Okay, so the epilogue ended up a lot longer than I expected, but I like it, and hope ya'll will to!

Again, thanks for all the reviews, and for sticking with this story! Ya'll are amazing, and have made it so fun to write!

Enjoy :)

Chance came home from after school practice to a quiet house.

Odd, he thought.

He knew his mom was at work, but his Dad and sister should be home.

He sat the bag of his football gear down next to the door, and called out, "Dad? Ang? You home?"

No one answered.

Hmm.

He took off his shoes, putting them on the rack in the hall, then headed up stairs.

His father wasn't in the bedroom, but his sister's door was closed.

He knocked on it.

"Go away."

Chance rolled his eyes, but opened the door anyway, "Angela, what are you-"

He was met by a pillow flying in his direction.

"I said go away!" his twin demanded, and before he could scold her, he noticed she was crying.

He frowned, and picked up the pillow she'd tossed at him.

"What's wrong with you?"

She was laying on her bed, facing him, "Nothing. Just leave me alone."

"Caroline," he pressed, and she rolled her eyes.

She'd started going by her middle name at the age of ten, since they spent so much time with their Aunt Caroline, and she'd wanted to be different.

At the age of sixteen, she still preferred her middle name.

Chance sat beside her, determined to find out what bothering her, "Come on, Angie, it's just me...what's wrong?"

She frowned, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Does Dad know you're up here crying?"

She shrugged, "He's not here. He left earlier to take Mom food."

Chance sighed, moving to lay down next to her, "Well, I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere, so you might as well tell me why you're upset."

She deliberated, then curled into his chest, throwing an arm around him, "It's just so unfair!"

He patted her back, confused, "What's unfair?"

"He's not going to let me go this Friday! Just because it was Aiden that asked me. Says he's a troublemaker! Like he has room to talk, you know? It's just not fair, because it's not even going to be just the two of us! Chelsey and Katie are both going to be there, with Thomas and Andrew, so he doesn't even have a-"

"Ang, easy. Slow down. Are you talking about Dad?"

"Yes," she huffed, "Keep up."

"Sorry," he insisted, "But you were kinda blazing through it...okay, so Dad won't let you go where on Friday?"

"To Jessica Stanton's party."

"Because you wanted to go with Aiden? Wait, Aiden...Aiden West?"

Angela rolled her eyes, "Oh, not you too."

"I didn't say anything," Chance assured her, "But you know, Dad might have a point…"

"Well, if the point is that he's a hypocritical, judging-"

"I get it," he cut her off, "But come on, Ang, you aren't naive. You know what the guy's like."

She sighed, "Yes, I do. Okay? I know that he's one of the SC kids, that he gets in trouble at school, and that he has some major issues to deal with, but...that's not all there is to him, Chance. He's nice, when he's not around everyone, and he-"

"And he's slept with half the school," Chance protested, "You deserve better than that, sis."

"You don't understand," she shook her head, "No one does."

Chance sighed, "Okay, so help me understand. Because I honestly don't see the appeal."

She giggled a little at that, "No, I don't expect you would...but it doesn't matter. Dad isn't going to let me go. And I'm sure he's up at SC getting Mom on his side too. I just know it."

"You did not tell her no!" Elena paused, staring at her husband.

Damon threw himself down in her office chair, "Angel, I had to. You've seen the kid, you know what he's like!"

Elena rose a brow, "Aiden has never been anything but polite every time I've spoken with him…"

"Polite isn't the same as being a good kid, Elena," Damon insisted, "I've seen his report, you know."

She rolled her eyes, "You've seen his report because you snooped through my files when you found out Angie was interested in him. But you should know better than anyone that it's just a piece of paper."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Elena smiled, "That maybe the kid reminds me a little of you."

Damon shook his head, "Exactly my point! Do you remember me in high school, angel?"

She sighed, and moved to sit down in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Baby, you can't keep her from going out with him."

"Watch me."

"You can't," she pressed, "Not if she really cares about him. Now, you don't have to like it, but as long as she's not in danger, which she isn't, we should try to be supportive."

Damon groaned, "She's not old enough to care about boys."

Elena laughed at that, "We were her age."

"That's different. We knew each other for years. We loved each other before we-"

"Shh," Elena kissed him quickly, "Our daughter isn't going to be able to make that distinction. She's sixteen, Damon, as far as she's concerned, she may believe she does love this boy."

"When you were sixteen, I took your virginity on a bed at Tyler Lockwood's party," he pointed out, "You really want that for Angela?"

"I want her to be happy," she corrected, "She's a smart girl, Damon, give her some credit. I slept with you because I loved you. Because I trusted you, and had known you for years. I doubt Angie is just going to jump into bed with the first guy who-"

"Ugh, stop," Damon held up a hand, "That's my baby. She's not allowed to even be thinking about sex, let alone be in anybody's bed."

Elena sighed, and turned so that she was straddling his lap, "Baby, listen to me. I know it's hard, but they're teenagers now. They're going to start making decisions for themselves, and the most important thing is that they know they can come to us if they need to."

"Or," Damon compromised, "We can forget the trust and just by a chastity belt online. How much do you think that would cost? It would need a good lock, and water resistant-"

"Damon."

He smirked, "Kidding."

Elena rolled her eyes with a laugh, "God, you're impossible."

"Maybe," he admitted, letting his hands slide to her hips, "But either way, my decision is the same. She's not going to some party so a punk kid can try to talk his way down her pants."

"You can't stop that from happening," Elena told him, "No matter how much you want to Damon, and keeping her from this party isn't going to change that. Kids are always going to find an opportunity. Hell, we did."

"Not helping."

"I'm just saying," she pressed, "Angela wants to go to this party, and I think we should let her. There is nothing wrong with letting her be a teenager. If we try to control everything she does, she's going to try to find ways around it, and sorry, but I would rather have her trust us enough to know that she can call if she needs us, instead of trying to hide whatever it is she's doing."

Damon groaned, "Okay, I get your point, but-"

"No buts," she shot, "Just trust me on this one, babe. Let her go to the party. She's a good girl, she keeps her grades up, and she's never given us reason to doubt her. Give her whatever embarrassing talk you want to before hand, but let her go to the party."

Another groan, but he didn't protest.

Elena smiled, and kissed him, "Is that a yes?"

He sighed, "I guess. As long as Chance will go too. He'll keep an eye on her."

"There," she noted, "Compromise."

She kissed him again, then climbed off his lap, and onto her feet.

He sighed, "I'm losing hair because of you, woman."

Elena laughed, "Well, try to think of the good parts of this."

He stood up with a grumble, "Yeah, and what might that be?"

Elena winked at him, "With both of the kids out, we have Friday night to ourselves."

That seemed to improve his mood, "Fair point, angel. Fair point."

Angela finally let her brother talk her into going downstairs with him for something to eat.

He made them sandwiches and pulled out some pringles, as the front door opened.

She tensed, knowing it was probably her father, and wasn't really in the mood to argue again.

"Whatcha eating?"

She looked up to see that her mother had walked in.

"Mom? I thought you were working late?"

She shrugged, "I took off early. Apparently there was a matter of tomorrow night that needed to be discussed."

Angela groaned, "It's already been discussed. I guess Dad talked to you?"

Her mother nodded, and sat at the bar, just as Damon walked in, "We talked."

Angela glared at him, "And let me guess, you brought her home to back you up?"

Her father smirked a little, and her mom laughed, 'He tried to."

"We've decided that you can go," her Dad admitted, "If Chance goes with you."

Angela sat up, surprised, and shot a look to her brother.

He pretended to consider it, "I don't know...it would be after the game...I'll probably be tired…"

"Chance Alaric Salvatore," she muttered, and he smirked at her, "What's in it for me?"

"My unconditional love?" she tried.

He shook his head, "Nah."

She groaned, "Fine. I'll do your laundry for a week."

"Two weeks," he bargained.

Angela narrowed her eyes, but nodded, "Fine. Two weeks."

Chance grinned, "Deal. Okay, I'll go."

Her mother shot him a wink, then looked back at Angela, "However, your father does have stipulations."

Her hopes dashed, "Of course he does."

"Hey," Damon pointed, "I don't have to let you go at all, little missy."

She sighed, "Yeah, you're right...sorry."

He nodded, "Tell you what, finish your food, then meet me upstairs, okay?"

She shot Elena a look, but when her mother said nothing, she nodded slowly, "Okay."

Damon waited in the office upstairs.

It was basically just a giant room that they'd turned into a library with a desk, but it's also where they kept important files on his work, or Elena's.

All the children's documents were also in the room.

He looked around at the pictures on the wall.

The twin's birthday parties, family photos, Christmas's.

Some with Stefan, Lexi, and their two boys.

Caroline, Enzo, and their daughter.

Even some of the kids with Grayson, Alaric, or Jenna.

He could see his babies grown up in these pictures, and it made him nostalgic for the time they could literally fit in his arms.

Back before dating was even on their mind.

He let out a deep sigh.

How had this snuck up on him so fast? Seriously?

The twins were in diapers, not long ago, then it was like he'd blinked, and they were driving and wanting to go to parties.

A knock sounded on the door, and he looked up, "Yeah, come in."

Angie opened the door hesitantly, and he smiled at her.

At sixteen, she as a dead ringer for her mother, except for the eyes.

Her crystal blue orbs matched his own to a tee.

"Come here, sweetheart."

She did as he said, walking into the room with her arms crossed.

"Your mother thinks I need to trust you," he stated simply, "She thinks that letting you go to this party will prove that I do...but that isn't what this is about."

She pushed back a handful of her chocolate hair, and sat on the sofa that was pushed against the wall, "Then what is it about, Dad?"

He moved to sit beside her, "You told me I was being hypocritical...because I didn't want you dating the boy from Second Chance."

She tensed, "Well, it's true."

He shook his head, "No...baby girl, it's not."

She sighed, "Then why don't you want me to go to the party?"

Damon tried to find the right words to explain his feeling to her, but it wasn't easy to make it so she would understand.

"You want to know the truth?"

She gave him a look and he laughed, "All right, all right...but you may not want to hear it."

She shrugged.

"In the risk of sounding cliche, I was young once," he started, and to Angie's credit, she didn't roll her eyes, "I had a less than admirable reputation, and this kid...Aiden, he reminds me of myself at that age."

Angie swallowed, "You started dating Mom at my age."

He shook his head, "It took your mother a long time to make me boyfriend material. I broke her heart...and before her, there were many others that I used without thought. I don't want you to end up like them."

Angie held his gaze, "It's just a date, dad...I'm not trying to marry the guy."

Damon chuckled, "Yeah, let's not touch that situation yet…"

She smirked a little.

"My point," he continued, "Is that I love you, and I'm always going to worry about you. I don't care that Aiden lives at SC. I care that he's a kid with a reputation that is very familiar to me. I care that you're a good girl, who deserves a nice boy. I mean, if you absolutely have to date…"

Angie laughed, "Thanks Dad...and I know, okay, I do. But Aiden is nice. He's...he's just gone through a lot. He needs someone that's not going to give up on him."

Damon sighed, "You sound like your mother."

His daughter smiled at him, "Well, she was right, wasn't she?"

"Don't remind me."

She chuckled, then they fell to silence.

After a moment, she moved closer to him, and wrapped her arms around his middle.

Damon held her against his side, and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Daddy. And I'm glad you worry for me...but it'll be okay, I promise. I know right from wrong, and Chance will be there. I just want to hang out with my friends and a guy that I like."

Damon nodded, "I know...just don't try to grow up too fast, okay? You have plenty of time for parties, boys, and questionable decision making."

She rolled her eyes now, but smiled, "Deal."

Downstairs, Elena munched on some chips with her son, both of them watching the ceiling.

"You think they're still alive?" Chance asked, his black hair falling nearly to his eyes.

Elena shrugged, brushing the stuff back, "Maybe. If not, I'm sure the survivor will be down shortly."

Chance laughed, and swat her hand away to start putting up the stuff from the sandwiches, "You know why they fight so much, right?"

"Because they're so damn much alike," Elena groaned, "Stubborn pains, sometimes."

Chance nodded, "We're gonna have to build some kind of bunker. Send them there when they start going at it."

"I agree," Elena nodded, "But I think this fight is over for now, at least."

Her son leaned against the counter, "For what it's worth, I'm with Dad on this one. Aiden isn't good news."

Elena nodded, "A lot of people think that...but they said the same about your father, once."

"You aren't worried?"

She smiled at him, "Of course I am. I worry that he'll break her heart. I worry that new cheerleader you're dating is going to break yours. You're my babies. I'm always going to worry. I'm just a little smarter about it than your dad is."

Chance smirked, "And I thank you for it. I need an ally in this mad house."

She grinned, shaking her head, as footsteps sounded from the stairs.

They looked up to see both Damon and Angela descend.

Angie hurried over to her brother and stole the chips that he was holding, much to his protest.

They began to wrestle over the snacks and Elena sighed, turning to her husband.

"Good talk?" she asked, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

He nodded, "I think we've reached an understanding."

"Wonder how long that will last," she joked, and Damon pulled her closer, "Not long, I imagine, but for now, it'll work."

"I'll take it," she grinned, and he leaned down, kissing her.

"I love you, angel."

She ran her hand through his hair, "I love you, too, Damon."

He kissed her again, harder, his hands holding her tightly, and she lost herself in him.

Twenty years of marriage and he still consumed her with every touch.

"Ew," a voice cut through, "Really guys? We eat here."

A dramatic sigh, "Parents."

Elena laughed, and Damon released her, "Don't you two have homework to do?"

"Thankfully," Chance shot, "I'm gonna go do that before any more damage is done to my retinas."

"You're just jealous," Angie teased, "If you kissed Madison like that in the kitchen, you'd be in trouble...speaking of gross."

"Madison isn't gross," he defended.

"No, but the thought of anyone kissing you is," his twin combated, "Repulsive, really."

"You're gonna regret that," Chance shot, running at her.

Angela took off, and he disappeared behind her.

Damon shook his head, "Do you ever think our life will be boring."

Elena stared after her children, shaking her head, "Never. Not in the slightest."

"Good," he noted, and reached for her.

She turned back to her husband, as he took her into his arms again, "I like this."

"This?"

"The chaos," he explained, "The way things turned out…it's good. Like someone somewhere wanted us happy."

She smirked a little, "Careful Mr. Salvatore, wouldn't want me to think that you've become a believer in a higher power after all?"

He laughed, "Call it what you will. I may not believe in god, or angels, but...I believe in family. I believe in us. And this is perfect."

She nodded, "It is pretty great, isn't it?"

He nodded, dropping his forehead to her, "It is, angel...now...where were we?"

Elena smirked, wrapping an arm around him, "Right about here."

He kissed her again, and she knew, good or bad, she wouldn't trade this kind of chaos for anything in the world.

The End.

I can officially say that! lol.

Will post the first chapter for the sequel to Hymn for the broken later today.

I've decided on the title: Lullaby for the Heart.

So look for it! :)