Damon wakes craving a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich and decides he and Nadia are going to run into The Grill before taking her to school.
"I thought we could have breakfast at The Grill. My place doesn't open this early," he tells her when she appears and walks down the staircase with her hand firmly on the banister.
She looks at him with her huge brown eyes and the corners of her mouth lift slightly.
Damon winks at her and grabs her hoodie, holding it up for her to slip into. He snags her backpack and they're out the door.
At the counter, he places his order with a bored-looking college student and wonders who pissed in her Wheaties. Damon's puzzling this out when a hand clamps down on his shoulder.
"Damon, hey." Enzo smiles cheerfully, seeming almost disturbingly alert for such an early hour.
"Hey, how are you?"
"Sorry, we haven't had much chance to talk," Enzo remarks, gesturing with his head toward Nadia who's quietly coloring in the booth.
"Yeah," Damon agreed. "She keeps me busy. Stefan isn't volunteering any help so...She's my priority now.
Enzo chuckles and nods. "I've already told Bonnie but it bears repeating," he says. "If you need an evening off or an overnight, we're here for you. She's a great kid who's had the proverbial rug pulled out from under her. She's coping the only way she knows how to."
"Since when did you become an expert in child psychology?" Damon arches an eyebrow.
Enzo merely grins. "I lost my Mother when I was a kid, too, although a little older than Nadia. Everyone grieves in their way...Can I buy you some coffee?"
Damon glances at his watch. "Nadia and I are having breakfast, you can join us if you'd like."
They take their coffee and Damon's order and join Nadia in the booth. "You remember Uncle Enzo," he says as he sets a plate in front of her.
Nadia looks up and stares at him for a moment before picking up her sandwich and biting into it.
"So, what's new?" Damon asks finally.
Enzo shrugs. "Not much, same old, same old." He takes another sip of his coffee. "Somehow I got roped into helping Bonnie train her shelter puppy."
Damon laughs, shaking his head. "Well, she did mention the tricks you guys have worked on so far," he said. "Sitting and jumping. Not too bad."
Enzo looks unconvinced. "That little grifter will do just about anything for food, so I'm not sure how impressive it is. We're working on shaking hands right now."
"I look forward to seeing that. Would you like to see Bonnie's puppy sometime?" Damon asks Nadia as he sets his sandwich down.
The little girl smiles and Damon wonders if maybe a pet might help Nadia. It's something he'll have to consider.
Enzo tilts his head then, studying Damon intently.
It makes Damon feel vaguely uncomfortable like Enzo is trying to size him up and make some judgment about his mood or character.
"Bonnie told me you overheard Stefan. I can set him straight if you'd like."
Damon shakes his head. "Thank you for the offer but no, I don't need you and Bonnie to run defense for me."
Enzo's expression grows serious, and the mood at the table seems to shift just like that.
"And maybe you're a little bit worried that you're not up to the challenge. Every parent faces those doubts. There's a special bond growing between the two of you." Enzo remarks and smiles at Nadia."
Damon casts his glance at her and smiles.
Nadia stares at him silently for a few seconds before picking up her orange juice glass and emptying it.
"Fact is, so many times circumstances are beyond our control and we just have to learn to make the best of them," Enzo adds.
Somewhere deep in his gut, Damon knows he's right but somehow that knowledge isn't enough. He wants to be a real father figure to Nadia. He wants to show her what love means by sharing it with her every day. He wants to prove to them both that he can be the kind of man Katherine believed him to be when she entrusted him with Nadia's care.
Damon nods slowly and deliberately. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."
It is oddly quiet for late in the afternoon, but she isn't about to complain. Caroline has been making some phone calls and catching up with her Mom for most of the day, so Elena manages to get some alone time in. She loves her best friend to pieces but time for herself is a necessity, too.
Shaking her head, she flips open her next file and begins scribbling her notes, ready to distract herself. She barely writes a single sentence, however, when she hears the door open and approaching footsteps.
"Now, see…there will be some things I'll miss about this place."
Elena looks up to find Caroline gazing at her.
"Excuse me?"
Caroline grins. "I'm just pointing out that this place is not without its charms," she says. "Working with you to help you with your dream has been a privilege, Elena."
Elena furrows her brow in confusion. "Has been? Why are you speaking about it like it's over?"
"As great as this place is, I'm going to have to be going home soon."
"I know but I was hoping you would love this place so much, you'd want to relocate, too..."
"I'll be here a couple more weeks. And I won't say no to moving because honestly, I like it here. And I think this place, your bookstore could be something special."
"Thank you, Caroline," Elena smiles at her as she glances at her watch. "I saw a sign about a live band at one of the pubs in town. Do you want to go?"
"That sounds great."
"I thought so, too. Let me put this away then we can go."
"Here we are," Damon says to Nadia when he pulls into the driveway. He glances at the empty yard and thinks of where he could set up the yard playset that he ordered for her. As soon as they enter the house, they're met with yelling coming from the parlor.
"I can't believe you would do that to me!"
"What are you talking about, Klaus? I didn't do anything!" Stefan defends himself.
"Don't lie to me! I saw you with my own eyes!" Klaus seethes.
"You're being ridiculous. I don't know what you think you saw, but it wasn't me," Stefan contends.
"I know what I saw, and I'm not going to let you get away with it," Klaus roars.
"I'll be right back," Damon tells Nadia and hurries toward the uproar.
"Hey, hey, hey, guys... Not in front of Nadia."
"Don't tell me what to do in my own house," Stefan snaps at him.
"Wow. Really?" Damon retorts sarcastically.
"Yes, really, brother," Stefan snarls.
Damon leans into his brother's personal space, nostrils flaring and fumes, "Fuck off, Stefan."
After dinner, Damon goes out to the front porch with a bourbon and sits in a comfortably beat-up wooden chair. He had already read Nadia a bedtime story and tucked her in.
It is the time of year when sunsets are long and slow to fade, painting the sky over the bay in saturated pinks and oranges.
Damon wonders what he is going to do about Nadia.
No matter how much he tries, there are some things he can't do for her. And although countless single dads are raising daughters, no one can deny that there are times when a girl needs her Mom.
Damon framed a few pictures of Nadia with Katherine and set them up in her room. He's told her stories about growing up with Katherine and what a great big sister she was.
Nadia needs someone to mother... Damon's mind inexplicably drifts to Elena. He doesn't know much about her other than she's beautiful, friendly, and kind. His thoughts coalesce on her. She dominates his thinking. His mind just automatically turns to her, even when he's at work or attempting to focus on something else...
What about Andie? Damon sighs and stares up at the sky.
Finishing his bourbon, he goes back into the house, sets the glass in the sink, and goes to Nadia's room.
Her eyes are heavy-lidded, her small mouth twisting in a yawn. Her gorilla Joe is tucked in beside her.
Damon leans over to kiss her forehead, as he does every night. For the first time in his life, he knows what it feels like to have his heart full.
He has never known this before, the desire to surround this little girl with all the love he has to give.
Elena and Caroline enter the bar. The air is thick with the smell of alcohol and the sound of chatter. The stage is set up in the corner, and the band is tuning their instruments. The lead singer, a man with a scruffy jawline, steps up to the microphone and says in an accented voice, "Good evening, Mystic Falls! We're the Electric Violets and we're here to rock your world!"
The crowd cheers as the band launches into their first song. The music is loud and energetic, and people start dancing.
"Seems like a decent place," Caroline remarks as they approach the bar.
"Hey. Could we order some food, please?" Elena asks the bartender.
"Sure," he says and hands her a menu.
"Thanks."
"You're pretty much out of luck if you want anything not fried," Bonnie states who's sitting on a nearby stool.
"Chef's salad?"
"Slater, burgers," Tyler interrupts.
"You got it."
"Hold your special sauce," Bonnie adds.
"Yeah, yeah," Slater rolls his eyes.
"Thanks," Elena comments.
"Elena, right?" Bonnie asks.
"Yes... but how?" Caroline asks curiously.
"We met briefly in Bad Habits. But it's also small-town life. Gossip here has nowhere to go but in circles," Bonnie explains with a laugh.
"This is my best friend, Caroline Forbes," Elena introduces them.
"I'm Bonnie. Hi."
"Hi," Caroline returns the greeting.
"This is Tyler Lockwood." Bonnie nods at him. "We've known each other since grade school"
"Pleasure's all mine," Elena replies with a smile. "Caroline was kind enough to come to Mystic Falls to help me get things up and running at Tale Spinners."
"Damon and I own Bad Habits," Bonnie reveals.
"Damon?" Elena's mind drifts. He has the most beautiful eyes she has ever seen. They're a deep shade of blue, like the ocean on a clear day. Feeling a nudge, she snaps out of it. "He has a daughter named Nadia," she asks.
"No. Nadia is his niece. He's, her guardian."
"Oh," Elena remarks, looking at Caroline. "She seems very sweet. Doesn't talk much, though, huh?"
"No, she doesn't talk at all but she's been through a lot," Bonnie clarifies. "Do you two want to join us? The guy on the guitar and doing vocals is my husband Enzo."
"Okay with you?" Elena asks Caroline.
"Absolutely," Caroline remarks as she walks around and sits down beside Tyler.
Elena winks at her and slides onto the stool beside Bonnie.
As the night goes on, the band plays song after song, each one more electrifying than the last. The drummer, a man with a shaved head and tattoos, pounds out a thunderous beat that shakes the walls of the bar. The bassist, a woman with deep violet hair, keeps the rhythm steady.
Enzo banters with the crowd between songs, telling jokes and encouraging people to drink more.
A couple of hours later, the band plays their final song, a slow ballad that has everyone swaying including Tyler and Caroline. When they finish, the crowd erupts. The band takes their bows and leaves the stage, exhausted but exhilarated.
As the night wears on, Elena realizes that she's lost track of time. She checks her phone to see that it's already past midnight.
"Wow, I should probably head out," Elena states, standing up from the table.
"We should do this again soon."
"Definitely," Elena replies. "I had a great time."
"Me, too."
"Um, Elena..." Caroline approaches. "Tyler asked to bring me home," she tells her while Tyler waits a few feet behind her.
Elena hugs her. "Have fun but do be careful. I'll see you in the morning."
"I called in an order for two beach clubs," Elena asks at the counter of Jimmy Johns.
"They're making them right now," the clerk tells her and she steps back out of the way, bumping into Damon.
"Hey," Elena laughs.
"I told you we're going to keep running into each other," Damon smirks.
"It is a small town so I suppose it's inevitable. I spent some time last evening with your partner, Bonnie last night. She's great."
"Who knew? Bonnie and I didn't like each other for a long time. We got stranded together for a week after a blizzard...turns out you spend time with someone and don't kill them, you become friends."
Elena starts to smile.
"Hey, lady," A voice calls out, holding a bag as he extends his arm toward her.
"That's my order. Nice running into you, Damon."
"You, too." Damon raises his hand in a wave as she leaves the shop. He doesn't know what to make of her. She's maybe five foot six, with long brunette hair that shimmers in the sunlight. And her eyes are like the color of bittersweet chocolate that have him longing for a taste.
Thank you, everyone so much.
Chapter title: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen
Have a terrific day!