CHAPTER 27 Kids

8years later…

"Don't try that stupid smirk William, you're grounded and that's the end of it!". Damon winced slightly as he listened to Elena reprimanding William for the umpteenth time this week. William had grown into the 17 years old boy he himself used to be and that was not exactly glorious. Class skipping, rebellious and not to mention the uncountable amount of girls his son seemed to "date". He hated getting mean with his kids but he knew it was for the best.
Seeing as William was clearly going to act all carefree about his mother's scolding, Damon decided to intervene. "Okay lover boy. Wipe the smirk already, would you? You're really starting to piss me off with your new found attitude so just quit it with us. You go to your room and do not bother coming out until I say so. And yeah, you can forget all about the concert you've been so eager to go." Damon watched as the smirk on William's face turn into a scowl and it was his turn to smirk. Elena watched the interaction intently and though she was really angry at William, she couldn't help but see the complete resemblance between her son and his father, and somehow, as much as she loved her husband, that little fact did not sit well with her. She knew how Damon had been before falling in love with her and how a man-whore he had been and she was not having her son tread the same path. And she was relieved that Damon sided with her on that one.

As William walked up the stairs, she swiftly hugged Damon, who returned the love gesture immediately. "He reminds me of me at his age, and this is not good, not at all."
As they heard a door slammed upstairs, Elena felt Damon stiffened and she knew he was trying hard to keep his anger in check. She softly rubbed his chest, knowing that always managed to calm him somehow.
"He's gonna be okay…We'll make sure of that" she whispered as she felt him kissed her head.
"As much as I love holding you babe, I have to go or else I'm going to have to deal with an angry mini you and I don't quite fancy that." Elena chuckled at her husband's description of their now 13 years old Sophia. But it was true that Sophia was developing much of her mom's character and Damon often teased her about it.
As if on cue, a screeching sound make itself heard. "I got it. You go pick Sophia at her dancing class. And no shopping detour this time. I am serious Damon." Quickly kissing him, Elena made her way upstairs as quickly as she could.
Entering the room next to hers and Damon's one, she smiled at her 6 months old baby boy who immediately stopped crying. Her pregnancy had come as a surprise to Damon and her as they had not thought they'd be parents again. Damon had been over excited at the news just like her. The kids' reaction, on the other hand, was not quite the same. While William was like "Duh, make sure it does not cry like hell", Sophia was quite the jealous one. That had made her and Damon laugh sometimes, and worried at some other moment; that is until Sophia had said "As long as it's a boy and I get to be the only daddy's girl, it's okay." That had Damon's smirked at her, with his already oversized ego getting even bigger. "They just adore me" he had told her, which had her rolled her eyes at his antics.
They had been worried about William though, until the night of the delivery where their oldest son actually teared up at the sight of his baby brother. They had even allowed him to name the baby which had ended up being "Blake".
"Blake Damon Salvatore".
Elena was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not notice William standing close to the doorway.
"I'm sorry mom."
Elena lifted her head, looking at him, surprise clearly on her face.
"Come again?" she asked, thinking she had heard wrong.
William let out a huff, "I said I am sorry mom". Elena tried to keep a smile in check. He would not get away with a simple apology, not this time.
"It's time you stop going around apologizing every two days and instead, keep you out of trouble."
"I know."
"No you don't William!" Elena yelled, her anger getting the best of her. Putting Blake back into his crib, she signaled William to follow her out of the nursery.
"You are growing up and this new found attitude, which I do not get at all, is not going to take you much far. I thought your dad and I had taught you better than that!"

"You did! You two are great. It's just, I don't know. I always end up messing up things and get into these reckless actions. I…Damn it Mom, WHERE'S DAD?"

Elena was a bit taken aback from the end of William's sentence. She realized that something was bugging her son and it probably must have been a while.
"Are in you trouble Willy?" she asked, tentatively.
"I-I just. I got to talk to dad."
Elena figured that she was not going to get anything out of him.
"He's out fetching Sophia from her dancing class. He'll probably be back anytime soon. Hmm, want to help me with dinner here?" Elena, tried one last time, trying to get him into spending some time with her, hoping he'll tell her what the problem was.
William chuckled, "Yeah, no thanks mom. I'll be up with Blake. You know, he's like my number one fan." The smirk was back and Elena realized that just like Damon, William tended to hide behind jokes and sarcasm just to avoid opening up. She definitely would have a talk with Damon about that. She wanted her son to be happy and if that meant her being kept outside the 'talk' then so be it.

As she busied herself with dinner, she heard Damon's car arrive. Sophia entered the kitchen some minutes later with a bag.
"You did the puppy eye thing again didn't you?" she asked her daughter.
Sophia giggled lightly and nodded to her.
"So, what's in there this time?"
Sophia proudly showed her mom the leather jacket, which had Elena's eyes to widen.
"Leather jacket Soph? Really?"
"Yeah! It is nice mama! Now I can wear it and be cool like dad!" And with that, she headed for her room leaving a wordless Elena. "What is wrong with my kids?" she spoke to herself.
"They just love me more." She heard Damon reply playfully. Turning around, she looked at him intently, "I thought I had told you to cut off the spoiling."
"I know! I tried! But you should have seen her all mesmerized by the jacket through the shop's window!"
"Huh, she just has you all wrapped around her little finger, that's all Salvatore." Damon smiled at his wife, knowing she was totally right about that.
"But more seriously baby, you need to talk to William. I think we missed something, too busy being angry at him and blaming the teenage phase thing. I tried to get it out of him but he asked for you only." Damon would usually make a comment about being his kids' favorite but the worried face of Elena stopped him. Taking her hand and kissing the back of it, he tried to reassure her. "I'll talk to our son Lena."
As dinner went on, Damon couldn't help but notice that William was unusually quiet. Even when Sophia went on and on about some fashion gossip with Elena, he said nothing, while usually he would have groaned and threw in some remarks about how boring his little sister could be. He kept looking at his cellphone which made Damon even more curious and worried. Deciding to use the joking way to try to get his son smile, Damon spoke out, "You have not left this cellphone for one second all through dinner Will. What's her name this time?" Damon smirked at him, expecting some sassy reply from his son. Yet, William's reaction was totally unexpected.
"Just shut up will you? I am just trying not to kill myself over this stupid dinner thing! And whatever her name, it just does not matter, doesn't it?" And with that outburst, William just got up from the table and started to make his way out of the house.
"William Stefan Salvatore! Get your ass back in here! NOW!" Damon shouted. As much as William's outburst had surprised him, he would not let this intimidate him.
"Just leave me alone!" he heard William reply back and without hesitation, Damon made his way out following him, determined not to let his teenage boy act all rebellious with him.
"Don't be too harsh Damon!" he heard Elena yelled behind him.
Grabbing his keys on his way out, he quickly caught up with the boy.
"Just get in the freaking car! I think it's high time you and I have some serious talk!" William noticed his dad's angry mood and though he acted all unafraid, he knew better than to piss off his dad that much and so, he quietly got into the car.
Elena watched them drove off with Sophia hugging her softly, "They'll be okay honey." She tried to reassure her shaken daughter, though she herself was worried sick inside.