Who Names Their Kid Malachai?

Monsters And Cocoa

When I reached the boarding house, it was Damon who answered the door. Stefan was probably comforting Elena, not even thinking about the fifteen year old walking alone. Why would he, monsters can't get hurt.

" Witchy? What are you doing here?" Damon asked before looking around behind me. " Did you walk?"

" Jenna was too drunk to drive. Jeremy and I forced John to help us tell her the truth." He looked skeptical. " It's too dangerous for her to be the only one in the house who didn't know." He nodded. " She was actually taking it pretty well, considering, but then Elena walked in."

" Okay, and what happened with Elena?"

" It got ugly, there was yelling, she accused me of stealing her family, and then she called me... something." I trailed off. " I just, I had to leave so I wouldn't kill her in her sleep or say something I meant." I shifted the bag on my shoulder. " Can I stay?"

" As long as you need." Damon moved to let me in. " But I gotta ask, what did she call you?"

" A sociopath. " He looked confused. " Jet's just say, my father wasn't the most stable. And despite the fact that I never met him," I paused, " my coven expected the same from me. Treated me like I'd already proven it."

" Pfuh." He breathed out, dragging a hand over his mouth. " Okay, I'm not great at the big brother thing, but I think there's some cocoa in the kitchen. Let's get you set up with that and I'll warn Ric that his girlfriend's in the know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

After texting Ric, Damon made me cocoa and then forced me to lean against him on the couch. Apparently, I flinch too much and need to get used to affection. It was peacefully quiet for a while.

" Is Elena right?" I asked, staring into my half empty mug.

" What?"

" It's just... Elena's sad. About the Isobel thing. But I can't find it in me to be sad. I'm angry. Angry that she left me with people she had to have known were awful. Angry she took Jeremy. And that she's been watching Elena but had no idea who I was. But... I'm not sad." I took a couple deep breaths. " And Elena," my voice cracked, " perfect Elena, who always has to be right, keeps making it out like I'm the bad guy."

" You have every right to be angry."

" So..." I changed the subject. " You know how my night went, what about yours? The princess mentioned seeing Isobel again."

" Yeah... Nicely done by the way." He tried to divert.

" Damon."

" After Jeremy was taken, Elena and Bonnie figured out what the device was. It's a weapon, against vampires. Something Emily Bennet secretly spelled for the original Johnathon Gilbert." He explained flippantly. " Then Elena made me give it to Bonnie to de-activate, or something, before handing it over to Isobel for Jeremy, who was already safe."

I whipped my head up to look at him. " I'm sorry, you trusted the vampire hating Bennet witch to de-spell the anti-vampire weapon made by her own ancestor? And then gave it to Isobel?! Do you want to die?"

" You don't think she did it?" He asked looking down at me.

I turned away again and took a sip of my cold cocoa. " Of course she didn't do it, she wants you dead. Not to mention, witches are all brainwashed to believe the words of their dead ancestors above all, plenty of whom are bitter towards vampires."

" But not you?"

" Of course not," I snorted, " I'm an abomination."

Damon's grip tightened around me, his voice low and angry. " Who told you that?" He spat.

I shrugged. " My coven. But it's fine, I'm reclaiming it. NOw it just means that I'm better than them." Sip.

" In that case, you're my little abomination." His grip relaxed. " Best of them all."

It was quiet again and I finished my cocoa. If this was affection, maybe it wasn't so bad. Better than being locked in the attic for asking to play with Liv and Luke. Better even than the tense smiles Jo gave me when I succeeded in a new spell.

" Isobel told Elena that I'm in love with her. In front of Stefan."

I figured it was my turn to supply affection, even if I was still angry about Elena. I turned and hugged him around the waist, resting my head on his clavicle.

" Don't let her ruin you." I whispered. " You and Stefan are healing and I think in the long run you'll both find that more important."

" Hm."

" Besides," he looked down at me, " you deserve someone who will love your darkness just as much as your heart."

Damon rested his cheek on my head. " How do I do it though?"

I thought. " I don't think it'll be quick, or painless, but you should start by seeing her flaws."

" What?"

" She's not perfect, Damey. No matter how much she pretends that she is. She might not draw blood, or dig graves, but she's just as capable of cruelty ad us. Yet somehow we're in the wrong." I yawned. She's like my grandfather, she screams at people to change, but even when they show progress, she's just waiting for them to slip up so she can judge them again. So she can put herself above them."

He took a deep breath. " I believe you." His voice softened. " there's more to what you said earlier, isn't there?"

I yawned. " She wants me to love Isobel just because we're blood, but she doesn't love me when it's the same. I didn't hurt her family, Isobel did, but because I hurt Isobel, I'm the monster." My eyelids were getting heavy, along with my heart. " Am I cursed?"

Damon jerked away and I was afraid he agreed. " What?!" He shouted, before settling back down and lifting my chin to stop me from staring down at my lap. " Hey, hey, look at me." I followed his soft order. " You are Not cursed. Why would you say that?"

I let my eyes drift away. " Everyone with whom I share blood, everyone I should be able to call family, wishes I had never existed."

He deflated back into the couch and held me tight." That's not true. What about your aunt?"

" My father cut out her spleen and killed four of her younger siblings, two days later she was forced to raise me. Forced to look at me and remember."

" Well, we might not be blood, but we can be family. Us, monsters, have to stick together right?" He poked me in the belly.

I giggled but it turned into another yawn.

" All right, up you go." Suddenly, Damon had me in a princess carry. " It is passed your bed time."