Forever Is Not Enough

Plans

1865 - ?, Virginia

Elena inhaled deeply, taking in the warm air with a smile. Spring would be coming to an end soon, and she cringed at the thought of walking around in the heat once summer came. It felt good now, though. A breeze shielded her from the sun's stronger rays, but she was warm enough that she could feel her feet and hands. In the past months, she'd noticed that they were so cold that they grew numb. A doctor they had long since left behind told her it could be a symptom of poor circulation, but nothing to worry about. She didn't think of it again.

Since the love of her life died, perhaps even earlier, Elena had struggled with her faith. Before, she was known for her devotion to the church, but she had grown hesitant. It occurred to her that it was because love made her selfish. When Damon left, she asked God why. When he was gone for months and months, she prayed every day that He kept him safe. When she learned of Damon's injury, she began to doubt His kindness. When he was dead, and she looked into his eyes that were cold and blank, she didn't see God. She didn't see the Devil either. She saw nothing. Once Damon had returned to her, though, she began to feel guilty. Damon had come back to her, and in the end, all was well. She knew it was time for her to return.

Around her, men, women, and children went this way and that. All of them, including her, had just finished at church, and now they were busy socializing and making plans. Elena didn't know a single one. She sat quietly on a little bench outside the door. Damon still hadn't come back yet to escort her home. He had to leave early, with Stefan in tow, when they both found that sitting in the small room packed with bodies was much more distracting than they thought. Katherine hadn't come, of course, so it was up to Damon to ensure that his brother had made it a safe distance away. The thought of leaving with them crossed Elena's mind, but she decided she needed to stay. She couldn't keep up with either of them anyway, and her presence would only overwhelm Stefan.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Damon approaching from far away, but even at this distance she could tell he was itching to run in that way he did. He was like a child with a new toy. He wanted to run and use his new strength so much that he felt he had no use for walking like normal. He had no choice here, though.

She stood and laid a hand on her belly, which was much bigger now, though Katherine said she was still far from done growing. As she began walking toward him, she could feel his agitation grow. His hands twitched at his sides and his smile was forced. He hated for her to walk alone, for fear that she would grow exhausted without his arm to lean on. If they were alone, he would be at her side in a moment, but they weren't, and someone was always watching.

Admittedly, fatigue did begin to creep up her legs and seep into her lungs the longer she walked, but she smiled anyway, trying to keep her breathing steady. Finally, when they were just close enough and he couldn't bear it anymore, he did run – as fast as a human could, anyway. It made her laugh to see him in such a hurry. "Darling," he sighed, relieved when she was at his side. He snaked a hand around her back and wrapped the fingers of his other around the hand on her belly. She smiled widely, as she always did when he was around, and he placed a soft kiss on her cheek, allowing his lips to linger there for just a second too long.

"Are you feeling well?" she asked him.

"I'm fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "I could have lasted the whole service, but Stefan was behaving strangely. First, his fingers began to twitch, and then he stopped breathing altogether. I thought it best he left."

"I'm glad you removed him." She was. Only a few weeks after he earned his daylight ring, he lost it. Even though Katherine wouldn't say anything, Stefan eventually told Damon she had caught him in a brothel. Anyone who was still living when she discovered him was just barely so. They had to flee much farther and quicker than normal that time and Stefan lost his ring for a month. Damon had tirelessly dedicated himself to keeping him under control ever since.