Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Thank you for your sweet reviews. I expect you'll hate me at the end of this chapter, though… be patient… Enjoy!
Less Than Honorable Intentions
~ VIII ~
All Izzie could talk about for the remainder of the week was her new puppy. Damon got called away on business but assured Elena he would come over on Friday night to pick them up for the weekend.
After a long and busy week, all Elena really wanted to do Friday night was crawl up on the couch with Izzie and a bowl of popcorn, but Izzie was already in high gear and stuffing her over-night bag.
"How's it going in here?" Elena said, leaning against the doorpost to Izzie's room.
"Almost finished, mommy," Izzie proclaimed.
"Really? What are you bringing?"
"My teddy, and my duckie, and my horsie, and…"
"Izzie… did you pack any clothes?"
"Oh… I forgot."
Elena chuckled. "Here, I'll help you pack, ok. You can bring one of your stuffed animals, ok?"
Izzie sighed. "Ok, mommy. I want Teddy."
Of course she would choose the one Damon gave her… "Ok, sweetie."
"Damon's here!" Izzie exclaimed at the sound of the buzzer and thundered down the stairs.
"Oh, but, sweetie…" Elena trailed off, hearing the gleeful reunion downstairs.
Izzie soon returned with Damon in tow.
"Hey," he said softly, walking over and giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Hi. I was just helping Izzie pack."
"All done?"
"All done."
"Then let's go," he said and took the bag from her.
"Are we going to the pound tomorrow, Damon?" Izzie said as they were walking to the car.
"Yes, bright and early. So you better get right to bed when we get back to my house, deal?"
"Deal!"
"So, Izzie, you have two choices, ok?" Damon said as he carried her over-night bag into the parlor.
"What choices?"
"Well, you can stay in the twins' room, where there are lots of stuffed animals to keep you company, or you can stay with mommy in one of the guestrooms. Which will it be?"
"I can't stay with mommy," Izzie said as if it was a no-brainer.
Damon's eyebrows knitted together in a small frown. "Why not?"
"Mommy's staying in your room."
"She is?" Damon couldn't help smiling at the precocious little girl.
"Uh-huh."
"Well, then, I guess we'll get you set up in the twins' room," he said and swung her bag over one shoulder and Izzie over the other. She giggled as he made airplane noises while he carried her up the stairs.
Elena collapsed on the plush leather couch in the parlor, exhausted. She didn't even have the energy to object to Izzie's assumption that she would be spending the night in Damon's room. She closed her eyes and didn't open them again until she felt her feet being lifted and placed on a hard, warm surface.
"Did she fall asleep already?" Elena blinked, noticing that Damon had flopped down on the couch beside her and her feet were now resting on his thighs.
"Out like a light," Damon said and started to remove her shoes.
"Oh, no, my feet smell," Elena cringed.
"Nonsense," Damon said and slipped them off her feet, rubbing soothing circles on her smooth soles.
Elena let out a small moan. She hadn't realized just how sore her feet were until his thumbs started massaging them.
"A lot of stress this week?"
"Yeah. I'm happy the shop's doing so well, but I'm exhausted. I haven't gotten any sleep."
"Well, maybe there's something wrong with your bed," Damon said casually. "Maybe you should try a different mattress."
"Any particular model you have in mind?" Elena said, knowing exactly where this was headed.
"Well, it so happens I have one upstairs…"
"I'm really tired, Damon."
"Then I'll carry you," he said and scooped her up bridal style.
Damon's room was exactly like him, Elena thought. If a room could be described as suave and arrogant, that is. The huge four-poster bed dominated the space, and the opening to the en suite bathroom revealed a spacious rain shower and a hot tub. Big enough to fit two people, Elena found herself thinking. He deposited her on the bed and left the room.
"Where…" Elena started, puzzled as to where he was going. He soon returned, though, carrying her bag.
"I thought you might want a change of clothes…" he said. "Not that I mind if you lose them altogether, but you need your rest."
"Thank you," Elena gave him a weak smile. She really was exhausted.
"I hope you don't mind… I was gonna take a shower," Damon said, gesturing to the bathroom.
"No, go ahead," she said, grabbing her bag.
The bathroom was only closed off from the bedroom by a sliding glass door, and Elena had a full view of Damon as he shed his clothes and stepped into the shower. She forced herself to look away and change into her pajamas instead. She pulled on a camisole and a pair of pajama shorts and slipped under the covers.
It didn't take long before the sound of water running lulled Elena into a relaxed state of mind, like the soft patter of raindrops. She barely noticed when the water was turned off and Damon stepped out to dry off and pull on a pair of pajama bottoms. She was vaguely aware of the fact that the bed shifted with the added weight and blissfully happy when Damon's arm found its way around her waist and settled there.
"Goodnight, Princess," he whispered and Elena felt herself relax completely.
Elena awoke the next morning with her hand on Damon's chest and her head on his shoulder. She shifted slightly, alerting Damon of her wakened state. He stroked her hair and said softly, "Morning, Princess. How'd you sleep?"
"Good morning," Elena looked up at him and returned his smile. "Very well, actually."
"You know," he said softly, pushing her hair behind her ear, "I could get used to this."
Just then, the door was pushed open with some effort, and Izzie came running in.
"Mommy, Damon, guess what?" she beamed.
Damon smiled and moved away from Elena to create a space between them and patted the bed. "What?"
Izzie accepted the invitation and climbed onto the bed, sitting down cross-legged between them on top of the covers.
"It's morning."
"It is," Damon agreed.
"You said we could go to the pound today."
"Sweetie, we just woke up. Don't you want your breakfast first?" Elena said.
"After," Izzie stated after some thought.
"You know," Damon said, "choosing a puppy is not something you do on an empty tummy."
"It's not?" Izzie looked at him, wide-eyed.
"Nope. Breakfast makes your brain work, and to choose a puppy is a lot of work for your brain."
"It is?"
"Uh-huh. So what do you say you and mommy stay up here and I'll fix you both some breakfast?"
"And then we can go to the pound?"
"Then we can go to the pound," Damon confirmed.
"Ok," Izzie beamed.
"I'll be right back," he said to Elena and kissed her forehead.
Elena sunk back against the pillows and lazily watched Damon slip a T-shirt on and head downstairs. Yes, she could get used to this, too. And she worried that she and Izzie already had.
After a long day of trying to teach Izzie's Labrador the basic rules of the house, the three of them were exhausted at the end of the day. Izzie asked Elena to read her a bedtime story so Elena left Damon to clean up the remains of their dinner and took Izzie up to her temporary bedroom at the mansion.
When Elena had finished the story Izzie requested, Clifford the Big Red Dog, kissed her goodnight and got up to leave, Izzie's little hand shot out and tugged on Elena's shirt.
"Mommy?" the little girl said in a drowsy voice.
"Yes, sweetie?"
"I don't want Damon to be my daddy."
Elena felt her heart constrict. Where was this coming from?
"Why's that, sweetie?" Elena said softly, kneeling down beside the bed.
"Daddies leave. I don't want Damon to ever leave."
Elena couldn't help it, her eyes started tearing up and she found herself unable to form words. She took a few steadying breaths to make sure she didn't break out in sobs when she attempted to speak again.
"Get some sleep, ok?" she whispered and stroked her daughter's cheek. Izzie was already half asleep and Elena snuck out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.
Elena went to the bathroom to wash her face before going back downstairs, but as she looked at herself in the mirror, pale and tired, she started feeling sick and immediately ran over to the toilet.
What was wrong with her? Elena wondered as she cleaned herself up. She was so tired, so emotional, and now… oh, god, no. She clamped a hand over her mouth in shock. She couldn't be… but that night… oh, how could she have been so careless?
Should she tell Damon? But what if she was wrong? Why worry him over nothing? Or maybe he'd be happy… no, this was all happening way too fast.
Elena knew she wouldn't be able to hide it for long. It was only a matter of time before her body started changing. Starting with morning sickness or – apparently – whenever-sickness. She would go to the doctor on Monday, she decided. Then if she was pregnant, she would tell Damon.
Elena applied some makeup, brushed her teeth and fixed her hair. When she thought she could keep it together, she headed downstairs.
She was just about to enter the kitchen when she heard Damon talking to someone on the phone. Thinking he might like his privacy, Elena turned around to head into the living room and wait for him to finish. That was when she heard him say a name that sent chills down her spine. Katherine.
As tempting as it was to stay and eavesdrop on his conversation, Elena started feeling sick again and hurried upstairs.
She showered, put on fresh pajamas and crept under the covers.
Elena didn't know how long she lay unable to sleep in the darkened room before she heard a creak as the door opened. Damon closed the door behind him and locked it before shedding his clothes and slipping under the covers. Elena felt her body tingling as he ran his warm hand over her curves and pressed his body up against hers.
"Did you decide on an early night?" he whispered huskily in her ear and started trailing her neck with kisses.
Elena bit her lip. A few hours ago she would have wanted this. She had craved the feel of his hands and lips caressing her skin since their night together. A part of her still did. But hearing Katherine's name from his lips had made Elena snap back to reality. She had been wrapped up in a cocoon since Katherine was committed, thinking she was safe. She had actually started to let herself believe she and Damon would have a chance at a normal life, a happy life, with Izzie.
"Damon…"
"Yes, Princess?" he whispered against her skin.
"Stop…"
Damon froze. He slowly removed himself from her, putting some space between them and allowing her to turn around to face him.
"What's wrong?"
"I overheard you talking on the phone. What was it about?"
Damon let out a small groan and rolled over onto his back. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?"
Elena propped herself up on her elbow. "No. I heard you say her name, Damon. I need to know what that phone call was about. And it's not because I'm jealous, or nosy, it's because she kidnapped my daughter, Damon."
"She's not doing well. She's been moved to another facility, they hope the specialists there will be able to help, but there's no guarantee… Stefan's been with her this whole time, but he has to take care of the twins. Boarding school is letting out, and they're coming back here. Someone has to stay with her. The doctors seem to think my presence there will be of help."
"I see."
"I don't know what to do, Elena," Damon sighed and raked his hand through his hair. "They're my family… I can't turn my back on them."
"On Katherine, you mean."
"No, on my brother and my nephews. If I can help Katherine in any way, if I can bring their family back together again…"
"You have to do it," Elena concluded.
"But that doesn't mean I'm not serious about us. You get that, right?" he said, propping himself up on his elbow and looking at her with sincerity in his eyes.
"I understand that you need to be there for your family, Damon. But I have to be there for mine. I could never ask you to distance yourself from your family, but I can't subject Izzie to Katherine."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying… we need to put an end to this before we get in too deep."
"Too deep? It's a little late for that, don't you think?"
"I know…"
"Ok… how about this… I'll go to the clinic and see if I can help, and we'll talk over the phone, and if you still feel this way a couple of months from now, we'll reevaluate. I'm not prepared to let you go, Elena."
"I don't want to let you go, either, Damon, but… you said it yourself – Katherine doesn't tolerate you even looking at another woman. Who knows what she'll do if she finds out about us? I can't risk her using Izzie to get to me."
"It won't come to that," Damon said softly, reaching out to caress her cheek.
"Damon…"
"Sch…" he said, putting a finger to her lip. "we still have tonight…"
