❝Long car rides, thunder, love poems, sunflowers; it all reminds me of her and the night we met.❞
In which the love of his life is gone and he is left with nothing but old letters and bittersweet memories.
[ALARIC SALTZMAN AU]
STARTED: OCTOBER 1, 2...
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"You ready?" Damon gave his friend a sympathetic smile as he rested his hand on Alaric's broad shoulder.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
The vampire didn't reply verbally, instead just just nodded and took one of Kelsey's limp hands in his.
Alaric closed his ocean blue eyes, inhaling sharply when he opened them again. He stood in the middle of the open road, confusion clear on his features, until he saw her, that is.
"Kelsey?" He called out, afraid that perhaps whatever Damon was doing hadn't worked properly.
"Ric!" The young woman ran towards him, throwing her skinny arms around her in a tight embrace. "Oh my god. How are you here?"
"Damon. Listen, I don't know how long we've got, but you need to know something."
"What is it?"
"The doctors said – "
"I know what the doctors said. I know my family is gonna turn the machine off," Kelsey interrupted him. "What did you really want to tell me?"
"Before the accident, we got in a fight, but I know that things haven't been right between us for a while. And I - I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," she shrugged.
"Yes, it is. I should've paid more attention and held you tighter and loved you better," Alaric grabbed her small hands in his larger ones. "There is not a day that goes by where I don't regret it, because I'm fairly sure that you are the love of my life."
"Only fairly sure?" She joked.
"Totally, 100% certain." It was silent between them for a moment or so before he pulled apart from her and extended his hand. "May I have this dance?"
A melodic laugh escaped her lips, "it would be my pleasure."
And so they swayed slowly in the middle of the open road for hours, not a word was spoken between them for everything that needed to be said had been communicated through passionate kisses and gentle touches.
"I don't think we have much time left," Kelsey pulled away, looking out at the sunflower field behind them which seemed to be slowly disappearing in front of her eyes.
"I'm not ready to say goodbye," tears began to well up in his ocean blue eyes, something that happened more often in recent times.
"Me either," she admitted, tightly grabbing his rough hands. "But saying goodbye is apart of life. And who knows, maybe we'll see each other again soon."
"I'm counting on it," Alaric laughed to conceal his pain. The sunflower field had disappeared completely by now. "Kels, listen, I didn't say it enough when you were still here – "
"It's okay," Kelsey gave him a small smile and pressed her pink lips against his.
Alaric closed his eyes and kissed her with all he had for he knew it would be the last time. He opened them again, only to find Kelsey gone.
