Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Five

Diana sits cross-legged on the floor of her parents' room staring at the wall of notes and Stefan/Klaus stuff trying to figure out their next move, her fingers dancing over her stomach, her other hand sketching out the same symbol she's been dreaming of, but she seems unaware that she's even doing it.

"Hey" Alaric greets from the doorway. "You ready to go?" she hums a little and drops her pencil before standing and moving towards him.

"I'll just grab my jacket" she offers and heads out the room and into her own. Alaric steps closer to the wall and sighs, he knows how hard Diana is trying here. How much she wants to find Stefan. How much she wants to find and kill Klaus. He's just worried about her too. His boot catches the sketchpad drawing his eyes down. He picks it up and frowns at the symbol. He looks back at the wall but there is no sign of this anywhere up there.

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

Alaric joins Elena at the bottom of the stairs, she raises an eyebrow at him.

"She's just getting her jacket" He offers and then holds the sketchbook out to Elena who takes it. "You might be right about her dreams" He admits, they share a look. "But right now, with everything else going on..."

"Ignore it and hope it fixes itself?" Elena asks him, he nods. "What if they get worse?"

"Then we'll deal with it" He offers. "But I want to look into this" he taps the sketch. "First" she nods. "It could be some demigod resonating thing and it might mean nothing" He shrugs. "And if it does mean nothing then....no point in worrying her over it"

"Yeah" She agrees. "What are you hoping for?" Elena asks when she sees Diana at the top of the stairs, trying to stir the conversation away from the symbol.

"Hmm?" Alaric asks, Elena nods to the stairs. Alaric sees Diana and then understands. "I don't mind" Alaric answers. "Boys, girls, boy and girl...whatever"

"What about you, Di?" Elena counters.

"Same" Diana answers joining them, Elena hides the sketchbook behind her back. "I haven't really thought about it, to be honest" Diana admits with a small frown. "I just....babies" she touches her bump. "Whatever is fine with me too" she looks at Alaric who nods in agreement.

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

Elena's knee jiggles as she waits for Diana and Alaric to leave, Elena's excited, this is basically her finding out if she is going to have nieces or nephews or a mix of both. And it's the only good news they have going on right now. With Stefan off with Klaus. Whatever is going on with Jeremy. But they have this. They have Alaric and Diana and the babies. The only good thing to come out of all the shit they've been through. She looks up when Alaric steps out of the hospital side room and holds out his hand for Diana who takes it and joins him. Elena stands from her seat.

"So?" Elena asks as they walk towards her. "What are you having?" Diana glances at Alaric who nods, curling his arm around her waist.

"A girl and a boy," Diana tells her and holds out a new sonograph photo, Elena smiles and takes it. they're so much bigger than the blobs she first saw. So much more baby-like.

"One of each" She offers, Diana nods.

"Yeah" Diana agrees. Elena's look turns sad. "Elena?" Diana asks.

"Just...miss him, Di" Elena admits.

"And we will find him" Diana assures her, places her hand on the side of Elena's head in comfort. Elena nods a little and leans into Diana for a hug, Diana wraps her arms around her little sister and comforts her. "And Klaus will pay for what he has done to this family" She adds as she holds out her hand to Alaric, he threads his fingers with hers and nods in agreement.

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

Diana and Elena sit in Alaric's car waiting for him to join them, he'd mumbled about wanting to pop into a store before walking away leaving them at his car to get comfy. Alaric climbs into the car with a shopping bag.

"What did you do?" Diana asks him, he shrugs a little and then pulls out two bears from the bag, both wear little t-shirts, one in pink, one in blue. He smiles at Diana who chuckles and shakes her head.

"Babies' first bears," He tells her warmly. She takes the bears from him and looks down at them. Alaric then starts his car.

"So how far along are you now?" Elena asks Diana, Diana hums a little and turns to look at her in the back.

"18...19 weeks, on the cusp" Diana answers. "Did you know....they now officially have their own fingerprints?" She tells Elena who smiles at her. "And they can yawn and hiccup..." Elena's been so focused on everything else she hadn't seen how excited Diana is about this. "And are starting to grow a nervous system.....and their senses – smell, vision, touch, taste, and hearing – are starting to develop" Diana lets out a breath. "It's pretty amazing" she touches her bump, Alaric smiles listening to her, it's not very often Diana actually shows she is excited about this, but she is, he knows she is. 

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

Diana slides her sonogram photo into the frame of her mirror and smiles. Alaric wraps his arms around her from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder.

"We need to talk about something," he tells her, she turns to him, her eyes wide, and he reads her expression perfectly. "It's not bad...I hope" he adds, she nods, he motions to the bed and she moves to sit on it. "I've been putting off talking to you about this because...." Alaric then shrugs a little. "I was worried about how you would react to it" Diana frowns at him. "There's an empty apartment in the building my old one was in" he admits, she stares at him before realizing.

"You don't like staying here?" She asks him.

"I love being here with you" He assures her. "But we're starting a family....we're married. I just think we need our own place...." He sits with her on the bed. "It is a great space, Diana....bigger than my old one, ground floor, two bed, one bath, it even has a little yard off the back...it needs a little work, decorating....but we can make it work"

"How much?" she asks him, he sighs.

"It's a little steep for one income" He answers, she raises an eyebrow. "$1500 a month" he admits.

"What about to buy?" she asks him, he frowns. "Not just the one apartment...the whole building?"

"Okay, I don't mean to sound distasteful, but when did you start crapping money?" he argues.

"I have...ways...funds" She answers. "If we take on that whole building, deeds in our names...no vampire could get in without our permission, not even through the front door" she leans up onto her knees. "It would be an investment, for our children...a safe harbor" he looks at her and sighs. She has a point and it is a good idea. But he doesn't have that sort of money. "You're worried about the cost" she points out, he nods. "I told you, I have funds...and there is no harm in just looking into it.....and yes, I will take a look at that apartment with you" he smiles at her. "You're right....about use needing space to grow..." she touches her bump. "Elena's 18 now, she doesn't really need me around all the time"

"Elena is always going to need you, Diana" Alaric argues. "She's got some weird complex with vampires" Diana smirks a little and nods.

A/N - THE TIMELINE AROUND THE EPISODE THEY HYBRID IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. ELENA'S BIRTHDAY IS IN JUNE, BUT KLAUS AND STEFAN TRY TO CREATE A HYBRID IN AUGUST ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE ON THE VAMPIRE DIARIES WIKI (IT EVEN SAYS THEY TRY TO CREATE THE HYBRID AFTER CHICAGO, WHICH ISN'T RIGHT AT ALL AS THEY ARE IN CHICAGO LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION TO THE HYBRID PROBLEM) I WILL BE FOLLOWING THE TIMELINE THAT ELENA'S BIRTHDAY IS IN JUNE, AS IT IS, AND THEN THE STUFF IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS IS IN AUGUST. 

- THAT MEANS THERE WILL BE A TWO MONTH JUMP FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. 

- THE WHOLE TIMELINE ISSUE MAKES THINGS WITH DIANA'S PREGNANCY VERY DIFFICULT TO PLOT AND PLAN. SO I AM GOING TO SAY NOW, SHE IS NOT DUE UNTIL AFTER ALARIC'S DEATH AND IT WILL BE THE STRESS OF THAT THAT SENDS HER INTO LABOR. AND OTHER THAN THIS CHAPTER I WILL LIMIT STATING HOW FAR ALONG SHE IS. (IT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE GENDER SCANS CAN'T BE DONE UNTIL AFTER 18 WEEKS)