Elena gets settled in the suite. It's really very nice like a five-star hotel would be. Sighing, she pulls her phone out of her bag and plops down on the bed.

"Hello"

"Hi, Mom."

"Elena, hi."

"I'm sorry, I know it's late."

"Don't be silly. Did you forget we're two hours behind here in the sticks?" Miranda laughs. "I've been dying to hear from you. How's the little problem?"

"If all goes as planned, It should be resolved in court tomorrow."

"Have you seen Damon?"

"I did."

"Well..."

"It was strange and awkward. He's a very successful investor. He's changed."

"Well, it's been such a long time. Considering where things were left off and everything..."

"Yeah," Elena says softly. "So how's everything there?"

"Couldn't be better. Except I miss you and I know Matt does, too."

"Me, too. I'm going to let you go. I have a big day tomorrow...I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"I'll tell Matt you say hello. And do give my best to Damon," Miranda adds as an afterthought.

"I love you, Mom. Bye." Elena ends the call.

Damon pads out of the bathroom with a towel. He barely has time to cinch it around his waist when Rebekah appears.

"Rebekah?"

"Good morning, my love." She gives Damon a kiss and steps back to peruse her surroundings.

"I cannot wait to remodel this place. It's just not suitable for entertaining. I mean, this is so droll, how do you even stand it?" Rebekah looks at him searchingly.

"Can we do this later? I gotta get to the office."

"You don't want your bride moving into something so ordinary, do you? It's just not me. It's us and ours."

"I want you to see these plans before I have them finalized. I have to live here, too..." Damon lets the words hang for a moment before adding, "I need to get dressed."

"I like this," Rebekah purrs as she rakes her fingernails down his chest and releases his towel with a lick of her lips.

"Hey, hey," Damon stops her hand goes any lower. "I would love nothing more but I really need to get to work."

"If you insist," Rebekah sighs and moves a few feet away. "This wall is going to come out and everything will be all black and white. Clean, modern, bold."

"I thought we were going with warmer colors. And if you knock down the wall, where are we going to put my antique desk?"

"We'll find the right spot for it. You'll be amazed how much room there is once we get rid of that piano." Rebekah shudders when she looks at it.

"Wait, I thought that was still up for negotiation?" Damon counters.

"You told me you don't have time to play it anymore."

"Yes, that's true, Rebekah, but I do want to keep it."

"Damon, don't you want to please me? It contradicts my vision. You have to trust me. Interior design isn't just my job, it's my calling. Let me turn our home into a work of art."

"I want you to be happy. Whatever you need to make that happen, go ahead. I have to get ready. I'll see you later for dinner?"

"That new French place, the one on Madison Avenue."

"Maybe we could eat in some time?"

"We'll get takeout. See ya." Rebekah gives him a quick kiss and strolls through the door, winking at him as she pulls it closed.

"Good morning, Vincent," Elena greets him. "I brought you something," she says as she hands him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you. May I call you Elena?"

"What else would you call me?" Elena laughs as she takes a swallow.

"Thoughtful, considerate..." Vincent teases.

"That works, too." Elena pats his arm playfully and slides into the limousine.

Vincent pushes the door shut and gets behind the wheel. "Was the suite up to your expectations?" he asks as he checks the side view mirror and pulls out into the flow of traffic.

"It's very elegant but a little cold for my taste..."

"I trust you slept well."

"I got up at dawn. I can't help it, you know? It's what I'm used to. Plus, all the honking and the sirens... we don't have a lot of that where I'm from. I work for Montana State University in conjunction with the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. I give talks and dig bones out of the dirt for a living."

"Impressive. And you like that?"

"Very much. I wanted to be a paleontologist since the first time I saw Jurassic Park and met Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler."

"Didn't we all?" Vincent laughs heartily.

Elena covers her mouth to yawn. "I have to be honest with you, Vincent, I didn't sleep a wink. I'm pretty nervous about today. Um, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Vincent gives her a quick glance. "Of course."

"How long have you worked for Damon?"

"Since he was a junior executive. There was always something special about him. He's polite, he's friendly and completely different from the privileged young men who were his competition. Don't get me wrong, he can go toe to toe with the best of them and his biting sense of humor... Damon worked harder than anyone else. It was like he was chasing a dream."

Elena smiles as she stares at the traffic in front of them. "Looks like he finally fulfilled that dream."

Vincent sighs. "Yeah...I just wish he was happier."

"Good morning," Damon greets Elena as she exits the limo and approaches him outside of the courthouse.

"Good morning," Elena sighs, a little anxious about what's going to happen.

"Are you alright, Elena?"

"Yeah, just ready to move forward."

"Ok," Damon concurs and opens the door for her to enter the building and take the stairs to the courtroom.

"I was a little worried you two would be late," Ric remarks as he points to his watch.

"All rise for Judge Pierce," states the bailiff as she appears and takes her seat on the bench. She gavels court into order and turns to Ric.

"Mr. Saltzman...Back in my courtroom so soon?"

"Yes, your honor. But I was told Judge Jordan was going to be presiding." Ric shares a quick glance with Damon.

"He had an emergency. You're stuck with me."

"Well, this shouldn't take up too much of your time," Ric informs her.

"Let's hope not. Proceed."

"10 years ago, Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert were married. That marriage was annulled or so we thought..."

"Why the confusion?" Judge Pierce questions.

"The annulment papers were sent in, but there's no record of them ever being finalized. I discovered this issue while writing his prenup. Mr. Salvatore needs to be legally divorced as soon as possible. He's getting married Saturday."

"This Saturday?" Katherine counters.

"Yes, your honor. I'm citing special circumstances and asking that you grant them an immediate divorce."

"You realize what would happen if I obliged every attorney with the same request? I need to hear from the couple. How did this occur?" Katherine asks, focusing her stare at Damon.

"Miss Gilbert and I eloped but her father felt we were too young."

"How young?"

"Elena was 18, I was 19."

"Both of legal age and able to make decisions. Why did you agree?"

"I didn't want the annulment. We were very much in love, but I did what I felt was best for Elena and reluctantly signed the papers," Damon explains as he gives Elena a quick glance.

"And then what?

"That's all I know. I thought our marriage had ended years ago until Ric- er Mr. Saltzman discovered the issue."

"This was the last time you two saw each other?"

"Yes. We haven't really spoken in 10 years. Once I left Mystic Falls, communication pretty much stopped."

"What?" Elena interrupts as she locks her eyes on Damon in disbelief. "You're the one that got on that bus and never looked back," she hisses as her mouth sets in a hard line. All the pain of missing him suddenly billows into her consciousness.

"Your honor..." Sensing the tension in the air, Ric interrupts, "Mr. Salvatore is simply asking for the ability to get married as scheduled on Saturday."

"I got the message loud and clear when you didn't show up at the bus stop. I whispered in your ear that I bought two bus tickets," Damon counters as he holds Elena's stare.

"As amusing as this is, "Mr. Saltzman," Judge Pierce interrupts, "I demand order in my courtroom."

Oblivious to their surroundings, Elena defends herself. "I'm sorry. I had a really good reason, not that you cared. You never even bothered to find out why I didn't show up."

"I waited as long as I could. I wrote letters. I called."

"He never called your honor," Elena snaps as she glances at Judge Pierce.

"Why are you lying?" Damon demands an explanation. "I mean, none of this even matters anymore."

"Your honor, I'm not lying. I just want to get this over with." Elena releases a weighted breath and rushes out of the courtroom.

"Elena," Damon calls out and runs after her.

"What is going on here, counselor?" Judge Pierce crosses her arms over her chest.

"Damon?" Ric calls out but it's pointless, he's already out of the courtroom.

Judge Pierce bangs her gavel. "I'm going to review these special circumstances and take them under advisement. You and your unruly clients will be back in my courtroom Monday morning at 10 am."

"Your honor," Ric pleads. "Monday is too late."

"This court is adjourned." Katherine bangs the gavel again and rises to leave the courtroom.

"Your honor, please? Mr. Salvatore is supposed to be married on Saturday!"

"That is not my problem," Katherine calls over her shoulder and walks out.

Ric sighs heavily. "It's...that would be my problem."

Damon catches up to Elena outside. "I got on that bus because you never showed up. Not even to say goodbye." he tries to make her understand.

"My dad had a heart attack that day. It was the first of many and what eventually took his life. I couldn't leave him and I couldn't leave my mom," Elena explains as she looks up at him. "Do you know what you did to me, to my life?"

"I am so sorry. I had no idea, Elena."

"My dad was just never the same after that. This proud man suddenly couldn't do much of anything."

"Why didn't you answer my letters? Or return my calls?" Damon asks as he turns her to face him.

Elena turns to look into the blue palette of his eyes. "After the first one, I never got any other letters. I kept wondering how what we had could crumble so easily."

"You honestly had no idea?" He asks incredulously.

"I guess my Dad must have destroyed them." Elena swallows thickly and tries to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall.

"He was probably just trying to protect you, Elena."

Elena sucks her lower lip between her teeth. "He should have told me..." Her voice trails off when Ric reappears.

"Psst. Guys... We have a bit of a problem..." Ric gestures with his head at the approaching Rebekah.

"Damon?"

"Rebekah! What are you doing here?" Damon jumps to his feet.

"I stopped by your office after seeing the architect. You weren't there. So I looked at your calendar and it said "court". Nothing about a pretty girl, though," Rebekah shifts her stare to Elena.

"This isn't a pretty girl," Ric blurts out.

"I think she could pass for pretty," Rebekah retorts, eyeing Ric suspiciously.

"No. Elena is my client. She and Damon are old friends. He asked me to help her out of a jam."

"Am I missing something?" Elena asks as she stands up.

"Deposition," Ric adds to placate Rebekah. "I'll take care of it later."

"We haven't been introduced. The blonde raises an eyebrow and tilts her head to the side, her uncertain smile becoming friendly. I'm Damon's fiancé, Rebekah Mikaelson." She extends her hand.

Elena gapes at the woman idiotically. "Oh," she falters, taking a step back while her eyes slide to the street in front of her. In the midst of her exhaustion and trying to make sense of the last forty-eight hours, she hadn't even given a thought to meeting the woman in Damon's life.

Elena shakes her head slightly; this shouldn't affect her in any way. Pulling herself together, she sticks a hand out and belatedly returns her smile. "I'm Elena Gilbert."

"How did you-" Rebekah starts.

"We go way back," Damon interrupts, "to Mystic Falls. It's Elena's first time in the city."

"Really? How long will you be in town?"

"Our court date got postponed until Monday," Ric announces.

"Monday?" Elena and Damon gasp together.

"Yes, Monday," Ric confirms.

"Well, enjoy the big city..."

"It's certainly unlike anything I expected," Elena concedes.

"I will see you later, my love." Rebekah gives Damon a kiss. "I'm having lunch with a client," she states and walks away.

"Lovely to have met you," Elena calls out.

"You too," Rebekah adds over her shoulder and hops into a cab.

And as Elena watches her disappear into traffic, a sinking feeling grows in her knowing she has to come to terms with losing Damon all over again.

Thank you everyone. I wanted to get this chapter out so you learn a little about DE. I will post TQR next. It is the longest by far of the 3 ongoing stories.

Thank you, Eva. Love you.

Take care and have a fabulous weekend.