Please be warned- this chapter is graphic, please R and R and enjoy.

This story won't be a one shot anymore; I'm going to continue it on as a story

My Elena was withering in pain and there was nothing I could do for her, and that broke my heart more than I would ever care to admit.

I knelt down next to her and stroked the damp hair back with such care. I knew what I had to do, but it didn't change my fear or distaste in doing this so called 'task'.

It was more than what you would ask your best friend- and a vampire at that to do. Asking a vamp to deliver a baby was like asking a werewolf to babysit a vampire on a full moon- it didn't end well.

Still, there was nothing I could do now.

Elena's eyes were pleading mine as she breathed in harshly. "Damon," She said almost inaudibly. "I'm so sorry." A tear dripped down her cheek, and I caught it with the pad of my thumb, and wiped it away.

God. Tears. How I hated them. But, they were appropriate at this moment, and even in sadness and her disarrayed appearance, she was an angel.

My everything.

That was when everything clicked into place- I would do anything for her. Not just for any human but for her.

She was the one I had been waiting for over a hundred years- she was my equal.

Just as feisty, just as sure, and as much I hate to admit it, just as fragile deep down as I…

I rolled took of my jacket and placed it underneath her head, not just as a pillow, but a sign or respect, as sign of I'm here, it's Damon.

She acknowledged it with a smile, but her smile split once another pain thrashed through her with relentless force.

I knew now where I fit into all this; I knew now where my place was. It was with her. Here in this moment.

It was her and I…we would always survive- together.

There was no turning back as she screamed harshly begging for the pain to cease. I nodded grimly, my eyes downcast, my tone serious.

I tried not to be curt, but I had never done this before- and I was…afraid.

"Elena?" I murmured soothingly trying to show her I was still here. I hadn't left her. I hadn't given up on her.

I clasped her fingers in my hand and held on tight as I spoke.

I could smell her normally powdery, fresh scent dissipating and replacing with a soft, salty, rusty but smooth onslaught of fresh blood.

Someone else's. Her child.

I couldn't look away, not just because the smell was so intoxicating, but for once in my life as a vampire the smell wasn't holding me captive to look at her most intimate flesh in the most vulgar way possible- it wasn't vulgar or a need to stay focussed on her...

It was a want for her safety, I want for the smell to disappear and for her wounds to close and for this to be over.

A want for the new life inside of her.

I kept my gaze focussed on her; the top of a bloody head was slowly moving towards me, as if it was willing me to help it into this world.

"'Lena," I said my voice catching with something I couldn't fathom- fear, regret, repulsiveness? No. It was pride.

I wanted to do this for her, for me. I wanted to give this child a fighting chance.

"Push hard." It was a command, as automatic and what breathing would be to her, it was instinct I was going by, and I hoped by hell or high water; we'd make it through this storm.

Elena wailed her face consorting in pain, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration; I gave her hand a supportive squeeze and watched the life come towards me.

I was hungry- but not with lust or the way blood normallymade me, it was a yearning to grab onto that child, catch it in my arms and give it to its tolerant mother.

I had never seen anything so eerily beautiful, something so magical…it was something that made my stomach turn, but then leap for joy at the same time.

I coaxed Elena into delivering the head as soon as I could guide the baby down.

"You're doing great," I told her. My voice still sounded cold, detached, I was concentrating, and even though the love in my heart was so pure and my voice should have been soft and melodically at one, my mind was focussed on this one task. Nothing more.

"Again, Elena." I said gruffly wasting no time in showing emotion or my impending fear. I got ready to catch the child, he or she was so close, I just wanted to rip it out of her so she would stop crying in pain and exhaustion- but, just as I got geared up to do so, Elena's whole body stopped working and suddenly went still.

I looked up at her unexpectedly; at first I was worried she had passed out, but her heart was strong, pounding heavily, working harder to pump blood during her ordeal.

Her eyes were wide and almost white, she looked completely drained. I didn't say anything; I continued barking at her, my own impatience getting in the way.

"Elena, push." I told irritably. "You're almost there!" I insisted in a growl- one I didn't intend.

She sighed ever so softly despite the contraction pulling at her to do the task at hand. My eyebrow rose again expecting her to start again, but she didn't.

"What, is it?" I finally asked in exasperation.

I didn't get this far, to holding my- our child for her to cease cooperating now.

"I'm tired, Damon." She said in the most pathetic voice I'd ever heard.

I couldn't help it; I bared my teeth at her in a ferocious snap when I spoke.

"No." I told her angrily. "You don't just get this far and stop."

"I…I can't…"

"Don't give me that." I warned her.

"I'm…I'm-" She tried again, but I cut her off.

"Elena!" I snarled. "You're so close; do you honestly think that I'll let you give up now?"

"But, Damon…I…I can't-"

"Do not give me that pathetic excuse." I reprimanded her. "You are so stubborn that you can sometimes be a pain in the ass- but you are not a quitter! Don't make this difficult, 'Lena."

I knew I was being hard on her- but…what I did I know- I'd never had a baby or delivered someone else's so- no. What was I saying?

Of course I am right. Just like I'm sure of this child's paternity. I had to be.

I heaved a sigh- despite I didn't need to breathe, and tried to be civil, I needed a new tactic. Tough love was not going to get this child out.

Ever since I turned I knew childbirth was difficult, (I'd heard many women died from it) I also knew it was different nowadays with all the new technology…but, the fact was, was that Elena's offspring was not a mere human it was half-vampire, for all we knew it could be tearing her from-

No. I couldn't think that way. I needed to be positive. Something I rarely was, but where Elena was concerned, I'd try anything.

"Elena?" I said very softly, very gently. "You're okay, okay? So, just do this one last push, and it will be over, I promise."

"Damon, I-"

God, was she testing me? I grabbed both her hands and stared into her eyes with the most sincerity I could, the same was injected into my tone.

I wasn't just a Salvatore anymore. I was her support, her confidant- no, hers. Her partner.

It had to be true.

"Elena," I tried again still trying to be easy with her and not angry. "Come on, bare. Down."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.

God…I couldn't take this anymore. I would give anything for Fell…

"Damon," She squeezed my hands weakly. I noticed her face was paling more so that even, and a spike stabbed my heart- metaphorically.

Was she? No.

"Elena," I was beginning to lose my shit. "Please." I begged. "Please."

"Damon…if…if anything happens…" She said whisper-soft. "Please…take care of it…"

My eyes widened in rage.

"No!" I grunted. "You. Are not thinking like that! Do you understand me?"

"Damon…I can feel…I can feel…"

"The only thing you should be feeling is the urge to push." I said crossly. "Now, let's get this done."

This was no longer a joyous feeling nor a procedure that was inevitable…it was an emergency. No more buts. No more uncertainty.

"Elena," I said urgently my patience now wavering completely a sliver of fear was smack in the middle of my tone no matter how much I cursed myself for being weak.

"You have to push right now." I told her. "There are no more 'I can'ts' left." I warned. "If you can't do this we are going to lose here."

My heart was heavy as I told her what I dreaded. "I'll lose you too." My gaze was fixed on hers, my tone now sharp and purely instructive.

"Now push!"

Elena, though extremely tried- she appeared to be fading in and out- gathered all her strength and cried in agony as she gave her most valiant effort.

"Naaargh!"

I had never heard someone work as hard as she did, right now it was just working, nothing more.

I started to pull gently on what I could see; blood was practically falling into my hands, and I was scared her body was actually falling apart, but instead I could feel the slimy being make its way down and out.

I can't believe I grinned at the thought, but I did. It was so quick, that I was easily composed seconds later, Elena to have never seen a thing.

"Push! Push Elena!" I cried as I continued to work myself. She cried in protest but continued forcing the baby out as best as she could.

"Come on." I pleaded half to her and half to myself- and maybe even to God if there was one. "C'mon."

There was more heavy breathing, more grunting more primitive moans and then finally Elena cried out and the baby slipped into my hands. Immediately Elena's insides gave way and all the horrible, yucky mucus and blood came too.

I tried to not breathe it in, but it was the most challenging thing I'd ever tried. I gave the baby to Elena who was still panting in agony, and I hoped to God she wasn't going to push out a set of twins…

"Elena," My voice broke- damn it- and I placed the bloody, warm, squirming infant onto her chest. "It's a girl."

I had never seen someone have the light in their eyes like she did. She lit up like a Christmas tree from the inside out and her pain seemed to have gone.

But, as quickly as the joy in my heart soared, it plummeted when I focussed on Elena, she was so, so pale and clammy to the touch. I flipped.

"Stefan!" I screamed in an adrenalin fuelled rage. "Stefan!"

My brother suddenly appeared in the parlour for the second time that day, and the look he was wearing was one of fear- he didn't conceal any human emotions like I did.

"Damon?" He sounded like a frog was in his throat. "I got here as fast as I could, Katherine's body is-"

"I don't give a fuck about Katherine!" I snarled my patience snapping like her neck had when Stefan crushed it.

Stefan was slow, but no so slow that he did pick up on my fear and anger.

Our beloved was out to the world- dead as a doornail…I couldn't confirm it. I refused.

I hadn't fed her any blood; I hadn't healed her wounds…I…I…

"Damon." Stefan's voice was urgent, but I didn't want to listen, his words sounded far away like I had been submerged so deep into a pool of rage that nothing was audible.

"Damon!" He snapped. "She's lost too much blood. We need to get her to the hospital."

I wasn't listening, I refused. I had been so fucking selfish.

What was I going to do?

"Damon? Damon!" Stefan was shaking me now. "Are you listening to me? Help me get her off the couch. She needs a doctor. Or she's going to die."

She's dead already.

"No. No." Stefan snarled smacking some sense into me. "She's not dead! But, you will be if you don't save her life! She's dying, Damon."

The hell she is!

I couldn't move no matter how strong my protests of good will and strength were.

"Damon, don't do this. Help me. She'll fall apart if I we don't move her now. She's fading fast."

My resolve clicked into place, I had to get my shit together.

"Grab the bloodsucker." I said with no emotion. "I'll get Elena to feel. She'll be fine."

Stefan shook his head and grabbed the baby away from Elena's chest. He looked repentant.

"Don't mope!" I roared. "Help me with her!"

I had finally snapped and the dam had broken. To hell with not feeling. To hell with being concealed.

Fuck everything. Without her there was nothing.

TBC!

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