Thankfully they got inside just in time, Payton and Stefan were coming along the hall towards the room, Nora was running to join them, they had all heard a gasp and the smell of blood fill the room, clearly whatever had happened in the time they had been left alone had progressed really badly.
As they came on through into the room, Nora had got ahead of them, "Lily!" She exclaimed as she came through, Payton jogged through into the room with Stefan, her eyes widening when she saw Lily laying on the floor, Julian over her, a bloody wound in her chest, her eyes shot over to her boyfriend, who looked on in horror and shouted, "No!"
Just as Stefan rushed over to his mothers side, Julian vamp sped out of there, clearly he wasn't ready to watch her die or maybe he had a guilty conscious, as Payton slowly came over to them, knowing this was the worst outcome right now.
They carefully picked Lily up and laid her on the couch, Nora began to dig around in the wound, trying to find the last pieces of wood from the wound that was causing Lily so much discomfort, she was whimpering on the couch in agony from the stab.
Payton was holding onto Stefan's hand tightly, the other hand on his inner elbow, trying to support him through this, knowing that despite his rocky relationship with his mother, he was beginning to warm up to her again.
"The splinters must been inside your heart!" Nora exclaimed as she tried to find them, but just couldn't, she looked over at Beau who was sitting near Lily's feet on the couch, "I can't get them out!"
"Nora..." Lily addressed the girl who was clearly in distress, she slowly nodded back at Nora, "it's alright."
"What do I do?" Nora continued to panic, not liking how defeated Lily sounded, she glanced back at them, "tell me what to do!"
Stefan slowly nodded as he went to admit the painful truth, as Payton squeezed his hand in reassurance, "You say goodbye."
Nora looked back completely shocked Stefan would even suggest such a thing, she lowered her head in sadness before turning back to Lily "We wouldn't be a family without you, Lily. I love you. I am so sorry this happened," Lily gave her a painful look, before Nora got onto her feet and said, "Goodbye."
Nora quickly hurried out of the room, not wanting to watch anymore of Lily's pain, as Bo took Nora's seat beside Lily, he began to silently cried and nodded his head at Lily, she smiled lightly through the pain and nodded back at him in gratitude.
He slowly leant over and planted a light kiss on her forehead, before Payton found Stefan breaking his grasp on her hand hand and then going over to his mother to say his own goodbye.
Payton awkwardly stood watching on, her heart breaking for her boyfriend, Valerie was one side of her, silently crying at this whilst Damon kept a poker face, he was so hard to read right now.
Stefan shone his mother a sad smile as he sat down, before he laid his hand on her wrist, looking back at her with tears in his eyes, "I guess only one of us gets the luxury of time." Lily told him.
Stefan slowly nodded at her words, as Lily began to cry more, "Promise me. You'll use it to the fullest," She continued to talk to him, causing Payton's stomach to drop, everything was reminding her of the engagement and how much she regretted it, Lily was dying yet here she was being selfish and thinking of the proposal she wanted so badly, but Lily's words just made her think about what she really wanted right now.
Stefan nodded once more before his head turned over to Damon who was stood in the far end of the room watching on, a bottle of bourban was in his hand, he took a large swig of the drink as Stefan turned back to his mother.
Valerie took it as her chance to go next when Stefan got up and went back to Payton, she took her hand back into his own, leaning up to peck his cheek in comfort, shocked at this whole situation, she hadn't even processed it was happening yet, she was just trying to support Stefan through this.
Once Valerie had done, she went to walk out of the room, but before she did, she told Damon to make the most of the moments he still had with his mother, before she headed out.
Payton was surprised when she saw Damon coming over to join them by Lily's side, just as she addressed his oldest son, her body began to decompose on her, her skin was turning grey and her breathing was getting heavier.
"I'm truly sorry." Lily apologised to her son through her harsh breaths.
Payton felt Stefan tense up beside her when his brother remained silent, "Say something." He said to his brother in a strained voice, holding back his tears.
Damon stepped forward, handing his brother the bottle of bourban, he bent down to Lily's face, he said in a low tone, "You made your bed," He told her in a harsh tone, causing Payton to take in a shaky breathe of her own knowing what was to come next, "have a nice nap."
As Damon leant back up, Stefan looked back at his brother in disbelief that he could be so bitter even when their mother had just died right in front of them, Payton on the other hand wasn't so surprised Damon was acting this way, it was true Damon fashion, the older brother now walking out of the room and leaving them alone.
Suddenly Stefan let go of Payton's hand and with a quick swift motion, he turned on his heel and threw the bottle of bourban at the roaring fire behind them, Payton flinched as the glass shattered around them, taken back by her boyfriend's angry outburst, but she knew if she didn't step in, he would crumble.
"It's ok, it's ok," Payton quickly came over to him, cupping his face in her hands as she told him, "it's ok. I'm here."
"She's gone." He cried lightly.
"I know," She engulfed him into her, allowing him to cry into her, "I'm right here."
They decided to take Lily's body to the Salvatore crypt before they headed back to the Lockwood mansion, Payton kept hold of Stefan's hand for most of the journey home and when she couldn't hold his hand because he had to concentrate on the driving, she laid it on his thigh, wanting him to know she was here for every step of the way.
She knew this kind of grief would be different. It wouldn't be like the normal kind.
He had already grieved for Lily once when he was a young boy and that was hundreds of years ago. Now he was much wiser and older but even then the pain of losing a mother he had only just got back and was slowly letting back into his life felt like a chance he never got once again. It was taken from him all over again and he just felt disappointed.
When they pulled up outside the Lockwood home, Mason and Tyler were back, the lights were on in the sitting room, Matt was also home so it meant that they were probably up, drinking and catching up. She had no idea they'd be coming home today. Payton thought they'd be away for a little longer but it was Christmas soon so clearly they were coming back for a reason.
Now she had to figure out how the hell she was going to help Mason and Tyler she was pregnant with her Dad's babies?
She hadn't even thought about how she was going to do it yet since Payton hadn't presumed they'd be back yet. She thought she still had time. But now she was just going to have to say it because they'd be able to hear it before she could even explain because Tyler was a wolf and Mason was a vampire.
Payton got out of the car with Stefan and they slowly headed up to the front steps, "You go on up. I'll get you a drink, yeah?" Payton suggested, thinking he probably didn't want to have a reunion right now with the others when he had just lost his mother all over again.
"Thanks," He said to her in a low tone, reaching out and laying his hand on her back in gratitude, she smiled lightly back at him, "uh, can you make sure it's a bourban?"
"Yeah of course," She nodded in understanding, seeing why he might not want to drink any blood that night, it might be a trigger for him, "no worries."
Payton pushed open the door and allowed Stefan to come past her, before she closed it up again, she instantly heard the sounds of laughter coming from inside the study down the hall. She flashed him a reassuring smile, before he leant across and pecked her cheek, then went to head up to their bedroom.
Payton sighed lightly when she heard the bedroom door close moments later, she slowly walked towards the study, knowing she had to warn the guys, she wouldn't tell them the exact reason, but she had to make them aware, especially Mason who Stefan was having a hard time dealing with.
Upon hearing her footsteps, the guys turned their heads round to greet her, "Payton!" Tyler exclaimed in a good mood to see her or maybe he was just extra drunk that night.
"There she is." Matt smirked, clearly his mood from earlier on that day had subsided due to the beer bottles and whiskey glasses all of them had been consuming since the Lockwood boy's return with alcohol in his system he didn't care to think about their conversation earlier or the fact he was even sitting with two supernaturals, she hoped he hadn't also blabbed her secret.
"Here I am," She plastered a small smile onto her face, knowing she was about to ruin their wild night in with her news, as her eyes narrowed over to Mason, "hey."
"Hey, P." He greeted her with a charming look that used to make her inside's melt, but nowadays they just made her feel at ease, like she could still confide in him just without the romantic desire.
"I didn't know you guys were back." Payton raised her eyebrows up as she leant against the back of the couch Tyler was sitting on.
"We thought we'd make a surprise return." Tyler answered her going to sip from his beer bottle.
"Well I'm glad you're back," She smiled lightly, meaning it, because she had kind of missed them and had actually needed them with all the Valerie and Julian drama, "but there is something you need to know."
"Like who broke my Mom and Dad's coffee table?" Tyler questioned her with a playful look.
Payton shook her head, trying to hide her grin, as she held her hands up, "It wasn't me."
"It's probably best you didn't know." Matt found himself saying which surprised her to think he was suddenly defending her boyfriend and his older brother when he had been bad mouthing vampires all day but clearly the booze had gotten to him.
"What is it that we need to know?" Mason asked her probably the more sober one of the three.
"A couple of things but we'll start with Stefan," She breathed, her once grin fading off her face and now one of sadness hit, "something happened tonight, something terrible and he's not dealing well with it, so please just don't bother him. Please."
"Uh yeah, sure." Tyler nodded lightly picking up on her unease, as the other two boys slowly nodded in agreement.
"Thank you," Payton nodded back, before going to lean back up, "and then the other thing is that you might start hearing a couple more heartbeats around here..."
"Payton's pregnant!" Matt exclaimed from across the couch, causing her to snap her head at him and look at him in disbelief that he had just blabbed her secret to the two guys without her permission.
"W-w-hat?" Mason choked out his eyes nearly bulging out of his head, but when he actually sat there and listened, he could hear the beats.
"She's what?" Tyler was just confused as Mason had been.
"Thanks, Matt," She grumbled at her friend, shaking her head, before she nervously looked back at them, "it's a really long story but basically the Gemini Coven, they put Jo's babies inside of me. I'm carrying my sisters."
"They did?" Mason was shocked again to hear more of this, he was completely blown away by this news.
"So you're going to be having Ric's babies for him?" Tyler gathered by what she was saying.
"Yep," Payton nodded, rubbing her lips together anxiously, "I only found out yesterday so I'm getting used to it just as much as you are!"
"Holy shit." Mason sunk back slightly on the couch at this news, knowing this wasn't what he was expecting to come to, his ex girlfriend being pregnant.
"Yeah I'm gonna go head up," She said to them, thinking this was weird, "good night."
"Night." They all chorused in an awkward tone as she turned on her heel and headed to the kitchen.
Once she was inside, Payton went over to grab a bottle of fresh bourban and a glass for Stefan, she didn't want to give him the whole bottle if he was going to be struggling, so she wanted to be sensible about this, which was rare for her to ever be sensible when it came to drink, but she had to be there for him and do this properly.
Just as she finished pouring his drink, the kitchen door opened and Mason came in, "Hey."
"Hey." She said, she should have known he would have checked on her but Payton also felt twice as weird.
"You all good?" He asked.
"Well, as good as I can be," Payton shrugged as she went to put the bottle of bourban away, "how was your trip?"
"Yeah it was good. We had a lot of fun let's put it that way." Mason smirked.
"I see." She chuckled lightly.
"Is whatever happened to Stefan affecting you too?" He wondered picking up on her unease from before.
"Well, kind of yeah, I mean I'm worried about how it's going to effect him." Payton answered.
"That makes sense," Mason nodded, before going on, "wow two babies, huh? How did you find out?"
"I had pregnancy symptoms without even releasing they were. Anger, emotional, sickness, passing out. I just felt a mess basically. One of the heretics figured it out and uncloaked them. It's a long story like I said." She told him.
"Sound's complicated," He said back, as he sparked her memory, "I remember when we had that pregnancy scare."
"Oh god! Don't remind me! I was so scared." She added.
"Yeah but we got through it, didn't we? I wondered for a while what could have been." Mason admitted.
"Yeah me too." Payton found herself agreeing, knowing back then when she was head over heels for him, she wanted it all, the marriage, the babies, everything.
Part of her still did. Part of her still wanted marriage, babies, a family. She guessed this was the closest she'd get to carrying babies even if they weren't her own.
And the marriage thing, well that was another problem for another day, Stefan would not be thinking about that after losing his mother so there was no point in going into it with him any time soon.
But Mason clearly was.
"I noticed no ring on your finger." Mason teased her trying to cheer her up a little reminding her of their last conversation, trying to lift the mood a little.
She gave him a look, shaking her head, that regretful feeling was still there, "It's been a crazy few weeks."
Mason nodded back in understanding, thinking she didn't want to go any further, "I'll let you go."
Once Payton got upstairs, Stefan was sitting on the edge of the bed, Payton came over to him and handed him his bourban, before going to sit beside him.
"Did you tell them?" He wondered after she had been a while.
"I didn't tell them what had happened no," She answered, before going on to explain, "but I just told them not to bother you."
"Thanks." Stefan nodded as he then went to take a large sip from his glass.
"Do you think Damon will come home?" Payton wondered.
"Not if he know's what's good for him." He told her bluntly.
She shook her head at Damon's behaviour, before she sighed, "I'm so sorry this happened."
"It's not your fault." Stefan wrapped his spare arm around her back in comfort.
"I know but as soon as you were opening up to her she was taken away again. It's just not fair!"
"I know. It's not," He sighed in agreement, as she snuggled closer into him, "I'm having a hard time processing it."
"Yeah I understand," Payton tried to tell him, in someways she didn't, but in other ways she did, losing her Dad had been so hard, "take all the time you need."
"Thanks," Stefan forced a more genuine smile on his face, before he asked, "did you tell Mason and Tyler about the pregnancy?"
"I was about to and then big mouth drunk Matt decided to do it for me." She faked a smile back at him.
"Oh wow," He was surprised to hear this, but shook his head, "that's not good."
"I know," She shook her head in agreement, before going on, "they were just as freaked out as we all were too."
"Yeah it's a lot to get your head around," Stefan chuckled lightly, as his curiosity got the better of him, "what was it you wanted to talk about tonight?"
"Oh," She felt her face drop in nervousness, before she shifted on the bed uncomfortably, looking away from him, "it doesn't matter."
"Are you sure? You sounded pretty serious earlier." He raised his brows up picking up on her sudden unease.
"Yeah it doesn't matter anymore. This is more important." Payton tried to convince him otherwise.
"No if something is bothering you I want to know." Stefan pressed.
"Stefan," She breathed, shaking her head and looking back up at him, "really."
"Yes really." He gave her a look.
"You just your lost your Mom! I'm not going to go into something else tonight."
"I could do with a distraction." Stefan shrugged, but deep down he knew he was more worried about her and what was on her mind.
"We can talk about this another time." Payton tried to say to him once more.
"We have time now."
Payton shook her head, before she found himself giggling slightly at his persistence, "Stefan."
"Just tell me!" He encouraged.
She rubbed her lips together nervously, before sighing, giving in to him, "I guess I just wanted to talk to you about us."
"What about us?" Now he was more worried.
"I guess I've been feeling a little different lately like I've come to a bit of a realisation about something and I mean this happened before we fell out over the whole Valerie and Julian thing, this has been something that has been lingering." Payton rambled on.
Stefan frowned in confusion, not understanding, "What has?"
She swallowed her sudden dry throat, as Payton slowly got onto her feet and turned back to look at him, "I don't want to make you angry."
"Why would you make me angry?" Stefan felt his own unease only now rising, how she was talking was making him think the worst right now.
Her eyes rolled over to the drawer in the night stand behind him, as her eyes nervously trailed back onto his confused face, "I found it again." She admitted.
"Found what?" He was way past confused now, before he watched her gaze go over to the night stand again, causing him to turn his head around and follow her gaze.
Stefan didn't understand what she was on about until he turned his gaze back onto her and then he saw the look on her face, the shame, the guilt, the same expression she held when she had found it the first time.
"You found the ring." He clarified with her in a low tone, causing his stomach to drop.
She nodded back at him, feeling the tension in the room suddenly rise, Payton couldn't suss out how he felt, but she knew now she had gone into it, she couldn't stop, "It started the night of the ball at Whitmore," She began to explain to him, her heart pounding at this point, "we were dancing and I looked at you, I just thought what am I doing or why didn't I do what I should have done, why did I say no or not even allow myself to accept..."
Stefan lowered his head slightly, Payton couldn't tell if that was disappointment or anger he was trying to hide, yet she continued, "I thought by the time we would get home, the fears would set back in and I would shake the feeling. But no it was still there. Then everything happened with Valerie and Julian and I felt like I was losing you, but then it came back, I was just looking for some photos of us, I know you have them in your drawer,"
He slowly lifted his head back up to look at her, as she went on further, "I put my hand in and I found the box. I couldn't believe it had been sat there this whole time. I don't know why but part of me felt like you had gotten rid of it or had left it back at the house, I don't know, I didn't think you had brought it here. It just left me feeling more regretful that I didn't even give it a chance,"
"then when I heard your Mom speaking tonight, it just made me have even more regret. I thought to myself, why am I sitting here waiting to just suddenly let those fears leave when the only way I am going to face them is if I challenge them and go through with what I really want underneath that," She explained more, it felt like a massive weight was being lifted off her shoulders, but she also felt incredibly fearful of his reaction.
"I didn't want to tell you the first time I felt it because I was scared you'd be pissed at me for toying with your feelings and I get it if you are, I get it if you're angry at me, I can accept that. Hey, I'm pissed at me too..."
"Payton," Stefan interjected before she could say anymore, causing her to slam her mouth shut and looking back at him with fear, "you don't have to say anymore."
"Really?" She looked back at him in confusion, she still couldn't figure out how he felt.
"I think I've heard enough," He nodded back at her, before downing his bourbon, "listen, I'm not going to lie to you and say I'm not confused, because I am. I mean this is a bit of a shock. You were so certain you weren't ready..."
"I know!" Payton exclaimed, shaking her head, "I know! That's why I said I'm fine if you're annoyed at me for messing you around."
"It's not that," He shook his head in disagreement, going on to explain, "it's just...a lot to take in I guess."
"Yeah that is understandable." She nodded thinking she had only just gone and made this night worse.
"I think I'm going to head to bed, alright?" Stefan got onto his feet and made his way towards their bathroom.
"Alright." Payton sighed lightly back, letting him walk inside and close the door behind him, once he had gone in, she put her fingers through her hair in distress.
An hour or so later, Payton had watched Stefan drift off to sleep, the two had barely said a word since earlier on and there was no way in hell she was going to be able to get some sleep after that.
Coming downstairs, she headed straight into the back yard and sat down on the porch, making a late night phone call to her Dad.
"I'm so sorry it's late," She said down the line when he picked up, "you probably want to head to bed but this can't wait."
"What's going on?" Alaric asked her thinking it was something to do with the babies.
"I haven't talked to you about this because we've both had so much going on," Payton began to explain, his anxiety was only growing, "it's nothing to do with the babies, don't worry, we'll all good but I was having regrets about the engagement."
"You were?" He was surprised to hear this, slightly relieved to know the babies were ok.
"Yes!" She hissed back, before going on, "and I told Stefan about it tonight. Now I feel like I've royally screwed up!"
"Well no offence, P, but you told the guy no and now you're changing your mind...I would be a little confused."
"I know! God I know! But I just feel like I should have just kept my mouth shut!"
"You did the right thing being honest. Just give Stefan time. He'll figure it out." Alaric tried to reassure her.
"His Mom died tonight." She admitted to him in a sad tone.
"I know. I've got Damon sitting through on my coach drinking my bourban supply."
"He was so mean, Dad." Payton remarked regarding Damon's behaviour that night.
"I know. You know what he's like though. Try get some sleep. Call me in the morning if you need."
"Yeah I'll try."
"Thank you again, Payton. I won't stop thanking you." He told her.
"Dad, you don't need to thank me. Thank the coven for being so smart. I'm just doing what I have to do." She replied.
"I know but I do appreciate it."
The next few days passed by in a complete blur, they had organised to have a private funeral for Lily with just Stefan, Payton, Nora, Beau, Damon and Valerie. Damon surprisingly was actually coming but wondered how much of that was to just support Stefan or to make himself look better.
Of course none of the other heretics including Julian were invited. Payton knew even more now Lily was gone that Stefan would want to kill Julian more for the pain he had caused and to be honest Payton just wanted to see the back of this.
It was going to be Christmas soon, she had two twin babies to think about now and she just wanted to have a relaxing holiday with as minimal drama as possible.
Strangely the night after Payton had confessed she had regretted the proposal, neither of them had barely spoke a word of it, when they had gone to talk about it, Stefan had said he still needed time to get his head around it since he had gotten used to the idea of waiting, she was slightly disappointed but wasn't surprised, she had ruined their chance and now would have to wait until the timing was better to get what she wanted.
She felt awful about it. But there was nothing she could change now. At least, she had been honest.
"I really hate the idea of you going." Payton said to her boyfriend as they stood at the front door of the Lockwood home.
"I know but I'll hopefully be back sooner rather than later." He tried to tell her leaning across and pulling her into him.
She snuggled into him in the cold breeze that was lingering, breathing him in as she did, it had been snowing the past week, it was freezing out there, "I just don't like the thought of you getting hurt and me not being there to help you."
"Payton, you're pregnant, alright?" Stefan reminded her as she pulled her head away from him and looked up at him, "I'm not putting you at risk. You're days of being a defensive vampire are on hold right now."
Payton sulked slightly, knowing that idea wasn't helping the weak insecurities she had been having lately, but she knew she couldn't be stupid when she was caring two little babies in her stomach, "I know but doesn't mean I don't want to protect you."
"I know you want to but you're going to be fine today," Stefan tried to reassure her, as his hand skimmed under her coat onto her t-shirt underneath, "oh wow."
"Oh don't," She found herself laughing lightly, her cheeks flushing, "my belly popped a couple of nights ago that's why I've been so reluctant to parade naked around our bedroom."
"I did think I felt and saw something different but I didn't want to bring it up if you weren't ready," He admitted to her, but now he had actually felt it more properly, he was curious, "can I?" He asked with a warm smile.
"Of course," Payton nodded, slightly nervously, as she lifted her coat up slightly and allowed him to hold her belly properly, "it feels weird. I'm never going to get used to it I don't think."
"This definitely feels very real," He chuckled lightly, as he held onto it lightly, before he looked back at her, "but you're doing amazing."
"Yeah I'm trying. I mean my emotions feel all over the place so you better get in that car otherwise I'll start crying that you're leaving me." She half joked, pushing him back slightly.
"Alright, alright," Stefan smirked slightly, as he stepped away from her and headed down the steps towards his car, she followed him going over to her own, knowing she was making the drive over to Whitmore to go with her Dad to some birthing classes, "I'll call you."
"You better." She said leaning over to peck his lips quickly, before heading over to her car and climbing inside.
A while later she met Caroline and her Dad in the middle of Whitmore campus, Alaric hadn't seen her in a few days but immediately when he saw her, he instantly embraced her hard.
"Oh wow, Dad," She chuckled lightly into him, as she hugged him back and then pulled away, "you doing okay?"
"Yeah I'm just grateful to see you," He smiled back, pulling away from her and then looking down at her, "do I see more of a bump?"
"Oh my god, I totally see it!" Caroline began to beam looking down at her friend's noticeable shape that her coat was showing.
"Yeah I popped this week. I was going to send a picture and then I thought no I'll let it be a surprise. So surprise!" She beamed back.
"Wow, Payton, this seems even more real now!" Alaric was still shocked by all of this but so happy and excited.
"This is such an exciting magical pregnancy!" Caroline gushed in awe.
"Maybe less of the magical part should be spoken out loud, Care, but yeah this is amazing." He smiled back at the two of them.
"I'm still getting used to it. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." She laughed back at them.
"Well, maybe this class will make it seem more real. Are you ready to go?" Alaric asked her.
"Yeah I think so." Payton answered somewhat nervously.
"Here I got you both these," Caroline said pulling two notebooks out from her bag and handing them over to them, "I thought you guys could make some notes."
Payton looked over at her Dad in confusion, as Alaric remarked, "You do know this is a birthing class right, Caroline? Not SAT prep."
"I know but you guys need to be prepared!" She exclaimed back to them not seeing the problem, before she handed Alaric a leaflet, "I also got this but it's the least graphic one I could find. I'm sure you don't want all the extra detail about your daughter."
Payton frowned back at Caroline, thinking this was so over the top, but it was Caroline after all, Alaric looked down at the leaflet in slight repulse, before Payton said, "Uh yeah, thanks, Care. We'll get going then."
"Bye! Have fun!" Caroline beamed back at them as Payton pulled her uneasy Dad away and towards the birthing class.
When they got to the birthing class later, Payton stuck with her pretend story that she was pregnant, the father had left her and so she was going to be a single mom, her Dad was coming with her for support and that was that. No one had to know the fact she had magical babies that belonged to her Dad inside of her. There was no need for that information.
When the session ended, they decided to go head for a bite to eat and a drink somewhere, they were walking through campus, "So how is the whole engagement thing? You haven't mentioned it since the other night."
"Uh, pretty much non-existent. He didn't speak to me for the rest of the night after, then when we woke the next morning, he was busy organising Lily's funeral that it just got swept under the carpet. Then when we finally got to it he just said he needed time to get his head wrapped around it. I guess I just feel sad that I didn't give him what he wanted the first time and now I want it I can't have it." She sighed lightly.
"I'm sure within time it will work out. There's no point forcing it." He tried to put her mind to ease.
"I guess," Payton shrugged, before going on, "I guess it's not even worth speaking about anymore with Julian on his mind and me with these babies."
"How have you been feeling? I know you send you're always hungry and emotional." Alaric said back.
"Yeah I am! I cry at everything. I get angry even if Mason or Tyler have left an empty coffee cup in the sink. My emotions are all over the place. Think pregnant lady with a heightened emotional vampire and you have me." Payton tried to make light of her situation.
"That sound's hard." He agreed with her, smirking lightly, before Payton found herself freezing slightly as she heard the sound of voices in the background, her vamp hearing zoning in.
"Oh my god, that is Payton! She was in my class last year. No wonder she didn't come back. She got knocked up by whoever that guy is!" One of them said in the background.
"That guy is her Dad!" The other added.
They both gasped, "Oh my god, you don't think?" The other joined back in.
Alaric paused in confusion, looking back at her with concern, "Pay? Everything alright?"
"Yeah, it's just my vamp hearing is picking up on everything it seems." She grumbled, snapping her head round to look at the two gossiping and sending them a deadly glare.
The two quickly turned away in embarrassment, slightly confused as to how she could have heard them, but more embarrassed that they had been caught.
Alaric followed her gaze over to the two girls who had been talking, then back on Payton with a sigh, "Just ignore them, P."
"No, it's okay. They're just having a difficult time with not being judgemental in the 21st century and jumping to conclusions." She faked a smile back, her eyes slightly changing to her vampire ones through the anger she felt.
"Maybe we should head back my apartment." He suggested thinking if he didn't step in now she would vamp out on the girls and they couldn't afford that.
"Why, Dad? I'm not going to let them win!" Payton grumbled back her teeth now starting to emerge.
"Payton! Payton!" Her Dad quickly reached out to her, laying his hands on her shoulders and getting her to look deeply at him, "your eyes!"
Payton quickly reached her hand up to touch under her eyes, as her stomach dropped, knowing full well she had nearly vamped right there in the middle of campus out in the open, she could have really screwed up and exposed herself, her eyes and fangs quickly going back to normal.
"Oh my god," She muttered under her breathe in panic, but also her own embarrassment now, as Alaric went to turn her around and walk her away, "I can't believe I just did that."
"That Saltzman rage." He tried to make light of this situation, thinking if he kept calm, she might as well as Alaric walked with her towards his apartment.
"Let's hope these babies don't have the same rage, huh?" Payton drew in shaky breathe as she felt the anger leaving her body.
But for how long would it stay away for?
When they got back to the apartment, Payton was sitting on the couch, typing out a text to Stefan to call her when he was able to, she was worried and missing him, when she hit the send button, she put her cell phone down on the coffee table and then looked up to see Alaric coming through.
He tossed her a blood bag in which she took from him, before he opened up a beer bottle for himself, "Oh god, don't tease me like that!" She complained seeing him take a large sip from her beer.
"You missing it?" Alaric presumed as he sat opposite her on the arm chair.
"Miss it? I made Stefan pour all my favourite bottles of wine down the sink so I didn't have to look at them again. I've made a rule that the boys keep all alcohol away so I can't find it. If Stefan brings a bourban up to bed, I make him drink it in one so I don't have to look at him. I know that sounds excessive but it's like torture." Payton explained to him.
Alaric couldn't help but chuckle, "Well I can definitely tell you are my daughter. Soon enough you'll be back drinking your wine and drunk dialling me to tell me how much you love your old man."
"It can't come soon enough no offence!" She said back to him, ignoring him drinking now as she went to rip open the bag, "do you think it's even okay to drink this stuff? I've been trying to limit how much I take because I'm worried."
"You mean you've been so hungry but restricting yourself?" Alaric gathered from what she was saying.
She shrugged back, "I suppose yeah."
"No wonder your all over the place with your anger!" He remarked.
"I just...how are we supposed to know what's safe, huh? I was drinking throughout the first half of this pregnancy, Dad! I'm just praying with all supernatural abilities that the babies are safe and well. I could have hurt them!" Payton realised.
"We will come to that when it happens. For the majority of that time they were cloaked. They weren't even properly inside of you!" Alaric tried to reason with her even if the concern had crossed his mind also.
"I just feel..." Payton paused, thinking this was the first time since she had found out that she had actually properly turned inside and realised how she was feeling, "I just feel like I'm not good enough for this. I'm such an angry alcohol obsessed naive girl! I can't carry two babies! Like what?"
"Payton, you're doing a great job! Better than you think!" He tried to tell her.
"But I'm not though! I don't even know what I am doing!" She stood onto her feet, feeling all of her emotions hit her hard.
"None of us do when it's the first time. I was just a kid when your Mom fell pregnant with you. I freaked out!" Alaric explained.
"But this is different, Dad!" Payton tried to tell him her anger only rising again.
Alaric got onto his feet, picking up on her upset, as he went to stand behind her, "But you are doing fine! You're going to do great!"
"Would you stop!" She snapped back, shaking her head.
"Pay, c'mon, think about it, when this is over, you'll have two siblings, it will have been worth it!" Alaric tried to make her see the positives of this, as he leant down to put his beer on the side, "this is a miracle!"
Alaric went to lay his hands on her shoulders in comfort, when she spun round to him in rage, fully vamping out on him now, "I said stop!"
Using her vamp speed, Payton pushed her Dad into the wall behind, as Alaric gasped in shock at what was happening, causing Payton to quickly snap out of it and shake her head in disgust at what she had just done.
Quickly stepping away from him and regaining composure for her vampire features to vanish, Payton quickly picked up her cell phone from the coffee table and grabbed her coat, before saying, "I should go."
"No, no, no..." Alaric tried to discourage her from leaving even if she had just nearly hurt him, he didn't want her to be alone when she was full of emotion.
She wasn't sticking around to remind her Dad of what she had just done and the shame she felt. Payton vamp sped out of the apartment, causing him to yell after her, as she quickly hurried across campus to go find her car so she could get the hell out of there.
"Shit, Stefan, I screwed up! Please can you just call me or come home? I really need you! Like badly!" Payton sobbed down the line as she drove home that day and left him a voicemail, needing him more than ever right now.
Author note: Hey! Happy new part. I hope you loved reading this new update. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it.
Special thank you to Djone246 and GirlyGamer1986 for reviewing the last part. I hope Payton was more careful in this episode!
What did you guys think about her vamping out on her Dad?
Do you think Stefan's reaction to her regretting the engagement was justified?
I'd love to know your thoughts!
Thanks so much.
Best wishes,
guiltypleasurexo
