Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.
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Elena POV

This was it. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my frantic nerves. But it was only in vain. Nervously, I ran my hands down the long white dress adorning my slender figure, the feel of the smooth material causing a smile to break out upon my face. Today was finally the day that I'd wed my fiancée of three years. A series of images of the life ahead of me quickly began flashing across my mind.

A gentle knock on the oak door a few feet away and in stepped none other than my childhood best friend turned vampire and maid of honor, Caroline Forbes. She shot me a warm smile as I, once again, ran my hands over the delicate fabric of my gown.

"A little nervous, 'Lena?" Caroline asked as she closed the door to the small room behind her.

"Is it that obvious? I mean, I know I've nothing to be nervous about but I just can't seem to help it." I giggled uncomfortably as I stood and began slowly pacing back and forth. My gaze occasionally shifting to the small vanity in the far corner of the room before returning to Caroline's then back again as I paced.

"Elena, you need to just calm down, relax. You know that he's simply crazy about you otherwise Stefan would not be marrying you. What's got you so frazzled, girl?"

Ceasing my pacing, I turned back to look at the bubbly blonde that was my best friend. She had a valid point. How could I be so damn nervous when I knew that she was right? Stefan had proved his love for me over and over during our years together, even before we were engaged.

But there was something tugging at the back of my mind, more likely someone. It was as if my mind was telling me that Stefan wasn't the right choice for me. That there was someone out there somewhere who was my better option, who could offer more to me.

I sigh as I plop down on the small couch beside me. Glancing down at my dress to the bouquet of flowers, I lightly shake my head, hoping to rid any other doubts from my mind.

"Maybe I'm just nervous because it's the 'big day,'" I murmur softly.

Almost instantly, she is seated beside me, gently pulling me in to a tight hug. I can't help but return the warm embrace. Through all the hell Caroline and I had both had suffered, we were always there for each other.

"Elena, I want you to listen to me very closely. No matter what you decided, whether you do marry Stefan or you choose not to today, you know that I will always support your decision. Your happiness is the one thing you shouldn't sacrifice anymore."

I couldn't help but feel like there was something she wasn't telling me. For years so many just wanted me to be happy, it wasn't a secret. But the way Caroline said it, almost as if she was expecting something to go wrong during the ceremony had me even more nervous than before.

Nodding once at her I stood back up, groaning internally as I heard the organs beginning to play and I glanced back to Care.

"Well, time to get going! I'll see you shortly, 'Lena!" she said as she quickly disappeared from the room, leaving me rather shocked.

Mystery POV

I cast a brief glance to the screen of my phone as it softly buzzed, alerting me to a new text message. A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I recognized the number it came from. This girl just never gave up. For years she had been trying hard to get us together, sparing no cost for feelings or expanse for the lengths she had gone through.

But this time it was different. This time I could not risk things just because she had denied her feelings for me for so long. I knew that if I wasn't careful I would lose her forever. And that simply was not an option. She was not someone I was willing to let go from my life.

Reaching in to the inner pocket of my suit jacket, I pulled out the silver flask and brought it to my lips. Taking a rather large gulp from it, I sighed in satisfaction as the alcohol burned its way down my throat.

Slipping the flask back inside my jacket, I leaned my head back against the brick building behind me, contemplating my next move. What I wanted to do and what I should do were too entirely different things, at the moment. Groaning softly in frustration, I allowed my mind to wander away with different scenarios.

The most logical one, in my opinion, was to steal her away. Take her away from the town and people she grew up around and hide her from the rest of the world. Option two was a bit more degrading for me. I could beg and plead with her to give me one more chance, to throw away what she had waited years for just to test the unsafe waters of our feelings.

I scoffed at the absurdity of that particular idea. I did not nor would I ever beg a woman to take me back, no matter how desperate I was. Horrible idea after horrible idea played out in my mind until I heard the light hum of music beginning. My dead heart immediately dropping in my chest at the impending events as I raced inside the sacred building but remained in the shadows, wanting to stay unseen for as long as possible. The second any of them saw me, I knew there would be hell to pay. After all, they all felt that I was the cause of every horrible and heartbreaking event that occurred in her life.

I thanked God or whoever held the power that kept them from locating me within the crowd of their friends and families. With each second of my presence not being exposed, I breathed a sigh of both relief and frustration as the fragile man spoke on for what seemed like an eternity as I waited impatiently for those few important words.

Elena POV

"Now, if any person has a reason why these two shall not wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

I held my breath as my heart hammered in my chest as that one sentence was uttered. Stefan gave my hand a light, reassuring squeeze. I offered him a small smile in response which fell within the time span of a millisecond as those words, that voice filled my ears.

"I object to this union!"

My eyes widened as I turned my deep brown orbs upon the man at the far end of the church. The raven black hair, those piercing blue eyes I could just faintly make out from this distance. He was inhumanely beautiful, much like Stefan, but in a dangerous kind of way.

I furrowed my brows as I tried to pinpoint where I knew the man from. Suddenly, I gasped softly as a memory long forgotten of him filtered into my mind and his name quietly fell from my lips.

"Damon…."