Chapter 3
Parent hood
Damon stood up slowly and watched as the dark haired boy, so much like him, had a smile spread slowly across his face in glee and through his arms around his neck.
"Father. You returned to us." The boy said happily and Damon had to hold the boy at arms length to look at him properly. He was the spitting image of a younger Damon. Even Caroline and a Bonnie could see that. Stefan stood too and Daniel tore from Damon to throw his arms around Stefan too. "And Uncle Stefan! How wonderful this is, mother has spoken so highly of you both for many a year and I dreamed of the day I would be able to meet you. It is an honour, truly." Daniel gushed as he released Stefan who smiled and placed his hands on the lads shoulders and turned to look at Damon who was staring at Helena with wide eyes.
"When?"
"What?" Helena answered not hearing Damon's small voice as he asked the question.
"When was he born?" Damon asked again, a little louder than before trying not to meet the boy's eye.
"March 29th 1864, in Atlanta, a little after my 22nd birthday. Father had sent me to live with Aunt Dorothy when he found out. Said I'd shamed the Fell family name." Helena said quietly, looking down at her plate, for she had sat down when Daniel had hugged Stefan.
"Gettysburg. He was conceived after Gettysburg." Damon said, doing some silent maths in his head. Helena nodded.
"Presumably when you came home a week or so after the battle. I cannot be entirely sure of course, but the timing fits. For if you remember, my love, we met several times in the first few days after your return." Helena added with a small smile and a glance toward Damon, who had know turned to look at Daniel, where he remained standing beside Stefan. Helena too shot a small look at Daniel and Damon saw her hand shake as she held it out to her son.
"Mother, I am here, so do not let it bring you pain. You do not have to think or speak of it again. I know how it hurts you so." Daniel knelt beside his mother and kissed the back of her right hand, the dainty fingers cushioned in his larger hand.
"It's alright, Daniel. Your father should know. After all, it should have been his pain too." Helena said quietly. Damon flashed a look towards her.
"Tell me what?" He asked, taking a step around the table towards them. He was growling now, slightly, under his breath.
"Daniel was not the only child born that day- he had a twin. A sister, our daughter." Helena's voice broke with emotion. Daniel hugged his mother to him and held her hands on one of his own. "But she was taken from me a few months later."