Cats are intuitive creatures and Sherlock is among the best of them. In the days that follow that horrible night at The Jungle he hardly leaves Elena's side. He follows her around the house, outside and into the garden too. When she settles on the couch to thumb through a magazine or attempt to read a book or even make half-assed effort to relax, he jumps up and nestles against her side. While she tries to forget, futile as the task may be, he's always on her heels. He joins her in bed as soon as she lifts the covers and she wakes up to his careful paws playing with her nose or the warming sound of his purring.

Since that night, she hasn't been the same. She sleeps a lot and forces herself to work but she does it from home rather than driving into Reno. This way she doesn't have to deal with the day to day mundanity, she trusts Kai and Elijah to take care of whatever may come up.

Her appetite is lackluster at best, she barely picks at her food. Last weekend, Kai raided her house and threw a fit that she's not eating enough. He refused to be pacified and the evening ended with him ordering a king's ransom of pizza. He stayed overnight with her for the sole purpose of making sure her belly was full. She's been in no mood to entertain her friends, or anyone really but she did what he asked and put up with his antics because nothing's more important than the bond of family. She is grateful that she has him. Them.

Rebekah has stopped by a few times too. She made drinks and chatted, sharing her latest escapades but left without fanfare. Her childhood friend knows her well enough to understand that she needs the solitude to come to terms with... everything.

Enzo's at the forefront of her mind all the time, both when she's awake and in her dreams. Could she has been a better friend? Did she miss clues, something, anything that may have alerted her that he was spiraling?

And how can she forget that he's the one who pushed her?

Was there a way to prevent all of the madness? He did it all for her and now he's lost forever. He did it for her.

Every time she looks at Sherlock, looks into his brilliant blue eyes so similar to the man's that brought the kitten into her life, she thinks about Detective Salvatore, Damon too. How can she not?

She hasn't seen him much, not since that night. He was present at her interrogation but most of the questions were fired at her by Detective Saltzman. She didn't fight. It was pointless. Everything is fucking pointless now. She failed her parents in not honoring their greatest wish. She failed her friends, they all fought so hard for her. She failed Enzo, her loyal confidant. She even failed Jeremy, she was his sister, the Gilbert child with all her faculties, and still she couldn't help him to get better.

She failed Damon... Because after all he was right too.

Everything bad that's happened is because of her.

Sitting at his desk, Damon's been staring at the same report on his computer screen for... To say the last few weeks have been a shit show is a massive understatement. The Gilbert case is finally coming to a close, the reports are completed and Damon can breathe a little easier and without having to worry when the next shoe's going to drop. However, he just can't shake the overwhelming fatigue that racks his body. If work wasn't such a circus, he'd probably try to take a few days off to reconnect with his family, he hasn't had any free time to spend with them or Katherine for that matter. He hasn't seen any of them since that night.

His partners are well aware of his gloomy mood, each has their own way of dealing. Luka keeps his distance, giving him space and only speaking when spoken to. Honestly, he can't really fault the kid, he's probably still shaken up about his girlfriend's brush with death. She'll be alright though, no physical scars but the emotional ones will linger. He took the afternoon off when she was discharged to get her home safely. They've made their relationship official, he suspects she'll be looking for a new job soon. Ric is... well, Ric. He can be serious and hardworking and the next minute, he's nagging him about his sour face as he coined it. He means well, Damon knows, hell they both do but sometimes, he just isn't in the mood for it.

"I said, how long are you going to be in this sulky mood?"

Damon raises his eyes from yet another report he's filling out and gives his friend a tight smile. "As long as I have to look at that cheery mug of yours? You're awfully... sober, doesn't suit you."

"Hey! You don't get to turn this around on me. I'm the one who has to put up with your woeful... love slash hate slash murder slash tragic relationship."

"You know what? I'll spare you from having to look at me anymore, I'm going to lunch. Alone."

It certainly doesn't take away Ric's fun. "Why don't you shed the doldrums, get in your car and go talk to her! It would be much more productive and I won't have to put up with this version of you anymore!" he calls after him.

Damon does take his car but Elena's house is not his destination. He takes the first exit that leads him out of town, slowing down to make the road last longer. He passes the big pines and leaves them behind. When he nears his destination, the road winds up to an elevation of about 5000 feet. Dense scrub and pine trees wall it in. Seeing the little cemetery come into view, he pulls in and stops his car, sitting for a few minutes before getting out.

It may be morbid to some but he's always liked coming here, its quiet, peaceful. The dead lay at rest, their grave stones bear the promise of not being forgotten, still it's a promise which is always broken. He likes to visit the old crooked, crumbling grave stones of people who have no one visit or care for them. Some are people that he's brought closure to their families, John Does that finally have a name. Sometimes he leaves a flower on each headstone, other times he simply nods to pay his respect. Time seems to stand still here, the wind unmoving, the birds always quiet like they know.

It's been months since he stood there with his father, the day this damn case started up again. He sits on the grass before the stone and sighs.

"Hey uncle, it's been too long." He knows he may never find out what really happened in those last hours of Adriano Salvatore's life but in a way, he's okay with it, as long as he's able to bring closure to other people, other families that don't know what happened to their loved one. His uncle is the source of his endless drive, inspiration and strength to go on. So he tells him about the case of Jeremy Gilbert and even a bit about the turmoil... in his heart.

The tomb is quiet, as it always is, but he finds it soothing. He knows the answers he's looking for he can only find inside of his own mind. And despite the turmoil residing there, he wouldn't want it any other way. He just needs to be ready.

Ric's gone when he returns and is absent most of the afternoon, Luka with him on a mission. Damon's not exactly sure what came up. He messaged him saying there's no need for him to follow and that he should feel free to finish the reports. Lovely.

It's almost time to go home when his partner finally arrives, hands him a Starbuck coffee, throws himself on his chair, legs on the table and takes a long gulp. "You know I should have stayed to do the reports and let you take care of it. It was exactly the case you should have been working on."

"Do what? What was it about?"

"Our old friend Liam Davis. We nailed his murderer."

"What? And you didn't call me?"

"You know, giving you space and all..."

Damon doesn't know if he should kill him or just yell at him in frustration. This time he's gone too far. "You didn't think you should...!?"

Ric lifts his hand to stop the gathering storm. "I know. But it went down too fast. Luka was here and the team was ready. We got a phone call from a neighbor. He overheard two people yelling at each other about the murder."

"And?"

Ric's face spread in a shiny smile. "You will love it! He was offed by his sister and her lover. They wanted to keep the dirty money for themselves."

Damon leans against the back of his chair slowly, dumbfounded. Maybe he's been doing this job for too long. He hopes his next case might be perhaps just a simple accident.

"Elena, all I'm saying is you need to come to your office. You've been absent for far too long and the work keeps piling up."

She grimaces. Office. That's exactly what she's been trying to avoid. Not the work, she loves working but her office means, she has to go through Enzo's to get there. And worse still when she's in hers, she'll be constantly reminded that he's no longer just a shout or phone call away, always ready, willing and able to try to make life a little easier for her. No longer will he be able to warn her that a certain detective or detectives are about to barge in.

Bonnie's not there either, not anymore... she's not sure she wants her to be. She knows she shouldn't be harboring this animosity to the girl who nearly lost her life and yet somehow she just doesn't want to see her there... in Enzo's place. Do such thoughts make her a bad person? During the last few weeks she's become privy to things... How could she have been so wrong about Bonnie? She considered her a friend, to her and to Enzo. Yet it seems she held grudges, she believed Elena was a bad person, guilty of a crime she did not commit... She's not even sure what it all means. She's tired of thinking, she just doesn't want...

"Elena?" Kol's looking at her closely. "Are you even listening? I'm serious about this, you need to be there or everything will fall apart? I know it's hard and you just want to escape but you have responsibilities, not just to yourself but to all of us..."

"Damn it, Kol, you have to stop!" she interrupts his attempt to gnaw at her conscience, twist the dagger in where it hurts the most as it were. "I will! When the time is right. We've been over this. I just can't. Not now."

"Elena?" Elijah, who has been uncharacteristically silent entering the house with his brother addresses her with that compelling tone he likes to use, the one that makes her take notice. He rarely resorts to that tactic but when he does...

"Yes?" she looks at him resignedly.

"Trust me. Run upstairs, slip into something comfortable and then you're going to come with us. I promise it won't take long."

Elena sighs and moves into her bedroom to get ready. "I'm taking Sherlock along," she informs the brothers defiantly when she returns. They share an amused look.

"Of course you should take him. You're so far behind, you need all the help you can get when you start to tackle that mountain of paperwork that's waiting for you," Kol adds sarcastically.

She mumbles something about Kol being a nuisance but her heart sinks. Paperwork. Another reminder of Enzo and how much she misses him.

Damon's sitting in his folk's living room. There's a ballgame on TV but he's simply oblivious to it. Deep in thought, his head snaps to his left when he hears a voice.

"You really need to stop sulking, get off your ass and go to see her."

Who would have thought she'd become such an annoying little sister... one that he can't imagine his life without anymore.

"I'm not sulking," he mutters. "I'm..." How is he supposed to finish this sentence?

"Oh really? So you're not pulling the ol' tired cowboy act? You know the one... he's too busy chasing down the villains to ever have a moment's free time? And of course, the pretty little lady becomes nothing more than a pleasant fleeting memory... one that will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Ha ha, Kat, aren't you the smart ass!? I think I may have to talk to dad about reconsidering the adoption. Do I really need or want a sister who enjoys lecturing me all the time?"

She makes a face and Damon has to chuckle mentally. "Well, I think you do. When everyone else is too busy placating you, going along to get along, who will call you out on your antics when you're not in the mood?"

The corners of his lips twitch, she notices of course and gives him a shining smile causing him to burst out laughing. "You're such a little monkey!"

Katherine throws a pillow at him. "Hey" he protests, looking for one himself. He thinks, as unbelievable as it is, maybe they're getting back some of what had been taken from them when they were children. Stefan, having heard the raucous laughter and noise coming from living room, appears in the doorway. After quickly evaluating the situation he joins them in the pillow fight... taking Katherine's side no less. And Damon couldn't be happier.

Spending day with his family, his brother and sister, his parents, their parents, is the best balm he could wish for in his effort to dull the restlessness and aching in his chest.

Some time later, he sits on the porch with his dad and a beer, watching as Stefan drags Katherine through the garden to chase after his cats, the mama and two babies. He was allowed to keep one and the other is Katherine's. He happily agreed to babysit it until she finds an apartment.

Having her here is another plus, not only does he get to watch his siblings getting along so well, he can also enjoy a few beers with his dad without having to worry about driving himself home. Damon's back to work but driving a car is one of the things that is still quite painful. He had no idea that fractured ribs hurt like hell.

"It's amazing how everything turned out as if it was supposed to be this way," Giuseppe interrupts as if reading Damon's thoughts. Reconnecting with his sister.

"Yeah, thank you for that," he adds after a moment. "I didn't make it easy for any of you..."

His dad looks at him closely. "Damon, a man you thought was your dad was a cruel man. In my book you kind of earned being difficult. No one blames you, Katherine certainly understands. And you did fix it all by yourself. I'm proud of you."

Damon's not sure how much credit he can take but he's glad they're in a good place now.

"You know," Giuseppe lets himself be heard again, "You're capable of patching things up with Elena as well..."

"Dad," he gives him a pointed look, "I know that. But she hates me and I... don't want to add to the monumental pile of problems she's dealing with now. I put one of her closest friends behind the bars. Most likely for life. I know he's a murderer but situation is rather... complex. Still it's a huge loss for her. Perhaps one day, she'll be open to hearing me out? But now? You didn't see the look on her face when we were questioning her. Her fire, her spirit..." He shudders at the thought. He did this. And It doesn't matter that he was doing his job, one he took an oath to do, the loss of her friend and the feelings that go with it are all too real.

After Kol unwittingly filled in the blanks, he messaged Ric to get an arrest warrant. That's the moment he knew there would be no going back. While suspecting Enzo for some time, he had nothing concrete to charge him with. Although unlikely, there was still a chance someone else murdered Jeremy.

Still there was something about Enzo... his fierceness, near hysteria and an unyielding willingness to sacrifice almost everything when it came to Elena certainly raised his suspicion. He was in the best position to keep spinning the web, to keep the players informed. Except he didn't keep Kol in the loop... Lying about that small thing proved to be his fatal flaw.

The investigation is still ongoing, there are some inconsistencies to unravel and some details to pinpoint. It doesn't help that on most days, Enzo's either confused or uncooperative. And then on others, he confesses to anything and everything, there's no doubt of his guilt.

Seeing his son's turmoil, Giuseppe sighs, not sure how to continue. "How does it look, for her assistant I mean?" he asks instead of pushing the Elena issue.

"Well, he's going through a psychological evaluation now. It's entirely possible that he's not fully responsible for his actions... However, that's yet to be decided." He's unsure how to feel about it, things used to be black or white but now... Now he knows they are not. Enzo, at some point was just as much a victim as Elena was. Jeremy himself should have been treated, he shouldn't have been allowed to pose a threat to anyone. Elena should have never carried this burden alone. She and her tightknit group of confidents should have been forthright with him from the beginning but... can he really blame them?

"You don't give yourself enough credit, son. You did what you had to do. She did, what she thought was right. Elena knows that you were just doing your job, one you had a duty to do. You're not the first police officer who's found himself between the old rock and the hard place nor will you be the last. Maybe she feels just as bad for lying to you?" his dad won't give up.

Damon would like to reassure him or let himself be reassured but at the moment he just feels fatigue and the need to leave it well enough alone for now. Giuseppe finally seems to get it as he pats his shoulder and calls Stefan to bring Katherine in for a cup of coffee. She must be exhausted thanks to his youngest son's never-ending enthusiasm.

He's happy too, Damon realizes, so is his mom. They both see a daughter in Katherine, one that they never had.

Life is full of surprises and missed opportunities. He's not going to be someone who lets them pass by.

Elena points Kol to the front seat while she hops in the back. He shrugs his shoulders but climbs in beside his brother. Both look back before Elijah starts backing out of the driveway. Rather than meet their stare, she demonstratively plays with Sherlock instead. Her cat is her shield, accompanying her everywhere. What she's actually doing is a valiant attempt to both calm her churning inside and distract herself from what lies ahead.

Facing their office.

Truthfully it's not only that, she also doesn't want them to see through her carefully constructed facade. Even though they're two of her closest friends, she doesn't want to appear rudderless in front of them or anyone as far as that goes. Sometimes she's successful, sometimes she's not. Elijah's always had an uncanny ability to sense her unease.

Traffic's heavy today, the car's moving at a snail's pace. While Elijah's capacity for patience is legendary, Kol's frustration is obvious by the way his palm is busy tapping a rapid cadence against his knee. She's a little perplexed knowing that despite the annoying snafu, they should've arrived at The Jungle by now. She finally raises her head and...

Oh.

"Are we going to...?"

Kol gives her a glance, his lips twisting into crooked smile. "Yep. Did you really think we'd force you to go back to there?"

He doesn't need to say the words, she knows he's referring to hers and Enzo's office.

"I kind of like torture when it's necessary... but not to you," he quips, winking at her through the visor mirror.

She appreciates his levity but still winces at the unspoken name. It doesn't escape her attention when she notices Elijah giving his brother a disapproving look but she knows he's right and that she needs to stop avoiding... things. As soon as she does, she'll be able to function again. Worrying about him and knowing what he did makes it so damn hard. And this is just...

She hasn't seen the Amazon for weeks now. Her eyes widen as she takes in the site. From the outside, it looks like the building only needs a façade. Most people would probably just view it as a construction site but her mind sees her dream beginning to take shape.

Right now the building still has much work to be done but it's progressing nicely as far as she can tell. It's surrounded by a swarm of men in hard hats. There are bulldozers, cement mixers, and towering above them all, a huge, canary yellow crane working on an adjacent construction site.

The building site is contained by a wire mesh fence and on the outside is a large advertisement "Future home of The Amazon." When Mr. Thomas, the construction foreman notices them, he hurries over and let's them pass. After handing them each a hard hat, he takes them inside the building. The staircase is grand and the Amazon jungle is being brought to life complete with a riverbed. In a daze, Elena holds her cat securely in one arm and links the other with Elijah while Kol follows behind them. She's stunned by how quickly the building has been transformed from an ugly skeleton on steel girders and prefabricated concrete slabs to what it looks like now.

While Mr. Thomas points out some of the technicalities that have yet to be done, Elena meets Elijah's eyes, a huge smile on her face. Turning to the man, she shakes his hand.

"How long do you think...?"

"... the reconstruction will last? We need to finish the new brickwork and the landscaping but I strongly believe that if everything goes according to plan, you should be able to open in the fall."

"I can't believe it...," she breathes out, cuddling Sherlock a little closer. The kitten's claws come out when a dog's barking interrupts their tour. Feeling the sting of his tiny talons when he tries to flee, Elena winces but holds him firmly.

"That's not all," Kol lets himself be heard, looking awfully satisfied when the foreman nods his approval. He gestures for her to take the staircase.

Elena climbs the stairs and takes a look around. "It's almost ready to move in!" she's in awe.

"As you can see, the interior is almost done, you should be able to relocate here very soon," Elijah responds, "it can be slowly set in motion... and you can start right here." He opens large wooden door in the left corridor and Elena steps inside a fully furnished office. It's painted white, and it has only one floor-to-ceiling window, which faces the main road. On the big cherry wood desk sits a new computer, a leather sofa, end table and a couple of chairs. A bookshelf, bursting with books is in a corner. Actually it very much resembles her office at The Jungle, it's as if the architect used the same blueprints to design the room.

When Sherlock starts to claw at her hair, she puts him on the floor and looks closely at every single part of the large room.

"We took the liberty of having it furnished. If you have something else in mind, you can work on the details later," Kol shrugs but she can see they both are holding their breaths for her reaction.

She gives them a beaming smile, then a hug, she even discreetly wipes away a few tears that threaten to escape her eyes. "Thank you for this. Eventually, soon... I'll have to go back to The Jungle but for now... It's beautiful and I can start working here very soon. And you even thought about Sherlock!" And indeed, there's a pet bed next to her table, the little hellion is already sniffing it out.

"I can't imagine how we'll go about splitting up the staff...,"she adds after a moment.

"Well," Kol interferes, "you've talked many times about turning the day to day operations of The Jungle to Kai. He's more than capable and you already talked about bringing Caroline here to manage the restaurant but she is more than qualified to operate the one over there too. So... that leaves yours truly to follow you to Amazon..."

Elena looks dumbfounded. "You? You'd leave your perfectly trained team of bodyguards?"

"I look at it this way. It'll be a challenge to hire and train another team, one that's just as excellent as their predecessors but I am pumped to get started. Although I don't know how good of an assistant I'd be, I get to spend more time with you so in my book, it's a win, win," he makes a funny face.

"I'd be thrilled to have you here, but... "

"What? You're already doubting my secretarial creds?"

"No, not at all. But when this all starts, you're going to have your hands full. It won't be only the bodyguards you'll be managing, the whole place will be depending on you... I don't want you burning the candle on both ends..."

Kol's eyes widen. "You want me to be..."

"Of course, you're just as capable of managing the operation as Kai is, I trust you, Kol. So I may have to find...," she swallows, "another assistant."

"Well," Kol's certainly pleased with this unexpected promotion, "in that case, I have a suggestion."

"Go ahead."

"Why don't you talk to Katherine about taking the position. She's smart and I think she'd be an excellent assistant. She chose the décor for this office as a matter of fact."

A shocked Elena takes another look around, "She did this?"

"Yep, I told her what you liked and she found the furniture. We took Elijah with us and made the purchases, the pet bed idea though, that was all me..." he teases, nodding his head smugly.

"If she'd be interested in the job, of course, I'd be willing to give her a chance."

"I'll certainly do my best to convince her," he grins.

"Ehm... you're going to see her?"

"Of course, tonight actually, we have a date."

There's a short hesitation before he raises his hand to push the door bell. The last time he was here, it was in his official capacity as a law enforcement officer. He had to pick up the documents that weren't in her office safe that day. They turned out to be Jeremy's medical records detailing his mental state, doctor appointments and the many times his parents lost control over him. It wasn't hard to see why Elena didn't want them discovered and how difficult it was for her to hand them over. Although he was present at her interview, he left most of the questioning to Ric. And now... he's here to try to make things right, if that's even possible?

After Katherine dropped him off, he sent her away before he could talk himself out of it, effectively cutting off the escape route that she would have provided. No more dodging, whatever happens now is supposed to happen.

It takes her a while and Damon is already weighing his options. Should he call a taxi and call it quits for the night? Perhaps give her a buzz on the phone? Or should he sit down on the low wall and wait till to see if she'll appear? The decision is made for him when she opens the door, pausing in her tracks when she sees who's standing in front of her. Sherlock brushes by her long, tanned legs and welcomes him with a decent meow.

Slowly, he looks up, caressing her exquisite figure with his eyes, taking in her beauty as if he's seeing her for the first time. It's clear she came from her bathtub or shower. A short light weight bathrobe, wet hair, no make up, and surrounded by a subtle smell of jasmine... she's a vision. Her big doe eyes look at him with all the weight that was dropped on her shoulders early in her age.

She doesn't ask him why he's there or if he wants to come in, the words seem to have escaped her. She swallows thickly and lets him through without seeking further eye contact. It seems too much.

Sherlock happily follows, trying to catch his pants with his small claws. Damon reaches down to pick the kitten up, nuzzling his nose against the furry creature. His purr is an immediate answer.

Elena's lips twitch but her nerves are too on edge to unwind. She follows behind them to the living room. Without question, she pours a drink for both of them. How many times have they led a meaningful conversation? How many times have they even been alone? She'd be able to count the number on one hand and yet, they act like a well coordinated team.

He reaches for the glass but changes his mind. It's no way to start the conversation they need to have. She doesn't touch hers either. How is he going to clean up this mess? First things first...

"I'm sorry I showed up unannounced. Katherine was taking me home from mom and dad's place... it was kind of a spur of the moment decision."

Elena shakes her head, not sure how to react to his admission, instead deciding on an... "It's okay. I'm glad you came."

Now it's Damon's turn to decide how to respond. He smooths his palm across Sherlock's fur. It's clear he's the king of her castle, spread out on the couch, the rumbling inside of his little chest the only sound in the room. He's about to start when Elena beats him to it.

"I'm sorry Damon. You must hate me... You must think I knew all along but the truth is... I would never suspected that Enzo...," her voice cracks as she's trying and failing to get a hold on her emotions.

"Elena...," he starts slowly, "there's no need to..."

"No, listen to me, Damon. I know you were just doing your job. And we certainly didn't make it easy for you, quite honestly we did everything in our power to stop you or at least slow you down. I... had my reasons, but that doesn't make it right. I... I wasn't supposed to tell. Now it seems silly I suppose but..."

He's silent, too silent ...

She didn't know if she'd ever have the opportunity to explain and now she does so she straightens up, determined to make the best of it. "I'm not going to apologize for that, keeping my family's secret. But since you already know..."

"Elena," Damon finally finds his voice to stop her unnecessary confession. He does understand she felt duty bound to keep Jeremy's schizophrenia a secret, no one would want their child to be exposed to public judgement, or pity. But this was just so wrong.

Her parents should have dealt with his illness, got him the care and attention he needed instead of burying it and convincing themselves that there was nothing wrong. How could they possibly transfer this burden on their sweet, barely adult daughter? Did they even try to get help for her? Or did they just try to bury her feelings and memories of the birthday party too? Predictably it all ended in tragedy and once again, she was left to pick up the pieces.

"Please, stop this," he urges. "You have nothing to apologize for...," he catches her hand when he sees she's about to protest. "You did what you believed was right, protected your family's name. You didn't hurt anyone but yourself. I, on the other hand, was a slave to my childhood misconceptions and because of it, you almost got arrested. How sad is it that I yielded to my misconstrued memories? Maybe even becoming a cop might have had something to do with that. I don't know the answers either Elena."

"So what if your messy childhood was your motivation to become a cop? That's what we all do, try to make peace with our pasts and try to do better, for us, for our children. And we do fail Damon. I won't deny that I think it was pretty shitty of you to project the alleged sins of your sister onto me without giving me the benefit of doubt...

But with that said, I do understand struggling," her voice wavers. And suddenly Damon can see the little girl that's had to carry her family's burden on her shoulders alone for a very long time, even before she was old enough to understand the meaning of it.

Everyone's shaped by their parents' beliefs and choices, not having a choice in that matter...

And now it's up to them to lift the heavy burden of those shadows.

"I don't want to fight, Elena," he blurts out impulsively. "I know we have to talk, it can't be avoided but we don't have to do everything tonight. How ever long it takes, it takes. There came a point where I just wanted this case to end. I wanted the freedom to try to convince you to give me a chance, to give us a chance. I don't want to hurt you, I never did and I don't want to do it anymore. At least let me try to make things right between us? I know you probably see me only as the cop who ruined your family, but still...," he looks at her hopefully.

It takes a few seconds for Elena to realize she stopped breathing. She exhales sharply, not quite believing what he's saying. "I thought you'd be disappointed in me..."

"I thought you hated me...," he mirrors her thoughts and is unable to resist adding a small but crooked smile.

He's so damn happy she doesn't seem to hate him!

Suddenly, it all becomes too much. Looking into the icy blueness of his eyes does things to her and she desperately tries to regain her composure by looking at Sherlock, who's all too adorable, stretched on the couch, his little paw keeping contact with Damon's body.

Not helping.

The tears that threatened to spill earlier are now running freely down her face, but she doesn't need to worry anymore. He's there, more than ready to reach for her and hide her safely in his tight embrace. Sneaking her arms around his middle she accepts it, she accepts him completely.

Some time later, Sherlock is unable to find even a tiny nook between them to curl into.

Massive thanks to all of you. You're the motivation that keeps us excited to write more. You're all the best of the fandom world. Thank you, thank you all.

Chapter title: 'Coming Home' by Falling In Reverse.

It's Delena Christmas season. We have one more one-shot ready to post, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". Damon needs a job and Elena needs a Santa ;) We're also working on "The Toy Master."

Have a fantastic day and weekend. Thank you again so very much. We'll see you next time for the final chapter of "Welcome to the Jungle".