This woman's work (I'll stand outside)

Prologue

Tell Me Are You Happy?

The rain slammed against the pavement of Mystic Falls. Collections of forming puddles were constantly upset by pairs of feet belonging to the small towns occupants; shielded by the umbrella her valiant companion had pulled out at the first sight of rhythmic pitter patter, Sheila Bennett felt a vague smile play on the corner of her lips.

He stared off into the distant, but the slight crease of his brow marred the illusion he'd worked so hard to construct: a white tee, jeans and Vans wearing teenager. Hunched under the umbrella he supported over their heads, the colour of youth return to his cheeks as he smiled down at her.

'So Sheila, how old is she now?'

Sheila bit her bottom lip. 'Seventeen, Eighteen next February.'

Stefan Salvatore nodded, and dogged several gazes from passers-by going the opposite direction. He dropped his blueish- green — turquoise— gaze to the ground whenever a woman ranging from college aged to their mid-forties, eyes appraised him with the same question: Why is a Seventeen year playing hooky? — And why was he with that old bird?

Sheila tightened her hold on his forearm as they crossed the road, the small heel of her shoes clopped against the wet pavement.

'Oh, well, it's a good thing I came back then … I'll give you a week Sheila ... a week to pitch the idea to her, and then...'

Sheila snorted derisively. 'Stefan, I already tried to tell her about her heritage and she was two hundred percent sure I was drunk, and making up some fantastical — and vaguely entertaining — story! So, if you expect her to believe me 'again' within a week...' she trailed off.

Stefan shook his head, with a strange smile fixed on his face and eyes that glistened with mischievous delight. 'I don't need her to believe completely. But entertaining the idea … that would be a start. All she'll need is a push. And I'm always happy to help.'

'That sounds an awful lot like this boy I used to know always willing to help absolute strangers.' Sheila said chuckling softly.

' Yeah well I'm sure that boy you knew was nothing like me – Hey! Wait a minute Sheila you're not a stranger you're the closest thing to a family I have...'

An indulgent smile spread across her lips. 'Hate to break it to you Stef, but I'll have to disagree with you there, I think you're forgetting about my grandbaby; but you come in close second.'

'Well hopefully that said granddaughter will think of me the same soon too,' he said with a wink. The spark in his eyes dulled for a moment, when he bit the inside of his cheek and said peevishly. 'You got that from him, didn't you? After all these years?' and ran his hand through his honey blond locks.

'He has a way with staying with you, even if he's not there. It's a powerful thing he taught me.'

'What, sarcasm?'

Sheila snorted with laughter.

They were on her street now, and the rain had died down a bit. Stefan pulled the umbrella away, and raised a hand to check the condition of the drizzle. He shut the umbrella, allowed small droplets to crash and roll down their faces.

'I think it'll finish in a bit.'

Sheila nodded, looking out from her porch to the wet street, or even further Stefan wasn't too sure.

'Stefan, that's not what he taught me.'

'Then what was it, how to dodge a question. He was once really good at that.'

Sheila sighed deeply. 'Honestly at this moment Stefan, you sound like the master of sarcasm,' and flicked her eyes back onto him.

Stefan seemed to squirm under her gaze, deep soulful brown eyes, and all.

Sheila rolled her eyes. 'No dummy.'

'Hey, do you know how weird that sounds coming from your mouth?'

'What, "dummy"? I suppose it might be a bit strange with me being a grandma, and you looking like a minor? But really Stefan, who's here to look at us?'

He shrugged and said, 'You got me there.'

Suddenly a glorious smile appeared on Sheila's face, a radiant ray of sunlight, Stefan refused to avoid. 'Do you remember when I was a young Philly, only sixteen years and then I met this boy called Stefan Salvatore, who promised me the world?'

'I vaguely remember something like that, tell me what happened with the both of you?" Stefan said, his eyes tinged with sadness.

'He invited me to go on this amazing adventure,' said Sheila, taking up his hand into hers. 'And that's when I met someone else, he was impulsive, childish, and mad, but I learnt a lot from him. Hope for one, how to believe in myself, and that I was powerful. When I came back the boy Stefan Salvatore who was still, and always will be my favourite! Found that I had grown up ... and knew I had to accept myself for who I was. Witch and all.'

'But what happened to Sheila Bennett and Stefan Salvatore! I'm curious," he murmured, and retuned her squeeze, before removing his hand from hers.

"She loved him, and loves him still. But realised she … she had to let him go.' Sheila answered; a small frown creased her brow.

Under her porch, protected from the rain, old woman and young man looked at each other. Stefan brushed his knuckles against her wrinkled cheek. He'd always hated, and would hate to see her upset. After all these years, sadness didn't look good on her pretty face and in those beautiful eyes. He slipped his fingers underneath her chin and nudged her chin up.

'I understand Sheila and I understood...' he dropped his hand, and took a step back.

'Maybe in another universe, another time, when there could have been you and me...' she muttered, and then she coughed loudly. She shook her head, and straightened her back. 'But I need you to do me a favour Stefan."

Stefan frowned.

'What, watch over your granddaughter?'

Sheila chuckled and shook her head. 'No, not that you idiot. We both knew you'd do that.' Stefan looked away from her; Sheila punched his shoulder softly, Stefan's eyes retuned to hers.

She was so old now, he thought. The lines on her pretty face, they were deep and full of memories of the times they'd spent together. The times they'd been apart. The times of when she'd met her husband. The day they'd gotten married. The day she'd found out she was pregnant. The day she'd given birth to Abby. To the day, Abby had left, but had also left her mother with a granddaughter to love.

'Let go. Please forget about me.'

Stefan jerked out of his reverie.

'Pardon?' he hissed. 'Sheila...'

"I mean," she said with a roll of her eyes, something he'd taught her many years ago, 'Let go of me. I want you to move on.'

Stefan frowned. 'Why?'

"I'm old Stef; I'm going to die soon… hey don't look like that, I don't have an immortal advantage like you.' She beamed; water droplets made her eyes shine. 'But you... you're immortal, and it would hurt to know you hadn't found happiness by the time I croak.'

He scowled at her.

'That's not funny.'

'I'm being realistic Stefan. My time is ending. And I have lived a good life. I enjoyed every moment of it. It is a good life. But I want to see you happy, heck have children. Go dancing in the rain. Find someone new to love! Please.'

'But...'he breathed, his blueish-green eyes pinned her with pain. He shook. He opened and closed his mouth. 'My heart... I don't know if I can do it again. My heart it was broken once and I thought you could fix that.'

She shook her head and smiled sadly at him.

'Maybe I was meant to remind you had a heart, and that it can be fixed. But Stefan I am not the one. I'm not your soul mate. So, let me go, and find her. Please that's all I ask.'

Stefan bit his lip, a pregnant pause filled the space between them, and he felt like a mountain was trying to push them apart, that mountain might have been called reason.

'I'm...'

'I know, but you're so strong too.'

He looked down before giving her a small nod.

'Thank you, Stefan.'

He gave her a weak smile.

'I'll visit her tomorrow at school. I can blend in,' he said stiffly, rubbing his smooth chin, an attempt to draw back to their previous conversation.

'Yes, I'm sure an old fart like you will manage to blend in very well. I suppose it will be different from when you found me; you'd been a Ripper before that, for so long, so your adjustment was rather good.'

'Again, not funny Sheila, don't joke about that.'

'Sorry, but I think you should make light of all events in life, even the mistakes, who said we were perfect anyway.' Sheila said with a childish shrug of her shoulders.

There she went, breaking him he thought. Giving him all that good advice. Stefan rolled his eyes.

'I also think you should bring Lexie with you into school. I'm not worried about you going Ripper, it's just that I think my baby would like her.'

'Really?' Stefan said.

'Yes, she's also better at human interactions than you,' she said with a wink. Stefan groaned.

'It was one – '

He was cut off by the front door opening, his eyes strayed to the figure at the door.

Petite, maybe somewhere around five foot two; she wore an oversized jumper and jeans, and fluffy slippers. Her long dark brown hair fell past her shoulders; oddly enough he'd never pictured her with glasses. But there they were, a pair of classic geek Clark Kent style sat on the ridge of her nose; he wasn't sure if they were a prescription or for fashion. She was as beautiful as Sheila had been, the first day they'd met.

Her brow rose as she said softly. 'Uh... hope I'm not interrupting anything?'

Sheila turned slowly to face the girl, with a smile; it was a wary thing Stefan had decided.

'No, this is just the son of an old friend of mine.' Sheila turned back to Stefan her smile fixed on her face, gesturing for him to come in. 'Who's come to visit me, I was wondering if he wanted some tea, biscuits.'

Stefan's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, man he loved Sheila's cooking, and while he lived off a steady diet of animals ... he couldn't resist the smell and taste of her fantastic cooking.

The girl stepped out of the way as they entered the passageway. Stefan felt her almond green eyes latch onto his back. He turned around and saw colour appear on the buds of her cheeks.

'It's nice to meet you,' she said extending her hand too him.

He took it, shook it and said. 'And you.'

'So, you're...'

'Stefan Salvatore and you are?'

'Bonnie Bennett.'

A/N: Hi guys! I am revamping this story I've got some encouragement to finish this off, and I am not averse to this; I've been super busy, but I like this idea and will try and finish the story.

Bamon endgame.

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Greekgeekable.