regency au } { of trips to the falls and hidden surprises

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [and after Jenna has volunteered to take care of the girls for the afternoon, Elena will go in search of her husband and slide her arms around his shoulders from behind] I was thinking of going down to the Falls. Would you like to come with me?

Derek: [looks up from where he was writing to his sisters and smiles at his wife] I think I would enjoy that greatly.

Elena: Good. I could see if I could get us some things for a picnic from the kitchen?

Derek: I will get us our heavy cloaks and find a blanket to.

Elena: Good. I'll meet you out back.

Derek: [he nods, and after setting the ink he will gather the things and go down to meet her, sliding her cloak over her shoulders]

Elena: [and she has a basket in hand and looks up at him with a smile] Thank you.

Derek: You're welcome.

Elena: This way. [and she points back towards the tail end of the property, where there's a dirt path that weaves through the trees]

Derek: [and he will hold out his arm for her to take, clearing any brush from their path as they go so she doesn't trip.]

Elena: [which she appreciates and she'll slowly lead the way towards the waterfalls that the town is named for]

Derek: [and it's not the first time they have been here, but even still it's always a beautiful place to visit.]

Elena: [sighs softly as she looks around for a good spot for their picnic] What about over there? [against one of the larger trees not far from them]

Derek: [his eyes will quickly evaluate the area, sniffing the air as well. Nothing is off, so he will nod] Looks perfect.

Elena: Good. [and she'll begin to make her way over there slowly, keeping her hand in Derek's in case the ground shifted] Jenna said she was going to take the girls to town to get them gowns for the Christmas ball.

Derek: That's nice. I'm sure they will enjoy having that time with her.

Elena: I do too. And I'm sure Patience will love the chance to dress up.

Derek: While Talia refuses to wear shoes of any kind, I'm sure.

Elena: Oh, of course. Fortunately, she doesn't like to be cold either.

Derek: Yes, our one argument that continues to work.

Elena: I'm sure that will no longer work once summer comes.

Derek: We will be lucky to keep any of her clothes on this summer.

Elena: Well, she's starting to get old enough to learn some decency.

Derek: Let's hope it's enough when it gets hot.

Elena: If it gets to be too much, perhaps we should take some time down at your uncle's castle this summer. It's cooler there and when she's at the beach she doesn't have to be too presentable.

Derek: Do you think you'd be up to traveling so soon?

Elena: [she gives a small shrug] We'll see when the time comes. If anything, you can go without me.

Derek: And why would I want to leave you behind like that?

Elena: [she gives a small shrug] If I've just given birth, you may not have a choice.

Derek: If you've just given birth, I'm sending the kids with Peter and staying with you.

Elena: Are you sure he'll be able to handle that?

Derek: He handled me and my sisters. I'm sure he will be fine, and he will have Kate.

Elena: Mmmm. [ shifts to spread out the blanket and settles to sit with him] As I said, we'll see what happens when we get there.

Derek: Meanwhile, we can focus on the here and now.

Elena: Yes, we should absolutely do that.

Derek: [and he will help her set out the picnic and then have her lean back against him]

Elena: [and she settles comfortably, letting her head rest against his shoulder] Are you enjoying our visit?

Derek: Of course. And as long as the Salvatore Brothers keep their distance, I will continue to enjoy it.

Elena: I think they're in England.

Derek: That's good then.

Elena: It is. I think they've taken to traveling again.

Derek: Is that a good thing?

Elena: For a few decades at least, they'll be staying out of Mystic Falls.

Derek: [and he will nod, and that makes him a lot more relaxed]

Elena: [she glances back at him] I thought things were fine between you and the Salvatores.

Derek: Stefan, yes.

Elena: Damon, no?

Derek: I don't think I can ever trust him between what he did to Lady Caroline, and how he looks at you when he things no one is looking.

Elena: [deep breath] I'm not looking back at him.

Derek: I know. You I'm not worried about at all.

Elena: Then what are you worried about?

Derek: About him taking and not asking. [which he has done before]

Elena: [she nods] I know I should never say never, but I don't think he'd do that with me. Anything that existed between us, he always wanted to be real.

Derek: Let us hope it always remains that way.

Elena: I will. [turns to him with a small smile] But you know my heart belongs only to you.

Derek: [returns her smile] That is also something I have never once doubted.

Elena: Good. Because I would hate for my husband to think that my eyes were wandering elsewhere.

Derek: Never a moment. [and he will kiss her to prove it]

Elena: [sighs softly as she kisses him back, one hand coming up to brush against the side of his face gently]

Derek: [and he will kiss her awhile before gently pulling away] We should eat before we become too distracted.

Elena: [she nods as she reaches for the picnic basket] You're right. Distractions clearly have no place here.

Derek: Well, not until after we have eaten. [playful husband is playful]

Elena: [she laughs] So those are your priorities then? Food first, then distracting your wife.

Derek: Not the order of them. Just thinking of when may be better for us to enjoy some time in the water.

Elena: [she raises her eyebrow and glances back at the falls] You do realize that the water is going to be a bit cold.

Derek: Oh, I plan on warming you up.

Elena: [laughs] Oh really?

Derek: Very much so. [that is a wolfish grin on his face]

Elena: Well, I suppose we'll have to see if you can achieve it.

Derek: I'm certain I can.

Elena: I'm sure you are. [totally teasing]

Derek: [and he will laugh as he starts to open the basket]

Elena: [and they will have a lovely lunch by the waterfalls]

Derek: [and afterwards, Derek will lure his wife to walk with him closer to the falls, looking for the spot he was thinking about that would let them slip under the falls]

Elena: [and she will very curiously follow his lead to try and see what he's getting at]

Derek: [and protected by the falls is a small alcove where he leads her to a spot that he can smell the warmer hot spring that developed there. The water is a little above what their bath water would be] I found this the other day while taking a walk.

Elena: [her eyes widen a bit] I never realized this was here.

Derek: I think it may be recent. There was an earth shaking last winter, correct?

Elena: [nods a bit] There was, yes. How fortunate, then.

Derek: And with how well it is hidden, I think we can be free from modesty.

Elena: [glances back over her shoulder to check out hidden the path was, before nodding her agreement] I think you may be right.

Derek: Shall we?

Elena: [she takes a breath then nods, moving to slip out of her many layers so that she can slide into the water]

Derek: [and he will join her, intending to snuggle up to his wife once submerged]

Elena: [which she is more than amendable to, because while the water is warm, being wet still brings a certain amount of cold]

Derek: [and once they have been there awhile, he will start to get frisky]

Elena: [which will make her laugh, but she is still not opposed and may even get a little frisky in return]

Derek: [and he does have plans to eventually make love to his wife in the spring]

Elena: [which she is also in favor of, as she is swinging around to the pro-sex end of pregnancy. yay hormones]

Derek: [and the water does give her a nice, weightlessness experience so there is no pressure on her body or gravity]

Elena: [which is also always a plus and frees up her hands to touch him as well]

Derek: [so much lovemaking]

Elena: [until the light starts to fade and she starts to straighten a bit] We should probably start to get back.

Derek: [yes, she is correct, so he will help her out and dry her with his cloak before himself and they can get dressed to walk back]

Elena: [and she pulls up her hair so that it doesn't seem as wet]

Derek: [it can stay their little secret]

Elena: [indeed. and they will head back to their daughters who will show off their new party dresses]

Derek: [and he will fawn all over them. It's the one thing he enjoys about these trips - he is more father than heir while he is here]

Elena: [and the girls love it too, because they get more time and attention from him, which is always nice]

Derek: [Derek and his girls. It makes him very happy]

Elena: [which also makes Elena happy, though she's still hoping she can give him a boy one day. well, specifically she's hoping this one will be a boy, but the narration already knows it won't be, so ...]