Disclaimer: I own nothing.

15, there's still time for you;

time to buy and time to lose

15, there's never a wish better than this;

when you've only got a hundred years

to live.

EPOV.

From that night on, every drink Alex ingests has vervain it in. Every load of laundry is dried with a vervain flower in the dryer. I wasn't going to let anything harm him ever again. Elijah was never seen again after that night. I have a feeling Dante killed him after what he witnessed.

DPOV.

I was there to witness it all. I thank god for that.

His first laugh, first word, first step. I was there for his first scraped knee, broken arm, and busted lip. His first day of school, and his first crush. I helped him get through his first broken heart in 7th grade. I watched him hit his first home-run, throw his first pass, and score his first goal. I watched him grow taller and heard his voice change.

I watched him become a man.

At fifteen, Alex was no longer the little boy I had grown accustomed to. He had his own likes and dislikes. He was strongly opinionated and full of love. He was just like his father.

And right now he was late getting home. I was sitting on the couch, watching the clock like the paranoid father from Cheaper By The Dozen 2. Twenty minutes later and I hear the front door open and close. I walk into the hall and find him sitting against the front door, head on his knees.

"Alex, it's way past the time we agreed on." I say. He picks his head up, a huge smirk on his face. He stands up and walks over to me.

"How was your date?" I ask suspiciously.

"Fine, I guess" He says shrugging, but his smile says it was much better than fine.

"Kiss her?" I ask him, smirking.

"Maybe" He says, walking to the stairs.

"I'd know that look anywhere kid. That's the 'I just got the hell kissed outta me' look."

"You would know" He says, chuckling.

"Hey don't mock me." I say hitting the back on his head.

He laughs and waves, walking up the stairs. "Night dad"

"Night Alex"

The next morning I'm in the kitchen making breakfast. Elena left early for work (she had gotten the English teacher position at a local college). It was a Saturday but she had papers to grade and work to do.

Three hours later, at 12:43pm, Alex comes walking down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

"Ah, he finally decided to honor us with his presence." I say sarcastically.

"Shut up" He groans, going to the fridge.

"Any plans today?" I ask, following him to the kitchen.

"No" He sighs, pulling bread, barbecue sauce , jelly, pickles, and turkey from the fridge. He piles it all onto the bread and sits down, taking a bite.

"That's just nasty" I tell him.

"Don't down it till you've tried it" He says with a mouthful of food.

"Gross Alex" I say, shaking my head.

"So what are we going to do today?" I ask him.

"We could go play paintball" He says.

"Not today. I still have bruises from the last time." I say, shaking my head.

"Old man" He mumbles.

"Thirty-four is not old, but fifteen on the other hand..." I tell him.

He rolls his eyes and finishes his sandwich. Then he runs upstairs to get dressed. Ten minutes later and he rushes down the stairs, dressed in dark jeans and a blue t-shirt. Green eyes brighter than ever and light brown hair reaching his shoulders in some spots.

"So what are we gonna do?" I ask him.

"I was actually wondering if you could tell me more about your brother." He says slowly.

"Why the sudden interest?" I ask, cautiously.

"Well I know nothing about him except that he died." He says, shrugging.

"Ok, I guess we can talk." I reply. "Lets take a drive." I tell him.

When we stop at the grill Alex gives me a weird look but follows me inside. I sit down at the booth in the back corner.

"This used to be Stefan's favorite place to eat. He and your mom would hang out here a lot with their friends in high-school." I say and he nods.

After we eat I drive to the high-school. Alex follows me and we walk out onto the football field.

"Stefan loved football. He was good at it too. He played wide receiver. Number 17."

"Your mom was a cheerleader before we both moved here. But she quit after I said it didn't look like she enjoyed it anymore."

Our next stop is Wickery bridge.

"This is where he was attacked." I whisper.

"Where you there?" Alex asks.

"No I was in Vegas. Getting drunk at some random bar." I tell him.

"Why were you in Vegas?" He asks.

"Because I didn't want to be here and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go." I say, sighing.

"Why didn't you want to be here?"

"Because your mom had just hurt me and I didn't want to be around her."

Our final stop is the cemetery. I stop and sit down in front of Stefan's grave.

"So this is it." Alex sighs.

"You've been here before, probably just don't remember it." I tell him.

"I do. It's just been awhile. Do you ever come here to talk to him?" He asks.

"I did once or twice when you were little, but that's about it."

"What was he like?"

"Stefan was soft. He cared for anyone and everyone. He rarely hated anyone. Sometimes I think his heart was bigger than his brain. He used to feel everyone else's guilt. It annoyed the hell outta me sometimes. He was always about doing the right thing and not hurting people's feelings in the process."

"Do you miss him?"

"Yes. But I never would've told him that."

"I've never even seen a picture of him." Alex mumbles. I take out my wallet and pull out Stefan's football picture, handing it to Alex.

"He looks just like..." Alex whispers.

"You?" I ask and he nods.

"We could be brothers." He says.

"No you could never be brothers." I tell him, sighing.

"I just meant we looked alike." He adds.

"I know. More and more each year." I mumble.

"Why?"

"Because he was your father, Alex."