He's sitting the waiting room, surrounded by others and he's terrified. The doctors haven't given any answers and it's been hours. He's freaking out in his mind, thousands of thoughts playing on repeat and none of them good. He looks down at his hands the back of the knuckles on one hand that are freshly bruised. He feels jittery and that's strange for him but it's not that strange considering his...pregnant... Alexis is in the hospitable, they have no idea what's going on and Matt found Tanner's body moments later.
He looks up, Caroline's in the chair next to him, the blonde girl looks so tired like she's about to fall asleep but the last thing Caroline can do now is even think of sleeping. She's stopped getting up every other second, stopped shouting while demanding answers from any doctor or nurse that walked by because it was pointless as no one knew and now she's trying not to cry but her breaths are hitched.
In the chair across from him Jeremy's sporting a split lip and a black eye that's visible on his face. He's asleep in the chair, smelling of cheep alcohol and shame. He knows Vicki is outside, having a smoke, what Vicki did tonight surprised everyone and her words did as well because now everyone knows.
Stefan's standing up leaning against a wall look on his face like he's focusing on something, he looks very troubled. Matt briefly wonders why he's here but leaves that at that. He likes Stefan because he's a good friend to Alexis and does right by her.
Elena sits next to her aunt, water bottle in hand, looking like she wants to break down and Jenna's has an arm around Elena. No one really no that outcome and they're all waiting for that doctor to come tell them if she's okay, if the baby is okay.
Matt thinks back to moments after Alexis fell.
It all happens quickly and at the same time. When Alexis fell is was like a doll falling to the ground bonelessly, she never hit the ground though. Stefan was quick and swift, darting forward almost impossibly quick catching her but still lowering her to the ground with him.
Matt was in shock when Tyler hit her, he had been running over when he saw Alexis intervene in a fight between Lockwood and her brother but he stopped in shock, he wishes he didn't but he did. He was only a few feet away from Tyler, Matt couldn't even process the rush of emotion he got he snapped out of it in a second and the only thing he felt like he needed to do was protect his family and make sure Alexis was okay.
Elena was shocked, letting out a loud gasp, hurrying and dropping to her sister's side, already getting her phone out to call an ambulance.
Jeremy shouts when it happens and he was down right ready to kill Tyler in that moment, picking up a broken beer bottle as he's on the ground. He was about to lunge forward, just beat him, stab him or attempt to kill him but forced himself to stop when Vicki bet him to it for risk of stabbing Vicki by accident. Jeremy looks over to his sister, fury inside of him at what the football player has done but concern for his sister also inside him thought the anger is stronger.
Vicki had lunged forward a second after it happened, it was like something just snapped in her, she had had enough with Tyler. Him hitting the girl who he knows is carrying Vicki's niece or nephew was the final straw. She full on tackled him to the ground and no one even tried to stop her. Matt eyes were on Alexis, flicking back to Vicki hitting Tyler and he didn't even try to stop Vicki, he felt like it was justified.
Tyler didn't even really try to stop her either as he was still processing the fact he just hit a pregnant girl, he just hit and knocked out Alexis Gilbert who's pregnant with his best friend's child.
Vicki' gets up, kicking him and screaming at him. "You..Dick!...Dirt bag! Just hit...A Pregnant... Girl!" She yelled at him between blows, her kicks are hard but his ear takes more of the brunt and he's just blocking his head. The words are so loud, it dawned on everyone that Alexis Gilbert is pregnant and Tyler Lockwood just knocked her out. Eyes widen, people are looking around and more people are grabbing out there phones to call an ambulance.
Matt jolted when Vicki said that, telling everyone and he stepped froward, grabbing Vicki. Vicki didn't fight him as he told her to stop before pushing her to the side, but not to harshly. He towers over Tyler as he offers the other male a hand, there is a stillness in the air, Tyler looked up at Matt unsure but he toke his hand. Tyler takes it and Matt helps him up without looking at him. He looks at Alexis and he can hear sirens wailing.
"Man..I-" Tyler starts, not knowing what to say because no words can right this. Tyler shakes his head and Matt turns his to look at the other male.
"Hey Ty." It sounds causal but it has that angered edge to it as Tyler looks to him.
"Ye-" He doesn't get to finish that as Matt balled up his fist and just punched Tyler in the face. It doesn't knock Tyler out just shocks him as he staggers back but he remains up right.
"Don't touch my girlfriend again! Get out of here!" Matt snarls at Tyler not even realize what he called Alexis, who looks around himself, he's feels like an outcast with everyone looking at him with such hatred. His dazed and Jeremy goes to lunge to take advantage of that Elena shouts, sirens are louder.
"What the hell is going on?!" Tanner demands, taking in the sight of an knocked out cheerleader, the fight and friends turning against each other while Sirens wail in the distant, getting louder with every second. Tanner's arm gets almost gets sliced by the broken glass as he intervenes and Matt pulled Jeremy back, holding him as Jeremy struggled, down right wanting to kill Tyler.
"You knew she was pregnant!" Jeremy spits that out, shocking more people. "I'm going to fucking kill you!" He snarls, his eyes wide and furious as Matt's grip on him is tight, pushing him back.
"Get outta here!" Matt shouts at Tyler and Tyler did leave.
The ambulance arrived taking Alexis away. He wasn't allowed in the ambulance, Matt was to heated at the moment, the medic could see it and only one person was allowed to ride along and Elena jumped into the ambulance without a second thought. Apparently Tanner had gone back to locker room for some reason when the ambulance, after being told he could not ride in the ambulance he raced to the change room to get his bag and car keys to drive down. He found the football coach dead outside the locker room, he had been attacked and killed by the same animal that attacked Vicki in midst of the chaos.
Jenna was stressing out and when the doctor asked to speak in private her heart sunk, fearing the absolute worst. She nodded and walked off into a near room with the doctor. Jenna relaxed when the doctor explain Alexis and the fetus was stable and alive but then the doctor explained how Alexis was hit really hard causing her brain to impact her skull harshly.
They want to keep her under observation for the next few days, while making sure she and the baby has suffered no seriously or even mild trauma. They will be watching out for swelling and bleeding from the brain while monitoring her and the fetus. It scares Jenna that something could be really wrong...it terrifies her.
She walks back to the waiting room, all the teens getting up and looking at her expectantly.
"Jenna?" Elena asks so softly, standing in front of her now and everything even the air around them is tense.
"She and the baby are okay." Jenna tells them, like everything is going to be okay. With these words it's like a weight off Matt's shoulder, relief waving over him and everyone feels that same thing. All relieved she will be okay. "They're going to keep her here for a few days to monitor her and make sure everything is alright."
"Thank god." Caroline breaths out sinking back into a chair.
"Can we see her?" Matt is quick to ask but the redhead shakes her head.
"Not until the morning and the doctor said she'll probably still be asleep then."
Elena wants to see her, wants to make sure her sister is okay. They used to say they were two parts of one soul and Elena doesn't think she'd of ever recover loosing half of her soul.
Matt needs to see her, he hates that this happened, hates he couldn't stop it. He needs her, the thought of something bad ever happening to her eats away at him because he cares about her in a way he doesn't completely understand but also something he understands mind is a mess after everything that's happened tonight and worrying almost consumes him. He wonders if she's been feeling this worry about the child with every breath she takes, he's worried, yes, but this is so much more than just worry. Right now he'd do anything that was asked of him to make sure his child and Alexis is okay.
Everyone wants to see her for their own reasons but the one the have in common is to see that she's okay but they can't, not yet.
Her eyes flutter open and she lets out a soft groan as she wakes. Her head feels like it's pounding and she shifts on the bed as she looks around slowly. She sees flowers at the end of her bed and on the small table beside her. The room is basked in afternoon light that seeps through the open curtains and she immediately realizes she is in a private hospitable room.
Alexis hands fly to her stomach, fearing the worst has happened as her heart rate spikes on the monitor as panic sets into her when she realizes can't remember what happened or why she's here. Has she lost her baby? Did something horrible happen? She is a complete panic, her breathing is having and she feels like screaming or crying to get answers.
"Alexis?" She hears a familiar voice, she can place immediately place as Elena, ask her. It only soothes her slight as Alexis looks to the source of the voice to see her sister, hurrying to her side. Alexis looks up to her, her doe eyes wide with pure fear and worry. The younger twin looks completely terrified, that look Elena's only seen once and that was when the car was driving over the bridge that night they lost so much, it has Elena pauses at the horrid memory.
"My baby. Oh my god, what happened to my baby?" Alexis pleads, her voice shaking because she doesn't remember what happened and thinking that the only reason she'd be here is if something had happened to her unborn child.
"Nothing. It's okay, your baby's fine. I promise." Elena swears, voice full of desperate honesty, reaching out and grabbing her sisters hands. Alexis starts to calm nodding and repeating to herself herself her baby's fine.
"What happened?"
"You don't remember?" Elena asks softly, not speaking too loud as she furrows her brow and Alexis shakes her head slowly. The older twin gives her a careful and gentle look. "Friday night Jeremy and Tyler were fighting. You tried to stop Tyler but he punched you." It hardly makes sense until it comes back to her all at once, everything that happened up until the point she was grabbing Tyler's shoulder, demanding he stop hitting her brother. He couldn't of done it on purpose, she can't even think he did it on purpose but that doesn't change that she does not like him one bit in this moment. Maybe she even hates him, he was attacking her brother and lashed out on her so maybe.
Elena's hands rest on hers over her covered bump as Alexis nods slowly in the bed. "I remember...where's everyone? How long have I been here?" She questions, seeing the flowers and such around.
"It's Monday." Elena tells her softly and she's realizes it's been two whole days. Alexis has been in and out of it but she seems more awake now. "Caroline's on her way, Jenna's getting coffee, Jeremy is around here... somewhere."
"Matt?" She asks, feeling like she needs to see him and let him know she's okay.
"He's been here the whole time but he needed sleep, he has a shift today he couldn't get out of. Right now he's at work, he didn't want to go but.." The older twin trails off and Alexis nods.
"I understand." She knows Matt hasn't been working there long, he could lose his job easier than others. Alexis moves to sits up proper in the bed, noticing not just flowers but cards and gifts also scattered around the room, quite allot of them. She narrows her eyes at them looking at Elena in question. "What?"
"Everyone's been visiting dropping off stuff...it's kind of insane."
"Why?" The pregnant girl asks softly.
"You see...Um, everyone sort of knows about the baby now." Elena tells her sister a little awkwardly and cautiously. Alexis's breath catches in her throat, she looks around slowly, feeling so caught of guard, she can already feel her eyes watering and she feels stupid for it.
"Some people, No one exactly wants to be mean to the pregnant girl..in the hospitable...who was punched in the face by a football player." Elena admits and today she got a few comments and looks today when she showed up to school but it wasn't too noticeable and people were telling other's off if they did do something. Of course if Alexis hadn't been hit they probably would not have been kind but they feel sorry but it's better then them being cruel, so maybe so good did come from this...and they have a few things for the baby already.
"Makes sense." Her eyes are glistening and her voice hitches, she's trying not to cry, she's really happy right now but also sad.
"Are you okay?" Elena asks her sister, looking really concerned but Alexis really can't help it right now, she's trying to keep herself together but she feels to tried to.
"It's just so nice of them." Alexis tells her and Alexis breaks, tears streaking down her face. Elena presses her lips together, trying not to laugh but she fails. Elena brings her sister into a hug, laughing softly. Alexis calms down after a while but before the sisters can talk more Alexis's doctor walks into the room. She answers a dozen questions, while listening to everything they tell her and did to her. It makes her feel at ease when it's all explained and the doctor tells her she should be able to go home in the morning.
After Jenna gets to the room Elena heads home to Alexis insistence that she was okay while giving the two time to talk. She sits on the bed, blankets kicked off her as Jenna sits by her on the bed, looking at her carefully. "I know I shouldn't have intervened."
"You shouldn't of." Jenna agrees, nodding slowly, she wants to scold Alexis but doing it while she's in a hospitable bed may be a little harsh, she's sure Alexis has learnt from this. Alexis shakes her head, sighing.
"I don't how but it was like..I forgot I was pregnant. I just wanted to protect my brother."
"I know you did but you have to take more care of yourself." She tells her softly.
"I know." She admits, looking down before looking around. "This is a pretty big private room." She changes the topic after a moments silence. Jenna hums, making a knowing noise as she tilts her head. Apparently the Lockwood's are covering all costs, really it doesn't surprise Alexis but what does surprise Alexis is that the mayor, Tyler's father, and his wife wishes to speak to Alexis about what happened and come to an agreement. Alexis questions her aunt on what kind of agreement but Jenna shrugs saying they'll probably ask or offer her something so they can sweep all this under the rug and keep a pristine image.
"Wouldn't everyone already know?" Alexis furrows her brow, this is a small town, word travels quick and it doesn't take much to get on the local news. This is the kind of thing that would be plastered all over it, the thought starts to stress the pregnant girl out.
"Some, but the news of someone being killed in another animal attack-"
"Another animal attack?" Alexis cuts her off and Jenna realizes the girl doesn't know about what happened after. She won't tell Alexis about Matt finding the body, that's something Matt should do. Jenna talked to Matt quite allot in the past few days, warned him, lectured him and he toke it, he stayed at the hospitable the entire weekend by Alexis side..She can tell the boy is a good guy, she hopes he stays that.
"The night you got hit- Your teacher, Tanner, was killed. The news is sort of focused on that more." Tanner is dead, although he was far from her favorite teacher she still learnt from him and she finds it sad horrible that he's dead, no one deserves to die but everyone does.
Time is going past slowly in the hospitable bed. Jenna's left, needing to hand in a thesis before the deadline and Alexis had noticed her phone resting on the table next to her. She felt like calling Caroline and Bonnie to get down here, but she didn't feel quite up to that, her head still hurting and emotions going a little wild. She thinks about calling Stefan, she does think she'd like it if he visited and she cold handle that because he's not as...Caroline as Caroline is. She doesn't messages him as she gets lost in her train of thought as she really now wants to call Matt but he's in the middle of shift and she's not sure he'd have his phone on him.
She's about to try and call him when he brother causally strolls into the room. "You're an idiot." He tells her as he flops down onto the couch in the room. She lets out a huff, lips twitching up fondly.
"So are you." She counters, fondly knowing what's he's really saying. He smiles though she can see him wince as he does so, a healing split lip tearing open slightly. The two of them talk, Jeremy tells her when she asks about what happened that night after she got knocked out. He tells her about Stefan catching her, she finds that fact amusing but doesn't dwell on it. He tells what Vicki did, how she kicked Tyler's arse and that takes Alexis back, Vicki really must care.
Alexis looks at her brother, she's here because he got in a fight- actually no, she's here because she cares about her family...and momentarily forgot she was pregnant.
"I love you, punk." She has that big sister tone, which is firm but warm, he's sure that'll be her mom tone as well.
"I love you, too, nerd." He tells her, acting as if he's annoyed at admitting that.
Hospitable food sucks, she has dinner and talks with a doctor further until she's left alone yet again in the room. It feels too big, too empty and to pass time she starts looking at the cards, not opening any gift, wanting to open the gifts with Matt since they're for their child. She's not surprised to see the first card she picks up from is Tiki, she just laughs.
"You awake?" She hears a voice say from the door of her room. She turns her head and beams as she sees Stefan.
"Of course, It's only 7." She laughs softly, lips quirking up sweetly. "Come on, sit down." She tells him nodding toward the foot of the bed and he walks over, sitting down, shifting so he faces her and she does the same. He looks at her, she looks so human. She has her hair thrown up and she has a large bruise on the side of her face though and he knows why it's still there. He gave her probably only a few drops of blood the night she came here, he compelled his way in, it healed her partly but it did enough and it wasn't enough blood to heal her fully and having doctors getting suspicious. She was left with some bruises and and a dull headache but no damage and it brings him ease to know by now the blood would be out of her system.
She looks at him softly, tilting her head slightly. "Thank you." She tells him, she appreciates him being him and him catching her when she was hit, preventing further injury. He gives a question soft look, not sure what exact thing she is talking about yet before he can ask she continues. "But tell me.."
"Tell you what?" He questions, arching an eyebrow slightly.
"Always going to catch me when I fall?" She asks just like that she did the day the met, knowing smile on her lips causing him to chuckle softly and nod.
"Always." He didn't even hesitate saying just what he did then though he doesn't add the rest because he knows he doesn't need to because she's answered it and it's promise now, one he'd gladly make. They look at each other and grin before breaking into laughter. They end up talking for a while until Stefan stops her.
"Here, I have something for you." Stefan tells her after a while pulling out something from his pocket. It was a small bag, pulled shut with ribbon in it's band. She takes it carefully, furrowing her brow.
"You didn't have to." She lets him now as she opens the small bag and her eyes widen when she pulls out quite a beautiful bracelet. The band design is intricate with stunning detailing on and a small deep red stones center it. The brunette girl looks at it in awe, eyes widening as she holds it in her hands before she looks back up to meet his eyes.
"I want you to have it. I've had it forever, it's said to grant protection to those who wear it." He tells her and she smiles at that, finding it sweet. He got the bracelet forever ago, he can't remember exactly when or where but he knows there's Vervain inside of it.
"Thank you." She tells him so sincerely as she clips it onto her wrist with ease. "Could of used this Friday night." She remarks with a laugh and he shakes his head. They talk for a while before he has to leave.
"I trust you, Stefan, and I hope that you can trust me enough to tell me things about yourself." Alexis tells him softly, in a caring tone and he's a little surprised with how much she's been trusting him so far, it almost scares him a little.
"I'm trying..."He admits, trying to protect her and her child but also not wanting to lie about it all, knowing he might need to. "Do you need anything before I go?"
"I'd like Matt here but he's at work."
"I'll do my best to get him here." Stefan promises but Alexis doesn't take his words to seriously, even when hope flares in her chest.
"Thank you, Stefan." She tells him and he leaves.
When he sees her relief washes over with like waves in the sea. Her hair is in a messy bun, she's hospitable gown and her bare feet dangle off the bed as she sits on the edge, looking out a window from the bed. She turns her head and she smiles, visibly brightening much more when she knows he is here. He hurries over to her and is the bed next to her, his arms already pulled him into a hug. She lets out a breath, closing her eyes letting herself melt into the embrace the both needed.
He pulls back slightly, so they're face to face but still touching, he tilts his head, has a hand on her neck gently as he looks at the bruise. "Are you okay?" He asks her examining the bruise on the side of her face, it'll last awhile and it looks like it must hurt. He's so angry with Tyler for this.
She hates that this has happened, she hates she is her but she is thankful for being okay, thankful for her unborn child be okay and thankful for Matt back by her side even though she knows he didn't truly leave. "Yeah." She breathes outs softly nodding gently and he has on the side of her neck as he looks over her, with such care. She can see the worry in his eyes and he starts to slowly nod. Visiting hours are almost over but they have time, he knows, so does she. The staff's lenient in Alexis case, or as they say 'Grayson's pregnant daughter's case', for they still mourn the loss of one of there own. It's also a private room, they won't be bothered for quite a while if at all tonight for the past two days someone of the group has stayed her with her almost all times, including night.
She's being released in the morning, it worries him as he wishes to be close enough to her to protect. She doesn't need a protector she'd say, she wants to be the protector, and he's sure she will be for their child but every protector needs someone to protect them. He doesn't know what quite to say, his eyes lock with hers an he tells her. "March 20th."
A cute bemused look makes it way upon her features. "Huh?" She furrows her brow slightly.
"She forgot to tell us or we forgot to ask." Matt shakes his head smiling a little and she looks curious, not to sure what he is talking about. "March 20th." He repeats and it dawns on her what he means, her eyes widen.
"The due date?" She asks. Her/Their OBGYN, Chloe Beckett, was here as it is a small hospitable and Alexis is her patient. A due date, somehow they totally skipped out on the mention of it. March 20th, that is the date. Matt nods, he feels strange being the one to tell the other in this situation but she grins, full blown at knowing the date. She shakes her head. "How did I miss that?" She asks, smiling, not knowing how she forgot to ask such an obvious question as he hand touches her bump.
"I missed it too." Matt assures her.
"We're gonna to be parents." She tells him, softly like she still can't believe it will leaning more into his touch, craving to be around him at the moment more than anything. He places his hand over her on her small bump, his child is growing in there, it's insane.
"I know, we're going to be good at being parents to." He promises looking at her with his lips twitching up in fondness but briefly trying not to think about his own parents. She seems to notice the flicker in his eyes and she looks up to him.
"The best." She swears with such finality he huffs out a short laugh as she nods slowly, it's then he noticed how tired she looks.
"You should go to sleep." He tells her and she looks ready to argue so he cuts her off. "You look exhausted, I'll stay...I'll sleep on the couch."
"Matt." She can tell he's tired as well but he should sleep in a bed, he should go home even thought she wants him to stay with her.
"I want to." He assures her.
He falls asleep rather quickly on the couch, he's been staying up allot the past few days, the image of finding tanner haunting him and the unknown about Alexis keeping him awake. She struggles to find sleep quickly, laying on her side facing the window she finds herself drifting off. She's drifting off to sleep, her eyes closed and have been for a while, teetering the edge of being awake and being asleep. She's completely relaxed but suddenly she feels a hand caress softly the side of her face, over the bruises. Her eyes flutter open and she looks around with half lidded eyes, Matt's still on the couch but she notices a gift that was not there before on the table beside her. She frowns at that, looking around tiredly, noticing a crow staring at her from outside the window but she shakes it off, too tired to question it further. She falls asleep rather quickly in the hospitable bed knowing Matt's a few feet away,her baby is okay and she can go home in the morning.
This is actually the first chapter i'm really unsure of posting, feeling like it may bee a little too ooc or not good. sorry for that. So this was a filler between episodes 3 and four. Next chapter will be a few days almost a week after this set. This is also really long because I was determined not to break up a filler into 2 chapters so here you go! (sorry for any mistakes) Also felt like Vicki need to kick his arse first you know? instead of Matt or Jeremy as that felt to...i'm not sure but you know. I like to mix it up. (Also sorry for lack of Caroline, it would have felt even more rushed then it did if i had her visiting to plus in this point of canon she's kind of with Damon allot so yeah)
Let me know what you think!
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