Family Reunion

Damon had been awake for a while.

He lay on his side, propped slightly on one elbow, watching Naomi sleep. The early morning light filtered in through the half-drawn curtains, settling gently over her face. It caught in her lashes, traced the gentle rise and fall of her chest, warmed the crease between her brows that never quite went away even in sleep.

He reached out carefully, brushing his thumb along her cheek.

She stirred but didn’t wake up, only shifted closer, her nose pressing faintly into the pillow. Damon felt something tight loosen in his chest. Relief.

She was here. Safe and right next to him..

His fingers followed the familiar lines of her face as if memorising every inch of her all over again. He brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, then let his hand rest there, cupping her cheek. His eyes went down to her lips.

The urge to kiss her was strong, but he didn't. She needed rest and that seemed to matter more to him at the moment.

“DAMON! ”

The door burst open as Jordan stormed in. Right behind him, Charm barked, happy to see it's owner again.

“I HEARD...”

Damon was out of bed in an instant, bare feet hitting the floor as he crossed the room in two long strides. He clamped a hand over Jordan’s mouth and shoved him backward with enough force to send him stumbling into the hallway.

“Are you insane?” Damon hissed under his breath, shoving the door close but not fully. “Do you have any idea…”

Jordan’s eyes were wide, panicked, his chest heaving as he pulled Damon’s hand away.

“I saw the news,” Jordan blurted out. “I was worried about my sis in law! She was almost kidnapped? Are you insane?! You're supposed to protect her! Is she alright? I need to see for myself!”

Jordan heads towards the door again but Damon grabs the front of his shirt and hauls him farther down the hall, away from the bedroom.

“She’s sleeping,” Damon said sharply. “And if you wake her up, I swear..”

“I was scared,” Jordan shot back, lowering his voice now, but only barely. “You didn’t answer your phone. None of us could reach you. I thought something happened to both of you.”

Damon exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing the edge out of his anger. He glanced back toward the bedroom door, listening.

Silence. Good.

Behind them, Charm had slipped through before the door closed. The dog padded into the room without hesitation, hopped onto the bed, and circled once before settling down right beside Naomi. His head rested near her shoulder, tail thumping faintly against the mattress before going still.

Damon paused, watching through the cracked door.

“She likes her,” Jordan murmured, peering in as well.

“He,” Damon corrected.

Goodness, Charm has been in Jordan's care for a year and a half and the dumbass didn't even know the gender of the damned dog!

Jordan huffed softly. “Figures.”

Damon closed the door gently this time and turned back toward the hallway. “She's safe. I made sure of that.” he said after a moment.

Jordan nodded, though the tension in his shoulders hadn’t quite eased. “Yeah. I just.. when I saw her name on the screen... you mentioned she had scary family members. You were drunk when you told me but hey, you're pretty honest when you're drunk..”

Damon arched a questioning eyebrow, he didn't even want to know when this happened or how.

“I'm glad you're okay.” Jordan sobbed, face twisting as he cried. He hugs Damon, waiting for his brother to shove him off pretty soon but he doesn't. Damon simply tapped his back once.

“Don’t ruin my shirt, I'm not dead.”

Jordan nodded as he stepped away, face still contorted with tears, “Not yet.” He adjusted Damon's top. “Not when you still owe me a Bentley.”

Damon shoves him off, that little ass hole! He's really worried about a Bentley right now?

Jordan laughs, “He's back.” He sighs. “Everyone was worried and that news reporter was not laying it down easy..”

Damon sighed. “That's why I turned off my phone.” He might lose his shit if calls keep coming in that morning.

Jordan studied him for a second, then jerked his chin toward the stairs. “They’re downstairs.”

Damon stiffened. “Who?”

“Everyone. Mostly ” Jordan replied. “Victor. Seraphine. Elara. Caleb didn’t come with.”

Of course.

Damon glanced towards the stairs, were they really here?

“Why?”

“Cause we were all worried about Naomi. And you. Come on.” Jordan taps Damon's shoulder before heading down the stairs.

Damon followed Jordan down the stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. He hadn’t prepared for this. For his siblings standing in his living room, looking at him with concern.

That was new. Yes, they are here for Naomi but it still felt strange.

The sight hit him harder than expected.

Victor stood near the window, phone still in his hand as if he’d been calling over and over. Elara sat on the edge of the couch, fingers twisted together in her lap, worry etched plainly across her face. Seraphine leaned against the armrest, arms crossed, her usual sharp expression softened just a fraction.

They all turned when Damon entered. For a brief, awkward moment, no one spoke.

“You’re alive,” Seraphine said finally, exhaling. “Good. I was beginning to think the news exaggerated.”

Victor stepped forward first. “Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“And Naomi?” Elara asked immediately, rising to her feet. “Is she okay?”

Damon nodded. “She’s resting.”

Elara let out a shaky breath she’d clearly been holding. “Can I see her?”

“No.”

Elara's face dropped. Damon shuts his eyes, that was uncalled for.

“She’s asleep,” Damon added, softer this time.

“I’ll be quiet,” Elara promised, already moving toward the stairs.

“And I need to see if she's okay.” Seraphine added. “Your idea of okay might just mean she's not in a body bag.”

Damon reached out and caught Seraphine’s arm as she followed, her expression unreadable.

“She's sleeping. Don't…” he warned.

Seraphine raised a brow. “Relax. I just want to make sure your wife isn’t secretly a ghost.”

“Seraphine.” Victor cautioned.

She sighed. “Fine. I'll be quiet.”

She headed upstairs, ignoring his glare, while Elara trailed behind more hesitantly.

Damon turned back to Victor and Jordan, rubbing a hand over his face.

“She was attacked,” Victor said bluntly. “The news didn’t leave much out.”

Damon’s jaw tightened. “I know.”

Jordan shifted. “Mom saw it too.”

That was enough to make Damon frown. “And I'm guessing she didn't take it well.”

“She’s furious,” Victor continued. “Now that you're on the news, everyone knows she's your wife.”

Damon nodded. “Good.”

“She didn't care. About Naomi’s safety.” Jordan said, voice hardening. “I'm moving out of the house.”

Jordan didn't see back then when Damon decided to move out but now he got it. Rosie didn't care for anybody but herself and she might just be a hindrance to his happiness.

Victor exhaled. “I bought a house recently, I didn't tell Rosie about it..” he said slowly, almost like he felt guilty. He taps Jordan's shoulder. “You can move in with me..”

Jordan chuckled, “Seriously? You bought a house without mom knowing?”

Victor turned to face Damon. “You had more audacity than I could ever muster back then. You were right.” He admitted.

Damon exhaled, took them long enough to realise.

“I'm glad you see it now.”

Victor nodded.

“Just to be clear, I'm not moving in with you. I have a place in mind.” Jordan grinned.

Victor exhaled. “Rosie would have a field show with this. Me and Jordan moving out.”

Seraphine’s voice drifted down the stairs. “I want to see her face when you do. Only then will I be able to sleep better at night.”

Elara appeared at the top of the stairs then, her eyes avoiding everyone’s. She's not moving out, she didn't have the guts to.

Damon caught the look and said nothing.

“She’s fine,” Seraphine added, returning to the living room. “Naomi. At least you kept her safe, good.”

Damon let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

Victor stepped closer. “Look, whatever Mom is going to say or do…”

“Ignore her. She's had leverage for way too long.” Jordan cut in.

Damon met his brother’s gaze, something unspoken passing between them. Gratitude. Something like trust, long buried but not gone.

“I will.” Damon said quietly. “I'm protecting what's mine by all means.”

Jordan nodded. “Good. Because I’m not pretending this didn’t scare the hell out of me.”