Previously in "Pages in Between", Dante saves Andrea from a would-be rapist and Riley agrees to keep his sister's medical situation a secret.

Chapter Two

Colin Mikaelson's Apartment – Later On…

Colin Mikaelson watched as his girlfriend, Tanya, slept next to him, gently stroking her cheek with his index finger. She had come over about two hours ago and they had rushed into his bedroom, where the made love again and again. Colin always loved it whenever Tanya came over because he loved her so deeply. He had inherited his father, Elijah's soft, romantic nature, but also had his mother, Katherine's wild, passionate side, so it was no wonder why Tanya was so drawn to him. While that wasn't the only reason she was drawn to him, it served as one of the reasons. "You're staring again," he heard her say in a soft murmur and he jumped slightly when he saw her dark amber eyes had opened when he looked down at her.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked as he moved until his hand was engulfed into the curls of her dark hair to pull her closer, kissing her in a soft, passionate manner.

Tanya smiled as she returned his kiss. "No, but I saw you staring at me."

"I do apologize, angel," Colin said. "You're just so beautiful that I can't help but want to look at you." He kissed her again. "I love you, Tanya."

She moved until she was over him, looking down into his eyes. "I love you too, Colin Mikaelson," she whispered before claiming his lips in a soft, passionate kiss.

Colin smiled against Tanya's lips as he returned her kiss, running his hands down her back and grabbing her sweet ass, playfully squeezing it.

Meanwhile…

Andrea stared at her brother in a pointed manner as he began to pace the length of the miniature living room in the studio in front of her. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded as he walked back and forth, pausing a few times to meet head-on the glare she sent his way.

"Because you're my brother, Gavin, and you weren't around. Dante was just in the right place at the right time, okay?" Andrea said as she stood up and moved over to him, stopping him mid-pace before hugging him.

Gavin nodded as Andrea hugged him. "I know, I know. I don't mean to sound like I'm being overly protective of you. I suppose I should be grateful to Dante for being there for you. After all, he does care about you a great deal and he was only doing what any decent guy in his position would've done. His last name does mean 'savior'."

Andrea smiled. "Yes, it does. Dante is my savior, in every sense of the word."

Just then, Dante walked into the studio with his cousin Maria Mikaelson right behind him. "Look who I found lurking outside," Dante said as Maria ran to hug first Andrea then Gavin, kissing him as well.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I wanted to check up on you both," Maria explained as Gavin held her close to him.

Andrea smiled. "We're okay, Maria. Though, I do appreciate the concern." Curiously, she added, "Where's Colin? Usually, you two come as a set."

Maria rolled her eyes. "He's with Tanya, as usual. Personally, I don't know what he sees in her. He could have any girl he wants, and he had to pick her. But, I suppose he couldn't help himself, being a Mikaelson and all."

Meanwhile…

April Young Donovan was putting on her makeup in the bathroom when she felt a pair of hands settle at her waist, looking up to smile at her husband in the mirror. "Hello, handsome," she said, blowing a kiss at him via their reflections.

Matt smiled at his wife. "Hello, beautiful."

"After all these years, that nickname you gave me still gives me goose bumps."

"I'm glad it does," Matt said. "So, are you ready to go?"

April nodded. "Mmhm, I'm just about done. I just need to get my shoes on and we're good to go."

They were celebrating another successful opening of The Grill, located not far from where Klaus' gallery was. Vicki and Zane had taken over the one back in Mystic Falls, while Vicki also ran her dress shop, Dresses are A Girl's Best Friend, and while they were both sad that Gavin and Andrea weren't here, they were happy nonetheless to have Fiona, 17, Torrance, 15 and Ian, 12, celebrating with them.

Damon smiled later at Matt as the party continued. He was happy for his friend. "Congratulations, buddy, the place is definitely going to be as successful as the one in Mystic Falls."

Matt nodded. "Thanks, Damon. I wanted to give New York a taste of small-town dining, so that's why we opened this place."

April and Elena came up to them, both wearing 50's style costumes. "You're not going to be turning into party poopers, are you?" they both said with a frown before laughing at each other when they realized what they'd just done.

Damon and Matt both chuckled then took their wives by the hand, coming up with different kinds of nicknames for Elena and April as they led them out to the dance floor, where Matt and April did the hand Jive and Damon and Elena began to dance a freestyle, which was their favorite, since they were both fans of 'Dancing with the Stars'.

Elena laughed as she and Damon continued to freestyle dance. She never got tired of dancing with her husband, since she knew that he had moves that she had never seen before. "What's that smile for, Mrs. Salvatore?" he asked when the music changed to a slower tune.

"This smile is for you, Mr. Salvatore. This smile is to show you how much you amaze me with all the little things you can do," she said with a peck to his lips. He pulled her back to his lips, kissing her in a soft, passionate manner as he aligned the lower halves of their bodies.

A nudge to Damon's elbow interrupted them. "Hey, you two, if you're going to be doing that in our restaurant, please take it to the back," Matt instructed both of them. Damon and Elena both groaned but smiled at their friends before Elena tugged on her husband's hand, pulling him into the back, where she found the door labeled 'Office', and when they were safely locked inside, she brought her hands up to the buttons of her itchy wool sweater that complemented her dark blue poodle skirt.

Damon licked his lips as he watched what his wife was doing. He always loved it when she did things to turn him on, and this was no exception. Once she got the sweater off, he removed his leather jacket and threw it on the floor next to the sweater, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately as they removed the rest of their clothes before moving to the bed that Matt and April had installed for themselves whenever they got into "the mood".

Elena knelt in front of Damon when they got to the bed, running her fingers over the delicious smooth planes of his chest and smiling up at him. "You're still so sexy after all these years," she told him softly.

"And you are just as beautiful, cara mia," he replied, kissing her lips quickly before lowering her onto the bed, joining her as his hands cupped her full breasts then leaned down to claim one with his lips.

Elena moaned as she felt Damon's lips on her breasts, arching her back and the moan turned into a pleasurable cry. Damon smiled against her breast before moving his hands down her body to her hips, grabbing onto them as he then drove himself into her core, thrusting slowly at first and then gradually picked up speed. Elena trembled underneath him, gyrating against his thrusts, keeping in sync with him. "Harder, Damon," she said. "Faster. Slow was good before we were married, but tonight, I want it hard and fast. Give it to me, my Italian Stallion!"

Damon licked his lips when she gave him that new nickname. "Hold on tight, my little tigress, because this Italian Stallion is built for speed." With that, he moved harder and faster against her, kissing her roughly as he moved. Elena returned his rough kisses and matched his speed. Feeling herself getting close to the edge, she threw her head back and let out a scream so loud she was afraid her vocal chords would shatter. He let out a scream of his own half a beat later then collapsed gently onto her before rolling onto his side, tracing a finger down her cheek. "I'm so glad that we decided to do that, because I have been itching to do it all day. Being cooped up in an office doesn't suit me, or you, for that matter."

Elena smiled. "Oh, yeah, I hate offices. They're so boring and confining."

After she graduated from college, she, Caroline and April were featured in a calendar photo shoot, which each of their husbands supervised. April had asked to do it while she was still pregnant, explaining to Matt that she wasn't going to be shy about being naked and pregnant; it was all a part of nature. He had done a few shots with her, where she was wrapped in a sheet and he was wearing only his jeans, their hands intertwined as they smiled at each other with their hands over her pregnant stomach. Elena graduated from college with high honors and decided to run her own business, which Caroline helps with when she can, but ended up giving the business to Katherine and Elijah so she could stay at home with the kids until they got old enough for school, going back to it recently.

Damon sighed. "It's a shame Mackenzie is in South Carolina. She'd have a blast. I guess she'll hear about from the triplets, or even Katie, since they're so close."

Elena smiled and kissed Damon on the lips before groaning when she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. Leaving his arms briefly, she went over to their scattered clothes and found it in her small coin purse, going back to rejoin Damon on the mattress and answering it when she saw that it was their eldest daughter. "Mackenzie, hi!" she said enthusiastically, following Damon's instructions when he gestured for her to put it on speaker-phone.

"Hi Mom, I'm sorry that I'm not there with you!" Mackenzie's voice said through the phone and Elena smiled even though her daughter couldn't see her.

"Hi sweetheart," Damon said before kissing Elena's bare shoulder.

"Daddy, hi," Mackenzie said excitedly. "I miss you!"

"We miss you too," Damon said. "Katie keeps asking about you, and it's driving the triplets' nuts. Well, the boys anyway. Juliet is a bit more tolerant."

South Carolina

Mackenzie laughed from her end of the line, stifling a moan so her parents couldn't tell what she was doing, slapping Riley's hand away from her inner thigh. "I'll come and see you all soon, I promise. Tell Auntie April and Uncle Matty that I miss them both!" she said before ending the call. "You have a very dirty mind, Mr. Talbot, and that wasn't very nice what you did while I was on the phone with MY parents!" By now, her voice had slid up an octave as she got out of bed and left the room, stomping the entire time, going to the kitchen.

"Mac, you know I'm sorry, don't you?" he called out as he went after her, putting his boxers on as he went.

Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know."

She shrieked loudly when he grabbed her around the waist, pinning her back against his hard body. "And I'm going to keep being sorry, if I can make it up to you," he told her in a soft growl against her shoulder.

"How about you make it up to me by fixing pancakes, Mr. Talbot?" she replied back, turning in his arms to kiss him passionately but softly.

Riley nodded. "Pancakes coming right up," he said. That being said, he collected his clothes and went to get dressed before heading to the kitchen to cook for his beloved.

In Mystic Falls…

Jeremy knelt beside his mother's bed, clasping her hand in his. Miranda noticed the sad look on her son's face. "I know it's hard for you to see me like this, Jeremy. It's hardly a picnic for your father, and he's seen worse."

He nodded and kissed the knuckles of the hand that he held in his own, tears running down his cheeks. "It's too bad that Elena couldn't be here, because we all knew your time would come, just not this soon," he told his mother.

Before Miranda could respond, Katherine came rushing up the stairs, stopping in the doorway. "Mom," was all she said as she moved over to the other side of the bed, taking her mother's other hand.

"Katherine, sweetheart, its okay to cry, you know," Miranda said as she stroked her daughter's dark hair and her cheek before firmly squeezing her hand.

Katherine sniffed. "I don't want you to go, Mommy. I love you. We all do."

"I know you do, sweetheart, but it is my time to go," Miranda told her daughter. "You will both see me again someday, I promise."

Katherine sobbed as tears came down her cheeks. "It's not fair, though. I wanted you to be around to see Maria's wedding, and Colin's wedding. I wanted you to see your great-grandchildren. You can't go yet, Mom, you just can't!"

Elijah came in at that moment, having seen his wife break down, and pulls her into a comforting embrace. "I'll take her outside for some air."

Miranda nodded. "Thank you, Elijah."

But Katherine retaliated in anger toward her husband once they were outside. She turned her back on him and fumed the entire way to the swing/bench that sat nestled between two trees, which he'd put in, after building it with his own two hands. Elijah waited a few minutes before joining her, keeping his back to the tree as he watched the emotions in her face.

Elijah ran his fingers through Katherine's curls. "I know how you feel, angel. I don't want to lose her either."

Katherine stood up and fell into his open arms, sobbing into his chest as he rocked them back and forth. He kissed the top of her head as her sobs finally ceased once and for all, then looked down into her mocha brown eyes. Before she could utter a peep, they were interrupted by Jeremy arriving. Katherine only had to see the sadness in his eyes to know that their mother was gone from this life, sobbing harder into her husband's chest as he continued to rock them.

The Grill – Later On…

Elena was just getting her clothes back on when she heard her phone ring. Curious as to whom it was, she looked at the ID and saw Katherine's number. That was strange, why was she calling? Deciding to find out, she pressed SEND and put the phone to her ear. "Katherine?"

A sob was heard as her sister replied, "Elena, its Mom. She…she just passed away."

"What?" Elena said. "When?"

"About an hour ago," Katherine said. "Jeremy, Elijah and I are here."

Elena listened to what her sister was saying and put her hand on her mouth as tears stung her eyes. "I'll come out there. The arrangements obviously have to be made. I know I wasn't there to see Mom before she passed, but I'll be there to make the funeral arrangements."

"Elena…"

"Don't argue with me, Katherine. I'll leave New York first thing in the morning and be in Mystic Falls by the afternoon or evening."

Before Katherine could protest, Elena hung up and fell to her knees, letting out a sob. Damon noticed and came over to her. "Elena, love, what is it? Talk to me, what's wrong?"

"That was Katherine," she replied. "My mother just died."

Damon, hearing this, pulled his wife into a hug. "And you want to go to Mystic Falls to plan the funeral?"

Elena nodded. "Yes."

"I'm coming with you," Damon said. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you drive when you're this upset. Besides, you're going to need me. You told me I was your rock, remember?"

Elena knew she couldn't argue with that, so she nodded again. "You're right, Damon, you are my rock. I'm going to need you more than ever."

Down in Virginia

Penny Gilbert was in the middle of teaching a dance routine to the group of people in the studio she co-owned with Mackenzie when her cell phone beeped below her feet. She leaned down to answer it. "Alright, everyone, take 5," she commanded and everyone did just that as she left the room to go into the hallway for more privacy. Penny looked at the ID and when she saw her father's number, she wondered why he was calling and pressed SEND before putting it to her ear. "Daddy?"

"I have bad news, Penny," he replied. "Your grandmother died last night."

"Grandma Mimi?" Penny said. "But, that's impossible. I spoke to her the other day. She was fine!"

"I know, sweetheart, but she got worse after your phone call and she passed away just last night," Jeremy said to his only daughter.

Penny bit her lip. "Oh God, what am I going to tell Mac? I mean, Grandma Mimi was her grandmother too."

"Just tell her the truth, sweetheart," Jeremy told his daughter before hearing his phone beep, letting him know that another call was coming in. "Sweetheart, that's your mom and Nana Pearl. I'll see you for the funeral, right?"

"Okay, Daddy, and I'll see you then," Penny said before ending the phone call. She turned when one of her dancers came up to her. "Yes, Gillian, what is it?"

"Madame Gilbert, is everything alright?" Gillian asked with a concerned tone in her voice. Penny nodded.

"Everything is fine, Gillian. I just found out my grandmother passed away," she replied solemnly.

Gillian gasped. "Oh, Madame Gilbert, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," Penny said. "Could you tell Madame Salvatore that I need to talk to her?"

Gillian nodded and disappeared from the room. Mackenzie appeared a few minutes later, a curious scowl on her face. "Penny, what's going on? Gillian said that you needed to talk to me."

Penny then decided not to beat around the bush and said, "Mac, I just got off the phone with my dad. Grandma Mimi just died."

"What? But, you just talked to her the other day. How the hell could she have gone from sounding healthy to being dead?"

"Daddy said she got worse after my phone call," Penny said. "We'll have to close the studio for a couple of days and go to Mystic Falls for the funeral.

Mackenzie nodded as tears stung her eyes. Penny then pulled her cousin to her in a hug as she heard her sob against her.

Author's Note: Yes, I know it's a sad ending, but the next chapter will be happier towards the end, we promise!