The morning light broke softly through the thick curtains, casting a muted glow over the room. Serena stirred, her head resting against Damon's bare chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothing her back into wakefulness. The warmth of his skin, the familiar scent of him, surrounded her like a cocoon, and for a moment, it felt as if they had truly outrun everything—every fear, every wound, every person they were before. It was just them in this quiet place. No past. No demands.
But then reality, with its sharp edges, crept in.
She moved slightly, her body protesting the motion, and lifted her head to see Damon still asleep beside her, his breathing slow and even. His hair was tousled, a few dark strands falling over his forehead. In sleep, his usual wariness was gone, his guard down. He looked vulnerable in a way he never allowed himself to be when awake, as if this fleeting moment could be stolen away just as easily as it had come.
Serena pushed herself up on her elbows, the weight of the night before—of everything—pressing in on her chest. It was so easy to lose herself in him, to let the haze of desire and passion blur the edges of everything she had built for herself. But nothing was ever that simple, was it?
She sighed, running a hand through her hair, trying to push away the thoughts that crept in. They couldn't go back. Neither of them could ever truly escape the things that haunted them—those invisible chains that tied them to their respective pasts. But in this space, in this moment, they could pretend.
But pretending had its costs.
She glanced down at Damon, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against his chest. She was still reeling from the intensity of last night—the way he had kissed her as if he was marking her as his, not out of possession, but as if he was afraid of losing her again. But could they keep up this illusion? Would they?
"Serena?"
His voice, hoarse from sleep, snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. She looked down to find his eyes fluttering open, his gaze hazy but focused on her. His hand reached out, pulling her back against him, his fingers grazing the side of her face.
"What's on your mind?" he asked, his voice still thick with the remnants of sleep.
Serena swallowed, hesitating, trying to collect herself. "I was just thinking," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "About last night. About everything."
Damon's hand stilled, his fingers curling slightly against her skin as if bracing for something.
"You don't have to explain anything to me," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know what it means. I'm not going anywhere."
She wanted to believe him, needed to believe him. But a knot of doubt tightened in her chest.
"I don't want this to be temporary," she whispered. "I don't want to just be a moment for you, Damon."
He was silent for a long beat, his eyes searching hers. And then, slowly, he sat up, pulling her with him. She blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the sudden change in his demeanor. He had always been so careful—so cautious—but this was different.
"I don't want it to be temporary either," he said, his voice raw. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes narrowing slightly as he thought. "But we both know it can't be that simple. It never is."
Her heart twisted at the weight of his words, the truth that lay in them. He was right. They both carried too much baggage. Too many broken pieces of themselves to just pretend that a few stolen moments would change anything.
But she couldn't help the way she felt. She couldn't stop the pull between them. "Why is it so complicated?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why does it feel like we're always on the verge of something—something real, something worth fighting for—and then we just… stop?"
Damon exhaled a heavy breath, looking at her as if he were trying to read her soul. "Because the past doesn't let go," he said quietly, running a finger along the line of her jaw. "And sometimes, when you start to care about someone like this—when you start to feel like they're everything you never knew you needed—you can't escape the fear that you'll lose them before you ever really have them."
Her breath caught in her throat at the honesty in his words. He had always been a man of few words, but when he spoke, it felt like he was cutting straight through the layers of her.
"I'm scared too," she admitted, her voice soft. "Scared that one day, I'll wake up and realize this was all just a dream. That it was never real."
"That's not going to happen," he said, his voice low but firm. "Not if I can help it."
Serena leaned in, brushing her lips against his in a gentle kiss, a soft reassurance that she needed just as much as he did. But as their lips parted, the reality of their situation hit her all over again.
Outside the window, the sound of distant thunder rumbled, the storm that had followed them to the mountains still hovering in the air. The world was far from quiet. Far from peaceful.
And then there was the phone, vibrating on the table beside the bed. Both of them froze, their eyes locked on it for a moment before Serena reached out and grabbed it.
She hesitated before answering, her gut twisting as she saw the name flashing on the screen. Luca.
She didn't want to pick it up, didn't want the intrusion—but there was no avoiding it. Not now. Not with Damon sitting beside her, watching her with a quiet intensity that made her pulse race.
"Hello?" she said, her voice tight.
"Serena." Luca's voice was crisp, all business. "Where are you? You've been off the grid for hours. I'm starting to get worried."
Serena's pulse quickened, a cold sweat forming on the back of her neck. "I'm… I'm fine. Just needed some time away."
Damon's eyes never left her face, the tension in the air thickening as she spoke.
"You've been avoiding my calls," Luca continued, a hint of frustration in his tone. "We need to talk. It's important. It's about the deal, and about—"
Damon's hand reached out, gently placing his fingers over hers. He didn't say anything. Didn't need to. But the message was clear.
She looked down at his hand on hers, the weight of his touch grounding her. But when she spoke, it wasn't to Luca.
"I'll be back soon," she said softly, her voice steady. "We'll talk when I get back."
And without waiting for his response, she ended the call, her heart pounding in her chest.
Damon's hand lingered on hers for a moment longer before he let go, his gaze softening just slightly. "You don't have to go back, you know."
Serena looked at him, her heart heavy with the weight of the choices ahead. "I do," she said quietly. "But not because I want to. Because I have to."