Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Forty-Six

Diana hums a little as she checks her phone messages, laying in Alaric's bed. After their earlier excitement, they slowed down, Alaric made her her breakfast in bed, she had a shower then crashed again for an extended nap. Leading her to where she is now. Not ready to get up, but not needing to sleep either. She glances at her hand, smiling at the ring on her finger. She lets out a small breath. She's engaged. She's actually engaged. And pregnant. Engaged and pregnant. Her phone rings and she groans a little, her eyes rolling.

"Who is it?" Alaric asks her from the table he's sat at in the main area of the apartment.

"Damon" She offers, he repeats her groan and shoots her a look.

"Ignore it," he tells her, she rolls over to look at him as he sits at his laptop.

"It could be important" She counters. "It could be about Elijah and Elena...."

"I'm sure for one day they can make do without us"

"What are you even doing?" she asks him, he glances to her and then back at the computer, he closes the laptop and stands.

"Nothing" he answers, she hums skeptically.

"Yeah, okay" she offers, he smirks and stands so he can move towards her. When he reaches the bed, he grabs her ankle and yanks her down the bed causing her to laugh. He climbs up onto the bed so he can lean over her.

"You look beautiful" he offers, she raises an eyebrow and looks down at herself. She's lounging in bed. In his shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. It's not exactly her all dolled up. "Glowing" He teases as he watches her, she snaps her eyes up to his.

"That's sweat" she argues. "You try throwing up all morning" he leans down and kisses her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. She hums softly.

"You still look beautiful" he assures her. He threads his fingers with hers and lifts her arm up beside her head as he kisses her. She draws her free hand around his back and under his shirt, just as her cell phone begins to ring, again. He groans and releases her hand to grab the cell phone from the bed. "What?!" Alaric snaps down the phone, Diana chuckles slightly. "Yeah, fine....we'll be right there" he grumbles and then hangs up, Diana raises an eyebrow at him. "Lunch...with Damon and Derek....and Andie...it's important, apparently...It damn well better be"

"Who the hell is Andie?" she asks him, he kisses her cheek and then nuzzles in slightly.

"Damon's new....girlfriend" He answers as he lets out a breath. "Tv reporter or something" he kisses down her neck, his hand disappearing under the shirt she wears.

"You told Damon we'd be right there" She breaths out as she arches under his hand, he smirks into her shoulder.

"He can wait" he mumbles and lifts his head to smile at her.

....................

At the Grill, Derek, Diana, Alaric, Damon, and Andie are at a table together.

"Other than your lecture on the history of Mystic Falls, did you get anything out of Elijah?" Damon asks Derek.

"No, it was boring." Derek answers. "Of course, Jenna thinks he's charming," Derek admits, Diana frowns at him, he shrugs a little.

"You sounded jealous. Sound a bit jealous" Damon teases.

"Kinda do." Andie agrees.

"Are you into Jenna?" Diana asks Derek.

"What? No" Derek argues, Diana shoots him a look. "No" He repeats.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this here." Alaric points out as he glances at Andie.

"Andie, she's been compelled not to divulge my secrets. Haven't you?"

"Uh-huh." Damon and Andie kiss. "Mmm. My lips are sealed." Derek, Alaric, and Diana stare at them in disgust.

"This is too weird." Diana comments, Alaric and Derek nod in agreement.

"Yeah, agreed, so I'm out" Derek offers, he kisses Diana's head as he stands. "Mom's losing her mind cause Tyler took off, so I gotta check on her"

"Tyler took off?" Diana asks him, Derek hums a little and shrugs.

"I'm literally all the family she has right now, I have to do this for her"

"Yeah, of course," Diana whispers, he squeezes her hand and gives her a smile before walking away. Damon sees Elijah and Jenna enter the Grill. 

"Ah, there's Jenna with her new boyfriend. Hi." Elijah and Jenna walk up to their table.

"Hey, guys." Jenna offers and then overly smiles at Diana and Alaric, she wiggles her eyebrows in question. Alaric sighs and nudges Diana, she glares at him a little, he nods to Jenna.

"She knew about my whole...plan thing" Alaric whispers. "Might as well tell her what you said" Diana look at Jenna who smiles and raises an eyebrow. Diana holds up her hand and wiggles her fingers to show off her ring. Jenna chuckles and snatches her hand up.

"Ow," Diana scolds a little.

"You said yes" Jenna whispers softly as she looks over the ring.

"What's happening?" Damon asks. Alaric shoots him a look.

"I asked Diana to marry me" Alaric admits. "She said yes"

"Naturally" Diana counters giving him a look, they share a smile. Damon raises an eyebrow at Diana who shoots him a look back, she nods a little, he smirks and she rolls her eyes. Damon turns to Jenna.

"So I hear you two had quite a meeting of historical minds today," Damon tells Jenna.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Jenna answers.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade" Alaric puts down some money and gets up from the table.

"And I'm going with him" Diana counters, Alaric smirks and takes her hand as she stands.

"No, you know what? We should continue this. Let's have a dinner party." Andie offers, Diana and Alaric share a look.

"Ooh, my girl. Full of good ideas. I'll be happy to host. Say tonight. Maybe?

"It's good for me. Jenna?" Andie asks.

"I don't know if tonight works..." Alaric begins to argue, his fingers threading with Diana's, they have things to talk about, and he won't risk her life, won't risk her getting involved in whatever Damon has planned. Plus as they are not telling anyone that she is pregnant they also can't risk her having to drink, or fake drink, because someone will notice.

"Yeah, I'm free." Jenna offers.

"It'd be a pleasure," Elijah tells them.

"Great" Damon offers. Diana wrinkles her nose and shares a look with Alaric. This is going to be exhausting.