A/N: This chapter is going to jump around in time some. The first part will be Elena's s6 week healing process, then its going to jump to Elena and Damon's 9 month anniversary.
The next six weeks were crazy, and everything felt like it was a blur. Damon was very attentive to me, and helped me out so much as my injuries healed. We had dinner with Stefan and Caroline once a week, and Caroline came over every other day to check on me. Damon surprised me everyday with something new. He left me love notes when he left to go finalize the joining of Salvatore Enterprise and Mikaelson Industries becoming one firm; now called Salvatore-Mikaelson Accounting. For the first week, he brought me breakfast in bed, then once I was feeling more up to walking, we would have breakfast on the beach or go out to eat. A lot of people asked us about the cuts, and we told them the truth. I also learned that Damon had charged Katharine with Simple Assault, and that her Fiancee left her. About a week before I had to have my cast removed, Damon and I went to court on the charges, and the judged ruled in our favor and put Katharine in jail for six months. California state laws, I learned, were very strict when it came to assault. On the night of our three month anniversary, after Damon helped me with my shower and we had a wonderful dinner, Damon surprised me with a beautiful Ruby Promise ring. It was also the first night Damon told me he loved me. I cried and told him I loved him too, I had loved him for a long time, but I didn't want to say it until I felt the time was right. We made love that night, and it was a little awkward after not being able to do anything for six weeks, and the cast made it hard to move, but somehow we managed. I wore my ring on my right finger, not the left, because that was being saved for a special ring. It was a very crazy six weeks, but they were spent with the people I loved the most.
XXXXXXXXXXX 6 Months Later XXXXXXXXXXX
I paced Damon and I's room, playing nervously with the necklace Damon had given me for Christmas. It was hot, muggy, and exactly one year to the day that Damon and I met for the first time. Tonight, Damon and I were going to dinner, and meeting his parents. I hated meeting the parents, and still felt weird about going out. My body healed amazingly, and I had only one small scar from the blow to the head, that barely even showed now that it was summer. Stefan had already introduced Caroline to his parents, and proposed to Caroline, who had said yes, obviously. I knew that they would be getting back soon so we could help with their wedding. Stefan and Caroline had left to go wedding dress shopping in New York City, and would be back in a few days. Caroline had made me her maid of honor, and Damon was Stefan's best man. Caroline took her mother with her to go dress shopping. She had already ordered my dress, deciding that it would only be close family for the wedding, which was in two weeks. I stop pacing and look out the window at the beach. The sun was setting over the ocean, and I was waiting for Damon to finish with his shower so I could do my hair and makeup without the two of us ending up in bed, again. We had spent the day surfing and hanging out on the beach, then when we came back to get ready, ended up making love before either of us got in the shower. I blush at the memory, looking down at my Promise ring. I can still hear Damon's words as he gave me the ring.
"Elena Gilbert, you are the most amazing and wonderful woman in the world. These three moths, we have been through hell and back, literally, but we made it through it all. I love you, Elena. I've loved you since the moment I saved you on the beach, and this ring is a token of my love for you, a promise ring, with a promise to always be by your side, no matter what."
Smiling, I go the Damon and I's shared dresser and pull the ring box out, containing a copy of what Damon had said that night. He had written it and was so nervous the night he gave me the ring, and had to look at his note to get the words right. I read over the note before stashing it back in my underwear drawer, smirking as Damon comes out of the bathroom, a towel around his hips and his hear dripping wet still. I still only wore my towel, unable to pick something out to wear for the night.
Damon comes over and wraps his arms around me, kissing my cheek with a smile. "Still can't decide that to wear I take it?" Damon inquires, looking in the mirror at the two of us.
I shake my head and turn, kissing him. "No, I can't. Honestly, I'm so nervous I can't even remember my own last name." I reply, going to Damon's closet and sighing as I looked at my summer dresses; looking for something that I felt would make a good impression on Damon's parents.
I flip through my dresses, smiling and pulling out a lilac strapless dress with black lace overlay. "How about this?" I ask, holding the dress up.
Damon turns and looks, smiling. "It's perfect." He responds, coming over to me and kissing me.
I kiss Damon back, grinning as I feel him bite my bottom lip playfully. I gently push Damon away, giggling.
"We don't have time for that now, we'll end up being late, and that's not the type of first impression I want to make on your parents." I murmur, grinning.
Damon grins and goes to his dresser, pulling out a pair of blue jean shorts and a black muscle shirt. He then goes through my underwear drawer, pulling out a matching white lace strapless bra and thong set, smirking. I laugh, grabbing my underwear and bra from Damon before heading into the bathroom to dress. Ten minutes later, I join Damon in the bedroom. Damon was dressed, his hair brushed but still as unkempt as ever. I was in my lilac and black dress that I paired with a a pair of black strappy wedge heels. My makeup was light, a pale purple eye shadow, mascara, and light pink lip shimmering lip gloss. My hair was down, falling in beachy waves that framed my face, parted over to the right side. I grab my purse, putting my keys and phone in it before Damon and I left the bedroom. Damon stopped me on the steps and went downstairs, taking photos of me as I posed on the steps for him, trying not to laugh. Damon takes my hand as I come down the last few steps, steadying me as I wobbled some on my feet. I hadn't worn heels since I got hurt, so it was taking me a little to get used to them. Damon grabbed his leather jacket, keys, wallet, and phone before we left out the front door, locking it behind us. Damon holds the passenger door of his car open for me and closes it once I'm in, then gets in the drivers side. He starts his car and smiles, taking my hand as he backs the car out of our driveway and we drive off to meet his parents.
The entire ride over, I kept my hand in Damon's, the butterflies in my stomach going crazy. Damon could sensed my nervousness, and oddly enough, he seemed nervous as well. We reach the restaurant in about twenty minutes, and after having the valet park his car, with strict instructions from Damon to just park it and nothing else; we walked hand in hand into the restaurant, aptly named "Beach Side Cuisine." It was located beach side, and you could either eat inside, or outside on the lighted deck. Damon checked us in, then lead me through the mass of people inside and out to the deck. He smiled as his parents stood, his mother waving us over. I look at Damon, who wraps his arm around my shoulders and gives me a reassuring squeeze before walking us over to the table.
"Hello Mother, Father." Damon greets his parents, smiling.
"Ah Damon! It's been so long!" Damon's mother, who Damon looked a lot like; gushes, hugging him.
Damon hugs his mother back, then takes his father's extended hand and shakes it.
"It's been a long time, Damon." His father states, a warm smile on his face.
"I'm sorry it's been so long. Things have just been very busy." He takes a deep breath, smiling. "Mother, Father, this is my girlfriend of nine months, Elena Gilbert. Elena, this is my mother Anne Salvatore, and My father Guiseppe Salvatore." Damon introduces, his voice sounding slightly shaky.
I smile, feeling my cheeks heat. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore." I say shyly, brushing my hair from my face in an attempt to calm my shaky hands.
Anne embraces me, giving me a warm hug. "I'm so glad we finally get to meet you dear. Damon has sent us lots of photos and kept us up to date on how the two of you have been doing." She replies, grinning.
I hug Anne back, smiling as some of the nervousness I felt earlier begins to ease. Guiseppe smiles and gives me a warm hand shake.
"I'm happy to meet you, Elena. Glad to see you back on your feet." Guiseppe responds warmly.
"I'm happy to be back on my feet too, and have Damon to thank for that. He really helped me through the whole ordeal."
Damon blushes and pulls my chair out for me, gently pushing me in once I'm seated. Damon takes a seat beside me, his parents taking their seats across from us.
"Did you already order?" Damon asks his parents, looking over the menu.
Anne and Guiseppe shake their heads.
"We wanted to wait for you both to get here." Guiseppe tells Damon, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.
I look over the menu and smile at Damon, who already knew what I was going to order. Damon and I had eaten here a couple times last month, and Damon knew my favorite dish, just as I knew his.
A waitress comes over to our table, smiling.
"So, are ya'll ready order?" She asks, her southern accent making Anne and Guiseppe look at her strangely. We all nod.
"I'll have the steak and shrimp combo with a side salad, ranch dressing, and my amazing girlfriend will have the stuffed flounder with a side salad, ranch dressing as well. And to drink, a bottle of 1985 vintage Dom Perignon." Damon orders for the both of us, giving the waitress a kind smile.
"My wife and I will have the seafood special, side salad with Italian dressing. Same thing to drink for all of us." Guiseppe orders, smiling at the waitress as well.
The waitress writes our orders down. "Okay, I'll be right out with your champagne and your salads. Your food should be ready in about thirty minutes."
Damon and Guiseppe nod and the waitress leaves, coming back about two minutes later with our champagne and salads. Damon pops the cork on the champagne and pours us each a glass. I take a sip of my glass and and talk to Anne about Caroline and Stefan's upcoming wedding, while Damon and his father talk about work. After finishing my salad, I excuse myself to the ladies room to touch my makeup up and to pull my hair up. I gather both sides of my hair, leaving some of it hanging around my face, and clip the gathered part with a lilac rose clip I had in my purse, then go back out to the table. Everyone was quiet, and there were candles now lit on the table. I take my seat beside Damon, who looked really nervous. Damon turns and faces me, getting down on one knee. Tears spring to my eyes as I realize what Damon is about to do.
"Elena Gilbert, you are the most wonderful and amazing thing that has ever happened to me. The day you walked into my life, you changed it for the better. I know we have only been together for nine months, but the love I feel for you knows no bounds. Will you make my dreams come true and do me the greatest honor by becoming my wife?" Damon asks, pulling a ring box from his pocket.
Damon opens the ring box, and I'm left speechless, tears streaming down my cheeks. Inside is the most beautiful ring I've ever seen; a sterling silver band with a large hand cut diamond surrounded by several rubies that ran down both sides of the band.
"Yes, Yes Damon, I will!" I hiccup, grinning and wiping the tears from my eyes.
Damon takes the ring out of its box, then takes my left hand and slides the ring on to my left ring finger. The ring fit perfectly, just as the promise ring had. Damon stands and pulls me to my feet, kissing me. I kiss Damon back, crying as I wrap my arms around his neck and grin. The entire restaurant erupts into cheers and claps, and I can see so many camera flashes going on, I felt blinded. I look into Damon's ice blue eyes and smile, kissing him again. This wasn't the night I expected, but it was one I was going to remember for the rest of my life.
A/N: SURPRISE! 3