Together (Damon)

Kiss me, by Ed Sheeran

"Settle down with me,

cover me up, cuddle me in.

Lie down with me

And hold me in your arms.

And your heart's against my chest,

Your lips pressed on my neck.

I'm fallen for your eyes, but they don't know me yet.

And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now.

Kiss me like you wanna be loved, (…)

This feels like fallin' in love, (…)

We're fallin' in love!"

I lost myself in her, in the feeling of holding her in my arms, of kissing her. All the rules of my world seemed nullified. My child! My mind tried to comprehend this miracle, but it seemed completely impossible. Over 150 years ago, I had buried this aspect together with the ashes of my former existence. My reason lagged far behind my dead heart which had embraced the news instantly. My lips softly touched hers and her mouth yielded to me, our tongues danced with each other as if they'd never done anything else. It had been so long – it almost hurt now to hold myself back. I'd been so damn stupid! Why the hell had I thrown something beautiful like this away? Her arms naturally found their way to my neck and her fingers skimmed my hair, caressed my face ever so softly. My hands glided into her hair and down on her back all the way to her waist, caressing her belly. Her lips curved with a smile while we kissed, but we didn't stop. We didn't tire to fuse our mouths in a tender, sometimes more passionate dance. I could kiss her twenty-four hours a day, I thought.

Her belly was pressed flush to my body and at some point I felt something nudge my waist. „Huh?" I glanced down. „Junior is kicking again," she sighed and held her back. „Would you like to rest upstairs?" I asked. „Honestly?" she said. I nodded. „Honestly." She scrutinized me and cocked her head. „Only together with you, Damon, but it's a bit too early to retire, isn't it?" She smirked and I returned the grin. „I never cared about narrow views," I replied and lifted her up bridal style, carrying her back to my room in vampire speed. „Oh God, this feels awful!" she gasped when I put her back on her feet in front of my bed and clamped her hand over her mouth. „Do you feel sick?" I asked concerned. She breathed deeply and waved her hand aside while she sat on the bed. „I'm fine," she gasped. „The speeding didn't do good," she added. „Lie down," I ordered her and re-arranged the pillows. She kicked her shoes off and I lifted her legs to help her. „Thanks," she said and relaxed into the pillows. I smiled at her. „No sightseeing trips – I'll be right back, okay?" She gave me a mock salute. I vanished into her room and collected her things, putting them back in her bag. That's when I found my journal and I remembered that I had left it at her house that day.

Back in my room, I put down her bag next to the bed. She looked questioningly at me, but I didn't react. I plopped down on the bed next to her and held the journal before her eyes. „You've read my journal?" She cringed a bit, but then she raised her chin and answered. „Yes." I met her gaze. „In this case, you should've known that I didn't lie to you," I said casually and put the journal on my nightstand. „Yeah, I should've, but… oh damn! You've made it so easy for me not to believe you, Damon!" she scolded me. „It took me a long time to cope with all this – the pregnancy, being half witch half vampire, but it was nothing compared to the feeling that I might never see you again." Her eyes reflected her pain during the past months. Wordlessly, I pulled her into my arms and held her tight. I softly caressed her hair and breathed her unique scent. „For more than six months I tried to drown my memories of you in blood and bourbon, but I failed," I murmured. She raised her head and put a finger to my lips. „Stop talking about bourbon while I can't have one," she replied seriously, but her eyes twinkled with amusement. „I missed that – your quick wit," I said and kissed her tenderly. „Is that all?" she asked and raised an eyebrow mockingly. I gave her a lopsided grin and showered her throat and cleavage with kisses. She gasped for air and arched into me. I felt my passion being rekindled and remembered our first time together.

„So eager?" I whispered into her ear. She smiled with recognition. „Much," she sighed. I nibbled on her delicate earlobe and she shivered. „Can I still…?" I started the question and looked into her eyes. Mischief twinkled in her gaze. „Of course, but I'm in charge," she replied. „Okay," I murmured and pushed her shirt up. My original intention had been to divest her, but my gaze was banned by the sight of her swollen womb. She blushed slightly while I looked at her. „Found something interesting?" she finally murmured. „I think so," I replied and kissed her belly button. The skin which stretched over her taut belly gleamed in the light and was soft and silken. I let my fingers caress it very softly and finally put my ear on it. Inside I heard a very fast beat and a slower one. Two hearts beating at the same time, but at a different tempo. „Hello," I whispered. Suddenly something pressed from the inside against the skin right where my cheek was. My head came up and I looked down on the little bulge. „I think it likes you," Helen whispered and I resumed listening. Once more, the baby pressed against me from the inside. I kept still and closed my eyes.

A memory crossed my mind, pictures, and a melody that was connected to it appeared. I hummed it softly. It was a lullaby which my mother had sung while I was little. Just like I did now, I had placed my ear on my mother's womb as a child while she was pregnant with Stefan and hummed her lullaby. Nobody had ever known, it had been our secret. Helen relaxed and relinquished this intimate moment to me. I felt the movement inside her a few more times, but then it was quiet. Maybe the baby had fallen asleep, I thought and looked up. Just like its mother, I noted amused. The whole tension had fallen off her and obviously exhaustion had overwhelmed her. Seeing her sleeping so peacefully, something in my chest constricted, it was almost painful. Carefully I retreated from the bed and covered her with a plaid. She didn't even notice. Gingerly, I kissed her forehead. „Sleep well," I whispered and fled from the room.

My eyes burned and I felt the urge to get away. It was cold outside, it had started snowing again and everything looked like it was coated with white icing sugar. I didn't care and flashed through the garden into the adjacent forest. After a couple of dozen yards I stopped and sat down underneath a tree, leaning my back at it. For a moment, my feelings overwhelmed me and I wrapped my arms around me. On the one hand, I was extremely happy that she was here, with me, but on the other hand I was extraordinarily scared. She and the baby were miracles I absolutely wanted to protect and I knew that the peaceful times in my world could be over in the blink of an eye. My fear to lose Helen or the baby was so overwhelming that I felt nearly crushed by it. I breathed deeply while tears streamed down my face. Suddenly, there was a hand on my shoulder. „Damon?" Stefan stood next to me and scrutinized me with astonishment. „Brother, what's wrong?" he asked worried. My usual facade failed me miserably, my emotions were in control. „I'm afraid," I whispered strangled. His eyes widened. „You are…? But… why?" I shrugged. „I'm afraid to lose her." My voice broke at that point and I averted my face.

He crouched down and gripped my shoulders. „Damon, listen to me." He shook me and forced me to look at him. „Listen closely to me: You will not lose her, got it?" He fixed my gaze. „Got it?" he repeated urgently. Seeing him so determined, I just wanted to believe in his words. „I'm not deaf," I replied, sniffling. He plopped down next to me. „You know, I already thought I would find you out here. I brought something to warm you up," he joked and pulled a bottle of bourbon from his jacket. I rubbed my face with both hands, slowly regaining my composure. He put the bottle in my hands. "You want me to get drunk? From the two of us, I've always been the more talented boozer," I said with a crooked grin, looking at the bottle. „It's the best for a reset," he replied with a shrug. I nodded and opened the bottle while I pointed a finger to him. „What just happened…, keep it to yourself, okay?" I stated and took a large swig. „They wouldn't believe me anyway," he joked. „At least I won't get an image problem," I murmured and took another swig.

We sat there in silence for a while and passed the bottle around. Inwardly, I was very grateful for Stefan's caring. He caught me in my weakest moment ever, and cushioned my vulnerability. Maybe having a little brother was a good thing after all, I thought. „I still remember it," he suddenly said quietly and took one more swallow. I looked at him. „What do you mean?" I asked. „The lullaby I've heard in your room earlier – it was the same you've hummed to me as a child," he replied with a smile. I looked to the ground. „There's something I never told you," I said softly. „About what?" he asked curiously. „When Mother was pregnant with you, she allowed me to put my ear on her womb and listen to your heartbeat. Each time, I hummed the lullaby for you. I've never told anyone, up to now," I replied and looked at him. He seemed pleasantly surprised. „Of course, you took your chance and kicked me," I added mockingly. „You were a troublemaker right from the start." Stefan just grinned and held up the bottle. „To family," he toasted and took another swig before he passed it to me. „To family," I returned.

„What do we tell the others?" Stefan asked after a while. „What others?" I returned bewildered. „Well, tomorrow we expect Caroline and Tyler as well as Matt and Jeremy with Bonnie," he answered. „Are you having a sort of alumni event?" I exclaimed and jumped up. He got up, too. „When Elena and I moved to Richmond, we all agreed on meeting regularly, around Christmas for example," he explained. "Wonderful! Blondie will indulge in the gossip and soon the whole town knows!" I huffed. „Calm down, Damon. Talk to Helen about it. I mean, at the moment it's really quiet here. We don't have any problems with originals or hunters, not even foul-tempered witches," Stefan explained. „Except for Bonnie," I intervened. Stefan waved aside. „Nah, we would've seen it today when she took Helen's hand," he returned. I didn't get what he was talking about. „Care to explain?" I insisted. „When Bonnie touches people, she gets sort of a signal, like a picture. It's how she knows who or what the other person is," he elaborated. I almost got knuckled down.

I recalled Bonnie's face from earlier. „I'm such an idiot!" I whispered aghast. „When she touched Helen, she looked surprised and when Helen said that I'm the father, she blanched," I added and looked at my brother. „You think she knows more than we do?" he asked alerted. I shook my head. „Helen revealed something to me… if Bonnie can put two and two together she…," I murmured and paced on the spot. Stefan got impatient and stepped in my way. „Then what, Damon?" he growled. „Then she'll know that Helen is a witch!" I burst. „What?" Stefan's eyes nearly bulged. „How's that possible?" he pressed. I waved aside. „It's a long story, get the e-book, brother. I've got to go back," I said and started running. Stefan followed me closely. At the door we met Elena. „What's going on?" she asked, seeing the expression on our faces. „We've got to talk to Helen," Stefan stated. „I will talk to her and get to you afterwards," I intervened and looked at him. „Agreed," he replied and they followed me inside.