A/N: I apologise for not updating sooner. Thank you for the reviews. And to those following along.

Chapter 4 – Who's telling porkies?

"Lucas put that down. They're not for playing with. Here, why don't you see what Mr. Dinosaur is doing?" I said, placing the T-Rex figurine in his hands.

He stared up at me with his big blue eyes. "Can you play?"

Only half an hour had passed and I was up to my freaking eyeballs-this parenting crap was hard work. I had no choice when Katherine proclaimed she was heading out. I didn't ask where, her movements were none of my business and I really did not care.

Now Elena on the other hand was a different matter entirely when she was trying to make a life without me. She was stubborn as a mule and queen of the moral high grounds. But right now she couldn't stand the sight of me and I didn't blame her.

Katherine said she'd had a run in with Elena, this was over a week ago. Ms Pierce had come home placed Lucas down for a nap and found me in the study: a place I frequented a lot these days. A bottle of whiskey was half gone and I hadn't even noticed. The interruption irritated me. What the hell did she want? I had no desire to hear about whatever she ate for lunch or who she saw. Unless it involved my son. "What is it?"

She stood in the middle of the room her face all flushed and no sign of our child. I jumped from the chair. "Where is he? Did something happen?"

She shook her head and plonked herself onto the seat opposite mine, helping herself to a shot of whiskey. "He's asleep in his room. Mm this is nice now I understand why you drink so much." She stared at me pointedly. "Or maybe it's more to do with Elena Gilbert. She's turned you into an alcoholic."

Glaring at her, I said, "That's Mrs Salvatore to you. And my dear Katherine I'm not open to discussions about my wife especially with you."

Her brows rose. "I don't remember much from before you know the accident. All I've been told is that we were engaged and planning our wedding. For years I was living another life and none the wiser and you moved on with her."

Fuck. This was not the conversation I wanted to have: rehashing our volatile relationship. How could I tell her the reason she nearly died and our son too was because I'd broken her heart? That guilt ate at me every day and was the one truth I hadn't divulged to her, yet. "You've been through a lot as has Lucas. I love that boy and I missed out on his early years, if I only knew."

Her eyes met mine and held them. "We would be married and living as a real family. I really don't understand how this is supposed to play out Damon."

I looked away and pondered the same thing. When was my wife going to come to her senses? She couldn't force either of us into this ludicrous arrangement. We were meant to be from the beginning even with all these hurdles thrown our way.

"I saw her, Elena. She was at the Grill."

My curiosity got the better of me when I heard her name. "Elena? Did you speak with her?" I hadn't heard her voice for days and it was killing me. My phone calls were left unanswered and she never returned a single one of them.

Katherine knocked the drink back and poured another. "I think she was trying to get away to be honest. I had Lucas in the pram and we bumped into one another."

"And?"

"She took one look at me and her mouth fell open in shock. Asked me how Lucas was doing and after a quick hello she was gone." Smiling slyly, she added, "She was there with a blonde man. Blue eyes, stocky, kind of cute."

My fists clenched at the news. Elena was having lunch with another man? Surely not? I'd rip the bastard apart before he could even utter the word stop. "You must be mistaken."

She leant forward and said slowly, "I know what I saw. They were very cosy together. And the way she tried running out of there it was like she didn't want me to see them."

The blood pounded through my veins almost to the point I thought I might burst. Is this how Elena was going to play it? By dating another man or was it men? And expect me to form a fucking life I didn't want with my ex and our kid?

Katherine placed her hand on my arm. "I'm sorry Damon. I guess she's come to the realisation that your family always comes first and she's not number one anymore."

With a firm grip I threw the empty glass against the wall and watched it shatter into a hundred pieces. A bit like my heart right now: sliced and diced wide open.

Elena couldn't replace me if she tried. But the question churned away in my gut: we'd been through so much over the years, had my wife finally reached the point of no return?

{****}

2009 – Summer

I think I'm in love. Love? What the hell is love anyway? Little things about her flood my mind when I least expect it. Like the way her skin smells of butterscotch and honey sweet but not sickly. Or when she's annoyed over the slightest little thing, she rolls her eyes and says, "Seriously?" But most of all its the way she stares at me like I'm the only person in the world and I lose myself in the warmth of her brown eyes.

After coming to this realisation about a month after we started dating, I found myself in a jam-what if she didn't love me back? Rejection was something I didn't handle real well. And besides maybe I'd come across as an obsessive clinger if I declared my feelings right now. But what if I don't and it came too late? Losing Elena wasn't something I wanted to contemplate.

So I'm stuck in between wanting to tell her or keeping my gob shut. There's times where I almost do but then I chicken out and I'm not scared of anything except the feelings I have for this one girl.

Until the phone call came that changed my world. It was Thursday night and for once I was not bar hopping with the guys. It must of been after nine and I'd been watching a movie seen a hundred times, Back to the Future. So when my cell started vibrating and I saw Elena calling, the TV was switched off.

"Why hello." I drawled in my sexiest voice.

"Hi to you too. What are you doing? I can't hear any music or shouts from your friends to buy more rounds."

I smiled. "Nope not tonight. I'm ah studying." OK that was a fib I was lazing around, drinking a few beers and eating popcorn too.

"Study huh? What subject?"

Of course she didn't believe me I wasn't the studying type. "Science."

"Hmm if you say so. What are your plans for tomorrow and Friday?"

Usually we'd spend Friday's together that somehow merged into Saturday's as well. "That depends. What are you offering?" I teased.

"Two nights away with me at my parents Lakehouse."

Together? Alone? In a cabin by the lake? This was something and I knew it would be special. We'd slept in each other's arms before and fooled around to the point of nearly but not yet. "Elena Gilbert are you planning on seducing me?" There was silence on the other end and I could picture her blushing bright red.

Coughing, she said, "Maybe. If you don't behave like an ass. So are you free or not?"

"Of course. What time do you want me to pick you up?"

"Ten and don't be late."

I was at her dorm by 9.55 and found her waiting outside with her bags. "Hi gorgeous. Ready to hit the road?" She stood up and walked towards the car. My eyes fixated on her long tan legs semi clad under a pair of denim shorts and travelled upwards over her perky breasts moulded beneath a tank top. She was beautiful and I ached to make her mine.

Elena tossed her bag into the trunk and then found herself in my embrace. Staring up at me, she said, "This is going to be the best two days of my life."

I nodded. "I know." I leant down brushing my lips lightly against hers. "Let's go."

It was a pleasant forty minute drive through the countryside and I found Elena the perfect companion. She chatted, made me laugh and I'd never felt so free and totally at ease.

She told me to take a left and we drove down a gravel road for a mile until we reached the edge of the lake. The color was the perfect blue with greens of nature nestled around it.

Elena opened the car door. "I've missed this place."

I soon followed. "It's so peaceful. All I can hear is the birds and the wind."

"Come on. Let me show you the house." Taking my hand she led me towards the two storey cabin that would soon be ours for a couple of days. Jangling her key in the lock the door finally opened.

We stepped inside to the living room with old wicker style seating and an original wooden coffee table in the middle. "No TV?"

Swatting me on the butt, she said, "No. It's nature Damon. Why be stuck indoors when there's so much to explore?"

After seeing the rest of the house I was impressed. It had an old kind of charm with everything in its original condition. We stopped at the main bedroom and her eyes flickered on mine. "You can put some of your things in the wardrobe, leave room for me."

I sat down on the edge of the bed. It was comfy, cosy and made for the two of us. "What did you think I packed? I like it here it's amazing."

She smiled. "Well then we might have to come back. I'll be downstairs in the kitchen." Blowing me kisses she left me to unpack my meagre belongings.

Five minutes later I found Elena pottering around in the pantry. I crept up like a ninja and she had no idea until my hands were under her arms tickling her to madness.

Pounding against my chest to get away proved fruitful so she gave up. "Oh my god. Stop. Please."

I dropped my hands. "Do you surrender?"

"Yes. Now let me find something for lunch. I'm starving." She pointed at the bar stool. "You over there."

"I like it when you boss me around." I sat down and admired the view: being Elena's toned ass as she bent down to look in one of the cupboards.

"Pasta? It's quick." She called out.

I averted my gaze. "Fine. Take your time."

Half an hour later we were eating on the deck outside with good food and a bottle of wine before us. "This is tasty. Who taught you how to cook?"

"My mom. She was always baking this and that when we were at school."

"Do you like chilli?"

"I do. Why?"

"Well that's a surprise, wait and see. More wine?" I asked.

She nodded and I filled her glass as I did mine. By now we'd finished our meal and Elena had perched herself on the edge of my chair. We sat in silence for awhile watching the reflections of the lake and the sounds of nature. This was perfect and I knew this was oh so right.

I took her hand and we walked along the waters edge. We stopped along the way to throw pebbles and watch them skim along the top. "You have a good throw. Are you sure baseball wasn't your calling?"

"The only sport I enjoyed was track. I hated cheerleading in high school."

I stopped. "You were a cheerleader?"

"Yes. Don't ask me to do a routine or I'll splash you until you're drenched."

I took her hand and brought it to my lips. "I'm not asking you for anything. You could of been a circus ring leader and it wouldn't bother me." I stared into her eyes and roamed over her beautiful face. My heart raced a thousand beats, my palms were sweaty because this was it-the moment of truth.

Elena leant closer pressing her body against my own. "Damon. Do you know how perfect this feels? I'm unbelievably happy when I'm with you."

Grasping her face in my hands I found the words I wanted to say. "You are perfect and have so much to give. You make me feel a way I've never experienced before. You are one of a kind and I guess that's why I'm completely in love with you." For the longest time we gazed into each other's eyes and I held my breath in anticipation.

Her finger traced over my bottom lip. "That is the most romantic thing anyone has said to me. I felt it the day we first met and like a fire it's been burning out of control. Time doesn't matter because the heart always knows. I'm in love with you too Damon."

My mouth swooped down on hers with a mix of utter devotion and desire. This girl I had in my arms was it for me. I'd marry her one day and we'd both live till we were 90. Kids, grandkids, and a big white house, I wanted it all.

{****}

I pounded my fists on the front door and yelled her name. I could care less if the neighbours heard and called the police for me being a nuisance. I stood still for what must of been ten seconds before I hollered, "Elena. Open the fucking door." Staggering backwards I tried to keep my balance. Who the hell knows how much I'd had to drink when I'd lost count.

The door opened and she stepped out onto the porch. "What the hell are you doing?" She hissed. "You're drunk Damon. Go home and sleep it off."

I stepped towards her. "Why? So you can meet up with your new boyfriend?"

Elena glared at me like I had two heads. "What are you talking about?"

I sneered. "Don't act so surprised. I know all about your little lunch date. So who the fuck is he?"

"Don't talk to me like that. Go home Damon. You might wake my parents."

She made a move for the door but I was too quick with physique blocking her escape. "Answer me. Who?" I stared at her willing for her to say it was all a lie. That this whole thing was a mistake and she loved me and wanted me back.

Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. "Why do you keep hurting us both? I'm moving on-with who doesn't matter. I suggest you do the same."

Grabbing her by the arm, I said icily, "You do this, there's no going back. Do you understand that Elena?"

I never received her answer because a blare of sirens surrounded the house and the order to put my hands above my head. God damn.