As twilight descended upon calm Brooklyn, New York, snow started to fall upon a neighborhood on the edge of the city, filled with humble, quiet houses. In the middle of the hushed neighborhood, a small home lodged two inhabitants. One was a small child just shy of the age of two, and the other was a fairly old woman who served as a loving grandmother to the young child. Though she held the toddler with adoration and affection, there was a certain anxiety in her eyes.
The home-dwellers were completely unaware of the dark figure approaching their window. Light blue eyes pierced through the thin glass and watched the family of two as they played with toys and stuffed animals. Powerful tears started to blur the mysterious visitor's vision as she anxiously watched the young girl pounce around the room with excessive energy. She would have laughed at the toddler's adorable smile, but she could only shake with anger and fear as she felt her heart break slowly.
"Alex." The cold air let a sympathetic voice break through the icy atmosphere. There was no break in the misery Alex exuded. She didn't even turn to look at Damon. She couldn't scrape her eyes away from the little girl behind the glass.
"How did you find me?" Alex questioned through her tears.
"I've been following you ever since you left. I had to see where you were going."
They stood there cautiously in the thick air as a strange, suspenseful peace filled the air. The two vampires breathed in the anticipation and dread reluctantly as the atmosphere stood still.
"Damon," she replied shakily. "I can't do this. I just can't."
After a long moment of silence, he stepped closer towards her and gave a sigh. "Who is she?"
"She's my daughter," Alex cried softly, touching her hands to the glass desperately. "My daughter, Damon. Now that I'm like this…now that I'm… Will I ever be able to hold her again?"
Again, Damon seemed speechless, unable to come up with any soothing word. He only moved closer and put his hand on her shaking shoulder. She could feel his uncertain breathing and the disastrous tone in the air. The little girl through the window seemed like the only thing that could make everything better. But, rather, she was more like everything that could do nothing.
"I don't know what to do," Damon told precariously, staring at the child with only half the intensity and devotion Alex had. "But we'll do something, Alex. I promise. We'll try anything."
"She's all I have," Alex sobbed timidly, giving a fervent and fuming stare towards Damon. "Damon, I can't live without her! I can't be this monster anymore!"
"Alex," Damon sighed, pulling the fragile girl into his arms. "I'm sorry. We'll do everything we can."
"I love her so much!" Alex cried, pouring tears onto Damon's shoulder.
As they stood there in the snow, Damon lay his eyes on the beautiful baby girl through the window. Chaos seemed so imminent and imposing, and thoughts were hard to keep straight. Tears soaked into his shirt, and felt like ice-cold anguish on his skin.
"You have a daughter?"
It was the question of the night when Damon and Alex returned. The ambiance held an unresolved disorder among the supernatural and ordinary people in the Salvatore living room.
Elena had asked the inquiry with immense concern, but her vigilance became even stronger with every second of silence. Alex cried softly in the corner of the room, desperately clinging to the arm of a newly sympathetic Damon. Everyone in the room displayed stress, remorse, and honest confusion.
"Her name is Elizabeth," Alex informed with a trembling voice. "I got pregnant in my Junior year of high school."
"Who's the father?" Stefan asked anxiously.
"Stefan, why does that matter?" Damon questioned defensively, his blue eyes flickering between both of Stefan's eyes.
"I just want to know if he'll affect this situation," Stefan replied with an aggravated tone.
"He's an unconcerned idiot," Alex suddenly told with slight fury. "I doubt he'll ever show up again."
"Okay, there are a ton of things to go over right now," Bonnie sighed, looking amongst the group with worried eyes.
"Look, I can't stay this way!" Alex interrupted ardently. "I have to get home to my baby girl. And my mom is probably going mad wondering where I am."
"You have been reported as a missing person," Stefan told, staring at the floor in thought. "That will make this a bit harder."
"Can anyone tell me how she was able to compel me?" Caroline suddenly asked, looking quite livid.
"Caroline, calm down," Bonnie ordered as her eyes swept around the room with authority. "Is it possible for everyone to shut up for a moment so I can give some answers?"
The room became incredibly quiet, the only exception being light sniffles from Alex. All eyes were on Bonnie, and the unwavering witch started with the whole story.
"Alex has been made part of a ritual," she told warily. "I've read about those burn markings before, but I didn't think performing the spell was even possible anymore. That means that the vampire who changed Alex had a witch execute the spell, Alex, did you ever see another man or woman when you were kidnapped?"
"There was a lot of pain," Alex answered softly. "I did pass out a few times."
"He could have done the spell when you were out," Bonnie sighed. "The whole spell is performed in order to sacrifice the vampire created."
"What does the sacrifice do?" Damon questioned with his jaws clenched together tightly.
"Every vampire that drinks her blood beforehand will become human again," Bonnie informed quietly.
There was an obvious excitement and even bliss about this news. Caroline looked the most animated as she observed Alex with a newfound curiosity. Even Elena, who seemed truly compassionate, looked a bit interested in the proposition, eyeing Stefan optimistically every few seconds. But Damon still looked thoroughly enraged as he pulled Alex a bit closer to him.
"Besides that," Bonnie persisted, sounding as if she was crossly responding to the eager attitude around the room, "the spell turns the intended sacrifice into a super vampire. Alex has the ability to do things only the Originals would be able to accomplish."
"That's why she was able to compel Caroline," Stefan concluded, putting the pieces together.
"She should also be stronger than most vampires. Faster, also. And the sun shouldn't affect her as much."
"Well, whoever changed her doesn't plan on catching a super vampire, does he?" Stefan suggested curiously.
"Alone, he doesn't," Bonnie replied vacantly. "I assume that means he has help. He does have a crazy good witch on his hands."
"We're not going to let him get her," Damon interrupted intensely. "We'll protect her. Isn't that right, Caroline?"
Caroline only replied with a glare. There was obvious displeasure in Alex's existence for most of room's occupants. They all were either stressed or angry.
"You're right, Damon," Stefan agreed slowly. "This is no time for our personal desires. We will protect you, Alex."
"Look, I don't mean to sound selfish here," Caroline started frantically, "but if we devote ourselves to protect Alex, we're putting all of us in danger. Especially Elena, who seems to be the perfect gift for any vampire this Christmas."
"We're either good guys or bad guys, Caroline," Stefan insisted, interrupting a deep, angry growl from Damon. "Look, we'll figure out everything tomorrow. Until then, I think we should all get some sleep."
Everyone seemed adamant about continuing the argument, but Stefan's presence was overwhelming, and everyone started to disperse. Caroline jetted out of the house in almost vampire speed, while Elena left after a long, anxious hug with Stefan. The vampire brothers gave grateful looks towards Bonnie, and the uneasy witch followed Caroline and Elena and exited the house.
"Do you need a drink?" Damon asked, giving a thoughtful look to Alex.
"I'm only nineteen," she told shakily.
"I meant blood," he chuckled, looking quite amused. But after a few seconds of blunt monotony and awkwardness, he decided his laugh was a bit uncalled for. Somehow, his sympathy was easy when it was concerning this timid girl.
"You need to drink," Stefan suggested sternly. "It will complete your transformation. If you don't drink any human blood, you'll be on edge for a while, and you may attack someone."
"Fine," Alex sighed, her shimmering eyes falling upon Stefan with intense discontent. "It seems so wrong."
"Some people eat burgers, some people eat…people," Damon said precariously.
"We don't have to kill anyone, do we?" Alex questioned hastily.
"Nah," Damon informed casually. "We just take the blood from the hospitals. Well, I take it from the hospitals. Stefan eats bunnies."
"Don't people need that blood?" she asked desperately. "I mean, you can't just take it. People may die! And bunnies? Stefan, how could you?"
"Okay, you're really going crazy right now," Damon interrupted curiously.
"Hurry, Damon," Stefan ordered as Damon started to leave the room.
"Definitely."
"God, what's happening to me?" Alex cried, sitting down on the plush couch weakly. "I can't control what I'm saying. I don't even know what I'm saying."
"Every emotion is heightened right now," Stefan enlightened, sitting beside her. "And your natural traits will be stronger. It looks like you're incredibly compassionate."
"A little too compassionate," Damon complained haughtily, reentering the room with a blood bag in his hand. "One day a relentless vampire is going to come to sacrifice you, and you'll only be concerned about the lives of bunnies."
"They are living creatures!" Alex exclaimed furiously. Her immediate expression instantly softened, and she gave an ardent sigh. "Oh my gosh, Damon, I'm so sorry."
"Oh, don't worry, you're sort of cute when your ferociously bloodthirsty," he grinned mischievously, handing the blood bag to her. "Here."
She reluctantly took the bag from Damon, cringing with every move. But her eyes showed obvious longing, and she slowly put her lips up to the opening in the bag. As she started to sip the blood, she closed her eyes stiffly and looked incredibly regretful. Yet she continued to drink the blood with strong desire, and soon the bag was empty. She licked her lips gratefully, but then gave a shameful look towards the intent brothers with her.
"Alex, you can't be so reluctant about it," Stefan warned enthusiastically. "I mean, usually it's impossible for vampires to starve themselves. The instincts take over and blind them. But you're showing immense control."
"It's not good for you," Damon added protectively. "You've got to have a little guts, you know."
"Sure," Alex frowned, glaring at the empty blood bag in her hand.
"Look, tomorrow we'll go into town and have lunch at the diner," Damon suggested earnestly. "We'll act normal. That's all."
"That's not normal for me," Alex replied miserably. "Normal for me was waking up and holding my baby girl. I went to work, came home, and held her again. We'd play, we'd eat, and then I would tuck her in. That was my normal. My life revolved around her, Damon. Can't you see?"
"I…I can't imagine," Damon admitted meekly. "We're going to try to help. But until then, you need to be calm."
The rest of the night was serene enough for Alex to adjust, but turmoil still swept about inside her. Moments of true peace were difficult to find as long as Elizabeth's face was burned into her mind. The seconds remained unbearable even after Damon offered her more blood. Nothing could soothe her.
Stefan explained to Alex that Bonnie could come over early tomorrow morning and make her a ring to resist the sun. Though Alex desired for the freedom the ring would give, she felt curious as to how resistant she would be to the sun as a "super vampire." A same interest possessed Damon after Alex voiced her concern, but Stefan was resistant to the experimental attitude. Damon started to argue with Stefan, though not entirely on a brotherly level.
"We should know what her limitations are," Damon suggested strongly. "It may help us defend her. It may help Alex defend herself."
"You know how painful the sun is to us, Damon," Stefan warned, standing by the fireplace like a stone-cold statue. "I wouldn't want Alex to go through that right now."
"I want to, Stefan," Alex insisted suddenly. She impatiently ran her fingers through her hair as she was already quite frustrated by her situation. "If I'm going to be afraid of the sun, I want to know why I'll be afraid."
After a few seconds of silence, Stefan gave a faint sigh and nodded his head. "You can do whatever you'd like. But think about it. We're not going to be taking a plane to China just so you can get some sun. Tomorrow morning, before Bonnie arrives, we'll take you outside. Slowly."
"Stop worrying so much, Little Brother," Damon smirked impishly. "Everything will work out. You've got to lighten up."
"This isn't really a light situation," Stefan mumbled dismally, stalking out of the room with his shoulders hunched.
Damon gave a disapproving cough before sitting in a chair across from Alex. He poured a glass of wine. Something inside of Alex longed for the intoxicating drink. She wondered just how much pain and nuisance is could take away.
"I'll pour you some if you'd like," Damon offered kindly. His smirk was almost evil in a way. She opened her mouth as to request a glass, but then remembered Elizabeth's sweet face and couldn't imagine herself drinking an ounce of alcohol in front of her.
"No, thank you," she replied finally. "I couldn't."
"Do you want any more blood?" Damon asked casually. His voice was so simple, so relaxed, but it made her shiver in terror. Blood now was a part of life unlike any other. It was now a necessity to take the fluid of life from a breathing person to nourish herself. To please herself. She felt as if she may vomit, but she was not sure if such an act was possible for a vampire.
"I'd actually like to go to sleep," Alex told shakily, slowly gripping her stomach.
"Alright."
With slight concern in his eyes, Damon led Alex up the stairs to the same room she had awakened in that morning. The unfamiliar bed was more welcoming than she had expected. Damon offered to give her some pajamas, but she just wanted to sleep. Nothing could make her heart calm down except a perfect slumber. As she lay down to sleep, she hoped that was what she would experience. Without it, she wondered if she would even be sane in the morning.