Hero?

64

"Damon we just got word from the gates that Ana is here," Calum says coming into the study without knocking.

"Shit! take Jezey out of here. Where's Jackson?" Damon demands knocking Jezey over as he stands up. "Get dressed Jezey."

Jezey doesn't wait to be told twice. Since she became Damon's slave she's learned to do what she's told when she's told. She pulls her clothes on over her pregnant belly and Calum pulls her out of the room and up the stairs. But it's not fast enough and Ana sees her and can guess where she's been.

Jackson enfolds her in his arms effectively cutting off Ana's view of the slave. "Is Jezey pregnant Jackson?"

"Ana, the boss doesn't like us talking about his business and Jezey is his business." Jackson says uncomfortably. "How long are you staying?"

Ana smiles at him, "I don't know, until Damon gets tired of me perhaps?" She teases.

"Then you won't be leaving again." Damon says coming out to greet her.

Ana lifts up an eyebrow at his statement, "Really?"

Damon goes over to her and hugs her tight, "Really."

"Tell me Damon, is Jezey pregnant?"

"Yes, but it's not mine. It seems that personal slave doesn't mean anything to certain people. One of my men decided that Jezey needed company and didn't use protection and she didn't take the pill. She was nearly a month pregnant by the time I got back to her after returning home." Damon says with distaste.

Ana raises an eyebrow, "What did you do to your man?"

Damon smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes, "Let's just say that Shawn had some fun. It helped to take his mind off of you not being here. But my man is still alive, just learned his lesson, I hope."

"Oh, and Jezey?"

"Well, I'm not going to harm a pregnant woman, or girl, whatever you want to call her. She only is allowed to service me now." Damon says with a hint of a blush talking about this with her. 

"Good, we need to talk." Ana gets down to business. Damon takes her into his study and Trinity and Jacob following as does Jackson. 

"Jackson, guard the door we aren't to be interrupted." Damon orders and Jackson nods. He's just pleased to finally be able to see Ana once more.

"It's gotten more serious," Ana says getting down to business as soon as the door is closed.

"How so?" Damon says sitting across from her.

"I think the traitor has figured out the code. All plans will need to be finalized here before I leave. I probably shouldn't have come, but..."

Here Trinity breaks in when Ana falters, "As you can see, Ana hasn't been sleeping well. She needs sleep and she can only find it with you."

"Have you-"

"Yes, they both have. Damon it's not working. Sleeping pills and sedatives the doctor orders don't work, they just make things worse. Sleeping with Trinity or Jacob helps, but not enough." Ana says softly not looking at Damon.

"You are always welcome to stay, Ana, for as long as you wish. Hell, you know I don't want you to go." Damon goes over to the weary girl and holds her tight.

Ana dismisses her guards and they leave as rapidly as they can.

"What are your nightmares about, Ana?" Damon says as he holds her close.

"The same as before, you dying and Jacob dying trying to save you. The scenario changes, but basically the same thing happens every time. I can't take it-" Damon kisses her long and deep. Ana happily kisses him back.

"Don't go back to Hawk's nest, we can change the plan. It wouldn't be that hard to alter it." Damon pleads with Ana later that day.

"I'm not going to talk about it right now, Damon. I need to rest and eat." Damon nods and sets his file away. He dislikes that he has to deal with other business now that Ana is here. He doesn't mind the distraction otherwise.

The time has gone by so fast and Ana finds herself reluctant to leave once more. It's only a couple of months until her birthday again and the plan will be set in motion. Damon has done his best to talk her into staying and altering the plan, but Ana just isn't ready to move back to the estate at this time.

"Don't go, Ana?" Damon says the morning that she is set to leave.

"Are you asking or begging?" Ana teases as she gets dressed.

"Which would you prefer and that's the one I'll do," Damon says going up behind her and pulling her to him.

Ana chooses to ignore him at this point and instead asks him the question that's bothering her, "What are you going to do with Jezey's bastard when it's born?"

"The child will be given to the father to raise or give up for adoption. Unless Shandee would like to raise her grandchild, then it will go to her." Damon says unconcernedly.

"The child is due within the month, you could stay until then?"

"Then there really would be no reason for me to go home.

"I'm looking into being emancipated. Would you help me on that or would you fight me?" Ana asks nervously, she isn't sure how Damon would feel about this and so had put off talking to him about it.

"I won't fight it, but I think you have to be sixteen, or getting married to the father of your unborn child. Are you pregnant, Ana?" Damon asks that in jest and Ana turns around and hits him.

"If I was what would you do? Run and hide?" Ana sneers.

"I would marry you." Damon's simple words stop her cold.

"Even if it wasn't yours?" Ana tests.

"It wouldn't matter Ana. Any child of yours would be mine and I'd take care of it as if it were my own child. If you wanted we could do DNA testing to find out the biological father, but as far as I'm concerned the child would be mine."

Ana wipes away a tear at his words.

"I wish you were coming with me." Ana too had tried talking Damon into going with her. He felt that he needed to be here in order to orchestrate the invasion of Hawk's nest.

"I'll see you in a couple of months, then." Damon says sadly.

"Yeah, Damon what if the traitor decides to take action sooner?"

Ana lifts frightened eyes up to his, "Then we'll play it by ear. We can't plan for everything and all plans go to shit any way once the fighting starts." Damon says gently pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "No matter what happens I'm sure that you will be up to the task. You are far more able than I am with thinking on your feet." With that Damon escorts her down to the waiting cars and people.

He hides the pain that her leaving brings him. Her unscheduled visit gives him hope though. She came home to visit, perhaps she'll come home to stay.