Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twelve

Elena is looking in the box of Katherine and finds a picture of Katherine, she stares at it a moment. Still gets unnerved by just how much they look alike. She takes a breath and glances at Diana.

"Di?" She asks, Diana hums from where she sits swinging her legs on a table. "At your school..."

"My super special school?" Diana asks, Elena smirks and nods.

"Yeah..." Diana looks at her. "Did you learn anything about doppelgängers?"

"A little" Diana answers. "It's not really a Greek thing though" She offers. "It's more Germanic mythology...but I do know enough German to know that it translates as 'double goer', and usually refers to a wraith or apparition that casts no shadows and is a replica or double of a person. They are considered omens of bad luck and even a sign of impending death. Doppelgängers also usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives." Elena looks at her as Diana moves closer to her. "I know, it's not exactly fun-sounding...." Diana agrees with her look.

"And just more things we already know," Elena adds, Diana shrugs a little. "Just...I want to know why we look alike."

"I know" Diana touches her shoulder.

"Headscratcher, isn't it?" Damon asks from where he stands, Elena looks back at him.

"Do you know something, or are you just being yourself?"

"Well, if I know anything, I'm not gonna tell you, not with that attitude."

"That's good, Damon, and this is coming from someone who wants to be my friend, but you know what? Friends don't manipulate friends, they help each other." Elena tells him.

..........

Alaric takes Diana's bag from the trunk of her jeep as Diana clears out the trash from inside, not a lot but enough to make it look messy, she doesn't like her jeep looking messy. Alaric shuts the trunk and Diana closes the back door with her hip before moving to him.

"I got it" Diana takes her bag from Alaric who lets her take it. She then turns and heads towards the house.

"You forgot something" Alaric states, Diana frowns and turns back to him.

"What?" she asks him, he steps closer to her and smirks.

"This" he whispers and then kisses her, she smiles against his lips and wraps her arm around his neck to pull herself closer to him. Jenna watches them from the door. She's still angry and upset but something shifts in her eyes. Alaric touches Diana's face, gently caressing her cheeks as he kisses her. He pulls back and smiles at her. "I'll see you later," he tells her, she bits her lip and nods. He kisses her again and then walks towards his own car parked on the street. Diana smiles to herself and turns to find Jenna watching her.

"Jenna" Diana whispers, Jenna nods inside the house.

"I want to talk to you," Jenna tells her. Diana counts that as a win, it's the first thing Jenna's said to her since they fell out.

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

Jenna takes a deep breath and sets a coffee on the counter for Diana when she walks into the room.

"I hate fighting with you" Jenna admits. Diana nods in agreement. Jenna taps her fingers on the counter and nods. "And...I do...appreciate that you both came to me and told me about your.....Relationship" Jenna adds. "And I am sorry for the way I reacted...I should have been more....." Jenna takes a breath. "Calm" Diana raises an eyebrow. "I'm not going to say I am happy about it" Jenna admits. "But...You are an adult, a consenting adult...and you can make your own choices...and mistake" Diana shoots her a look. "I think we should have dinner" Jenna offers. "You, me, Alaric, Jeremy, and Elena....so that I can get to know him as your boyfriend? Manfriend?"

"Partner" Diana offers. "If you're uncomfortable with...." Jenna nods a little.

"I do want you to be happy, Di" Jenna assures her. "I want all of you to be happy....and...I saw that he makes you happy. So I am going to try...and be supportive"

"Thank you," Diana tells her softly. "Jenna, that means a lot"

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

Diana lets herself into Alaric's apartment, finds him lounging on his couch with a beer. She smiles and shrugs out of her jacket. Alaric catches her as she pounces into his lap. He frowns at her.

"Why are you so happy?" he asks her as she leans over him slightly.

"Jenna" She answers, he hums a little. "She wants us all to have dinner" he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him.

"Progress" he teases and hums slightly when she kisses him.

"It's finally all working out" she whispers. "Except I don't have a job..."

"A job?" he asks.

"Yeah, I want to get a job" She admits. "I'm not at school, I have to do something....know anyone hiring a high school drop out?" he gives her a look.

"You can always come back to school...." he offers, she lets out a breath. "Just...listen" he stops her from arguing. "I'm talking about you getting your GED" he adds. "The school is a registered test center....and with your GED you can think about college...." She smiles at him, he's thinking about her future, he wants her to do well, to do something with her life.....he's so adorable. She cups his face and he smiles.

"Gods" she whispers. "You're so...." she sighs softly. "I love you" he smiles wider at her.

"Good" He states back. "'Cause I love you too" she leans closer and kisses her, his hands tightening around her. She chuckles and gets comfy in his lap.

"What are we watching?" she asks as she turns in his lap, his arm loosening around her.

"It's a documentary on the Russian Revolution" He answers softly. "I can change the channel"

"No" she stops him. "I want to watch it with you" he kisses her head and smiles softly.