Upon returning to Mystic Falls, Damon called Alaric and asked him to join him in the foyer while Elena was out doing girl things with Bonnie and Caroline. Ever since her transition she had practically been living with Damon and Stefan, especially now that Damon had recently compelled Jeremy to move to Denver after Jenna's death. Alaric arrived around three with a brand new bottle of scotch. Damon grinned.

"And that's why you're my favorite house guest, Ric." He laughed.

"I thought that was Elena." Damon scoffed.

"Elena's no house guest, lets face it, she might as well move in. She hasn't slept at her place since...well..." He gave Alaric a sly smirk and he just rolled his eyes in response. They sat and sipped the scotch for a while in silence before Alaric finally sighed and looked over at his best friend.

"I know I'm not here for no reason, Damon. What do you want?"

"You don't think I'd just want to hang out with my best drinking buddy?" They both laughed.

"We both know that if you wanted to do that you'd have just invited me to the Grille. Whassup?" Damon sighed and took another long sip of scotch before answering.

"You know Elena pretty well...and I didn't feel comfortable asking Vampire Barbie or Bitchy Witch Sidekick...hell Ric, I'm even uncomfortable asking you..." He trailed off, downing his alcohol anxiously and poring another glass. Alaric had never seen Damon like this.

"Uncomfortable to ask me what?" He sighed.

"Is Elena the kind of girl that wouldn't have children until marriage...I mean like, do you think marriage is a deal breaker?" He stared open mouthed at him.

"What the hell Damon...yes! Of course it's a deal breaker...you know how Elena is, and besides I won't allow it otherwise. Jenna would want that for her." Damon had forgotten that Ric was her official guardian now and would probably take a fatherly view on it. However he figured he was right anyway, When they had blood shared he had felt how responsible she always was...and that was the responsible thing to do. He swallowed his fear and looked nervously back at Alaric.

"Then help me pick out a ring." Alaric's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You serious Damon?" He gave a slight nod.

"She is my soulmate after all, isn't that what you do with them?" Alaric gave a heavy sigh.

"Don't hurt her, Damon." Damon's eye twitched in annoyance and he shot Alaric a warning glare.

"Don't be an ass, Ric. Just help me...please?" He said the word please with goofy smirk, causing Alaric to roll his eyes again and join Damon in walking to his Camero. They drove in an awkward silence to a nearby jewelry store. Damon was nervous, he had bought pretty things for pretty girls before, but this was so much different. He gazed at a fourteen karot pink sapphire ring with a simple white-gold band that he thought she'd like, but Alaric was shaking his head in disapproval.

"That's too Caroline." Damon shrugged.

"She deserves something more expensive anyway." He sighed, eyeing the case carefully for something that screamed Elena.

Unable to find anything special, he pulled Alaric over to the side.

"I didn't see anything she'd like...did you?" Alaric shrugged.

"Not really." Damon seemed to be pondering something, remaining quiet for a few moments before giving his friend a serious look.

"I have a ring locked up somewhere in the boarding house. In the summer of 1864, while starring in a theatrical engagement at the Boston Museum, John Wilkes Booth became smitten with a 17-year-old beauty named Isabel Sumner. Having been a confederate soldier, it was no surprise that I'd take my girlfriend out to see a play in the District of Columbia. Booth and Miss Sumner were making out back stage and she dropped something he'd just given her. It was this beautiful gold banded ring with a silver flower design that wrapped around a pearl. As in love with Katherine as I was, something in The back if my mind told me to hold on to it..." He trailed off. Alaric's mouth hung agape as pure astonishment washes over his features.

"You have a ring that belonged to the man that killed Abraham Lincoln?! Dude...I'm not sure Elena would want that, it kind of carries negative association." Damon nodded.

"Why do you think I was going to get her a ring here instead? Problem is...she's the only girl special enough for that ring...the only one that measures up to its beauty. I mean come on Ric, I wouldn't even give it to Katherine...and I dated her that century! I spent 145 years of my life loving her and for some reason that ring felt too special to give away. Until now...but do you think she'd accept it?" Alaric nearly laughed out loud at his friend.

"I can't believe you even thought for one moment she'd prefer something you bought...get out of here!" Damon grinned cockily.

"Well that's good...I already have our names engraved on the inside and have it ready in my pocket." He said pulling it out to show him.

"Why the hell did you bring me out to a jewelry store if you already knew what you were giving her?" His smile only grew bigger.

"Oh I just needed a second opinion." He practically sang as he walked out of the store and dialed Elena's number. She had just gotten home from her girls day with Bonnie and Caroline and had been taking a nap. She rolled over and looked at the clock, it was still early in the afternoon and she wondered why he was calling. Due to the blood sharing, it was incredibly easy for the two of them to immediately sense and understand what each other were doing, even if they were miles apart, so he knew she'd been napping.

"Rise and shine sweetheart, we have a hot date tonight." She could hear his arrogance threw the phone, but it made her smile.

"Pick me up at seven?"

"Oh you can count on it, Princess." He hung up and went home to plan. He wasn't sure that Elena would say yes if he asked so soon. Besides, he still had to drop the bombshell on her that they were able to successfully mate. He decided he'd find out tonight how she felt about having his children, and he'd save the proposal for a little later.

He climbed into the shower, knowing that Elena had just gotten in the shower too. Damon liked that about blood sharing, he liked knowing those things, liked knowing that their lives were connected. The thought of them being in the shower at the same time was driving him crazy and Elena felt it too. It was like they never left each other, they were always by each other's side. Now they would be forever, and that was all Damon had ever wanted...to love and have that person love him back.