Force of Gravity • NM

•29•

The mansion was silent, a stark contrast to the tension that crackled in the air. Naira lay resting on the bed, her breathing soft but steady. Around her, the group lingered, worried and uncertain about what the future held. Rebekah paced in the corner, her expression torn between hope and anxiety.

Bonnie hesitated before speaking, her voice steady but low.
"I can try to see if...if Rebekah is pregnant. But it'll take time. I can't confirm anything until a few weeks later."

Rebekah paused mid-step, her face conflicted. "And what if it's true? What happens to me as a vampire? Will it hurt the baby?"

Finn, ever the calm yet distant one, stepped forward. "I'll make sure it doesn't. If this is Henrik, it's a second chance for all of us, Rebekah. You've always wanted this, haven't you?"

Rebekah nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes. But not like this, Finn. Not at the cost of Naira...or my own life."

Elijah cleared his throat, his gaze fixed on Naira. "What I still cannot understand is how Naira performed such a spell. A witch of her age and experience—no offense, Bonnie—should not be capable of such complex magic. How did she do it?"

Damon folded his arms, leaning against the doorway, his face unreadable but his tone sharp. "That's Naira for you. Always surprising us."

Stefan, sitting by Naira's side, sighed. "Maybe it's time we told you all something. Something that might explain...a lot about Naira."

The Originals turned their attention to Stefan, curiosity and concern mingling in their expressions. Damon grumbled, "Guess it's storytime."

Stefan began, his voice soft. "When Naira was eleven, Damon and I decided to wake her up in the most annoying way possible. We barged into her room, jumped onto her bed, and practically smothered her with hugs."

Rebekah smiled faintly. "That sounds...cute."

Damon smirked. "She was cranky at first. Groaning and all. You'd think the kid hadn't slept for days. But then—"

Stefan chuckled. "Then she realized it was her birthday, and everything changed."

Damon continued, his grin widening. "Her face lit up like Christmas morning. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and then—get this—looked at her hands like she was counting her age on her fingers. When she ran out of fingers, she looked at me and said, 'I can't show my age anymore! I'm too old!'"

The room chuckled softly, the tension easing slightly. Even Klaus, who had been silently brooding, allowed a small smile.

Stefan added, "We had breakfast together, just the three of us. Damon made her pancakes—"

"—burned pancakes," Damon corrected.

"—and she was so excited, she didn't even care." Stefan's smile faded slightly. "But as the day went on, she started feeling feverish. Really high fever. We panicked and didn't know what to do."

"We took her to Claudia," Damon said, his tone more serious now. "An old witch who lived near us. She was...eccentric, but she knew her stuff."

Elijah tilted his head. "What did she say?"

Stefan leaned forward. "She explained that Naira wasn't sick. She said Naira's powers were harnessing. She's a nature witch, someone connected to the earth and all its elements. She said they would protect her as she protected them."

Bonnie's eyes widened. "A nature witch? That's...rare. Almost unheard of."

Damon nodded. "Claudia also said Naira was extremely powerful. But there was a catch. She had to learn about her powers on her own because there's no one alive who can guide her."

Rebekah frowned. "No one?"

Damon hesitated. "Claudia mentioned one other...a little girl named Inadu. But she said this kid was probably older than your whole family."

Klaus's eyes narrowed. "The Hollow," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Bonnie looked alarmed. "Inadu...wasn't she—"

Stefan interrupted, "It doesn't matter. What matters is that Naira's powers are part of who she is. And she's always figured things out on her own."

The room fell into silence again, everyone lost in thought. Damon, breaking the heaviness, added, "But for now, let's focus on getting her back on her feet. She'll be fine. She's a Salvatore, after all. Stubborn runs in the family."

Rebekah smiled through her tears. "She is incredible."

Stefan glanced at Naira, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "She is."

Klaus stayed quiet, his gaze fixed on the girl who had risked everything for his family.