"Why hello there, Mr. Salvatore." I said sounding very 1864-like.

I walked toward where Damon was sitting, very carefully. I wasn't used to wearing Katherine-like dresses. The dress I was wearing was made in 1864 for Helena Lockwood who died at the age of 19 in a tragic fire in the old Lockwood barn. The dress was long and rather heavy. It was strapless which went well with the Virginian weather. The dress was teal and gold, which were the colors that reminded me of my relationship with Damon.

"Mr. Salvatore? Why so. . . formal, Elena? And what's up with the dress?" He said looking up from the poetry book he was reading.

"Stefan explained the whole 'courting' thing to me and he said you were courting me in the same way you did to Katherine in 1864. I figured if you were going to treat me like Katherine then I might as well enjoy the role for a while." I said smiling at him. The pale gold hat I was wearing helped hide my face from the sun.

I looked around the garden at the Lockwood Manor, where my Mother's dear friend Carol Lockwood insisted we stay for a few weeks over the summer, and sighed.

Damon smiled at me when my gazed reached his blue eyes. He stood up from the bench, took my hand, and bowed.

"My apologies Miss Elena. You should sit, it's rather warm out, you could tire out. Please let me offer you something to drink." He winked. I knew he missed his human life and he liked pretending he was human.

"Why thank you Mr. Salvatore. I would most definitely enjoy a small drink. Oh, and there is something for you in your room. You just might remember it." I said sitting on the bench and taking the book of poetry from his hand before he walked up the path to the house.

Tyler and Matt, who I forced to dress up as well, walked up from the other side of the garden. They both smiled and it was pleasant.

"You really have out done yourself, this time Elena," Tyler commented looking down at his clothes, "for our 6 month anniversary you set up a huge Super Bowl party and we kissed on your front porch under the full moon and I thought that was something. But, YOU'RE giving humanity back to someone who hasn't had it in 145 years. Amazing. You even got the house staff and your friends to act like its 1864. He is one lucky dead guy."

"Yes, well you were a lucky Dog to get 6 months with her. I was honored to get two years." Matt said hitting Tyler in the shoulder as Stefan walked up. He knew how to act like it was the 19th century.

Stefan walked up to me and bowed then took my hand and kissed my knuckles. I smiled. He was very good at acting like it was a different century.

"I think that if you even get a day with Elena then you are very lucky, no matter what you are." Stefan said looking at Matt and Tyler.

I got bored of talking about my past relationships so I opened Damon's book of poetry and began to read aloud,

"Because I could not stop for Death-

He kindly stopped for me-

The carriage held just ourselves-

And immortality-...,"

"Hmm. . . . . Emily Dickinson, how very appropriate for Damon." I said as I spotted him emerging from the house. I watched every human step he took from the house to where I was sitting. I noticed his outfit when he got closer. He was wearing the outfit I had laid out for him. He looked. . . . Hot, Sexy, Stunning, all other synonyms for those words.

"I leave you alone for ten minutes and men flock to you." He laughed as he handed me the glass of iced tea. I looked at the glass and realized he made it just the way I like it, one slice of lemon crushed by 4 ice cubes which is put in before you put the tea in. I smiled at him.

"I see you found your clothes, do remember them?" I asked looking at his white linen shirt.

He smiled, "Yes Miss Elena, I do remember these clothes. Did you think I would not RECOGNIZE something that belongs to me?" He said with a smile.

"Mr. Salvatore, I was not aware you liked the works of the brilliant Emily Dickinson. . . I saw the marked page and read." I said taking a sip of my drink.

"Ah, you found Because I Could Not Stop For Death, did you? It's always been a favorite of mine, even before." He said taking a seat beside me.

"Mr. Salvatore, would you like to walk to garden with me? I feel the need to see the grounds a little more carefully." I said looking up at Damon. His eyes were hopeful and I smiled at him as drew up my pale, slender hand for him to take. His eyes sparkled as he helped me to my feet so we could walk together away from those who were not named Elena and Damon. I really just wanted to be alone with him.