(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Elena had stayed and explained everything about Damon and Stefan, and Katherine, even though Cassandra has already heard this through Elena's memories. It is probably cathartic for her to get it all out. To tell someone. Otherwise, it would be her diary getting the blunt end of her frustrations. But it makes Cassandra feel bad too, here Elena is spilling all this, not wanting to keep it a secret from her, but Cassandra can't tell her about her powers, she wants to keep them to herself. She doesn't have to tell anyone about them. She's not ready. And with a quick goodnight, Elena left her alone. To mull all over the vampire thing whilst fighting off sleep. She's been fighting it since that day at the Boarding House, she doesn't want to face Damon but it always wins.

...........

Cassandra looks up at the sky with a sigh. The red sky a glaring sign that she is right back in dreamland. She was hoping she wouldn't end up here. Not now she knows the truth. Because she knows there is a chance that he is going to be here. She manages to avoid him most night by setting up dream obstacles to keep him away from her. But she knows her luck is going to run out one day. And she's right. Today is the day he finds her.

"I was ready this time" He states behind her, she closes her eyes and sighs. "Dodged a pack of rabid Spongebobs to get here" He motions over his shoulder. "That's what you dream of?" She turns to him.

"It is one of my recurring nightmares" She offers as she folds her arms over her chest. He raises an eyebrow at her because that is weird.

"Okay" He draws out, wide-eyed, he nods and takes a step towards her. She takes a step back from him and he stops. He cocks his head and then seems to realise just why she is overly bothered by his presence in front of her. He scoffs and rolls his eyes. She knows what he is now. "Stefan" He points out.

"Elena" She argues. "She figured out something was funky with you two, he told her...." He nods a little. "She then told me...."

"Are you scared?" He asks.

"Yeah" Her voice breaks because she is terrified. He really could have killed her. It would have been easy for him. He had his hands around her neck. He had her trapped. He could have easily snuffed out her life and she knows it now. But he is thrown off by her sheer honesty. Most would put on a brave face. Give it a bit of fight. He raises an eyebrow at her. Wanting her to keep going. "I don't want to talk about it" She mumbles as she takes a seat on a nearby bench. He glances around this dreamscape. It's emptier than last time. Just the two of them. He's unsure if that's a conscious decision or if the dreams are responding to her subconscious. He's learning to not take things at face value with this girl. She's weird. Whether or not he has to worry about that he hasn't decided. She could possibly be a good kind of weird.

"So let's talk about you instead" He counters as he takes a seat on the bench, but leaves that space between them like she wants. "How did you do it?" She frowns and looks at him. "That..." He lifts his hands and wiggles his fingers. "Red mist thing...."

"I don't know" She admits and looks away from him.

"You don't trust me?" He asks her, clutching his chest in faux dramatics.

"No. Not even a little" She answers straight away, because she doesn't trust him. At all. Not after what he did. Damon stares at her a moment but then nods as he pulls a face. "But it's not just that" She points out and rolls her eyes. "I really don't know what it is" She gives a shrug and then catches herself. "What does it matter anyway?" She snaps. "It's none of your damn business..." She has questions. So many questions. But she doesn't want to ask him. She doesn't want to talk to him at all.

"You liked me before" He reminds her.

"You tried to kill me" She points out.

"No" He is quick to argue. "No, if I wanted you dead, you would have been dead...But I didn't" He reminds her, she clenches her jaw and looks away from him. Because he's not wrong.

"You still...." She starts.

"Yeah" He agrees. The two of them then falling into silence. He swings his legs under the bench and taps his fingers on his knees. "So what is up with those Spondgebobs?" He asks, she sighs and closes her eyes. "No, hey, don't wake up" Damon scolds and reaches for her, but she disappears as she wakes up. "Come on" He complains and sighs.

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

Cassandra runs her fingers through her hair as she stands from her bed. She's not going to get comfy with him. Not after what he did. Not with what he is. She grabs her socks from the floor and pulls them onto her feet. She just has to make sure she doesn't fall asleep again. She can't deal with him. She needs to work through everything else. She needs to come to terms with them actually existing.