Two weeks went by, Tyler joined the training sessions and everybody was now learning how to fight with weapons.
Elena had apologized to everyone including Cassie about her behavior. It was a very long and public speech even in Caroline's opinion and by the end Cassie and Damon had at least three shots.
Caroline and Rebecca were growing closer especially because the decade's dance was next week and they haven't decided what decade to do.
Klaus went back to Italy to do some research on how to break the curse while Elijah had left with Kol to track down the source of some rumor that Mikael was back.
Stefan and Damon were waiting for Elena's answer while Cassie and Damon were doing everything in their power to avoid spending alone time with each other since what had happened on the porch.
Chapter 22
Cassie and Katherine were sitting on the couch at the boarding house.
"I think I'm going to take Jeremy out hunting tomorrow" Cassie said. "I think he is ready."
"Yes! We are getting out of town!" Katherine yelled. "Our usual hunting ground?"
"I can't take Jeremy to a club Rin" Cassie said
"Sure you can, you, me, Jeremy, and Damon" Katherine said.
Cassie's head snapped towards Katherine "why Damon?" she asked.
"Cause I'm going to get him to see what he is missing" Katherine said.
Cassie glared at her.
"What's even going on with the whole Damon thing?" Katherine asked.
"I don't know, I told him that he needed to chose but I think he is waiting to let Elena pick." Cassie said "I just wanted him to chose me, not get me by default" she whispered.
"Well wear that black dress tomorrow and he will come running." Katherine said trying to cheer up her friend.
"What if Elena chooses Stefan?" Cassie asked. "Is he just going to run to me as a consolation prize?"
"I will kick his ass if he does" Katherine said without missing a beat.
"Why can't Mason go? I'm sure Damon has better things to do any who." Cassie said.
"Who has better things to do?" Damon asked walking into the living room.
"We are going hunting tomorrow wanna come?" Katherine asked.
Stefan and Elena walked in the house.
"When you say hunting?" Damon asked
"We are letting Jeremy get some experience and we are going as backup," Cassie said.
"Were are we going?" Stefan asked.
"A club" Katherine said, "it's going to be fun so broody Stefan cant come"
Cassie playfully smacked Katherine's shoulder.
"I'm in" Stefan said.
"Me too" Damon said.
"I'm coming" Elena said "I'm sure Tyler and Caroline will come too."
"Well it can't be to big" Cassie said worriedly "it can't be obvious what we are doing"
"So the four of us can be the group and everyone can just go and have a night out." Katherine said.
"Ok" Cassie finally agreed.
"Good, now you are wearing that dress come on" Katherine said grabbing Cassie's arm
"Rin, I can't wear that dress," she protested and Katherine dragged her up the steps.
Katherine stopped and turned to her. "What did you do to that dress?" she asked.
Cassie took a couple steps back so she was now on the main floor.
"I left it" Cassie said.
Katherine looked at her "liar" she yelled and chased after Cassie using normal human speed as the two ran back into the living room. Cassie was looking behind her and ran back into Damon. She would have fallen but he grabbed her pulling her close to him.
"We should worry about your dancing skills before we worry about what you are wearing." He said.
"Don't worry about my dancing skills," she said
"Oh really?" he asked doubtfully
"Yes really" she said and pushed back walking away from Damon.
Damon grabbed her hand and she twirled back into him so her back was to his chest. She wrapped a hand around his neck and dropped into the splits with her hand still around his neck she slowly came back up and came face to face to him.
"Baby I got moves you haven't even seen" she said in his ear, let go him and walked out of the house.
Damon was shocked while Katherine was laughing.
"Cassie is a dancer, Damon" Elena said.
"And she showed you" Stefan said trying not to laugh.
Damon just rolled his eyes and went upstairs to his room.
Cassie walked back into the Gilbert house "hey Jeremy!" she yelled.
"What" he yelled back
"Get down here" she yelled.
Jeremy walked back down the steps "what?" he asked
"We are going hunting tomorrow night" she said
"Cool" he replied "where"
"A club called Mist its in the next town over" she told him.
"Awesome" he said and ran back up the steps.
Cassie shook her head and went upstairs to her bedroom.
She looked around, her posters of the performances she stared in, and her tutu's hanging on her rack in the corner. She knew she should take them down but she loves to dance. And she doesn't get to do it as much as she like to anymore. She walked over to her dresser. A picture of her and her family stood there and a jewelry box containing her mother's emerald ring and a locket she got when she starred in the IYBC show the summer before her senior year. She sighed and changed into her pj's before she climbed into bed.
The morning came and everyone went to training then off to school. Cassie was walking back to the Gilbert house when she passed by her old dance studio. She stopped and pulled out her keys to see if she still had the key to the studio. She did. She went inside and turned on the lights, she shrugged off her shoes and her jacket leaving her in her running shorts and a sports bra she pulled out her iPod and set it on the dock.
The guitar started playing. Cassie stretched her leg and started dancing.
"Something always bring me back to you"
She went up on her toes and turned.
"No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone."
She let the music take control
"I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your rain."
She did a grand jete
"Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be."
She did a combination of pirouettes and Fouettes.
"But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go"
She did a stag leap
"Something always brings me back to you."
She fell to the floor in her last pose.
Someone behind her started clapping she turned around.
"Dammit Damon you scared me" she said.
Damon smirked "you look hot" he said.
"Stop it" she said walking over to get her iPod.
"No I mean it, your good," he said.
Cassie didn't say anything as she slipped her shoes back on.
"Come on" Damon said "I wasn't trying to make you angry"
She still ignored him as she slipped her jacket on.
"Hey" he said grabbing her hand spinning her to him. "What's wrong?"
"I cant Damon," she said moving her hand out of his grip.
"Cant what?" he said blurring back in front of her.
"I'll see you tonight" she said and left the dance studio.
Damon watched her leave confused and followed her. "Cassie" he called.
Before blurring in front of her again. "You can't what?" he asked putting his hands on either side of her face.
"I can't pretend that every time I see you I hope its because you have made a decision." She said.
"I told Elena she had to pick" Damon confused "you know that"
"I don't want Elena to pick" Cassie said, "I want you to"
Damon let go of her face and Cassie walked past him.
Damon was confused to say the least, he thought he understood women but with Cassie it was a whole new ball game. So he decided to go to the only person who he could think of that could give him a guide.
"Hey, Barbie" he said as Caroline shut her locker door.
"What are you doing here Damon?" she asked as she walked to class.
"Maybe I wanted to come see my favorite blonde" Damon said.
"Well I have school so," Caroline said as she kept walking.
"Hey" Damon said grabbing her arm "I need to talk to you"
Caroline looked at Damon "please" he said. She nodded and the two of them left.
The two of them went to the grill.
"So spill" Caroline said.
Damon ran his hand through his hair. "You're a girl," he said "and you understand other girls right?" he asked
Caroline looked at Damon "are you asking me for girl advice?" she said laughing.
"Never mind" he said standing up.
"No wait," she said, "what's going on"?
"So I was just talking to Cassie and I told her that I told Elena to pick," he said.
"Seriously?" Caroline asked,
"And Cassie said that she didn't want Elena to pick she wanted me to pick." He finished.
"Damon" Caroline said, "Did you really say that"
"It's the truth," Damon said.
"But when you say that its like if Elena chooses Stefan then you will be with her like she is second place" Caroline said "she wants you to choose Elena or her so she doesn't get you by default."
"Ug, why is this so complicated" Damon said. "I have never had a problem with getting the girl before."
"Well that's the problem Damon" Caroline said, "Which girl do you want?"
Cassie got a text from Caroline that she was suppose to come over to help her get ready for tonight. So Cassie hopped in the shower, when she was finished she grabbed her clothes and her make up bag before knocking on Jeremy's door.
"Hey" she said "I'm heading over to Caroline's to get ready but I want to make sure that your ready for tonight"
"Ya, I'm nervous but I want to do this" he said
"Ok we are meeting at the boarding house at seven" she said
"I got it," he said
"I'll see you then" she said and walked down the steps and left for Caroline's house.
Cassie walked into Caroline's house.
"Care I'm here" she called.
"Good" she said, "lets get ready"
About an hour later Caroline was dressed and ready to go while Cassie was in her black strapless bra and matching boy cut underwear.
"What are you doing?" Caroline asked as Cassie pulled a holder over her thigh.
"We are going hunting Care" Cassie said picking up a stake and sliding it in the holder. "I'm preparing"
Caroline nodded and Cassie slipped on her dress it was an around the neck and draped down to her mid thigh with a low back cut in the back. She slipped on her lace black ankle boots and slipped a dagger in her shoe.
"How do I look?" Cassie asked.
Caroline looked at her; Cassie's hair was curled and pinned out of her face. She had a smokey eye that brought out her eye color and the combo with the dress and the heels made her dancer legs look amazing.
"Hot" Caroline said
"Thanks" Cassie said "you to Care I love that color on you"
Caroline giggled, "I know. Lets go" and grabbed the keys so the two girls could go meet everybody at the boarding house.
"All I am saying is that it's going to be weird if we both go" Elena said
"I agree so how about you don't go, there problem solved." Katherine said
"Who isn't going" Cassie asked as her and Caroline walked in
"Elena" Katherine said. "It would be weird if we both went"
"Guys, its called twins," Cassie said interrupting the soon to be fight between the two of them.
"You're wearing the dress!" Katherine yelled, "I told you that you would look hot!"
"I need a glass of water," Cassie said walking into the kitchen.
"What's up?" Stefan said as he, Damon and Jeremy walked in.
"Nothing actually just waiting on you guys" Caroline said.
"Where is Cassie?" Jeremy asked.
"I'm here," Cassie said walking back into the living room.
Damon turned and saw her walk in "wow" he said, "you look nice"
Cassie looked down at her dress then back to Damon "thanks" she said
"Shall we go?" Stefan asked
"Tyler is meeting us at the club" Caroline said.
"Great let's go" Damon said walking over to Cassie and holding out his arm for her.
Cassie hesitantly took it and the two started to leave with all of them.
"Wait Cassie I have to ask you something" Elena called.
The two stopped.
"I'll meet you at the car" Cassie told Damon.
"What do you need Elena" she asked her sister.
"I need a favor," she said
"What?" Cassie asked.
"I need you to back off with Damon." She said.
"Excuse me?" Cassie asked
"I haven't chosen and I think it might be Damon," she said.
Cassie stared at her sister.
"Are you being serious?" she asked
"Yes" Elena said
Cassie didn't say anything and walked out of the house and got into Damon's car.
She was quiet for the entire ride over there. Caroline was in the back seat.
"Cassie?" Damon asked "are you ok? You have been quiet the entire trip"
"Just thinking" Cassie whispered
"What did Elena want?" Caroline asked
"If Jeremy was ready to do this" Cassie said.
Damon looked at her and saw that she was playing with her nails.
"Here we are" Damon said.
They pulled in and Damon helped Caroline out of the car before blurring over to open the door for Cassie.
He trapped her between her and the car.
"What did Elena want?" he said
"I told you to make sure," she said.
"I thought we weren't going to lie to each other." Damon interrupted.
"Do you really want to know?" she whispered.
Her grabbed her chin so she would look him in her eyes. "Yes" he said.
"She asked if I would stay away from you because she thinks that she might pick you," she said.
Damon stood there while Cassie looked at his reaction. Damon was lost in thought and didn't notice when Cassie left.
Damon was still thinking Elena asked Cassie to leave me alone. Does that mean that she is going to pick me? Do I want Elena to pick me anymore? He finally decided to think about it later and walked into the club to find someone from the group.
He saw Caroline and Tyler dancing, and Katherine was talking to so poor human. He finally saw Stefan and Elena sitting by the bar.
"Where is Buffy and Van Helsing?" he asked.
"Hunting" Stefan, replied. "Jeremy I think already staked one."
"Impressive" Damon said.
The three of them stood for a while until Damon got bored.
"Elena do you want to dance?" he asked when a slow song started playing.
"Sure" she said and the two of them walked onto the floor.
"So why did you tell Cassie to stay away from me?" he asked as they started to dance.
"Well so much for keeping it a secret." Elena said
"Why Elena" Damon asked.
"Because I haven't decided yet." Elena said "and what if I pick you"
"What if I don't want to be picked anymore?" Damon said.
"Please Damon if you two were together and I pick you, you would leave her in a heart beat and she would be heartbroken" Elena said.
"What makes you so sure?" he asked
"Because Cassie is just a placeholder for me." She said.
"Excuse me" Caroline interrupted "but I want to dance with Damon."
Caroline didn't wait for Elena's answer before cutting in and danced Damon away from her. "Are you serious" she said, "You're really going to let her talk about Cassie like that?"
"I don't know what to do Caroline." Damon said. "I like Cassie I do but what if Elena picks me over Stefan and I'm finally the one who gets picked."
"Damon can't you see that Cassie is picking you, she doesn't even have to see if she likes your brother less, she wants you and only you." Caroline told her.
"But Elena" Damon trailed off
"What did you say when Cassie told you?" Caroline said
"I didn't say anything." Damon said.
"Ug, Damon you have really screwed this up." Caroline said then walked off to go find her friend.
Cassie was shadowing Jeremy just to make sure he wasn't doing anything to get himself killed.
"I have to say I'm impressed" Cassie said "that's two tonight"
"I'm tired" Jeremy said.
"I bet listen you are done for the night ok, go have fun but don't go looking for any vampires ok?" she told him.
Jeremy just nodded his head then left to go get a drink.
Cassie picked up the vampire and dragged him into a closet so no one will notice. My turn she thought to herself as she turned to the dance floor. She saw Elena and Damon dancing no surprise she thought bitterly.
"Do you want to dance?" a voice came from behind her.
She turned a saw a beautiful blonde haired blue-eyed man smiling at her. Vampire all of her instincts screamed at her.
"I would love to" she said and took his hand and he lead the two of them out to the dance floor.
Damon went over to where Katherine was sitting at the bar.
"Well Cassie sure moves on fast." She said. "She was always a sucker for blondes."
"Shut up" Damon said, "he is clearly a vampire"
"So are you?" she said.
Damon watched the two of them and he started to get upset "I'm going over there" he growled.
"Damon" Katherine warned but Damon blew her off and walked over to where they were.
"Excuse me" Damon said cutting Cassie and the blonde off. He grabbed Cassie's hand and started to dance with her.
"Hey" she yelled.
"Look man I don't know who you are but you need to back off." The blonde said.
Damon let go of Cassie and the blonde took her hand. "Do you want to get out of here?" he asked.
Cassie just nodded and the two of them left the club and walked to an alley to get some air.
"Thank you for back there I have no idea who that was." She said.
"Hey its no problem" blonde said taking a step close to her.
Cassie hugged him and when she pulled back she saw that glint in his eyes so she kissed him. He blurred and pushed her up against the wall. Kissing passionalty her moved down her jar to her neck.
"You smell great," he said. And pulled out his fangs. He didn't notice Cassie slip the stake out of her holder and she staked him before he could bite her.
He slumped to the floor dead.
She pulled out her phone and saw if was half past eleven and decided to text everyone that they can leave whenever they are ready.
Cassie snuck back into the club to find Katherine and Jeremy talking.
"Ready to go?" Jeremy asked.
"Ya, I'm going to catch a ride with guys" Cassie said.
Katherine nodded and the three of them left.
On their way out they saw everyone from their group pack into the cars.
"Back to the boarding house?" Cassie asked
"Yep" Jeremy said popping the p
"Great" Cassie said.
They were the last ones to arrive back at the house. The three of them walked inside to see everyone sitting around in the living room.
Cassie saw Damon standing there and snapped.
"What the hell Damon" she yelled.
"What?" he asked
"What did you think you were doing coming over to us?" She kept yelling.
"I was thinking that guy was a scum ball," Damon said.
"That was the point you idiot" she yelled.
"Well you looked overwhelmed." Damon said defensively
"So you thought going over there was the best solution?" she replied.
"Well ya"
"Oh I have to go help poor Cassie the human."
"I was trying to protect you" Damon yelled.
"I don't need your protection" she yelled back "I can protect myself" she turned around and started to leave.
"Oh ya" Damon said and blurred to attack her.
But Cassie was ready she sidestepped him and shoved her stake through his stomach slamming him against the wall.
"Ya" Cassie said "that two for me Damon and none for you so remember that the next time you do something stupid like that again" she said twisting the stake in his stomach before letting go and leaving the boarding house for good.
Damon groaned and pulled the stake out.
"Its stupid mistakes like that, that get hunters killed Damon" Katherine said.
"I was trying to help" he defended
"No, you were staking your territory and it almost got Cassie killed." She told him and went upstairs.
Damon ignored everybody else in the room and went up to his room as well.
AN:chapter 22 is done, the lyrics are to gravity by Sara Bareilles.
Damon staked his territory but is history doomed to repeat itself?