The Vampire Diaries- I'll stand by you

Summary: Written from Damon's point of view. His Elena was withering in pain and even though he lived 171 years, he never expected this…

I started my day as I normally do with some scotch and maybe some playful banter with my favourite human Elena.

"Good morning sunshine." I said with a smirk. "How are you two doing this morning?"

Elena looked up at with tired eyes. "Um…not so good." She admitted.

For a second I dropped my snark and looked at her seriously. "Are you okay?"

"Mmmm…yeah." She said softly as she rubbed her side.

She was in a lime green tank top and black track-pants; I followed the curves of her bump with my eyes.

It was times like this I wished I had x-ray vision so I could see what my brother's offspring was doing to my Elena.

She was mine.

She may be pregnant, but for some reason she was keeping the paternity a secret.

I know she was.

It had to be mine…I had the strangest feeling.

A few months ago

I sat in the waiting room with my hands linked together; Stefan was pacing back and forth. It was four in the morning and still dark, so luckily we were able to be out and about.

Half an hour ago I was in the pool room playing a rather enjoying game with Stefan when a piercing scream interrupted us.

"Elena." I said alarmed.

I raced up to her room faster than Stefan and threw open the door, she was sitting up in bed panting in pain.

"The baby…." She mumbled. "My God…it hurts!"

It broke my heart to see her like that, but I didn't have the time to reflect on my emotions, she was screaming in agony.

Stefan looked pale even though he was a vampire. I on the other hand remained calm. I had to.

"Come on." I said in my normal gruff tone. "We'll get you to the hospital."

I lifted her into my arms and raced out the door with Stefan in tow. I couldn't believe my brother; he was as numb as anything and was barely responding while Elena continued screeching.

I took control once I reached the front desk. "Doctor. Now." I growled at woman at the front counter.

"Can I just get you to fill out-"

I didn't let her finish I threw the papers out of her hand and leaned forward locking eyes with her.

"I'm gonna ask you again." I sat softly my patience disappearing. "And you are gonna listen. Get me a doctor, now. The paperwork is not important, do you understand me?"

"Yes, the paperwork is not important." She answered in monotone. I blinked and then looked down at Elena who was crying.

"Good." I said coldly.

The woman seemed to stay in a trance like state for a moment and then she paged a doctor.

I looked at Stefan in disgust. "We're wasting time waiting here." I grumbled.

My brother finally snapped out of his silence and spoke. "Just calm down, alright? This stress isn't good for the baby or Elena."

"Elena is in fucking pain right now, and you're telling me to relax?"

"Guys…" Elena mumbled softly. I flickered my eyes down to hers holding her gaze.

"I'm sorry…" She said softly. "I…"

"Don't you dare apologise, Elena." I said clipped. "God help me if Stefan's offspring is causing you pain I will gladly-"

"Damon." Stefan growled. "Just relax."

I closed my eyes for a moment trying hold in my anger; I wanted to snap someone's neck right now.

Fucking Stefan with his fucking child who's probably killing-

I stopped my train of thought.

Wait a minute…was the baby really his?

After Stefan and Elena broke up we shared a night, one that I sometimes regret because it fucked things up between us, but I would hold it close to my dead heart forever.

I cannot believe I didn't think of it before.

I imagined icy blue eyes and shock of dark tumbling hair…could it be?

Stefan knew we slept together and that's the reason why they weren't together, because she obviously had feelings for me, and for once he didn't want to get in the way of that.

Elena decided to stay friends with both of us even though the baby supposedly belonged to Stefan. She decided it was best to not complicate her life with dating, after all she was now carrying a vampire child, and I far as I knew we couldn't reproduce.

I guess I was wrong…

Shit.

I looked down at her one more time my icy baby blues searching her golden brown eyes. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and she scanned my eyes with fear.

She knows who the father is.

I'm sure of it.

The doctor came down and I reluctantly placed Elena on the wheelie bed provided.

"If he doesn't take care of her, I'll snap his neck." I whispered to Stefan.

Stefan just smirked. "Not if I do it first."

For once I turned to my brother with a genuine smile. "I'm sure you will." I said with my usual arrogance.

I downed my glass and then smiled at Elena innocently.

"Would you like some?" I purred.

Elena wrinkled her nose. "Yuck, Damon, you know I can't…"

"Can't blame me for trying to get you to relax." I let the words roll of my tongue. "And what's with the yuck? It eases the pain of my lonely existence."

"You're not lonely." She said suddenly hurt. "You have me and Stefan."

"Who else?" I said as I swirled the scotch in the glass. I looked up at her expectantly.

Elena's eyes seemed to sparkle. Lately they had been doing that a lot…she glowed from the inside and out radiating light.

She looked so…beautiful.

"Well, the baby." She said with a grin. "It won't be long now and..." She sighed. "I'll be a mum."

"I'll drink to that." I said with no excitement. "A blood sucking demon."

"Damon!" Elena cried as she tried to hit me, I grabbed her hand before it could touch me.

"Don't." I warned in a deep menacing tone. "If you hit me Elena, then you will break your hand, and then you won't have be able to use it in the delivery room to squeeze my hand."

"Who says it's your hand I'll be squeezing." She said her face tensing as I tightened my grip on her hand. "Let me go, Damon."

Because it's my child.

I wanted to say that, but instead I said: "Who else would it be?" I couldn't keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"Stefan." She said like it was the most obvious answer. "He'll be there."

I scoffed and then swallowed some more scotch. "Yeah, because my brother can totally handle the blood, you're kidding yourself, Elena."

I let go of her hand and she growled. "This is coming from you- a vampire that drinks human blood while Stefan drinks animal blood."

"I can control myself." I grated now losing my patience. "I drink it enough to be able to resist it. Stefan on the other hand doesn't even drink it enough, so he would be more tempted."

"What makes you so sure?" Elena answered back icily.

I couldn't help but enjoy this argument. I was going to win as always.

"Because he's my brother, I've known him all my life, Elena. Now, don't you wanna go and eat something or are you just going to stare at me like that."

I swear her eyes darkened. She sighed angrily. "Fine, tell Stefan I'm going to The Grill."

I grabbed her hand for the second time with an iron grip. "Oh, no you're not." I said quickly.

"And why the hell not?"

She was pouting and stamping her foot like a child.

Damn her. She could be so stubborn.

"You're not going out." I growled searching her eyes. "The doctor said you're on bed rest. You're due any day now."

"Damon, let go of me." She whined. I held her tighter.

I knew I had to lose my patience or she would never understand.

Truthfully, I didn't like scaring her.

"Listen to me." I said very slowly but my voice was laced with anger. "If you don't get you ass back up stairs, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you myself."

I remembered when I had said those words to Elena and she had told me no. I knew she was going to try it again.

"No." She said sternly.

She wasn't going to back down, so I did something I knew I would regret. My eyes flashed in anger and my fangs came out.

"Get up the stairs now!" I was in her face and I was hoping I didn't have to threaten to bite her just to get her ass upstairs.

A tear fell down Elena's cheek as she gazed at me fearfully, but she didn't move.

"Damon, put those away, just let me eat something." She said wearily.

I sighed annoyed and retracted my fangs. "I'll cook you something."

"I don't want anything." She whined. My eyes flashed in anger.

"But you just said-"

"Damon, I wanna go out and have a change of scenery, is that so much to ask?"

I wasn't going to back down. "There are more than twenty rooms in this manor, Elena." I pointed out my voice raising. "Just go and explore or something."

God, she was doing my head in.

"Come on, Damon, please." She pouted.

I won't give in. I told myself. "Absolutely not, Elena."

"Damon, don't be like-"

She seemed to freeze for a moment and then her hand instantly went to her stomach and she hunched over. At first I thought she was going to be sick but then she started panting in pain.

"Uh!" Her grip tightened on her stomach. "Damon." She said breathlessly.

Ice and fire seemed to flow through my veins as her panting continued.

I couldn't let her know I was worried so I decided to be arrogant.

"Elena, don't think for a second that, that will fool me." I said with a smirk. "You can't fool a vampire."

I turned away from her and counted down the seconds in my head. I waited for her to say something.

"Damon!" She screamed in pain as her whole body seemed to buckle under her weight.

Shit. She wasn't kidding. I raced to her side just as she fell in my arms.

"Elena?" I said concerned. "Are you alright? Is the baby-"

I stopped talking once Elena moaned again and then I felt something warm and wet on my jeans.

Oh no.

No, no, no, no, no.

"Elena." I said trying to keep my voice in check but I was angry now, angry as hell.

"Damon." She said hoarsely. "I…I think…I think my water just broke."

Fuck.

Jesus Christ.

Any other curse word I could think of came to mind. It wasn't that I was angry that she leaked on me, I was angry because I could smell the blood on my jeans.

And it smelt sweet.

I tried to keep my fangs in my mouth. This was one of those times I hated being a vampire.

I was speechless, but I wasn't going to let her know that.

I continued holding her gaze for a moment and tried to think of something, anything.

"C'mon." I said calmly as I tried not to let my fears get the best of me. If I had a beating heart, it would be thrashing in my chest frantically right now.

"I'll take you to the hospital."

She was in my arms and sitting on my knee as I crouched on the marble tiles. She shook her head, her tears falling fast.

"No, Damon." She said her voice breaking. "I…" She sniffled. "I…don't wanna go."

I felt like a freight train had hit me full on, and it took a lot to move me… My eyes ignited in rage.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I spat angrily. "There are no choices here, Elena!"

"Damon…just don't move…" She pleaded crying into my chest clad in my black t-shirt.

"What do you mean 'don't move?" I demanded. "I have to get you the fuck out of here, now."

"Damon…" Her voice wobbled. "I'm scared."

It felt like she had staked me right in the heart- Elena never ever said she was afraid. Even when she was cleaning blood off her front porch last year, she stayed composed.

This was bad. Very, very bad.

"Elena." I said softly, I tried so hard to keep my voice in check; I didn't want to keep snapping at her. She wasn't looking at me, I sighed exasperated.

"Hey, look at me." I said seriously.

Elena took her head away from my chest and looked up at me. I supported her waist with one arm and with my free hand I cupped her face and brushed her tears away with the pad of my thumb.

"You're gonna be okay." I said softly. "Just let me take you to the hospital."

Elena wanted to fight back, I know she did, she hated hospitals. I think most humans did.

She sighed heavily. "Okay…I just…I don't think I can get up." She forced a smile and a half laugh.

I knew she was trying to keep a brave face on things, she always tried her hardest to do that, but she didn't have to put on a façade for me, we'd been friends for so long now.

"C'mon." I said calmly. "I'll help you to your feet."

I put both my hands on her hips and pushed her upwards so she could stand for a moment and then I could stand up and support her. However, the minute I let go she started to fall; in seconds I was up on my feet and I caught her from behind.

"Gotcha."

"Mmmm…Damon…" She stirred. "I feel…I feel like I'm going to-"

I pushed her onto her feet and turned her around quickly so she was facing me, I looked at her earnestly, my voice gentle.

"Pass out?" I said. "Just hold onto me and I'll get you there as fast as I can."

"Okay…"

I nodded. "Okay." I agreed.

I brushed some hair out of her eyes already noticing it was soaked with her sweat. I tried to focus on her eyes more than anything else; I could still smell her blood on my jeans.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

I knew she was referring to the jeans, but if opened my mouth and answered her, I would breathe it in more.

"It's okay." I said gruffly and quickly. "Let's just get you outta here."

"Okay." She put her arms around my neck and I lifted her into my arms and I remembered something.

"Oh, I better grab my jacket." I said with a smirk.

Elena couldn't believe her ears, but she still smiled. "You and that damn jacket."

"Hey." I said as I put her down on the ground. "It's a nice jacket. Besides, I can wrap it around you to keep you warm."

"Sure…" She said breathlessly. I cocked my head to the side and studied her for a moment, and then I raced to the other side of the room.

I should have stayed.

"Damon!" Elena screamed. I put my leather jacket on in five seconds flat and appeared at her side. She was as pale as anything, but her cheeks were bright red. She was breathing harshly and dripping in sweat.

I couldn't believe it. I only left her for a second. Okay ten seconds.

"Damon." She cried.

My eyes were wide as I scanned her up and down. "What is it, Elena?" I was beginning to lose my patience.

It wasn't that I didn't care about her- I loved her, but I couldn't take any more screaming from her. It was painful to see and hear.

"I feel…" Her throat was incredibly dry and she was having troubling forcing the words out of her mouth.

"Strange…" She said breathlessly.

I couldn't help but grit my teeth in anger, that damn bloody smell was back again and it was stronger. I looked down between her legs for two seconds and could see that her track-pants were darker right there.

Fuck. More blood.

"Define strange." I said clipped. I crossed to her my eyes scanning hers.

"Uh…uh…" She grunted. "I feel like something's tearing me!"

I swallowed. Wow. I didn't expect that.

"What?" My voice was beginning to crack but it still was as clipped as before.

I had to keep myself in check, or I was gonna upset her.

I shook my head shaking the thought of her blood away. "Look. Childbirth is supposed to feel like that."

"No…I know…" She said weakly. "But I swear to you, Damon…I feel like-"

Don't say it! Please. Don't say it.

"…Like I need to push."

That was it, I felt like my neck had been snapped.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." I said shaking my head. "Elena Marie Gilbert, you are not pushing, do you understand me?"

"Damon…" She panted. "I can't stop this…I can't…"

"No, Elena, no!" It was like begging a child. I closed the distance between us and grabbed her face with both hands. I looked into her eyes and my gaze was steely.

"Listen to me, Elena." I said shortly. "We cannot do this here, do you understand me?"

"Damon-"

"Shhh." I placed a finger on her lip and gave her my usual smirk. "You don't wanna do this here, right?"

"No." She admitted her tears falling. "But, Damon-"

"Right. So, hold onto me and I'll take you to the hospital." My tone was still curt, and I couldn't help it. I felt like I was repeating myself a million times over.

I had to get her out of here.

"Ow…ow…ow!" She screamed again, and if I didn't care, or I wasn't in this situation I probably would have blocked my ears, because my hearing was super sensitive.

"Elena!" I growled. "Hold onto me before you start your contraction!"

"Too…late…" She panted hard. "Oh…my God…Damon…I have to…"

"No, you don't." I said annoyed. "Don't you dare say that again."

"But, I have to!"

"Right, that's it." I said angrily. I looked into her eyes intensely, but she was too smart for that and closed hers.

"Don't you…even…think about…it…Damon Sal…vat…ore…" She wheezed.

"I'm just trying to make you feel better, Elena." I said through gritted teeth. "Let me make you feel better!"

"No! Don't you even think…about making me forget! I…don't…wanna…be…controlled…"

"Well, I don't want to deliver my child on the fucking floor." I hissed.

Elena continued panting harder and then opened her eyes. "W…what?" She mumbled.

"You heard me." I grated.

"Yeah…" She panted. "…What…makes you say…? What did you say…?"

My eyes flashed angrily. "Argh! Elena!" I yelled. "I. Don't. Want. To. Deliver. The. Baby. On. The. Floor!"

I grabbed her arm hard, normally she'd flinch, but this time it didn't affect her.

"No!" She said distressed, she could barely speak coherently. "You said my."

I folded my arms and stared at her pointedly. "So? Elena, I really don't wanna play this game right now. You're about to give birth."

I squinted at her; she stood her ground while she still continued panting.

"Now don't be stupid. I'm a vam-pire." I said tersely making sure I said the word clearly. "You don't wanna stay here like this not while you're dripping blood everywhere."

To Be Continued….