Forever; The Devil's Angel

She felt the needles pricking her heart and with every prick, she felt the pain travel through her body, a pang that extended her physical self and wounded her soul. Never in her life, had she felt such burden on her shoulders, so much so that it proved difficult for her to walk. Her feet were heavy as she dragged herself forward. She was going to enter the Salvatore House posing to be someone entirely different to who she was and the guilt that nagged her injured her spirit, the way agonizing pain cripples the body.

Seeing Damon the way he was interacting with Kiera, her delicate body engulfed in her left arm as he cradled her ever so lovingly. He held her little hand in his finger and after every few seconds he would look down at her with pure adoration in his eyes and Maya would feel a part of herself dying a little inside. She looked away because she couldn't look at him without making herself crazy in the head. It was for good. Everything she was doing was for good, she assured herself. What if things didn't go according to plan? What was the plan anyway?

Maya looked above at the golden globe that threw its shining rays everywhere illuminating every darkness that she felt. It was hidden behind the frame of clouds but the silver lining it bordered somehow gave her hope. Maya found her surrounding to be a little too quiet unlike her screaming conscience that was trying to wake up the neighborhood with its scratchy noise. Stupid thing. She could hear the sound her shoes made when the heel clicked the ground, she heard the sound of Damon's leather jacket rubbing against his shirt and she saw him smiling at Kiera as she suppressed a sigh.

"I haven't seen you this nervous before," Damon commented looking back at her.

Maya snapped out of her thoughts, "What?" she asked her brows furrowed.

"It's nothing big, I promise," he assured her. He has been telling her that for an hour now. Apparently, Caroline and others wanted to give her and Kiera a welcome home party and Mia as per Damon's assurances wasn't a big fan of parties which is why he took it as a duty to keep reminding her that it would be fun and nice little gathering but Maya didn't mind it. She loved parties. She was just nervous because she wasn't sure she liked parties where just a small group of Mia's friends were going to be hovering over her.

"I’m fine," she shrugged it off. She could do it anyway. She could pull off being her look alike. She could act like everything was fine, "Plus, like you said, Caroline needs this," she said with a smile loving how sometimes she could act better than Mia herself. Caroline was sort of a mini disaster after finding out that Klaus has been cozying up to a wolf girl and to top it off, he had a son with her. No, it didn't sit well with Caroline. She had been worrying sick about him while he was playing 'let's make a home' with someone.

"You need this too," Damon said as he came to stand in front of her.

"Hey Bonnie," Maya smiled looking at Bonnie who stood behind Damon.

Bonnie smiled back as she came forward to stand beside Damon, her eyes fixed on Kiera, “Can I hold her?" she asked and Damon chuckled at her.

"Here, Kiera. Meet Bon Bon," he handed his little angel to Bonnie who started cooing to the baby.

"I'm pretty sure it's Aunt Bonnie," she said looking at Kiera, playing with her small hand, "Isn't that right, Kiera?"

"More like Aunt Witchy," Damon retorted.

"Just ignore him," Bonnie whispered to Kiera, "Your Vamp Daddy likes to make fun of everything."

Damon laughed out loud, "Vamp Daddy?"

Bonnie shrugged as she nodded her head towards Maya asking him subtly to talk to her as she stepped back to give them some space. Damon gave her a grateful nod and she smiled at him, "What's wrong?" he asked turning to look at her, their feet touching.

Maya sighed, "I'm just exhausted, I guess," she replied with a dismay tone as she dropped her shoulders as if she had to give a physical display of her exhaustion to convince him.

Damon gave her a very understanding nod, "We all are," he ran his hands up her arm, "You'll be fine though. We're home now," he reminded her as he leaned his head forward, his nose touching hers and Maya felt a shock to her system. She closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips. She wanted this too much, it was unhealthy and then his scent hit her and her toes curled. Gosh, the guy hadn't even touched her and she was panting for breath already. What the hell? She so envied Mia right now...or on second thought, not so much.

Damon felt it then, like something was missing. The electric spark that sizzled on his skin every time he was close to Mia like this was absent. Even her scent was a little off putting. He couldn't get the honey citrus of hers and instead caught a faint hint of cloves. He concentrated his senses on nothing but the girl standing in front of him and the mouthwatering heavenly scent of blood that flowed in her veins subdued him as he shook off the thought that this beautiful creature could be anything but Mia. He didn't even know where the thought came from?

He had seen the softness in her eyes when she looked at Fiorella, the love and adoration when she looked at Kiera. He couldn't mistake the guilt when she looked at Elijah or the determination that sparkled in her brown orbs when she killed Vincent. Damon thought back to the moment she cured Katherine and the hate that shone in her and he could feel the passion rolling off her skin as she anticipated the touch of him on her lips.

His heart bloomed in his chest with fulfilling love for this girl. Taking in a deep breath, Damon closed the distance between them but at the very exact moment, Maya averted her face, his lips landing on her cheek and he pulled back. He knew something was wrong but Maya quickly went forward and hugged him instead, knowing he would question her distance and she didn't know what to say? She just couldn't bring herself to kiss him or to let him kiss her. She wasn't who he thought she was. She wasn’t his Mia. She was Maya, the exact opposite of the one he loved. As much as she wanted it, she was bombarded with the images of Mia's last moments and Maya felt sick to her stomach. What was she going to do? It was like she was trapped in what she thought was a heaven but it had started to feel more and more like a hell. Her own personally built hell.

"Ready?" she asked as she held his hand and faced the door.

"Um, hmm," Damon pursed his lips as he mumbled. Shaking his head, he chuckled at her and nodded his head towards the door.

Maya took a deep breath. Facing every one of Mia's friends and pretend so hard to not fall out of her character? No. She wasn't ready. She didn't think she would ever be but hopefully she wouldn't have to do that for so long. Hope was a bitch but a necessity.

They had just taken the first step inside the house when they felt the stirring in their blood, a hum that built deep within and everything blurred around them. Damon held her hand tighter in his own grip. He had no idea what was happening but it wasn't going to be good, that much he could tell. "Mia?" he called out to her but she didn't say anything back. She couldn't. She was mesmerized by the scene that unfolded in front of her, the blinding white light that illuminated with intensity started to dim and their surrounding started to clear.

Maya blinked her eyes twice, the heel of hand rubbed her eyelids adjusting to the change in light. It was breathtakingly beautiful. There was no visible source of light but it was peaceful and calm. The breeze that drifted across her face was soothing and mesmerizing. She saw the golden clouds floating or it was mist that crept over everything bringing out their serenity but her heart started drumming in her chest, her hands sweating and her stomach falling.

Alternate universe was more like a word for it because it definitely wasn't his home. It was harmonious, the sight, the scents and it brought out such calmness in him that he was quite uncomfortable with it. He had never felt this way. It was so right but at the same time, so wrong. His eyes despite looking at the beauty missed the one thing that was his everything as he sought out Mia and there she was, her eyes wide, her lips parted, the wind blowing her hair in her face and she looked like an angel standing there.

Her eyes met his and he saw the panic and terror there. Damon raised his eye brows in confusion and question, "What the hell?" he breathed out.

"More like a glimpse of Heaven," a voice said and it was like music to the ears except that it caused the goose bumps to raise on his arms and unease to fill his guts. He strode towards Maya and held her hand.

Maya swallowed loudly. What was going on? She was ready but at the same time, she wasn't. She was scared. Maya started to walk forward, Damon beside her, hand in hand but just then his thought went to Kiera and when he turned back sharply, there was nobody, nothing to be seen. Panic and fear clenched his insides, "Mia?" he called out to her, "Kiera?" he asked her. Where was she? Where was his daughter? His eyes darted everywhere but he couldn't see her.

"Your daughter is fine," the same voice replied and it took Damon a moment to calm down. A person could hear that sound every second of their life and wouldn't get tired of it but to Damon, the voice sounded like a disaster waiting to strike.

"Damon?" Stefan's familiar voice was welcomed by Damon as he turned around to look at his brother.

"Stefan? What's going on?" he asked him as Elena and Caroline appeared behind Stefan.

"You tell me,' Stefan started as he looked around, "We were just fixing up the place for you..."

"Is it just so difficult to plan something without counting drama in it?" Caroline said exasperated. Couldn't anything in this world go without a hitch?

"Mia?" Damon questioned her but she was looking straight on, her eyes fixed on the beautiful being that stood in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked the winged creature that was bathing in a golden halo surrounding him.

"You don't recognize me?" the voice was incredulous, "I'm Uri, the shadow you used to see," the figure explained.

"It's not the time for introductions," another winged angel appeared behind Uri but he looked serious, stern and Maya suppressed a shiver at the sight of him. He looked like a beautiful nightmare waiting to happen.

"You're the shadow?" Damon asked disbelief evident in his tone, "You're the one she has been following around the forest at night?"

"I warned her she can't win the battle," Uri said again and Maya sighed. Mia used to follow this thing around in the forest at night? Was she crazy? "Follow me," he requested in a firm voice which told them it was not a choice but a gentle order and they went after him following a path of green trees that were sprinkled with some kind golden dust that scented heavenly and the bright red fruits that adorned it.

They walked in unison, their minds filled with questions as they beheld such wondrous vision through their eyes. Maya saw it first, the rows upon rows of off-white benches that struck against the golden mist that floated in the air. The path between was illuminated as if the lights were guiding them around. In front was a huge platform where four angels stood gloriously, their wings majestically open around a throne that became everything of a person once you looked at it.

Uri stopped short and turned around as his eyes landed on Maya and her breath hitched on her throat. She needed an hour or two to adjust to the visions in front of her but she knew she couldn't afford the luxury to enjoy the place for something awaited her here, her destiny. "I'm Rufael," the scary yet beautiful angel stepped forward, "I'm the angel of justice," he announced and Damon's frantic eyes met Maya's.

This couldn't be what he was thinking. Could it? "Look around you," Rufael said and all of them did as asked, their eyes roaming the surrounding and Maya saw the benches filled with all beautiful creatures sitting to see what was going to be a trial for her own self. Maya swallowed. This was all so intimidating and she suppressed a shiver, "They're all here to see that you answer for your crimes," Rufael continued.

"She did nothing wrong," Damon exploded with anger. They were going to take her away. This was the moment they had been dreading for and it had fallen upon them. His heart and mind were pacing, thinking of a million ways to fight back but just like every time else he had tried, he came up short in explanations to defend the girl he loved, to save her from the tragic fate that he had paved for her.

"If that were the case," Rufael said, "we wouldn't be here today," he pointed around him.

"She did everything you asked for," Damon took a step forward, his words hard.

"Apparently," Rufael sighed, "Not everything."

Stefan saw the horrible realization dawn upon Elena's face. They knew it was coming but they could never wrap their heads around it. He held her hand and she came willingly into his arms. "Stefan," she whispered as she raised her eyes to look at him. He nodded because he knew what she was thinking. They were worried for her, that she was going to be taken away from them, cursed forever and they were worried for Damon. He was going to break down in the most worst of ways if she left. They doubted Kiera's presence would do anything to soothe him.

"We thought after Ariel, this kind of case wouldn't come forth," Rufael stated, the picture of sadness became visible on his face for a second before he hid it all and stood stern in front of them.

"Our stories are different," Maya argued, "You can't measure us the same way. We are different."

"In breaking the rules, you're not," the answer was clear and Maya sighed. "You're Mia Nicole Pierce, right?" Rufael asked, standing beside the throne as other angels looked at them seriously. It was like she was being questioned in a court as it seemed like it and she felt guilty just standing there but she had to convince them of her performance. She had to convince everyone that she was Mia and not Maya.

"Yes," her voice came out shaky.

"But you were born under the name, Maya Hope Markowitz by your parents?" Yes, it was an interrogation.

"Yes," Maya lied because she was the actual Mia, the daughter of Isobel and not the one they were thinking.

"Were you or were you not entrusted with the duties of an angel?" The next question in line and Maya was tired already and scared. She was more scared than angry as she took a deep breath to stabilize herself.

"I fulfilled them all," she replied.

"Direct answer, please," he said.

"Yes," Maya closed her eyes and repeated the words, "I fulfilled them all."

"But you didn't stay away from Damon Francesco Salvatore?" The voice was so hard, it caused chills to run through her length. Damon shuddered as his name came in the list of her wrong doings. He was a mistake. He was everybody's mistake. Everyone around him, everyone he cared for suffered the same fate. Everyone who tried to care about him suffered the same fate. It was his fault. All of this...

"I tried," Maya argued.

"And failed," Uri argued back.

"I didn't let it interfere in my line of work," Maya breathed out.

"Oh! This was not yet interference?" Rufael raised his brows and Maya let out a sigh.

"Why are you doing this?" she finally asked, knowing half the answer already but it still didn't stop the question from leaving her mouth.

"You know the reason," Rufael replied, "You know that the angels are not supposed to interact with the humans in the way that you have," he accused her, "You were very intimately aware of Ariel's crimes."

"She was born an angel," Damon stepped up, knowing the full story himself, "Mia was not like that," he pointed his thumb in her direction, "She was supposed to choose someone for her powers to unlock," he argued, "if you were gonna give her some shiny wings, why ask her to fall for a human?"

"To be sure," the angel replied, "that she understands her responsibility. Not all of the girls before her were made angels or allowed into Heavens," Rufael was explaining, "She was special. Pure. And her twin from different mother broke the cycle that ran in their family for centuries which is why she had just one daughter instead of twins."

"Just don't hurt her," Elena said in a small voice as if stating her opinion would get her killed but she had to say something. It wasn't fair, "She has a daughter," Elena said, "You call yourself angel. Why not show mercy and leave her alone? Why not let her be with her child?"

"Elena," Stefan said her name in a warning tone and she raised her eyes to meet his. As much as Stefan loved how she spoke up for Mia, he was honestly scared for her too. He didn't have a reason to be afraid but Stefan sighed. Why was everything just so complicated? He saw Damon look at him as if he had betrayed him somehow and that made him realize his mistake.

Damon almost glared at his brother. Why would he do that? Why would he stop the only person who was standing up for Mia? Why didn't he let Elena make her point? Maybe, it wouldn't have helped Mia anyway but she needed it. She needed her friends right now, more than ever and his brother for the life of him couldn't understand the damn thing.

"You think love is such a crime?" Caroline continued from where Elena left. She herself had some questions about love, about the unfairness of it, "Why not just eliminate the damn feeling and let people live in ease?" she fisted her hands at her side as she stood up straighter, "It will make things so much easier for you and for us out there in the real world. We wouldn't have to go out, feel the pain of rejection or betrayal, or lies," she kept on adding the adjectives trying to pour out all the bad things Klaus made her feel when he hid about Hayley from her.

He had twins with her. Twins! And there she was, in Mystic Falls worried about the letter he received and the way he just suddenly left without a goodbye making her feel all those worthless things that she was just at the right place, at a right time for the sake of his amusement, like he could care less of what goes on with her. Caroline laughed without humor, "It may feel like heaven at one point," she shook her head incredulously, "but it sure hurts like hell in the end. So, why test us? Why not kill the evil in bud?" her voice cracked in the end as she looked at Rufael and Uri, her head tilting to a side.

"Love is a gift," Uri started slowly but his voice was detached, emotionless, "for humans. It makes you stronger, make you do things you thought were impossible, things you didn't think you could do. Love is what gives you hope, a reason to wake up every day and fight, to make things count and it's not just love for that specific someone but for every little thing you do, everything you like to do. Taking that away would be a 'crime'."

"And snatching it away from someone isn't?" Maya looked at him straight on, her eyes meeting Uri's with pure determination.

"If we start feeling," he explained to Maya, "the world would fall apart. Our feelings are limited but free will can always develop. Lucifer did but it is not how things are supposed to be. If we exceed the limit, there would be no harmony, no synchronization, no connection among us," Uri stated the obvious, "the death angel wouldn't be able to take away souls if he cared. You wouldn't witness disasters," he paused, "You would let your emotions stand in the way of your judgment of right and wrong...like you did."

That was a shock. When did she let her emotions stand in the way of her judgment? Uri saw the confusion in her eyes and Damon's as they both looked at him. "Your relation with Damon isn't the only problem, Mia," he said and for the first time, she didn't know what to think of. What else? What else could it be? Damon raised his eye brows as he looked from Maya to Uri, back to Maya.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked, his voice was unsure but he had to question what everyone was thinking.

"Mia," Uri started, "You let your guilt make the decision of taking Klaus' side," he stated.

"Excuse me?" Maya questioned.

"You knew that Niklaus Mikaelson was an evil breed," Rufael said, "You knew the darkness that resided in him and yet, you sided him in the New Orleans war," his voice was accusing, "when your decision should have been to side with Marcel."

"Because he's the good guy?" Damon's incredulous voice boomed in the open air.

"Because, in his reign," Rufael started, "there was peace. Peace among the vampires and witches. Granted, he never let werewolves inside the city but he didn't go out of his way to kill them. The whisperers tell us that things started to take a turn of bad when Niklaus came back."

"He's not evil," Caroline was seething with anger. Niklaus did a lot of wrong things and for the wrong reasons but he wasn't evil. He was misunderstood. They couldn't just label him as the villain. He had lived all of his life in isolation, fear of death, rejection and hatred from his very own blood. They couldn't just expect him to be all about rainbows and unicorns. He was hurt, tortured for so many years. He deserved a break, deserved someone who understood him, his actions, his mind.

"That's what emotions do," Rufael smiled as if she just proved his point, "You hated him," he said, "He hurt you, your friends but then, when you let your judgment be clouded with your feelings, you forget every wrong he did and see only the light in him."

Caroline opened her mouth but nothing came out as she just stared at him blankly. Rufael turned back to Maya, "You felt guilty ever since you killed his sister, Rebekah by accident. Elijah forgave you in exchange of a promise that you would keep his family safe. To eliminate the guilt, which is an emotion," he clarified, "you agreed and when the time came, you couldn't save the city because you were so blinded by your need to fulfill your promise to Elijah that you let people die just to save one."

"That's not how it happened," Maya's voice was low. She couldn't think of a single thing.

"You were late too," Rufael said, "in reaching the city at the time of attack because you were in Mystic Falls with Damon which is once again, your carelessness due to your feelings."

God! Mia was in deep, Maya thought. There seemed to be no way out, nothing she could say to save herself and with every word that Rufael spoke, Maya felt their ground shaking. She had no argument, nothing she could do. What was Mia thinking? She thought when she helped Klaus. If only she were here, she would have known what to say. She would know what she was thinking at the time that she decided to side Niklaus.

"Interacting with a human is your crime," Rufael said, "Having a child with him, an even bigger crime. Losing track of your duties, yet another addition. Letting your emotions play out a part in your strategy to win war, lessen the casualties and creating peace..." he sighed, "are all the things that fall on your shoulders. And it is for these reasons that we must decide on a punishments for your crimes."

Damon stepped forward, his body shielding Maya's as he shook his head, "She didn't. She did nothing wrong," his eyes were wide as he stood against them all for the sake of the girl who meant everything to him, "She saw him redeemable. She saw that Klaus could be redeemed if he got some semblance of power. Marcel was the one who called for a war, not Klaus. He was the one because of whom people died," Damon clarified, "She killed Vincent because he wanted to die. Because he was killing people for it. She killed Katherine because you know, you must know her manipulative nature," his voice broke and when Maya side stepped him, he came to stand in front of her again.

He couldn't let this happen. He had to justify her. They couldn't hurt her, banish her, curse her. She had a daughter. How was she supposed to live without a mother? How was he supposed to take care of that without Mia? She was his rock, the one who stabilized him, gave him hope and life, peace and happiness. They couldn't just snatch everything away from him.

"She sees the good in everyone," Damon said, speaking from experience, "She saw the good in Klaus. And you'll see," he was desperate. He was so desperate to save her, "You'll see how Klaus would let the peace prevail now that he has things. He was meant to be a king and with that power, he wouldn't misuse it. He would change everything. I promise you."

Despite his pleas, he saw that nothing changed in expression of Rufael, "I wouldn't say I don't understand your actions," he said, "But we do have to create examples so that none of them," he pointed to the angels sitting in the rows, all with grim expression but no expressions at all, "make the same mistakes. This world wouldn't work that way."

Maya's heart that was blooming with Damon's speech inflated suddenly with hearing Rufael's words. She wanted to cry at Damon's voice, the pain and desperation in it and she wanted to kill Rufael for his lack of emotions. How could they not see the purity of love that shone in Damon's eyes? How could they not do anything about it? She felt sorry for them, all of them. "I'm sorry," Maya said, "If you don't believe anything he said and I'm sorry that I caused so much trouble but my intentions were clean. I just wanted to help and it was the best way I saw how," she explained as she came out from behind Damon, "Is there no apology and get over it kind of thing?" she looked at Rufael with hope shining in her eyes.

"And let a crime go unpunished so, others may follow your path?" Rufael countered and Maya realized that they had made up their minds already, "Even with Ariel as a bright example in front of you, you went on to do the same."

"You were warned, Mia," Uri added in.

"Mia must be punished for the crimes she had committed," Rufael spoke in a loud voice for everyone to hear, "The other angels need to see the fate of someone who disobey the law. They must be punished," he said and that was the moment that Maya saw the fiery determination in his eyes, the set of lips in a straight line that confirmed her suspicions. This was no trial where someone would hear the argument of both sides and come to a conclusion. They had made their case already and no matter what she says or the people who care about her say, no one was going to listen. They were gonna go on with whatever they had planned.

Maya's heart stuttered in her chest. In contrast to the fire that shone in Rufael's eyes, she saw sadness and pity in Uri's. He had warned Mia again and again. He didn't want this as a fate for her. Maya wondered why she never heeded his warnings. She turned around to see all the angels sitting in the rows, witnessing the drama that unfolded in front of them. She could see all the faces in front of her. Some resembled Uri's while others were hard matching Rufael's lack of emotions. Some showed pity, some despair, some cried in unfairness of it all while others rejoiced that if they couldn't get it, she shouldn't either and Maya gathered all of that in heart. Their pity, their sympathy, their smiles...she needed to feel that. All of that.

Damon saw the look in her eyes, the way she scanned everybody. It went from denial, hatred and anger to understanding, defeat, surrender and acceptance and it was the last look that undid him, that look of giving up, of accepting the fate as it presented and Damon wanted to scream. He did too but it exploded inside and the voice never came out. He never showed that emotion of a part of him dying to anyone. He opened his mouth to scold her, shake some sense into her. She had promised him, she would stay. How could she just forget it and surrender herself in front of his eyes? But the moment he did, Rufael spoke up.

"Hear, all," Rufael stood up straight, "All the matters are made clear in front of you. Anyone who follows in her path," he pointed to Maya, "betrays us all and follow the path Lucifer paved. We need not forget the reason of our existence and the rules that exist to benefit us each. For the crimes she had committed, Mia Nicole Pierce," he said, "is to pay by being banished to the pits of hell."

It seemed as if everyone had stopped breathing altogether. Silence prevailed. Even the wind stopped. There was Damon and his eyes on Maya, her eyes on his. There was Stefan, shell shocked. Elena cried into his shoulder. Caroline just grabbed Stefan's arm in a death grip, swallowing hard. Angels remained there, beings without an ounce of emotion. Uri dropped his head. Rufael smiled. And then, all hells broke loose.

Damon stepped forward, breaking his contact with Maya and grabbed the neck of the closest angel.

They all screamed for him together, "Damon!" But he didn't listen as he twisted the neck but the angel maneuvered out of his grasp.

Two angels flew towards Maya. Damon suddenly leapt forward, his whole body shielding Maya's. "You're not taking her," his voice boomed so much that Maya shivered, "You wouldn't take her away from Kiera," he said, "I wouldn't let you."

"That child is a result of a mistake," Rufael declared and Damon dashed to him.

"Don't call her that," he growled as he reached him but as soon as he did, he fell on his knees, a scream erupting from within, "She's not a mistake!"

"Damon!" Stefan rushed to his side, "Let him go," he looked at Rufael. Elena was right on his heel, her doe eyes begging the angel to release Damon from the torture.

Seeing the scene in front of her, Maya knew there was no way out. There was no choice, "Let him go," she demanded in a soft voice but it came out so dark and edged that everything stopped in that second as everybody stared at her and the strong force she posed as, "I understand. Let him go," she hissed and thought about Mia. This is something she would've done. She could never stand to see Damon hurt. She would do anything for him and that was why Maya followed suit.

Damon fell back as if released from invisible clutch and Stefan caught him, waiting for Damon to catch his breath but he kept moving his hand, "No! Mia, don't!" he yelled because he knew what she was doing, "This is what you did last time," he screamed at Uri, "You forced her to become an angel by using me against her," he growled, "She didn't want that. She never wanted it."

"Stefan, take him away," Maya said, her eyes staring ahead straight to Rufael whose mouth twisted into a sneer.

"No!" Damon fought Stefan but he dragged his brother away from the angels, "No! Let me go." he thrashed trying to break free, "Damn it! Stef, let me go!"

"I'm not losing you too," Stefan replied harshly and Damon wanted to kick him so bad.

The two angels stood behind Maya as they held her by the arms and started to take her away. Damon screamed. "No! Mia!" Stefan held Damon's shoulders tightly in his grasp and Elena put her hand on Damon's forearm, her fingers shaking. Damon kept repeating, "No! No!" as if it would stop the nightmare but nothing happened. He didn't wake up and was forced to watch Mia give herself up, or taken from him.

"Fight, Mia." He asked her. "Fight for me, damn it. For Kiera."

It was almost a jerk reflex to his pleas that Maya wanted to run to him, to hold him one time even if it wasn't her place. She was the only one who knew that she wasn't his Mia but she could feel his pain. He thought, his Mia was dying a bad death and if it were her, she would've come to him. She would've told him that she loved him and that he was going to do great and be great but Maya wasn't sure she could do that. She wasn't Mia, no matter how much she tried. She could never be that girl.

The bright light appeared in front of them but nothing changed except the warmth that flowed in the atmosphere. The angels bowed and they pushed Maya's head to do the same but she wanted to see who else had joined the sad party? It was the Deity and Damon felt a small ounce of hope. Maybe, He would listen but they shattered when the voice instead of asking what was wrong went with, "Your last wish?"

Maya met the Deity’s eyes with determination, "You know what I want," she said in a gentle voice and the Deity smiled at her.

"Let her stay," Damon said voicing his wish but his struggles were weakening as he saw her stepping away, "Please, let her stay," he was begging now as he fell to his knees and tears escaped Maya's eyes. The great Damon Salvatore was on his knees, begging for her life. Oh, this was the guy Katherine left? She wondered. This was who she didn't thought was worth loving? "Please, please," his voice broke, "Don't punish her," he begged, "Let her stay. Let her stay." Stefan and Elena fell right beside him, their faces and souls crushed. They knew they weren't losing just a friend in Mia but their brother too. They were losing so much more.

The world was a cruel place. Nobody listened to him as he begged and begged and she kept moving away from him. He couldn’t believe it. It wasn't possible and he refused to believe that the only nightmare he had since he found her was becoming a reality in front of his very own eyes. Her eyes met his and the look in them made her cry, the horror and dread in those brilliant blue eyes melted even her hard heart. Maya smiled at him but wasn't sure if she managed to convey him that comfort.

The smile she sent his way cracked his heart into million pieces. “No! Please! No!” he roared, his voice cracking as the angels kept moving with her and the wild Damon was being held by Stefan's strong hold on him. His arm reached out to her, his fingers splayed as to touch her for the last time, or to pull her back but with the distance separating them, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.