Dark Side.

Chapter 26: Masquerade. Part III.

"She does not remind me of anything. Everything reminds me of her."
The Ocean always looked like you. Trista Mateer.

Time ticks by, slow, dragging. Damon doesn't know how long they've been stuck in this room, but he knows it's been longer than he wants. Curious, he leans his hand against the invisible barrier, trying to get past the door to no avail. He huffs, turning back to the room.

They chose this room because of its vastness. Well, they also chose it for its secluded location, but the size was a contributing factor. Now, however, it seems tiny, caging. The walls are closing in. There's nowhere to hide from the others, which is probably why the four of them are currently as far away from each other as they can.

Katherine sits on the couch, legs crossed, arm leaning on the armrest, smug. The mere sight of her revolts him so much he's torn between setting her on fire or puking. One glance at Stefan—who is leaning against the very same table Damon was thrown against by Katherine who knows how long ago—tells him he's thinking along the same lines. Sadly, they can't kill her yet, not unless they want to kill Elena too. So, Damon searches for a distraction.

Cassandra is standing by the window. He walks until he's standing right beside her. The window overlooks the patio, and they get a perfect view of the festivities. Everyone looks like tiny, shiny dots. Cassandra clears her throat lightly, taking a step closer to the windowsill as she rolls her shoulder blade. The same shoulder blade he ripped the stake out of.

"You okay?" he asks her quietly. Cassandra hums in the positive, glancing at him before turning back to the window. "What's going on here, Cassie?"

He lowers his voice as much as he can, takes a step closer to her. He may not be able to fool Katherine, but he'll at least leave Stefan in the dark. Cassandra turns from the window and presses her back to the wall, shrugging.

"You tell me. You're the one with the masterplan, not me." She comments. When she looks up at him, Damon realizes she's amused. "What's next?"

Damon doesn't say anything. He buries his hands in his pockets and leans against the windowsill. Katherine sends him a glare he happily returns.

"So, it's the four of us all over again, just like old times." Katherine drones on.

Her glaring eyes jump from him to Cassandra to Stefan. She may be angry, but she's still smug about having the upper hand. Oh, if only he could...

"The brother who never loved me enough." Katherine pouts, eyeing Stefan. "The brother who loved me too much," her eyes fall on him, glaring at him with enough hatred for Damon to start to feel uncomfortable, "and the scared little girl who was so afraid of dying she became what she was taught to hate."

At that she tilts her head to the side, tucking it into her shoulder, as she taunts Cassandra with a tone of voice that is both patronizing and mocking. Cassandra rolls her eyes, but that's the only sign he gets as to whether she's affected by the comment or not.

"Please, Katherine, that sounds more like your issue." She snorts, pushing off the wall and going to sit on the armchair by the door.

As far away from him as the room will allow, Damon notes. The twinge of disappointment in his chest almost makes him flinch. Almost. She's at fault as much as he is for their receding closeness. He won't take the fall for it. When she lowers herself into the chair, crosses her legs, and leans back, Damon can't control the twinge of arousal his brain sends down his body at the sight, but he can certainly ignore it. Katherine hums, sending a sarcastic smile Cassandra's way.

"And the evil slut vampire who only loved herself," he says before the never-ending glaring between the two women turns into another catfight he and Stefan will have to break up.

Katherine turns her attention to him. She looks him up and down, pensive, before detangling her limbs and getting up from the couch in a way that looks like she's sliding off it.

"Whatever happened to you, Damon? You used to be so sweet and polite." Katherine asks him, getting closer than he ever wants her to get.

"Oh, that Damon died a long time ago." He smirks at her, sarcastic.

The smile on Katherine's face drops and is replaced by a glower. Her hand brushes down his chest. Every muscle in his body tenses without his consent.

"Good. He was a bore." She deadpans.

His lips stretch into a bitter faux-smile. He refuses to let her see that comment stung.

"No, he wasn't." Cassandra interjects from the other side of the room.

Damon glances at her, surprised. Leaning on her elbow, she observes the two of them closely. Her thumb twirls the ring on her index finger over and over; the only tell that maybe this situation is bothering her more than she's willing to say. When they make eye contact, however, her face softens into a kind smile. Suddenly, being stuck in this room isn't that bad.

"Did Cassandra tell you what being a natural hybrid really means yet?" Katherine asks. "Better yet, why she is one to begin with?"

Something in her tone is enough to have even Stefan perk up. She notices. She looks at Cassandra down her nose, victory stretching her features like the cat that ate the canary.

"Katherine." Though she may look bored, Damon recognizes the warning underneath Cassandra's voice.

"What? I love to tell that story," Katherine giggles, twirling slow half-circles on her step. She glides, aimless, across the room. "Really puts 'immortality' into perspective."

"Did Katherine tell you how she ended up in England yet? Why she left Bulgaria?" Cassandra asks before either Damon or Stefan can say anything. Katherine's entire demeanor changes. Her face darkens. Cassandra raises an eyebrow. "I love to tell that story."

"Can you three stop antagonizing each other for a second?" Stefan sighs, leaning back against the table.

It's clear he lost interest, that he thinks this is all a farce to rile each one of them up, that they are questions without real answers, without truth. Based on the look Cassandra shoots Katherine, Damon would bet a large amount of money on that having been her whole intention. That and bringing Katherine, who is still sour, down a peg or two. Still, he can't help but remain curious. Can't help the questions his brain produces. Can't help the concerned heaviness of his stomach.

"Fine. Where's the moonstone?" Katherine asks Stefan, angling her body towards him.

She even pushes her breasts forward. If Stefan notices, he does a nice job at ignoring it.

"What do you want with it?" Stefan asks.

There's a beat of silence. A beat of silence tense enough to have Damon want to pay attention. Stefan has hit a nerve.

"Does Elena enjoy having both of you worship at her altar?" Katherine asks back with a tone that is all mock-concern.

"That was really desperate, Katherine." Stefan points out with a shake of his head. "Don't you think we can see right through you?"

"So, it doesn't bother you that your brother is in love with your girlfriend?"

Damon frowns. Stefan's face is unreadable, but he knows inside he must be furious. After all, it wasn't that long ago that Stefan lectured him on the whole 'you may be in love with her, but Elena is my girlfriend' thing. It's not true. He doesn't love Elena. Well, he does. Of course he does, there's very little not to love about Elena Gilbert. She's one of his closest friends, he'd do a lot for her, specially considering she's a frail human, and a very skinny one at that. The girl probably can't even lift her own body weight.

It's been a long time, however, since he last thought about Elena that way. The way that makes him a dick for falling for his brother's girl. It's been weeks coming on months since he realized the love he has for Elena is not romantic, not really, not completely. It just gets a little murky at times, the line between platonic and romantic. The thing is, Stefan doesn't know. That's not really the kind of thing Damon's going to bring up in conversation. 'Yeah, listen, your girl and me? Strictly friends. Except—you know, she hates me now.' Those are not words he's going to give Stefan the privilege of hearing. Besides, Stefan never brought it up again. Which is most likely the reason why he is now staring at Katherine with condensed annoyance, avoiding Damon's eye at all cost.

"Oh, stop it." Stefan scoffs.

"Or what?" Katherine purrs. "You'll hurt me?" Damon has no doubt in his mind that is exactly what Stefan wants to be able to do. "Come on, Stefan! Everything I feel Elena feels, so go right ahead."

Cassandra lets out a quiet disgusted sound at the smugness that permeates Katherine's voice. She looks so bored, sunk into the chair, propped up hand holding her head up, Damon can't help but be a little amused. It's not like they could all kill each other in a minute or anything, at least not by her standards.

"Or better yet," Katherine announces loudly, twirling in place until she's facing him. "Kiss me, Damon. Elena will feel that, too."

"I'm good, thanks."

He sends her a sarcastic smile, even leans back when she gets too close.

"You know, this whole Mason thing has me a bit confused." Stefan starts, pensive. "Why a werewolf? The moonstone can break a curse that would help them destroy all vampires. What's in that for you?"

"Sorry about your pet wolf, probably should have kept him on a tighter leash." Damon taunts, enjoying the way Katherine's shoulders tense almost unperceptively.

"I'll have to remember that for next time. He's not the only wolf in town." Katherine sends him a knife-sharp smile, spinning to face Cassandra. "Isn't that right, Red?"

Cassandra scoffs, moving only enough to send Katherine an appalled stare.

"Oh, that's right." Katherine giggles in a 'oops, silly me!' manner. "You don't believe in getting a new puppy once your old dog dies."

At that, she leans back, looking at Damon over her shoulder with triumph brightening the brown in her eyes, waiting for the penny to drop. Damon's jaw clenched at the remark. At the memory of George Lockwood. That night still brings a rush of emotions to him, all bitter and angry.

He was only ever compelled five times, four by Katherine, one by Cassandra. So, when he woke up in transition, there wasn't a lot to remember. Not a lot worth to want to remember, either, except that night didn't want to be buried. He still remembers the kisses on his neck, so sweet and pulling, so affective he only just noticed her teeth sinking into him. It was exhilarating and arousing, and nothing had prepared him for the sweet flavor of her blood. Drunk of her, he'd wanted to kiss every inch of her skin, wanted to have her beneath him, wanted the night to never end.

And then Katherine walked in. And Cassandra compelled him to forget. And Damon had walked to his room in a strange trance that left him hurting, confused. And Katherine had shown up out of nowhere, so ready for him. And he had loved her so much, he'd buried himself in her, worries about anything else be damned.

Still, he knew the second Cassandra walked out of her room by the slam of her door. Knew the minute she left their estate by the whining of her horse as it galloped away. When Katherine looked him straight in the eye and asked him to ignore it, Damon didn't even realize she compelled him until he turned, he just went back to kissing her. He forgot about Cassandra until the next day, when she walked through the front door as the grandfather clock struck two in the afternoon. She never said anything, but the whole town knew where she'd been, and who with: Lockwood estate, George Lockwood. Rumors flew, and Damon is experienced enough to know that, in Mystic Falls, rumors might as well be the gospel truth. After a century and a half, he's still oddly bitter about it.

"That was weak, Katherine." Cassandra laughs. "You're losing your edge."

"You seem oddly at ease, Red." Katherine comments in passing.

Cassandra is not at ease. Her shoulders are tense; she's still playing with her ring. She's as much at ease as he is, just better at hiding it.

"If I freaked out each time you get me into trouble, I'd be committed by now." She shrugs. "We might as well find something to pass the time. I'm choosing to see you unravel."

"We could always play charades." Katherine suggests, regarding Cassandra with the first genuine smile she's worn all evening.

It sends alarms going in Damon's head. His eyes find Stefan. His brother isn't paying attention to the scene playing in front of him. He is looking down at the rug, arms crossed, hand rubbing at his chin. He is The Thinker made reality; all he needs to do to complete the vision is sit down.

"You bargained the moonstone." Stefan speaks, eyes zeroing on Katherine with decisiveness. "When you struck a deal with George Lockwood to help you fake your deaths... you told me that you gave George something that he needed. It was the moonstone, wasn't it?"

Katherine stands a little straighter; Cassandra uncrosses her legs, only to cross them again. Looks like Stefan hit a nerve. The two women turn to Stefan with almost identical smirks.

"Good for you, Stefan. Two plus two." Katherine praises with a honeyed tone, dripping low.

"Give the man a medal; he knows how to follow a pattern." Cassandra asserts.

"And it would have worked except that people found out that I wasn't in the tomb." Katherine adds, sending Damon a look that's all irritation and contempt. "Thanks to you, by the way. Have I mentioned how inconvenient your obsession with me has been?"

It hurts, obtaining more proof that Katherine never cared for him, never loved him as he once did her. It hurts, the reminder of all that wasted time he spent trying for a plan to rescue her. It hurts, the glint in her eye letting him know she is aware of the pain her words cause. Letting him know that was exactly her intention.

Despite his love turned hatred, when Damon says:

"You and me both, honey," the hitch in his tone betrays his real feelings. There isn't enough sarcasm to mask the pain. Thankfully, his brother keeps plotting an explanation for Katherine's plan. His next questions are enough to distract Katherine, pull her away from him.

"Why do you need it back? What were you doing with it in the first place?" Stefan pauses, deep in thought. Cassandra sits upright, turns until she can see Stefan clearly. "Unless it wasn't yours to begin with. In 1864, you two faked your deaths. Who were you running from?"

The two women share a long look; neither says anything. Katherine turns back to Stefan, takes slow, definitive steps towards him. Cassandra leans back on the chair. Damon catches her eye, attempts a question he hopes she'll understand. He already knows she ran away for years, but she said it didn't matter who from anymore. Damon took that to mean the threat had been dealt with. The way she and Katherine reacted just know suggests otherwise. He wants to know who she's running from, how to stop them, does it have anything to do with what she told him about the curse?

"In 1987, you were in Chicago, at a concert of all places, with that wench, Lexi." Katherine evades the question, getting close enough to Stefan that no one will notice him stepping closer to Cassandra. She sends him a look that's all 'what do you want?' but more hostile. "Come on, Stefan, don't look so surprised. Of course, I checked in on you over the years. You were standing in the front row, dancing all night. You were watching Bon Jovi and I was watching you."

"Who were you two running from?" Stefan repeats, tense, barely controlled.

Katherine doesn't answer. He and Stefan turn to Cassandra. She's an unreadable mask of passiveness. Damon lets out a breath, walking towards the bottle of whiskey that's been silently inviting him for the past hour. Tonight doesn't seem anywhere near the end, and he needs hard alcohol if he's going to survive the rest of it.


The night wears on, the four of them growing restless with it. Katherine refused to answer Stefan's questions. Cassandra refused to acknowledge said questions were also directed at her. Damon was too busy keeping it together to participate. So, conversation stalled, and the four of them have paced around the room like lions in a cage for the past half hour. Damon pours himself another glass of scotch, hoping the liquor will settle the urge to throw himself across the room and strangle Katherine with her own hair.

"We're missing the party," Katherine says, much closer than he thought she was. His stomach churns, ire starts to boil his blood. She sounds so... nonchalant, like she didn't attack her own best friend, like she didn't hurt a human girl to who knows what extent, like she isn't vile and wicked. "I'll have one of those." She hums in his ear, leaning over his shoulder.

"Right away, Miss Katherine." Damon calls in a fake servant voice, passing his own glass to her.

Katherine smirks at him, before moving past him. She does nothing to instill in him this much anger. Still, Damon's veins burn, and he can't hold back any longer. His hand clamps down on her shoulder as he turns her around and slams her against the wall, stake raised.

"No, no, Damon!" Stefan shouts, rushing to hold his arm back.

"Damon, don't!" Cassandra pleads in a strange turn of events.

He's not sure whether she's asking for Elena's sake or Katherine's. He does know she sounds genuinely concerned. He hesitates, eyes darting down to Cassandra's hand on his elbow.

"Yes, Damon, please." Katherine purrs, low and sensual. He ignores the way his body reacts to that. "God, when did you get so hot?"

Her hand trails down his chest, her eyes roam up and down his body almost in the same way Cassandra does sometimes. The feeling it incites in him is completely different: utter disgust. God, how did he ever love Katherine? There's nothing to love. Nothing.

"The second this spell is lifted." He threatens with a growl.

Katherine looks up at him, bored. He almost considers staking her now.

"Cassandra." They turn around. A woman stands by the door, eyes trained on the redhead. She lifts up the moonstone for them to see, and the hostile atmosphere in the room vanishes, replaced by rushed apprehension. "Here."

"Lucy." Cassandra walks to the threshold. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." Lucy places the moonstone on Cassandra's offered palm. "I am finished here, right?"

"Of course, you owe Katherine nothing." Cassandra agrees, voice all business, even when Katherine interrupts with an outraged 'Cassandra!' she ignores, keeping her focus on Lucy. "You're free."

Lucy nods, grateful. Cassandra turns to face them, arms crossed, moonstone up in the air for them to see like a carrot dangling in front of a horse. Katherine takes a step forward, eyes stuck to the stone. There's a strange air to her, eager anxiety.

"Cassandra, give me the moonstone." Katherine requests, careful.

Cassandra tilts her head to one side, considering it.

"Cass, don't." Stefan shakes his head.

He takes two steps forward, hand outstretched like he's going to sweep in and take the stone from her. Katherine takes another step, too. They are closing in on her on each side, and Damon doesn't think it's gonna end well, except Cassandra looks entertained. Her eyes sparkle as they move from Katherine to Stefan; her eyebrows rise, teasing.

"You know the consequences." Katherine hisses with a glare.

Lucy and Cassandra share a look. Cassandra shrugs, nonchalant, before giving the moonstone to Katherine.

"No, no!" Stefan protests, defeated.

Damon inches closer, curious. She's acting too casual for this to not be a trap. The thought hasn't ended before Katherine gasps, choking on air. She stumbles, disoriented, and falls to the floor. She lies on her back. The moonstone drops beside her, forgotten. When Cassandra walks until she stands over her, Katherine glares, coughing until blood splatters out.

"What—did you—do?" Katherine gasps, clawing at her throat.

"Me? Nothing. I just showed your 'very loyal' witch who she was really up against." Cassandra mocks with a fake pout. Katherine's eyes widen. She opens her mouth to speak, but no words leave her. "Subtlety is the best weapon available, but, yet again, what would you know about politics?" Cassandra spits out, face hardening into a steely coldness.

"Wait, Elena!" Stefan exclaims.

Katherine's eyes close. If she's still breathing, Damon can't tell.

"Elena is fine. She's healing." Lucy assures Stefan. "Did everything go according to plan?"

Stefan and Damon share a look. Why would this woman want to know how their plan went? She's a stranger. Besides, it is clear that everything did not go according to plan. Otherwise, Katherine wouldn't be alive. Cassandra turns to Lucy with a smile, and it is made clear to him and Stefan that the question was not for them.

"Aside from the part where she actually killed me." Cassandra shrugs. She sends Lucy a conspiring glance. "She had no idea you and I were working together behind the curtain."

"Didn't suspect a thing, huh?" Lucy crosses her arms, pleased.

"Nope." Cassandra giggles, surprisingly light.

Stefan glances at him. Damon returns the look with a full-body shrug. He's just as lost as Stefan.

"Are you okay?" Lucy places a hand on Cassandra's arm.

"I am. You better go, Lucy, catch up with Bonnie." Cassandra waves, easy smile brightening her face. "She's a good girl, a little judge-y but—"

"She's a Bennett." The two of them finish at the same time.

They look at each other, and it almost looks like they're having fun.

"Yeah." Cassandra laughs, nodding. After a beat, her laugh quietens. "Take care, stay out of vampire drama, please."

"Can't make any promises." Lucy dismisses. She sends them a nod, before walking out of the room, calling over her shoulder: "See you, Cass."

Cassandra doesn't reply. Her eyes fall on him, inscrutable, cold, before she turns around. Damon steps forwards and his hand wraps around her arm before she can take more that two steps. He wants, no, needs, to know what the hell happened tonight. Why it takes her twice as it should to heal, specially considering she leads a healthy life. Wants to know, if this is a thing he should worry about, why the hell she hasn't told him. Desperately needs to know if everything that happened in this room means she's on their side, for real this time, no matter what other stupid plans they might come up with.

"What, you're gonna kill me, too?" she asks as she turns around, skillfully ensuring her arm slips out of his hold in the meantime.

"No one's killing you!" Damon complains, fed up.

Stefan seems to have a different reaction, one that's slightly more desperate, which is something Damon doesn't understand. He doesn't get why his eyes widen and his eyebrows scrunch up in near panic. He doesn't get it, until his baby brother opens his mouth to speak.

"No, no, no. Do you—I know it's a lot to ask, Cassandra," Stefan's hands join in front of him, like in prayer, pleading, "but do you have any more of that healing potion left? For Elena."

Unbelievable.

"Stefan." Damon scolds.

"Oh, now you want my help?" Cassandra laughs, low and abrupt, angry. The laughter ends as fast as it appeared. She is left with stone cold eyes and flared nostrils. "From the day I came back you have regarded me as a threat, a threat for the same traits you once deemed endearing, Hell, even attractive." She scoffs. Damon doesn't miss the glare she sends Stefan's way. This rant, however, isn't just for Stefan, it's for the two of them. So, he clamps his mouth shut and listens. "I will no longer participate in the same argument, because the truth is you two wouldn't have survived tonight if it weren't for me. You really think Katherine made it so easy for you all on her own? Because she was over-confident? Don't make me laugh."

"Cassandra, you have to understand—"

"Cassie—"

She lifts up a hand. The two of them shut up. Stefan is starting to look guilty. Damon, however, is getting annoyed, irritated at the angry patronizing taking place here. He feels like he's being admonished by a disappointed teacher or, hell, even worse, parent.

"Don't say it. Don't tell me you were trying to protect Elena." Stefan makes a noise of protest that Cassandra quickly shoots down with a single look. Damon would find it amusing if he wasn't exasperated himself. "Tonight was driven by pure selfishness. And you should be ashamed."

She leaves after that, without sparing either of them or Katherine's unconscious body a second glance. Still, the air seems heavy. She's right, and it stings. Seriously, the woman could be wrong every once in a while. It'd be refreshing. Stefan clears his throat, turns to him with a troubled frown Damon pretends not to see.

"What do we do now?"

He sighs. They were supposed to kill Katherine, but a new idea is forming in his head. The perfect revenge. The perfect way to ensure Katherine stops being a problem, but they can keep her in the backburner in the rare case they ever need her. He crouches down, puts one arm under Katherine's knees and another around her shoulders, and lifts.

"Now, I take care of this." He informs Stefan, already walking towards the doors. "Go home, Stefan."

"Damon—!"

"Go home, Stefan." He repeats, voice a little louder, before muttering: "Trust me for once in your life."

Stefan doesn't protest anymore. At least, not out loud. Damon is sure his brother is complaining and protesting plenty inside his own head. He doesn't care. He's done. Tonight has been hell. All he wanted was to kill Katherine and get rid of her once and for all. Instead, the bitch is still alive, and he feels...

No, he is not going there. He's going to drive to that church, and place Katherine in the tomb underneath the church, where she should have been for the past 146 years, and where she will suffer for the rest of her miserable eternity if Damon can help it.


A/N: I decided to post this one now instead of a week or so later because I'm having trouble rewriting chapter 37, and thought maybe rereading this and posting it might trigger some sort of inspiration. So, enjoy!

Eennio: I'm glad you like that about her, not many people do. I just think it makes her more relatable and like a real person. Thanks!

AB0918: Glad you liked the chapter! Thanks for loving the story. I hope this chapter lives up, too!

WinchesterDixonBros: Thanks!

Nerdalertwarning: I do think Kat was redeemable, but this fallout had to happen for several reasons you'll find out about later on. That being said, I don't think their friendship could ever be truly over. That adult conversation WILL come, just probably not as soon as it should because they're both very difficult people. Thank you for loving this story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

For the record, UPDATED: 07/03/2020.