Alive

Chapter 13

Much to Elena's dismay she let Damon go ahead with his plan of compelling the cops and the social worker into letting Elena have Jacob while they evaluated the case. Elena had asked his guard and adoption though she knew she first needed to succeed as a guardian before becoming his mother, but Damon was going to assure she'll have no problem getting what she wanted.

It had become a known fact to the small town that Elena Gilbert, the teenager who had just graduated from high school and wasn't even going to college yet was adopting a one-year old. It had caused even more buzz then when she moved to the Salvatore's mason but she couldn't wait another day until she could take him to the park, to play with other children and happily hold him while they had a day in the city.

She was excited about his birthday in a few hours. Her friends would come from Washington and Jacob would have his first party in style, surrounded by his uncles and aunts. She couldn't believe that two weeks ago she had no idea of what she was going to do about the baby and ten days later she'd be legally authorized to keep him and would throw him a party. Things seemed to finally get better although Katherine's visit had fulfilled its purpose and they were well aware the vampire was still around. But Elena couldn't think about Katherine now. Not when she had both Damon and Stefan the way she had always dreamed. Stefan and she had finally made some progress in their relationship closing the growing gap that was separating them and she was successful on repressing her feeling for Damons. She felt happy and complete with her new 'family'.

Damon sucked up his raising feelings for the mother on behalf of the growing feelings for the son. He was tired of having Little Damon for limited minutes because of his pride and stubbornness. He knew more than ever that Katherine was dead serious about her plans and he had long accepted that his fate was to be killed by his sire at some point. He just hoped he'd be the one to stake her too before his final breath. He wouldn't waste the moments he had to spend with the people that cared about him because of who he used to be for as long as he could remember. He accepted vulnerability now that he found out he wouldn't be killed because of it. Or maybe he would be killed because of it. If he had never developed any sort of feelings for Elena and switched on his humanity he'd maybe survive though he was sure Katherine would kill him if Stefan died even if he had never moved back to Mystic Falls. She was that sick.

But although he acknowledged the infant he didn't spend much time with him either. The paternal figure wasn't who he was and somehow Stefan had passed the position. He couldn't understand why always emotional and sensitive Stefan, an almost human, couldn't handle having a baby around but Little Damon seemed to scare his younger brother.

"Morning, family" he said as he entered the kitchen where the couple and the baby were having breakfast.

"Someone seems to be in a good mood today" Elena offered him a smile in exchange.

"It's not every day that a Damon turns one year old. So before all those boring and annoying people get here, I'll let J. Damon have a few hours with the elite of mankind. Me. And from now on, no more Little Damon, he's already a mini-me and that makes him anything but Little" Damon pondered as he took the baby from his high chair and immediately the boy got excited "Da-da. Da-da. Da-da. I-I-I"

"No fly until you walk, Buddy" Damon explained but the boy certainly didn't understand as he kept chuckling and rubbing his hands in his face.

It was a very normal occurrence for Elena and Damon to pull the couches closer being only a few steps away from each other while trying to make Jacob walk from one to the other. The baby was already taking steps while leaning on furniture but Damon was obsessed about the whole walking thing.

"He's too young, Damon, I'm sure it took you a few more months" Elena winked and stood up kissing Stefan's lips, who was already removing the dishes from the table. "Thanks Baby" she said and then followed Damon upstairs. She knew the vampire had a new plan.

She was surprised to see so many cookies. Damon had spread packages and packages of Jacob's favorite cookies all over his bed and had his arm chair not farther than four steps from it.

"That's the most stupid idea ever" she crossed her arms in her chest chuckling.

"There's only one thing this boy likes more than me and that's cookies" Damon sat placing Jacob in the middle of his legs; the boy turned to the bed.

"You're underestimating his love for those horrible cookies" Elena watched as the boy's eyes lit. He was probably shocked by the ridiculous amount of cookies his uncle had brought.

"I'm going to hunt" Stefan said as he entered the room "What's that?" he laughed seeing the mess at Damon's always tidy room.

"Your brother embarrassing himself" she explained shaking her head.

"J. Damon will take his first step today or I'm not a Damon" he half-smirked as the baby started to crawl to the bed and then balancing his small body, standing up to get a cookie.

"Now that's cheating" Damon was surprised by the whole action while Elena shook her head.

"I guess he's a Damon after all" Stefan chucked. "I'd love to see you fail and Jacob to give you a run for your money, Damon but I guess I'm too hungry" he smirked and then kissed Elena passionately before leaving.

"Now, that's not part of the healthy breakfast, is it?" she leaned in the doorframe.

"Come here, J. Damon, let's fly with Uncle Damon. Come, fly, fly" Damon opened his arms widely and boy considered it for a moment before sitting down and biting the cookie he had in one of his hands.

"Great job Damon. He already knows how to handle you. I guess you won't make your usual trades with him" she challenged knowing that the vampire would grow frustrated soon and leave the room.

"Ha-ha" Damon answered and then pressed his lips together thinking about something that would work.

"Seeing how he hasn't had breakfast yet and how today is a big day, I'm going to get him proper food" Elena walked from her position towards Damon's bed. As she walked by the armchair he was sat she stumbled and was about to fall hadn't he reached her with his arms, placing her in his lap by instinct.

"You should keep your room neat" she complained seeing she had stumbled in a pair of shoes but showing no objection by being in his lap. It was as if she didn't realize it and truth to be told they weren't in a compromising position. She had her back to him, sitting more on his bent knees than on his thighs while his hands were firmly holding her waist.

"And you should pay more attention instead of mocking my attempts to help J. Damon" he quipped back.

The baby who had stood up again to get one more cookie looked at the two people he loved the most and seemed to be the only one to realize that Elena didn't normally sit in Damon's lap.

"Da-da" he babbled taking both adults attention and just like that he stretched his arms towards the pair and much to their surprise took a couple of steps before losing his balance. Elena was quick to reach for him, still in Damon's lap as they were too close to the bed.

"Da-da" the boy clapped his hands frenetically "Na-na" he was now hitting her face too excited.

"What?" Elena looked carefully to the baby in her arms.

"You walked" Damon came out of his trance, moving one of the hands that held Elena to capture one of Jacob small ones. He was absolutely surprised by the couple of steps the baby just took.

"He called me Na-na" Elena turned from the boy to the man behind her.

"Look who is full of surprises today" Damon smirked only realizing now that he had the two most important people for him in his arms.

The pair enjoyed the moment mesmerized by the boy. Elena turned ninety degrees around, with Jacob on her thighs that were now fully resting at the tip of Damon's thighs while the older Salvatore brother kept his hand in her back while high-fiving Jacob with the other. Elena felt her heart flutter inside of her, only now realizing where she was. She couldn't remember of something in her life that felt more natural than being in that position with Damon and Jacob. In moments like this all the progress she had done with Stefan would just fade and her heart would scream Damon but she gulped that thought along with the feeling and focused in the baby. The safe escape of her feelings for the man underneath her.

It was around five o'clock when Bonnie joined everyone in the boarding house. She was the last invitee to arrive to the celebration of Jacob's first year.

Elena preferred to keep it intimate and only had her two best friends, family, Alaric and Matt invited. The blonde boy didn't make it because he was working at the Grill, as he normally did in the weekends he wasn't in Washington, but he promised he'd drop Jacob's gift later.

Elena and Jenna had taken care of the decoration, that was very simple and Meredith had brought the cake and candies she had bought in Washington especially to the baby's birthday.

Everyone seemed happy, even Damon, who was still excited about how the boy did walk not only once but a few times that day. He felt proud and that feeling while totally new was welcomed and he just enjoyed it.

They were about to sing the birthday to the boy when a fog invaded the house. Stefan and Damon were alert immediately. They knew it wasn't normal to fog in Mystic Falls at the beginning of the spring, let alone in the middle of the afternoon and before the humans could even noticed the whole room was covered with mist.

"How come I wasn't invited?" a voice echoed from the always dark boarding house, even in a child's birthday party.

"How did you get in?" Damon enraged voice showed he knew too well who was there. He tried to find her but not even his perfect vision could catch her. She was too fast.

"Oh, dearest Aunt invited me. Someone as old as me doesn't need the owner invitation" she smiled innocently, her voice coming from a total different place.

"Where's Jenna?" it was now Elena who talked.

"Oops, I guess I may have forgotten to authorize her to leave the back door" she whispered on Elena's ear but when the human turned around there was no one behind her although she couldn't see that much because of the fog.

"What do you want?" Stefan asked with authority.

"What has always been rightful mine" she answered with a venomous voice.

"And that is?" Damon was also moving in the fog, trying to make his senses more alert and finally grab her.

"Damon, please, don't make things worse" Elena pleaded, holding Jacob firmly in her arms.

"I already told you Damon, I'm back for Stefan. I had many battles to fight before finally claiming what I never gave up to start with" there was determination in her voice and everybody knew she wasn't messing around. "And if I can't have it, there's a price to pay"

"So if I go with you, you'll leave Elena alone?" Stefan's voice was tentative.

"Now we're talking but I'll also have Damon" she tapped the older brother shoulder and disappeared again.

"Too bad I want nothing with you" he smirked.

"Oh Damon, don't be delusional, you can't resist me" she whispered though everyone heard her.

"We didn't agree sharing you back then, we wouldn't now, even if Elena wasn't in the picture" Damon snapped.

"I never loved you, Katherine. I was compelled, influenced, infatuated, you probably know better but I never loved you" Stefan was also encouraged to tell the bitch some true words.

"You did, Love and you still do" she made a sappy voice.

"I guess you're indeed delusional" Elena murmured.

"Shut up, human, I'm really trying not to snap your little copycat head before I give the punishment you deserve for taking my boys from me. You not only fell for both of them but also made them fall for you. Now that's a high price to pay. Double price" Katherine was pissed and Stefan and Damon looked at each other nodding. They knew what they needed to do.

"So you want me and Damon to go with you?" Stefan asked for confirmation

"Yes, actually I want to marry you, Stefan. It took me a while to have the whole ceremony figured out but I'm ready for it now" her tone had sweetened and it'd fool someone that doesn't know her that she was indeed in love with him.

"So let me see if I got it right. All along you wanted Stefan to be your Prince of Darkness and me to be your lover? Your mistress?" Damon protested.

"What can I do? You were the best sex I've had in my very long life. Isn't that flattering?" she was by his side now feather-touching the side of his cheek but he knew better than trying to snap her head right there.

"I had plans for us, Katherine, I loved you! I wasn't using you for some sex" he confessed and Elena and some of the others gasped. Elena not because of the revelation, she already knew it. But she was surprised that he had admitted it in front of so many people.

"I developed some feelings for you too, Damon. I told you I was infatuated with you. I wasn't only using you for some sex, you were mine. You are mine" she was then in front of him showing her most perfect impersonation of innocence.

"So all you want now is for me and Stefan to be back to you and you'll leave Elena and her friends alone?" he asked through tight lips.

"I never said that. She has to pay for what she did" she moved away from him before she had finished the sentence.

"I guess killing her father and her friend is enough punishment" Damon tried to reason.

"I'm the one who decides how much she has to pay" Katherine retorted annoyed.

"If you agree on leaving town and never coming back to do any harm to the people of this city, we'll go with you to wherever you want" Stefan proposed.

"No, I'm not letting you go. I love you Stefan, we belong together. I truly love you" Elena pleaded moving her free hand to his cheek. It hurt him and Damon to see her begging like that because of a heartless vampire like Katherine.

The evil woman didn't say anything after Elena talked as everybody expected. She just watched the brothers' reaction. She loved all the damage she was causing even when she wasn't killing anyone.

"Elena, no one else needs to die because of this. Let's do what she wants. We promised to protect you" Stefan tried to convince the woman in his arms.

"But I can't live without you, I need you here, I belong to you. I fought for you, I fed you on my blood, I took risks for you, you can't just leave me because she wants you" Elena was nearly crying and Jacob was starting to fuzz in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Elena, but I love you so much to keep your misery. Katherine will kill everybody you love until there's only you and then she'll kill you too and I can't allow it when I know there's something I can do about it. Even if it's leaving with her" he said with conviction showing her that there wasn't any coming back to his decision.

"I can't accept it" she cried.

"I'm sorry, Elena" Stefan was adamant though his voice was sweet.

"Katherine, you have a deal, now it's time to leave" Damon demanded.

"Damon, please. I need you" Elena suddenly moved from Stefan's side to Damon's arms, burying her head in his chest, leading Jacob to start crying.

"Ric, I need you to promise to stay in the city and protect them. Stefan and I will assure Katherine is" he looked at her "entertained and busy enough to do not come back but as Mystic Falls is a supernatural magnet we need to ensure Elena and her family are safe" he then looked to the woman in his arms and the baby he tried to calm down.

"How thoughtful and sweet" Katherine quipped.

"Of course, I'll stay" the teacher answered.

"Damon. What about him? He loves you; it isn't only me you're leaving. He doesn't even love me as much as he loves you" she rubbed Jacob's hair that was calmer after Damon started playing with him.

"Elena, he's your responsibility. He's a good boy but that's the best for him too. You'll have a chance to raise him in a much safer and healthier environment if we're gone" his tone was sweet and heartbreaking. He didn't hide how much it was hurting him to leave them behind. He kissed both of their foreheads and then turned back to Katherine.

"So, shall we leave dearest?" he smirked.

"I remember pointing out how tempting your proposal was, I never really agreed though" she quipped resuming her high speed moves around the group. The humans had been quiet the whole time. They weren't prepared for Katherine in that moment. For a moment they were celebrating something good and being happy, no syringes and stakes around for that.

"You've got all you wanted Katherine, a fiancé and a sex slave, there's nothing left for you here" Damon spoke again.

"Do you really think I'll take leftovers? Especially from a human that is my spitting image? I have some pride, Damon, you should know better than anyone else. This little soap opera thing you just did only gave me more reason to make her pay. And I won't wait another minute to do it" she suddenly grabbed Meredith that was quietly listening to the exchange. Both Stefan and Damon didn't have a chance to catch them and taking a knife they didn't know from where, Katherine held Meredith's back against her chest

"Let her go" Elena screamed but Katherine only laughed evilly and disappeared in thin air. It took Elena some seconds to understand what had happened. Suddenly Stefan wasn't around her anymore and she couldn't see Damon. In less than a minute though they were both back to her sight.

"Where did she go?" Elena hysterically asked trying to uselessly see something through the thick fog.

"She left Elena" Stefan admitted resigned.

"But she has Meredith" Elena protested but before Damon and Stefan could leave to hunt Katherine they heard a scream coming from the back of the house.

"Actually she doesn't" Damon added as he led the way to the backyard, passing by Jenna who was still standing in the doorway, only now she couldn't move because she was shocked with what she saw. Lying in the doorstep to the backyard was Meredith, and judging the cut in her throat and the big amount of blood around her they knew she was dead but there was a note by her side.

"There's more Gilbert's in this world than it should'" Damon read aloud as Alaric embraced Jenna and Stefan enveloped Elena in his arms.

AN. Too much for a show of horror? I really suck writing this action stuff but I guess it's horrid for it to happen during a one-year old birthday. But it happened. Katherine isn't joking (and neither am I for that matter): she's there to kill everyone Elena loves and finally to kill Elena too. It's really hard for the brothers to try to prevent it to happen as Katherine will take her time between the attacks and because she can cover her tracks better than anyone else if she wants to but as they just proved, they'll do everything in their power to stop the evil.

Next: Damon finds out something unexpected and Meredith's memorial.

Thanks a lot to Lady-Lollie, KB22, natitasha, XxxmusicluverxxX, Avecia and ShadyLady21for reviewing. I'm so happy my usual reviewers still review and that there are new ones too. I hope you all like it. This story is very dual. there are those cruel deaths but also the baby, so I know many won't like and I'm happy for the ones who do :)

talk to you soon

Babi