Hi there! My apologies for the delay in updates. I unplugged and enjoyed the holidays, didn't take my laptop to New York... I'm only now just getting a bit caught up, although updates may be a little slower. I try to write ahead, but I'm no longer ahead at the moment!
Thanks for all of your support, tweets, PMs... Love to all of you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.
Elena groaned as something loud and insistent dragged her out of a deep sleep. The sound stopped. She sighed and snuggled deeper into her pillow, aware of the hard body pressed into hers from behind. She vaguely recalled spending the night at Damon's as her eyes fluttered shut once more.
The noise returned.
"What…?"
"Phone," Damon grunted, his arm tightening around her. It clicked for Elena then. It was her cell phone ringing incessantly. She groped for it, vaguely remembering leaving it on the nightstand the night before.
"'Lo?" she answered, not bothering to look at the display.
"Elena! Where the hell are you? Where's Ava Kate? Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?" Elena lifted her head from the pillow, her mind foggy as she tried to wake up enough to have a conversation. She glanced at Damon's alarm clock. It was half past seven in the morning.
"Jeremy?"
"Where are you?" Jeremy repeated. "Is Ava Kate with you? Is everything okay?"
"We're at Damon's," she replied tiredly. "He got stung by a few jellyfish yesterday. He took some Benedryl and it made him sleepy. I didn't want him to drive us home like that, so we stayed. We're fine." She glanced at Ava Kate and saw she was still sleeping soundly.
"Way to let someone know," Jeremy grumbled. "I woke up and wanted some water. On my way to the kitchen I saw both your room and Ava Kate's empty. I didn't know what happened to the two of you."
"Now you know how it feels," Elena retorted. Jeremy sighed.
"Whatever. It's Sunday. Are we still doing breakfast at Stack 'em High?"
"Of course. If you want to, that is."
"Yeah, I want some pancakes," Jeremy admitted. He paused for a moment. "Is Damon coming?"
"Would that be okay?" Elena countered. She knew she had to tread lightly with Jeremy and Damon. Damon was dating her, but he was also Jeremy's history teacher and football coach.
"Yeah, that's fine," Jeremy relented. "He's not the worst guy to have around." Elena smiled.
"Nine o'clock?"
"That works. I'll meet you guys there." He hung up. Elena dropped her phone and rolled over to face Damon.
"Good morning," he greeted, brushing her hair away from her face. She smiled.
"Good morning."
"Everything okay?" She nodded.
"Jeremy was worried. He woke up and couldn't find us." She reached out and brushed her hand across Damon's cheek. "How does the leg feel?"
"Just a little sore. Nothing I can't handle."
"Good." He leaned in and kissed her then. "Waking up to you doesn't suck."
"I'll second that," he agreed. He kissed her again.
"So, Ava Kate, Jeremy, and I have breakfast at Stack 'Em High every Sunday morning. It's a tradition my parents started. Would you want to join us this morning?" Damon studied her for a moment.
"Is Jeremy okay with that?" Elena nodded.
"I asked him. He said, to quote, 'he's not the worst guy to have around.' We're supposed to meet him at nine."
"I'm not especially ready to part ways with the two of you, so if you don't mind me tagging along, breakfast sounds wonderful." Elena smiled at him again.
"I don't mind at all." Damon leaned in for another kiss. Elena sighed happily and pressed into him, deepening the kiss. He took that as his signal to push forward a little more. He cupped her cheek and ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for permission. She granted it.
She loved kissing Damon. He put her nerves on end, made chills run through her body, only to be immediately followed by a trail of fire. She found she wanted more, craved a deeper connection, more intimate contact. She knew, too, that she had to show him that. She ran her hand down his chest, hitched her leg over his. It was a shame he was wearing a shirt. His content sigh as he deepened the kiss and pulled her closer told her he was picking up on her signals.
"Mommy?"
With a soft sigh, Elena pulled away from Damon with an almost bashful smile.
"I'm here," she answered, turning in Damon's arms. He raised his head to look over Elena at Ava Kate, his hair sticking up all over.
"Good morning, Ava Kate," he added. The little girl sat up on the couch, still dressed in her outfit from the day before, her hair all over her head.
"Hi," she muttered. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head before sliding off the couch. She padded the few feet to the bed and stood, looking at Elena.
"Come on," Elena encouraged, scooting closer to Damon to make room for Ava Kate. She was curious as to whether Ava Kate would join them. The little girl climbed onto the bed and lay down next to her mother so she was facing them.
"I'm hungry," she declared. Elena laughed and felt Damon's low chuckle behind her.
"We're going to go meet Uncle Jeremy at Stack 'Em High for breakfast."
"Is Damon coming?"
"I am," Damon confirmed.
"Good," Ava Kate said with a nod. She sat up and looked between Damon and her mother for a moment. Then, without warning, she climbed over Elena and wedged herself in between them.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked, scooting a bit to give Ava Kate more room.
"I want to snuggle, too," she declared. Elena glanced at Damon, then smiled.
"I think we can manage that," she stated. Damon looked relieved.
"Come here, you two," he said, rolling onto his side. He tucked an arm under Ava Kate's head, then used his other to pull Elena closer, wedging the little girl between them. Ava Kate giggled. "Are we snuggled enough, Ava Kate?" he asked.
"Yep!" She burrowed between the two of them.
"I like this," Damon declared after a few minutes. Elena smiled at him over Ava Kate's head.
"Me too," she admitted.
"Me too," Ava Kate echoed. Damon chuckled.
"We can only lay here another few minutes thought," Elena told them. "We have to go meet Uncle Jer. And, maybe, stop by the house and change our clothes."
"These pancakes better be amazing," Damon declared. "Because right now, in this moment, I can't think of anything better than this."
Elena only smiled at him. Because she had to agree.
Damon stood at one of Elena's big windows, watching Jeremy poke and prod under the hood of his car in the driveway below. Ava Kate was working on a puzzle at the living room coffee table, and Elena was changing over her laundry. It was, in every sense, a boring Sunday afternoon. Elena had asked him to stay when he dropped them off after breakfast and so he had, still not ready to go back to his efficiency alone. He heard footsteps and a moment later, knew Elena was in the room.
"Does he know what he's doing?" he asked. Elena came to stand beside him and looked out at Jeremy tinkering on his car.
"Not really. He has a general idea about how cars work, but he doesn't really know as much as he thinks he does. He usually tries to fix something, breaks it, then ends up with a hefty repair bill from a professional."
"It's kind of fun to watch him try," Damon admitted, drawing a light laugh out of Elena. She reached for his hand and used it to pull his arm around her. She liked being close to him.
"Thank you for spending time with us today," she told him. "I hope you aren't tired of us."
"Are you kidding? I'm hoping you aren't tired of me." She shook her head.
"We're not tired of you," she promised.
"Mommy? Can we go swimming?" Elena looked over her shoulder at Ava Kate.
"That's not a bad idea," she agreed. "Run upstairs and find your swimsuit. I'll be up in a minute." Ava Kate cheered and took off for the stairs. "Feeling up to taking a dip in the sound? And just so you know, the answer is yes. You aren't going to get out of it." Damon grinned.
"Guess it's a good thing I still have some swimming trunks in my truck from the last time I was at Stefan's."
"Go get them," Elena instructed, pulling away. "Get changed. Tomorrow is Labor Day, which means our time to swim is running out. We have to swim while we can." Damon nodded.
"I'll be right back." He exited the house as Elena climbed the stairs. He stopped when he got to Jeremy's car, surveying the situation. "What's the verdict?"
"I don't know," Jeremy admitted. "I think there's something wrong with the transmission. It's making a loud squealing noise, and it's hard to turn. It started doing it this morning on the way back from breakfast. I barely managed to turn it into the driveway."
"Let me take a look." Without waiting for a response, Damon bent over the car and reached in, pulling at a piece of rubber. It gave away easily. "Your fan belt is broke, probably broke this morning. It's a relatively easy fix, though. I can help you replace it, if you need me to." Jeremy studied Damon for a long moment.
"You really like Elena." Damon was surprised by the turn of conversation, but he nodded.
"I do. I like her a lot. I like Ava Kate, too."
"Don't screw them over," Jeremy warned. "They've been hurt enough." It was Damon's turn to study Jeremy. He felt a surge of sympathy for the boy. He was only a teenager, a junior in high school, and yet he had lost both parents and now had his older sister, the same sister who had been abused and was a single parent already, as his guardian. He was, for all intense purposes, the man of the house.
"Elena told me about Liam," he confessed. "I'll tell you what I told her. Both she and Ava Kate are safe with me. I'm not going to hurt them. I only want to make them happy and treat them they way they deserve to be treated." Jeremy nodded.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. He nodded towards his car. "And, I'd appreciate your help with this. I'm going to borrow Elena's car and go get the part, as well as stuff to change both my oil and hers. If you're going to be around this afternoon…"
"I'm going swimming with Ava Kate and Elena," he said. "I'll help you after that?"
"Sounds good," Jeremy said, moving towards the house.
"How about we tag team those oil changes?" Damon proposed. "You do your car, I'll handle your sister's?" Jeremy smiled.
"Sounds like a plan." He started climbing the stairs. A flapping sound made its way to Damon's ears. He looked up and saw a piece of gutter loose, swaying in the wind.
"Did you know the gutter is loose?" he called after Jeremy. Jeremy stopped at the top of the stairs.
"Yeah. It's been like that for a few weeks. I'm going to fix it as soon as I get a chance." Damon just nodded. Some of his wide receiver's behavior issues made a little more sense.
The first thing Elena noticed when she got out of Caroline's car was that her own SUV was shiny and clean. The second thing she noticed was that the gutter was no longer swinging haphazardly from the roof. Jeremy was sitting on the patio, his feet propped up, and, to Elena's surprise, reading a comic.
"Jeremy, if you're washing cars, I can wait," Caroline declared, sliding out from behind the steering wheel to help Elena with her bags.
"I'm not," Jeremy replied, not bothering to move from his chair. "Damon did that."
"Damon was here?" Elena asked, helping Ava Kate out of the backseat of the car.
"He stopped by this morning, not too long after you left. He changed your oil since we didn't get to it last night, washed the car, and fixed the gutter. Then, he went fishing with Stefan or something."
"He's a keeper," Caroline declared. "Stefan makes me take my own car for an oil change. He doesn't even do it himself, just sends me down to Mike's Garage."
"He didn't have to do that," Elena said, looking up at the gutter.
"That's what I told him, but he did it anyway," Jeremy commented.
"He's a keeper," Caroline said again. "I'll help you get your bags upstairs before I go home and see the damage the Salvatore brothers and my offspring managed to do today." Jeremy surveyed the two women as they removed bags and bags from the car. Ava Kate was even carrying a few.
"Did you buy everything?"
"We were shopping on the mainland on Labor Day," Caroline told him. "So – yes."
"I bought you a few things," Elena told him. "I'll leave them in your room." Jeremy made an 'okay' sign with his fingers. Caroline and Elena climbed the stairs and deposited Elena's bags in the living room.
"Can I ask a question?" Caroline asked.
"As if I could stop you," Elena countered. She took Ava Kate's bags from her and the child skipped out of the room to play with her new toy.
"You seem a little touchy about Damon being here today. Any reason for that? I thought things were going well?" Elena had talked about Damon frequently throughout the day, bringing him up in casual conversation, and they had been spending most of their free time together. As far as Caroline knew, things were going great.
"Things are going well," Elena confirmed. "I just don't want him to feel obligated to come over and do stuff like change my oil, wash my car, or fix my gutter."
"I hate to tell you, but that's Damon," Caroline informed her. "Stefan, too, although Damon is a bit more, shall we say, old-fashioned, than Stefan. Damon has always been like that – stepping in to help, doing little things to make life easier. He washed my dishes the other day because Stefan was trying to fix the vacuum cleaner and I was at my wits end with Cody."
"I know," Elena admitted. She had come to realize that jumping in to help was simply who Damon was. "It's just hard for me to accept that a guy is so willing to just jump in and do things like that without being asked. I don't want him to feel obligated because he knows I had a rough few years."
"A rough few years is putting it mildly," Caroline mused. "You found a good one, Elena. Damon is crazy about the two of you. Just sit back and let yourself enjoy it." Elena smiled.
"He really is a good guy," she admitted. "I guess I need to call and thank him." Caroline winked.
"I think you do," she agreed. "And, maybe I can keep Ava Kate one night this week so the two of you can go on a grown up date?" Elena blushed, even as she smiled.
"That would be amazing," she admitted. "I love Ava Kate, but…"
"But, you can't make out with your boyfriend in front of an almost five year old," Caroline finished.
"We haven't discussed whether we're boyfriend and girlfriend…" Caroline scoffed.
"You're Damon's girlfriend," she informed her. "I think it's up to you as to whether Damon is your boyfriend." Caroline picked up her keys. "I'm going home to see what's left of my house. Let me know what day you want me to keep Ava Kate. I'll make it happen." With that, Caroline left. Elena smiled as she reached for her phone to call Damon.
"Someone spent their Labor Day laboring," she commented when he answered. She could hear Cody's shouts in the background.
"I spent it trying to keep Cody alive," Damon countered. "He's been in rare form today without his mother to keep the peace."
"Is that what all the shouting is in the background?"
"He's playing Stefan in Madden. And losing. He's not taking it well."
"Aren't you the one who harps on sportsmanship?" Elena asked with a smile.
"Sportsmanship goes out the window when you're playing your nephew and brother," Damon informed him. "Let it be known that I'm the only undefeated Salvatore in this house right now." She laughed lightly.
"I wanted to call and say thank you for fixing my gutter. And changing my oil. And washing my car."
"It was nothing," Damon said dismissively. She heard Stefan cheer and Cody let out a cry of indignation. "Jeremy said he was going to do it, but I didn't want my only solid wide receiver climbing a ladder and risking an injury if he fell. Besides, after watching him work on his car, I was a little worried about his ability to change the oil in yours without breaking anything else in the process."
"Well, thank you, all the same." She opened one of the bags and started taking things out of it. "How about I repay you with a date this week? Caroline offered to keep Ava Kate on the day of our choice."
"Tomorrow," Damon answered automatically. "How about tomorrow?" Elena laughed.
"Tomorrow it is."
"How do we always end up on the beach?" Elena asked. She was hand-and-hand with Damon, walking along the shore near his efficiency.
"I suppose its romantic," Damon replied, squeezing her hand. He had picked her up at Caroline and Stefan's after football and dance practice for a casual dinner. It was still relatively early, so they had opted to go for a walk on the beach before she had to get Ava Kate into bed.
"It is," Elena confirmed. She stopped walking. "Let's sit for a minute." Damon nodded his agreement and settled into the sand. He was pleased when Elena lowered herself to the ground in front of him, leaning back into his arms.
"I needed this today," Damon admitted.
"Long day?" He nodded.
"I forgot how exhausting it can be to teach all day, then go coach football, particularly a football team that doesn't exactly listen." He wasn't telling quite the full truth. He was finding it harder than expected to keep up with everything. He loved football and wanted to give it his full attention, except he had to force himself to make teaching a priority. He hadn't expected to struggle as much with balancing the two.
"And here I am, distracting you," Elena teased.
"Best distraction, ever," Damon declared. He hugged her to him.
"You're not a bad distraction, either," Elena replied. Damon kissed her cheek.
"How is Ava Kate doing at school?" he asked curiously. Elena sighed.
"She's still bored out of her mind. She's been a bit better since I talked with Mrs. Page. She's been giving Ava Kate books to read and more difficult assignments when Ava Kate finishes the work she's been given in class."
"That's good."
"It's good enough," Elena amended. "I haven't gotten another note home, but Ava Kate still tells me how bored she is every night."
"All too soon, she'll be trying to stave off homework in favor of watching TV," Damon guessed.
"Maybe," Elena agreed. She sighed contently as she rested in Damon's arms. "I really do appreciate everything you did for me yesterday," she continued. "You didn't have to do any of it." Damon tightened his arms around her.
"I wanted to," he reminded her. "Besides, I also helped Jeremy out."
"I just don't want you to feel obligated…."
"Elena," Damon interrupted, "I wanted to do those things. Just like I wanted to take you to dinner tonight and I want to tell Ava Kate goodnight when I drop you off at Stefan and Caroline's tonight to pick her up. You are not an obligation. Nor is Ava Kate or, for that matter, Jeremy." Elena leaned back and kissed Damon's cheek.
"You really are a good guy," she informed him.
"I'm not perfect," he reminded her. "Saturday night alone I gave Ava Kate candy before dinner, cussed more than once in front of her, and made you both watch football all day."
"We didn't mind any of that." Damon hugged her to him in response. "Well, except maybe the cussing. If I get a note home from Ava Kate's teacher saying she said a cuss word in class, we're going to have to have a conversation." Damon chuckled. "You know, sleeping in your arms was nice Saturday night."
"It really was nice," Damon agreed. "My place has felt rather quiet since I had to take the two of you home."
"Ava Kate likes your place. She thinks it's really cool that the bedroom, kitchen and living room are the same." Damon laughed again.
"There are playhouses biggest than my place."
"That's entirely true," Elena agreed. She turned a bit so she could see Damon and took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"What are we?" she asked. "I mean, we're dating, but…"
"You're my girlfriend," Damon stated with confidence. Then he took a big breath, afraid he had spoken too soon. "That is, of course, if you're interested in that label. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are…" Elena shut him up with a kiss.
"I'd like that," she said. "I'd like that a lot."
"Good." Damon kissed her deeply, his hand on her cheek to draw her even closer. He grinned as he pulled away. "Of course, you do realize this means you will have to inevitably meet my mother."
"I think I can handle her," Elena stated. "I met her before, remember? She liked me." She grew serious then. "How does she feel about you dating a woman with a child?" Damon smiled at her and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Like she could potentially finally have a granddaughter. And that her oldest son may finally be settling down." He leaned in and kissed her cheek again, unable to get enough of her. "She asks about both you and Ava Kate every time I talk to her. She's looking forward to meeting you – again. Probably sooner rather than later." Elena smiled and leaned in to kiss him one more time.
"This is different for me," she reminded him, "being with a man who genuinely cares, who actually wants to be with me, and my daughter."
"You'll have to get used to it." He leaned in and kissed her yet again. He moved to pull away, but Elena grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her, deepening the kiss. She wasn't ready to cross the line, to give herself to him entirely, but she was ready to get a little closer.
"Hmm," she hummed as Damon pulled his lips away from hers, only to trail them along her jawline and down her throat, the waves crashing in the background. She loved the way his five o'clock stubble felt against her soft skin, how he held her as though she were something precious.
"I'm drawing the line here," Damon whispered in her ear. "If I don't…" he kissed her cheek. She nodded.
"Probably a good stopping point," she agreed. She leaned in and kissed him again. "But, right there is better." He laughed and checked the time.
"I hate to say it, beautiful, but I think its time for us to head back to Caroline and Stefan's to fetch the little one."
"You're right," Elena sighed. "It is a school night, and all." Damon stood and pulled Elena to her feet. He took Elena's hand once more and the pair wandered in the direction they came from. He lifted their clasped hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. He had a girlfriend. It was a solid Tuesday, all things considered.
Damon hung his head as his team was whistled for another penalty, one that negated the decent yardage Flash had gained on his last run.
"Handle it," he huffed to Stefan as the offense came off the field and the punt team hurried on. Stefan nodded and moved off to reprimand the offense for another silly mistake. Damon marched the other way to where his defense was pulling on helmets. He stood by, listening as Ric worked to pump them up and relay a game plan. Ric wrapped up as the punt went into motion. The ball sailed down field. "Decent," he muttered.
"No one gets through you, you understand me?" Ric asked the defense.
"Yes, Coach!" they growled back.
"Get out there and hit someone," Damon directed.
"Hit someone!" the team echoed back. He slapped one of his lineman on the back as he ran past. Ric leaned towards him.
"It's the second quarter and we're only losing by two touchdowns. It's a home opener miracle." Damon shook his head.
"I'm not into moral victories," he replied. He watched as the play unfolded on the field before him. The opposing team gained a mere yard. While he wasn't into moral victories, he did have to admit the defense was executing well.
"One of the most moral men I know, and not into moral victories," Ric mused. Damon chuckled and walked away, watching the game unfold. His team was doing as well as he could hope against a formidable opponent. He knew enough about the other team – and his – to know the second half would likely be a blowout. His team just wasn't in good enough shape to play sixty full minutes of football. If he could get them to focus, to keep trying, he would consider it not a win, but a good effort.
The other team whistled for a timeout after a second down stop. He looked over his shoulder to where he knew Elena and Ava Kate were watching the game. He caught Elena's eye and gave her a small smile before turning back to the game and crossing his arms over his chest.
He liked having them there. He had stolen just a few minutes right after school to spend some time with Elena. Ava Kate had been buzzing, excited by the pep rally she had been allowed to leave her school early to attend, and had ran to him, as much to his surprise as Elena's. He had scooped her up, kissed her cheek, and pulled Elena into a hug, all in one smooth movement. Too soon, he had bid them goodbye, promising to see them after the game.
If he thought about it too much, he would wonder if things were moving too fast, despite how slow he often felt they were moving. He had moved to the Outer Banks in July, met Elena in August, and now, in September, he knew he was head over heels in love with not only her, but her daughter. Except his parents had fallen in love quickly, as had Elena's. Caroline and Stefan, too, had fallen fast for one another, even if they had been together a few years before they married. His feelings didn't scare him, nor did the idea of being Ava Kate's stepfather, someday. It was the fact that he wasn't scared that made him wonder if he should be.
"Ref!" he bellowed suddenly, his sharp eyes catching every component of the play that had just unfolded in front of him. He marched down the sideline, a man on a mission. "That was not pass interference! That ball was not catchable!"
"Easy, Coach," the ref warned.
"How about you open your eyes and watch the ball game?" Damon countered. "They've been holding on my boys all night, and you haven't called a single one."
"Coach, I'm warning you."
"Just call a fair game!" Damon demanded. "That's all I'm asking!" With that, he turned on his heel and stomped away, his temper threatening to bubble over. He knew damn well, as did the ref, that the penalty they had just been hit with was a bad call.
"Deep breaths," Ric advised when Damon came to a stop next to him.
"Deep breaths my ass," Damon retorted in a tone low enough for only Ric to hear. "He's a shitty ref. He's been blowing calls all night. I'm filing a report to the North Carolina High School Athletics Association on Monday." He was already cataloging all the plays he would use as evidence.
"Just two more minutes to halftime," Ric replied. "Hang in there, Coach." Damon sighed, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees. He was in a whole other world of high school football. One where, for once, winning didn't matter.
He wasn't sure he liked it.
"Good game, Coach."
Damon turned from where he was making a few game notes on his whiteboard to find Elena and Ava Kate in his office doorway.
"We only lost by twenty-four," he replied. "As opposed to fifty-two last week. I suppose that's something." Elena raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm in his voice.
"I take it back. It was a terrible, awful, no good, very bad game."
"That's a children's book," Damon replied wryly. He sighed and put down his dry erase pen. "I'm sorry. I don't like losing, but I really don't like losing when my team played hard and got screwed by the refs." He remembered Ava Kate then. "Sorry. My filter is gone." Elena took a moment to really look at him. It was after nine o'clock, still relatively early for a Friday night, but she knew he had been up since before the dawn. The long day was catching up with him.
"The refs did play favorites," she agreed. Even she had picked up on a few more questionable calls.
"Still, I'm sorry for my crappy attitude. I'm tired and frustrated and hungry." Elena smiled at him while Ava Kate looked up at him with a faint smile.
"Would a hug help?" she asked. Damon had to smile.
"It really would." He went to them, reaching first for Ava Kate and swinging her into his arms. Her giggle lightened his mood. He reached for Elena and pulled her into his chest. His arms full of them, he felt the weight of the day fade away. "I needed this." Elena pulled away just enough to look up at him.
"We actually stopped by to ask if you would be up for post game ice cream at Fat Boyz."
"Yes," Damon said with an emphatic nod. "I can get a cheeseburger, too." Elena laughed.
"We're ready when you are." Damon placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Give me, say, five minutes?"
"How about ten?" Elena countered with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. Damon smiled guiltily and nodded.
"Ten minutes sounds good." He released Elena and lowered Ava Kate to the ground.
"Damon, can I draw on that?" Ava Kate asked, pointing at the whiteboard.
"How about we negotiate?" Damon countered. Ava Kate cocked her head.
"What's that mean?"
"It means we make a deal." Ava Kate nodded her agreement. Damon took a marker and drew a big square in the lower left corner of his dry erase board, where Ava Kate could reach. "I need to write a few things on the board, but how about you draw inside of this square, and I'll write outside of it? Sound like a deal?"
"Deal," Ava Kate nodded. Damon pushed a few markers towards her. "What should I draw?"
"Anything you want," Damon told her. Ava Kate smiled at him before turning to the dry erase board. Damon glanced at Elena who was still hovering in the doorway. "Sit, beautiful," he said nodding towards one of the chairs opposite his desk. Elena smiled and took up the chair closest to her. "I'll just be a few minutes," Damon promised.
"Take your time," Elena said. She found her phone in her bag and busied herself with texting Caroline and checking her email. Exactly ten minutes later, Damon put down his pen.
"Okay, ladies, I'm ready," he declared. "Let's get some ice cream.'
"I finished my drawing!" Ava Kate declared. Elena turned to look, as did Damon. "It's me, and Mommy, and Damon!" She had drawn three figures, clearly distinguished as a little girl, a man, and a woman.
"Are we crabbing?" Damon asked, walking over to the dry erase board.
"Yep!"
"That's a really great job," Elena said, standing so she too could look at the circles with squiggly lines and the dock that was supposed to be their day crabbing.
"Thanks, Mommy!"
"You know what? I'm going to leave it right there, so everyone can see it when they come to my office." Ava Kate positively beamed at Damon.
"You're not going to erase it?" He shook his head.
"It's going to stay right there," he promised. "Unless you erase it to draw something else the next time you come to my office." Elena smiled at him.
"How about that ice cream?" she asked.
30 minutes later, they were seated at a picnic table at Fat Boyz, Damon with a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake, Elena and Ava Kate sharing a basket of fries, each with a sundae of their own. Elena watched in amusement as Damon's food quickly disappeared.
"Are you tasting any of that?" she asked. "Or are you just swallowing it whole."
"I'm starving," Damon admitted. "I always am after a game, no matter what I eat before kickoff. We had lasagna brought in for the team before the game, but I must have burned off every calorie and then some."
"You did have a lot to say to the refs," Elena mused. Damon grinned sheepishly.
"They were crap refs," he declared. He looked at Ava Kate who was seated beside him. "Don't repeat that. Crap is a bad word." Ava Kate giggled as she happily ate her ice cream. He turned back to Elena and winked. She just smiled and shook her head fondly.
"Ava Kate, slow down on that ice cream," Elena warned, watching at her daughter's bowl of ice cream rapidly disappeared. "You're going to have a tummy ache later, if you don't."
"I'm hungry after the game," Ava Kate told her, using the line Damon had said. "I burned all of my calories." Damon burst out laughing.
"You don't even know what a calorie is!" Elena said with amusement. Ava Kate shrugged.
"But I do know good ice cream." Damon laughed harder and Elena had to join him.
"Yo, Coach!" Damon turned to see Jason Craig making his way towards him, his smile big.
"Craig," Damon greeted. "Good game tonight."
"Thanks, Coach," Craig said with a big smile which he turned on Elena. "Hi, Ms. Gilbert."
"Hi, Jason," Elena replied. She saw Ava Kate slide perceptively closer to Damon, but she looked otherwise content to eat her ice cream. "You look a lot cleaner than you did when you left the football field." Jason laughed.
"Yeah, I think my pants are gonna need a few runs through the washing machine to get those grass stains out."
"I don't think there's enough detergent in the world to save those pants," Damon said. "But they died a noble death. You played hard."
"I earned those grass stains," Craig said proudly. Damon chuckled as Craig grew serious. "Coach, I got to meet some of the guys," he jerked his thumb over his shoulder to where several members of the team were gathered around a couple of picnic tables, eating everything in sight, "but, well, I just wanted to thank you for being on our side tonight. We ain't ever had a coach that defends us and, well, I just wanted to let you know I appreciated it. We all did."
Elena felt her heart skip a few beats. In that moment, she truly understood why she kept hearing that Damon was a good guy.
"I'm your coach," Damon said modestly. "That's my job."
"We appreciate it all the same," Craig said. He jerked his head towards his teammates. "I'm gonna go get some grub. Y'all enjoy your date." He turned to walk away, but stopped and looked over his shoulder at Elena. "By the way Ms. Gilbert, your little girl is real cute." Elena smiled at him.
"Thank you, Jason." He walked away and Elena turned to Damon. "I spent all of last year trying to get him to listen, do his work, show up to class on time, show up to summer school, and then, he goes and shows me he is capable of behaving himself." Damon laughed.
"He's a good kid. They all are, once you figure out what they need from you." Elena opened her mouth to respond, but noticed Ava Kate then.
"Ava Kate! You've made the biggest mess I've ever seen. I can't see your face through all the chocolate." Damon looked. Ava Kate's face was smeared in chocolate, her cup almost empty. She looked positively thrilled.
"It was good," she shrugged. Damon chuckled. Elena sighed and shook her head fondly. "Be careful, or you're going to get ice cream all over Damon." She stood. "I'm going to go get some more napkins to try and clean you up. Are you okay here with Damon?"
"Yep!"
"I'll be right back," Elena told Damon.
"Take your time, beautiful," Damon replied. He watched her walk away, enjoying the view for a moment before turning back to Ava Kate. "How was school today?"
"Boring," Ava Kate answered. "It's always boring."
"It won't always be boring," Damon promised. "Recess is pretty cool, right?" Ava Kate nodded.
"My friend Ari plays with me," she said. "And I have some new friends, too." She studied his French fries. "What's that on your French fries?"
"Chili and cheese." Ava Kate gave him a weird look.
"Is that healthy?" He laughed and shook his head.
"It's not the healthiest thing I could eat," he admitted. "But, it's really good. Do you want to try it?" Ava Kate cocked her head, considering. Damon picked up a fry and held it out to her. "Try it. I think you'll like it." Ava Kate took the fry, gave it one more questioning look, then popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened.
"That's good!" she exclaimed. Damon laughed again.
"I told you!" He turned his basket so the fries were closer to her. "Help me finish these off." She smiled at him and went for the fries.
"Coach Salvatore?" Damon looked up to find a kind looking middle-aged woman standing at the end of their table.
"Yes, ma'am?" he greeted. She smiled at him. "I'm Shawna Turner, Flash's mother." Damon wiped his hands and stood. "Damon Salvatore," he said, extending his hand. "It's great to meet you."
"Likewise," she replied, shaking his hand. "I won't keep you. I know you're with your family." Damon smiled slightly. "I just wanted to thank you for giving Flash a chance. He told me how you're helping him with those college letters and helping him get his grades up. I do what I can, but I work so much that I can't always be there. This was probably one of the only chances I'll have to see him play this season."
"That's my job," Damon said for the second time that evening. "Flash is a talented kid, and so far, he's doing well in my class. We've got him signed up to take the PSATs next month to see what kind of score he gets. We'll get his grades up and get him into one of those schools."
"Thank you," Shawna said again. "Thank you, Coach. You don't know how much it means to me." Damon smiled at her.
"I'm happy to do it. As long as Flash holds up his end of the deal."
"Oh, he will," Shawna promised. "He definitely will." Damon chuckled. He had a feeling Shawna Turner would get along well with his own mother. "It looks like my food's ready, so I'll be going. I just wanted to tell you I appreciate what you're doing for Flash. I know you're just passing through, but, all the same…" Damon furrowed his brow.
"Just passing through?" he repeated. She gave him a kind smile.
"You're just passing through," she repeated. "We all Googled you, Coach. You're too good of a coach to stick around a small town like this. Don't let that talent go to waste. You're telling these boys to chase their dreams, but you gotta chase your own dreams, too." Damon wasn't sure how to respond. Shawna saved him by nodding towards Ava Kate. "You have a beautiful little girl, by the way." Damon smiled at her and placed a hand on Ava Kate's shoulder.
"Thank you," he said with a nod, not thinking to correct the woman. He saw Elena a few tables over, talking with someone she knew.
"I'm going to get going, but thank you again, for everything you're helping my boy with."
"Of course," Damon said with a nod. "It was nice to meet you." She walked away, leaving Damon and Ava Kate alone. Ava Kate had nearly finished off his chili cheese fries. "Were you hungry, kid?"
"Not really," Ava Kate admitted. "I'm full of ice cream. But, these fries are really good." Damon chuckled.
"I hope you don't have a stomachache later," Damon told her, echoing her mother's words from earlier. Ava Kate shrugged.
"It'd be worth it," she replied seriously, reaching for another fry. He laughed heartily. She was coming out of her shell more and more, revealing a sassy, quick-witted personality beneath her quiet exterior. He found he also forgot she wasn't quite five yet. Her intelligence, coupled with the things she had witnessed at such a young age, made her seem older.
"You two look like you're having fun," Elena commented, returning to the table.
"Ava Kate discovered the beauty of the chili cheese fry," Damon replied. Elena nodded.
"I can tell by the amount of cheese that has joined the ice cream on her face." She didn't bother with wiping off Ava Kate's face yet, deciding it wasn't worth wiping it clean just for her to get messy once more. "Was that Flash's mom?"
"It was. She was thanking me for helping Flash with his recruitment letters."
"He's doing pretty well in my class," Elena told him. "Really well, actually."
"He better be," Damon said seriously. "Not only because he promised me, but also because he needs to get his grades up if he wants to go to any of these school recruiting him."
"Mommy, can you wipe my hands, now?" Ava Kate asked, interrupting the conversation.
"I think I need a power washer at this point," Elena commented. "Come around to my side of the table, please."
Ten minutes later, Damon, Elena, and a slightly cleaner Ava Kate wound through the crowd, heading for the parking lot. Ava Kate was once more in Damon's arms, his free hand holding Elena's. Elena spotted Jeremy up ahead.
"Jeremy!"
Jeremy stopped and turned towards them. He sighed when he saw his sister, complete with niece and history teacher, making their way towards him.
"What's up?" he asked. "I'm heading over to Steve's house…"
"I wanted to tell you good game tonight," Elena said, not phased by his clear annoyance. "You played well."
"We lost," Jeremy replied.
"You still played well," Damon said. "Your sister's right. Good game tonight."
"Thanks," Jeremy said shortly, glancing over his shoulder to where a group of his friends were waiting for him. Only one of them was also on the football team. "I've got to go."
"Curfew is…"
"Midnight, I know," Jeremy finished. "I'll see you at home." He glanced at Damon. "Or whatever." With that, he turned and jogged off to his friends. They were already climbing into cars to leave.
"Nothing good is going to come of that," Elena said to Damon. Damon bit his lip. He wanted to go after Jeremy, remind him that Elena had enough on her plate without him acting up as well. Instead, he blew out a breath and let it go. It wasn't his place.
"Will I see the two of you tomorrow?" he asked as they arrived at Elena's SUV.
"You can if you want to," Elena replied, turning to him with a bit of a flirty smile.
"I most certainly want to." He leaned in and gave her short, sweet kiss on the lips.
"Ava Kate has cheerleading practice in the morning and is going home with her friend Ari for a play date. So, maybe you and I could do something while she's at Ari's?"
"That sounds perfect," Damon agreed. "Then, we'll pick Ava Kate up and," he thought fast, "maybe do a movie?"
"What do you say, Ava Kate?" Elena asked. "Want to go to a movie with Damon after your play date with Ari?" Ava Kate nodded.
"Can we see a kids' movie?"
"Anything you want," Damon promised.
"Within reason," Elena added. Damon gave her a smile and winked. "Can you tell Damon goodnight?" Ava Kate looked up at Damon. He squatted down to her level.
"Thanks for helping me out with those chili cheese fries," he told her.
"They were good," Ava Kate said with a smile. Damon chuckled. "Thanks for sharing."
"Can I have a hug before you go?" he asked, holding his arms open. Ava Kate didn't hesitate this time, wrapping her little arms around his neck. He hugged to him, feeling immensely protective over the little girl. More and more, he was starting to desperately hate telling the pair of them goodbye at the end of the day. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Promise?" Ava Kate asked. Damon didn't see Elena frown slightly.
"I promise," he swore. "Come on, little one. In the car you go." He opened the back door and helped Ava Kate into the car. He studied the straps, not quite sure what went where. Elena saw him looking confused and her frown turned into a grin.
"Watch and learn," she said, playfully bumping into him as she reached into the car to buckle Ava Kate in. He did watch. If he was going to stay with Elena – and he planned to – he would have to figure out things like car seats.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Damon repeated to Ava Kate. "Goodnight, kid."
"Goodnight, Damon," Ava Kate replied sweetly. Damon stepped back, shut the door, and turned to Elena.
"Guess I have to let you go," he said. Elena smiled at him.
"But you'll see me tomorrow, which at this point, is only a few hours away."
"Thank goodness," Damon said. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She slipped her arms around his neck, marveling at how safe she felt whenever he held her. "Drive safe, okay?"
"I will," she promised. She made a mental note to text him when she got home, just to let him know she made it safely. She knew he wanted to ask her to, but she also knew he was cognizant of the fact that Liam used to make her text him her whereabouts, and so he was refraining. "Good game, Coach."
"This coach is tired," Damon admitted, letting his forehead drop to hers. "Today is catching up with me." He stifled a yawn as though proving his point. Elena laughed lightly and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. It was a little longer than he usually kept it, the ends starting to curl.
"Go home, get some sleep," Elena advised. "Call me in the morning and we'll figure out what we're going to do." She had a feeling she would see him at Cody's football practice and Ava Kate's cheerleading practice in the morning.
"Bright and early," Damon promised. He leaned in then and kissed her, pulling her into him. A series of whoops and catcalls broke out. Elena pulled away quickly, looking sheepish, while Damon looked for the source of the catcalls. His eyes settled on several of his football players, Flash in the middle of them.
"You go, Coach!" Flash called.
"Don't you lot have something to do?" Damon countered. "I don't want to know what that something is, because its probably not going home, icing down your muscles, and going to bed like good kids would do, but I know you have something to do." Flash laughed.
"We got something to do," he promised. He opened his mouth to add that he bet his coach did, too, but stopped himself, realizing he would cross a line. He slid off the roof of the car he had been perched on. "Y'all have a goodnight. Ms. Gilbert, I'll see you bright and early on Monday morning."
"Goodnight, boys," Elena replied before turning back to Damon. "I have every last one of them in my first block class. I'm going to give them a pop quiz on Monday out of spite." Damon laughed.
"Please, do. They're going to have a rather rough football practice, too."
"Excellent," she approved. "Want to try that kiss again." Damon's response was to seal his lips over hers.
There were no cat calls this time.
And there you have it. A lot happened there. Most importantly though, Damon and Elena are officially a thing! Ava Kate really loves him... And Elena is pretty smitten too. If only she can get out of her own head...
Let me know what you thought!
