A/N: So first off I want to apologize for my terrible updating regime. I'm a high school student so my schedule got hectic with tests and extracurricular activities this past week. But I'm back and wrote this chapter in spurts since I want to start making them longer. Hope you enjoy!
Elena couldn't tell whether or not the last section of her hair just wasn't straightening, or she was just killing time. As she ran the hair straightener through the last few strands of hair over and over again, Damon appeared in the doorway of the master bathroom.
He stood there for a moment before he spoke. "Careful. You're gonna burn your hair off. And I happen to like your hair."
Elena let out an exhasperated sigh and set the flat iron down on the counter. "I just don't know what I'm going to say to them." she said turning to him.
Today was the day she was going to tell Bonnie and Caroline. They had made lunch plans for that afternoon, and she had to find a way to slip her two best friends the news.
"They're your best friends, Elena. Everything's gonna be fine." he said, then shrugged. "I mean, Caroline might pretend to hate me but I'm pretty sure she loves...babies."
Baby. The word still sounded so foreign.
"Oh yeah? And what about Stefan? And Alaric? And Jeremy? And Matt and everyone else? How am I going to tell them?" she said grabbing an eyeliner pencil, about to line her eyes even more than she already had before Damon grabbed it out of her hand.
"You're starting to look like Katherine." he said, tossing the pencil back on the counter. "Now go tell your best friends why you've been dodging them for the past two weeks and...we'll figure out how to tell everyone else eventually."
"Well considering I'm almost 13 weeks I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hide it so..." Elena said.
"Just stop worrying. Everything's gonna be fine." he said.
He tried to make her feel better, but he didn't sound very convincing. If there was one person more shaken up about the whole ordeal than Elena was, it was Damon.
She sighed and gave him a hug. "I love you." she said.
"I love you too." he replied, though he sounded distant.
She pulled away and looked at him. "You know, Damon." she said looking down and grabbing his hands. "I've been so caught up in my own shock and how I'm going to tell everyone and...I guess I just haven't really asked you how you feel."
He looked down and back up at her. "Blondie and Bon Bon are gonna wonder where you are. Better get going." he said with a small smile. Damon was never very good at talking about his feelings.
Elena nodded. "I'll see you when I get back?" she asked.
"Of course." he said attempting a small smile.
"Well it's nice to see you're actually alive." Caroline said irritated as Elena sat down and the outdoor table at Mystic Grill, twenty minutes late. Her two friends already had their food.
"Sorry I...got held up." Elena said.
"Well I hope rolling around in the sheets with Damon for an extra twenty minutes was worth it." Caroline accused.
"Caroline!" Bonnie scolded.
"No, she's right. I'm sorry I'm late." Elena said.
Caroline said nothing and took a bite of her salad, pouting like usual.
"Where have you been Elena? We've been worried about you." Bonnie said reaching to touch her hand sounding concerned.
"Umm, just everything. Life's been...crazy I guess." she said.
"Elena, we've been best friends for years. Whatever is going on, you can tell us." Bonnie said. "Right Caroline?"
Caroline stayed silent until Bonnie nudged her. "Right." she sighed in response.
"I know, it's just...well the thing is, I don't even really know how to say it." Elena said.
And she didn't. These were her two best friends and this was the first thing she had no idea how to spit out. Maybe it was because she was afraid they would judge her? Or maybe it was because the mere idea of her being pregnant was so hard to fathom that she could hardly believe it herself.
"Oh just spit it out already." Caroline said.
"Caroline!" Bonnie scolded her a second time.
"What? She's ditched us I don't know how many times this month and I'm sick of it! I want to know what could be so important that she can't just spill!"
"Caroline, that is not the way to get your best friend to talk to you."
"Is she our best friend though? Because she sure hasn't been acting like it."
"Caroline you have to be a little more-"
"I'm pregnant." Elena blurted out interrupting their argument.
The two girls turned their heads away from eachother slowly to look at Elena.
"What?" Caroline said laughing a little in disbelief.
"It's true." Elena said.
"Elena..." Bonnie started.
"I don't know how, and I don't know why but...I am." Elena said looking up at the two girls.
"How do you know? Are you sure?" Bonnie asked.
"Well I got both doctor and witch confirmation, and my jeans are feeling a little tight. So, yes. I'm sure." Elena said.
Caroline and Bonnie stayed silent for a moment until Caroline brought her hands up to her mouth which was forming a smile. "Oh." she said sounding shocked, but not in a bad way.
Bonnie on the other hand, just looked shocked. "Damon...?" she asked.
"Yeah." Elena said and looked down at the table.
"How is this even possible?" Bonnie asked, still not looking convinced.
"One of nature's loopholes I guess. I really don't know. I'm still shocked." Elena said.
"Elena are you sure this isn't a mistake? It's-"
"Oh shut up Bonnie!" Caroline interrupted her and then looked toward Elena.
"Elena! You're going to have a baby! I'm going to be an auntie!" Caroline said grabbing Elena's hand with a smile bigger than ever.
Baby. The word was still foreign.
Bonnie still sat there not saying a word.
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet? How far along are you? Elena I can't believe this! This is a miracle!" Caroline said excitedly.
"I don't know yet Caroline. I think I'm about 12 weeks." Elena said, chuckling at her friend's excitement.
"I have to go." Bonnie said, getting up from her chair.
"Bonnie!" Caroline said in disbelief.
"I have things to do." Bonnie said. "I'll see you guys later."
Elena's heart sank as she watched her friend walk off.
"Okay, I guess I'll just pay for your meal then. Thanks a lot Bonnie." Caroline shouted after her. She then turned back to Elena. "It's okay Elena, she's just surprised. You know how seriously she takes all that 'balance of nature' stuff. She'll come around."
"Yeah, I'm sure she will." Elena said nodding, but still looked hurt.
"I am so sorry about being mad earlier by the way...I totally get it now." Caroline apologized and then rambled on about buying baby clothes and things like that.
Elena's mind was too preoccupied with how hurt she was by Bonnie's reaction to listen to Caroline. Of all the reactions her best friend could have had, Elena didn't one like that.
"So are you planning on telling me what's been going on with you lately?"
Elena jumped and spun around towards the entryway to the kitchen when she heard Stefan's voice.
"Stefan you scared me!" she exclaimed putting her hand on her chest.
"My bad." he said putting his hands up in a defensive position. "You're not gonna stab me with that knife are you? Because you almost stabbed Damon the other day. Which brings me back to asking you what exactly is going on."
"I don't know what you're talking about." she said turning back around and continued mixing the cake batter she had been working on. Her latest craving.
"Elena. I'm not blind, I can see the way you've been acting." he said.
"I haven't been acting any different, Stefan." she insisted.
"Really? Because you're mixing cake batter. You made a cake yesterday." he said.
"I like cake okay?" she said.
"Elena this weird behavior started when you were sick a couple weeks ago. Please just tell me what's going on."
Elena put down the mixing spoon and let out an exhasperated sigh. She knew she had to tell him sooner or later, though it was her biggest fear. She and Stefan were in love at one time, and it hurt him enough that she had fallen in love with his brother. She feared how he was going to react when he found out her and Damon were going to soon have something she knew he wanted most in the world. A family.
"Okay. I'll tell you but you have to promise not to freak out and call me crazy okay?" she said.
"Okay..." Stefan said confused.
"I'm pregnant."
There was a long pause as Stefan stood there and stared back at Elena blankly.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me." she said.
"Yeah I heard you...I'm just a little confused. What do you mean your pregnant?" he asked.
"I mean, somehow one of nature's loopholes went into action and now there's a living ...something inside of me."
Realizing that this was the first time she had ever said that out loud, she gulped.
"Elena..."
"I know it's impossible. But please don't ask me if I'm sure because yes I'm sure and I'm probably more shocked than anyone else." she said.
"Is it Damon's?" Stefan asked looking at the floor. Elena couldn't tell whether or not he was hurt or angry. He was probably a little bit of both.
"Of course it is. Who else's would it be?" Elena asked a bit insulted.
"I didn't mean it like that, Elena I just..." he sighed sitting down.
"I know a family is all you ever wanted and I'm sorry..." she said.
"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" he asked. "Elena, while this is one hell of a shocker you shouldn't be sorry about anything. I'm happy for you and my brother."
"Really?" Elena asked with a hint of a smile.
"Of course. I'm your friend Elena and I already have a family, even if it isn't kids of my own. I'm perfectly happy with being Uncle Stefan." he said.
"Thanks, Stefan." Elena said relieved with a smile.
"But I have to ask...how does this work exactly?" Stefan asked. "You know...the whole vampire pregnancy thing."
"Well I went and saw a witch. She says all will be normal with it until it's older and he or she develops vampire traits. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how the whole thing works either." she replied.
Stefan nodded. "Well either way, it's Damon's kid so get ready to have quite the handful."
"This better be good, Damon. I blew off lunch with Jo." Alaric said sitting down beside Damon at the Mystic Grill.
"Oh it's good all right." Damon said staring at the counter and taking a shot of whiskey.
"Scotch, please." Alaric said to the bartender. "Okay, what's so important that you've started drinking at noon?" he asked Damon.
"What do you know about being a daddy?" Damon asked taking a swig of his bourbon with a semi-sarcastic tone.
"Obviously nothing since I just gave up a date with my incredibly hot doctor girlfriend. Why?" Alaric asked.
"Because I'm gonna need some advice asap." Damon said.
"Seriously, Damon I don't have time for this." Alaric said rolling his eyes and standing up.
"I'm not kidding Ric. Sit back down." Damon said. "A shot of whiskey for my friend here. Make it good." he said to the bartender.
Alaric looked baffled. "What are you talking about, Damon?"
"I mean, nature screwed me over and I got Elena pregnant. So I asked you to meet be here because I'm in an extestensial crisis and I don't know what to do." Damon said.
"Are you sure?" asked Alaric.
"If I wasn't sure do you really think I would be sitting here talking to you about this? I know how ridiculous it sounds but it's happening so I could really use some sound advice." Damon said taking another drink.
"Is this not what you want?" Alaric asked.
"I never said I didn't want it. I just didn't expect it. I haven't exactly proved myself to be the father type. Hell, all I knew about dads as a kid was my own who abused my mother along with Stefan and me." Damon said with a pained look in his eyes. "What if I'm no good at it?"
Alaric shrugged and swigged his drink. "I think it's something you choose to be good at. Your dad was an asshole. That doesn't mean you have to be."
"Do you really think I'm capable of being able to take care of a baby? Their so small and fragile and...and what if I screw everything up?" Damon asked grimacing, picturing all the bad things that were bound to happen with him as a father.
"I guess get to practicing changing diapers man." Alaric laughed patting his friend on the back.
"What?" Jeremy asked after Elena broke the news to him.
"I'm pregnant, Jer. It's a long story but I wanted to tell you." Elena said.
"Wow." Jeremy said looking amazed. "So I'm gonna be an uncle?"
Elena laughed and smiled with relief that her brother seemed excited. "Yes, you are."
"This is insane." he said pulling Elena into a hug. "Have you told Damon yet?"
"Yeah...he's a little shocked, just like me. But he'll come around." she said.
Or at least she hoped he would.