My God, I am so, so, so, SO sorry! I blame writer's block, my stupid unreliable computer and summer fever. Every time I sat down to write this my mind started wandering to movies or swimming or tanning. I know, I know. I'm such a teenage girl. Anyway, I found this chapter a little hard to write, so I hope it doesn't sound forced. The characters were being difficult and seemed to have a mind of their own.

Okay so Fanfiction was being super evil and not letting me upload, so I copied this chapter into an already uploaded chapter, sooooo if there are any mistakes, I'm super sorry!

"I said, my water just broke," Elena repeated, watching the emotion dance across his face. Shock. Fear. Shock. Worry. More shock.

"But- but you aren't due for two more weeks," Damon said, like this somehow made her water breaking false. She almost laughed; he would face an entire house full of angry tomb vampires with nothing more than a couple of weapons and a human for help, but the birth of their child scared him to death. Typical vampire male right there.

"Uh, Damon," she said, slowly, "I don't think that really matters."

He pursued his lips. "Are you sure she's coming right now?"

She sighed, running a hand over her face and shooting him a look. "Yes, I'm sure," she said. She was positive, actually. "Now, come on, we need to go to the hospital."

He nodded. "Okay." His eyes looked a little wild and his voice sounded sure, calm, but she knew Damon. He was completely freaking out in the inside. But Damon was Damon and he would make sure he appeared strong and sure of himself.

She squeezed his hand, her face softening. "Go put the bags in the car," she instructed. "I'll call the doctor and tell her we're coming."

He nodded, but didn't move.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"Now, please?" she asked, giving him a small shove in the right direction.

"Oh!" he said. Like lightening, he was off the bed and was a blur of color as he went to the corner and picked up the bags she had packed a few days. With a gust of wind, he disappeared out of the door. She distantly heard the main door opening and shutting.

She grabbed the phone off of the bedside table and dialed the number Dr. Robin gave her for when the time came. She didn't need to look at the small piece of paper in her night stand for reference; she had memorized it. She tapped her finger on the sheets, holding her breath as the phone rang once, twice, three times until finally: "Hello?"

Damon threw the bags in the car and stopped long enough to take a breath, not that he was tired. Physically, he didn't need one. But mentally? That was a whole other story. In a couple of hours, he was going to become a dad. A dad. Damon Salvatore, bad ass vampire, was about to become a father. He'd never given much thought to whether or not he wanted children when he was human (he always thought of himself as a player, not a family man) and he certainly didn't think about it once he became a vampire. Vampires can't procreate, though we love to try. He remembered the day he told Elena that. Had he been wrong. He'd given up any ideas of babies in his future and now one was about to be born.

He ran a hand through his raven hair, mentally telling himself to get it together. He had to be strong for Elena. He needed to be the one to tell her everything was going to be okay, not the other way around. He had to stop being so selfish. He couldn't be selfish anymore. Not when he had a family on the way. Repeating that over and over to himself, he moved at a slower pace into the Boarding House, through the parlor, up the stairs and finally to the bedroom. By the time he stepped into the doorway, he knew his face was as composed as it was going to get.

Elena was sitting on the bed, dressed and ready to go. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, looking much more calm than he felt. But that was Elena- always calm, always ready, always level headed. No wonder she had survived this long in his world. She wasn't the kind of person to back down because things were rough or give up because it was what everyone thought she would do. Elena was easily the best person he'd ever met. He still had no idea what he had done to deserve her.

"Damon?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He had been staring at her. He always stared at her and she usually ignored it, but there must have been something different in his gaze this time. Her hand rested on her hair, which was thrown up in messy ponytail. "What?" she joked. "Does my hair look bad or something?"

At this he rolled his eyes. Sometimes he forgot she was still a teenage girl. She so rarely mimicked one, that it somewhat shocked him when she said little things like that. He knew she was joking of course, but it still was a surprise. "You look beautiful," he said, truthfully. "You always do."

Now she rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that."

"Absolutely not," he argued.

She shook her head and stood up. "This is no time to argue. We need to go."

Something too close to nervousness for his comfort fluttered in his stomach and he ignored it. He tried to smile his signature smirk -the one Elena pretended to hate but really loved - but it lacked power and luster. Sighing, he quickly changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He reached out his hand and they walked hand in hand down the stairs and to the car. To the next mile stone in both of their lives.

In the ten minutes it took to get to the hospital, Elena had somehow managed to call the entire gang. Jenna was first. Damon could hear the excitement and fear in her voice, though she also somehow managed to sound calm and reassuring (he needed to take notes). She promptly informed Alaric by whacking him with what he assumed was a pillow. That had been answered by a moan and something that sounded like it would come out of Damon's mouth, not Alaric's. She'd then called Bonnie, who immediately said she would meet them there. He'd heard someone else and was pretty sure who it had belonged to. Who would have known the witch and baby Gilbert would end up together? If Elena heard it too, she didn't comment. Next came Caroline, who literally screamed and began talking so rapidly, neither of them could understand what the hell she was saying.

By the time they reached the hospital, Elena looked pale but refused to admit she was in pain. He hoped it wasn't for his benefit. Yes, the idea of Elena in pain made him furious, but she didn't always need to be strong for him. He would understand if she wasn't.

"Damon, I'm fine," she said for the hundredth time at least. He could tell she was getting irritated at being asked the same question so many times, but he couldn't help it. Whatever connected his brain to his mouth felt like it was gone completely. He had no control over what he was saying.

"But Elena-"

She shot him a look that would have made a weaker man run for his life. "I swear to God, Damon, if you ask me that one more time, you're going to be in pain."

The nurse pushing the wheelchair - an older woman with caramel color skin and pink scrubs - let a little laugh escape her lips and sent Damon an apologetic look. He idly wondered how many other fathers she'd given that look. Probably a million.

They stopped at a desk where a receptionist was on the phone and typing like a manic on the keyboard. She didn't look up.

Damon sent her a look she didn't seem to notice and tapped his foot, growing more and more impatient. Elena sighed and patted his arm, telling him to calm down. Just when he was about to explode and start breaking things, he heard a voice a year ago he would never have thought he would be relieved to hear. Dr. Robin, looking happy and excited to see them, was walking down the hallway, a smile on her face.

When she reached them, she leaned down and gave Elena a hug, and patted Damon on the arm. "I have to say," she said. "I've been looking forward to this for quite a while now."

Elena smiled and Damon grimaced. Surely he was just imagining the smug look she shot him and the double meaning behind her words. He was just being paranoid. But then again, he wouldn't put it past her to take serious joy in his state of nervousness and discomfort.

"Us too," Elena said, smiling.

"Well, let's get you set up in a room," she said, and turned to the receptionist. "Kimberly, please get Ms. Gilbert in a room."

The blonde looked up and nodded, before typing something else and standing up. She gestured for them to follow.

The room was actually fairly nice. It wasn't huge, but it was descent size with a TV, bathroom, small leather coach and multiple chairs. The walls were a bright yellow and decorative pictures hung on it. There was one, however, that made him immensely uncomfortable. It was a diagram of the stages of labor, each picture the baby's head descending just a little bit further.

Elena smiled as she saw what he was looking at. "Damon, come here," she said, patting the spot beside her on the bed.

He nodded, careful to avoid all wires and other contraptions as he made his way to the bed. She slid over a few inches to make room for him, and he sat down, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her head against his chest, sighing.

"You never thought you would be here, huh?" she asked.

"Not once," he admitted. "When I was human, a family was the last thing in the world I wanted and when I became a vampire, I gave up any small idea I had of ever having one."

She began drawing little invisible pictures on his shirt. "You didn't want children when you were a human?"

"No. The entire idea of having a wife and children to care for, to put first, to be with the rest of my life scared me off. That's why before Katherine, I never spent much time on one woman." He knew his words could make her uncomfortable or even hurt her, but this was Elena. She knew his faults (God knows he had plenty of them) and she still loved him.

"And as a vampire?" she asked, quietly.

"I was so hell bent on getting Katherine back, it never crossed my mind," he said. "Not to mention, I thought it was impossible." He laughed then and placed his hand on her belly. "Little did I know, right?"

She laughed too and snuggled deeper into his arms. "And now?"

He squeezed her. "I can't imagine life without either of you."

She was quiet a moment before asking, "Damon, are you scared?"

He wondered whether he should put on a brave face for her and say "no, of course not" or be truthful. He knew of course which one she wanted, but he wasn't sure whether it was right for her or not. Wasn't he suppose to be the rock, protecting her? He looked down at her, hoping to find the answer. She was staring up at him with wide, waiting eyes.

"Yes," he whispered.

She looked relieved and he knew he made the right choice. "Me too," she said.

"Why?" he asked, more to keep her talking (he didn't want silence to think right now) than actual curiosity. He already knew.

"What if I'm a terrible mom?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "What if I can't be like my mom? What if I die and I leave her? It's horrible to lose your parents, but at least I knew my mom. If I die, will Ivaney miss me? Is it even possible to miss someone you've never met?"

Damon was surprised. That wasn't what he had been expecting. "You're going to be a terrific mom," he said, one hundred percent sure. "And you're not going to die. She won't have to miss you because you'll be right there."

"You don't know that," she whispered.

"Of course I do," he said, forcing a smile. "I'm always right, remember?"

She smacked him on the chest but smiled just a little. "This isn't the time for joking, Damon."

"I know that," he said, "and I'm not."

"So I'm worrying for nothing?"

He nodded. "Exactly."

"Well, why are you scared?"

Damn it. He had been hoping to avoid that question. Of course, he had set himself up for that one. "You know why," he said quietly, hoping she would leave it alone.

"Do not."

He sighed.

"I told you," she pointed out. "Now you have to tell me."

"I'm not a good person, Elena," he said. "I'm not even a person. Not really. I'm a vampire. I'm compulsive and impatient and selfish. Hardly material that makes a good father. I'm not caring and compassionate and good. I'm not-" He cut off quickly, wishing he could take it back.

"Stefan," she said quietly. "You're not Stefan."

He nodded, swallowing.

She unwrapped herself from him and sat up, shaking her head. "You're right, you're not Stefan," she said, poking her finger in his chest. "And I'm pretty damn happy about that. Where is Stefan right now, Damon? Because it isn't here. You're here right now. And I can't believe you would even think that you aren't caring and compassionate and good. When you love something, you are the most caring and compassionate person I've ever met. You're kind and loving and good at heart."

"How can you say that after everything I've done? To you, to your family? To my own brother?"

"You pretended to be a monster so long, you finally convinced yourself you are one," she said. "But you're not. And as for everything you've done… well, we all make mistakes don't we?"

He shook his head in disbelief. "What in the hell did I ever do to deserve you?"

She smiled and opened her mouth - and was promptly cut off by a gasp. Her face twisted in pain and she clutched his hand, her breath coming out in pants.

He held her hand and rubbed her back, feeling completely useless. When it was over, she took a deep breath and smiled up at him, her face pale. "Here we go," she said.

"Here we go," he repeated.

Her scream propelled him out of his seat, only to be stopped by a hand. Alaric, looking tired and strangely old, shook his head and pushed him back into his seat. "Not yet, Damon," he said, quietly.

Damon thought about ripping his best friend's arm right out of its socket and running into that room, but stopped. The doctor told him to wait out here and even though he would rather gouge out his own eyeballs than admit it out loud, she knew more about this kind of stuff than he did. She wasn't hurting Elena; she was helping. And Alaric was just trying to help also.

Still, he was seeing red.

He heard her scream again and he dropped his head into his hands, groaning. He needed to be in there. He needed to be in there holding her hand and not out here waiting with Alaric. He had been waiting alone, but Jenna had sent Alaric in hopes of calming him down. It wasn't working. He was just grateful she didn't send Jeremy or Bonnie or - God forbid - Caroline. He would have killed them and then gone into the room anyways.

Alaric shook his shoulder, a weak attempt at comforting him. "She's in good hands, Damon," he said. "They're just helping her."

Damon raised his head enough to glare at him. "I know," he said, his voice venomous. "But I'm suppose to be in there. Not strangers."

Before Alaric could reply - with something completely unhelpful, no doubt - the door opened and Dr. Robin came out.

Damon rose from his seat so quickly, it hit the back of the wall with a thud.

"It's time, daddy," she said, gesturing to the room. "If you plan on attending, you better come in now."

Damon was in the room in a flash, Alaric's, "Good luck" trailing behind him.

"Come on, Elena," Dr. Robin said. "You're so close."

"I can't," Elena said, red faced and panting. She'd been pushing for a good thirty minutes and was using the last sliver of energy she had just to sit up, and even then, Damon was helping her do that. He had one hand on her back, the other in her hand. To have so little energy, Damon had no idea how she squeezed his hand like that. He swore she'd broken at least one of his fingers.

"One more big push and you're baby will be here," she said.

Elena groaned and dropped her head back, trying to catch her breath.

Damon squeezed her hand and leaned in close to her, trying to create their own little bubble where only they existed. Everything else just bled away, leaving just them. "Elena," he said, quietly, "you can do this."

"No I can't," she said, looking beyond exhausted. It was early in the morning and she hadn't gotten any sleep that night. She's refused any kind of pain medication, saying she didn't want Ivaney anywhere near drugs (Damon had argued, but of course, she won in the end) so she hadn't been able to get any sleep.

"She's so close," he said, pushing her hair out of her face "One more push and you get to hold your daughter."

She nodded and gripped his hand tighter. With a look of determination, she pushed harder than she had before. After one more scream, she gasped and fell back against the mattress. A new little voice, high pitched and crying, filled the room.

Damon watched as Dr. Robin held up the tiniest little person he'd ever seen. She was screaming and crying, wiggling in the doctor's hands. She had a head full of dark hair and the same olive colored skin as her mother.

"Want to cut the umbilical chord, dad?" Dr. Robin asked.

Damon stood up, his eyes on the little baby. She dominated his every thought, every move. He barely registered being handed a pair of medical scissors and cutting the chord. He returned back to Elena's side, in a dreamlike quality.

Elena was laughing and crying and he kissed her, smiling widely. "She's beautiful," he said. "She looks just like you."

"Can I see her?" Elena asked eyes full of wonder and excitement as she watched Dr. Robin wrap her up.

Dr. Robin lifted the now pink little bundle up and walked over to them. "Of course," she said and placed Ivaney in Elena's outstretched arm.

Even sweaty and exhausted, he'd never seen Elena so beautiful. She was glowing as she watched her- no, their- daughter wiggle and squirm, trying to adapt to her new environment. Tears rolled down her cheek as she rubbed Ivaney's red cheek. She looked up at Damon.

"You're right, she is beautiful," she said.

"Just like you," he said, leaning down and kissing her.

He gently lowered his hand and touched her dark head, careful not to be too rough or quick. She looked positively breakable. With one more little cry, Ivaney opened her eyes. They were green. A bright, leaf green. He would have thought he would feel bitter seeing this, the color of his brother - her biological father's eyes - but he could feel nothing but love. Love for her and Elena and even for Stefan, who he wanted to shove through a wall for leaving them all. But it was impossible to feel anything but love and happiness at this moment.

"Told you I would give you a family," Elena said, grinning.

And little Ivaney is born! I hope you guys aren't too disappointed that I cut the whole labor part out. I tried to write it, but it sounded terrible.

So I've posted a poll on my profile and I want you guys to check it out. It's of what idea you want me to make into a story next. Of course, it will be awhile before I begin which ever one is chosen. I'm going to have to be a lot further in my stories to start a new one. Anyway, check it out and don't forget to review!