Chapter Nine

Elena was awoken to the shrill sound of her phone going off only a few hours after she'd managed to fall back asleep the next morning.

"Hello?" she frowned sitting up and squinting at the clock, it was only five in the morning.

"Lena?"

"Jer?" her eyes widened, "I've been trying to reach you!"

"I know, I uh, my communications were cut off for a while," he mumbled.

"What why!" she suddenly felt wide awake.

"Forget about that. What's going on with you Lena?" he asked.

"Don't deflect Jer," she sighed, "come on, you know if you don't put the effort into that place that you need to…"

"Just chill," he groaned, "I'm good now. I had a little scuffle when I got here it was a no big deal."

"Yes it is a big deal, it's a very big deal," she stressed, "Do you have any idea how expensive that place is? The least you can do is give it everything you got. Get better be the man you know you are."

She could feel her face growing hotter and had gotten up and started to pace as she spoke.

"Speaking of expensive?" he questioned.

"I'm fine Jer," she mumbled, "this is about you."

"I'm doing the best I can. I'm here right? I could leave if I wanted to," he said.

"Jer," she said in a warning voice.

"I'm not saying I am. I'm just saying I'm here. Can that be good enough?" he asked.

"As long as you're not only going through the motions," she said in a softer tone, "we both know that won't work."

"I'm going to come out of here okay," he mumbled, "I'm done screwing things up."

"Jeremy," she frowned.

"You seen her around?" he asked trying and failing to sound casual.

Just weeks before Jeremy's latest downward spiral his on and off longtime girlfriend Anna had made an appearance back into town. As much as she adored Anna, the two of them had a tendency to crash and burn. It always ended up with Jeremy falling back into all his bad habits as a crutch.

"I'm actually in LA," Elena said with a slight laugh.

"You're what?" he gasped, "Damn it's pretty early there isn't it?"

"Uh yeah try like five in the morning," she yawed.

"Sorry, I waited till seven because I know you always get up early," he said sheepishly.

"It's fine I'm glad to hear your voice," she smiled.

"Why are you in LA?" he asked.

"I don't even know where to start," she said, "I'm actually staying with my sister. I'm working as a nanny for her."

"The bitchy one?" he asked.

"Jer I only have the one sister," she laughed.

"This is my fault that you're stuck there isn't it? The rent was behind, and I messed up at the worst time," he mumbled.

"No fault to be had," she assured him, "Seriously the job is great, the pay is unbelievable, free room and board. I'm fine Jeremy."

"Okay, I gotta go Lena, you swear you're okay?" he asked.

"I swear," she smiled. "Call me soon okay?"

"I will love you sis," he said.

"I love you to," she said, "You take care of yourself."

She rubbed her eyes tiredly after she got off the phone with him. She was happy to hear his voice. It strengthened her resolve. She couldn't do anything to risk losing this job. Jeremy needed to be in that rehab center.

She fumbled into her bathroom for some aspirin and then remembered she had left it in her purse upstairs.

She figured everyone would be asleep. She wondered what the morning would be like with her sister home now. She frowned dreading a day with Katherine and her hangover. She crept into the kitchen quietly and poured herself a glass of water. She didn't feel as terrible as she thought she would, considering.

She looked around for her purse but only spotted Katherine's shiny red one. She realized she probably left it in the living room. She turned the stove light on, and tip toed into the next room.

She froze when she saw Damon sprawled across the coach fast asleep. His lips were curled downward and his face seemed stressed.

Elena looked towards the stairs nervously then slowly made her way over to him, her purse was on the table near him. She knew she should just grab it and go but she wanted to make sure he was okay…He let out a snore and his body jerked.

She jumped backwards slightly and bit her lip to keep from laughing at her jumpy self. He kicked the small fleece blanket off his body, and she gasped clamping a hand over her mouth. All he had on was a pair of black boxers; she then noticed the jeans and tee shirt lying on the floor next to him.

She couldn't peel her eyes away and found herself just standing there gazing at his perfect godlike chest as it slowly rose and fell with his breaths. He mumbled something she couldn't understand and kicked his legs again. Her eyes then traveled over the perfectly shaped calves she'd already sealed into her brain, this time she let her eyes travel all the way up to his very manly and muscular thighs.

You need to leave, she reminded herself firmly. Friends do not creepily watch each other sleep, and he is just a friend.

She grabbed the bottle of bourbon and the empty can of coke from the end table. No need for him to get yelled at by the sugar police too. She'd put the bottle back in the cabinet on her way downstairs and toss the coke can in her own garbage.

She grabbed a few aspirin and left a couple on the table for him along with the glass of water she had poured for herself. Judging by the nearly empty bottle of bourbon next to him he was going to need it.

"Daddy!" Damon woke up to a weight on his chest he peered up at Gavin who was sitting on his chest, "wakey!"

"I'm awake chief," Damon groaned his eyes burned the second he opened them.

"I'm hungry!" Gavin announced.

"I can't believe you actually slept on the couch, rather than just take a shower," Katherine's shrill voice made his head throb more.

"Mommy?" Gavin turned around and climbed off him.

"Hi Gavin!" Katherine plastered a smile across her heavily painted face and knelt down holding her arms out for him.

"Hi mommy," Gavin walked over and she pulled him into a hug.

"Mommy missed you," she kissed his head.

"Gavi missed mommy too," he said.

"Oh, my sweet little boy," she hugged him tighter. Damon was glad to see her look genuinely happy to see him.

"I'm a big boy mommy," Gavin told her.

"Of course," she stroked his cheek before standing up, "Mommy has lots of pictures to show you, and I got you a present too."

"A toy?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"Hopefully, it isn't blocks," Damon said wryly.

Katherine just ignored him and took Gavin's hand with her into the kitchen. He sat up and clutched his head. He glanced at the end table and noticed a few aspirin and a glass of water. He frowned curiously but gratefully took them anyway.

He slowly managed to work his way up and off the couch. He grabbed his discarded clothes from the night before and slipped them on before making his way to the kitchen. Gavin was sitting at the table playing with some toy trucks. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, then noticed the airport logo on the side of one of the trucks and realized she picked them up last minute.

Gavin seemed to be enjoying himself 'driving' them around the table, so he let it be.

Katherine was fishing through the freezer; she was dressed up in a short black dress with thin straps hardy holding in her large chest. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her face seemed even thinner than it had a week ago.

"What happened to my low-cal southwestern omelets?" she asked.

"I have no idea," he rolled his eyes, "I don't eat that shit."

"Shit!" Gavin started giggling.

"Don't teach him things like that," she hissed at Damon.

"Gavin James Salvatore that is a bad word," Katherine turned towards Gavin and spoke firmly. His blue eyes widened, and he frowned before looking over at Damon.

"Daddy shouldn't have said it," she added throwing a look at Damon.

"No more saying shit okay chief?" he gave Gavin a smile to let him know it was okay.

"That was effective," she muttered as she pulled a box from fridge and started opening it.

"Okay daddy," Gavin said quietly.

"It's okay buddy, you didn't know it was a bad word." Damon patted his head and he smiled slightly before going back to his trucks. He turned to glare at Katherine, but she was busy with the microwave her back to him.

"I thought you were vegan? Don't these have eggs and cheese?" he asked as he studied the box.

"I actually read that eggs can stop you from getting wrinkles. This is a better diet, it's one meal a day."

"If you're only going to eat once a day, it probably shouldn't come from a box." He sighed, making his way to the fridge to get a real breakfast started. He wondered how long this diet would last.

"Okay, but can you make sure it's not loaded with sugar?" She asked.

"How about poached eggs and toast for you, and pancakes for the rest of us awful sugar eating monsters?" He offered.

"Whatever." She shrugged, as she made her way back to the table. She sat down and started thumbing through her portfolio. He knew she'd eat a pancake later when she didn't think anyone was looking.

"Look Gavi mom took lots of new pictures in New York," She said.

"Where are you going?" she said as he started racing away from the table.

"I'm going get Auntie Lena," he said as he started for the basement.

"Hang on buddy she's probably sleeping," Damon stopped him.

"Come back here Gavi. Mom wants to see you. I missed you," Katherine sighed she lost patience so quickly with him, but at least she was trying.

"Don't you want to look at these pretty pictures of mommy?" Katherine asked.

"No I want my Auntie Lena," Gavin pouted crossing his arms stubbornly.

Katherine looked up expectantly at Damon her red lips twisted into an angry frown.

"Gavin let's let her sleep, okay?" He ruffled Gavin's hair and smiled and him. "I'm sure she'll wake up soon."

"Mommy's got some cool pictures of New York in there to look at," he said in a soft tone, "She really wants to show them to you."

"Okay," he agreed slowly walking over to her.

"Come on then," she patted his chair a clear miffed look on her face.

She helped him back up into his chair and pulled out her book flipping it open.

"Fire truck!" Gavin cheered up as he started looking through it with her.

"Yeah and that's mommy, see?" Katherine pointed.

"Yeah!" Gavin smiled.

"Look at this one Gavi, a horse." she said flipping the page.

"A horsey," he exclaimed.

"I can ride him?"

"No, he's in New York, it was just for the pretty picture. Doesn't mommy look pretty?" She asked.

Damon bit back the urge to comment on dishing for compliments from three-year olds.

"Yeah pretty," Gavin said.

"So sweet," she purred.

"Auntie Lena pretty too," Gavin grinned, he started trying to turn the page looking for her in there most likely. He loved it when Elena showed him pictures, much more than he ever enjoyed Katherine doing it. It was strange.

"Don't touch okay these are very important." Katherine said with a grimace on her face.

"Look at this one Gavi, mommy was hanging from a wire flying," she said.

"I want horsey!" Gavin exclaimed.

"Yes the horse was cool," Katherine sighed flipping the page back.

"He's a big guy!"

Gavin was clearly more enthralled with the animal in the picture then her and Damon was enjoying it quite a bit.

"I can help!" Gavin was climbing down from his chair when he saw Damon getting the pancake stuff ready.

"Come on up," Damon hoisted him up unto the counter.

"What are you doing?" Katherine walked over to them crossing her arms.

"He likes to help now," Damon shrugged, "he's good at it aren't you, chief?"

"Yup!" Gavin grinned.

"Do not make a mess," she warned. "Speaking of, did you hire a new cleaning service yet?

She'd fired the last three cleaning services, because of stupid little things like not drying the sink out perfectly after they left. At this point he was afraid to embarrass himself further by hiring another one.

"Elena's been doing the cleaning when she cares for Gavin, and I've been doing it on days off." He said.

"The day to day, sure." Katherine said. "I would expect that much from Elena and I'll go over my expectations on that with her soon. Emily did a great job keeping the house to my standards. However, a deep cleaning is necessary at least once a week."

"Ill look into it." He shrugged dismissively.

"Mommy I help-ded my auntie Lena lots," Gavin told her as Damon started cracking eggs into the bowl.

"That's good Gavi," she said, "I'm glad you were a good boy."

"Yeah we had fun!" Gavin kept grinning and his eyes seemed bluer than ever, as he started getting ready to tell her a weeks' worth of "Auntie Lena" stories. Damon grinned thinking that'd be fun.

"Good," she said flipping her phone out to check her messages.

"He's talking to you," Damon gave her a look over Gavin's head.

"I'm listening," she bit back in a snotty tone.

"We saw manimals," Gavin was talking again and her eyes flickered over to him

"Animals Gavin," she corrected him.

"Kat please," Damon muttered.

"Yeah lots," Gavin nodded, "a tiger too!"

"Well it sounds like you had a fantastic time," she smiled smugly towards Damon, "And mommy made lots of important contacts for her job."

"That's called a win, win Gavi," she smirked.

"Win, win!" he repeated happily.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Damon gritted his teeth.

"What?" she laughed, "It is."

"I'm glad you can make light of neglecting your child," he muttered under his breath.

"I saw a tiger!" Gavin announced.

"You did wow," Katherine gave Damon a dirty look before glancing back at Gavin.

"Yeah and..." he stopped and frowned when his eyes fell on the fridge.

Gavin frowned deeper, "where him go?"

"Where did who go honey?" Katherine asked.

"My Gavi tiger," he pointed to the fridge Damon noted it was empty.

"Oh honey it's right here," Katherine picked up a stack of them from the counter, "Mom loves these so much, I'm going to put them in my special keepsake drawer."

"No they go there!" Gavin pointed to the fridge his cheeks flushing pink the motion knocked the container of flour over and it spilled unto the counter.

"Damn it!" Katherine snapped.

Gavin's face instantly turned red and he started crying.

"Don't yell," Damon hissed at her before picking him up, "it's okay buddy just an accident."

"I didn't mean to yell, but look at this mess Damon," she hissed back, "this is why he shouldn't be up on the counter."

"You're unbelievable," he muttered.

Gavin was squirming out of his arms and Damon reluctantly set him down knowing he'd race right for the basement, which he did. Katherine just stood there looking miffed and didn't bother to go after him.

"Nice Kat," Damon snapped before following Gavin downstairs.

"Auntie Lena!" he could hear Gavin's teary voice as he wearily followed him.

"Hey Gavi, what's wrong? Come here," he heard Elena's soothing voice just as he walked into the basement.

"Hey sorry, uh." Damon stood in the play area looking into her bedroom where she was standing holding Gavin and looking concerned. She looked like she'd just woken up. Her hair was piled up on top of her head in a messy ponytail and she was wearing a pair of black pajama pants and a loose tank top.

Damn it if the woman wasn't even more beautiful like this.

"Shh," she mumbled as Gavin started mumbling something into her shoulder. She sat on the edge of her bed with him and cuddled him. He walked into her room slowly. He smirked as he looked around; Gavin's toys were strewn around throughout her room.

She still had a suitcase near the closet, but it was open, and clothes were bursting out of it. A small journal lay on her bed near the pillow. Her vanity only had a few lotions and bottles nothing like the cosmetic counter his wife kept. Her mirror had various pictures tucked around it, several of them containing his son's smiling face. The wall near her mirror was becoming covered in various pictures just like the ones Kat had removed from the fridge.

"It's a mess, sorry," she said sheepishly. "I haven't had a chance to move in and set it up yet."

"No worries. Not your fault you don't have a closet to use," he shrugged. He'd told Katherine not to jam pack the closet like that. But the second Emily left she did it anyway.

"Kat normally wouldn't come in here anyway. She is a neat freak though, just a heads up." he advised. "She took the pictures of the fridge."

"I know." Elena sighed holding Gavin a little closer. He mumbled something into her shoulder.

"Please?" Gavin had pulled his little head from the crook of her neck and was staring at her with teary eyes.

"He wants a fun-day," she said softly he had buried his head back into her chest and she was cuddling him against her. His tears seemed to have subsided.

"Maybe the z o o" she spelled it out slowly.

He smiled and nodded slowly, "You up for it slugger or should I say chugger?"

"Ha, ha," she rolled her eyes, "I'm good. You look worse than me."

"You're not wrong," he smirked, "thanks for the aspirin."

"Yeah sure," she smiled, and he saw a brief flush come to her cheeks.

"Gavin, I hear you want a fun-day?" Damon smirked when he jolted up in her lap and turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah, daddy too!" he cheered a smile creeping over his face.

"We'll all go," Damon swallowed a hard lump in his throat. She wouldn't like this to much, but one of them had to try here.

Even if he really didn't want to…

"The zoo? Why can't we go to an indoor activity place or something?" Katherine whined.

Damon had finally finished cleaning up the massive flour mess from earlier and managed to get himself and Gavin ready only to find Kat in the kitchen pouting when he was ready to go.

"I'd pick different shoes," he glanced at sky high stiletto heels she had on with her slinky dress.

"I refuse to be seen in public without heels," she said.

"Then I don't want to hear you whining about your feet," he said.

"Then let's go anywhere else," she begged.

"Gavin loves the zoo," Damon said, "we're going to the zoo."

"You're the biggest bullhead I've ever known," she muttered, "drives me up the wall."

The basement door opened, and Elena stepped into the kitchen before he could reply. She was wearing a fitted white printed tee-shirt with a pair of cute tiny little tan cargo shorts and her sneakers. She had her long chestnut hair pulled up into a high ponytail accenting her beautiful, natural face.

A girl you could stare at for hours, he thought as he busied himself loading the dishes into the dishwasher.

"I see you didn't bother to check my closet like I so generously offered," Katherine said in a snotty tone looking Elena up and down with a haughty expression.

"Not my style," Elena mumbled crossing her arms over her chest.

"I suppose you're a bit too thick for them hmm," Katherine purred with a little smile on her lips.

"Maybe in the chest," Elena stood straight and looked her in the eye with a smirk, "I'm surprised some of those shirts fit you…"

"Don't try to be cute Elena, that's not your style," Katherine said in a crisp tone.

Damon bit back words he knew would get him in trouble with a great bit of difficulty and

made his way to the living room to get Gavin ready to go.

The zoo was packed, and it took a long time to find a parking spot. They'd spent the entire ride there listening to Katherine talk about the fashion scene in New York. Gavin had started to fall asleep on Elena's shoulder by the time they'd arrived.

He was wide awake and super excited as soon as they finally parked and got out though.

"I wanna see my tiger!" He clutched Elena's arm grinning wide.

"Me too!" Damon took his other hand.

Elena noticed Katherine give her a curious look and let go of Gavin patting his head. She awkwardly stepped ahead a little bit letting Katherine take her place with son. There was a weird tension as she walked ahead of them. Gavin was chattering away, but the three of them were all silent.

Elena gulped nervously what if her sister was picking up on whatever this thing was with Damon?

It's one sided and it's ridiculous and it's going to pass, she told herself firmly.

"How much further?" Katherine whined after about five minutes of walking.

"We're close," Elena squinted forward hoping she'd remembered the right way.

"This terrain is terrible," Katherine complained, "I am in pain here."

"Well you shouldn't have worn stripper shoes," Elena said with a roll of her eyes.

Damon burst out into laughter and Gavin started too. Katherine smacked Damon's chest and shot Elena a dark look.

"Very mature Elena," Katherine scoffed. "You do realize these shoes cost more than your orphan ass is worth."

Elena gasped her face reddening, "Excuse me?"

"What the hell Kat?" Damon exclaimed.

"Oh chill it's a joke," Katherine smirked.

"Not funny," Elena muttered.

"Don't dish it if you can't take it little sister," Katherine purred into her ear.

"Knock it off," Damon grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Elena.

"What is your problem?" Katherine wrenched her arm away and glared at him.

"The tiger!" Gavin let go of Damon's hand and started running.

Elena grabbed him before he got far and scooped him up heading over to the large area, they kept the tiger in.

Elena was crouched down behind Gavi her arms around him and her head gently resting over his as she pointed at the tiger. It was sleeping and Gavin was just awe struck watching it.

"Wow," Damon snapped a few pictures and knelt down next to Elena.

"It's a beautiful animal isn't it," she said softly.

"Mm," he agreed.

"It's sleeping let's go see something else," Katherine joined them.

"I think he's waking up," Elena murmured, "Just a little longer."

"This is boring," Katherine yawned and took her phone back out.

Elena rolled her eyes, this was going to be a long day.

Later, that evening, Katherine sat out on her back deck with a nice full glass of wine. Her feet her throbbing and she was pretty sure she'd allowed her face to be slightly sun burned. Which wasn't going to bode well for the bikini photo shoot Nick wanted to get done and soon.

She couldn't believe that Damon had the entire week with a nanny to help with Gavin. Yet he hadn't managed to hire a new cleaning service or get the pool ready.

"Useless." She muttered.

She heard the sliding door open and looked up to see Damon coming to join her, a wine glass in his hand as well. He sat down on the patio table next to her.

"Nice night," he said tipping his wine glass towards her.

"Too bad we don't have a nice view," she nodded towards the still covered pool.

"Stefan and I have a short day tomorrow; we'll do it then."

"I still don't get why you two have to do it, why not just hire someone?" she rolled her eyes.

"I've told you, it was our biggest chore, every summer to maintain the pool when we were kids. It taught us that if we were going to enjoy something so great, we had to work for it." He shrugged.

"You could always reminisce while watching a hire hand do the work, you know?" she scoffed a little.

"Gavi feel right asleep." He changed the subject. "He kept talking about how it was the best fun day ever."

"I'm glad he had fun, but we shouldn't spoil him Damon." She said.

"A day at the zoo with a mother he hasn't seen in a week is hardly spoiling him." He snapped.

"There is it," She sighed heavily. He'd never forgive her for not being some ridiculous Susie homemaker type. It was so unfair. It was like he expected her to have a kid and morph into some entirely new person or something.

"I can't just sweep this all under the rug. You left our son with someone you hardly know and left the state," he muttered.

"She's my sister," Katherine rolled her eyes. "Always so dramatic, Damon."

"Ha me?" he scoffed.

"Yes you." She said pointedly. "Everything worked out just fine and yet you still must harp on it."

"I don't want to fight," he said, "I want to talk."

"We can't do one without the other," she remarked.

"You're right," he said his voice eerily calm, "That's just one of the things that need to change around here."

"Excuse me?" She looked up sharply, he better not think he was going to be giving her a list of rules or something.

"You heard me," he said his tone firm. "I didn't want to do this like this but.."

"Do what? What are you on about now?" she groaned out loud, "So we fight, whatever."

"We fight all the time!" He exclaimed. "We make each other miserable and we have to stop."

"Then stop being so insufferable and annoying all the time," she spat back.

"The second you stop being so selfish and rude. I'll consider it." He snapped back.

"Goodnight, Damon," she spat out and started to rise.

"Sit down." He said in the firmest tone he'd ever used with her; it rendered her speechless. "We are not done here."

She looked up at him, his face as serious as she'd ever seen it. His lips set in a firm line.

"Okay fine. Reem me out, tell me off, whatever," She finally said. "You're mad about New York. You're mad about Elena's little house fire…"

"Little!?" He exclaimed. "Someone died!"

She blinked, really? Did Isobel tell her that and she forgot, or did she omit that detail? Either way nothing could be done about it now.

"I can't change the past, Damon." Katherine said instead. "What do you want me to do?"

"I know you can't, and I'm not the one you wronged." He said. "If you want to make amends for that, you need to talk to Elena."

She scoffed, "I gave her a place to stay and a job. That's more than Isobel's ever done for her. Besides she's my family, not yours. I stay out of your family stuff and except the same."

He sighed frustration evident even on the dimly lit back porch.

"That to me is crazy! I never liked that. We're married we should consider each other's family part of ours." He said incredulously.

"How is that possible when your brother hates me?" She shot back.

"I don't know," he sighed miserably. "Maybe if you're willing to work with me here on some changes, you could earn his respect."

"What kind of changes?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'd like to see you balance the career and Gavin like you said you will. Days like today are so good for him." He started...

"I said I would, and I will." She snapped.

"Okay, just let me finish." He said. "It's not just on you either. I'll tell you the things I want you to work on and then you tell me what I can do."

"Have you been watching Dr. Phil?" She did her best to hold back a laugh at his ridiculous little earnest face.

"I'm serious, Katherine." He said. "I'm trying to save our marriage here and you make it a joke."

"Save our marriage?" She did laugh this time. "Oh, come off it, Damon."

"What you think this is good?" he asked. "We fight all the time, you're cold to me and often Gavin, you disregard my wishes, you don't respect me, you put your needs above everyone else, and that's just the tip of the iceberg." She felt her face growing hotter with each word from his annoying little snarly lips.

"don't even get me started on all your late nights out. Not to mention the copious amount of time you spend with 'Niklaus'" He mimicked Nick's British accent as he said his name further infuriating her.

"How dare you?" She narrowed her eyes and stood up. "I just got home from the most successful week I've had since before Gavin was born. I hired family to help watch him, which I thought you'd like. I was all set and ready to balance, starting with doing some photo shoots from here this week. I spend the entire day with him today, and I take one moment to enjoy my evening and you come out here to berate me?"

"That wasn't what I was trying…"

"No forget it." She stopped him. "That's exactly what you were trying to do. You know the club events are for my career and Nick is my manager! This is ridiculous. I'm beyond done with this conversation."

"Then I guess we figure out another option." He said in a calm and quiet voice.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know." He sighed. "maybe separation, maybe divorce..."

"Divorce!?" Her eyes shot wide open. "You ambush me and then threaten divorce when I stand up for myself?"

"I didn't want this conversation to even go there, but you won't hear me." He said.

"I heard you loud and clear!" She yelled out as she got up and headed into the house slamming the door behind her. He came in right afterwards.

"Kat, please." He said. "Calm down."

"Calm down!?" She implored. "After all that? Shove off Damon!"

She slammed her wine glass down into the sink and it shattered but she didn't care at the moment. She left it there and headed towards the living area with Damon hot on her heels.

"Just talk to me. I didn't bring this all up because I want that." He pleaded.

"You act like you have no flaws. I gave you a god damn son even though it killed my career and you could care less. I sacrificed everything for you, and I get treated like this?" She slammed open the closet door and grabbed a light coat.

"You're not leaving until we're done talking." He sighed looking exasperated.

"Oh, we are done talking, you asshole!" She yelled loudly and then slammed the door hard behind her.

Elena was sitting in bed that night exhausted from the long day at the zoo. She was curled up and writing in her journal.

If it weren't for Gavin's enjoyment, the day would have sucked with all her sisters complaining and constant barbs at both her and her own husband. Elena did not understand how her sister could be so nasty when she literally had everything.

"Just shove off Damon!" Katherine shrill scream startled her, and she gasped.

She then heard a loud sound seemed like a glass maybe broke.

Katherine continued to yell, and Elena couldn't hear exactly what she was saying from down in the basement, but she was slack jawed listening to her.

She clearly her the word asshole being used though and the door slamming above her.

She sat silently taking every ounce of willpower she had to not go up there and check on Damon. She could hear him in the kitchen cleaning up the glass that must've broke. She heard the door to the outside being closed and figured he went outside. She really wanted to go comfort him, but she knew she shouldn't.

Their marriage is not my business, She told herself once again.

She was just about to grab her I-pod and do her best to ignore whenever he came back in when she heard light footsteps above her in the kitchen. She got out of bed and hurried for the stairs just as the door was creaking open.

Little Gavin clad in his red flannel pajamas was pushing the door open with one arm and clutching Kikki with the other.

"Gavi?" she whispered softly.

Gavin looked up at her, his stormy blue eyes were watering and his tiny lips were trembling, "Auntie Lena, please I can sleep with you?"

"Of course, you can baby," she swallowed a lump in her throat and picked him up; he rested his head on her shoulder and wrapped his little arms around her neck.

She carried him into her bed and tucked him in before climbing in next to him and wrapping her arms around him. Her shirt was wet from his little tears and her heart broke for him.

"I'm sorry you're sad Gavi," she whispered stroking his dark hair softly, "you know your mommy and daddy love you so much. Just sometimes grownups get mad and loud."

"Mommy mean," Gavin whimpered.

Elena sighed and squeezed him tighter, "You know what Gavi?"

"No matter what happens. I'll always be here okay?" she promised him.

"Always," she said again and then kissed the top of his head.

"Ways," Gavin said in a tiny voice while he curled closer.

"You know why?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"Because I love you sooo much," she said, "You're my favorite guy in the whole word."

"Love you, Auntie Lena," he said before shutting his eyes.

He smiled as his little eyelids fluttered; she felt tears come to her eyes as she watched him fall into a peaceful sleep in her arms.

AN:

Just a heads up this was written originally in 2012- 13 So it the referenced technology and stuff seems weird that's why. Hope you enjoyed! Please review!

**I'll try and start writing the next chap and have it up sometime this week. I want to get a few chapters edited and uploaded for The Return to Innocence as well. The I'm coming home sequel is starting to take shape. I have the premise figured out which is going to be a series of little snapshots into their lives and marriage together. Similar to the I'm coming home Christmas flashbacks one shot, but it'll be longer. about 5-10 chaps.