A/N - I know the last thing I need to do is start another story, but I've been doing a rewatch of Charmed and I couldn't get the idea of this out of my mind.
Mystic Falls - June 2020
Laughter and loud talking fill up the ballroom. People flutter around mingling with each other and servers move around quietly handing out glasses of wine. The large crowd happily celebrates Caroline and Tyler's upcoming wedding. It had taken them awhile to get to this point, but now friends, family, other well-wishers are more than happy to help them celebrate at their rehearsal dinner.
Outside on the balcony, stands Stefan, who is staring out at the horizon. He came out to get some air, having grown slightly uncomfortable in crowd of people. Aside from his ripper days, he'd never really been big on parties. He would much rather be at home spending time with his wife, but Caroline and Tyler are good friends and he knows it's important for him to be there for them.
"I thought I'd find you out here." Bonnie's voice interrupts his thoughts, causing a smile to appear on his face.
He spins around and is greeted to the beautiful sight of Bonnie's short frame smiling at him with a knowing look on her face. She looks fantastic in her sleeveless blue cocktail dress. His gaze moves down to her protruding stomach and he feels the warmth flutter in his body. Since becoming a vampire, he assumed that fatherhood was out of realm of possibilities for him. But through some kind of miracle it's happened and the knowledge that he's having a child that will have the best parts of both of them is incredibly appealing.
"So how are my two favorite people?" He asks as Bonnie slowly walks closer to him.
"We're both fine. A little tired, but fine." She reassures him with a bright smile as she rubs her stomach.
"Caroline is really working you today." He cups her cheek in sympathy, the blonde vampire had been moving around frantically ever since the rehearsal dinner had started and as matron of honor, Bonnie had been obligated to do much of the same.
"Yeah" She laughs. "According to her, being six months pregnant doesn't mean I'm absolved from helping make sure the rehearsal dinner continues to run smoothly."
"It's a shame Elena isn't here to pick up some of the slack." He knows Elena will be attending the wedding, but part of him wishes that she had been able to back sooner to help Bonnie with some of the details.
"She'd be here if she could. It's not her fault, Marcel got hurt." It had been a surprise when Elena had gotten together with Klaus' former protégé (they'd met when Elena had decided to travel the world a few years ago) but surprisingly the relationship works. They had been planning on flying in from Italy to help with the wedding details, but Marcel had been attacked, which delayed their return to Mystic Falls. "I'm glad they'll be here tomorrow thou-" Her sentence is cut short by a gasp.
"What's wrong?" Stefan looks at her worriedly, having heard her sudden gasp.
"Nothing" She reassures him. "I just felt a kick." It's not the first time she's felt it, but it is the first time it's been prominent. Wanting to share this with Stefan, she quickly grabs his hand and presses it to her belly. "Can you feel her kicking?"
"Wow." Stefan holds his hand to her stomach, completely in awe of his unborn daughter kicking from inside Bonnie's stomach. He continues gazing lovingly at her belly until he feels Bonnie's thumb stroke the back of his hand and then he's looking into her lovely green eyes.
They continue to gaze at each other, both slightly overwhelmed by the feelings this moment is provoking in them. After a few more moments, the kicking stops and Stefan slowly moves his hand from her belly.
She steps closer to him, placing her hands on his shoulders before smiling up at him, "I can't believe we're going to be parents. It's almost hard to believe."
"Yeah" Stefan agrees pulling her closer before rubbing his cheek against the top of her head.
She pulls away slightly, watching with interest as he leans down before taking her mouth hungrily. She opens up to him willingly, stroking her tongue over his with need that surprises her slightly. Kissing Stefan has always sparked immediate arousal in her, but with her pregnancy it has increased that feeling tenfold.
The kiss grows deeper instantaneously and Stefan rakes his hands through her hair as hers wrap tightly around his neck. Unable to could stop himself, he begins backing her toward the one of the pillars on the large balcony
Bonnie gasps, pulling away slightly when her back softly hits the target. She is just getting ready to speak when Stefan finds her lips again, his tongue immediately tangling with hers.
"What are you trying to do Stefan? Get her pregnant again?" Caroline's voice booms from the doorway.
Stefan groans into Bonnie's mouth and the two trade a few more kisses before they reluctantly separate. They turn toward the doorway and see Caroline standing there tapping her foot impatiently.
"Did you need something?" Stefan looks back at the blonde vampire, while wrapping his arms around Bonnie's shoulders.
"I need you two back in there right now, can't really have a rehearsal dinner without the best man and matron of honor." Caroline claps her hands together. "Chop chop." And with that she turns without waiting for a response from either of them.
"We'd better get in there before Caroline has meltdown" Bonnie looks up at him with a wide smile, wiping the stray lipstick from his lips.
"Okay." He smiles back and places her hand in his and the two slowly make their way back into the ballroom.
Bonnie's smile is the last thing he sees before there is loud explosion of fire and then all he sees is darkness.
-X-
A Week Later…
Elena and Caroline stand in the hallway watching Stefan as he sits on the bed he and Bonnie shared, obviously in anguish. It had been a week since Bonnie's death and it's still hard to believe she's gone. They had all been getting ready for the toasts when a large explosion suddenly irrupted. Many of the guests had succumbed to their injuries including Bonnie who had died right away from the impact. They still haven't figured out who caused the explosion, but they had known right away that it was supernatural related.
Naturally, the wedding had been canceled and the last week has been spent planning Bonnie's funeral, both women knowing right away that Stefan wouldn't be up to it. They called everyone who'd been part of their group once upon time including Damon, but he'd declined coming back to Mystic Falls. Not surprising since he'd told them outright that he wouldn't be returning ever again once he'd left with Katherine a few years ago. Still, they thought that he might make an exchange for his younger brother, but he obviously hadn't been willing to do that.
Elena and Caroline exchange a glance, knowing that one of them would have to go in and take the responsibility of getting Stefan to the funeral.
"I'll go" Elena decides, knowing that Caroline (along with Matt and Tyler) has spent the week trying to take care of Stefan. He'd spent most of the week angry and withdrawn and in some cases violent. Tyler had dealt with the brunt of it, but she knows that her two friends need a bit of a reprieve. "You should go and get the car ready and I'll try to hurry him along." She softly squeezes Caroline's before slowly making her way into the room and sitting on the bed next to him.
"I see you've gotten dressed and shaved." She glances at Stefan who continues to stare straight ahead. She had been surprised when she saw him a couple of days ago and he'd been so unkempt. He'd been wearing the same clothes for several days and had barely eaten anything. He'd also been sporting a beard, evidently forgone shaving something she had never seen him with in the all the years she'd known him..
Elena looks down at the bed and spies a black tie, clearly intended to go with the black suit he's wearing. "How about we get your tie on and then we can go." She says this as gently as possible.
"I…I c-can't."He stammers sadly, his voice quiet to the point that Elena has to use her vampire hearing to figure out what he's saying.
"Sure you can. You've gotten this far." She rests her hand on his shoulder, trying to give him some encouragement.
"You don't understand." He looks her and the devastation in his eyes is palpable. "Bonnie always tied my ties." He says as a tear rolls down his cheek. "It wouldn't feel right without her." As he says this his mind goes back to one of the first times she did it.
"We have to get up or else we'll be even later for our own engagement party than we already are." Bonnie pulls away from Stefan's mouth and jumps out of bed before she pulls on the dress she picked out.
They had almost been out the door, when Stefan pulled her into a kiss that ended with them getting out of their clothes and into their bed. She doesn't regret it one bit, but it does mean they will be late for the party.
When she glances at Stefan again she sees that he has managed to slip on everything but his tie and from the look on his eyes, she knows if he had his way they would end up right back in bed. Knowing Caroline and Elena would kill them; she decides to take matters into her hands and picks up the tie herself.
Stefan grins happily when Bonnie drapes the tie around his neck and begins the process of tying it. The sensation of her hands at his neck fills him with happiness and he realizes that he loves the domesticity of the gesture. Bonnie fidgets with the tie a few times until it's no longer crooked before looking up into his eyes and briefly pecking him on the lips. "Now let's go get yelled at by Caroline."
She pulls away and Stefan decides right then and there that he wants her to be the one to tie all of his ties.
Stefan exhales sadly and Elena is unable to stop the stray tear from falling down her own face. She cried this entire week, but she had been trying to stay strong knowing that Caroline and Stefan would need her today. "It's okay; we'll leave the tie here." She wipes at her tears before helping him stand up and walking him out of the bedroom.
-X-
Hours later the funeral is over and Stefan has forced everyone to their own homes, wanting to be alone. There had been protests at first, but Stefan insisted and they reluctantly agree to leave him alone. He's changed into his usual black t-shirt and jeans attire and now is waiting anxiously for his acquaintance to arrive.
Ten minutes later there is a knock on the door and he rushes to open it, sighing in relief that it's who he had been expecting and not one of his friends. He knows they would only try to talk him out of what he plans to do.
"You're late." Is all Stefan says to the older African-American man that is standing in the door way.
"Sorry it couldn't be helped. Traffic." Nathan Barrow shrugs helplessly. "So what did you want to see me about?" Nate asks as Stefan moves aside so he can enter the house. He'd met Stefan nearly 20 years ago after he saved Nate and his entire family from a group of vampires. He'd been so grateful that he told Stefan he'd help with whatever he needed within reason. So far Stefan hasn't taken him up on the offer, but he has a feeling that today he will.
"I assume you heard what happened to my wife." Stefan knows the supernatural community has a tendency to gossip and what happened a week ago a been a very big deal.
"Yeah, I was really sorry to hear about that." Nate had only met Bonnie a handful of times, but he knew a lot about her because of her high reputation in the supernatural community. As a fellow witch, he'd come to appreciate just how much good she's done.
"I would like you to perform a spell to send me back in time. So I can stop the bastard that killed my wife my wife and child."
"You can't be serious?" Nate looks at him surprise. What he's asking is very risky and dangerous.
"I never joke when it comes to Bonnie's life." Stefan looks at him angrily. "Bonnie doesn't deserve what happened to her. After all the good that she's done there's no way in hell I'll ever believe this was supposed to happen. So I'm doing whatever it takes to get her back." He looks at Nate desperately, hoping the older man will help him.
"I get it Stefan I really do, but time travel can be very tricky and it's something I've only done a handful of times."
"But you can do it right?" Stefan narrows his eyes and waits for his answer.
"Well yeah, bu-" He begins, but is interrupted.
"No buts. I'm calling in my favor."
And Nate knows that Stefan is very serious about this.
"You do understand the risk you'll be taking by doing this." Nate looks at Stefan, making sure he understands the potential consequences.
"I can't do this without her." Stefan says with steel in his eyes and voice.
Nate sees the raw determination in his eyes and knows that nothing he says will change the vampire's mind. And honestly he doesn't really want to. He knows he would do the same thing if something like this were to happen to his own wife.
"Okay. I'll do it, but you should know that time travel isn't an exact science."
"What do you mean?" Stefan folds his arms across his chest.
"What it means is that you might not be sent back to the exact time you want." He says as he begins preparing the spell he needs. "You could be sent back a few minutes before her death or even several decades. You just never know and you have to be careful not to change too much about the past or it could have negative effect on the future."
"I'll wait for however long it takes. Bonnie's worth it."
"Stefan, there's one more thing." He walks closer to him. "Once you're there, you're on your own. I won't be able to contact you while you're in the past, which means you have to find your own way back. Are you still up for this?" Nate asks one last time despite knowing what Stefan's answer will be.
"Definitely" He says without any hesitation. "As long as Bonnie and our baby are alive again, nothing else matters."
"Let's get started." Nate begins reciting the spell and before long the two men see a portal open and realize that the spell has worked.
Stefan exhales and then begins walking over to the portal; however before he can jump in he turns to look at Nate. "Thank you."
Nate gives a nod of acknowledgement before dolling out two final words. "Good luck."
And then Stefan is jumping in the portal without another look back. Afterwards the portal lights up frantically for a few seconds before blinking out completely, almost as though it had never been there in the first place.
-X-
Mystic Falls - November 2012
Bonnie Bennett taps her feet impatiently as she waits for Damon and Stefan to get back from talking to Klaus about the cure. She knows it has to be awkward for the two vampires considering the fact that Stefan and Elena have just broken up and she's seeing Damon. Something that Bonnie isn't all that happy about if she's honest, but figures that she'll end up with Stefan again at some point. So she'll bite her tongue for the moment.
Right now she Caroline and Elena are waiting for them to come back so they can come up with a game plan about the cure. At the moment she's the only one Salvatore living room while Elena and Bonnie are elsewhere in the house. Bonnie is just about to look for them when the room lights up brightly causing her to shield her eyes.
When Bonnie looks up she sees Stefan in front of her staring at her with a strange look in his eyes. "Stefan, what's going on? How did you get here so fast? You and Damon were supposed be gone for awhile." She fires out the questions rapidly completely confused by his sudden appearance.
Stefan continues to stare at her silently, completely over whelmed her presence. This is the face of the woman he loves, albeit a younger version of her, but being able to look into her eyes and hear her voice again, fills him with a relief he can't explain.
"Stefan?" Bonnie walks closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" She's never seen him like this and she'd be lying if she said it didn't worry her.
"It worked." Stefan says with relief in his voice. He had been afraid it wouldn't.
"What worked?" She looks at him in confusion.
The feel of her hand on his shoulder makes him feel as though he's whole again and he has to fight the urge to pull her in the an embrace. Based on her clothing and the mention of Klaus and Damon he figures that this is a high school version of Bonnie. Knowing that he's confusing her he decides to answer at least one of her questions. However, before he can say anything the front door opens and in walks Damon and the past version of himself.
"I figured it would be a bust." Damon saunters into the living room and is about to ask Bonnie where Elena is when he sees another version of Stefan standing in front of her. "What the-?
In the meantime, Caroline and Elena rush into the room having heard Damon and Stefan's voices while they were upstairs.
Bonnie looks back in forth between the Stefan standing next to her and the one standing next to Damon. "What's going on?" Bonnie backs away from the Stefan she's closest to.
The sight of Bonnie backing away from him, causes Stefan's heart to drop, but he understands why she would be wary of him.
"Whatever's going on won't be going on for long." Damon levels out the threat.
"This explains why Klaus sent us on our way so quickly." Past Stefan looks at the man wearing his face with irritation.
Bonnie's mouth opens in shock and she begins to focus intensely on the imposter.
Stefan holds his hands to his head collapsing to his knees when he feels pain shoot through his head. "Wait!" He attempts to get out around the pain. "I can explain it's not what you think."
"Explain then." Damon throws out gestures at Bonnie to stop her attack.
"I'm a future version of you." He says this Stefan before turning to the rest of the group. "And I came to the past to save the woman I love." Stefan decides to tell them the truth, not having the energy to hide the real reason for his visit.
Everyone else in the room can only look at each other in shock, this being the last thing any of them expected to hear.