somanyadjectives | fifty shades of stefan } { beep-beep beep-beep yeah [1886]

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fifty shades of stefan } { beep-beep beep-beep yeah [1886]

"How did you get this, Uncle Stefan?"

His nephew Zachariah, all of six years-old, is staring at the contraption in front of them. Stefan has to admit if he were in Zachariah's shoes, he would be surprised that the man had managed to obtain it as well. It was a little compulsion, a little Salvatore charm, and he managed to convince the current Mayor Lockwood to let him borrow it to show off for his nephew.

After all, Zachariah was some of the only family he had left.

The sun is just starting to go down as Stefan reaches over and scoops up the boy under his arms to set him on the platform of the car. "It's called an automobile. I'ts a machine that is built to do what horses do for a carriage."

Zachariah turns in a circle, reaching for the crank that, from what the mayor had told him, was used to steer. "Does it work?"

Stefan grins. "How about we find out?"

Zachariah's head bobs with a bright smile and Stefan hefts himself onto the driver's seat and starts the engine. "Be careful with him, Stefan," his brother calls from the doorway of the house, arms crossed in front of his chest. "He does not heal as easily as you do."

"We will be fine," Stefan nods. "We'll be back before you know it."

And with that, they drive out into the oncoming darkness.

[Continues here.]

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After living in New York City for so long, the fact that Diana was back in the Small Town South felt like a complete disappointment. She tried to push away that sense of longing. It reminded her a little bit too much of the person that she'd once been; that spoiled, selfish, horrible brat. But when she woke that evening in the carriage house of her esteemed host--that dreadful Lockwood man--she couldn't help but feel like it was a bit provincial.

She'd been his guest for a few nights now, although she'd mostly been forced to endure his tedious wife and daughters. Tonight, however, she decided it would be prudent to get out and see a bit of the town. For her own sanity, if nothing else. She didn't remember much about her disastrous experience in Mystic Falls, the last time she'd visited. Largely because she'd been in such a hurry to leave. But this time was a little bit different.

Diana had come here to meet with an ally of her sister's, one Elsbeth Lennox, Sheriff of Augusta. Unfortunately, upon arriving, she'd learned that Miss Lennox was detained on official business back home. She'd found a boarding house and then she'd found a piano and then the mayor found her. He'd been so enchanted by the way she played, he'd absolutely insisted that she stay as his guest. It was all very well and good, but his family was just so dull. And Diana no longer had the patience for needlework.

So she dressed that evening and slipped out of the back door to the carriage house, using obfuscate to sneak off of the grounds and into the town itself. Once at liberty, however, she found herself at a loss. What was there to do? Especially as an unescorted, unmarried stranger...

Zachariah is thrilled at the ride. They don't go very fast, nor do they go very far, but it's enough to give a small taste of what's to come. There was a bright and industrious future coming, now that the war was over and things had settled into how they were. He just hopes Zachariah lives long enough to see as much of it take shape as he can.

They are coming through the center of the town square, puttering along in their little "automobile," as it was called, when Stefan spots a familiar face out of the corner of his eye.

"Miss Caine?"

It was difficult to say what startled Diana the most. Hearing the words 'Miss Caine,' seeing the automobile, or seeing--of all people!--Stefan Salvatore.

The third, she decided, in the next moment.

From time to time, over the past...what was it? Ten years? Over the past ten years or so, she'd thought of him on occasion. Wondered how he was doing and hoped that he'd found some sort of peace within himself. But he'd honestly never expected to see him again.

...and with a small boy.

Touching a hand to her chest, to indicate a flutter in her heart (a habit she'd picked up after years of pretending to be human), she let a slow smile split her face. "Mister Salvatore?"

He returns the smile eagerly, bringing the automobile to a stop as Zachariah looks either confused or disappointed that they are stopping.

"But Uncle Stefan ... "

"Manners, Zachariah. You should always be on your best behavior when there are ladies present." Undead or otherwise. "Miss Caine, I'd like you to meet my nephew, Zachariah Salvatore. Zachariah, This is Diana Caine. She is an old friend of mine."

The boy gives a small nod - he clearly wants to get back to driving.

Glancing briefly over her shoulder, Diana balled up the fabric of her skirt in one hand and quickly crossed over to the automobile. She felt an enormous wave of relief when Stefan introduced the boy as his nephew. And an odd pull in the pit of her stomach when he called her a friend.

She dipped into a small curtsy, addressing Zachariah first. "A pleasure to meet you, Mister Salvatore," she told him. Diana was actually very good with children. She'd been an aunt herself, once.

Teasingly, she offered him her hand to kiss. "I'm so sorry to keep you from you fun with this...what do you call it?"

Zachariah doesn't look thrilled with the idea, but he still bobs his head to kiss the back of her hand all the same. One day, he will see the benefit of trying to charm a pretty girl, but at the ripe old age of six, it's hard to see the merit in it all.

"It's an automobile," Stefan replies with a smile. "It's a rather clever invention the Germans have come up with. It's supposed to help us travel great distances."

Despite his reluctance, Diana found herself charmed by Zachariah, nevertheless.

And the automobile.

She took a moment to examine it. It seemed rather like a carriage, pulled by invisible horses. Like something out of one of the ancient Greek stories her father loved so much. "It looks quite exciting," she said sincerely. "I think you must be having quite a lot of fun, Mister Zachariah."

"I am!" he announces proudly, much more interested in talking about the automobile than he is about proper manners. "It goes almost as fast as the horses do. Much faster than my bicycle."

"We've been making an evening of it, as you can see." Stefan fills in, before gesturing to the seat across from them. "Would you like to join us?"

Twenty years ago, perhaps even ten, Diana would have been very reluctant. But city living--real city living--had given her a taste for adventure. The automobile and its passengers intrigued her. Anyway, it seemed that the only alternative was needlework with the dreadful Mrs. Lockwood and daughters.

"I would be delighted," she replied, hitching up her skirts to climb into the seat.

Stefan gives Zachariah a quick command to stay still before extending a hand to her to help her up into the car. It's an odd set up, having the seats face each other, but he thinks they'll be able to manage at such a slow speed.

"How have you been?"

She accepted his hand, stepping up and settling down in the seat. A bit like a carriage ride through Central Park, she supposed, as she neatly arranged her dress around her.

The smell was better.

"I've been well," she told Stefan, positively radiating warmth. "Extremely busy. I'll have to tell you about it all." She paused, her judgment forcing her to remember that Zachariah was there.

"...later."

"Later," he smiles. "Of course."

He shifts as he reaches for the steering apparatus, starting up the engine again, much to Zachariah's delight. It only takes a moment before they start rumbling down the road again, heading back in the direction of the new Salvatore Boarding House.

Grasping, Diana grabbed hold of the rails to either side of her. Her surprise easily melted into delight. And she remembered the last time she'd been with Stefan. And the time before that. Running. They always seemed to be moving faster than was normal.

It was always exciting.

She laughed softly, sharing in Zachariah's delight. "You must enjoy outings with your uncle," she said to him.

"He is not home often, but we have fun when he does." He pushes up a little more in the seat, and Stefan reaches for his arm.

"Be careful, Zachariah. You know what your father said about you getting hurt." Zachariah nods and resettles in his seat.

"How do you know Uncle Stefan?"

"Miss Caine and I met a very long time ago."

"Your uncle was the first person I ever met in Mystic Falls," she told him, theatrically making that sound much bigger than it was. And prudently avoiding thoughts about that particular context.

She wondered how much the boy knew. Doubtlessly, Stefan wanted to shield him. She could see that much in the way he protected him now. But children were a lot smarter than people ever seemed to realize.

Zachariah wouldn't learn about vampires until he was much older, but for now he's simply thrilled to have an uncle who can do things that no other man can. And will take him on automobile rides.

"I made quite the first impression."

"Did you know my father?"

"No," Diana admitted. "I haven't had the pleasure. Although I have been told that your uncle had a brother."

But the math wasn't right. Diana frowned, sorting it out in her head. It took a moment or two (she'd never been very good with numbers), but it seemed quite impossible to her that Stefan should have a nephew so young.

Unless...

Horror gripped her heart. A dhampir? Was that possible? She prayed to God it wasn't. She wouldn't wish that life on anyone.

Just before she could start to panic, she read the boy's aura. No. Human. As human as could be.

"Zachariah is actually my half brother's son," Stefan clarifies. He knows what he told her before, otherwise, it would have made much sense otherwise. "But my father treated him like family, so Damon and I do as well."

Though that's not saying much for how Damon treats family.

Diana smiled slightly, relaxing, giving herself over to the rush and movement again. And she suddenly wanted the ride to go a little bit faster.

"Your father has two brothers," she told Zachariah. "And I have two sisters. How about you?"

"I am an only child." He says with a nod, before making a face. "My father says I am spoiled."

"Your father is not wrong," Stefan teases. "But it is in a good way. He wants what is best for you."

She laughed. "Nothing wrong with being a little spoiled," she told Zachariah. "As long as you remember to spoil someone else when the time is right. Perhaps a total stranger. Someone who's looking sad. Or someone who's cross. Or someone who seems a little bit lonely."

Diana leaned forward, giving Zachariah a conspiratory look. "I'm going to teach you the four most important words that you'll ever learn. Are you ready? Do you think you want to know the secret?"

Oh, Zachriah loves secrets. He nods eagerly, leaning a bit closer so that he can hear what she has to say. They can even cut his uncle out of the loop he won't mind.

Never mind that Stefan can hear them anyway.

Zachariah was good at charming pretty girls, Diana decided. Even if he didn't know it yet.

Perhaps it was genetic.

Diana flashed Stefan a surprisingly mischievous look, before leaning in, her forehead practically touching the boy's forehead. "The four most important words that you will ever learn," she told him in a low, mysterious voice. "And you won't believe me right off, but it's the truth. The four most important words that you will ever learn: 'How can I help?'"

"How can I help?" Zachariah frowns. "But what if I'm not big enough to help?" He is only six, after all.

"I think she's thinking of the future, Zachariah," Stefan says with a small smile. "But it's good to practice while you're small."

"Your uncle is very wise," Diana said with a grin. "Big and small. It's all the same. Good is good. And good is a habit. You have to get into it. And sometimes, the best way to do that is with the little stuff. Holding the door open for someone who can't. Or pointing the way to the shop to a stranger who's lost."

Diana was passionate about this. It was the way of life she fought to practice. And it wasn't all that surprising that she quickly became lost in her musings.

"And once you get into the habit, then you can start on the bigger things. Like standing up to someone who's doing wrong..."

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