The creation of Love

Chapter 1

"oh" Caroline gasped as she looked over the document clasped firmly in her hand. She wasn't really sure why she had 'applied' for the position (if you could call it that). Well no, that was a slight lie, she did know- she knew exactly why she had been drawn to the offer. Not only would she be doing an amazing, selfless thing, the payment was pretty generous. She wasn't entirely sure what the typical payment for these types of arrangements were, but she did know that the money on offer was enough to pay off her college tuition, pay the back log of rent she owed to her bitch of a roommate and still have enough left to start funding the business she had planned to start,

She let her eyes read over the finer details – she'd learnt the hard way to always read the small print! Sipping from her mug, she let the words sink in as she continued to read. Everything had been outlined perfectly clear, it all made sense for her to do this- at least to Caroline it did anyway.

The vibration and tone of her mobile on the table pulled her from her thoughts- making her slightly jump at the interruption.

"Hello?" She answered

"Where on earth are you? You were supposed to meet me here half an hour ago Caroline!"

Glancing up at the clock on the wall Caroline's eyes widened "Shoot! I am so, so sorry Bonnie, I got distracted" She said, holding the phone between her shoulder and ear as she began to hastily gather her things. "I'm on my way right now I promise you!"

"Well hurry up, some guy has been staring at me since I got here" Bonnie explained

Caroline giggled "Is he hot?"

"Caroline!" Bonnie chastised

"What? I'm just curious. So? Is he?"

Caroline could virtually hear Bonnie roll her eyes before she answered. "He's British" she said bluntly, the distain clear in her voice. "Now stop interrogating me and drive!"

The café was extremely busy when she did, finally arrive; so much so, that Caroline almost didn't find her best friend in amongst all the people. Most of them were students from the College just like Caroline and Bonnie, some band were playing who were apparently rather popular.

"Thank God you are here!" Bonnie proclaimed, grabbing Caroline's hand, pulling her into the vacant seat opposite her.

"I said I was sorry" She said softly "Why the desperation anyway?" She asked, removing her coat and placing it over the back of her chair.

"Why the desperation?" Bonnie repeated "Have you not seen it in here? I'm the only one alone, it looks as if I've been stood up! The staff keep looking over at me and giving me their pity looks." She claimed "And cute British guy keeps glancing over here and sending weird smiles in my direction"

"Oh, Cute now is he?" Caroline teased, turning her head discretely towards the counter where said guy was still sat- and surely enough he was staring right in their direction. "He's nice"

Bonnie frowned "What would you know Forbes? You haven't dated anyone for over a year"

Caroline frowned "Hey! I've been busy, and you know my motto…"

"No boyfriend, no problem" They both said laughing

"It's true through right?" Caroline asked

"Whatever! Enough boy talk, what kept you so long? Caroline Forbes is never late!"

Taking a deep breath, Caroline pushed a piece of paper across the table to Bonnie.

"What's this? 'cause unless it's some magic money growing paper, I can't see why it kept you so long."

"Just open it will you?"

There was silence between the two girls as Bonnie read over the document. Her eyes widening in the exact same way Caroline's had earlier that morning. "Is this what I think it is?" Caroline nodded, her lip caught between her teeth in nervousness and anticipation. "When did you do this? And more to the point, Why?"

Caroline stared at her best friend "It was towards the beginning of the year. I didn't really think I'd be considered, let alone accepted and asked to meet for a consultation. I know it's a bit odd…"

"A Bit?" Bonnie questioned, her eyebrow raised

"Ok it's not exactly your everyday offer, but have you seen how much money I'd get? And it's not just about the money, I'd be doing something amazing too…imagine how happy this would be making someone"

Bonnie held her hands up in defence "I'm not saying it wouldn't. But would it make you happy?" Caroline shrugged "Hey, at the end of the day it's your life and I'll support you whatever you do but, I don't know…this all seems so sudden. Have you really thought it through? You've never mentioned it before, like ever…"

"I know I haven't" Caroline said softly "it's not really something I wanted to broadcast not until it was more certain. Like I said, I didn't think it would come to this…but I have thought about it Bon; this is me we're talking about here. I've had a pro's and Con's list written for months. I've researched every single little detail- inch by inch, letter by letter."

"I'm sure you have Care…" She reached across the table and took Caroline's hand "You need to be more than physically prepared Caroline. Something like this isn't an exam that just needs revising for. You need to be emotionally ready. It's more than what's on the paper, more than just doing it, getting paid and saying goodbye…"

"I know Bon, but this is what I want to do. I get it won't be easy but what in life is?"

Bonnie shook her head frowning "I don't know, maybe saying no to having a baby for someone? That sounds pretty easy to me…" Caroline folded her arms across her chest and sank back into her hair, moving her hand from under Bonnies. "I'm sorry, I know you won't be doing this on a whim, I just want to make sure it is what you really want ok?"

"And how am I ever going to know that? No one ever knows what they want from life. All I know is that there are people out there who want a family and they can't have one"

"Yeah and they can adopt" Bonnie said "They don't need to use you as a rent a womb"

"It's not like that!" Caroline proclaimed "I get it, it's all a bit sudden to you and yeah you think there are better ways to go about this."

"No Caroline it's not that." Bonnie said softly

"Then what is it Bonnie? I'd really like to know, because I can't think of another thing that's stopping me doing this." She sighed, her eyes pleading with her best friend.

Bonnie watched her for a few seconds, unsure if Caroline was trying to get her to talk her out of it, but that wasn't what she was trying to do. "This will be you're first baby Caroline, the first time you get to experience having a baby and it won't even be yours. You'll care for it, protect it for a whole nine months, go through the hell of childbirth and then hand it over to someone else. You won't ever see it again. All you'll have is a pay cheque and a stomach of stretch marks. I'm sorry" She shrugged "But that's how I see it…"

"You don't need to be sorry. I'm glad your honest with me, you're the closest person to family I have. I just needed to share the load y'know?"

"I know, and I'm always there for that. This consultation is in what? a week?" Caroline nodded "so you've got a week to make a decision? Don't give you much time do they?"

"No decisions have to be made at all, not even until they have a family arranged, only then do I commit or not. I'm going to go to the consultation and just see what they say, it can't hurt"

Bonnie sighed, clearly not agreeing with her friend "I guess not".

They sat side by side in the waiting room, the cream walls and beige carpet overly clean and clinical. A couple sat across the room from them, the older male with his arm around the woman's shoulder in a comforting manor. It was clear to see they were both upset by the situation they were going through.

She looked to her right and received a small smile in response. "What time is it?" she asked, her leg bouncing with annoyance.

"Just gone 10:30"

"The consultation was at 10:15. They're late." She proclaimed, looking towards the reception desk, "There are things I have to do today."

"You were the one who booked this time slot." She was told "And it's 15 minutes, I'm sure they have some very delicate situations they have to deal with. Imagine going in there and being told you can't have children and then the doctor or whoever saying 'sorry you need to leave now. I have other people to see' it'd be awful."

"If you haven't forgotten, I don't need to imagine! That was us in that room 12 months ago." She said bluntly pulling her hand from his in a moment of annoyance.

He closed his eyes, mentally kicking himself "Elena…you know I didn't mean it like that" he shuffled closer to her and laced their fingers together "I'll never forget that day, ever…but I'll also never forget the day we were told we'd been accepted as candidates for this agency."

"I'm sorry I know. I just hate waiting around, it's like waiting on that day all over again. Waiting for them tell me I can't have children. It was the worst day of my life" She told him.

They had tried for years to start a family, but had never managed to conceive, after numerous rounds of failed IVF, they discovered that Elena couldn't carry a child. Medical examinations, treatments and even therapy had failed so they were here. Sat waiting for what felt like hours to hopefully receive some good news.

"What if this doesn't work?" Elena asked into the silence

"Then we look into adoption, if that's what you want" He said

"I want us to have our own baby…Someone who is part of at least one of us. This is our only option Stefan."

"Then let's hope they have news for us that can make that happen" He leaned across and placed a kiss against her temple.

"Mr and Mrs Salvatore?" A woman with a clipboard appeared in the doorway to the far left, smiling brightly at them as she looked over the rim of her glasses.

"That's us." Stefan said taking Elena's hand and walking towards the lady.

The second room they were sat in, was a complete contrast to the last. It had bright blue walls which were adorned with images of smiling babies and happy families. Elena squeezed Stefan's hand as the lady; whom they had only met once before, sat down behind the desk and placed her papers down. She was silent as she flicked through a couple of pages, pausing only occasionally to look at the awaiting couple in front of her.

"Congratulations" She said "We have a match for you"

"What?" Elena questioned, she turned to Stefan who nodded.

"We're getting a baby?" He asked

"If upon your meeting with your match everything goes to plan, then yes." She informed them, smiling as they hugged each other tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you so, so much" Stefan said shaking her hand

"Don't think me, Mr Salvatore, thank the young lady who has agreed to be your surrogate."

"When do we meet her?" Elena asked

"As soon as you like. She's very keen to get the process started."

"And she understands everything right? She's read our terms…only we've been told this before and then the girl changed her mind."

The lady shook her head "I can assure you, she is 100% on board with your terms, and is as eager to get this started as you are." She handed a folder across to Elena. "This is her basic information, her age, height, eye colour etc.… and a little bit about herself. She is a lovely young lady if I do say so myself."

Elena opened the folder "She's young…"

Stefan glanced at the page "She's 20 nearly 21, only 3 years younger than me." He said shrugging "It's not an issue right?"

"No, I guess not" Elena said closing the folder and holding it against her chest.

"Our younger surrogates do have healthier pregnancies and they conceive and carry much easier"

Stefan frowned at the lady, not particularly liking how she spoke about the young girls like they were all parts of a business, he brushed it off though, still too happy with the news they'd received.

"What happens now?" he asked

"We shall be in contact with you in the next couple of days to arrange a meeting with your match and then we go from there" She smiled

"Ok, thank you again" Stefan said holding Elena's hand as they left the room. They were in the corridor when Stefan picked her up and spun her around, kissing her as he put her down "We're getting a baby…"

Elena nodded "We are…better get that spare room sorted pronto hadn't we, Daddy?"

To be Continued...