Author Note: So here is my new story I'm uploading. It's about all the choices in life we as people make and the consequences that follow that choice. I was inspired by a story I read and just started writing away. Please review and be kind it took a lot for me to actually upload this story

A Lifetime of Choices

Chapter 1: Finding Acceptance

Life is all about choices. Choices are past up everyday and we sit and wonder the rest of our lives what could have been. A choice can change your life forever and most people don't think about the consequences it will bring, or the hurt it can cause. We have all made choices that seem to affected our lives in one way or the other, but to know that the choice we made was the right one, a person will spend a lifetime making sure they lived up to that choice.

Elena Petrova was all too aware what the consequences of her choice were. It cost her everything she grew up knowing. The friends that had grown up with her, the family that had raised her and even the brother she looked up too. She had lost all that for the man she loved but she knew she would never regret that choice because it was the right one for her.

Elena was staring out at the ocean in front of her. Today was the day that every woman dreams of. The day that she got to live out all of her fantasies, and to become the envy of many. But to her this day was not what she expected. Everything had been rushed and planned for her. She didn't get a say in anything, but she guessed that was because she was marrying the mayor's son. So there she was 23-year-old Elena Petrova standing in her custom Vera Wang wedding gown that she absolutely hated, waiting to be led to someone she truly didn't love.

"Elena?" Rebekkah came into the room. "Its time."

Elena looked out the window one more time searching for that familiar baby blue Camaro but with no luck. She turned to Rebekkah and began walking towards her.

"Are you ready for this?"

"I'll never be ready for this." She followed her to where her father was standing and he smiled widely at her before offering her his arm.

"You look wonderful Elena." She gave a weak smile before heading to the entry of the gardens. "Elena you are doing the right thing here."

"Then why do I feel so wrong about it?" her father just ignored her and started walking her to the alter.

The music began playing and the bridesmaids began walking, and Elena followed soon after but her father had to practically drag her. As she looked up and caught Mason's eye she knew in her heart that he was not the man for her. The man for her was god knows where. He was her best friend and they had the fight of their life the night before…

Damon had had a very long day. Operating on a young boy, who had no one to care if he lived or died had taken a toll on Damon and all he wanted to do was sit down and have a glass of bourbon. Not only had he had a hard day but also tomorrow his best friend and love of his life was getting married. As he poured himself a drink and was just sitting down there is a knock.

He made his way to the door with his hair disheveled and his shirt unbuttoned. He opened the door to see a tall skinny brunette goddess standing in front of him. She had sky-high legs and the softest most gorgeous features he had ever seen.

"Hi."

"Hi." She smiled and walked past him over to his glass windows over looking the harbor.

They stood there in silence for a while before she finally made a sound.

"So I'm getting married tomorrow." The change in her voice was Damon's sign that she was here for something.

"That's right. Shouldn't you be out celebrating your last night as a free woman?" he picked up his bourbon and took a sip while walking to the window. She walked up to him and grabbed the glass downing the contents immediately. "Hey that's 200 dollar a bottle bourbon."

"You'll get over it, we both know you love me way more," her voice faltered for a moment. "Well I used to think you did." Her voice trailed off at the last sentence.

"What did you say Elena?" she knew that had got him in the mood for what she had come here for.

"You heard me Damon. Since I got engaged you haven't been the same to me." Her voice begins to crack.

"Damn it Elena," he throws his glass of bourbon into the fireplace and the flames rage which frighten her and she steps back. He begins walking towards her with a look of anger in his eyes and grabs the sides of her face tenderly. "How dare you imply that I don't love you? Everything in my life is about you Elena. Everything I have ever done has been for you and you know it. Every choice I have ever made has been for you. I've given up a hell of a lot of things for you, so don't sit here and throw that bullshit in my face." He goes back to looking out the windows.

"Exactly what I am saying. I'm your best friend and that's all I'll ever be to you Damon. I'm totally and madly in love with you and you are too blind to even see it," she comes up to him and grabs his shoulder pulling him to face her. "I need you to step up and be the man you promised me you would be Damon. Don't make me marry that man, Damon."

He sighed not knowing what to do,"What do you want me to do Elena? You're getting married tomorrow; I believe it was you who told me 10 months ago to set you free. That is exactly what I did. Like I always do, I do what you tell me instead of what I want. Mason doesn't deserve you Elena, but I will not be the one to tell you that, you have to decide that on your own."

She doesn't even hesitate before asking. "Then tell me one thing Damon, do you love me?"

"Yes…" she cuts him off.

"No do you love me? As in I will always be your choice no matter who we have to stand up against on this?"

"Elena you are getting married tomorrow."

"Damon its time to man up. The past 2 years of us denying what we have wanted is up. If you want me this is your chance. Accept that we were meant to be together. Otherwise you would have married her and I would be marrying Mason tomorrow. I don't want to marry Mason I want you but if you don't claim what is yours you will lose me forever Damon. Are you prepared for that?" a single tear drops down her cheek.

Damon stared at her in shock before watching her walk towards him. They were inches apart if he made a move their lips would touch. She put her hand on the side of his face, enjoying the feeling of his stubble against her palm.

"Can you ignore what you are feeling right now? Can you ignore the passion we have when we are together?" she whispered.

"Go ahead, Damon. Tell me you don't want me and I'll walk out of your life forever."

She looked at him challengingly.

"You're still not saying anything Damon," she repeated.

She leaned into him, letting him feel her breath on his lips. She brushed her lips over his, causing Damon to let out a soft groan.

"And I still don't hear anything," she whispered one final time. And then she captured his lips with her own. It felt every bit as good as the last time their lips met on that summer evening. Her tongue caressed the corners of his mouth as she let her hands wander down over his chest.

"Can you feel that, Damon?" she whispered against his lips. "Your heart wouldn't be beating that hard if it wasn't meant to be. We both know it never beat that way for her."

His hands were playing with the thin strip of skin she had exposed, making goose bumps appear on her skin. She was making a path of tender kisses from his mouth to his ear. She could hear his breath coming out in short pants.

Her hand rested on his abs as her fingers danced dangerous close to his waistband.

"We could have this every day, Damon. If you would just let yourself have what you have wanted since the moment you left her."

At those words, she withdrew herself from his embrace. She stepped back a little to look into his eyes. The usually icy blue eyes had become pools of darkness at his desire.

She smirked as she grabbed her purse off of the floor and walked towards the front door. She turned around one last time.

"You think that one over, Damon. You know where I'll be." With that, she walked out the door, leaving him stunned….

As the minister began to speak Elena felt her walls closing in. With every passing second she knew her life was about to end. She lost hope that he would come and rescue her from a sure future she did not want. Every few seconds she would glance at the back of the gardens just praying for him to come around the bushes.

The minister was getting closer with every second to choosing her fate and she knew if he wasn't there by the time she had to say I do then she was trapped. Elena was in full panic mode at this point and she just kept her eyes on the back not once holding Mason's gaze.

Her parents in the front row were getting nervous. They could tell at any moment she was going to run. Rebekkah was standing next to her watching as her best friend unraveled.

Tears escaped Elena's eyes as the minister took a breath to ask her to repeat after him. Her gaze fell to the floor as her hope was lost, but before all was gone she looked one more time for the man she wanted and as she started to look away she caught the glimpse of what she was waiting for.

Damon came around the corner out of breathe and looking exhausted. Their eyes locked and she knew he was her choice. Her father caught her gaze and landed on Damon. He stared back at Elena and pleaded with her to stop but she was too far-gone.

"Elena Amelia Petrova do you take Mason Quinn Lockwood to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

The minister's words brought her out of her trance and the look Damon gave her proved she was doing what she needed. As she looked back at Mason her lips were quivering and her eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm sorry Mason but it is always going to be him…" with those last words she ran as fast as she could towards Damon. He was standing there with a smile of contentment on his face. She collided with him as he spun her around. The passion that ignited when their lips finally met was something that could be felt a mile away.

All that could be heard throughout the gardens was the gasps from the guest. Grayson was coming down the aisle to them as Damon was setting Elena down and she was worried about what he might do. Her mother followed closely behind.

"Elena Amelia Petrova if you walk out that door don't you ever come back. You hear me? You are making the biggest mistake of your life."

Damon was holding onto her lower back and she had her arms around his neck. She turned to look at her father. "A real love is about sacrificing everything to be with them. Damon made that choice for me 2 years ago so Grayson, Damon is my choice and there is nothing you will say to change my mind."

"Then you can forget your trust fund, you can forget everything because you are no longer my daughter." Her mother's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped behind his back.

"I never needed you anyway. What kind of father forces her daughter to marry someone she doesn't love? What kind of person would actually be able to call their self a father after practically dragging them down an aisle? You were never a father to me, I was always just your way to stay powerful." Tears are streaming down her face as she locks eyes with her mother. "I'm sorry mother."

"Elena lets go."

"Salvatore you have disgraced your family and now look what you have done to that poor girl. You are dragging her down with you. How do you even sleep at night?"

"With that sweet, caring, and passionate woman curled up in my arms. Where do you think she was all those nights she wasn't at home? Well she was with me as always. Where she was always protected no matter what choice she made. Since she was little you have always made her choices for her and now she finally made her own. Just know Grayson that you were the one that drove your daughter away not ME!"

Damon pulls her towards the exit and ushers her towards his car. Once in he starts the car and drives off. "Elena I am so sorry I wasn't here sooner. I got called into surgery on this little girl and it was supposed to be a quick repair but…."

"I thought you weren't coming for me Damon." tears are barreling down her face. "I thought…"

"Elena, no matter what the circumstances are, I will always choose you." He grabs her hand and squeezes it tightly as he makes his way down the Oceanside to nowhere in particular.