The Devil's Angel

Mia entered the Mystic Grills, her eyes sweeping over the crowd to find a decent table when they landed on the familiar electrifying blue which always managed to knock the breath out of her.

Despite the crowded place and blaring noise, Damon felt the urge to look back when Mia entered, as if her heart and soul called out to him. She looked stunning in the emerald green blouse she wore, her wavy brown hair hanging loose. Damon could clearly see the lustrous brown of her eyes made prominent by the color she wore.

He noticed that she was staring the same way he was and it curled his lips up into a smile which made her heart flutter. He always seemed to pull her in as if she was latched to him by an invisible thread. The air between them became palpable when his lips parted and his eyes caressed her like a sweet touch.

She licked her suddenly dry lips as she took an unconscious step towards him and he almost got up from the seat to make his way to her when Enrique appeared behind her. Putting his hand on the small of her back, he steered her towards right, snapping at her consciousness as she stumbled forward and he took her by the shoulders, gently but quickly.

It took everything in Damon not to rush towards her and hold her. He glared daggers at Enrique who was oblivious to everything but Mia and that infuriated him even more. “You ok?” Enrique asked, his eyes filled with concern. She nodded, “Yeah, I was lost…in something,” she mumbled and grew conscious of her words, “a thought,” she clarified.

Her eyes made their way to Damon on their own accord to see his lips turned up into something between a smile and a smirk and she mentally cursed his vampire ability to hear from far away.

“Are you sure? Because if you want to go back…”

“No, I’m fine. Nothing to worry about,” she nodded at him again, trying not to look at Damon, knowing that she wouldn't be able to control herself if she did. Enrique led her to the table and held out a chair for her which she accepted with a smile, not realizing it was in a straight line view to Damon who was looking at her.

His eyes which were filled with warmth only a few minutes ago, now had a cold steely edge to them and it turned Mia’s insides ice cold. She wanted to rush to him and make him feel better, to make him smile that melted her heart.

“I really like you coming with me tonight,” Enrique interrupted her thoughts. She turned to look at him hesitantly. “Yeah, well. I really appreciate you being honest with me,” she took a deep breath and smiled at him sincerely which stabbed his heart as he averted his eyes to the table and shook his head, “Nothing to it.”

“Well, it means a great deal to me,” she said. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated that. His honesty, his openness, his trust in her being stronger to handle the truth. She took his hand on the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. Enrique’s eyes snapped to her and she smiled, “Thank you,” she whispered and looked away.

Her eyes collided with Damon’s. Something in the way he was looking made her retract her hand from Enrique’s as she leaned back into her chair. Her wide eyes staring at the menu on the table.

“You know you never liked these kind of places,” he remarked and Mia looked at him with her eye brows raised. “You were the quiet girl. You enjoyed open meadows and nature, waterfalls and starry sky,” he said in a dreamy like state.

“I sound like some main character from the novel and,” she paused, “the hopeless, romantic one of that,” she laughed and pointed her finger in tha air to make a point. He chuckled, “Nah. I was just telling how you were always the nature person and not this clubbing, drinking sort.”

“We’re here for dinner, Enrique. Not clubbing or drinking and there is no clubbing here,” she looked around and swept her hand. Her eyes landed on Damon again but he was facing towards the bar, away from her and that, somehow irritated her. She wanted to look at him, his face and his smile. Ughh…what was wrong with her?

“What would you like?” Enrique asked. Mia looked at him for a second just to tell him to order whatever he liked and turned her attention towards Damon again, hoping he would look her way but to no avail.

Just then, a beautiful and athletic girl with dark brown wavy hair approached Damon and tapped at his shoulders, demanding his attention. Damon turned to look at her and greeted her with a huge smile plastered on his face. The girl looked at him in confusion but then sat beside him.

Mia kept looking at the both of them. They sat with so much comfort that she hated it and she hated herself for feeling that, for worrying about that when the guy beside her was trying everything to make her happy.

With a forced smile she looked at Enrique who was staring at her, “What?” she asked self-consciously. “Nothing,” he chuckled, “You’re confused and you look so adorable when you’re confused.”

“Why am I confused?” she asked, looking at him. “Ah. You’ll be the one to answer that question, don’t you think?” he argued with a smile. “No.” He raised his eye brows at her. “No, I mean. I’m not confused. Why would I be…you know in that sense,” she arched her brow.

“Uh huh,” was his only reply. “Oh, come on,” she exclaimed. He pointed at the plate that the waiter had put on, “Eat while it’s still warm.” She rolled her eyes, “Right.” She took the first bite when the question entered her mind. “Umm…Enrique?”

He looked at her form the plate, “Hmm?” She tilted her head to a side, her eye brows knitted together, “Do you know about Mr. Matthews, Claire’s husband…late husband?” she corrected. Enrique put the fork down and gave her his undivided attention, knowing this question was important to her.

“Yeah, I guess. He was umm…your mentor in the project you were doing here at the hospital.” Mia nodded, trying to remember but once again, she came up blank. “You respected him a lot and he always considered you as his daughter,” he smiled, “that’s what you told me regarding him,” Mia nodded and looked at her plate.

He loved her just like Claire and Jake did. They were almost like a family she never had. “How did he…” Mia looked at Enrique, “What happened to him?” he asked. “An animal attack,” she replied and suddenly realized, it was a town full of vampires and witches and God knows what other creature.

It was not an animal attack, he must be killed by a vampire. Her heart took a new beat, a one of fear which had nothing to do with the fact that Enrique was squeezing her hand, his thumbs making small circles on the back of it. She never thought back to it, how hesitant Matt was when he told her, he must have known it was a vampire, he was friends with them.

Damon turned to look at Mia, sensing her discomfort. He had heard the conversation, of course and by the look on her face, she had it figured out. He knew she would hate the one who did it because she cared that much about Claire, Jake and eventually Shawn. She also just found out she was considered as a family by him.

Damon remembered that night clearly. He and Stefan were both late in reaching Elena. They pried her off him but it was no use, he had died already. It wasn’t Elena’s fault either, he knew that as a vampire, himself. She was transitioning, it was late at night and she was craving for blood. Plus, the guy was bleeding already on the forest floor, alluring the vampire directly to him.

Elena still felt guilty about it. She didn’t took her transition as an excuse to kill somebody and when Mia returned to live with Claire, the pain Elena felt at her first and only murder gnawed at her. It took several lessons and arguments to make her feel better but he knew Elena just like he knew Mia.

Mia took a long sip of her soda and tried to breathe normally. “Hey guys,” Elena’s voice interrupted her thoughts. Mia smiled widely at her, “Hey yourself.” Stefan shook hands with Enrique and Mia started to introduce them but Enrique waved his hand in dismissal, “I met them this morning,” he said. “Oh, would you like to join us?” Mia invited them.

“You’re not disturbing,” Mia smiled as she noticed their hesitancy. She glanced at Damon and the girl who were both laughing and enjoying. Mia felt an irresistible urge to make her way to him to see what was so special about the brunette. She narrowed her eyes at then and exhaled sharply.

“So, how’s it goin’?” Elena asked but Mia kept her stare fixed on Damon. Elena’s eyes followed her line of vision and she smiled. Stefan had Enrique engaged in a conversation which kept him busy to see what Mia was upset about. She turned to Elena, “Good,” she replied in a clipped tone.

She got up from the seat and held out a finger, “I’ll be right back,” she said, shooting an apology to Elena who just smiled at her knowingly. Mia made her way to the place which was calling to her since the moment she stepped in the grill.

“Oh, she looks exactly the same, even her hairstyle and all,” the girl was saying. Mia narrowed her eyes at her, “Who looks exactly the same?” she asked in an annoyed tone, standing behind them as they turned to look at her.

Damon smiled at her, the way she stood with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed as on prey. She looked fierce and adorable at the same time. “Mia Pierce,” Meredith exclaimed as she extended her hand, “It’s so nice to see you again,” she said with a smile.

The fierceness faded from Mia’s face as confusion replaced it. Damon shook his head and chuckled. “What?” Mia glared at him. Meredith looked between the two of them and shot a smile in Damon’s direction recalling the time when he was babbling about her at Alaric’s grave. Damon gave her a Shut-up look as he turned to face Mia.

“This is Dr. Meredith Fell. So, you know how she knows you.” Mia had her comment ready and on the tip of her tongue but the realization of the situation dawned on her, effectively silencing her.

“Oh. Dr. from the hospital?” Mia whispered her question. Damon rolled his eyes, “And I thought all the common sense had departed the world,” he smirked and earned a slap on his shoulder from Mia who had her eyes fixed on Meredith.

She smiled, “Yes, the same and I was talking about you when I said you look exactly the same,” Meredith looked back at Enrique and pointed at him, “That’s Enrique, right?” Mia gaped at her, “How did you know?” she shook her head.

“She’s the one who gave me his number,” Damon answered Mia in a serious tone. “He looks just as amazing as he sounded,” Meredith winked at Mia. “You know about him?” she asked trying to make sense of everything. “Oh, come on. He was all you ever talked about,” she paused, “given you never talked about your project,” she explained.

Mia glanced back at Enrique who was having an easy conversation with both Stefan and Elena. Mia turned back to have her eyes locked with Damon’s steely ones. Even a cold look from him had the ability to send her heart into a frenzy. Her body tingled in a way which was becoming all too familiar now whenever she looked at him.

Her lips parted to accommodate the much needed air as her eyes fell on his lips and then snapped back to his piercing blue eyes. Seeing her react that way, all the dark thoughts left his mind, giving way to the warmth in his eyes with a hungry gleam to them.

The butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her heart squeezed when in a similar way, Damon’s eyes traveled to her lips, then back to her eyes. She wanted to reach out to him, to touch him, to feel him. She knew he was thinking along the same lines when his hand extended towards her but suddenly fell on his lap when Meredith cleared her throat beside them, reminding them both of her presence and the setting of the environment.

Damon released her from the spell bounding moment and Mia dropped her head, clearly embarrassed, the flush on her cheeks, acted as a proof. She smiled coyly at Meredith, Uh,” she cleared her throat, “So, you have no idea what I was working on?” she asked.

“No. it was between you and Shawn and you both just went away so suddenly. I had your files locked up in the department though.”

“You never looked?” Mia asked surprised. “No, it wasn't my business,” she replied in a serious tone, the question apparently had offended her. “I’m sorry,” Mia apologized and then tilted her head to a side, “What do you mean we left quickly?” Damon looked at Meredith with a serious look, knowing the direction the conversation was taking.

“Uh, yeah. Enrique had an accident and you left immediately and the next morning we found that Shawn had died the previous night,” Meredith explained. “She left town?” Damon asked, wide eyed. “When?” Mia asked immediately. “Yeah, she did…uh, almost year ago. What’s going on?”

Mia shared a look with Damon and then shook her head. Looking back at Meredith, she asked, “Can you do me a favor?” Meredith nodded, “Ok,” she said hesitantly. “It’ nothing serious. I just wanted to take a look at those files,” she asked politely. “Oh, sure. It’s your research. I-uh, I’ll call you tomorrow to take a look at it,” she answered.

Damon give her a single nod and she smiled. The little gesture riled up Mia’s anger again though she knew it was nothing serious. He was thanking her on Mia’s behalf. It wasn't like he was confessing his love for her.

Her heart stopped to a sudden still. Love. Did she just thought...Oh God, love? What the hell was wrong with her? She was acting stupid, her body and mind both were. But love, that single word had her world spinning. She struggled for a breath as she inhaled sharply.

“Mia?” Damon leapt off the seat to hold her firmly in his grasp. “No,” she whispered against his face. “What is it?” he asked impatiently, his voice worried and his eyes concerned. “I’m falling…uh, in,” she panted, unable to keep herself upright, “I’m falling, Damon,” she said again. Damon put his hand on her back and took her face in other as he looked at her intently, “No, you’re not. I’m not gonna let you fall,” he promised.

She gave a choked laugh as she put her hand on his face and leaned in, “I’m falling. Damon,” she said again and he looked at her in confusion, “Well, if you’re so intent on falling. I’ll catch you, ok?” he smirked and she nodded with a smile as blackness surrounded her and she went limp in his arms.“Mia?” he called to her.

“What happened to her?” Enrique all but screamed at Damon as he replaced his arms with his own, taking Mia from him. Damon glared at him in anger as he took a step forward to kill him for touching her as if she was his possession but Stefan’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

What happened?” Elena touched Mia’s pale face. Enrique narrowed his eyes at Damon, accusing him silently but Meredith stepped in, “She’s fine. She was talking to me. Let me check,” she came forward to examine her.

“What is it?” Damon asked, worry etched on his features. “Nothing. It’s fine though I need to run some tests,” she explained, keeping her eyes fixed on Mia. Enrique quickly obliged by picking her body from ground and stood up with Mia in his arms as he moved towards the door and Meredith followed.

“Oh no, he didn't,” Damon hissed at Enrique’s retreating figure but Stefan pulled him back, “She needs to get to the hospital. You can fight later,” he reasoned. “What was she talking about?” Elena asked curious, looking at Enrique. Damon turned his icy glare to Elena, “I don’t know. Said she was falling in…well, falling somewhere,” he answered.

“Falling?” Elena asked, confused. “Whatever,” Damon said impatiently, “Can we just go, see her?” He asked as he made his way out the door.