'I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it. I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over. Never mind, I'll find someone like you. I wish nothing but the best for you too. Don't forget me, I beg. I'll remember, you said. Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead. You know how the time flies. Only yesterday it was the time of our lives. We were born and raised in a summer haze. Bound by the surprise of our glory days.'- Someone Like You (Adele)
The cool night air embraced Mila as she walked. The forest was nearly silent but for the music of the woods, with only the soft chirping of crickets and the gentle sway of the breeze dancing through the leafy trees. All around her the forest seemed at peace while within herself her mind was anything but. The soothing sounds helped gentle her rage simmering beneath the surface but like an ocean wave she knew it was ready to crash through once more at a moments notice.
She had long ago lost track of the time since she'd left the tomb where Katherine had been imprisoned. The night had seemed to creep in within minutes but of course she knew it must have been hours since she'd walked off alone into the forest. Hours—and still she felt lost.
She knew where she was but was going nowhere, only where her feet took her while her mind continued to wonder in deep thought. Still, she felt lost, more so than she remembered ever feeling in years. Where once she'd forced herself to accept everything as unavoidable, now there was a part of her that wanted to weep and rail at the unfairness of it all. Her mind had been at peace thinking Katherine, the woman who had caused not only herself but those she'd grown to love immeasurable pain and suffering was well and truly dead. Only now she found that in all that time she'd been alive and well, free to roam and destroy to her wicked heart's content as she always had—as if it was her right to do so. It wasn't fair for her not to pay for all she'd done and that didn't sit well with Mila.
Everything Mila had thought she'd be able to do after returning to Mystic Falls and finding Damon once more suddenly seemed impossible. As impossible as she remembered it from over a hundred years ago. How could she pretend that the past was no longer part of their lives—that she could start again? How could she when the very cause of so much of her pain was still part of it?
Mila's doubts had been made even more concrete when she'd seen Damon at the tomb. It had been difficult not to notice the pain filled look that had crossed through Damon's blue eyes as he looked at Katherine beyond the tomb door. The disdain he'd shown had been true but still Mila hadn't missed that look.
Was it possible for him to still care for Katherine?
Without realizing it Mila had come to a stop among the trees. That one thought pounding within her mind threatening a splitting headache. Yet, it was nothing compared to the pain she felt begin to chip away at the walls surrounding her heart.
Anger, red hot and boiling suddenly welled up within her erupting in a loud curse that rent the night sending all creatures into silence. As if sensing her wild emotions the wind gave a sudden howl sending her fiery hair cascading around her shoulders
In her anger Mila paid little mind to the pain as her fist took a swipe at a nearby defenseless tree. If she'd been a vampire the hit would have crumbled away the bark but possessing normal human strength the only result was another angry curse from the pain that now numbed her injured hand.
"Would you like to be left alone with the tree?" a mocking voice questioned from within the darkness behind her.
Mila gave a startled yelp when the familiar husky voice reached her ears. Even before turning to meet his eyes she could feel her heart begin to race uncontrollably. Still reeling from the surprise Mila spun around to face Damon as he slowly approached from the night his hands placed uncaringly in his jacket pockets as she sauntered closer. The night couldn't hide the deep concentrated look in his blue eyes as they stared directly at her as if seeing more than she likely ever wanted him to. Embarrassment at being caught acting so foolishly by Damon suddenly crept over Mila but determined to hide his affect on her she smiled indulgently.
How did he do that?
It was off putting for Mila how easily Damon always managed to sneak up on her unnoticed. She'd spent years developing a fifth sense to her surroundings. It was one of the reasons she was still alive and walking around yet, somehow Damon always crept through her senses with frightening ease. Her emotions were obviously far too comfortable around him, actually accepting and reaching out for his presence. Inwardly Mila grumbled in annoyance at the sad fact that her subconscious was even against her.
"Just a little temper tantrum," she explained it away hiding her injured hand in her own coat pocket in the hopes he'd ignore the droplets of blood that had begun to form on the wound.
"I can see that," Damon replied his voice still as serious as his watchful eyes.
Mila breathed in deeply catching the unmistakable scent of him in the night air now that he was so close.
"Is your hand alright?" he asked genuinely concerned, continuing to move closer.
He stopped almost uncomfortably close. However, anywhere more than a few yards from her seemed too close to Mila with the thoughts his mere presence always managed to elicit within her. She had been about to step away in order to create a more comfortable distance between them before answer but before she was even given the chance Damon was reaching out pulling her hand from her pocket and hauling her even closer. Surprised by the movement Mila gave another small yelp as lost her footing across the forest floor causing her to stumble forward. A moment later her breath caught as she found herself standing flush against Damon's strong unwavering chest as his eyes carefully inspected the wound.
Time seemed to stand still as he held her close, holding her as if it were natural, as if it were his right. All the while he seemed so unaffected by her nearness showing a calm she only wished she too was able to possess. Damon never even seemed to notice Mila's reaction in her heavy uneven breaths or the chaotic beating of her heart his attention centered on delicately cleaning the small slivers of bark and dirt that had become imbedded in her wound showing masterful control of himself in the face of her blood. For several long, nearly unbearable moments Mila revealed in his almost loving actions but unable to take the rampant emotions for a second longer Mila pulled her hand away forcing Damon away with a hard shove.
"It's fine," she mumbled breathlessly whipping the blood off a cross her jeans.
"I have more control than that," Damon groused apparently misunderstanding Mila's distance.
"It's not that," Mila felt the need to defend herself not wanting him to think she'd believe him to target her as a late night snake. "You just—surprised me," she knew the excuse was lame but could only think of less believable things to say.
"What are you doing out here?" Damon asked taking a cautious step closer as if testing how close she'd let him get once more.
"I needed to think," she sniffed crossing her arms protectively across her chest hoping to look strong even as she began growing increasingly uncomfortable with the course of questioning knowing how easily any answer could lead straight back to him.
"And that includes hitting and screaming at trees?" he replied questionably his dark brow rose in well warranted doubt.
"Yes," Mila answered somehow unable to help but smile at the look Damon sent her.
"Still strange as ever," he mumbled in fake irritation smiling as he did so his nature unable to resist the playful turn in their conversation.
"Still an ass," Mila shot back only with less faked irritation but smiling just the same.
The ease of friendship from decades passed seemed to slowly begin to settle amongst them once more. The intensity never leaving but the companionship returned to lighten the mood however, little.
It was a start.
"I am sorry," Damon suddenly spoke his sudden turn back to solemnity catching Mila by surprise.
"What for?" Mila asked eyeing him curiously.
"Katherine," was his simple answer the single word uttered with disdain and pain.
"It's not you're fault," she replied softly needing nothing more in explanation beyond that single name.
What happened next Mila had not expected. All of Damon's attention turned on her his eyes searching for answers he wanted and needed badly enough that the look of hard determination glittering within his blue depths said he had every intention of getting those answers. Everything that Mila had ever forced herself to keep within herself and all the will and strength it had taken her to keep it that way was screaming at her to walk away, however, before she ever had the chance Damon's hand shot out his strong grip working like a manacle around her arm and keeping her in place.
"There's something more you're not telling us," Damon suddenly blurted out accusingly his blue eyes zeroing in on her with that dangerous intensity his grip tightening ever so slightly.
Mila stared up at him in shock at the sudden outburst caustiously stepping away even as he moved in on her. The suddenness of the question gave her no time to think let alone react as he approached closer using his much more formidiable size against her. There was nothing she could do—nothing she could think to say in reply. The memory of those long ago days still fresh in her mind from being unburried after so long and the truth that there was so much more that Damon still did not know. The words she'd longed to say for years bubbled up within her heart longing to be said. Those words pulled painfully at the stitches that had pieced together her heart.
Yet, for their own protection—for their hearts and minds to perhaps one day rest easy they were things she dare not reveal. On wrong word and could unravel years of pain that had never truly healed.
It was for the best.
It had to be this way.
To keep him from more heartache than he'd already suffered. For him she was willing to carry that heavy burden alone.
Unfortunately to Mila it didn't seem that Damon was going to take no easily as he continued to approach with the grace of a jungle cat—dark and dangerous, stopping only when Mila found that he'd managed to herd her against a tree lifting his arms to brace his hands on either side of her head, effectively boxing her in and cutting off any escape route left to her. Instantly she went on the defense his high and mighty attitude grating unpleasantly against her nerves nearly overriding the unease of his questioning completely.
Where he had only moments ago had her on edge she was facing him with just as much determination unaffected by his hard blue stare. Her back stiffened her eyes narrowed refusing to back down in the face of his intimidation.
"You of all people should know this doesn't work on me," Mila said dryly
Damon watched her with veiled humor as Mila puffed up like a hissing kitten to defend herself from his attempts at intimidation. She was right. Mila had never been the sort to back down to his intimidation. Before Elena she'd ever been the only one to do so but even she now did it with more backbone than even Elena ever seemed to manage as she stared straight back at him unaffected by his towering height or hard stare.
He had to admit as she faced him fearlessly uncaring of his obvious advantages over her in height, speed and strength she looked rather—cute.
However, the fact that despite her growing irritation she kept her distance pushing herself against the tree to create as much distance between them as possible. His eyes narrowed watching her for some unexplained reason her need to distance herself from him nagged at him. Irritation rose up within him at a new realization even as the feeling mixed with elation that he didn't quite understand. In the passing minutes realization had dawned that nothing had changed between them. The feeling that Damon could trust Mila with anything had not faded. Her ability to tell him the truth to put him at ease, to talk of their secrets was still there. His strong desire to be with her was still very much present. And for a moment beyond the irritation—all the times she'd looked at him upon her return, Damon swore that perhaps Mila felt the same.
At that moment Damon wasn't all together certain how he felt about such a realization. For centuries he had been perfectly fine on his own, staying in the shadows of his new vampire life living only for the hunt and the blood doing want he wanted when he wanted no matter the consequences. Only now he was reminded of how calm he'd felt with Mila; how easily he'd been able to talk to her and wanted to be around her.
"Why do you care?" Mila questioned watching the nearly invisible emotions play across Damon's eyes.
"What?" he asked drawn out of his wondering thoughts.
"Why do you care about something that I am not telling 'you'" Mila repeated emphasizing the word you as she waited patiently for him to answer while inwardly her heart only continued to race uncontrollably.
Damon paused his blue eyes never leaving Mila's as the intensity between them only seemed to grow thicker. She'd seen right through his question to the truth with a well developed keenness. He knew the true purpose in his question—he knew there was something that Mila was keeping hidden from him and him alone. It was a question he wanted—no, longed to know the answer. One question that he hadn't expected and it threw him. It seemed simple enough to answer, yet there was something preventing him from saying anything. The words he would have said he knew deep down weren't the truth and he respected Mila too much to say them. She wouldn't believe him knowing him far too well that she'd see beyond any lie he told.
"I have no clue," he settled on the words unable to speak more honestly.
Mila relaxed the soft undertones of honesty not going unnoticed. Slowly her nerves crept away from the edge of irritated anger her body relaxing with each step. Within seconds the tenses had eased from her body and she stepped away from the tree meeting Damon's gaze head on.
"Then trust me," she whispered pleadingly her violet eyes begging him without words to understand.
As usual Mila felt the pull to say more. Stomping down the words that leaked through the stitches of her heart she sealed the words she wanted to say most away. Still, she was unable to hide away every word and felt there was some that needed to be revealed if only to heal some of the darkness that had seeped within Damon over the past hundred years.
Just as she began to speak the heartfelt words she could offer him in place of the full truth Damon's hand shot up covering her mouth and stopping her words before they were even uttered. Instantly her mind and body went on the alert. Damon's eyes looked down at her shinning with wildness that sent a chill of unease down her spine.
Knowing she'd understood the message in his actions Damon freed Mila's mouth and once free she stood close her eyes searching for whatever it was he'd felt. His eyes were no longer watching her but were instead carefully scanning the surrounding forest his keen eyes seeing straight through the darkness. Mila pushed away the want to ask him what it was and the silent fear that had began to invade her mind at whatever it was that was able to gain such a reaction from someone like Damon.
Dread coiled deep in the pit of her stomach as a sudden howl rent through the night air quieting all around, leaving nothing but the wind. Instant recognition leap up within Mila her eyes widening in shock and alarm.
"Werewolf," Damon muttered in a nearly silent curse barely loud enough to reach Mila's ears while standing right beside him.
Still reeling at the sudden danger Mila glanced upward looking through the fluttering leaves above her eyes finding the source of their current situation. High above the silver gleam of the full moon rained down over the forest giving birth to the creature that now hunted within the trees.
Memories came rushing back to her, all the stories her parents had told her when she was young, all the information she'd been able to learn in the passing centuries told her the danger the wolf currently stalking them posed. The fear was nearly paralyzing Mila's mind racing for possibilities to save them yet, the knowledge that a werewolf on the night of the full moon was nearly if not more powerful than a vampire. The fear that drained her skin of color wasn't for herself, despite knowing full well the ease in which such a creature could tear her apart. Instead her fear was at the knowledge of the ease in which a werewolf could destroy a vampire. A single bite meant a vampire's death. Mila wasn't a fool, within the forest the wolf was searching for one thing and one thing alone—a vampire.
How was it possible that none of them had realized the danger? Now it was too late.
Even now she knew what the wolf was hunting, growing closer to them with each passing second. Her eyes flew to Damon silently pleading with him to run and save himself. Ignoring her plea Damon stood stubbornly still his eyes watching the surroundings as his sharp ears attempted to track the wolf. Growing impatient with fear, a familiar sense of urgency—of will—began to bubble up inside her. Out of habit Mila reached for the gun resting in her pocket readying herself for whatever was going to happen as she had no intention of surviving this long and going down without a fight, however before her fingers were even able to touch to cold smooth metal Damon's strong grip on her wrist stopped her short. Confused she looked up meeting his eyes once more finding him looking back with silent strength
His steadiness in the face of danger giving her the courage she needed to remain calm as she needed. It would do them no good to lose herself. Right now Damon was the one in the most danger and she wasn't about to turn into some withering flower that needed protecting. And she sure as hell wasn't going to let Damon die after all the pain she'd gone through to keep him in one piece.
"Run," the single word held nothing but urgent demand even in its near silence.
Without needing another word of motivation Mila turned and ran deeper into the dark forest. Close behind she could hear Damon's powerful strides as he ran with her slowing himself a great deal in order to keep with her his presence pushing her on. As they ran the distant sound of a powerful creature crashing through the underbrush and shrubs of the forest in hot pursuit began to grow louder, gaining on them with each passing second.
Mila lost track of how long they ran or where her survival instincts long taken over her sense of direction. All she was aware of was Damon beside her and the erratic pounding of her heart ringing loudly in her ears. With each new bound she made she felt her stamina weakening telling how long she'd been driving herself on through the trees the ache that began to pulse painfully at her side making it all the more clear.
As if sensing Mila's growing fatigue Damon pushed her off in a new direction willing her on just a bit further. Without the breath to ask where he intended for them to go Mila didn't ask trusting him to lead them out of danger. Running up and over a small rise, Mila's eyes landed on the stone ruins of an old compound and recognition quickly registering in her mind as the old slave courters of the Lockwood property. Understanding dawned on Mila of Damon's intentions changing her course directly for the ruins.
Within moments both were ducking inside the dark dank stone walls with Damon turning to secure the bolt of the door behind them. They didn't stop there but moved deeper into the building finding their way to a single room surrounded by stone walls and a strong and study door that had been fitted with several locks and bolts. Once safely inside with the door secured they allowed themselves to breath.
Finally feeling even the slightest bit safe Mila's body suddenly gave out on her as she sank tiredly down against the wall her legs and lungs both heaving a sigh of relief. Without many other options left to him Damon joined her moments later coming to sit beside her which in any other circumstances would have been too close to Mila but at that moment she couldn't seem to care.
"We'll have to wait it out for the night," Damon spoke his voice much to Mila's annoyance wasn't even the slightest bit out of breathe when for the moment all she could do was nod in agreement.
Silence fell between them neither knowing what to say. As the silence began to stretch out Mila's mind began to wonder, questioning and asking for answers she hadn't yet received. Even as the silence gave way to that familiar comfortable companionship between them Mila couldn't seem to escape the questions that had begun to plague her mind when her source of answers was sitting so close.
"How was it when you saw Elena?" the question suddenly popped out before Mila could stop herself.
Surprised at herself for her lack of control Mila glanced over at Damon expecting him to laugh or even shoot her some disdainful comment. Instead, he had completely the opposite reaction from what she had suspected. Glancing over at him Mila found him looking into the distance as if seeing something beyond that stone wall that she could never see—but she understood.
"Fine," he finally answered with a simple shrug of his shoulders.
Mila turned back to him her violet eyes filled with doubt. As if sensing her train of thought Damon tore his gaze from the wall to meet her gaze. The moment their eyes meant he knew to say otherwise would never work. Once again, whatever it was between Mila and himself made it far too difficult to lie to her. Heaving a deep sigh Damon realized that trapped as they were inside the stone walls of the room alone there was no escape but to answer the question.
"She was part of your life," Mila suddenly spoke, interrupting him before he could say anything, her voice filled with understanding.
Irritation tingled in the back of Damon's mind at Mila's insistence in his favor over Katherine's. He'd known she'd never been completely drawn to Katherine but still she had stayed with her, appeared to be friends with her. Since their reunion Mila had made it clear of her current feelings for Katherine, feelings that had been all the more clear mere hours ago in the tomb that housed Katherine. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that the pieces didn't fit together properly. From what he remembered to her behavior now—if it was how she felt in the past than why stay with Katherine all that time?
"She was part of your life too," Damon pointed out unable to hide the hint of condescension that had leaked in his emotions brought about by his train of thought.
Surprisingly Mila didn't feel tension course through her at the matter of fact comment, reminding her of the past. Damon had every right to feel upset
After all that he'd been through and all of that hurt that she knew all too well still remained buried deep within, hidden behind biting dark humor and arrogance that were often just as mask.
But sooner or later he would have to openly talk of it. It was the only way of getting it all out in the open—of letting go. It was the only way he'd finally begin to heal.
"Why were you with her anyway if you hated her so much?" Damon asked looking at her curiously waiting anxiously for an answer he'd always wanted to know.
"Survival," was the simple answer he received but it was an answer that he didn't quite understand her reasoning for fully aware of Mila's own awareness how dangerous Katherine could be—even in the past. "It didn't change how much I hated her. She took what I loved and treated it like garbage."
Mila briefly stumbled over her words realizing to late her word choice, praying that Damon had not picked up on it as well. To hide the mistake she continued on intent on hiding it behind other truths.
"Stefan and you—anyone she treated like toys suffered because of her selfishness," the words quieted as memories once more began to flash before her eyes reminding her of what she spoke. "When she died I was-," Mila paused briefly in mid sentence searching for the right word to best describe her feelings before settling on a single word. "Relieved. You deserve more," she added softly in an almost whisper, once again the words getting away with her before she could edit herself, speaking far too much of the truth.
"What?" Damon asked, this time picking up on the message in her barely audible words.
"Never mind," Mila quickly added shaking her head as if what was said wasn't important enough to repeat. "You never answered my question."
"I know what you want me to say," Damon said in a halfhearted attempt at humor but barely managing a half smile. "You think she ruined my life and made me bad but that's not how it is. I rather like it, being a vampire."
The word was left unsaid yet, in Mila's ears it rang clearly. His words were a lie. The truth of it was in Damon's eyes. The truth was he believed all the darkness within was expected and unavoidable and so he embraced it hiding his true self deep within to protect him. It was this belief that needed fixing in Damon. It was a start to healing him.
"You mean monster," she suddenly blurted feeling compelled to confront him her eyes watching intently as his back tensed at the matter of fact observation.
"You're as annoying as Elena still thinking I am human," the sigh the words darkened with each syllable, the hurt no longer as hidden within them as Damon might have thought.
"You forget that I am not all that human either," the words were soft and gentle, almost imploring him. "Do you think me a monster?"
Damon instantly turned to face Mila the simple question shocking him to the core sending fury and ice running through his veins his heart sputtering briefly. He hated it, the way she looked at him with such sadness—understanding and gentleness. Such things he'd never had from another but now Damon couldn't comprehend how he'd called the one women who had always been a spark of light in his dark life—his friend—the one truly good being he knew and he had managed to call her a monster by extension.
"Don't be ridiculous," he scuffed shifting uncomfortably where he sat as her penetrating gaze continued to watch him unused to being the one watched so closely, feeling as if nothing was hidden.
"Why not it's what you believe," Mila continued on matter of factly refusing to let him off, needing him to understand. "For years it's what you have believed, that not being human can only mean you're a monster. Well, I am not human," she continued on pointedly. "What am I then?"
"You're not a monster," Damon replied sharply his blue eyes blazing with frustrated anger.
For a brief moment the fierceness in his assurance quieted Mila shocking her into silence. However, she wasn't about to be deterred from her course.
"If you have someone in your life that you love so much it that every time they hurt that same hurt is inflicted on you and the closer they are to you the greater the pain—that's the part of us that is still human."
"You can say anything but it doesn't change the truth Mila," Damon continued regaining his cold and calm shell. "I am not the man you knew a hundred years ago. I am something different, dark and evil living a life where nothing else matters except blood. You—have no business being in my life anymore."
Mila felt her heart crack at his hopeless words. She may know the truth but right now it wasn't something Damon was ready to face. In that moment she understood that fact she also knew that deep down she wasn't ready to face the truths that would undoubtedly come out when that happened. She was just as afraid.
"My condition is irreversible," Damon continued refusing to meet her eyes for fear of what he may find looking back at him.
He didn't want her pity. He didn't want to her to believe—to see something in him that wasn't there and hadn't been for a long time. Damon felt the soft skin of Mila's finger tips graze gently across his stumbled cheek and he had to force himself to resist the temptation to take the comfort she offered so willingly. In the next moment she cupped his cheek forcing him to look at her, their eyes connecting instantly.
"Nothing is irreversible as long as someone still believes," she replied soothingly her voice speaking of conviction and a belief that he didn't possess. "If you won't believe than I will—for you."
It was such a simple promise yet to Damon it was so much more. This girl—this woman, who had so long ago become part of his life had always had a special place in his heart. She saw and understood so much more of him than even he did of himself. Yet, he couldn't understand why?
Why did she possess such a power? And why now did it feel so strange knowing how much she cared?
In the past it had only been a passing thought, a friendship he had held dear but now that seemed changed, only he couldn't seem to understand why. After all this time—after knowing everything he had done and what he'd become, Mila Crosse still stood steadily beside him.
Why? How could such simple words send his heart racing uncontrollably? Why?
"Why do you care so much?" Damon questioned full of confusion and turmoil even as he kept a steady hold on his calm demeanor.
"Someone has to," was her simple heartfelt reply.
"You shouldn't," he shot back darkly refusing to let his voice shake with the unexpected emotion she was eliciting within him even as stared blankly at the stone wall, afraid to see the look in Mila's violet eyes as she stared at him.
He felt the need to tell her the truth. He needed to make her understand that everything he'd become couldn't change simply because she cared. No matter how much he wanted to believe in her words there wasn't a part of himself that believed it possible. That part of himself had long since died away.
"You tell me to understand; to see something in myself that isn't there," he growled, hating the words even as he spoke them. "Everything decays and falls away—that's the truth
Growing increasingly frustrated with Damon's lack of insight into what he was truly capable of Mila made her move. Before he even had the chance to realize what she was doing Mila's hands clasped on either side of his stumbled jaw forcefully bringing his full attention to her.
"Some things can matter again," Mila spoke earnestly, the unmistakable irritation with his stubbornness the words seemed to echo through the quiet darkness of the room.
"Nothing since then has mattered," it was a simple and clear statement said so matter of factly with his blue gaze unwavering that the truth in Damon's belief in his own words stung Mila's heart. "What do you expect to matter Mila?" the anger slowly began to seep out but much to his surprise it only seemed to soften the lines of frustration on her face.
Knowing Damon's feelings Mila had thought herself prepared for the statement yet the powerful stab of pain shot through her heart none the less. She shouldn't have been surprised. Her words she knew to be true as there was no better way to describe her feelings for Damon and all she'd thought and felt in the passing years. Yet, he still mourned Katherine and the love he'd thought they had once shared. How could she possibly be surprised at his cynical outlook on something such as love after everything?
"What about Stefan?" she asked serenely, refusing to let those particular emotions take over and ask the question she truly wanted to. "You love him don't you?"
Silence was her only answer. Realizing that Damon seemed to have nothing more to say Mila sighed deeply unable to do anything more other than accept his answer for now and leave him to consider inwardly what she'd told him. All she could do now was hope he would be able to see the truth.
Minutes went unnoticed between them as the night wore on. The long standing comfort provided by their friendship allowed the intensity of the previous moments to be forgotten leaving behind the memory of the words spoken. It was nothing new for either of them to argue making it all the easier to let the issue pass as if nothing had happened. It was a fact that at that moment Mila was completely thankful for being unsure if she'd be able to stand the intensity that the conversation had risen between them.
As the silence went on Mila was unaware of her drifting state until eventually she was unaware of anything around her as she drifted into sweet unconsciousness.
Horrific images plagued her. The unseen dangers lurking nearby in the darkness followed her. She knew the creatures following her—their form and their purpose—even if she couldn't see them. They were there yet; she couldn't stop until she knew everyone was safe. Guilt weighted heavily on her, joining the fear as it constricted painfully around heart. This was her fault. If she lost them—if she lost him—it was all her fault.
She didn't stop it then.
She never told him.
She brought them here.
It was all her fault.
Suddenly a heavy figure of the darkness tackled her to the ground. Heavy animalistic breathes grazed the back of her neck and the cold damp ground seeped through her clothes chilling her to the core. The weight of body covering her was impossible to move even more so as she laid frozen in fear waiting for the deadly blow she knew was to come. Unexpectedly a strong hand rolled her over grasping her throat in a strong grasp as it slowly and painfully cut off her air supply. Yet, that pain seemed meaningless as she stared in horror at the figure above her as it shifted in appearance; one moment it was Katherine and the next Elijah and Klaus standing above her with their hands at her throat. Her memory of the two men when they'd come to personally slaughter her family still seemed so fresh in her mind adding to the pain of her tortured heart.
She wanted to scream out for help but her voice caught in her throat as the vice like grip tightened around her neck. She wanted to see him one last time but there was no one there. He had no reason to come for her. Those painful thoughts were the last to enter her mind as the figure solidified into the single image of Klaus as he reared up fangs drawn and ready to finish her off.
The imaginary pain that shot through her body in that final moment shocked Mila from sleep. For the several long moments that followed she resituated herself in the realm of reality. Mila breathed deeply filling her lungs with the damp stale air of the room calming her racing heart as it fluttered franticly beneath her chest. Little by little as the haunting images of her nightmare began to fade away allowing her heart to settle back into a calm steady beat. Glancing around she noticed the dim light filtering through a crack in the stone walls telling her the sun had long since risen.
With the images pushed away to the far reaches of her mind Mila became aware of the strange heat that seemed to permeate her entire body. Curious as to its source she glanced to her side finding that sometime in the time since drifting off she'd moved closer to Damon—or he'd moved closer to her providing her with his shoulder to use as a pillow. With her asleep at some point Damon must have drifted off as well remaining undisturbed after her sudden jerk awake.
Taking the opportunity to observe Damon without his burning blue gaze boring into her Mila took in his features. She never got tired of looking at him—no women did. Being the very definition of tall dark and handsome Damon had always gotten a lot of female attention and more often than not he took advantage of that. Outwardly he was cynical and possessed a seemingly cruel dark sense of humor meant to push away and annoy those that were closest to him but Mila had always known the truth. She'd seen it once again last night—that part of himself that Damon had never been able to completely hide even after years of claiming himself a monster.
Without thinking Mila moved in closer as if pulled in by his magnetic aura. At first she never even realized what she did only how fantastic it was, how full filling and wondrous. It was as if everything had suddenly shifted into place. It was as if she felt years of wondering and questioning finally coming to an end.
After years her lips just ghosting over his was monumental. Mila knew she was crossing the very line she herself had drawn but in that moment after the hours that had taken place and sitting there watching him it was inevitable. She consoled herself with the thought that it would be her only chance to know what it felt like and if she took it perhaps she would finally be able to let it go. It was a ghost of a kiss barely touching but in that light touch of lips Mila felt pleasant shock waves rush through her body. Yet, as Mila lingered in that single sweet moment she realized something more. She realized that she would never be able to escape how she felt for him.
Sighing deeply with a mix of contentment and resignation she pulled away readying herself to re-enter reality. Suddenly everything stilled and her breath caught as her heart skipped a beat before beginning an erratic pace. There watching her with mixed surprise and interest were Damon's familiar deep blue eyes. He said nothing nor made no movement, only stared at her intensly. Mortified and unwilling to stay and face this particular new development of her own doing Mila stumbled to her feet running out the door before Damon had the chance to react.
Without pause and practiced ease she swiftly made her way up the stone steps and into the damp morning sun. The surrounding forest foliage was easily maneuvered through her only thought to put as much distance between herself and Damon as possible her feet unconsciously remembering the direction from centuries past.
As she disappeared back into the forest toward Mystic Falls Mila didn't take notice a pair of blazing ice blue eyes staring after her.
AN: Sorry about the late update. In all honesty about 12 pages of this 14 page chapter was done for weeks. I recently moved back to school, back to work and classes have been keeping me busy so its been slow going. Hopefully soon I'll be able to get back into the swing of things for faster updates like last year. Once I am back into school and on a steadier pace I'll be able to write faster.
p.s. who thought Damon's entrance (pushing Elena into the river) was the greatest thing ever! I laughed so hard.
REVIEW please!