After taking several pictures after the ceremony with the entire wedding party and family, Damon and Elena head inside the Lockwood Mansion to join the rest of their guests at the reception.
As they walk to the entrance of the ballroom, the DJ announces, "It is my pleasure to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore."
Elena walks into the room with her arm linked with Damon's, excited for their first dance as husband and wife. As they make their way to middle of the dance floor, Damon turns to face Elena with a smirk on his face because they both know what their first dance is going to be.
When they were planning everything for the wedding and they were trying to decide on their first dance, they both answered in unison. "All I Need" by Within Temptation and they'd recreate their first dance together, from the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, once again. That moment meant everything to them because it was the first time Elena actually saw Damon as someone other than Stefan's annoying and dangerous older brother. He was actually sweet and generous, especially because he was there for her, when Stefan wasn't. And Elena's convinced that it was in that moment as they danced together, that she began to fall for Damon.
As they music began to play, Damon and Elena started their dance, following the same steps that both of them had committed to memory, after all this time.
As their dance continued, Caroline looked across the table and smiled at Bonnie, both of them extremely happy for their best friend. Bonnie was leaning into Enzo as they watched Damon and Elena on the dance floor, and he whispered in her ear, "You still sad you didn't get this, since we eloped?"
Bonnie turned back to look at Enzo, "All I need is you."
Caroline couldn't help but overhear Bonnie and Enzo's conversation because of her vampire hearing and she began to feel slightly sad at the fact that she wasn't here with someone. She still missed Stefan, but she knew he'd want her to move on with her life. As she was lost in her thoughts, she happened to glance over to the table where she had seated the Mikaelsons and she caught a glimpse of Klaus, who was already staring at her and he gave her a slight smirk. She immediately turned away with a blush growing on her cheeks and tried to focus on something else, but she couldn't help wondering what he was thinking about at the very moment.
Throughout the entire ceremony and now the reception, Klaus had barely taken his eyes off of Caroline. He had been admiring how beautiful she was, especially in that stunning navy blue bridesmaid dress. "Although," He thought, "Nothing could compare to how she looked in the dress I lent her for the Mikaelson Ball, all those years ago." When she looked at him from across the room, he gave her a smirk and she immediately turned away from him. But he could tell that she was blushing when she did so. He smiled, knowing that although she wouldn't admit it, especially to herself, she had feelings for him. But he'd continue to flirt with her, until she finally confronted what they both knew to be true. He smirked as he thought, "However long it takes." Because him being an immortal hybrid and her being a vampire, they both had nothing but time.
As the music ended, Elena and Damon pulled apart, both slightly sad that their dance was over but knowing that wouldn't be their only dance. They had the rest of their lives.
Before the song had ended, Caroline had went over and whispered to Ric that Elena wanted them to have the second dance. The traditional father/daughter dance. Because he was the closest thing she had for a father figure after she lost her parents in the accident.
Ric walked up to where Damon and Elena were on the dance floor and turned to Damon, teasing him as he spoke, "Mind if I cut in?"
Damon glared at him, before turning to Elena to flash her a smile knowing he was just playing, "Of course, Ric."
He touched Elena's cheek and whispered into her ear, "I'll see you later, Mrs. Salvatore." Elena felt his breath send shivers down her spine and felt her whole body tingle at his voice, especially when he emphasized her new name. "I love you, Damon." She smiled back.
As he walked away, she heard him whisper back, "I love you too, honey."
As Elena and Ric began dancing, Damon went over to Caroline and smiled as he spoke with a teasing tone, holding out his hand, "Hey Carebear, may I have this dance?"
She couldn't help but smile at his humor and took his hand, "Of course, Damon. I'd be honored."
As Caroline stood up, she turned to Bonnie and Enzo and said with a smile, "Hey Bon, if you guys want to join us on the dance floor, that would be great. So it can be the whole wedding party."
Enzo stood up and held out his hand, "Care for a dance, love?"
Bonnie obliged, "Of course."
They all four joined Elena and Ric on the dance floor and began to fall into step with the music.
Damon then turned to Caroline as they swayed, "You did a great job here, blondie."
Caroline grinned back at Damon, taking his rare compliments, "Thank you, Damon. I just wanted everything to turn out perfect for you guys."
After a few moments of silence, Damon smirked as he decided to tease Caroline, whispering in her ear, "So when you gonna ask loverboy over there to dance?" He inquired as he nodded towards Klaus's direction.
Caroline immediately began to blush at the mention of Klaus, but she retorted, "What are you talking about?"
Damon gives her a serious look, "Oh come on, Caroline. He hasn't been able to keep his eyes off you."
Caroline can't help but smile at the thought that Klaus can't stop looking at her.
Damon pauses before adding,"You don't have to feel guilty about it, you know."
Caroline blushes slightly as she obviously deflects her feelings, "What do you mean? Feel guilty about what?"
Damon gives her a signature smile as he spins her, "About your feelings. I can see how you look at him too, Caroline." He stops to look her in the eyes, showing that she's not as good as concealing her emotions as she thought. "It's the way Elena looks at me. I know that he can be..." He pauses as he tries to come up with the right word, "A little, difficult. But if he's anything like me, you'll make him a better person. Because you see the good in people, Caroline."
He continues, "You deserve to be happy, Caroline. After everything that's happened, he would want you to be happy. Living your life." Obviously referring to his brother, Stefan, whom Caroline married before he ended up sacrificing himself to save the rest of the town.
Damon smirked as he added, "And if Klaus makes you happy, I say 'Go for it'."
Caroline blushed again, touched by Damon's honesty, "When did you become Mr. Sincere?"
Damon spun with Caroline again, noticing the song about to end, "Oh, I don't know. Must be Elena rubbing off on me."
Caroline smiled back, "Must be." She knew that Damon could be incredibly sweet and kind when he wanted to be, that was what Elena loved about it him, after all. But he rarely shared that side of himself with anyone but Elena, so Caroline felt honored that he had decided to share it with her. Because underneath that smug exterior, is a man who cares deeply for his friends, his family, and the woman he loves more than anything.
As the song ended, Damon turned to Caroline and smiled as he motioned towards Bonnie, "Now. If you excuse me, blondie. I have another bridesmaid to grace with my presence."
Caroline smirked as she called after him, correcting his mistake, "Maid of honor."
She heard Damon scoff at her for focusing on that slight mispoken detail and she shook her head, wondering how he could be so sweet one minute and so obnoxious the next . "That's Damon for ya." She mused to herself, before being interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. She spun around and came face to face with Klaus.
He smirked at her, "Hello, love. Miss me?"
All Caroline could say was, "Klaus."
Klaus then bent down and extended his hand out to hers. Very dramatically, she might add. And addressed her, "May I have this dance, love?"
Caroline blushed at his charm and after a moment, she took a breath of reassurance before confidently responding, "Yes, you may."
Klaus led Caroline onto the dance floor as the song began to play. It was the same song they danced to at the Mikaelson Ball, all those years ago. "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran.
As Caroline began dancing, she noticed that more people had joined them on the dance floor and she saw that Elena had went over and grabbed Jeremy for a dance.
While her and Klaus were dancing, Matt had decided that he wanted to join the others on the dance floor and he knew exactly who he'd ask. It had been several years since they last spoke, but he had always enjoyed her company. Even though she was a vampire, an original one to be exact.
But nevertheless, Matt walked over to the table where Rebekah Mikaelson was sitting, by herself, because Klaus was with Caroline, Elijah was with Hayley, Hope was over with Josie and Lizzie, and Kol had dragged his sister, Freya onto the dance floor. And he politely asked her, leaving out his hand for her to take, "Rebekah, would you care to dance?"
Rebekah looked up at Matt and smiled, obliging, "I'd love to, Matt." She followed him onto the dance floor, thinking about him. She had always admired Matt Donovan, the human among his supernatural friends. And she always found him quite cute and charming, so she thought "Why not."
As Klaus began leading Caroline in the dance, he noticed that she was looking around the room, barely paying attention to their dance. He knew she was going through checklists in her head, making sure she had everything taken care of. That's how she is, overly-organized and kind of a control-freak, but he loved that about her. However, he wanted them to have a wonderful dance so he interrupted her thoughts.
He smirked as he teased her, "Oh, come on, love. Can't you take five minutes to just enjoy yourself? Everything looks spectacular."
Caroline blushed out of embarrasment. After all these years, Klaus still knows her. He knew that she was obsessing over every detail, making sure everything was how it was supposed to be. So she smiled as she responded, "Really? You think everyone is having a good time?" As much as she tries to hide it behind her confidence, she still feels insecure, especially about event planning. Because she wants everything to be perfect. Especially her best friend's wedding.
Klaus paused as he contemplated his response before smirking again as he answered, "Yes love, absolutely. I know I am. But that's because I'm dancing with the most beautiful woman here."
Caroline could feel her cheeks redden as she responded, "Oh, come on, Klaus. You have to admit, Elena looks stunning in her wedding dress."
Klaus smiled as he spun her around and whispered in her ear, "She does. But I only have eyes for you, Caroline."
Caroline knew her cheeks were now completely beet red and although she knows how Klaus is, she was still slightly surprised by his bluntness. But she always admired that about him. He knew exactly what he wanted. "I guess being alive for a thousand years gives you that kind of perspective." She thought to herself.
And after taking a minute to compose herself, Caroline decided to take Damon's advice and take a chance. Because she knew exactly what she wanted too. She had for some time, but she had tried to deny it for so long. But not anymore.
However, before she could get up the nerve to say anything to Klaus, he spun her around again with the rhythm of the song. And when they came face to face, he smiled as he confidently spoke, "So Caroline, I was wondering. Are you perhaps free next Saturday?"
Caroline couldn't help but blush again as she teased, "Are you asking me out on a date, Klaus?"
Klaus smirked again as he pulled her closer to him, "Yes, Caroline. I am."
Caroline smiled before answering him, "Then yes." She paused before adding, "As long as I get to choose what we do."
Klaus flashed a grin before whispering in her ear, "I wouldn't have it any other way, love."
And as they continued talking, they barely realized the song had changed because they were too consumed in their conversation.
R & R are always appreciated. I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I had a lot of fun writing it. I think I'm going to add a second part to the reception. With more Delena and Klaroline moments. I'm also hoping to include Matt/Rebekah, Hayley/Elijah, Bonnie/Enzo and possibly some scenes with Hope and the twins in the next chapter. Let me know how you like this one, though. :)
