Chapter 4 Birthday surprise
Elena woke early on her birthday morning. Damon was standing over her with a tray of goodies.
"Happy birthday princess," He smiled smugly.
"What's all this?" She asked raising en eyebrow.
"Pancakes and strawberries with some of that special wine you like." He replied setting the tray down next to her.
"Thank you." She smiled kissing him softly.
"You cooked?" She asked taking a mouthful of surprisingly very tasty pancakes.
"I'm not as bad as I made Ric believe." He admitted.
"Ha I knew it." She smiled taking a long sip of the delicious blood wine mix Damon had perfected just for her.
Elena heard a car pulling up and looked at Damon questionably.
"It's early." He muttered.
"What's early?" She asked quickly finishing the rest of her food.
"Your next surprise," He said.
"Which is?" She drawled.
"I'm not going to tell you." He scoffed.
"Why would you plan a surprise so early?" She whined.
"You're getting far to spoiled." He laughed pulling her up.
She stuck her tongue at him and quickly ran into the bathroom to get ready.
"Are you coming?" She asked grabbing his hand.
"Nope." He smiled kissing her softly. "I got some other stuff to get ready for. I'll see you at dinner."
"What?" She pouted. "I'm not going to see you all day?'
A horn honked from outside.
"Go on." He said slapping her butt as she whirled away.
Elena gasped at the long limo waiting for in the driveway.
"Why am I even surprised?" She said out loud.
"Finally." Katherine rolled her eyes as Elena got in. "For a vampire, you're kind of slow."
"What are you all doing here?" Elena exclaimed looking around at Isobel, Katherine, Jenna and Bonnie.
"Damon arranged it." Jenna smiled. "We're going to the spa."
"Happy Birthday Elena," Bonnie said kissing her cheek.
"Thanks!" Elena said happily.
"Happy birthday," Isobel smiled.
"I'm so glad you're here." Elena said smiling back.
"So we figured we'd just give you your gifts now." Jenna started.
"You guys didn't have to get me anything." Elena started.
"Of course we did it's your 18th birthday." Bonnie rolled her eyes, handing her a package.
Elena opened it eagerly it was a small crystal crescent shaped charm .
"It's beautiful." Elena breathed.
"It's a location charm. So you can always find me if you ever need me. Emily and Katherine had this. I want to tie myself to you as your witch." Bonnie said. She pointed to the similar charm she had attached to her bracelet.
"Bonnie. I don't know what to say." Elena said softly. "I don't want to think of you as my witch though. I mean you're my best friend."
"Exactly, I know that now. Tying myself to you just means officially I will always be there to help you. Which I am anyway, We're just making it official." Bonnie smiled.
"Then you have to take this. Don't argue I insist." Elena said handing Bonnie John's ring.
Bonnie swallowed and took the ring attaching it to the same bracelet she had the charm on as Elena attached her charm to her lapis necklace.
"Thank you Bonnie." Elena said embracing her.
"Touching," Isobel muttered.
"Your just jealous because you don't have a witch." Katherine quipped.
"And you do?' Bonnie questioned.
"A lady is entitled to her secrets." Katherine smirked.
"My turn," Jenna said handing Elena an envelope. "The gift isn't actually here yet."
"It's the couch I wanted!" Elena exclaimed. "Oh Jenna this is too much!"
"No worries, I got a great discount." Jenna smiled. "I can't wait to see it in your new house."
Elena hugged Jenna next as the limo pulled up to the spa.
Jenna, Bonnie and Katherine got out.
Elena started to follow and Isobel stopped her.
"I was hoping I could give you this in private." Isobel said.
"Of course." Elena swallowed and sat back down.
Isobel handed her a large lumpy wrapped gift.
Elena's eyebrows crinkled in wonder she opened up a large quilt that seemed to be made from clothes.
"Every year I got my baby girl a new outfit for her birthday." Isobel started. Elena looked at her face and realized Isobel's normal cool façade was down and her eyes were tearing up. Elena felt herself start to choke up as well.
"I never sent them though." She continued. "So last year after I came into town and hurt you, I started making this. I hoped I could give it to you one day somehow, to make it up to you. I didn't want you to think you weren't thought about or wanted forever. That was just so untrue. I never expected us to be okay this soon. But I'm really glad we are and I really wanted you to have this. It seems fitting at 18."
"This means so much to me." Elena cried holding the quilt to her body.
"I love you." Isobel said tears now openly running down her face.
"I love you too…mom." Elena said leaning in and hugging her.
"Now if you ever tell anyone I was sewing…" Isobel threated.
Elena laughed wiping back her tears. "Let's go get these puffy eyes taken care of."
"That's the beauty of being a vampire." Isobel smirked. "Already gone."
Elena settled in for a pedicure first and Katherine took the spot next to her. Everyone at the spa gushed over the 'twins'. Elena decided to have Bonnie start a little rumor about her being adopted and separated from her twin at birth. They figured this would be a lot easier to explain then her being seen in two places at once.
"It was nice of Damon to include me." Katherine remarked sighing in content as the women massaged her feet.
"He knows I care about you." Elena said.
"Happy almost 18thbirthday," Katherine shrugged handing her a box.
"So close right." Elena laughed. "It still counts though."
"I guess after 100 and some years of birthday's you get tired of it." Katherine replied.
"What is this?" Elena said holding up a black bottle that said black magic on it.
"Black magic wine, it's an elixir of blood, herbs and wine and it's blessed by a witch. This stuff will not only get even the most tolerant vampire drunk but it keeps your hunger stated for weeks. It's really hard to come by." Katherine bragged.
"Awesome." Elena said tucking it away in her bag. "We can drink it tonight."
"No…save it." Katherine said quickly.
Elena shot her a questioning look.
"It would be gone in one night with everyone drinking it. I meant it when I said this stuff is hard to come by. You should save it for a special occasion." Katherine explained.
Elena just shrugged and leaned back enjoying the pedicure.
Elena still had plenty of time before dinner when she arrived home from the spa. She took her quilt out and looked at each small patch imagining Isobel out shopping for her. Tears came to her eyes. It made her so happy to know that she wasn't forgotten. That was all she ever needed to know. The dam had been broken now and Elena was determined to maintain a relationship with her mother.
The day had been perfect so far she only wished that Caroline had been with. She was starting to get frustrated with the whole situation. Maybe she could just prove to her she wouldn't hurt and tired of it Elena decided to pay her a little visit.
She arrived at the house quickly and was relieved to see Caroline's mom wasn't home. Katherine had assured them she had altered all of Liz's memories the night they killed Shinichi but still what if she could like sense vampires or something.
Elena knocked on the door and waited nervously shuffling her feet. She consumed two blood bags before leaving the house though she knew she wouldn't hurt Caroline.
"Elena?" Caroline looked shocked when she answered the door.
"I just want to talk to you in person." Elena sighed. "I miss you today especially."
"Happy birthday," Caroline said looking guilty.
"Please let me in. I won't hurt you." Elena begged.
"I can't." Caroline said.
"Why?" Elena asked. "Are you scared of me?"
"I'm not. I trust you but it's a risk I can't take." Caroline said.
"I don't get it." Elena said.
Caroline opened her sweatshirt and pointed to her stomach, "It's not just me anymore."
"Oh." Elena stood mutely unsure what to say. She could see Caroline's tummy was a little bigger. It was hardly noticeable. But now that she had pointed it put Elena could smell a more pure scent coming from Caroline then she had smelled before.
"I would never hurt you or your child, but I understand and I won't take the risk either." Elena agreed.
"Thank you Elena, for understanding." Caroline breathed.
"I really do miss you though.' Elena cried.
"Me too you have no idea how bad I've needed to talk to you about all of this." Caroline cried.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Elena asked.
"Over the phone?"
"Well there's Skype." Elena offered and Caroline giggled.
"Elena don't tell anyone okay." Caroline said her eyes somber. "Not yet. I'm going to tell Matt soon. I just need to do this my own way."
"Wait is it Matt's?" Elena asked.
"I don't know, but he needs to think it is." Caroline said. "So does Tyler."
"Caroline…I no...Tyler is my friend. I won't keep this from him." Elena said her eyes wide.
"Tyler has enough going on. He doesn't need this." Caroline said.
"No he doesn't but if it's his baby he has a right to know about it." Elena said feeing herself start to get angry.
"Look Elena after I got out of the hospital things between Matt and I were prefect .I mean perfect. My insecurities were gone he was making more time for me. So one night after another perfect date I get home and I'm hyperventilating and I don't know why. Everything was so great…and I got up got dressed drove to Tyler's house and destroyed it." Caroline said tears coming to her eyes.
"Why?" Elena asked.
"Because, I was scared of perfect. I know comfort. I know drama I can deal with that. I...just freaked out and when I freak out I self-destruct. Somehow by some miracle Matt never found out about it and I have a second chance here." Caroline begged.
"Don't you think maybe Matt would eventually understand? If it does end up being Tyler's maybe you can all find a way to work things out." Elena offered. "Secrets and lies are no way to start a child's life."
"I just. I'll think about all of that. Just give me time," Caroline sighed. "I get that I'm putting you in an awkward position and that Tyler is your friend. But I'm your best friend. Please promise me you won't say anything just for now."
"For now, But we are not done talking about this." Elena said slowly. "I understand where you're coming from. But what you don't know is how much Tyler cares about you and how much that night meant to him. To take this away from him just seems wrong."
"You're making it pretty clear who's side your on here Elena." Caroline quipped crossing her arms.
"Not sides." Elena shook her head. "I'm just trying to get you to understand that Tyler has a part in this. The truth always comes out eventually."
"Please Elena, invoking the girl code here." Caroline begged.
"Fine I won't say anything." Elena muttered, "For now."
"Thank you." Caroline breathed.
"I better take off." Elena said stepping backwards.
"Right, we'll talk soon then?" Caroline asked.
"Yeah sure," Elena muttered running back home.
Elena got ready quickly for dinner and waited for Damon in the kitchen.
He ran in looking sweaty.
"Sorry." He mumbled. "Took longer than I thought I'll be ready fast."
"You were working on the house?" Elena asked following him upstairs.
"Yeah. While you had your girl day," He replied shrugging. "Why do you sound all crabby?"
"I had like 4 hours in between girl day and dinner." She pouted. "I wanted some Damon."
"Oh don't worry you'll get plenty all night. Consider me an all you can eat buffet." He said winking at her.
"Thank you for the spa." She said kissing him. "It was very thoughtful."
"That's me." He said turning on the shower. "I am so good at this."
"Your good at a lot of things but what exactly are you talking about?" Elena asked.
"Being with you," He replied undressing and jumping in the shower.
"In more ways the one," She replied suggestively.
"Come on in and join me then." He called out.
"I can't I'll ruin my very expensive hairstyle." She sighed.
"Who's idea was that." He joked.
She laughed and decided to sneak around for her present while he was in the shower.
"Don't even think about it." He came up behind her dripping wet with a towel around his waist.
"I wasn't snooping." She protested.
"Yes you were." He drawled. "It's not in here anyway so you're wasting your time."
She pouted and left him to dress.
They arrived at dinner late everyone was already seated. Elena noticed Katherine had snagged a seat next to Mason and Isobel was sitting on the other side of him. Katherine winked at her.
They ate a lounge type of restaurant a few miles out of town. Everyone got along great during dinner. Elena marveled at how far they had all come. She noticed Jeremy and Bonnie laughing at one of Tyler's jokes at the end of the table and shuddered suddenly. Caroline's secret could tear all of the peace part. Elena realized. She managed to put the thought out of her mind and enjoyed dinner and cake.
After dinner Damon took her hand to dance with him. She accepted happily and he led her onto the floor. She melted into him.
"This is the perfect ending to a great birthday." She sighed.
"It's far from over." He whispered whirling her around the floor.
Bonnie watched them with a soft expression on her face.
"May I?" Jeremy asked her. She smiled eagerly and took his hand.
"Mason would you like to dance with me?" Katherine purred.
"I'd love too." He winked.
Isobel stood up walked over to Katherine and grabbed the back of her chair. She pulled it backwards with Katherine in it and left her there looking amused. Isobel marked back over to Mason and squinted down at him.
"No more games." She said. 'I am not a teenage girl. Flirting with my great grandmother to make me jealous was just pathetic and really weird. Plus she looks just like my daughter."
"I knew it was a bad idea." He muttered.
"But it is kind of endearing. So I'll stop being such a bitch if you stop being such a moron." Isobel offered.
"Deal," Mason smiled holding out his hand his yes wide and earnest. "Will you?"
"Sure." She smiled and pulled him up they walked hand on hand to the dance floor.
"I love it when a plan comes together." Katherine quipped, sitting down next to Tyler.
"Yep everyone is happy." He drawled chugging champagne from the bottle.
"Right," Katherine drawled back mocking his tone.
He glanced at her and she looked back.
"Ever had sex with a werewolf?" He asked casually.
"Do you forget what century I am from?" Katherine said crossing her arms.
"I've offended you?" He asked tilting his head. "Miss Katherine, how can I make it up to you."
"That's more like it." She smirked.
"No it's not, that stuff bores the crap out of you." He replied.
"You're what 17? You think you can excite me?" She asked laughing.
"I think I already have." He whispered huskily into ear.
Her eyes widened at his boldness and followed him as he left the restaurant. She glanced around to make sure no one saw her and then quickly followed him out.
Elena giggled, a little buzzed from all the wine she had consumed with dinner.
"I don't get it where are we going?" She asked again tugging at her blindfold.
"Soon," Damon said speeding up.
He parked in front of the house and opened her door taking off her blond fold.
"It's like finished!" She exclaimed looking at the house with wonder.
"Just needs doors, windows, paint, the finishing stuff." He said kissing her head. "It won't be long now."
"This is great." She exclaimed walking towards the house.
"Wait." He said stopping her and scooping her into his arms.
He carried her over the threshold and set her down when they were inside. He looked at her with a strange expression.
"That didn't feel right did it?" He asked.
"What?" She said looking confused.
"That, carrying you over the threshold." He explained.
"Well we don't have a door yet." Elena offered still looking confused.
"That's true. But when we do...and I carry you over that threshold for real." He stopped and locked eyes with her bending down to one knee.
Elena's mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wet as she gazed back down at him.
"I was hoping that I would be able to do that with you as my bride." He pulled something out of his pocket, and Elena felt her knees get weak, "Yes…" She started tears falling down.
"Wait I'm not done asking you yet." He said smiling; she laughed and took his hand.
"Elena Gilbert." He said staring into her eyes. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't ever forget how lucky I am. I love you so much, will you marry me?" He said one tears falling from his eye.
"Yes!" She exclaimed immediately. "Oh Damon."
He took her hand and placed a beautiful princess cut diamond ring on her hand. It was a large but simple diamond in a gold band. It fit her perfectly.
"I love it. I love you." She exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. "I get to be your wife."
"God Elena you've made me so happy." He said pulling her in closer to him. He kissed her deeply and passionately entwining his fingers in her hair.
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