Surprise! I'm updating a day early as I'm boarding a train bound for New York City at a time most people thing is ungodly early, but a time that I've personally usually finished up a barre class. Successful people get up early and all that stuff... I think you'll like this one. Although it pained me to write about the Aggies when I'm a Tennessee Vol, through and through.
Thank you so much for all the comments and love last chapter. I so adore you all - and I hope you each had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, fabulous Friday... Whatever you celebrate!
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.
Damon nervously unlocked his front door. "Ladies first." He stood aside to hold the door for Elena and Ava Kate. Elena smiled at him as she passed, picking up on the fact that he was, for some reason, nervous. "It's not much," he explained, entering the efficiency behind them. "But, it beats the alternative which was staying with Stefan and Caroline until I found a place."
Elena surveyed the space. It was small, really no more than one big room, a bed tucked in a corner, a comfortable looking couch and recliner crammed in the space between the bed and the kitchenette, a big flat screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the couch. There was what appeared to be a small bathroom, but other than that, that was it. It was small and sparse, and so strictly Damon that she couldn't think of a more appropriate place for him to call home.
"This place couldn't be more you, if you tried," she stated, turning towards him. "It's quite tidy, as well." Her eyes were twinkling. Damon grinned, embarrassed at being caught.
"I cleaned up," he admitted. "I didn't exactly want you to see the sweaty t-shirts and tennis shoes I had thrown all over the place." Elena laughed lightly. She made herself at home, settling on the couch, glancing at Ava Kate who was wandering around the room, exploring.
"Come sit," she directed. She trusted herself more with him. He had been true to his word, taking things slow, letting her set the pace, while still being open in his affections towards her, holding her hand, kissing her. Just yesterday, the principal had rounded the corner, just before Damon kissed her goodbye to head to his classroom for the day. The old man had merely smiled, told them good morning, and continued on his way. Instead of feeling guilty, Elena had kissed Damon one more time, just for good measure.
"You know, aside from Caroline, Stefan, and Cody, you two are the first people I've had over," he told Elena, settling onto the couch next to her. He unceremoniously propped his feet up on his cheap coffee table.
"Here's to hoping we're good company.
"The best," Damon confirmed. He leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips. He couldn't get enough of her now that he had permission to kiss her.
"Damon, what's this?" Ava Kate asked, pointing to a framed map of the state of Texas. She had dropped calling him 'Coach Damon' and Elena hadn't corrected her, much to his delight. He liked being just 'Damon' to her. He looked to where she was pointing.
"That, Ava Kate, is the great state of Texas." He stood and pointed out Dallas. "That's Dallas. My parents live there." He moved his finger a few inches to the southwest. "And this is where I lived before I came here."
"How far away is it?" Ava Kate asked.
"Well, if you drive, it's about 20 hours," Damon told her. "But, if you fly, it's a lot faster."
"Did you fly?" He shook his head.
"I drove. Whenever I go visit my parents again, I'll probably fly though. That was a really long drive. I was bored out of my mind halfway across Alabama."
"What's Texas like?" Ava Kate asked.
"It depends on where you are," Damon said, sitting back down on the couch. "Texas is a really big state. Dallas, where I grew up and where my parents live, is a big city, with all sorts of things to see and do. But, the town I lived in before I moved here, was smaller and quieter. Not as small and quiet as Nags Head, but it was still a small town."
"Do you miss your old town?" Ava Kate continued her battery of questions, making Elena smile. Damon was as patient as a saint.
"Sometimes," he admitted. "I miss my mom and dad. Well, most of the time." He heard Elena snort back a laugh. She knew his mother drove both him and Stefan crazy. "But, as it turns out, I'm starting to really like it here. Mainly because I like the two of you." He reached out and tweaked her nose, making her giggle.
"Can we cook our crabs now?" she asked. They had spent the morning crabbing and had a bucket full of them for dinner to show for their efforts.
"It's still a little too early," Elena told her. "Maybe we could go out and play on the beach?"
"Okay!" Ava Kate agreed. She started towards the door.
"Wait for us!" Elena called after her. "Don't go any further than the porch." Ava Kate was out the door, but her footsteps stopped on the porch. Elena turned to Damon. "So, you like the two of us?" she asked. Damon nodded seriously.
"I do," he confirmed. "A whole lot." He leaned in and kissed her. Elena smiled at him, her hand resting on his chest.
"We like you a lot, too." She kissed him once more. "Thanks for putting up with us today. Both of us did an awful lot of squealing."
"No, you did an awful lot of squealing," Damon corrected. "Ava Kate laughed at you and maybe shrieked a time or two, but you? You did all the squealing. Ava Kate wasn't remotely afraid of a crab." Elena laughed lightly. It was true. She hadn't been afraid of the crabs, exactly, but the pinchers always seemed too close to her hands and she was still convinced the ones they let loose on the dock to scamper back into the water had it out for her as they always came her way.
"I'll get my revenge when we cook the stupid things later," she said ruefully. Damon laughed heartily. "We should probably go outside and play with Ava Kate."
"Okay. But, before we do…" He leaned in and kissed her once more. She kissed him back, enjoying how free she felt just being with him, before patting him on the leg.
"Come on, Coach. Let's go – build a sandcastle or something."
Damon followed Elena outside, feeling content and relaxed, despite the fact that he hadn't made it to bed until well after midnight the night before. His team had opened up their football season against Dixon High School, a three and a half hour bus ride south of the Outer Banks. He was quickly learning most of their away games would involve a long bus ride. They had lost by four touchdowns, although spirits had been high when they got on the bus back, just because they had managed to score a touchdown on a run by Flash, the first one in nearly two years.
Even though he hadn't made it to bed until the early morning hours, he was up before eight o'clock. He graded a handful of papers while he ate a microwavable breakfast bowl, then drove over to the rec center where Cody's football practice and Ava Kate's cheerleading practice were both happening. He had mulled around, watching both practices and talking to Elena and Caroline while biting his tongue to keep from giving Stefan pointers on how to coach his son's pee wee team. Then, he had rounded Elena and Ava Kate up, grabbed sandwiches for lunch, and spent the afternoon crabbing.
They had planned to leave Ava Kate with Caroline and Stefan so they could go to dinner alone, but Cody had come down with a stomach bug during football practice. Caroline's mom was on duty and Elena refused to entrust Ava Kate with Jeremy on a Saturday night, so they had changed their plans to spend the evening eating their catch. He didn't mind at all, so long as he got to spend the evening with the Gilberts. They wandered down to the water's edge, Damon holding Elena's hand as Ava Kate skipped ahead, kicking the sand as she went.
"Ava Kate, watch your step," Elena called. "There's a school of jellyfish right where the waves are breaking." Damon squinted, searching for them.
"Where?"
"Right there," Elena said, pointing them out. He spied the school then. There were at least a hundred small jellyfish, tumbling around in the waves. Ava Kate watched them for a moment before she returned her attention back to gathering seashells. They sat down in the sand, several feet from where the waves broke, watching Ava Kate play while making small talk, Elena pausing every once in a while to call Ava Kate back from the water. Damon was listening intently as Elena told him about her Labor Day plans with Caroline – shopping at some outlet mall on the mainland – when he saw Ava Kate take off for a conch shell in the surf. He also saw the jellyfish.
"Ava Kate!" he cried out, jumping up suddenly. She spun at the sound of her name, just as Damon swooped in and scooped her up as a wave crashed into the sand. Ava Kate squealed in surprise. Damon turned, intending to take Ava Kate to dry land before putting her down. Without warning, something smacked into his leg. A moment later, he cried out in pain and stumbled a few steps, barely managing to remain upright and hold onto Ava Kate as he regained his balance.
"Damon!" Elena was there, reaching to take Ava Kate from him. "What happened?"
"Jellyfish got me," he grunted out, hobbling out of the water. He stumbled up the beach several yards, making sure he was clear of the water, before looking at the damage. The side of his left leg was burning, big red whelps already forming. He bit his lip, trying not to cuss the pain in front of Ava Kate. Elena was at his side.
"Let me see." She squatted down, observing the burns. "I think more than one got you. These aren't too bad though, even though they probably feel like they are."
"That's an understatement," Damon gritted out. Ava Kate stood nearby, watching.
"Come on. We need to get the tentacles out."
"Tentacles?" Damon repeated.
"It's not as bad as it sounds. Think of bee stingers."
"Because that's pleasant," Damon muttered. Elena ignored him. She slipped an arm around his waist, brought his arm around her shoulders, and helped him towards his house. Ava Kate ran ahead, holding the door open for them. "Thanks, Ava Kate," he managed as they passed.
"Have a seat," Elena ordered, navigating him to the couch. "Prop that leg up on the coffee table. Other than the stinging, do you have any other symptoms? Any shortness of breath or anything like that?"
"It just hurts like hell," Damon grunted out. He hadn't been in this much pain when he blew out his knee in college. Ava Kate took a seat on his armchair, understanding that she needed to stay out of the way for the moment.
"Do you have any vinegar?" Elena asked, opening kitchen cabinets at random. "Or baking soda?"
"No baking soda. But, I have vinegar. It should be in the cabinet over the stove." Elena had to stand on her tiptoes, but she found the bottle of vinegar, noting that Damon didn't exactly keep his kitchen stocked with anything that required more effort than adding water before putting it in the microwave. She ducked into the bathroom and grabbed the first towel she found before returning to Damon.
"This will take the sting out." She positioned the towel under his calf, then poured a trickle of vinegar over the stings. While the burn remained, it did lessen. "How's that?"
"It still stings, but not as bad." Elena nodded. That was the answer she was hoping for.
"Ava Kate, can you bring me my bag, please?" Ava Kate slid off the chair and quickly retrieved her mother's purse, feeling important. She passed the bag to her mother without a word, rounded the coffee table, and perched on the opposite side so she could have a better view. Damon watched as Elena took a loyalty card to a grocery store out of her wallet.
"What are you doing? Trying to get reward points at my expense?"
"I have to get the tentacles out," she said calmly. "So they don't keep releasing their poison into your blood steam. It's going to be hard, but I need you to stay as still as you can, okay?" Damon grunted in response. As gently as she could, Elena lowered the edge of her plastic card to Damon's calf and began to scrap. She could feel his muscles tightening in protest, could tell he was making an effort not to pull away. "This would have been easier if you had baking soda," she said conversationally, trying to distract him. "You make a paste with baking soda and seawater, let it dry, then scape it off. It helps with the sting, too."
"Where did you learn so much about jellyfish stings?"
"My dad," Elena answered simply. "Both Jeremy and I have been stung a few times over the years. I'm just doing what he would have done." Damon smiled, even though the sting was again growing in intensity.
"Got any tips on how to keep the sting from coming back?"
"Is it hurting again?" Damon nodded.
"It doesn't feel good."
"I'm almost done. Then, I'll pour more vinegar over it and we'll ice it down. You can soak it in hot water, too. Do you have any calamine lotion?"
"Doubtful. I don't think I even have Band-Aids."
"We'll get you some," Elena told him, still scraping at his whelps. "It'll help with the itching, because these will definitely start to itch later. You can take some Tylenol for the pain, or an antihistamine for any swelling."
"You're a regular Dr. Quinn." Elena chuckled.
"That should do it for the scrapping," she informed him, placing the card aside. She again poured the vinegar over his wounds. "Is that helping?"
"A little bit," Damon nodded.
"Good." Elena finished off the bottle of vinegar. She went to the freezer. It was full of frozen burritos, breakfast bowls, and pizza, but no ice. She shut the door and turned back to Damon. "Where are your keys?"
"My keys?" he repeated.
"Your keys," Elena confirmed. "You drove us here, so I need your keys to go to the store and pick up a few things."
"I'll drive…" He made to get up.
"No, you won't," she informed him. She was at his side in moments, pushing him back down to the couch. "Hand over the keys, Coach."
"But, my truck…"
"Let me guess. You don't let anyone drive it." She knew by the look on his face that she was right. "Too bad. Keys, now."
"Flash is right," he muttered, reaching into his pocket for his keys. "You really are bossy."
"I've heard the same about you," Elena informed him, taking the keys. "Ava Kate? You and I are going to run to the store and pick up a few things for Damon. We'll be right back." Ava Kate looked from her mom to Damon. He was clearly in a lot of pain.
"Can I stay here?" she asked. "I don't want Damon to be by himself while his leg hurts." Elena's eyes widened in surprise, even as her heart melted at her daughter's thoughtfulness. Ava Kate had never asked to stay with anyone, always preferring to be with her mother.
"Well, honey, Damon might not feel…"
"Of course she can stay," Damon cut Elena off, smiling at Ava Kate. She really was a sweet little girl. "We can sit on the couch and watch TV while we wait for you to come back." Elena looked at Damon for a long moment as though she were thinking it over.
"Are you sure? I'll take her with me…"
"Elena, it's fine," Damon said gently but firmly. "Go to the store and get whatever you need. Ava Kate's in charge here. We'll be fine." Deep down, Elena knew there was no safer place for Ava Kate to be than with Damon. He had, after all, just prevented her from being the one stung by the jellyfish. But, part of her still didn't trust leaving her daughter with anyone that wasn't Caroline or Caroline's mom. Still, she took a breath and nodded. She needed to trust Damon.
"I'll be right back. Ava Kate? Be good. Help Damon, if he needs it."
"I will," Ava Kate promised.
"We'll be fine," Damon repeated. He winced as an especially sharp sting of pain shot through his leg. "Maybe bring back some chocolate ice cream, too?" Elena smiled and nodded.
"Chocolate ice cream, coming right up," she said. "I promise to bring the truck back in one piece." She left the efficiency, leaving Damon alone with Ava Kate. He heard his truck, the one material possession he had that he felt an irrational attachment to, crank up and pull out of his makeshift driveway. He turned to Ava Kate.
"How about you pass me that remote, then come sit by me? We'll find something to watch on TV." Ava Kate picked up the remote, slid off the coffee table, and climbed onto the sofa next to Damon.
"You pick," she told him. "You're the one with the boo boo." He smiled at her logic.
"You ever watched a football game, Ava Kate?"
"Not really. Uncle Jeremy watches them sometimes. And my grandpa watched them before he went to Heaven. But, I haven't really watched them before." Damon turned on the TV, which was already on ESPN.
"Well, you're in luck. It's the first day of college football season and I'm going to show you what you've been missing." They exchanged a smile and within a few minutes, Damon had his arm around Ava Kate and she was listening intently as he explained what was happening on the screen. She was as enthralled as he'd hoped she would be.
"Is that a first down?" she asked, eyes glued to the TV. Damon shook his head.
"It's a third-and-three. They need to get three more yards to get a first down, then they get a new set of downs."
"What if they don't get three more yards?"
"Then its fourth down. They will either try to get the yards they need, or they will punt the ball to the other team. Because of where they are on the field, they will likely punt the ball if they don't get the down."
"Punt means kick, right?" Ava Kate questioned.
"Exactly," Damon said with an approving nod.
"So, why do they kick it if they don't get all their yards?"
"To give the other team bad field position," he explained patiently. "The farther away from their end zone, the better." He nodded towards the TV. "Watch." The play snapped into action. The defense swarmed. The quarterback was on his back before he realized what was about to happen. The defense celebrated.
"Are they going to punt?" Ava Kate asked.
"Yep." Damon pointed to the screen. "That's the punt unit coming onto the field." They watched as the football sailed through the air, landing on the opposite end of the field.
"Was that good?" Ava Kate wanted to know.
"That was really good," Damon said with an approving nod. Ava Kate snuggled closer, still watching football. He grinned and turned his attention to the game. They were still watching when Damon heard the sound of his truck returning. "I think your mom is back." Ava Kate's eyes grew wide.
"Hide it!" she exclaimed. She made to jump up and hide the wrapper of the peanut butter cup Damon let her have, knowing her mother didn't like her to have sweets before dinner. Damon stopped her.
"Give that here." He took the wrapper with balled it up with his. He had just tucked them between the couch cushions when Elena opened the door, balancing two full grocery bags.
"How's the patient?" she asked, using her shoulder to push open the door.
"Let me help you." Damon made to stand, trying to press through the pain that shot through his leg.
"Sit down," Elena ordered. She dropped the bags on his counter. "Keep that leg propped up." She walked over to them and perched on the coffee table to check Damon's leg. "Still stinging?"
"A bit," Damon admitted. Elena turned her attention to Ava Kate.
"Was Damon good for you?" Ava Kate nodded.
"He's teaching me about football."
"Oh yeah? What did you learn?"
"You want to kick the ball way down the field," Ava Kate said seriously. "And you have four chances to get ten yards."
"That sounds about right," Elena agreed. She caught sight of the orange candy wrappers peeking out of the couch cushions. She reached forward and plucked them out. "Had a bit of a snack while I was at the grocery store, did we?" Ava Kate looked from Damon to her mother.
"Damon said we could have them!" Damon did his best to look guilty.
"I'm hurt," he reminded Elena. "We needed the peanut butter cups to make us feel better." Elena laughed lightly.
"Well, you both better eat your dinner later," she warned.
"We will, right Ava Kate?"
"Right," Ava Kate nodded. Elena smiled. The relationship forming between her daughter and Damon was quickly becoming one of her favorite things, even if it scared her.
"I'm going to go get some seawater and make that paste I was talking about. You staying or going out to the ocean with me, Ava Kate?" Ava Kate looked at Damon for a moment. He said his leg still bothered him, but she really wanted to go out to the ocean again.
"I'll go with you," she said, sliding off the couch. "Damon will be okay by himself for a few minutes." Damon snorted.
"Is she turning five or twenty-five?"
"Depends on the day," Elena replied wryly. She quickly found a plastic cup in one of Damon's cabinets, took Ava Kate's hand, and headed back outside. Damon let out a little sigh, his efficiency already feeling too quiet and empty, even though he knew they would be back in moments. In less than five minutes, they were trouping back through the door.
"I'm not sold on this seawater and baking soda remedy of yours," he informed Elena. He reached down to scratch at his whelps. They were still stinging and now, starting to itch, just as Elena had predicted.
"Don't scratch!" she chided him.
"Mommy knows what she's doing," Ava Kate agreed, coming to sit by Damon again.
"I hope you're right," Damon said seriously. Ava Kate giggled.
"I am," she told him. "Gilberts are always right." Damon raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Is that so?" Ava Kate nodded seriously.
"Mommy said so."
"It's good to know what I'm getting myself into," he said, reaching out and ticking Ava Kate's side. She giggled again. Elena smiled at the sweet sound as she mixed her concoction. She made her way back to Damon and once more perched on the coffee table.
"Stay still," she said again. She went to work rubbing the mixture on his calf. If it didn't hurt so much, Damon reasoned he would probably be turned on. They were taking it slow and this, her taking care of him, her soft hand on his leg, was as intimate as they had ever been. She picked up a dishtowel and gently brushed off the mixture.
"The stinging isn't so bad," he admitted. Elena winked at him.
"Told you I knew what I was doing." He chuckled. She finished removing the mixture and then rubbed on some calamine lotion.
"How's that?"
"Much better," he confirmed. He smiled at her. "You're a good nurse." She just winked at him. She gathered her things and returned to the kitchen, tidying up. She could feel Damon's eyes on her, watching intently.
"Take this," she instructed, bringing him two Tylenol and a water bottle. He followed instructions. She made to return to the kitchen, but he reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Sit down," he instructed. "With me and Ava Kate." She looked at him for a long moment, then glanced at the bags in the kitchen.
"I was going to…" Damon was shaking his head.
"There's nothing you need to do that's more important than sitting down with the two of us," he informed her. "Come on. Sit down. We'll finish watching this football game and then, we'll boil the crabs we caught today."
"There are a few things that I need to put in the fridge," Elena ventured. "How about I do that, then join you?"
"Deal," Damon said with a nod. He squeezed Elena's hand before he released it and allowed her to return to putting the groceries away. He watched her covertly as she put granola bars in his cupboard and a sack of apples on his counter. He shook his head with a small smile on his face. She would, of course, fill his kitchen with things that weren't microwavable.
"Damon, is that a touchdown?" Ava Kate asked, bringing his attention back to the screen.
"That's a field goal," he corrected. "They kicked the ball through the goal post, so that gives them three points. A touchdown gives them six."
"Got it," Ava Kate sad with a determined nod. Damon pulled her a little closer. Elena approached.
"Still have room for me?" she asked, almost timidly.
"Of course," Damon said, holding his arm that wasn't around Ava Kate out to her. She smiled at him and settled in beside him. He pulled her closer and placed a soft kiss on her temple. She snuggled a little closer. He sighed contently, enjoying the feeling of having his arms full of Elena and Ava Kate.
"Game over," Damon declared almost an hour later. He was surprised both Elena and Ava Kate had remained seated throughout the game, both of them ultimately using his chest as a pillow. "How about we start boiling those crabs?" Elena lifted her head from its place on Damon's shoulder.
"How's the leg?" she asked.
"It itches," Damon admitted. "But, the stinging is more or less gone."
"Good." She looked over at Ava Kate. "And, how are you? You've been quiet."
"Where's the bathroom?" she countered.
"Right through there," Damon told her, pointing it out. She slid off the couch and disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. "I can't believe she watched almost an entire game."
"She looked like she enjoyed it."
"I think she did," Damon agreed. He kissed her temple again. "You ready to boil a few crabs?"
"Why don't I make us something else?" Elena proposed. "You should really keep that leg propped up…" Damon silenced her with a brief but potent kiss.
"I think I can manage to stand for a few minutes," he told her dryly. "Besides, Ava Kate and I worked hard to catch our dinner. We're going to eat them."
"I helped!" Damon snorted.
"All that screaming you did? It's a wonder we have any dinner at all." Elena glared at him playfully. He laughed and reached out to tickle her. She shrieked, laughing. Ava Kate came out of the bathroom.
"Mommy?" Her cheeks flushed, Elena turned to her daughter.
"Yes?" Ava Kate studied her mother for a moment. She cocked her head.
"You're laughing," she stated. Elena nodded, understanding. Ava Kate had thought, for just a moment, that her mother was in trouble. It was new for her, to see her mother laughing with a man.
"I am laughing," she confirmed. Ava Kate smiled.
"Okay." She skipped over to them and climbed into her mother's lap. "What are we gonna do now? I mean, what are we going to do now?" Damon bit his lip at Ava Kate's correction, sure it came from an early childhood of striving to be perfect to avoid getting into trouble.
"How about we boil those crabs now?" he asked. "I'm getting hungry." Ava Kate nodded
"Me, too."
"Let's do it," Damon agreed. Elena helped Ava Kate to her feet, then stood.
"Need some help?" She reached for him, ready to help him to his feet. He didn't need her assistance, but he let her help anyways. She turned towards the kitchen, but he kept a hold of her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping her in a hug.
"Thanks for taking care of me today." He felt her tighten her arms around him.
"Of course." He kissed the top of her head before letting her go. She made her way across the room to his kitchenette, Ava Kate on her heels, but the TV had caught his attention. Elena noticed. "Something interesting on ESPN?" Her eyes were twinkling in amusement. He gave her a guilty sort of grin.
"The Texas A&M game just started," he admitted.
"Would you like to watch it?" she asked, amused. She could see the conflict in Damon's eyes. He wanted to watch the game, but wasn't sure how she would react.
"Mind if I keep the game on while we cook?" Elena shook her head, smiling. She had a feeling, should she and Damon continue their relationship, sharing him with ESPN, especially in the fall, would be a regular thing.
"Of course not. Watch your Aggies."
"You're the best," he informed her. She just winked.
They went to work, boiling water for crabs and working on side dishes. Damon kept drifting out of the kitchenette to catch a few minutes of the game, Ava Kate bouncing between helping and watching, too. Elena found it amusing to watch him watch football, listening as he muttered to himself and told the coaches and players what they were doing wrong. It was a close game, and losing wasn't something Damon was interested in doing.
"Can I stir the mashed potatoes?" Ava Kate asked, pulling her out of thoughts about how attractive Damon was as he stood in the middle of the living room, eyes on the TV, a pair of tongs in his hand, his weight shifted onto his right foot as he worked to hide from them how much his left leg was itching and burning.
"When its time," Elena promised.
"Son of a bitch!" Damon suddenly erupted. "Come on, guys!" Elena spun towards him.
"Damon!" He looked at him, his eyes wide as he realized what he'd done.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "We just got intercepted in the red zone…" He trailed off. His eyes had fallen on Ava Kate and she looked terrified. "Ava Kate…" She took a step back. Elena turned to look at her daughter and her own eyes widened, understanding. She had been chiding Damon for cussing in front of Ava Kate, but they had far more to worry about than Ava Kate repeating a cuss word. Damon's heart sunk. He'd scared the child, and likely ruined any progress he had made.
"Honey, it's okay," Elena said, moving towards her. "Damon was just yelling at the TV, that's all." Ava Kate didn't say anything, her eyes still on Damon. He knew he was the one who needed to explain.
"Ava Kate," he said gently, taking a few small steps towards her. He stopped a few feet away, giving her space, and squatted down to her level. "I'm sorry I scared you. I was watching the game, and my team made a big mistake. I shouldn't have cussed like that. I shouldn't have raised my voice. I'm sorry." Ava Kate remained silent, studying him intently.
"Sweetheart, everything is okay," Elena promised. "Damon was reacting to the game on TV, that's it. He wasn't yelling at me or you." Damon glanced at Elena, hating that he had to explain that he wasn't upset with them.
"I would never talk to you like that," he told Ava Kate, trying to explain in a way she would understand. "I promise I will never yell at you or your mom. I'm not going to hurt either one of you. I'm so sorry that I scared you. I just got excited watching the game. Texas A&M is my favorite team. It's where I went to college and played football. Sometimes, when people watch sports, they get really excited. That's what happened just now. I'm really sorry."
"It's all right," Elena said softly. Ava Kate glanced at Damon, as though she were considering whether she still trusted him. He decided to try his luck.
"I'm sorry," he said again, holding out his arms. "Can I have a hug?" It took a moment, but Ava Kate slowly took a few steps towards him.
"You're not going to yell at me and Mommy?" she asked softly. "Ever?" Damon's heart twisted. Elena paled. Despite wanting to comfort Elena, he kept his eyes on Ava Kate for the moment.
"I will never yell at you," he promised. "Never."
"Pinkie promise?" Ava Kate held out her pinkie finger.
"Pinkie promise," Damon agreed, wrapping his big pinkie around Ava Kate's little one. He had never met something more. "How about that hug?" Ava Kate closed the space between them, wrapping her small arms around Damon's neck. He held her close, feeling his heart rate slowing down to normal. He glanced at Elena and saw she still looked a little unsteady. He didn't hesitate. He stood, Ava Kate in his arms. "Come here." He held out an arm to Elena. She went to him and allowed him to pull her into his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered again. Elena nodded against his chest.
"It's okay," she told him. "It really is." Because it was. Damon had done nothing out of the ordinary for a man who was passionate about a sport. She had grown up with her father and Jeremy yelling at the TV when things didn't go their team's way and now, she considered those fond memories. Ava Kate, however, had experienced a different kind of yelling.
"Are we all okay?" he asked after another couple of moments.
"We're all okay," Elena confirmed. He gave them another squeeze.
"How about we start that dinner?" Elena nodded, giving him a smile. Then, because she thought he needed it, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. With another smile, she pulled away and made her way into the kitchen.
"Are you okay?" he asked Ava Kate one more time. She nodded.
"I'm okay."
"Good." He lowered her to the ground and gave her shoulder an affectionate little squeeze. He made to follow Elena into the kitchen.
"Damon?" He turned back to Ava Kate.
"What's up, kid?" She looked nervous. He gave her an encouraging smile.
"Can people have the same favorite football teams?" He nodded.
"Of course. See all those people wearing maroon and white?" he pointed to the TV. Ava Kate nodded. "Those are Aggie fans. Texas A&M is their favorite team."
"Can Texas A&M be my favorite team, too?" Damon beamed. Elena chuckled under her breath in the kitchen.
"If you want them to be."
"I want them to be," Ava Kate confirmed. She gave him a big smile. "Like you!"
"High five!" Damon declared, holding his hand up. She slapped his palm with hers. "Look, go like this." He made a thumbs up. Ava Kate copied. "Now, say 'Gig 'em Aggies!'" Ava Kate cocked her head.
"Gig 'em?" she repeated. Damon nodded.
"It's what Aggie fans say. They make this sign with their hands and go 'Gig 'em Aggies!'" Ava Kate held out her thumb.
"Gig 'em Aggies!"
"Gig 'em Aggies!" Damon repeated enthusiastically.
"Gig 'em Aggies!" Ava Kate cried out. Damon laughed.
"You are my favorite little girl," he declared. She beamed. "How about we go help your mom with dinner?" Ava Kate nodded and skipped over to Elena.
"Can I have juice? I saw you put it in the fridge."
"You may," Elena confirmed. "Get the bottle out and I'll pour it for you." She looked at Damon. "It sounds like the Aggies have a new fan."
"I'm buying her an Aggies t-shirt," he declared. He tugged at the hem of Elena's shirt. "I think you need one, too."
"I'm a North Carolina fan," Elena informed him. "That's where my parents went." Damon shook his head.
"That's not football," he stated. "That's just a bunch of guys running into each other on the football field. The Aggies – the SEC – is real football." He intercepted Ava Kate with the bottle of juice and went to work pouring her a glass. "Besides, there's another Aggie tradition I think you'll like."
"Which is?" Damon smirked.
"Guys kiss their dates each time the team scores." He cocked his head towards the screen where the Aggies trailed 7-0. "Which means I'm going to need my boys to get it together." Elena laughed.
They worked in a sort of synchronization that came naturally to them, handing each other utensils and ingredients, reaching for something, only to find the other holding it out to them. Ava Kate fluttered about, helping when she was asked, while Damon drifted between the kitchenette and the TV, keeping up with the game and making good on his promise to kiss Elena each time his team scored. She found herself wishing the team would score more, even though it was 24-7 at halftime.
Because Damon didn't have a kitchen table, they ate their crab legs, corn-on-the-cob, and mashed potatoes on the porch, Damon helping them both with cracking their crab legs as he told Ava Kate more about Texas A&M. They cleaned up the kitchen, and piled onto the couch to watch more football, although Damon did offer to let them watch something else. Elena took another look at Damon's leg, adding more calamine lotion. She curled back up next to him, resting her head on his chest. He put an arm around her and pulled her close. Ava Kate drifted off to sleep in the armchair.
Elena used the peaceful quiet to steel herself. It was time she told Damon about her past, especially after Ava Kate's reaction earlier to both hearing her shriek out in laughter, and to Damon's curse. With a deep breath, and without lifting her head from his chest, she began to speak.
"His name was Liam."
"What?"
"His name was Liam," she said again. "My ex." She felt Damon tighten his arm around her for a moment.
"Elena, you don't have to…" She put her hand on his chest.
"I need to." He looked her in the eye. She looked determined. And, more importantly, she looked comfortable with opening up to him.
"I'm listening," he said, giving her another little squeeze. Elena drew in another deep breath.
"I met him the first semester of my sophomore year of college. He was in a fraternity that my sorority partnered with for an event. All my sorority sisters had a crush on him, myself included. He was gorgeous, smart, funny. He came from a prominent family in Chicago and was so well mannered, always well dressed. For whatever reason, he decided he liked me.
"I thought I'd won some lottery or something. Liam, the guy everyone wanted, wanted me, boring Elena from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He treated me well. I never paid when we went out. He opened doors for me, pulled out chairs. He bought me gifts, told me I was pretty. I felt like a princess when I was with him.
"In hindsight, all the signs were there. He would get mad if I didn't call him when I said I would. He complained if I didn't spend enough time with him. He wanted to know where I was, all the time. I thought it was sweet, though. So did my friends. We all thought he cared about me and just wanted to make sure I was safe." She sighed. "There's a part of me that wishes I would have had the sense to break up with him then, but I can't bring myself to say I regret our relationship. Because despite everything, I got Ava Kate out of it and she's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"She's a perfect little girl," Damon agreed, holding Elena just a little closer.
"He proposed after my college graduation. By then, I had already agreed to move to Chicago with him. He had a position at the family business and I could teach anywhere. So, to Chicago I went. I got my license to teach in Illinois, but he didn't want me to work. I got a job anyway and that was, at that point, the biggest fight we had ever had. He yelled at me in a way that scared me to my core, but I stood up for myself and kept teaching.
"My getting pregnant was an accident. I was on birth control, but I had been sick and the antibiotics interfered. We had talked about kids and while she wasn't planned, I thought he would still be happy. Instead, he was angry. He never outright told me to get rid of her, but he implied it. His parents were furious because I was pregnant out of wedlock. To this day, I don't know how I managed not to marry him when his parents pushed it so hard.
"He didn't put his hands on me while I was pregnant, but he got angry easier. It was an inconvenience, to deal with my morning sickness or to go to doctor's appointments with me. He hired people to put her nursery together because he simply didn't want to deal with it. He yelled at me a lot, for everything under the sun. I made excuses, figuring he was just stressed out with work and a baby on the way, but it was just the start." She sighed again. "That's when I should have ended things. While I was pregnant. I was in denial. I wanted the life I'd always dreamed of – a husband and babies. I thought, maybe, once she was born, he would realize how precious she was and change."
Damon bit the inside of his lip to keep himself from reacting in anger. He couldn't imagine not wanting a child, no matter the circumstances. He couldn't imagine anyone not realizing how precious – how smart, beautiful, funny, when she let her guard down – Ava Kate was. He felt anger coursing through him at the very idea of Elena being hurt. He remained quiet, but held her still tighter, encouraging her through his actions to continue.
"The first time he hit me, Ava Kate was six weeks old. She was colicky and wouldn't stop crying. He slapped me across the face, but he apologized right away. I dismissed it. Stress of having a newborn or whatever. It was a few weeks before he hit me again, again because Ava Kate wouldn't stop crying. That time, he stormed out of the house and didn't come back until the next morning. I had packed a bag and was ready to leave, but he was full of apologies and I forgave him.
"And so began a cycle of him beating me, apologizing, and treating me like a queen for several days before doing it again. I wanted to leave, but I was so scared. I thought he would kill me if I did. I thought he would try to take Ava Kate, not because he loved her, but because he knew it would be the one way he could hurt me the most. I knew I needed to leave, but I was so scared, Damon. I've never been more afraid of something in my life." He hugged her to him.
"I'm so sorry," he muttered. She swallowed hard and pressed on. She needed to finish her story.
"He didn't hit Ava Kate, but he spoke to her so harshly. He told her she was a mistake, that he didn't love her. He yelled at her for everything she did, whether she made too much noise or left her toys out or didn't eat her dinner." Elena paused to shake her head. "He would expect her to eat what we ate – steamed vegetables and salmon, salads, stuff like that. She was so little. I wasn't feeding her junk food, but I was feeding her things she would eat, or at least trying to.
"She saw him yelling at me, hitting me. He didn't try to hide it. She saw so many things she should have never, ever had to see." Tears welled up in Elena's eyes. Damon could only hug her tighter. "I started calling her by her first and middle name because of how he said 'Ava.' He said it like a dirty word, like a swear. She became afraid of her own name. She still doesn't like it.
"That's why I spent so much time with her, teaching her things. I found I could calm her down if I read to her, taught her things. If she were playing with her books or practicing writing her letters, she would be quiet and out of harm's way. But then, he would get mad about the slightest things – a dish left in the sink, a towel not folded the way he liked – and he would snap.
"I let him hit me. I didn't fight back. I wanted to, but if I fought back, it was always worse. Towards the end, when he was at his worst, he started showing signs of laying his hands on Ava Kate. I couldn't let him do that. I could take him hitting me if he wasn't hitting my daughter. I would throw myself between them, anger him so he would hit me and not her. I had to protect her in whatever way I could."
Damon's throat was dry. He couldn't believe the horror they had both been through. He couldn't handle the idea of Elena throwing herself in front of Liam to protect her daughter, not because he expected her to do anything less, but because she should have never had to do it in the first place. He swallowed past the lump in his throat as he thought of how the slight woman in his arms and the tiny little girl asleep just a few feet away had been so brutally broken.
"How did you get out?" he asked hoarsely. He felt Elena shudder, as though she were relieving a bad memory.
"He pushed me down the stairs. I managed to catch myself, but I still broke my collarbone." Damon couldn't stop himself. He reached up and ran a hand along her left collarbone, somehow knowing that was the one she'd injured. "It hurt so bad. I knew it was a bad break and that I needed medical attention. He wouldn't let me leave, however. He knew I was going to tell the truth about what happened if I went to a doctor. So, I put on a brave face and made dinner as best I could. I had some prescription sleeping pills and managed to crush four up – enough to make sure he was out cold – and mix them into a drink. As soon as he was asleep, I grabbed Ava Kate and left with nothing but my purse and her baby doll.
"I drove straight to a police station. I told them everything, start to finish. A female officer took me to the hospital and called my parents. They tried to take Ava Kate out of the room while I was being examined, but I wouldn't let them. I couldn't let her out of my sight. I was afraid I would never see her again if they did, that he would show up and somehow take her.
"It's all a blur after that. He was arrested and charged on several counts of domestic violence and child endangerment. They searched our house and found illegal firearms I didn't know we had. There was cocaine in his office and it turned out, he was involved in a Ponzi scheme. He was sentenced to forty years in jail. He'll get out someday, but hopefully, by then, he'll have forgotten about me." She shuddered again.
"That's why I need things to be slow between us. That's why Ava Kate is afraid of men. We had the very worst of men in our lives, and we're still trying to put ourselves back together." Damon kissed the top of her head.
"I'm so sorry," he said again. "God, Elena, I'm so sorry."
"You didn't do anything," she reasoned. Damon shook his head.
"You shouldn't have ever – ever – had to experience anything like that," he informed her. "Ava Kate certainly shouldn't have. I hate that you've been hurt like that. It makes me furious. All I want to do right now is hold you tight and never let you go." Elena lifted her head from his chest as best she could with his tight embrace.
"You have no idea how good you've been for me," she admitted. "And for Ava Kate. You are helping us trust again, think that, maybe, things will be okay. Ava Kate got a really awful start to her childhood. Things were better when we moved back here, for me and for her, but then we lost my parents. Most of the last two years have sucked, for lack of better word, and I've been hoping and praying for something good to happen." She looked at him for a long moment. "I think you're that something good."
"I'm just a guy," Damon told her, moving one arm so he could tuck her hair behind her ear. "You, however, are the strongest person I know." Elena smiled sadly.
"I wish I was as strong as everyone thinks I am. I should have gotten out sooner. I should have left before things got out of hand. I should have left before Ava Kate was ever born. I could have come home, lived here. She would have had a good childhood."
"You got out sooner than a lot of women," Damon said, knowing Elena was ultimately lucky. "And Ava Kate is going to have a great childhood. She's in a place where people love her and she can be a kid. You've gone through a lot, Elena. You both have. But, I think it's your turn to be happy. For both of you to be happy." Elena moved in and kissed him before she could stop herself. She settled back into his arms, feeling lighter now that she'd shared her past with him.
"I have nightmares sometimes," she told him. "I've gone through a lot of therapy. So has Ava Kate. The nightmares aren't as frequent as they used to be, but they still happen from time to time. Ava Kate still doesn't like to be out of my sight, although she lets me leave her with Caroline or Liz Forbes now. She was so surprised earlier when she came out of the bathroom and I was laughing. I think she thought for the briefest of seconds that you were hurting me."
"I will never hurt you," Damon promised, recalling the surprised look on the little girl's face as she realized her mother was happy. "I'll never hurt Ava Kate." He bit his lip, stopping himself from telling her he loved them. He knew he did, but it wasn't the right time to confess. Elena needed things to go slow, and she had just told him a lot about her past. He would tell her soon, but not tonight. Tonight, he would just show her through his actions.
"I believe that," she told him. She let out a short snort of disbelief. "I actually believe that."
"You should," he said simply. She sighed, snuggling still closer to him.
"I just don't understand how anyone could deny Ava Kate," she said after a few moments. "She's such a sweet, beautiful little girl. It wasn't just Liam who didn't want her. His whole family denied her. They want nothing to do with her. That's why I changed her last name to 'Gilbert.' She didn't need the name of a family who didn't want her." Damon leaned down and kissed the top of Elena's head. He wanted her. He wanted both of them.
"She's got plenty of people who do want her. Someday, she will barely remember a time when she wasn't wanted." Elena sighed.
"You're too good to us." Damon shook his head.
"I'm just treating you the way you deserve to be treated." Elena answered by leaning up and kissing his cheek softly.
"How's that leg feeling?" she asked, ready to change the subject.
"It's okay…" Elena knew by the tone of his voice that he was trying to cover up the truth.
"Damon." He sighed.
"It itches," he admitted. "It's taking every ounce of strength I have not to scratch." Elena made to get up.
"Stay," he half whined.
"I'll be right back," she promised. He watched her rummage around his kitchen, looking right at home. She returned with the calamine lotion, a bottle of water, and a couple of pills. "Take these," she directed, passing him the pills and water.
"What's this?"
"Benedryl. It'll help with the itching." Damon took the two pills. She started coating his leg with the calamine lotion once more.
"You really do know how to take care of a guy," he commented. Elena smiled at him.
"Someone has to take care of you. Otherwise, you would exist on frozen breakfast burritos and takeout." She washed her hands and rejoined him on the couch after checking on Ava Kate who was sleeping soundly. She snuggled close, ESPN still on the TV, buzzing quietly. A half hour later, she was drawn out of thoughts of how nice it was to be held by Damon yawning.
"Excuse me," he muttered. The Benedryl was doing its job.
"You're getting sleepy," she commented.
"I'm… Okay…," he slurred. He knew he was doing a poor job of hiding how the antihistamine was affecting him. He had never been able to take Benedryl or anything like it without being knocked out within the half hour.
"You're sleepy," Elena repeated with a smile. "Let's tuck you into bed." Damon shook his head.
"I have to drive you and Ava Kate home…"
"Oh no you don't," Elena replied. She hadn't thought of that, but he was, in fact, their ride home. "You're in no state to drive."
"You and Ava Kate stay here," he muttered. "Or, you can take my truck, I guess… But, stay here. I'll sleep on the couch. You and Ava Kate take my bed." Elena didn't hesitate.
"How about you and I sleep in your bed?" she proposed. "I'll move Ava Kate to the couch. She can't sleep curled up like that in the armchair."
"I can take the couch…" Elena smiled and shook her head.
"No. You'll sleep in your bed with me." Her tone was final. Even if Damon wasn't half asleep already, she would have trusted him entirely to share the same bed. He quit arguing. Together, they went through the actions of getting ready for bed. Damon excused himself to the bathroom and by the time he came back, Ava Kate was laying on the couch, still sound asleep, still in the cotton shorts and t-shirt she had worn all day.
"Here's a blanket for her," he said, producing a throw from the small linen closet. He spread it over Ava Kate and without thinking, leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Elena just smiled at the sweet action. "Why don't you put on something more comfortable, too?" he suggested. He rummaged through his dresser and found a t-shirt and boxer shorts.
"Thank you," she replied as he passed them to her. He winked and turned to get into bed, making sure to take the side against the wall so she could get to Ava Kate in the middle of the night if needed. A few minutes later, she returned, checking on Ava Kate one more time before she made her way to bed, turning off the last lamp to pitch them into darkness.
"Come here," he said, throwing the blankets back for Elena. She smiled and slipped in beside him. He put an arm around her and pulled her into him, her back to his chest. "Is this okay?"
"It's perfect," Elena promised. He kissed her shoulder.
"Goodnight, Elena." She smiled into the darkness, relishing the feeling of sleeping in someone's arms. Someone who wanted her to be there.
"Goodnight, Damon."
And now, we know about Elena's past. It really is her time to be happy, so long as she doesn't get in her own way. Damon is all in. And head over heels in love with not only Elena, but her little girl, too.
Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish? It's the worst. I stepped on one once, while in Nags Head. It wasn't pleasant.
Also, I supposed I should apologize to any North Carolina fans. I'm an SEC girl, though, and, well, SEC vs. the World, and all that stuff. #BestConference #GoVols I'm a self-confessed SEC snob. And I live in ACC territory so - that's fun. :)
Please let me know what you thought of this one!