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Chapter 18
Expectations

***Third Person's POV***

"Alright Mr. Salvatore, you are penciled in for 5 o'clock today. Will Ms. Branson be joining?"

"No." He answered into his cell.

"Alright then, have a good day." Without a word, Damon hung up and walked inside the house.

As he walked in, he noticed something was off; at first he couldn't quite put his finger on it, then he realized, someone was in the hose.

He walked further into the parlor where Pearl-now dressed in modern wear- and Anna sat.

"Hello Damon." The first greeted.

"Ever hear of knocking?"

"An invitation wasn't necessary. I'm surprised that no living person resides here. Is it just you and your brother?"

"Yeah." Anna answered for him, "There is a little human that stays here temporarily, but the little brat is leaving soon. She doesn't even sleep here anymore. How do you keep out unwelcome vampires?"

"Kill 'em." Damon sped up to Pearl and began trying to choke her, she remained unaffected and easily removed his hand, crushing it with her own, "Damn."

She then threw him off to the foot of a couch, "Have a seat, Damon. I was hoping we could have a word."

He sat on the couch, annoyed but at attention, "Sure."

***Katy's POV***

Since confessing I'd been staying with Elena, Jer, and Jenna; sneaking back into the Boarding house every once in a while for clothes and such.

I'd taken every precaution to avoid seeing Damon; I was scared of what might happen if we were in the same room for longer than a minute. I'd become much more sentimental and emotional-not to mention irrational, and I honestly hated how much I showed it. At least before I could come off as vaguely witty, one not to be messed with; now instead of getting angry and yelling I'd probably break down and cry.

So this went on for a week; I slept at the Gilbert's house, went to school, had lunch with Dex and Joelle, then repeat.

One day at school, I'd been unfortunate enough to be partnered with Bianca during Science after she made me want to shove my head into a wood chipper during History.

She spent the entire class trying to convince us the Underground Railroad was an actual railroad.

She was particularly annoying in Science; we were dealing with rock salt and learning how to crush it for edible use, and since the salty dust sprayed everywhere I kept sneezing repeatedly.

However, Bitc-Bianca, took this to me I was sick…

"Stop sneezing on me!" she scolded from across the table, "I don't wanna catch whatever you've got."

"Right back 'atcha." I muttered with another sneeze.

"Probably reacting to all those drugs you and Four-Eyed-Whore pilfer."

I groaned, biting back anger, "Oh! Shut. UP!"

"I mean like, shouldn't you be, like, used to it by now? When did your mom shove it down your throat anyway? Three? Four-"

I grabbed a small bit a rock and smashed it against the desk, instantly veering the teacher's attention toward us.

"Hey!" Mr. Gregory called, "What's going on over there?"

I sneezed as I replied, "I'm sorry, I'm severely allergic to total idiocy." I pointed to Bianca.

He sneered, unamused, "Well so am I, but I put up with you rascals every day."

"Every week day, sir, you don't do weekend detention. I imagine you go on a bender after dealing with us rascals." I smirked.

He walked up to us, "Ms. Weston, are you trying to start another scene like when you denied evolution?"

"No, no." I assured, "I've given it some thought, and I totally believe you were descended from an ape."

DETENTION.

Afterwards I was sent to wait outside while Damon was called in for a meeting with Principal Winthrop, then was asked to take me home early.

We sat in the car for almost a half hour without a word, he didn't even make a sound when I sat in the front seat, then again he also didn't blink in my direction.

I busied myself during the drive by randomly flipping my switchblade open and closed. At some point though, I could no longer take the silence; I cleared my throat and spoke,

"Damon… I'm sorry…"

I expected silence, but he replied to my surprise, "For what?" sarcasm poured from his lips, I could practically see coming through his shades even, "Lying to me? Putting everyone else in a difficult position by not telling? You gotta admit, that was low."

"I-"

"You know come to think of it, that's the second time you've stabbed me in the back, but I suppose Lexi was responsible for that too." He smirked.

My jaw started to quiver, "Damon-"

"Well what else can I expect? I finally see it, you're an immature twelve year old with a habit for lying and secrets."

I won't cry! I thought, I won't give him the satisfaction!

I clenched my jaw, "Thirteen."

"What?"

"I turned thirteen two weeks ago!" I muttered angrily.

Before he could reply, I looked briefly at the red light we stopped at, opened the car door and ran passed the Grill to Dex's house nearby."

***Third Person's POV***

Damon entered the Grill soon after Katy left, slumping down on a barstool with a sigh. Kelly sat a few seats away, staring intently at him.

"What's with the glasses inside?"

"My, um." He cleared his throat, taking off said glasses, "My eyes are a little sensitive today."

Kelly smiled flirtatiously, "You're new around here."

"Oh, on the contrary. I am very old." He turned to the bartender, "Bourbon, neat."

"I haven't been gone that long." She looked him over appreciatively, "I would remember someone who looked like you."

"Yeah? Where'd you go?"

"Around, about."

"Been there." He replied, taking a big gulp of his drink.

"I love to see a man drown his sorrows. It's so sexy."

"It's more like nursing my wounds." He took another swig, then looked to Kelly, 'And you?"

"Well I was supposed to be interviewing for the bartender job, but, uh, I think the manager blew me off." She nodded to herself.

"Well, that's not very nice."

"Yeah. Last time I was in town I slept with her boyfriend."

"Well, that's not very nice, either."

"It happens." She shrugged.

"Yes, it does."

"Kelly?" she turned to see Jenna walking over smiling, "Kelly Donovan."

They bother ran to hug each other; Jenna replied happily,

"Hey I heard you were back in town. You used to baby-sit me."

"And then I used to party with her." She told Damon.

"This woman is crazy." She laughed.

"Not as crazy as you." Kelly pointed out.

"Ha. Not anymore."

"Well sit, drink." She told her, seating herself back down.

"Uh, I shouldn't I'm all responsible now. Haven't you heard?"

"Well, take a night off. It's good for the soul."

"Great for the soul." Damon remarked. After Jenna sat down, they all took a drink, "Oh, wow."

"This is not gonna end well."

"Can't wait."

"Aren't you worried Katy will find out?" Jenna asked, referring to his drink-which he quickly skulled.

"Whose Katy? She's not a girlfriend is she?" Kelly asked suspiciously.

"No. She's his kid." She teased.

Kelly's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yup." He said absently, "Only she's not mine, and she leaves in three months. Long story."

"Any chance she's got something to do with these shots?"

"Why do you ask?"

"She was looking pretty bummed at the auction, told me she felt like crap. And also, she's been sleeping on my couch for a week."

Damon didn't answer and just threw back another drink.

"Parenting blows." Kelly sighed.

"Tell me about it." Damon said, "I found out a half hour ago she's thirteen. Katy was twelve when she got here."

"Ooh!" Jenna cringed slightly.

"Forgot the B-day huh?"

"I never knew. She's made a habit of keeping secrets from me. She lies, we argue a bit. And to top it off, the love of my long pathetic life, just couldn't give a damn."

Jenna gave him a smile, "Don't be grumpy. It can't be that bad."

"You'd be surprised." He replied, pouring yet another drink, "My primary reason for existence has abandoned me and, after today's events, the remains of the shaky ground I walk on are about to go ka-boom."

Kelly watched him take another swig and perked up when he turned to her saying, "Let's get hammered."

"Let's." then they all clinked their shots together, then skulled them, "Whoo!"

They enjoyed themselves Damon, Kelly, and Jenna. That is, until the third finally noticed Matt and Elena on a double date with their significant others.

Her eyes widened as she leaned in closely to Kelly whispering,

"Quick, hide. We're not here."

Kelly whispered back, "Why? Where'd we go?"

"Children under our care at 5 o'clock. This is not role modelish."

Kelly briefly looked over to them, then leaned back to Jenna, "Damn. Ohh!"

"Damn indeed."

Both women shrieked slightly at Katy's sudden appearance.

"Katy!" Jenna said, breathing heavily to calm herself.

"This is Katy?"

"Yeah." She smirked, "You should've seen your faces."

"Are you trying to scare us?"

"Yeah kinda'." She shrugged.

"Why?" Kelly asked, slightly annoyed.

"'Cause I'm the child under his care." She pointed to Damon. Just then three sodas were given to her by the bartender, she took them and smiled slightly, "Gotta get these to the gang. Enjoy your hangovers."

"We will!" Kelly called as she left, Jenna gave her a look, "What? If she knows then Matty already does."

Damon looked briefly over to where Katy sat with Dex and Joelle, apparently playing a three-way-version of 'Guess Who?'.

"Does your person have glasses?"

"Yes." Dex answered.

"Does your person have the face of a goat?" Katy asked.

"Yes." She laughed.

"You're Sam."

"I'm out."

Joelle smiled, her little pink ears perked up, "Okay, Katy, is your person attractive?"

Katy gave her a look, "No, is yours?"

"Yes."

Katy looked over her 'Guess Who?' rack, then proceeded to flip down all the remaining pictures.

"I guess that game is over." Dex remarked, taking a sip of her drink.

Katy looked over to her friend's full plate of food and still filled drink, she gave a concerned look replying,

"Dex are you sick?"

"Nice Kate."

"You haven't touched your food."

"Not hungry."

"Then can I have it?" Joelle asked, Dex nodded and pushed her plate over to her.

"How can you eat so much and stay so skinny?" she asked, jealousy flashing briefly in her eyes.

Joelle swallowed down a big bite of her burger, "I need a lot of food to keep my blood sugar normal since I exercise frequently. Besides, mom says I have good metabolism."

"Lucky bitch." Dex muttered.

The girls laughed, but Katy's face turned solemn as Damon walked passed them with Kelly, not bothering to even look at her.

That hook-up didn't go well; they were caught by the gang before anything could really happen, and so Matt drove Kelly home.

Damon relaxed silently in the parlor, waiting for Stefan to finish his goodbyes with Elena and the rest. When he returned, he gave his older brother a look of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Are you crazy?"

"Save the lecture. Look—"

Just then a vampire crashed through the window, attacking Stefan with a large piece of broken glass. He stabbed him in the gut, causing Stefan to drop to the ground in pain.

Damon got him away from his brother, choking the man as Stefan struggled to get the glass shard out.

Then Damon started to struggle a little, and head-butted the vampire. Then in an instant, another vampire, a woman this time, came through the window and attacked Stefan just as he removed the glass piece.

Suddenly, Katy came downstairs, holding the bayonet from Damon's civil war gun. She saw the vampires and immediately rushed over to Damon; she went behind the pinned mystery vampire, wrapped her arm around him to stab the bayonet in his chest.

Damon looked slightly stunned for a minute, then proceeded to strangle the vampire, who bit down on Katy's arm.

She screamed, trying to extract him, but even when she threw vervain on him he wouldn't let go. Damon growled, kneeing him hard in the stomach. When Katy managed to get him unclamped, Damon kneed him twice in the face then threw him across the room.

Katy ran to stand between the Salvatore brothers, holding her arm as all three stared at the vampire.

Said vampire looked from them to his, now dead, companion and back again. After a second he vanished through the broken window.

"Damn it." Damon breathed.

"Yeah. I remember them…" Stefan said, "From 1864. They were in the tomb."

Katy looked to Damon who replied, "Yeah. About that."

Damon walked over to Katy, who was sitting on the couch with a washcloth against her wound, and set a small shot glass of his blood in front of her.

She made a face at it, not moving to take it.

"Come on girlie, drink up." He coaxed.

She made another face and reluctantly picked it up and drank it, she swallowed, cringing, "Tangey. And thick."

Damon grabbed the washcloth, revealing perfectly healed skin, not even a sctratch.

"But look at that, all healed up."

She nodded, "Thanks… Damon. You knew I mean it, right? I really am sorry."

He got up rolling his eyes, "Katy…"

"I am." She insisted.

"Are you? Because you knew about this for a long time before you finally told me. Big mistake." He went over and picked up the fallen bayonet, "So is coming down here and confronting vampires without a stake!"

"I climbed in upstairs to get more clothes, I heard the commotion, I didn't have time to whittle fifty more!"

"Then you leave! You had not problem running away to Elena's."

"Because you won't talk to me!"

"Face your issues, kid. If you don't wanna deal with the consequences then tough!"

"I tried!" she pleaded, "I told you about Katherine."

"Thanks, that was real helpful now." He said sarcastically.

"And you would've just believed me?"

"Yes."

"And you would've been so much better than now?" she said pointedly, "I bet you would've tossed me back to the orphanage with glee!"

"Didn't you want to go back as soon as possible?"

"Well what if I don't wanna get kicked out?"

Damon scoffed, "What? You wanna stay? Why on earth would you want to?"

"Because I care Damon!" she paused to breath, "That's why I keep saving you, and why I feel so dang guilty. Saintly Christ! READ BETWEEN THE LINES!"

Both of them paused, breathing heavily. Katy slumped back onto the couch, nervous about his response, and inwardly scolding herself for being so open about her caring for Damon; it wouldn't make a difference, she kept telling herself.

"You should get some rest. Stefan and I'll handle the body."

She looked at him strangely for a second, "Okay… Damon." He gave her a look to continue, "Can I come home now?"

He paused, "I never asked you to leave."

With that she smiled and ran up the stairs to her room. She couldn't stop smiling after that, she had made progress; maybe this whole being honest with your emotions wasn't all bad.

***Next Morning***

"Katy get down here! You're in enough trouble at school already…" he waited, then called up the stairs, "I made coffee!"

Like clockwork, Katy hopped downstairs, "Thanks."

"Where are your books?" He asked.

"I left 'em at Elena's." she explained, pouring herself some coffee in the kitchen, "Can we stop by later and grab 'em?"

"Sure. Stefan!" he greeted when his brother entered.

"Hey guys." Stefan's eyes went to Katy, "Katy, how're you feeling?"

"Fine. I think the blood is almost out of my system." She took a sip of her over-sugared coffee, "So when are you guys planning on gankin' escapee?"

Damon shrugged, "We don't know yet."

"Hopefully soon." Stefan said, "We don't need another vampire to worry about."

Katy gave him a look, "Must I repeat the ant analogy?"

"She's right. We've got to take out everyone Pearl's got harbored in that house."

"Damon, not all of them could be like the two from last night, especially if we haven't had trouble till now."

"Yeah, I bet not all of them are blood-loving vampires-Oh. Wait…" she drawled.

"Even if we decided to try and a wipe them out, we're probably outnumbered."

"Yeah, and that's gonna be fun to deal with when they all come after you unexpectedly at the same time. Just remember that when you're running with one leg."

Damon smirked at the unamused Stefan, "Two against one Stef." He turned to Katy, "Come on you have school."

And with that Damon and Katy left to drop her off at school. He returned afterwards and had a drink in the parlor while he called Tobey Marshell again.

"Hey sorry, need to reschedule for tomorrow afternoon… Thank you, see you then." He hung up and took a sip of whiskey.

Stefan entered once he hung up, "Who are you calling?"

"No one who concerns you." He sneered, "What are you doing out of school?"

"Elena gave me this." He replied, dropping a bag on the floor, "Katy left some stuff over there, she wanted me to get it back to her."

"That's nice."

"Mhm. She said she didn't want to risk you coming over for them yourself."

"Hm. Not so nice." He said sarcastically as he refilled his glass.

"You turned her mother."

"We live and we learn." He said, taking a sip, "She'll have to get over that sooner or later.'

Just then his phone rang, he picked it up and answered, "Yes?... What did she do?"

***Katy's POV***

I sat in the Principal's office, waiting for Damon to show up, when he finally did I sighed with relief.

"Mr. Salvtore." Winthrop smiled, twirling a stray hair from her bun, then went back to professional mode, "Please, sit."

He obliged, sitting next to me, "Anyone wanna tell me what happened?"

"I was perfectly complimentary, all I said was, 'Nice rack'."

Damon raised an eyebrow, turning back to Principal Winthrop, clearly very confused.

"I called you down here to discuss Katherine's behavior during her History class." She said, eyes narrowed, "Her comment today, among others, are just one instance in which she has displayed complete disrespect for our teachers."

He turned to me and asked, "Isn't your History teacher a man?"

I nodded cheerfully as Winthrop cleared her throat, "Regardless, your comment was out of line."

"Oh, you're just mad 'cause he's competition."

She narrowed her eyes again, "Mr. O'Connor has been given permission to come in costume for his class, I saw it myself and it is perfectly appropriate-"

"He didn't bother to shave his beard!" I pointed out.

Damon let out a low chuckle, then stopped as Winthrop started lecturing us about… Well, something, I was only half-listening after he gave me a high-five under the desk.