AN: i'm sorry my readers, i had been spoling you with chapters everyday. but unfortunatly college is starting again so the chapters will keep coming, just not as fast. hopefully this chapter will make it up to you guys ;)

Chapter 28

Two weeks have passed since the masquerade dance. Everyone had settled back into his or her routines. Cassie and Damon stayed away from each other, and Elena and Cassie weren't talking but everybody else was becoming closer friends. Even the originals.

After a particular hard hunting trip Cassie let the boys sleep in, and decided to go running by herself. She walked out the house to see Kol standing there…. In workout clothes.

"Kol?" Cassie asked trying not to laugh.

"What?" he asked back.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I didn't know you owned workout clothes," she told him walking off the porch.

Kol laughed and followed her "I didn't, but I didn't get to be there for you, so here I am now."

Cassie stopped and looked at him "that is actually a nice thing to do" she told him

"Don't tell Nic" Kol said

"Promise" Cassie said.

And the two of them took off running.

They were silent for a while.

"So where have you been?" Cassie asked

"Can you keep a secret?" Kol asked back.

Cassie looked over at him with one eyebrow arched.

"Right stupid question, but to answer yours, Elijah and I were running down some rumors." Kol said.

"Rumors?" Cassie asked.

"Not here" was all Kol said.

The two of keep running until there were in the clearing in the woods.

"Here?" Cassie asked.

Kol turned on his vampire hearing and listened to see if anyone was there.

He nodded and the two of sat on the ground so Cassie could stretch.

"There have been rumors that Mikael is back." Kol said

"Mikael? As in your father?" Cassie asked

"Yep" Kol said popping the p "that's were Elijah and I have been the past couple of weeks."

Cassie ran her hand through her hair and bit her lip. "Does Rebecca know?"

Kol shook his head "no, as of right know its just rumors and Becca has been through enough with the whole parents are trying to kill her thing."

Cassie didn't say anything for a while her brain processing the information.

Kol just stared at her trying to judge her reaction but she wasn't showing any emotion.

"How are you doing with this information?" Cassie whispered finally saying something.

Kol was stunned then he started laughing. "I would have never guess that you be the question you asked."

"Why, Kol you're my friend, you have had just as much in the parents killing you department as Becca." She said

"Honestly, I'm ok with it, they may be my parents but they made the choice a long time ago to not be a family." Kol said.

"Fair enough" Cassie said standing up. "Ready to go back?"

"Ug" Kol groaned laying on the ground "but I'm tired" he whined.

Cassie laughed, "Kol, you're a vampire"

"So?" Kol countered but he eventually got off the ground after the promise of milkshakes and hamburgers at the grill for dinner.

The two got back to Cassie's house, Kol claimed he needed a nap before doing anything and left. Everybody had already left the house for school so Cassie pulled her iPod out of her pocket and put on music so she could clean.

She finished the living room, kitchen, and laundry when her watch said she had just enough time to shower before meeting Kol at the grill.

She decided to wear a blue off the shoulder sweater with some jeans and her black boots.

When she got there it was empty, except for all of her friends.

"Kol?" she asked seeing everybody.

"It's a party," Kol yelled holding up a bottle and tossing it to her.

"I don't know," she said hesitantly.

"I have designated watch," Klaus whispered in her ear having appearing right behind her. "Have fun, I'll make sure that everybody is fine."

Cassie turned and looked up him. "Thanks" she said smiling.

"Well physically you might be fine" Klaus said using the words she gave him "but to get you ok all the way I find that plenty of alcohol helps"

Cassie laughed and rolled her eyes.

Klaus grinned.

All of the originals noticed the interaction between the two and the three shared a hopeful look that maybe something could happen between the two. But they weren't the only ones who saw it.

Damon seeing how there was no space between the two grabbed a bottle from the bar and started to drown his sorrows.

Everybody was laughing and drinking, some people were playing pool others darts.

"Cassie come play darts," Kol yelled from across the bar.

Cassie walked over there.

"Cassie cant play darts" Damon said blurring over there "trust me I have seen her."

"Dude" Matt, said, "Cassie is the dart champ"

"Dude" Damon said mocking Matt "I have seen her throw a dart"

"I smell a challenge," Kol said. "What do you say Cass?"

"I don't know" Cassie said,

"Oh come on," Damon said walking over to her. Cassie could smell the booze on him. "You, me, one throw the closest to the bull's-eye wins"

"Damon you are drunk," she said.

"Yes I am," he said agreeing with her "but I bet I could still get closer to you."

"And what if I win?" she countered.

Damon pulled out a hundred dollar bill. "But if I win" he said "I get a kiss"

Cassie froze.

Kol laughed, "This should be good."

"Come on Cass" Matt said, "You can take him"

By this time everyone had gathered around the dartboard, quiet to hear her answer.

"Fine" she said.

"Great" Damon called "I'll go first"

Damon grabbed a dart and threw it. It landed in the green just outside the red part of the bull's-eye.

He turned and grinned at her "better pucker up Buffy," he teased her.

Cassie rolled her eyes and grabbed her dart. She walked over to the dartboard.

She was about to throw it when she felt him behind her.

"Damon" she asked, "what are you doing?"

"Winning" he said leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"Why are you so sure that you'll win?" she asked

"Because I remember the day we played darts," he whispered again his breath hot on her neck.

"Maybe I was trying to hustle you?" she asked.

"I don't think so," he said placing a hand around her waist.

"You don't think I can hit that target." She whispered. Closing her eyes she allowed herself to get lost in Damon's touch around her hip.

"I don't," he told her.

That was all Cassie needed, she opened her eyes and threw the dart.

Kol walked over there.

The dart was square in the center of the bull's-eye.

Damon sobered up and stepped back from Cassie.

"Wha-how- you-" he stuttered.

Cassie smirked at him and grabbed the hundred-dollar bill. "I'm a hunter Damon, hitting targets keeps me alive." She said.

Claps erupted around the two of them as Cassie walked over to the bar to get a shot.

Katherine sat down next to her "your heartbeat is going crazy" she teased her.

"Shut up" Cassie mumbled praying Damon didn't hear this.

"That didn't look like someone who chose Elena" Katherine said, "in fact he hasn't been able to take his eyes off of you all night."

Cassie looked over at her best friend "really?" she mouthed so no one could hear her.

Katherine nodded and the two girls took another shot.

"That was great love," Klaus said sitting on the other side of Cassie.

"And that my cue" Katherine said standing up and leaving.

"Thanks, there isn't a whole lot to do here but play pool and darts." She told him

Klaus laughed. "That sounds boring" he said.

"It was" she replied.

"Didn't you want to leave?" Klaus asked seriously.

"I did" Cassie said, "I left and loved the adventure that was life outside mystic falls, but fate had other plans."

"Fate frequently has different plans then me" Klaus said "but I tell fate to go screw itself and I then do what I want"

Cassie laughed, "Well some us aren't big bad hybrids who have been around since the earth was created."

Klaus put a hand on his heart "oh that hurts, I'm not that old"

"Whatever Gramps." Cassie teased.

The two sat in silence for a while both watching their friends and family making their own bets in pool games or darts.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Klaus finally asked after ten minutes of silence.

Cassie turned in her seat so she was facing him. "You're asking if you can ask me a question?"

Klaus nodded "it's called being a being polite, you whipper snappers today couldn't be polite today if your life depended on it."

Cassie smiled at him then started to laugh. Klaus turned in his seat so he could face her.

"Well when you put it that way Gramps how can I refuse, yes, you can ask me a personal question but only if I can ask you one."

"Deal." Klaus said.

Klaus took a deep breath "what's going on with you and Damon?" he asked. "One minute you two are fighting then the next well we all saw what happened during the dart game."

"Oh" Cassie said, "honestly I don't know. I thought he had chosen Elena at the masquerade dance; in fact I haven't spoken to him for weeks, but then the dart game. Trust me its just a confusing for me as it is for you."

Klaus nodded not showing any emotion but deep down he was happy, he knew it was to soon but he was going to try to win Cassie over.

"My turn" Cassie said "although its not really a question"

"Ok" Klaus said curious at where she was going with this.

"Kol told me about Mikael today" she whispered.

Klaus tensed up.

"And I know you don't want to talk about It." she continued. "But, if you need my help in finding him or if you need me just ask."

Klaus let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and nodded.

"Good" she said smiling "now onto happier things" she said grabbing a beer and hoping down from the bar she went over to the pool table.

Hey Cassie we need a fourth, wanna play?" Stefan asked.

"Sure" she said. "Who is playing?"

"Me" Damon called and grabbed her hand "and you're on my team."

"Against me and Stefan" Elena said.

Cassie glanced over at Katherine who nodded and gave her the thumbs up.

"I break" Stefan called.

It was a long intense game and it finally came down to the eight ball.

"Lets make a bet" Damon called.

"Fine" Elena said, it was her turn to hit the ball. "What's your bet?"

Katherine walked over "I bet you choke and Cassie hits it in" she said pulling two hundred dollars out of her pocket.

"Anything else?" Elena asked confident in her ability.

"If Elena hits it in," Stefan said looking at his brother who was staring at Cassie…again. "Then Cassie kisses Damon."

Cassie looked at Stefan confused. While Damon was giving Stefan a grateful look over her head.

"Fine" Elena said. Turning to Cassie "do you have anything to add?"

Cassie looked at her sister. "When I win," she said "you can't say anything else about my drinking habits"

Elena scoffed "and when I win" she said walking over to her sister. "You leave town"

Cassie didn't answer.

"No" Damon, Alaric, and Jeremy said at the same time.

"Not going to happen" Jeremy said.

"Its not your call" Damon told her.

"Pick something else." Alaric told her "or I'm leaving with her."

Cassie looked over at her dad and smiled. Alaric in return smiled back down at his daughter.

"I got it" Klaus said. "If Elena wins she gets to live in the Gilbert house"

Damon perked up at this idea. That meant that Cassie could live with him.

Cassie nodded "deal"

Damon took a drink from his half empty bottle glad that he wasn't the one making the shot, because he could barely stand up straight at this point, let alone shoot a pool ball.

Elena walked over and lined up her shot.

Nobody even breathed as she hit it.

The eight ball went straight to the left corner pocket but it clipped the side knocking it off course, leaving it just shy of the pocket.

Everybody groaned.

Stefan did because Damon didn't get his kiss.

Damon groaned because he once again didn't get to kiss Cassie, and she wasn't moving into the boarding house.

Elena because she couldn't tease her sister about her drinking.

And Klaus was upset because he hoped that Cassie would come to the manor if Elena moved in.

Cassie walked over and put the ball in the pocket with ease. She placed the stick on the table and walked past her sister.

"You lose," she said as she walked past.

Damon stumbled after her. "Cassie" he called.

She turned back around and laughed at him. "You are so drunk"

Damon nodded. "I'm going home do you want a ride?" he asked.

"Seriously?" she asked. "You can't even walk in a straight line let alone drive anybody home."

"But" he countered wanting to spend more time with her.

Cassie grabbed his keys and put his arm around him "come on I'll drive you home."

"Thanks Kol" she said to him as she left. Kol help the door open for her as she put Damon in his car.

"I can take him home if you want to stay." Kol volunteered wanting Cassie to be with his brother without Damon.

"Nah, its fine, I was going to head home pretty soon anyway." Cassie said. "But thanks Kol I really needed this" and the two of them left.

Katherine laughed at Elena's face as Cassie walked past her. She picked her money back up.

Stefan tried to comfort Elena but she glared at Katherine. "I'm a vampire why didn't you bet for me?" she asked.

Katherine laughed at her. "Oh, honey" she mocked. "When it comes to anything between you two I'm betting Cassie every time" she said referring to more then just the pool game.

The party went on for thirty more minutes before everybody was to drunk to do anything else. So everybody went home talking about how very much needed the party was.

When Cassie and Damon made it back to the boarding house Cassie dragged him to his room.

"Here we go," she said sitting him on his bed. Cassie went to get him a glass of water.

"Damon?" she asked handing him the glass.

"Mmm" he replied drinking his glass.

"Never mind" she said.

Damon took off his shirt. "What?" he asked Cassie.

Cassie didn't say anything as she took off his shoes.

"Its nothing." She said.

He undid his belt and threw it across the floor. "Tell Me," he said.

"Forget it," she whispered as she turned around to leave.

Damon blurred in front of her and put his hands on either side of her face.

"What Cassie?" he said

"Why was your bet that I kissed you?" She whispered biting her lip and looking straight into his eyes.

Damon closed his eyes and rested his forehead on hers. "Honestly" he said.

"Always" she replied.

"I wanted to kiss you again," he said.

"So you had to make it so you would win it?" she asked.

"I thought it was the only way I could," he whispered.

Cassie closed her eyes. "Why did you want to kiss me?" she asked

"Because I missed it," he said, "I missed you"

"Your drunk" she said stepping back. "We shouldn't have this conversation now."

Cassie took a dejected Damon back to the bed.

"Maybe now is the perfect time" Damon said "so I wont screw it up"

Cassie gave one chuckle.

Damon lay back on the bed and Cassie turned to leave.

Damon grabbed her hand "stay" he whispered.

Cassie looked down at his hand holding hers then back up to him. Lying in his bed with just his pants on.

"I shouldn't," she said.

"You should" he replied with ease.

"What were you going to tell me before at the masquerade dance?" Cassie asked Damon.

Damon sighed and got off the bed. " I was going to tell you that I picked you." He said.

Cassie looked up him "really?" she asked in disbelief.

Damon nodded.

"I saw you and Elena kissing," she said.

"She wanted a goodbye kiss when I told her" Damon said.

Cassie nodded soaking up all of the information.

"But you said," she whispered "that I cou-couldn't" she trailed off not being able to finish.

Damon closed the space between them. One hand was wrapped around her waist pulling her close to his torso and the other hand cupped her cheek. "What I meant was the reason you are nothing like Elena is why I fell for you." He said. "Your so strong and I could" but he never got to finish what he was going to say.

Because it was Cassie's turn to grab his face, and she kissed him.

Damon kissed her back after weeks of trying to stay away from her, here she was.

Don't you remember why you stayed away from her. His mind taunted him. She isn't safe if she gets close to you.

Cassie broke the kiss for air.

"Damon" she whispered.

Damon stepped back from her. "We cant," he said.

All of the breath ran from her body. "What?" she said.

"Its not safe for you" he said.

"I don't understand," she confessed.

"Those vampires tortured you too get to me" Damon said, "I can't let you get hurt again."

"I can take care of myself" she defended.

"Like you did?" he countered.

"You just said that you fell for me because I'm strong," she said louder.

"You're strong but you shouldn't have to be worried that someone I pissed off will come after you." He retorted.

"I wont, there problem solved." She said.

Damon shook his head. "It doesn't work that way."

"So what are you saying!" she finally yelled. "Because I cant tell anymore,"

"I'm saying that I'm falling for you" Damon yelled back "but it's not safe for you to be with me."

Cassie slapped him. "Do not give me that half assed Twilight crap," she yelled.

"Those Russians came after you to get to me!" Damon yelled back.

"Its simple Damon, you can be with me and the two of us can take care of it together if someone else should come to town, or not." She screamed.

Damon didn't answer but ran his hand through his hand, thinking about his options.

Cassie couldn't take it anymore. Tears threatened to fall depending on his answer.

"Cassie" he said "I would constantly be worrying about you."

"And I would worry about you, its what happens in a relationship." She quipped back.

"How can I trust you not get yourself hurt?" he asked.

"How can I trust you to no say something stupid" she asked back.

Damon looked at her.

"Please don't cry," he begged seeing the tears behind her eyes.

"Then don't say the wrong answer," she said whispering again.

"Depends on what your definition of wrong is," he answered.

Cassie shook her head, she knew his answer.

"So that's your answer, because before you answer think about this Damon, those vampires took me, and we weren't even together," she said softly.

"I want to do right by you," he whispered "so I can't be selfish and put you in harms way."

"Well that's just to damn bad" Cassie said walking over to him and kissing him again. "Because I want you to be selfish with me," she said when they broke apart.

"Cassie" he whispered looking down at this girl who turned his world upside down in a matter of months.

Cassie looked back into his eyes, trying to see if she could do anything to change his mind.

"Your amazing" Damon said.

"But your answer still hasn't changed" she said opening the door.

"And your beautiful" he continued.

"Stop" she whispered going down the stairs she made it to the living room.

"And I'm in love with you" he said.

Cassie turned back to him "why are you telling me this" she choked out.

"I don't know Cassie, all I know is how I feel about you and how I want to be with you"

"So do it Damon be with me."

"What if you get hurt?"

"So what?"

"The last time I did something selfish like this it didn't end pretty."

"That was them Damon, this is now."

"I don't know what to do Cassie," he cried. "I don't want to mess this up,"

Cassie put a finger to his lips to quiet him. "Do you really love me?" she whispered.

Damon nodded without hesitation.

Cassie smiled at him. "That's your answer," she said.

Damon nodded again.

He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall a while they were kissing each other. Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. His hands ran up her legs before reaching down and cupping her butt. Cassie moaned as he moved from her mouth to her neck.

"Damon" she gasped grabbing his hair.

Damon kept kissing her neck, making his way down her shoulder that her sweater showed off.

Cassie pulled Damon's face back to hers and the two began to make out again.

The door opened, but the two of them didn't notice.

Katherine, Elena, and Stefan were standing watching the two of them.

"Told ya," Katherine sang to Elena. "Every time"

Katherine walked from Stefan and Elena "get a room," she yelled at Damon and Cassie.

The two parted both breathless.

"Don't mind if I do" Damon said picking Cassie up and blurring upstairs with her to his room. Cassie squealing and laughing while he did it.

Seconds after that Katherine came downstairs with a bag.

"Finally leaving" Elena asked hopefully

"Not yet." Katherine said.

"Then why the bag?" she asked.

Katherine stopped and looked at the two of them. "Do you seriously want to hear them all night?" she asked.

The two looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Thought not" she said and walked out of the boarding house.

Stefan quickly grabbed a bag for him and Elena who waited downstairs.

"We should probably go now" Stefan said, he was blushing slightly from what he was hearing in his brothers room.

Elena nodded and the two of them left their elder siblings the house for the night

AN: Finally! happy ever after time? ha not even close. come on you should know by now its mystic falls.