Chapter Nineteen: Reunion

"Hurry!" Bonnie called out towards Lexi, Stefan, and Damon, they were surrounded by forests and tombstones while everything seemed to be spinning, the wind howling. It felt like being trapped in a tornado.

Bonnie's face was pale and anxious and she was clutching her stomach. She offered her hand. "Hurry, please."

Stefan looked at Lexi. "Go!" Lexi frowned and opened her mouth to say something, but Stefan read her thoughts. "You go first, we'll follow!"

Lexi nodded as she grabbed Bonnie's hand. Bonnie bit her lip to keep from screaming out and instead simply clutched her stomach. She turned towards them and whispered. "Hurry." She could already feel like she was being disconnected from her human self, the minute that the Other Side was fully destroyed, then she would follow suit.

Stefan turned to Damon and offered his hand. "Come on."

"I can't leave without Elena," Damon insisted. "Where is she?"

"She's gone, Damon!" Stefan shouted. "She was sucked into oblivion, you will never see her again, please don't do this, brother-"

Damon shook his head, he no longer looked like the arrogant older brother, he looked wiser and calmer. "No, brother I'm staying. Elena is the love of my life, I won't leave her behind. If she stays here, so do I." he gave him a wry smile. "You be sure to tell the kids about their reckless Uncle Damon, all right?"

Stefan felt his throat tightening, no Damon couldn't stay here, especially over a girl that was already dead. "Damon-"he felt Bonnie grab his hand roughly and everything seemed too disappeared.

Stefan felt like he was tumbling over, even though someone was holding his hand. He squinted his eyes shut as dozens of names came across his mind. Damon. Elena. Bonnie. Katherine. His babies. Lexi.

"Stefan." He felt Lexi steadying him, her eyes filled with concern. "Stefan, are you ok?"

"Damon," he choked out. "Damon, isn't here."

Lexi shook her head. "No, weren't both of you able to past?"

Stefan shook his head, his body felt shaky as he rummage a hand through his dark hair. "No, he refused to, he said he wanted to be with Elena." He broke off. "Where's Bonnie?"

Lexi bit her lip. "She's gone Stefan, I watched her body disappear. She was part of the Other Side which means that when it was gone, she would be gone too."

Stefan bow his head, not wanting to cry. This was not the time to cry. "God." He squinted his eyes shut, not able to express in words how terrible he was feeling, not only had he lost a friend, but he had lost his older brother. Lexi, however understood him perfectly.

Lexi hugged him. "I'm so sorry."

Katherine's eyes flew open as she sat up with a gasp as she looked around the small, hospital room. She was alive. She wasn't dead. Why wasn't she dead? She felt someone snap her neck. She looked around the room and saw Caroline looking at her with big blue eyes while Klaus sat there and smirked. Simply smirked

"I can't believe it," Caroline squealed. "It worked, it actually worked!"

"I told you it would love," Klaus said. "Hybrid blood is far more powerful."

"Klaus? Caroline?" Katherine demanded trying to ignore the pain she felt in her dry throat. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"

"You're welcome, love." Klaus said sarcastically. "It's not my fault you were dying, and if were up to me you would be dead right now, but Caroline won't permit it."

"Lucky me." She turned to the blond. "What happened?"

"I called Klaus to tell him about Stefan's death since they were sort of friends." Caroline said. "Then I went to the hospital and they told me you were dying from blood lost and I couldn't leave the twins orphans, and Klaus came and he said maybe with hybrid blood it will work!"

"You never thought that I might actually die?" Katherine snapped, though a part of her was also jumping in circles, she was a vampire again! Or close.

Klaus scoffed. "You're alive, aren't you." He handed her a blood bag. Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Oh, relax Katerina I didn't poison it and don't you get snarky on me, I saved your life."

"Yes, after you almost ended it." She looked at Caroline nervously. "Any word on Stefan yet?"

She shook her head. "No, but Klaus and I did see the twins in the hospital nursery, they are so cute. Good thing they got Stefan's charm." She joked.

Katherine didn't respond as she took a sip of the blood. "Can I see them?"

"Not yet, but they are doing routine checks, soon though."

At that moment the door opened and Stefan came in at a hurried pace. "Katherine." He stopped short. "Caroline, Klaus what are you two doing here?"

"Klaus managed to turn Katherine into a vampire using hybrid blood." Caroline chimed in breaking the awkward silence. "Stefan how's Bonnie? Who managed to cross over?"

"Only Lexi." Stefan whispered. "Bonnie is dead, Caroline."

"Bonnie." Caroline whimpered.

Klaus grabbed her shoulder. "Come on, love let's give them some privacy. For what it worth I'm glad you two aren't dead."

"Klaus." Katherine said, knowing she would probably regret it. "Thanks."

"Yes." Stefan continued. "Thanks."

Klaus gave them a slight smirk and nod as he left the room leaving Katherine and Stefan alone. Stefan immediately kissed her, not knowing how much he wanted to until that moment. "Are you ok? Are the babies ok?"

"They are fine, they are both fine." Katherine said. She noticed Stefan's sad eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Damon." He choked out. "He didn't cross over, he decided to stay there, and he didn't want to leave Elena alone even though she was sucked into oblivion. He's gone for good."

A part of her was sad that Damon was gone, but she was glad that Stefan managed to get out alive, now her children wouldn't grow up fatherless. "I'm sorry."

The anticipation was killing her, she looked at the clock of her room, what was taking the nurses so long? It wasn't as if the hospital nursery was far from here. This was officially the best day of Katherine's life, she was a vampire again, her children were safe, and Stefan was alive. She couldn't have wished for anything better.

She tapped the heel of her high heeled boots (no way was she wearing the dreary hospital gown now that she was a vampire again) "What's taking them so long?" she demanded.

Stefan smiled. "Patience, Katherine. They had to make sure that they had all of their shots and that they are dressed warmly."

Katherine cocked an eyebrow. "And how long does it take to get them, I can't believe Klaus and Caroline saw them before me that must be a crime."

A few minutes' later two nurses came in holding a pink and blue bundle, their slightly bald heads barely peeking out from the blankets. "Here you go." The nurse said noticing Katherine's impatience. "Your daughter."

"And your son." The other nurse said as she placed the tiny baby in Stefan's arm as they both left. Stefan gulped as he held his son, he felt so small, so tiny in his arms. He couldn't believe that it was actually their son.

The baby squirmed a little, but easily fell back to sleep. Stefan could see that his eyes seemed to be the same shade of green as his. "Hi." He whispered, no really sure what to say.

Their daughter was more restless and was already squirming and getting fussy, a few curls were already starting to grow on top of her small head. "You're ok," she cooed. "No one will hurt you as long as I'm alive."

Stefan smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just I never heard you coo for anything other than shoes and food." Katherine rolled her eyes.

"You know we never really thought about names." Katherine said as the baby wrapped her tiny hand around Katherine's finger. "Or middle names, though I never liked middle names."

"They don't have to have middle names." Stefan said. "How about you pick the boy's name and I'll pick the girl's?"

"Fine," Katherine said. "But it better not be something cheesy like Hope or Peace."

"As long you don't name him Klaus."

"I'm grateful to him, I'm not that desperate for his affection." Katherine said dryly as she looked at her son. "How about Alexander? He looks like an Alex."

"I like it." Stefan said. "And how about Susana, for our little girl?"

Katherine cocked her head. "Susana and Alexander, I like it." She stared at the sleeping babies. "We should probably get them in their cribs."

"I got it." Stefan said as he wheeled the movable cribs forward while juggling Alex in one arm.

"You're a natural." Katherine teased as she place Susana and Alexander in their respective cribs.

"Shut up." He said as he good naturedly bumped her hip before squeezing her hand. "Thank you."

Katherine looked surprise. "For what?"

"For not giving up on me."

"Well, then thank you." Katherine said as she kissed him.

"For what?" Stefan murmured.

"For giving me a second chance."

The End