"It's so good to have you here, Grandpa," I remark as we're sitting at the kitchen table having coffee. Dad has his ups and downs. Just when we think he's about to turn the corner, he suffers a setback. Elijah has scheduled a bronchoscopy for tomorrow morning. He'll use a bronchoscope to remove all the thick secretions that have settled in his lungs. He hopes that dad's respiratory status will improve once he does this. He's still running fevers in the evenings and his appetite has been poor. Even though Stefan took a week off from school, never once that I'm aware of, did he step foot inside his hospital room. If dad possibly dying doesn't stir him to confront his issues, I don't know what will.

"It's good to spend time with you too, Damon. Although I do miss your grandma, she doesn't even recognize me anymore," he says sadly.

"I'm sorry grandpa," I tell him, squeezing his hand.

"It is what it is, Damon."

"Um, I need to go into the office for awhile today. Commissioner Forbes called and wants me to come to her office this afternoon. You can take my car to the hospital if you want. You could drop me off and I could catch a ride home in one of the police squad cars.

"I can take him to the hospital on my way to the station," Elena suggests as she walks into the kitchen. After pouring herself a cup of coffee, she takes a seat between grandpa and me.

"Hmm, that's a hard decision. Ride along with my grandson or his lovely young lady friend? Sorry Damon, I'm definitely choosing Elena," he responds, winking at me.

"Fine, fine. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do," I laugh as I stand up. After refilling my coffee mug, I grab my jacket from the hook. Once I squeeze my grandpa's shoulder and press a kiss to the crown of Elena's head, I'm out of the door.

"I'm going to stop at the hospital after work. I'll talk to you two later."

"Damon, come in," Liz says, beckoning me with her arm. When I step inside her office, my heart skips a beat when I see Kol and Mr. Mikaelson sitting there. Mikael is thrumming his foot against the floor in a strong cadence, obviously anxious about something. Kol watches my every move even after I take a seat.

"You summoned me Liz?"

"I did. Mr. Mikaelson is very concerned about his son. He's demanding to know why he hasn't been able to see him," she informs me, her expression serious.

After fisting my hands discreetly, I turn my gaze to Mikael, "Nik will be released from the hospital within the next couple of days. If he so desires to see you once he's back at the jail, you will be allowed to see him," I reply, my voice even and direct. I practically see the steam billowing from his ears. His face reddens just before he jumps up and points his finger at me threateningly.

"I demand to see my son and you have no right to keep him from me," he screams, his fist nearly in my face.

After grabbing onto his closed fist, I stand up, "Don't ever do that again," I demand then watch as he swallows thickly before backing off.

"Prisoners are not allowed visitors while they're in the hospital. This isn't a rule I came up with just for your son. It's the same for every prisoner and it's been standing policy for many years. I'm not going to change the rules just because your name is Mikaelson." I can't help but notice how Kol is just sitting there running the pads of his fingers over his fingernails.

"You will regret this Salvatore," he rails at me.

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it anyway you want to. Kol, let's go," he says, looking at me with disdain. Just as he did at my office, Kol rounds on me with fire in his eyes.

"You have a very nice looking friend, Damon. It would be such a shame if anything were to mar that pretty little face," he taunts, smiling like the 'Cheshire cat'.

Unable to control my anger, I launch myself at him. I grab ahold of his button down shirt, fisting it in my hands. "You lay one finger on her head, you will rue the day you were born. Believe it," I roar at him with deadly seriousness. After flashing another sinister smile at me, he reaches up, peeling my fists from his shirt.

"You keep telling yourself that Salvatore," he mocks me then steps out of Liz's office.

I'm practically hyperventilating when I feel a hand on my arm. "Calm down, Damon. What were you thinking erupting like that?"

"Me?" I yelp. "You heard him, he threatened her."

"I realize that Damon, but Kol has always been a hot head. You know that as well as I do. He thrives on getting a rise out of people. So in the future, I strongly suggest that you don't let him get under your skin like that," she scolds.

Shaking my head, I look at my feet for a moment before raising my eyes back to Liz. "I'm out of here. I have to go to see how my dad is doing."

"Give Henry my best. And Damon, I am on your side," she reminds me.

"Yeah, yeah," I wave my arm then walk out of her office.

I take a seat behind the two way mirror so I can watch as Ric interviews Kai Parker. Kai is anxious as I can see beads of sweat forming on his forehead. After he wipes off his brow, he clutches his hands in a fist on the desk top.

"So Kai, what have you been up to lately? We haven't crossed paths in some time," Ric asks.

"Um, I've just been staying under the radar," he replies nervously.

"And why would you feel the need to stay under the radar, your words, not mine?"

"Well, um, you know..."

"Come on Kai. Give me something here?"

"What are you talking about?" he asks Ric, looking confused.

"You're the last person Nik Mikaelson remembers being with the night before he was found with the Tillman girl's body. Why don't you tell me about that night?" Ric asks him, pulling no punches.

"Listen man, I don't know anything about murder," he replies, again wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Why are you so nervous then?" Ric asks.

"Who wouldn't be nervous when cops are asking about murders?" he yells, flying out of his chair.

"Kai, sit back down," Ric instructs firmly.

"I'll ask you again, what happened that night with Nik Mikaelson?"

Shaking his head, he finally looks up at Ric. "Fine, someone offered me a hundred bucks if I'd roofie him. Are you satisfied now?" he replies sarcastically.

"Who is this someone?"

"I don't know who it was. I was blindfolded and led out into the alley. Whoever it was shoved a hundred bucks in my hand. He said he'd be watching me to make sure I held up my end of the deal. That's all I know, I swear," he tells Ric, his tone adamant.

Ric gets up, knocks on the door so it can be unlocked and walks into the room I'm sitting in. "What do you think, Damon?" he asks.

"I think he's telling the truth," I utter, shaking my head. "Does 'The Brass Rail' have any outside security cameras? Maybe there's some footage if they do?"

"I'm on it. Do you want to hold Kai or release him?"

"Let's let him go but keep a plainclothesman on him. Also let's find out if there's any video footage from that night."

"Sounds like a plan, boss. I'll talk to you later," Ric says then steps out of the room.

After several moments, I get up to go to my office to grab my things. Once I get outside, I jump in my car and drive towards the hospital.

"Dad, grandpa," I greet when I step into his room. Grandpa immediately shushes me with a finger to his lips. He gets up and gestures with his arm for me to follow him out of the room.

"Your dad just fell asleep a few minutes ago. I don't want to wake him," he explains.

"No, I don't want to wake him either. I'm sorry I couldn't get here earlier, I had a lot of stuff to catch up with at the station."

"I know, Damon. Your dad, he understands. He spiked a temperature again this afternoon. Dr. Mikaelson came in and ordered a chest X ray, blood cultures and a urine culture. Henry is pretty sick, son. I don't think I should fly back home till he starts to feel better. But I need to notify your grandma's nursing home that I'll be gone for the some time yet."

"I'm scared," I whisper, reaching up to discreetly wipe a tear from my eye.

"It's okay to be scared, Damon," he tells me, squeezing my shoulder.

"Here's my car keys. I'll stay with him tonight," I tell him, placing the keys in his hands.

Nodding, he pulls me into his arms to give me a squeeze.

"Drive carefully, grandpa," I tell him then step back inside my dad's room. I pull up a chair next to his bed, taking his hand in mine. After just staring at him for several minutes, I lay my head down, holding his hand close. Without even realizing how sleep deprived I am, soon my eyes fall closed as blackness overwhelms my senses.

Elena:

It's been a long day at the police station. I've been working so hard to put a face on the gold toothed skull. I really hope to be able to get the initial photographs done of the third skull sometime tomorrow. I stopped at the hospital on my way home. When I walk into Henry's room, I'm not surprised to find Damon sound asleep clutching Henry's hand tightly. Henry raises his eyes to look at me while at the same time, he is ever so softly petting Damon's messy, onyx-colored hair. I can't help but smile back at him. Henry quits petting Damon's hair then reaches for his alphabet board.

'He's exhausted, take him home', he spells out.

"I will. How are you Henry?" I ask, concerned.

'I can't seem to beat this thing', he pecks out, a sad smile on his face.

"Henry, don't you dare even think about giving up," I scold him quietly so as not to wake Damon."

Smiling at me, he spells, 'You're fond of my son?'.

Smiling back at him, I nod. "Yes, yes I am."

'I'm glad'.

'Promise me that you'll take care of him', he spells, tears filling his eyes.

Walking around to the other side of the bed, I wrap my arms around Henry to give him a hug. I press my lips to his ear, "I'll never forgive you if you give up. Do you understand?" He pulls back, wiping his tears with his good hand. Finally, he nods affirmatively.

Picking up his hand, I smile and whisper, "Good. Bonnie and Damon need you and so do I."

"What's going on?" Damon says when he opens his eyes.

"Nothing Damon. Henry and I were just having a few words. Are you ready to go home?" I ask him.

Shaking his head back and forth, "No, I don't want to leave you dad."

"Come on Damon. Let him get some sleep without worrying about you. At least come home with so you can have a nap. I'll even drive you back later. Deal?"

He expels a puff of air before nodding affirmatively. After giving his dad a big hug, we walk out of the hospital together.

After we get home, Damon excuses himself to go to shave and take a hot shower. I hate for him to lose the stubble. It's so yummy looking but... Just as I reach the kitchen, I hear Katherine and Stefan locked in conversation. Pausing at the door, I listen in when I hear my name.

"I can't believe he's sleeping with her Stefan. You have to get her out of your home. How many times do I have to tell you that Elena Gilbert is a murderer?" she says to Stefan, clearly irate.

"What do you want me to do Katherine? Walk up to Damon and tell him he's sleeping with a black widow?"

My God, does Katherine really believe that I killed him? I would gladly have traded places with him in a heartbeat. I try to hold back my tears when I hear Katherine speaking again.

"Do whatever you have to do to make him kick her out of here," she practically yells at him.

"Katherine, she was what, a teenager when he died? Are you sure she murdered him? I mean, your mother is a little bit out there. And don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," Stefan adds.

"Yes, I fully admit that my mother is a little bit out there but I've seen the pictures of his remains. She killed him. We were in the store. Cartoons were playing on the TV's. She told me to stay put. Then she grabbed a hold of him. I never saw him again.

Unable to keep the tears at bay any longer, I turn around and run up the stairs, plowing right into Damon just as I reach the top stair. As I'm floundering to stay upright, he grabs ahold of my wrist to keep me from tumbling down. The tears continue to trail down my cheeks relentlessly. I violently pull my arm from his grasp before running off down the hall towards my room.

"Elena?" he says loudly before following behind me. He grabs onto the crook of my elbow and pulls me around to face him. Tenderly he reaches up to wipe the corner of my eye with one hand while caressing my cheek with the other. "What's wrong?"

Again, I pull myself free of his touch then twist open my doorknob to step inside.

"Elena, please talk to me?"

"Ask your brother and Katherine. Apparently you're harboring a murderer," I whisper angrily then step inside my room, slamming the door closed behind me.

And that's chapter 14. I hope you liked it. There's still quite a bit of this story left to tell. Thank you so much Eva. You are the BEST. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites. I apologize for not replying to your reviews recently. I've been so busy between working on not one but TWO stories plus work. Please forgive me. I updated 'What If I Was Nothing' yesterday. I do hope you'll give it a look. I do have several stories on my profile just in case you're looking for something to read sometime.

Hope you all have a safe and lovely weekend. I'll see you all next week. *REVIEWS ARE LOVE*