Forever the One

Thirteen

Damon knew that Elena stayed over with Stefan, but he wasn't really worried about them. He was going to ask the one person who he can actually trust. Clara Gilbert. He walked into the guest room to see the mother daughter duo asleep. Walking over to her, Damon looked at the eldest Gilbert. "Clara."

"Hmm."

"You promised to help."

She raised up and grabbed the file at the foot of the bed. "Let me sleep." She tells him as she handed him the file. "Read some of this journal that I made copies of because I think I know where the grimoire is, but I have to be well rested."

Hearing Mara-Belle, Damon looked at her. "I'll watch her while you get your beauty sleep."

Clara watched Mara-Belle go to Damon and leave. She didn't know what was happening, but she wasn't going to complain. She never had that much help before and this was new.
~~~
At the Gilbert household, Clara sat in the kitchen as Mara-Belle was taking a nap. She was looking for the grimoire as Damon looked at her then to Jeremy. 'Tell me more about your big sister."

"Clara?" He says not taking his eyes off the game. "She's a hard working woman. Rarely trusts people. Why?"

"Just curious."

Jeremy paused the game and looked at him. "Listen, if you are interested in my sister than don't hurt her or Mara-Belle. They don't need someone to come into their lives just to leave later. I don't want that for them. Clara is my favorite because she always was concerned about me. No one never did, but her." He looked at his sister to see her in deep thought. "If you really want to be with her, then prove to her that you won't be like other guys."

Elena walked through the door to see Damon walking to Clara. They've been leaving her and Stefan out of whatever they were doing. "Did you find it?"

"Prying ears." She tells him as she went to the stairs. "I'll be right back, need to check on Mara-Belle."

Damon followed Clara upstairs causing Elena to look at Jenna. "Hey, she's old enough to take care of herself."

"I don't trust him around them."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Jealous much."

Elena looked at him as she couldn't believe he said that. She wasn't jealous over Damon. She's worried about her sister and niece.
~~~
In Clara's room, Damon had the door shut as Clara let Mara-Belle play in the floor. "So I found out that your father was buried with the grimoire that you need." She tells him. "Stefan and Elena may have caught on about now and that's not good because they will be hiding this from you."

"They already know. Stefan heard me this morning."

Clara shook her head. "Do you think that you are doing the right ting, what if she was never in there. I know you saw her go in, but think about it." She tells him. "I know you said you watched her go in, but we both know how Katherine can be."

Damon sighed. "I just want to know."

"Okay." She says kissing his cheek.

Damon looked back at the mother and daughter playing and knew she was right. Was he really doing this to see if she was truly in there?
~~~
That night, Elena went to check on Clara and Mara-Belle with Stefan to tell her that Damon has the book. When they opened the door, there was no sign of Clara or her daughter. "Stefan?"

"Oh no."