Dear Diary

So baby girl is almost a month old now and she has learned how to do so much! She is moving her little head from side to side and always seems to be looking for either Damon or I with her bright blue eyes. She is so adorable; I can't believe how much I love her. She knows the sound of my voice and if she is crying and hears my voice she settles a little because she knows I'm there.

She can be quite fussy and Damon and I have had many sleepless nights. Jenna has allowed Damon to sleep over and help out knowing it makes things a little easier for me although she isn't actually happy with the new set up. Damon seems to be the best at dealing with her when she is just fussy. He walks around with her cradled to his chest because she seems to like the skin and skin contact. Also since Damon is walking around shirtless a lot may have something to do with Jenna not liking him being over all the time.

Elena

Her hair was a mess and she had dark circles under her eyes as she stood in the kitchen preparing herself some hot chocolate. It had been another hectic night and it seemed that Claire had finally just settled. Dressed in her fluffy pink bathrobe, Elena let out a big yawn as she opened up a packet of hot chocolate powder and poured it into a cup.

"God is she finally asleep!" Jenna said looking just as tired when she entered the kitchen and started to make herself some coffee.

"For now" Elena said softly as she stirred her hot chocolate. Picking up a muffin from the counter and her mug of hot chocolate she moved into the family room and set her stuff down on the coffee table while taking a seat in the big comfy armchair. As she sat down she stared over at the two who were currently hogging the big couch.

Jenna came over and as she sipped her coffee stared at the same thing Elena was. Lying on the couch, Damon was stretched out on his back without a shirt on. He wore only his jeans as he had little Claire snuggled and curled up on his chest with her little head resting on Damon's shoulder. As the two slept a blanket was draped over them to keep Claire warm as she slept soundly with daddy.

"They have the same face expression when they sleep," Jenna pointed out as she took a seat on the arm of Elena's chair. "And she has your lungs" Jenna added with a smile.

"I was not a loud baby!" Elena said defending herself.

"Oh your mother would begged to differ in the middle of the night," Jenna told her and the two smile as the turned back to watched father and daughter sleeping soundly.

As the two sat quietly they heard a soft knock at the door, "You better get that before they ring the bell" Jenna told Elena as she headed back into the kitchen.

With a sigh Elena got up and rushed to the door and as she opened it she found Bonnie and Caroline standing on the other side. Both had huge smiles on their faces and Caroline was carrying a big shopping bag.

"I did it again!" Caroline said with a guilty grin.

Elena laughed and shook her head, "Well I told you to stop going into the baby store!" Caroline just shrugged her shoulders as her and Bonnie stepped into the house. It seemed every time Caroline went out she was buying something new for Claire. Two days ago she bought her little black booties with a pink bows, a week ago she brought over a white teddy bear.

"I couldn't help myself!" Caroline said as she bounced into the family room. She came to a halt as she starred at a shirtless Damon asleep on the couch. "He's naked!"

"What!" Bonnie blurted out.

Elena rolled her eyes as Caroline continued to stare at Damon with wide eyes. "He's not naked he's just not wearing a shirt." Elena told them as Bonnie came around to see what the fuss was about.

"And Why is Damon asleep half naked on your couch" Bonnie asked not too thrilled.

"Relax Bonnie" Elena said knowing her friend still wasn't a big Damon supporter yet. "It's the only way we can get Claire to settle and go to sleep at this time," she told her as she took a seat in her chair and started to eat her muffin. "It's gotten to the point I don't care how we get her to sleep as long as she sleeps."

"They look adorable"! Caroline said as she took out her phone and snapped a picture.

"Caroline!" Elena said with a giggle.

"Hey this will go perfectly in my scrapbook for Claire!" Caroline stated.

"I'm sure Tyler will love the fact you have a half naked Damon on your phone!" Bonnie laughed.

"It's the sleeping angel he's holding I'm interested in, not the hot body!"

"Caroline!" Bonnie giggled finding her statement a little inappropriate given that Elena was somewhat dating him.

"Relax Bonnie, it's a compliment! And hey dating Elena doesn't make him any less hotter, in fact a guy holding a baby is totally hot!" While Bonnie couldn't believe how Caroline was talking Elena just shook her head and smiled as she sipped her hot chocolate. "Sooo, what did you get?"

For a moment Caroline seemed to have forgotten why she came over but then with a squeal reached into her shopping bag and pulled out a pink summer dress. The dress was a pastel pink checkered with a lighter pale pink, there was a solid pastel pink neck line and at the hem of the dress as well as a solid pastel pink ribbon around the waistline and a bow off to the side a bit. "Won't this look adorable on her!" Caroline said excitedly.

Elena smiled as she accepted the gift from Caroline, "It's so cute!" Elena said as she held it up to get a better look. "Seriously Caroline you spoil her like crazy!"

"I know but as her aunt I have that right!" she said with a smile as she took a seat on the small love seat with Bonnie.

With a smile Elena set the outfit back in the bag set it off to the side. "Hey Caroline do you know what it up with Mayor Lockwood?" Elena asked.

Hearing Elena mention Mayor Lockwood, Caroline got nervous and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Why do you ask?"

"Well for one he has stepped down as Mayor due to personal issues and also he isn't going to speak at Damon's graduation tonight. What could possibly be wrong that he can't speak at the graduation unless it was something really serious?" Bonnie also seem interested in the discussion.

"Look its not my place to talk" Caroline told them. Not many people new the truth about the abuse Tyler had gone through because of that man and that was the way Tyler wanted to keep it.

"So there is something bad going on?" Elena asked but Caroline stayed mum on the subject. She gave her friends a looked that told them not to ask anymore and both Bonnie and Elena seemed worried as to what was going on.

Suddenly they heard a whimper and all three heads turned to see Claire stating to fuss on Damon's chest. She scrunched up her little nose and her whimpers got louder. Quickly Elena hopped to her feet and leaned in to pick up her baby girl. As Elena removed Claire from Damon's arms he too started to stir as he realized what was going on.

"It's okay I got her," Elena said as she held Claire in her arms and started to make soothing hush sounds in the little girl's ear. Damon lay there for a moment as he woke up to see where he was. Sitting up he was surprised to see both Caroline and Bonnie sitting on the far sofa. And Caroline's lingering stare didn't go unnoticed either.

"How long was I out?" Damon asked as he scratched his head.

"About an hour and a half" Elena told him as she took a seat on the sofa and rocking Claire.

"That's it!" Damon said tiredly.

"Listen why don't you go home and get some sleep, we have your graduation tonight and you don't want to be falling asleep on the stage" Elena told him.

Damon seemed hesitant at first although he did look exhausted. "It's okay we'll stay and help out" Caroline chirped in with a smile.

"Go on get some sleep" Elena told him as she touched his arm.

Damon nodded his head and then got to his feet. He searched the floor for his shirt and then pulled it over his head. With a smile he leaned down and gave Claire a soft kiss on her head. "Don't give mommy to much trouble," he said with a chuckle. Looking up he met Elena's eyes and then gave her a quick kiss before heading for the door. As he left he found himself looking forward to a nice long nap that wouldn't be interrupted by a screaming baby for the first time in weeks.

The school campus was filled with parents and family members as they made their way towards the graduation ceremony. This was Elena's first outing since having Claire and the first time many of the towns people got to see her. She was shocked by all the people that came over to see the new baby especially since many didn't hide their true colors when they discovered she was pregnant.

Deciding it was probably best just to ignore it Elena just forced a smile as people came over to gush over the baby. Jenna was at her side the whole time as were Stefan and Zach. They were all here for Damon's graduation so he was inside the school getting ready.

Checking her time Elena covered up the baby stroller that Claire was sleeping in, thinking that she would sleep through the ceremony. She had tried her best to plan around the ceremony and fed and changed Claire just before in hope that now she would just sleep.

That was not what Claire had planned though, just as the music had started and the graduates started to walk down the isle towards the stage, Claire let out a cry to let Elena know she wasn't going to sleep.

"Do you want me to take her?" Jenna asked knowing Elena wanted to see Damon graduate.

"No it's fine" Elena said with a sigh as she reached into the stroller and picked up the screaming bundle of joy. With her swaddled tight in a blanket Elena headed towards the school so that Claire's crying wouldn't interrupt anyone.

Taking a seat on the bench in the hallway, Elena softly rocked Claire as she fussed. Looking around the empty school hallway, Elena thought about the last year and everything that happened. The stares and whispers she got as she walked down the halls with her pregnant belly and the cruel name kids had come up with to call her. Even after Damon threatened everyone who made cruel remarks about her she still got wind of some of them.

It wasn't easy walking through these halls everyday but it was something she had to do. It was something she would have to continue doing for two more years and she knew things weren't going to be much different now that she had Claire.

People will stare when they see her with her baby with judging eyes because teenagers shouldn't have babies. She knew people would still blame her for what happened and she knew she was responsible in a way but now she was doing her best to deal with a difficult situation. Life isn't going to be an easy road for her or Damon but really what life doesn't come without its struggles.

She could hear the principal calling out the names for the graduates and as she got up and walked over to the door she peaked out the window just in time to see Damon's name called. She watched as he stood up in his black gown and red sash and wearing that hat he had tried to get out of wearing.

As he walked over to the principal he was handed his diploma. "Look Claire its daddy!" Elena whispered her baby girl's ear as she looked out the window. Damon accepted the diploma and with a smile looked down at his uncle Zach who was proudly snapping pictures. At one point Damon looked back towards Elena and gave her a loving smile. Elena smiled back proudly as her man held up his diploma.

As the crowd cheered to congratulate the graduates the caps were thrown into the air, as they were no longer high school students. Parents were quick to snap pictures as their graduates came over to join them and uncle Zach was no different.

"Look it's daddy the high school graduate!" Elena said as he came over with Claire as Damon was getting his picture taken with Stefan.

"Okay that just sounds wrong" Jenna laughed but couldn't help jumping in to smile and talked to her great niece.

After taking the picture Damon smile happily and pick up his baby girl from Elena. "Sorry we missed most of the ceremony" Elena said sadly as she brushed her finger over Claire's short dark hair while Damon rocked her back and forth.

"It seems we can plan all we want when we want her to sleep, but she's going to do it whenever she wants anyways," Damon said with a chuckle.

"I wonder who she gets that from?" Stefan said with a smirk as he snapped pictures of the father and daughter cuddling. Damon gave his brother a quick glare while everyone else laughed. He then looked back at his baby girl in his arms that seemed to fall back asleep in arms as he rocked her.