Chapter nine.

Stefan's POV.

I wake up by the sound of Elena screaming in her room. I slept on the couch last night after returning from the hospital with her. Ella jumped in my arms when she saw me and her mother. We ate diner with Caroline and Nik, the conversations was warmly and cheerful like before.

I go upstairs as fast as I can and hear Elena screaming again.

"No please, don't do this !" she begs.

"I swear to you, I will do whatever you want but don't touch her.." She has tears on her cheek and sweat on her forehead.

"No, no please.. don't do this, don't take her away from me !" she screams again.

"I will leave him, if that's what you want from me but please she didn't do anything ! It's all my fault !"

"Noooooooo !"

I try to wake her up when I run in her room but she doesn't. "Elena, baby.. it's a nightmare, wake up !" I shake her.

"Wake up !" I shake her again with more strength this time and she opens her slowly.

"Stefan.." she whispers like I'm her salvation. I take her in my arms and comfort her the best I can.

"I'm here, I'm right here baby.." I rock her side to side and her breathing begins to slow down slowly.

"I will go run a bath, Ok ?" I ask and she nods almost imperceptibly. I kiss her hair and go in the bathroom adjacent to her room.

I return in her room and see that she has not moved, her eyes are fixed on the wall and she did not even blink.

"Come on baby. It's ready." I undress her from her pajama and her panties. She climbs in the bath, she relaxes and closes her eyes.

"Thank you.." she murmurs and she is lost in her thoughts.

We stay like this for half an hour before she begins to shiver. "Come baby, you are cold."

She comes out of the bath and I wrap her in a large towel. With another towel I dry her hair and hold her close to me. I feel her relaxes in my arms, I carry her in my arms and she falls asleep against me before we are in her room.

I quietly change her, give her my shirt and I lie her in her bed. I push the blanket over her shoulders, I kiss her hair and walk towards the door.

"Stefan, stay." Elena whispers and locks her eyes with me.

"I don't want to disrupt you, go back to sleep." I say and switch off the light.

"Please, Stefan.." she says. "I can't go back to sleep after a nightmare if you aren't with me."

It's true, of course it's true. She told me one day that sleeping with me was like sleeping as a baby. I kick myself for wanting to go with her. I know that I'm going to go with her.

I begin to go towards her bed, I take off my pajama pants and climb in bed next to her but I don't touch her. She approaches to me and put her head on my chest. I hold her tightens against me and wrap my arms around her waist. I hear her breathing slow down against me and before falling asleep, she intertwines her legs with mine like before. I listen her heartbeat against my left hand, I kiss her hair and pull her even closer to me to savor this moment. She moves and places her head in the crook of my neck.

I rub small circles on her back and she moans appreciatively in her sleep. I kiss her hair and fall asleep for the first time in three years in the arms of the love of my life.

Elena's POV.

I wake up too hot with a body next to me. I open my eyes and see the beautiful face of Stefan. What's he doing here ? In my bed ? Oh my. Of course, he wakes me up when I had a nightmare. It's been a while since my nightmare was horrible like that. When I was a little girl and my dad died I always had nightmares, until I met Stefan in Paris.

I'm in Montmartre in the quarter of artist when I dump into somebody. I almost fall but he grips me by my hips and he pulls me closer to him.

"Pardon.." I say in French, I know only a few words because I'm in Paris for only three weeks.

"C'est ma faute, toutes mes excuses. Je ne regardais pas où j'allais." he says, I look at him confused because I don't really understand but I could listen him talk French everyday, he is beautiful with a Greek God body and a beautiful voice.

"Sorry, I don't understand.." I reply hesitantly when I find my voice and smile shyly at him.

"I was saying that it was all my fault because I didn't look where I was going" he smiles at me. "Are you Ok ?" he asks with concern in his voice and caresses my cheek with his thumb. I feel goosebumps in my whole body.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry." I say and he doesn't let me go.

"I'm Stefan by the way."

"Elena." I murmur and lock my eyes with his. I feel like he can see through my soul and look away from his instance gaze.

"It's nice to meet you, Elena."

"Likewise." I smile.

"Maybe we can take a coffee together ?" he asks smiling.

"Sure." I respond without thinking. Why did you do this Elena ? You can't go out with a stranger !

He takes me in a little coffee, across Montmartre. I take a tea and he takes a coffee. "So, Elena what are you doing in Paris ?" he asks smiling.

"I run away and I always wanted to see Paris and you ?" I smile.

"You run away from who ? I'm here for business." he responds vaguely. "And I was looking for you, a beautiful woman."

"It's not of your business but from my family. I know it's lie but thank you." Why I tell him that ? Why I don't lie ? Because I trust him, I don't how but I know that I can. I can feel myself blushing because of his compliment.

"Ok. You are a beautiful woman, Elena-" he begins but he cuts off by a man standing next to me and clear his throat. "Sir."

"Yes, Taylor. What's going on ?"

"You have your next appointment in fifteen minutes, Sir." Taylor says to Stefan.

"Ok. Elena this Taylor, my chief of security. Taylor this is Elena." he says smiling at me.

"Nice to you, Taylor." I say. "Nice to meet you Ma'am."

"I have to go, Elena. It was a pleasure to meet you, I hope we will met again." he kiss my cheek and nod at Taykor.

I shake my head and look at him sleeping next to me. I rub my hand through his hair, I pull myself together to leave him to go make breakfast. But before I can go out of the bed Stefan catch me then pull me closer to him and I giggle.

"Good morning baby.." he murmurs.

"Morning." I reply and inhale his scent.

"You sleep well ?" he asks and lock his eyes with me.

"Yeah, thank to you." I blush and smile shyly at him.

"You want to talk about it ?" he asks and caress my cheeks with his thumbs.

"No I don't want to." I lean in his touch and close my eyes.

Something changes in the atmosphere, the sexual tension between us. It's like something with electricity which pull us towards each other. He continues stroking my cheeks and after places his hands on my neck. I feel his breath on my lips, my breath catches in my throat and before I can stop him or move my head. I want him to kiss me so badly...

Ella runs in my room and jump on the bed.

"Mama ! Dada !" she says happily.

I smile at her and look at Stefan blushing even more when he looks at my lips. I smile sadly at him.

"Get up little girl." I say and get out of bed and see that I'm Stefan's shirt. He covers barely my ass. He smirks and turns around to pick up Ella in my arms. She giggles and laughs.

"Dada, what are you doing here ?" Ella asks her father with a question look.

"I just came to see if Mama wanted pancakes or French toast with her coffee." he lies and winks at me.

"But why you don't have a t-shirt then ?" she asks with innocently.

He hesitates so I respond for him. "Because Dada thought that it doesn't matter if he has a t-shirt or not and I have it on me sweetie." I smile and Ella laughs.

"Exactly baby girl. So what do you want for breakfast ?" Stefan asks her.

"Pancakes with syrup." she smiles and leaves the room running upstairs.

He leans towards me and kiss my ear. "I will kiss you soon baby." he whispers and runs his hands on my hips too close for my one sanity. He leaves goosebumps all over my body and leaves the room.

Dammit Elena ! Stop being so responsive to him ! I blush when I think we sleep together in the same bed. I put on a pant and go downstairs.

I watch Stefan and Ella together for the first time in my home behind the kitchen's door which is a little open. They prepare breakfast with orange juice, pancakes, muesli, yogurt, fruit, whipped cream. I smile when Stefan teaches Ella how do we do to return pancake. I hear Stefan talking to Ella. "Baby girl, Mama still loves her pancakes with whipped cream on it ?"

He remembers that I love it, I can eat it, every day, I love the whipped cream. "Of course ! But how do you met with Mama ?" she asks and I know she hopes answers from him, because I couldn't talk about him without crying. My heart aches for Stefan to see his daughter between two trips.

I hope he will forgive me for that. I feel tears coming but I don't want to cry, I'm tired of crying. Dammit Elena ! Stop, right now ! I take deep breaths and listen to Stefan. "We dump into each other in Paris, she almost falls but I catch her before. And when I see her, I was stuck by her beauty, she was the most beautiful girl I ever met. She was stunning with her blue dress, I couldn't leave her alone and I wanted to spend more time with her so I invited her for a coffee. She accepted who surprising me and we talk about her life, her family and I told her about my life, my business. Then, I had to leave for an appointment and I kiss her cheek."

I gasp when I hear Stefan telling our daughter that I was the most beautiful woman he ever met and place my hand over my mouth before he hears me. But I'm sure that I hear him chuckles. Ella giggles and asks "But you were not sure to see her again, Dada. Why don't you give her your phone number ?"

"I was sure to see her again because it was like something we pulled us together like electricity, you know." I smile because it's exactly that, when he enters somewhere, I know that he was there without seeing him. "And I know that she is listening behind the kitchen's door or somewhere near me because I can feel her and her heartbeat as if she was next to me."

I hear Ella turning and runs towards me before I can move. "Mama ! Dada had right you were here !" she yells.

"He always know where I am." I smile and kiss her forehead before I enters in the kitchen.

Stefan's POV.

"Except when you disappeared." I say without thinking. I turn towards Elena and I see in her eyes hurt, pain, grief and tears. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to tell you that.." I say with shame.

"Of course you wanted and I deserve all your anger and hurt, Stefan but not in front of our daughter." she says with tears in her eyes and stay far away from me."Ella, baby go plays ten minutes in the living room and I finish to prepare the breakfast with Dada."

Ella jumps out of Elena's arms and leaves the room.

I wait that Ella closes the door and Elena talks with anger in her eyes. "You know what, you can do whatever you want from me. You can hate me, tell me that I'm a bitch to took away your daughter from you but you can't say that in front of her. She suffers a lot because of me, I was a mess when she was born and you weren't there to help me. I choose her and your happiness over mine because you are my life like she is. She will always come before you, Stefan no matter what. I'm happy because she is your spitting image, she does everything with all her heart and she cares so much for the people she loves. But you can't do that again, you just can't because I'll fall apart if she saw us ever again argue because of what I did, it's between us and not her."

She turns around and I'm facing her back. I slowly walk towards her, and wrap my arms around her waist. She is crying and tense when she feels my body against her. "Don't do that. I can't fight you, Stefan." she murmurs.

I rub her back because I know it's calm her down, she relaxes at my touch and leans against my chest. "It's all my fault, Stefan-" she begins to cry hysterically. I turn her around towards me and push her closer to me.

"Shhh, it's Ok now." I whisper in her ear and she holds tighten my t-shirt in her hands. She places her head in the crook of my neck.

"I can.. I can't-" she begins to talk and sobs even more against me. She does in anxiety attack and she can't breathe.

"Baby calm down.. Look at me." I say and turn her chin towards me. She has tears rolling down her cheeks and she has trouble to breathe. "Breathe with me, Ok ?" she nods and I wipe her tears away with my thumbs.

She calms down after a few minutes and I wrap my arms around her body. I feel her breath on my neck and I kiss her hair. "I'm sorry.." she murmurs and shivers.

"You're cold ?" I ask.

"No, no it's Ok. I'm fine."

"You're not Ok, baby. You cry all the time and you know that I hate this." I cup her cheek and lock my eyes with her. She wraps her arms on my neck and closes her eyes before talking.

"I'm so sorry, I'm just so tired and I hate myself for losing you-" she says and cuts off by Ella who returns in the kitchen.

"Dada you kissed Mama ?" she asks when she sees us like this and I smile sweetly at her.

"No, baby girl. I just comfort your Mama." I respond and I look at Elena with a smile. She has puffy and red eyes and smile at Ella.

We eat breakfast and decide to go to the beach. "Come make sand castles with me, baby girl ?" I ask Ella when we are sitting in the sand and watch the waves spit on each other.

She has a swimsuit pink with flowers. Elena has a swimsuit white with a flowing dress, she has a gorgeous body like always.

"Of course Dada. You come Mama ?" she asks her mother with a genius smile.

"No. Go play with your Daddy I will watch you." she assures her.

"You Ok baby ?" I ask and I bend towards her. "I'm good." she says.

I caress her cheek and kiss her forehead. "Ella, you know that I'm the best for sand castles." I smile and she giggles.

"You can't Dada, it's me." she says proudly.

"Of course you are ! You are my daughter." I say and my heart beat faster when I say my daughter. It's a incredible sensation to say that you create something with the woman you love. I know that I will always be there for her when she needs me, I will always love her. Imiss three years of her life when she talked for the first time. When she walked for the first time, when she went to school this year, her first word, her first smile.

"Dada !" Ella yells at me and shake my head to clear my thoughts.

"Sorry baby. What did you say ?" I ask.

"I say that you can copy me." she giggles.

I laugh and pick her up. I rotate her in the air and she laughs, she has the same giggle as Elena.

"Dada !"

I put her down and begin to run towards the ocean. She follows me with her petites legs and smiles. I catch Elena's smiling over my shoulder when I look at our daughter behind me. I smile back at her and see tears in her eyes.

"Slow down baby girl, you will fall.." I say and stop running when I see that she is behind me and she throws herself into my arms. I kiss her hair, her forehead, her cheeks several times.

We made sand castles with Ella during this afternoon. She ate ice cream with whipped cream. I received a call from Damon early this afternoon and they are coming here to see Elena and Ella, next weekend. I don't know, why I'm so nervous to tell her and I feel my hands sweating. I don't want to ruin the amazing day we have had today.

I pushed as late as possible to tell Elena. "Baby girl, I will go talk with Mama. You finish this castle by yourself ?"

"Ok Dada." she smiles and turn to finish her castle.

I walk towards Elena and see that she falls asleep. I sit next to her and kiss her forehead.

"Mmmm.." she murmurs and she glue herself against me.

"Baby, wakes up.." I say and rub her back.

"Mmm, no." she mumbles against me.

"I have to talk to you." I say and she opens her eyes at once.

"Talk about what ?" she asks and sits next to me. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer to me. I smell her extraordinary sent mixed with the scent of the sea, her hair waves with a little breeze.

"Damon and Bonnie are coming next weekend to see us.." I say quietly and feel her tense next to me. "I'm sorry, Damon called me and told me that he already booked the hotel and all."

"Oh Ok. But I'm not ready to see him again, after what I did and Nik told me that he was very pissed at me when I left.." she murmurs and I sit her on my laps. I rub her back slowly and she relaxes against me.

"Baby, don't do that he is proud to be a uncle and I'm sure you will love Bonnie. She loved your book and she is like you."

"I broke his little brother heart so it's normal, that he hates me." Of course she broke my heart when she left but now, my heart aches from her thought.

"Baby, all I care is you and our beautiful daughter." I say sincerely because it's the truth. If I would listen to her when she said multiples time that Katherine wanted to harm her. We will be happy and in love.

"You can't say thing like that, Stefan." she says and looks away from me.

"It's true, when you were far away from me I always thought about you."

"I'm so sorry.." she whispers and I take her hand in mine.

"Stop apologizing, we will never catch up the lost time but we can ensure that in the future we don't lose more time together."

She doesn't answer but I hear her breathe catch in her throat. I wrap my arms tightens against her and look at our daughter smiling towards us.

Elena's POV.

I tense when Stefan told that Damon and Bonnie come to see us because when I left Damon called me. He left a message on my voice-mail "Elena ! What are you doing ?! Where are you ?! You left Stefan when you told me yesterday that he is the love of your life ?! I don't understand, call me or Stefan because he is worried that you left with nothing ! Call me to tell me that you just forgot your cellphone or something. He can't live without you and you know that, you are is other half and what you have is truly magical. You can't do that, to him and you leave a fucking note ! Please you need to call him, to talk to him, to explain why did this ! CALL HIM when you get this message !"

I know that I should have called him back, I know it. But if I would have call Stefan, I know that I couldn't do it. I can't fight against him, when he talks to me I'm a goner. I cry silently when I remember this night, it was a really nightmare. It's as if I was coming back to childhood when my step father yelled at me for something I didn't do.

"Baby, stop crying.." Stefan murmurs in my ear when I realize that I'm still on his laps.

"Sorry. I remembered that Damon left a message on my voice mail and-" I begin and feel Stefan tense when I said that. Maybe Damon didn't tell him that he called me. "But it was nothing, Stefan. I deserved what he said and I assume my choice."

He doesn't anything during several minutes, I know he thinks of that day. I continue " I wrote you letters that I have never sent. It was my escape so as not thought about our daughter in my belly that I had somehow abandoned, because I didn't eat for days before I can speak or do something on my own. I only was drinking that Care brought me, don't look at me like that. I know that I would not have done it but I just missing you so fucking much that I actually cried myself to sleep there a couple of times.." I pause to take several deep breaths and I know that I cry again but he have to know that. "I was in a home that I didn't know and I.. I was so lonely without you.. I wanted you hear with me even if it was impossible.. I just wanted to feel better and happy for caring our child.. to not feel so utterly fucking helpless because I made my own misery by listening to her and left you.. the loneliness were pure agony and it would not go away just for a minute.. and it didn't fade away, not even a little for me to breathe.. I just wanted to be loved, to be comforted.. I just wanted you and you weren't there because of me.." I say and he pulls me into his chest. "You weren't there with me, I needed you so much and You. Weren't. There !" I whisper in an heartbroken tone.

"I know, Baby, I know but I'm here now and I will never leave you again." he whispers and feel his tears fall on my head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I don't know why I say that, I didn't mean to blame you because it's all my fault. I should not have told you this."

"You didn't eat for days ?! How could you do that ?" he asks and I know that he hates when I don't eat.

"It reminded me that you always told me to eat a little more because you thought that I was too tiny. And when I thought of you I couldn't do anything else that remember your skin under my fingertips, your lips on mine and I touched my belly all the time. When she begins to kick, I cry myself to sleep because you couldn't feel it and I wanted so badly your touch on my belly as in films, you know. I'm sorry for everything, Stefan."

"You have nothing to apologize for, you protect our daughter and I'm here now." he kiss my hair and I smile when I lock my eyes with his. He caress my cheek and I lean in his touch. It sent electricity and I wrap my arms on his neck, I put my forehead against him and close my eyes to favor this moment.

A/N So what do you think ? Comments make me happy. So feel free to leave me one.

Until next time !

Bisous A.