Devil's Angel ° {K.M}[Rewriting]

{016}

Know Thy Enemy
———

"I'm not your son, you're not my father. We're just two grown men saying goodbye. No need to forgive, no need to forget I know your mistakes and you know mine. And while you're sleeping, I'll try to make you proud so daddy, won't you just close your eyes? Don't be afraid, it's my turn to chase the monsters away."
—James Blunt {Monsters}
———

-

It was much more pleasant waking up from an unpleasant death the second time around rather than the agony of the first. In the time she lay trapped in her mind, she watched various other memories play out, some brand new and many old as she dug through them, passing the time as she waited for her body to heal fully. The moment her eyes opened couldn't have come soon enough.

~

Downstairs, the three inhabitants of the house were discussing Isobel Flemming's sudden appearance after she had left rather abruptly shortly after the fire—though it was a stilted conversation given that Damon didn't care to participate and Stefan sometimes missed what little the other said—when Katherine sat up from where she lay on the couch, frowning. "I thought my look-alike was at school?" Stefan glanced over at her, blinking owlishly at her before his brows furrowed in confusion. 

"No one's here, Elena—" He cut himself off just as Damon shot to his feet. The pair didn't move, silence falling over them as they registered the only heartbeat in the house, undoubtedly coming from upstairs. Damon was the first to disappear.

~

America sat up with a heavy exhale, wincing at the soreness in her muscles and the unpleasant sensation of pins and needles in her limbs. Her legs barely moved under her urging, the young woman feeling a sense of deja vu as she reclined against the headboard, wiggling her legs in hopes of getting the blood flowing faster. The deja vu only worsened when the door to the room flew open but this time, nearly flying off its hinges and startling her. For a split second, in time with her flinch, the objects in the room trembled until the moment she recognized the man in the doorway.

"Uh, hey?" Damon blinked slowly at her, seeming doubtful that she was really there. America frowned, wondering now how much time had passed if the man was looking at her as if she were a ghost when they had been around the same block so many times. "Raven?" She mirrored his expression, her frown deepening as she reached out for him, barely blinking before she was embraced. A soft huff escaped her lips as she melted into his hold, letting her head rest on his shoulder as she wound her own arms around his waist.

"How long?" America mumbled into the fabric of his shirt, peeking up when movement caught her eye to see Stefan hovering in the doorway. It was a minute before he answered her, muttering 'five days' under his breath like it was poison on his tongue. The reveal surprised her, worry bubbling in her chest as she thought about all that could have happened, what had been told to those out of the loop and what those in it had thought but it was a surprise to herself that she stayed calm, squeezing the man tighter for a few seconds.

"I'm kind of offended you thought you could get rid of me that easily." Damon scoffed, pulling back so their eyes could meet, his narrowed in annoyance that was softened immensely by his relief. She gave him a cheeky smile, catching his hand as he made an exaggerated move to stand, snickering softly to herself as she reached out with her free hand, making grabbing motions in Stefan's direction. "Come here, you look like you could use a hug." The vampire snorted a laugh, eyes fond as he approached, settling down beside her.