Elena stroked the head of her baby daughter as she wriggled in her basket, with her other hand she held her house phone to her ear. She'd been placed on hold, (for the second time), by the agency she used for child minding. Her usual nanny Clarissa had failed to turn up for the second time in a week and Elena wasn't happy. Elena Gilbert lead a busy life, she was a leading plastic surgeon and had only returned to work three weeks ago after her maternity leave had ended. Her job was a huge commitment and surgery can't wait because a nanny didn't turn up. Elena loved her job and she was really good at it. It gave her everything she wanted and the salary was incredible. She was an extremely independent woman who relied on no one, her career always came first before family and before relationships…that was until she'd fallen pregnant eighteen months ago after a quickie on her desk with her client Matt Donavan. Matt was five years her junior and was a professional baseball star. He'd come to her looking to get his ears pinned back slightly after he was approached by D&G to be the face of their latest fragrance and Matt wanted to look his best. Elena was instantly drawn to his charm, so much so that by the end of his consultation he had her knickers off and her spread across her desk. Five weeks later she realised she was pregnant and to her surprise she was happy. Matt wasn't so sure, they tried a relationship but after one month they called it quits and he went back on the road with his team. He turned up to see his daughter three days after her birth but since then Elena had little to no contact with him.

So here they were. Elena was looking desperately for a nanny for her nine month old daughter…

"Hello? Thank you for holding…" a voice said tough the receiver.

"Yes." Elena said

"We're terribly sorry Miss. Gilbert, Clarissa's contract will be terminated immediately, and we understand how important attendance is. We do in fact have an excellent nanny who has just become available again… shall we send them over in the morning?"

Elena considered this briefly "Well I think I'd like to know a little more about this nanny before you send them over."

"Of course." The voice replied sweetly over the phone "A graduate. Twenty Three years old, police check and drugs check we're clean. Full driver's licence and vehicle…"

Elena sighed, she really needed someone desperately "That sounds wonderful."

"Excellent. Thank you Miss. Gilbert, your new nanny will be with you at eight am tomorrow."

"Wonderful." Elena said "Thank you." She hung up the phone

"Hey beautiful…" she said picked up her daughter and kissed her "We're in business. Your new nanny will be here tomorrow and she will take care of you while Momma goes to work, yes she will."

Elena was up and ready at 5.30am. She cleaned and tidied her whole apartment from top to bottom, she knew it wasn't necessary but she didn't want the new nanny to think she was a slob. The baby was up, dressed and fed and Elena herself was having her breakfast when a knock came from the door. She glanced at the clock it was twenty five to eight, who was calling this early?

She set down her bagel and went to answer the door.

"Hello?" she said to the guy standing in the hall

"Hey." He smiled holding out his hand "I'm Damon."

She quickly looked him up and down. He was ridiculously good looking, if he came to her as a client she literally couldn't improve him, he was perfection. He was dressed in black jeans, a dark V neck tee shirt and a leather jacket.

She dreamily shook his hand "Elena." She answered "Can I help you?"

Damon looked confused "I'm sorry, I know I'm early but I wanted to make a good first impression…" he tailed off

"For what?" Elena said confused

"I'm your new nanny…unless, I do have the right apartment right?" he looked quickly at the number on the front door

"You're my nanny?" she exclaimed

"Yeah." Damon smiled

"But…" Elena said "But you're a man."

"Uh…yeah." Damon said pretending to look at his crotch.

"You're a male nanny?" she said, her eyes wide

"Some people call it a 'Manny'…" he smiled

Elena shook her head "I'm sorry…it's just, I assumed you'd be a woman."

Damon grimaced "Oh, do you want to call the agency and see if they can get a female?"

She watched his face fall "Oh, no…its fine." Elena said "I'm sorry, please come in."

"Thank you." Damon smiled and he stepped inside.

"How did you get in?" she asked

"Oh your doorman let me in." Damon said "Sorry, I should have buzzed up."

"No, it's fine." Elena said "Please, have a seat. Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure." Damon said as he sat down at the table.

"Tell me a bit about yourself, Damon." Elena said

"I'm Damon Salvatore; my great grandfather was Italian that explains the surname… I'm twenty three, a graduate. Single. Good sense of humour…"

Elena smiled "What did you study?"

"Well I wanted to be a social worker, I love kids and I wanted to really make a difference, but after I graduated I found it really hard to get a full time job, I needed steady money for rent and I saw an ad looking for nannies, thought I'd apply…I loved it. I was with my first family for eleven months looking after little Harry, his mom's expecting again so she's off work and no longer requires someone to watch him so here I am…" he explained

Elena smiled, she liked him already.

"What do you do, Ms. Gilbert?" Damon asked

"Please, call me Elena…" she said "well Damon I'm actually a surgeon."

"Woah, that's pretty cool." He said nodding

"I think so." Elena smiled "It's great but unfortunately I can't exactly bring the baby along to work so I need some help."

"Okay." Damon said "Where is the baby?"

"She's napping, I should wake her actually." Elena said

She returned a few minutes later with her daughter

"Damon this is Jenny." Elena said

Damon stood up. "May I?" he said reaching for her

Elena nodded and handed the baby to him

"Hey Jenny." Damon said holding her in front of his body and getting a good look at her "Aren't you gorgeous." He then held her on his hip and bounced her lightly causing Jenny to explode into little giggles.

"Wow, she really likes you." Elena smiled

"Good, I really like her." Damon said

They put Jenny into her play pen and Elena showed Damon around the apartment. They spent the next hour discussing the routine and what was expected of Damon during his working hours. Elena gave him a spare key and showed him the car seat if he should need it. They exchanged contact details and Elena gave him three numbers he could reach her on. When all the matters had been discussed Elena got ready for work.

Oddly she didn't feel nervous leaving Jenny with Damon, like she did with the first nanny.

She gave Jenny a quick kiss before she left.

"I'll see you at six thirty." She said

"Well look forward to it, wont we Jenny?" Damon said bouncing the baby again "try not to worry Elena, I'll take good care of her and you can call up every ten minutes if you want or if it makes you feel at ease. I know it takes a while to gain complete trust, have a good day at work."

Elena smiled, she really liked Damon, she could tell he was a good person and it couldn't hurt for jenny to get some male bonding in her life. "I'll try not to call…too much." She laughed "Bye."

"Bye Momma." Damon said making Jenny wave her pudgy fist at Elena.

Elena left for work, she really hoped Damon would work out, there was something about him she really liked.