You're giving me a job
Caroline POV
"Ms Forbes, can I talk to you for a few minutes?"
I stared at Tony Stark aka Iron Man and stammered out the words "Um, sure" I looked at Natasha "Go for it, little bit? I'll look after the cuties"
I hugged Josie and Lizzie one more time and walked towards the man who could seal my fate or remake me.
"You have eaten today, haven't you?"
"Yes, two cups of B+"
"Huh, Creepy" Tony smiled at me "So, follow me to my office, or workshop, and we'll talk about a job with flexible hours, as an events planner. Pepper wants to meet you?" he said with a wave of his hand. I followed him down to the lift and when I couldn't get out the lift door. "What's wrong?"
I looked like a deer caught in headlights "You must invite me in, I'm a vampire"
"Huh, so that bit is true, come in" I stepped into the workshop
"Yep"
"Crucifixes, holy water, garlic"
"Myths" I said with a smile. "We don't like Vervain that's a plant that burns us, or swimming in the ocean, we don't sparkle like freaky' disco balls. The few of us that know witches have a piece of jewellery spelled so we can walk in the daylight, it's a stone called Lapis Lazuli, I've been wearing this for six years"
"Your children, from what I've heard, vampires are sterile, you were a surrogate to Alaric's children"
"Gemini coven, they did a fetal transfer spell when Alaric's wife's brother murdered her, at her own wedding. They violated me and my rights. Then I felt them kicking, and I grew to love them" I looked down to my shoes with a sad smile.
"Never thought, I'd meet an enhanced supernatural being"
"Well, I never thought I would meet 'the' Captain America or 'the' Iron Man"
"Take a seat, I understand that you like Caramel Latte" I nodded.
Tony Stark POV
I was amazed at the vamp-girl in front of me. She is more awesome than me, and that's saying something.
"Pepper, our vamp-girl is ready for her interview"
"Be there in a minute" I smiled, and Pepper nodded back
Pepper Potts-Stark came in a moment later with two caramel lattes and I almost inhaled the coffee from the cup directly.
"Relax, little bit, this is not an interrogation" I saw her take a few cleansing breaths.
"Okay, I'm ready" she smiled
"Right, High school career in Mystic Falls, tell me?"
"Okay, so I was head of the cheer squad, head of the volunteering committee. I won Miss Mystic Falls, and I am an events planner for all school events, proms, the decades dances, I graduated in 2011 and I majored in drama and politics at Whitmore, also I did a small course in book-keeping and hosting events. For which I earned a post-graduate Ph.D" She took a breath
"Are you flexible in working hours?"
"As long as I can pick up my little ones from nursery on time?"
"Okay, salary, how does $500.000 a year sound, and a $20,000 advance?"
She gawped not believing what I was saying "You'll get a generous package with a penthouse apartment nearby or you can move into an apartment in the tower, if you want to, that is?"
"As an events planner/hostess?" Caroline asked me in shock.
"Yes" I asked with a chuckle
"I don't know what to say?"
"Say Yes!" I said excitedly at the young lady.
"Okay, yes" I grin.
Alaric's POV
I got virtually 'smacked' upside the head by Captain America, and I didn't wonder why. I have treated Caroline horribly, then to deliberately cause her car to crash, so I can discredit her. I am angry with everyone, Damon, my Josette, Elena, who's incidentally in a coma, Stefan, Tyler. I just don't know how to get back to man I was before Isobel before vampires. Of course, I'm grateful to Caroline for being a surrogate to my twin girls. It almost killed her. They were siphoning the magic out of her vampire blood.
Caroline's POV
My cellphone was ringing. It was Alaric, I had to face the situation and forgive him, otherwise, bitterness will cling to me like a second skin.
"Hi, Alaric"
"Hi Caroline, are the girls alright?"
"Yep, they are fine"
"Oh, okay, I just wanted to apologise for causing you to crash. And I was wondering if I could see the girls this weekend" My eyebrows raised, and I was pissed off.
"Try a bit harder to sound sincere, Ric, I thought that I was going to be tortured and then, caged. It's happening to me so often. I mean, the werewolves tortured me for the hell of it. Then my father did it, then you did it after your evil alter-ego killed my father. Oh, let's not forget. Damon mind-whammies me for three weeks and uses me as his own walking juice box when I was human" I was heaving with anger and tears. I see Steve Rogers looking at me sadly with pity in his eyes. "When you can look me in the eyes and mean what you say. I'll forgive you; I'm hanging up now, before I say something unforgivable" I cut the call off and faced Steve with a fake smile. "Sorry about that, and please don't pity me, I'm a survivor, not a victim"
Steve just walks towards me "I don't pity you, doll, I just wonder how you have the strength to put one foot in front of the other with everything you have been through, you are strong for you and your girls. I admire that" I broke down then. I became an ugly crying mess in the arms of Steve Rogers, the Captain America.
"Shhh, it's okay, just cry it out" I cling to Steve tightly as I do exactly that.
"Jarvis" Steve asks as he lifts me up bridal style "Yes Sir, can you tell Tony that I'm taking Caroline to her apartment on the second floor? Girls, uh, Lizzie and Josie, com 'on, I'll get you and your mom settled" I hear him say as I fall asleep.
Tony Stark POV
When I hear about the insincere pitiful excuse of an apology from the Capsicle. I am steaming mad, for the 'little bit' literal ball of sunshine who has come into our lives. And her little ones. I really want to find this 'Damon' guy and go all 'Avenger' on his ass. She lost her mom to Cancer too. But Caroline doesn't want to hurt 'Magical Comatose' Elena by killing Damon. Jeez, so much drama in this small town in Virginia. Pfft, but I must abide by sunshine's wishes.
"Cap, what do you think about taking Caroline shopping for clothes and furniture for her new accommodations. Obviously, the girls need beds, sofa beds are not suitable for little princesses?"
Cap smiled at me "Are you asking me, or giving an opinion?"
I grinned "Both"
"I think she won't accept any more charity"
"Okay tell her that this will be part of her advanced earnings"
The Cap rolls his eyes at me "You've gone soft, Tony"
"Pfft, this is not going soft, this is… freeing pepper up to take care of other things"
"Is there something, you aren't telling me, Tony?"
"No" Cap raised his eyebrows at me.
"Okay, now you have suitably ranted, I'll get Caroline to get the girls up and dressed. Pepper has organised another childminder, she vetted this person herself, just to be sure that it's not another Wack job from the Gemini coven/cult"
"Are you warm for her form?" I chuckle as I ask
(A/N I was reading "Young blood" on Ao3, and the way Tony keeps teasing Caroline about Stefan is hilarious)
"What? No, a little" Cap admitted blushing
Caroline's POV
"Mommy" Josie called out as she pulled on her mini sized jeans "Lizzie, Josie, are you ready yet?" I grinned as I went to tickle her sides
"We are, Mommy, we are hungry too" Josie whined "Well, I guess we ought to do something for your breakfast, huh, my little butterflies" They both giggled as Steve Rogers walked in.
"Hey, Caroline, girls, I have orders to take you all out for breakfast at the square diner, if that's okay" I looked at Steve and he was blushing. "I must shower and get dressed if that's all right"
"You can take your time, no hurry. I'll get the girls some juice and cereal" He was trying not to stare at my legs in jean shorts. I grinned as I bit my lip "Thank you Steve, that's very thoughtful, I'll be out in five minutes" I skipped my way to the shower. "I'll wait" he replied, and I smiled again.
"Mommy is happy again" Lizzie whispered in my ear.
Tony Stark POV
I was pissed off when I landed on the steps of Alaric's house. The Lawyer I had hired to take care of the custody agreement nodded at me and knocked on the door.
"Hello?" A voice called out
"Open the door, Alaric Saltzman"
"Okay, okay" I could hear him grouse and I put my iron foot in the door when he opened it "Iron man!" he yelped "Yep, I'm stubborn, I'm not a vampire, just your 'run of the mill' normal genius, so are you going to sign the custody agreement and a standard NDA for the sake of Caroline and your daughters"
"The girls are mine and Josette's, Care was a surrogate only"
"And where is Josette now?" I argued
"Dead" Alaric let loose a few tears
"And who puts them to bed, sings to them, comforts them, tells them that their bio-mom loved them, just as much as she does"
"Caroline" Alaric looked suitably ashamed
"Good, now sign the papers, stop drinking, get help, hell, I will get you a therapist, and you can see the girls this weekend. Caroline was terribly upset last night. But she won't be there, it'll be Steve Rogers. And for the girl's sake, get a shower and shave off your bird's nest of a beard. You are starting to smell bad" Alaric chuckled, but then remembered what he wanted to ask.
"Is it true, about Damon, I mean?"
"The elder Salvatore, I assume?" I said with sincere sympathy
"Caroline really doesn't confide in me, but I get the feeling that he didn't just compel her and feed on her, I think he did something else"
"He raped her under compulsion" Alaric paled, and looked like he was going to throw up. "I always knew that something was weird between those two"
"He raped her, it wasn't consensual, there was nothing between those two" A voice joined us from the doorway. "Hey Cap" I called out
"Hi Tony, I am going to educate Alaric on the word 'No' if he doesn't shut his cake hole, The D-bag vamp compelled away her ability to consent, and your dead wife's coven, took away her right to choose by transferring the twins into her womb"
"You're right, it sucks, but I didn't know until Caroline told me about the Gemini trick, I have treated her badly, I am angry with the wrong person"
"Yes, you are!" Steve growled at Alaric. "Despite going through all that crap, Caroline is full of light, and happiness!"
"She's a vampire!" Alaric argued back "And I tortured her when I was remade as an original vampire, I turned human again by going across a magical border and nearly dying. I can never make up for what I did to Caroline" Alaric looked down in shame.
"I know she loves the girls, we both do, can I see them this weekend if I meet the conditions of this custody agreement to the letter? I miss them so much" His tears were genuine.
Steve looked at me and I looked at him and nodded.
"Okay, but you must apologise to her personally. She won't think that you are serious otherwise" Steve replied
"Oh, and another thing I asked Caroline if she wanted a job as our events planner for Stark industries. Flexible hours, so she'll have time for the twins as well"
"That's awesome, Tony, she is a good planner and has excellent organisation skills" Alaric looked bug-eyed at our conversation.
"That's going to be good for her" Alaric agreed then sighed as the lawyer Jennifer Walters of the 'Legal' firm of attorneys handed him the custody agreement and NDAs to sign and he picked up the pen, signed and handed the forms back to the Lawyer. "Is Caroline going to be, okay?" Alaric asked me and I nodded grinning.
A/N Please review and please be kind TBC