regency au } { of another girl and new namesakes

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [and this one takes a little bit longer than the previous babies had, possibly because Elena's getting a little older, but there doesn't seem to be anything going horribly wrong beyond that. Caroline is in there with her, holding her hand and taking her pain as needed and the boys are regulated to just waiting outside, as per usual]

Derek & Tyler: [are currently being crawled over by three girls who want to make them pretty and not sit still for a story]

Elena: [sorry boys. but after a few hours the cries from inside the room will start to quiet down and there will be a different kind of cry, the one that comes from a newborn baby]

Tyler: [ears perking up] Healthy lungs.

Derek: Come by it honestly. [tries to extract himself from his daughters]

Melissa: [and a few minutes later, the crying calms down and the baby gets cleaned up and hopefully Derek will have freed himself by the time she comes out, holding the newborn] Congratulations. It's ... another girl.

Tyler: [and he is just going to start laughing]

Derek: [ignoring him, and instead is going to come over to look down at daughter number four] At least I've got raising girls down.

Melissa: [smiles a bit at that, before holding the little girl out for Derek to take] Elena's still recovering so it may be a little time before she's ready to see you. But I thought you'd like to hold your daughter.

Derek: I would. [and he will take the tiny bundle] Tell Elena I love her.

Melissa: I will. [and back into the room she will go]

Patience: [immediately pushing up on her toes next to her father] Can I see?

Derek: Of course. [and he is going to lower himself down, holding the baby carefully so the girls can't jostle her] Say hello to your baby sister.

Talia: [leans over and squints] She's so wrinkly.

Derek: Well, she was in Mommy's belly for a long time. Longer than when you get wrinkly in the bathtub.

Talia: How did they get her out!

Derek: Mommy pushed her out of her belly.

Talia: [and she looks mildly horrified because she's got an alien like image going on here. And then she goes running towards the room because clearly her mother is in some kind of trouble here]

Derek: Talia, do not go in there. Mommy's resting.

Talia: Is she okay?!? [she's three and doesn't understand the miracle of birth]

Derek: Of course she is. This isn't the first time she has done this. She had the rest of you the same way. [Motions with his head for her to come back to them]

Talia: [still looks apprehensive and like she wants to see for herself, until Patience marches over and pulls on her hand to bring her back]

Derek: Thank you, Patience.

Patience: You're welcome.

Caroline: [eventually emerges] Alright ladies. Time to go get ready for bed.

Derek: Past time, actually.

Tyler: [getting up, his hair is braided and in bows]

Caroline: [that is adorable, but she will comment on it when the girls are asleep and they are alone. to Derek:] She's asleep now, but you're welcome to go in and wait.

Derek: I will. She usually likes having me and the baby near when she wakes up. Thank you.

Caroline: Of course. Congratulations. [and off she will go with the girls to get them into bed]

Tyler: [and he is going to go find his masculinity]

Derek: [and he is going to his wife]

Elena: [and she's asleep, though she's looking a little pale and more haggard than she has previously, but the girls managed to clean her up before she passed out]

Derek: [and that is going to worry him, and he will sit beside her and place a gentle hand on her arm to see if she is in pain]

Elena: [she is, a little. giving birth is hard on a human, but it's not more than when she's given birth previously]

Derek: [he will take the pain anyway, and then settle in next to her, being a comfort to both her and their daughter with just his warm presence]

Elena: [and they will both sleep for a while, but eventually Elena's eyes will open up to look at him and smile] How is she?

Derek: Fast asleep, and just perfect.

Elena: Good. [rests a hand on his arm] Are you disappointed?

Derek: Of course not. [and he will lean over to kiss her gently]

Elena: [kisses him back, before her hand wanders to rest against her daughter] We have to name her.

Derek: I believe that it is your turn to name her.

Elena: Mmmm. [she rests her chin against his shoulder] We're out of maternal namesakes.

Derek: Yes, that is true. And my sisters still live so we can't name her after them.

Elena: And I have no sisters.

Derek: I never knew my grandparents.

Elena: [a pause] Peter's wife who passed - what was her name?

Derek: Victoria.

Elena: Oh. [no, that doesn't feel quite right] Maybe not.

Derek: [thinks] Well, before Scott and Melissa came to us, the nursemaid that raised my sisters and myself was named Clara Elizabeth.

Elena: [she perks up a bit at that] Clara Hale. I think I like it.

Derek: [smiles] I like that too. It sounds nice.

Elena: Good. Then it's settled?

Derek: Yes. [looks down at the baby] Welcome to the world, Clara.

Clara: [out cold, being born is hard]

Derek: So, my love, I fear you may have a very interesting story to tell when you see our daughters next.

Elena: I will?

Derek: Talia wanted to know how you were getting the baby out, and I told her that you pushed her out, and I believe she thinks that you were exploding or something.

Elena: [and that makes her laugh, before she stops because that hurts] Oh, no.

Derek: Patience and I had to keep her from running in here to check on you.

Elena: I will talk to her in the morning.

Derek: Good. Now can I get you anything?

Elena: Some water? My throat is a little dry.

Derek: Of course. [and he will give Clara to her and get up to fetch her some water from the pitcher across the room.]

Elena: [lets her daughter settle into her arms so they can bond a bit]

Derek: [and he will return to her side, helping Elena drink since her hands are occupied] How are you feeling?

Elena: Achy and sore. Nothing different from usual, though.

Derek: Okay. [leaning down to kiss her] You know I just worry.

Elena: I know. If something was wrong, I would tell you.

Derek: I know.

Elena: [she smiles softly as she leans into his shoulder] Try not to worry now. Let's just enjoy our new daughter.

Derek: I'm sure I can do both. [he smiled at her] I love you.

Elena: I love you too. [she smirks a bit as she faces him] And I want you to enjoy the moment.

Derek: I am.

Elena: Good. [sighs softly] We should probably sleep, as it's the last we're going to get for a while.

Derek: Do you want me to get the bassinet?

Elena: [she nods] Thank you.

Derek: [and he brings over the family bassinet. It's seen a lot of use in the last few years.]

Elena: [mostly on their behalf. And Elena will offer Clara over to him so that he can get her settled]

Derek: [which is easy since the baby is already bundled, and he will kiss Clara gently on the forehead before standing back up and starting to undress]

Elena: [and she will settle back down into bed to get comfortable and wait for him to join her]

Derek: [which he will, sliding in and pulling her into his arms gently]

Elena: [and she curls into him, tucking her face against his shoulder with a soft sigh, and it's not long before she's back to sleep again]

Derek: [and he will join her soon after, nuzzling his nose into her hair to take in her scent as he slept]

Elena: [and she doesn't have the same comfort, but she rests easy just knowing he's there.]