9:

"So, Feminist Women's Health Centre. It's only an hour away and they do surgical or medical abortions. I've told them about you and just the unplanned pregnancy. I did mention that the baby is mine but if you wish to tell them otherwise, then you can."

This was the first piece of news I hear after walking into the kitchen again for the third time this evening. My hair was still damn from the bath but I was wearing the same things as before. A mug of hot tea was placed in front of me

"I don't have to be a feminist to qualify, do I?"

Damon joined me with his own cup of tea before sitting down at the table with me.

"I didn't actually have a chance to ask, but they didn't mention anything so I guess not. Speaking of, they are expecting you call them back within the next 2 days regarding a consultation. They just wanna ask you a couple of questions, see if you're eligible for a surgical abortion, if that's the path you choose to take."

I took a sip and let the taste linger in my mouth before swallowing.

"I will do some research today and ring them tomorrow."

He glanced at the clock on the oven and a smirk rose on his lips.

"Don't you mean this evening? It's just gone half past six."

I checked behind him at the same clock and groaned.

"God, how long was I in the bath for?"

"Just over two and a half hours."

I chuckled and shook my head.

"You know, I haven't been home in over a week. Eventually Im gonna have to go and check up on it, make sure no one has broken in."

He looked deep in thought after I spoke. I thought that maybe someone had already broken in and he was just finding the words to tell me. He looked up at me with serious eyes and spoke.

"Why don't you move in here."

I froze at his proposal, not knowing how to reply.

"Why not? You spend more than half of your time here anyway, it's closer to college and it's not like your brother is due to return home soon. There's nothing tying you to where you live now."

I turned away, my mind fighting with my heart.

"I don't know, Damon. I mean, it would be easier but I've only just paid it off, it's been a bit more than a month since I've legally lived there but I've spent most of that month here."

He took my face in his hands so I had to look at him.

"You moved out of your childhood home and into your own apartment the moment your brother left. I would understand you wanting to stay at home if your parents were still alive but, the thought of you being by yourself pains me Elena. Baby, please move in with me."

He wasn't lying. It would be a massive convenience, us living together.

"Well. It's not like you're going to let me go home soon anyway."

A wide smile beamed and lit up his face. He stood up and kissed me. It was a deep, sensual kiss, filled with passion and love. I knew he meant well.

After several moments, he broke away and admitted that he had been waiting to tell me for weeks.

"After you got accepted into Whitmore, you were always complaining that the commute was just that bit too far. I only just managed to convince you not to put your name down for an accommodation there. Only being able to see you during the holidays would put a major strain on us, lots of stressful conversations about me moving to you. Eventually I would've asked you to move in with me, but I didn't want it to seem like I just thought of it. It's been on my mind for a long time, since a few months after you started going to college."

"I thought about asking you too, but I didn't want to seem invasive or pushy. It's your home after all, so I had no right to ask if I could move in. I would've asked if you wanted to move in with me but my apartment is barely big enough for one, and now we are expe-."

My face dropped and I felt a sadness sweep over me in a matter of seconds.

"Never mind."

The atmosphere changed dramatically as a depressing silence lingered around us. I fighter with my fingers on the table. Damon reaches over the table and squeezes my hands on his.

"Hey, come on, talk to me."

I looked up, a tear falling down each eye, and whispered as quietly as I could.

"I wanna keep it."

I saw a glimmer of hope flash across his eyes, only for a second. He wants me keep the baby too.

"Do you want me to call the health centre? Maybe a talk with Clara might help now."

"If you call the health centre, I'll call Clara and arrange a meet up date."

He smiled at me, nodded and went to call the clinic in the living room. I could hear him talk to them and it made me feel sick.

"Hi, yes I called up about an hour ago regarding an appointment for a termination on my girlfriends pregnancy... Damon Salvatore... Well, actually I'm calling to cancel that appointment. We've been talking and have decided that we are actually going to need a little more time to make this decision... No, No. I don't think there's any need to reserve an appointment, if we do decide on an abortion, then you will be the first clinic we call... Okay, thank you, bye bye."

As soon as I heard him hang up I get through to Clara.

"Clara, Hi it's Elena... Im doing good thank you, how are you?.. Good, good... Actually yes, I'm wondering if you have any appointments available for the upcoming week?.. As early as you've got, please... Tomorrow?"

I look over at Damon to get a confirmation. He gives me a thumbs up and nods in agreement.

"Tomorrow works... yeah you too Clara, thank you... Bye bye."

I placed my phone down and stood up to get a glass of water. Damon followed me and placed his hands securely around my waist as I filled up my cup."

"You could've told me you wanted to keep it before now."

He placed kisses up and down my neck, occasionally nibbling on my ear lobe.

"No I couldn't. Not after the letters from Tyler. He is hell bent on having this child aborted but I don't want to do things for his satisfaction. Not anymore."

He moved his hands up to my arms and used the, the turn me around, taking the cup out of my hands and placing it in the sink.

"Elena, listen to me. This is your baby. Whatever you decide is your decision, nobody else's. This being said, I am not going to try and infiltrate your decisions to get you to keep the baby for our sake. Just think of yourself and what you want to do, okay?"

I nod and smile. Taking my hands out of Damon's hold, I rest them on my now protruding stomach and sigh.

"It won't be easy, I'm aware but I am willing to grab this head on. I want to keep the baby."

I get pulled into a tight warm hug and he rests his head on mine.

"I promise that I won't let anything happen to either one of you."

"ELENA COME ON WE ARE GONNA BE LATE."

Damon shouts out me to hurry up from the bottom of the stairs. I completely forgot about the appointment with Clara and I lost track of time when he reminded me half an hour ago.

"Coming!"

I grab my purse and phone before rushing to meet Damon outside. He left the house key on the table next to the door so I could lock up. I jump into the baby blue Camaro and he gives me a concerned look.

"What? Do I look okay? This shirts not too tight is it?!"

His face turns from concerned to fed up as soon as I spoke.

"Elena, you look beautiful as always. But you should not have run out like that."

My eyes went wide, my jaw hung open and I scoffed.

"Seriously? You told me to hurry up or else we would be late. You know what, I'm not getting into this."

He let out a loud laugh before pulling away from the boarding house. We drove for a while in comfortable silence before he approached the elephant in the room.

"You nervous?"

I looked at him and chuckled humourlessly.

"I'm fucking petrified Damon."

A hand reaches across the car and lands on my leg to rub it soothingly.

"You'll be fine, jus say what you feel."

My hands fly up in annoyance.

"I do that anyway."

"Good. Then you won't have any problem telling Clara what you feel."

I look across at him and he smiles while still concentrating on the road, watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"You'll be fine, darling."

I slid down in my seat and crossed my arms while staring out the window.

"Just re,ember that you emailed her to begin with and even called her to make an appointment."

I ignored his statement and huffed, not peeling my eyes from the moving scenery we drove past. We sat in silence for a few miles before Damon got out a CD from the glove compartment - the CD I made him for his birthday - and pushed it into the CD player.

"You remember making this for me? It was my, uh, my..."

"It was your birthday 4 years ago. Of course I remember."

I mumbled quietly to finish his sentence.

"Well then you'll remember putting my absolute favourite song on here."

Tom Odell's 'Another Love' started to play on the radio and I was immediately taken back to the night we kissed in the rain.

We stood, hand in hand, waiting for the meteor shower to soar across the starry night sky. A crack a thunder boomed around us and heavy rain drenched us from head to toe. Damon stares deep into my eyes, fascinated by their reaction to the sudden change in weather. An curious smirk curling up at the corner of his mouth.

"Come on, time to abandon ship."

"No no, wait. Just give it a second, it'll clear off."

We waited for the storm to pass but to no avail, it continued and only got heavier. I got so caught up in the moment and made him promise me something.

"Promise me this is forever."

"I promise."

Oh what a blissful night that turned out to be.

Our passionate lovemaking continued when we got home and all through the night and left us both utterly exhausted- but I would go back in time and do it all again in a heartbeat.

I must've dozed off because when I opened my eyes again, we were parking up outside a familiar building.

"Promise you won't run off this time?"

I playfully hit his shoulder and smirked at him.

"Funny."

As we began to make the short trek to the main entrance, Damon managed to wrap my arm around his and was warming my hand between his own.

We ironically sat down in the same seats and a wave of panic washed over me at the reminisce of what happened just a few days ago. Damon must've felt my hand shaking and he calmed me down with his soft velvety voice.

"You're okay. Just breathe. In through your mouth, out through your nose. That's it. You're doing fine baby."

I followed his instructions and it unsurprisingly calmed my nerves. I leaned my head on his shoulder and took a deep breath in. Moments later I heard my name get called and my heart stopped in my chest.

"Miss Gilbert, Clara Benson will now see you in room 4."

I scowl under my breath.

"Damon, did you hear her? She said the exact same thing as she did on Monday. She mocking me Damon. She's mocking me."

He took my hand and led me to the door.

"Along with cravings and dangerous mood swings, I see paranoia is also a side effect of pregnancy."

I pursed my lips and huffed at him before standing up from my seat, ripping my hand out of his and speed walking ahead of him. I heard a snide comment from behind me.

"Thus proving my point exactly."

He laughed at my angry reaction and he soon caught up with me outside of room 4. His hands slid around my waist and he hugged me tightly. He knocked on the door twice and ushered me without waiting for a response. The first thing I notice is a tall blonde woman in her mid-50s sitting with her back towards to door. She immediately stood up and greeted me at the door, Damon pushed me in further and shuts it behind me. An outstretched hand reaches past Damon, now stood in front of me, and stays in front of me before I register her introduction and take it in my own.

"Hello Elena, it's wonderful to finally meet you. My name is Clara Benson and Damon-"

She glances at him.

"-has told me a lot about you."