Whatever It Takes {Two | Alaric Saltzman}

I Never Could Love Like That

"Stefan has kept Caroline relatively under control as they work their way back from..." Abigail moved her phone from one ear to the other. "Somewhere. And-"

"The next step of the plan is torture?" Jeremy asked. "Do I need to remind you what happened the last time Caroline thought that you guys were trying to flip her switch?"

"Well, she's not going to find out. Damon and I found a Bed and Breakfast that we compelled a crew to vampire-proof. They're going to stop there once it's done."

"How do you know this is going to work?"

"We have a letter that her mom sent. She intended for it to arrive after she died, which it did, but Caroline had already flipped her switch." Smiling, she sat down on the foot of her bed. "So..."

"So?"

"I think this will all be settled and I'll be able to catch a flight out to New Mexico in a couple of weeks!" There was a knock at the door, one she was expecting. "I, uh, I've got to go. I'll send you my travel plans as soon as I make them."

"Alright," he laughed. "See you soon."

Abigail was sitting on the couch. Alaric was pacing in front of her. And the wake of what he said left them in something that did not have a name. It settled into every nook of the room, surrounding them until they were consumed. Consumed by something that did not have an escape.

"Jo is pregnant?"

"Yeah. I-I don't know how-" He came to a stop. "I mean, I know how, but it was one night. One drunken spring break night that turned into her bringing me lunch, then dinner, and now-"

"Why are you telling me this? Why are you here? Why..." She stood up much faster than she intended to. "I mean, we aren't-"

"I know we aren't..." He sucked in a breath. "I'm here because Jo and I talked about our options and she thinks we should get married. But I-"

"But you..." She trailed off, but even as she opened her mouth to finish the sentence she started she knew she couldn't, "You want to know if I-"

"I want to know if you-"

"Do it." Those two words were the hardest she'd ever said, and the ones she said next were harder, "Marry her."

The Bed and Breakfast was outfitted in floral patterns and antiques. It was haunting, really, the way it had been preserved in its original form. Nothing about it spoke to early summer, yet she was there.

The hallways seemed longer than they should have been. Especially the one at the top of the stairs. The one that led to Caroline and Stefan's room. The one with a bay window seat. The one where Alaric and Jo were sitting.

"Oh, did I tell you I got us into that cute bakery right off campus?"

He didn't look up from his book. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"To taste wedding cake for our wedding."

A moment passed, long enough for Abigail to walk back down the stairs or announce her presence, to do anything, but she was just as frozen as he was.

"I don't need to remind you..." She pulled his book from his hands like she'd had to before. "Right around the corner."

"Is this where I pretend to care about how our wedding cake tastes?" The sound of his laugh was weak. "I mean, why can't we just go to the courthouse? Elope, now. Party, later."

"Great. Make a joke. Deflect. I wish I could do that. It would make this a whole lot easier. Do you care about any of this?" Closing the folder she had in her lap, she rose to her feet. "Of course not. Because I am not her."