When I wake up, rain still pours outside. It's been raining since Damon and I got engaged, and I'm getting a little tired of it.
I head downstairs and I begin making Evie breakfast.
The curious thing about this storm cycle- there's no thunder or lightning. It's just rain. I'm not complaining, I'm terrified of thunder, but it seems odd, especially since we've dealt with witches before- we know how they screw with the weather.
I hope it doesn't have anything to do with Andromeda. I'm all about forgiving, but I can't forget. If he sees her, it'll bring back a tidal wave of hurt and heartbreak that I want to erase from my memory.
I flip the French toast and move the eggs around when I feel a pair of arms around my waist. I smile as I feel lips against my neck and I sigh. "We've been bad lately."
"It's okay to be bad sometimes." I shake my head. "Not when our daughter is dying, Damon." He turns me around. "Elena," I look down at my feet and he puts his fingers under my chin and makes me look at him. "I remember when I got pregnant with her. I was going crazy because Klaus had taken you but yet I was ecstatic. Evie was the one to keep me alive when I felt like I was going to die. The first time I felt her kick, the bed had only me in it and for the first time I felt like everything would be okay. That little girl up there kept me alive and now... She's dying, Damon. I can't hold myself together because every day she continuously looks weaker and weaker and I don't know what to do anymore." He pulls me into his arms as I begin sobbing and strokes my hair, muttering sweet nothings to me. I pull back and wipe my eyes. "Will you take her some breakfast? I'm going out with Kath."
"Of course, baby." I nod at him then I head upstairs to shower. When I'm dressed and ready to go, I head out to my car and I drive to the Grill. I enter and see her sitting in a booth across the room. I walk over to her and she smiles at me then stands and hugs me. "It's good to see you Kath." She hugs me tightly. "It's good to see you too, Lena." I sit down across from her and the waiter pours me some coffee. I take a sip then I look at my doppelganger. "How have you been?"
"Busy. Evie's getting worse as the pregnancy continues." She puts her hand over mine. "Does Dr. Belmonte know anything you can do?"
"We just have to keep doing what we are now and she should be fine, but... I'm not so sure, Kath. I know I should be optimistic and just have a little hope, but her body is deteriorating as the babies grow." I run my fingers through my hair. "With our engagement, Damon and I have gotten sidetracked and I feel like such a crappy mom."
"Elena, Evie wants you to be happy and live your life." I look down at my coffee. "Evie is my life. So is Sam, Caleb, Luna... I don't know what to do. I'm trying to be strong for her, but I'm so scared." She nods. "I know, Elena. But you had to have known that even with immortality, something always kills us off."
"I know and I've accepted that for myself. But this is different. Losing a child feels like dying, Kath. And I'm just trying to keep it together and just... Feel some sort of relief. But I don't ever feel it and I can't handle it."
"Elena, you can handle anything. You're the strongest woman I've ever known. If Stefan ever did what Damon did? I would not survive that." I blink back tears. "That's the thing, Kath. I didn't survive it. I didn't take care of my son and I ran to Klaus when I finally got out of bed. How is that surviving?" She sighs. "You're still here, Elena. You forgave Damon, made the right choice and realized your feelings for him. You were brave enough to push past the pain and see that love. If that isn't strength, then I don't know what is." I take a deep breath. "You're right. But this, the whole situation? How am I supposed to survive that? Evie is my baby, my little girl. What am I supposed to do?"
"You do the same thing you're doing now, Elena. You stay strong for her. Because she's clinging onto you right now for strength. She needs you to be there for her when the time comes. I know it'll be hard. But I'll be there for you through the whole thing. I promise, Lena. You're my best friend. I would do anything for you." I squeeze her hand. "Thank you. You're my best friend, Kath. No, you're my sister." She smiles at me then extends her pinky. "Sisters forever?" I laugh and loop my pinky in hers. "Forever." She laughs too. "Sometimes I still feel like a kid. Even though I'm like 500 years old and I have three kids." I look up. "Two, Kath."
"What?"
"You have two kids." She opens her mouth then closes it and slams her palm into her face. "Stefan and I were supposed to tell you and Damon together."
"Katerina Aleksandrina Salvatore you better tell me right now-"
"Okay okay, just don't use my middle name you know I hate it." I look at her expectantly. "I'm pregnant." My hand flies over my mouth. "YOU'RE-" She quickly reaches across the table and places both her hands over my mouth. "Shhh!" I smile mischievously then I dart my tongue out and I lick her hand. "Eww! Dammit Elena." She wipes her hand off and I stare at her. "Well? Tell me how far along you are, when you found out, and why you didn't pick up the phone the MINUTE you did find out!" She giggles. "I'm about four months along, I found out a couple months back, and I didn't tell you because I knew you were worried about Evie and I just felt like it wouldn't be as meaningful over the phone."
"I understand. Do you know the gender yet?" She nods.
"TELL ME!" I whisper yell. She places a hand on her stomach. "It's a girl." I squeal excitedly. "Aww!!! Her and Lulu can play together! They'll be so cute and adorable and can you even believe-"
"Elena, calm down. Stefan was going to pick me up and then follow you back to Evie's and surprise you and Damon."
"I'll act surprised. Stefan has to tell his brother. I just want to know... How are you guys still able to even have kids?"
"I don't know. I guess I'm not past my expiration date yet." I laugh. "You make it sound like you're a gallon of milk." She laughs too. "In all technicalities I am," she says before patting her chest. I break into a fit of giggles and I can't stop. It's been a while since happy is a word to describe my mood, by Katherine has her ways of making me laugh and smile. She's my best friend, my sister, and I know that'll never change.
Stefan comes in and smiles at me. "Hey Elena."
"Hey Stef."
"Ready to go, Kath?"
"Yeah, just let me pay the bill-"
"No, Kath I got it." She gives me a look. "Go." She grabs her purse then stands up and I stand and hug her, pretending I don't feel the very obvious bump.
After I pay for the food, I head out to the car. I drive back to Evie's and I run inside, feeling suddenly child like. Damon smiles at me as I run in and I jump on him, both of us toppling to the ground. "Ow, what was that for?"
"You'll see!" The doorbell rings and he raises an eyebrow at me. "You get it." He stands up, scooping me up bridal style then walks to the door. I break into a fit of giggles as he opens the door with perfect normality. I wrap my arms around his neck as he leans against the doorway. "Hey guys!" He sets me down and hugs his brother tightly. I smile at Kath. "Okay Stefan I have to be honest I already know." I say in one breath. He looks at Katherine and she shrugs. "I slipped up." Damon looks utterly confused and I giggle at his face. "Well... Brother... My lovely wife is pregnant." His eyes go wide and he smiles. "Oh my god! Congrats!" He hugs Stefan again then hugs Katherine. He tugs me into his side and kisses my cheek. "See, everyone else is getting pregnant."
"Damon, we already talked about this..."
"Wait what?" Katherine looks at us. "Come sit down, we'll explain it." They sit down on the couches and Damon pulls me closer. "Damon asked me if I wanted to have another baby."
"Why not?" Suddenly the baby monitor on the coffee table goes off. "That's why." I smile at them and I stand up to go get Luna. Caleb runs inside. "Mom, guess what?"
"Give Mom a sec, she has to get your little sister. Why don't you go tell Dad, Aunt Kath and Uncle Stef?"
"THEY'RE HERE?!?"
"Living room." He moves with vamp speed and I smile. I walk into Luna's makeshift nursery and I lean into the crib, smiling at my still young daughter. She hasn't even turned one yet, she's only 10 months old. It's coming up soon.
I pick her up and feed her a bottle then I head out to the living room. Damon smiles at me. "I just realized, you guys haven't even met Luna!" Kath turns around and gasps. "Oh my god, how do you two have perfect genetics?!?" Stefan smiles at her and I sit down by Damon again. "Speaking of perfect genetics."
"Haha, very funny Dad." I look up and Evie smiles at them. "Baby, what are you doing out of bed?"
"I couldn't miss all of the fun." Damon helps her sit down on the couch and Kath smiles at her. "Hi honey. How're you doing?"
"I'm good. A little tired, a little weak, but okay."
"My goodness, you're bigger than I am!" Her jaw drops.
"Aunt Kath, you're pregnant?!?" She nods and Evie hugs her. Luna coos and reaches for her sister. Evie smiles at her and holds her tightly. "She's going to have your hair mom," she comments, ruffling her sister's hair. "She most certainly is. Like I was saying, that's why I don't want to get pregnant again. She's not even a year old yet. And it was still risky when I was pregnant with Luna." Damon pouts. "Yeah, I know."
"Aren't you tired of diaper changes, Damon?" Stefan asks. "No way! Babies are so much fun."
"Well, not always." Evie comments. All of us fall silent and she swallows. "Sorry." She whispers. Thankfully to break the ice, Kali runs into the room with Cameron tailing behind.
"Where's Christian, Evie?" Her face falls. "We're just taking a little break."
"Oh.." Kath says. Kali jumps up on the couch and burrows into Evie's neck. Cameron does the same on the other side and Damon takes Luna. She kisses their heads. "My beautiful babies! Look at them." She pinches their cheeks and they both laugh. I smile and Damon gazes at our eldest daughter then at our baby daughter. "I'm gonna go back upstairs. I'm exhausted."
"Do you need help?"
"We can help her, Grandma." Kali says. Evie nods. "I'll be okay Mom."
"Alright baby." I kiss her head then Stefan stands and helps her up. Caleb stretches. "So, you're turning nine here soon, huh bud?" Stefan says. "Yup!" He leans against me then Layla comes running across the house. He laughs and chases after her. I smile at our young son then I look back at my brother and sister in law. "Luna's adorable." Damon smiles proudly. "She gets that all from Mom." I shake my head. "Mostly Dad."
"Mmhm, you wish."
"Shut up." He kisses my cheek softly. "You two seem happy. Everything is okay?" Stefan asks. "Yeah. Honestly we're better than we've ever been. We worked on a lot over the past few months." Damon kisses Luna's head. "I think Lu had a lot to do with saving our relationship. She's a little miracle." I smile up at him. "That she is, Damon." I pick Luna up from his arms and I hold her to me tightly. "That she is."
Outside, as we're waving goodbye to Kath and Stefan, we hear an extremely loud clap of thunder that makes Luna cry followed by a flash of lightning that strikes not too far from the house.