Damon slammed the door to his blue Camaro, rubbing his temples as he looked at the old, worn down strip of brick buildings. Double-checking his GPS, a waste of money considering the secluded town that he lived in, he made a beeline for the front door.
"How can I help you this evening, sir?" A young attendant asked as Damon walked in.
"Howdy there…Liam, I'm here to adopt an animal," Damon answered with a smirk. Looking at the kid's blank stare, he fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"You need to be more specific than that, sir. This is an animal shelter, we have lots of adoptable pets."
"Hell, I don't know where to start. What do you recommend?" He asked.
"Um, well, do you know what you want? Like a dog or a cat?"
"I'm not up for raising a dog," he replied, thinking of the beagle puppy Stefan got for his fiancée Rebekah. Too much work and attention, the two things Damon came here to avoid.
"Cats are more low-maintenance option. They can be left alone longer, litter box trained, and don't need to be walked. Would you like to look at our felines available for rescue?"
"Sure. Why not?" Liam looked at him, puzzled.
"Sir, may I ask, what are your reasons for wanting to adopt a pet? Considering the time, I'm inclined to believe it was a spur the moment decision," he said.
"Trust me, kid, it's a long story."
"Chili again?" Damon smiled as he entered the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Elena's waist and pecking her on the cheek. She smiled at his touch, placing the food on the table before turning around to kiss him.
"You say that as though you won't scarf down half the pot in one sitting," she retorted. Grabbing a bottle of red and two glasses, he joined his wife of six months at the dinner table.
Silence was common theme for the newlyweds; the both of them content to simply bask in one another's company. After some talk about Damon's work as a private detective and Elena's upcoming field trip with her 7th grade creative writing students, the conversation. That is, until Elena began to bite at her upper lip.
"Got something on your mind, baby?" He asked.
"Sort of."
"How can you sort of be thinking about something? Shoot."
"It's just, I've been thinking about this a lot, especially after having spent so much time around Henry and Nadia…"
Uh-oh, he knew where this was going.
"I guess I just really want a baby."
He sighed, unsure of how to respond. He knew she longed to be a mother, with good reason; she'd be an amazing one. He wanted a family with her too, just not now. Call it selfish, but he wasn't ready to share her with a newborn. One that would require her full attention.
"Elena, sweetheart, we've haven't even been married a year," he said, trying to reason with her.
"So? Kat was five weeks pregnant when she married Elijah and they're doing fantastic."
"Yeah, after she nearly castrated him on their honeymoon. Nadia was an accident, Elena," he said.
"Stop trying to change the topic. This isn't about my twin, it's about us, and if you don't want a family with me you can just say so," she said, disappointed. Damon reached over the table to caress her warm cheek, the unfinished chili forgotten about.
"That is a lie and you know it. I meant what I said, I've always seen a future with you, and that includes building a family," he stared into her eyes, icy blue meeting with chocolate brown. They were twin flames, fire and ice, he had no doubts about that.
"How can I know that when you're so apprehensive about the idea of a baby?"
His mind working faster than his mouth, he grabbed his car keys and exited the house, promising her a surprise when he returned.
"Honey, I'm home!" Damon exclaimed, a pet carrier in one hand and catnip in the other.
"Where have you been? I was getting worried," she walked up to him, stopping in her tracks when she saw what was in tow.
"What is all this?" She asked, tying her kimono tighter around her waist.
"I promised you a present, silly."
Placing the pet carrier gently onto their hardwood floors, he opened the gate to reveal the animal inside. Orange paws poked out, feeling its surroundings before emerging from the crate.
"You bought a cat?" She asked, picking it up to get a closer look.
"Not just any cat. This is Stanley, a three-year-old orange tabby with a passion for Friskies. Even won a cat show back in the day," he winked.
"What happened to his owners?" She asked, curious.
"They gave him up once he stopped winning competitions. The dweeby kid working at the shelter told me it was common," he said, somber.
Elena began to pet the cat as she heard its story, saddened by the helpless animal had such a sad past. Poor baby, she thought, scratching behind its ears. Stanley purred at the gesture. Who could give up such an animal?
"The cat is nice, Damon, but that is beside the point. You know this isn't what I had in mind when I asked you about having a baby," she sighed.
"Why not? It weighs ten pounds, craps in the house, and shows no appreciation. Sounds just like a kid to me," he smirked, ignoring the frown that formed on his wife's face. Something told him he was going to pay for that remark.
"You got her a cat?" Stefan asked, befuddled.
"Why is everyone saying that like it's so bizarre?" Damon took a swig of his bourbon, asking the bartender at the Grill for another round.
"Because it is. Why didn't you at least go with a dog?"
"I don't want something that whimpers and begs and pees on my pillow, like Shiloh does to you," Damon answered, his younger brother shrugged in response.
"Damon, if I may ask, what is it about having a child that scares you? So much so you'd purchase an animal to postpone it?" Elijah inquired, cordial and polite as always.
"Elena and I have spent the last six months more spontaneous than we've ever been, and I'm not ready to let go of that. The other day, we drove twenty miles out of town just so we could watch the meteor shower. Do you think we'd have that kind of freedom with a baby? Besides, I feel like I spent half my college career raising Jeremy," he said, rolling his eyes at the thought of the little punk.
"Caroline and I are as extemporaneous as ever, having Henry has only made our antics more enjoyable," Klaus said, smirking.
"Yeah, well, I can't remember the last time I saw Blondie without that kid hanging off her boob. Seriously, man, how can you stand it?" Damon took another drink.
"It's never bothered me in the least, I don't see how you'd find it objectionable," Elijah said.
"I'm starting to feel outnumbered," he turned to Stefan, "Help me out, brother. Surely you understand not being ready for kids."
"Are you kidding? Rebekah has dreamed of being a mother since she was a little girl, she picked out our kids' names in college. Yesterday she told me she likes the idea of a honeymoon baby," Stefan replied.
"I thought you got Shiloh to keep her occupied," Klaus inquired.
"No way, I got her the dog because she kept crying at the ASPCA commercials. If anything it has exacerbated her desire for a baby."
"Our wives are only twenty-five, I don't understand the rush. What do you think about a honeymoon baby?"
"I'm okay with it, I figured it was what she'd want. We've been together since college, so it's not like we haven't had time for fun. Plus, she's nuts about Henry and Nadia," Stefan said, offering a gentle half-smile to Klaus and Elijah.
"Our children are quite the charmers. Neither Katherine nor I had to pay for coffee in months," Elijah laughed, in awe of his five-month-old.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Seems we Salvatore brothers wouldn't be dealing with this crap if the Mikaelson brothers had bothered to wear condoms," Damon said, Stefan nodding in agreement.
"What do you think, Stanley? Should I hold them or fold them?" Elena scratched the cat in her lap, showing him her playing cards.
"Even with a partner you're terrible at this game, aren't you sis?" Katherine commented.
The twin sisters, along with Caroline, Rebekah, Shiloh, and the babies sat around Elena's dining room table for their weekly game of poker. Since Damon had adopted Stanley, every woman at the table had a playing partner, though none of them seemed to be of much use. Katherine always said it was a good thing they were cute.
"I'm ready to fold," Caroline threw down her cards, cradling eleven-month-old Henry to her chest. She unbuttoned her blouse and waited for Henry to nurse, letting out a sigh when he began sucking greedily.
"It doesn't bother you all when I do this, right?" She asked, and the girls shook their head.
"We've known each other since we were three, Care. It's nothing I haven't seen before," Elena said. As if on cue, Stanley jumped from Elena's lap onto the floor, placing himself on top of Caroline's feet to keep them warm.
"He is the most darling cat, it seems he'll make a wonderful family pet," Rebekah observed.
"Yeah, hopefully Damon will be ready before he Stanley reaches senior citizenship," Elena frowned.
"Jealous I beat you to the delivery room?" Katherine asked, winking.
"No, I'm just…disappointed. Worst is that he won't talk to me about it, give me some idea of when he think he'll be ready. He used Stanley as a way to drop the subject."
"I'd say its genius. This cat is awesome," Caroline said.
"I don't deny that, I just wish he'd gotten him under different circumstances," Elena lamented, noticing her sister's complacent shrug.
"What was that for, Kat?"
"It's just, as much as I would love to see you as a mother, I can't mourn the thought of Damon Salvatore refusing to reproduce," she said. Elena rolled her eyes at her sister, wishing the childish feud between the two of them would end.
"You thought the same thing about Nik but he is wonderful with Henry," Caroline said.
"Well, whenever he decides to get you pregnant, you'll have an on-call masseuse for all the aches and pains that come along with it," Rebekah said, pointing to the dining room floor. There, Stanley stood on all fours atop of Shiloh, his front paws massaging into the beagle's back. The dog wagged his tail in contentment, and Elena smiled at her intelligent feline.
"Is there any chance he'd like to be the ring bearer in the wedding next month?" Rebekah asked.
"I don't know, why don't you ask him," Katherine added snarkily.
"I thought you wanted my little Henry to be the ring bearer."
"Caroline, he can barely walk, I love the little guy but there is no way he'll make it down the aisle," Rebekah said.
"I'd love for him to do it, with Shiloh as the flower girl the whole thing will be precious," Elena answered.
"It'd be cuter with Henry," Caroline whispered.
"Now that it's settled, can we at least finish this round of poker?" Katherine asked, finally frustrated by all the distractions.
"I fold," Elena said.
"Me too," Rebakah threw her cards on the table.
"I win again," Katherine smiled, pulling the array of small bills towards herself.
"Did you do that on purpose? Start this conversation so that we'd quit and you'd win?" Caroline moved Henry to her shoulder and began to burp him.
"Of course not."
While Stanley continued to adjust well to his new home, a frequent obstacle with rescue animals was their separation anxiety. While the cat had no issues with Damon and Elena being away at work, he did get a little clingy come nightfall. Unfortunately, that lead to a few…issues, specifically when the newlywed couple wanted some alone time in the bedroom.
"Buddy, I need you not to cockblock me tonight. I'm begging you," Damon said, crouching down in front of the cat's face. The animal tilted its head in response, and for the first time Damon wished they could communicate.
"I have a nice little bed set up for you on the couch, there is no reason for you to come sleep with Mama and me. We'll still be here in the morning," he promised, inwardly cringing at the fact he'd referred to Elena as 'mama'. This was supposed to postpone having kids.
"Is this little guy all ready for bed?" Elena stepped out of their bathroom, her hair tied back in a high ponytail. She was wearing a silky white negligee with a kimono half-tied around her waist. Damon felt his pants tighten at the sight.
"Sure is. I was just getting to take him downstairs. Want to help me tuck him in?" He asked, watching as the cat balanced on its back paws to reach Elena. She bent to pick up the cat immediately, placing its small head against her chest.
"Are you sure he's ready to be by himself for eight hours? It's not exactly fair to let him sleep in our room for weeks then suddenly lock him out of it. He'll get scared," she told him, pouting her lips.
"Elena, he doesn't need to sleep upstairs," he signed.
"Says you."
"Fine, we'll wean him off more slowly. But I'm not sleeping with a cat forever, Elena. There's already fur on every overpriced pair of pajamas I own."
"That's your own fault."
Despite the earlier resistance, the Salvatores slept peacefully inside their warm house. That is, until around two in the morning, when Stanley began to whimper persistently.
"I need sleep," Damon grumbled, getting up to going to the bathroom. After closing the door, the cat began to scratch on it, and alarmed Elena rose to her feet.
"What is the matter with you, baby?" She picked him up, watching as the always-gentle cat became agitated. Something was wrong. She began inspecting him, looking for any obvious red flags.
"Damon, his stomach is distended!" She called for him, panicked.
"What?!" He hurried out of their bathroom.
"I think we need to take him to the emergency vet," she told him.
"Elena, it's the middle of the night."
"I don't care! He's sick, and I'm going to listen to him suffer all night. I'm not saying you have to come but I'm going, and I'd really appreciate it if you help me keep him calm," she argued, tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. Damon felt guilty seeing his wife so upset, and pulled her to his chest, the cat between them.
"You get dressed, and I'll start the car," he instructed quietly, kissing her temple.
"All this grief because Stanley ate a couple of lilies," Damon rubbed his temples, placing the house key into the front door.
"We made the right call. A few more hours and he could have gone into renal failure," Elena replied, yawning as she spoke.
"Still, we spent almost four hours in the ER, and now we have to get up for work in about twenty minutes," he said, looking at his watch.
"Wanna call in sick, climb into bed, and spend the day cuddling with Stanley," she wrapped her arms around her husband's waist, resting her head by his heart.
"What will we tell our respective bosses?"
"That we have food poisoning, obviously. It's only half a lie."
"In that case, I can't think of a better way to spend my day," he kissed her head.
"Come on, Stanley, you can do this," Damon said to the cat, adjusting the bowtie on the pet tuxedo.
In the week since the incident, Damon and Elena had devoted their time to preparing the cat for Stefan and Rebekah's wedding. A respective bridesmaid and best man themselves, they knew how important it was Stanley succeeds, or Rebekah would have all three of their heads.
Damon was fully confident that the cat would succeed, but just in case he put a treat in his pocket.
"Is our little boy ready to steal the show?" She smiled, and Damon marveled at how essential the cat had become to their little family. He never thought he'd be so fond of a cat.
"Sure is. Get in place, champ, it's time to go get 'em." Stanley responded to the cue, as if he somehow spoke perfect English, and stood next to Shiloh.
"That's our boy," Damon gloated, though the sound of growling soon infiltrating their senses.
"What in the…"
"Stanley started biting at Shiloh's tutu, he was trying to sniff her behind. Teach your cat some manners before he ruins the whole thing!" Rebekah exclaimed, holding Stanley up to them. His head was tilted down, as if he were somehow ashamed of his previous actions.
The newlyweds crossed their fingers that the remainder of the wedding went on without a hitch.
The October ceremony passed, quite smoothly if Damon said so himself, and before either of them knew it Christmas came to Mystic Falls.
"Elena, I come bearing your favorite gifts, wine and chocolate!"
"I'm in the dining room!"
Walking inside, Damon was graced with the loveliest of sights. Stanley, dressed in a Santa costume and hat, with Elena nuzzling his nose.
"I know, the outfit is a little unnecessary. But Caroline insisted, even brought him a little stocking," she said, pointing to the fireplace.
"Are you kidding? This is adorable. Even my Ebenezer Scrooge-like self could manage a smile."
"Good, because Henry and Nadia are stopping by to take some pictures," Elena smiled, and Damon feigned frustration.
"About that, I've been thinking…" he began.
"That's very out of character," she joked, trying to maintain the levity of the night. Her husband had suddenly turned somber, but continued as if he hadn't heard her.
"How would you feel about giving Stanley a sibling?"
"You want to adopt another cat?"
"No," he shook his head.
"Then what are you…" she trailed off, figuring it out.
"You're ready to have a baby?"
"I can't think of anything I'd love or want more, Elena Salvatore."
Elena jumped into her husband's arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her upstairs to the bedroom, ignoring the voyeuristic cat as he watched curiously.