Chapter 86: Chapter 86

Rella woke up with a bout of morning sickness so severe she couldn't get anything to stay down. She'd been so angry she asked her mom to leave and never show her face to her again but she wished she were here right now. After crying herself to sleep last night, this morning she was aching and miserable. She took a shower and threw up some more all the while praying she doesn't fall and shatter her skull. Towel drying herself was a chore and she was shivering nonstop. She managed to put on panties before she gave up sliding down the foot of the bed because she'd miscalculated, dragging along with her a bit of blanket to cover herself. It still didn't stop the shivering so she lay there curled up on the cold hard floor.

It only took one word to get Stefan to react.

Pregnant.

Rella is pregnant with his baby, his child…

It took a while for that bit of information to sink in and Stefan couldn't believe he was going to be a dad. He hadn't even waited for confirmation before he was flying out of the room and out the front door to his car. He didn't care about their circumstance right now, didn't care that she wasn't his wife, didn't care that he hadn't been home in a week. He was going to be a father and there's nothing that could stop him from claiming what's his.

"Good morning Mr. Diamond."

Stefan did not acknowledge the old Butler as he all but raced up the stairs. The master bedroom was empty when he came in, he thought maybe she'd be in the bathroom so he strode over and pushed the door open but it was empty it was when he turned to face leave the bedroom that he spied the blanket pulled down from the bed and her dark hair peaking from underneath it. Stefan's heart stuttered, she was barely breathing that for a moment he thought…

Relief washed over him when he noted the soft rise and fall of her chest but she was shivering really bad. He pulled the blanket to see that she had nothing on except her panties and he cursed loudly. He scooped her up in his arms and she made a noise that sounded like a purr and burrowed into his warmth. Stefan cursed again at how she weighed next to nothing. Shouldn't pregnant women gain more pounds or were his assumptions wrong? And what was she thinking lying on the cold hard floor when the bed was right there?

He was so worried right now he couldn't even muster anger right now.

Stefan laid her on the firm bed and pulled the blanket over her naked frame then he whipped out his cell and called the Doctor. When Stefan realise she was still shivering he got rid of his jacket and climbed into the bed pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her hair, his nostrils filled with her scent oh how he missed her, he missed holding her like this her body curving into his as they sleep. "I'm here baby. You're gonna be fine."

He heard her sigh and relaxed against him and the shivering stopped.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Where else? Manhattan my friend needs me."

Jake leapt from where he sat and put his hand against hers halting her packing.

"You're not going anywhere." He said.

Van glared at him. "You have no right to stop me Jake." He flinched slightly but would not back down.

"I have no right to tell you not to go but your baby… think about the baby Van. The doctor said you're still in a delicate condition and you could lose the baby is that what you want? " He said, his tone imploring.

Jake knew he got her when her hands went slack at her sides.

She hadn't been thinking at all and she hated to admit it but Jake was right. Seeing Rella's secret published like that on the tabloids had her blood boiling and sick with worry. It claimed sources close to the couple but who else could have known about it?

" I just want to be there for her." She said quietly.

" I know." Jake said but then his brows furrowed. " You don't seem surprised, you wantknow about this don't you? Of course you know why am I even asking you're her best friend. " Watching her carefully he asked. " Is it all true? "

Van hesitated. "Yes."

Jake blew out a breath. "That is scary."

"She loves him though, that counts doesn't it?"

" Only Stefan can answer that question and from what I've heard he's pissed as hell."

Van felt more helpless at his remark.

The doctor said it was a case of severe morning sickness leading to dehydration and that she was also very much malnourished. He'd ordered that she gets plenty of rest and lots of fluids like soups and juices, the more calories the better. He gave her something for the vomiting before he left. Stefan turned from the door and hurried back to her frowning, hasn't she been eating these past few days, how was she malnourished then and how could Henry let such a thing happen?

The butler was off to get some soup after Stefan chewed him off .

Stefan sighed dragging his fingers through his disheveled hair, the roaring anger in him finally ebbed and he was left feeling guilty and restless. Guilty because he wished he'd been there. He watched Rella sleep and she looked so serene and beautiful that for a moment Stefan forgot her deception and how mad he'd been, making sure she was alright was his top priority. He wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her and tell her everything was going to be alright, tell her that he was here for her.

A knock sounded on the door, a short precise rap.

"Come in." Stefan called back. The door was pushed open and the butler came in wheeling in bowl of soup, freshly pressed orange juice and a jug of water. "Thanks." Stefan said to the man. Even though he'd been angry at the man's negligence Henry was still older and loyal and had practically raised him, plus it might not entirely be his fault.

Henry bowed and left.

Stefan waited for the next two to three hours and Rella hadn't stirred. Her breathing was even and she looked calm but Stefan debated waking her up and force-feeding her the soup but the doctor had said she needed ample rest. The soup was also important… she stirred later that evening and Stefan fed her the soup ignoring her protests. She went back to sleep soon after that and Stefan, tired and aching climbed in after her and laid beside her pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. Stefan felt the tiny bump below her belly and marveled at the miracle within, a miracle that was his child, a baby they'd made with love. She was beautiful, this was beautiful and Stefan fell asleep with those beautiful thoughts in his mind.

Rella thought she'd dreamt the whole thing. A man who had introduced himself as a doctor had asked her personal questions last night, whether she'd remembered how sick she'd been while she was flitting in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Rella was sure she'd given him the answers he required and then he was talking to someone–Stefan?

No, she might really have dreamt it all last night because there's no way Stefan would be here and yet… and yet the warm and firm naked torso her hand was splayed on was very real.

Rella cracked one eye open to find him watching her and she couldn't pretend to still be asleep anymore not when he'd seen her already and knows she's awake.

"Good morning." He said.

"Good morning." Her voice was rough and heavy with sleep.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." And she does feel better, she didn't feel like hauling her guts up. She chewed at her bottom lip pulling out of his embrace, she wished she could stay there awhile longer or even forever and not leave but nature calls.

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom."

After she was done Rella stalled, her stomach in knots as she thought about what him being here meant.

Exiting the bathroom, Stefan watched her pause by the door looking unsure. She has no idea what her standing there in nothing but her underwear was doing to him , even with her messy bed hairshe still looked stunning.

"Stefan we should talk."

His eyes shuttered then and he looked away. "I don't want to talk about it at least not right now, you need more calories so we're having breakfast."

And just like that case closed. At least he wasn't avoing her anymore and he's back home Rella thought, that alone was progress.