Title: Words Left Unspoken

Summary: The little looks and touches between them never mattered too much. Until today that is. Future Damon/Elena-ish. One-shot, maybe more if you guys like it

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Lyrics at the end belong to Stone Sour and all copyright holders.

A/N1: I know I should probably be updating Push and Pull, but I was inspired by the chorus of the song, "Hesitate" by Stone Sour. No real spoilers – just set sometime in the future, maybe 5 years down the road. And sorry, for writing yet another wedding-related fic. I seriously don't know what's come over me…If there's anything wrong with the details of the ceremony (Most of the info is taken from , lol), let me know and I'll try to fix it asap.

Damon opened the window and looked out. The day was perfect – a nice mild day in late May, with no rain in the forecast. The window overlooked the Founder's Hall's gardens, where the wedding ceremony was to be held today.

He looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his tie for the hundredth time that morning.

He adjusted his cufflinks before he looked at his watch. The guests would be arriving in a few hours. He could already hear the girls frantically yelling and rushing Elena around the opposite side of the building.

He took a deep breath and opened the door.

He wasn't nervous at all. Actually, he had been dreading this day for a while now.

Today, his brother was getting married to the love of his life.

He had been talking to one of the guests for almost half an hour now. Damon was bored; he can only talk about the Salvatores' "ancestors" for so long. He decided to go upstairs to check on Stefan. He was the best man, after all. When he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a frantic yell on the other side of the building. It was from Elena.

"Caroline? Can you help me?" Damon walked over to the guest room and peeked inside. Elena was in front of the full-length mirror, leaning forward and trying to grab one of the ends to the satin ribbons lacing up the back of her white dress.

"Damon," she gasped, seemingly out of breath.

"Is everything okay in here? You look like you're about to pass out," he joked.

"Gee, thanks" she said, rolling her eyes. "I've been up here for hours, Damon. I'm in panic mode and my ribbon got untied. Bonnie and Jenna already ditched me an hour ago. Caroline was my last hope but she seems to be gone now, too," she explained.

"I think I saw Barbie running to the bar a few seconds ago," he chuckled casually.

"Great," she mumbled, letting go of the strings and throwing her hands in the air.

"You know, the last time I checked, Stefan was reading a book and the early guests were enjoying themselves in the garden. Do you need help?" Damon offered.

"Just my stupid dress…I can't reach it," she sighed exasperatedly, vaguely gesturing towards her back.

"Hold still," he stated. Elena nodded and stood up a little straighter. Damon had barely brushed her shoulder with his hand when she took in a deep breath. He felt her heartbeat increase rapidly in a matter of seconds before he gently moved her hair to the front of her body. He locked eyes with her in the mirror, and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. She turned her head away as she wrung her fingers in front of her.

His cold fingers grazed the bottom of her neck and she shivered involuntarily at the contact. He traced his fingers down the interwoven pattern before moving his hands back up to the top to individually tighten up each strand. He lifted his eyes again, meeting hers in her reflection.

"I never pegged you as the frantic type. I mean if Caroline took off…" he started lightheartedly, sensing her uneasiness with him. Her shoulders relaxed slightly at his comment. Even though she was marrying Stefan, it didn't mean they had stopped their flirty banter, sexual tension, or whatever one wanted to call it. But he knew that Elena still loved Stefan, and Stefan was still the right choice.

"I think I should be excused on this particular day," she replied.

"So other than anxiety, are you okay?" he asked, his concentration turning to the back of her dress again.

"Better now that you're here," she admitted. "Because you're helping me with my dress," she added quickly. He arched an eyebrow, but he didn't push her. Instead, his hands stilled as he stared at her intently again. She stared back at him with equal fervor, and there was an unspoken agreement about not bringing up the subject of them, not just for today, but for the rest of their lives as long as she was married to Stefan.

He directed his eyes down and focused on her dress again.

When he had finished tying the bow near the bottom of her torso, he looked up, relishing in her beauty and elegance and everything that was uniquely Elena. He knew that this was going to be their last moment.

And so he didn't move away. Instead, his left hand lightly rested on the curve of her waist and his right hand gently brushed her hair back to its original place, his fingers grazing her collarbone ever so slightly. He inched closer to her, his chest pressing dangerously close against the arch of her back. He looked at her in the mirror. She wasn't backing away; it was as if she were waiting for his next move. His lips moved to her ear, and her entire body stiffened at his proximity.

"You look beautiful," he whispered. Her breathing hitched, but he knew it wasn't because of the tight dress.

"Thank you," she said softly, "You clean up pretty nicely, too."

He simply nodded and gave her a warm smile. She bit her lip and her eyes flitted to the wide-open door. Their little moment was over, and Damon remembered that this was his brother's bride – no longer just the Elena he had known for years. Whatever understanding they had going on before needed to stop. He quickly averted his eyes and cleared his throat, stepping away from her as if she were the plague.

"My brother is a lucky man," he commented, shifting the conversation, "Treat him well."

And with that, Damon left her with her fingers lightly touching her cheek, where she was still feeling the lingering sensation of his warm breath.

When Damon reached Stefan's room, he found him asleep on a chair with a book over his chest. Damon somehow felt relieved and guilty that his brother never heard his encounter with his soon-to-be wife. Damon strode over to him quietly.

"Stefan!" he yelled suddenly. Stefan stirred awake immediately.

"Crap, what time is it?"

Damon chuckled, as Stefan sat upright and threw his book to the side. "You have about 45 minutes until the big show. You might want to fix that bedhead of yours," Damon said, further messing his brother's hair with one of his hands.

"Damon!" he growled, getting up and heading to the bathroom.

"What? You were taking a nap! I actually had to deal with the guests!"

"Did you check on Elena?" Stefan asked.

"Yep." Damon nodded, suddenly not feeling so chatty.

"How is she?" Stefan asked, looking at his hair in the mirror

"As expected…nervous and crazy."

"Tell her it'll be okay – to stop stressing out."

"When was I relegated to the messenger?"

"Fine, nevermind. Go mingle with the guests; Elena's friends have a bunch of moms who are probably tipsy by now," Stefan said, rolling his eyes.

"You suggested it, not me," Damon smirked. His hands were in a show of surrender as he sauntered towards the door.

When he greeted a few ladies at the door, he had every intention of turning on the charm.

But all he thought about was the way Elena had looked at him upstairs.

He was such a lousy brother.

It was finally happening. All of the guests were seated. He was standing behind Stefan, with Tyler and Jeremy to his right, underneath a large silk canopy decorated with flowers and lights. Directly facing him were Elena's bridesmaids – Jenna, Caroline and Bonnie. They were all waiting for Elena to come out. He saw a flash of white, and the room went dead silent in an instant.

She was like a vision in white to him as she linked arms with Alaric. Her walk was a blur to him. He tried to focus on the friendly, little waves and appreciative gestures she made to the guests, but all he thought about was how radiant her she looked.

When she reached the podium, she smiled at everyone there, before she quickly turned her eyes away from Damon. He didn't blame her, and Damon diverted his attention to the priest instead.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Mr. Stefan Salvatore and Miss Elena Gilbert in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

There was a brief pause as everyone looked around. He felt Elena's eyes on him, but Damon just stared at his shoes silently.

As the priest continued with his readings, Damon tuned him out. This was it. Elena and Stefan were about to become one. Everything was about to change.

When Elena exchanged vows with Stefan, her eyes never once left the white paper in her hands and for that, Damon was grateful. When she tore her eyes away, she was greeted by Stefan's overwhelming smile as he took out the rings.

"I, Stefan Salvatore, give you, Elena Gilbert, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." Stefan glided the ring up her finger easily, as the photographer snapped a picture.

"And I, Elena Gilbert, give you, Stefan Salvatore, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day," she spoke softly. Her hands were shaking like crazy, and Damon wasn't sure if the unsteadiness in her voice and her body were signs of pure nerves and excitement or indecision and unease. He was hoping for the former, because that would make this transition much easier.

"Do you, Stefan, take Elena to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And do you, Elena, take Stefan to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

Damon watched Elena as she looked around at the small number of guests in attendance, their expectant stares and smiles ushering her into her happily ever after. She gave a smile back to everyone. But when her eyes reached his eyes, their eyes locked and time seemed to stop around them.

His mind raced with thoughts and images that had consumed him less than an hour ago – the delicate ribbons of her dress between his fingers and her warm, creamy skin against his cold, calloused hands. He imagined what it would feel like if he were the one to untie her dress tonight. He watched her body tense, and he knew that in that instant, she was reliving the same moment between them earlier today, too.

But this was wrong. He had given her up to Stefan a long time ago; he wasn't going to go back on his word on their wedding day. So instead, he shook his head and mustered his most reassuring smile, urging her into wedded bliss with his brother.

"Elena," Stefan gently nudged. She focused her eyes back to Stefan, even though her attention was somewhere else. Everyone waited for the two small words to escape her lips.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

I see you, but I can't feel you

Anymore, so go away.

I need you, but I can't need you

Anymore, you hesitate

A/N2: I know this was a terrible cliffhanger…This was supposed to be a one-shot because of the song, but I'm definitely open to continuing it if anyone's interested. As always, reviews are welcome!