DISCLAIMER: I do NOT ownVampire Diaries or any of its characters and I do not make any profit off of this. This is only for my pure enjoyment and those who wish to read.
CLAIMER: I OWN my original character Ryne Saltzman.
WARNING: This story will be slightly AU. Characters acting out of sorts. Developing relationships between cannon characters (ex: Alaric and Damon), so there will be slash and het relations.
BETA READER: There is no beta reader for this fan-fiction, so there will be mistakes that I have missed.
FEATURES: Young Ben Barnes as reincarnated Henrik Mikaelson.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I chose the name Ryne, because it means "Little King" and I thought this was fitting since Henrik means "Ruler of the Home". I tried to think about how the Original Family would react if Elena was not the only look-a-like in Mystic Falls. I want to think that the Original Family would act more selfish and protective of one doppelganger (not that I'm saying Ryne will be one) and unfeeling towards the other. This was something alright. I mean…I tried to keep the characters, you know "In Character" as much as possible, but a wee little addition tends to change things. Don't you think? Well…here goes nothing.
.:Chapter One:.
November 30, 2009
"Dad?" Ryne Saltzman called out to his father as the twelve-year-old stepped into their small apartment kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Alaric glanced over his shoulder at his son while flipping a pancake onto a plate with three strips of bacon. The brunette man grinned at his son's rumpled appearance, Ryne's chin length mocha locks wild and umber orbs still droopy from the late night.
"Yes?" Alaric answered, setting the prepared breakfast down in front of Ryne when the boy slumped onto one of the two bar chairs.
Ryne stifled a yawn before accepting the glass of orange juice Alaric held out to him.
"Do I really have to go to school today? I mean…we just got here," Ryne murmured, staring down at his plate and avoiding his father's gaze.
Alaric stepped around the bar and knelt down in front of his son.
"Hey, it's going to be okay, Ryne. This is…this move will be good for us," Alaric voiced gently, taking one of Ryne's hands in his much larger one. "Tell you what. After you get out of classes for the day, come by my classroom and we'll go grab something to eat at that neat place we passed yesterday."
Ryne finally looked up and met his father's hazel brown gaze.
"Milkshake and fries?" Ryne asked and his grin matched Alaric's as the man chuckle with a nod.
"Yes, now eat your breakfast so you can go get ready for school," Alaric stated, straightening up to grab his mug of coffee.
Hazel browns flickered to the window, sadness making a brief appearance as the man thought of the loss of his wife and son's adopted mother. Alaric had Ryne prior to meeting Isobel, a result of young love right out of high school. Alaric loves his son and would do anything for him. Hopefully their stay in Mystic Falls brings answers to what happened to his late wife without endangering his son's wellbeing.
.:oOo:.
February 14, 2010
Music and chatter filled the Mystic Grill on that Sunday night, everyone having gathered for the endings of the weekend and in anticipation for another school day. Ryne glanced around the room as he took a bite of his burger, his umber gaze hovering over the laughing group of teens near the pool tables. Across from him, Alaric sat with a half-eaten plate while doing some last minute grading. Hazel browns caught Ryne's staring and looked in the direction to see what had caught his son's attention.
"You should go over and play a round with them," Alaric voiced, watching in amusement as Ryne's nose scrunched up in thought. "The brunette leaning over the table about to strike the ball is Jeremy Gilbert. He's one of my students and I think the two of you would get along well."
"Isn't his aunt the one who got your raffle at the Founder's Day thing?" Ryne asked with a knowing look, his lips quirking up into a grin.
Alaric cleared his throat, scratching his stubble-covered chin in an effort to fight back the burning on his cheeks.
"How'd you guess?" Alaric asked, impressed with his son's guessing.
Ryne grinned full out this time.
"Dad, I'm twelve. Kids my age talk," Ryne stated and Alaric chuckled under his breath while his son scooted out of the booth.
Alaric watched as Ryne walked over to the pool table and said something that had Jeremy smiling and offering the younger boy the pool stick.
"Hello, Ric."
Alaric's breath caught in his throat and he jerked around to see the ghost of his nightmares…the source of his grief.
"Isobel," Alaric uttered breathlessly, moving to get up but stopped at the glare aimed down at him.
"I have no doubt that you have vervain on you, so I will not attempt to compel you. Unless you arrange a meeting between me and Elena, I am going to go on a killing rampage through the town…starting with Ryne," Isobel threatened quietly so only Alaric could hear her words.
Alaric's blood ran cold. The woman he loved and thought to be dead was threatening his son's life as if the years of being a mother to Ryne meant nothing to her. Alaric swallowed around the growing lump in his throat. His jaw clenched and his fists tightened. A laugh rang out and dread pooled in the pit of his stomach, recognizing the sound belonging to his son.
"You have five minutes to decide," Isobel stated, before walking off.
He was on his feet as quickly as he could, Alaric cutting across the bar and grill towards his son.
"Ric? Hey, hey, calm down. What's wrong?" Damon questioned, cutting in front of Alaric and halting his progress towards his son…his happy innocent son who had no idea what was going on around this cursed town.
Damon grabbed Alaric's wrist and forced his glass of bourbon in the man's grip.
"Drink it and calm down before your kid notices," Damon whispered, already forcing Alaric's arm in motion.
The burning liquid did little to settle Alaric's nerves, but his anger was more of a simmer now than the eruption it was before Damon intervened.
"Isobel threatened Ryne's life so she can meet Elena," Alaric practically growled through clenched teeth, his hazel brown orbs dark.
.:oOo:.
March 24, 2010
"Okay, so our options are Avatar, The Land of the Lost, 2012, or Star Trek," Alaric stated, holding up the four DVDs to the three sitting on the couch.
Elena tried to look interested, but seemed distracted. Jenna attempted to smile, but there was a flicker of dulled pain in her eyes from her injury. Ryne seemed to be the only one excited about the prospected movies, going as far as to choose the first film of the night.
"Let's watch The Land of the Lost," Ryne exclaimed with a small grin, holding out the large bowl of popcorn to Jenna when she reached for it.
Before coming over, Alaric had explained to Ryne about Jenna getting hurt. The boy seemed to develop a determined glint in his eyes and had promised his father that he would help however he could. Sometimes Alaric found himself wondering how he was so blessed with such a caring son. Starting up the movie, Alaric sat on Jenna's other side which caused the blonde to be sandwiched comfortably between the two Saltzmans. Halfway through the movie, Elena got up and excused herself for bed while Ryne tip-toed into the kitchen for another soda. As Ryne quietly shut the refrigerator door, he caught Elena sneaking out. Frowning and remembering his promise to his father, Ryne went after her.
.:oOo:.
March 25, 2010
Pain erupted from behind Ryne's eyes. A whimper escaped the mocha haired boy and arms came around him in an effort to comfort him.
"Ryne, are you okay? Can you open your eyes?" Elena's voice whispered in his ear.
Confused on why he was hurting and why she was in his room to begin with, Ryne opened his eyes only to wince at the blinding light coming through paint-chipped windows. The room was old and seemed to have been abandoned…it was definitely not his room.
"Elena?" Ryne asked in confusion and a small amount of fear.
His head was pounding and all he wanted in that moment was his father to walk into the room and say that everything was going to be okay. Elena's arms tightened around Ryne.
"Why did you bring him? We only needed the doppelganger," Rose hissed at Trevor, the female vampire appearing furious at the unwanted addition.
Trevor shrugged his shoulders.
"The boy was with the doppelganger at the time. If anything, we can give the boy to Elijah as another peace offering," Trevor stated nonchalantly.
Rose sighed heavily, not liking the change of plans but having to accept them.
"He should be here soon," Rose murmured, turning her gaze to watch how Elena seemed to hold Ryne close and whisper something in his ear.
Motioning for Trevor to follow her, Rose left the room. Seconds flew by before a wadded-up piece of paper appeared out of thin air and landed on Elena's lap. Ryne missed this; his eyes closed once again from the throbbing pain.
"It's going to be okay, Ryne. Bonnie said that your dad, Damon, and Stefan are on their way," Elena whispered, rubbing Ryne's arm.
"My head hurts," Ryne whispered, his voice breaking.
"They are in here," Rose said from the other room, having opened the front door for someone.
Elena stared at the living room entrance, using her body as best she could to shield Ryne from view, but knowing the action was useless as the three vampires entered the room. Almost immediately the new vampire's gaze locked onto Ryne and the man seemed to freeze.
"Henrik?" The suit-clad vampire whispered, honestly stunned at the sight before him.
Elena shifted back and Ryne's lips parted shakily. In a blink of an eye, Elena found herself on the floor at the other side of the room and the strange vampire cupping Ryne's face.
"Ge-get away from him!" Elena shouted, struggling to stand up.
Rose knocked Elena back down, keeping her down by placing a foot on Elena's shoulder.
"You're real," Elijah breathed, pressing his forehead against Ryne's.
Mocha brows furrowed and Ryne slowly opened his eyes to see a pair almost identical to his own. Eyes widening, Ryne went to move away, but suddenly found arms around him in a hug while the stranger inhaled deeply. Finding Henrik…or his exact copy changed everything. Elijah glanced over his shoulder at Elena's frightened expression, tears blurring her eyes.
"Please…," Elena begged. "Please don't hurt Ryne."
Elijah frowned.
"I would never hurt him," Elijah vowed truthfully. "Rose, return the doppelganger unharmed. You and Trevor are forgiven, but know this. If you ever betray my trust again, I will not hesitate."
With that threat hanging over Rose and Trevor, they agreed and Rose quickly picked Elena up and tossed her over her shoulder.
"No! Wait! What about Ryne! Stop!" Elena's cries went ignored as Rose and Trevor sped out of the house leaving Ryne and Elijah.
Turning his attention back to Ryne, Elijah frowned at the tear-treks on Ryne's cheeks. He carefully dried them before helping the boy stand.
"Come, let us leave this place," Elijah said, easing Ryne out of the room and to the front door.
Ryne's steps faltered, his umber gaze uncertain and fearful. His knuckles turned white with how hard he was gripping the front of his shirt.
"Are…are you taking me back to my dad?" Ryne asked quietly, biting the inside of his cheek.
Elijah stared down at the boy who resembled his youngest brother in all ways the thousand years old vampire remembers. Ryne even seemed to have Henrik's quiet personality, but that could just be because of the current circumstance. Elijah hesitated. He wanted nothing more than to take Ryne away from here in a chance for his siblings to reunite. Only knowing that Ryne was not Henrik stopped him from deciding right away. Elijah knelt down in front of Ryne.
"Your father," Elijah stated gently, watching the emotions play over Ryne's face. "Is he good to you?"
If the man raising his brother's look-a-like was anything but…Elijah's decision would be made easier. Ryne smiled, nodding.
"Dad's the best," Ryne declared.
Elijah found himself smiling.
"RYNE!" Alaric shouted, barely waiting for Damon to pull the car to a complete stop before barreling out of it and towards his son.
"Dad!" Ryne shouted, running down the porch steps and meeting his dad halfway.
Elijah remained where he was, not taking his eyes off of the two vampires joining the father and son. Pulling back, Alaric cupped his son's face much like how Elijah did moments before. Hazel brown orbs searched Ryne for injury while brushing mocha strands away from Ryne's eyes.
"Are you hurt?" Alaric asked and Elijah frowned, the vampire thinking back to the tear-treks and inwardly angry with himself for not asking the child before.
"N-no, I'm fine," Ryne started, rubbing his eyes free of the tears that threatened to gather and fall. "He came and made those other people take Elena back home."
Alaric glared at Elijah from over his son's head, pulling the boy back into his arms and standing up. Ryne's head throbbed and he was too tired to complain about being too old to be carried around like a baby. Expecting the usual words from his son, but not receiving them had Alaric's frown deepen.
"Don't let him sleep just yet. I fear he may have a concussion," Elijah voiced, finally stepping off of the porch.
Mahogany browns narrowed in on the older Salvatore brother as Damon stepped around Alaric to seemingly shield the man and child. Stefan moved with his brother, the two sharing a look.
"Ric?" Damon murmured, motioning his wrist towards Ryne.
"No," Alaric stated, hefting Ryne more securely against him.
.:oOo:.
April 9, 2010
"Hello sweetheart."
At the familiar voice that he has not heard in years, Ryne looked up from his science book. He was currently in the school library working on homework while waiting for his dad to finish up in the classroom. Umber orbs grew wide at the serene smile aimed down at him. Fingers gently caressed Ryne's cheek, tucking a dark strand of hair behind his ear.
"Mo-Mom?" Ryne stuttered, utterly shocked at seeing his adopted mother again after having been told she had died.
Isobel continued smiling as she knelt down beside Ryne, the soon-to-be thirteen-year-old throwing his arms around his mother's shoulders in a desperate hug. Arms came around Ryne in a return hold and a shuddering sob escaped his lips as he took in his mother's familiar scent of honeysuckle and chamomile.
"Mom," Ryne whispered, his grip tightening.
"Shh, sweetheart, everything is going to be okay," Isobel said soothingly, her fingers running through Ryne's mocha locks that were soon to be in need of a trim. "Now listen to me very carefully. Mama needs a favor."
With that, Isobel leaned back and cupped Ryne's face and locked gazes with the boy.
"This is a dream. When you wake up, you're going to leave the library and go to the Gilbert's home to stay with Jenna, because your dad has a meeting at the college early in the morning. Now, here is your overnight bag that your dad packed, so hurry up at wake from this dream. Ryne, I love you so very much," Isobel voiced quietly, pressing a soft kiss to Ryne's forehead before she stood up and vanished.
Ryne blinked, before sitting up from where he was resting his head against his science book. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Ryne caught the time and inwardly gapped.
"I hope Ms. Jenna isn't mad if I'm late," Ryne whispered to himself as he quickly started packing up his school things into his backpack before hefting up his small overnight bag. "Geez, Dad, what did you pack in here?"
Ryne hurried out of the library, oblivious to Isobel watching him solemnly from the other side of the aisle.