MONSTER, stefan salvatore [2]

BONUS: legacies

BONUS CHAPTER: LEGACIES

Alaric's Office

It had been a long sixteen years since Alaric Saltzman had last seen his oldest daughter, the final remnant of the family he'd had since he was in college. Of the life he'd had before Mystic Falls. His wife, his daughter, their family. It had been gone forever, ever since that fateful night sixteen years ago. The day that was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. 

It wasn't like his life was all bad since then. No, he had a family and he had a reason to live. He had something to fight for, but just because it had gotten better didn't mean that he didn't think about it every once in a while. Even though he tried not to. 

It was strange how he usually felt Natalie's presence the most when he talked to her former best friend, who had become Alaric's family since she'd died. He always tried to push it away, to act like it didn't matter to him anymore. But he couldn't. 

Although, it was a little easier to not imagine Natalie there with them when him and Caroline were arguing. And, right now, Alaric couldn't help but argue with her, because she had suddenly decided to cancel on coming to their daughters' sixteenth birthday. 

"I know what you're doing is important, Caroline," Alaric sighed, throwing his papers on his desk. "But how do I tell the girls that their mom isn't gonna be there for their birthday? I can't exactly tell them what you're really involved in. No. I-I am nowhere near cracking this case. I have a knife, I have a symbol, I have a place, sort of, but I don't know what any of it means, a-and I don't know what's connecting it, and I don't know what monster is coming next."

He was obviously frustrated, obviously distracted. Distracted enough to not notice the quiet sound of his doorknob being turned, the steps of worn sneakers on the hardwood floors. 

Only one things caught his attention.

"Dad?"

Alaric froze at the sight in front of him. It's a sight he has not seen outside of pictures and old home movies, and whatever memories he has been able to conjure in his head. It's the sight of shoulder-length brown hair, of warm brown eyes, of Stefan Salvatore's old flannel shirt he always let his girlfriend borrow - the old flannel shirt his daughter had died in. 

In his shock, he could only stare for a moment, his breath hitching until he finally found some words to speak through the phone. "I've got to call you back."

Before Caroline can protest, Alaric has ended the call, his phone slowly slipping down until it falls on his desk as he stares in awe at the young woman in front of him. A young woman who's supposed to be dead. 

His words come out rushed and loud as he shouts. "Dorian!"

Before Alaric can even think about it, he has pulled out a crossbow kept underneath his desk, docked an arrow and pointed it at the young woman's chest. His jaw is clenched, his eyes scouring ever detail of her apperance, as if he's searching for some kind of mistake. 

She raises an eyebrow, holding up her hands in false surrender as the so-called Dorian rushes in. He was unfamiliar to her, wearing a sweater vest of all things. 

"Are you okay?" Dorian asks him as he runs in the door before he catches sight of the crossbow, raising his hands as well. "Whoa, whoa."

Despite the tense situation, the young brunette did not seem stressed. Her hands held up in surrender seemed half-hearted at most, and her eyebrows were raised as if unimpressed.

"Dad, what the hell?" she said flatly. "Put the crossbow down. I'm literally a vampire, I will catch whatever you shoot at me."

Dorian looked a bit taken aback by how she spoke to Alaric, looking over at him for clarification. "Dad? What's she talking about? You know her?"