If anyone's still reading this I'm so sorry about the wait. This story is just so hard for me to write since I can't go to my usual plot-filler for it. I still promise that this story will be over by the end of summer. End of August this story will be over. Only 5 more chapters. As always let me know what you think.
"You're really going to make me chaperone the school outdoor ed, camping trip? Why can't you do it?" Damon asked.
"You my dear strong husband would be able to take on a bear if it attacked. I however wouldn't." Elena said to him as she
zipped up his duffel bag emphatically.
"You my dear wife are a vampire. You could take a bear. So now I'm left wondering why you want me gone so bad?" Damon asked placing his fist under his chin clearly thinking about it.
"Okay fine, I wanted to have a girls weekend with Care and Bonnie. But I can't do that with you here. It's killing two birds with one stone. I know the kids are safe and I get girl-time." Elena gave in exasperated at her husband.
"All you had to do is say that. But I hate camping Elena. Hate it. Can't I go hang out with Ric for a weekend, take him with me to Richmond with me or something." He asked.
"No." She told him firmly.
"Why not? Vampires do not camp." He informed her.
"I don't want the kids to be eaten by bears." She told him as she handed him the duffel.
"They won't get eaten by bears, even if they did wouldn't it be peaceful around here?" He asked.
"I am going to ignore the fact that you even said that. You are going camping. No more whining." She said as she pushed him out of the room and downstairs where the kids were fiddling with their bags.
"Are you guys ready to go?" Elena asked when she pushed a disgruntled looking Damon into the living room.
"Yes." They both called as Damon's glower intensified.
"I'm not." He whined.
"Come on it won't be so bad. You don't even really have to do anything. All you have to do is make sure none of them get eaten by bears. Imagine everyone's joy when my big strong husband disposes of a bear when it's attacking camp?" Elena asked wrapping her arms around him.
"There are no bears where we're camping Elena. If it's only about the bears then I really don't need to go. I'm sure there are
lots of parent volunteers that would enjoy going much more than I would. Anything else I would probably do, just not camping." He pleaded.
"It's a bit late now dear. You have no choice but to go. It's only a weekend, as much as you think otherwise I'm sure you'll get through it just fine." Elena assured him, reaching up and pecking him on the lips.
"Fine. I guess I'm going camping." He said his voice oozing fake enthusiasm.
Elena watched with a small smile on her face as Damon slipped into his leather jacket with a prominent frown on his face.
"Are you really wearing a leather jacket camping? It's going to be hot this weekend." She asked him.
"Vampire, remember? Heat does not bother me, at least not nearly as much as camping does. If I'm going, I'm going to be comfortable."He told her as he wandered into the parlour. Elena followed after him and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Bourbon? Really? A school camping trip and you're bringing bourbon?" She asked incredulously.
"If I'm being forced on this trip I am going to enjoy it. One bottle should be enough to last me the weekend." He decided as he shoved it in his duffel.
"You're going to spend the entire trip getting drunk when you're supposed to be camping with our children?" She asked.
"It takes an awful lot of alcohol to get me drunk baby. One bottle over the course of a weekend won't do it. It'll just make me slightly more agreeable." He told her as he walked over to the anxiously waiting eleven year olds.
"We better get going or else we will be late." He told Elena as he opened the front door and gestured for the kids to head out to the car.
"Do you want me to drive you so you don't have to leave your car there?" Elena asked.
"Yes. Good idea." Damon agreed calling to the kids over his shoulder to get into Elena's SUV instead.
"It pays to be the beauty and the brains in this relationship." Elena murmured as she picked up her car keys.
"Speak for yourself I am both smarter and prettier than you." Damon scoffed as they walked out to the car.
"I could make you leave your precious Camaro at the school for two whole days all by itself." Elena reminded him as she got into the drivers side of the car.
"You wouldn't do that to my baby. I love that car and it would kill me to leave her alone for two days where it can be
vandalized." Damon shivered, just thinking about the possibility.
"I love how connected you are to that car. It's frightening." Elena responded as the kids sat silently for the first time ever in the backseat of the car. No fighting, no talking. Nothing. Just silence and it was refreshing.
"That car is the other love of my life, except I've loved it longer than I've loved you. I will mourn if it ever dies." Damon told her shivering in response yet again.
"Good to know." Elena laughed when she parked in front of the school where a bus was already waiting.
"Yay we're here." Aiden cheered as Aurora leaped out of her side of the car and ran towards the bus.
"Bye mom." Aiden called as he followed after his sister.
"Bye kids." Elena called and didn't get a response. "I guess I don't get a kiss or a hug goodbye, but that's okay."
"I'll see you in a couple days." Damon told her leaning over to kiss her quickly.
"Have fun." She told him kissing again. The bus horn honked and the kids called for their dad, causing them to break the kiss.
"I better go." Damon sighed unhappily.
"There will be more of this if you behave on this trip." Elena told him, reaching across him and opening the door for him.
"I guess I'll go now." Damon sighed as he got out of the car.
"I'll see you Sunday afternoon." Elena called as he walked away.
After listening to a very juvenile rendition of "Wheels on the bus" Damon reluctantly pulled out his bottle of bourbon and poured some into his travel mug. He caught the disapproving eye of the teacher and he just rolled his eyes, taking a swig of the drink.
"Daddy, are you drinking already?" Aurora asked from the seat behind him with Lilah.
"I need it. If I have to hear one more rendition of the "Wheels on the bus" I'm going to go on a mass murder." Damon told her.
"I think you should have brought more bourbon." Aurora murmured, which almost caused Damon to spit out his drink when a wave of laughter moved through him.
"You're a funny child Aurora Charlotte Salvatore." Damon told her, flashing his daughter a smile.
"I know I am Daddy Salvatore." She replied with the exact same smile on her face. Damon chuckled under his breath and turned to face the front of the bus with the stupid grin that was reserved for just his children and his wife plastered onto his face. "See dad, it's not going to be that bad."
"Oh sure it's not. Just because you guys are being good right now doesn't mean it's going to stay like that." Damon told her as he listened to Aiden talk to his friends at the back of the bus.
"I'll be good dad. I'll make sure you don't have to drink the entire bottle of bourbon." Aurora promised him.
"I'll believe that when I see it." Damon replied as he took another sip out of his to-go cup as yet another version of "Wheels on the Bus" started up; Damon firmly believed that they were too old to be singing that particular song.
After what seemed like forever they got to the campground and the teachers divided up 6 students for every parent volunteer.
"Chaperones please ensure your students stay with you at all times. We can't have any students going missing. Aurora and Aiden I assume you want to be with you dad?" Mrs. Monroe asked.
"Sure." Aiden shrugged.
"Yes please." Aurora answered.
"Lilah, Mackayla, Jordan and Tyson can join you in your tent." The teacher ordered. All the students convened around Damon and he sighed in relief at the four recognizable faces, the other two he didn't know but Aurora, Lilah, Aiden and Jordan he was familiar with. "Make sure they help with the set up of the camp site."
"Believe me when I say this will be so much easier without their help."Damon retorted.
"This is their outdoor education class Mr. Salvatore. You have to let them do something." The teacher replied exasperated.
"Fine, I'll figure something out."Damon sighed gesturing for his group to go to the furthest campsite. He sent the two kids who didn't know about vampires off to get firewood while at vampire speed Damon set up the tent while the other four kids watched with rapt fascination.
"Your dad would win any race in the world." Lilah breathed surprised.
"I know, my dad is amazing. I think our group is going to win " Aurora replied.
"We're done." Mackayla and Tyson said when they returned a few minutes later.
"Good so are we." Damon said once they sat down after each carrying a bundle of firewood. "Aurora go tell your teacher
that we're done."
"Yes, Sir." Aurora agreed saluting her dad after he effectively won the contest depicting who would have to wash up all the dishes that night.
"Wow, you guys are done fast." Mrs. Monroe stated as she came over to check on their handiwork.
"Mmhm. I have an amazing team." Damon answered smugly.
"You sure do. You put your campers to work very well Mr. Salvatore. Good job. You are not on dishes duty tonight." She said admirably.
"Good job team." Damon said as the teacher walked away.
"Thank you." Aurora said sweetly.
Later that night while everyone was trying to go to sleep, Damon's tent would not quiet down.
"Would you guys shut up, I am trying to sleep here." Damon begged as Aurora and Lilah and Aiden and Jordan were up talking. The other two were sound asleep which made Damon happy.
"We're having a sleepover daddy. This is what girls do at sleepovers." Aurora reminded him.
"I don't need to hear about Justin Freaking Bieber or anyone else. I need sleep. Even vampires need sleep. Now shut it." He told them before lying back down.
"But we can still talk right dad?"Aiden asked.
"I also don't need to hear whether "Final Fantasy" is better than "Halo." Damon told them, hinting that they needed to quiet
down too
"Our conversation is better than Justin Bieber." Aiden argued.
"Is not." Aurora interjected.
"I am withholding judgement. Just go to sleep, we will discuss it more in the morning." Damon told them, knowing the only way to get them to co-operate was to not take sides. The moment you took a side with the two of them, you essentially lost the battle because they spent as long as it took to sway you over to the losing side and then the fight never ended.
"Fine." They both sighed.
"Good now go to sleep." Damon ordered them.
"Fine." They both answered before the tent went completely quiet.
The next day found all of the groups hiking together. Damon had his group all together which was harder than it seemed it would be for a vampire chaperone. The girls were too busy talking about all their little boy-bands and celebrity crushes at the age of 11 thus falling behind, and the boys were walking much faster than the girls. He had to repeatedly tell the girls to speed up and the boys to slow down, it was difficult.
"I can't wait until tomorrow." Damon sighed to himself and took a deep drink out of his travel mug which was yet again filled to the brim with bourbon. At the rate he was going he was apt to run out of bourbon before he even made it through the rest of the day. When all of the groups finally got to the top of the hill, the teacher taught them about some of the trees and grasses along with the flowers that were up there. All the students paid attention knowing that it was likely to be on the exam at the end of the school year. Damon leaned against a tree and idly wondered how Elena was enjoying her kid free girls weekend. She had to be having more fun than him.
"Mr. Salvatore, isn't it a wee bit hot to be wearing a leather jacket?" Another of the parent chaperones asked.
"Never too hot to look good." Damon corrected her.
"But the leather has got to be sticky and uncomfortable. It's like 100 degrees out here." She said shaking her head.
"I'm fine." He stated taking another sip from his mug.
"You sure look fine." She agreed causing Damon's eyebrows to rise up towards his hairline.
"Uhhh... thanks." Damon said taking another drink purposely showing off his wedding ring.
"Mrs. Salvatore sure is a lucky woman." The female chaperone stated with a slightly pouty expression on her face before walking off to rejoin the group.
"Why did God curse me with this face?" Damon asked no one in particular.
"Mom like your face." Aurora told him as she walked over to her.
"So did your classmates mother." Damon retorted.
"When you look like us dad you have to get used to female attention." A cocky eleven year old Aiden stated.
"I suppose you're right." Damon allowed. After the class was over all the groups got back together and began the hike back down the hill. This time they all stayed together better, making the trip so much faster.
"How do you keep your group together so well? By the way my name is Eva." The chaperone from before asked.
"I can be very persuasive when I want to be." Damon told her as he walked close by Aurora.
"I can see that. A dangerous combination when added to your looks." She winked. Damon rolled his eyes and continued walking, studiously ignoring the woman beside him.
The next day as camp was being set down Damon breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally time to go home. About another hour there and then two more on a bus and he would be home.
"I wanna stay for a few more days." Aurora pleaded with her dad.
"I don't camp. I hate camping. I have a beautiful wife and a comfortable bed at home that I need to get home to." Damon told her.
"Can we please go camping again sometime?" Aurora pleaded.
"I'm going to say no but your mom will probably say yes because she's cruel like that." Damon told her.
"Can I ask mom?" Aurora asked.
"If you absolutely must." Damon replied.
"Can Jordan have a sleepover tonight?" Aiden asked.
"Nope, it's a school night. You have to get home and get ready for school tomorrow." Damon told him.
"Aw dad you promised last weekend that we could have a sleepover." Aiden whined.
"Too bad I lied. So sad. Take your bag to the bus." He told him handing him the bag.
"It's not fair." Aiden hissed.
"Lifes not fair." Damon called after him as he handed Aurora the other bag.
"I still don't want to go home." Aurora whined.
"I don't really care. I am officially out of bourbon and I'm going to need lots of it once I get home." He told her. Once the campground was all cleaned up, everyone boarded the bus and the teacher took attendance. When everyone was accounted for the driver started up the engine and pulled away from the campground. Aurora and Lilah sat right behind him again while Aiden and Jordan sat in the very back of the bus.
"Is this seat taken?" Eve asked gesturing to the seat he was sitting in, even though all the seats surrounding him aside from the one Aurora was in was empty.
"All the other ones are open." He indicated to her.
"Oh I know, but I'm starved for adult interaction. Do you mind?" She asked.
"I guess not." He sighed really not wanting to sit with her but unable to make a scene in front of his daughter. This was going to be a fun trip back to Mystic Falls.
When they finally arrived back at the school he was relieved to see Elena's SUV parked outside.
"Oh look it's my wife." Damon cheered waving at the car from the bus, never so happy to see his wife. If he had to hear one more word about how awful Eve's divorce was he would likely hang himself.
"Look it's mom." Aurora cheered as Elena got out of the car.
"She is a very lucky woman." Eve sighed.
"Nah, I'm the lucky one." He said honestly as the bus came to a stop. The rows started filing out and when everyone was off the bus Damon and the kids walked over to where Elena was leaning against the car.
"Hey, how was the trip?" She asked after kissing Damon far too briefly.
"Too long. I missed you." Damon told her kissing her cheek.
"I missed all of you too. But girls weekend was so fun. I needed that." She told him.
"I'm glad you had that but never ever ask me to do that again. I ran out of bourbon yesterday." He told her as he climbed into the passenger seat.
"Can we please go camping again?" Aurora asked hopefully.