After Our Love Prevails {Stelena} (2)

13- Time Spent With You

Two weeks later

Elena's POV

I wake up in the arms of the love of my life, with my body pressed firmly against his, creating our own cocoon of warmth. I smile lazily, not quite ready to wake up and face the day, but happy that, if I have to, I'm waking up with my husband. Mornings where Stefan isn't at work and is instead by my side, with his arms firmly wrapped around me, are simply the best.
I feel a kiss being placed on my head. "Morning." My smile stretches at the sound of his voice, hoarse from just having woken up.
"Morning," I say, my voice being equally as hoarse from being unused for the last 7 hours, unless you count trying to hush Layla back to sleep in the middle of the night. "How did you sleep?"
"Sporadically. I couldn't sleep much after Layla woke up." I prop myself up on my elbow, head in hand, nodding in understanding. My fingers glide along his chin, across his jaw, rough from the early stubble, as I take in his tired appearance.
"I think she's coming down with a cold, that's all."
"I know. But it doesn't stop me from worrying." I cup his cheek with my palm, a sincere smile on my face.
"I know it doesn't. She's your daughter, you're always going to worry. I just wish it didn't stop you from sleeping."
"Don't we all." He brings me closer to him and I instinctively curl up against him, my head nestling into the crook of his neck. I sigh in the warm comfort, feeling like a caterpillar wrapped up in a cocoon. "You're the best dad she could ever have, you know that?" I lift my head to get a clearer view of his face, cupping his soft jaw, anticipating his disagreement. Without letting him reply, I kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you agree," I say, smirking. He doesn't say anything, just envelopes me in his tight embrace. He presses a kiss into my hair, sighing a little. Although I can tell he's trying to hide it, it's obvious how exhausted he is, and how he's constantly putting our needs ahead of his own. It doesn't matter how much I try, I can't get him to just put himself first for once.
"I could stay like this forever." I feel his smile against my temple.
"Don't say that, you'll jinx it!" I laugh, stroking his arm that's draped across my waist. Almost as if on cue, Layla's voice greets us through the baby monitor that sits on my bedside table. I smirk. "Told you." I steal a brief kiss just under his jaw before moving to shift myself off the bed. So much for our lie in...

I spend a few hours at the kitchen table getting some last-minute work done that needs to be sent off to Amanda and approved before it can be submitted. I sigh, push my chair back and massage my shoulder in an attempt to alleviate the growing ache whilst it's still relatively mild. I open my eyes as I hear a small patter approach, and smile as two small hands slap against my thighs.
"Hello, baby! What have you been up to?" I lift her up and into my arms, kissing her cheek before repositioning her to sit on my lap. I quickly make sure to save and exit my work to make sure Layla doesn't press any buttons and accidentally delete anything. I open a blank word document and let her press the keys, albeit not very gently, but my laptop takes my abuse on a daily basis, so I'm not too concerned.
As I'm watching her press keys to her heart's content, Stefan emerges, eyebrows furrowed as if he's looking for something. His expression softens when he sees the two of us.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I think I fell asleep for ten minutes and couldn't find her when I woke up."
"She's safe and sound here, don't worry. I can keep her with me if you want to go and have a nap?"
"No, sorry. I'll be fine, I think the night shift just caught up on me." He sits down on the chair adjacent to mine, quietly laughing at how mesmerised Layla is by the laptop.
"You know, it's not a crime to fall asleep."
"I know. But I was watching her so you could get some work done."
"How many times have I fallen asleep on you?"
A hint of a smirk appears on his face.
"Exactly. You apologise too much when you really don't need to." We both shift our gazes towards our daughter, smiling as she presses the laptop keys contentedly. "Do you want to write my report for me?" I kiss her temple, hugging her just a little bit tighter. "You'd probably make a better job of it." Stefan grips my knee in response and I lift my gaze to meet his glare.
"Joking," I tease, my voice only wavering slightly. He looks like he doesn't quite believe me but doesn't press further. Instead, he brings his arm to lay across the back of my chair, allowing me to take advantage of his proximity and rest my head on his shoulder. I close my eyes as he kisses my forehead and I smile as warmth caresses my heart, a sense of belonging flooding into my body. No matter what we're doing, how we feel, I always know that I'm at home when I'm with my family.