Author's note: My dear readers, writing this chapter has been a breath of fresh air for me! I can't apologize enough that I completely gave up on this story last year... For a while I experienced writer's block, and it seemed like it would never end. Then, my life got really complicated, and for a long time writing was the last thing I could think about. Now that the problems are gone, I feel I can focus more on writing. I promise I'll do everything I can to avoid this ever happening again. I can't thank you enough for all the messages and reviews you've posted, asking me to continue the story. I have read all of them, and I thank you all for encouraging me to carry on, I am really grateful that you all liked this story so much... I apologize again for my long absence, I hope you can understand – you girls have probably all gone through something love-related, so I trust that you understand how that feels... Anyway, this chapter is entitled ' When you say nothing at all' (song by Ronan Keating), a little tribute to one of my favorite rom-cons 'Notting Hill'. Enjoy Chapter 20!
CHAPTER 20 - WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL
Monday, 19th November 2012
DAMON's POV
I woke up the next morning feeling quite groggy. I felt that I'd been away from reality for days in a row... The sleeping pills that Dr. Fell had given me last night had plunged me into a deep and peaceful sleep but now I was experiencing quite a horrible headache. As I opened my eyes I found that the hospital room was empty. I struggled to remember whether anyone had even visited yesterday... I recalled Stefan and my father coming by but where had they gone?! For a moment I thought people had forgotten that I was even here. And then I saw the door slowly opening.
I was disappointed to see Vicki, my appointed nurse, entering the room. She on the other hand seemed very cheerful today.
'Good morning Mr. Salvatore!' She greeted me with a smile that made me want to go back to bed. I was definitely not in a good mood this morning.
'Good morning.' I silently said wishing I had waited another five minutes to wake up.
'How are you feeling today?' She asked me while carefully checking my drip.
'I have a bit of a headache.' I mumbled furrowing my eyebrows.
'Mmmm, that's quite normal at the moment.' She replied in a gentle voice. 'You suffered quite a brutal fall from what Dr. Fell has told me.' Was it pity that I could hear in her voice?
'Yeah, I sure did...' I replied in pain.
'Have you had any other discomfort since last night?' Vicki asked.
I tried to focus on what had happened last night. My father and brother had come to see me. Then Dr. Fell had put me to sleep. Literally... And then sometime during the evening Elena had showed up. My lips involuntarily twisted upwards as I remembered her coming to see me. Her beautiful face filled with worry and tears... Her lips slightly trembling as she kissed me. And then I had told her I loved her.
Jesus... had I actually done that? Had any of it been true?! What if I had only dreamt it? Fear coursed through me at the possibility that none of it had actually happened.
'Mr. Salvatore?' Vicki gently asked pulling me out of my day-dream.
'Oh, sorry about that...' I awkwardly replied. I didn't want her thinking I was having a seizure or something.
'No problem, sir. I was wondering whether you had any discomfort since last night.' I needed a few seconds to focus on answering that.
'Well, my head feels like it's going to explode. And my left wrist badly aches. Apart from that, I'm good.' I tried to cheerfully grin and that earned me a pitiful smile from Vicki.
'Sadly, those are quite normal symptoms after such a surgical intervention. What I will do is administer another dose of morphine recommended by Dr. Fell.' I felt rude about it, but I wasn't really listening to her anymore.
Had I actually dreamed all of it? Had Elena even come to see me? It seemed so unlikely now...
'Is everything ok with you Mr. Salvatore?' Vicki asked as I saw her injecting a colourless substance into my drip. I distractedly nodded.
'If I can help you with anything, please let me know sir.'
'Actually you could... I'm having trouble remembering events from yesterday... Probably because of the sleeping pills... Did anyone visit me last night?' To that I saw Vicki widely smiling all of a sudden.
'Your wife stayed with you all night long Mr. Salvatore.' My heart stopped in my chest for a split second.
'My wife...' I mumbled feeling confused and stupid.
'Yes, Mrs. Salvatore came in your room right after your brother left. She brought you these books to read and other things in the bag over there.' She pointed next to the bed as she took the syringe out.
'Oh, yes. Of course she did. I...thought I'd dreamt it all.' Vicki grinned in response.
'Oh, no, sir. She was here alright. Kept checking with us every hour if everything was alright with you... Never left your side. I must say, she's quite a caring woman...' Vicki approvingly said as she adjusted my drip.
'Yes, she is indeed.' I said and, again, involuntarily smiled. I'd never felt so happy in my entire life knowing that someone cared about me this way. Vicki pulled me out of my day dream.
'She actually left fifteen minutes ago. She seemed very tired, poor thing.' I instantly felt a pang of guilt hit my chest. My dear Elena had stayed up all night long looking after me. Probably not getting any sleep... But she had come to see me. She had come! And she had kissed me... and I had told her I loved her. I felt like such a silly teenager right now...
The sound of someone knocking on the door was enough to make me come back to reality. As Vicki went towards the door I secretly hoped it was Elena coming back. As the door opened I could see Stefan of all people standing there. We awkwardly looked at each other and for the first time since I could remember there was no fuzzy feeling floating in the air. No funny remark that I could throw upon him, no subject to jokingly bicker about, no fun and games.
This – right here – was the real deal... The final countdown... I knew this talk was coming but I'd secretly hoped we never had to actually have it.
'I'll be back in an hour to check on you Mr. Salvatore.' Vicki said and I silently nodded.
'How are you feeling?' My brother gently asked as Vicki exited the room. With a lump in my throat, I warily answered.
'Better, actually. Vicki just gave me another dose of morphine... Takes all the pain away – it's almost as good as booze.' I heard myself mumbling, and suddenly stopped.
Stefan weakly smiled as he sat down on a chair next to the bed. He seemed ashamed and guilty as he looked at my cast. All of the events from the night before came flashing in front of my eyes. Stefan's face when he told me we were through... It was a horrible sight. This feeling of guilt and dread that we might actually be through was horrific.
'Stefan, I...'
'Stop right there.' My brother replied in a gentle voice.
He paused seeming unable to find his words. Instead he bit his lip, reminding me of our childhood. He always did that when he felt guilty about something.
'I don't need your apology. I know you didn't mean to.' Stefan gently said, his green eyes so sincere that it killed me, knowing he actually meant it. I didn't know what to do. I rarely felt such guilt, but nonetheless – it was there, heavily pushing on my chest – a feeling similar to having an elephant on it. Stefan seemed adamant though.
'I know we've had our differences over the years, Damon... You and me know so well how different we are in terms of everything...' He looked me in the eye as he spoke.
'It might sound silly but I've always looked up to you.' A smile appeared on his face.
'Looked up...to me?' I replied surprise clearly present in my tone. 'Why?' I jokingly asked and Stefan actually grinned in response.
'Do you remember Sebastian from fifth grade?' I involuntarily frowned.
'You mean... The fat kid who would always wear the same black T-shirt because people made fun of him?' Stefan nodded.
'What about him?' I asked, not understanding.
'Well, you might not remember... but one day he shoved me with such strength that I fell flat on my backside and started crying.' I would've normally replied with a sarcastic comment but I let it slip, curious to hear what was coming.
'Obviously, I was the laughing stock of every boy and girl that was around to witness the event. That is, until my courageous big brother appeared out of nowhere.' Funnily enough, I did not remember this story. Not one bit actually...
'And you know what he did?' Stefan carried on, seeming like he was telling me a bedside story. 'He pulled me off the ground, turned around and faced my bully with an aggression that I had never before seen in him. He told the big bad Sebastian to take a hike and that if he ever dared to lay his hands on me again, he would have to deal with him.'
'That sounds like a pretty brave brother...' I appreciatively replied.
'Yes, well, he scared my attacker so badly that the guy wet his pants in front of the entire school. Because of that, everybody forgot about my embarrassment and I ended up being the hero that day.' Stefan actually seemed to be enjoying himself as he remembered all of this.
'Hmm... What happened to your brother?' I asked, willing to play his game.
'He got detention.' Stefan replied smiling.
'So all was good in the world again...' Stefan smiled hearing my jokey tone. But then he suddenly became serious.
'Since that moment I've always known I could count on you, Damon.' I was touched beyond words.
'I'm sorry I let you down last night...' Stefan carried on, his eyes so full of brotherly love that I thought he would start crying. But it must have been my imagination.
'Stefan, don't...' I gently but honestly said.
'Look at what I've done to you!' He exclaimed pointing at my arm, and then my face. His tone had changed from serious to a nervous-wreck one. 'I may have scarred you for life... You may never be able to move that hand ever again, Damon... And that's all because of me.' I suddenly grabbed his arm with my healthy right hand, making him stop talking.
'Now you listen to me, Stefan...' I put as much force and determination into my words.
'This...' I said pointing at my left arm 'is going to heal. I'm sure of it. And even if it doesn't, I deserve it.' Before Stefan could interrupt me, I forcefully carried on.
'That is the God-damn truth! I deserve this, Stefan... Because I ruined everything between you and Caroline...' I knew that saying her name wasn't going to make things better but I had to speak my mind. I had to apologize.
'I ruined something so beautiful and pure that I deserve to suffer. It's just how the world is... What goes around comes around.' Stefan seemed to disagree but I didn't let him interrupt me.
'I want you to listen to me very carefully, brother. I want you to forgive her.' Stefan's expression became stern. When he spoke it was in an alien voice.
'I can't...Not even if I wanted to, I cannot forgive her, Damon.' God, he actually seemed serious about this.
'Stefan, Caroline deserves your forgiveness. She never did anything wrong apart from drinking a bit too much... I am the only one who should be blamed. The only reason I never told you about this was because I could tell how much you loved each other. I didn't want to ruin that. When I saw you two getting back together I realized you truly had a future together. I couldn't forgive myself if I ever ruined that. Of course, ironically, I ended up ruining it anyway, but I want you to know that she isn't to blame for anything. Please, you have to believe me.' After a few moments of silence, my brother replied:
'It's noble that you're trying to defend her, Damon... But it's too late for that. She should have told me.' I had to force the following words come out.
'I was the one who convinced her not to tell you about it.' This didn't seem to surprise him.
'It doesn't matter.' He dismissively said.
'Of course it bloody does!' I said exploding.
'No...' Stefan calmly replied. 'If I had done something like that to her, I couldn't have lived with myself, Damon. I couldn't have slept, or eaten or taken a single breath without confessing that to her...'
'Stefan, you stubborn person, it was my fault, can you not understand?!" I almost shouted the words.
'I understand what you said... but you had a family, Damon.' I froze as he said the words out loud. 'You had a wife and two children back then... You had much more to lose than Caroline ever did. I understand why you didn't want to confess.' Surprisingly enough, I recognized my actions in what Stefan had just said. But I was not going to get out of this because of a technicality.
'Stefan...'
'No matter what you tell me, Damon... I've lost faith in her. Because if the roles were reversed I would've been honest to her about it. Because when you love someone, you always have to be honest. If the other person is prepared to forgive you for your mistakes and give you another chance then you're the luckiest person on Earth. But if they can't forgive you, then you can't blame them, can you?'
Strangely enough, Stefan's words made so much sense that I couldn't find any reply to make him see reason in the whole story. I tried so hard to find something to tell him but the only thing I could say was:
'You never let me down, Stefan. But I did...' My brother seemed to silently acknowledge that.
'That night when I so recklessly threw everything away, I became, without a doubt, the stupidest man alive.' Stefan's face was expressionless.
'No words will ever be able to express how sorry I am to have done that to you. How sorry I feel towards Caroline and you. And I mean it...' I really did mean it.
'Thank you, brother.' He replied gently smiling. 'But, realistically speaking, Caroline and I were not together back then... Things were really bad between us. We didn't know if we were good for each other and we were drifting apart each day... But then she appeared on my doorstep one evening, telling me for the first time that she loved me. And asking me to give it another shot. So I did...' His voice was so full of love towards her that I couldn't help but try again.
'Stefan, Caroline clearly loves you. I see it every single day, in everything she does and says. I know it's sometimes hard to get past the other person's mistakes, but don't you think she deserves to be given another chance? She's a good woman, has always been. Despite her incessantly loud mouth...' I said hoping I could convince him.
'You know what the saddest part is Damon?' Stefan asked slowly pulling pieces of his nails as he talked – another childish habit of his. 'If she had told me the truth back then I would have been mad, furious... I would've probably shouted at her and so on... But I would've forgiven her. Living with the lie for almost two years... that's what I cannot forgive.' The guilt was becoming too much to bear.
'I lied to you as well for two whole years...' I said knowing it wouldn't make me look too good in his eyes. But that was the last thing on my mind right now. 'Why are you forgiving me and can't forgive her too?' Stefan looked at me for a while before he replied.
'Because at the end of the day, you're my brother, Damon. I know that everything you did, it was to protect Kathy, your children and me from suffering. And I can forgive that, Damon. What I can't forgive is people who lie so that they don't end up getting their perfect image tainted. So that they don't become the bad guy, because otherwise they are so perfect in everything... And that is exactly what Caroline did.'
'Stefan...'
'I've made up my mind, brother. There's nothing you can say to change my mind.' All of a sudden Stefan grabbed my hand and looked at me.
'But I've always known that you would never deliberately hurt me. And I forgive you for everything Damon. I just hope you can forgive me for this.' I felt such great relief hearing my brother say those words to me. My injured hand, my scarred face... they were nothing compared to Stefan forgiving me.
'I have nothing to forgive you for brother...' Stefan nodded and smiled, reminding me of the good old days.
'Would you like me to get you anything from the vending machine?'
'I'd love a coffee – if you could sneak it past my guards.' I groaned in dissatisfaction at the 'no-coffee' policy. I loved my morning coffee.
'Ah, I'm not sure about that...' Stefan replied and silence fell between us.
'Hey, Damon...' Stefan added after a while.
'Yes, Stefan?'
'I owe you an apology regarding Elena as well.' It was my turn to be completely surprised.
'What are you talking about?!' Stefan shifted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable.
'I've been unfair to you since Elena moved in your house. I've told you over and over again that you should leave her alone, that you guys aren't good for each other, that she's too young and so on.' I silently nodded and replied in a jokey manner.
'Ah, those things...' Stefan nodded as well, slightly amused.
'I was wrong, Damon.' His voice serious... Again, surprise... 'I was wrong to think that. I can tell just how much you love her. And how much she loves you... The previous night, when we were waiting for you to come out of surgery she wouldn't stop crying. She feared that you wouldn't make it and she was devastated. After last night, I am certain she loves you deeply.' He finished leaning back in his chair and staring outside the window. His words both surprised and pleased me to no end.
'Stefan, why are you telling me all of this now?' Stefan simply turned to look me straight in the eye.
'Let's just say it's brotherly advice.' He said and winked.
'But you didn't actually give me any advice.' I replied grinning.
'Read between the lines, Damon.' Stefan cunningly said and then simply added:
'Don't let her go... You'll never forgive yourself if you do.'
ELENA's POV
As I drove up to the Salvatore house I couldn't help but feel a multitude of emotions overwhelming me. The guilt for leaving Damon in the hospital was horrible, although I knew Stefan was there with him. He was in good hands. I was sure of it. But I still couldn't shake the thought of him. He was still there, present in the back of my head constantly, making me feel incredibly anxious every time I remembered his cast and scars.
I stopped the engine and started getting even more anxious as I got out of the car. He was in a hospital bed, completely helpless... and I was not there with him. Damn it. Stop thinking, Elena. Just stop...
I slammed the car door in frustration and looked at my watch – 8:30 a.m. I sighed and was relieved knowing that the house would be empty apart from Jenna and John. By now, the kids would all be on their way to school in Elijah's car. There would be no need for explanations – yet. God knew what I would end up saying to all of them. John and Anna – I could rule out, perhaps even Tyler with a really good lie. But Rebekah... I sighed as I slowly walked to the back entrance of the house. Rebekah was a completely different issue... She was the hardest to convince. At least I had another six hours to think things through.
I revelled in the silence – I hadn't felt the need for it in a while. I took one step in front of the other making myself carry on, day-dreaming about my comfy bed. I hadn't gotten much rest the previous night... As I went past the swimming pool, and reached the deck stairs leading to the lounge, someone suddenly appeared in front of me. My heart stopped in my chest for a split second as I saw the blonde little girl looking back at me. She was dressed in a bathing suit and was holding a towel in her hands.
'Rebekah...' I said feeling stupid as she was right in front of me.
'Elena.' She simply said mimicking my tone and behaviour.
'How come you're home?' I asked finding it difficult to hide how shocked I was.
'It's 'Go to work with your parents day' for our school, Elena...' She replied and looked at me expectantly. I wracked my brain trying to remember this but failed to miserably.
'The day that our parents should spend precious time with us, educate us about their world, etc?' I shook my head ashamed how little I'd paid attention to this. Rebekah didn't seem surprised.
'I'm so sorry, Rebekah. I completely forgot about this.'
'Never mind... I realized you weren't in so I thought I'd start with a morning swim.' She said looking at the pool.
'That sounds great honey. I'll just go have some breakfast and meet you in the lounge in half an hour, ok?' I cheerfully said, turning round to go inside the house. Her voice stopped me in my tracks.
'Where is he?!' Oh, no... She sounded really annoyed. I prayed and hoped she meant anyone else but Damon.
'Where is who honey?' I nonchalantly asked – Rebekah seemed a tad surprised by my lie but quickly recovered.
'Don't play dumb, Elena. It's not a good colour on you. I mean my father...' I felt like the cat literally caught my tongue.
'You can drop the game. I know everybody is lying to my face.' Everybody? I thought, feeling my eyebrows furrow in confusion.
'What..?' I couldn't help but ask, trying to quickly find a good lie. Rebekah rolled her eyes in response.
'Aunt Caroline couldn't even look me in the eye the last time I saw her... Jenna keeps avoiding the topic and offering me food whenever I ask about dad... and Elijah tells me the same old story - that father is in London because of some movie crisis. So- which one are you going to tell me?' She said and wrapped the towel around herself.
I couldn't decide what to say to her. A part of me simply wanted to be honest with her and confess everything that had happened in the past 48 hours – it would have been so much easier for me. But... Damon's image popped into my head. I had promised him I wouldn't tell the kids anything until he came back home. And given the state in which he was right now, I could never do that to him.
'What? Cat ate your tongue?' Rebekah asked in a sarcastic tone. I braced myself with patience and confidence. And all of a sudden, I had the perfect lie.
"Your father is fine, honey.' I said sitting on the outdoor steps. 'He's caught up right now in London...' I talked slowly – I had to make my story believable. 'He had to leave the house because of an emergency.' The girl's expression turned to panic.
"What emergency?" Rebekah wearily asked. I paused a few seconds to rub my throbbing temples before I answered her.
"One of his work colleagues had a bad accident." I was mentally kicking myself at how bad a liar I was.
"What...?!" She asked seeming surprised to hear this. "What accident?!" Apparently though, Rebekah believed me. She sat down next to me on the steps waiting for my response.
"The man tripped, fell through some glass doors and cut his wrist pretty badly. He barely survived the surgery. He's one of your dad's good friends back in England." I could hear what I was saying but I couldn't stop myself. It was awful of me to say that to her but it was the only thing I could think of.
"That's terrible.' She replied seeming shocked. 'Is he ok?" She asked and came to sit down next to me.
"Yeah. I think he is better. Your dad didn't want you to know – he didn't want to worry you with such an ugly event." I was so going to burn in hell for this.
"Why didn't he at least call us yesterday?" Rebekah asked, the slightest hint of suspicion present in her tone.
"He's been on the plane for most of the day honey. Plus, he seemed to be in shock when he heard the news on Saturday. He wanted to grab the earliest flight on Sunday, which is why he left right before you woke up." I saw Rebekah's weary expression and I braced myself for a comeback.
"Have you talked to him since he left?"
"No. But I'm sure he'll call you very soon. He probably hasn't because of the time difference.'
Rebekah nodded and seemed to freeze for a moment thinking about something.
'I hope dad's friend isn't feeling too bad. It sounds like he was really unlucky.'
I felt my heart swelling hearing her say that. I found myself pushing a strand of hair behind her ear – it was quite windy that morning. Her light blue eyes reminded me so much of Damon's that I thought I was going to cry. Luckily I managed to hold it in.
'I hope so too sweetie.' I gently replied.
'You should go inside – you have goose bumps.'
Hearing my words, Rebekah swiftly jumped off the stairs waiting for me to do the same thing. I followed her inside to the lounge. I was surprised to see Anna and Tyler lying on the sofa watching cartoons. Upon seeing me their faces lit and the first question I was asked was:
'Where is dad?' Oh God – not again please... Before I could say anything Rebekah stepped in and answered.
'Dad is in London – he had some movie problems to solve. I talked to him earlier, he said he'll call us soon.' She nonchalantly told her younger siblings –who, although moaned about their father's absence, believed Rebekah straight away. My mouth fell slightly open and I found myself silently thanking her through my eyes. She innocently nodded back at me.
I couldn't help but feel proud of her. She was smart, sneaky and gullible enough so that I was still in control. As she made her way up the stairs I both envied and feared her. Envy – because she wasn't aware of anything that was going on with her father. And fear because of how she would react once she found out the truth. Knowing Rebekah, it wasn't going to be pretty...
Later that day, after the kids got around to having dinner, I decided it was the perfect time to head to the hospital. I normally had a painting class every week on Monday evening, so I had a perfect cover story. So far, Rebekah didn't suspect anything – and I planned to keep it that way as long as Damon had to stay in the hospital. I did find it odd that she hadn't insisted on the matter. If I thought about it, she had seemed a bit distracted lately – long before Katherine's memorial. I actually had no clue if something was going on with her, but she had been more calm and happier lately, and she would day-dream quite often. I couldn't put my finger on it, but whatever it was it was keeping her distracted from Damon which was more than I could ask.
I sneakily went around the house, gathering some more items to take to Damon – his iPod, tucked away in his desk, the DVDs with his favorite TV show – House M.D., and his ultrabook so that he could play his DVDs. I snuck them into my bag and was relieved that I didn't bump into the kids in the process. I walked down the stairs and checked up on them one last time before leaving.
'Hey kids, everything alright?' To that, four adorable faces turned towards me.
'Yep.' Rebekah briefly replied and resumed practising the piano. She played just like an angel...
' Elena, won't you join us for ice-cream?' Tyler asked and that was when I noticed Anna's cheeks filled with chocolate ice-cream streaks.
'I'd love to, but if I don't go, I'll be late for my painting class.'
'Do you really have to go?' Anna wailed, making me feel so guilty.
'Unfortunately I do, darling.' I said and gave her a quick bear hug.
'But don't worry, we can have some ice-cream tomorrow, ok?' She immediately smiled.
'I gotta say, I miss dad, but I'm liking this whole thing – we wouldn't be getting ice-cream on a Monday evening if he was here.' I couldn't help but grin to what Tyler had said. Damon did have a strict policy about sweets and so many other things. He adored his kids though – and was always over-protective.
'Enjoy it while it lasts, darlings – it won't be long until he's back.' I cheerfully added, though I had no clue how long it would be before he would be discharged. With that I put Anna down, gave John a little kiss and ruffled Tyler's hair. I didn't bother Rebekah as she was focusing hard on her Beethoven song.
'Don't forget to rest as well, honey, I don't want you tiring yourself because of the recital.' The recital which was due in around a month's time. She simply nodded and smiled to me as I waved and said goodbye to all of them.
On my way out I bumped into Elijah. He seemed happy to see me.
'Elena, how are you?' He politely asked.
'I'm good, thank you. Just heading out for my 'painting class'' I said but winked at him, and he understood I was off to the hospital.
'Would you like me to drive you there?' Bless him, he was like a dad to me.
'Thank you for offerring but I'll take a taxi.' If I took my car or was driven by Elijah, I would've been easier to spot by the papparazzi. And that was the last thing I needed.
'Alright. Take care – if you need anything please call me and I'll be right there.' He added and patted me on the back.
'Will do. See you later Elijah!'
As I walked onto the street, I quickly got into a taxi and was relieved the driver didn't recognise me or anything. Ever since my little incident with the paparazzi I was surprised to find that some people had recognised me and come up to talk to me. Half-way to the hospital I took my long red wig out of the bag and carefully placed it on my head, making sure I hid my natural hair. I then put a nurse dress on top of the one I was already wearing, and a pair of black shaded glasses. This whole process was ridiculous but it did the job of throwing the paparazzi off.
I got out of the taxi and went by the Starbucks next to the hospital. As I walked towards the hospital entrance I caught a reflection of my outfit in the glass walls. I was really proud of my costume – I looked like a regular nurse coming to work. I easily walked by the reporters who didn't even acknowledge me and I sighed in relief as I got into the lift up to the sixth floor. I went past the nurses on Damon's floor without so much as a glance thrown towards me and gently entered Damon's room, afraid he was sleeping.
'My own little Bond girl!' Damon mocked and chuckled as he saw me enter the room. I realized I hadn't taken my wig off and joined in his laughter. I slowly approached his bed trying to stop laughing.
'You like that, me being a Bond girl?' He smiled and took my hand.
'Mmm, I like how that wig looks on you.' He added and made me blush.
'You're supposed to be feeling weak, like a patient does – not mocking my wig.'
'What can I say? Every time you come over I feel like I'm reborn.' I was speechless. He gazed into my eyes, and his blue-grey eyes made my heart stop.
No matter how many scars he had, he still looked incredible – scratch that. Like Bonnie had said, he looked smoking hot. He didn't need any make-up or special effects – he was as beautiful in real life as in all of his movies. I couldn't believe I was here with him, and that he was staring at me like that. As Damon looked at my lips it was enough for me to bend down and lower my lips onto his. I intended it to be just a peck, but Damon parted my lips and pulled me closer to deepen the kiss. After what seemed like an eternity we pulled apart and looked at each other in silence. His pupils were dilated, and his eyes filled with love.
'I've missed you.' I couldn't help but grin.
'I've missed you too.' I said and caressed the side of his face. 'It's not the same back home without you.' He gently frowned in response.
'How are the kids doing?' Worry was present in his tone.
'They're alright – they were happy earlier today when you called them.'
'Thank you for keeping this a secret.' I blushed, embarrassed as I remembered how I'd almost blew the cover up when Rebekah had confronted me.
'You're welcome – I'm lucky they bought it. I'm the worst liar.'
'Apparently not.' He jokingly replied. I couldn't help but run my fingers over his scarred face. It killed me seeing him hurt like this.
'How are you feeling?'
'A bit better than yesterday.' Come to think about it, he seemed better.
'I'm glad to hear that. Is your arm aching?'
'Oh yeah, it hasn't stopped bugging me. But it's alright... We've developed a love-hate relationship.' He joked and started playing with a strand of my natural hair which was sticking out from underneath the wig.
'I must say, I like your natural hair better than this.' He gestured towards the wig. I was relieved to hear him say that.
'I'll take this off then.' I threw the wig on the chair.
'Beautiful.' He added, gently moving his hand up and down my right arm, making my skin fill with goose bumps.
'I brought you something.' I said and couldn't help but excited.
'Oh my God. How did you sneak that by the nurses?' Damon said and grabbed the Starbucks coffee with his right hand. His excitement was quite funny to witness.
'I didn't need to sneak it past them – I AM one of them!' I said and batted my eyelashes for special effect. Damon chuckled in response as I handed him his favourite coffee.
'I swear, you're a better actress than you give yourself credit.' I shook my head laughing and waved his remark off.
'I also brought your favourite TV series, your laptop... and your iPod as well – in case you're bored of all the hospital noise.'
'Wow, you... brought a lot!'
'I also talked to Isobel this morning and filled her in on everything that's going on...' Isobel Flemming was Damon's agent, publicist and manager. She basically dealt with all of the issues related to his acting career. Born and bred in LA, Isobel was that characteristic LA woman – tall, thin, elegant, absolutely gorgeous, a little slutty in my opinion - scratch that, a whole lot slutty - but she did a great job from what Damon had told me.
'She said that she'll come visit you as soon as she's back from New York, and told me not to worry, that she'll deal with anything that comes up. She wishes you all the best!' Damon kept on watching me, his expression a bit jokey, as he sipped his coffee.
'In the meantime, she said Stefan can deal with any public affairs, and said she's give him a call today... so that's all in check. The kids are home with Jenna and Elijah, and should be fine – although they keep asking me why Caroline isn't answering their calls.' I stopped my rant realising she'd be the last person Damon would want me to bring up.
'I'm sorry.' I said, feeling stupid. 'You probably don't want to talk about that now.' Damon seemed embarrassed and looked away as if he was trying to mull over what he'd say next.
'No, don't feel bad... It's just that I feel horrible, Elena. I hurt everyone by what I did, and I can't take it back.' His expression was so pained that it killed me to see him like this.
'You didn't hurt me Damon.' As I said it, I knew it was a lie. His eyes caught mine and he knew in an instant.
'Thank you for lying to make me feel better, but you don't have to, Elena. Please forgive me for putting you through all of this.' Oh, God... He really knew how to make my heart melt.
'I admit, I felt hurt the evening I found out, but... I didn't even know you back then, Damon. There's nothing to forgive. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has baggage.'
'You make it sound like it isn't a big deal.' His eyebrows frowned, confused about my words.
'It isn't to me.' All of a sudden he took my hand in his and intertwined our fingers.
'I don't deserve you...'
'Damon, don't...'
'It's true, I don't deserve you, Elena – you're too good to be true.' He said, bringing my head to lie on his chest, and holding me tightly with his right arm.
I instantly relaxed in his arms... I always felt so warm and loved when he held me close to him – in these glorious moments, it's like all my worries vanished and were replaced with peace. A feeling that I rarely experienced. I silently thanked God I was here with Damon. Despite the bumpy ride until this moment, I was so happy with him – he always made me feel like I mattered, that I meant something to him, more importantly, that I made him happy. We stayed like this for what seemed to be a long time, him caressing my hair, and me listening to his heartbeat.
'Your coffee is gonna get cold.' I gently noted all of a sudden. His arm kept moving up and down mine, causing me to shiver with anticipation.
'Screw the coffee... This is more important.' He replied and I grinned.
'I shouldn't be sitting on your bed – if the nurse catches me, she'll tell me off again.'
'No one's gonna tell my girl off...' He jokingly said and held me even tighter. Knowing Damon though, he sounded like he was actually serious.
'Damon?' I asked and released myself from his embrace. He seemed surprised but seeing the expression on my face, immediately tensed, as if he realized something serious was coming up.
'Yes?' He answered and looked at me expectantly. I couldn't believe what I was gonna tell him. But all of a sudden, everything seemed to make sense in my head. And in my heart. I smiled in spite of my nerves.
'I...'
The door suddenly opened and Stefan came in, interrupting our moment.
'Elena!' He said and I swiftly got off Damon's bed and let go of his hand.
Stefan took one look at me and Damon and I could see how awkward he felt. This was a bit embarrassing...
'I'm sorry to interrupt you, I didn't mean to ruin your moment.' I waved it off, pretending that it hadn't been important.
'You didn't interrupt anything.' Part of me was annoyed he had interrupted us, the other part of me was thanking him – a lot...
'Actually, you did. But Elena is too nice to tell you the truth.' I heard Damon saying and my mouth fell open. I lightly slapped him on his good arm.
'Damon!' Stefan chuckled seeing my reaction.
'Look at you two, acting like an old married couple.' My cheeks instantly flushed at his comment and I chose to look anywhere else but at him.
'Look at you, acting like a bitter mother-in-law.' Damon retaliated and I saw Stefan's grin diminish just a tiny bit.
'How are you Stefan?' I asked, hoping to change the subject.
'Good, thank you. Thought I'd check up on Damon again. Though, clearly, not gonna get much gratitude from him.
'He loves me so much, he can't seem to stay away for too long.' Damon sarcastically replied.
'And because we're genetically related.' Stefan added.
'More likely because you're a smothering brother.'
'Better than a sarcastic self-centred ass.' I had to admit, I'd rarely seen them acting like this.
'Ouch – that really hurt, brother!' Damon's fake hurt amused me.
'Oh, yes, I can see the hurt in your eyes...'
'Guys...' I tried to gently intervene, afraid they'd actually start bickering. Men were such kids...
'It's alright Elena, we're just having a bit of brotherly fun.' If this was their idea of fun... men were so strange!
'Are you hanging around tonight?' Damon asked Stefan.
'Actually, I was waiting to see if Elena came by. And since she's here and clearly taking good care of you' he gestured towards all the items I'd brought 'I think it's best I go and leave you two love birds to it.' Stefan jokingly said. I involuntarily blushed again hearing him call us love birds.
'Stefan, you're breaking my heart.' Damon replied in a dramatic tone.
'You'll live.' Stefan replied grinning.
'Call me if you need anything.' He told me and I nodded, very grateful that he was so helpful.
'Bye guys!' With that Stefan left and we were alone again.
'Leave it to my brother to ruin a moment between us...' Damon mocked, trying to go back to the previous moment.
'It's fine, it wasn't anything important.' I said, not looking into his eyes.
'What did you want to tell me?' He knew something was up.
'Another time.' I said and smiled. This wasn't the time or place for that – Damon seemed tired, and I was too.
'Hey, are you ok?' He asked and his eyebrows furrowed with worry. I tried to shake his worry off.
'I'm fine, Damon, just tired. I had a long day with the kids.' That was partly true.
'Did you get any rest?' He asked taking hold of my hand.
'Not really, but I plan on doing so tonight.'
'You should go home.' He said, his voice serious.
'What? No, don't be silly. I'm not going anywhere!'
'Elena, you're exhausted. You should go home and have a proper nights' sleep. I'll be fine on my own – after they give me the dose of sleeping pills, I sleep like a log for the whole night.' I was adamant though.
'I'm staying. End of story.' I was surprised to see frustration on Damon's face.
'Is there nothing I can say to make you leave?'
'Nope.' I replied and smiled.
'God, woman, you're more stubborn than I thought...' I felt kind of smug as he said that.
'I learned from the best.' I replied and he understood I meant him.
'You're very cheeky, you know that?' He said and took my nose between two of his fingers, gently pulling on it like he would do to his kids. I laughed in response.
'I'll tell you what, why don't we watch some episodes of House MD? After a couple of those, I'm sure you'll feel sleepy, as usual...' He rolled his eyes in response.
'Are you calling me an old man?' I couldn't help but grin.
'Well, if it fits...' He smiled in response.
'Ah, you kids... Ok, I accept. With one condition!'
'And what is that?'
'You have to sit next to me on the bed.' His face was that of an angel, trying to look all innocent and sweet. I involuntarily frowned.
'Damon, visitors aren't allowed on the patient's bed!'
'Technically speaking, you're not a visitor. You're a nurse.' I couldn't help but grin, but was getting equally annoyed by his act.
'I'll get told off.'
'Elena, come on, meet me halfway.' I was confused as to what halfway would be in this situation.
'You'll be uncomfortable.' I said, trying to reason with him.
'I'll be fine.' He stubbornly replied.
'You need to rest.'
'I'll rest when I'm home.'
'You're being unreasonable.'
'And you're being Miss Cranky Pants...' He said and batted his eyelashes at me like a lost puppy.
If I didn't know better I would've sworn that I was dealing with Rebekah, not Damon. God, they were both so pig-headed! You couldn't win with them really... Well, in this case, with the prospect of lying in Damon's arms... I didn't really want to win.
'Fine...' I said and placed the DVD in his laptop.
After pressing 'play' I went back to his bed and sat down next to him. He moved to the left side and made some space for me to snuggle next to him. It was completely ridiculous, but I happily obliged, happy to have someone convince me to break the rules for once in my lifetime.
We watched a whole episode and were in the middle of the second one when Vicki popped in. She smiled at my embarrassment but didn't comment that I was lying next to Damon. She administered his sleeping pills and silently went out, leaving us feeling like a couple of naughty teenagers.
Soon enough, Damon fell into a deep sleep but I feared that moving from his bed would wake him up – so I stayed and watched the end of that episode. There was a scene with House and Cuddy fighting as they usually did... As I watched the characters – both of them stubborn, feisty but kind people – I couldn't help but see the resemblance between them and Damon and myself. The episode ended with House and Cuddy falling asleep together in pretty much the same position as we were...
DAMON's POV
'Are you sure he doesn't need to stay in the hospital for a few more days Dr. Fell?' Stefan asked for the hundredth time.
I unwillingly rolled my eyes.
'Stefan, whose side are you on?!' I asked and Elena stifled a giggle.
'Yours actually, brother... Believe it or not, I actually want your full recovery before you leave the hospital.' God, my brother was such a nuisance!
'Dr. Fell, please tell him that I'll be just fine walking out of here – I don't need a babysitter. Plus, I already have one at home – she can take care of me just fine.' I jokingly added, looking at Elena. She squeezed my hand and nodded – her smile could send my heart into a tachicardic state... Meredith smiled seeing our silent exchange and gently replied.
'I wouldn't have suggested the discharge if I didn't think Damon was fit to go home. We did a CT and confirmed that his operation was a success. Although his recovery will be long, if he respects the daily exercises that we recommend, we are confident his hand will recover fully.' Stefan didn't seem convinced though.
'Basically, Dr. Fell is saying that I'm as fit as a fiddle.' I added and couldn't help but wink at my brother.
'Who will be teaching us the exercises for his hand?' Elena asked, and we all turned to look at her. She blushed because of the spotlight. I hadn't even thought of that.
'Well, I recommend that a hospital-appointed nurse visit you every day for a few weeks and do the exercises, and hand massage until you feel some progress. Once you get used to them, you can practise them on your own. Your hands will still need some massaging though – but I'm sure Elena can pick that up if she overlooks a few of your therapy sessions. Normally I'd ask the patient to come to the hospital, but given the situation...' Dr. Fell seemed mildly embarrassed to say out loud that they were giving me special treatment because I was an actor.
'Thank you Dr Fell... I really appreciate all of your help. I couldn't have wished for a better doctor.' She seemed to blush at my comments. Didn't seem to take praise that well.
'I'm happy I could help you, Damon. You are a very lucky man.'
'I sure am.' I said and squeezed Elena's hand. I was a damn lucky guy.
'I'll go sign your discharge papers and you'll be able to go home in no time.' With that, Dr. Fell exited the room.
'Ok, what did father say to her?' I asked my brother and got surprised stares from both him and Elena.
'What do you mean?'
'She's sending a nurse to my home every day... It sounds like something father would arrange.'
'Don't ask me – I have no clue what father did.' Stefan replied putting his hands up in a defensive way. Father had left earlier that day back to Rome – some sort of business crisis he said. Personally, I think he got enough of me and Stefan for the time being. He could only have us in small doses. He'd be back to us, but his work came first. It always had...
'Fair enough...' I replied, dropping the subject. I would call him nonetheless, to thank him for arranging that with Dr. Fell.
'So... are you excited about going home, Damon?' Elena asked, and I could tell how excited she was!
'Well, I'll be sad to leave all the nurses around here... They were quite nice company.' I said, mocking Elena. I received a jokey slap on my arm with that comment.
'Well then the nurses can take care of you home as well, since you appreciate them so much.' The sound of envy in her voice made me love her even more.
'Don't be silly' I said and gently kissed her hand. 'You're the only one I want home with me.' I saw Elena blush at my words. My brother shifted in his seat, looking awkward.
'You know when I said you guys look like a married couple?' Stefan asked. 'Well, you're actually starting to gross me out. Too much PDA...'
'Oh, calm down, dad!' Stefan rolled his eyes but then turned serious.
'Sorry to be a thorn in your side right now but... Are you two going to tell the kids that you're together? I presume you haven't told them...'
Geeze, Stefan really knew how to make it awkward didn't he? Elena and I hadn't even had that particular talk, although I'd been stuck in the hospital for 5 whole days. We looked at each other and I beckoned her to talk first. I didn't know what was on her mind but either way, I'd respect her opinion, whatever she decided.
'I think I'd rather keep it hidden for a short time. At least while Damon's recovering... I don't want to confuse them with too much news at once. They'll be surprised enough when they see Damon.' What she said made sense to me.
'I agree – we'll put it off for the time being.' Stefan nodded, seeming to agree with our decision. I actually felt relieved that we were all on the same page.
'Are you ready to go?' He asked and I slowly got off my bed.
'I think I am... I can't believe I'm going home.'
'The kids will be so happy to see you Damon.' Elena said, and squeezed my hand.
'I'm not looking forward to telling them about this.' I said and gestured towards my cast. Elena threw me one of those looks that told me she was equally worried.
'It'll be fine, Damon. They'll see you're absolutely fine and get over it before you know it.' Stefan encouragingly said.
I wasn't so sure about that... In fact, I dreaded telling them the truth. They were so small and fragile – even Rebekah who liked to act as if she was a grown-up. I was surprised she had believed the cover-up story altogether, but now... to tell her we'd lied to her... I closed my eyes in frustration imagining what would happen.
'Damon, are you ok?' The concern in Elena's voice was adding to my own worry. So instead of admitting my feelings to her, I decided to ignore them and move on.
'Yes, I'm fine. Let's go home!'
ELENA's POV
Damon constantly fidgeted the whole ride home. He was unbelievably worried about telling the kids, and I understood his feelings, but his restlessness didn't help my nerves one bit... By the time we got home I felt like I'd been drained of all my powers.
It was a rainy November day, and the garden was empty. After Stefan parked his car in the garage, we got out and went inside the house through the shortcut. As we walked into the hallway, Damon's right hand was in mine – I tried to reassuringly squeeze it and give him a bit of courage. His eyes were unreadable – he had a poker face on. It kind of scared me, since I rarely saw him in such a tense mood.
Stefan all of a sudden yelled 'Kids, come down, your dad is hone!' There was complete silence, and for a brief second I wondered where they all were, but soon enough I heard noises and thumps as they started running out of the playroom and down the stairs. All of a sudden the hallway was filled with laughter and happiness. I couldn't help but grin at the following scene.
'Daddy, you're back!' Anna yelled and threw herself into Damon's arms. Damon carefully caught her, his knees on the floor, and steadily holding her with his right arm.
Then it was Tyler's turn who embraced Damon around his neck. 'We've really missed you dad!'
It was Jenna's turn, with John in her arms, to greet Damon and give him a hug. John received a kiss from Damon whose eyes seemed a bit watery.
'Father... what's that on your arm?!' Rebekah's voice was only above a whisper but it silenced everyone. They all turned to stare at Damon's cast and I held my breath as I saw the shock on their little faces. John was the only one who didn't understand any of this.
'Daddy, is that a cast?' Anna asked breaking the awkward silence. I braced myself.
'Daddy... had a small accident.' Damon said in a gentle voice. His smile never left his lips. 'But he is absolutely fine now. So you don't have anything to worry about, ok?' Damon replied encouraging them all.
'You also have a scar on your face...' Tyler added, his voice a tad scared. To that, Rebekah started crying. I quickly took Anna in my arms leaving Damon to protectively hug his eldest daughter.
'I do... but it's going to heal in no time. Don't cry honey, I'll be just fine.'
'What happened to you dad?' Rebekah asked between sobs. Damon sighed and probably felt he might as well get it over with now than leave it for later.
'Your dad was a silly goose... who tripped and fell through the glass doors in the hallway.' He said in a half-amused half-serious voice, trying to keep the kids calm. 'And he got a lot of cuts because of that. Including the one on my hand...'
'Did you go to the hospital?' Tyler asked.
'I've been there in the past few days.' Damon admitted. All of a sudden, it seemed to click in all their heads that he'd lied to them.
'So you've lied to us about London?! And your friend?!' Rebekah asked, her voice merely half as angry as I expected.
'Daddy, why would you lie? You said lying is very bad.' Anna replied, her sweet voice extremely soothing.
Damon looked devastated to see them all reacting this way.
'Sometimes, little duckling, parents lie to protect their kids.' Anna seemed confused but was happy when Damon caught her little nose between his fingers.
'Does your hand hurt?' Tyler asked.
'Once in a while. But I'm getting special pills for that.' Tyler seemed to relax hearing that.
'Did you have to have surgery?' Rebekah then asked.
'What does surgery mean?' Anna asked as well and we all smiled.
'It just means that daddy had a special treatment at the hospital. Yes, honey, I did have surgery.'
'But you're going to be fine?' Tyler pressed on.
'Kids, listen to me. I don't want you to worry about this. I am going to be just fine! Trust me, I wouldn't lie about this, ok?' They all nodded in response.
'But daddy, you promised you'd go swimming with me this weekend. Does that mean you can't?' Anna asked pointing to his cast.
'Anna, who cares about swimming? Dad's hurt, so zip it!' Rebekah involuntarily reacted and Anna almost started crying. Damon ignored Rebekah and took Anna in his arms again.
'I'm afraid not sweetheart. But Elena can swim with you, and I'll sit on the beach and watch you all. I won't be far away.' He gently said and kissed her cheek. That made her forget about Rebekah's outburst.
'Ok, that'll have to do...' Anna replied and we all laughed.
'Kids, let's all go into the lounge and sit down. Your dad needs all the rest he can get.' I said feeling horrible about interrupting their moment. But the only thing going through my head was Damon's wellbeing. The doctor had said 'As much rest as he can get.'
'We can all have sweets.' Stefan added trying to speed up their moving to the lounge. It was a piece of cake from there onwards. They all migrated to the lounge apart from Rebekah who faced both Damon and I, her face a puzzle. We were all left standing in the hallway, and I felt a tad awkward.
'You lied to me.' Rebekah said, breaking the silence, and I felt instantly awful.
'Rebekah, I...' She interrupted me.
'Both of you.' She said and turned to look at Damon. He bent down on one knee so that his face was level with hers.
'I'm sorry honey.' Damon gently said caressing the side of her face. 'We didn't want to worry any of you. I didn't want you to see me lying in a hospital bed. It wasn't something you kids should witness.' She seemed to ponder on his words before she calmly replied.
'But I would've wanted to be there with you dad. It's not fair towards me – the others are younger, but I'm old enough to know these things.' I was surprised she was taking this so calmly. The old Rebekah would've been furious with us.
'I'm alright now – nothing is wrong with me.' She bent her head to one side and her eyebrow lifted as if to point out the obvious i.e. her father's cast. Damon smiled and carried on.
'My hand, and scars will heal, it will just take some time. You have nothing to worry about! I love you Rebekah, I really do. Trust me - one day, you'll know what it's like to have kids and you'll understand why we had to lie.' Her eyes seemed to well up again, but her expression softened, turning to such a gentleness that only an angel showed.
'I love you too, dad!' She told him and then hugged him tightly. My heart melted seeing Damon and Rebekah together – their relationship often reminded me of the relationship my father and I had shared. Sure, they were different, louder and more temperemental than I used to be with dad, but one thing was sure. They adored each other...
ELENA's POV
'Damon, you should really rest...' I said, a bit frustrated he wasn't getting the rest Dr. Fell had recommended. After we'd all had dinner that evening, Damon had insisted spending time with the kids, reading them all a story, and then tucking each of them in bed before he agreed to retreat to his own bedroom for the evening. Now, he was lying in bed, after having taken his painkillers but refused to actually go to sleep.
'I'm not sleepy yet...' He replied, getting distracted with another lock of my hair.
'Shall I bring you your sleeping pills?' His expression changed to disgust.
'They give me horrible headaches in the morning. I don't want them tonight...'
'Will you be able to sleep with your hand aching?'
'You're unbelievably considerate, Elena, thank you. But... I'll cope without them.' Once he got his head around something, there was no changing his mind about it.
'Shall I bring you anything else then – a cup of warm milk maybe?' I pressed on, hoping he'd accept my offer.
'What about a movie?' He asked, all of a sudden, a cheeky smile on his face.
DAMON's POV
'A movie?' She asked, her lips curving upwards as a smile emerged.
'That's usually what gets me sleepy in the evenings.' I could tell she was refraining from calling me an old man.
'Do tell.'
'Just lying in my bed and watching a movie usually gets me ready for bed.' I said and winked at her beautiful face.
'Ok, we can do that. What kind of movie do you want to watch?' She asked, swiftly getting off my bed. As she walked towards the DVD system, her hips gently swayed from side to side. She was as graceful as a gazelle. I have to admit, she did things to me that I hadn't felt in a while... I was getting as excited about her as a teenage boy. She asked me something again, but I didn't register any of her words. When I didn't answer, she turned around and instantly laughed.
'Damon, why is your mouth hanging open?' I instantly closed my mouth shut and felt really embarrassed.
'Because you're beautiful.' Her grin turned into an awkward smile and she fiddled with her hair, placing it behind her ear. I loved her little habits when she was nervous.
'Thank you.' She gently said, her voice almost a whisper.
'You asked me what I wanted to see. A comedy please.' Her eyes seemed to glow with happiness as she nodded.
'Any preference?' She asked turning to the TV and going through the impossibly long list of comedies.
'You choose – whichever one you'd like.' I saw her scrolling through the list and when she got to the letter 'N' she stopped all of a sudden as the poster of Notting Hill came up.
I saw her hesitating to move forward.
'Play it.' I said and her chocolate-coloured orbs turned to question me.
'Go on, I know you want to.' I winked at her and she instantly blushed. She pressed 'play' and came hopping back to my bed. I pulled her in my arms – well, my healthy arm – and squeezed her tightly against my chest. I inhaled her mouth-watering smell and tried to focus on the movie. Elena kept still throughout the first half of the movie as if she was tensely waiting for a certain moment.
The movie reached the famous garden scene – where Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts walk around the London garden during a romantic moon-walk. I could tell Elena liked this scene as she was gently tapping my stomach in the rhythm of the song. She was adorable in every single way. She remained completely still during their kiss but then... I witnessed something extraordinary. I heard her singing along with Ronan Keating. I was astounded at how beautiful her voice was. I realized then and there that it was the first time I'd ever heard Elena sing... And then she surprised me even more.
'For June who loved this garden.' She whispered, at the same time as Julia Roberts. 'For Joseph who always sat beside her. Some people do spend their whole lives together.' I couldn't help but be in awe of everything that Elena was... Full of life, of emotions, of love, of everything that's good in this world... I had to restrain myself from turning her around and kissing her until she was out of breath. She was enjoying the movie so much that I couldn't bear interrupt her.
Later on she giggled when Hugh wore those funny looking goggles to the movies instead of his glasses. I took great pleasure in seeing her so relaxed and happy. I'd always liked Notting Hill but she seemed to adore it, and it wasn't just because she was a girl. She was a romantic at heart. I couldn't help but be amused at how similar we were to those two characters in the movie. Only that the roles were reversed. I was the actor, and she was the bookshop owner.
'I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her...'
At that point in the movie I heard something that sounded like a sniffle coming from the girl in my arms. My heart melted at how emotional she was getting because of this scene. I tightened my embrace and she lied in my arms, silent all the way until the movie ended. When the DVD player automatically switched the movie off, I couldn't help but break the deafening silence.
'Elena, are you ok?' I gently asked her, not knowing what to expect. She slowly released herself from my embrace, sat on the bed next to me gazing into my eyes. Her expression was both nervous and reluctant.
'Something happened earlier this week...' She gently started. 'I realized something about you, about us... and you can say it's because of what happened to you...' She said gazing at my cast... 'and you know what? Maybe it is... but... it's the most real thing that I've felt in my entire life.' My heart instantly started pounding in my chest, a mixture of anticipation and fear.
'I love you, Damon.' She gently said, her big doe eyes afraid of my reaction.
I was experiencing one of those moments – of utter pure bliss... That moment when you think life simply can't get any better. That moment when you feel like you need to pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming. To hear those three words coming out of Elena's sweet mouth was one of those moments.
In all honesty, I thought I had misheard her. Surely, she couldn't have said that – it was all I ever wanted to hear her saying... but actually hearing her say it was completely unexpected. I felt my mouth open slightly as I didn't know whether I should believe it and finally be happy.
'I love you!' She said again, her smile turning into a huge grin and her eyes watering as she saw my probably dumbfounded expression.
I found myself grabbing her neck with my healthy arm, and firmly pulling her against my chest as our lips locked in a glorious kiss. As our lips met again and again, our hearts were beating in unison, our beings connected like no other two people in the whole world. When our kiss finally ended, I realized I had tears in my eyes. We lied on my bed for what felt like ages, until I felt Elena shifting in my arms, and knew what she was going to say...
'Stay with me tonight...' I suddenly said and anxiously waited for her response.
'What about the kids?' She gently asked.
'The kids will find out about us sooner or later...' She turned her eyes to face me. 'If it happens to be sooner, then so be it. I'm not hiding you from anyone, Elena.'
'I think we should wait. Just for a short while until we tell them...' I refrained from pressing the matter.
'Are you sure that's what you want?'
'I think that's best for all of us...' She replied, and I instantly remembered how much maturity was hiding behind her young face.
'Ok, we'll wait...' I said and Elena snuggled back into my arms. After a few minutes I heard her dozing off, her breathing intensifying.
I closed my eyes as the events of the day came flashing in front of my eyes.
It all felt surreal, like it had been a mere dream.
I'd finally come back home to my sweet loving children...
Elena, my beloved girl, was here – safely tucked away in my arms...
More importantly, she loved me, and I loved her... like I'd never loved anyone else in my entire life.
As always, please let me know what you guys think of this chapter, whether you have certain expectations from the story, so that I know to make them happen! It feels so good to be back with you! Until next time, my beloved readers! :)