Small Steps
Pairing: Elena/Damon
Minor Characters: Stefan, Matt, Rose, Caroline/Tyler, Jenna/Alaric, Bonnie/Jeremy
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Vampire Diaries :)
A/N: For the sake of this story, Rose is very much alive
o-o-o-o-o
The little child wobbled her lower lip before a loud, piercing wail escaped her mouth.
Without fail, she had five women and four men at her disposal, asking her what was wrong and what she needed. But out of those nine people, only one person mattered most to the little girl. This said person soon lifted her up in her arms, cooing her and rocking her from side to side. "What's wrong with her?" Matt asked. "Is she hungry?"
"She's isn't." Elena took her eyes momentarily off her fifteen month old daughter, Cassandra, to give him a reassuring smile. "She just misses her dad a lot."
Bonnie glanced at the nearby wall clock. "What's taking those two Salvatores so long? They should be done hunting now. Well… Stefan should be. I don't know why Damon tagged along."
"I'll handle it." Jeremy dropped the arm around Bonnie's waist and fished out his phone from his pocket, hitting the speed dial as soon as he did so. "STEFAN SALVATORE!"
"JEREMY GILBERT! I don't have hearing loss so you don't have to scream at me!" The younger Salvatore brother yelled back at him and unfortunately, everyone heard it since Jeremy placed the call on loudspeaker. The man on the phone was really different from the brooding Stefan they all used to know… now that everything was in the past, the brooding seemed part of that too.
"When are you guys heading back here?" He asked.
They could all her Damon distinctly in the background, mocking his brother about how poor the bunnies looked. "We're about to leave in a while. Why?" Stefan replied after yelling at Damon to shut up.
Jeremy was about to open his mouth to speak when Cassandra began to wail loudly in Elena's arms once more. "That's why."
"DAMON!" Stefan yelled once more in the background. "Your daughter is looking for you."
Everyone in Elena and Damon's home could tell that Stefan placed the call on loudspeaker as well when they heard Damon getting restless in the background, complaining about how long it took for Stefan to hunt. "I guess I'll see you guys soon." Stefan said after a few moments and ended the call.
"See, Cassandra? Daddy is coming home soon." Elena said to her daughter as she cradled her in her arms. "So don't cry anymore, little one… Daddy is coming home."
"Don't worry, sunshine. Grandpa Alaric will play with you while waiting." Gently, Alaric took the little girl in his arms. "Better yet… I'll tell you a story."
Cassandra giggled and clapped her hands together as if he understood everything her grandfather said to her. So that was how they kept her entertained while they all waited for the Salvatore brothers to return from hunting. After her storytelling with Grandpa Alaric, she was taken by her Aunt Caroline and Grandma Jenna to change into a new dress they bought for her. Once she was all dressed up, Rose took charge of her and entertained the little girl by speaking in different languages that really seemed like babbling to the young Salvatore.
"Why are you talking to her in Latin?" Tyler whined from his spot on the spacious sofa.
"You're just annoyed because you don't understand it, Ty." Caroline teased, causing her boyfriend to roll his eyes at her.
"It's important for her to learn Latin." Rose switched back to English. "Her father can speak any language with ease and without practice… so can I and Stefan. She needs to be multilingual."
Jenna shook her head at them before she took the baby from Rose. "Don't stress her too much for her young age. She's just a baby!"
She had just started playing with her on the mats when the door came swinging open, revealing a frantic looking Damon Salvatore standing in the doorway with Stefan standing right behind him. Elena beamed at the sight of her husband before turning her attention to her daughter. "Daddy's here, Cassandra!"
"Daddy's here." Jenna repeated, smiling when the little girl's face brightened as soon as her eyes landed on her father.
Jenna carefully helped the little child on her feet, knowing that she was already at least capable of standing. But no one really expected what happened next. Everyone could only watch in shock as Cassandra Salvatore took one wobbly small step forward. All eleven adults held their breaths as a determined look crossed her face when she took another step and smiled, obviously very proud of herself. The look on her face reminded everyone of Damon.
"CAMERA!" Caroline exclaimed but not too loudly so as not so startle the little girl making her first few steps towards her father. Almost in an instant – well, Caroline and Rose were faster than the others – everyone had their phones and cameras with them, making sure to capture the precious moment.
"Oh my god… Elena…" Bonnie whispered to her best friend in awe. "Your daughter is walking."
Elena was about to whisper something back in reply when Cassandra suddenly wobbled, nearly losing her balance. A gasp escaped her lips as Jenna's arms shot forward, ready to catch everyone's favorite little girl, but it seemed like she didn't need it. Cassandra had no problem straightening herself before she took another step forward. "Damon!" Elena turned her wide eyes at her husband, gesturing for him to go get their daughter.
It was one of the rare times that Damon was at lost for words, standing frozen in shock and watching his daughter as if he was in a trance. "Damon!" Alaric hissed in alarm at him.
When Cassandra wobbled a second time and Damon still didn't move, Stefan took it upon himself to do something that he would rarely have the chance to do. "HEY! IDIOT." He hit the older man at the back of his head with the magazine he was holding, effectively snapping him out of his trance. "Snap out of it!"
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Damon yelled at him but instead of fighting back, he immediately rushed over to his daughter and caught her just in time she lost her balance. Everyone could only let out identical sighs of relief as Damon lifted Cassandra in his arms, hugging her tightly. "You did awesome, princess… Daddy is so proud of you."
Cassandra giggled, clapping her hands happily and everyone else couldn't help but laugh along with her.