Whatever It Takes {Two | Alaric Saltzman}

Cold as Ice

The apartment was strung with Christmas lights, the tree was decorated, stockings hung on the makeshift mantle, poinsettias sat in the vase by the front door, and their unscented candles had been switched out for ones with scents of the season. Abigail looked at it all before she sat up from where she was laying on the couch, but she didn't call out to Alaric, not yet. Instead, she remained silent until she was leaning against the archway to the bedroom where mistletoe was hanging.

"I found it." Abigail held up her tablet, pulling Alaric's eyes from the book he was reading. "The house."

He marked his page with the note she left him the night before. "But?"

"It's over budget."

He motioned her forward. "Let me see."

She climbed into the bed, making her place the middle rather than her side of it, as she watched him swipe through the listing.

"Two-story, corner lot, front and back porch, huge backyard, right school district. There's even an apartment over the garage that would be perfect for when Elena and Damon come to visit-" She caught what she said, sighing heavily before correcting herself, "Perfect for when Damon comes to visit."

He draped an arm behind her. "There's still a chance, you know, that we'll see Elena again."

"I know." She leaned into him, his flannel shirt soft and warm. "I just wish she was here..."

He ran his fingers along the cold skin of her exposed arm. "Me too."

"And my parents..." Laying her head on his chest, she did not try to hold back her tears. "You know, the reason my room was blue was because my dad was so excited after he found out my mom was pregnant that he painted my walls right then and there. It was only paint leftover from the first round of renovations they did, so he just painted and painted, not caring if he was going to have a boy or a girl, he just painted. That was the first thing he ever did for me."

"Let's put an offer in on the house."

She sat up with enthusiasm. "Really?"

"It's perfect." He smiled. "Besides, I'm a tenured professor at Southern Methodist University now. I think we can make it work."

"You got the job?"

"I got the job!"

"Oh, my God!" She kissed him. "I got into the Anthropology graduate program. Again. I was going to tell you at dinner, but-"

As the hard and fast certainty with which he kissed her turned soft and slow, the comfort that only came from the arms of the other held them there for a period of time that was undefined.

The Toys for Tots Toy-Drive had been led by Caroline every year she was at Whitmore. Abigail had put her time in, some years more than others, and so had Bonnie, but they were not nearly as active as the blonde who was sporting an elf hat as she talked on the phone while sorting through donations. She was aiming to fill twenty crates, a quota they were steadily making their way toward as they moved wrapped gifts from one place to another.

"Look at her," Abigail said. "She popped this week."

Bonnie looked from Caroline to Abigail. "Did she tell you I caught her mixing a blood bag with a jar of mayonnaise at two o'clock this morning?"

"No."

"Okay..." Caroline blushed as she crossed over to them. "One, that was marshmallow fluff, and, two, I'm feeding for three now, so I get cravings."

"Fair." Abigail smiled as she put her hands on either side of Caroline's bump. "Besides, I'm pretty sure the things you can and can't get away with are a little different when it comes to magical vampire pregnancies."