I've been out of commission for a while LOL. The last story I wrote (which I have recently deleted) was written when I was a sophomore in high school and it has been 6 years since that time. I recently started writing again and have decided to post some of my stories (much to my worry and my boyfriend's encouragement). We'll see where this goes.

I am a die-hard Delena fan, but have gotten really tired of Elena's bullshit sooooo I've decided to make her suffer a little just like she has made Damon suffer. Here it goes…

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything, but the plot and any unrecognizable OCs!

Life's Decisions

(Pre-Season 4)

Chapter One

"Damon..." She sighed as his lips pressed against her neck softly and he smiled.

"Shit." Damon sat up off of the couch in the study. He rubbed his head in exasperation. He'd been dreaming about tanned skin and dark brown hair ever since Elena had become a vampire. At first he thought he was dreaming about Elena, which wasn't surprising because he was very much in love with her, but over time he noted things about the girl in his dream that were very different from Elena. Her laugh was different, the way he felt her kiss even through the dream was different, and the way she said his name was definitely different than the way Elena did. The dream girl said it with such care and love. It was as if he was the only one in the world to her, and with Elena that clearly wasn't the case. He always got so close to hearing himself say her name, but just before he would get to hearing it, he'd wake up.

The only reason that he was still in Mystic Falls was because he promised Elena that he would stick around to teach her control, and then he was going to get the hell outta dodge like he'd promised Stefan and himself. He was done waiting for Elena to come to her senses and make a decision, so he was making it for her.

"Damon, are you ok?" Elena asked, seeing the stressed look on the older vampire's face.

"I'm fine." He stood up and poured himself a cup of bourbon. "Did you need something?"

"I grabbed a book and this fell out of it." She held up an envelope. "I assumed it was for you since your name is in the book."

Damon looked at the envelope and then at the book, Dracula. Ironically, it been his favorite book when he was human, but he hadn't read it since before he turned. "Thanks." He took the envelope and the book. "Don't touch my things." He walked out and made his way up to his room before Elena could say anything that could stress him further. When he reached his room, he sat on his bed and took a good look at the envelope.

'Please read me' it said. He inspected it carefully and noticed that the handwriting seemed familiar to him. He rubbed his temples and took long drink from his cup. 'Let's do this.' he thought to himself and opened the envelope.

'Dear Damon,

Every day with you was like a dream, I can't believe that I met you. Emily Bennett said that you may or may not remember me now that I'm gone, but I hope that you do. She promised that we would meet again in the future, in my future. Damon I'm not from your time, I was born in 1990 and sent back into 1863. The year I was sent back when I met you was 2008, but I couldn't be happier that I was sent back. Emily promised that I'd see you again, although I don't know how that's possible, but since she brought be back in time I'm sure that she knows what she's talking about. Whenever you find this letter and want to see me again, you can come find me at this address: 414 Daring Chase Drive, Atlanta, GA 30063.

I hope that you do want to see me one day, but if you don't I understand. Just know that I love you Damon, I've never loved anyone the way I love you and I never will. Our love means everything to me. Here is a picture of me so that you can be sure it's me in the future if you decide to come find me.

All my love,

Jennifer.'

He put the letter down. "Jennifer..." he mumbled to himself and suddenly he could finally see the girl from his dreams completely, not just bits and pieces, but her eyes, her nose, her smile, her hair and the dresses that she wore. "Jennifer." He said more confidently with a small smile on his face. He opened the envelope and saw the picture of the tan, brown haired and brown eyed girl. She reminded him of Elena with her innocent eyes and sweet smile, but she had curly hair like Katherine's. The difference between her and the doppelgangers was that her face was a slightly rounder face and fuller lips, and the memories he had of her reminded him that she was curvier. He was sure that he'd seen her somewhere other than 1864 though.

Damon finished downing his bourbon and stood up. 'I'm going to find this girl.' he told himself as he changed his clothes. He had to meet the girl that had invaded his dreams and apparently Emily had sent this girl from the future into his past and back to the future. According to her letter, the two of them had been in love and it must have been before Katherine because he didn't remember her so he was going to find her. She was now 3 years, almost 4 years older than when he'd met her, but she shouldn't be too different than the picture he had, but before he went to find her, he'd stop by to talk to Elena's witchy friend.

"I'll be back in about a week." He said to his brother and Elena as he made his way down the stairs. "Try not to kill anyone." He winked at Elena and received a glare in return.

"Very funny," Elena crossed her arms. "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere," He shrugged. "I don't owe you any sort of explanation. You're just my friend." He smiled charmingly as he slipped on his leather jacket and walked out. He drove to Bonnie's house and found her carrying groceries inside. "Bonnie." He called out and the young witch turned to look at him.

"What do you want?" Bonnie asked suspiciously.

"Relax Witchy, I just have a question." He rolled his eyes. "If someone is brought to the past by a witch, will the people that the person met remember them once they're gone?"

"No because that would mess with the timeline." She explained.

"So could the people affected by that person ever remember the person?" He asked confused.

"Maybe, but it would take years much more than a normal lifetime." She shrugged.

"So a vampire's lifetime?"

"Yeah, that would be possible because vampires have a higher brain capacity with memories than humans do." She nodded. "Why are you asking me all these questions, Damon?"

"No reason. Thanks, Witchy." He smirked and got back into his car. He looked at the address on the paper and quickly drove to it with the girl, Jennifer, on his mind as he tried to gather more memories of her.

After being on the road for hours and stopping for sleep and a drink, Damon reached the house. He'd stopped, not because he was tired, but he wanted to be at the house at an appropriate time. Luckily it was Saturday and he was hoping that she was home. He walked up the wooden stairs of the light yellow house and knocked on the door before stuffing his hands into his pocket nervously.

"Can I help you?" A short man in his forties with salt and pepper hair, and a goatee opened the door. He seemed to have a resemblance to Jennifer, and Damon assumed it was probably her father.

"I'm looking for Jennifer." Damon answered as a blonde woman with green eyes, also in her forties, stood behind the man and the 2 of them inspected him. He watched their eyes widen, and then the man glared and slammed the door in his face.

"What the fuck?" Damon mumbled throwing his hands in the air when suddenly the door opened and the blonde woman smiled awkwardly.

"I'm sorry about my husband." She apologized. "You're looking for Jennifer right?" She asked and he nodded. "We're her parents. Here's her address, she doesn't live here anymore." She explained and handed him a piece of paper. "She's home and when you talk to her, I'm sure she'll explain why her dad acted the way he did."

"Thanks." He smiled and walked back to his car. He drove to a different part of town and to an apartment complex. He parked in front of the right building, got out and went to the door of the apartment number written on the paper then knocked on the door. A few seconds later the door opened and there she was. The girl from his dreams was standing in front of him in the flesh, but just a bit older than he remembered.

"Damon?" Her deep brown eyes widened and her voice was filled with disbelief.

"Jennifer?" He asked somewhat unsurely.

"Damon, it's really you." She smiled brilliantly and pulled him into a hug. "Come in." She led him inside to the simple, yet cozy living room. "Sit." She pointed to the sofa as she sat down, and he sat on the other end. "You don't remember me much, do you?" she asked after they sat in silence for a few seconds.

"Not much." He chuckled. He liked that she was straight to the point. "What do you still know about me?"

"Everything that you told me when you were human, and a generalized idea of everything that's happened to you since I came back." She answered. "I know that you're a vampire, I know about Elena, Katherine, and that you've been with a lot of women, about how your relationship with Stefan has changed, and about your problems with Klaus." She explained.

"How?" He glared slightly.

"It was part of the spell when Emily sent me back." She answered with a blush. "It's weird, I know, but I don't know why she did it. She said the income of random information would stop once we met again." She shrugged.

"Emily Bennett always did do a lot of weird things." Damon shook his head. "The good thing is that now I don't have to explain how I'm still alive almost 150 since we've seen each other."

"True." She agreed with a chuckle.

"I was wondering if I could see you more. I've been having flashbacks in my dreams and I'd like to get them all back because from what I can remember, my time with you was pretty great." He asked trying not to show his awkwardness.

Before Jennifer could respond, Damon heard soft footsteps to the living room and turned to look at the source. "Momma?" A little boy in blue footie pajamas asked in a sleepy voice. Damon quickly noticed that he had pitch black hair, crystal blue eyes and skin just slightly darker than his own, but still lighter than Jennifer's.

"JD." Jennifer smiled and picked up the little boy that looked like him so much that it made him uncomfortable. "Damon, this is JD, my son." She said proudly as the little boy buried his face in her neck and fell back asleep.

Damon's head began to spin as his brain began to do the math. The little boy looked about 3 years old, and technically about 3 years ago he and she had... He couldn't even finish the thought. Damon gulped. "Now I know why your dad slammed the door in my face." He rubbed his face.

"My dad? How?" Her eyes widened and realization hit her. "The address in the letter was my parents'... I moved out not long after I found out I was having JD." She explained.

"Why?"

"My dad wasn't really happy when I disappeared. How could I possibly explained what had happened to me? All I told him was that I got chosen to participate in a six-month all expenses paid event in which I pretended to live in the 1860's and couldn't use any technology." She explained with a sigh as she rubbed JD's back. "Then when I found out I was pregnant and he was beyond unhappy that his 18 year old daughter was pregnant and didn't want to give the baby up for adoption so he refused to be responsible for raising it when it wasn't his responsibility. It didn't help that I couldn't tell him who the father was. "

"So he kicked you out." Damon deadpanned and Jennifer nodded. "He really is mine, isn't he?" Damon asked looking at the sleeping boy. There was no way to deny it. JD looked just like him.

"Yes, he is." She nodded with a smile.

"I have a kid." He buried his head in his hands. "I can't believe this. I can't be a dad, Jennifer! I'm not the same man that I was in 1864!" He said desperately as his blue eyes bore into her brown ones. "I've done a lot of bad things! I'm no good anymore. I mean I'm better than I was a few years ago, but I'm still not father material."

"I know you've changed, Damon." She sighed heavily and kissed her sleeping son's head, then looked up at Damon. "We met once, a few weeks after I came back and before I found about JD. I had just gotten my job at the bank and I was saving all my money. You were really drunk; you must've been drinking for days because you didn't recognize me and you..." She looked away and rubbed her neck.

Damon's eyes widened with disbelief. "I fed off you?" His voice was hoarse at the thought of him feeding off of the mother of his child, his child. He was a father now. Jennifer nodded and Damon paled. "I'm so sorry... I've done a lot of bad things in my life, but I'm better now than I was 3 years ago." The sincerity of his apology radiated in his blue eyes. "But I refuse to be left out of JD's life. You've been raising him alone for almost three years and I want to be part of his life. He's my responsibility too." Damon said with conviction. "I've always wanted a kid, but I never expected to have one." His gaze turned to the sleeping toddler.

"I know you've changed, Damon." Jennifer said as Damon's words went through her head. He really was seriously determined. She could see it. Even though Damon had changed, she still knew him well enough to see the truth of his words. He really did want to help raise their son. That thought made her extremely happy. It had been a dream to see Damon again and have him say that he wanted to be a part of her life and JD's life. "I'm going to have to get to know the vampire side of you, Damon, and you have to show me that I can trust that side of you just like I trust the human side." She explained. "Then maybe we can decide together when you want to tell JD that you're his father."

"I understand." He was so glad that she was giving him a real chance. "You want to tell him about me? That I'm his dad?" That was something Damon couldn't believe. She was willing to tell their son who his dad was even if he was a killer, and Elena was too ashamed to even admit her feelings for him.

"Of course, Damon." She said with a chuckle. "You're his dad, and I couldn't be happier that it's you." Her words warmed his heart and he couldn't help but smile. "Damon, I'm not naive enough to think that we're going to pick up right from where we left off because although it's only been 3 years for me it's been almost 150 for you. I know you love Elena and I respect that, but looking at you again..." She explained and trailed off with a smile. "Everything that I felt for you so long ago has surfaced in me again." She blushed at her admission.

Disbelief ran through Damon's mind. He couldn't believe that there was actually a girl in the world that wanted him and only him, but there she was sitting right across from him while holding their son in her arms. He didn't know what to say so he simply nodded and changed the subject. "So what does JD stand for?"

Jennifer smirked. Changing the subject when he was uncomfortable had always been a very Damon move. "Jacob Damon." She answered. "I named him after you and my father."

"Is his last name your last name?" He asked, unsure of what her last name really was. It was one of those details he couldn't remember.

"No, it's not Pierce." She shook her head. "My parents think it's Pierce, but it's Salvatore. Now that you're here, I can tell them whenever you're ready, but I'm sure that after seeing you, they suspect it."

'Pierce...' Damon thought incredulously. "That's Katherine's last name." He stated more to himself than to her.

"Yes." She agreed. "I'm a descendent of hers. After returning from 1864, meeting you, her and Stefan, I did an extensive research on my family tree."

"So you met Katherine?" His mind was still blurry on the details of their past.

"Yes, I arrived in 1864 shortly after she did, but she didn't know where I was from."

'She took advantage of me when Jennifer disappeared...' He thought with narrowed eyes and glared at the simple beige carpet as realization came to him. "My subconscious remembered you... Your eyes, your hair, your skin, it was all so similar to hers. When you disappeared, she must have figured out that Emily had something to do with it because no one remembered you, and she pretended that everything that I had with you was really with her." He stood up and began to rant. "That bitch!" He growled, earning a hard glare from his former love.

"I know you're pissed, but watch your language." She warned. "There are little ears around." She pointed to the little boy, who was beginning to wake up.

"Good morning, mommy." JD smiled widely at his mother and turned to the strange man sitting on the sofa across from his mother. "Who's that?" He asked suspiciously while clutching his dark blue blankie closely.

Jennifer chuckled at her son's suspiciousness. "JD, this is Damon." She gave JD a reassuring smile. "Damon is a really good friend of mommy's."

Damon crouched in front of JD and smiled. "Hey JD, it's nice to meet you." He held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mister Damon." JD smiled widely and shook Damon's hand.

"Just call me Damon, JD." Damon chuckled at the toddler's mispronunciation.

"Are you gonna have breakfast with us?" JD asked with hopeful eyes. "Mommy's making her special pancakes." He said as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world.

Damon looked up at Jennifer to ask for her approval and she nodded with a smile. "I'd love too, kiddo." Damon said and JD jumped out of Jennifer's lap.

"Awesome!" He exclaimed and took Damon's hand. "I'll show you my room while Mommy gets started." He began dragging Damon down the hall as Jennifer laughed behind them.

Damon noticed that the apartment was a bit worn down, with infiltration and cracks on the walls and ceiling, but it was tidy. JD opened up a door to a small, light blue bedroom with a single bed that had a child's guardrail, a simple wooden dresser and toys in colorful boxes and on the floor.

"This is my room." JD announced proudly and pulled Damon to the middle of the room where they sat down on a carpet that looked like train tracks.

"It's very cool, kid." Damon said somewhat awkwardly, not knowing how to act around his recently discovered son.

"Did you know that my name is Damon too?" JD asked handing Damon a toy train. "My name is Jacob Damon."

"Your mom told me." Damon said as they began to put together a train set. "Did you notice anything else that we might have in common?"

"We both have blue eyes and black hair." JD responded with a shrug.

"We do." Damon smiled.

"Mommy says that people with blue eyes and black hair are super special." JD stated as if it was an important scientific fact.

"She's right." Damon said ruffling his son's hair. "We are super special." He confirmed making JD smile widely. "So you like trains, huh?" Damon asked pointing to the toys.

"And cars." JD added. "But I don't like Thomas because he's boring. I like Chuggington because the trains there talk so they're cool." He explained.

Confusion took over Damon's face. "What's Chuggington?"

JD's eyes widened with disbelief. To him, it was as if Damon didn't know what the color blue was. "You don't know what Chuggington is?"

"Nope." Damon popped the 'p'.

"Come on." JD stood up and grabbed Damon's hand. "I'll show you." He dragged him to the living room. "Mommy, Mommy! Damon doesn't know Chuggington is! I gotta show him." He explained as if it was the most urgent thing in the world.

Jennifer laughed at her son's antics. "Well it's going to have to wait." She said picking him up. "We need to get you out of your pjs and we need to brush your teeth." She took him back to his room with Damon trailing behind them.

"But Mommy, this is important." JD protested.

"And it will continue to be important until after breakfast." She said with an arched eyebrow. JD said nothing, but simply nodded. "Good." She placed him on the bed, and then pulled some clothes out of his dresser and dressed him. "Now let's go brush your teeth." She said as he got off the bed and they went to the bathroom.

JD brushed his teeth with his mother's help and then grabbed Damon's hand again. "Come on! Now I can show you Chuggington!" He said excitedly and his stomach growled, making him stop in his tracks. "Maybe after breakfast," He said with a cheeky grin making Damon laugh.

"That's sounds good, JD." Damon said ruffling his hair. "You don't have to rush. I'll be here all day."

"Really?" JD asked hopefully.

"Yeah." He nodded in response as the 3 of them made their way into the kitchen.

JD climbed into his booster seat as Damon took a seat and Jennifer brought three plates to the table. "Chocolate chip pancakes with a side of bacon and eggs." She announced putting the plates down and then grabbing a pitcher of orange juice. She put the orange juice in a Sippy cup for JD and put it in front of him with his panda shaped plate. Then she took her seat on JD's other side.

"Thanks, Mommy." JD said before digging into his plate.

"Thanks, Jen. It looks good." Damon said with a smile. "Is it ok for me to call you Jen?"

"Yes, it's fine." She smiled back. "And you're welcome. You're more than welcome to join us for breakfast any time you want."

"I just might do that." He responded as they too, began to enjoy their breakfast in a comfortable silence.

Once breakfast was over, Damon insisted on taking care of the dishes while keeping an eye on JD so Jennifer could change out of her pajamas. Once she was dressed in jeans and a simple red V-neck t-shirt, she walked out and found the father and son duo on the sofa together watching Chuggington on-demand. Damon had removed his leather jacket, leaving him in a simple white t-shirt and dark jeans, and JD was sitting comfortably into his side. She smiled at the scene; it was something that she thought that she'd never see, but she was ecstatic that it was real.

"Mommy, what are you doing over there? Come watch with us." JD asked, having just noticed his mother's presence even though Jennifer was sure that Damon had already sensed her.

"Yeah Jen, come watch with us." Damon said teasingly, patting the couch next to him. Jennifer rolled her eyes and took her seat next to Damon.

After about an hour, Jennifer stood up and turned off the TV. "That's enough, JD. Let's go to the playground and get some fresh air."

"Yes, please." Damon quickly agreed. Damon couldn't take any more colorful trains singing. If he had to watch one more episode, he was going to stake himself.

"Ok." JD jumped off the couch. Jennifer gathered JD's bag and placed her cellphone, camera, wallet and keys in it. "Damon?" JD asked, getting the vampire's attention.

"Yeah, JD?"

"Can you give me a piggy back ride?" His puppy dog pout made Damon smile. The kid was a charmer just like his dad.

"Sure, kid." He picked him up and placed him on his shoulders. "Just make sure to duck your head when we go out the door." He warned.

"I will." JD promised.

"Jen, why didn't you give JD up?" Damon asked, noticing that JD was distracted watching the clouds as they walked to the apartment complex's playground.

"He was one of the few things that I had left of you other than the memories." She answered. "Why? Would you have wanted me to give him up too?" She asked with a frown.

"No." He answered quickly. "I'm glad you didn't. I would've have missed the opportunity to meet him. He's a really smart 2-year old." He said with a smile.

"He is." She agreed proudly. "I do my best to make sure he speaks correctly. One of my friends is a daycare teacher and she got JD into a 3-day a week government program for free daycare."

"What about the other 2 days?" He asked.

"My mom comes over and watches him for me."

"Does your dad treat him badly?" He asked suspiciously.

"No." She shook her head. "He treats him amazingly, but my dad and I are still at odds a bit. Every time I'm around him for too long he begins questioning where I disappeared to and who JD's dad is, and when I don't tell him he gives me some speech about irresponsibility and other shi-stuff." She explained, correcting herself on the last word.

Damon said nothing, but began thinking as they continued to walk. Jennifer was truly an amazing woman. She was kicked out of her parents' home, but was able to find a nice enough place to raise a child. Though she had help from the government to put her child, well their child, in daycare, she kept a clean home and JD had what he needed, but Damon wanted something better for him. He knew that Jennifer was doing all she could and it was damn good, but he could help give JD more. He wanted a nicer place for her to live instead of an apartment that had infiltration stains on the ceiling and old carpeting. He was going to figure out a way to get them a better place to live.

"You're a great mom, Jen." Damon said sincerely as they reached the playground.

"Thanks, Damon." She smiled gratefully as he took JD off of his shoulders.

"Damon, come on! Let's go to the jungle gym." JD dragged Damon as Jennifer just watched.

She watched Damon help JD climb and hang on the jungle gym, and push him on the swings and help him walk up the slide. She took pictures of the 2 of them together with a happy heart. Her son was really going to have a chance to have a father.

Damon was happy for the first time in a long time as he lay on his bed in the hotel he'd been staying at since arriving in Georgia. He'd spent the past 5 days with Jennifer and JD after she got out of work and he got off day care, and every day he fell more and more in love with his son. He'd even watched JD alone on Tuesday which was one of the days that his grandmother watched him.

He still couldn't believe he had a son. Over the past 4 days he'd learned that JD's favorite colors were blue and red, that he wasn't a picky eater but that his favorite snack was baby carrots. He also learned that JD love chocolate milk and was allergic to nuts.

During that time, he was also getting to know Jennifer again, as well as get more memories of her. She was sarcastic and witty, a great cook and an amazing mother. She was also beautiful to boot. He even found himself thinking about her every once in a while.

Every day when he was going to leave Jennifer's, JD had begged him to stay, and every day Damon promised that he would return, Damon himself was finding it harder and harder to say goodbye to the little boy that had so quickly changed his life.

Damon got up and got ready for the day. He would be watching JD alone again today and he was looking forward to it. JD was a kid that didn't give a lot of trouble. He wasn't picky and he was obedient, and for that Damon was thankful. He quickly dressed and made his way to Jennifer's as quickly as possible. When he arrived, he knocked on the door.

"Hey, Damon." Jennifer greeted with a tired smile as she smoothed out her white blouse and black dress pants.

"Are you ok?" He asked concerned as he stepped in.

"I'm ok. I've just been feeling uneasy lately, like I'm being watched." She responded with a sigh. "There's breakfast on the stove, but no leftovers from yesterday. JD begged me to ask you to cook because he loved the chicken that you made on Tuesday." She chuckled and Damon smiled.

"I'm glad he liked it."

"He loved it." She smiled as she grabbed her purse. "I gotta go, but Damon? Please be careful. I've really been feeling uneasy so keep a really close eye on JD please." She explained with pleading eyes.

"I will, Jen. Don't worry." He assured. "I'm a vampire with super strength and super senses. JD is safe. Nothing can get past me." He winked and she chuckled.

"You're right. I guess I'm just being silly." She agreed as he opened the front door.

"I got this, Jen." He leaned against the door was as she walked out and bumped into a blonde man.

"Oh Demetri, I'm sorry." She apologized.

"It's ok, Jennifer." The man smiled in an attempt to flirt with her after sparing Damon a glance. Damon's eyes narrowed at the man's boldness. "So when are you going to take me up on my offer for dinner? We can go tonight." He smirked challengingly.

Damon was officially fed up. "She's busy tonight." He said with an easy smile as he threw his arm around Jennifer's shoulders. "I'll be here with JD when you get home from work." He turned to Jennifer, still smiling. "Have a good day at work." He kissed her cheek and threw Demetri a smirk.

"Thanks, Damon." She blushed. "I'll see you tonight." She kissed his cheek as well and took her leave.

"Who the hell are you?" Demetri asked with a glare. He'd never seen any man come out of Jennifer's apartment so early in the morning before.

"The question here is: who the hell are you?" Damon arched an eyebrow as he slipped his hands in his pockets

"I'm Jennifer's neighbor and friend." Demetri retorted. "And she is my future lay. I've been aching for a piece of that ever since that little brat of hers grew up. " He grinned lecherously.

Damon growled and pushed Demetri against the wall in a blink by his neck and the blonde man gulped. "Well I'm JD's father and you are going to stay the hell away from Jen because if you don't? I'll kill you and no one will ever find your body." Damon threatened menacingly. "Got it?"

Demetri simply nodded his response in desperation.

"Good." Damon grinned and released him. "Now leave." Damon ordered and Demetri ran. If this guy didn't listen, he'd compel him to do what he said, but he decided to try it the old fashioned way first. Damon returned inside and closed the door behind him.

About 2 hours later, JD trotted into the living room with sleepy eyes. "Morning, Damon." He yawned.

"Morning, kiddo." Damon walked over and picked up the little boy, who quickly rested his head on Damon's shoulder. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good." He mumbled, stifling another yawn. "Did Mommy leave already?"

"Yeah, she did. It's just me and you from now until 7 tonight." Damon answered with a smile as he carried JD back to his room and began changing him out of his pajamas.

"Cool." JD smiled back as Damon finished slipping on his shorts.

"Do you not wear diapers anymore?" Damon asked, noticing that he didn't even wear any to sleep.

"Nope, I'm fully potty trained." He grinned proudly. "Mommy started potty-training me when I was a baby. I haven't worn a diaper or a pull-up since I was 1 year old, not even to sleep." He explained and jumped off his bed.

"You are one amazing kid, JD." Damon said with a smile ruffling JD's hair and they made their way to the kitchen. His son was one smart kid.

"Thanks, Damon." JD said as he climbed into his booster seat. "You're amazing too. Out of all of Mommy's friends, you're my favorite." He smiled as Damon put his cereal in front of him.

Damon couldn't fight the pride in his chest. His son favored him, who he'd met 5 days ago, over people he'd known much longer. "Who are your mommy's friends?" He asked, curious to know more about Jennifer's life.

"Well there's Auntie Natalie, she's Mommy's best friend, and Uncle Ryan is Auntie Natalie's hubsand. There's Auntie Dani, she's my daycare teacher, and Uncle Max, he's Auntie Natalie's brother, Auntie Dani's hubsand and Mommy's other best friend." JD explained in between bites.

"It's husband." He corrected. Jennifer told him to correct JD every time he spoke incorrectly because even though he was only 2, she wanted him to speak as perfectly as possible. That was why JD's speech was so good for a toddler and it made Damon proud that his son was so smart.

"Husband," JD repeated. "Got it," He nodded. "There's Demetri too, but he's not Mommy's friend. He's just nosy." He frowned.

"What do you think of Demetri?" Damon asked, smirking at the frown on JD's face.

"He's creepy." JD made a face. "I don't like him. I wish he'd leave Mommy alone."

"Well I had a serious talk with him. If he doesn't stay away from your mommy, I'll take care of it." Damon promised. He refused to have some perverted creep around the mother of his child and his child.

"You're the best, Damon!" JD jumped into Damon's arms and hugged him tightly. Damon hugged back, holding the little boy that made him feel like the most amazing man in the world, tightly in his arms. He hadn't heard those words come out of someone's mouth with such sincerity in a long time.

The 2 spent the day playing and laughing together, their bond growing stronger. While cooking lunch, JD helped Damon throw the ingredients for the chicken into the bowl. JD drew a picture of squiggles that were supposed to be him and Damon, and Damon drew him a picture of a train. After lunch, they napped together on the couch, and then they went to the playground after waking up.

After all this time with JD, Damon found it hard to find a reason to leave, and he'd be leaving in 3 days. He didn't know how he was going to do it.

At 7:08 Jennifer walked into her apartment more tired and uneasy than when she left, but the delicious aroma that invaded her senses cheered her up. "Something smells really good." She announced in a singsong voice as she slipped off her pumps.

"Mommy!" JD came running out of the kitchen excitedly and into her arms.

"Hey, baby!" She hugged him tightly as his legs wrapped around her waist. "Did you have a good day with Damon?"

"Yes." JD nodded vigorously. "Can he watch me all the time? I love Nana, but Damon's lots of fun." He asked hopefully.

Jennifer's heart dropped. She and Damon had yet to talk about when he would leave and what they would do after he did. "Well," she took a deep breath. "Mommy will talk to Damon and we'll see, ok?" She really didn't want to see her baby get hurt, but she could see that JD already liked Damon so much.

"Ok, Mommy." JD nodded. "He's my favorite." He whispered as if telling a huge secret.

That sentence had definitely been a confirmation of her thoughts. Damon had said he wanted to be a part of JD's life and she hope that he hadn't changed his mind. Jennifer simply sighed as she went into the kitchen and found Damon moving around expertly as he prepared dinner.

"Hey, Jen." He smiled and it brought butterflies to her stomach. Even after all this time, she was still in love with him. "It's almost ready."

"Thanks Damon, it smells great." She smiled back and placed JD sitting on the counter top. "I'm starved."

"Well go change." He ordered playfully. "By the time you get out, the table will be set and dinner will be ready."

"Ok." She laughed and walked into her room. She put on worn denim shorts and a white t-shirt, and returned to the kitchen where Damon was done, just as he'd said and JD was already in his booster chair. "It all looks great, Damon." She took her usual seat as she admired the lasagna, garlic bread and parmesan chicken that he'd made.

"Well, dig in." He shrugged as they all did as he said.

After dinner Jennifer began gathering the dishes off the table and putting them in the kitchen. "Since you cooked, I'll clean."

"I can do it, Jen." Damon insisted just as he had the other days that he'd cooked and she insisted that she'd clean.

"You can give JD a bath and I'll be right there so we can tuck him in." She reminded and Damon smiled. Tucking in JD together was one of the highlights of his day. He felt as if he almost had a family.

Damon nodded his agreement and picked up JD, who was already yawning sleepily. Just as he finished giving JD a bath and getting him dressed, Jennifer waltzed into the room with a smile.

"All ready for bed, sweetie?" She asked sweeping JD into her arms.

"Yes, Mommy." JD mumbled rubbing an eye as Jennifer laid him on the bed and Damon pulled up the covers. She lay next to him on one side of the bed and Damon on the other side, both on the edge of the small bed as she began to sing a lullaby and in no time JD was asleep.

Damon and Jennifer shut off the light, leaving the green train night light on and slinked out of the room quietly. "He loves you." Jennifer said with a tired smile and the worry in her heart continued.

"I love him too." Damon half smiled as they walked to the living room. "It's amazing how I grew to love him so quickly."

"We have to talk about what's going to happen when you return to Mystic Falls. JD's going to miss you so much…" She trailed off as they sat next to each other. "And I'm going to miss you too." She looked away.

"I know." Damon sighed heavily. This was the conversation that he hadn't been looking forward to. He promised her and himself that he was going to be in JD's life, but he didn't know how that was going to happen. He promised Elena that he'd help her learn control. He couldn't leave, at least not yet. "I'm going to miss you guys too." He admitted somewhat hesitantly. "I'll think of something and tomorrow we'll settle this, Jen. I promise."

"Ok." She gave him a small smile and he returned with one of his own.

"I should get going." He stood up and she followed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jen." He said as she walked to the door.

"Thanks for watching him, Damon." She leaned against the doorway as he slipped on his leather jacket.

"I love spending time with him, Jen. Thanks for giving me a chance to be in his life." Damon slipped his hands into his pockets. "Call me if you need anything, good night." He gave her a crooked smile and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, Damon." She leaned up and kissed his cheek before he walked away.

A few hours later, Damon was walking through downtown Atlanta after having fed off of a man who was leaving a bar and he was ready to go back to his hotel to think of a way to stay close to his son. As he walked into the hotel, his cellphone began ringing and he sighed heavily, hoping that it wasn't Elena. She'd called him seven times in the past five days and he hadn't picked up once. He checked his phone and the screen flashed:Jennifer

"Jen?" He asked worriedly. She was normally asleep at this hour.

"Damon, there's someone here." She whispered frantically. "I saw a shadow of a person on my porch and this is the fourth floor, Damon. I've had an uneasy feeling that I was being watched for some time now, but it's been worse since the day after you came. I think that someone really has been watching me." She explained with evident fear in her voice.

"Where are you now?" He asked as he began running at vampire speed to her apartment.

"I'm in JD's room." Her voice was shaky and barely audible.

"Stay there." He ordered. "I'll be there soon." He hung up and fear ran through him. He didn't want to lose JD or Jennifer. He'd just found out that he had a son, and he wasn't in love with Jennifer anymore but he still cared for her a lot. He refused to lose anyone else.

In no time Damon reached the apartment and knocked on the door. "Jen, it's me. Open the door." He said softly and she opened the door for him warily. "Are you ok?" He placed his hands on her shoulders and checked her over.

"I'm fine." She assured, touched by how much he cared.

"Is JD ok?" He asked as he made his way to the little boy's room only to find him sleeping. "Thank God." He breathed out his relief.

"He's ok too." She smiled tensely, sitting at the foot of the bed. "But there's someone here, Damon. I know it." She looked out the window.

"Stay here and don't move." He ordered and she nodded. Damon walked out to the porch, climbed onto the roof and closed his eyes, letting his senses take over. He felt a presence move in the darkness behind him and his eyes snapped open. He pinned the culprit to the roof with his vampire face showing as he growled. He looked down to inspect his prisoner.

"Elena?" His eyes widened and his face returned to normal.

"Damon." She sighed in relief, glad that it wasn't someone that could possibly end her recently immortal life.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He snapped. "How did you even know where I was?"

"I wanted to make sure that you were ok." 'So now she cares.' He couldn't help but think to himself. "Bonnie did a locator spell."

"So you go around stalking people's homes and scaring the shit out of them?" He glared, unsurprised by Elena's ability to not think a plan all the way through. "I told you I'd be back, which meant: don't come after me." His tone was harsh and made Elena step back.

"But I-" She began only to be cut off.

"But nothing! You scared one of my friends! How long have you been here, trying to nose your way into my business?" He crossed his arms as if talking to a child. She was a new vampire and could've possible hurt JD or Jen, or both.

"I just got here ten minutes ago, but there was another vampire here, Damon. I saw him. He ran off after I showed up." She explained and surprise filled Damon's eyes. He knew what he had to do.

"Go home." He ordered. "I'll be there in 3 days. Do not come back." He shot her a glare over his shoulder before jumping back onto the porch.

"But Damon!" She protested.

"Go now, Elena!" He yelled and she did as he said. Damon walked back inside and went to JD's room. "It was Elena, Jen, but someone has been watching you. Elena saw another vampire and I could smell another one, Jen. He's been here watching you often." He confirmed and Jennifer's eyes filled with tears. "But I have a solution to this and about being in JD's life."

She let out a loud sigh of relief. "What is it?" Her voice was still shaky with fear.

"Come live with me in Mystic Falls." He said with a smile.

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"You and JD could come live with me." He repeated, unable to gauge her reaction. "You'd always be safe with Stefan and me there. I'll put the boarding house in your name so that only the vampires that you invite in can enter. You'll be safe. I can pay for a nice daycare for JD and you could go to college."

"Damon…" She was floored by his offer. "You don't have to do all that." She stuttered with teary eyes.

"I want to. You've worked so hard taking care of JD on your own, but he's my son too." He reminded. "He deserves the best and so do you, Jen. I can give you the best. I have more than enough money to take care of you both. The boarding house is nice and you won't have to pay rent. I know people so I can help you get a job if you want to continue working." He explained. "Let me take care of you."

A tear streamed down Jennifer's cheek. It had been so long since she'd been taken care of and here was Damon, more than willing to take care of her and their baby. "Ok." She choked out and he smiled, leaning over and wiping her tear away.

"Ok." He sighed in relief. Someone was finally allowing him to take care of them and he loved it. "Don't go into work tomorrow. Call in and quit and I'll handle your apartment contract situation. Then I'll get some boxes while you take JD to daycare tomorrow and while he's there, pack all of the things you want to take with you. I'm going to spend the day making some phone calls and I'll run at vampire speed to Mystic Falls and settle some things and I'll be back in the evening ok?" He explained the plan for the next day and she nodded her agreement.

"Then we'll go to my parents' for dinner and tell them." She added making Damon froze a bit and she noticed. "I can't just disappear, Damon. No matter what issues I have with my dad, JD is their grandson and they need to know where he is."

"You're right." He conceded with a sigh.

"And we'll confirm to them that you're his dad, since they already suspect." She said with a smirk and then yawned.

"Go to sleep." He nudged her playfully and she giggled before yawning again.

"Ok." She agreed and lay down next to JD.

Damon walked to her room, grabbed a quilt and covered her with it. He sat down at the foot of the bed and stayed awake the entire night.

Thanks for reading! Please review! Reviews bring you Damon-attracting cookies :P!