Welcome, welcome TVD fans.
This is a alternate universe story, that is loosely based on another television series I love, Gilmore girls.
I hope you enjoy!
"Rise and Shine".
Thirty-two-year-old Elena Gilbert hid beneath her covers on her bed, curled into a ball—as if that was going to make her camouflage to the only other person in the room, oh how badly she was mistaken.
"It's time to greet the day".
Elena groaned as she felt her body being shaken from the other side of the blanket, and debated murder, of some sort—though she was sure she would live to regret it.
"It's a beautiful day".
"Go hug a land mine" Elena managed to choke out.
"No more Golden Girls for you before bed".
Elena smiled, ripping open the blanket, and jerking her sixteen-year-old daughter down on to the bed with her, pulling the covers over top of both of them.
Amelia Salvatore-Gilbert.
Mia.
Elena smiled at her fifteen-year-old daughter who was laughing at her mother, who took it upon herself to hold the teenager captive beneath the covers.
"You're a morning person," Elena said. "I don't know where you get that from".
"Maybe dad"?
Elena kicked the covers off of the two, and the bed. "Fat chance," she said. "Your dad would sleep in a coffin if you let him".
"Bad mental imagine currently infecting my brain".
The two laid in Elena's bed, looking up—watching the ceiling fan spin above their heads. It was no secret, the two looked more like sisters than mother and daughter, they heard it time and time again, but that's what happens when you have a baby before you even graduate high school.
Elena had a million regrets in her short life, she couldn't count them all on one finger, but the one thing she doesn't regret—Mia.
At the time of her pregnancy, Elena thought becoming a mom at sixteen would live to be her biggest regret. It was the situation imaginable to a young teenager, at the time that was, she was scared and young, but from the second she held her newborn baby in her arms, life was never the same. She had been smiling ever since.
Elena could still replay her parent's reaction over and over in her head, they were—less than thrilled. She ruined everything, her reputation—their reputation, the horror.
It was humorous to her now, mainly because she barely spoke to her parents, twice a year at most—which she did everything within reason to get out of their Thanksgiving and Christmas functions. But, it was Mia who begged to go, every year, and every year Elena sucked it up and sucked it in to fit into the only dress she owned that her mother deemed "appropriate" for a social gathering.
That she didn't find funny.
"Alright," Mia said bouncing up on the bed, on to her knees. "Get up," she told her mother, pulling her by the arm.
"It's Saturday" Elena moaned. "And it's eight in the morning—why exactly would I get up"?
"Because I'm asking nicely".
"This is nice"? Elena asked sitting up. "I would hate to see what you would be like if I got on your bad side—it'd be like pissing off Lotso in Toy Story".
Mia rolled her eyes. "School starts Monday—and you said we were going to buy my school supplies".
"That's what this is about"? Elena asked, arching an eyebrow. "We have all of today, and tomorrow to buy everything".
"I get my notebooks from a different place I get my pens and my pencils, and I need a new school bag—which is bought from a completely separate place, than everything I just listed" Mia told her mom. "Then I have to come back here and make sure I have everything, I need to—you know people and forget things, what if I forget something? Then I have tomorrow to go out and get that".
Elena stared at her daughter, not blinking. "You're a freak".
Mia stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Twenty minutes—you have twenty minutes to be ready, if not we're leaving the house and you'll be wearing those shorts that say juicy on your butt," she said. "And you know they just got a new bag boy—the one that says he has a thing for older women".
"I live in a cruel, cruel world".
Mia smiled as she backed out of her mom's room. "Maybe I can give him your number".
"You're not funny"!
Even despite having said it, Elena laughed, as did her daughter as she left the room.
It wasn't too long after—forty-five minutes to be exact, that Elena finally emerged from her bedroom—in a pair of jeans that were just a little too tight and a top with a band her favorite boy band on the front, not that it mattered.
"You're daughter is relentless".
Elena turned to see her roommate, and one of he oldest and dearest friends—Caroline walking out of her room, her bathrobe tied around her, and only one house shoe on.
"I don't know about kids today—but no meant no when I was growing up," Caroline said as she approached the steps. "And my mom told me never to give in to peer pressure".
"How did that work out for you"? Elena asked as the two began walking down the steps.
"Better than you," Caroline said. "My strip never turned pink".
"Touché".
The two had no sooner reached the bottom of the staircase when a phone was shoved in their face, a cordless. "It's for you—it's the Inn," Mia said.
"You're going to have be more specific," Caroline said. "Is it a chef problem or is it a management problem"?
"Something about a roasting duck".
Caroline moaned taking the phone and pressing it to her ear as she walked away.
Elena was smiling but when she looked back over at her daughter, she was not.
"What"? Elena asked.
"Is that what you're wearing"? Mia asked pointing to her mother's outfit.
"Well—it's on my body," Elena told her, sarcastically. "So, I'm going to go with—yeah".
"Can't you ever dress like a normal mom"?
"And what exactly do normal moms wear"? Elena asked. "Plaid and bow ties"?
"Mom".
"I have a suite upstairs that just screams I'm a normal mom—but I lost the pants," Elena said clicking her tongue. "But, who needs pants—I can go change".
"No," Mia said grabbing her mom's arm. "What you're wearing is fine".
Elena smiled as she wrapped her arm around Mia, as the two made their way towards the kitchen. "For what it's worth—I had a normal mom," Elena said. "Well, that's a bit of a stretch, but she a skirt every day and had high tea and brunch—totally sucked".
"Is that why you got pregnant"? Bonnie asked as the Gilbert-Girls walked into the kitchen. "Your parents sucked"?
"Well, it wasn't for lack of boredom," Elena said walking over to the cabinet, pulling a couple of packs of pop tarts out. "My parents—weren't the best, but they were never dull".
"Coffee"? Bonnie asked holding the pot up, although the eye roll from Elena was answer enough.
"I have to go to the inn" Caroline moaned as she walked in, slamming the phone down on the counter. "My Sous-chef, I fired her".
"Caroline, that's the third this month" Elena complained. "I can't keep hiring people so that you can fire them".
"I need things done right—and she wasn't doing them right" Caroline moaned. "My kitchen needs order and —".
"This coming from the woman who burnt her eyebrows off," Bonnie said as she sipped on her coffee.
"Don't forget about the second-degree burn on her hand?" Elena said as she poured Caroline a mug full of coffee.
"Remember when she cut herself"? Mia asked. "What was that ten stitches"?
"Sixteen" Caroline corrected her. "That's not the point".
"What exactly is the point"? Elena asked. "That you want someone as destructive as you"?
"Say what you want—but I don't see either of you complaining about my cooking," Caroline said as she stole Elena's pop tart.
"Hey"!
"Go make Stefan feed you," Caroline said. "I have to go to work".
Mia laughed as she sat at the table, watching her mother and her two roommates.
"Want to join us"? Elena asked looking over at Bonnie.
"I'd love to—except I have a house showing in an hour," Bonnie said. "Doesn't matter though—no one is ever going to buy it".
"Why"? Mia asked.
"It's the mansion over on Brooks Lane," Bonnie told her. "No one around here could afford it around here—the place needs its own zip code".
"Maybe one day we could buy it," Mia said looking at her mom.
"First thing on my list once that money tree starts sprouting in the back yard," Elena told her daughter. "Come on—let's go".
Mia rolled her eyes but followed her mom towards the door, and the two made their way into Elena's car, before driving into town.
When the car stopped Mia looked out her window, and she pouted. "Seriously"?
"I just have to check on a few things" Elena promised. "If you complain—I'll put you right to work".
"Two words, Labor Laws," Mia said as the two climbed out of the car.
"Three words, I don't care," Elena told her.
Mia followed her mother into the Inn, and despite looking how she looked, Elena made her way directly behind the counter.
"Twenty minutes—I promise," Elena told her daughter, who stood arms crossed.
"Room fifteen—the bed needs to be turned down," Lexi told Mia pointing over her shoulder.
"Does no one care about child labor laws around here"? Mia asked.
Elena looked at her assistant manager and smiled. "I'll cut it down to fifteen minutes if you disappear—and take some chocolates to put on the bed".
Mia grabbed a handful and took the badge from behind the counter before walking off.
"She makes it to easy to torture her" Lexi said grinning.
"My messages"?
Lexi pointed. "Office—you also got something in the mail after you left yesterday, I laid it on top".
Lexi followed Elena into the office and watched as her co-worker nearly froze at the sight in front of her.
"What"? Lexi asked.
"It's from that school—Chilton" Elena said picking the large envelope up. "Mia applied months ago".
"Open it".
Elena reached out, and she wanted to open it right away, but the concierge walked in.
"The bride from the Donnelley wedding— is having what I can only assume is a meltdown," he said.
"Again"? Lexi asked.
"Something about Swans".
"When I took this job I never thought I would be a freaking wedding planner," Elena said grabbing the envelope and sticking it in the deep dark halls of her purse.
"Don't complain it worked out for JLo, she got to make out with Matthew Mcconaughey for an hour and a half" Lexi said following in behind her boss.
"Yeah, yeah".
"Oh, here's this" Lexi said handing Elena a post-it, ignoring her comment.
"What's this"?
"I'm assuming you're going to Stefan's—that would be my lunch order," Lexi said. "And tell if it won't kill him, I'd like my fries warm this time".
Elena laughed, sticking the post-it inside her purse before making her way around to the back.
"It looks like Martha Stewart's love child," Elena said looking around, feeling semi nauseous before making her way over to the bride—she knew it was the bride by the amount of mascara flowing down her cheeks. "What seems to be the trouble"?
"Look," the bride said holding her hand up pointing.
"Swans—they're beautiful," Elena said smiling.
"I ordered a dozen mute swans".
Elena proceeded to count the white birds she saw but was abruptly cut off before she reached the end result number.
"There are twelve" the bride screamed. "That's not the problem".
"These are Whopper Swans—do you know anything about Whopper's"? The woman behind the bride asked, who Elena could only assume was the mother.
"Well—I know that Burger King serves the best," Elena told them.
"I am getting married—tomorrow," the bride said, crying. "And I don't even have the right birds".
"Okay, here's what we'll do—I know a guy," Elena said. "I'll call him and I'll have twelve mute Swans here before this afternoon—I'll send some guys out here to collect the—birds, it is all taken care of".
The bride stopped crying, which was shocking enough, but Elena took the opportunity to walk away, meeting Lexi at the top of the deck.
"Where do you rent swans"? Elena asked her.
"What"? Lexi asked, praying that she heard her wrong—but only in another lifetime could she have misheard Elena.
"I need you to make some calls—I need twelve mute swans here before this afternoon," Elena told her.
"As in—speechless birds"?
"I don't know," Elena said shrugging. "All I know is they have Burger King swans and they aren't the right ones".
"Fifteen minutes is up".
The two turned around to see Mia standing in the doorway.
"What do you know about mute Swans"? Lexi asked Mia. "Are they—mute"?
Mia scoffed. "No, just less vocal than others," she said.
"Damn it," Lexi said walking away.
"I just have to—".
"Go," Mia said interrupting her mom. "I did three rooms already, can we go"?
Elena looked at her daughter. "I guess I can make my calls when we get to the diner," she said. "Maybe you can play a game of twenty questions with your uncle".
"He hates that".
Elena smiled. "I know—better make it fifty questions, just for fun".
Mia laughed, fifteen minutes later the mother-daughter duo walked into the local diner, Salvatore's.
"You see if we had been here thirty minutes ago, we would have had the good seats," Mia said crossing her arms.
"The bar works just fine," Elena told her, guiding her daughter to the bar, where they both climbed on top of a stool, grabbing a menu as if they both needed it.
"Coffee"?
Elena looked up at Rose, the one and only waitress here at the dinner, and Elena smiled. "As if you have to ask".
"Hold it".
They turned to see Stefan pointing his finger from around the corner. "How many cups have you had this morning"? He asked.
Elena looked at her life long best friend, and nibbled on her bottom lip. "How many dates have you been on in the past year"?
Stefan narrowed his eyes at her. "I suppose you're going to tell me you have had as many cups as I have dates".
Elena scoffed. "No, I like coffee more than you like sex".
"Virgin ears," Rose said pointing the hand that was holding the coffee pot at Mia.
"Oh, that's right I forgot," Elena said turning to face Mia. "There comes a point in every young woman's life that she gets these urges—".
"Oh, my god" Mia said scrounging her face. "I'll take french toast with a side of eggs and bacon, please".
Elena held out her mug. "I'll take coffee".
"You have issues," Stefan told her as he watched Rose pour her a cup of coffee.
"You both have issues," Rose said.
"You do realize I'm your boss"? Stefan asked her. "I could fire you at the snap of my fingers".
"Yeah—why don't you give that a try, and see how hard I am to replace".
"Finding someone who isn't dark and gloomy and actually works—could be a change of pace around here".
"It'd be a shame if I accidentally spilled this scorching hot coffee all over your favorite body part," Rose said holding the coffee pot up, gesturing towards Stefan's bottom half.
"Could you do something useful"? Stefan asked holding his hand out. "Like serve the rest of the waiting customers".
Rose rolled her eyes but walked away.
"And if you could do it like you love your job that would be great" Stefan called to her.
"I'm no actress" Rose said, shrugging as she walked away.
Elena laughed. "You act like you pay her a couple thousand by the hour," she said. "She is the prettiest thing in here—".
"You act like I'm not standing right here".
"I stand by my previous statement," Elena told him, grinning.
"I'll get your breakfast," Stefan told Mia, ignoring her mother. "And I'll add an extra something—since you're my favorite customer".
"You only say that because I'm your niece".
Stefan nodded. "No disagreements".
Not long after Stefan brought out a plate, filled with food—more food than the teenager had ordered, but she proceeded to eat it anyway.
"Where are you two off so early in the morning"? Stefan asked as he refilled Elena's cup.
"This is early"? Mia asked her uncle, mouth full of food.
"No. But, it's early for her," he said pointing at Elena.
"I feel slightly insulted," Elena told him. "But, just slightly".
"Back to school shopping," Mia said ignoring her mother.
"She has lists and a schedule," Elena said sipping out of her coffee mug.
"Which we are behind on by the way, in case you're wondering," Mia said.
"Back to school shopping"? Stefan asked.
Mia nodded. "You should come," she told her uncle. "Can you come"? She asked and turned to her mother "can he come"?
"He is a grown man he can speak for himself—or at least that's what his license and half the women in Mystic Falls say, I have yet to see actual proof".
"Coming from the woma with a hello kitty alarm clock," Stefan said. "That doesn't even work—you're always late".
"It works".
"It purrs—and you don't hear it".
"You act like that's the only reason," Mia told her uncle, smiling.
"You're right—she was late for one period in high school and she has never been on time for anything, ever again".
"You act as though she isn't sitting right here," Elena said, rolling her eyes.
Mia laughed before turning to her uncle. "You want to come with us"?
"Let me go get my wallet and keys," Stefan told them.
"Oh, good—you're paying," Elena told him. "Now you don't have to shop down the dollar aisle," she said, looking at her daughter.
Stefan rolled his eyes before making his way up the stairs and coming down just a few minutes later.
"Cover for me, Rose" Stefan called as he ducked out the door with Elena and Mia.
The three made their way down the street, and into the first store on Mia's list—and turned the teenager loose to buy her heart's desire, leaving Stefan and Elena walking the nearly empty aisle by themselves.
"I can't believe she is going to be sixteen," Stefan said as he watched his niece rummage through the things she needed. "It feels like—".
"Just yesterday I was sixteen showing up at your house crying because your brother knocked me up"? Elena asked.
"I was going to say it felt like just yesterday she was born—but we can go with yours".
Elena smiled. "Have you heard from him—Damon"?
Stefan nodded. "Last week," he said. "He wanted to know what he could get her for her birthday. I told him any book that he couldn't understand".
Elena smiled. "Speaking of—I got a letter today," she said, stopping turning to face him, pulling the envelope out of her purse and handing it to him. "She doesn't know—I haven't opened it yet".
"Big envelopes mean big news," Stefan said, smiling.
"Can you—I can't?" Elena said gesturing at it, as she fiddled with her fingers.
Stefan smiled and ripped the top off, before pulling everything out. "Dear Ms. Gilbert—we are pleased to inform you—".
Elena squealed wrapping her arms tightly around Stefan.
"What's going on"?
The two let each other go and turned to see Mia standing in front of them.
"You're both—happy," Mia said. "Did mom do something slutty"?
"I'm not that happy," Elena said before jerking the papers out of Stefan's hands. "Look—you got in," she said handing her the paper. "That smart people school—you got in, baby".
Mia looked down at the paper, and she read it over and over again, each time thinking it was all going to change—but it never did. "I can't—I got in"?
"I'm so proud of you," Elena said wrapping her arms around her daughter.
"I have been looking everywhere for you—what's going on"? Bonnie asked as she walked up behind the enthusiast gathering.
"Tell her," Elena said elbowing her daughter.
"You remember that school—Chilton, you helped me apply"? Mia asked Bonnie, who nodded. "I got in—it says I can start as soon as Friday".
"Oh, my god" Bonnie said wrapping her arms around Mia. "I'm so proud of you—that's wonderful, and we should celebrate—someplace nice"?
"Someplace nice"? Elena asked.
"I sold the house," Bonnie told them. "So, it's someplace nice for dinner".
"I thought you said no one would buy it"? Mia asked.
"No one around here" Bonnie corrected her. "It's this new family from out of town—the Mikaelson's, they were barely there an hour and offered more than the asking price, it's been on the market for almost ten years".
"That's great," Elena said as they began to check out at the register.
"I wish I worked off of commission," Stefan said. "If I did—with customers like these two—I would never be broke again".
"If you'd like—I could find somewhere else to eat," Elena said grabbing the bag full of school supplies as they made theirs out of the store.
"Yeah, yeah," Stefan said before pointing. "I need some Brussels sprouts".
The three watched as he walked across the street to the farmers market, and they began to follow but the the the sound of a rumbling engine grabbed their attention.
Elena froze in her tracks as a blue 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible came into view from around the corner.
"Oh, my god" Elena said, unable to process anything else but the man behind the wheel.
The car parked, and he—he of all people got out, still looking like he did in high school.
Dark hair.
Leather jacket.
Just one glance and Mia squealed at the sight. "Daddy".
Damon's face lit up at the sight of his daughter running to him, he picked her up and spun her around before sitting her down.
Elena wasn't within earshot to hear what the two were saying, but she could see the excitement on her daughter's face, and the speed her mouth was moving.
"Did she say, Daddy"? Bonnie asked pointing at the tall, dark, and handsome stranger.
Elena didn't answer as her friend followed her over to the car—where her daughter stood with her father. "I see you're still driving that thing around," she said pointing at the car.
"I have a lot of good miles in this baby," Damon said, patting the hood, as he leaned against the car, taking his sunglasses off revealing his baby blue eyes.
Elena looked at Damon, it was hard not to—for anyone, but there he was less than six feet away from her, smiling.
"What are you doing"? Damon asked as he looked at Elena, who had walked over and leaned over his car, glancing into the back.
"I was checking to see if that old broken condom was still back there," Elena told him, turning around to face him.
"Oh, no," he said. "I had it framed. It's on a wall next to your pregnancy test and some model's underwear".
"Eww," Mia said.
Damon wrapped his arm around his daughter, kissing her on top of the head. "I have an idea—you want to go for a ride"?
Mia's head snapped up. "Really"? She asked. "Can I mom"?
"Yeah, what do you say mom"? Damon said elbowing Elena.
"As long as you keep it at a reasonable speed, fine" Elena said, before muttering "I can't exactly say no, now can I"?
Elena said it quietly, but they didn't refrain Damon from hearing it, but he said nothing but simply smirked at the the mother of his daughter.
Mia jumped up and down as she got into her father's car, and Elena watched as Damon hopped in—without so much as opening the door, sliding his shades back on, and the two took off.
Elena stood in the same spot—frozen, unable to take her eyes off Damon's car, no matter how small it got, and even when it disappeared. She was sure she stood there for ten minutes, before Stefan finally walked up behind her, instantly noticing the worry on her face.
"What's going on"? He asked.
"Your brothers in town".
"I hate people".
Caroline Forbes slammed the door shut behind her, tossing her purse and keys to the side aiming for the small table, but watching as it all fell to the floor. She rolled her eyes as she jerked her jacket open, not taking into consideration to unbutton it first, she heard one of her buttons pop off and hit the floor, she didn't pay attention where it landed, she simply threw her head back in frustration as she pulled her jacket off—once again her aim failed her as she cast her outwear towards the coat rack, and watched as it fell to the floor next to her purse and keys.
She threw her hand over her shoulder, as she began walking towards the kitchen—until she felt her feet slide out from beneath her, hitting the floor with a loud THUD.
"Ow"! She cried. "Damn it".
Caroline knew instantly what happened, she slipped—on that damn button.
But, she didn't know what happened next.
Still lying flat on the floor, grasping her pounding head she looked up and saw—blue eyes, the bluest eyes she had ever seen—like an ocean.
"Are you okay"?
The eyes had a voice, a strong voice—sexy.
The stranger helped Caroline to her feet and she looked at him. "Am I in heaven"? She asked, looking at him.
He chuckled. "I think you're still in Virginia".
"Elena? Bonnie"? Caroline called. "There's a young Rob Lowe in the house".
The handsome man chuckled as he helped the blonde towards the kitchen, where she was met by Elena, with an ice pack. "Here—sit down," she said helping Caroline to the nearest seat, next to Bonnie.
"Is anyone going to explain to me why Chase Crawford is in our kitchen"? Caroline asked, looking at the stranger in the doorway.
Elena scoffed. "That's Damon".
Caroline watched as Elena walked over to the counter—and she looked at the man again, Damon, before snapping her head around at Bonnie. "Did she—Damon? As in—baby daddy, Damon"? She whispered.
Bonnie nodded.
"This is Damon"? Caroline asked, this time out loud looking at Elena before snapping her head back at him—Damon. "You-you're Damon"?
"That's what they call me," he said plopping down in one of the seats at the table.
Caroline looked at Stefan, and then back to his brother, and then back to Stefan. "This—this is your brother"? She asked.
"Yes," Stefan said nodding.
"You two are—you're related"?
"That's normally what brothers imply," Stefan said leaning forward. "How hard did your head"?
"You two share the same—DNA"?
"Same dad, different mom" Damon said.
"I don't think that matters, when you're suffering from a concussion" Stefan, told him.
"My, god—your dad has good genes," Caroline said sitting back, looking at the two.
Elena scoffed, and silently gagged as she picked up a piece of pizza, shoving it in her mouth.
"Here, dad" they heard as Amelia walked in with a paper in her hand. "I found it".
"Found what"? Caroline asked.
"My report I wrote last year on Symbolism in Ancient Egypt—dad wanted to read it," Mia said.
"Seriously"? Caroline asked looking at Damon, arching an eyebrow. "Elena normally has to pay me to read those things".
"I was a history minor in college," Damon said shrugging.
"And a law major—that was after he switched from pre-med, but before journalism".
"Then he dropped out" Elena cut in sitting down next to Stefan. "Then he was a bartender—he was a trainer at a gym".
"Advertising agent".
"Real Estate".
"He worked in that warehouse in Jersey, making furniture".
"Or when he worked at the firm with your dad".
"Or that time dad got him a job on wall-street—isn't that when he took Mia to Disney land"?
"Yeah," Elena said nodding. "She was eight—which is only the number of years we have covered, we still have jobs for we have another seven".
"Wow," Caroline said, looking at Damon. "You either really like to work or you really hate it".
"I like to travel," Damon said.
"So, what's your longest career"? Bonnie asked.
"The marines—I was in the military—Mia was two when I joined".
"That was before the bartending" Elena pointed out.
"Well, I think it's cool that he has had a lot of jobs," Mia said folding her arms. "Not everyone is that talented".
Elena—who had been smiling, felt her face drop instantly and as she watched as Mia stormed out of the kitchen. She quickly stood up, to go after her daughter, but Damon stopped her. "Let me," he said.
And he did.
Elena watched as Damon disappeared into the same direction her daughter had done.
"What just happened"? Caroline asked, sitting her ice pack down.
"She's very sensitive—and very defensive when it comes to Damon," Stefan told them.
"Maybe I should—"? Elena began.
Stefan shook his head, cutting her off. "No, he needs to," he said. "And you need to let him".
Damon saw four doors when he reached the top of the stairs, five but he assumed the small door led to a bathroom or closet of some kind.
He opened one door, and knew instantly it belonged to the mother of his child—the mess and the furry alarm clock gave that away in a second.
The second wasn't as messy, but there were still clothes on the floor—next to cookbooks, so that one belonged to the blonde chef, it also helped that there was a picture inside a frame of her with a woman—he assumed it was her mother.
The third—once again messy, also empty, by the amount of nine to five clothes he saw strung around he took his bet on the real estate agent.
Then finally—the last door, and when he opened it the first thing he saw was books—everywhere. That wasn't too shocking. Then he saw his daughter lying on her bed, hugging her stuffed animal—reading.
"Well," Damon said, shutting the door behind him. "You'll be happy to know, you have the cleanest room in the house".
Mia smiled as her father walked across the room.
"May I"?
Damon Salvatore wasn't notoriously known for his manners—actually, he wasn't known for anything except the sexy guy in the cool car, but this wasn't any girl.
This was his girl, the love of his life—and for her, he pulled out all the stops.
Mia gestured to the empty spot on her bed, and he sat down on the edge, looking at her into her eyes, his eyes.
"You know you're mom and uncle Stef, they were just teasing, it's their only form of communication," Damon told her. "That and eating".
Mia smiled, only partly.
"Come on, Ace" Damon encouraged his daughter. "What's eating Gilbert's grapes"?
Mia looked up at her dad, and despite all efforts—and trust her, she tried, she couldn't help but smile, and then laugh.
Damon crawled over her books and sat next to her, wrapping his arm around his teenager, squeezing her tightly.
"Can I ask you something"?
Damon looked down at Mia. "I think you just did".
Mia smiled, but her smile dropped. "Why are you here"? She asked. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you—because I am, but you never come here—to Mystic Falls, have you"?
"Once," he said nodding. "Before you were born, this is where your uncle Stefan grew up, when his mom died I came with dad to get him, but not since".
"Then—why"?
Damon shrugged. "I was driving through Arizona—and I stopped at the Grand Canyon, I've seen it a dozen times, it's beautiful—I was with my girlfriend".
"Pamela"?
"It's Penelope".
"I know—mom calls her Pamela," Mia told him. "She says it looks like she bought her boobs out of Tommy Lee's garage".
"She's sweet, that mom of yours," Damon said, scoffing as he rolled his eyes. "But, anyways we were at the Grand Canyon, she sees this couple with a kid—this family, and she starts talking about having kids one day, the next thing I know she is talking about cribs and breastfeeding—".
"Can you breastfeed with boobs that are more silicone than they are real"?
Mia and Damon looked up to see Elena walking in, with a plate in her hand—full of slices of pizza.
"They aren't—".
"Damon, when she did her swan dive into the pool last summer she went to the bottom of the nine-foot drop, and her boobs stayed up at the surface," Elena said as she sat at the bottom of the bed, crossing her legs.
"Dad" Mia said looking at Damon. "They are—".
"Botched" Elena cut her off. "Half of her was Dolly Pardon, and the other half was Jenifer Anniston".
"Alright—I get it," Damon said laughing. "She won't be around for you two to tease anymore".
"Oh, no," Elena said throwing her hand over her heart. "What ever will I do".
Damon tossed a pillow at Elena, who caught it laughing.
"What happened"? Mia asked, genuinely.
"She was talking and talking, making plans—she wanted a girl," Damon said looking down at Mia.
"What was wrong with that"?
Damon paused looking down at his daughter, running his hand down the back of her head softly, and sighed. "Well" he said his voice breaking just slightly. "I already have a little girl" Damon told her pressing his lips to the side of her head. "One I love very, very much—and as she was standing there talking I wasn't listening—".
"It must be hard to concentrate past those knockers," Elena said.
"Anyways," Damon said, rolling his eyes earning a laugh from Elena. "I missed you, so we broke up and I made my way over here".
"How long will you stay"? Mia asked instantly jumping up.
"As long as you'll have me".
"Really"? Mia asked.
"Really, really" he answered with a smile.
"Then you have to get ready," Mia said. "The town is having this end of summer festival, tonight—you should come, meet all my friends—and there's food, just beware of the punch".
"It's not that strong," Elena said.
"Really"? Mia asked. "Because I seem to remember you wearing your Annie Oakley hat and jumping on a bar dancing like you was auditioning for coyote ugly at last years honkytonk hoedown".
"You know I'm always up for a little mother, daughter bonding," Elena said with half a smile.
"I don't know which I'm more concerned about" Damon said. "The punch—or the fact that I am now residing in a town that has a honkytonk hoedown".
"It's like Babette's Feast," Elena said as she looked around, taking as she reached on to Caroline's plate, and popping an unknown food into her mouth.
"Hey—Stéphane Audran, go get your own food," Caroline said pointing.
"What will they not deep-fry"? Elena asked, holding up the crunchy cookie.
Caroline snatched it out of her hand. "I am a professional chef—I cook veal, Paella, I have five-star reviews for my pan-seared foie gras, people drive for miles just to eat my pomegranate duck—I'm considered one of the top ten chefs in Virginia, I don't cook food like this for many reasons, but mainly because it would be a complete waste of my god-given talent, but that doesn't mean I don't like—love it," she said. "So, if you want to re-enact the scene from meatballs where Fink wins the hot dog eating contest against the stomach, then be my guest, but do it on your own plate".
"And you wonder why you're single" Bonnie commented.
Elena smiled, with a small giggle but her eyes grew wide at the sight of Stefan walking over—with a plate full of food in his hand.
Stefan sat down and laid his plate down. "I got those little red things you two like," he said pointing to Elena and Bonnie.
Caroline threw her hands up, mouth full. "Exactly," she said pointing at Stefan. "He is used to eating food that is unhealthy for him all the time, probably why he has no reason not to offer whatever he is eating".
"What"? Stefan asked, confused.
"You know—when you're cooking, and you taste test as you cook".
"Taste test"?
Caroline looked up. "And that's the difference between a two-star cook and a five-star chef".
"I own a diner," Stefan told her. "I cook hamburgers, if I taste test someone's hamburger then send it out—there's a lawsuit in there somewhere, I'm sure—Wait, I eat at the Inn, you taste my food—eat my food then send it out"?
Caroline rolled her eyes. "No—did you even go to culinary school"?
"No," Stefan said. "I bought the diner with my dead mommy fund—she always wanted to open a diner".
"Okay, fine you win," Caroline said.
"You know—if I hadn't already had a baby with your brother, I would consider marrying you," Elena said, as she continued devouring the food in front of her.
"That's disturbing," Stefan said looking at her.
"Relax," Bonnie said. "She only says that because you feed her and keep her supplied in coffee".
Stefan nodded, truer words had never been spoken.
"Now," Caroline said sucking the juice out of her strawberry with chocolate on it before pointing at Damon. "It makes perfect sense why you got pregnant in high school—just look at him".
"Clearly, she did," Bonnie said.
Elena glanced over her shoulder at Damon, who was twirling his daughter, their daughter, around out on the dance floor.
"He is like the perfect mix of Danny Zuko and Billy Loomis," Caroline said, looking at him.
"You do realize one of those was a psychopath murderer"? Elena asked.
Caroline, who hadn't even heard her friend speak, looked at Elena and said: "I'm shocked you only got pregnant once by him".
Elena rolled her eyes. "We get it—he doesn't hurt the eyes," she said.
"Understatement of the year".
"My God" Bonnie said, dropping her head. "It's not like you haven't seen a good looking guy in your lifetime".
"On the outside of a Hollister bag doesn't count," Caroline said. "Okay, I have to ask—what happened between you two"? She asked, looking at Elena.
"Seriously"? Elena asked.
"All these years I never asked because you never talked about him—unless you was taking Mia to see him or something like that, but you have never talked about your relationship with him—but then he shows up looking up like one of those guys they put in Calvin Klein underwear," Caroline said. "Now—I have to know the reason".
Elena turned to Bonnie, looking for the sensible adult, but found herself alone in all this when her other best friend said: "I know it's not ethical or anything, but I really want to know, too".
Elena took a large gulp of the red punch in her cup, regretting it as she felt the burn flow down her throat, and proceeded to shrug. "There isn't anything to tell other than what you know—I was sixteen and got pregnant by my boyfriend who was in college, and like most young relationships we just went in different directions".
"That's a worse love story than Home Fries," Caroline said shaking her head. "And trust me—that man over there is no Luke Wilson".
"I always thought Luke Wilson was kind of hot" Elena said, shrugging.
Stefan shook his head. "I really need friends with testosterone".
The music echoed through Damon's ear—the music that should be illegal in all fifty states, but that didn't stop this little town from playing it, and it sure didn't stop everyone—his daughter included, from dancing to it. He stood on the edge of what he assumed was meant to be the dance floor, although it vaguely reminded him of a Rubik's cube, and he hated those things.
"I'd be careful with that".
Damon turned around to see his little brother walking over, joining him on the edge of the dance floor.
"That punch is used to remove tar from construction sights," Stefan told Damon as he gestured toward the cup in his brother's hand.
Damon chuckled, he found it slightly funny, until he took his first drink—realizing that his brother wasn't joking. "God," he said as he swallowed the red liquid. "What's in it"?
"Bourbon—a few different types of rum, pineapple vodka, tequila, regular vodka, champagne, a splash of Cherry juice—and the souls of all the men forced to watch Nicholas Sparks movies every year," Stefan told him.
Damon looked down at the drink in his hand, before taking another dreadful sip, though he found the more he drank the better it began to taste. The brothers stood there, for quite some time drinking their non-FDA approved punch—passing meaningless small talk with another, a few jokes—some laughs, catching up with each other as siblings generally do, but in the end, they were both doing the same thing.
They stood there, watching her—then, Elena and Mia, who had turned the dance floor into their own personal shrine. They moved, and swayed, a few hair flips and shimmy's, the more they danced the more it proved that Elena's blood ran deep in Mia's veins.
But, despite her lack of rhythm Mia shined, perhaps that's what made her so special.
Damon smiled as he caught a glimpse of his daughter's baby blue eyes. "She's so smart," he said, as he relived all their conversations from the day.
Stefan didn't have to ask who they were discussing, he knew, because Mia left him speechless in the exact same way, many different times before. "Damon—why are you here"?
Damon looked up, and he wished that was the first time he had been asked that question, but it wasn't. "Why does everyone feel compelled to ask me that"? He asked. "Why can't a father just pop in to see his kid"?
"You can".
"Then why is everyone so concerned with why I'm here—I just missed her, I just missed Mia, that's all. There isn't any reason other than me missing my kid".
"I'm not saying you haven't—you haven't seen her since Christmas," Stefan said. "But, you coming here—to her home, it's a big deal, I just don't want her to get hurt, that's all".
Damon looked at his brother. "Hurt"? He repeated. "Do you honestly think I would hurt the one girl on this earth I actually love"?
Stefan shook his head. "No," he said. "Not intentionally—but I know you, and I know what you're like, and I don't want Mia to fall victim to you and your world".
Damon threw the rest of the liquid in his cup down his throat, clenching the anger that was beginning to pulse through his veins. "What the hell is that supposed to mean"? He asked his baby brother.
"Nothing".
Damon watched as Stefan backed away, but even sober the elder Salvatore was never one to let things go. So, he didn't plan to. He followed Stefan, who had made his way over to the table—refilling his cup.
"Tell me," Damon said. "Tell me what you meant".
Stefan let out a sigh. "It's just—you can't just show up out of the blue then disappear into the night, she isn't one of the many questionable women share a bed with".
"And just like that I'm Patrick Dempsey in Loverboy," Damon said rolling his eyes.
Stefan scoffed. "I just mean—I haven't seen her this excited since she got a signed first edition of the book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Stefan said.
"First edition"? Damon asked. "Signed—who got that for her"?
"You're looking at him".
"What did that cost"?
"More than my car," Stefan said. "The point is—you came here, you showed up, and that means something to her".
"It means something to me, too".
"Does it"? Stefan asked. "Because, when things get hard or real—you run, and it's fine when it's your girlfriend of the season but this is Mia, and her heart matters more than anyone else in the world".
"I don't need a lecture about my own daughter".
"Actually, you do—because I have been here—you're not the one who had to dry her eyes at the Father's Day dance because she had no one to dance with—every single year, or who had to drive ten minutes in the middle of the night because she was convinced there were monsters under who bed—or cooked her chicken noodle soup without the noodles when she was five and had the chickenpox's—and Damon, you're not the one who has to constantly remind her that her father loves her more than anything even though he might not be here to show it".
"Alright," Damon said interrupting him. "I get it—I haven't been the best dad—I was young, I was just a kid when she was born".
"Yeah, and so was Elena—so was I for that matter, look I don't care why you're here, only that you are—so if some wave hits you and you feel the need to go, then you make sure to give her a proper goodbye, when she knows she is going to see you she counts down on this little Calendar, and then half the time something always comes up—just do right by her, okay"?
Damon didn't respond, he wanted to be mad—to be pissed off, he wanted to jump up and just start shouting and yelling at his brother, but the problem was he couldn't. Because, it was all true—no matter how many times he twisted it in his head what Stefan said, it was all true, and he wasn't doing anything except looking out for his niece—and for that, no matter what the circumstances were, Damon had to grateful, thankful.
That's all he could ask for.
Mia walked, side by side—with her parents, not just one of them, but both of them.
Of course, Caroline and Bonnie were behind them, stumbling, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.
This—this was not normal, maybe for other kids but not for her, and no matter how tired she was Mia couldn't wipe the smile off her face, as she held tightly to her father's arm.
"I thought—maybe tomorrow, if you're still here, I could give you a tour of the town" Mia suggested to her father as they made their way to the front door.
Elena, who was unlocking the door, glanced over her shoulder. "That's a good idea," she said.
"I'll be here," Damon said. "Bright and early"?
"No, no bright" Elena said opening the door. "No early".
"Really"? Mia asked. Damon nodded, before his daughter threw her arms tightly around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. "Where are you staying"? She asked.
"Your mom told me the inn where she works has a few rooms open," he said.
"The inn—can't he stay here"? Mia asked turning to look at her mom. "We have a couch—or I could sleep with mom".
"My beds open".
Elena turned to see Caroline with her hand up in the air but dropped it the second her friend narrowed her eyes.
"Or not".
"She's right," Elena told him running her fingers through her hair. "Stay here".
"You sure"?
Elena nodded. "I have to warn you though—she is the worst alarm clock I have ever owned," she said pointing at Mia.
"I'll go take my stuff into mom's room," Mia said, jumping up and down.
"The couch is fine," Damon told her as they all walked inside.
"I'll go get—" Mia began.
"You'll go to bed," Elena told her. "It's late".
Mia pouted but agreed none the less, giving her dad a kiss on the cheek. "Night daddy".
Damon waved to her as she walked up the stairs, followed by Bonnie and Caroline.
"You know," Caroline said, hanging over the railing to the stairs. "She doesn't have to be the only girl in this house that calls you daddy," she said.
"Alright" Bonnie said, taking Caroline's arm and throwing it over her shoulder. "Let's get you to bed—you've had a lot to drink".
"No more than Elena".
"That's what I'm saying".
Elena laughed as the two made their way up the stairs before turning to Damon. "Just so you know—the flirtatious blonde, off-limits".
"What makes you think—"? Damon began but was met with scolding eyes. "Okay, fine".
"Caroline's heart lives in her vagina, and you're not touching either" Elena told him. "Especially with your track record".
"My—what"?
"I'm sure all the women you dated have auditioned for Scarlet's letter," Elena told him.
"What is with you and Stefan tonight"? He asked. "I have a few bad girlfriends—".
"A few"? She asked, before rolling her eyes. "It doesn't matter, Caroline is good—".
"Did you notice she is the one coming on to me in this little twisted scenario"?
Elena nodded. "And she did the same thing with Stefan, it will wear off, but in the meantime, her panties better not come off in your presence".
Damon smiled. "Jealous"? He teased.
"It's hard to be jealous when you were the first," Elena said walking closer to him. "Maybe that's why you haven't found anyone that you can hold on to—it's hard for them to live up to me, I'm kind of a legend".
"And what's your excuse"? He asked. "I'm a legend, too"?
Elena laughed. "I've been raising a kid—not a lot of time for dating—or anything else".
Damon looked down at Elena, and smiled.
And he kissed her.
He blamed it on the punch, he was sure when she kissed him back she did, too.
Sure, it wasn't smart—but Damon didn't do a lot of smart things drunk—or sober for that matter.
Elena felt her back slam up against the stairs, and she wasn't sure how they made it to her bedroom, or when but they did.
Clothes came off.
There was kissing, and moaning—toes curling, and everything in between.
When it was all said and done Elena could only say two words.
"Oh, crap".
Author's note: That is the end of the first chapter, to which I hope you all enjoyed.
As I mentioned above this is is a story based on a show Gilmore girls that I absolutely love, so I am working hard to bring that to life within this story (the wit, the comedy, the movie/music references, etc) but also trying to give the story some sort of originality. I like the fact that even though Elena was a single, teenaged mother she has never raised her daughter alone, and I wanted to truly show that, so instead of having two best friend they all live together.
Depending on what season of TVD I watch depends on if I'm rooting for stelena or Delena, lol. Instead of saying this is going to be a stelena story or a delena story. Especially with the mikaelson family just around the corner. I'm going to just let the flow of the story determine what it's going to be, and take into account what my readers want, so make sure to leave a review.
Each character is loosely based on a character from Gilmore girls, and then I add some. I want to include all my favorite characters in one way or another, example : Lexi works for Elena at the inn, and Rose is a waitress at the diner. As we go further into the story more characters will be introduced in one way or another, they will each be based off of someone, but also based off their original characters from TVD, so they each will be combined with those two characters, except for someone I simply just go on a whim with, like Bonnie for instance. She is not based off anyone except her friend ship with Elena and Caroline because I just couldn't leave her out.
Anyways, enough rambling. Leave a review and let me know what you think! And what's your favorite ship, what you would like to see!