Elena's heart was pounding, the sound rushing in her ears. Her mind was still speeding and emotions coursed through her like a raging river.
She didn't know much except that she was enveloped in this kiss, in the wave of need emanating from Damon. His hands were buried in her hair; he had her body pressed up against his, his chest meeting hers, as the kiss continued. It was searing and deep, almost to the point of being demanding. But to Elena it felt...right. She couldn't explain it, couldn't dwell on it, too many things were all ready whirling inside of her like an unexpected storm.
Damon broke the kiss, finally, and stepped back. He was breathing irregular, eyes closed.
Elena watched him carefully. She tried to calm her pulse and her mind. She wasn't prepared for what happened next.
"Elena," he said, "Stefan makes love to you. Obviously."
Elena was taken aback and a flush crept up into her face. "What makes you bring that up?" she managed to force out, flustered.
"I know you want a baby."
Elena swallowed thickly. "And...?"
"And each time you and Stefan make love I know a part of you feels pain because no matter how many times you try, you'll never get the baby you want."
"That's not true... I have never felt anything but joy when Stefan and I are together," she told him softly.
"Be that as it may, but you know deep down inside, you feel a little pain. I know pain Elena. You can trust me on that. Like when my mother died, or when you choose Stefan. I've caused pain, but I can ease pain. I can stop _your_ pain."
"Damon..." she started, honestly unable to think of something to say.
"Elena, when Stefan told you having a baby was physically impossible, what exactly did he say?"
"Well, he said that vampires can't create life. Even with a mortal, conceiving is impossible. And it made perfect sense, however disappointed it made me."
Damon's eyes opened. "He lied Elena."
"He wouldn't lie to me," she responded fiercely.
"He didn't tell you all the truth."
"I don't understand. Stefan doesn't lie!"
Damon looked at her and shook his head. "He did."
Elena felt at loss. "What are you getting at?"
"Vampires are dead, as you know. Therefore, a vampire wouldn't be able to give the child life. It wouldn't be able to grow since immortality is the opposite of aging. Makes sense right? But that's only with _weak_ vampires."
Elena was stunned. Why hadn't Stefan told her?
Damon continued. "When you were dying back in Katherine's crypt, remember I told you to try and live? To use your will? Strong vampires are able to sustain life most of the time. Only if strong enough. I knew you were nowhere as strong as I was, but not as weak as Stefan, because you had fed off human blood: Matt. So I figured, try. But then I could see you weren't strong enough and you were going to die. But now do you see what I'm saying?"
He smiled at her; lips curving into a genuine smile that made Elena's knees feel weak.
"I can give you what you want. I can give that baby life, Elena."
There was a flaw Elena picked up. "But what would I do with the child then? It would realize I didn't age!"
"Then you let the child choose their Fate. Offer to cross them over, to be immortal. Or let the child go if they wish to remain human...."
She thought about what he had said for a moment.
"I can make that child live. I have the power to."
"We'd have to..." Elena couldn't finish.
Damon's voiced became lower as he said, "Only if you want."
Elena's eyes filled up, and tears slowly spilled out onto her cheeks.
"Damon how? What would I tell Stefan? I don't understand why he," her voice cracked and more tears fell, "why he lied to me." She took a shaky breath. "How could I ever go home without Stefan knowing? I couldn't live with myself if he hated me. He would when he found out I slept with his _brother_."
They both said nothing as Elena stood there in Damon's arms; she had no idea what to do.
She wouldn't ever want to hurt Stefan; after all she loved him more then life itself. Didn't she....?
"Maybe he didn't know. I could always tell him how it works, and he could drink human blood, get stronger, and sustain the baby's life, right?"
Damon didn't speak, instead, bent his head and kissed the places where her tears were lying. His arms slipped around her.
Was Stefan the one she really wanted? She wasn't so sure anymore.
Standing here with Damon, there were doubts. Yes, she felt safe and secure with Stefan, and she felt so at home with him, but this was different. She knew how much Stefan loved her and she really did love him, too. But was love always enough?
With Damon life was above ordinary. She felt drawn to him, and she felt he understood her more than Stefan ever could.
He brought out another side of her. One full of excitement and thrills. He'd awakened things she'd never known were inside.
She'd have to tell Stefan everything and about whom the father was when the time was right. And if he wouldn't be the father then she'd come to Damon.
Elena felt an odd sense of reassurance being held by him and she slowly lifted her head from his shoulder.
"So are you willing to let me help you?" he asked her quietly.
"Yes."
She fell into step besides him as they walked slowly to his car.
She didn't know much except that she was enveloped in this kiss, in the wave of need emanating from Damon. His hands were buried in her hair; he had her body pressed up against his, his chest meeting hers, as the kiss continued. It was searing and deep, almost to the point of being demanding. But to Elena it felt...right. She couldn't explain it, couldn't dwell on it, too many things were all ready whirling inside of her like an unexpected storm.
Damon broke the kiss, finally, and stepped back. He was breathing irregular, eyes closed.
Elena watched him carefully. She tried to calm her pulse and her mind. She wasn't prepared for what happened next.
"Elena," he said, "Stefan makes love to you. Obviously."
Elena was taken aback and a flush crept up into her face. "What makes you bring that up?" she managed to force out, flustered.
"I know you want a baby."
Elena swallowed thickly. "And...?"
"And each time you and Stefan make love I know a part of you feels pain because no matter how many times you try, you'll never get the baby you want."
"That's not true... I have never felt anything but joy when Stefan and I are together," she told him softly.
"Be that as it may, but you know deep down inside, you feel a little pain. I know pain Elena. You can trust me on that. Like when my mother died, or when you choose Stefan. I've caused pain, but I can ease pain. I can stop _your_ pain."
"Damon..." she started, honestly unable to think of something to say.
"Elena, when Stefan told you having a baby was physically impossible, what exactly did he say?"
"Well, he said that vampires can't create life. Even with a mortal, conceiving is impossible. And it made perfect sense, however disappointed it made me."
Damon's eyes opened. "He lied Elena."
"He wouldn't lie to me," she responded fiercely.
"He didn't tell you all the truth."
"I don't understand. Stefan doesn't lie!"
Damon looked at her and shook his head. "He did."
Elena felt at loss. "What are you getting at?"
"Vampires are dead, as you know. Therefore, a vampire wouldn't be able to give the child life. It wouldn't be able to grow since immortality is the opposite of aging. Makes sense right? But that's only with _weak_ vampires."
Elena was stunned. Why hadn't Stefan told her?
Damon continued. "When you were dying back in Katherine's crypt, remember I told you to try and live? To use your will? Strong vampires are able to sustain life most of the time. Only if strong enough. I knew you were nowhere as strong as I was, but not as weak as Stefan, because you had fed off human blood: Matt. So I figured, try. But then I could see you weren't strong enough and you were going to die. But now do you see what I'm saying?"
He smiled at her; lips curving into a genuine smile that made Elena's knees feel weak.
"I can give you what you want. I can give that baby life, Elena."
There was a flaw Elena picked up. "But what would I do with the child then? It would realize I didn't age!"
"Then you let the child choose their Fate. Offer to cross them over, to be immortal. Or let the child go if they wish to remain human...."
She thought about what he had said for a moment.
"I can make that child live. I have the power to."
"We'd have to..." Elena couldn't finish.
Damon's voiced became lower as he said, "Only if you want."
Elena's eyes filled up, and tears slowly spilled out onto her cheeks.
"Damon how? What would I tell Stefan? I don't understand why he," her voice cracked and more tears fell, "why he lied to me." She took a shaky breath. "How could I ever go home without Stefan knowing? I couldn't live with myself if he hated me. He would when he found out I slept with his _brother_."
They both said nothing as Elena stood there in Damon's arms; she had no idea what to do.
She wouldn't ever want to hurt Stefan; after all she loved him more then life itself. Didn't she....?
"Maybe he didn't know. I could always tell him how it works, and he could drink human blood, get stronger, and sustain the baby's life, right?"
Damon didn't speak, instead, bent his head and kissed the places where her tears were lying. His arms slipped around her.
Was Stefan the one she really wanted? She wasn't so sure anymore.
Standing here with Damon, there were doubts. Yes, she felt safe and secure with Stefan, and she felt so at home with him, but this was different. She knew how much Stefan loved her and she really did love him, too. But was love always enough?
With Damon life was above ordinary. She felt drawn to him, and she felt he understood her more than Stefan ever could.
He brought out another side of her. One full of excitement and thrills. He'd awakened things she'd never known were inside.
She'd have to tell Stefan everything and about whom the father was when the time was right. And if he wouldn't be the father then she'd come to Damon.
Elena felt an odd sense of reassurance being held by him and she slowly lifted her head from his shoulder.
"So are you willing to let me help you?" he asked her quietly.
"Yes."
She fell into step besides him as they walked slowly to his car.