Previously in Lover Come Back…

Now, all those dreams were hanging dry in the air as they all waited for news. The tears were brimming their eyes as the remembered the night when Jeremy spoke of his future.

As their eyes were closing for a night of sleep several hours later, a doctor walked into the room.

"Gilbert?" He called out. Everyone stood at attention once more.

The grim frown plastered to his lips made Elena's heart nearly drop from her chest. Damon was beside the door, hidden from plain view.

The doctor cleared his throat before he said, "I'm so sorry…"

Chapter 12: Midsummer Night's Dream

Elena's eyes immediately overflowed with tears that were begging to be released. Bonnie wrapped her arms around her, crying into her chestnut hair.

The doctor warily looked around, before he uncomfortably shifted weight from one foot to the other. He began to open his mouth to speak when the wailing from the surrounding people cut him off.

Tyler glanced up, his eyes becoming red, "What do you have to say, doctor?"

The doctor cleared his throat before speaking loudly over the wailing, "Jeremy is currently in an induced coma."

Elena snapped her head up, "An induced coma? Why would you put him in a coma?" It slipped out in a bitter tone.

He slightly winced at her tone, "Induced comas are used to protect the brain during major neurosurgery, and as a last line of treatment in certain cases of status epilepticus that have not responded to other treatments." His eyes twinkled as he said, "Jeremy is very lucky; he shall be waking up earlier than most patients. Some medically induced comas can take twenty years for the patient to wake up."

Everyone winced at the words, but were still grateful that he would wake up soon.

Alaric walked towards the doctor, "How long until he wakes up?"

The doctor crossed his arms as he thought. His hand reached towards his chin to caress the whiskers, "With the blunt force trauma, he should wake up in two days, but that boy," He pointed towards the gurney that was being wheeled into a recovery room, "is a true fighter. I've never seen someone recover so quickly from that much force to the head."

Alaric nodded as he watched the gurney with the brunette being wheeled in, "It's a miracle."

Damon's chest heaved up and down as he managed to control his breathing. Seeing the look on Elena's face was torturing him; physically, emotionally, mentally. He had caused all of this. He had hurt every, single person in that waiting room- Alaric, Matt, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, and Elena.

He was the reason that Jeremy was secretly battling for his life as heaven came knocking on his door. With a shake of his head to compose himself, he silently breezed by the waiting room entrance and stood at the doorway to Jeremy's hospital room.

There were tubes running in through his mouth, the IV was neatly placed into his arm, his eyes were shut, but the heart monitor beside the bed kept beeping. To Damon, Jeremy almost seemed dead. His eyes traveled to the top of his head, seeing it wrapped in gauze securely. His face was unrecognizable; it was puffy as well as slightly purple.

The surgery had taken a whopping seven hours, for the force to the brain was so grave that they believed he would never make it.

As he took a step forward, he could hear footsteps emerging from the waiting room. Not wanting to take a risk, he sped out of the room just as Elena was about to walk in.

Her hand was wrapped tightly around Jeremy's. The cold texture of his skin sent shivers down her spine as she glanced up to his face, seeing someone who wasn't her brother.

Inhaling sharply, she whispered, "I've heard that people in comas can still hear," She fought the tears, "So I want to tell you this Jer; you can't die on me. I need you," She rested her hand upon her stomach, "We need you."

A blonde nurse interruptedly strutted into the room, chewing her gum noisily, "Ma'am, you have to leave."

She nodded before she shot the nurse a 'wait-a-minute' look, in which the nurse happily agreed to, leaving the room abruptly.

Before leaving the room, she gently placed a kiss on his forehead, careful not to apply too much pressure. When her foot touched the ground just outside the room, she could feel the gravitational pull towards her brother's unmoving body lying on the hospital bed. Sighing, she walked back towards the waiting room. Suddenly, she stopped in front of the entrance.

She needed something that would lighten the mood for her, to get her mind off of death and misery. The nursery.

Caroline leaned against the wall, the same wall that Tyler and her had been sitting against for the past hour. Sighing, she turned towards him and leaned her head against his shoulder, "Tyler?"

His eyes fluttered open, revealing the stunning eyes she had fallen in love with, "Is this another question about what Damon said?" His head was tilted downwards to look at her.

Her lips twitched downward into a frown, "No," She glanced up to his eyes, "Do you ever think about our future?"

He thought for a moment, "What do you mean?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "You know; get married, move into a house, have kids."

Tyler's eyes grew saddened, "You know we can't have children, Caroline."

Both had the knowledge that they couldn't beat science like Elena and Damon had, but they had another option in mind.

"I know, but what about adoption?" She gave a light smile.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her in close, "Of course, my love. I love any and all children, even if they aren't mine."

The tears silently spilled onto her cheeks as they embraced each other in the small waiting room.

Her fingertips danced across the glass of the window as she slowly walked by. Inside the small room were rows upon rows of bassinets holding the smallest babies Elena had ever laid eyes on.

The nurse inside the room smiled up to her as she walked out the door. She walked next to Elena, lightly tapping her on the shoulder, "How far along are you?"

Elena lightly gasped. No one, let alone a stranger, had ever guessed that she was pregnant right off the bat, "Almost a month."

The nurse nodded with a smile before she gestured towards the nursery, "Would you like to hold a baby?"

The breath was caught in her throat. Her eyes traveled to the bassinet directly in front of the window. She was yearning to hold the small bundle, just to know what it would feel like to hold a new life.

Her head bobbed up and down in response. The nurse smiled before leading her inside.

Elena's Point of View

My hands shook as the nurse gently placed the small child in my arms. After minutes of instruction on how to hold the child, I felt comfortable knowing that I wouldn't drop the small bundle.

Looking down the baby, I could immediately tell that it was a little boy, for he had the facial features of a male. His hair was a dark, dark brown, and, as he gently opened his eyelids, I caught sight of the light blue ocean beneath. The child was stunning, and he gave me hope that our child would look like him.

I glanced up to the nurse, "What's the little guy's name?"

She smiled before checking the bassinet, "Aiden Young."

My lips burst into a smile, "What a beautiful name."

The name had officially topped my list for my baby, if it is a boy.

As gently as I could, I placed the beautiful little boy back into the bassinet, then thanked the nurse who I will forever be indebted to.

Aiden.

I flashed a warm smile as I walked down the hall, "Aiden."

A/N: The people have spoken! The polls have truly showed me that Drake is out and Aiden is in.

Next Chapter:

After seeing everyone heading home to sleep, Damon goes into Jeremy's hospital room.

While there, he wakes up. With slight amnesia, Jeremy doesn't remember what happened in Vegas.

Late in the night, Elena receives an unexpected visit from a familiar face.