Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Diana sits on the top of the steps outside of Alaric's apartment playing with one of her knives. She knows that they have a talk coming, the whole demi reveal. She's never actually said it out aloud before. And she probably shouldn't have fled straight after though. She rubs her free hand over her cheek and then lets out a breath.

"Figured you'd want to talk" She comments twirling her knife in her hand as she looks up at Alaric when he climbs the stairs in front of her.

"You just took off" he points out, his eyes looking at her with worried eyes.

"I got scared" she admits quietly. "Telling you like that....after everything else...." he holds out his hand to her, she glances to it and he wiggles his fingers, she lets out a breath and takes his hand. He pulls her up to her feet and leads her to his apartment.

.......

Alaric shrugs out of his jacket as Diana glances around his apartment, she spins her knife and then tucks it away into her boot. Alaric takes a breath before looking at her.

"Drink?" he asks her.

"Sure" she answers. He nods and moves to grab the bottle of scotch from the side.

"Guess it kind of explains a lot" he offers as he pours them both a drink. "Why you're sort of weird" She shoots him a look. "I like that about you" he assures her and motions to the couch. "Does it mean anything? Ability wise?"

"Not as much as I would have if I was a first-gen" she admits as she sits on his couch. "My dad, he said I was...peak human" she explains.

"Peak human?" he asks as he makes his way back towards her.

"Think Olympic athlete levels and then.." She pops her lips a little. "Above that" he raises an eyebrow at her.

"For what?" he asks her, she cocks her head.

"Everything" she answers and looks at him. He holds out a glass of Scotch to her, she takes it with a small smile. He sits at her side and lets out a breath. "I've never actually told anyone before" She whispers, shrugs a little and takes a drink.

"So Greece? Boarding school?" he asks her, she licks her lips and nods.

"Artemis" she answers. "She runs a school for people like me"

"So there are others?"

"Yeah" she nods. "There aren't many, but enough"

"How does it work? Does she find you? Do you have to find her?"

"Well, for me....my abilities took hold rather violently" She answers, he frowns a little, she shakes her head. "My dad started researching my Fell bloodline....and then contacted the school. Normally, when our...abilities appear she takes us in till we're 21. Trains us to use those abilities, teaches us about the supernatural, weapons training, stuff like that"

"But you're not 21" he points out. "Why didn't you stay?"

"My parents died" she reminds him. "When I came back for the funeral, I saw how much Elena and Jeremy needed me...." he smiles at her, his fingers brushing her hair back from her face. "I had to come home" she whispers. "So...now you know I'm a freak." She looks at him. "Should I go?" he sets his drink down and turns to face her.

"Diana" he starts, she closes her eyes and hangs her head. "I want you to stay" he admits, she looks at him. "I've never met anyone like you" he admits. She climbs into his lap, his hands slipping up under the back of her shirt. She nudges his nose and he pulls her closer to him as he kisses her.

...........

Diana sits on the end of Alaric's bed, her phone pressed to her ear. She stayed the night. Which probably was a bad idea given the whole X thing, but she fell asleep in his bed and she didn't want to leave.

"Are you coming home any time soon?" Elena asks down the phone, Diana glances to Alaric sleeping in his bed and smiles. "I feel like we've barely seen you and we need to talk about what happened.....I really need someone to talk to"

"Yeah, I know, Elena" Diana offers as Alaric wakes, he glances at her and raises an eyebrow. "Soon, I'll come home soon. And we can talk about whatever you need to, okay?" Elena sniffles a little.

"Yeah, okay" Elena whispers. "Soon" She repeats and then hangs up. Diana closes her eyes and sets her phone to her head.

"Everything okay?" Alaric asks her softly. She sighs as she climbs back into his bed and settles at his side as he leans up against the headboard. Alaric wraps an arm around her and kisses her head.

"I have to go home" She tells him, he nods and breaths her in.

"Before you go" he starts and then opens his bedside draw. "I meant to give this to you earlier but..." he shakes his head and shrugs as he settles on the bed with her again. "Here" He tells her holding out the wrapped gift.

"What is this?"

"Christmas gift" he answers with a small shrug. She takes the box and unwraps it, taking the lid from the box inside. She laughs and picks up the bottle of ouzo from the box, he brushes her hair back from her shoulder and leans closer to kiss the skin there.

"You got me ouzo" she whispers softly.

"I remembered that you said you liked it" She nods and smiles at him.

"Thank you" She tells him. He lifts his head and kisses her softly.

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

Diana jogs up the steps to the Gilbert house and lets herself in, before she can even close the door, Elena is there and falling into Diana's arms, hugging her tightly.

"Oh, okay" Diana mumbles. "This is happening" she whispers and hugs Elena back, she strokes Elena's hair. "You're okay" she then pulls back and frowns at Elena. "Hey, why is my jeep outside?" Diana asks. "Thought it got banged up in Stefan's fight with Frederick" She adds.

"Damon" Elena whispers. "He brought it back all patched up" Diana raises an eyebrow as she looks out the window.

"He does know I'm never going to sleep with him, right?" Diana asks Elena who smiles a little and nods.

"Yeah, I think so, Di"

"Right, just checking" She shrugs out of her jacket and head towards the kitchen. Elena follows after her. "Do we have no coffee?" Diana asks searching the cabinets, Elena shrugs a little. "How can we have a talk if there's no caffeine? We're going out" Diana counters passing Elena again. Elena shakes her head amused.

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

Diana and Elena stand at at coffee counter of the only other place in Mystic Falls that sells coffee. Diana fiddles with a sugar packet as they wait for their order. A server stands cleaning out mugs close by, head down but clearly listening in. Her name tag reads: Eve.

"It was a tough fight, Elena" Diana offers. "And gods only know what they did to him in that cellar"

"Yeah, I know" Elena whispers.

"Maybe he just need some space to process or a really long nap" Diana teases. "I sure did"

"So you were at his? Your mystery man's?" Elena asks with a smile. "You stayed over?"

"Yeah" Diana answers with her own smile.

"Come on...that's it....You have to tell me something, Diana" Elena scolds with a laugh.

"He's...smart" Diana offers, Elena shoots her a look. "What? It's something" She teases.

"Why won't you tell us about him?" Elena asks her.

"Because..." Diana lets out a breath as two coffee travel mugs are placed on the counter for them. "Because it's still new" She admits as she opens her coffee lid to pour in sugar. "I'm still getting to know him" Elena softens a little and nods.

"Okay" She counters. "So you'll tell me when you're ready" Diana nods in agreement. Eve's eyes follow the two of them as the two sisters walk away from the counter.