Merry Christmas Eva and everyone. I hope it's wonderful for all of you.
"Dad is grumbling some words I never heard before!"
Elena looks up from the sugar cookie dough she's rolling out on the counter and glances at her son, Finn as he enters the kitchen.
The Christmas spirit has arrived at the Salvatore home and after rigorously searching for the perfect Christmas tree, the kids are chomping at the bit to decorate it. But Daddy needs to string the lights first.
Remembering how long it always seemed to take her dad to put on the lights when she was a kid, Elena has ushered their three children into the kitchen to bake and decorate Christmas cookies while they wait for Damon.
Finn, being a very impatient eight-year-old keeps wandering into the family room to check on his dad's progress.
Elena rolls her eyes at her son and asks, "What happened with the lights now?"
"The top of the tree is blinking and parts of it aren't," Finn mumbles, setting himself on one of the kitchen barstools next to his sisters.
"Did he try unplugging and plugging it back in? Or if some of the lights might be burned out?" Elena asks hopefully.
"Both," Finn tells her, sticking his finger into the bowl of green icing and licking it off.
"Here." Elena passes him a reindeer-shaped sugar cookie. "Decorate a cookie, it might take Daddy a while to get them all lit," she smiles at him.
The little boy rolls his eyes and reaches for a cone of icing to work on his cookie. Surveying the countertop covered in sugar cookies, bowls of colored frosting, bags of candies, nonpareils, Christmas confetti sprinkles, jimmies, and shakers of colored sugar, Finn imparts, "I want to do a Santa next."
"She hasn't baked the Santas yet," three-year-old Lily informs her older brother. "We have stars, Christmas trees, snowflakes, and angels."
"The next batch will be Santas, bells, and candy canes," Elena adds, gingerly picking up the candy cane mold. "Do you want to help me cut out the shapes or do you want to decorate?"
Finn's eyes bounce back and forth as he weighs his choices. "Decorate."
He reaches across his six-year-old sister Raven, for a shaker of red sugar causing Lily to protest, "I'm using that one."
"Why are you putting red sugar on that cookie?" Raven asks, looking over at the cookie her little sister is decorating while Finn reaches for the purple sugar instead.
"Red is my favorite color," Lily replies, shaking even more onto her creation.
"It's a Christmas tree cookie," Raven points out haughtily. "You're supposed to put green on the Christmas trees. The red is for the Santas, the candy canes, and the stockings."
"Christmas trees can be red," Lily counters, adding some multicolored nonpareils to her cookie.
"Trees are green," Raven mumbles, shaking light blue sugar on top of the white icing of her snowflake cookie. "Look at the one in the family room. Christmas trees are green!"
Lily is about to protest when Elena steps in and gives Raven a look. "Christmas trees can be whatever color you want them to be."
Instead of protesting or insisting she's right, Raven surprises her mom with her silence and goes back to decorating her snowflake.
As Bing Crosby croons about having a white Christmas in the background, Elena tips her head and smiles at the perfect picture before her. Lined up in a row, Finn, Raven, and Lily are happily decorating holiday cookies as they wait patiently to begin decorating their Christmas tree.
It's like an image of a Currier and Ives painting...Elena wouldn't change it for all the money in the world.
Elena can't believe this is her life. And she loves every single moment of it. As she contentedly resumes cutting out her sugar cookies, a loud clatter comes from the adjoining room. Elena runs to see what happened and bursts out in laughter to see Damon's feet sticking out with the tree on top of him.
With her flour-caked hands, she stoops down to pull the branches aside.
"Oops," Damon smirks as he slides out from under it and stands the tree back up.
"Are you okay?" Elena asks, unable to control her giggles.
"Well, since you're asking..., it hurts right here," Damon points to his elbow.
Elena smiles and kisses the spot.
"And here." His eyes twinkle as he points to his chin.
She steps forward and kisses it. "Anywhere else?"
"Here." Damon touches his lips with the pad of his finger.
The tea kettle whistles as her lips touch his. Damon's thumb is throbbing at the hollow of her neck, rubbing up and down, pulsing warmth as his tongue conquers the depths of her mouth, hungry, consuming, pulling her into the warmth of him as if he mastered the balance of gravity.
"Mommy?" Lily shouts from the kitchen.
As they pull apart, Elena sighs, "I'll let you get back to the lights," and returns to the kitchen.
Half an hour later, a triumphant, "I did it!" comes from the living room.
"He did it!" Finn and Raven both squeal, jumping off their stools and scrambling into the family room.
"Now we can decorate?" Lily gushes excitedly, abandoning her cookie and chasing after her brother and sister.
Shaking her head, Elena follows her children. Their family room is filled with the sweet aroma of cinnamon and pine. The fireplace crackles in the background, casting a warm glow.
As soon as she appears, Damon plugs in the lights. Every strand on the tree lights and basks the room in its warm multicolor light as everyone oohs and aahs.
"How did you fix them so quickly?" Elena asks, leaning up to plant a soft kiss on his lips.
"Talented and slow hands." Damon winks at her.
"That's why I married you," Elena shoots back saucily.
Finn, Raven, and Lily are already tearing into the boxes that Damon had dragged down from the attic. There must be at least a dozen boxes filling up the family room, each packed with Christmas decorations.
Opening a box to reveal perfectly wrapped ornaments of every shape, size, and color imaginable, Elena moves aside as the kids dive head-first into the treasures. She doesn't care if fourteen ornaments hanging on one branch as long as her children have fun putting them up and she can record every moment. When they're quite grown up, they'll remember these special times with smiles and happy hearts.
Elena sits back for a minute and simply watches as they unwrap various balls, snowmen, Santas, sleighs, reindeer, and all of the other brightly colored ornaments in her collection. Some are glass, some ceramic, some are wooden. She also has a Christopher Radko collector's ornament for each child and one for every Christmas she and Damon have spent together. If an ornament caught her eye as beautiful, whimsical, or fun, she bought it.
The Salvatore Christmas tree is like a patchwork quilt and she wouldn't have it any other way.
But her favorites have always been the ones made lovingly by their children in school. Angels made out of painted noodles and gold pipe cleaners. Reindeer and dolls made out of clothespins. The handprints Elena made for each when they were infants. Gingerbread men who have long ago lost their scent and picture frames holding their smiling images. They all have a special place on the tree.
Unwrapping a star made out of popsicle sticks and glitter, Elena surveys the large pine tree, looking for the perfect place to hang it. Finding one near the top, she stands on her tiptoes and wraps the silver string around the branch. Stepping back, she watches the tree lights bounce and reflect off of the glitter that Raven had carefully made last year.
Finn picks up a fire engine and asks, "Where should I put this one?"
Looking down at his eager little face, Elena smiles and points to a spot. "Right there is good."
Finn places the ornament on the tree followed by another and another. His excitement is contagious and Elena begins to remember what Christmas is supposed to feel like; the excitement, the magic, and the simple beauty of the holiday season.
Elena smiles as she hands Damon some ornaments and takes a couple herself. They join their children and start to arrange the decorations they've collected over the years. There seems to be a story with each one and they listen to the kids tell stories of what they remember about past Christmases. They laugh their way through the rest of the tree decorating.
Elena takes a step back and smiles as her eyes gaze up in awe at the grand Christmas tree that towers above her. Colored lights are wrapped around it, dancing sporadically, and the light bounces off the baubles as it shines against the waxed wooden floor.
Looking down when she feels a tug on her shoulder, Elena finds Raven standing next to her. Looking up at her mom, the little girl smiles and asks, "Is it time for me to put the angel on now?"
Damon smiles as he comes over and lifts Raven into his arms.
Taking the porcelain angel out of the box, Elena hands it to their daughter as Damon carries her to the tree.
She watches as Raven carefully places the angel on top. As she stares at the tree, Elena feels a warmth within her that she wouldn't trade for anything else in the world.
It's December 23, and the snow is falling gently outside. Inside, the Salvatore family is gathered around the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa and listening to Christmas carols. Elena had previously concealed the gifts with plain brown paper and now the children are busy wrapping them with pretty paper. They spend the entire day making sure each gift is wrapped perfectly, with ribbons, bows, and gift tags.
As they wrap, Elena talks about the importance of giving and how it's not about the gift itself, but the thought behind it. Damon and Elena stories of their favorite gifts they've received and given over the years. For Elena, it was a Madame Alexander baby doll, one she still has. The doll is sitting in a place of honor in their hutch of keepsakes.
Damon's favorite gift was a rare first edition of Jack London's Call of the Wild given to him by his father. It also shares a place of honor in the hutch. He's read the paperback version many times, not wanting to mar his precious book with finger oils or anything.
The children are inspired by their parents' stories and decide to make handmade gifts for their grandparents. Elena bought some plain glass balls. The kids fill them with tinsel and tiny colored balls and paint their names on them. They make button ornaments and fingerprint frames.
"Papa Salvatore is going to love this." Damon winks at Lily as he sets her ornament carefully on a try to let the paint dry.
The little girl nods vigorously as she reaches another one.
They spend the rest of the evening making the gifts together, laughing, and enjoying each other's company.
...He spoke not a word but went straight to his work
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle
And away they all flew like the down a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Glancing around the room at her loved ones gathered around her, Jenna smiles and closes the book as she concludes the Gilbert family Christmas Eve tradition of reading 'The Night Before Christmas' to the little ones.
"That is the best bedtime story," Elena jokes quietly, glancing down at her three-year-old little girl who is sleeping soundly in her lap. "I didn't think we'd get her to sleep tonight."
"It used to have the same effect on you," Jeremy tells her with a wink. "It's good to know some things never change."
"For as long as I can remember, it has always been the perfect way to end this evening,' Jenna contends, watching as Damon carefully lifts Lily into his arms.
As Damon goes upstairs with Lily, the rest of the family begins to gather their things to venture out into the wintry Christmas Eve night. Heavy coats, bags of gifts, and plates of leftover food are collected as they exchange kisses and "Merry Christmases" before heading out the front door, knowing that they'll be gathering again in a few hours for their annual Christmas Day feast. Damon found a twenty-five-pound turkey that takes up nearly an entire shelf in their refrigerator.
Outside the temperature has dipped to below freezing, and the wind chill makes it even colder. Snow is falling lightly from the sky. The flakes seem to glisten as they blow past the street lights and Christmas lights that decorate Mystic Falls.
The hour is late, and many of the streets are nearly empty. Standing on the porch, waving goodbye to the last of their guests, Caroline puts her arms around Elena's shoulders and remarks. "Tonight was a complete success."
"I couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you."
"That's what family is for," Caroline reminds her, then breaks into a smile as she hugs her close.
Pulling out of her sister-in-law's embrace, Elena asks, "So, how do you suggest I get two children who are full of pasta and Italian pastries to bed so that Santa can start getting things ready for morning?"
"Leave that to me," Caroline replies with a twinkle in her eye as she heads back inside and into the family room. Elena barely has time to close the front door and return to the kitchen before Finn and Raven come running into the kitchen in a flurry of excitement.
"You get the cookies," Finn tells Raven as he makes a beeline for the refrigerator. "And I'll pour the milk."
"Don't forget carrots for the reindeer," Raven reminds him, climbing up onto a stool and pulling the cookie jar toward her.
"And an apple," Finn adds, and looks up at Elena. "Mom, can you get the snowman mug out of the cupboard? I'm going to put Santa's milk in it."
Elena gives Caroline a surprised look as she reaches up for the mug and the blonde flashes her another smile. They both look on as the boy carefully pours the milk and Raven picks through the sugar cookies for her favorite ones.
"I'm going to add strawberry syrup," Finn states, putting the milk back into the fridge and reaching for the bottle. "Santa's getting plain milk at a lot of houses tonight."
"What about hot chocolate?" Raven asks, putting her cookies on a plate. Looking up at Elena, she continues, "Do we still have some of that peppermint kind you made for breakfast this morning?"
"It'll be cold by the time Santa gets here," Finn reminds his sister, stirring the strawberry syrup into the mug of milk.
"We can put it in a thermos," Raven persists. "I think we have one..."
"Strawberry milk will be fine," Elena interrupts. "Santa will love it."
Raven shrugs as she hops off the stool and reaches for her plate of cookies.
As she follows Finn into the family room, Elena turns to Caroline. "How did you do that?"
The blonde shrugs. "I promised them five dollars each if they let me tuck them in before I leave..."
"Caroline!" Elena protests with a laugh. "You can't buy them off."
"Well, that didn't stop you, did it?" Caroline shoots back gesturing to the myriad of wrapped gifts in pretty paper already under the Christmas tree. This is before Elena and Damon pull the Santa gifts from their hiding place in the garage.
Caroline grins as Elena purses her lips in defeat and wisely stays silent.
Exchanging goodnight hugs and kisses with her children, she watches as Caroline chases them up the stairs and out of sight before sneaking out into the garage for the stash of gifts.
"You should wait until they're asleep to do that."
Elena turns around to smile at Stefan, who has joined her in the garage. "I guess I'm just as excited as they are," she admits.
"Well, take it from me," Stefan says, stepping closer to help her with a box, "and don't start putting anything together until they are sound asleep. Did you put a deadbolt outside of their doors?" he chuckles.
Elena giggles as she shakes her head. "I forgot about the deadbolts while we were decorating the house."
"Well, do you need me to stand guard at the top of the stairs then?"
Elena smiles. "Thanks, Stefan, but Damon and I have this under control."
Stefan resists the urge to protest as he helps Elena carry all of the gifts from the garage to the family room. As they finish, Caroline comes downstairs and announces that Raven has wrangled Damon into reading 'The Little Christmas Tree', and probably won't be down for a while.
After reassuring Caroline and Stefan that they don't need any more help to put together the remaining toys, they gather up their things, say goodnight to Elena, and head home.
The moon reflecting off of the fresh carpet of snow outside casts a glorious brilliance throughout the neighborhood as Elena waves goodbye before returning to the family room and bounces onto the sofa, sighing with relief. She closes her eyes in exhaustion, pondering the month of shopping, weeks of decorating and wrapping, and days of baking.
Opening her eyes, she looks at the Christmas tree, Elena mentally sifts through the pile of exquisitely wrapped gifts in the pretty paper of Disney, foils, ribbons, and bows. She takes one last count to make sure she hasn't forgotten to wrap a tucked-away purchase.
Satisfied that all the gifts are on the floor in front of her, Elena takes a moment to admire her decorating skills. The tree is adorned in her collection of Christopher Radko ornaments and others that carry so much meaning to her and Damon. Twinkling lights dance on its bows, tinsel, and glass icicles.
The porcelain angel poised atop the tree reaches out her arms as if encompassing the season's splendor and the garland draped over the fireplace, reflecting the glittering lights, seems to resemble that star-studded night so long ago.
Elena chuckles despite herself, recalling the battles that she and Jenna and Caroline had fought at the toy store the day after Thanksgiving for those certain treasures sure to elicit squeals of delight from the kids. Damon had wisely bowed out of the shopping trip, but she returned home in triumph...as the most coveted toys topping their children's Christmas lists are now hidden deep within the pile of presents under the tree.
She promises herself that before next Christmas, she'll find a better hiding place for Santa's presents, just in case the little ones become overly curious.
"What's so funny?"
Elena looks up as Damon flops down on the couch beside her in a heap and grins over at her. "I was thinking about how lucky we are," she explains.
Putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close, Damon asks, "You know what? I was just thinking the same thing." He leans down to rest his chin on top of her head as he continues, "We've got three amazing kids, thriving careers, family, and friends who fill our house with love and laughter."
Elena surveys the floor as Damon absently plays with her hair and sighs as she comments, "Well, I guess we should get started. Are you sure they're asleep?"
"Raven was out before the end of the story and Caroline tucked Finn into his bed so tight that I don't think he'll be able to wriggle out anytime soon. In fact, we may have to rescue him in the morning."
Elena smiles and slides to the floor to begin to pick through the bags of unwrapped presents until she finds the gift tags marked 'From Santa'.
"Getting Liz to write those tags was a stroke of genius," Damon commends her as he sits down beside her. "Finn and Raven are smart enough to recognize our handwriting." Glancing around, he asks, "Okay, so what needs to be assembled?"
"Finn's scooter, Raven's tablet needs settings, and Lily's doll house," Elena informs him, pulling apart the boxes.
Damon shakes his head as he takes out the pieces for the scooter while Elena tackles the doll house.
"I think Lily will love this," she remarks as she begins snapping pieces together.
"Of course, she will," he pauses a moment before asking, "What about the dolls?f"
Elena nods and gestures to another bag filled with a couple of doll boxes.
As Damon pulls the dolls out, he frowns. "Which doll goes to which girl?"
"The Barbie is for Raven and the Baby Victoria is for Lily," Elena explains.
Damon studies the dolls and finally says as he hands them to her.
Elena giggles quietly at his expression.
When everything is assembled, Damon watches with an amused expression as Elena fusses with each child's pile of gifts until they're just right.
"You do know they're going to tear down here in the morning and not even realize you position their gifts that way, don't you?" he asks, raising his eyebrow at her.
"They have to have piles," Elena insists.
Damon smirks and reaches for a cookie. "I'm going to eat these."
"Make sure you drink the milk, too," Elena instructs him, smoothing out one of the doll's dresses. "We had a big discussion about the milk."
Taking a swig of the strawberry milk, Damon makes a face and says, "I'm going to put this apple and the carrots back in the refrigerator."
"No!" Elena protests, looking at him and halting his retreat. "They'll know."
"All of the apples and carrots look alike," Damon reasons with a grin. "They'll never know that these were the ones they put out for the reindeer."
"They'll know because they counted the carrots," Elena repeats. "So, start eating."
Damon shakes his head, hands Elena the apple slices, and plops down on the couch with his snack of carrots and sugar cookies. He watches Elena look around the family room which has been magically transformed into a smaller version of FAO Schwartz Toy Store. "We did good," he admits.
Elena nods in agreement. "It looks great."
As she sits down next to him on the couch, Damon hands her a cookie and says, "In fact, we did such a good job that I think we deserve a reward."
"What kind of reward?"
"Well, we had a tradition in our house about opening one gift on Christmas Eve." As he speaks, Damon stands up and moves over the Christmas tree. Squatting down, he fishes out a brightly colored box and returns to the soft. "And since, you're big on traditions...I think you should open this."
Elena smiles and leans over the arm of the sofa for the gift she has hidden behind it. "Only if you open this." She hands him one of her beautifully wrapped gifts in foil paper with green and red stripes on silver.
"You first."
Elena feels as giddy as a little girl as she tears open the wrapping on her gift and lifts the lid of a polished wooden box that's encased in colored paper. " Catching her breath when she sees what's inside, she whispers, "Damon, it's so beautiful."
As he lifts the bracelet accented by five sparkling stones out of the box and drapes it on her wrist, he explains, "I was going to get you a mother's ring but none of the designs I saw spoke to me. Same with the necklaces, not one said Elena to me."
Fastening the clasp, Damon continues, "So, I thought a bracelet was the best choice. I know June's birthstone is pearls and there may be something from Santa...but I saw these Montana sapphires..." He points to the teal blue colored gem, "and I couldn't resist. So, the sapphires are for you and me. The diamond is for Raven. The Emerald is for Finn, and the blue zircon..."
"Is for Lily," Elena finishes quietly, her eyes glued to the beautiful bracelet on her wrist.
Unable to read her expression because she can't take her eyes off his gift," Damon hesitantly asks, "Do you like it?"
Finally looking up at him, Elena smiles through her tears. "It's perfect. My husband and my children are right here on my wrist to remind me every day how lucky I am."
"Only the best for my wife," Damon says quietly as he stares at the love of his life.
"I love it," Elena whispers, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding onto him tight. "And I love you even more."
They hold onto each other for a few more minutes before Elena pulls away. "Your turn."
Damon grins as he carefully unravels the package wrappings and Elena watches him as he opens the leather-bound album embossed with the name Salvatore. As he reads the inscription inside the front cover to himself, she can see that he is fighting off his emotions, willing them not to overtake him.
Damon's face lights up as he flips through the scrapbook, looking at pictures of himself, Elena, their children as well as Giuseppe, and Stefan through the years.
"There are pictures of our romance and dating. The next section is about our marriage and our children. See there's a picture of you holding each one right after they were born." Elena points to the page.
"I remember." Damon leans over and kisses her cheek before turning more pages of his scrapbook.
"I asked your Dad if he had any photos I could have for this project and he pulled out all of these albums. He said I could have any that I wanted." Looking at him expectantly, Elena adds, "I hope you like the ones I chose."
Damon's joyful look turns to surprise as he turns a page and finds a picture of himself, Stefan, and their parents laughing together, completely unaware of the camera immortalizing the moment. It was the last photo taken of them as a family before his Mom passed away.
Looking up at her, Damon whispers. "I can't believe my Dad gave you this one."
"He said he thought you should have it," Elena tells him softly, her voice as full of emotion as his.
"This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me."
"I've been working on it all year in secret." Elena winks. "I left the back pages empty so that you can add more pictures of us and the kids, anyone, or anything else you'd like."
In response, Damon closes the album and pulls her into his arms, his gaze never leaving her beautiful face. He drops his mouth and brushes his lips against hers.
She loses herself in his kiss which is full of passion, need, and promise.
It's Elena who pulls back from the kiss, drawing a deep, ragged breath as Damon's warm hand covers her cheek. She allows her eyes to flutter shut before reaching up to tangle her slender fingers with his.
Her husband grins against her lips before he slowly allows his tongue to explore her mouth. Closing his eyes, he probes her mouth deeper, listening as she allows a small sigh to escape.
Pulling back, Damon nibbles lightly on her neck, the warmth of his touch searing her senses. She presses closer into him, feeling the heat and power of his body against hers. For a long moment, they don't speak, just breathe and reacquaint themselves with the feel and scent and nearness of each other. Twelve years and three children later... they can still take each others's breath away.
It is a perfect moment in time, created for just the two of them.
"Merry Christmas, Elena," he whispers.
"Merry Christmas, Damon."
Elena rolls over in the bed she shares with Damon, hovering somewhere between sleep and consciousness...not quite awake, but not fully immersed in slumber anymore either. She reaches for her husband but her hand lands softly on the empty pillow on his side of their bed. She opens her eyes and it takes a moment for them to adjust to the darkness.
Glancing at the clock, Elena realizes that it's only 2:45 in the morning.
Sitting up, Elena looks around their room and knows he isn't in the bathroom because there's no light peeking from beneath the door. She slowly lifts herself out of their warm and comfortable bed and slowly pads out into the hallway to find him.
She doesn't have to go far.
As Elena rounds the corner from their master bedroom, she stops and smiles when she finds him leaning against the frame of Finn's bedroom door. Wearing only his pajama bottoms and with his hair still messy from sleep, Damon looks extremely hot as he stands silently gazing into their son's room.
Damon is so engrossed in what is going on in Finn's room that he doesn't see her watching him.
Elena seizes the opportunity to marvel at the force of nature she is married to. She likes to watch him when he isn't aware of her but she especially loves to watch him watch their children.
Ten years of marriage and three children may have tamed the irrepressible Damon Salvatore but Elena still savors these little glimpses of the infuriating, arrogant man she had first met.
Elena continues to look at the man with whom she has spent over a decade of her life and cannot help but marvel at her good fortune. How many people in this world get to say they found their true soulmate? How many people get to grow up with that person, and experience the highs and lows of life, its dangers and wonders, its darkness and its light? Life has woven the two of them together in a tapestry that can no longer be unraveled, secured by the threads of their three children.
Unaware of her, he moves to Raven's door and pokes his head inside. As if he can feel Elena's eyes on him, Damon finally takes his eyes off of their sleeping daughter. He turns to her and smirks as she closes the distance between them and slips into his embrace.
Damon pulls her close and kisses the top of her head.
"I love you," she whispers into his chest, her warm breaths sending electric bursts up and down his spine. Elena presses her body against her husband's and can feel his heart drumming against her, knowing he can feel her heart doing the same.
Damon smiles down at her, cupping Elena's face and sweeping the apple of her cheek with his thumb. He puts his fingers underneath her chin and turns her face up to look at his, gently touching his soft lips to his wife's. Against Elena's mouth, he whispers back, "I love you, too."
Elena snuggles more firmly into his embrace as she turns her head to look into the darkness of Fin's room. The light illuminating his Jurassic Park night light casts a faint glow. Finn's face is peaceful and serene as he sleeps, his breath coming out in a slow, even rhythm.
Elena and Damon quietly back out of his room and pull the door closed. They have no sooner turned to go back to their room when a sleepy little voice stops them in their tracks.
"Daddy? Mommy?"
They turn around to find Lily, her hair sticking out in all directions, standing in the middle of the hallway in her Rudolph-themed Christmas nightie. She seems as if she's still half asleep and looks a little confused.
"I'll handle this," Damon says, grinning down at Elena. He places a soft kiss on her lips and whispers huskily, "Go keep my side of the bed warm and I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Promise?" Elena returns, a slow and sexy smile spreading over her lips. As sexy a man as Damn is, he is never more appealing to her than he is in daddy mode.
"Haven't you learned not to doubt me when sex is involved?" He shoots back with a smirk before turning his attention to his daughter standing in the hallway. "Hey princess, what are you doing up?"
Lily just stares at him, dazed from sleep, and gives him a questioning look. "Did Santa come?" she asks, rubbing her sleepy eyes with her fists.
Damon chuckles and squats down. "Shh...no, it's the middle of the night...go back to sleep..."
"I'm not sleepy," Lily pouts, her demeanor contradicting her words.
"It's late; you need to sleep," Damon reassures her. "I'll come wake you up when it's time to go downstairs and open presents." He scoops her up in his arms and carries her back to her room. Padding softly to her bed, he's about to lay her down when she begins to shake her head.
"Can I have a story?" she asks sweetly, her eyes pleading with him in the soft glow given off by her nightlight.
Turning around and sitting in the rocking chair near the window, Damon cradles her in his arms as he whispers, "Did I ever tell you about the night you were born?"
Lily shakes her head and snuggles in closer to Damon's chest as he gently begins to rock in the chair. The swaying motion seems to lull Lily back into drowsiness, as it always did when she was a baby. He feels her squirm in his arms, trying to get comfortable. Soon he hears her breath begin to slow in a smooth, even rhythm.
"It was in the middle of December and Mystic Falls was under a massive blizzard warning," Damon whispers. "We went out for a romantic dinner thinking we had plenty of time before the snowstorm was due to arrive. It didn't work out quite as we planned. Mommy's water broke at the same time the wind whipped up. We started driving to the hospital but there were nearly white-out conditions."
He glances down at the top of his daughter's head and chuckles as he says, "You couldn't have waited one more day!"
Lily laughs softly as Damon continues, "It was snowing so hard; I couldn't see a thing. I got us stuck in a snowbank and couldn't get Mommy to the hospital. I called for an ambulance to come for us but you were determined. Mommy and I were nervous and anxious and truly scared but mostly, we were excited to meet you."
Damon closes his eyes and listens to Lily's steady breathing. "We knew you weren't going to wait and Mommy and I were going to have to deliver you. So, there we were in the back seat of my car..."
He chuckles softly to himself and shakes his head at the memory. "We were praying for the ambulance to hurry but you weren't cooperating, Lily pad. For nearly two and a half hours we waited in the back of that car with the heater running. Good thing I had filled the gas tank... Finally, you made your appearance, and the car was filled with a wailing cry...I didn't think a baby girl could be so perfect."
Damon looks down at his little girl and realizes that Lily has fallen back to sleep. Carefully, he kisses her head as he stands from the rocking chair and walks back to bed, laying her down as gently as he can.
Having heard the entire exchange, Elena is waiting outside the room when Damon comes out. "Is she asleep?"
He nods and takes Elena's hand as he heads toward their bedroom. But Elena has another idea in mind, She pushes her husband against the wall, her weight on him and her eyes dancing with mischief. Elena's hot breath tickles his ear as she whispers, "Have I told you lately that there is nothing sexier than a man who allows himself to be completely vulnerable while putting his little girl to sleep?"
"Mm hm," Damon hums as she presses closer to him. "Tell me again."
Her breathless laughter mingles with his and he kisses her deep and lazy and demanding, too. Damon's mouth moves against her collarbone until she gasps.
Her lips open immediately, drawing Damon's back up to hers in their wake. She watches his eyelids flutter shut as his hand on her shoulder draws up into the curve of her throat, warm around the nape of her neck. His tongue meets Elena's halfway and they kiss until she can't remember anything outside of the soft burn of his stubble, his wandering touch, and the feel of his shoulders under her hands.
Elena tilts her head up and deepens the kiss, slowly and thoroughly, and by the time she's finished, Damon has almost forgotten they are still in the hallways.
Breaking her lips away from his so they can catch their breath, Elena smiles and whispers, "Did you ever think we'd be this happy? In your wildest dreams, did you ever imagine this?"
He looks down at her lovingly and reaches out to brush a lock of hair away from her lovely face. "No," he answers honestly. "I never wanted any of this until a pushy brunette stormed her way into my life. I was never the same after that."
"Me either," Elena admits, leaning up to kiss him again. She kisses him the way she kissed him when they first met...a kiss full of wonder and promise and all the things yet to come. When they break apart, she smiles at him in the darkness, the smile she reserves only for him. She takes his hand and leads him back to their bedroom.
Closing the door behind them, Damon trails a finger down her cheeks and then traces the deep v of her robe, letting his hands widen the already gaping neckline. When he reaches the sash, knotted loosely at her waist, he pulls gently, the fleecy material giving way easily under his persistent touch to reveal her gloriously naked skin, glowing against the backdrop of the dimly lit room.
"Merry Christmas to me," Damon muses, his eyes glinting with a combination of love and heated desire.
Laughing, Elena winds her hands around his neck, pulling Damon closer. "Merry Christmas indeed," she repeats, her breath coming out in short, staccato pants as Damon strokes his hands down the length of her body, his fingers curving around her breasts, the pads of his thumbs toying with her distended nipples, flushed rosy with desire.
Sliding the robe off of her body completely, Damon gently eases Elena onto the bed. Naked from head to toe, she is stunning, and as she crawls backward, her legs parting, she is completely open to him. The visual is sexy as hell and he feels like he may explode from the sheer intensity of his want and need.
Crouching at the foot of the bed, his knees on either side of her thighs, effectively imprisoning her underneath him, Damon lets his eyes travel down the length of her body. "You're so damn beautiful," he murmurs, his voice hushed and reverent.
Leaning down to capture her lips, Damon deliberately sweeps his tongue over her lips, lingering over their softness. When Elena tries to deepen the kiss, he nips at her bottom lip before dropping openmouthed kisses along the side of her face, down to nuzzle at her ears before down to her neck.
"You taste so damn sweet... smell so good," he manages between kisses.
Threading her fingers through his hair, Elena sweeps her hand down his back, reveling in the sleep, smooth muscles rippling under her touch, Her legs spread to accommodate his body and she can feel her arousal gathering between her thighs. Running her hands down his torso, she drags his pajama bottoms down.
When he feels her legs wrap tightly around his hips, trying to drag him closer to her welcoming heat, he has to fight for control.
Cupping one breast with his warm hand, he leans down, his mouth providing a tight suction around the needy tip of her breast, his tongue lingering over the sweetness of her skin, reveling in the way she shudders under his ministrations.
When he feels her arch off the bed, her own hands digging into his back, he pulls away, gentling her once more with a lazy, wet kiss that leaves them both breathless.
"Feel what you do to me, Elena," he whispers, taking her hand and leading it to his rock hard around that is poised at the juncture between her thighs, "Only you., Always you"
With passion burning in her eyes, Elena closes her hand around his pulsating shaft. "In me. I...need you...inside me. Now..." she moans
"As you wish," Damon replies as he lowers himself and slips into her warmth.
Biting her lip against the onslaught of pleasure that threatens to overwhelm her, Elena arches her back, wrapping her legs around Damon's hips to draw him closer. Her legs tighten around his hips, urging him to move faster, and harder, thrusting in and out of her in perfect harmony with her gasps and long, throaty moans. And when she goes over the edge, her head goes back as she pants out his name in rapid succession.
Damon is right behind her, releasing a long guttural cry as he buries his face in the crook of her shoulder, wave upon wave of pleasure rocking him to his very core.
Later on, in the afterglow, amidst a tangle of sheets, they remain intertwined, letting the calm stillness of the moment radiate through them. Elena's head is resting against Damon's chest, taking comfort in the steadying thrum of his heart. Sifting his fingers through her hair, Damon presses a soft kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in the tantalizing scent of her.
"Do you know how beautiful you are when you come apart in my arms?" he whispers, tiling her chin up to meet his gaze.
Smiling up at him, Elena grabs his hand and presses butterfly kisses to his fingertips. "I know how beautiful I feel when I'm in your arms and when you look at me the way you always do like I'm the only woman in the world."
Damon scoots down, turning on his side so that he and Elena lay face to face. "That's because you are," he says softly, bringing her hands back to his lips. Pressing another kiss to her lips, he gathers her close, curving his warm body around hers and letting his eyes drift closed, a peaceful smile stealing across his mouth.
Christmas morning
Damon loves to watch Elena sleep. She is so beautiful and serene. Her skin is a beautiful contrast to the lavender bed sheets, and a thousand times softer. Her hair falls softly on the pillow between them, tickling his nose as he nuzzles in closer. He inhales her beautiful fragrance that he's become so accustomed to over the years. Sweet and flowery...and ever so sexy. He shifts ever so slightly, trying hard not to wake her, and bends his elbow so he can prop his head on his hand. She doesn't even stir, so content in her sleep. He could stare at her this way forever.
Damon can easily see himself spending the rest of his life learning to decipher the hidden words in the tilt of her head or the curve in her elbow. He smiles to himself as he looks down at her again and just can't resist the invitingly soft skin of her shoulder that peeks out above the sheet. Gently he begins to kiss all those delicious areas that he had so thoroughly explored a few hours ago.
Elena stirs lazily in her sleep and a satisfied smile comes to her lips. She loves the feel of his early morning stubble against her bare skin followed by the heat of his breath and the whispering kiss of his soft lips as she lazily asks, "What time is it?"
"It's time for my Christmas kisses," comes the reply.
Elena opens her eyes and turns to face him, allowing her lips to experience the same pleasure as her shoulder.
"Merry Christmas," Damon whispers as their lips part after a long succulent kiss.
She mutters something unintelligible and buries her face in his neck, softly kissing her way down until she comes to rest on his chest. "We have to get dressed," Elena murmurs as she traces lazy circles over the taut muscles of his stomach.
"Getting dressed is overrated," Damon replies with a smirk, leaning down to kiss the top of her head and enjoying the movements of her fingers.
Glancing at the clock, she answers, "It's almost 8:00 on Christmas morning. I can't believe the kids have held off this long. Jeremy and I used to be up at the crack of dawn, 5-ish."
"We exhausted them yesterday," Damon quips, adding with a wicked smile, "Before we began to exhaust each other."
Reluctantly pulling out of his embrace, Elena sits up and shivers from the sudden chill as the cool morning air hits her bare skin. Glancing over her shoulder, she smirks at Damon. "They're going to come bounding in here in a few minutes and I don't want to be caught in the nude."
"But you look so great without clothes on." Damon pouts, allowing his eyes to wander over her naked body as she rummages through her drawers for a pair of pajamas.
After pulling a green and red Santa-clad flannel pajama top on, Elena bends down and picks up Damon's discarded pajama bottoms and t-shirt off the floor and tosses them in the hamper before pulling a pair of matching pajamas out of the dresser drawer for him.
"Get dressed," she hisses, as the pair of pajamas land on his chest. "The clock is ticking."
"Ticking, ha?" Damon repeats with a smirk, finally dragging himself to a sitting position and buttoning up the flannel top. "Is this what Christmas has been reduced to for you, Ms. Scrooge?"
She shoots him a look as she slides her flannel bottoms over her hips and begins to tie them at her waist, looking every bit the cool and composed super mom he knows her to be by day. But only Damon knows that the passionate and vivacious woman that is always simmering just below the surface.
"Cute PJs!" Damon winks as he admires her hastily put-together outfit as he leans back to pull his matching pajama bottoms up.
"You like them?" Elena asks, her face suddenly lighting up. "Raven, Lily, and I found them at the mall last week and I bought matching pairs for all of us. They're our special Christmas pajamas."
"I do like them," Damon winks. "Come here and let me have a lick, Miss Santa Claus."
Before Elena can protest, a pair of strong arms reaches out and grabs her waist as he pulls her back into the bed with him. As Damon shifts her on top of him, Elena looks down at his handsome face and giggles like a schoolgirl as she leans down to cover his face and neck with kisses. Tired of her teasing, Damon brings one of his hands up to curl around the nape of her neck, anchoring her mouth to his as their tongues meet in a playful duel.
Elena melts into his kiss and moves to rid their bodies of any unnecessary space between them when the bedroom door flies open and three little ones come barging into the room. Lily pushes past her brother and sister and jumps on Elena, who has burrowed under the blanket after scrambling off Damon. She groans out in pain as Lily pulls the blanket back.
"Mommy!" the little girl squeals, hugging her. "It's Kiss Mas! Wake up!"
"I'm up," Elena replies hoarsely, hugging Lily tightly.
Damon smiles, watching the two together as Finn abruptly launches himself on top of his father.
"Can we open presents now?" Finn asks as Raven squirms up in between her parents on the bed.
"I think now would be the perfect time to open presents," Elena agrees, smiling.
"Yay!" comes a chorus of cheers as the Salvatore children scramble out of the room and thunder down the stairs.
Elena and Damon follow behind as the kids hurry into the family room and gleefully shout that Santa has come.
Soon, the family room is engulfed in wonderful chaos as everyone begins shredding all the pretty paper from their gift boxes. As is routine, each child rips open a gift and gets excited for a few seconds before throwing it on their stack and starting on another one.
Damon and Elena are blissfully happy at the sheer joy on their children's faces.
As Damon watches the chaos ensuing in front of him, the smile never leaves his face. In all the years he was single, he never once thought about having a family or ever aspired to be someone's father. It just wasn't something he thought he be good at.
Meeting Elena changed everything in his life for the better. Glancing over at his wife, he feels a surge of unexpected pride welling up inside of him as he watches her "ooh" and "aah" with faux surprise as each of their gifts is opened.
As he silently scans the Christmas pandemonium that surrounds him, Damon silently thanks everyone who has had a hand in leading him to where he is at this moment in time.
Later that day...
"Hey, everyone. Dinner's ready!" Elena calls aloud and steps aside as everyone meanders to the table.
As the entire family gathers together in the dining room, their eyes grow wider at the spread of food on the holiday table before them.
There's turkey, dressing, ham, prime rib, green bean casserole, and macaroni and cheese for the kids. There is cranberry sauce, buns, both white and wheat, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams with marshmallows, and corn casserole. The dessert table is mouthwatering.
Candles flicker softly in the late afternoon light and illuminate the pristine China, Elena received from her mother. Gleaming silver, and sparkling crystal as they provide the backdrop for the meal's main attraction; the food. Lovingly prepared and now surrounded by an eclectic group of people tied together by the bonds of family.
As they settle in, Damon motions for all the young ones to leave the kids' table and join them in the dining room.
"Now, I know you are all going to groan but this is tradition," Damon smirks.
Enzo and Bonnie groan loudly, playfully mocking him.
Elena covers her mouth to mask her giggle as all eyes turn toward Damon as he begins his toast.
"Merry Christmas, everyone. I spent some time thinking about what I was going to say for this year's toast," he begins, glancing at Elena. "I know it has become a sort of a joke in years past, but this year is different."
Looking around the table, Damon smiles warmly at each of their dear friends and family. "We're here today to celebrate this holiday and everything that goes with it. We know Christmas as the season of giving. We give each other gifts; we donate our time and money to charities, and we're just more generous all around, but our generosity doesn't have to end with this day. I challenge each of us to keep this feeling going all year round by being generous with our time, our support, our respect, and our hearts; not just with each other, but with people we meet every day.
If these past years have taught us anything, it is that we have to take joy in both the little and big things. And we cannot waste kind words or hugs or shared tears. So, raise your glasses in honor of the amazing family and friends who are gathered here today. And let's remember with love those who can't be with us in body, for they are always in our hearts."
Raising his wine glass into the air, Damon finishes, "Let's keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year long."
As the glasses of wine, water, and sparkling cider rise up around the table and the ping of clinking crystal fills the room, everyone toasts in unison.
Thank you all so much for reading. I'm excited to hear your thoughts.
Thank you to Kate and Bonnie for pre-reading.
Christopher Radko is an American businessman who is known for starting the eponymous Christmas ornaments business. They are beautiful, I have a couple of them.
I found the cover image on Pinterest. Credit goes to whoever made it.
The title comes from the song of the same name. Judy Garland singing it in "Meet Me in St. Louis" is my favorite version.
I'll be gone for a while. I don't have any other stories ready to go. Christmas time is always hard for me since the anniversary of my mom's death is 12/22. I am sorely lacking ideas but I don't feel like writing either. If inspiration strikes, you'll see me again. If not, I have 164 completed stories to entertain you.
Oiselet's story, "Bob's" is very good. I'm enjoying it.
Merry Christmas, Everyone. I hope 2024 will be safe and prosperous for all. Until next time...
