I had intended to have this up last night, but I was so exhausted that I didn't get a chance to finish it up.
I hope you enjoy, note that this is not a long chapter, but the others will start to get longer, hopefully.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN WRITTEN WITHOUT IT!
Please remember to review at the end! :)
All of the gods were gathered in the Underworld throne room, awaiting the arrival of the Lord and Lady of the Underworld, and their new daughter.
Rebekah smiled as the doors opened, and stepped forward as her brother entered with his wife by his side, carrying a tiny bundle in her arms.
Klaus was dressed in dark leather pants with a dark tunic, tucked neatly in his pants. By his side, Caroline was dressed in a dark blue cap sleeved dress with her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders.
Rebekah smiled brighter at the sight of her little niece, in a cream colored lace dress. Today was the day of the naming of the child, and she couldn't wait to hear the name. It had been kept a secret from everyone, except the Bennetts, but let's face it. Nothing ever went past the Bennetts.
She turned her head slightly, and caught sight of a man in the shadows. The light from the chandelier didn't need to illuminate his features for her to know who he was. She already knew. Stefan was here.
Turning her head back forward, she watched as Klaus helped Caroline up the small stairs, and she smiled. Her brother was showing tenderness towards someone. It was unusual to see, but for those who lived down in the underworld, it was common now.
Klaus turned to the crowd, and wrapped his arm around his wife's waist, who was smiling at him brightly with love shining out of her eyes.
"Thank you all for coming to this special day. My wife and I truly appreciate it." He began, watching the rest of the crowd try to hide the shock on their faces. "As you know a few weeks ago, our daughter was born, and today is the day we let her name known." He continued, glancing down at his daughter. He motioned to his wife, and Caroline smiled.
"We have named her," She paused, and glanced at Rebekah in the crowd. "Lucinda."
Rebekah smiled, and nodded her head. It was a perfect name for her niece. She felt tears fill her eyes at the tenderness of the moment.
Klaus smiled and pulled Caroline tighter to his side, as he gazed down at his daughter, who was glancing up at him.
He lifted his head. "Thank you all once more, and we hope you will enjoy the festivities and food, and don't worry, the food is from above, not from down here." He replied, with a smile, causing the crowd to laugh in understanding.
The crowd began to disperse, to crowds, as Rebekah made her way to her brother and his family.
"Congratulations, Nik." She replied, wrapping her arms around her brother.
Klaus smiled and returned the gesture, shocking a few others who were not used to seeing this side of the most feared god of Mystic Falls.
Rebekah pulled back, and wrapped her arms around Caroline and her niece. "You too, Caroline." She whispered, lowering her gaze to her niece. "She's beautiful." She whispered, watching the little girl's face light up.
Klaus smiled with pride. "Just like her mother." He whispered, kissing his wife's head.
Rebekah felt a twinge in her chest. When she had first heard of her brother's interest in the Goddess of Spring, she had felt jealousy. Only because she was the Goddess of Love, and love should have come easy for her, but it hadn't.
She smiled faintly, and touched her niece's head lightly. "You will have so much love in your life." She whispered, kissing the baby's head.
Caroline smiled, and motioned to Rebekah. "Would you like to hold your niece?" She asked, handing her daughter to her sister-in-law.
Rebekah beamed, and took her niece in her arms. "Hello, little Lucinda." She whispered, rocking the baby in her arms.
Caroline looked up to her husband, and smiled as he watched his sister with a distant look on his face. "What's wrong, Niklaus?" She asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
He looked down at his wife, and sighed. "I was just thinking of how many times Rebekah has wished for love, and never received it." He whispered, sadly.
Caroline nodded. "She'll find somebody, Klaus." She remarked, leaning into his side.
Klaus sighed. True, if he could find somebody, there was hope for his sister. "Have I told you today, how ravishing you look?" He whispered, in his wife's ear.
Caroline shivered, and smiled brightly. "Yes, you have, but I don't mind hearing it again." She whispered, moving her eyes up to his.
Klaus smiled, and touched her face lightly with his right hand. "I love you." He whispered, watching her light brighten.
She lifted her left hand, and caressed is scruffy cheek. "And I love you." She whispered, lifting her face to his as he gently kissed her lips.
"You do realize that a lot of people are staring at you two." Rebekah remarked, holding her niece securely in her arms.
Klaus chuckled, and saw his wife's face blush lightly. "Well, then let them stare." He remarked, smiling.
Caroline nodded, and looked around them at a few of the guests just staring at them dumbfounded. "At least they know we are happy." She remarked, lightly.
Rebekah smiled, and looked down at her sleeping niece. "I think this little one is tired." She whispered, handing her to Caroline.
Caroline cooed at her daughter, and nodded in agreement. "Anna?" She called out, and a small petite brown haired girl appeared in the room. "Will you please take Lucinda, and put her in her crib? And let me know when she is ready for her feeding." She asked, with a kind smile.
Anna smiled and took the little baby in her arms. "At once, my lady." She remarked, walking out of the room.
Rebekah smiled faintly, and turned to leave the couple alone. "I better mingle with the other guests." She whispered, smiling at her brother. "I'm happy for you, Nik." She replied, hugging her brother once again.
Klaus nodded, and watched his sister disappear in a sea of people. If only she would find the kind of happiness she deserved.
~XXX~
Stefan watched from his corner, and sipped from his cup as the gods mingled with each other. He hated crowds. He hated coming out for festivities. Even though he owed it to Klaus and Caroline to be here, he hated it.
He placed the empty cup on the table, and started out the door.
"Stefan!"
He paused before he could make it to the door, and turned to see Caroline and Klaus heading towards him.
"Were you leaving before saying hello?" Caroline asked, hugging him quickly.
Stefan smiled. "I thought it was best to stay in the shadows." He remarked, referring to his scars.
Caroline scoffed. "Nonsense, you should have come to meet our daughter." She replied, wrapping her arm around her husband's waist.
Stefan nodded. "I saw her from a distance." He remarked, smiling. "You two are very lucky to have such a light." He added, shaking Klaus' hand with his right hand.
Klaus nodded. "Thank you for coming, Stefan." He said, sincerely. "Without you, Lucinda would not have been born." He added, referring to the bidents Stefan had made when Mikael was loose, which had saved Caroline and Klaus' life.
Stefan nodded. "I'm glad I was of assistance." He whispered, backing up. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some work to do. I just came by to see your daughter, and to send my congratulations."
Caroline nodded. "You will come to visit soon, won't you?" She asked, knowing that Klaus considered him a friend, and confidant.
Stefan smiled and nodded. "I will."
Klaus smiled, and shook his head at his wife. "She's persistent isn't she?" He remarked, earning a glare from Caroline.
Stefan chuckled. "That she is, but you won't have her either way." He returned, lightly.
Klaus shook his head. "No, I wouldn't." He whispered, searching her eyes for a moment. "Well, thank you for coming, Stefan." He said, smiling.
Stefan nodded. "Anything for a friend, Klaus." He returned, bowing his head, and turned to leave.
Caroline sighed as he left the room. "He's such a lonely man." She replied, sadly.
Klaus nodded. "Yes, but he'll find love soon." He replied, secretly.
"Niklaus Mikaelson, is there something you are not telling me?" Caroline asked, reading her husband's tone and face.
Klaus smiled. "I'll tell you later, my love. Let's get back to our guests." He whispered, kissing her forehead before leading her back to the party.
~XXX~
Stefan walked out of the palace, and paused when he saw a woman standing on the banks of the River or the Water of the Dead. He noticed her blonde hair from a distance, and he felt his heart clench.
Knowing he shouldn't stop, he started passed her, only to have her turn to face him with a sorrow filled face.
"Stefan?"
He stopped with his back to her. "I was just heading back to my work, my lady." He replied, walking onward, down the path.
Rebekah sighed. "Will you ever turn and look at me?" She asked, sadly.
Stefan stopped, and turned slowly to look at the vision, who haunted his dreams. "I must return to my duties." He stated, firmly.
Rebekah sighed. "I think your duties can be put on hold for a little while longer, Stefan." She stated, turning to face the water. "Did you see the child?" She asked, absently.
Stefan took tentative steps forward. "I saw her from a distance." He replied, turning to the water.
"She's beautiful." Rebekah whispered, tears filling her eyes. "It makes you think, doesn't it?" She asked, glancing at Stefan.
Stefan furrowed his brow, and glanced at her. "About what, my lady?" He asked, tenderly.
Rebekah smiled faintly, and threw her head back. "About love." She replied, sternly.
Stefan nodded, and stared out into the water. "You have no worries on that, Rebekah." He whispered, absently.
Rebekah turned her head, and smiled. "That's the first time you've said my name in years." She replied, causing him to swallow hard. "But you're wrong." She began, her smile fading. "I do worry. Just because I'm the Goddess of Love, doesn't mean that love comes easy for me." She added, sadly, bowing her head.
Stefan studied her quietly, before swallowing and clearing his throat. "I should get back to my work." He whispered, bowing his head, and started down the path once more.
Rebekah shook her head, and lifted her head. The one person she thought would understand was walking away from her. She laughed sarcastically, and turned her head to watch his retreating back go further and further away.
Turning her gaze back to the water, she closed her eyes. "Oh, Stefan, why don't you love me?" She whispered, letting tears fall from her eyes.
Stefan sighed as he made it to the portal, and bowed his head. Turning his back, he looked at the blonde who was obviously in distress. No words could be said to express what he felt towards her, and to see her in such pain and misery was tearing his heart apart.
"Oh, Rebekah, if you would let me, I would love you." He whispered, before turning and disappearing in the portal.
Three figures appeared in the darkness, and all three carried long pained expressions.
"They are so close, and yet so far." Emily remarked, solemnly.
Ayanna shook her head. "They have a long ways to go yet, Emily." She whispered, bowing her head. "Unfortunately, their journey will have to be quick, for he is beginning to stir, and if he arrives without the love in place, then all will be lost." She replied, sadly.
Sheila turned her head. "What can we do?" She asked, worriedly.
Ayanna sighed. "If we leave them up to their fate, it would take forever for them to realize their love for one another, but…" She paused, a slow smile appearing on her face. "But if we enlist help, their love would grow quicker." She added, satisfactory.
Sheila and Emily glanced at each other before speaking. "Who would help?" Sheila asked, curiously.
Ayanna smiled, and turned her gaze to a dark haired man approaching the Goddess of Love. "He would."
~X~
Damon sighed as he approached Rebekah, and touched her back gently. "Rebekah." He whispered, watching her body shake with the sobs from her lips.
"Oh, Damon, what is wrong with me?" She asked, through her sobs.
Damon sighed, and turned her in his arms, and held her against him. "Nothing is wrong with you, Rebekah." He whispered, rubbing her back.
Rebekah clung to his shirt, and let the tears soak his chest. "I've tried talking to him. I've tried getting his attention, but he just ignores me, or does everything he can to get away from me." She cried, feeling her heart ache.
Damon sighed. "Stefan does notice you, Rebekah." He whispered, pulling her back to look into her eyes. "He loves you." He added, wiping her face with his fingers.
Rebekah closed her eyes. "He has a funny way of showing it." She stated, pulling away from him.
Damon sighed. "My brother firmly believes that no one will love him unless it's out of pity." He stated, jamming his hands into his leather pants.
Rebekah rolled her eyes. "It's not out of pity that I love him." She remarked, turning her back to Damon.
Damon nodded. "I know that, Rebekah, but he doesn't." He remarked, stepping closer to her. "Why don't you tell him?" He asked, watching her shake her head.
"Because I fear rejection." She whispered, bowing her head.
Damon sighed. "Who in their right mind would reject you?" He asked, with a smirk.
Rebekah turned to look at him, and saw him wiggling his eyebrows. She let out a laugh, and nodded. "You truly believe he loves me." She replied, watching Damon nod.
"Yes," He stated, folding his arms over his chest. "I believe he does, mainly because he's been depressed ever since he met you, and to tell you the truth," He paused with a sigh. "He's boring." He added, rolling his eyes, and throwing his head back.
Rebekah smiled through her tears. "Well, how do I get him to realize that I love him truly?" She asked, watching Damon smirk.
"I have an idea, but you are going to hate it." He replied, getting a mischievous look in his eyes.
Rebekah tilted her head to the side. "What is it?" She asked, but Damon shook his head.
"Naw, I don't think I'll tell you. I think I'll let it be a surprise." He replied, nodding as he lifted a brow.
Rebekah rolled her eyes. "The last time you surprised me, Kol almost killed you." She stated, watching him shrug his shoulders.
"Who knew that he would take offensive with a soldier from the war?" He asked, smiling.
"That soldier was Kol's lieutenant who had a destiny to fulfill, until you screwed it up." She stated, waving a finger at him.
Damon shrugged. "That destiny was fulfilled." He stated, smirking.
She shook her head. "I'm going home." She replied, moving past him.
Damon smiled as she walked quickly down the path, and then his smile faded. "Will you help?" He asked, turning to the Bennetts, who appeared beside him.
Ayanna nodded. "We will."
Damon nodded. "The things I do for my brother." He whispered, walking away from the Bennetts and into the castle.
"It has begun." They said in unison.
Be kind!
I'm not too crazy about the Damon/Rebekah scene, but I wanted to show his soft side, mainly because he loves his brother, and wants him to be happy.
Anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!
Until Next Time...