Only Fools Fall in Love, Call Me a Fool

Chapter Fourteen

A/N – Right my friends, this is it, the end of my second multi chapter Dalaric story and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it for you fine people. Never did I ever imagine I would ever write a multi chapter story never mind two and have such a brilliant audience, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart because you all mean so much to me. This fanfiction has seen me through some hard times, if you have been reading it as I have posted it you will know this and you all helped me. So as a thank you I want to dedicate this final chapter to all of you because without you I would have given up along time ago. So this is it, the being of the end, tying everything up in this chapter and setting up for a couple of one shots. Hope you like it.

A year and half has passed in Mystic Falls, Damon and Alaric have been married for just over two years and still can not keep their hands off each other. Caroline and Matt came back to their home town to get married five months after Matt became a vampire. Jeremy and Tyler are now engaged and no one has seen or heard from the Originals, aside from Elijah who drops by every now and then. Stefan and Caleb are stronger than ever and no one ever found out if Elena ever got out of being snowed in.

The sun is shining down across this corner of the earth at present moment as Alaric guides the Impala into a tight parking space beside the airport. He opens the door and unfolds his tall frame and starts to weave his way towards the arrival boards.

He endures a half an hour wait and passes the time by people watching. He notices a young couple sat at the coffee bar, their hands joined across the table and smiles on their tanned faces, the young man had sunglasses on his head which the vampire guessed had been on his face most of their holiday as he had slight white circles around his eyes and when they stood up to leave he noticed that the young woman was just starting to show under her flowing white top.

Across the hall he spied a nervous young man who kept eyeing the doors and he would practically jump out of his skin when they opened, it was about seven times after the doors first slid open that he saw him race forward and throw himself into the waiting arms of another young man, a few inches taller and blonde, he was also dressed in an army uniform, there was a cheer from the people around them when they kissed.

There was an older couple that passed him and he heard the man comforting his wife as she was about to take her first aeroplane ride in her seventy one years. He smiled after them; he wondered what he and Damon would be like when they had been together for that long. They would look the same as they did now but he would say if anything they would be more perfect for each other than they were right now if that was at all possible.

He twisted his wedding ring around his finger as he waited for them. Arthur, Cassie and the twins were flying in for Caleb's graduation and he had been nominated to collect them. He waited a while longer before the doors opened again and he saw his brother and it shocked him to see how different he looked from the last time he has seen him over two years ago at his own wedding. Looking in the mirror everyday and being around people who didn't age had the effect that you forgot the rest of the world aged as normal. When Caleb had been home to visit, taking Stefan with him he had commented that Arthur looked older but Alaric couldn't believe how much difference the two years had made.

"My God, Ric! What is in the water here?" Arthur asked him as he drew his younger brother into a one armed hug.

"No one here seems to age!"

"I think it's the sun Art." Ric told his brother before turning to Cassie.

"Great to see you again Cass."

"You too Ric." She said as he kissed his cheek.

"Wow, you two sure have shot up!" He said to Taylor and Tyler who had been about five when he had last seen them but were looking grown up for seven year olds.

They talked more as they headed out to the car, Alaric threw all of their bags into the trunk of the Impala before they climbed in, he and Arthur in the front with Cassie and the boys in the bag.

The drive back to Mystic was uneventful, Arthur asked how he and Damon were doing, Cassie enquired about how Stefan was treating her baby and all that Tyler cared about is that Tyler he met at the wedding would be there.

They were pulling up the drive to the boarding house when Arthur let out his usual low whistle.

"Wow, this place really is amazing." Alaric looked up at the building through the windscreen, he loved this place, so much had happened here, the first place he and Damon had made love, yes they had slept together at the loft before but it wasn't the same. This was the place he became a vampire, Caleb too. It was where Matt and Caroline had gotten engaged and it was where Caleb had fallen in love for the first and most likely the last time but, even though it would always be here for them to come home to they wouldn't be here much longer.

"Yeah well enjoy it while you can because we won't be here much longer." Alaric told his brother as the left the car. Arthur shoot him a look over the roof as the door opened and the light spilt out into the night that was quickly growing dark.

"I'll tell you later." He said as Caleb appeared at the door with Stefan behind him who whispered something to his boyfriend before the eternal sixteen year old ran towards his parents and brothers. Giving them a few seconds alone Alaric walked to join his brother in law by the door,

"What did you say to him?" he asked the other vampire.

"Just reminding him that they are flesh and bone, human flesh and bone, he forgets his own strength sometimes."

"He has been a vampire for just over a year, he is still a baby."

"You've only been one for three."

"Yes little brother but he had a better teacher, right Ric?" Damon said as he emerged from the house to join them, snaking an arm around his husband's waist as Alaric threw an arm around his shoulders without even thinking about it. There was a lot of hugging and greeting before they finally made it inside.

"While these guys sort dinner out why don't I give you a quick tour, show you where you will be staying?" Alaric asked before Damon, Stefan and Caleb left to go pick up dinner, Damon lifting the keys to the Impala out of Alaric's pocket as he passed him.

"You be careful with her! One scratch on her Damon and I swear I will end you, she's my baby." Alaric said to him as he walked down the drive.

"I thought I was your baby?" Damon said, trying to sound hurt.

"That is what I let you think." Alaric told him as they grinned at each other before they got in the car and pulled out of the drive a bit too quick for Alaric's liking.

He carried his family's bags up the stairs and gave them a quick tour of the places that they would need to know. He put the twins in one of the only rooms that had twin beds and they walked Arthur and Cassie around the corner to their room, he placed the bags on the bed and showed them the en suit and before he left he said,

"Damon and I are back down the hall and around the left hand corner; Caleb and Stefan are on the right." Arthur seemed to freeze at the last half of that sentence.

"They share a room?" Alaric looked over to Cassie, who looked back at him and rolled her eyes before saying to her husband,

"Art they are eighteen and nineteen years old and have been together for almost two years I can't see how the fact that they are sleeping together could be a surprise." Arthur turned as white as a sheet at his wife's words.

"I'll let you deal with this. Dinner will be in about twenty." He said as he closed the door behind him and smiled as he walked back down the hall.

Just over twenty minuets later they were all seated around the table in one of the three dinning rooms. Everyone was laughing and talking even if Arthur was glaring at Stefan slightly but the vampire didn't seem to notice.

After dinner practically everyone went straight to bed because tomorrow was an early start and a big day. Alaric, Arthur and Damon carried all the plates back into the kitchen and Alaric got the sense that his brother wanted to talk to him.

"Hey Damon, we can sort the rest out, I'll be up soon." Alaric told the other vampire who could read in his eyes what he really meant.

"Okay, I'll see you up there." He said before placing a light kiss on the taller vampire's lips,

"Good night Arthur."

"Night Damon." Alaric waited until he heard the door on their bedroom click shut before he turned to his brother, he didn't care if Damon heard anything, he still could now but he was going to tell him anyway but he wanted to let his brother think otherwise.

"Okay, what's up?" he asked.

"Nothing really." Alaric just gave him a look that clearly said he wasn't buying that.

"It is just I feel as if I have failed him Ric." Arthur said as he sat on one of the stools around the island.

"You mean Ca?" the vampire asked as he joined his brother.

"Yeah, the last two years, I have no idea really what has gone on in his life, I just let him come and live here because of what? A guy he had know for a few weeks? I have no idea what he is doing with his life or anything." Arthur spilled out, looking down at his hands.

"Okay, Art, no way have you failed him, if anything you have gone above and beyond what most fathers would do, most would have dragged him back home and then where would he have been? Miserable because he is away from the man he loves and pissed at you because you took him away. Now he is graduating at the top of his class, he has his friends coming in from across the country to see him do it. He is going to New York University in the Fall. None of that would have happened if you hadn't let him go." Alaric told his older brother, trying to convince him of his words. It took Arthur a minuet but then he chuckled slightly,

"When did you get so mature?"

"I'm married to Damon Salvatore, one of us has to be mature." That last part was more for Damon who Alaric knew listening; he always did when he was worried about him.

The brothers spend a little while longer cleaning up before climbing the stairs together and going their separate ways on the landing.

Alaric opened the door to his and Damon's room to find the vampire sprawled on his back on their bed, silk pyjama bottoms slung low on his hips, he was staring up at the ceiling when he said,

"I think I have had a few mature moments over the last few years." Alaric passed him on his way to the walk in wardrobe and leaned down to kiss his forehead,

"When I have needed them you have." Damon rolled over and faced the door his husband had just disappeared through,

"You mean when you have had a freak out?" he asked as Alaric reappeared wearing a pair of dark green shorts.

"Yes when I have had a freak out." He shoved Damon back to his side of the bed and climbed in under the sheets and had Damon wrapped around his torso in seconds.

"I still think my mature moments outweigh yours though." Alaric commented as he heard Damon's breathing started to even out signalling he was close to sleep.

"That's what I let you think." Damon muttered sleepily against Alaric's chest, a smile on his face.

***DS&AS***

"Stefan! Damon! Ric!" all three vampires turned around has they heard their names being shouted through the crowd that was gathering around the bleachers. Being the tallest of the three Alaric was the first to see Jeremy weaving his way towards them, Tyler behind him, gripping his hand tight as not to lose him. When they pair reached their little clearing everyone greeted each other,

"Jeremy, Tyler, you remember my family from the wedding right?" Alaric said, gesturing to them,

"Yeah course we do." Jeremy said before shaking their hands. Little Tyler latched onto Big Tyler again and the Hybrid looked pleased with himself that he had a mini me. As they made their way into the football stadium Alaric and Arthur ended up at the back of the group.

"Hey, Ric, quick question."

"Yeah?"

"Is everyone in Mystic Falls gay? It didn't occur to me at the wedding but you and Damon, Stefan and Caleb and Jeremy and Tyler?" Alaric laughed out loud, he had never thought of it that way.

They had been sat in their seats for about forty five minuets, watching everyone getting their diplomas before it reached the time for Caleb to give his speech. They watched him approach the microphone, Damon noticing that he was twisting his day light ring around his left index finger.

"Hi everyone. I have never even seen one of these speeches before so I have no idea what to say so I'm just going to say what I feel. Life, it never works out as you planned, a few years back I was in my home town, chasing the cheerleaders and anyone that knows me will know that isn't the case anymore." There were a few chuckles along their row and that is when Caroline and Matt slid into their seats beside Stefan.

"We all have a plan right now but not one of them is going to come true because that's how it works, you think you want something now but down the road you will look back and think 'what the hell was I thinking?' or something will happen to you and you think 'why has this happened to me?' but give it time and you will see that everything happened for a reason, we don't know what is going to happen to us, but it will be for the best and our time here has helped us to prepare for that. Just know that you are strong enough to face what ever comes your way and no matter what that is you will have to face it when it does but above all? Enjoy it while you are doing it. We don't know who we want to be but we will all become who we need to be. Thank you." They entire stadium went up in cheers but none more so than the first row of the seats right in front of the podium.

After he had detached himself from fellow students and teachers alike Caleb stumbled over towards them and was swept up in Stefan's arms as the older vampire whispered in his ear,

"That was so amazing, I am so proud of you and I love you so much." Damon, Alaric, Matt and Tyler pretended not to hear but Caroline couldn't help but let out a loud 'Awwwww'

On the drive back to the house Caleb constantly asked if the speech was okay and did he sound too much like an idiot, everyone tried to comfort him until, in his normal way Damon twisted around in the passenger seat and said,

"Look at it this way Ca, even if it was shockingly bad you can't change it now."

"Thanks Damon, that makes me feel loads better." Damon shrugged, a smile on his face and twisted back around,

"Mature, my ass." Alaric muttered from behind the steering wheel.

***DS&AS***

A few hours later and the graduation party for everyone that was there and a few of Caleb's friends was in full swing and Damon and Alaric had snuck out of the back door and were making out like a pair of teenagers against the stone wall, Damon's hands on both of Alaric's hips, the other vampire had a hand carding through jet black hair and was using the other one to pull Damon closer to him before they heard a noise a few meters around. They just managed to detangle themselves when Arthur came stumbling around the corner, a cigarette in his mouth, it was no surprise to them, they could smell the smoke on him no matter how hard he tried to hide it but Alaric tried to look surprised.

"And I thought you had quit?" he asked his brother who was eyeing their messed up hair and skewed clothes; it was obvious what he had just interrupted.

"I thought you were married yet here you are sneaking out for a make out session in your own back garden." Damon smirked and Alaric rolled his eyes before Arthur spoke again after taking a drag on the cigarette.

"So are you gonna tell me what you were talking about the other day? About you guys not being here for much longer." Damon and Alaric sat on the low brick wall that Arthur had sat down on before.

"Well after we got married we spent two weeks in New York and fell in love with it and we said when Caleb had graduated we would move there." Alaric told him as he wrapped one of his hands in Damon's.

"I'm keeping the place obviously, it has been in the family for hundreds of years, couldn't sell it if I wanted too, Stefan owns half of it but we still need a place to come home to for Christmas and that but other than that we are going to be in New York." Damon told him as he traced patterns on the back of Alaric's hand with his thumb.

"So when you going?" Arthur asked.

"September, just after Caleb and Stefan move there." Alaric told him as he glanced back towards the house and saw Stefan draw Caleb into his arms through the glass doors.

"So is Stefan just moving with Caleb or is he going to college too?" Arthur asked, draining his glass.

"He is going to college too; they have a little apartment just off campus." Damon said. Arthur chuckled slightly,

"Let me guess, you two aren't gonna be living in a shoebox apartment?"

"What with this one?" Alaric asked, jerking his head towards Damon.

"Hey! Offended!" Alaric kissed his temple which seemed to make up for it.

***DS&AS***

Damon stood looking up at the house as Alaric loaded the last of the boxes into the back of the Impala. Most of their stuff had already been shipped there, Stefan, Caleb, with the help of Jeremy and Tyler who had come across from Jersey had unpacked everything and their apartment on the West side was waiting for them. Alaric came up behind his husband and snaked his arms around his waist, kissing his cheek before resting his chin on his shoulder, looking up at the house too.

"Lot of memories here." He said.

"Yeah there is." Damon agreed before turning around in the other vampire's arms and wrapping his arms around his neck.

"But there is even more waiting out there for us to make." He told him before he closed the gap between them and drew Alaric even deeper into the kiss, making them forget that anyone else existed in the world. When they finally broke apart Alaric leaned their foreheads together for a while, green eyes staring into blue,

"You ready for this then?"

"Always have been, Ric." He gazed up at his husband for a few seconds longer before saying,

"Some one once said to me, 'only fools fall in love.' Well call me a fool."

They climbed into the Impala and tore out of the drive way that they wouldn't be back in for a while and set out on the long road to New York City and the next chapter in their love story.

A/N – Wow, I got a little emotional as I wrote those last few words. That is it my friends, the end of this journey together I hope it was everything you wanted and that you loved it as much as I love you all for sticking with me through this. I have two one shots in mind one is Dalaric they other is more Steleb but of course Dalaric will be in there. I am going to go now because I am getting emotional again. Let me know what you thought about this story as a whole. I love you all, thank you.

Fin

xxx