Pappie!
Author's Notes.
The characters do not belong to me the only plot is mine.
Thank you so much to Scarlett 2112, Leann Nickerson, Tia Salvatore, Sam, hey its karma, Delana4ever25, Damonfangirl and my guest reviewers for your lovely reviews, it really means a lot to get this kind of positive response. Also thanks to my readers who follow or favourited this story. As I mentioned before, I am going to used Original characters and their storyline in my own way to create this time travel story. Lots of things will be clear over time. So here you go, I hope you enjoy today's chapter.
Driving his car as fast as he can Damon was trying his best to understand this situation.
It's true that Salvatore crest was once a symbol of his family members to wear with pride. It still is something that both he and his brother continue wearing after hundreds of years.
As far as he remembers there were three rings and one pendant in existence that has Salvatore crest on it. His own ring was passed down to him from his grandfather.
Stefan took their father's ring after they went back and discover his body at the same place where he left him.
That left their uncle Zachary's ring which was passed down to his son and then so on and on until it reached Zach.
Thinking of Zack bring back all his past mistakes and regrets. Looking back now he wished he did things differently.
Closing his eyes he focused on Zach's ring that is currently hidden inside his safe along with their aunt Adriana Salvatore's pendant who died widow without any children of her own.
That pendant then was passed on to his mother but as soon she got sick of consumption it was taken off her and given to him with serious instruction from his father. "This pendant is a prestigious family heirloom Damon, make sure you gave it to your bride and then your son's bride so it can remain in our family."
He couldn't help but scoff at that memory, he still remembered making a decision (just to spite his father's orders) to passing on to his first daughter if God forbid his wife passed away before him.
Sadly he never got married nor he had any daughter to fulfil his desire and so it remains locked away.
So this brings back to his first question, if he already has all Salvatore's Crest then how come his family crest came in possession of some eight-year-old girl who was found abandoned at Bennett's witches burned house?
Luckily he reached his destination and without waiting one second he climbed out off his car and walk inside the hospital.
Liz was already waiting for him with some lady Doctor beside her. "Oh, Damon! Thank God you are here."
Liz felt a lot better now he is here. "Damon this is Doctor Meredith Fell, she is looking after that girl."
The Doctor (who in his opinion is super hot) soon start telling him everything about that girl."She is still unconscious and running little temperature due to staying outside for so long but other than that she didn't receive any internal or physical injury to explain her state of unconsciousness."
Damon can sense her suspicion so he quickly jumped into action as he starts compelling her. "You found nothing strange, and you are going to leave and get her discharge papers."
"Damon!" Liz hissed angrily at her friend for openly compelling a doctor in front her but he raised his hand to silence her. "Trust me, it's better if I solve our missing child case without 'Dr Suspicious' hovering over our head."
He waited and once she nods her head in understanding They both walked inside.
The moment his eyes fell on this unconscious child he tried to found any kind of familial features. Her skin was fairer than his but her hair is an exact auburn shade of his late aunt Adriana.
Stepping closer he finally saw the pendant with Salvatore crest around her small neck. The chain was way too big for a small child's neck.
He reached out to inspect it closer and to his surprise, it was the very same pendant that he earlier saw inside his safe.
"It's impossible." He murmured in disbelief.
"Do you know her?" Liz asks behind him and for a moment he totally forgot that she was there all along.
"I don't know her." He answered truthfully. "But there is no doubt in my mind that this is my family crest, although I still can't figure out how the same pendant can exist in two places?"
Liz stared at him in confusion. She was going to ask him what he meant when suddenly they saw girl stirring. "I think she is waking up, I'm going to get a doctor."
Liz left him all alone before he can say anything. He watched the girl who was now slightly twitching her close eyes.
Before he could stop himself he reached out to touch her shoulder. "Wake up, princess." To his surprise, the girl's eyes slowly open as she tried to adjust her sight under bright light. After blinking a few times she finally managed to fully open her eyes which were a shade of light blue.
She then scrunches her face and to his surprise lights get dim around them. "What the?!"
At his voice, her eyes snapped at his direction and then a brilliant smile form on her face as she leapt into his arms. "Pappie!"
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When Liz returned with Dr Meredith she was expecting the child to be awakened but what she didn't expect is to find her in Damon's arms as she hugged him tightly. "I'm so happy to see you Pappie! You know, I had a nightmare that bad people captured you and dad and everyone was searching for you."
Liz couldn't understand a single word she was saying and by the look of it, Damon was too shocked to say anything.
Damon who was still trying to understand suddenly felt warm hands cupping his face. "Why won't you say something Pappie? Where is my dad?"
The girl then starts searching her surrounding and it was then she registered two women standing at the doorway. "Who are you?" She asks while scooting closer to Damon as if she trust him to protect her.
"I am Doctor Fell and this is Sheriff Forbes." She slowly approaches the girl as she explains. "You are right now in Mystic Falls Hospital and we want to know your name so we can find your parents."
Damon watched her eyes shifting at each one of them before resting once again on his face.
For a while it seems like she was searching for something on his face and when she couldn't find it her eyes burst into tears.
"This is not a nightmare!" She wailed while covering her face.
All three adults simultaneously reached out to comfort her but in the last moment, Damon moved his hand away feeling a bit unsure of this situation.
Liz gently rubbed her back as she tried to ask her. "Sweetie, can you tell me your name or your parent's name?"
But the girl was now shaking in fear as she cried harder than ever. "Bad people took them away and my mom is searching for them!" As soon these words were out the child became quite inconsolable as she kept on crying.
For some reason, Damon couldn't bare her cries anymore. Moving forward he made her look at him. "Listen to me, we are good guys and we will help you but you have to tell your name first."
The way she stared at him with so much trust bring back the earlier memory of Elena staring at him in exactly the same way.
She rubbed her tears away as she tells him in a shaky voice. "Hope, my name is Hope."
Mustering his smile he held out his hand. "I'm Damon."
"I know your name." She says absentmindedly before realising her mistake. "Oops!" She whispered low enough but he heard it clearly.
Turning around he wordlessly signals Liz who quickly understand him. "Doctor, can we speak with her alone?"
Damon was ready to compel her once again but luckily Doctor just left.
Once she was gone he turned around to face this strange child. "Damon! Please ask your question normally."
He could hear the warning in Liz tone. "Fine! He snapped before turning his attention once again."So Hope? What is your parent's name?"The girl was quiet for a while but then she answers, "my mom name is Haley."
He notices she didn't tell the full name of her mom. " Okay, and what is your Dad's name?"
This time she stiffened and a telltale sign of tears were threatening to appear.
"Please don't cry." He pleaded with her ( He clearly can't deal with crying children) and when she didn't he continues. "Now princess tell me one thing more thing where did you get this pendant?"
At this question, she looked down and picked it in her small hands. "It belongs to my Nona, I mean my grandmother who is my mom's mom. My brother gave it to me before I, I."
Once again she starts crying but this time she hid her face away in his arms.
Damon who was still trying to process everything was unable to solve this mystery.
Finally pulling her in his arms he picked her up. "Liz if it's okay, can I take her to Boarding House?"
"But?" Liz stutter as she tried to ask. "What about your brother and that dangerous situation we are dealing with?"
"I will protect her to trust me? Besides this pendant clearly proves she is my family."
He didn't wait for a reply and left with Hope.
Settling her on the back seat he made sure to secure seatbelt around her.
The girl was quiet for the rest of the drive but just when they were far enough on the deserted road he stopped the car.
He thought the girl would be scared but so far she just stares at him with trusted eyes. Unlocking the door he settled beside her. "Now Ms Hope, tell me exactly who you are and how did you get this pendant? And before you think of lying to me I should inform you that exact same pendant is rotting away in my safe and yet somehow I can see it in front of me, so now explain how is it possible for one pendant to exist in two different places?"
"How can you tell it's same?" She inquired. He can definitely tell she is doing her best to not answer him properly.
"Because of this small dotted hole inside the S." He pointed out the hole with a triumphant look.
He can see her struggling to come up with some sort of lie which makes him lose his patients.
"Tell me who you are?" He compelled her.
But to his surprise, the girl gave him an incredulous look. "Are you seriously trying to compel me?! You just wait till I tell Nona!" She threatened him angrily before turning her face away while crossing her arms in a loud huff.
"How did you? What are you?!"He asks while moving away from this strange child as for the first time ever he felt a little bit panicked.
"My mom always said lying is bad but my brother told me not to tell anyone truth about myself."
Damon watched as Hope become more frustrated. " I was not even supposed to meet you at all! He clearly said to find him, my aunt and my Grams and strictly forbid me to not reveal any secret but now I have ruined everything?!"
She then sniffed as she turned to face him. "I am so scared to mess things up. I don't know what to do anymore?"
Even though he still didn't get his answer he tried to calm her down. "Hey, don't cry. It's going to be okay."
She gave him a teary smile but he can see, how much she believe him. "Do you trust me?"
Surprisingly she quickly nods her head in answer. "Okay, how about you just answer my three questions truthfully right now and in return I will help you out and not ask you anything until you want to tell me on your own."
Damon knew he was gambling his chances to know everything about this mysterious child but he didn't want to cause her any more stress.
"Do I have a choice to pass the question?"
He thought hard and then gave her a nod in agreement as he held out his hand. "Deal." Instead of shaking his hand, Hope reached out to kiss on his cheek.
Feeling stunned he rubbed his cheek and saw her smiling at him. "Okay Ms Hope, my first question is that who gave this pendant to your Nona?"
"My Pappie." She answers in a small voice. "What's your father's name?" But she quickly said. "Pass."
"Damn!" He won't waste his time on names anymore. He then remembers something. "Earlier when you open your eyes you called me your Pappie, can you tell me why?"
This time he can see her struggle, he was almost prepared to hear 'pass' when she replied. "Because you are my Pappie, my grandfather and my Mom's dad."
For a while, they both stare at each other. He was too shocked to say anything, he then remembers a younger version of himself calling his mother's parents 'Nona and Pappie'.
Suddenly his brain was swirling with so many questions, Who is this Nona? How can he give her something which is still in his possession? How can he be a grandfather or father? and if Hope is right then he is her Nona's husband.
He would have remembered getting married or having a daughter who's name is Haley who was apparently searching for Hope's Pappie (as in himself) and Hope's Dad? Not to forget how is it possible for him to have children or grandchild when vampires can't procreate?
He then recalls her telling something. How the hell is it possible that her Pappie who along with her dad was captured by some bad guys because he definitely sitting free with this strange girl. If what she said is true then how is it possible? Unless?
"You still have one question left?" He was startled by Hope's voice.
Staring down at her Damon realized he needed so many answers but he can only ask one more question to clear his insane theory.
"Hope can you tell me something and I want to complete truth from you?" He waited for her signal and when she said yes he finally asked. "What was yesterday Date-month and year?"
The girl frowned at him but still replied. "What kind of question is this? It was 31st of August 2040."
She shakes her head at this silly question but for Damon, its seem he finally lost his sanity as her words stuck in his head on constant repeat.
'2040!'
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Author's Note.
Here you go, another chapter of this story. In the next chapter, Hope will meet Elena. Please send me your review and motivate me to write more and more.
