I really like this chapter, so I hope you do too. It's longer than what I usually write, but I couldn't stop. If anyone has any other ideas on what they can do in Italy, pass them on. I have a few more ideas and a couple of sites with lots of ideas on them, but if there is anywhere you would like me to send them, then pass them on. Their relationship is going to slowly start heating up in the next couple chapters. They had the necessary talk in this one and now they understand each other better. I have never went more than 5 chapters without smut in a story before, so lets see how long I can let this go, shall we? It won't be for a couple of chapters yet. As always let me know what you think. Reviews are food for the muse.
I don't own anything canon to the show or the books, my writing however is mine
"This is even more breathtaking than the pictures." she sighed as she stood on the balcony overlooking Sarteano.
"Yes it is. I knew I would find you up here." he said leaning against the railing.
"Am I that predictable?" she asked turning her head towards him.
"A little bit. Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'm out of sorts a little bit. I mean normally if we went on a vacation together, the entire time would have been spent having sex and just being together. But now I never know if being with you if going to cause a massive fight leaving us more damaged than before." she said.
"We shouldn't worry about that. We'll never get back to who we used to be. But like we talked about on the plane yesterday, we have to work on us, but we'll work on us slowly. We can start with just talking like this. It's easy for me to admit to you how much I miss you, and how much I still love you. But I don't expect those words to leave your lips now. I've put you through so much shit in the last little while. We are here to work on us, but we'll take it slow. We have lots of time." he said.
"I miss you too. But it is so beautiful up here. This is so amazing. I'm going to grab my camera." she said flashing away. He smiled and took a deep breath as he waited for her to come back.
Elena returned seconds later with her camera and took a picture of the scene in front of her.
"So what do you want to do today?" he asked.
"I want to go swimming." she said eyeing the pool with a faintly disguised yearning.
"Go for it. I may come down there in a while and join you." he said.
"Sounds good. It is your pool." she said.
"If you don't want me to, I won't. If you want to be alone." he said.
"No its fine. We should be able to hang out together and not fight." she said brushing it off.
"Okay. Elena, I really hate this awkwardness between us. It has to go away." he said.
"I know Damon. I'm just not sure how to get rid of it." he said.
"Okay. This is how its going to go. We are going to sit in the hot tub and talk rather than swim right now. Come with me. This is a conversation we need to have, or else we can never move forward." he said running a hand through his shaggy hair.
"Okay. I know you're right." she said walking into the bedroom. He followed her and she shut herself in the bathroom so she could change into her swim suit. He quickly changed into his and grabbed them both towels from the linen closet before she came out of the bathroom. As always when he laid his eyes on her, his breath was taken away. She was a sight in a black bikini.
"God Elena, are you trying to kill me?" he asked groaning.
"I'm glad I still have that effect on you." she said giggling.
"You will always have that effect on me. No matter how much we fight, you always turn me on." he told her.
"You turn me on too. That was never a problem." she said.
"At least we still have that effect on each other. Come. Let's go have that talk that desperately needs to happen." he said reaching out and taking her hand, pulling her out of the room. She revelled in the feeling of her hand in his. It was one of those feelings that still made her feel like everything was alright in the world. That there was nothing that could hurt her. He led her down the stairs and out a set of french doors to the pool area. They walked hand in hand to the hot tub and climbed in.
"So what do we have to talk about?" Elena asked.
"I guess I need to know what I did wrong in our relationship. What did I do to cause all these fights we've had? If I know, then maybe I can fix it." he said, not used to being this open and desperate.
"Oh boy. It wasn't anything you did per se. I started picking fights with you because I lost what meant something to me." she answered.
"What do you mean? If I took something away from you, I apologize." he said.
"No you didn't. It's just over the past few months I've remembered what it was that I wanted out of life. I wanted to do so much before I turned, and now some of it's not possible." she said.
"Like what?" he asked.
"I wanted to get married." she answered.
"I never said we couldn't. If at some point you wanted to marry, we could. I have nothing against that." he said staring at her.
"Okay, I wanted to have a family. So badly, that it's caused me a lot of stress lately." she admitted.
"You should have thought of that before you decided you wanted to be with me. Elena, there's not much you can do now, because you're a vampire. There's no going back. But before you changed you could have decided not to be with me and you could have married and had a child." he said.
"But then I would be having this issue with a different man. Except that time it would be choosing a child over you. Except the difference between that and this is that, I wouldn't have any reason to fight for him because he's not you. I don't regret choosing you. I don't. I love you and that's never going to change. It's just hard to get past knowing that, the other thing I wanted most in the entire world is never going to happen for me." she explained.
"As long as you don't regret me. If you did I would say there's nothing left for us and we would be cutting this trip short. There's no point in continuing this if there's nothing left to fix." Damon told her.
"I don't regret you. I couldn't. But that's all that's bothering me. It's mainly just that I will never be a mother." Elena sighed.
"There are other option for that as well Elena. And yet again it is something I'm open to, should you realize that you can't live without it. There is surrogacy, or even adoption. Elena there are options available to you, so you needn't not get whatever it is that you're looking for." Damon said.
"I know. Is it something you would actually be okay with though in the future?" she asked.
"If it meant that you would stay then yes. I hate how dependent on you I am, but the facts are the facts. I would do whatever it takes to make sure you're by my side for an eternity." he confessed.
"But what about when the child is old enough to notice that its parents aren't growing any older? Or how to we broach the subject of vampires to our child? That is not a conversation I am anywhere near ready to have." Elena said running her hands through her hair.
"When the child notices it, then we sit them down and tell them vampires exist. I've noticed that the band-aid approach is the best. We make sure they know that nothing and no one will ever hurt them." he told her.
"But wouldn't it be smarter to tell them as early as possible so they're used to it as they grow up?" Elena asked.
"We could also do that. You see, there are several things that we could do. And it's not impossible for us to get everything that you want. If you find that you need it at some point then it will happen. Okay?" he asked laying his hand on her arm tenderly.
"Okay. So what about you? What are your issues in our relationship?" she asked needing to get all of this out.
"Just that everything started changing. You got all hot and cold, at least now I understand why. We started fighting about everything so I stopped trying." he said shrugging his shoulders.
"Is that it?" she asked.
"Pretty much. It didn't matter what I did, you got pissed. So I stopped trying, and I started doing things that I knew would piss you off, just to start fighting. Because even fighting was better than nothing." he admitted.
"I'm sorry about starting all those fights." she said.
"Me too." he apologized.
"So what now?" she asked feeling energized after getting all that off her chest.
"Well we could do some sightseeing." he offered.
"That sounds amazing. Where should we go?" she asked.
"Well normal people would stay around Sarteano. But not only do I have a Ferrari sitting in the garage, but I can also drive super fast. So pick anywhere." he said.
"I would rather choose something near here for today. And then we can spend a whole day in somewhere like Rome or Venice another day. It's already noon, and I don't want to sleep away from here. I love this house." she said.
"Sounds good. There's actually quite a few places around here that we could go. There's historical sites, wineries, religious sites, museums, art galleries, and other things." he said.
"Wine tasting might be good. Maybe we can even buy a bottle and bring it home to share for dinner." she suggested.
"I have a whole cooler full of wine. But that's not a bad idea. More wine never hurt anyone." Damon agreed.
"Where is it?" she asked.
"10 miles east of here. There's a bigger one 25 miles north though. So you can pick." he told her.
"15 miles isn't going to make a big difference to us, considering you drive like a lunatic. Let's go to the bigger one." she said.
"Good idea. And you love how I drive. Let's go get changed and then we'll leave." Damon said pulling himself out of the hot tub and helping her out. They walked back into the house with considerable less distance between them than before.
Once they were done changing Damon led her down to the garage where the yellow Ferrari was sitting in the garage.
"Yellow seems like too bright a colour for you." Elena noted, knowing Damon's like for the darker, less bright colours on the spectrum.
"I bought it on a whim. I still like my Camaro better." he told her unlocking the doors so she could get in.
"You bought a Ferrari on a whim? How much money do you have?" she asked shocked.
"More than enough to by a Ferrari on a whim. And this house. And all my other houses. Money is something that just accumulates when you have unlimited time on this earth." he told her.
"Well." Elena said shaking her head, not knowing how to respond. Damon started up the car and opened up the garage as they sped onto the road.
"Can we take the drive slow? We're in no hurry and it's not a long way." she said.
"Certainly. If you see something on the way that you want to look at, let me know and we'll stop. Do you have your camera?" he asked.
"Of course I do. This place is too beautiful to not have my camera wherever I go." she said.
"There is a fridge full of blood back at the house, you'll be fine until we get home, right?" he asked just remembering about their dietary needs.
"I'm good. I had two bags when I woke up this morning." she said.
"Good. Let's get going." he said pressing down on the accelerator and speeding up a bit. It didn't take them long to reach the winery. There was no sign saying they were there until they reached the old building. On the building was a sign reading "Montemaggiore Wine and Country-houses."
"Here we are." he said parking the car and getting out.
"Good afternoon. Buon giorno. How can I help you?" the man said in a heavy Italian accent.
"We're here for wine." Damon said.
"Ah yes. Of course. We make the best wine here. Come with me." he said gesturing for them to follow him into a fairly run down building. Elena stopped walking so she could snap a picture of it.
"We're like regular tourists. I love it." she whispered much too low for the man to hear. They followed him into the building, which Elena realized was likely an old barn.
"Do you know what you're looking for, or would you like to taste what we have to offer?" the man asked.
"We would like to taste." Damon told him.
"Okay." the man said grabbing a few random bottles of wine off the shelves. "Where are you from?" he asked.
"We live in the US. But I own a house in Sarteano." Damon explained politely.
"Very nice. Sarteano is beautiful countryside." he said as he opened up the bottles and poured small amounts into glasses. They tasted wine for a while, some of which caused Elena to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
"You did not like that one miss?" the man asked.
"No. Very bitter." she said shaking her head.
"Ah, so you like sweeter wine." he said nodding his head and giving her a glass of a different one. Elena was glad she was a vampire, because all the wine she had ingested should have made her tipsy by now.
"That one is much better." she said of the easy to swallow wine.
"Have you found one you like yet?" Damon asked.
"I like this one. Taste it." she said handing him the glass. He had decided to let her take the reins on choosing a wine, because he liked almost anything with booze in it.
"That's good." he agreed.
"I like it. So much more than the other one's I've tried." she said.
"Do you want it?" he asked.
"Yeah." she said nodding her head.
"We'll take this kind." he told the man.
"It is one of our most expensive wines. Do you wish to know the cost?" the man asked.
"No. I just want the wine. The cost doesn't matter to me." he said.
"Okay sir. I will be right back. How do you wish to pay for this wine?" he asked.
"Credit card." he said. Elena grinned at him.
"I have never drank so much wine in my life." she whispered.
"Your reactions to some of them were so priceless." he noted.
"Shut up. Some of them were vile." she said shaking her head. The man returned to them carrying the bottle of wine and a credit card machine. Once the wine was paid for they walked back to the Ferrari and started the drive back to the house.
"So Mister Cooking Extraordinaire, what are you making me for dinner tonight?" Elena asked when they parked in the garage.
"I'm thinking of something that compliments this wine. Just so you know we are drinking this whole bottle tonight." he said.
"I was planning on it. This is the first wine I ever fully liked." she said.
"Well that's good. I was also thinking while we were out, that we should try to take us slow for a while. Kind of get the hang of not fighting before we dive right back into us." he suggested.
"That sounds good to me. I don't want to rush things." she agreed.
"Me neither. Now come. Let's see what there is to eat in this house. Tomorrow we'll hit a grocery store." he said. She followed him into the kitchen and looked through the fridge.
"Antonio and Bella take such good care of the house when I'm gone. They even bought groceries. I must remember to give them a bonus." Damon said as he took in the full fridge.
"They seem really nice." Elena agreed.
"They are. I knew Antonio's grandfather and great-grandfather." Damon told her.
"Really how?" she asked.
"I spent a lot of time here in the past. Anyways, do you want to listen to music while I cook?" he asked.
"Sure." she said. He flashed out of the room and grabbed his Ipod from the bedroom before returning and putting it in the dock located on a shelf. The music started playing immediately and he started pulling random items from the fridge with a clear idea in his mind.
"I have an idea." Elena exclaimed from her spot sitting at the island counter.
"What?" Damon asked.
"Why don't we save the wine for later, maybe in the hot tub or something, and then we can invite Antonio and Bella over for dinner. You usually make enough food for more people." she said.
"That sounds fine. Wine in the hot tub sounds magnificent. A little bit romantic. Just because we're taking the sexual aspect of our relationship slow, doesn't mean we have to take the romance part slow too." he said.
"Exactly. If you want I'll go over to their guest house and invite them." she offered.
"Sounds good. Tell them to come by around 6." he said glancing at the clock.
"Alright. I'll be right back." she said rushing out of the house.
Elena walked over to the bigger of the two guest houses and knocked on the door. Bella answered with a smile on her pretty face.
"Miss Gilbert, to what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked politely.
"Call me Elena. Damon and I want to invite you and Antonio over for dinner tonight." Elena said.
"Oh, we couldn't. This time is for you and Damon. A vacation." she said.
"We insist. We have plenty of time to be alone. We want you to join us for taking such good care of the house while Damon has been gone." Elena told her.
"When we heard that Damon was coming back we had to clean the house and supply it. He hasn't been here in so long. I know my husband misses having someone around to wait on." Bella said.
"It's just natural to miss Damon. I miss him too." Elena said softly to make sure that he didn't overhear her.
"How do you miss him dear? He's with you all the time?" she asked confused.
"The past year or so has not been a happy time for us. We've spent almost the entire time fighting, we're here to repair our relationship." she said.
"I have faith that you will fix it." Bella said patting her arm.
"We already are. We worked through our issues today, now we're just taking it slow to get back to where we were." Elena said.
"I'm sure you'll get there. I will tell Antonio that you want us over for dinner when he gets home. What time should we be there?" she asked.
"Damon said 6. I think we're eating at the al fresco dining area." she said.
"It is going to be a lovely evening. That is an inspired idea." Bella stated smiling at Elena.
"I will see you at 6. I have to go see what Damon is up to in the kitchen." Elena said grinning. Bella smiled back and shut the door as Elena walked back to the main house.
"Did you have a good talk with Bella? You were there for quite a while." Damon asked when she walked inside.
"I did. She's nice." Elena said.
"Yes she is. She's like the mother I haven't had in a very long time. What did you two talk about?" Damon asked.
"Nothing much. You didn't try to listen in?" she asked.
"I learned long ago not to listen into your conversations." he said.
"I'm glad. That's a very good lesson to learn." Elena laughed. A little while later they seen Antonio's truck pull up in front of the guest house. Elena sighed happily when she saw Bella come out and kiss Antonio when he got out of the truck.
"They're so in love. Look at them." she said.
"It's good to see." he agreed.
"Do you think we can we like that again?" she asked.
"I know we will be. I don't know about you, but I feel closer to you already after our talk this morning." he said.
"Me too." she agreed. Damon pressed a kiss to her temple before going back to the stove to stir the noodles he had boiling and to check the chicken he had in the oven.
At 6 o'clock sharp Bella and Antonio knocked on the door carrying a bottle of wine.
"Come on in." Elena said.
"Thank you. We brought this to drink with dinner. I have never tasted food that this wine doesn't go good with. I own several bottles of it. I thought we could all enjoy it." Bella said giving the wine to Elena.
"Thank you. I'll put it in the wine cooler to chill." she said walking back into the kitchen.
"Is there anything we can do?" Bella asked.
"If you want to take these plates to the table, that's all that needs to be done." Elena said.
"For sure." Bella said taking the plates from Elena and walking outside to the eating area.
"So much wine." Elena said grinning.
"Just don't get too tipsy." Damon joked as he grabbed the food and carried it outside while Elena followed behind him with the wine and four glasses.
Between the four of them they finished all the food that Damon had cooked, and the entire bottle of wine. The two humans were a bit buzzed and were laughing a lot.
"This was a lovely evening. Thank you for inviting us. The food was exquisite." Bella said as she stood up.
"Thank you for coming." Elena said.
"We should be heading home. Antonio has to work at his father's farm in the morning." Bella said patting her husbands thigh.
"Have a good night." Elena said.
"Thank you. You as well. Do you want me to come by and clean tomorrow?" Bella asked Damon.
"No. It's fine. We can take care of it. Relax. Sit by the pool. You do too much work for this house as it is." Damon said shaking his head.
"Oh okay. I will take care of the flowers though if you don't mind. I enjoy the gardening." she said.
"If you want. You don't have to clean the house at all while we are here. We can clean our own messes." Damon told the older woman.
"Well thank you. Maybe I will get to go see my children and grandchildren this month." she said happily.
"You should." Elena said proud of Damon for giving the woman time off.
"Good night." Bella said as she took Antonio's hand and led him out of the house.
"That was really nice of you." Elena whispered as they walked back inside.
"Sometimes I find it in me. I like Bella and Antonio. I know they work their asses off when I'm not here, keeping the house looking incredible. They deserve time off too. What do you say one of us does dishes, the other one tidies up. Whoever gets done first gets bragging rights." he suggested.
"I'm in. I'll take the tidying." she said.
"I'll take the dishes. On your mark, get set, go." he said as he flashed into the kitchen, and she flashed outside. They worked at vampire speed and were finished in no time.
"I win." Elena said.
"Not a chance. I won." Damon said staring at the completely clean kitchen.
"Ha. You did not. Stop cheating Salvatore." Elena said glaring at him.
"Stop cheating Gilbert." he said imitating her.
"Rock paper scissors." she said holding her fist out.
"I am not playing that childish game. Let's just call it a tie." he said.
"Wimp." she said.
"It's a tie god damn it. I'm going to change into my swim suit again. We still have that bottle of wine to drink." he said.
"Fine. It's a tie. " she said finally giving in. She followed him upstairs and quickly changed into her swim suit before grabbing the bottle of wine from the wine fridge. Elena met Damon by the hot tub and climbed in, placing the wine on a little floating table in the hot tub. She laid her head back and relaxed while she was waiting for him.
"You're so beautiful. You know that." she heard him whisper.
"Thank you." she said opening her brown orbs to look at him.
"You really are." he told her moving around the hot tub to sit closer beside her. She poured them both a glass of the wine and handed one to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him. They drank their wine in silence and she could feel his eyes on her. She turned her head and her gaze locked on his blue one. As if connected by some magnetic current she leaned in until there was only a breath of space between their lips. He closed the rest of the space and kissed her.