I woke up the next morning to Stefan next to me. I got in the habit of waking up earlier over the years. Crazy, I know, but it was nice. It wasn't 4 in the morning early but early. I wrapped around his arm and waited for him to wake up.
Eventually he took his morning breath and he slowly opened his eyes. "Good morning." I spoke softly smiling to him.
He turned to me and smiled. "Good morning." He replied as he kissed the top of my head.
"So what's the plan for today?" I asked curiously.
"I was thinking we could stop by your Dad's." He spoke as I looked at him surprised. "I'm sure the girls would be excited if they got home to see you." He added clarifying his want to be there.
"Wow for a second there I almost thought you wanted to hang out with my Dad." I joked as he rolled his eyes lightly. I laughed and sat up. "Okay. We'll go see my Dad." I nodded to him and we headed there.
We got to the door and Dad opened it. "Emma." He spoke relieved as he wrapped around me.
I shook my head. "How many times do I have to tell you?" I asked as I looked at him. "I'm the badass big sister. I live up to that." I nodded as he shook his head with a scoffed chuckle.
"You know I love seeing you, but you both being here must mean that you're planning another little escapade and I can't do one of those again." He shook his head.
"No. No escapades, no scar, no Rayna." Stefan reassured. "But thank you for your help with all of that by the way." Stefan thanked.
"It's not like I really had a choice, but you're welcome." Dad replied as I looked at him and then Stefan biting my lips. Stefan cleared his throat looking down.
"What are you doing here then?" He asked curiously.
I grabbed Stefan's hand. I didn't understand his vendetta against Stefan. Maybe he was being overprotective like usual. Either way I wanted to prove he was a good guy. "Well Stefan thought it would be a good idea for me to wait for L and J to get home so I could surprise them. Also, a line squared reunion." I explained as he nodded.
"They'd definitely love that." He nodded. "Come on in." He spoke, inviting Stefan in for the first time. I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried that he would 'forget' about that part.
"It's really dirty I'm sorry. I haven't had a chance to clean since-" Dad started as he walked into the kitchen.
"I spent my childhood in a one bedroom apartment and mom couldn't even keep it up. I'm not complaining." I explained trying to ease his mind. I looked to Stefan. Dad turned around.
"Yeah it's a nice house." Stefan added as I looked back at Dad.
"Yeah thanks. You'd be amazed what you can accomplish when your fiancé can compel am interior designer and the entire homeowners association." Dad commented as I laughed lightly.
"I'm surprised she didn't just plan it all by herself." Stefan commented.
"Why do you think she had to compel them? You think they'd casually agree with all of the add-on's she wanted?" He asked jokingly.
"Now it's making sense." Stefan replied as I looked at dad's calendar to see Justice of the Peace.
"I thought it was gonna be a backyard wedding." I spoke confused as Dad grabbed the book.
"We changed it up a little bit. We thought it'd be a little safer indoors right now." He spoke putting the book in its designated place. I looked at him confused when he was turned away. This was seeming more and more like something that they wanted no one to know about.
"So uh- I'd give you some drinks but all we have is juice boxes." Dad spoke as he walked to the fridge.
"How about we head somewhere else." Stefan suggested as I nodded.
"Yeah we'll do that." Dad agreed and we headed out.
We got to a diner and we waited inside. I ate a piece of pie and as soon as I started eating the table was quiet. It's like they couldn't speak to each other.
"I mean come on?" I asked swallowing my bite. They both looked at me confused. "Small talk fills awkward silence you know?" I asked as Stefan smiled slightly. He noticed Dad with a serious face and he dropped his smile.
"Well What is there to talk about?" Stefan asked curiously turning to me.
"That's for you two to figure out." I replied taking another bite. Stefan nodded and sighed. "Dad do you have any suggestions?" I asked looking at him.
Before he could speak Stefan's phone rang for about the third time. He turned it off again after reading Damon's name at the top.
"You're not gonna answer that?" Dad asked seemingly annoyed.
"Damon and I are on a bit of a time-out." Stefan replied and I was glad the conversations was finally going.
"Really? And after all that trouble he went through to get that psychopath out of your body?" Dad asked semi- surprised.
Stefan shrugged. "Well, he's half the reason that psychopath was in my body in the first place. These last few days have been a painful reminder of the complicated nature of our relationship." He explained.
"And what do you think?" Dad asked looking to me.
"Damon hasn't exactly been the kindest person lately. He drugged me not even a week ago." I explained siding with Stefan, who just happened to smile at the fact that I did.
Stefan's phone rang once more and he dramatically shut it off.
"Okay, I think I should get it out now, Stefan." Dad spoke and I ate another bite confused. "I don't think you are good for Emma."
I coughed on my piece and looked at him. We'd been together almost five years now, and this was the time he decided to say something.
"Sorry, What?" Stefan asked just as surprised as me.
"Ever since you two got together you've constantly been dragging her away, not to mention you've been putting her life in danger every time I see you." Dad spilled as I blinked a few times to make sure this was real. I didn't even know what to say.
"There's no danger right now." Stefan replied as I looked at Dad waiting for an answer.
"That's not the point, the point is when she's with you she risks herself. She almost died yesterday because of you." He explained as I looked down at my pie.
"I didn't make her do anything. If anything I tried to stop her." Stefan answered starting to get a bit angry and upset.
"That doesn't make it any better." He shook his head.
"Why this now?" I asked confused.
"I think it's better you know what I think now before you two end up having to run off again." He spoke as I looked at him surprised. Stefan's phone began to ring again. "Just answer the damn phone." Dad spoke as Stefan snatched it.
Damon told him that Rayna had a list of vampires that he was taking care of. He was doing it so Bonnie could survive the poison pills she had been taking. He explained the situation and said he needed help. Stefan agreed and the three of us got ready to go beat some vampire ass. Thankfully, because of the call the disapproval conversation was simmered down for the time being.
"So where to first?" I asked putting on my favorite arm strap. Of course I loved the endless vacation but I was ready for the grind of badassery. Especially when it came to evil hell vampires.
We made a few stops and eventually ended up at a warehouse, how surprising. "Damon says there are four here. Apparently they're in the back." He explained as we nodded.
We got inside standing close together to be safe. We headed to the back and there was only a few dead bodies sitting around, no sign of the actual vampires.
"Where-" I asked when I heard a swoosh behind me. I turned to see a vampire near dad's neck and I turned pulling him on the ground. I stabbed him in the heart and looked at the body.
I had to admit I was a bit rusty, and because of it one of the other vampires grabbed me. "You two go and no one else gets hurt." A grumbly man spoke behind me as I tried to pull out a stake but he had me held down to tight. The two others came around and stood behind Dad and Stefan.
"Not without her." Dad spoke looking at me.
"One of yours for one of ours." The man spoke as he pulled out a stake and put it against my chest. "It's only fair."
"Take me then not her." Stefan spoke.
"No." I replied as I groaned. The man had been slowly putting the stake into my chest. I kept trying to pull out the stake from my arm.
The man chuckled. "Look at this boys. We've got a few love birds. What does that make you? The unfortunate third wheel?"
"The pissed off father." Dad replied shooting his stake behind him into the leg of the man behind him. Stefan threw the guy behind him into a metal stand.
He ran over to me and the man vamped us away. He stood on top of me trying to push the stake in. I pushed against him, clearly struggling. He was gaining on me and he started chuckling maniacally. "No." I grumbled as Stefan showed up and pushed him away with a stake in his heart.
"Are you okay?" He asked as he felt my stomach.
I winced. "Yeah I'm fine. Did we get them all?" I asked worried.
"No, there's-" He started when we heard yelling. All the sudden the last man pelted towards Stefan. He talked him to the ground stabbing him in the abdomen.
I went over and got on top of the other man before pulling his heart out of his chest. I took deep breaths. "Where's Dad?" I asked as I heard his heartbeat getting closer. I saw him come in and he was unscratched. I turned to Stefan. "You're okay?" I asked as I dropped the heart on the ground.
"I'm okay." He nodded. "Are you?"
"Barely a scratch." I replied looking at my clearly impaled stomach.
"Yeah a big scratch." He replied with a shake of his head.
"This is what I'm saying. She got hurt for you, and she could've died." He explained as he looked at us. "Can't you see where this is a problem?" He asked as I stood up.
"I wish she didn't constantly throw herself in front of me, but it's just who she is. It took me a while to be okay with it too. You can't tell me she hasn't risked herself for you at least twice. So yes she may be getting hurt for me, but she'd do that for anyone." Stefan reciprocated. Stefan's phone dinged. "We've got another lead." He spoke as he started heading out.
Dad looked to me surprised. "You know it's true Dad." I replied as we headed out to the car.
We got to our next destination which was the woods. It was only one person, so Stefan suggest I go clean up in the bathroom by the gas station we parked by. I was the only bloody one, surprisingly enough. Not to mention he wanted Dad off his back I guess.
Meanwhile...
Stefan and Alaric stood next to each other by the campsite shoveling dirt into the shallow grave they made for the vampire they just removed from existence. It was a long list and they were reaching the end of it.
"This part I really don't miss." Alaric grunted as he shoveled more dirt into the hole.
"Yeah, but the part where you helped Bonnie, that wasn't too terrible, was it?" Stefan added with a slight shrug, trying to see the better side of it.
"Don't." Alaric stopped him simply.
"Don't what?" Stefan asked confused as he shoveled more dirt.
"Don't try to get the band back together. Yes, all hands are on deck right now, but I have three year olds. This can't be something that I can do." Alaric stated as Stefan looked down and back up. Alaric put his shovel in the dirt.
"I thought you'd like spending the time with Emma." Stefan sassed putting down his shovel. He went over to the water and washed his hands.
"That's not what I'm saying." Alaric insisted as he put down the shovel. "It's not safe to be doing this all the time. I can't leave the girls without a father. Especially Emma." He explained. Emma had lost a lot and he knew this would hurt her tremendously.
Stefan looked to him confused. "If you're worried about her, I promise to protect her as best as I can."
"No, I know you will, I saw that today at the warehouse." Alaric sighed. "This was really your idea to come here right?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah I thought it'd be good for her." He explained.
"Yeah, was that it?" He asked curiously as Stefan looked at him confused. "Because I know I give you a hard time, which you deserve, but I also know you wouldn't come here without her asking unless you needed something."
"Well, we needed to help Damon find the vampires." Stefan segued, hoping he didn't remember that happening after. Alaric has beaten him down hard today, and he didn't expect to be getting any good answers to the questions he came to truly ask.
"That happened after." Alaric corrected as Stefan looked away and back. "I'm getting older, not more stupid."
Stefan sighed. "I was going to ask..." He took his time, not prepared for what would come next.
"I know what you were going to ask." Alaric interrupted. "Were you even the slightest bit curious as to why I was such an ass today?" Alaric asked looking at him holding his serious face.
"You were only being protective over Emma." Stefan shook his head lightly. He didn't want to tell him how much of a dick he was being.
Alaric let out a scoff. "I blamed you for her selflessness." He replied. Stefan thought. He did find it odd that he was so mad about that.
"So why were you so hard on me then?" Stefan asked concerned.
"Because I was trying to see if you were worth her." He replied and Stefan started putting the pieces together. It was all a test. "What better way then pushing your buttons until you decided to speak up."
"So you were intentionally trying to get me angry?" Stefan asked almost confused by somewhat impressed.
"You could've responded in all sorts of ways. You could've blamed her, blamed me, or denied it all together. Instead you proved me wrong." Alaric smiled approvingly.
"So you don't really think I'm bad for her?" He asked worried.
"Are you kidding me, have you even seen Emma's track record for dating?" He asked as Stefan laughed lightly. He knew of two guys and one was his POS brother. "I know she's secure with you." Stefan smiled.
"Thanks." He nodded.
"But don't get that confused with safety. I'm still not completely sure it's safe with you." He explained as Stefan nodded once.
"Can you really ever be sure?" He asked as Alaric listened. "Being a vampire is dangerous enough. Emma is rare, she's special. Danger is part of her name, but she doesn't let it stop her and neither do I." He explained.
"I guess you have a point." Alaric nodded slightly. He smiled at Stefan. He knew Stefan was a good guy and he knew he had made Emma tremendously happier. Alaric approved of him because he knew that Stefan would die for Emma, and that was enough proof to know he was good for her.
"So about that question..." Stefan started as Alaric lifted his chin.
"Yes." He nodded as Stefan's face brightened. He thought the day was far away, but he was wrong. He wanted nothing more than to be with her forever and he hoped she wanted the same. I mean he knew she did.