Back from the past

Chapter 8

Flashback-
"Oh, Nik they are just beautiful," I think while picking up the flowers left on our kitchen table. I gently lift the bouquet of lilacs up to my nose. They clean like fresh laundry.
I initially resisted Nick when he originally asked me out. He was the monster who had killed my best friend's aunt. He had put us through torture as we tried to find a way to save Elena.

I was originally supposed to die.

It was supposed to be me, not Jenna. Niklaus had kidnapped me and Tyler to be sacrificed during the ritual. Even to this day, I am still not sure why but he decided to let me go. 

I notice a tiny little card next to the bouquet of flowers that reads: 

"To my dear Ana: Darling you are the love of my life. Every day I live to further prove that to you. Forever yours, Niklaus."

I stood in the kitchen, admiring the bouquet of lilacs left by Niklaus. Their sweet fragrance fills the room. As I set the flowers down, I hear a sound echo from the garden. It is quiet but catches my attention. Frightened but curious I walk towards the sliding glass door that leads to the garden. Quietly opening the door and stepping out I whisper "Nik?" hoping that with his hybrid scenes, he would hear me from wherever he was in the house. 

I hear a sound again, drawing me closer to the garden. I crept carefully through the bushes avoiding making any sounds. I began to smell the scent of lilacs mingled as I get closer. I find myself surrounded by the fading light, finally seeing tons of new lilacs planted across the paths. 

A few more steps into the garden, I notice a figure among the lilacs, partly hidden by the flowers. My breath catches in my throat, uncertainty flooding my thoughts. But as I draw closer, I realize it's Nik, kneeling amidst the blooms, his profile illuminated by the last light of the setting sun.

"Nik?" I call softly, my voice tinged with curiosity. He turns, a smile lighting up his face at the sight of me, "Ana, I was hoping you'd find me here, love". "What are you doing?" I ask, my voice a mix of intrigue and concern.

Niklaus rises, the lilacs swaying gently around him. "I wanted to create something special for you, well more like a special memory," he explains, his gaze fixed on me. "A place where our past could blend with our future." My heart flutters, worries melting away in the sincerity of his words. I walk towards him, drawn by the soft glow of the evening and the smell of the flowers.

He takes my hand, leading me further into the garden, where a small, secluded spot awaits us. I see a table covered in candles and more lilacs. "I wanted to create a spot in our garden surrounded by the same flower that I first gave you when I originally asked you on our first date". I smile, struck with happiness over the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.  

Niklaus gazes at me, his eyes holding a sparkle. "Ana," he begins, his voice steady yet tinged with emotion, "I've known fear, loss, and the burden of my past. But in you, I have found the love I have wanted for 1000 years". I stare deeply into his eyes, carefully listening to every word. 

"Every day with you has been the best day of my life," he continues, his gaze unwavering. "You've shown me kindness and forgiveness through your humanity." He reaches into his pocket, retrieving a small, elegant box. Opening it, he reveals a dazzling ring glistening under the evening light.

"Anastasia Bailey Forbes," Niklaus says, dropping to one knee, my mind lingers on each word, " I will stand by you forever if you do me the honor of being my wife" he pauses. His face becomes soft, almost like he is pleading with me. "allow me to spend eternity proving my love for you".

My breath catches as tears well up in my eyes. It's a moment suspended in time, the soft rustle of the leaves and the fragrance of lilacs surrounding us.

"Yes," I reply, my voice trembling with emotion. "Yes, Nik, I'll marry you".

He slips the ring onto my finger, a radiant smile gracing his lips. Rising to his feet, he softly pulls me into his embrace. He leans down and kisses me. 

"Forever" he whispers. 

Authors Note- 

Well, just like Nik promised Anastasia forever, it has been forever since I updated. Honestly, I just lost motivation for this story. I started this story during 2020 covid era. I was really bored and lonely and both TVD and this story really helped me. I had forgotten about it until caramujas wrote on my message board and it sent me an email. This really reignited my passion for this story and I have so many ideas. I have just finished all of my college applications so I should have a lot more time to work on this essay. Also, I will be going back and editing previous chapters. I won't change much about the story. But I do wanna fix grammatical mistakes and plot holes. 

Best, Em <3