Falling → Stefan Salvatore [2]

Before Sunset

Chapter 06: Before Sunset

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After hearing a countless amount of sobs from her bedroom, Jeff Schultz finally decided to open the door that led to his daughter's bedroom, finding the girl sitting on the ground with tears streaming down her face. Her mascara had completely run, not really fitting her appearance, but instead of commenting on it-- or anything else, for that matter-- he just took a seat beside her, resting his hand on her leg to comfort her.

Though the two of them hadn't spoken in weeks, the sound of her sobs was enough for him to completely forget all of it in what felt like the snap of his fingers. He looked over at his daughter, watching her as she wiped her hand under her eye, taking off only some of the mascara.

"What's wrong, angel?" Seeing her that way devastated him. No father wanted to see their daughters in that state, but it was bound to happen. And he knew that when it did, all he could do was be there for her.

"Something's wrong with me," She admitted that something was, in fact, wrong. But she failed to tell him what it was yet. "Daddy, it hurts."

"What does?" He wanted her to go further into detail, but he also had to respect that if she didn't want to tell him, he couldn't force her.

"Everything..." She admitted, allowing a tear to slip from her eye and slowly roll down her cheek until it finally reached the ground, "I don't even know who I am anymore."

He looked down at the ground for a second as a sigh left his mouth, leading her to believe that he wasn't sure what to respond himself, "I see..."

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, partly to herself. She wasn't sure if apologizing to him was the right thing to do, but what she did know was that she was disappointing him. And she absolutely hated it.

He formed his lips into a frown for a second, shaking his head lightly afterward. "Are you still my daughter?"

"What?" Her voice cracked at his question, confused by what his words meant.

"Are you still my little girl?" He asked her once again, staring into her eyes to make sure he would be able to tell if she was lying to him, "Who I raised you to be? Are you who you've always been?"

She nodded, letting out a little scoff. It wasn't because she was offended, but because she was relieved that he was asking her that question specifically, "Yes."

"Then that's exactly who you are," Tears started to build in his own eyes as he stared at her, "That's what your mother would say. She would say that it doesn't matter what you are, but who."

"But you hate what I am," Her lips trembled at the thought of her own father despising her, "That isn't going to change."

"That's true," He agreed with her, admitting that he did in fact hate vampires as much as she knew he did, "But I'm willing to learn to understand. You're my daughter... I love you. And that isn't going to change."

"I love you, too." She immediately grabbed onto his shoulders, pulling him into the hug she's been needing from him for weeks. He wrapped his arms around her as well, allowing himself to be her shoulder to cry on, "So much."

After all the tears she had shed over the idea of her father hating who she had become... after all the anxiety it had brought her, she was finally at peace with who she was. It had taken longer than it should have, but knowing now that the last parent she had left.... the last family member she had left, matter of fact, didn't hate her, it no longer gave her reason to hate herself.

But what she didn't know was that though she was at peace, it was only just the calm before her storm.

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Now you all know her father's opinion on her turning. Honestly, her relationship with her father is the sweetest thing, don't y'all agree? Anyway, I hope you guys liked this short little chapter because I've never been able to fit a character into this episode specifically. But next chapter is the season finale so WOOHOO. Thank you for reading <3

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