A/N: Hello! So here's my newest story, I hope that you all are ready for this ride! I have already completed this story so I should be able to upload 2/3 times a week if nothing pops up. Pretty please leave your thoughts and reviews telling me what you think!

Stefan like he's been doing quite often lately, reached out to wrap his wife in his arm only to realize that she wasn't there. She hasn't been by his side for years now, but nowadays he finds himself reaching for her and he wonders if that's supposed to be some type of sign.

He misses her there beside him. Her small yet curvy body being spooned by his large form. How his rough hands would glide along her smooth brown skin. How her feet and legs would always be tangled up with his under the covers and how his hand would run down her face and hair when he finds himself wide awake with her still out like a light. He misses her and her scent. Her perfect, sweet scent, and gorgeous emerald eyes and contagious laugh. He shakes his head to rid himself of the memory of her and sits up covering his eyes with his fingertips letting out a ragged breath.

A smile comes on his face when he hears his baby girl talking in the room right next to his. He gets up so he could see her beautiful face. His smile widens as he opens her door and spots her talking to Jeremy, her favorite teddy bear, before she starts humming a tune that he personally doesn't know, but it's beautiful all the same.

Austyn. His pride and joy. His one and only, his baby girl. She's the most beautiful girl in the world and he makes sure that she knows it because he hated the thought of her ever feeling anything but that. He knows that she's probably too young to be thinking about her looks and body image, but he still continues to tell her. From the day she was born to four years later, he tells her.

"Good morning, dad."

Stefan's smile widens if that's even possible hearing her cute voice behind her pink pacifier. "Good morning, Aussie."

"Did you have a good sleep?"

"I did, thank you for asking. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes."

He pushes himself off the doorframe and walks up to her kneeling down in front of her so he could wrap his arms around her. He pulls away to kiss her cheek and tell her that he loves her and kisses her again when she told him that she loves him. Stefan lifts his daughter in his arms carrying her downstairs to the kitchen to fix her the bowl of cereal she asked him for. Once the bowl is in front of her, he turns on the television as she's seated at her little table. He was going to get a start on his morning routine when the phone rings and the machine tells him that Elena Gilbert is calling.

Elena has been with them throughout it all. When he realized that his wife wasn't coming back, she was there to comfort him, to give him a shoulder to cry on. She was there to help out with Austyn whenever she could by babysitting or just taking her out for ice cream or shopping when she thought that Stefan was in need of a break even if it was just for a couple of hours. She's even offered to keep Austyn overnight, but Stefan would never let her. He would tell her that he was fine and that he could handle it, even when he would arrive home from work super late. She would question him and tell him that it wasn't a big deal if she stayed over, but at the and of the day, Austyn always ended up at home with her father.

Elena knew that it was because he didn't want to lose another girl in his life, that he was scared that when he would come and pick her up in the morning that she'd be gone and he would have to spend the rest of his days alone. She understood, but it also somewhat bothered her feeling as though he didn't trust her enough to keep Austyn safe and to not leave him. Eventually she stopped blaming and wondering because she knew that he was broken.

Elena couldn't believe that her best friend since elementary school would ever up and leave her one year old daughter and husband of five years to tour God knows where with a band to fulfill her music dream. None of their friends and family could believe it and still after all this time is a mystery to them. She wasn't supposed to be gone this long. She told them that it was only for the summer but as the summer passed and the leaves started to fall then eventually the snow started to fall, they knew that something was up. They've tried calling her multiple times a day but none of them ever got an answer.

One day, however, Elena received an email from her saying that the tour was going to be longer than she thought and that she decided to stay. Stefan was heartbroken but he still believed that his wife would return even after years had passed and it wasn't until recently that he started to realize that she was never coming back. Elena was waiting, they all were for that matter, for him to realize that she wasn't coming back in hopes that he could move on. Not necessarily to another woman, but with his life in general.

He still wears his wedding ring having the gold circle surround his finger every day and night for a reason none of them are sure of especially since he told everyone that his hope had faded. They never brought it up though, they figured that eventually he would understand.

"Hey, Elena."

"Hey, Stef. I was wondering if you and Aus would like to join me for breakfast at the diner?"

He let out a breath, "I'm sorry, Lane, if you would've called a few minutes sooner I would say yes, but I just poured Aussie a bowl of cereal. I'm not even showered yet."

"Oh. Well how does lunch sound then? My treat."

"Yeah, I'll see you around one?"

"Sounds like a plan. Give the little one a kiss for me."

"Will do. Bye."

Stefan ended the call after hearing her goodbye, then walked back to his room to get ready. If he was honest with himself, he was really looking forward to spending his Saturday relaxing around the house with his baby girl dressed in sweats, but he felt bad about denying her breakfast offer and didn't want to feel worse by declining her offer for lunch too.

As he stepped in the shower, he ran his hands over his face when his eyes tricked him into seeing the back of his wife's naked body. He then suddenly wishes that he wasn't quick to getting rid of the image because her body was something that he hasn't seen in a while. Her perfect body that had him a butler because he would do anything she would ask of him just to have her body in his arms or pinned on the bed with him hovering over her. He felt himself grow hard at the thought of her, the thought of them on top of the sheets moving together. Her heat and her walls clenching around him with her staggered breath in his ear. Stefan thinks about wrapping his fingers around his meat, but the thought of masturbating while his daughter is in the other room felt unpleasant so he turned the water cold and endured its temperature for a while before stepping out.

He gets dressed quickly noting that he showered longer than planned then heads back to the living room to see Austyn now sitting on the couch with her eyes focused on the television. Stefan washed out her bowl placing it in the dishwasher before carrying her upstairs to her room so he could help her change.

"Aunt Elena is going to eat some lunch with us today, okay?"

"I love Auntie Elena, daddy."

He smiled pulling the shirt up her body. "That's good. She loves you too."

"Where are we going?"

"Uh, I don't know. I didn't ask her."

"Is it a surprise?"

He smiled again, "Yes, it's a surprise."

Stefan lets her pick out her own outfit and is a bit relieved when what she picked matched, but even if it didn't, he would've let her wear it anyway. She's getting older and Stefan knew that she could do a lot of things on her own, but he didn't want her to grow up so fast. He knew that he was being selfish and unfair but he couldn't stand the thought of the only other person that has his heart to no longer need him.

Stefan tickles her smiling when her laughter fills the air. When he's done changing her he takes her hand walking with her downstairs. He reads her a book and afterwards they sing together until it's time to leave.

[[]]

Stefan smiled watching Elena as she slid into the booth across from them. Austyn was straddling her fathers lap sucking on her pacifier as his large hand ran up her back and down again. She was tired and he told her that they could stay home if she wanted, but she told him that she wanted to see her aunt.

Elena smiled back and reached over to tickle Austyn's back to gain her attention. "Hey beautiful girl."

"Hi,"

"Are you sleepy?" Austyn nodded. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"I told her that we could stay home but she wanted to see you."

Elena smiled then sat back grabbing the menu in her hand. "So how's everything, Stefan?"

"Uh, it's good."

Elena could tell by his voice that something was up but she wouldn't question him on it. Not now at least.

"That's good. I got that teaching job."

"That's great, Elena, I know how much you wanted it."

"Thanks. I just feel a little bad since I won't be able to babysit Aus."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about that." Elena frowned when he did. "Don't worry, I'll just ask Damon and Emily to watch her during the day."

Elena nodded and shortly the waiter came over to take their meal choices. Stefan was hesitant in ordering Austyn anything since she was tired and more than likely won't eat anything, but decided to get her chicken fingers with a fruit cup on the side. He figured that if she didn't eat it now, she'll eat it later.

Stefan looked behind him as he felt hands on his shoulders and turned to see his brother. It's been a week and a couple of days since he's last seen him due to them both being busy, but he smiled at him and scooted down some to make room. Damon took his niece from her father's arms to kiss her cheeks gaining a smile.

"You're getting too old for this thing." Damon referred to her pacifier. "Can Uncle Damon have it?"

Austyn shook her head getting a chuckle out if him.

"She only has it when she's tired," Stefan chimed in resisting the urge to take her back, "we're getting there."

"Dad, I need to use the bathroom."

"Alright, come on."

"I can take her if you want, Stefan." Elena offered.

"Uh,"

"It's fine, Stefan, we'll just be a few feet away."

He still weighed the idea in his head looking at his little girl. "Okay."

Elena smiled and nodded once before standing to get Austyn holding her hand as they walked towards the restroom.

"So," Damon started, "when are you going to ask her out?"

"Who? Elena? No, we're just friends."

"Please, brother, she obviously likes you and she's great with Austyn and I know a part of you likes her too."

"No, it doesn't feel right."

"Why? Because she was friends with your ex?"

"Technically, we're still married."

Damon sighed turning toward his brother a little more. "Stefan, it's been three years. Three years. No one gets any form of communication from her other than that one email that she didn't even send to you. I love you even though I hate to admit it, but it's over, Stefan. She's moved on and I think that it's time that you move on too. Elena's a great girl, she's practically Austyn's mother. Think about it."

Stefan opened his mouth but closed it when he saw the girls coming back. He was going to tell his brother to never call Elena Austyn's mother. He didn't care how much she's been there, Austyn only has one mother and that position belonged to his wife.

He watched as his baby girl decided to sit next to Elena instead of beside him and how they hugged with smiles on their faces causing his face to soften. Damon was right about her being great with Austyn but he wasn't sure if he could go there with her especially since the visions he's been having lately. It just didn't seem right but then he thought about what if it would never seem right. If there would never be a good time to move on. Stefan took a deep breath then let it out.

"So, Elena I was thinking that we go out to dinner tonight as an IOU for lunch."

She smiled. "Yeah, sure."

"Em and I can watch Austyn for you so you two can have some alone time." Damon offered.

He didn't respond but only nodded before smiling up at the waiter who served them with their food.

[[]]

Stefan laid on his back with his daughter rested on top of him asleep. They just gotten back from lunch and his mind was already focused on dinner. A part of him wished that he would've took a day to think about what Damon had said, but the other part of him is glad that he didn't. He didn't want to call her randomly one day and ask her to dinner making it sound more like a date. He used the dinner as an IOU making sure that she knew it wasn't anything too special, but he just hoped that she would take it the way he intended.

Sure, Elena was a great woman, but he didn't want to jump into something with her knowing that the possibility of them not working out more so him backing down was still high at risk. He didn't want to break her heart or her feelings so he thought it was best if they took things one day at a time and maybe even slower than that. He then shook his head inwardly thinking that he may be jumping into conclusions. Maybe Elena didn't feel that way towards him and Damon got it all wrong so he stopped thinking about the possibility of their relationship and decided to get some rest while he could.

Elena looked at herself in the mirror letting out a breath to calm her nerves. She's been waiting for this day for a while now and she was finally going to get it. She fell in love with Stefan about two years ago and she knows that's the reason why she isn't able to hold a decent relationship was because Stefan has her heart. It's wrong and she knows it, but she can't help the way that she feels. He's always been there for her and she's always been there for him. She tried to stop her feelings when she noticed that she was falling in love but ultimately she lost the battle and she can't go a day without thinking about him.

"I think I should change." Elena said narrowing her eyes smoothing out her black dress.

"No, Elena, you look great. Stefan's going to drool when he sees you." Caroline said from the bed.

"This is wrong, Care. She's my best friend."

"That person is gone now. The person that you knew, that we all knew is gone. The girl that we knew would never leave her family and friends behind for some strangers who just so happens know how to play instruments. She's gone."

"But—"

"Elena," Caroline rose and started walking over to her friend, "think about how long you've wanted this, how happy I know you feel inside. You deserve this, you deserve to be happy and maybe it's a little selfish but so what. We're human, we're selfish."

The doorbell suddenly rang causing the girls to gasp. Caroline clapped her hands excitingly then headed downstairs but before she could make it out the room, Elena stopped her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get the door."

"What? No. Stay up here."

"Why?"

"I don't want you to answer the door like I'm going on some type of date."

"Isn't this a date?"

"No… I don't know he said it was an IOU."

Caroline sighed. "He's just a little nervous, of course it's a date, you're going to dinner for Christ sake."

"Whatever, but still, please just let me do this myself."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine."

Elena smiled and turned quickly when he rung the bell again.

"Sorry I took so long, I was just—" Elena stopped her sentence watching his eyes travel along her body before he met her eyes.

"You look great."

She failed stopping her blush. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."

He smiled at her compliment then extended his arm. "Ready?"

"Yeah," she looped her arm with his then locked eyes with Caroline for a split second as she turned to close the door.

Before they knew it, they were at the restaurant looking at their menus. Elena felt like if she consumed anything on here that shortly she'll be bent over in front of a toilet because her nerves were getting to her. She had no idea what she should say, and suddenly wished that she waited to tell Stefan the news about her teaching job so it could be their first conversation for the night.

"Do you know what you're ordering?" Stefan asked breaking the silence between the two.

Elena quickly scanned the menu, "Uh, I think in just going to get a salad."

"That's it? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I just don't know a lot on here."

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Elena, I should've picked someplace more familiar."

"No, trust me this is perfect. I guess I'm just," she took a breath then let it out, "I don't know, I guess I'm just a little nervous."

"What for?"

"You know, this being our first time out together… alone. I don't know it's just new, that's all."

"Oh."

"Is this a date, Stefan or am I freaking out for no reason?"

He thought. "I don't really know, Elena. Truth is I'm a bit nervous too. I haven't done this in a while and things are so confusing and complicated right now, I don't know what to think."

Elena nodded. "I get it. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's fine that you did. I do like you, Elena, but I never really had a chance to think or act on it because of everything that's been going on. That and most of my attention is focused on Austyn and I'm just not sure if I have the room for a relationship right now."

Her ears somewhat tuned out when he admitted that he liked her and returned in time when he also admitted that he didn't have time for her which she understood.

"One day at a time." She said after a while. "Let's just take things one day at a time and see where it goes. It won't hurt right?"

Stefan offered her a slight smile then nodded. He was glad that she understood even though he wasn't sure if he understood completely but like she said, they'll take it one day at a time and who knows, maybe he can welcome Elena into his heart.

After that whole conversation ended, they moved on to "date talk." Discussing things such as hobbies and music and even though they knew a lot about each other, they didn't know everything. They learned that they had a lot more in common than they thought and Stefan found himself loving the way she smiles. He would try his best to make her smile and laugh and a smile would appear to his face every time she would.

When dinner is over, he drives her home and shortly they find themselves standing in front of her door.

"I had a great time tonight." Elena says shifting her feet.

"Me too. I'm glad we did this."

"Me too."

They smile at each other then eventually those smiles fade and their heads slowly draw closer. Their lips are close to touching when Stefan closes his eyes and lets out a breath stopping his movement.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I just can't."

"It's fine." She hides her disappointment. "One day at a time, remember?"

He nods then pulls her in for a hug. "This was a date. Even though it didn't necessarily end like one, it was a date to me." Stefan admitted still hugging her.

"It was a date to me too."

He squeezes her body tighter then lets her go.

"Good night, Stefan."

"Good night, Elena."

She smiles then unlocks her door and Stefan walks away once he can see her no more. He's behind the wheel of his car when he starts to regret not kissing her and the thought of driving back and knocking on her door so he could get a second chance occurs but he decides to pick up Austyn from his brother's instead.

Emily answers the door and smiles welcoming him inside. Damon shortly arrived downstairs and tells him that Austyn is asleep and offers to keep her for the night so she won't be disturbed, but Stefan turns him down and heads upstairs and Damon shortly follows after him.

"So how did everything go?" He asks in a hushed tone.

"Good," Stefan holds his daughter in his arms. "Really good actually. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Em and I'll be here to babysit for the next one."

"Oh, speaking of baby sitting, Elena got a new teaching job so I kind of lost my sitter. Do you think you and Emily can take care of her while I'm at work? I'll appreciate it."

"Yeah, sure. You're lucky I work from home."

"That I am. I should go, it's getting pretty late."

Damon nodded and kissed his niece on the cheek following his brother downstairs and watched him from the door as he strapped Austyn in her car seat and drove off.

Stefan yawned pulling into his driveway and looked in the backseat glad that his girl was still asleep so all he had to do was remove her shoes and socks before laying her in the bed and he did just that. As soon as he got in his own bed, the bell sounded and at first he was going to ignore it but when it rang again, he got up so whoever it was wouldn't wake up Austyn.

When he made it to the door he was too tired that he forgot to check the peephole so when he opened the door and saw her standing there he was taken by surprise. They were in a staring match for God knows how long feeling all the memories rush back.

"Stefan-"

"No."

Her eyes narrowed, "Stef-"

"One thousand one hundred and five days."

"What?"

"That's how long you've been gone. That's how long we had to live without you. That's how long you left us here."

"I'm sorry."

"Is that really all you have to say?"

"Please, Stefan, just let me explain, please."

"I don't want to hear it."

"Stefan,"

"Please leave."

"Stefan please," she stopped the door from closing with her hand. "Can I at least see her? I won't wake her, I just want to see her."

"You had your chance. I gave you your chance to come back and I would've let this whole thing pass us, but you didn't take it. I've called, emailed, texted, fucking did everything to reach out to you but you chose to ignore it. Everything that I've done you chose to ignore, so no. You can't see her."

Her eyes filled with tears as the door closed in her face and let them spill from her eyes hearing the door lock and his steps head upstairs. She couldn't believe that he didn't give her a chance to explain herself after she begged him to. She knew that he would be angry with her, but never had she expected the door to be closed on her face and throughout it all that's what hurt the most.

She constantly wiped away her tears walking to her car and pulled off, but if she could do it all over again, she would've stayed a few seconds longer because as soon as she turned the corner, Stefan opened the door ready to apologize only to find her no longer there. He squatted and covered his face with his hands crying into them. It all was so overwhelming that he could barely take so much hurt and pain at once and he wishes that he could go back in time and handle things differently but he knew that she needed some tough love. Next time, and he hoped and prayed that there was going to be a next time, he would give her the benefit of the doubt. She is his wife after all and even with everything that's happened he loves her to death. No one can compete with her, she's his and that's the way that it always was and is.

The next day, Stefan just found himself driving. He wasn't going anywhere in particular, but he couldn't stay at work. His mind was filled completely with his wife and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake her.

He remembers the day he proposed, they were seventeen, still kids when he asked her. They've been together since kindergarden and neither of them knew that they would honestly last this long. He had bought her a ring one day after school and that same evening he dropped to one knee, said his speech and immediately she had said yes. They hugged for an eternity and then some. That night he had told his brother and parents and was both surprised when the latter was happy for him. They supported his decision and a few months later he was a married man. He doesn't remember a point in time when he has generally been that happy and it all seemed too good to be true and maybe that was because it was.

He would've never agreed to let her go on tour if he'd known that she'd be gone for three years, his heart could barely take a year of her absence. They were supposed to be tied at the hip forever and always and he hated that she was no longer there.

Yesterday though, God seemed to be on his side when she showed up again. Sure he wasn't the most comforting, but she was here. He just hoped that she was still here. Stefan had played their conversation over and over and every time he wishes that he just pulled her into his arms like he wanted to kissed her a hundred times over like he needed to.

Stefan stopped finding himself parked by a large, open field. Hedges stretched about six feet up blocking the view from whatever was inside. He got out of the car and saw no signs keeping him out, so he walked a few yards to where there was a break in the hedge boarder acting as an entrance. He was a little disappointed but not all that surprised that the only thing that the large hedges protected was green grass. It looked freshly mowed and he was going to take a little walk around, but he took a look at his watch and noticed that it was time to go pick up his little girl.

A/N: So this is chapter one! Tell me what your thoughts are and how you feel. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for chapter two!