As always, I want to thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows. Also, thank you to the guest reviewers. I try to respond to reviews but obviously can't with you guys. I hope you know that you are appreciated! I have received so many kind messages asking about my dad. He is doing really well! Thank you! This chapter was a real problem. I had issues with writers' block and finally decided to just try writing through it. I'm so glad I did as the chapter just took on a life of its own. We were supposed to get through the ball this chapter but things went another way and I couldn't be happier. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 35: Convince Her to Stay

Much to Damon's dislike, I have been up and going since 7:00 a.m. He tried his best, and when I say "best" I mean tempting me in ways other men could never even imagine suggesting, to convince me to stay in bed with him. I truly deserve a medal for my ability to say no. Our weekend mornings have become increasingly lazy with us enjoying breakfast in bed more mornings than not and he didn't seem to understand why this morning needed to be any different. Sure, I am working on his company's charity event but he seems to be of the impression that I am magical and have the ability to snap my fingers and make fabulousness happen. Um, yeah, not so much, I am afraid. When I reminded him that I fired my assistant yesterday, he pointed out that I need to work on my "badassness timing". Not surprisingly, that was the quip that got my badass in gear and out of bed. In an effort to get back in my good graces, Damon offered to come with me to help only to have me point out that it would look really bad to have the Vice President of Marketing helping to set up his company's charity benefit ball. So, with a pout and a steaming cup of Starbucks, my doting boyfriend kissed me goodbye as he dropped me off at the door of the hotel where the ball is being held. Caroline, on the other hand did not get the same answer. When I told her about having to fire April, Care immediately offered to come help me oversee the set up this morning. Before she and Klaus had kids and she decided to take the stay at home mom route, she used to help out with some of my larger events which made her a perfect candidate to jump in the trenches with me today. She arrives just after I do having had to take time to park her car since she isn't under constant he-man surveillance.

"Care, you have no idea how much I appreciate this!" I greet her with a hug happy to have her by my side.

"Well, Lena, you know me. I'm always happy to take charge and order people around!" she says with a devilish glint in her eye. "So, who do I get to boss around first?"

"Luckily, these folks are really good and pretty much know what to do since the ball has been here for the last several years." I might have just taken on the Saltzman contract this year but I have been handling the ball for them for several years now. It's what first made Ric approach me about handling all of their events. "Honestly, if I was going to go all control freak and fire April before a big event, this was the one to pick. The theme may be different each year but the event staff is familiar enough with the overall flow that it could practically run itself at this point."

"If that's the case, then what in the world did April do to make you fire her?" Caroline asks.

"Funny, that's what made it so obvious that there had been bad mistakes. And it wasn't just this time. I told you about her messing up with the date of the wedding of the daughter of Damon's friend. Over the last several weeks she has messed up catering orders too not to mention costing me an extra set up fee for her mistake on the tables! It's like she was out to get me or something. I know how to run this event as well as I know how to drive which made April's screw ups glaringly obvious. "

"Do you? Know how to drive, I mean. After all, I couldn't help but notice the hunk of man meat that dropped you off in his shiny little sports car this morning," Caroline giggles.

"Yes, smart ass, I know how to drive. Damon's just being extra protective right now."

"Still no word on who left the roses?" Caroline asks.

"No. The police never found any fingerprints, the florist ended up being a dead end and there's been no other contact," I explain while doing a walkthrough of the ballroom.

"I can't say that I blame him for being cautious. Elena, that's creepy. It screams stalker and if there's anything I've learned from all of the crime dramas I've watched it's that stalkers don't just give up." Her eyes are big as saucers as she tells me this.

"Not helping, Care…" I mumble as we move towards the office of my contact at the hotel. It wasn't long before Bonnie had joined us and the rest of the preparations went off without a hitch. Because I knew the staff was familiar with what needed to happen tonight and so that I could see how she would handle being in charge, I had considered, long before firing April, having Bonnie take the lead for the event. Really, she just needed to be there as a contact in case there were any questions or emergencies. Plus, I would be there with Damon if anything really needed my attention. So, after we were done for the day, Caroline and I headed to her car so that she could drop me off to get ready.

"Thank you again for driving me back to Damon's," I say as we are driving away from the hotel.

"Damon's? Don't you mean back to your place? I distinctly remember his using the word 'ours' in reference to his house," laughs Caroline. "How are things with you two? I mean, with all the stalker stuff…"

"Care, I don't have a stalker!" I interrupt.

"Whatever, like I was saying, with everything going on, I haven't had much of a chance to ask you how things are with you and Damon, you know, in general." One thing I must say about Caroline, once she signs on for something, she is in all the way. She may have been against Damon and I being together at first but now she is his biggest cheerleader.

"You know, things are good," I smile.

"Just good?" her perfectly arched eyebrow disappears behind a wisp of blonde hair. I cannot control the smile that spreads across my face.

"Really good, mind-blowingly good in fact," I respond.

"You're blushing," croons Caroline. "What did sex god extraordinaire do now? Show up at your office and screw you into submission?" I try to swallow the giggle that is bubbling up inside of me. "Oh dear God, do you two have no self-control?" At the word "control" I completely lose it. "Which piece of furniture do I need to avoid?" Finally, my laughter eases enough to answer her.

"He showed up yesterday just when I was about to fall apart under all of the stress of my day from hell. He just knows how to help me focus my mind," I smoothly explain.

"Yeah, more like he just knows how to make you lose your mind," she mutters.

"In the most delicious ways he can think of," I answer earning an eye roll and shake of a head.

"As long as you're happy."

"I am, Care, happier than I've ever been." She gives an approving hum. "Everything just seems so, I don't know, right. It's not that we don't disagree about things or that we live in this perfect, nauseating, little bubble. But whatever is thrown at us, I feel like it will be OK because I know he'll have my back. And when he's the one pissing me off it's OK because I just know we'll be fine."

"Plus, there's the makeup sex," smirks Caroline.

"Yes, there's that," I grin back. "But, seriously, I couldn't be happier. And Damon seems like he's in domestic bliss."

"I remember those days, when Klaus and I finally realized that the other one wasn't going anywhere. Then children came along and now there are days when we both wish we could go somewhere!" laughs Caroline. She makes jokes about being overburdened by her kids but I know that her world revolves around them. "Well, here we are," she says as she pulls into the driveway. "I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Thank you again for all of the help, Care."

"Aww, don't mention it!" she smiles as I hop out and head to the house to get ready for the evening.

As I enter the house, I hear Damon call my name. "Lena?"

"No, it's the Easter Bunny!" I joke.

"Well, Easter Bunny," he pops his head out of the library door, "hop that pretty little tail in here. I have something to show you." As I near the door, he steps out and puts his hands over my eyes, guiding me the rest of the way into the room. When he has me where he wants me, he whispers, "OK, you can look," before lowering his hands.

"Damon, it's beautiful!" Sitting in front of the large picture window is a brand new baby grand piano.

"Well, you are the one who said it would be perfect there," he says slipping up behind me and wrapping his arms around me.

"I can't believe you remembered that," I gasp.

"Of course I remembered. It was the first time you came over and all I wanted to do was find a way to keep you here." He kisses my neck before adding, "Like I told you when we moved your stuff in, this is our home and I will do whatever it takes to convince you to stay now that you're here."

"You're doing an amazing job of it so far," I tell him as I turn and wrap my arms around his neck. "You know what would up the game?"

"What?" he murmurs while continuing to pepper my neck with kisses.

"Well, I seem to recall that you once told me that you didn't need a baby grand because you didn't play but now we both know that wasn't exactly true. So, you could make up for it by playing for me."

"You don't really want that. You're so much better."

"Damon, if you play for me, I'll let say thank you in a very, very special way when we get home tonight."

"What do you want to hear?" he asks as he bolts to the piano.

"Anything you want to play," I laugh before sitting beside of him on the piano bench and melting into the sound of his playing. As I watch his fingers dance across the keys, I can't help but think that he can play me just as well.

~~~~~TVD~~~~~TVD~~~~~TVD~~~~~

After Damon and I each took our turn at trying out the new piano, I came upstairs to get ready for the ball. Now that my makeup is done and my hair in loose curls, I am ready to put on my dress. Damon has been pestering me to see my dress ever since I brought the garment bag home but I have refused. There are things that a girl enjoys and seeing the look on her date's face when he comes to pick her up is one of those things. Just because we are currently living together does not mean that I want to give that up. So, I have gone to great lengths to keep Damon from seeing my dress. It was hidden away in one of the guest rooms until I moved it into our room when I came up to get ready. Caroline and Jenna helped me pick it out and Care seems to think that Damon won't be able to keep his hands off of me. The dress really is a character all its own. It is blood red and flows to the floor with a slit up to my thigh. The top has a deep V-neck that come up to a halter neckline. The back is pretty not existent. The halter, of course, goes around my neck then it is completely backless until the dress drapes down at my lower back. I also have matching red stilettos. The look is finished off with a diamond necklace and diamond earrings. I have just finished getting ready when I hear a knock on the bedroom door.

"Can I come in yet?" Damon got ready first and has been patiently waiting downstairs.

"Perfect timing, babe, come on in," I call as I turn to face the door.

"Wow," Damon breathes as he walks in the room looking amazing in his tux.

"You like? It really is a beautiful dress," I say looking down at the dress.

"The dress pales in comparison to the gorgeous girl wearing it," he says as he leans in to give me a kiss.

"You say the sweetest things," I smile coyly at my handsome boyfriend.

"Only because they are true." I step back from him and do a slow turn around. When I turn back to Damon, his eyes are darker than before. "Damn," he breathes, "that dress should come with a warning from the surgeon general that it may cause heart failure."

"The only problem with it is that the back drapes down so low that I can't wear anything under it," I coyly tell him.

"Nothing?" he raises one beautiful eyebrow.

"Not a thing," I breathe against his lips.

"Can't we just skip this thing? I hear it's going to be a real drag." He's tracing his fingers up and down my spine and I could almost agree if he hadn't just insulted an event my company is handling.

"Hey! Watch it! This is an Elena Gilbert Event!" I pout.

"It would be a pity for no one to see you in this dress. But, I think you need one more thing," he says stepping back from me and rubbing his lip with one finger while looking me up and down.

"What?"

"Jewelry," he says causing me to walk over to the full length mirror and double check my appearance.

"No I have my earrings and my necklace," I say to myself before turning back around. The sight before me takes my breath away. Damon is down on one knee with a sparkling diamond ring in his hand.

"You don't have a ring," he says. "Elena Gilbert, the first time you scrunched up that cute nose and challenged me to name classic movies I knew that I was in trouble. When you sharked me at pool to keep from going out with me, I knew I was in love and I have been ever since. You challenge me in ways that no one else dares. You make me happier than I ever imagined. I want us to spend the rest of our years together, to fill this house with kids, and then grow old and gray together. And even if none of that ever happens, I'd rather die tomorrow knowing that I told you just how much you are loved than live a million years and never let you know. Elena, I have loved you for ten years and I promise that I will love you until the day that I die. There will never be anyone who is loved any more than I love you. Elena Gilbert, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I have tears pouring down my face as he slides the ring on my finger and scoops me up spinning me around as he covers me in kisses.

AN: Yeah, that just happened! I did not intend on having them get engaged yet but Damon showed up with that ring and sweet speech and, really, who could say no to that? Not me! So, we'll be heading to the ball next and I cannot wait for Caroline and Jenna to find out that Damon popped the question. Don't forget to review if you have the moments to spare-it really does mean so much! Thank you for reading!