After the Nationals and their big win, time flew by and quickly, it was time for Damon's birthday. Rachel had organised a party at their house. Stefan said he was coming and bringing Klaus along so Rachel warned Elena to stay away if she didn't want Klaus to kill her.
"It's going to be open mic. There will be music but if someone wants to sing, they will be able to." Rachel told Liz and Caroline.
"Something tells me you already have songs planned." Caroline said.
"Of course I do. I'm going to sing some duets with daddy and I warned Stefan that I found the perfect song for daddy and him to sing and that they better be ready to sing it." Rachel replied.
"Well, I can't wait to see it." Liz said as Caroline agreed.
.
It wasn't a surprise party, Damon knew that his daughter was organising something for him and he knew who was invited and what they would do. He was really touched that she would do this for him. He also knew that if Sage and Finn wouldn't be able to make it, Lexi was coming, along with Stefan and his new friend Klaus.
He didn't care much if Lexi came or not but she had helped a lot with Caroline and he was grateful for this. As for Klaus, he was curious to see how it would play out. On the plus side, Elena would stay in her house and wouldn't be able to bug him about trying to get Stefan back. He hoped his brother would be able to get away from the hybrid long enough to have a talk with Elena.
Slowly, people came.
Mainly it was the friends he had made in town, along with her friends. Alaric arrived a little early with Jenna and, for a gift, Damon got a new set of vampire killing weapons.
From his daughter, Damon knew that she had listened to him and hadn't bought him anything but he also knew that she had written a song for him.
"Hello brother." Stefan said, surprising him from behind.
"Stefan, nice to know that you made it." Damon said happily.
"Happy birthday. Here." Klaus told Damon, handing him a very old bottle of fancy Bourbon.
"Thank you. What about you brother? Don't you have a gift for your older brother?" Damon joked, turning to Stefan.
"My presence alone is your greatest gift brother!" Stefan said with a joyful smile.
"You see daddy, they aren't even late!" Rachel said, joining them.
"Yes, I see that." Damon smiled.
"Thanks again for the flowers Klaus, they were great." Rachel told the hybrid.
"What flowers?" Stefan asked, confused.
"You're most welcome." Klaus smiled, wondering if he didn't do a mistake by coming. He couldn't help himself, this girl was too intriguing.
"So, what is keeping you two so busy?" Damon asked as Rachel went to greet somebody.
"We're trying to locate werewolves bloodline to turn into hybrids… Not an easy thing to do. Most of them are either extinct or hiding" Klaus replied.
"You know we have some right here, right?" Damon asked.
"Yes of course. We came across Mason Lockwood a few weeks ago. He pointed us in the right direction." Stefan said.
"Did you change him?" Damon asked.
"No, he said he might be up for it later but not at the present time." Klaus replied.
They talked for a while longer until Rachel came up on the small stage area she had sat up and grabbed the mic.
"Thank you all for coming. We're all here to wish my father a Happy birthday. Daddy, you did a lot for me and I know you radically changed your life when I came. You're the reason I am here today and I want you to know that I'm really grateful for it. I wanted to find the best way possible to let you know this and I figured writing you a song would be the best thing to do. It's called "You're the reason why" (By Victoria Justice in Real life). I love you daddy. Always. Never forget it." Rachel said, moving everyone before the band she had hired started playing behind her.
I don't want to make a scene
I don't want to let you down
Try to do my own thing
And I'm starting to figure it out
That it's alright
Keep it together wherever we go
And it's alright, oh well, whatever
Everybody needs to know
"I can't believe she wrote you a song… That's so original!" Liz told Damon who couldn't do anything but nod.
He had his eyes on his daughter and he felt he was about to cry with the emotion. For once, he didn't care. He had the best daughter ever.
You might be crazy
Have I told you lately that I love you?
You're the only reason that I'm not afraid to fly
And it's crazy that someone could change me
Now no matter what it is I have to do, I'm not afraid to try
And you need to know that you're the reason why
Rachel looked her father in the eyes as she sang and danced on stage. Slowly, she made her way toward him. He had done so much for her that she wanted him to be in the centre of all attentions tonight.
I don't even care when they say
You're a little bit off
Look me in the eye, I say
I could never get enough
'Cause it's alright
Keep it together wherever we go
And it's alright, oh well, whatever
Everybody needs to know
"She's got it right… You are a little crazy." Lexi told him as she came to stand by his side with her cup of champagne.
"It's nice to see you Lexi." Damon greeted her.
"I couldn't pass on free booze and on an occasion to see Stefan and Caroline now, could I." she replied.
You might be crazy
Have I told you lately that I love you?
You're the only reason that I'm not afraid to fly
And it's crazy that someone could change me
Now no matter what it is I have to do, I'm not afraid to try
And you need to know that you're the reason why
Klaus was mesmerized by the talented Salvatore and he couldn't look away from her. Was it wrong of him to hope that some day she would sing for him?
If it was raining, you would yell at the sun
Rachel remembered that her father and her had done that once, when she was a little girl and by the nostalgic smile on his face, he remembered too.
Pick up the pieces when the damage is done
You say it's just another day in the shade
But look at what a mess we made
"Why are you filming it?" Jeremy asked Caroline.
"Rachel asked me to. She wants for her father to have something concrete for his birthday so he'll have a video of the night. I'm only filming this song because the guy she hired needed to use the bathroom." Caroline explained quickly.
You might be crazy
Have I told you lately that I love you?
You're the only reason that I'm not afraid to fly
And it's crazy that someone could change me
Now no matter what it is I have to do, I'm not afraid to try
And you need to know that you're the reason why
Rachel was now right in front of her father and he wasn't doing anything to hide his emotion tears. He was happy and proud of his daughter. For a second, he got mad at Shelby for trying to kill such a great daughter but he caught himself and went back to concentrating on all the good feelings his princess made him feel. In this instant, he remembered all his past birthdays…
His first birthday with her, spent just the two of them and Zack. He lined up in his head all the cute little gift she had made him herself when she was a kid… All gifts he kept preciously in the safe that was in his bedroom. This song, the memory of his daughter singing this just for him, was going right into the safe of his memory.
You might be crazy
Have I told you lately that I love you?
You're the only reason that I'm not afraid to fly
And it's crazy that someone could change me
Now no matter what it is I have to do, I'm not afraid to try
And you need to know that you're the reason why
When Rachel finished her song, Damon went on stage to hug her close to him while everyone clapped loudly, cheering and asking for more.
"I know you guys want more… There a song daddy and I like to sing to have fun… Well, a couple of songs really… We're going to sing one of them for you now." Rachel announced before she turned to the band and asked them to play "Juke Box Hero". She knew that she didn't need to ask her father's opinion. He wouldn't be able to resist her and he was too happy to refuse her anything.
The music started and as soon as it did, people recognised the song and started cheering loudly.
Damon was the first one to sing. He was facing his daughter on stage and they were both going to have fun with this.
Damon: Standing in the rain, with his head hung low
Rachel: Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show
Damon: Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene
Rachel: Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream
Damon: He heard one guitar, just blew him away
Rachel: He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day
"Those two are just great together…" Jenna whispered.
"I know right? They're rocking this thing." Alaric replied, enjoying the performence.
Damon: Bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store
Rachel: Didn't know how to play it, but he knew for sure
Damon: That one guitar, felt good in his hands
Rachel: Didn't take long, to understand
Damon: Just one guitar, slung way down low
Rachel: Was one way ticket, only one way to go
"This girl is amazing…" Klaus said, still looking at Rachel as he downed the glass Stefan handed him.
"I know... Why are you so interested in her?" Stefan asked him.
"I wish I knew…I wish I knew…" He replied simply.
Together: So he started rockin' Ain't never gonna stop
Gotta keep on rockin' Someday he's gonna make it to the top
And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero
He took one guitar, juke box hero, stars in his eyes
Juke box hero, he'll come alive tonight
"I'll never understand how one girl who's so good at singing classic musical songs can also be so good at singing songs like this." Carole told Liz.
"She's just talented." Liz replied.
"One day that girl is going to get famous and bring great publicity for our town." Carole added with a satisfied smile on her face.
Damon: In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour
Rachel: Thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door
Damon: Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain
Rachel: And that one guitar made his whole life change
Damon: Now he needs to keep rockin'
Rachel: He just can't stop
Damon: Gotta keep on rockin'
Rachel: That boy has got to stay on top
"Man, I've got to get her back… She can't just end up with anybody… She's star material…" Tyler said.
"You should let it go and just stay her friend Tyler. She's just not the one for you." Matt said, clapping him on the back.
"But she's so hot…" Tyler protested.
"I think you've got to start thinking with your head instead of your dick man." Matt said before he walked off to Caroline who had given the camera back to the guy that had been hired for it and was now drinking some soda.
Together: And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
Yeah, juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
With that one guitar he'll come alive
Come alive tonight
Yeah, he's gotta keep rockin'
He just can't stop
Gotta keep on rockin'
That boy has got to stay on top
And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes
Just one guitar, put stars in his eyes
He's just a juke box hero, aah aah aah
Juke box hero, juke box hero, he's got stars in his eyes
Stars in his eyes
When they stopped, everyone clapped again and asked for more. This time Damon was the one who spoke.
"Thank you, I'm always great when I sing with my princess. I believe there is one more song we do sometimes just for fun that you'd enjoy. This one is from a musical." Damon said before he mentioned for the band to play "Anything you can do I can do better" from Annie get your Gun.
When the music started, Rachel squealed happily and went back to her mic, ready to sing it with her father. She always enjoyed singing with him and this was no different.
Rachel: Anything you can do I can do better I can do anything better than you
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can, yes, I can
"Oh I remember Zack telling me they both loved this one. They used to sing it when Rachel was a kid. Zack said it was funny to watch them." Liz told Alaric.
"Damon really enjoys it a lot." Alaric replied.
Damon: Anything you can be I can be greater Sooner or later I'm greater than you
Rachel: No, you're not
Damon: Yes, I am
Rachel: No, you're not
Damon: Yes, I am
Rachel: No, you're not
Damon: Yes, I am, yes I am
"They look like a couple of kids arguing." Stefan chuckled.
"Damon is so hot right now…" Lexi replied, getting a look from Stefan. She told him:
"Don't look at me like this. I'm just a girl and Damon has been known to make me horny." Stefan chuckled and shook his head, trying to ignore this.
"He doesn't date right now… He's waiting until Rachel has her own life. He wants to concentrate on her for now." He informed her.
"It's okay, I can wait." She replied with a smile.
Damon: I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge
Rachel: I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow
Damon: I can live on bread and cheese
Rachel: And only on that?
Damon: Yes
Rachel: So can a rat
Damon: Any note you can reach I can go higher
Rachel: I can sing anything higher than you
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
"Hey, you're Klaus right?" Tyler asked the Original Hybrid.
"Yes. What can I do for you mister Lockwood?" Klaus asked politely.
"This hybrid thing… Is it true? Can you do it?"
"Yes. Well, I haven't made one yet but… I can. Why?"
"I think it might be something I'd like… But I want to make sure I won't just die. I want you to change someone else successfully first." Tyler told him.
"Just like your Uncle then… Okay, I'll be back in town later and we'll get on it." Klaus replied.
"Thank you." Tyler said before he walked off.
Damon: Anything you can say I can say softer
Rachel: I can say anything softer than you
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can, yes, I can
As Stefan watched his brother and Rachel, he was trying to figure out what the best moment would be to go and see Elena. He figured it would be better for him to wait a while longer.
Damon: I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker
Rachel: I can do it quicker and get even sicker
Damon: I can open any safe
Rachel: Without being caught?
Damon: *scoff* too bad
Rachel: That's what I thought (you crook)
Damon: Any note you can hold I can hold longer
Rachel: I can hold any note longer than you
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can, yes, I can
"How does she do that? How can she hold it that long!" Bonnie exclaimed at her grandmother.
"I don't know… But even if she wasn't so extraordinary just by her linage, she would be exceptional, just because of her voice." Sheila replied simply.
Damon: yes, you can Anything you can say I can say faster
Rachel: I can say anything faster than you
Damon: Noyoucan't
Rachel: YesIcan
Damon: Noyoucan't
Rachel: YesIcan
Damon: I can jump a hurdle
Rachel: I can wear a girdle
Damon: I can knit a sweater
Rachel: I can fill it better
"Well, she's got it right." Tyler joked.
"Oh, I don't know…Damon has the guns to fill a sweater too… It does make him kind of sexy…" Caroline said before she saw Matt's face and quickly added "That's what I heard from Lexi anyway."
Damon: I can do most anything
Rachel: Can you bake a pie?
Damon: No
Rachel: Neither can I
Damon: Anything you can sing I can sing sweeter
Rachel: I can sing anything sweeter than you
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
Damon: No, you can't, can't, can't
Rachel: Yes, I can, can, can, can
Damon: No, you can't
Rachel: Yes, I can
As both father and daughter hugged and bowed theatrically to the guests, everybody clapped and cheered.
"Happy birthday daddy." Rachel said.
"Thank you sweetheart. You're the best daughter ever." Damon replied in her ear.
This is only part 1 of the party. Another long chapter is coming later.
What did you think of this one?
Please don't forget to review.
Lorelei Candice Black