Isn't it always

17

couple years ago

Stefan Salvatore walked around the town of Salem. He had come here to see his girlfriend as they were on a trip. They being his girlfriend and her daughter. Stefan had never met Layla but he knew she was amazing from all the stories Tory had told him.

Tory Andrews was his girlfriend. They had met a little while back while he was in Maryland. Apparently the Andrews family travels a lot. Although Tory doesn't always take Layla. She only takes the girl once a year on her birthday week. Layla had just turned 8

Stefan walked around the town, taking in all the sights. He was going to meet Tori at a restaurant near by. This was the moment he was going to meet Layla as well.

He wondered if she would like him. Would she think he's weird? Would she think her mom is to good for him? He had these thoughts pondering his mind and he didn't know why. He never thought this way. Well he had before, but that was a long time ago, then he was still human.

Stefan sighed as he walked down the street. People looking at him as they passed. He was nervous. He was never nervous. Well he was, but not when it came to women. The only women he was ever nervous with was Katherine, and that was a long time ago.

Something was different about Tory. She had a kind heart and a beautiful personality. So meeting Layla was important to him. Maybe just as important as it was to Tory.

When he arrived at the restaurant he walked in. The vampire looked around for the brunette. When he spotted her he also saw a young blonde sitting across from her. He walked over and smiled when Tory looked up and caught him walking over.

"Stefan!" Tory stood up and hugged the man. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the women's cheek.

"Hey Tor." Stefan chuckled as she pulled away and ushered him over to the table.

"Stefan, this is my daughter Layla." Stefan looked at the blonde. She had green eyes, almost as identical to his. Her blonde hair was bright, but it had some darker tones to it. Almost making it a bright dirty blonde. "Layla, this is Stefan...my boyfriend."

Layla looked at Stefan. He had green eyes that looked like her own. His dirty blonde hair that was done up neatly. He was wearing jeans with a blue top. His shoes were dressy but not too dressy. Layla stood up and held out her hand. "Hi." She smiled at him.

Stefan took her hand and shook it. "Hey." He smiled back at her and the 3 sat down.

They had ordered food a couple of seconds ago. "So Layla why don't you tell Stefan about your history project."

Layla sparked up. She had always loved school. "Well my teacher wanted us to do this history project where we learned about a town and we did a report on it explained the history and everything about it. I got Mystic Falls. Did you know that theres a legend that vampires used to run around Mystic Falls?"

Stefan shook his head. "No, I didn't know that. Tell me more." He leaned in and let the girl ramble on and on about the town he grew up in. The town he was turned in. Of course he knew everything she told him, but he wanted to hear what she thought.

"I wanna visit there some day. I wanna see the vampires. Mystic Falls seems so fun and it looks beautiful." Layla told the man who had a smile on his face while listening to her speak.

"Well why don't i take you one day. That is if you would let me?" Stefan suggested. He was the best person to take her. If anything were to happen he could save her. Plus he knew that town like the back of his hand.

Layla had the biggest smile Tory had ever seen on her face when she looked at her mom. "Can he?"

Tory took a moment before nodding. "I suppose, but you have to stay out if trouble."

Layla squealed just as the food came. During the entire meal Stefan and Layla talked about everything. Tory putting something in every now and then.

As they walked out of the restaurant Layla clung to Stefan's side. He didn't mind. He loved the girl. She was passionate and kind hearted. He hoped she would grow up to be someone amazing, he hoped he could be apart of that.

As they walked down the path, Tory had stopped at a couple shops while Layla and Stefan just talked. Stefan told her he had traveled all over the world. They planned the trip to Mystic Falls and Stefan told her he would show her the world if he could.

The man knew that the girls Curiosity would grow and he wanted to help it grow.

When they had gotten back to the hotel Layla asked if Stefan could stay the night and Tory nor Stefan were apposed to the idea. So that's how Layla, Tory, and Stefan ended up playing a game of uno.

"That's a yellow, the color's red." Layla laughed at Stefan who had just realised the color had changed.

"Oh." He put down a red 3.

Tory was next and she laid down a green 3.

Then Layla who laid down a green 1.

Then back to Stefan. He had laid down a blue 1.

It went on like that for the rest of the night. When it hit 1:30 am Tory gave in. "Alright time for bed you 2." She pointed at Stefan as well as Layla. Layla laughed when she saw the look on Stefan's face, it was a look if offence. "Yes you, bed."

Layla had been laughing all night. Tory was thankful for that. Layla had lost herself after Dan left. The divorce was hard on everyone but Layla had a really hard time with it. Of course she would see her dad but it wouldn't be the same. Tory watched as Stefan and Layla messed around all night and she saw her daughter. Her daughter that she had lost was coming back and it was thanks to Stefan.

Layla was laughing as she made her way to her room. She turned around and looked at Stefan. "Stefan?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

"Of course." Layla grabbed his hand and led him to her room. Tory right behind. Stefan sat down on the bed as Layla got under the covers. "Which one do you wanna hear?"

"I wanna hear about your brother. The one you said traveled with you a long time ago." Layla smiled at Stefan as she laid her head on the pillow.

Stefan smiled. "Well his name was Damon. We didn't always get along but we always loved each other. Me and him, we had some issues but we always got through them. Damon he was different. He was mean but kind. He only let certain people in and when he did you knew they were special to him. He loved seeing the world. He wanted to see everything. But he couldn't. He was blinded by love and when he loved, he loved with everything." As Stefan talked about his brother Layla fell asleep. As he finished he kissed her forehead before tucking her in and walking into the kitchen. He knew Tory had walked out earlier but didn't say anything.

He hugged the women from behind and she smiled. "She loves you."

"I love her."

"Thank you Stefan. You have her, her smile back. I haven't seen her this happy before everything happened."

"I'll always help her."