This is my first Vampire Diaries story. It is both AH and AU. I realize Elena seems a little too weak in this fic, but that's just how it happened. I don't write often, but this just kind of came out. It is inspired by "Good in Goodbye" by Carrie Underwood. It's short but it gets the point across. Hope it's alright.

It had been 1,892 days. 45,408 hours. 2,724,480 seconds. It had been five years and sixty six days since the last time I saw him, and then out of nowhere it happened.

I wasn't prepared for it. I had thought about it numerous times, but the real thing is always different than how you imagine it. I'd forgotten how blue his eyes were. How silky his hair was. Pictures didn't do justice anymore.

As unprepared as I was, it happened. First I heard the familiar laughter; his laughter was impossible to forget despite how long it had been. Despite the noise, I didn't believe it until I saw him, and he looked so happy.

When I saw him holding the hand of a young girl, my first assumption was that it was his niece. I hadn't moved on, so I didn't expect that he had. But then I saw her face. She looked just like him. Those blue eyes and black hair, and the way her skin glistened in the sunlight. She was so young, couldn't be more than two and a half, but she was beautiful.

It was overwhelming and I couldn't take it anymore. But right as I turned to leave, he saw me too.

"Elena Gilbert" he said, smirking.

"Hi Damon."

"How are you? It's been forever." His voice was so soft. And it was clear that he actually cared. He wanted to know how I was.

I knew exactly how long it had been. I never lost count. And every day it seemed like I missed him more. Missed us more.

Before I answered he caught me looking at the young girl who held his hand.

He introduced us. Her as his daughter, Maria, and me as an old friend.

"Hi Elena!" She was so cute, and such a sweetheart. It was impossible not to adore her.

We had always said we would name our daughter Isabella.

We talked some more. About work, our family, and the general aspect of our lives. It was clear that he had done well with his life. He was a lawyer now, just like he always wanted to be. Successful too it appeared.

I started to remember our life together. We had planned out so much, and then it ended. I remember everything about the day. All the fighting, and the horrible words that we said to each other. Things between Damon and I ended for good reason, but that didn't make me forget the good times. The entire time we were talking, all I thought about was our past, both good and bad. And then she came out.

"Damon! Our table is ready," she said while grabbing onto his shoulder.

I glanced down and saw her ring. It wasn't the ring he had given me, the one that his mother had worn, but it was still beautiful. Just like she was.

"Katherine, this is Elena. Elena, this is Katherine, my wife."

I had seen the ring and I had seen the girl. I had put them together, but it still stung like hell when he said that. His wife. He had moved on. He had found someone else. He was in love, and I was still just existing. Still hoping. Still waiting on him because he was the one for me. But apparently he wasn't.

"Hello Elena," she said. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," I whispered, still in disbelief.

"You're pretty famous, you know," she said. I couldn't do anything but smile.

And then I saw her stomach. It was clear that she was carrying another child, and the fact that Damon had moved on only became more real.

I felt embarrassed, pathetic even. Suddenly the fact that I wasn't wearing a ring and that I didn't have someone with me became apparent. I didn't want him to know that I had hung on to his pictures, and the things he had given me. I didn't want him to know that I was alone; that I hadn't found the one person out there who could make me forget Damon Salvatore.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Katherine asked, just proving once again how perfect she was.

But I couldn't.

"Thank you for the offer, but I need to get going. I have to be up early tomorrow," I told them.

"It was great to finally meet you," she said.

"You too." I nodded.

I shook her hand, and then bent down and gave little Maria a hug.

"Nice to see you again Damon."

As I left I remembered how we were together. We had some great times, but things were always so complicated. So intense, both in good and bad ways, and often overwhelming. I had tried moving on a few times. I had gotten serious with a few guys, but it never ended up working because they weren't Damon. They either loved me too much or not enough, and it was never right.

I looked back, seeing Damon wrap his arm around Katherine and give her a kiss on her forehead. He was where he was meant to be, even if that wasn't with me.

I began to smile, knowing how happy he was, even if it wasn't me who made him feel that way.

As sad as I was, I was happy for him.

That's how it works when you love someone as much as I love him. As much as I would always love him.

Things happen for a reason. Damon and I didn't work, as hard as we tried. As in love as we once were, we both deserved better. We both deserved a love like he now had.

And now it was finally time to move on.