Salvation (TVD Fan Fiction)

Chapter 7

***Damon’s visions are not coming to him in chronological order! He is receiving them randomly***

Previously:

Damon's eyes narrowed at the Claddagh ring on her finger. "THAT is my problem. I know what those mean. And the manner that you are wearing it suggests you are unavailable, that you are romantically linked to someone. So, pray tell, if it isn't Rowan, then who is the lucky man? The suspense is killing me." he sneered.

Rhiannon had not anticipated that he would notice her ring. She looked down at the piece of jewelry she had cherished for more than 100 years, and smiled softly. If Damon was jealous of whoever had given her the Claddagh ring, jealous of whoever she was 'romantically linked' to, then he was jealous of himself. Damon had given her the ring after the night of the first Founder's Ball. Rhiannon remembered how he looked that night, the innocence all over his face, trembling with nervousness as he placed it on her finger.

Rhiannon blurred to his side. Damon blinked and tried to distance himself from her, but she caught his face in her small hands.

"You, Damon. That lucky man is you."

**************

3rd POV

Damon blinked rapidly, not quite believing Rhiannon’s words. He stumbled backward, bumping into the doorframe, and once again his sight left him.

In this vision, Damon and Rhiannon were in a carriage, on her way back from the Founder’s Ball at the Lockwood estate. He fell in love with her all over again, looking at her across from him, the moonlight glinting off of her porcelain skin and her cinnamon-colored hair shining. Damon knew from looking at her that he wanted to spend the rest of his days with Rhiannon. When they arrived at Leamineagh, he helped her from the carriage, and pulled her securely into his arms and kissed her. Damon broke the kiss, and reached into his jacket pocket.

“I have something for you. I would like nothing more than for you to wear it, if you would,” he told her nervously. Damon could practically feel the rush of blood to his cheeks as he watched the human version of himself fumble with opening the ring box.

He slipped the Claddagh ring onto her right ring finger, watching her face light up. “I love you Rhiannon. Most ardently. I long for the day that I may place this ring upon your left hand and pray to God above that you will do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

Damon saw Rhiannon’s eyes water, and she threw her arms around him strongly, nearly knocking him backward. “And I love you Damon. I will love you until the end of time. Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife.”

The vision faded and Damon re-gained his sight to see Rhiannon staring back at him. Her eyes were vast green pools, full of love. The intensity of emotion emanating inside Damon even after the vision subsided overwhelmed him. He knew she was being truthful with him about the ring. He would’ve been certain of that even without the vision’s validation.

He had given her the ring.

He really did love her.

Rhiannon’s eyes told him that she loved him back, that she had always loved him. Damon wanted to accept this truth, to embrace it. Part of Damon wanted to rejoice and revel at this, but the other part screamed at him to distance himself as much as possible from her. Love made him vulnerable, and he knew his heart couldn’t handle the devastation of another break.

I can’t do this, he thought. Not again. If she really did love me, if we really loved each other, then where has she been all these years?

Rhiannon saw that Damon was struggling, and she instantly wished there was something-anything-she could do to make it easier for him.