Things change

V

While Elena was out, I held our daughter in my arms. She was beautiful, just like her mother. She had lots of dark brown hair and I could feel the magic in her touch. Rebekah had made her a bottle, but the only way she would drink it was if there was a single drop of my blood in it. She was so small that I was afraid I would hurt her if I even moved.

The doctor showed up about twenty minutes after Aria was born and checked her over, saying that she looked perfectly healthy. After making sure Aria was fine, the doctor left and I called my brothers.

"Yes, brother?" Nik answered his phone sleepily.

"She's here, Nik. My daughter." I said in barely a whisper, looking down at the peacefully sleeping bundle in my arms.

"Already? How is she?" He genuinely sounded concerned and it touched my heart.

"She's perfect, Nik. Elena still hasn't yet to wake from completing the transition, but I can hear her heartbeat changing. It will be soon." I told my brother as I looked over at my sleeping wife.

"I'll postpone my little trip to New Orleans until tomorrow and Caroline and I will be over as soon as possible." Nik told me before hanging up the phone.

Sure enough, Nik and Caroline were at the house, Caroline wearing Nik's shirt, before Five A.M. They rushed upstairs to our room where I was sitting in a recliner holding Aria on my chest.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe you guys had a baby! She is so precious, what did you name her?" Caroline asked as I handed her my daughter.

"Her name is Aria Isabella Mikaelson." I told them proudly. Nik patted me on the shoulder and I looked over at him.

"My little brother is a father... we've lived a thousand years, brother, and I truly never thought I'd see this day. She will be a treasure to us all." Nik said as he embraced me.

"Nik, my daughter is powerful. I can feel it, brother, she has more power than our mother." I told him in confidence, worried that someone would try to get their hands on her.

"You had more power than our mother as well, Kol. Don't worry, she has the entire Original family protecting her." Nik told me reassuringly.

I walked back over to take her from Caroline who was extremely excited about the new addition, and we all waited for Elena to wake.

She finally sat up, nearly an hour later, gasping for air. The first thing she did was look down to her now completely flat stomach.

"Elena?" I asked, making her look over to me quickly, sighing in relief as she saw the bundle of pink fabric in my arms. I walked over to her side of the bed and sat down, revealing our daughter's face. "I'd like you to meet Aria."

"She is so beautiful. I can't believe she is here... Has she- has she been fed yet?" Elena asked quickly, worried.

"Yes, darling. She had a bottle, but she would only drink it with a drop of my blood." I told her, seeing her relax. "How are you feeling?"

"Body wise, fine. Definitely not like I just had a baby. But I'm exhausted and hungry. I think I need blood, Kol. Like human blood." Elena told me. I stood up and handed Aria to Nik, who looked almost afraid to hold her, while I flashed downstairs to get Elena a blood bag.

When I got back, I gave her the blood and she finished the entire thing in seconds.

"I think I'm fine now, can I hold her, please?" Elena asked nervously. I nodded and took Aria from Nik and walked back over to the bed, handing her to Elena.

"Nik, we'll be fine here, go ahead and go to New Orleans and figure out what this entire mess is about. The sooner the better, but don't mention Aria if you can help it." I told Nik.

"I'll get to the bottom of this, Kol. Come on, Caroline, we've got a plane to catch." Nik said as he tugged Caroline away from us.

"Kol, get some sleep. Elena and I will take care of Aria. I know you must be exhausted as well." Rebekah said as Elena got out of the bed. I was about to decline when I felt the heaviness of my eyelids.

"Wake me in an hour?" I asked and Elena just kissed me and walked away with Rebekah, carrying Aria like she'd been doing it forever.

When I woke, I felt much better. The sunlight was peering in through the windows and I knew they had let me sleep for more than an hour.

I quickly flashed back downstairs and saw Elena asleep on the couch with Aria in the bassinet asleep as well. Rebekah came walking out of the kitchen with a steaming mug of blood and handed it to me.

"Thanks, sister, I was beginning to feel a bit low." I told her as I took the cup and drank it steadily.

"With as much blood as you've lost the past week, I'd say you need plenty more.