I do not own anything you recognize that is all the fantabulous Kelley Armstrong! Enjoy 3
She heard crying and immediately got up thinking it was the twins but once she was more awake realized the crying was coming from her room. She turned to look at Clay when she realized he was not in bed beside her. She instantly panicked.
She looked around the room and saw no one so she walked towards the closed bathroom where the crying was coming from. She sniffed at the door and smelt Clay, panicking even more.
Never in ALL her years of knowing Clay has she EVER heard him cry. Still not totally believing what all her scenes were telling her she open the door and saw him crouched into a little ball on the floor with tears streaming down his face.
He looked up when she came in and looked so ashamed of himself. Whether it was from the crying or something else she didn't know. She ran to Clay and wrapped her arms around him frantically asking, "What's wrong? Are the twins ok? Is Jeremy ok? Why are you crying?"
He looked up and said, "Everyone is all right and safe go back to sleep I'm fine".
"You certainly are NOT fine and I am definitely NOT going back to bed while you are here," whisper yelling so she didn't wake anyone up.
"Elena please go back to bed. I'm ok and you do not need to worry about me."
He was begging her to leave so she knew it was really bad.
"Please Clay you're scaring me. I love you and I trust you more than I trust myself why can't you tell me what is wrong?"
She could see her words were wearing him down and he was going to give in.
"Ok lets go sit in bed," he said.
He led her over to the bed, they got under the covers and he started stroking her hair. She put her arms around his hard waist and her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his free arm around he so that if anyone glanced at them they would see one body.
"You know I love you more than anything right?" he asked.
"Of course I do! I am more sure about that than I am of my own name!"
"Good." It was quiet for a while until he asked, "and you're happy with your life right?"
"Yes I am the luckiest woman in the world. I have a husband that I love more than anything in the world and I know he loves me the same and two wonderful children who brighten everyday and keep me smiling. On top of that I have a huge extended family that make sure there is never a dull moment. I would be crazy if I was not happy."
It was quite again for a while and Elena was waiting for Clay to tell her why he was upset.
"Do you know what today is?" he asked.
"Friday, or I guess Saturday now" she replied as it was early in the morning.
"No today is the day that I brought you home for the first time. Today is the anniversary that marks the day I bit you."
Elena was shocked. She could not believe he remembered that! She had never taken notice of this so-called anniversary and she couldn't believe Clay was crying about it. Before she could reply he continued.
"I don't know if you have noticed but usually on this day I ask Jeremy to put me of a mission or Nick and I go out to a bar for a guys night and I drink my way through the night. I have never spent this night with you, not since I turned you. Nick was busy to night, he offered to cancel but I though I would be able to get through the night after all these years. I guess I couldn't."
They were silent for a long time. Elena was letting all this information sink in. She had no idea this day had caused him so much depression over the years. She thought he would be happy that this was the day she became like him. She knew she was happy about the events that took place on this day many years ago. She just had to convince Clay of that.
"Why are you crying about this? Are you upset that I am a werewolf?"
"NO! Of course I'm not upset that you're a werewolf!" he responded.
"Then I don't get it. Why are you crying?"
"I'm upset that I turned you without your permission.
I'm upset that you had to go through years hating what you had become, hating me, and Nick and everyone because I bit you.
I'm upset that I was so selfish that I thought I could bite you and have you for myself without even considering how you feel.
I'm upset because I didn't tell you the truth before I bit you and you went through years of hell in the cage in the basement, you will always have to go through the pain of the change, and will always be endanger because you are a female werewolf.
I'm upset I ruined your life."
Elena had never been more shocked in her life; not even when she found out she was a werewolf.
"Why haven't you even told me how you feel about this? I could have helped you. You have to know that I feel the complete opposite about this. You didn't ruin my life you gave me one. Before I met you I had no one. You know that. I had no family and a stocker following me. Yes, at first I was mad and there was pain but nothing good ever comes without pain. I would have gone through that a million times over to be where I am right now, and I have no one else to thank but you. You are crying over the best day in my life. That's a horrible way to celebrate your mates favourite day."
Clay tried to give a smile at her weak attempt at a joke but her words truly did help him. He had stopped crying and now just pulled her into his lap cradling her like a baby. He stoked her hair breathing in her scent; nothing calmed him like her scent and touch did.
They stayed that way for a while until Elena starting placing kisses along his neck; slow kisses full a nothing but endless love for her mate. Then she slide her hands into his blonde locks moving her kisses underneath his jaw slowly trailing to his ear; building in passion along the way but not losing the love. He moaned into her neck so she slid her leg around him so she was straddling him on the bed. He pulled her lips to his for a long slow kiss.
After what could have been minutes or hours, to two broke apart panting. Without hesitation Clay picked her up and flipped them over so he was on top. He laid her down and brought their lips back together again. He caressed her face and she stroked his cheeks with love so strong it was blinding.
After a while they stopped and just looked into each other's eyes and Elena whispered, "this is worth all the pain, our family is worth all the pain, and you're worth all of the pain. Here with you right now I don't even remember what pain is".
The night wasn't about lust or want it was about love and trust. Clay had shown Elena a side of himself no one knew and Elena had shown there was nothing in the world that could make her love him less, if anything this night made her love him more.
They continued to kiss slanting their faces this way and that, trying to get closer. Elena had a hand in his locks and the other on his muscled shoulder practically trying to pull Clay into her so he would know once and for all how much he means to her and how thankful she is that he bitt her.
Clay had a hand in her hair working with Elena in pulling them closer, his other hand practically covering her whole back moulding their bodies together. Their legs were tangled and each brush of skin sent sparks between them. Elena moved to kiss along his muscular jaw line to his ear to whisper how much she loved him. He tilted his head up and she kissed along his neck and down his bare chest and back up again. She kissed his forehead, nose, eyes checks, chin, and finally his lips declaring her love over and over again each time. Their mouths met again and their tongues tangled, fighting for dominance. They kept on like that for a while never tiring or getting enough of one another.
Eventually they fell asleep and to an outsider they would only see one body.
{CECECECECECE}
Bright and early the next morning Elena got up and crept downstairs to make Clay a surprise breakfast. She made his favourite foods (which wasn't hard because no one in this house was a picky eater) bacon, pancakes, blueberry muffins, fruit, eggs, ham, sausages, and juice.
No long after the table was set and the food was being put out everyone come down stairs. Nothing can fool the nose of a werewolf. Jeremy was the first one down and he gave her a questioning look about the large breakfast, she shrugged it off and continued bring the food out. He continued to stare until she looked up at him and a look of understanding crossed between them. Jeremy knew what this day meant.
The rest slowly came down stairs and Tonio boomed, "Well what are we celebrating for? Not that I'm complaining about the food Elena."
"Well today is my birthday."
Everyone gave her a funny look until Tonio said, "Elena you and Clay must have been going at it pretty hard for you to forget your own birthday. Today is not your birthday." Ignoring the jest she replied, "actually it is I've decided that I get two birthdays."
"Well then I get four," said Nick!
"No you don't get four I have a reason for the increase in my birthdays."
At this point everyone except the twins were seated at the table, "well I'd love to hear this," Nick mumbled. "Well, a birthday celebrates the day you were born correct?" The group nodded the affirmative so she continued, "well on this day nineteen years ago I was turned into a werewolf," Clay stiffened at this so Elena put her hand on his knee under the table. "Technically is was the day I was born as a werewolf and I think it should be celebrated," she said, stating the last part directly to Clay.
Nick gave her a similar look that Jeremy had given her because he also knew which day it was and how hard Clay took this day.
The kids running down the stairs into the dining room broke the tension in the room.
"Yummy I smell pancake!" yelled Kate.
"I smell ham, and bacon, and blueberries" mumbled Logan.
Kate came racing into the room and took the seat beside Elena.
"I want a piece of everything!"
"Ok let me make you a plate Kate." Elena said, grabbing a piece of everything for her daughter.
Logan was not much of a morning person and he barely made it to the table without falling back asleep. Clay picked him up and placed him on his knee, his head falling back onto Clay's shoulder and his eyes closing. Kate dug into her food and Elena made a plate for herself, Clay and Logan for when he woke up. Clay squeezed Elena's hand under the table and they shared a meaningful look.
Pretty soon Logan's stomach rumbled and he lazily dug into his breakfast, becoming more awake with each bite. Nick, Tonio and Jeremy finished early and claimed they had something to do so they took their dishes to the kitchen leaving the family of four alone for the rest of breakfast. Logan and Kate chatted throughout breakfast while Elena and Clay gazed fondly at their family having no need for words.
After the kids were done eating Kate moved onto Elena's knee so she could talk to her brother better.
"I think this is the start to a perfect day, wouldn't you agreed?" Elena said after a moment of silence.
The kids agreed and Logan said, " a perfect day for a perfect family."
"You're right Logan, this is the perfect family and we all have daddy to thank for this."
Both kids threw their arms around their daddy's neck and he hugged him tightly. Clay looked over Kate's head to meet Elena's eyes and held out an arm for her as well. She joined in on the hug and both the kids threw an arm around her as well. Elena leaned into Clay and whispered in his ear,
"Thank you. Thank you for giving me perfection."