Chapter 18
They walked hand in hand towards the cafeteria, with Stefan asking occasional questions about what he had missed but Elena tried to dodge them, they were nearly at the cafeteria when they heard Miranda and Greyson,
"Happy Birthday Uncle Stefan!" they were running towards him and a massive smile broke out on his face, he bent down to their level and scooped them up.
"Well aren't you two cute?" they both laughed and Miranda kissed Stefan on the cheek and Grayson snuggled into his chest.
"I am the cutest! And you like me more!" Miranda was being cheeky, and was laughing while doing it.
"No you are not! And I am his favorite!" Grayson was putting up a fight against his sister now.
"I love you both equally but Elena is my favorite. Now where are we going?" they both pointed towards the door and he headed that way with both of them in his arms.
"Surprise!" loads of people jumped up from behind the tables and sofas, Stefan set Miranda and Grayson down on the floor and they ran over to Bonnie.
"Elena…you didn't have to." He pulled her closer and kissed her.
"I did, happy birthday. I love you." She kissed him again and then he got swamped by people trying to wish him happy birthday.
"Stefan, how are you feeling?" he turned around to see Dr Oliver with a beer in his hand.
"Good, yeah seemed to miss all the major arteries. I get to go home tomorrow." He smiled
"Well that's brilliant, it must help having an amazing support system?" he gestured to Elena who was dancing with Grayson in the middle of the room. He laughed and then turned back to Dr Oliver.
"It does, she is amazing, and I love her so much. Any special lady in your life?" he took another sip of his beer and looked round the room for a moment.
"Yes, she is round her somewhere, I met her about a year ago, she is funny and beautiful a lot like your wife."
"She sounds amazing I can't wait to meet her. Can you excuse me for a minute?" Dr Oliver nodded and watched Stefan go and grab Miranda off one of the chars and swing her in the air.
"Uncle Stefan…Put me down I was eating!" Stefan did as he was told and set her back down at the table, he took a seat next to her and took one of her sausages. "Hey!" she squealed. "I love you baby girl you know that?" he kissed her head and looked into her eyes,
"I know that, but I'm worried." She started to cry and Stefan pulled her over onto his lap. Jeremy started to come closer but Stefan shook his head and mouthed 'I've got it' to him and he backed off. "Why are you worried?" he started to stroke her hair just like he did when Elena was upset,
"Daddy says now you have Archer I can't come and see you all the time because you will be playing with him and not me." She started to cry, and he pulled her closer into his chest,
"Shhh, I will never stop playing with you. I have archer and because he is only a baby he is going to need a bit more attention. But you know what?" she sat up and looked at Stefan and shook her head. "When Elena goes back to work, I'm going to need some help when I look after Archer. And do you know what I was thinking?" she shook her head again, but she had stopped crying. "Seeing as you are a girl and all, you know about baby right? I've seen you play with your baby's and you treat the very well. Because I am a guy, and trust me we don't know very much I am going to need your help. You are going to have to show me how to dress him and feed him when Elena is not around. I'm am going to need you help all the time, do you think you can help me?" he waited for an answer and the brought her hand up to her chin to imitate that she was thinking. She smiled and hugged Stefan
"I will help you." She pulled him up towards the dance floor and for the only time in the whole evening he couldn't see Elena anywhere.
Elena had snuck out to go and check on Archer, but another reason was she wanted to take him to see Ric. He still wasn't allowed off of the floor incase anything went wrong, but luckily nothing had yet. Touch wood. She went into the room to see Gloria reading a book and Archer asleep.
"What are you doing back here?" Gloria put down her book and looked at Elena,
"I wanted to take him to see a friend Alaric Saltzman, he is only a few floors up. He hasn't met him yet and I feel bad." She picked his basket up along with the bag, "I will only be gone for a short amount of time and then I will be back. I promise." Gloria smiled and looked at Elena,
"You are a good mum you know that, he has the best parents possible. I look at how Stefan watches you and it is like he is willing to jump in front of a bullet, he is really protective and that is a good thing."
"Thank you, if Stefan comes by just tell him I went to see Ric, he will know who it is." She left the room with Archer, "we are going to meet a very special man, he is called Alaric but you can call him Uncle Ric, he has been there for me and Uncle Jer when Aunt Jenna died. He is your daddy's friend and my step-dad. You are going to love him Archer" she entered the room to find Ric on his iPad, "hey Ric, just wanted you to meet the newest Salvatore." She placed Archer's basket on a cabinet and took him over to Ric.
"Elena he is adorable, what is his name?" he was moving his hand up and down Archer's blanket,
"He is called Archer Bradley Salvatore, he is two weeks old, and he is perfect." Elena sat down on the chair and handed Ric the little wolf.
"Two weeks old?" he looked at her with questioning eyes,
"I'm sorry, Meredith wanted to do loads of test and then Damon stabbed Stefan and he was really weak." She took a deep breath, and looked at Ric who was wiggling the wolf over Archers face, and he was trying to grab it. "It has been a bit hectic, but we are all ok, so that is what matters."
"It is Elena and I am so proud of you, I know that you were worried about becoming a mum but look at you, you are doing the best job ever." He kissed Archers head and smiled,
"Ric, you look so at home with him, it is Stefan's birthday so I was wondering if it was ok if I left him with you for an hour or so." She started to get up and Ric grabbed her arm,
"are you sure?" she nodded and then grabbed the bag and put it on the end of the bed, "well tell Stefan I said Happy Birthday and I will look after this little guy and I won't let him out of my sight." She kissed Ric on the forehead and then did the same to Archer, and then left.
Stefan had been dancing with Miranda for what he thought was not a long time, he was happy to carry on until he felt a tap of his shoulder.
"Do you mind if I dance with my daughter?" Jeremy smiled and pushed Stefan out the way, "happy birthday man." Stefan was in the middle of talking to Dr Harris when Elena came and stood next to him.
"Hey, where you been?" she completely ignored his question and kissed him on the cheek, "you were checking on Archer weren't you?" she nodded and smiled and then Stefan pulled her closer and kissed her on the head, "Dr Harris you remember my wife, Elena. She seems to be a very over protective mother." They all laughed and Elena hit Stefan in a playful way on the shoulder.
"I do, you have really got a good one here Elena, he is a fantastic doctor, and I can't believe I hadn't heard of you round here till you were my patient." He was now talking to both of them and not just Elena "If you don't mind me asking, who stabbed you?" he gave Stefan and odd look and Elena looked at Stefan, and gave him a small nod,
"My brother, Damon, he is a bit of a loose end, since my parents died he has been quite absent when it comes to family. But I don't know what made him stab me, it is just Damon. I am fine now and I have my family so that is all the matters to me." He placed his hand in the small of Elena's back.
"Well you are right, and your son is a very lucky boy. Do you know when you are going to come back to work?" Dr Harris took another swig of his beer and waited for an answer.
"Well well…Isn't it the sexiest man alive?" Stefan turned around to see a blonde, wearing a red mini dress.
"Lexie! God it's been ages!" he embraced her and he kissed her on the cheek. "How are you?" he pulled away from the hug, "excuse my manners, Dr Harris this is my best friend Lexi. Lexi you know Elena." She shook hands with Dr Harris and then pulled Elena in for a hug. He pulled Lexi close to him and rested his hand on the small of her back
"So Stefan I hear you are a dad?" Stefan gave a nod, and took another swig of his beer, "Boy or girl? I hope a little girl so I can do her hair and be the best Aunt ever." She gave a little laugh and then looked at Stefan with big eyes,
"Sorry to disappoint you Lexi but it is a little boy, Archer Bradly Salvatore. You can teach him how to shop lift." They all laughed, Stefan had noticed that nearly all the doctors in the room had a bottle of beer or a glass of wine in their hands.
They had continued talking to Lexi, mainly about Archer and just little things, Stefan still had his arm around Lexi, but Elena wasn't worried as she knew nothing had ever happened between them and never will. Elena spotted Dr Oliver out of the corner of her eye heading towards them with an angry look on his face.
"Stefan…Dr Oliver doesn't look happy." Stefan turned round to look at him and then went back to the conversation, he sped up his walk and was advancing on them even quicker, he put his bottle down and rolled up his sleeves,
"STEFAN!" that got his attention and everyone else's, Stefan turned round just in time to let Dr Oliver punch him in the face. Even though it didn't effect Stefan he moved his head to act like it did, "that if for having your arm round my Fiancée all evening."