08. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me

Five Years From Now,

Kol slowly woke up and groaned in annoyance when he realised he was tied up with a bright light shinning on his face.

"What in the world?" Kol whispered, feeling extremally delirious.

"You shouldn't have walked in here Kol" Kol heard Aria say, confusing him, "You're not the fly I was hoping to catch".

"I know who you are but why the hell do you sound like Ri?" Kol asked confused.

The mystery girl stepped forward and Kol was shocked to see the not only did she have Aria's voice but also her face.

"Am I losing my mind?" Kol asked.

"You're hallucinating because of the werewolf venom I injected in to you" the woman replied, "Unfortunately it won't kill you, but it will give you a lot of pain, that's what you get for coming between me and Damon".

"Oh great" Kol mumbled, once again passing out.

***

Today,

Damon, Kol, Aria and Enzo sat in the Mikaelson's study, discussing their plan to kill Julian.

"So, what's the plan?" Damon asked.

"It's quiet simple, we kill Julian, today" Aria replied, "But we can't rush it, in Julian's eyes everything needs to be normal, I'll give him one thing that the guy is smart, if he even gets the slightest hint that Lily is against him, Lily and all of us are dead".

"So you embed her with a psychopath" Enzo said, "Sounds logical".

"Don't look at me" Damon said, "I voted to drive a stake through her heart and get rid of this Julian-Mama drama once and for all, but Ria didn't want that hence why this complicated plan A".

"My plan is not that complicated" Aria defended.

"It kind of is Ri" Kol said.

"How is it complicated?" Aria asked, "All we have to do is get some of Julian's blood then I or one of the heretics use it to unlink him from Lily, and then the bastard dies".

"Uh, you glossed over the important bit" Enzo said, "Do you really think Beau, Mary Louise or Nora are going to help or not stop us from killing Julian?".

"That's not our problem, that's Lily's problem" Kol said, "It's her family so she as to figure out how to get them on our side".

Aria nodded at Kol, "Exactly" she said.

"Julian treats Lily's heretics as if they're his own royal children" Enzo reminded, "And they worship his right back, they'll never turn on him".

"The old stake through the heart's lookin like a pretty good alternative right now, just sayin" Damon said.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to agree on Damon on this" Kol said.

"Thank you" Damon told Kol.

"Okay, you two, no talking unless talked to" Aria told both Damon and Kol, "You're not helping and I don't appericate your useless suggestions".

"How is my suggestion useless, my suggestion is the only suggestion that ensures Julian's death" Damon argued.

"And Lily's, your mother's" Aria argued back, "You won't be able to take that guilt Damon".

"Try me Aria" Damon said.

Aria shook her head, "I'm not letting you go through that, right now you might say you don't care if Lily lives or dies, but in the future you will, the guilt will eat you alive Damon, so your suggestion, not an option".

"Then what are we supposed to do to make the heretics go against Julian?" Kol asked.

"We bring in the only thing we do have against Julian" Aria replied.

"Which is?" Enzo asked slightly confused.

"Me" Valerie informed, entering the room, "I know how to win them over to our side".

"Oh, great, yeah, last I checked, she was the black sheep of the family" Enzo reminded, "What are you gonna tell them to make them feel otherwise?".

Aria looked at Valerie, "You sure about this?" she asked.

Valerie nodded, "I'm sure" she replied, she then turned to Enzo, "I'm going to tell my family the truth".

***

On Aria's instance, Damon had agreed to attend Nora and Mary Louise's anniversary party, as soon as Damon entered the party he was met with the sight of his mother feeding from one of the compelled humans, not wanting to see anything else, Damon stepped out, already hating that Aria managed to convince him to come here.

"Looks like someone's having fun" Damon taunted, seeing his mother rush outside to meet him.

Lily wiped her mouth, "I had to feed" she defended, "I have to convince them that I'm on their side".

"Sounds like something straight outta Rippers Anonymous" Damon said, "Plan's postponed till further notice".

Damon went to walk away, but Lily quickly stopped him, "No, no, no, no, look, Valerie will get through to them, the plan must go forward, I can't spend another minute with that man".

"Fine" Damon said, "Julian dies tonight, but it's no skin off my back if you're still linked to the guy when I shove a stake through his heart".

"Yes, you made that perfectly clear when you tried to kill him yesterday" Lily said.

"What do you want from me, an apology?" Damon asked, "Ain't gonna happen, I'm only here because of Ria and I don't want her to give me the silent treatment for the next century".

Lily glared at Damon and the next moment slapped him across his face, "I am your mother" she spat, "How can you be so cavalier about my life?".

"Because you're already dead to me, Lily" Damon snapped, "I was seventeen, you went away, I cried, I grew up, you being here doesn't change any of that, if I had to do it all over again, I'd have left you in that damn prison world so I don't have to see your face again".

***

"Hell of a party" Damon commented, entering the room in which Julian was feeding off of a girl, with Aria and Kol behind him.

Julian shoved the now dead girl on to the floor, "Your mother would agree" he told Damon, "There's a kindergarten teacher in the powder room to prove it".

Aria chuckled, she poured herself a drink and turned to Julian, "My good old future mother-in-law" she said, "Must say, she's a great actress".

"What are you three doing?" Julian asked confused with Aria's words.

"Oh come on Julian, it's a party, we're here to party" Kol replied.

"Yeah we figured we'd come support the pretty one and her mean girlfriend" Damon said, as he and Kol proceeded to play darts.

While Julian was distracted by Damon and Kol, Aria looked down at her phone seeing a message from Lily, letting her know that the heretics were now on their side, Aria then looked at Damon and gave him a nod, who then immediately threw a dart right at Julian's neck.

Julian took the dart out of his neck and shoved Damon into a wall and tried to stab his eye with the dart but before he could Kol grabbed the nearby vintage camera and smashed it against Julian's back, causing him to step away from Damon, Kol then shoved a wooden stake into Julian's stomach eventually rendering him unconscious.

"Well that was easy" Aria commented, downing her drink, "Boys, time to tie him up".

***

Aria walked over to Lily, "Damon and Kol are tying Julian up" she informed, "And I managed to get his blood", Aria showed Lily the vial of blood in her hand.

"Good, they're waiting for it in the green house" Lily said.

Aria nodded, she turned to leave but Lily stopped her.

"You'd do anything for your kids, won't you?" Lily asked.

Aria faced Lily, a look of confusion on her face, "Excuse me?".

"Your triplets" Lily said, "If one day, push came to shove, you'd sacrifice everything for your children, right?".

"Right" Aria said, "That's what mothers do, I gave birth to them, I will never just leave them on their own".

Lily sighed, "I thought I was doing the right thing".

"I know Damon's father put you through hell, Damon told me, but he put Damon through hell as well, I know you had your reason, but I'm sorry, the mother in me can't forgive for you abandoning your sons, for choosing Julian over everything, even above the sons that you gave birth to" Aria said, "But it's not my forgiveness that you need, is it?".

"It doesn't matter" Lily said, tears welling in her eyes, "Damon has no desire to forgive me".

Aria sighed, "He has every right to be angry at you" she said, "You were the first woman to break his heart, ever since then Damon's put a wall around his heart that no one can take down".

"Except you" Lily said, "When he's with you, he is different, he tries to be good enough for you, for his children".

"He doesn't try, he is good" Aria retorted, "Damon has this facade of not caring, of being evil, but if you really know him, you will know that Damon Salvatore isn't evil, he is probably the best man I know, and I pray that my sons turn to out be exactly like their father, who knows how love unconditionally, how to protect his family, how to fight for his family, but most importantly, he knows how to forgive the people who truly deserve it".

"I saw it in his eyes, Aria" Lily said, "He wishes me dead".

"Damon and I are soulmates" Aria informed, "When Damon died, I lost my mind, I didn't know what to do with my life, the triplets were newborns but without Damon I couldn't even be a good mother to them, because he is my anchor, and it's the same for him, you took me from him for three months Lily, you took me away from my kids, that isn't something Damon or anyone else is easily going to forgive".

"Well, then maybe you could offer me a little advice" Lily said, "How did I get him back? How do I get him to forgive me?".

"Show him that you care for him" Aria replied, "Show him that you love him, that the mother he knew, is still somewhere in there".

Lily gave Aria a small smile, "Thank you Aria".

"I'm not doing this for you Lily" Aria said, "I'm doing this for Damon".

"I know" Lily whispered, "He's very lucky that he has you".

Aria shook her head, "It's the opposite actually, I'm lucky that I have him".

***

While Aria was talking to Lily, Damon and Kol were in the room Julian was chained up in, playing pinball.

"You are terrible at games" Kol teased Damon.

"The only thing you're good at is games" Damon retorted.

"And that's bad, because?" Kol asked.

"It's bad because you are a thousand years old, how are you not good at anything else?" Damon asked.

Kol glared at Damon, "I'm good at torturing people, want to see?".

"Oh, I am so scared" Damon said sarcastically.

"My mind is boggled by this blind devotion you have for Lily" Julian said, interrupting Damon and Kol, "I mean, the mother mused up an idea to keep you away from your soul mate".

"Stop talking" Damon warned.

"And yet, here you are" Julian continued, "Essentially risking your life to be here with me in order to keep her alive".

"Don't listen to him" Valerie said, entering the room, "He knows he's dead either way, but if he can provoke you to kill him now, then you spend eternity as the boy who killed his own mother".

"Aren't you a clever girl" Julian taunted, "It's a shame, I suppose your little one would have had the same smart--".

Valerie spat at Julian's face, making him laugh, "Rot in hell, Julian".

"What is this?" Mary Louise asked, entering the room.

"Apparently whoever wins at foosball gets to kill me" Julian replied.

"It's pinball actually" Kol corrected, "And not that anyone was asking but I am very much beating Damon".

"You're right Kol, no one was asking" Damon said, making Kol give him a mock smile, he then glanced at Mary Louise, "Did you break that link yet?".

"How do I know that you were pregnant with Stefan's child?" Mary Louise asked Valerie.

"Are you testing me?" Valerie asked, slightly shocked, "Do you really believe I'd make that up?".

"You lied to Lily about your affair with Stefan" Mary Louise reminded, "Just like you lied to us about killing Oscar, so why should I believe that you're telling the truth, now?".

"All right, we're done here" Kol stated, as he and Damon turned around to attack Mary Louise.

However, before they could even take one step, Mary Louise used her magic to give the two vampires an aneurism.

"What are you doing?" a confused Valerie asked, as Damon and Kol yelled in pain.

Mary Louise ignored Valerie and instead used her magic to snap her neck, she then rendered Damon and Kol unconscious as well.

Julian chuckled, "And that, Mary Louise, is why you've always been my favorite".

***

"Oh my god" a shocked Lily said, entering the room and seeing Julian chaining Damon, Kol and Valerie up.

"Things have grown out of hand, Lily" Julian said, "Enough is enough".

"What are you doing?" Lily asked, "Let them go".

"I can't" Julian said, "If I do, this bloody cycle will continue, and I love you, and the family that we have built together far too much for that to happen, so, I know that Kol is an original, we can't kill him, but we can kill Damon and Valerie, but don't worry only one will die, and you will choose who".

"I will do no such thing" Lily said, glaring at Julian.

"Oh, but you will" Julian said, "You have spent far too long trying to have it all, the lies, the violence, all because you wanted the impossible, well, the truth is, you're either a Salvatore or you're one of us, but you cannot be both".

Julian grabbed a wooden stake and walked over to Lily.

"Choose" Julian demanded, he placed the stake into Lily's hand, "Choose".

***

"This isn't you" Lily protested, "This is not the man that I fell in love with, you used to be kind, gentle, funny, no, no, you, you're still in shock from the hell that you've been trapped in for so long".

"Hell didn't turn him evil, Lily" Valerie said, "He was born this way".

"Okay, this vervain stings like a bitch and your family drama makes the prospect of hell look like Disneyland" Damon told Lily, "So, please, one swift stab, straight through the heart, let's get this over with".

"Are you mad?!" Kol asked, glaring at Damon, "For once in your life, keep your stupid mouth shut".

"She chose her heretics over me every chance she had, Kol" Damon snapped, "Why will she stop now?".

"And you're choosing death over your children" Kol snapped, "You would rather die then stay alive for them?!".

"Of course not!" Damon yelled, "But we both know who Lily is going to choose!".

"Lily, please" Valerie pleaded.

An emotional Lily walked over to Valerie, "You are such a strong girl" she cried, "I am so sorry I didn't see it sooner", Lily then walked over to Damon, "My son", she placed her hand on Damon's cheek, "Please forgive me".

"Kill me!" Damon yelled, glaring at his mother.

"Lily, don't do this!" Kol yelled, trying to get out of his chains but failing due to the vervain in his system and around the chains.

Lily ignored both Damon and Kol and faced Julian.

"Come on, do it, Lily" Damon provoked.

"You're wrong about so many things" Lily told Julian, "I never had the courage to tell you before, but I do now, you are wrong, Julian, I can choose them both".

Before anyone could realise, Lily had stabbed herself in the heart with a stake, hoping it would kill Julian as well, but what she didn't know was that her and Julian had already been unlinked.

"No, Lily!" Julian yelled, rushing over to the vampire as she fell to the floor gasping for air, Julian took the stake out of Lily, "My sweet, foolish girl, I've already unlinked us".

While they were doing the unlinking spell together both Aria and Nora realised that Julian and Lily were already unlinked, which is why they rushed into the room, realising something had gone wrong and both of them were shocked seeing the sight infront of them.

"Lily!" Nora yelled.

Julian seeing both Aria and Nora speeded away, while the two girls kneeled by  a dying Lily.

***

Lily had now been moved over to her bed, where Nora worked on removing the pieces of wood stuck in her chest.

"The splinters must be inside your heart, I can't get them out" Nora cried.

"Nora" Lily whispered, "It's all right".

"What do I do?" Nora asked, she turned to Aria, "Tell me what to do".

Aria gave Nora a sympathetic look, "You say goodbye before it's too late Nora".

An emotional Nora looked at Aria in shock, she then turned to Lily, realising Aria was right, "We wouldn't be a family without you, Lily" she cried, "I love you, I am so sorry this happened", Nora stood up from the bed, "Goodbye" she said, then rushed out of the room, not wanting to see Lily die.

Next, Beau sat by Lily's bed, with tears streaming down his face, he gave Lily a nod, who nodded back, he then went forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Once Beau left, Valerie walked over to Lily, "I forgive you for loving him Lily" she cried, "You just wanted to love us all, there is no sin in that".

After placing a kiss on her forehead, Valerie also left, leaving Aria, Damon and Kol alone with Lily.

Aria looked over at her fiance, "She doesn't have much Damon" she whispered, "Don't spend the last moments of your mothers life being angry with her".

Damon looked at Aria, then at Lily, he took a swig out of his bottle of bourbon and walked over to Lily.

"Damon" Lily cried, "I'm truly sorry".

When Damon stayed quiet, Aria walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Damon please" she whispered, as she watched Lily slowly start to desiccate, "If you don't say something now you will regret it for the rest of your life".

Damon gave Kol the bottle of bourbon and then bend down to face Lily, he stared at her for a moment, "You made your bed" he finally said, "Have a nice nap".

"What is wrong with you?!" Aria asked, glaring at her soulmate, as Lily fully desiccated and Damon's words were the last she heard.

"Don't tell me you're actually feeling pity for her" Damon snapped.

"Don't" Aria warned, "She's dead Damon, and she died to save your life! Can you be a little grateful!".

"After coming after our kids, then separating you from me for three months, I'll say she had this coming" Damon said.

"Damon" Kol warned.

"She was changing Damon!" Aria yelled, "She wanted your forgiveness, she wanted to do better!".

"Well she was too late for that" Damon snapped.

Aria shook, "God, I can't even look at you right now" she said.

"Wait, Ri--".

"Don't defend him" Aria interrupted Kol, she looked at an angry Damon, "Ever since I've met you, I always tried seeing the good in your bad actions, but this", Aria shook her head, "What you did tonight, I won't defend you, because you weren't right, and one day when you realise that, it will too late".

After giving  Damon one last glare, Aria walked out of them room, not trusting herself to say something else to Damon in her anger.

***

Presenting 7x08 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on the flashforward?

Thoughts on Aria and gang teaming up with Lily and the heretics to get rid of Julian?

Thoughts on Aria and Lily's conversation about Damon?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria's argument regarding Lily? Whose side are you on?