Epilogue

I gently groan, Elena's long hair is in my face, and I smooth it out, opening my eyes, it was a brand new day, a new start, and I smile softly, as I set Elena on the bed, careful not to wake her up. I grab my clothes from the drawer, and change in the bathroom, brushing my teeth and hair, I yawn lightly as I exit the bathroom and see Elena, my wife we were married sleeping on the bed, she looks so at peace, and I smile as I walk barefoot out of the room. I was only up early because I had an early class on CPR, that's right, I had gotten my life together, finally, Elena and I found our way back to each other, and we even had something to count for it: A son.

I smile and walk to my son's room, he's sitting on the floor, curly dirty blonde hair in his hazel eyes, as he plays with his trucks, making tiny "broom" noises, his face in full concentration, and then he looks up at his face lights up at the sight of his father leaning in the doorway.

"Good morning buddy." I say gently, and he screams daddy! And runs over to me, his chubby toddler legs running as fast as they can, as I swoop him up in my arms, giving him a little kiss on the side of his head. I love my son, so much, and after years of convincing myself that I deserved a kid, and then he was born, and I find myself learning new things about myself as I raise him, Elena knows he makes me happy, and she's happy to have him too, Jackson even comes over sometimes, and plays with him.

She hasn't gotten full custody back, but she's okay with letting Jackson come over once in awhile, I knew she missed him all through out rehab, and now I understood the pain in her eyes, because I don't think I could live without my son.

"Mason." I laugh, as I spin him around, and he giggles softly, holding onto my shoulders, I finally set him down, and he falls on his diapered butt, and I laugh softly, as I ruffle his hair.

"Let's go get breakfast before daddy has school, okay?" I ask him, and he giggles quietly, and takes my large hand in his.

"Daddy can we have cereal?" He asks, and I nod my head, grinning as we walk down the stairs of our home, Damon and I had built it together, from scratch, I found the old sketch I had in my notebook from high school ,and I told Damon about it and he agreed, he and Bonnie love Mason, and always come over in the afternoons, I keep teasing Damon to get a kid of his own, and he always says in time. But I know he's really happy for me, and I'm happy for myself too, I thank God for Damon every day, for helping me in my darkest hour, for signing me up for a better life, from pulling me back from death, when I had no one, for believing in me when I thought no one else would. I love my brother, dearly, he's my best friend.

Mason drags me down the stairs, and I get to the kitchen, setting him down on his chair, he grins at me, as I turn on his favorite cartoons, I grab a bowl and pour two amounts of cereal in there.

I hear Elena's yawn from the walkway, and I smile as she enters the kitchen, I hand her a cup of coffee, and she raises it to me, grateful, as she takes her first sip, she looks so beautiful standing there in her robe, her hair pulled back into a low bun, as she looks out the window, admiring the sunrise.

I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her thin waist, I knew she had to be at the school soon, she started teaching kindergarten at Jackson's school and she loved it, as far as I could tell, she smiles, holding my strong arms with one hand, as she leans back into me, she smells like lemons, and I love it.

"What are you thinking about?" I whisper, kissing the side of her face, and she bites her lip, gently.

"How amazing our life is." She answers truthfully, and I smile, my green eyes glance at Mason, he's glued to the tv, as he sits, eating his cheerios with his spoon, I smile, kissing her neck gently, her heart beat picks up a little.

"It sure is." I whisper, and suddenly the phone rings and we both groan, as I let go of her, going to answer it.

"Hello?" I ask, as I check the time, I had ten minuets until my first shift.

"Stefan!" My brothers voice says, and I smile, taking a sip of coffee from my mug.

"Hey Damon." I laugh, as run a hand down on my short brown hair, Damon had been away for a week on business, and I guess now he was back.

"Hey, yourself." He jokes lightly, and I smile, as I sit down on the couch.

"How was your trip?" I ask.

"It was fine but I gotta say there's no place like home." He says, and I nod in agreement,smiling.

We make plans to meet up on Sunday to catch up, and I hang up the phone, smiling.

"Damon?" Elena asks, smiling at me, and I nod my head, as I look at my watch.

"Shoot, gotta go babe." I say, as I give her quick peck, but she pulls me closer by my blue tie, and I groan low, deepening the kiss, my hands on her waist, and she smiles into the kiss, letting go of my tie, I missed her, working all these shifts at the hospital was cutting into my family time.

"I'll be back." I promise, and she nods her head, touching my face gently.

"I love you." She whispers, and I smile down at her, kissing her forehead lightly.

"Love you too." I whisper back, as I pull away, and grab my son, lifting him up, he giggles lightly, as I blow on his tummy, and I watch Elena sip her coffee and smile at us.

"Bye buddy. I'll see you soon." I kiss him on his nose, and he waves bye to me, as I grab my briefcase off the table, I bid my family one last goodbye and get in the car.

Damn was I the luckiest man on earth

Sunday comes too soon, and once Elena has calmed down from the weekend's activities, she sits with Bonnie in the house, talking, Jackson and Mason's laughter is heard in the distance and it makes me smile.

Damon and I sit on the porch on the swing, each swigging a beer, he goes on to tell me about business, and I nod my head, listening to him patiently, soon we're just talking and drinking, neither a care in the world, when suddenly he stares at me, deeply, his blue eyes shining into mine.

"I'm really proud of you, brother." He whispers, and I shake my head, laughing lightly, taking another swig of beer.

"I'm serious! Look how good you're doing, Stefan. You never thought you would have these things, and you do, and I'm happy for you." He states in a serious tone, and I smile softly at him.

"Damon.. I only have these things because of you, because you pushed me, you believed in me, when no one else would, you inspired me, you've always been my hero, quiet honestly, when mother died.. it was the hardest time in my life for me, but we got through didn't we?" I ask, and he nods slow, taking in my words, I see the beginning of tears in his blue eyes.

"I'm glad you feel this way, Stefan. We've come so far." He says, as he takes another swig of beer, and I raise my beer in agreement.

"We have. Did you know that you were the one that brought me back?" I whisper, and he peers at me, curiously, his face softens at my expression.

"When I died.. I was in heaven.. it was beautiful Damon, it was the soccer field we used to play on when we were kids, I even had your cruddy uniform on." I laugh, at the distant memory, he still stares at me curious of the story.

"Anyways, I saw mother, like really saw her, her red dress she used to wear on Sundays, her red lips, her gorgeous black curls, her blue eyes were staring deep into mine, and she asked me if I was ready to join her, and you know what I said, I said yes. I was. Because I had no one, I thought I was alone, and then you, you came out of nowhere, and pulled me back, when I started to go towards the light, you pulled me back, Damon, and no matter what I do, I cannot thank you enough for it, every day." I whisper, and I see the tears gently fall from Damon's blue eyes.

He's speechless at first, but then he gently wraps me in a hug, and we cry for what seems like two minutes, but it feels nice and comforting to be in my brother's arms like this, and I'm glad I finally got out the words I wanted him to know.

"I love you, brother." He whispers softly, and I sniffle lightly.

"I love you too." I say, as he lets me go, and Jackson and Mason run up to us, their faces are all sweaty, and I swoop up Mason, holding him close, he smiles at me, and then at Damon who ruffles his hair.

Although, I had such a tough life, God has blessed me with so much love, and that's how I know everything is going to be alright as long as I have my brother, my wife, my child.