too quiet. And right now, it is Isobel that is interrupting their regularly scheduled programming. Because they can't even have a month where nothing bad happens. Cassandra looks out of a classroom window, her arms folded over her chest. She's annoyed. And rightly so. Their lives are just ridiculous now. First John turns up and tries to suck up her powers. And now Isobel is here. She lets out a breath and shakes her head. Elena glances at Cassandra from where she stands with Stefan. Alaric leans on his desk when Damon walks into the classroom.

"Damon, thanks for coming." Alaric offers.

"Sorry, I'm late. My dog ate my uh...never mind" Damon looks at Stefan and Elena and then Cassandra. "What's with all the furrowed brows?" Damon asks as he shifts closer to Cassandra.

"I saw Isobel last night" Alaric answers.

"Isobel is here?" Alaric nods. "In town?" Alaric nods again, Damon turns to Cassandra. Now those expressions make sense. "Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?" Damon asks.

"No"

"No, they're not?" Damon counters.

"No, I didn't ask"

"What about the invention?"

"Didn't ask." Alaric mumbles.

"Did she know about the tomb vampires?"

"I don't know."

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon asks, annoyed now.

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions" Alaric argues. Damon turns to Cassandra.

"What did she want?"

"She wants to see us" Elena admits and nods at Cassandra.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting. We don't know why or what she wants" Stefan points out. Damon keeps his eyes on Cassandra.

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to" Damon assures Cassandra.

"We don't really have a choice" Elena argues.

"She's threatened to go on killing spree" Alaric points out.

"Oh! I take it that's not okay with you guys." Damon offers and glances at Cassandra who is being very quiet on this. He thought she at least would have an opinion. And he's not the only one that thinks that. Alaric looks at her.

"You're quiet" Alaric points out, Cassandra hums and looks down at her hand, watching a little red ball of mist bounce over her fingers.

"Cassie?" Elena asks. Cassandra sighs a little and curls her fingers, snuffing out her powers.

"You can do whatever you want, Elena, but I'm not sitting down and talking to her" Cassandra tells her.

"It will be a blood bath if we don't" Elena argues. Cassandra lets out a breath and shrugs.

"Then I'll buy a rubber duck"

"You are willing to let everyone die?" Elena asks her. "For what?"

"No, of course not, that's not what this is" Cassandra counters. "I'm calling her bluff. That woman abandoned us, she does not get to call the shots here....vampire or not, that bitch can rot in hell for all I care....I am not going to have a conversation with her" She then walks out of the classroom, not giving them any time to argue with her. Because she is not talking to Isobel. That is not something that woman gets to demand of her. Damon glances at the door and sighs. She has a point.