Chapter 35

The next morning, hearing Stefan leave to hunt, Lexi got up early, feeling completely healed, and went straight to Ottilie's room to see whether the little girl had recovered from the previous night. She opened the door softly to see Damon, fast asleep, leant against the edge of Ottilie's bed, holding the hand of the little girl that was hanging limply down the side of the bed. Lexi felt her heart melt a little before she silently shut the door and tiptoed down to the kitchen to make some coffee to bring up to Damon.

Returning shortly to the room, she crept in and found a gap next to Damon, who was still fast asleep, snoring gently. She snuggled into the spot, and he stirred as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. Resolving to finish the coffee later, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, breathing in the glorious, comforting scent of Damon Salvatore.

Damon woke an hour later, and was surprised to find Lexi fast asleep on him, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. He smiled to himself, enjoying the sensation of her body being so close to his, and the gentle flutters he was feeling in his stomach as a result of it. Being careful not to wake her, he lent gently over and kissed the top of her head, relishing the smell of the shampoo in her hair. He sighed. What was he thinking – she didn't like him – she'd told him as much countless time, and he couldn't blame her. He'd done some crappy things to her in the past, and never shown any remorse for them. But things felt different this time; she seemed more open to him, less cold and snappy, as if she was actually enjoying spending time with him. He shook his head gently, trying to snap him out of this confusing thought process, and looked up at the little hand he was clutching.

He manoeuvred his fingers up to Ottilie's wrist so that he could feel the comforting throb of her steady pulse, reminding him that she was indeed alive and well. He gently shook Lexi awake, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb his daughter who needed all the rest she could get. "Lexi," he whispered, as her eyes fluttered open and a blush crept over the porcelain skin of her cheeks as she realised she'd been caught. "Morning darling," he smirked at her, doing his famous eye manoeuvre that always won the heart of any girl who saw it.

Not this morning, apparently, as Lexi rolled her eyes and got up quietly. "Morning, Damon," she said, "I brought you a coffee but fell asleep."

"Evidently," remarked Damon, still smirking up at her from his seat on the floor.

Lexi softened for a moment, only just then comprehending how different this Damon was to the Damon she used to loathe. Sure he still possessed those annoying quirks – the god damn eye thing – what was with that? But he was softer now, more gently, somehow, like he actually cared about something. There was no doubt as to who that something was, she thought, watching as Damon stood, bent over Ottilie and brushed some stray hairs from her face, bending to kiss her softly.

Shaking herself a little, trying to break that trail of thought, she left the room, taking the cold coffee cups with her. You seriously cannot be contemplating liking Damon… she thought, mental chiding herself.

Lexi found Stefan nursing a cup of coffee in the kitchen and greeted him warmly, glad to get her thoughts off Damon for a while. "Morning Stef," she said, "good hunt?"

He nodded absently, still staring into the cup.

"What's on your mind?" she asked him, sensing that he was brooding over something.

He looked up at her, shrugging. "It's just this whole thing with Ottilie. What the hell is an Adfectus Witch, and how do we even find out about them?!" His face fell as he looked back down at the table. "I just couldn't bear it if something happened to her, you know?"

She nodded, knowing that nothing she could say would make him feel any more at ease about the whole situation, and so she just poured herself a cup of fresh coffee and sat next to him, hoping that a bit of company would provide some comfort at the very least.

Damon arrived down a few minutes later, helping himself to Lexi's coffee and smirking at her frown. "So, plan for today," he announced, "we're going to invite the Mikaelsons and Bonnie over to talk about Adfectus Witches. Whatever the hell they are…"

The other two nodded before Stefan asked, "are we going to involve Otti?"

Damon bit his lip and look uncertain. "I think so. She needs to know if she's in danger, and if she's as powerful as Klaus seems to think, then all the more reason for her to learn to control her magic. She's almost 13 now, and I think she's old enough to know."