A/N: Hey all! I'm finally slowly getting back to writing and updating. Sorry if this reads a bit rusty. However, I hope you all still enjoy it! Thanks for reading! :)
Remember Me- Chapter Seven
Three weeks later...
"So, tomorrow's the big day. You're going to be a married man soon." Elena commented, glancing out towards the seaside resort that Stefan and Audrey had picked out as the venue for their wedding. They were all settled in for the night as Elena walked the beach and stumbled upon Stefan who was sitting all by himself, watching the waves roll in and crash against the dark brown sand.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked her, not turning to look towards her as she took a seat beside him.
"Well," Elena paused, sitting down and brushing off the sand from her khaki colored shorts.
"I saw you out here and thought I'd join you." She replied softly, exhaling as she thought about how things could have been. Years ago, this could have been the two of them. Yet, Elena shook the thought from her mind. He's happy now, without you… She reminded herself silently as Stefan finally turned to glance over at her from the corner of his eye.
"Do you ever think about how things could have turned out between us? You know, do you think about the house we would have lived in and the jobs we would have been working had we stayed together?" His question lingered in the air as she licked her bottom lip. God, she had thought about it multiple times. It had taken Elena years to attempt to move on from him and the hurt she had caused. Although, she knew that there was still a lot of unspoken pain in their newly formed relationship.
"Years ago, you had crossed my mind nearly every day. And then one day, you started to cross my mind less and less." She shrugged her shoulders back, placing her hand on top of his in the sand as she felt him move his own hand and curl his fingers around hers.
"But, seeing you now with Audrey. Stefan-." The small gesture of their hands in such close proximity made her heart skip a beat as Stefan cleared his throat and locked his saddened looking eyes upon his ex-fiancée. His tone of voice was tired and sounded strained when he finally admitted. "I'm worried that marrying Audrey is going to be a mistake, Elena. I'm worried that it's going to end up like my marriage to Rebekah did. I mean, we both know how that one ended. She was jealous all the damn time and we hated each other in the end." She watched him shift his weight around nervously, his eyes darting away from her and focusing in more on the crashing waves in front of them. Talking about Audrey in front of Elena still seemed a bit odd. However, he knew that she was trying to understand, trying to make the best of their new status of being " just friends."
Stefan felt the sudden soft touch of her hand as she caressed the top of his knuckles and intertwined their fingers together. It was gestures like these that she needed to stop herself from doing. Yet, she couldn't help it. She couldn't help not touching him or being near him now in his time of need.
"I don't think that you and her will end up like you and Rebekah," She paused, because what she was about to say next was going to be one of the hardest parts of this whole thing. It was going to mean that she was slowly accepting the fact that they'd probably never be together again.
"Audrey isn't Rebekah, Stefan. She's warm and kind. She's a good person and the way she loves you and Ben. The way that she's taken care of my son. I really respect her for that. So, I don't think that you two will end up like you and Rebekah did. I think you'll both have a very happy marriage." She commented, not daring to look at him as she quietly thought about what had happened to Rebekah Mikaelson and if she'd ever moved on from everything she had put Stefan through. She wondered for a brief moment if Stefan had invited his ex-wife to the wedding as well.
Stefan smiled, placing his head against Elena's shoulder as he grabbed her hands into his own and kissed her knuckles, skipping over her engagement ring. "Who would have thought that we'd ever be here, you and I?" He asked her, feeling her body tense up at his question.
"It's better than losing you completely." She said with a slight tone of hurt within her voice. She hadn't yet admitted to herself. Tomorrow evening, Stefan Salvatore. The only man that Elena had ever loved more than anything would be marrying someone who wasn't her and she was internally heartbroken. Part of her thought that maybe she deserved it though, maybe this was her punishment after all the hell she had put him through- this was the final blow.
"You'll always be a part of my life, Elena. Even if we're both with other people. You know that things will change. But, my love for you.." His voice cracked a little as he cleared his throat and finished his thoughts. "My love for you will always run deeply within my heart. I just want you to be happy too." He told her, becoming silent as he heard her exhale and quietly reply. "I'll always love you and Ben no matter what happens. You were my boys first before you were anyone else's. I just don't want you to ever forget me, when you're with her." She told him, nuzzling up against his body as he lifted his arm and pulled her into his side. Elena felt Stefan gently cup her face into both of his hands as he locked his eyes on to hers. "I promise that I'll always be yours first. Always." He told her, leaning into her and leaving a soft kiss upon her lips. Elena's heart tightened when he pulled away and when she opened her eyes, the warmth of his hands were gone and he was extending out his hands and arms towards her, offering to help her up.
"We should get back." He said, watching her giving him a look of bewilderment.
"What was that for?" She asked, still feeling the tingling of his lips against hers. It had been far too long since she had felt such an intensity between two people. Yet, Elena's mind reminded her of one major detail that the kiss seemed to make her forget. He was getting married tomorrow.
The golden looking sand kicked up behind his feet as he turned back towards her and shrugged his shoulders, hiding a smug smile. "For old time's sake. Tomorrow, I'll be a one-woman man."
Elena laughed, shaking her head as she caught up to him and nudged his shoulder. "Stefan Salvatore? A one-woman man? That's a nice joke." She teased, feeling him wrap his arm around her once again. Elena tried not to react to his touch as his hand slipped to the small of her back and they walked side by side, hearing the waves crash against the shore.
"She's a lucky woman." Elena commented, stopping in her tracks as Stefan turned back to watch her standing there, giving him a sorrowful look. "She loves you, Stefan. Probably better than I ever could." Elena told him, feeling defeat hit her hard as the realization sunk in. She was losing him and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Are you sure that you're ready to watch this happen?" Caroline asked Elena, tugging at the bright pink sun dress that Elena decided to wear for the nuptials. It was hotter than usual in Florida and here they were, all trying to get ready before Caroline and Elena's makeup melted off their faces because of the heat.
"Of course I am." Elena replied, glanced back at Caroline through the mirror in her bathroom. "So, are Kai and Klaus ready?" She asked the blonde, running her shaky hands through her hair as she smiled a little at the beautiful diamond ring that Kai had given her just weeks before.
"I think so." Caroline commented, looking at Elena quickly and trying to pin point exactly what she was feeling.
"Are you sure that you're okay?" She asked again, hoping that she'd get another answer. Elena sunk down in her seat, inhaling deeply as she locked her eyes onto the woman who had become her best friend over the years. If there was one thing that Elena couldn't do, it was lie directly to Caroline.
"No, I'm not." Elena stated in a flat tone. She had been anxious all week long, pacing around her bedroom and trying to act as happy as she could for Stefan and Aubrey. Although, the nagging feeling of uneasiness kept her awake at night. "I shouldn't even be at the wedding." Elena commented, looked away from Caroline as their gaze met in the mirror in front of her.
"What?" She heard Caroline ask, turning to look at her directly inside of the bedroom that she and Klaus shared.
"Care," Elena began, inhaling sharply while she placed her hands onto her knees and looked down at her left hand, the glistening diamond ring that Kai had given her was suddenly feeling awfully heavy on her finger.
"You and I both know that me being there shouldn't happen. Caroline, I can't watch him marry someone else….And," Elena swallowed the lump forming in her throat, she felt like she was dying, her heart being ripped into pieces as she thought about it. Why was it so selfish?
"I'm being selfish. I know. But, I loved him. God, I loved him so much more than she probably ever knows. More than anyone will ever know, including him." Elena exhaled deeply, gripping her hands tightly together as Caroline took a seat on her bed and took Elena's hands into her own, looking directly into her watery eyes.
"I still hate myself for what I did to him. The guilt hasn't left me and it never will. Stefan fought for me when everyone else wanted to give up. He wanted to build a life with me and I threw it all away. I know that he's happy and a part of me is so thrilled for him. Yet," She paused, trying to find the right words to describe how she was feeling.
"I lost him once and now, I'm losing him again. I know it's selfish and I shouldn't be feeling like this the night before his wedding day. Although, I can't lose him again. Caroline, I can't." Elena told her, leaning into the blonde's shoulder and sobbing as she found herself fighting for a breath. Caroline sat in silence for a while with her, holding her best friend against her as she stroked Elena's hair and before the brunette could say anything else, Caroline spoke first. "I think that you should go meet with Aubrey alone. I know that it's a stupid idea. But, maybe it'll help you move forward, Elena. Honey, I know that you still love him and that you miss him terribly. But, sweetie, Stefan is finally happy and so are you. I think that you need to go meet with Aubrey and just get to know her better." Caroline suggested as Elena wiped away her tears and sniffled. Caroline did have a good point, maybe meeting Stefan's soon to be wife would give Elena a better picture of the new woman that Stefan had brought into his life and what made her so special to him. It's not like they would be best friends. However, they could at least be friends for the sake of Ben and Stefan.
Elena nervously stood in front of the white door of the hotel where many unfamiliar faces were coming in and out of the room, all tending to every need of the bride. She waited outside for a few minutes until she could make sure that Aubrey was completely alone before she knocked on the door.
"Come in." Aubrey's voice sang out as Elena slowly pushed the door open and glanced up at the blushing bride. She was radiant, glowing even. "Elena! It's so nice to see you!" Aubrey smiled, rushing over to her as she hugged her tightly and then stepped away after a few minutes. Elena inhaled sharply, imagining herself in the dress. In this very position, she could have had been in with Stefan just a few years before. Shaking the image from her mind, she exhaled a deep breath before she replied. "You look absolutely stunning and I'm sure that Stefan is super anxious to see you." Elena's words were sincere as they could be without breaking her own heart. She was trying, for the sake of everyone and herself to let the guilt and hurt go. She was trying to move on from the past and she had thought that she had been doing a pretty damn good job. That was until this very moment, where it all felt like it was suffocating her just looking at Aubrey and how happy she was.
"Thank you." Aubrey smiled, gesturing for her to sit down as she took a seat near the vanity in the hotel suite, putting on a pair of overly priced diamond studded earrings.
"Elena, what are you doing in here?" She heard her ask as Elena's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. It wasn't clearly a personal visit. They barely even knew each other! She cleared her throat, anxiously pushing her hair to one side as she looked Stefan's bride to be up and down and then she stated softly. "I wanted to wish you well with him. With both of them. Aubrey, I promise that I'm not going to stand in the way of you loving my son and Stefan. Because, they deserve happiness and more than anything they deserve a world filled with love. They've both been through hell because of me. So, I guess I just came in here to tell you that I want you to love them gently and patiently." Elena choked back tears as she tugged on her dress, getting up and walking back towards the door of the suite before she became a crying mess in front of Aubrey. "I loved him very much, you know. For a very long time, he was my everything and he still is in a lot of ways. But, now I know that I need to let him go. So, I just came by to tell you that I wish you and Stefan all the best and I hope and pray that he becomes everything and more to you, like he had once been to me. He's a wonderful man, Aubrey and he will give you the whole world without a second thought. So cherish him, please."
Aubrey was wiping away her own tears as she caught the door before it closed in her face, calling after Elena. "Wait!" She shouted out, making her way slowly towards the elevators where Elena was now standing. "You need to know that he still loves you too. Elena, I know that he's never going to look at me or love me the way that he still loves you. But, I promise you that I'll take your advice and I'll cherish him. Because we both know that he and Ben deserve that and so much more." She smiled, hugging Elena tightly, backing away just slightly as she whispered into her ear. "I'm never going to replace you from his heart and I don't ever want too. I still want you to be in Ben and Stefan's lives, Elena. Because, you clearly deserve that as well. You're a wonderful and selfless human being. Stefan's a lucky man to have such a beautiful son with such an amazing woman like you."
"Where is he?" Katherine rushed into the room filled with all of Stefan's groomsmen, she was in a frantic panic. He hadn't been picking up his cell phone and neither had Damon for the past two hours. The worst part of it all was that the wedding was set to start in an hour from now and no one had heard from the groom or the best man since earlier in the morning when they had said they were on their way to the hotel.
"He's not here?" Kai asked while shrugging his shoulders back, popping his stiff feeling neck. Katherine's nostrils flared up as she angrily shook her head. No one knew where they were and she was getting beyond frustrated because Ben was asking about his father. "I don't know what to do! Ben keeps asking when his dad's coming-." Katherine was cut off by the chuckling of Klaus as he came up behind her and patted her shoulder. "Kitty Kat, I have a solution. Call his mother." Klaus winked, shaking his head as he laughed, he wasn't even sure why the hell she hadn't thought about that beforehand.
"You want me to have Ben sit with Elena for a while, until we find Stefan?" All the men in the room nodded their heads in agreement. "Yes!" They shouted as Katherine smiled a little, beating herself up as to why she hadn't thought of that idea before.
"Fine then, I'll go find her and they can sit together." Katherine stated, leaving the room as she continued to wonder where the hell the brother's had gone off to. She dialed Damon's phone number as it went straight to voicemail. "Hi honey! This is your wife and I just wanted to remind you and your stupid ass of a brother, the groom- that today- right now, actually. It's not the time for a fucking adventure, Damon Salvatore! You and your brother better be at the ceremony before the bride and all of our wedding guests lose their shit and we call this whole thing off! Because, if I don't see you here soon, you'll be sleeping on the couch, all week long! Love you!" Katherine nearly yelled, rounding the corner, Katherine hung up the phone and just as she was about to walk across the hall to knock on Elena's hotel room door. She found herself being an outsider to a tender mother and son moment that she didn't have the heart to interrupt.
"Benjamin Salvatore. What are you doing out here by yourself?" Elena smiled, kneeling in front of the little boy who was sitting quietly, all dressed up in a black suit with a red tie, matching the rest of the groomsmen. His small dress shoes were kicked off near the side of the bench as he stared down at them, he looked a bit disappointed as he looked over at the shiny black shoes. "No one calls me Benjamin, unless I'm in trouble." He informed her before he added on. "I was waiting for daddy. He was supposed to help me tie my shoes." Ben shrugged his shoulders as Elena picked them up and looked over at them. She was going to ask him why it was that he couldn't tie them himself. However, she got the answer before she could even open her mouth to form a sentence. "I wanted daddy to show me again because I forgot how to do it." He stated as Elena placed both of her hands onto her son's knees and gave him a heartwarming smile.
"I can show you." She offered, shrugging her shoulders back as she placed her hand on one of his shoes. Elena examined it for a few minutes before she spoke again. "Ben. Honey, I know that you don't know me very well at all. But, I wanted to tell you something very important." Elena started to say, feeling the nervousness in her stomach build as she untied one of Ben's shoes and slide his right foot into it, the little boy was admiring her dark brown hair that matched his own as Katherine watched from a distance, praying that Elena wasn't going to tell him the truth about who she was to him.
"What is it?" He asked, smiling up at her as she placed his other foot into his left shoe and then she took a seat next to him after she made sure that they were tied really well. Elena turned to her left side, rummaging through her bag when she finally found what she was looking for. It was small, a little laminated book filled with old pictures that Elena had made a few years ago as a reminder to herself of who she once was and what she was fighting for to get better.
"I wanted to show you these." Elena commented, handing the little six-year-old boy the small looking scrapbook. Elena watched silently as he scanned the pictures over, pointing to one of them in particular. Then, he asked the question that Elena had been waiting for. "Why is daddy in these pictures?" Elena smiled, lifting up her hand as she smiled sweetly at him, trying her best to find the words to explain such a confusing situation to her son.
"Well," She paused for a moment, rubbing her thumb over a baby picture of Ben. It had been just a few days after Elena and Stefan had brought him back to the apartment and they were all settling in as a family. "Ben," She began, catching his attention as he glanced up at her, his matching brown eyes full of wonder.
"You know how your mommy Aubrey has been in your life since you were a very little boy?" She asked as he smiled. "Yea." Ben stated as Elena gently opened up the book and showed him a picture of herself when Ben was still inside of her womb.
"Honey, your mommy Aubrey has been in your life for a very long time. But, so have I. Sweetheart, I was your mommy when you were in my belly." She explained, watching as he curiously looked over at her stomach and then back at the pictures. Elena inhaled deeply, praying that he would understand in his own way. She tried again. "Ben, do you understand?"
He nodded, tilting his head to the side with a smile. "So, I have two mommies. You and Aubrey?" He asked. Elena ruffled the top of his head as she too relaxed a bit. "Yes, Ben. You have two mommies. I was your mommy when you were in my belly and Aubrey is your new mommy." She told him as he looked up at her suddenly with a softening glance as he asked. "I like Aubrey a lot. But, why aren't you my mommy anymore?"
"Because, your daddy and I-." Elena began to say just as Katherine rushed in, noticing that Stefan and Damon were walking towards them down the hallway, beers were in their hands and they were both singing loudly. "Wonderful! Just fucking wonderful. You're both drunk as shit!" She announced, turning back towards Elena as she mouthed for her to get Ben out of the hallway and to Klaus.
"I'll need you to come back and help me deal with these two after you drop him off with his Uncle." Katherine stated, shaking her head in disappointment as she continued yelling at the brothers who seemed to not give a care in the world.
"Why are you two drunk at 3:30 in the afternoon?" Katherine asked them, trying her hardest not to be repulsed by the lingering heavy scent of booze coming from Stefan and Damon's mouths as they sang loudly. "I don't want anyone else but youuuuuuu…." Stefan sang out, taking a hold of Katherine's hand and twirling her around the hallway. "Stop ignoring my question!" She shouted at them, trying to direct them into one of the empty suites that their wedding guests were occupying. Although, the keycard in her hand wasn't working properly. "Why are you both drunk at 3:30? The wedding starts at 7pm tonight! What is wrong with you guys!" She shouted at them, trying her best to keep her temper in check as she rolled her eyes at them both. Why was she always seeming to be the one to piece them both together?
"Because we started drinking at 8am this morning." He winked jokingly, slurring his words as he stumbled to his feet and pulled out a new keycard. Katherine watched him walk past her and she felt him stop by her, slapping her butt while he passed by. "Firm and juicy! Just how I've always liked your ass." He smiled with a mischievous grin as Katherine watched him open up one of the rooms and walk right into it, Damon leaned against the door. "Brother! He shouted at Stefan, waving him over.
Katherine placed her hands on to her hips, observing the very drunk and uncoordinated brothers walk into the bedroom together. Damon smirked at her, telling her that he'd see her later. "Sorry, babe. No women allowed. Tonight, my brother and I are drinking until the wedding nuptials start."
"Oh, over my dead body you two are!" Katherine yelled, quickening her steps as she walked towards the door just as Damon slammed it in her face.
"You two are going to pay for this! I swear to God, Damon Salvatore. I am going to kill you and Stefan once I get access to that room!" Katherine yelled, marching downstairs as she angrily passed by a very confused looking Elena. "Those two have decided that they wanted to have a girls night, hours before the wedding! Maybe you can talk some sense into them. Excuse me, as I go get another key card before I have to resort to busting down the door in my Jimmy Choo high heels!"
Elena watched Katherine leave, turning back to head to the hotel room just as Stefan opened the door and smiled up at her. "Hello beautiful." He smirked, his tie was loosened around his neck, his eyes were blood shot and clearly filled with longing and lust as Elena felt the butterflies growing inside of her stomach. She wasn't going to ruin another woman's wedding tonight, she promised herself. She was going to be civilized and keep her promise to herself. She was over Stefan Salvatore. They were over and done with and now they were both happy with two wonderful people.
"Hi." She said with a flat tone, watching Stefan take uncoordinated steps forward and then one slightly backwards to her. Elena caught him under his arm as he leaned into her ear, whispering softly. "Tell me that I'm making a mistake, Elena. Tell me that I shouldn't marry her. Please, baby, tell me that this wedding is a mistake and I'll walk away from it. I'll walk away and we can be together, just like before."
A/N: Oh goodness, those STELENA FEELS!
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