BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHAPTER, PLEASE MAKE CERTAIN YOU'VE READ CHAPTER FIVE. I posted two chapters within a day of each other, and I don't want anyone to get confused.
Damon whistled as he slid the cash drawer closed. He tugged his leather jacket free of the peg on the wall and began to put it on while walking through the office door.
"Not even five yet," Ric met him in the hallway, staring down at his watch, "you're setting some kind of record." He raised an eyebrow. "In a hurry for something?"
Damon glanced at the floor and scuffed his foot on the tile. He raised his head back up and nodded, "When Caroline says to be at their house for dinner by six or else, I don't want to find out what the else might be."
"Smart man." Ric walked alongside Damon as they made their way through the back of the restaurant. Only a few tables were still filled in the dining area. With mere hours until Santa Claus was expected, most Mystic Falls residents were gathered in family kitchens, not the Grill.
"You're not staying too late, are you?" Damon might not want to risk Caroline's anger, but he didn't want to leave Ric in the lurch either. After all, he owned the place. Damon just worked for him. The boss deserved Christmas Eve off.
"Everyone here's just about done. Kitchen's closed," Ric motioned behind them, "shouldn't be too much longer." A smile played on the corners of his lips. "Don't worry. I won't miss tonight either. Elena threatened to un-invite me for lunch tomorrow if I miss whatever she has planned for this evening." One eyebrow raised. "You're not going to let me in on the secret."
Damon laughed, shaking his head. "My wife would kill me."
"Maybe I've already guessed."
Damon raised a hand to stop Ric from saying anything else. "I can neither confirm nor deny your suspicions." He cocked his head to the side and scratched his chin. "But why do you think you know?"
"Have you looked in a mirror lately? One of the busboys swears he saw you skipping after we closed on Monday. And you were whistling just a second ago. Since when do you whistle? I know you're not about to spirit Elena away on another romantic weekend. I'm the one who writes the schedule," Ric narrowed his eyes in Damon's direction. "So something's got you in the best mood I've seen since you moved back."
"I just like Christmas." Damon didn't feel brave enough to risk saying anything else.
"Sure you do." Ric held up a single finger, nodding in the direction of a table trying to flag him down. "You keep telling yourself that. I've played poker with you for too long. I know when you've got a good hand…something tells me this is bigger than a winning poker hand."
"Elena wants this to be a surprise."
"I promise. I won't tell." Ric clapped a hand on Damon's shoulder. "Just let me know when I need to block off your vacation time on the calendar." He squeezed his fingers. "And congratulations to you both."
Damn it. Ric knew alright. Based on the looks Matt was giving Elena yesterday when she'd dropped by the Grill, Ric wasn't the only one who'd guessed their secret. Damon walked out the side door, grinning to himself. Elena didn't want to tell anyone until it was safe, and he understood, but given her slight form and massive case of morning sickness…she should have known everyone who knew her had probably already guessed.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Are you on your way yet?
He keyed in his answer before she resorted to actually calling him rather than simply sending a text. "On my way. Give me five minutes."
Damon jogged down the steps leading to the parking lot and continued walking in the direction of the sidewalk. A year ago, he owned a bar walking distance from a house he no longer lived in. A year ago, he'd gone almost three months without even speaking to Elena. Now, he lived within a five-minute walk to the Grill. And he and Elena were doing far more than talking.
He whistled Jingle Bells as he made his way through the historic section of downtown. Ric was right. He was whistling. That was a new one. But he was happy. Since he couldn't scream or shout or run on the slick sidewalk, whistling would have to do.
Mystic Falls had changed through the years—when the only thing Elena could eat was pho, he had three different restaurants to choose from. He was happy to say that some things had stayed the same. The houses in the older section all tried to outdo each other with their Christmas decorations. Even this early in the evening, most of the lights were already lit.
He turned the corner, and his house came into view. Elena said he'd gone for the see-it-from-space approach. Maybe she was right. But he felt like celebrating, and the "best display" sign in the front yard proved he hadn't overdone it too badly.
No matter what she said, he knew she loved it. She'd stood in the yard, pointing out extra lighting opportunities. When they'd finished, she'd given a wry smile and admitted the house looked even better than when her dad hung the lights on it. Damon liked to think the fairy lights outlining the swing were the perfect final touch.
Damon had to look twice when he got to the foot of his driveway. It looked like….
"What are you doing?" Damon couldn't believe his eyes.
Elena rested a hand on the top of the ladder. "Changing the lightbulb." She wore an almost-innocent expression. "You said you'd replace the bulb three days in a row." She backed down the steps. "And I was only on the third step." She waited for him to meet her on the porch, and she ran her palm over his chest. "I wanted it to be perfect for Christmas Eve. You know how many people drive through the neighborhood on their way home from church."
"I know." He folded the ladder and followed her through the front door. "But you should have waited for me."
"I was being careful."
He took a breath. "I know you were." He leaned the ladder against the wall. "I guess I'm just feeling protective." He let his eyes roam down his wife's body. It was probably just in his imagination, but he could almost swear he could see the faintest hint of a bulge beneath her oversized sweater.
"You weren't feeling protective last night." She raised an eyebrow, hooking a finger just below the collar of his shirt.
He slid his hands behind her back, pulling them chest to chest. "It was the first time in a long time that you were feeling alright." Panic washed over him. "You're still feeling alright? Nothing's wrong? I didn't…."
"Everything's fine." She tilted her head up and kissed his chin. "I promise." Her doe eyes were looking on him with their fullest effect. "I might just be feeling up to showing you just how well I'm feeling again tonight."
Heat welled inside him. "Keep talking like that, and we won't make it to Stefan and Caroline's."
She pulled away from him like she'd been burned. "Oh no. That's not gonna happen. We've been keeping this secret too long."
He almost told her that they'd kept it too long. Almost. But he knew their family. They'd play along…just like they had last Christmas. Looking back, he couldn't believe that a year ago, he'd expected divorce papers to be his gift.
"What is it?" Elena stood frozen in the hallway, looking at him in concern.
"Nothing." He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. He hadn't been imagining it. He'd been distracted last night, but now he could feel the little bump beneath her sweater. "I was just thinking about how happy I am."
She spun in his embrace, looking up at him. "I ran into Dr. Chambers today at the grocery store."
"Really? Did she say anything?"
A nervous knot formed in the pit of his stomach. The hours they'd spent in the therapists' office were some of the most difficult he'd endured in his life. But they were worth it. And he'd repeat them in a heartbeat to make sure he and Elena never got to such a dark place again.
"She wanted to know how we were doing."
Sweat broke out on his brow. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her we were doing just fine." Elena looked as worried as he felt. "We are, right?"
"We are." He smoothed a lock of hair over her ear. "Really, we are." Relief replaced the knot in his stomach because he knew it was true. No matter what came their way in the future, they were going to be alright.
He backed away from her, reaching for her coat on the rack. "Now let's go. I don't want to get in trouble with my sister-in-law. And I'm pretty sure we have some Christmas Eve news to share."
Thanks for hanging in when updates were sparse. I'll admit I struggled to finish this story, as many of you have already guessed. I don't really enjoy leaving stories half-finished, though, so I'm thankful the words started to flow again on this one.
I've already received several messages about continuing to write here. As much as it hurts to say it, this may be my last contribution to the world of DE. Too much time has passed since I've been invested in the show. While I can't say never, I'd be doing y'all a disservice if I promised a story would be coming soon.
For now, I'll simply say thanks for sharing your time with me. I've enjoyed the trips I've taken with Damon, Elena, and the rest of the Mystic Falls family. I hope you have as well.
-N.E.P.