Forever; The Devil's Angel

"Are you sure we're not gonna get abducted or something?" Damon asked looking around at the plain wilderness around him. He doubted there would be any human population around this area they were driving through, "Cause I just went through it," he paused referring to his time in the New Orleans, "And let me tell you one thing," he said, "Not good. Ahan!" He shook his head.

Annalisa smiled at him coyly, "There's no one here," she replied in a serious tone.

Damon spun around to face her in his seat, "I see what you're doing here," he said as he raised his eyebrows at her, "You're just going to kill me in the forest where there is zero human population," he was saying when Annalisa rolled her eyes.

"Because you talk a lot about Maya and that really pisses me off," she shrugged, "so yeah, I'm definitely planning on it."

Damon smirked at her, "Smart move," he said, "but not that smart," he shrugged as he straightened, "you know nothing about me," he said. He was an immortal. She couldn't kill him even if she tried. "So, tell me," Damon said, "Where are we going and who are we meeting?" he asked.
Annalisa shook her head, "So impatient," she sighed and Damon gave her a nod.

"That's just how I roll," he replied, "Come on, speak up," he said pushing her to say something.

Annalisa sighed in exasperation as she glanced at him staring at her, "Ok!" she finally conceded and Damon gave her a triumphant smile which made her want to shut up again but she continued, "I'm taking you to my aunt and uncle," she said, "they might and I mean might," she raised her brows as she looked at him, "know about this whole twin thing though I'm pretty sure I've never heard of it before and Maya's always been the only child," she said almost lost in her deep thoughts.

Damon nodded understanding the point. Maya and Katherine had done a great job at making everyone a fool around here. They had no idea they've been played, "So why would they know about this?" he asked wondering if they were something important. He remembered how Vanessa directed him to Samantha and Aaron when he wanted to find about angels. Maybe these people were some experts on doppelgangers.

"They are her parents," she said and saw Damon stiffen all of a sudden.

"Whose?" he asked, his voice heavy with the clogging emotions.

Annalisa raised her brows and gave him a 'Duh' look, "Maya's," she said, "Who else would know if they had twins, huh?" she shrugged but Damon couldn't get over the fact that he was going to meet Mia's parents, the ones that were snatched away from her, the real thing. They might not even know about their real daughter. He was sure they didn't know that an imposter has been staying with them whole their lives but shit! Mia's parents.

Damn it, Damon thought as his mind unconsciously went to what he was wearing. Presentable enough but not for having the first meeting with the girl's parents. He was wearing his usual black attire and for the first time in his entire life, he questioned his wardrobe choices.

"Are you ok?" Annalisa asked after some time seeing him on edge and he gave her a quiet nod asking how far away they were from the place and Annalisa pointed at the erected building around the corner causing Damon's eyes to bulge out.

"This," Damon pointed out of the car, "is a house?" he asked, his voice laced with surprise as he looked over at Annalisa driving the car, s small smile playing on her lips and he raised his brows, his head shaking. Annalisa glanced at him, slanting her silver eyes. "Almost everyone questions it," she sighed but Damon could hear the amusement in her voice.

"No wonder," Damon said, "This looks more like a huge castle or something," he said and then thought about his own place. Salvatore mansion, the huge place in Mystic Falls was nothing compared to this big thing. The site of the location was far from the city and Annalisa had drove through narrow, muddy road to get here but now that they had reached, the castle towered the trees surrounding the area, sun rays reflecting off its greyish silver stones. The right tower of the castle was clothed in green moss against the ragged outline of the stones, the windows dark and huge.

They walked in through the heavy double doors to the inside of the castle and the interior stunned Damon, made him feel welcome. As cold as the castle seemed from the outside, the warmer and brighter it was from the inside. The huge glass panes allowed the sunshine to touch every wall making them glow. The walls were adorned with all nature's painting giving the otherwise grey walls a touch of color and life. In the middle of the hall was a set of two staircases, the railing engraved with flowers and vines pattern. Annalisa took the staircase on the right dragging Damon along. "Aunt Fiorella," Annalisa shouted as she took the steps.

Damon walked beside her as she held him by his arm. Damon could feel his heart plummeting as Annalisa called for Fiorella once again. Fiorella Markowitz, the name sounded mysterious and sweet at the same time. He had no idea of what to expect from this. Would she be like Mia? Would she look like her? Would she have her radiance? The simplicity of the questions swarming his mind shocked him more and he didn't know what to feel about that.

Reaching the second floor, he saw a tall, lean woman, a huge smile plastered on her face as she easily, elegantly walked towards them. Walked...she fell more into the category of floating as she moved, her ebony black hair tumbling to her waist in defined waves. Her face was oval with a sharp nose but he found her eyes the most exquisite with her sparkling emerald color, smiling at them.

Looking at her, he could see no similarity between this woman and Mia, could make no link. They were so very different. Mia had chocolate brown hair with eyes to match, clear and deep always glistening with emotions and her build was delicate yet she looked strong while the woman that hugged Annalisa right now was tall and had a lean built.

"Anna darling," Fiorella greeted, "Come stai?" she asked and Annalisa shook her head.

"It's Lisa, Aunt Fiorella," she corrected her in an exasperated tone which told Damon that she would always call her Anna despite her corrections. Fiorella dismissed it with a wave of her hand as she turned to look at Damon who found himself fidgeting under her stare. "A new boy?" she asked in her accented tone as she cast Annalisa a look and went to hug Damon who was caught completely off guard and hugged her back awkwardly.
Great! He couldn't return a hug. Annalisa chuckled at his agape expression as he openly glared at her. Fiorella took a step back and winked at Annalisa, "Better than the last one," she said and looked at Damon again, "Americano, si?" she asked and Damon forced a smile as he gave her a nod. "Buon lavoro, Anna," she patted Annalisa's shoulder and she shook her head.

"Lisa," she corrected. No matter how much she corrected her nickname to her, Fiorella almost never listened.

"Where's uncle?" Annalisa asked and Fiorella scoffed at her.

"Where do you think?" she rolled her eyes and then they both spoke in unison. "Library," they said as Damon smiled at their exchange. This was what Mia was missing. A family, inside jokes, loving mother whose eyes were sparkling by just looking at Annalisa. It made him wonder how she would've been with Mia, if she knew her.

Annalisa started towards the library and Damon took a step forward but Fiorella put her hands on his shoulders and stopped him, "Let me take a look at you," she said, her eyes narrowed and Damon visibly swallowed.

Oh God! He was already so flustered in front of her and now she was looking at him with piercing eyes. "A leather jacket," she said deep in her thoughts, "A bad boy," she concluded remarking on his clothes and Damon opened his mouth to say something, only nothing got out and he closed it again. Where was all the charisma and charm when you needed it?

"Aunt!" Annalisa shouted, "Let him be," she said and Fiorella shook her head. "Let me take a good look at him for you darling," she said and turned to Damon, "She never take men to meet her mother, you see. She's terrified of her," she spoke in whisper and her eyes gleamed, "She scares me too, that woman," she admitted, "But I love Annalisa so, I do that for her," she smiled as if letting Damon in on a secret.

Annalisa came back as she took Damon by his arm, "Are you done interrogating, Aunt?" she asked visibly annoyed but there was amusement Damon noted in her voice. "No," Fiorella replied, "Tell me, do you own a motorbike?" she asked Damon raising her index finger in a total mother like fashion and Damon blinked twice before answering.

"No, I own a Camaro though," he replied and Fiorella clapped her hands. "Oh, a classic," she said and Annalisa shook her head. "Glad you approve," she said as she dragged Damon towards the library.

"She has a thing for cars," Annalisa explained and Damon turned back to look at her. No, she definitely didn't seem like Mia. He wondered if Mia would have been more like her, had she stayed with her mother.

The thought made him wonder and question everything, people, world, life. How by some small accident, your whole destiny could change, the person you were and had to become changes and he wasn't sure if he liked the answers to such things. It had been unfair to Mia in so many different ways and to her parents too though for reason they didn't lost her daughter, someone else readily took her place without them noticing and it burned him to the core as he wished for some major harm on Katherine.

Annalisa though smiling at the face was incredibly nervous on how to approach this conversation. Maya was one of the forbidden topics of this house. Even though she was their daughter and they loved her, Maya had been a total nuisance with her attitude and superiority complex. There was not a single day in school with her where she didn't go into detention or try to get into trouble. Fiorella had always been protective of her but it was a matter of time when she too got tired of her especially since Maya for some reason always got Fiorella into trouble with her daily tricks.
She knew it was a sensitive topic and she had to approach it carefully too. She was sure his uncle would ask her get out as soon as her name would get out of her mouth and Fiorella...she would break down again and Annalisa didn't want that. It was so good to see the happy, carefree version of Fiorella just now. She didn't want to ruin it but it was important, if whatever Damon said was true, there might be a hope for her family.

Annalisa came to a sudden halt in front of a double door as she turned the knob and Damon looked back at Fiorella who gave him a huge smile and he smiled back effected trying to find the Mia within her. She was her mother after all. There had to be something but once again he came up empty. Opening the door, Annalisa side stepped for Fiorella to enter first who glided across the vast room. It was size of an average room, as average as it could get in such a place like that with mahogany, wood paneled walls and carpet that left no space free on the floor. There was a window, similar to the one downstairs from ceiling to floor that provided with the fresh, live scene of the outside obscured by a thin white curtain.

There were shelves upon shelves of books, the old rusty scent of them present in every air particle of the room. There was a sitting area at the corner with well-lit lamps surrounding it though there was no need of extra light with the window providing the natural one from the shining sun outside. There were two sets of couch and an armchair, plump and classic red with a round table at its side. Damon walked behind Fiorella as she greeted the man resting on the armchair, a leather covered book in his hand. He was so engrossed in it, he didn't even notice them coming in.

"Would he ever change?" Fiorella sighed as she looked at Annalisa who shook her head and tried to imitate her uncle. "No possession can surpass, or even equal a good library, to the lover of books," she quoted in a similar way her uncle used to say it, pointing her index finger, "Here are treasured up for his daily use and delectation, riches which increase by being consumed, and pleasures that never cloy," she completed.

The man looked up from the book rather annoyed but his face changed as soon as his eyes fell on Annalisa, "Lisa, my rose," he said as he opened his arms and Annalisa went on to give him a hug. "How are you uncle?" she asked and he smiled at her. "Happy," he replied, "now that you are here," he said and kissed her temple, her eyes moving to Fiorella as she waved him off.

"As if I try to poison you," she mumbled in her accented voice and Anton laughed at her. "She's sick of me, your aunt," he said but there was an undertone of satisfaction in his voice.

"You don't pay any attention to her at all," Annalisa raised her brows, "You're with your books all the time," she said and he scoffed at her. "I've given her 23 years of my life, shared and made everything with her and this heaven," he referred to his library, "she gifted it to me," he gave her a crooked smile, "and I cherish her gift every day," he winked at her as his eyes fell on Damon.

Annalisa smiled as she stood up to introduce them but he was quick to get on his feet, "Who is this gentleman?" he asked and Damon extended his hand to him.

"Damon Salvatore, Sir," he said introducing himself and found that despite the grey in his otherwise brown hair, the man sure had a firm grip.
"Hmm," he replied with a smile and Damon noticed the perfect, familiar brown of his eyes that twinkled with wisdom. There was a hint of mischief in them, like he knew something deep that you didn't, very much like Mia's. He reminded him of her, his eyes, the hair, his unparalleled passion for books and knowledge. This is where Mia got her inquisitiveness from, he mused.

"Another man?" he questioned Annalisa and Damon had to consider the type of person Annalisa was, not that he was judging her but seriously how many men did she brought home?

Annalisa chuckled at him, "He's not for me, Uncle," she said and Fiorella sat herself on the couch, her legs crossing as she pointed at Antonio and gave Annalisa a flirty smile.

"But darling, you must know I'm married to this old, boring man here," she said to Annalisa but her eyes were on Damon who again tried to formulate a reply but fell short.

"Ah!" Annalisa exclaimed, "Aunt, will you ever change?" she asked and Antonio shook his head. "Don't ask her to change. I love her like this," he said as he went to sit beside her and took her hand in his. Fiorella rolled her eyes at him but Damon didn't miss the smile on her lips and he came up with one of his own.

"So, Damon. Why are you here?" Antonio asked, "If not for my lovely niece," he said and glanced at his wife, "or my wife for that matter," he said and Fiorella swat his arm. This was when Damon saw a glimpse of Mia in her, the way she held Anton's hand and leaned slightly on him, a look of pure happiness on her face, her eyes gleaming with all the emotions she felt. Though the color of her eyes was miles away from Mia's but the look in them was the same he saw in her eyes a million times.

"I-uh," he started and sent a look in Annalisa's direction who gave him a nod and went to sit on her knees beside the couch as she held both Antonio's and Fiorella's hands. "You have to know this is important or I know more than anyone not to say a word on this subject," she said and saw them both stiffen as Antonio realized the truth behind her words.

"No, don't," he said, his otherwise round, soft face hard, his eyes cold.

"Is she ok?" Fiorella asked in a small and concerned voice and Antonio shot her a glare.

"Nobody cares, Ella," he said in a stiff voice and she shook her head.

"It's our daughter, Anton," she replied and Damon heard the pain in her voice.

"Was," he replied, "Until she decided not to honor the traditions of this family."

This had Damon's ear perked up. What traditions were she bound to? "Traditions?" he asked and Antonio stood up.

"You can leave the way through which you came in," he ignored Damon questions and Damon shook his head. He had never been intimated by anyone but damn Mia, her family was a hard one. Antonio turned away from him and Fiorella gave him a look of pure desperation, her shoulders slack, the life Damon saw within her just a few minutes ago vanished as she bit back a sob.

Damon ran his hand through his hair, his eyebrows rising up as he looked at the two most important people in Mia's life and realized they were in just as much pain without her as she was and it was going to be a hell of a job to at least talk to them and explain things which he didn't understood so quite well himself. Making them believe was a whole new level and he had no idea how to handle that. He'd never had to calmly deal with anyone before especially the parents of the girl he was in love with.