As soon as Rebekah's out of earshot, Damon spins on his heels and backs Ric against the wall.
"We're getting married on Saturday," he grits out.
"Why can't we come back sooner?" Elena interjects, glaring at Ric.
"We have four days to fix this," Damon adds through clenched teeth.
"The judge's docket is full and you two walking out of the courtroom didn't help the case!" Ric defends himself.
"So what are we gonna do?" Damon asks incredulously.
"I got a plan. You'll get married as scheduled. Rebekah will sign a fake marriage certificate, although you won't be legally married until I get Judge Pierce to wave her magic gavel on Monday. I'll switch the papers, no one will know the difference. And then on your first anniversary, you can repeat your vows and it'll be all legal. Easy peasy," Ric grins.
"I don't know, Ric." Damon sighs and shakes his head.
"Trust me, Damon, I'm going to shuffle around some papers. Rebekah shouldn't have to cancel her fairytale wedding, it is the social event of the season. And I wouldn't want to run afoul of the Mikaelson family if you know what I mean..."
Damon rakes his fingers through his hair. "What do you think, Elena?"
"I need to get back home. Damon, I have so much going on."
"You can't get married either until this is resolved. Judge Pierce insisted that we all be present on Monday. What difference does a few days make, right?" Ric asks, trying to make light of the situation.
"OK. Alright, but I have to get some work done. I have a presentation to give in New Jersey Thursday evening."
"That sounds exciting." Ric rolls his eyes.
"Cut the sarcasm, I happen to love what I do."
A sheepish look washes over Ric's face.
"If you need to prepare, you can have an office, a computer, whatever you need."
"Maybe a bone so you feel at home?" Ric quips. "Let's get out of here, I'm starved," he adds and gives Damon a nudge.
"I need to find transportation to New Jersey, it's kind of silly to take a plane from here. I guess I can purchase a bus ticket."
"Where in New Jersey?" Damon asks as they leave the courthouse complex and hop into the sedan.
"Rutgers University Archeological Field School."
"Wow, that's great, Elena. Vincent can take you."
"Are you sure?" Elena asks Vincent who's beside her in the driver's seat.
"Of course, I'd love to hear your presentation. I've always said, one is never too old for dinosaurs."
Vincent winks at her and pulls into traffic.
Damon finds Elena on the computer in a neighboring office. "How's it going?" he asks and takes a seat.
"I'm doing a talk on the Mammoth Site. It's in South Dakota. I worked there for two summers in college."
"You always did like playing in the dirt. I remember the mud pies," Damon smirks.
"And I remember nailing you with a few mud balls," Elena points out.
Damon laughs. "You did. I owe you a five-star New York City dinner tonight. I'm buying."
"That's not necessary, Damon." Elena shakes her head.
"Sure it is," Ric comments from the doorway.
"Rebekah and I have plans but he can take you." Damon points his thumb at Ric.
"Great, why don't we all go?" Ric counters.
"Sure, why not?" Damon agrees.
But before Elena can object, he nods once, taps his phone silently, and disappears through the door.
"Cheers." Damon raises his glass of Dom Pérignon.
"Cheers," The rest echo his words and take a sip from their flutes.
"What do you do, Elena?" Rebekah asks as cradles her glass. "Pretty dress by the way."
"Thank you. I have a doctorate in Paleontology. I give presentations and I dig in the dirt for fossils."
"That's a lot of education for digging in the dirt," Rebekah contends.
"Paleontology is hard work. And I love what I do," Elena shrugs. She catches a glimpse of Damon staring at her bosom and shifts slightly.
"I have some good news," Rebekah gushes to Damon. "We have a final head count for our wedding. Only 402."
"I thought you said 325," Damon replies with a subtle grimace.
"It's the social event of the season, darling." Rebekah gives him a pouty smile.
"400 people? Wow!" Elena blurts out in shock. Matt and I don't even know that many people to invite to our wedding."
"You're getting married?" Rebekah's eyes snap to Elena.
"Didn't I tell you that?"
"No, Damon. You left that part out. When's the wedding, Elena?"
"It's like seven weeks from today. I don't even have a dress picked out yet."
"Seriously? I scoured every inch of this city to find the perfect wedding dress. I know just where to take you."
"Rebekah, I'm sure you have enough on your plate with our wedding," Damon interrupts.
"I can spare a few hours for your old friend. You can tell me all about young Damon and his idyllic days in Mystic Falls."
"No, I can't possibly impose." Elena tries to politely decline. "I have a presentation to give tomorrow evening at Rutgers University."
"Nonsense. Come by my office tomorrow morning. I'll take you shopping. It'll be fun."
"I don't think I'll have the time," Elena hedges.
"Rutgers is only 40 miles away. I'll make sure we're done in plenty of time."
"Great," Elena concedes and empties her champagne glass.
Elena is tired by the time she returns to her temporary digs in New York City. She's barely in the door when her phone rings.
"Hey, Matt."
"Hello, Elena. How are you doing?"
"I'm ok. How's everything with the excavation?"
"It's good. Are you still going to do your thing at Rutgers?" Matt asks.
"Yes. I'm going to take the bus. It's only about 40 miles from here. I saw no reason to cancel it."
"That's good...Your mom and I sent out the save-the-date wedding invitations. About 40 of them."
"That's great." Elena lies as she pretends to be excited.
"When do you think you'll be back?"
"I should know a little bit more on Monday," Elena explains.
"I miss you. It's not the same around here without you."
"I miss you, too. I'm tired, Matt. I have a lot to do so...I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Good luck with your presentation."
"Bye," Elena says softly and clicks off her phone.
After taking a warm and relaxing bubble bath with the expensive bath beads, Elena switches off the light and climbs into bed, pulling only the light cotton sheet up to her waist. She tosses and turns. Each time she flips to her other side to get comfortable, the look in Damon's eyes when he had been staring at her breasts pops into her mind.
Furious with herself, she kicks off the sheets and blames the wetness between her thighs on sweat.
Elena left those feelings in the past. And that's where they'll stay. Damon is happy with Rebekah and she is happy with Matt. Right?
She shuts her eyes and buries her face in the pillow as the cool breeze of the ceiling fan dries her damp skin.
She is roused the next morning by a loud rap on the door.
"Rise and shine, Elena," comes Vincent's voice. "I apologize for waking you but Rebekah insisted."
"I'll be out shortly."
Elena drags herself out of bed and pads to the bathroom. She throws some cold water on her face and stares at herself in the mirror as his image pops into her mind yet again.
When this whole mess is sorted out, she can go back to forgetting his existence all over again.
They start their day at Laduree on Madison Avenue for breakfast Chocolate Hazelnuts Brunette and coffee.
From there, Vincent takes them to a little shop, 'Wedding Atelier'. It is located in an expansive 4th-floor space on Madison Avenue.
Elena looks around at the chic and elegant space but it's also cozy and comfortable.
"It's great. The lighting is excellent for looking at dresses. And look at all of the mirrors," Rebekah remarks as she points out the various amenities.
"Miss Mikaelson, how are you?" comes an attendant.
"Hello, Camille. This is my friend Elena and she's looking for a wedding dress."
"Is there anything you had in mind?" Camille asks Elena.
"Why don't you choose two or three for her to try on and I'll wait right here," Rebekah gestures at the leather cushiony chair.
"Of course, this way," Camille addresses her. "Our dressing and fitting rooms are roomy and private. I'll be right back," She tells Elena as she unlocks the room and excuses herself to pick out a couple of gowns.
Elena tries the first one on and models it for Rebekah.
"No, no, Camille. She needs something much simpler. There's too much tulle. It's very pretty, though. You'll know when it's the one." Rebekah tells her confidently.
"Let's try an ivory A-line."
"Look, Rebekah, I really appreciate your help with this but I'm just feeling a little bit overwhelmed. Maybe I should look for something when I get back to Montana."
Rebekah practically gasps. "Not on my watch. You're not leaving New York City without a wedding dress. Now you march right back into that dressing room." She shoos Elena with a hand gesture.
"You only get married once, right?" Elena acknowledges.
"Elena, it all starts with the dress. It dictates the feeling, the theme of the entire wedding."
"I guess," Elena shrugs.
"So tell me all about the groom. How did you guys meet, how long have you been together?"
"Matt, he's a good guy. He was the star quarterback at our high school. He really stepped up to help my mom and me after my dad died. I've known him...well, forever."
"I can't believe you work in the dirt."
Elena laughs. "It's something that I've wanted since I was a young child and watched Indiana Jones. My dad loved that movie."
"And Matt likes that?"
"Oh, yes. He took some classes in college just for me. He's a really loyal guy." It sounds lame even to Elena's ears.
"That's what I love most about Damon. How honest and loyal he is. We had a huge fight when he found out I lied to him once." Rebekah shudders at the memory "You know what I mean?"
"Yep. I remember," Elena states from behind the dressing room door.
"How are you doing in there?"
Elena adjusts the beautiful dress and steps out.
Rebekah's eyes widen as a smile forms on her face. "That's the one! Once they make the adjustments, I'll have it sent to Damon's office. Matt is a very lucky man."
"Thank you," Elena says softly. She steps back into the dressing room and stares at herself in the mirror.
Elena's burdened with a weird, tugging sensation deep in her chest that is inescapable. It's strange the way the feeling hits her. Just a trickle at first and then it's all consuming as it zips and surges within her, making it absolute.
She realizes she's been trying to ignore her feelings for Damon and the more she avoids them, the more devastating the fallout might be. Somehow, Elena has to figure out a way to bury them all over again.
"Are you about done?" Rebekah's voice pulls her from her reverie.
"Yes," Elena replies and quickly slips out of the gown and places it back on the hanger.
They're both about to marry other people.
Their time has long passed.
Thank you, everyone.
Have a fabulous day and weekend.