Bonnie's comforting weight was back on their bed. He'd missed her warmth in their bed, missed the shampoo smell of her hair and the way it tickled his cheek in the morning. Damon drew her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. He wanted to get it right this time; he didn't want to lose her again. He couldn't bare the thought of losing her again.

"Morning, "he murmured when he felt her move against him and his cock sprang to life. She wriggled her ass against him, the sensation shooting straight to his dick.

"Hey Geppetto, nice wood "she whispered back then lifted his hand to her lips. Slowly she turned, looked at him and brushed a finger down his cheek. Sunlight streamed though the edges of a closed curtain and toyed with her hair.

"The roses were a nice touch." She purred, picking up a petal from his pillow. Damon shot a glance at the floor and took in the scattered red rose petals which had been strewn over the bed the night before.

"And the candles?" he asked, his gaze roaming over a field of candles burned down to stumps.

"That too"

"And the pizza?"

"The jury is still out on the pizza."

"I missed you" she said, her gaze holding his.

"I love you" he told her, his voice soft and sincere.

Straddling him, she leaned forward until her hair spilled across his chest. She looked so sexy, warm and flush like that. Damon's hands settled on her hips before moving to slide over her shoulder blades.

"Put me inside you, Officer Bennett" he said hoarsely, starring up at her.

"You know you're gonna have to stop calling me officer pretty soon, the new code word will be lawyer mommy" she said breathlessly, shifting on top of him.

"There could be a sex appeal in that" he rasped, nipping her bare shoulder with his teeth.

"Lawyers are very sexy" She fixed him with a gaze, a smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

"Yes they are, but mommies are even sexier that's why they invented the word MILF"

"Who came up with that term anyway?" she chuckled, pulling her baseball jersey over her head, exposing her puffy brown nipples.

"Someone who was obviously fucking a hot mommy" Damon caught one nipple with his teeth and spoke around it before sucking it into his mouth.

Pressing the tip of his cock to her moist cleft, she nudged her lips apart, teasing him. The mischievous glint in her eye told him that she wouldn't quit until she drove him senseless with need.

His hands slid to her face, "You better fuck me like you mean it."

She guided him inside her with one hand while she braced her other hand against the headboard and he watched as his shaft disappeared inside her, sliding in and out as she moved on top of him. He found that she was already wet and ready for him and his cock throbbed for relief but he held back, exerting every ounce of willpower to stop himself from coming. Their thrusts sent ripples up his body and as he caught her nape puling her down for a kiss, he felt the tight grip of her flesh around his erection and knew that she was also close. When she moaned his name into the kiss, he pumped harder and felt her jerk on top of him. His own release was powerful and left him trembling, spent and lethargic.

He felt alive again, content, calm and it was all because of Bonnie.

"I'm in the mood for waffles" he announced, drawing her closer to him.

With a chuckle, she ran her fingers over his chest "I have no objection to waffles; in fact waffles have been known to make my girl parts very warm."

"Then in that case, one round of waffles coming up right after this round." Damon leapt up from the bed, rolled over her and pinned her wrists to the bed.

..

"You look tired"

Elena looked up to find Stefan in the doorway carrying a woven tray laden with a continental breakfast. The smell of coffee, eggs and bacon wafted into the room. He paused, framed in the doorway and smiled at her.

"Thanks a lot." She chuckled huskily and rolled her eyes.

"What time did you get up?" he asked.

"I didn't get much sleep" Adjusting the spaghetti straps of her sheer chemise, she walked into her walk in closet with black and white wedding photographs adorning the walls and fingered through a row of dresses.

Stefan watched her quietly then set the tray down on the closet island while she examined an outfit in the wall to wall mirrors fitted outside the built-in wardrobes. She chose a dress a dress and slowly slipped into it, skimming her hands over her hips. His gaze followed her hands, sliding over the slim flare of her hips and his cock reacted.

"Let me help you with that" he moved behind her, catching the zipper. He slipped a hand inside her dress, her warm flesh under the pads of his fingers and palmed her breast. The filmy fabric of the chemise felt cool in contrast to her skin. He pressed against her, watching her face in the mirror as he kneaded her breast.

"Stefan" she lowered her eyes, biting the corner of her lower lip. He brushed his lips over her earlobe, gently grazing the flesh with his teeth. With a hitch of breath, he pinched at her nipple and felt a bolt shoot straight to his groin. He wanted her so much, wanting to be inside her, needed to be inside her. Lust spiked through him as he felt her shiver against him. He knew he could feel his erection, knew how much he needed her.

"I'm gonna be late." Elena gently pushed away from him, walking to the other side of the closet.

"I uh…have been thinking about this acupuncture procedure that Jo was talking about and I think we should give it a shot." She announced drawing him out of his fog of lust.

He swallowed his disappointment and the tingling ache in his groin and replied to her, "We've tried everything, honey."

"DO YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL?" she raised her voice, flinging her hands in the air and Stefan stared at the vein riding her forehead." I feel like I've lost my sense of purpose, "she continued, lowering her voice again but the anger was still there" Its like I'm not enough and I just need to do this one thing. I can't just give up and I know we've been trying but I want to keep trying because I need this. I need this and I need your support."

"I'm sorry." He pulled her against him, squeezing her closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. It didn't take her long to voice her discomfort by pressing a hand to his chest to drive him away.

"I'm thinking about inviting Katherine over for dinner" She unwound herself from him and went to bedroom to grab her tote bag. Stefan gave an exasperated sigh and walked around the island, pausing at the tray before following her to the room.

"I thought we were going to wait for Elijah to come back from his deployment" he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I thought you were eager to start this baby process" she arched an eyebrow.

Shaking his head and exhaling sharply, he asked "You will do anything to keep avoiding this issue, won't you?"

"What issue?"

"We haven't made love in weeks" he grumbled and felt like a whiny child the minute he blurted out the words.

"Is that all you care you up, exercising your dick?" Elena parked her hands on her hips.

"You're avoiding my question" he reined in the anger clenching his stomach and stepped closer to her.

Stepping back before he could touch her, she ran a shaky hand through her hair and sighed "Like you said, I'm tired"

The peal of his phone interrupted them and he cursed under his breath. Pulling it out from his pocked, he looked at the screen and saw that it Liv Parker.

"Who's that?" Elena asked, slipping into her stilettos.

"Nobody." He tossed the phone back into his pocket and glare at her.

"If we were stranded on a desert island with no means of survival would you eat me?" he deadpanned.

Looking confused, she glanced up at him "What?"

"Would you eat me to stay alive?"

"I don't know. I suppose. Honey, I have to go."

Without giving him a kiss goodbye she marched out and left him standing in the middle of their bedroom.

..

It was already light outside when Caroline woke up. She kicked off her sheets and ventured downstairs still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she stopped in her tracks, her eyes flitting over the small suitcase on the floor. She look at Klaus then the suitcase and then back at Klaus.

"I was gonna leave you a note" he explained half heartedly.

"So you're really going?" she pressed her lips together and signalled to the plane ticket lying on the island next to his empty coffee mug. He'd obviously been up for a while, she thought glaring at the suitcase again. She could feel her face getting hot.

"Before you say anything I want you to know that I've booked you a flight to L.A too. You can fly out there the morning after the Halloween party."

"I can't believe you're doing this."

"Marriage isn't a license to hold the other person hostage." He shot her glance as he took out his cell phone to dial his driver, "If you can't trust me Caroline then what's the point of us getting married?"

Too angry to speak, she listened as he gave orders to his driver and then once he'd hung up, his gaze softened on her. He reached out for her hand and raised it to his lips, kissing her engagement ring, "I'll call you when I land."

After he left she made herself a cup of coffee and held her hand out to glare at her ring while the kettle boiled. She wondered if this is what she was signing up for, marriage with a husband who constantly went away on business trips and spent long hours in the office. Sure Klaus was a hard worker, she knew that going into the relationship with him and he wouldn't be so successful had he not been such a go getter. So why was it bothering her now

..

The doctor squirted lubricant on a wand and moved the goopy thing firmly over Bonnie's lower abdomen. Damon held her hand, lacing his fingers through hers as they watched the monitor.

"You can't see much at eight weeks but there's heartbeat" the doctor explained, his eyes darting between Bonnie and Damon.

"So everything is fine, I don't have to be confined to the bed or anything."

"Everything looks fine for now." He smiled, wiping the gel from her abdomen. He stripped off his latex gloves and dumped them in a nearby trash can.

..

"When can we start talking names?" Damon asked as they left the doctors office. She looped her arm through his and braved the cold chiding her cheeks

"Names?"

"How about Lily Salvatore?"

"You do realize that the baby will have my last name since we're not married, right?"

"Not necessarily."

"That's the one rule I have, Mr Salvatore."

"You think we'll need a bigger place?" he asked already picturing the color they'd paint the nursey.

"Wow, you realize that you just did a complete one eighty right?"

"Blame it on the sonogram?" he laughed lightly then draped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her closer to him.

"We have a lot to look forward to."

"Yes, we do."

..

Caroline marched into Bonnie's apartment carrying two bottles of wine and a wrapped package tucked under one arm. She shrugged out of her quilted coat and flung it across a nearby chair. Calling out for Bonnie, she wandered into the kitchen where she found Bonnie and Elena setting out glasses on the island. They greeted each other with earnest hugs then Caroline set the bottles of wine down on the wood topped counter, plonking her butt down on one of the industrial swivel stools lining the island.

Without abandoning the glass of wine she had already poured for herself when Caroline came in, Elena poured wine for Caroline and handed her the goblet.

"Are you going to register for your baby shower?" Elena asked, swirling the wine in her glass.

"Hey!" Caroline nudged Elena with her elbow.

"You mean my surprise baby shower?" Bonnie cocked an eyebrow, an amused smile on her face, "Look as long as it doesn't turn into a scene from Rosemary's baby, I'm game."

Taking fat gulps, Elena watched as Bonnie rummaged around the cabinets, pulling out a box of chocolate covered peanut butter crackers and assembling them on a plate. Then waving Caroline aside, Bonnie took out a tub of ice cream from the freezer and scooped some into a bowl.

"If it isn't the nausea it's the tender nipples and the heavy limbs. I feel like I have to drag myself everywhere and then of course there's my new obsession with chewing blocks of ice." Bonnie said with a chuckle. She was amused by the sheer look of horror in her friends' faces.

"Here" Elena smiled handing her a package bound in an eggshell blue paper.

Bonnie tore through the wrapping and opened a small Tiffany box. A smile lit her face as she retrieved a sterling silver baby rattle.

"I've always wanted one and I thought-"Elena explained, her voice breaking before she could finish the sentence.

"Thank you, Elena. This means a lot to me."

Elena shrugged, blinking back tears and picked up her glass, lifting it to her lips for a sip. Raking a shaky hand through her hair, she tried to ignore Caroline's reassuring hand on her shoulder and stared into her glass, the shaky smile never leaving her face.

"Who do I have to blow to get a drink around here?" Katherine exploded into the apartment and they all sighed, relieved for the release as the tension in the room had begun to mount. Elena excused herself, walking off into the kitchen where she tried to collect herself. She took a deep breath, listening to the stream of conversation that flowed out from the living room. Banging her head on the pot rack suspended over the island, she squeezed her eyes shut and drained the rest of the wine in her glass.

When she turned around to head back to the living room, she spotted a picture of a sonogram on the fridge held by a magnet. She swallowed a lump in her throat and cast a glance at the rest of the things tagged to the fridge; pink and yellow sticky notes with handwritten lists, a takeout menu from a Chinese place and a selfie of Bonnie and Damon drinking wine at some restaurant. She gripped the neck of a nearby bottle and anxiously refilled her glass. Draining the first glass, she poured another and took slower sips, allowing the wine to loosen her muscles and numb her emotions.

She could get through this. This was Bonnie's night after all.

..

They held up their glasses toward Bonnie and congratulated her on pregnancy and the next stage in her life. The ding on her phone alerted Caroline of a new message and she discreetly checked her phone she discovered three more missed calls from Klaus. He was probably calling her to tell her than he'd landed safely but she still had no desire to talk to him.

Dropping the phone back in her bag, she crossed her legs, took another sip of wine and tried to enjoy her evening with the girls.

..

"Doctor S."

Stefan whirled around at the sound of his name and shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat.

"Doctor Parker." His breath came out in short puffs of white.

"What happened to Liv?" she laughed, tossing her wild blonde curls over the shoulder of her tweed coat. She looked flush, messy and unapologetic about it.

"Come on, its Halloween let me buy you a drink." She suggested, elbowing him playfully.

"Uhmm…"

Sensing his hesitation, she closed in on him and looped her arm through his before he could protest "It's the end of your shirt right?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm buying you a drink" she patted her messenger bag to illustrate her point.

..

Stefan adjusted his eyes to the dim light as they entered the wine bar. Liv led the way, shrugging out of her coat before they had even reached the bar. They pulled out stools and settled along the ornate bar and Stefan took in the exposed brick walls and barn wood floors that lent softness to the place.

There was a piano in the middle of a low stage where a man sat with a glass of whisky, stroking a few keys with his nimble fingers. Stefan looked around the space, taking note of a few patrons nursing drinks in their own nooks. He liked the lowly lit bar and it was certainly an improvement from the last billiards bar where they had shared a drink.

After a few drinks Stefan looked at her and confessed, "I'm using you."

Struck by his admission, she took a sip from her glass and waited for him to expand.

"I mean I'm using you to vent about my marriage and that's really unfair."

With a soft chuckle, she leaned back and said "But I bet the release feels good. Sometimes you need to blow off steam and have someone validate your feelings for a change. I get it."

"If I'm crossing any boundaries-"he began hesitantly.

"I'm a great listener." She reached for his hand across the table and squeezed it. Stefan hadn't touched in weeks but it felt longer than that because even when she did touch him it felt hollow, not like how it used to feel.

"You need to honor your needs too. You need space to think and just be Stefan again"

"How long have you been married?" she asked as he took a bite of his sandwich.

He swallowed before speaking, "Four years but we dated for two years before that"

"Med school?"

"Yep. The student library" he nodded, eyeing the sandwich that sat untouched on her plate.

"Ever dated anyone else besides your wife?" she leaned closer, her eyes flickering with amusement and a smile never leaving her face. "Let me rephrase that...uhm…have you ever slept with anyone besides your wife?"

Stefan's jaw tightened, perturbed by the conflicting emotions swirling inside him. He stared at the peek of lace under her shirt and took a hasty swig from his bottle.

"No." he replied, his eyes darting to the mirror behind the bar in an effort to avoid the flesh exposed between the lapels of her white oxford shirt.

"And you've never been curious."

"I have. I just never acted on it."

..