Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.

Note: Previously, in "Freedom isn't Free," Elena reunites with Damon in the hospital and it is discovered that she's carrying twins instead of just one baby.

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Stefan's Room – That Same Moment...

Stefan groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. As his vision cleared, he saw that he was in the hospital and a quick look told him that he had a bandage on his shoulder, which meant that he had gotten seriously hurt. He took another look and saw Caroline sitting next to his bed, fast asleep in her chair. Poor thing, she must've dozed off while watching him. Smiling, he carefully, lifted her hand and squeezed it.

"Hey, beautiful. Rise and shine."

Caroline woke up and saw Stefan's green eyes looking into her blue ones with love, a smile on his face. Relieved that he was finally awake, she smiled as well and gently hugged him, mindful of the bandage on his shoulder.

Pulling back, she said, "You have no idea how grateful I am for what you and Damon did for me."

"Well, I couldn't let the bad guys get away with wanting to use my girl as leverage, right?" said Stefan. "You mean the world to me, Caroline, and I never want to lose you, ever."

"You won't, baby," said Caroline. "I'm not going anywhere, not without you."

"Marry me."

Caroline blinked. "What did you say?"

"Marry me, Caroline," said Stefan. "I want to spend my life with you."

"It's a little soon, don't you think?" said Caroline. "We've only been dating for three months."

"I don't care," said Stefan. "Caroline, I love you. There's no one else I'd rather be with than you. You've come to mean more to me than anything else these last three months. I know you think I'm doing this because of what happened today, but I'm not. I'm doing this out of my undying love and devotion for you. Damon and Elena didn't know each other that long and they got married."

"I love you too, Stefan, I really do," said Caroline. "Seriously, though, I think we should wait before get married."

Stefan was about to answer her when a knock was heard on the doorframe. Looking in the direction of the sound, Stefan and Caroline saw Elisabetta standing there, a big smile on her face. Not sure what this was about, Stefan scowled at his mother.

"What's with the smile, Mom?"

"Oh, I'm smiling for two reasons," she replied. "One is that both of my darling sons are alive, which is a big relief for me."

"And the other?"

"I just found out that I'm going to be the grandmother of twins," said Elisabetta. "Elena had another ultrasound to find out why the kicking was so intense, and it turned out that she wasn't carrying one baby, she was carrying two and she didn't know it."

"Twins?" said Stefan. "Shit, that is big news. I'll bet Damon must be thrilled."

"Not thrilled exactly. More like ecstatic."

Stefan then saw Damon standing by the doorframe as well, Elena at his side, gently holding his arm. Caroline smiled at them, relieved that her friend and her husband were together again after the ordeal that they went through today.

"Congrats on the twins, you two," she said. "Guess this means that we'll have to get another crib, since there's only one in the nursery."

"You're right," said Elena. "I doubt that there will be room for two babies in the same crib." She nodded toward Stefan. "I see that Stefan is awake."

"I am," said Stefan, answering the question for Caroline. "I doubt I'll be able to hold a gun until I'm completely healed. Of course, I don't think I'll have the need for a gun since our enemies have been defeated and we don't have to worry about our happiness being disrupted again." He sighed, looking at Caroline. "I had hoped to have some more good news when you guys walked in."

"More good news?" said Elisabetta. "Like what, baby?"

"I was hoping that Caroline and I would've been engaged," said Stefan. "But, I think I jumped the gun by proposing to her. We've only been dating for three months and we barely even know each other. I thought that since Damon and Elena got engaged after a short time together that I'd have the same luck, but I was wrong."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He looked at Caroline. "Could it have something to do with what happened today?"

"It has everything to do with it," said Stefan. "I could've lost her, and I didn't want to take the chance of that happening again, so I wanted to ask her to marry me. That way, we'd always be together."

Caroline looked at Stefan. She could hear the sincerity in his voice and although she had turned him down because they had only known each other a short time, she told herself to reconsider, since they could learn more about each other during the course of their marriage, which Damon and Elena were no doubt doing.

"Stefan?"

Stefan looked at her. "Yes?"

"I thought about your proposal," she replied. "And I decided that although we've known each other a short time, we could learn more about each other after we get married, like Damon and Elena are doing." She sighed. "In other words, yes, Stefan Salvatore, I will marry you."

Stefan smiled and kissed her. "I love you, Caroline. I promise you, you're making the right choice. I'll make you the happiest woman on Earth."

Elisabetta smiled as well. Now she had something else to be happy about. First, Damon and Elena were going to have twins, and now, Stefan and Caroline were engaged. This was turning out to be the best day of her life.

"Oh, this is the best thing any mother could ask for," she said. "Both of my boys are happy, and for different reasons."

Elena smiled at her mother-in-law. "I'll bet you didn't expect this when you got up this morning, right?"

"Definitely not," said Elisabetta. "But, I'm happy regardless. Guess this means that I'll have to plan not only a baby shower for you, since the twins are going to be here before we know it, but also an engagement party for Stefan and Caroline."

Of course, Caroline and Stefan didn't hear her, they were too busy basking in the glow of their happiness.

Note: Better late than never, eh? Anyway, I thought I'd treat you guys to an update to "Freedom isn't Free." Stay tuned for more!

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