Twin Image: Family, Before Anything

66

-Three days later-

~November 9th, Wednesday~

~Natalie's POV~

"Tell Grace she's free of her duties tomorrow, but for now her empath ability and these handcuffs should keep her contained." He says making sure the spelled cuffs were secured, and I nod, "Thank you, again Damon. And although I'll be on high alert indefinitely, Grace will definitely be grateful. The to and from was killing her." I say, "No worries, but just so you know, I'm staying the night in the cell over, just in case." He says, and I tell him that's fine. We'll have a solution to keeping Desmona detained by then. He leans up against the cell wall, and looks at me. And I could see the hurt in his eyes. And it kills me.

But we have to talk, I know we do. "I-I know you don't wanna ta-," - "I don't." He interrupts me, almost stone cold. I keep it together. He sighs, closing his eyes for a second, "But," he adds, "I also know, just like I'd rather not talk, you'd rather not feel the way you do about me." He says, calming me a bit. "I .. understand that now." He adds, nodding.

"But there's .." he trails off, and I glance at his hands, shaking, "What is it?" I ask him, having him shove his hands in his pockets. He caught my glance. He clenches his jaw, sighing once more, and I realize he's trying not to tear up, like I. "Natalie I-I just wanna hear you explain it to me. I need to. Because regardless of this now wonderful co-parenting thing blossoming into friendship, doesn't and will never change the fact I am still completely and utterly devoted to you. I am still in love with you." He confesses, blood bubbling in his eyes, tearing me up inside. "I'm not gonna let this friendship cloud the fact I would do anything for you woman." He makes very clear, and I zone out, realizing something.

I lied to my son. My eldest. Peter Hayes. There's nothing more in this world I want than that man dead. And I imagine asking Damon to make that happen.

I zone back in, seeing the vampire still has some of Alexander's blood. He read my mind, "Just say the word Natalie, and Mr. Hayes stops breathing within the hour." He says, and he immediately shakes his head, "Within two hours, actually. I might have a little fun with him first." He adds, crossing his arms as he makes me laugh a bit. "But jokes aside," he pauses, "That is how serious the hold you have on me is, Natalie. So I need to hear exactly what's going through your mind when it comes to me." He says, and I take a deep breath. "Damon I-I," I manage, "When it comes to you, it's like I'm dealing with two very different vampires. Three if you count the new snarky unoriginal one." I say, and I smile a bit, seeing I made him chuckle just a little. "And well, when it comes to Dimon," I say, having him laugh-scoff at the name, "I can handle him. Just like I can definitely handle the changed vampire I've grown to love and appreciate." I tell him, making him smile.

"But?" He soon asks, and I look away for a second. "B-But," I say, cringing internally at my little voice crack, "I-I can't get the thought of him, towering over me with a s-smile, or him relishing in the f-feeling of cutting off my air supply. And the only reason I can't is because I know he's apart of you, and I love you. Someone I love and care about tried to kill me unwillingly and I wish I could say I've never felt more helpless in my life but, I have felt that much more helpless. And all I can guess is that in some way, shape or form, my brain is correlating you and Peter, regardless if I want it too or not. And even if I can fix everything that causes that side of you to come out Damon, I'm still married to that man you now call your friend. I want to Damon, but I'll lose him completely if I do. I'll lose my person. And I can't lose him." I tell him, letting my tears fall as I watch him try to bite back and wipe his own. He turns away from me, and I try to pull myself together. Just then, he beats me to the punch, sucks it up, and walks around Desmona, over to me. He kisses my cheek, and I let him, shedding another tear. "Thank you." He says, before taking his very fast leave.