"His memory will never stop haunting me."

• • •

Flashback

Stefan and I were walking down the street hand in hand when he asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

I hummed and he said, "Do you think you'll ever truly get over him?"

I stopped walking as he stared at me intently but gently all the same. I knew who he meant by him, no one really mentions him around me but I know they purposely don't ask. I stood there for a few minutes just thinking about everything me and 'him' went through and where I am now.

"I feel like the betrayal I could get over. You know? It's been years and we've both moved on with our lives. The last I heard, he was in New Orleans constantly at war protecting him and Hayley's child. When I look at Jace I see so much of his dad in him. But I'm also happy with where I'm at in my life. A part of me will always love him, he gave me some amazing memories and a son, if he hadn't of left I probably would have traveled the world to wherever he went and never would've ended up pregnant with Josie and Lizzie." I say honestly staring at him with a small frown.

He stares right back at me with admiration and love in his eyes. I swing my arms around his neck and stand up on my tip toes and peck his lips.

"And I never would've ended up with the most handsome, kind, and loving boyfriend in the world." I say softly.

He puts his arms around my waist and spins me around as I squeal.

"And you call me cheesy?" He says in mock indiscretion.

I settle down my laughter and rub our noses together lightly.

"Please don't ever leave me." I say, vulnerability shining in my eyes.

He hugs me tight and promises a "Never."

We continue on our walk to the grill and when we finally get there I see all of our friends. Enzo, Bonnie, Caroline, Elena, and Damon.

"Hey! Look who finally showed up!" Damon says raising his glass of bourbon towards the couple.

"Yeah Caroline was about to hunt you down!" Elena jokes and everyone but Caroline lets out a laugh.

"Um hello! We have one night a week where we all come together, Cam has kids now, Stefan's always with her, you and Damon plan on taking the cure together, and Bonnie and Enzo are leaving to travel the world next year! We need these memories!" Caroline exclaims and throws her hands up like her answer was painfully obvious.

"Okay, okay Caroline I think we get it." Bonnie says trying to stifle her laughter.

"Yeah blondie, maybe you need a drink." Enzo says pouring her a shot.

"I could go for a drink, Rics got the kids." I say shrugging with a smile.

Stefan wraps his arms around me from behind and nuzzles his head in my neck. " Does this mean I get you all night?"

I blush and shyly nod.

"Alright I really wish I took that cure right about now because I can hear your sad excuse of sex talk from over here." Damon says rolling his eyes.

I throw a fork at him and he just catches it and shrugs while everyone laughs.

Later that night after me and Stefan leave we're cuddling in his bed at the Salvatore house.

"I love you." I say sincerely.

He kisses me with passion and says, "I'm never letting you go."

Flashback over.

Thinking about those days brings me so much grief and sadness. Stefan was like a second father to my kids and we were all so happy.

Now Damon and Elena live in New York and she's a part time nurse and an author while Damon owns a couple bars. Although they are still vampires. Story for another time I suppose. Bonnie and Enzo are still traveling, they haven't stopped. My kids have all grown up beautifully. But Stefan isn't here. He's not here to see how they've all grown. He's not cuddled up next to me to tell me everything's okay. While a part of me will always love Klaus, Stefan was my world when we got married. I completely devoted myself to him, regardless of my past.

Damon, Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline have been trying to call me all day. They all know how much of a depressing hole I dig myself into every year on his death anniversary. The kids always try to knock on the door and get me to talk besides Alec and Josie. But Alaric is the only one who knows I just need to cry and get it all out. Otherwise I'll feel like I'm drowning in grief for the rest of the month.

When he first passed away it was horrible. I laid in bed for weeks, Alaric had to take care of the kids and I cried so much and wrecked furniture constantly in a fit of anger. I was so mad at him for sacrificing himself. Especially for me. But then I realized if he didn't he wouldn't of been the man I fell in love with. The one who sacrificed everything for everyone he loved.

The grief ate me up entirely. For months I just kept waking up thinking he'd be next to me. Jace would constantly ask where he was and when he was coming back. He was just too young to understand and Caroline was constantly coming over trying to get me to feed or talk.

I lay in bed with my left hand up in the air staring at my wedding ring that I never took off. More tears stream down my face as I hug one of his shirts that still has a very faint smell of him on it when I hear a slight whoosh.

I sit up slowly looking at my open window and then slowly turn my body around. I see him and I just close my eyes as he bends down and wipes my cheeks of all the fallen tears that continue to pour down.

"Klaus? What're you doing here?" I croak opening my bloodshot eyes to see him staring down at me with sympathy and pain in his eyes. The same eyes everyone gives me this time of the year. The same look everyone gave me when he died the same day of our wedding. When we promised each other forever this wasn't what I was thinking. Because Forever wasn't nearly as long as it was supposed to be.

His Memory will never stop haunting me. I'll forever be thinking of the what if's and what could've been. I'll never truly get over you Stefan Salvatore.

𑁍  𑁍  𑁍
Vᴏᴛᴇ & Cᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ
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Rᴏsʟʏɴ Mᴀᴅʏsᴏɴ