Musical credits: Jessica Simpson -- "I Wanna' Love You Forever"
~*~
New York: 3 Years Later: 2006
"With this ring, I thee wed..."
The small yet elaborately carved gold band was eased onto her finger, the dark blue gem glinting in the lights of the small church. Silently, tears slowly traveled down her cheeks. But she was happy, blissfully so.
This was as it was meant to be.
"With this ring, I thee wed..." she repeated, hushed. His band was slipped back onto his finger then, as hers was moments before. Trembling lips formed a genuine smile, blue eyes resplendent with love, adoration and unceasing devotion.
Green eyes mirrored her emotions.
Her lips met his then. He could taste the salt of her tears as he was certain she could taste his, as he enveloped her lightly shaking form in his arms. He couldn't remember ever being so happy.
This was right.
When she pulled away, taking a step back, her heart was bursting with joy. "I love you."
Lips formed a smile, palms cupped her face softly, thumbs lightly brushing away her remnants of tears. "I love you."
As one, they turned to face the others in the tiny church where they had come to renew their vows.
Across the room, brown eyes met green and Bonnie smiled, truly glad for the two on the alter. No, she hadn't...wouldn't... forget what she felt for Stefan Salvatore, but his heart didn't belong with hers. It belonged to one person and that was Elena. The woman who had died for him and who had been ressurected for him.
Blue met brown shortly afterwards and Elena allowed the redhead to smile widely, accepting the simple fact that she had shown up as her apology. It had taken a while, but maybe, just maybe, they could beging to start over.
Stefan and Elena joined hands and slowly made their way down the carpeted aisle and out the large wooden doors. They descended down the steps and to the waiting car.
***
-- You set my soul at ease
Chased darkness out of view
Left your desperate spell on me
Say you feel it to
I know you do
I've got so much more to give
This can't die, I yearn to live
Pour yourself all over me
And I'll cherish every drop here on my knees. --
They danced. Ravishing Oblivion was as crowded as usual; however, news of the owners' "second wedding" had spread throughout, and the dance floor was left empty solely for them...At least for the first song of the night.
"Elena?"
"Hmm?" Her head rested against his shoulder, his chin lightly against the top of her hair.
"Promise me something?"
"Anything, beloved."
"That I have your heart."
"Always and forever." Elena lifted her head to gaze directly into his eyes. "I mean it, Stefan."
He nodded, resting his forehead lightly against hers. Elena sighed contentedly.
-- I wanna love you forever
And this is all I'm asking of you
10,000 lifetimes together
Is that so much for you to do?
Cuz from the moment that I saw your face
And felt the fire in your sweet embrace
I swear I knew.
I'm gonna love you forever. --
***
From across the large dance floor where only one couple revolved around in a slow dance, black eyes rested on the moving figures there. So far, he'd left his appearance to go unnoticed and unheeded.
He debated showing himself. He had only come for one of them. And he knew she'd realize that.
No, he wasn't going to try and win her over. Obviously, that was over. Forever.
He was over 500 years old and she had been the only woman he'd let get that deep beneath his surface.The only one who had ever gotten behind his mask. The only woman he had truly allowed into his heart.
And he had to forget her.
But tonight...Tonight was an exception. He'd leave them alone after this, but he had to see her one last time.
He watched her, lips forming a thin line as he leaned against a back wall. Something gnawed at the edges of his heart as he took in her euphoric expression.
Well, he reasoned, at least *she* was happy...
After tonight, he didn't think he'd be seeing her again. Not with her knowing it, anyway. And as for his brother...Well, their speaking terms were on hold. Who knew how long?
But life went on. He had eternity to live, eternity to fix things.
Although, Damon found he was much better at screwing things up...
He found he was enraptured in the two on the dance floor and blinked. Tearing his gaze away. Obsidian eyes picked out a head of red curls on the opposite side of the room in the midst of other people.
Ah...There was another woman he'd toyed with. Another who he'd hurt.
He noticed her heart-shaped face revealed similar emotions. Heh, so they were on the same page...
/*Quella vita*...Eh, Red?/
Startled, big honey colored eyes widened and frantically, she searched the room. Found his eyes. Mouth gaped.
/Damon!/
He smirked. She didn't move from her spot on a barstool. /You came?/
/Si./
/Why?/
/My own reasons.../
A nod. /Do they--/
/No. And I'd prefer if it stayed that way. For now at least/
/Alright./
She seemed a bit edgy around his presence and Damon could only laugh. /Relax, Red. I'm not here to kill you./
/I know that/ She snapped.
He chuckled. /*Arrividerci, bella*/ With that, he withdrew from his spot along the wall and sidled up the steps to watch from the top level. He was careful to shield his mind.
***
-- In my life I've learned that heaven never waits no
Lets take this now before it's gone like yesterday
Cuz when I'm with you there's nowhere else
That I would ever wanna be no
I'm breathing for the next second I can feel you
Loving me ... --
Elena stepped back with a fond smile at her husband as the song drew to a close, the last notes drifting and tapering off.
She gazed around the room at the horde of faces, some familiar, others not. Applause. Shouts of "congratulations" and other such things. Elena laughed softly, eyes shifting up to the level above where people crowded at the railing of the balcony.
Blue eyes picked out midnight black. With a stifled gasp, she blinked. The man she saw did not move, did not speak into her mind and she made no effort to do so either.
Instead, she offered an affectionate smile towards him and he returned it. But that was all she'd do.
Stefan, unaware of his brother's presence, grinned and drew her in for a kiss as they moved off the dance floor.
Elena gave into the kiss willingly, let herself plunge into the sea passion and the waves of affinity.
"Forever," she whispered against his lips, "begins tonight."
~*~
FIN.
~*~
New York: 3 Years Later: 2006
"With this ring, I thee wed..."
The small yet elaborately carved gold band was eased onto her finger, the dark blue gem glinting in the lights of the small church. Silently, tears slowly traveled down her cheeks. But she was happy, blissfully so.
This was as it was meant to be.
"With this ring, I thee wed..." she repeated, hushed. His band was slipped back onto his finger then, as hers was moments before. Trembling lips formed a genuine smile, blue eyes resplendent with love, adoration and unceasing devotion.
Green eyes mirrored her emotions.
Her lips met his then. He could taste the salt of her tears as he was certain she could taste his, as he enveloped her lightly shaking form in his arms. He couldn't remember ever being so happy.
This was right.
When she pulled away, taking a step back, her heart was bursting with joy. "I love you."
Lips formed a smile, palms cupped her face softly, thumbs lightly brushing away her remnants of tears. "I love you."
As one, they turned to face the others in the tiny church where they had come to renew their vows.
Across the room, brown eyes met green and Bonnie smiled, truly glad for the two on the alter. No, she hadn't...wouldn't... forget what she felt for Stefan Salvatore, but his heart didn't belong with hers. It belonged to one person and that was Elena. The woman who had died for him and who had been ressurected for him.
Blue met brown shortly afterwards and Elena allowed the redhead to smile widely, accepting the simple fact that she had shown up as her apology. It had taken a while, but maybe, just maybe, they could beging to start over.
Stefan and Elena joined hands and slowly made their way down the carpeted aisle and out the large wooden doors. They descended down the steps and to the waiting car.
***
-- You set my soul at ease
Chased darkness out of view
Left your desperate spell on me
Say you feel it to
I know you do
I've got so much more to give
This can't die, I yearn to live
Pour yourself all over me
And I'll cherish every drop here on my knees. --
They danced. Ravishing Oblivion was as crowded as usual; however, news of the owners' "second wedding" had spread throughout, and the dance floor was left empty solely for them...At least for the first song of the night.
"Elena?"
"Hmm?" Her head rested against his shoulder, his chin lightly against the top of her hair.
"Promise me something?"
"Anything, beloved."
"That I have your heart."
"Always and forever." Elena lifted her head to gaze directly into his eyes. "I mean it, Stefan."
He nodded, resting his forehead lightly against hers. Elena sighed contentedly.
-- I wanna love you forever
And this is all I'm asking of you
10,000 lifetimes together
Is that so much for you to do?
Cuz from the moment that I saw your face
And felt the fire in your sweet embrace
I swear I knew.
I'm gonna love you forever. --
***
From across the large dance floor where only one couple revolved around in a slow dance, black eyes rested on the moving figures there. So far, he'd left his appearance to go unnoticed and unheeded.
He debated showing himself. He had only come for one of them. And he knew she'd realize that.
No, he wasn't going to try and win her over. Obviously, that was over. Forever.
He was over 500 years old and she had been the only woman he'd let get that deep beneath his surface.The only one who had ever gotten behind his mask. The only woman he had truly allowed into his heart.
And he had to forget her.
But tonight...Tonight was an exception. He'd leave them alone after this, but he had to see her one last time.
He watched her, lips forming a thin line as he leaned against a back wall. Something gnawed at the edges of his heart as he took in her euphoric expression.
Well, he reasoned, at least *she* was happy...
After tonight, he didn't think he'd be seeing her again. Not with her knowing it, anyway. And as for his brother...Well, their speaking terms were on hold. Who knew how long?
But life went on. He had eternity to live, eternity to fix things.
Although, Damon found he was much better at screwing things up...
He found he was enraptured in the two on the dance floor and blinked. Tearing his gaze away. Obsidian eyes picked out a head of red curls on the opposite side of the room in the midst of other people.
Ah...There was another woman he'd toyed with. Another who he'd hurt.
He noticed her heart-shaped face revealed similar emotions. Heh, so they were on the same page...
/*Quella vita*...Eh, Red?/
Startled, big honey colored eyes widened and frantically, she searched the room. Found his eyes. Mouth gaped.
/Damon!/
He smirked. She didn't move from her spot on a barstool. /You came?/
/Si./
/Why?/
/My own reasons.../
A nod. /Do they--/
/No. And I'd prefer if it stayed that way. For now at least/
/Alright./
She seemed a bit edgy around his presence and Damon could only laugh. /Relax, Red. I'm not here to kill you./
/I know that/ She snapped.
He chuckled. /*Arrividerci, bella*/ With that, he withdrew from his spot along the wall and sidled up the steps to watch from the top level. He was careful to shield his mind.
***
-- In my life I've learned that heaven never waits no
Lets take this now before it's gone like yesterday
Cuz when I'm with you there's nowhere else
That I would ever wanna be no
I'm breathing for the next second I can feel you
Loving me ... --
Elena stepped back with a fond smile at her husband as the song drew to a close, the last notes drifting and tapering off.
She gazed around the room at the horde of faces, some familiar, others not. Applause. Shouts of "congratulations" and other such things. Elena laughed softly, eyes shifting up to the level above where people crowded at the railing of the balcony.
Blue eyes picked out midnight black. With a stifled gasp, she blinked. The man she saw did not move, did not speak into her mind and she made no effort to do so either.
Instead, she offered an affectionate smile towards him and he returned it. But that was all she'd do.
Stefan, unaware of his brother's presence, grinned and drew her in for a kiss as they moved off the dance floor.
Elena gave into the kiss willingly, let herself plunge into the sea passion and the waves of affinity.
"Forever," she whispered against his lips, "begins tonight."
~*~
FIN.