Vampire Diaries Imagines

Proud of Her - Alaric Saltzman

She was sitting by herself in the kitchen with a small glass that was empty in her hands. Her siblings had gone out for the night and I had just gotten home from a late meeting at the school.

So (Y/N) had been by herself in the house for god only knows how long. I could tell by the blank stare she was giving her empty glasses that she was deep in thought. Something I have come to know was either something really good or really bad. (Y/N/N) was a brilliant young woman but she didn't have the best mental health. According to what I had been told by Jenna, it had started long before their parents had died. So in those times when she was down, I tried to let her know that I was still there for her to talk to.

I put down everything I had with me and walked into the room, sitting right next to her at the island. "I hope that was water or tea in that glass before you emptied it." I said light-heartedly.

(Y/N) gave out a small giggle. "Orange juice actually."

"Good. Good." I say with a small smile. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours? Huh?"

"Graduation is in a week and I'm just missing everyone." She said with a sigh. "I made it through my entire senior year, or what was left of it anyway, without thinking of the fact that my parents or Aunt Jenna or

Uncle John wouldn't be there. Everyone else will but they won't." (Y/N)'s voice grew quieter and quieter as she spoke. "The last conversation I had with mom was about what kind of dress I wanted to wear underneath my grad gown. I remember telling her about wanting something simple with a little bit of lace on the bottom and sleeves. Apparently, she and Ms. Liz went out that evening of the party and got just that."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

(Y/N/N) got up and walked over to the back of the couch, grabbing the pale purple box I hadn't noticed was there before walking back over to the island and placing it on the countertop. "Ms. Liz brought it to me after school and said she hoped it would still fit."

I knew that graduation would age hard for (Y/N) and later on it would be hard for Elena and Jeremy as well. But I planned to be there for them every step of the way. "Well, what about your dad?"

The Gilbert girl laughed. "Dad and I joked about how Elena and Matt would probably have kids before I even got out of college because back then I was planning to go to med school and help him at the office."

I knew that her dream of college right out of high school had changed a while back. She and I had talked about it in great detail. (Y/N/N) wanted to take a year or two break from school before going back to college for genealogy and history.

(Y/N) smiled as she sat back down. "He was still at the office when Elena and I went to the party. So I didn't get to talk to him before the accident. Even though E was in the accident with them, I was mad at her for getting to see and speak to them right before they died and I didn't."

"Have you ever told her that?" I asked her gently.

"God no." she stated and shook her head. "At that point, she needed me to be there for her more than she needed to know what I was thinking. She and Jeremy both did. I'm the oldest. It's my job to step up for my younger siblings when everything is going wrong. It wasn't a time to be in my head. It was the time to be there for Elena and Jer when we all needed each other the most and I wasn't about to be the reason for our parents' death was even harder on her. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had." (Y/N) was yet again staring blankly into her cup as she spoke

It was conversations like the one we were having that made me proud of her. (Y/N) would always get past her inner demons to help out her siblings physically and emotionally whenever they needed her. Her family always came before herself. But in times like this, sometimes she needed someone to remind her that someone was also willing to put their needs to the side to help her through her tough times, and this time, like so many times before, it's me.

"Well, lucky for you, you have me now to be there for you. And as your unofficial adopted father, I want to see you try on your graduation dress before anyone else. I said with a loving smile now plastered on my face.

"Really?" She questioned.

I gave her a simple nod. "Yes, now go put it on." I said with a sincere smile.

(Y/N) now wore a grand smile on her face and grabbed the box rushing up to her room to put the dress on.

It made me feel good that just saying I wanted to see her in her graduation dress could make her smile so brightly when her thoughts had her so dim before. Everyone had told me that her bond with Grayson was like none other. I knew I had big shoes to fill and would never quite do it completely but having the relationship she and I have now was quite the start.

(Y/N) came down a few minutes later in the simple but classy black dress which fit her like a glove. "Ric could you pinch me because it doesn't seem real." She said with a small sad smile. "Would they be proud?"

"Sweetheart, I'm going to tell you that I could but it would just confirm that it is." I said and walked over to her. Leading the (Y/E/C) eyed girl over the full-length mirror that sat in the hallway and then turning her to face it, I said, "You see the girl I see? I believe her to be the girl that made her parents proud without even trying. I say this because I know how it feels to be proud of you because I am, (Y/N/N). You made this happen on your own without giving up on yourself. You are smart, funny, caring, and you are still all that even after all of the mentally draining things that have happened to you in the past year. So, yes, I do very much think your parents, Jenna, and John would all be proud of you. I know that I am."

When I finished, I watched as a few stray tears slid down her cheek. As she wiped them away, she said, "Thank you, Ric. I really needed that."

"It's what I'm here for." I say with a smile.