Grace's laugh sounded terribly loud through the completely silent room. Everyone but her was frozen in spot, staring at the young vampire in shock. Their facial expressions shifted between disbelief and surprise.
To be honest, Grace couldn't understand why they were all so tense. Elijah's hand even clenched around hers tightly. It amused her even further, because this must be some really bad joke.
"Oh come on, Care. Joking about pregnancies in this family really is a sensitive subject."
She chuckled and nudged Elijah whose dark eyes laid on her intensely. He didn't find this funny in the slightest way. Maybe he was even believing this nonsense.
"Grace, I'm not joking...I...um, Jo carried twins...when she died, the babies were transferred...we were the only female vampires at the wedding and uh...I'm pregnant with one twin and you're with the other..."
It was simply too unlikely to be true. What Caroline said was just straight up nuts. Vampires couldn't get pregnant. That was a fact. There were some borders, some restrictions to living as a vampire and pregnancies were one of those. This was one of the few stable things in Grace's life. To be honest a part of her was relieved that she never had to think about having kids.
She didn't have the maternal gene. She didn't even like kids. As a teenager she hated babysitting and even as an adult she was the one always uncomfortable around kids, while Elena was always happily playing with them.
Hope was the exception because she was family and because Grace had been kinda been forced into taking care of her. Her loyalty would always win over her own fears.
"It's impossible."
Grace stated, while shooting Elijah and Nik unbelieving looks. They all knew it, they've been vampires for a millennium longer than her.
"I said that once before...and look what we have here."
Nik's gaze bore into Grace's and a silent, but very meaningful exchange took place. Grace began to process the words that made her silent. They washed all the amusement from her face and all the evidence that she had been blocking out for weeks came rushing to her.
The hunger for everything in between blood and sweets. The changes on her body. Collapsing into Tristan de Martel's arms.
She had played it down and thought that it was just the frustration of not having Nik by her side and the complicated relationship with Elijah.
An eerie silence has fallen upon the room as everyone continued to stare at her. The air was thick and Grace felt like she couldn't breathe anymore.
She heard Elijah starting to argue with Nik, but it sounded like she was inside a dull bubble. Nausea had her stomach in a tight grip. Her whole skin was itching, urging her to simply scratch all this nonsense off. Grace wanted to shout, to scream at them all, letting them know that they were all idiots. This couldn't be happing to her.
But she couldn't let it all out, because the only task she could concentrate on was breathing. No one seemed to notice that the girl they all so passionately loved was close to a mental breakdown.
"Grace? Grace, it's going to be ok. I know how you feel. When they told I was pregnant I just wanted to laugh in their faces...But this is something good. You will see."
She felt Hayley's hand grabbing hers and her calm voice close to her. Her eyes darted from her back to Elijah, who was holding her other hand, but was still focused on his brother. His face showed shock and worry, too, but there was something else, a certain kind of softness. He wanted this. He was all too willing to accept this. Of course, he always had wanted children.
But Grace was just way too far gone to even think about what all this meant for Elijah. She knew that he would stay by her side, that he would give everything to protect her and help her through this. However, she didn't want help. She didn't want this at all. She felt like this wasn't her body anymore.
Grace felt so used. This was against her will, no one asked her to suddenly play host to a baby that wasn't even hers. She didn't asked to be magically impossible impregnated, like in some crazy bible story.
When she met Nik's eyes again, he was the first one to notice that something was wrong. He saw the panic in her eyes. Ignoring everyone else, he wanted to reach out for her, but before he could even move a muscle she was on her feet, pushing all the hands that tried to hold her away.
"No. No. I'm not doing this."
Her voice was heavily shaking, as did her whole body and then she disappeared. They all, even Elijah, had been too distracted by their own shock to even notice what was happening to Grace.
Elijah was out of the door to find her within the blink of a second. He cursed himself for being weak in this moment, to simply assume that she would be happy to have the miracle of a child. Never before had his attention anywhere but on her, but in this crucial moment he left her alone.
It didn't take him long to find her. The pension was her safe place, she always went there if she needed time alone. But he couldn't respect that right now.
Ariana only motioned to the stairs with a deeply worried expression when she saw Elijah enter. It was good to know that Grace had such a loyal friend. He nodded thankfully and rushed up the stairs, only to find a heavily crying Grace standing in front of the window that led to the balcony.
"Grace..."
Elijah whispered, but didn't really know what to say. It was unusual for him to be at a loss of words, but seeing his love like this stopped him from thinking clearly. The ache in his heart was nearly unbearable.
The young vampire immediately stopped sobbing when she heard him, trying to pull herself together and appear strong. As if she needed to prove that to Elijah.
Slowly, she turned around to face him. She opened her mouth to speak, but when her gaze met Elijah's, the tears just fell down her cheeks and the sobs chocked her voice. Shaking hands pushed her long hair from her face, but she knew that it was just distraction. Grace didn't even know how long she could stand upright.
Elijah crossed the room in two long steps before he came to a halt in front of Grace. She didn't need words right now. The Original placed a hand on the back of her head and just pulled her close, so she could simply let go.
Grace clawed into his suit jacket and let all these overwhelming emotions out. Her tears wetted the smooth fabric of his shirt, but she couldn't care less. It was Elijah again, always doing the exact right thing. She realized that this was all she needed: someone to hold her, someone to be there for her. Since she couldn't trust Nik anymore, Elijah was the only one who could give her this comfort.
"Elijah, you don't understand this...I know that you've always wanted to be a father, but I...I never thought about having kids. When I became a vampire, it simply wasn't a topic anymore. And I was fine with that..."
Quickly she wiped the tears away and looked into Elijah's sorrowful eyes. There were so many emotions on his face right now, it nearly made her sob again. It was obvious how badly he wanted a family on his own. Grace hated that she wasn't on the same page as he was in this, but she just couldn't see the joy in this right now.
"...Now this is trust upon me. I feel so used. Who has the audacity to just put a freakin' baby in my belly without even letting me know? I'm not an incubator!"
Her voice was desperate and Elijah slowly started to get what that meant for her. Her freedom had been taken away from her so often, there were so many decisions that were taken away from her. Mostly because of him. Elijah even mused that this whole situation was because of him. The Gemini coven knew him and they probably figured that one of their newest members would be safe with him and the woman he loved. They couldn't be more wrong.
"No, you aren't. And of course it's not right that you're forced to do this...But Grace, this is our chance. You see how Hope changes Niklaus and if we just..."
Elijah remembered very well how he gave a similar speech to his brother. He and Grace were so similar. She pushed his hands away and took a step back, pain written all over her face.
"She changes Nik? Yeah, he loves her with every fiber of his body, but every time some even scratches his fragile trust the slightest, he slips back into ruining our lives! He didn't change the slightest, Elijah. He just has a liability. Damn, this child isn't even ours. This is crazy!"
She violently shook her head, still not accepting all of this. Right now she just wanted to flee from all this.
But Elijah had enough. He wouldn't tolerate her talking like this. Grabbing her tiny face with his hands, he forced her to look at him.
"Listen to me, family does not end with blood, you know it the best. Of course this is our child. I will protect you two with my life. You have my word on that."
His words made her stop trembling and something in her mind abruptly changed. She started to understand what this all meant. She understood that she was carrying a living thing under her heart. He was right. Just because it wasn't her blood didn't mean it wasn't her baby.
Slowly, she nodded and her shoulders slumped when all the tension left her. Thankfully, the panic that had an iron grip on her, disappeared, too.
"I'm afraid."
She whispered and Elijah's facial expression immediately softened. It didn't happen often that the fearless Grace Gilbert admitted that she was afraid of something. Gently he caressed her cheek with his thumb.
He himself feared for the woman he loved because no one could know what this pregnancy would do to her. But she was strong, so he had to be, too. Elijah had to be the father of this child, no matter what. Even though he was quite excited, this new role was overwhelming. He had helped Niklaus to become a good father for Hope, but facing this role himself was something completely different.
"I know. Come, let's you home. We need to compel a doctor to check up on you and the baby."
Again Grace nodded and let Elijah led her out of her apartment. She was relieved that Elijah took care of things. Her head was still too fuzzy to think about such important things.
But as they neared the compound, they heard raised voices coming from inside. Elijah's grip on her hand grew tighter as he immediately assumed a threat. But Grace just frowned when she recognized the voices. One was Nik's usual maniac shouting. She knew the other as well and at first she was confused, but then realization hit her. A deep sigh escaped her as she calmingly padded Elijah's shoulder.
"Hell, this isn't going to end well."
She shrugged and continued walking, feeling Elijah's confused stare on her back.
"...I asked you where Grace is!"
Alaric's words echoed through the hall. He was clearly angry and loosing his patience. But so was Nik.
"And I told you that I'd rip your throat out if you go anywhere near her!"
Everyone knew that Nik wasn't exaggerating. Alaric would have hell of a ride by having his child in this family. They were all fiercely loyal and protective over Grace, especially Klaus and Elijah. The problem was that it wasn't a secret how violent they could all get if they felt threatened and Alaric was back to being very human. He shouldn't forget that he tried to wipe out the whole family once. They probably still kept that grudge, even if he wasn't his true self back then.
"Nik, calm down. He won't hurt me."
Alaric immediately turned around when he heard Grace's voice and a deep scowl settled on Nik's face. Beside Grace, Elijah tensed. His arm wrapped around her waist, clearly showing off that she belonged to him. Way too much testosterone for Grace's liking, it was starting to give her a headache.
Her attention quickly came back to Alaric who stared at her intensely. His eyes darted from her stomach back to her face as he walked towards her. Elijah immediately stepped in front of her, to stop the other man from coming too close.
"This is my child, Elijah."
Alaric stated and Grace cursed him in her mind. A really bad way to start the conversation with a man like Elijah. It obviously damaged Elijah's honor that his love carried another man's child, even if it wasn't willingly on her side, and Alaric calling the child his didn't make it any better.
But before Elijah could say anything or beat Alaric up, Grace stepped forward squeezed his hand.
"No, Alaric, it's ours. I don't know what Caroline thinks about this, but this is my child, too, and Elijah will be its father, just as you will be. If you can't cope with that, you're free to leave my home."
Silence erupted after her harsh words. Elijah's heart melted a little when she clearly stated that he was the father of this child, no matter what magic was involved in all of this. Nik watched the exchange and again admired this woman for always standing with the family.
"You can't be serious, Grace! It's not safe here, neither for you or the child. I came to take you back to your real home."
Grace snorted when he called Mystic Falls her real home, but he triggered something more in Nik and Elijah. The brothers growled and came up with even more creative threats. But they were doing rightfully so. She couldn't believe that the nice, kind Alaric Saltzman was trying to force her back to Mystic Falls.
"Yeah, because Mystic Falls is that safe."
She said sarcastically and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Word spreads, Grace. Everyone heard what is going on here. Vampire gangs, thousand year old aunts that want to take children away...This is madness."
The young vampire rolled her eyes, slowly starting to loose her patience. She could understand that he was worried, but he was going too far.
"I can take care of myself, Ric. And if you forgot the presence of these two very protective Originals, here's a reminder."
She smiled at Nik and Elijah and then looked up to the balcony were the rest of the family had gathered.
"You said it yourself, this is my child, too. I already lost my wife, I will not stand by and watch as my blood is in danger."
Grace's hands clenched into fists. He managed to finally trigger her temper. Her lip curled upwards as she stepped closer to him, right into his personal space. Scary Gracie was back again as pure fire stood written in her eyes.
"Do you think I like being used as an incubator? The only reason why I don't give myself a strong shot of vervain is out of respect for you and because I see a chance for a happy life in this, for us all. I'm sorry about your wife, I really am, but I'm not some puppet you can toss around."
She took a deep breath to calm herself. Grace strongly had to remind herself that this wasn't easy for him, too.
"We're adults, Alaric, normal people figure things like this out. This is the 21st century, cars and airplanes exist. You'll see your child grow up. I'm not going to take him or her away from you."
Suddenly, the violent tension seemed to ease a bit. She managed to calm everyone's temper down enough to talk this through like grown ups. It was obvious that Alaric felt like was in a lion's den, and he probably was, because they could all kill him without even putting effort in it, but in the end, it was all settled. Alaric went on his way back home, not satisfied with the outcome, but at least convinced that Grace Gilbert will be the perfect, fierce, protective mother his child deserved.
...
After all this shocking revelations and quarrel, Grace was heavily exhausted. She was pregnant after all. The woman fell asleep quickly, but couldn't find peaceful rest. In the middle of the night, she woke up to the sound of glass shattering. Frowning, she listened more closely and only heard Nik and Elijah shouting, which at least meant that no one was intruding their home.
With a sigh she got up, her stomach was growling anyway. In her pyjama, she stepped onto the balcony facing into the compound. The brothers were violently beating each other up, both filled with a terrible rage. Grace rose her brow, not really knowing what was going on. At least she knew that they couldn't kill each other.
She walked down the stairs and was about to pass by them to get into the kitchen. When their gazes fell on Grace, they immediately stopped and stared at her, ashamed and worried. Grace chuckled and shrugged.
"Oh, no, don't let me bother you. I was just going to make me a sandwich, you want some, too?"
Both men shook their hands, their mouths slightly gaping open because she was so oblivious to this. They assumed that she would would start one of her famous lectures to them, but she even seemed to find amusement in this.
"...But Nik, would you please leave him in one piece? I'm not gonna change diapers alone."
She motioned for her still flat stomach as she continued walking. The brothers shared a look and suddenly all the violence was gone. Grace Gilbert again had managed to end their constant fighting.