(1) Just Magic (D. Salvatore)

Prologue

Cassandra Gilbert has gone through a lot. And that is a consensus that most people that know the Gilbert family has. They've all been through a lot. The family has been torn apart by tragedy. Children left without their parents. Though on the older side, it doesn't soften the blow any. Moonlight lingers over her sleeping form, Cassandra doesn't particularly like closing her curtains, she likes the moonlight illuminating her bedroom. Her eyes snap open, glowing red in the dark before it slowly disappears. Calming with Cassandra. She turns slightly in her bed, her eyes finding the clock, informing her that she is about two hours off having to be up. Her heart still hammers in her chest. Lingering effects of her nightmare that still haunt her. Moments after she has been freed of it. She sits and she waits for it to pass. It some times takes a while, but it does eventually pass. Every morning is the same. She wakes from a nightmare, usually involving the accident that killed her parents. It follows her out into her consciousness. She hasn't really slept through the whole night since. She holds out her hand, red energy whirling around her fingers. Another reason. She's terrified of what is happening to her. Whatever this is. And she has absolutely no explanation. Things like this shouldn't be real. Yet here it is. Here she is...with these....powers. She clenches her fingers into a fist, the energy disappears.

...........

Cassandra steps out her bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her. She's dressed for the day. Though not a lot of effort has gone into it, she's not really in the right headspace. She gets up. She showers. She dresses. What more is there? She lets out a breath and glances around the hall. Jeremy's bedroom door is closed, that's nothing new, he's as shut off as she is, but dealing with it in a much more unhealthy way. Drugs. They're all keeping an eye on him. Well, Cassandra is keeping an eye on him. She's not sure the others know about that yet. Elena is in her room. Door open. Sat on her bed as she pulls on her shoes. She glances up and looks at Cassandra. Elena gives her a small smile, Cassandra tries to smile back but it's been a rough few months for all of them, especially for Cassandra. She was the one in the car. She was the reason they had even been out that night. Cassandra feels that guilt. Cassandra pulls the strap of her bag closer to her chest and walks away. Elena sighs a little, worried about her. Cassandra has been withdrawing and pulling away from the people that love her since the accident, not that anyone can blame her. She's still hurting and trying to keep it from them.

..........

Cassandra takes a moment, sat at the bottom of the stairs until she can pluck up the courage to go to school. To stand up. To get in her jeep. And drive to school. To deal with the looks and the whispers that she is sure are waiting for her. Aunt Jenna approached the bottom of the stairs from the kitchen. Jenna is the person that has been there for all of them since the death of their parents. She's trying her best, but Jenna is still young.

"You going to be okay, Cas?" Jenna asks her, Cassandra nods and pulls her jacket on. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I think I have everything" Cassandra assures her. "Don't you have that presentation today?" Jenna nods.

"I'm just going, I wanted to make sure you're...alright..."

"I'm okay," Cassandra tells her. "Go, you're going to be late" Jenna studies her a little, trying to find a fault in her stance but Cassandra's not giving anything up. Jenna turns and heads out of the house. Cassandra sighs and nods to herself. She knows she has to do this. She has to get up and go to school no matter how much she is still hurting. Just as Elena and Jeremy do. Jeremy storms past and out the door without a second glance back. Cassandra raises an eyebrow and listens as Elena approaches her. Elena holds out a travel cup of coffee to Cassandra who looks at it and then to Elena who gives her a smile. "Thanks," Cassandra tells her as she takes the travel mug from her.

"Today's going to be okay, Cassie," Elena tells her, Cassandra gives a small sad smile. "It's just a few hours, we can do that" Cassandra shrugs a little. "I'm getting a ride with Bonnie if you need a lift" Elena offers.

"I'm taking my jeep" Cassandra counters as she stands from the bottom of the stairs. "But thanks" She digs her keys out of her pocket. "I just need the time to get my head on straight before class"

"Okay" Elena whispers, understands, well, she doesn't but she is trying to, by giving Cassandra the space she needs to heal. Cassandra takes a deep breath before leaving the house. Elena's eyes following her before she nods to herself. Cassandra just needs time, that's all, she'll have her best friend back before she knows it.