1859
It was December 31st and the Lockwood's' were having a party on their estate to welcome in the New Year. Nineteen-year-old Cassidy and her thirteen-year-old sister were ready to leave but they wanted to find Damon first. Cassidy and Damon just became public with their relationship because they were the appropriate age. Everyone was leaving the party, the two traveled downstairs as they heard yelling coming from Mr. Lockwood's office.
Abby walked into the office and saw Giuseppe yelling at Damon, "Oh excuse me, Mr. Salvatore," Giuseppe took a deep breath and said, "Don't you know to knock Abigail?" Cassidy walked into the room and her eyes instantly met Damon's. Abby continued, "Oh yes, I'm sorry Mr. Salvatore I was just wondering if Damon would walk my sister and me home." Giuseppe nodded and said to Damon, "We'll continue this another time," and then he walked out of the office.
Damon let out a breath, "Thanks for that," he said looking down at Abby. She smiled, "No problem, what are sisters for?" They made their way out of the office and Cassie wrapped her arms around Damon and leaned her head on his shoulders, "I hate the way he talks to you, you don't deserve it." Abby looked back and sensing they needed a moment she said, "I'm going to go outside and look for Stefan."
Damon and Cassie stopped walking and he held her face softly in his hands. "I don't want you worrying about me alright?" Cassie looked to the ground and Damon brought up her chin and met his lips with hers. "Alright?" he repeated softly. She nodded and smiled and kissed him once more before walking out the door.
The next day in the afternoon Abigail made her way over to the Salvatore manor. When she knocked on the door one of their maids answered, "Oh hello Ms. Abigail," Abby smiled, "Hi Lynn, did my sister come over here?" she asked. "Oh yes, she and mister Damon went into town," Abby nodded in response then asked, "Is Stefan here?" Lynn nodded and went inside the house, "I'll fetch him for you," she said.
Abby sat down on the steps. She heard someone come up behind her and cover her eyes. She laughed, "Hmm let me guess." Stefan laughed and appeared in front of her, "Hey Abby." She got up and they started to walk off the property a little way and onto the edge of the forest. They both climbed up the all too familiar tree and sat down on the branch they always would, with Abby leaning back on the tree and Stefan across her.
"It seems like we're always up here," Abby said looking up at the sky. "Yeah, my brother and I used to climb this tree all the time, but now he's too busy with your sister," he said jokingly. Abby snickered, "I know they're always together but hey, they're in love." Stefan scrunched up his nose and Abby laughed, "Stefan you're going to get wrinkles." He just laughed. "They're probably going to get married soon," Abby said, now looking towards the Salvatore house.
Stefan nodded his head, "After every council meeting at our house, your dad stays later and I hear him and my dad talking about what the marriage will do in terms of land, money, and things like that." Abigail slowly nodded, "How romantic," she sighed and thought for a minute, "When they do get married, do you think that all four of us will ever hang out again, like go to falls or even play chase?" Stefan let out a small breathless laugh, "I hope so, and well I don't see how they would ever get out of hanging out with us." This made Abby cheer up, "Yea there's no way they're getting rid of us, and I guess growing up is just like this."
Stefan looked at her for a moment, "You know sometimes you speak more like an adult than a kid your own age?" She smirked a little and nodded, "Yea but so do you." Stefan nodded and there was a moment of silence before Abby spoke up again. "Do you think our parents will want us to marry each other?" Stefan just looked at her, "Probably," he said shrugging. Abby just laughed a little.
1861
It was February 2, 1861, and Cassidy Gilbert's 21st birthday. Cassie and Damon walked hand in hand through Salvatore's vast garden. Damon picked a flower and handed it to Cassie, "How sweet," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. They sat down on a stone bench and Cassie held on to the flower and looked lovingly into Damon's eyes. He covered her small delicate hands with his and looked into her eyes. He smirked, the sweet smirk she loved so much, and looked into her eyes. "I love you," he said simply. The look in her eyes was a reply enough but she said it anyway, "I love you too." She bit her lip like she always would and after Damon kissed her, her cheeks would flush as if he had just kissed her for the first time.
They looked into each other's eyes for a moment until Damon spoke. "Cassie," he stated, "I don't know how to put in words how much I love you, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and have the kindest heart." Her mouth became dry wondering where he was going with this little speech, but she smiled and listened anxiously. Damon got up from the stone bench where they were sitting in the middle of their breathtaking garden. He walked in front of her and smiled before he got down on one knee before her. Her eyes became wide and her words were caught in her throat. Damon smiled and shakily pulled out a diamond ring from his pocket, presenting it in front of her. He continued, "Your father gave me his blessing and with that, I want to ask Cassidy Gilbert, will you marry me?"
She smiled and let out the breath that was caught in her throat. Tears went down her face as she nodded, "Yes of course!" She exclaimed standing up. He stood up and placed the ring on her finger. She jumped into his arms and he embraced her tightly, spinning her around. He put her back on the ground and rested his hands on her waist bringing her closer and meeting his lips with hers. As they kissed, she couldn't stop smiling. She took his hand and started running through the garden, "We have to go tell Abby and Stefan!" Damon laughed at her excitement as she ran into the house. "Abby! Stefan!" She yelled, smiling.
One of the housemaids, Lynn, came walking down the stairs, "What's all the commotion about?" she asked, smiling. Cassie held out her hand. Lynn gasped and looked at Damon then inspected the beautiful ring on Cassie's finger. She smiled and said; "Abby and Stefan are at your house Cassie since Damon's father is holding the council meeting here." Cassie nodded and grabbed Damon's hand walking out the door.
"I can't wait to tell father and your dad, did they know you were going to ask today?" Damon smiled and nodded. As they walked up to the house they saw Abby and Stefan chasing each other in the front yard. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something," Damon, said, Cassie looked up at him and he said, "Happy birthday." She smiled and kissed his cheek before running up towards her sister and Stefan.
"Abby, Stef!" she said, running up towards them. They stopped and Stefan said, "Hey Cass, happy birthday." She smiled and said, "Thanks," then she just presented them her hand. Abby's eyes grew wide and she went to her sister and held her hand then smiled at Damon. "No way!" she said, smiling like an idiot. Stefan came up behind Abby; he smiled and hugged Cassidy, "Congratulations," he said. Everyone stepped back and Abby exclaimed, "We should have an engagement party tonight! That would be so much fun, can we? It can count as your birthday party too!" Everyone laughed at her exuberance of energy and Cass looked back at Damon. "After the council meeting we can go back to our house and talk to our fathers," Damon said. Cassidy clapped, "Sounds great."
After the council meeting was over the four-headed over to the Salvatore Manor. John, Cassidy, and Abigail's father were in Giuseppe's office. The four walked in and Cassie showed her father the ring, smiling. After countless minutes of everyone hugging Cass asked her father and Giuseppe if they could throw a last-minute engagement party. Their fathers agreed to the idea and gave notice to the maids who started to prepare the manor for the party while then the six of them headed into town to invite everyone.
Later that night the town's people filled into the Salvatore house. Soft music played as people danced and drank. Abigail and Stefan were greeting people at the door while a huddle of women gathered around Cassidy gawking at her ring. After almost half the town had arrived everyone began the dance. Cass grabbed her reluctant father and pulled him on the dance floor. He kissed the top of her head and said, "I'm very happy for you sweetie." She rested her head on her father's shoulder and said, "I'm so happy, Damon is just amazing isn't he?" She said looking into her father's eyes. He smiled and nodded, "He's a good man and he makes you happy."
Abby and Stefan stuck a bottle of champagne and headed over to the downstairs study. Abby peaked her head in making sure no one was in there before they headed in. She laughed as she watched Stefan open the bottle, having it spill everywhere. They sat down on the floor and rested their backs against the couch. "I can't believe we're doing this, you're crazy," Stefan said, smiling before he took a gulp from the bottle. "I know but it's so much fun," Abigail replied, taking the bottle out of his hands and taking a gulp for herself.
A little time passed and the two best friends were still in the study passing the bottle back and forth, each taking a sip. Abby laid down on the couch and said, "I think it's so great that, uh that um, Damon and my sis are gettin' married." Stefan stood up and looked down at her, "I think you're a little drunk." Then he just started laughing hysterically. Abby stood up and wobbled a little bit, "Stef, Steffy, this is what I want our relationship to be like." He smiled and she did too, then she grabbed his hands and they started dancing around the room, "I think we ran out of alcohol," he said. He spun her around, "Okay I'm getting a little dizzy," she said, still with a goofy smile on her face. They paused for a moment. Their hands were entwined with each other's and they could only hear the soft music playing from the other room along with the low hum of people's voices. Stefan, only being a little taller than her, started to lean his head down towards her lips. "Stef what are you doing," she began to say before his lips silenced hers.
His lips were soft against hers and it felt as if every cell of her body was alive as he continually moved his lips against hers. The feeling to her was new and thrilling and his touch sent little electric shocks all throughout her body. Maybe, she'd had a little crush on him, but they were friends and she thought he saw her as only that. But the connection towards them right now proved that they weren't meant to be only friends. This new and amazing thing they experienced proved to be the start of something beautiful. She couldn't wait and neither could he.
Their lips parted and he rested his hands on her hips. She smiled and let out a deep breath. She looked up into his eyes and they never seemed so green and beautiful as they did right at that moment. She bit her lip and he smiled looking into her light jade green eyes and smiling over her cute light brown freckles that were scattered on her nose and cheeks. He brought his hands and cupped her face, brushing his thumbs against her cheek before kissing her one more time and leading her back into the party.
The party was winding down but Cassie snagged Mr. Salvatore and dragged him onto the dance floor. He was usually a somewhat unpleasant man but the two Gilbert sisters brought a smile to his face. "Damon is lucky to marry a woman like you," She smiled and blushed to look over at Damon who was talking with a few men from town. "I'm the lucky one, Damon is wonderful, you truly have an amazing son," she said looking into his eyes.
At the end of the party, when everyone had left and Stefan and Abby were both passed out on couches, Cassie was saying her goodbye to Damon. His father had already left to go to sleep and her father was waiting outside to walk her home. She looked over at Abby, "It's best not to wake her, as you know she gets very cranky if someone wakes her up from sleep." Damon chuckled lightly and he nodded. "I'll send her back to your house in the morning when she wakes." Cassidy nodded then she hugged Damon tightly. When they parted he cupped her face and kissed her. She smiled and said, "I love you so much and I can't wait to be Mrs. Salvatore." He smiled back and said, "I like the way that sounds, and I love you too." They kissed once more before she left with her father.
