Meredith waited in the waiting room at the hospital for her check up. Damon had been relentless on the issue until she finally gave in. He moved into her house, against her strong wishes, and was staying in her guest bedroom. He had explained that he wanted to keep an eye on her, and as he promised, he was going to make sure nothing happened to her now that Alaric was gone. She didn't fight that one.

"Mrs. Saltzman, it's time for your appointment," the nurse announced.

She placed the fashion magazine back on the table and started for the door.

Meredith followed the nurse through a series of bland hallways and into a secluded room. The office was spacious and welcoming.

"The doctor will be in any minute; please make your self comfortable. Oh, and put on this gown in you could please."

'How could I be comfortable with my ass hanging out of a hospital gown,' Mere growled to herself. She quickly placed on the garment, if you could even call it that, and she lied down on the examination table. She placed one hand gently on her belly, thinking deeply about her situation, when the door to the office opened. A woman in a white lab coat walked in; her face was disguised by the clipboard she was reading.

"Hello," she paused to look at her clipboard. "Mrs. Saltzman, I'm your doctor Caroline Forbes."

"Caroline? Caroline Forbes? Of Fell's Church?" Meredith asked.

Caroline finally looked at her and examined Meredith's features. She took a seat in a big rolling chair next to the comfy patient's table.

"Meredith Sulez? Oh my god, I haven't seen you in years! Well, as I can see here, you're married. Congrats! And…with a baby on the way….congratulations!" Caroline reached over and hugged her old friend.

"Actually, I was married…I'm a widow now."

Caroline's expression changed.

"Oh, hun, I'm so sorry." She paused to hug Meredith again. "And now you're having his baby with out him? You're very strong."

Meredith looked at Dr. Forbes and sighed.

"I'm doing my best with the situation I've been handed. I should have come here earlier; I'm already four months pregnant…and I've had no prenatal care at a doctor's office. I have been taking some vitamins and other stuff. My main concern is that I had a lot to drink the other night. I've also been very stressed…I just hope everything is ok."

"What made you finally come here now?"

"Damon convinced me it was for the best."

Caroline started writing something down on a piece of paper.

"You still talk to Damon? Why is he so concerned about this?"

"I guess Damon and Alaric had talked about 'what ifs' and Alaric asked Damon to protect me if something should happen to him. Alaric asked Stefan as well."

"Oh, I see. Well, if you're ready, we'll start the examination."

Meredith shook her head. For about an hour, she was poked and prodded with needles and other medical devices. When she finally thought it was over, Caroline informed her that they were going to put cold gel on her stomach so they could do an ultrasound. She felt chills as the nurses slathered the goo on her abdomen . Caroline took a scanning device and put it on her slightly swelling belly.

"Ok, Meredith, look at that monitor."

She looked and couldn't believe what she saw. It was her baby, Alaric's baby. And, because of some other medical device, she could hear its heartbeat.

Caroline sat down next to her and pointed at the screen.

"That's the head, that's the heart, there's the arms and legs…"

Meredith just looked at her beautiful baby, the only link she had left of her husband.

"Can you tell what it is yet?"

"Actually no, the baby is turned in a way where it is impossible to tell."

Meredith sighed thankfully.

"I take you don't want to know?"

"No, not until it's born. That's what Alaric would have wanted."

He hated to move in with girls; it always ended up messy in the end.

Damon sat on the couch in Meredith's living room, waiting for her to get home. She had insisted in driving herself to the doctors. Mere was very persistent in wanting to do it on her own. So, Damon took the time to get a couple things from his penthouse to keep at Meredith's home just in case he had to stay the night. His plans were to stay at her house for a couple days and then to go back to his apartment, only spending necessary days or nights with Mrs. Saltzman. He felt that his presence might even hinder her recovery, but a promise was a promise.

He thought back to that night. They were all at a bar; Alaric, Stefan, and Damon all had a few too many drinks and started talking about weird stuff. Finally Alaric told them about his current investigation in Italy. He was researching some paranormal sight as usual. But, then hesitated and revealed his fears.

"I'm nervous about this one…I don't know why, but I am feeling anxious," Alaric said.

"Don't worry, Alaric," Stefan said to his friend, "Everything will be fine."

Alaric took another sip of his bourbon and looked at his friends deeply.

"If something should ever happen to me, promise me you two will look after Mere for me."

Stefan looked at Damon, who in turn looked back at the drunk parapsychologist seated in front of them.

The younger of the Salvatore brothers was the first to speak.

"Of course we'll make sure she's all right. But, you'll be fine, so you don't have to worry about anything."

Now he was in the Saltzman home supposed to be watching out for Alaric's widow, but all he could think about was a fiery redhead. He remembered when they had first met in Fell's Church many years before. She had been so meek and innocent, but after all that took place she had changed. There was a fire in her then. Damon could recall when they first moved in together and how surprisingly nice it had been. After a while they just couldn't do it anymore, especially not after 'the accident'.

Bonnie had thought she had fallen down the apartment stairs on accident, but in reality, someone had pushed her. It had been some vampire bitch that Damon had slept with a long time ago, and she wanted him back. His precious Bon had been in the hospital for days with fractured ribs and a broken ankle; she was lucky that she hadn't broken her neck.

He had felt so guilty after that, seeing her in the wheelchair and then in crutches, trying to regain the mobility her athletic body used to carry. That's when he started to push her away. It was for her safety. He wanted her to leave him, she had to be the one to go. Bonnie had put up with a lot of shit before she left. She grew up a lot in those years, until finally she had enough and packed her bags. She was safer now with none of his enemies after her, and he was glad. She was doing well at Elena and Stefan's home. Elena told of how they built a special room for her, where she did her meditation and practiced her powers. Bon had also become good friends with Gena and they made frequent shopping trips. Most of all, she looked happier. That was the way it was meant to be because he knew that he wasn't her destiny.

Just then, Meredith walked through the door and seemed surprise to see anyone at home.

"So, how did it go?"

"Everything is fine, Damon. You won't believe who my doctor is!"