So, the good news is, I'm not dead, but I know I've been an epic failure concerning this update. I've had big stuff happening in my life work related for the last two months, and for a few weeks I really wasn't in the mood to write anything, or even inspired to do so. Things are much better now so I finally took the time to finish this and bring you a proper ending (even if I'm convinced it could have been better.)

Anyway I want to thank everyone for their continuous support, especially some of you who sent me PM's regularly, that was really appreciated ;o)

So here comes the epilogue, please let me know if you enjoyed it ! ;o)

The drive home was silent. Damon was driving and Stefan was holding Emma. She had categorically refused to be put in the maxi-cosi, only agreeing to be transferred from Damon's arms to Stefan's.

She was quiet now and her head was resting on Stefan's shoulder, her gaze fixed on Damon, who kept sending reassuring smiles her way.

When they opened the door Caroline was already in the hallway. Stefan smiled, suspecting she had probably been there the entire time, pacing nervously.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed upon seeing them arrive. Emma tore herself abruptly from Stefan's arms to jump into Caroline's waiting ones. She pressed the baby girl tightly against her, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Mama," Emma said suddenly, and Caroline kissed her on the cheek. "Yes, sweetheart, I'm here, and I'm not letting you go. I promise."

She gave the two brothers a teary smile. "Thank you," she said, and Damon shrugged good naturally.

"Hey, Stefan did all the work. I was just along for the ride. Come on," he told Emma, holding his arms to her and she slid easily back into it, giggling. Thankfully, her misadventure seemed to be forgotten now that she was surrounded by familiar faces. "Let's get you cleaned up," Damon added and took the bag, heading out for the stairs.

Caroline sighed as Stefan wrapped his arms tightly around her and squeezed, almost taking her breath away, and he pressed his face in into her throat. She put her hand on his cheek, sensing something was off.

"What happened?" she asked him softly.

He pulled back and looked at her, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, really...She was being difficult and she got on my nerves...I compelled her to forget about Emma and never come back."

She shot him a surprised look, and he was relieved to see there was no condemnation in her eyes. "Wow, that's something I would have expected from Damon, but I guess that if you did it, you had a good reason."

"Maybe, I just...ok, what's done is done, and Emma is back with us, it's all that matters, right?"

She smiled at him, knowing he was trying to convince himself more than her. She knew him, it would take some time for him to get past what he had done.

She pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss then took his hand, their palms sliding together as their fingers linked and she led him back in the den.

Later that evening, after putting Emma to bed, they all sat in the den and finalized the adoption files that Damon would bring to the judge the next morning.

Caroline noticed he had been fiddling with his pen for a while, a pensive look on his face.

"What's going on, Damon?"

"Well, I've been thinking about this for a while, and..." He took a deep breath. "I don't want to be her 'cool uncle Damon'. I want to be her dad too."

Stefan and Caroline exchanged a smile, and the younger Salvatore said," That's obviously a bit unconventional, but we are not exactly conventional people either, so...why not?"

A look of pleased surprise appeared on Damon's face. He had expected Stefan to be much more reluctant about this.

Stefan laughed at his brother's obvious shock. "Caroline and I had already talked about it. The three of us are together in this, Damon. We want you involved as much as us."

Damon nodded, feeling a bit emotional but quickly covering it. "Alright then," he just said, writing down his name besides Stefan's on the document. He couldn't help but let escape a happy grin though when all was settled.

"Ok, so now I think we should establish some rules. First, no dating until she's at least 30..."

Atlanta, 16 years later.

Caroline knocked softly on her daughter's bedroom door.

"Emma, sweetheart, Justin has arrived."

The blonde teenager turned around. "Ok, I'm almost ready. Where is he?"

"He's downstairs," Caroline replied, admiring how the blue dress brought out the azure of her eyes.

Emma, who was putting on a necklace, suddenly stopped. "You mean he's downstairs with my dads, alone?"

Caroline made a contrite face. "Uh...Oops?"

"Mom!" Emma exclaimed with a horrified look on her face, "They are going to eat him alive!"

Caroline smiled. "No they won't. I'll go back and take care of it. But you'd better hurry."

"You bet I will!"

With a slight laugh, Caroline headed back in the den, where she found the poor Justin very much alive, although his face was now a peculiar shade of green. She turned to Stefan and Damon, who both sported very satisfied smirks, and glared at them.

"Leave him alone," she mouthed, and their grins turned into fake innocents look with such perfect synchronicity that she had to smile.

"So, Justin," she turned to the young man, who seemed relieved to be dealing with her and not with them. "Emma told me you're driving a Chevy Impala. I would love to see it."

Justin regained some natural colors and even managed to smile back. No guy, no matter what their age, could resist the famous Caroline Salvatore (previously Forbes) bright smile.

"Of course mrs Salvatore. Come with me."

They were barely out that Emma appeared and walked towards her fathers, who were both standing near the fireplace. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, looking from one to the other.

"Ok, what did you told him, and why did he look like he was about to vomit?"

Damon and Stefan looked at each other and Stefan shrugged. "No idea."

"Maybe he ate something that didn't agree with him?" Damon offered.

She raised an eyebrow and put on what she hoped was her best threatening look. Being raised by 3 vampires had taught her a thing or two in that department.

Her dads just smiled, so she knew she still wasn't convincing enough.

"We just asked him not to drink, you know, the usual stuff," Damon said.

"And to keep his hands to himself," Stefan added in a casual tone.

She sighed. "It's not even a date. We're just going together at the school Spring Ball. You really have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, we're not worried. We trust you. But better safe than sorry, right?" Damon smiled tenderly at his daughter, and she smiled back before looking at them with a suspicious look.

"You didn't compel him or anything, right?"

"Come on, honey, we would never do that," Stefan said with a slight reproachful glance.

"Yes, I know, sorry. But you can trust him. He's a good guy."

Stefan and Damon exchanged an amused glance, the 'she's so naive, how cute' kind and Stefan put a caressing hand on his daughter's hair.

"I'm sure he is, sweetheart. But understand this. No man will ever be good enough for you."

"Not one," Damon added emphatically.

"Not ever," Stefan finished for good measure, and Emma rolled her eyes and laughed, even though she knew that her future dating life was definitely going to be a challenge with her two overprotective dads. But they were so adorable and she loved them so much that she didn't mind...yet.

Besides, she knew her mom would be there to help when needed.

"You look beautiful, by the way" Damon told her and Stefan agreed. Funnily enough, she was actually looking a lot like Caroline, with her infectious smile, sunny disposition and golden hair.

Therefore, unsurprisingly, she had both her dads wrapped around her little finger.

Caroline and Justin came back and Emma took her purse.

"Don't forget," Damon reminded them, "back by midnight."

"Oh come on, daddy, it's over at midnight, we can't miss the end, right? 12.30 ? Please?"

She made that little pout with her mouth and her puppy eyes, and Damon realized that he had been the one to teach her that, many years ago. Damn.

"Not fair, Mini-Blondie," he muttered. "Ok, fine by me, but double check with dad."

Emma turned to Stefan who gave his consent, adding nonetheless, "Not one minute after."

She kissed them and went on her way, followed by Justin and Caroline who saw them out.

When Emma had turned 8 they had decided to leave Mystic Falls, where people were starting to wonder why, as the little girl was growing up, her parents seemed to remain blissfully young. Also, their living arrangements were starting to raise a few eyebrows. Not that any of them really cared about what people thought, but for the sake of Emma they had chosen to relocate in the anonymity of a big city.

Caroline came back and found them comfortably installed on the couch. She smiled.

"You two are not going to wait here until she comes back right?"

Damon raised his head and looked at Stefan. "We're not?"

Stefan shook his head, smiling back.

Caroline sat between the two of them. She put her head on Stefan'shoulder and slipped her left arm under his, while taking Damon's hand with her right one.

"She's growing up. Get over it."

Stefan kissed her softly on the head and she added, "We did a great job, guys. Our baby girl is awesome."

"Our baby girl is at a party with some dude," Damon huffed. "Didn't I say something back then about her not dating before she's 30?"

Caroline sent him a mocking glance. "Yeah, I remember all those very realistic suggestions you made. I thought you were joking."

"Not exactly," he muttered.

"So, what do you guys want to do tonight ?"

"What about a movie night?" Stefan suggested. "We haven't had one in a long time, plus it's the perfect excuse to stay up late an make sure that, uh...everyone will be safe and sound in their bed after 12.30 ?"

Damon grinned. "I thought we weren't supposed to wait for her?"

Stefan gave him and Caroline his best innocent look. "We're not. We're just having a movie night."

"I like how you think, brother," and Caroline rolled her eyes and got up.

"You are terrible. But ok for movies. And I get to choose them," she added, attracting some groans from the Salvatores.

Once she was gone, Stefan turned to Damon. "She's right, you know. We'll have to let go at some point. We don't want to be one of those overbearing and smothering dads."

Damon sighed. "I know. But we don't have to do that right away. It can wait for tomorrow?"

Stefan shrugged. "Or next week."

"Yeah, or even next year."

They exchanged a knowing smile.

FIN