Happy Valentine's Day.

Nervous and jumpy, Damon looks around to make sure the coast is clear. When he assures himself that no one is around, he darts outside, not stopping till he's on the other side of the building. Feeling like he's choking, he loosens his necktie. His heart is practically beating out of his chest so he drops down, planting his ass on the rim of the fountain. Hearing footsteps, he looks up, sighing with relief when he sees that it's Stefan.

"You look like you could use a sip," he laughs, pulling his flask out of inner suit pocket. He takes a sip and then hands it to Damon who nods and takes a long pull. As much as he'd like to drink many more, he knows that Elena will have him in the doghouse for the foreseeable future if he ruins this day.

"What's goi...?" Stefan starts to say when they're suddenly interrupted by irate looking Elena.

"Damon, what are you doing out here?" She starts to say, glowering at him when she sees the flask in his hand.

He raises his hands in surrender than hands it back to Stefan. "Don't get your panties in a twist, I only took a sip." He doesn't miss the way she fists her hands as she takes a deep breath.

"You have to come inside, it's almost time."

"I never wanted this day to come, Elena," he looks terrified as he utters those words. Understanding dawns on both his wife and brother. She sighs and closes the distance between them, takes his hand, urging him to his feet. When he's standing, she steps on her tiptoes and gives him a quick peck on the lips.

"Let's go inside." He nods and pulls her into his arms, holding on for dear life. He presses a kiss to the top of her head and when they part, she links her hand with his and leads him back inside. Damon hears his brother chuckling behind them so he raises his free hand to give him the middle finger which only makes Stefan laugh harder. Stepping inside the church, Elena leads him to the bride's room.

Damon swallows the huge lump in his throat, staring at his wife while rapping on the door. Within seconds it opens, his mouth drops when he sees how beautiful his daughter is in her wedding gown. Her long hair is in soft curls, her makeup is natural, enhancing her beauty. She's wearing the diamond solitaire necklace that they gave her for her sixteenth birthday. Her nails are blush pink color. "Daddy, where have you been?"

"Your dad had a little bit of a panic attack," he admits, his eyes darting from hers to Elena's and back, adding, "I'm not ready for you to leave the nest."

"Daddy?"

"I know, sweetie, Lane is a great guy." Mellie bobs her head and then throws her arms around his neck. Damon wraps his own around her, trying to be extra careful so as not to mess up her hair or anything else. Just as they part, the organ starts to play, the echo of Mendelssohn's tune filling the church. "It's time."

Elena reaches for a tissue and very carefully dabs her eyes. They walk out of the room and when they reach the vestibule, Elena and Damon take their places on either side of her and begin their march down the aisle. When they reach the pulpit, Elena kisses her daughter and she turns to face her father. Damon sucks in a breath, his heart is stammering against his chest when the minister asks, who gives this woman... Damon opens his mouth but no sound escapes.

"Daddy?"

"Daddy!"

Damon lurches upright, his chest heaving as he struggles to get a much needed breath of air. Goosebumps erupts, he breaks out in a cold sweat. Dazed he looks around the room, his eyes popping wide when he sees the sixteen year old object of his nightmare.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? Mom told me to wake you for breakfast." She looks at her father curiously.

Although still trying to get his heart to slow down, he raises his eyes to hers. "Yeah, I'm okay." He's about to throw the covers back when he remembers he's naked underneath. "Um, would you mind, I need to get in the shower?"

"Ewww, dad," she shudders, contorting her face before walking out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

By the time he gets downstairs, their four kids are already seated at the table. Damon walks over to the stove to give Elena a morning kiss. "Good morning sweetheart."

"Good morning," she smiles. "Have a seat, I'll join you all after I finish this last batch of pancakes. Nodding, he reaches into the cupboard to pull out a mug. After filling it, he takes his seat, Zach is seated to his right and Mellie to his left. Just as he lifts the cup to his mouth, Elena slides a plate in front of him and then takes her place at the other end of the table. He happens to notice Mellie texting on her cellphone.

"Mellie, put is away, we're eating."

"It's just Beth and Ash."

"I don't care, you know the rules."

"Fine," she mutters and sets her phone aside then picks up her fork and stuffs a hunk of pancakes in her mouth. Damon rolls his eyes and digs in himself. Although there are still minor details about his past, things from before his accident that he doesn't quite remember, he does know that Elena has always known how to make pancakes. When Stefan told him how he climbed a tree and walked out on a branch, thinking it was a road, his jaw dropped visibly. That was the incident that led to his hospitalization because he couldn't be trusted to be left alone. Sometimes he wonders if there are things about his wife that he has no recollection of. She's never mentioned anything, whether that's to protect him or not, he doesn't know. When she looks up to see his stare, she blushes slightly, a rosy glow enhanced by her beaming smile.

"Mom," Mellie says, waving her hand in front of Elena's face.

"Wha.. what?"

"You and daddy should get a room."

"Mellie!?" Damon says, trying to keep his amusement from being seen.

"I have to help decorate the gym for the Valentine's dance at school. Beth is going to pick me up."

"You know the rules, be home by midnight."

"Mom, I'm going to stay overnight at Ashley's house."

"Daddy," Emma asks, will you give us a ride to school? I don't want to take the bus."

"Yeah, it's boring," Lily agrees, ducking when Zach throws a wadded dirty napkin at her.

"You're going to regret that," she says, scowling at him.

"Alright, enough," Elena interrupts, then starts to clean off the table, the triplets run to get their backpacks. When a horn sounds, Mellie grabs her coat and messenger bag, kisses her mother then darts out of the door. Looking out the window, Damon watches her climb into Beth's car.

"It's starting already," Damon utters absentmindedly.

"What?"

"I had a nightmare, it was her wedding. I'm not ready for that, I don't know if I ever will be."

"She's growing up, Damon."

"Don't remind me," he starts to say, finishing off what's left in his mug before dropping it in the sink. Just as he pulls his wife into his arms to kiss her goodbye, the other three kids run into the kitchen.

"Daddy, we have to go."

He steps out, slips on his coat, grabs his things and then opens the door, gesturing for them to go outside. Damon blows Elena a kiss and then follows them outside, waving to her before he disappears into the garage.

Reaching for some pink, red and white tinsel, Mellie starts to hand it on the Valentine tree. The decorating committee decided to try something fresh and new so instead of a Christmas tree, they're adorning the pine trees with colors that commemorate the day set aside for lovers. When she looks around, she sees Walker Bradley staring at her. She turns away, smiling to herself. He's cute but not firing on all cylinders. Although he was teasing, he said they should recreate the St. Valentine's day massacre.***

They studied it in history class, she remembers their teacher showing them pictures of the bodies, she was glad they were in black and white otherwise they really would have made her puke. She starts to put tinsel on the tree and when she reaches for another handful, she sees him talking to Janice Marx, the school vamp but he happens to look up. When their eyes meet he winks at her before turning his attention back to the other girl. This time when she turns her back to him, she rolls hers and then walks over to the table to pick up some ornaments, shades appropriate for the day.

"Walker's watching you," Ashley teases, handing Mellie a bottle of Diet Coke.

"So, I think he's more interested in Janice." Ashley starts to giggle when she makes a face. "Let's get this done so we can go to your house."

Ash nod and starts to hang ornaments with her. Once they have one tree done, they start on the second one. Beth joins them after having a hot make out session with her boyfriend in the janitor's closet. She happens to notice Walker too, he's helping string some streamers but he looks up from time to time at Mellie who's doing a good job of ignoring him.

"He likes you," Beth adds, picking up the soda bottle, she takes a long swallow. When they finish up, the girls put their coats on and leave the gym. Mellie is about to climb into the back seat when she hears her name. She looks around, surprised to see Walker running towards her.

"Mellie," he pants, out of breath.

"Did you want something?" She looks at him curiously.

"Um, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She looks at her friends, both bobbing their heads up and down, Beth gesturing for her to go with him. It's cold so she draws her coat closer and walks beside him for a short distance. "What do you want, Walker?"

"I... I wanted to ask you to go to the dance with me," he blurts out, he's jockeying back and forth with his feet, shifting his weight from one to the other.

"You want me to go with you?"

"Yeah, Mellie, I do."

She feels her face heating up, she looks at Beth's car, she's certain both of them are peering at them but she can't see them in the darkness. Suddenly hot, whether it's his proximity or the fact that she's certain she's as red as a tomato, she looks up, meeting his gaze, a smile forming on her face when she says, "Yes."

"You look beautiful sweetheart," Elena offers as she finishes weaving the candy striped ribbons through Mellie's messy braid. She's a picture in her pigeon's blood red, a line silhouette dress with off the shoulder neckline. It's a soft tulle fabric, longer in the back with a lace up design closure. To complement the dress, she has a pair of red flats with glittery toe part with a ribbon and roses adornments.

"I love this dress, thanks mom."

"You're welcome, I wore that dress when I went to homecoming with Kol and Rebekah. Your grandma did such a great job, it looks like new again."

"Was daddy in the hospital then? Is that why he didn't take you?"

"Yes, that's why. But I had a great time with my friends while you stayed home with Uncle Zach and Aunt Jenna."

"Daddy is going to pop a vessel when he finds out."

"No he won't. He should be home any minute, he texted me this morning when he was leaving to come home from his conference."

"What's that for anyway?"

"You know, sweetie, the park rangers get together every year to go over the new regulations and that type of boring thing before the big summer season."

"That does sound boring."

Before Elena can utter another word, they hear the front door close, together they go downstairs, finding Damon with flowers in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other.

"Damon, you shouldn't have."

"Of course, I should have, you're my sweetheart," he says, smiling ear to ear as he wraps his arms around her, hands still full and kisses her fiercely enough to melt turn coal into diamonds. When they part she takes them from, it's only then that he notices his daughter and that Mellie is dressed to the nines.

"Where are you going?"

"The Valentine's dance at school, dad."

"Is Beth or Ashley picking you up?"

"Um... uh..."

"Damon, Mellie has a date with Walker Bradley."

"What?"

"I have a date daddy."

"Oh no you don't! You're only sixteen, that's way, way too young," he protests, his eyes darting to Elena for backup.

"Damon," she starts to say, her words interrupted by the sound of their doorbell. Shaking his head back and forth, Damon walks over to the door, pulling it open, coming face to face with Walker.

"Mr. Salvatore, I'm here for Mellie." He holds her corsage up, indicating he didn't come empty handed. Inherently knowing he'll be in the dog house if he embarrasses Mellie, he steps aside and gestures for him to come in. He watches as the kid's eyes widen to the size of saucers when he sees how beautiful his little girl is.

"Hi Mellie, Mrs. Salvatore."

"Hello Walker. How are your mom and dad?"

"Um, they're out in the car, dad's taking mom out so they're going to drop us off and pick us up."

"Tell them hello for us."

"I will." His eyes drift back to Mellie, "I brought you this."

He moves to stand by her and then hands her the flower. It's a wrist corsage with fiery orchids, spray rosebuds, baby's breath and a beaded wire.

"It's beautiful," she breathes, opening the plastic container. With a smile on his face, he takes it from her and slides it on her arm. Elena huddles them together to take pictures, almost squealing at how good they look together.

"Did Jenna pick them up?" Anticipating a romantic evening with his wife, Damon made arrangements for all four kids to stay with Zach and Jenna but it seems Mellie had a few ideas of her own.

"Yes, they left around two, we have to pick them up tomorrow afternoon."

When the sudden blare of a car horn interrupts their small talk, Mellie pulls her jacket out of the closet to put it on but Walker holds it, allowing her slip her arms in. After kissing her mom and dad goodbye, Mellie and Walker go outside, she hesitates for moment, turns around and waves at them before sliding into the backseat with her date. Elena pushes the door closed and then smiles at Damon who's already pacing back and forth. She laughs which makes him stop in his tracks.

"You're expending all that energy pacing back and forth, wouldn't you rather expend it on me?" She starts unbuttoning her blouse, revealing the tops of her breasts in her flimsy bra. With a wink, she pulls it over her head, tosses it at him and then runs up the stairs. Damon picks it up, licks his lips and runs after his wife, stripping off his own clothes as he bounds the stairs two at a time.

He's going to make this their most romantic Valentine's Day ever.

***St Valentine's Day Massacre: Chicago's gang war reached its bloody climax in the so-called St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929. One of Capone's longtime enemies, the Irish gangster George "Bugs" Moran, ran his bootlegging operations out of a garage on the North Side of Chicago. On February 14, seven members of Moran's operation were gunned down while standing lined up, facing the wall of the garage. Some 70 rounds of ammunition were fired. When police officers from Chicago's 36th District arrived, they found one gang member, Frank Gusenberg, barely alive. In the few minutes before he died, they pressed him to reveal what had happened, but Gusenberg wouldn't talk.

Police could find only a few eyewitnesses, but eventually concluded that gunmen dressed as police officers had entered the garage and pretended to be arresting the men. Though Moran and others immediately blamed the massacre on Capone's gang, the famous gangster himself claimed to have been at his home in Florida at the time. No one was ever brought to trial for the murders.

Watch for the companion piece, "Perfect" to post later today.

This Damon and Elena and the one from 'Tomorrow' are my favorites although I love all the ones we've created. 'Tomorrow' set in WW2 isn't sequel material. But Eva and I have very much enjoyed returning to this family.

Thank you all for taking the time to read. Eva and I both appreciate your support so much. We wouldn't be here if not for all of you. I miss seeing them on our TV screens so this is the only avenue we have to keep them alive and vibrant.

I will update 'The Children's Blizzard' tomorrow and "November Rain" after that.

I hope you all have a safe and romantic day.