The doors flew open, as a team entered the hospital doors, caring a young, beautiful woman. Her eyes were closed, almost like she was sleeping, a peaceful expression on her face. She had a couple of little scratches on her face, and her lower lip was cut, a little blood still flowing from the wound. Her hands and legs were bruised, trails from a rope were still visible, it had cut so deep into her skin, that it was sure she would have scars.

A man was running next to the team, holding the woman's hand tightly in his own, the fear and panic on his face were heartbreaking.

„Sir, we need you to step back, that's as far as you can go." A young doctor said, pushing Damon out of the way. He instinctively reached for his badge, but then he remembered it wouldn't really help him much in this case.

„I need to know if she's gonna be okay, I can't just sit here and wait..." He started, boring his beautiful eyes into the hazel one of the female doctor. She looked at him, seeing all of his pain, and her features softened, as she was obviously thinking about something.

„Are you family?" She asked him.

„No, I'm... I'm..." He tried, but he didn't know what he was. He had no place in her life, he was always on the side lines. He wasn't family, he was nothing, none of her friends knew about him, and none of his friends knew about her, as far as the world knew, they were just two strangers.

„If you're not family, there's nothing I can do right now, I am sorry." She looked sadly at him. „Now if you excuse me, I have a young woman to save." She smiled at him and followed the team that had carried Elena out of Damon's sight.

How did this happen? He had just gotten her back, he couldn't lose her again. Just when he thought, that for once, something in his life could work out, something had to rip it away from him, as they did with everything and everyone he loved. That's why he was so closed up to himself, because if he let himself have the luxury of loving someone, something bad always happened. An hour ago, he had felt like the happiest person on the planet, hearing those three simple words coming out of her gorgeous mouth had had such an impact on him. He replayed the scene over and over in his head, remembering her doe eyes gleaming in his direction, her smile, as she said the words. It was simply the happiest moment in his life. All he wanted from her now, was to wake up, he wanted her to open those amazing eyes of hers and look at him again, he wanted to see the warmth and love shining through them again. But all he was left with, was the painful waiting, the not-knowing of what happens next. In this situation he was powerless, he couldn't do anything.

After what was probably half an hour, but it seemed more like a year to Damon, a nurse came in the waiting room and started looking at the people there.

„Is there someone here for Elena Gilbert?" Her clear voice echoed in the room.

Damon got up in a flash and almost ran to her.

„How's she?"

„She's conscious. But the doctors are still running some tests, they don't know what caused the seizure." She replied.

„Can I see her?"

„Yes, follow me."

The nurse let Damon to one of the hospital rooms, and opened the door. Damon turned his face to Elena, their eyes locking together. She was wearing a hospital robe, an IV was sticking out of her arm, and as Damon noticed, she was trying to avoid looking at the needles in her hand. A huge smile appeared on his face as he got closer to her, mouthing a little „Thank you" to the nurse, as she exited the room.

„She lives, ladies and gentlemen." Damon said, and he could hear the calmness in his own voice, how his body relaxed the moment he saw her. She was okay, at least for now, she was okay.

„Really funny." She responded, her voice was husky and low, but Damon could hear the playful note in her tone.

„Move over." He said, and positioned himself next to her on the bed, wrapping his hands protectively around her small body.

„Careful with... those." Elena said, and took a quick look at her arm.

„When haven't I been careful?" Damon tried to sound offended, earning himself a little smile from Elena. „I'm so glad you're okay." He told her, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, the look in his eyes was telling her everything she wanted to know.

„Damon, what happened there? I remember you saying how you.. you.." Everything in her head was a big blur, and she couldn't distinguish if what she remember was real or not.

„That I love you?" Damon finished her sentence calmly, looking straight into her eyes.

Elena nodded, feeling how her body relaxed hearing that what she remembered was true. She needed it to be true so badly.

„I'm never going to get tired of hearing this." She smiled, and kissed him, wanting to feel as much of him as possible. It started off as a sweet kiss, but Elena deepened it, sliding her tongue into his mouth.

„Easy there," Damon laughed, breaking the kiss. „I know I'm irresistible, but we're in a hospital."

„If I remember correctly, doing it in public places was your thing." She teased him, remembering how they did it once, in an elevator.

„My thing? If I remember correctly you were the one who gave me that blowjob in the movie theatre."

„The movie was boring." Elena chuckled.

„Hey, I didn't say I was complaining." Damon said. „But now, what you need to focus on, is getting better." He kissed her gently again, and she cuddled in his chest, her head resting peacefully onto him, she wanted to keep this feeling forever, she wanted him... forever. She took a deep breath and said the next words very quickly.

„I'm going to tell everything to Stefan, as soon as I get out of here."

„What?" Damon snapped his head in her direction, not sure if what he had heard was actually true.

„Everything that happened made me realize that life is short, if we don't take risks, if we can't let go of the things that hold us back, we can never move on. And I want to move on, Damon." She locked her eyes with his, and smiled mildly.

When he didn't say anything, she started again.

„I want to move on with you." She clarified. „The question is, is it what you want?"

A week ago, Damon would have said no, but now, after the last couple of days, after he got a taste of what his life would be without her, he was sure what he wanted – he wanted her. She was not just one of his „whores". She was so much more than that. He was scared, scared as hell, but he wouldn't let his fear get in the way of his happiness, this woman was making him happy, and he'd be damned if he passed on this chance.

„I'm ready." He said firmly, warmth was shining through his ocean-blue eyes.

„Really?"

„Really."

A huge smile appeared on her face, as she started showering his whole face with kisses, kissing every part she could get to.

„You." She said and kissed his cheek. „are" then his nose. „the best thing that has ever happened to me." Her lips finally found his, and they let themselves get sucked into another one of their kisses. They just couldn't get enough of each other.

„You do realize, you're going to be in a committed relationship now, right? Fun time's over." Elena chuckled a little.

„I wouldn't say that, exactly." He smirked, sliding one hand inside of her hospital robe. „No underwear, mhm, I like that."

„Well, I doubt the hospital has a lot of underwear in store." Elena said sarcastically, as Damon playfully rubbed her with his thumb, earning himself a moan. He continued his little play for a couple of more moments, feeling how her small body tensed up against him, and then he moved his hand as quickly as he had slid it in. „Damon!" She protested.

„With you fun time will never be over, just wanted to remind you that." He purred in her ear, and from the sound of his voice she felt wave of warmth going through her body. „More of that, when you're out of here."

She pouted, but she didn't say anything more. The fact that he wanted her to get better more than he wanted to get into her pants, was a big sign of how much he had grown since the time she met him. Elena felt very proud of him, and she gave him a dashing smile.

After a couple of more moments, she thought of something.

„Damon?"

„Yes."

„Um, how many people have you... The two guys you shot out there..." She didn't know how to put what she wanted to say into words, without offending him.

„How many people have I killed?" Damon said, in the same calm voice, but she felt how his body tensed up next to hers.

Elena nodded.

„More than I want to admit. Let's just go with „a lot."" He responded, looking away.

„How does it feel, taking away a human life?" She was just curious, she hoped he didn't mind.

„How does it feel? It makes you feel powerful. Seeing how the light in the other person fades, it makes you feel strong." He replied. This was an answer Elena didn't expect to hear. „But then comes the guilt, the one that's eating you up from the inside out, the one that's keeping you awake at night." His voice had turned to almost a whisper.

„Do you feel guilty now?"

„For killing those two scumbags? No. I could have done it again in a heartbeat if I had to." He said firmly.

„Really?"

„Yes, Elena, really. Do you have any idea what it was for me? Thinking you could die at any second, feeling so powerless? I thought I was going to lose it." He confessed, looking away.

The guilt started creeping up on Elena as well.

„I'm sorry." She said simply.

„I would have done the same in your place, It's just, you're so, so, so..." He was obviously looking for a word.

„So what?"

„Stubborn." He finally said. „Like me."

„Looks like you and me are very much alike in that department." Elena giggled.

„Yes, it does."

„What will they do with uncle?" She said, and in the moment she did, her eyes started filling with tears, the betrayal, had hurt her deeper than anything in her life.

„I don't know. He's facing some serious charges. If you ask me, a lifetime prison is almost certain."

A tear rolled off Elena's eyes and left a hot trail on her cheek.

„Don't, Elena, the guy was a dirtbag." Damon tried to calm her down.

„You know.. he, he was the one responsible for dad's death." Elena said and looked at Damon, as more and more tears started rolling down her face.

„What?" Damon couldn't believe his ears.

„He was behind it, it wasn't an accident." She sobbed. „And still, I can't.. I still can't accept that he has done all of this Damon, he was like a father to me, a friend, my rock, all these years, how can I just forget that?"

„Come here." Damon said, and took her in his arms, feeling how she was crying in his chest, her little body trembling from her violent sobs. He didn't know what to say to her, so they just stood there, like that, perfectly comfortable with each other. Damon let her cry it all out.

After a couple of more minutes, he felt how her body tensed up next to his, and he knew there was something wrong before he heard her piercing scream.

„Elena!" He heard himself yelling as he watched how her body was shivering from the convulsions.

„It hurts!" She cried, and without even realizing it, she ripped her IV from her hand.

„What hurts, Elena?" He pressed the red button next to her head with all of the power he had and he kept on hitting it.

„I don't know, it's like my whole body is on fire, it hurts Damon, make it stop." She cried desperately again, as a couple of nurses and the doctor Damon talked to before flew through the door.

„Give her morphine!" The doctor yelled, and Damon saw how a couple of moments later, a needle pierced through her skin, and he heard how Elena's screams faded and she closed her eyes, he felt how someone pushed him off the bed.

„What's going on?" He asked, as he saw how two nurses took her away through the door.

„What's your name?" The young doctor asked calmly.

„Damon, but I don't see how that's rele..." He tried but she cut him off.

„Listen to me, Damon, we just got her scans. She has an abdominal bleed. It means that her stomach is filling with blood right now, which causes the pain, we need to find the source of the bleeding, and fix it, okay? We're taking her to surgery right now, it's all going to be okay, I promise you." Her voice was soft.

„You can't know that." Damon heard his own voice, as the desperation was taking over him, again.

„Yes, I can." She said firmly. „Look at me, I'm going to bring her back to you!"

„You better." Damon murmured.

„I'm going now, we can't afford to lose more time, I've got this, okay?"

Damon nodded, feeling completely powerless again. He broke down in the bed next to Elena's, wondering what had he done to deserve all of this. He couldn't be happy for more than 5 minutes, could he?

He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and he got it out.

„Yes." He said, sounding tired.

„How's she?" He heard Amanda's voice on the other line.

„She's in surgery right now."

„What? Why?" She couldn't hide the shock in her voice.

„She has an abdominal bleed. The doctor said she should be fine, but..."

„Damon, it's all going to be okay, I'm sure of it." She tried to calm him down.

„You can't know this, none of you can know this!" Damon exploded.

„You're right, I can't, but I can hope right?" She stopped for a moment. „I hate making you do this right now, but you have to come here."

„I can't come! I am not leaving her!" Damon almost screamed.

„You can't do anything there, Damon, the surgery will take a couple of hours, at least. But you are needed here, Damon, please."

He knew she was right.

„Okay, fine, i'll be right there."

Elena felt her eyes heavy again. It was like a deejay-vu, but this time nothing hurt, at least when she wasn't moving, nothing hurt. She opened her eyes with a lots of efforts to find herself in the same white room she was before with Damon. She shivered when she remembered the cutting pain that was tearing through her body, she had never felt something like that, it was like someone had taken a knife and was slowly drilling holes in her whole body. But right now, she didn't felt pain, she didn't felt anything to be honest. But it was nice.

The happiness filled her again, as she remembered Damon's little confession from before. He wanted to be with her, he wanted her. She knew that taking this step was a lot for him, so she decided from now on, they would make just baby steps. She didn't want to scare him away, the guy has been through enough. She knew he had changed a lot, but the most amazing thing was that he had made it for her. She couldn't forget the look on his face when he saw her in that basement, how his whole face lip up, how his features relaxed, everything was written on his face. She wanted this man, more than she had ever wanted anything. She needed him like she needed air, at the thought of not seeing him again, of him leaving her, her chest tightened and she felt like she couldn't breathe. This kind of love – so consuming – it was more than Elena could handle at moments, but this was also the thing that made her realize he was the right choice. He was the one, the only one. She had loved before, but nothing could compare to this. She had never before loved someone with everything she had, and now she knew what love really is.

She heard a knock on the door and a foreign doctor entered.

„You must be, Elena, right?" He said, looking down at what Elena thought was, her chart.

„Yes, where's the other doctor?" She asked, confused.

„Her shift's over. But I operated with her." He explained. „You had a pretty bad abdominal bleed, but we managed to fix it and we're expecting a full recovery." He smiled. „And the nurse told me to let you know that a man has been calling non-stop for the past 4 hours. We let him know you were okay."

„Damon..." Elena, murmured and smiled. „But why were you there, I mean she was the surgeon right?"

„Yes, she is, but she needed help, so she paiged me." He stopped for a moment, trying to figure out how to say the next words.

„Why, I thought you said everything went fine?" Elena was even more confused than before.

„Yes, it did, actually, but there's something else you need to know. Let's start with my name, shall we? I'm doctor Wilson, and I'm a gynecologist."

Elena felt like her heart had skipped a beat at his words.

„Your blood results came in after you were already in OR." He started. „You are pregnant, congratulations." He smiled at her.

Elena froze in her place, she didn't know what to say, she remembered the awful pain, and something cut her again.

„I am, not I was?" She asked, not sure if he had understood her questions.

„There were some complications, since you've been through a lot the past couple of days - medicines, stress, you were drugged, and now a surgery. Your body went in shock, so we had to act fast, but we managed to save both you and the fetus. It's still very small, but with the right technology we managed to find a heartbeat, you have a strong little warrior." He smiled again.

Elena still couldn't fully understand what he was saying. She was pregnant, but how.. this was impossible, or so she thought.

„Haven't you experienced some nausia or?" He asked.

„Now that you mentioned it, I did, but, I thought it was nothing, I thought it was some kind of a cold. And ever since I had a miscarriage, my period is not really regular so..."

„You had a miscarriage?" The doctor asked.

„Yes, a year ago, and the doctor said that there's almost no chance of me having a child again." Elena's eyes filled with tears.

„Well, almost seems to be the key word here. Now I'm going to perscribe you some vitamins, you should avoid stress situations, and come to regular checkups, twice a month should do it. We're going to make sure, nothing happens to this baby." He gave her another dashing smile, as Elena felt her head spinning. All she ever wanted to do was be a mother, and now she had been given that chance. She and Stefan had been trying for so long, and nothing happened, while now with Damon, they didn't even try and... She felt the tears streaming down her cheeks again.

„Thank you, thank you so much." She said through her tears to the doctor. „I would have hugged you, but..." She pointed to her IV and he just laughed.

„It's okay." He said.

Elena heard a knock on the door, and she saw Stefan at the door frame.

„Elena! Are you okay? I would have come here earlier, but they called me ten minutes ago." He said, a note of worry in his tone. It had nothing to do with the panic and fear in Damon's voice when he heard her screaming in pain, convincing Elena, one more time, what the right choice for her was.

„She's fine, mister, and can I ask who are you?" The doctor asked mildly.

„I'm her husband."

„Oh, then I have good news for you, you're going to be a father." He said, and left the room leaving Elena, and an obviously confused Stefan, alone.

„What does he mean?" He asked suspiciously.

Elena took a deep breath, she didn't want it to happen like that, but now, she didn't have a choice.

„I'm pregnant, Stefan."

„But how, we haven't..." Something in him clicked as he came to the realization of what was happening.

„I'm so sorry, Stefan, I never meant for you to understand about this like that, I am so so sorry." Elena tried to apologize, knowing it was pointless, she was hurting him right now, and there was nothing she could do about it.

„Who is he?" He asked in a low and threatening voice.

„Does it even matte-" Elena started, but he cut her off.

„Who is he?" He repeated again, his voice getting harsher and harsher by the second.

„Damon." Elena murmured.

„What?" Elena could see the shock in his face as he turned his face to her, the usual calmess and warmth had left them, replaced by anger and coldness. She had never seen him like that. „My own brother?"

„I don't know what to say Stefan, I am so sorry... I never meant to fall in love with him, it just happened, I am so sorry." She kept on apologizing, like these were the only words left in her vocabulary.

„Love?" Stefan spat the word like it was some kind of filth on his shoe, Elena had never heard him talk like that. „What love, Elena? You're just another dirty little slut, but the difference is that caring his bastard."

„You can offend me as much as you want, but don't you dare saying a word about my child!" Elena screamed in his face.

„Oh yeah, sure, you know what Elena, I've been there for you all those years, trying to support you as much as I can, but this, I never expected this from you. I'm going to take everything from you, do you understand me, everything! You can go back to your „love" now, I'm done dealing with whores like you." He said and left the room, slamming the door with such forse that it made Elena jump slightly.

She needed a couple of moments to put herself together, she knew Stefan would be hurt, but he had never talked to her like that. She guessed she deserved it. She reached for her phone and dialled Damon's number.

„Elena?" She heard his voice on the other line. „Are you okay?"

„Yes, I'm fine, Damon, everything's okay." She tried to calm him down. She was sure she heard a sigh of relief coming out of his mouth. "But we have a problem."

"But you said you were okay?'

"Yes, it's not about that. Stefan found out about us."

"How?" Damon was purely shocked.

"I am going to tell you everything later, it's just.."

"I don't understand how that is a problem, wasn't that what you, what we, wanted?"

"Yes, but Damon, he was furious."

"Yeah, it's normal that he's furious, we made him look like a fool." Damon said, feeling how the guilt started creeping up on him again.

"You don't get it, we signed a prenup, Damon." She said quietly.

"No, no, Elena, damn it, no." He swore, as he realized where this was headed.

"There is an infidelity clause. He can take away my company Damon, and he will. He can take away everything from me."

"I'm going to find a loophole, Elena, there must be a loophole."

"No, there's not.." Elena said, a sad look appeared on her face.

"I'm going find something, okay? I am going to talk to him. Maybe…"

"I'm not sure talking to him would be a good idea now." Elena murmured.

"I have to try."

"Damon?"

"Yes?"

"I need to tell you something, can you come here after that?"

"Yes, sure."

"And Damon?"

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He said mildly and hung up.

"Enough with the baby steps." Elena mumbled under her breath.

Damon got to Stefan's house and knocked, but he didn't get any answer. He entered the house and called his name, but nobody answered, again. He was just about to leave when he heard a loud thud, like something had just broke, coming from upstairs. He got there quickly and realized the sound was probably coming from the bedroom. He opened the door quietly and the sight he saw there surprised him.

Stefan was there, on top of some girl, moving in and out of her restlessly, all he could hear was the girl's quiet moans of pleasure.

"I see you've moved on pretty quick." Damon said sarcastically, not caring that he interrupted his brother in such a moment.

Stefan jumped as if he was stung and he rolled off of the girl, revealing her face. A surprise took over Damon's face as he recognized whose face it was.

"Katherine?"

This chapter turned out kind of different from what I had planned, and I hope you like how the things turned out to be. Feedback will be loved :)