Stefan shoulders are slouching as he drags himself into his house, he couldn't save Sarah after all these years of protecting her. He takes his jacket off and makes his way into the foyer, tossing his jacket over the couch he makes his way towards Damon's liquor collection as he thinks about what a failure he is. He uncaps the bourbon and grabs a glass, he shrugs his shoulders and just takes a big swallow from the glass bottle. The burn in his throat only dull to the ache and feeling of worthlessness in the pit of his stomach.

He goes to take another swig only when there is a soft but firm knock at the door, he doesn't understand why Caroline would knock when she has a key. He walks through the foyer and to the door, he opens it and is confused to see a woman who looks no older than twenty five and in her arms is a little girl with long, brown curly hair she appears to be sleeping.

"Finally I found you. I've been looking everywhere, good thing she has your blood or the tracking spell wouldn't have worked" the woman says and he looks at her confused as she walks in his house.

"Um...excuse me" Stefan says when she looks around the boarding house.

"Where can I lie Liv down at" she asks turning to face him.

"Wait. Who are you" Stefan asks confused?

"Wow babe that car accident must have gave you amnesia. But I'm Sharlette your fiancée and this is Olivia our daughter" she says walking over pecking his cheek.

"Daughter? I have a daughter. I'm sorry but that's not possible" Stefan says.

"Tom please you practically begged me for a baby" she says rolling her eyes.

"Tom" Stefan asks when it dawns on him, his doppelgänger that Enzo killed was named Tom Avery and looks identical to Stefan.

"Um Sharlette. I can ensure you that- Stefan stops what he is about to say when Olivia stirs in her mother's arms, she peeks one eye open and Stefan can see her forest green eyes are identical to his.

"Hey Daddy" she whispers before falling back asleep

Stefan is frozen to the ground not sure how to respond to this little girl, who is biologically his daughter but at the same time she isn't. He always wanted to be a father especially he found about the killing of his child due to Julian, he snaps back to reality as he sees Sharlette as making her way towards the stairs.

"Wait um I'll show you your room" he says leading them upstairs to an empty guest room.

She looks around before walking over to the bed and lying Olivia on it, she slips off her pink boots and tucks the cover over her shoulders. Bending down she presses a kiss to Olivia's cheek, Stefan leans against the doorway and feels like he is intruding on the intimate moment between mother and daughter. Sharlette stands up and walks over to the door, she slips out past Stefan and into the hallway as Stefan closes the door to the room as not to disrupt Olivia sleeping form.

"Tom what's wrong with you. I mean it's been four years since we last saw each other" she says wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I can't believe this" Stefan says stepping out of her arms and walking over to the balcony and closing his eyes as he runs his fingers through his hair.

"Babe. Did I do something wrong? Do you not want us here" she asks in a small voice and Stefan looks up turning around to face her.

She has her hands in her pockets and is looking at him, Stefan takes in her natural beauty for the first time that night. She is a little shorter than Bonnie, maybe between 5'2 and 5'3. She has a rich almond complexion with small, but passionate brown eyes and high cheeks bones. She is a curvy woman and the jeans she is wearing are proudly showing them off, he notices that she has a slight country accent. Stefan doesn't know when or why, but he feels the need to comfort her.

"Sharlette. I am not the same man you knew" he tries.

"What are you some serial killer" she jokes and he looks at her with an unamused smile.

"Come on Tom. Our daughter is a witch for heaven's sake, I am pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me. What can possibly change in three years" she asks him?

Stefan shakes his head when he sees her yawn, she covers her mouth and raises her head looking him in the eyes.

"Hey can you watch Liv for me? I have to go get our bags from our the car, I can use a shower" she says.

"Yeah sure" he says clearing his thrust.

"Thanks" she says and makes her way downstairs.

-X-

Later that night, Stefan is standing in his bedroom when he hears someone step in. He recognizes her scent and exhales.

"Bad day" Caroline asks?

"Yeah" Stefan says thinking about Sarah again.

"Want to talk about it" she asks coming up behind him.

"Not right now. Caroline we do need to talk about something" Stefan says turning around to face her.

"Alright what is it" she asks?

"Remember Tom Avery? My doppelgänger who Enzo killed a few years back" Stefan asks looking down.

"Yeah I couldn't do it because he reminded me too much of you" Caroline says.

"Well Tom had a fiancée and two year old daughter" Stefan says.

"No he didn't. I asked around and no one knew anything about his family or said he didn't have one" Caroline says.

"That wasn't true" Stefan says.

"Well how do you know that" Caroline asks?

"Because they are downstairs sleeping in one of the guest rooms" Stefan says.

Caroline freezes as she takes in this new information that was just presented to her.

"Wait. How did they find you" Caroline asks?

"Tom's daughter...my daughter..she is a witch Caroline. Locator spell" Stefan explains.

"Wow. Um..so does she know that Tom is dead" she asks?

"She thinks I am Tom" Stefan says.

"Stefan! You have to tell her the truth" Caroline says.

"Caroline it's not that easy. This little girl, Olivia. She has my eyes, this innocent little girl believes I am her father. How do I tell a six year old child that her father, the man she knew was killed to save the man who looks just like her father. It would break her heart" Stefan says sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Does this lady still believe that you her fiancé" Caroline asks?

"Yes. They were really happy together Caroline, she believes I was in a car accident and have amnesia so that's why I don't remember them" Stefan says.

"Well what are you going to do? Play along to her liking" Caroline asks harshly.

"I can't just kick them out especially not with Damon out there threatening to kill everyone I love" Stefan announces.

"So where does that leave us" Caroline asks?

"I always wanted to be a father. Then when I was turned I thought it was not a possibility and then what happened with Valerie and now I have another chance. Caroline please understand" Stefan says.

"You want me to understand you playing house with your doppelgänger's fiancé and daughter" Caroline asks?

"I watched you and Alaric do it" Stefan argues back before he can think and watches her since.

"Whose fault was that Stefan" she snarls.

"I don't want to fight Caroline. I just need you to give me time" Stefan says.

"Fine Stefan. Um I'm going to go home" she says.

"Good night" he says and presses a soft kiss to her head.

Caroline ignored the dreaded feeling in her stomach before walking out of Stefan's room and out of the boarding house. She guess moving in is out of the question?1