Chapter 16: Teddy

Things between her and Nik had been more strained then she could have ever imagined. He no longer stayed in a room alone with her, and he had switched his bedroom with Rebekah. Still wanting to keep her safe by having an Original in the way of anyone who wanted to enter her room, but no longer taking that job for himself. It hurt more then she had ever imagined it would, but she understood that Nik needed space so that he could move on. It was what she wanted even if it hurt her more then the day she had technically died.

By now things should have been back to normal. It had been two and a half months since she had told Nik that she couldn't risk a relationship with him. During that time the only other changes were that Elijah was now with his family again and Elena came to visit frequently along with Jen. Now without Nik needing her blood her guard dogs had calmed down, although not enough that they came around at all. Rebekah was always looking at Stefan with sadness when she saw him. They clearly had a past, but Stefan seemed to not remember her.

At least Nik's enemies seemed to be staying away. Alexinia knew that the supernatural community was quite aware that Nik was the Original Hybrid once again. That he could kill even easier then he could before. Yet he still hadn't killed Katerina, he left her alive locked in that cave giving her enough blood that she didn't desiccate, but otherwise leaving her alone.

Luna was still around her and Kol had really hit it off, but the two didn't seem to be in a relationship. Instead they seemed to enjoy studying Luna's creatures together. Kol was a great guy, but personally Alexinia was hoping Luna would notice Elijah instead. She needed some seriousness to balance her out and remind her to eat when she got to wrapped up in a hunt. Not someone who would goad her on even more. But if Luna was happy that was all she could really ask for. Even if she had found someone eerily similar to herself.

A crack of apparation had Alexinia smiling brightly. The day she had been waiting for had finally came. Nik was still out, but he couldn't stop her from receiving her visitors early. Andromeda tended to be early rather then late most times.

"Aunt Xi!" A rambunctious five year old squealed running towards her the moment she stepped out of the house boxed in by the three originals currently in the house.

"Teddy, oh pup how I've missed you," she sighed hugging the now raven haired boy closely to her. His scent calming her in a way nothing had been able to in the past few months. Teddy was exactly what the doctor had ordered with how listless she had been feeling lately. Her fighting with Nik had made it so she had barely any energy for anything and she had lost almost a stone. Nothing was worthwhile without Nik, nothing other then her Teddy.

Sirus was standing beside Andromeda his arms wide open and she ran straight into them Teddy squished between them. She knew it had been hard on him letting her travel with Nik and attend school without him there for every step of the way, he had never really gotten much time with her and she knew he regretted that deeply. Regretted going after Pettigrew and wasting so many years in Azkaban instead of raising her.

"That guy doesn't seem to be treating you well, I don't think you were this light after a year on the run Prongslet. Do I need to have words with him?"

Just the image of Sirius having words with Nik sent her into tears. It wasn't Nik's fault it was hers, her cowardly ways. He would be disappointed in her when he learnt she was running from her feelings. It wasn't very Gryffindor of her he would say. For the first time since Nik took her away Sirius would be on his side. Not that Sirius hated Nik or anything, he was in his debt for keeping her from stupidly going to the Ministry in her fifth year, but he did resent the other man. Probably because he had been able to be there for her while she was growing up. That they had history that Sirius desperately wished he had. If it wasn't for Nik Sirius probably would have been the most important male in her life.

Whatever she might have replied to Sirius was stopped when he stiffened a look of shocked disbelief going over his face. Alexinia wheeled around behind her not sure what she might see, but there was nothing there meaning whatever it was Sirius was probably seeing or smelling with his animagus enhancements. She couldn't even stop him as he raced forward at a speed she had only seen in him during battle, Alexinia only having just enough time to pass Teddy to his grandmother before she raced after Sirius. He couldn't be left alone in the mansion. If it wasn't known he was a guest Nik's lackies might try to feed on him, or take him as an enemy and tear him limb from limb.

Whatever she had been expecting when she wheeled around it hadn't been that she would see her godfather crying and embracing a messy raven haired man with strangely familiar features and hazel eyes that seemed to look right through her. The man was uncomfortably trying to drag himself out of her godfather's arms but failing miserably.

Sirius couldn't quite believe how light Alex was. Something was clearly wrong with her, something he had been picking up in her letters that seemed to be lacking her usual joy for life, and he had a feeling it had to do with her best friend. Oh he had known for years that the Original Vampire was in love with his goddaughter, it was why he resented him so much he knew one day he would lose her completely to him. That one day she would choose to become a vampire to stay with Niklaus. Sometimes he wondered if she wasn't already one considering that she hadn't seemed to age at all past twenty, but then again it could just be her genes he had never seen what Lily could have looked like past her early twenties after all.

"That guy doesn't seem to be treating you well, I don't think you were this light after a year on the run Prongslet. Do I need to have words with him?"
He had expected his question to make her laugh just at the image of him having words with the imposing Vampire, but instead she burst into tears. Something was wrong with her. He could smell something off, but couldn't quite put his nose to it. No matter how hard he smelled her, Sirius was terrified that she was sick that he would lose her, but to death's embrace instead of vampirism. Alex certainly looked ill enough.

Wanting to say more when she didn't reply and needing to comfort her he opened his mouth, but paused when a scent passed over him. He hadn't smelled it in over twenty years, but it was one Sirius would never forget. Not even pausing to explain to afraid that he was hallucinating or that he would lose the scent he spun off needing to find whoever was giving off the familiar scent, although it was slightly tinged by something different.

He barely registered his goddaughter racing after him. Internally debating whether he should shift to Padfoot to be faster, but deciding he couldn't even pause that long. Seconds later tears entered his own eyes as he saw someone he had thought was dead. He still had that crazily messy hair, his eyes lacked that mischief that once shined within them, but there was no denying who the man was. James Potter was alive!

"Prongs," he cried hugging the man tightly to him. Knowing he could wait for an explanation, he was no longer the only marauder still alive. Did Lily live too? Had James and her spent these years thinking Alexinia was dead? What had really happened the night Voldemort became a spirit?

"Who are you?!" James screamed at the man pushing him away.

"James it's me Sirius, I don't think I've changed that much in twenty years that my best friend doesn't even recognize me!"

It was odd this man knew his name, but James didn't recognize him at all. Then again that didn't mean anything since James didn't have any memories from before the last twenty-two years. Just knowing he was a wizard. He had been wandering for years being protective of Alexinia when he came across her stuck in the form of an Artic Fox for years having no other way to survive. He had lived that way to watch over the girl who brought up every protective instinct in his body.

The girl he still didn't know her name was stumbling on the path being dragged there by her whale of an Uncle. He always gave James a bad feeling and he wished time and again that he could take the girl and protect her. James didn't know her name, but he knew she was important somehow, that she was the key to his past.

Following them he growled when he saw what the man was planning, but he had barely any magic left at the moment, hunting had been slim the last few weeks leaving him weak and helpless. The smell of a predator of the highest order came across his nose and he raced towards it, recognizing it as a vampire, but he was desperate to save the girl. Grabbing the vampire by his pants he tugged praying the vampire would follow him, he felt a sensation in his mind oddly tingling before the vampire followed him.

The two of them racing towards the cabin while James prayed he wasn't too late. He listened in satisfaction as the uncle screamed not even caring if the man died, he just hoped he hadn't made a mistake for the little girl. He would never forgive himself if she died. Instead the vampire compelled the uncle after the girl pleaded for his life and James drifted off to sleep to exhausted after the running to keep his eyes open.

When he woke up it was too a strange room and a coldness he hadn't felt in years racing over him. The vampire was standing by a fire in the room of the same cabin the uncle had dragged the girl too.

"I have never seen an animal shift too a man before, while other then werewolves, but you are clearly not some new type of were. I am Niklaus Mikealson. I have a feeling we both want to protect Alexinia, the girl needs protectors. Something about her makes me feel almost human, you will help me protect her and in turn I will make sure you are always fed and never too weak to help her again."

That was that, the day he became indebted to the Original. He watched over Alexinia and kept her as safe as he could without revealing himself. The girl was reckless and strong. She barely ever needed him always figuring things out for herself.

Now her godfather seemed to recognize him, "you know who I am?"

"You are James Potter, of course I know who you are!"

James Potter, as in Alexinia's father. While now he knew why he had always been drawn to protect her. And why he felt so much anger when Niklaus started to feel more then friendly feelings towards her. He had stayed hidden from her all these years, even knowing she was the key to his past, and he was her father.

There was no way Sirius had to be mistaken! There was no way her father had been with Nik this entire time! Her father died with her mother. Sirius was just delusional seeing a man who admittedly resembled her father, although older then any picture she had ever seen, so he wasn't a vampire, but he couldn't be her father he just couldn't be. Then again could Sirius really be wrong?

"Daddy," she whispered her tone unbelieving and then she spun away she couldn't do this. Not right now. She needed Nik. Gasping she ran needing to find Nik. He would make everything better. It didn't matter that they were different. Nothing could ever be so different between them that he couldn't help her calm down. She needed him! Nik was always there when she needed him.

"Xinia, love what's the matter," he was there. Nik was there. Burying herself into his chest she soaked up his warmth and just cried. Cried for what had never been. For her father being alive, for nearly losing Nik.

Her daddy was alive. If that could happen then anything could. Nik and Alexinia could do anything if they were side by side.

Not giving herself a chance to talk herself out of it she kissed him. Alexinia needed him like she needed air. At first the returned the kiss a burn went through her right to her knickers. She wanted him needed him. Nibbling on his lips she sighed in content when he opened his own, her tongue snaking to meet his. He was her home.

And then suddenly he was gone. Not too far he was standing in front of her his eyes blank as he stared at her. "We can't do this love, not when you were so upset. What's the matter?"

She hated him briefly in that moment for ending the kiss, but it quickly turned back to love. This was why she loved him, one of many reasons anyway, he always put her first even when he clearly craved more.

"My dad's alive."

"Xinia that's..."

"It's not impossible Nik. He's here in the mansion. One of the guards I suspect or one of your witches, he's really here Nik."

"How haven't you seen him before?"

"I don't know, but he's here Nik. He's alive. I have my father back and it makes me realize my fears mean nothing. If the impossible could happen for him, it could happen for us. I want to give us a chance Nik. I'm tired of running. The last few months have been torture."

"We'll take things slow. If you feel frightened you tell me love, and you need to be sure this is what you want."

"I'm sure. I want you Nik. I want us!"

AN: Yep crazy chapter and a bit of a fakeout with the chapter title. I promise we will have more cute Teddy moments next chapter. I decided to finally put everyone out of their misery much sooner with Alexinia and Nik it just seemed to work out differently then I planned. Don't you just love Pre NaNoWriMo inspiration? Till next time I love you guys so much, thanks for being such patient and wonderful fans.