Skye was thanking her lucky stars that they were nearing the end of the shoot for TVD. In some ways she didn't want it to end. It was something that had completely changed her life. On the other hand, she was in so much pain carrying the twins that even walking from one side of the studio to the other was unbearable some days.
Luckily in these last couple of episodes, all the characters were experiencing hell on earth anyway. She wouldn't need to hide the fact she was hurting.
It was when the camera stopped rolling that she truly had to start the act.
Ian knew that she had been in discomfort, that she was struggling. She'd still been downplaying it though, telling him it wasn't as bad as it actually was at its worst. She didn't want him worrying, not with the stress of filming on top of everything else.
Multiple Doctors appointments had confirmed that both babies were healthy and thriving, the only real cause for concern being Skye's blood pressure which seemed to be steadily rising every time it was checked. It wasn't high enough to get alarm bells ringing, but there was a chance it could get there.
Medical professionals had advised her to get bed rest for at least a few weeks. Easier said than done when you've got a hit show finale to film.
The production team, cast and crew on the show had been incredible, doing everything they could to make sure Skye and Ian were happy, that Skye was comfortable and most importantly safe. Rewrites had been done so she wasn't doing too much physically, massage chairs, recliners and blood pressure monitors littered the sets so they were there and at hand. It was safe to say that everyone on the show was just as protective of Skye and the twins as Ian was.
Some days were worse than others. Not every single one was terrible. There were days like today where the pain was just a niggle in the background, something she could almost forget about if she was busy doing other things. Then there were other days, days where it felt like she was being stabbed in the side over and over again.
It was a never ending cycle. A cycle of pain, cramps, cravings and at this precise moment...filming.
"ACTION....."
"Why are you up so early?" Damon quizzed Holly as he made his way downstairs, the sky still dark but the morning of Stefan and Caroline's wedding beckoning on the horizon.
"I couldn't sleep," Holly stated the obvious, sighing as she anxiously ran her hands through her matted hair from her place on the couch.
Damon could tell straight away that something was playing on her mind. She was fidgeting, breathing heavily. Vampires don't do that. Something was definitely up.
"You gonna tell me why?" Damon asked, taking a seat next to Holly and trying to pull her into his chest with not much success.
"Oh, I don't know Damon," Holly quipped back, jumping out of her chair and then pacing the floor in front of the fireplace. "What could possibly be keeping me awake?" She began to shout erratically, glancing over at Damon's concerned eyes with every turn of her heel. "Maybe it's Caroline 'Bridezilla' Forbes not leaving me alone for a second. Maybe it's nightmares from Cade burning me alive. Or maybe, just maybe, it's your psycho ex-girlfriend coming back from the dead wanting to kill us all."
"You know I won't let Katherine hurt you right?" Damon almost whispered out in comparison, rising from the chair and pulling Holly into his arms whether she wanted him to or not.
"And there's your answer," Holly breathed in exasperation, angling her body so she could look straight into Damon's ocean eyes.
"What do you mean?" He voiced in utter confusion.
"You won't let Katherine hurt me," Holly tried to point out like it was entirely obvious. This time Damon being the one to pull away, trying and failing to understand what his girlfriend was telling him.
"I don't get it."
"You wouldn't let Cade hurt me either, and look what happened? You sacrificed yourself. You died. I can't handle that Damon. I can't."
Holly couldn't stand still, couldn't put her mind at rest. After losing Damon to Cade, nightmares had filled her days and nights. Even when she had him back safely in her arms, it's all she could see, all she could focus on.
"Baby..." Damon despaired, his dead heart melting with every word that left her lips and every tear that was building up in her eyes.
"No Salvatore. Don't look at me with those eyes of yours and say Baby. It's not going to magic everything away. What if it happens again Damon? What if you die and Bonnie can't bring you back?"
Holly was seriously freaking out now. It was like she was possessed, possessed by her greatest fear.
"It's a risk I'm willing to take if it keeps you safe Holly," he whispered seriously, taking a step directly in front of her, holding her face in his hands and making sure she was looking right at him. The eldest Salvatore couldn't handle seeing his girl like this anymore. He couldn't bare it.
"It's not a risk I'm willing to take Damon. When I was in that coffin and I heard your body hit the floor, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't think. I couldn't feel. I wanted the fire to swallow me up then and there."
With Damon not knowing how to make her feel better, how to put her mind at ease, Holly just started panicking even more. She was on the verge of hysterics. Nothing he said could calm her nerves.
"Hol...."
"I know I depend on you too much Damon and I know that's not fair to you. I can't help it though ok. My life started when I met you Day. Just the thought of you not being there, of never seeing you again scared me more than anything in my entire life."
"Even more than when I talked about shaving my head?" Comedy is worth a try right, Damon thought.
"Don't make jokes. This isn't funny," Holly couldn't help but giggle at his now smirking face, rolling her eyes and hitting Damon in the shoulder as he grinned at her.
Thank god. It worked.
"Holly, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure the only person who doesn't make it through this is Kitty Kat herself. I have no intention of leaving you anytime soon. Don't worry your sexy little head about it," Damon promised resolutely with a light kiss on her forehead.
"Hey! I don't have a little head," Holly pouted.
"You know what I mean."
".....CUT!!!!!!!!"