I can't believe this is it, 40 chapters of a story that I thought would last ten, maybe twenty. Almost 400 reviews, over 130,000 words, 250 followers and 141 favorites. I honestly can say that I didn't expect for this story to work, have any followers or to invest as much time in it as I did. And I'm proud to say this is my first completed writing project. Thank you all so much for the continued support, you all are amazing.

Check out my new story if you have time! ( Flash Forward)

"I'm thinking the orchard. We'll have to do a run through of the vows before we send out the invitations so its timing is perfect during sunset. But then I guess we'll have to take into account the changing seasons and then daylight savings too." Caroline prattled on.

I was far too concerned with my finance who was sitting beside me kissing the side of my neck and nibbling at my ear while Caroline had her back turned than with whatever she was saying. I giggled as his hands found my sides and tickled me slightly.

"ELENA DAMON!" Caroline shouted. We both jumped and glared at her.

"Stop being cute and pay attention to your wedding plans." Caroline ordered. Damon pouted prettily before smirking and pressing one more kiss to the corner of my mouth before obediently looking back at Caroline with his smirk in place.

"Alright wedding planner Barbie continues." I stifled a chuckle and scooted closer to him. Caroline rolled her eyes before turning her back to us again.

"Remind me why we let her do this?" He whispers in my ear, I shivered. His blue eyes were trained on mine with a playful glint.

"Because she threatened to follow us on our honeymoon if we didn't and I'd rather not have audience for whatever we do. And she also threatened to fire me." I said with a smile, just looking at him, appreciating my fiancé. God I loved being able to call him that. Soon I would be Mrs. Salvatore. I would finally be his, and he'd be all mine.

"Mmmm that's right." He said against my hair, making me squirm against him.

"And you are very right, Mrs. Salvatore, I don't want an audience, I don't see us getting out of bed much. Unless you're into that sort of thing, I live for your pleasure my dear." He smirked and did that eye thing I love. My body burned from his words, he smirked back at me knowing exactly what he was doing to me.

"I'm not Mrs. Salvatore yet buddy. It's Gilbert to you. And, no. I think I want you all to myself. Now you better stop before I tell Caroline to leave and I take you home and to bed." I warned as he continued his assault on my neck.

"Hmmm. Soon enough Ms. Gilbert. And I quite like that plan, I haven't seen you naked in what like four hours? I'm going through withdrawals." He pouts. My mouth opened in shock.

"Jesus Christ Damon should I call a press conference and you can tell the whole country or do you want to just keep screaming it?" I asked as I shook my head at him. I twisted my ring around my finger and tried my best to listen to Caroline and visualize the place on our wedding day. But the details didn't matter to me, I doubt I would notice what color flowers I was holding, I'm pretty sure I won't remember the cake, even now the only thing I can think about is Damon waiting at the end of the isle for me. I guess you could say I have a one track mind when it comes to him.

And as I sat with Caroline obsessing over my wedding and Damon's hand rubbing circles on my back and his bright eyes smoldering into mine I thought of how we had even got to this point.

I was going to throw up. Everywhere, all over my nice white dress. Why was I so nervous, my feet weren't cold. They were on fire, I couldn't believe today was finally the day he became mine for the rest of my life. Maybe when we'd go out now girls would stop staring at him since he had a ring on his finger, doubtfully.

"Elena fifteen minutes, we have to start walking down soon!" Jenna shouts from downstairs, which makes me pace even faster.

My long dress drags along the hallway had walked thousands of times, sneaking into Damon's room in the middle of the night; us sprawled out in the middle of the hall reading books. I smiled as I paced past the door of my old room. Have been back in Italy, home for 6 months. It was strange how easily everything fell back into place when we got home. Caroline's offer for a job still stood and I took it. We ended up only working at the company for a month or two before we decided we could do better on our own. Caroline opened her own design studio and I took care of the business aspect's, the label just got picked up by the largest department store chain in Italy, I couldn't be more proud of Caroline.

Even on my return, there were no hard feelings. Stefan and Giuseppe welcomed me back with open arms and were both thrilled to hear about the engagement. And honestly, I thought things couldn't get any better. But the past six months have been perfect, I fall more in love with him every day. I'm feeling better than I have ever felt, and I'm finally learning to forgive myself and move past things. I'm not afraid anymore, I'm not afraid to let people in because yes, there is going to be loss. But there's always going to be love too. And with that realization I stopped my pacing and walked down the old staircase that I had run up angrily after meeting Damon the first time, kissed him on, ran down trying to get away from him after the barn and eventually climbed again when I returned home.

I started the walk to the isle behind Caroline, Jenna and Bonnie who were chattering excitedly. You couldn't wipe the smile off of my face if you tried, and as we came over the hill I heard the music. This was actually happening. Jenna smiles widely at me before she places her arm on a smiling Rick's elbow. They start to walk down the small hill slowly and I watch as Caroline and Klaus as well as Bonnie and Jaime disappear.

"Elena." A deep voice calls. My head swivels and I smile even wide as I see him. Giuseppe is smiling at me, his green eyes soft and full of tears as he places an arm out for me.

"You look beautiful Elena. Damon's going to have a coronary." He chuckled. I laughed and hugged him. I couldn't have picked someone better to give me away in place of my own father.

"Thanks Giuseppe." I smiled and grabbed his arm, took a deep breath and came over the top of the hill. There were a lot of different things to look at a wedding, especially at your own wedding. But all of them paled in significance next to him, he stood in an all-black suit at the end of the aisle with his head down and his hands wound together. But then he looked up, and the pure joy on his face and sparkling in his eyes made me almost stop in my tracks. If I didn't have Giuseppe next to me ushering me along I would have stopped and stared at him. He was so gorgeous and so happy, and so…mine. This is it, exactly what I wanted, him.

There was no slate clean enough on the planet to give myself the fresh start I had always thought I wanted. But I was searching for the wrong thing. I know that now, I don't want a clean slate, because if it wasn't for those years or pain and torment I wouldn't have found him, I wouldn't have fallen in love with Damon. I want every mistake and misfortune to be out in the open, I wanted to be accepted and love despite all of my marks and blemishes. And I had found it with Damon. And with the months that passed, turning to years I learned there was nothing more valuable in life than love. Love between siblings, friends, family, and the love between my husband and me.

My love for Damon is always changing, like the woods in autumn. You are attracted by bright eyes and colors that look promising and the new and strong feelings it represents. The vivid colors have a shelf life though and all good things come to an end eventually, time will change it.

Winter is an unforgiving season, sharp. It retaliates bitterly and rabidly. You are forced to adjust and adapt. The winters will be cold, as cold as the words we yell at one another when we fight, because everything we do, we do with passion. But when the spring comes around we thaw, we remember all the good things, every emotion that had attracted us in the beginning.

Everything feels like new again. But when the fall comes back around, you suddenly remember that it was all worth it, because his love doesn't die, his love doesn't wither, it's relentless and resilient, withstanding any fight, storm or problem. Our love is a constant cycle set in motion by nature. It wasn't supposed to happen but it did, and I thank god every day for it.

I know I'll be okay, because when he's with me, the pieces fit. The gaping hole I thought would remain unfilled is overflowing. And for however long I live and he is by my side in heaven or hell, I am Damon's. All of me. No shards of who I used to be, only who I am now.

As a reader, you see a story with a finite begging and end. As a writer, you say that the end is never the end, just the beginning, and the start of a new story. There will always be characters you wish you wrote more of, more detail, better story arcs and loose ends that remain untied. There's always something more, there's always more than one interpretation, that's the beauty of writing, for every person it's different, you walk away with something different. I honestly hope that I left no unanswered questions or unresolved plot holes ( that were too major) , reflecting back on the story I know I could have done better and balanced it with more from supporting characters, but I'm using this as a learning experience for my next writing pieces. Thank you so much for your continued support, for reading, reviewing and being a part of the story, I'm very grateful to have you all.

Thank you soooooo much.

Emily

* p. s stop by my page and read my new stories if you have the chance*

There was no slate clean enough on the planet to give myself a fresh start 8i had always thought, but i was searching for the wrong thing. I know that now, i don't want a clean slate, because if it wasn't for those years or pain and torment i wouldnt have foumd him. My love for Damon is always changing, like the woods in autumn. You are attracted by bright eyes and colors that look promising and the feelings it entails. The vivid colors have a shelf life though and all good thints come to an end eventually, time will change it. Winter is an unforgiving season, sharp. it retaliates bitterly and rabidly. You are forced to adjust and adapt. The winters will be cold, as cold as the words we yell at one another when we fight, because eeryhing we do we do with passion. but when the spring comes around we thaw, we remember all the good things, everything feels like new again. But when the fall comes back around, you suddenly remember that it was all worth it, because his love doesn't die, his love doesn't wither, it's relentless and resilient, withdtanding any fight, storm or problem. Our love is a constant cycle set in motion by nature. It wasn't supposed to happen but it did, and I thank god everyday for it.

I know I'll be okay, because when he's with me, the pieces fit. The gaping hole I thought would remian a void is overflowing. And there are no shards of who I was, there's only who I am now. and right now and for however long I live and he is by my side in heaven or hell, I am Damon's. all of me.

As a reader, you see a story with a finite begging and end. As a writer, you say that the end is never the end, just the beginning, the start of a new story. There will always be characters you wish you wrote more of, more detail, better story arcs and loose ends that remain untied. There's always something more, there's always more than one interpretation, that's the beauty aid writing, for every person it's different, you walk away with something different.