Here's the next chapter! I'm getting really into it and I really like how their relationship is turning out (: Please review.
"We're here," Damon nudged her gently before smirking, the attitude returning. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."
Elena stirred, moaning before opening her eyes to look at Damon's endless blue eyes. Wait, how was he that close? It was then that she realized that the armrest between them had been lifted and she was curled against him, his arms wrapped around her. Her face began to turn red and Damon's smirk only widened at her realization.
Before she could end up admitting how comfortable she was, she jerked back, reluctantly pulling out of his arms. She nodded, a bit flustered and casually glanced out of the window trying to look occupied—avoiding his hypnotizing stare.
It was dark—was it supposed to be dark? Weren't they supposed have made it during the day? It took her a second to realize that the sky was covered with dark clouds.
"Looks like there's going to be a hell of a storm." Damon murmured over her shoulder.
Great. Elena didn't like the sound of that. She hated storms—she was terrified of them, even. But she couldn't tell Damon that, at least not until she knew it was absolutely necessary to.
Elena turned back and nodded grimly at him. "Doesn't look like we'll be doing anything you planned today."
Damon hadn't actually planned anything for that very day—they had time in Barcelona and he figured they needed time to find and settle into a hotel. He didn't book a hotel because it would be easier to track them and he didn't really bring along any credit card with him since that would be trackable as well. He had cash. They would have to stop and convert it, but it was more than enough to last them a good amount of time.
When they exited the airport, it had already started raining.
"Are we getting a taxi?" Elena asked, holding on to her carry on—Damon had refused to let her carry anything else and she wasn't surprised at how expertly he pulled the suitcases along.
Damon nodded and waved a taxi over, the driver getting out and helping him with the bags despite his protests. When they were inside the cab, Damon spoke in fluent Spanish as if he was a native. "¿Hay buenos hoteles por aquí?" He asked the driver. "Are there any good hotels around here?" The words fell out of his mouth so perfectly, like velvet and Elena couldn't help but swoon (she didn't realize it, though). Damon glanced her way and smirked and she felt her cheeks redden and she looked away. Spanish had always been a blow off class—it was easy to pass with flying colors as long as you made an effort. She had learned a good amount of Spanish after four years though, so she was able to catch on and guess that Damon had asked the driver about hotels in the immediate area.
"... Sí, pero ¿cómo de fantasía le gustaría que el hotel a ser?" ...Yes, but how fancy would you like the hotel to be? And the driver glanced at Elena then at Damon, assuming the two were there as a couple—honeymoon perhaps?
Damon paused, looking between him and Elena, understanding the look in the driver's eyes, slightly amused. "El más elegante." He answered with a smirk, sitting back and wrapping arm around Elena's shoulder. She furrowed her brows at him and began to push him away, giving him a questioning look.
Damon didn't fight it, he just continued to look amused but let her go.
Elena was looking out the window, trying to take in everything she could of Spain but it was hard as the rain began pouring down, making it difficult to see.
She could hear the driver hissing curses in Spanish. Elena looked over at Damon who rolled his eyes. "I think we're going to need to stop here." He muttered.
A few seconds after he had informed her, the taxi driver stopped the car and turned around to face them. "Lo sentimos, pero no puedo conducir en este tiempo." "Sorry, but I can't drive in this weather."
Damon nodded. "No, esta bien. Gracias." "No, it's okay. Thank you." He answered, going into his pocket and handing him thirty US dollars which converted to about 21 euros. Elena started to get out of the taxi but Damon stopped her. "Wait until I get all of the luggage, don't need to you to get more pelted than you can be." She nodded and waited as he got out of the cab, took out the suitcases then opened Elena's door.
The second she stepped out, she gasped at how hard the rain was falling, clinging to Damon instinctively. "Where are we going now?" She asked him, refusing to look up and get a face full of rain.
"There's a motel right here, we can stay there until the storm ends." Damon told her, leading them into the rather cheap motel.
He went up to the desk and asked for a bedroom with two beds but apparently, there was only one room open at all and it only contained one king sized bed. It would have to do. Besides, they weren't planning on staying in there very long. After taking the key from her, he compelled her to forget they ever came, make sure that room service never bothered their room number and erase all records of a 'Senor Salvatore' ever being there.
The two of them made their way to the room quietly—just like the taxi ride. But as soon as they stepped inside, Elena frowned.
"Damon…" She said.
"Hmm?" He asked as if there was nothing wrong.
Actually, if you got passed the gray walls, the old, rusty smell and overall depressing look, it wasn't that bad.
"Is this all they had?" She asked with a sigh.
"Yep." Damon nodded. "Just deal with it."
A few hours later, they were settled in, sitting on the bed together watching a Spanish soap opera, laughing and giggling through it.
"Por que, Elena, por que?" Damon mimicked the man on the screen as she burst out into more laughter.
Then suddenly the lights went out.
Her hand automatically reached out for Damon and she hadn't realized that she her hand had landed on a very awkward place.
"Whoa, Elena." He grinned in the dark. "If you wanted me that bad, all you had to do was say the word."
Elena bit her lip and drew her hand back. "That's not funny, Damon. The power just went out."
"So?" He pressed.
"So… that means the storm's getting worse."
"And…?"
"And that's not good, Damon!" She said, frustrated by the entertainment in his tone.
"Come on, Elena, you're not afraid of a little rain, are you?" Damon teased her.
"No." She said stubbornly, glad that it was dark, but still turning away from him after realizing that he had enhanced eye sight. She ignored the chuckles that came from her side.
It was late at night now and after the jetlag finally set in, Elena decided to go to sleep. She didn't know how she was able to with the storm—she must have been really tired.
Damon had moved to a small couch in the corner of the room, giving Elena the bed.
There was a loud crack outside and a flash of lighting which caused Elena to wake up with a scream, panting and sweaty. She hadn't been only been scared of the storm, but she had a dream about Klaus killing everyone that she loved—leaving Damon for last.
"Damon!" She cried. Before she could take another breath, he was there by her side, cradling her in his arms protectively.
"Shhh…" He whispered as she curled herself into his arms. "Are you okay?"
Elena took a while to reply, her sobbing continuing for a few seconds before slowing down enough for her to answer. "Y-yes, I'm terrified of thunder storms. And I had a nightmare… And Klaus… Klaus was killing everyone and he was making me watch. Oh, God, Damon. He was killing everyone and told me that it was all my fault. And then you…" Her voice was shaking. "You… were last. He saved you for last. And he killed you right in front of me. And I wanted to die. I wanted it to stop." She was bordering hysteria.
"Shh, hey, it's alright. I'm right here. I'm alright, Elena. It was just a dream." He assured her gently, kissing her hair and pressing her tighter against him.
"What if that happens? I can't let him kill you, Damon." She whispered.
"It won't." Damon promised.
He remained there, holding her until she fell asleep and that was when he fell asleep too.
Like two lovers locked in an embrace.
My apologies if I messed up the translation and the monetary conversion!