A short, sweet chapter that I felt I needed to share before the drama starts again. Turns out the story will be slightly longer than expected...Oh well. As I always say, it is the story that chooses the writer and not the other way around.

A big thank you goes to ThroughMySoul44 for her help on this chapter. Please support her s she writes beautiful stories :)

"I want to see the baby…" Elena said after a while. Damon had been holding her for several minutes, trying to keep her calm as she fed on multiple blood bags. He had explained to her what the deal with Klaus consisted of and she hadn't spoken a word since.

"Elena, I don't think it's a good idea," Damon replied. "Based on what your scent did to me when I found you, you'll end up hurting the baby. He still has human blood inside of him, Elena. His scent will do to you what it did to me, and believe me it is very difficult for a mature vampire to stand it, let alone a newly made vampire."

"I won't hurt our son," Elena said desperately.

"You won't mean to, but you could hurt him," Damon cupped her face. "He's in safe hands, Elena."

"He hasn't even been given a name. He needs his parents!"

Damon's heart broke a little. "I can take you to the main living room. There is a huge window there where you can see our son, but I can't take you to the baby. Elena, you have to understand-"

"I got it," Elena said at last, wiping a tear from her cheek.

Damon took her hand in his, but before they could step out, Damon saw Elijah hurrying towards them.

"So it is true!" Elijah's eyebrows raised in confusion. "My brother wasn't bluffing. He really did bring you back…"

"She's a vampire," Damon added carefully.

Elijah nodded his head. "I know. Klaus told me." He turned to face Elena. "How are you feeling?"

She shook her head slightly. "Thirsty. Incredibly thirsty. But I want to see my son."

"You're taking her to see the baby?"

"Through the glass window in the living room," Damon added quickly. "She needs time."

Elijah nodded his head. "What did my brother get you to do?"

"Excuse me?"

"He couldn't have helped you out of the goodness of his heart."

"That's exactly what he did," Damon lied.

"I'm not a fool, Damon," Elijah spoke in the same firm manner. "I know that my brother is on our side to get rid of Kayla. After this is over, he'll go back to trying to win over the vampire race. He'll take all of your land and the werewolves will be in authority. We won't be living in a pleasant world if my brother's the new governor."

"As I said," Damon lied again. "Klaus helped get Elena back. I have to take her to see our child now."

Damon took Elena's hand firmly and led her outside, not even glancing at Elijah. Elena looked worried, but as soon as she got in the hallway and saw Claire there, looking at her with disbelief in her eyes, her lips curled up into a smile.

"Elena!" The girl squeaked, tears brimming down her cheek, "Is that you?"

Elena ran towards her and Claire opened her arms wide, enveloping Elena in a bear hug. "How are you here? I-I t-thought…Wait, you smell different!" Claire gasped, "You're different!"

"I'm a vampire, Claire," Elena told her, trying hard not to sound too upset, "I'm no longer human."

"What?" Claire asked her in confusion, "H-how?"

"Claire, it's a long story," Damon said gently. "And Elena has to see the baby."

"Of course…" Claire said sheepishly, "I'm sorry…We've been taking care of him. I'll tell Elizabeth!"

"No," Damon said, "Stay with the baby until Elena and I talk to my mother, please."

"Okay," Claire nodded hurriedly.

When Elizabeth saw Elena, she could hardly believe her eyes. She knew that Elena meant everything to Damon and she could see that her son was whole again. Elena was Damon's soulmate, she knew that much.

Damon had then led Elena to the living room and Elizabeth and Claire held Damon and Elena's son high in the air, turning him to face the mirror. At that moment, Elena's eyes filled with tears as she touched the glass, wanting nothing more than to touch and hold their baby. It was hurting her, the thought that she couldn't hold him.

"Joseph," Elena said at last.

"What, sweetheart?"

"Joseph," She said again. "I like the name Joseph. Do you like it?"

"I love it," Damon said with a smile. "Joseph Salvatore."

Days passed by at an agonizingly slow pace, but Elena was hardly feeling any better. She was always thirsty and would down two bloodbags in a matter of five minutes, and at times, two bloodbags were not even enough. Damon tried hard to keep her in check and he succeeded most of the times, but Elena was quite grumpy when she was thirsty. He knew that it was painful for her to go through that, but he needed her to be strong. Both for her and the baby and also because Kayla was still out there and she needed to be destroyed.

"How are you feeling today, Elena?" Elijah asked politely when Elena and Damon walked in.

"Much better, thank you," Elena replied. "In fact, Damon's taking me to see Joseph today. I might actually hold him."

"Good," Elijah smiled genuinely.

"Is there a reason we are here, Elijah?" Damon asked, quite impatiently.

"Yes," Elijah said after a while. "Kayla is still on the loose, Damon, and she still wants to destroy us. We also learnt that Esther, the one who helped you, Elena, was dead this entire time. She was helping you from the grave. Kayla killed Esther because she realised that Esther might help you see the truth."

"What?" Elena asked in disbelief, "I talked to Esther! She couldn't…"

"Esther had that gift," Elijah explained, "She chose to use it to speak to you even in her death. She's resting in peace now."

"How do you know all of this?" Elena whispered.

"We have our ways, our research members," Elijah added shortly. "Our witches are helping us find a way to destroy Kayla and others of her kind. From our research, there is only one dagger that can end Kayla's life. It's a white dagger made of dragon ash, a very powerful dagger indeed. It was buried by Kayla herself and she's the only one who knows where it is, but I believe that we can find it and kill her."

"H-how?"

"As I said, our witches are trying to locate the dagger. I believe that with the right motivation, they can hurry up."

"By motivation you mean violence," Elena accused.

"They are prisoners, Elena," Elijah said stiffly. "They are not vampires."

"I cannot see why we cannot all live together in peace."

"That never worked out," Elijah replied coldly. "It might work for several years but then, one species will always end up trying to destroy the other for dominance. Anyway, this shouldn't concern you. All you need to know is that we are working to get that dagger and get rid of Kayla as soon as possible."

"Thank you," Damon said simply.

"Damon, you still have to pay your debt," Elijah said sternly after a while. "As I said, you two broke the law. I cannot forgive something like that and you know it."

Too tired to argue, Damon just nodded his head. "You do what you have to do, Elijah…but leave Elena out of this."

"Elena has everything to do with this," Elijah reminded him. "But, seeing her genuine character, I'll reconsider setting you both free. However, you shall remain in these quarters until I make my decision."

"Thank you," He said again.

"Now go," Elijah sighed. "Your child needs you."

Elizabeth tried to calm the baby down but Joseph wouldn't stop. She tried everything, from changing his diaper to feeding him, but he wouldn't relent. She was growing worried, but before she could ask for help, Damon entered the room with Elena following closely behind.

"Mom," Damon said after a while, "Elena is ready to hold Joseph now."

Elizabeth looked at Elena, a worried expression on her face.

"I'm okay, Elizabeth," Elena said gently, "I'm in total control. I drank before I came here…I'm fine."

Hesitantly, Elizabeth placed the crying baby into Elena's awaiting arms. When she felt the softness of the baby, who was so small from having being born prematurely and taken care of by magic, her heart broke. Her son-their son was picture perfect. Hell, he even stopped crying when he found himself in her arms!

"Hey, Joseph," Elena cooed softly, the hunger rising at the sight of him and the feel of him in her arms, but she fought it. For Joseph.

Elena gave the baby her finger and she could feel his small hand wrapping around it. He was so small, but so beautiful. Elizabeth had been bathing him with a baby shampoo and his skin was perfectly clean, wrapped in a blue baby blanket.

"Thank you for doing all of this…" Elena told her, tears in her eyes.

"It's my pleasure, Elena," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Honestly."

Elena kissed her baby's face gently. "We got you, Joseph. Your parents are here."

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