Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Diana glances around and notices there are no eyes on her so she leans over the bar and swipes a bottle of vodka and whiskey before leaning up and walking away. She wants to leave now. So she is going to. She's done. She's done pretending to be functional when all she wants to do is lay in bed and drink away her worries. She lets out a breath as she strides away.

...........

John leaves the Founders' hall and starts to head towards his car. Behind him, Alaric and Damon follow him out, walking to catch up with him.

"Going somewhere, hm?" Damon asks, John turns to face them.

"I've never liked to be the last one to leave a party." John answers. "It's too desperate. You're going to kill me again or you're gonna let Mr. Saltzman do your dirty work?"

"Okay, you obviously know who I am." Alaric points out.

"I do. Alaric Saltzman, a high school history teacher with a couple of secrets," John gives him a look, implying he may know about Alaric and Diana.

"Sure know a lot for someone who just got to town." Damon comments.

"More than you can imagine, Damon. My knowledge of this town goes beyond anything that you" John looks at Damon. "Or you" He looks at Alaric. "Or Diana, or the council knows. So, if you're planning on some clever high-speed snatch ring vamp kill move, know that if I die, everything I know goes to the council including the fascinating little tale of the originals Salvatore brothers and their present-day return to Mystic Falls" Damon is surprised and doesn't know what to say.

"How did you get that ring?" Alaric asks.

"I had inherited one, my brother Gray had the other. This was his" John shows his ring to them. "And I wouldn't have given mine to Isobel if I had known she'd hand it over to another guy."

"So you did know her?" Damon asks.

"Who do you think sent her your way when she wanted to become a vampire?" John counters.

"You sent her?"

"Guilty. Why, did you think someone else sent her? Maybe Katherine Pierce?"

"How do you know about Katherine?"

"How do I know anything, Damon?"

"What do you want?" Damon demands of him.

"So many questions. It was a pleasure meeting you, Ric. I've heard so much about you" He then steps closer to Alaric. "Stay away from Diana..." he warns and then walks away. Alaric takes a shaky breath as Damon turns to him and smirk.

"Oh, Ric" Damon teases. "You and the little huntress, huh?" Alaric shoots him a glare. "Hey, I'm not judging..." Damon assures him. "I'm a little impressed you got that angry little watchdog to have sex with you" Alaric lets out a breath.

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

Diana sits on her bedroom floor, her back against her bed as she drinks. She looks at her phone as a text message appears. She closes her eyes and lets out a breath. She can't deal with an X related issue right now. She opens her eyes and picks up her phone. She lets out a relieved breath because it's not X. It's Alaric. She glances down at the text. 'Are you okay?'. She stares at the text, her eyes watering slightly. Because she is not okay. She is not okay with any of this. She hates being away from him. She hates that she has to hide how she feels. She hates how deep he wormed himself into her life in such a short span of time. 'No'. She replies to him and sets her phone down again.

"Diana" She turns to see John in her doorway, he holds up her knife, she stands from the floor and moves towards him. She takes the knife and gives him a glare for even taking it off of her in the first place. "Tomorrow morning" he starts. "You begin training again," he tells her, she looks at him.

"I have school" she counters, he raises an eyebrow.

"You're 18 now" he reminds her. "You can drop out" she frowns.

"You want me to drop out of school?" she asks him.

"Yes, I do" He answers. "I think it's in your best interest that you do" She gives him a look. "So you don't end up sleeping with your history teacher again" he comments, her breath catches a little.

"I don't know what you are talking about" she whispers and looks down at her knife.

"Don't lie to me, Diana" John scolds her. "I have photos"

"You have photos?" she asks him, he nods.

"Someone sent them to me, thought I might find them interesting" He offers. "What the hell were you thinking?" she looks away from him and clenches her jaw. "Your father would be mortified and utterly disappointed. You are better than that, meant for better" he sighs a little. "4 am" he tells her. "I'll wake you" He then leaves her alone. Diana looks down and lets out a few tears. She brushes them from her face.

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

Alaric touches the screen of his phone as he stares at Diana's reply. He knows. He knows she's not okay. And now Damon knows. And John. The more people find out the higher the risk. To her. To him. To his job. He lets out a breath and sets his phone down. He doesn't think Damon will say anything, he has nothing to gain by doing so. But John...John is the one that might spill that secret. To ruin his life. And by extension, Diana's.