Damon paced the parlor even more, his brain becoming a never ending abyss of thoughts on how to protect his family. But first… he needed Elena. He had known all along that she was his, they were meant to be. After an entire bottle of scotch he had began to think rationally. And now, she was about to give him a miracle. Something he never imagined could happen to him; to them. A baby… he couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips at the thought of a child with the woman he loved. He growled and headed towards the stairs. She needed food. However before he could get to the freezer he noticed her cell door wide open. Katherine left hours ago… He should have known that bitch would try something. He stormed upstairs and out into the night, his phone nearly breaking as he dialed his maker's number. "What the hell did you do to her Katherine?" he flared. How could he not have heard Elena sneak out? She was going to slaughter half the town in her frenzy, fueled by Katherine's nonsense.

"I fixed her," she purred. "What do you think she felt having her brother's killer taunting her? Think she could resist? Maybe she will only kill some of the people in town. Maybe you will stop her in time before she kills everyone. But even you aren't that good Damon. Remember, she doesn't love you anymore."

Damon hung up and double timed to the cemetery. She had to be there. Her scent was thick in the air, heavy with anger; a consuming rage that he had never experienced, even within himself. His heart felt heavier and heavier as he made his way to Jeremy's grave. His heart clenched, seeing her standing there all disheveled and dirty. But he didn't care. Very slowly, he approached not wanting to scare her or threaten her. His throat was tight with emotion as he struggled to not let Katherine get to him this way.

"You made me starve," she said, her voice crisp in the air. But her eyes remained firmly on the stone in front of her.

"I know," he said softly. She still hadn't fed, which he took as almost a good sign. She hadn't killed anyone yet. "You didn't leave me much choice."

"There is always a choice," she said lifting her eyes to his. Katherine had failed. The spark in her eyes was gone; they were still lifeless and empty. "I'm not going to let you lock me back up."

"I don't want to," he said shaking his head. "I never wanted that Elena." Never again would he have the strength to lock her back up. She deserved to be happy, to be free of this darkness. She deserved better.

"You want me to be the way I was before," she said backing away from him. Elena had been many things, but afraid of him was never one of them. Not even when he tormented her and her friends… she never backed away from him like she did now. She was slipping right in front of his eyes… he was on the verge of losing her. Forever.

"No," Damon growled. "You know that is not true. Not once since I met you Elena have I ever wanted to change who you are. I just want you to be happy and at one time you were." They were. He knew they were in love. Yes it had taken them a long time to finally come together, but he knew they were meant to me. Baby or no baby.

The planes of her beautiful face hardened. "You mean when I was still human and in love with Stefan?" she said hatefully. "Is that what you want from me Damon? To return to your brother's bed? I'm sure Katherine will have a field day with that. She can pick up all the pieces to your broken dead heart if I go back to Stefan and the two of you can bathe in the bloodshed together just like you always wanted."

Damon struggled not to vomit as he cornered her against a large mausoleum. He could not give in to her. "I'm talking about when you finally opened up to me," he said his finger trailing down her cheek. "When you finally allowed yourself to give in to your feelings for me. We danced in front of the fire…"

"Stop," she said trying to move away from him. "It was just sex Damon."

Damon's hips pinned her against the stone. Despite being dead, the heat radiated between them, almost burning him alive at her touch. "You keep saying that," he said softly. "But do you remember that night Elena? How happy and how in love you were Elena? We made love all night. You wrapped your legs around me like you never wanted to let go. You bit me the first time you came… I bit you back as you clenched me so hard I thought I would combust. That isn't just sex Elena. Not for vampires. And I promise you that there will never be anyone other than you."

Elena shook her head, her eyes falling closed as she tried to block out the memories. "It was nothing," she whispered.

Damon's lips lowered to her shoulder, her body instantly reacting to his. He was barely holding his own control in check. He was almost trembling being this close to her again. "You know in your heart it wasn't nothing," he said nuzzling her. "And you know what Elena? Your brother wouldn't want you like this." Her body started shaking, subtly, but enough to show him he was winning. Barely. "Jeremy wouldn't want you to be like this."

"We'll never know," she said in defeat. "He'll never graduate and get married. Have children. He'll never get to live his life Damon."

His hands cupped her jaw, stroking her cheeks, her eyes still unwilling to meet his. "I know," he said softly. "Even in death Elena, beautiful things happen." He had to tell her. She had to know that she had this life growing inside of her, that she had something worth fighting for. They had something worth fighting for together.

"No they don't," she said shaking her head. "The last few years have been nothing but death. And nothing good has ever lasted in any of our lives."

"Did you know, that when a vampire finds their soul mate…" he gently placed her hand on his heart. "And if they mate, there is a chance they can conceive?"

Elena's haunted eyes finally met his. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"It's rare," he said running his hand through her tangled curls. "Lifespan of vampires isn't a set number. Could take hundreds of years and the mating ritual is unknown. Except by those who partake in it." Only by fate's hand could they mate as one, the way they had. It wasn't a coincidence.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked, unaware that her hips were rubbing against his, causing his jeans to become increasingly tighter. "You thing we're soul mates Damon? That's cheesy, even for you."

Damon tilted her face up to his as he inhaled her scent deep into his lungs. How could she not understand what he was saying? "The life growing inside of you says otherwise love," he said softly.

Her stomach dropped. "What?" She shook her head. "You can't know that." She struggled to break free of his grasp. "Please let go of me."

The crack of her voice made him reluctantly take a step away from her. "I love you, Elena," he said in a tender voice. "I will always love you, no matter what. And we can be happy again. I can make you happy." They could all be happy. He knew they could be a family, even in this crazy world. He would keep them safe.

"Can you bring back my brother Damon?" she flared. "No you can't. Nothing will bring him back. That will never be okay."

"You're right," he said. "I can't. As much as I want to Elena, as much as we all want to, I can't fix it. You think I like seeing you in pain? You think I like locking you up in the same prison that Stefan starved me? You think it didn't kill me every minute knowing you were starving? Do you know much of me has broken along with you these last few weeks?" He still tried to meet her eyes but she refused.

"I can't deal with this," she said, running a shaky hand over her face. "This can't be happening.

In his moment of weakness, he sensed her muscles tense all too late. "Elena…" But she was gone, her scent hanging in the wind.