AN: This is it, guys. I've finally completed this story. I hope you've enjoyed it. By no means do I find it a masterpiece, but I do this for fun and to help build my writing skills. I'm also posting a bonus chapter to this that I wrote that completely encapsulates and tells about the most devastating event in Elena and Damon's life together: The Death of Mary Jo. If you want to see more from me, follow my account. I have works in progress, completed one-shots, and there is a conversion that I'm working on that I hope to have the first chapter of up before too long. Again, thanks for enduring my erratic posting and long hiatuses!

"I can't believe you're wearing /this/ dress," Bonnie laughed. "I mean, first of all, it's old as heck."

"It is not," Elena coughed. "Well, kind of. But that was five Christmases ago. Hey, I bought white because /you/ insisted on it. It was your party that you invited me to /last/ minute." She snorted as she slid into the silky fabric of the garment. She found herself forcing it a little over her belly, but she sucked in as much as she could.

"Hey! My party was awesome, you looked good, and you met Damon, so shut up." Bonnie smiled as she finally got Elena's zipper up the back. She eyed the golden alarm clock on the bedside table, seeing the second hand tick slowly by. As slow as it seemed to go, it really wasn't going slow, or fast, enough. On one hand, she had to get ready. Her hair was done, but her makeup was still questionable. She had no clue what Caroline was coordinating downstairs, but she just prayed it was going well. And not to mention she was very much nervous.

"I can't believe you're finally getting married," Bonnie said as she looked at her best friend in the mirror, adjusting the curls to rest on her shoulders just right. "I always thought you'd beat me in that race." Elena laughed.

"I don't know why. You and my brother? It was so gonna happen. You two barely got out of high school before you were buying wedding bands." Bonnie gave a "whatever" snort before going to find the shoes that matched her dress. Elena smoothed out the lacy knee-length fabric, looking at herself in the mirror. She was lucky it had a little give; it was damn close to being too small. She couldn't wait to see him, like she'd thought about a hundred-thousand times before. He would be there, waiting for her in that suit he hated but wore because she wanted him to. He'd grin, she'd smile, and she /wouldn't/ cry. But now, she didn't have to think about it, because it was happening. And it made her weak.

"You're terrified," Bonnie said from behind her as she sat a pair of white lace shoes in front of her. Elena gave a shaky laugh as if to verify she was right. "It's okay. I was too. Remember? I wanted to put it off for an hour so I could regroup and Caroline had to pep talk me? Wait. Do I need to go get her?"

"No! I mean…no. I'm—I'll get it together. Swear." Elena coughed. "No Forbes pep talks today."

"Good!" Caroline said as she came through the door, perky as ever and ready to get this going. On cue. Elena's lifesaver. "Jeremy's waiting to walk you down to Damon right now. Let's go get married!"

In the living room, a suited Jeremy held out his arm for his sister to take, giving her a taunting little smirk as she stood by his side.

"About time you joined the married life, sis," he teased as he handed her a bouquet of the white peonies that matched the ones decorating the tables and chairs. She just smiled, kind of thinking the same.

"I just took my time." She squeezed his arm in reply, seeing /him/ shift on his feet at the end of the aisle, just like she was, anxious as hell. She felt like they had the same thoughts, the same itch. But at the same time she worried, because she knew that this was Damon, the man she'd built a life with for the past five years. But then he was Damon, the man who'd built a life with her for the past seven months.

Caroline abandoned her post, assuming that there was really nothing else for her to conduct. And besides, she wanted to see two of her best friends say their I dos. So she pecked Elena on the cheek, smiled, and grabbed Bonnie's arm as they went to sit on the patio. Just at the foot of Bonnie's garden that was blossoming with pansies and camellias stood Damon, wearing a suit that she knew he'd fussed about at some point in time. But she'd done him a favor. She dressed it down some, giving him a tie instead of a preppy bow.

As she stepped down the aisle, he was glued on her, watching her every move. He admired how absolutely gorgeous she was. That smile, those eyes, this woman— it made his heart swell. Jeremy stopped with her a few feet away, turning to give Damon a stern but knowing look as he let his sister go on behalf of a passed father.

"As always, Salvatore, you better do her right, or I'll kick your ass." He smiled.

"No worries, Little Gilbert. I plan on making her the happiest girl on Earth." Elena beamed as Jeremy kissed her cheek, leaving her at the altar as he gave a nod at the officiator of the wedding who, without surprise, was another Mikealson sibling, a justice of the peace no less.

"Are we ready?" said Klaus as he glanced between Damon and Elena, who were so honed in on one another, they almost didn't answer. Klaus began to read the proceedings, the "we're gathered here" and all that the two people of the day really wished he'd bypass. Damon was a smiling fool. He didn't take his eyes off Elena, how beautiful she looked in that dress, even though he could tell she was struggling a little. He loved every inch of her, from her head to her toes to the corners of her soul. And she was his. Her love was something he cherished. It was like nothing he'd ever felt, and he was happy it would be all he ever would. He just wished he could put it into words for her to hear.

"Elena," Klaus motioned, "Your vows?" Elena bit her lip, nervous and at the same silent roadblock as the man in front of her. So she just began where she left off.

"Ten years ago, I never would have believed I would be here. Pregnant, again. Marrying the best man I've ever met who is coincidentally Damon Salvatore. Having ridden out the most insane to stay with him. I would ride out any insane to be with you. And we've been through plenty of them together. Call of duties, Mary Jo, the past seven months- You had no idea who I was, but you let me help you anyways, because it was all I knew to do, as your wife. And you believed in me, even though you had no clue who I was. And now, we're back. And I think we may even be a little better. I'm ready to do this with you. I'm so glad you want /me/ as your wife, Damon. Because I love you more than anything in this world. I always will." Damon ran a palm over the back of his neck, letting out a low chuckle.

"Damn. How am I supposed to beat that?" A few soft laughs rose from their tiny crowd, but Damon reached out, taking Elena's hands, kissing the tips of her fingers as he tried to find a place to begin.

"Elena Marie Gilbert," he started, smiling at her. "No name means anything like that one. You're very much the best woman any guy could dream of. You've done so much for me. These past seven months have been a real roller coaster, but we're still here. You helped me. You did so much for me in a time when I didn't even know your name, and for that I'll always be grateful. I know it was hard. But you're strong. The strongest. We've been through a lot, I agree. But you're like this rock. My rock." He shifted on his feet, playing with her fingers as he pondered his next words. "I'm not the man I was before. I'm better. And I'm better for you, and because of you. It's not been a bed of roses, but we made it. And so much is because of you, Elena. And I love you. Everything about you. And I'm ready to do this with you, too, Gorgeous Gilbert." He grinned, Elena's brown eyes glassy with tears. "I love you. Then, before, always."

"Well then," Klaus shut his book, glancing between the two of them. "By the power vested in me by the state of Virginia, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Klaus needn't say anymore. Before Damon could do what he wanted, Elena did it for him. She pulled Damon to her, wrapping her arms about his neck and affirming their marriage with the kiss both of them were dying to have. Elena's heart was soaring, and couldn't stop smiling.

"Well, Mrs. Salvatore," he purred as he set her back down. "How do you feel?"

"Like the luckiest girl in the world." Elena was beaming.

"Kinda how I feel," Damon nodded as he took her hand, Klaus presenting them to the little gathering who sat at tables on the concrete lanai. Bonnie and Caroline were all misty-eyed, Rebekah not far behind them. The guys had all grouped up to avoid the emotional girls, passing thumbs up and approving nods to Damon.

"Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore," Elena repeated. "I could really get used to that."

"I love that dress you're wearing, babe," he spoke against her cheek as they swayed peacefully to the soft music that barely reached them from inside the house. Everybody else was mingling, talking, and passing out champagne. They had stolen away for a piece of quiet. The dark slowly fell around them, but it was peaceful. Elena was nestled against him, their hands curled into her chest where she played idly with his fingers as they danced. They hadn't said hardly anything the past ten minutes they'd been out here. They were just reveling in the series of fortunate events: the coming home, the wedding. Just being in one another's presence for the first time in four months was enough for either of them. He bent over her, gently kissing the bare crook of her neck, and he felt her cheeks lift as she smiled. His eyes grazed over her, seeing the buttons that lined her dress struggle a little to keep the two sides together where she was a little bigger. "It looks as good on you now as it did at that party in '09." Elena's head lifted, but she didn't look at him. Instead, she was considering what she'd just heard, thinking she was daydreaming.

"Did you say in '09?" she said slowly. She began to drift back a little.

"I did. Bonnie's Christmas 2009 to be exact." Elena was staggered.

"How do you know that? I mean—you're supposed to know, but you…you don't know. Do you?"

"I /do/ know. It was where I met you. Looking like a model out of a magazine. I was in love the second I saw you." Elena was silently dumbfounded.

"Who told you? Your brother? Jeremy?" He laughed, knowing this was exactly what she would do. Always went back to them, didn't it?

"No, babe! For real. I. Remember."

"…what?" She felt her heart start to flutter with excitement at the idea. She watched as his eyes crinkled with the curl of his lips.

"I got it back, babe. I remember everything." He grinned widely, proud that he could recall what she knew and he was supposed to. Not being able to had been a personal hell. Bits and pieces and chunks that made no sense—four months of that had been too much. Something he wouldn't wish on anyone. Elena was teared up, hands over her lips as she tried to form words.

"Damon, I…"

"I know," he smiled, taking her hand back into his. Her fingertips were cold, and he held them between his palms, trying to warm them. "Long story short: that last deployment really fixed me."

"This is literally the best day of my life," she sobbed a little as she took in a breath, draping her arms back around him. "I mean, it was before, but this just made it so much better."

A sharp chime began to ring from the grandfather clock inside, chiming out the ninth hour as they returned into each other's arms, ignoring the loud chatter between friends that mixed with it.

Never again would his wife have to worry or deal with the haunting things she had in the past. He was home, a return that was long overdue for Damon and Elena Salvatore.