Dear Damon,

It seems our little girl is trying to be a lot more independent and wants to pick out her own clothes now. It took me a good 45 minutes to get her dressed this morning because she wanted to wear shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of January. I had to compromise and let her where the t-shirt with a sweater and told her I'd keep the shorts safe for another day. She is a stubborn one and I wonder whom she gets that from.

It also seems we might have a bit of a fighter on our hands as she won't let other children push her around. There was an incident at the daycare where one of the children bit her and she pushed back. So we will now have to keep an eye on how she interacts with kids and doesn't pick up some bad behavior. Don't worry she is fine the kid didn't leave a mark but I doubt he will pick on her for a while.

As I mentioned we just wrapped up our exams here and are getting right into second semester. I've even managed to get a part-time job at the Mystic Grill and save some money for school. I only work about a shift or two a week so it's not bad and Claire seems to love the time she gets to spend with Stefan or Jenna while I'm at work.

I've got my group meeting tonight for teen mothers and it has been really helpful. It's nice to know we are not the only ones going through this and with their help I have been able to find time to have a part-time job. The other parents are very nice and Claire gets along pretty well with some of the kids. Can't wait to see you!

Love,

Elena and Claire

Sitting in a circle during the group meeting they were talking about how raising a baby as a teenager means that your friends and old social group are not around as much if ever. How the people they once had in their life are no longer there or don't really understand their struggles.

"I had this friend" Caitlin started to say, as it was her turn to talk. "We grew up together down the street from each other since we were two and we went to the same school together since kindergarten. Since my mom is an alcoholic her parents would take me in when my mom wasn't in a good state especially after my dad left us. We were inseparable but when I got pregnant at fifteen her parents refused their daughter to see me and at a time I needed a friend the most she was gone."

"I use to be so fun, pretty much everyone in school was my friend but then I got pregnant, not only didn't my parents kick me out but I was called a slut at school," Amiee told the group. "My Daughter Mya is my world but sometimes it can get very lonely.

Elena bit her lip as she heard their stories and started chipping away her nail polish as she remembered the reaction she got from the kids at school. "I was the new girl in school, coming to Mystic Falls was like a fresh start and instead it became a nightmare." Elena started to say. "I got pregnant at summer camp and when I started school and word got out and I was a slut and people that didn't even know me were judging me. I'm lucky to have family and friends there for support but there have been times when my responsibilities to Claire have caused some frustration with my friends because I can't get up and go when I feel like it. In many ways you really do find out who your real friends are if they stick by you."

After the groups conversation they joined their kids that were playing and interacting with each other. Claire was sitting with 17-month-old Katie and the two would pass a ball back and forth. As one of the mothers, Amiee came over to sit beside Elena she let her little daughter Mya go over to play with the other girls.

"She's a beautiful little girl," Amiee told Elena as she watched as Claire smiled and laughed with the other kids.

"Thank you" Elena said with a smile.

"So are you in school or working?" Amiee asked Elena.

"Um both, just working part time. It was tough at first especially with Damon not being around" Elena said just as Claire was coming back over to her mommy to show her what she had found.

It was then that Amiee took a better look at little Claire and then at Elena and it was as if something suddenly clicked and there was a reason she found Elena's story so familiar. "Do you mean Damon Salvatore?"

Hearing that Amiee knew who Damon was made Elena a little bit nervous but at the same time it was to be expected that in a town like Mystic Falls that she would run into people that knew him and their story even if they didn't know them. "Yeah," Elena said quietly and without making eye contact with Amiee.

Amiee bit her bottom lip as she eyed Elena up and down, "So you're the girl Damon Salvatore knocked up," she stated with a very judging tone.

Elena rolled her eyes and glared at Amiee, "What is your point?"

"Well of all the guys to get you pregnant you chose one that was sure to take off and leave town" Amiee said.

"He's in school," Elena stated not sure where this girl got her information.

"Sure that is what he told you but the Damon I know wouldn't of stuck around for long anyway" Amiee said as she looked at Elena like she was some naive girl thinking her baby daddy was coming back to her.

"How exactly do you know Damon?" Elena asked as she motioned for Claire to go back and play what the other kids.

"I know his ex and she knows him better…"

"Katherine?" Elena asked cutting Amiee off in mid sentence.

"Yeah she is a friend of mine" Amiee stated.

Elena found herself laughing and shaking her head at how incredibly small this town really was if Katherine was always coming back in to annoy her. "Well of all the friends you say left you decided to stay in touch with Katherine?" Elena scoffed at the girl.

"Excuse me?" Amiee snapped.

"I'm just saying I'm not going to take advice from the ex who spends the majority of her time on her back with who ever she can get" Elena growled. "Maybe you and Katherine should find something else to gossip about" Elena snapped as she got up from her seat and moved over to coffee cart and to pour herself a cup.

"Guess we're not safe from judgment not matter who we are with" came a voice and Elena turn to see Derek as he came over to get himself a cup of coffee as well.

"Yeah even teen parents judge each other," Elena told him with a sad tone as she passed him the coffee pot. Taking a sip, Elena looked over to where Claire was playing with Derek's little girl Katie.

"The girls get along well," Derek said as he stood beside Elena watching as Claire and Katie interacted with each other. "There so adorable at this age as they start to interact with one another" Derek added with a smile.

"Yeah adorable until one of them starts pulling hair or pushing" Elena said with a laugh just as Claire got into a tug-a-war with one of the other children for a toy. "Just like now" Elena said with a chuckle as she walked over to the kids and got Claire to let go of the toy. Claire started to cry when the toy was taken away but Elena quickly got her amused with another toy.

As the girls played on the floor both Elena and Derek knelt down on the floor behind them and watched as the girls handed a ball back and forth. "These night are usually the only time I get out, between work and taking care of Katie we hardly get out of the house" Derek told Elena as he brushed back Katie's blonde hair.

"Yeah, my social calendar is pretty sad" Elena said with a giggle. "I mean I get together with my friends when I can but I can't be as flexible as they can and sometimes that frustrates them" Elena told him.

"You know we should do something, I mean outside these group meetings, who better to understand what it is we go through on a regular bases then each other, it could be a play date for the girls. They get along pretty well," Derek suggested and Elena gave him and smile and a nod.

"It's a date" Jenna stated flat out when Elena told her about her plans while her and the girls were suppose to be taste testing for the wedding dinner.

"It's not a date" Elena called back as she rolled her eyes and took a bite of the Salmon which was one of the plates that the caterer had set up in the Gilbert living room courtesy of Caroline the newly hired wedding planner.

"It's a PG date, the kind of dates you should of had had instead of the baby," Jenna told her as she tested out the salads. "Woo Care I like the strawberry spinach one!" she called out.

"Look we're taking Claire and Katie to the park" Elena responded.

"Elena, she is 19 months old there isn't much she can do at a park, if anything the kids are your chaperons" Jenna explained with a smile while holding up a fork full of the strawberry spinach salad for Elena to try.

"I don't need a chaperon," Elena snapped after she finished chewing and then gave the salad thumbs up for Caroline to mark down on her handy clipboard.

"Well I think its weird" Jenna told her, "Does he know you're with Damon?"

"Of course… I mean I've mentioned him…" Elena started to say as she slowly started to realize she talked about how Damon was away during week and not around and not that they were in deed a couple. "I'm sure he knows" Elena added trying to sound sure of herself.

"So what are you going to where on your big date?" Caroline asked as she came bouncing over.

"ITS NOT A DATE!" Elena repeated unsure why it was so hard for them to understand that. "Stefan and I do stuff together all the time you never called me out on that?"

"Doesn't count he's Damon's brother and Claire's uncle" Jenna replied.

"Technically he is my ex boyfriend" Elena reminded them.

"Elena you dated for like five minutes before you realized the stick turned blue," Caroline answered and Elena immediately slapped her friend on the shoulder. "Any way how was the salmon? The fillet mignon?"

"They're good" Jenna answered not paying much attention to Caroline

"Yeah they tasted good, anyway can't guys and girls can be friends without it meaning something more" Elena told them both as they moved on to try some desserts that were set up in the kitchen.

"Sure but when single guys go on play dates, it's a date," Caroline told her. "Has anyone seen Bonnie she was suppose to be here too!" Caroline added as she checked her phone and wondered where her friend could be. It had been about half an hour now with just Elena and Jenna and the only word the two seemed to use was good. She was in desperate need of new tasters.

"I don't know but maybe the same place Rick is hiding" Jenna stated as she too checked her phone since Rick was suppose to be taste testing with them.

Just then Rick walked in the front door and looked around the room that was full of food. When Jenna caught sight of him she waved him over and quickly gave him a kiss before getting him to try the triple devil chocolate cake. "About time you showed up" Jenna told him.

"Sorry lost track of time" Rick told her as he leaned in for another kiss. "How's it going by the way?" he asked.

"These two are hopeless I need someone who can give me an answer other then its good." Caroline told him as she rolled her eyes.

"HEY!" Jenna called back, "since when is something tasting good a bad thing?"

"They all taste good that's why they are here! But we need to pick a main entrée, a salad, dessert and appetizers" Caroline told them.

"Alright let me have a go at it" Rick said as he pulled up his sleeves and started to make his way down the table sampling everything. "So Elena I heard you have a date?" Rick called out and Elena's eye immediately widened.

"No I don't and you shouldn't listen to anything Jenna tells you, it's a play date" Elena informed him.

"Wow guys still use that line?" he asked with a laugh.

"You guys are unbelievable" she told them and walked away in a huff to munch down on the chocolate covered strawberries.

As Caroline popped over to see her friend as she munched down on the delicious strawberries she had a bit of a worried look on her face. She kept looking down at her phone as if waiting for it to do something. "So have you noticed anything off about Bonnie?"

"You mean like she is hanging about that modeling agent Connor all the time, yeah I have" Elena answered and by her tone Caroline could tell that Elena didn't like the guy.

"Why what's wrong?"

Elena shrugged her shoulders as she took another bite of the chocolate cover strawberry. After she swallowed the delicious strawberry Elena looked back at Caroline with her worried eyes. "I don't know but I think he puts too much pressure on her. When Bonnie got one of her first modeling gigs she was so excited until she told Connor and he pretty much told her it sucked and that it wasn't something to be proud of because she wasn't getting paid for it. She was really depressed after that."

Caroline listened to Elena and came to the same conclusion that there was something not right about this Connor guy. "I just feel like she keeps avoiding us and spends all her time worrying about what Connor will think," Caroline said sadly. "I just wish she would let us in and help her."

Elena gave a nod but wasn't sure what else they could do because Bonnie was so focused on this modeling career and the way she saw it; Connor was the person who could get her there. That is what really scared Elena, as she seemed like she would do anything to please him.

As the Tuesday night shift a the bar was picking up Damon and Sage worked along side each other serving the drunk college students. After so many shift together working side by side, the two had got into a their own rhythm of working together. They also looked like they were having a lot of fun as well which made a lot of the customers come back for more.

As Sage was moving around the bar in her tight jeans a man approached the bar counter just as she was finishing giving a group a round of shots. As she turned to him she gave him a smile, "What can I get for you darling?"

"Whisky on the rocks sweetheart," he told her with a smirk as he let his eyes trail over Sage's slim bod.

"Sure, coming right up" she told him as she faked a smile after seeing they way he was looking at her. As she turned to the back counter to get a glass, Damon was also coming back to open a new bottle of vodka. "Creep at my five o'clock." Sage murmured trying not to draw attention.

"Want me to handle it?" Damon asked as he turned to glance up at the waiting customers including Sage's charmer as he twisted open the bottle of vodka and tossed the lip over his shoulder.

"I'm sure I can manage" Sage told him but at least now Damon would also be keeping a close eye on the guy. As she returned to all the waiting customers she handed the guy his drink and collected the money. As she slipped the money into her pouch the guys threw back his whisky like it was water. "Another sweetheart" he told her with a smile and Sage gave a nod and retrieved the empty glass.

This went for a few more rounds and as he tried to sweet-talk her and with every drink she brought him. He was really adamant in trying to get her number and his advanced were getting bolder the more he drank. "All right buddy I think you had enough" Sage told him with a firm voice and refused to get him another drink.

"Oh come on sweetheart just get me another" the guy said with a slur.

"Not here your not" Sage told him as she shook her head and moved on to the customer beside him.

The guy wasn't at all pleased and reached out to touch her arm and trying to get her attention. "Buddy it's time for you to leave!" Sage said firmly as she brushed off his hand from her arm.

The guy gave a pout while Sage turned her back to him and in a split second he reach over the bar counter to grasp Sage's ass. As soon as she felt his touch Sage spun around on her heels, twisted his arm before she grabbed the trigger pump for the water and immediately pointed it at the creep and sprayed him right in the face. The guy was in complete shock and stepped back a few while she continued to spray him with water.

"WHAT THE HELL BITCH!" he screamed at her but before he could do anything else Damon had the jerk by the shoulders and was dragging the creep out of the bar and towards the bouncer so that he could deal with this ass.

With a sigh Caroline sat with Elijah in his office looking at the calendar with the day of the court date circled. She had less then a month before she would have to come face to face with her father for the first time in years. It was a terrifying feeling and her nightmares had increased over the last couple weeks. To add to her stress, her and Tyler still weren't really on speaking terms. At this time she just got a hello at school as they past each other in the halls.

"I can't believe the day is almost here," Caroline said with a shaky voice.

"We are well prepared" Elijah told her with a comforting smile.

"I still remember the day left he like it was yesterday," Caroline told him.

Six years ago.

Caroline had dark circles under her eyes, she wore her pale pink sweater covering her arms even though it was 25 °C so that she could cover up the black and blue bruises of hand prints on her arm. Caroline tired to keep to herself from bringing any attention to herself during the day. When the teacher walked along the desk handing back math tests, Caroline reached out for hers and her sleeves pulled back to reveal the mark to her teacher. The teacher stared at them for a moment before continuing on and handing out the rest of the tests.

When Caroline returned home from school that day from school she found her mother on her knees sweeping up a smashed beer bottle that her dad had thrown at the wall as beer droplet streaks ran down the wall in the hall. Caroline could see her mother cleaning up the broken glass along with her tears that fell from her eyes. "Mommy!" Caroline said out of worry for her mom as she dropped her bag at the door and ran over to help her.

"I'm okay honey," Liz said as she wiped away tears and collected the broken glass in the dustpan.

"When is daddy not going to hate us?" Caroline asked her mother in such an innocent but damaged voice.

Liz looked up at her daughter and into her scared and sad eyes as they both knelt on the floor unmoving. She hated that her daughter was forced to experience any of this and that she wasn't protecting her more from what her father did. A young girl her age shouldn't have to endure this and see her father at a bad man.

Before either of them could move the front door swung open and Bill Forbes walked in the house. He stared down at his wife and daughter as they knelt in front of the mess that had still not been cleaned up. "I thought I told you to clean this up!" he spat at her.

"I am" Liz said as she slowly got to her feet and made her way to throw away the broken bottle glass.

Bill watched his wife make her way to the kitchen and then his eyes fell to his feet and Caroline's school bag lying at the floor. He clenched his jaw as he reached down and picked up the bag and his angry eyes looked up at Caroline who was still sitting on the floor. "Why is this in the middle of the floor?" he screamed and then threw the bag full on books at her.

Caroline let out a scream as the bag hit her in the shoulder as she turned her body to shield herself from the blow but the impact caused her to let out a painful scream as she was knocked over.

"I told you to pick up your things!" He screamed at her as he stormed over and grabbed her by the arm. He forced the terrified little girl to look at him and she was forced to inhale his alcoholic stench breath.

"Bill let her go!" Liz yelled as she came back into the room to protect her daughter.

"She needs to learn to clean up her mess! Just like you!" Bill screamed back as he threw Caroline to the ground so hard that the back of her head hit the wall with a loud bang.

Caroline could hear her mother screaming but she had hit her head so hard that everything became fuzzy and she lay on the ground. She wanted to help her mom but body couldn't move. She could hear her mom screaming wanting to know if Caroline was okay and then the next thing Caroline believed she saw was her mother fighting back against her abusive husband with everything she had to get him out of the house and away from them both.

After finishing telling Elijah the story Caroline was trying to focus on her breath as she was trying to stop herself from crying. "That was the last time I ever saw him," Caroline told him as she looked down at her hands that were shaking.

With her long straight hair tied back in a high ponytail, Elena had on a white French-cut blouse with a black skirt and black knee-high boots. Walking around Mystic Grill with a tray of food and drinks in her arms she made her way around to restaurant serving customers. She smiled as she placed their orders down, then picked up tips and cleaned off dirty tables.

After working at The Grill for a couple weeks now Elena was starting to settle in. She was lucky that her boss knew her situation and allowed her to only have a couple shifts a week so that she still had time for school and spending time with Claire. For Elena is made her feel proud that she was earning some of her own money and becoming a bit more independent and the money would help her go away to college with Damon.

As she was finishing up wiping down a table, Stefan walked in the door holding Claire after their afternoon at the park. The pigtails that Elena had put in Claire's hair earlier were long gone as she dark locks were a mess but given the big smile on her face she definitely had fun with her uncle Stefan at the park.

"Mommy!" Claire squealed as she saw Elena once the entered the restaurant.

Elena smiled at her little girl before she checked her watch and saw that she was on break. Setting the dirty cloth behind the counter Elena quickly close the gap between her and Claire and pulled her into her arms and gave her a big hug. "Hello how is mommy's baby girl?" Elena asked her as Stefan handed Claire over she that mom and daughter could share a hug.

"Effen Park!" Claire chimed as she was filling her mom in on what she had been doing.

"Stefan! Stefan took you to the Park" Stefan tried desperately to correct but Claire just seemed to find it funny. "It's useless," he said with a sigh as he took a seat at an empty table in front of Elena.

"Don't worry, it'll happen" Elena assured him. "Just keep in mind she won't even bother to try Jenna at all" she reminded him and Stefan couldn't help but laugh. "Isn't that right?" Elena said as she looked at Claire and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"True I guess" Stefan stated as Claire was at least making an effort on his name. He reached out and touched Claire's tiny hand as he thought about all the fun they had at the park. He really enjoyed the time he got to spend with her now that she was moving around a lot more and was getting a lot more adventurous. They had spent a good hour on the jungle gym with him following behind her and then sliding down the slides with her on his lap. She loved the slides and always let out an excitable squeal every time. "So how are things with you? I hear you have a date," Stefan mentioned with a smirk.

Elena rolled her eyes and she switched Claire from one hip to the other. "Seriously don't listen to anything Caroline says. It's not a date it's a play date," she corrected.

"Yeah I don't think guys go on play dates unless it's an actual date with the excuse of a child or children being around" Stefan told her. "What does Damon think about this date?"

"PLAY DATE! And I didn't tell him because there isn't much to tell" Elena explained as she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure it'll come up eventually but it's no big deal" She told him not sure why every one was having such and issue with the idea of her and another parent taking their kids to the park.

"Well let's find out" Stefan told her with a smile as he turned on his phone to see if Damon was available on Skype. "Good he's available" Stefan told her as she clicked to connect with Damon while Elena took a seat next to Stefan while holding Claire on her lap.

"Daddy!" Claire chirped as she pointed to her dad on the cell phone.

"Hey!" Damon said with as smile while he appeared to be sitting in the pub doing homework.

"Daddy!" Claire repeated as a huge smile as Stefan held the phone towards her so that she could get a better look at Damon.

"Ladybug" Damon said and he was rewarded with a giggle from Claire as she sat on Elena's lap.

"How are you?" Elena asked.

"I'm good, got to throw some drunk out of the pub the other night for the first time" he told her.

"Sounds like you night was a lot more interesting than mine," Elena told him with a laugh.

She always loved when they got to talk to Damon on Skype because she liked being able to see Damon when they talked. It was also good for Claire who was always talking about daddy and even though she couldn't hug him everyday. Elena loved the way her eyes lit up when she was able to see Damon and it always brought a smile to her face to see Damon smile knowing how much he missed being with Claire.

"Hey Damon I have a question for you" Stefan said as he turned the phone towards him. Elena rolled her eyes at Stefan while she bounced Claire up and down on her lap. "What would you say about me maybe taking Claire out for a play date?" he asked him. "A girl I know has a daughter the same age as Claire and they will probably get along really well" Stefan told him before looking over at Elena as if he already knew what Damon was going to say.

Damon sat there for a second and then eyed his brother, "I would ask why you are using my daughter to pick up women?" Damon said and Stefan's smile grew as if telling Elena I told you so.

"That's not necessary true" Elena tried to argue.

"Yeah when two women get together but when a guy make the suggestion its just a reason for a woman to keep her guard down." Damon stated.

"I think you're both overreacting" Elena stated as she rolled her eyes. "And I have to get back to work" she stated as she handed Claire back over to Stefan and quickly said goodbye to Damon before getting back to work. They all seemed to think that a play date was a date undercover but Elena was really certain that Derek knew that it wasn't date-date.

That night when Elena returned home after her play date with Derek and Katie she came into find Jenna, Rick and Jeremy watching t.v or at least attempting since they turned to look at her as soon as she and Claire stepped into the house. Rolling her eyes Elena set Claire down on her feet so that the little girl could run over and play with her toys. "You can apologizes when ever" Elena told them with a smile, "It wasn't a date."

"And how would you know?" Jenna asked.

"Because we spent the whole time talking about Claire and Katie. If it was a date it would have been about us," Elena stated with a proud smile.

"Or he is just that good in making you think it was just about Claire when really it was about you, did he asked about doing it another time?" Jenna asked her and eyeing Elena closely.

"Yeah but he was being polite" Elena said as she shrugged her shoulder and move to taka a seat on the couch beside Jeremy.

"It was a date," Rick told her flat out.

"And how would you know?" Elena said as she rolled her eyes.

"Because your aunt did the same thing with Claire and now look!" Rick told her and then held up Jenna's hand to show off the engagement ring she was wearing.

Elena gave Rick a look on confusion and tilted her head to the side. "But you were dating before Claire was born" Elena stated.

"True but she used Claire to make me think about our future and make a serious commitment," Rick explained.

Elena's jaw dropped in shock and looked at her aunt in disbelief, "You use my daughter as a tool in your relationship?" Elena asked looking not at all pleased.

"Oh she was fine, she slept the whole time" Jenna said in defense, "Everyone one walked away happy" she added as she admired her ring again.

Shaking her head Elena let out a laugh as she watched Jenna and Rick snuggled on the couch and went back to watching t.v. As the four sat there in the living room, Claire was playing with her blocks next to her mom's feet. After a few moments of silence the doorbell rang breaking everyone's trance on the t.v. "I'll get it" Elena stated as she got up and made her way to the door along with a bouncing Claire. When Elena opened the door it revealed a man holding a bouquet of flowers. "Hi" Elena said a little weary.

"Miss Elena Gilbert" the man said as he held the bouquet of colourful flowers.

"Yes…" Elena said as she held Claire back from walking out the front door.

"These are for you" he told her and handed them over and then had Elena sign for them.

Elena hesitated at first but then thought they could be from Damon even though he had never had someone delivered flowers before. After signing for them she accepted the flowers and then shut the door after the man started to leave. As she slowly started to make her way back into the room she checked the bouquet for a card.

"Someone got flowers!" Jenna said with a smile, "Who knew Damon was that romantic."

Elena came to a halt as she held the bouquet and she looked both shocked and troubled, "They're not from Damon..."

Let me know what you think!