Six years later:
The main trail is steep and difficult in spots, with a 1,640-foot rise in elevation over 2.5 miles. The side they start their ascension from is rather sloping. Higher up, the mountain is covered with a pine forest. The trees are incredibly high and thick; their knotted large roots cut the ground here and there, forming natural footsteps, making walking the terrain a little bit easier.
The air is fresh and clean; after about 30 minutes of climbing, they hear the sound of a stream and rush to it for a drink. Damon thinks it's the tastiest water in his life: it smells of moss and soil, is subtly sweet, cold and clear.
After another hour of walking, they leave the forest, and walk along a slope, overgrown with shrubs. The ground beneath their feet changes its color, but they do not pay attention to it, until Damon slips, then they realize they're walking on clay. Further up, the slope gradually becomes steeper, so instead of walking, they have to climb. Instead of clay, there are mostly stones and branches. They use the shrubs to help pull themselves up as they continue towards the summit.
There's another small plateau on their way to the top; on this one, they find wild blueberries and strawberries, which are delicious. Elena remembers their first ascension to a mountain top well. It happened about five years ago. It was fall, the weather in the Rocky Mountains was gloomy.
She and Damon have been together for six years now. When he was accepted into an Ivy League university, both she and his parents insisted that he not be stupid and turn down such an opportunity. It was tough for a while. He would fly home on holidays and breaks while she tried to fly up there at least once a month. In the end it was worth it, she was there along with his parents and family when he was awarded Bachelor's Degree in both History and Archeology along with a minor in business to be able to help with the books at the farm. He had been surprised to learn that she inherited it when her parents died. For whatever reason, he was under the impression that the property was in Aaron's name.
That summer after he graduated, they rented an RV and drove to Montana so Damon could participate in a dig. They enjoyed themselves immensely and returned the following summer.
His college years weren't entirely without problems, their biggest fight came when Jeremy made a special trip to meet him and he blew it off to go to a college football game and the party afterwards. He reminded her how she insisted he enjoy the whole college experience while she reminded him that meeting Jeremy was the only thing, she asked of him. Eventually he apologized to both herself and her brother. They have had minor disagreements but overall, they've been very happy together.
It's been a slow process for Aaron's parents. She cares for them and the last thing she would ever want is to alienate them. They've had their differences over the years but for Aaron's sake and his legacy, she refused to walk away from them. At first, Ashley ignored her while Aaron III was more diplomatic about it. Then one day, they ran into each other at the cemetery while Elena was visiting their son. They went for coffee and talked for a long time, finally agreeing to put the past in the past.
It also took Vincent time to come around. Eventually they made peace and now do a lot of things together like fishing, horseback riding, farm upkeep. Having them no longer at each other's throats was a huge relief for Elena. She hated the idea of having to choose between her love for Damon and her friendship with him.
They married when Elena turned 29 outside under an arch that Damon and Vincent built. Bonnie and Caroline decorated with ribbons and flowers. After a thorough clean out, they had the reception in the barn. They decorated picnic tables with bouquets of wildflowers sitting in large mason jars wrapped with ribbon. The place settings were marked with horseshoes. The dishes and silverware were old fashioned, as if they had been crafted in the 18th century. The drinking glasses were old fashioned milk jars.
Vincent, Damon and Jeremy built a stage for the band and strung lights along the ceiling. After the meal was served, the picnic tables were pushed aside for the party. It had been the best day of her life surrounded by their friends and family, including Aaron's parents.
Before leaving for the honeymoon in Bermuda, Elena took Damon to the cemetery to lay flowers on Aaron's grave. Although she knows her love for Damon is different, more intense, stronger even, she can't bring herself to regret the part of her life she spent with him.
"Earth to Elena," Damon wraps his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"I'm enjoying that view," she turns her head to kiss his cheek.
They're in awe to see the incredible scenery below: green misty valleys, shady mountains around, and a shining serpent of a distant river.
"Come on," he takes her hand. They find an area that has phenomenal views of surrounding peaks along with meadows filled with lupine, paintbrush, penstemon, aster, harebells and more. After pitching their tent, they build a campfire in the designated area and cook themselves something to eat.
Later they walk down to the lake where Elena rises to her toes to press a soft kiss to his mouth. "I love you."
His fingers flex against her hips and he shifts his weight. She smiles up at him, watching the effect her words have on his face, which goes from teasing to aroused in the blink of an eye. Damon then takes her hand and pulls her along behind him. Elena follows wordlessly as he weaves his way back towards their tent but halts beneath a big shade tree.
"Remember the time we went skinny dipping in that lake?" he gestures towards it with his head while pulling her back to his front as he leans against the tree trunk and wraps his arms around her waist.
"Like I could forget? I still have dreams about that day..."
Elena suddenly feels his lips and teeth at her neck as he flexes his hips against her.
"You better not give me a hickey; Caroline will never let me live it down..." her voice trails off as his lips and teeth find her earlobe.
"I'll behave," he breathes against her temple, his warm breath puffing against her ear.
"All evidence to the contrary," Elena moans when he rocks his hips against hers. She allows him to grind against her for a few more breaths, even tilting hers back ever so slightly to give him a little more friction before she raises her hands to entwine their fingers.
"We should go into the tent," her voice has a husky lilt to it.
Before she can step away, Damon tightens his grip and pulls her body flush with his. "Not the tent," he mutters into her neck. "Right here."
"Damon-"
"Elena."
Damon's voice is low and rough next to her ear. Her eyes fall closed when he kisses her collarbone while one of his hands ghosts a touch over the front of her shirt, pausing briefly to cup and squeeze her breast before continuing its descent.
Elena glances around, they're the only ones on top of the mountain as far as she can see. When the tip of his tongue grazes that spot behind her ear, she whimpers. Damon takes it as encouragement, and slides his hand down to the hem of her skort.
"Are you okay with this?" he murmurs as his fingers slide under the elastic of her panties and the pad of his middle finger finds the bundle of nerves.
Knowing they're alone, Elena bobs her head. She feels his chest rumbling against her upper back as he pulls them down together, settling her on his lap facing away from him. She leans back, using his torso for support as she gazes upwards.
Hanging in the sky above them is the aurora borealis. Like a brilliant pink road, it snakes through the air and disappears behind the trees, a darker purple aura clinging to one side of it. The lights shimmer and stretch, grow and recede, strive and shrink. One moment the light is a singular thing, a path to heaven, the next moment it's a collection of many, an army made of light marching ever northward.
"It's so pretty," she murmurs also noticing the light's reflection glittering over the rippling surface of the lake.
"Not nearly as pretty as who I have in my lap," Damon's intently focused on undoing her skort button.
Elena raises up so he can slide it along with her panties down her legs allowing her to toe them off. Next comes the sound of his belt being unbuckled; his zipper lowering and a small hiss. He lowers her onto her back and hovers above her. She whimpers and arches up against him.
"Guide me," he breathes into her neck. Elena snakes her hand between their bodies, lines up his tip and guides it in before moving her hands to cup his ass.
"God," he breathes, pressing his forehead to hers as he pushes in a little farther. He grunts as she moves around him, sliding even deeper when her breath hitches.
"You okay?"
She nods as the slight discomfort gives way to the exquisite pleasure she feels every time they do this. Damon kisses one of her eyelids then slides the rest of the way in. He pauses for a moment to let her adjust before he begins to move. He quickly speeds up when Elena raises her hips to meet his thrusts.
"God," Elena moans at how delicious it feels the way his pelvis rubs against her bundle of nerves. A familiar warmth begins to spread through her when he angles his hips and bumps that spot inside of her.
"There?" he asks, pulling back slightly to look at her face.
"Yes," she breathes, the steady slapping of skin against skin audible in the darkness, blue eyes boring into brown as his hips piston in and out, flattening her against the ground.
"So close," Elena digs her nails into curve of his ass.
"Very close," he echoes, his rhythm faltering slightly.
Heat surges. Her body buzzes. Her muscles clench and her jaw slackens as she shatters beneath him.
"Look at me," he whispers, brushing her cheekbone with the pad of his thumb.
Elena opens her eyes. As his blue one's blaze into hers, he lets go. She feels his release as he pulses, warmth coating her insides as he shudders, trembles and gasps through his climax.
"I love you," he kisses her cheek while still thrusting shallowly, and she groans as the last waves of her orgasm ebb and disappear.
"I'm so in love with you," Elena murmurs back, and while there is a gorgeous star-filled sky above, she's simply unable to tear her eyes from his. He softens and she shivers as they lay wrapped in each other's arms beneath the tree on the edge of their campsite.
And as he grins at her, his eyes shining in the darkness and illuminating the glittering stars she can't see, she knows she'll be crazy in love with this man forever.
"Good morning," Elena looks over her shoulder when Damon stumbles out of the tent.
"Good morning," he dips his head and presses his mouth to hers, smiling against her lips. Then he stoops down so that his head is level with her slightly protruding stomach. He cradles it between his hands before dropping a kiss just above her belly button.
"Did you two wake mommy?"
"They didn't, morning sickness did," she admits, nibbling on a Saltine cracker with a sip of Sprite.
"I can't wait to meet them," he stands and pulls her into his side. He smooths his hand over the lives they created in the barn one afternoon when they were caught in another thunderstorm.
"Twins...sometimes the thought of caring for two babies scares the hell out of me," Elena admits, her forehead creasing.
Damon threads his fingers through hers and breathes deeply. "I'm scared too but more than that I'm excited. I'm ready for this next step in our life together..."
"As long as it's with you," she moves to face him.
He drops his chin and trails his mouth along the side of her face, ghosting his lips over her cheek.
"Damon?" she whimpers.
His lips slide to the edge of hers, making her gasp quietly.
And then, pulling away just enough to meet her big brown eyes, he breathes, "I love you,"
…and eases his mouth over hers…
THE END.
Thank you all so much.
Chapter title: 'Longer' by Dan Fogelberg.
I did post a one-shot last weekend. 'You're the Only Woman'.
Coming soon 'Waiting For A Star to Fall' for DE holiday 2020: He was a force of nature that she wasn't ready for. He was gravity and she was caught in the pull- His was a world she was desperate to escape. They say you never forget your first love. She remembers the way he whispered her name when he touched her, and the taste of him on her lips. She remembers everything.
Have an amazing day.