Chapter 14 TH

Vida wailed, kicking her legs as Damon tried to dress her. He stopped and sighed as she bawled, red faced and desperate. He shook his head.

What's so good about being butt naked, lady?

He'd bathed her, much to her delight and amusement, they'd sang a few nursery rhymes and now it was bedtime godamn it. He wanted some grown up time with Stefan.

"Vida, stop it." He said calmly and she rolled onto her side, trying to grab hold of the mat to turn onto her stomach.

He turned her back over and she sniffled.

"What? What?" He asked and she slid her fingers in her mouth, sucking around them as she continued to kick her legs.

Everything alright in there?

"Yeah." He sighed.

"Daaaaa!" Vida cried and reached for his face and he huffed in surprise and lifted her.

"You calling for me angel?" He asked, studying her little face and she touched his mouth with her hands, still sniffling. "You trying to saying daddy?"

She mumbled a few more sounds and letters as she drooled and he grabbed a bib and wiped her face. She put one of her hands in her mouth as she touched his and gave a small cry again.

"Someone is miss cranky pants. It's the big old Salvatore brain of yours working away." He kissed her cheek and she put her hands around his neck, leaning her face into his chin.

He rubbed her back and cooed at her.

"Someone needs a nap I think." He said in a melodic voice and she sniffled again and gurned.

He moved her changing mat back to the chest of drawers and moved over to the bed, sitting down. She'd played all day over at Nisha's after Nathan had left and it must be why she was so grouchy now. He lay her in the crook of his elbow and she looked up at him, still shedding tears and now hiccupping on them.

He lifted the baby bottle he'd warmed, full of Stefan's blood and waved the tit at her mouth. Her eyes changed and he cooed to her to open her mouth. She kicked a little grumpily.

"Daddy's neck is for Dadda tonight angel." He whispered and she turned her face away from the bottle and gurned. "Vida." He chastised and she sniffled but opened her mouth.

He popped the tit in and tilted the bottle, rocking slightly back and forth. She sucked and closed her eyes, holding the bottle with her hands as he kissed her head and ran his nose into her hair comfortingly. Scenting his baby felt right, scenting others was still strange. He had a feeling it would always be, no matter how much wolf was in him. He had never really enjoyed people touching him, unless it was sexual of course – then he didn't mind at all. To Nathan, it seemed like a regular bonding thing to do.

Vida gurned and spat the tit out of her mouth, crying again and he sighed and frowned. Stefan got up from the lounge and entered concerned.

"She ok?"

"Hell knows. She's cranky."

Stefan reached and took her from him.

"Shame you don't have any more milk." Stefan shook his head sadly and Damon grunted.

Vida gurned and sucked on her fingers as she sniffled.

"I got it. It's ok, you just chill." Damon advised and Stefan kissed her forehead, quietening her a little and placed her back in Damon's arms. "I'll get her to finish the bottle and put her down."

"Ok."

Stefan kissed him softly and then retreated back to the lounge. Damon watched him as he went. He really wanted some alone time with him. They both needed it and not just for sex. He sighed as Vida squirmed and stuck the tit back into her mouth.

"I really need you to sleep angel." He said and she began to suck once more.

She drank peacefully for five minutes and he relaxed his body, thinking on how he was supposed to care for a pregnant lady, with keeping her alive being an issue. At least when Stefan was having Vida, it was over in a few days and Stefan couldn't die. Much easier in comparison to keeping wolf lady alive.

Vida began to gurn again and he removed the bottle as she opened her mouth to cry loudly. He froze as he gazed into her mouth and she cried.

"Stefan!" He shouted and Stefan blurred in wide-eyed.

"What's wrong?"

"She's got…" Damon stumbled, staring at her and Stefan came to his side and checked her.

"What?!"

"Teeth." Damon barely managed to croak.

"Of course she has…" Stefan began to say, thinking on her fangs, when he realised what he meant.

He gasped and opened her mouth with his fingers, trying to look. She squirmed and cried. Then he saw them, two tiny teeth on her bottom gum. When the hell had they happened? He and Damon looked at each other in shock.

"What do we do?" Damon asked, rocking her and Stefan straightened up perplexed.

"Uh…"

"When did…how did…where did they come from?" Damon shook his head.

"They grew. Must have happened while she was asleep."

"Grown from where?" Damon looked to him and Stefan opened his mouth unsure. "I always had teeth."

"Clearly you didn't." Stefan rubbed his chin as he thought. "They must be pushing through her gums."

"What?!" Damon gasped and held her to him, kissing her head.

My god it must hurt!

"I guess." Stefan mumbled. "That must be why she's unsettled."

"What do we do?"

Stefan shrugged.

"I don't think there's anything we can do. She's growing."

"Oh baby. It's ok." Damon kissed her face and she calmed a little. "Can't let her be in pain. Grab me some brandy."

"What?"

"Brandy, it'll soothe her gums."

"I am not giving her brandy Damon, are you nuts?!"

Damon exhaled irritated.

"What then?!"

"Painkillers?" Stefan offered.

"She can't swallow like that yet. Can you princess?" He cooed and she buried her face in his chest.

"Maybe I should go and ask Ni…"

"No, for god sake Stefan. We can deal with this on our own for once." Damon said moodily. "I'm going to compel her."

"What?!"

"Stefan she's in pain!"

"You are not compelling our baby Damon." Stefan said coldly.

"Hell right I am, unless you have another suggestion!" Damon snapped and lifted Vida onto his shoulder to rub her back.

Stefan looked around the room and tried to search his brain for another idea. What did he do when Elena had been in pain? He usually…gave her a brandy. Ok, not doing that. He gave her Tylenol or vampire blood. Why wasn't the blood taking Vida's pain away?

"Well?" Damon prompted.

"I don't know!"

"Get me the brandy, let's just try it." Damon said and Stefan frowned in disagreement, but went to retrieve it.

At least it was better than compulsion. He handed him the bottle and crossed his arms, watching. Damon opened the bottle and dipped his finger inside. Thank gods he was only going to dab at her gums and wasn't going to pour a little in her mouth.

"Don't be stupid Stefan." Damon mumbled, hearing his thoughts. "I think mammy did this for you when we were young."

"She did?" Stefan asked, intrigued.

Damon nodded and cradled Vida again, sliding his finger into her mouth and gently rubbing the alcohol on her gums. She screwed her face up at the taste but seemed to quiet down.

"It'll burn her."

"No it won't, not this little. I remember it now. I figured she put it in your mouth to get you to sleep. You never slept back then, not without mother."

Stefan sat down next to him in contemplation of that. Damon really did remember a lot more about their human lives than he did. He felt almost jealous of that. Vida looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows.

There you go princess. Feel better?

Damon channelled. She sucked her fingers once more but seemed a little calmer. Damon pulled her fingers out of her mouth and stuck the tit back in again for the last time. Now she'd drink and sleep, until they could figure out what the hell they were dealing with. She drank the rest of the bottle with no fuss and Stefan took her from his arms as she began to snooze. Damon took a swig from the brandy as Stefan lay her on the bed and dressed her in the clothes she had kicked at before.

Once she was dressed, he lifted her in his arms and headed towards the lounge and Damon grunted at him to stop.

Where you going?

To the rocking chair, in case she wakes up.

Leave her in her bassinet.

"Why?" Stefan frowned and Damon huffed and looked to him longingly.

"I want some Stefan time."

Stefan gave a small chuckle and scented Vida's forehead, checking she was sound and then he gave a nod and lay her carefully in her bed, covering her with a blanket and placing her pacifier next to her.

Damon stood up and moved with him into the lounge, leaving the door ajar. Stefan walked back to his chair where he had evidently been writing in his journal. Damon poured them both a bourbon and smirked at that. It was nice to see Stefan being more like himself again.

"Still writing about all my wicked ways in there?" He jested and Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Plenty of them to write about." He smiled teasingly.

"Plenty more due. You should save some chapters for how amazing I am in bed. You'd sell a million copies." Damon grinned and sat next to him, giving him his glass.

"Is that so?" Stefan raised an eyebrow.

"I guarantee it." Damon smirked and leaned in to kiss him, when Stefan turned his face away.

"I doubt it with that ego." He chuckled and Damon pouted at the rejection.

"How the hell did we get here, ay Stefan?" Damon sat back into the sofa, putting his feet up on the table and musing.

Stefan shook his head, smiling and began his writing again.

"She's got teeth now." Damon continued, more to himself than anyone else. "Soon she'll be talking and walking…"

"Mmmn." Stefan agreed.

"Then realising how fucked up everything is."

"Huh?" Stefan looked to him.

"What we are, how she got here. What she is."

"We'll deal with it when it happens. We've got years yet."

"She won't need us soon." Damon sighed.

"You're just a parcel of laughs aren't you? What's gotten into you today?"

"Nothing." Damon sighed. "Just feeling old I guess."

Stefan turned back to his writing, sipping occasionally on the bourbon.

Stefan. What did we do before we had a kid?

"Huh?"

"I reckon right now, I'd be at the grill with Rick getting drunk. You'd probably be off with Caroline or Elena, saving the world or planning some rescue or something."

"What's wrong?" Stefan turned towards him, abandoning his journal now and Damon shrugged and chewed his lip. "What? You're bored with our life now?"

"No." Damon snorted but shook his head in a melancholy fashion. "It's just, when I'm not with her and we're not joining…then, what am I supposed to do?"

Stefan scrutinised him for a few seconds as he thought on his words. Before they'd mated they'd hated each other. Damon always had some scheme or plot, fed on whoever he liked, caused trouble everywhere he went and then…they'd mated and been wrapped up in each other. They'd partied and shagged their way around the states, drunk on each other and this new found love they had. Then since everything had happened in Chicago and Mystic Falls afterwards, their life had been continuously full of danger or activity. Now they had Vida and although there was still plenty of activity going on, Damon couldn't be who he'd been before. So what did that leave him?

"Look at me." Stefan said and cupped Damon's jaw. "There's so much to you that you never explored before. Maybe this is the time that you're supposed to get to do that."

"Like what?"

"Well, we are wolves now too. There's so much more to learn about how that changes us."

Damon snorted.

"Clearly, you're not a builder." Stefan chuckled to lighten the tone, thinking on his attempts at their heat hut, which had only stayed in one piece because Stefan had tried to correct some of its structural faults.

"Yeah." Damon admitted.

"So find something that makes you feel, like you." Stefan encouraged.

"You make me feel like me."

Stefan leaned in and captured his mouth briefly.

We can't be in bed all the time.

We could, you know.

"You'll figure it out, just allow yourself to change. Old habits die hard."

Damon nodded and relaxed again as Stefan returned to his journal. The fire crackled and Stefan relaxed his body. He really wanted to write down everything that had happened with this heat, so he'd know what to do if it happened again. It felt important to write down their experiences. Maybe it would help the other mates. Damon remained silent as he wrote down every memory in his head of the last week. He flicked his eyes over to Damon occasionally to check he was ok, but Damon seemed to be hypnotised by the fire.

After about half an hour of blessed silence, Damon leaned over into him and lay his head in Stefan's lap. Stefan paused in surprise and ran his fingers through Damon's black locks.

"You ok my black haired one?" Stefan whispered soothingly and Damon simply nodded and snuggled his face into Stefan's thigh.

Stefan scratched his scalp with his fingernails and soothed him for a while until Damon closed his eyes and began to snooze. This was nice. Unexpected, but nice. It was normally Stefan who wanted to snuggle like this. Damon had been through a lot lately though and perhaps he was finally conceding to the fact that he didn't have to pretend to be ok all the time. It could be progress. They still hadn't really talked about the breastfeeding in any detail and Stefan had no doubt that they might never – until next heat if it happened again.

He returned to his writing, stopping once he felt satisfied that he'd gotten everything down and setting his book aside on the side table. He lifted his brandy and sipped, keeping his other hand massaging and running through Damon's hair. They'd checked in on Constance before they'd come home and she seemed fine – huge in the belly and looking slightly anaemic, but otherwise fine. She didn't foresee a great problem with the moon coming. She felt sure that the baby wouldn't come just yet. That made Stefan feel a little better. His birthing experience wouldn't help in this situation at all.

Damon squirmed a little on his lap and frowned. Stefan went back to petting him and cooed.

Anxiety

Damon channelled as he dreamt. Stefan rubbed his back.

Baby…teeth. Danger…babies.

Stefan struggled to pick up a little more of what Damon was dreaming of. If only they could see each other's dreams. That'd be really something. Damon made a sound of anxiety and frowned again, curling up slightly, bringing his legs up to his chest as Stefan cooed and rocked him slightly.

Love, safety my mate. Together.

Damon buried his face in Stefan's thigh and choked a little as though he was going to sob. It was time to waken him. Stefan called his name soothingly and leaned over, trying to nudge him gently awake.

"Hey, wake up." He whispered. "You're having a nightmare."

Damon jumped up, fangs extended and eyes wide as he fell off of the sofa and landed on the floor, panting and looking around.

"Hey, hey…" Stefan reached for him carefully and he looked at him still panting. "You're ok."

Damon scrutinised him for a few seconds, before he got his bearings and realised he was home. Vida began to cry in the bedroom and Stefan cupped Damon's face for a second until he was sure he was ok. He seemed a little dazed from sleep but fine and Stefan scented his cheek before standing up and moving to attend to Vida.

Damon sat on the floor, still trying to bring the beating of his heart down a little. He rubbed his face. He'd been having horrible dreams about being attacked, trying to protect Vida while being snapped at by something with huge teeth. There seemed to be chaos and screaming all around him and he'd felt fear so real, he'd been sure he was going to die.

He put his head in his hands and continued to breathe, listening to Stefan sing softly to Vida and settle her again. They were going to have to do the dreaded thing – buy some parenting books. He groaned at the thought. He didn't like the feeling that he didn't know what to do with his own baby, but she was alive and growing – fast. He couldn't believe she had teeth, real teeth. He was out of his comfort zone. Hell hadn't he been always, right from the moment she was born?

Stefan managed to settle her quickly and he returned back into the lounge. He knelt down on the floor and ran his fingers through Damon's hair and Damon looked at him.

What was that?

Nothing, just a crazy dream. Think her getting teeth, knocked me off balance a little.

Stefan gave a small smile and kissed him lightly, rubbing their noses together.

Stefan, I want you. Please.

Damon looked at him beseechingly and Stefan frowned a little concerned by his desperation and kissed him again, removing their clothing. Once Stefan's shirt was off, he lay back and Damon removed his jeans and his own, gazing down at him as though Stefan was the finest meal he'd ever seen. Stefan opened his legs to beckon him when Damon leaned his whole body down and kissed him as though he couldn't breathe if their mouths weren't connected. Stefan held him around his lower back and scratched his skin comfortingly.

Love Damon.

Love you Stefan. Need you so badly.

Stefan opened his legs wider in invitation when Damon sat up and shook his head.

Please Stefan I need you inside. I feel…afraid.

Damon looked distraught and Stefan sat up and cupped his face again. Damon closed his eyes and lay down next to him, turning onto his back, urging Stefan to climb over.

Join with me. Please.

"Ssssh. I'll take care of you." Stefan soothed, climbing in between Damon's legs.

I'm here.

Stefan stroked Damon's hair away from his forehead, running his other hand down his chest. Damon watched him, trying to relax.

"It was just a dream." Stefan whispered.

He could see Damon was bursting to have him inside, so he reached back collecting his fluid and prepared Damon's entrance. Damon breathed a little faster but didn't speak.

"Ok?" Stefan asked gently and Damon nodded.

Stefan placed his erection at his entrance and entered him slowly. Damon's whole body surrendered to it and he flushed from his chest to his cheeks.

"Faster Stefan." He mumbled and Stefan moved in the rest of the way, making him gasp and close his eyes.

Stefan widened Damon's legs to the sides of his waist and leaned their chests together to kiss once more. Damon seemed emotional and needy, grabbing at him tightly.

It's ok, it's ok. I'm here.

Stefan channelled worriedly.

What's wrong Damon? Please tell me.

Just love me Stefan.

Stefan pulled their mouths apart and scented Damon's face. Damon impatiently rocked his hips and rolled them both over so that Stefan lay beneath him. Damon sat on his pelvis, raising himself up to take Stefan's length inside again. Stefan held his hips for support and Damon began to move, as though on a mission. Stefan writhed as Damon rode him, taking him in deep and squeezing him. He closed his eyes and tilted his neck for him. Damon leaned forward, taking him at an angle and licked his chest, nibbling his nipples. Stefan mewled and held him tight. Damon slammed himself up and down, desperately and Stefan began to worry about him again. He rolled them over quickly, keeping them connected and lay Damon flat again underneath him.

"Stop Damon." He whispered. "Let me take care of you. Just relax, please. I feel like you're not with me." Stefan took one of his hands and began to kiss it.

"I'm sorry." Damon croaked.

Stefan sighed and began to thrust again, going in deep but steady. He bit into Damon's chest and began their blood wave. Damon grunted at the bite but spiralled hard into the pleasure, gasping and gyrating. Stefan drank deeply, enjoying the luxury of it and continued to move, making Damon moan in little bursts as he brushed his prostate. He was going to give him an amazing orgasm. Clearly Damon needed the endorphins.

He flexed his hips to their max, working Damon's body and drinking to keep him lost in his senses, then as Damon began to climax he locked his jaws down onto the tissue between his neck and shoulder – the mating bite area and he held on, growling as Damon exploded helpless. Damon's manhood emptied between them and Stefan held on. Holding under his bottom until Damon flopped backwards like a rag and began to snooze.

Stefan gently released his neck and kissed his cheeks and nose. He lay his face into Damon's neck for a while, fighting down his own release. After Damon had fallen into a deep sleep, he carefully slid out of him and began to scent his body. It was nice to have some time to do this. Damon had clearly wanted some alone time with him tonight and he had a feeling that he hadn't intended sex to be the centre of it. They had plenty of opportunity for sex, but actually being together, doing other things? It had been such a long time since they'd done that. He wasn't quite sure how to now. What had they done to spend time together before Vida was born? He couldn't recall anything other than dealing with whatever disaster was happening around them in Mystic Falls. Could they actually be a normal couple?

He sat up, dragging a blanket from the sofa and draping it over Damon, kissing his forehead as he did so. They needed to figure out who they were again and who they were as a couple. If they were going to have a family life, devoid of drama and supernatural disasters – they'd need that. Vida needed that.

He dressed quietly and lifted Damon's sleeping form up, placing him onto the sofa. Damon stirred as he was moved so Stefan kissed him softly and scented his face, channelling love and safety. Damon fell back asleep and Stefan checked on Vida. She was asleep with her pacifier in her mouth. He'd given her a little more brandy on her gums but didn't feel all that comfortable with it. He'd check out what people did these days. Brandy may have cut it when he was a baby, but not now.

He sat in the rocking chair, pouring himself another brandy as he relaxed. This was nice and normal – their baby sleeping soundly, his mate sleeping comfortably next to him as he gazed into the fire. No drama. His mobile beeped across the room and he blurred to it, to save waking Damon and he scrolled down, returning to his seat by the fire. It was a voicemail message. Weird. Why hadn't it wrung?

He clicked the replay button and placed it to his ear.

"Hey Stefan, listen I just wanted to let you know that…you can call me, you know? I know Damon finds it hard to accept help, but…thing is I need you guys too. Things have changed for me too and I…I guess I'm on my own."

Stefan felt his heart squeeze. Poor Nathan. His whole world had been turned upside down too and they'd just left him to it, in seek of their own discovery. He sighed and looked over at Damon's sleeping form. Damon still had anxieties that Stefan felt something for Nathan and he did. He absolutely did, but Damon was a black and white kind of guy and didn't understand that just because you have a connection with someone, doesn't mean you're fated to get together and become soul mates of the sexual variety.

"…anyway, I'm just getting my restraints and stuff down to the basement and wanted t…" a rumbling noise.

"Nathan?" Stefan spoke into the phone in query before remembering that he was listening to a recording.

He sat forward, listening intently.

"Get back!" Nathan growling and signs of him struggling.

Stefan stood up, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end in fear as he listened to what sounded like a fierce fight and Nathan growling and shouting obscenities.

"Nathan." Stefan whispered, gripping the phone.

"Ahh!" Nathan cried out as though in pain and then the message ended abruptly.

Stefan's blood ran cold and he began to tremble as he stayed frozen to the spot. Nathan was in trouble. Something had happened to him at the Boarding House. Who? Why? He swallowed. Someone had gone to the Boarding House. They probably didn't expect to see Nathan there. It was their home after all. Whoever had gone there, for whatever reason, was most likely looking for them and poor Nathan had been caught in the cross fire.

He took a deep breath and looked at Damon. Damon was clearly feeling vulnerable right now, he'd been through so much with his rut. It was clear that tonight's neediness and emotion were part of him trying to adjust to what had happened. Vida was teething and grumpy. They couldn't take her with them to check this out, she was too little, but he couldn't leave her with Constance. They couldn't leave Constance alone and about to give birth at any moment with the rest of the pack in wolf form. What was he going to do?

Nathan needed help. They couldn't leave Constance alone. Vida had to be cared for. His head spun as he thought everything through, round in circles. There really wasn't much choice. Only one of them would be able to leave and investigate, the other had to stay behind and deal with everything here. He paced for a few minutes. Damon would no doubt believe that he should go and investigate – Damon demonstrated very little care in his own safety, all he cared about was that Stefan and Vida were safe and protected. It made him ruthless but also dangerous to himself. Stefan shook his head. No. He'd have to go and find out if Nathan was ok.

If Nathan had been killed…he couldn't bear to think of that. If he'd been taken somewhere…He would need help. He could call Rick, maybe, but then again it would take someone supernatural to overpower a werewolf. It couldn't have been a human who'd gotten to Nathan, unless there were a few of them to hold him down. Most likely it was someone supernatural. Rick and their human friends had done enough. They needed some normality in their lives. Who did that leave though?

Stefan chewed his lip, fiercely trying to think of anyone but Klaus. Klaus probably wouldn't give a damn about Nathan anyway. He'd just have to investigate this himself right now and make his decision on aid later. He nodded and quietly moved around, collecting some of Damon's bottles for himself. He'd check the Boarding House and get a sense of what was going on, and then he'd come back and keep Damon in the loop. With any luck, by the time they knew if they needed help, the moon would have passed and the pack would help them. After all, the pack did consider Nathan a brother in arms almost. He knew they'd help them find him.

Yeah. That was the best idea. He threw some things into his backpack and kissed Vida's forehead, stroking her hair gently.

"Daddy will look after you angel." He said and she gurned a little.

He popped her pacifier in her mouth and she sucked and sighed. He moved through to the lounge and knelt down beside Damon's face. What was he going to tell him? If he told him what he was doing, he would argue and try and stop him from leaving. He had to tell him something though. If he just left, or left a note, that wouldn't be fair and they were a family now. He sighed and nuzzled Damon awake, with his nose.

Damon opened his eyes blearily and looked at him.

Love.

Love, my black haired one.

What time is it?

Time to sleep.

"Hmmmn." Damon hummed and tried to slide his arm around Stefan's back, to pull him on top of him.

"I'm going to go and see what Vida needs for her gums." He said, chuckling and kissing Damon's shoulder as he detached his arm from around his body.

"The brandy works fine." Damon said tiredly, closing his eyes again.

"Maybe in our time, but she shouldn't have alcohol in her Damon. She's too little. I'm going to go to the seven eleven."

"There isn't one for miles. We'll do it tomorrow." Damon grunted.

"It's ok. I feel like a drive anyway. Sleep. I think she'll be fine for the night." Stefan stroked the side of his face, watching with relief as Damon began to drift to sleep again.

"Hmmn."

I'll be back soon.

Damon's face relaxed and Stefan placed a gentle kiss on his lips before standing up. He grabbed another blanket from their bed and draped it around Damon, tucking him in effectively. Damon would be angry later, but what choice did he have?

He surveyed the lounge for another few minutes, making sure he was making the right decision. He checked his phone log. Nathan had made the call only an hour ago. It would take at least three hours to reach Mystic Falls. He must have literally called as soon as he'd returned from being here with them. Time was wasting.

He locked the door behind him and took a deep breath. Nathan needed him. He jumped into Damon's Camaro and started the engine as quietly as he could, prayed that Damon would sleep through it. The car started and he pulled away from the camp, heading towards the highway. His stomach clenched in discomfort at his dishonesty. He hated lying to anyone, especially Damon. As soon as Damon woke up, he'd try to channel to him and would realise that Stefan wasn't near him. They'd never been able to channel very far in distance. Then, he'd know something was really wrong. Stefan just had to get to Mystic Falls, figure out what he was dealing with and then call him as soon as possible.

Damon was going to be livid, but Nathan…Nathan.