Vampire Diaries Imagines

The Day He Came Back - Tyler Lockwood

The morning air was crisp, the kind of chill that seeped into your bones but somehow felt comforting. The lake stretched out before her, glassy and undisturbed, reflecting the early light that peeked through the trees. YN Lockwood pulled her oversized sweater tighter around her frame, her coffee warming her fingers as she stood on the porch of the family lake house.

She had spent most of her time here since Tyler left. The big house felt more like a tomb than anything else nowadays with him gone and their parents dead. So she had packed a bag one night and disappeared to the lake house, avoiding calls, avoiding town until supplies were needed, but more so just avoiding life.

Matt had been the only one she stayed in touch with. He checked in, made sure she wasn't completely shutting out the world, even if she mostly ignored his concerns. It was easier to be alone.

Until today.

A dark figure stood at the edge of the dock.

YN blinked, her heart hammering in her chest as she stepped forward. It wasn't possible. Her mind had played tricks on her before-seeing him in town, in the corners of her dreams, even in her reflection sometimes when she looked exhausted enough. But this... this was different.

The sun broke through the clouds at that moment, casting a golden glow over the lake, and the figure turned.

Tyler.

Her coffee slipped from her grasp, the mug hitting the porch and shattering upon impact. A problem for sometime, that wasn't that moment.

Tears welled in her eyes as she stumbled forward, her feet carrying her down the steps before she even realized she was moving.

He was real. He was here.

"Ty?" Her voice cracked as she whispered his name.

Tyler's face softened, a mixture of relief and regret shadowing his features. "Hey, YNN."

A sob broke free from her lips, and suddenly, she was running.

She didn't care how pathetic she looked, didn't care that her tears were falling freely now. She just needed to get to him.

Tyler barely had time to brace himself before she crashed into his chest, her arms locking around his torso in a grip so tight, it was as if she was afraid he'd disappear again.

His own arms wrapped around her just as tightly. "I'm here," he murmured into her hair. "I'm so sorry."

"You left," she choked out. "You left me."

Tyler exhaled shakily, guilt thick in his throat. "I know."

YN squeezed her eyes shut, inhaling deeply. He smelled like home-like their old life, like everything she had been missing.

"I didn't know what else to do," he admitted. "I had to break the bond. I had to get away from Klaus, or I would've-" He stopped himself, shaking his head. "I thought I was protecting you."

YN pulled back just enough to look up at him, her tear-streaked face twisted with emotion. "I didn't need protecting, Tyler. I needed my brother."

Tyler swallowed hard, lifting a hand to brush her hair back. "I know that now."

For a long moment, they just stood there, the lake whispering against the dock, the morning sun warming them as they held on to each other.

YN sniffled, finally pulling away to swipe at her face. "Matt told you where I was, didn't he?"

Tyler huffed out a small laugh. "Yeah. He wasn't thrilled with me, either."

"Good," she muttered, rubbing at her eyes. "You deserve it."

Tyler smiled for the first time in what felt like forever. "Guess I do."

YN exhaled deeply, shaking her head as she looked back up at him. "Just... don't leave me again, okay?"

His expression turned serious. "Never again."

The warmth of the sun had barely started to seep into the morning air, but neither of them seemed to care. They stood there, locked in each other's embrace, as if letting go would somehow make it all feel less real.

Eventually, YN sniffled and stepped back, running her sleeve under her eyes. "Come inside," she murmured. "You must be exhausted."

Tyler gave a small nod, following her up the worn wooden steps of the porch. The screen door creaked as she pushed it open, letting them both inside.

The lake house smelled like cinnamon and old wood, exactly how he remembered it from their childhood summers. His gaze swept across the space, taking everything in.

It was clean-spotless, actually. Aside from the stack of books scattered across the coffee table, everything was in perfect order. The blankets on the couch were neatly folded, the kitchen counters gleamed, and even the old mantel above the fireplace was dust-free.

Tyler frowned.

It wasn't that he had expected the place to be a mess, but something about the perfection of it all made his stomach tighten.

"You've been here the whole time, haven't you?" he asked, his voice softer now, hesitant.

YN didn't answer right away. Instead, she moved to the kitchen, grabbing two mugs and filling them with coffee. It gave her something to do-something to keep her from looking at him. "Yeah," she finally admitted, setting one of the mugs in front of him before curling her hands around her own. "Pretty much."

Tyler took a slow breath, watching her closely. "YNN..."

She huffed out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "It was just easier. That house is empty without you there. It's cold. Without Mom and Dad, and then you leaving, there was nothing left for me there. I mean sure Matt was there and at this point he's family, always has been I guess, but it wasn't the same." She glanced up at him, something sad and tired in her eyes. "So I came here. And I stayed."

Tyler felt his heart crack in his chest. He had been so focused on escaping his own demons that he hadn't thought about what his leaving would do to her. "You stopped talking to everyone?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

She shrugged. "Matt checked in. Caroline called a few times, but after a while... I think she realized I wasn't coming back anytime soon." She shifted in her seat. "This place... it was the only thing that still felt like ours. That felt like any sense of home that I could remember. And I needed that."

Tyler swallowed past the lump in his throat, looking down at the coffee in his hands. His fingers curled around the mug tightly.

"I should have been here," he said quietly. "I should have-"

"Don't." His sister cut him off, shaking her head. "You had to do what you had to do, Ty. I get it. I just..." She sighed. "I just wish it didn't feel like I was losing you in a way is all."

Tyler clenched his jaw, guilt weighing him down like a heavy chain.

He reached across the table, covering her hand with his own. "You're not gonna lose me again," he promised, his voice rough with emotion. "I swear to you, YNN. I'm here. And I'm staying."

YN searched his face, looking for any hint of doubt, of hesitation. But there was none.

For the first time in a long time, she felt something crack through the walls she had built around herself.

Hope.

And for now, that was enough.