Title: One plus one equals three

Summary: Pregnant Jenna can't sleep and has a late-night talk with Alaric.

Characters: Jenna/Alaric

Spoilers: well, none I guess…

Timeline: Throughout Season 4 I believe :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone, unfortunately. Otherwise I'd sneak them away ;)

Author's Note: In the light of recent events and impending doom and gloom, I needed some fluff to cheer myself up. Also, the bloody voices in my head would never shut up, so I had to write it down ;)

I have a dream for you

It's better than where you've been

It's bigger than your imagination

You're gonna find real love

And you're gonna hold your kids

You'll change the course of generations

"Family Tree" by Mathew West~

Alaric entered the kitchen, squinting in the light and rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes as he fought to stifle a yawn. The time was nearing four in the morning, and everything about him screamed about how unnatural it was to be up this… late? Early? He honestly couldn't decided. Yet, when he woke up a few minutes ago and didn't find Jenna sleeping beside him like she logically should have, crawling out of the bed seemed to be the only option.

He paused in the doorway when he finally spotted her at the stove and leaned his shoulder against the wall, watching her, his arms folded across his chest. Dressed in a t-shirt and pajama shorts, she was stirring something in the pot.

The goofiest of smiles spread across his lips against Alaric's will, and his stomach fluttered – just like every single time his eyes were falling on her. She was his sunshine. He loved her so much it was unbelievable, and there were moments when he wanted nothing but just hold her for the rest of his life and never let go even for a minute. Everything about her was making his existence worthwhile, making him endlessly grateful for this chance and for her love, and for everything they were having now.

It still felt like a dream, every moment of his reality was almost surreal, and lying in bed at night with Jenna sleeping peacefully by his side, and listening to her deep breathing, he couldn't help wondering sometimes if he was going to wake up one day and find all of that gone. It had been months – would be a full year in only five weeks actually – but the feeling was still there, and Ric blamed his past fears for having to endure it. Having everything taken away from him once was a big thing. It left a scar that he knew would always be there. Yet, without even realizing it, Jenna taught him to look forward to the future again, and it was one of the things about her that would never cease to amaze him. The way she was brightening up every single day for him—

She was his miracle.

Finally, Jenna looked around she saw him. Her face lit up instantly and her lips curved into a soft smile making her practically glow. "Ric."

"Hey," he said in a low hoarse voice and padded barefoot across the kitchen, his own smile growing wider by the second. God, this woman was making him lose his mind, and not only he couldn't do a thing about it – he was more than willing to comply. "How is my little girl doing?" He crooned with adoration putting his hands on Jenna's belly that had grown considerably in the last six and a half months – in that exact voice that was making everything inside of Jenna melt every single time he was talking to their yet unborn daughter.

"Kicking," Jenna complained with a pout and made a funny face, which was just so adorable that Alaric couldn't help letting out a small laugh. "Woke me up again. Want some hot chocolate?" She offered him her mug.

"Mm, marshmallows," Alaric drawled in a low voice – lest Elena and Jeremy wake up upstairs – as he took a small sip.

Jenna sighed. "Sometimes I can swear she hates me, you know?"

"Of course she doesn't."

Ric put the mug back to the counter and wrapped his arm around her waist, his other hand still stroking her belly soothingly as he knew Jenna was finding it comforting. Their baby girl was surprisingly active lately not giving Jenna as much time for sleep as they'd both like. Yet, at the same time he knew that even despite her complaining these were the happiest moments for her. The moments that only belonged to her and their child, something no one could ever take away from the two of them, and each and every one of them was priceless. And he knew that she knew it, too.

Alaric couldn't have missed how much she'd changed lately, how much she'd softened and her attitude shifted, and what else could have been called a miracle if not that? Not that it wasn't exhausting at times, of course.

"She loves you more than anything." He reached to tuck Jenna's hair behind her ear, making her look up at him. "But… Like mother, like daughter," Ric teased her lightly. "She already hates limitations. You're not giving her much room for action. Bet she's going to give us hell of a time when she finally gets out."

"No kidding?" Jenna scoffed good-naturedly and shook her head.

She leaned into him marveling in the feeling of the warmth of his body against hers. It was hard to shake off all her worries, those that kept haunting her for months now. She wasn't Miranda, she wasn't even sure she was meant to be a mom. And boy, as much as Jenna hated admitting it, but she was a lousy parental figure for Jeremy and Elena at times. But this was different. Miranda and Grayson did a good job with them – so good she didn't manage to screw it up majorly. With her own child it could be another thing entirely. She would be one thousand percent responsible for making it right, and she would have only one chance.

"It's going to be fine," Alaric murmured into her hair kissing the top of her head – as if reading her thoughts, too. His hand ran up and down her back.

Jenna's hand landed on top of his that was still lying on her belly. He didn't seem to be merely concerned, never had been, and it was amazing. Ever since she told him it was no longer about the two of them… Not a trace of fear, only pure excitement! She wished she had that much confidence, Jenna thought sometimes, but then again knowing she had Alaric – always there for her, whenever she needed, any moment of her life – was making it so much easier.

It was getting a bit tough lately, she had to admit. Jenna couldn't help feeling like some over-grown clumsy whale sometimes. Okay, most of time, like ninety five percent of time, add an appetite of a lion and mood swings to it. But it was still good because it was a unique experience she knew she wanted to go through. It felt right. She loved it. And Alaric… Jenna turned and buried her face into his chest, breathing in the familiar scent and feeling a steady beating of his heart. Alaric was her world. And she loved him so much. She would have never pegged herself for a family type, not like that. But here they were. At some point it just clicked, and she couldn't imagine it being any different, ever.

Ric's fingers crossed around hers. He would make a good father, Jenna thought. She knew it from the day she'd told him the news – even before he said a word, his face told her everything. She loved their daughter from the very first moment she knew she was pregnant. And she loved Ric even more for being the way he'd been all this time ever since. They could be fighting for hours about the names – because, god, had there been anything they were disagreeing about more than picking the name for their child? – but then he would make her shut up with a kiss, and it would blow her mind away exactly like when he kissed her the first time. That was something that never changed. Something she was finding both thrilling and fascinating.

And, all in all, it was nothing she'd ever expected, yet everything she'd been looking for.

"It's not a puppy, it's a child," she let out on a small sight, some concerns still hovering in the back of her mind. Was she even designed for this?

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ric responded after a short pause. "Just think about Jeremy. He's like a vacuum cleaner when it comes to food. See the resemblance?"

She chuckled softly. "Are you going to put our daughter on the leash, too?"

Alaric laughed quietly, tickling her skin with his breath. "When she is fifteen, maybe," he admitted. "We'll see about that. You'd make a terrific mom, Jenna," added reassuringly then, knowing perfectly well what kind of thoughts were coursing through her mind now.

Well, how could he not? It was bugging Jenna for months, and he was perfectly aware of it. Had there been a chance for her to run away from her own body—well, at some point she was sure she'd do it. This load of responsibility was beyond imaginable. Puppy was beyond imaginable. A baby? God, it was so damn frightening. Was she ready for it? Hardly. But… did she want to make it right? Hell, yes!

She looked up and he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"Hope not in a good-example-of-bad way," Jenna fought to keep her face straight but failed.

"Well, if she is anything like you, we're in trouble."

"You're not making it easier, Ric. You know that?"

"Yep," he nodded eagerly. "Did I promise to?"

"I thought it went along the lines, no?"

"I must have missed it," he shrugged nonchalantly. "You know how small print at the end of the contract works." But then everything about his softened as his eyes searched her face. "Did I tell you how beautiful you are, Mrs. Saltzman?"

Jenna frowned a little. "Not that I recall."

One of his eyebrows arched. "Did I tell you how much I love you?"

Her mock frown deepened. "Must've been a while ago, too."

"Shame," Alaric dipped down and caught her lips with his, tentatively first, feeling her smiling against his mouth, and then deepening the kiss when he felt Jenna responding to it. He let go of her hand and ran his fingers through her soft silky hair as her palm fell lightly to his wrist. He pulled back after a little while, breathless, and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much, Jenna. So, so much."

"Now that's better," she said with deep satisfaction, feeling him tracing his fingertips down her cheek.

"Everything's going to be alright."

"I know." And then took his hand and put it on her belly again, covering it with hers, when their baby girl kicked again. "See?" Glanced up to meet his eyes. "She agrees."

~And just like the seasons change

Winter into spring

You're brining new life to your family tree now

"Family Tree" by Mathew West~