Chapter 12 – 3 Months Later

Elena was over a week over due and uncomfortable, Stefan was there for most days but he had to work, the more he worked now the more time he could have off when the baby came.

"Stefan! It's time! My water just broke" it was 13th August and she was due on the 4th. She felt around the bed only to find a piece of paper and in Stefan's had writing was written:

'I got called into the hospital for an emergency surgery, ring me if you need anything, I will see you during the day. I love you

Stefan'

"Ahhhhh, why on all the nights out of the past week you chose the one when your dad is not here." She turned on her bedside light and scrambled for the phone and dialed Jeremy's number. She kept thinking to herself, 'please pick up. Please pick up' on the fourth beep he picked up,

"Elena is everything ok?" he sounded sleepy and groggy,

"Jeremy its time and Stefan is at the hospital for an emergency surgery, can you come." She heard scrambling about and he obviously stubbed his toe on something,

"Elena I'm on my way, I will be there in five minutes I will ring Stefan on my way over. Just hold on."

"Please hurry, ahhhhh, god please get here fast." She hung up and grabbed all of her things as well as getting dressed into some sweats, she pushed some of Archer's clothes into the bag along with a pair of slippers and toiletries.

"Elena! You here?!" Jeremy rushed upstairs to find Elena hunched over gasping for air in Archer's room. "Come on Elena, let's get you to the car. And we can ring Stefan on the way to the hospital I've already rung them giving them a heads up." They walked out of the door and locked it behind them and got Elena into the car.

"It is 1 in the morning, why does he have to come now?"

"I don't know Elena, I don't know but set your mind on this, in the next 24 hours you will have a handsome baby boy. Remember that." He started to punch some numbers in on his phone, and then the loud speaker started to beep,

"Jeremy is everything ok?" Stefan sounded really tired, but also worried.

"Its fine but, Elena is in labor, I am taking her to the hospital and we will be there in about 2 minutes I have let them know and, I just wanted you to meet us at the main entrance, so I can park the car and you can take Elena in."

"Stefan please, he is coming."

"I will meet you at the main entrance."

"We are pulling round the corner now" Jeremy pulled up outside the A&E sing and Stefan was waiting there for them. "I'll see you in a bit, I'll tell bonnie and Caroline." Caroline had been staying with Jeremy for the past month, she and Klaus went back to New Orleans but she came back so she was there for the birth.

"Come on let's get you to a room." Stefan wrapped his arm round her waist and started to direct her to the room, it was a private room and Stefan had insisted on that no matter what. They were only just passing the waiting room when Elena doubled over and screamed, Stefan ran round the front of her still holding her up with one hand, he looked her directly in the eyes,

"Elena just breathe, remember what bonnie told you about breathing, ok I'm going to pick you up so we can get their quicker, ok." Elena slowly nodded, and Stefan scooped her up and started walking towards the room, and as soon as there was no one in sight he used his accelerated speed to get them their quicker. "Elena just change into this," he handed her a hospital gown, "and then lie down on the bed" she started to change, with Stefan helping her when in contractions interrupted. Just as Elena sat down on the bed, Meredith came in.

"Ok Elena, can you put your feet in the straps and I'm going to check how far along you are." Elena did so and then Meredith's head disappeared for a few seconds, she looked at Stefan who was rubbing her head and smiling. "Ok it looks like you are about 7cm so you will be here for about another half an hour to an hour and then you will have a beautiful baby boy. Stefan, Logan found me and said he was looking for you, I told him that you were busy so to try and find you tomorrow. "Elena had another contraction, she grabbed Stefan's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could, normally, any other father they would be complaining about the strength of the squeeze but Stefan couldn't feel a thing and he continued to help calm the pain.

"Stefan…we didn't think about a middle name. He needs a middle name. How about Bradley, so said you liked it and I like it so…Archer Bradley Salvatore." Stefan pondered on the name for a second,

"I like it, I think he has a middle name now." Stefan kissed her head.

They continued chatting for the next 10 minutes, with the interruption of the contractions, Stefan was constantly calm, but Elena was angry and she started to shout at Stefan for making her go through the pain. Stefan being the complete gentleman he is, let this slip by.

"Stefan why do I feel the urge to push?" Elena squeezed one sentence out before another contraction hit. Stefan's face made a round O and steered Elena towards the bed, he then ran out to get Meredith but ran into Logan instead, he flinched at the touch of Stefan, he had been avoiding him since Stefan slip with the blood. "Logan why are you standing there and how long have you been standing there?" Logan sunk his head.

"I asked Gloria where you were and she said in here, I wanted to talk to you about the other month."

"Logan now is not the time, go and fine Dr Fell" Logan didn't move a muscle until Stefan looked him right in the eyes, and then Stefan eyes slowly started to redden and veins around them to become blood shot. "Now Logan!" that made Logan run, but he would now have to explain that to him. Stefan went back into the room, to see Elena staring at him, "Elena, Meredith is on her way, and from the sound of it you are fully dilated and ready to give birth." He said the last part with a massive smile on his face. Just as Elena was to begin speaking, Meredith burst into the room, along with two other doctors.

"Ok Elena, feet up, on the count of three I want you to push, got it?" Elena nodded and she took Stefan's hand. "Great, one, two, three." Elena pushed as hard as she could for as long as she could squeezing Stefan's hand the whole way.

"You doing great Elena, I love you, come on just one last push." Meredith nodded to Stefan who started the countdown "one, two three." Elena pushed one final time and then swung her head back as soon as she heard her son cry. At that point the other doctors rushed into get the baby cleaned up so Elena and Stefan could hold him. But they had their little Archer and that was all that mattered.