Back in Time

28

"Alright Elena, we're all ready." Meredith said, sliding a blue sheet under my legs. She had attached something to the end of my bed. "I need you to put your feet on the stands." I did as she asked. It was a strange way to sit, with my legs bent in front of me, but I trusted Meredith. She knew what she was doing a lot better than I did. "Okay, this isn't going to be pleasant, but as soon as your next contraction starts, I need you to push."
"Okay." I bit my lip.

"Don't stop until I say." Meredith said.

As soon as I felt my next contraction a few seconds later, I gritted my teeth and began to push. It was a pain like I had never felt before. My contractions before had been nothing compared to this. I gasped through my lips, and Damon clutched my hand.

"Just think of holding them in your arms." He whispered. I nodded.

"Keep going Elena, you're doing great." Anna encouraged me. I took a deep breath and kept going until Meredith said stop.

"You'll have about thirty seconds before the next one." She said. I leaned into Damon, who rubbed my shoulder. "Okay Elena, get ready."

I sighed and prepared myself as I felt the wave of pain again.

-

Three hours later, Meredith looked up at me with a smile.
"You're so close Elena, I can see their head." She said. "One more should do it."

I smiled through the pain and waited for her to tell me when. As soon as she nodded, I pushed as hard as I could. There was a rush, and then Meredith had something small and squirming in her hands. My baby.

"Come and cut the cord Damon." Meredith said. Damon let go of my hand and followed Meredith's instructions to cut the cord. "It's a boy." She said.

"A boy." I whispered.

"I need to give him to Anna to get him cleaned up while your second baby comes." Meredith handed my son to Anna. I wanted to hold him, but pain cut me off. Damon came straight back to me. "They look close." Meredith confirmed. "It shouldn't be too long."
And sure enough, within fifteen minutes, my second baby was born. I leaned forward to see.

"It's a girl." Damon whispered.

He cut the cord again, and my baby girl was handed away to Anna. I took my feet off the stands and wiped my hand across my forehead, looking up at Damon.

"You did it baby." He kissed my hand. We waited for a minute as our babies were wrapped in blankets. Meredith took the sheet out from under me and took it away.

"Here you go." Anna came back with a bundle of pink blankets. She lowered my baby girl into my arms, and I let go of Damon's hand to hold her close.

I looked down at my daughter, and she looked up at me. She had my eyes, which surveyed me with total innocence. I clasped her to my chest and pressed my lips to her forehead. Anna came back with a blue bundle, which she handed to Damon. I looked over at my baby boy, who was staring up at Damon.

"They're beautiful." I whispered. Damon sat down in the chair next to my bed, holding our son in his strong arms. "He has your eyes."

"She has yours." He pointed out.

Damon looked up at me with pure love and adoration in his eyes. I smiled, a tear slipping down my cheek. Damon leaned forward, brushing his lips over mine lightly and then kissing me properly. There were a few clicks and I looked around to see Meredith holding a camera.

"Caroline threatened me to take photos." She explained. Damon and I laughed.

"Of course she did." I smiled.

"We're going to take you to a room now." Anna reappeared. "Your babies need to be registered. Do you have names in mind?"

I looked up at Damon, and he nodded. He was leaving it up to me. I bit my lip.

"Lexi Miranda-Rose Gilbert-Salvatore." I said to the little girl in my arms. Anna wrote it down on a small white bracelet and tied it around her wrist. "And Zach Grayson Gilbert-Salvatore." Anna tied the white bracelet around his wrist.

Meredith rolled over two baby beds. I grudgingly gave up my daughter and Meredith placed her in the bed before taking my son from Damon. I straightened up to look at them one more time before Anna wheeled them out.

"I'll take you to a room and let your friends see you. Your babies will be there in a few minutes." Meredith said.

I was wheeled to a larger room than I was in before. This room had space for a bed, an adjacent bathroom, an armchair, and fold up chairs stacked against one wall. My baby bag was sitting on the armchair.

"Can I get changed?" I asked Meredith. She nodded.

"Damon, help her." She said. "Not too much movement."

"Thanks." Damon thanked her as she left.

I slowly swung my legs out of the bed as Damon opened the baby bag. He pulled out some underwear, loose sweatpants, and a large shirt. I nodded, and lowered myself onto my feet. Damon hovered by my side as we walked to the bathroom, but I seemed to be doing okay.

"We're parents now." Damon said as I pulled on the underwear and sweatpants. He helped me pull the blue hospital gown over my head, and then put the shirt on. "Elena." He placed his hands on my shoulders. "You didn't have to do that." He was talking about the names.

"I know. But I wanted to." I said. "But we'll never forget any of them."

Damon nodded and cupped my face, tilting my chin up to kiss me softly. I pressed myself against him, winding my arms around his neck. We were cut off by the sound of Caroline's voice outside.

We stepped back into the main room just as everyone came in; Bonnie and Enzo, Jeremy, Caroline, and Stefan. Caroline and Bonnie pulled me into a hug, and I wrapped my arms around my two best friends.

"I love you guys." I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes. They spilled over as we broke apart, and Caroline handed me a tissue. "Thanks." I sniffed, wiping my eyes. Meredith and Anna appeared in the doorway, each holding one of my babies.

"We have some babies ready to meet everyone." Meredith said, handing me Lexi. Damon took Zach, and the doctors left.

Everyone crowded around but not too close. I gazed down at my daughter, asleep in my arms. Zach was asleep in Damon's arms, and he was rocking him gently.

"Caroline, Stefan." I said. "This is your god daughter. Lexi Rose-Miranda Gilbert-Salvatore." Caroline and Stefan stepped closer, and I handed Lexi to Caroline. She hugged her close, and Stefan brushed her forehead with the tips of his fingers. "Bonnie, Jeremy, this is your god son. Zach Grayson GIlbert-Salvatore."