Because Of You

Chapter 8

Friday had came pretty quickly as I went dress shopping with Caroline for the wedding rehearsal that was the next day. She had been spending her days with Lillian and going out with two different guys. Yet, she still had managed to squeeze me into her schedule of getting me all dolled up for the dinner.

"So..your boss, huh...Stefan?" Caroline asks with a laugh as she grabs the handle of Lillian's stroller and begins to take it out of the trunk of my Honda accord. I take a very happy and smiling Lillian out of the back seat as I bounce her up and down, hearing her giggle and the small cooing noises escape her small lips warms my heart as I laugh and totally forget what Caroline had just asked.

"What?" I ask her as I slip a small hoodie onto Lillian's small shoulder's and I watch as Caroline lets out a huge sigh as she locks the stroller in place and out stretches her arms to take Lillian from me, but I refuse as I frown at her. "Yes, he asked me to go with him and I agreed. It's nothing, Caroline. I'm just going to keep him company, that's all."

"So, you're not going to tell him that he has a kid, that you're the guardian of..Come on, Elena. You've known the guy for like two months now...It's about time you tell him already!" Caroline tells me as I bend down and strap Lillian into her stroller, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before I close the trunk and lock the car doors.

"I'll get to it...eventually. So, when are you going to tell Klaus that you've been seeing Tyler too?" I shot back at her as I hear her gasp and then she hits me on the shoulder.

"That's not fair! My two favorite dates don't need to know about each other...just yet." She says with a smirk as she slings her purse over her shoulder and starts to walk down the street, taking the stroller from me.

"Hey! Caroline! Let's make a deal, the moment you tell them, that moment you tell Tyler that you like Klaus more...I'll tell Stefan that he has a kid." I say, laughing as I put my keys into my purse.

"That's not fair, Elena. You know how much better you'll feel once you tell him, telling him at the wedding rehearsal..or sooner...You and Stefan..Alone without that wrench of a girlfriend of his!" She points out as she stops in front a store front window and I can almost see her mouth salivating when she stops and points out a white and dark green dress in the store's display window. "Let's go in here!" She tells me, pulling my arm as we make our way into the store.

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Two hours and four bags full of clothes later, we make it back to the car. Caroline smiles at me as she yanks out a small light pink and green dress that has a cursive L on it. "I couldn't help myself..It was just screaming her name!" She nearly shrieks as she hands it to me with a gleeful smile.

"Caroline, you didn't need to buy her anything. But, Thank you!" I tell her, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her into a hug. We stand there for a few minutes, in silence as she takes her hands from around my shoulders and glances at Lillian whose cooing and awing in her stroller.

"Elena, you need to tell Stefan that he has a kid. The sooner the better, it'll be for everyone involved." She whispers in my ear as she finally lets go of me and gives me her famous wide eyed and flashy toothy grin. "I'm just saying, If Katherine kept it from him. You need to be the one to set things straight." She advises as I watch her turn and open the door to the passenger side, she gives me another smile.

XXXX

After dropping Caroline off and making sure that she has my instructions for tomorrow's sleep over with Lillian. I'm back in Katherine's apartment, making airplane noises at Lillian as she kicks her little feet and lets out a belly tightening laugh. I smile at her as I put the spoon back into the baby food and sigh. "I don't know what your mother was thinking when she put me in charge of taking care of you, kiddo. I'm not doing this right. Caroline's right. Your dad needs to know that your his." I tell her as she glances at me and dips her finger into the carrot and pear mixture of food, bring up her small hands and then once again slapping them against her high chair.

I gently wipe off her hands as she gurgles at me, I smile once more. I can't seem to not smile whenever I look over at her. Her dark brown hair is starting to fill in more and her green eyes shine with happiness as she locks them with mine. "I'm going to call him and tell him. Right now, I'm going to do it!" I declare as I kiss the top of her slightly curly brown hair and then grab my cell phone that's sitting next to me.

I had programmed his office number into my cell phone for emergencies and part of me is thankful for it as I scroll through my contacts on my phone and my hands start to shake involuntarily. With my palms sweating and my hands shaking, I let out a deep breath as I hear the ringing buzzing in my ears and then his cheerful voice answers.

"Miss Gilbert! How can I help you?" He asks me with this tone that I can't seem to place. It's almost as if he's happy that I had called him, his voice is light and cheerful.

"Hi Stefan. I was hoping to get the chance to talk to you. I don't know if I should do this over the phone or if it would be easier to tell you face to face..." My voice trails off as he clears his throat and then he exhales deeply.

"What is it Elena?" Stefan asks, suddenly his voice is full of concern and the lightness from it is gone within a fraction of a second.

"It's about Lillian." I tell him, as I hear him let out another breath and then he replies with more concern.

"What's wrong with her?" He asks, clearly worried now that she maybe sick or something. "Is she sick or something? You know, if she is. I know a really good pediatrician." He tells me.

My hands continue to shake as my brain screams at me...Here's your chance Elena...Tell him...no holding back any longer!

"No, She's fine. We're actually eating lunch right now. Thank You. But, um...There's something else I've been meaning to tell you about her." I say as he lets out a laugh and then I hear him reply nonchalantly. "Well, if she's not sick. What is it then?" Stefan asks me curiously.

"Stefan, Katherine wasn't fully honest with you...I don't know how to even say this..." I pause, exhaling deeply as I hear his voice cut off from the phone and I pray that he hasn't hung up on me.

"What are you talking about? What does this have to do with your sister and me?" He asks me. I hear the curiosity and wonder in his voice as I finally calm my breathing and then I open my mouth, not holding back anymore.

"Stefan, Lillian's your daughter...The night that Katherine had her accident and died. She was coming to see you, she was coming to tell you that your her father." I blurt out suddenly as all I hear on the other line from his end is, dead silence.