I'm barely holding my eyes open, but I'm determined to get this posted before I go to bed. I'm going to do my best to stay on my updating schedule from now through the remainder of the year, but patience may be required - I've got best friends coming to visit, concerts, and a trip to New York, not to mention Christmas and my regularly scheduled work/barre, so things might get a little crazy.
Also, a favor. I like comments. I also like feedback, good and bad. It helps me get better as a writer. But - here's the favor - make it constructive. Things like "What a stupid name" and "That was garbage" aren't helpful. Tell me WHY the name is stupid or the plot garbage. I really do appreciate thoughtful feedback. As I said, it helps me become a better writer.
And as always, thank you SO MUCH for all of your comments and reviews, the good/bad/ugly. I keep writing and posting stories here because of you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.
Damon ticked off the number of wrong answers on a worksheet and did the math quickly, marking the grade in the top right corner. He moved on to the next sheet, but his thoughts kept drifting to topics more current that the events that led the English to America.
It was Friday night, the last Friday he had free for the foreseeable future, as football season officially kicked off in one week. He was attempting to use his free time to stay on top of his grading, at least for now as he knew himself well enough to know he would eventually get behind, but his thoughts kept turning to Elena.
Dinner on Tuesday night had gone by too fast. He had been worried about how Jeremy would react to his presence, but he had been civil enough, making polite conversation and clearing his plate from the table before going back upstairs. Ava Kate had protested eating her salad and Elena had bargained with her until the child had eaten most of it. He'd been impressed with the lasagna and made sure Elena knew she appreciated her efforts.
Because it was a school night, he left shortly after helping Elena load the dishwasher. After he bid Ava Kate goodnight with a high five, Elena had walked with him to his truck where he had been able to once more wrap her in his arms. She had seemed more relaxed, melting into his arms without any hesitance. He had held her for several minutes before begrudgingly letting her go for the night.
He was falling hard. She was beautiful, smart, funny. She was a good mother and one of the students' favorite teachers. She took care of people, him included, doing little things like bringing him a muffin or a piece of fruit in the mornings in an effort to curb his tendency to eat junk food on the go. He, in turn, brought her coffee each morning, stealing the very few minutes they had before their students arrived and pulled them into their separate schedules. He wasn't sure what they were, but he was sure it was more than friends.
She had asked him to take it slow. He didn't mind, no matter how badly he wanted to kiss her. It was a mark of just how much he liked her. As he got to know her, he could tell by her actions that she was far more broken than she let on. She was overly grateful when he did something as simple as opening a door for her, preferred to blend into the background when she was clearly made to stand out. She startled easy and always looked mildly surprised when he would compliment her or even ask about Ava Kate.
He wanted to know her story. He knew he wasn't going to like it. He had been raised to be a gentleman, to treat women with respect and let children know they were precious. Elena and Ava Kate clearly had people who loved them, but they had also clearly been hurt in a way that no one should ever experience, a way that would take a long time to heal. Elena needed time, not only to trust him, but to trust herself.
And then there was Ava Kate. He hadn't so much as blinked at the fact that Elena had a child the way some might. The little girl was as much of what made Elena who she was as her smile, her laugh, or the way she squared her shoulders when reprimanding a student. Ava Kate was exceptional smart. She not only looked like her mother, she had her mother's kindness, her desire to help. She was far too serious for an almost five year old though, a red flag that she had seen and experienced far too much life already. Every once in a while, like when she asked him to do magic the night he brought over pizza or danced in the kitchen, he saw glimpses of the carefree little girl she deserved to be. He wanted to see that part of her more often.
With a sigh, he placed a grade on the worksheet in his hand and set the stack aside. He stood from the recliner he had been lounging in, picked up his phone, and went outside. He settled into one of the chairs left by the previous tenant and inhaled the salt air as the waves crashed against the sound. The surf was growing rough, no longer the calm, serene scene he had left when he headed to school that morning. A storm was moving in. He knew his mother went played bridge on Friday nights, so he picked up the phone and called his father. Giuseppe's voice came through after a few rings.
"Hello?" he grunted, sounding distracted.
"Hey, Dad."
"Damon!" His full attention was now on the phone call. "I was just watching Wheel of Fortune. The wheel keeps landing on bankrupt. I think it's rigged."
"You have the Cadillac of satellite packages, and yet, you're watching Wheel of Fortune."
"I was watching the news," Giuseppe explained. "It came on right after." Damon just grinned. Giuseppe and Lily Salvatore watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy Monday through Friday and tried to guess the answers with as much certainty as the sun would rise in the east and set in the west. "How was the first week of school?"
"Exhausting," Damon answered honestly. "Teaching all day, then holding football practice, kicked my ass. I tried to grade some papers when I got home, but I gave up. I'm going to have a pizza delivered and watch ESPN in my recliner until I fall asleep."
"Sounds like one hell of a night," Giuseppe replied.
"I'm going to enjoy it while I can. Our first game is a week from today."
"Don't forget to take care of yourself," Giuseppe told him. "I know how you are. You get so wrapped around your coaching that you forget to eat decent meals and get enough sleep."
"Mom?" Damon asked. "When did your voice get so deep?"
"Don't be a smartass," Giuseppe warned. "Although, speaking of your mother, she's been rather excited about this girl you're dating. Ella?"
"Elena," Damon corrected. Even the simple act of saying her name put a smile on his face. "Her name is Elena."
"Elena," Giuseppe repeated, as though he were trying out the name to see how it fit. "You are dating her, aren't you? Your mother isn't making a mountain out of a mole hill?"
"I'm dating her," Damon confirmed. "We're taking things slow, seeing where they go." He scratched at the weathered wood of his chair. This was why he had called his father – to talk about Elena without his mother being present. Lily Salvatore was likely already working on the guest list for his wedding. His father, however, would listen without pressing him for details. "She has a kid. A little girl."
"Ah," Giuseppe muttered, understanding now that Damon had called to do more than simply say hello. "How old is she?"
"She'll be five in a few weeks. Her name is Ava Kate." He smiled. "She's really cute," he admitted. "She looks just like Elena. She's whip smart, loves to dance. She started kindergarten this week. So far, she thinks its really boring, because she already knows how to write all her letters and read some words." On his end of the phone, Giuseppe was beaming.
"It sounds like you're rather fond of her."
"I'm rather fond of both of them," Damon confessed. "Elena is – amazing, Dad. I've only known her for a month or so, and we just went on our first day Saturday, but… Well… She's her, you know?"
"I do know," Giuseppe confirmed. "It took exactly a week for me to fall head over heels in love with your mother. It only took that long because I couldn't work up the nerve to ask her on a date sooner." Damon smiled as he leaned back in his chair, grateful he had this kind of relationship with his father.
"I wasn't exactly looking for a relationship," he admitted. "With everything else that's happened over the last year, I wasn't intending to move here and fall for an English teacher within weeks."
"We get to choose very few things that life throws at us," Giuseppe said wisely. "I wasn't exactly planning on falling in love with your mother, either. And yet, I've been married for twenty some odd years, and have two somewhat decent sons to show for it." Damon snorted.
"Somewhat decent," he muttered, making his father chuckle.
"You two gave us a run for our money," he reminded Damon. "Much like Cody does to Stefan and Caroline. If you ask your mother, the two of you are still giving us a run for our money, between Stefan's refusal to have another baby right this moment and your joining your brother at the beach."
"We could have been so much worse."
"You certainly could have," Giuseppe agreed. "You weren't bad kids at all, just rambunctious." Damon chuckled again. "Speaking of kids," Giuseppe continued, growing serious, "as your father, I want to remind you that you aren't just dating Elena."
"I know," Damon said seriously. "I'm cognizant of Ava Kate. She's Elena's priority, as she should be." He bit his lip for a moment, preparing himself for what he was about to say. "I'm also cognizant of the fact that she needs, well, a dad in her life." It was a big thing to say. He knew, if things were to continue progressing with Elena, that he would assume the role of Ava Kate's father, no questions asked, as long as they wanted him to fill that role. On one hand, it was terrifying, the idea of being a father. On the other, it felt as natural as breathing.
"Her father isn't in the picture?"
"No." Damon left it at that. He didn't know Elena's story and what he did know certainly wasn't his to tell.
"It sounds as though you're just as serious about the girl as you are her mother."
"I am," he admitted. He snorted again. "I was almost sad that I didn't get to be on hand to send her off for her first day of kindergarten earlier this week." On his end of the phone, Giuseppe smiled. His wife worried about Damon and the fact that so far, he had dedicated so much of his life to football instead of settling down with a family of his own. Hearing Damon talk now, Giuseppe knew his wife's worries were unfounded. Damon was a good man, and it sounded like, maybe, he had finally found a woman who intrigued him more than football.
"Can I give you some unsolicited advice?" he asked. Damon held back a snicker. Nothing ever stopped his father from giving his unsolicited advice.
"Let's hear it."
"I know you said the two of you are taking things slow, but I'd advise you to truly take things slow. She has a child, Damon. Good mothers are protective over their children. Let her set the pace when it comes to the little girl. But also, let her set the pace for your own well-being. I don't want to see you get attached, only for things to end – not well." On his end of the phone, Damon was nodding.
"I'm letting her set the pace," he confirmed, unwilling to even consider the possibility that things may not end well. He blew out a breath. "I like her, Dad. I like her a lot."
"It's scary, isn't it?" Giuseppe asked knowingly. It was like hearing himself speaking to his own father all those years ago. Damon nodded solemnly, even though his father couldn't see him.
"Terrifying."
Elena eased a spatula under the pancake and oh-so-carefully, flipped it over, breathing a soft sigh of relief when it didn't break. She needed to get this right. She needed these pancakes to be perfect, round and fluffy, and whole. She turned her attention to the bacon frying in another pan, watching to make sure she crisped it to just the right point. The coffee was brewed, two mugs waiting beside it. She had already fed Ava, and cleaned up the mess the toddler had made. She was now quietly watching cartoons in the living room.
"Good morning, my darling," chirped a voice. She turned, a big smile on her face.
"Good morning," she greeted. "Sleep well?"
"I did," he confirmed, going for the coffee pot. He looked at her, a twinkle in his eye. "Once you let me get to sleep, that is." She smiled brightly, disguising the chill that ran down her back and the twinge of pain she felt with each step she took. He was especially rough last night.
"It was a good night," she said, turning back to her pancakes. "Breakfast is almost ready. Have a seat. I'll bring you a plate." He did so, watching her with an appraising eye as she worked. He was a lucky man, to have such a hot fiancée.
"Where's Ava?"
"She's in the living room, watching cartoons," Elena answered. "She has dance class this morning."
"Dance class? She's barely two years old. Isn't she too young for that?"
"It's a creative movement class," Elena explained. "It's good for her motor skills and spatial awareness."
"Sounds like a load of crap to me," he replied. Elena didn't say anything more on the subject as she placed a plate in front of him. She fixed her own plate, choosing much smaller portions, and sat down across from him. He was looking at her expectantly.
"Can I get you something?" she asked, making it sound like she wanted nothing more than to do his bidding.
"Doesn't Ava need to eat?"
"She had her breakfast already," Elena answered. "She was hungry when she woke up." The child had barely eaten her dinner last night, too nervous to stomach much.
"I expect my family to take their meals together," he stated. He pushed his chair back. Elena instantly went into action, reading all the red flags that were suddenly waving.
"We'll have lunch and dinner together," she promised. "Let her watch cartoons. You and I can enjoy our breakfast together. Consider it icing on the cake for last night." She did her best to bat her eyes, look sultry. No matter how much she didn't want him to touch her, she would throw herself at him if it meant keeping him from Ava right now.
"Don't give me those bedroom eyes," he warned as he stood. "Those bedroom eyes are why we're now saddled with that little brat." Elena blanched.
"Please, don't…"
"You coddle her," he cut her off. "You let her have her way. If she was hungry, it's her own damn fault. She had food on her plate last night, did she not?" Elena took a deep breath to keep herself from reacting. "I asked you a question!" She jumped. It was too early for him to lose his temper. And, he had lost it last night. They usually had a few good days before the cycle repeated itself.
"She had food, but she wasn't hungry," she said, standing and doing her best to mentally prepare for what was to come. "She was upset after hearing us fight."
"Upset or not, she should have eaten her goddamn food!" With that, he turned away. "Ava! Ava, get in here!"
"She's already eaten," Elena tried again. "Please, leave her alone…" She reached out and blindly grabbed for his arm to stop him, aware of what she was getting herself into by doing so. He whirled around at her touch and in one smooth motion, she found herself slammed against a wall, the plates in the cabinets rattling at the contact.
"You don't tell me what to do!" he bellowed. "I want that little brat in here, eating breakfast with me, whether she likes it or not!"
"Please," Elena begged, not bothering to struggle against his hold. She had learned the less she fought back, the better. "You'll scare her."
"Like I give a fuck. I didn't want her anyway!"
"Don't say that!" Elena shrieked. She hated many things about him, but his insistence that Ava was a mistake was the one that made her blood boil the hottest. "Don't you dare say that about her!" She closed her eyes just before his hand made contact. Again, she didn't react, her stinging cheek a companion to her real pain.
"Mommy!" Her eyes flew open as he turned away from her, his eyes set on their daughter. Elena saw the fear in her little girl's eyes, watched them fill with tears yet again.
"Ava, go upstairs and play," she said in as steady of a voice as she could. "Everything is okay. Just go upstairs. I'll be up in a little bit to get you ready for dance class." Ava didn't move.
"You!" He roared. He let Elena go and stormed towards Ava. "Get in the kitchen and sit at that table right now!" Ava took a few steps backwards.
"Leave her alone," Elena said, reaching out to stop him once more. Again, he used his arm to throw him off of her. She stumbled a few steps, but didn't lose her balance, her sole focus on getting to Ava first.
"Did you hear me?" he bellowed. "You're going to sit at that table, and you're going to eat breakfast with your mother and I, whether you like it or not!" He grabbed for Ava, but Elena was quicker. She pushed herself in between him and her daughter.
"Go upstairs," she said urgently to Ava. "Stay there, okay? I'll be up in a minute." She gave Ava a gentle push towards the stairs. This time, understanding the urgency of the situation, Ava ran for them.
"You bitch!" he bellowed. Whether he was talking to her or Ava, Elena didn't know. All she was aware of was him, lunging for Ava. She knew what it would cost her, but she didn't care. He had yet to put a hand on Ava, and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure he never did. She threw herself at him, knocking into him.
"Leave her alone!"
He went still then. Elena knew what that meant. It meant his rage was reaching its peak. She saw Ava disappear at the top of the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief that she at least wouldn't witness what was about to happen. She didn't make a sound as his fist came flying at her, on a trajectory for her torso.
She gasped and sat bolt upright in bed, covered in sweat, her breathing shallow. It took her a moment to get her bearings. She was in her own bed, in her childhood home in Nags Head. Ava Kate was sleeping soundly down the hall. Liam couldn't hurt them anymore. Everything was okay now.
With a sigh, she looked at the clock. It was just after five in the morning, later than normal when the nightmares came. She drew in a breath and was in the process of blowing it out when a loud rumble of thunder shook the house. She jumped again, her hand flying to her chest. It must have been the storm that woke her up.
"Mommy!"
Despite her nightmare, she smiled ever so slightly. Ava Kate was a light sleeper, and afraid of thunderstorms, especially now that they lived on the coast where they were stronger, louder, and often lasted longer than they had when they lived in Chicago. She was just tossing back her blankets to go to her when her bedroom door crept open.
"Mommy?"
"Hi, honey. I was just coming to get you."
"I got you first," Ava Kate replied. She ran the last few steps to the bed. Elena pulled back the covers so she could slip under them. "I don't like storms."
"I know you don't," Elena replied. She lay back down and pulled the blankets up around them. "But, I kind of like them. They're a little bit like magic."
"Like Coach Damon's kind of magic?"
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Not quite. More like, a magic that no one can see or create themselves. It's kind of hard to explain."
"I think I get it," Ava Kate said. She snuggled deeper in the blankets. "Mommy, is it going to rain tomorrow?" Elena smiled, reasoning it already was tomorrow.
"It's supposed to be a rainy day," she confirmed, not looking forward to having to occupy her daughter while it poured outside. There was something about rainy days that made the child stir crazy.
"Will the rain keep us from going crabbing with Coach Damon?" Elena groaned. She hadn't forgotten about their date with Damon – she was still looking forward to it – but she hadn't put together the fact that they wouldn't be able to go crabbing in the pouring down rain.
"We'll have to see what the weather is like when its time for Coach Damon to come over," she said diplomatically.
"I hope it stops raining."
"Me too, baby girl," Elena agreed.
"Mommy, let's snuggle," Ava Kate said, sliding closer. Elena smiled broadly.
"Let's snuggle," she repeated. She pulled Ava Kate to her and the child rested her head on her mother's chest. With Elena running her hands through her hair, she was asleep within minutes.
She tried to go back to sleep, knowing she could steal another couple of hours, if she was lucky, before Ava Kate would awake, ready to start the day. It wasn't the dream that kept her from falling asleep, however. It was thoughts of Damon.
She felt like a schoolgirl each morning when she would round the corner and see him at her classroom door, coffee in hand. He would smile at her and she would feel herself swoon, even as she smiled and traded him whatever breakfast treat she had that morning for a coffee. In just one week of school, that wasn't even a full one, they had developed a routine she looked forward to each day.
Other than their dinner on Tuesday, she had only seen him before and after school, although they texted often, and he had called her a few times, just to chat, usually on his way home from practice. He always asked about Ava Kate, wanted to know about her day, was she any less bored at school. He always asked about her day, as well, wanted to know if was good or bad, did she have any trouble with her second block class which had already proven to be rambunctious.
It scared her to death that she was falling for him, and so quickly. Liam had broken her, but it had been more than a year since she was finally freed of him. She had lost her parents during that time and had been at her lowest, but Ava Kate had needed her, so she pulled herself together and put one foot in front of the other.
She was doing okay, now. Life wasn't easy. Being a single mother and guardian to Jeremy on top of working full-time left her exhausted. But, Damon was starting to put – something – back in her life. He made her smile, laugh. She felt safe with him. And Ava Kate clearly liked him. She thought, maybe, Jeremy did, too.
While her growing relationship with Damon scared her, it was his budding relationship with Ava Kate that really terrified her. She wanted things to work between them. Things tended not to work out in her favor, however, so she didn't want to put the cart before the horse. At the end of the day, she had to protect Ava Kate at all costs. She didn't want Ava Kate to get too attached and then Damon leave. The child had lost enough. She also didn't want Damon to feel like he was under some sort of obligation, just because she had a child.
She had spent a lot of time in therapy, however, and could hear both her mother and her therapist telling her to open her heart to Damon. She heard them reminding her, just as she had reminded Ava Kate, that not all men were bad. And, it seemed, Damon was one of the best, most genuine of them all.
Sighing, she burrowed a little deeper into the blankets, her mind going to the feeling of Damon's arms around her. She couldn't help but wondering what it would feel like to have him next to her, holding her close during the storm.
"Damon, hey," Elena greeted, pulling open her front door. Damon took in her frazzled appearance.
"Everything okay?"
"Of course," she answered automatically. Then, she sighed. She didn't have to pretend with him, she reminded herself. "Well, sort of. Ava Kate is throwing a tantrum and I can't get her to come out of her room." Damon raised an eyebrow.
"Ava Kate?" he asked. "Throwing tantrums? Am I at the right house?" He couldn't see the quiet little girl throwing any sort of tantrum. He had seen glimpses of the personality she kept stamped down, but temper tantrums still seemed like a far out there idea.
"It doesn't happen often, but it happens," Elena told him. She opened the door wider and stepped aside so he could come in. "She's upset because it's raining and we can't go crabbing. Like I can control the weather." Damon smiled.
"Poor kid. She was excited about it."
"She came in my room during the storm early this morning and was asking about whether we could go crabbing then. Fast forward a few hours later, and its meltdown central, between cheerleading practice being rained out and now, her crabbing excursion."
Damon's eye flickered to the top of the stairs where a grumpy Ava Kate was standing, glaring down at her mother. She was wearing jean shorts, but still had on a pajama top, her hair all over her head, her face streaked with tears. He grinned, caught Elena's eye, and subtly tilted his head towards the top of the stairs. She turned to look. As soon as her eyes landed on Ava Kate, the child narrowed her eyes, let out a "humph!," spun on her heel, and disappeared, stomping as she went. A moment later, a door slammed.
"I'm sorry," Elena said with a sigh. "I told her we were going to find something else to do, but this has been going on for the last hour."
"Mind if I try?" Damon asked. "That works with Cody sometimes, if someone besides his parents talks to him."
"Be my guest," Elena said, waving a hand at the stairs. "Jeremy tried before he left for whatever he's intending to do today. She likes him, and wouldn't even crack the door." She led the way upstairs and down the hallway. Ava Kate's room was easy to pick out. A pink "the princess is in" sign hung from the doorknob. The sight of it made him grin slightly. It seemed rather appropriate for the moment. "Good luck," Elena muttered, standing aside. Damon rapped on the door.
"Ava Kate? It's Damon. Can I come in?" There was no answer. He knocked again. "Ava Kate?" He could hear her moving around on the other side of the door, coming closer. Elena sighed behind him, trying to cover up her frustration. Ava Kate rarely acted out, but when she did, she went all in. Damon was about to knock again when the door creaked open. Ava Kate's face appeared in the crack. He stooped down to her level. "Hey," he greeted. "I hear you won't come out of your room. Any truth to that?"
"I wanna go crabbing," she muttered, pouting. "But, it's raining, so we can't. It's not fair!" Elena heard the beginnings of a fresh round of tantrum throwing. She took a step forward, ready to intervene.
"You know, I want to go crabbing, too," he said. "But, it's raining pretty hard, so we can't do it today. I still want to hang out with you and your mom though, so why don't we pick something else to do, and go crabbing another day?" Ava Kate considered, still peering at him through the crack.
"Like what?" she asked.
"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could go to Rebounderz?" Elena gave Damon a few bonus points. When he had called earlier and they agreed the weather was too bad to go crabbing, he had insisted he still wanted to see them, and they would figure out something to do when he arrived to pick them up. She wasn't a huge fan of trampoline parks herself – she got chills just thinking of the germs in those places – but she knew Ava Kate would love it.
"What's that?" Ava Kate asked.
"It's a trampoline park," Damon told her. "We can jump on trampolines and they have foam pits to jump into. I think it would be fun. There's also an arcade there, so maybe we can play a few games, too." Ava Kate opened the door a few more inches.
"We'll go crabbing another day?" she asked.
"I promise," Damon nodded.
"Pinkie promise?" She held out her pinkie finger.
"Pinkie promise," Damon agreed, locking his pinkie around her much smaller one. "You're going to have to let your mom get you dressed and ready to go, however. You don't want to jump in your pajama shirt, do you?" Ava Kate shook her head no. "Come on out of there, then," he said, pushing the bedroom door all the way open. Ava Kate stepped out into the hallway, casting a guilty look at her mother. Elena stepped forward.
"Think you can cooperate now?" she asked. Ava Kate nodded.
"I'm sorry for not being nice," she said, her eyes downcast. Elena felt her heart twist. She stooped down so she, too, was at Ava Kate's level, aware of Damon's eyes on them.
"You were disappointed," she said. She knew she needed to reprimand Ava Kate, but she also knew Ava Kate needed her to be gentle. "It's okay to be disappointed, but we don't lock ourselves away in our rooms when things don't go our way. We talk about it, and we find solutions, okay?" Ava Kate nodded.
"Like going crabbing another day and going to jump today."
"Exactly," Elena said. "Can I have a hug?" Ava Kate practically leapt into her mother's arms. Elena gave her a tight squeeze. "I love you, ladybug."
"I love you, too, buttercup." Damon grinned at the nicknames. He was now standing upright, leaning against the wall. "The shirt I picked out for you is on my bed. Why don't you run put it on, and I'll be there in a minute to brush your hair?"
"Okay!" Ava Kate scampered off, disappearing into the room at the end of the hallway.
"You are a miracle worker," Elena declared, standing to face Damon He shook his head.
"Kids are just more likely to listen to someone besides their parents, that's all."
"Still. Thank you. I was ready to throw in the towel."
"Consider it enlightened self-interest," Damon told her. "I want to spend time with the two of you. I had to get her out of that room to make it happen." Elena smiled at him.
"You know," she said, taking a couple of steps towards him, "I didn't really greet you properly when you got here, being as I was so preoccupied with Ava Kate and all."
"Oh yeah?" Damon asked, his heart rate picking up.
"Yeah." To his surprise, she came to him and slid her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her, his nose buried in her hair. He breathed her in. She smelled like lemon, lavender, and something that was strictly her.
"Hello," he said when he pulled away, smiling.
"Hello," she replied, returning his smile. She let her hand linger on his chest for a moment, thinking, for just a moment, how good it would be to kiss him. "I should go make Ava Kate look a little less like Miss Frizzle."
"Wait for you two downstairs?" Elena nodded, smiling at him.
"We'll be down in a minute." He returned her smile.
"I'll be waiting."
"I don't know if I like this," Elena stated, looking around the warehouse-like room full of trampolines from their spot on the observation deck. It was packed. They weren't the only ones looking for a way to occupy a child on a rainy day. All around them, kids were running and jumping, their parents either chasing after them or jumping with them. They were just over a week from Labor Day, which meant the Outer Banks was still teeming with tourists, tourists with thwarted beach-going plans who had to turn to indoor activities.
"What's not to like?" Damon asked. He and Ava Kate were seated side by side on a bench, removing their shoes. "There are, like, fifty giant trampolines. We can jump to our hearts desire, then go play some skeeball."
"It looks dangerous. And the germs…"
"There are no more germs here than there are at school," Damon pointed out. "In fact, there are probably less germs here. They clean this place every day. They might wipe down the desks in Ava Kate's classroom once a week, tops."
"Still…"
"Can we go jump now, Coach Damon?" Ava Kate asked. "Please?" She gave a little bounce in place, eager to get the show on the road. Damon looked at Elena.
"I'm ready if your mom is." Ava Kate turned, then frowned.
"Mommy! You have to take off your shoes! The man at the desk said!"
"You and Damon go on," Elena said, collecting their shoes and stuffing them in a rented locker, along with her purse. "I'm going to watch." Ava Kate cocked her head. Damon frowned.
"You're not going to jump with us?" he asked. Elena shook her head, looking almost guilty.
"It's not exactly my thing. You and Ava Kate go, have fun."
"I don't want to leave you by yourself…" Elena smiled at him.
"I'll be fine. Besides, someone has to take photos."
"Can we go, Coach Damon?" Ava Kate asked impatiently. All around her, kids were having fun. Normally content to sit on the sidelines, she wanted to join them this time. It looked like fun, and she was growing tired of letting everyone else have all the fun, especially now that she didn't get in trouble if she made too much noise.
"Sure thing," he said, glancing at Elena once more. "You sure you don't want to join us?" She smiled at him again.
"I'm sure," she confirmed. She took up the seat he had just stood from and with another backwards glance at her, he walked away with Ava Kate. She watched them go, finding she wasn't surprised by how easily Ava Kate went along with him. Even as Elena pondered the fact that Ava Kate seemed to trust Damon blindly, she watched Ava Kate reach up and take his hand. They disappeared from view for a few moments, obscured by a wall. They reappeared at the entrance leading into the trampolines. Ava Kate was giggling at something he said, looking up at him with bright, happy eyes. He was animatedly talking to her, wearing a big smile, his own eyes dancing. They paused just at the edge of the trampolines. Damon bent down and said something to her, pointing towards the trampoline. Ava Kate nodded seriously. Still holding her hand, he led the way onto the trampolines.
Elena couldn't take her eyes off of them. Damon led her toward the center of the trampoline, away from the trampoline-lined walls where older kids and adults alike were bouncing off the slanted surfaces, doing acrobatic tricks. He took her other hand and stayed still as she bounced lightly, allowing her to gain her confidence. Soon, though, they were both bouncing around, Ava Kate laughing hysterically, Damon grinning ear to ear.
She stood and walked over to edge of the deck, her phone in hand, snapping photos. Deciding she needed to be closer to get a better shot, she made her way to the entrance. She managed to snap a few photo before Damon spotted her. He stopped bouncing and leaned down to Ava Kate, pointing in her direction. Ava Kate nodded and bounced her way over, Damon following close behind.
"Hi, Mommy!"
"Hi, baby," she greeted. "It looks like you're having fun."
"This is the best!" Ava Kate exclaimed.
"Come to join us?" Damon asked. He couldn't hide the hopeful tone in his voice. He was having a blast with Ava Kate, but he wanted to spend time with Elena, too. Elena held up her phone.
"I was just taking a few photos." He eyed her for a moment, then jerked his head towards the trampolines.
"Come jump with us."
"I'm…"
"Sitting there, watching us have all the fun," he finished. He reached out and took her hand. "Come on, Elena. Put that phone in your pocket, and get out here."
"Damon…"
"Come on, Mommy!" Ava Kate chimed in. "It's so much fun! Come have fun with us! Please, Mommy? Please!" Elena sighed, her resolve to sit on the sidelines waning.
"How can you say no to that?" Damon said, tilting his head towards Ava Kate. Mimicking him, Ava Kate grabbed Elena's other hand, phone and all, and tugged.
"Come on, Mommy!" Elena sighed.
"Fine," she relented. She pocketed her phone, and took Ava Kate's hand again. "Lead the way." Damon's smile grew broad again. He gave her hand a squeeze before leading the way back onto the trampoline.
Ava Kate went right back to jumping, bouncing higher and higher. At some point, she had grabbed Damon's hand and the three of them now formed a little circle.
"Jump, Mommy!" Ava Kate directed. "You too, Coach Damon!"
"You heard the girl," Damon said, bouncing slightly. The trampoline under Elena's feet gave a bit, jostling her. Eyes on Damon, she started jumping herself. It didn't take her long to figure out what the fuss was all about.
It was freeing, bouncing around the trampoline. It reminded her of when she was a child and they trampoline in the backyard. A hurricane blew it away when she was in middle school, and they never bothered to replace it, but as she jumped now, her ears full of her daughter's laughter, the rest of the noises around her no more than a distant buzz, she remembered what it felt like to feel free, to feel like she was invincible, not a care in the world.
They jumped for another half hour, until Elena's legs were aching and even Ava Kate had started to tire. "Why don't we see what that arcade is all about?" Elena asked, now bouncing lightly on her toes.
"I like that idea," Damon agreed. "What do you say, Ava Kate? Want to go play some games?" Ava Kate nodded. She looked tired, her eyes heavy. Ava Kate's sleepy appearance changed Elena's mind about trampoline parks. If an hour or so of jumping meant her daughter slept well, she would be back often. They started towards the exit.
"Coach Damon?" Ava Kate asked. She had both of their hands, walking between them.
"Yeah, kid?" She paused for a moment before asking her question.
"Will you carry me? My legs are tired."
Time stood still for Elena. It was one thing, for Ava Kate to hold Damon's hand or giggle with him. Asking him to carry her was a whole other level of acceptance, trust. She let Jeremy carry her from time to time, and once or twice, she had almost begrudgingly allowed Stefan to pick her up, usually as a means to an end, but here she was, asking Damon to pick her up, trusting that he wasn't going to hurt her. It terrified Elena, and filled her with hope, all at once.
"Of course." Somehow, he knew this was a big deal. He leaned over and picked her up easily. She settled on his hip, her arms looping around his neck. "You good?" She nodded, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He looked at Elena. "You good?" he asked softly. She nodded, wearing a soft smile. He reached for her hand. She let him take it.
To the outsider, they looked every part the happy family, mom, dad, and their tired little girl, heading to the arcade for a few more minutes of family fun. The little girl, a spitting image of her mother, seemed to adore her father who, in turn only had eyes for the woman at his side, who was looking at him with a sort of wonderment.
Damon had never felt more a part of something as he led them towards the arcade. With Ava Kate in his arms and Elena holding his hand, he felt like he was theirs, like every moment of his life to date had let him to this point, to these two people. He felt the weight of responsibility that came with dating a single mother, but the weight wasn't heavy. It felt as natural as holding Ava Kate in his arms.
Elena glanced at Damon and gave him a small smile when he caught her eye, a smile he returned. It was nice, she decided, having a man by her side that she felt like she could rely on, trust. She had only ever wanted the kind of relationship her parents had and while it was still early, she thought, maybe, if she could open up her heart enough, she might be able to have that with Damon.
"Where to first?" he asked as they entered the loud arcade.
"Wack-A-Mole," Elena said definitively. "I'm the Wack-A-Mole champ." He raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?" It was good, seeing this playful side of her peeking out when she was normally so composed, trying, he realized, to be so perfect. He felt another surge of anger that she was ever treated poorly.
"It's true," Elena confirmed. She looked at Ava Kate who was still resting her head on Ava Kate's shoulder. "I think this will be a short gaming experience, though. The little one is exhausted." Damon smiled at the little girl in his arms.
"Perks of trampoline parks," he said. Elena laughed and led the way to Wack-A-Mole.
True to her word, Elena was good, using the plastic mallet to pound the moles with more and more vigor as they popped their head out. Ava Kate tried, then Damon, who came close to beating Elena's score. She teased him about being beaten by a girl, while Ava Kate giggled happily, holding her mom's hand.
The noise and lights of the arcade gave Ava Kate another burst of energy. She led them from game to game, letting Damon and Elena help her with the harder games. She turned out to be pretty good at skeeball, and played it several times in a row before Elena coaxed her on to the next game. They pooled all of their tickets, and walked out of the arcade with several stuffed animals and plastic toys.
"I'd say that was a success," Damon commented, a stuffed puppy under one arm, a bag containing several small trinkets in the other.
"It was," Elena agreed. "Ava Kate had the time of her life." The little girl was walking between them, holding another stuffed animal and her mother's hand.
"I think, maybe, her mom had some fun, too," Damon ventured. Elena smiled broadly.
"I did," she confirmed. "Maybe you did, too?"
"I absolutely did," Damon agreed, returning her smile. Again, he wanted desperately to lean over and kiss her. "I'm kind of hungry, though. It's a little early for dinner, but maybe we can grab a snack?" Elena nodded. She didn't want the day to end, just because they were finished at the trampoline park.
"Why don't we stop at the grocery store and pick up something?" she proposed. "Do you like Mexican food? I make really good chimichangas. If you don't have anywhere to be, I can make us dinner." Damon smiled at her as they reached her SUV, the vehicle at their disposal with Ava Kate's booster seat in it.
"I have nowhere to be," he confirmed. He had already been planning on spending the entire day with them. "But, how about a counter offer on dinner?" Elena raised an eyebrow to show she was listening. "How about we go back to you place, snack, maybe, I don't know, hang out for a little bit, then I take the two of you out for Mexican? Give you a night off of cooking?"
"I really can cook us dinner," Elena countered. "I don't mind."
"I know you don't," Damon agreed. "And from what I've experienced, you're a really good cook. But, it's Saturday, and I'd be willing to bet you've cooked dinner every night this week?" Elena nodded, a small smile starting to turn up on her face. "Then, you deserve a night off. Let someone else cook and do the dishes." Elena smiled at him, and her eyes flickered to Ava Kate.
"What do you think, Ava Kate? Want to get Mexican food for dinner?"
"Can I have tacos?" she countered. Elena smiled fondly.
"Of course."
"Then, yes." Damon chuckled.
"You don't have to cook, Ava Kate gets tacos, and I get to spend more time with the two of you. Everyone wins." Elena smiled at him. To her surprise, she once more desperately wanted to kiss him. She settled for reaching out and squeezing his arm affectionately before helping Ava Kate into the car. Making his way to the passenger's side of the SUV, Damon smiled to himself.
This had been a really good day.
"Here you go," Elena said, passing Damon a glass of iced tea. She settled onto the couch beside him, sitting close, their legs brushing.
"Thank you," he replied. He glanced at the armchair where Ava Kate was curled up, sleeping soundly. "She looks so comfortable."
"She's going to sleep so well tonight," Elena said. "I won't let her nap too long. She's cranky when you wake her up, and I don't want her to be grouchy through dinner." She rested her head on the back of the couch and looked at Damon. "We've had so much fun today. Thank you, so much." Damon reached out and brushed a piece of hair from her face.
"It's been a really good day," he confirmed. "I'm glad you agreed to dinner. I'm not ready to leave the two of you, yet." Elena smiled at him and moved just slightly closer. There was something she needed to tell him.
"Damon, I want you to know that it means a lot to me, that you are so good with Ava Kate. You're patient and don't seem to mind spending time with her. I know it's a lot, dating a woman with a child. I just, well, I want you to know I appreciate you." She looked down at her lap, embarrassed by her admission. Damon reached over and gently crooked a finger under her chin. He raised her gaze to his.
"I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to hear it, and know that it's the God's honest truth." She nodded, taken by the conviction in his voice. "I like you, Elena. I like you a lot. I also like Ava Kate. She's a huge part of what makes you the woman I'm so crazy about. You don't have to thank me for spending time with her. I want to spend time with her. Today, when she asked me to pick her up, I felt like the most important person in the world. I've had the best time, with the two of you today, and I want to spend more time with the two of you. I don't want you to doubt that, okay?" Elena smiled, fighting back tears. She nodded again.
"Okay," she replied softly. She slid still closer. Damon took that as a cue to wrap an arm around her. She didn't hesitate or pull away. Instead, she rested her head on his shoulder. She reached up and pushed Damon's hair away from his forehead. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything." He caught her hand and laced his fingers with hers.
"How come a guy like you is still single?" He blushed. "I'm serious. You're this complete gentleman, opening doors, pulling out chairs, totally chivalrous. You're so good with kids, Ava Kate, Cody, your students. You're close with your family, responsible. You also happen to be rather attractive. I just don't get it." Damon's cheeks got still redder.
"I just haven't found the right woman to settle down with," he admitted. Elena just smiled at him. She found herself hoping that, just maybe, she was the right one.
"Are you trying to tell me you haven't had woman throwing themselves at you?"
"I've dated," he told her. "I've had a few relationships over the years, but they've all fizzled out for one reason or another." He pursed his lips. "Frankly, it takes a special kind of woman to put up with me. Football takes up a lot of my time, especially during the season. It won't be quite as crazy this year, since First Flight isn't exactly expecting me to win a state championship, but coaching does pull me away from other parts of my life."
"But, coaching is part of what makes you who you are," Elena said, confused as to why his coaching career would ever be an issue. She liked that Damon coached, that he was so passionate about the game of football. She liked how he lit up when he talked about it. She was looking forward to watching him in action this season.
"It is," he agreed. "But, if I ever do get to coach at a collegiate level, it will take up even more of my time, with all the traveling and recruiting and all that." Elena made a face. He felt his heart start to fall. He had already scared her off.
"What do you mean, if you ever get to coach at a collegiate level?" she asked, surprising him. "Of course you'll coach at a collegiate level." He smiled at her.
"You sound so sure of yourself."
"I am," Elena stated. She left it at that. He grinned and rested his head against hers.
"Elena?" he asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. It was still raining outside.
"Yeah?"
"I know we're taking things slow, but there's something else I want you to know, something I think you need to hear." She lifted her head so she could look at him. He was still holding her hand.
"Okay…" He blew out a breath.
"You should know that I'm not looking to just date a woman." He watched as confusion filled Elena's eyes. He hurried on. "I want to get married, have a family. I always have, ever since I was a kid. I grew up with the best parents in the world, and I want what they have, what Stefan and Caroline have. Although, I do hope my kids are a little – better behaved – than theirs." Elena snorted back a laugh. She didn't think she could get any closer to Damon without sitting in his lap, yet she somehow managed to slide closer. "I just wanted you to know that. It felt like something you needed to hear." Elena lifted her head from his shoulder.
"You know, I think I did need to hear that," she admitted. She couldn't date casually, and not just because she had Ava Kate. If she was going to be with someone, she had to know they were serious about relationships and settling down. She had too much baggage to do casual, and it helped ease some of her worries, hearing Damon say he wanted to settle down. She bit her lip. "My last relationship did a lot of damage, to both me and Ava Kate. I know we're taking things slow, but, it helps me to let my guard down, you, being so honest." Damon released her hand, only to cup her cheek and let his thumb graze back and forth over her cheek.
"When you're ready, I want you to tell me what that bastard did to you two," he told her. She nodded solemnly. "But, for now, I just want you to know that I'm not him. I'm not going to hurt you, or Ava Kate."
"I know you're not," Elena replied, realizing she truly believed that. Her eyes fell on his lips. She wondered if he wanted to kiss her half as bad as she wanted to kiss him. Feeling bold, she decided to find out. "Damon, I know we're taking things slow, but…" she trailed off.
"But?" he prompted, his hand still on her cheek. She took a deep breath and glanced at Ava Kate to make sure she was still asleep.
"But, I wouldn't hate it if you kissed me right now."
Damon didn't need to be told twice. He used the arm around her to pull her closer, tilted her head towards his as he moved in. He lips landed on hers.
It was perfect. It was both soft and full of fire. He sighed in contentment, heard her respond in kind, her arms around him, pulling him close, her fingers tangled in his hair. He didn't push for more, but when he absolutely had to pull away to breathe, he removed his lips from hers just a fraction, breathed, and placed one more light kiss on her lips.
"Can I tell you one more thing?" he asked. Elena nodded, her forehead resting against his, one of her hands now fisting the fabric of his t-shirt. "I'm going to make a bold prediction, but I feel pretty confident in saying that was your last first kiss."
The good kind of goose bumps peppered her skin. She leaned forward and gave him a soft, sweet peck on the lips.
"Call me crazy," she whispered, "but, I think, maybe, you might be right."
A kiss! Finally! I think, maybe, there were a few of you waiting for that... More kisses to come.
And, spoiler alert - I think Giuseppe is my favorite character in the whole story. Or, well, maybe Lily. Stay tuned. They'll be coming to town down the line.
Oh, and a question I got on Twitter! Liam isn't really the Liam from season six. I didn't watch season six. But, I did borrow the name...
Okay. Bed.
Please let me know what you thought!