I own nothing from the Vampire Diaries Universe. It all belongs to its respected owners. I only own my characters and story plot.

A/N: Life has been hectic…..Well….Let's just leave it at that. I will be updating whenever possible, I promise and I'm sorry for the slacking so I'm just going to start the chapter and it is longer than most to make up for my absence! Enjoy! Oh and please remember to R&R! Reviews help!

Chapter 16 – You Had Me at Hello

Stefan's POV

I arrived home about an hour after I saw Damon and the girls leave The Grill. I was tired so I went up to my room and climbed into bed after stripping down to my boxers. I was in and out of consciousness all night with restless dreams of Destiny and I until my mind decided to stop on one.

((Flashback))

It was October of 1862 and I was 15 years old, considered a man in that time. I was sleeping in my room soundly when I heard Damon barge in and start shouting at me to wake up as he opened the curtains in my room to let the sunlight in. I noticed it was just dawn outside the window.

"Why so early?" I groaned rolling over to face him.

"Amelia is to arrive home today and we must get to her house before she does" he exclaimed.

At those words I jumped out of bed and got dressed quickly as possible in excitement of seeing my best friend. It had been months since I or Damon had seen her. She had been away studying the craft with her grandmother in California. Damon and I knew her secret and we had never told a soul. Damon took some adjusting to it, but he came around because of his love for Amelia. When I was dressed we raced out of the house and didn't stop until we reached Amelia's house a mile or so down the road.

When we arrived at the driveway that led to Amelia's house we saw a carriage coming and we knew it must be her.

"We'll never beat them" Damon said referring to the long cobblestone driveway that led up to the house.

"Follow me" I yelled as I started running through the woods until I reached the path I was looking for. It was a shortcut I had found a few years before that led to the house.

I began running as fast as I could with Damon right behind me. A few moments later we came to a clearing on the side of the house and the carriage was still halfway down the driveway. We raced to the steps only to find Amelia's mother and father standing on the porch.

"Looks like you boys are just in time" Mr. Warren chuckled a bit.

"Hello boys" Amelia's mother Hera spoke.

"Hello Mrs. Warren" Damon and I said in unison as we tried to get presentable for Amelia.

Within moments the carriage pulled up and we stood like the gentlemen we were raised to be. It stopped in front of the house and the coachman opened the door. We watched as he helped Amelia out of the carriage. Her long golden blonde hair hung in tight curls and her eyes a piercing ocean blue were filled with joy at the sight of Damon and me. I walked up to her and took her hand and kissed it before she pulled me into a hug.

"How has my dearest friend been whilst I been away?" she asked as we released.

"I've been quite well, but I missed you of course" I replied.

Then Damon came beside me and took her hand and kissed it as well before Amelia gave him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"And the love of my life?" she smiled brightly.

"Better now that you're home" with that he picked her up and spun her and she laughed in amusement.

"Alright Damon, put me down, I have someone I would like you to meet" She said and Damon did just that. She walked over to the carriage and held out her hand. "Destiny" she spoke and with that we saw someone take her hand and I was captivated by the beauty that was exiting the carriage.

Her hair was as black as a raven with mid tone colors reflected from the sun. It was up in tight curls and her eyes were an enchanting blue with golden waves like the sun reflecting on the water. She was dressed in a deep purple petticoat dress that brought out her eyes even more. She was truly a stunning and remarkable image.

"Damon, Stefan, I would like you to meet a very old and dear friend of mine. Destiny these are the Salvatores I have told you so much about" Amelia introduced.

Damon took Destiny's hand and kissed it.

"My name is Damon, it is very nice to meet you" he spoke and she curtsied.

I stayed silent, still stricken by the loveliness of the girl standing before me. I felt Damon bump my shoulder, snapping me back into reality.

"Oh uh yes sorry for being rude" I said taking her hand and kissing it. "My name is Stefan and it truly is a pleasure to meet woman as beautiful as you" I said the words before I even realized what I was saying. She smiled at my comment and kept her gaze upon me as I stood straight.

"Hello Stefan, you are very handsome yourself" she replied and I felt my heart jump into my throat.

At that moment I knew she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. In some odd way I didn't know this woman, but I was madly in love with her.

"Destiny is a very close family friend, she is different like my family" Amelia stated.

"Are you a witch like Amelia and her parents?" Damon asked Destiny.

"No, but our heritages are very similar" she smiled at Damon the looked back to me. "Stefan?"

"Yes?"

"Would you care to show me around the grounds?" her voice was soft and sweet. I looked to Amelia and she simply nodded in agreement.

"Yes I would very much like that" I replied holding out my arm and she took it.

"Damon? Take me around the garden?" Amelia asked and of course he agreed. She went and hugged both her parents before her and Damon took off to the garden.

"Well there are many things to see here on the Warren grounds" I stated as we started walking in the opposite direction.

I showed her the small garden that led to the pond just shy of the woods. She decided she wanted to enjoy the scenery and took a seat on the cement bench. She smiled as she looked out into the pond. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as if this were the first time she felt the wind on her face. She let the breath out and smiled at me.

"Care to join me Stefan?" she asked gesturing to the seat next to her.

I sat down and looked onto the pond with her. After a few moments of silence she looked back over to me and spoke.

"Amelia says you are the one to trust with secrets" she looked at me almost seductively.

"I've kept hers and her family's if that is what you mean" I stated.

"Well I have a secret to share, that is if you would like to know more about me" she fixed her gaze upon my eyes and it was as if I were transfixed.

"I'd love to know everything about you" again the words came before I even knew what I was saying.

"I am a Valkyrie" she spoke softly.

"I'm not sure what that is" I confessed.

"I'd be very surprised if you did" she half giggled. "A Valkyrie is not very different from a witch. I have many gifts like Amelia does, but they are different from hers. The one very powerful gift I have is I can see ghosts; I help them move on to wherever they were supposed to go after this world. And the reason I bring this up to you is you have one attached to you" my mind spiraled into shock and confusion as she spoke the words. They made sense to me because of knowing about Amelia, but Amelia didn't see ghosts. "She is a French woman and says her name is Mary. She says she's your…"

"Mother" I cut her off. "You're saying you can see my mother?" I asked feeling taken back a bit by this whole situation.

"Yes and she has many things she would like me to tell you and Damon before she moves on" she smiled as I felt tears begin to build. I stopped them though because I would not let this beautiful woman see me cry.

That night Destiny helped Damon and I talk to our mother. I didn't know her as well as Damon, just vivid memories from early childhood, but Damon was very close with her. That night Destiny didn't only help my mother's soul rest but mine and brother's as well. On our way home I told Damon I was going to marry Destiny one day.

((End Flashback))

I sat up in bed in frustration. Out of all the memories I could have dreamt of why did it have to be that one! I thought to myself. All of my feelings I had buried behind a wall that I was struggling to keep up just broke through and started flooding my whole body. I remembered the way she made feel from the very first time I laid eyes on her until the moment I had realized she was gone.

I still whole heartedly loved her, and it was so much stronger than what I felt for Elena, but how could I forgive her for just leaving the way she did? For not even giving me a chance to do what she needed me to do for her to stay? She thinks I know why she left, but honestly I'm not entirely sure what that reason is. I got up and got dressed to wake Damon up. He was the only one I could talk to about this and I hated it.

Okay so this chapter you got see how Stefan and Destiny met and how Stefan was instantly in love with her! Now his head is so rattled he is going to Damon for advice. Will Damon be able to help him or just brush him off like he usually does? But won't helping Stefan also help his best friend Destiny? And if Damon does talk to Stefan what will Stefan choose to do? All of these questions and more will be answered as the story continues! (And it will) plz R&R!