Finding Stefan proved to be a lot harder than any of them had thought. After the incident with Stefan's emotions Klaus decided to finish scheming his "master plan" out in the Appalachian Mountains where he had rented a cabin. It took Damon and Elena two months to track the pair down, immediately deciding to pack up and take a road trip. Damon packed his bags and made sure his and Katherine's were in the car. Elena waddled angrily out of the house having realized her bags were still in their room.

"Damon! Why aren't my things in the car?" She asked, folding her arms across her now huge abdomen. He sighed.

"Elena, you're nine months pregnant. I can't let you put yourself in any danger. Two weeks from now you're going to have my baby…I can't take you to see my deranged brother!" Elena got tears in her eyes and her lip began to quiver, causing Damon to look away. It was hard for him to say no to her when she cried.

"Damon, I need to go with you. Stefan called me…not you, not Katherine, me. For whatever reason he hung on to the fact that I have always been there for him. I think it was a cry for help, he knows he can trust me to bring him back. You have to let me try." Damon sighed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Okay listen to me, Katherine and I are going to get Klaus out of the cabin so that you can safely talk to Stefan. Since he called you he must have his emotions on, and that way I'm pretty sure he won't hurt you…show him this, I think we'll have him roped in after that." He said, giving in and handing her a recent photo of Scarlett. At two months old she looked even more like Stefan, which everyone had thought was impossible. Damon went inside and got her bags, throwing them in the car and then softly grabbing the sides of her face.

"Be careful, Elena, do you understand me?" His voice was stern but loving and she nodded.

"He won't hurt me, Damon."

"He already has once…" Elena leaned up and kissed him tenderly.

"I trust him Damon. You should too, he's your brother." Damon didn't respond but helped Elena into the car reluctantly.

"Katherine you're driving, I have business to take care of in the backseat." Elena raised her eyebrow.

"What business—" She was cut off by a smoldering kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and sucked on her bottom lip. She entwined her fingers in his hair and moved into his lap. When he pulled away he softly stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"When you're alone with my self-righteous little brother who is obviously still madly in love with you…I want my kisses to replay in your mind…my touches, my affection, everything you love about me. I will not lose you to anyone, especially not him." Her mouth dropped open.

"Damon…do you honestly believe I still feel for him that way?" Damon rested his forehead against hers.

"Elena I know you love me, you've proved that to me in multiple ways." He said as he gently rubbed her belly, enticing Sebastian to kick.

"But I want to be sure he won't try to steal you from me…I don't have the strength to be without you anymore." He whispered, his eyes glazed over. She nuzzled his neck and held him close to her.

"Damon he can try to steal me all he wants, but he can't have me. My heart belongs to you and only you. Always and forever." He tugged at her lips again with his teeth, a fang piercing the corner of her mouth. She groaned and gently bit into his neck and Sebastian kicked harder as the blood poured down her throat. Damon laughed.

"He must be hungry." Damon savagely bit into her forearm, the blood sharing peaking his arousal. Katherine cleared her throat loudly.

"Um…we're here if you two would kindly stop blood fucking each other." She spat, irritated that she'd had to listen to all that the entire ride up the mountain. Damon didn't want to leave the intimacy of the moment, taking another long sip of his lover's blood before letting go. He dialed Klaus's number and informed him that he knew of his brother's whereabouts and that he might want to meet him somewhere. Klaus agreed and Damon and Katherine snuck Elena to the cabin after Klaus confirmed that he was on his way to meet them. Damon kissed Elena long and hard when they got to the doorstep.

"Be safe, my princess." He whispered before he and Katherine disappeared. She bravely knocked on the door and none other than Klaus Mikaelson answered the door. He smirked.

"Ello, Love." He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the cabin.

"I'm going to go see what your pathetic little fiancé knows about my brother, so I am sorry to tell you I can't stay and entertain. However, I think you'll have a nice time with my old pal Stefan over here." He said gesturing to a figure in the corner of the room. This didn't look like the Stefan Elena knew. His eyes were blank, cold, and uncaring. He smiled falsely and walked towards her.

"Stefan, why don't you show Ms. Gilbert your room? I'm sure she'd be interested to know that even with your emotions shut off you still bothered to keep that shattered picture of the two of you." Elena cocked her head to the side.

"You took a picture of us?" Stefan shrugged.

"Not like it matters." He took her roughly by the hand and pulled her into the room as Klaus slammed the door and locked it behind him.

"I'll be leaving now…you aren't leaving that room until the jobs done mate, I'm tired of waiting." The two heard the front door shut and Elena stared wide-eyed at Stefan.

"What job?" He smirked and walked closer to her.

"Killing you, Elena. Klaus met with a witch in Chicago named Gloria who'd seen a prophecy back in the twenties of a pure bred vampire baby. Klaus had thought she was nuts until I told him about you and Katherine. The prophecy foretold that the child would not be immortal until its sixteenth birthday when its fangs came in, even though it still needed human blood to survive and couldn't be out in the sunlight. Since purebloods were only born to Doppelgangers that means that as long as the child isn't immortal yet, their Petrova blood can be used to create Hybrids. That is what Klaus wants with Katherine and Scarlett. You on the other hand…he just wants to be rid of you. You've pissed him off one too many times Elena." He snarled, pulling her close to him. She tried to squirm away.

"You don't want to help him do this to Scarlett! Believe me, I know you're angry with Katherine but you don't have to feel that way anymore! Elijah had been compelling Katherine the entire time to believe they were soul mates, Klaus lied to you about what Elijah's been doing. Scarlett is your baby. Stefan, I've seen her, she looks just like you! If you could just find it within yourself to turn your emotions back on all that grief would turn to joy." Stefan scoffed at her.

"What makes you think I'd ever believe you after all you've done to me…abandoning me and jumping in bed with my brother over one little slap?! How many more ways can you rip my heart out, Elena, when I barely hit you!" He bellowed, his grip on her arms tightening painfully.

"You hit me hard Stefan, you just don't know your own strength! And why the hell would I lie to you after all we've been through together? After everything you've done to destroy this family we still love you…Katherine still loves you!" She screamed, bursting into frantic tears.

"Prove it." His eyes darkened, thick black veins popping out beneath his eyes and his fangs baring, as if to intimidate her. She flashed her own fangs and hissed at him.

"Let me go and I will." Stefan reluctantly let her go and she pulled the picture of Scarlett from her pocket along with another picture that Katherine didn't know she had taken. She handed him that one first.

"I took this especially to show to you…she cries herself to sleep at night cuddling your shirt." He looked down at a curled up Katherine on his bed, mascara streaks down her cheeks and her nose buried into one of his navy blue shirts. Before he could comment, she handed him the picture of Scarlett. They were both quiet for a moment as he gazed at it.

"You'd be a fool to think she isn't yours." Just when she thought it might be working, Stefan dropped the pictures on the floor.

"A few pictures aren't going to save your life, Elena. I will rip you apart." His words were menacing but something about his tone had changed, as if the pictures had weakened his resolve.

"Don't be this person, Stefan. This isn't you." Elena whispered softly.

"Elena stop." He half begged, some unwanted emotion seeping through.

"Where is the Stefan I fell in love with? You are so much better than what you have become." She reached out to touch his face, but he quickly pushed her, flinging her against the wall.

"I said stop!" He screamed. Elena just stared at him as he calmed down, seeming to come to his senses the more the two gazed at one another. After a while of silence Stefan finally said "The Stefan you loved is gone. He's been dead a while now." His voice was very quiet, and if Elena hadn't been a vampire she probably wouldn't have even heard him. She rubbed her baby belly, which was suddenly aching, as she stood back up straight.

"You're wrong, Stefan. If that were true I'd be dead by now. You're going to have to turn it on, Stef. Especially now." Her face scrunched in pain and Stefan took a terrified step back, having a pretty good idea of what was going on.

"A-And why is that?"

"You don't want to be numb inside when you meet your nephew do you?" Stefan immediately turned and tried to break down the door. It didn't budge.

"Damn it…he had someone spell the fucking door." He grumbled, trying once more to knock the door off its hinges. Nothing. Elena screamed loudly and Stefan nearly jumped out of his skin. When he turned to face her he noticed that she'd sank to the floor.

"S-Stefan, my water broke…p-please turn it back on!" She whimpered helplessly, her eyes practically begging him. In a panic he did as she asked, closing his eyes and flipping his switch back on. An overwhelming sense of love, need, and urgency consumed Stefan, his feelings picking up right where they'd left off when he was walking out on Klaus. He burst into rather violent tears and sped to Elena's side, picking her up and carrying her to the large bed in the center of the room. He gently caressed the side of her face, trying to assure her that everything would be okay.

"You asked me to turn it on and I did…so you have to forgive me for doing this." He said as he gently pulled her into a passionate yet very tender kiss. He pulled back and smiled, relieved that she hadn't slapped him.

"S-Stefan, I won't tell Damon you did that…just please call him, okay? I need him." Stefan nodded and pulled out his phone.

"Um…Elena…my phone is dead." She took a deep breath.

"Then you're going to have to deliver him." Stefan looked worried and panic-stricken.

"I don't know what I'm doing, but for you…I'll try." He said as he softly pushed her hair behind her ears and helped her out of her pants. Elena began to push, screaming in agony and bursting into another fit of tears. Stefan's heart was breaking, having never seen her in so much pain. She pushed three more heart-wrenching times to no avail. He climbed onto the bed with her and held her left leg out for her as she spread them both wide. He gently rubbed the inside of her leg in comfort as she pushed again.

"Come on Elena, you're doing so good." He urged her soothingly, moving from his spot on the bed to between her legs to check her progress.

"He's crowing, baby, you've got this. One more big push." He continued to rub her leg, smiling as it visibly comforted her. She groaned loudly in pain as something very warm fell into Stefan's arms. The small raven haired baby cried out and Stefan smiled, handing him to Elena. She gasped happily in surprise as her baby opened his bright blue eyes.

"He looks just like his daddy." She murmured as she gently nuzzled the small bundle. Stefan walked over to where he had dropped the pictures and picked them up. Then he got back onto the bed and wrapped one arm around Elena, who gave him a don't-think-I-don't-know-what-you're-doing glare. Stefan just smiled, not bothering to move it.

"She really is a spitting image of me, huh?" He asked proudly. Elena nodded.

Suddenly there was a loud bang on the door and a familiar voice yelled "Elena?!" Stefan noted how her entire face lit up at the sound of his brother's voice.

"Damon! Can you get in? Stefan couldn't break down the door!" Damon kicked the door in and ran to her side.

"Klaus un-spelled the door once he thought you were dead…he told me to come claim your body…I thought the worst…" He said with tears in his eyes. She shook her head and gently caressed his cheek.

"Look, Damon. Stefan had to deliver him…we tried to call but his phone was dead. He looks just like you." Damon picked up his son and held him tightly to his chest.

"I'm so sorry I missed it…he's beautiful." Damon's tears finally spilled over as he cuddled his child and whispered sweet things in his ear, as if to make up for not being there. He walked over and kissed Elena feverishly and shot his brother a grateful smile.

"Thanks for looking out for her, Stefan. But we'd better hurry and leave, Katherine headed home and Klaus could get back any moment from the goose chase we led him on to find Elijah." He handed Sebastian to Elena and picked her up, carrying her to the door before looking over his shoulder at his brother.

"Come on brother, you and Katherine have paperwork to sign." He said with a proud grin and a wink. Stefan smiled back, having felt like a family again for the first time in 145 years.