(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Damon's eyes track Daphne as she paces in front of his bookshelves, eyes on the titles and authors, her phone in her hand on speakerphone connected to Alaric on the other end. She's worried about Elena. With all the troubles going on, Elena was to text every hour, just with a little smiley face to let Daphne know that she was alright and safe and vice versa, to check on with one another. To reassure they were both fine and alive whilst apart. But Elena's missed the last two hours and now Daphne is worried. She has called around everyone, but so far no one has seen her since this morning, just like Daphne. Alaric is her last option.

"Sorry, Daphne, I haven't seen Elena since this morning" Alaric informs Daphne as she peruses the Salvatore shelves of books.

"No one else has seen her and she's not answering her phone" Daphne points out, her voice showing that she is now starting to get a little more concerned.

"Well, I'm surprised you have time to call, what with all this vampire sex you've been having" Alaric comments, Daphne snorts and shakes her head.

"She told you?" She argues.

"Oh, she told me" He points out, but there is a small smirk to his tone, Elena is far more excited about their pairing than she should be, it's as if it is her relationship. But Daphne kind of gets it. With her own relationship with Stefan withering, she's latched onto the nearest pair to find some level of happiness.

"Oh, really?" She asks. "Did she also tell you that she's having an attack of conscience about this whole Original murder thing?"

"Hey, listen, I'm not gonna judge her for having a conscience" Alaric defends, Daphne snorts.

"If anyone was going to be up for killing a few Originals, I thought it would be you" She points out with a small shrug. Given what happened with Jenna, she assumed everyone would be on board for getting rid of the big bad threats in town. No matter what. "I feel like we might have to lock her in her room till this is over"

"Well, I wouldn't if I could and I can't because I'm busy," Alaric tells her, Daphne frowns a little before she smirks.

"Busy doing what?" She teases.

"Don't worry about it"

"Are you with the sexy, psycho doctor?" Damon asks behind her, Daphne turns to give him a look as Alaric groans down the phone.

"Talk to you later, Daphne" She hums in response before hanging up.

"Little comments like that aren't going to get you your friend back" She points out to Damon as he shifts closer to her, reaching out to grab her jacket.

"Who needs him" Damon argues. "I got myself a new friend" He teases, pulling her closer to him. "And she's far more fun" She hums a little and smirks back at him.

"Hope you don't treat all your friends this way" She counters, he shakes his head and then kisses her, hands on the small of her back. She backs up, her hand in his as she gives him a rather heated look.

"What about Elena?" He asks.

"Well, I was hoping we could do this without her" She teases a little as she pulls him along, he gives her a look. "Everyone else is out looking for her" She offers. "We'll give them an hour, then I will resort to magical tracking measures...."

"An hour?" He draws out with a long sigh. "Really know how to make a guy feel special" He catches up to her, though, nuzzling into her neck as he wraps his arms around her. She looks up, lets out a gasp a little, both of them coming to a stop. Elijah is now standing in front of them, Damon is quick to pull away from Daphne, pushing her behind him and out of Elijah's reach.

"We need to discuss a few things," Elijah tells them both.

"How about I take my wand and turn you into a fucking ferret instead?" Daphne asks, her wand poking out under Damon's arm. Elijah raises an eyebrow at Damon who nods.

"She'll do it" He points out. He has no doubt that she'll use that spell, in fact, she seems rather eager to use it on someone.

"I would stow the wand" Elijah scolds her. "I have your sister" Daphne's arm falls a little as she hears that. "And should you help me...I will release her"

"Oh really wanting to ferret you now" Daphne complains. "I'm getting really tired of your family pissing on mine like this....none of this would be happening if your dad wasn't a dick and your mom could keep her legs shut" Damon's eyes widen a little as Elijah's eyes harden. "If she hadn't slept around, Klaus would be just another original dick and there would have been no need for any of you to be here!"

"Maybe don't slut shame his mother when he's holding your sister hostage" Damon warns her.

"Yes, maybe don't" Elijah agrees. Daphne lets out a breath through her nose, clearly, she is very, very, very annoyed about all of this. Because she's right. This is all on their parents. If Esther was faithful, Klaus would never have been born, and all of this could have been avoided. "Shall we?" Elijah motions to the living room area, leaving no room for argument. He will be getting their help, mostly because he knows how much Elena means to Daphne. There is no way she is about to let anything happen to her. And he's counting on that.