Friends say, I'm away
Because I'm down with you every day
They say, break away
I'm missing out on the fun and games
But you smile and the words they tell me quickly disappear
You speak and there is no other voice that I can hear
I spend my days With you
I spend my nights thinkin' about you

26 weeks and 7 days pregnant

Wednesday March 2nd

Damon groans pulling away from me after hearing voices downstairs. I let my head fall against the pillow with a huff. Does no one care about my insanely crazy libido? Because it is an actual problem, and I swear me and Damon get blocked more than anyone else.

I can tell by Damon's jeans he would rather stay up here as well, but we've got to deal with the real world.

Unfortunately.

"Let's just get this over with." I grumble standing up.

"Wait." Damon groans, rearranging his pants.

I bite my lip, trying with all my might to not jump him before he is ready and we head downstairs.

To the lion's den.

"Sit down!"

"I am!"

"I am not playing around Jeremy!"

"Good because neither am I!"

"I am up to here with this crap"

Me and Damon tense up at the yelling but round the corner into the kitchen. My dad is on one side of the island with his 'stressed and pissed off' face. Jeremy is on the other side looking very defensive. It brings back memories to the year after my mom's death…we used to always fight and snap at each other.

"Guys…" I walk near them cautiously.

My dad flips his head towards me and Damon as soon as my presence is known. "And you!" My dad shouts and goes to stand in front of Damon. "Both of you were stupid today, I hope you know that!"

"Dad stop-"

"No, Elena! I am sick of this crap! Jeremy just got out of rehab, Damon has a kid on the way to think about. They shouldn't be throwing punches!"

"They did it for me!" I shout before he can snap back. "I agree they shouldn't be doing that. But Katherine and Mason were saying," I gulp, "horrible things about me, almost like they were egging Damon on."

"Elena whether you know it or not you are having a baby in just a matter of months! We don't need this kind of crap!"

"It's not like they planned it! Besides like I was saying they were defending me!"

"Hey, hey, hey" Damon cautions walking in between us.

My dad softens as soon as he is brought back to reality but I am still glaring at him. I can't believe he is saying these things! Damon and my brother defended me yeah I know I am having a child in just a few months but it's not like Damon woke up and said 'I feel like punching Elena's ex-boyfriend and getting expelled' he was just doing what was right when Mason was bullying me. Not to mention I hate how my dad is ganging up on him about it. And I will defend him.

It's the least I can do.

"Let's all calm down here." Damon advises still between us.

"Yes." My dad says a lot calmer. "Let's all go talk in the living room about….this."

We all make our way to the living area. Me and Damon on the loveseat while Jeremy and my dad are across from us. I get an eerie feeling of déjà vu from when my dad first met Damon and we talked about the pregnancy.

Oh how much has changed.

"So can someone tell me what the hell happened? I had to go back to work before I had time to even process this." He rubs his temple.

"Me and Damon were in the hall when Katherine came up with Mason behind her. I could tell they were looking for a fight…Mason started saying real bad things about me…real bad. Damon tried his best to rein it in." I look towards him and smile because it is true. He held it in as best as he could but there also is a certain line there that you don't cross. And Mason crossed it.

"But in the end Damon threw a punch and the next thing you know there was a huge fight….Jeremy came a while later and pulled Mason off Damon but Mason just attacked him." I explain to my dad.

He nods for a few moments before sighing. "I don't want any more of this." He looks pointedly at Damon and Jeremy. "One of you just got out of rehab the other has a kid on the way. Mason might be…a mean guy." My dad looks at me cautiously and I roll my eyes at him trying to not say bad words around me. "But he is the immature one, not you guys."

"Sorry." Jeremy finally relents.

I smile with pride. Jeremy doesn't respect nor apologize to many people. There is a small list of people he will do that for. My dad included.

"I am too. I didn't want anything like that to ever happen." Damon mumbles.

I feel bad he is left vulnerable right now, knowing he hates it so I tighten my hold around him; he smiles and tightens my hand back.

My dad sighs again. "You all are forgiven because I know you did a bad thing today but you also protected Elena." He smiles generously at them. "So thank you."

My dad finally lets us go. Jeremy leaves the house with a warning from my dad that if he got into trouble my dad will force rehab on him again, that straightened him out. Damon and I go back up to my room but the mood we previously had is now gone with reality slapped across us both. Let's just hope Damon can get back on track when he comes back to school and doesn't miss a lot, because I am relying on him to take care of her when I do my junior year next year. I will not leave her with strangers, I know it is bad of me but I would drop out before that happened.

"Sorry he lectured you on that." I bite my lip. Did my dad have a few valid points? Yes. But that doesn't mean I still don't feel bad for the guy.

"It's alright." He sighs. "Kind of deserved it. But when Mason said those things, it doesn't matter how many times I go back to it, I would have done the same thing." He says with conviction.

I nod, knowing it is true.

"Hey, is it alright if I do some work on the baby's room while you're at school?" He asks hesitantly.

I feel my stomach drop and my hands shake. I don't know why I am having this reaction. Actually I do. I feel like this little creature has been inside me so long that the closer we get and the more decisions we make, I get this overwhelming fear of all the things that I could do wrong by her. I have no clue how to be a mom so the closer I get, the more it scares me.

"Uh-Yeah." I clear my throat. "That would be fine." I put on a strained smile.

He gets taken aback a little bit, knowing something is wrong. "Elena…if you don't want me too."

I sigh. "It's not that." I shake my head ashamed.

"Then…?"

"Everything is happening so fast and I feel like I am going to be a bad mom. I don't have any little siblings so I have never really been around kids, I am sixteen what if-"

"Elena." He stops me. "I am not going to sugar coat it." He says seriously and I nod. It is what I love about him. He will tell me how it is whether I will like it or not. Which is why I value his opinion and trust him so much."It will be a learning process; we will make mistakes and move on. But I don't have a doubt in my mind, you will try your hardest and in the end master it." He pulls of a half smirk, half smile.

I look down blushing at his hard reality but yet comforting words. "Thanks…it has just been hitting me a lot lately. How she is coming so soon and I...have no clue what I am doing." I let out a sad chuckle.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, neither do I." He smiles.

I smile and lay down on my bed, he follows shortly after me. I can tell by his heavy breathing and tense muscles he is as scared as I am. A year from now I will be a mom with a baby….

"But in all seriousness Damon….I would really love for you to start on the nursery." I tell him looking into his eyes.

"Any preferences?" He asks while playing with my hair.

"Just make it look like it is a girl's room."

"I will but I am not painting it pink." He warns seriously.

"Yes you will!" I turn to look at him with wide eyes.

"Elena I am not painting it pink." He says with as much conviction as he can. But we both know who is going to win.

"We will see."

I kiss him lightly on the lips before resuming my place in his side, holding him tight.

27 weeks pregnant and 1 day

Thursday March 3rd

"No snooping."

"I won't….Though you would never know." He says cockily.

I roll my eyes. We are sitting in the school parking lot, I think we've said goodbye five times. I haven't gone to school without him…ever. It's not so much I will miss him because I will but just to have him be my constant, always there, taking care of me that I will miss. At least it will give me time to hang out with Caroline and Bonnie more. We still hang out when we can at lunch but outside school we have been slacking a little.

"I guess…bye." I sigh.

"If Katherine gives you shit call me-"

I scoff. "Yeah and have you permanently expelled." I shake my head in disbelief. I trust Damon to protect me but I do not trust him in situations like that with a lot of anger.

"I would never hit a girl Elena." He sounds shocked. "I would just ruin them." He smirks.

"So what if we ever broke up, would you ruin me?"

"That would never happen." He scowls at me for even thinking of the thought. "Just get out of the car."

I smile and kiss him before heading into the school and starting my very boring day. I am about to head to my locker when Caroline pulls me to the side with Stefan and Bonnie next to hear.

"What?" I ask confused.

"You didn't call me last night! Your boyfriend beats up your ex to a pulp and you don't call me!" She outrages.

"I'm sorry! Damon was torn up yesterday and I had to make sure he was okay." I try to reason with her, but it is no use.

"Make sure he is okay?! Isn't he the one that beat Mason up?!"

I sigh, annoyed. "Yes Caroline but mentally he was stressed yesterday okay? Now he is suspended for a little bit." I grumble finally opening my locker and getting my things.

"Yeah Care, my brother came home around midnight last night and didn't look so good." Stefan agrees with me.

I bite my lip to stop the tears from coming. I tried to get Damon to leave several times last night being it kept getting later and later but he was really not in a good place and wanted to be with me. Who am I to pass that up?

"He is just mad he will be away from school…and me for that long and wants to graduate the best he can and now he feels like this will impact that and he wants to make a good impression on our kid and graduate so he can take care of her. It's a mess." I rant.

Caroline nods slowly as if she just got it. Bonnie smiles sadly.

"So…" Caroline changes the subject. "Do you want to hang out after school?"

"Yeah you guys can come over to my house. Damon is doing the nursery today so I want to see it and also make sure he didn't paint it black or add leather to everything." I grumble closing my locker.

"Can't you get a night away from Damon?" Bonnie asks hopefully.

"Why? Isn't Caroline going to bring Stefan." I ask knowing Caroline is almost in love with her Salvatore as much I am with mine.

Caroline shrugs guiltily.

"It sucks being single." Bonnie pouts.

I look at her and frown because I have seen her many times at my house with Jeremy or my brother talking about her. But I won't question why she is hiding it. I can't hold those things against anyone now since I hid my pregnancy for two months.

"Okay bottom line we will all go to your house after school." Caroline declares before the bell rings and we go in our separate directions.

A few hours later when it is lunch time I realize how much school sucks without my boyfriend. I walk to my locker to pull out the lunch Damon made for me for today. It just makes me miss him more. God I never thought I would be one of those girlfriends who life sucks without their boyfriend but I am.

Damon POV

I am not whipped

I am not whipped

I am not whipped.

Repeat after me,

I am not whipped.

I stare at the different color palettes of paint. Elena wants pink but fuck I don't want my baby girl to be subjected to so much…..Frill. I mean yeah she is a girl but doesn't mean she needs to be surrounded by pink and tutus. I mean there is a compromise. The main reason I don't want the walls to be pink is because Elena got her so many pink outfits.

There is a line I have to draw.

I groan internally at my inner debate.

Fuck it.

I grab the pink palette and go to have it spun.

I am not whipped.

I am doing this for my daughter there is a difference.

"What room are you doing?" The clerk asks as he spins it. He says it with nonchalance but I can see the judgment behind his stupid squinty eyes.

"My daughters." I say and try to contain myself from punching something.

He nods while looking me up and down. I know that look. It is the same look my girlfriend gets wherever she goes.

"Okay all done." He announces while writing some things on a piece of paper before taping it to the top of one of the gallons of paint. "Total is $246.50."

I nod before swiping my card.

Let's just hope Elena doesn't catch a wind of this.

Girl kills me for paying for our mediocre dinners at the grill let alone top of the line paint. I can already hear her yelling at me about it. I shake my head; grab my paint before walking out. Fuck, it is only 11 o'clock and I am missing her like crazy. I growl shoving my keys into my ignition. I just want to paint as quickly as I can. Maybe I can paint all my Elena frustrations away.

I wish.

I smile as I use my key to open the front door. Elena gave it to me a few weeks ago. I didn't let her see, but it meant a fucking lot to me.

I head up to the nursery which was Jeremy's room. There are four bedrooms in the Gilbert house. The guest bedroom before is what Elena told me her dad used for an office on occasion but we have all been working the past few weeks to empty and transition the rooms. Jeremy is now in the guest bedroom as of last night. He told me though he was glad not to share a bathroom with Elena anymore, can't blame the guy. Love her to death but the girl is not a cleaner. She always has things scattered everywhere and on a slow day she can take a while in there. I think it will be pretty freaking awesome though for her to have the bathroom connected to the baby's room so she and our daughter can have it to themselves.

Before I left for the store, I put tape around the edges and the little stuff of the baby's that were in here wrapped in tarp so I am all ready to go.

And I paint.

…

I try to wipe some sweat off without getting paint on me but fail. On the bright side I think I am done. The room is now filled with a light baby pink on the surrounding walls. I cough to rein in the emotions that my daughter will sleep in here and that this is her room. I cough again while picking up my supplies and throwing some trash away.

I look at the clock and realize I need to leave soon to pick Elena up. I use a towel to wipe some paint of which was a bitch to scrub, put my shirt back on and I am out the door. I thank god my parents didn't take away my car but I think the only reason they didn't is because of Elena.

I pull into the parking lot and wait for my girl.

I am such a pansy ass.

I feel my heart rate quicken while I look for Elena in the crowd of people that mean nothing to me. While I tried to use painting as a distraction from missing Elena it didn't really work. I spent the whole day wanting to hold her, kiss her and worrying that Katherine would start something. I did tell Stefan to keep an eye on my girl, but you know him, he has no spine.

After what feels like freaking forever I spot her right when she spots my car. A wide grin spreads across her face before she quickens her pace and jumps into the passenger side. Before she says a word I kiss her with everything in me.

Right after our lips meet though she pulls away guiltily. "Listen…Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie are coming over right now….So we should probably go." She bites her lip waiting for my reaction.

I sigh and rub my hands over my face because fuck yeah I wanted alone time with her to set up the nursery and to you know….. But I know the stupid somewhat good part of me deep down knows she needs to hang out with them more.

I nod. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." I shrug.

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" I scoff. "I mean yeah I would have rather spent the day doing the nursery alone, with you, but I also know you miss them and you want to spend more time with them. I should probably see my brother more as well…." I add, realizing I don't see him much anymore.

He is either with Blondie or…with Blondie. And I am always with Elena or asleep. So you can say our paths don't cross a lot.

She smiles which sends a jolt through me because I am a love struck idiot. I start the car from the honks we start to get and pull out of the school parking lot.

"No going up to the room for a few more hours." I tell her firmly.

"What? Why?" She fires off. "Damon did you-"

"No I did not paint it black or install fur walls." I mock. "I don't need you inhaling paint fumes."

She rolls her eyes. "You read that in the book didn't you?"

I shrug not needing her to know I read it back to front.

Let me tell you something about that damn book.

It is hell. All the things that can go wrong with the pregnancy and birth are astounding. If she were having twins I would pass out. Thank god it is not a risky pregnancy because I freaked the fuck out as it is. Don't even talk to me about water birth.

We pull into her house, my brother his girlfriend and judgy are already there. I sigh and get out of the car to start this long night.

It's not that I don't like her friends because I will see a lot of them so I am in a way forced to deal with them but I don't feel like getting reprimanded for my past whenever I see them, brings kind of a damper on my day.

"Hey." Elena greets them, giving Caroline and Bonnie a hug before we walk to the front door and walk in.

"No one goes upstairs, especially Elena." I warn.

"Awww but we want to see the nursery." Caroline whines.

"Well too bad." I flare my eyes.

She glares at me before we all head to the kitchen.

Shit.

What kind of fucking boyfriend to their pregnant girlfriend doesn't make them something to come home to?! The fuck. I have been home all day and I know how hungry she is at this time and what do I do?

Paint.

I rub my hand over my face. "Shit Elena, I was painting so much I forgot to make something….What do you want..?" I try to conceal the never ending guilt in my right now.

"Damon its fine I can cook." Elena rolls her eyes. I raise my eyebrows at her as she looks around the kitchen. "Uhm, I can cook…make some…a sandwich…see." She smirks.

I bite the inside of my cheeks to not burst out in laughter. Elena these days is becoming more emotional I don't need a sob session.

I will let her make the damn unhealthy sandwich.

It will take all my restraint but….I think I can do it?

"Okay." She breathes out and starts her expedition to her sandwich.

Stefan raises his brow at me probably knowing I am dying to push her out of the way and make her one of our homemade dishes. But she is going to be a mom soon, I got to give her a chance to be independent.

Even though it's internally killing me.

Meanwhile Bonnie and Caroline are snacking on some chips and crap. Thankfully my girl has enough sense nowadays to eat healthy for not only her but our baby. I can almost trust her eating choices.

Maybe.

She grabs some bread; I wince as she smothers mayo on each slice. She then goes to the fridge and retrieves, tomatoes –good, lettuce- good…..Barbeque sauce…Pickles…What the fuck? She hates pickles.

I put my hand in a fist over my mouth and use all my strength to not say anything. Stefan being Stefan is amused by the situation.

She then asks Caroline and Bonnie for the bag of chips, they nod hesitantly, now also entertained with what is going on.

Elena crunches the chips and lets them fall onto her already packed and smothered sandwich before looking through the cupboards and grabbing….A box of Twinkies?

Fuck it.

I have to say something.

"'Lena…." I coax using her nickname to soften what I am about to say. "Do you really need-"

She turns around with her hands on her hips and fuck, I know I am in deep shit. "Are you pregnant Damon?"

"Wha-no-"

"Then don't say anything. I am craving this like no tomorrow so I will eat it." She gives me a fake smile before turning around and resuming her unhealthy sandwich making.

I created a monster.

I ignore the stifled laughs from everyone before I grumble and head upstairs to resume the nursery. Elena wants to do the crib together so while I wait for the paint to completely dry I decide to put together the dresser. It's a simple white dresser but with hearts as knobs.

When I buy things for the nursery in my house I will make sure it does not look like this. Kid needs balance.

About an hour later I have the dresser complete and I need a fucking drink. But since I am at Elena's house some water will do.I jog down the stairs but stop when I see the everyone on the couch watching what it looks like to be 'Titanic'. Good lord.

And there, my brother sits in between all three girls looking pretty damn smug. If he was single I would kick his ass.

I walk to the entryway, leaning in the doorway smirking. "You enjoying the movie there brother?"

He looks startled at my presence before smirking back. "Yeah good movie." He coughs.

"I am so glad my man loves the same movies as I do." Caroline smiles in content, practically on his lap.

He smiles rubbing her back. "Yeah, yeah, love these movies." He winks at me.

I have to bite my cheeks so hard I almost taste blood. My brother…almost a man now. But fuck he has Caroline wrapped around his finger. How did this happen. Why is it when I try that shit with Elena it's like she has a third eye or something she always knows what I am up to? But seriously a year ago Stefan was the biggest prude, going on about saving his virginity for marriage. Now look at him he knows the birds and bees through and through.

I look to Elena who is on the other side of Stefan, tears filling her eyes and she shakes trying to keep her sobs at bay.

Crap.

"Babe….You ok?" I ask cautiously.

The second the words leave my mouth the sob she was holding in gets out, she covers her mouth to cover the damage but it's useless.

"It's just…" And here we go. "The kids Damon! They just die without their moms or at such a young age and in such a horrible way it is so sad. What if someone was pregnant on board? Oh god. Or if a mom lost her kid…and watched their life slip away…it's horrible." She sobs. "I can't even imagine what if our kid-"

Fuck.

"Elena." I warn. I don't need her to think about that. Even I don't need to think about it. "Calm down." I kneel in front of her. "You can't think like that honey." I caress her head.

"But it actually happened Damon." She squeaks again. "Kids died on that ship and…" She trails off crying.

I glare at the three others on the couch.

Who the fuck lets a pregnant emotional person watch this.

There is fucking kids dying in it.

What the fuck.

They send me a sympathetic look before I massage Elena's sides. "Honey, calm down. Breath. Listen to my voice. Focus on that."

"Damon I don't know what I would do if something happened to our kid…" I wince as I let her get that one out because she needs to vent it. It is obviously a big worry for her and even though I fucking hate hearing the mere thought of it, I have to suck it up for her.

"Do you know something that will make you feel better?" I ask cheerfully and she shrugs. "Come here." I grab her hand, getting her off the couch. Before I leave the room I glare hard at them and they try to look anywhere else but at me. I lead Elena up the stairs and into Jeremy's old room now our daughter's room.

"Ready?"

She perks up, nodding and smiling.

I open the door and lead her in. There is still some paint fumes smell but nothing overbearing since I had the window open.

We walk deeper into the room and I let her look around. So far I have the walls painted, a dresser made as well as a rocking chair we bought together that I brought from my house, it now sits in the far corner.

I look to see her reaction and she had her hand over her mouth as if she is afraid what will come out of it with her eyes glistening. "…It's pink." She says with complete awe.

She is so going to rub this in.

"You…" She pauses looking at me with so much love it makes my god damn knees weak, "…painted it pink."

She smiles and runs to me before throwing her arms around my neck and kissing my lightly on the lips. I feel my body light on fire whenever she kisses me and I suddenly wish it lasted longer.

My girl gives the best kisses.

"Go ahead rub it in." I roll my eyes while massaging her lower back.

Yeah this makes me look like a complete whipped asshole but I strangely don't give a shit. I trust Elena with my life so I trust her not to tell every little thing to her Scooby doo friends. I love her so much it overpowers me to a point I can't even think about it. She is my life.

"Well I wasn't going to say anything but now that you mentioned it…" She smirks with a wild gleam in her eye.

"You minx." I bite her throat playfully.

"Thank you Damon for painting this. I love the baby pink it's nice and light. It's perfect." She smiles a smile that makes me feel faint.

"Yeah….It's not such a bad color. And I do what I can to make my girls happy." I nuzzle her jaw. She squirms but eventually leans into my touch. I pull her tighter to me, feeling our daughter between us."So, are you okay….after downstairs…?" I make sure. "Fuck, Elena I had no clue that was the movie they picked or I would have-"

"Damon, its fine." She waves off. I raise my brow. She was just crying over it ten minutes ago! "Yeah it's sad but I have to face these feelings." She says with conviction and I feel a rush of pride of how strong she can be.

"Want me to go back down there and kick their asses?"

She smiles like she is really considering it. "Noooo. Let's just pick a different movie." She laughs lightly before kissing me. I pull her tighter trying to deepen it.

It's been a long time.

I roam my greedy hands down her back and to her ass before squeezing it which earns a squeal. "Damon!"

"What?" I ask with faux innocence.

She scowls at me but it's useless since she has a smile spread across her beautiful face. "You are such a…man." She frowns, mad she can't find the right word.

I snort. "Wow thanks for letting me know! I was getting worried." I roll my eyes grabbing her hand as we go back downstairs.

We reach the living room and everyone is in the same place but thank-fucking-god the movie is no longer playing.

"So how about we steer clear of depressing movies for the remainder of I don't know forever." I cock my head.

"Sorry." Elena shakes her head plopping on the recliner, I sit on the arm next to her. "I overreacted-"

"Babe, don't apologize." I scoff. "Who the hell wants to watch people drown in a ship? Depressing as fuck." I cringe.

"It is romantic!" Caroline intervenes.

"If you play a movie like that again I'll-"

"Damon." Stefan warns.

I fucking hate when he reprimands me with just my name. Making it look like I do bad shit a lot which…well…whatever. But it freaking pisses me off how he says it, like he expects it will magically stop me from whatever I am about to do. I tense my muscles and I am about to stand up when Elena's hand on mine instantly relaxes my body.

"Let's all calm down." Bonnie speaks up. "Caroline it is a romantic movie but Elena is pregnant and probably doesn't want to see kids and mothers or anyone for that matter dying. Let's just move on and do something else!"

Thank god for judgy.

Before anyone can answer the front door opens revealing Grayson laughing with a blonde tall and slim woman. He shuts the door with his foot, kissing her neck before I decide to stop whatever is going and clear my throat. Grayson and whoever he is with freezes before slowly turning around to all of us.

Shit.

This is not good.

Elena stands up a little shakily, I help her steady herself before she walks a few steps facing them with her arms crossed. "What the hell is going on Dad?"

Review for next chapter?

Gah i had horrible muse and writers block with this chap. It was like war.

Anna got me through it though! Amazing beta and writer! Her account is 'iwantyoudamon' ;D

Okay sorry not sorry but i am loving the DE angst on the show right now. Whew. Love it.

I literally wrote one scene 5 times. Just to get it right. It was a pain in my ass.

**Spoiler: I will be addressing Elena's mom's death again. Sadly. Much drama. Hence fluff this chapter. Which I can say I loved writing ;D

Check my out on tumblr 'elenasempathy' for spoilers and updates. I have my whole story planned. Much more drama hahahahaa. There is a method to my madness I promise :)

Xoxoxo. Muse me up!