I'm back! Sorry it took a little longer than I had thought. With how twisted and deep the plot is already with so many characters I pretty much had to flesh out an outline of the whole story before I even started the beginning of Book 3. And that took awhile. But I have more than 3/4 of the book outlined now so it all makes sense.

Please read and review. Nothing scary or intense to start things off with a bang like the other books were. I figured our sweethearts needed some peace and quiet and connection time after so much has happened. I absolutely love writing them happy and all lovey dovey. They deserve the break after all the hell they have lived through so far.

But its is far from over. There will be some crazy twists and turns. They will both find out about the babies in extreme life or death circumstances. Someone will turn, someone will betray the person they love, someone will be tricked, someone will be healed, another big bad will be revealed, someone will run away from everything they have ever known and someone will die. Lots to come and there will be a time jump later on too. Everything else takes place in one day till then.

Oh and let me know if you prefer knowing when the next update is or not. Some weeks I have more time than others. I have another chapter almost ready right now too. Not sure if people prefer one at a time spaced out or couple chapters in one day.

Enjoy!

Elena opened her eyes and blinked looking around. Where was she? She had remembered falling asleep on the chair in Damon's arms last night. She had felt his hand on her bare stomach, rubbing it ever so softly as she had fallen asleep.

Now she saw that she was back in her brother's bed, in the next room. Damon must have moved her there at some point during the night. She turned her head to the side and smiled as she looked at his sleeping face.

Damon was deeply asleep still, his head buried against her shoulder. He moved just slightly as she shifted her body and she felt his hand against her stomach pulling her in toward him, even in sleep. She was still just wearing his long sleeved button down shirt that only looked to have one button closed of the middle two buttons she had done up from last night. Was he undressing her more in his sleep? His hand wandered her body as he nuzzled closer. His nose found her hair and she saw a contented sigh grace his lips and she bent to kiss his forehead. A low moan rumbled in his throat and his lips parted.

She had never watched him as he slept before. He looked so peaceful and his face mirrored childlike innocence. Any masks he wore to hide his pain, hurt, anger or fear had long disappeared when she looked at him. She saw him, the real Damon Salvatore underneath all the snarky, cocky one liners and the monster he tried to show everyone that he was. But he was no monster. That was a mask too. There was nothing evil or scary or to be feared as she looked at his face. She could see his guard was down, his trust in her unshakable and his desire for a future with her had nearly taken her breath away last night when he had proposed.

She could feel the muscles in his chest flush against hers, the thin material of his shirt barely a barrier between them. Her one hand was down by his lower back and she ran her fingers up his body caressing his warm skin. She lifted her other hand that had been tangled in his hair, up to the dim light seeping in from the window and imagined a beautiful diamond ring on it. Right now her hand was bare but soon she would have a symbol of their commitment forever on her finger, reminding her of the tender and totally Damon way that he had asked her to marry him.

She smiled, her hand finding the curls at the nape of his neck again as she shifted how she was laying with him almost on top of her. His body was against hers leaving no space between them, touching every inch of skin he could. The way they were lying; him wrapped around her, felt so perfect. She could smell the fruit flavored shampoo in his hair, and the sweat from their bodies from them making love on this bed, not once but twice just yesterday. He rubbed his leg against hers as she just lay there looking at his face.

She moved the hair that was tickling her nose, back from his forehead running her lips across it and moved to tease his sealed lips open with her finger. She knew she was bugging him by now when he might want to sleep longer. But she was just wanting him to open those gorgeous, baby blue eyes.

It was still dark outside with the moonlight the only light shining in the window on him. Most of the room was still bathed in darkness. There was no sounds coming from the cabin that she could tell. Stefan it seemed too, was quiet. She knew she should check on him. She had been amazed she had slept so long already and had not been up multiple times in the night, at least that she had known. The safety and security she felt in Damon's arms had given her the best sleep she had had in days, maybe months. His breath was just barely tickling her face and she just lay there wide eyed just watching him.

She felt like she could watch him sleep forever. He was gorgeous and she thought even more so, since knowing he was hers. His nose wrinkled as a strand of her hair fell over his face and she moved to smooth it back, caressing his cheek along the way. She adjusted again feeling his body tight against hers and it was getting harder to breath. He rolled a little off her and onto his side beside her and his lips brushed against her neck. She whimpered, never getting enough of his closeness.

For once she had not woken up with a nightmare. Maybe the nightmares were finally all over for her. But she knew Klaus was still out there. Katherine was still out there. Who knew what the day would bring. But right now she didn't care. She was wrapped up in Damon Salvatore's, strong arms and that was all she needed.

She burrowed her body lower and started kissing his face. First his cheek and then his chiseled jaw all the way to his ear lobe and she sucked it into her mouth. He groaned her name and she saw a lazy half smirk on his lips. His one hand gripped her bare hip, tugging her closer to him and she draped her leg over his.

Finally those intoxicating ocean blue eyes opened and regarded her with feigned displeasure. She nearly giggled at the annoyed expression on his face that she dared disturb his sleep.

He rolled her onto him, his body against her every curve. "Mmm baby, don't tease if you don't mean it," he smiled at her yawning.

She kept kissing him down his neck and across his collarbone as she heard another moan low in his throat. His other hand splayed across her lace covered bottom rubbing her core against his now very awake body, that was eager to have her again.

"What if I do mean it sexy?" she grinned at him, his eyes still half lidded like he could tackle her and kiss her senseless in the next moment or nuzzle back in to her and fall back asleep.

He buried his face at the crook of her neck, planting feather light kisses along her throat. "I mean I'm still tired baby and I was up lots with Stefan the last few hours. Need...more sleep." He yawned again.

Elena could not suppress her giggle. "You were?" She pouted, almost as cute as he could be to her and giggled again. "Poor sweetie. You make it sound like you were up all night rocking a baby to sleep."

Damon's eyes opened more as the imagery of her thought raced through his brain. A baby? It sounded heavenly to be up at night rocking a baby...their baby. But he knew that was nothing but a fantasy. As much a fantasy as his desire to be human with her. "Well trust me, baby bro is way to heavy to be rocked all night." He smiled at her rubbing her nose with his as he ran his one hand down her side under his shirt.

She smiled at him. "I know, I was just teasing. But that is my one regret about you, Damon."

He lifted his head, his eyebrows raised at her. "Huh? That I am not strong enough to rock my brother to sleep all night!?"

She laughed, nuzzling her head against his chest. "No, honey! A baby. That is the one thing I hate about how vampires are. How you are. I have never wanted to have a baby with anyone before you. But for some reason with you I just miss that we won't have that."

"Whoa, little miss fiance. I haven't gotten a ring for you yet and you are already talking babies!? Moving a little fast are we?!"

"No, Damon. Only one of us moves fast and it's not me," she quipped back at him. "Fiance. Wow it still doesn't feel real that I get to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore. I feel like I am dreaming and am going to wake up and none of this will have happened."

"Don't go there, babe. That was my fear all day yesterday. Especially after I told you that I loved you. Believe me, I didn't want to go sleep tonight at all and was scared I would wake up at home and you would be back with Stefan." That had been bothering him all day but somehow he had fallen asleep in her arms. And when he woke up she was still there, wanting him and needing him and nothing had changed.

"I know it's crazy. And I am okay with it not being a reality but for some reason I actually dreamed about that tonight. It's not as scary to think or talk about since I know it's not possible. But a girl can dream can't she?"

Damon kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter, kinda of nervous at the direction this conversation was going. "Apparently she can,"

"I know it sounds wild, really out there, but I saw you in my dream holding our son or daughter in your arms. They were so tiny in a little white sleeper, wrapped up in a blanket and you were standing in the parlor back at the mansion dressed pretty much like now, wearing just pajama pants. The baby was in your one hand against your chest as you rocked it back and forth and danced around the room to get him or her back to sleep. I didn't see the babies face closely. All I saw was how amazing you looked holding them against you. I saw myself wander in the room and kiss you on the cheek and you whispered to me to be quiet, that they were almost asleep. You held me in one arm and we just slow danced by the fire, cradling our baby between us. It was incredible to see. I didn't want to wake and have it just be gone. And just before I woke up, I could swear I heard another cry when the baby looked fast asleep."

"Wow, that does sound incredible." And he meant that with all his heart. It made him ache, wishing he could make her dream come true. "I'm so glad you aren't dreaming of the horrors from the last few days. But it is not fair that you got to see me as a daddy when I didn't get to see you. I would have loved to see that. But you can still be a mom, Elena. That is not off the table for you."

He said the last sentence quietly like maybe it hurt him as much as it hurt her that if she chose the path to become a parent, that it would not be with him

"Not without you" she said quickly with not an ounce of hesitation. "I don't want all that... unless it is with you. And I know it's not possible as much I would love it." She snuggled deeper into his embrace just enjoying the comfort that his presence brought her.

"I'm so sorry, angel. I'm sure you would be an incredible mom. Just like yours was." She lifted her head to look in his eyes as he spoke. "I know I never met her or your dad, but they had to have been amazing, to raise such a kind, brave, compassionate, fiery yet such a selfless daughter." He met her eyes and she smiled at him. "I wish I could thank them that you are in my life."

She was beaming at him, soaking in the praise he was giving her. How did she end up with someone so amazing. "I know they would have loved you Damon. Well my mom for sure. My dad would have tried to intimidate you on our first date and warned you to make sure you got me home in time for curfew." She put her arm around his neck tugging his head closer to brush his lips against hers.

"And my Dad would have probably waited by the window and flashed the porch lights on and off when you dropped me off, just to stop us from kissing."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Well I can tell you right now…" He spun her underneath him fast and growled playfully like a tiger and attacked her mouth with a spine tingling, searing kiss. His mouth was hot on hers, his tongue plunging in, savoring all that was purely just the taste of his Lena; sweetness that he could not even describe right now since there was not enough blood near his brain to put into words how delicious she was.

She moaned into his mouth, her hands clinging to his biceps, pulling him closer, and then running down his bare back. He grinded his need into her belly as he devoured her mouth, making sure every inch of it felt his tenderness and passion for her. He smoothed her hair from her face with both his hands, stroking her cheeks and nipped teasingly at her bottom lip before he pulled back, watching her panting under him as she recovered from the bruising intensity of his kiss. "There is nothing or no one on this earth that would ever stop me from kissing you...your dad included. He would just have had to get used to his baby girl growing up."

Elena gazed at him wide eyed, her body still thrumming from his fervent kiss. He could make her melt right under him with how he kissed her. And hearing how he was talking like her parents were still really alive, was so sweet. She wished so much that they were.

"I can see you now at family game nights, Damon," her eyes were twinkling with amusement. "You would be losing with my dad at Pictionary and he would be telling you you sucked at drawing and that was why mom and I were winning. Mom would be watching us with such a big smile on her face. She would have been able to tell that we were in love. She would have even known the first time you kissed me. She knew me better than I did."

"I do not suck at drawing!" Damon snapped playfully at her with a pout. "Your dad would be proud to have me on his team. Boys against girls... the men always win." He smirked at her nuzzling his head to hers and then looking back in her eyes and sticking out his tongue.

"Uh, no. I think not!" she countered, almost catching his tongue in her mouth. "I happen to be the Gilbert family Pictionary champion! You would lose for sure if you were not with me."

He grinned at her again and rubbed himself against her. "Damn right I would lose if I were not with you."

He totally took what she said another way but she was loving the attention and affection he was showing her.

"I'm never leaving you again. Consider me a permanent fixture to you even at school. I'll just take high school all over again," he mumbled against her hair.

"Oh yeah sure, honey." Elena grinned back at him making an icky face. "That would not look weird at all. Pretty sure you would pass for a teacher, Damon. A really hot teacher that all the girls would want to have. Not a student."

"Mm mm even better. I've always loved that fantasy. But I will only have one student forever." He kissed across her neck again, licking and sucking her skin in his mouth. "I've always wanted to just throw everything off of a table and just make love on top of it. I honestly have not ever done that with any girl."

Elena was impressed. Did that mean there were other first that would be just theirs? She hated the knowledge that he was so much more well versed and she had only been with 2 guys. Matt could barely be called a boyfriend, cause everything was so awkward since they were best friends first. And Stefan was so scared of hurting her most of the time. The time in the tomb when he had her against the wall was one of the only times he had been brave enough to kiss her neck, especially after she had him drink human blood to save their lives from the tomb vampires. So she was very inexperienced in most things. Damon's wide range of knowledge and woman was a little daunting to her.

"I could teach so much, baby," he said, sounding like he read her mind right then. "It would be so much fun."

She laughed again and threw her head back. "I'm sure you could and I would love to learn. What else would be just mine Damon? It is really scary knowing you have so much more experience than me. How do I possibly measure up?"

He saw her insecurity all over her face. He had no idea she actually felt like that. She was worried about him being faithful? Well after everything that happened with Stefan even just today, how could he blame her?

He pulled her into the center of his lap and she wrapped her legs around him. He caressed her cheek and kissed her all over her face. "You have no idea how beautiful you are, baby. I want to spend the rest of my life convincing you how perfect you are for me."