Author's Note: So this one is a sweet developmental chapter, but I couldn't resist. In looking online at Civil War era dresses, I happened across this picture and before even reading the file name, I thought it was perfect. Imagine my surprise when I found out the girl in the picture's name was Rebekah, even spelled the same way. Freak coincidence right? She even had the right color hair. I have removed her face for her privacy as it was a real person who was featured on her Aunt's blog. I guess the aunt worked for SIX months to make that dress. At any rate, I thought you might enjoy seeing what I'm doing my best to describe :)

(Link to image of the dress…paste and remove spaces to go to link. Acullewannabe. Blogspot. com)

Chapter 15

Damon flopped on the bed next to me as I flipped another page of Elias Bennett's grimoire. "So, find anything yet?"

I groaned, resisting the urge to toss the relic across the room in frustration, instead settling for laying it forcefully across my stomach before letting out a low screech. "This is like looking for a needle in a pile of needles. The man babbled incessantly and buried his spells, which I really don't understand anyway, within layers and layers of rhymes and nonsense. I'm guessing it's the closest thing he had to securing it at the time, but OH MY God, I want to rip my eyes out of their sockets just to end the torture."

Damon chuckled before taking the book from me with a delicate touch. He scanned a few pages before blinking up at me with an angelic look that was always anything but angelic.

"What?"

He licked his lower lip before slipping a little further down on the bed. "It's really not that hard if you understand the code."

He'd been right to slip down as my first reaction was to grab my pillow from behind my back and smack him with it. He blocked the blow with his arm while laughing loudly before reaching over to tug me next to him. Once tucked into his side, I watched as he pointed to the garbled words, drawing patterns that soon started to point out specific words, when read in order suddenly made complete sense.

I leaned up to look at him with a scowl. "How do you know how to do that?"

He chuckled again, resting the book on his legs before reaching to push my hair back over my shoulder. "You forget I've lived a long time. Elias was only one generation before my time, his tricks were still in use during my youth. Stefan and I used to make a big game of encrypting letters to one another when we were young. We even did it with a few of the letters we exchanged while I was serving the Confederacy, before I deserted and ran home only to meet my death at the hands of Katherine. There were several times I thought that I would have been much better off staying to die on the fields of battle."

I frowned, opening my mouth to protest when he smirked, covering my mouth before tracing my lips with a finger. "I assure you, those thoughts were prior to finding you, my Bekah. Your optimism is beginning to rub off on me, especially the thought that all of that was for the purpose of finding you now."

I smiled before leaning up to kiss his lips softly. He captured my face in his hands, caressing my cheeks with his thumbs as he loved to do when he kissed me. Eventually, he pulled away to stare into my eyes.

"Speaking of finding you and ultimate purposes, you have your proposal, your ring, my devotion…the only question now is when and where." He quirked his eyebrow at me in challenge, making me giggle.

"Don't you think we have bigger things to face right now? Shouldn't we wait until after all of this is behind us?"

In an instant, the book disappeared from his lap to rest safely atop the bedside table before he pinned me to the mattress, his eyes as serious as I'd ever seen them. "That's exactly why I think we should do it now…sooner rather than later. I want this; I want us bound before the world goes to shit."

I licked my lips before tugging one of my hands free from his very gentle grasp. I pushed his hair back before cupping his cheek in my hand. He leaned into my touch with a sigh, his eyes closing briefly before opening again, with a pleading expression.

I took in a long, slow breath before letting it out again. "Okay. I love you. I want to be with you, so okay."

His eyes danced as a bright smile spread across those delicious lips. "Really?"

I giggled and nodded. "Really."

He rolled us onto our side, his left hand moving to caress my hair as he gazed at me, almost looking star struck. It was something I hadn't gotten used to and perhaps never would.

"What do you want for the wedding? I…I know weddings are really important to women and I don't want you to miss out on anything. I guess my rushing this might be keeping some of that from happening and I don't want that either. I just don't want to risk this going…badly."

I reached over to stop him this time with a kiss before pulling back. I nibbled on my lip, reaching a finger out to trace the edge of his jaw.

"I don't need a big fancy wedding. I never wanted that. I guess if I really thought about it, I would want it to be somewhere special, with my friends and family there. Stefan and Elena, of course, Jenna, Alaric, Bonnie, Caroline…" I tried to think of other names, but really that was the extent of who I really wanted to be there…even if Jenna would never understand. "Huh, yeah, I guess I never wanted a big wedding to begin with. That sounds perfect to me…my loved ones, a nice venue, but not overly fancy, a nice dress…and you."

I looked back to his eyes to see him blink back some moisture before pulling me flush with is body, his lips finding my temple as his hands smoothed down my back. "Well, you're going to get all of that and more if I have my way. You deserve not only everything you want, but all the things you never allowed yourself to think of. I promise. We might do this fast, but we're going to do it right."

Damon made the light go out before his lips found mine in the darkness, his hands slow and reverent as they explored the peaks and valleys of my silhouette. I felt the worshipful spirit of his touch as he made love to me, carefully, gently, and most of all selflessly. I drifted off into a fully sated sleep in his arms after I lost count of how many times he had led me to release. It was more perfect than I could describe.

I woke the next morning to Damon's hands drifting down my hair and over my back, massaging at the muscles in my lower back with gentle precision before his lips trailed where his hands had just manipulated my muscles into submission.

"Wake up, my beautiful Bekah. I have something I want to show you."

I blinked my eyes open slowly before raising up to find Damon fully dressed and smiling like a kid on Christmas morning, dragging me out of bed to go open the waiting presents. He tossed me a set of clothes before dashing into the bathroom to start my shower. Within fifteen minutes, my hair still damp as he wouldn't even give me time to dry it, I let Damon lead me through the house to a room at the end of a hallway I'd only traveled during my tour. I vaguely remembered it was the storage area where some of the family's most priceless treasures were stored in carefully monitored, temperature controlled rooms. He pulled out a key and opened the door before leading me into the room full of draped items and ordered display cases.

Leading me by the hand, we walked to the end of the middle row before turning left and then right before making another left. I gasped as I found myself standing before a glass case where the most amazing civil war era ball gown I had ever seen was displayed on a mannequin…a gown I had adored for as long as I could remember. It still looked like new behind the glass, creamy satin bunching and draping across a boat neck bodice with delicate black lace, red trim, and red roses. The bodice was fitted and then led to more trimmed satin resting in soft waves atop the skirt that fell to the floor in red trimmed, cream satin ruffles. I blinked up at Damon for an explanation as he just smiled down at me, looking puffed up and pleased with himself.

"Now you know you can say no if you don't want to wear this, but this dress was my mother's. It's been preserved all of these years, only brought out every once in a while for the historic society to display it at Founder's Day events and what not."

"I know," I gasped in interruption. "One of the few things I enjoyed about the Founder's day events was seeing this dress."

If Damon's chest could have expanded any further, it would have. "Just say the word, sweetheart, and it's yours. I'd love nothing more than to have you wear it when we get married…that is if you want to wear it, if you'd rather wear something more modern, I'd completely understand."

I blinked up at him through my tears, shaking my head slowly. "Damon, you can't be serious. This is far too priceless, and the damage that could come to it. I mean my body oils alone might destroy such a treasure. I could never stand…"

Damon lifted his hand to cut me off. "I don't care about any of that. Dresses were meant to be worn and enjoyed, not to rot away with age on a mannequin, and no matter how preserved, eventually it will. This was a dress my mother made herself as a dowry if she and father ever gave Stefan and I a sister. When it became clear that day would never come, Father persuaded her to wear it to the last ball she ever attended. She made it clear to us all though, that she hoped that while she never had a daughter to endow with the gift, that someday her daughter-in-law might be given it, or even wear it as her wedding gown. She would have wanted this, Bekah, I know she would have."

I licked my lips and moved to touch the glass encasement, my other hand resting on top of my lips. "Do you know how many boring Founder's Day events I stood staring at this dress, daydreaming of wearing it and dancing in some grand ballroom with a handsome date? It was the only thing that got me through some of those horrid nights. It's more than I ever dreamed, but I'm not sure that it's right."

He started to protest when I held out my hand to his, grabbing it and stopping his words with my grasp. "I insist you run this by Stefan first. She was his mother too, and he might not appreciate us taking this risk with such a priceless thing. I already have her ring, perhaps we should leave this legacy for Elena. I don't want to steal from her all the blessings marrying into this family provides."

I glanced over my shoulder with a sly smile as he frowned down at me looking hurt. I moved to wrap my arms around him, resting my head against his sternum. "Thank you, Damon. Just the offer has provided me with the fulfillment of a dream I never expected to see come true. Even if we decide not to have me wear this dress, maybe we can have one like it made or something. I think it's a perfect idea. I think we should have a theme wedding, surrounding you, Damon. We can have a ceremony somewhere here in town, even here at the house if you want. We can all dress up, have the ceremony, and then dance the night away in the ballroom. That sounds like perfection to me. What do you say?"

Damon stared at me for the longest time, his gaze focused and serious before the lights began to dance across his sapphire blue eyes. He laughed loudly as he picked me up and twirled me in the air, making me giggle. When I was placed back on my feet, his lips captured mine in a searing kiss before he pulled away, seeming almost giddy.

"Let's do it. Let's do it all, but first things first. We need to get up to the clerk's office and apply for a marriage license before we do anything. It takes a few days for all the paperwork to go through, and we don't want to run the risk of not getting all of that in order."

I chuckled, cocking my head at him. "When did you become the practical planner, Damon?"

He smiled and shrugged. "When I want something, I'm willing to do what's necessary to make sure it happens, and I want this more than I've ever wanted anything."

I smirked up at him, moving closer to brush myself against his chest. "Anything?"

His eyes darkened as he took in a slow breath before grinding out. "Almost anything." He grabbed me around the waist holding me to him as he drifted his nose down the column of my neck and back up again before he picked me up and carried me through the room and back to the door. "But we have time for that later. First…the county clerk's office."

I watched him lock the door before something hit me. "Isn't it going to be a problem getting official paperwork for you?"

He chuckled darkly before sweeping me up in his arms again. "I have my ways. I can be very persuasive when I want to be." I could hear the power of compulsion in his voice and chuckled.

"Just be kind to the poor woman. You don't want to give old Mrs. Wallace a heart attack or anything."

He laughed before dashing down the stairs and to the front door. Elena and Stefan were walking in as we dashed out, surprised to see us. Damon turned around, slowing his pace as he walked backwards.

"Hey, Stefan, when we get back from filing for a marriage certificate, we have something we need to ask you."

I smiled and kissed his cheek, whispering a thank you into his ear as Stefan agreed. In a blink of an eye, I was sitting in the passenger side of Damon's car before it fired up and we took off like a shot down the driveway and into town.

It only took a little of Damon's skill, but an hour later, he and I were walking back into the Salvatore house where Stefan and Elena were waiting on the couch. They looked up at us with bright smiles.

"So, is it official now?" Elena asked with a wink.

"Well, we've applied and paid the fee. Now it's just a matter of the papers coming back to make it legal. I'm not sure why he insists on it being legal and all, but…" I shrugged, not knowing how to continue.

Stefan sat up and smirked before stretching out his arms along the back on the sofa. "So when are we having this little party?"

"Well, that depends on you, little brother. Bekah insisted that we talk to you first, but I offered her Mother's dress."

The smile fell from Stefan's face immediately. "No, it's okay, Stefan. I don't have to wear it. We shouldn't have even asked. We can commission a replica or something. I understand. I'll make some calls."

Stefan continued to frown as he cocked his head at me before it began to shake back and forth slowly. "No, wait, Bekah. Can…can I think about it?"

I nodded without hesitation, but Damon was quick to speak up behind me. "Just don't take too long. It's going to take some time to make a dress like that and I won't want to wait any longer than we have to."

Elena's head snapped between all of us as we spoke. "What dress?"

I smiled at her, nibbling my lower lip. "Do you remember that amazing cream ball gown with the red roses on it in the case at the Founder's Day events?"

Elena's eyes lit up. "You mean the one that you always talked about when I was little?" She turned to Stefan, her face animated as her hands moved in front of her. "You should have heard her, Stefan. She used to take me when I was bored to look at it and she told me all of these amazing stories about a time when ladies were real ladies and gentlemen were polite. She loved that dress so much and the stories she told were so vivid I felt like I was there. It made the Founder's Day pageants seem like pale imitations. It's part of what made me sign up for the pageant last fall."

I smiled at her and nodded. "I bet you were gorgeous."

"She was," both Damon and Stefan said at the same time, causing Elena to blush as she glanced to each one before ducking her head.

"I'm glad. She was always meant to be part of all of that…not me. I loved the dresses and the idea, but I was never really meant to be part of all that formality. All the founding family stuff and the sense of not belonging always got in the way of me getting to enjoy it like I would have otherwise. That's part of the reason why I think it would be amazing to have a theme wedding. For once, I'll belong there."

Stefan smirked up at me as Damon stepped behind me to pull me close, kissing my shoulder. "That you will, more than anyone else."

Stefan smiled at us before looking at Elena and then back to us. "That dress has really always meant that much to you?"

I nodded. "I think the first time I ever saw it I was five. It was the only thing I looked forward to from those Founder's Day events after that."

He looked at Elena again who was nodding her agreement before looking back to me. "Okay then, obviously it means the world to you and it was the only thing Mother really wanted from us. I think she would be honored if you wore that gown. The dress if yours if you honestly want it."

My eyes watered as Damon squeezed my waist. I felt him mouth a thank you to his brother seconds before I gave my own teary oath of appreciation. Stefan stood up and walked closer, placing a hand on my arm, and to my relief, for once Damon didn't seem to react to Stefan touching me.

"No, thank you. I look forward to seeing my brother finally happy."

"What do you mean seeing? You're going to stand up with me, aren't you?" Damon quipped from behind me, his chin resting on my shoulder.

The emotions on Stefan's face were priceless. "I'd truly be honored, brother."

I took my moment to turn to Elena who was teary-eyed beside Stefan. "I would love it if you would stand up with me as well, Elena."

"Oh, Aunt Bekah, I'd love to," she weeped as she ran to hug my neck as Damon released me to allow it. I smiled and held her close, thanking her in a whisper before bringing up the next big hurdle.

"Now I just have to figure out a way to explain this to Jenna."

Elena pulled back with a worried expression that made me laugh. Yes, out of all of this, Jenna was most certainly going to be the trickiest part.