(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Daphne heads back through the witch house, her broomstick in her hand, the necklace dangles in her other hand. It had actually been rather easy to get it once she was over the town square. She heads down the stairs towards the basement where Bonnie is sitting on a crate with Pad in her lap, scratching at his head. Bonnie looks at Daphne as she joins them with a soft smile watching Bonnie with Pad.

"Where's Caroline?" Daphne asks as she moves past Bonnie.

"Vampire trouble on the road" Bonnie answers and follows her, holding Pad in her hand. "She got out to help Mrs Lockwood. Did you...?" Daphne holds up her hand to show the necklace dangling there. "Where was it?"

"No idea" Daphne answers. "I just pointed my wand and whoosh...necklace flying through the air" Bonnie nods a little and then watches as Daphne sets the broomstick down.

"I can't believe you have a broomstick" Bonnie mumbles, Daphne glances at her and raises an eyebrow.

"Jealous?"

"A little" Bonnie admits, Daphne snorts.

"I'll teach you to fly if you want...." She offers. Bonnie glances at her, Daphne nods a little. "Maybe after we've dealt with the ghosts though?"

"Right" Bonnie agrees. Daphne heads towards the fireplace.

"Incendio" She throws out her hand and the fireplace lights. She looks at the necklace in her other hand before she throws it into the fire and begins to cast a spell. Eyes closed as she concentrates. Tink and Sirius appear on either side of Daphne and touch her arms and close their eyes to help her. Tink then holds out her hand towards Bonnie without looking back at her. Bonnie smiles softly and takes the offered hand and closes her eyes to join them. The necklace burns in the fire.

.......

The last of the necklace starts to fade in the flames. The last of the spell working through it. All the ghosts all over town have started to disappear back behind the veil. Sirius takes Tink's hand and kisses the back of it. The two of them share a look before they look at Daphne sadly.

"I'm sorry" Daphne rushes out. They both know what she's apologising for. The way she has been with them. The way she was trying to protect herself. She's already lost her parents once. Both sets. And now she has to do it again. Now she has to watch them leave her. Tink moves closer to her and takes her hand, threading their fingers together.

"Never forget who you are," She tells her daughter with a look. "Or what you are capable of. You are so strong and we're so proud of you" Tink tells her. "And we'll never be far...." Daphne's jaw trembles as she fights her own emotions.

"Remy" Sirius whispers. Daphne looks at him. "The ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them" Sirius puts his hand over Daphne's heart. "In here" He smirks at her and nods. Then they are gone. Disappearing forever. Daphne lets out a breath, tears now streaming down her cheeks. She falls to her knees and curls into herself, arms around her stomach. Bonnie kneels with her and hugs Daphne tightly as she cries.

......

The bedroom is dark as Pad pulls himself up onto Daphne's bed. Daphne doesn't want to do anything. She doesn't care about the necklace. She just wants to lay on her bed. In her dog form. It's just easier for her to deal like this. Plus no one will ask her to talk about it when she can't physically do so. She can just be stuck in her own head. There is a soft knock on the door before it opens and Elena lets herself in. Her eyes land on the dog on the bed, instantly finding her sister.

"Bonnie called," Elena tells her as she closes the door behind her and moves towards the bed. "I'm sorry, Daph, I can't even begin to imagine...." She sits on the bed and touches Daphne's head, scratching at the fur. She doesn't know what to say to make her feel better about this, and she doesn't think there is anything anyone could say. "Do you want me to stay with you?" Daphne growls a little, just to let it be known that she wants to be left alone. "Okay," Elena whispers and gets up. "Well, if you need anything....you know you can call me, right?" Daphne blinks a little and then nods. Elena smiles softly and then takes a breath. "I'm going to meet Alaric, apparently Mason showed them something in the old Lockwood tunnels..." She's trying to get Daphne interested in going with her, just so she's not going to be alone and hurting. But it doesn't work. Daphne turns her head away and tucks it between her front legs. Elena looks at her sadly before she nods. Nothing is going to work here. "I'll be back soon," She has no plans to leave her sister alone for too long. Just to go and see what they found and then come back to comfort her. Though maybe Damon would be better at doing it. They've been closer recently. Getting closer. Maybe that is what Daphne needs right now.

........

Elena and Alaric are walking through the underground Lockwood tunnels. Both of them carry flashlights as they make their way through the dark. Pad stands on her shoulder, holding on to her hair. She'd found him when she was halfway here and thought better of taking him back. At least here she can keep him out of trouble. Hopefully.

"So, the Lockwoods really have no idea that these tunnels are underneath their property?" Elena asks. Alaric shakes his head and then motions to Elena's torch.

"Careful where you shine that thing. Bats hate the light."

"Wait, what?" She asks, suddenly unsure that she did the right thing coming here and taking Daphne's place. Damon secretly appears in the tunnels with them.

"Elena!" Damon whispers spookily behind her. She turns around and sees him. "Boo!" She jumps from fright and then glares at him.

"God, Damon!" Elena scolds. Considering everything that goes on in their lives, jump scares is not a good idea.

"Scaredy-cat!" He teases.

"Just ignore him" Alaric offers. "That's what I do" Damon glances behind Elena but it is very clear that there is no Daphne.

"Where's your sister?" Damon asks. "I sent the text to her"

"Yeah, I know" Elena points out as she tugs her jacket closer. "But...she's currently preferring to spend her time as a dog whilst she deals with her parents disappearing on her. Again." Damon closes his eyes a little and nods. "Bonnie said she was pretty upset, so here I am instead. Sorry." She smirks a little. "I know you'd much rather spend your time with her" She teases, Damon gives her a look and then snorts. Elena chuckles to herself as she follows after Alaric. From her shoulder, Pad jumps and lands on Damon's instead, sliding slightly before he scrambles up. Damon glances at him, reaching up to scratch at his belly.

"Hey, buddy" Damon offers with a small smirk. "Got anything for me?" he teases. Pad rummages in his pouch before he pulls out a shiny galleon to hold out to him. It doesn't belong to Damon but he sees it as an offer of friendship, maybe. Damon takes it from him and turns it around in his hand. Pad's eyes flicker between the coin and Damon's face. Whilst given to him, that doesn't mean that he's not going to try and take it back from Damon the first chance he gets.