Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Outside, Elena paces around. Diana exits the Grill and approaches her sister. She knew Elena would eventually get hurt because of them, because of the vampires. She knew something like this would happen. She can't even begin to imagine how Alaric is feeling about what Damon just did either, to mock him in front of everyone. She takes a breath and shakes her head.

"Elena," Diana states as she approaches her sister. Elena turns to her.

"He killed her? Damon was the vampire that killed her?" She asks Diana.

"I don't know what happened. Alaric just said that they never found the body." Diana offers.

"Oh, my god. Diana." Diana steps closer to her and pulls her into a hug, Elena wraps her arms around her big sister.

"I know. I'm sorry." Diana whispers. "I would have told you...but I only found out earlier today and I haven't seen you" She adds.

"I was feeling sorry for him, hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid." Elena scolds herself. Diana doesn't know who this Katherine is so she can't really comment on the whole thing.

"I wanted to confront him, but Stefan told me not to"

"Why is he protecting him, Diana?" Elena asks her.

"I don't know" Diana answers. "Well, I can kinda guess," she counters, Elena pulls back from her. "There is nothing you or Jeremy could do that would mean that I would ever stop protecting you, that I would ever turn my back on you" Elena softens a little. "Even now" Diana offers. "We're in a fight and I still came out here" Elena nods slightly. Elena looks over Diana's shoulder and back up at her, but does a double-take when she recognizes a man down the street.

"That man." Diana turns around and looks at the man, who watches them. "I saw that man outside of Trudie's."

"You went to Trudie's alone?" Diana scolds a little.

"I just wanted answers, Di" Elena answers, Diana sighs.

"Fine, come on...Get back inside. Come on." Diana gently pushes Elena back inside the Grill and follows her soon thereafter.

.....................

Elena walks back into the Grill, still upset and shocked. As she continues walking and not paying attention to where she's going, she runs right into Damon.

"Whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else." Damon tells Elena.

"Did you enjoy that? Rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman?" Elena asks Damon as Diana appears behind Elena, she touches Elena's arm.

"Let's not start something in here" Diana whispers to her.

"What?" Damon asks Elena.

"Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you. Stefan walks up to Diana, Elena, and Damon. Stefan and Diana share a look, she sighs a little.

"Elena." Stefan shakes his head at Elena. Damon looks from Stefan to Elena.

"Am I missing something here?"

"Did I forget to mention earlier when we were talking about my birth mother? The one that gave me up?" Elena starts.

"Mm-hm."

"Her name was Isobel." Damon's face falters. "Go ahead. Reminisce about how you killed her." Elena rams into Damon's shoulder as she walks past him. Stefan and Damon exchange looks and Stefan leaves to follow Elena.

"Always knew you'd screw up at some point" Diana points out with a smirk. "Maybe they'll let me kill you now" she states and then walks away. Damon's glare follows her.