18:00 – 21:00 pm

Elena led Damon into her room. Her apartments suddenly appeared smaller and she felt overwhelmed by Damon's presence. Damon placed his hands around her waist, rather awkwardly for he was fearful of her reaction. Their lips met in an explosive kiss. Her long hair, chocolate as it was caressed Damon's cheek softly and made him feel warm and loved. There was a moment's pause as a flicker of consciousness revived them from their lust driven impulses. Damon stood before Elena and he felt a shiver pass through her. He still held her in his arms; they were now wrapped tightly around her, almost in a possessive manner.

"We shouldn't," Damon whispered desperately into her hair.

"For once we both agree, yet why?"

Damon lowered his hands, he held her wrists in the palms of his hands, feeling the blood rush underneath her creamy and feathery skin, his eyes expressed sadness and regret, but he had no wish to conceal it.

"Something makes me feel uneasy, concerning our future, if we do this now,"

"I never thought you to be so sentimental. But I do agree with you. Although, what possible future do we have?"

"We could marry," Damon said, muttering.

"Could we? You cannot support us and we both are fully aware that us being married would lead to the imminent death of one of us," Elena spoke sincerely. This time she did not want to push him away. This time he wanted him to resolve what she had been repeating and trying to solve in her mind ever since they met, ever since that first kiss, that first moment of lust and now this. His proposal. Could he respond to the many questions she still had concerning their future.

"Elena," He stroked her hair from her sad, angelic face, "We would manage. I love you and isn't that what great romances are about? Love. Why do you wish for more? We are rich, young and in love. Could there even be anything else?"

"Yes, Damon," Elena broke from his embrace and went to the open window. The air felt refreshing against her warm skin. She felt broken. Her deep, dark coal black eyes sunk at the thought of spending eternity alone, because there would only ever be Damon. And yet; "Trust. I do not feel a drop of it in regards to you. I do not trust you, Damon. Never have, because you are wonderfully good at surprising me unpleasantly with your unfaithful, selfish and senseless persona,"

"I promise I've changed. You have changed me. I don't feel anything towards anyone but you," Damon sighed and went over to her, slipping his hands around her waist and pulling her close to him. The feathers of her dress brushed softly and sensually against the thin material of his suit, "Please do think about my proposal. I do expect an answer by the end of tonight. I have sulked around you for long enough without any response, so I do hope you will grant me that," Damon kissed the top of her head sensing the velvet of her hair. He then turned and went, knowing he would see her at the party, but having no clue as to what her response might be.

The grain paths were silent. It was too early in the morning for anyone to desire to stroll in the park. Maples hung above and pleased them with their gentle whispers. The ducks looked lovely. Elena ripped off a piece of the loaf and gave the rest to Damon, then they threw crumb by crumb into the still water and fed the brown and grey animals. They smiled back in gratitude. It was difficult to place their emotions into a worldly context. Elena had on her burgundy coat, with the small fur lining and looked incredibly composed and wonderful. The idea of coming to this park had been hers and Damon had been so glad, for he loved to see her in this setting. She belonged here amongst the calm of the undisturbed nature. As fresh as the growing morning that surrounded them and as radiant as the colours of the fallen autumn leaves. The reason for their encounter was rather inexplicable. They were set to travel to la campagne soon with their families and perhaps out of sheer politeness the two had agreed to meet to discuss their affections towards one another and perhaps through customary manners one would be obliged to refuse this trip, so their holiday would not be awkward and uncomfortable.

"Will we be fine there?"

Elena was silent. Then spoke, still deep in thought; "I am sure I will find some activity that does not include you, so I suppose so. It would be very unfortunate if one of us would have to decline this marvellous opportunity,"

Damon was smoking a cigarette. The grey ash was falling from it rapidly and as he inhaled he felt the pleasant sensation of the smoke tingle his senses. Damon tried to think. His actions had determined Elena's previous refusal to be with him since apparently he had been to charming with a girl. Of course she had been a beauty, an absolute doll, and had the flirt of the century, but he did not want her. He had wanted Elena. It was in his nature to be kind to female sex and he could not change that, as hard as he had tried, and that had occurred when he met Elena; it was still overtly difficult to be cold and hard in a woman's presence.

"I say, let us try and if it does not work, after all it is only two weeks, I can respectfully disappear,"

Elena did not want to meet Damon's eyes so she simply smiled at the ducks, a smile which was meant for him, and turned to leave.

The trip turned out to be miserable, because what can one do in the country in autumn. Elena remembered the summers she had had in her aunts cottage, where she had spent days on end walking through the green fields where the long grass and flowers had caressed her bare knees and how she had eaten strawberries and drunk milk in the shade of an oak tree each evening as the sun had become a golden sphere and was about to set. This holiday was rather more monotone; Elena spent her days inside the small cottage, resting upon the blue and white armchair reading books. Once in a while she strolled through the tree alleys and let the impressive autumn scenery inspire her, but overall her days were spent yearning for Paris. The only attribute of the country was the perfect silence. No cars, no obnoxious and irritating people, no decadent nightlife. Just the quiet of nature, the perfect wind, the warming sun, the vivid trees, the invisible animals and Damon. Damon was the epitaph of silence as he spoke not a word to her in fear of disturbing her calm.

Elena attempted to prepare for the party. She took a bath. Luxurious and refreshing as it was, with the aroma of cherries and the added pleasure of champagne, the warmth against her skin, it did not calm her at all. She was quite bothered by Damon's approach to the anticipated proposal, because he had been quite forceful with her by setting a deadline, yet he did have the right in some way. Elena had lead him around for too long, she had been truly irritable, with her indecisive manner, her fluttery personality and her flapper attitude. Should she accept? She yearned for it, yet felt they were better as lovers than husband and wife. It sounded too formal and restricted their freedom as much as was possible. Yet she loved him, so the response was perfectly clear.

Her hair was set up neatly, yet with curls peeking through, with diamond embellished pins. Elena regarded the image projected back to her from the 18th century mirror. Her alice blue dress, the light strokes of chiffon, the wonderful floral art deco embellishments upon it, it seemed so becoming on her. Once again Elena had reinvented her old self. The stunning, evening and party loving girl she had forgotten she was. Throughout loving Damon and dreaming of a future together she had let her life flow by day by day. Now that something she had longed after appeared to be coming into her existence Elena felt sure that enjoying herself was the healthiest thing to do. So she headed off for the party, glamorous as ever, prepared to entertain the known crowd, ready to consume vast amounts of the sparkling champagne and see the love of her life, who awaited her answer.

The air was splendid, the surroundings magical, the people extravagant. It was just as she had remembered. All the artists; the poets, the writers, the painters, the musicians, the dancers, they were all there and were ready to greet her and welcome her back.

"Darling, wer 'av you been 'iding?" Kiss on the cheek. Elena wondered who that was. Then followed another, then another and another until Elena was smothered in people who she hardly even knew, but who seemed to think they knew her. Elena broke out of the cloud under the polite pretence of attending the ladies room, when she came upon the only person she truly wanted to encounter that night. Their gaze interlocked and once again Elena felt as though unable to speak, unable to express her outrageous emotions towards him.

"I am so very glad that we are both here," Elena began, breathing deeply as if she was attempting and extraordinarily difficult task, "You see I have thought about what we discussed and I have come to the conclusion that I…" A disturbing silence, which lasted a mere fraction of a second yet for Damon felt like all eternity, "Want to marry you. I would be awfully happy if we did get married,"

Damon was against her in a moment and kissed her contently, with all the happiness bubbling within him. He took her in his arms and lifted her a few inches off the floor; he wanted to carry her to the ends of the world. Their lips locked in a once in a lifetime kiss made them more aware of how much they had longed for each other, how much they had desired this very moment and how much they still wished for them, knowing that even now they felt true perfection and contentment within. Damon's lips kissed her blushing, rosy cheek, then her neck, then her collarbone. Her ivory skin seemed delicious and new and he needed to have her. One more look from her could have sent him off the edge. Damon and Elena stood up against each other. Their hands intertwined by their sides, they looked hopefully and lovingly into each other's eyes.

They walked back to the dancing, chatting, drinking crowds and felt comfortable there, together. Elena held onto Damon and had no intention of dancing with anyone tonight. She knew that if she and Damon danced, when someone would cut in, she would respectfully decline. After all who needed someone else when she had her great love right beside her, holding onto her hand for dear life? It was a spectacular feeling, something Elena never imagined to experience. She and Damon chatted with several friends, drank pink champagne and clear champagne, delighted in small pastries accessible at some corner or another and as Elena ate her chocolate cake she regarded Damon's profile and could not help but admire his manly charms, his slick, dishevelled hair, how he achieved both at the same time was a mystery, his attractive attire. How could he be so perfect? Elena still noticed with the corner of her eye all the girls that regarded him as a potential beau, but now she had lost her worry. Perhaps she had learned to trust him and yet.

"Would you like some more chocolate?" He whispered into her ear, reviving her from her fantasies.

"I would, but perhaps somewhere else. You know I never stay in one place too long. The night is still young and as you reminded me today, so are we!" They dashed off for the café, where they were sure to encounter more dancing, only of a more sensual sort, clouds of cigarette smoke and liquor of every kind, taking a few of their closest friends with them, that included the bobbed Bonnie, the careless Caroline, the smouldering Stefan and the tedious Tyler. All of whom were the same sort as them only a lot more wild and less preoccupied with such trivial virtues as love. The night was just beginning.

Note/ I do hope you found this chapter pleasing and please be so kind as to review!

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