I could use some reviews as an encouragement and reminder to work on this story. Thanks to everyone who is still reading and letting me know their feelings about this fic until now.
"Our love has been the thread through the labyrinth, the net under the high-wire walker, the only real thing in this strange life of mine that I could ever trust."
― Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler's Wife
24. THIS OLD CURSE. 2
There was a way to end Katherine once and for all, she told Stefan. In reality, there might have been other ways, but at the moment she still hated him, still believed he did not deserve to live a long, happy life after what he did to Enzo. It was just a short lapse in judgment, when she forgot all about Caroline, her best friend, and the consequences her words would have in the rest of their lives. It did not bring back the person she loved. And in the end of her life, it all turned to guilt and regrets.
Even then she did not seem to learn her lesson, and messed up with the natural course of life and death one more time. What she told Stefan was that he could go back, linked to the same curse that affected Caroline. What she wished was for them to find a version of the world where all of them could be happy. Where she herself could avoid all that heartache.
"This is something you have to fix, Bonnie."
"You were selfish and ignored all the warnings. Something you learned from Damon, didn't you?"
The voice whispering in her head sounded so much like hers, or maybe Gran s. She woke up with the eerie feeling that something was wrong still lingering in her heart.
"Who the hell is Enzo?"
But her dream had something to do with Stefan and Caroline, so she thinks it is better to check with Damon if he heard something from his brother, although it is unlikely the oldest Salvatore has another way to contact them. Yes, she has the emergency phone number, but a vague dream does not feel like a good enough reason to use it. And those two are probably enjoying their vacations (ever since they got together, Caroline and Stefan have been glued together in an abnormal way).
However, what if something else is going on?
What if something goes wrong?
Damon does not take her calls, as expected. So she texts Elena, who tells her she is home and they can meet for breakfast. Her friend has not heard from Damon either. They fought (again) two days ago because of Damons bad influence on Elena's blood drinking habits. And yes, Bonnie admits she was the one to point it out to both Elena and Jeremy because she could not stand the drastic change in Elena's behavior. As a result, Damon has not spoken to either of them ever since.
When she walks into the bathroom and glances at the mirror, Bonnie freaks out.
"You have to fix it this time, Bonnie Bennet."
For a moment, Emily Bennet is staring at her, but as soon as she speaks these words, she is gone.
There is no doubt, the spirits of her ancestors are trying to communicate with her, but what exactly are they trying to say?
She still cannot understand it.
Leaving Greece, they make a good job at forgetting the witch's ominous words. At first, Caroline insists on looking for the woman, but after asking around no one can give a word about the local witches, and it might be for the best, since Stefan does not have a good feeling about witches who think they are the source of imbalance in nature (when a witch says these words, things do not tend to go well for them).
The change of scenery to Santorini is good. He always wanted to bring her to this island, but there never was enough time for them to do so.
It is a dreamlike experience, he thinks, listening to her heartbeat that harmonizes with his own, her fingers tracing circles on his nape, and the soothing feeling that spreads through him as she keeps humming along with the music.
They are dancing in their suite, traces of their candlelit dinner sitting outside, in the balcony, when Caroline just says this.
"We should get married. It would be just as if we eloped, don't you think?"
There is just no chance he has heard this wrong. So he is grinning now, putting just the smallest distance between them so he can look her in the eye.
"It is not that I don't like the idea, but eloping doesn't sound like you at all."
She deserves the big, fancy party that she has dreamed of ever since she was a kid. Thanks to his brother's brilliant idea to lure Katherine with that rushed wedding, he could not even give her that.
"Maybe I don't care about fancy receptions anymore. It would not be the same."
"Care, you and your mom can still…"
"It is not about that." She assures him.
Stefan understands. Even if they were to tell the whole gang about their ongoing rewind curse, their shared experiences are not there. The future is, as always, uncertain, but they have the present for themselves.
They don't have to wait.
"Stay right here."
He untangles himself from her and rushes to the bedroom, coming back before Caroline can utter another word.
At the very least, let him do this.
He opens the velvet box with her engagement ring, expectant to see her reaction. Her eyes are wide with surprise, and she stares at him then back at the ring, laughing as she does so.
"How long have you had this around?"
He licks his lips. So this is the time when he has to reveal himself. "Hmm. Maybe around the time you agreed to date me again."
Caroline raises her eyebrows.
"I was human back then! I didn't even remember… anything at all!"
He takes another box from his pocket, the one that contains the wedding bands they wore the first time.
"I was being optimistic."
She kisses and takes him back to their bed. The rings can wait until the morning (there is no need to hurry, after all).
"My dearest Beth and Dante,
Today I had a dream, and I remembered June 5th is an important date. Dante, you always asked us to go to the movies on your birthday, and complained when your dad had emergencies at work and could not arrive on time.
Beth, you never told me how exactly you made it so your dad always took the day off after that sixth birthday. Of course, you had this talent to have him wrapped around your little finger, so I never wondered much, but now I guess I will never know.
It is strange to think about time as linear, where you both are no longer next to me. But I find it is the only way I will not go crazy again with so many memories coming back to me. I tried erasing them once, and it didn't work out quite well. Besides, I have you who I could never forget...
There is more on the page, covered by her arms and the blonde curls spread on the desk. Caroline fell asleep writing these words, she probably woke her up in the middle of the night thinking about them. So Stefan should not be reading this.
He cannot help it.
She never talks about this, and yet it is so easy to picture them. The girl who looks just like Caroline, her hair just shades darker, but the rest is just like her. Beth, they call her, but it must be short for Elizabeth. Or Lizbeth.
Lizbeth sounds just right.
And Dante might take after him, but his smile and the willfulness should be all Caroline's.
The image is so clear that, even though this is not a life he lived, his heart aches all the same just thinking about the missed chance, what they could have had in different circumstances (where they do not have to worry about a seemingly unbreakable curse that would take it all away from them in the end).
So he understands that he can finally make Caroline happy in this life, and yet there is a persistent yearning that no one can fix (there is so much that they have lost along the way).
Stefan takes her in his arms and carries her back to bed, closing the journal to avoid temptation.
"Why are you not sleeping?" Caroline barely opens her eyes and has not quite awakened from her slumber, but she is already questioning him so he cannot help but smile and lean in to kiss her forehead.
Then he lies again next to her, arms wrapped around her waist.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Bonnie calls in the morning, and Stefan picks it up at once. It is the first time she uses the emergency number, and considering it is Mystic Falls they are talking about, that is a feat.
"Bonnie, hey." He glances at Caroline, who is fidgeting by his side, fighting the need to take the phone from his hands and just ask herself "what is wrong?"
"I was expecting you to help me answer that. Is there any chance you have heard the name Qetsiyah before?
