The funny thing about pregnancy is when you get the good, bad, or indifferent news you immediately picture how it's going to end. Some will picture a home birth with a tub or a midwife or something. Some will picture a birth in a hospital surrounded by nurses, doctors, and oh yes...drugs. Typically one does not picture going into labor in the wine cellar in the basement of a mansion your husband bought for you. Oh and did I mention the door was stuck and said husband was three hours away signing the papers on the sale of our old apartment? Yeah, I didn't think so.
But how did I get stuck in said wine cellar? Well that's a whole story that requires a bit of explaining. It all started with my wonderful husband offering to slide under the sheets to take care of some frustration on my part. Right around the time we were beginning our move the damn doctor put me on bed rest with restricted physical activity. It sounds very medical but at the end of the day it is code for no sex.
Damon took the news well although I could see his disappointment when I discovered the bottle of sparkling cider and the warm bubble bath we had come home to. He was always planning something romantic and that night I showed him my happiness without leaving the bed. After all, you have to feed that particular hunger.
The next week I had done everything you could possibly do within the confines of a king-sized bed. I had watched trashy TV, read horrible romance novels, and ate food that for anyone other than a pregnant woman would be considered questionable. I worked on my novel and I picked out curtains and paint colors for the boarding house while Damon spent his time massaging my aches and pains. God if he wasn't a saint...or at least a very convincing demon.
Katie had settled into the idea of moving once she realized she could decorate her room and we allowed her to pick the bedroom she wanted. True to form she selected the largest but I talked her down. The medium sized bedroom was connected to a small office and I had offered her the office as an art studio. That would allow her to keep the messes to one room and surprisingly she had accepted.
Victoria had been absent during the day and only appearing around dinner time. She had business to attend to she claimed, and I was perfectly happy to sit back and let things get handled. She had taken over errands and making sure Katie was getting out and about. She had been a godsend for me once I was ordered to bed.
"How's your back?" He purred near my ear. With Katie out of the house for the afternoon, we had indulged in some light foreplay. He was blissfully naked along my side and I nearly moaned just from the contact. Everything was sensitive now and I shivered with a light touch.
"It's okay," I whispered. I curled up against him as best I could and he held me close. "This is nice."
"I'm surprised you aren't sick of me yet," he murmured. I lifted my head and gave him a look that conveyed my feelings. He seemed concerned I would grow tired of him now that he was home all the time. After quitting his job he made me and Katie his priority. He was always around trying to make my time as comfortable as possible.
"I could never be sick of you Damon," I replied. It was true after all. I loved spending this time with him and he seemed to know when I needed some space. Usually he would disappear with some silly excuse and return a few hours later holding something that I was secretly craving. I swore he could see into my thoughts and dreams for that one.
"Women inevitably get sick of me. It's a blessing and a curse," he said calmly.
"I'm not just any woman. I'm your wife and that means I know more about this issue than you do," I said. He smiled and I pulled him down for a kiss. He groaned as he pulled away and glanced at the clock.
"They'll be home in a few minutes so we better get dressed," he mumbled.
"Well you better tell the rest of you because you still seem quite happy to see me," I said against his chest. He chuckled deeply and I felt the vibrations as I relaxed against him. Finally I sighed and pulled away in order to pull on my undergarments. He clasped my bra for me as I reached for his pants. It took us ten minutes but thankfully when the door burst open, we were decent.
"Mommy, Daddy!" Katie squealed as she jumped up on the bed.
"Easy Katie. Mommy needs her rest," Damon said as he moved back to the bed.
"Mommy is quite relaxed, thank you. Tell me about the movie Sweetie," I said as I cuddled her up close.
"I'll get dinner ready," Damon said as he left us to our girl moment.
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"You look sad," Damon whispered as he walked over to my armchair. I sat there, holding a cup of tea while the movers carried furniture and boxes to the elevator. For the most part I was alone while Damon supervised. Katie was with Victoria at Stefan's, watering plants and prepping things for his return home.
"It's just final, you know? I found everything here and to see it bare..."
"I know Sweetie, "he said as he kneeled in front of me. "Some of the worst moments of my life happened in this apartment and the best. I got my daughter and my wife and my twins..."
"Um...you got the twins in Bree's Inn in Mystic Falls," I said with a smile.
"Yeah. Remind me to rent that room again so we can maybe have some more...babies," he said as he leaned up to kiss me. My stomach got in the way a bit now that I was ginormous but he acted as if it wasn't there.
"This might be it for us Damon. I might never get pregnant again," I whispered as he pulled back.
"This was effortless for us. The twins came and we hadn't been together that long. God only knows what the rest of our lives will hold. I wouldn't doubt our perpetual good luck or our amazing chemistry," he said as he neared for a kiss. True to form the movers banged the door open and he jumped back.
"Damon, please let me help," I whined.
"Shh...you rest. Please you are the most precious cargo in this place and I'd much rather them drop a sofa than you go into labor or something," he whispered as he kissed my forehead.
I lifted the hat I was crocheting and continued making a complete ass of myself. I could never really grasp the whole concept but you know...perseverance and all that jazz. I knew by the end of my attempting to "learn domestic abilities" phase, I would have really lumpy fabrics that constituted something I could give Damon. He would wear a sheet as a jacket if I teared up so I knew they would get some use. Ahh the devious mind of a pregnant lady.
Hours passed as box after box went into the elevator. After the first hour I put everything down and picked up a book. God, I'd tried sewing, crocheting, knitting, etc. but for some reason they all were just out of my grasp. Either way I lost myself in a novel until Damon was pulling some collapsible table and folding chair in front of me.
"You need to eat and frankly I'm starving," he said as he pulled way too much food from the bag. Out came sandwiches, Chinese, and Mexican. He smirked when I grabbed the taco and bit into it furiously.
"Mmm..."
"You never craved Mexican food before but I had a feeling that's what you'd go for. Hey, um how would you feel if I had to fly back up in a few weeks to settle on the apartment?" He asked as he bit into a turkey club sandwich.
"I take it you mean leaving your pregnant wife at home alone since Katie will definitely want to go to with you to hang out with Emma?" I said as the movers bowed out for lunch. Damon waved them on and they thanked him loudly when he said it was on him.
"Yeah...I was thinking Stefan could stay with you since Mom wants to go to Cherry's Grove to get some things," Damon said. Stefan was finally coming home and I had a feeling Caroline would be rushing to him once her internship was over. They had hidden themselves away from the world as much as possible but I knew they would fight for their burgeoning love.
"That would be nice. I haven't spoken to him in so long," I replied.
"I thought maybe he could stay until the twins come. I know it would mean a lot to him to be there," Damon said as he finished his sandwich. I waited for him to meet my eyes and when he did I gave him my answer.
"I would love if he came and stayed. It would be nice to spend some quality time with my brother-in-law. Plus he can give me all the dirt on their relationship," I said with a smile.
"I never thought I'd be so happy to have my brother with us but...it's weird to not see him in so long. I never thought I'd miss him," he said quietly.
"Damon, it is okay to miss your brother. I know you two didn't always have the best relationship but I think it can only go up from here. The Salvatore Brothers reunited at last..."
"Yeah,"
"Damon, I was thinking..."
"A dangerous thing," he replied as he handed me a brownie.
"I was thinking Stefan could be a godfather to one of the twins and Jeremy to the other? And then maybe Caroline and Bonnie as godmothers?"
"Sure. I think that's a good idea. It wouldn't cause any hurt feelings between the brothers and I don't have any women in my family besides Mom."
"So you're okay with that?"
"More than," he said as he leaned over to kiss me. "So do you think you can hang for a few more hours? Nick is getting a limo to drive us down to Mystic Falls. I figure a mini-fridge and a TV might help matters since the doctor doesn't want you to fly."
"You spoil me," I said as I rubbed my fingers over his cheek.
"Totally worth it. You have to get there somehow and we can't fly so limo," he said. The movers wandered back in and we pulled apart.
"Oh be careful with that please!" I said when they lifted a clay sculpture from the piano. Katie had made that in school. Damon flew into the other room and I heard a crash. God could only hope it wasn't something important.
"It was that horrible thing Aunt Cecelia got us for our wedding," he said when he got back to me.
"Oh Thank Goodness, I hated that thing," I replied simply. It was some type of vase with all these words carved on it. It was hand-made but I just couldn't warm up to it. It was this grey blob-like thing that took up half an end-table.
"Me too. At least Aunt Cecelia won't notice since I doubt she'll ever come to visit," he said as he tossed it into a garbage bag. "So...I'm going to try and move them ahead a little before carrying you down to that limo."
"I'm too fat and heavy..."
"Don't. Trust me Baby, you're perfect," he said as he kissed my neck softly. "I wouldn't change a thing."
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"Do you realize how difficult it was to sneak down here?" She said as she entered the master bedroom. She ran a finger across the dresser and dropped playfully into the chair across from the bed.
"I didn't realize you felt compelled to sneak," I replied as I continued flipping through the magazine I had been reading for the past hour.
"I didn't really but I thought it would be preferred. I waited until Damon and Katie went somewhere. How long do I have?"
"Thirty minutes if you intend to leave before Damon's turning into the drive. 45 if you're staying for dinner," I said. She smiled a little at the invitation before sliding over to the bed.
"I wanted to see where you were living. After all, you are carrying my grandchildren."
"Isobel, you don't have to run. It's no secret you were his therapist. Well okay Damon doesn't know but I figured it out pretty quickly," I explained. "I mean there are only a handful of Dr. Fleming therapists who are relatively young females."
"I wondered if he spoke to you about our sessions..."
"Not a lot. Sometimes it slipped out but he did mention things sometimes but I learned not to push. There are things even we don't talk about. I can only hope we will...someday," I whispered.
"Does he know...about the father of your…?"
"No and he doesn't ask."
"Would you tell him if he did?"
"Yes. Damon knows just about everything about me. If he asks I'll answer. I don't believe in secrets...or at least not big ones."
"You never did. I didn't think you'd ever forgive Miranda when you found out about me," she said as she slid up next to me. She put her arm around me and tugged the magazine from me. "She was quite distraught when you ran off. She didn't understand what it was like to have your world blown apart."
"And you did?"
"I was 15 Elena. I remember peeing on that stick and finding out about you. One moment I was fooling around with John in the backseat of his car and the next I was finding out I was a Mom. What was your real life-changing moment?"
"When I met Damon. It wasn't our first kiss or our first time...it was our first moment."
"Your first moment...how romantic," Isobel said. She fingered her necklace lightly before pulling it from around her neck.
"It was a Pierce family heirloom back when we were Pierces. You should have it. You may have a little Pierce baby girl in there."
"Oh...it's yours. I couldn't take it."
"It's yours Elena," she said as she clasped it around my neck. "It's been known to give the wearer good luck. Maybe you'll have an easy birth," she said as she leaned down to kiss my stomach. "I'll head out now. I don't want to cause you any stress if Damon should see me."
"Isobel!" I called as she neared the doorway.
"Yes?"
"How did Damon get my number?"
"I don't know what you mean..."
"Isobel I hadn't given out business cards in months. That was my old number before I signed the new contract. How did he get it?"
"I guess he found an old one somewhere. See you around Elena," she said as she left the room. I heard the front door close and I listened as her car drove away.
"Thank you Mom," I whispered to the empty house.
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"So are you sure you'll be fine?" Damon asked for the thousandth time. I nodded as I ate the ham sandwich he had made me. He grinned as he kissed my forehead gently. He had been incredibly stressed this week as we neared his departure date. It was only an overnight trip but Stefan was running late.
"I'll be fine Honey. You'll be home tomorrow night," I replied.
"Yeah but what if something happens?"
"Damon I'm eight months pregnant. Dr. Bennett says I'm not ready to give birth yet. I think I can make it two days. You worry too much," I said as I pulled him down for a kiss.
"Yeah but what if he's wrong?"
"Damon, go to New York and sign the papers. Stefan will be here in an hour or so and everything will be fine."
"I'm going to call you all the time to make sure you're okay. It's not a request, it's a demand. Answer the phone every time I call. Even if you are in the shower, answer the phone."
"You mean when I'm all soapy and wet?" I asked.
"You're mean...but yes...even when you're all soapy and wet. Maybe you can tell me all about it," he said putting emphasis on each word. He was sliding me against the pillows as he kissed me deeply, letting out a little groan of pleasure when he felt my tongue sliding against his.
"I know, you need to go," I said as he pulled back. "Be safe Baby. Come home soon."
"I will. I love you," he said as he kissed my knuckles. He walked towards the door but turned back to see me.
"I love you too," I heard him and Katie leave and I settled myself in for an evening of mindless TV and some reading. Stefan said an hour but I had a feeling it would be longer. Men and their time estimations...
I finished my sandwich and read ten more chapters of my current obsession. I was all about vampire suddenly and I couldn't figure out why. I dreamt of vampires, especially Damon. I fantasized about him with fangs and his brand of mind control. Even in my dreams it was my husband. I didn't want anyone else and I was so happy my subconscious knew it too. As I grew tired of the book, I rolled over to check the phone for new calls and switched the TV on. Hours had passed and still no Stefan. There was no word from Damon so I shrugged and laid back.
Just as the murderer is some mystery show was about to be revealed the power cut off. I groaned loudly and looked around for something that would give me light. My eyes fell on the few candles on the dresser from Damon's "romantic dinner in bed with light fondling" night. Luckily the pack of matches was still there too. I waddled towards them and lit a few candles. Without Stefan it was clear what I should do. It was time to find the circuit breakers.
At the top of the steps I stared down at them like they were foreign. I didn't think I'd ever truly walked these steps. Even on our wedding night, Damon preferred to carry me around. I took the first step carefully, grasping the banister in one hand and the candle in the other. Once I was sure of my footing, I moved slightly faster. I wanted the power back on and it would be much easier if it was back when Stefan got here.
Okay I reached the main floor now where was the damn circuit box? It had been years since I'd truly explored this place and with Damon I had been slightly distracted. Okay it definitely wasn't in the parlor or in the solarium. It wasn't in the kitchen or the dining room. Maybe it was in the basement? Great, another set of stairs with narrow hallways. I didn't even think there was actual flooring down there either. Aw well...I just had to be upstairs before Stefan got here.
The stairs creaked unnaturally and I prayed the inspector had checked them. They didn't sound safe. At the bottom of the stairs I looked at the fork. One stone hallway went right while the other went left and there was no indication which was correct. I chose the left path not yet realizing it was the incorrect one. Down the hallway I found two rooms that seemed to be old prison cells. On the walls were rusted chains and I shuddered to think of their use.
I hit a dead-end and turned around, feeling the wall for where it turned. I heard a creak and I turned to stare at the basement stairs but there was nothing there. I sighed in relief before moving down the other way. As I moved forward I felt as though I was being watched. I ignored it and turned to stare at one of the many wine cellars Damon had raved about. His small collection was already housed here and I trailed my fingers over a few bottles.
One bottle was displayed prominently and I recognized it. It was the first vintage we had shared. He had promised to serve it again once I could partake. I stumbled against the stone wall when I felt a tightening in my stomach. I groaned as the shooting pain rocketed through my system. I stumbled over to the wooden bench and slid down onto it, my hands pressed tightly to my stomach.
I doubled forward as the pain continued before it stopped suddenly. I sat up and rested against the stone wall, breathing heavily as I waited for the tremors to stop. That was weird. It was probably just something I ate...
"Elena!" I nearly fell on the floor as Stefan came marching over to me. "Are you okay? What are you doing down here?"
"I came to check the circuit breakers. The power is out," I replied.
"I know. I thought I'd come down here first and then meet up with you. Are you okay?" he asked as he put a hand on my stomach. I nodded a little but I stayed seated.
"It's just indigestion. I ate a little while ago and I'm kind of sensitive," I explained.
"Well I'll wait until you're ready and then I'll find the circuit breakers okay?"
"Yeah," I replied. I sat there quietly as he kneeled next to me. He turned suddenly and started to look at Damon's wine collection, sliding his bag to the floor. I stood up once I was sure the pain was gone.
"You just about ready?"
"Yeah," I replied. I turned for the candle and I stumbled when the pain rocketed through me again. Stefan dove to catch me, his foot kicking the door shut as he slid beneath me.
"Elena!" He held me cradled against his body and I rested against his shoulder while he plastered me to him. Just like his brother, he was checking me for any injury and making sure I was okay. I pulled back to look at him.
"You're bleeding!" I said as I touched his side. His shirt had ripped when he slid on the dirt floor to catch me. I touched the wound gently and he brushed me off.
"I'm fine. Are you alright?" he asked as he looked me over. His gaze settled on my pregnant stomach but I waved him off.
"I think I'm okay. It just hit me suddenly. Why don't you go to the circuit breakers and get me on the way back. I think I just need a moment," I said breathlessly as he moved me back to the bench. I held his shoulder for a moment before releasing my death grip. He smiled warmly before moving towards the door. I looked at the ground as I tried to catch my breath.
"Um Elena?"
"Yeah?"
"Is there like a trick to this door?"
"What?" I asked as I looked up at him tugging on the handle.
"It's latched or something. It won't open!" He pulled on the door furiously as he tried to use his feet to get more leverage. After a few tries, he braces his feet on the wall and pulled with all his might.
"Stefan, you'll hurt yourself!" I said as he flew across the floor, sliding from the force of his pull. "Stefan!"
"Don't worry Elena. I'll get it open," he said as he got up.
"That's not it Stefan," I said quietly.
"Well what then?"
"My water just broke."
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I know, I'm terrible. I couldn't help but end it here or have a ridiculously long chapter. I opted for 30 chapters with an epilogue instead so everyone would be happy. Next chapter we welcome the twins into the world, one way or another.
So who guessed about the therapist? She's been plotting their future since the beginning. I think Isobel will appear again either in chapter 30 or in the epilogue but I'm not completely sure.
This was the first chapter other than the first one that took place all in one view. Next chapter will be divided again but I think the epilogue will be one view again.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Please leave a review and remember, I always respond even if it takes me a little bit.
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