Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: Chapter 8! Thanks you guys SOOOO much for all the reviews and alerts. So I'm writing this assuming Damon was turned when he was 20. So now that Alex is five, Elena is 23, and Damon is 24. XD

EPOV

It's Saturday afternoon. After an hour of trying to get them in the car, Alex and Damon both agree to ride to the Saltzman's peacefully. As long as Damon drives, of course.

When we arrive, four year old Miranda comes running out and grabs Alex's hand, dragging him inside. I smile and walk to the door, hand in hand with Damon. We hug Jenna and then head to the backyard. Alaric stands at the grill with baby Cole in one arm and tongs in the other. Damon heads over there to talk as usual. Men. Alex and Miranda are attempting to play tag with two people. It seems it can be more fun than I thought.

At 9:00pm Alex starts getting tired so we decide to head home. He walks hand in hand with Damon to the front door. Jenna comes and hugs the three of us, telling us to drive safe.

"Daddy, will you carry me?" Alex asks, rubbing his eyes. Damon picks him up and Alex lays his head down on Damon's shoulder.

"Do I have to go back to school tomorrow?" He asks.

"No tomorrow we'll do whatever you want." Damon tell him. Alex nods and closes his eyes. Damon whispers goodbye to Jenna and goes to put Alex in his car seat.

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Jenna asks.

"I don't know. Maybe when he's older." I sigh and head towards the car, climbing in and closing the door. On the way home we're both silent while Alex sleeps in the back.

"Damon, Jenna asked when we were going to tell Alex." I whisper, taking his free hand in mine.

"Tell Alex what?" He asks, curiously.

"About Stefan." I say.

"If he asks then we'll tell him when he's older." He says.

"If he doesn't know he ever existed than how can he ask about him?"

"Exactly my point" Damon says. I decide to drop it and enjoy the quiet while it lasts.

The next morning we're all sitting at the table, waiting for Alex to announce what he wants to do today.

"What about the zoo?" I ask. He shakes his head.

Him and Damon eventually agree to go try laser tag. I decide to skip that outing and go shopping with Jenna. Jeremy calls while I'm driving to her house.

"Hey Jer, what's up?"

"We just hadn't talked in awhile sis, I figured I owed you a phone call."

"How's Ella?" I ask.

"She's great. 15 months old today." He says happily.

"Cool, tell her happy birthday for me."

"Will do"

"Hey, Jer, can I call you back? I just got to Jenna's."

"Yea sure. Have fun."

"Bye"

DPOV.

After two hours of laser tag with Alex we're on the way home. I let him sit in the passenger seat after he promised not to tell Elena. I look over and see him staring at my ring again. I pull over in the grass.

"Why did we stop?" He asks.

"I have something for you."

"A present?" He asks, excitedly.

"Kinda" I pull the silver chain over my head and put it over his.

"Hey that ring looks like yours daddy." He says, eying Stefan's ring appreciatively.

"Yea. That's a very special ring, Alex. I need you to promise me you'll protect it."

"I promise" He says, playing with the ring on the end of the chain. I pull back on the road and drive home.

"What does the S on it mean?" He asks. I decide not to answer him honestly and just say the next best thing.

"Salvatore" I tell him. He smiles and goes back to studying it.

"I need to make a quick stop. Can you wait in the car for me Alex?" I ask.

"Yea, just hurry up. I'm getting hungry." He answers. I climb out of the car and walk through the grass towards the headstone. I get down on one knee in front of it.

"I'm sorry about the other day. I was just upset that you weren't here to see your son go through all these milestones. I hope your at peace, brother."

"You deserve it."

"Bye Stefan" I turn around and find Alex standing there, looking at me curiously.

I groan. "I told you to stay in the car, Alex"

"Mommy says I'm too much like you to do what I'm told." He says with a shrug.

"Why were you talking to that grave, daddy?" He asks, coming to sit beside me in front of it.

"Because someone I loved very much is buried here." I tell him.

"Who?"

"My brother."

"Mommy never said you had a brother." He says, confused.

"She doesn't like to talk about him. He died before you were born."

"Do you miss him?" He asks, touching the headstone.

"Yes, very much. I wish you could've met him."

"Me too"

I stand up and walk back to the car, Alex follows. When were back on the road I sigh and turn to look at him.

"I'm not allowed to tell mommy, am I?" He asks with a smirk. I smirk back and nod.

"Figures. I'm never allowed to tell her the cool stuff." He says, sighing. I laugh.

When we get home he hops out and runs inside. A minute later he runs back out with a football in his arms. I smile and hold my hands out. He throws the pass which starts another long game of tackling.

After our game I send him upstairs to change before Elena gets home. She would kill me if he was running around in the house covered in mud. I walk upstairs and into the part of the house no one enters anymore. I open the last door on the left and peek inside. I sigh.

It still looks exactly the same way he left it. I plan to leave it that way. I'll need to fix the lock on the door though. Just in case Alex decides to go exploring the house one day. I close the door and walk back to the used part of the boarding house.