Tiberius Salvatore: The eldest brother

44

Rio had a bad feeling all throughout the night and the next day. He felt like it had something to do with Esther. The witch stayed up in her room for most of the ball, despite her insistence on having one and Elena going up to talk to her only convinced him that something was going on. He decided to call his brothers once he got to New York.
"Damon's phone, how can I help?" Rebekah answered. Rio couldn't wait till they got to their destination, and the two girls were asleep, so he decided to.
"Rebekah?"
"Rio?"
"Why do you have Damon's phone?"
"Why doesn't Damon have you on caller ID?"
"Why are you answering Damon's phone?"
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"Ew, gross. Let me talk to my brother."
"Alright. Damon, it's for you!" She called.
"Seriously? You're answering my phone now? You know we're not a couple, right?" Damon called back.
"It's only Rio, don't worry. He's hardly in a position to judge you."
"You know what- I think I'll just call back." Rio hung up. He drove for  few more seconds before he shook Charlie. "Lottie. Lottie, wake up. Lottie, Lottie, Lottie."
"Shut up!" Anya snapped from the back seat.
"Sorry." He whispered. "Charlotte Salvatore!"
"Alright I'm up. What?"
"I'm bored. And disturbed."
"So? Did you have to wake me up?"
"Yep. If I'm going to suffer so will you."
"I hate you."
"You love me really."
"Can you guys stop being so loud?" Anya groaned.
"Do you want breakfast, kid?"
"Unlike you, I'm still human. Which means I want food and sleep."
"We'll stop at a diner someplace."
"Alright." Charlie smiled. 

A few hours later they finally reached their destination, but the day had gone past before they got a call from Mystic Falls.
"Rio speaking." He answered his phone. "How may I help you?"
"It's Klaus. So my mother tried to kill my family. And she got away."
"Oh, no." He said, with no emotion. "So you're alive- how are your siblings?"
"Alive. Finn tried to help her."
"Help her kill you?"
"And himself. Mother linked all of my siblings and I and Finn was offering to be the sacrificial lamb."
"Why?"
"He doesn't like the idea of vampires. We're all impure and he's such a saint."
"Impure? Seriously? So where is he now?"
"Hiding."
"That sucks. Well I'm in New York, and even if I vamp sped, I wouldn't get there anytime soon, so I'll see you tomorrow. Meanwhile if you find your mother, just apologise or something. Make her second guess her decision to kill you."
"You really think that's going to work?" Klaus's voice was disbelieving.
"No, it'll stall her, idiot."
"Oh, alright then. Tell Charlotte I said hi. And your kid, Annie?"
"Anya, and remember to behave. Don't go around killing people in a rampage."
"Not even one person?"
"Not even one. So, if anyone tries to give you grief, you can tell them the last time you killed a human, was- well when was the last time you killed a human?"
"When I was on a wolf hunt, with Stefan."
"Right. You need to stop."
"But then no one will fear me."
"No buts."
"Can I at least kill anyone Supernatural who wrongs me."
"Klaus. We are not having this talk again. Need I remind you what happened the last time I-"
"Alright, alright. I get it. If I piss you off, it'll be permanent this time. Bla bla bla."
"Good. Now go speak to Elijah or something. Maybe he can keep you in line."
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. Elijah's gone, something about breaking his morals. Kol's gone on holiday. It's really only me and Rebekah, and I don't know if she's still pissed at me."
"Give her time. She found out you killed your mother and then, instead of facing her you kept her daggered. It doesn't feel that long since she found out the truth."
"And our mother came back to life when she was undaggered."
"Yes, the same mother who wants to now kill you."
"I see your point. D'you think Charlie can talk to her. I miss my baby sister."
"Maybe you should stop killing everyone she starts to love."
"Your brother's alive."
"Which one?"
"What do you mean which one? Stefan's the only one she's liked."
"That's true."
"What are you not telling me?"
"Just go to sleep or read a book or something."
"I'm not tired, and I've read all the books in this bloody town. There's nothing new."
"Then go to the bar, or go running. Shift into your wolf, if it suits you."
"That's a good idea. See you later, mate."
"Bye." Rio hung up. He turned to see Anya sleeping, while Charlie was staring at him.
"Well, we managed to go the whole day without being sucked into the drama." She said cheerfully.
"You know what I miss?"
"Hmm?"
"Those weekends in Nice. Just a quiet end to a crazy week. Not many tourists, and really good scenery."
"Or the nights we spent in the ocean. Just drifting to wherever the water took us. I even miss that old boat."
"Yeah, it did look like it was about to fall apart, didn't it?" Rio chuckled.
"Yeah. Remember that month we spent in Albuquerque?"
"No no no. London. I mean, the city was beautiful, but the towns up North. The place you were born, the places you went to."
"Yeah, it's changed a lot. I didn't recognise any of it."
"It was a miracle we found your old home, or at least where it stood."
"I've been to so many places with you, and I can't wait to visit more."
"Especially with Anya."
"Of course. Show her the little ins and outs we found."
"Am I a good father? I mean, I don't want to disappoint." The couple looked at the young girl who stirred. "I didn't exactly have the best childhood."
"It's because of that, that you're awesome. You felt that unhappiness in your life, and you know exactly how not to make her feel."
"I know that I shouldn't be like my parents, but what if I hold on too tight? What if she hates me because I'm not her real dad? I want to give her everything she wants. I want to be the best she could have."
"Stop it. You may not be her biological father, and he may have been a slightly good father- other than the lying to her and the keeping her in a mystical sleep for centuries, but you're the best. She adores you, because you are her father."
"It's true." Anya sat up. She looked wide awake. "You're my dad, now. The only one I need. And you don't need to worry about how good or bad a job you're doing. At the end of the day I'm alive and so are you, and I love you. Besides, you're an awesome dad."
"You think?"
"We know." Charlie smiled in encouragement.
"Thanks." He turned to Anya. "Were you pretending to be asleep?"
"An awesome father would let it go." Anya smiled sweetly.
"Not funny." He said and chuckled, shaking his head. "Do you think I should tell my brothers about mom?"
"They should know but I don't know if it's worth it to tarnish their memories. She is out of your life."