I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
This night is flawless, don't you let it go
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
I was enchanted to meet you

"Damon I got it!"

"I can do it Elena! Stop trying to do things when you are already doing something else!"

"Damon I can handle it! Go eat or something."

The past week has been insane. Cara is two and a half weeks old and has been home with us for a week and a half. At first things went smoothly but about 3 days into it we started getting behind on sleep and taking care of ourselves which turned us pretty stressed. We are good at not fighting, we have only fought maybe one time but we do snap at each other or bicker sometimes. I mean it could be worse, we are both just tired. We always make sure we don't go to bed angry, we try to resolve whatever problem we are facing together.

Cara is well behaved for the most part. She is just a newborn baby who needs to eat every few hours. I know the biggest thing is our sleep. We are getting maybe 5 hours of sleep of day but it's broken up throughout the night because we need to feed her. What makes it even harder is I am breast feeding her so I have to get up every single time to feed her but Damon also gets up to help or bring her to me which is nice I get that but it makes both of us cranky with little sleep. I tried telling Damon to just stay asleep I have the night shifts until I stop breast feeding her or something but he still wakes up, he tells me there is no way he can sleep when his daughter is crying. I let him have that one.

"Damon go take a nap I am just going to feed her." I sigh, exhausted while I pick up Cara from her swing.

Before he replies I am out the bedroom door and making my way to Cara's nursery which we hardly use unless we want to change her clothes. Eventually we will wean her into her own room but…Just not yet. I groan and plop myself into the rocker and quickly start feeding her. Being a mom is hard but a teenage mom? Very hard. I had to start working on school work at home in order to graduate and so has Damon. Damon goes back to school tomorrow and I can tell he isn't too happy about it. I mean I don't know how he is going to do it with little sleep and not to mention being away from Cara for six hours. I honestly don't know.

I hear the door creak open as I stare down at Cara but I already know who it is. His footsteps get closer until he grabs a stool and sits across from us.

"Sorry." I look up from Cara into his eyes.

He shakes his head and stares at the floor. "It's all good now…." He breathes out and stares at us.

We sit in silence while Cara eats and I know we both have so many things to talk through and problems to sort out. One of them being him going back to school until it gets out. For six hours I will be on my own which scares me to death doing this all by myself. And I know Damon's biggest dilemma is going through the day without Cara. Neither of us has been separated yet so it will be a test. A test I honestly don't know if Damon is ready to take.

When Cara is done eating, myself and Damon need to eat. Another thing we hardly do since being parents. It's not that we don't want to, we just have so many other priorities that come before us now and we still haven't found a good routine to balance them all out.

"How about some food?" Damon smirks; almost making me fall in love with him all over again.

"Yeah food would be great." I nod.

When we head downstairs Helen is eating with Giuseppe at the bar. I head to the fridge to see what leftovers Damon and I can scrounge up.

"You both look like you are going to pass out." Helen remarks.

"I feel it too." I yawn involuntarily.

Damon leans against the counter while I grab a few dishes out. "We both decided to take a nap but that lasted about…30 minutes before Cara got hungry." Damon says before he shakes his head at me and begins to take the containers out of my hands to start preparing us food.

I grab Cara so her head is now resting on my shoulder before I tiredly let out a sigh. "I cannot wait till she sleeps through the night." I shake my head while rubbing her back.

"After I take Giuseppe to the airport I can look after her? Oh and Elena your dad called to tell me that him and Jeremy are going to stop by later tonight to visit." She smiles before taking a bite of her food.

I groan.

I am happy to see my dad and brother, I love them but….I need sleep and sanity too. Though the last time I saw them was three days ago and I do miss them. I also need to get out of this house. I leave it maybe once a week and I am going insane. But I really need sleep.

"If I don't get sleep there is no way I will be awake enough to visit with him." I yawn again.

"How about me and Cara take Giuseppe to the airport while you get some rest?"

I nod thinking it over before looking at Damon who is conflicted as well. She has never been anywhere without us and we haven't left her for long but this is a start. And we need sleep.

He gives me a slight nod which makes up my mind. "Yeah that would be amazing." I sigh.

She claps her hands together. "Great! I will go and get ready now." She smiles.

"Thanks so much Helen." I rock Cara up and down while looking at Helen. "Really you are a life saver."

She looks at me with her big warm eyes before making her way over to me and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Anytime dear, always remember that." She says genuinely before giving Cara a kiss on her head and leaving the room.

I sit and chat with Giuseppe for a little bit before he has to go get ready for the airport as well. He's got a meeting in Portland or something.

In no time Damon brings our plates over with leftover tomato and chicken casserole and anything at this point is heaven to me. I definitely am not eating enough; I will have to try harder in doing that. It's just that Cara is my whole life right now, making sure she is fed, diaper is changed, she sleeps alright and that she gets the attention she needs. I almost forget about myself sometimes.

In the middle of eating Cara starts whining before going into full blown crying and I feel my stress level go through the roof because I honestly don't know what she needs and all I want is to eat then pass out for two days. I am going to go crazy if I am not already.

I growl and stand up before pacing back and forth to try and sooth her but nothing lets up. I lift her up in the air to see what her diaper smell like but it is fine.

"Elena I can take care of it." Damon tries to get me to hand Cara to him.

But I back away from him before returning my fast pacing. "I got this…I can do this!" I breathe out.

"Elena! Just hand me Cara so I can get her to stop crying!" He snaps.

"Damon." I breathe through my nose. "I got this just go finish your dinner."

"Damn it Elena just give her to me!" Damon bites back and I know he has a hard time hearing Cara cry but…I can do this.

"Yeah but I am trying to be a mom Damon and to get her to stop crying so if you could stop screaming at me that would be good." I snap.

"Elena." He nearly growls and rubs his hands over his face stressfully. "I can't do anything when she is crying so if you could just hand her to me so I could try and calm our daughter that would be good!"

"You are still yelling." I point out angrily and continue to rock Cara as her crying intensifies.

"Hey hey hey!" Helen comes between us and looks back and forth. "Both of you are yelling and you can't do that around her! I know you both are stressed but attacking each other is not the answer."

I know she is right but through the haze of Cara's cries, another fight with my boyfriend and my almost dangerous sleepy brain I just start crying. God damn it I do not want to cry. I wanted to be strong and show everyone I could be a good mom and make my daughter stop crying but I failed. I feel horrible.

"Hey…I am sorry." Damon comes up beside me and wraps me up in his arms. "Don't cry…Please." He breathes out.

"Don't apologize I am being so stupid." I hiccup. "I just want to be super mom and I'm failing." I cry harder into him.

"Hey sweetie." Helen comes up on the other side. "Let me see her." Helen holds out her arms to a still crying Cara. I give in.

I give up on being a super mom today. I will attempt at it tomorrow when I am hopefully well slept. I just feel like a total failure that I need help from my boyfriend's mom and that I can't get my own daughter to stop crying like what does that make me?

"Ssshhh." Helen rubs Cara's back and rocks her back and forth. "Elena don't feel bad sometimes babies cry just to cry." She smiles comfortingly but I still feel horrible.

Damon's arms tighten around me which somehow makes me feel a tiny bit better. I hold on tightly to him and close my eyes. I just need to fast forward the next two months until we find a good balance and get the hang of things or even until Cara starts sleeping better.

Cara still cries and Helen grabs a pacifier laying on the island and places it in her crying mouth and somehow….She stops. She starts sucking on the little thing in her mouth and seems content.

"There we go…" Helen smiles and rocks Cara softly. "Sshhssh it's alright."

I feel my lip tremble before I turn my head into Damon's chest and start crying. My sleep is making me more emotional yes but I feel so depressed that I don't know how to care for Cara the best way I can and that was one of the biggest things I thought about with keeping Cara was I wanted best for her….What if I can't give her that? Oh god.

I feel Damon rub my back but I feel like I am having a mental breakdown. I have never felt this type of pain. "Elena….It is fine….Okay?" Damon whispers in my ear. "It is a learning process but we can do it remember?"

I think back to all the conversations throughout my pregnancy we have had about making it, surviving and getting through it together. Even through the horrible bad times when we feel like the worst, which is basically right now. I am too wound up to completely calm down but I know deep down this is just a really bad day and with time I can only hope I will cope better.

I am just so stressed about getting everything right and in order and to do it the right way but maybe it's time I learn and try to accept what Damon said, that throughout Cara's entire life we will make mistakes and we will learn from it. That is all I can hope for right now that I will learn and try my best. It just pains me deep inside that I don't have everything together right away even though that is probably impossible unless I already had five kids.

"Elena, really, you will have bad days and that is okay, I have had many with my boys where I felt like I couldn't do anything but that is normal okay dear? Here…Me and Cara are going to leave do you want to say goodbye?"

I nod and let go of Damon to wipe my eyes. I take a few steps to Helen as she hands me my daughter. I cradle her to my chest as she sucks away on the pacifier. I let out a deep shaky breath and kiss her soft brown head. Just holding her already is calming me; maybe she inherited that from Damon.

I hear her sucking noises in my ear and smile. I will have to remember that trick. Maybe she really loves the pacifier. I suddenly start feeling better and realize Helen knew that because she had two sons but I am the youngest in my family so I didn't have the opportunity to take care of a baby or pick up on those things, but I'm starting to.

I kiss her head again and hold her tight to me. "I love you." I sniffle before turning to Damon. "Do you want to say goodbye?"

He gives me an obvious look and I smile. I carefully hand Cara over to him as he cradles her in his arms and stares down at her. "Behave for Grandma Salvatore okay? And when you get home try not to cry. Be a happy baby for mommy and daddy. Just for a few hours then you can go back to your run of the mill crying." He kisses her cheek before handing her back to Helen.

"Oh dear you called me Grandma. Boy do I feel old." She smiles before placing Cara in her car seat. Before Helen picks up the car seat she makes her way over to me and gives me a big warm hug. "It will be okay Elena, Alright? Just go get some sleep." She kisses my cheek before hugging Damon. She picks up Cara in her car seat and leaves.

I know Damon and I will miss Cara but he leaves for school tomorrow and eventually I will have to leave her as well. I guess this is good practice…But from the look on both me and Damon's faces we aren't liking it too much.

We hear the front door slam as Giuseppe and Helen leave with Cara and we are alone. I feel Damon grab my hand by my side and squeeze it.

"It will be fine." I try to say strongly but I feel like I am trying to reassure myself. Damon just stares blankly where Cara and Helen left through the doorway and I do what I can and hug him. We both need it right now. We are probably in the worst stage of parenting where we have our first kid together and still learning all the kinks and problems…The hard way.

"How about some sleep?" I proposition and he silently nods.

We make it up to our room and quickly get underneath the covers but before I can roll over and pass out Damon drags me to his chest and holds onto me tight like I will disappear. I nuzzle my head into his chest and smile. Even through the bickering and fights the past week there is not one time my thoughts changed about him or a point where I hated him. How could I ever? I think if you can make it past what we are going through right now you can make it through anything. It really brings out everyone's true self in a stressful a situation, at times we reacted badly but that's not what matters….What matters is how we resolved and made up from it. Damon brings my head out from within his chest before teasing my lips and giving me a short, sensual and much need kiss before we drift off into oblivion.

...

I groggily open my eyes and I suddenly realize I am tangled up in Damon. It's like when we are both asleep, our bodies find each other and gravitate to one another. Damon is still passed out so I carefully grab my phone to check what time it is.

It is just after 5 pm so we both have been asleep for maybe four hours but we needed it. I start feeling antsy though that I have been asleep that long and haven't seen Cara. I wonder if I should wake Damon up with me but when I look over at him he has the sweetest and most innocent face while he is deep in sleep and I can't be the one to ruin that. I cautiously get out of bed and tip toe to the door without waking him. Once I am outside the door I let out a deep breath and make my way wherever Helen is because she has my daughter.

I reach the living room and Helen has the fire going while watching whatever TV show and rocking Cara in her arms. I smile at the image because Helen will be Cara's only grandma and she is doing it so well. I decide to make my presence known and go further into the room. Helen turns her head at me and smiles.

"How was the long needed nap?"

I plop onto the couch cushion next to her and sigh. "It was so good. I feel so much better."

"She has been crying for you. I think she needs to be fed. I gave her some formula but she definitely prefers the good stuff." Helen laughs and passes Cara over to me.

I sigh almost in relief as soon as she is in my arms and stare into her blue eyes. Damon was wrong. Her eyes are even a brighter blue than when she was born. I look at what Helen changed her into and smile. Something both me and Damon actually agreed on way back when we were just friends and going shopping for the first time. She is wearing a red onesie with white polka dots, pretty simple but at the time I was only a few months along it was surreal buying this and now…She is wearing it.

I kiss her little brown head before leaning back more and sighing again. "I really needed that sleep. I feel so bad that I was away from her though…" I stroke her soft cheek.

"In order to take care of her you need to take care of yourself." Helen advises.

And I let that sink in. That is probably the best advice I have heard in a long time. I tell myself to always remember Helen saying that when things get rough again.

Cara starts gurgling and making weird noises and we both laugh. I swear she does it just to hear herself. I can't imagine her dating or getting married or just…letting her go. She is and will always be my baby.

"How was she at the airport?" I question after a few moments of silence.

"Oh she was great. She was asleep most of it then when I got home she was hungry so that is when I fed her."

"I am sorry Damon and I were fighting…We talked it out afterwards-"

But Helen shakes her head and cuts me off. "Oh dear don't apologize. Believe me there were many times Damon would scream his head off and I wanted to strangle Giuseppe because we were both sleep deprived…It happens and soon it will pass once Cara gets situated and grows up and as you guys as parents learn different techniques. Parenting isn't supposed to easy, especially the first time. That would just be strange." She smiles warmly.

I chuckle. "I guess you are right."

"Hey." A groggy and still half asleep Damon in nothing but his pajama pants greets. "You weren't next to me." He pouts and sits down on the couch next to me.

"You looked all cute and relaxed when I woke up." I smile.

He frowns. "I am not cute."

"Hmm are too." I stick out my tongue which earns a failed hidden smile.

"You both are cute." Helen chuckles and looks at us with the same gleam in her eyes as always. And I immediately duck my head out of her sight and laugh.

"Mom." Damon groans.

"Cara…" I sing song to her. "Do you think daddy is cute? Yeah?" I kiss her chubby cheeks and smile.

"Let me see her." Damon holds out his arms to me.

I shake my head and groan. "No I just got her." I pout.

"You had her for 8 months." He points out.

"You work hard Salvatore." I shake my head and laugh but give in and hand Cara over to him.

He gives me a wide grin and takes his daughter into his arms. He moans contentedly at Cara in his arms as she starts to wiggle more because I know I need to feed her soon but I'll give Damon some time with her. We are all avoiding talking about the inevitable; which would be Damon going back to school.

Tomorrow.

I honestly am curious if he will even leave the house. I am torn because I want him here to help take care of Cara and to spend more time with the two of them together but then…I have to think of our future and if I want Damon to graduate so he can help provide for us and babysit Cara next year while I am in school he really needs to go.

I can tell by the way he is staring down at Cara tomorrow is very much on his mind. He is staring at her like he is worried he will never see her again or she will forget him.

"So I made plans tomorrow to meet Rebekah." I make conversationally while Damon is in his own world with Cara.

"Ooooh is that the friend you met at birthing classes?" Helen smiles.

"Yep! She was supposed to come by the hospital but she came down with a flu and add that to being pregnant she didn't want to do much of anything." I chuckle lightly. "But she wants to meet Cara and see what she is going to have to be dealing with soon." I shrug.

"That is good you met someone you can relate too." Helen nods encouragingly. "I can't wait to meet her sometime!"

"Yeah…Her story is pretty sad. She lost her boyfriend and the father of her daughter so she is going to be doing it alone…I mean she has her family…But I can't imagine." I shake my head and suddenly fear overwhelmingly sad for my new friend.

Doing this without Damon? No. I really can't imagine. He has been my rock through thick and then and yeah, sometimes we scream at each other but to be honest I would be worried if we didn't fight. But to not have someone to share a child with and to have all the pressure on you to raise her right and to…really be a single mom until she meets someone new….I really have respect for her for being so strong.

"Oh dear..." Helen gasps. "Poor thing…"

I sigh. "Yeah so we decided to do some shopping. Plus I need to get out of this house." I laugh. "No offense I love being here but…I am going to go insane."

Helen laughs with me. "I don't blame you. I hope you have fun dear." She smiles endearingly before we both look over at Damon who looks like he is on the verge of a nervous breakdown with Cara in his arms. I hate to want to take Cara out of his arms anytime soon but she needs to eat….

"Damon…" I put a hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He chokes back out and brushes Cara's chocolate hair around.

"Are you worried about tomorrow….?" I ask attentively. "Because if you aren't ready-"

"No I have to go." He shakes his head. "I am fine….I will…get through it." He strains.

I nod sadly. "Okay…"

Oh god I can't even process what Damon is going through. I am definitely not at that stage yet to leave her so for him to leave for six hours? Yeah I have my doubts but if he wants to try I will give him that. I know what he is doing is for our daughter so he can succeed and so he can spend the next year or two with her while I am in school. It is the most meaningful sacrifice so far. And I will forever be grateful for it.

"Damon you are going to be late!" I race with him around our room with a now fed Cara in my arms. "Just get dressed and go!"

"I am just getting my things together…" He looks around for his papers he worked on over our time off from school before putting them in his bag.

Cara starts crying on my shoulder and I sigh. I really need to console Damon and calm him down but I guess I am calming our daughter down first.

"Ssshhh." I rub her back. "Go to sleep…." I start humming in her ears at a slow and quiet rhythm. Damon's eyes flick over to us while he is getting ready making sure I got her but I nod to him as Cara's cries turn into soft whimpering.

I take slow steady steps to not stir an already cranky Cara and reach Damon. "Babe if you can't do it….You can wait a little bit longer. It is okay." I reassure.

Because if Damon physically can't be away from his daughter right now I don't care who I have to talk to I will make sure he is comfortable and okay. Even if I have to drive to school with my crying baby in the backseat and get each and every of his assignments and help him to work on them I will do it.

"No…Really Elena." He nods when I glare at him. "I can do it….It might be hard as hell." He mutters before taking a deep and strong breath. "But I can do it."

"Do you want me to drive you?" I question.

"No, it's okay. Get some more sleep or rest until you meet Rebekah." He smiles but it still has a lot of nervous tension in it.

I stand in the center of our room with an almost asleep Cara as he races to get everything together. Almost every few seconds he sneaks a look at us which breaks my heart. I wish our lives were at a point where we could spend the next couple months just absorbing each other but….this is just a reminder that we are teenage parents who still need to go to school and go on with life.

"Okay…I think I am all ready." He throws his bag over his shoulder and I follow him downstairs to the door where we both pause.

"We both love you and will be waiting for you to get home." I lean up on my toes to place a kiss on his ready lips. "Have a great day…." I fake a smile.

He scoffs. "I doubt it will be that great." He sighs before giving me another kiss and leaning down to plant a soft kiss on Cara's forehead that is now asleep. "Be good for mommy." He sighs before quickly turning around and opening the door.

"Love you!" I use Cara's limp arm to wave at him.

He smirks and shakes his head before blowing us both a kiss.

And he is gone.

I give it a second taking in the very quiet house before I hear the roar of the Camaros engine go down the driveway signifying he is really gone.

I might as well start getting ready to hang out with Rebekah. I told her I would meet her at the mall around ten but these days it takes a lot more getting ready than before. I set Cara in her rocker as I get ready to take a shower. Before I hop in I make sure she is sound asleep and won't start crying while I am in there.

While I am getting ready I just wonder how Damon is doing. He hasn't texted me yet but I am sure that would make it worse. I finish my shower and start straightening my hair and putting on makeup. I haven't put on makeup probably before Cara was born. I just haven't felt a need or had time but I am trying to get better about that.

I am so glad I am already losing my baby weight. Not all of it, way too soon for that but I will definitely soon be able to be in my old clothes and I cannot wait. I find a pair of jeans and a simple white t shirt to wear before I pick Cara up to get her changed.

She is still half asleep as I am choosing her clothes. It is so hard because she has so many clothes. But I settle with a white dress for her with black leggings underneath. I find a headband with a pink flower on it and smile. I remember getting this from the baby shower. She looks super cute with it on. I love it. For her feet I just find simple white frilly socks and her outfit is done. I let out of breath of relief when I am done changing her because it is the little things I accomplish alone I feel super proud about.

I look at the clock once we are both done and it is 9:45. I inwardly curse and try to hurry up, gathering Cara's diaper bag and putting her in her car seat before racing downstairs.

"Have a good time dear!" Helen waves from the kitchen doorway.

I quickly wave to her before leaving and climbing into my car. My dad after the accident paid fully for my repairs and my car back to me after I had Cara saying that I was a mother and I needed to get around. I thanked him profusely because I really do need it.

I find myself driving ten miles under the speed limit because I am not about to risk anything. I am probably annoying everyone behind me but I really don't care.

I quickly see Rebekah standing at the entrance looking around for me and I smile. Her belly is very big. She is going to have her daughter at any time now. I quickly park my car and get Cara's stroller out before attaching her car seat inside it.

"Hey." I give her a hug and stare down at amazement how much her belly has grown since I last saw her. "Wow…You are getting close."

She groans. "I know. I can hardly sleep because I am so…big!" She rubs her very big belly before putting on a smile. "So let me meet her!"

I pull back the visor on her stroller, she is still fast asleep. Rebekah croons and is in awe over her. Cara starts squinting through her blue eyes at the noise. Rebekah leans closer and sighs. "She is so beautiful."

I pull the visor back over Cara before we start heading inside. "Yeah it's just a lot harder than I ever thought. I mean you know it's going to be hard but until you go through it you really don't know how much."

"Are you and Damon doing okay?" She asks as we weave through people.

"We have been snapping at each other more but we try to never go to bed angry and talk everything through. Sometimes that is difficult but we manage."

"I just can't believe you went through all of that with your birth." She shakes her head. "I thought I would be having my baby first and I would have to wait on yours." She chuckles. "How the tables have turned."

"Tell me about it. " I nod. "My entire pregnancy was filled with the hardest struggles I have ever faced so it wasn't too much of a shock I always waited for the other shoe to drop but I guess fate works in mysterious ways." I shrug.

"The closer I get to my due date…." She gulps and looks down as we walk. "I wish more and more he were here to share it with me and welcome her into the world with me….But he won't even meet her….But at least I know that before he left he loved her very much. I guess I got that." She lets out a shaky breath.

I look over at my new friend in sorrow. She is so strong and has been through so much. I try to put myself in her shoes and imagining loosing Damon right before I had Cara….I wouldn't be able to cope with that. Even more so knowing Damon has wanted to meet Cara more than life itself.

I met with Rebekah a few times since meeting her at the birthing classes. We can relate on so many levels and just really get along well. She told me last time about how Matt her boyfriend died. He was working to make extra money so he could buy his daughter things on his own. He got a job as a construction worker but one day on the job a large piece of a rock fell and hit him right on the head. Weird way to die right? He had very intense brain swelling and bleeding and was in a coma for less than a week before he passed away.

"Yeah that really….I am so sorry, that makes sense though because that is his daughter to so the closer you get to meeting her you think of all the things you should be sharing with him or if she will look like him." I smile sadly to her. "But if you ever need anyone….I am here, honestly. Plus you can now use me as your guinea pig. Ever need advice about the first few weeks or whatever, I am there." I joke to lighten her up and feel good inside when she cracks a smile.

We hit up the best maternity store here before we of course stop by the baby store and both go crazy. I basically have everything and beyond for Cara but what are a few more outfits or toys? Rebekah looks stunning for hitting 39 weeks. She could really go into labor at any time which is why I made sure she was able to do this. I told I could have easily met at her house or mine but she refused saying she wanted to do some last minute shopping. I had to take a few breaks to either feed Cara or change her diaper which I noticed Rebekah was paying close attention to. I can tell she is ready to be a mom and wants to be the best one she can be. Really her daughter is the only thing the person she loved left behind and I am sure she will love her daughter very much.

We have many bags from the many stores we went to and on our way out when I decide to probe a little more. "So…Any ideas for names?" I hint.

She lets out a big laugh. "You tried to pry me last time! I want it to be a surprise for everyone but….I will tell you." She narrows her eyes a little as we walk out of the mall.

"You don't have to if you don't want to I just want to put a name to the big bump on your belly." I laugh before I look both ways and cross the street to the parking lot.

"Hope." She smiles through the sun at me. "I am naming her Hope."

I feel my jaw going slack as I stare at her wordlessly. "Wow…" I finally get around to saying.

We continue our walking to our cars as she continues talking. "Because she was my one hope when things were dark and absolute….When I wanted my life to end because his did she was the one thing to bring me to the surface. She is proof something good can always come out of something bad." She sighs looking down and I wonder for a second if she is crying. "That sounded really cheesy and cliché." She brings her head back up and laughs before wiping her eyes. "But that's why." She sniffles.

"That…is so beautiful Rebekah." I nod because I can't say much more and I feel so useless right now but crap. I really want to get my tissues right now and cry while I hold onto Damon and Cara as tight as I can.

We reach my car and she sighs. "Thank you for everything Elena and becoming my friend and not judging me or putting a lot of pity on me. And of course for going through things first so I can learn better." She laughs. "But I have a feeling next time I see you….I won't be so round." She smirks and rubs her stomach.

"I hope!" I squeal. "I can't wait to meet her!"

She gives me a tight hug and I chuckle a little because I can feel Hope kicking against her belly in our tight proximity.

"Well call me when you go into labor so I can work something out and visit!" I wave.

"Of course!" She smiles.

I sigh as I get a very worn out Cara into her car seat and put her stroller away. She can hardly keep her eyes open but had a hard time sleeping throughout the day with being moved so much and all the noise.

The second I sit down in the driver's seat my phone goes off.

Hm.

I pick it up and look at the caller ID.

Damon.

Then I notice the time.

Shit.

3:00.

Oh no. I press the answer button as I put the keys into the ignition.

"Where hell are you! You said you would be home." He rants.

"Shit, I'm sorry Damon! I lost track of time but I will be there in about 20 minutes. Love you." I say quickly before I hang up and quickly get on my way.

….

As I pull up into the driveway Damon is standing by the garage with his arms crossed. I feel super bad because I promised him we would be here when he got home. It's just that I haven't been out with friends or even out of the house much since Cara got here and I was having a great time and lost track. I feel so bad.

When I park and turn off the engine Damon opens my door and brings me into a hug. "It was a long day." He groans before kissing my forehead and open Cara's door to get her out.

"You got her?" I check as I grab the bags from shopping.

"Yep."

We make our way through the front door. I set my bags down I got from shopping and follow him to the couch where we sit down. He sets Cara's car seat on the ground and unbuckling her and bringing her into his arms.

"Damon…I really am sorry." I watch him hold and kiss Cara's head. "I lost track of time…."

He takes in a deep breath. "I just missed her so much." He whispers and kisses her round, chubby cheeks.

I feel a grin cross my face while I sit and watch them. I feel so proud I gave them each other and that everything has worked out the way it did so I have my little family.

"How was school?" I change the conversation.

He groans against Cara's shoulder. "Don't even ask me about it."

I take a deep breath and lean against the back of the couch and close my eyes. Being a full time mom has definitely kicked in. But it really feels amazing. Even in the worst I didn't regret anything. I honestly believe everything is the way it is right now for a reason. I don't look at Cara as an accident or something I messed up on. She is my entire world and she will stay that way. I am so glad she came into my life and I will never regret that for as long as I live.

Yeah Damon and I are teenage parents but we won't let that hold us back. We both have dreams and aspirations. There are some things we probably can never do being early parents but I am not missing that stuff one bit. I think the hardest thing about being a teenage parent is the balance act and trying to find time between school work and your baby. Which is more important? You never know. They both need to be taken care of and both have long term affects. Another thing is caring for something when you are still being treated like a child. But I am sure me and Damon will survive.

We always do don't we?

Review?

ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO...And thats the epilogue. Thank you all so much for continuing to read! Been a year!

Thanks to Liv who is like...amazing and has a new fanfic out you should all go check (damonspain) She is amazing and helped me with this chapter! Also weirdly our friendship really grew from this fic as we could cry about delena. I don't know about you guys but im loving season 6. Let's be real i could watch 50 seasons of pure delena and i would be fine.

Thank you to all!

xo