Sweet little child
You know nothing
About a cold world outside
You're too young to realize
What he wants from you tonight

Scorpions – Daddy's Girl

Chapter 62

Cinderella

This was it, the moment I had dreamt for. I had never been so nervous. If my heart would still beat, it would be pounding like a drum right about now. The doors were wide open; all I had to do was step inside. There were people everywhere, they were talking and having drinks. Okay, I could do this. Some people were looking at me, the men were smiling. It wasn't difficult to tell what they were looking at.

"Nice…" I heard some young man saying to his friend. They must be the people Rebekah had invited. She had wanted to take few classes in school, just to learn more about the present day, as she had put it. I doubted that was the only reason, but as long as she was happy, it made no difference. She certainly deserved all the happiness she could get. Things were still complicated between her and Stefan, neither one of them didn't seem to know what they wanted. Clearly Stefan had missed Rebekah and it wasn't difficult to tell that he didn't feel that he belonged in his old life anymore. He wanted the life he has had back in the 20's. That had caused a lot of tension between Damon and him, not to mention between Elena and him. I had tried my best for not to intervene, but to me the whole pattern looked a lot like the one Damon and Stefan have had with Katherine. They were all here tonight.

"Check out the skank," I heard some girl whispering. "There's no way those are real."

I smiled, these were most definitely real and I had to admit that I really hadn't got used to them yet. Maybe I should have chosen a different gown, something more…chaste. No, this was my moment; I had waited for it for so long. The moment really was perfect and as foolish as that was, I felt like Cinderella when I walked down the stairs. Yes, I was over a 500-years-old vampire, but right now I felt like a blushing young woman. People were looking at me, I felt… Oh no. Apparently high heels hadn't been a very good idea when I was still learning to control my body. Stupid long legs… I tripped and no more than a second later I was lying on the floor on my stomach. Not quite like Cinderella… The girls were laughing, but someone was next to me immediately and offered me a hand.

"Did you hurt yourself, miss?" a serious voice asked.

"No," I replied when he helped me to my feet. "Thanks, Uncle Finn."

His eyes widened when he took a better look at me, I tried my best to smile.

"Eva?" he stated after a moment of silence.

"Yes, it's me."

He stared at me for a moment before speaking.

"Well… You look…different."

"Yeah. Have you seen papa?"

"Yes, I believe he is in the ballroom."

"Okay, thank you. Excuse me."

Eagerly I headed to the ballroom, I didn't care that people were still staring at me. I heard all kinds of comments, but none of that mattered, I only wanted to see papa. And Rebekah. And Klaus and Kol. Maybe. Alright, one step at a time. Maybe this wasn't even real; I have had this dream many times before. Papa was talking with Rebekah. How would she react, I had always been a child to her? Nervously I walked over to them.

"Papa?"

They both turned to look at me and they both were equally shocked. Neither of them said anything, they just stared at me.

"Eva?" papa finally gasped.

I smiled insecurely and nodded.

"Yes, it's me, papa."

His mouth floundered open and closed.

"What…How…"

"It's a long story," I replied and looked at him shyly. "What…what do you think?"

I had never felt so nervous; right now I truly hoped that I would have a chosen a different dress. I must have been insane for wearing something like this in front of my father. It took a moment before he managed to speak.

"Sweetheart… You look…beautiful."

His words made me smile, I felt relieved. I really wasn't sure why, maybe a part of me had been afraid that I would lose him. I hadn't even realized it before now.

"Really?"

He smiled too.

"Of course. My beautiful girl…"

My eyes were filling with tears when I wrapped my arms tightly around him.

"Papa… I wanted nothing more than share this with you, I'm so happy."

"I can believe that," he replied and kissed the top of my head. "I want to know everything, how did this happen?"

I hesitated for a moment before pulling away. I couldn't tell to him or to anyone else how this had happened, I had given my word. I glanced at Rebekah, she still looked shocked.

"Rebekah? Mama?"

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I can't…"

She turned around and marched away. It cut me like a knife; I had to swallow my tears.

"Rebekah…"

Papa placed his hand on my shoulder before I went after her.

"Give her a moment."

My hands were shaking when I turned to look at him.

"I don't want to lose her."

"You won't," papa replied calmingly and touched my hair. "She just needs a moment to digest this; you know you have always been her…"

"…baby," I finished. "Yes, I know. "

We were both quiet for a while; I could tell that papa needed a moment to digest this as well.

"How did this happen?" he finally asked. "I have looked for centuries and the result was always the same, there's no way for a vampire to physically age."

"I…I found a way," I muttered and bowed my head. My breasts really were big…

"I can see that. What was that way?"

"I can't tell."

Papa stepped in front of me and lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"Eva?"

"I gave my word."

Papa's expression tensed.

"To who?"

"I can't tell."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"Eva…"

"Papa, please, I've dreamt of this for so long, could you please be happy for me?"

He cupped my face and leaned closer.

"I am happy for you, of course I am, but you can't ask me not to worry about my child's safety. If this is anything like the body swap spell…"

"No, no, it's not." I paused and smiled at him. "I'm still your child?"

"What kind of a question is that, of course you're my child. You always will be."

I let out a sob and hugged him as tightly as I could, I never wanted to let go. For some reason my feelings had been heightened ever since the…change. Kind of they had been when I had been a young vampire.

"Brother," Kol's voice suddenly said. "I see you're having fun. Who is this lovely lady?"

I pulled away and turned very slowly to look at Kol. His expression was simply priceless, he looked completely shocked.

"Hi, Kol," I said casually.

"Eva?"

"Yes, it's me."

Apparently I would have to have this same conversation many times today.

"Kol!" Klaus' voice snapped before he managed to say anything. "I told you to play nice tonight, what the hell did you do with…"

He didn't finish his sentence when he noticed me.

"Breasts…" he murmured.

I frowned, he was always a gentleman.

"I prefer Eva."

He cleared his throat and tried desperately to get over his astonishment.

"I meant dress, your dress is beautiful. What… How did this happen?"

"It's a long story," I sighed. "Right now I would really like to dance…"

"Of course, sweetheart," papa said and wrapped his arm around me before Klaus and Kol managed to say anything. "If you're not too old to dance with your papa."

"I don't think so," I replied smiling and kissed his cheek. Kol and Klaus were staring at me and I felt papa tightening his embrace.

"Excuse us, brothers; I will now dance with my daughter," papa stated, he sounded tense. "My little Eva."

"Hmm," they both murmured.

Were they honestly staring at my breasts? Why had I ever decided to wear this stupid dress? I definitely wasn't Cinderella and there was no prince charming here. Well, at least things couldn't be much worse…

"Hey," some young man said smiling. "I was wondering if I could have the next dance?"

It took a moment before I understood that he was talking to me.

"Sure…"

"My daughter is dancing with me," papa cut in.

"Yeah, but maybe after that…"

"She's dancing with me."

Papa's tone was more than threatening; the young man was smart enough to back away. I had never seen papa like this, he was so…protective. Like "stay the hell away from my daughter or you're dead" protective. That definitely included Kol and Klaus. I hadn't really thought that he would act like that, he never had before. Of course not, he hadn't had any reason. Maybe I had finally got my wish, but it seemed that I had plenty of new problems to deal with.