The Vampire Diaries: He's The Air She Would Kill To Breathe

Adopted Twice and You Know You're Loved

Damon arrived back in Mystic Falls three days later, having heard from Alaric that he and Meredith had had to transport Elena back for hospitalization that Meredith could better monitor. Damon was worried sick, but felt better knowing that he’d be able to show her their son, whom he’d finally snatched from Klaus. Ian was curled up in Damon’s arms in his blanket and with Bun-Bun securely in his little embrace. Damon sped to the hospital and demanded at the desk to know where his wife was. He ran to room four hundred and eighty eight, trying his hardest not to jostle Ian who was still fast asleep. When he got there Stefan was waiting outside the door.

He shot his brother a pleading look.

"How is she, Stefan? Why isn't she healing?" Stefan shook his head solemnly.

"I don't know Damon...Meredith is trying her best but things are looking bleak. I'm sorry." Damon cursed under his breath, practically knocking the door off it's hinges as he burst into the room. Elena wasn't conscious and Meredith was carefully monitoring her midsection with something that looked painfully familiar to Damon. He looked up at the ceiling, praying for the first time in a very very long time. He knew what that machine was and he knew he couldn't handle it if they'd lost something they didn't even know they had.

"Meredith...no, please tell me it's not that." He half begged, his eyes glazing over and his chest already beginning to heave a little in panic. She nodded and shot him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry Damon...Elena is pregnant." Damon took a deep breath in an effort to pull himself together enough to speak.

"I-is it okay?" Meredith smiled meekly.

"Right now, yes. I think her body isn't healing because its trying its damnedest to heal the child, which had been damaged by the blows Elena received to the stomach. The fetus is healing slowly but surely...we're just trying to keep Elena alive long enough to make sure they both heal." Damon sat Ian in one of the hospital chairs and walked over to his wife, gently stroking her face.

"You'll survive, Princess. We always survive." Alaric was on the other side, holding Elena’s hand tight and caressing her hair. Damon looked at him with concern.

“You okay, Ric?” Alaric shook his head.

“Honestly…no, I’m not. I should have adopted Elena…let her know that I’d be there to fill the role as her father, love her like the child I’d always wanted to have with Isobel. Let her know that she’d never be without family. Now I could lose her, and I never got to tell her any of that. I’d love to get to call Ian family too, the kid needs more living people in his life.” Damon put his hand on Alaric’s shoulder.

“Elena might be twenty one, but you can still adopt her…do you even realize how much that would mean to her? You won’t lose her, I’m not letting her go again.” He said firmly, more to convince himself than Alaric as he bent over and gently pecked her lips.

“Wake up for me baby, almost your entire family is here to see you. Open your eyes for me, Angel.” He urged gently, glancing down at the ultrasound.

“Are you sure our baby is going to be okay?” Meredith smiled.

“Well from the looks of things the baby has officially healed now…it took it three days, but I’m pretty sure it’s okay now. We just have to see what happens with Elena.” Ian’s eyes fluttered open and he walked sleepily over to Damon.

“Daddy…what’s wrong with Mommy?” Damon picked him up and held him close to his chest.

“She’s just taking a little longer to heal, she’ll be okay.” Ian reached out for Elena’s hand, taking two of her fingers in his little palm.