Authors note: I don't own vampire diaries, so no copyright intended. Also this is my first fanfic so please be nice, although constructive criticism is always welcome :)
His arms were wrapped around me as we gazed into the mirror. He looked down at me in his arms and must have noticed the worried look I'd been fighting to keep from materialising on my face. He leant down and kissed me gently on the forehead and I sighed softly and leaned further into him. His eyes bore a confused expression, as he raised his head to once again take in the image of us in the mirror.
"What does he have that I don't?" he murmured. After a few moments of silence he smiled his devilishly charming smile and said "Are his as good as mine?" My hand having just brushed past one of his prominent abdominal muscles. I slipped my hand under his shirt and ran over the same muscles tenderly for a few seconds before exploring more exaggeratedly, as though thoroughly inspecting. I glanced up to take in his thoughts but it was clear he didn't consider his rival competition. I wanted to wipe his face of the arrogant smug look he wore but I also secretly admired his confidence, though I'd never let him know that.
I laughed and buried my face into his chest and could swear I felt his grin of satisfaction. I looked at him again and said "Well he is a football player" to which he threw me a mock askance look of really? I punched him in the arm and his brow creased, accompanied by narrowed eyes and the most sarcastic "Ouch!" I'd ever heard. I giggled and made a run for it.
He caught me up swiftly and swung his arm around my waist capturing me. He pulled me close to him, picking me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist and laced my arms behind his neck as he lifted me above him slightly. He raised his face as I lowered mine and then our lips met and suddenly I was aware of an acute lack of oxygen. He leant back ending our deep kiss and fixed me with an anxious penetrating look; I leant back and turned my head away from him, my stomach giving way to the kind of nausea caused by nervousness.
"Please." He pleaded.
I stole a quick glance at his face which proved to be an unwise decision as my stomach twisted again. I lowered my head in shame refusing to meet his eyes. I knew that what I needed to say would hurt him immensely and that there was nothing he could do about it, because circumstance prevented him giving me what I wanted, even if he was willing and wanted to give it to me too. Was it selfish then to tell him, to torment him with the knowledge that he couldn't give me what I wanted?
"Elena, I'm begging you." He murmured in a pained voice. He lowered me in his grasp so that our faces were level, I turned towards him. My tears, beginning to blur the vision of a face reflecting such concern and worry for me, that looking at him was almost overwhelming.
Would it hurt him more or less if I kept my secret from him, rather than reveal it? Surely if I kept it a secret it would eventually destroy our relationship, but by telling him I risked destroying our relationship right now. It would be wrong to pretend everything was alright when it wasn't, I'd become depressed and by being depressed I would cause him to be depressed. He deserved better than that, he deserved truth and honesty and with that resolve firm in my mind I stole myself and pressed onward.
I held his gaze and whispered "Damon…We." A sob wracked my body. "We can't" I sobbed and looked away. He held me then with one arm as his other came and brushed the tears from my face.
When I finally turned back to him again my eyes were lowered. I unlaced my hands and keeping one behind his neck I used the other to still the hand wiping my tears, I grasped it and our hands fell entwined together at our sides and he squeezed mine lightly.
I slowly raised my eyes to his to begin again. "Damon, we" I took a deep breath. "Damon… We can't have" I said in a strangled voice. "We can't have a" I finished abruptly as I hiccupped a loud sob. The next words needed to come out delicately but my mouth and throat were so dry I was sure the words would escape as a croak more than a kind caress.
"We can't have what Sweetheart?" Damon managed to prompt me, in a voice battling to remain even and not distressed. I don't know what could prepare one for the words I uttered in response but I said them anyway.
" A baby, Damon. Your. Baby."
And that was it, my energy to form coherent words or thoughts had vanished and I clung to him and wept uncontrollably. I felt him stagger but his arms pulled me in closer to him and he held me tightly. Tighter than ever before.
