Chapter 7:
The next morning, Candy was making breakfast for herself, Anna and Pearl when she realised she had a voicemail. She opened it and listened:
"Candice, it's Gloria. Don't call me back I was just calling to let you know the spirits told me that your father is about to arrive in Mystic Fall's. I can't tell you anything more right now… I'll call you as soon as I know more. Don't bother calling darling. Have a nice day."
"Candy, you're okay?" Anna asked her sister as soon as her mother and herself entered the room to see Candy, her cell phone in hand, sitting at the breakfast table.
"Gloria left me a message last night… My father is about to arrive in town… She doesn't know more know or at least she can't tell me more right now… I can't believe it Anna… You just got your mother back and I'm about to finally meet my father!" Candy exclaimed.
"That's great!" Anna hugged her friend.
"I'm happy for you Candy." Pearl said. Her daughter had told her everything and she was intrigued too.
"Thank you Pearl. Now, why don't we celebrate with a nice big breakfast?" Candy suggested as she pointed to the well furnished table.
They started talking about their plans for the day and while Candy was supposed to meet Damon for lunch, Anna had arranged for her mother and Jeremy to meet.
.
The next couple of days went by pretty fine. Pearl actually liked Jeremy but knew that what he had with Anna wouldn't last. They weren't really in love but he was at least a sincere friend and she understood, thanks to Candy, that she couldn't blame him for his ancestor's mistakes.
Candy was at the Boarding house, waiting on Damon to be ready for the party in town he wanted to take her too. It wasn't anything big or important but he had made a point in taking her out as much as possible and she simply couldn't find it in her to say no to him. She almost didn't feel the pain she was used to when she thought of terry anymore and it was mostly because she thought of Damon more than she thought of Terry.
As usual, Damon came to pick her up but he got a flat tire on the way and got his shirt dirty so they drove home so he could change. She was wandering in his library, waiting for him to come down in a clean shirt when it happened.
There was an old dusty box in a corner that probably hadn't been moved or even opened in years. Curiously, Candy went to open it and got some sort of old photo album out. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw something fall and put the album back down to pick up the large piece of paper.
It was an old newspaper article about the murder of a Salvatore. She automatically turned it around and froze.
On the other side of this article, she could see a picture of her Terry in a suit. By his side a Susanna Marlow in a big white wedding dress.
"Candy are you okay?" Damon asked when he realised how pale she was.
When he realised that she was crying he came closer to her and looked over his shoulder.
"Is that…"
"Yes… That's Terry and Susanna… I… I'm sorry… I know it's stupid to be upset after so long but… I had dreams about this day only it was the two of us… I…"
"Shhh, it's okay Candy… You don't have to feel bad about crying… But if you want my opinion, he's not worth your tears… This Susana girl doesn't hold a candle to your beauty…" Damon whispered, making her chuckle.
"Thank you Damon… You seem to always know how to make me smile lately…"
"Are you sure you're okay? We don't have to go out you know…"
"No, I'm fine… I'm just overly emotional lately… I know my father is about to arrive in town and I've never seen him… I've waited for this moment since I became a vampire and I can't wait to finally meet him… I'm so nervous about this… I mean, what will I do if he doesn't like me?" She asked Damon.
"He will love you Candice, it's impossible not to." He replied, looking intensely in her eyes before he stood up and coughed to hide his emotions.
They talked a few more minutes before Damon took Candy to this party where they had fun. At some point, he heard Candy explaining what had happened to Stefan and Anna and they both asked her if she was okay. Of course she told them that Damon made everything better and he got suspicious looks from his brother but he ignored them.
So what if he had feelings for a girl he knew he wasn't good enough for? If all he could be was her friend, then he would be stupid not to try and do his best to be it. Could he really tell his brother than being any part of Candy's life was much better than being no part of her life at all?
.
Later that night, Pearl took Candy aside and thanked her heart fully for everything the young bubbly blond had done for Anna.
Candy of course replied that it was only natural, that she immediately felt like Anna was a big part of her life, the minute she had met her and Pearl smiled at that.
"We might never feel as close as you are to my daughter Candy, but I'm sure we're going to be good friends." Pearl said before she turned around to join her daughter and the Gilberts from whom she was trying to buy a building.
That night, Bonnie confessed her attraction to Jeremy and the young Gilbert had an honest heart to heart with Anna. They both admitted they weren't in love with each other and they parted with the promise to always be friends.
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Klaus had been driving for a few hours when he finally crossed the sign "Welcome to Mystic Fall's". It was kind of ironic that he was going to meet his daughter for the first time on the land he and his siblings were born and changed on. If they had been normal human, this is where she would have been raised…
For the first time in a very long time, Klaus, the supposedly fearless hybrid was nervous about what was going to happen.
Would she believe him? Would she accept him?
He looked to the passenger seat and the small jewellery box that was sitting there… He had made it himself just for her and he truly hoped that she would like it.
He wondered a bit where to start but then he realised that this was his opportunity to fix another of his mistakes. He needed to drive to the Salvatore Boarding house.
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Candy was home with Anna and Pearl when suddenly her phone rang. She recognised Gloria's ring tone and answered immediately.
"Gloria?"
"Yes Candy, it's me. You're father has arrived. Now please don't interrupt me. The spirits didn't want me to tell you who he was sooner because he needed to find you himself, he needed to work for it…"
"Some kind of personal quest?" Candy asked as she turned a bright smile towards Anna, knowing she was listening.
"Yes, something like this. Over the years he has looked for you, met people you had helped, learned as much as possible about you… When you went in Europe during World War 2 he got so worried that without knowing where to find you, he went there as soon as he could and didn't leave until war was over and he got word that you were fine. He has a picture of you with him…The one of you and Anna taken at the opening of my bar." Gloria explained.
"What's his name? Where is he?" Candy asked.
"His name is Klaus…the original hybrid. He is your father. Right now, he decided to use the opportunity to fix something… In the 20's he compelled Stefan Salvatore to forget about his sister and himself to protect both him and them against Mickeal, your grandfather… he's going to give him his memory back any minute now…" Gloria explained.
"So I can finally meet him?" Candy asked, tears of happiness in her eyes.
"Yes honey you can. Now I've got to go but you have to come and visit me soon okay? Enjoy your time now!" Gloria said before she hung up.
"I… I'm going to…" Candy started as she rose.
"Of course you're going, we're all going! I don't think you're in any state to drive right now!" Anna exclaimed, just as happy as Candy as they all ran to the car and drove toward the Salvatore's house.
.
"Hum, hello… Can I help you?" Stefan asked as he opened the door.
"You don't remember me mate but we met in the 20's." The blond man with a rich british accent said.
"Oh… No offence but a good part of the 20's are a big blur to me… I was in a ripper mode and forgot most of it…" Stefan said as he invited the man inside.
"I compelled you to forget a few weeks…" Klaus said before he explained more and told everything he could to Stefan before the man let him compel him to remember.
Damon of course chose that moment to come down and while Stefan was remembering his past, Klaus was telling Damon what he had done to Stefan.
"I… I remember… Where is Rebekah?" Stefan asked.
"She's still daggered for now… I'll free her as soon as my coffins arrive… I'm having them driven here as we speak… They should be here in a few days." Klaus replied.
"You're going to undagger her?" Stefan asked.
"Yes, I am." Klaus replied.
"I need to think about this…" Stefan muttered as Damon explained to Klaus:
"He has a human girlfriend called Elena right now… She actually looks just like Katherine… Since you apparently know her." Damon said.
"A doppelganger? Well, that witch was more right than I would have thought…" Klaus muttered.
He was about to explain what he meant by that when the door burst open.
"Is anyone here?" An angelic voice yelled in desperation from the doorway.
"Candy? We're here, what's going on?" Damon asked, worry in his voice.
Klaus stood. Candy? His daughter?
He watched a three woman entered. He recognised Pearl and her daughter. Between them was his daughter, her eyes closed.
"Please tell me that Gloria was right and if I open my eyes I will see him here…" She pleaded with Damon.
"See who?" Damon asked as Pearl said:
"He's here Candy."
Candy opened her eyes slowly and rose them. She was crying with joy and had a bright smile on her face. Klaus was also smiling.
"Candy…" He whispered.
"Klaus… You're… Are you… You're my father?" She said… It was hard to know if she was asking a question or simply stating a fact.
They were finally face to face, after all those years of looking for each other… They were looking into each other's eyes and Candy couldn't hold back anymore, she rushed into Klaus' arms and hugged him close to her as he, too, hugged her hard.
What did you think of their reunion?
Don't forget to review please!
Lorelei Candice Black
