Author's Note: This is the new drabbles series that I was talking about on my Tumblr. It aims to be similar to The Balance of Things. I hope to give it a proper title as I go on but titles aren't really my thing (The Balance of Things was referred to as Klonnie: The College Years for a while). Also, this part is in Damon's POV. I have no idea if that is going to be how things go or if it will change between my three main players. I hope you enjoy it because it was fun to write (honestly, writing Damon is always fun!)
Team Klamon vs: The Bennett Witch
Part One
On paper it seems like the next logical step.
The race for the cure is getting crowded. Anything one can do to distance himself from another should be considered. Team Klamon (coined by Damon in his head but like hell he is saying aloud to a being that can kill him with one bite – at least…not while they are getting along) has the hunter. A pretty good find if he may say so himself. The hunter is the map – or he will be once he ganks enough vampires to make some invisible ink tattoo spread across his chest (Damon sincerely hopes that he does not have to actually view said tattoo because staring at Jeremy Gilbert's chest is not on his bucket list). Considering they don't even know where the hell this thing is having the map is pretty big deal.
Or it would be if it was the only thing they needed.
Team Idiot Brother and Bimbo Blonde (another term coined by him) have some rock that will prove to be of some importance at some time and place. In the grand scheme of things, Damon doesn't really see them as a contender at this point. But he knows better than to discount them.
Team Whack-A-Doodle (aka: Professor Shady Shane) has the witch.
The witch is the key.
That places them on par with Team Klamon.
Obviously this does not sit well with him. For one thing, he doesn't like the idea of being even with some human who obviously has a screw loose. For another thing – really? The key? To everything? Bonnie Bennett is the key to everything?
(Actually he should have realized it sooner – for all her faults, she is a whole lot of witch stuffed in a very tiny package)
His partner in crime has realized the same thing and therefore one evening, while leaning against a tree, he comments that they should bring the witch into their fold. Damon is standing a few feet away from him, his eyes on Jeremy as he attempts to best that blonde jock with some success (he'll lament the fact that baby Gilbert just had to be the hunter later). He turns to face Klaus with a raised eyebrow. "You think Bonnie Bennett is going to give either of us the time of day?"
"Of course not," Klaus retorts immediately as he pushes himself and steps closer. "I wasn't thinking to approach her."
Damon furrows his brows but then gets it. And groans. Klaus has it in mind to unite Team Klamon with Team Whack-A-Doodle. It's bad enough that he has to have the original hybrid dick breathing down his neck, now he'll have to keep his eye out for Shady Shane too?
They go visit the professor in his natural habitat the next day.
Shane is clearly surprised to see them when he opens the door. His eyes get a little wide. And then a little sparkly. Damon has to control his urge to punch on sight. That's right – Shady Shane has a boner for the Originals.
He lets them in after fumbling over a few words and soon they are seated with Shane on one side of the desk (eyeing Klaus) and he and Klaus (who is ignoring Shane) on the other. There is that awkward ten second silence and he figures that if neither one of them are going to open their mouths, he may as well get the ball rolling. "Look, Shane, you obviously have some notion as to why we're here don't you?"
"The cure," the professor answers.
If this were a drinking game, Damon would take a shot. He nods, folding his hands in his lap. "So – everyone is running around willy nilly, collecting all the pieces. We've got one, you've got one. Even my idiot brother managed to stick his fingers in the pie. It looks like we're going to end up at a stalemate if we don't find some way to work together…"
"We want the witch," Klaus says bluntly.
Tact – you need it, Damon thinks as he watches Shane closely. He has turned his attention back to Klaus but doesn't look as starry eyed as before. "Bonnie is not going to work for you, either of you," he says pointedly with a look back at Damon. Damon suddenly feels like he is in the principal's office. "I don't blame her. After all, the pair of you have caused considerable damage in her life."
Ouch (but true).
"You did not even let me explain," Klaus answers. Damon can tell that he is a tightly coiled animal doing a mighty good impression of someone in control. Shady Shane better watch himself. "I did not specify that she had to work for us. I realize that my past conduct towards the Bennett witch has made her less than open the idea but I think for the sake of a common goal we can put that aside and work together."
That starry eyed look returns.
Apparently, Shane is not adverse to the idea of working together with Klaus. Damon suddenly has a vision of Shane going home after a long day of hunting for the cure and writing in his diary. Today Klaus brushed against me – never showering again. Damon hopes that Klaus knows what he is doing because if it were up to him, they'd ditch the go between and go directly to Bonnie.
"What do you say, mate? Do you suppose that we can form a tentative alliance? We have the hunter after all. Your witch will need him sooner or later. I just think it would be better if we mutually agree to act like civil adults and pool our resources," Klaus adds.
And Damon can't help but add. "What he said."
Shane leans forward so that his elbows are resting on the desk. He appears to be in thought. That doesn't sit well with Damon. He would have thought that it would be a no brainer for Professor Fanboy. The silence drags out to that uncomfortable level again and Damon busies himself by taking in the various items shoved haphazardly on the shelves. Is that a shrunken head? Christ, just who is Bonnie hanging out with?
Damon's head swivels when he hears Shane clear his throat. Answer time. "No deal." Well, that is not what he expected, even after the moment of contemplation. "Bonnie is too important for me to throw in with a pair of vampires who have shown her little respect over the past year."
Double ouch (but doubly true).
Damon shifts uncomfortably in his seat and glances at his partner in crime. He wonders if it time to murder one pesky professor. He hopes so. He hopes that he can be the one to do it too. Klaus has had too much control in this particular partnership. He owes Damon. He'll be sure to point that out when the time is right.
"When the hunter has completed his mark, you can bring him to us. Then we'll talk."
Professor Whack-A-Doodle has got some balls. Damon makes a face that somewhere between loathing and admiration. He expects that Shane will find himself sans one throat any second now but instead Klaus stands. Damon follows suit (and hates that one that trails after like the sidekick). "Very well. Thank you for your time."
Seriously?
That's it?
Damon just sort of shrugs when Shane glances his way. Clearly the professor had been expecting more as well. He makes his exit just behind Klaus and waits until they are out of Shane's earshot before he speaks up. "Not as easy as you thought huh?" He begins. "Maybe if you had offered him a pair of your unwashed boxers…" Klaus glowers beside him and Damon retreats (just a little). "Why the hell is that idiot still breathing?"
"Because that idiot knows things that the rest of us do not. And unfortunately that idiot realizes this. He is cleverer than you give him credit for, Damon. He is not going to budge. He will want us to come to him. I would not be surprised if he is hoping that we will all do his dirty work," Klaus muses as they step into the midday sun. Pretty little college students dart here and there in between classes. Damon wonders how much coaxing he'll have to do to convince Klaus to stop for a bite. Probably not much. "He'll not give us the witch."
Damon has the sudden urge to point out of that even if Shane had prostrated himself at Klaus feet and offered Bonnie Bennett up on a silver platter she wouldn't come willingly. At least not at first. It would take some convincing, some playing on that familiar string (this is for Elena, Bonnie). In the end, he might get a few witch induced head traumas but he was confident that he could get the job done.
"He'll not give us the witch…" Klaus repeats and Damon realizes he is thinking aloud.
He doesn't like where this is going.
"…so we'll just have to take her instead."
Yep, not a fan.