(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty

Cassandra sets her hand on one of the display glass in a room within the Lockwood mansion. Inside are her parents' wedding rings. She smiles sadly. She's always found them beautifully simple. That they loved each other in a way that didn't require grand gestures or fancy rings. It was soft. Subtle. But beautiful. She thought that that was what she had with Tyler. Turns out it was neglectful and pointless. She pulls her hand back and sighs. Damon moves towards her carrying two glasses of champagne. He offers her a glass.

"Thanks" She takes the glass from him, Damon looks down at the display and raises an eyebrow.

"Your parents?" He asks, she hums and nods, tapping her nails on the glass. She's not sure she's ready to drink yet. Maybe one glass. That's not going to get her drunk, but it could be a start, getting her back to normal. She lets out a breath. "I didn't think you had it in you" He comments, she looks at him confused. "That underhand move at the door to screw with your ex...."

"That wasn't about Tyler" She corrects. "Jeremy is my little brother and I'd do anything for him. What Vicki did...is disgusting" She looks at Damon. "And she doesn't get to get away with it...."

"It was her, wasn't it?" Damon asks, leaning on the display in front of her. He raises an eyebrow at her. "Who he cheated on you with....." She snorts and then looks away. He knows he is right. Can read it on her face. "So it's a little about Tyler" He teases, she glances back at him.

"Maybe" She reluctantly agrees with him before moving away.

"For what it's worth" He starts, she pauses and looks back at him. "He didn't deserve you"

"You barely know me" She counters. "How do you know?"

"Gut instinct" He offers and then holds out his arm to her, she slides her hand through it and the two of them share a look.

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

In another part of the house, Elena and Stefan are moving through the displays, Elena draws her finger over the glass and then leans closer to read from the book inside.

"'The founding families in Mystic Falls welcomes you to the inaugural founder's council celebration.' Wow, look, it's the original guest registry. Look at all these familiar names—Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood. Is that Damon Salvatore? And, Stefan Salvatore?"

"The original Salvatore brothers. Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually" Damon answers as he and Cassandra walk towards them.

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past" Stefan tries to stop Damon.

"It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family" Elena admits, Cassandra gives her a look, Elena is being too desperate, pawing too much, he's going to drop her so fast for being too nosy. Caroline then bounces over to the group without Bonnie.

"Well, I'm bored. I want to dance. And Bonnie won't dance with me" Caroline offers and looks between Stefan and Damon, waiting for one of them to offer.

"Mm-hmm" Damon pulls Cassandra closer, intending on using her as a shield against Caroline. Cassandra is fully aware of this fact and shoots him a look, he shrugs and smirks.

"Could I just borrow your date?" Caroline asks Elena.

"Oh, uh..."

"I don't really dance" Stefan is quick to point out. Not really wanting to leave Elena and Cassandra alone with Damon.

"Oh, sure he does" Damon argues. "You should see him. Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk. He does it all"

"You wouldn't mind, would you, Elena?" Caroline asks.

"It's up to Stefan" Elena answers, Caroline is already taking Stefan's arm.

"Well sorry, but I'm not going to take no for an answer" Caroline points out dragging Stefan along to the dance floor. Cassandra snorts amused. Damon glances at Elena who is watching Stefan.

"Sorry about what I said about Katherine and Stefan," Damon tells Elena who looks at him. "There's no excuse. My therapist says I'm...Acting out, trying to punish Stefan"

"For what?" Elena asks.

"It's all in the past. I don't even want to bring it up. Let's just say that the men in the Salvatore family have been cursed with sibling rivalry. And it all started with the original Salvatore brothers" Elena raises an eyebrow in question, waiting for him to elaborate. "The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town. Until the war. There was a battle here..."

"The Battle of Willow Creek" Elena offers.

"Right"

"I know, we talked about it in class" Elena adds, Cassandra frowns a little.

"We did?" Cassandra asks, Elena gives her a look.

"Confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside" She attempts to remind Cassandra who just shrugs back. If Tanner was talking about it, she wasn't listening.

"What the history books left out was the people that were killed" Damon offers. "They weren't there by accident. They were believed to be union sympathizers. So some of the founders on the confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burned alive. Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church. And when they went to rescue them, they were shot. Murdered in cold blood"

"Who was in the church that they wanted to save?" Elena inquires.

"A woman, I guess. Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?"

"Look, I'm sorry that you and Stefan have this thing between you, but I can't get in the middle of it, Damon. I just...I hope you two can work it out." Elena tells him.

"I hope so, too" Damon offers.

..........

Cassandra, Damon and Elena walk out to meet Stefan and Caroline who stop dancing to greet them.

"What'd we miss?" Cassandra asks the two of them.

"We were just chatting" Stefan answers. "Drink, Damon?" Stefan offers Damon a drink.

"No, thanks, I'll pass."

"Stefan, do you have another dance in you?" Elena asks him.

"Absolutely" Stefan answers and then takes Elena out to the dance floor. Damon then turns to Cassandra.

"Do you.....want to dance?" Damon asks Cassandra who snorts.

"Yeah, no, I have two left feet...." She offers. "But...thanks for asking" He hums and nods.

"I will" Caroline then steps in, flirty eyes turned on Damon, already taking his arm. "If you don't mind, Cassie?" Cassandra shakes her head.

"I have to...use the bathroom anyway" Cassandra offers and shares a look with Damon before she goes off in search of the bathroom. Damon's eyes following her through the crowd.

"You'd be so cute together" Caroline points out, Damon turns to her.

"Don't talk" He compels of her. He doesn't need a running commentary. He's finding it hard enough to deal with whatever is going on with Cassandra.

A/N - I MEANT TO PUT THIS IN EARLIER BUT COMPLETELY FORGOT. CAS' DRESS FOR THE EVENT.