After Our Love Prevails {Stelena} (2)

8- Merry Christmas

AN: I know it's not Christmas in real life, it just fits into the timeline of the story! Hope everyone is well and safe x

3 weeks later

Elena's POV

I wake up to the cold breeze travelling across the room from the slightly ajar window and instantly pull the covers up higher, which consequently results in Stefan tightening his grip around me. I smile at the feeling of his body against mine and slowly turn to face him.
"Merry Christmas," I say sleepily before resting my head on his arm. He smiles and kisses my forehead.
"Merry Christmas, baby. How did you sleep?"
"Not bad, the baby kicked a lot though." Although feeling the baby's kicks brings me such joy and relief, it also makes it incredibly difficult to get to sleep and often leaves me feeling drained and exhausted during the day. His hand moves from my waist down to my hip.
I close my eyes again and appreciate being able to slowly wake up with Stefan since Layla isn't up yet. We don't normally spend much time together in the mornings since we're either rushing to get ready for work and Layla ready for playgroup or Stefan's still resting from a night shift whilst I get up with Layla. 
"I could get used to this," I sigh.
He softly laughs and kisses my head. "Probably shouldn't. Layla will be up soon."

I groan and move closer to him and bury my face in his chest. We lie in bed together for a further ten minutes before we hear Layla's voice through the baby monitor on Stefan's bedside table. When we enter her room we're met with our gorgeous daughter, dressed in her Christmas-themed pyjamas, stood in her cot with her smiling face pressed up in between the panels of the cot. I smile at the sight before opening her curtains whilst Stefan lifts her out of the cot. "Merry Christmas, Layla." She smiles at the sound of her dad's voice and reaches up to touch his face, something that she does frequently. Her fascination with Stefan makes my heart swell. Of course, she bonded with me first (as babies do with their mothers) but she became comfortable and familiar with Stefan so quickly, not that this surprises me since I had the same experience with him.

We make our way downstairs into the living room, which is the epiphany of Christmas. Our Christmas tree, that sits in front of the back wall, is decorated with fairy lights, tinsel and a range of baubles including one with 'Baby's First Christmas' written across it. Spread around the tree are all the presents that we bought each other and Layla, as well as a few from family members who we aren't going to see today. Since Layla is at an age where she doesn't understand what Christmas is or how presents work, we spend a bit of time helping her open presents. In reality, Stefan and I do most of the present-opening but Layla seems to enjoy herself nonetheless. It feels surreal to be having our first Christmas as a family of three, I always dreamed of having a Christmas morning like this, where we get to watch our daughter run around with excitement and occasionally help to open her presents in which she's only slightly interested in. It's even more surreal to think that we'll be celebrating our next Christmas as a family of four. The thought alone is enough to make me smile and feel butterflies in my stomach. This day has only just started but I can already tell what an amazing day this is going to be.

A few hours later

After opening the presents we went about our day, as usual, except perhaps a little more relaxed and slower than normal before the first of our family arrives. "I'll get it," I say before making my way over to the door, smiling as I walk past Layla playing with her new Christmas present on the floor. I say playing, but in reality, she's just chewing on it.
I open the door and see Stefan's parents stood outside wrapped up in their coats, bags of presents in their hands. "Merry Christmas!" Lilly cheers as the two of them smile and enter.
"Merry Christmas," I reply, also with a smile on my face. I close the door quickly since Layla was already making her way towards the front door with her arms reached out.
"Hi, darling!" Lilly crouches down to Layla's level, who grins at her proximity.
"How are you guys?"
"We're fine! Exhausted, but who isn't these days?" She laughs. "So... you're well into your second trimester now, how're you feeling?" Giuseppe turns towards me and asks.
"I'm feeling alright, my body not so much. Back pain is definitely getting worse," I explain. At hearing this, Lilly stands up.
"Bless you. I can't believe how fast your pregnancy is going!"
"I know. I kind of want it to slow down, it's scaring me how fast everything's going."
"I know what you mean. It feels like yesterday when Stefan and Damon were just little kids running around in the garden together."
"Speaking of Stefan, where is he?"
"In the kitchen." They both nod before going into the kitchen to see Stefan.
Layla starts crying by my feet so I take her into my arms in an attempt to calm her down. "What's up with you, misses?" I kiss her temple before we all make our way into the kitchen.
I smile at the sight before me. "Merry Christmas, darling!" Lilly says before embracing Stefan in a hug.
"Merry Christmas, mum." He hugs his dad next. "Merry Christmas, dad."
"Merry Christmas, son," Giuseppe replies.
"The food smells amazing already," Lilly gushes. "I clearly taught you well."
I laugh at her comment. I'm eternally grateful for the fact that Stefan can cook so well since everyone knows how absolutely hopeless I am at all things food. Cooking, baking... I'm terrible at both.