I don't own the vampire diaries and I don't own the characters.
This takes place after the events in my fanfic Soulmate always find a way.
The POV's will be from Damon and Elena.
Enjoy.
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Sorry it took too long to update. I wanted to get the chapter right and I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I'm working on the next one now. Please be sure to click the little review button at the bottom and let me know what you think, it really does help keep me motivated to write and update faster. :)
Chapter 6- Acceptance
Elena's POV
I woke up the next morning and Damon was gone, not a surprise he probably left after a few hours last night. I went to my desk to see if he left a note and sure enough he did, but it left me suddenly very worried for him.
Elena,
Went for a walk with your father.
See you later (hopefully).
Damon
He was with my father, why? I didn't have long to gather my thoughts as Susanna had walked in the room and started to help me with my corset and dress. Apparently I had missed breakfast but Elliot saved me something and was waiting for me on the back porch. I really didn't want to talk to him. I wanted to go find Damon and make sure my father didn't take a rifle to his heart. That would surely mess up the future.
"And there she is. The talk of the house. Tell me, did you and Damon plan to sleep with each other all night and ignore my warnings or no?" I was very confused as I sat down next to him. Surely no one knew that Damon was in my room sleeping with me, well except for maybe Elliot. "Eat. We've got a lot to plan for tomorrow. You've put it off until the last minute and the staff needs to know by this afternoon how your birthday picnic will go tomorrow." He pushes the plate towards me. I shake my head, I vaguely remember that tomorrow is my birthday. I'm really not used to this time jump thing, I want to go home.
"I'm not the talk of the house. What's there to discuss?"
He laughs. "Everyone knows Elena. I'll let Damon tell you the story. We've got to decide what you want to eat, who you invite, how you want the gardens to look, and all the other stuff that you should have planned MONTHS ago. Be lucky I'm helping you."
I ate my breakfast in silence. I'm not good at planning anything, Caroline always planned everything and she was definitely not here in 1862. I had an idea but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it work. I decided I'd try and reach Bonnie again, maybe she could help me decide some stuff. I pick up the pad of paper and walk in the house. I hear Elliot curse under his breath and follow me all the way up to my bedroom.
"I can plan my own picnic Elliot."
"I've been told to stay with you by two different people. I don't plan on crossing either one so do what you have to do."
I glare at him as he sits in the chair at my desk. "Fine." I shut the door and sit on my bed. I close my eyes and concentrate on Bonnie. After a few seconds I open my eyes and I almost say 'ta-da!' but I hold back and just go to hug her. I go right through her. "Sorry. Hey Bon."
"Hey Lena. What's going on?"
"I need help planning a birthday picnic for myself tomorrow. I'm no good at planning without Caroline." I can see her eying Elliot. "Forget him. He's more stubborn than Damon if that's at all possible." Bonnie laughs and I can see her relax a little bit. It sucks that I can't hug her but at least she might still be able to be my best friend and help me out from time to time. "So first on the list is who to invite." I look up at her, hopefully she has an answer.
"Um...Damon." She seems to be thinking. "Stefan. And the guy you told me to ignore. I don't know Elena, I'm not technically alive yet so I don't know who all is in town."
"Good point." I turn to Elliot and he's smirking. "Do you have any brilliant ideas?"
"Everyone. Invite everyone. Believe me, it's the easiest solution."
I nod and write that down. We get through the whole list with Bonnie really only able to contribute opinions to the decorations. "I still don't know what to wear." Bonnie perks up again and I can see it in her eyes that she desperately wants to help. She's always loved this time period and the dresses so I'm sure she'd help me pick out something good.
"As much as I'd like to not be a part of this I really don't want to be on either fathers nor Damon's bad side so I guess I'll try to contribute an opinion. Although I think your best friend from the future will be more help than your big brother."
I roll my eyes and walk to the wardrobe with Bonnie in tow. "Elliot what did you mean about Damon's bad side?" I have to ask him, I'm currently shaking my head at every dress Bonnie points to. None of these are really me at all.
"Well he asked, well told, me to stay with you until he got back from his walk with our father. I know Damon's bad side, I've seen it, I don't want to be on the receiving end of it."
"You've got a point. I've seen it too." Bonnie continually points and I'm still shaking my head. "None of these will work Bonnie. It's warm outside and I'm almost positive it will be tomorrow and all of these are either long sleeves or too dark."
"This one might be okay, it's blue and it's pretty."
"No, I wore that to the ball yesterday and I didn't really like it but Damon did."
"I'm sure he did Lena. He'd like you in a paper bag."
I can't help but laugh and agree with her. It feels good to talk to Bonnie like this, even if she is like a ghost from the future. I know I should be in a metal hospital or something.
"Damon's going to hate me for what I'm about to do. Wait here."
Both Bonnie and I turn around to see Elliot walking out of the room. We both give each other looks that say 'what is he doing' but neither of us has an answer. He's not gone long before he returns with a box with a ribbon on it.
"Open it Elena. Damon's going to kill me probably but open it."
He sets the box on the bed and resumes his seat at my desk. I look at Bonnie and she nods so I open the box, hesitantly. I gasp in shock as I look at probably the most beautiful and most likely expensive dress I've ever seen. It's white with light blue patterns all over it. I can't tell what the pattern is, I think it's abstract or something. The sleeves hang off my shoulders on my upper arm, they aren't long at all they're short. There's small light blue ribbon bows on each sleeve and the ribbon continues around the neckline of the dress. There is also a light blue silk sash and goes around my waist and ties in the back. I finally remember how to speak and face Elliot.
"Why is Damon going to kill you?" I think I know the answer but I really want to hear it instead of just assuming.
"He got it for you. He asked me to keep it here so you wouldn't find it if you went snooping. Now just because I didn't want to hear anymore about sleeves and colors he's going to kill me."
"I won't let him kill you. It's beautiful."
"I guess so."
He's such a boy. I'm still in shock that Damon would buy me something like this when I'm interrupted by a knocking on my door. I look around and Bonnie is gone.
"Miss Elena. Miss Melanie Fell is here to see you."
I look at Susanna in the doorway, stunned to say the least. I knew that Melanie Fell and I had never been friends for a while now. "Did she say what she wanted?"
"No ma'am. She's downstairs on the patio miss."
I watch her walk away and then I round on Elliot. "What does she want?!" I nearly yell it at him and I see him take a few steps back, in pure surprise that I yelled.
"No clue." He says while shaking his head. "Let's go find out. No way am I leaving you alone with her, well I at least need to see you with my eyes."
We walk downstairs in silence. I go out to the patio and Elliot stays in the library pretending to look at books. I can tell by the way that Melanie is pacing that she's angry about something and I immediately put my guard up.
"Melanie. How can I help you?"
She surprises me when she turns around and starts her speech. "Elena Gilbert. Never did I think I'd see the day when your perfect image was tarnished, but yet here it is!"
"What are you talking about Melanie?"
"I'm talking about the fact that I saw where Damon Salvatore went last night."
Oh no. "Melanie, look. It's not what you think it is."
"Really? His friends thought he was hooking up with some whore to get his mind off you being with his little brother. I saw him after he left. I saw him go in your window. I saw him never leave. Who knew that the whore he was hooking up is you!" She just called me a whore. Seriously where does she think she has the right to say any of this to me. Before I can compose my thoughts well enough to fight back she continues on. "I knew something was wrong when he came back to see me after 20 minutes telling me he couldn't escort me to the ball anymore. I understood it, even though it was for just a second. You on the other hand are being courted by Stefan but sleeping with his brother, do you know what this will do to him when he finds out? Do you even care? Or do you forget about him completely when you are sleeping with that pathetic excuse of a man Damon Salvatore?"
I don't know what I'm more upset by at this point. She called me a whore for one. She told me I didn't care about Stefan and that was adding fuel to the fire inside me. The last straw though was when she called Damon a pathetic excuse of a man. I snapped. I was suddenly wishing it was the time in 2012 where I was still a vampire just so I could rip her throat out. Instead I opted to react the only way I knew how. I stepped closer to her and lowered my voice to where only she could hear.
"Listen to me Melanie. I don't care what you say about me. Honestly, it doesn't hurt me one bit. But just so we are clear, I'm not sleeping with Damon or anyone else for that matter. I'm not a whore and don't ever say that again. I care very much for Stefan, as a friend and you have no right to say any different. I do know what this would do to him so that is why I told him that he couldn't court me anymore. He knows I love Damon and I told him that last night, he understands." I stepped even closer as I clenched my fist next to me. "But here is the main thing, if I ever hear you say anything like that about Damon again you will regret it." I keep my fist next to me as I turn to go back inside. Deep breaths and keep walking. I keep repeating that mantra in my head but she speaks again.
"You know I believe you, about Stefan. But I still think that Damon is a pathetic excuse for a man. I mean who pines after the girl who their own brother is in love with? What kind of man sneaks into that girls room and doesn't leave, mind you he knows what everyone in town will say about the two of you? The answer Elena, is no man would do that. Only an ass would do that, and believe me if you aren't sleeping with him I'm sure he'll have no problem finding a whore who will."
I took back my comment from earlier. THAT was the last straw. I turned and rushed toward her and before I knew what I was doing my fist collided with her jaw. She instantly went down and I raised it again and it collided once more. The next thing I know is she's getting back up and marching towards me when I hear 3 different voices all yell, "Elena!" I turn to see Elliot coming out of the library, looking quite pissed off because he probably heard the conversation. To my left is my father and Damon who look more stunned and in Damon's case proud that I had punched her. By the time they all reached us Elliot is standing between us speaking to Melanie.
"You shut your mouth! I don't care if you are a lady you WILL NOT speak to my sister like that! She had every right to do what she did. Get out of my house!"
Melanie rebuttaled him. "You know every word I said was true. Elena is a..."
"She is not a whore and I will not have you talk to her that way!" He grabbed her elbow and walked or rather dragged her to the front door. "Get. Out. Of. My. House!" He opened the door and slammed it in her face then walked back out to the patio.
I turned to face my father when I heard him find his voice again. "I'm going to the Fells. Elena, I'll let you and Damon speak privately. I'll be home by supper." He walks past me, I can see the anger in his eyes and I know it's because he now knew what Melanie had said to me.
"I'll go back inside. Damon can take it from here." Elliot turned and stormed up the stairs.
I turn to face Damon and he starts laughing. Seriously Salvatore. I go to walk past him but he grabs me around my waist. I instantly freeze, this is not the way he should be holding me, not here and not where people can see. "Damon. What are you doing?"
"Holding you. I thought it was obvious Miss Gilbert. Walk with me, I have a lot to tell you sweetheart." He doesn't let go of my waist as he leads me out towards the gardens.
Damon's POV
I wish I had shown up minutes earlier. I should be the one defending Elena, but yet as I see her throw a couple of good punches at Melanie I realize maybe she doesn't need me to defend for her, with Melanie at least. I was curious as to what got Elena so angry. I've never seen her that angry before and it was sexy as hell. I then hear Elliot storm out and say something about Melanie calling my Elena a whore and I wanted to repeat what Elena had done. I couldn't of course, I would never hit a girl. I knew exactly what Johnathan Gilbert was going to do, he was going to have a little talk with Melanie's father, so I decided to stay behind and spend some time telling Elena what happened with my morning. I grab her around her waist and she fits so damn perfect in my arms. I push her towards the gardens without once letting go of her waist.
"Damon where are we going? What's going on?"
I smile against her back. "Hmm you'll see. You smell good by the way."
"Damon!" She whined but I could tell she was smiling.
"Elena!" I mocked her knowing she would laugh, which she did. Damn I love her laugh.
She stops suddenly and faces me. "What is going on Damon? You're acting different. You've never held me like this before, not unless we are alone in my room. Something has changed hasn't it?" I frown when I hear the fear in her voice.
"Yes, something has changed Elena. Sit down with me." I sit down and pat the ground next to me. She sits down and looks up at me with those beautiful brown doe eyes. "I talked to your father this morning. Let me start at the beginning though. I woke up and I was going to leave you a note, go home and then come back later but when I sat up your father was there. He was sitting in your desk chair and he was watching us. I knew we'd both be in for it but then he just whispered to me that he needed to talk to me. Do you know what he said Elena?"
She's on the verge of crying now. "Damon I don't need to know. He doesn't like you I know that. What will I do without you?"
A few tears start to fall and I quickly reach out to wipe them away. "Luckily we never have to find out sweetheart." She looks up at me confused to I continue. "He saw us, you and me, from a different view last night. He saw the way that I held you, protectively but lovingly. He saw the way you held on to me, the same way. He knew that nothing had happened and that nothing would, for now at least." I shake my head a little as I am still shocked by what he said next. "He said he understands now Elena. He says he's okay with us. He says I can court you, and love you, and maybe one day marry you." I stand up and pull her up with me. I grab her face gently and look deep into her eyes. "So, Elena Gilbert, if you will still allow me I'd love to court you. I want to show you each and every minute of every day how much I love you. What do you say sweetheart? Maybe by this time next year you can even take my name if you want to, your dad seems to think that'd be alright, he was even a bit excited."
She doesn't respond right away and part of me starts to worry. Maybe I'm pushing too fast. I shouldn't have said I wanted to get married so quickly. I can hear my breathing start to hitch and I can feel the tears wanting to desperately fall from my eyes. For a brief moment, I wonder if maybe I've lost her. Maybe after what Melanie had said she doesn't want to be with me. I feel the hot tears fall from my eyes as I quickly try to wipe them away, but she's faster. I freeze my hands when I feel her touch my cheeks and wipe away the tears.
"Damon. I love you."
She pulls me to her and kisses me. My hands find their way back to her waist and I pull her closer to me. She runs her tongue over my bottom lip and I open them so she can slip her tongue inside. We both sigh together and our tongues feel so damn good rubbing against each other and battling for the dominance. We've kissed like this before but it seems different this time, it seems like...more. I slowly lower her onto the grass and I pull away for just a split second to catch my breath. No one is around so I bring my mouth back to hers and we continue where we left off. I know we can't go as far as we probably would if we were in her bedroom but I can't resist kissing her neck. I trail my lips down as far as her dress will let me and then I return back to her mouth. I moan as I feel her fingers undoing a few buttons of my shirt and she starts trailing kisses down my neck to my chest.
"Elena." It's a breathless whisper but I'm close enough to her ear that she hears me just perfectly.
"Damon." Her voice is just as breathless.
I pull back just far enough to look into her eyes. "You never gave me an answer. But from the way you were trying to get me to make love to you here, in the open, I'll take it as a yes. Am I correct?"
She raises her eyebrows at me and pushes me to the side of her. She sits up and smiles that secret smile that I know only I've ever seen. "You assume a lot Damon. You'll have to catch me before I tell you the answer." She gets up and darts off towards the small lake at the end of her property.
She's thrown down the gauntlet. I waste no time in getting up and running after her. I can hear her laugh because I know I'm getting closer. When I catch up to her she's got her shoes off and is standing in the water.
"Now sweetheart. You'll ruin that pretty dress, don't want to that do we?" I raise my eyebrow and take a step toward her.
"Maybe I want you to ruin it for me."
"You know for someone so young, you are incredible when it comes to flirting with me."
She smiles. "I know you very well and I've had a lot of practice at learning what makes you tick. But since you caught up with me I'll tell you your answer. It's yes. It's always yes Damon."
I smile back at her and walk into the water to meet her. "I'm glad to hear that. I love you Elena." I take her in my arms and start to kiss her again. I feel her legs start to give way so I pick her up and set her on the grass under a tree. "We really shouldn't kiss like that unless we are in one of our bedrooms and we are both ready for that step. But for right now I'd like to sit with you. I even brought a book with me, want me to read some of it to you?"
She looks at me and I can see the love in her eyes. "I know I'm ready but I can still wait a while if you want to. What book is it?"
"You'll see."
I sit against the tree and pull the book out of my inside jacket pocket. She lays down and puts her head in my lap. "Comfortable Lena?" She nods so I flip through a few pages and found the first thing I want to read to her. "My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it." When I finished with that she looks up at me.
"You know, Cathy has a point. That is how I'd feel if I ever lost you. I don't want to ever feel that way Damon. I would be miserable. I wouldn't be whole without you."
I smile. "I know, I feel that way too. Next quote." I flip a few more pages and start to read again. "You suppose she has nearly forgotten me? He said, oh Nelly you know she has not! You know as well as I do, that for every thought she spends on Linton she spends a thousand on me! At a most miserable period of my life, I had a notion of the kind: it haunted me on my return to the neighborhood last summer; but only her own assurance could make me admit the horrible idea again. And then, Linton would be nothing, nor Hindley, nor all the dreams that I ever dreamt. Two words would comprehend my future- Death and Hell."
When the sun started to set we decided to head back to the house. I declined the invitation to stay for supper mainly because I wanted to go home and change clothes. When I got there Stefan was waiting for me outside.
"Damon!"
"Stefan?" I was a little surprised to see that he would want to talk to me. I was almost positive that everyone in town knew which Salvatore was now courting Elena.
"I understand now. I know you probably don't expect me to but I knew it all along. I've always known that Elena loves you. Here, give this to her. Mom would want you to."
He holds out our Mother's wedding ring. "It's a bit soon for that yet Stef. Marriage is...intense, maybe later." I go to walk past him but he grabs my arm and puts the ring in my hand.
"Keep it. Now, years from now, it doesn't matter. I'm happy for you both Damon, really. Now lets go in supper is ready and we have guests here."
"Guests? Stefan who is it?"
He looks at me and I catch the gleam in his eyes. "The Fells, and Elliot Gilbert. Father wanted to clear up any misunderstandings from earlier today. He was not happy to hear what Melanie called Elena, nor what she called you. So lets go in and show her just how non-pathetic you are big brother."
I hide my laugh because I can already tell this dinner will be anything but boring. We quickly take our seats and I see Melanie cower down in her chair which ironically is right across from mine. No one talks for a while until Elliot breaks the silence.
"So, Damon. Word around town is that my little sister can throw a good punch or two, you might want to be careful around her."
"I think I can handle Elena. Can you Melanie?" I arch my eyebrow at her and I see her look towards her father. He nods his head and she meets my eyes for the first time.
"I'm sorry Damon. I shouldn't have said what I did. Please excuse me."
She gets up and walks into the library. I excuse myself and go to have a private word with her. She turns when she hears me come in, I leave the door open because I don't plan on listening to anything she has to say to me I just have to say what I need to say.
"Apology accepted Melanie. But...stay away from Elena and myself. You had no right to go to her and say the things you did. And just for the record I didn't tell you I wouldn't escort you to the ball because of my love for Elena, I did it for you. I didn't want to get your hopes up only to break them later on. Good evening."
I walk upstairs and lay down on my bed. I hear a tap on my door and I lift my head up as Elena comes in.
"Damon. I can't sleep. I came in the back, no one saw me."
I lift my arm up and she cuddles into me. She falls asleep within a few minutes and I follow right behind her.
