Chapter Two

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," I groan as I flush the toilet and rest my head on the seat.

I had been throwing up pretty constantly for at least three weeks now. No matter how much fluids I drank and rest I had gotten, this flu would not go away.

"Maybe you have cancer or something," Caroline suggests from the bathtub ledge.

I glare at her attempt to be comforting.

"That's really sweet of you to say," I mumble and close my eyes.

I am tired all the time, and my body feels tender in some spots. Maybe I should try the doctor. Maybe there really is something wrong with me.

"What if you're pregnant?" I hear from Bonnie who is sitting with me on the floor, looking like she's in a trance.

"Excuse me?" I bark, insulted by her insinuation.

She blinks a couple times and then looks at me in confusion.

"What?"

"That's not funny, Bonnie. You know that's impossible," I chide her weakly, mentally examining her from where I'm sitting.

As long as I have been sick, Bonnie has been acting a lot stranger lately. When she's not walking around like a zombie and staring off into the distance, she's muttering all sorts of random things, like her most recent comment about me being pregnant.

"What's going on with you?" I ask her gently, hoping not to set her off.

She shakes her head and looks between me and Caroline desperately.

"Nothing. Sorry," Bonnie promises unconvincingly.

Caroline and I share a look of disbelief.

"You've been acting really weird lately. What's up?" Caroline prods, equally as intrigued by Bonnie's odd behavior lately.

She takes a moment to think before answering us.

"It's...been these really surreal dreams. I keep hearing a baby crying in the distance...and I run towards the sound, but it still doesn't go away. It's really warm, and I feel safe...I'm like...in a womb or something."

We all pause to digest this information.

"You probably just ate something weird before you went to sleep," Caroline dismisses and walks back into my room.

"That's...a really weird dream," I concede uneasily.

Something about this dream sounds worrisome, but I don't know why. I want to know more.

"It feels so real. Like I'm feeling another presence. I know its a baby, and I know that it's coming. When I wake up, I don't feel the presence anymore, but when I'm-," She stops, her eyes widening and her mouth clamping shut.

"When you what?" I ask, feeling a gnawing feeling of foreboding.

Bonnie stares at me blankly before her face sags in exhaustion and sadness.

"When I'm around you," She confesses before hanging her head in shame.

I choke back a laugh, and Bonnie's eyes shoot up to meet mine.

"What are you saying? That I'm pregnant and you're inside my womb at night?"

With weak legs, I pull myself up to the sink and wince at my reflection. I look haggard and thin, likely from all the vomiting. I have bags under my eyes, and my overall appearance is ghastly. I shake my head at Bonnie's nonsense, and I clamp onto the sink as dizziness threatens to overtake me. Seeing this, Bonnie hops up and supports me as I lose grip on the counter and fall back into her arms. When it passes, I lean forward against the sink again and meet Bonnie's worried eyes in the mirror.

"These dreams...?" I begin and have to swallow as my nausea returns.

"Yeah?" Bonnie answers tentatively, still supporting my back with her small frame.

"Can you tell who the father is?"

I close my eyes and tilt forward, already knowing I am captive to my stomach's desires.

"It's...Damon."

I throw up in the sink.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Not pregnant, not pregnant, not pregnant, I think to myself as I idly listen to the impossibly boring lecture in class. I'm either always snorting at how impossible it would be or feeling absolutely crestfallen at the possibility. I would be a pregnant senior in high school! My whole family would be a joke, I would be a joke. There's no way to pay for a baby right now. And the baby wouldn't have grandparents-that thought saddens me even more. A few tears escape my eyes, but I quickly brush them away so as not to draw attention to myself. I'm being over-emotional, and I'm irritated at feeling sick all the time. My stomach lurches at all the recent memories of being sick, and I know I absolutely need to go throw up-preferably in private. I raise my hand to be excused, and Caroline and Bonnie both give me a concerned look from their seats. I try to tell them I'm okay with my eyes before leaving. Caroline looks especially confused, as she knows I am not leaving to change my tampon. She would have smelled it on me already. Most awkward slumber party conversation ever.

Once I'm in the hallway, I double over due to dizziness, and I lay in the fetal position on the floor. Everything is spinning. I feel sick. I feel sore. I just want the ground to swallow me whole. I carefully stand back up, but just as I'm about to take those first wobbly steps, the classroom door opens, and Caroline comes out.

"Elena? Are you okay?" I hear as my vision becomes blurry and her voice seems far away.

I faint. Caroline catches me.

XXXXXXXXXX

When I wake up, I expect to be in the nurse's office at school, but I am actually in a crisp, clean hospital bed. The heart monitor beeps loudly beside me as I sit up frantically. Where is Caroline? Who brought me here?

"Ah, I see you're awake," the doctor greets me as she walks in with a cheery smile.

I am feeling anything but cheery right now. Her nametag reads 'Dr. Fell'.

"What's wrong with me?" I ask with a shuddering breath, needing to know. Am I dying?

Dr. Fell quickly scans my file before coming closer to the bed. I can't take the anticipation.

"Actually...we did some tests while you were passed out. It seems you're very dehydrated, but there was something that caught my attention. Your temperature is actually elevated," She explains gently.

I tilt my head in confusion.

"So?"

"So, we drew blood, and I was correct in my assumption...that you are pregnant."

Immediately, the remaining blood in my body flushes out of my face. I feel like I might faint again.

"That's not possible," I squeak out, tears rapidly escaping my eyes.

"When was the last time you had sex?" Dr. Fell asks sweetly, and I can see in her eyes that she's pitying me. She's probably had this conversation a million times with unprepared mothers.

"I...my boyfriend is, like...sterile. There's no way...there's no way," I repeat, momentarily dazed.

"It could've only been one time. That's all it takes. Are you sure it wasn't another partner?" the young-looking doctor inquires.

I look down at my hands. This cannot be happening. What if Bonnie's dreams are somehow true? But how could Damon be the father? He's a vampire, too, so he's also sterile. I mean, I did have that dream, but it was just a dream. Dreams can't knock you up. This is beyond strange.

"Okay. Can I please leave now?" I whisper, rubbing my temples.

I don't want to think about any of this right now. I just need to go home and sleep. And talk to Bonnie.

"Yes, but we have some prenatal vitamins for you to take with you when you leave. Would you like to schedule a checkup with one of our resident gynecologists?"

I wave her off.

"I will, later. I promise," I lie meekly.

She nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

"Okay, I will just go get those vitamins for you, and then you can go," She tells me before turning to exit through the door.

I shuffle around on the bed, preparing my things to leave.

"One more thing-crackers and ginger soda will help with the nausea, and remember to drink plenty of water," She reminds me cheerily and then exits the room.

"Of course. Will do," I mock with a bright voice.

I grab my purse off the chair and check for new messages. Everyone is going to freak out if they find out I'm in the hospital. I need to get ahead of this somehow. The door opens, and I raise my head with a sigh, assuming it is the doctor with more "fun" advice, but it is Caroline, who is standing there, looking extremely apologetic and uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I panicked and-," She starts, but I cut her off.

"I understand. It's okay. Can you drive me home?" I ask, looking at the floor and estimating the effort it will take to successfully walk out of here without falling down.

"Of course. Um, so, what did the doctor say? Is it serious?" She asks nervously, and I cock my head to the side in awe at her amazing acting skills.

"You didn't hear?"

"No, I was downstairs parking. What did she say?" Caroline cautiously asks, inching closer to my bed and looking ready to catch me if I kneel over suddenly.

"I'm going to be a mother," I announce with false excitement before adding, "apparently."

Bless her heart-Caroline tries to not look too flabbergasted.

"Um...apparently? You're either pregnant or you're not, Elena," She breathes out loudly and runs her hands through her bouncy, golden curls.

I shrug and then send her a cheeky grin.

"Just take me home, please."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Easy now. Steady goes it," Caroline urges as she helps me to sit on the couch at home.

I roll my eyes and let out an exasperated huff.

"I'm fine. This doctor is just an idiot. Could you get me some water?"

"Yeah, hold on," She chirps before walking off to the kitchen.

I briefly close my eyes, and it feels so good that I begin contemplating the pros and cons of falling asleep right now. Shouldn't I call the school and tell them I'm alright? But sleeping sounds so delicious, and I need the rest if I'm dehydrated. I decide to sleep. Doctor's orders and all.

The doorbell rings, ruining my plans of napping all afternoon. Gingerly, I lift myself up and off the couch and make my way to the door. I unlock all the mechanical switches that everyone foolishly requested I have (how is a deadbolt going to stop a homicidal vampire?), and I open the door to see Bonnie shivering in the rain with her grimoire tightly held to her chest. If you can believe it, she looks even worse than me at the moment. Her eyes are puffy from crying and wide with fear, and her clothes and hair are soaked from the wind and rain outside.

"Elena...I messed up. Really bad."