moonstruck-poet

[moonstruck-poet]

Goodbye Carlos (a letter)

Some goodbyes are harder than others because you least expect them to happen. One driver, four years, 89 races and hundreds of memories. I think your presence in Ferrari will forever be one of the dearest memories that remain in my mind, and your departure will probably remain like a scar on the wall of my memories for a long, long time. Not seeing you in the red suit was something I didn't even think would happen. Some call you a prince who was never given the chance to become a king, but I prefer to see you as a gladiator who fought to the last moment, who gave his best, but they resisted him with all their might and prevented him from becoming a conqueror. You were hurt. They hurt you, but I don't even know who exactly to blame for it. You were wounded, and I was also wounded by seeing this. It was as if I saw a star from afar that was struggling to survive, but you survived, I don't know how, because I'm not even strong enough to stop being sad about this occurrence, but you did. So I believe that you'll shine, you'll shine brighter than ever, like the shiniest star in this sky.

I love you for "This is my first smooth operator at Ferrari". I love you for your intelligence and the beauty of your amazing driving. I love you for all those beautiful podiums and joyful celebrations. I love you for your grand prix vlogs. I love you for your special helmets and race suits. I love you for making Spain into one of our home races. I love you for garage 55. I love you for giving me the best duo I've ever seen. I love you for Charlos. I love you for those silly C² challenges that always make me laugh. I love you for all your achievements and all those memories that you made for us during these four years, and I'm going to miss you for all of them. ❤️🌶️

I will always love & support you Carlos, Vamos.

[moonstruck-poet]

A Thousand Years

Pairing - Elijah Mikaelson x reader!

Summary - A depiction of your relationship with Elijah throughout the centuries based on the song 'A Thousand Years'

Warnings - blood, fight, pain

Heart, beats, fast. Colours. And promises. How to be brave? How can I love when I'm afraid to fall, but watching you stand alone. All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow. One step closer.

Elijah Mikaelson stood in front of the floor length mirror, adjusting his newest tunic for the hundredth time. He gave himself a once over, his gaze critical as he searched for flaws in his appearance.

Once he was indeed sure that he looked fine, he sighed deeply. His heart was hammering uncontrollably against his ribcage since the early hours of the morning. He dismissed it off as just nerves, but he knew better.

It was the familiar fear that gripped his insides like a vice, not planning on letting go so soon. He felt the imaginary fingers squeezing his heart, the touch full of dread and coldness. He had experienced this feeling a handful of times in his rather small lifetime of 25 years. Even being a vampire, one of the deadliest creatures couldn't help him from himself.

The door to his room was suddenly pushed open, pulling him out of his thoughts. His brother, Niklaus entered, dressed in his finest clothing as he approached his elder with a small smile.

"Are you ready brother?"

Elijah could only shake his head as the grip seemed to tighten around his throat now. Klaus furrowed his eyebrows, walking closer as he analysed Elijah, deducing that he was afraid.

"I can see the fear in your eyes, Elijah. What is it? God forbid that you are having second thoughts about this marriage?"

"Certainly not, Niklaus," he immediately shot his brother down. "I cannot think of pledging myself to another but her. I have wanted this for as long as I can remember".

"Then why is it that you have this trepidation written all over your face?"

"I...." He began, before huffing and sitting down on the bed. His hands gripped the sheets, turning his knuckles white. "I think I am falling in love. Or have fallen for quite a while. This overwhelming feeling that I sense every time I lay eyes on her, I did not want to give it a name. I thought it was merely some adoration, that it was just because I was a youngster. But I have realised rather late that this- it is much deeper".

"I do not see a problem," his dear sister spoke, having heard their conversation. "Love is the most beautiful thing ever, brother. As is friendship. You are quite lucky to have found both within the same person".

"I know that," he muttered and stood up, brushing a hand through his long hair and glancing again at his reflection. How was he supposed to explain it to them? That every single time when he had opened his heart, had felt love, something worse was quick to follow. He saw it numerous times with his own family. Elijah loved them fiercely and look what happened to Henrik. Klaus who was almost killed by their own father when he had tried to protect the younger and in turn was left with nothing but blood on his hands.

He had despite himself allowed you near, engaging with you because he couldn't bring himself to resist. He was drawn, more than a moth to a flame. He found himself always wanting to be around you, longing for your attention when you were present and wishing for your presence every second.

He then found the courage to confess his feelings, being pleasantly surprised when you responded with a gentle, fleeting kiss on his lips. He began courting you, having a wonderful experience with every passing day.

Sure enough you had brought down his well built, yet fragile walls. Providing him with everything he had ever wanted. Friendship, loyalty, love.. and now family. The one thing he had yearned for the most.

And he was scared.

"Earth to Elijah," Rebekah grabbed his arm and offered him an excited smile. She had been ecstatic when he announced it to his family. Always having thought of you as a sister, she was delighted to know that you would actually be family.

"It is time," Klaus spoke, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder and clasping it. As the best man, he couldn't afford any mishaps now could he.

"They are waiting for you, big brother," the youngest, Kol popped his head in, his lips holding a big grin. He was probably the most eager to welcome you, being rather fond of you.

"Or should I say, she is waiting," Finn added, a rare smile adorning his face as he crossed his arms.

A faint blush rose on Elijah's cheeks, something that was immediately noticed by his siblings who wasted no time in teasing their usually collected brother become flustered.

As he stood at the altar, his patience began running thin. All he wanted was to see you, hold your hand and kiss you. And the gods answered his prayers. For the next second you came into view, a gorgeous dress brushing the ground as you walked towards him. His breath stopped, time slowed and everything fell silent.

All he could see was you walking towards him. The small gathering of people faded into nothingness as he watched the love of his life. He had seen you for so many years, but nothing could have prepared him for this moment.

And unknowingly his eyes began to water making him swallow. He couldn't remember the last time that he had been on the verge of crying so quickly. He could feel his chest swell, and it took him a second to notice that the earlier unwelcomed torment had given way to utter adoration.

And once you were standing right in front of him, with your father giving your hand for him to hold, he held it with the utmost gentleness. He had always been soft around you, showing a side that was barely visible. But right now, the way he looked at you, held you, it felt special in some way.

"Hey there," you whispered and shot him a cheeky smirk making him chuckle through his emotions.

"Hello love," he replied, unable to conceal the warmth emitting from his eyes when he saw you grinning like a fool.

"Do you, Elijah Mikaelson take her to be your wife? Do you promise to cherish her always, to honor and sustain her. In sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to all things until death alone shall part you?"

"I do," he answered without missing a beat, a lone tear trailing down his cheek when he heard you repeat the words.

You tilted your head slightly, raising your palm to wipe his tears. His lips twitched as he placed his hand above yours, turning it so he could press a kiss on the inside.

"I therefore pronounce you as husband and wife," the priest spoke, thus ending the ceremony.

Elijah's arm went to your waist, pulling you closer until your chests brushed, millimetres of distance between your lips as he cupped your face. His eyes scanned every inch of you, engraving this memory forever in his mind. He leaned ahead, slowly, patiently before kissing you with every ounce of passion. His fingers dug softly into your waist as he savoured the fact that you were indeed his wife. That you had officially been bonded for eternity.

The panic that had seized control of him was nowhere to be seen, as though it had dissolved into thin air at the mere sight of you. Another thought struck him when he pulled away, slightly breathless and barely registering the cheers that went around. It was that the affection he held for you outweighed all of his negative emotions. You made him a better man by simply being there.

And the words rolled off of his lips so easily, that even he was dumbstruck. It felt like second nature to say them out loud.

"I love you," he whispered, resting his forehead against yours and closing his eyes. Neither of you had ever said it until now, those three words bearing a much profound meaning for both. And so you had waited too, wanting to be absolutely sure that there was nothing more that you wanted, no one else you would rather have.

When he opened his eyes, he seemed to melt on seeing the awed look on your face. It was graced with so much fondness, all for him.

"I love you too. Always and forever".

====================================

I have died every day waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more.

"No," Elijah refused immediately, his voice firm and you knew it would be difficult to reason.

"Love- listen to me-"

"No!" He exclaimed and whipped around to face you, his expression incredulous. "How can I be fine with my own wife being daggered and placed in a miserable coffin right in front of my very eyes?"

"There is no alternative, Elijah," you said, walking closer but he shook his head stubbornly, taking steps back.

"There's always an alternative and you know it. I'll protect you!" He added with a desperate look, making your heart clench. "I swear upon my life".

You sped over to him, placing your palms on his cheeks and he melted underneath your touch. "I know, and that's exactly what I'm worried about".

"We can find another way," his eyes were frantic, darting left and right as he sought a solution. "I'll slaughter them myself," he growled, anger slowly rising in his chest. The witches, those barbarians were the reason that your life was currently threatened. It wasn't as though he hadn't fought their kind before, but this time it was different. The rational part of his brain knew they could not win, and thus daggering you and spreading the rumour of your death was the only solution.

Of course they wouldn't believe it so easily. An original vampire dying out of the blue? It couldn't be possible. But at least it could delay them for a while so they could actually come up with a feasible strategy. That's what Klaus had said.

"You will do no such thing," you said, your voice as firm as him and he scoffed, stepping away to stand in front of the window, his dark eyes penetrating the dark. His mind running at a million miles per second.

You sighed at the Mikaelson stubbornness, something that resided in you too. You stared at his back, contemplating on how to make him see sense. You weren't foolish, you knew that he understood it was their best option. But his heart couldn't bring himself to do it. And how could he? How could he possibly just stand there and watch you be daggered and spend a good few time mourning you too? You were his wife.

You slowly walked towards your husband, your arms wrapping themselves around his waist while you rested your chin on his shoulder. His rigid body relaxed immediately, leaning back into you and covering your hands with his own. The soft material of his blazer brushed against your face as you tilted your head to kiss his jawline, hearing him exhale.

You didn't say anything, he simply understood because his posture stooped a little. His head bowed down while you looked at him, smiling a little on seeing his familiar features that were practically engraved in your memory. A small mark on his forehead, down to his dark eyes decorated by delicate lashes, then to the small mole he had on his left cheek. Your eyes trailed off more, scanning the curve of his nose, to the stubble he had on upon your insistence and down to his beautiful lips.

He truly was a sight to behold.

"Forgive me," you whispered, barely audible. "I know I'm asking a lot from you".

He gently turned around in your arms, placing his own on your waist. "I'm not strong enough for this," he swallowed, his blank exterior fading to reveal the depths of the heartbreak he was feeling.

"Yes you are, my love. You are the strongest person I know and you will get through this. It will all be over in the blink of an eye, before you even know it".

His face only contorted in pain as he pulled you closer, burying his face in your neck. His lips brushed against your skin and he smelled your calming scent, something that had always managed to ground him.

How could he survive then? He would be driven insane, not being able to think straight without you by his side. You were his person, and he was yours. How could his heart keep on beating when it knew that its other half was lying half-dead. It had been three hundred years since your marriage, how was he supposed to live without you for god knew how long? He couldn't. But he had to. Because this was the one way he would know that you'll be safe. The witches would stop at nothing to hunt you, your unique powers had stirred their curiosity to an unimaginable extent.

"I will miss you... immeasurably".

"Oh 'lijah..." You tightened your hold and his heart contracted at the nickname. Who will call him 'lijah?

"Promise me, my heart. Swear to me that you'll come back here, right in my arms. Tell me- tell me that the next time I see you, it will be with you running towards me, your face bearing a smile," his voice cracked and he stopped himself, gulping the thorns that had surrounded his throat.

The couple held each other, bathed by the soft moonlight which poured through their bedroom window. Silent tears streamed down both of their faces as they swayed together, relishing in the tender feeling of having your other heart pressed right next to your own.

And if only they could stop time..

"Elijah," Rebekah's soft voice registered in his brain, but it sounded distant. "Hey," she tried again and crouched down in front of him, sitting on her toes, her heart shattering at the look on her brother's face.

It was impassive as he stared into nothingness, his soul felt hollow, empty. It all felt wrong. He felt wrong that he was alive. It wasn't supposed to be this way. You were not meant to attend the other's funeral. He felt so meaningless that he didn't even realise his sister was crying until he heard her sobs. Yet he remained still, a shell of a man.

It was torture.

There was no other word that could describe his condition. He woke up every day to a cold bed, without your body there to curl beside him. He barely found the strength to get up, wanting to stay sleeping the entire day.

He was destroying himself, and he knew that. His siblings could see it too and they tried their level best to help him a little each day. Sometimes it worked, and at times it backfired badly. He reminded himself every minute that you weren't actually dead, only at rest for a while. The wedding band resting on his finger felt heavy too, as though it could sense the absence of its twin.

Four months. That was how long it had been. And Elijah felt and looked like a different person. His usual impeccable attire appeared out of place, because whenever he straightened his tie, all he could see instead of his reflection was you standing before him and doing it yourself. So he gave up.

This longing.. he hadn't felt this ever before. Every inch of himself craved you, it was indescribable. His eyes that were so used to seeing your face the first thing in the morning for as long as he could remember. His lips that would always twitch up at the mere sight of you and be unable to resist your kisses. His hand feeling empty because he was so accustomed to your fingers slotting into the spaces perfectly. The heart beating inside his chest feeling alone, as it couldn't hear its partner's beats. His neck felt colder than ever, for you weren't there to bury your face in the crook and provide him with warmth. His shoulders felt uncomfortably lighter too, as the familiar head wasn't there to rest upon them.

To keep these emotions at bay he drowned himself in work, running tirelessly to think of ways to solve the problem and bring you back to him.

And as though the gods had decided that he had suffered enough already, the day finally dawned. His siblings didn't tell him, wanting to surprise him just so they could see the familiar light in his eyes that had extinguished, so they could look at the smile adorning his face.

So Rebekah had very cleverly sent him out on an errand which would take quite a long time. You were probably on the verge of waking up and they didn't want him near because he would instantly hear your heartbeat.

Like the good brother he was, Elijah had obediently followed the given instructions though they seemed quite complicated. But the complexities were good, they required his full attention. After the tedious work he went back home, opting to walk instead of speeding up. His eyes surveyed the crowd, lingering on all the couples unconsciously.

He had just entered the compound to the mansion when his ears perked up, picking on a sound that he hadn't heard in the past 6 months. His head snapped up as almost sprinted inside, looking around frantically trying to locate the source.

And there you were, standing all but a mere feet away from him and he felt his breath hitch, a swirl of emotions tumbling out of him as he staggered to a stop. His feet rooted to the ground as he took you in, looking so beautiful with that smile on your face that had him head over heels since day one. Yet he didn't move, he hesitated because there had been a lot of instances where he had imagined you, hallucinated even.

"Love?" He called out, his voice unsteady, uncertain. But it was washed away instantly when you nodded, your smile only widening as you jogged over to him. As though it was second nature his feet took long strides, rendered speechless for once as his arms opened up on their own accord to engulf you.

A disbelieving sound left him at the feeling of your skin, soft and smooth under his firm grip.

"Hey 'lijah," you spoke in his ear and the word resonated loudly until he was consumed by your voice. You were really here. Christ you were here.

And he wasted not a second more before cupping your face and smashing his lips against yours, desperation and longing clear in his actions. He couldn't get enough, wanting to make up for the lost time so badly. He kissed you furiously, deep affection lacing his caress that had your heart growing with the amount of love.

He pulled away rather reluctantly, his eyes hungrily searching for yours. Moving over every detail of your face that he so loved. A small laugh was heard as he embraced you once again, closing his eyes tightly and holding you even tighter.

"Liked the surprise, brother?" Kol asked and you looked above Elijah's shoulders to see the siblings walk over, their faces resembling similar emotions.

The man in question didn't reply, only turning his head slightly to press a kiss under your jaw.

"Come on now stop hogging her! I missed my sister too you know?" The youngest spoke and this time Elijah did pull away, surprised to find his cheeks wet.

Kol hurried over to take his place, hugging you close. He had missed you immensely, as had Klaus and Rebekah who followed his lead.

"I'm sorry love," Klaus, the last one to hug you said. It had been his idea, and he had despised himself for bringing it up every day.

"Not your fault, Nik. You saved my life," you reassured him, ruffling his hair and grinning when he didn't swat your hands away like he always did.

"Now go console my dear brother before he daggers the rest of us for keeping you away once again".

You chuckled and looked at your husband who rolled his eyes at the comment, "I will gladly take on the offer, Niklaus. Now if you'll please give me my wife back. Now".

Klaus all but pushed you in his arms and he snakes an arm around your waist before speeding up to your room.

"I see someone has missed me," you said playfully, running your fingers through his hair and smiling on seeing him close his eyes.

"You have absolutely no idea just how much".

"I thought maybe you had found someone new, you know someone in place of me," you said matter of factly but he could hear the obvious humour underlying the statement.

"Found someone new?" He raised an amused eyebrow and leaned closer, your noses brushing. "You were my first love, darling. Always have been. There's no way in the entire universe that I'll ever feel what I felt for you with anyone else. I fell for you before I even knew what love was. It has always been you.. it will always be you".

"It will always be you too. My heart has been yours since the day we met, and I would very much like for it to be with you".

He smiled, a genuine smile that hadn't appeared on his face for a long time. The small dimple that you adored peeking out.

"I love you, Elijah Mikaelson".

"I love you too, my heart. Always and forever".

====================================

Time stands still, beauty and all she is. I will be brave. I will not let anything take away, what's standing in front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this. One step closer.

These past few weeks had been a constant struggle, with trouble knocking on their doors every other day. The Mikaelsons could barely sleep, paranoid that something bad may happen at night. This was one of the disadvantages of being immortal. You made too many enemies to last a lifetime.

Amidst the chaos you and Elijah had barely had time for yourselves. Always having to go out for some work and return home late. Though you slept together, you didn't have any alone time.

Which was why this rare quiet morning, Elijah was busy staring at his wife who slept soundly beside him. Your legs tangled with him, head resting near his shoulder with him arms around your middle. He had returned home late and you were already knocked out, having had limited sleep the past days. Even in sleep, your body had found a way to snuggle up to his.

He slowly moved back a little to see your face properly, his fingers drawing random patterns on your back. He then slid his palm under your shirt, heating up your back. Your skin had always been rather cold while he was constantly warm. A perfect balance really.

He continued rubbing slow circles, not worrying about you waking up considering you were a heavy sleeper. He stilled his actions when you stirred, inhaling deeply before cuddling closer making him let out a low chuckle. He propped himself up on his elbow, his other hand pushing back the stray hair from your face. You looked utterly beautiful, he thought to himself, slightly awed.

A thought came swimming in his mind. It had been a long time since he had taken you out on a nice date. Maybe in a nice restaurant, or simply to watch movies. He couldn't remember the last time you had gone and he frowned, not liking it at all and cursing himself internally. He decided to take you for dinner, in a cozy little restaurant that you both loved. Then he'll get you the ice cream that was your favorite, you haven't had it recently either.

Forming a short plan in his mind he sat straight, stretching his neck and was about to get up when you grabbed his hand, making him turn as a result.

"Stay," you mumbled, eyes half closed. You couldn't see his face properly due to your sleep induced brain but heard his laugh as he shuffled closer again, settling under the covers.

"Morning, my love," his deep, raspy voice greeted you. He had always been the early bird whereas you were the complete opposite. A fact that he knew all too well.

You made a disgruntled sound, pressing your face against his chest and shaking your head in disagreement, "Good night. It's time to sleep".

"I have no intentions of waking you up".

"Good because I would not have hesitated to stab you otherwise. But you better consider sleeping here with me now".

"As you wish, my lady," he murmured, pulling the blanket on both of your bodies and bringing his arms back to their original place. He continued to press small kisses on your hairline, his touch soothing and your eyes fluttered close. Before you knew it, you were deep asleep making him shake his head fondly.

And as soon as his eyes shut, there was a loud yell of his name making him groan. You shifted too, slowly waking up as you had clearly heard the shout. Elijah saw you and cursed under his breath, his expression murderous as he flung the sheets off of him and stormed out of the room.

"What is wrong with you, Niklaus?" He growled, his stare burning hole in Klaus' head. But the fire quickly disappeared when his brother explained the situation. Rebekah was missing and they had a clear idea of exactly who had taken her.

Elijah clenched his jaw, fury radiating from his and you quickly rushed out, having freshened up while they had their conversation.

"When are we leaving?" You asked, rolling up your sleeves with and your face impassive.

"Now".

That was all the confirmation you needed as you sped to the car, getting in the driver seat while the two followed. You drove fast, not caring about the speed limit as the only thing running in your heads was getting Rebekah out.

And oh god it wasn't easy at all.

Finding her took such a long time and fighting off the witches who always wanted revenge on the Mikaelsons was exhausting. By the time you were done, or you thought you were it was late evening.

You snapped the neck of the last person before plunging a dagger straight through the heart, blood splattering out to paint your shirt and throat. A tired sigh left your lips and you sat down on a bench, leaning against the wall and briefly resting your eyes. Elijah and Klaus had gone the opposite way, leaving you to deal with these handful of people.

And just as you thought the threat was over, an arrow zoomed through hitting you squarely in the chest. You hissed, doubling over to quickly pull it out and making eye contact with your attacker, recognising him to Maverick, the insatiable werewolf who had allied with the witches. "You missed".

He only smirked before shooting another one for which you were prepared for and snatched the arrow before it hit you, breaking it effectively. "Missed again".

This time his jaw ticked and he narrowed his eyes before storming towards you and a fight soon ensued. Both fighting ferociously against each other. You gained the upper hand, about to place a dagger through his chest but he turned you around, wasting no time in biting your neck.

You groaned loudly, feeling the sting of the bite as your senses became cloudy. Werewolf bite was lethal to a vampire, you weren't sure whether it would have the same effect on an Original or not but you didn't want to take any chances.

You regained control and flipped him, pretending to stab him from behind but instead speeding to stand in front of him and plunging his heart out, gritting your teeth and not blinking an eye at the blood flowing out as he collapsed. You threw the organ down, delivering a good kick to his side only to let out the adrenaline pumping inside of you.

"Can't get a break for five minutes," you seethed, sudden anger coursing through your blood as you punched the wall, almost shattering it completely. Your knuckles were bruised in an instant but you paid no mind, not even feeling the pain.

"Love," your husband's voice penetrated through the anger. You turned out, your expression wild and Elijah's face drowned with concern. He has seen you covered in blood before, looking murderous but there was a different, mad glint in your eyes. "Hey it's over now," he approached cautiously, taking deliberate steps. He extended his hand, gauging your reaction before placing it on your shoulder.

Your chest expanded as you took a deep breath before letting it out and he saw your eyes go back to normal. "Oh hey," you murmured, leaning back against the wall.

His frown deepened, "Are you okay? Talk to me, what happened?" He gestured towards the man lying on the floor.

"Werewolf," was all you answered, already beginning to walk out. "Can we go home now, please?"

"Yes of course..." He trailed off before following you out. "We found Rebekah, Niklaus took her home. She is unharmed".

You nodded, appearing strangely distracted as images began playing in your brain like a movie. You ignored them, focusing on walking straight but a sharp pain shot through your head making you stumble and crouch down.

Elijah had caught you quickly, worry seeping onto his features as he looked at your face that was scrunched up in pain. You let out a shout, clutching your temple and shutting your eyes hoping for it to go away.

"What's wrong? Sweetheart please tell me, I- What's happening?" He placed you on the floor gently, kneeling next to you and holding your face in his hands, trying to get your attention.

"It hurts 'lijah," you yelled and grabbed your hair aggressively. "Make it stop... Make it stop!"

"Tell me darling," desperation was clear in his voice as he searched for a solution. "I need you to tell me what's happening so I can help you".

"My head," you whimpered and grasped his shirt, resting against him as tears flowed down your cheek. The images had turned into certain memories, making you relive every horrible moment of your life. "It feels like it's going to split open I- I wanna go home".

"I'll take you, we're going there right now yeah? I just need you to stay with me. Can you do that? Stay with me, love, keep your eyes open!" He insisted, emotion wrecking his beautiful face as he bit his wrist and brought it to your lips. "Drink, maybe this will help".

You shakily grabbed his arm to drink the blood, it felt nice and your head started clearing making hunger intensify and you kept on going for more. Elijah merely watched, trying his best to pull his hand away because you had had more than enough.

"I feel better," you smiled weakly and stood up straight with his help. "That really did he-" your legs gave out and you collapsed for the second time. Your eyes appeared distant, foggy as though you weren't mentally present.

Fear trapped Elijah's heart as he shook your shoulders and tapped your cheek, trying everything to have your attention. And that's when his eyes fell to your neck, particularly on the skin that had become bloody around the bite mark.

"No," was all he uttered before hoisting you up in his arms, his steps panicked as he sped over to your car and buckled you up in the passenger seat. He didn't like the way your head lolled to the side as though there was no life in you. He quickly got in, starting the engine and dialing Klaus' number.

"Where are you?" Was the only question he asked. "This is no time for banter, Niklaus I asked one simple question. Where. Are. You?. Good stay there and don't you step foot out of the house or I swear to do something terrible".

He ended the call and glanced at you, noticing the beads of sweat dotting your forehead as you shifted uncomfortably. He turned the conditioning to maximum but that didn't seem to help. "Hold on for me, love. We're almost there, yeah? Nothing will happen to you, not on my watch".

Faster than you had arrived, Elijah brought you back. He unbuckled the seatbelt and you climbed out. His palm resting on your head to prevent it from hitting the hood of the car.

"Klaus!" He shouted and both him and Rebekah appeared in the living room. Their faces dropping on seeing your condition as Elijah laid you down on the sofa, sweeping your sticky hair away from your face that was drenched in sweat.

"Help her," was all he could manage but Klaus understood as he bit his wrist without hesitation, supporting your head from below and placing his hand against your mouth.

"Go on, love. You'll be cured in a minute".

You barely registered his voice and did as you were told while your husband watched on with apprehension. His face was so downcast as he watched your trembling form. He hated to see you like this, so feeble, a contrast to your usual strong figure. His hands shivered by his side, feeling helpless as he watched you lie down.

"She'll be fine," Klaus addressed him and gave him a curt nod before disappearing into his room.

Rebekah was sitting beside you, holding your hand while you regained consciousness. "Take care of her, Elijah. Call if you need anything". Saying so she squeezed his shoulder and went upstairs.

"Let's get you to bed," Elijah whispered and hooked one arm under your shoulders and the other beneath your knees, easily lifting you up and cradling your body to his chest. He reached your bedroom in a second, placing your still asleep body on the bed. He stared at you for a while before removing his blazer and taking a clean cloth and a bowl of water to clean you up. He sat close to you and wiped your face first, trying to be as gentle as possible with the dried blood.

What had this day turned into.. In the morning he was thinking of taking his wife on a small date, and how here he was tending to her wounds. Life loved to mess with him.

You turned your face when he was cleaning your neck and he sensed you were waking up. Your eyes fluttered open and you saw your husband, lines of worry scarring his face.

"How're you feeling?" He questioned softly, unable to meet your eyes as he resumed dabbing at your wounds that had almost healed.

"A little dizzy, tired".

He nodded, getting up to take a blood bag from the mini fridge and handing it to you, "You must be hungry".

You obeyed and sipped in silence, not failing to notice the way his body was tense and his face hard. He also kept his gaze strictly on your arms.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing".

"Elijah".

"Darling".

"Elijah," you repeated again, taking the cloth from him and holding his hands instead. "I haven't been your wife for three hundred and twenty years for nothing, you know".

He fumbled with your fingers, not sure on how to reply. "I.. I didn't want the day to go like this. During the morning I realised that we had not had much time to ourselves lately, too caught up in other works. I wanted to take you out for dinner, a small date somewhere. Just so we could spend some time together at least. But look how that turned out," he said bitterly. "All I wanted was one quiet day with my wife, and look at you".

"Oh sweetheart," you caressed his cheek with your thumb, a smile on your lips. "Let's go then".

He raised an eyebrow which turned into disbelief once he noticed that you weren't joking. "You can barely stand on your own feet. And you want to go out on a date".

"Yes," was all you said and gingerly stood up, taking some clothes and heading towards the shower. "I'll be done in fifteen. And I'm rather famished, dear husband so you better choose a good place".

He could only chuckle and roll his eyes with extreme fondness at your antics. Leave it to you to agree for a date after being mauled.

The warm water felt like absolute heaven as you scrubbed off the dirt. You were done quick enough and decided on a sweater of Elijah's paired with regular jeans.

He was already waiting in the living room, having opted for a casual blue shirt and jeans. "You're crazy, have I ever told you that?" He laced your fingers together and started walking.

"Might've mentioned it a couple of times. Also what fun is it to always play safe. I bet you wouldn't have fancied me if I was of that type".

"I don't care, I will always fall for you".

A blush quickly creeped over your neck and you slapped his shoulder, earning a bright laugh. "I'm glad to see you haven't lost your charm yet".

The restaurant he had chosen was a cozy place. And the smell that came from it made your mouth water immediately. "Goodness I love you so much".

"Why thank you".

"I was talking about the chef," you retorted, grinning like a maniac and quickly walking inside.

He caught up to you not even a second later. And just as you had opened the door, he grabbed your waist and pulled you flat against his chest. That little smirk tugged at his lips which made your heart skip a beat while your own mouth parted. He leaned in closer, teasing you badly that he was about to kiss. But instead he changed his angle and placed a soft peck on your cheek. "We'll see about what you just said later on. Your lips won't utter a name that isn't mine, I'll make sure of it".

Now it was his turn to smile broadly as you stood shell shocked.

The dinner was a fantastic affair, obviously since your husband had impeccable taste when it came to food, clothing and of course, women. You were satisfied at the end but were surprised when he led you to a new room instead of the exit.

"Where are we goi- Oh".

It was a dancefloor, with dim lighting of candles all around the place and soft music playing on the speakers. It was also very empty.

"May I have this dance, my love?"

You almost giggled like a little school girl being asked out by her crush. But it was just how he made you feel all the time. You accepted his hand, interlocking your fingers together and placing the other on his shoulder. He danced to the rhythm, twirling you around whenever he felt like it and just making you feel as if you were the only woman in the entire world.

You laughed pleasantly when he dipped you down gracefully and pulled you closer again, his face bearing a small grin as well. It was always a treat to see him carefree like this, the only emotion on his face being pure and genuine love.

"Thank you for this," he told you when you rested your head on his shoulders and his hands followed to be placed on your waist, still leading the dance. "I know you're tired and would've preferred to sleep".

"Elijah, anywhere with you is everywhere I want to be. I wouldn't miss it because of some fatigue".

The huge twitch of his lips that followed later made you stare for a second. It wasn't always that he got this goofy smile, and that's when you knew that this night meant a lot to him. And you were so glad to have made the right decision.

"I adore you".

You only laughed, giving him a soft, languid kiss that said everything that had been left unspoken.

====================================

I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more. And all along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more.

It wasn't always that you interacted with the other vampires in town, mostly because Klaus had always kept you on your toes with his plans.

But today was a rather peaceful day. Caroline had been the one to ask you if you'd like to have a girl's night with them. You had been surprised but had conveyed a yes, wanting to have a change. She had been polite to ask for Rebekah too but you laughed knowing that your dear sister wouldn't go six feet near Elena Gilbert. You had also promised to bring the finest of wines from your husband and Klaus' rather wonderful collection.

You picked some casual clothes, one of your gorgeous shirts tucked into a nice pair of jeans with a leather jacket on top. It was your go to fit almost every night out, your priority being comfort.

The door to your bedroom clicked open and in stepped Elijah, shaking off his coat when his eyes found you standing in front of the mirror and brushing your hair.

"Going somewhere?" He asked, standing behind you as he loosened his tie, removing the material.

"A girls night out," you answered and were about to place a necklace around your neck but he took it from your fingers.

"Allow me," he whispered as he held the chain. You pushed your hair to one side and he clasped the hook, his breath fanning your skin.

"Thank you," you smiled and reached up to kiss his cheek, his stubble scratching you in the process.

His hands kept you in place, not wanting to depart from you. "Stay safe, love. I'll miss you".

You couldn't help it as laughter bubbled in your throat, god you loved this man to death. "That's sweet, husband," you squished his cheeks as he rolled his eyes. If it was anyone but his wife, the person would've had their neck snapped for even getting too close, much less touching him.

He watched as you left, blowing a small kiss and smiling at the way you blushed a little before thinking of reading a book.

"There's my favourite Original!" Caroline immediately brought you into a hug as soon as you stepped inside making you tighten the hug. Out of all the vampires, she was the one you liked the most.

"And she has brought the booze too!" Bonnie added and gave you a side hug, you held the small but powerful witch in deep admiration. She had sacrificed a lot.

You were still in the hallway when your phone rang and your face scrunched in surprise at the name. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Just wanted to make sure you reached safely," came your husband's deep voice.

"We're not going to bite her Elijah!" Caroline screamed from a distance and he chuckled, having heard her clearly.

"Oh believe me your bodies would be lying on the floor before you had the chance," he spoke and you were glad none of them heard it as you scolded him.

"Sorry," you could see the small pout on his face as he apologised and how could you ever be angry.

"I have to go now," you told him and heard a groan in response. "The girls will shoot me if I make them wait another minute".

"Have fun and... Come home quickly please".

"I will promise. Love you," you said and hung up, pausing to see the three girls standing with their arms crossed and smirks on their faces.

"How is he such a simp after literal centuries?" Elena inquired with a disbelieving laugh as you settled in the living room.

"I honestly don't know," you said truthfully.

"I mean he can't stay away from you at all! It's cute actually," she grinned and you just brushed her off. It was how Elijah had always been.

"Less boys talk and more focus on the drinks please," Caroline interrupted and handed you a shot.

You barely kept track of time as conversations spiralled one after the other. It felt good, unusual but so nice to be able to have a normal night with your friends. Worry didn't even cross your mind as you laughed wholeheartedly, enjoying the many gossips the girls shared from school. They all asked you innumerous questions, all wanting your advice on every tiny thing and you were more than happy to give the same. You felt a small bundle of happiness after noticing that they regarded you as an older sister, someone they could be themselves with and share their problems with.

Your group was soon joined by the Salvatore brothers who greeted you.

"Fancy seeing my famous Mikaelson at my house," Damon threw that signature smirk of his.

"An also very taken Mikaelson," Stefan chided in receiving a scoff from his brother. "You won't live to see another day if you tried anything".

"Must you always be so pleasant," Damon smiled sweetly before frowning as he clearly remembered the time when he had flirted with you unknowingly and had his neck almost snapped by Elijah.

"Seeing as you all are here, shall we go?" Elena asked and everyone nodded. You all had plans to hit the club, there was a live band performing too.

And as you entered the nightclub, you were hit by the loud sound of music and flashing lights. The energy had quickly taken over you as you raised your arms up and danced to the music.

The girls followed your lead while the boys made a beeline for the bar. You took Bonnie's hand and swayed with her, hands in the air as you let go without a care in the world. Stefan tapped your shoulder and offered you a glass of whiskey which you downed in one gulp.

You had lost count of the amount of drinks that were currently in your system but the way you felt light-headed was proof that there were too many. It was quite hard for vampires to get drunk but if they consumed way more than their regular quantity, the symptoms started to show.

You definitely had a lot, lot more because you could barely stand straight. Stefan noticed your swaying body and held your shoulders to balance you and led you to the bar, making you sit.

"Thanks Stefan," you murmured, and before he could stop you, you downed another glass.

"Yeah no that's enough for you," he took the empty glass and placed it far away, ensuring that you wouldn't ask for a refill. "I really think you should go home now".

"What's the fun in that?" You frowned, and your eyes lit up when Caroline slumped down next to you.

"You're done barbie," Damon grunted as he wrestled a bottle of bourbon from her hand making her pout. "There's our cue to go home. You want me to drop you, Original Wife?" The nickname was barely heard as you rested your head on your arms, eyes closing with exhaustion. "I take that as a yes".

"Or should we call Elijah instead?" Stefan asked with a little hesitation but Damon immediately agreed and so he made the call.

"Stefan. To what do I owe this pleasure at pray tell, 2 in the morning?" Came Elijah's remark.

"Your wife is half asleep in the club," Damon snatched the phone only to have some fun. So being her very good friend, should I personally escort her home or are you coming?"

He was silent before replying, "I will be there," and hanging up.

"What?" Damon asked the look that his brother was giving him. "I didn't do anything," he said making Stefan shake his head as he waited beside you, keeping an eye on Elena and Bonnie while Damon took Caroline home.

Elijah arrived not more than 5 minutes later, looking as impeccable as ever in a simple shirt and jeans. He spotted Stefan and made his way towards the younger Salvatore.

"That was quick," Stefan said, standing up.

"I happened to be nearby," he answered and his eyes found your figure sitting on the barstool, playing with the ring on your finger. "Thank you for looking out for her, I'll take it from here". He walked towards you and one look at your face told him that you were clearly drunk. As soon as he came in your sight, your lips stretched in a wide smile and you threw yourself at him.

"Elijah!" You exclaimed and hugged him tightly, almost crushing him because of your grip.

"Shall we go home now, love?" He asked softly, his expression amused as you nodded and refused to let go of him when you began walking.

"I missed you," you mumbled in his neck, pressing kisses all over the exposed skin.

"As did I," he pulled you closer by the waist, his breath hitching when you bit a sensitive spot. He tried to ignore the feeling and directed you inside the car before seating himself behind the wheel.

The journey home was spent in silence until you broke it, "You look handsome".

"Do I now?" He glanced at you before his eyes flitted back to the road.

You nodded seriously, "But not as good as my husband does. He's a very handsome man".

Elijah barely managed to conceal his laughter, your situation was much worse than he thought. "Then you must be lucky to have him".

"Oh yes certainly. He's also my best friend, and knows everything about me. I love him a lot, even after all these years".

"He loves you too, a lot. And I know that he's very fortunate to have you as his wife".

Your lack of response made it sure that you had fallen asleep. Right on time too as he was just pulling over to park the car. He was as gentle as possible in getting you out and holding you close to his chest, a sudden fondness rising in his chest as he looked at you sleeping so peacefully in his arms. He was quick to lay you on the bed, taking off your shoes too while also changing into sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Elijah," you mumbled sleepily, squinting your eyes to see him and groaning loudly as your head throbbed a little.

"Water," he handed you the glass as you sat up. You gulped it all down.

"God how much did I drink," you rubbed your temple before letting out a sigh when he pulled you in his embrace, tucking your head under his chin.

"Apparently a lot," his chest vibrated as he spoke and ran his fingers through your hair, carefully untangling it while also soothing your headache. "His other hand was placed on your waist protectively, rubbing circles on the skin.

"What were you doing awake at this hour?" You questioned, listening to his steady heartbeat. "Damon could've dropped me home".

"I couldn't sleep and decided to go on a drive".

"Everything's okay right?" You lifted your head, looking in his dark eyes to see them showing nothing but affection.

He smiled a little and pressed his lips to yours and just like that any thought you had simply evaporated as you focused on him. "Everything is fine," he said and shifted to lie down completely, not letting go of you and instead holding you closer.

"I love you," you spoke in the quietness of the night. Your body molded into his perfectly and he warmed you immediately. "More than anything".

"I love you too, darling," he kissed your forehead and your heart skipped a beat. He lingered for a few seconds, knowing the intimacy of the moment. "Always and forever".

====================================

This was quite a long one and I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it! I'm also a little proud of this so would really appreciate it if you show some love <3

[moonstruck-poet]

Red

Pairing - Carlos Sainz x reader!

Summary - It has just been Carlos' last race with Ferrari and you help him through it.

Warnings - none!

He did it. Oh he did it.

You never doubted him of course, but it was still surreal watching the red Ferrari bearing the number 55 cross the checkered flag.

Your cheeks would've split open with how wide they had been stretched from the moment you saw him zoom past the finish line.

His final race for Ferrari and it had ended spectacularly. There was some hurt in the garage on losing the constructor's championship, especially since Charles had tried so hard.

Yet your heart felt full, too many emotions overflowing through you that you weren't sure how to express it. You couldn't even say anything, only managing clap loudly as tears began forming in your eyes on hearing his radio message.

'Forza Ferrari Sempre' he said, his voice shaking not because of the car, but due to the emotions welling up in his throat.

"Sempre," you whispered to yourself, your lips pressed tightly together while your fingers clutched the small, delicate pendant of your necklace. A sentimental gift given by Carlos on your third marriage anniversary.

The events that followed were a blur to say the least. The two drivers were swarmed by the team for their wonderful performance during the entire season. You barely caught a glance of your husband as he was tackled by his crew, chuckling as they ruffled his hair wildly and hugged him tight.

As you watched him, your eyes were trained on his back, particularly on the Sainz written there in white, a startling contrast to the red. A rush of pride filled your chest, another wave of deep feelings seized control of your heart.

He was so, so loved. Such a happy soul that he spread positivity with a mere smile. That goddamn smile of his, it could make flowers grow. Always the shoulder to lean on, always there for everybody, always the constant rock in your life.

But right now he was just a driver being embraced by his team, a child being coddled by his family as they tried to be strong for the little one. They didn't care about the tears staining their faces, all they were worried about was making sure that he was alright.

At long last he was free enough to lift his head up and search for the one person he had longed to see. It didn't take long for his soft brown eyes to find yours, a grin lighting his face as he jogged over.

"Hey there," was all you said before he pulled you in his arms, wrapping them around and lifting you up with delight. A laugh was quick to escape your lips at his excitement, he looked happy, and that was all you had ever wanted.

"Amor," he muttered, sighing deeply and nuzzling into your shoulder while you smoothed out his hair.

"I know," you replied simply, understanding that there was so much that he wanted to say, the words on the tip of his tongue but were unable to flow. "It's time for the podium, Car".

He nodded, staying for some time, relishing in the moment and who were you to complain. You stood there, providing him with everything he needed. Not moving a muscle because he needed this. Because after the celebrations, he was supposed to come face to face with the harsh reality.

"I love you," he smiled, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to your forehead. "So much".

"I love you too, corazõn. Now go get your trophy and come back to me".

He laughed, brushing his lips against your head before turning around and following his teammate.. soon to be his former teammate up the staircase to the podium.

You walked alongside his Dad, who had on a Ferrari cap that he hadn't removed since the beginning.

"You okay, Papa?"

Carlos Sainz Sr nodded but you saw the obvious in his eyes. He was of course happy for his son, beyond ecstatic at the podium finish, but the inevitable didn't stop plaguing his mind.

"It'll be okay," you said albeit with a little uncertainty. But you believed Carlos, you knew firsthand how hardworking he was. "He's gonna be okay".

"That's all I want," he said with a sad smile, wanting nothing more than to see his boy happy, and you squeezed his arm.

The podium celebrations went wild. And how wouldn't it be when not only had Ferrari scored a double podium, the McLaren had also finished first, thus ensuring the constructors championship.

There he was standing in second place, his head held high as he scanned the red mass of the Tifosi. Waving their flags, banners, jerseys as they cheered for their team. His eyes took it all in, soaking in the love because who knew what the future held.

Maybe this was it for him.

Maybe he had already reached his peak and whatever came next would only spiral his downfall. His heart clenched at the thought, slight fear gripping it as thoughts ran awry.

But then his eyes spotted you amidst the sea of people, looking so happy as you stood alongside his father. And by only looking at you, he felt himself ease up. He knew that whatever was gonna come next, he would face it, for he would always have you with him. His strength.

The crowd went ballistic once the drivers lifted their trophies, wasting no time in spraying each other with champagne. You laughed at their antics, at the way Carlos was completely drenched.

And soon enough they were whisked off to do their media duties and you knew it would be quite a time before you'd see him again. So you quietly walked back to the garage, letting the teams have their moment of joy.

"Oh hey, Max," you greeted one of your rather good friends who was walking towards you with Penelope in his arms.

"Hello to you too, P!" You laughed at how the girl quite literally threw herself at you, almost crushing you with her small arms.

"Yeah as if I wasn't the one to carry you all the way to her," Max rolled his eyes playfully while she giggled.

"What can I say, she loves me more," you murmured and Penelope, to fuel your little banter nodded.

You talked with her for a few minutes, complimenting the gorgeous Rapunzel-like hairdo she had on. Until her mother came looking for her and you waved your goodbye, promising to meet up soon during the break.

"How is he?" Max asked after they had left.

You sighed, "He's fine, or at least that's what he thinks. It just hasn't hit him yet".

He nodded in understanding, feeling for his former teammate. "He was brilliant today though. And Charles was simply amazing".

"He really was. Gaining these many positions? Yeah that's no easy task. But he's not doing well too, losing the championship by such a lesser margin.."

"I'll talk to him," he muttered before giving you a quick hug. "You should come visit now that the season's over. P loves having you and I uh- would really like your help".

"Of course of course," you grinned, "I still can't believe you're gonna be a dad, even though I knew it long before".

He only chuckled, "Neither can I. But it's gonna be one hell of an experience. What about you though huh? Planned anything yet?"

"We do talk about it sometimes," you shrugged. "I guess it'll all happen when the time's right".

Max gave you a quick hug before returning back to his garage and that's when you heard his voice.

"Cariño!"

A smile was on your lips before you turned around, purposefully taking small steps back making him scoff slightly as he reached over to pull you against his chest.

"You do know that you're drenched right?"

"Yes?"

You rolled your eyes, looking back at him only to find your breath hitching at the way he was looking at you, as though he had found the meaning of life. His gaze was trained on you, unflinching as he simply looked, observed. At this point your clothes were stained too but you couldn't care much as he placed a palm on your waist while the other held your cheek with utmost tenderness.

A small, barely visible smile graced his lips as his thumb moved across your cheek, the rest of his fingers on the nape of your neck. He easily ignored all the cameras that had panned towards you, surely capturing every tiny expression.

He pulled you even closer and you moved your palms from his chest to wound around his neck, waiting for him to say something.

He didn't speak, he showed.

By leading you forward with his hold on your jaw as your lips clashed and he kissed you passionately, so much that you were surprised. He wasn't one for displaying a lot of affection in public and neither were you. But you indulged in, not being able to resist your husband.

He pulled back, his face glistening with a mixture of sweat and champagne, his eyes alight with the prospect of winning in his last race, and the soft twitch of his lips because of you.

Suddenly you were aware of the cheers that were given by the crowd making you jolt awake. Your face was quick to burn as red dusted it and you hid yourself in his shoulders. Feeling his chest vibrate as he laughed and kissed the top of your head.

"That's my favorite couple!" Lando's yell was heard distinctly making you smile despite your little embarrassment.

"Vas a ser mi muerte, Carlos Sainz". [You're gonna be the death of me, Carlos Sainz]

He merely smirked while you lightly punched his arm and gave you an exaggerated flying kiss before he was dragged away by his team members.

You shook your head at his adorable behaviour, feeling your insides squirm with the amount of affection you held for this man.

You retired yourself in the garage, sitting in a corner and scrolling through your phone when a crew member got your attention informing you that it was time for the video.

"Can you please get his dad?" He asked in between his jogs and you nodded immediately, taking off in search of your father.

"Papa!" You waved your hand to get his attention and beckoned him over, explaining to him that the crew had prepared something for Carlos and wanted everyone there.

"Let's go then," he smiled at your enthusiasm as the two of you entered the all too familiar garage, that had always felt close to home due to the amount of time you had spent here.

The man of the day was already present and you let out a loud cackle on seeing him wearing a chilli suit, Zhou standing beside him as they posed for the photograph.

"Oh this is brilliant," you rushed forward to snap a picture of your own, grinning like a fool.

"¡Se ve bien, esposo!" [Looking good, husband]

He only groaned on seeing the mischievous look adorning your face, knowing that you were definitely going to use these rather wonderful pictures in the future for various purposes.

And now it was finally time for the video. A screen was brought in the centre, placed in front of Carlos as he looked confused. Everybody gathered around, forming a circle and you slipped behind, wanting to let them have their moment.

You had already seen the video, the team had sent it to you for approval as there were some clips of you two. All the way back from his early years when you were dating until now. So you had your eyes pinned on Carlos, watching his every reaction.

And for god's sake does it hurt to see the love of your life cry.

You were standing there, arms crossed as you watched him breakdown in front of you. You noticed the exact second when his eyes had glossed over. It was a small clip where he had won his first ever podium, the camera then cut to show the crew, or more specifically you. You had a headset on your head, your smile blinding as you cheered at the top of your voice for him.

Carlos bit his lip that was wobbling dangerously as the video showed memory after memory that was most precious to him, the ones that he held most dear. There were so many snippets of you and Charles, of your usual bickering over who loved him more that always made him laugh.

And as the clips fast forwarded to relive his past, a lone tear slipped down his cheek and the rest were quick to follow. Your own heart squeezed terribly, hammering uncomfortably inside your ribcage. Your cheeks were soon stained too.

You wiped them dry, scrunching up your nose on seeing his eyes reddening with every passing minute as he tried his best to not let go completely. But you could see he was this close to breaking down.

He swallowed as the video was coming to an end, feeling a new wave of tears crash upon him but he held himself, pressing his lips together as tight as he could as he looked at the many faces around him. Soft clapping and cheering echoed around the room as the small gratitude for him finished and he smiled through the emotions struggling to break free.

Many people patted him on the back, squeezing his shoulders and messing up his hair but it was all a blur for him. He was so overwhelmed, so close to bursting that he turned around and started looking for that one person.

His person.

He saw you standing a little far away and automatically his feet began moving your way. He smiled absentmindedly at the rest, his eyes solely focused on you.

And once he was within reach, Carlos Sainz fell right into your arms. The slowly tearing away barrier shattered once he held you. Tears swiftly escaped him as he cried, the entire day getting the best of himself.

His shoulders shook slightly, slowly but surely hurting your soul as you cried too. Unable to see him in such pain, incapable of being strong for him when he was so broken. Your fingers tangled in his hair, applying a gentle pressure as you soothed him.

"I've got you, love," you whispered, lips brushing against his dark brown locks that you so adored.

He didn't say anything, or rather he could not. He seemed to feel everything all at once and it was becoming a lot to bear. But steadily his head cleared, welcoming your voice that was constantly giving reassurances while encouraging him to breathe. And he listened, following your breaths to calm down.

"It's okay, Carlos. All I want you to know right now is that this is not the end, okay? You've got so much ahead of you, my love. This is just the beginning. And I'm not saying that there won't be any problems, there would be thousands. But I promise you that you'll get through this, exactly like you always do. And I'll be right here, exactly like I always am. You understand me?"

He nodded as best as he could with his head still pressed into your neck. He absorbed your words, finding solace in your calm and tender voice. It wouldn't be easy, but he could do it.

"It's just hard," he sniffed and pulled away. But before he could unwrap his arms from around your waist, your thumb had wiped his tears away. The tip of his nose was tinged with red and his eyes were bloodshot. His eyelashes glistened silver and even with the crying, he still looked so beautiful.

"It is," you agreed and leaned back against the wall, with him following suit beside you.

"Spending four years with a team, being around for so long that anything else just feels out of place. As if you don't belong there. But not everybody gets to complete their childhood dream too. Not everyone can say that I made my younger self happy. I'm just glad that I was able to do that. I'm actually grateful that they believed in me enough to let me carry the legacy for so long".

You smiled at his words, he was such a sweet soul. Always finding the best in everything and being so optimistic about the future despite the hurdles.

"I just know, that little Carlitos would be bursting with happiness, running around in circles screaming because he made it. He drove that red car".

Carlos laughed, sniffing as he looked at you with a newfound admiration. How glad he was that he'd met you, had the courage to ask you out and took his chance on marrying you. You were the best decision he had ever made and he saw why from time to time.

"Thank you," he said, looking down at the floor.

You moved from your spot to stand in front of him and he met your eyes. His eyelids fluttered close when you decreased the gap, kissing him softly.

"Red will always be your colour, love".

====================================

Back with another Carlos fic! And how could I not after those outrageous gifs that were haunting me every day. Ofc I didn't bawl my eyes out.

Also a huge THANK YOU for 200 followers!! And even more for the amount of love I receive on every fic that I upload. I love y'all<33

[moonstruck-poet]

Omg

ahhhhhhhhhh

[moonstruck-poet]

His hand placement 😭✋🏻

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc (Abu Dhabi GP - December 8, 2024) 📷 Andy Hone

[moonstruck-poet]

Yes im a tiny bit sad but CONGRATULATIONS MCLAREN AND LANDO NORRIS AND OSCAR PIASTRI!!!

BUT OH MY TWO GUYS😭😭😭😭

CHARLES YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTY ENDING UP P3 FROM P19???? ILYSM

AND CARLOS MY LOVE I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR HAVING STUCK THROUGH ILYYYY

P2 AND P3 LESS FUCKING GOOOO AND ALSO A LANDO P1 TOO ❤️❤️❤️

Edit - FORZA FERRARI SEMPRE CARLITOS😭

[moonstruck-poet]

How am I still delusional that we're gonna get the constructors championship-

Let's go my boys 😭😭❤️

[moonstruck-poet]

SLAYED WITH THE HELMET😭❤️🥹

Wait... It's the last race already???? 😭💔

charles_leclerc Special helmet for a special teammate ❤️ Thanks for these 4 years together. Let’s push to the max for that last weekend together.

[moonstruck-poet]

Elijah Mikaelson Masterlist

I love you I'm sorry

A thousand years

[moonstruck-poet]

I love you I'm sorry

Pairing - Elijah Mikaelson x reader!

Summary - all the times when Elijah had come close to expressing his love, but he simply was not able to.

Warnings - being drunk, alcohol

Elijah Mikaelson wasn't known to be a very trustworthy man. The only people whom he could trust, or rather be sure of were his family. Though of course he had been daggered by his own brother quite a few times, he still trusted them.

You were one such person. Despite not being blood related, the bond he shared with you was as strong as he did with his siblings. You were his best friend, his ally even before he had transitioned into a creature of the night. And being close to the Mikaelsons since the very beginning, you too had shared the same fate.

Someone would think that being alive for more than centuries would wisen a man. And certainly, Elijah had a fearsome intellect, but his intelligence always seemed to lack in matters involving romance.

As could be observed from his numerous failed relationships. Not that it was always his fault, but he just felt something was missing every time. He couldn't place a finger on it, but it felt odd, uncomfortable, as though the woman despite being very lovely just wasn't meant for him.

And so he had given up pursuing anyone, unaware of the fact that his heart had already resigned itself to someone. A girl he has known since adolescence, a person who watched him grow and grew beside him every step of the way. He had only ever seen her, regarded her as his closest friend, nothing more.

====================================

He was currently lounging in the Mystic Grill, nursing a glass of bourbon. It was late evening, not much happening around which was a strange but welcomed relief.

His dark brown eyes were alert, as they always were as he surveyed the crowd. They darted towards the entrance on hearing familiar voices laughing. There you were, dressed as impeccably as him in a pristine white shirt paired with black trousers. You had your sleeves rolled up much like him, not a crease visible on the fabric either.

Even though he had seen you in similar outfits more than a thousand times already, a small smile still made its way on his lips. He loved the fact that you shared his dressing style, though you preferred to not wear a blazer and rather opted for shirts only.

He could see Caroline and Bonnie beside you, the girls laughing as you whispered something, having to lean down a little due to your tall frame.

You were probably having a girl's night, wanting a break from all the drama which seemed never ending. Elena unfortunately had bailed rather reluctantly, having to go on a date with Stefan and you all had reassured her that it was okay.

Elijah would've loved nothing more than to call you just so he could have your attention, but he didn't do that. You already spent most of your time together, you were allowed to hang out with people other than the dear Mikaelsons.

So he settled to simply watch you, obviously not in the disturbing manner but out of genuine interest. He saw you on one of the tables, the three of you so caught up in your conversation that you couldn't care less about the world.

Bonnie pulled out her phone to show something and Caroline squealed, placing her hand over her mouth while he watched you smirk and chug down a shot. Elijah was so enraptured by your mere presence across the room that he didn't notice the time pass. He was snapped out of his trance when he noticed the blonde vampire tapping your shoulder and pointing towards his position and he quickly averted his gaze.

He downed his glass and his head turned involuntarily on seeing you walk from his peripheral vision. The grin that was on your face had been mirrored on his too, though it was much smaller and more collected.

"Hey 'lijah," you smiled, slipping into the seat beside him and accepting the glass he slid over, turning his body to face you.

His heart warmed at the nickname, it was only you who called him that.

"Hello, good day so far I'm assuming?" He asked, leaning against the counter.

"A great day indeed," you agreed. "Quite unusual but who is complaining".

He chuckled softly, voice low and deep enough to make a woman squirm in her seat. "Another one?" He gestured towards the empty glass, already signalling for one but you shook your head.

"I'm on the verge of being completely and absolutely knackered, Elijah. I'm afraid I have to turn down your offer," you sighed, folding your hands on top of each other on the table and resting your head on them, eyes closing immediately.

A few strands of your hair had fallen out from the intricate braid made by Rebekah no doubt. They fell over your forehead, resting on your cheek and fluttering slightly in the wind. An intense urge to place them behind your ear rose in him, to adjust your messed up hair gently. He didn't understand this sudden need to touch you, but he held himself.

"You can't sleep here, you know?" He smiled, a playful glint in his eyes as you groaned at the prospect of getting up.

"On the contrary, I'm quite comfortable thank you," you mumbled, peeking an eye open and were rewarded with his gorgeous smile. Oh how handsome he looked in the dim lighting of the bar, his beautifully sculpted face only being highlighted more intensely.

His lips only widened at your answer and he was about to retort when there was a loud bang, immediately followed by a multitude of screams as people scurried away.

And without a pause, without a moment of hesitation, Elijah had wrapped his arms around you and sped over to the nearest corner. He didn't care as to who saw him, the only thought in his mind was to get you to safety.

He backed you against the wall, hands still on your waist as he carefully looked around the wall. Trying to narrow the source of the ruckus. Another loud crack exploded in the bar earning more rounds of screams and shouts.

As though it were second nature, he pressed his body forward, shielding yours effectively while your eyes looked wild with concern.

That's when a voice called out through the noise, "Terribly sorry everyone! Some fireworks here went askew!" He finished earning loads of curses and groans. "Sorry!!"

A relieved sigh was heard from you and Elijah visibly relaxed despite his expression being of someone who wanted to slaughter a man alive. His eyes finally met yours and he felt his heart beating abnormally once he registered the mere inches of space between you two. You were all but a few centimetres shorter than him but he always had this aura of towering over you.

"We're okay, 'lijah," you murmured, your voice low as you brought him in an embrace. Wrapping your arms around his neck gently. His body tensed before relaxing, his hands snaking past your waist to engulf you in his hold.

You made a move to pull away but the man did not move a muscle, his head resting atop yours as he held you close. So you stayed for a little while longer, giving him the satisfaction that you were indeed safe.

He took a step back, breaking the hug but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to detach his hands from you. Wanting to feel your skin underneath his fingers, to sense your warm body against his.

You smiled at his slightly messed up hair and styled it back properly. His eyes involuntarily closed at your soft touches, leaning into your hand and feeling his heart slowly coming back to normal.

"Let's go home, shall we?" You spoke, looking a little worried at his silence and the way he hurriedly stepped back, his face heating up slightly.

He only nodded as you navigated through the crowd, your hand finding Elijah's on its own accord. As you were facing forward, you failed to see the small grin on his face as he looked at your hands, his chest feeling obnoxiously tight for some unknown reason as he let himself be dragged away.

Caroline and Bonnie, unbeknownst to the duo had seen his expression. And naturally they caught on immediately, their faces showing a mixture of surprise, shock, and delight.

Surprise, at the sight of the stoic, dangerous Elijah Mikaelson as he was pulled by a woman. Not any random woman too of course. He showed absolutely no resistance and the girls knew that the man would follow you to the ends of Earth if you asked him to.

Shock, because no way in hell did they expect to see the amount of gentleness his face bore. All for you. His usual serious exterior had melted away to reveal a feeling of utter adoration.

And delight as they knew he was the perfect man, nobody else could even come close. Not only was he your closest friend, he already seemed like your other half. One couldn't think of Elijah without at least mentioning you too.

They saw it from their own eyes as one of the eldest Mikaelson was whisked off, and all they could see on his face was downright love.

====================================

"Oh come on!" Rebekah urged you as you shook your head. "It'll be fun and you know it".

"I know nothing".

"What are you two arguing about?" Klaus walked in with Elijah beside him who raised an eyebrow at the two best friends who rarely argued.

"I'm convincing her to go to the dance," Rebekah frowned shooting you glares while you were completely unbothered.

"And I'm telling you that me and dances do not go well. So far they've been nothing more than a fiasco," you grumbled, shaking off the memories.

"You cannot let your past be a judge of your future!"

"I can and I will".

She groaned and stood up, walking over to her brothers who merely watched with amusement. "Niklaus, make her see sense".

"I must admit dances are indeed fun, love," he said with a smile, settling down on the sofa.

"No they're not," you rolled your eyes and went back to your book.

"Then what am I supposed to do alone? I don't even have a date!" She exclaimed and snatched the book out of your hand making you narrow your eyes.

"Then get one for heaven's sake, Bekah," you sighed and placed your palm on your face. "And even if I agreed to go, what makes you think I can get myself a date in such short notice?"

"You'd be rather surprised," her lips morphed into a smirk which could be observed on Klaus' face too.

"Now what does that mean?" You asked suspiciously and they put their hands up in surrender.

"You've been quite silent on this matter, big brother," said Klaus and eyed Elijah who was clearly pretending to read the novel.

"And what do you expect me to say, Niklaus?" He replied without looking up.

"Tell your best friend to accompany me to the dance. We have dresses and I'll find a date for her too," Rebekah piped in eagerly. She knew that only he could persuade you.

"I think it is her choice".

"And that is exactly why I love you the most," you beamed at his answer, not noticing the way red dusted his cheeks as he bit back a smile.

"Oh shut up," the clearly frustrated vampire grumbled. "It's one dance!"

"Don't be such a downer, love. If it makes you feel better, me and Elijah will come too," Klaus said, his smile a little too wicked and Elijah's head snapped up at his statement, his face murderous.

The hybrid merely smiled sweetly, not at all scared and instead looked expectantly at you. You held his stare, crossing your arms for a full five seconds before caving in with an annoyed scoff.

"Fine!" You huffed, watching as the two siblings rejoiced at your reply. "How bad can it be".

"Exactly," Rebekah grinned and took your hand, probably dragging you off to her room to show you the many dresses she owned.

Once the ladies were out of their sight, Elijah turned towards his brother with a frown, "Did you have to include me in your shenanigans?"

"Well of course I did," Klaus said as if it were obvious. "How else was I supposed to convince her?"

"The least you could've done was at least ask me beforehand, Niklaus".

"What fun would that be. And also I was actually helping you in case you didn't notice".

"Help me how exactly?"

"So you can confess your not so little feelings for her, dear brother," he said with a full blown smile, dimples on full display.

Elijah stilled immediately, his body tensing as he clenched his jaw, "I don't harbour any feelings".

"Sure you don't," he teased in a sing-song voice, getting up and stretching his arms. "Deny it all you want, Elijah. But anybody with eyes can see the obvious love you have for her. And I must add, you're finally making a good choice! I approve," he winked at the baffled man.

"Klaus-" Elijah began but was cut off instantly.

"Now don't you try to deny it! I am willing to bet that every time you see her your heart starts besting faster. Whenever she laughs you feel your chest growing tighter and you want nothing more than to be the cause of it. Not to mention the fact that you literally worship the ground she walks on. Why do you think she always turns to you for everything, Elijah? Why she's always so open with you? She loves you and why can you not see that?"

Elijah was stunned to say the least. So shocked as he listened to Klaus' rant that for once in his long lifetime, his brother had managed to render him speechless. He exhaled deeply, god was he so obvious? But then how had you not noticed? Or maybe you had, he was just too blind to see it.

"Yeah now I can see the gears turning," Klaus muttered and left for his room.

It was evening and the time had arrived. You were all ready in your dress which looked absolutely stunning. It was a treasure from the 70s and you were glad to have worn it. Despite not wearing gowns often as you preferred shirts and trousers, you felt beautiful for once. Your appearance was a little more gentle, pretty and demure as compared to your usual hardened, regal state.

A gorgeous necklace was added as the finishing touch and you smiled on seeing yourself in the full size mirror, not being able to resist doing a small twirl. You looked like a literal princess.

There was a small knock on the door and in stepped Rebekah, looking equally and if not more beautiful. She let out a little gasp and hurried over, her eyes shining bright.

"Look at you," she smiled and made you do a tiny roundabout. "You look perfect".

"Do I?" You asked, a little uncertain as it had been a long time since you had dolled up so nicely.

"Without a doubt. Now come on then, the boys must be waiting," she grabbed your hand and you made the way down the elegant staircase, holding the dress up a little to walk properly.

She had somehow convinced Elijah to be your date and honestly you didn't mind at all. Much better to go with someone you know so well rather than with a stranger. Little did you know though, her brother hadn't required convincing at all.

Elijah was waiting at the bottom, dressed as impeccably as ever in a black suit. As soon as you came into view, he felt his heart stop. Quite literally. The world stopped spinning, everything around him had stilled and the only person he had eyes for, was you. In that breathtaking dress and walking right towards him.

He saw you in slow motion, taking in every inch of you and engraving it in his memory. He couldn't ever forget this sight, not even if he tried.

Your eyes met his and you gave him a small, rather shy smile. It was something so unlike you. But the man was still rooted to the spot, unable to formulate words as he took in your figure.

"Breathe brother," a sharp nudge from Klaus brought him back to Earth, though he was still slightly dazed. His mouth fell open a little when you stood in front of him, your stance a little nervous as you waited for him to say something.

"You look exquisitely beautiful," he breathed out, feeling a strange breathlessness. His tie felt increasingly tight around his neck while his hands were starting to sweat.

"Thank you," you replied, looking down as you flushed. "You've cleaned up nicely too".

He gave you a small smile before offering you his arm and you obliged, placing your palm gently in the crook while the other wrapped around his bicep.

During the small walk to the car you felt his eyes on you, scanning your face as though he was memorising every trivial detail. Having enough of his stare, you turned sideways, looking him right in the eye and instead of looking away like you expected him to, Elijah merely tilted his head adoringly.

You felt a sudden warmth settle in your chest as you got in the car, keen on avoiding his gaze for most of the night at least.

The journey was quite short and before you knew it, Rebekah had brought you to the bar and you had downed three shots already. Needing a bit of energy before moving to the dancefloor.

Elijah and Klaus were nowhere to be seen, probably off talking to familiar people and drinking their body weight.

Just as you got up, your three girl friends rushed towards you, greeting you with smiles and laughs. They fawned over your dress, complimenting you so much that your face had turned a permanent shade of pink.

"Let's go dance," Elena took your hand, taking you to one of the corners and you followed. Rebekah had already disappeared in the crowd somewhere.

The music was quite good, much similar to your taste and you swayed to the beat, enjoying yourself for once and letting go. It wasn't an easy life to be an Original and having such a close relation to the Mikaelsons. There was a constant threat of danger over your head. And it was moments like these that made you feel normal, happy and carefree.

You laughed with them, twirling Bonnie around and just being yourself. Soon enough your feet had begun aching and you excused yourself to go and sit. You spotted Elijah sitting near the bar and made a beeline for him.

His face visibly brightened on seeing you, a smile growing on his previously monotonous expression. "You look happy".

You nodded, chuckling and sat down with a sigh, "I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would".

He only smiled, offering you his half filled glass which you accepted, downing it in a single shot. "Thank you. And pray tell why are you sitting here all alone like a sulking child?"

"I was not sulking-" he began but you cut him off with an 'Oh please' face.

"Go out there, 'lijah. Get yourself a nice girl, ask her to dance. Nobody would say no to you, you know that right?"

"I don't dance," he said half heartedly. Who was he kidding, all he wanted right now was to take your hand and dance his heart out. And for once in his life, Elijah decided to listen to his thoughts.

He stood up, standing in front of you and extending his hand, "May I have this dance, miss?"

You were positively surprised, a small laugh escaping your lips at his theatrics but you nodded nonetheless. You placed your hand in his, allowing him to lead you to the dancefloor.

You faced each other, his fingers brushing delicately against your waist while the other hand held yours with equal tenderness. His eyes bore into yours, a newfound emotion swirling in them as he admired you. He had seen you a thousand times before, yet he found a new thing to look at everyday.

There was this different intensity in this gaze. Though you had looked at him many times already, you felt shy under his gaze.

He swayed you along with the music, matching the rhythm perfectly when he twirled you. His heart skipped a beat every time you laughed, he felt accomplished in a weird way. As though all he should do was to be the cause of your happiness.

The music changed to a slow one, as did the tension between you two. Because he stepped closer, your chests almost brushed due to the proximity. You kept your eyes downwards, afraid that if you looked up, you would lose control.

But Elijah seemed to have other plans. For he removed his hand from yours and placed a finger below your chin, slowly lifting your face upwards to meet his. Your breath hitched and your lips parted, watching as his eyes landed on them before flitting back up. He was too close. The distance was so small that you couldn't breathe. His intoxicating scent had engulfed you completely.

Elijah's heart had been racing madly, so much that he was afraid it would jump out of his chest. You were so close that all he had to do was lean in slightly and his lips would cover yours. Yet he didn't act upon his thoughts now, instead choosing to quietly admire you.

His hand now went to holding your waist and you shifted yours to lock behind his neck, unconsciously moving closer again.

"You do look beautiful tonight," he whispered, his deep brown irises not leaving yours for a second and his grip tightened, afraid that you would disappear.

"Tonight?" You asked teasingly, trying to distract yourself from the steadily rising blush.

He only chuckled, the sound so low that it reverberated in your very soul. "I have seen you a million times, yet you look as gorgeous as ever".

"What is it with the compliments today, Mikaelson? Maybe I should wear dresses more often".

"You don't require a dress to get them. I'll happily compliment you a thousand times over if that is what you wish for".

"Elijah.." you spoke softly, your heart racing uncontrollably as you looked at the man standing inches away from you.

"Yes, darling?" He replied back and you were a goner.

Before you could say something, Klaus had appeared beside you, a restless look in his eyes as he explained the arising problem. And leaving your little moment behind, you both were quick to follow him.

====================================

Elijah had been out of Mystic Falls for over a week now. He had been tagging alongside Klaus, keeping his brother from starting new trouble.

Which meant that it had also been a long time since he had last seen you. And though you two had been away for much longer in the past centuries, it didn't mean that he had gotten used to it.

Which explained his current situation as he tried his best to make Klaus see sense. Making him understand that there was no threat to him right now and so they should go back home. As soon as it was possible.

But what kind of a younger sibling would he be if he didn't torment his elders.

So he insisted on keeping them both in New Orleans for yet another week, claiming that he had found new information which was actually true.

And after a long fifteen days, Elijah Mikaelson was more than ready to get back home. Or he was ready to get back to his home. It wasn't as if he hadn't called you during his stay. He had, numerous times. But it wasn't the same as being near you, getting to see you firsthand. Which just proved yet again that he had fallen deeply.

And his wonderful family made sure to remind him time and time again.

But it was easier said than done. How did they just expect him to throw so many years of friendship down the drain, risk putting it on the line only because he had gotten his heart involved. He hadn't even known until Niklaus had pointed it out.

No wonder he always longed for your presence at the beginning and end of each day. Wanting to be there for you through all your highs and lows. He craved to have your attention all to himself.

And as they were nearing Mystic Falls every mile, he could not stop thinking about you.

"Slow down, brother. You're a little over the speed limit," Klaus smirked from the passenger seat and he rolled his eyes.

"Be silent for once, Niklaus".

"Oh I was just thinking that you should've confessed to her already! It might have escaped your notice, Elijah, but there are hoards of men out there who fancy our best friend dearly".

Elijah's grip tightened on the steering wheel but he didn't say anything. He wasn't blind, obviously he had noticed the looks you got from men and women during the ages. You were beautiful, smart, cunning, and loyal. What wasn't there to like?

Nearing the house, he pulled over and got out without wasting another minute. His strides fast as he made his way to the porch.

"Never thought I'd see the day with you being so desperately in love. But well, it's no ordinary girl either. If you don't hurry up brother, I might just swoop in myself".

The glare that he received could have had a mere human on their knees, trembling and withering. But being used to his brother's rather rare anger, Klaus only smiled brightly.

Rebekah was the one to greet them as they entered the living room. Elijah couldn't help himself as his eyes darted around, searching for you.

"Well hello to you too," Kol said with a smirk and sat down. "I'm hurt by your lack of greetings".

"You'll survive".

"Someone's a little feisty today. Care to explain the reason behind your sullen face?"

"It's obvious isn't it, Kol?" Rebekah answered his question with a smile of her own. "He's looking for her of course".

"It's quite unfortunate really," he sighed in reply, leaning back and watching his brother carefully as he delivered the news. "Seeing as she's on a date".

Elijah's neck snapped so quickly it was almost like someone had turned it for him. His eyes narrowed immediately as he sped over to the youngest, glaring down at him.

"Don't be dramatic. She's only out with Damon, it's certainly not a date," Rebekah rolled her eyes, feeling a little bad for her big brother.

"I'm only saying what I saw," he shrugged, thoroughly enjoying the way Elijah's body tensed with every word of his. Before he could utter anything else, the eldest had vanished from their sights.

"This might be fun," Klaus spoke at last, a devilish grin on his face.

With his pulse beating harshly, Elijah stepped foot inside one of the bars, having tracked you down with ease. The first one he saw was Stefan, his arms around Elena as they danced without a care.

He brushed past the crowds, ignoring the curses thrown his way and that's when his eyes fell on you. There you were, decked in your typical clothes but having opted for black jeans and a matching leather jacket instead.

His chest felt light almost instantly, a deep breath leaving his lungs as he saw you. A smile was about to break free but it was soon replaced by his dangerously calm face. Damon Salvatore had just appeared beside you, his hand around your shoulder as he led you to the bar to get more drinks.

Despite the loud, blaring music he saw you chatting animatedly with the vampire. He watched as Damon leaned in closer to you, whispering something in your ear resulting in a smile.

Elijah gritted his jaw, his grip tightening on the glass that he was holding. It was only a few seconds away from shattering into fragments. All he could do was grab another shot and chug it, the feeling of the alcohol slightly burning his throat was great.

He settled himself in a dark corner, away from your eyesight. A small wound seemed to be inflicted on his heart as he saw you throw your head back and laugh heartily. He could hear the sound. How could he not when it was the only thing that he had longed to hear these past days.

It was the last straw for him. When he saw how readily you had out your arms around Damon's neck, hugging him so tightly. He felt himself getting dizzy, emotions overwhelming him all at once making him realise that he was actually drunk.

God he hadn't been drunk in a long, long time.

He laughed, a hollow, low chuckle as he downed yet another glass. Watching the one woman he had always cared about from the bottom of his heart dance with another man.

And the next second, he felt pathetic. Disgusted at himself for being so selfish, for even entertaining thoughts like these. You were your own person, you could hang around with whomever you wanted. He didn't dictate your life, he didn't own you. But then how could he explain this empty feeling inside of him, it was torturing him.

He didn't know how long he sat there, staring into oblivion as he drank and drank. There were certainly benefits of becoming a vampire, and unlimited drinking was one of them.

His mind was filled with all sorts of memories he had shared with you. Some were happy, some were filled with anguish, rage, sadness. But all he could think about was how you were always there for him. Not thinking about yourself for a minute as you protected his family with him. You weren't even blood related, yet he remembered all those times when you had saved Klaus from the wrath of his father. Helping Rebekah through her many heartbreaks, pulling Kol back to reality when he took it too far at times, and being there for Finn whenever he needed someone to confide in.

It was only when the lights were slowly turning off that he came back to his senses. Realising that the bar was probably shutting down for the night, he got up, almost stumbling down. The time on his watch indicated that it was 2 am and he swallowed his heartbreak, cautiously walking out and enjoying the fresh gust of air.

And just when he thought he had rid himself of everything, a soft, gentle voice called his name. His eyes closed on their own, as the word rang in his ear.

Elijah slowly turned, seeing you walking over with a surprised smile which fell slightly on seeing his frazzled state. His blazer was hung over his arm, the tie hanging loose around his neck while the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up. His dark hair was extremely tousled, signalling that he had been running his fingers through it a lot.

"Heyy," he grinned, his voice slurring which had your eyes widened. Elijah Mikaelson was drunk. Not just drunk, he was completely knackered.

"Woah there," you grabbed his shoulders, steadying him and helping him stand up straight. You took the coat from his hand. "What brings you here at this hour, 'lijah".

If possible his smile only stretched at the nickname. A dimple dotting his left cheek as he observed you silently. "I missed you".

His abrupt reply at you stunned for a moment, "Oh I- I missed you too".

Before you could add anything he exhaled heavily and threw his large frame onto yours, wrapping his arms around you and bringing you close.

You stayed for a while and let out a laugh, "Who knew you could be such a big baby?"

He didn't reply and only snuggled closer, his stubble ticking your neck and making goosebumps erupt on your arms.

"Elijah," you whispered, bringing a hand up to card your fingers through his hair, smoothing the wild locks and also providing comfort. "How long have you been here?"

"A long time," he replied, still not looking up and you sighed. Having to physically hold his face between your hands just so you could see him. "I saw you".

"Then why did you not say anything?"

"You were having a good time. I had no intentions of interrupting it".

You shook your head, a sad smile on your face, "You could never disrupt anything".

"You looked happy with Damon," he forced out a smile and now avoided eye contact fully. He pulled away and started walking, barely making three steps before the alcohol took over and he almost tripped, had it not been for you holding him.

"Let's go home, yeah?" You asked, trying to coax your obviously hurt friend into listening. You put an arm around his shoulder, giving him support while the other held his hand, leading him forward.

"Home," he repeated, his eyes twinkling. And you couldn't help but notice that his gaze never strayed away from you.

As soon as you reached the house, you vampire sped him to the living room, placing him on the sofa gently and getting a glass of water. The others were probably asleep, as there was minimal lighting.

"Feeling any better now?"

"Fine," came his short reply and you frowned, watching as he fiddled with his hands.

Not knowing how else to help him, you placed another water filled glass on the table before bidding him goodbye, telling him to call you if he needed anything at all.

"Stay," came his broken voice and you stopped in your tracks. That painful, one word piercing your heart like glass.

And how could you not?

"Always," you swallowed, taking in his vulnerable expression. The serious facade he usually maintained melting off to reveal a person who had endured hell.

You sat beside him, his eyes watching your every movement as you settled. And once you did, his arms were quick to wrap around your waist, holding your body tightly as if you were his anchor, his only link to reality.

A few peaceful moments passed but neither of you moved and Elijah naturally assumed that you had slept. He pulled back ever so slightly, enough to get a glimpse of your serene face. Not lined up by any troubles, it was still.

"How can I ever repay you for all that you've done for me? Nobody is even capable of saying the things that you have managed to show. I regret not having told you this, but you truly are the best thing that has ever happened to me. And what would I do to give you back a small ounce of what you had bestowed upon me all these years".

He couldn't help it as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your forehead. Lingering for a few seconds, savouring the feeling while also trying to pour out all the emotions that had seized control of his heart.

Elijah woke up the next morning with an unfamiliar but comfortable weight on his chest. He was about to move but something stopped him. He blinked his eyes, getting rid of the sleep as his vision cleared. What he saw made his heart fall out of his chest with love but also stop at the same time due to fear.

There you were laying beside him. Your head resting on his chest right below his chin while his arms were securely enclosed around you, holding you in place. This felt so right for every reason that he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away. From the way your hair was a complete mess, to how your palm was placed above his heart

He tightened his grip involuntarily, getting the feeling that this was something he could get used to. But soon fear had made space in his mind, reminding him of all the reasons why he didn't deserve you.

And he believed every one of them.

So he allowed himself only a few minutes more before placing you back on the couch, his touch so gentle that you didn't so much as stir. He took a last look at you, leaning over to brush the stray hair away with a certain fondness.

"I'm sorry," he said, his face contorting his pain as he abruptly turned around, walking away once again.

====================================

[moonstruck-poet]

WDYM MAX IS GONNA BE A DAD😭😭🥹🥹🥹

The way I internally screamed when I saw his post- I'm still processing this believe me😭✋🏻

MINI VERSTAPPEN IS GONNA BE HERE

[moonstruck-poet]

"Just stop your crying, have the time of your life".

sign of the times x f1 2024✨🏎️

[moonstruck-poet]

Oh Max you absolute beauty, pole position for tomorrow let's go

Still rooting for Carlos and Charles tho-

[moonstruck-poet]

Survive pt.3

Pairing - Carlos Sainz x wife!reader

Summary - Because of your job as a crime officer, a particularly dangerous mission has both you and your husband on the edge.

Warnings - breakdown, trauma, mentions of harassment, blood, injury

"No absolutely not," Elijah shook his head firmly, "No way in hell am I gonna let you drive yourself home. You can barely stand for Christ's sake!"

"Elijah," you began but were cut off immediately.

"He's right," Stephen crossed his arms, shooting you a look of finality and you sighed, throwing your hands up in the air in defeat. "Good work then team," he said after a moment's pause.

Chris snorted, grabbing his coat and pulling it on, not even wincing as the fabric grazed against his bandaged wounds, "That's an understatement".

"I'll have you know that your names have been given to this year's award ceremony".

"Holy shit," Jess voiced everyone's feelings, her eyes wide with excitement. The award ceremony hosted by the country every year was a dream for the militant force like you. Earning the badges given was always the biggest source of pride.

"Should we go then?" Elijah asked making you roll your eyes. You two were going home together in your car while Jess and Chris were in hers, her and Eli being the less harmed ones.

"Bye everyone, take a well deserved break," you muttered, grabbing Jess and pulling her into a tight hug, both of you grimacing at the pain which only amplified as the boys joined it.

"Goodbye Cap, looking forward to the team dinner," Chris grinned, throwing you a wink and you laughed, accepting his request.

The pair of you walked downstairs to the parking lot, your steps guided and slow, unlike your usual confident, quick strides.

"Here," you held your key to him, watching as his mouth opened in slight shock.

"You sure?" He bit his lip, trying his hardest to not snatch the key of his favourite car.

"Yes. You're dropping me off, that's the least I can do for you," you replied, smiling at the way his face lit up like a child's as he ran towards the door, getting into your sleek black Aston Martin. "Take it home, keep it for a day or two. I'll pick it up".

His lips could've split his face with how wide they seemed to stretch. Buckling in the seatbelts, you began the drive home.

It didn't take long considering it was quite late and you didn't live far off. Opening the door you cautiously got out, groaning as your extremely sore legs bore your body weight making you lean against the car.

"Should I come up?" He asked, getting out too but certainly not wanting to overstep any boundaries at all. "You'll be fine by yourself?"

You nodded, "You've helped me enough already, 'lijah. Go home now, your mum must be waiting".

He pursed his lips before gently giving you a side hug, his eyes tearing up a little as the terrific day came rushing through.

"I know," you rubbed his shoulder, "It's okay".

He exhaled heavily before drying his eyes and giving you a smile, "Also can you congratulate Carlos on his podium? The race was simply amazing," he slightly bounced on his feet, his inner Ferrari fanboy peeking out making you grin.

Bidding your crazy but loving friend goodbye, at long last you walked towards the elevator, your strength slowly deteriorating but your determination was strong. The lift seemed teasingly slow, as though wanting to keep you away from your husband for as long as it could.

Alas it stopped at your floor and you stepped out immediately, almost jogging to the door and ringing the bell, not bothering to find the keys because you knew he was waiting on the other side.

A second later the door opened, revealing your Carlos and you didn't even have the time to properly look at him before you were whisked in his embrace. His arms wrapped around your waist tightly as he held you close, breathing heavily and unconsciously gripping you tighter. His face was pressed into your neck, and for the love of god the love that emitted from him made all the pain fade away.

He simply held you there, your hands turning into fists as you grasped his shirt, finally inhaling his soft scent and as though your body had had enough, as though a switch had flickered on, tears fell down your cheeks. Silent at first, before transforming into sobs that tugged at your husband's heartstrings. Hu pulled away from your shoulder, allowing you to copy his position as your arms wound around his neck, face buried in the crook as you cried.

Every horrible scene that happened today was running through your mind like a movie, and relieving it again made the horrors even more real.

"C- Carlos," you stuttered before letting out another shout, filled with such an ounce of pain that tears were quick to well up in his eyes.

"I'm here, my love," he whispered desperately, clutching at your body, pulling you impossibly closer as he provided you with comfort that seemed useless. "You're home, you're safe now. Everything's okay, cariño". [Darling]

Cariño.

Cariño.

The nickname just somehow poked at your emotions again, reminding you of the moment when you had been lying helplessly on the ground, eyes almost closing as you were being beaten mercilessly. Your mind had gone numb, the only thing echoing in it was your husband's soft, gentle voice as he called you his darling, his cariño.

"I- I'm sorry- I can't- I can't breathe-" you managed in between the cries, trying your best to take in the air but you didn't want to lift your head up, afraid that you would be transported back to that hotel.

"Amor," he said softly, shutting his eyes furiously to stop the incoming emotions because right now he had to be strong. For you. You had been through hell and back, emerging victorious with a smile of confidence. But now? You were merely a human, having had enough for a day. It was his priority, you were his priority. He must be strong. For you. [Love]

He controlled himself, driven by the spirit to bring you back to him. With one hand still wrapped protectively around you, he closed the door with the other. Then he slightly lifted you up, walking backwards to the couch and settling you down, but making sure to not distance him at all.

Knowing that you needed him more than anything, anyone else in the world. And he was going to be there for every second of it.

"I'm here, love. I'm not going anywhere," he reassured you but felt the way your hands pulled him closer and he swallowed, placing his palm on the back of your head, trying to soothe you.

"It's okay," he murmured in your ear. His deep, low yet tender voice steadily penetrating through the darkness plaguing your mind. "You're okay, mi corazõn. Everything is okay". [My heart]

"Shhh," he repeated, now starting to rub slow circles on your back as you quietened down, not speaking anything and instead turning your head sideways, allowing your nose to inhale some air.

You didn't know how long you stayed in the position, but your legs had started throbbing, a dull ache spreading through your body, lighting every part but you ignored it, as it was all physical.

Right now, your mental health was way more important and you owed it to yourself to pay attention and give it what it needs.

You had calmed down completely, just enjoying the feel of him as you played with the ends of his hair when a thought struck your mind. Carlos hadn't even seen you properly, even though your wounds were bandaged, your bloodied shirt was enough to give him a scare. You grimaced at that, cursing yourself for not having brought a change of clothes. You had your jacket over it but that didn't actually make it any better, as the sleeves were ripped.

So praying that you wouldn't give him another heart attack, you deliberately pulled away, before giving yourself the chance to look at his face that you had been deprived of for so long.

His eyes met yours, and as they scanned every cut on your face itself, they widened. Worry immediately seeping through those brown irises as he looked at you incredulously.

"Oh my god," was all he managed to utter as he took your hands, his trembling after noticing every cut and bruise that marked your body. Then his gaze fell down to your once light blue shirt which had stained crimson and he felt his stomach churn.

"What the hell-" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence as his eyes moved around wildly. His heart burning with pain, discomfort, rage, on seeing the condition of his wife.

"Qué te hicieron, mi amor..." He trailed off, a lone tear falling down his cheek as his heart ached uncontrollably. An everlasting torment infecting his soul as he looked at you, a sight that he would never be able to forget. [What did they do to you, my love]

"Hey," you called him, hesitatingly raising your hands to cup his face, and his eyes fluttered close, leaning against your touch as though it were muscle memory for him.

"Sé que esto pinta mal, créeme. Pero te prometo que saldré de esta". [I know this looks bad, believe me. But I promise you that I will get out of this]

"No estoy preocupado por eso," he chuckled, his voice hollow as he looked at you, your pain being reflected in his expressions. "I know you'll get through this, you always do. But I can't help the pain that I feel on seeing you hurt, mi vida". [I'm not worried about that] [My life]

You could only give him a sad smile as he covered your hand with his, not failing to notice the way your face had contorted ever the slightest.

He gently pulled them away from his face, before turning them around and seeing your bruised knuckles. Some were still raw while others had turned dark blue.

"You get a small paper cut and I can feel my pulse racing like anything. Every time you tell me you're going to visit a site, or- or have a small mission my insides freeze with fear. I feel so afraid over the smallest of stuff," he sighed, ghosting his thumb over your skin.

"I'm so sorry," you apologised sincerely, knowing how bad it must be for him to constantly worry about your well being. You understood it all too well, as you always held your breath during his races, not taking your eyes off of the track, worried that something bad may happen if you did so.

You couldn't imagine him being alone, farther away from you, not even knowing your exact location. The only thing in his hands was to pray.

"No no," he shook his head and now smiled more genuinely. "I knew what I was signing up for, but I actually didn't have a choice as you had to be my only best friend since childhood".

You laughed at that, "Having second thoughts now are we, Sainz?"

"Never," he muttered, giving you a crooked smile and you leaned closer, snaking your arms around his neck to bring him in a kiss and he sighed at the feeling, not wasting any time as he joined you, hands on your waist as he kissed back. Love, worry, longing were the major emotions you felt from his side as he closed the gap again before moving back, resting his forehead to yours.

"Oh Dios, te quiero tanto," he spoke, eyes opening as he placed a lingering kiss on your forehead and your heart swelled at his action. [Oh God, I love you so much]

There was just something about these types of kisses that made you feel so, so loved. Maybe it was because you felt secure, or the feeling on his soft lips against your temple, or maybe it was the way he looked at you after, his eyes tender but burning with a flame of protectiveness.

"I should take a shower," you mumbled, "And I'm also very hungry".

"I knew you would be, I've made your favourite. Come on up you get," he stood up making you frown at the warmth disappearing but you followed his lead, momentarily forgetting about your heavy injuries and as a result you stumbled a little, his arm around you instinctively making you smile.

He helped you enter the bathroom, taking off your jacket for you and removing fresh, comfortable clothes from your wardrobe. The shower felt incredible after the long day, the warm water rinsing off every bit of dirt and grime that had remained on your body.

And you walked into the kitchen, wearing his hoodie and sweatpants, the delicious smell of pasta greeting you as you entered.

Dinner was a rather interesting affair as you filled Carlos in with the incidents of today. Trying not to laugh on seeing his expressions that changed every second as you told him the story.

"I'm glad the others are safe too," he frowned, having heard everything at last. "Also happy that you managed to get all the children out".

"They were so happy, you know," you told him, your heart clenching as he took your hand in his. "So happy to get back to their parents".

He smiled, though feeling your sadness, "I can't even imagine what they had gone through".

A hiss from you broke his thoughts as you rubbed your shin that had bumped against the table in your eagerness to stand up.

"Love," he scolded you, going over to your side and helping you out. "You have to be more careful".

"I can do it by myself," you grumbled, but obliged anyways as he shot you the look, similar to the one your mother used to give you when you refused to listen to her.

"Let's patch you up," he brought you to the bedroom and you laid down, a satisfactory groan escaping your lips as your body rested. But your back had also bore many beatings, which were now aching.

"Can you take it off?" He asked, tugging at your hoodie as you crossed your arms to lift it over your head, your lips turning downwards as your muscles throbbed harshly.

"Hey wait- I'll do it," he stepped it rather gladly, cautiously pulling it off of you and on seeing your torso, his heart had once again broken into tiny fragments.

Your stomach was spotted with yellowing bruises, and he forced himself to swallow the lump hurting his throat.

"Oh baby," he said sadly, seeing the long, red scar on your neck. Involuntarily his fingers touched the area around it, caressing the skin. His touch travelled down to your collar bone, where again lay a long, but slightly deeper scar.

"How did you handle so much," he asked, not expecting an answer but he was too overwhelmed on seeing the marks on your body.

"I'm just a little strong I guess," you replied anyways, squeezing his hand as it circled the gashes on your arms, applying the antiseptic cream.

"I wish I could've hit that bastard myself," he growled, anger taking over his features as his emotions heightened.

"He's dead, Carlos. He got what he deserved".

"He harassed you!" Carlos said, clearly agitated and grabbed his hair in frustration. Tears threatened to fall and he offered no resistance, shutting his eyes as he cried silently. Internally feeling like a failure, a failure of a husband who couldn't even protect his wife. Logically he knew that there was absolutely nothing that was in his hands, but his emotional part had his soul trapped in guilt.

"Darling," you placed your hand on his shoulder, while the other gently removed his hands tangled in his own hair. You took his face in your palms, wiping away his moist cheeks and shooting him with a small smile. "I know it hurts you to see me like this, believe me I do. But you should know that there's nothing you could've done!"

"I just feel bad," he frowned, his cheeks puffing out a little as he pouted making you chuckle softly as you caressed his cheekbones.

"Carlitos, Sí, no estuviste durante la misión, pero sé que estarás ahí para ayudarme a recuperarme". [Carlitos, Yes, you weren't there during the mission, but I know you'll be there to help me recover.]

"Siempre, lo prometo. Te ayudaré en todo, mi amor. Por siempre y para siempre". [Always, I promise. I will help you in everything, my love. Forever and always]

And you couldn't help but smile again at the love and adoration visible in his eyes, feeling your heart starting to fall for this man. Again.

"Y eso significa mucho para mí," you grinned softly, pulling him by his shirt for a deep, passionate kiss and he obliged. "Te amo, mi corazón". [And that means a lot to me] [I love you, my heart]

"Yo también te quiero, mi vida," he replied, sealing his sentence with another gentle, reassuring peck on your forehead, which then travelled to your nose, then to both of your cheeks making you start giggling a little as his stubble started tickling you. [I love you too, my life]

He didn't stop, feeling nothing but encouraged at the sounds of your laughs as he continued his tender assault on your neck, being mindful of the scars and you arched back, your fingers tangling up in his soft hair, something you could never get enough of.

"I'll always be your number one supporter, sweetheart," he kissed your knuckles, his touch as light as a feather.

"Not more than me being your number one fan," you retorted, gesturing towards the mini model of his racing car that rested proudly on the side table.

====================================

After a week, your body had begun healing quite well. The deeper injuries closing up while the smaller ones already starting to fade away. You were sitting in the passenger seat, donned in a black shirt paired with blue jeans and staring outside the window.

Carlos was your driver tonight, well almost every time since you came back from the mission. He had used his break to his maximum advantage, always helping you in every way possible.

You two were on the way to your office, they had called you to collect some documents and had also informed you about something important that was to be given. And since you had been out already, Carlos agreed to tag along.

"I've always wanted to see your office," he said, pulling up in the parking lot and getting out, holding a finger up, signalling you to not move and you rolled your eyes though a smile broke free. He ran over to your side before opening your door and offering you his hand, his eyes full of nothing but pure devotion as he intertwined your fingers.

"It's not that interesting," you laughed, knowing he was probably thinking about what they always showed in the movies.

But he didn't take no for an answer and followed your lead, a curious expression on his face which transformed into delight as you entered the building and some of the officers immediately saluted you. You nodded, accepting their respects as their senior officer walked past them.

"Morning ma'am!" A group of new interns greeted you excitedly, almost fangirling as you wished them back and smiled.

"I think I have competition," Carlos murmured in your ear with a teasing smirk, nodding to all of the admirers you had.

You merely shook your head at his antics and led him to your cabin. He let go of your hand and did a slow spin, taking everything in. The interior was quite simple and comfortable, various frames lining the walls, some being photos and others being certificates, quotes. He studied the pictures carefully, they ranged from your rookie years to your current position. What caught his eye was the frame lying on your desk, it was a gorgeous picture of you two smiling at the camera.

"Like it?"

He nodded enthusiastically, about to say something when a knock was heard. The door opened to reveal a flustered Elijah, who turned even redder on seeing Carlos Sainz standing feet away, Jess poked her head under his and Chris was seen above him.

You chuckled at their shenanigans, the three musketeers as you called them. "I doubt you've ever asked my permission for coming in, until now," you raised a suspicious eyebrow.

Chris scoffed, "We've always knocked".

"Carlos, this is my team that I was telling you about. That's Chris, Jess, and Elijah".

The second you took his name and Carlos' attention turned to him, Elijah could almost feel an incoming heart attack. He smiled nervously, his hand on his neck as he tried to not do anything stupid.

"Elijah here is quite the fan," you added making the said person shoot you a small glare.

"Oh are you?" Carlos asked genuinely, stepping closer to shake his hand and his awful team snickered at the way he seemed to hyperventilate. "That's great".

"T- Thank you," he fumbled, staring at someone whom he had watched on nothing but a screen for years, and that someone had just shaken his hand. "I love you so much," he blurted out, regretting his entire existence instantly.

The room burst into laughter and cackles from Chris as Carlos smiled good naturedly, pulling the already flustered boy in a side hug.

"Alright alright you'll make his heart stop," Elijah's best friend grinned teasingly, already having recorded this moment.

"Planning to steal my husband are you, Eli?" You questioned playfully, crossing your arms as he shook his head frantically.

"Of course not," he muttered, flushing pink again.

"Come on then, sir is calling us all," Jess reminded them all when the chuckles ceased. "Oh it's okay if you come too, there's nothing confidential," she addressed Carlos who was about to sit on the chair.

You looked at his expectantly and he nodded, having the intense urge to place his arm around your waist but he resisted, knowing this was your workplace, a lot more strict and formal than the rest. So he settled on being close to you so your fingers kept on brushing against each other.

"Ah there you are," Stephen brightened visibly as you walked in followed by the rest, the four of you gave him a proper salute while Carlos bowed, a hint of nervousness on his face.

"And this must be your husband," he looked at you for confirmation before shaking hands, "Good to see you, Mr Sainz".

"The pleasure is all mine, sir," he replied respectfully, keeping his head bowed as they shook hands.

"Really sorry to have called you on such short notice, but I felt it appropriate to hand this to you in person instead of on the phone," he said and you furrowed your eyebrows as he handed you an envelope.

You opened it, scanning the letter and a smile quickly spread across your face. "We've been invited??"

"Yess!" Jess nodded in excitement, "Which means we have a potential chance to earn a badge".

"You all deserve it," Stephen said, pride filling his chest as he looked at the future standing before him. "Make sure to turn up in your best uniform".

"Thank you," you muttered, nothing but gratitude in your voice as he nodded kindly and you bid your team goodbye before exiting the office.

"What's this about?" Carlos asked you curiously as you walked in the hallway.

"It's an award ceremony that the government holds every year, to award deserving candidates from the special forces," you explained.

"And you are nominated?"

"So it seems".

"This is great," he whispered, looking at you with newfound admiration. His arm was quick to rest on your hip, the gesture casual but also loving and he kissed the side of your head.

You leaned into him, always finding solace in his touch. Your husband was someone who could make your heart both race and calm down.

You were talking, when suddenly you heard the pattering of feet as they ran and someone had hugged your waist. You both halted as you looked down, seeing a familiar, young face as she grinned at you widely, her eyes shining so bright.

"Ana," you smiled, letting out a laugh before wrapping your arms around her too while Carlos watched the exchange with slight confusion but a grin was seen on his face too.

"See I saw you again!" She giggled happily and you kneeled down, nodding at her happiness as you brushed stray hair from her forehead.

"You did huh," you responded before picking her up and twirling her around, your insides swelling with joy on hearing her loud shouts.

When you stopped she rested her head on your shoulder, feeling slightly dizzy when her eyes spotted Carlos standing beside you.

"Who's he?" She questioned immediately, her curious eyes looking at his face.

"His name is Carlos," you answered and he stepped closer with a warm smile, "He's my husband".

Ana's eyes widened as her head danced back and forth between you two. "You're married!" She exclaimed, giggling again as another thought struck her. "He looks handsome".

You smirked at that, looking at him to see a bashful grin on his face as he pushed his hair back, "Am I?"

"Yes," she said solemnly. "You look like Prince Eric from Ariel".

He laughed at that, taking her small hand in his and pressing a kiss on it, "And how are you this morning, princess?" He asked with a posh accent.

Ana giggled uncontrollably at the nickname and threw her hands around his neck, hugging him tightly from your arms before pulling back.

Your heart warmed up seeing the wholesome interaction, Carlos had always been good with kids which made your thoughts run wild sometimes.

Ana's parents greeted you too, thanking you non-stop for your help. Her mother almost cried as she kept on expressing her gratitude, and that they owed you forever.

You were both now outside, on the way to your car when your husband grabbed your waist and pulled you against him, his lips twitching slightly as he held you close, relishing in the feeling.

While you too mirrored his actions, your eyes roaming from his fluffy hair, to those gorgeous melted honey eyes, to the curve of his long, sculpted nose and down to his beautiful lips. He truly was a sight to behold.

"¿He mencionado lo mucho que te quiero?" He asked, trying to be serious but of course he couldn't. [Have I mentioned how much I love you]

"Probablemente lo mencionaste una o dos veces," you played along, pretending to think deeply. "Pero me gustaría que me lo recordaran otra vez". [You probably mentioned it once or twice] [But I wish you would remind me again]

His mouth stretched wide as he was but centimetres away from you, looking deep in your eyes as he joined your lips before answering, "Te amo profundamente, cariño". [I love you deeply, darling]

You felt the rush of your pulse before it steadied underneath his comforting gaze, "Te quiero, mi corazõn. Más que a nadie en el mundo". [I love you, my heart. More than anyone in the world]

====================================

Part 1

Part 2

We're finally done with the mini series! Thank you so much for all the love, everybody <33

[moonstruck-poet]

Survive pt. 2

Pairing - Carlos Sainz x wife!reader

Summary - Because of your job as a crime officer, a particularly dangerous mission has both you and your husband on the edge.

Warnings - blood, kidnapping, violence, torture, crying.

The drive to the target site was spent in nothing but silence. Your team of four settled in a car, all geared up with bulletproof vests, guns in your holsters and minds racing continuously.

Everybody's heart had a different rhythm to the other. Yours, quite surprisingly had a steady thump, Jess had started tapping her foot again which indicated to her irregular breathing, while the other two boys seemed as if they were going through all the seven stages of grief at once.

Nobody batted an eye when the driver informed them that they'll reach their destination in about five minutes. All just wordlessly pulling out their phones to give their loved ones a final text before departing.

You pulled out Carlos' contact, your fingers doing a little dance as you contemplated on what to write.

Hello love, will start work soon enough, thought of letting you know.

Te quiero mucho, mi vida. Síempre. Y te prometo que te veré pronto, amor <3

[I love you so much, my life. Always. And I promise I'll see you soon, love]

You exhaled deeply before pocketing your phone and looking at your teammates who were still messaging their family and you felt a tug at your heart. You clenched your jaw, internally making a promise to bring every one of these three people back home.

"Ready?" You questioned once the car had halted at the decided place, a quick scan of the area was done before you opened the door, waiting for them.

"Always boss," Chris, the baby of the group gave you a lopsided smile, ruffling his hair and stretching out his arms quickly.

"In we go then guys," you finally muttered, sending a quick prayer to the deity above to watch over them, to let your plan be a success.

As was decided, Elijah and you split from the rest, walking side by side and taking the back entrance to the creepy old hotel while they entered from the front side.

There was absolutely no security which was weird considering that there were atleast twenty boys and girls trapped and held captive. The pair of you moved smoothly onto stage 2, entering the first floor without so much of a disturbance.

"Was this supposed to be this easy?" The Brit whispered, eyes still alert as he held the gun tightly.

"Definitely not," you answered back, feeling some unease crawling up your throat. Suddenly you were grabbed and pulled into a corner, your eyes widening to see Elijah put a finger on his lips and point down the hallway where a door had just opened.

The two of you listened in rapt silence as a burly man stepped out, adorned in lavish jewelleries which confirmed his identity of the leader behind this illegal racket.

He was walking away, blabbering to someone on his phone angrily and you jumped as the door slammed shut from the inside.

Waiting for a few seconds, Elijah let out a breath, stepping away slightly. "Well our intel wasn't wrong then".

You nodded, Jess' voice suddenly interrupted in your ear piece that they had completed the first three stages which were getting in safely, climbing all the way up and locating the rooms where the children were kept.

"Copy that, good job," you muttered, glad that this was falling into place.

"Where should we start first then?" He asked. "Jess and Chris have got the front wing covered. We should probably start evacuation from here itself before moving up".

"I agree, I've also let Stephen know that stage 2 is in motion. He has dispatched the evac forces already".

Saying so, the two of you jogged towards one of the doors, praying with all your might that your information is correct to the dot, you swiped the master key card and it clicked open.

Barely breathing you pushed it with one hand, Elijah covering you from behind while also keeping an eye on the hallway. The door creaked loudly as it slowly swung open, revealing two girls and three boys, all of whom looked to be about nine years of age.

"Jesus," Elijah whispered at the sight of those terrified souls who immediately cowered upon seeing the pistols pointed. Their hands out in front of them, shielding their body as best as they could.

"Please don't be scared," you said, lowering down the gun and trying to give them a smile. "We're- we're from the police, we're gonna get you out of here," you leaned down, hoping to console them.

"We're here to help, buddy," he did a better job at smiling warmly, gently extending his hand forward, waiting for them to trust him. "I promise that you're going home soon".

"Home?" A girl with jet black hair and gorgeous green eyes stuttered. Her build was the smallest out of all, knees pressed against her chest as she shivered and your heart chipped a little.

"Yes, love. I promise," you nodded eagerly, sitting on your toes now. "I need you all to quietly follow Elijah here, he's going to get you downstairs and out. Can you all do that for me?"

"Yes!" They immediately replied, a few grins seen on their previously detached faces making both of you feel hopeful.

"Be safe, Eli," you murmured, ushering them out gently and not letting them out of sight for a second.

He could only nod, his throat tight as he had one arm around the tiny children while the other held onto his gun, ready to kill absolutely anyone that dared to harm a hair on their heads.

You did your job of escorting them to the staircase and amidst your run to the second floor you heard your security department say that the first batch had been rescued without a hitch.

That gave you a small boost of confidence as you began opening yet another door, knowing that there would be at the very least two girls in there. A small smile was already present on your face as you swiped the card and pushed it slightly, only to have it slip from your grip.

The room was empty, there was not one child to be seen. Your eyebrows furrowed as you thoroughly scanned every inch, how on earth could the intel possibly be wrong? The intelligence sector had been rigorously watching every move from the cctv cameras that had been infiltrated. How could their information be wrong when they were monitoring everything that happened-

Unless, you stilled in place, not being able to move as the worst possibility came floating in your brain. Unless you were being made to see these things, because somehow they knew about the intrusion.

The sudden creak of the door had the hair on your arm standing up as you turned swiftly, your heart in your throat at seeing no one there. You didn't waste another minute before getting out of the room and hiding yourself in a safe space to communicate with your team.

"Jess? Status?"

Her response came after about twenty seconds, until which your hands had started sweating as you pondered over the situation.

"Have successfully evacuated three, one boy and two girls. So that makes a total of eight out of twenty".

"Okay, good good, that's good," you repeated, trying to convince yourself. That's when Elijah appeared, breaking you out of your trance and you sighed in relief on seeing him unharmed.

"Oh thank goodness," you got up, still keeping your eyes trained on the hallway. "I think something's wrong, Elijah".

His neck snapped towards you, "What happened?" You recounted the incident to him and he pressed his lips together. "Maybe- maybe it was a mistake on our part," he said, but you could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Both of you knew there was actually no way that such a mistake could happen, but neither was willing to voice out the fears.

"Let's just- let's just look into the others," you said, and after his agreement the two of you sped across, almost reaching the intended door when a scream which suspiciously sounded like a little girl's was heard, loud and haunting.

You halted immediately, looking at each other for a brief second before rushing towards the source, praying with all your might for the situation to not be overly difficult.

"Wait!" You grabbed his arm, forcing him to slow down.

"What?!" He answered, panting slightly.

"We can't go down together, Elijah! There can be a slight possibility that they were expecting us and we're just walking into a trap! You need to keep on searching for the rest, maybe take help from Jess and Chris and atleast bring them to safety".

He considered your statement but appeared unconvinced, "How can I just let you go there all by yourself! You know full well that it's not safe!"

"It's okay," you said hurriedly, realising that you're probably losing time. "I'll be fine just go and gather the rest, and hurry up. I have a very bad feeling about this".

"Please stay safe," he squeezed your hand before rushing up the stairs, giving you a final nod before you two parted ways.

Similarly you rushed towards the scream, not trying to be reckless as you navigated safely through the lobby, both of your hands gripping your gun.

Just as you were going to step out from your hiding spot, you heard Chris' small shout in your ear, a yell from Jess followed quickly and your heart filled with dread with each step you took.

Just as you put a foot outside, your gun was knocked out from your hands and you were slammed down on the floor. A loud groan escaped your lips as you looked at a man smirking, standing above you.

"You people think you're always smarter than us? But we're always a step ahead," he hissed before pulling his leg back and kicking your side. You doubled over in pain before spotting the knife in his hand and barely managing to roll away from his downwards strike.

You got up, stumbling a little as he walked closer. You stayed, waiting until the last second before grabbing his arm and spinning him around while simultaneously hooking your leg around his and dropping him to the floor. Your knee pressed against his back as you twisted his arms, earning a satisfactory scream tear from his lungs. His hands were being turned harshly and a clean crack was heard, signalling the breaking of his wrist.

Swiftly you grabbed the gun lying nearby and shot him on the back of his head, twice just to be sure. You barely had time to take a proper breath before another man had grabbed your waist, his grip tightening as you struggled, finding your footing and ensuring a swift back kick on his shins while your head hit him hard on his nose.

You winced as he was forced to distance himself, your hand rubbing the back of your skull as you noticed the gun in his hand.

"Fuck," was all you could utter as he shot, aiming for your chest and you swerved away, gasping as the bullet buried itself in the sleeve of your arm. Luckily for you, the bulletproof vest was of the best quality.

"Surrender," he growled in anger, clearly not expecting a woman to fight so much.

"You wish," you panted, palms resting on your knees but your eyes were trained on him. Suddenly you rushed forward, knocking the gun out of his hand but he had somehow anticipated it, almost waiting for you to make the first move.

He grinned in triumph after taking hold of your arms and then pressing your back against his chest, the cold metal of the pistol now touching your temporal bone.

You fell silent, hands rising up instinctively as you tried to conserve your energy. Having been in this situation before, you didn't necessarily feel scared, but your heart pumped rapidly, providing you with excess blood as you tried to find a way out.

"Boss?" Chris' voice was heard in your ear and you gulped, not daring to answer as there was a possibility of them not knowing exactly how many members accompanied you.

The next was Elijah, he kept on chanting your name and you heard his panic increase with every repetition. You were merely glad to know that they were alive.

The man holding you had clearly underestimated your strength because he lowered his gun, though maintained a tight around your neck. His other hand fumbled to search for a walkie talkie perhaps, and that was exactly the moment you were waiting for. You grasped the single arm still kept around you and pushed with all of your force, moving it away from your body and swinging him around, releasing at the right time and as expected his body went flying in the wall. The gun was out of your holster and another two bullets were fired successively.

He died within no time, the shots having penetrated his heart twice. But you did not utter a word as you looked at your surroundings, your hands shaking slightly but your feet moved on their own accord, unlocking door after door in search of more kids.

On opening the last one you found a girl, possibly seven years of age sitting on the floor, trembling terribly and you knew she must've heard the devastating sound of gunshots.

"Please don't be afraid," you whispered. And for some reason your throat started burning with an intensity that you had never felt before. Your lower lip wobbled as your emotions went haywire, but you, a master of your training took a deep breath and restricted them cleanly.

"I'm here to take you home," you tried again, cautiously inching closer to the terrified child. Your slightly bloody appearance didn't make your task much easier too.

"You'll take me back to my mummy and daddy?" Tears had started flowing down her pale cheeks as she watched you, a tiny glimmer of hope in her deep brown eyes, and for the second time in just a matter of two hours, an invisible knife chipped off another small piece from your heart.

Hearing her voice brought another thought to your mind, that

"I will," you nodded desperately, swallowing down the huge lump as you opened your arms for her, watching her hesitate for a second before she lunged forward, throwing her fragile body into the security of your arms as she sobbed, her small shoulders moving as she cried and cried.

"Shush darling," you whispered, your voice sounding broken. "I'm going to get you away, you're gonna be home in no time".

"You- You promise?" She stammered, pulling away and looking straight at you. Innocence met responsibility and you wiped her stained face.

"I promise, Anna," you noticed her name on the bracelet and the smile that instantly lit up her face brought a new wave of sadness inside you. This time she embraced you with giddiness, a small laugh escaping her.

You quickly clasped her hand tightly in yours, shielding her body properly and navigating safely to the stairway. You backed off into a corner, giving a long look around before bringing a hand to your earpiece.

"Sophie? Come in".

Her voice responded not even a second later and you rapidly fired instructions, understanding that there was no way you could drop her off yourself, the risk being too high.

You felt a sudden grip on your thigh and looked down to see Anna burying her face in your stomach, fear lighting up inside her as she listened to your conversation.

You placed a warm hand on her shoulder and she looked up, "Where am I going?"

"You're going home, love. I promised you did I not? One of my friends is coming soon, and she'll take you back".

"But what about you?"

"I cannot come with you, darling. You know that there are other children too right?" You questioned gently and she nodded. "I have to help them too".

"But- But what if the bad people find me and lock me up again? I'm scared," her eyes had glossed over and you both turned to see a woman climbing up the stairs, making her quickly hide behind you, her arms hugging your legs.

"Soph," you walked slowly, keeping a hand on her shoulders and smiling slightly at your right hand. She was decked in clothes similar to yours, standing with slight confidence and a strong figure.

"Be very careful, no harm is to come towards her, at any cost," you ordered clearly and she nodded, shrugging off her serious exterior to a warm look as she beckoned Anna closer.

"Run along, love, there's your ride home," you ushered her towards Sophie and the child obeyed, though unwilling to leave you.

"Will I ever see you again?" She whispered, a tremble in her words as she faced you expectantly.

"I'll try my best to," you all but sighed, feeling your heart clench.

"Thank you," the little girl mumbled, fiddling with her fingers and shooting you a small smile before she was taken down the stairs and you watched, pressing your lips together, staying rooted for a minute before dragging your focus back to another pressing issue.

You began opening doors after doors, your hands quivering yet your feet being quite stable, moving on their own accord. There was no one to be seen on the entire floor and you came to a halt, panting slightly as you checked in with your team.

"Elijah?" You inquired, your heartbeat increasing again because it had been a long time since you had heard from any one of them.

"Oh hey I'm alive," came his slightly strained voice.

"What's wrong?" You shot back immediately, your foot tapping against the floor as anxiety started settling deep in your chest.

"Nothing just an incident. We ran into some unwelcome guests and unfortunately one of them jabbed a knife in my bicep".

"Jesus Elijah," you swore, massaging your temple. "What about the others?"

"They're all fine, a couple of bruises here and there but all breathing. How are you, boss?"

"I-" you trailed off, the words not coming your aid as you contemplating on how to describe. "I'm fine don't worry. Got another girl to safety".

"Oh yeah we got five boys down too. We scanned the entire front wing, there's nothing here that hasn't been taken care of. Let's head down to the basement just to be sure".

"Yeah I'll be there in five-"

You were cut off by a loud bang made by a rifle and you jumped, pressing yourself against a wall and ducking behind a corner.

"What was that?" Elijah asked urgently, clearly having heard the sound.

"Slight delay in plans, you go ahead and I'll make sure to join".

"Not so soon," the muscular guy spoke through gritted teeth, his hands handling the gun as he started taunting you. "Come out you pathetic woman. Imagine having the guts to infiltrate a building only to be left all alone to die".

"Cannot relate I suppose," a new voice spoke and you felt dread rising in your lungs. There was no way that you could handle these armed men right now. Well you could but the aftermath would be bad.

"You cannot escape now," one of them laughed sinisterly, a malicious smirk on his face as you stepped out from your spot, arms once again raised in surrender.

"Look at you," he spoke, throwing the rifle to his friend and walked closer. "Shame that I have orders to kill an exquisite beauty," he said, chuckling and casually on the way to place his hands on your waist but you snapped, holding both arms and twisting them directly behind, making the said person groan loudly and you heard the unmistakable click of the rifle being loaded.

"It's okay Jer," he grinned, massaging his shoulders as you once again displayed no harm. "A feisty little thing, aren't you?"

You simply glared harshly, your stance radiating power a startling contrast to your palms raised parallel to your head.

"Ooh the beauty is married too huh?" The other man, Jer gestured towards the ring adorning your finger.

"Oh? Who's the lucky guy... missus?"

Rather abruptly, Jer had locked your arms and pressed you against him, making sure to block any leg movements too. "This is gonna make it all the more fun," he sighed before inhaling deeply, nuzzling his nose in your neck as you wordlessly struggled.

The second man who had been watching the interaction stepped inches away from you, his eyes raking your figure up and down, his expression the epitome of sin. He licked his lips slightly and a strange shiver travelled down your spine, a foreign fear began creeping up.

He leaned closer, on the verge of brushing his lips on your own but you threw your head forward, hitting him squarely on his nose and almost succeeding in breaking it.

"You fucking bitch-" was the only warning you had before he removed a blade, not even thinking twice as he made a strike on your neck.

A small yell was heard as you felt the blood slowly oozing down. It wasn't a deep cut by any means, but it was long as hell. The motherfucker had made sure to inflict maximum pain.

He then sliced the sleeve of your vest, effectively cutting past the shirt underneath and digging into your skin. This time you didn't even hiss, biting your tongue and focusing on breathing properly.

Your eyes were closed for a mere few seconds, but that was all it took for him to go find a fucking iron rod from god knows where. You looked at him warily, not bothering to say anything because you knew it was inevitable.

And how right you were.

The first blow came and landed on your legs, knocking you off your feet as you dropped down, grabbing your calf and curling into a ball, your face the definition of pain. You falling down was apparently what he wanted because he began hitting you like a madman. The second hit was aimed at your back, another one on your stomach, the next one on the quadricep muscles as you groaned with every shot.

The pain strangely didn't last long probably because you were extremely high on adrenaline.

And as if literally beating you to death wasn't enough, he opened the room behind and your focus was diverted, pulse racing as he held a young boy hostage, pressing the blade against his jugular.

"Don't touch him," you rasped, your face contorting in pain as Jer made a cut on your body, this time beneath your neck, right atop your clavicle.

"Then you better give us what we want, sweetheart," he threatened, not sparing the shaking boy any amount of pity.

You looked at the boy, his eyes wide as tears kept streaming down his cheeks. Your heart ached with his every struggle and you looked wildly at his captor, almost burning holes with your stare.

"We're right behind you, cap," Chris' voice was soft in your ears and you almost cried in relief. God bless their impeccable timing.

What happened next was a literal blur of events. Your teammates had gloriously interrupted the capture and you used the distraction caused to haul the trapped boy in your arms, stepping backward to safety as you caught the gun thrown towards you. But the others had easily managed to overpower the two men and the criminals laid dead at your feet.

"Jesus Christ, love," Jess spoke and cupped your face, helping you sit straighter as she looked at your shirt being smeared in blood. The number of bruises which she guessed had definitely started turning black and blue.

"Oh god are you alright?" Elijah hurried over and knelt down in front of you, gently moving your legs to keep them straight.

"I'm fine you lot," you said heavily, resting your head back against the wall as you breathed. "You don't look much better yourselves".

They just shrugged, having got over their bodies stained with dried blood, some scratches here and there, bruises littering their skin. Chris even had a bullet half wedged in his arm that had thankfully not run deep.

The boy sitting beside you had his face buried in your arm the entire time, holding your hand as if it was the only thing keeping him alive.

"Hey buddy," Elijah whispered softly and all of you turned towards him, watching as he cautiously lifted his head to look at everyone.

"Hi," he replied, shortly.

"Are you hurt?" Chris asked, taking out the first aid kid from his backpack and applying some cream on a small bruise on the side of his head.

"You sure we're done?" You asked Jess, a wave of exertion falling over you as you struggled to stand up straight, Elijah immediately leaning forward to your rescue.

"Yep, our tech team confirmed it. We also found a hidden camera, one that hadn't been infiltrated by us. That's probably how they knew our whereabouts so quickly".

You nodded, wincing as you stood on your feet. Feeling a little proud as you looked at your team having managed to go through hell and still be alive and breathing.

"Thank you," you smiled softly, "All of you".

"Thank you cap'n," Chris grinned, embracing you in his special bear hug and you complied, feeling only comfort as pain became secondary.

"Let's go then?" Elijah questioned carrying the young boy in his arms, his lips twitching slightly too and you agreed.

====================================

"Oh god," was all Stephen could utter when you sauntered into your building, all four of you bloody, with your own unique bruises here and there.

"Hey there," Chris smirked and the rest followed, earning a disbelieving shaking of head from your dear boss.

"I- You know what just let's get you all patched up," he muttered, fussing over everyone like a father as the medical team rushed in.

"We're okay," Elijah smiled, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the various bruises to which he raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Fine my foot," he grumbled, assisting the nurses in any way that he could.

"What matters though is that the mission was accomplished," Jess interjected with a huge grin as though her shin did not just have a massive injury that was currently getting cleaned.

"Anything you'd like to add?" He huffed, turning towards you which quickly faded as he saw your pale face. "Hey what's wrong?"

At his address everyone sharply turned their necks towards you, their smiles falling on seeing your eyes becoming hazy.

"She's just lost a lot of blood," the nurses informed. "The cuts though not being deep were too many in number, thus resulting in dizziness. Don't worry, sir, she'll be completely fine".

"You're not getting rid of me that soon, Cap," your low voice was heard, slightly croaky in nature.

"I wouldn't have it the other way, kid," he answered, taking your hand and squeezing it gently. "I can't thank you enough".

You chuckled a little, swallowing through your extremely dry throat and opening your eyes, "It wasn't me alone. I would've died had it not been for those three".

"Stop," Elijah cut you off, clenching his jaw at the thought of you dying. He had idolised you, looked up to you since his trainee days. "Don't say that".

"You know it's the truth, Eli".

He shook his head, "What matters is that we're all here, alive".

"God I'm so relieved," Chris let out a shaky breath and was hugged by Jess who nodded sympathetically, holding the cross around her neck in reverence.

"I can't wait to get back home," she murmured, sighing as her wounds had been bandaged up.

Home. The word was enough to snap your eyes open. Home. You wanted to go home.. right now.

You looked down at your bruised body and saw that most of the wounds had been taken care of, you downed some painkillers given and immediately swung to your feet, ignoring the slight wave of dizziness.

"Woah there soldier, easy now," Stephen said, worry etched on his face.

"I need to call my husband-" you started, trying to control your once again racing heart. "Please- I- Can I call him?"

"Hey," he said, a strange look on his face as he looked at you. "Of course you can, but you need to calm yourself down first yeah? Breathe with me now".

You followed his actions, inhaling and exhaling rhythmically. Soon enough you were back to normal again and you slumped down in the chair, holding your head in your hands.

"Give your body time to heal," Jess frowned, walking over to run your shoulders as you heaved deeply and gulped before nodding.

"I'll just talk to him quickly, we'll- then we'll go through the remaining procedures," you couldn't forget your duty in the face of emotions. That wasn't what you had trained for.

"Take all the time you need," he reassured. "All of you please, go on have a chat".

You didn't need to be told twice as you walked to your cabin, sitting in the chair and pulling out your phone after a total of 8 hours. It had been utterly and completely exhausting.

You dialled his number, holding your breath and your foot began tapping against the floor. It rang, once, twice, thrice and-

"Oh darling," came your husband's voice, soft and just how you remembered. And it didn't take much for your eyes to well up with tears again as you closed them, keeping them at bay. Just focusing your entire being on his voice, because a few hours earlier, you weren't so sure that you'd be able to hear him again.

"Carlos," you whispered, your lip wobbling dangerously as you spoke. "I'm here- I'm back here we succeeded".

"Well done, my love," you could hear his voice shaking too. "I'm so so proud of you- and I just-" he cut himself off and your nose scrunched up as you gritted your teeth.

"Come back home, amor," he urged you, gripping his phone tightly as his very soul longed to simply hold his wife, his other half again. [Love]

"I will," you nodded frantically though you knew he couldn't see it. "I've only got some last minute things to do I promise I'll be home as quickly as I can".

"Te estoy esperando, cariño..." [I'm waiting for you, darling...]

"Yo también, mi vida... Pronto estaré allí, te quiero". [Me too, my life... I'll be there soon, I love you]

You hung up the phone with a shaky smile, holding the screen close to your chest. The photo for his contact tugging at your heartstring as you gingerly got up, now feeling the ache of every blow made on you but you still walked.

"Let's get this done with," you addressed the team who were already present. "And get back home to our family".

====================================

Part 3

Part 1

Again thank you so much for reading<33 My requests are of course open.

[moonstruck-poet]

Elijah Mikaelson. That's it.

TOP 5/10 CHARACTERS PER SHOW (as voted by my followers) ↳ the vampire diaries edition #6. Elijah Mikaelson portrayed by Daniel Gillies

[moonstruck-poet]

Survive

Pairing - Carlos Sainz x wife!reader

Summary - Because of your job as a crime officer, a particularly dangerous mission has both you and your husband on the edge.

Warnings- none!

"Is everybody absolutely clear with the plan? No questions? Any doubts at all?" Your leader asked again, scanning the faces of each of his members.

"None sir," they replied in a chorus. Though their stance was full of confidence, nobody could miss the apprehension that was layered on their faces. The incessant thumping of their heart as it seemed to grow steadily louder.

"You have everything prepared?" Stephen asked you, his eyes focused on yours.

"Yes sir," you nodded firmly. "Everything is in order and we're just waiting for tomorrow". The other members murmured in agreement, their faces tensed yet strong.

"I haven't arranged and brought together my best crew for nothing," he smiled slightly. "Though I want this mission to be 100% successful, it is also equally important that all of you pay attention to yourselves too. No rash decisions, nothing that can impact your or your teammate's life".

"And also, thank you," he chuckled a little at their confused faces. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not a sadist," he replied and everyone laughed. "It's not easy and I'm glad to have all of you with me. Now all I want is for everybody to go home and spend the rest of your time with your families yeah?"

"We'll be alright," you spoke, not a quiver in your voice. "Everyone will be back here tomorrow, safe and sound. I promise you".

"Exactly why I chose you to lead the operation," Stephen muttered, pride filling his eyes as he looked back on just how much you had grown the past years. From rigorous training to complicated practicals, you had given your all to achieve this position and he couldn't think of anyone who had so much dedication for their job.

"We'll be okay," Jess, your software genius reassured with a grin and brought jer hand forward, palm up.

"Absolutely," the two boys, Chris and Elijah chorused with smirks and placed their hands on hers.

"No worries then, eh?" Stephan said good naturedly, loving the enthusiasm of the youngsters. "See you tomorrow then, all geared up and ready".

"Definitely," you nodded, finally placing your palm on the top, a fierce fire blazing in your eyes that was soon reflected in the others too.

====================================

The drive home was made in silence. No music playing on the radio, which was a testimony to the fact that your mind was unsettled.

And why wouldn't it be. You had a huge responsibility on your shoulders. Not only were you responsible for the success of the mission and bringing the abducted children home safely, but you also had to see to it that no casualties would occur.

And on the other hand there was the matter of discussing this with your husband, Carlos. He obviously wouldn't deny you from going, but his sensitive and loving side would be hurting.

You had to tell him very gently.

And you sighed, parking your black Aston Martin and making your way home. Your mind flicking through every possible outcome that may happen tomorrow and torturing you in the process.

You opened the door and were greeted by him sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone and the sight looked so cozy that you couldn't help the smile from adorning your lips.

"Hola amor," he greeted you immediately, sitting up and excitedly walking closer to pull you in his arms. You laughed, keeping your bag down and threading your fingers through his hair while breathing in his comforting scent. [Hello love]

"Hey," you whispered back, resting your head on his shoulder and squeezing him tighter, not wanting to pull away in the least.

"I see someone has missed me," he smiled lovingly and the two of you swayed, almost stumbling down and yet you made no effort to break the hug.

"I did," you finally lifted your head up with a grin and pressed your lips against his, catching him by surprise as your arms went around his neck. His palms instantly held onto your waist, fingers softly digging in the skin and he kissed you back, a small smile forming on his face.

"I missed you too, love," his hand cupped your cheek, gazing intently into your eyes. "Should we have dinner now? I'm starving".

Dinner was a quite chaotic chaotic affair as Carlos told you about the latest gossip roaming around in the F1 world making your eyes widen as he shared the most unexpected details. Without even knowing, your husband had managed to empty your mind of all the negative thoughts and the only thing running through your brain was when will Daniel reveal that he's been married to Max since ages.

"You want some ice cream? I got your favorite flavour too".

"Oh no thank you," you shook your head, your gaze trained on some random point as you zoned out.

"What's wrong, cariño?" Carlos, ever the observant picked up on your changed attitude quickly. He furrowed his eyebrows as he watched you sigh deeply and fiddle with your fingers. [Darling]

"There's um- I want to talk to you," you stuttered slightly, not sure on how exactly to start this conversation while he nodded, sitting beside you and giving you his full attention.

When you didn't say anything he shifted closer, your knees brushing and he held your hand, rubbing soothing circles to steady your erratic breathing. "I'm right here".

"We have a mission tomorrow," you then got straight to the point. "It's about those children that I had told you about".

"Yeah I remember. So you'll be going tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have to lead it. It's- It's only a one day operation so I'll be back by night at the latest. But-"

"But?" He cut you off, his face shifting from relaxed to a tense expression. His heart started to take up its pace as he felt the quick rush of blood.

"It's dangerous," you broke it down gently, moving closer to him and enveloping his hand in yours.

"What do you mean dangerous?" He asked urgently, his eyes searching yours, mind racing with all types of conclusions that this mission might end on.

"Let's say it's a little risky," you answered, rubbing your thumb on the back of his hand. "And there is a small possibility of- of casualties," you frowned, not wanting to say it but he deserved to know the truth.

"Casualties," he repeated, staring ahead now and you could see the various scenarios being conjured. "You have to go?" He asked, voice beginning to shake as he grasped your hand tightly

"I'm leading it, amor," you addressed him softly watching as he buried his face in his hands, contemplating the entire thing as you bit your lip for his reaction. [Love]

"Nothing I say is gonna change your mind, right?"

You opted to not say anything, giving him an apologetic and downcast look making him mumble incomprehensibly as he grabbed you by the shoulder, pulling you against his chest. His arms completely enveloping you while he tried to swallow the lump hurting his throat.

"I can't- I don't want you to-" he broke off, inhaling sharply and trying to control himself.

"I'll be okay," you tried, burying your face deeper into his neck as a wave of emotions flooded in.

"You don't know that," he insisted, not wanting to be pessimistic but he couldn't help it. "You don't know what's going to happen there tomorrow".

"But I can hope for the best right?" You reasoned with a small smile and felt him nod a little. "I should have faith that everything will be okay".

"I'm worried for you," he said quietly, lips brushing against your ear and your heart ached on hearing the tremble in his voice.

"Oh baby," you simply tightened your hold around his torso, wanting to be as close as possible. "Honestly? I'm worried too. I'm so scared that something might go wrong, or that someone else will have to face the consequences of my decision".

Carlos pulled back on hearing that, his hands finding your cheeks as he wiped a lone tear that had escaped your stubborn hold. "You are the strongest and the bravest person I know, hermosa. Not everybody can say their wife captures criminals on weekends for fun". [Beautiful]

You laughed at that, your heart feeling considerably lighter as you looked at his smiling face. You really lucked out didn't you? To have a husband like him? You had no idea of what you had done to even deserve having a person like him in your life, much less being married to him.

"What did I do to deserve you?" You questioned no one in particular and stared at him in adoration.

"Oh I have no idea but you must have done something incredible to have me as your best friend," he said seriously and you burst out laughing, enjoying his faux annoyance.

"Gracias," you mumbled after quietening, leaning your side sideways on his shoulder and he pulled you closer by one arm. [Thank you]

"Siempre cariño," his hand rubbed your arm, resting his head on yours and merely holding you close. Understanding that all you wanted was his company, to feel him against you, to know that he wasn't going anywhere that he was right there beside you. [Always darling]

====================================

Despite your best intentions, the alarm rang, signalling 6 am and the start of a new day, one that you had tried to avoid.

Unwillingly your eyes fluttered open, staring at the dark ceiling for a moment before turning to your right and internally laughing at the mere centimetres of distance between yours and his face. His nose brushed against your neck as he scrunched it and you shifted slightly to properly look at him.

Couldn't help yourself from raising a gentle hand to rest on his cheek, watching him pout a little as he slept peacefully. His eyelashes shining white in the dark, catching the light of the moon outside. On your own, your lips leaned forward to kiss his forehead. You closed your own eyes, wanting to imprint this memory for the whole day.

And surprisingly enough you were quite calm, no trouble plaguing your mind as you watched your husband. A smile on your face as you realised he was probably the reason for your serenity.

Carlos wasn't too much of a heavy sleeper and you were trying really hard to resist but your control slipped as you gently began placing soft kisses on his face, scanning his every feature while doing so.

Taking a last, fond look, you got up from the bed and hurried off to take a shower and gear up.

You donned on a simple light blue shirt tucked into black pants and an easy braid to not feel any headaches throughout the day. You had just pulled on a black leather jacket when you heard your husband call for you.

"Cariño?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and squinting them as he tried to locate you, still drowsy from the early hours. [Darling]

"Morning sleepyhead," you replied, smiling when he blindly extended an arm which was beckoning frantically for you to come closer. And as soon as you sat near him, he pulled you by the waist and laid his head on your lap.

"Morning," he grinned mischievously, eyes still closed as he snuggled up to you.

"Are you planning to trap me here, Mr Sainz?" You asked, trying to have an authoritative tone as your fingers combed through his wild hair.

"Yes I am. But I doubt it would be considered a trap if I'm just holding my wife, Mrs Sainz," he retorted cheekily and you laughed at his antics. You understanding that he was simply trying to lighten up your mood.

A calm silence settled over the couple and Carlos finally opened his eyes, turning his face to face you while still laying on your lap. "When do you have to leave?" He played with the ends of your braid.

"I've still got time," you answered and he nodded, grunting before getting up and stretching his arms. Your eyes darting down from his shoulders to his abdomen muscles that contracted with every move.

He saw you staring and smirked making you turn red immediately as you got up from the bed, possibly underestimating your husband's agility because that man was up in less than a second, grabbing your arm and twisting you around so you fell perfectly against his chest.

"Todos estos años y todavía puedo hacerte sonrojar?" He whispered, his voice teasing which obviously didn't help in calming your insides. [All these years and I can still make you blush]

"Te has visto?" You raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on his bare chest as you brushed your lips against his, biting back a smile on hearing him inhale sharply. [Have you seen yourself]

And he merely gave you a look full of utter passion before kissing you deeply, one of his hands holding your hip firmly while the other being behind your head, holding you close. You both pulled away slightly breathless, cheeks flushed as you stared at each other before laughing at the pair of you being complete simps.

"I'll make you some coffee," he didn't take no for an answer and set to work, while you smiled appreciatively at him and picked up the newspaper.

Neither of you spoke until both of you had drained your mugs, the caffeine giving you a much needed boost as you felt your focus improve.

Your phone rang and it was Elijah, "Hey 'Lijah. Yes I'm all ready. Okay," you nodded as he shared some details with you. "Yeah I'll leave in 10. Alright see you soon. Yes thank you".

You started at the screen before releasing a deep breath and glancing at your husband whose eyes were fixed on the mug as he played around.

"Carlos," was all you managed to say before you were tackled in a warm hug.

"Oh god hermosa, I was trying to be normal but I can't stop the worry," he groaned, beating himself internally and you were quick to shake it off. [Beautiful]

"Hey no," your arms held him tightly. "I'll be back before you know it, querido". [Darling]

He nodded, regulating his senses and trying to focus on you, your scent, letting it be his anchor. "Por favor- por favor ten cuidado, mi amor". [Please- please be careful, my love]

"Sí.. Siempre". [Yeah.. Always]

You stayed like that, basking in his presence and enjoying him as he was.

"My phone will be on silent," you informed softly. "So don't worry if I don't reply. I'll text you when we're done".

He nodded looking down for a second before meeting your eyes, you saw those big brown eyes that you loved to death starting to water. But he quickly wiped them off, not wanting to add to your list of worries.

"Te quiero mucho, cariño," he whispered shakily, pressing his lips together and failing as a few tears escaped his hold. [I love you so much, darling]

And as expected you didn't waste a second before wiping them off, placing your hands on his cheeks and offering him a gorgeous smile, "Yo también te quiero, mi corazón". [I love you too, my heart]

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Thank you so much for reading!

Part 2

Part 3