Damon:

I step into the suite I share with Katherine. She's sitting on the couch wearing a zebra-striped robe with a matching one laying there for me. My eyes widen in disgust. Eeeepp! I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing, I think to myself.

"Katherine, something's come up!"

"What, Damon?" she asks smiling like the cat who ate the canary.

"My wife, that's what." I say hesitantly.

"I am your wife, Damon. Why are you talking so strangely?"

She gets up, walks over to me and begins to stroke my face with her fingers...

"Katherine stop!" I stutter as I back away from her, nearly tripping over an ottoman in the process.

"There's this situation between two people who've been married for a long time," I say with a shaky voice.

I swallow thickly before turning my eyes back to her, yet still keeping my distance.

"Truth is stranger than fiction.. Be big. Be brave," I utter more to myself than to her.

"Damon, I don't understand you," she says, confusion written all over her face.

"Oh, you don't? Well, in that case, good night," I say to her.

"Darling! Are you just bashful, is that what's wrong?"

"Uh... Bashful! Yeah, that's it. See ya later!" I say walking to the door.

"Damon!" she says.

"I'm going to get a deck of cards..." I tell her.

"I called room service to send us some champagne," she says seductively.

"Oh, can't drink the stuff; gives me hiccups. Terrible hiccups!"

"All right, darling. Now, why don't you relax, put your feet up and put your bathrobe on - see it's just like mine, hm?" she says teasing me with a bit of cleavage.

"Oh, I'd look silly in your bathrobe, Katherine," I chuckle.

"Darling! Darling, don't be afraid of me. I'm your wife!"

"Yeah, that's just what I'm afraid of," I tell her with a shaky voice.

"Damon. Come on, put your arms around me."

"Well, are you sure your mother won't mind?" I stutter.

"We're man and wife, darling. Now - what would you like to do?" she says winking at me.

Just then the phone rings. Thank Christ for phone calls.

"I'm just going to answer the phone." I say leaping to it.

"Hello? Hello?"

"This is Elena. Did you tell her yet?"

Keeping my voice low, "No, not yet. I'm working on it." I tell her honestly.

"I'll be right there." She says.

"Oh! No! No don't Hello? Hello?" I mumble, realizing Elena has hung up on me. I don't hang the phone hoping to trick Katherine.

"Well uh," I cover the receiver with my hand and turn to Katherine.

"It's an important client! Very important! We have to go back. I have to work tomorrow! Gotta go right now, start packing!"

"How can you treat me like this? Where are you going?" Katherine snarls.

"I have to get back to file a quick affidavit. No time to explain. Hurry! You must hurry!" I tell her then grab the suitcase and start throwing our things in it.

"Damon," she squawks, clearly miffed as her hands are fisted at her sides.

"I'm going to run down to see Mr. Lockwood," I tell her as I fly out the door and run right into Elena.

"Elena!"

"Let me in that room," she demands.

"Ssssshhhhh!" I whisper.

"Don't you try to stop me," she says angrily.

"All right Elena. I'll tell her myself. All I need is a little time," I say to placate her.

"What were you doing all this time? Get out of my way, Damon."

"Oh, now, Elena. Katherine and I are not going to spend the night in the hotel."

"Oh? You aren't?" she says skeptically, narrowing her eyes at me.

"No. No, we're - we're driving back home. Why don't you catch the next plane back and we'll settle everything in a nice, civilized manner when we get home?" I suggest.

She smacks her lips. "I know your 'civilized manner'. That's what got me into this hotel ten years ago..."

"Elena, I promise you - I promise you I'll tell her," I reassure her before walking her back to her room.

"Seven long, lonely years. All that time on a deserted island. Nobody to talk to. Nothing but my memories, my love for you, and the will to stay alive. Hoping against hope that you'd wait. And then to come home and find myself legally dead and you remarried," she sniffs.

"I know Elena, dear. I promise I'll make it up to you," I say as I pull her into my arms and drop a kiss to the crown of her head.

After Elena packs her meager belongings, I put her in a cab to go to the airport. Once she's safely on her way, I collect Katherine and our things, settle her in the car before going back inside the inn to settle my bills.

"Mr. Salvatore, a Mr. Stefan Burke phoned earlier," Mr. Lockwood informs me.

"Stefan Burke?" I ask confused.

"He called for your bride from suite A. He said to tell her that he left her things from the island with her mother in law. Since you already sent her packing, I'm relaying the information to you," He says dismissively.

"Uh, things from the island?" I question.

"Mm hm. And he said to tell her that seven years together wasn't nearly enough. He'd like to see her again," He looks at me dubiously.

"Stefan Burke?" I say before settling my bill with Mr. Lockwood. I go to the car, start the ignition and take off. Katherine gives me the silent treatment the whole way home.

When we finally get home, Katherine and I walk into the house. Somehow I'm not surprised to find that Elena and my mother are chatting up a storm.

"Hello, Katherine. Er, now, this is an old friend of the family from - Virginia. Yes. Her name is, uh, uh- Her name-" stutters my mother.

"I'm Lena. And you're the bride?" Elena gushes.

"Yes, she is. Now you run along home, Lena." I say, using my eyes to signal to the door.

"Now? Don't be silly, Damon. I'm here for a visit," she says batting her eyelashes at me.

"Let me give you a big juicy kiss." Elena teases then puckers up and lays a wet one on my cheek.

Unable to help myself, I hug her back.

Katherine looks ready to blow so much so that I swear I can see steam coming out of her ears.

"All right, sister that's enough. He's a married man," she admonishes while looking down her nose at Elena.

"I'm just crazy about your husband, crazy about him. He was the dullest boy I ever did see until he got gawky. Don't you think he's gawky? I think he's gawky. ..." Elena teases.

My mouth drops open, "I wasn't aware that I "gawked!"

Feigning a headache, "I'm going to our room Damon. I expect you'll be quick." Katherine says arrogantly.

"I'll send sugarplum up just as soon as I'm through with him," Elena digs.

I point my gaze at Elena. "Why don't you hush?"

"Now, don't make me mad, "honeychild," or I'll blab my mouth off." Elena says while poking her index finger forcefully into my chest.

I take Elena by the arm and lead her into my study.

"Mr. Lockwood gave me a message for you. He said a Stefan Burke called for you. Apparently he wanted to tell you that he left your things here and that seven years on the island with you wasn't nearly long enough. He also wants to see you again. Care to explain?" I ask with more than a hint of jealousy.

"Stefan Burke? Oh, uh, what did you say, Damon?"

"Seven years, Elena? Things from the island? There was a man on the island with you for seven long years?" I say, my voice rising with each syllable.

"What island?" she says looking away from me.

"You know very well what island?" I zero in on her.

"Oh, that island." she laughs nervously before grabbing a jacket out of the hall closet and stepping out the door.

"Wait a minute. Where are you going?" I ask accusingly.

"Out." she replies.

"Out where?" I ask.

She turns her nose up, "for a shave and haircut!" She pulls away from me, gets in the car and drives off.

Damon and Katherine:

"Damon Salvatore, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" Katherine blubbers.

"Yes, I do."

"Well?" she waits.

"I can't think of one." Next thing I know, she's wailing and sobbing.

"Katherine, you must think I'm behaving very strangely. "

"I certainly do," she whines loudly.

"Mm. It runs in the family. The night my father was married, he pitched horse shoes until four o'clock in the morning." I say, trying to soothe her.

"I don't care about your father. We've driven all night and all day without a stop and now it's night again." she blurts out, turning the volume up on her blubbering.

"My mother never forgave him. Pitched horse shoes all night. Never won a single game," I tell her just before she storms into the bathroom. I drop my head into my hands. What the hell am I going to do? I think to myself.

Exhaling deeply, I finally get Katherine to quit crying. We go downstairs for supper before we settle into the living room for the evening.
Molly is sitting with Elena at the piano practicing her lessons. I notice Katherine huff in annoyance when Molly starts the piece over whenever she makes a mistake. I chuckle discreetly at Katherine's dismay. Andrew stands up and starts yelling his speech for English class quite loudly. I light my pipe, laughing inside at the situation I find myself in.

'Be careful Elena. You just had a baby. Let me take her while you sit down. "Mommy, Daddy, Can I hold baby Molly?" Andrew begs.

"Of course sweetheart," she says softly.

I lift Andrew up to sit on the couch beside Elena and she gently places Molly in his arms. I find the camera and tell them to squeeze in together so I can snap a picture of my beautiful family. Andrew is completely awestruck as he stares down at his baby sister. Elena is simply beaming as she looks at our children. She pulls Andrew holding Molly onto her lap.

I say "cheese" then snap their picture. That picture is sitting in my office to this very day.

Katherine's screeching arouses me from my reverie.

"Can you please keep it down?" Katherine demands of Andrew. He looks at her, smirks, then starts reciting louder.

I lower my head so Katherine won't notice and chuckle silently. Yeah, unfortunately I'm not as discreet as I thought. She glares at me, gets up and the next thing I hear is her stomping up the stairs followed by the bedroom door slamming shut. I exhale deeply with relief knowing I'm going to sleep in my study having dodged the bullet for tonight. I get up and grab Elena by the crook of the arm and lead her once again into my study.

Elena giggles. "Oh, Damon, you're in a terrible pickle, aren't you? You haven't told her yet."

"No, I haven't. And what about that - that - that Stefan Burke? You ran out of the house faster than a bat out of hell when I brought up that topic of conversation. Seven years on an island together. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I knew you would jump to conclusions."

"Well, after seven years, there's no other place else to jump to!" I scold.

"Little old Stefan! Are you jealous of him?" Elena teases.

"Oh, please stop talking as though he were a casual acquaintance." I scoff.

"Poor Stefan. He broke his leg getting on the island. It took a whole year to mend. If you could meet him, you'd see how silly your suspicions are. He's such a little man. I don't think he weighs over a hundred and twenty pounds. He spent most of his time pursuing his hobby."

"Silly? What's so silly? And what about the other six years? Hobby, what hobby?"

"Nature. ... No, I mean - I mean flowers! And plants and things. Oh, Damon, he's so harmless. After all, a man over sixty!"

"Sixty? Well, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I had a hunch you'd carry on this way."

Suddenly I hear Katherine yelling. "Damon! Are you coming to bed?"

I roll my eyes and huff, "I'm coming right up!"

"Damon Salvatore. I feel insulted. You cross-examining me this way, while 'the other woman' yells for MY husband in MY house!"

"Yeah well, the poor girl thinks she's married, just because we had a wedding ceremony!" I say, exasperation unmistakable in my demeanor.

"Damon!" Katherine yells aloud.

"Coming!" I yell back just as loud.

"Are you going to tell her?" Elena asks.

"Sure." I say under my breath.

"When?" Elena demands.

"Now." I surrender.

"Kiss me good night?" she says batting those big brown eyes alluringly.

I grab her wrist and pull her flush against my chest. I cradle her cheeks with my palms and press my lips to hers in a scorching kiss.

"Whew! You Casanova you," she says fanning herself.

"Damon! I'm waiting!" Katherine positively screeches this time.

I finally make it up to our bedroom after sharing a few more kisses with Elena.

"It's about time. I just want to know one thing. Do you love me, Damon?" Katherine spouts.

I clear my throat, "You're one of the most attractive girls I've ever met."

"I'm your wife!" she squawks stomping her feet like a toddler.

"Well, that's what I was coming to. In the course of human events, it sometimes happens that two people get all fouled up."

"Oh! For the love of heaven, tell me, what's wrong with me?" she squeaks.

"Oh, nothing, Katherine. Believe me, under other circumstances, who knows?"

Here come her waterworks again. "Well, now. Now, look. Let's - let's start at the beginning. Once there was a man who met a girl. I'm the man and you're the girl. Now, see? Isn't that simple?" I utter, completely at wit's end.


Thank you Eva. Thank you all again for your reviews, follows and favorites. I really appreciate them so much. Please check out my other stories too if you're interested. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Please check out my lovely friend Morvamp's OS 'Three Days with You'. It's beautiful as is my friend jaybunzy0's 'A Christmas to Remember'. They were also part of the LJ 4th annual TVD 'Delena' Mixing. Thank you all again for all of your support with my stories. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you.