Hey guys! Sorry about the wait. I've been crazy busy lately, and when I had time to write I could never get the words to come out right :P
But nonetheless, I finally got the chapter finished, and I don't think you'll be disappointed ;)
Also a big thank you to kimminnee for letting me bounce ideas and work through them with some helpful insight, advice, and tips. You're the best! :)
Anyway, see you all at the bottom!
It was early.
The sun had risen, but barely, and the grass outside was still wet with dew as birds chirped in the distance, giving a hint to the morning ahead.
Damon sat at the table in his dining room, finishing the last of his cup of coffee as he reread the text he'd received the day before.
It was from Mary and simply told him the time in which to show up at the courthouse.
She'd called him, wanting to change the date of their hearing for whatever reason, and a part of him was in a panic.
He was supposed to have the rest of this week with Gracie before having to face the possibility of losing her, but he'd run out of time.
Alaric, his lawyer, had offered to press for an extension, but he'd declined.
It really wouldn't matter in the long run, and even if shit hit the fan, at least the impending wait was over.
He just had to pray that the court ruled in his favor.
And according to Alaric, the chances of that were looking better than they had for months.
Especially since he'd decided to take Elijah up on his job offer.
The stability of a salary job, tied in with the fact that Belle Tara was no longer in debt would all work in his favor.
And if that wasn't enough...well, he wouldn't think about that until he had to.
With a weary sigh, he stood up from the old wooden table and crossed the kitchen.
He placed his coffee mug in the otherwise empty sink and noted that Elena must have done the dishes after dinner last night.
Man, he loved her.
With a little smile, he made his way down the hall, and to their bedroom.
He'd left the door cracked earlier, and was able to easily peek inside, pushing it open enough to lean against the frame.
Elena was still asleep, her hair falling in all directions and one of the straps on her tank top was slipping from her shoulder.
His eyes trailed from it to the moonstone amulet that hung from her throat, resting against her skin.
Gracie was next to her, with half of her little body laying on top of Elena's, though neither seemed to mind.
Her own curls spilled all over the pillows and Elena's arm, where she was resting her head as her hands clung to the base of the older woman's neck.
They seemed peaceful and Damon wanted to stand there and stare at them forever, but knew that the longer he did, the harder it would be to leave, and he really did have to make that meeting at the courthouse.
So, reluctantly, he sauntered forward, and sat on the edge of the mattress, next to Elena.
"Hey," he reached over to shake her slightly, "Elena…"
She stirred, and he waited until her eyes opened before brushing some hair out of her face, "Morning."
She groaned a little and swiped a hand over her face, then blinked several times in a sleepy haze, "What time is it?"
Damon checked, "A little after seven. But we need to get dressed and head down to Mom's soon."
Elena nodded, glancing around, and she smiled a little when she noticed Gracie, still sleeping.
"I barely remember her crawling into bed with us."
Damon chuckled, "That's because she's sneaky."
He reached over to his daughter, trailing his fingers up and down her back, "Gracie? Grace, baby, it's time to wake up."
The five year old didn't want to wake up as easily as Elena did and he was answered with a grumble and a roll into the far pillow.
Elena smiled and turned, wrapping her arms around Gracie so that they were spooning, "Come on, sweetheart, you gotta wake up."
"No," came a muffled protest.
Damon smirked, "We have to get dressed so that we can eat breakfast at Grandma's."
Gracie rolled back over and buried her head into Elena's chest, "No. I wanna stay here with Mommy."
He blinked as Elena's cheeks turned red.
It was the first time he'd heard the word leave Gracie's mouth, when referring to Elena.
He swallowed, "I know you do. But Grandma is making you your favorite pancakes. Don't you want to try some?"
Slowly, blue eyes peeked up at him from over Elena's shoulder, and he chuckled, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Why don't we go get dressed?"
Gracie nodded, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, "Can they be purple pancakes? Like I had on my birthday?"
Damon smirked, "I'm sure Grandma would make some purple ones for you."
Gracie smiled and climbed off the bed, rushing toward her room.
Elena laughed as she disappeared, "Who knew that was all it would take."
"Yeah well, hopefully it'll be enough to keep her distracted," Damon said, looking after her, before turning back to meet Elena's gaze, "You're still okay with watching her today, right?"
Elena nodded, "Of course. Today is huge and it's important that you have your family there."
"I want you there too," he admitted, "But someone has to stay with Grace, and Mom needs to be there for the verdict, after everything."
"I understand," Elena promised, pulling back the blankets so that she could move to sit beside him, "And I'm sure everything will work out exactly the way you want."
He didn't share her confidence, but he smiled at the optimism, "Let's hope so."
"It will," she assured him, "You're an amazing father, Damon. And Gracie loves you. Any judge would be crazy not to let you have her."
He sighed, "That's what I want to believe, darlin. But there's still that chance...and it scares the hell out of me."
Elena seemed to think for a moment, then she reached over and grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"Do you remember what you told me the first day we went riding, with Gracie?"
He looked over at her and arched a brow, "Which part in particular?"
Elena smiled, "I told you that if Cleo spooked, I expected you to come after me and rope her. But you told me not to worry, because-"
"No smart cowboy would let his horse take off," Damon nodded, "At least not without a fight to get it back."
Elena nodded, "Exactly. And that's what you do, you fight. You fought for Belle Tara, for your family, for Gracie...that matters, Damon. And I have no doubt in my mind that whatever happens today, whatever Mary has planned, whatever the results...you'll keep fighting. You're too damn stubborn to settle for anything less."
Damon smiled and leaned forward, pulling Elena to him, "Thank you."
She nodded and he kissed her, wanting to believe her words and that everything would be okay.
It had to be.
Elena kept a close eye on Damon during the walk down to the main house, and during breakfast.
She knew that he was stressed and the tenseness in his shoulders proved it, but there was nothing more she could do.
Mary asking to meet early had really thrown him for a loop and she knew that he was worried about what it meant.
But this had to work out for him, because she couldn't imagine him losing Gracie.
It just wasn't fair that it was even a fear he had to have.
But luckily, Lily, the calm and steady voice in the family, would be right by his side through the entire event, so if worse did come to worse…
Elena shook her head, refusing to believe that it would.
Gracie belonged here, at Belle Tara, with Damon.
"Care and I are gonna go with you and Mom," Stefan said as the Salvatores that were home sat at the table, "I talked to Dad and he and Silas can handle everything while we're there. And Caroline decided that Mikaelson can-"
"No," Caroline cut him off, "You promised. No bringing up my love life today."
"Fine," Stefan consented, "Caroline was able to free herself long enough to ride with us."
Damon nodded, "I appreciate it."
"April wanted to be there too," Lily said, "But she had to go into work this morning, and I didn't figure you'd want to be overwhelmed anyway."
Damon gave her an appreciative look, "Yeah, you're probably right."
"Where are we going?" Gracie asked around a mouthful of pancake.
Damon smiled at his daughter, "We have to go into town for an important meeting today, but you're gonna stay here and play with Elena, okay?"
Gracie nodded, grinning up at Elena, "Okay! Can we play princesses?"
Elena chuckled, "Sure. But let's wait until after breakfast."
The little girl nodded, content with finishing her food and was so beautifully oblivious to the changes that could possibly be on the horizon for her.
It made Elena's heart ache, and she sent a little prayer up to whoever might be listening that this would all turn out okay.
When it came time for the others to leave, Elena sent up another prayer, just for the way Damon held Gracie against him in a hug, as if he were afraid of letting her go.
As if she might disappear if he did.
And Gracelynn just stayed there in his embrace, not questioning that her dad seemed to be saying goodbye as if he were leaving for war and not just to go into town, and just wrapped her arms around him.
Eventually though, Damon pulled away, and Elena could have sworn that his eyes were a little tearful.
She hurt for him, but knew that after today, whatever happened, at least the wait was over.
He stood and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, before heading for the door.
The others said goodbye as well, and soon they were pulling out of the drive, leaving Elena and Gracie by themselves.
Never one to remain still for long, Gracie spun around to face her, "Can we play princesses now?"
Elena smiled at her, "Sure. How do you want to play?"
Gracie took her hand and pulled her into the living room, "Okay I'll be the little princess and you can be the mommy princess, and this is our castle and we have to stay quiet so the dragon doesn't find us!"
Elena smirked and crouched down to Gracie's level.
"Okay," she whispered, "Where is the dragon at?"
Grace held a finger up to her lips, then pointed to the window across the room, before whispering back, "The dragon is outside, but it has super super hearing."
"Oh, right," Elena nodded, as the little girl stared seriously at the window, as if expecting a real life giant lizard to break through the glass and eat them whole.
"Come on!" she whispered then, grabbing Elena's hand again, and leading her back to the kitchen, then through the hall and up the stairs.
"Whoa, that was close!" Gracie grinned, "But the dragon can't come up this high, so we'll be safe."
She sat on the floor in the hallway, and Elena couldn't help but chuckle, "Doesn't the dragon have wings?"
Gracie shook her head, "No, Daddy cut off the dragon's wings last time we played."
"Oh," Elena smiled, "Of course he did."
Silence fell then, and an odd expression crossed Gracie's face.
"What's wrong?" Elena prompted, sliding down the wall opposite of the little girl.
Gracie thought over the question then met her stare, "Why was Daddy sad?"
Elena frowned, "What do you mean?"
"Before him and Grandma left with Aunt Care and Uncle Stefan...Daddy looked sad," she explained.
Elena pursed her lips, trying to decide the best way to answer that kind of question.
"It's...it's complicated, sweetie."
"What does that mean?"
"Complicated?"
Gracie nodded, and Elena sighed.
"It means that it's hard to explain. It's...it's grown up talk."
Gracie crooked her head, "But I'm grown up."
Elena smiled a little, then moved to sit next to the child, "Not quite yet. But don't worry, okay? Daddy is going to be fine."
Gracie frowned, "Is he sad because I'm gonna live with him all the time?"
Elena blinked at that, "What...what do you mean, Grace?"
Large blue eyes stared up at her, "Grandma said I might get to come live with Daddy all the time, but she has to talk to him to make sure he's okay with it. Is that why Daddy's sad? Because he doesn't want me here all the time?"
Elena shook her head, "No, baby, of course not. You're dad wants you here as much as possible...but you're grandma said that? About you coming to live with him?"
Gracie nodded, "Uh huh. She asked me if I wanted to and I told her yes, and she got a little sad too, but I can still go see her all the time and stay the night with her."
Elena wondered if that was what this sudden change in meeting dates was all about.
Had Mary changed her mind about the custody case?
Her heart did a bit of a swan dive at the hope that maybe that was what was going on and that Damon would get everything he wanted.
"That would be good," Elena nodded, as Gracie was still watching her, "And I know your dad would love for you to live here with him."
Gracie smiled, "And you?"
Elena blushed a little, "Maybe."
"I want to live with you and Daddy," Gracie said, "And we can play all the time, and go on picnics and ride the horses, and go swimming, and watch movies, and then you and Daddy could get married and you would be my Mommy!"
Elena's expression softened as Gracie smiled at her so hopefully, and she was torn.
She didn't want to dash the little girl's hopes, but wasn't quite sure how to explain that she and Damon weren't quite at the level to be having those kinds of thoughts yet.
Yes she loved him, and yes, she wanted it to work between them, but marriage...that was a big deal.
And they still had to figure out the whole long distance thing, and how to explain to Gracie that things would change after summer ended.
Maybe they shouldn't drag that part out...but it was so hard to look into those big eyes and want to say anything but exactly what the little girl wanted to hear.
But Elena knew that if she ever, at any point in the future, expected to be some kind of parental figure to Gracelynn, she had to be honest and straight with her.
She cleared her throat, "Gracie, listen…
The girl did exactly that, watching Elena's face intently.
"I would love to stay here with you and Daddy," Elena started, "But there are still things I have to do."
"Like what?" Gracie pressed.
"Like school," Elena said, "I have to go back to my classes when it starts again, just like Aunt Caroline."
Gracie thought about that, "Will you come back like Aunt Care does?"
Elena smiled, "I plan to, yes. And maybe you could come visit me sometime...but I won't be here at the ranch anymore, when summer ends."
Gracie's brows pulled together, "Why can't you go to school here?"
Elena chuckled, "Because I'm already going to school with Aunt Caroline, and I need to finish."
"Is it very far?"
"A little," Elena admitted, "But I'll come back to visit."
"Can't me and Daddy come with you?"
Elena reached over and pushed back the girl's curls, stroking her head in the process, "I'm afraid not, baby. Daddy needs to stay here and take care of Belle Tara with your grandparents. And he needs you here to take care of him. You can do that, right?"
Gracie nodded.
Elena smiled, and blinked back the stinging in her eyes, "That's a good girl….and before you know it, I'll be back again."
"And then you can be my Mommy?" Grace asked curiously.
Elena paused, biting down on her lip, "Well, we'll see what happens, okay?"
"Don't you want to be?" Gracie asked.
Elena smiled, "You are a very special little girl, Gracelynn, and anyone would be lucky to be your mom. You and your Daddy are so important to me, and I hope that I get to be with you both for a long time, but what matters most is that today, we're right here. We're together. That's what's important."
Gracie smiled and lifted so that she could wrap her arms around Elena's neck, "I love you, Lena."
Elena squeezed her tightly, wondering when this child had stolen her heart, "I love you too, sweetheart."
Damon could barely control the pounding of his heart as he stepped into the aged courthouse at the center of the town square.
The air was stuffy and smelled like a combination of dusty books and floor cleaner.
He took a breath to settle himself as he spotted Alaric, waiting for him down the hall.
Swallowing hard, he turned back to his family, "Wait here. I'm gonna go talk to Ric."
His siblings nodded, but his mother gave him a hard stare, "Let us know if anything's changed."
He nodded, and started down the hall.
"Damon," Alaric addressed when he spotted him and Damon gave another nod, "Hey, Ric."
"Mary's in there with Judge Fell now, but her attorney isn't present. I'm not sure what this is, exactly, but she's wanting to speak with you."
"And she didn't say what this was about?"
"No," Ric said, "But if she's not lawyered up, it can only be good for you."
Damon scoffed, "How do you figure that?"
"Well, as far as I know, she doesn't have enough background in family law to represent herself, and given this is supposed to be a custody hearing, she'd need her lawyer's aid in proving you to be an unfit parent, if she wanted full custody. So I'd suggest you hear her out. See what all this is about."
Damon nodded, "Alright...Mom came up here with me, Stefan and Care, too. Can they-"
"If this moves to the courtroom, they can go in with you, but Mary wants to speak with you, one on one with Judge Fell in his chambers."
"Great," he sighed, "Okay, well, let them know I'm here, please. I'm gonna go tell, Mom."
Ric nodded and clapped Damon lightly on the shoulder as he passed.
Damon strolled over to where his family stood waiting.
"So?" Lily asked immediately.
"Mary didn't bring her lawyer. She wants to talk, just me and her with the judge."
Lily frowned, and Caroline asked what they were all thinking.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"No idea," Damon admitted, "Though Ric seems to think it might be a good thing."
"And what do you think?" Lily asked.
Damon shrugged, "I don't know what to think. I'm just hoping that, whatever this is, it's over fast, and hopefully ends in our favor."
"We'll wait here for you," Stefan assured him.
Damon nodded his appreciation, "I'll let you know something as soon as I can."
Lily pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek, the smell of her perfume calming him a little.
"It'll be alright sweetheart. Whatever happens."
He nodded and thanked her, just as Alaric returned in the hallway and called his name.
"I better go," he said, "Fingers crossed."
The summer sun had gotten warm by the time Elena let Gracie lead her outside to play.
All traces of the cool morning breeze were gone, and she had a feeling that the heat was only going to get worse as the day got later.
Grace, however, didn't seem to mind, as she raced toward the barn, with Elena trying to keep up.
"Cleo!" Gracie called, walking through the barn door.
The palomino mare seemed to recognize her name because her head came over the side of her stall as the little girl approached.
Elena smiled as Gracie reached up to pet the horse, looking just as home here as she did in her own bedroom.
"Good girl," she cooed to the animal, and Elena came up next to her, "She is a good horse, huh?"
"The bestest," Gracie giggled, then turned around excitedly, "Can we go riding?! I can use my purple saddle?"
Elena hesitated, "Um, I don't know, sweetie, maybe we should wait for your Dad to-"
"Oh please please please!" Gracie begged, "We don't have to go far! And you can ride Cleo again because she likes you and it will be so fun! Please!"
Elena set her jaw, staring at the yellow horse, debating.
Gracie was pretty good with the animals and had done this a million times, and she was getting better herself.
And it wasn't as if the girl couldn't use a distraction, considering her grandmother and father were currently meeting up to decide her future.
As long as she was there with her while they rode it shouldn't be an issue.
"Pleeeeease," Gracie begged again, pulling out the most vulnerable, big eyed puppy face Elena had ever seen, and she had to chuckle some, "Oh alright. I guess a short ride won't hurt."
Gracie squealed and threw her arms around Elena's waist, "Thank you, thank you!"
When she let go, she moved to grab Cleo's halter and opened the stall.
Elena watched as the sweet horse was easily controlled by the little girl, and Gracie smiled in satisfaction before handing her the lead rope.
"Here you go! You can tie her up by the pole and then get the saddles cause they're too heavy and I will dropped them."
Elena smirked, "Alright, be sure and shut the stall once I get her out, okay?"
Gracie nodded, and Elena led Cleo from the square and out of the barn.
At least it was still early enough that the horses wouldn't get too hot during the ride.
"What are you saying?" Damon asked, his eyes still wide, but he'd lost the ability to control them.
"I'm dropping the custody case," Judge Fell repeated, "Mary's decided to sign over all of the custodial rights she has to Gracelynn."
"With stipulation," Mary interjected.
Damon swallowed thickly, "Stipulations?"
"I don't want to lose Gracelynn any more than you do, Damon," the woman said, "But I realize now that perhaps she needs you more than I thought. She wants to live at Belle Tara, and I want her to be happy."
"That's all I've ever wanted," Damon insisted.
Mary nodded, "I know. So I'll give you full custody."
"But," Damon prodded.
"I want you to agree to still let me see her. I can't just...she's all I have Damon. The only thing in this world that matters to me. So as long as you can assure me that you aren't going to shut me out after the fact-"
"I would never do that to Grace," Damon assured her, "She loves you, Mary. And I want you in her life, but as a grandparent. The way you're meant to be."
"So it's decided?" the judge pressed, "These terms are acceptable for both parties?"
Damon nodded, his throat to thick to speak.
This was really about to happen.
He was getting his daughter.
The judge took the acceptance from them both, then nodded, and signed the order in front of him, declaring their new agreement.
"I suppose that's everything then. I'll email a copy to both of your lawyers," Judge Fell said, and Mary thanked him.
"Of course. I'm just glad this was settled."
He led them from his office, and once they were out in the hall, Damon turned to Mary, "You didn't have to do that."
The older woman studied him, then exhaled slowly, "Yes...I did. For Gracelynn."
Damon nodded, "Thank you."
"You just take care of her," Mary told him, "After what happened with Rose...I'm trusting you, Salvatore. Don't make me regret it."
"I won't," he promised, and in a mood that surprised even himself, he leaned down and hugged the woman.
She hesitated, then hugged him back lightly, "Have Gracie call me...if she has any questions about this...arrangement."
He nodded and released her, "Of course...goodbye Mary."
"Goodbye, Damon."
She turned on her heels then, and headed towards the exit.
Damon exhaled and tried to let his mind catch up to his racing heart.
It was done.
Gracie was home.
He could have hollered loud enough to raise the roof of the old building, but his more civil side kept his excitement retained.
Instead, he opted for finding his mother and siblings on a bench around the corner, near the entrance.
They stood as they spotted him, Lily rushing over.
"How'd it go? What did they say?"
If Damon's grin wasn't answer enough, the tears that suddenly began filling his eyes would have been, "Mary signed. Gracie's coming home."
Three different pair of arms flew around him, and Stefan actually did let out a loud whoop of joy.
Damon's heart was full and he couldn't wait to get home to share the news with Elena and to hold his daughter in his arms.
His baby girl was finally all his, and damn it, he just let the tears fall.
Elena had finished tying Cleo to the post and made her way back around the barn so that she could grab the saddles from the tack room.
She hoped that Gracie's purple saddle was in there, but she couldn't remember if Damon had brought it down from the upstairs bedroom where they'd stashed it after the party.
She shook her head and entered the barn, smiling at Moon who was watching curiously over her stall.
Then she noticed that Copper was still in his stall.
Wasn't that the horse that Gracie usually rode?
"Grace?" she called out, wondering if the girl had entered one of the other stalls already.
No answer.
"Gracie?" Elena yelled, a little more loudly.
When silence once again answered, she frowned and jogged over to the tack room.
It was empty.
A small panic flared in her chest, but she fought it down.
Gracie may have just stepped outside, or was grabbing a carrot for the horses, or any number of things.
No reason to freak out prematurely.
"Grace?!" she yelled, making her way to the other side of the barn, and checked out those double doors.
Then she heard it.
An odd commotion from across the yard, a sharp bang.
It was coming from B-barn, and Elena took off at a sprint towards the thing.
The door was cracked, just enough for a child to fit through and she pulled it the rest of the way open.
As she did, something big and dark blew past her, so fast and powerful it nearly took her off her feet.
When she regained balance, her eyes shot towards the thing, only to catch the glistening back side of War Horse's black coat.
What the...oh god.
There was no stopping the panic now as she rushed into the barn, and her heart stopped in her chest.
Gracie was lying on the ground, just outside of War's opened stall, and she wasn't moving.
Try not to murder me just yet ;)