July 12th, 1864

My dearest Katherine,

The streets of Washington are deaf with the booms of cannons and firing muskets. This war is getting intense and I can't wait to leave for home…in fact I'm thinking of returning to you early. It's not that I can't handle the battle, I'm man enough for that, I'm sure. However I am too much a gentleman to leave my lady to fend for herself in such dangerous times. The Shenandoah Valley has now been uncovered, but that damned General Hunter fled in the opposite direction than we were expecting, putting Virginia in great danger. I want you to stay inside at all times, understand? If the Yanks march into Mystic Falls I trust that Stefan and Father will be enough to hold down the fort until I return. For now I must go, General Lee has given orders that I probably shouldn't discuss, just know that I'll keep myself safe for you. I hope to be back soon, my love.

Truly Yours,

Damon

I gently stuck the letter in an envelope and had it mailed out, returning to my post. I found several other soldiers outside the base, passing around a flask and singing a tune that had recently become popular with the Rebels. I sat down and joined them, smirking when the flask was passed to me. I loved the taste of alcohol, it soothed my ravaged nerves and I contently joined in the singing.

"From the bright sunny south to the war I was sent, the memories of my boyhood I scarcely have spent. From its cool shady forests and deep flowing streams, ever fond in my memory and sweet in my dreams."

Damon suddenly shot up, realizing he'd been dreaming. He still heard the song, but it was accompanied by music and he wasn't in 1864 anymore. Damon got out of bed, confused. Where was this coming from, and when did he get in bed? The last thing he remembered was Mason pouncing at him. He started to walk toward his bedroom door when he noticed that his old Confederate uniform was lying on a chair in the corner of the room. Elena had done what he'd done to her so many times, having taped a message to it.

"Put it on and come in the kitchen." He put on the nostalgic pieces of clothing, having severe flashbacks as the old him was suddenly staring at him in his mirror. He followed the familiar tune to his kitchen to find his wife wearing something that stopped him dead in his tracks. She was wearing his mother's yellow and white checkered Wrapper, cooking Batter Cakes of all things, no doubt getting the recipe from his mother's old cookbook. He noticed the song was playing from a small CD player she had set up on the counter.

"I didn't know Alison Krauss redid this song…" Was all he could manage to choke out. Elena turned happily to look at him, her free hand resting on her small baby bump.

"You look adorable in your uniform." She said coyly, sticking her spoon in the batter and walking over to run her finger down his chest. He shivered and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Did you do all this for me?" She beamed.

"Of course, Mr. Salvatore. I could feel the emotions radiating through you yesterday, through our bond. You miss it, so I thought I'd bring it back for a little bit. Do…you like it?" She asked shyly, hoping he wasn't mad that she'd gotten all this stuff from the basement. Damon grinned lovingly and pulled her into a rough little kiss that seemed to linger on her lips.

"I love it…and I love you so much." She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her again and spun her around like a princess.

"So would the perfect and utterly sweet Mrs. Salvatore like to explain to her husband how he was being pounced by a werewolf one minute and in his bed the next?" She frowned slightly, sighing and turning to finish up with the Batter Cake.

"You don't remember?" Damon shook his head in concern.

"No…" She scooped the cakes on some plates and then gently cupped Damon's chin with her hand.

"He bit you, Damon. I don't think he really meant to take it that far considering he kept apologizing, but he did. Thank god Rebekah dropped by on her way to Chicago to tell me she'd see what she could do about Scarlett. She fed you some of Klaus's blood that he'd given her for her protection in case Tyler were to lash out at his family after finding out about him and Caroline. I watched you sleep most the night, making sure you completely healed. Do you feel okay?" Damon slowly nodded, trying to wrap his head around all the new information.

"Where is the mutt now?" Elena shrugged.

"He and Katherine went out." Damon shook it off and decided he had better things to do with his time. He smirked at Elena and turned the CD player up and extending his hand.

"May I?" She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"You may." He gently pulled her close to him and placed one hand on her waist and the other out to the side, entwined in hers. They waltzed around the kitchen in a love-struck daze, gazing at one another in marital bliss.

"Said my kind-hearted father as he took my hand
As you go in defense of our dear native land,
Son, be brave but show mercy whenever you can.
Our hearts will be with you, 'til you return again." Damon sang softly, twirling her around. The couple danced and laughed until they heard the pitter patter of little feet coming down the stairs. Ian was dressed in navy trousers with suspenders that were unbuckled and a puffy white shirt. Elena laughed.

"You need help with the suspenders?" Ian nodded and she started to kneel to help him but Damon stopped her, a smirk growing on his glowing face.

"Allow me, Ma'am. I can help my boy." Elena rolled her eyes playfully and stepped back, allowing her southern gentleman to fasten their son's clothes properly and ruffle his hair gently with his hand.

"Daddy, did you used to dress like this?" Damon nodded eagerly and handed him a piece of Elena's batter cake to eat.

"I sure did, you look just like me from when I was little." This seemed to please Ian and he skipped to the breakfast table and climbed into a chair, happily biting into his cake. Damon then got a blood bag and heated it to 98.6 and poured it in a glass for him.

While the Salvatore's were having a very traditional breakfast at the boarding house, Katherine and Mason were out for a walk.

"You can't just go around biting my family members, Mason. I can't lose any of them." He sighed.

"I know Kat, but I was just so angry…he killed me!" She gently rubbed his back and sighed.

"I know, but he's my family. You have to learn to life with him if we're going to make this work." He rolled his eyes.

"You're my mate, Katherine. I shouldn't have to live with people that aren't even directly related to you, I should get to take you home to my house…where I can give you the best life I can." She sighed deeply.

"But Scarlett is directly related to them, and she loves Damon so much, it would be hard on her to move. Plus she hasn't even met you Mason…how do you think she'll take moving in with a stranger?" Mason shrugged.

"I don't know but she needs to get out of this town, away from all the death and away from her crazy father. I would be better for her than him…and maybe one day we could give her half brothers and sisters."

"Slow your role, Mason, I can't even keep up with one child right now. I'm a horrible mother." She mumbled, looking down at her feet dejectedly. A few tears escaped and Mason gently brushed them away with his thumb.

"Hey, listen to me; you are NOT a bad mother. I can tell how much you love her and how worried you are about her. I can see it in your eyes. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to get her back to you and then the three of us can go back to my house in Florida and you'll be safe." Katherine cuddled into his side and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Back at the house, Damon had just brought out his musket and was showing Ian how to clean it. He was polishing the shiny metal when Ian piped up excitedly.

"I want to be a Conference Soldier when I'm big and strong like you." Damon's eyes sparkled with pure love for his son and he winked at him.

"I think you meant Confederate, buddy, and I don't know about that but you can certainly be an American Soldier…unless we secede again, which I've heard rumors of." Ian was hanging on Damon's every word, taking it all in. He tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"What does secede mean?" Damon was about to answer when they heard the door swing open. Katherine and Mason were home and Katherine was standing with her mouth open.

"I haven't seen you in that uniform in a very long time." Despite it all being water under the bridge now, Damon couldn't help the bitter look that crossed his face. He threw his arm over Elena's shoulder and pulled her into him.

"Well I'm certainly not wearing it for you anymore, Miss Katherine." A brief look of hurt flashed across Katherine's features but it was gone as quickly as it came and she shrugged.

"Good, maybe you'll work harder now that you're fighting for her instead of me." Elena and Mason both immediately looked at random parts of the room, feeling awkward in the intense moment their mates were sharing. Damon gritted his teeth and those beautiful eyes of his narrowed.

"Are you insinuating that I didn't fight hard enough for you? Do you remember that I ruined my already strained relationship with my father by leaving the military to be with you and what do I find when I come home? You sleeping around with my brother. If anyone didn't fight hard enough for us it's you. I fought for you for 145 years, Kat. Obviously that wasn't good enough, and I'm damn glad it wasn't because every miserable day of my prolonged life after you screwed me up eventually led me to Elena, and now I can finally be happy. This isn't exactly the Katherine free life I was expecting when Elena and I got together, but you know, life is never perfect." He spat coldly. Katherine put her hands on her hips and stalked towards him.

"Then it's a good thing I'm moving to Florida as soon as I find my daughter." She slapped him hard across the face and turned on her heels, storming from the kitchen and toting Mason behind her. He sighed heavily and called after her.

"Katherine, wait…I'm sorry." She turned around for a moment and looked him dead in the eyes.

"I'm sorry too Damon, sorry I ever came back for either one of you immature wastes of air." Elena turned to Damon after she left, her face wrought with confusion.

"What the hell was that?" Damon shook his head.

"I don't know…I had this dream last night about a letter I'd written to Katherine in the war and I guess seeing her while I was lost in this era brought back some of the hostile emotions I have locked up for her." Elena laid her hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed it.

"I understand, she used you. Maybe all this was a mistake…" He leaned in and kissed her gently.

"No, baby. The trip down memory lane made me really happy. You made me really happy." She beamed.

"Well good, Mr. Salvatore, because I have more 1860's goodness awaiting you." Damon's eyebrow rose.

"Oh really? Such as?" She winked at him and ran one of her fingers down his chest seductively.

"It's a surprise."