*I'm falling even more in love with you,

Letting go of all I've held on to

I'm standing here until you make me move,

I'm hanging by a moment here with you*

-Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse

*****

ELIANA

"Are you sure you feel okay, mama?" Damian asked after his mom refused to eat again. Margie hadn't been able to keep anything down that day though she refused to tell him. She didn't want to worry him anymore.

"Go on you two, I know you have things to do." Margie waved us off, but I didn't miss the pleading look Damian gave Caroline. She nodded in understanding, silently promising to stay with Margie.

Damian took my hand in his and we walked downstairs then outdoors to the garage. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and watched as the garage opened seemingly on its own.

My mouth fell open when I saw two beautiful, expensive cars staring back at me and taunting me with their worth. To the side were two motorcycles, the one I had seen before and a more modern grey one.

"Close your mouth," Damian said, pushing my chin up. "I'm getting ideas and I need to focus on making this meaningful thing number one perfect."

I nodded, feeling how his calloused thumb traced my bottom lip. Feeling bold, I let my tongue graze it. Watching his reaction was my favorite part.

"We'll see what that mouth of yours can do later," he smirked.

Deciding to give him a little taste, I sucked his thumb into my mouth, dragging my tongue over it. His gaze darkened, lust overtaking what had been until this point playfulness. I released his finger with a pop, pressing a kiss at the tip.

"I promise," I said, mustering the most seductive voice that I could, "My mouth can do many, many things."

With the knowledge that now I had the upper hand, I turned my attention back to the motorcycles. They were beautiful and though I had no idea how they worked or details about them, I knew they were probably worth more money than I had. Damian cleared his throat behind me, now ready to continue.

"As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, this is meaningful thing number one. We are going on a ride together."

My eyes widened. I had never been on a motorcycle and it sure as hell didn't seem safe. They were nice to look at but-

"Stop freaking out," Damian said interrupting my train of thoughts.

"Which one are we taking?"

Damian walked over to his vintage motorcycle, looking on it with affection. "I wanted us to drive this one, but it's not safe for a passenger so, we'll take the Ducati instead."

"Sounds expensive," I muttered.

"It's Italian," he replied with a shrug.

I rolled my eyes, "Cocky."

"You like my cock...iness."

I glared at him, but couldn't help but smile at his smart ass reply.. "Why don't you ever use this one?" I asked.

"The Falcon was my dad's," he said with a smile. "He left it to me when he passed and when I finally began working I had it all fixed up in order to use it. I don't know, it just feels like he's with me when I'm on it."

I knew then that I would always remember this moment. It was the first time he ever talked about his father with me and it made me happy and proud.

"Anyways, I always ride alone so there's never been the need to use the Ducati, until now."

"Oh, whatever. You mean to tell me that no one's been on your motorcycles?"

"Never. That's why this is meaningful thing number one."

There was a silence that spread between us in that enclosed garage, but our gaze didn't waver from each other. Something so simple like sharing a motorcycle wasn't supposed to be this intimate, romantic even, and yet the idea that I was the first to ever share a moment like this with him made me feel like I did, in fact, matter to him more than he let on.

Damian pressed his lips together and grabbed a two helmets. He walked up to me with a smile and placed it on my head.

"I'm claustrophobic," I mumbled. "I don't like this."

"Well, I would like for you to keep your head intact so..."

For the second time I rolled my eyes at him, earning a chuckle. He nodded satisfied when it was secured and then began explaining what I was to do. "Hold on to me, at all times okay? If you need me to stop or are afraid tap on my shoulder twice and I'll pull over."

I bit my lip. I was beyond nervous but I found that despite everything, I trusted him. He mounted the motorcycle with ease and I just knew, I would probably fall trying to do so. He gave me an annoyed look and you know what's coming, right? Woman balls.

I swung on to the motorcycle, surprising both myself and Damian when I didn't fall or tip us both over. I placed my hands on his shoulders and with one of his, he guided them around his waist. I wrapped both my arms and pressed my cheek on his back. I didn't realize he was tense until he sighed, as if relieved that I was leaning into him. He squeezed my hand in front of him and then I felt and heard the engine coming to life.

"You ready?" He asked. I nodded against his back. "Alright, keep your eyes closed until you feel comfortable."

The idea of keeping my eyes closed made everything worse, but I complied, closing my eyes as I felt the motorcycle begin to move. It was slow at first and I knew we were still in his property when our surroundings were quiet, but when I heard the movement of cars next to us, I became nervous, squeezing him tight.

It seemed like an eternity before I started to relax as I felt the cool evening breeze on my face and when I let my eyes open, we were on a highway. I smiled at the beautiful view of the city beneath us. The lights from the buildings bright and shining, illuminating the world surrounding us. I found myself pulling back, mesmerized by everything.

Before I knew it, I felt Damian laughing and I did the same. Somehow feeling the wind on your skin, seeing everything so close and letting the speed consume you was liberating. He pulled out of the highway and I realized we were now in the outskirts of the city. The road around us was quiet, and I saw endless meeting the horizon.

"Where are we?" I asked, shocked that the stars appeared so large and close from here.

"This is meaningful thing number two," he said turning off his motorcycle. "These are my lands."

"You're kidding," I said, feeling how he shifted to get off the motorcycle. He shook his head and took off his helmet before helping me off the motorcycle.

"No, not kidding. They've been mine for a year now but I haven't figured out what to do with them yet."

As if by an act of magic, a blanket was thrown on the grass and then a bottle of wine was in front of me. "A drink?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Novass?"

"I don't need to get you drunk, Ms. Cruz. Not necessary." He poured some wine in a glass (which had also appeared magically) and offered it to me. I drank it in a gulp, somehow feeling nervous once again.

I sat between his legs on the blanket he had set on the grass and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"It's beautiful," I murmured.

"Yeah," he whispered. I turned my face to see him, but he wasn't looking at the vast property. He was looking at me. His gaze dropped to my lips and I tilted my face up to kiss him. I moaned into his mouth when he deepened the kiss, reaching up so that my hand would rest on his hair. "So beautiful," he repeated.

My heart stopped beating in that moment yet surprisingly, it was as if it was also coming alive. He smiled, pressing a kiss on my forehead.

"So, how did I do?" He asked, resting his head on mine. "I didn't know if I could do two meaningful things at once, you never specified that."

"You did good," I said, quietly.

Beyond good.

If I thought I was in deep like before, now I was not only in like but also in deep shit. Because if at the end of this whole thing he didn't feel the same about me, I would be the one to end up broken.

"Did you like the motorcycle?"

"I did," I smiled. "It was fun, it feels freeing. Liberating. As if the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders."

"It does." He pulled a blanket over us and I cuddled further into his embrace. For a moment I thought the gesture would put him off or scared him away, but Damian welcomed me and I took in his scent. "I've never known what to do with these lands," he murmured.

"Why did you buy them?"

I felt him shrug. "I saw them and wanted them, so I bought them. I want to do something that does them justice though, I'm just not sure what that is."

I nuzzled into his neck when I felt his hand dipping between my legs. "Damian, what-"

"Shh. Just feel."

I let my eyes close as his fingers worked me. My hands fisted his shirt as I tried to contain my moans of pleasure but nothing I could do would ever be able to stop the eruption going on in the pit of my stomach. The soft words he spoke, the way he touched me and the way he looked at me as I came undone in his arms, just by his touch, was beyond anything I had ever experience. His lips met mine in a passionate kiss as he settled over me, covering us with the blanket.

It didn't take long before we were both lying naked and he was inside me. My arms wrapped around his neck and his lips never left mine. It was as if we needed every part of our body to be connected to the other. I felt pride in the way he lost control every time we were together like this because I knew that no matter how much he hid it, Damian was not as unaffected as he tried to be.

"You feel so fucking good," he murmured. "I can't get enough of you."

His words were enough to send me over the edge and he followed. We fell asleep there, in the middle of a large piece of land, beneath the stars and it couldn't have been more perfect.

*****

We snuck into the Novax household like teenagers at five in the morning. To our surprise the light of the kitchen was on and we found Caroline leaning against a counter with a cup of tea.

"You children," she shook her head with a smile. A fake smile. I frowned, but as Damian went and hugged her, I didn't miss her tearful eyes.

"You should go to bed," Damian said. "It's still early."

"Couldn't sleep, son. I'll go lie down in a bit." Caroline wrinkled her nose, "Go change. You smell like grass."

Damian placed a kiss on her forehead before excusing himself to go change. As soon as he left Caroline sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

"Is she okay?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"She's running a fever, Eliana. She refused to call you and didn't want to go to the doctor and I don't know what to do."

"I'm on it. I'll call the doctor now."

With a shaking hand I dialed the doctors' cell phone number and walked up to Margie's room. She was asleep but she was clammy and pale. So damn pale, I thought I was seeing a ghost. I sat next to her and took her hand in mine but she didn't move. "Please be okay," I whispered. I took out the equipment I knew I had there, took her blood pressure, even checked her blood sugar levels and it wasn't good.

The door opened after a few minutes and Damian, who had until now been wearing a smile, panicked at the sight of his mom in such condition.

"I called the doctor already, he's on his way."

Damian nodded but didn't removed his gaze from Margie.

It was decided that it was best if Margie went to a hospital. That's how we started that day, at the hospital, with a beloved mother and friend at the verge of death.

And it was heartbreaking.

*****

A/N:  My brain WILL NOT shut up with these characters lately, so the writing keeps flowing, & in turn, I keep spoiling you guys.

Maybe about 10 chapters left? A little bit more?

What do you think about what's going on with Damian & Eliana? What about Margie?

I hope you enjoyed!

Thank you for reading!

-Luz<3