Dangerous Minds- Chapter Twenty-Seven

Elena

We make love in his bed until his body and mine are one. Once. Twice…Over and over again until I've managed to be out of breath, moaning out his name and making us both climax together. The sheets of his bed are a tangled mess around our naked bodies as Stefan gently runs his rough hand over my warm feeling skin. My skin's still wet from the shower water as his is too and my damp hair is sticking to my cheeks as he brushes the strands away with his fingertips, a sweet caring smile on his lips. I can see the look in his eyes, one of concern as he leans down to kiss me, his leaf green orbs filled with desire and longing.

I want this as much as he does. I want him all around me. I want to feel alive again. I want to feel whole again- not so broken and pain ridden. I want him to take all of my pain away. And, just by the touch of his hand, by the kiss of his lips. I know that just for tonight. He's going to do just that for me as I will for him. Together we're one. He makes me feel like I'm home. So familiar.

"I love you." He whispers against my lips, breathing me in as I open my mouth and allow him to kiss me, our tongues dancing and exploring each other's. The kiss is rough and needy, hunger filled while his arm pins my hands above my head and I moan into his mouth, arching my naked body forward so that my breasts brush up against his bare chest.

"I don't want you to have all the control." He playfully smirks, moving his moist lips down to my neck. I inhale deeply, closing my eyes and giving myself over to him completely. As far as I'm concerned, Stefan's got me exactly where he wants me as his mouth hovers over my right breast and he sucks gently on my nipple, his tongue flicking the tender areola and forcing me to groan out in pleasure.

"Stefan, please…" My voice cracks, my eyes flutter open while he smiles at me and readjusts himself so that his beautiful body is over mine, his erection brushing up against my thigh.

"I love you too." I stammer out, pulling him down against me and wrapping my legs around his pelvis as our eyes meet and I caress his stubble covered face. "I mean it, Stefan." His breath hitches as he grabs a hold of my left leg and pulls it upward. I feel his other hand doing the same thing to my other leg and before I know it, he's pulling me closer to him. There's no gap or space between us, time seems to stand still as he kisses me again, lifting me up into his arms, the kiss leaves me breathless when I finally feel my body return down to the mattress. "I know." He softly whispers, staring into my eyes as he moves away the hair from my face and he adds in. "It's just you and me, Elena. Like it always has been. For tonight, it's just you and me. I've missed you."

Smiling, my lips meet his as Stefan's chest presses against mine and I feel myself indulging in the pleasure of his warmth, his protective arms. I'm exactly where I've wanted to be. With him. The kiss is heated as my legs wrap around his pelvis and Stefan gently glides himself into me, his hardened erection filling me with pure contentment. My nails dig deeper into his shoulder while Stefan sinks further into me and I feel myself losing control again. Stefan sets the pace and he thrusts into me just as I whisper out. "Don't ever let me go. I don't want you to ever let me go."


Damon

Bonnie's words are still ringing in my ears when I make it home later that night. I don't really know what to say to my wife. We'd been avoiding this talk with Addison for so long because we were both worried that we'd somehow damage and traumatize our daughter. Although, she's right. As much as I don't want to admit it at the moment. Bonnie's right about telling her. Addison deserves to know everything. She needs to know the truth.

Clasping my hands together, I exhale deeply before stepping into the kitchen. She's finishing up cooking a meal for the week as I place my arms around her, leaning my head against her shoulder. "Hi babe." I comment, kissing her cheek and pulling her against my chest as Bonnie turns in my arms, one of her hands is placed gently upon my cheek. "I didn't think you'd be coming home this early." She says with a smile as I kiss her and hold her for a bit, not wanting to let go. I miss my wife, I miss the way things were before everything in our lives became so crazy and working like a madman decided to take over everything, including our relationship.

"I got your voicemail today." She hears me say, nodding her head as she washes her hands at the sink and wipes them on a red kitchen towel before turning her attention back to me. She's glancing down at the floor as she shrugs her shoulders back. "Listen, I'll understand if you don't want to-." Cutting her off, I clear my throat before I speak. I wasn't really prepared to give a speech tonight. But, Bonnie's message has prompted me to really think about what I've wanted to say while driving home.

"Let's tell her, now." I comment, inhaling a shaky breath as I close my eyes and remember what Stefan had told me about Elena. How manipulative she's become and how it all started. The story plays in my head like a movie as I stare at Bonnie before speaking. "You need to know that if she chooses to get to know her birth mother, years down the road. We need to allow her to do that, Bon. You will always be her mom. No matter what happens. But, after tonight, things are going to change for Addison's entire life." I comment, placing my hands onto Bonnie's shoulders as she swallows down the lump probably forming in her throat due to my words.

"I know." She says, taking my hand into hers as we walk hand in hand into Addison's room. Bonnie stands near the doorway as our daughter leaps into my arms and kisses my cheeks. "Daddy! I missed you!" She says, nuzzling up against me while my hand rests upon her back and I turn to face my wife.

"Sweetie, your mom and I need to tell you something." I began, watching Bonnie carefully enter into the room as she takes a seat beside me on Addison's bed and I pull her hands into my lap.

"What is it?" She asks, her bright eyes shining with excitement as I sigh out a breath and continue.

"Baby girl, you know how you were taken away from us for a little while?" I ask her, watching as she nods. Addison looks down at her hands as she softly whispers. "She said she was my mom." Addison recalls as I hear Bonnie gasp out a breath, exhaling deeply while I hold onto her hands even more tightly.

"Well, sweetie. The woman who took you away from us and brought you back. She is your mom. Your real mom. Addy, Elena's your mom because you grew in her belly and she loved you very much. But, a lot of things happened and your mommy and daddy couldn't keep you anymore. So, you had to come live with us. And, I became your second mommy." Bonnie explains, hoping that she understands because she's staring at us both blankly, confused.

"Do you understand, Addison?" I ask her after a few minutes of silence between us, watching as she nods her head, yes.

Her and Bonnie watch as I take out my wallet and hand our little girl a very old looking picture. It's one of Stefan and Elena together, kissing and holding Addison in their arms. A very distant memory of happier times between them. A happy memory for all of us.

"Why is uncle Stefan in the picture?" She asks us, tracing her fingertip and thumb across the image.

My eyes close. I was ready to tell her about Elena. But, about Stefan? That's going to be a lot harder for me to do. Luckily, Bonnie squeezes my hand and with her loving green gaze, she encourages me to keep going. "Because, Uncle Stefan isn't really your uncle at all…Honey, Stefan is your real dad. Just like Elena is your real mom."

She takes a moment, shrugging her shoulders back and glancing at the picture of them all together and then she points to me, asking in a soft tone. "So, you're my second daddy?" She asks me point blank as I nod my head.

"Yes. Bonnie and I are your second family. But, Elena and Stefan are your real family. Addison, we all love you very much and the reason you're with us is because your real mommy and daddy needed to keep you safe." I tell her, hoping that she understands just a little bit as I slowly get up from her bed, leaning over to kiss her cheek. Addison places her hand onto my face, staring into my eyes as she questions. "So, I can't call Stefan, Uncle Stefan anymore?"

Bonnie laughs, wiping away the tears in her eyes as she too kisses Addison and I smile shrugging my shoulders back. "You know, we will have to call Uncle Stefan and ask him about that." I comment, giving her a tight hug and saying goodnight as Bonnie and I exit her bedroom.

"That was better than expected." Bonnie says, standing in the hallway near our bedroom door as I hold her against my chest, stroking her hair with my fingertips. "Yeah, it went over well." I say out loud, proud of both of us for finally explaining the truth. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders for having told her why she's really been living with us and who Stefan and Elena are to her. Even though, I know that it will still take a few more years until she's old enough to fully understand things. I know that Bonnie and I made the right choice in telling her.

I kiss my wife's cheek as I take a step back, exhaling deeply. I need to get back to the office because in less than 48 hours, we're going to be on our mission of arresting my own step mother for her crimes against Elena Gilbert.

"I hate to cut this short," I begin to say as Bonnie places her hand onto my chest, leaning against me. "Go arrest Annie and let's finally put this all behind us. Go do your job to the best of your ability and I promise that Addison and I will be waiting for you when you get back home. Because, you know that there is no other place that I would rather be." She smiles, encouraging me even further for the next few days. I kiss Bonnie's lips tenderly as I place my hands onto each side of her face, staring into her eyes. "I'm one lucky man to have found you, Bonnie." I tell her as she smiles at me, a look of joy in her eyes when she says with a laugh. "And, I'm a lucky woman. I love you more than you'll ever know, Damon. Now, go do your job. Agent Salvatore."


Stefan

The next morning, we don't talk about the night before, together in my bed. Instead, Elena and I are focused on getting out of this alive and well. "Now, when you go in that house." I'm instructing her, pointing to the big red door as I glance up at the large hill that we're parked on. Everyone's wired and if any of us makes a wrong move. This whole thing could go down in flames.

"She's going to recognize me." Elena comments in a worried tone as I grab a hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly. "She might. But, you need to be prepared for that…" My voice trails off as she turns to me, clearing her throat. The car's windows are foggy and it's freezing cold outside, the dead of winter as I see some of our team coming into the house, acting as regular guests and making sure to not cause much a scene.

"You know, I never meant to hurt you as much as I did, Stefan. I honestly just wanted a simple life with you and our daughter. That had always been what I had wanted. Until your parents took that away from me. Telling me that Addison would be better off without a drug addicted mother. Believe me, looking back on it now. I know they were right. I long for the days that I can hold my little girl in my arms and kiss her on the face, telling her that her momma really truly loves her. Yet, I know that those days are gone forever because of what happened. And, she's in good hands with your brother. Damon and Bonnie have raised her well." She says to me, forcing me to look up from my cell phone and stop myself from dialing Elijah's number for a moment.

"Nothing will ever be the same, Elena. You know that. But, I promise you that I'm going to bring my parents to justice for what they've done to you. No parent should ever be without their child and it's a tragedy because you lost so much time with her." Clearing my throat, Elena wipes her tears away as she sniffles and exhales, breaking down in tears when she looks at me.

"I don't want to die in prison, Stefan. I know it's what I deserve after everything that I've done to hurt so many people. I deserve a life sentence. But, I don't want to die there." She admits, the fear of her impending doom is clearly affecting her because when I look at her. Elena's got tears in her eyes, welling up into her eyes and spilling over her cheeks now.

"Listen to me." I begin to say, licking my bottom lip and trying to not make too many promises her to.

"If we pull this off without a hitch and my stepmother is found guilty. I'm going to talk to Elijah and try to reduce your sentence as much as I can. Elena, that's all I can do." I tell her truthfully, watching as she nods, heavily inhaling. Elena's hand is on the passenger side door while she nods her head at me. "You ready for this?" She asks with a deep exhale and look of fear on her face.

I lean over and grab her hand, squeezing it a bit as I lock my eyes onto hers. "Everything's going to be just fine. I promise." Elena gives me a half smile, nervously laughing as she says in a soft tone. "Just in case it isn't and something happens. I want you to know that I'm sorry for everything and that you're the only man that I have ever truly loved, Stefan Salvatore. I love you more than anything in this world. You changed my life. I think we changed each other's truthfully. I love you so much, Stefan and I've never stopped. You would have been an amazing father to Addison, if only you were given the chance. We would have been amazing together."

I don't know what possess me to do it, to feel her lips against mine. But when she leans away from me, I pull her closer with my words first. "I'm sorry too. For everything that I did and said to hurt you. When you were going through those hard times. You needed me the most and instead of being there, I trusted in my parents that they would keep you safe. But, really, I should have kept you safe. Maybe our lives would have turned out differently. Our story would have been a happy one. You know, I didn't mean what I said to you in the apartment either. Elena, I'm still helplessly in love with you." I tell her, adjusting my body and reaching my arm out so that my hand caresses her face. Elena's eyes close as she brushes her cheek against the palm of my hand and our lips meet. The kiss is soft and gentle. Much like the kiss we shared in my bed after we slept together just the night before, staying up together as we held each other until we both fell asleep in one another's arms. Content and happy. It's simple and tender. Something that I'll never regret. I back away first, my thumb lingering upon her flesh. My eyes filled with tears. "We changed each other's lives. You gave me a beautiful daughter that I've been lucky enough to watch grow up into a gorgeous little girl. I wish you would have been there, to see it. Her first steps, her first words, her first smile. You would have been so proud of her…." My voice cracks as Elena places her hand against mine and I feel her warm tears escape.

"I'm never going to forgive my parents for taking that away from you. Elena, kidnapping Addison wasn't right. It was a very stupid thing to do and it tore Bonnie and Damon apart. However, I guess I understand a little bit of why you did it." I admit, feeling her kiss the palm of my hand as she glances past me and removes her hand away from mine briskly.

"Elijah's heading this way. I guess we should go." She comments, turning around and exiting the car before I can say anything else.

Elijah knocks on the window glass of my car lightly, taking a step back when I exit my car. "Are you both one hundred percent ready for this?" He asks me as I glance over at Elena.

"Yeah, we are." I comment softly.

"So, everyone's going to have a wire fitted underneath their clothing. I want you all to scope out the place and once we feel like we've got her where we want her. Damon's going to make the call. Now, follow the plan and get into your places and positions once we get in there." He informs me as I nod at him, watching my boss place his hand onto my shoulder. "Stay focused and don't lose sight of this goal." He advises us right before Elijah pivots away from me and gives us the go ahead to move in towards the mansion.