The Daughter of Damon Salvatore
Chapter Eighteen
After Stefan left for school, Damon went up to Jessica's room. She had got up and got ready for school as normal and waited patiently for Damon to come and tell her that it was safe for her to come out.
Damon felt awful keeping the teenager locked up in her room like a Disney princess, but he knew that Stefan was not fully in control of himself and a warm body under the same roof would be tempting. Not forgetting the fact that said warm body was also menstruating at the worst possible time.
"Are you ready?" Damon asked once Jessica had permitted him to enter her room.
Jessica nodded.
"Do you want to quickly grab some breakfast first?" Damon asked.
Jessica shook her head.
"No thanks, I just want to get to school" Jessica replied.
She headed out the front door and then waited for Damon to leave the house behind her. He was gone a couple of minutes however, when he caught up to her, Jessica was pleasantly surprised when Damon held out a small paper bag towards her.
Looking inside the bag, Jessica tried not to chuckle but when she looked back at Damon, who was looking at her awkwardly, she grinned.
"Er…cheese sandwich, a banana, and a small chocolate bar?" Damon tried to explain as he scratched the back of his head unnecessarily.
"Thank you for food" Jessica said gratefully.
"Well, I'm not going to let people think that I don't feed you" Damon said.
Jessica chuckled at that.
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Once Damon had dropped her off at school, Jessica started walking across the school carpark. As she did, she noticed Stefan and tried to keep her head down so that he wouldn't notice her, he seemed like he was struggling as he walked briskly towards his car.
Jessica thought for a moment that Stefan might be giving up being around all these potential victims and leaving. Jessica's hopes were dashed when, instead of getting in his car and driving off, he popped the boot and lifted it.
Jessica stifled her gasp as she could clearly see loads of blood bags, some empty and some full, stacked in the back of Stefan's boot. Stefan dumped his schoolbag in with the blood bags and slammed the boot of his car closed once more. He walked off towards the school.
Jessica stepped forward from her hidden spot in between a couple of cars and counted slowly to twenty. She then also started walking towards the direction of the school, sending a text to Damon as she went.
Classes were boring as usual, but the day went by quickly. She was too consumed by her worried thoughts about her uncle Stefan that she barely wrote a single note down all day.
As classes finished for the day, she saw Bonnie in one of the corridors.
"Bonnie!" Jessica exclaimed.
Bonnie turned to look at her and Jessica hesitated. Bonnie had disappeared for a bit after Sheila had died and she didn't know what to expect from Bonnie. Would Bonnie blame her for her part in her grandmother's death as she was related to the Salvatore's?
Jessica didn't have any time to ponder over that thought as Bonnie approached Jessica and hugged her.
"Jessica, it's so good to see you" Bonnie stated as she hugged the younger girl.
"It's great to see you to Bonnie. How are you? I've really missed you" Jessica replied.
"I've been better but, it is good to be back. I've missed you! It has been weird not being home and being able to have our sessions together" Bonnie stated.
Jessica breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad. I thought you were going to be mad at me" Jessica said.
"I'll admit, I was angry at this whole town to start with. However, I know that you are just as unwillingly sucked into all of this as I am. Would you still be interested in practising together?" Bonnie asked.
Jessica nodded.
"Bonnie, I would be honoured" Jessica said.
Bonnie nodded.
"I still have your number. I will message you with some times that would work. Just let me know" Bonnie grinned as she walked towards her car.
Jessica waved goodbye and turned towards the exit to the school. She was prepared to walk home but she spotted Damon and his infamous car parked close by.
He looked slightly angry, but he motioned for her to get in the car.
As Jessica climbed into the front seat and thanked Damon for picking her up, she continued to stare at him.
"What?" Damon gritted after a few tense moments.
"You've clearly had a great day! What's wrong?" Jessica asked.
"Sheriff Forbes has reported thefts of blood banks which, according to you, is most likely the work of Stefan. Sheriff put me and John Gilbert to work together to 'investigate' said thefts. Anna and Pearl dropped by to tell me all the tomb vamps have fled but the two of them are staying in town…great! So, my day has been just peachy…yours?" Damon stated.
Jessica grimaced.
"Sorry about that. I just happened to see it all as I walked into school this morning. On a good note, Bonnie is back and wants to continue our witch-y sessions together" Jessica replied.
Damon nodded.
"That's good" he said as he drove.
Once home, they noticed that Stefan's car was already parked up out front. Damon told Jessica to go straight up to her room whilst he went and confronted Stefan about the blood bags. Damon also planned on getting Stefan away from the house for the evening.
"So, blood bank thefts, would you happen to know anything about that baby bro?" Damon asked casually once Jessica was safely in her room.
Stefan shook his head.
"You're lying!" Damon chuckled in disbelief.
Stefan crossed his arms and shrugged, looking every bit the sullen teen.
"I'm not lying" he stated.
"God, you really are in denial, aren't you?" Damon asked.
Stefan glared at Damon.
"Look Stefan, stealing from the hospitals as much as you have been recently has drawn attention. I can't have you running around being out of control. So, I suggest you get it under control and quickly or I will take matters into my own hands regarding this. Am I clear?" Damon asked.
"Whatever Damon, I'm spending the evening with Elena practising a dance. She's in the running for Miss Mystic Falls and I am her partner" Stefan grumbled.
"Ok little liar, don't eat your girlfriend, will you?" Damon mocked as Stefan stormed out of the house.
Once Damon was sure that Stefan wasn't coming back into the house, he went upstairs and got Jessica out of her room. He wanted her to enjoy a peaceful house to herself for the evening.
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"So kid, any preferences on what you want to do this evening? I got Mr Hyde out of the house for the evening…most likely to eat his girlfriend" Damon stated as Jessica walked into the living room.
Jessica shrugged in response; she was just happy to not be around Stefan for a while.
"I'm sorry that you've had to be locked up in your room for the last couple of days, I honestly wasn't expecting Stefan to snap like this, and I've been sort of winging it" Damon admitted.
Jessica nodded.
"I understand, do you think he will be ok?" she asked.
Damon swallowed.
"I think he will be eventually however, the number of dead bodies he might create between now and then is unpredictable" Damon stated honestly.
Jessica sighed sadly, poor Stefan.
"Anyway, forget about the doom and gloom. The house is yours…what would you like to do?" Damon asked.
Jessica thought for a moment.
"Would I be able to practise some magic? With Bonnie back, we are going to practise together but I'm worried because I've had a few uncontrollable bouts recently and I don't want to accidentally hurt her" Jessica said.
Damon nodded.
"Sure, let's set up the table and grab some of your books and you can show me what you've been learning" Damon agreed.
The two set the living room up and sat at the table.
Jessica eyed the fire extinguisher her father had brought into the room with him.
Damon noticed and smirked.
"Just in case you try to kill me" Damon stated.
Jessica rolled her eyes but turned her attention back to a book that Sheila had loaned her before she died.
Damon watched with interest as the teen studied the book and followed its instructions. He was extremely impressed with her ability to control her magic when she was concentrating. She was truly a force to be reckoned with and he was excited to think of what she would be able to manage when she was fully trained and had harnessed her powers.
Jessica focused on the spells in the book and practised conjuring small fires and controlling the flames. The instructions suggested thinking of things that triggered different emotions to show the difference in the aggression of the flames when feeling those emotions. The instructions also suggested to have a counter memory for every negative emotion and that the counter memory would help the witch regain control over the flames.
Jessica decided to start with sadness. She thought of a few different memories that made her sad, the first one being her mother's passing. As she thought about it, she realised that the memory of her mother's passing had no effect on the flames.
She frowned and tried again.
Still nothing.
Damon could tell she was getting frustrated and was about to say something but paused when he noticed a different look cross her features.
Jessica turned her thoughts to when she found out that Damon was planning on bailing with Katherine. She concentrated on the feeling of abandonment and how much of a shock his blasé announcement of intentions had been and the emotional pain that had unexpectedly hit Jessica at the time.
The flames roared into life and the lively flames swayed rapidly as if the flames were sad.
Jessica then tried to think of a counter memory to abate the flames. She searched her mind and tried to picture a happy time form her life in the UK with her mother however, everything she thought of had no effect on the flames that were starting to grow.
She closed her eyes and thought harder. Her life in England had so many negative memories and emotions attached to it that it most likely outweighed the positives. She tried to think of something more recent that she could separate easily.
Her mind suddenly snapped to the memory with Stefan, Damon, and her in her bedroom after the vampire attack on the house where Stefan was goofing around with her boxes of medication. Stefan's joking around had made her laugh, but it was Damon's acknowledgement that she was his daughter that had caused her to become breathless and her heartbeat to thud rapidly in her chest in a fulfilling way.
The flames started to subside and were back under control.
Jessica opened her eyes and smiled at the now manageable flames.
She looked over to where Damon was sat and found herself staring at the end of a fire extinguisher.
Damon lowered the equipment when he saw Jessica eradicate the flames completely. He sighed and placed the extinguisher back on the floor.
Jessica stared at him; eyebrow raised.
"I had every faith in you" he said.
"Sure, the fire extinguisher has me convinced" she chuckled at him.
"Despite what I say, I am actually quite fond of this house" Damon stated.
Jessica laughed.
"What were you doing with the fire? It was fine for a while and then it changed" Damon asked.
"Most of my magic tends to happen in uncontrollable outbursts. The outbursts tend to happen when I suddenly feel strongly about a situation. It tends to be negative emotion such as anger, fear, sadness, abandonment, despair, numbness, vulnerable, humiliated etc. For example, that night in the woods with Bonnie and the crystal, I was terrified and the sudden and unexpected feeling of extreme fear created the violent uncontrollable fire. Compared to, say, the morning I met Lexi. Yes, I was scared but not outright terrified as I could comprehend the situation and could quickly and easily remove myself from the situation. The problem with my way out of situations, it tends to be running for the hills" Jessica explained.
Damon nodded; he had noticed that.
"But you just seemed so relaxed and then suddenly the flames changed" Damon indicated to the slight char on the wood of the table.
Jessica nodded.
"That's because I was experimenting with my emotions. I purposefully thought of something that made me really sad to antagonise the flames and then, tried to think of a counter memory to calm the flames. It's all in the name of emotional control" Jessica answered.
"Were you thinking about your mother?" Damon asked.
Jessica stared at him for a moment.
"I tried, but it didn't trigger the flames, so I had to try something else" Jessica said.
"Which was…?" Damon questioned.
"It doesn't matter" she stated.
Damon looked like he was about to argue with her, but she quickly interrupted him.
"The bottom line is that, as long as I create an arsenal of positive memories to counteract the negative, my magic is controllable" she said.
Damon stared at her warily.
"That's why the flames calmed. I thought of something negative to trigger them and then thought of something positive to distract me from the negative to calm the flames" she continued.
"I just need to keep practising with it and Sheila recommended meditating or yoga classes to help keep my mind clearer and calmer in preparation for challenging situations" Jessica informed him.
"We'll get you signed up for some" Damon agreed.
"Thanks" Jessica said.
"Well, all that concentrating must have built an appetite. What would you like for dinner?" Damon asked.
"I'm not actually that hungry…" Jessica trailed off.
"No, you're not doing that anymore. You do not eat enough and I'm actually starting to become concerned about your intermittent eating habits so, I repeat, what would you like for dinner?" Damon asked again.
"Ok, I'm really not hungry for anything heavy. How about some soup? Or a cheese sandwich?" Jessica suggested.
"Well, I would rather you eat something than nothing at all. I'm still not happy about this though" Damon said as he made his way to the kitchen.
Jessica thought about Damon's words. Food was a difficult situation back in England. Where Jessica's mother was rarely in the house, and did not have money to throw around, Jessica relied on food she could have at friends' houses. She never had breakfast, or lunch. She and Robbie often had dinner dates, courtesy of Robbie, so she ate well during that time. She also got lucky sometimes, when she had friends, and would be invited to join them for family meals. However, that was infrequent and stopped altogether after the shit with Robbie. Sleeping around meant that she was often able to get a bite from the kitchen cupboards while her latest bed mate was asleep. Drug taking didn't help, it often left her without any appetite at all and she became practically skeletal by the time her mother got sick and, due to the stress of that situation, the state of Jessica's physical health worsened. She hadn't got into a routine yet of eating normally.
"Some bread and soup for the teen" Damon broke Jessica out of her thoughts.
Jessica looked at him startled and then thanked him.
"You really were in your own world then. What's troubling you?" Damon asked as Jessica started eating her soup.
"It's nothing" Jessica replied.
"It's never just 'nothing' when it comes to you. I'll ask once more, what's troubling you?" Damon asked.
Jessica sighed.
"I was just thinking about the fact that you're right about the whole food thing" Jessica answered.
"Yeah?" Damon asked in surprise and concern.
Jessica nodded. She took a deep breath as she voiced her previous thoughts and confided in the vampire about the troubles she had experienced back home.
Damon listened intently and tried not to let on how worried he was actually becoming the further Jessica got into her story.
"Did you ever have anything at home?" he asked once she had finished talking.
Jessica grimaced.
"Tell me" Damon ordered her.
"You've read my file. Do you remember the police reports on petty theft? Sometimes mum would be gone for so long, and with no money, I would often steal" Jessica admitted.
Damon stared at her as he hid his disapproval and tried to put himself in her situation rather than judge her.
"Normal teens might go into a shop to steal sweets. I would go into a shop and steal tinned food or frozen food, long-life food. I would mainly get away with it but other times, a security guard would catch me and log the theft with the police. As long as I was polite and contrite, the police would normally give me a warning and a lecture and send me away from the shop. Sometimes I got lucky when my latest bed mate or druggie friend passed out and casually left their wallet unattended. I hated myself for doing it but, £5 here or £10 there would keep food well stocked for weeks if I only had a small serving of it once a day" she confessed shamefully.
Damon looked at Jessica with a mixture of shock, disapproval, and pity.
"Didn't your mother do anything?" Damon asked perplexed, the Jo he remembered had a strong head on her shoulders despite how young she was.
What the hell happened?
Jessica shook her head.
"I think she had a part-time job for a while to fit in with me and school when I was really little. She would work whilst I was at school and then finish work in time to pick me up from school, so she didn't have to pay for extra childcare. As she earned so little from working, she was able to claim some benefits to cover us, but it was completely budgeted to the penny" Jessica explained.
"Once I reached age nine or ten, I was deemed old enough to look after myself. Mum would work whilst I was at school and when school was over, instead of coming home for me, she would go off and spend evenings out doing whatever – research, extra work, men? I don't really know. I would finish school, walk myself home and cook myself dinner with whatever was in the cupboard and then wash up my dirty dishes. I would then get any homework done without being prompted and then bathed, if we had any hot water, and put myself to bed at a decent time to be able to get myself up for school the next morning" Jessica stated.
"'Nine or ten?!" Damon gasped in surprise.
Jessica shrugged.
Jessica finished eating her soup and then took her dishes to the kitchen where she washed them and put them away.
She went back into the living room where Damon was still sat at the table, contemplating everything Jessica had just told him.
"I just can't believe it. What happened as you got older?" Damon asked.
Jessica sipped some water before she answered.
"I had that first uncontrollable burst of magic and it freaked mum out. She had already quit her job before then but, her research suddenly became obsessive. Her benefits went towards her travelling to visit connections and to aid her research. She rarely came home anymore, and I was really left to my own devices. I really learned to look after and fend for myself until…you know the rest" Jessica explained.
Damon nodded.
"So, way back when you arrived here and you tried to explore the town in the rain, I made you go into a store and purchase some dry clothes. You purchased some cheap clothes and said you could support yourself. Was that a lie?" Damon asked.
Jessica hesitated but shook her head.
"It wasn't a lie as such. Granted, I don't have a lot of money, but it is enough to look after myself long enough to reach sixteen and get a job. When mum got sick, she still had her benefits paid but, because she was at home and wasn't travelling or spending the money, her benefit money sat in her bank account largely untouched for those last few months. She transferred some of it to me before she died so the council couldn't snatch it back. Like I said, it is not a lot but it's enough to get me to sixteen. Then I can work and earn and save for myself" Jessica answered.
Damon looked at her sadly.
"Don't be offended at my next question but, because of that thinking, is that why you don't like it when Stefan or I provide for you? Is that why you're stubborn about it?" Damon asked.
"I guess it's not so much that I'm stubborn or don't appreciate it when you or Stefan pay for things for me. It's just, I'm not used to anyone looking out for me, but myself. So, it feels really weird when someone else provides for me because I'm not used to it. I have been so used to looking after myself for the last six years that it feels really unsettling to be cared for by someone else" Jessica attempted to explain.
Damon nodded.
"Well, as you are under eighteen, and are directly under my care, I have a legal parental responsibility to provide you with everything that you need. So, I want you to keep hold of the money that you have and use it for things like going out with friends, getting the bus, shopping sprees, eating out at a restaurant, concerts, you know…normal teenage stuff. As a parent, it is my legal responsibility to provide your basic human needs such as food, water, a home, a place to sleep, clothes, medical care, emotional support, and an environment which makes you feel cared for and allows you to build your self-esteem. Naturally, our situation is a little unique however, you still need those basics" Damon stated.
Jessica looked like she was going to argue but Damon intervened.
"No Jessica, I will be fulfilling my parental responsibilities by you. What is troubling is that I shouldn't have to tell you this or try to convince you of it. It should have been what was done from the day you were born and been unrelenting. I appreciate that your mom was doing it all by herself, but you are still just a child" Damon stated.
Jessica sighed.
"Ok. However, it will take me a while to get used to it…if I get used to it at all. Can you be patient with me? I'm likely to fight you on this" Jessica admitted.
"I think I can deal with that. Can I ask why you are so adamant on it all?" Damon asked.
"Honestly? I think it's about control. You're aware of how out of control my past has been over the last few years. It's almost like looking after myself is the only way of me being in charge of the parts of my life that I can manage by myself. I have my routine, my way, and an awareness of my own strengths and limitations within those boundaries. I like to feel like I'm in control of my life instead of helplessly spiralling" Jessica said.
"I think it is a bit of trust as well. When mum started disappearing all the time, I couldn't rely on her anymore. With that and what happened with my other relationships back home, I didn't trust anyone but myself" Jessica continued.
Damon nodded, acknowledging her insight.
"Well, like I said, I will be providing you with the basics from now on, but I will bear in mind what you have said about having control and needing trust in your life. Does that sound fair?" Damon asked.
Jessica nodded.
"That sounds good to me" she agreed.
Damon smiled at her.
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The following morning, Jessica and Damon were sat comfortably reading in the living room when there was a knock at the door.
Damon and Jessica stared at each other momentarily before Damon stood up to answer the door.
"What are you doing here?" Damon asked in disbelief as John stood on the doorstep.
"Good morning, Damon, I believe the Sheriff asked us yesterday to team up and investigate the recent hospital thefts" John Gilbert stated smugly as he stood on the doorstep.
Damon glared at the man. He'd only agreed to work with John in return for John keeping his damn mouth shut.
"Well, are you going to invite me in or not?" John asked mockingly.
"Enter at your own risk" Damon replied as he stood aside and let the other man enter his home.
Jessica, having heard them, watched as John walked into the living room.
"Good morning Jessica, nice to meet you now that you're more sober" John greeted as he saw her.
Jessica glared at him, she really did not like this man.
"Well, even sober you seem to have no manners" John tutted at her.
Damon glared at him for that comment.
"What do you want John?" Damon asked.
"I want the Gilbert invention" John stated.
"The what?" Damon asked.
"Johnathan Gilbert believed he was an inventor of his time and that he invented objects to protect the people against the vampires however, Emily Bennett actually spelled them all to work and he never really invented anything at all. The three inventions are the Gilbert rings, the compass, and the Gilbert invention which looks like a small music box" John explained.
"Why do you want it John?" Damon asked suspiciously.
John shrugged.
"It's a Gilbert possession. According to the Bennett Grimoire, the invention was thrown into the church to be burned however, we know how that story ended. I believe your good friend Pearl has it as Johnathan Gilbert was infatuated with the woman. I want you to get it from her" John explained.
"You're insane if you think I'm giving you something that can be used against me" Damon remarked.
"You'll do it if you don't want anyone finding out about you. Also, I can pull some strings to find Miss Katherine Pierce for you" John bargained.
"Firstly, tell anyone about us and I will eat everyone and ensure that rivers of blood will flow through the town. Secondly, I don't believe you about Katherine" Damon stated.
"Well, that's your problem Damon" John shrugged.
"Also, I reckon you'd kill me the first chance you get, you're just using me right now" Damon said.
"Of course I am! However, to placate you, I have a stash of stakes, vervain, and wood bullet launchers in the trunk of my car. Go and get them yourself and keep them away from me until the task is complete" John shrugged.
"It's a trap" Jessica stated.
The men turned their attention to her.
"She speaks!" John exclaimed.
"Don't do it Damon, he is obviously playing you" Jessica stated through gritted teeth.
John stared inquisitively at Jessica.
"If Damon cared just a small bit for poor off the rails Stefan, he would play my game for now" John stated.
That piqued Damon's interest.
"Leave my brother out of this" Damon stated.
"Wish I could however, he is leaving me no choice. Either play my game and deal with your brother or, surrender and I will take your brother out" John threatened.
Damon glared at John and headed for the front door.
"Where are you going?" John asked.
"To get your fucking weapons" Damon snapped furiously.
"There's a good boy" John grinned.
As soon as Damon stepped out the front door, John turned to Jessica.
"You are a mystery. No one I know has any idea of who you are or your existence. Which is impressive in itself" John stated, intrigued by the unknown teen.
Jessica felt a tingle trickle down her back.
John dipped his hand into his trouser pocket and pulled out a pocket watch.
Jessica frowned at it.
John held it up in front of him and held it in the direction of Jessica.
John stared at the thing and frowned.
"Curious" he stated.
Damon entered the living room once more, John's weapons in hand, and froze when he saw John pointing the compass in the direction of Jessica.
"Leave her out of this John" Damon stated.
"The compass can't decide if you're a vampire or not. That is odd. Are you a vampire? You're certainly something different" John stated, perplexed.
He stared at Damon.
Damon moved to stand in front of his daughter and stared the slimy man down.
"Leave her out of this John. You will regret it if you don't" Damon warned.
Something in Damon's tone told John that he should listen to the warning. The fact that the teen looked exactly like Damon let John know that she was important, and that Damon would sooner destroy the world than let this teen be harmed.
John just nodded but did not stop assessing the girl.
"A deal is a deal Damon" John said.
"Let's get this over with. Jessica, go grab your schoolbag…we will drop you off on the way" Damon sighed.
Jessica did as Damon asked and the three of them soon climbed into Damon's car and headed towards the town.
