Here's the second part to the first chapter! Finally! I'm so sorry for the long wait guys but life gets in the way alot these days with my GCSE's coming up and stuff but it's the holidays now so more updates are coming your way. This chapter is the proposal, I hope you like it. :) Sorry for the mistakes, I really am.
"You ready?" Alaric asked me one more time as I readjusted my tie in the mirror.
Matt and Tyler had left ten minutes ago because they had work in the morning and they were already drunk so they needed time to get their alcohol out of their system. Matt and Tyler both wished me good luck and patted me on the back before I left. Alaric agreed to stay behind and just drink coffee though he also had work in the morning.
"I'm ready." I nodded to him, trying to stop the anger that was coming to the surface.
All day and night people had been asking me if I was ready to take this step with Elena, it seemed like they were doubting my love for her. Stefan was the only one who seemed to think I was ready but even he had his doubts about me which was really annoying. In fairness to Alaric, I think he was just worried about me not being ready because he was looking out for Elena's well being, he was after all like a father to her now.
Alaric smiled as a form of acknowledgement before heading off to the kitchen to make himself more coffee. I couldn't help but think he was giving me some time alone with my brother, thinking that we needed a moment to be all brotherly, something that we hadn't done for many years. Me and Stefan hadn't acted like brothers in over a hundred years but we had the odd moment every odd year. Honestly, I did wish me and Stefan were brothers like we used to be when we were human and it was probably likely to happen now if we spoke through our remaining problems with each other. I mean we didn't love the same girl anymore, we should be able to work through our problems with each other.
"I'm happy for you, Damon." Stefan said as he emerged from the corner of the room.
"Thank you, brother."
I turned away from the mirror and placed my hands in my dinner jacket's pockets and immediately my fingers grabbed the box that held the engagement ring. My fingers curled around the small fragile box, letting the velvet caress with me it's touch. I smiled to myself momentarily, tonight is the night.
"You know deep down I always knew you two were meant for each other and because I thought I loved her at the time, I tried to keep you apart so you wouldn't take her away from me. She was the closest thing I had to Katherine but trying to keep you two away from each other was like fighting fate. It was inevitable. When I realised that I didn't love Elena, Damon I just wanted you two to find each other and you probably don't believe it but I mean it. You two are perfect together Damon and I was idiot to prevent that."
I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of my brother's mouth, was he actually serious? Me and Elena had been officially dating for four years today and never did Stefan once say in these four years how happy he was for me and Elena. The acceptance and honesty in his voice was something that I couldn't doubt and it felt for the first time in over century that I had my brother back, the way it was supposed to be.
I couldn't express how much his words, his acceptance meant to me. For over a century, I had hated my younger brother and then I had tried to save him from the hunger that controlled him so easily but through all of that I just wanted one thing, even when I despised Stefan, I wanted my brother back. I wanted my brother and the human relationship that we had once shared. I needed a friend, someone to rely on and that's what I had found in Alaric but friendship doesn't come close to brotherhood.
I walked towards Stefan hesitantly and though the motion was extremely human and emotional, I hugged my brother close to me for the first time in what felt like forever. Stefan arms went limp by the side of me at first before he hugged me back close to him and I could almost feel the smile spread across his face.
"Thank you, Stefan." I whispered as I let him go.
"Anytime, Brother. Now before we both get overly embarrassed by what just happened, go pick up your girl and propose to her." Stefan chuckled as he pushed me towards the door.
I waited downstairs in the parlour of the Salvatore Boarding House whilst Elena finished getting ready for our date tonight. Her heartbeat and breathing was the only thing that I could hear so I assumed Caroline, Bonnie and Katherine had gone home a while ago leaving Elena to finish getting ready by herself.
I stood by the fireplace and the flames flickered around the room. I scanned the room and I could feel the heavy weight of the ring in the left pocket of my dinner jacket. The room held so many memories for me and Elena whether they were good or bad. This little room that had never meant that much to me, it was just a room where I would get drunk and distract myself from the pain that fought to consume me. Now, the room was a room filled with pure and bittersweet memories. Elena had told me we always survived in this room, she had hugged me when I was hurting and we had our very first meeting in this symbolic room.
There was a slight creak at the top of the staircase and I could hear her breathing quicken in her chest. I turned around to face her and she slowly walked down the staircase a beautiful smile plastered on her face as she descended down the staircase, reminding me of all them years ago when she walked down the staircase at the Lockwood mansion as she was a contestant for Miss Mystic Falls. We had danced together for the first time that day and that was when I knew how much I cared for her, how strong the connection was between us. It was the first time I had realised my love for Elena Gilbert.
Elena's hair was curled beautifully into tight little ringlets that emphasised her innocent beauty, the left side of hair was placed over her shoulder and the right side flowed down her back. She wore a white dress that came just below her knees were the material then become see through. At the very top of the dress the material was ruffled and the dress had one strap which went over her right shoulder. Around her waist was a silk brown ribbon that was tied up in a bow at the front. Elena wore matching heels to the dress and it took everything I had not to propose to her there and then. She looked so beautiful that there should be a law against it.
"Hey stranger." She smirked as she reached the bottom of the stairs but her heart was still racing in her chest, was she okay or was it just nerves?
"Hello to you too." I whispered as I kissed her on the cheek and linked her arm with mine causing Elena's heart to regain a normal pace.
xXx
Once we made it to the local restaurant, we were seated in our seats and ordered our food for the evening. Night had fallen around Mystic Falls and the only sound that could be heard was the faint chatter of people around us and the odd car that drove past, most probably someone driving home from work to see their families at the end of the night and to put their children to bed. The image in my mind changed from a stranger putting their children to bed to me and Elena putting our children to bed. I smiled at thought of me and Elena having children but children was impossible for me and Elena so I swept the idea away.
"Damon are you okay?" Elena asked as the waiter placed our food in front of us.
"I'm fine, love."
For the rest of the night me and Elena talked endlessly about the life we had shared together, about how hard it was when she went away for Collage, how hard it was when we fought and both of us would be too stubborn to apologise and how hard it was loving her when she was with my brother. Basically, we talked about how hard the entire journey was for the both of us but how it was worth it in the end because we found each other, we loved each other and that's all that mattered.
Elena laughed when I mentioned about the times when she seen me shirtless or naked and tried to cover up that she didn't look at anything but I knew that she did, I would never forget how her eyes always drifted up and down my body when I was either naked or shirtless. Another look I will never forget would be the look she would give me when our faces were inches apart and her eyes would glance from my eyes to my lips before ending back at my eyes.
The weight of the ring tugged in my pocket and I had to swallow to remain calm. I had never been so nervous in my entire life and I had never felt so completely human in my entire life. Just thought of asking one simple question, with just four words seemed so daunting and terrifying that I almost backed out but when I looked at Elena who was smiling at me and running her fingers through her brown curls, every doubt and worry seemed pointless, I loved Elena and I would ask her to marry me tonight. It was purely that simple.
I glanced around the restaurant and couldn't help but think that if I proposed to Elena here that it would seem impersonal, unoriginal and without much effort. Elena deserved more than that and plus a proposal was meant to be beautiful, sentimental and unforgettable. My eyes went to Elena's face who was blushing slightly as she ate another mouthful of her food and then I scanned the restaurant for another time tonight and realised that this restaurant held no significant meaning to me and Elena, sure we had our first date here but that wasn't special enough.
"Elena, I'm just gonna go to the toilets. I shouldn't be too long." I smiled at her and she nodded, still eating her food now in huge mouthfuls.
I stood up from my chair and kicked it back causing it squeak beneath me. Quietly, I made my way to the men's toilets. The toilets were mainly vacant besides from an old man who washed his hands repeatedly under the cold water but when he seen me, he nodded politely with a smile and then left, the door slamming shut behind him. In a matter of moments, I pulled my phone out of my dinner jacket and was already calling Stefan. I asked Stefan to do me a favour and he agreed within a matter of seconds and said he and Katherine would have it finished within minutes. Smiling into the phone, I muttered a thank you to him before hanging up the phone.
I opened the door to the Salvatore Boarding House and I could hear Elena gasp in amazement next to me. There was a trial of red and white rose petals that led the way to the parlour and there was two lines of small little white candles on either side of the hallway, creating guidelines to a path. I quietly shut the door when Elena managed to regain control over herself and stepped inside the house, awe written all over her face.
"Damon did you do this?" Elena asked her mouth hanging open as she turned around to admire the petals and candles.
"No, it was last minute plan change but I had my little elves do this for you." I winked at her and she giggled into her delicate hand.
"Thank you, all of this just made everything about tonight even more special. I love you." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me closer to her as she wore a devilish smirk on her face.
"Before you get any ideas, I need to show you something in the parlour first." I smiled gently and tried to regain my senses as I untangled her arms from my body.
Elena raised her eyebrows and held her hand out for me to take it and show her what I wanted her to see. I grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it as I led her slowly into the parlour. Elena's heartbeat was heavy in her chest and I could almost hear her brain ticking away to try and figure out what was waiting for her in the parlour. Honestly, I think she did have assumptions that tonight would be the night I would propose to her but even if she did, she didn't let on that she knew.
Just as we were about to turn the corner to face the parlour, I told Elena to close her eyes and she obeyed much to my astonishment. Elena's hands clung to mine as I carefully led her down the steps and into the actual parlour. Rose petals got crushed under our feet while I directed Elena in front of the fireplace, the place where she told me we would always survive and I couldn't help but smile at the memory because she was right we did always survive.
"Elena don't open your eyes until I say, okay?" I whispered.
I gently brushed my lips against Elena's before pulling away and pulling out the ring from my jacket, it was now or never. I quickly surveyed the room, there were red and white candles lit and placed in various places around the room and the actual light was switched off but between the candlelit and fire the room was beautifully lit and I could see Elena clearly and I was sure that when she opened her eyes she would see me. The rose petals stopped in front of the fireplace and formed a circle around mine and Elena's feet. In a flash, I pressed play on the CD player that lived in the corner and Savage Garden I Knew I loved You started playing quietly and with another flash I was in front of Elena again and balancing on one knee.
"Elena open your eyes." I breathed but I knew she could hear me.
Elena opened her eyes slowly and her heart almost stopped when she took in the surroundings in front of her and the song that played on the CD player. Finally, her eyes landed on me and I swear her heart did miss a beat but the smile that spread across her face gave me confidence that she was still alive and still mine.
"Four years ago today, Elena we went out on our first public date and you told me that you would be mine forever. I remember when I first met you in this room and all I could think about was how beautiful you looked and then you slowly started to change me, Elena. You never know if something good will show up in life but when you walked through that door, I knew that it would spark a change for me. No doubt, we didn't always see eye to eye at times and sometimes you actually wanted to kill me but even in them times I loved you, though I denied it. Then I realised that if I never told you I loved you, you might never be mine and the thought was completely unbearable to me. In everything, I've done you stuck by me, even when I was being a total dick and I will be forever grateful for that Elena. You understand me better than anyone, I've ever met Elena. What I'm trying to say is I love you, Elena and I always will. I promise to give you everything you want and need for the rest of eternity, I'll do anything for you, Elena." I vowed to her and every word I spoke was the truth, I would do anything for her. I would become human again for her if I could, to give her the life that she always wanted, a family.
Elena stood in front of me a smile on her beautiful angelic face and her brown eyes were wide and watery as she peered down at me speechless. I opened the velvet box and Elena's mouth hung open when she seen the ring that I had picked for her, it had sliver band with a diamond in the centre of two deep blue sapphires. The ring had once been my mother's and held a great deal of meaning to me but so did Elena so it only made sense for both of them to be together for eternity.
"Elena will you do me the honour of marrying me?" I asked as her I looked into her brown doe eyes.
"Yes, a million times yes!"
Okay so I know it was long but I did try and cut it down as best as I could. What did you think of the proposal? Listen to Savage Garden I Knew I Loved You when Damon is proposing, it really helped me and it's a beautiful song. Umm..follow me on Twitter my username: FlyingFireworks. Please Review love MidnightGirl467 xXx
