#tvd 7x12

[hookwillalwaysfindemma]

Okay but Stefan having a full-on breakdown when Damon told him that he’d burned Elena’s coffin to ashes is bringing back all of my Stelena feelings. I can’t cope.

[ohh-bloodyhell]

[ohh-bloodyhell]

[laufire]

like. was there NO other word to refer to two lesbian characters. is it supposed to be with intent or your typical ~cheeky ambiguously homophobic word of choice usually pulled with supernatural creatures. smh.

[jads1000]

The Great TVD rewrite - 7x12ish

This occurs during the 7x12 flashbacks, Damon is still in the stone, but Stefan is out and a bit of a mess. Enjoy!

It was Janelle's first day working at the ultrasound clinic at Whitmore Hospital, her first day as a sonographer full stop. When she had completed her course, her colleagues had been shocked that she got a job back in her sleepy, studenty home town rather than a big city. Janelle was a natural, great with both expectant mothers and fathers, although she could be somewhat over exuberant at times, a trait she worked hard to rein in.

Morning clinic completed, she sat back in her chair, enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done. Her boss, Andrea, had gone easy on her making sure she was only lightly booked. She checked her patients for the afternoon on the computer in front of her. If anything, she had even fewer women to see. Fine by her, it was nice to take your time as the parents listened to their babies’ heartbeats and started bonding.

A knock at the door roused her from her daydreaming.

"Come in," She called.

Andrea's head appeared around the door. "How was this morning?" She asked.

"Good. I think I'm going to enjoy working here."

"That's great." Andrea replied. "Look I'm really sorry, I wondered if you could see another patient this afternoon. Normally I wouldn't ask it being your first day and all, but Carl’s gone home sick and we really don't want to cancel his patients. I'm trying to spread the load, but they are all twin moms so I've picked out the least high risk for you: Caroline Forbes. She's lovely, but she's kind of a control freak and asks a whole heap of questions. Would that be okay?"

"Honestly, Andrea, it's fine. Whatever I can do to help."

"You're a star. Thank you. Now go get yourself some lunch. You're going to need it."

***************************************

"Caroline Forbes," Janelle called out to the packed waiting room.

A beautiful blond woman with the most perfect bump stood up, followed by an equally stunning brown haired guy with piercing green eyes. They looked like they had walked straight out of a magazine, but whereas she had a massive smile on his face on her face, he looked anxious, jittery, deep frown lines etching his forehead.

"Come on through," Janelle opened the door and gestured them into the ultrasound room. She introduced herself and explained the reason for today's scan, 28 weeks wasn't part of the standard schedule, but twins received extra scans to monitor their growth.

"Any questions?" Janelle asked.

"None." Caroline replied brightly and hopped up onto the couch. The man didn't say a word, his right hand twitching almost uncontrollably. Janelle noticed his ring, vintage style with a large blue stone which matched the one Caroline wore. Unusual, she thought, but rather sweet. "Do you want to come a bit closer, Mr Forbes?" She asked.

His eyebrows furrowed deeper. She realised she had made a mistake, they weren't married. Before she could start grovelling, he cut her off, his voice formal, yet surprisingly warm. "Please call me Stefan," he paused. "Mr Forbes was my father."

The feeling of tension in the room dissipated as Stefan sat down at his wife's side and gently laced his fingers through hers. As he brought her hand to his lips, a look of silent communication passed between them and his shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Right, let's get started." She rubbed a blob of gel onto Caroline's bump and started working the probe over it. She focused in on twin number one, quickly switching on the sound so the parents could hear the reassuring heartbeat. She then moved onto twin two.

She normally liked to concentrate on mom during scans, but as Caroline's eyes were locked on Stefan, Janelle took her cue from her and turned to him. "Exciting isn't it?"

"It's like magic." He proclaimed.

This seemed to tickle Caroline who started to giggle. Stefan’s face moved from questioning to shock to helpless laughter in slow motion. They both paused, another silent message passing between them before Janelle noticed a solitary tear sliding down his face. She was suddenly overwhelmed with an urge to leave the room, something she normally wouldn’t do, but the feeling was too strong to resist. She closed the door softly behind her.

*********************************

"Caroline" Stefan admonished. "You shouldn't have compelled her."

"No. I should never have brought you here." She replied, burying her head in her hands. "This is just too weird."

"You shouldn't have to come to appointments alone. As Alaric couldn't, it's my duty to accompany you."

"I lied earlier." She mumbled into her hands.

“I heard that, vampire hearing and all. What did you lie about?" He gently removed her hands from her face, urging her to look up.

"I made this appointment knowing Ric couldn't make it."

"Why?"

"Look I don't miss being human, but occasionally I just want to feel human again, even if it's just for an afternoon. And I wanted to feel that with you. Especially with all this post – hell, Phoenix stone crap that's been going on recently. Although I must be the dumbest vampire out there because I chose your most triggering possible scenario to play at being human."

"You finished?" Stefan asked, she nodded. "Good because I need you to know that I'm happy to play human once in a while, that I'm happy to attend every appointment and scan. Without you, I probably would have rippered out, murdered most of Virginia by now and scorched my brother's body so consider this my way of saying thank you for being there and for being the only constant in my life."

"Still, it was kinda stupid bringing you here."

"I dream about him sometimes."

"Who Damon?" Caroline looked confused.  "I know, but they seem more like nightmares to me."

"Jacob" He replied.

The penny dropped for Caroline and she pulled him into a hug. It was awkward due to her position on the couch, her bump and the fact she was covered in ultrasound gel, but it had the desired effect, taking away some of his pain. He bent his head down into her hair, inhaling her scent.

After a few moments, Stefan pulled away, gave her a gentle kiss on the lips and stood up.

"I need to get that poor girl back, so she can finish your scan and let her get to her other patients who are probably annoyed at being kept waiting."

Caroline jumped up, wiping the gel off her and pulling down her top. "I don't need a scan. I can hear their heartbeats and feel them growing."

"Come on then, let's go home."

With that, the two of them joined hands and left the building. Outside, Caroline stopped and pulled him close. "So Stefan Forbes has a nice ring to it." She murmured.

"Hey, the feminist in me has no problems taking your name. I marched for women's suffrage in 1870s remember? Susan B Anthony and I were like that." He held up his crossed fingers, grinning. "Besides, you and I will need to reinvent ourselves in a few years so Stefan Forbes, it is."

Caroline looked up at him "You're an idiot."

"I'm your idiot." He replied, a huge smile on his face.

**************************************

Janelle spotted Caroline and Stefan holding hands in the car park, looking completely loved up. She ran out of the door, terrified she would get into trouble for letting a patient walk out during an examination, but they had disappeared.

She went despondently to Andrea, ready to confess her neglect. She sat in her office and started to tell her what happened. Andrea listened in silence until Janelle started to describe Stefan.

"That's not her husband." Andrea pointed out.

"Oh really? He must be her partner then." Janelle replied, embarrassed at her earlier faux pas.

"He's not the babies' father. She usually comes with a blond guy, funny name, I can never remember."

Janelle looked at her, curious to see her straight forward no nonsense boss looking somewhat confused.

"The guy with the green eyes." Andrea continued. "He comes too, he just waits in the waiting room and disappears when they come out."

Janelle felt to chill run through her, her memory cloudy with the day's events. She felt like she needed a cup of coffee or a good night's sleep. She dragged herself back to ultrasound room and flicked through Caroline's records. She wasn't surprised to find only her name, an expected due date and the fact that she was expecting fraternal girl twins were noted. Everything else was blank. Realising she needed to get back to work, she let it slide. She did, however, cling onto the hope that one day she would find someone who looked at her like Stefan looked at Caroline.

[delenagas-m]

[alyakinney]

[alyakinney]