Book Four: Solitude (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty

Diana glances at her phone as she gets a text from Klaus informing her that he is leaving town to get the sword. She nods a little and then turns to the rest of the room. Damon, Elena, Stefan, Caroline, Derek, Bonnie, and Jeremy are sat on her apartment couch.

"Why are we here?" Elena asks Diana.

"Because Klaus would have this kept a secret" Diana states and shares a look with Stefan. "But I'm going to tell you"

"Diana" Stefan warns.

"He told you not to tell anyone" She points out. "Not me..."

"Really think Klaus is going to care about that loophole?" Stefan asks her.

"Please" She scoffs. "I'm not scared of him"

"You have the twins to think about" Derek scolds slightly. Diana rolls her eyes at the lack of faith he seems to have in her skills as both a mother and a protector. Plus she is pretty sure that not even Klaus is getting through Crowley.

"They are well protected" Diana argues.

"Where are they?" Caroline asks.

"They are upstairs with Crowley" Diana answers.

"Who the hell is Crowley?" Damon asks.

"Hmmm, demonic great-grandfather" Diana answers. They all stare at her. "He's here to help with my control and to meet his descendants...."

"Control of what?" Elena asks, Diana smirks and flashes black eyes at her.

"With this" Diana answers.

"Diana!" Damon scolds. "You let it back in"

"It's been in for weeks and nothing bad happened" Diana defends. "Thanks to Crowley...in fact, it's helping me cope with my...extreme emotions"

"That's why you have been less cranky" Damon figures out. "Less...hell-bent on killing Elena"

"Yep" Diana agrees. "Strange, right?"

"Before we talk about anything" Caroline states interrupting them. "Can we see the twins? It's been weeks..." Diana sighs a little then nods.

"Okay, fine" Diana caves. "Crowley" She states and Crowley appears at the top of the spiral staircase with the twins before descending. Diana shifts closer to Elena as she stands. "I guess this is the first time you're seeing them," Diana tells Elena who nods. "You're not going to eat them, right?" Elena shoots her a look, Diana smirks back causing Elena to soften slightly seeing that it's a jest.

"I've missed you" Elena admits to her. Crowley sets the twins in their little baskets and everyone seems to gravitate to them. Damon instead moves closer to Diana.

"You doing okay, Watchdog?" Damon enquires.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Diana asks Damon who shrugs.

"Just...with everything" He points out, she hums a little.

"I'm fine" She assures him. "Stop fussing" She scolds him.

"Oh my god" Jeremy smiles then points out the obvious as he looks at the twins. "They got so big...." Diana shrugs a little.

"I assume you've come up with names by now" Caroline offers.

"I already told you" Derek argues.

"No, I mean like full names....middle names? Are they Gilberts or....." Caroline pauses slightly.

"Saltzman?" Diana asks. "It's okay, you can say his name I'm not going to like...start weeping or anything...."

"Well?" Caroline pushes.

"Veronica Athena and Ezra..." Diana takes a breath. "Alaric Saltzman"

"Ric would have loved that" Elena states softly.

"Yeah, he does" Diana states under her breath as she looks across the room where Alaric watches them all sadly. Jeremy glances at her and then across at Alaric.

"Can we hold them yet or are you still all psycho mamma bear with them?" Caroline asks, Diana shoots her a look and shrugs.

"If you want, I guess" Diana offers. "Just...be careful, you're a vampire" Diana reminds her. "Watch your strength" Caroline smiles widely and turns to pick up Ezra.

"Hi, Ezra..." She greets softly. "I'm your Aunt Caroline" Diana snorts a little.

"Actually, you are their godmother" Diana points out.

"What?" Caroline asks surprised by that.

"Me and Ric, we kind of picked godparents out before..." Diana shrugs. "You and Derek..."

"Rude" Damon comments, Diana shoots him a look.

"Because you would know what to do with children should anything happen to me? Knowing you, they'd grow up to be serial killers" Stefan chuckles a little. Jeremy holds up his hand.

"Hello" He states, Diana smiles a little.

"You have a habit of dying.." Jeremy then lowers his hand.

"Okay, fair enough"

"Just out of all of you, Derek and Caroline are the most stable" Diana defends. Caroline stares at her. "Yeah, I know, I was surprised when I thought that...but vampire you is....well, it works better for you" Elena reaches into the basket to pick up Veronica, Diana glances at her, watches her before moving closer. "You okay there?" Diana asks Elena who stares down at Veronica in her arms, Elena nods. "Sure?" Elena looks at her sister.

"She's beautiful, Di" Elena answers.

"Don't sound so surprised, I'm pretty hot myself" Diana comments, Elena smiles and nods before looking back at the baby.

"We've lost so much family" Elena whispers. "It's kind of nice to gain some for a change"

"Yeah" Diana agrees, something shifting in her eyes. Plots of murder and revenge disappearing, only slightly. Because Elena is right, they've already lost so much, so many members of their family. She's still angry that Elena's actions led to the death of Alaric, she always will be, and she is always going to be upset that he is dead but she doesn't have so much family that she should be plotting to kill the sister she has left.