A Beacon of Hope

by Stars and Jewels

After so much death, Stefan and Elena have great news: Elena's pregnant! It may sound unoriginal, but there are a few surprises.

Author's notes: Yes, this was yet another story inspired by yet another dream I had. I seem a lot like Stephenie Meyer in that regard, don't I? Also, I myself have noticed, as you might have, that all my fan fictions so far involve a pregnancy or a child, which might say something about me. Anyway, this is the longest one I've ever done so far. Additionally, I'd like to point out that, at least in the Vampire Diaries book series, Stefan, if I'm not mistaken, actually does have a craving for Elena's blood, so I decided to add that in here for the extra intrigue. But at any rate, I hope you read this, the most recent of my works. Please review and enjoy!

It was late April in Mystic Falls. Elena and Jeremy Gilbert had just lost their beloved Aunt Jenna to the evil Klaus and his treacherous brother Elijah, with help from the deceitful Greta. Elena's father, John Gilbert, whom everyone, including Elena, had previously hated, had also died recently in order to save her life. Her birth mother, the vampire Isobel, was dead now, too, and that left Elena all alone, except for her brother Jeremy and stepfather Alaric, Isobel's widower. Then it had looked as if Elena's friend, the vampire Damon Salvatore, the brother of Elena's boyfriend Stefan, would also die of a werewolf bite. Stefan and Damon were vampires, and a werewolf bite is fatal to a vampire. Damon was someone whom Elena had previously feared and felt nothing but contempt for. But as they'd all gotten to know each other, Stefan, Damon, Elena, Bonnie, and Jeremy had all grown into a family. Damon had bravely accepted death if it meant less people would die. Thankfully, they'd all been able to prevent all this from happening. Damon had survived, and everyone else had as well. But everybody involved still had a lot of healing to do before they could completely move on.

An overly anxious Bonnie was looking through her ancestor Emily's journal one day, just as a way to relieve her already high stress level, when she came across a spell. Throughout reading the journal she'd come to realize Emily was one of those kinds of witches who specialized in healing and fertility, which was not unusual. Witches were known to seek out and practice spells to help the sick or injured to recover, or to help couples who wanted a child. Although Bonnie had not previously known this about Emily, it didn't surprise her to find out.

But what made Emily different from most people who practiced healing magic – even those who specialized in fertility – was that Emily, up until her presumed death, had been searching for ways to help not only humans but also vampires have babies.

This, of course, shocked Bonnie. She knew, as did anyone who knew anything about vampires, that vampires of both sexes were infertile. After all, they were, in most respects, dead, which of course meant they could never conceive once they were turned.

Emily, however, had apparently been looking for a way to remedy this. It appeared she had been in the process of getting ready to try this spell out to see if it worked. But before she was able to do so, she'd died. Either that or she'd disappeared and had never been heard from again. In any case, no one to date had ever attempted this spell, and as far as anyone knew, no one ever would.

Bonnie, however, wasn't so sure about this. She knew Elena and Stefan had been lamenting the fact that, despite their mutual desire for a child, they'd never be able to have one together because Stefan was a vampire. Not to mention if anyone deserved the utmost happiness, it was Elena. But Bonnie was their mutual friend; she felt sorry for them both. Moreover, Bonnie was Emily's descendant, which meant Bonnie might be able to make this spell work, even if Emily was the one who originated it. Considering this, Bonnie, after repeatedly reading every single word of this spell, felt obligated to reveal it to Elena and Stefan and suggest they try it, so she decided she would.

Just as Bonnie was making up her mind to reveal the spell to her friends, she suddenly felt this strong sense of…something. She couldn't quite identify what the feeling was. She wasn't sure if it was foreboding or uncertainty or something else altogether. What she did know, however, was there was one more detail about this spell, one even Emily had failed to point out. Bonnie knew what this new detail was, but she didn't feel happy about it. In fact, she felt wary and uneasy. Nevertheless, she now felt it was required of her to tell Elena and Stefan about this spell – every single aspect of it. So she would.

After calling Elena at her house to schedule their next get-together, Bonnie went to meet with both Elena and Stefan at the Gilbert house. Bonnie would've preferred it if Jeremy wasn't at home, but if it couldn't be helped, then so be it. It was enough for her to be able to meet with Stefan and Elena in Elena's room with no one eavesdropping or spying on them. And with Jeremy preoccupied with playing video games all evening, Bonnie knew this was her chance to tell Elena and Stefan what she knew.

She gathered them together and began to explain. She'd even brought Emily's journal as proof.

"As you know," Bonnie began, "Emily Bennett, my great-great-great-great-grandmother, was my ancestor and a witch. You remember her, don't you, Stefan?"

"Yes," Stefan said, somewhat reluctantly.

He remembered Emily very well. Elena now knew, too, that Emily had been Katherine's maid, and had also been the one to make Stefan's ring and Damon's on Katherine's orders. When Emily made their rings, it ensured the two brothers would be able to walk in the daylight as vampires without difficulty or fear of burning to death in the sun. This meant Emily had known, long before the Salvatore brothers themselves knew, that Katherine had intended to turn them both before fleeing Mystic Falls.

Damon had fallen in love with Katherine, and Stefan had thought he had, too, but as it turns out, Katherine had used her powers of vampirism to control and manipulate Stefan's thoughts so he would only think he was in love with her. And although Damon, who was honestly smitten with Katherine, might've wanted to become a vampire in order to be with her forever, Stefan never had. Katherine, although she only pretended to love Damon, had apparently been truly infatuated with Stefan. Still, Stefan never would've chosen vampirism if he'd been given the option, which he hadn't. Katherine had made that decision for him, and that was only one of the many reasons why Stefan had hated Katherine for almost the past 150 years.

It later turned out Katherine was undeserving of, as well as ungrateful to, both Stefan and Damon. She herself had made certain of that.

Katherine Pierce, a Bulgarian vampire born as human Katerina Petrova in the 15th century, had first met the two Salvatore brothers when the elder one, Damon, had been fighting in the Confederate army during the American Civil War. The two young men had eventually learned her secret – she was a vampire – and although Damon would certainly never have told, Stefan had made the tragic and fatal mistake of trusting his father, vampire hater Giuseppe Salvatore, not only with Katherine's secret, but with many other vampires' secret as well. As a result, Stefan's mistake had not only cost many vampires their freedom but had also cost Stefan and Damon their lives – at least their human ones.

The people of Mystic Falls by that time had at last realized there were vampires among them, and although some of those vampires were successfully imprisoned or killed, Katherine was ultimately able to leave without thinking or even caring about anyone's safety but her own. The two Salvatore brothers, on the other hand, had thought Katherine was dead and only learned otherwise some decades later. They had tried to rescue her but had failed. In addition, they were both able to finish the process of being turned into vampires, and ever since then the two Salvatore brothers, who had previously been the very best and closest of friends, had instead been at each other's throats – no pun intended.

Emily had told Stefan shortly after he and his brother were turned that she never would've wished vampirism on anyone, and she knew Stefan wouldn't, either. Although Emily honestly hadn't wanted to help Katherine turn the two brothers, Emily had felt she didn't have a say in the matter, as Katherine had once saved Emily's life. This meant Emily was in Katherine's debt, and it seemed to Emily that if used her magic to help Katherine turn Damon and Stefan, it could be Emily's way of repaying her debt to Katherine. Emily had also told Stefan herself that, while Stefan might enjoy it at first, he would ultimately despise being a vampire – and she'd been right. Stefan didn't care to reminisce about this.

"Well, as it turns out, Emily was a healer. She mostly used magic to heal people's diseases and injuries. She tried to cure infertility," Bonnie explained.

"That's not so uncommon. Lots of witches do that, even today," Stefan observed.

"Yes, but in Emily's case, it was different. She didn't want only to help humans get pregnant. She wanted to help vampires have children also," Bonnie said.

For a few moments, both Stefan and Elena were silenced and stood there in disbelief. Then Elena said, "How can you be sure of this, Bonnie?"

"I read it in Emily's journal," Bonnie said. "It appears she'd been in the process or early stages of trying to get this spell to work when she disappeared. I'll show you the spell, if you like." Bonnie opened the book, and before either Stefan or Elena could speak again, she began to give them the details of the spell.

"It says that a certain spell, if done at the right time and under the right conditions, can possibly enable a vampire man to conceive a child with a human woman. If they want to conceive, they'd have to have sex during a specific twelve-hour period. If they want the spell to work, they can't start before that time begins, nor can they finish after that time ends."

Elena was listening intently, as was Stefan. They both nodded to Bonnie to let her know they were paying close attention to what she was telling them. "Go on, Bonnie," Elena urged.

Bonnie continued. "According to my calculations, the spell says that the twelve hours will begin at eight o'clock on the evening of June 13th of this year and will end the next day at eight in the morning on June 14th. The journal offers no explanation for why these twelve hours are so significant; it just gives those hours as the allotted time period. Although the spell doesn't guarantee a pregnancy, it does guarantee that, should a pregnancy occur, it will be a perfectly safe one for both the mother and the baby. There will be no sorts of complications whatsoever."

"You hear that, Stefan? Do you understand what she's saying? If we conceive, that's excellent, and if we don't, we're no worse off than we are now. Do you hear that, Stefan?" Stefan seemed at a loss for words, but his expression betrayed his hopefulness.

Elena and Stefan were obviously very pleased with this. That much was clear to Bonnie, which was why she didn't want to share this last detail of the spell with them. She didn't want to disappoint them immediately after giving them this new hope. But she was going to tell them everything, regardless of whether or not she wanted to. Bonnie knew her friends – or Stefan, at least – wouldn't like this last detail, but she also knew Elena's safety and well-being were far more important to both her and Stefan than was the possibility of Elena and Stefan having a child together. Therefore, even if this final detail of the spell was not to their liking, Bonnie would reveal it.

She loudly cleared her throat, which quieted her friends. "I'm afraid there's one more thing I have to tell you about this spell. I'm reluctant to reveal it, especially seeing how happy you two are about this, but I think it's better if I tell you everything."

Stefan instantly became alert. "What is it, Bonnie?"

Bonnie spoke slowly. "Before I say this, Stefan, let me make something clear. I want to emphasize that this particular detail about the spell isn't actually in Emily's journal. As I was considering telling you and Elena about the spell, I had this very strong urge, one of the kinds I've had before. I don't know if it's a premonition or not, I only know that it has to do with the spell and that it's important. I also want to point out I honestly don't know if this feeling or this detail of the spell will have any kind of effect whatsoever on the outcome of the spell. I don't know if this detail will make any difference at all or not. I only know I feel I have to tell you."

"Tell us then, Bonnie," Elena said.

Bonnie then took a deep breath or two, and then went on. "I just have this very powerful feeling that, if you want the spell to have the best chances to work, it's advisable for you, Stefan, to drink from Elena," Bonnie paused. "During sex."

There was a moment of silence. At first Bonnie wasn't certain Stefan and Elena had understood what she'd just told them. But then Stefan turned his face away from the two of them, and Bonnie now knew for certain Stefan had known what she'd just said and hadn't liked it. Both women could tell Stefan was now apprehensive about this.

Elena, however, didn't show any worries at all. In fact, she seemed adamant that she and Stefan try the spell. She put her arm on Stefan's shoulder in an attempt to reassure him, and although Bonnie knew the gesture hadn't been directed toward her, she took it as a cue for her to leave the room and allow Stefan and Elena to discuss the matter together in private. So, Bonnie compliantly left the room without saying anything else, closing the door behind her, and when they knew she was safely out of earshot, Stefan and Elena began their debate.

"I can't, Elena! I'm sorry, but it's just too dangerous for you." Stefan had now been trying for about half an hour to convince Elena the spell wasn't worth it, and so far he'd been entirely unsuccessful. Just as Stefan was determined not to pose any kind of threat to Elena, she seemed equally as determined, if not more so, to make Stefan change his mind about this.

"Stefan, you know you want this just as desperately as I do. And the both of us also know Bonnie would never try to harm me in any way. She and I would sooner give our lives for each other than let one another be hurt."

"Of course I know it, Elena! In fact, I know you'd sooner sacrifice yourself in order to save all those you love than let them do the same for you."

It was true. At least one time, Elena had already attempted to sacrifice herself to Klaus in order to save the lives of everyone she loved. Thankfully, this hadn't happened, and everyone was glad of it. But no one – Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Bonnie – absolutely no one was willing to let Elena do this again, which was why everyone was doing their best to make certain Elena never went anywhere alone or conferred with anyone unsupervised. However, everyone in Elena's family and close-knit circle also now knew Klaus was looking for Elena, intent on killing her, and that was why everyone – that is, everyone aware of this fact – had also been taking such extreme precautions with her recently.

Elena was well aware of what Stefan had just made clear, and she was admittedly less than pleased with herself. She hated it when Stefan or anyone else went out of their way to remind her of this fact, not that she blamed them for it. Even so, she wouldn't let that distract her from the topic at hand.

"I understand how you feel, Stefan. However, I know Bonnie revealed this spell to us for a reason. She knows how much you and I want to have a child together, which therefore can only mean she told us about this spell in order to make that happen."

"Elena, first of all, you heard Bonnie herself say the spell doesn't promise a pregnancy. And even if it did, how would Bonnie be able to make that happen? It was Emily who originated the spell, not Bonnie."

"I know, Stefan, but really, if Bonnie had never thought this spell would help us or that she could cast it, then why do you think she might've told us about it at all? And besides that, you heard what she said. A pregnancy might not happen, but if it does it'll be a completely safe one. Therefore, what have we to lose from trying? "

"There's one more matter you've been neglecting to mention," Stefan interjected. "I have to drink your blood while simultaneously making love to you. And I can't do that. It's too risky."

"How?" Elena asked him. "Exactly how is it risky?"

This was a reasonable question. After all, Stefan himself had suggested he start drinking human blood regularly again. The reason for this was because Stefan hoped that, by doing so, he might be able to develop some kind of resistance to the lure and temptation of human blood. Katherine had confessed to him she'd been ingesting vervain regularly for at least half a century, and as a result she had developed immunity to it, so it no longer affected her. Stefan had made this suggestion to Elena, hoping it would have the same kind of outcome as Katherine's, and Stefan had since been drinking Elena's blood at her own insistence. They'd been doing this together for about a few months now.

In addition, Stefan and Elena had been having sex with each other for far longer, over a year now, and neither of them had any objections to or misgivings about it. In fact, whenever one of them was willing to have sex, then certainly so was the other. Ever since Elena had confessed to Stefan she loved him, Stefan had been entirely willing, even determined, to remain in Mystic Falls with her. Hearing those words from Elena's own lips had been pure happiness to Stefan because they meant his love for Elena was mutual, which was more than he'd dared to hope for. He'd already confessed to his late best friend, the vampire Lexi, how much he'd loved Elena, and for the rest of that time, despite Stefan's skepticism, Lexi had been happy with and supportive of Stefan's love for Elena. In fact, it was not until Stefan had told Lexi just how he felt about Elena that Lexi had made Stefan realize through her own realization and acknowledgement that he was actually in love with Elena at all. The two women had even become friends themselves, albeit for a tragically short time, and Lexi had given Elena advice and encouragement on how to make a human-vampire romance work.

And so far, it had, although not without problems. In the many months since then, everyone had learned Elena was wanted by Klaus because there was a specific reason Elena and Katherine were identical: Elena was Katherine's doppelganger. This meant Elena was needed by Klaus to break the Sun and Moon Curse, and the only way it could be broken was to kill Elena. Katherine had been the Petrova doppelganger before Elena and had learned of Klaus' plans for her. After that, she'd intentionally become a vampire in order to avoid being used to break the curse, as it was strictly a human doppelganger that was needed for the sacrifice. And although no one knew for certain yet just what exactly Klaus' vendetta was against Katherine or, therefore, her doppelganger, they did know they all had to do whatever was necessary to protect Elena.

Unlike Katherine, whose family sadly hadn't loved her, Elena had many people in her life who loved her and whom she loved. Whereas Katherine was cold-hearted, manipulative, and selfish, Elena was the exact opposite in every way. Elena cared and worried about her family and friends, and although she, like Stefan, had initially feared and even despised Damon, Elena had, in spite of herself, developed a genuine friendship with him as well. Elena wanted everyone she loved – Damon, Caroline, Stefan, Jeremy, Bonnie, Matt, Alaric, even the moronic Tyler – to be safe. She even cared about those who didn't care about her. She was compassionate and altruistic and brave, which was quite likely part of why everybody who loved her wanted to protect her. And one of those people, of course, was Stefan.

And this was precisely why Stefan didn't want to put Elena at such a risk, especially one he thought was completely unnecessary. He and others had been working very hard and had spent much time and energy to make sure Elena was safe. He didn't want what everyone had done to protect Elena to end up being for nothing. No one else wanted it, either, but Stefan in particular didn't want it.

And it wasn't just that. Part of Stefan was repulsed by the very idea of being the one to drink from Elena during sex. It was Damon who did that sort of thing to women, not Stefan. Moreover, Damon usually did it to women he barely knew, and he compelled most of them to let him do it. Although Stefan knew he wouldn't be compelling Elena to do anything, and although he knew she'd willingly let him do it, Stefan still couldn't bare the idea of doing this to anyone at all, much less Elena, the woman he loved. Damon would gladly do this, but Stefan, as always, was determined to be nothing like his brother.

Elena waited for Stefan to answer her. "Stefan, I asked you a question. How is drinking my blood during sex dangerous to me?"

Stefan had never wanted to tell Elena this before, and he had honestly hoped he'd never have to tell. But now that she'd asked him he was required to answer, and he certainly wasn't going to lie to her.

He took a deep breath. "Elena," he said, "Ever since you and I first slept together, I've never once tired of it. I love you, and I love making love to you. Your body is every bit as beautiful as your soul… you are by far the most beautiful woman – human or vampire –I've ever known in my 163 years. And considering that you're physically identical to Katherine, who's a vampire, the fact that you're even more beautiful than she is certainly says something. Anyone as beautiful as you, whether outwardly or inwardly, is fortunate to be so blessed. With this in mind, I find it hard to believe you would ever love or even want to love someone like me, not only because I'm a vampire and obviously dangerous but also because of the things I now regret having done after I was first turned. Nevertheless, I'm grateful you love me, which is why I've always been awfully careful not to let my sexual desire over you get the better of me. I've always tried to be careful not to harm you when we're making love, which is a bit difficult because a vampire's lust for blood can happen along with his lust for sex. I'm just glad I've never done it.

"And your blood is desirable as well. I've never told you this, Elena, because I've always been afraid to tell you lest you stop trusting me. But now it seems I ought to tell you, so I will: the very first time I drank your blood, it was intoxicating. Human blood is more preferable to vampires in general, but yours in particular is very tempting to me, partially since I'd not drunk human blood in a few decades by the time I met you. So, in retrospect, I'm astonished I was able to drink from you without killing you. I know why you did it; you were saving my life. And after that I saved yours, so I don't regret what you did for me. But it wasn't exactly easy.

"And again, when you offered me your blood, which you've been doing for months now…well, I'm more used to it by now, so it's therefore slightly easier for me to resist my urge to drink you dry. But when you first offered, I wasn't so sure I could; I was, as always, afraid of hurting you, even though you yourself never were. The only reason I didn't argue with you then was because I knew it was pointless. I also knew you intended to help me, just like you had that first time. So, I went along with it, despite my better judgment. So far, everything's gone well with that.

"But you see, Elena, after putting all this information together, that if I were to drink your blood during sex…I just don't think it's advisable, Elena, whatever Bonnie might think. I know she means well, but she's not a vampire, so she honestly doesn't know just how difficult it really is to resist the urge for human blood. And I think if she truly knew just how much I've wanted to drink from you in the past, she'd have second thoughts about trusting me with this.

"Not only that, Elena, but I've already watched you die once, and I know you were miraculously able to back to life – as a human, no less – but it was sheer torture to see it happen. It was the absolute worst scene I've ever witnessed. And if it happened again and it couldn't be undone the second time, that would be far worse. But what would hurt the most would be the fact that it would be at my own hands that time. And it would be needless.

"So, do you see now, Elena, why I can't do this to you? It's just too dangerous. I'm sorry, I truly am, but you have to think, for once, of your own greater good. So many have already been hurt and killed. I simply can't allow that to happen to any more people."

Stefan was nearly in tears by the time he was done talking, and Elena, having listened attentively to every word of Stefan's long speech, was nevertheless totally unwavering in her faith.

"Stefan," she said in a perfectly calm voice, "I appreciate that this idea might be difficult for you to accept, or that this challenge might seem too risky for you to undertake. But I want you to hear me out: I trust you implicitly. I've trusted you for so long already, with both my body and my blood, as well as with my life and the lives of those I love, that I could never think of any reason not to trust you with both of the two parts of me you crave at the same time. Besides, the thought of you drinking my blood during sex seems like a far less dangerous and much safer scenario than what Greta, Klaus, and Elijah recently did to me. And quite honestly, Stefan, if you and I are ever going to be fully able to have a happy, trusting relationship with each other, free of worries and fears, then you need to abandon all your fears just as I have already abandoned all of mine. How can we ever enjoy our lives freely and peacefully if one or both of us is always afraid? And besides, if none of us ever tried new things, we'd never know what we're capable of. Therefore, I can think of absolutely no legitimate reason why we shouldn't attempt this spell Bonnie has given us as a gift.

"I understand you'll need some time to consider everything I've said and make up your mind. I'll give you one week before I expect an answer. Once you've given me that answer, I'll accept and respect it, even if I don't agree with it. I just hope, however, that you'll give a great deal of good thought and consideration into Bonnie's offer before you make your final choice. And when you're thinking about it, I want you to keep both your own desires and mine in close perspective."

Stefan, despite his fears, realized that Elena's proposal was perfectly reasonable, so he agreed to do as she said. They would meet privately again in a week with their final decisions, and would not see each other in the meantime unless there was no alternative. Since Elena's mind was clearly already made up, this meant it was up to Stefan to decide once and for all whether he and she would do as Bonnie suggested. And even if Elena was unhappy with his ultimate choice, she agreed not to argue the matter any further with him afterwards.

Elena, for her part, didn't need to give any more consideration whatsoever to her choice. For Stefan, though, it was another matter altogether. He seemed entirely unable to decide either way. And yet he knew he had to decide, and even a week seemed like far too little time to do it. He didn't want to disappoint or anger Elena, but far more than that he didn't want to endanger her.

At first Stefan stubbornly stood by his initial decision not to go through with the spell, but as the days passed by it became increasingly difficult for him to continue to refuse what Bonnie had offered him and Elena. What made him start to change his mind was when he recalled just how happy he'd been when Bonnie had first revealed Emily's spell to him and Elena. Stefan had been happy; in fact, he'd been elated. For over a century Stefan had felt deeply saddened, even heartbroken, by the fact that he knew he'd never be a father. And after he'd begun his committed relationship with Elena and learned that she wanted this with him as well, Stefan lamented even more that he was infertile, not only for his own sake but for Elena's also. He wanted to be able to conceive a child with Elena, partly because he wanted it with her and partly because she equally wanted it with him. Even so, he wasn't entirely sure if this spell should be employed to achieve that goal if it meant posing this risk to her.

But then Stefan remembered how altruistic Elena was, and how much she deserved to have everything she wanted. Stefan owed Elena as much. She'd already been both willing and prepared to give her life for all those she loved, and if that happened, she'd never be a mother anyway. Elena had already given so much and even tried to give her own life in order to help others live and people who did that were truly the most deserving of happiness.

So, for that matter, was Bonnie. Only recently she'd been willing and prepared, just as her best friend Elena had been, to give her life for others. It hadn't come to that, thankfully, though most had thought it had. Stefan came to see that Bonnie deserved the benefit of the doubt this time, so he should give it to her, if for no other reason than to prove to Bonnie that both he and Elena trusted her.

So, with that, Stefan had finally made up his mind, and as it turned out he did it just in the nick of time, because the very next day after making his final decision he remembered he was scheduled to give it to Elena. He'd been so obsessively absorbed in thought that he'd lost track of all that time! But given that he was a vampire and it was late at night, he had very little trouble reaching Elena at her house just as she was expecting him to.

In spite of her trepidation, Elena was clearly happy to see Stefan, but then, she always was. She smiled at him, and the effect was contagious. Stefan began to smile, too. He sat down with Elena on her bed and began to talk.

"Elena, as you know, I've been giving this topic a great deal of thought. I tried to weigh all the options and to see this matter from alternate viewpoints, and quite honestly, it was pretty exhausting. I guess what I'm basically trying to say is that…I've begun to see that you deserve a child, and you deserve all the kinds of happiness the world can give you. The same can't be said for me. But at any rate, you deserve this gift, this chance, and Bonnie has given it to the both of us. So, with that in mind, I'm about to give you my final decision on the matter."

Elena stared at Stefan and didn't speak a word, but the anticipation of what she felt certain he was about to say was clearly readable all over her face.

"I've decided you and I should try this spell. I still have my misgivings about it, but I've figured you deserve at least a chance to achieve this goal. Therefore, it would be cruel of me to deny you this chance when I can give it to you. Elena, my answer is yes."

Elena's smile, which had been a mere grin before, was now so wide it went from ear to ear on her face. She hugged and kissed Stefan and said, "Stefan, even if this spell doesn't work, at least we'll have made an effort. More importantly, though, I'll be eternally grateful to you for your willingness to try, no matter what happens. No matter at all." So the two of them kissed, and marked the date on their respective calendars.

In the meantime, they still had nearly two months until then, and Stefan decided to use that time wisely. He went on more and more hunting trips (though, thankfully, none of his victims were human), feeding more often than usual, and in fact more often than most vampires even needed to feed. His feedings were both more frequent and more numerous, as well as lengthier. He wanted to make absolutely certain that, when it was finally time for him to meet this challenge, he would be fully prepared so there would be as little risk to Elena as possible.

Stefan didn't only prepare himself physically. He knew it was just as crucial, if not even more so, that he prepare himself mentally. This, however, wasn't as easy. He knew, though, that it was important, so he did his best. He kept reminding himself many times, every hour of every day, that the entire time he'd be doing this to Elena, he had to be alert. He could never lose control or concentration, not once. He repeatedly stressed to himself how this was of the utmost importance and he could never let himself forget it for even a second. He doubted Elena would allow him to forget it, either, but he ultimately had to remember it for himself. Stefan feared that, when the time came, he suddenly wouldn't remember, but he was determined to conquer this fear, just as Elena was always urging him to do. He wanted to be brave, like Elena, and he wanted to enjoy his life with her, just as she did herself. So, despite his wariness, he was going to be ready to meet this challenge head-on – and overcome it.

So, after nearly two months of heavy preparation, as well as great anticipation, the evening of June the 13th came, and it was just after eight o'clock, and Stefan and Elena were alone together in his room at the Salvatore Boarding House. They'd both already made the necessary arrangements to ensure they'd be alone. Jeremy had a date with Bonnie and Damon was somewhere doing whatever he pleased. What he actually was doing, no one knew, but no one cared to know, Stefan and Elena least of all. They were both fully preoccupied by the mission at hand, as well as eagerly waiting for the intense love and pleasure that would automatically come with it.

Even though they knew they already had privacy, Stefan still made sure every door and every window in the entire house was closed, locked, and with the curtains drawn. This made the rest of the house dark, but Stefan's room was lit enough. And now he and Elena were standing there in his room together, ready to do this together.

Gently, they undressed each other. Stefan and Elena took it slowly because they wanted to savor every moment. Even if this spell didn't prove useful, they both wanted this to be the most memorable sex they'd ever had together. As he undressed her, Stefan caressed and kissed Elena's bare skin and face and lips and neck, and she did the same to him. As Stefan kissed Elena's neck, he could easily feel her pulse throbbing under her skin. Soon, they were both totally naked, and their exposed bodies were vulnerable. Then Elena did something Stefan hadn't anticipated or expected: with Stefan clearly watching her, she removed the vervain from her neck and let it fall to the floor.

"Why did you do that, Elena?" Stefan asked, puzzled. "Are you upset with me in some way?" The last time Stefan knew Elena had done that, she had indeed been angry with him.

"Not at all, Stefan" she assured him calmly. "I just want to remind you just how much I love and trust you."

This left Stefan speechless. Without her vervain, and with her submitting both her blood and her body to him at the same time, Elena, by all accounts, truly was at Stefan's mercy. She was doing this not out of foolishness but rather to prove to him how much she indeed trusted him in every way.

This only served to strengthen Stefan's resolve not to harm her. He was going to prove himself worthy of Elena's trust, and the knowledge that she trusted him so much actually seemed to ease Stefan's fears, not worsen them. And so, with that, they gave themselves to each other fully.

Stefan gently laid Elena down on his bed, and as she closed her eyes, she felt him separate her legs as far apart as they would go. Stefan took a step back off the bed to make sure he was completely erect. When he knew he was, Elena felt him rejoin her on the bed, and she took a deep breath without opening her eyes. An instant later, he pushed himself firmly inside her and their bodies were joined.

Elena welcomed the familiar warmth and comfort of Stefan's body inside hers. He was very hard inside her. She caressed and rubbed his back as he fondled and squeezed her breasts. His fingertips touching her body and his tongue parting her lips were an intoxicatingly powerful combination. He held her head in one hand and felt her pulse on her neck with the other in order to increase both her feelings of pleasure and his own. He could feel her heartbeat quickening. Stefan knew if his own heart could beat at all it would be pounding right now. For about a minute he laid his ear against Elena's chest to listen to her heart beating loudly, and the sound was very soothing and yet, at the same time, more arousing. He began to feel Elena moving her thighs in and out while gripping his shoulders as they continued to kiss. He could feel her vaginal muscles getting tighter and tighter around his hardness, which only increased the already intense pleasure. He knew it was getting closer to time.

Elena then opened her eyes, and without saying a word, she offered Stefan her wrist. She didn't need to tell Stefan what she was thinking, and he didn't need to ask her.

Stefan now closed his eyes and lowered his face, but didn't utter a word. Elena could see he was making last-second preparations, and she knew it was better if she didn't disturb him. So, for a few very long moments, she said nothing but waited patiently.

Finally, Stefan opened his eyes again. His face was all vamped-up, the way it sometimes was when he was aroused, and Elena now knew he was ready. She closed her eyes again and braced herself, and a split second later gritted her teeth as she felt the now-familiar but nevertheless painful sting of Stefan's sharp fangs as they pierced her skin.

Stefan tried right now to make it as painless for her as possible, with moderate success. The very first time he'd bitten Elena, it had hurt her, but that was at least partially because there'd been no time for Elena to brace herself, nor had there been any time for Stefan to exercise restraint when he'd bitten her. At that particular time they'd both been focusing only on buying themselves enough time to escape from Frederick with both their lives, and so it had hurt not only when Elena felt Stefan actually bite her but also when she'd felt as if her blood was being quickly sucked up by a vacuum.

Now, however, it was different, better, nice. In fact, Elena liked it this time. Not only was it less painful, but it was actually intensely pleasurable for her.

Elena's pleasure, however, paled in comparison to Stefan's. He might've successfully prepared himself for the physical and mental challenge of this, but he'd failed to prepare for or even guess at the immense pleasure he was feeling right now. Elena was seductively delicious in both blood and body, and as this was the very first time Stefan had ever experienced both together, he had nothing to compare it to. But then, he doubted there ever could be any kind of comparison, because he doubted anyone or anything in this world could ever be as beautiful or pleasurable or indescribable all at once as Elena was right now. Stefan felt certain that, no matter how long eternity might be, it would definitely be more than long enough for him always to remember this moment, this experience, this night he was having with Elena right here and right now.

And then, almost without realizing it, Stefan had stopped drinking from her, just like that. This surprised him; he never would've thought it could be that remarkably easy. And yet, it had. He had done it. He had drunk from Elena while simultaneously making love to her, and they had both enjoyed it, and then he had given Elena his blood for her to drink in order to stop her bleeding. They had done all of it – all without harming Elena!

Elena and Stefan smiled contentedly at each other, but there was more than just mutual contentment in their eyes. Stefan could see Elena was proud of him and grateful to him; Elena could see Stefan was relieved and satisfied. In addition to all that, Elena and Stefan were both pleased they each had been able to give each other pleasure and love while at the same time receiving both. Stefan gently placed his fingertips on Elena's neck to feel her pulse again, except this time he did it to make sure the bleeding was entirely healed. It was, and he and Elena stared at each other.

For a little while longer, they continued to make love to each other, and soon Stefan could feel his violent vibrations inside Elena's body, and Elena felt them, too. Then they climaxed together, and it was so powerful they both gasped and moaned so loudly they feared others would hear them. But no one disturbed them, so it seemed no one even noticed them. Stefan and Elena smiled at one another and gazed into each other's eyes, mutely speaking of their profound mutual love. They were both extremely happy they'd accepted Bonnie's offer and thankful she'd made it for them. They spent the rest of the night in one another's arms. And they had no worries because they knew they wouldn't go past the allotted time Bonnie had specified for them. Neither of them would ever regret having done this tonight. Even if this spell didn't work, it was by all means worth it.

About five or six weeks had gone by since Stefan and Elena had tried this spell, and they hadn't told anyone about it, not even Bonnie. On this particular day, nothing was out of the ordinary, at least not yet. Elena and Stefan awoke together that morning not knowing or even thinking this day would change their lives and several others' lives along with theirs.

Elena wasn't sick, but she felt slightly dizzy and queasy, and was hungrier than usual. She noticed she'd been feeling that way for several days now. She also noticed she hadn't gotten her period at all this month. She wondered if…. could it be true? Did the spell work? Was she pregnant with Stefan's child? She had to know.

She immediately scheduled an appointment with her doctor, and was happily surprised to hear it could take place as soon as that very afternoon. This was a relief for Elena because it meant she wouldn't have to be in the dark for long. She decided, however, she would not tell Stefan because she didn't want him to worry. She also didn't want to get his hopes up and then have to disappoint him. So she decided if she wasn't pregnant she would keep this doctor's appointment to herself and try to hide her own disappointment. But if she was…she would deal with that scenario when she knew for certain.

Later that day Elena drove to her doctor's office and arrived right on time. The doctor was waiting for her, and it took very little time for Elena to get ready. Once she was, she told her doctor all of her symptoms. As standard procedure, she gave them a urine sample. It was enough proof.

A short time later, during all of which Elena was quite anxious for a definitive answer, her doctor came back. She smiled at Elena, and in that moment Elena thought she knew what her doctor was about to tell her. As it turned out, Elena thought correctly. She was pregnant!

Elena was so overwhelmingly happy she screamed for joy and then hugged her doctor so tightly that for a moment the doctor couldn't breathe. Elena asked if everything was all right with her unborn child so far, and the doctor assured her the fetus appeared to be perfectly healthy and so did Elena herself. It was, of course, still too early to know for sure, but from what the doctor could tell, both mother and child were fine. Elena would have to come in for regular checkups each month for the remainder of her pregnancy just to make sure everything stayed fine. Elena was only too happy to comply. She already loved this child with all her heart and soul and would do anything for it. She was also pleased (and secretly grateful) her doctor hadn't asked any personal questions, such as who the father of Elena's child was. But Elena didn't care to stay and allow the doctor to ask. As soon as her next monthly appointment was scheduled, Elena enthusiastically thanked and paid her doctor, then excused herself and hastily left for Stefan's house.

Elena could barely contain herself. She just couldn't wait to tell Stefan she and he were having a child together. And Elena knew for certain Stefan was her child's father because he was the only man she'd ever had sex with. He was in fact the only man she'd ever wanted to have sex with. She knew he'd be just as elated as she was when he heard the news. Actually, she now realized, he'd be even more elated because he'd been infertile, not to mention lonely and heartbroken, for over a century now. Elena didn't walk out of the doctor's office; she'd felt like she herself was floating out. She eagerly drove to Stefan's. She was barely able to keep from driving above the speed limit and she found it difficult just to pause briefly for a stop sign or a red light. Finally, she was at Stefan's house, and without knocking or making any kind of announcement that she'd arrived, she threw open the door and cried out for Stefan.

"Stefan! Stefan! I can't wait to tell you! Stefan, where are you?" Elena loudly cried out.

It turned out Stefan was talking to Damon for some reason. What that reason was, Elena didn't ask and didn't care to ask. She soon found the two brothers and quickly grabbed Stefan by the arm and literally tried to drag him out of the room.

"Whoa, Elena! What are you so excited about?" Stefan asked.

"Stefan, I have to tell you something very important!" Elena said excitedly.

"Can't it wait a minute, Elena?" Damon asked. "My brother and I are… bonding, as it were."

"No, Damon! I have to tell Stefan something very important, and I have to tell him it right now!" Elena told both brothers.

"Well, if it's important, Elena, can't you tell us both at once? Shouldn't we both know?" Stefan asked.

"No, Stefan! I have to tell you right away, and it has to be in private!" Elena repeated.

"Is there an emergency? Is someone in trouble?" Stefan asked, suddenly nervous.

"No! Do I look upset? This is something very important, and I have to tell you immediately, and privately! I assure you, no one's hurt!" Elena assured them.

Stefan then realized he had no choice but to speak to Elena alone right that minute, so he smiled as he said to Damon, with as much politeness as he could muster, "Excuse me, brother. I have a private matter to attend to." Damon didn't protest, but then he didn't have the time to protest, because before anyone could say another word Stefan and Elena were both in Stefan's room with the door locked.

"Elena, what's all this about?" Stefan asked her.

Elena gestured for Stefan to come sit next to her on his bed, so he did. He suddenly realized just how much Elena's face was happily beaming.

"Stefan, do you remember that spell from Emily? The one Bonnie showed us? The one where you had to…?" Stefan nodded to her. "Of course I remember," he said with a grin. "How could I ever forget? That was the best night of my life." Elena smiled and went on. "Well, guess what? I went to the doctor today, and…it worked."

Stefan just sat there staring. "What?" He asked.

"Stefan, the spell worked. We did it. I'm pregnant, Stefan! We're having a baby together, you and I! We're going to be parents together!"

Stefan smiled the hugest smile Elena had ever seen and instantly kissed her. They kissed so passionately and held each other so tightly. They didn't know how long they'd been kissing and holding each other before Stefan finally, albeit begrudgingly, broke the kiss and said, "I can't believe it! Elena, you have no idea how happy I am right now!"

"Oh, I think I do," Elena said. "After all, I felt this way before you did." Stefan chuckled a bit, and then kissed her again and asked, "Have you told anyone else?"

"No," answered Elena. "You're the first I've told."

Stefan was shocked to realize he was crying a little now. Elena had never seen Stefan cry, not ever. She was glad, though, that the first time she witnessed him crying was when he was crying not tears of pain but rather tears of joy. A joy he was sharing with her as he laid his hand on her abdomen, half-hoping he would already be able to feel their unborn baby.

In those few moments, with his hand on Elena's belly, Stefan knew he already loved his child more than the entire world. He wanted to be a good father. He was determined to be a far better father than his own. He would love and protect Elena and their unborn baby, and he would be the exact opposite of his own father Giuseppe Salvatore, that much was certain.

"We're going to have to tell the others," Stefan said somberly. "Whom else should we tell first?"

"I'll let you decide when and how to tell Damon," Elena said. "After all, you know him and his habits best. I think it's only fair we both tell Bonnie, and we tell her first. After all, if it weren't for her, this spell would've never happened, and we wouldn't be having this baby. As for Jeremy, I'll try to figure out the best time and way to tell him."

"That sounds like a fair plan," Stefan said, and for a long time afterwards the two of them just sat there together in happy silence. They held one another and kissed and cherished each other and the new life they'd conceived, the new life growing inside Elena's body. The two of them felt certain they had never been so happy before in their entire lives. There would be challenges ahead; there could be no denying that. But for now, they would savor this moment and enjoy this gift they'd been given, and they would both do their best with the rest when the time came.

The first person they decided to tell was Bonnie, and they decided to tell her as soon as possible. So, the next day, Elena invited Bonnie over to the Gilbert house. "Bonnie," Elena said over the phone, "There's something very important Stefan and I need to tell you, and we want to tell you alone, no one else."

"Why?" Bonnie asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes," Elena said, "But it's very important I tell you this right away." Bonnie agreed to come, and about an hour later she arrived. Stefan and Elena were waiting for her.

"Hey, guys," Bonnie said. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Elena said. "Let's go up to my room and we'll tell you the news."

Once the three of them were upstairs in Elena's room and the door was closed, Bonnie said, "Okay, so what's the news?" Elena smiled and said, "Bonnie, you were the one who gave us Emily's spell, the fertility one for human-vampire couples. And Stefan and I called you here to thank you."

"Thank me… for what?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, I went to the doctor's yesterday and found out the spell worked," Elena answered.

At first, Bonnie just stood there open-mouthed. Then she found her voice again and asked, "Are you serious?"

"Of course we're serious, Bonnie. Why would we joke with you about something like this?" Stefan asked her.

"We're telling you, Bonnie, that Stefan and I are having a baby together. The spell worked!" Elena said.

Bonnie suddenly gave out a loud, long scream of delight. She was so happy for her friends. She could scarcely believe this! Elena and Stefan were going to be parents and they had Bonnie (and Emily) to thank for it. Bonnie jumped up and gave both Stefan and Elena a huge hug.

"Oh, congratulations! Congratulations, you two!" It was Bonnie's turn to be elated. "Who else knows?"

"Stefan was the first person I told," Elena explained. "You're only the second person to hear this news. No one else knows yet."

"Oh, you didn't have to tell me next," Bonnie said. "You could've waited to tell me after telling everyone else first."

"I know," Elena said. "But since you're my best friend and the one who gave us this spell, I felt you deserved to know right away. But we still have to tell Alaric, Jeremy, and Damon."

As for Jeremy, Elena didn't imagine he'd be too happy. He would be quick to remind Elena of how much she herself had preached to him about not getting into any kind of trouble. Now that she was pregnant and unmarried, she felt she was no longer in a position to talk about setting good examples or to give advice.

Elena didn't realize until that moment just how foolish and unprepared she'd been. She should have thought, before attempting this spell, how everyone else might react if she got pregnant. Now that it had happened, though, she realized she really was in a predicament. The consequences of this spell were larger and more serious than she'd been willing to realize before. Nevertheless, the spell had already been attempted and the goal reached, and now Elena and Stefan were only just starting to understand everything else that automatically came with that goal.

Bonnie was beginning to understand it, too, and she wanted to help. She gently took Elena's hand and said soothingly, "Elena, whatever else you need me to help you with, just tell me and I'll do whatever I can. I know it won't be easy, but I'll help you and Stefan as long as you both need me to help you."

Elena and Stefan both smiled in gratitude to Bonnie, and Stefan said, "Bonnie, you know you're under no obligation to help us with this particular situation. After all, we're the parents."

"Actually, Stefan, in a way I am obligated. I'm the one who told you about this spell in the first place, and although Emily's the one who originated it, I'm the one who, in essence, put it into effect. Therefore, in a way, I'm just as much responsible for this as the two of you are. And apart from that, you and Elena are my friends. I want to help, even if I'm not required to help. So, as I said, I'm offering you both my help however and wherever it's needed."

Elena hugged Bonnie again, and said, "Bonnie, you know I'll always be grateful to you for this, and Stefan will as well. That's why I'm now offering you something. Would you like to be an unofficial aunt to my child?"

Bonnie was touched. She didn't know what to say right away. For a few moments, none of them said anything. Stefan didn't object at all; in fact, he seemed pleased that Elena had made this offer. As for Elena, she truly hoped Bonnie would accept it.

At last, Bonnie said, "Elena, I'd be honored."

"Well, then," Elena said, "We'll take everything else as it comes." And with that, Elena, Bonnie, and Stefan began to discuss the next thing they had to do.

Stefan initially decided he would tell Damon by himself, but at the last minute he asked Elena to accompany him, perhaps for security reasons or as backup in case Damon accused Stefan of lying. But whatever Stefan's reason was for changing his mind, of course Elena agreed, although frankly she didn't think her being there with Stefan would make any difference in Damon's reaction to their news. Still, she wanted to be supportive of Stefan just as he had always been of her, so a few days later they called Damon into the parlor of the Boarding House. "This had better be good," he said grumpily.

"Damon," Stefan began. "There's something very major Elena and I need to share with you. It has nothing to do with Elijah or Klaus or Katherine or werewolves or anything else that's been the topic of many of our recent conversations. It involves me and Elena primarily, but it also involves you and a few others. And before we tell you what this news is, we have to stress how crucial it is that you never reveal to anyone a single word of what we're about to say."

Damon was paying attention. He could obviously tell how important this news was. Finally, he said, "Okay, spill."

Elena spoke first. "Damon, you remember Emily, don't you?"

"Oh, you mean Katherine's slave girl/witch who created my ring? Yeah, I remember her. I remember her better than I'd like to remember her, really." Damon grimaced. He hated Katherine now, too, because he now knew she'd never genuinely loved him. She'd only made him think she had. Katherine herself had confessed this information to him. And because of this, he now hated Emily as well as Katherine. Damon knew, however, that this was not the time to ruminate about that, so he continued to listen.

"Well, it turns out Emily was an ancestor of Bonnie's, and she was also a witch who practiced healing. She was in the process of creating a spell to help cure vampire infertility when she vanished." Elena explained.

Damon looked perplexed, but also amused, as if he thought Stefan and Elena were joking. "Elena, you yourself once asked me if vampires can reproduce, and I answered you honestly when I said no. I know you're disappointed, and I knew it then, too, and I'm sorry for you and Stefan, but there's nothing anyone can do to change it. Not even a witch."

"Actually, Damon, you're wrong. Or at least, you might not have been wrong before, but you are now." Stefan said.

Damon was skeptical. "What do you mean? Stefan, I've known for ages that you and Elena have long been lovey-dovey and all, but that doesn't mean you can actually make me believe you're really having a baby together."

"Actually, we are," Stefan said.

Damon just stood there and said, "Come again?"

"You heard what Stefan said, Damon. We're having a baby together, and that means you're going to be an uncle," Elena said.

"Come again?" Damon repeated.

"Damon, we said it. Elena and I are going to be parents; we know it for fact. Elena went to see her doctor last week, and the doctor confirmed it. She's pregnant with my child, thanks to a spell of Emily's that Bonnie gave us," Stefan said firmly.

Damon smiled a sarcastic smile and chuckled in mock laughter. "Yeah, right, get lost. Not even all of the most powerful witches in the world combined can pull that off. Stop pulling my leg."

"Damon…" Elena began.

"No!" Damon interrupted her. "Listen, Elena, even if I believed you – which, as I'm sure you've noticed, I don't – I wouldn't be happy about this. Don't you realize the problems this could cause? The risks it might pose, not just to you and my brother but to everyone else involved?"

"I was aware of those dangers even before Stefan and I willingly attempted this spell, Damon," Elena said. "We both were. But we were also both willing to face all those dangers, and we still are. Whatever happens to either me or Stefan – or our child – we will be willing to face those risks and defeat them head-on." She paused for breath.

"Look, Damon," Elena said before Damon got a chance to cut her off again, "I expected you wouldn't exactly take this news well. I suppose neither Stefan nor I should be surprised by your refusal to believe us. But eventually my pregnancy will become obvious to everyone, including you, and then you will know for certain Stefan and I aren't lying to you.

"Until then, Stefan and I want to remind you that not a single word of this matter must leave this house or even this room, not without expressed permission from both me and Stefan. And now that I own this house, you know you absolutely have to follow my rules and respect my wishes, whether you agree with them or not. If I find out you've broken this rule – the one that states you mustn't tell anyone I'm having Stefan's baby – I'll punish you. I don't know yet how I'll do it, but I promise you I'll find a way to do it. Don't think I won't find out, and don't think I won't carry out my threats to punish you, either.

"Now, regardless of what you might think, Damon, I don't want to punish you. In spite of myself, I want you to be a part of your niece's or nephew's life, even though you might not want to be, at least not now. I hope you will eventually change your mind about that, but if you betray our secret, or if you do some irrationally crazy or foolish thing, then I guarantee you'll never know your brother's child. If you ever disobey me or expose my secret, then you'll never be a part of that child's life. In fact, now I think of it that can be your punishment if you tell. You'll never be an uncle after all.

"As I said, I very much want my child to know his or her uncle, and despite what Stefan might tell you or me, I think he wants his child to know you, also. So don't expose our secret and ruin this chance for both yourself and this baby. You're not to tell a single soul one word about my pregnancy until both Stefan and I specifically say you can. Do you understand?"

Damon grumbled loudly, and then said, "Fine, have it your way. My lips are sealed. For now, anyway." And without another word, Damon angrily walked away, sulking as he went.

Elena and Stefan, figuring this rather smug answer was the closest they could get to an actual promise from Damon not to tell their secret, decided to satisfy themselves with it. Their next person to tell was Jeremy, and Elena and Stefan both feared he could be even more difficult to tell than Damon.

Elena decided it would probably be best if she, Stefan, and Bonnie all participated in telling Jeremy. Elena feared Jeremy would see her as a hypocrite. After all, Elena getting pregnant out of wedlock immediately after graduating from high school wasn't exactly setting a good example for her younger brother. Still, he had every right to know, and Elena judged it best to tell him voluntarily and thereby let him know she was not hiding something from him. She also thought if Stefan and Bonnie also told Jeremy, he would more easily believe her. If nothing else, at least Elena would have Stefan and Bonnie there to support her when she broke the news to her brother.

So, the day after revealing her pregnancy to Damon, Elena then, along with Stefan and Bonnie, met Jeremy in his room.

"Jeremy," Elena began nervously, "There's something very important we need to tell you, and we would prefer to tell you all of it so you'll know I'm not keeping any more secrets from you."

Jeremy was listening. "Okay, what?"

"First of all, Jeremy," Stefan said, "Before we reveal this to you, please promise us you'll keep it secret from everyone. Don't tell anybody without first consulting the three of us."

Jeremy began to look a bit tense. "Is it something involving my sister?"

"Yes," Bonnie, Stefan, and Elena all said in unison.

"Is it something bad or dangerous? Is someone about to die?" Jeremy asked with an edge of both panic and genuine concern in his voice.

"No!" they all said in unison again, more firmly than before.

"Well, then, what is it?" Jeremy asked, except this time there were eager anticipation and even exasperation in his voice instead of dread or fear.

"First promise us, Jeremy," Elena said. "Promise you won't tell anyone."

"All right, all right, I promise! Now what are you trying to tell me?" Jeremy asked, his patience wearing thin.

"Jeremy," Elena said after everyone had regained their calmness, "Stefan and I…there's really no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it and get it over with. Stefan and I are having a baby together. I'm pregnant."

Jeremy didn't stand there speechless like Bonnie and Damon had, which was why it was an honest surprise to Elena and Stefan when Jeremy's reaction was entirely different. He immediately smiled a great big grin and his eyes bulged widely and his whole face lit up like a light bulb. He gasped so loudly and so excitedly everyone was a bit startled.

"Wow! You guys are having a baby? That's great! That's great! Congratulations!" Jeremy cried out.

Elena and Stefan were pleased with but also a bit puzzled by Jeremy's reaction. This time they were dumbfounded and found themselves unable to speak. This, in turn, puzzled Jeremy and he said, "Well, why aren't you guys happy? I mean, I'd expect you guys all to be, like, jumping up and down or something like that. Aren't you guys glad?"

Elena, along with Bonnie and Stefan, regained her composure and she said, "We are glad, Jeremy. Believe me, we all are, it's just…none of us were expecting you to take this news so well."

"Why?" Jeremy asked. "Why wouldn't I take it this way? You guys are having a baby! That's really great news! It's about time there was some good news around here." That much was true.

"I know, Jeremy," Elena said. "It's just…I felt certain you'd see me as a hypocrite, or a bigot, or someone who preaches not to set a bad example and yet never sets a good one herself. I was so afraid you'd see me like that, and I was worried it would have a bad influence on you, and you'd rebel in some way."

Jeremy seemed to see the sense in this, but, still smiling, he said, "Oh, well, Elena, I can see now why you might think that way, but really, I don't think you should. I'm actually really happy about this, and I could never see you, my big sister, as a bad example or negative influence. Especially not now, since I've seen how altruistic and brave and selfless you are. I'm proud to have you as my sister, and I'm very happy to know you guys are having a baby. I can scarcely believe I'm going to be an uncle! 'Uncle Jeremy'! I like it. I like it already."

Elena and Stefan could barely believe their good luck. Jeremy had taken the news far better than they'd even dared to hope for! Bonnie was glad of this, too, and the four of them hugged each other tightly and shared their happiness together. They all put their fingertips on Elena's abdomen, smiling all the while.

Elena realized only retrospectively that Jeremy hadn't asked any questions or shown any skepticism. Apparently it had never occurred to Jeremy that Elena becoming pregnant by a vampire could ever be unusual. But Elena decided to count her blessings rather than jinx her good luck, and was very relieved and thankful her brother had so far been the person in either the Gilbert or Salvatore families to have the best reaction to Elena's and Stefan's news.

Elena chose to tell Caroline, Matt, and Alaric all at once. She called all of them together so she and Stefan could inform them.

When they were all told of Emily's spell and of Elena's pregnancy by Stefan, they all looked stunned. Apparently, Alaric and Matt had never known vampires typically could not procreate. Caroline, of course, had known, and although she was honestly happy for Stefan and Elena, everyone could plainly see the sorrow in her eyes as she congratulated them.

Elena knew why. Even if a vampire man could magically get a human woman pregnant, the same could not be said for a vampire woman like Caroline. Elena was human, so her body was capable of making the necessary changes required to accommodate a growing fetus. Caroline's body, however, wasn't. She would always be unchanging, frozen forever in the exact same condition she'd been in when she was unwillingly turned. She could never be a mother.

Elena then made an offer to her two friends. She asked Caroline if she'd like to be godmother to her and Stefan's child, and she also asked Matt if he'd like to be godfather. She explained that Caroline and Matt had always been her friends, and had always shown her loyalty and support, and they each had suffered so much already and been given no reward for their virtues. Elena figured it was the very least she could do. Flattered and touched, they both happily accepted her offer.

At that point, Alaric cleared his throat. "Elena," he said. "I don't want to be presumptuous, but I'd like to say something. Ever since I found out you're Isobel's daughter, I've felt a soft spot for you and your family. I cared very much about your aunt Jenna, and ever since she died, I've felt the same way I felt when I lost Isobel – like I've lost a part of myself.

"Also, ever since I found out Isobel chose vampirism over me, I've grown vengeful, more so than I care to admit. I'm hoping to redeem myself in some way, and I'd also like to be a part of a family, as I now have none. I've always considered you my stepdaughter, Elena, and I'd like to help you raise and protect your child, if you and Stefan will let me."

This time, Elena was speechless. Then she said, "Alaric, I'd be honored and delighted to accept your offer. Stefan, what do you think?"

Stefan smiled and said, "Alaric, welcome to the family."

Everyone else smiled, too, but then Elena spoke up. "I need to emphasize to absolutely everyone how important it is that this information be kept a secret. If the Originals find out about this…"

Elena didn't need to finish. Everybody knew what she was implying, and everybody gave a solemn, sworn vow never to tell. They'd all take this secret to theri graves if, Heaven forbid, it came to that. Stefan and Elena finally began to feel, for the first time, that their child was safe.

The next several months passed without incident. As time went by, Elena's pregnancy became more and more obvious. All the people involved had a specific role to play. When Elena went into labor, Matt, Alaric, and Jeremy would drive her to the hospital. Caroline and Bonnie would remain at the Salvatore Boarding House waiting for her to come home with the baby. They were also staying at the house to ensure Damon wouldn't leave. They all knew it was too dangerous for Damon, a vampire, to go to the hospital, where they knew he'd be exposed to blood. So, whether he liked it or not, he was staying at the house. Stefan, however, was not. He was, after all, the baby's father, so he felt it was not only his right but in fact his responsibility to accompany Elena to the hospital for the birth of their child.

Now that both John and Jenna were gone, this left Elena and Jeremy in charge of the Gilbert house. After much discussion, they decided to sell it and move into the Salvatore Boarding House with Damon and Stefan. This way it would be more convenient for all of them to raise the baby. And as the Boarding House was essentially a huge mansion, there was plenty of space left to accommodate the two Gilberts when they moved in. It took them about three weeks for each of them to finish packing up all their belongings and unpacking them at the Boarding House. For Elena and Jeremy, it felt nice because it felt as if they were becoming a family again. The two of them bade a tearful, bittersweet farewell to the house they'd lived in all their lives, and then proceeded to start again in their new home.

Alaric and Jeremy went baby shopping on Elena's behalf. She didn't have an official baby registry because she feared that would make her pregnancy conspicuous, and that was what everybody was trying to prevent from happening. As a result, she was forbidden to leave the Salvatore house unless she had to see her obstetrician. She went every three weeks, and to everyone's astonishment, there were no complications. Elena didn't like having to be under such constant house arrest, but she gladly tolerated it for her child's sake. Elena's pregnancy was going remarkably well. As a matter of fact, she had very little ankle or back pain, and her cravings were never unreasonable. In fact, Elena's entire pregnancy had gone so smoothly it was remarkable. Apparently Emily had meant it when she gauranteed the spell would indeed be an uncomplicated one. To say the pregnancy was safe was an understatement. None of them would ever underestimate Emily's powers - or Bonnie's - again.

There was something curious about the pregnancy, though. Elena never once craved blood. If her child was half vampire, wouldn't it seem logical that her unborn child would want blood? That was what people had assumed, and yet it hadn't happened. Perhaps it was because Elena wasn't a vampire herself. Perhaps the baby wouldn't want blood until after its birth. Whatever the reason, nobody complained. They were just glad everything had gone so much better than they'd all anticipated.

Elena went to each of her scheduled appointments, and every time, Stefan went with her. Once or twice Jeremy or Alaric or Bonnie requested to with her. Whenever Elena went, regardless of who went with her, she always came back with a good report to give the people at home. Even so, people had their reasons to worry. Even when someone tried to put on a convincing façade, it failed. Everyone was on edge, especially the parents-to-be, Stefan and Elena.

By this time, even Damon had to admit his brother and Elena had told him the truth. He surprised them by keeping his word. He never told anyone their secret. For the most part, Damon acted indifferent, almost as if he were pretending Elena wasn't really pregnant at all. Stefan and Elena saw through his ruse, though, and were unconvinced by his mock ignorance. They knew he was acknowledging the truth, albeit in his own annoying and sometimes even infuriating way. Nevertheless, they never once reprimanded him. After all, as long as he kept this pregnancy a secret and did nothing to endanger anyone else involved, Stefan and Elena knew they had no right to complain to him.

But then Damon surprised them further. He went on no more foolish escapades just to ease his own fears. In fact, he apparently went out of his way to prevent himself from hurting anyone! This astonished everybody, especially Stefan. But just as before, there were no complaints from anyone.

In the meantime, Elena's pregnancy showed more and more. People liked putting their hands on her belly to feel the baby move. Every night she slept in Stefan's bed with him so he would feel more protective of her. One thing in particular he liked doing later in her pregnancy was to put his ear against Elena's abdomen, and with his acute vampire hearing, he could easily detect not only his child's heartbeat but Elena's as well. And given that Stefan had once drunk human blood regularly, he could certainly distinguish between a healthy, strong heartbeat and a poor, weak one. And he could tell that the heartbeats he was listening to were perfectly healthy ones, which reassured him as well as everyone else.

Finally, Elena entered her ninth month. So far, it looked as if nothing would happen or at least not anything bad. Everybody was spending each and every night sleeping in the Salvatore Parlor with the phone by their side, just in case Elena went into labor then. All the people had their coats and their cars ready, and each person in the house was on edge, as if waiting for a bomb to detonate.

It was now mid-March, almost a full year since Jenna and John had tragically died and almost three years since Elena and Jeremy had just as tragically lost their parents. It was two and a half years since Elena and Stefan had met, since Damon and Stefan had reentered each other's lives, and since the lives of all the other people in Mystic Falls had begun to spiral out of control.

It was the early morning hours of March 13th, and Elena was relaxing on the sofa, when suddenly she felt water running down her legs. She knew what that meant.

"Stefan!" she cried out loudly. Stefan ran to her. He didn't need to ask what was wrong; it was obvious she was beginning her labor. Stefan alerted everyone else, and as all the plans were already made, it took very little time for Jeremy, Alaric, and Matt to bring Stefan and Elena to the hospital. After making the phone call to the doctor, they were on their way. Bonnie, Caroline, and Damon all waited at the house, somewhat impatiently, for any word.

Matt and Alaric waited in the waiting room for the same thing. Stefan and Jeremy were the only two people allowed in the delivery room with her. Stefan held Elena's hand throughout her entire labor. Jeremy sat in a chair in the room in case they needed anything from him, say, an ice cube or a damp washcloth. To his surprise, Stefan was having very little trouble resisting the blood all around him. Elena had been doing beautifully, with much less pain than expected, for a few hours when the doctor came in and asked to take Stefan aside. Stefan excused himself while Jeremy stayed with his sister.

"What's the matter?" Stefan asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No," said the doctor. "No trouble at all. There's just something we hadn't noticed before."

Stefan's mind filled with dread. He was afraid to ask, but knew he must. "W-what's that? What have you…found out?"

The doctor looked at him before speaking. "It turns out, Stefan, you and Elena are getting more than you bargained for."

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked nervously.

When the doctor answered, what she said shocked Stefan. "Elena's carrying twins."

Stefan stood there speechless. Twins? He had never expected this! The spell had said nothing about twins! That was never a specification! And besides, if there were twins, why hadn't the doctors seen it in any of the ultrasounds they'd had at Elena's numerous appointments? Moreover, why hadn't Stefan been able to hear more than two heartbeats when he'd listened to them during Elena's pregnancy? Suddenly this wasn't making sense for Stefan. Worse yet, it seemed as if, at the last and most vital moments, things were no longer going so well. What if this led to complications? That was never supposed to happen! Emily's spell had promised no trouble at all! What would they all do now?

Stefan realized that now was certainly not the time to panic, so he attempted to calm himself and asked, "Okay, so, are all three of them all right?"

"Oh, yes," the doctor assured him. "Elena and both twins are all doing well. It just might take a little longer than we initially expected for her to deliver."

This was better than what Stefan had feared, but it did little to ease his newfound worry. "So, what do I have to do?" he asked the doctor.

"Just do what you were doing before," she said. "You and Jeremy just remain there for Elena until it's time. When that happens, you both can come into the delivery room with her. In the meantime, someone has to tell Elena the news. Would you like to do that?"

Stefan decided he should tell Elena and Jeremy himself, so he nodded to the doctor, and then reentered the room cautiously. Both Gilbert siblings could tell by his facial expression that he had to tell them something important. With her voice trembling, Elena said to him, "Stefan, what's wrong? What did the doctor say?"

"Elena, Jeremy," Stefan began nervously, "The doctor said everything's going fine, but…" he paused. "She said we're having twins."

"What?" Elena and Jeremy cried out in unison. "Twins? How could we not have known before?"

"Relax," Stefan said, just as much to calm himself as well as Elena and Jeremy. "The doctor said there's no reason to worry. She just said it'll take a little longer to deliver. Jeremy, I want you to tell Matt and Alaric. Afterwards, call the house and tell everyone there so at least they'll have a little notice in advance."

Jeremy, clearly still stunned, obliged Stefan, who went back to Elena's bedside. He assured her that they could handle this, and these words soothed both her and him.

Another few hours passed before the doctor decided it was finally time for Elena to deliver. After alerting Jeremy and Stefan, Elena was wheeled into the delivery room. Both her brother and her boyfriend were there with her the entire time. About half an hour later, they all heard what they'd wanted to hear for months: a healthy baby's cry! Then they heard a second baby's cry, just as healthy as the first! The doctor handed one baby to Elena, the other to Stefan as Jeremy looked on proudly.

"Congratulations!" the doctor said. "You now have two healthy twin daughters!" Elena was smiling, and Stefan was even crying as he and Elena each held their two beautiful babies. Jeremy had brought his camera, and he took a picture of them all together, and then had the doctor take a picture of himself with his sister and his two new nieces. Everybody was so happy. Jeremy then went out into the waiting room to tell Matt and Alaric.

Stefan and Elena were in the room alone with their girls for a few precious moments. Neither of them had ever been happier in their lives than they were right now.

"So," Stefan asked, "What will we name them?"

"I think I know what to name this one," Elena said. "We'll name this one, the one I'm holding, Miranda after my mother, and we'll give her the middle name Alexia, after our mutual friend, Lexi. What will you name the other?"

Stefan thought a moment, and then said, "I think we should name our other daughter Jenna, after your aunt, and give her the middle name Bonnie, after our other mutual friend. What do you think, Elena?"

Stefan could clearly see Elena approved of his decision. She thought it was a good way to honor her Aunt Jenna. It was also a good way to include Jenna in their new family, since she would've loved to be here for this now and couldn't.

At just that moment, Jeremy came back in with Alaric and Matt. Everyone wanted to hold the new twins as Elena and Stefan introduced their two daughters Miranda Alexia Salvatore and Jenna Bonnie Salvatore, to them.

Everything was going so well the doctor said Elena and both twins could all go home tomorrow. In the meantime, it certainly wouldn't hurt for the new parents, or at least Elena, to get some sleep. Everyone else cleared out of the room, leaving Stefan and Elena once again alone with their girls.

"Stefan," Elena said. "I realize now that most of us here in Mystic Falls don't have parents. Matt's dad has abandoned the family and his mother is gone; Caroline's dad is gay and living with his boyfriend somewhere and her mother no longer loves her because she's been turned; Bonnie's parents are divorced; you and Damon lost your mother during your childhoods and your father was unloving; Jeremy's an orphan and now so am I; Isobel was a poor excuse for a mother; Uncle John was a moron in life, though I admit he died a hero; now Jenna's gone and for a terrible reason; even Katherine didn't have a loving family. They hated her because she gave birth out-of-wedlock. And I think of Pearl and Anna. They loved each other just as my adoptive mother and I did, and then they lost each other. I feel sorry for Anna, in spite of what she did to me and Jeremy. After all, she waited and worked for nearly a century and a half to reunite with her mother, and then Uncle John killed them both. As for Tyler, his father was an even bigger moron than Uncle John, whether you believe that or not, and Tyler's mother is a snob. Even Tyler deserves some pity.

"What I'm basically trying to say is I want our daughters to have us all in their lives, all of us who love them. I want it and I know you do, too."

Stefan mustered a smile. "Yes, Elena," he said. "I want that, too. We all do. And you and I both know everyone involved will do absolutely everything in their power to protect not only our two little girls, but each other as well. The Originals underestimate this family and our extended family. We have some powerful allies who will fight very hard to prevent anyone else in it from dying. I admit I don't know what'll happen in the long run, but for now, let's just enjoy this time together and rest assured that we have this beacon of hope."

The next day the new family went home. Everyone was there waiting for them. Jeremy and Alaric drove them home, where Matt had already gone the previous evening to tell the others how the labor went. When Elena and Stefan entered the house, carrying their twin girls, Bonnie, Caroline, and Matt greeted them happily and they all wanted to hold the babies.

Elena looked around. Something puzzled her. "Where's Damon?" she asked.

Suddenly Stefan realized it, too. Where was Damon? The two new parents excused themselves, each one carrying a baby, and went around the house calling for Damon.

It turned out Damon was in his room by himself, drinking some blood. "Damon!" Stefan called to his brother.

Damon turned around to see Stefan, Elena, and the twins.

"Well," he said. "Congratulations, little brother," Damon said. "Same to you, Elena. I see you both pulled it off. And you got two for the price of one."

"We sure did," said Elena. "And we wanted to let you be the first to hold your new nieces, since you kept our secret and complied with our orders and have done so much besides. Would you like to hold Miranda, Uncle Damon?"

Damon seemed a bit stunned. "Well, you see, Elena…I've never actually held a baby before. Not ever."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Elena said. She gently placed Miranda in Damon's arms, and as she did so, Damon felt a strange sense of…serenity, gladness. He stared down at his little niece and smiled at her. "Hey there, little girl," he said. "I'm your Uncle Damon, your daddy's brother."

Stefan smiled, too, and then said, "Elena, if you don't mind, I'd like to spend a little time alone with my brother and two daughters. Is that all right with you?"

To Stefan's surprise, Elena didn't object at all. She smiled, excused herself, and said she'd be downstairs with the others in the parlor.

The two Salvatore brothers sat down on Damon's bed, each of them holding a baby. After a few moments of admittedly awkward silence, Stefan said, "Well, congratulations, Uncle Damon."

"Yeah, well, thanks," Damon replied.

"Listen, Damon," Stefan said with noticeable somberness in his voice, "I just wanted to use a few spare moments for us to bond. I'm really grateful for all you did for us before and during Elena's pregnancy and I trust you'll be a devoted uncle. But let's be honest. In the past, whenever I've trusted you, you've somehow always betrayed me. I can never allow that to happen again, especially now that Elena and I are parents. Also, Elena and Jeremy have both suffered enough losses already, and they certainly don't need to suffer any more.

"Elena pointed out that practically everyone here in Mystic Falls is parentless. I can never let that happen to my daughters. Promise me you'll protect them and us, Damon, and promise me as well that you won't make us regret it."

Damon looked at Stefan. "Well, haven't I already proven myself trustworthy?"

Stefan knew this was Damon's way of making the promise Stefan had begged him to make, so he didn't nag at Damon any further. There was one more thing, however, that Stefan had yet to say.

"Damon," he began, "I thought it was extremely brave of you to volunteer to die stoically so as to spare Elena any more pain. She thought so, too. I know it. We both feared losing you recently, whether you believe it or not. And…well, what I'm trying to say is…you're my only brother, and I want to thank you for being there for me and Elena. I hope I can always do the same for you."

Damon clearly hadn't expected Stefan to say this. As far as Damon was concerned, Stefan was almost telling him he loved him! The two brothers hadn't said that to each other in well over a century!

Damon said, "Well, Stefan, I…I don't know what to say, except…thank you. And I feel the same for you."

Stefan was pleased. He had his beloved Elena, he had his big brother Damon, and now he had two healthy daughters. Not only that, but Elena had her brother, her stepfather, and all her friends. They were all together now. It really looked as if everyone would truly be a family again. There would be challenges ahead, but everyone would be willing and ready to meet those challenges and come back from them undefeated. Now that they had this beacon of hope, the future looked brighter now.