Chapter 27

"Daddy, my face hurts." Archer waddled into Stefan and Elena's room, neither of them were awake yet so he climbed onto the bed a squeezed in between them. He shook Elena's shoulder "mommy, wake up I don't feel good." Elena looked at Archer and her mouth opened wide and she let out a gasp,

"Stefan! Wake up now." Elena shook him until he woke up,

"Elena, is everything ok?" he rubbed his eyes and kissed Elena,

"Look at Archer." He sat up on the bed so he could see clearer, "his face." Stefan jumped out of bed and pulled Archer with him.

"Daddy, what is wrong with me? I feel hot" Archer kept rubbing his eyes and turned to look directly into Stefan's,

"Little man, it is nothing to worry about. You know when my face goes red and my eyes go funny?" Archer gave him a little nod. "Well that is what is happening to you. Now can you tip your head back for me and open your mouth?" Archer did as he asked and much to Stefan's delight there were no vampire teeth.

"Stefan?" Elena walked in and looked at him, she made a mad dash for the toilet and pulled her hair out of her face, morning sickness. "Can you get him out of here?" Elena managed to squeeze in one sentence before she was violently ill again.

"Arch, why don't you go and get dressed? It's hot outside so you are going to need shorts and a t-shirt." Stefan placed Archer on the ground and then watched him run into his room. He sat on the floor next to the toilet and tied Elena's hair back with a hair-band that was on the counter. He kissed her head and then waited with her until she had finished.

"Little man, come here." Stefan walked down the stairs to find Archer dressed and watching TV, he scrambled up from the floor and ran into Stefan's arms, "what do you feel like for breakfast?" Archer placed his little hand on his chin to show he was thinking and then a smile spread across his face,

"Pancakes!" Stefan smiled and started to walk to the kitchen, "blueberry pancakes! What is wrong with mummy?" Archer looked Stefan in the eyes, and Stefan kissed him on the nose,

"Mummy is not feeling very well, but we are both going to stay home from work today." He placed Archer down on one of the kitchen chairs and then started to get out all the stuff to make pancakes, "so what do you feel like doing?" Archer placed his hand on his chin and then let out a little smile, "Watch films all day, like mummy does with Uncle Ric sometimes."

"Good idea" there was a knock at the door, Archer started to get up from his seat but Stefan stopped him "I got it little man." Stefan headed out the kitchen toward the door and saw Elena coming down the stairs, "how you feeling." She walked forward and hugged Stefan, she didn't know whether it was the fact he was only in pyjama trousers and was totally shirtless with all of his muscles showing, or that she was pregnant, but she just wanted to jump him this very second.

"Better, is there breakfast?" Stefan nodded and kissed here,

"Archer is in the kitchen and his special requested was blueberry pancakes. I told him we were going to stay off work today and he said he just wanted to watch films like you do with Ric." She gave him a little kiss and then headed off to the kitchen, Stefan turned round and opened the door,

"Wow" the girl put her hand over her mouth and then took a step back, Stefan let out a little giggle, "oh my god, I am so sorry, not many people who answer the door shirtless are as good as you."

"Well thank you…what can I help you with?" she reached into a little grey bag she was wearing and pulled out and envelope she handed it to Stefan, "I'm Paola, and you are." He pointed to the name on the envelope, "right you are Stefan Salvatore. The sender asked me to stand here till you opened it." He looked at her oddly and then started to open the letter, inside was a little piece of paper that was labelled, Stefan my brother, he knew from that this was not going to be good, he opened the little piece of paper, and then looked at Paola, "I'm sorry to ask this but do you want to go out on a date?" Stefan was completely shocked at her question, but as an answer to her question Archer came up to him and tugged on his trousers,

"Daddy, when are the pancakes going to be ready?" he looked down at Archer, who was holding his little wolf,

"Not yet arch, how about you go and watch some TV with mummy?" Archer let out a huff and then walked off, "I'm sorry, but the answer to your question is no, I'm happily married." She let out a little giggle,

"I'm sorry, was that your son?" Stefan gave her a nod, "he is a double of you." It was true, the only real difference was the hair style, Elena had refused to let him take Archer to get a haircut, so Archers hair was long and hung over his face, unlike Stefan's which was neat and tidy, but other than that Archer was a little double of Stefan. Not in a double-ganger way but in a father son way.

Stefan began to read the letter,

Dear Stefan,

First of all I am sorry I stabbed you. I was jealous, you got the girl and you make her so happy, you have started a family and I will never get to do that with someone who I love as much as I loved Katherine or Elena.

Second of all, brother I heard your news, I guess congratulations are in order, now I want you to tell Elena that I am happy for her and that I am happy for Archer to have a little brother or sister, please make sure he never treats them as I treated you.

I want you never let meet either of them, I am a monster and I have treated you so badly when you didn't deserve it. I want you to show them pictures of me and tell them stories of us when we were younger but I also want you to tell them I died and some sappy death crap as well, about how I am looking down on them, you know what I mean.

As much as I hate to say it, so it helps that I am writing this, I love you Stefan and I am proud of what you have achieved. I am proud after going through so many rough stages you have come out on top, and that you are happy. That Elena is happy.

All I care about brother is that you take care of her, and you look after her no matter how she has treated you. I want you to promise me something, that you will turn her, so you can enjoy an eternity of happiness with her, and only her.

Stefan I miss you

-your brother Damon.

I hope the gift will make up for everything