A/N: So, the epilogue has a time jump of 8 months later. Also, the ending will probably be leaving you guys with a lot of questions. But, that's why I will eventually be writing a sequel to this story & the description of it will be at the ending of this update.
Once again, Thank you all SOO much for reading and loving this story right along with me. Because, I have really loved writing it and reading the reviews that you all have left me. They really do inspire me to write more and keep doing what I love.
Hope you all enjoy this last update & enjoy!
-Epilogue- One and Only
8 months later...
Stefan's P.O.V.
I feel better in these last few months than I have in so long and to be honest, I know that it's because of Elena, my kids and the rest of our family. But as I sit across from Tyler and he shrugs his shoulders back, staring at me like I've been hit over the head and have officially gone insane, something tells me that my decision probably isn't what he's wanted to hear and he's irritated at me that it's taken me 8 full months to decide!
"Have you talked to your wife about this? I mean, Stefan. It's a huge deal. I know that I offered it to you and told you that it was an open position. But, if you're not ready to be a firefighter again and do this job. You have to be up front with me." Tyler tells me in a stern tone, placing his elbows onto the desk as I run my hands through my hair and lock my eyes on him, clearing my throat when I say "It's all I have ever wanted to do and now, with Elena being 9 months pregnant and Sam and Olivia growing up so fast. I need to provide for my family, Tyler. I know you know what that's like." I tell him, watching as he nods his head and inhales deeply.
"I'm sorry to hear about the miscarriage, recently. Elena told me that Caroline was pretty devastated about it." I comment, watching as Tyler runs his hands over his face and exhales, shaking his head back and trying to not tear up at the thought of his wife, wanting a family so badly and still not having the baby that she wants.
"Yeah, Caroline was really upset about it. But, she's okay now. We're taking it slow again and trying to see what other options we have. She doesn't want to adopt. So, mostly likely we're going to try invetro or something like that...Anything that will help us get pregnant..." His voice trails off as I nod my head and look up at the picture behind him, a reminder of why I want to be here, a reminder of everything I've been missing since I had left my second home..The fire station.
"Tyler, I know that you're worried about how I would handle being back here. But, to be completely honest. It's all I've ever wanted to do and I'm going crazy without being here. I don't feel like I belong anywhere else. I mean, these last few months with helping Elena prepare for the new baby and spending time with Sam and Olivia have been amazing. However, I'm a provider and I need to do something more. So, please. Let me come back here and work. I know that I'm ready for it." I nearly beg him, hearing as Tyler lets out a laugh and gets up from his chair, straightening himself out as he extends his hand towards me and smiles widely.
"Alright, Stefan. You just need to promise me that if you start to feel anxious or anything like that, that you'll come to me or Damon about it and we'll figure out something else for you to do. Do you understand?" He asks, watching as I stand up too and firmly shake his hand, locking my eyes on him with a wide grin on my face and a quick nod of my head.
"Yes. You have nothing to worry about, Tyler." I reassure him, once more when he clears his throat, still holding onto my hand when he says "Alright then. You start back on Monday morning, 4am. Be here or I will have one of the new candidates come to your house and drag you out of bed." Tyler warns with a wink, grinning at me when I laugh and let go of his hand.
"No worries, Boss. I'll be here, bright and early. Oh and Tyler, Thank you." I tell him, turning away towards the door as I hear him say "Welcome back, Stefan. I've missed you and so has the team. I'm glad you made the right choice."
I turn back towards him, my never fading grin plastered on my face when I nod and reply back in a knowing tone. "I've miss you guys too."
Elena's P.O.V.
"Stefan said that he doesn't want to know what we're having until the baby is here. So, neutral colors for the nursery seemed the right idea. Besides, I'm 9 months pregnant, ready to pop at any given time and these colors were put up about 6 months ago. So, too late in changing them back now." I tell Caroline, hearing as she sniffles and steps further into the room, running her hands over the light green and mocha colored bedding that's inside of the crib.
" You're lucky, Elena. You and Stefan have this beautiful family and now you're having another baby. Some days I wish that Tyler and I were that-" She starts to say as I lift my hand up and cut her off, smiling when I look up at her.
"Don't be like that, Caroline. You and Tyler will have a baby, again. You will, I just know it. Even if it takes a while. It'll be okay and you'll have your happy little family. I'm just happy that you both are finally on the same page about starting a family." I tell her, watching as she wipes away her tears and inhales deeply, nodding her head.
"I know, I am too. He just wants a kid so bad that after thinking about it for a long time. I finally agree with him. I really don't know if it's because of when we took care of Abrielle for a few weeks, if that's what did it. But, I do think that she was the reason behind me realizing that I'm ready. I'm ready to have kids with my husband and I want to be a mom, even if we have hard times. I know that Tyler and I will make it through them, like we always do. So, I'm okay with it." She says, pulling a few strands of her hair behind her ears when she watches me take a step in front of her.
"You're going to be a great mom, Caroline and I honestly can't wait to be an aunt." I tell her, tears in my eyes as I wipe them away and embrace Caroline tightly. She laughs when she hears me mutter under my breath "Stupid hormones! Now, I feel like I need to call Stefan, so that he can get me a gallon of chocolate ice cream or something. Uh..Rocky road ice cream, sounds good right now."
Caroline lets go of me, placing her hand on my large and round baby bump, leaning forward and kissing my stomach as she looks up at me and says "This baby is going to be a very loved little one. We're all really excited to meet him or her, I know that Stefan and you had said that you both wanted it to be a surprise. But, I'm personally hoping that you both have another girl. But- Even if it's a little boy. I know that the guys will be happy about it. They just want another little boy to put into softball classes, like Sam is going to be doing in the summer." Caroline states, turning away from me and looking at a picture that's on the wall. I watch her for a while, seeing that she's mesmerized by it, like she's reminiscing all by herself.
"This was taken the first time that we all hung out. I remember it because Tyler and I had just got our first car together and Damon and Bonnie were engaged. You and Stefan were just dating back then and he took you on a tour of where he spent most of his time, the fire station! Ha. The good old days, I miss that you know. How close we all used to be with each other." She says, turning back towards me to see the smile on my face that hasn't vanished since she started looking at the picture.
"I know. I miss it too. But, I really do think that now with everything settled that we can all finally get back to our lives and how things used to be. " I tell her, watching carefully when Caroline places her hands onto her hips and exhales.
"I know we will. Well, I should probably get going. Tyler's going to be home in a few hours and he still needs to eat. So, I'm off to go and try not to burn down our kitchen!" Caroline explains, taking a step out of the nursery and stopping for a moment to see if I'm following behind her.
"I'm coming, I'm coming..I'm nine months pregnant, Caroline. It takes me a while to get places. Ugh, I just want this baby out already!" I comment with a laugh, hearing as she laughs too and says "So, you never told me how Sam and Olivia are adjusting to the news? I mean, I remember when you guys told them. But, are they nervous about having another brother or sister around the house?" She asks me, seeing the glistening in my eyes at the thought of how excited Sam and Olivia have been lately.
"Oh you know. They're taking it like every 'soon to be 7 year old' would take the news. Sam is already planning on teaching the baby how to swim and Olivia is planning on playing on playing dress up with her new sister. Sam will sit next to me and kiss my stomach, whispering that he wants a baby brother and Olivia will do the same. But, in her case- it's always a baby sister." I explain as Caroline turns towards me again and places her hand on to my shoulder when she says with a wink. "I'm kind of with Olivia on this one. I hope it's a girl."
"So, what does Stefan want?" Caroline asks, grabbing her coat off the couch and beginning to walk towards the front door, just as it opens and Stefan smiles at us, patting Caroline on the shoulders and telling her a quick "Hello" before stopping in front of me and kissing my forehead.
"How was your day?" He asks in a cheerful tone, wrapping his arms around me and placing his hands around my stomach, his grin widened as he says "How's my little boy doing today, ready to come out of there and meet all of us yet?"
"Aren't you two just the cutest thing I have ever seen. Now, excuse me as I go home to my husband before he comes over here and raids your fridge. I know that Elena has enough rocky road ice cream in there to feed a small village. So, I might just have him come back here and help you both out. Besides, that due date is getting closer!" Caroline says in a hurried tone, placing her hand onto the door handle and looking back at us with a smile.
"It's good to see you both like this. Happy and just so...in love. I've missed see you guys like this." She tells me as she opens the door and makes her way out to the driveway, talking over her shoulder when she shouts "By the way, Elena. Ask your husband about the talk he had with Tyler today." Caroline says with a wink before slipping into her car and driving away, waving at us thru the window.
"Talk? Stefan..What's going on?" I turn around, asking him in a confused tone when I hear Stefan laugh as he says "Well, I'm officially starting back to work on-" But just as he begins his sentence, it ends abruptly and we're both left wondering if Caroline forgot something.
His voice gets drowned out by the sound of the doorbell ringing as Stefan laughs and shakes his head, turning back towards the front door and opening it widely. But he quickly freezes when he hears me gasp and my hands start to shake all on their own at the person standing in front of us.
"Caroline, what did you-" He begins to say, his voice drifting and stopping all together when he looks up at the woman standing in front of him with a stunned look on her face and the noise of shock escaping past my lips as I just stand there and drink in our visitor, quickly realizing that she isn't Caroline at all. Instead of my close and dear friend, I'm hit with what feels like an ice bucket of water when the woman's voice echo's throughout the front door and into the house.
"Caroline? I haven't seen her in years. Wow, Stefan Salvatore, I'm surprised that you're still even around. So, aren't you going to invite me into your beautiful home that you share with my daughter?" She asks, pushing my husband aside as he looks over at me and see's the shock in brown eyes when all I mutter out of my throat is "Miranda... Mother? What are you doing here?"
I watch as she laughs, pushing back her long brown hair and stops in front of me, looking down at my stomach when she says in a serious tone, her dark eyes locked on my stunned face when she speaks directly to me in an overly cheerful with a hint of something a lot more sinister as she says. "Hello, Elena. It's been a long time. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by to see my daughter."
A/N: I'm sure you all are thinking what is Elena's mother doing back in town? Well, I will be explaining that eventually with the sequel to this story. I'm not sure when I will get around to writing it. But, it will be a future story for sure.
The sequel to One and Only will be called : "Begin Again" and it will be coming soon.
Feel free to follow me on twitter at: Be_Passionate24
Thank you all so much & I really hope you found the ending to this story interesting. ;)