The Vampire Journals

Seven Years Later

Dear diary,

       Stefan and I are both human now. He has taken a job as a firefighter. Jesse and Simon are turning eight tomorrow. I just want everything to be perfect for them. Meredith and Alaric are getting married and so are Bonnie and Zander. Nothing bad has happened for a long time. It feels good to live a normal life.

<3

Elena

"Daddy's home!" I heard Jesse yell. I got up and went to the door to meet him.

"Hi stef."

"Hello beautiful." he said as he leaned down to kiss me.

"Eww mom. Dad." I heard Simon say.

"Come here kids. I have something for you."

"What is it daddy?"

"Happy early birthday." he said pulling out two wrapped gifts out of his bag. They took them and went to open them in their rooms. Stefan and I went over to the couch and talked about what we were going to do for the twins tomorrow. Around nine o'clock we put the kids to bed and went to sleep.

.........

Stefan

I woken up around one in the morning to a familiar smell. Smoke. The smoke alarm started beeping and I shook Elena awake.

"Elena. The house is on fire."

"Shit. The kids."

"Come on."

We ran down the hall until we reached their rooms. Elena went to get Simon and I got Jessica.

"Jesse. Come to daddy. We need to get out of hear."

"Daddy I'm scared."

"I know. It's going to be fine. Grab my hand." She grabbed my hand and I figured Elena was already on her way out with Simon. Hopefully the neighbors called the fire department and Damon was on his way.

I heard the distant wailing of sirens and suddenly the ceiling collapsed on top of me, leaving Jessica and I stuck in the house.

"Somebody help!" I managed to choke out.

"Are you in here mate?"

I recognized that voice. I didn't hear it much but I knew who it was. Kohl Michaelson. I looked around for him and saw Jessica on the floor.

"Kohl hurry. You need to get my daughter out of here."

I saw someone pick her up and head out. Soon everything was dark.

Elena

About five minutes after I had made it out with Simon the fire department showed up.

"Damon. Stefan and Jessica are still in there."

I looked at the burning house and saw a figure coming out of the smoke holding a child. He was holding Jesse but it wasn't Stefan. He came over to me and handed Jesse to Damon. He handed her off to a nearby firefighter.

"I'm going back in. Stefan was trapped under a fallen piece of ceiling."

I started running back towards the house but a strong set of hands held me back.

"Let me go! He is still in there!"

"Elena. Calm down. We will find my brother."

"Damon he could be dead. I couldn't live with myself if that happened."

"I will find him."

Damon and the guy who brought Jesse out of the house ran into the flames. They soon came out with a limp body. Stefan's body. He was dead. I felt my heart break in two.

"No. No no no no no no. Stefan."

They laid his body down and a firefighter tried to get me to an ambulance but I couldn't. He can't be dead. I felt tears roll down my cheeks and strong arms around me.

"Elena I'm so sorry."

"Damon. He never deserved this. It should have been me."

"Elena no. Don't say that. Stefan didn't deserve this and neither do you."

........