Morning
Krystal was still asleep when Stefan woke up, he left her sleeping as he went down and started breakfast, eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, he even got out a fruit salad. Kate came down, she rubbed her eyes,
"Good morning kit kat," Stefan giving her a bright smile,
"It smells good," Kat smiling, he sat her up on the bar,
"Good, I hope you have an appetite," Stefan smiling,
"I can eat," Kat nodded, she grabbed one of the strawberries,
"Krystal is still asleep," Kate worriedly,
"Yeah, she is taking the death of her parents pretty hard," Stefan explained.
"Oh," Kate softly,
"She will be fine," Stefan petting her hair,
"I wish I could make her feel better," Kate softly,
"Why don't you go color her a picture, its still going to be a few minutes till the breakfast is done," Stefan explained.
"Okay," Kat carefully getting off the bar, she ran to the living room and laid on the floor and started coloring in a coloring book he had got for her, he had thought ahead and fixed a cup a blood for Krystal when she woke up. Finally Krystal came down rubbing her temples, she looked in the fridge,
"Here you go, I fixed you some coffee while you were sleeping," Stefan hiding the fact from Kate that the coffee cup held blood instead.
"Thanks," Krystal mumbled,
"Hangover?" Stefan asked,
"Yeah, Cadence woke me up, she said they would be here tonight," Krystal explained,
"That's good," Stefan nodded,
"How are you this morning?" Stefan asked rubbing her arm,
"Just wishing this to be over," Krystal sighed.
"I know," Stefan kissing her forehead,
"Breakfast is almost done," Stefan explained. Krystal nodded, she grabbed a strawberry, Stefan laughed a little,
"What?" Krystal asked,
"You and Kat, you both like strawberries," Stefan smirked, Krystal glanced at her in the floor, slowly Krystal walked over to her,
"What are you coloring?" Krystal asked,
"Stefan said that you felt bad, I wanted to color a picture to help you feel better," Kate explained, she held the picture up,
"You are doing a good job," Krystal petting her hair,
"Thanks," Kate giving her a hug, Stefan stared at their bonding, he gave them a sad smile.
"Hey guys, breakfast is ready," Stefan called, Krystal walked over with Kate and lifted her to the bar. They all had breakfast together,
"So what did you say we go show Stefan out on the town," Krystal smiling,
"Can we?" Kat smiling,
"Yeah, I bet he would like it," Krystal smiling a little,
"After you eat you can go change and we'll meet back in the living room, okay?" Krystal drinking her blood,
"Okay," Kate drinking her orange juice. For the day Krystal and Kate were showing Stefan the sights, it was more for Krystal's sake than Stefan's but he went along with it, they went to the mall and looked around, Stefan bought some cute things for Kate, Krystal pointed out some sweaters to him, he got them because Krystal liked them on him. They ate at the food court, after they ate Krystal treated them to some dipping dots for dessert. It was the perfect outing for them, it got Krystal's mind off of the harder times to come.
After they did some shopping they went to see a kid's movie which Krystal sat by Kat and Stefan sat by Krystal, they all shared the popcorn, but Krystal's and Stefan's hands were accident colliding with each other, Krystal couldn't help but get a little turned on, just by the feathery touches, she couldn't do this with him, and she knew it, the Salvatore brothers belonged to Elena, all they could be were friend. Her mind started to run with what was going on between them, she shook it off, she didn't need anymore complications in her life, she just needed a friend, a good friend, one who would be there when she needed to release every emotion she was becoming overwhelmed with lately.
Later that night they went home and started getting the extra bedroom ready for Cadence and Eddie. Stefan was laying in the floor and coloring with Kate when the door bell rang, he looked through the peep hole and saw it was Krystal's sister, he opened the door and welcomed them in,
"Hey Stefan, where is this sweet little girl I have heard so much about?" Cadence asked,
"She's…" Stefan glancing in the floor, she had done run up to Krystal to hide,
"Apparently she is shy," Stefan explained. He explained to Cadence and Eddie that Kate had been badly abused, and was scared, Cadence nodded, she was about to start crying, when she heard Krystal coming down to the living room, she saw the little girl tagging along behind her,
"Hey sis," Krystal hugging her sister,
"Eddie," Krystal nodding, he nodded,
"Please, have a seat, I know its shot up but its still usable," Krystal explained, the little girl stood next to Stefan, Stefan bent down,
"They wont hurt you, remember, Krystal wants you to try to like them, just give them a chance, you need to get to know them before you leave, it will make it easier for you," Stefan explained softly, she nodded,
"We brought you something," Cadence slowly walking over to her and bending down. She took out a new teddy bear,
"I have one," Kate softly, she pointed out to the bear in her arms,
"I see, that is a special bear, that was Krystal's bear, he has seen a lot, well you could take this one and they could be friends," Cadence softly, Kate slowly reached out and took the bear.
"You are so pretty, my name is Cadence, you can come and stay with me for a while, we will have so much fun, and I even have a room for you," Cadence explained,
"My name is Kate," Kate softly,
"I know and a little birdie told me you like purple so when we get back we'll go shopping and decorate your room with purple stuff does that sound good?" Cadence asked, she nodded a little,
"I wont hurt you, you see that guy over there, his name is Eddie, he comes over a lot, and he will be your very own personal horsy, he'll color with you and he cooks a good grilled cheese, have you ever had a grilled cheese sandwich?" Cadence asked, Kate shook her head,
"Then when we get back I'll get him to make you a grilled cheese. It looks like you were coloring, you are very good at coloring, you want to color with me?" Cadence asked,
"Its my bedtime," Kate softly,
"Well we can color tomorrow," Cadence giving her small smile,
"Okay," Kate giving her a tiny smile. Stefan took her to Krystal,
"Tell them good night," Krystal softly,
"Good night Cadence, good night Eddie," Kate softly,
"Good night sweet little girl," Cadence smiling,
"We'll see you in the morning Kate," Eddie softly.
"Why don't you show Eddie and Cadence their room for the night?" Krystal asked, Stefan nodded, while Krystal was helping Kate bathe Stefan showed them to the guest room,
"Does she know about you and Krystal?" Eddie asked,
"Oh, um, not yet, she's been through a lot, we didn't want to tell her until she could understand it a little better," Stefan explained, he nodded,
"You are good with her," Cadence smiling,
"She's just a child, she shouldn't have been going through something like this," Stefan explained.
"I meant both of them," Cadence explained, Stefan nodded without saying anything,
"We are just friends, nothing more," Stefan shrugged, Cadence smiled,
"Not for long," Cadence hinting at something more, Stefan didn't know what he wanted to happen with Krystal, if anything other than friendship, but he couldn't just keep accidentally touching her, it felt good, it sparked something in his soul, a warm feeling and it was getting warmer when they both were interacting like a family with Kate, like he wanted it so badly, but he had a child of his own, or would very soon.
"I've got some adult drinks downstairs, if you guys want to come back down," Stefan explained,
"Okay," Eddie nodded,
"How is Krystal holding up?" Cadence asked,
"She's putting on a really good show, I think she wants to be there for you instead of you being there for her," Stefan explained.
"Sounds like her," Cadence nodded,
"Well, I will leave you two to get settled in," Stefan leaving the room. Cadence fell apart as Eddie held her,
"That little girl is just like my sister, she didn't deserve the life she had, she wasn't a freak," Cadence sobbed.
"Hey, shh, I know, we'll take care of her, we will make sure Kate has a life she deserves," Eddie promised, Cadence nodded,
"I just wish I could make Krystal's life better," Cadence sobbed,
"Shh, you being alive and staying alive is all that matters to Krystal, its what makes her happy," Eddie explained,
"I wish she had someone though, someone who she would let into her heart, she is just like that little girl, she cant trust that someone will always be there and never leave her," Cadence explained, Stefan was listening in on them from the kitchen, he took out the bourbon and poured a little to drink, he poured Krystal some, he then went around and picked up the picture frames that hung on the walls or sat somewhere on a table, he laid them down flat, they bother Krystal so he was taking them away so she wouldn't be bothered as much. Finally Krystal called for Stefan,
"She wants you to read to her," Krystal explained,
"Okay, I left you drink on the kitchen bar," Stefan softly,
"Bless you," Krystal giving him a kind smile,
"Hey Krystal can you stay with us," Kate asked, Krystal turned back, she gave her a small smile,
"Sure," Krystal knowing it was one of the last nights she would have with both of them together. They all snuggled together on the bed as Stefan read Pinocchio to them both, Krystal played with Kate's long blonde hair, soon she fell asleep and Stefan and Krystal both took turns kissing her forehead, Stefan led Krystal out and downstairs, Cadence and Eddie were going through the fridge.
"Look at what you did to the poor guy, you have turned him into a hog," Krystal smirked,
"Sorry, we have yet to eat," Cadence getting some lunch meat out,
"I could make you guys something," Stefan explained.
"This is fine, we are tired from the drive so this is short and sweet," Cadence explained,
"Well, I have the graves already made, the headstones are already picked out, just waiting for you to go and see them in the funeral home, then we can bury them," Krystal explained. Cadence slowly nodded, Krystal took her bourbon to the couch, she turned on the TV and kept it low, she noticed the picture frames were gone, she felt a little better that they were hanging there and mocking her in the still photo, preserving them all when they had had better days. She started flipping channels and found TV Land, she stopped it there as she and Stefan sat on the couch drinking,
"Thank you," Krystal mumbled,
"You're welcome," Stefan softly, Krystal looked at her glass and found it empty, she was about to get up and get some more,
"You need to chill out with the bourbon tonight, one more then that's it," Stefan taking her glass to the kitchen. He had noticed Eddie and Cadence were already gone back to their room for the night, he took in a deep breath, he poured the bourbon and walked back out to Krystal and sat down, giving her the drink. Stefan stared at his drink,
"Its not going to work out with me and Elena," Stefan explained, Krystal tensed, he was going to have the talk with her,
"But you have a child with her, or you will have one, you need to be in that baby's life," Krystal explained,
"I know, but …" Stefan being interrupted,
"I cant dive into this with you just yet," Krystal explained,
"Why not?" Stefan asked,
"I need you, as a friend, I need to be able to trust that you will always be there when I need you," Krystal seriously. Stefan nodded, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder,
"I will always be here for you," Stefan softly as he kissed the side of her head. Krystal wrapped her arms around him, it was good to have him here, to hear those words that she didn't quite trust them enough. Soon she fell asleep on his lap, he slowly carried her up to Kate's room and gently laid her down and played with her hair a little as he fell asleep, hoping he would let her in.