Hi guys! This is a bit of a filler chapter, but things should get going next chapter. Also, for those wanting Kol to return, let's just say it's in the works.. ;)
Oh! And I started a new Elejah story, A Matter of Life and Death, go check it out and let me know what you think!
I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 12
Elena awoke with a smile on her face. She stretched out slightly, but stopped when she noticed arms wrapped around her small waist. Giggling, she turned and faced her partner who was already wide awake and staring back at her.
"Good morning, princess," Elijah murmured softly before placing a gossamer kiss to her lips, "How did you sleep?"
She smiled back at her husband, "I slept good. It's nice to wake up like this."
"I agree," he stated before pulling her closer against his bare chest. He nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, leaving soft kisses in his wake.
She sighed in contentment, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him closer to her. Her brow furrowed in confusion as he pulled back abruptly, a look of wonder on his face.
"Did you feel that?" He asked breathlessly, placing both his hands on her still-flat stomach.
Sure enough, she felt a very small fluttering feeling. She nodded, "Yeah, but isn't it too early to feel it yet?"
"I suppose not if our child is supposedly a hybrid," Elijah shrugged, placing kisses along her exposed stomach, "And I can hear a heartbeat. I don't know how I never heard it before…"
Elena giggled, "You just weren't paying attention."
"Perhaps not," he conceded, placing a final kiss to her stomach before claiming her lips, "How are you feeling today? Sick or nauseous? Hungry?"
She stopped to think momentarily, "Yeah, I'm hungry. I don't think I'm going to throw up. Well, right now at least."
"Breakfast is ready!" Klaus' voice drifted up the stairs and into their room.
"Well, I guess someone's on top of it," she giggled, swinging her legs off the side of the bed and getting up.
"I'd rather be on top of you," he quipped back, admiring her barely there pajamas as he sat up and grabbed her hips, pulling her between his legs, "But, alas, breakfast waits."
"Tease."
"So, how far along are you?" Rebekah asked over the breakfast table. Her blue eyes had been studying Elena since she sat down and she was trying to sort out her emotions for the doppelganger.
Elena's brows furrowed lightly as she thought about it, "Uh, two months? I think." She turned to Elijah, "Right?"
He nodded to his wife before turning his attention to his sister, "Two months give or take. Being in the past and then transitioning back has been a bit…distracting, however two months seems about right."
Rebekah smiled, "Wonderful! So, we can have a baby shower here and set up a nursery, right? You both plan on staying here, so-"
"Rebekah, Elena and I haven't discussed our living arrangements once the child is born. We'll most likely stay in New Orleans, however-"
"Maybe it would be a good idea to stay here after the baby," Elena said softly, cutting him off, "Word's going to get out eventually about an Original having a baby and I'd rather be safe here, with family."
Elijah smiled at the warmth in her voice. He was so proud that she was beginning to see his family as her family. Reaching over, he took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles along the back of it, "Whatever you want. We can stay here after the baby for as long as you want."
"Perfect!" Rebekah beamed, "So, I'll clean out the study next to Elijah's room for the nursery and repaint it. Is it a boy or a girl? I need to know what colors to work with."
"She's still in her first trimester, Rebekah," Elijah reminded the blonde, trying to keep a lid on the news he already knew, "You don't have to begin painting quite yet."
"I think it's a girl," Elena blurted out, rubbing her hand on her stomach absentmindedly, "I'm almost positive it is."
"How?" Elijah and Rebekah asked at the same time.
"I dreamt of her," the brunette admitted shyly, keeping her eyes downcast, "I dreamt of being pregnant before I knew and it was a little girl. So, why should it be different now?"
Elijah smiled and pulled her into his lap, placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, "I say that we go with your 'mother's intuition' and paint the room pink then."
"Pink it is!" The blonde said, standing up and clasping her hands together, "I'll bring in pastel paint swatches for you to choose from and, of course, the room will be decorated in white wood. It'll be lovely!" Rebekah bounced around the kitchen and grabbed her purse before throwing over her shoulder, "Start thinking of names, you two! I'll need to know what to put on the wall!"
Elena laughed when she heard the door shut. Turning back to Elijah, she smiled, "Names? Any ideas?"
"I think that's normally the mother's job," he teased, kissing the corner of her mouth softly, "I'm sure whatever you decide upon will be lovely."
She thought back to the dream she had so long ago. They had already decided a name for their child and she still loved it. Biting her lip, she said softly, "Eerika."
Elijah's eyes widened momentarily, "Where did you hear that?"
"My dream," she looked down slightly, "You named our baby in my dream and I loved it. So, I thought it was only fitting…"
"It's wonderful," he assured her, placing his hand under her chin and tilting her face up to look at him, "It's perfect for our little girl. Our little Eerika."
Paint swatches, baby blankets, and furniture catalogues littered the room next to Elijah's. Rebekah had been hard at work redoing the room so it was suitable for a child. An Original's child.
"Bekah, when are you planning for this to be finished?" Klaus asked as he walked into the room and appraised the bare walls, "I want to host a party to announce Elijah's return to the city and the celebration of his impending fatherhood."
"Is that wise?" She asked, looking up from the pages of cribs, "I mean, should people know about Elena's pregnancy? I don't want her to become a target and you've made quite a few enemies, Nik."
He scoffed, "No one would dare act against me. Elijah and Elena's child will be safe here without a doubt. Besides, most of the vampires won't believe the child is biologically his anyway; they know vampires can't reproduce and they don't need to know the specifics."
"Fine," the blonde agreed reluctantly, waving her hand in dismissal, "Just try to aim for her second trimester; the morning sickness hasn't exactly been limited to the morning lately."
"I'm dying," Elena moaned as she was hunched over the toilet bowl. In the past couple days her morning sickness had increased tenfold. She could hardly hold anything down and, when she did, it was back up within a matter of hours.
Elijah sighed as he stroked her hair from her face, "You're not dying. You're pregnant and that can take a lot out of a woman."
She snorted, "Then our baby hates me. Honestly, all I want is ice cream and peanuts, is that too much to ask for?"
He hated seeing her like this. She didn't deserve to be vomiting at all hours of the day and he knew that she had to be starving by now. She hadn't really managed to hold anything down since the day they got there and that had been almost a week ago.
"Perhaps I can take you to a doctor?" Elijah suggested, rubbing her back softly, "They may have advice on what will help."
Elena nodded weakly, "I'm willing to try anything at this point."
"Would you stop fidgeting?" Elena hissed to Elijah as they waited for the doctor to join them. They'd only been in the room for ten minutes, yet he was wringing his hands in his lap and his expression was as borderline nervous as she had ever seen him. "Lord, it's as if you've never been to the doctor's before."
"I haven't been to the doctor's before," he reminded her, "They didn't have all of this stuff when I was human and I haven't been sick in over a thousand years."
She cracked a smile, "God, you're so old."
His retort died on his tongue as a knock sounded against the door.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Montgomery," the woman said as she walked into the small room, "I see on your chart that you're here for morning sickness?"
"Yeah," Elena answered when it was clear that Elijah wasn't going to say anything, "It's been a bit excessive for the past few days and we just want to make sure everything's okay."
"What do you mean by excessive?" The doctor asked as she grabbed a pair of gloves and put them on, "Have you been able to eat anything? Or is it that bad?"
Elena shrugged, "I can eat, I just end up throwing up. Nothing seems to want to stay in my stomach."
The doctor nodded and began pressing on Elena's stomach, "How far along are you?"
"Approximately two months," Elijah answered, watching the doctor wearily as she probed against his wife's stomach.
"And are you the father?"
"Yes," his voice was clipped. Who else would have fathered his wife's child? Absurd humans.
The doctor nodded and continued her examination. Finally she sighed and went back to her chair, looking intently at Elena, "It seems as if you have hyperemesis gravidarum. Is this your first pregnancy?"
"Yes," Elena answered.
"It can sometimes be hereditary. Did your mother experience it when she was pregnant with you?"
The brunette fidgeted slightly, "I was adopted. My biological mother…died before I could really get to know her."
"My apologies," Dr. Montgomery said before flicking through Elena's chart again, "This can be extremely serious. You need to stay hydrated above all else or it can lead to infection and it could hurt your baby. It's basically just morning sickness with a vengeance, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
Elijah growled slightly at her words. He would never allow anything to hurt his child, but he couldn't exactly save her own body.
"I want you to pick up some prenatal vitamins and make sure to eat a more blander diet than usual; it should help with the sickness. But, if it gets worse, I'd like you to come back," she said sternly, "Being pregnant is no joke. Lots of things can go wrong if you don't take care of yourself."
After they had gotten out of the doctor's office, Elena noticed how rigid Elijah was. When they were situated in the car, she reached her hand over and took his.
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, willing him to relax.
He sighed, running his free hand over his face before turning to look at her, "I never thought that I'd feel like this…so helpless. When Bonnie told me you were pregnant, I didn't even think of the implications now that you're human. You can get sick, the child could hurt you, and the thought of childbirth…"
"Elijah…"
He shook his head, "Don't tell me that my fears are unnecessary, because they aren't. I can protect you from nearly everything that the supernatural world can throw at us, but I can't protect you from the risks of pregnancy. I feel as if I'm failing you."
Elena smiled, placing her hand against his cheek, "You're not failing me, 'Lijah. You gave me the best thing in the world, our child. And it's just some morning sickness, okay? I'll get better and we'll be fine. I promise."
He visibly relaxed at her statement, turning his head and placing a kiss against her palm, "I love you."
"And I love you."
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~Grace
