"We don't have to do this, not if you don't want to...," Damon reminds her when he stops the car in his parent's driveway.

"And you'd simply back out and leave?" Elena chuckles, but he doesn't look like he's kidding.

"Exactly," he tells her, waiting for her command.

He's serious...

"No, that's unnecessary. Look, I won't pretend this will be the highlight of my week but it isn't yours either. They're your family. We'll manage."

Elena gives him a sweet smile considering for a second where his uncertainty went. Right here, he's his old confident self, making her feel like she shouldn't worry about anything, he will fix it all.

"Okay," he smiles and gets out of the car, he's waiting to hold the door for her before she reaches for the handle.

"Damon!" Lily opens the door and gives them both a hug. "Elena..."

Giuseppe's right behind her and they both seem they're happy to see them. Well, at least Damon. It's not that she doesn't like his family, she just... never seems to fit in.

"I'm glad you could make it. You too, Elena. You look... good." Lily's trying, she can see that. Giuseppe's giving her space, he'd said what he needed to before.

"Thanks..., you too. It's been some time," Elena replies, trying to disguise her unease. How the hell is she supposed to have small talk with that big elephant in the room?


The meal is going well. They have Mississippi pot roast, it's Elena's favorite out of Lily's culinary repertoire. She raises her eyes to tell Damon's mom how good it is and her breath hitches as she catches Lily's look across the table.

She knew.

She knew this recipe was Elena's favorite and she made it for her. Unable to get the flood of emotions under control she looks aside but immediately her eyes go back to her mother-in-law to give her an appreciative smile.

This exchange doesn't escape Damon's attention who reaches for his mom's hand to squeeze.

They've been married for years but only now his family chooses to act in a welcoming manner.

While Giuseppe's giving her space, she notices his short looks as if making sure she's okay and doesn't need anything. Rebekah feels better, she's chatty, cute, and hungry, perhaps she's turned the corner and will now be able to enjoy awaiting her baby.

These are the positives.

Stefan plays the role of an attentive host, which isn't even his place so it comes across as a tentative ceasefire. The same can't be said about Katherine, she's conspicuously quiet not talking to anyone except her son. Poor Elijah, he alone faces the consequences of her bad mood, being lectured to all the time.

As they finish eating everyone's aware the conversation should start flowing but it's slow. She gets up to help Lily do the dishes and Damon pitches in.

When they're back with a coffee and Lily's delicious mango cake, Rebekah ostentatiously holds her nose and runs outside. Elena follows behind her. She sits by the pool, her head lying on her knees.

"Not friendly with desserts?" Elena sits next to her, laying her palm comfortably between her shoulder blades.

"Oh no," Bekah whines, "but the coffee..."

"That's what I thought," Elena smiles. "Look, I saved you the most delicious piece."

Rebekah raises her head and moans at the sight. "Thanks! I'd hate to miss this."

Elena watches her eat, her sister-in-law reminds her of her brother, Kol, who is a hedonist, just like Bekah is.

"Elena," she stops eating and puts the plate on the table next to her. "I'm so sorry about the house, I... I know it sounds impossible but I didn't know about it. We had just married and Damon disappeared, it seemed natural that he wouldn't be needing the house anymore and that you probably didn't want to. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had wanted your marriage over and by extension, you wouldn't want to stay in the house you shared with him. I should have asked you..."

Elena's caught off guard, she never wanted to dwell on the past, including the house. If Damon wasn't there, she didn't want to be there either. "Look, Rebekah, it has nothing to do with you. Despite the way Katherine made it sound, the place was indeed too big for me alone and I didn't want to be there. Not without Damon. It was originally his house anyway."

"Yeah? But now I have found out that we didn't give you any financial compensation and it's just.. wrong. How can I keep our happy memories and make new ones when we don't even have the right to be there?" She looks upset and Elena reaches for her once again.

"This is a messed up situation but it isn't your mess. Don't worry, we'll work through it somehow. I'm not even sure I'd want to move back...," Elena adds more for herself, embracing Rebekah tightly.

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing...


By the time they go back inside to join the rest, they can hear the conversation heating up. Elena joins Damon, sitting supportively next to him, Rebekah stands next to Giuseppe with arms akimbo, Elena guesses it's to maintain impartiality, which is telling itself.

Thank goodness for small miracles or Lily's common sense that she took Elijah away so he doesn't have to hear this.

"No matter how it happened, you still have to pay Damon and Elena for the house. Or, move away so they can return," Giuseppe's voice is calm and Elena would like to know what he thinks.

"It had been Damon's house in the first place," Katherine points out, although she's still trying to stay put. Sort of.

"Katherine...," Damon starts warningly but Giuseppe stops him with a look.

"That's not the point," he ignores Katherine's offensive snort, "When Elena married your brother, she became part of the family. And you heard it yourself that Damon gave the house to Elena when he left."

Elena shares a look with her husband, she'd prefer not to be part of this discussion, but that's not an option. "Okay," she lets herself be heard. "I did agree Stefan and Rebekah should move in. I didn't want to be there anyway and I didn't want to sell it."

She can feel Damon tense and she squeezes his arm. "I still considered it Damon's house and it made sense that it'd go to his family. I didn't ask for compensation," she turns to Damon to reassure him no one pressured her. Well, not literally.

"Okay, but now Damon's back, you're back together and the house is yours. So the question is how long will you give us to move out?" Rebekah impatiently speaks up.

Both Stefan and Katherine look at her in disbelief. "You can't be serious Rebekah?" Katherine's outraged. "It must be the hormones talking, I know all about that."

Elena notices that Stefan's conspicuously quiet. She has an inappropriate impulse to laugh.

"No, I'm perfectly okay. But what you two did..." Giuseppe shakes his head.

"We didn't do a thing," Katherine's quick to defend herself. "And they aren't even together, Elena has her own house, and they..."

"Okay," Damon interrupts. "'They are right here, they don't need you to speak for them. This doesn't even concern you, sister. You don't get to judge the state of our marriage when your own is a mess. I told you before that I'm not interested in your opinions, not in the slightest."

"Damon, please...," Giuseppe once again tries to manage his family. "Katherine, you promised you'd be on your best behavior, I expect you to keep your word."

"Dad, why aren't you defending your own?"

"Enough!" Elena's not-so-loud spoken word makes everyone turn their heads to her. "Katherine, whether we're together or not is irrelevant because we're still married and you don't get to treat me like a stranger although God knows you've never given me credit for being more. If you don't have anything else for me than insults, just shut up. Not helping."

She takes a deep breath and turns to Rebekah and Stefan. "You two, keep the house if Damon doesn't want it back. We were happy there once but going back won't do any good. If you're determined to offer some compensation, settle it with Damon."

Rebekah once again almost bursts into tears and turns her weepy eyes to Damon. "Really?"

"Ehmm, yes of course." Damon looks at his wife, seeking confirmation. He's a little confused by the turns of events but he's willing to completely leave it in her hands. He can see Katherine would like to continue with her tirade but doesn't dare.

Rebekah's happy about the decision, he guesses her pregnancy hormones might have to do something with it after all. Stefan... well, he's Stefan.

"I don't want to ruin you, brother, we can arrange something...," Damon offers.

"Don't worry, brother, I don't want to get you into financial difficulties, I doubt your mailman salary keeps you secure," Stefan blurts out bombastically.

Damon's jaw clenches and Elena's tempted to get up and kick his pompous ass, however...

"Stefan Salvatore, I love you but sometimes you can be a first-class moron," Rebekah hits the middle of his back with a well-aimed bash.

God bless Rebekah.


"I'm sorry I exposed you to this..." Damon looks unhappy but Elena's not going to allow him to use it as a reason for punishing himself. He drove her home and they were about to say goodbye in front of her house.

"What are you talking about? It was the most civil conversation we've had with your family since... I don't even know," she responds, drawing at least a small smile from him.

"You know what I mean. You were perfect, though."

"But?" Elena's sure there's one to follow.

"Do you hate our house so much? You wouldn't want to go back? Why make my brother pay for it? I couldn't care less?"

Ooohh…

She comes closer and puts her palm on his cheek, turning it slightly to meet her eyes. "Damon..., the good memories are still there. But I'd rather we start anew. In a house that will be ours from the beginning. One that we choose together... Well, it won't be for free so I think it helps if we sell the house. It will always be our first, but next time, we'll do better."

Damon's leaving in a daze.

How is it possible that this woman can turn his world upside down and still make him feel like he's in heaven?


Elena pours Kol a cup of coffee and sits down opposite him at her kitchen table. Since he was privy to her gauntlet run against the Salvatore clan, he stopped by to check on her.

"So... did it feel like you were about to enter the coliseum to face the lions?" Kol chuckles, taking a swallow.

"It wasn't what I hoped for but it wasn't as treacherous as I was anticipating either," Elena replies, the pad of her index finger tapping her coffee cup. Luckily, Kol has his own experiences with the Salvatore clan, she doesn't have to explain the complicated dynamics involving Damon's family.

"And Damon?" he looks at her pointedly.

"Damon is my Lancelot, Kol," she answers without hesitation.

"I wish I had met you first, Elena..."

"Kol, you're one of my best friends. I love you in that way. Would we be together if there was no Damon? I honestly don't know."

"I know, always the bridesmaid, never the bride," he waxes sentimentally.

"You'll find someone, I'm certain of it," she reaches across the table to squeeze his hand.

In his usual manner, he grins. "I hope you're right. Before I go, how is Damon?"

"I trust him and I can see how hard he's working to stay sober but he's very tight-lipped about his AA meetings. There's something about them that troubles him, I wish he'd confide in me."

"Give him time, he's probably still trying to get his land legs so to speak," Kol stands and puts his cup in the sink.

"That's very true," Elena does the same and walks him outside.

"Wish me luck, I'm on my way to see Katherine and Elijah."

"Wish me luck, I... have somewhere important to be."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed." She's a little confused, but it's Kol, whatever he means, he won't tell her now.

"You do that," Kol jumps in his car and drives away.


"So, she told your family to back off and get their shit together. I like her," Enzo laughs, watching Damon's form as he lifts weights with the snatch, clean, and jerk method. "You should..." He falls silent, never finishing the sentence.

Damon stops to add a few pounds to the bar, then lays down on the bench and raises them above his head, counting to five. When he finishes, he sets it securely in its brackets then sits up, grabs a towel, and wipes the sweat from his forehead. He blows out a big puff of air and turns to look at his friend.

"Enzo?"

"Yeah, nothing," he flashes him a grin, "I was going to say you should marry her but you've already done that."

"You know, actually... that's not a bad idea."

Not at all.

If he ever gets his shit together, he will ask her to marry him again.

"Wanna get a burger?" he adds aloud.

"Not today," Enzo shakes his head but it's clear there are no regrets on his side. "Have a hot date," he winks before heading back to his office to get changed.


Hearing the doorbell, Katherine sets down her magazine and gets up to see who's there. Opening it, she tilts her head when she sees her brother-in-law with that shit-eating grin that's both annoying and endearing.

"Kol, what a wonderful surprise," she remarks with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"I came for two reasons. One, to see Elijah, and two, to have a few words with you. Now are you going to let me in?"

She spreads her arm and gestures for him to come inside. His eyes twinkle and he takes her in his arms and dances with her across the floor and into the living room.

"What's gotten into you?" she separates herself from him and walks to the bar to pour herself a swallow of cognac. After throwing it back, she eyes Kol suspiciously, "Do you want a drink?"

"No, I'm driving," he plops down on her snow-white couch, picks up one of her throw pillows, and sets him on his lap.

Shaking her head, she puts the stopper back on the decanter then sits down, crosses her arms, and meets his stare. "So what is it that you want?"

"What I want is for you and Nik to end this stalemate and fix your marriage. He loves you, and you love him but you're both as stubborn as the day is long. You need to show him a little respect and he needs to do the same."

"Sometimes love isn't enough, Kol."

"Don't give me that old adage. Look at Damon and Elena. They've been through a lot more than you and my brother, they're at least trying to save their marriage," he looks at her pointedly.

"Because my brother's an idiot," she retorts, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Why do you dislike Elena? I mean, what has she ever done to you?"

"Ok fine, I don't hate Elena, I guess..." she drops her eyes as she digs her nails into her throw pillow. "If you say anything to her, I'll slaughter you, do you hear me?"

"My lips are sealed," he considers the stiff set of her shoulders and the stressed look on her face.

"If you must know, I'm jealous. She's sure of herself and doesn't let anyone push her around. Sometimes I wish I was more like her."

"Katherine, what are you unsure of? You're the most self-confident person I've ever met, well aside from Elena."

"See... I don't know, sometimes don't think I'm enough for Nik. Elena has a career, her class loves her, and everyone loves her."

Kol gets up and sits beside her on the couch. Taking her hand, he squeezes it. "Katherine Mikaelson, you're not too old to choose a career. You're only in your 30's, there's lots of things you could do."

She drops her eyes to their joined hands. "I like to make and decorate cupcakes. I know it sounds silly but I would love to have a little shop. Elijah could help me out."

"Do it then. Talk to Nik, I'm sure he'd back you up 100%. And I can vouch for your excellent cupcake skills," Kol laughs, winking at her.

"He's supposed to come over tomorrow to see Elijah."

"Pull him aside and talk to him then. He loves you, Katherine, he doesn't want a divorce, he just doesn't want to fight anymore."

Before Katherine can reply, Elijah stumbles into the room and to his mom. "I don't feel good. Hi Uncle Kol."

"Hey buddy, you don't look so good," Kol shares a look with his sister-in-law.

Elijah's face is beet red and his skin glistens in a way that has Katherine worried. Palming his forehead, she can feel how feverish he is. "Do you feel worse than this morning?" She looks at her husband's brother, "He didn't eat breakfast, said his belly hurt." She stands up so her boy can lie on the couch. "Kol, the thermometer's in the bathroom cupboard, would you bring it and a cool washcloth?"

"Of course," he hurries away, returning momentarily. While Katherine checks his temperature, Kol lays the washcloth across his forehead.

"100.8. Do you hurt anywhere sweetheart?"

"My belly, it started here," he points to his belly button, "and now it hurts more on my side... I'm going to be sick, he starts to retch and Kol quickly grabs a wastebasket so he won't vomit on Katherine's expensive couch. When he finishes, she takes the washcloth and wipes his face and mouth.

"Katherine, we should take him to the ER, I know I'm not a doctor, but I had to have my appendix out. His symptoms are identical to mine."

She nods and runs upstairs to grab her purse and a blanket for her son. Kol picks him up and carries him outside, Katherine opens the backdoor for her brother-in-law and slides in beside Elijah. Kol jumps behind the wheel and drives as fast as he can to the hospital.


"Katherine," Nik opens his arms, to embrace his scared wife. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here, I dropped everything and came as soon as Kol called."

"I know Nik, I'm just scared," she clutches his shirt with fisted hands.

"Why aren't you with him? Where's his room?"

"He's in surgery, appendicitis. If all goes well, he'll be able to go home tomorrow."

"Thank goodness," he leads Katherine to a chair in the surgical waiting room. He catches a look from his younger brother and whispers "Thank you."

Kol stands up and approaches them. "Do you want me to get some coffee, maybe call Giuseppe and Lily?"

"No, don't worry them or anyone else. We'll call when he's out of surgery, is that okay, Katie?"

"I think that's a wise idea," she agrees adding, "You haven't called me that in ages," as an afterthought.

"You haven't been my Katie for a while. I hope she's finding her way back."

"I want her to be... This isn't the time or place to talk about it. We'll do it when all this is over, okay?"

"I'd like that," he wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her against him.

"I'll go get that coffee," Kol points his thumb behind him and then walks away, pausing at the entrance, happy to see that his family is beginning to mend fences.

Before going to the cafeteria, he decides to give them a few more minutes and steps outside. It's almost dark and the fresh air blows away the stress of the day. He hopes Elijah will be alright soon. It dawns on him that Elena has no idea what's happening.

They didn't mean he couldn't call Elena, did they? Nonsense. He chuckles and pushes Elena's icon on his phone.


"I was wondering if you would be at the gym at this hour, still..."

"Still?" Damon holds his breath, devouring every word she shares.

"I wanted to hear your voice."

Elena followed Damon's example and let her feelings lead her. After dinner, she felt reckless and nostalgic but realized only moments later that there was an effective step to make it all better. Give him a call.

Damon's heart starts beating louder. How much he'd like to have her here and show her that he feels the same. She's too far away though and they can't do this over the phone. Sadly, he must break the moment.

"I planned to stay at the gym to have a chat with Enzo, we got into the habit of visiting a small restaurant once in a while, but he turned me down that he has a date. Imagine that..."

"Yeah," Elena understands the need to sail into the safe waters for now. "You know it's sort of interesting, that Bonnie has a date today too..."

"You think...?" Damon's astonished. "Are you saying that...?"

"I don't know... Hold on, Damon, someone's on the phone, quite determined to catch me."

She can see it's Kol calling, it's the second time, so it seems rather urgent, and switches the calls. "Hey, where's the fire?" Once she's done listening to what he has to say, she quickly switches back to Damon.

"That was Kol, Elijah's been taken to the hospital. They think it's appendicitis. I'll meet you there?"

"No, I'll run by and pick you up, be there soon." He ends the call before she can agree but it doesn't matter now.

She needs to get ready.


Thank you, everyone. So much.

Chapter title: Because of You by Kelly Clarkson.

Bob's by Oiselet is very good. I'm sure she'd love to hear from some of you. And my dear friend, Florencia7 writes the most magical DE. Tomorrow is Morvamp's birthday. She's also written some epic DE stories.

Have a great day!