The Vampire Diaries: Natalie Gilbert

130. The Anchor

Stefan's POV

Qetsiyah had come to me last night and thankfully, gave me my memories back. I think one of the reasons she did was because of Natalie. And speaking of my girl, I slowly approach her room, seeing her studying. A smile pulls at my lips when I see her after going three months without her, I finally have her back.

I gently knock on the door making her look up from her textbook, looking at me through her glasses. "Hey." I utter softly. "Hey." She whispers back before looking back down at her textbook. I walk into the room and sit down on the bed, not looking away from her. "So, what're you studying?" I ask cluelessly although I know she's studying English Lit as she wants to be a publisher.

"English Lit." Natalie replies, pushing her glasses up. "Did you manage to get your own dorm, Laine?" I ask slyly and she nods. "Yeah, I did-" she cuts herself off as she looks up at me. "What did you just call me?" She inquires, furrowing her eyebrows and my lips tilt up. "What I always call my girl." I reply and I see her eyes light up.

"Your memories are back?" She asks curiously and I nod. "They're back, baby." I assure her and Natalie instantly throws herself into my arms. I chuckle as I wrap my arms around her, pulling her onto my lap. "Hi, baby." I whisper in her ear, and she hugs me tighter. "I've missed you so much." She whispers back.

"Oh, you have no idea how much I've missed you." I tell her as she pulls back, barely leaving a gap between us before she smashes her lips onto mine. I immediately reciprocate the kiss, missing the feeling of kissing her. All that time in the safe, all I could think about was my girl. Whether she was safe, if she was okay, if she was sleeping.

Natalie is the only thing that kept me going, and when Damon told me that all she did was look for me during the summer, my heart broke when I didn't remember her. I remember the look on her face when I didn't recognise her and I never want to go through that again. The only thing I wanted to do was get out of that safe and hold my girl.

"How?" Natalie asks after we pull away. "Qetsiyah came to me last night and gave them back. It was painful but worth it." I explain and I see anger flash in her eyes at the mention of the two thousand year old witch. "When I found you, I was over the moon. But then when you didn't remember me, I didn't know what to do." She starts as I listen sadly.

"I've been lost all summer without you. I was losing my mind." She admits. "I'm so sorry, baby." I say and she frowns at me. "Why are you sorry? You've done nothing wrong." She tells me firmly and I sigh. "I should have seen it coming." I mention and Natalie shakes her head, cupping my face in her hands that I immediately lean into. "You are not to blame for this, you hear me?" She asks, looking at me sternly and I nod.

"God, you're back." She whispers, still in disbelief and I smile. "I'm back, baby. I promise and I'm never leaving you ever again." I promise, pulling her closer to me. "I love you." She whispers, looking into my eyes. God, I have missed hearing her say that. "I love you." I whisper back before pressing my lips against hers again.

******

"October 1852?" Damon asks, raising his eyebrow. After he had heard my memories were back, he immediately started questioning me on my life. "You broke my nose trying to teach me how to throw a right hook." I respond, running my hand up and down Natalie's thigh as she sits on my lap and I hold a glass of bourbon in the other.

"But not on purpose, just to be clear." Damon immediately defends, looking between Natalie and Elena, who roll their eyes in amusement. "How much did you pay for that hunk of junk motorcycle you ride?" He questions. "Hey! I like that motorcycle." Natalie says offended and I chuckle lowly. "That's a trick question. You brought me that motorcycle, although I'm guessing it was pretty expensive." I answer.