Happy Birthday Hanka
"I'm tired," Elena mumbles breathily when they walk into the summerhouse after a long jog on the beach. Damon walks over to the refrigerator and pulls a big bottle of water out for each of them, chugging his down while he hands the other to his wife.
While she drinks hers, he plops down on the bed and rolls over onto his belly with a grunting laugh. "Well... I don't really think it's our beach runs that have us so exhausted, Elena." He casts a meaningful glance up and down the length of her body before favoring her with a lascivious wink.
"Oh..." Elena giggles, setting her water down before joining him on the bed. She extends her arms, looping them around his neck to bring him closer. With a quick shift, he settles on top of her, coming to rest between her legs. "Well, you have no one but yourself to blame for that..."
"How's that?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow.
"Well, if you weren't so damn sexy..."
"I love when you say that. It's good for the ego," Damon laughs heartily, rewarding her efforts with a very long and thorough kiss, "But... I have something else you can stroke..." He lowers her hand between their bodies, cradling her palm against the now prominent bulge in his running shorts.
"I thought we were too exhausted," Elena utters breathlessly.
"I merely suggested it's the reason we're so exhausted," Damon clarifies softly, his eyes sparkling with mischief, "I didn't say anything about stopping."
Elena gives his crotch a light squeeze, smiles deviously and removes her hand before shifting onto her side. "Maybe... after..." she sighs, snuggling in against his finely sculpted chest.
"After what?"
She flashes a salacious grin at her man, "My nap obviously."
"Uh, uh, uh," Damon shakes his head back and forth in time with a wag of his finger. He doesn't want to wait that long. Her pouts are his undoing though and with a sigh, he buries his face in her hair and closes his own eyes.
When he awakens a half hour later, he can no longer keep his hands to himself. While Elena naps, he lifts her shirt and feathers light kisses across the smooth skin of her abdomen, paying special attention to her slight bump. Elena awakens to the seductive feel of his tongue swirling around the shallow dip of her belly button. The moment she becomes aware of his ministrations she moans and tangles her fingers into his messy hair.
"How long have you been doing that?" she asks breathlessly.
He lifts his head briefly to flash her a shit-eating grin. "A while. You said after your nap, remember?" he murmurs as he presses his lips back against her flesh. "You weren't kidding when you said you were tired." He licks a meandering trail across her bare midriff, nipping lightly at her soft skin.
"Hmm..." Elena purrs drowsily, "I'm definitely awake now."
"Are you?" Damon challenges, raising up on his knees to consider her. Elena answers with a slow nod. "Good to know... because I'm not going to let you go back to sleep for awhile yet anyway."
Having made that sensual promise, Damon swivels around briefly to click on the fan. As he does Elena deftly pushes to her knees. When Damon swings back to face her she catches him off guard, sealing her mouth to his in a voracious kiss. It takes mere seconds for him to overcome his shock and yield to Elena's greedy attack. He hooks his arm around her waist and pulls her flush against him. Plunging his free hand into her hair, he cradles the back of her head, his tongue vying crazily with hers for dominance.
Elena, however is determined to be the winner. She deepens the kiss and gently but insistently eases Damon back onto the now bunched up covers beneath them. Only when she has his prone body straddled between her legs does she break contact with his luscious mouth and lean back to peruse him. Biting back a provocative smile, she takes hold of his hands and pins them on the opposite sides of his head.
He grins at her. "Do you have naughty things planned for me?"
"Ah ha."
"Well, don't let me hold you up," he invites, languidly relaxing his hands behind his head and playfully provoking her with his eyes.
It is all the invitation Elena needs. She takes her time pulling his tee shirt up and over his head. When she's finished, she runs her hands across his bare chest. Wordlessly Damon watches her every action with hungry, avid eyes. Though he's eager to feel her hands all over him, to be inside her, he is more eager to see what Elena has in mind.
He finds out a few seconds later when she lowers her head to press wet, open-mouthed kisses against his chest. Her breath stirs warmly against his skin, creating small patches of moisture as she feathers kisses against it. She nuzzles him, her dark hair spilling across his flesh and concealing her face from view as she seeks his nipple with her tongue.
Damon gasps with the sensation the tiniest caress causes. Never did he imagine that something as simple as nibbling kisses across his chest could be so arousing. With her, even kisses and caresses are an intimate endeavor. He becomes lost in the warmth of her mouth, her smell... the love she gives him everyday. Groaning in delight, he tangles his fingers in the dark tendrils of her hair, guiding her mouth in its zealous path across his skin.
Encouraged by his moans, Elena's kisses and ministrations become more daring. She murmurs her intentions for him in searing detail against his ear and the delicious ache builds between her legs when he does the same. Her searching fingers blaze a trail of heat down his muscular belly and slip under the waistband of his shorts. The wispiest touch of her fingertips grazing the head has Damon gasping and groaning her name as if praying to the deity.
"Tell me what you want."
"You know what I want, Elena."
"Yes," she concedes, "But I love to hear you say it."
Their eyes lock silently for a long moment. "Touch me, put your mouth on me, Elena."
Elena groans her agreement. Eager, breathless and trembling, Damon reaches down to fumble with the elastic waistband of his shorts. She shows her approval by finding his lips in a scorching, tongue-tangling kiss. Her fingers curl around the hard, smooth length of his erection and she begins to stroke him in a manner he loves.
"Don't stop, Elena, don't," Damon moans against her mouth.
The effervescing desire becomes almost unbearable. They roll their hips against one another erratically, desperate to be closer, to coalesce, to be one. Damon loosens the waistband of Elena's denim shorts, sliding his hands inside to cup the supple curve of her ass. He brings her closer against him, lifting his hips so that her hand is trapped between his body and hers. Their groans reverberate off the walls, mingling together in a symphony of carnal desire. Damon grunts as he thrusts into her hand and then suddenly pulls it away, he wants to be inside of her when he unravels and comes apart.
Their arms and legs twist and tangle as they work frantically to divest each other of their clothing. As soon as they're delightfully naked, they crash back together, hands seeking, bodies intertwining. Damon laves the slender column of Elena's throat with his mouth and curves a hand over her bare hip, bringing her leg up to straddle his own. And then he shifts his hand between her legs, plunging two fingers into her warmth. He works them with a feverish hunger, inflamed by the moist popping sound his greedy fingers create.
"Now..." Elena gasps, "please, Damon... I want you now..."
Seconds later he is cradling her hips in his hands and thrusting deep. They gasp simultaneously with the burning sensation his forceful entry creates. Elena arches beneath him in indescribable pleasure, digging her nails into the rippled muscles of his back as they begin a rhythmic rocking.
Damon plunges deeper, harder, his body on fire with the pure wonder of being cradled inside her. When he thinks that sex cannot get any sweeter, it does, causing his body to tremble with the unimaginable ecstasy of it all.
Their bodies become slick with perspiration, dampening the sheets twisted hopelessly around their heaving forms. Damon thrusts inside her again and again, slipping in and out with a frenetic hunger. Elena meets his every lunge with equal fervor, her body growing tense with her impending release. Sensing her closeness, Damon's movements become quick and shallow, his lovemaking becoming chaotic in a haze of uncontrollable desire.
He sweeps his hands beneath her twisting hips, cupping her ass and holding her captive beneath him as the pressure begins to build to a pounding ache. His breath catches in serrated, moaning gasps as he feels Elena's inner muscles start to tighten around his length. Her convulsions begin at the precise moment he comes with an explosive rush of blinding colors and white light. Elena quickly follows him over the precipice, her body clenching deliciously around his still pulsing member. Moments later he collapses beside her in a breathless heap.
In the murky haze of the afternoon sun filtering through the blinds, Damon gifts Elena with a tired smile, reaching out to brush away sweaty tendrils of hair from her forehead. "That was something else."
"Yeah..." Elena breathes, smiling back at him.
Damon drops a kiss to her bare shoulder. "It's still early," he says huskily, flirting with his eye thing. "Are you up for round t..." He stops suddenly when he hears footsteps and shouting. Jumping off the bed, he throws Elena her shorts and top and quickly slips into his own, barely having covered himself when the door flies open.
"What are you doing out here?" their 8 year old son, Alexander Hamilton Salvatore asks, his eyes bouncing from his mom to his dad. Elena shares a look with Damon, grateful that her son didn't see anything he shouldn't have, then hurries over to her boy to wrap him in a hug and drop kisses to his messy dark hair.
"Daddy and I took a run on the beach and we just came in here to cool off a little bit. But how are you home already and where are Enzo and Bonnie?"
"I'm right here," Enzo announces, poking his head through the door, winking knowingly at Elena when he sees her hair in disarray.
"I'm hungry mommy."
"Okay, I need to take a shower and then we'll get something to eat okay?" she smiles, ruffling his hair when Damon suddenly throws him over his shoulder and runs outside with him, kicking and giggling wildly.
"Couldn't keep your hands off each other?" Enzo teases, walking beside Elena to the main house.
"Oh shut up," she laughs, elbowing him in the ribs.
"Ouch!"
"Serves you right. I guess we lost track of time, we weren't expecting you back so soon and where's Bonnie?"
"Andi was getting very crabby so I dropped them off at home."
"Thanks for taking Ham with you."
"Pirates of the Caribbean was his favorite ride. I think we went on it four times," Enzo chuckles, holding the door open for Elena.
"Do you want to join us for supper? You could pick up Bonnie and Andi and meet at the restaurant?"
Enzo presses a quick peck to her cheek. "I'm going to run home and shower myself then. Text me the location." He adds, winking at her once more before disappearing from sight when he pulls the front door closed behind him.
"Did you have a good time?" Damon asks, while the two Salvatore boys wait for Elena to finish getting ready.
"Can you and mom take me to Disneyland sometime too?"
"Well, maybe after your new brother or sister comes, we can fly to Disney World in Florida?"
"Could grandma and uncle Zach come too?"
"Perhaps, what about your aunt Katherine and your other grandma?"
"They can come too. Can we go dad, please?"
"I'll talk to mom about it and if you're a good kid, we'll see okay?"
"I'll be good, really I will," Ham promises, bobbing his head up and down. When he sees Damon stand, he looks up just as Elena walks into the living room. "Can we go now, I'm hungry?"
"Yes, we'll go now," Damon laughs, ruffling his hair. He brushes a kiss to Elena's cheek, grabs his car keys and starts walking to the garage, Elena and Ham following behind.
Elena sets her flute of sparkling grape juice down and takes another bite of her hamburger. After wiping her mouth, she looks at Enzo when he starts to speak.
"The Premiere is in ten days. I was thinking and Roger agreed that maybe Ham should accompany you and Damon..."
"Me?"
"Yes, you had a role in the movie. You should go."
"Enzo, I don't know," Damon interjects, eyeing Elena a little skeptically. They talked about this when they agreed to let him audition for the part in her movie. He doesn't want his son to be looked on like a lab rat in the harsh scrutiny of the Hollywood scene.
"Can I dad, please?"
"It will be good for him, Damon. It's just one night," Enzo interrupts, leaning over when Bonnie says something in his ear and then gets up, taking Andi to the ladies room with her.
"Dad?" Ham repeats, sticking a big French fry into his mouth.
"Hamilton, we'll talk about it when we get home, okay? Finish eating and we'll go outside and look at the Koi ponds okay?"
He looks at his mom for a few seconds then nods and picks up his chicken sandwich, taking a big bite. Damon and Enzo discuss it further anyway, Elena knows Damon so well, she watches him, his facial expressions and body language. She knows he wants to protect their son's privacy.
Still Enzo pleads his case and they both know that he'd never do anything to endanger Hamilton. By the time they're saying goodnight to Enzo, Bonnie and Andi in the parking lot, the decision has been made to let their boy accompany them to the event.
Having had a very long day, Ham is sound asleep in the back seat by the time they get home. Very carefully Damon lifts him up and carries him into the house. Elena rushes ahead and turns down his bedding. Damon lifts his shirt over his head, takes off his shoes and then covers him up. Elena presses a kiss to his hair and then she walks out, followed by Damon who pulls his door shuts behind them.
A half hour later when they're laying in bed, snuggled together, Elena leans up on her forearm to face him. "Are you sure you're okay with it, the Premiere I mean?"
"You know by now that the spotlight isn't my favorite place, I'd rather have you to myself but it's part and parcel of being a part of your world. I know all too well what it's like to live without you. I never ever want to live like that again, that means having to attend these events with you. He'll be fine, we won't let him get a big head."
Elena leans forward and snatches his lips in a stormy kiss then lays back down, snuggling up against his chest while he wraps his arm around her, pulling her even closer. With a twinkle in his eyes, he reaches over to turn out the light. Using a little of his well honed swagger, he pulls her beneath him and drops his mouth to hers.
"Mom," Ham whines when Elena messes with his hair for what seems like the hundredth time already. Hamilton and his parents are in the limo on their way to the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the Premiere of her new movie. As always for these things, she's dressed to the nines, wearing a royal blue empire maternity, ruched tulle evening gown. She has diamond studs and a sapphire and diamond choker to complete her attire. Her hair is in a messy side braid and her makeup artist Bonita went for a natural eye look.
Damien Swain, her co-star in the movie, will be there too, she knows she'll have to take several snaps of the two of them as well. Damon doesn't really have a problem with that, it's her love scenes that he doesn't care to see. Although his appearance on her film sets is rare, he absolutely refuses to watch her pretending to make love with another man.
"Mom, nothing, you have to be a gentleman when you're on the red carpet. People will be asking you questions, above all, you must be polite," she emphasizes her last word for effect. She looks up at Damon just in time to see him roll his eyes.
"You're not helping Damon," she says pointedly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Wait what?"
"You know what."
"Fine... Alexander Hamilton Salvatore, you will do as your mother says and not embarrass us tonight, am I clear?"
"Ah ha," he mumbles, not looking away from the TV that's playing in the back of the vehicle. A half hour later they arrive at the theatre. The crowd is massive, lights and microphones and flashes are everywhere. Elena looks out the window just as Damien and his wife Delena are stepping out of their car. When their ride comes to a stop, the driver hops out and opens the doors for them. Just as Damon's about to latch her arm onto his, throngs of reporters and blinding camera flashes are in his face. He almost chokes on his own saliva when he sees a familiar face. Damon whispers something in Elena's ear and then steps over to talk to him.
"Well, well, well, Atticus Shane, it's been awhile," Damon mentions, eyeing the hand he offers before shaking it.
"It has. Looks like you and the Mrs. are doing well? You have a fine looking son there."
Damon looks over at his shoulder, noticing the microphone being shoved in Ham's face. Atticus doesn't miss the disgruntled look that appears on the professor's face before he quickly masks it with an air of nonchalance.
"You okay, doc?"
"Yes, of course. And to answer your question, Elena and I are very proud of our boy."
"Whatever you say... " When Damon nods and starts to walk away, Shane adds, "Any chance of getting an interview?"
"I'll talk to Elena about it but I can't make any promises. It's good seeing you Shane," Damon adds and steps back in beside his wife and son. Hamilton is eating it up and with a little help from his mother, he's handling himself very well. When Elena is pulled away to take pictures with Damien, he and Hamilton are escorted to their box seat inside the building. Elena joins them some time later. Damon is very quiet which is her first clue that he's rather unhappy about the evening.
At the party, they're actually enjoying themselves, eating fresh fruit from the chocolate fountain and the lux champagne they always have at these soirees. Damon is about to stick a piece of pineapple in his mouth when Roger joins them at their table, followed soon after by Bonnie and Enzo.
"Hamilton's picture is going to be all over the tabloids tomorrow. Think of all that publicity we're getting. I think the prudent thing to do would be to have him join us at the London and Paris Premieres, perhaps Hong Kong and Sydney too. He's a great asset."
"Roger, we talked about this."
"I know but promise me you'll think about it, Elena."
"Fine, I'll consider it," she says to placate him and then takes a long pull from her water glass. Damon is suspiciously quiet the rest of the night, barely even making small talk on the way home.
Her second clue comes when they get to their place and he heads straight for the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a stiff drink, downing it in one swallow. The third is after they say goodnight to their son and he showers and crawls straight into bed, turns out the lamp and closes his eyes. When she finishes putting on her nightgown, she snuggles in behind him but it surprises her when he stiffens. Wanting to nip this in the bud, she sits up and turns the light on.
"I'm trying to sleep here."
"Neither of us are going to sleep until you tell me what's going on."
"You know what's going on. I will not allow my son to be some carnival display."
"He's my son too, Damon or have you forgotten that little detail?"
"Don't be ridiculous, he isn't going, you'll go with Enzo like always and I'll stay home with our boy. He can't miss that much school, Elena."
"I could hire a tutor, you could join us in London or Paris."
"Absolutely not, he's not doing this."
"You don't get to call all the shots here, Damon."
"Elena, he's 8 years old. He can't make a decision like that."
"No, he can't but we're his parents, we could at least ask him. What if we compromise and draw the line at London and Paris only IF Hamilton wants to?"
"You can't be serious?"
"Damon, let's not talk about it anymore tonight. Obviously you're upset and we won't get anywhere this way."
"Fine, but I'm not changing my mind," he mumbles and lays back down, his back facing her. She gets up to use the bathroom and then gets back into bed, her back facing his. "Goodnight, Damon," she whispers but when he doesn't reply, she looks over her shoulder. Seeing the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, she knows he's asleep. Sighing heavily, she lays down and closes her eyes, letting the fatigue of the day pull her into dreamland.
"Sweetheart, you look beautiful," Miranda assures her daughter, brushing a loose tendril of hair out of her face. Elena raises her eyes to meet hers. In that moment, she's a little girl again, holding her mother's hands while she dances, although her mother's hands no longer guide her, she holds onto them in everything she does.
With Elena visibly pregnant now, she's taking a much deserved time-out from show business. Their doctor assures her that their baby is doing great, they don't want to take any unnecessary chances. Their daughter's sonogram picture, the only one they have of her is framed beautifully and has a special place in their bedroom.
On her last day of filming before maternity leave, Damon dropped to his knees and asked her to marry him all over again. Speechless and with tears springing from her eyes all she could do was bob her head up and down. So here they are in Virginia at the boarding house, a place that's so special to them for the ceremony. It's practically a state secret, their only guests being Damon's mother and Katherine. Since the showdown in Texas and even though they're still not Elena's favorite people, they are making an effort to try to get along. Damon could not have been more pleased. Enzo, Bonnie, Kol, Elijah, Ric and their lady friends.
Elena is wearing a Florence Lace wedding gown. The floor length square neckline, maternity dress skims her toes, smooths over her curves and thoughtfully gathers over her growing bump. The geometric floral lace design has a hint of stretch and a gentle scallop detail, impeccably finished with a satin sash.
When they hear the music start to play, Elena hugs her mom, whispering, "I love you mamma."
As they break apart, Enzo pokes his head through the door to escort her down the aisle. He gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek then sticks out his elbow. Once they step out of the room, Miranda takes her bouquet to lead the procession up the small aisle in the boarding house garden. Mendelsohn's tune begins to play and together she and Enzo walk forward to meet Damon. His smile is wide and radiant and she knows it matches her own. Zach is officiating the ceremony and then it comes time for them to say their vows.
"Damon, I promise to be your lover, companion and friend.
Your partner in parenthood,
Your ally in conflict,
Your greatest fan and your toughest adversary.
Your comrade in adventure,
Your student and your teacher,
Your consolation in disappointment,
Your accomplice in mischief.
This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. All things," she finishes, her voice quavering as she reaches up to wipe a stray tear.
"Damon, it's your turn," Zach says, winking at his nephew.
"Elena, I promise to encourage your compassion,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I promise to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I promise to help shoulder our challenges,
For there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.
I promise to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as part of the whole.
Lastly, I promise to you my love and trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things. I love you, Elena," Damon finishes, taking a deep breath while squeezing her hands.
By the power vested in me by the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Zach adds, his eyes meeting Damon's, "you may kiss your bride."
And Damon does. Warm lips press against hers. Elena's eyes flutter shut and in the darkness she sees light exploding. All she can focus on is the liquid warmth that is quickly spreading through her body. The soft moan he makes is intoxicating, like the feeling of diving head first into an erupting volcano. The kiss is long and his mouth is hot and her heart is...
"Wake up, mom. Dad's making breakfast." Elena springs up in bed, nearly knocking Hamilton on the floor. She presses her hand against her chaotically beating heart till it calms down.
"What time is it?"
"9 o'clock."
Elena throws her legs over the side of the bed, reaches for her robe and then stands up. After pressing a kiss to the top of his head, she follows him downstairs. Damon is just putting the food on the table. "Good morning," she greets him, tilting her head slightly when he looks at her.
Forcing a smile, he plants a kiss on her cheek and then holds the chair out for her. "Sit down, Damon, we need to talk before this grows way out of proportion."
"Elena, you know how I feel about all of this."
"I do, I just want to know how our son feels about it."
Damon sighs and turns around for a few seconds to glance outside the window. Elena can see by the stiff set of his posture that he's still upset." After a few moments, he relaxes, pours himself a cup of coffee and then joins them at the table.
"Why are you mad?" Hamilton asks his dad, stuffing a piece of bacon in his mouth.
"Daddy isn't mad," Elena answers for him. "It's just that Roger thinks you should go to London and Paris with me for the movie premieres, daddy would prefer you stay home. He doesn't want you to miss school. As far as what I want... well, I'm good with whatever we decide, Hamilton," Elena adds, taking a swallow of her maternity tea that helps with her nausea.
"I want to go. It was fun and I love airplanes. We'll get to fly over the ocean."
Elena laughs, not noticing Damon's fist tighten around his fork. "Yes, we have to go over the ocean to get to London. I'll make sure you get a window seat." When she hears chair legs sliding against the floor, she looks up just in time to see the pissed off look that washes over Damon's face.
"See, that's exactly what I wanted to avoid."
Damon pulls into his parking spot on the Pepperdine campus. "Come on champ, I have to get to class."
"Okay, dad," Ham mumbles, yawning widely as he crawls out of the car. It's 'take you child to work day' so Damon thought it would be an excellent opportunity to showcase his own passion for the boy. If in the end, he chooses to become an actor, he'll have to learn to live with it but he can't deny that he would love nothing more than for him to follow in his own footsteps.
"Good morning, Damon," Meredith stops to consider the young boy. "Who do you have here?"
"Hey, Mer. This is my son, Hamilton. He came to work with me today."
"It's nice to meet you," she smiles, shaking his hand.
"You too," he says, waving at her when he and Damon continue to his office. Once he has everything he needs for his first class, the two Salvatore men walk down the hall and go into his classroom. He gives Hamilton a book, telling him this is what his lecture will be about today. Hearing a commotion, the boy looks up to see a swarm of young people piling into the room.
Damon whistles loudly and the low roar in the room ceases. "Today we have a guest auditing the class, this is my son, Hamilton." Applause rings out and once the room quiets again, Damon continues. "Today we'll be discussing Da Vinci."
He picks up the remote and clicks, a Da Vinci drawing appears behind him on the screen. "This image is called flying machine. He drew it in 1488. For much of his life, Leonardo was fascinated by the phenomenon of flight, producing many studies of the flight of birds, including his circa 1505 Codex on the Flight of Birds as well as plans for several flying machines including what resembles a helicopter and a light hang glider."
Damon pauses, noticing his son listening with rapt attention. He winks at the boy and then turns back to the class. "Most of his designs were impractical like his aerial screw helicopter design that could not provide life. However the hang glider has been successfully constructed and demonstrated."
"Daddy, he really drew that?" The class erupts in laughter and when Damon motions with his hands to shut it, they do but he doesn't miss the smirks and smiles.
"Yes, Ham, he did." Turning back to the students, he takes a drink of water and continues with his class. "Leonardo Da Vinci was much more than an artist. He was an astronomer, sculptor, geologist, mathematician, botanist, animal behaviorist, inventor, engineer, architect and even a musician. He was all of these things and more. Da Vinci remains one of the most fascinating people history has ever known. He once said 'things of the mind left untested by the senses are useless.' The man left little untested, yet few people know the amazing story behind the man often described as the embodiment of the Renaissance. Leonardo envisioned this device to be built of wood, reeds and taffeta."
"Wow," Hamilton gasps, eyeing the flying machine picture on the screen.
"A small model can be made of paper with a spring like metal shaft that, after having been twisted, causes the screw to spin up into the air." Damon demonstrates with a little model he constructed at home. "Before we move onto another, any questions?"
When no one raises their hands, Damon dismisses the class. Hamilton spends most of the day in his office while Damon finishes his next class. When the day is done, they go home but Ham cannot quit talking about Leonardo Da Vinci and his flying machine. "You can keep that book if you want."
"I do want it, thanks dad."
As soon as Damon pulls the car in the driveway, the boy jumps out, book under his arm and runs into the house. By the time Damon gets inside, he can't help but smile when he sees how enthusiastic his son is about his day.
With Hamilton between them, Damon and Elena step onto the red carpet at the London Premiere of the movie. Damon notices it's really no different than it is in the States, except for the plethora of British accents. Microphones are being shoved in their faces, cameras are flashing, momentarily blind him. Although he's accepted that this is part of their life, he finds himself hating it for the first time since they reconciled. He knows the sour taste in his mouth has everything to do with their son. He doesn't want this life for him but he doesn't want to do anything to discourage his dreams either.
"Smile Damon, you look like someone peed in your Wheaties," Enzo teases, pulling him aside to have a word with him.
"Not now, Enzo. I'm not in the mood."
"Well you better get in the mood, I don't want Elena to see that look on your face. If she does, she'll worry and the press will pick up on it immediately."
"Fine, Enzo," he smiles widely to placate his one time nemesis.
"Much better," he winks, extending his arm for Damon to lead them to where Elena and Ham are posing for pictures with her male co-star. He feels a burn of jealousy begin to lick at his insides when he wraps his arm around Elena's waist and pulls her in close, dropping a kiss to her cheek. It's obvious to him that she's uncomfortable with it too. Taking two long strides, he moves into stand beside her, eyeing Grant with a disgruntled look.
When the photographers are done, the Salvatore family goes into the theatre to take their seats. Although the movie is enjoyable and he's proud of his family, Damon steps out to use the bathroom when a love scene comes on screen. Afterwards, they're obligated to attend the party but due to the late hour and jet lag, Hamilton can hardly keep his eyes open. Damon leaves Elena with Enzo and goes back to their hotel room.
Both of her men are sleeping soundly when she returns. Dead on her feet, Elena slips out of her gown and crawls into bed with Damon, snuggling in beside him, she closes her eyes, immediately falling asleep herself.
The next morning, Damon has room service delivered when she drags herself out of bed. "Good morning."
"Is it?" he asks, pouring her a cup of coffee.
"Why would you say that?"
"I don't want this life for him Elena. When I took him to school with me, I tried to distract him with art and history, to lead him away from this. You can't want this either," he tells her, reaching for a bagel and the cream cheese.
"Damon, it's his life, ultimately it'll be his decision to make. If he wants to be an actor, I think we should encourage him, if it's a mechanic then we should encourage that too. Why are you so hell bent on deciding for him?"
"Elena, he's eight years old, he has no business walking the red carpet."
"There are other child actors, Damon."
"Yeah and look how they turned out," he snaps, thinking of so many of them having gotten involved with drugs and alcohol, too many of them dead from their abuses.
"That's not fair, you know I don't want that for him."
"You don't want the aftermath you mean..."
"Morning," Hamilton interrupts, sitting down at the table too.
"Hey buddy, did you sleep good?" Damon asks, pouring a glass for orange juice for him.
"Ah ha," he mumbles, taking a big swallow of it. "Where do we go next mom?"
"Do you want to go to Paris with me too?"
He bobs his head up and down while sticking a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. Looking at her husband, Elena raises a triumphant looking eyebrow. Damon fists his hands, flies out of his chair, grabs his fedora and leaves theit hotel room, leaving a shocked Elena and Hamilton behind.
An hour later, Damon returns to help Elena pack so they can get to Heathrow in time for their flight back to Los Angeles. Although he's still agitated about this acting thing, he does apologize for running off and kisses Elena on the forehead. When everything is ready, she calls for an attendant to gather their luggage, they follow him downstairs. Damon tips him after he loads everything into the taxi.
The flight home is almost twelve hours, all three are exhausted by the time the cab pulls up in front of their Malibu home. The man carries their luggage into the foyer while Damon lifts a sleeping Hamilton in his arms and walks to the house. Elena tips the driver, locking the door when he leaves.
Elena pulls down his bedding while Damon prods Ham to brush his teeth and put on his pajamas. His eyes are barely open when he crawls into bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. Damon flips off the light switch and pulls his door shut.
Barely awake themselves, Damon strips down to his boxers, Elena into sleep shorts and tee shirt, they both fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
Hamilton is rubbing his eyes when he walks into the kitchen the next morning for breakfast. Damon made his mom's favorite peach pancakes. Now into her second trimester, Elena's morning sickness is gone and after receiving a plate from her husband, she thanks him and digs in, smiling when Hamilton does too.
Damon pours himself a cup of coffee and then sits down to eat too. Eyeing Elena's gobbling down her food, he winks at her when she looks up to wipe off her powdered sugar mustache. Turning to Hamilton, he takes a long pull from his cup and then sets it down. "You really want to go to Paris?"
"Yeah," he nods, spearing another pancake. "You gonna come too, dad?"
Damon eyes Elena for a moment and then stands up to refill his cup. "I suppose we could go to the Louvre while we're there?" he mentions, sitting down again.
"That's a great idea, sweetheart. Don't you think so too, Ham?"
"What's there?"
"It's a world famous art museum. They have some da Vinci paintings, several of them actually."
The boy perks up, "Do they have any of those pictures he drew?"
"That I don't actually know, Hamilton. I've been to the Louvre before but it's so massive, I wasn't able to see everything."
"Can we go?"
"I think we can go spend an extra day or two in Paris and do a little sightseeing. What do you say, mom?"
"I say yes. I'll give Enzo a call." She stands up to put her dishes in the sink.
"Before you go, this is his last Premiere for this movie, at least for awhile."
Frowning slightly, she fights the urge to roll her eyes. This is getting ridiculous. Rather than starting another spat, Elena leans over, presses a kiss first to Hamilton's head and then to Damon's before walking out the kitchen door to take care of a her phone calls.
Holding her husband's hand firmly, Elena follows along as they make their way through the Louvre, pausing frequently to admire the works of history's greatest artists. Vermeer, Rubens, Raphael, and Leonardo. There are sculptures, jewelry and many other works.
Elena is fascinated with an earring and necklace set that Napoleon presented to Marie-Louise on the occasion of their wedding. The necklace consists of oval and lozenge-shaped emeralds surround by diamonds. Each earring consists of a large pear-shaped emerald, embellished with brilliants and two smaller emeralds.
Hamilton looks rather bored so they move forward to look at the works of da Vinci, the Mona Lisa among them. He looks at the different paintings with a disgruntled look on his face, one that doesn't escape his father's watchful eye.
"You're not impressed?" Damon asks, looking over his shoulder to where Elena is carefully considering da Vinci's "The Virgin and Child with St. Anne."
"I'm tired, can we go back to the motel now?"
"Hamilton, we came all this way to bring you here."
"I suppose," he mumbles dragging his feet to look at another painting.
Elena, seeing her husband's consternation walks over to him and takes his hand. "What's with him?"
"I don't know, I thought he wanted to come here."
"So did I. Let's go ask him."
Nodding he links their hands again and walks over to their son. "What's the matter Ham?"
"I wanted to see airplanes and drawings... but all they got is paintings of funny looking people and naked ones... blech," he adds, sticking out his tongue in obvious disgust. "Can we go now?"
"Art was different centuries ago, son. When you're an art history professor, you'll have to know all this."
"And when you're an actor, sometimes we play roles that are set during the Renaissance Period."
Damon and Elena share a look when he turns up his nose. "I don't want to be either of those things. Yuck," he says, looking at his mom and dad like they have two heads.
"But I thought..." Damon stutters but is interrupted by Elena. "What do you want to be then?"
"I'm going to fly airplanes. Aunt Bonnie showed me around and the plane's captain showed me all the buttons and stuff. That's what I wanna do."
Elena breaks out in raucous laughter. What a pair of idiots! They are fighting over something that isn't their decision to make. He'll probably change his mind a dozen times yet.
Having gotten over the initial shock, Damon nearly doubles over. Unable to contain himself, he ruffles his son's hair. Shaking his head, he winks at a still giggling Elena. Will he ever learn his lesson?
When a security guard approaches, scolding them elegantly in French, they grab their son's hand and depart the building. As soon as they're outside, Damon throws Ham over his shoulder and tells him all about the Air and Space Museum located at the Smithsonian. With the boy in his arms and a promise to make a trip to DC, Damon drops a kiss to Elena's cheek as they wait for a taxi to take them back to their hotel.
"I'm hungry," Hamilton announces.
"I am too. Let's get something to eat and then we'll go back to the hotel," Damon adds, winking at Elena, wordlessly promising later...
Having fallen asleep after a heavy round of love making, Elena rolls over in the bed. Hovering somewhere between sleep and consciousness... not quite awake but not fully immersed in slumber either.. she reaches for Damon. When her hand lands softly on his empty pillow, she opens her eyes and it takes a few seconds for them to adjust to the darkness. Glancing at the clock, she notices it's only a little after two.
Sitting up, she looks around and seeing there's no light shining under the bathroom door, she knows he's not in there. Slowly she lifts herself out of their bed and pads out of the room to find him.
Slipping around the corner of their massive suite, she stops and smiles when she finds him leaning against the frame of Hamilton's bedroom door. Wearing only his pajama bottoms and his hair still messy from sleep, Damon looks very sexy as he stands, a silent sentinel, watching their boy sleep.
Damon is so engrossed that he doesn't notice her. Elena seizes the opportunity to marvel at the man she married. She likes to watch him when he doesn't know she's doing it. She especially loves to watch him with Hamilton. Twelve years of marriage, one child and another one on the way have somewhat tamed her stalwart husband.
Elena continues to look at the man and cannot help but marvel at their good fortune. Some how life brought them to each other, weaving them together, a tapestry spun with both love and heartache. Still, she wouldn't change a thing.
Sensing her, Damon finally takes his eyes off of their boy. He turns to her and smiles as she closes the distance between them and slips into his embrace. "I love you," she whispers. Pressing her body against his, she can feel his heart thundering against her chest and knows he feels hers doing the same.
Damon smiles, cups Elena's face and sweeps the apple of her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He puts his fingers under her chin and turns her face up to look at his, gently touching his lips to hers. Against Elena's mouth, he whispers back, "I love you too."
She snuggles more firmly against his chest and turns to look into their son's room. His sweet face is peaceful and serene, his breaths coming out in a slow, even rhythm. Ever so quietly, Damon pulls the door closed and takes her mouth in a torrid kiss.
Breaking her lips away so they can catch their breath, Elena smiles and whispers, "Did you ever think you'd be this happy? In your wildest dreams, even before things went bad, did you ever imagine this?"
Reaching down, he brushes a lock of hair away from her beautiful face. "No, I never wanted any of it until a certain pushy brunette stormed her way into my life. I was never the same after that."
"Me either," she admits, leaning up to kiss him fiercely once again. She kisses him the way she kissed him the first time... one full of wonder and the promise of everything yet to come. When they break apart, she smiles at him in the darkness, the one she saves for him alone, takes his hand and leads him back to their bedroom...
Hanka is Eva's childhood friend.
Hope you all enjoyed this peek into the lives of the 'November Rain' Elena and Damon again.
Thanks to all of you. Sometimes it's hard to find words to truly express how much your support means to both of us. You're all truly wonderful people.
Thank you Eva. Love you.
Synopsis Quote courtesy of Nicholas Sparks.
Story title from the 'Asia' song of the same name.
We hope you all have a safe and wonderful day. Watch for our Halloween story to post tomorrow.