I do not own TVD or TO

This has been a wild ride. If anyone remembers this started as an ELEJAH story and changed partway through when I saw a way to do it as KOLENA. I still have the ELEJAH notes and when I can find them I'll try and find a time to write that one two.

"Are you certain you don't want help with this, Ellie?" Kol knelt beside the non-slip mat, straightening out the edge so there were no wrinkles.

"No," Elena shook her head, "I'd rather not have witnesses for what I'm certain will be one of the most embarrassing acts of my life." She placed one hand on top of her bump and one below before looking down at her stomach. "You could make this a lot easier on me and just flip over on your own."

Kol bit back his chuckle when the only response was a strong kick, or maybe it was a punch, that made her stomach shift as a tiny bump rose.

Elena sighed and kicked off her flats, setting them aside. She wiggled her toes and rubbed the spot the baby had kicked.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" He moved her shoes further away so she wouldn't trip.

"No," she shook her head again. She tipped her neck back when he stood and caught his hand. "You know what would be really good?"

"Really?" He cocked an eyebrow, smiling at the way her eyes lit up. "With all of the modern cuisine available to you, you still crave pasteli?"

"The baby loves it," she shrugged one shoulder.

"Oh, well, if the baby loves it…" he tilted his head.

"Mmhmm," Elena bit her bottom lip. "This kid is addicted."

"Must get that from Auntie Cassandra," he smirked. Bending down he pressed a soft kiss to her lips before standing and backing towards the door. "You do your exercise darling, and I'll whip up a batch of pasteli."

"Just when I think it's impossible to love you more," she teased.

She sighed when he left the study and turned her gaze to her swollen stomach. At her thirty-eighth week check-up the OB had told them their little bundle of joy was poised for a breech birth with its little bum sitting on her cervix. They had left armed a list of methods for getting their stubborn child to roll over, but so far swimming and actually trying to physically move the baby had not worked; that had been a week before.

"You are going to roll over this time," she poked her belly, "do you hear me, or no more pasteli."

The baby kicked her finger a couple of times. She could practically hear the little laugh that said 'nice try mommy'.

"Alright fine," she placed her hands on the mat, "I won't take away the pasteli."

Elena shifted her knees so they were hip width apart and braced her toes on the mat. Lifting her knees, she moved upwards so she was balanced on all fours and took deep breaths before she began. Four steps forward and four steps back.

She felt like an elephant as she repeated the action. Her ponytail even fell forward and brushed the mat as she moved.

Elena froze when she heard a tiny giggle and felt small hands pull on her hair. She twisted her neck a few inches and peered around the falling hair.

"What do you think you're doing?" She smirked.

Hope said something in gibberish that sounded suspiciously like play.

Elena laughed and shifted to bend her knees so she could sit back up before whoever was trailing the toddler walked in and saw her waddling walk, but she was too slow; she should have known that living in a house full of vampires. The fact that her ankles were starting to ache didn't make her move any faster.

Klaus had just been outside the door.

"What are you doing?" He made no attempt to hide his amusement.

"Trying to turn the baby," she took heavy breaths as she eased back down.

"You looked ridiculous," he laughed.

"It's called the elephant walk," she moved her legs so she could stand with the aid of the sofa. "At least your brother hides his amusement over these sorts of situations."

"Well," Klaus picked up Hope, "my brother is sleeping with you and actually cares about saving you from embarrassment. I," he caught Hope's hand, "am under no such obligation."

"I suppose I should be happy it wasn't Caroline," Elena waved her hand, rolling up the mat; "she would have taken a video."

He offered her an arm when she started waddling.

"I'm fine," she waved him off.

"You're thirty-nine weeks, Elena," he sighed.

"I'm pregnant Klaus," she rolled her eyes, "not incompetent."

She rubbed small circles over her stomach on the path to the kitchen and saw Kol pulling a tray from the freezer when she walked in. He had made some alterations to the recipe during her seventh month when she realized what she had been craving for the entirety of her second trimester. The small honey and sesame bars had become a constant in the compound after everyone got a taste of the treat.

She took a seat at the island in time for him to place a honeyed treat in front of her. She moaned after taking a bite.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Kol paused in his task of cutting and looked up suspiciously. "Are you talking to me or the pasteli?"

Elena's eyes grew round. She cleared her throat.

"My mother raised me not to lie, so…" she smiled sweetly and took another bite.

"It's so nice to know I can be easily replaced in your affections," Kol smirked, walking around the island. He wrapped his arm around her back and brushed his mouth over hers, tasting the remnants of honey on her tongue.

"Nothing can replace you," she mumbled against his lips.

"Just wait until that baby pops out," Klaus chuckled. He broke off a small piece of the chewy candy.

"I don't think I'll mind playing second fiddle to my child," Kol smirked over his shoulder. "I'll only raise an objection when food takes my place."

"Never," she smirked. Cupping the back of his neck she pulled him back down for another kiss.

Klaus snickered when she reached with her free hand for another piece of pasteli.

"Should I bother asking what you're doing?" Elijah cocked an eyebrow.

"The same thing I've been doing for the past week and a half," Elena blinked up at him. "I'm trying to get the baby to turn over."

"Still breech then, love?"

Rebekah appeared beside Elijah in her field of vision.

"Mmhmm," Elena rubbed her belly. "I've got a very stubborn child."

"Aww," Rebekah cooed, bending to rub Elena's stomach, "just like its daddy." Elena and Kol had elected to be surprised by the gender of their unborn baby, but both had given in to Rebekah and Caroline so the two of them could decorate the nursery.

"Which brings me to my next question," Elijah cleared his throat. He gave his brother a pointed look.

"If I have to look like a fool then so does he," Elena turned her head with a smirk.

"Don't think Kol needs much help in that department," Rebekah smirked.

"Oi!" He shouted in mock outrage. He might have jumped to his feet but the blood had rushed to his head and any form of jumping would have to wait until he had navigated the pair of them out of their current position.

"I found the most adorable little outfit for the baby," Amara came around the corner. She immediately stuffed the fabric back in the brown shopping bag when she spotted her sister on the stairs, but it was Cassandra who asked the question.

"What are you doing?" She tilted her head, looking at the way they reclined upside down on the stairs.

The reply came from all four of them.

"Trying to turn the baby."

"And blocking the way upstairs," Rebekah hummed. She turned to the women and tilted her head. "So aside from shopping where have you two been?"

"My place," Cassandra grinned. She reached into her bag, pulling out a slim vial of crimson liquid.

Rebekah's breath caught in her throat when she saw it.

Elena and Kol had left New Orleans to bring her back a cure but during the Dahlia debacle the potion had been destroyed.

"Is that what I think it is?" Rebekah bit her lip, almost afraid of the response.

"One tried and true cure for immortality," Cassandra grinned. She pulled a packet of herbs from her other pocket. "I also brought this for your memory just in case you wake up with amnesia, as is apparently the norm."

Amara shuddered, remembering running into Silas after he had taken the cure. She could still remember freezing up in shock when he kissed her in the cemetery, and then pushing him a little too hard into the stone wall of a crypt; she had consoled herself with the knowledge that he had wanted to die.

Elena squealed happily when the vial was placed in Rebekah's hand. She shook her head when the blonde turned to look at her.

"I'm ecstatic for you, Bekah," she grinned, "but that's not it." She pointed excitedly to her stomach. "The baby just turned over."

Kol rolled as best as he could, propped himself on his elbow, and placed his hand on her belly. He grinned when he felt the motion of the rolling baby.

"Do you know what this means?" She covered his hand, grinning excitedly.

"We can finally get up," Kol chuckled.

"Ooh," Rebekah leaned against the banister, "this should be amusing."

"What's amusing?" Caroline came in through the front door. She had officially moved to New Orleans a few months before, transferring to Tulane.

"They're going to try and get up," Rebekah pointed to the stairs.

"Come on now Rebekah," Amara smirked, "we should be nice and help."

"I agree wholeheartedly," Elijah met her eyes. Bending down he slipped one arm beneath Elena's shoulders and the other under her knees, lifting her at vampire speed and setting her lightly on her feet.

"Much better," Amara nodded, "now we can sit back and watch."

"I got the video camera," Caroline whipped out her cell phone.

"I hate you all," Kol rolled his eyes. Bracing his arms he tried to roll over only to tumble down the few stairs.

"Ew," Elena would have bent over, but she hadn't quite gotten rid of the pins and needles in her legs yet, "are you okay, babe?"

"Perfectly fine," he groaned, sitting up. "It's hardly the first time I've fallen down the stairs."

"It better be the last." Elena gave him a stern look when he stood.

"Yes, darling," he smirked, taking her hips and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She lifted her head when she heard the door open, but her brothers-in-law proved incapable of holding her attention for more than a second. Her body was too weary, her eyes too heavy, for prolonged concentration on anything but the tiny bundle now resting in the crook of her elbow, supported by her arm and a pillow.

Nine hours of labour followed by two hours of pushing had felt like nothing when her son let out that first loud wail. Her heart was glowing, that was the only way she could think to describe it; she felt warm and fuzzy, and was honestly surprised she couldn't see the way her heart sparkled beneath her skin.

"It's a boy," she managed a small croak.

"We actually knew that," Klaus chuckled.

"Rebekah's terrible for keeping secrets when she's excited," Elijah smiled.

"Caroline's not much better," Klaus smirked. Caroline hadn't known the secret an hour before she let it slip.

"Wait," Kol smoothed the blanket around his son's chin, "we're we the only ones that didn't know."

"I don't think Jeremy knew," Klaus tilted his head. He lowered Hope so she could get a look at her little cousin; his daughter wiggled out of his arms and onto the bed beside Elena's legs.

Hope sat up on her knees, braced her hands on Elena's arm and blinked at the little bundle.

Elena winced slightly as she lifted her arm up and over Hope's body. The plastic bracelets rolled down her wrist. She guided Hope's hand so she didn't push too hard and smiled when the little girl ran her fingers over the downy cheek.

"This is your little cousin." Elena couldn't stop her soft laugh when her son puckered his lips and squirmed.

"Does he have a name yet?" Klaus smoothed down the fine hairs on Hope's head.

"After her dad," Kol nodded.

"Gray…" Elena blinked tiredly. She rested her head on the pillow and watched Hope move the soft dark hair over her baby's head. "Grayson Henrik Mikaelson."

Before either Original could react the door opened again revealing Rebekah, Amara, Caroline, Cassandra and Jeremy, who had arrived that morning.

"Perhaps we should go," Klaus glanced at the now very crowded recovery room.

"No," Hope shook her head when her dad reached for her. She hugged Elena's arm and placed her hand on Gray in what could only be described as a possessive gesture.

"Aw," Caroline smiled, "I think she likes him."

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review along the way. I can't tell you how much your kind words have meant to me in the writing of this story.