Dangerous Minds

Chapter 17

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and follows on this story. I'm so happy that you all love is so much. So, with that being said we are FINALLY getting to the 6 YEAR TIME JUMP. Flashbacks will be added in and they will all be in italics.

Enjoy and thanks so much for reading!

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Dangerous Minds- Chapter Seventeen-

...6 years later.....

-Stefan-

"One more big push! Pushh, Pushhh!" The nurse softly says as Elena leans back into the pillows behind her, clutching my hand whileshe cries against me. "Ahhh!" She's screaming at the top of her lungs and digging her nails into my skin. We're both exhausted and terrified of our unknown futures when we hear the lively cry of a baby and the doctor announces proudly. "Congratulations! It's a little girl."

"A girl?" She asks, sweat dripping down her forehead as she pulls me close and cries into the curve of my neck. I kiss her moistened hair, telling her how well she did and how proud of her I am. But, our moment of triumph is quickly replaced when I hear the doctor tell one of the nurses that Elena has less that 24 hours with our newborn daughter before she had to make a choice, keep her or give her up for adoption.

"Elena, you don't need to do this. We can make it work. I know that we can." I whisper into her ear, acknowledging the fact that within a few hours, this little warm bundled up pink nosed baby girl won't be ours anymore and she could easily end up being someone else's little girl. "I put her at risk, Stefan. It's not safe for her to be around me." Elena chokes back sobs, my arms wrap around her as I comfort her and think about the choice she's making without even really consulting me about it. Elena had been clean nearly her whole pregnancy because she was too scared to hurt the baby. She had been so careful, until just a few weeks ago. When she had found herself hit rock bottom and once again, she spiraled out of control and used. My parents had found out about Elena's relapse into drugs and demanded that we make a choice. Remembering that my parents are standing impatiently outside these walls and in the waiting room, makes me a bit nauseated.

"I'm going to go talk to them." I comment, kissing her cheek as I overhear the nurse tell me that they're going to run some tests on the baby and that Elena will be goinginto the recovery room. "I'll be back." She hears me tell her, nodding her head and closing her eyes. I can see it then, the despairand desperation on her face. She hates who she's become and deep down she knows she wants to prove to everyone that she can be better. A better mother, a better friend and girlfriend. A better person.So, that's where our second choice comes into play. One that I have yet to mention to my parents.

"Annie, where's my dad?" I ask her, watching her turn towards me with a beaming smile on her face.

"How's the baby? How's Elena?" She questions as I vaguely tell her that both mother and daughter are doing fine. But, that I need to really run this by my father.

"Is everything alright?" Dad asks, emerging from behind a closed door as it pushes open and he places his coffee cup down on the a small table in the living room.

I take a seat, my shoulders tense up as I feel Annie take a seat beside me and she places her hand on to my shoulder. "Stefan, sweetie. What's going on?" She asks, staring at my father who extends out his hand, looking me right in the eyes. "Stefan, you and Elena really need to think this through." He comments as I take my hand out from his reach and cross my arms. "We have. We're keeping her and raising her together."