Thought He Loved Her
Elena's POV
It has been months since Damon and I had returned from Chicago. Months since I found out that the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with didn't love me didn't want me anymore. When we returned I spent days not talking and Damon had spent days by my side waiting for me to break and when I finally did he was there. Damon soothed and comforted me for hours after he had peeled me off the floor in Stefan's room he just let me weep over my lost love. I remembered that night clearly Damon had taken me to his room and we were on his bed he had his back resting against the headboard and I was in between his legs with my head on his chest.
When I finally had no more tears left he stayed there rubbing smooth gentle circles on my back. Finally I said "why couldn't you just leave you weren't supposed to see me like this" and I remembered his laughter and I was a little hurt when I asked him "why are you laughing?" He looked down smiled and said "Elena I love you always have always will I will take the good and the bad and it's so good to hear your voice again. For the first time in days I smiled and snuggled into Damon's chest and the last thing I heard before I fell asleep was sleep my angel I will still be here when you wake I'll never leave you. Ever since that day things have only gotten better Damon and I had finally started the relationship that had been brewing between us for the past year and I finally realized I had been with the wrong Salvatore all along, Damon was the one I was meant to be with and she couldn't be happier because she was on her was to see him now.
They sleep together every night but last night they had actually been together and it only made me love him even more. I had snuck out of bed early this morning kissing him as I left to go have breakfast with Bonnie. When I finally got back to the boarding house I called out Damon's name but there was no response and that was odd usually I didn't have time to say anything before he would sneak up behind me and wrap his loving arms around me. So I started my search for him I walked upstairs and my blood nearly ran cold when I saw a note pinned to our door. I reached out with a trembling hand to grab the note and once I did I wished I hadn't.
Dear Elena,
I am so sorry that I am doing this to you but I can't take your life away from you. You should live go find a human to love you. You deserve a shot at a normal life and that is something I can never give you no matter how much I want to. Elena walking away from you is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my entire existence. The house is technically still yours you can stay here as long as you want. You can even start a life here if you would like. Please be safe Elena I love you more than you will ever know.
Damon
Elena clutched the letter close to her chest and hit the floor sobbing. That is where Jeremy found her hours later he picked her up and took her home but not before he grabbed the note. After he placed Elena in her bed he sat beside her and read the note and he couldn't believe what he was reading. How could Damon do this to her he loved her didn't he? But the one thing he knew for sure is that if Damon ever showed his face around her again after all this pain he was putting his sister through he would be very sorry. He got up to go call Bonnie and tell her everything but Elena stopped him. Jer? He turned and saw Elena standing there looking at him he's gone Jer as she said that her trembling legs gave out and the crumpled but Jeremy caught her before she could hit the ground and he stayed there attempting to sooth her until she fell asleep. For the next 6 weeks Caroline and Bonnie did everything they could to keep her mind off Damon.
Bonnie's POV
Elena seemed to be doing better which is why it came as a complete surprise when she showed up at her house one morning and told her she was leaving. She said that she couldn't stay here any longer and she was going to start over somewhere where nobody knew her and everything didn't remind her of Damon. But I saw the look on Elena's face so I asked what else is going on there is something you aren't telling me? Bonnie the night before Damon left we were together and now I am pregnant…. OH! But I though… Ya so did I but it happened and now I am taking this child and we are going to start a new life somewhere. I am going to miss so much, I already do but this is what I have to do. I already told Jeremy so do me a favor and take care of him and when I settle down I will make sure you know where I am. Okay Elena the only reason im not fighting you on this is because I know I wouldn't win. She laughed and said Bonnie if Damon comes back don't tell him anything if he really want to he will find me as far as you know I fell off the face of the planet ok spread the word. We hugged then Elena left I watched my best friend drive away not knowing where she was going or when I would see her again it was so hard but I knew I had to let her go. If she was ever going to move on it wasn't going to happen here.
Damon's POV
Six months have gone by since I left Elena and they were the worst six months of my entire miserable existence. What was I thinking when I did that? It didn't matter I had spent that time drinking the east coast out of bourbon and I didn't want to do it any longer I loved that girl and I was going home I will do whatever I have to when I get there to make her trust me again.
Jeremy's POV
Elena has been gone for a little over five months and I miss her more than I ever thought possible. Things are going pretty good though it's just me and Ric living at the house now and we are doing well. We were eating breakfast one morning when there was a knock at the door I went to answer it and what I saw when I opened the door made my blood boil. Damon stood there and he had the audacity to smile and say hey Jer is Elena home? I couldn't even control my anger as I yelled at him Damon you son of a bitch I pulled back my arm and hit Damon right in the face he wasn't expecting it so it actually knocked him back which I was kind of happy about but I kept yelling. Damon get the hell out of here before you hurt someone else beyond repair and I slammed the door in his face. I stormed back into the kitchen and Ric asked me what was that all about? I summed it all up into two words Damon's Back! WHAT?.
Damon's POV
I couldn't believe what just happened I was just decked by Jeremy and it actually hurt. But there were bigger things to deal where was Elena he couldn't sense her anywhere and she hadn't been at the boarding house so where was she? He may not know but I know someone that would. I knocked on the witch's door and the look on her face made him smile that is until his head felt like it had burst into flames. What the hell do you think you are doing here? The pain suddenly stopped I came back for Elena I made a mistake Bonnie I love her to much to let her go. So where is she? Bonnie why can't I sense her anywhere? I stared at Bonnie and she actually looked hurt then she said she's gone Damon she left six weeks after you did and no one has seen her since. At hearing that I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and shredded right there… So I walked to the boarding house where I was sure there would still be liquor…
Elena's POV
4 Years Later
Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! The mail is here can I help you get it? Yes Gracie come on lets go get it. They walked down to the mailbox and inside was a wedding invitation from Bonnie and Jeremy Wow! I Picked up my 3 year old and carried her back to the house so I could call Bonnie. While Gracie was playing with the rest of the mail I was talking with Bonnie Yes Yes I got it you can calm down now. Okay good now comes the hard part Elena would you be willing to come here and help me until the wedding? Sure Bon we have only been planning this day since we were kids. Good so I guess I will see you in a couple days then okay oh and Elena ya? He is here I just wanted you to be prepared I mean if he even sees her it is going to be like looking in a mirror for him. The next couple weeks are going to be very interesting to say the least… Is he there a lot? Ya he hangs out with Ric I hardly ever talk to him. Okay well I will get us ready and we will see you soon. Okay im so excited we can't wait to see you and Gracie again bye Elena. Bye.
When I got off the phone I sat there and watched Gracie play with the mail she had it scattered all around her somehow arranging it in a way that made no sense to me but she is 3 so I guess it isn't supposed to. I got down on the floor and asked her what do you think huh you wanna go stay with Bonnie and Jeremy for a while? She smiled and said grandpa Ric I laughed and said ya that's right and grandpa Ric... Well I guess we should get ready then shouldn't we Gracie ran off to her room im sure she was in there getting out everything she owned…I drove down the familiar streets of Mystic Falls I realized nothing had changed much in four years. As I pulled up to my childhood home I knew I couldn't have worse luck because at the same time I pulled up so did an all to familiar blue Chevy Camaro…Well this is just great I though as I got out and put all my focus into getting a sleeping Gracie out of the car.
Damon's POV
I couldn't believe what I was seeing after four years my angel had finally come back to me, and with the way she just looked at me she didn't know I was going to be here just like I didn't know that she would. I couldn't bring myself to get out of my car so I just watched her as she walked around to the other side of her car and I couldn't help but wonder what had she brought with her a wedding present maybe…but nothing could prepare me for what I saw in her arms when she closed the door and headed for the house. I saw the most beautiful little girl I had ever seen my heart sank a little knowing that I had already lost my angel, someone had her heart now and that someone wasn't me.
Elena's POV
I didn't want to look his way; I didn't want to feel all those feelings rush back to me not now. So I just concentrated on carrying my sleeping daughter up to the house. Jeremy opened the door as soon as I knocked and instantly wrapped his arms around Gracie and I. inside Bonnie was waiting to do the same and we all sat down in the living room and started talking like I had never left. After awhile I told them I was going to go lay Gracie down upstairs then we could talk some more. When I went upstairs I was shocked my room was pretty much exactly how I left it. I laid Gracie down on the bed and covered her up and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice behind me…
Damon's POV
After I watched Elena go into the house there was no way I could go in there, so I did the one thing I could think of at the time, I went to the Grill to get a drink. I was sitting at the bar when I heard Ric's voice behind me "Do you need some help?" I didn't even turn around as I said "With what Ric?" he laughed and said "With picking you jaw up off the floor. I was watching you from the window; I figured I would find you here." "You knew she was coming didn't you?" "Yes I did" "Well then you could've told me then maybe I wouldn't have been totally shocked that the woman I love had moved on." "What are you talking about Damon?" "Ric she had a child with someone if that doesn't scream I've moved on I don't know what does." "The last time I checked Elena and her daughter were here no one else I wouldn't be so quick to make assumptions Damon." So I got up and walked away from him. As I was walking away I heard him say "Where are you going?" So without missing a beat I gave him the only answer I had "To see a girl." I raced over to the Gilbert house and made the leap inside. "Elena" I had come up behind her and I swear if I didn't know any better I would say I terrified her.
Elena's POV
"Elena" I heard him say my name again but I still couldn't turn and face him, I just moved a little closer to Gracie and I swear I heard him gasp when I did. When he spoke again he said "I'm not going to hurt her Elena" I knew that I really did. "I know."
Damon's POV
When she moved closer to her sleeping child I couldn't believe she thought she had to protect her child from me. She finally spoke and I asked her "Are you ever going to look at me?" as soon as I said that she turned and when she did I felt everything I had ever felt for her hit me all at once. I watched her sit on the edge of the bed and I followed her and did the same. As I sat there I couldn't help but look at the little girl and I felt a tug at my heart. He looked back at Elena "How have you been?" "I've been good Damon…Happy." "Mhmm would you like to give me an answer that is a little more believable." "What do you want from me Damon?" I was shocked she seemed so angry when she talked to me." I want you to talk to me and be honest with me." "I wouldn't even know where to start the last 4 years haven't exactly been the easiest of my life. Everything went downhill when you left." I couldn't believe I had done this to her my angel was miserable because 4 years ago he made the worst choice of his life. "Okay Elena lets start simple where did you go?" "Tennessee I couldn't stay here anymore." "What about the little one here what's her name? How old is she? Where is her father? What is s- "Wow wow Damon slow down I will answer your questions Damon I know you want answers." I was happy that she was going to answer me there were things I wanted to know or maybe I didn't I wasn't sure yet.
Elena's POV
I couldn't believe that after 4 years I was here sitting beside the man that had left me all alone and I was about to answer questions I knew he had. I just didn't know if I was going to omit a certain part or not.
Damon
Elena looked up at me and she smiled, God I love that smile. She has grown up so much in 4 years but I guess being a mother will do that to you. "Damon are you listening?" The look on her face told me she had something and I was to in thought to hear her. "Uh ya sorry" "I said I will answer your questions if you answer mine." I looked at her smiled and agreed to her terms how could I resist I would do anything to talk to her, hell at this ,point I would do anything to sit in the same room with her. I had missed her so much and she didn't even know it.
Elena
"So we will start with your first question…" I took a deep breath and waited for him to ask. He looked at me and said "Well lets start with the easy stuff what's her name and how old is she?" I let a breath I hadn't realized id been holding and I thought this isn't so hard and then I answered him. "Her name is Grace and she is almost 4." I watched him as he took in this information then he asked "Who is her father? Better yet where is her father?" I answered him the best way I could at that time "He was a guy who I thought loved me but he took off before she was born he left us, and even if he came back now and wanted to be a part of all this craziness…I gestured to myself I probably wouldn't let him back in I would be to scared that he would leave and crush me again." When I looked back up at Damon I could see sympathy for me then I could see the flash of anger that went through him then he flashed across the room and put his fist through the wall. I was totally shocked by his sudden outburst and I loudly whispered "DAMON! What the hell are you doing?" I saw he was about to answer when we both heard a scared little girl Mommy!? Mama!?
Damon
I was listening to her tell me about how Grace's father had taken off and the way she was talking her voice was twinged with sadness and I couldn't take that before I knew what I was doing I was across the room with my fist through her wall and she was quietly yelling at me and before I could say anything I heard a small scared voice Mommy!? Mama!? I cursed to myself because I was the reason she was awake. I watched Elena sit back down on the bed and the little girl jumped into her arms and buried her head in her mom's hair. I watched quietly as I went back over and sat down on the end of the bed staring at the wall. When I felt the weight on the bed shift I figured Elena had put her back down but then I felt a tapping on my shoulder and when I turned around I was met with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I had ever seen. In the smallest voice she asked "Who you?" I smiled and said "Im Damon" she studied me for a minute and I felt like I was being judged. I looked over her head and saw Elena laughing then I looked back at Grace and she said "I've seen a pic…pic…picture of you before" I was slightly confused then she continued "at home in mommy's room." Then I watched as she yawned went back beside Elena laid down and fell back asleep. I couldn't help but feel something for this little girl in front of me and we had only just had a very brief conversation. When I looked back up Elena smiled at me and said "maybe if we are going to keep talking we should go and sit on the porch." I agreed then we walked slowly out of the room and down the stairs Elena told the others that she was sorry and she would take a rain check on hanging out that I had surprised her.
Elena
I watched as Jeremy stood up and was about to say something so I said "No Jer" and I gave him a look and told him that Damon and I needed to talk. He nodded and sat back down and Damon and I walked outside and sat down on the swing. We were quiet for a while then finally I looked at Damon and said "Your turn" he nodded and looked at me. "I only have 2 questions for you Damon, if you left me why did you come back?" I actually saw him flinch when he heard my question finally he answered "Because it was killing me being away from you. The time that I was away was so miserable I came back prepared to beg for your love but when I got back it was to late you were already gone and no one would tell me where you were. For good reason I suppose." "Damon I always hoped you would find me..." That was the only thing I could say to his answer. Finally he looked back at me and said "What's your other question Elena?" I already had tears in my eyes so I looked away when I asked him "Why didn't you look for me?" my voice broke on the last word. When I finally turned to face him again I could see the tremors rolling off his body and I just waited for his answer finally he said "You left Elena I thought you didn't want to be found." Tears were silently rolling down my face now and I turned to him and said "You thought wrong" I quietly got up and walked to the door I put my hand on the handle and I turned and looked back at him his expression looked just as pained as mine did and when I turned back around I said "You should of found me" so quietly if he wasn't a vampire he probably wouldn't of been able to hear me.
Damon
I wasn't expecting the questions she asked me and the look on her face when I gave her my answers made me want to rip my own heart out of my chest. When she got up crying she said "You should have found me" it was so quiet I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear it. She went inside and I stayed on the swing and listened to her walk up the stairs, she went in her room and laid down. I sat there listening to her sniffles until her breathing slowly evened out and she fell asleep. I had missed her so much; I stayed there for a long time listening to her heartbeat it was like my own personal melody. I eventually had to go home though. I pried myself off the swing and instead of speeding home I started a slow walk home. As soon as I walked through the door I walked into the parlor and poured myself a glass of bourbon, then I walked up the stairs to my room to sleep off the horrible day that I had.
Elena
The next morning I woke up all alone in my room and the only thing that came to my mind was where is Grace? I walked down the stairs and there she was sitting at the counter smiling as Jeremy was attempting to make her some breakfast. When I walked in I got a morning mommy from Grace and a messy hug from Jer. What are we doing in here? I asked laughing and Gracie said "Uncle Jer is trying to make pancakes" which got a hey! From Jeremy. So as I was laughing I asked Jer "Where's Bonnie?" Oh she's upstairs getting ready you guys are going shopping today. "Well then I guess I should go get dresses then." Before I turned Jer told me "Oh and Ric and I are stealing Gracie today we need some play time and you need some girl time. I laughed "just remember if she dresses you up you asked for it." Bonnie and I spent the better part of the day shopping and when we finally stopped for lunch we were sitting down when she looked at me and asked what had happened with Damon the night before. I told her "we talked about Grace" and right away she said "did you tell him?" "No Bonnie I didn't when we were outside I told him he should have come and found me among other things and then I came inside I couldn't talk to him anymore." "Ok so Bon how about we eat then we go look at things for your wedding my trip here was about you not me, so what do you say?"
Bonnie
I saw Elena sitting there in front of me and I knew she was sad and I wished I could fix it. I also sat there quietly wondering how long it was going to be before Damon found out the truth he's not an idiot and that little girl was a tiny version of Damon. But Elena obviously didn't want to talk about it and im not going to force her im just going to focus on the wedding, which was surprisingly only a couple weeks away.
Damon
I got up today and I already wanted to see her, so I got dressed and headed to the Gilbert house. When I got there Ric opened the door and I could see the surprise on his face. I'm sure Ric was about to ask me what I was doing there when Grace ran up behind him and she screamed my name and jumped up at me. Out of reflex I caught her and held her in my arms and I looked at her and she smiled then she hugged me then squirmed to get down so I set her down and she ran back to Jeremy and continued to play with him. I looked back at Ric and I asked "Is she here?" he shook his head "She is shopping with Bonnie, but maybe you should leave her be Damon." All I could do was look at Ric and I said to him "No Ric I made a mistake before and she got away, there is no way im going to let that happen again." He nodded and I turned to walk away thinking about when I would see her or even if she would see me.
Alaric
As Damon walked away I saw the need he was trying to hide, he needs her as much as she needs him but would she ever let him back in? The only thing that popped into my head was is Damon dumb he just held his daughter in his arms and looked at her and he still didn't put the pieces together and Damon needed to put the pieces together because after the wedding Elena and Grace would be leaving and with them leaving so would Damon's opportunity to get the love of his life back and the chance to know his daughter.
Elena
When Bonnie and I walked through the front door we just started laughing Ric was asleep on the couch on one side of the room with Grace sleeping on his lap and Jeremy was sleeping on the couch on the other side of the room with his head hanging off. I just turned and looked at Bonnie and said "I guess they couldn't handle it after all." We just continued laughing and headed into the kitchen to chat and wait for the playgroup in the other room to wakeup. I looked at Bonnie across the counter and told her "im not sure I can tell him" she looked at my instantly knowing what I was talking about" she smiled "Elena he needs to know." I looked back at her and nodded my head, it seemed to be the only thing I could manage to do.
Jeremy
I woke up on the couch with a throbbing headache and I couldn't believe 1 little girl could be so much work. I heard laughing from the kitchen and I followed the sound. The sight I saw was my fiancée and my sister laughing and it felt right it felt like Elena never left, so I walked up behind Elena and hugged her and asked her "When are you going to come home Lena you and Gracie belong here?" "Maybe someday Jer." I knew that was all she was going to say.
Alaric
I woke up to Gracie moving around a lot in her sleep, she was having a nightmare. I was about to wake her up when she started screaming "Mommy, Mommy where's daddy? He was here! He loves you! Mommy!" with that she woke up crying and just grabbed on to me. I just sat there soothing her, Elena rushed in worried "its ok" I said "She had a bad dream." Gracie turned and looked at Elena and said "Mama" then she jumped off my lap and ran to Elena. Elena went upstairs with Grace and I thought no way there is no way Grace knows who her father is it's impossible. Right?
Elena
I took Grace upstairs, she was already asleep by the time I laid her down so I covered her up and sat with her. I heard the things she was saying in his sleep I didn't need Ric to tell me the only thing I knew for sure was that I needed to tell Damon about her I just didn't know how to do it. I went back downstairs only to have everyone staring at me "I know I need to talk to him I just don't understand how she could possibly know or think she knows. Ric looked at me and said "earlier Damon stopped by looking for you and Grace launched herself into Damon's arms and he held her for a couple minutes do you think maybe she got a feeling from the contact with him? Everyone looked at Bonnie and she shrugged I guess it's possible. Grace is the child of a vampire and a doppelganger none of us know what she is capable of. Up until now she has been a normal little girl but that could change at anytime. I nodded and I looked at them "I am going to go talk to him I have to…if grace wakes up tell h…" "We got it Elena" Jeremy cut me off "just go talk to Damon this conversation has been a long time coming." Okay I grabbed my keys and headed for the boarding house.
Damon
I sat in the living room with a glass of bourbon in my hand, I couldn't believe it if I didn't get my act together and talk to Elena she was going to leave after the wedding and I would probably lose any chance I ever had with her, and Grace to. I could see so much of Elena in her mostly in the way she acted, so young and already just like her mother and I needed to know her. Like today when she jumped into my arms it just felt right. I was brought out of my thoughts by a car outside followed by a knocking on the door, I didn't really care who was at the door though I dint want to see anyone. I tried to ignore it but the knocking didn't go away but I didn't care whoever it was would get the point eventually. Thank god the knocking finally stopped only to be replaced with the sound of a key in the door. Who was coming in my house? Who had a key? The door swung open and I heard a voice I wasn't expecting to hear "I know you're here Damon."
Elena
I still had the key Damon had given me long ago and I knew he was home it was a feeling I got so I just let myself in. It wasn't long after I announced that I knew he was there that he flashed in front of me wearing the same smirk that he always seemed to be wearing.
Authors
Damon and Elena stood there staring at each other when finally Damon said "Why are you here Elena?" She immediately fired back with "Maybe I shouldn't of come this isn't such a good idea" she turned to walk away and Damon grabbed her wrist and spun her back around "Elena you came here for a reason. What was it?" "I came here to talk to you about some things and about Grace, we just need to talk."
Damon
I could actually see the hurt in her eyes when I asked her what she was doing here. I hadn't meant for it to sound harsh. I didn't even know what I was doing I wanted her to talk to me; I just didn't know why she wanted to talk to me about Grace. Had Ric told her that I stopped by earlier and held Grace for a few minutes? Was she angry that I touched her daughter? Knowing that she may be mad at me I just couldn't look at her. "Damon look at me." She didn't ask she demanded. "I can see every thought and emotion running through your head right now, im not mad we just need to talk." Thank god she wasn't angry with me, but I still didn't know what she wanted to talk about.
Elena
I couldn't believe that I had to come here! I knew I needed to talk to Damon but this is going to be so hard, I don't even know where to start, maybe I should find something easy to start with. So I told him what I felt "Im sorry Damon" I saw his confused look but I continued "For the way I acted the other night I just…There were a lot of emotions that I was feeling that I have kept buried for along time." "Its okay Elena I put you through a lot when I left and I am sorry." I could see the apology in his eyes as he stared at me and I couldn't even look him in the eye anymore. I felt like if I kept looking at him I would just spit out what I was here to say.