"Family is not an important. It's everything."

-Michael J. Fox

Mystic Falls

October 31, 1862

I gasp awake. My body hurts still, but the pain is slightly tolerable. I thought I died. I thought my Mother came to visit my last moments. I blinks eyes rapidly, clearing the blurriness in them. I'm not at the hospital. I sit up quickly. The room spins, I clutch my head as I take in my surroundings.

"Oh, Sweetheart! You are awake!" Her voice makes me want to cry. She is dead. Or rather she is supposed too be dead.  I haven't heard her voice in such a long time.

I jerk my head to where her voice came from and there she was. Her black hair is pulled back halfway while the rest flowed down her back. Her grey eyes meet my own. "Mama?" I say in a hoarse voice. My throat felt like I haven't drank anything in months. "Is this real?" I croak. Tears fill my eyes.

"Yes, baby girl. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. But I didn't know if I could protect you, Damon and Stefan from myself." My Mother starts walking toward me. I get up and almost run into her arms. Almost like a little girl again.

"How are you alive?" I mutter into her neck. I feel angry that she didn't come back to us, happy that she is alive and sad for some reason. It's like I am all over the place. I pull away from her and look at her. My Mother is here. Everything must be alright.

"There is a lot that I have to explain to you, Sweetheart. But first I need you to feed so you can stay with me." My Mothers states as someone else enters the room with us.

I tilt my head and look at the young man. "What do you mean, Mama?" I ask her. He looks to be Damon's age. And his eyes were fixated on us like he was sleepwalking.

My Mother reaches out to the man. "You will die if you do not feed off this man. Look I will show you. " I watch in horror as veins ripple under her eyes as she digs her face into the man's neck. Blood trickles down his neck and onto his shirt.

I lick my dry lips. It is like I could hear his heartbeat in my ears. Mother pulls away, his blood dripping down her chin. "Your...you are a vampire." I see her nod.

"You are hungry, Winnie. Come and feed. Be with your Mother." She coos to me. I can't fight it anymore. I practically jump on the young man, digging my teeth into the other side of his neck. His sweet blood glides down my throat smoothly. I feel my own veins ripple under my eyes as I dig my now fangs into his neck more. I suck him dry until his head completely falls off his shoulders. And I finally let go of his headless body. My chin dropping with blood.

I look at my Mother. She reaches her hand out, caressing my head. "You did wonderful. But next time lets try to keep their head on." She smirks. I feel myself smile back at her. I feel better, stronger even. I should feel scared or disgusted with myself. Yet I couldn't feel anymore happier.

"Where is Damon? And Stefan? Shouldn't they join us too? Be a family again." I ask.

My Mother shakes her head. "No. Your Father probably has turned them against vampires already. We must leave now. No one can see you or they will know you are a vampire." She says. Her hands taking mine.

"What about my baby?" I feel my lip trembling as I feel my heartbreaking for leaving my Brothers. But I was still a mother to my own child. "I can't leave my baby. He can't grow up without a Mother too."

Mother frowns. "I'm sorry, Winifred. You don't have a child anymore. When you died, he became motherless. So you need to forget about him, Barnie, Damon and Stefan. They are just part of your old life. And I am part of your new one. " She states, her voice void of emotion.

"How can you be so calm? You are leaving your sons again. You are my Mother,  but you are their Mother too." I feel tears fill my eyes. I feel like I could cry for months and it still won't be enough.

"This is one of the perks of being a vampire, Winnie. You can choose to feel everything. Or like me, you can choose to feel nothing. I chose to feel nothing a long time ago." Mother says with a light sigh. "I'm sorry that I am no longer the Mother you remember. But I can still be your Mother." She smiles. Her arms wrapping around me in another hug.

Whitmore College

September 2, 2012

"Welcome to Whitmore College, Dr. Salvatore. We are so honored to have you take over as head of the Medical department of the school." Dean Samuels says in a happy tone. He is the equivalence of a  principal of the college per say. "I have heard wonderful things about your medicinal practices."

"Thank you Dean Samuels. It is I that is honored to be teaching here at Whitmore. I hope that I live up to your expectations of me." I smile at him. He is escorting me to my new office here on campus.

Dean Samuels is a short man with barely no hair on top of his head. What little hair he did have is a grayish brown color and his eyes were a dark brown. The man wore a suit, a gray suit that was a little too loose on him. "Oh I'm sure you will, Dr. Salvatore. And here you are. The office has been recently been redone so it should accommodate a doctor like yourself just fine. " Dean hands over the keys to me.

"Thank you. And yes I am sure everything is in order. I had my things sent here a week ago so I could settle in quickly." I take the keys and put them into the door.

I unlock the door with ease. My hand reaching in and turning on the light. "If I need anything, I'm sure I will call you immediately." I say as I hear his heartbeat pick up at my words. His wedding finger wears a ring, yet this man was obviously lustful after every female he comes in contact with or not getting enough at home. I reach my hand out to shake his.

"Alright well, I hope you settle in and do call upon me as needed. I have a meeting ..to go too." He gulps. Dean shakes my hand quickly and leaves me.

I roll my eyes as I turn back to my new office and walk in.  Closing the door behind me. My things were all set by one of the humans that I compelled last week. The office was twice as big as a usual one for a teacher because I have a room connected too it where I can sleep.

My red oak desk is placed in the middle of the office with a black leather rolling chair. Two identical bookshelves were on along the back wall with the door leading to my bedroom in between them. A side with a coffee maker is too the right of the office door while a minifridge was to the left of the office door. I nod to myself in approval.

I set my briefcase down on my desk. I open the door to my bedroom and turn on the light. Finding my bed up against the wall next to the window. Then my own personal books on a single floor to ceiling bookshelf. And my dresser full of clothes and a closet full too. I turn off the light and exit the room. I hang up my white coat on my coat rack and pull on my leather jacket. Tomorrow is the first official day of class, but I got here early.

I make sure to lock up my office as I leave. Tucking the keys into my jacket  pocket. I came here years ago. So I knew my way around here. I walk down the barren halls.

The Hospital Wing of the school is always open, it really doesn't matter if the school is in session because they always take in patients. That is where I will be when I'm not teaching a class.  I search for my classroom so I could set it up the way I need it for teaching.

I walk by a random classroom and the smell of blood hits me instantly. I feel my veins ripple under my eyes slightly. It has been awhile since I fed on a human. I have been on a blood bag diet since a decade ago.  I stop at the door where the scent is coming from.

Peeking into the doorway, I see a guy with light brown hair sitting at his desk. He was rather handsome from where I was standing. His gaze is on the papers in front of him. And his hand is wrapped around a thermos. Most likely that is the blood. I lean into the classroom more. Trying to get a better look at him. He was a vampire, I could tell. My hand hits touches the door and it creaks. I bite my lip, knowing that I just drawn attention to myself.

Suddenly his head shoots up, his blue eyes looking at me. "Hello. Do you need something?" He mutters, something in his voice shows apprehension.

I fully step into the room. Glancing around, his classroom was like any other. It could possibly fit 150 students or more. "Sorry. I am the new Head of the Medical Department of Whitmore. Just trying to find my way around before school starts tomorrow." I smile as I look at him.

He puts his pen down and stands up from his desk. Yet doesn't move toward me. "Oh." He says. His blue eyes scan over me.

I walk over to his desk. Pointing to his thermos. "O positive or negative?" I tilt my head.

"Uh positive. I think. How did-" He starts to ask.

I cut him off. "It is my job to keep up with the blood bags in my hospital. I don't really want a patient to die before some vampire is stingy." I smirk at him. "I could smell it from the hallway also. It is probably freshly donated blood too."

His eyebrows arch in confusion or shock. I don't know which. "Are you a-" The man frowns as I cut him off once more.

"Am I a vampire?" I giggle and shake my head. "No!" I mock. Tilting my head, I flash my fangs at him and then pick up his cup. "Can I?" I ask. He shrugs and I take a quick sip. Wiping my lips with the back of my hand. I place the cup back down.

"Who are you?" He asks. His arms folded against his chest now.

I reach my hand out across his desk to him. "The name is Winnie. And thank you for the sip. " I smile at him.

"Alaric Saltzman, but my friends call me Ric." Alaric reaches out and grasps my hand. Heat shoots up my arm as our hands touch. It feels like we both rubbed our feet against carpet and touched each other. Shocking us both. I am the first to pull away.

I hold my shocked hand with my other hand as I look at Alaric. "It's nice to meet you, Ric." I let my hands fall to my coat pockets. "Maybe I will see you around sometime." Winking at him before whooshing away.

"You too. Wait, I never caught your last name." Ric calls after me. But I wasn't going back. I started the game, now it is his turn to play. And to think I came upon his room on accident.

I let out a giggle as I make my way to the hospital part of the school. Maybe I can get some patients in before turning in for the night because I know tomorrow is just full of surprises. Maybe Ric will be one of them.

***Yay! They met. This is the beginning of Saltzatore!! Thanks to frozeninfinity for the ship name. What do y'all think? Isn't present day Winnie just adorable? And I know their meeting was short, but it was cute. I mean how many people ask for a sip of someone else's blood/drink!!! Haha well Comment and Vote! I would love to have feedback! Love yous!!!!***