A Time Of Peace

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

Night time in Mystic Falls had never been so still. The roads were deserted even on the Main Street where the Mystic Grill was closed up until the morning. The high school was empty and the sidewalks were bare of people. The moon was half full, shining down on the once troubled town.

The town that was so used to supernatural creatures running through woods and haunting its bridges had finally been granted a time of peace. To the relief of the learned Town Council, Mystic Falls had been free of the monsters that had stalked its people, for nearly 10 years. They were thinking of throwing a party or a Ball to celebrate under the guise of another Founder's Day; not like the people needed an excuse to party.

Mayor Rudy was asleep in his bed, his wife dreaming beside him; it had been a long time since either of them had been trouble by vampires, werewolves or even witches. The only one they still had contact with was their daughter Bonnie; the one supernatural being that had solved their problems instead of making them even more complicated.

Unknown to them, she was driving by their two story home that night, glancing just for a moment before she continued driving along the empty road. She saw nothing and no one else on her way to the Salvatore Boarding house, stopping only for a moment as she remembered to send a text message.

Her message arrived to its sender, causing the phone to bounce and beep on the bedside table of Stefan Salvatore. He woke up in his king sized bed, eyes slightly blurry but he grabbed his phone and opened the message.

"Who is it?" his wife asked sleepily, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"It's Bonnie," he replied, throwing the covers off him, "She's arriving early. You can sleep; I'll meet her."

With that his wife snuggled back under covers and Stefan walked out of their bedroom. He made his way down the long corridor of the boarding house and down the sweeping staircase. He saw the headlights of Bonnie's car shine through the front windows of the boarding house and he opened the door with a smile to greet her, how fully awake himself.

She grinned widely at him as she got out of her silver vehicle and hopped up the steps of the Boarding House. Stefan bowed jokingly at the door, waving an arm to usher her in.

Bonnie snorted and pushed his bent head slightly. "Cut it out Stefan! If you want to say hi properly, you can make me some tea."

Stefan shut the door and with Bonnie, walked through the Boarding House to the kitchen. Bonnie looked at Stefan's pyjamas, the wife beater with the loose pants and bare feet before asking, "I'm sorry about waking you up but I thought it would be better than breaking in. And thanks again for lending me a room."

"Don't worry about it," he replied, "It's just great to see you. How was New Orleans?"

Bonnie seemed not to be listening to him; instead she was just looked at the house as she walked. The Boarding House had been slightly redecorated over the 10 years. Gone were the heavy drapes and dark colours; new windows had been put in and the whole house seemed brighter and more homely. Perhaps it was the lack of vampires now living in it.

They walked into the kitchen and Stefan repeated his question.

"Oh," Bonnie replied as she sat up on a stool beside the counter, "It was great. As soon as I put down the vampire and werewolf spat that was going on, I got to visit some relatives which was nice."

Stefan got the tea ready as she spoke and he laughed slightly. "Only Bonnie Bennett would call an all out war a 'spat'. But then this is you we are talking about. How is it, being the Queen of all supernatural beings?"

She wanted to push him again for his teasing ways but she just leaning against the counter and replied, "I'm not the Queen; more like the Sherriff."

Stefan grinned and just said, "Well I'm just glad that I'm out of that world now; did I ever thank you for giving me the cure?"

"Only about a million times."

It was still strange for Bonnie; being able to turn vampires and werewolves back into humans with just a touch and one spell. It had never occurred to Shane that her ancestor's cure would sense a Bennett witch and only work for her. She cured her friends and family if that was what they wanted. Word had spread after that, vampires and werewolves flocking to Mystic Falls to be human again.

Of courses, others had not been as enthusiastic. Klaus had tried to kill her for instance, so Bonnie had finally had to kill him instead. The death of another brother had made Elijah only want to protect Rebekah even more, so he had agreed not to target Bonnie or her friends. It had never been his way in the first place.

Yet, others tried to take out the woman who was becoming the most powerful witch the world had ever seen; the prodigy.

The tea was soon made, warm and just right for the mild weather. Stefan poured it into mugs and handed one to Bonnie. So they wouldn't wake the others sleeping upstairs, the two 27 year olds walked out to the front porch and sat on the chairs. They were quiet at first, drinking their tea and enjoying the silence of the night.

Then Bonnie cleared her throat and said, "There were some whispers in New Orleans. The vampires are gathering for some reason."

Stefan frowned slightly at her but Bonnie kept looking out at the woods that surrounded the boarding house.

"That's why the werewolves were so annoyed; the increased numbers of vampires were moving in on their territory. But they were there for a very specific reason. I heard talk in other places as well."

Stefan put his mug down on the arm of the chair but didn't respond. His days of getting involved with the supernatural world were long over. Even if he did want to jump back into the adventure, he couldn't. He had other people to protect now. "Do you know what it was?"

Bonnie shook her head. "Not exactly, all they knew was that a great "energy" was being felt. All of them could sense and it supposedly has great power. I can't feel anything but the vampires are attuned to things that I'm not."

She looked over at him over the rim of her mug as she took a sip. That familiar broody forward was starting to show again and Bonnie quickly reassured him. "Don't worry Stefan; no supernatural creature can step foot in Mystic Falls without my say so. Remember?"

Of course he remembered. It was one of the most ingenious spells she had ever used. By the town lines, Bonnie turned the whole of Mystic Falls into a safe haven. It was like the spell that had trapped Klaus is the Gilbert living room or the condition that vampire couldn't enter a home uninvited. The town was like a giant house and Bonnie Bennett was the owner.

"I remember; and if you need anything-."

"I tell you but I won't drag you both back into this world Stefan."

Stefan moved to reply again but noise from the doorway made them both turn around.

"Daddy?"

The green eyes of Marina Salvatore peeked out from behind the heavy foot door to look at her father. Stefan smiled at his five year old and said, "Hey Mar, look who came to visit?"

Marina peeked her head out more, her stuff hedgehog toy making an appearance in her arms. Her eyes lit up and exclaimed, "Aunt Bonnie!"

Marina ran out and hurried over to Bonnie who scooped her up in a huge hug. "Hey! How's my favourite Salvatore?"

"Good; me and Mommy made cookies today but Daddy nearly ate them all."

"Oh well, maybe next time Daddy can clean up while you and Mommy eat all the cookies."

The two girls giggled and Stefan stood up from his chair. "I have a better idea; how about little girls get to sleep before the sun comes up?"

Marina turned to Bonnie and asked, "Will you be here in the morning Aunt Bonnie?"

"Yup; I'm stay over here tonight."

Marina smiled and hugged her goodnight before her father scooped her up and carried her inside. Marina yawned slightly placing her head on Stefan's shoulder as he climbed the stairs. "Did you have the nightmares again?" he asked her softly as he reached the landing and walked towards her room. It was decorated like any other little girl's room. Bright colours with toys everywhere and colouring books and crayons scattered over the small table across from her bed. The large bay window had butterfly wind chimes in it and a comfy window seat. Stefan laid her down in her bed, tucking her in again by the glow from her nightlight.

Marina placed her hedgehog under her arm and she finally replied, "Yes, Daddy but it's going to be ok. I know that nightmares can't get me."

Stefan smiled and replied, "That's right; me and Mommy and Aunt Bonnie will keep the nightmares away."

"And my crow!"

Stefan froze, staring down at her daughter's innocent face. "What crow sweetheart?" he asked quietly and Marine pointed towards the window.

"My crow. He stays outside my window and keeps me safe from the nightmares and the bad guys."

Stefan got up immediately and looked out of the bay window. The tall tree was there, its branches filled with leaves but there was no crow. Stefan looked out into the gloom of the night but still saw nothing. He turned and picked Marina up again as he said, "Hey, how about you sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed tonight? I have got to talk to Aunt Bonnie for a little while so you keep Mommy company."

Bonnie had been waiting for Stefan to return, sipping her tea and resting her bones from the long drive. She jumped slightly as Stefan came out onto the porch again, this time he had shoes on and a jacket. He didn't stop on the porch; just stormed off straight into the front yard.

"Stefan!?" Bonnie called to him, putting down her mug and going to stand on the front step of the porch.

Stefan had not gone far; he was standing in the driveway, glaring out at the woods. "I know you're there!" he yelled out, "And I know you can hear me!"

Bonnie was still and Stefan was silent but a moment later, there was a breeze and a familiar whooshing sound.

Damon Salvatore stood in front of his brother; in his entire leather jacket wearing glory. He had hadn't changed, his vampirism keeping his smirking face clear from age. However, he wasn't smirking this time. His face was guarded, slightly sad and he replied to Stefan quietly. "Long time, brother."

Stefan seemed caught between punching him and walking away but somehow he stayed put. "How long have you been looking out for Marina?"

Damon titled his head, ever so slightly and replied, "For about a month. There's something happing Stefan and Marina is in the middle of it."

"What are you talking about?"

Damon's eyes locked with Bonnie's; green meeting blue. "Those whispers that Witchy has been hearing? Well they are becoming more like loud and annoying exclamations. And what they are saying is that there's a power coming that none of us has ever seen before."

"Marina is human," Stefan protested and it was Bonnie's turn to chip in.

"She's the daughter of two ex vampires who were cured by a Bennett witch. I don't want to toot my own horn by even I know the consequence my magic can bring."

Stefan was looking between them both, starting to remember how annoying it was when they agreed on something.

He swallowed thickly and turned back to Damon. "How do you even know that Marina is the one they are talking about?"

Damon sighed and replied, "She's living in Mystic Falls, a place whose history is deep fried in magic and still is. Plus she's a Salvatore so that immediately makes her awesome."

"She doesn't even know who you are," Stefan blurted out. There were no mentions of Damon, no pictures or stories told about him.

Damon looked down for a moment before saying, "Ya, but that's kind of my fault isn't it."

Stefan frowned at him again, his fist clenching and unclenching by his side. He really didn't know what to think about Damon anymore. After Elena had been cured and freed from the sire bond, Damon had left and stayed a vampire. He had been floating around the globe for those 10 years and they had never really talked since. Stefan did suspect that his brother and Bonnie had had a few run-ins however. She was so busy keeping the supernatural world in line that it took her to nearly every continent and Damon had always liked to travel. There was always something unspoken between the two of them and he guessed from the fact that Damon could step into Mystic Falls, that Bonnie had some trust for him.

"Stefan no matter what went on between us, Marina comes first for you. So I think it's time we get the old gang back together and figure out how we're going to handle this threat."

Stefan snorted and said, "Ya, because we were all so successful last time we tried to save people as a group!"

"I'll call the others and have them meet us here tomorrow afternoon," Bonnie said, "Why don't you go get some rest and Damon and I will talk about the details."

Stefan looked between them again. Obviously there was something going on between them. Damon was doing his creepy eye thing that he thought was attractive and Bonnie was giving him a hidden glare right back. Yet, he knew that when they teamed up, the plans usually worked and in the case of his daughter, he really wanted to win.

"Alright," he said softly and turned to go back inside. Before he walked back through the door of the house, he called back to Damon. "You're invited in; you can take your old room."

Damon looked surprised but Stefan just walked away and up the stairs.

Finally it was just him and Bonnie; funny how it always seemed to end up that way for him. She didn't move from her spot on the porch, leaning against the wooden post.

"You were in New Orleans?" she asked carefully and he nodded slightly.

"I saw you there, of that's what you're really asking," he replied, "When that werewolf pack started to attack you I was going to step in but then you set their fur on fire so..."

He hadn't moved from his spot in the driveway; she seemed glued to the porch. Not an inch closer; it was safer that way.

"You look good, Bennett," he blurted out. He wanted to smack himself around the head but that would give away the carefree attitude he was going for. She simply keep her arms folded and tilted her head at him.

"And you look tiered Salvatore." She paused and then added, "When are you coming home?" When, she said.

No if, but when.

Damon sniffed slightly and replied, "Which home would that be? The Boarding House is Stefan's so there's no home in Mystic Falls. Or are you talking about the villa in Italy?"

Bonnie's eyebrow rose slightly. Oh he'd crossed the line now. Bring up Italy, the villa and thus implying what had gone on there. Sneaky little vampire. He was smirking now, feeling that familiar banter about to start.

"It's a beautiful place," he added, "And that weekend in Venice was amazing too is I recall."

Bonnie laughed slightly and said, "Saying Venice in an Italian accent isn't going to help your cause you know?"

"And what cause would that be?"

"Getting me to help you in whatever crazy scheme you've concocted now."

Damon's smirk fell slightly, as he came back to the real world and the task at hand. "Oh I think you will help me anyway Bonnie," he said, "Because it's for Marina and we both know how far you'll got for that girl."

"And you?" Bonnie asked, "How far are you going to go for a child you've never met."

Damon looked up at the window of Marina's room, the nightlight still sending out a glow even though she was not there. He turned back to Bonnie and replied in the icy tone that always shadowed trouble.

"I need to make up for lost time Bonnie; which means that any vampire, werewolf, witch or in-between that even thinks about harming my niece is getting their head ripped off."

-The next day-

One of the first things that Stefan had done when he had actually hit 21 and gotten full legal rights to the Boarding House was to change the back garden. The weeds and over hanging trees had been cut back, new grass had been put in and flower bed were scattered all over the yard. Marina had added her own touches like the swing set and the ridiculously big tree house that her Uncle Matt and Uncle Jeremy had built her.

A wooden lawn table with a bright red umbrella and chairs were in the garden as well, and Bonnie, Stefan and Damon were sitting around it.

Marina was watering her flowers, dripping more water on her bare feet than the actual plants. She kept sending glances at the tall man who had stayed over at their house last night. He kind looked scary but then he had made her pancake for breakfast and Aunt Bonnie seemed to like him. Her Mommy and Daddy were a little more... well...well they just didn't smile at him like Aunt Bonnie smiled at him. They seemed kind of grumpy.

Marina just shrugged and went back to looking after her flowers.

Damon sat back in the chair and looked between Marina and Stefan for a moment. "If she sticks her head into the flowerbed any further, she'll fall in."

Stefan looked over at Marina and then replied, "That's how she smells the flowers. Once she picked all of them and put them in her room. Except she pulled them from the roots and dragged dirt through the house."

Bonnie laughed slightly just before a shout of "Hey Salvatore!" came from the open back doors.

Stefan, Bonnie, Damon and Marina all turned around to see Tyler strolling out of the house. He shook his head and muttered, "There are far too many of you these days."

Marina sent him a smile and exclaimed, "Hey Uncle Tyler!"

He grinned back and said, "Except you Marina, you are the cool Salvatore."

He reached the table and glared at Damon. "Tell me again Bonnie, why we are listening to this guy's ideas. He hasn't exactly been reliable in the past."

"We are trusting him because I think he's got a point. There have been a few more disturbances near here than normal. Like that pack that settled few miles down the road."

Tyler nodded and replied, "That's true. There have been a few packs that have been resettling close to here; it's strange."

Stefan turned his head when he heard heels clicking on the wooden back porch. Caroline walked towards them, waving; Elena was right behind her with Jeremy and Matt. Rebekah was at the last to arrive in the back garden and soon they were all gathered around the table, with Marina now bent down and closely examining one of her flowers.

"Well, this is a terrible sense of déjà vu," Caroline quipped from her seat beside Bonnie.

Matt turned to Stefan and asked, "Bonnie said that we may have another problem-again. Aren't we getting a little old for this?"

"Speak for yourself," Damon quipped. Multiples eye-rolls were all got in return.

Stefan looked at himself and then said, "Damon and Bonnie had been hearing things for every supernatural community across the continent. We think that others are sensing something; something powerful and possibly dangerous. And they might think its Marina."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "Marina? They think Marina is powerful and dangerous? She cried when we caught that fish in the lake and she made us throw it back."

"It makes sense," Elena added in, "All of her connections to magical beings and growing up in Mystic Falls? She seems like a likely candidate."

"But she hasn't show any kinds of power! Has she?" Rebekah asked and Stefan shrugged. "Nothing."

He looked at Bonnie and she said, "I could take a look, a few harmless spells that would only search for any magic of any kind. Someone call her over."

-Marina-

Marina was not pleased with this daisy. It was a dirty white colour and had nearly lost all its petals. She huffed and stroked the daisy as she said, "Now, flower, you need to grow big and strong like me so you can be with the rest of your flower friends."

Marina turned around when she heard her Mommy calling. With one more look at her flower, Marina skipped off across the green grass to her family.

Behind her the daisy was now a vibrant purple colour with shiny petals and a strong stem.

I didn't know who I wanted Stefan to be with so I guess you can make your own mind up. Plus I liked writing it that way.

I really don't know where I'm going with this so it's a one shot for now but maybe if I get inspiration I'll continue. Hope you enjoyed it!