A/N: hello everyone! So if you hadn't noticed, I really have been slacking on updates. I love this story so much, but a lot of the time I just get so caught up in other stuff! But I'm not done with this story line or these characters! Just bear with me.

We walked up to the doorstep, Summer in my hands, alert in her carseat, and Elena smiling ear to ear, beginning to knock on the massive door. She slid her hand through mine and squeezed as Caroline opened the door with the same goofy smile both Elena and I were wearing. In a lavender sun dress and coordinating wedges, Caroline radiated with happiness and warmth. The comforting vibes were so out of the ordinary for us, that it almost seemed abnormal.

"Oh my goodness, I missed you guys more than anything!" Caroline said as she hugged us both tightly. After she released, she caught Summer's glance and placed her hand over her mouth in awe.

"This must be Summer. Elena, she looks exactly like you! A carbon copy" Caroline commented, forcing me to look down at Summer's puzzled face. She was beginning to lose the baby weight and stretch out, giving her a lean figure. Her hair was already growing, now curly and sandy brown. Her piercing green eyes took the same shape as Elena's but the color belonged to me. She really was a gorgeous baby.

As we walked inside, we were greeted by all of our friends, ecstatic to see us, but quickly forgotten once they were mesmerized by Summer's entrancing stare. Elena stood there and basted in her love for Summer along with the rest of the room, leaving me wondering about Summer's features. Although she was only a few months old, she had already took the shape of a small toddler. I decided to leave my suspicions to rest until the day was over, not needing any reason for drama.

After the hellos and excited greetings were completed, the casual conversation began, making me feel much more comfortable. Despite the fact that I've known this group of people for years now, I still feel like an outsider to Elena's inside jokes with Matt, and Jeremy and Bonnie's recollections of their childhood together.

I glanced over at Elena who was laughing at a story Tyler was reiterating from their eighth grade dance, and was caught off guard by her beauty. Not only was her smile about a mile wide, but she was quite literally glowing. It warmed my heart that just an afternoon with her friends could do so much.

"And then Elena fell in her huge dress, butt up in the air, and dress over her head, baring her lacy pink underwear for the entire eighth grade class to see" said Tyler, finishing the story. I chuckled at the thought, not finding it far off from what I imagined to be Elena's most embarrassing moment.

She was now in a fit of laughter, trying to contain herself from snorting. As she continued to laugh and listen to old stories, I realized that Summer had become fussy, most likely awoken from all the noise. I reached into the portable car seat and picked her up out of it, rocking her back and forth for a bit to try and quiet her. Caroline glanced over to my direction as I walked out of the door, and followed me out with Summer.

The air was breezy and warm, one of the nicer spring days. I walked over to the patio couch and sat adown, leaving room for Caroline to sit as well.

"So Stefan, you look way too good with a baby on your hip. It's almost unfair to the rest of women everywhere" she said, causing me to laugh at her sincerity.

"No Caroline, I think Summer is just abnormally pretty, so she makes it look like it's me, but it's actually all her" I said, playing along. She smiled and nodded, agreeing with my choice to blame it on Summer.

She fiddled with a bracelet on her arm, when I noticed a sparkly diamond ring on her ring finger. I quickly shifted Summer into one arm so I could grab her hand and inspect the rock I suppose Tyler used to ask her to marry him.

"This isn't what I think it is" I said, taking her hand in mine and turning it at all angles to get the effect of the sparkle.

She giggled and nodded, admiring it herself, placing it out in front of her.

"He asked me a few weeks ago on our five year anniversary. He took me out on the deck and got down on one knee, and gave me the most amazing speech and told me that he knew he was going to marry me as soon as I told him I loved him, and that he's had the ring since senior year and never knew when it was the right time to ask" she explained, painting the picture for me. I smiled at the image, knowing that Tyler and Caroline were going to be happy for eternity.

I took in a deep breath and thought back to senior year, realizing that I had similar plans.

"I've had Elena's engagement ring since Junior year. Well, basically since 1860 when my mother passed away and gave it to me, but I knew it was going to be Elena's at the end of Junior year, right before I left town with Klaus. It was our last day together before Jenna died, and I had the ring in my pocket when I took her on a hike up to the Falls. I had a whole speech planned out on how it would begin as a promise because we thought she was going to turn because of the whole fiasco with Damon feeding her blood and Klaus' impending sacrifice, but turn into an engagement when the whole mess was over with" I started, watching Caroline put a hand over her mouth. I looked down at Summer and was suddenly more confused than ever.

"You're going to leave me hanging?" She asked, confused over my pause. I smiled and shook my head no, taking another breath to finish.

"That was also the day that she told me she never wanted to become a vampire, because she wanted the chance to have kids and grow old one day. That we were supposed to have time. So I realized that asking her to marry me in such a desperate time was not fair to either of us. That if we really loved each other, we would be able to make it out of the storm. But then Jenna and John died, and Klaus fed me human blood, and I left and broke her trust, gained it back again, and then lost it again when I left. I really never got another chance" I finished, feeling sad all of a sudden. Caroline and I sat there with Summer, almost soaking in the story I just shared, as a tribute to the tragedy of Elena's and my love story.

"Well, it's never too late for love. You guys are living together, raising a child, and have already gone to hell and back with this whole psycho stalker thing. It's never the perfect moment, but if you really love her, and she loves you back, you'll make it a perfect moment all on your own" She advised, enlightening me with her Caroline wisdom. I smiled and nodded, appreciating her perspective, and realizing that she was most likely spot on. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek and stood up with Summer, gesturing her to walk inside with me. She took my hand and walked with me, gliding through the door and sitting right in Tylers lap. He smiled and kissed her hair easily and naturally, making me jealous at the ease of their relationship. I sat down next to Elena and accepted the smile from her, handing her Summer. She mouthed thank you, and leaped back into the conversation.

The day continued well into the night, and was forced to end when Summer began to get fussy. I offered to drive home and deal with Summer on my own, but Elena refused, saying that it was a team effort. She got up and gave everyone hugs and kisses goodbye, thanking everyone for clearing their schedules. We walked out the door and to the car hand in hand, Summer in my other hand asleep for now. After I buckled in Summer, I buckled in Elena and myself and began to reverse, Elena's hand in mine.

"Thank you for today, Stefan. I know that it was kind of a risk to go out considering the circumstances, but I really needed it" She said, thanking me kindly. I smiled and kissed her hand, watching as she leaned her head against the head rest and smiled with her eyes closed. We drove back home in silence, exhausted from the day, and too happy to bring our other drama surfaced. Elena ended up falling asleep like Summer, and I carried Elena piggy back with Summer in my arms. I put both to sleep within five minutes of each other, and quickly followed, realizing that today was more than I could have ever asked for. But Summer's rapid maturity and Elena's naked ring finger taunted my dreams that night.

A/N: told you it was worth sticking with me! I thought it was a pretty fluffy chapter, but of course it's needed sometimes! R/R please!

XOXO- M