Outside Mystic Falls Public Library, February 2010

Abigail was overwhelmed by the amount of bags she'd managed to procure during her shopping. She'd found clothes and accessories with the help of another very helpful shopkeeper. Some food once she'd found a food store, along with drinks, and a library card. As she stood outside the library, surrounded by her bounty, she was caught by the light fading from the sky.

Startled from her reverie at the sunset by a large vehicle pulling in front of her. Driven by a man slightly older than anyone she had spoken to all day, she was surprised when he called out to her.

"Need a ride?" Alaric asked. He'd watched her all day, after Damon asked.

Abigail considered his offer. She couldn't read him easily, unlike the shopkeepers or librarian, but she felt that he meant her no harm. Shrugging she nodded. The car he drove, bigger than Damon's, would get her and her packages home quickly. Not being able to die by normal means didn't mean that temporarily dying wasn't painful or inconvenient. Besides, she would hate to be robbed.

"I'm Alaric Saltzman." He said, coming around to offer his hand. She took it and introduced herself. A feeling of safety rolled over her as their skin touched, reinforcing her belief in him. "Let me grab your packages and get you where you need to go."

He made quick work of the bags and helped her up into the vehicle. Ric burned with curiosity about the woman beside him. Abigail Morgan had Damon tied in knots and that made her intriguing. This was completely different from his feelings for Katherine.

"So, Abigail is it?" Alaric struggled to sound mildly interested. "Where to?" He knew that Morgan House would be their destination, but he had to pretend he didn't know. Frightening her wouldn't help Damon's cause.

"Morgan House, please." She offered with a smile that lit up her face. She was beautiful, Ric had to admit. Diminutive, but regal and completely enchanting.

They drove in silence for a few moments. Ric wanted to ask questions, but didn't want to appear too interested.

"Saltzman?" Abigail asked, repeating his introduction. "Are you the history teacher at the school?"

He smiled, she obviously used her lunch with Matt and Caroline well. "Yeah, that's me. How do you know that? Future student of Mystic Falls High?" She could pass for a high school student, and it wouldn't be the first supernatural he taught.

She laughed and he was struck by the music of it. "No, I'm past school years, I'm afraid. I met a few of your students earlier. Caroline Forbes and Matt Donavan? They welcomed me to Mystic Falls and kept me company."

Her cadence was very old fashioned, but Ric realized no one would mind. She was just that appealing and fascinating. She was so open, even with her knowledge of the darkness of the supernatural world.

"They're good kids," Ric agreed. Then asked one of his many burning questions. "Are you here to stay or visit?"

"Stay." She said simply. "I hope anyway. I'm realizing my house is going to need a great deal of updating to be truly livable." She sighed. While she wanted the safety of her home, she also wanted to get used to modern conveniences.

"Why don't you stay in one of the hotels?" Ric asked, knowing she needed more than a home base.

She contemplated his offer. It would make more sense to stay somewhere else until the house would be more livable. She needed to have her mother's grimoire, and she'd like the shoes and other things Damon had brought her. She wondered if Alaric would mind a longer trip.

Anticipating her desires, he asked her if she wanted to go to the house and pick up her luggage or things she'd like to take to a more convenient place. "I don't mind, Abigail. And it would no doubt be safer, at least until you do the electricity and plumbing. No one wants to live in a house with no lights, air, or heat and definitely without a fully functioning bathroom."

She thanked him and agreed. Animal attacks were supposed to be over, she thought, yet he inferred that there was still danger. "I heard that there were animal attacks, but Caroline said the mountain lion was caught?"

Ric stared out the windshield. Damon hadn't told her the full story of the tomb vamps. Damn it. Animal attacks. Well, he'd play along, for now.

"Apparently there were more beasts in its pack." Let her make up her own mind about what that meant. She was clearly smart, so he had no doubt he would.

Abi faintly recalled Damon talking about when he'd tried to free Katherine from beneath Fells Church. Dear God. Had Emily saved them all in her stead? Twenty-seven vampires loose on her hometown. They'd reign terror on the very place she'd called home.

He heard her slight inhale of breath. She knew. He could feel it. He wished he could reassure her, but he had to fake any knowledge of her or the other world. Not being able to comfort her sucked. Holding in an irritated groan, he finally pulled in front of her house. Before he could ask if she wanted him to accompany her inside, she let him know she'd be quick.

He nodded with an easy smile. "I'll be right here, Abigail." He shrugged off her gratitude. He realized that he would do anything to help her. She was so compelling.

Abigail ran inside, lighting a candle and heading upstairs to gather her things. She forced everything she wanted with her into a few shopping bags. Finished in a few minutes, she rushed back downstairs, blowing out her candle, and locking the door behind her. She opened the door to the vehicle and climbed inside with her bags. She thanked him again as they headed back to town.

"There's a nice hotel near the Grille. They have extended stay suites." Knowing she wouldn't understand the distinction he explained. "That way you'll have access to a kitchen. Staying there while you figure out your next move at the house would be more comfortable than a regular hotel room."

She smiled in gratitude. "That sounds perfect. Thank you so much, Alaric."

His name from her lips was mesmerizing. Driving toward the hotel, Ric wanted to learn more about her. He told himself it was to help Damon in his quest to win her love.

"What brought you to relocate to Mystic Falls?" He asked hoping he still sounded casual in his interest.

"Not much else to do with my life." She answered, staring into the darkness outside. "Why not come here, where my family began?" She felt a tear escape and quickly brushed it away. "I'm an orphan. My family's stories about this town,my ancestors, and my inheritance drew me here."

"I'm sorry," Ric offered, wanting to comfort her. "I didn't mean to bring up something upsetting."

Smiling at her companion, she shook her head. "You didn't. My emotions are just jumbled. It's been a long couple of days." She sighed, thinking about Damon. "I feel like I've woken from a terrible dream and found myself in another world. Alone and overwhelmed, silly isn't it?"

Ric could hear the pain in her voice. The urge to stop the car and pull her to him was heavy. To keep her safe and happy was all he could think about. He'd only just met her, but he was ready to lay down his life for her.

They found the hotel and he helped her inside with her bags. Helping her navigate the check in process, without making it look like he knew her secret, he finally carried her bags to the room she'd been given. Standing outside the door as he used the card to unlock it, Abigail thanked him once again. The urge to touch her became unbearable, so he did. He offered his hand and Abi took it, smiling and hoping they could be friends.

He asked for her cell phone and carefully added his contact information. Abigail smiled and told him she could take the bags from this point. Alaric nodded and said goodnight. Not wanting to leave her in this hotel, alone, but knowing that he'd have to because she willed it so. After another goodnight, he walked away, wondering how a woman he barely knew could make him want to act as her protector.

Abigail carried her bags into the room. The lightswitch had been flicked by Alaric after he opened the door, so she was bathed in more light than she was used to, but it wasn't unpleasant. She carried her food to the kitchen and was relieved to see it was stocked with pots, pans, utensils, and plates. Putting everything away in a humming icebox, she smiled. It wasn't home, exactly, but it would do for the time being.

She continued to explore and put things away where they should go. Clothes in the closet and chest of drawers, shoes under the clothes, toiletries in the luxurious bathroom. The bathtub called her so that would be first on her list of new experiences. Then she'd find out about the flat black thing on the chest of drawers, and explore her new phone.

Taking a deep breath, she took in her new reality. A new life, in a new world.