Disclaimer: I do not own all of the characters in this story, the familiar names belong to the writers and creators of The Vampire Diaries.

Love Unavailable

Chapter 6.2 – Fighting for Freedom

Rome, Italy – Continued...

Elena didn't know how she had ended up in this country with a stranger, but she was so glad that she did. Every fibre in her body told her to book a flight to Italy when she finally had enough of being someone's homemaker. She deserved to be treated with more respect and she was actually beginning to see that. James had made her see that.

This wonderful man was just as broken as she was and it was easy to see that he held a lot of pain inside. He was just looking for an escape just like her and instead of sympathetic looks and 'I told you so' comments, she actually got a conversation and someone to share her thoughts.

Pushing through her own pain she was unknowingly fixing his, they were both fighting for something everyone wanted, freedom.

It was due to these thoughts that she had woken from a wonderful dream in the middle of the night. Rolling onto her side and picking up her phone, she found that the time was 2:37am. It was too early and yet she found herself with so much energy. She was wide awake with the biggest smile on her face.

Elena couldn't stop thinking about the tall handsome man who resided in the hotel room across the hall. She had never been this head over heels for a man before, her ex-boyfriends were all school friends or family friends, but James was a stranger, a man she met across the globe.

Across the hall…

James had been tossing and turning for the last hour, all he kept thinking about was Elena. She was a blessing in disguise. He hadn't thought about his problems, or at least they hadn't been in the forefront of his mind in the last few days. He was healing and the time away was doing him wonders.

He hadn't heard from his family, but a simple text to his brother sufficed to let them know that he was still alive.

Yesterday had been one of the best days of his life, and he didn't want to go to bed. Afraid that if he went to sleep that it would be a dream. He wanted Elena, she made him feel…everything and it was refreshing to feel this free.

Lost in his thoughts he almost missed the small knock at his hotel room door. He was going to ignore it, someone was probably trying to get into the wrong room. As he lay their trying to relax the subtle tapping at the door was heard again. Sighing in frustration James removed the sheets and climbed out of the comfortable bed.

He opened the door with more force than necessary, scaring the person who was at the door which was indicated by the soft gasp.

"I'm..I'm sorry" the person stuttered nervously as she looked everywhere but at his face.

"Elena…" James felt guilty for terrifying her with his unnecessary actions, but he didn't think that it would be her knocking at his door in the army hours of the morning.

"I didn't..I'm sorry if I woke you." Elena folded her arms hoping tour make herself smaller, the sudden rush of confidence disappearing as quickly as it appeared.

"You didn't, I just…come in" James opened the door wider and Elena began to smile as her presence wasn't unwanted. Maybe just maybe this was a good thing.

Elena found herself looking around at a room that was identical to hers, only it was the opposite way round. When she had done a full scope of the room her gaze landed on the James. She had finally noticed his attire, or lack of. Wearing just a pair of grey pyjama bottoms, his chest and abdomen was bare. She took notice of every ridge and curve of his toned stomach.

Without knowing Elena had licked her lips while practically gawking at him. James just seemed to find humour in the situation. When Elena had eventually taken her eyes of his chest she blushed with embarrassment, and then she closed her eyes to calm herself.

Elena was taking a moment to quell the embarrassment that had reached the surface, but what she didn't expect was to hear footsteps doing towards her. Seconds later the softness of his hands were on her cheek and when she opened her eyes she was met with his smouldering eyes. Elena couldn't look away and it wasn't his hand keeping it frozen in place, she didn't want the moment to end.

James slowly moved in closer, lowering his head merely inches so that his nose was touching hers. He waited, silently asking permission to continue. The brunette in front of hi. Didn't indicate otherwise and so he placed his lips on hers earning a moan. Hearing the pleasure from Elena only made him deepen the kiss further.

Elena traced her hand over his bare chest as James ran his fingers through her brown straight hair. The urge to be closer to each other was prominent, their bodies fit like a puzzle. James tugged at the tank top that separated her skin from his, lifting it only a little so that his hand could explore her more.

Only breaking the kiss for the removal of Elena's clothing, they made their way to the bed. Elena gathered her bearings when the back of her legs hit the queen size bed. Her eye held firmly shut as James lowered her onto the cool sheets of the ruffled bedding. Her fingers roamed the unruly bed hair while her other hand tugged at the remaining clothes that separated them.

Soon enough all the clothes had been removed. James leaned down closer, kissing her neck and listening as a moan erupted from Elena's mouth, he searched for her hand. Grasping her left hand he's lowly guided it beside her head. It was a gentle gesture holding her hand while he made her feel intense pleasure just by placing his lips on her collarbone.

They explored each other's bodies, looking for the most pleasurable spots. It was just them, no one else, no other thoughts. Lost in a moment of freedom and it was only when they reached their peak that they felt complete ecstasy.

The first sign of morning light broke through the dark drapes. It was James who woke first, instantly remembering what happened hours before and the confirmation lay on his chest. Her breathing was light, her hair slightly tousled. She was perfection, so he just laid there and watched her sleep.

A while later he felt movement and the head on his chest slowly titled back, he came face to face with the beautiful woman. Her eyes squinted a little to help adjust to the light, and only a stray piece of hair was out of place, settling against her cheek. But he didn't care, instead he leaned his head down and kissed her.

"Good morning" James said happily, while moving the strand of hair off her cheek.

"Morning" she replied with a smile on her face. Elena rolled onto her back and shuffled back to lean against the head board, she turned to face James with a light blush kissing her cheeks.

"I don't…this is a first for me. I don't..usually sleep with a guy I've only know for a week." Elena stuttered as she tried to convince this man that she wasn't the slutty type of person. She'd never done this before, one night stands were never her thing and this…well she wasn't sure what this was but she couldn't find herself regretting it.

James nodded, trying to reassure her that he didn't think any less of her. He was about to say something in reply but the room was filled with a rumble which came from the petite woman beside him.

"Someone worked off the food last night. So, how about we order room service?" James smirked as Elena was wide mouthed at his blasé comment. But she nodded nonetheless.

Before the food arrived Elena had put on Elijah's dress shirt, held together by only two buttons and Elijah clad in just his pyjama bottoms. He wasn't the type to be embarrassed by his bare chest.

A knock at the door alerted them that Elena could finally feed the monster inside, as the hot scrambled eggs and toast called to her, the cup of coffee was also a bonus. Instead of silence they began asking questions like it was a game.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She asked as she took another bite of toast.

"Yes, four brothers…well three and a sister. My youngest brother died, cancer." James kept his voice calm and tried not let all the emotions he was hiding slip out.

Knowing that he didn't want to talk about it, Elena answered her own question "I have a younger brother, he's currently studying in Denver."

James was grateful for the distraction, he didn't want to think about his family as it was clouded with death. But that morning James was willing to open up just a little because for some strange reason he felt that she could be trusted. Eventually sharing what turmoil in his

I've brought him here and his secret wasn't the only one revealed. They were both needing a sounding board, it was just strange to find it in a person who had just as much heartache as the other.