Thunder storms.

Alicia hated them with a passion.

She sat at the edge of her bed, watching the sky outside of her window. Lightning shot across the sky and a loud crash of thunder followed almost immediately. Alicia flinched, then tucked her legs into her chest and continued to watch the sky. She felt her eye lids droop, she felt them close. Her eyes shot open at another clap of thunder. She sighed, she could take dangerous vampires and other things, but a storm was something she couldn't?

Alicia shook her head at her childish fear. She heard somebody walk down the hallway, she turned her head looking at her closed door. She didn't want to be bothered, not when she's like this...

Damon stuck his head in. Alicia turned her head back to the window again.

" Your still up?"

Alicia nodded.

" Is something wrong?"

" No," Alicia said quietly, " you can go back to bed."

Damon wasn't buying it. He knew there was something wrong. He closed the door behind him, Alicia looked at him. Then turned her attention back to the window.

" Everything is fine. Really."

Damon smirked, " come on Alicia, you can't lie to me."

Alicia hugged her legs closer to her chest and placed her chin on her knees, " It's nothing, just something stupid."

Damon walked over and sat down on the bed beside her. A flash of lightning lit the room as Alicia clenched her eyes shut.

Damon smiled, " is it the storm?"

Alicia opened her mouth " no-" -A loud clap of thunder- " yes."

Damon opened one of his arms, " come."

Alicia shook her head, " no, it makes me feel childish."

" It's not childish."

" Yes." Alicia hid her face in the flesh of her legs, " It is."

Damon rolled his eyes, " well, if it makes you feel any better, your mother was scared of lightning."

Alicia turned her head so she could look at him, " I want to be fearless. A vampire shouldn't be scared of anything."

" Who told you that?"

" Nobody did."

Damon sighed, " Alicia, everybody has fears of some kind."

" You don't."

" Yes," Damon said, hating to have to admit it, " I do."

Alicia looked at him with tired eyes.

Damon smiled, " but you need to get some sleep."

Alicia looked out the window, " I'm not ready to sleep yet."

Damon scooted himself closer to her and put his arm around her. Alicia sighed and leaned against his shoulder. They didn't say anything for a while, they just listened to the rain on the roof and the occasional clap of thunder.

" Dad?" Alicia asked quietly.

" Hm?"

" Do you remember that one time you sang to me?"

Damon paused, " yes."

" Do you remember that lullaby? It was sorta dark and almost angry."

Damon tilted his head, " Mordred's lullaby?"

Alicia nodded.

" Yes, I do."

" Can you sing it again?"

Damon smiled a small smile, " why would you want that one?"

" Because I like it."

Damon sighed, Alicia pouted, she guessed he wasn't going to sing it.

" Hush child. The darkness will rise from the deep, and carry you down to sleep." Damon started to sing softly,

" Child, the darkness will rise from the deep, and carry you down to sleep.

Guileless son,

I'll shape your belief, and you'll always know that your father's a thief. And you won't understand the cause of your grief, but you'll always follow the voices beneath."

" Alicia?"

No response.

Damon smirked, the first time he had sang that to her she had only made it past the first verse. He picked her up and tucked her in.

" This was a one time thing," He said to the sleeping girl, " don't expect me to sing every time you ask."

He patted her head before leaving. He closed the door softly, secretly hoping for more thunder storms.

Alicia shook her head, laughing slightly. " Ike, dances are not my thing."

" Why not? You don't even have to dance. You could sit and sing along to the music." Ike said.

Alicia smirked, " What's the point in going to a dance and not dancing? If they wanted people to come to sing along to the songs, they would call it a sing-along."

Ike rolled his eyes, " come on, Alicia, just go. You might have fun."

Alicia growled, " Not likely. Don't you need a ticket to get in?"

Ike smiled, " I got that covered. I already bought you one."

Alicia glared at him, " well, I guess I have not choice but to go. It would've been nice if you asked me first."

Ike looked awkward, " surprise?"

Alicia sighed, " what time does it start?"

" eight. I think."

" Fine, I'll go."

" Great, I'll pick you up at seven!"

Alicia smiled, " you don't have to do that. I can walk there myself."

" No. I insist." Ike smiled, " I'll see you at seven."

Alicia sighed, this should blow over well...

Alicia threw on some decent looking clothing, and walked down to the living room. Damon watched her with an eyebrow raised.

" Going somewhere?"

Alicia nodded, " to a school dance."

Damon smirked, " by yourself?"

Alicia sighed, " Ike is taking me."

" Oh, will I be meeting this Ike?"

Alicia rolled her eyes, " yeah, he's coming over at seven." Alicia could hear someone outside.

" Must be him now."

Alicia turn as she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door, Ike smiled at her.

" Hey Alicia." He looked past her, Alicia turned and pointed at Damon.

" He, is my father."

" Damon Salvatore." Damon added, looking Ike over.

Ike smiled at him, " Ike. Nice to meet you."

" Alicia." Damon said, grabbing her arm, " can I talk to you?"

" Uh, sure, hold on a minute Ike." Alicia followed Damon into the living area.

" I don't like him." Damon stated, " there is something off about him."

Alicia made an annoyed face, " he barely said anything. How could you possibly know that?"

" I can feel it. He could be a dick."

" Ike. A dick? Hardly, Ike is harmless."

" Don't they all start off that way?" Damon narrowed his eyes, " I might have a talk with him."

" Dad, please, I can handle Ike." Alicia rolled her eyes, " your making a big deal out of this."

" Am I? Well, if something happens don't come crying to me."

Alicia narrowed her eyes, " I'm going now, somebody needs to pull that stick out of your ass."

With that Alicia turned and left the house.