Chapter 18 – Shattered Glass

Elena's tears were spilling out unstopping as she kept driving through town. Her best friend had lied to her, and she had blindly listened to her advices at a time where she felt totally lost. Damon was so angry and so resentful about her. And he had every right to be, she thought. She loved him and wanted to have them again. She missed him so much. Yet, she had no idea how to convince Damon that she was still the Elena he had married.
This time, however, she knew she would not back down. She was going to confront him. She was going to see her children, her husband and he would have to believe her.

After making a stop in town for a specific reason, she drove back to their house, knowing no one would be back yet. She smiled a little thinking about Damon spending the day with the kids. He had changed back to the man she had loved and married. She loved him even more for that, she thought.
Reaching there, she unbuckled herself and made her way to the front entry of the house. Grabbing the door's knob, she turned it and couldn't help but chuckled – Damon still was forgetting to actually keyed the door on his way out.
She took a deep breath as the home-like smell of the house hit her. She felt her heart ache as she walk through the rooms. HER HOUSE…THEIR HOUSE. She was actually quite surprise at the fact that Damon seemed to be handling the kids, the housekeeping and the office work perfectly well.

Slowly, she made her way towards what used to be their bedroom. She felt her heart go heavy step by step as she climbed the stairs. Pushing the door slightly, she eyed the untouched bed and frowned slightly. Coming in closer, she touched the silken sheet perfectly spread on the bed and realized that it was the same sheet she had placed before leaving. Taking a quick look around, she realized that the room was exactly the same, except for some of the furniture that seemed to have been covered by some dust.
Elena's eyed opened wide as realization dawned upon her. HE WAS NOT SLEEPING HERE! Damon had stayed away from their bedroom for a while. She felt the tears pricking but fought hard to keep them at bay.
Quietly she left the room and went made her way towards her children's room. William's bedroom was still the same, except for the toys car that seemed to have multiply greatly. Damon was spoiling the kids so much – he always used to do that before. It made Elena smiles thinking about when it wasn't that much fun…

Flashback

"Daddy! You got us gifts again! You are so much better than Santa! Come on Soph!" yelled a 6 years old William. The blue-eyed little boy ran through the lounge, with a clumsy 2 years old Sophia following. Damon smile at the sight in front of him. Quickly reaching out for Sophia before she falls, he watched with amusement the awe-struck face of his son at the sight of the blue car he had seen some days ago in a shop – for which he had begged his dad to buy unsuccessfully.
"Spoiling them much, are you?" said a visibly pouting Elena. She was having a hard time with William who vowed an unlimited admiration for his dad and he was actually acting much like his dad lately.
Waiting for the little boy to rush upstairs in his room to play with his new toy, Elena turned to Damon, frowning much.
"You know he is grounded for the 2 days Damon! No toys, no t.v… Stop spoiling our son like that! Seriously, I am having a hard time because he is being so YOU and I am being the totally awful mother, or so he thinks."
"I'll talk to him Lena." Answered Damon absently, playing with little Sophia, who was giggling at his dad's funny faces.
Elena couldn't help but chuckled at the sight of her husband being such a whipped dad.
"I love you Damon", she told him, looking at him with loving eyes.
"I love you too babe", replied Damon before his kissed her.

Back to Present

Elena smiled fondly at the memory. Remembering what she was up here for, quickly she went to Sophia's room. That room had become even pinker than before. Smiling, Elena pulls out a fluffy pink thing from the little bag she was carrying. Placing the gift carefully on Sophia's bed, she smiled, looking at the beautiful pink princess dress she had bought her daughter. She knew that Sophia would love it and was secretly hoping that she would want to wear that one for her birthday.
Going back downstairs, she waited patiently, though she could feel the stress coming up. It was time her kids know she was back and that she was not leaving them ever again.
It was almost dark when she heard the car coming up. She heard giggling and laughs and footsteps coming. Elena was scared about what was going to happen next. As the front door opened, she put on her best smile, though it was hard.
"Mama!", yelled a surprised Sophia. The little girl stood there staring at Elena for a few seconds before running towards her mother's opening arms. Elena couldn't hold back her tears at the sight of her little girl holding so tightly onto her.
Looking up, she saw her son and her husband looking blankly at her. Damon was frowning deeply at her, though secretly he felt his heart swell at the sight before him – Elena here at home, their home.
William's face was same as his dad. Elena knew that it would be harder to re-connect with her son but she did not know yet to what extent.
"William…" she said looking at her little boy.
"Dad, can I go to my room please?" William asked, turning to look up at his father. Damon nodded slowly.
"William please let me talk to you!", begged Elena. Her son was angry with her. He resented her for leaving, he was right. William quickly ran upstairs and the sound of a door slamming was heard.
Turning to look at Damon, she saw the scowl on his face.
"Don't! Don't tell me whatever it is you're thinking Damon! They are my kids and I wanted to see them!"
"Sophia, honey, why don't you go upstairs for some time please? Daddy need to talk with mom."

Waiting for Sophia to leave the room, Damon looked at Elena, anger clearly flaring off his face.
"What the hell were you thinking Elena? I told you that I did not want you near them anytime soon!"
"Well, Damon, that was not your call to make. I am their mother so I am as free to see them as you are."

Damon stared at his wife. She was stronger that the last time he had seen her. She was so beautiful he thought. He loved that woman so much that it was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do at that very moment was to hold her tightly and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. Shushing those thoughts aside, Damon did what he did best – shut himself to what he was feeling.
"Listen to me Elena. You left without thinking about them. You had your fun for a whole month. You did not care then, huh? And now, you come back because you remember you had kids? And you want me to pretend as if nothing had happened? I don't care what you want Elena. I told you I did not want you anywhere near my children. Thank you. Really, thank you for ruining such a beautiful day we had as a family. And yeah, that did not include you here. Your son hates you. We don't need you here!" Damon spat, though he knew he should not have said what he said the moment those words left his mouth. He went too far and he knew it. Looking at the woman in front of him, he saw her face and the pain he read on her face made him feel like the most stupid and cold-hearted person on earth. He feared that this time, he had really broken her forever with his words. "Elena I – I…" he stuttered.
But Elena was listening no more. She had shut down the moment Damon had said those words to her. Grabbing her car keys, she ran outside, hot tears flowing out, she quickly got into her car and drove off at full speed.
"Your son hates you. We don't need you here!" Damon's words were all she was hearing in her mind. Bonnie was right. They were doing fine without her. He had not even given her the chance to tell him. He hated her and her son hated her.
Elena was lost deep in her thoughts and did not see the upcoming car coming at full speed, zigzagging through the lanes.

It had been about two hours since Elena had left. The kids were already in bed and Damon was hating himself for telling her those lies. William did not hate his mother and they needed her! He needed her! He loved her and would love her forever, no matter what.
A while ago Sophia had come down running with a pink dress on her arms. And Damon had realized that Elena had bought exactly what their daughter had secretly wanted to wear.
And that killed him even more to know that he probably had broken the woman he loved too deeply this time.
The sound of his phone ringing brought his out of his stupor.
"What?" he spoke coldly on the phone.

"Mr. Salvatore? This is Mystic Fall Hospital. Your wife Elena Gilbert-Salvatore just got brought in. She had an accident. You're needed here urgently."