Slowly blinking her eyes open, Ana froze. Her breath stayed stuck in her throat. This is it. A tiny voice in her head murmured. All you have to do is open that door.

Her hand hovered over the handle yet... yet she couldn't physically bring herself to. Was it fear? Or was it something else? All Ana knew was that she'd waited years, centuries for this moment. Too long.

Looking behind at the winding plantation corridor behind, Ana gave herself one last mental vote of confidence before turning the handle, bursting into the room like she'd been pushed.

There he was, standing by the mantelpiece. At first, he didn't look around. For a second, Ana forgot that Klaus was still in the dark about her memory restoration.

"Ana. I... I thought... You swore never to come here." Niklaus finally turned around with furrowed brows, the mere look in his emerald eyes sending goosebumps across Ana's arms. "The divorce has been done, you don't need to come here anymore. I've released you."

Finding her voice, some tiny wisp within her, Ana finally murmured "I remember everything, Niklaus. Everything."

At that, Klaus stilled.

"I want to be here. With you. If... If you'll still have me."

He nodded feverishly, darting across the room faster than ever and slamming Ana against the wall behind them both, his eyes alit with passion. "You... You're telling me that you remember it all? Every second?"

Ana nodded, her lips parted. "All of it. The slow dances, the hidden notes in books, the forest walks, the way you lit up the gardens for me, the... the... I..."

"Shh." Klaus put a finger to Ana's lips, his eyes narrowed softly. "Breathe, darling. You're safe. I... Gosh. I didn't know."

After sucking in yet another breath, Ana nodded. "Yes, I told 'Lijah to keep it that way. I wanted to surprise you. You did wait so long, after all."

"It was bloody worth it." Klaus finally broke out in a grin. "But anyway, I suppose there are more important matters to attend."

"Like what? I'm sure the Quarter can wait, I've just come back to life! Jeez Nik, always the conqueror, wanting more ground, more power, with your bloody hybrids too! Couldn't even spare a moment for you beautiful-"

"Fiance."

Looking down, Ana finally noticed Nik on one knee, a ring clasped wearily between his calloused fingers. "Marry me again, Ana, darling? And this time we can do it right, I promise. No memory loss, no psychotic siblings, no vampire rituals. Just you and me."

Ana suddenly quietened, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What's the matter, love?"

"I... It's just a lot to process." Ana admitted, putting a hand over Nik's. "But of course I'll marry you. Nik, I haven't wanted anything more. I... I still love you. Five hundred years and your stupid charms still work on me. My knees still go weak at that grin, my dead heart still beats for you. I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson."

Nik grinned once more, scooping Ana into his arms, her petite frame fitting perfectly. "Well? What are we waiting for? There's a chapel down the road and Elijah can officiate."

"I'm not even going to ask why." Ana giggled, pressing her lips to Nik's in a flurry of passion as he carried her out of the room.

They made it there in the end, didn't they?