The Devil's Angel

It was such a rotten feeling. Standing there and watching her and not being able to do anything. It was a kind of sickness. He was trapped and incapacitated and it was like being paralyzed or one of those comas where you can hear the person and want to reach out to help them lessen their agony and to wipe away their tears but all you can do is hear because your hands wouldn't move and your mouth wouldn't speak.

He felt the demons clawing at her. It had been an hour now that she had woke from unconsciousness. He could see the hurt coiling in her chest. It was evident on her face, in her brown eyes. She was drained and not just physically but emotionally as well and that was the worst type. Her feelings, her emotions were all scattered and he...he was paralyzed.

She slowly fluttered her eyes, raising them and squinted at the bright light. She looked calm now, he thought but he knew better. Since she woke up, she uttered nothing but a sentence and that was for Elena. Cam didn't know what she asked for.

She had no emotion on her face but her eyes were hard, almost vacant as nothing mattered anymore. He knew the feeling, he knew it well but seeing her like that...it broke his heart all over again.

Mia stood there. She had no idea what was happening. It was as the world was moving but she was fixed in that darkness, not being able to move forward. Her heart hurt like hell, so did every single cell in her body but she didn't know why?

Where the hell was Damon when she needed him? Couldn't he tell that she needed him? He was always there for her but now that she was breaking and aching...he was nowhere to be seen.

She raised her eyes to look at the open ground in front of her. People were wearing black. Why was everyone wearing black? She looked down at her dress...she was wearing black too. Why? She tried to think...she didn't know why? Her eyes searched for Damon. Her Damon.

He looked absolutely gorgeous in black and she loved it and she wanted to see him. But that was all...her eyes searched and searched but she couldn't see him and panic...panic started to rise in her chest, suffocating her.

Where was he? More panic, then hurt, then pain, then agony. No, no. It wasn't so. Nothing had happened. Everything was fine. He was on his way. He was coming. He loved her. He said so himself. Didn't he love her? Didn't he know that she loved him? She needed him and he was coming. He must be getting ready for whatever was going on here. The eternal stud in him must be wanting to look dashing but little did he know, he always looked dashing.

The images burned in her mind...he staggered towards her and then fell. His eyes empty, his lips cold. His heart...Stop! She screamed inwardly. It was wrong...a lie. He was fine. He had to be. She clenched her eyes shut and breathed through her nose.

"Mia," Cam's voice made its way to her. He was calling her in soft, gentle voice but she couldn't open her eyes...couldn't see him. Opening her eyes meant to see the world and it was a dark place...she didn't want to see it. Not without...no, no. It wasn't happening. She shut down again, dropping her face, lowering her gaze. Her heart became calm again. This was better...numb was better.

"Mia, it's time," the voice wasn't soft or gentle...it was broken, defeated. She looked up and locked her eyes with the green ones. Stefan. It was Stefan but her body hummed, her heart sped up. Silas. He reminded her of Silas. Stefan stepped back, seeing the hatred and coldness in her eyes. "Mia," he said again, "Come. He wants it from you."

What? Who wanted what? She looked around. People in black. They had tears in their eyes. All the eyes were wet...she touched her face, her eyes. Dry. They were dry. Why wasn't she crying? Didn't she lost what they lost? Did she not care? She strained her ears to listen to Elena. She had to know what was going on.

"I once heard that when a loved one leaves, they are closer to you than they were ever before. I never gave it much thought but I've always felt it...with my parents and..." Elena sniffled, "I want so much for him to be here, to see how everyone is here. How everyone loved him and always will," her voice was croaked, hoarse. "He, uh...told me once...that when people see good in someone, they expect good and Damon...he was always his own person...he was honest and loyal and he loved passionately. He didn't ever show the good side...but every one of us knew it existed because..."

Mia watched as she continued to listen to her. She drew in a shaky breath. She waited for the tears to come but they never made an appearance. Elena...Elena was talking about Damon. "Mia? You want to say..." Cam looked at her, unsure. His eyes held a cloud of confusion and pain.

Gone. Gone. He was gone. Never coming back. People in black...the flowers...the tears...the speech...words. It was real. All real. He wants it from her, Stefan had said. He was talking about Damon. She had to say something but she couldn't even think properly. She had to honor him...tell people how he was. Was? Past...all in past. Did it meant he wasn't coming? While she waiting for him...he wasn't coming. He couldn't. He couldn't do that.

"Your blood..." Bonnie started, "Please, Mia. Stop your bleeding," she said.

"He's linked to you," Bonnie explained again, "You really need to stop the bleeding."

“Damon! Damon! Don't, please, don't. Please, please, please. Don't go," she sobbed, "Please," she almost screamed, looking up at the heavens, "Love you. I love...I love you, Damon. Please." She remembered her own pleas.

Damon smiled at her, “My angel,” he took her face in his hands, “You need to make the right choice and you know, what that is.”

"I've loved you longer."

“I’m too selfish to let you go,” he said running his thumb below her eyes, “But I can’t live with the fact that you’re no more, Mia. I want you to live.”

"It was you or it was her."

This time too, she realized, it was a choice. It was him or it was her and he chose her again. Her to live while he took another life. A whimper broke through her lips. "Damon?" she whispered as a single tear escaped her eye. The pain sliced through her, crushing her heart and soul into a million fragments.

Seeing the tear escape her eye. Cam didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Happy that she had accepted the truth...sad that she would feel the pain to an infinity times now. Mia looked at Stefan.

He still looked like Silas to her but she saw the frown lines on his forehead, crinkles around his eyes, exhaustion and defeat in them. He had lost him too. He had lost his brother. She stepped forward and hugged him, her arms around his middle as she held him tightly and he held her back, letting her know, he was there and he could feel her pain.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm so sorry."

Mia nodded, "I'm sorry too," she said as the dam broke. Everything she had held back engulfed her in a blanket of misery. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry I couldn't...I couldn't save him, Stefan," she didn't had the courage to look at him as he pulled away to look at her.

"Don't you do that, Mia," He scolded but in a gentle voice, "He knew what he was doing. He did it for you," he said but Mia was shaking her head, "You're not to take the blame, you understand? It was his decision, we will not do this."

Mia nodded. She understood that part. The part she didn't get was why wasn't she the one to sacrifice? Why was it they he had to make all the difficult choices. He was too good. Too good for her but she held onto the fact that he loved her. He just proved it in the worst way possible but she didn't doubt his love for a second. It was all she had now.

She wondered if his soul was lingering here, watching her. Could he feel the pain she was in? Could he see how broken she was? She looked at the single flower in her hand. She didn't remember where it came from. She knew its meaning though. It was an Arbutus. Samantha had told her flowers speak and she wanted it to speak...for him. Thee only do I love.

Stefan and Cam both went with her to where Elena was standing. She had finished speaking and people were crying all the more now and when they saw Mia get up and hug Elena, Mia could hear them all, see their pain. She wasn't alone. Everyone was hurting. Mia breathed in as she went to stand in front of the mic, all the eyes on her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard gasps, several of them and she forced her eyes to open. Her heart was pounding so much, she could hear it in her own ears. Her eyes searched around. A miracle? Could it be a miracle? They didn't exist, did they?

She saw the white light which was all too familiar to her but there was a shadow there. Her heart stilled for a second before running again.

"Angel?" the voice called. Everyone looked at Mia and then to the light. It was clearing now, the fog around it and Mia could see a beautiful creature amidst it. "Angel of Nature?" the voice said and Mia cringed. What was going on?

"It is I, Archangel Michael," he said in a clear, resounding voice, "It is time to hear the decision," he paused and everyone in the room held their breaths, "Your decision."

Her decision. Was it time already? Was she ready? The first thing that flitted through her mind was a single word. Death. She had to die. She didn't care ahead. She couldn't pass by a day, how could she live an eternity knowing there was no Damon? Yes, that was easy.

Death was easy, peaceful. That's what she wanted, peace. It was always an easy option, easy way out and God knew, she wasn't strong. She wanted to die and then she'll meet him there on the other side but will she?

“It’s not just dying,” he argued, “It’s the fact that you’ll be cursed,” he had said as he leaned forward, “And I can’t think of that, Mia…of you being dead but not entirely. Just hanging there, suffocating…without peace…being c-cursed.”

“I’m too selfish to let you go,” he said running his thumb below her eyes, “But I can’t live with the fact that you’re no more, Mia. I want you to live.”

Damon smiled at her, “My angel,” he took her face in his hands, “You need to make the right choice and you know, what that is.”

He did it for her. So, she could live but it was difficult...but it was what he wanted. Could she throw his choice away like that? Could she let his sacrifice be meaningless? Would he hate her for it if she did? The questions were too much and she was weak and pathetic just like Silas said. Silas. He knew it all along.

"You'll lose, angel. Mark my words, one way or another. You'll lose."

And how right he was? She had lost. Though he was dead and was no more. He wouldn't create anymore nuisance but he held the victory cup too. He took her Damon from her and she had lost her fight, her will, her determination and courage. She had lost everything. So, what was another defeat? To just let go?

"It isn’t about me…or you. It’s so much bigger than both of us,”

“You can do it right. You can save Ariel, Cam and Samantha. You can save lot of people by finishing off Silas,” he paused, “You can save yourself…and…me.”

He was right. It was bigger than all of them, so much bigger. She took a deep breath. He sacrificed his life to keep her safe. She would sacrifice her happiness and peace by staying alive for him. To do what he wanted her to do. To honor him and his wishes. It was the least she could do.
She had to prove that she loved him, just like he proved it to her. They both didn't need it; the proofs but it showed that their connection was not some kind of prophetic mojo. It was true and it was real. It wasn't because she was an angel and he had a part of Henry but it was because, he cared for her like no one did and she loved him for he was. It was just her and just him, no strings, no prophecies, no duties and responsibilities, only love. Pure, passionate, true love.

"Have you reached your decision, Oh Angel?" Michael asked.

Mia opened her eyes. Cam was standing on her right, his mouth set into a grim line. He looked sad and pained but he smiled for her. It wasn't fair to her, Cam knew especially asking the damn question now but there was nothing he could do.

He reached out to take her hand in his own. "Do what you want, Mia," he whispered, "Just what you want. Don't make it about anyone else. I will respect whatever you decide."

He wanted to go home, more than anything. He had spent a lot of time being a fallen one, a lost angel and he wanted what was once his but he knew Mia would think about death. It would be easy for her. To let go and he would respect it.

He wouldn't make it about himself or Ariel...or even Samantha who gave up her body for his. Her body died and she was just energy again. He knew she would be nearby but of course no one would be able to see her and now, she would stay alone with nothing but herself until the next night of comet which was centuries away.

Mia squeezed Cam's hand and whispered thank you as she faced Michael. Her eyes swept the room, taking in everybody's anxious glances. Stefan, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Klaus. They all stood there, holding their breaths waiting for her to make the decision. She just hoped it was the right one for all of them. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak but Michael spoke before she could word her choice.

"You are not ready to decide, it seems. As if you need an incentive to come to the Heavens," he paused and regarded her seriously but his eyes were soft, "Because you know we need you there to resume your true duties, I will offer you something in that case."

Mia cocked her head to a side. She almost told him that she had made the choice but hearing about incentive made her curious. What could they possibly offer her? An incentive to return to the Heavens?

Seeing her curiosity, Michael nodded in agreement, understanding that she wanted to know about it. "If you are to return and complete the prophecy. We will make sure that he lives."

He lives? Who lives? Oh God! Her stomach dropped and her knees felt weak. She was going to be sick. Her heart was beating fast but there was fluttering too. She was taking small, quick breaths and her head was dizzy. Damon? Were they talking about Damon? Would they grant him life if she went with them? Is that what they were offering?

"But do know. He will wake as a human," he explained.

Mia couldn't believe the words. Was it possible? He would breathe again? She could see her favorite blue again, his smile, his smirk? Hear his beautiful voice? It felt too good to be true. Too good to be real. Her heart was dancing now and her mind was somewhere else.

"Is it possible?" she asked as she looked out to everyone. There was a hope now in their eyes and a strange happiness and if she had doubts about her choice before, they all disappeared now.

"Yes. It is. Everything is," he replied simply.

That would be great. If she just knew that he was alive and well, safe and breathing, she would be fine. She would be happy knowing that.
She remembered what Damon had said to her. Maybe, at that moment she didn't understood him but it all made perfect sense to her now.

“It’ll be easier for me like that, knowing you’re safe and breathing and alive and I know that you’re thinking that your actions are similar to Katherine’s or others…who just…left but Mia, you’re wrong there, angel. With you, I’ll know that you loved me for me and I’ll know you’re up there,” he raised his eyes to the starry sky, “looking at me and watching over me.”

She wouldn't be like Katherine at all. She would choose his life, his well being just like he chose it for her. It was easy now, knowing that. She knew exactly what she had to do.

"What do you chose then, Angel? Will it be Damon and your death or will it be Heaven and his life?"

Mia straightened up as she regarded the archangel. "Him," she said in a firm voice, "I will always choose him."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes," Mia said, "I will always chose him. It is important for me that he lives so, yes, I accept your offer. And am...ready to go with you," she stated, "but there is one more thing that I have to ask from you."

Stefan gave her a sad smile. He didn't know what to do? Mia was leaving but his brother...he would be back? As a human...but alive? He took Elena's hand because he wanted the support and comfort she provided him. Elena squeezed his hand and smiled at him, "He'll be back," she said and Stefan nodded, "How will he react to the fact that she left?"

Stefan looked at her and shrugged. He knew what she was thinking. It didn't matter that he asked Mia to go to Heavens himself but without her, he would just be a wandering soul like Mia was all morning, since he breathed his last. He didn't know how will he handle it but at least he will be there. Stefan will make sure that they all help him. He will make sure that his brother will be fine.

"What would that be?"

"I-I don't him to be in pain once I leave...I just," she looked at Stefan and Elena, "I just...want," she cleared her throat, "I want you take away his memories of me," she finally said in a single breath because that was the only way she could get the words out.

She didn't want him to forget what they shared. She knew, she never will but it would be easy for him and she felt like a hypocrite because she knew the feeling of not having memories, for it to be in your reach but never in your grasp but she also knew, she'll never be able to return back to Earth or to see him. It was best that he moved on from her and enjoy the life he was granted again.

There was a heavy silence in the room. They were all quiet. Elena knew how hard it was for Mia to say those words but she did and it was better for Damon that way. She mouthed thank you to Mia who gave her a small smile which held pain in it. Cam moved forward to take Mia's hand and she took it. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear and Mia nodded.

She didn't know how she felt. There were a lot of emotions but she was satisfied too. She knew Damon would be alive and he'll live his life.
He'll be a human again. They will all be a family again and they will all be together with their friends and they would be happy. Ariel would be free of pain. She'll find her peace after all. Samantha and Cam will return with her to Heaven. At least she will have them and memories of Damon and the time she spent there.

It was enough, she thought and a smile touched her lips. Yes, that would be enough. "Take care of him," she asked no one in particular but they all nodded and smiled. There was sadness and happiness, surprise and anticipation, joy and friendship, love and acceptance, hope and courage. There was hope and she knew she did the right thing as bright white light engulfed her.

Her necklace was warm against her skin, having a glow of its own. Her wings spread in all their glory and beauty as she closed her eyes and shielded them from the intensity of the light that she was being swallowed into.

Damon. No matter where she was, he'll always be in her mind, heart and soul. That was the one thing she'll never be able to forget and she wondered if he will...even if they took his memories.

Would he be able to forget her or will she always be nagging him in the back of his mind? She wasn't sure how she wanted her answer to be? But she hoped for the best...like that worked wonderfully for her.