Title: The Crow and the Butterfly.
Rated: M
Characters: Damon/Elena (brief Tyler/Caroline)
Summary: Damon and Elena have hated each other ever since they were set up on a blind date by their mutual best friends three years ago. What happens when they become caregivers to their orphaned goddaughter after her parents die in a car crash? Can they set aside their differences to honour their friend's wishes? Based on film 'Life as we know it.' Rated M.
Disclaimer: I do not own the material; I'm just playing around with the characters for my own enjoyment, naming it after the idea that Damon was a crow in the first episode! I wrote this story on a previous user, so I am not, in any way, plagiarising anything, I just forgot the password and so here we are! Enjoy!

Thank you to all who reviewed, followed and favourited. For people to actually read and acknowledge your work is amazing, especially when they give you lovely feedback! So, this chapter is going to focused on flashbacks to give an insight into what life was like before Caroline and Tyler died, it's all light and happy so I really hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Two

Caroline&Tyler's Wedding Reception
23rd December 2009

Damon hazarded a look at the dazzling brunette across the room, sipping champagne from a fancy flute. He still hadn't truly forgiven himself for making her feel like she did after taking a booty call right in front of her. Tyler had tried to assure him that Elena didn't hold grudges, but Damon didn't believe it. She was far too pretty and assertive to be a pushover.

To make himself forget what an ass he was, Damon planned to get absolutely hammered and rethought his earlier plan of nailing one of Caroline's friends; The more he thought about it, the more it sounded like a bad idea. He didn't want to ruin Tyler and Caroline's night by getting caught out, so instead, he bought a bottle of bourbon from the bar and sat in the corner nursing glass after glass. He was more than surprised when Elena slid into the booth beside him.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked, perfect eyebrows arched.

Damon shook his head, not sure of what else he could do. "It is now."

She was dangerously close, her rose scented perfume invading his nose. He tried to concentrate on his drink, but she looked so captivating in her red dress, her long brown curls draped over her shoulder and held in place by a shiny black jewel grip. She was just so distracting.

"Listen," He heard her say over the corny music. "We got off to a really bad start, but for Caroline and Tyler's sake, I'm willing to overlook that night."

Disbelieving, Damon looked up. "Oh, that makes me feel so much better." He shot back sarcastically, immediately regretting it when he saw the hurt wash over her features.

"I'm trying to be nice, Damon."

"And I'm trying to subtly hint for you to walk away." He'd already started being an ass, he couldn't stop now, could he?

"You're drunk." Elena scoffed.

"You're drunk." Damon defended himself as he poured himself another glass of his favourite alcoholic beverage. "I'm happy enough alone, so if you wouldn't mind..." He trailed off, expecting her to catch the hint; she didn't have any trouble comprehending. Standing up, Damon watched as she took his glass from him and downed the rest of it's contents before she turned her deliciously tempting bare back on him to waltz away. Damn, he was an asshole.

Esme's birth
2nd November 2012

Esme Lockwood was born on the 21st November 2012 on a rainy Monday morning, a tiny premature pink bundle lying amidst the rest of the new-borns. Proud as punch and ecstatic as could be, Caroline and Tyler peered through the glass window separating them from their baby, waiting for their best friends to arrive with hot coffee and pink balloons.

"Where is she?" Elena breathed out, sidling up behind them, seemingly out of breath. She craned her neck past the nurse who was attending to her best friend's daughter and smiled like a child on Christmas morning when the midwife ushered them inside. Tyler let the two women enter first, spotting Damon lightly jogging down the hallway, pink balloons trailing in his wake as he tried not to spill the coffee he was juggling.

"Hey daddy." Damon patted his back in a sort of manly embrace when he finally came to a halt. "Should I say congrats?"

Tyler smiled at the dark haired man before taking the balloons that were handed to him. "It is customary."

Damon cocked his head to the side. "Well, I'm going to say good luck instead. You're in for the rollercoaster ride of your life."

Chuckling, Tyler elbowed him in the side and led the way into the nursery. "I know this is almost impossible for you," He advised. "But you have to be quiet in here, Damon,"

Damon raised his hands in defeat, placing a finger against his lips to signal that he understood.

"So, which name did you pick in the end?" Damon heard Elena ask a tired looking Caroline as he entered the room. "Esme or Anna?" They were both peering into the cot that held the baby girl, each smiling widely as she opened and closed her eyes to look at them towering over her.

Caroline stood up straight and yawned properly. "We chose Esme, after Tyler's grandmother."

"It suits her." Damon noted, coming across to join them. "Is she a Forbes-Lockwood or a Lockwood Forbes?"

"Actually, she's just a Lockwood," Tyler chimed in. "Caroline wanted to give her a middle name instead."

Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, Elena looked up at the new parents. "Please don't tell me it's 'Blondie.' I know how persuasive he can be."

"He," Damon chuckled. "Is right here."

Caroline trailed a finger down her baby's cheek. "I was playing around with a few names." She teased. "But ultimately, we decided on Delena."

"Delena?" Damon asked just as Elena squealed: "Godparents?"

"Yes." Caroline clarified. "And yes, godparent's, if that's all right with you both?"

"Is it okay?" Elena smiled widely. "It's great! Right, Damon?"

Damon, scared of any kind of commitment, raised an awkward thumbs up in response. "Sure."

Elena nudged his shoulder. "Don't sound too excited then."

Ignoring her, Damon stepped forward to wrap an arm around Caroline. "Can I hold her?" He asked in a small voice. Caroline nodded and looked to the nurse for consent who smiled warmly. Damon softly scooped the little bundle into his arms and rocked her gently. "Hey there, pretty girl." He cooed in the cutest voice any of them had ever heard him use. "I'm Damon." He smiled softly as she looked up at him curiously, her eyes shining a bright shade of blue. "And I know that it might suck for you, but apparently, I'm your godfather, so you're stuck with me." He rocked her for a few beats before he realised that other people were itching to hold her, mainly her mother and father, but Caroline motioned towards Elena first and Damon carefully handed her the baby.

"Oh, Esme." She whispered. "You're so precious!" By now, Esme's eyes had drooped as she settled into sleep again but that didn't stop Elena from talking to her. "Caroline, she's perfect!"

Caroline smiled and leaned into her husband, sleep slowly crawling up to take her. She didn't hear Elena gushing about how gorgeous her little girl was, didn't feel Tyler lift her up and carry her back to the recovery room; she had been too busy dreaming about the perfect life she was going to have with her perfect little family.

Esme's Christening
21st February 2013

"Can't you just be serious for once in your life?" Elena scolded a jibing Damon who was busy pretending to drop their goddaughter to be at the front of the church. He just rolled his eyes, watching as friends and family filtered through the doors to take their seats for the ceremony. Esme snuggled peacefully into Damon's chest, her eyelids dropping, and he quickly passed her back to her mother claiming that he: 'didn't have the heart to keep her awake,' as he detangled himself from the pretty white dress the baby girl wore; over the past few months, Damon had become extremely attached to Esme, something that Elena, Caroline and Tyler hadn't failed to notice- they'd finally found his weakness.

Caroline took her daughter, sitting her upright against her chest in an attempt to keep her eyes open. It seemed to work, but Esme didn't cry at being woken up; just stared at all the people sat before them, eyes wide and innocent. She gurgled contentedly in her mother's arms, trying her best to smile at Elena as she pulled funny faces at her. "I didn't expect this many people to fly out," Caroline said to the brunette. "Even Bonnie's here."

Elena's head snapped up to see the African American beauty walk down the aisle with Jeremy's arm looped through hers. They spotted the two women stood beside the altar and swiftly made their way to them. "Caroline," Bonnie gushed, pulling the blonde into a hug that was careful not to squash the baby. "Is this her?"

Caroline grinned, nodding, and offered Esme up to her childhood friend. "Would you like to hold her?"

Bonnie immediately detangled herself from Jeremy and held her arms out. "Do you even have to ask? Of course I want to hold her!"

As Bonnie and Esme were acquainting each other for the first time, Caroline and Elena turned their attention to Jeremy, each taking a turn to hug him fiercely. "It's so good to see you, Jer." Elena breathed, eyes scanning the room over his shoulder. "Where's Jenna?"

"She's on her way," Jeremy assured as he hugged his sister back. "Don't worry."

"Guys," Tyler interrupted, wrapping his arm around Caroline's waist. "The service is about to start." Bonnie reluctantly handed Esme to her father and allowed Jeremy to lead her to their seats just as the music started. Elena and Damon took their places behind Caroline and Tyler, begrudgingly smiling to one another to keep up appearances, and the priest began to welcome everybody, thanking them for attending.

They didn't realise that four months later, keeping up appearances would be the hardest thing they'd ever have to do.

So, this chapter isn't the best, but it's a filler and it's okay for now I guess. Hope you enjoyed the interaction, it's going to be hard killing of Caroline and Tyler, but it has to be done!

Drop me a review if you enjoyed it, you'll make my day!

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