Protecting Them (Only His Series: Book 3) *NEW VERSION*

Chapter 31

Alex's P.O.V

~At the Church~

I sat in the back of the church with the twins. Cordelia had fallen asleep in the car ride here and Leo was calmly looking around at what he could see. Damon, Stefan, Elena, and Matt sat in front of the booth with Caroline. There was a casket viewing a few minutes before the actual funeral and I paid my respects to Liz. It broke my heart after I sat back down with my kids. She would have loved to meet them.

The priest walked up to the podium and began to speak. "We are here today to pay our tribute and our respect..to a pillar of our community. Our sister, our protector...Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes. We are also here today to show our love and support...for Liz's family and friends. Not only have we sensed our own personal feeling of loss...over her passing..." A tear fell down my cheek as I started to fade out the rest of his words.

Once he walked away off the altar, the police force members stood up from their seats and walked up to honor Sheriff Forbes. They placed an American flag over her casket before the head officer stood behind the casket and clicked his radio. "Calling Sheriff Forbes." He clicked it again. "This is the last call for Sheriff Forbes." He placed his hands down and looked at the casket. "No response. Radio Number 2-6 is out of service after twelve years and four months of police service. Gone, but never forgotten," The officer said and turned around. "Center!" The police force members then returned to their seats.

Damon then made his way up to the podium, and he looked at the crowd before he began his eulogy. "Liz Forbes was my friend. In her last moments, she asked me to pass along a message to her daughter, but I cut her off before she would say too much. I told her she could tell Caroline herself, but she didn't get that chance." Damon looked over to Caroline as he continued. "Your mom wanted you to know how proud of you she was, and she should be. You're a beautiful, strong woman...a generous friend...and a bright light in seas of dark. She said you were extraordinary, and you are. And so was she." Damon looked back up to the crowd, and I smiled at him proudly. "Liz was a hero to this town. She was a hero to all of you. And she was a hero to me." Damon looked to the casket next to him. "Goodbye, Sheriff. You will be missed."

Damon sat back down next to me and Caroline walked up. "Thank you all for coming," Caroline said to us. "This is for my mom." She took a deep breath and began to sing. "Go in peace. Go in kindness. Go in love. Go in faith. Leave the day. The day behind us. The day is done. Go in grace. Let us go-o-o into the dark. Not afraid. Not alone. Let us hope...by some good pleasure. Safely to-o arrive at home."

~At the Grill~

I walked into the grill and up to Caroline in line, as she greeted the other people from the funeral. We hugged her and I whispered, "I'm so sorry, Caroline."

"Thank you, Alex," Caroline said and we pulled away.

I looked around the Grill and saw Damon sitting in a booth nearby. My older brother was drinking a bottle of bourbon, and I walked over to the side across from him then sat down. Cordelia's carrier was on the table while Leo was in the booth with me. Leo was getting a bit fussy so I took him out of the carrier and sat him on my lap. Damon smiled and let his niece take a hold of his finger, before flashing a smirk my way.

"You sure I can't be a godfather to one of them?" Damon asked and I chuckled.

"Sadly if we do that, then we have to either pick between Elijah and Stefan for the other one, and we both know who Klaus will choose," I told him.

"Sucks for Elijah then," Stefan joked as he sat next to our brother. Damon put his glass down and took Cordelia out of her carrier. Both of the twins were looking around curiously at their uncles with a smile.