Begin Again

Chapter One

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CHAPTER ONE- Begin Again-

Stefan's P.O.V.

"So, when did it all start. The feeling you have that your own kids hate you. I mean, you do realize that they're only 6 years old?" She asked me, her finger tips tapping away at the white sheet of legal paper in front of her, her eyes narrowed at my face.

I nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Carol. But, here's the thing. My kids were perfectly fine with me before Elena and I told them about Matt and then suddenly things came crashing down." I told her, watching as she placed a piece of her hair behind her ears and exhaled.

"So, how did it happen? When did everything 'come crashing down' as you say." She asked me, jotting down a few more notes and scratching the top of her head, staying quiet for a moment.

"Sam and I were cleaning out a few old boxes from when we moved into the new house and he came across a few photos of him and Matt, with Olivia too and then he asked me. "Why doesn't Matt come over anymore since I came back..." My voice trailed off, exhaling at the thought of confusion in my son's green eyes.

"And? What was the response from you?" Carol asked, locking her eyes on me and extending out her hand towards her desk, grabbing the glass of water from it and taking a long drawn out sip of the liquid as she watched me struggle for the right words.

"I went downstairs with him. Called Elena and Olivia to come into the living room and we talked about it. We explained that Matt wasn't a good guy and that he hurt their mommy a lot in the past. And, then the whole room went silent. It was like a pin dropped when Olivia suddenly shouted "Ever since you came back, Daddy. Matt doesn't see us anymore and I don't like it, I miss him!"

"Hm. So, this all happened because your son found a few pictures of him with Matt as a baby? Stefan..you're their father. Matt never was. I mean, he abused Elena, he was in a plot to kill you and he-" She begins to say, suddenly stopping as I scoff at her words.

"Sam found the original adoption papers that Matt had signed before I ever came back into their lives. He found them with the pictures and he asked me about it! Okay. My son, asked me why his name and his sisters were on this piece of paper and what it meant! And me wanting to be honest with him. I said that once upon a time, Matt wanted to be their dad." I tell her in an irritated tone, digging my nails into the arm rest handles as I looked up at her.

"But, I thought that when you and Elena told your children about you being their 'forever daddy.' that they were ecstatic about it. I thought things were going really well." Carol tried to clarify as I shake my head and laugh a bit. Things were going perfect up until Sam and I went to go look for something and ended up coming across those pictures and that damn piece of paper that had Matt Donovan's signature and the words "Adoption" in bold letters written on the top it and me having to explain why my son's name and his sister's were on it.

"Everything was fine until Sam asked me what adoption meant. And when we explained it. My kids looked at me like their lives would have been better with Matt as their dad. You know how that made me feel, after months of finally feeling like a father to them. I get hit in the face with this dead man's request of wanting my kids as his own! Now, I feel like I have to always prove to them that their better off with me. I feel like I'm trying to fucking match up with a dead man to win my kids over all over again! Their my kids, Carol. They are my children and I would die for them. I love them so much. But, this is just ridiculous and I hate the fact that Matt Donovan, the man, along with Klaus and Katherine who tried to ruin my life is still being mentioned in my household! I thought we were done with this!" I commented, leaning back in my chair and hearing as Carol let out a loud sigh.