Force of Gravity • NM

•49•

The night was heavy with the stillness of late hours. The Salvatore Boarding House lay quiet under the moonlight, with most of its inhabitants sound asleep. The peaceful silence was broken by a soft but urgent voice calling out: "Stefan... Stefan!"

Rebekah was in her room, clutching her swollen belly, her breaths shallow and rapid. Pain rippled through her body, sharper than anything she'd felt before. This wasn't like the Braxton Hicks contractions she'd experienced earlier—it was the real thing. Stefan, who had fallen asleep on a chair nearby, jolted awake at her voice.

"Rebekah?" he said, rushing to her side, his eyes wide with concern.

"It's happening," she said through gritted teeth, trying to keep her composure. "The baby... he's coming."

Stefan immediately sprang into action. "Okay, okay. Deep breaths, Rebekah. I'll get everyone." He kissed her forehead quickly and darted out of the room.

Within moments, the house was a flurry of activity. Klaus was the first to burst into Rebekah's room, his face a mix of panic and determination. "You're going to be fine," he assured her, though his voice betrayed his own nerves. "We'll get through this."

Kol came stumbling in after Klaus, his shirt half-buttoned, looking utterly panicked. "Oh bloody hell, this is happening now?!" he exclaimed, pacing the room frantically. "Shouldn't there be... I don't know... a warning bell or something?"

Elijah entered next, calm as ever, though there was a certain tightness around his jaw. "Rebekah, we've got everything prepared. The midwife is on her way. You're in good hands."

Meanwhile, Bonnie, Naira, and Kai had been summoned and were already setting up a protective circle outside Rebekah's room. Naira's hair was slightly mussed from sleep, but her face was determined as she carefully placed enchanted candles around the room. "This will keep out any negative energy," she murmured, her voice steady despite the situation.

Bonnie was flipping through her grimoire, chanting under her breath to strengthen the spell. Kai, uncharacteristically serious, stood beside her, his hands glowing faintly as he added his siphoning magic to the protective barrier. "I hope this baby appreciates that we're doing magic at this ungodly hour," he muttered, though his usual sarcasm was replaced with genuine concern.

Outside the room, Damon, Katherine, Caroline, and Elena were gathered in the hallway. Damon was pacing, his hands running through his hair. "Why does this feel like a horror movie? All we're missing is creepy music."

Katherine smirked, leaning against the wall. "Relax, Damon. It's just childbirth."

"Just childbirth?" Damon shot back. "It sounds like my first kill!!"

Inside, Rebekah's screams of pain filled the room, causing Kol to jump every time she cried out. "This is torture," he muttered, clutching his head. "We're vampires; we're not built for this level of stress!"

Stefan was at Rebekah's side, holding her hand and whispering soothing words. "You're doing amazing, Bekah. I'm right here."

Elijah hovered near the head of the bed, his hands clenched into fists. "You've got this, sister," he said, his voice softer than anyone had ever heard it. "You're stronger than this pain."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a sharp, piercing cry filled the room. The baby had arrived. The midwife, a seasoned human woman who had been trusted with the Mikaelsons' secret, carefully wrapped the newborn in a soft blanket before handing him to Rebekah.

Rebekah's tears fell freely as she cradled her son. "Henry," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "My beautiful Henry."

Stefan leaned in, his arm around Rebekah's shoulders as he looked at the tiny, wriggling life in her arms. "Hey, little guy," he said softly, his voice choked with emotion.