Daddy Issues

It was morning and Louise had just returned back from the Salvatore Boarding House. She was planning just to shower and get clean clothes before heading back there but had been halted in her tracks by the sight of John Gilbert. She let out a low groan. "What ae you doing here?

"Coffee?" John offered her as she headed into the kitchen. Louise ignored him. "You're giving me the silent treatment?"

"I asked you a question." Louise pointed out sharply. She hadn't played nice with her birth father last time she'd seen him and she didn't plan to do so now, either.

"Stefan couldn't get hold of Isobel so he got the next best thing." John told her. The brunette snorted.

"The next best thing would have been Vivienne and Katherine." Louise got a sense of satisfaction from seeing her insult had actually gotten him. He was far enough down the rungs for her to say that after what he had tried to do to Damon, and his refusal to help them in the past. Her attention shifted onto the television where Carol Lockwood was talking about hosting a memorial in the town square to honour those have recent passed.

Just then the eldest Gilbert girl stormed into the kitchen.

"Morning." John greeted her. Louise frowned when he turned the television off, muttering something about watching it.

"What are you doing here?" Elena demanded moodily.

"Coffee?" he offered, using the same trick he did not moments ago.

"I think you should practice the art of subtle subject change." Louise muttered and John shot her a look but she merely rolled her eyes.

Elena shook her head. "We're not doing that. We did that last night. No more avoiding. Why are you here?"

"I'm here to protect you. Both of you." John stated. "That's all I can say right now."

The two brunette's responded at the same time, their words overlapping; "Right now?" Louise repeated the two words angrily. "What do you mean that's all you can say?" Elena questioned with quirked eyebrows.

"I'll tell you more when I'm convinced I can trust you."

Louise was outraged at the idea of John Gilbert of all people calling her untrustworthy, but before she could say anything more to him, Jenna and Alaric entered the room, both extremely surprised to find John there.

"What the hell?" Jenna blurted out at the sight of her hated brother-in-law.

"Good morning to you, Jenna." John's eyes flickered towards Alaric who looked uncomfortable with the given situation. "Alaric..."

"It's okay I'm confused, right?" Jenna asked as her eyes bounced between her two nieces. "Because we were not expecting you, like, ever." Jenna's rambling was starting to sound identical to Elena's the night before.

"Well, I got in late last night." John responded with a slight shrug of his shoulders as if that would sooth Jenna. "Elena let me in."

"You know, I'm uh, probably just gonna take off." Alaric announced as he nudged a still gaping Jenna before he slowly edged out of the kitchen and away rom the debacle at present.

"I'm still confused here." Jenna stated, looking around at everyone in the room for answers.

"I decided to come back and stay for a while." John said but made no attempt to explain to Jenna about what the reason was for him staying, much like he had been avoiding with the twins.

Jenna snorted and shook her head. "Not here, you're not."

In typical John fashion, he chose to drop the bombshell that he was Louise and Elena's birth father to Jenna before departing cheerily, leaving the girls to puck up the pieces and explain. Alaric had already made his exit, so the two Gilbert girls were faced with their confused aunt.

"When did you guys find out?" Jenna demanded. "How?"

"I, uh..." Elena began but couldn't find any words. She swallowed, trying to get rid of her dry throat. She looked towards her sister.

Louise hesitated, knowing she couldn't tell the whole truth. "We didn't find out exactly, I had a hunch. You know, I knew that dad had forged our birth records and I thought, why would he do that? Why would Isobel go to him of all doctors? Elena blurted it out to John and he admitted it." She manged to scrape together the safe, supernatural-free version of the story which didn't involve weaspons against vampires and burning vampires alive in her father's old surgery.

"Oh god...why didn't you guys tell me?" Jenna looked a little hurt.

"I personally didn't want it to be true." Louise replied.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you Jenna." Elena added.

After endless hours of attempting to coax Jenna out of her bedroom, which the older woman had barricaded herself in after John's paternity reveal, Louise was more than grateful when a knock came from the front door and relieved her from her duties as caring niece number one. A duty that had fallen on her in her twin's absence.

The moment Louise pulled open the door, Damon walked through the threshold with a snarl, his eyes scanning around the place. "Where's John?"

"He's not here." Louise sighed. "He left. I don't know where he went. He just blew in, announced to Jenna that he's my dad, and then took off."

Damon stopped scouting the house to look around at her, seeing the distressed look on his girlfriend's face. "That's public knowledge now?"

"Apparently!" Louise answered. Damon's expression softened and he came closer to her.

"Are you okay?"

"The seer looked up at him and shifted, uncertain and eventually nodded. "Yeah. Jenna's head spinning, but I'm okay." It was a little strange having the truth out in the open but as always she felt a little relieved when there was a secret she could actually tell people. Damon reached out to her and Louise gratefully stepped into his arms, loving the feel of his arms around her again. It always felt right, being with Damon.

"He said what he was doing here?" Damon murmured into her hair.

"No. You know, Stefan thinks that he's telling the truth about wanting to help me." Stefan always tried to see the best in even the worst people - it was Louise and Elena's own fatal flaw, usually. But Louise could not trust John; for a man who was supposedly looking out for her, he did have a penchant for trying to kill her friends.

"I don't believe him either." Damon said flatly. Louise stepped away from his embrace to look into his moon-bright eyes. They were glinting dangerously.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked him.

"Kill him." Damon suggested, smirking. Louise hit him on the arm. "Hey! I'm joking. Okay, I'm a little serious."

"I'm not gonna hurt him, Elena. I'm the good guy now, remember?" Damon reminded her teasingly. Louise couldn't help but grin a little bit at that. "I'm gonna have a civil conversation with your father." Her relief vanished as he turned and began to head out the door; there wasn't always a huge gap between conversation and murder when it came to Damon and people he hated. Know this too well, Louise hurried after him.

It didn't take long to track John down to the Grill. As son as they entered, Damon spotted John harassing Jenna and Alaric on the other side. John noticed the two of them almost as quickly.

"We just need answers." Louise muttered to him out the corner of her mouth as they crossed the Grill. "Please don't do anything stupid." Damon chuckled and reached down between them to take her hand.

"Like I'd risk losing you again over John Gilbert." he said disdainfully, but managed to keep a smiled on his face as that met John; the façade was very import.

"John, buddy, how have you been?" Damon offered his hand to Louise's birth father, who shook it reluctantly.

"It's been alright, Damon. It's good to see you." John said, managing to not cringe even as Damon threatened to crush his fingers.

Everyone in the Grill was lighting candles in memorial of the victims of recent supposed animal attacks. Damon kept his distance from John until he could spot him alone, lighting a candle off to the side. Thinking that they never had been a memorial for the vampires John had burnt alive, Damon approached him from behind, glad that they could finally drop their pretence of friendliness.

"So, John. Rumour has it that you know a lot, and won't say anything."

"I'm not here to fight you, Damon." John replied, sounding tired. This was news to him. John turned to look at the vampire. "How do I know you can be trusted, Damon? Originals can compel vampires. And, according to Stefan, that's why Vivienne and Katherine are still in the tomb, because an Original has compelled them to stay there.

"Only because all of the vervain had left their systems. Stefan and I, on the other hand, are chock full." Damon informed him. John actually looked a little surprised.

"You guys are drinking vervain?"

"It's an acquired taste." Damon said mildly. "I don't see that magic little ring on your stitched finger, I could easily threaten you now, but I promised Louise I'd be civil. So if you know something about Klaus, you better start talking..."

"Damon, believe it or not, I trust you when it come to keeping Louise safe. But I need to know that I can trust you, Damon, that I can count on you. Then we'll talk."

Damon watched John's departure before heading over to the bar. He was none the wised as to what John was doing back here or what he could possibly do to help Louise, if that was even his plan. He was pondering this when another of Louise' relative came to the bar with another woman in tow.

"I know you." Damon announced, glancing at the woman with disinterest. "The news lady."

"Yeah, Andie Star." She gushed. "Nice to meet you. Can I buy you a drink, Damon?" Damon looked at Jenna, confused. Why would Louise's try to set him up with someone else? Of course, they haven't broke the news to her that him and Louise were official but it still seemed like a strange precedent. He glanced over his shoulder, and sure enough Louise was watching him with a frown on her face.

"My glass is all full, Andie. Thank you." he said bluntly, not bothering to be polite. He saw the surprise cross Andie's face, obviously not somebody use to being rejected, but he simply left and re-joined Louise.

"You didn't have to be rude."

"Oh, yes I did. Best to nip these things in the bud sometimes." Damon replied, finishing his drink in one huge gulp and putting his glass down. Louise's eyes were glinting a little bit and he felt a little flush of warmth in spite of his prevalent grief. "Would you rather I go over there and have a drink with her? Maybe grab a late bite? Of either kind?" He added, realising the pun.

"Okay, fine, but you could have more tact." She laughed lightly.

"And in case you haven't noticed, I have a thing for the doe-eyed, innocent looking ones." he teased, nudging her gently. She gave him a playful shove.

"I know you are not calling me innocent and doe-eyed!" She paused to contemplate, pursing her lips as she did. "Okay maybe I do have the eyes going on but I will not accept accusations of innocence." She wagged a finger of warning in his direction. He grinned at her before his brows furrowed when a thought came to mind.

"What's your aunt doing trying to set me up with her anyway?"

"I think Jenna thinks I should steer clear of you and your clearly troubled soul."

Elena soon entered the Grill, interrupting the couple to deliver a message from Stefan. Once Elena relayed the information; Caroline had been kidnapped, obviously by the werewolves; which meant that Tyler had spilt the beans. Louise and Damon looked at each other; Louise's expression was one of worry and Damon's was of fury.

"Not here." Damon murmured warningly, before indicating to the restrooms. Elena sighed and Louise nodded, letting him go first. The two brunettes followed after him.

"Tyler Lockwood knows?" Damon demanded. "Why am I just finding out about this now?" Louise bit her lip guiltily. In all honestly, most of what was going with Caroline, Tyler and her other friends had slipped her mind recently in light of all that had been going on with Elijah and then Rose dying.

"Stefan was worried that you." Elena was the one to respond. "He thought you might-"

"That I'll what? That I'd kill him?" Damon suggested. "Of course, it's what's need to happen."

"Damon." Elena warned, looking at her sister. She nodded her head towards the vampire. He had already killed Mason Lockwood, they did not need another one on the list - especially not Tyler, who would never have intentionally put Caroline in harm's way. The two had grown close since Tyler had triggered his curse.

"Damon, not Tyler." Louise said firmly. "Do whatever you need to do to get Caroline back but just leave Tyler out of it, okay?" she implored. Damon's expression was inscrutable.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Too many people are already dead, Damon." Louise pleaded softly. "Please." He looked at her for a long moment.

"I don't have to play the good guy because it's you who's asking, Louise." he told her heavily. She nodded and he could see that she realised this but was asking anyway. "We'll get Caroline back, Louise." He promised. Before she could do so much as thank Damon, however, they were interrupted by the entrance of John in the bathroom. Both Louise and Elena scowled at the sight of him.

"Do you mind?" Damon snapped.

"What's going on?" John wanted to know, looking between Damon, Louise and Elena as he asked.

"Nothing." Louise answer obstinately.

"It doesn't look like nothing." he insisted. Damon casted an annoyed look over his shoulder at him.

It was a order, not a question, but John had a stubborn expression which informed Damon only too well that he wasn't going to do so as he was told - not that Damon had really expected him to.

Elena sighed tiredly. "Look, we don't have time for this."

"Elena's right. We need to get Caroline back." Louise agreed.

"We don't need to do anything." Damon insisted in response. "I'll take care of it. First dad duty," He added as he wheeled around to face John for the first time. "Ground your daughter. Keep them here." He left before either Louise or Elena could protest, though he could hear them arguing with John as he departed.

Louise felt satisfied in her choice to trust Elijah when he sent in a witch to protect Caroline, Stefan and Damon from the werewolves, but the entire situation didn't sit well with her. Her friend had been kidnapped and tortured while Tyler simply watched, and somehow, in the middle of it, Louise was a sitting duck, waiting to see what would happen next.

There was no such thing as a normal day in Mystic Falls anymore and things were only getting stranger by the day. Her feeling of confusion left her when she closed the fridge door to find John waiting for her on the other side of it. After that all she felt was the same surge of irritation and dislike that she always did when she was met with him.

"I'm sorry about earlier." he told her by a way of greeting.

"Enough already." Louise snapped. "I don't want you there. I can't make it any more clear." He claimed to be there to protect her and Elena, but Louise didn't need his protection, nor did she want it. She didn't want anything from him.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, Louise." John began.

"Yeah, I know. You came here to protect me. Get in line." She spat fiercely. She cocked her head to the side. "Have you tried this conversation with Elena? Because if a trusting and gullible twin you're looking for you've got the wrong sister."

"I thought you might want this." he said, holding out a pretty bracelet. "It was your mother's." Louise looked at it hesitantly, not really knowing what the word 'mother' meant anymore.

"Isobel?" she questioned uncertainly as he handed it to her.

"No, your mother, Miranda. I remember her wearing it when she was young - I found it in a box, with some things that your dad left me. It's yours now." John explained.

Louise closed her hand on the bracelet, befuddled. She didn't really have anything of her adopted parents anymore, nothing of her mother's to hold onto until now. She would feel touched by this it it hadn't come from John. Still, she didn't let the bracelet go as she look at him uncertainly.

"Miranda and Grayson were your parents, Louise, and I know I'm nothing to you. You have no reason to believe me or trust me." He acknowledged with a deep sigh. "I've done so many horrible things, but when you lost your parents, I lost my brother, my family. I lost my way. I know that I probably won't ever make things right with you, but I'm gonna do everything I can to protect you and protect this family.

Numb, Louise let John leave, not knowing how to respond or what to say. Her fingers were curled around the bracelet tightly, but she held her breath until the lump in her throat died. She could understand now why John was so keen to help her - but still he had to go some way to prove himself.

When Elena entered the kitchen moments later, she caught sight of the piece of jewellery in her sister's hand. "What's that?"

"Oh..." Louise looked around the kitchen, almost reliving the conversation, but her gaze returned to Elena, she sighed. "Did you hear?"

"Yeah. I just thought you might not wanna talk about it."

"I don't believe him. Not after what he did." Louise insisted in a hard voice, shaking her head.

"That's okay." Elena admitted softly. "I don't believe him either. The guy set a building on fire and nearly killed Stefan and Damon. I'll never trust him."

Louise nodded and wiped the stray tears from her eyes. When she turned her head, she found Stefan. Damon had filled her in on everything that'd gone on that night. Elena immediately rushed into her boyfriend's arms.

Pulling back from their embrace, Elena looked up at the vampire. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But I could use your guys help..."

When Stefan had said he needed help, Louise had thought he meant that he needed her to convince Damon to keep Tyler alive. For once, there was nothing dark about what he needed help with.

Louise, Elena and Bonnie had packed what they needed and Stefan drove the the three girls over to Caroline's house. She'd been kicked while she was down and needed cheering up, and the girls had agreed that a slumber party was the best way to do that. After the past few days, Louise was relieved and happy to be doing something normal again.

Stefan walked up to Caroline's front doorstep alone and knocked on the door, waiting patiently. After a moment, the blonde opened it dressed in a robe with her hair wet from the shower she'd said she'd take.

"Hey!" Caroline greeted. "What's going on?"

"I was a bit worried about you, after everything you went through tonight." Stefan replied.

"I'm fine." Caroline responded immediately.

"Good." The male vampire nodded. " But, just in case, I brought some back up..." On cue, Louise, Elena and Bonnie stepped out from behind him, taking her by surprise.

Elena was the first in line of the girls. "We're gonna slumber it."

"Like we use to." Louise nodded, following her sister's lead.

"We haven't done it in ages." Bonnie added as she joined the three girls.

Caroline burst into tears, smiling from ear to ear as she hugged the trio, clearly as happy as they were to be doing something ordinary for a change, especially after the day she'd had. As the girls were hugging, Elena looked over Caroline's shoulder at her boyfriend, who was standing in the doorway.

"I love you." she mouthed. With a smile on his face, he mouthed the same back to her. He nodded once he realised he done something good before departing.

"Hey, do you wanna go inside?" Elena was the first to speak after the four girls had stood in the doorway for what felt like minutes. She had noticed that Caroline's body was no longer trembling and that the sobbing had stopped. She felt like it was finally the right moment to say something.

Caroline lifted her head from Bonnie's shoulder. Her face was wet with tears and her hair was sticking to her cheeks until the witch brushed it out of her face. She nodded and took a step forward to close the door before turning back around to face her friends. There was so much the blonde wanted to say, so much she wanted, Bonnie, Louise and Elena to know. But she felt exhausted from crying to say much to anything.

"I really missed our slumber parties." Was all she could manage. For her friends it was more than enough. They smiled at her, feeling relieved about the way her face had lit up just a little. "First, I really need to do my hair. You know how awful it looks when I don't take care of it after showering right?" Caroline rolled her eyes which caused the three to laugh.

"Why don't you let me help you with your hair? I can do it?" Louise offered smiling. Bonnie nodded encouragingly at her.

Soon enough, they were all in Caroline's room. While Bonnie and Elena changed into their pj's, Caroline was sat at Louise's feet as the brunette braided her wet hair, strands of darkened gold slipping through her fingers. Louise couldn't help but remember doing this when they were a little younger - remembering Caroline demanding that she would re-do the braid when it came loose because Louise had the steadiest hands. It brought a warm and loving glow of fondness to boil in the seer's chest.

The foursome exhausted themselves running around Caroline's house, making junk food, gossiping and catching up on everything that'd been going on.

A/N; Here's another chapter., that's three updates in a week! I'm on a role haha. Thank you to everyone who takes the time out to read and drop a review.

My responses to reviews;

AB0918: Yes, I'm back! Thank you, I'm so happy you're enjoying it.

ikran . feysal: Glad you like! Yes, I would say Klaus tortures Vivienne more than Katherine.