Back in Time

12

"You are so unlike anyone I have ever met." Damon said after a very long while. "Elena." He sat up. I sat up too and pushed my hair out of my eyes. Damon took both of my hands in his. "Elena, I love you."

"I love you too Damon." I said after a minute. He smiled, pulling me close to kiss me.

"Marry me." Damon mumbled against my lips. I pulled back.

"What did you say?" I gasped. I wasn't sure that I had heard him correctly.

"Marry me." Damon repeated. "Elena, I will never stop loving you. You showed up and instantly I loved you. I want to spend forever with you, grow old with you, have kids with you. I love you." He let go of one of my hands and pulled a ring out of his pocket. It was a delicate silver band with a single small diamond in the middle. "Will you be my wife?"

"Of course!" I exclaimed, tears welling in my eyes. "Nothing would make me happier."

Damon slipped the ring onto my finger, utter joy on his face. I clasped his hand, feeling my ring against my skin. I wasn't the only one crying now. A single tear slid down Damon's cheek, and I gently wiped it away.

He leaned forward and kissed me with such a passion that it could have set the forest around us on fire. Neither of us would have noticed.

-

"He asked you to marry him?" Katherine cried. I held up my hand, the ring sparkling on my finger. "Oh Elena." She threw her arms around me. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you." I hugged her back. "You know, I was so used to you being a bitch in the future, but you're so different in the eighteenth century."

"Thanks. I think." Katherine laughed. I had told her of the things she had done in the future, and she had immediately sworn never to do those things. We were almost as close as I was to Bonnie and Caroline. I knew she would never hurt me or anyone I loved on purpose.

Sometimes I wondered what the future would be like if I never left this time. Bonnie and Caroline would grow up without me, but I could still weave myself into their lives as soon as I could.

"Where are you getting married? When? How many people are you having?" Katherine started peppering me with questions.

I laughed as she started interrogating me, and began to answer her.

-

Preparations for the wedding began two weeks before the event. The date was set for two months after Damon had proposed. There was a lot to do, but Damon insisted on taking care of everything. I finally persuaded him to let me be in charge of decorations - which was all he allowed.

"I want everything to be perfect for you." Damon had said. "I will take care of everything else."
"I don't care, it'll be perfect no matter what." I said, but I had let him. I knew that it made him happy to be organising something. He was totally in his element.

So I had nothing to organise for the wedding except when Damon wanted to check something with me, which was often. Nothing was confirmed unless Damon made sure that I was okay with it, which I thought was super thoughtful of him.

Before I knew it, it was the day before our wedding. We were getting married in the church, and Mrs Lockwood had volunteered the Lockwood manor for our reception. Practically the whole town was coming. Weddings were rare in Mystic Falls, since most couples didn't have the money.

"Over there please." I directed a group of children holding boxes of flowers and ribbons. "I'll come over in a moment and show you how to set them up." The five girls bobbed their heads and excitedly ran off to place the boxes on the table I pointed out.

After hanging Katherine the list of things that still needed to be done, I hurried over to the girls. I took three flowers and a ribbon, showing them how to tie them with a bow. They all copied me, and did it perfectly.

"Well done. Now, we have to tie them like this to the chairs, one on each side. Come and find me if you need help." I straightened up as the girls began chattering, tying the flowers with their delicate touch.

I watched them for a moment, a smile on my face. Their childish innocence was shining on their faces as they worked. I loved the sight.

"You've got it bad." Katherine said from behind me.

"Got what bad?" I asked.

"Baby fever." She whispered. I sighed, and Katherine patted my arm. "I am sorry Elena. I know how much you want children. If there was anything I could do, I would."

"It's okay." I turned. "What's next?"

We were finished with the decorations before nightfall. The inside of the Lockwood manor was adorned with flowers and soft lighting, which we switched off to save power. The outside was mostly plain, except for the walkway up to and including the steps, which was framed around the outside with a makeshift white ribbon fence.

I thanked everyone as they left, and they all wished me luck for the following day. Standing out the front, I looked up at the manor. I couldn't believe this was actually happening. I folded my arms over my stomach and took a deep breath.

"Everything looks amazing." I heard his soft voice from behind me.

"I'm glad you like it." I turned into the arms of my fiance.

"You should get some rest before tomorrow. I will walk you home." Damon took my hand. We walked together back to Katherine's cottage. There was light coming from inside, so she was home. Damon stopped at the door. "I will see you tomorrow."

"I'll meet you at the altar." I smiled.

Damon bent his head down to kiss me briefly. Then, he let go of my hand and turned to walk away. I reached out and touched his arm.

"Wait." I said, and he turned back.

I reached up to rest my arms around his neck and kissed him again. Damon smiled against my lips and kissed me back, his hands circling around my back. I knew that most women would never do this, but I was used to the future where this was normal, and I knew that Damon liked it. When we finally pulled back, both breathing heavily, I smiled.

"Bye." I whispered. Damon bit his lip and let me go. I watched him as he walked off. Just as he walked out of sight, Damon looked back to meet my gaze. We smiled at each other, and then he was gone.

"You two are so cute it makes me want to stake myself." Katherine made me jump. She was standing in the doorway, arms folded. I found it funny how much she had changed into the Katherine of the future by just hearing everything from me.
"Shut up." I told her, going inside. Katherine shut the door.

"Get lots of sleep, I want no tired circles under those eyes tomorrow." She shouted after me as I went into my room. I nodded to let her know that I had heard.

Too scared of her attitude if I woke up tired, I quickly changed into my nightgown and went to bed. To my surprise, I fell asleep quickly. Of course, I dreamed of Damon.