Chapter Text
ditch the clowns, get the crown
part one: trimester
elena’s pov
It was three months into my pregnancy. I had gotten a vague due date. It would be the end of December. Hayley was due a couple of months after me. I was still looking for Elijah, but it was hard to do when I couldn’t leave the house. I knew that it was easier if I had Caroline and Bonnie here, but I couldn’t call them. They deserved to have a peaceful summer. Rebekah wasn’t answering my calls though and I realized why after a week. Matt posted things on social media and there was a text about a threesome. I was almost jealous and wished I could have that threesome for the summer. I was focused on cleaning up Klaus’ messes. He was trying to con the person he taught to con.
Summer in New Orleans would have been a blast if I didn’t have to hide. There could be a lot of shopping and enjoying the French Quarter. I just had to stay indoors for the summer. I didn’t know what else to do because I was running out of places to look. Kol was spending the summer with Bonnie. Although, she never seemed to answer her phone. Caroline was busy with Tyler even though he was all wrong for her. I wasn’t going to get in the middle of that though. I didn’t have the right after I demanded that Caroline respect my own decisions. Jeremy was training with Alaric. I hoped that he would take school seriously, but he was allowed to do what he wanted with his summer.
I was video calling with Caroline. She demanded constant updates from me so she could feel like she was there. She was the one that put my meal plan together so that I could eat healthy and still enjoy my cravings. She was also putting the nursery together with Rebekah and looking for a doctor that could see me. She insisted that I don’t choose one until she’s weeded out the worst of the bunch. I was reading the reviews for them when I could. She agreed that this would be a doctor for Hayley too because she didn’t have anyone that would do this with her or for her unlike me. I was in the kitchen with the laptop as I watched her go through school supply stores for the start of the year. She was using her phone.
“You seem busy” I said.
“I have a month and half to decorate the dorm for both of us” Caroline said.
“Plenty of time” I said.
“Not when she won’t take my calls” she said. She put things in her cart.
“She isn’t answering you either?” I asked.
“Yeah” she said.
“Weird” I said.
“Right?” she asked.
“Kol answers” I said.
“In fact, he calls back” she said.
“Yes” I said.
“And sounds like Bonnie” she said.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“He says things in a way Bonnie would say it” she said.
“I see” I said.
“Yeah” she said.
“I don’t know what’s happening there” I said.
“Me either” she said.
“She’ll show up” I said.
“I hope so” she said.
“So the dorm” I said.
“I ordered everything. I took care of everything” she said. I didn’t assume anything less than that because I knew her.
“Good” I said.
“And I think I settled on a birthing method” she said.
“Caroline” I said.
“What?” she asked.
“I think I get a vote on the birthing method” I said.
“Don’t worry, I’m very pro drug” she said.
“Don’t say it like that” I said.
“But I don’t think a hospital is the way to go” she said.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because we don’t know what the baby will do when it’s born” she said.
“Possible fangs” I said.
“Exactly” she said.
“So home birthing” I said.
“And compelled nurses” she said.
“I’ll run it by Elijah” I said.
“Speaking of whom, he’s not answering my calls either” she said. I couldn’t tell her what was going on out here.
“He’s busy” I said.
“Helping Klaus?” she asked.
“Basically” I said.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine” I said.
“Good” she said.
“Why?” I asked.
“You seem lonely” she said.
“I’m not” I said.
“I can go down there” she said.
“I’m fine” I said.
“Alaric wants to go down” she said.
“Tell him not to. I don’t need to be protected” I said.
“Alright” she said.
“He’s teaching at Whitmore, right?” I asked.
“Yes” she said.
“He’ll do well” I said.
“I should go” she said.
“Alright” I said.
“Hmm” she said.
“Talk to you later” I said.
“Bye” she said. I ended the call.
“You didn’t tell her about Elijah” Klaus said. I looked up to see him leaning against the door frame. I closed my laptop.
“I didn’t” I said.
“Why not?” he asked.
“She has enough things to deal with” I said.
“Fair enough” he said.
“I’m not in danger in this house” I said.
“No” he said.
“So she doesn’t need to be here” I said.
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kol’s pov
This wasn’t how it should be. I would have made a different call on this, but I hadn’t known Elena my whole life. That was Bonnie so she was more educated in what to do with the information she had. I wanted to tell Elena that one of her best friends was dead, but Bonnie said that it was best that she remained calm and happy. She wasn’t completely wrong. The situation could cause her stress and that wasn’t best for the baby. She was going to find out at some point though and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep this a secret. I was the one answering Bonnie’s calls, emails, and text messages in order to keep with her plan. Easily done since I could see her spirit.
I didn’t know why I could see her, but it had been good for a few weeks. We talked and laughed. We enjoyed out time and made love every night. She and I were entangled. And it wasn’t that it started to bother me. I just thought that we should tell Elena before the baby was born and it didn’t help that I had answered dozens of emails about what Elena should do with the nursery with Bonnie looking over my shoulder. I was answering one of those emails at the moment. Bonnie would tell me what to type and I would. There were different things that I thought were nonsense, but Bonnie had an opinion on everything. I thought it was adorable and I liked her all the more for it.
“Tell her that she should get organic baby blankets” Bonnie said.
“What does that mean?” I asked as I typed.
“It means that there aren’t harmful dyes” she said.
“This is ridiculous” I said. She rested her head on my shoulder. I liked having her there, but I knew this couldn’t be forever.
“We read the books” she said.
“I know” I said.
“The best for our niece” she said. I looked at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Our. I like that” I said.
“Well, your brother is the father and my best friend is the mother” she said. We were connected to this child in some way.
“Our niece even if we weren’t together” I said.
“Yes” she said.
“I like that” I said.
“Is she considering names?” she asked.
“As far I can tell” I said.
“What would you suggest?” she asked.
“I always liked the name Julliette” I said.
“French” she said.
“Yes” I said.
“I like it” she said.
“You said Miranda must be on the list” I said.
“After her mother” she said.
“That’s a good name” I said.
“Yes” she said.
“We have to tell her” I said.
“Kol” she said.
“You’re her best friend. She would want to know” I said.
“She would want to be happy” she said.
“Yes, but what are you going to do? Wait until she’s in labor?” I asked.
“Maybe” she said.
“And then have a day of happiness filled with grief?” I asked.
“Kol” she said.
“She has to grieve before” I said.
“I don’t know why you’re insistent on this” she said. I moved to face her.
“Because this is what you would be telling me if this was the other way around. You need to tell her you’re gone” I said. I put the laptop aside and got off the bed.
“I’m right here” she said.
“You know what I mean” I said.
“Do I?” she asked.
“Yes” I said.
“I can’t” she said.
“You have to” I said.
“If I tell her now, she could have a miscarriage” she said. I knew that. I had weighed the risks which is why I had gone along with this for a while.
“She’s in the second trimester” I said.
“And still risky. I would never forgive myself if she—” she said.
“She’ll never forgive me!” I yelled.
“It’s not about that” she said.
“Darling” I said.
“You saw her” she said.
“I know” I said.
“She was happy” she said.
“I know” I said.
“I can’t take that from her” she said.
“And me?” I asked.
“Kol” she said.
“And us?” I asked.
“We’re fine” she said.
“Are we?” I asked.
“I don’t know what you’re getting at” she said.
“You can move on” I said.
“I won’t” she said.
“You should” I said.
“You want me gone?” she asked.
“No” I said.
“Then what?” she asked.
“I want to not have to lie to everyone we know” I said. There were so many lies that we needed to keep track of.
“I love you” she said.
“And I love you” I said.
“Kol” she said.
“We have to tell her!” I yelled and all the candles in the room were lit. I looked around and we were silent for a moment.
“That wasn’t me” she said.
“It was me” I said.
“How?” she asked. I looked at her.
“Elena” we said.
“When she pulled me out” I said.
“She must have done something” she said.