This chapter takes place when Elena's pregnant with the twins.

Elena

"Thanks for taking me shopping Care, this baby shower is going to be fun." Caroline waves me off as my doorman takes all the decorations we bought from the car. "I'll have these sent up right away Mrs. Salvatore." My heart leaps anytime someone calls me that, I love hearing it. "Thanks Derek!" We get out of the summer heat and into the cool lobby of the apartment building. Once we're on the elevator Caroline giggles, "You're welcome, but I must say you being interested in all the details of your own baby shower is such a me thing, I guess I've rubbed off on you." We share a laugh at that and I rub my now big 8 month old pregnant bump. "I can't wait for them to get here, I'm so excited and yet I feel slightly guilty because I couldn't protect our first baby." Caroline reaches for my hand and smiles sweetly at me. "You shouldn't feel guilty Elena, you were a pregnant 17 year old girl who was defenseless against a scumbag who had what 200 pounds on you?" I nod my head looking at her and try not to cry. "I know and if it hadn't been for Jules letting the cops know about me being held at the Triumph Towers then who knows what would've happened to me and these little ones." Throwing her blonde hair into a high ponytail Caroline clears her throat. "Are you sure you don't want to know the babies' genders? The baby shower could be more fun that way." Her singsong voice makes me laugh, the elevator dings and we step off onto my floor. "Nope, sorry Care, but I want them to be a surprise." She pouts as we round the corner to my door. "Well can I at least know the names you picked out?" Shaking my head we enter into the apartment and the smell of chicken parm wafts in the air making my stomach growl in appreciation. Stefan is such an amazing cook. "Stef, Caroline wants to know if she can know the names we have picked out." I smirk at her as we enter the kitchen, Stefan throws a dish towel over his shoulder and shakes his head no. "You'll have to wait like everyone else Caroline, sorry." My best friend throws her hands up in the air. "You two are the worst! Thank God I know how to throw a damn good party or this whole gray and white theme would look dull."

We get a laugh out of her, Stefan rounds the kitchen island coming to place a sweet kiss on my lips. His strong hands instantly caress my stomach and the babies begin kicking. They always know when dad's hands are on mom. "Where's my husband?" Stefan points towards the living room and she rolls her eyes. "Of course, Ole Miss is playing today." She pivots and walks off into the living room and I leans into Stefan. "Have fun shopping?" He asks while kissing my neck, I nod my head just as the doorbell rings. "That's Derek with all the stuff." I mumble against his delicious lips. "Well dinner is done, I'll go get that if you want to set the table, if not then I'll do it when I get done putting everything in the spare room." Shaking my head I walk over to the cabinet and get out all the plates. Bonnie, Damon and Charlotte are coming in tomorrow for my baby shower and Tyler is on his way in from the airport. Caroline and Matt got in last night, so us girls could get up early to go shopping.

Once Tyler arrives and everyone eats and celebrates Ole Miss winning their game we all decide to call it a night. I step out of the shower and put on my silk maternity robe that Stefan bought me a few months ago, I step into the bedroom and see him looking lost in thought sitting on the edge of our bed with a journal in his hand. "Everything alright babe?" Stefan looks at me sighing. "I kept this journal while I was in prison, well this is the first one of many." I had no idea that he chronicled his time in prison, I sit next to him rubbing his back. "I realized that it's been a year, 7 weeks and a day since I was released from prison and we still haven't talked about why I worked for Enzo." Leaning my head on Stefan's shoulder I take the journal from his hands replacing it with my left hand. Stefan automatically plays with my wedding rings. "Well we've had a ton of things happen since you got out Stef, we got back together, moved up here and moved into our own place, got engaged and I was kidnapped by Silas' men, then found out we're pregnant with twins and got married 4 months ago and now we're going to have twins in a month. We haven't had time to reflect on the past and why you did what you did, you're here with me now and you're a legit guy living his best life. Stefan you run a successful tattoo shop, you're married and about to become a father to not one, but two babies. Don't beat yourself up over not telling me, we're living life and busy with each other and everything else."

Stefan

I look over at this amazing woman who has been through hell and back multiple times and I still can't believe she wants to be married to me, to raise a family with my ass. I'm the luckiest bastard alive. "I still want you to know baby." She releases her hand from mine and pushes back onto the bed the best she can until she reaches the headboard. I look over at my twins that are growing within her and smile, my wife is the most gorgeous pregnant woman on this earth and she's going to be an amazing mother to our babies. "Come sit in front of me and tell me why you did it." I move closer to her and run my hands over her smooth legs. "You mean why I betrayed you?" I ask with a raised brow, she rolls those sultry brown eyes of hers. "Stefan." I put my hands in the air chuckling. "Alright, alright." Clearing my throat I dive in. "When Enzo called me I didn't know it was him, but I took the damn call anyway. He said that he appreciated everything I ever did for him including giving him the last bit of cash that I had made when I decided to leave his business." Elena nods for me to continue as she rubs her hand over her stomach, I smile and go back to my story. "Well, he said that he had a legit job for me to do, he had just bought some legal imported cars with paperwork to prove and only trusted me to get them from the airport to his other shop. Enzo said that the he'd cut me a huge check if I got them there at a certain time, I stupidly said yes when he told me the amount." Elena furrows her brows now, I run my hands through my hair and shake my head. I was so stupid. "The amount would've been enough for us to get out of the trailer park Lena, I wanted to buy us a house in a decent neighborhood and have Damon and Bonnie move in with us, so I took the job."

Elena's hand flies to her mouth as she gasps, shaking her head with tears in her eyes she reaches for me. I pull her up into a sitting position caressing her warm cheek. "You did it for us, so we could have a life outside of that awful place." Nodding my head I kiss her lips, she has tears on her cheeks that I wipe away with my thumbs. "Yeah, I just wanted to do right by you Elena. You're the only girl who has ever made me feel anything, the only woman I've ever loved in my entire life, you're the only person who has pulled out my emotions and made me want more out of life than being some white trash orphan. I wanted to start a life with you the moment we got together baby and I thought that I was doing the right thing for once in my life, but it was just a set up for me to fail and I did." Elena pulls me in for an earth shattering kiss that I return happily. "I really thought I was a piece of shit and just knew that you and I were over, I knew that if you hung in there with me for five years that you'd waste your life or become something you're not. I'm sorry for all of it baby, I wish everyday that I could take it back." Elena shushes me with her finger on my lips. "We're here now, married and about to have twins. Life isn't always what we want it to be, I wish everyday that our first child wasn't gone, but I also know that things happen for a reason. I love you Stefan, no matter what has happened in the past I still love you, want you and need only you Mr. Salvatore. I'm proud to call you my husband and the father of our children and I can not wait to have a long life with you and our family." I lay her down on the bed careful not to get on her pregnant stomach as I run my hand under her robe. "I love you too Mrs. Salvatore, you're it for me and I'll never let you go."