Author's Note: I can imagine all the angry faces, scowling at me right now. Is it too much for me to hope that no one noticed the tardiness of this chapter update? Can you all pretend that it's only been like a week since the last chapter? No?

*sinks to my knees* (Okay, get your mind out of the gutters. I may be willing to grovel and beg for forgiveness but I sure as hell ain't going to offer any ORAL gratifications!) PLEASE PLEASE FORGIVE ME ANYWAY. I'll do anything else... I will even spare Pig's life. Deal?

So the real reason for the lateness of this chapter is because I was EXTREMELY busy with work. No excuses, just fact. And I'm SORRY. Oh, I also haven't replied to all the reviews you guys wrote for the previous chapter. Will do so after this chapter. *buys you all some ice cream with extra calories (Is there such a thing as HEALTHY ice cream?)*

A Woman's Worth: Chapter TWENTY SIX

Elena's POV

My eyes widened as I read and reread the note in my hand, written in Damon's familiar penmanship.

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

To say that I was shocked would be an understatement; borderline catatonic seemed much more fitting. Three thoughts popped into my head at the time; Damon's sanity for popping the question, my sanity for actually considering it, and whether Caroline would look good in a yellow colored bridesmaid's dress.

There were only two possible responses to a question like that. The first one, a typical female response is a gasp of delight, the rapid fluttering of her heart, or a joyful squeal as she replies with an enthusiastic "Yes!" accompanied by happy tears as she flings her arms around her guy's neck.

However, there's also the odd occasion when the woman simply gapes at the poor besotted fool awaiting her answer as she yells out, "Are you bleeping insane?!"

Mine would have been a combination of the two; the enthusiastic answer in the affirmative followed immediately by the question of his sanity. So that'd be the "Yes!" and then "But are you insane?!" amidst tears of joy.

Perhaps that would have been my reaction, but this wasn't quite the same situation as I had found myself on this night, surrounded by oblivious friends while a wide-eyed pug stared at me in anticipation for my answer.

My eyes locked onto Damon's, only straying once to glance at Ric beside him, but the fleeting look was all it took for the light bulb to go off in my head.

Oh.

OH!

Understanding dawned on me as soon as I saw the sandy-haired man's harassed expression and the unyielding grip he had on my boyfriend's arm. Holding on to the velvet box with the glaringly sparkly ring in one hand – which was a bit too garish for my taste, to be perfectly honest - I fought back a smile as I watched the range of emotions that appeared on Damon's face. He seemed frightened, yet expectant; nervous, yet exhilarated.

Funny, that was exactly how I felt then.

He also seemed to be waiting. I wondered why he didn't say anything but continued to look at me as if I owed him an answer. The problem was it wasn't even his question in the first place.

Taking pity on my boyfriend's veins, I sneakily re-tied the ring box to Pig's collar and turned my beaming smile to the woman next to me, the one who was supposed to be the intended recipient of the proposal.

"Mer? You have a message," I told her, passing the handwritten card over to the surprised doctor.

"What is it?"

Noting her puzzled expression, I simply smiled at her and shrugged, subtly nudging the pudgy dog over to her side. I chose that moment to sneak a peek over at the guys, catching the sight of Ric's body sagging with relief before turning my attention to Damon, his facial features now suspiciously wiped clean of any expression, although I did detect a fleeting emotion in his eyes.

Was it disappointment?

"Oh my God!" came a shocked gasp from beside me, pulling my gaze from his handsome face. Then, an impatient bark from Pig garnered everyone's attention as the others stopped mid-conversation to move closer in curiosity.

Finally noticing the pug, the red-faced doctor reach down to untangle the ring box from her collar. As soon as the heavy box was free, Pig immediately jumped up onto the couch and rested her head on my lap, looking as if the entire exercise had driven her to the brink of exhaustion. As expected, Meredith clutched at her chest and raised her shimmering eyes to Ric all the way across the living room, her hands shaking as she held out the opened velvet box.

"Ric?"

A wide beaming smile spread across his face as he moved towards her just as she got to her unsteady feet. I inhaled deeply and held my breath as he sank down on one knee in front of her and proceeded to ask THE question.

"Marry Fell, will you Meredith me?" Ric blurted out in a single breath, fidgeting nervously as he knelt in front of her, his face hopeful.

Okay, so it wasn't exactly how I'd expect a proposal would go, but this is Ric we're talking about. He's weird like that.

I couldn't help the startled giggle that escaped from me before I managed to clamp my palm across my lips, my shoulders shaking at the confusing question he just proposed with. Did that mean that he was going to take her name after they got married? Or was he planning on a sex change?

This had been one hell of a fun night so far.

Then, I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt a pair of strong arms encircling my waist, my head swiveling around to see an amused Damon smiling down at me.

"Real smooth, buddy," he quipped softly, shaking his head at his friend.

There were some muffled chuckles at Ric's verbal blunder but the next most important part had yet to happen. I looked around the room to see everyone's similar expression, our smiles expectant as we waited to hear Meredith's answer. Collectively, we all leaned forward when her lips parted, ready to whoop with joy. Or leap for the smelling salt in case Ric fainted from the stress.

"Yes, Ric," Mer choked out, nodding jerkily with happy tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh God, yes!"

And with that, she flung herself at him before he stood up and twirled her around, her legs suspended in the air. As the newly engaged couple embraced lovingly, the rest of us jumped up to our feet and crowded around them, our arms wrapped around one another in a group hug. We were all so incredibly pleased for them, for the exception of the pug who gave us an annoyed side-eye for the ruckus before she turned onto her side and resumed her nap.

After exchanging several congratulatory bone-crushing hugs, we all stood back to see the couple gazing lovingly at each other, similar big wide grins on their faces. A long moment of silence later, Ric spoke up.

"So that went well. Shall we go home and have some celebratory sex? Now?"

Despite the eagerness with which he posed that question, I had to remind him of one tiny detail that he seemed to have forgotten.

"Umm, Ric?" I called out quietly, hesitating to intrude in their intense eye-sexing. "The uhh, the ring? On Meredith's finger?"

"Oh, dammit!" he cursed, hastily reaching over to remove the ring from his fiancé's grasp and with a lopsided smile, proceeded to slip it onto her dainty finger.

"Aaahhhhh!" came an ear-splitting, high-pitched scream from Caroline, flashing her white teeth at us. "That's a huge rock! I'm freakin' happy for you, girl!"

A loud whine sounded from the couch and I turned just in time to see Pig jumping down from the couch only to dive under the coffee table with a grumpy expression. Well, she already looked grumpy all the time anyway, but it was especially wrinkly tonight. Also, I've never seen her move that fast before.

"This just in. All dogs within a five mile radius now deaf," Damon suddenly announced in his best radio deejay voice. "Awesome pair of lungs, Blondie. Way to traumatize the ring bearer before the wedding."

I laughed out loud, hugging his waist as I looked up at him. My goofy idiot.

Apparently, the mention of the pug managed to snap Ric out of his lovey-dovey state of mind as he hastily looked over to Damon in disgust. "No way is that dog going anywhere near the ring on the wedding day after what just happened! She almost -"

"-slobbered all over it?" Damon quickly intervened, shooting a warning look over at the future bride. Obviously, he didn't want Mer to know that her thunder was almost stolen by me during the whole proposal mix-up. "Just be thankful she didn't carry it in her mouth and swallow the thing, okay? Do you know how long it takes for her to poop?"

I suddenly had a mental visual of all seven of us standing around the pug, waiting for her to do her business and pouncing on her smelly deposits in search for the ring. Not a pretty sight.

A throat cleared from somewhere beside us. "Ahem. Now that we've established the dog's bowel movements or lack thereof, can we talk about the most important part of the wedding now?" Elijah said, his tone serious.

"Like what, the when and the where?" Stefan piped in, apparently no longer upset over being lumped in with the girls earlier.

"No, like who's the best man; me or Damon?" the detective asked eagerly. "I have a gun, if that helps. I can be like a bodyguard cum best man cum chauffeur. I can even be the bridesmaid!"

"Yeah, because everyone wants to see a guy with hairy legs in a dress, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a loaded gun in another. Talk about stealing the bride's thunder!" Damon burst out indignantly. "Obviously, I'm the best man because I said it first in the kitchen earlier. Also, they got engaged in my house, so there!"

At this point, I thought I was being an exceptionally supportive girlfriend for not laughing at his face since that was the most pathetic and flimsy argument ever. Although – and I might be a tad bit biased here - I didn't think that anybody would be focusing on the groom if Damon was standing beside him at the altar. I know I'd have a hard time noticing anyone else once I've set my eye on my hunky boyfriend.

"Stop quarreling, you two, or I might very well end up choosing Stef instead of either of you!"

Ric's reprimand and threat seemed to perk the younger Salvatore right up as he immediately straightened up and beamed at him. "Really? I get picked?"

"Just kidding!" the newly engaged man chuckled, much to the disappointment of Stefan who looked like someone just popped his favorite balloon. Caroline hastily gave him a comforting cuddle, her hand patting the back of his head as he leaned dejectedly onto her shoulder. "Can we talk about this tomorrow? I mean, we just got engaged and all I want to do now is to go home and give my fiancé a reason to walk with a limp tomorrow."

"You're going to run her over with your car?" Damon joked, winking at Meredith who blushed profusely before burying her face onto Ric's chest, her joyful smile ever present.

Looking at the two of them, standing in the midst of their friends, happy and in love, I felt so blessed to be a part of their special occasion. It all wouldn't be possible if Meredith hadn't called Damon in when I was first admitted into the hospital under her care. She was the reason I now have a family. She deserved this. And by golly, she deserved to limp tomorrow.

"Guys, I think we should just let these two get on with their own program for the rest of the night. It's a special moment and I'm sure Ric's got a whole itinerary for Mer," I chided gently, knowing full well how eager the couple was for some alone time.

"Exactly," Ric quickly agreed. "I have a whole lot of nakedness planned. Elena, thank God you understand me! We'll see you guys tomorrow when we come up for air," he addressed the rest of them with a wave of his hand before grabbing onto the other brunette's arm and led her towards the front door. "Come on, wifey."

"Congratulations again," Caroline called out after them, giggling and shaking her head in amusement as we watched their hasty retreat. Elijah and Stef echoed after her but the latter only mumbled half-heartedly as I suspect that his feelings were still hurt from being led to believe that he would play a much more important role during the wedding.

When I chanced a quick peek at Damon, I couldn't help but notice that he had turned pensive again, his eyes still staring intently at the door. Briefly, I wondered if he was feeling a pang of loss that his best buddy was headed for matrimony and it wasn't with him. I knew by firsthand experience how close they were, even to the point where he'd call out Ric's name and his hairy tushy in the throes of a climax.

"So," Elijah clapped his hands and rubbed them together as he sank down onto the seat he had recently vacated. "Anyone up for a movie marathon? I vote for 'My Best Friend's Wedding' followed by 'Made of Honor'."

The four of us exchanged puzzled glances at his choice of chick flicks but decided not to tease an armed detective, especially one who only had a fifty/fifty chance of being the best man. I wouldn't know how to handle it if he burst into tears in the middle of Julia Robert's speech in character.

"Umm, well that's a great idea….for another family night, but I've got some… umm… major studying to do upstairs, and well – come on, Care," Stefan said unconvincingly without looking at anyone in particular and tugged my friend along with him as he inched towards the stairs.

"Studying?" we heard Care mutter in disgust, her fingers gripping onto his hand as she reluctantly followed him. "You mean sex, right? Because otherwise, I have a headache and I'm going home."

"Of course!" he hissed in reply.

And then there were three. Plus one pug.

"Let me guess; you two have some studying to do as well, haven't you?" Elijah sighed, his gaze sweeping over us warily as if expecting us to disappear as well. He wasn't wrong.

"No, but Elena has a big day tomorrow. She's doing the thing, remember? All the more reason to go to bed early, right?"

Oh, right. The thing. I had the thing. If it hadn't been for Damon's reminder, I'd have completely forgotten about the arranged meeting the next day. That effectively dampened my spirits after an otherwise fun-filled day.

"Oh right! Yes, big day for you, E," Elijah agreed. "Good luck with that, alright? I'll try to drop by if I can."

I nodded, grateful for his support and help for the event. I smiled and thanked him before bidding him goodnight. As Damon and I made our way upstairs hand-in-hand, I couldn't help but to keep looking back at the lone man sitting on the couch, surrounded by throw pillows.

"Alone again," I heard him sigh and I felt a stab of pity for him. "Naturally."

Then I heard the sound of paws scraping against the floor and Pig's familiar full body shake as she reemerged from her hiding spot. She must have noticed the lack of noise and decided to investigate. I paused and focused on the hushed conversation of the living room, ignoring Damon's impatient tug on my hand.

"So, Pig, you're a girl – sorry, a bitch, right? Everybody else is coupled up, except for me and you," he said softly, as if daring her to disagree. "So, are you seeing anybody, maybe sniffed any butts during one of your walks recently? What do you think of a man in uniform? I'm housebroken, you know?"

Sensing that the conversation was about to head into dangerous territory, Damon released a low expletive and whistled loudly, sending Pig scampering over in our direction without a backwards glance.

"What? I was just making conversation," a sheepish Elijah said defensively when he realized that we were still within hearing range. "We were….bonding."

He sounded so lonely then that I couldn't help myself from hurtling down towards him and then throwing my arms around his chest to squeeze him as tight as possible. There are no words to describe how fond I am of that man, none that would do it justice.

"You are just so…" I attempted, raking my mind for the elusive word that could fit his personality before finally settling on one. "You are swell."

A faint pink tint colored his cheeks when I pulled back to gaze at him in adoration. "You hear that, Damon? She thinks I'm swollen."

As if he just realized how inappropriate that sounded, especially when I giggled loudly, he hastily extricated himself from my embrace and straightened his shirt before clearing his throat. "Okay, I didn't mean that the way it came out, so before I suddenly find myself coming in between the future Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore, I'm going to…err… leave. Toodaloo, you two!"

And then there were two.

(Damon's POV)

There was an awkwardly long silence following Elijah's departure, one where I found myself staring hard at my girlfriend with what might have been a longing look on my face. The entire night had me thinking of – wanting, to be exact –a different kind of relationship with her. It was a shock to my system, to be honest, but a nice kind of shock. Something akin to having a bucket of ice shoved down my pants; it might be cold and wet, but damn if it isn't arousing as hell.

After my accidental proposal and my buddy's off-hand comment about us being Mister and Missus, I just couldn't help myself from letting my mind wander. But it was too soon, too early in our relationship.

Right?

"Damon, I didn't mean to – I mean, Elijah wasn't swollen, not like that-"

I stifled my amusement at Elena's panicky expression and gathered her into a quick hug. "Come upstairs with me," I whispered into her ear and then wrapped my arms around her petite frame from the back as I firmly guided her back to the stairs, my impatient pug leading the way.

A couple of minutes later found us both in my spacious bathroom, standing in front of the mirror where we were grinning at each other while foaming at the mouth. We were brushing our teeth, each one using our own basin. Did I not mention how huge and awesome my bathroom was?

"Sho wad dya think 'bout Lic's ploposal?" I asked through a mouthful of tiny bubbles and a battery-operated toothbrush, no doubt butchering my pronunciation of the English language.

"Lic?" Elena gave an adorable ladylike snort before rinsing her mouth out. "I'm so happy for them but using a dog to propose? Not exactly the brightest idea, was it? Kinda corny if you asked me, but then again, it got Meredith to say 'yes', so I guess it worked."

Corny? Corny?!

It was my turn to spit out the excess toothpaste. "Don't you think it was an original idea? Different and yet cute? Impossible to say 'no' to?"

"I'll agree to it being cute, but it was a highly risky approach. I mean you saw how the plan almost got ruined, right? Pig handed the card to me instead of Meredith. Can you imagine if I actually thought that it was meant for me? What would you have done if I had said 'yes'?"

She was going to say 'yes'?! Be still, my heart. I would have married her in a heartbeat, that's what I would do.

I tried valiantly to control myself as I posed my next question. "How did you know it was for Mer anyway?" I was genuinely curious about that.

"Well, at first I noticed your expression; you looked shocked and scared at the same time, but it was Ric's reaction that confirmed my suspicions. He had this frenzied look about him, like he wanted to leap at me and wrench the ring out of my hand. He also seemed to have it in for your blood circulation….hardly the typical reaction when his best friend's supposed to be proposing. So I put two and two together," she shrugged as she reached for her facial cleanser, about to start her nightly beauty routine. "Besides, that proposal thing had Ric's style written all over it. See, my boyfriend is the more romantic type of guy, and I doubt you'd do anything so... cheesy, I guess is the word I'd use."

Oh, now it's cheesy?

"Umm, yeah that was totally Ric's idea. One hundred percent him. I was only there for moral support," I lied.

Well I couldn't very well tell her the truth now, could I? I wanted to be known as the romantic guy, not Mr. Cheesy! Who cares if Ric took the fall for it? That dude's engaged, probably even having sex right at that moment, that lucky bastard!

I rinsed my toothbrush as I struggled with my own thoughts, unable to shake the sudden desperate desire to become more than just a dating couple with Elena. I didn't know where this reckless longing came from; it was as if the stars were all aligned for us and it was 'all systems go'. Yup, I blamed the stars. Stupid stars.

I moved to stand behind her, studying her reflection in the mirror as she bent over to wash her face, admiring the way the light shone down on her silky hair. Her lustrous strands were much longer now, ending in wavy curls about a quarter way down her back. I remembered the last time we both looked into a mirror, when she was still so broken from her attack. She had been such a different person back then and the change had been astounding. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Elena," I muttered, placing my hands on her shoulders. Startled, she straightened and peered at me through the reflection, her wide eyes meeting mine. "How long do you think two people should be in a relationship before they….proceed to the next step?"

My question seemed to throw her for a moment, and then with a nervous chuckle, she quickly grabbed a towel and dabbed at her wet face before she turned around, her back resting against the counter. "Do you mean shower sex? Because I have this weird thing against proximity with toilet bowls."

Well, she managed to temporarily distract me with the idea of vertical sex against the cool bathroom wall, making my mind take an abrupt detour into the gutters for a while. It took a huge effort for me to get back on track, only this time I was also sporting an arousal.

"Umm, no. I'm talking marriage."

There, I said it. That dreaded M-word that makes most women perk up and most men go looking for the nearest exit. Sometimes, vice versa. I am not most men, however.

After a lengthy pause, she finally sighed and then threw her arms around my neck as she gazed up at me. "To be perfectly honest, I don't know, Damon. Relationships are very subjective. What works for one couple may not work for another. Some people date for years before they take that step while some may only know each other for months. Some people may even elope after a week of meeting one another. I think it all boils down to the couple in question and how they feel. When it's right, it's right, I guess."

I nodded several times in agreement as she answered.

"You know what's weird?" I asked thoughtfully when she didn't comment any further. She shook her head as I rubbed up and down her arms. "It's weird that this doesn't feel weird to me. This whole standing-in-my-bathroom-brushing-our-teeth thing, sleeping on the same bed every night, watching you go through your beauty regime….it all feels perfectly natural, you know? I don't know what it is, but I feel like we're already there, if that makes sense. I sure as hell don't feel as if I just met you six months ago."

Her eyes softened as a smile tugged at her lips. "Has it only been six months? It feels much longer than that. But you're right, it does feel natural hanging out in the toilet with you. That's what all married couples do, right? Pretty soon, we'll start to pick our noses, fart under the covers, pee in front of each other or smell each other's socks!"

Wait, married couples smell each other's socks?! Why in God's name would they do that?

Okay, that was so not the point, but the fact that she wasn't freaking out about the subject of marriage was a win for me. To add to that, the way she was staring at me with that adoring gaze of hers was highly enjoyable, too. I do love being adored by her.

For some reason, the mention of socks suddenly reminded me of the item I had kept in my dresser all this time, so I flashed a grin and picked her up before setting her onto the countertop. "Oh, that reminds me...stay there," I warned, wagging my finger.

I strode over to my dresser, opening the top drawer and started moving things around in search of a small box that I had hidden in there, just waiting for the right opportunity.

"Umm, Damon?" I heard her call out from her perched position from the bathroom. "I don't actually want to smell your socks, you know? Not even clean ones."

Ha! A part of me wanted to grab a pair just to screw with her but then I didn't want to ruin the moment with my cheesy tricks. I was Mr. Romantic through and through. And then my fingers wrapped around a square box and I proceeded to make my way back to Elena, her eyes widening as she noticed the item in my hand.

"W-w-wha-?"

"Elena," I said softly, my lips forming a lopsided grin. "Will you…"

I saw her take a sharp intake of breath, and then her eyes started watering. Shit. I didn't want to make her cry, not over something like this. "…..accept my apology for your belated Christmas present?" I finished lamely, knowing full well what she had expected. If I thought that there was even a remote possibility that she was ready, then that velvet box would have contained a something a little more sparkly.

"B-belated Christmas present?" she breathed out, fanning her dampened eyes with her hand.

"I wanted to give this to you during the party but then you disappeared before I could get you alone. I still can't forgive Stef for stealing my first dance with you, by the way," I admitted begrudgingly as I opened the box that contained my mother's locket.

"Oh, wow," she gasped. "It's beautiful." With a look of awe, Elena reached out to lovingly caress the intricately designed necklace, and I knew then that I made the right choice; both in the choice of women as well as the recipient of my mother's most prized jewelry.

I removed the necklace and set the box down, reaching over to push her hair off to one side. Leaning forward, I pressed the gentlest of kiss right on the slope of her neck while I fastened the clasp around it. I pulled back reluctantly to find her eyes half-closed, enjoying the feel of my lips on her sensitive skin.

"I was right," I murmured as I ran a finger along the antique locket now lodged between her cleavage. "It looks perfect on you, like it did when my mother wore it."

That made her eyes snapped open, her lips parted in surprise. "You're giving me your mother's necklace? Damon, I can't-"

"You can and you will," I interrupted, shushing her with my finger pressed against her lips. "It's no coincidence that the two most important women in my life both share the same birthstone, and I was supposed to give it to the woman I deemed worthy of being my partner for life. That's you, FYI."

I will never forget the way her eyes bored into mine as my words registered, basically telling her that she was 'the one' for me, even from way back in December when we were not romantically involved yet. If only I had danced with her that night. So many things wouldn't have happened had she known how I felt then. She would have been spared so much pain and anguish.

Elena's beaming face was enough to convey her gratitude but then again, she had always been one to go above and beyond.

"This means the world to me, you know? And I want you to know that I-I feel the same way about you. I just hope that I can do your Mom proud because I have some big shoes to fill, considering what a woman she was. And I just thought of how I'm going to thank you for my wonderful present."

Her expression turned downright wicked as she trailed her fingers along my shirt buttons, popping each one out of the small holes as she made her way down, her thighs separating to wrap around my hips.

"H-how?" I swallowed nervously, my heart rate picking up as I waited with anticipation. I may have flat-lined a little when her exploring hand went delving into my pants.

"Shower. Sex."

Ay caramba.

So back to the gutters it was.

Elena's POV

"Oh what a beautiful morning…..oh what a beautiful day, I've got a beautiful feeling, why can't I fuck my wife all day?"

I was jolted awake by a loud and off-key baritone voice that sounded like it came from right beside me. For one fuzzy moment, I thought that Damon was up and singing – no, butchering the opening song from the musical 'Oklahoma!', but then I heard a low masculine groan in my ear. That meant….

"Ric!" I hissed as I sat up, clutching the white sheet to my chest. True enough, Damon's best friend was right in the room with us, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What the hell are you doing?"

"There's a naked brunette in the meadow, there's a naked brunette in the meadow…plus Damon's erection is easy to spy, and it looks like it's climbing clear up to the sky….." he went on singing with a grin, leering at the little tent over my boyfriend's crotch under the covers.

I was about to retort, or laugh discreetly at the changes in lyrics, but Damon beat me to it. "Seriously, get out of here! How did you get in, anyway?"

I blushed to the roots of my hair when Ric didn't budge but remained comfortably seated, his arms folded across his chest like some kind of boss. Damon pulled the sheet tighter and higher around me, covering my bare shoulders while I frantically searched for my discarded clothes. Then I remembered that my wet clothes from last night were on the floor of the shower room, where a lot of x-rated stuff happened.

Apparently, that was the same conclusion that Damon arrived to, since he swore under his breath as he looked longingly at his shirt that I had peeled off his body right before he carried me from the counter-top to the shower as we shared an intense lip-lock.

"Stefan let me in downstairs and your bedroom door wasn't locked," Ric replied with a smirk, clearly enjoying himself at the expense of our discomfort. "You guys should learn to lock your doors if you don't want people to simply walk in, you know?"

"Funny, usually people would take the door being closed as a hint, but I'll be sure to take your advice, you sick pervert," Damon snorted.

The thick-skinned intruder simply shrugged, letting the comment roll off his back. "Don't worry, I didn't see anything I'm not supposed to see, except for that tiny silhouette that was supposed to be your morning wood. Elena, I'd feel sorry for you but I'm just too happy to care. Engaged sex is sooooo much better than regular sex."

"Thank you for sharing. Now get out."

My dark-haired lover clearly had enough of Ric's antics, so he got up, covering his nether region with a pillow and made his way to his wardrobe before throwing me a clean shirt. Then, he grabbed a pair of boxers and hurriedly stepped into them with his friend watching while I gratefully slipped into the over-sized shirt under the blankets.

"Now is that how you show your appreciation to a friend who's here for moral support? It's Elena's big day, isn't it? You should be touched that I took time away from my own naked brunette to be a good friend. Have I not mentioned how mind-numbingly awesome engaged sex is? Seriously guys, you two should try it…not with us, but with each other. It's out of this world!" Ric declared with two thumbs up, all the while sporting a huge smile on his cheeky face.

Damon and I exchanged a quick glance, but I hastily averted my eyes. Our conversation from last night was still fresh on my mind, especially the M-word that he had uttered. But after our raunchy romp in the shower, we both agreed during our post-coital bliss to just enjoy the natural progression of our relationship and not let an official status dictate how committed we were to each other. After all, I was still twenty-one years old and technically still in college. No hurry, right?

Except I really really wanted to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore.

Nope, scratch that. Make that three 'really's. But we both knew that I still had some hurdles to jump over and personal demons to extinguish before thinking of forever. Like today, for example.

"I'll take your word for it, Ric. Now if you don't mind, I'd really like to get out of bed without flashing you my bare ass so that I can shower and change for the meeting you so painstakingly arranged for. I have a phone and I'm not afraid to use it," I warned in a sing-song voice as I picked up my mobile and dialed Mer's number, deliberately mumbling her digits out loud to show that I was about to pull rank on him.

"Annnnddd, I'm outta here," he hastily announced, jumping off the bed and basically hauled ass out of the room.

I turned my triumphant face over to the chuckling Damon who came around to my side of the bed to pull me into his arms, exposed bum and all. "You are such a badass," he complimented proudly as his eyes perused my body from top to bottom. "Mmm, you are also incredibly sexy dressed in my shirt and nothing else."

It was a full fifteen minutes later when I finally made it to the bathroom. Sans shirt.

My nerves were getting the best of me as I peered around the crowded room again, watching strangers and even some acquaintances take their seats. Pretty sure I saw Carol Lockwood, Tyler's mother, looking worried and scared to be there. She obviously wanted to be incognito as she had on a scarf and huge sunglasses to cover her face.

When we initially planned for this meeting, we had no idea that the turnout would be such that we had to find extra chairs to cater to the overwhelming response. We estimated for a dozen or so attendees, but the number of chairs being brought into the room had reached forty and still counting. Between Elijah and Ric, I had no idea that they managed to round up so many of them, but I probably shouldn't be surprised. They are exceedingly good at their jobs.

"Nervous?"

Damon's voice broke through my reverie long enough for me to stop in mid-thought to gaze back at him. "Not really. Whatever gave you that idea?"

His brow lifted in disbelief and then he lifted my left hand up to my eye-level. Without realizing it, I managed to chew my finger nails off until only the jagged edges remained. "Oh. Maybe just a little."

"You'll be great. Just remember that they are all human beings who have been through what you have and by doing this, you'll be helping them come to terms about their own experience. Nobody's here to judge you so just speak from the heart and everything will be fine."

I nodded along, only half-listening as my attention reverted back to the crowd. A lot of them were seated by now and some had their necks craned to gaze over to where we were standing. Ric was dashing around like a mad man, greeting some people and shaking their hands while Stef and Care were making themselves useful by helping to move more chairs into the packed room.

We decided a while ago to organize our first official 'Unsilenced: Mystic Falls edition' at Ric's centre, with me being the first speaker. As the guys had mentioned, today was my big day and I was more nervous about public speaking than the actual topic itself.

"Okay, or if nothing else works, then just imagine everyone in their underwear," he went on when I seemed distracted.

I released a snort at his advice, my mind now conjuring up images that would haunt me forever, especially those of my close circle of friends that I see every day. Nothing could ever replace the image of Elijah in a lacy thong with his pistol holstered on his hip.

"Oh God, no! That's just wrong on so many levels," I giggled, shaking my head at the smirking man in front of me.

Well, it worked. My hands were no longer trembling in fear. It was just in time, too, because Ric was now standing in the middle of the room, clapping his hands together to attract the attention of the buzzing crowd.

"Hi, if everybody can just settle down?" he called out at the top of his lungs, waving his hands around to motion for silence. Damon took my hand and led me towards an empty seat just in front of Ric, usually reserved for the main speaker of the event. With one last comforting squeeze of my hand, he went to join his brother and Caroline towards the side of the room.

The noise level lowered down significantly, all eyes on the sandy-haired man in the epicenter of the room. "I would like to thank everyone who decided to join us today in our maiden event of our new support group, the 'Unsilenced'. Now, we all know why we are here today, so let's not waste anymore time by welcoming our first official speaker of the day; Miss Gilbert!"

I froze in my chair, dreading the moment now that it had arrived. I took a quick glance around and saw that the sea of faces around me was looking here and there for the person in question. For a split second, I wanted to pretend not to be that person and look around, too. Then Ric had to go and spoil my carefully thought out plan.

"You're up, Elena."

Remember, everyone is in their underwear. Some never even bothered to shave.

"Hello," I announced nervously as I slowly rose to my feet, feeling everyone's focus suddenly shift onto me. Averting my gaze from all the unwanted attention, I scanned the room frantically until I met a pair of startling blue eyes. These eyes were kind, supportive, understanding and patient. The owner of the spell-binding eyes gave me an encouraging nod and a soft smile, and I could feel my racing heart slow down, calming me, as my whole body relaxed with a kind of inner peace that only he could provide.

Then, I dragged my eyes away from his, only to do a double-take when I saw Elijah, Meredith, Pearl and even little Anna standing beside my BFF and her boyfriend. Ric had also just joined them at that corner, his arm around his fiancée. They were all smiling at me.

The gang's all here.

Bracing myself with a deep breath, I continued, addressing the curious crowd. "My name is Elena Gilbert. I'm twenty-one years old and I am a survivor of physical and emotional abuse," I began, my voice getting stronger as I spoke.

Saying those words aloud, acknowledging everything that happened to me in the past year was exactly what I needed to do. It was uplifting and at the same time, empowering. It made me feel invincible.

"I'm also a rape victim as well as a survivor of an accidental overdose. This is my story."

And so it began, the tale of how a girl like me ended up with a guy like Mason, starting with my parents' death. With every second I recounted my past in chronological order, focusing on the highlights, I felt an invisible weight being lifted off my shoulders, as if all the baggage that I had been carrying with me was now gone. Kaput.

This was the moment that I was finally healed.

It must have been a good twenty minutes later when I finally paused, right after I had divulged the real culprit behind my parent's death, that Mason basically took out his frustrations at me because of his own guilt. And now, that bastard is in jail, where people like him belonged. By the time I drew a shaky breath, there was not a dry eye in sight.

Either my story-telling made people yawn with boredom or the message struck a chord inside them. Perhaps some could even identify with what I had gone through and I could only pray that it brought them hope that all is not lost.

But I wasn't done with my story, not by a long shot.

"At the end of the day, this isn't a story about one woman's struggle against an abusive boyfriend and how I overcame all the challenges life decided to throw at me. No, this is a story about a group of extraordinary people who do extraordinary things in their lives.

"It's about a best friend," I smiled at Care Bear who was smiling back at me with pride, "who refuses to give up on you, even if you've already given up on yourself. She'll tell you things that are hard to hear but she doesn't shy away because she knows that you need to hear them. She also won't hesitate to drag you - kicking and screaming – in search for help."

I then turned my gaze to the newly engaged brunette, the person who literally saved my life. Twice.

"This story is about a dedicated doctor who finds joy in helping people, and knowing when a patient needs more than just medical help. She's the type of doctor who understands that just because a wound is healed, doesn't mean that there isn't a deeper scar than runs beneath it."

I nodded at her with a grateful smile and then allowed my eyes to wander over to Elijah.

"A detective who is committed to uphold the law and will go that extra mile to make sure that the world is just a little bit safer, one less criminal at a time. He's also willing to risk his badge and his life to protect an innocent, simply because it's the right thing to do. He's also single, ladies," I added, flashing a teasing look at his flushed face. He was probably not used to being singled out for attention this way.

My attention shifted to Alaric. Despite his questionable actions that morning when he invited himself into our bedroom, I had to admit that I had a soft spot for this goofy buddy of Damon's.

"Then, there's the social worker, the man who made all this possible, the one who tirelessly reaches out to people who needs his help. He's the kind of man you know you can trust within minutes of meeting him, and who will always come through for you, no matter what. He makes a career out of making the world a better place… in his own unique way.

"Then, there's the young lawyer-to-be, a lady who have gone through something similar to what I did, and her little girl who had seen real horrors in her young life." My tear-filled eyes fell on Stefan, Pearl and the grinning Anna as I described each of them in turn. "They each have their own dark past to deal with, but yet they still managed to find a reason to smile today. They are all strong in character and are supportive, especially to another fellow victim."

Finally, it was Damon's turn. I attempted to put into words how much this man meant to me, but there was nothing could be said that would do him justice. I held his intense gaze as I spoke softly.

"And last but not least, the man who is the heart of the story I just told you. He is…a combination of all the other characters I described; my best friend, my healer, my protector, my cheerleader. He's the one who makes you laugh in the midst of all your despair, the one who holds you while you cry, who offers to be your punching bag while he trains you to defend yourself. He'd move heaven and earth to keep you safe, even sacrifice himself selflessly. He's proof that all hope is not lost just because you're beaten down until you can't even recognize yourself."

I sighed as I pulled my attention away from him, intending to wrap up my testimonial session. I just couldn't wait another minute until I was back in Damon's arms again.

My chin lifted higher as I gestured towards my family, all standing by the edge of the room, wearing wobbly smiles. "Those people are the unsung heroes, ladies and gentlemen. You are surrounded by these heroes every day. If you are in an abusive relationship, tell someone. Reach out to someone because you are not alone. You don't have to suffer in silence anymore because you have nothing to be ashamed of. And most importantly, you are worthy of being helped.

"A person's worth is not measured by money, power, social status or how successful they are. It's who you choose to surround yourself with. Today, I'm surrounded by people who love me for me, people who inspire me to become a better person, to want better things for myself. That makes me the wealthiest person in this room. And contrary to my earlier belief, I am worthy of it."

My last statement was received with a slow clap from somewhere behind me, and then the sound multiplied in volume, until it became thunderous. I found myself surrounded by wet faces, proud faces, and emotional faces. I was passed from one stranger to another in comforting hugs, whispered congratulations for being brave, and even some curious questions if my personal hero was the 'hunk in the leather jacket'.

Then the crowd parted and I was immediately encased in the familiar warmth of his arms before a pair of soft lips claimed mine in a scorching kiss. My arms went around Damon's neck, clutching him tighter to me. The rest of the room fell away as I found myself in my happy place with my very own knight in leather jacket.

Only, I was imagining him in his underwear. Maybe not even that.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered in my ear when we managed to pull our lips apart.

I gave him a wobbly grin and cupped his cheeks with both hands, staring intently into his eyes. "Right back at ya. Do you know how many women are envious of me right now? I'm not even sure I feel safe in here any longer."

Oblivious to the staring crowd and loud conversations around us, Damon smirked in that uniquely mischievous way of his. "A damsel in distress? Sounds like a bat signal to me. Wanna get out of here soon?"

I nodded, relieved to no longer being the center of attention. "Yes, please. But there's one particular place I want to go to before we head home."

"Sure, where?"

"The cemetery. I thought I'd personally thank my future mother-in-law for the beautiful necklace and her amazing son."

And there it was. My answer.

His overjoyed smile and tightening of his arms around my waist were my reward.

Ewwww. Isn't that the most nauseating thing ever? I'm sitting here, shaking my head at myself. I'm not sure what came over me, but I'm pretty sure aliens had something to do with it.

If it feels like the end, that's because it is. THE END. FINITO.

Okay, maybe just one epilogue left. But only if you guys want to find out what happens in the not-so-distant future. Sorry again for the super massive late update. You guys may not think so, but this was an extremely hard chapter to write. Sorry if I disappointed you guys with the ending. I'm having a hard time expressing myself these days.

A quick THANK YOU to my beta, Kristi (tukct81) for taking the time out of her busy schedule to beta this chapter, even while feeling under the weather. I am ALSO surrounded by awesome people every day.

Thank you also to the peeps who dropped me a Private Message, asking if I was okay since I didn't update for some time. Okay, some of you blatantly asked if I DIED, and my answer to you now is….Yes. I'm typing from the beyond right now. Interestingly, the WIFI reception is A-plus!