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

Chapter 29

Alex's P.O.V

*Flashback 1855*

I was doing my best to cover up the black eye Father had given me for wearing the wrong hairstyle. Today I was burying my mother, already making this the worst day of my life. Father just wanted to make that clearer than it already was. Damon walked in and I glanced at him through the mirror. A chill ran through my spine when I noticed he was wearing our Father's tie.

"Why are you wearing Father's tie?" I asked him, as I turned around in my seat before making my way up to him. "He will have you hanged for such an act."

Damon grabbed my wrist to stop me as he spoke, "Stefan took it originally, so I gave him mine."

"Then go put on another tie," I insisted, before continuing to take it off. "I don't wish to bury you in the ground as well." My comment stopped me in my tracks. I hadn't meant to say it and Damon's frown told me I had hurt him. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

"It's ok," Damon replied, as I tugged the cloth off of his neck. My brother took it from me as I bowed my head, before turning back to finish my makeup. Damon stopped me before I went too far and lifted my chin, before lightly grazing over the bruise on my face. "Did Father do this to you?"

"He said my hair wasn't right, and when I asked how...he hit me," I explained. "Father also said he'd do worse if I cried over Mother's grave today. Claiming I was at fault for her passing."

"You are not the reason Mother died, Alexandria. Consumption is. Don't let Father's words get to you, because I know you would never wish this. None of us would." Damon gave me a sad smile. "Cry if you please, just because Father is incapable of emotions, doesn't mean you have to be," Damon stated. I looked away in fear, but Damon made me look at him again. "I'll be there to defend you against him, for eternity."

I gave him a small smile before pulling him into a hug, which I think he might have needed more than me. "How do we do this? Live our lives without her?" I asked him.

"I wish I knew," Damon replied and his hold on me became tighter. It was only the three of us and the monster we call our Father, now, and this fact felt like a death sentence for us.

*Present Day*

Leo and Cordelia had woken up a little while ago. However, Cordelia was only crying because she needed a diaper change, whereas Leo was simply hungry. It made me really wish Klaus was here to help me. So once my daughter was calmly back in her crib, wide awake with the baby monitor camera beside her, I took her brother downstairs to feed him. It was six in the morning and the sun was starting to come up when I walked into the kitchen. The only light in the room was the fireplace and Damon sat beside it at the dining room table. He was trying to write something but seemed to only be surrounding himself with scrunched up balls of paper.

My brother turned to me when I walked in and gave me a quick smile. "Where did Stefan put the baby bottles, again?" Damon pointed to the cabinets next to the fridge. "Thanks." I began to heat some baby formula for my son when Leo began to whimper. "Shh, shh, I know. Food's almost done." I told him and checked on Cordelia through the app I had on my phone. She was teething on the little wooden knight her dad had given her.

The kitchen door opened with a bang and I turned to see Caroline at the doorway of the kitchen. The sound scared my son, making him cry a bit louder, to which Caroline looked at me and apologized, "Sorry."

"It's ok, he'll calm down once I get some food into him," I said. "What are you doing up?"

"Just...um, water." She replied and I nodded.

"Help yourself," I said and the microwave went off. I took the formula out as Caroline poured some water into a glass next to me. She looked between me and Leo before asking, "Do you want me to hold him for you, while you test the milk?"