"This is a lot for a nanny," Stefan said taking the girls cups and putting them in the sink.
"When its your kid. . ." Damon trailed off.
"I know. I know. When its your kid you can do whatever you want." Stefan shook his head as he washed the few dirty dishes the kids used for lunch.
Caroline came into the kitchen, a book tucked underneath her arm. Placing her hands over Emma's ears and instructing Mila to do the same. "In other words when you were a cursed with a father like Damon then you do whatever is necessary."
Stefan nodded drying his hands on a towel. "I get that too."
"Alright then," Damon said picking up Mila into his arms and carrying her on his hips.
"Its just that I'll be glad when this is over. This is Emma's home and yet she spends half her time away from it," he said rubbing his weary brow.
"We feel the same way," Bonnie said, coming into the kitchen with the others. She just couldn't easvesdrop anymore from the living room.
Damon took the offered book from Caroline's hand. It was the same book they used for Emma to put her asleep and it seemed to work miracles with Mila as and Caroline both had been a God send when it came to figuring out this parenting thing.
Bonnie rubbed Mila's back as Damon carried her up to her room for a nap. "And by the end of tomorrow things will be back to normal. Just bare wih us. Nobody wants this over with more than me."
"Why did you say it like that?" Carolina asked looking at her pecularly. Emma pulling on her hand trying despreately to get her attention.
"This search was supposed to bring us closer together. Instead it just gave us something new to argue about."
"Mom, you're not listening," Emma stomped her foot on the ground. "I don't want to take a nap."
"Okay baby," she said taking her face into her hands and kissing her chubby cheeks. "Thats a good thing too because we got to get to grandma's." She walked past Bonnie and squeezed her arm, "Just give it time."
Stefan said nothing as if taking the whole scene in.
"I take it you don't agree," Bonnie said folding her hands across her chest.
He hesistated. "I don't claim to know the Damon that came back from hell itself. But as a man blessed with a child." He looked past her to the hall that was now empty. "You gave him a child, and not just any child. Mila is our flesh and blood. If he hasn't forgiven you by now. There's a strong possibility that he wont. I'm sorry," he said squeezing her hand. He walked outside to the garage to bring the car around. Bonnie looked to the ceiling sure that Damon was tucking her in. She wanted to go and be with her family, but knew all she would do is end up interrupting a moment between them.
The alarm on her watch went off and she knew it was time. The doorbell rang a second later and she tried to contain her glee. "Hi, Rachel, Come in," she said showing her to the living room.
"Hi, I'm actually pretty excited with a little healthy dose of nerviousness mixed in. I think," Rachel smiled, gripping the handle of her purse in front of her as if it were a kevlor vest.
It would be smart of her if it was. "Its fine. I'm sure you will pass with no fanfare. Take a deep breath."
"I'm going to take Emma's blankie," Croline said striding into the living room and grabbing a pink blankie from off the floor. Shaking the toys hiding in its depth.
"Oh Caroline, come meet Rachel one of our candidates on her second interview."
Caroline drapped the blanket over her left arm and reached her hand out with the other. "You actually survived that monstrosity of an interview. Brave woman."
Rachel laughed, looking between Bonnie and Caroline to be sure it was save to even talk about. "I didn't do much."
"Oh Caroline also lives here," Bonnie replied filling in some of the blanks. "And this beautiful girl is her daughter, Emma." The blond haired cutie bounded into the room, grabbing the blanket from off her mother's arm. Stefan in the doorway looking at the nanny, unconcerned. "Thats her father in the doorway. As I've said you only have to worry about Mila, and we will pay you extra for anytimes that you end up watching them both."
"So two families live here?" She asked gesturing to us both.
"Yes and an extra family on the weekends, but they don't have any kids. They can't be trusted to watch them. There more like horny teenagers," Bonnie said wrapping her arm around Emma's waist who had came over out of curiosity. "Are you Auntie Bonnie's friend?"
"Well, more like a friend for Mila, maybe," Bonnie whispered playfully in the girls ear. "Not that we can't be friends." She looked up realizing what she had said.
Rachel smiled goodnaturedly. "It's alright."
A second alarm went off on Bonnie's cell phone and she began to worry. This was moving faster than she had expected. "Anyways, there leaving. So i'll take you upstairs to meet Mila."
Rachel walked past Stefan who still hadn't introduced himself. He just watched her as I she didn't belog there or anywhere.
Between him and his brother Bonnie didn't know who was worse. She did know they whole family better be gone by the time she gts back downstairs. "So Mila's room is the last one on the right. Emma's room is across from her. She does know a nanny is coming and shes super excited about it. But what makes this perfect is the fact that she's going down for her nap." She placed a finger up to her lips and made a sshing noise before opening the closed door. Damon was getting up from the rocking chair and placing Mila in the bed underneath the cover.
"Isn't she a little old to be rocked asleep," Rachel whispered to Bonnie.
Bonnie frowned and shook her head. The guilt settling over her like falling slow. A little ata time and then all at once. "Damon missed out on a lot of her life. A little spoiling never hurt anyone."
"Yeah, you got a problem with that. New hire," he said rising to his full height and stepping dangerously close to her personal space.
"Ugh no," she shook her head and avoided his gaze.
Bonnie pulled them both out into the hall. "Now that bit of macho-ism is over. We're going out to lunch," she said emphasizing the last word to be sure that the nanny heard her. "So there's only one rule. Please make sure she gets her full uninterrupted sleep."
"That's mommy speak for make sure none of daddy's enemies go bump in the night," Damon clarified, looking down the hall already wanting to get away from them both.
"Yes, something to that effect."
"I'm up for the task," Rachel grinned giving them a salute.
"Are you really that dorky? Or is it just me," Damon blinked as he walked away.
Bonnie's eyes got wide. "I promise he will apologize for that."
"Bon-Bon lets go," he called over his shoulder. And as if he forgot something he paused on the steps and turned around. "Also don't kill any vampires in the house. Even if there going after you."
"Is that a real rule?" Rachel looked on lost.
"'Fraid so," Bonnie replied scurrying after Damon before the nanny had time to change her mind. "You could be a little nicer," Bonnie said through gritted teeth as they got into Damon's car.
"When she passes the test?" He said revving up the engine. Intentionally doing it twice so that the witch could see him pulling off. They didn't go far. Just down the block out of view where Enzo was waiting with Jeremy. "You two ready"
"You kidding me. You tell me that I can put a stake through Enzo. It's my dream come true," Jeremy said opening up the trunk of his care and pulling out some toys.
"You two just remember its my kid in there, and if she gets so much as a hangnail. I'm going to make sure that Damon hangs you," Bonnie snapped.
Jeremy slammed the trunk closed and Enzo got into the drivers seat and took off. Leaing Jeremy to chase behind him on foot.
"What the heck is that about? There supposed to be taking this seriously. Its not just some fun game. If they so much as harm a hair-"
"Alright Momma bear. They know the plan they'll do just fine," he interrupted his hand tightening around the steering wheel even though the car was in park.
She looked at him bewildered. "Do you really hate me that much? The one thing we have always been able too agree on is Mila. Do you really hate me that much?"
He rested his head on the steering wheel trying to listen in closely to what was happening at the house. "You took your daughters choice away from her? She's got a vampire dad, ohhh cool, freaky. But at least she could count on her human mom. Who she can identify with. Who will grow old with her. You took her only chance at normalcy."
"It's my body?" Bonnie fumed, her brows furrowed. "And I did it for you."
"I know. Its your body. Now live with the consequences and leave me the hell alone," he said turning his gaze back to the house.
Enzo burst through the door. "Damon, I need your help. A vampire hunter is chasing me."
The babysitter appeared in the hallway. Just as Damon had desribed her to him. "Where's Damon?"
"I'm not sure. He's not here. You have to leave," she said already making her way to the steps.
He shrugged, "Its too late for that, luv. We have an uninvited guest on the way."
She flew up the stars just as Jeremy appeared in the doorway shooting off an arrow that landed in Enzo's shoulders. Before slamming him up against the wall. She thought quickly, raising an arm towards them both and mumbling a spell that sent them hurdling back trought the door they had came out into the street. The door slamming closed behind them. She was more than a little surprised to come up the stairs to find Mila still sleeping.
But when she heard some glass shattering before she knew this fight that had found its way here wasn't stopping any time soon. "Wake up Mila, Wake Up," she said grabbing the little girl by the arm and hauling her from her bed.
"But I'm still sleepy," the girl said groggily, rubbing at her tired eyes.
"We're just going to take a short nap in the closet together," she said, picking her up and setting her on the floor in the closet. Pulling a couple dresses down off the hangers and using them as a pillow. She was beginning to panic, not sure what to do. The closet door was slightly ajar, but she didn't need to see to hear that the chaos had found its way to this floor. As sounds of them bouncing off the walls like ping pong balls threatened to awake her new charge. Groaning as she shifted uncomfortably on the floor. So she did the only thing she could. She said a spell so that Mila couldn't hear and would sleep right through it. Even as they found themselves to Mila's room and were rolling around on the floor throwing punches. She looked over to see the girl sleeping just fine. She smiled, "Well this was easy."
"Alright get up," Damon said appearing in the doorway. "Remember you break it you have to replace it," he said pulling a teddy Bear out from under Enzo's butt. "Where's Rachel and Mila?"
She pushed the closet door open, visibly shaking. "This was the test? Did I pass?"
Bonnie appeared a few minutes later. "That depends where's Mila?" Already bending down to look underneath the bed.
"Here, sleeping," Rachel to the floor next to her.
Bonnie rushed up to the closet to find the girl in one piece and unharmed. But more importantly still sleeping.
"Get out," Damon mumbled to Jeremy and Enzo.
"Thats the thanks I get for taking a poisoned arrow to the shoulder," Enzo said with a shake of his head as he bounded out the door.
"You did a great job," Bonnie beamed tucking her little girl back into bed. "And she's sleeping so peacefully. This girl can hear a feather drop and be up and roused."
"Oh that's just the spell I put on her. Here allow me," she said waving her hands and mumbling a view verses under breath.
"What spell?" Damon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hearing?"
"You made her deaf!" Bonnie screached. Looking down as Mila eyes shot open.
"Mommy why are you screaming?"
"If that wasn't my kid. I'd actually find that kind of funny," Damon said grabbing Rachel by her elbow and shoving her out of the door. "Don't call us. Will call you?"