Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Note: Wow! First of all, I have to say I'm amazed at the response for this new story (I've never gotten 20 reviews for a first chapter!) so I sincerely hope I won't disappoint. I'm not planning to stick exactly to the movie, so a lot of things will be different. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! : ) Enjoy!

Promises, Promises

~ II ~

"Mr. Salvatore," the bored clerk at the Immigration Office looked at his papers. "Mr. Gilbert's office is through there," he said and nodded to a door to his left.

"Gilbert? Any relation?" Damon looked over at Elena as they stood outside the door to John Gilbert's office.

"Gilbert is a common name," Elena shrugged. "I don't have any family here."

"Good to know," Damon said and pushed the door open. "After you, sweetheart," he said sweetly.

Elena glared at him but entered the room.

John Gilbert was a reasonably attractive man in his mid- to late 30s. Any illusions that his overall appearance may have created about his character were quickly dispelled the moment he opened his mouth.

"Why don't you save us all a lot of time and money and come clean right this second?"

"About?" Damon frowned.

"About the fact that you're using your position as…" he looked at his papers, "… editor-in-chief at Smith Publishing to coerce your naïve little assistant into committing fraud."

"Excuse me?" Elena said sharply, not appreciating his tone and his derogatory comment.

"I don't know what he promised you, Miss Gilbert, but I can guarantee that when this…" he waved his hand "… charade is exposed, you are facing a 250,000 dollar fine and five years in federal prison for your part."

Elena felt her stomach lurch. What on earth had she gotten herself into? Sensing her distress, Damon took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

"So, this is what we'll do. You are going to say that you are not engaged to Mr. Salvatore, and you walk out of here a free woman, while Mr. Salvatore gets on the next available flight to Italy. Do we have a deal?"

Elena looked down at their intertwined hands, up at Damon's cerulean eyes filled with understanding, telling her it was ok to back out, and back over at John Gilbert. When she spoke, she did so in a calm, steady voice.

"We're just two people who weren't supposed to fall in love, but did. I'm going to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore and there is nothing anyone can say or do to stop me."

Damon gave her hand a grateful squeeze and John Gilbert looked like he had a foul taste in his mouth.

"Very well, then. Let's get on with the interview, shall we?" John leaned back in his chair and gestured for Damon and Elena to take a seat. "There will be a number of questions you'll have to answer about each other, of course. I'm sure that for two people so much in love such as yourselves, you won't have any problems at all. I'm scheduling a meeting for you with an interviewer. I assume you've told your parents about this joyous union?"

"Actually…" Elena started.

"We were going to break the news this weekend. Elena's brother is getting married, and what better time to bring good news to the family?" Damon said sweetly.

"Oh, really? Where is this?"

"Uh… well, why don't you tell him, sweetheart? It's your family, after all…" Damon turned to Elena.

"Mystic Falls, Virginia."

"How charming," John said sarcastically. "And what about your family, Mr. Salvatore?"

"They all live in Italy these days," Damon said.

"Well, there are phones…"

"Yes, but nonna would never forgive me if I didn't deliver the news in person, and we simply cannot leave the country right now."

"Oh, I'm sure we could allow a family reunion," John smiled sweetly.

"We'll see," Damon said.

"So, let me get this straight…" Elena said when they had left the Immigration Office and were headed to his car, "I'm supposed to let my family believe I'm marrying you, but you don't want your family to know about me?"

"It's nothing personal, Elena. It's just that… well, they're traditionalists, and they don't believe in divorce."

"I'm risking jail time, Damon! The least you can do is take some responsibility for your actions."

"Fine, I'll tell them."

"And I want a real proposal."

"Excuse me?"

"If I tell my parents we're getting married, they're going to want a story about how you proposed."

"So make one up," Damon shrugged.

"Not good enough. I want the real thing," Elena said, her head held high. She couldn't back out of their deal, there was too much riding on it, but she could certainly make him squirm.

"Fine. Dinner tonight. I'll pick you up at seven," Damon said and held open the car door.

"Do you even know where I live?"

"I'll look it up."

"Fine," Elena said and got in the car.

"Fine," Damon huffed and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Let me get this straight…" Caroline said as Elena was trying on cocktail dresses in the fashion department's closet, "… this morning, you hated his guts, and now you're going on a date with him?"

"It's complicated, Care," Elena said as she pulled a silky fabric over her head.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Caroline shook her head. "You said…"

"I know what I said, ok? I just…"

"Oh, I know what's going on," Caroline's smile widened as a light bulb went on in her head. "You're taking my advice, aren't you?"

"What? No."

"You're totally going out with him for a promotion," Caroline squealed.

"I hate to break it to you, Caroline, but that's not it at all."

"Well, what then?"

Elena shrugged.

"Ok, whatever… wait here, I have the perfect dress for you."

As Elena looked herself over in the full-length mirror in her bedroom, she had to agree with Caroline. This was the perfect dress. The black spaghetti strapped chiffon dress flared out at the knees, making her long, shapely, tanned legs look even longer. Her silky brown hair had been curled and pulled up in a loose bun, with tresses framing her face. Her long eyelashes were painted an even darker shade of black and her dusty pink lips had just a hint of gloss to them. Oh, she was going to make him suffer. Elena couldn't help a smile from grazing her lips at the prospect of driving Damon Salvatore insane for the next couple of months or so.

The harsh knock on her door made her jump and she smoothed down her dress and checked her hair one last time before opening.

Damon Salvatore looked good in the office, but Elena had to admit he looked even better at night. He was wearing an impeccable suit with a dark grey shirt and he was clean-shaven and wearing a musky-scented cologne. His astonishingly blue eyes widened as he took her in.

"Wow…" was the only sound that left his perfectly sculpted lips.

"You clean up nice, too, Mr. Salvatore," Elena said and grabbed her purse. "Ready to go?"

Damon offered his arm, which she took. "You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?" he said as they headed for the elevator.

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p' and feeling content with having achieved her goal.

"Ah, Mr. Salvatore, right this way," the head waiter at Isobel's escorted them over to a table set with candle lights and rose petals strewn on the white linen tablecloth. A waitress soon appeared with a bread basket and a bottle of wine and informed them that the first course would be out shortly.

Elena looked around wide-eyed at the softly lit, romantic restaurant with soft classical music playing in the background. She had never been to Isobel's before, it wasn't like she could afford it, or like she even had time to date.

"How did you get a reservation for tonight?"

"Well," Damon said, pouring her a glass of Chianti, "I happen to know Isobel very well, and her nephew is an aspiring writer. I may have promised that anything he submits to Smith Publishing will go to the top of the pile."

"You make a lot of promises," Elena noted. "Do you keep any of them?"

"The important ones," Damon replied in true diplomatic fashion.

Before Elena had a chance to ask him which promises he considered important, the waitress appeared with their antipasti, bruschetta with olive oil and prosciutto.

"Grazie," Damon said smoothly and flashed the waitress a brilliant smile.

Elena noted how the waitress turned a darker shade of pink and quickly disappeared. "You know… if we're supposed to be engaged, you're gonna have to turn down the charm," she said and sipped her wine.

"Wow…" Damon raised his eyebrows, an amused expression on his face, "are we jealous?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying that we need to keep up appearances, no?"

"Agreed. Does that mean I can use all my charm on you?"

"It does not."

"Oh, but I have so much to give," he pouted.

Elena shook her head and laughed. "Well, once we're divorced, you can get right back out there."

After the main course, saltimbocca, had been consumed, it was time for dessert. As the waitress set down the tiramisu in front of Elena, her eyes narrowed. "Is this safe to eat or am I going to choke on a ring?"

"Oh, come on, Elena, you don't really expect me to be that cheesy, do you?" Damon said with a smirk.

"I really wouldn't know, Damon."

"Well, I guess we'll have a lot of time to get to know each other," he shrugged and dug into his dessert.

When they had finished their dessert, Damon called on the waitress and asked her to bring in their espressos.

"It's your favorite, isn't it?" he winked at Elena as the waitress sat down the cups in front of them.

"Ok, fine, in the effort of full disclosure, espresso might not be my drink of choice."

"I knew it," he said with a smug smile. "Well, to make up for it, you could have my chocolate," he said and handed over the little Hershey's kiss the waitress had brought him.

"Oh, no, that was clearly meant for you," Elena said and sipped her coffee.

"I insist," Damon said and pushed it over to her.

"Oh, fine," Elena rolled her eyes and unwrapped the aluminum foil. Her eyes widened when she didn't find a small piece of chocolate inside, but a white gold Princess cut diamond engagement ring. "Damon…" she breathed.

"We wanna make it look real, right?" he said and sipped his espresso.

"But this is…"

"Exactly the kind of engagement ring I would buy for my fiancée," Damon completed her sentence.

"But how?"

"I also know a jeweler."

Elena let out a small laugh. "Is there anyone you don't know?"

"You."

Elena looked up at him and was astonished to see sincerity in his eyes.

"But I want to."

Elena ignored the sudden release of butterflies in her stomach and swallowed as Damon took her hand in his and slipped the ring onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

"Elena Gilbert, will you marry me?"