HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Running on only a few hours of sleep Damon made his way back to the Academy. He’d slept a little between his talk with Isadora, that sleep was a peaceful one with memories of her but had been interrupted a short two hours in by Christian’s voice telling him to wake up and check his phone. Then once he knew Zoe was safe he spent another four hours at the police station filling out paperwork in regards to charges against his own wife for arson on his business and submitted initially for a restraining order and using his voice mail messages of her threatening to kill him as his cause. He was given the number for a lawyer by Azriel in regards to proceeding with his divorce. By the time he managed to get back to the hotel it was nearly four in the morning. So he got the additional three hours of sleep before checking out of the room and heading to the Academy. He had no idea what had occurred there the night before or tat everything he owned in regards to clothes were gone. He quietly crept through the front door to be startled by the sudden appearance of Azazel before him.

“Christ Azazel scare a man to death. What do you want?”, Damon whispered. “Your wife’s head on a pike to start.”, Azazel answered locking his yellow eyes on Damon. “Get in line Azazel. As I’m sure whatever offense she has done to you pales greatly in comparison to what she has done to me and those I hold dear.”, Damon said moving to push past Azazel to head upstairs. Azazel moved an arm to block Damon. Damon narrowed his eyes and turned his cold blue eyes to the demon. “I’m going to make this very clear to you Azazel. I am not in the mood for yours or anyone’s bullshit. I am out of fucks to give. So unless you would like me to tear your arm off and shove it down your throat you better let me pass.”, Damon warned cracking his neck a little. “There is nothing for you upstairs Damon.”, Azazel said simply ignoring the threat. “And what does that mean?”, Damon demanded. “That your wife had a bonfire last night with all your belongings. Nothing was salvageable by the time Kevin and Vin were able to put the flames out.”, Azazel explained. “Merda! (Shit)”, Damon cursed. He wasn’t so much upset about the clothes, he could buy new clothes. He didn’t even really care about the trophies he was sure she destroyed. It was mementos like photographs of his children and then it hit him…the scarf. His shoulders sank at the thought he’d lost that scarf. Sure there was light at the end of the tunnel of this mess and that light was Isadora but still he’d treasured that scarf for twenty years. “My children. She didn’t harm my children did she?”, Damon questioned. Azazel shook his head. “No, Alexander and Gina sleep safely upstairs. The police came here though, apparently your wife has burned the dojo, a restaurant and attacked the Haven during the night in search of you.”, Azazel said.

Damon nodded relieved that his children were at least safe. No procession was more valued than them. “Indeed. My dojo is ashes. The insurance money will pair for its repairs. But it will take time. I request a leave of absence of at least two months time.”, Damon stated. Azazel blinked. “Two months of absence I don’t know Damon.”, Azazel stated. “It will take about that long for repairs to be made to the dojo. My eldest daughter will only be here for a short while longer and I wish to spend as much time as I can with her. Then I wish to escort her back to Florence to ensure her safety.”, Damon explained. “And after that?”, Azazel questioned. “After that, depending on how things unfold I will not return to full status.”, Damon stated. “Excuse me?”, Azazel questioned. “I will still train the students at the dojo and provide healing as necessary. However if my daughter Zoe is return with me to America…if her mother is to return to America…if they are to be in my life I cannot do this job. I can’t go on missions and I certainly cannot interrogate any more people for you. Those are my terms. I do not wish to be a traitor to the Academy. I want to leave on amicable terms. So the options are I still train and heal or I do none of that.”, Damon stated. “What about your children?”, Azazel questioned. “That will be their choice. Alexander is going to be graduating soon and going to Boston with your daughter. He will probably stay, however you make this separation difficult or mark me I can tell you this that no matter how much he may love your daughter he will side with me. Gina is a minor so depending on the courts but mostly likely she will come with me. If she wants to remain a student here I won’t stop her. So do we have an agreement?”, Damon questioned holding out a hand to figuratively the devil. Azazel took a breath but nodded and shook Damon’s hand. “Very well then. Do you need to borrow clothes from someone temporarily?”, Azazel asked. “I’ll buy some I suppose but for now I am going upstairs to get my children. I need to speak to them”, Damon said pushing past Azazel and up the stairs.

He first went to Gina’s bedroom and softly knocked opening the door. On the far bed was a tuft of black hair with blonde streaks, which he knew was Sophia Frost. But he looked to the bed closer to the door and smiled seeing the familiar red hair sticking out from under the blanket. “Pouláki…”, Damon called with a small whistle. “Pouláki…Gina…”, Damon whispered carefully creeping into the room to nudge his daughter’s foot. Sophia rolled in her bed with a disgruntled grunt but didn’t wake. Gina grumbled and sat up a little on her bed and blinked rubbing sleep from her eyes. She was about to squeal with joy to know he was safe but he put a finger of his lips to say to say quiet and pointed to Sophia’s bed. Gina nodded. “I’m going to wake your brother. Get dressed. You two are coming with me today.”, he whispered before leaving the room. Gina quietly got out of her bed and started to get dressed on sure what was happening. He next went to his son’s bedroom and knocked loudly on the door. Since Malcolm had moved out Apollo had taken over that bedroom allowing Alex and him as the eldest boys their own bedrooms. Which, despite probably Talia’s parents and Geri’s opinion, Talia often stayed the night in Alexander’s bed. So Damon never just opened his son’s bedroom for that reason. “Alexander? Wake up and get dressed.”, Damon ordered through the door.

Inside the bedroom, Damon was accurate. Alexander laid in his bed his arms wrapped around Talia, hidden from view by the blanket her tail was coiled around his leg as she lay sound snuggled with her back pressed against his chest. Alexander had always been a light sleeper so when he heard the knocking and his name being called from outside the door his eyes shot open. Talia grumbled and tightened her hold on his leg. “If you get out of this bed Alexander…”, Talia hissed. Alexander laughed a little and kissed her neck giving her a hug. “It’s dad. I have to. Now release my leg agápi̱ (love).”, Alexander whispered still kissing her neck. Talia grumbled but released his leg. “You owe me Alexander.”, Talia muttered. Alexander smiled and got up slightly and leaned over her giving her a kiss. “Sorry you are deprived my warmth and morning sex. I’ll make up double tonight alright.”, he offered as payment with a wink. Talia nodded. “You better.”, she said snuggling back into the blankets trying to go back to sleep. Alexander smiled and got out of the bed getting dressed. Outside the door his sister had joined their father. “We still waiting on him?”, Gina asked. Damon nodded as he leaned against the hallway. “He better not be screwing Talia before he leaves.”, Gina muttered. Damon covered his mouth to not laugh. “Gina Christine, I don’t want to hear such language from you.”, Damon scolded. “And god I hope he can get away with skipping morning sex. I am not standing her in dirty clothes for a damn hour for that.”, Damon stated. Gina giggled at her father and just hugged him. Alexander paused and kissed Talia one more time before grabbing his father’s scarf and putting it in his pocket then walked into the hall. “Well that was fast.”, Damon commented. Alexander smiled. “What did you think I’d have morning sex with my father and apparently sister standing outside the door? So what is going on dad?”, Alexander questioned.

“I’ll explain as we go. Now come on the both of you. I need to go to a store and buy some clothes, my understanding it your mother burned all my things.”, Damon said heading down the hall his children right behind him. “Well not all dad.”, Alex said pulling the scarf from his pocket offering it as they walked down the stairs. Damon stopped and looked at the scare taking it carefully. “Where? How did this not end up in the fire? But it looks slightly smoldered..”, Damon said looking at the silk scarf. “I knew it was important to you, not why just important. So I reached into the fire and took it out before it could be destroyed. “, Alexander explained. Damon smiled and held the scarf close to him carefully placing it in his pocket. “Thank you Alexander. This scarf has deep sentimental value to me.”, Damon explained heading out to the car. “Care to explain what you mean by that daddy?”, Gina asked getting into the back seat while Alexander got in the front with their dad. “This scarf belonged to Zoe’s mother. Who till yesterday I thought was dead.”, Damon explained leaving the academy heading for the mall and one of the clothing stores picking up some shirts, pants, socks and boxers. Neither of his children questioned him more at the moment while he was shopping. Both figured he had gotten them from the Academy for a reason so they’d find out soon enough. However neither expected what came next on their little trip. Their father brought them to a restaurant. “Daddy?”, Gina asked as they got out and her dad grabbed his bag of clothes. He pounded on the back kitchen door knowing Alec would be there.

Alec pushed open the door small bruises on his neck and blinked looking past Damon to Alexander and Gina. “Damon and children? What’s going on? I’m not even opening the restaurant this morning.”, Alec said. “Yes but because you are a creature of habit you have been down here since five making breads and pasta. Can we come in? I need to change clothes.”, Damon said with a laugh holding up the shopping bag. Alec raised an eyebrow. “She had a bonfire of my things last night before turning my dojo into a bbq and so forth.”, Damon explained as Alec stepped aside. Alexander and Gina walked in curious. They’d met Alec previously but never come to his restaurant or home. It was like their dad avoided the place like the plague which was odd considering he called Alec his best friend. “Mom destroyed the dojo?”, Alexander asked. Damon nodded. “Yes. She’s also the one that left the bruises on my friend’s neck. Which Alec how bad is the damage to your restaurant? Will insurance cover what she did?”, Damon questioned. “Take a look. And yeah they’ll cover it. Won’t be able to open for a couple weeks though. Which sucks. But guess it’s alright. Zoe is here for nine more days including today. So can get to know my niece.”, Alec said pushing the kitchen door open to the restaurant. Damon, Alexander and Gina looked into the dining room and saw the large puddle of water from the sprinklers, the scorched tables and chairs, the smoke stained walls and ceiling paint, and the now warped wooden floor boards near the front of the dining area. “Mom did that didn’t see?”, Gina asked. Damon nodded. “Yes your mother did much damage in her quest last night to find and kill me and your sister.”, Damon explained with a sigh.

“Why did he call her his niece?”, Alexander questioned. “Field that one Alec.”, Damon said heading for the door he knew lead to the stairs. “Your apartment or Zoe’s unlocked?”, Damon called from the stairs. “Mine is. I locked up Zoe’s after she left with you yesterday.”, Alec called to the stairwell. Damon heading up to the third floor. “And I called Zoe my niece because twenty-two years ago I met her mother Isadora DeLuca and from that point forward she was my best friend and my sister. And when your father came into Isadora’s life he became my friend and brother. Therefore their daughter would be my niece in my eyes.”, Alec explained. “Are we your niece and nephew then?”, Gina asked. “Si. Your mother hates my guts so I don’t see you often. But you are my nipotes, niece and nephew.”, Alec nodded. He looked at the two. “Did your father give you breakfast yet?”, Alec asked looking at them. Both shook their heads. “Come I’ll make you prima colazione, breakfast. “Alec offered leading the way up the stairs to his apartment. Damon was in the bathroom getting changed out of his dirty clothes into an outfit he’d bought. Gina and Alexander both looked around the bachelor's apartment in fascination. Gina quickly being drawn to the photograph of her father with a woman and Alec. “Who’s this with you and daddy?”, Gina asked. Alec glanced over getting items from his fridge to make a frittata muffins for them to eat. “That’s Isadora.”, Alec stated as he started mixing the eggs and milk.

Alexander was walking the room looking at the art. “This stuff is really good. Dad never mentioned you to be more than a talented chef Alec…er Uncle Alec.”, Alexander commented. Alec smiled at the correction as he chopped up the veggies adding them to his mixture. “I’m only a good chef Alexander. The paintings up here and on the walls downstairs, thankfully not the wall that was ruined, were done by Isadora. She was and I will assume is still a good artists even if her voice was taken from her. Which is tragic Isadora’s voice was such a gift and when she sang with your father…it packed seats of people seeing Phantom of the Opera multiple times during its run.”, Alec answered as poured the mixture into a muffin tray putting it in the oven. Both Gina and Alexander looked at him in confused. “Dad sings? Dad was in an opera???”, they questioned in unison. Alec laughed and looked to Damon who was walking out of the hallway in a clean pair of dark jeans and a dark blue button up shirt. He was presently tucking the shirt in as he walked out. “Yes I was, am maybe still, a singer. I have a Bachelors in Fine Arts for Theatre and an Opera Institute Certificate.”, Damon explained. Both his children seemed surprised by this. “Yes theater and opera aren’t exactly high on the list of the things the ancestors wanted me to do. But I didn’t care.”, Damon explained sitting down at the kitchen island. “Please please for the love of god tell me you have my coffee here…”, Damon asked. Alec laughed and ducked down reaching into the island cabinets pulling out a bag of Loumidis Papagalos coffee beans. Damon sighed taking the half bag and hugged it. “Oh thank you.”, Damon said.

His children still looked dumbfounded. They walked over sitting down next to him and watched curiously as Alec grounded the beans and started to brew the coffee. “Oh wow that’s strong…”, Alexander said. Damon and Alec both laughed as Alec poured two cups. “Don’t worry you don’t need to drink it. I have fresh orange juice for you and your sister.”, Alec said getting two cups out and pouring the orange juice before turning to take the frittata muffins from the oven and dumped them onto a plate before setting them on individual plates for each of them. Damon took a long sip of the coffee not caring that it was hot. “God that’s good. Ares is the only other person in the whole of the academy that would drink this with me and we’ve been forbidden to buy it because others would accidently use it and complain of its strength. Alec you made mini frittatas? You didn’t have to do that.”, Damon said still picking on up eating it. “Twenty years since I’ve eaten anything you’ve made my friend and god it’s still good.”, Damon said. Alec laughed a little. “You didn’t feed the bambini. So someone should. Go ahead nipotes eat.”, Alec encouraged. Gina looked to Alexander and shrugged taking a bite. “It is good. Try it Alexander.”, Gina encouraged taking a sip of the orange juice. Alexander tried his and nodded with approval. “So dad, we both have a lot of questions. About what happened between you and mom, this sister we apparently have, and her mother.”, Alexander said hoping to get to business. Damon nodded sipping his coffee grabbing another frittata muffin. “I will answers all questions when all three of you are together. Which means we will be going to the Haven so we can see Zoe. I’m not going to repeat answers. This way all three of you can ask whatever you want of me and the other two get to hear the answer.”, Damon said. “Makes sense.”, Alec concurred drinking his coffee.

Across town at the Haven Zoe had already woken up, taken a shower and gotten dressed and was quietly sitting in the kitchen looking at the two mirror images of the kitchens one labeled ‘vegan’. She was still replaying last night’s events in her mind. And as she sat there drinking a weak cup of coffee, she’d have to remember to get stronger coffee from the store or Alec if she was going to stay at the Haven much longer, looking at the label ‘vegan’ she thought with a small smile about the reason that label existed. Merrick was an interesting person she had to admit. Not at all what she’d expected him to be. The way her father spoke in warning regarding him it was to imply he was a heartless womanizer. But last night he’d taken the time to check on her while the others dealt with Geri outside. He was the one that spoke to her and made her focus on anything that wasn’t the shouting and demands of her head from outside. Which even when he forced her to look at his face it wasn’t done in a mean way but in a gentle way. And she didn’t really think a heartless womanizer would have plainly told her he would never attempt past flirting for the honor of his brother whom apparently is dating her little sister. Which as she thought about having a sister she wondered what she was like. She’d seen Alexander, her brother, at the dojo. Though that only told her what he looked like but not what he was like. She wondered if now that Geri was in police custody would their father have them meet? It was weird that her whole life she’d spent being an only child to a single parent and suddenly finding her father she now had two parents, a brother, a sister and then there is Alec her self-proclaimed uncle. Her family had more than doubled in size in a matter of days.

While she pondered all the questions she had for her father and trying to get to know him and her siblings in the short span of her final nine days here, she realized she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder taking a bite out of a piece of toast with jam to see Sebastian standing there. She hadn’t gotten a overly good look at him the night before. But she did see the same soft shade of blue eyes looking at her under blonde near dirty blonde eyebrows with matching short slightly spiked hair, though she couldn’t tell if he’d styled it that way or if it was from sleep. As she looked at his face she was able to piece out some details that were much like his brother’s. But she still couldn’t figure where Merrick’s unique green-yellow eyes came from having had a longer look the night before of their mother. “Ciao Sebastian.”, she greeted before sipping her coffee. “Morning..Zoe.”, Sebastian said going to the non-vegan half of the kitchen and getting out the milk from the fridge and reached up into a cabinet getting out a bowl then into a pantry to get a box of cereal pouring himself a bowl and then placing the box and milk exactly where he’d found them. “So you’re who the fuss is about? You’re Gina’s big sister.”, Sebastian questioned sitting down at the table. Zoe shrugged. “I guess that’s me. You’re brother has taken to calling me hellraiser, I suppose that's because of the fact chaos apparently ensued by my very presence in Bayville. Which your brother also mentioned you apparently are close to Gina...my um sister. What’s she like?”, Zoe asked. “Merrick isn’t generally one for giving nicknames like Aunt Solangel does, but when he decides on one it’s generally relevant to something and he uses it often. And yeah...I’ve been friends with Gina since we were little. And I suppose you could call us close. What’s Gina like? Umm she’s awesome I suppose. She’s a very happy girls, always smiling and laughing about something. Hopeless romantic is another term. She loves all those old school movies especially if they are black and white. She may look like her mom with having the red hair and green eyes but she’s got a personality all her own.”, Sebastian explained smiling the more he talked about her.

Zoe laughed a little at how Sebastian seemed to light up talking about Gina. "She's more than a close friend isn't she?", Zoe asked knowing it was a fact because Merrick had told her this last night. Sebastian blushed a little. "Well... Er.. Yeah. But don't tell anyone. Please especially your dad. I'm not really the guy he wants dating her being marked and all by the academy for choosing my mom and brother over them.", Sebastian requested. "Don't worry secret is safe with me. It's rather sweet that you get all bushy and smiley when you talk about her. I’m just curious I guess what my siblings are like. I mean Damo...my dad and my parents’ friend Alec have both been ready to accept me as family. I’d spent my whole life wondering what my dad is like and growing up an only child I wondered what having siblings would be like. But I mean with how their mother reacted to me being here I just wonder if they’ll be like dad and accept me or like their mom and hate me or somewhere in between.”, Zoe explained. Sebastian nodded eating his cereal. “As long as her dad doesn’t start treating her differently Gina will be fine. She’s a total daddy’s girl. She might have some shock to get over but I think she’ll be okay in the end with having a sister. Alexander is the curve ball. He’s always been kind of hard to read. He keeps his emotions generally hidden.”, Sebastian answered. Zoe nodded and looked at the clock on the oven, nearly nine. She was surprised that no one else was away yet. “Do people generally sleep in here?”, Zoe asked. Sebastian looked at the clock and yawned. “It’s Saturday. The adults will probably start getting up soon. Merrick’s already gone.”, Sebastian commented. Zoe raised an eyebrow. “He is? When did he leave? I’ve been up since six out of habit.”, Zoe commented. “Yeah, I generally go to his room in the mornings to bug into waking up, because sometimes I go in and he’s not Merrick like we normally see him but a random animal form he changed into during his sleep. So it’s been like a game since I was little for me, to go check on him in the mornings and see what animal he was. Today he was already gone. As for where he went or what time he left I got no clue.”, Sebastian explained.

Zoe laughed a little at the image of what various species of animals Sebastian had seen his brother in over the years. “That sounds like a fun game. I have a question about your brother. My dad said I should stay clear due to his reputation. But last night when Geri was here to kill me and you mom along with David and Solangel went outside to deal with her, your brother was very sweet and kind to me. So is he really the guy my dad warned me about?”, Zoe asked. Sebastian shrugged. “He’s my big brother. He’s never been anything but awesome to me. I know that there are people who think he’s an asshole, and well sometimes he is that way to people. His reputation got tarnished because he’s been with a lot of girls. But I don’t really hold that as a bad thing. No girl he’s been with or is with is being led on. They all know he isn’t monogamous. And he never forces or talks them into doing anything they don’t want to do. He’s got lots of rules about it all.”, Sebastian explained. Zoe nodded and smiled. “Yeah he mentioned something about a rule last night. And I guess if the women all know what's going on you can’t rightfully label him as a womanizer or player. One more question, I noticed last night he’s got a scar on his left shoulder...a bite mark. Where’d he get that?”, Zoe inquired. “Oh that. He’s had it almost three years now. He came home bleeding from his shoulder his shirt stained with the blood but no rip in the shirt. Mom looked at the wound and he said it was a wolf bite. Something about he was running in wolf form and got into a fight with a real wolf and they got his shoulder.”, Sebastian explained. “Hmm interesting. He get into fights with wolves often?”, Zoe commented drinking more of her coffee. “Mom told him to go to the Hamilton Clinic to get it healed and maybe a rabies shot. But he refused. Said he knew the wolf wasn’t rabid and it was his reminder of the wolf. And yeah he used to apparently get into fights often with wolves or other animals. But those incidences he’d go to the Hamilton Clinic to have the deep claw marks healed. Then he stopped getting into fights with wolves or whatever the year he dated Leslie, but the summer after her accident…he was back at fighting wolves at least for a month. But he hasn’t since last June. So I don’t know what the deal is.”, Sebastian said with a shrug. Zoe raised an eyebrow at this. The timeline of the fights seemed random. Wolves weren’t exactly a species that migrated so it was odd. Like he purposely sought out the wolves or wolf.

“What’s the Hamilton Clinic?”, Zoe asked. “Right you wouldn’t know about it. Um there’s a medical facility in town where Mikali Hamilton and Kisa Kearney are the doctors. They both have their PHds and all but they are mutants like your dad. They have a healing touch. Mikali is good friends with my cousin David. He’s part owner of the Draven. When we lived at the Academy if we were sick or injured we saw your dad or if he wasn’t around we would see your brother Alexander. But since we left the Academy Mikali and Kisa have become our doctors. Which they follow normal human practices with exception for serious injuries for mutants. There are humans that go to them which have no idea they are mutants. Mikali’s daughter Bianca and her friend Rose both interned there. Rose moved to Cambridge for University almost two years ago to get her PHd. But Bianca is still there for now, she got her dad’s healing powers. But like your brother plans to go to University to get a PHd. She’s going to Harvard though while your brother is going to Boston.”, Sebastian explained. “I think I remember David mentioning a Mikali the other day at the club. Mikali is Italian correct? And why do you know so much about these people?”, Zoe asked. “Yeah Mikali and his sisters Anita, Violet, and Queen Teresa are all from Gaeta, Italy. And I know so much because I’m Haven so I get to be on both sides. I’ve got my friends from the Academy I still hang out with. And then I’ve made friends from the Institute. My two of best friends on the Institute side are Jimmy Howlett, Rose’s cousin and little brother to my cousin Landon’s girlfriend Rachel, and Nash Asher who is Bianca’s cousin.”, Sebastian explained. “I know Gaeta, it’s over a three hour drive from where I grew up.”, Zoe commented as the phone rang. Both her and Sebastian jumped a little. Sebastian getting up and picking up. “Hello. Haven residence Sebastian speaking.”, Sebastian greeted. “Morning Sebastian. It’s Damon is my daughter awake yet?”, Damon asked sipping his coffee while his two other children sat at the kitchen island eating frittata muffins and drinking orange juice. “Yes sir she’s right here. Hold on.”, Sebastian said handing Zoe the phone. “It’s your dad.”, Sebastian said. “Ciao papa. Is everything alright?”, Zoe greeted. “Si. Everything is fine. I’m at Alec’s with your siblings. Wanted to just check that you were awake before we came over to see you.”, Damon explained. “We? Like you and them? You are introducing them to me?”, Zoe asked. “Si. They are your fratelli (siblings). You all should meet. And you all have questions for me and figure it’ll be easier if the three of you are in the same room so I don’t have to repeat.”, Damon explained. “Si papa. Well I’ll be here whenever you come over.”, Zoe nodded. “Alright. They are finishing up eating, apparently Alec felt it necessary to feed your fratelli frittata muffins. So we’ll be there soon.”, Damon said. “Ciao papa.”, Zoe said smiling imagining the sight of her siblings and father sitting at the kitchen island in Alec’s apartment eating breakfast with Alec. “Ciao Zoe.”, Damon said hanging up.

He looked to his two other children. “Are you two done stuffing your faces?”, Damon asked. “Naí.”, they agreed nodding. “Thank you for breakfast Alec.”, Damon said getting up. “I’ll talk to you later.”, Damon said patting his friend on the shoulder. Alec nodded. “Ciao Patridis family.”, Alec said with a wave and a smile. Alexander gave a nod to Alec and Gina went around the island and hugged him. “Thanks for breakfast Uncle Alec.”, Gina said before cheerfully following her brother and father out of the apartment. Alec shook his head laughing a little. She looked so much like her mother but that personality was not Geri’s or even Damon’s for that matter. Very little was spoken on the drive to the Haven. Alexander and Gina both internally trying to figure out how they were supposed to react and to feel about this new sibling. At the Haven the adults had all started to wake up, Zoe having told them that her father was coming with her siblings just so they weren’t caught by surprise when they arrived. None of them seem to really be bothered by the idea that they were coming over just going about their morning routine of making their breakfasts. Zoe had moved to sit near the front door so she could easily greet her father and siblings when they arrived. Her ears perking as she heard a car pulling up and she peeked out the front windows. She watched as her father got out of the driver’s side then her brother from the front passenger and her sister from the back. Sebastian had been accurate she did look like Geri in appearance but she had a soft smile that made the features take on a different light than what she remembered last night of Geri’s face. She moved to open the door so they didn’t need to knock. “Ciao.”, Zoe greeted an uncertain smile on her face. Damon smiled and gave her a hug glad that she was still safe and looked unharmed from last night’s events. “Ciao uccellino.”, Damon greeted before looking to his other children. “Zoe this is Alexander Damon and Gina Christine Petridis, your siblings. Alexander and Gina this is your sister Zoe Alexandria Deluca.”, Damon said giving the formal introduction. There was a bit of an awkwardness between the three. “Hi.”, Gina finally spoke. Zoe smiled to her. “Um come on inside. The others are all in the kitchen eating their breakfast. I guess we can go up to the room I’m in to talk if you want papa.”, Zoe offered stepping aside.

Alexander raised an eyebrow ever so slightly at her calling his dad ‘papa’ but stepped inside. This was the first time he’d ever stepped foot inside the Haven. He felt weird about being there, even if for a social visit. Gina followed her brother and Damon was behind her closing the door. Damon noticed the look on Alexander’s face. “Papa in America is a term most align with calling someone ‘daddy’ but in Italy it’s just the word for dad.”, Damon explained. Alexander nodded a little. Zoe started for the stairs but turned confused. “Your siblings were not taught Italian. They know Greek instead.”, Damon explained. Zoe nodded heading up the stairs. She figured like many things about his life before he married Geri speaking Italian was just one of those things he hadn’t done around them. She lead the way to her bedroom and walked inside sitting down on the bed bringing her legs up to sit Indian style. Damon followed her up the stairs taking the chair from the desk to sit down, turning the chair backwards before sitting. Gina didn’t think twice about following and went into the bedroom taking a seat on the bed near Zoe. Alexander sighed and walked into the room closing the door taking a seat on the floor. Damon sighed and looked at their faces. There were similarities, subtle in some cases, between them. They all had his family’s nose and ears. “So I am certain all of you have many questions. So we are going to go about this kind of as a Q&A style. You will get to individually ask a question that I will answer and then we move on to the next person. This way you get your questions out and I don’t have to repeat anything. We’ll start with Zoe being the oldest.”, Damon explained before looking to Zoe.

Zoe shifted a little feeling the eyes of everyone fall upon her. “Um. Are you going to see mamma?”, Zoe questioned. Damon nodded. “Yes. I plan to fly to Florence with you when you return. I don’t’ trust Geri’s reach even behind bars. So I want to see you safely returned to your mother. So I guess I’ll have to face her.”, Damon answered turning his attention to his son. “Alexander your turn.”, Damon said. Alexander sighed and considered what question he should ask first. “This might be an obvious answer, but I still want it confirmed. Are you going to divorce mom?”, he asked. Damon sighed. “Yes. I’m going to be divorcing your mother. Irreconcilable differences. With the whole threatening to kill me, burning the dojo, attacking Alec, trying to kill Zoe and trying to have Isadora killed. Those aren’t things I can forgive.”, Damon explained. The three were silent but nodded, all kind of guessed that might be the outcome. He’d said before what she’d done was unforgivable and hard to be married to someone you couldn’t forgive. “Gina, sweetheart, it’s your turn.”, Damon said looking to his youngest with a soft smile. “Um..”, Gina said shifting uncomfortable with all attention on her. “When you take Zoe home, are you coming back”, she asked softly. “Of course I’m going back, pouláki. You and Alexander are here. I will not leave the two of you.”, Damon assured reaching over and lightly patting her knee. Gina sighed in relief. She’d not wanted to lose her dad. Zoe had been listening to his answers and pondering her next question. So given how the line of questioning was going she thought she had the next one she wanted answered. “Are you going to…to try and get together with mamma?, she asked tilting her head to the side a little. Damon thought for a moment. Technically he’d ‘gotten together’ with Isadora last night, but he doubted that was how Zoe meant her question. “It is a good chance. I mean I still love her.”, Damon answered. “Aww.”, Gina said her hopeless romantic side getting out. Damon laughed a little at his youngest’s reaction. Zoe chuckled softly and smiled. “Good, cause she loves you.”, Zoe said without any doubt in her mind how her mother felt about Damon even if she never spoke of him these last nineteen years.

Damon nodded. “Yes I’m aware.”, he stated before looking to Alexander. “What does this mean for us and the Academy?”, he asked. For him this was important because he had ties to the Academy, he had Talia. “I am going to be taking two months leave. We have nine days with Zoe. And depending on how my presence is accepted, I will spend a couple weeks in Florence when I take her home. Then I need to oversee the repairs to the dojo. Which after the two months are over, again depending on what happens in Italy, I’ll be going into retirement status. I’ll still train students at the dojo and provide healing but I will not live at the Academy or continue my other duties if Zoe and/or Isadora choose to move back to Bayville”, Damon explained. “So if they come to live here. What happens with me and Alexander?”, Gina asked taking her turn. Damon looked to Gina. It was a good question. “That is for you to decide. Alexander will be going to university in the fall. He can choose his own alliance. You are fourteen so you’ll have to choose between your mother and I in the divorce. If you choose me you can still attend the academy if that’s what you want or move out with me.”, Damon answered. “I’m not going to leave the Academy, dad.”, Alexander stated. Damon nodded having figured that much. “I want to be wherever you are daddy.”, Gina said. Damon smiled. “Then you will be pouláki.”, Damon assured. “So, if mamma is receptive to reconciling with you, you’d want us to live with you? Or if she isn’t you’d still give me the option to live here with you?”, Zoe questioned hoping the two part question was allowed. Damon nodded. “Of course. I want you in my life Zoe. You are one of my children and I want to have the chance to know you. And from talking to your mother yesterday I think we reached an agreement that we want to try again.”, Damon answered. “Did you ever love our mom?”, Alexander asked abruptly. Damon turned his head to his son and sighed. “It’s complicated. I’d always cared for your mother even before I met Isadora. There is a part of my that was drawn to your mother. And in a way yes I loved her. At least I have tried the best I could these last eighteen years. But in honesty you and Gina are the only bright spots of the last eighteen years of my life.”, Damon tried to explain.

“How did you meet Isadora? Do you remember it?”, Gina asked. This question got Zoe and Alexander’s attention, especially Zoe. Zoe had wanted to hear this for her whole life but her mother had refused to speak of her father. Damon sighed and smiled softly. “Of course I remember it. It’d been a warm spring day, May 18th, 2005 to be exact. I had been finding myself less and less happy living at the XC Castle and being their leader. I had decided to try and find something outside of the XC to do with my time. Something to separate that life to give me some level of normalcy. I was walking down main street having seen a flyer about open auditions for the Phantom of the Opera production. I had my degree in theater and the opera certificate from Boston University and decided that I should make sure of my education. As I was walking by the small coffee shop, Anthony’s Gourmet Café, there she was. She had some paintings and sketched set up along the sidewalk and was sitting on a stool her willow stick was tucked behind her left ear, her short caramel brown hair also tucked behind both of her ears, she had a smudge of black charcoal along her left cheek bone and a splotch of blue paint on her chin. She was wearing a pair of light blue jeans that had various colors of splattered paint many looking rather old, a black tank top, and around her neck a dark blue silk scarf. No one was stopping to really look at the paintings she had on display. She was looking at a canvas with such intensity and when she looked up I saw those dark blue eyes and was transfixed. She greeted me in English but her accent was a dead giveaway she was actually Italian. So I returned the greeting in Italian. I think she was relieved to hear an Italian accent and she switched to Italian asking if I had interest in her paintings. I think it was mostly a test to see if I really spoke Italian but I replied in Italian and saw her smile and felt my heart stop for that second. She has one of those smiles that her eyes seem to smile too. I ended up buying all her paintings. We talking a bit nothing important me asking when she got to America, her asking how an American could speak Italian so fluently even with the correct accent. She noticed the paper in my hand and I showed her the flyer about the Phantom of the Opera. Which then we talked about the theater and singing and I suggested that perhaps she should go to the auditions, and maybe I’d get to see her again.”, Damon retold the moment from memory his normally cold blue eyes soft and a smile on his lisps as he spoke.

The three were all transfixed as he spoke. Zoe had never heard the story before and found how much details he remembered and how he described it all she felt like she could picture it. For Gina and Alexander they’d never heard their father speak like that about their mother, never saw that softness in his eyes when he looked at her nor heard him ever speak this way about someone. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard daddy.”, Gina gushed. Damon laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “What happened next? Mamma never talked about you so please keep talking papa.”, Zoe requested. Damon looked to Gina and Alexander who both nodded wanting to hear more. “Alright. Well I had my audition and ended up getting the part of the Phantom himself Erik. Though they wanted me to wear a wig.”, Damon started rolling his eyes a little. “Isadora had cleaned up before coming to the open auditions and I saw her as I was about to leave. She’d been called out onto the stage by the director, Derek Bach. So I ducked back into the Opera house and took a seat in the back to see her audition. God her voice, angels could only dream to sing as beautifully. For the second time in a day my heart stopped and I was transfixed by her. I knew I was running late and needed to get back to the castle before Geri or one of the others blew the castle up or each other for that matter. But I couldn’t pull myself away. I stayed for her audition and after she’d walked off stage I moved down the aisle and sat behind Derek and quietly told him that the girl who’d just left the stage was Christine and if he couldn’t hear that he shouldn’t be directing the Opera. I left it at that leaving to ensure the other XC members didn’t kill each other or anyone else for that matter. Derek selected Isadora to bee Christine. And that was my in. We got to know each other through rehearsals both at the Opera House but her apartment as well. We always rehearsed at her place as I couldn’t bring cast members to the castle. I remember Matthew Corliss who was playing Raoul came over to rehears as well always trying to get close to Isadora. It was kind of amusing to me. Because he failed, every time. Raoul may be the one that got Christine at the end of the play, but in the end when the curtains fell I was the one walking away with Isadora. And that’s what mattered to me.”, Damon said.

“We had two good years together. I’d even gotten my own apartment separate from the XC. She knew everything about me, granted I didn’t go into details about the things I had done as part of the XC she didn’t want to know that. But she knew about my powers, about the curse, about the ancestors. God the ancestors hated that I’d chosen her to love. They still hate it. Heck they haven’t shut up since I was introduced to Zoe yesterday. They wanted me to pick Geri. To them it was a logical choice. Geri was more of the warrior mindset that they felt would make for a good heir where Isadora was always more gentle being the artist. Then everything started to go bad in Bayville. Mutants getting attacked and it was just not safe. I couldn’t abandon the XC, they were my responsibility. So I told Isadora to go to Florence. To stay with her family and I would follow when I knew my team was safe. And when things were finally settled I’d sent word to her that I was going to be coming, not trusting normal lines of communication because of Geri I sent a private detective with the letter. Not knowing Geri got to him first. She sent assassins to kill Isadora. They failed but did kill her dad. I was given a false death certificate by the detective and Zoe was never mentioned. I’d spent from that day forward mourning her. I named my dojo Fenice which is Italian for Phoenix and the name Isadora had called me. I wear that same scarf she’d worn the first day I met her.”, Damon said pulling the scarf from his pocket. “Aww daddy…that is the most romantic thing I have ever. Oh my god. And now almost twenty years later you have learned she’s alive, that you have Zoe together, and soon you’ll get to see her in person. This needs to be put to script and filmed but in black and white.”, Gina exclaimed. Zoe and Damon both laughed while Alexander shook his head. “You are such a hopeless romantic.”, Alexander said. Gina shrugged. “Pardon me for finding love and romance to be great. You can tell by the way daddy talks about her and how he’s carried this torch for her all these years that he must love her deeply. Don’t you feel that way about Talia?”, Gina countered.

Zoe thought back and remembered Talia from when she chased her down along with the gargoyles. How someone could love someone so cruel she wasn’t sure. “How I feel about Talia isn’t really your business Gina. I’m not going to sit here and discuss my private life with my sister…er…sisters.”, Alexander defended. Gina laughed and leaned off the bed hugging her brother about the neck. “Don’t let his cold exterior fool you Zoe. Alexander has emotions and I can’t figure out why but the little nut is head over heels for Talia. Does basically anything for her.”, Gina explained. Zoe nodded. Alexander rolled his eyes as he pushed his younger sister off him. “I don’t hide that I love Talia. I just don’t go into mushy details. Which I suppose I owe you an apology Zoe.”, Alexander stated. Zoe blinked. “Why do you owe me an apology?”, she asked. “Talia would never admit to being wrong. So I’ll apologize for her and the twins. They should not have left the dojo that day to chase after you. It shouldn’t matter or be an issue that you were watching dad and I spar. Lots of people tend to stand outside the front window of the dojo to watch the training no matter who it’s with. They shouldn’t have gone after you or tried to harm you. Dad sufficiently put them in their place yesterday.”, Alexander explained. “Put them in their place?”, Zoe questioned looking to Damon. Damon shrugged but smiled. “I believe my words to Talia before I left the Academy yesterday was that if her and the twin idiots tried to go after my daughter again I’d deliver their heads in cardboard boxes to their parents.”, Damon said simply. Zoe blinked. “You would actually do that?”, Zoe questioned. Damon sighed. “Yes. For any of my children I would kill to protect them. And Talia knows that so she won’t try anything again.”, Damon explained. Zoe nodded kind of a scary idea that her father was capable of killing someone, but as he put it for his children’s safety he would. She could understand that. Her mother got into many arguments with parents of children that dared to taunt her growing up for her white hair. “So any other burning questions?”, Damon asked looking at the three. “Yes. What are we doing today?”, Gina asked. “We are showing Zoe around. And in part of that I’ll also show you two some things from my life before your mother that I had to bury because of her. This afternoon I’ll leave the three of you with Alec perhaps to get to know each other while I meet with the lawyer. So come on let’s go.”, Damon staid standing up.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Running on only a few hours of sleep Damon made his way back to the Academy. He’d slept a little between his talk with Isadora, that sleep was a peaceful one with memories of her but had been interrupted a short two hours in by Christian’s voice telling him to wake up and check his phone. Then once he knew Zoe was safe he spent another four hours at the police station filling out paperwork in regards to charges against his own wife for arson on his business and submitted initially for a restraining order and using his voice mail messages of her threatening to kill him as his cause. He was given the number for a lawyer by Azriel in regards to proceeding with his divorce. By the time he managed to get back to the hotel it was nearly four in the morning. So he got the additional three hours of sleep before checking out of the room and heading to the Academy. He had no idea what had occurred there the night before or tat everything he owned in regards to clothes were gone. He quietly crept through the front door to be startled by the sudden appearance of Azazel before him.

“Christ Azazel scare a man to death. What do you want?”, Damon whispered. “Your wife’s head on a pike to start.”, Azazel answered locking his yellow eyes on Damon. “Get in line Azazel. As I’m sure whatever offense she has done to you pales greatly in comparison to what she has done to me and those I hold dear.”, Damon said moving to push past Azazel to head upstairs. Azazel moved an arm to block Damon. Damon narrowed his eyes and turned his cold blue eyes to the demon. “I’m going to make this very clear to you Azazel. I am not in the mood for yours or anyone’s bullshit. I am out of fucks to give. So unless you would like me to tear your arm off and shove it down your throat you better let me pass.”, Damon warned cracking his neck a little. “There is nothing for you upstairs Damon.”, Azazel said simply ignoring the threat. “And what does that mean?”, Damon demanded. “That your wife had a bonfire last night with all your belongings. Nothing was salvageable by the time Kevin and Vin were able to put the flames out.”, Azazel explained. “Merda! (Shit)”, Damon cursed. He wasn’t so much upset about the clothes, he could buy new clothes. He didn’t even really care about the trophies he was sure she destroyed. It was mementos like photographs of his children and then it hit him…the scarf. His shoulders sank at the thought he’d lost that scarf. Sure there was light at the end of the tunnel of this mess and that light was Isadora but still he’d treasured that scarf for twenty years. “My children. She didn’t harm my children did she?”, Damon questioned. Azazel shook his head. “No, Alexander and Gina sleep safely upstairs. The police came here though, apparently your wife has burned the dojo, a restaurant and attacked the Haven during the night in search of you.”, Azazel said.

Damon nodded relieved that his children were at least safe. No procession was more valued than them. “Indeed. My dojo is ashes. The insurance money will pair for its repairs. But it will take time. I request a leave of absence of at least two months time.”, Damon stated. Azazel blinked. “Two months of absence I don’t know Damon.”, Azazel stated. “It will take about that long for repairs to be made to the dojo. My eldest daughter will only be here for a short while longer and I wish to spend as much time as I can with her. Then I wish to escort her back to Florence to ensure her safety.”, Damon explained. “And after that?”, Azazel questioned. “After that, depending on how things unfold I will not return to full status.”, Damon stated. “Excuse me?”, Azazel questioned. “I will still train the students at the dojo and provide healing as necessary. However if my daughter Zoe is return with me to America…if her mother is to return to America…if they are to be in my life I cannot do this job. I can’t go on missions and I certainly cannot interrogate any more people for you. Those are my terms. I do not wish to be a traitor to the Academy. I want to leave on amicable terms. So the options are I still train and heal or I do none of that.”, Damon stated. “What about your children?”, Azazel questioned. “That will be their choice. Alexander is going to be graduating soon and going to Boston with your daughter. He will probably stay, however you make this separation difficult or mark me I can tell you this that no matter how much he may love your daughter he will side with me. Gina is a minor so depending on the courts but mostly likely she will come with me. If she wants to remain a student here I won’t stop her. So do we have an agreement?”, Damon questioned holding out a hand to figuratively the devil. Azazel took a breath but nodded and shook Damon’s hand. “Very well then. Do you need to borrow clothes from someone temporarily?”, Azazel asked. “I’ll buy some I suppose but for now I am going upstairs to get my children. I need to speak to them”, Damon said pushing past Azazel and up the stairs.

He first went to Gina’s bedroom and softly knocked opening the door. On the far bed was a tuft of black hair with blonde streaks, which he knew was Sophia Frost. But he looked to the bed closer to the door and smiled seeing the familiar red hair sticking out from under the blanket. “Pouláki…”, Damon called with a small whistle. “Pouláki…Gina…”, Damon whispered carefully creeping into the room to nudge his daughter’s foot. Sophia rolled in her bed with a disgruntled grunt but didn’t wake. Gina grumbled and sat up a little on her bed and blinked rubbing sleep from her eyes. She was about to squeal with joy to know he was safe but he put a finger of his lips to say to say quiet and pointed to Sophia’s bed. Gina nodded. “I’m going to wake your brother. Get dressed. You two are coming with me today.”, he whispered before leaving the room. Gina quietly got out of her bed and started to get dressed on sure what was happening. He next went to his son’s bedroom and knocked loudly on the door. Since Malcolm had moved out Apollo had taken over that bedroom allowing Alex and him as the eldest boys their own bedrooms. Which, despite probably Talia’s parents and Geri’s opinion, Talia often stayed the night in Alexander’s bed. So Damon never just opened his son’s bedroom for that reason. “Alexander? Wake up and get dressed.”, Damon ordered through the door.

Inside the bedroom, Damon was accurate. Alexander laid in his bed his arms wrapped around Talia, hidden from view by the blanket her tail was coiled around his leg as she lay sound snuggled with her back pressed against his chest. Alexander had always been a light sleeper so when he heard the knocking and his name being called from outside the door his eyes shot open. Talia grumbled and tightened her hold on his leg. “If you get out of this bed Alexander…”, Talia hissed. Alexander laughed a little and kissed her neck giving her a hug. “It’s dad. I have to. Now release my leg agápi̱ (love).”, Alexander whispered still kissing her neck. Talia grumbled but released his leg. “You owe me Alexander.”, Talia muttered. Alexander smiled and got up slightly and leaned over her giving her a kiss. “Sorry you are deprived my warmth and morning sex. I’ll make up double tonight alright.”, he offered as payment with a wink. Talia nodded. “You better.”, she said snuggling back into the blankets trying to go back to sleep. Alexander smiled and got out of the bed getting dressed. Outside the door his sister had joined their father. “We still waiting on him?”, Gina asked. Damon nodded as he leaned against the hallway. “He better not be screwing Talia before he leaves.”, Gina muttered. Damon covered his mouth to not laugh. “Gina Christine, I don’t want to hear such language from you.”, Damon scolded. “And god I hope he can get away with skipping morning sex. I am not standing her in dirty clothes for a damn hour for that.”, Damon stated. Gina giggled at her father and just hugged him. Alexander paused and kissed Talia one more time before grabbing his father’s scarf and putting it in his pocket then walked into the hall. “Well that was fast.”, Damon commented. Alexander smiled. “What did you think I’d have morning sex with my father and apparently sister standing outside the door? So what is going on dad?”, Alexander questioned.

“I’ll explain as we go. Now come on the both of you. I need to go to a store and buy some clothes, my understanding it your mother burned all my things.”, Damon said heading down the hall his children right behind him. “Well not all dad.”, Alex said pulling the scarf from his pocket offering it as they walked down the stairs. Damon stopped and looked at the scare taking it carefully. “Where? How did this not end up in the fire? But it looks slightly smoldered..”, Damon said looking at the silk scarf. “I knew it was important to you, not why just important. So I reached into the fire and took it out before it could be destroyed. “, Alexander explained. Damon smiled and held the scarf close to him carefully placing it in his pocket. “Thank you Alexander. This scarf has deep sentimental value to me.”, Damon explained heading out to the car. “Care to explain what you mean by that daddy?”, Gina asked getting into the back seat while Alexander got in the front with their dad. “This scarf belonged to Zoe’s mother. Who till yesterday I thought was dead.”, Damon explained leaving the academy heading for the mall and one of the clothing stores picking up some shirts, pants, socks and boxers. Neither of his children questioned him more at the moment while he was shopping. Both figured he had gotten them from the Academy for a reason so they’d find out soon enough. However neither expected what came next on their little trip. Their father brought them to a restaurant. “Daddy?”, Gina asked as they got out and her dad grabbed his bag of clothes. He pounded on the back kitchen door knowing Alec would be there.

Alec pushed open the door small bruises on his neck and blinked looking past Damon to Alexander and Gina. “Damon and children? What’s going on? I’m not even opening the restaurant this morning.”, Alec said. “Yes but because you are a creature of habit you have been down here since five making breads and pasta. Can we come in? I need to change clothes.”, Damon said with a laugh holding up the shopping bag. Alec raised an eyebrow. “She had a bonfire of my things last night before turning my dojo into a bbq and so forth.”, Damon explained as Alec stepped aside. Alexander and Gina walked in curious. They’d met Alec previously but never come to his restaurant or home. It was like their dad avoided the place like the plague which was odd considering he called Alec his best friend. “Mom destroyed the dojo?”, Alexander asked. Damon nodded. “Yes. She’s also the one that left the bruises on my friend’s neck. Which Alec how bad is the damage to your restaurant? Will insurance cover what she did?”, Damon questioned. “Take a look. And yeah they’ll cover it. Won’t be able to open for a couple weeks though. Which sucks. But guess it’s alright. Zoe is here for nine more days including today. So can get to know my niece.”, Alec said pushing the kitchen door open to the restaurant. Damon, Alexander and Gina looked into the dining room and saw the large puddle of water from the sprinklers, the scorched tables and chairs, the smoke stained walls and ceiling paint, and the now warped wooden floor boards near the front of the dining area. “Mom did that didn’t see?”, Gina asked. Damon nodded. “Yes your mother did much damage in her quest last night to find and kill me and your sister.”, Damon explained with a sigh.

“Why did he call her his niece?”, Alexander questioned. “Field that one Alec.”, Damon said heading for the door he knew lead to the stairs. “Your apartment or Zoe’s unlocked?”, Damon called from the stairs. “Mine is. I locked up Zoe’s after she left with you yesterday.”, Alec called to the stairwell. Damon heading up to the third floor. “And I called Zoe my niece because twenty-two years ago I met her mother Isadora DeLuca and from that point forward she was my best friend and my sister. And when your father came into Isadora’s life he became my friend and brother. Therefore their daughter would be my niece in my eyes.”, Alec explained. “Are we your niece and nephew then?”, Gina asked. “Si. Your mother hates my guts so I don’t see you often. But you are my nipotes, niece and nephew.”, Alec nodded. He looked at the two. “Did your father give you breakfast yet?”, Alec asked looking at them. Both shook their heads. “Come I’ll make you prima colazione, breakfast. “Alec offered leading the way up the stairs to his apartment. Damon was in the bathroom getting changed out of his dirty clothes into an outfit he’d bought. Gina and Alexander both looked around the bachelor's apartment in fascination. Gina quickly being drawn to the photograph of her father with a woman and Alec. “Who’s this with you and daddy?”, Gina asked. Alec glanced over getting items from his fridge to make a frittata muffins for them to eat. “That’s Isadora.”, Alec stated as he started mixing the eggs and milk.

Alexander was walking the room looking at the art. “This stuff is really good. Dad never mentioned you to be more than a talented chef Alec…er Uncle Alec.”, Alexander commented. Alec smiled at the correction as he chopped up the veggies adding them to his mixture. “I’m only a good chef Alexander. The paintings up here and on the walls downstairs, thankfully not the wall that was ruined, were done by Isadora. She was and I will assume is still a good artists even if her voice was taken from her. Which is tragic Isadora’s voice was such a gift and when she sang with your father…it packed seats of people seeing Phantom of the Opera multiple times during its run.”, Alec answered as poured the mixture into a muffin tray putting it in the oven. Both Gina and Alexander looked at him in confused. “Dad sings? Dad was in an opera???”, they questioned in unison. Alec laughed and looked to Damon who was walking out of the hallway in a clean pair of dark jeans and a dark blue button up shirt. He was presently tucking the shirt in as he walked out. “Yes I was, am maybe still, a singer. I have a Bachelors in Fine Arts for Theatre and an Opera Institute Certificate.”, Damon explained. Both his children seemed surprised by this. “Yes theater and opera aren’t exactly high on the list of the things the ancestors wanted me to do. But I didn’t care.”, Damon explained sitting down at the kitchen island. “Please please for the love of god tell me you have my coffee here…”, Damon asked. Alec laughed and ducked down reaching into the island cabinets pulling out a bag of Loumidis Papagalos coffee beans. Damon sighed taking the half bag and hugged it. “Oh thank you.”, Damon said.

His children still looked dumbfounded. They walked over sitting down next to him and watched curiously as Alec grounded the beans and started to brew the coffee. “Oh wow that’s strong…”, Alexander said. Damon and Alec both laughed as Alec poured two cups. “Don’t worry you don’t need to drink it. I have fresh orange juice for you and your sister.”, Alec said getting two cups out and pouring the orange juice before turning to take the frittata muffins from the oven and dumped them onto a plate before setting them on individual plates for each of them. Damon took a long sip of the coffee not caring that it was hot. “God that’s good. Ares is the only other person in the whole of the academy that would drink this with me and we’ve been forbidden to buy it because others would accidently use it and complain of its strength. Alec you made mini frittatas? You didn’t have to do that.”, Damon said still picking on up eating it. “Twenty years since I’ve eaten anything you’ve made my friend and god it’s still good.”, Damon said. Alec laughed a little. “You didn’t feed the bambini. So someone should. Go ahead nipotes eat.”, Alec encouraged. Gina looked to Alexander and shrugged taking a bite. “It is good. Try it Alexander.”, Gina encouraged taking a sip of the orange juice. Alexander tried his and nodded with approval. “So dad, we both have a lot of questions. About what happened between you and mom, this sister we apparently have, and her mother.”, Alexander said hoping to get to business. Damon nodded sipping his coffee grabbing another frittata muffin. “I will answers all questions when all three of you are together. Which means we will be going to the Haven so we can see Zoe. I’m not going to repeat answers. This way all three of you can ask whatever you want of me and the other two get to hear the answer.”, Damon said. “Makes sense.”, Alec concurred drinking his coffee.

Across town at the Haven Zoe had already woken up, taken a shower and gotten dressed and was quietly sitting in the kitchen looking at the two mirror images of the kitchens one labeled ‘vegan’. She was still replaying last night’s events in her mind. And as she sat there drinking a weak cup of coffee, she’d have to remember to get stronger coffee from the store or Alec if she was going to stay at the Haven much longer, looking at the label ‘vegan’ she thought with a small smile about the reason that label existed. Merrick was an interesting person she had to admit. Not at all what she’d expected him to be. The way her father spoke in warning regarding him it was to imply he was a heartless womanizer. But last night he’d taken the time to check on her while the others dealt with Geri outside. He was the one that spoke to her and made her focus on anything that wasn’t the shouting and demands of her head from outside. Which even when he forced her to look at his face it wasn’t done in a mean way but in a gentle way. And she didn’t really think a heartless womanizer would have plainly told her he would never attempt past flirting for the honor of his brother whom apparently is dating her little sister. Which as she thought about having a sister she wondered what she was like. She’d seen Alexander, her brother, at the dojo. Though that only told her what he looked like but not what he was like. She wondered if now that Geri was in police custody would their father have them meet? It was weird that her whole life she’d spent being an only child to a single parent and suddenly finding her father she now had two parents, a brother, a sister and then there is Alec her self-proclaimed uncle. Her family had more than doubled in size in a matter of days.

While she pondered all the questions she had for her father and trying to get to know him and her siblings in the short span of her final nine days here, she realized she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder taking a bite out of a piece of toast with jam to see Sebastian standing there. She hadn’t gotten a overly good look at him the night before. But she did see the same soft shade of blue eyes looking at her under blonde near dirty blonde eyebrows with matching short slightly spiked hair, though she couldn’t tell if he’d styled it that way or if it was from sleep. As she looked at his face she was able to piece out some details that were much like his brother’s. But she still couldn’t figure where Merrick’s unique green-yellow eyes came from having had a longer look the night before of their mother. “Ciao Sebastian.”, she greeted before sipping her coffee. “Morning..Zoe.”, Sebastian said going to the non-vegan half of the kitchen and getting out the milk from the fridge and reached up into a cabinet getting out a bowl then into a pantry to get a box of cereal pouring himself a bowl and then placing the box and milk exactly where he’d found them. “So you’re who the fuss is about? You’re Gina’s big sister.”, Sebastian questioned sitting down at the table. Zoe shrugged. “I guess that’s me. You’re brother has taken to calling me hellraiser, I suppose that's because of the fact chaos apparently ensued by my very presence in Bayville. Which your brother also mentioned you apparently are close to Gina...my um sister. What’s she like?”, Zoe asked. “Merrick isn’t generally one for giving nicknames like Aunt Solangel does, but when he decides on one it’s generally relevant to something and he uses it often. And yeah...I’ve been friends with Gina since we were little. And I suppose you could call us close. What’s Gina like? Umm she’s awesome I suppose. She’s a very happy girls, always smiling and laughing about something. Hopeless romantic is another term. She loves all those old school movies especially if they are black and white. She may look like her mom with having the red hair and green eyes but she’s got a personality all her own.”, Sebastian explained smiling the more he talked about her.

Zoe laughed a little at how Sebastian seemed to light up talking about Gina. "She's more than a close friend isn't she?", Zoe asked knowing it was a fact because Merrick had told her this last night. Sebastian blushed a little. "Well... Er.. Yeah. But don't tell anyone. Please especially your dad. I'm not really the guy he wants dating her being marked and all by the academy for choosing my mom and brother over them.", Sebastian requested. "Don't worry secret is safe with me. It's rather sweet that you get all bushy and smiley when you talk about her. I’m just curious I guess what my siblings are like. I mean Damo...my dad and my parents’ friend Alec have both been ready to accept me as family. I’d spent my whole life wondering what my dad is like and growing up an only child I wondered what having siblings would be like. But I mean with how their mother reacted to me being here I just wonder if they’ll be like dad and accept me or like their mom and hate me or somewhere in between.”, Zoe explained. Sebastian nodded eating his cereal. “As long as her dad doesn’t start treating her differently Gina will be fine. She’s a total daddy’s girl. She might have some shock to get over but I think she’ll be okay in the end with having a sister. Alexander is the curve ball. He’s always been kind of hard to read. He keeps his emotions generally hidden.”, Sebastian answered. Zoe nodded and looked at the clock on the oven, nearly nine. She was surprised that no one else was away yet. “Do people generally sleep in here?”, Zoe asked. Sebastian looked at the clock and yawned. “It’s Saturday. The adults will probably start getting up soon. Merrick’s already gone.”, Sebastian commented. Zoe raised an eyebrow. “He is? When did he leave? I’ve been up since six out of habit.”, Zoe commented. “Yeah, I generally go to his room in the mornings to bug into waking up, because sometimes I go in and he’s not Merrick like we normally see him but a random animal form he changed into during his sleep. So it’s been like a game since I was little for me, to go check on him in the mornings and see what animal he was. Today he was already gone. As for where he went or what time he left I got no clue.”, Sebastian explained.

Zoe laughed a little at the image of what various species of animals Sebastian had seen his brother in over the years. “That sounds like a fun game. I have a question about your brother. My dad said I should stay clear due to his reputation. But last night when Geri was here to kill me and you mom along with David and Solangel went outside to deal with her, your brother was very sweet and kind to me. So is he really the guy my dad warned me about?”, Zoe asked. Sebastian shrugged. “He’s my big brother. He’s never been anything but awesome to me. I know that there are people who think he’s an asshole, and well sometimes he is that way to people. His reputation got tarnished because he’s been with a lot of girls. But I don’t really hold that as a bad thing. No girl he’s been with or is with is being led on. They all know he isn’t monogamous. And he never forces or talks them into doing anything they don’t want to do. He’s got lots of rules about it all.”, Sebastian explained. Zoe nodded and smiled. “Yeah he mentioned something about a rule last night. And I guess if the women all know what's going on you can’t rightfully label him as a womanizer or player. One more question, I noticed last night he’s got a scar on his left shoulder...a bite mark. Where’d he get that?”, Zoe inquired. “Oh that. He’s had it almost three years now. He came home bleeding from his shoulder his shirt stained with the blood but no rip in the shirt. Mom looked at the wound and he said it was a wolf bite. Something about he was running in wolf form and got into a fight with a real wolf and they got his shoulder.”, Sebastian explained. “Hmm interesting. He get into fights with wolves often?”, Zoe commented drinking more of her coffee. “Mom told him to go to the Hamilton Clinic to get it healed and maybe a rabies shot. But he refused. Said he knew the wolf wasn’t rabid and it was his reminder of the wolf. And yeah he used to apparently get into fights often with wolves or other animals. But those incidences he’d go to the Hamilton Clinic to have the deep claw marks healed. Then he stopped getting into fights with wolves or whatever the year he dated Leslie, but the summer after her accident…he was back at fighting wolves at least for a month. But he hasn’t since last June. So I don’t know what the deal is.”, Sebastian said with a shrug. Zoe raised an eyebrow at this. The timeline of the fights seemed random. Wolves weren’t exactly a species that migrated so it was odd. Like he purposely sought out the wolves or wolf.

“What’s the Hamilton Clinic?”, Zoe asked. “Right you wouldn’t know about it. Um there’s a medical facility in town where Mikali Hamilton and Kisa Kearney are the doctors. They both have their PHds and all but they are mutants like your dad. They have a healing touch. Mikali is good friends with my cousin David. He’s part owner of the Draven. When we lived at the Academy if we were sick or injured we saw your dad or if he wasn’t around we would see your brother Alexander. But since we left the Academy Mikali and Kisa have become our doctors. Which they follow normal human practices with exception for serious injuries for mutants. There are humans that go to them which have no idea they are mutants. Mikali’s daughter Bianca and her friend Rose both interned there. Rose moved to Cambridge for University almost two years ago to get her PHd. But Bianca is still there for now, she got her dad’s healing powers. But like your brother plans to go to University to get a PHd. She’s going to Harvard though while your brother is going to Boston.”, Sebastian explained. “I think I remember David mentioning a Mikali the other day at the club. Mikali is Italian correct? And why do you know so much about these people?”, Zoe asked. “Yeah Mikali and his sisters Anita, Violet, and Queen Teresa are all from Gaeta, Italy. And I know so much because I’m Haven so I get to be on both sides. I’ve got my friends from the Academy I still hang out with. And then I’ve made friends from the Institute. My two of best friends on the Institute side are Jimmy Howlett, Rose’s cousin and little brother to my cousin Landon’s girlfriend Rachel, and Nash Asher who is Bianca’s cousin.”, Sebastian explained. “I know Gaeta, it’s over a three hour drive from where I grew up.”, Zoe commented as the phone rang. Both her and Sebastian jumped a little. Sebastian getting up and picking up. “Hello. Haven residence Sebastian speaking.”, Sebastian greeted. “Morning Sebastian. It’s Damon is my daughter awake yet?”, Damon asked sipping his coffee while his two other children sat at the kitchen island eating frittata muffins and drinking orange juice. “Yes sir she’s right here. Hold on.”, Sebastian said handing Zoe the phone. “It’s your dad.”, Sebastian said. “Ciao papa. Is everything alright?”, Zoe greeted. “Si. Everything is fine. I’m at Alec’s with your siblings. Wanted to just check that you were awake before we came over to see you.”, Damon explained. “We? Like you and them? You are introducing them to me?”, Zoe asked. “Si. They are your fratelli (siblings). You all should meet. And you all have questions for me and figure it’ll be easier if the three of you are in the same room so I don’t have to repeat.”, Damon explained. “Si papa. Well I’ll be here whenever you come over.”, Zoe nodded. “Alright. They are finishing up eating, apparently Alec felt it necessary to feed your fratelli frittata muffins. So we’ll be there soon.”, Damon said. “Ciao papa.”, Zoe said smiling imagining the sight of her siblings and father sitting at the kitchen island in Alec’s apartment eating breakfast with Alec. “Ciao Zoe.”, Damon said hanging up.

He looked to his two other children. “Are you two done stuffing your faces?”, Damon asked. “Naí.”, they agreed nodding. “Thank you for breakfast Alec.”, Damon said getting up. “I’ll talk to you later.”, Damon said patting his friend on the shoulder. Alec nodded. “Ciao Patridis family.”, Alec said with a wave and a smile. Alexander gave a nod to Alec and Gina went around the island and hugged him. “Thanks for breakfast Uncle Alec.”, Gina said before cheerfully following her brother and father out of the apartment. Alec shook his head laughing a little. She looked so much like her mother but that personality was not Geri’s or even Damon’s for that matter. Very little was spoken on the drive to the Haven. Alexander and Gina both internally trying to figure out how they were supposed to react and to feel about this new sibling. At the Haven the adults had all started to wake up, Zoe having told them that her father was coming with her siblings just so they weren’t caught by surprise when they arrived. None of them seem to really be bothered by the idea that they were coming over just going about their morning routine of making their breakfasts. Zoe had moved to sit near the front door so she could easily greet her father and siblings when they arrived. Her ears perking as she heard a car pulling up and she peeked out the front windows. She watched as her father got out of the driver’s side then her brother from the front passenger and her sister from the back. Sebastian had been accurate she did look like Geri in appearance but she had a soft smile that made the features take on a different light than what she remembered last night of Geri’s face. She moved to open the door so they didn’t need to knock. “Ciao.”, Zoe greeted an uncertain smile on her face. Damon smiled and gave her a hug glad that she was still safe and looked unharmed from last night’s events. “Ciao uccellino.”, Damon greeted before looking to his other children. “Zoe this is Alexander Damon and Gina Christine Petridis, your siblings. Alexander and Gina this is your sister Zoe Alexandria Deluca.”, Damon said giving the formal introduction. There was a bit of an awkwardness between the three. “Hi.”, Gina finally spoke. Zoe smiled to her. “Um come on inside. The others are all in the kitchen eating their breakfast. I guess we can go up to the room I’m in to talk if you want papa.”, Zoe offered stepping aside.

Alexander raised an eyebrow ever so slightly at her calling his dad ‘papa’ but stepped inside. This was the first time he’d ever stepped foot inside the Haven. He felt weird about being there, even if for a social visit. Gina followed her brother and Damon was behind her closing the door. Damon noticed the look on Alexander’s face. “Papa in America is a term most align with calling someone ‘daddy’ but in Italy it’s just the word for dad.”, Damon explained. Alexander nodded a little. Zoe started for the stairs but turned confused. “Your siblings were not taught Italian. They know Greek instead.”, Damon explained. Zoe nodded heading up the stairs. She figured like many things about his life before he married Geri speaking Italian was just one of those things he hadn’t done around them. She lead the way to her bedroom and walked inside sitting down on the bed bringing her legs up to sit Indian style. Damon followed her up the stairs taking the chair from the desk to sit down, turning the chair backwards before sitting. Gina didn’t think twice about following and went into the bedroom taking a seat on the bed near Zoe. Alexander sighed and walked into the room closing the door taking a seat on the floor. Damon sighed and looked at their faces. There were similarities, subtle in some cases, between them. They all had his family’s nose and ears. “So I am certain all of you have many questions. So we are going to go about this kind of as a Q&A style. You will get to individually ask a question that I will answer and then we move on to the next person. This way you get your questions out and I don’t have to repeat anything. We’ll start with Zoe being the oldest.”, Damon explained before looking to Zoe.

Zoe shifted a little feeling the eyes of everyone fall upon her. “Um. Are you going to see mamma?”, Zoe questioned. Damon nodded. “Yes. I plan to fly to Florence with you when you return. I don’t’ trust Geri’s reach even behind bars. So I want to see you safely returned to your mother. So I guess I’ll have to face her.”, Damon answered turning his attention to his son. “Alexander your turn.”, Damon said. Alexander sighed and considered what question he should ask first. “This might be an obvious answer, but I still want it confirmed. Are you going to divorce mom?”, he asked. Damon sighed. “Yes. I’m going to be divorcing your mother. Irreconcilable differences. With the whole threatening to kill me, burning the dojo, attacking Alec, trying to kill Zoe and trying to have Isadora killed. Those aren’t things I can forgive.”, Damon explained. The three were silent but nodded, all kind of guessed that might be the outcome. He’d said before what she’d done was unforgivable and hard to be married to someone you couldn’t forgive. “Gina, sweetheart, it’s your turn.”, Damon said looking to his youngest with a soft smile. “Um..”, Gina said shifting uncomfortable with all attention on her. “When you take Zoe home, are you coming back”, she asked softly. “Of course I’m going back, pouláki. You and Alexander are here. I will not leave the two of you.”, Damon assured reaching over and lightly patting her knee. Gina sighed in relief. She’d not wanted to lose her dad. Zoe had been listening to his answers and pondering her next question. So given how the line of questioning was going she thought she had the next one she wanted answered. “Are you going to…to try and get together with mamma?, she asked tilting her head to the side a little. Damon thought for a moment. Technically he’d ‘gotten together’ with Isadora last night, but he doubted that was how Zoe meant her question. “It is a good chance. I mean I still love her.”, Damon answered. “Aww.”, Gina said her hopeless romantic side getting out. Damon laughed a little at his youngest’s reaction. Zoe chuckled softly and smiled. “Good, cause she loves you.”, Zoe said without any doubt in her mind how her mother felt about Damon even if she never spoke of him these last nineteen years.

Damon nodded. “Yes I’m aware.”, he stated before looking to Alexander. “What does this mean for us and the Academy?”, he asked. For him this was important because he had ties to the Academy, he had Talia. “I am going to be taking two months leave. We have nine days with Zoe. And depending on how my presence is accepted, I will spend a couple weeks in Florence when I take her home. Then I need to oversee the repairs to the dojo. Which after the two months are over, again depending on what happens in Italy, I’ll be going into retirement status. I’ll still train students at the dojo and provide healing but I will not live at the Academy or continue my other duties if Zoe and/or Isadora choose to move back to Bayville”, Damon explained. “So if they come to live here. What happens with me and Alexander?”, Gina asked taking her turn. Damon looked to Gina. It was a good question. “That is for you to decide. Alexander will be going to university in the fall. He can choose his own alliance. You are fourteen so you’ll have to choose between your mother and I in the divorce. If you choose me you can still attend the academy if that’s what you want or move out with me.”, Damon answered. “I’m not going to leave the Academy, dad.”, Alexander stated. Damon nodded having figured that much. “I want to be wherever you are daddy.”, Gina said. Damon smiled. “Then you will be pouláki.”, Damon assured. “So, if mamma is receptive to reconciling with you, you’d want us to live with you? Or if she isn’t you’d still give me the option to live here with you?”, Zoe questioned hoping the two part question was allowed. Damon nodded. “Of course. I want you in my life Zoe. You are one of my children and I want to have the chance to know you. And from talking to your mother yesterday I think we reached an agreement that we want to try again.”, Damon answered. “Did you ever love our mom?”, Alexander asked abruptly. Damon turned his head to his son and sighed. “It’s complicated. I’d always cared for your mother even before I met Isadora. There is a part of my that was drawn to your mother. And in a way yes I loved her. At least I have tried the best I could these last eighteen years. But in honesty you and Gina are the only bright spots of the last eighteen years of my life.”, Damon tried to explain.

“How did you meet Isadora? Do you remember it?”, Gina asked. This question got Zoe and Alexander’s attention, especially Zoe. Zoe had wanted to hear this for her whole life but her mother had refused to speak of her father. Damon sighed and smiled softly. “Of course I remember it. It’d been a warm spring day, May 18th, 2005 to be exact. I had been finding myself less and less happy living at the XC Castle and being their leader. I had decided to try and find something outside of the XC to do with my time. Something to separate that life to give me some level of normalcy. I was walking down main street having seen a flyer about open auditions for the Phantom of the Opera production. I had my degree in theater and the opera certificate from Boston University and decided that I should make sure of my education. As I was walking by the small coffee shop, Anthony’s Gourmet Café, there she was. She had some paintings and sketched set up along the sidewalk and was sitting on a stool her willow stick was tucked behind her left ear, her short caramel brown hair also tucked behind both of her ears, she had a smudge of black charcoal along her left cheek bone and a splotch of blue paint on her chin. She was wearing a pair of light blue jeans that had various colors of splattered paint many looking rather old, a black tank top, and around her neck a dark blue silk scarf. No one was stopping to really look at the paintings she had on display. She was looking at a canvas with such intensity and when she looked up I saw those dark blue eyes and was transfixed. She greeted me in English but her accent was a dead giveaway she was actually Italian. So I returned the greeting in Italian. I think she was relieved to hear an Italian accent and she switched to Italian asking if I had interest in her paintings. I think it was mostly a test to see if I really spoke Italian but I replied in Italian and saw her smile and felt my heart stop for that second. She has one of those smiles that her eyes seem to smile too. I ended up buying all her paintings. We talking a bit nothing important me asking when she got to America, her asking how an American could speak Italian so fluently even with the correct accent. She noticed the paper in my hand and I showed her the flyer about the Phantom of the Opera. Which then we talked about the theater and singing and I suggested that perhaps she should go to the auditions, and maybe I’d get to see her again.”, Damon retold the moment from memory his normally cold blue eyes soft and a smile on his lisps as he spoke.

The three were all transfixed as he spoke. Zoe had never heard the story before and found how much details he remembered and how he described it all she felt like she could picture it. For Gina and Alexander they’d never heard their father speak like that about their mother, never saw that softness in his eyes when he looked at her nor heard him ever speak this way about someone. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard daddy.”, Gina gushed. Damon laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “What happened next? Mamma never talked about you so please keep talking papa.”, Zoe requested. Damon looked to Gina and Alexander who both nodded wanting to hear more. “Alright. Well I had my audition and ended up getting the part of the Phantom himself Erik. Though they wanted me to wear a wig.”, Damon started rolling his eyes a little. “Isadora had cleaned up before coming to the open auditions and I saw her as I was about to leave. She’d been called out onto the stage by the director, Derek Bach. So I ducked back into the Opera house and took a seat in the back to see her audition. God her voice, angels could only dream to sing as beautifully. For the second time in a day my heart stopped and I was transfixed by her. I knew I was running late and needed to get back to the castle before Geri or one of the others blew the castle up or each other for that matter. But I couldn’t pull myself away. I stayed for her audition and after she’d walked off stage I moved down the aisle and sat behind Derek and quietly told him that the girl who’d just left the stage was Christine and if he couldn’t hear that he shouldn’t be directing the Opera. I left it at that leaving to ensure the other XC members didn’t kill each other or anyone else for that matter. Derek selected Isadora to bee Christine. And that was my in. We got to know each other through rehearsals both at the Opera House but her apartment as well. We always rehearsed at her place as I couldn’t bring cast members to the castle. I remember Matthew Corliss who was playing Raoul came over to rehears as well always trying to get close to Isadora. It was kind of amusing to me. Because he failed, every time. Raoul may be the one that got Christine at the end of the play, but in the end when the curtains fell I was the one walking away with Isadora. And that’s what mattered to me.”, Damon said.

“We had two good years together. I’d even gotten my own apartment separate from the XC. She knew everything about me, granted I didn’t go into details about the things I had done as part of the XC she didn’t want to know that. But she knew about my powers, about the curse, about the ancestors. God the ancestors hated that I’d chosen her to love. They still hate it. Heck they haven’t shut up since I was introduced to Zoe yesterday. They wanted me to pick Geri. To them it was a logical choice. Geri was more of the warrior mindset that they felt would make for a good heir where Isadora was always more gentle being the artist. Then everything started to go bad in Bayville. Mutants getting attacked and it was just not safe. I couldn’t abandon the XC, they were my responsibility. So I told Isadora to go to Florence. To stay with her family and I would follow when I knew my team was safe. And when things were finally settled I’d sent word to her that I was going to be coming, not trusting normal lines of communication because of Geri I sent a private detective with the letter. Not knowing Geri got to him first. She sent assassins to kill Isadora. They failed but did kill her dad. I was given a false death certificate by the detective and Zoe was never mentioned. I’d spent from that day forward mourning her. I named my dojo Fenice which is Italian for Phoenix and the name Isadora had called me. I wear that same scarf she’d worn the first day I met her.”, Damon said pulling the scarf from his pocket. “Aww daddy…that is the most romantic thing I have ever. Oh my god. And now almost twenty years later you have learned she’s alive, that you have Zoe together, and soon you’ll get to see her in person. This needs to be put to script and filmed but in black and white.”, Gina exclaimed. Zoe and Damon both laughed while Alexander shook his head. “You are such a hopeless romantic.”, Alexander said. Gina shrugged. “Pardon me for finding love and romance to be great. You can tell by the way daddy talks about her and how he’s carried this torch for her all these years that he must love her deeply. Don’t you feel that way about Talia?”, Gina countered.

Zoe thought back and remembered Talia from when she chased her down along with the gargoyles. How someone could love someone so cruel she wasn’t sure. “How I feel about Talia isn’t really your business Gina. I’m not going to sit here and discuss my private life with my sister…er…sisters.”, Alexander defended. Gina laughed and leaned off the bed hugging her brother about the neck. “Don’t let his cold exterior fool you Zoe. Alexander has emotions and I can’t figure out why but the little nut is head over heels for Talia. Does basically anything for her.”, Gina explained. Zoe nodded. Alexander rolled his eyes as he pushed his younger sister off him. “I don’t hide that I love Talia. I just don’t go into mushy details. Which I suppose I owe you an apology Zoe.”, Alexander stated. Zoe blinked. “Why do you owe me an apology?”, she asked. “Talia would never admit to being wrong. So I’ll apologize for her and the twins. They should not have left the dojo that day to chase after you. It shouldn’t matter or be an issue that you were watching dad and I spar. Lots of people tend to stand outside the front window of the dojo to watch the training no matter who it’s with. They shouldn’t have gone after you or tried to harm you. Dad sufficiently put them in their place yesterday.”, Alexander explained. “Put them in their place?”, Zoe questioned looking to Damon. Damon shrugged but smiled. “I believe my words to Talia before I left the Academy yesterday was that if her and the twin idiots tried to go after my daughter again I’d deliver their heads in cardboard boxes to their parents.”, Damon said simply. Zoe blinked. “You would actually do that?”, Zoe questioned. Damon sighed. “Yes. For any of my children I would kill to protect them. And Talia knows that so she won’t try anything again.”, Damon explained. Zoe nodded kind of a scary idea that her father was capable of killing someone, but as he put it for his children’s safety he would. She could understand that. Her mother got into many arguments with parents of children that dared to taunt her growing up for her white hair. “So any other burning questions?”, Damon asked looking at the three. “Yes. What are we doing today?”, Gina asked. “We are showing Zoe around. And in part of that I’ll also show you two some things from my life before your mother that I had to bury because of her. This afternoon I’ll leave the three of you with Alec perhaps to get to know each other while I meet with the lawyer. So come on let’s go.”, Damon staid standing up.