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Elena's POV

"Daddy, why so sad?" the little girl says as she lays her head on Damon's shoulder and looks up into his eyes.

He is in shock, but answers her, "What are you talking about? I'm peachy." Then he kisses her on the forehead.

"Why don't you go see what momma and your brother are up to on the swing set, ok?" he says and puts her down. She runs over to the blonde lady that accompanies Damon at the club each weekend. She is sitting on a blanket holding a baby about a year old.

I try to speak, but no words come out, so I just stare at him.

"You know, it's kind of rude not to say hello to an old friend," Damon smirks as he walks towards me.

He is now a foot from me. It takes all my strength not to throw my arms around him and never let go, but I know I am 127 years too late. I had my chance. He actually gave me fifty chances, but I rejected him every time.

"Hi," I mutter, "How are you?"

"Real good," he says contently, "how about yourself?"

Before I get to answer, the blonde woman comes over with the two children.

"Hi, you must be Elena," she says cheerfully.

"Hi," I utter.

"This is my wife, Cadence, and children; Rose and Ashton Alaric," Damon says.

"You must have a whole lot of questions, like how does two vampires have children in the first place," Cadence laughs, "why don't you join us for dinner tonight? I've heard all about you. We were just going to get take out and go dance for a little bit, but I'd much rather skip dancing and drink a couple glasses of wine."

I stand there dumbfounded and just nod my head before answering, "That would be nice, thank you."

"Alrighty then. We were just getting ready to leave. Let me give you our address so we can go pick up the food and meet you at the house, does 6 o'clock sound okay?"

I stare at this open, yet extremely benevolent woman. She said that Damon told her all about me, so why is she being so nice; especially because I've done some pretty shit things to Damon. I probably should have declined the offer and been on my way, but I was way too curious to do that. I had so many things to ask them.

"Sounds good," I reply.

"Great, see you in a little while," she smiles and takes Damon's hand while she holds Ashton Alaric and he carries Rose. Before they leave, Damon turns to me and looks at me with those greyish blue eyes and doesn't say a single word.

Xxxxx

I go back to the hotel and freshen up a little bit. I look in the mirror and just think; what am I doing? To be completely honest, I had no fucking idea, so I got into my car and drove to 548 Oakwood dr. I rolled up to a well-lit house with flowers lining the walkway. The house was made out of different shades of gray stones and had big French windows lining the front. Gorgeous pink and orange and yellow Tulips were planted along the walkway to the front door. I parked on the side of the street and slowly walked to the front door. I wasn't real sure if I was ready for what came after I rang the doorbell, but I eventually did.

Cadence greets me without a lick of makeup on, in a pair of plain grey leggings, a plain pink tank top, and was walking around barefoot.

"Come on in," she says with the same cheerful demeanor that she had earlier. She gives me a tour of the house. It is open and full of life. There are flowers in almost every room. The furniture is modern and temporary. The floors are a beautiful cherry wood with rugs everywhere to make it a little homier. When we make it back to the kitchen, Damon is setting the table in a pair of worn jeans and a football t-shirt. Cadence puts the kids in the living room with a movie on.

After a little bit of small talk; your house is beautiful, how is life, the weather is pleasant, etc. we finally got to the point of the dinner party, the last 127 years.

"Well, I guess we have a story to tell," Cadence sighs.

"I am all ears," I say.

"I am 573 years old. I was turned by none other than Klaus himself. Damon and I knew each other throughout the 1900s. We partied together from the jazz age until the millennium, but he was in love with Katherine, so we kind of friend-zoned each other. After the New Year, it was as if he just disappeared because I didn't see him until 22 years later. I was at a bar, drowning my sorrows of being a lonely, never aging vampire when Damon here comes in and sits on the barstool next to me. We talked all night long. The next day when we were eating brunch, sobering up, he asked me to travel with him. We went across the world, trying eccentric native foods, wearing kimonos in Japan and berets in France. For 85 years, we just traveled and lived our lives as friends. He was a wreck when I found him, so for 83 years I was there for him. I fell in love with him early, but he wasn't ready to love again. I was patient and I helped mend his broken heart and on January 23rd, 2107, he asked me to go on a date with him. We got married 7 years later."

Damon sat there in a daze. I realize that he had spoken very little since he saw me, but I guess so had I.

"How did you have children?" I find myself asking.

"My mom is a very powerful witch. She knew a spell that would give us the chance to have kids. Ash will stop growing at the age Damon was turned and Rose will stop growing at the age I turned."

We finish dinner, Cadence excuses herself to go put the kids to bed, and Damon walks me to my car. After standing there in dark, not speaking, Damon interrupts the silence.

"I know it isn't a coincidence that you're here," he looks down at the ground.

"I dream about you every night," I say as I choke back tears, "I left Stefan. I needed to see you."

"What did you think you were going to find?" he raises his voice, "Did you think I'd be walled up somewhere waiting for you for the rest of my life? For almost a hundred years, I was. I waited and waited and waited, hoping that you would come back for me, but I needed to move on. If I was going to live forever, I had to move on. I never stopped loving you, but I eventually fell in love with her too. She makes me happy and our kids make me happy. Hell, I never thought in a million years that I would be a father, but she wanted them, so I went with it because I love her and she loves me."

"Damon, I'm sorry," I cry, "I never wanted to hurt you. At the time, I thought I'd made the right choice, but I realized that I made the safe choice. I was scared of the risk that came with loving you."

"I never fell out of love with you, Elena, but you gave me no choice, but to except the fact that you chose him."

I nodded and then gave him a hug and he hugged back.

"I'll see you," I whisper as I get into my car and drive back to the hotel.

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