New York || Damon Salvatore [1]

SPECIAL CHAPTER

   Damon Salvatore stood in the centre of the kitchen, a toddler in his arm and confusion filling him up more than the delicious meal he smelt. He was confused, worried, and felt as if he could only throw up. But, at the sound of the toddler in his arms crying, he immediately began to rock him. A hand behind his head, soft mumbles telling the child that it was all okay, all while he wondered what the hell was happening.

   "Dad!" a soft voice yelled from upstairs. "Robert keeps pulling my hair!"

   "Am not!" another voice joined.

   "Are to!"

   "Am not!"

   "Hurry up!" Damon yelled back. He surprised himself with his sudden words, as if he had done that so many times before. "We're gonna by late!" Had he done that before?

   "Dad!" the same soft voice yelled, small steps echoing down the stairs. "Dad! Dad! Robert keeps pulling my-ouch!"

   "I didn't do anything!" the boy defended. "Dad, she's making it up."

   The girl appeared first, a large piece of cardboard in her hands, painted black with silver dots representing stars. In big fluffy letters on top, it read: "HOW OLD IS THE UNIVERSE?" From the cardboard, Damon looked at the little girl. Her hair was dark, gentle ringlets held up in two ponytails and blue eyes that resembled the sky. He was entranced by her, the little girl that was named Lily and called him dad. He then turned to the boy, who had a big pout and his arms crossed. The boy had dark hair and striking green eyes, just like Freya. Then, he turned to the toddler in his arms. Dark hair and green eyes cast down at the chain around his neck.

   Damon was a father, and it was something that surprised him to the point where he almost dropped the child in his arms. He quickly grabbed the kid with both arms and began to gently sway him, his arms shaking at the sudden thought. He was a father. He was a father. He was a father. He was a father, and he hoped he was a goddamn good one.

   "To the car," Damon said, knowingly grabbing the baby's bag and helping the kids with their things. It was as if he had done it so many times. "Come on. We can't be late."

   "But, I want to see Uncle Stefan!" Robert whined, following his sister out of the house. "Mom said he was coming over."

   "He's going to your game after school," Damon told him. Each word that escaped his mouth surprised him, as if it was all natural and meant to be there. "He told you yesterday, when you called for the tenth time."

   "He owes me a birthday present," Robert mumbled, climbing into his car. Damon noticed that the boy sported a Spider-Man backpack and lunch bag. Lily, on the other hand, sported a simple blue backpack with spaceships all over it. She had a same lunch bag, personalised in red with her full name: Lillian S. He couldn't believe he had named his child after his mother, but it also made him smile.

   "Robert, you know Stefan couldn't be here for your birthday," Damon told the child, glancing back at him from the rear-view mirror. He was pouting, arms crossed and lips slightly arched to the left in anger. The boy reminded him a lot of himself. "He had to work, and you know how it's not easy working at the hospital." He wondered if the words he was saying were true, if his brother was really working at a hospital. It made him laugh.

   Damon didn't know how, but he knew where their elementary school was located. He parked in a spot, helped the kids get out and have everything in their hands, and was stopped by other parents commenting about the latest PTO meeting and how Freya's white chocolate chip and raspberry cookies were to die for. He answered with a nod, a smile, and a, "I know. They're my favourites." It all came so natural to him, as if he knew what to do, as if he was so perfectly placed in that life.