AN: i want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful revies and opinions, it has helped me want to keep writing.

Chapter 27

Cassie and Alaric were sitting on the floor of his apartment.

"So how did you figure it out?" she asked. "That I am your daughter."

"Damon did actually," Alaric said "during one of our many drunken nights I spilled that Isobel and I had a daughter, she was two when Isobel turned."

"Did Damon already know about me?" Cassie asked knowing it was Damon who turned her mother.

"No, he said that it was just Isobel." He said.

Cassie sat next to him and rubbed his back.

"But I never stopped looking" he whispered, "When Isobel came back into town she didn't give me any information about you, just that you were alive."

Cassie remained quiet letting him talk.

"When Damon first asked that night I refused to get my hopes up, and then Katherine said your birthday and your full name. I wanted you to be my daughter so bad." He whispered. "It wasn't till Jeremy told me you were allergic to cherries that I believed."

"Cherries?" she asked.

"My second date with Jenna we stayed in and had ice cream sundaes and she had a cherry that she saved till last. I didn't see her eat it but I kissed her after." He told her.

Cassie laughed, "You must have swelled up like a balloon"

"I did and Jenna was hysterical so she got Jeremy and he drove me to the hospital." He said laughing with her.

The two sat in silence after the laughter died out.

"I was eighteen when my parents told me I was adopted." Cassie said, "I remember them telling me my mom came in pregnant with Elena, and she was holding my hand. All she said was we had different dads, and that John was Elena's but nothing about mine."

It was Alaric's turn for silence.

"I searched and searched, I had a nice big folder going of anything I could find of Isobel trying to find her to ask about my dad. That's how I found Katherine and soon after that I was thrown into the world of doppelgangers and hybrids." She said.

"Did you know about vampires before Katherine?" he asked

"Yes, I was technically the eldest Gilbert so the day before my 18th birthday Uncle John told me the basics about vampires, werewolves, and witches. So I could take my place on the founders council," she said

"And you believed him" Alaric asked

"Uncle John and I had a different relationship then Elena and Jeremy did. I knew that he would never lie to me so he either believed it, or it was true." She said.

"What about college?" he said.

"I made it a year, and I loved it. I could take any class I felt like, and no one took a second glance at my last name. And then my parents died. I was taking a parapsychology class at the time and my professor, turns out, was a retired hunter, one of the five. I thought I was going crazy because I could see these tattoos on him and no one else could. He called me to his office after two weeks of class and told me the truth about his markings." She said.

"And then you knew?" he asked.

Cassie nodded. "I tried for a semester to take classes and train at the same time but it was to hard so I dropped out."

"Why did you decide to train?" He asked

"How could I not?" she replied, "To know that there were innocent people dying and I could do something about it. So I trained, it wasn't long after that, that Jenna called and asked me to come back home and help her."

"Why didn't you?" he asked

"I did, I went to go see Elena at the grill before I went to the house, she was sitting outside with Stefan." Cassie said. "I could tell two things about him, one he was a vampire and two that he loved my sister."

"So what did you do?" Alaric said

Cassie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I left, I knew I wasn't strong enough to control myself around him and I couldn't be the reason Elena lost another person she loved."

"You knew Elena wouldn't forgive you for not coming home." He said.

Cassie nodded "but Elena was happy for the first time in a long time, I could have her hate me if someone was making her smile." she whispered.

Alaric looked down at the girl who was his daughter, he laughed at himself. How could he not see it sooner, not only did they have the same hair and eye color but she was willing to do anything for her family.

"You know I love your brother and sister like they were my own. And when you showed up, you fell right into place, before I found out that you are my daughter I already was looking out for you like you were." He said.

Cassie looked at him tears in her eyes "really?" she asked

Alaric nodded and he hugged her as tears spilled from her eyes. He closed his eyes; he was hugging his daughter he finally found her.

"I'm sorry" she said "for crying, its just I have taken care of myself for a long time and its nice to hear someone say that"

Alaric laughed, "You don't have anything to apologize for"

The two of them sat like that for a while, father and daughter reunited. Sure they were broken and spent more time then should with a drink in their hand but they were family.

Cassie's phone rang breaking the moment between the two.

"Hello" she answered

" Cassie" a women's voice on the other end sobbed. "Skyler is dead"

All of the blood drained from her face, Skyler, she had forgotten that he was a pawn in the Russian's revenge. "How" her voice cracked.

"He was on the side of the road, his-his neck was snapped" the women cried.

"What can I do?" Cassie asked.

"Can you come over, Alex needs somebody and he won't talk two me."

"Sure, I'll be there in five." She said hanging up. She looked back at Alaric. "That was Skyler's mom, the vampires used him to get me and then they killed him, they just found the body,"

"Go" Alaric said.

Cassie nodded and turned to leave, but she ran over to Alaric and hugged him.

Alaric was shocked but quickly hugged her back. She broke the hug then left the apartment.

Jeremy, Elena, Stefan, Damon, and Katherine were all at the boarding house.

"What do you mean you let her leave?" Damon yelled

"I mean she wanted to go see her dad so I let her." Katherine said

"What if she was still hurt?" Stefan asked

"Klaus gave her his blood plus its been three days, she was fine and the blood has left her system." She replied.

Jeremy looked at Katherine "you said she was ok?" he asked one more time.

Katherine looked at him and nodded "I wouldn't have let her leave if physically she wasn't fine."

Jeremy nodded and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked.

"To go make some hot chocolate" Jeremy answered her and left the boarding house.

Katherine smiled "I like him, it's a good thing I didn't kill him before." She said.

Elena glared at Katherine.

"Can I help you" Katherine asked her seeing the look Elena was giving her.

"What do you mean physically she is fine?" Stefan asked interrupted the soon to happen fight.

"Mentally she is going to blame herself, for letting herself be taken, especially the death of her dancer friend." Katherine said matter of fact-ly.

"Why would she blame herself?" Elena asked.

Katherine shrugged her shoulders "its what she does, she thinks its her job to watch over everybody, everywhere all the time."

"Except for her siblings" Elena scoffed.

Katherine scoffed "I can't wait till reality hits your right in the face" and left the room.

Elena left to go talk to Bonnie.

Stefan turned to his brother who had remained quiet.

"What happened?" Stefan asked. "No judgment, I promise, I want to help."

Damon looked at his brother trying to see if he was telling the truth.

"I went to tell Elena that I picked her sister." He began "and I did, but I also kissed her goodbye."

Damon kept his eyes on his brother who sat there still.

"Apparently Cassie saw it and assumed I picked Elena. And I tried to tell her, but me and my stupid mouth got in the way."

"What did you say?" Stefan asked.

Damon stood up and walked over to the window facing the sun.

"I kissed her, I couldn't think of the words to say, so I tried to pour everything into it, and for a second I thought it had worked." Damon said "but she slapped me and told me that she wasn't going to be an Elena replacement."

Stefan gives one chuckle at that.

"And I said there is no way she could ever replace Elena" Damon whispered so softly that Stefan almost missed it. "But I was trying to say the fact she isn't like Elena is why I want her, that she would never be Elena because as Cassie she is perfect."

Stefan stood up and walked over to his big brother "what are you going to do?" he asked

"Nothing," Damon replied, "I'm sure that I have pissed off more vampires, and Alaric is right Cassie shouldn't be punished because of my actions."

"Cassie can take care of herself," Stefan said

"Like she did when the Russians came," Damon retorted

"Tell her what you told me, and let her decide if it's to dangerous." Stefan pleaded with his brother.

But Damon wouldn't hear it. He just walked away.

Hours passed as Cassie sat with Skyler's little brother Alex and his mother as they cried over him.

She finally got the two to sleep and left deciding to come back home.

She sat on the porch swing for a while, not ready to go inside.

She finally let everything out. Silent tears trailed down her cheeks as she thought about everything that had happened.

"Cassie?" a voice called pulling her out of her mind.

"What do you want Damon?" she asked

"I wanted to see if you were ok?" he asked

"I'm fine" she quipped

"Katherine said you blamed yourself for this" he said walking to her.

But Cassie stayed sitting on the swing. "Because it's my fault," she whispered, "everything, I came home to help my siblings and for second I was selfish."

"Everyone can be selfish." Damon said

"Not me, not with the position I'm in" she said

"Its not your fault Cassie" Damon said sitting down next to her.

"Yes it is" she yelled standing up "Skyler tried to warn me, kept saying he couldn't stop and if I hadn't of been thinking about myself and heard what he was saying he would still be here, and I wouldn't of spent the past three hours holding a mother who doesn't understand why her son was on the side of the road with his neck snapped, I wouldn't have to explain to a eight year old why his big brother wont be there anymore."

"Its not your fault Cassie, its mine" Damon said.

Cassie stopped and looked at him. "No, its not Damon"

"Yes it is you got hurt, the guy died because of the stupid things I have done." Damon said standing up in front of her,

Cassie shook her head tears still coming down her face. "I got hurt because I tried to do something beside train my brother and find a guy, that's why they took me Damon because they thought you cared about me more then a friend. Skyler died because I let my mind think about other things then what lurks in the shadows."

"I'm sorry" Damon said seeing he clearly wasn't going to change her mind.

Cassie looked at him confused. "For what?" she asked.

"For saying the things I said at the party," he replied.

Cassie laughed, "You don't have to apologize for saying what you meant Damon"

"It hurt you, you were crying"

"I'm fine"

"You weren't fine when I told you"

"Well between being beaten and have the blood sucked out of me I got over," she said sitting back down on the swing.

"Did you believe them?" he asked

"Did I believe what?" Cassie asked back.

"That I care about you more then a friend," he said

Cassie scoffed "I think the exact words were that I hold your heart"

Damon's heart soared at hearing her say those words. It's true his heart screamed you do!

But you said you were going to leave her alone, especially is she is going to take the blame for everything that happens because you pissed people off. His mind explained.

Damon went with his head and scoffed, "that's ridiculous the only person who holds my heart is me"

He looked to see if Cassie had any time of reaction.

She didn't

"Goodnight Damon" she dead paned.

"You didn't answer the question," Damon said.

"Goodnight" was all she said and started to swing again.

Damon sighed, turned away, and left.

Ten minutes passed, Cassie cried all of her tears but still sat on the swing.

"How are you feeling love?" a voice asked.

"Physically I'm fine," she answered

Klaus smiled at the answer.

"Why did you put my dress back on?" Cassie asked

Klaus looked at her.

"I know why you healed me, I was almost dead but why did you put my dress back on?" she asked again.

"I wanted you to keep as much dignity as you could," he told her honestly.

Cassie stood up and walked over to him. "Thank you" she said "for saving me, and dressing me" she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

After that she turned to go inside.

"Cassandra" he called again.

Cassie turned back around "yes"

He held out her locket. "I had the chain replaced and had it cleaned"

Her eyes glowed with happiness only to replace it with sadness.

"Keep it," she said closing his hand over it.

"Why?" he asked

"I don't have anyone to dance with anymore" she whispered and went inside the house without another word.

Klaus watched her leave then stared at the door for a minute. Before putting the locket into his pocket and left.

Cassie walked into the living room and Jeremy sitting on the couch.

"Jer?" she asked "what are you still doing up?"

Jeremy didn't answer however and just handed her cup of hot chocolate.

"It might be cold" Jeremy answered, "you might want to go heat it up."

Cassie nodded and walked into the kitchen, but found that it wasn't empty.

Alaric, Caroline, Rebecca, Katherine and Mason were in there all with their own mugs.

Cassie smiled at her friends.

"Did you really think I wasn't going to call in the Calvary? Although Katherine gets the credit for Mason coming back." Jeremy said from behind her.

Cassie launched herself into Jeremy and hugged him. "Thank you" she whispered new tears forming in her eyes.

Alaric took Cassie's and Jeremy's mugs while Jeremy just hugged her back. "You're my sister, how could I not?"

The group made its way to the living room all with fresh mugs of hot chocolate.

They talked about nothing important but anything to keep the silence away.

Cassie didn't say anything. She just rested her head on Jeremy's should and listened to her friends and family talk.

An: this chapter was hard to write from a character stand point.

With Cassie it was hard to find exactly the right was for her to blame herself and if it was a valid point of view.

with Jeremy however i found him calling all of her close friends and Alaric something he would of done without hesitation.

i think i have explain the Alaric has a daughter clear but if you have any questions i will and try to iron out any wrinkles you guys have.