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Okay, so here's the next chapter, picking up right after Chris storms out!

It was silent for a good minute after the door closed.

Finally he heard Elena sigh, "I'm so sorry, Damon."
He turned, looking at her, "It's not your fault."
She shook her head, "No, but he shouldn't have talked to you that way. I don't know what's gotten into him lately…he's not usually like this."

Damon placed his finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"He's just angry, Elena, but he'll come around."
She met his gaze, her eyes melting him, "I hope you're right."
He sighed, dropping his hand, and taking a look around.
"This is…cozy," he offered, and Elena chuckled dryly.

"You mean small."
He smirked a little, "Yeah…I mean small."
She nodded, moving to sit on the couch, motioning to the empty space across from her.
Damon walked the few steps to it, and sat down.
After a moment, Elena broke the silence.
"I'm sorry that you found out this way…"
He fixed his gaze on her, "I'm not. I'm glad that the truth is out there."
She nodded, and he sighed, "So who all knows?"
She blushed, and he raised a brow, "Pretty much everyone then?"

Elena nodded.

"Yeah…a few weeks after you left, I started getting sick, then I was late that next month, and well, two plus two…I told Caroline, and she bought a test for me…I didn't know what to do," she admitted, "I was nervous, and terrified, and had no idea what was about to happen. So I kept it a secret for a few months, only Caroline and Bonnie knew."
Damon stared at the ground, guilt swarming him, "So what then?"
She exhaled, "Well, I started to show. I mean, I know you can't hide a pregnancy forever, but I was hoping that I could last a bit longer…anyway, I finally told my parents."
Damon winced, "I take it that was an unpleasant evening."
Elena nodded, "Mom cried, a lot…but Dad…he was furious. I guess now I understand why, I still can't believe him."
He swallowed, "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone."
When he glanced up at her, she was shaking her head, "It really wasn't that bad. I think Dad was the worst part, actually. I guess he wasn't too happy that he'd gotten you away from me, just for this to happen. Hell, he didn't even want me to keep Chris. He tried to insist on taking me to the clinic…taking care of it, is what he said."

Damon felt his temper rise a bit.
Grayson tried to make Elena have an abortion?! Kill her baby, their baby?

Obviously, it didn't work out that way, but the idea still upset him.

"So that didn't happen," Damon stated.
"No, it didn't," Elena sighed, "I told him that I was the one who had sex, and I would deal with the consequences…and besides, I already loved Christian. There was no way I could give him up. Mom supported me, and eventually Dad came around too."
She held his gaze, "I told your parents after that. They took the news much better," she chuckled a little, "And they were willing to help with anything I needed. They were really there for me, for Chris…and I could never thank them enough…"
Damon had moved closer to her without realizing it, "Why didn't Mom say anything then? In the times I've seen her over the-"
"I asked her not to," Elena cut.
Damon's brow furrowed, and she hurriedly explained, "I guess part of me still hoped that you'd come back…and I wanted to be the one to tell you. But then you never did. And after a few years…it just felt like it was too late."
"I just wish I'd known," he stated, "There's so much that I could have changed…and then-"
"And then what?" Elena challenged, "Look, it doesn't matter, Damon. What's done is done. Maybe things could have worked out differently, but they didn't. They ended up like this. I have a good job, and a son I love more than life…and you have the career you've always wanted. So can we please not take the road of what if's?"
Damon measured her, then nodded, "Okay, how about the road of 'what's next', instead?"

"Well, to be honest," she answered, "I think that's up to Chris…and you."

He could almost feel a wave of nervousness radiate from her, and his guilt rose again.
She truly believed that there was a chance he'd just wash his hands of them. Brush them under the rug, and pretend like this never happened.
Sort of like she tried to do with him.
Except now it was different.
They were grown adults, and he had a choice.
He reached over taking her hand, forcing her eyes to lift to his.
"Elena, I'm not sure what's going to happen in the future…but I can promise you that when it comes to Christian, you will not be alone anymore. He's my son, Elena…and I've already missed fifteen years of his life. I don't plan on missing the rest."

There were tears in her eyes now, and he could only imagine all the times she'd dreamed of him saying this.
"Thank you," she said sincerely, "But what happens when you leave again? When you go back to California, back to all the craziness…"

"We have a while before that happens," he pressed, "Maybe we should just focus on right now."
Elena shook her head, "I can't do that, Damon…not anymore. If this was just about us, maybe it would be different…but I can't do that to Chris. I can't let him get close to you, only to have him watch you leave."

The image she was painting pained him.
He didn't want to do that either. Besides, he knew what would happen…that if he spent all that time with her, and with his son…he might not even want to go back.

Because for the first time in what felt like forever, he had a purpose, a drive…a reason to even be alive.
"So what if it didn't have to be that way?" he offered, the words sounding heavy.
Elena stared at him, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, what if I didn't have to leave?" he pressed.
Elena blinked, "But you do…you told me yesterday that your boss only gave you a month…"
Damon nodded, "I know…but the circumstances have obviously changed. I meant what I said. I want to be here for Chris, for you. Even if that means dropping the label company and moving back home."

Elena's eyes had widened, "I…I can't let you do that, Damon! You can't just throw away your career, sacrifice your dream…that's exactly why I didn't tell you in the first place!"
He didn't falter, "It's not a sacrifice, Elena."
"But-"
"No, listen to me," he insisted, his mind clear, "I have done a lot of things that I regret over the years. But this…this tops them all. I left you alone, to raise our son, and that's inexcusable. It is not a sacrifice to be a part of his life, Elena, it's a privilege. One that I would gladly accept…if you'll let me."

With the tears on her cheek, Elena nodded.
"I want that. I want you to get to know him, and for him to have a relationship with you. I really do, Damon, I swear…but-"
"But what?"
She sat up a little, "But that's a really big chance you are asking me to take. How am I supposed to trust you? Trust that you aren't going to change your mind, or decide that this isn't what you wanted after all…because it'll be me that has to deal with that mess."

Damon could understand her point, he really could, and he knew that he was mostly to blame for her hesitation.

He swallowed, "I really hurt you, didn't I? Back then…when I left?"
Not meeting his gaze, Elena nodded, "For a while I didn't think I was going to survive it all…you were everything to me…and then I had Chris, and he looks so much like you, it just-"
She stopped herself, choking up a little.

He waited until she looked up at him, before answering, "I didn't want things to turn out the way they did. You were the best part of my life, Elena. Never doubt that."
She nodded, "But that still didn't stop you from leaving."
He wanted to hold her so badly, let her know that things had changed, but he had a feeling more words weren't what she needed.
"You're right," he admitted, "I was an idiot. I let my insecurities get the best of me, and I wussed out," he squeezed the hand he was holding, "And I'd give anything to change that, but I can't."
Elena was looking into his eyes now, and he tried not to get lost in her brown depth.

"I just want the chance to get to know my son," he told her, "Let me show you that you can trust me."

She sighed, "Okay, but even if I take this chance, how do you plan on getting Christian to feel the same?"
Damon bit his lip. Always the hard questions…

"I honestly don't know yet," he answered finally, "But I at least have to try. He hates me right now, because he's angry. Maybe if I can get through to him, then that can change."

Elena appraised him, "And that's what you want?"

He had to erase that crushing doubt in her voice before it killed him.

"Absolutely."

Chris stretched out, not wanting to open his eyes, in fear that this feeling would fade.
April was lying next to him, her fingers tracing different shapes on his arm.
"It's getting dark," she reasoned.
Chris sighed, peeking up at the sky, to find that the sun had indeed began to set.

It made sense though, as they'd been chilling by the banks of the falls for a few hours now.
He hadn't wanted to go home, and the grass was soft enough to throw a blanket down on and sprawl out.
Made for a great lazy afternoon.
"Afraid of breaking curfew?" he asked with a smirk, knowing how uptight her father, Pastor Young, could be.
"Don't be a dick," she shot.
"Ooooh, that's a bad word," he teased, "I thought you were supposed to be the good girl."
He half expected it when she hit his arm.
"Just because my dad's the preacher, doesn't mean that I'm a perfect angel."
Chris scoffed, "Apparently your dad thinks differently. Is he still convinced that I'm corrupting you?"
April had rolled, leaning over him now, "Definitely."
She leaned down, kissing him, and began to let her lips trail down his neck, "You are practically the devil's spawn."

Chris's eyes opened, "I'm not going to argue with him there."
April stopped kissing him, her attention diverted, "So I take it you still haven't talked to Damon."

Chris eyed her, "Actually I did."

She raised a brow, "Before or after you threw a bottle at his car?"

Chris smirked, "After. I broke the window too."
He moved his arm to wrap it around her body, "Was he pissed?"

Chris shrugged, "He was a little more distracted by the fact that my mother had been lying to him for fifteen years."
April's eyes widened, "He knows then? About you?"
Chris nodded.
"Why are you just mentioning this?! What happened? What did he say?"

Christian sighed, leaning up to kiss her forehead, "It's not that big a deal, babe."
"The hell it's not," she shot, "He's your dad, Chris. You can play it off all you want, but I know that that means something to you."

Chris sighed, sitting up, his gaze traveling over to the rushing water.

"He's not my Dad, April. He lost that right a long time ago."

She gave him a sympathetic look, "He didn't know, babe. You can't blame him for not coming back if he didn't know there was a reason he should."
He looked back at her, their blue eyes leveled, "It's not about me, April. Yeah, I hate that he wasn't around, but big whoop. Like you said, he didn't know. That's not what I blame him for."

Her brows furrowed, "Then what?"
"He shouldn't have left," Chris explained, "My mother loved him. She's only ever loved him, and he just left her…it's sick. My grandpa told me the whole story…"

"Giuseppe?"

Chris shook his head, "Grayson. He told me that my mom wanted to be a doctor…that she had her entire life set up…until she got with Damon. He talked her into changing her plans, going with him instead. Except that didn't happen. Because after his first semester of college, he came home, fucked her, then dumped her…he ruined her life."
April leaned over, cupping his cheek, "If you ask me, he gave her the best thing a person can give. Whatever might have happened, you're here because of it, and you know your mom wouldn't change that for the world. People make mistakes, Chris…maybe the point isn't to focus on what happened back then…maybe it's to see what could happen now."

He thought about her words.
Maybe somehow, this whole twisted situation had a bright side…but it didn't change the truth of what happened. It was only going to change things in his life.
He thought of Damon.
Of the look the man had given him when he'd realized he was staring at his son.

There might have been something there.
He just wasn't sure that he wanted to take the chance to find out.
But at least he didn't have to think about it right now.
He just smiled, pulling his girlfriend into his side, "You're a sucker for happy endings, aren't you?"
She rolled her eyes, but smirked, "So what if I am? It's better than being an eternal pessimist."
He gave her that one, but sighed.
It really was getting late.
"We should probably start heading back."
She nodded her agreement, and they stood, wrapping up the blanket they'd been using.
Christian tucked it under his arm, and slid his free one around April's shoulders.

It wasn't very far to their houses.

"So was he there when you left?" April pressed after a moment, "Damon, I mean?"

Chris nodded, "Yeah, he was."
April stared at their feet while they walked, "Is there even a chance that you want to get to know him?"

Chris considered this, "I don't know. I guess a part of me wonders what he's like, you know, but the bigger part just wants him gone. I don't want him to come in and ruin what my mom and I have."
April glanced up at him, "I think you're just scared."
That struck a nerve, "I am not scared."
She chuckled a little, "Oh really? Because meeting my father for the first time ever, especially knowing I have some deep rooted issues with him, would scare the hell out of me."
He smiled a little, "First of all, my issues are very shallow, thank you. And second, maybe I am a little nervous about it. I mean, things aren't perfect for me and my mom, but it's good. We make it work. I don't want Damon to come in and hurt her again."
"Well, what if he doesn't?" April challenged, "What if he's still her one true love, and they decide to try and make it work."
Chris shot her a look, "How many Nicholas Sparks books have you been reading?"

She huffed, "What? Now you have a problem with me being a romantic too?"
He chuckled, kissing her head, "No, I love the fact that you're romantic. Just…don't express it through future predictions of my estranged parents, please."

"Fine," she consented, letting them walk the rest of the way in peace.

I know this one was a little shorter, sorry! But it had to end here! I think you guys will enjoy the next chapter a lot more!

Again, thanks for the reviews, they mean more than you know!

I hope ya'll liked!

What did you think about Grayson's version of the story that he told Chris?
Do you think Damon will be able to get through to his son?
How will Grayson react to Damon's return after so long?
Will/Should Elena confront her father? Or will it just stir up more trouble?
Do you think Damon will be able to help with Chris's rebelling?

Please leave your opinions in a review!