Our Love Prevails {Stelena} (1)

17-Back to Work

1 week later

Elena's POV

"Please be safe. Call me if you need anything, I love you." He connects our lips for the last time before we separate and go towards our own cars. "I will, don't worry about me. I love you too!" I call before we both get into our cars. I reverse out and briefly follow Stefan's lead before turning right at the junction, and shortly into the car park of the office.
After swerving and dodging incoming people rushing about, I make it to my office. I drop the papers I'm carrying on the desk, not realising how loud the slam was until I see Lexi jump.
"Oh my god, hello to you too," she says holding her hand over her chest. I laugh a little. "Sorry," I say before sitting down and editing my column for this week.
"You okay? You seem a little tense," she says, sounding uneasy.
"Yeah," I reply with a sigh. "It's just getting to the end of the pregnancy where all you want to do is eat ice cream and sit in bed. Not being able to do that is killing my back and making me so uncomfortable." I should be going on maternity leave soon but due to the amount of work I have, I think I might be working at home at this rate.
"Don't let Amanda push you around or anything. You're not to accept any more work from her, okay?" She points her finger at me, making me laugh at how stern she's being.
"Okay," I promise. I continue with my article.
As if on cue, Amanda comes in and no surprise, she has a load of papers with her. "Elena, I need these to be done within the next few weeks." She places them on my desk. I look over helplessly at Lexi. "Amanda, she'll be off by then, let me take them for her," Lexi offers. Amanda looks a little shocked at this. "Sorry, what? Where will you be going?" I can't actually believe she doesn't understand.
"I'm going on maternity leave in a week," I say. She then does a sort of double take before releasing a laugh.
"Of course! I'm so sorry I forgot, I didn't realise how quick it's gone by. I'm deeply sorry, just do as much as you can and whatever you can't do, just give back to me." She smiles before exiting the room. I turn to Lexi and she mouths 'oh my god' to me with a shocked expression on her face.
"What on earth was that?! Can she not see that great big bump of yours?!" Lexi says, I'm honestly a little confused too.
"At least she didn't tell me I had to do it all," I say. Lexi nods her head in agreement, but I can tell that she's still shocked. We continue with our work and by the time we're both finished it's lunch time.
"God, I wish it was home time already." Lexi says, letting out an exaggerated sigh afterwards. I laugh at her eagerness to leave.
"Yeah, me too," I agree. The only thing I want to do now is curl up on the sofa with Stefan.
"So, you excited to be a mother?" She asks as we both start eating.
"Definitely, but I'm also a little nervous," I reply.
"I understand, I think every first time mother worries. But I think you'll be a great mum," she smiles.
"Thanks Lexi, that means a lot," I reply. "So are you thinking of having any kids in the future?" I ask, wondering what her reaction will be.
"I'd love to have kids, Brian said he would too. It just depends on when we're both ready." I nod my head at her answer, smiling because I'm happy that her and Brian are thinking about children.

When I finally get out of work and get home, I'm relieved to see his beautiful, smiley face.
"Hey, how was work?" He asks as I approach him and sit down next to him.
"Good but tiring," I say as I let out a comforted breath.
"One more week and you'll be on maternity leave." I'm relieved when I hear him say that, I'm literally counting down the days.
"Thank god," I say, closing my eyes. I feel his soft, gentle hands run down my hair and instantly I feel sleepy.
"Amanda forgot I was supposed to be on maternity leave in a week," I say.
"She did?" He asks, shocked by my statement.
"Yeah. And she gave me more work to do, but I don't have to finish it all."
"Which reminds me, I better start it if I want to go to sleep at a decent time tonight." I start to sit up, moving myself to the edge of the seat.
"Okay sweetie. I'll make a start on dinner," he says. He gets up before turning and offering me his hand. I gratefully take it before bringing myself to a standing position, regretting putting the weight on my feet.
Before attempting to walk, I take a breather, allowing me to regain my sense of balance.
"Everything okay?" He asks, whilst still holding my hand.
"Yeah," I nod before smiling. "I just needed a minute."
"Okay." He kisses my forehead before we both go our separate ways: I go upstairs and he goes to the kitchen.
I spend the first twenty minutes just organising my things, I have so much paperwork that either needs to be done or needs to be sent off to Amanda.
Once everything is neatly in piles, I begin to write my essay for the week. This week I have to write a column for the literature section, which I'm very excited about. Despite my excitement, tiredness also seems to take over and I get about a page into it before I almost fall asleep at the desk, and what wakes me up is Stefan.
His hand gently rests on my back. "Hey, why don't you go to bed? Get some rest?" I rub my eyes quickly before nodding my head. He leads me to the bed, untucks the sheet, and I get in and snuggle into the covers. The last thing I feel before I drift off is a kiss being placed on my forehead.

A hour later

I wake up after some time and check the time. I'm surprised by the fact that I've only been asleep for an hour but nonetheless, I start to make my way downstairs. When I step down from the last stair, I see Stefan emerge from the kitchen.
"Hey, how you feeling?" He asks, whilst combing the hair away from my face with his fingers. I smile at his touch.
"A lot better." I step towards him and wrap my arms around his torso, laying my head on his chest. Aside from tiredness, pregnancy has really put me in a cuddly mood. I think Stefan's can tell but he never objects to a cuddle, in fact, I know he enjoys them.
He wraps his arms around me, as I feel his chin on the top of my head, telling me that he's enjoying the hug.
"I can tell that someone's in a cuddly mood today." I can tell he's smiling.
"Would you prefer me to be in a grumpy mood?" I look up and smirk.
"No. Cuddly is good, I like my wife's cuddles." I giggle before giving him another hug, just because I know how much he loves them.
When we finally break away, and believe me neither of us wanted to, he offers me his hand.
"I've made dinner, if you're up to eating." I nod before following him into the kitchen. He sits me down before he brings over both of our dinners to the table. I thank him before he sits down as well.
We spend about an hour in the kitchen, eating and then washing and drying our dishes (which Stefan did most of) before making our way into the living room.
Before going into the living room, I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and turn off the kitchen lights.
I enter the living room, being met by Stefan tapping his lap and gesturing me over to sit on his lap, I willingly take the offer. I curl up sideways in his arms, with my head on his chest and one of his hands resting on my thigh, the other running through my hair.
"I missed you today," he says before kissing me softly on my temple.
"I missed you too." I smile into his chest just as his hand lightly touches my stomach. I feel a flutter, and immediately know who it is: they always kick when they feel their dad's touch. Stefan must've felt the kick since a smile emerges from his face before he gently rubs my stomach.
"And of course I missed you too," he says. I honestly can't help but smile, I love it when he talks to the baby.
"I can't wait to be on maternity leave." I lean my head against his shoulder. "I'm hoping I'll have more time to write."
"Ooh speaking of which, I have something for you," he says. I curiously look up to him, having absolutely no idea what it is.

Stefan's POV

She tilts her head up to face mine, all the while with a curious expression on her face.
"You have? Wait, I'm not forgetting a date am I?" She asks in a panic.
"No, no. I saw it and I thought you'd like it. Come on, I'll show you." I take her hand in mine and lead her up the stairs into our bedroom. She sits on the bed and moves towards the middle, hands on her crossed legs. I can't help but smile at her excited face, I love making her happy. I take the bag out, with her present in, and sit on the bed beside her, and give her the bag.
"Oh Stefan..." she takes it out of the bag and places it on the bed.
"I love it!" She looks up from the book, all with a smile on her face. Elena's been telling about how she wants to journal and photograph the first year of the baby's life, but she's never gotten round to buying the journal, so I thought: why not buy my amazing wife a present that I know she really wants?
"I can't wait to use it! It's so beautiful," she flicks through the individually detailed pages before smiling again. She goes to move the bag before realising that there's another present within it. She pulls it out and places her hand over her mouth in shock.
"Oh my god," she says. I smile at her reaction.
"I can't believe you bought this," she says, whilst admiring the box that it's in. I also bought Elena an Instax Polaroid camera, since she's always wanted one but never got one since she thought it's too expensive for her to justify buying.
"Aw I love it! Thank you." She straightens her arms out and I happily embrace her in a long hug.
"I love you." She rest her head on my shoulder, as mine rests on hers.
"I love you too, so much," I reply. I'm so happy she likes it, I knew she would but it's still nice to see her excited reaction, no matter how expected it was.
"Now all we need is our baby." She smiles, and I can't help but smile.
"Yes we do," I reply. She sits in my crossed lap, allowing me to cradle her body close to mine. I can't describe how much I love Elena, which makes me so thankful that she understands just how much I do. We seem to just get each other without further explanations, and I couldn't ask for a better wife. She's the love of my life, and I'll love her until my last breath.

AN: Hey! I know you're all probably wondering about when the baby will arrive. The answer is: next chapter! I'm so excited to show you the birth chapter because I think it's interesting 😉 Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2017 will be a good year for us all, and possibly the year of the Stelena reunion 😉💜
-Chelsea x