Chapter Twenty-Six

That night Ella tried her best, but she couldn't sleep. She lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. The day's events playing through her mind. It was hard to believe that just over a day ago she was in a coma trying to regain control of her body, it felt like a lifetime ago.

It was amazing how much her life had changed since she had first arrived in Mystic falls. She was now no longer a normal girl, but a Fae/Vampire hybrid. The man she had thought was her father was a homicidal maniac and now deceased, her real father was actually her Vampire best friend and the mother she had thought died when she was six years old was alive and well and intent on murdering her father.

This was the kind of family dynamic that could land a person in therapy. Although she had a feeling if she told a shrink any of that she'd be committed. It was the kind of story that novelists would come up with to entertain, but it was still Ella's life.

Ella sighed and checked the time on her phone. It was two-thirty; too late to call Jeremy, even though she was sure he'd still talk to her. Still it wasn't fair for him to be sleep deprived as well. She wondered if Damon had any cocoa, she doubted it though; he wasn't exactly the cocoa type. Maybe a glass of whiskey would put her to sleep.

Throwing back the quilt, Ella climbed out of bed and padded out of her room and down into the lounge. So wrapped up in her own world, Ella paid no attention to her surroundings as she walked over to the side table and the decanter full of brown liquid. She was almost desperate as she poured herself a generous amount and took that first sip.

Whiskey was an acquired taste, but Ella kind of liked it, she supposed she got that from Damon. Even though it burned her throat on the way down it sent a warmth through her veins and she felt herself relax. It seemed like whiskey might be the answer to her sleeping problems after all.

"Couldn't sleep?" a voice came from behind her, making her jump.

"Damon!" Ella exclaimed, jumping slightly. She spun around to find him sitting on a sofa, drink in hand, watching her. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," he smiled over the rim of his glass. "Are you all right?"

"I will be as soon as my heart stops trying to escape!" she told him, her free hand pressed against her chest. "And to answer your question, no I couldn't sleep."

"So you thought you'd drink yourself to sleep?" he inquired, gesturing toward the glass in her hand.

"Yes," she responded defiantly. There was almost a challenge in her voice, but when he said nothing further she relaxed. "I thought having a glass would help to turn my brain off."

"If you're anything like me you'll need more than a glass," Damon told her with a sly smile.

"I think we both know that I'm a lot like you," Ella laughed. She carried her glass over to the sofa and took a seat beside him. "I thought about calling Jeremy, but I didn't want to wake him. At least one of us should sleep. He's always good to talk to though, he calms me."

"You can talk to me."

"I know," she nodded, taking another sip of whiskey. "I thought you were asleep too."

"Well obviously, you know that I'm not."

Ella was thoughtful, staring at the glass in her hand. "It's just a lot to take in, I mean a year ago I was just Ella, human, a little quiet and strange, but relatively normal. And now...it's all changed so quickly it's left my head spinning. I feel like just as I'm starting to get used to one thing life throws me another curve ball. I was just starting to get used to being a Fae and then I found out I was half Vampire. I was beginning to process that when I found out my mother was alive, then that you were my father, then I was Gaby and now I'm trying to focus on keeping you safe. I'm scared that when I finally get a second to breathe it's all going to come crashing down around me and I'll get crushed."

"You won't," Damon assured her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I won't let you and I'm pretty sure that Jeremy wouldn't either."

Tears sprang to Ella's eyes and she thought since she was being honest there was one more thing she should tell him. "Damon...I'm so scared," she whispered, clinging to his hand. "I've tried to be strong, but I'm terrified. She's so strong, stronger than I am. I'm not sure that I can protect you and even if I can it means having to kill her. I just..."

The rest of Ella's sentence was lost in the loud sobs that began wracking her body. It felt like the most natural instinct in the world to Damon to set aside both of their glasses and pull her into his arms. His heart broke for his daughter and he'd give anything for her not to have to choose between him and her mother. He wouldn't lie that the selfish part of him was glad that she seemed to be choosing him, but his paternal instincts became stronger every second that he spent with her.

"Ssssh," he whispered, stroking her hair. "You don't have to protect me; it's my job to protect you. All you can do is teach me what you can and when the time comes the rest is down to me."

"I don't want to lose you Damon," she whispered through her tears.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured her, giving her a squeeze.

"You can't know that for sure," Ella shook her head.

"True, but I have something to live for now," he pointed out.

"I love you Damon."

"I love you too...my daughter," he responded, kissing the top of her head.

They stayed where they were while Ella's tears subsided. After a while her sobs turned to gentle snores and Damon smiled. It looked like she had just needed to let it all out so that she could get some sleep.

Slowly and gently so as not to wake her, Damon slipped out of her grasp and lifted her into his arms. Ella let out a soft sigh and rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs.

When he reached her room he lay her gently on the bed, pulling the sheets over her. He then kissed her forehead before retreating to his own room. He knew that their talk wouldn't stop Ella from worrying, but he hoped at least that it made things a little better.

Damon knew he'd never win Father of the Year, but he was going to do his best to at least be a good father to Ella. She deserved that much after the life she'd had. She'd always had to take care of herself, but now he was going to take care of her. He'd make sure she was never alone again.

TBC...