Chapter Six

My lips were numb from the pressure of my fingers against them. Damon stood across from me, his chest rising and falling quicker than normal. My eyes had adjusted to the dark around us so I could make out the lazy grin on his face. Neither of us spoke, afraid to ruin the moment that had just occurred between us. We weren't supposed to be like that. Damon wasn't supposed to kiss me and light my nerves on fire. My toes were still tingling.

"What just happened?" I broke the silence with a whisper.

He looked toward the ground and shook his head. "I like you, Elena. I've never pretended that I don't."

"I like you too," I admitted. "I'm scared."

Damon grabbed my shirt and pulled me to him. He smoothed my tangled hair from my face and sighed. "There should be a handbook for this sort of thing."

"How to Date A Terminally Ill Chick?" I mumbled against his chest.

He laughed and then I laughed. Just like that the tension was broken. That's what I had come to really enjoy about him. He didn't take anything too seriously and he knew how to handle me specifically. We both were stumbling around the unknown but at least I didn't have to do it alone. I never thought it would happen but that night, that kiss, cemented his presence in the rest of my life.

The house was quiet. My mother had gotten up early and headed off to the beach to set up our jewelry. Damon was supposed to come over so I stayed behind to wait for him. He'd promised me he was working on something huge for our next adventure and I knew he wouldn't disappoint. It was a little after ten when a strange car pulled up in the drive. I opened the front door and watched as Damon got out with a huge smile on his face.

"What's with the convertible?" I called through the screen door.

"This vintage machine," he motioned to the car, "is transportation to our next destination."

I looked at him, puzzled. "I'm missing something here."

He grabbed me by my shoulders when he approached and pushed me backwards into the house. "We're going on a road trip. A long road trip. I suggest you get packed because we won't be back for a while."

I laughed in disbelief. "Are you serious? What about Journey?"

"A friend is keeping her now go on, pack your things." He pushed me along without even answering my question.

I did as he asked and packed my medium suitcase full of essentials. I had no idea where we were going or how to dress so I brought a mix of everything. Damon took the bag from me once I reached the living room. I smiled, unsure but trusting.

"Ready?" He asked when he returned from loading my bag into the trunk of the car.

"I just want to leave my mom a note." I grabbed the dry erase marker and scribbled a note on the refrigerator.

"I think maybe you should actually say goodbye to her, Elena."

"Are we not coming back?" I asked, confused.

"Of course we're coming back. It's just…you never know."

He was always using my own logic against me. "Fine, I get it. We'll stop."

We stopped to see my mother and she was hesitant because I couldn't tell her where we were going but she wished me well and sent me on my way. He had put the top down when I returned and was waiting patiently in the driver's seat.

"Did you plan on telling me where we're going anytime soon?"

He passed me a map with dozens of little marks all over. I unfolded it and studied carefully.

"We'll end up in Georgia."

"Wait, we're driving to Georgia?" My mouth was stuck open.

He nodded and started the car, pulling off toward the 405. "And we're going to stop and see anything and everything that interests us along the way."

My throat tightened with emotion. "You would take all this time out of your life to drive me home?"

I couldn't see his eyes through the sunglasses but I knew he was looking at me. "We won't get this time back; you know that. I'm taking advantage of right now."

"Damon…"

"I know you feel like it's all too much but this is as much for me as it is for you. I want this too."

He grabbed my hand and held it tightly over the gearshift. We didn't talk again for a long time and it was alright with me. Just being there with him, holding hands and feeling the wind blow all around us was enough. Sometimes situations and actions didn't need a commentary. Sometimes you just need to stop and let the air around you speak. That only lasted until a good song came on the radio and I had to turn it up. Damon grinned at me as I pulled my hair into a tight bun and danced in my seat.

"So where to first?" I asked. "What grand sights will we see?"

"Have you ever been to Vegas?"

"Las Vegas!" I clapped my approval, unable to contain my excitement.

"We'll be there in about four hours," he said, laughing.

I did a little happy dance and turned back to watch the highway slip by. I propped my feet up on the dash and got comfortable. The air was warm, warm enough to dry your skin with a simple breeze but I didn't complain. We were on our way to a cross country adventure.

The drive to Vegas was far more exciting that I'd imagined. We laughed over the Bill and Ted references I made as we passed through San Dimas. I took pictures of the world's largest thermometer and then we pulled over so I could pose with the thing.

"Oh yeah…work it, baby. That's perfect!" Damon cat called as he took pictures of me next to the gigantic thermometer.

"That thing is incredible." I remarked as I approached him, rolling my hair back up into a messy bun.

He reached into the back seat of the car and pulled out an old school Polaroid camera. "You are incredible."

My face burned with a blush but that didn't stop him from snapping a photo of me. "They still make film for that dinosaur?"

"Hey, don't knock my Polaroid. This," he shook the camera lightly, "gives me instant gratification."

I took hold of his free hand, rubbing the back of it with my thumb. "Take a picture of us, right here with that monster as the backdrop."

"Okay," he said with a smile.

We flipped around and he aimed the camera at our faces. He snapped the button and the photo came flying out the front. I pulled it away before he could and waved it around in the air. When the two of us finally showed up only our noses and above were in the picture. I tried to convince him to take another but he claimed it was perfect. I let him have his way so we could get back on the road again.

The closer to Las Vegas we got, the more alive I felt. It was hard to believe, in that moment, that I would be gone one day. I would just cease to exist but the world would go on around me. Everything and everyone would move on. It was enough to cripple a lesser person but, not me. It only made me more determined to leave my mark in everyone's hearts because that's all I had to offer.

"Would you want to stay overnight?" Damon turned to me, pulling me from my own head.

I thought about us, alone in a hotel room. It seemed appealing enough. "Well, I've never been gambling or eaten at a cheap buffet with Chinese food and pizza all in the same room."

He patted my leg before returning his hand to the wheel and shortly after we were pulling into the city. He pointed out the important places to me as I took pictures and reveled in the immensity of it all. "When the lights come on tonight we'll have to go sightseeing. After we eat at a cheap buffet of course."

I smirked but let him get away with the comment. He pulled up to a hotel and I stepped out as the valet opened the door for me. Someone came running out with a cart and took our bags from the trunk. Damon and I never lifted a finger.

"This is surreal," I said as I observed the casino and all the people milling around.

On our way to the room he had just secured a ball of nervous excitement was building in my stomach. When he opened the door and I realized he'd paid for a suite I squealed and immediately jumped on the king sized bed. He took a picture of me with his Polaroid from the entryway.

"Let's go get something to eat," he offered, holding his hand out for me.

"Yeah, sure." I was breathless from the jumping.

The buffet was an entire room. It took me ten minutes to decide where to start and I was very upset when I couldn't try everything I wanted to try. After I'd eaten in three different countries without leaving the room we ventured out into the streets where the sun was still mid way in the sky.

"I've never done anything like this before," Damon admitted.

"A road trip?"

"No, I mean...with a girlfriend. I've never let someone in and let go before. I've always been a fairly private person when it came to relationships." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him.

"This is your life, Damon. This is our life. Everything we do is important so we'd better make it worth our effort, right?"

His arm fell from my shoulders and grasped my hand tightly. "I have to be honest, 'Lena. This is turning into so much more than a road trip for me."

I stopped walked and turned to look into his eyes. There was a depth that I'd seen from him before but this time I wasn't concerned about him falling for me. We'd already crossed that line and we were in no man's land. We were too far in to turn back.

"You'd better make every moment worthwhile then." I turned away and he followed me easily; a soft smile on his face.

The strip was chaotic, for lack of a better word. I had trouble taking it all in and the sun hadn't even fully set. We walked and talked until it did. I made up my mind that I needed a souvenir from every place we stopped in and Damon thought it was an excellent idea. He pulled me into a quirky little shop and disappeared.

He reappeared moments later with an authentic looking peace pipe in his hand. "LOOK what I found!"

I gave him a puzzled look. "Why are you so excited over that peace pipe? That is a peace pipe, right?"

"Man smoke peace pipe," He grunted.

"Damon! That's so offensive!"

He laughed and apologized but he still bought the damn pipe. My first souvenir and it was a smoking device. Actually it was a replica. I couldn't even smoke from it if I had wanted to. The Polaroid of me next to the Native American statue out front, holding the pipe amused him to no end. It was the look on my face; the sarcastic look on my face.

My feet were killing me when we got back to the room. I wanted nothing more than to shed my clothes, put a t-shirt on and fall into bed. Of course, I wasn't sure how to accomplish those things with Damon staring at me, silently.

"What?" I asked self consciously.

"Nothing," he said with a dimpled smile.

I surveyed the area, deciding to change my clothes in the bathroom. Damon's hand shot out at the last minute and halted my near escape to privacy.

"Hey, I want to change my clothes." I fought against him halfheartedly.

"Do I make you nervous?"

The look in his eyes made me blush instantly. "A little bit…yeah."

"I thought we were past that after the night in the graveyard." His hand was caressing my stomach but I hadn't realized it because of my nerves.

"I just…I don't know the protocol. Are you…well what I mean is, are we…together? You called me your girlfriend before but..."

He spun me until I was facing him. I dropped the clothes I had in my hands in a pile at my feet accidentally. Much like the night we danced his hands held me firm at the hips. He curved his neck and bent until his lips met mine for our second kiss.

The only difference was, I reciprocated the second time and I may have peeled his shirt from his body without realizing it. I wasn't sure of anything until my own shirt came off and was tossed across the room. His hands against my skin were pure pleasure and pain because I wanted it so much. Still, something wasn't right. I wasn't all there but, saying the words was near impossible with Damon's lips against my neck.

"Wait, just stop a minute." I finally managed to find my voice.

He backed off slowly. "Are you okay?"

I almost kissed him again. "I don't think we should do this yet."

Happy 4th of July for those of you in the US. This chapter ends abruptly and I've tried a few times to add on but none of it felt right. In the end, I left it like it was. I can live with it if you can. Enjoy!