I stood frozen on the spot as the barmaid shouted, "Last call. Drink 'em up!" Into the empty bar. I gathered myself and plucked up enough courage to slide a stool out and take a seat at the bar.

"What'll you have, honey?" she asked me without even a glint of a smile. Her lips were pressed into a fine line.

I cleared my dry, scratchy throat.

What the hell do I ask for? I can't ask for an alcoholic drink, I'm underage.

I smiled, "Water, please."

"Comin' right up."

She placed the glass in front of me; as my ears perked up on the sound of a harmonious accent. As he spoke, his soft tone filled the empty bar.

"Put it on my tab, won't you, love." The barmaid dipped her head in acknowledgement of his request and proceeded to clean the bar to my left, wiping away with her damp cloth. I watched until she was out of sight, far enough away down the bar, bobbing her head to the low tone of the music playing from the above speaker.

The repeating words of Damon floated around my head that I only had a short period of time to distract him. Enough time for him and Elena to try and convince Stefan to come back to Mystic Falls with us.

I didn't know how to speak, in the moment I was completely lost for words. My mind was blank. My palms were sweaty and jaw clenched. As I parted my dry lips, he turned to face me.

I clasped my hands around the glass of water on the bar. I could feel his eyes scanning over my body, looking for answers, answers as to why I was here, in Chicago and in this very bar.

"So, tell me love, why are you here?" he asked confidently. Now it was my turn to be confident… and I wasn't sure I could pull it off so elegantly.

"Can't I take a trip away from my hometown?" I replied, taking a sip from the glass, giving my dry lips some much needed moisture. He smiled, bearing all his teeth as he too took a drink from his glass.

"Very well, love," he ran his finger across his bottom lip, "Now, the real reason?" he asked, almost commanding the answer.

I swivelled in my stool, turning my body to face him completely. He turned slightly in his seat so that he was also facing me head-on; our eyes were locked into one another.

"I told you,' I inhaled, my palms sweatier than ever as his gaze continued, "I needed a break from home."

"I can tell when you're lying." He smirked, "Your heart rate is uncontrollable right now." One of his legs dropped from the wooden foot-rest which ran the length of the bar. He placed if firmly on the floor. "You're nervous, or you're lying. Which one is it?"

Damn…

"I…" The sudden presence of a familiar face peered around the door at the entrance before I could answer his pressing question. Damon entered into the bar, and I knew Klaus knew that too.

He leaned in closer to me; my once clenched jaw was now weak with parted lips. "We'll finish this conversation later, love." He whispered. I could feel his breath brush over my face; the smell of the freshly-drunk whiskey flowing through my senses.

The bars atmosphere was now heavy as Damon walked in.

"I see they've opened the door to the riff-raff now." Klaus smirked.

Damon snorted, "Oh, honey, I've been called worse."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his comeback.

Classic Damon. Had to have an answer for everything.

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Give me my brother back… you'll never seen me or Jess here again."

"Well, I am torn." He smirked at me before stepping off the stool where he sat and walked ever-so-closer to Damon. "You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so…"

"What can I say? I'm a thrill-seeker." His eyes glinted with mischief. He was poking the tiger, and he was going to face it's bite.

Klaus extended his hand and clasped it tightly around Damon's throat, lifting him off the floor with ease.

"Klaus!"

I hopped off my stool and edged closer to them. They never broke eye contact with one another.

Klaus' eyes never left Damon as he spoke to me. "Not now, love. I'm a little busy with our guest here." He smirked, "Oh, dear, what was that? I'm boozy, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few times." Klaus stabbed Damon in the stomach with a tooth pick he was twirling in his fingers. Damon grunted in pain the second the piece of flimsy-wood pierced his skin.

"Ohh! No, that's not it. Hmm…"

He stabbed him again and like before, Damon grunted, wincing more as he edged closer to his heart.

"Klaus, please stop!" I shouted from beside him, trying to get his attention off Damon for even a few seconds.

"Jess… don't." Damon moaned as Klaus smiled wickedly.

"Ohh. Almost." He thrust the toothpick in an upward angle, edging closer to his heart.

I could see the pain in his eyes as he panted for air while his throat was being compressed. I didn't know what to do.

"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan. I'm so much more fun."

In a blink of the eye, Damon's body was flying through the air, and what looked like a very sturdy oak table was now turned into a pile of timber as his back smashed through it with ease.

Klaus stalked over to him, like and animal hunting it's prey. Snapping the leg of a chair making a makeshift stake before crouching over his body.

"You won't be any fun after you're dead." With one hand holding Damon down and the other raising the stake in the air. I ran across the bar to try and dismantle Klaus before he killed him. I stopped a mere two feet away as the stake caught light. The amber flames lit the area we were stood in as Klaus grunted and threw the stake across the bar.

"Really?"

"Not in my bar. You take it outside."

I turned around to see the woman from earlier staring at the three of us in annoyance. She was clearly a witch.

How hadn't I noticed this earlier?

She looked like a powerful one too.

I turned back to Damon to see him trying to sit up, Klaus also turned his attention back to Damon, now that the burning stake was no longer in his hand, he pushed him back down on the ground.

"You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back."

Klaus stood up straight, lulling his head back in an almost euphorically pleasurable way. The smile on his face spoke a thousand words, he'd won, and he damn well knew it.

"Damon." I rushed over to him and helped him up from the floor, steadying his unbalanced frame with my own. "Come on, we have to leave." I tried to move us in the direction of the door, but he wouldn't budge. "Damon?" I looked up at him as he and Klaus were staring at each other.

"I'll get my brother back." Damon said, matter-of-factly.

Klaus smirked, "Ohh, I wouldn't count on it."

Damon straightened up and held his own weight as I released my grip of him. "Jess, let's go." He began to walk to the main door until he was out of sight. I proceeded to walk after him until Klaus caught my arm, spinning my body around to face him. He held both my arms in his calloused hands. Not tight like I expected, but gentle.

I looked up at him; his previous anger-filled eyes were now soft and warm, the slightest hues of gold flickering within them as he locked my gaze with his.

"You look absolutely exquisite tonight, Jessica." He smiled a warm, friendly smile, something I haven't really seen from him before; and I didn't know if it was faked or not. If he was setting a trap and lying in wait for me to spring it.

"Thank you." Was all I could think of in the moment, the sudden brain-fog clouding my mind of any common sense, or ethical responses.

His hands moved slowly up my arms causing Goosebumps to appear and the hair on the back of my neck to stand. "Stop…" I pushed him away. My skin was set ablaze with a new sensation. His hands fell from my arms and back to his side, but the smirk never left his lips. "I'm leaving now." I turned around and headed for the door, stopping only for a moment when he spoke.

"I'll see you again soon, love."

I looked at him for a brief moment, "I wouldn't hold your breath."

He sniggered and I left.

The car was silent as we drove back to Mystic Falls. Chicago was a complete bust to say the least, almost getting caught by Klaus in Stefan's apartment, not to mention the whole bar conundrum. I couldn't shake the feeling of his hands on my body. I shook my head.

Why was this man so alluring?

I knew what he had done, yet I couldn't stop myself from wanting to know more about him.

Why was he like this? Why was he keeping Stefan around? What was his big plan?

Who knew what his true motives were behind it all.

Coming back into Mystic Falls, Damon pulled up outside my house and I left the car and not a world was uttered from either one of us. Both reeling from the day's events, I was just looking forward to collapsing into the bath. Relaxing in my room, but I wouldn't be so lucky.

As I opened the door and walked inside, I passed Caroline's room to see her sitting up in her bed, a blood bag in hand as she sucked at the opening. My mom was sitting at the foot of the bed watching her. Caroline finished the contents inside the plastic bag and handed it back to our mom as I walked in.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Where have you been?" my mom asked, and urgency to her voice.

I sighed, letting my shoulders go limp, "It- It's a long story."

"Your father, he came to town and –

"Wait," I stopped her mid-way, "That's where you were!" Remembering back to earlier when Tyler asked if I had seen her, and the fact that she didn't answer her phone on the numerous occasions I called her before I lost my phone, it all made sense now. "What happened?"

"Your father took her and tried to…" There was a break in her voice, "'break' her out of her need for blood." My mom said and my blood ran cold. "All our families, we have beliefs that have been passed on through generations. And we were taught never to stray from them."

"You did." My sister said from her bed.

She smiled, "That's because of you and your sister. You taught me to look at things in a different way."

"I just thought that he was the one who got me...us." she looked at me, a sadness in her tear-stained face.

I entered the room and leaned against the dresser. "When I was with dad, I found all these files in his office about supernatural beings." I smiled weakly, "When Care told me about what was happening here, I didn't believe her...Not until I found those files."

"What else did the files say?" Mom asked apprehensively.

I shrugged, "Not much. Just about the council, supernatural beings and some things on the founding families." I looked at her sceptically. Her face became flush. "Why?"

"No reason."

Tyler appeared in the door frame behind me, his hands in his pockets. Mom got off the bed and walked over to me as Tyler entered further into the room.

"Hey, mom?" she turned around, "Thanks for believing in me." Caroline weakly smiled before we left.

The Lockwood party was happening today and I was looking forward to it. I walked out of the bathroom and headed into my room, closing the door behind me before I dropped the towel to the floor. I wrapped my bare body in my silk robe as I entered the closet. I finished doing my hair and pulling my clothes out of the closet before putting them on. The weather was good today. The sun was out and there was only a gentle breeze in the air. So I chose to dress accustom to that.

A sun dress which stopped a few inches above the knee, paired with flats and a light coat. I left my hair down in its natural form for today, the edges stopping just shy of my collar bones.

As I made my way up the stairs to Elena's front door, I knocked against the hardwood loud enough for her to hear me.

"It's open, come in!" I heard her yell.

I grasped the bowl I was holding and used my elbow to open the door before entering and walking down the hallway.

"Bonnie!" I smiled as I saw her standing in the kitchen with Elena and Caroline.

"Hey, Jess." She walked over and enveloped me in a hug.

I placed the bowl on the counter top.

"So, what are you bringing?" Elena asked as she eyed-up the bowl.

"Potato salad." I informed.

She bobbed her head as she continued to stir what looked and smelled like chilli in a large pot.

"The problem with my dad's normal side of the family is normal made for a really boring summer." Bonnie sulked.

"After the last few days, I would kill for a normal family." Caroline sighed as she and Elena decanted the chilli into a casserole dish.

"I second that." I said.

"Since when did you learn how to cook?" My sister wondered as she held the pot.

She shrugged, "Damon helped a little."

"Damon's helping you cook now?" Bonnie asked confused and a little judgy.

"Both of you stop judging him. He's just trying to be a good...ow!" She winced and stepped back.

"Ahh! Did I splash you?" Caroline asked tipping the pot back.

"No, no, my necklace." Elena pulled the pendant from her neck. The indent of where the pendant was sitting was now a burn mark.

We all stopped and walked closer to the necklace, staring as Elena held it in the air. Bonnie looked at it in depth before reaching her hand out and touching it. There was an audible 'zap' noise that came from it before sparks shot out, causing Elena to drop it in shock. We all looked at each other in wonder.

The lawns of the Lockwood mansion were filled with people setting the tables before the party. Elena, Caroline and I sat separate on a bench behind some bushes as we waited for Bonnie to arrive. She rounded the bush with a large grimoire between her hands.

"I have an identification spell that might be able to tell me what magic affected the necklace." She smiled and Elena handed over the necklace. "It's going to take a while, so tell me if anyone's coming, okay?"

"I'll keep watch." I got off the bench and stood to the side of the bench, a few feet from them.

"So you're not, like, switching Salvatores, are you?" Caroline blatantly asked out loud.

"What?" Elena asked in shock.

"Caroline!" I turned to face her. "What the hell?"

"Stay focused." She warned and looked back at Elena. Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

"As your friend who worries for you daily, what is the deal with you and Damon?"

"There is no deal. He's been just as focused on finding Stefan as I have." Elena pointed out.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make him any less Damon. If my own father, who I love dearly can't change me. No one's changing Damon. Not even you."

Can't lie. My sister had a point to her madness.

"Look, why are we even talking about this?" Elena sighed in annoyance.

"Hey guys."

I looked over to the bench as the necklace slowly began to rise in the air.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I approached cautiously.

"I'm not doing anything." Bonnie said.

We all looked at the pendant as it floated in the air.

It was very intriguing to say the least, but what did it mean?

A while had passed and it was now getting dark. Bonnie had left with Jeremy to try and figure out what was happening with the necklace. While Elena, Caroline and I hung around the mansion. People were walking in and out of rooms with glasses in their hands as music lowly hummed through the house.

I held a glass of non-alcoholic champagne as we stood and talked.

"Did Stefan ever tell you where he got the necklace?" Care asked Elena.

"No. And I never asked. Hopefully Bonnie will be able to figure it out." Elena said hopeful.

"Well, it is old." I pointed out. "Maybe it belonged to a witch or something centuries ago?"

Elena shrugged as Alaric joined us.

"Please tell me it's time to go." He moaned.

I sniggered before taking another sip from my glass.

"Beyond. Where is Damon?" Elena looked around.

"Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people. Consider me the honesty police." Care smiled gleefully, but her smiled quickly faded.

"What's wrong?" I asked her as she stared blankly through me.

"What's the matter?" Alaric also asked in concern.

"Our dads here." She almost whimpered.

I turned around to see our dad in the adjoining room, shaking peoples hands like it was just another day at the office.

"Why would he even show up here?" Elena asked as she looked on.

"I don't know. But I can't..."

I placed my glass on a counter by a large potted plant and faced my sister. "It's okay, go." I smiled too her as she nodded thankfully before leaving and heading up the staircase behind us.

Alaric looked at us confused as to what just happened.

"Okay. What was all that about?"

Elena raised her brow, "Speaking of doing bad things to good people..."

"Can we leave?" I asked. Too which Elena nodded and we all left the room and headed outside into the cooling air.

As we walked down the stone steps, Damon came out behind us in a hurry.

"Wait, wait, Houston, we have a problem." He said nonchalantly as he approached us.

"Where have you been?" Elena asked him, almost worriedly.

"Managing Bill Forbes. Apparently he's impervious to compulsion." He informed us. And I don't know what I was most worried about. The way he said 'Managing Bill' or the fact that my dad can't be compelled.

"How?" Alaric asked.

I listened on, for now.

"I have no idea. But he threatened to out me. Don't get me started on the irony of that."

"What did you do to him? How do you know the compulsion doesn't work?" Elena pressed.

He rolled his eyes, "That's not the most important piece of information I mentioned, Elena."

"What does he want?" Alaric asked from my side as I tugged on my jacket.

"He wants to control the council. Says it's been compromised."

"It has!" Alaric yelled proudly.

"He wants to put vervain in the town's water supply." Damon added and I looked up.

Elena shrugged, "Maybe it's not a bad idea," a little puff of smoke blew from her parted lips, "I mean, it'll help you keep yourself in control now that Stefan's not here to..."

She was cut off almost immediately, "To what?" Damon's face turned dark, "To keep me in check? Make me behave? I should have killed him this morning." He spat.

"He's Jess and Caroline's dad, Damon." Elena pointed to me and Damon looked me dead in the eye before speaking.

"Yeah, and when I kill him, they'll have one more parent than we do."

My blood was boiling. Skin scolding.

"You dare touch him." I warned as he continued to stare at me, almost challenging me.

Alaric scoffed, "Oh, come on, Damon!"

His eyes darkened, "You're repeatedly killing my buzz today, Ric. Step aside." He said in a warning tone.

He frowned, "Yeah, it's not going to happen."

"Your temporary funeral." With the quick flip of his arms, Damon snapped Ric's neck and he clambered to the ground in a motionless heap.

I covered my mouth to suppress a squeal as Elena yelled.

"Damon, no! What is wrong with you?!"

He looked at her before looking at me. It was like he was a whole other person and not the one I've known since returning. He was darker, more vicious.

I made sure Elena was okay before I left to find Damon. I didn't know where my dad was but I knew if I found one, I'd find the other. As I walked into the mansion once more, the sound of glass shattering put me on high-alert as I ran towards the sound of a commotion. Horror. That's the only way I could describe it. Daddy on his knees as Damon stood above him. Blood dripping from his mouth and running down his chin. I felt the hairs on my skin stand tall as I entered the room.

My ears pounded as the blood pumped through my body. I didn't hear what they said to each other, I only saw Damon going back in for another bite. I snapped. Running into the room, I pushed Damon off my father with all the strength I could muster. He went flying across the room with my hands on his chest before I pushed him through the window. I rushed over to my dad as he panted, still on his knees.

"Daddy! Are you okay?" The panic was evident as my voice trembled.

As I kneeled in front of him, he looked at me shocked.

"I'm fine." He tried to reassure me.

I looked behind him as Caroline whooshed into the room. I motioned towards the bite on our dad's neck and she quickly sprung into action. She bit into her wrist before offering it to him. "Drink, It'll heal you." He looked at both of us in disgust.

"I said I'm okay."

"Yeah, well, I don't care." Care said and pushed his head down until his lips were on her broken skin.

"Let me teach this ass-wheel a life lesson." Damon muttered over the sound of glass breaking as he got to his feet.

"Get out of here, Damon." I warned.

He sniggered, "Or what?"

I left my dad's side in the blink of an eye and walked over to Damon, stopping just a mere few inches in front of his face. He stared at me through hazy eyes, but none the less, I was pissed. My hand left my side and collided with his face, flinging it to to the side with a crack.

He turned back to me and grasped my neck before sending me flying through the air and landing on my back on top of a desk with a 'Unf'. Before I knew it, he was on top of me, his hand pressed around my neck as his grip tightened. I could feel my throat closing as each second passed as he stared straight at me. I didn't recognise the man staring back at me.

"I'm stronger than you, little girl." He warned.

I struggled under his grasp as I looked at my dad on the ground, the blood was finally starting to stop seeping from his neck. I looked back at Damon and I felt the fire burning in the pit of my stomach as my skin flared with intense heat. The rage was overwhelming.

"Yeah, well I'm pissed!"

Damon's grip loosened on my neck as he stared at me blankly. He was in shock as his eyes softened.

"What..."

I growled, cutting him off. I braced my hands on his forearms, twisting until I heard the bone breaking. His grip completely faltered and I kicked him off me and into the wall behind us.

I rolled over on the desk and got to my feet quickly.

"Take dad, go!" I yelled to her as she looked at me in shock but she didn't argue as she grabbed him and whooshed away into the emptiness as I followed quickly behind.

Last night... I-I don't even know how to explain it. It was a complete shit-show to say the least.

I walked with Elena in the town square the next morning as we spoke about Damon.

"I'm not going to say Caroline was right." I sighed.

"Thank you."

"But Caroline was right."

She stopped walking and faced me. "Okay, she and Damon were both right. I was trying to change him. But if he wants to be in my life..."

I cut her off and blinked rapidly, "Okay, stop." I waved my hand, "It's been a long, shit-filled week, so I'm gonna be blunt. It doesn't matter how many ways you spin it, or what he does. Damon's got under your skin."

"That's not true." Elena defiantly shook her head.

"Just admit it, Elena! You're attracted to him."

"No!"

I frowned, "No, you're not attracted to him, or no, you're not going to admit it?" I pressed.

"I can't, Jess!" Her voice broke, "If I admit it, if I even thought it for just a second... What does that say about me?"

I smiled at her, "It says you're still human, Elena."

As I looked at her, I caught sight of my dad walking to his car over her shoulder. She turned around and look at him as well.

"Do you need me to..."

I shook my head, "No, I got it."

I crossed the square and approached him slowly as he unlocked his car.

"Hey." I spoke softly from behind him.

He turned to face me, "Hey." He greeted. "Don't worry. I'm going to go back home before somebody else kills me."

I pointed to my neck as a reference, "How's your neck?"

"Oh, healed." He lowered his collar and showed me the now healed wound. "Thank you. For coming to my rescue."

I smiled, "Of course."

"Bye, Jessica."

I felt the tears welling in my eyes.

"Daddy. Caroline's going to be okay, you know." He looked at me, searching my eyes, "We both will."

A long sigh escaped his lips, "She's a vampire, sweetheart. I don't think she'll ever be okay again." He stared at me for a long moment before sighing deeply, "You're letting your anger get the better of you, honey. You need to control yourself, or…"

I frowned, "If I hadn't of done what I did last night, Damon would have killed you. Why are you so worried about my anger?"

His lips pressed into a fine line, "Doesn't matter. Just-just remember to breathe and remove yourself from those situations. Promise me."

I still didn't quite understand what he was talking about.

"I-I promise, daddy."

With that, he turned and climbed into his car before driving off, leaving me behind.

A tear rolled down my cheek which I quickly wiped away with my fingers.

What did he mean?

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Let me know in the comments :)