Three weeks ago.

Three weeks was all it took for his life to crumble. He only wished he knew that then.

"Damon! Are you ready?"

"Give me a minute, Blondie."

Caroline rolled her eyes she was sitting on the small couch near the entrance waiting for Damon to finish getting ready. You know how they say that women took forever to get ready? Well obviously, whoever 'they' were they never met the Salvatore Brothers.

Damon made his way down the stairs grabbing his hat from Caroline and giving a small spin arms spread so she could take in his appearance.

"Well?"

"About time. We need to go get Stefan before we head to the Fells B&B."

Damon nodded sighing he didn't want to go out. The Fells were having a gathering as the first round of tourists came into town as a way to increase tourism through some Southern hospitality or some nonsense.

"Chili? You do know that half the town will probably be taking chili." He told her taking the pot from her as they made their way to the house next to theirs where his brother lived.

"Stefan stop fixing your hair and get out here!" Caroline yelled taking a step back as the door opened the younger Salvatore brother stepping outside and locking the door behind him.

"I'm here let's get going." Looking the couple up and down he nodded at their appearance.

"You two look lovely. Really Caroline how did you manage to wrangle Damon into wearing those pants. And a tie too! Wow."

"That was all him believe me."

Stefan looked at her clearly not believing her and she gave in. "Fine I gave him options, but he picked that one so technically it wasn't all me."

"Thought so."

"Oh, shut it. I can dress up too."

"Not saying you don't but it really is a change from your work pants."

"We're farmers Stefan. I am not going to muck out stalls in monkey suits. For one I'd end up ruining them and two Blondie here would end up killing me."

"Probably yeah you should know better by now." She said interrupting the brother's back and forth.

"You are never going to let that go, will you?"

Caroline shook her head not bothering with a verbal response as the trio kept walking.

"Is this about the shoes?" Stefan asked smiling as his brother groaned and glared at him for starting the tirade all over again.

"Seriously he should have known better than to wear his nice boots outside."

"They weren't that- "

"They were covered in mud and scratched up!"

"I didn't know it was going to rain!" Damon sighed he remembered that day he was late to meet Stefan to put up fences on the perimeter around their property. He couldn't find his working boots so he just grabbed whichever were the closest which ended up being the ones he used for special occasions and well it rained and he managed to accidentally scratch them when he tried to wipe them on one of the wood posts he was using for the fence. Then that stupid dog decided to jump on him its lower legs stepping on his shoes and nails scratching them further.

Caroline sighed and turned to Stefan, "How did you manage to get a sitter for us?"

"Annie needed the money, I thought I'd help her out."

"That's sweet and it certainly helps, but Damon and I will chip in too. I mean she is watching our baby after all."

"You can just pay me back by inviting me to dinner."

"You are always at our place anyway," Damon said laughing.

"Look. Just don't worry about it. It's only two cents an hour. We will only be gone for at least three to four. It's fine.

"Okay."

"Besides we won't have to worry about money soon enough. You and Damon are going to the bank tomorrow to see if you can get another loan and it'll be fine."

Caroline nodded trying not to think of how much money they still had to pay back. They were drowning and she tried to keep up with the bills, but the past winter killed the crops and their luck at fishing was worse, so they had almost nothing to take to market and sell.

"And here we are," Damon said as they finally reach the B&B. The rooms were spread out like cabins but there was one main room for dining and check-ins.

Damon nods to his brother to open the door as his hands are occupied with the chili and the group enters Damon immediately heading to one of the long wooden tables to place the chili among the others.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors. We are here today to welcome the folks from The City. We may be a small community, but there is…"

"Boring." Damon said zoning out and kicking his brother under the table "I'm going to find something to drink."

Caroline shushed Damon and Stefan shook his head, "They won't have any alcohol. It's a town event."

"I'll find some."

"It's okay Stefan just let him." She told him shaking her head as Damon had already left.

"You'd think that dating the daughter of a former sheriff that he would follow the law."

"No one follows that law and those who say they do are lying."

"True, but we're discreet about it. Also, Lexi told me that there are talks on raising the amount of bail to decrease consumption." He said remembering what his friend had told him. Alexandria or Lexi by her friends worked transferring calls in city hall. She was also married to the Sheriff, Matthew Donovan an old family friend of Caroline's. So, in all Lexi was usually well informed.

"There may be talks, but something that I learned is there is a difference between having laws and enforcing them. Father never enforced any laws that were not fair. Not to say he turned a blind eye, but he was lenient."

"Your father was a good man, almost no one disliked him as Sheriff."

"Yeah."

Stepping into the B&B Elena looked around a small grimace on her face that quickly was replaced with a smile when she saw the Mayor heading towards a small group of fellow travelers near her. She managed to get there right after the speech not that she was particularly eager to hear it.

She was here to work on her writing and get away from her overbearing brother who got it into his head that he wanted to go to The West and be a cowboy and help fight the Indians. It was ridiculous and she refused to acknowledge him until the phase passed.

She nodded along with the rest of the city folk to what the mayor said to them and discreetly looked around the room there had to be someone here interesting to talk to.

Her eyes fell on a dashing young man with dark black hair and the most alluring blue eyes she had ever seen. He seemed quite fit. They didn't make them the same in The City. Countrymen were hard workers. Laborers. He was probably a carpenter or a farmer. Either way, he seemed as bored as she was so she decided to approach him.

"Hello, I'm Elena."

Damon sighed he couldn't find Mason anywhere. No Mason equaled no booze.

"Ahem." He turned to the women about to tell her that unless she had any alcohol he wasn't interested, but as he looked up, he found himself entranced by her beauty. She had doe brown eyes, a kind smile short hair up to her shoulders as was the current fad in the city. She was wearing a short cream-colored dress that went to her knees showing off her legs, she also had a black shawl with her and was wearing black high heels.

Noticing he was probably gawking he cleared his throat and smiled, "Hi, I'm Damon."

"So, are you as bored as I am?"

He laughed, "You don't know the half of it."

"How long do these events usually last?"

"It depends, it usually picks up once the music starts. If you don't mind me asking, why come here?"

"Needed to get away to get some peace and quiet and what other place than here?"

He nodded; he could tell there was more to it than that, but he wasn't going to push. He needed to-

"Want to get out of here?"

Damon's eyes widened in shock for a second wondering if he was thinking out loud.

"Yeah."

"Well you could walk me back to my room, I'm starting to feel a bit faint." She said smiling.

He laughed at the excuse to leave but shook his head. "I think my wife would probably have a problem with me walking beautiful women to their room."

Elena smirked overlooking the wife part and focusing on the beautiful women. "You think I'm beautiful?"

Realizing his slip he wanted to backtrack but instead just decided to address the matter. "You are very beautiful, but I should be getting back to my wife. I hope you can find the peace you came for."

Damon nodded at her his way of saying goodbye before walking off to find his wife.

Elena frowned that was definitely not what she expected. No one had ever rejected her before. Wife or no wife. Oh well, he was just a dumb handsome countryman. She thought before making her way out of the hall to head to her chambers she didn't feel like staying and she could find someone to warm her bed tomorrow.

Next day.

Damon rose from bed frowning as he noticed the morning light fluttering through the window. He turned to look to his wife, their legs were tied together one of hers in between his, her head resting on his chest and her arm around his waist hugging him. He smiled and started to play with her hair letting her sleep for a few more minutes.

"That feels nice."

"Good morning."

Caroline smiled looking up at him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Good morning." She told him back as she untangled her legs and moved to get out of bed. "What time is it?"

"Around nine. Don't worry the meeting isn't till noon we have three hours."

"We should still get ready." She said picking out her clothes and heading to the bathroom to shower.

"You know if we take showers together that will cut the water bill in half." He said to her picking out his clothes and laying them on the bed then went to check the crib. He couldn't be sure yesterday but now he knew that their baby girl probably stayed up way past her bedtime she would have been crying otherwise.

"Really? Hmm, I think it'd be the opposite." She responded looking through the closed door.

"We will have to try it out and see who's right."

He could hear her laugh, "Another time."

"How about tomorrow?"

Caroline opened the door her head peeking out, "Are you being serious?"

"Why would I not be?"

"You want to schedule a shower together."

"I don't want to. I would love to." He replied cheerily pulling off his shirt and heading for the bathroom. Grabbing the naked blonde and pulling her flush against him.

"Damon, we don't have time."

Damon pushed her hair behind her ear placing a kiss on the spot between her collar bone and neck Giving in for a second, she raised her head giving him more access to kiss her.

"Bonnie is outside, what if she wakes up? Not to mention Stefan."

"Darling, please don't mention my brother when we're naked."

She gave him a look, "I'm serious. Ste- your brother barges in here all the time."

"We haven't been caught before."

"We've come pretty close and just because Stefan didn't see anything, we both know he heard everything."

"I should have been an only child."

Caroline laughs wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You know for not wanting to you do seem pretty eager." One hand had started massaging her left breast while the other was making its way down between her legs causing her breath to hitch.

"You're evil."

"You love it." He said flicking her nipple and rubbing her clit at the same time.

She let out a moan, "Damon."

"Shh, blondie."

He placed a kiss to her neck his hand switch to her right breast and fingers sliding to her lower lips teasing her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore, welcome right this way." The couple had finally made it to the bank Stefan staying behind to take care of their little Bonbon.

"Hello, John," Damon said a smile on his face.

"Please let's keep this professional, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon's eyes widened as he shared a look with his wife.

"Is there a problem John."

John sighed and took a seat. "Damn it, Damon, don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"Just spit out."

"Mr. Robbins please what is it?"

"The bank is going to deny your loan." He replied with a forlorn look on his face.

"What why?"

"Why! Mr. and Mrs.- ""Just shove off with the mister and missus just tell us, John. Why are you denying our claim?"

"I am not, the bank is."

"You are the bank."

"Yes, and unfortunately I can't give you another loan. You still haven't paid back the last one and unless you do or start offering up some sort of collateral. I'm sorry Damon."

"You want to take our farm."

"I don't."

"Bas- ""Damon stop. Thank you, for being honest with us Mr. Robbins. What can we do?"

"The only thing you can do is continue paying off your last loan."

"How long do we have?"

"The sooner the better. If you can pay half before the start of the new year it would be good. After that, we can put you on a monthly payment plan, and hopefully, you can pay it off by this time next year."

"But how? We don't have enough to scrounge up half."

"Raise the prices of your crops on the market. Take them to The City they love fresh produce, perhaps you can find a restaurant owner and make a deal to deliver your vegetables to them."

Damon scoffed, "That's ridiculous! We can't raise our prices they'll just go buy someone else's."

"I'm sorry."

"Sure. Thanks for nothing, Robbins. Let's go, Caroline." Caroline sighed and stood nodding to Mr. Robbins and following Damon outside the bank grabbing his arm

"Damon, stop."

"Idiots the lot of them."

"Damon."

"He is!"

"Yes, he is, but you can't go and tell him that can you."

"Watch me."

Caroline sighed and took his hand bringing it to her lips. "We will make it through together! We can plant more. Sell the horses."

"We can't sell our horses!"

"Well sell the pigs then whatever we have to. We will get through this. We don't even have to sell all of them we'll keep two of each one male and one female."

"What like fucking Noah's ark. I don't think so."

"Damon, calm down. Let's go home. We should all talk this through together. You, me, and Stefan."

Damon let go of her and sighed kicking at the dirt road. "You go on."

"Damon."

"You talk to Stefan; I'm going to find Mason."

"Are you seriously thinking of getting a drink, right now?"

"Yes."

"Damon, let's go home and talk first."

"What is there to talk, Blondie. Fucking Mr. Robbins is going to take our fucking farm and there is nothing we can do about it. Half by the end of the year! Why doesn't he just chop off my arms."

"Damon please don't say that."

"Caroline the loan was for $800 even if we scrounge up all the cash we can, we won't make half of that by the end of the year. We'd have to sell every cow, every chicken every horse. Practically everything and by then we won't even have a farm because there'd be nothing left."

"No, we can do this. We will Damon. We will and you'll see. Look I am going back in there to talk to Robbins about getting some more time."

"It won't work."

"Whether it works or not I am going to try. I'll bring out the tears if I have to let's see if that bastard will deny a crying woman."

Damon smiled and shook his head, "Blondie it won't- "

"Stop saying that. Now let me go in there and try. You go on and take a walk I'll meet you back home."

Damon sighed and nodded as Caroline gave him a quick hug and peck and made her way back into the bank.

Damon sighed as he sat on a rock outside Mason's room in the B&B.

"He's not there."

Damon looked up to see the brunette from the other night.

"Nope, but he'll come back."

Elena smiled she wasn't going to talk to him, but she was curious about what he was doing in the B&B."

"Why do you need him?"

"Do you know, Mason?"

"Not really. I heard he was some distant cousin to the Mayor or something."

"He is one of the Mayor's nephews."

"I heard he was a what was is it, rumrunner?"

Damon laughed, "Something like that?"

"You know if you want a drink, I might have something back in my cabin."

Damon looked at the woman, "I don't really think- "

"Just a drink, nothing else besides I don't really know anyone here. I could use the company."

"I thought you came for the peace and relaxation of the country?"

"I did… but I found out that peace is boring."

"After the world war, I doubt many would agree with you."

"Perhaps. So, what do you say?"

Damon sighed he did really need a drink, but he doubted it would go well if he was caught alone with another woman in a cabin on the Fell's B&B.

"I would love a drink if I thought that was the only thing you were offering."

"Did you hear me offer anything else? Sometimes a drink is just a drink. But I understand, it's your ball and chain isn't it?" She said teasingly, "She has you on quite the leash."

"You don't know us, and it's not like that."

"Well come on then one drink. I promise I won't bite, I just. It's lonely out here. It's always been me and my brother, but he is mad at me so I thought I would give him some space and I miss him. I swear I just need someone to talk to please."

Damon looked into Elena's eyes she seemed honest. "One drink."

A/N :

Hey everyone!

Sooo I'm gonna start this by saying I'm a hypocrite for being annoyed by the time jumps in TVD and then writing time jumps here but well whatever I don't care. I ended up wanting to write about the event leading up to Damon/Elena so here is the beginning of when Elena arrived. Also I should mention that originally I was only going to make the is a four chapter story (Just focusing on the scenes of the film) but I just wrote and wrote so now this story will have a total of tweleve/ thirteen chaps. It will go back and forth to the past and the present. Remember that the present will all take place in the same day one event after another separated by chapters of the past. So yeah thats how its going to go next chapter will continue from the last one with Care and Damon at the Church.

I also want to give a shout out to daroline and Rosewellian1984! Thanks so much for following/favorting and reviewing I hope you guys liked this chapter.

I hope everyone reading liked it too and if you have any questions or just like the story feel free to let me know. Care and Damon are still somewhat strong but as you already know the future Daroline will be... not dead per say but... dying slowing while Delena starts at least in the Past in the Future it'll just be pure Daroline drama/angst and fluff. Also I want to address that I won't write full on smut I'll just tease you guys a little bit lol sorrynotsorry.

Now about updates last time I said i had a tone of hw still do i split my time with this and hw cause i couldn't put this story down. Anyway since I posted today sunday i won't post till Wensday/Thursday like I said in the previous A/N so i have time to work on my academic stuff. I'm thinking of posting two times per week so if I do that the final chapter will be posted some time around the first week of November.

Okay one more thing and then I'm gone I swear! so I love Klaroline but I started looking for good Daroline fics recently to get inspiration and get the feel of a damon/ care dynamic and was wondering if ya'll had any recommendations i don't care if its friendship or romances as long as it Daroline. If you do think of something feel free to send me a PM and I will check them out.

Thanks again.

Till next time!

~Agent C