The morning after had gone by in a blur. Elena found herself waking up to an empty space beside her own. She looked around, seeing that she was in Damon's room. The last time she had ever been in his apartment was when they had broken up the day she was graduating. Many things have happened since she was last here. She laid awake in bed, letting out a sigh. She had finally found the man of her dreams, the man she had been longing for her entire life. She sat up and glanced down at the engagement ring on her finger. She couldn't imagine that this was real, being here in New York with Damon. She thought that she dreamt it all. She got out of bed and put on one of Damon's buttoned up t-shirts. She exited the bedroom and headed towards the main room. Damon was in the kitchen making breakfast. "Good you're finally up." smiled Damon. He quickly poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her. Elena quietly thanked him before taking a sip. "Isobel called. She asked if you were available to meet with her for lunch."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that you'd call her back. It's best that you tell her yourself rather than have me answer for you." Damon sipped from his own cup. He finished cooking breakfast and served Elena her share. Elena sat down at the counter and began to eat. She had been contemplating whether or not she should share the news with her friends about the engagement. She figured that she would wait until she flew back to Mystic Falls to tell them. She had only been planning to stay a few days in the city. "Did she mention anything about John?" asked Elena.

"She didn't say. We had a brief ten minute conversation. She didn't give me much information. She did leave me her number." Damon handed her a sticky note with a number and Isobel's name printed across it. Elena felt that she would call after she finished her breakfast. "How long are you staying?"

"A few days. I didn't pack much."

"What are you going to tell them once you get back?"

Elena shrugged, "I know I have to tell them at some point. Right now, I think I'm just going to wait until I'm ready to. Besides, there's many things to consider Damon."

"Consider?"

"Most of my family lives in Mystic Falls, and my friends are there too. I-"

"I thought you wanted to move to New York." Damon interrupted. Elena noticed the change of tone in his voice. She did think about moving to New York. Now engaged, her perspective had changed altogether. She thought about her immediate family, Jenna and Jeremy. She figured that Jeremy would move out and live somewhere in an apartment with Bonnie. She was unsure about Jenna's plans. She would think that Stefan and Caroline can share the apartment together if she moves out. Mystic Falls had always been her home. Maybe it was time for a change. Maybe it was time for her to relocate and find a new home, like here in New York with Damon. "I do want to move here." said Elena.

"Then what's stopping you?"

"Why do you want to stay here?" Damon was taken by surprise. He hadn't taken the time to think about it at all. He had always thought that New York was his escape, to get away from the small town life, to get away from his father that never cared about him. His mother died when he was young. Before her death, he would witness the abusive relationship his parents would have. It was back in the old house, just moments before the fire. Damon remembered the harsh words his father would say to his mother. He tried to fight back, tried to fight for his mom. His mother promised that they would run away to New York and live together, just the three of them. They would take a car and drive North until they reached their destination. "My mother wanted Stefan and I to grow up here. She was planning to leave my father, except she didn't make it when the fire erupted. She sacrificed herself to save us. She didn't save us from him. Stef and I didn't have a choice on who to stay with." Damon looked down, only to recall the screaming. "When I came here for college, I felt liberated. I didn't have to listen to my father's rules anymore, telling me what to do. I was reckless and stupid. I did a lot of things that I regretted. After graduating, I had to... I needed to change. I needed to become the man that my father wasn't. I needed to become the man that my mother would be proud of, if she were still alive.

"My father's dying wish? It was for me not to attend the funeral. Stefan attended the funeral, and I just watched from far away. I was supposed to read the eulogy. I was supposed to speak and say somethings about the man who did nothing but abuse his wife. I was supposed to pretend that there was no bad blood between us. I hardly ever visited him. I spent most of my life avoiding the man until the day I was told he was in the hospital. That's when I saw him last. I remember him telling me that I was a constant reminder of his late wife. Stefan wasn't there. I think he was still in school. I visit my father's grave every chance I get and visit my mother's as well. I had only wish that my father's life was taken and not hers. I wish that there was more that I could have done, to save her from being burned alive." Elena stood up and wrapped her arms around him. She smoothed down his hair, only to feel his arms wrap tightly around her. "I just... I'm afraid that I was going to lose you the way I did her."

"You're never going to lose me Damon. I will always be right here." whispered Elena.

One Week Later

"Wait, you met your birth parents?" Caroline asked. Elena and her friends were in Mystic Grill. It had been exactly one week since her engagement to Damon, as well as meeting Isobel and John. It wasn't easy for her to keep the engagement a secret, considering the very sight of the ring would attract anyone out on the street. "How did it go?" Bonnie questioned.

Elena had agreed to meet with Isobel for lunch. She wasn't looking forward to it; but she would eventually have to get to know her birth mother at some point. She had to borrow Damon's car when it was time to head out. "Tell met how it goes, okay?" Damon caressed her cheek softly before she headed out. Elena nodded and kissed Damon's lips goodbye. She exited the apartment and headed out to Damon's car. She drove to the approved meeting place that Isobel had suggested. She wasn't sure what to expect when she had arrived. It was a restaurant, most likely local. Elena parked the car and entered the restaurant. Isobel waved Elena over. As Elena approached the table, she saw a man sitting with Isobel. The man's features were familiar to her-John. "Glad you could join us Elena." smiled Isobel. Elena sat down in the seat across from the two of them. A waiter approached her to ask what she would like to drink. Elena only replied with 'water.'

"I wasn't expecting company." said Elena.

"I told John that it was important for him to be here. We wanted to be able to talk to you alone. I know you have some questions, especially about why we had given you up for adoption." Elena sat in silence while Isobel was talking. "I'm sure you might feel a bit indifferent towards us, considering only finding out yesterday that we are your birth parents."

"Please, if you have any questions, ask away." added John.

"I met my birth parents while I was in New York-Isobel Flemming and John Gilbert." answered Elena. "It's weird that growing up I would refer to my... father as Uncle John. Now as an adult, I find out he's my father; and Isobel was Alaric's former wife. I'm still wondering why Alaric hadn't brought it up, or Damon for that matter."

"Damon knows Isobel?" Elena had guessed that Caroline would be the most shocked by this. She only nodded in response to her question. "Anything else happen while you were away?" Should Elena tell them the news now? She feared for what they might say or react even, especially Caroline. Before she could open her mouth, Matt and Tyler had arrived. Elena had almost thought that Stefan would've joined them. Matt apologized for the two of them being late and joined the girls at the table. "Back from New York, huh? You got any stories to share?" asked Tyler.

"Elena met her birth parents." said Bonnie.

"You did?" asked Matt.

Elena nodded, "They were closer to me than I thought. Isobel was formerly Alaric's wife, as well as being Damon's friend. As for John, he used to be called my uncle. I had just arrived at his apartment and that's where I met Isobel for the first time."

"How did you feel about meeting her?" asked Caroline.

"I didn't know what to think to be honest." Elena's phone rang before she could say anything else. She said that she had something to do and grabbed her bag before her any of her friends chimed in. As she was walking out, she ran into Stefan. Unfortunately, this incident had made her drop her bag and its contents spilled out. Stefan bent down, only to pick up the only thing that caught his eye - his mother's engagement ring. "Damon... proposed to you?"