Thank you Ashleigh for betaing this chapter.

Someone like you

Chapter 5

'Lost along the way'

"I did."

"What are you talking about?" She pushed herself up, locking her eyes with his. "Caroline told me you had to come back for the case."

"I had to come back for the case. But I thought you might be ready now."

"Ready for what?" She started pulling away from him, her eyes scanning his face nervously. "Ready for what, Damon?"

"For us." His blue eyes bored into hers. "When you left I made myself promise that I would give you time before I came after you. I knew you wouldn't forgive me right away."

"You think I already forgave you?" She turned around, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "We will never be that again, I'm married."

"You were married the last time, Elena. Nothing kept you from cheating on him then."

"And I was wrong." She stood up, finding her clothes on the ground. "I'm married and you were a mistake."

"Then what are you doing here?" He threw the covers off of him, sitting up with wide eyes. "Why did you come here tonight and crawled into bed with me?"

She let her eyes travel over his naked chest, feeling her skin ache to have it against hers again. Her heart started beating more frantically just with the thought of having him against her, his sculptured chest against hers, his arms wrapped around her, his whole body possessing hers. She needed him, body, mind and soul. Every part of her screamed for him now she was standing next to the bed and everything she was crying for was just a few footsteps away from her.

"Because it feels good to have you with me." She swallowed back the lump in her throat and shook her head. "But it's so wrong."

"You still don't have a backbone, do you?" His blue eyes traveled over her face. "You're still doing what everyone expects you to do."

"I make my own choices."

"You never did." He stood up from the bed, his eyes shooting blue fire. "You weren't ready for marriage. You only married him because he wanted to get married and everyone expected you to."

"I married him because I loved him."

"You married him because you were scared he would leave you if you didn't." He threw his arms up, coming closer to her. "Is that why you went back to him after you left me? Because you were scared to be alone?"

"I made a mistake and I was lucky that he forgave me and took me back." She shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I make a terrible wife."

"I make a terrible wife."

He turned his head away from the lips that were plastered against his, looking at the girl in the hallway that had her back pressed against the wall, her legs stretched out in front of her. The rabbit ears on her head hanging limp, the rest of the white fluffy bunny suit next to her on the ground.

"Elena?"

"I'm going to be the most terrible wife ever." Her teary eyes looked up at him, searching for his face. "Who wants to marry me?"

"I think it's better if you go home." He focused on the blond girl in front of him and entangled his body from hers.

"Is she okay?" The green eyes of the blonde looked at Elena who was back to sobbing in her hands.

"Cold feet." He rolled his eyes and shook his head at Elena. "She's getting married tomorrow."

"Good luck with that."

He sighed as the blonde turned around and walked back into the elevator, leaving him behind with the sobbing mess in the hallway.

"What are you all dressed up for?" He sat beside her and investigated the white bunny suit.

"They made me sell carrots with this on." She pointed to the white ears on her head. "What kind of bachelorette party is that?"

"The kind Caroline organizes." He chuckled softly and bumped her shoulder with his. "Did you sell a lot of them?"

"No." She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who wants to buy carrots at midnight from a crazy lady?"

"A drunk crazy lady." He smirked as he saw her hazy eyes. "How did they get a nice girl like you drunk?"

"They made me do a shot for every carrot I didn't sell."

"How many shots did you do?"

"I lost count."

"Not good."

"I'm going to be a terrible wife." She shook her head, burying her face in her hands. "I can't even show up sober at the wedding."

"Oh, you'll be sober." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in his side. "You'll just be hung-over."

"I can't cook." She curled up next to him, hugging his arm. "Who wants a wife that can't cook?"

"There's always take out."

"I suck at sorting out my laundry too." She buried her face against his arm, sobbing. "What's he going to think if his underwear is suddenly pink?"

"That he should wear black underwear like every man in his twenties."

"You're not helping." She threw her arms up, more tears running down her cheeks. "You're not making me feel better."

"Elena, he loves you." He rubbed her arm, trying to soothe her. "A good wife is someone who stands behind her man and supports him in anything he does. It doesn't matter that you can't cook or that his underwear turns out pink. It won't make him love you any less."

"No?"

"Well, cooking always helps I guess..."

"I hate you." She punched her fists against his chest, making him chuckle. "You're the worst friend ever."

"Come on, boozy." He got up, holding his hand out for her. "Let's get inside before you wake up the whole hotel."

She took his hand, letting him pull her up. When she lost her balance, he wrapped his arm around her waist, unlocking the door with his other hand. He opened the door and guided her inside the dark room, placing her down on the bed.

"Do Caroline and Bonnie know where you are?"

"No."

"I'm going to give them a call." He sighed, searching Caroline's name in his phone. "Why don't you look for something to watch on the television."

"They're playing Hannah Montana reruns."

He rolled his eyes at her knowledge and listened to Caroline's rambling on the phone, keeping his eyes on Elena who had her blank gaze pointed at the screen. When Caroline finally said goodnight, he threw his phone on the night table and sat down on the bed.

"You're going to stay here tonight. No one is sober enough to drive."

"Whatever." She shrugged, turning on her side in the bed.

"Do you need anything?"

She shook her head, unbuttoning her blue blouse. He arched his eyebrow at her as she took it off with her tank top, revealing her naked chest to him. With a gasp he turned away, hearing her unzip her pants under the sheets.

"Elena." His hands clawed the sheets beneath him. "Are you sure you don't want a shirt?"

"You're a doctor." She breathed, throwing her pants on the floor. "You've seen this a thousand times."

"Man first, doctor second." He looked over his shoulder, seeing her sit up straight with hardened nipples. "Cover yourself up."

He turned back around with a sigh and heard her move behind him, the fabric of the sheets stirring under him. When he looked back over his shoulder, she lay under the covers, her bare shoulders and arms exposed to the air.

"You're seriously going to do this to me?"

"What's the problem?" She slurred, her eyes fluttering. "You sleep next to naked woman all the time."

"You're going to regret this in the morning." He shook his head. "Just pull something on."

"Am I that ugly?" Her eyes welled up with tears. "So ugly that a man whore doesn't even want to see me naked?"

"You think I don't want to see you naked?" He arched his eyebrow, leaving out a hard laugh. "Don't ever think that."

"Prove it." She threw the covers off her, exposing her breasts to him. "Prove to me that I'm not ugly."

"Elena, you're drunk and you don't know what you're saying." He pulled the covers back over her. "You're only going to be embarrassed in the morning."

"That's why men never hit on me in the bar, isn't it?" Tears started running down her cheeks again. "I'm ugly. Nobody wants me."

"You wouldn't have a fiance if nobody wanted you."

"I've only had sex with one person in my whole life." She shook her head, her lip trembling. "That's why you don't look at me like you look at other girls."

"How do I look at other girls?"

"Like you want to rip their clothes off and fuck them like there is no tomorrow."

"You think I don't look at you that way?"

A gasp left her throat as he pushed her back down against the mattress, his body hovering above hers. His eyes devouring her naked chest, hungry, darkened, widened, filled with lust. The sobs stopped as she placed her hand on his back, pushing his lower body into hers, feeling him against her, every nerve in her body tingling in anticipation.

"You're right." His husky voice cut through the sound of her beating heart. "I don't look at you that way because you deserve so much better."

"Touch me."

His blue eyes darkened even more, radiating a black heath into her wide brown orbs. A sigh of contentment left her as he placed his palm against her cheek, stroking her skin with his thumb. She slowly placed her hand on his, intertwining their fingers. Her heart started beating faster as she gently started pulling his hand down with hers, leaving a trail of warmth behind on her skin. Her eyes stayed locked with his blue orbs as she guided him over her throat to the crook of her neck, stopping at her collarbone before squeezing his fingers with hers and settling his hand on her bare breast. She massaged the back of his hand, automatically massaging her breast underneath his palm, setting a rhythm that he continued when she left his hand and let her palm trail upwards on his arm, over his shoulder and stroking all the way down to the small of his back.

She could see the moment he gave in, the sigh that left his lips, his mouth kissing the space between her breasts. His hands discovering her whole body for the first time, the tips of his fingers remembering every surface. He pecked his way down to her stomach and left a trail of kisses while her fingers found a home in the raven black hair, pushing him closer against her.

She arched her back as his nails scraped her sides, hungry for more. Her eyes looked up and locked with the blue orbs as he sat up, searching her face. With trembling fingers she started to unbutton his black shirt, exposing his smooth chest to the cold air. She became more and more impatient by the second and finally settled for ripping the rest of the buttons off the shirt.

His lips parted as he hovered above her, keeping himself up on his arms, his hands resting next to her head. She felt his breath on her face as he lowered himself slowly, giving her enough time to pull away. Shivers ran down her spine as his lips finally touched hers, gently pushing themselves harder and harder against each other.

With a moan she welcomed him, tangling her fingers in his hair, begging him for more with the movements of her lips. Their lips moved in synch like they had practiced this a thousand times before, there wasn't any hesitation or awkwardness that usually came with a first kiss but everything was filled with hunger, sparkles, fireworks, passion.

She had never understood the movies where two lovers were desperate to feel each other, kiss each other, and hold each other. Until he came into her life she thought that the cravings were all fiction, that she would never feel that way. That there would never be someone who made her heart beat faster just by the sight of him, that completed her soul with his arrogant, sarcastic self. Someone that could make her complete in soul, mind and body just by being him.

She wrapped her legs around him, pushing him firmer into her, holding him into place. Her tongue moved with his, feverishly exploring the contours of his mouth. Hungry kisses became soft pecks as both their chests were panting against each other, their hearts beating in their throats, their bodies begging each other for more.

"We have to stop this."

His blue eyes bored into hers as his parted lips breathed against her mouth, their noses still touching. Her eyes searched his face as he abruptly moved off her and threw his legs over the edge of the bed, burying his face in his palms.

"No, we don't."

She got up on her knees, crawling behind him, her hands sliding over his bare back up to his shoulders and over his arms, finally settling around his waist. She left a trail of kisses on his bare shoulder, nibbling on his neck. He responded by cocking his head to the side so she could reach the skin there better and caress it with her tongue. Her palm slid down his stomach, feeling the muscles under her skin. Her fingers went for the button of his pants when his hand grabbed hers.

"Stop it. You're getting married." He took her chin in a firm grip. "Go to sleep."

"You're so pretty." She whispered hoarsely, her eyes roaming over his body. "The prettiest man I've ever seen."

He chuckled, pushing her body away from his. "You're drunk and I'm not pretty. Gorgeous, beautiful, yes. But not pretty."

"And you're funny even if I don't want to admit it."

"At least not when you're sober."

"I like spending time with you." She lay back down on her pillow, snuggling her nose in it. "Sometimes when I don't see you for a few days I start missing you."

His eyes softened, looking over his shoulder at the young girl in his bed. Her eyes were wide open, boring into his. Her parted lips swollen from his kisses, her chest still bare but covered with the white comforter, the picture of innocence. He lay on his side beside her, keeping his eyes on her face.

"Go to sleep, Elena." He stroked a few pieces of hair out of her face. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"I hate it when you spend time with other girls." She scooted closer to him, placing her ear on his chest. "I get so jealous when I see another girl with you."

"They don't mean anything to me." He pressed a kiss against her forehead. "They're just here for my entertainment."

"Am I here for your entertainment?" Her teary brown eyes looked up at him. "What do I mean to you, Damon?"

"You're my girl." He stroked her hair softly. "I'll hurt whoever tries to hurt you."

"My stomach does weird things when I'm around you." She chuckled softly against his chest. "Like a little dwarf is doing flip-flops in my belly."

"Go to sleep boozy." He tightened his grip on her body. "I have enough material now to torment you for the rest of your life."

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't feel so good."

She pulled free out of his embrace and jumped over him, finding her way to the bathroom were she emptied her stomach in the toilet. It wasn't long before she felt him sit behind her, holding her hair backwards.

"I'm sorry." She sat up again, resting her forehead against the cold toilet.

"It's okay." He rubbed her back. "I'm glad you made it to the toilet."

She chuckled softly as she let her head rest. He reached for one of his button-ups on the counter and draped it over her bare back, grateful that she had kept her black panties on. She slid in the sleeves and buttoned it up before leaning over the toilet as she felt another wave of nausea take over.

"I've never been drunk before."

"Never?" He cradled her against his chest as she leaned away from the toilet. "What kind of youth did you have?"

"A responsible one."

"It's a good thing you didn't hang out with me then." He chuckled softly. "I would have pulled you to the dark side."

"You pulled me to the dark side; this is all your fault." She punched his chest. "Besides you were already old when I was a teenager."

"I'm not old." He scoffed. "Even if I am, at least I'm still enjoying my life."

"You're turning thirty in a few months. You're officially old." She snuggled her nose in his chest, breathing in his scent. "And I am enjoying my life, just not the way you are."

"Getting married when you're twenty is not what I call enjoying life." He snorted, shaking his head. "You're settling."

"What do you know about marriage?" She rolled her eyes. "You don't let a woman stay around longer than a few hours."

"They served their purpose after a few hours."

"You're horrible." She traced patterns on his bare chest. "You talk about women like they're toys."

"Only if they let themselves be treated like toys."

"Am I a toy?" She looked up at him with her wide brown eyes. "Do you think I don't have any self-respect?"

"You're not a toy, Elena." He rolled his eyes, taking her firmer in his arms. "You're trying to make something out of your life and you're going to be a great wife to whatever his name may be."

"Stefan." She punched his chest. "His name is Stefan and he has the same last name as you, which is weird."

"I know."

"You really think I'm going to be a good wife?"

"You're the best wife anyone could wish for."

"You're the best wife anyone could wish for." He shook his head tiredly. "It's been five years and he still hasn't finished that book, most women would have kicked him out by now."

"A good wife supports her husband and stands behind him." She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "You were the one who told me that."

"You were so drunk that I didn't think you would remember anything I said."

"I remember it and I think it was a good advice." She let out a sigh. "Even if usually your advice sucks."

"You think it sucks because you never want to face the truth." He took a step closer again, letting less space between their bodies. "You always do whatever your friends or family tell you to do and I always told you to make your own choices, that's why you hated my advice. Because I actually made you think about what you wanted."

"You made me confused."

"And you should be confused." His eyebrows knitted together. "Life is confusing and it isn't a walk through the park."

"I knew what I wanted." Her hands clenched into fists next to her. "And I still know."

"Yeah?" He arched his eyebrow, mocking her. "Then why aren't you a lawyer by now? Wasn't that your big dream?"

"I have a son." She shook her head. "It's not that easy to study for the bar, work and raise a child at the same time."

"Why do you even have him?" He lifted his shoulders. "You didn't want to be a mom before you turned twenty-five."

"I changed my mind."

"He changed your mind, didn't he?" His blue eyes were wide open, his whole body stiff. "He wanted children the second you got married and of course you gave in like you always do."

"No."

"No? You went back to him and you let him knock you up because you thought a child would make him trust you again." He let out a hard laugh, shaking his head. "But it didn't work, did it? Your marriage still doesn't work, like it didn't work from the start."

"My marriage is fine." She stomped her foot like a little girl. "And my pregnancy was unexpected; I didn't just let him knock me up while we were fixing things."

"But you didn't have the guts to have an abortion, did you?"

SLAP.

She held her hurting hand on her heart, looking at the red mark on his face. Her lip trembled as she felt tears well up in her eyes, remembering exactly why she had kept her son. Why the thought of an abortion had ripped her inside out at the time.

"Don't you dare question why I kept my son."

"I was never the one who questioned everything."

"I have to go." She picked her bag up from the chair. "I'm going to pick up my son at Caroline's and I'm going home to my husband."

"Can he already do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know what."

Her breath hitched as he pushed her against the wall, her body trapped by his. Her throat started throbbing as he pressed his chest against hers, letting their hearts beat against each other. A dangerous glint flashed through his blue eyes as he lowered his head and started breathing an inch away from the skin in her neck, his tongue softly nipping.

"Stop it."

She pushed him away from her, her eyes radiating nothing but anger. Her fists clenching next to her sides. Her heart aching as it was pushed away from the one it had been made to love, her soul crying for its other half as it was ripped away from it.

"Do you ever imagine our children, Lena? How beautiful they would be?"

"Don't." She shook her head, holding the handle to open the door in her hand. "Just don't start that."

"Your eyes, my hair." He shrugged it off him. "It's probably best if they take after you too."

"But they wouldn't." She turned around, shaking her head. "They would take after you. With the sarcastic comments and all."

"Our girl would probably Prom Queen."

"And our son would be just like you except with my hair. Your eyes, your character, a pain in the ass just like you but underneath it all he'd be a good boy. He pulls off a lot of stunts which drives me crazy most of the time but I let him get away with it because I know where he got it from. He's too smart for his age and he puts adults in their place because he's smart, just like you, he's too smart for them, just like you're always too smart for everyone."

"You thought about this." His blue eyes softened, his body relaxing.

"Every day." She pulled the handle down, opening the door. "I thought about it every day. Damon."

With a sigh she pulled the door shut behind her, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Her feet finding the way to the elevator all by themselves because she had done this walk of shame a hundred times before. When the steel doors finally opened she stepped inside, letting all her emotions out with the cabin that closed around her.

"Liam. Coat."

She helped her son out of his coat as he stood jumping up and down. After putting both their coats away she looked around in her childhood home, still remembering curling up on her mother's lap in front of the fire place, watching baseball games with her dad on the large comfy couch.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Kitchen."

She walked after Liam who bounced from the living room to the kitchen. She plastered a smile on her face as she entered, seeing her mother prepare dinner for that evening.

"Hi you two." The older woman's face lit up as she saw her daughter and grandson approach. "How are you?"

"We're fine." She hugged her mother tight, noticing the dark circles under her mother's eyes. "How are you, everything okay?"

"I'm fine." Miranda waved her away. "You know, just my old heart not catching up with my young spirit."

"When was your last check-up?"

"A week ago, they gave me some new drug." Her mother shrugged and rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry, they're not getting me."

"You shouldn't work so much." Elena shook her head. "If you need help you just need to call me and I'll be here in a heartbeat."

"You already work too much, Elena." The older woman smiled. "And you have your son and your own husband to take care of."

"My husband can take care of himself and our son, if you need help just call me, okay?"

"I will." Miranda nodded. "But I still have that old gray guy walking around in the house to help me out."

"Where is dad?" She looked around in the white kitchen. "I want to talk to him."

"He's in the garage. Working on his secret project." Her mother pointed her chin to Liam who was studying the pictures on the wall. "Christmas project."

"Oh." She nodded her head. "I won't bother him then."

"Grandma." Liam ran in his grandmother's direction, hugging her leg. "Hello."

"My-my Liam Salvatore, you get more and more handsome every day."

"Uncle Ty says my smile makes panties drop."

"Panties is his favorite word these days." Elena bit her lip, glaring at her son. "I don't know where he picked it up."

"Really?" Her mother looked down at the boy with a huge grin on his face. "Why don't you tell me all about your smile while your mother looks for your grandfather."

"You sure?" Elena looked up at her mother. "Caroline swore she didn't give him sugar but I don't know if I believe her..."

"Auntie Care didn't give me any sugar." Liam looked up with a devilish grin. "But uncle Ty did."

"Of course he did." Elena pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're sure you're going to be okay with him?"

"Of course we will be okay." Miranda smiled, her brown eyes lightening up. "We're going to drink some lemonade and talk about school."

"Not too much sugar please." She exchanged a look with her mother before placing a kiss on Liam's temple. "Be a good boy."

She walked towards the garage once he nodded and focused on his grandmother. Elena pushed the door from the garage open and watched her father paint the huge tree house he had build for her son.

"My daughter." Grayson Gilbert put the paint brush down. "She's alive."

"This is huge." She pointed to the tree house on the work table. "Isn't it a little too big?"

"Every boy should have a tree house." Grayson patted the dark wood. "And I'm sure Stefan isn't going to build him one."

"He can write him one."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Isn't there always?"

"Why don't you put your brave face away and tell me what's really going on?"

"Daddy." She whispered, her eyes looking for his gray ones. "I'm in trouble."

"You're lucky." He patted the crutch next to him. "This is the I'll-make-your-trouble-go-away-crutch."

She let out a sad laugh and sat down on the crutch, focusing her gaze at the dark wood of the work table. Her thoughts a mess with what to tell him first.

"Tell me."

"Damon Salvatore is in town."

"Oww…" Grayson nodded, biting his lip. "That one."

"I lost my job." She wiped away the tear that escaped her eye. "They found out about us and now they're starting a lawsuit against me."

"And what did Damon say about it?"

"He said he would help me pay for the lawyers and all..." She shrugged. "But the money isn't really a problem if I ask Stefan... I just... I haven't told Stefan yet."

"That there is a lawsuit against you?" He rubbed her arm. "He knows what happened five years ago, he knew this could happen."

"I didn't tell him that I lost my job or that Damon is back in town." She shook her head. "He'll freak out."

"Does he have a reason to freak out?" Grayson placed a hand on her knee. "I know how much you cared about Damon."

"I didn't just care about him. I loved him." She lifted her shoulders, searching for words. "I was ready to start my life with him... I applied for divorce and then..."

"Sweetie." Her father squeezed her knee. "What Damon did was horrible, but it's not unforgivable. If you want to make things right, this is your chance, he's here."

She looked down at the wooden work surface again, imagining her life with Damon next to her. Their son curled up on his lap while watching a football game, her fingers stroking through her husband's dark raven hair. The life she always imagined of living since the moment she started sleeping with him.

"Wake up sleepyhead."

"Wake up sleepyhead."

Her eyes started fluttering as someone gently shook her shoulder, the smell of hot coffee lingering in the air as she locked her eyes with the ocean blue ones in front of her. The steaming coffee in his hand, wearing a gray shirt with black jeans, his messy hair damp.

"Damon?" She put her hand against her pounding head, staring up at him through small eyes. "My head is hurting."

"I know." He chuckled softly while she flinched by the sound. "There's an aspirin and some water on the night table."

"How did I get here?"

"Well, after a lot of babbling on the bathroom floor, you finally fell asleep and I carried you to bed." He smirked dangerously, sipping on his coffee. "You should be thankful I did, you're back would be killing you otherwise."

"I meant how did I get here in your room in the first place?"

"You didn't seem that happy about walking around in a bunny suit." He chuckled, his blue eyes flashing in amusement. "So you dragged your drunken ass here."

"I'm sorry." She buried her head in the pillow. "I've never been drunk before."

"I know, you told me all about it."

"Tell me at least I'm a fun drunk?" She flashed him a smile, flinching when the bright sunlight hit her eyes. "I hope I didn't ruin your night."

"You did all right." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Don't you remember?"

"No." She frowned, shaking her head. "Last night is kind of a blur."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nope." She popped the p. "Maybe it will come back to me but now trying to think about it is just really painful."

"Usually it's the groom who's hungover." He smirked. "I'm so proud of you, Elena."

"Shut up." She punched his back with her fist. "I feel horrible."

"You should get dressed." He got up again, throwing her clothes on the bed. "Caroline called me half an hour ago, Tyler is picking you up."

"Oh no." She growled, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

"I thought you could use all the sleep you could get."

"Good thinking." She looked down at what she was wearing, frowning. "How did I get in your shirt?"

"You asked me very nicely if you could borrow something to sleep in."

"Thank you." She sighed. "Knowing you, you would be capable of letting me sleep naked."

"Nope."

They both jumped up as there was a knock on the door. Damon put his mug down and disappeared to the door while she stood up and changed Damon's shirt for her clothes. Tyler walked in at the moment she zipped her hoodie up.

"Caroline asked me to pick you up." He exchanged a look with Damon. "She didn't think you would be able to drive."

"I don't have my car here either." She shrugged, looking at Damon. "I'm really sorry for the trouble."

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged a devilish grin on his face. "I have enough material to torment you for the rest of your life."

A flash went through her mind as she heard his words, having them heard before. Her heart started aching, flashes of passion rushing through her mind, his lips covering her naked chest with kisses, her back arching to get him closer. Her soul feeling happy as he locked his eyes with hers, their breaths mingling as he claimed her lips as his.

"Elena?" Tyler pulled her thoughts away from Damon's intense gaze. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I just tuned out."

"I just tuned out."

"I noticed."

"I can't forgive him, dad." She shrugged. "I can never trust him again."

"It's your choice, sweetie." He smiled at her. "Just know that this trial is going to bring things to the surface that you rather not talk about."

"I know." She whispered. "I know how these things go and I know there will be things I will have to share that I don't want to but what I fear the most is that they'll find out about Liam."

"They won't." He squeezed her knee. "And even if they did, he's Stefan's son."

"Dad, we both know..."

"That's the birth certificate they'll find." He shrugged. "As long as the original one stays hidden they won't have any proof he's Damon's."

She looked up at the man in front of her, seeing her father now with his doctor's face on. The only reason why she had been able to make her son Damon's son too and make Stefan believe he was officially Liam's father. When she gave birth she couldn't make it official so her father, the doctor on retirement had pulled a few strings and arranged two birth certificates with two different names under the tag father. One of them was safely hidden in a safe only she could open.

"So where is my grandson?" Grayson got up, wiping his hands clean. "You know, Damon wasn't such a bad guy, he gave us that little monster."

"You just think he's a good guy because you could talk about kidneys with him."

"That only made him a better guy."

"Sweet dreams, buddy."

She kissed her son's forehead as she tucked him in. His eyes started fluttering once his head hit the pillow.

"Mommy?" His big blue eyes looked up at her. "Is it bad if I don't want to become a writer like Daddy?"

"No." She sat down next to him, stroking his hair. "That's not bad. Why would you think that?"

"Because all the boys in my class want to become like their daddies." He shook his head, his eyes fighting to stay open. "But I don't want to be a writer."

"What do you want to be?" She stroked his hair softly. "You can be anything you want."

"I want to be a heart doctor." His eyes welled up with tears. "So I can make Grandma better."

"You want to be a heart surgeon?" She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

"Yes." He nodded eagerly. "But is it bad that I want to be one when I don't know anybody who's a heart surgeon?"

"No, it's not bad that you want to be something else than anybody else."

"Do you know any heart surgeons, Mommy?"

"I do." She whispered. "I do know someone."

"Why did he become a heart surgeon?" His big blue eyes were now wide open, focusing on his mother.

"Because his mommy had a heart condition and he thought he could fix it."

"Did he fix it?"

"I think he's still trying." She smiled softly. "But I think he'll fix her one day."

"Can I meet him?" His eyes locked with hers, filled with hope. "I want to meet him."

"Maybe one day." She patted the comforter. "But he lives in Chicago."

"That's far away." He nodded. "But maybe he'll come here someday."

"Maybe."

She placed a kiss on his forehead, looking at his face, feeling her heart ache again as she saw his father's features reflected in them. Her soul started screaming again as she thought about the man that held the other part of it. Her body tingled, reminding her what it wanted.

"Buddy?" She took a deep breath, stroking his cheek. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sure." He scooted to the other side of the bed, pressing his back against the wall. "Do you think you're going to have a bad dream?"

"Yeah..." She got under the covers, hugging him tight to her chest. "But you'll keep them away."

His tiny arm draped around her waist while he snuggled into her chest. She wrapped the covers tighter around them so he wouldn't get cold and put the light out, feeling his breathing even in the dark.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?"

"If I become a heart doctor I can fix you too if someone breaks your heart."

She stroked his cheek; softly pulling her fingers through his thick hair with her other hand. A sob left her throat as she nodded her head, placing a kiss on her son's head.

"You already fixed it."

She looked down at his sleeping figure, knowing exactly why she had kept him.

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