A New Chance

Gilbert

Hope POV:

I had gone over to Caroline's house the following morning, staying through the night into the following morning. I woke her up, "Hope, what are you doing here? In my room." She asked alarmed. "I'm here to ensure that you stay safe and that Caroline does as well." I responded vaguely.

"I'm going to tell you the truth of things. If you are uncooperative or lying I will know and...fix it." I continued. "How would you fix it?" She asked reaching for her nightstand. "Don't bother reaching for your gun." I compelled her. She sat still. "Vampire." She said.

"Partly. I'm much more than a vampire. I'm also a werewolf and a witch. Caroline will be a vampire, it'll protect her from much of the dangers this world will provide. She will thrive, she's not a killer, she is your girl. The girl you love and raised, just amplified. Tyler will be a werewolf. You will be needed, you need to protect the town and protect the supernatural in it." I told her.

"I'd rather she just died than become a vampire." She responded. Hard route it is. I hold her by her shoulders, "I'm going to show you your future and your daughter's future." I removed her death from the memories. She cried out during the mind invasion, weeping when it was over. She had seen Bill torture Caroline, Tyler and herself coming to the rescue.

"It's almost too much to bear isn't it? Wouldn't it be easier to love your daughter, love who she will become? I could even make things better for you. There's something you need to know about yourself." Her crying slowed, she looked at me. "I love Caroline with all my heart. I would die for her, it's hard to change what I've been taught to believe for twenty-five years. What do you mean there's something I need to know?" She said all at once.

"You have a brain tumor, it will later become inoperable. You need to see a doctor, if it comes down to money I will handle it. If it comes down to the doctor not wanting to operate, I'll see what my magic is capable of." I explained bluntly. She gasped at the knowledge. "Thank you for telling me. I will book an appointment with a doctor today." She responded in shock.

"How do you feel about Caroline becoming a vampire?" I asked, testing her response with her heartbeat. "If you will protect her, and she becomes...more as you say. Then yes I agree with her becoming a vampire." She told me, her heart stayed the same. "Let's get you the best doctor that money can buy. Call in to work and let them know you are going on sick leave." I told Liz giving her, her phone.

I let her pack a bag, Caroline would be staying with Bonnie while her mom was out of town. Freya was watching over the town, protecting the high schoolers. Liz and I traveled into New York, "I haven't been here since my college days." She said. "Where'd you go to school and what did you study?" I asked. "Columbia and Political Science and Government. I was top of my classes and graduated Summa Cum Laude. I didn't follow in my career path because I knew I had to protect my home." She answered.

"Probably for the best, New York isn't the place to raise kids since it's a Supernatural hotspot. Roughly one hundred thousand people die here every year, yet people flood in taking their place." I responded. She nodded taking in the information. We went into the office, getting her brain and spine scanned. They found a stage two Ependymoma, they tried discussing chemo and radiation without surgery.

"Listen, we will do the chemo, try to shrink it down but you are operating. I have the money to pay for it. If in six months the treatment isn't working, you are operating." I compelled the doctor. He obviously agreed to my terms. I would be countering the sickening effects of the chemo with magic for Liz.

The first few weeks were bad, there was a lot of vomiting and very little sleep. Once the chemo settled in her system, the nausea had settled and she started sleeping again. While she would sleep, I would use magic to slow the growth of the tumor. Hopefully the chemo is doing its job.

5 months later

We returned to New York, the scan came back clearer. The tumor had shrank. She was worried about scarring and hair loss, I assured her that I would fix it after the surgery. All in all it was well over three million. Doctors milk you, but they do tend to save your life.

The surgery took about six hours, much of her hair had been shaved off in the back. She had taken more time for leave, calling in an injury. Miraculously growing hair back and not having surgery scars would be alarming to the humans. I drove her home after a few days of recovering in a hotel.

When we arrived back home, Caroline was so happy to know that her mother was cancer free and had a clean bill of health. I had told her early in to cut the shit with her mom. I knew she was desperate for her attention, but Liz was doing her best to keep her and everyone safe. I put the healing balm over the scar and it disappeared entirely. I followed it up by holding my hands hovering by her head, focusing the hair to grow.

I gave her an arm sling to complete her injury story. She wore it for a week and took it off. Alaric had been at the school, at the Grill. Watching everyone and getting drunk. I decided to save him some trouble and called Damon. I had told him that he turned Alaric's wife and he thought she had died.

We each approached Alaric, "Dr. Saltzman, I have someone you've been looking for. There has been a huge misunderstanding that has caused you quite a bit of resentment. We know that you think that Damon killed your wife." I had started. "He DID kill my wife!" He whisper shouted. "I turned your wife." Damon responded. "What?!" Alaric asked, drowned in confusion.

"She sought me out, and wanted me to turn her. So I did, she never said anything about being married." Damon explained. Alaric sat down, drinking another shot. "So you are telling me that my wife didn't die, she abandoned me." He summed up. "Unfortunately, yes. Also that ring will cause you to slowly lose your humanity and your mind every time you die. I can fix that if you let me." I told him offering my hand.

He was too drunk to really understand what was happening, also too shocked at the news his wife was living a vampire life. He gave me his ring, I focused on removing the black magic and replacing it with my own. I gave it back to him, "Have you died with this on already?" I asked. "No, I wear it for protection." He answered. "Now you won't go crazy after dying and coming back." I responded.

"So are we cool? You can search out Isabel, not kill Damon. Hell he could be your new drinking buddy, try to keep up Damon. By the way, the ring can only come off if you take it off. I've seen similar rings be cut off the owners hand, leaving them defenseless and fingerless." I told the pair. I left them to their drinking and went home.

"You know you bring me to this town and then you barely spend time with me." Freya said annoyed. "I'm sorry Aunt Freya, I've been very busy ensuring people's safety I didn't mean to push you off. We have a while before anything should happen. What would you like to do?" I asked, trying to make things right.

3 weeks later

Freya and I had been practicing magic, binge watching shows and I had been teaching her to cook. We had heard that Richard Lockwood had been released, he probably greased the pockets of the judge. Carol was still holding his place as Mayor which didn't make him happy.

Tyler had been spending more time with Jeremy and Stefan surprisingly. Not being beaten and raised to be an alpha male douche can be helpful. Jeremy and Tyler bonded over artwork and working out. Stefan and Tyler bonded over football and books. Tyler apparently loved reading. His father was the one forcing football on him, while he did like the sport it wasn't everything.

Stefan and I will have to bring him into the fold. I  had instructed Jeremy to read all of his father's journals, when Tyler is 'in the know' he will help with the Gilbert Journals. Stefan and I knocked on the Lockwood door when Carol answered. "Ahh Stefan, Hope! Tyler says such nice things about you both, please come in." She said carelessly.

"Thank you Lady Mayor." I responded with a head bow. We both headed up to Tyler's room. "Hey guys, what's up?" He asked tossing Stefan his football. I pulled out a bag of joints, "We are going to get high and tell you some truths, sound good?" I asked. Tyler just grinned and nodded.