11. Our Town

Aria stared at the punching bag infront of her and rapidly started hitting it.

"You'll put a hole in that thing" Alaric commented, Aria ignored him and kicked the punching bag, "Wanna talk about it?".

"About what?" Aria breathed, "About the fact that Elena told Stefan to compel Jeremy to leave Mystic Falls? Or about the fact that Stefan kissed me and now Damon won't talk to me".

"Is that why you stayed here last night?" Alaric asked.

Aria nodded, "I couldn't go to Caroline's, she would ask too many questions, questions I didn't want to answer, so I came here".

"So you're all worked up because you think Damon hates you now?" Alaric asked.

"I hate me" Aria mumbled, "I wouldn't be surprised if he comes and tells me our relationship is over".

"Aria, Damon isn't going to break up with you over this" Alaric assured, "He knows you didn't kiss Stefan, Stefan kissed you, and you were honest about it to him, his just angry, and not at you, but at Stefan, and once his anger settles, we both know he will come running back to you, he physically can't stay away from you for too long".

Aria sighed, "I hope so".

"I know so" Alaric said, "Want some coffee?".

"Yes please" Aria said, sitting on the counter while Alaric made her coffee.

"So I guess Stefan's compulsion worked" Alaric said, "I went to see Jeremy and saw him packing, he was going on about his new school in Denver".

"It's not fair" Aria said, "Once again Elena took away Jeremy's free will, I admit the first time I supported her and it was only because I didn't want Jeremy to suffer, but this time, he was happy, he was finally finding his place but Elena had to ruin that".

"You know his eventually going to come back, right?" Alaric asked, handing Aria her coffee.

"Yeah, I know, it's just, when he finds out about his compulsion, his going to be so hurt" Aria said, sipping her coffee.

"Well, he will have you right by his side to help him through it" Alaric said, giving Aria a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess" Aria whispered.

***

"You're late Beks" Aria said, decorating Caroline's locker for her birthday.

"Sorry, I had to make sure Caroline's birthday sign was perfect" Rebekah said, showing Aria the sign.

"Wow Beks, that's beautiful" Aria praised.

"Thanks, I wanted it to be perfect, it's Caroline's first birthday with me, I don't want it to be bad, I want it to be memorable" Rebekah said.

"Relax Beks, this birthday, is going to be the best birthday Care has ever had" Aria assured, "Now hold the balloons so I can tape them down".

Rebekah grabbed the balloons and held them against Caroline's locker while Aria taped them down.

"So, have you talked to Damon?" Rebekah asked.

"Not since he walked out on me last night" Aria replied, sticking the sign on to the locker.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Rebekah asked.

"Nope" Aria replied.

"Why not?" Rebekah asked confused.

"Because I'm scared" Aria admitted.

"Scared of what?" Rebekah asked.

"Scared that if I talk to Damon, he will tell me his done with me and our relationship, and if he says that, I don't know if I can take it" Aria admitted.

"You're an idiot" Rebekah said, "You need to talk to Damon and not make any assumptions before you do".

Aria sighed, "I will, but not today".

"Aria--".

"Look Beks, today is Caroline's birthday, I want to spend today with her, not worrying if Damon's younger brother, ruined our relationship" Aria said.

"Tomorrow I'm forcing you to talk to Damon" Rebekah said.

"And I'll let you, right now, help me finish this before Care comes" Aria said.

Rebekah sighed, but nonetheless, helped Aria decorate Caroline's locker.

***

"Why are you here and not with Ari?" Klaus asked Damon.

"I wanted to spend the day with my new bestie" Damon replied.

"You're ignoring her, aren't you?" Klaus said, giving Damon a pointed look.

Damon sighed, "I'm not ignoring her, I'm just majorly pissed at my so called brother for kissing my girl, and I'm scared that in my anger I will say something to Ria that I don't mean".

"So when are you going to talk to her?" Klaus asked, "When are you going to end both your misery?".

"When I find my brother and take all my anger out on him" Damon said.

"Well, your search ends here" Klaus said, looking behind Damon, "I'm surprised you're still in town".

Damon turned around to see his brother standing behind him.

"I gave you your freedom, you could've gone anywhere" Klaus said.

Damon speeded over to Stefan and punched him in the face.

"You kissed her!" Damon yelled, "You knew how much I love her, yet you went ahead and kissed her!".

Damon grabbed a nearby wooden stick and plunged it into Stefan's stomach.

"I'm not here to fight you Damon" Stefan breathed, pulling out the stick from his stomach, "I'm here to talk to Klaus".

"You started this fight when you kissed Aria, despite knowing that she is in a relationship with your brother!" Damon said, punching Stefan again, while Klaus watched in amusement.

"Why are you here Stefan?" Klaus asked, interrupting their fight, "Surely, you're not here just to get beaten up by your brother".

"I don't like your hybrid friends" Stefan said, "They're everywhere, kind of like fleas, I want them gone".

"And I want you gone, but we don't all get what we want" Damon snapped.

"And I kind of like having them around" Klaus said.

"Hmm" Stefan said.

"You know, I'm hurt, I hoped that I'd free you and we'd pick up where we left off, but here you are guzzling vervain like the rest of them, I'm sure" Klaus said, "So much for friendship"

"Friends don't strip friends of their free will" Stefan taunted.

"Okay, granted, yeah, that was a little extreme" Klaus said, "I get a little moody, just ask my siblings, speaking of whom, isn't it time you handed them over?".

"Klaus, get your hybrids out of Mystic Falls or I will remove them myself" Stefan threatened.

"Hmm" Klaus said, "You see, if you continue to threaten me, I'm gonna be forced to retaliate, kill people, and it'll get messy again, and this time your brother will help me".

"Gladly" Damon said, glaring at Stefan.

"Do whatever you want, I don't really care" Stefan said, "Or, you know what? Maybe I do, yeah, yeah maybe I care so much that I drop Elijah in the Arctic".

"Your really digging yourself a grave here" Damon said.

"Let's find out" Stefan said.

"Is everything okay?" One of Klaus's hybrids asked.

"Everything's fine, Mindy" Klaus assured, "Stefan was just leaving after failing to make his point".

Stefan smirked, and before Damon or Klaus could react, Stefan had grabbed a machete and cut Mindy's head off.

"Well, one down" Stefan commented, "You may want to send the rest of them away before it gets messy, again".

"If you want to kill him, feel free" Damon said, after Stefan left.

"I'm seriously considering it" Klaus said, downing his drink.

***

A frustrated Caroline entered her house, she had gone to school but didn't have it in her to go inside, so she ended up skipping, today was her birthday but unlike every other year, this year it didn't feel like it was anything special, it also didn't help that Aria and Rebekah didn't wish her, she felt like crap.

Caroline jumped when Rebekah and Aria came up behind her.

"Surprise!" They yelled simultaneously.

"Happy birthday, Care Bear" Aria said, pulling Caroline into a hug.

"What are you guys doing here?" Caroline asked, slightly confused.

"You didn't come to school today, which by the way, caused you to miss our excellent job at decorating your locker" Rebekah said.

"Change into warmer clothes, we are going to the falls" Aria said, placing a birthday crown on to Caroline's head.

"You can continue telling me how to make perfect smores" Rebekah said.

"Oh and we are also doing a campfire" Aria said.

"And don't forget the cake" Rebekah interjected.

"Exactly like we used to do when we were little, except this year we have a better friend and this time we won't be drinking soda, we will be drinking tequila!" Aria said excitedly.

Caroline chuckled, "Uh, thanks guys, really, um, but I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year".

Aria frowned, "What are you on about Care? You love your birthday, you have claimed it as everyone's favorite day of the year".

"Yeah, and now it's just a reminder that technically I'm dead" Caroline snapped, "Look, I didn't even like seventeen, and the only point to seventeen was to get to eighteen, it's a filler year, I am stuck in a filler year".

"You're being dramatic Caroline, you're not stuck" Rebekah assured.

"Yeah, I am" Caroline said, "But it's okay, you know, it's all good, I will be fine, but I just need some time to wallow in it".

"I have a better idea" Aria said, an idea forming in her head.

"Aria--".

"No just, listen to me" Aria interrupted, "Your going to have an amazing birthday, and I'm going to make sure of it".

***

"What do you want me to do with her head?" One of Klaus's hybrids asked.

"Just get rid of it, burn it" Klaus replied, "I honestly don't care, Daniel".

"You called? I'm here" Tyler said, confused seeing Damon with Klaus, "What happened?".

"My brother happened" Damon replied simply.

"Stefan had two paths in front of him, he chose the one that made me angry" Klaus said, "I need you to help me do something about that".

"Can't you just leave me out of it?" Tyler asked, not wanting to get inbetween his friends and Klaus.

"What would be the point in that?" Klaus asked.

"Seriously, can't you just get one of your other hybrids to do your bidding?" Tyler snapped, "I lost my friends--".

"Right, your, uh, your friends" Klaus interrupted, "Um, I need you to bite one of them".

"What?" Tyler asked shocked.

"Don't make me repeat myself" Klaus replied, "Elena, Bonnie, any of them, just bite one of your friends, Stefan pushed me too far, so I'm pushing back".

"I'm not biting one of my friends" Tyler snapped

"Tyler" Klaus said, "I've been supernaturally blessed with the good fortune of a sire bond to you, so one could consider this me putting your undying loyalty to the test".

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tyler asked, "I'm not hurting any of my friends".

Klaus smiled, "All right, all right, I'm disappointed, but you know, it's your choice, free will and all that, I'll find another way to strike at Stefan, you can go now".

After Tyler left, Damon turned to Klaus, "There's no way your that understanding".

Klaus smirked, "Oh, I'm not".

***

"And here we are ladies" Aria said, leading her bestfriends into the cemetery.

"Isn't this creepy?" Caroline asked, looking around unsure.

"Both of you are dead, you guys should feel right at home" Aria teased.

Rebekah threw her party hat at Aria, making both her and Caroline laugh.

"You were right Care" Aria said, turning to the birthday girl, "You are dead".

"Way to be gentle" Rebekah said.

"Sorry, but it's true, Care doesn't need a birthday" Aria said, "She needs a funeral, Care you need to say goodbye to your old and boring life, that's the only way you can move on with your new and exciting life".

Caroline chuckled, "Okay, here lies Caroline Forbes".

"She was a cheerleader, won Miss Mystic Falls, oh and we can never forget her being the third grade hopscotch champion" Aria listed, making Caroline smile.

"She was an amazing friend, an even better daughter, she was kind of an over achiever" Rebekah said.

"Sometimes she had her mean girl moments, no offense" Aria said.

Caroline laughed, "None taken".

"She died when she was seventeen, she had an amazing life, but now may she rest in peace" Rebekah said, putting the candles on Caroline's cake, "Because now it's time to move forward, with her two best friends right by her side".

"It's what you need, it's what all three of us need" Aria said, using her magic to light Caroline's candles up, "Don't forget to make a wish".

"I wish that us three stay like this, forever" Caroline wished, blowing out her candles.

"Where else are we supposed to go?" Rebekah teased, making the other two girls laugh.

***

"Pass the tequila here" Aria said, snatching the bottle from Rebekah, and taking a huge swig, "I need it more than any of you".

"You need to talk to Damon, you're miserable without him and it's depressing" Caroline said, snatching the bottle from Aria.

"Get your own bottle woman" Aria said, taking the bottle back from Caroline.

"But it's my birthday" Caroline complained.

"And I'm delicate" Aria defended.

"I want more cake, where's the cake?" Rebekah asked.

"You and Caroline ate it" Aria replied.

"All of it?" Rebekah asked, not remembering eating all the cake.

"Yes Beks, all of it" Aria laughed.

"Then give me that" Rebekah said, snatching the tequila from Aria.

"What's with you people taking my alcohol?" Aria asked, "You know what, screw you guys, I'm texting Matt and telling him to bring me more alcohol".

"You do that" Caroline said.

Aria grabbed her phone and unlocked it, only to see a photo of her and Damon kissing as her wallpaper.

Rebekah and Caroline looked at Aria, and frowned seeing her upset.

"Aria, what's wrong?" Caroline asked.

"Do you think Damon and me are done?" Aria asked.

"What? No!" Caroline replied, "You both are my OTP, there's no way you guys are done because of Stefan".

"Then why did he walk out on me?" Aria asked.

"Because he was angry" Rebekah replied, "And something told me he didn't want to accidentally take it out on you".

"God, I'm being such a girl, aren't I?" Aria asked, feeling embarrassed.

"Well, in your defense, you are a girl" Rebekah said.

"Yeah, and it's okay to feel sad sometimes, now I'm going to call Tyler and tell him to bring us some alcohol for your alcoholic ass, okay?" Caroline asked.

"I am not a alcoholic" Aria defended.

"Sure, whatever you say" Rebekah said, smiling.

"I hate both of you" Aria mumbled, looking at the picture of her and Damon one last time, before locking her phone.

***

"Tyler's here with alcohol, I'm going to go get it" Caroline said, standing up.

"Go on peasant, go get my alcohol" Aria joked.

Caroline laughed and after throwing her empty cup at her drunk best friend, went to get the alcohol.

"So, how are you dealing with Jeremy leaving?" Rebekah asked.

Aria sighed, "Elena had no business messing with Jeremy's head, but I don't how to stop him, cause deep down, I kind of wonder, is Jeremy really in danger here? Because if that's the case, then maybe it is best for him to leave, I refuse to lose anyone else I care about".

"I don't know if Jeremy's in danger or not, but I promise you one thing, I'm not going to let you lose anyone else you care about, okay?" Rebekah said.

Aria gave Rebekah a small smile, "I love you".

"I know" Rebekah smiled, pulling Aria into a hug, making her laugh.

***

"Caroline!" Rebekah yelled, as her and Aria looked for their missing blonde friend, who never returned back to them with their alcohol.

"You don't think she will abandon us for Tyler, right?" Aria asked.

"Eww, Caroline and Tyler, that doesn't sit well with me" Rebekah replied.

"Same here, I'm rooting for her and Nik" Aria said.

"Nik and Caroline?" Rebekah asked shocked, "Seriously?".

"Oh come on, you can't deny that they will look awesome together" Aria replied.

Rebekah shook her head, "I don't know what to say to you, let's just find her".

"You didn't deny the fact that they will look cute together" Aria pointed.

"Caroline!" Rebekah yelled, ignoring Aria's words.

"Care, where are you, I want my alcohol!" Aria yelled.

"And you say your not an alcoholic" Rebekah teased.

Before Aria could reply, Stefan speeded behind Rebekah, catching her off guard, and snapped her neck.

Before Aria could defend herself, Stefan injected her with something and took her with him.

***

"What the hell are you doing, Stefan?" Aria snapped, as he speeded down the road, "And what did you inject me with?".

"Herbs to stop your magic" Stefan revealed.

Before Aria could go off at Stefan, her phone started ringing, pulling it out of her pocket, she realised Damon was calling her.

Seeing the caller ID, Stefan snatched Aria's phone from her, and answered it.

"Give me my phone back Stefan!" Aria yelled, making Damon frown.

"Ria?" Damon asked confused.

"Stefan, actually" Stefan said, "Your girlfriend's a little busy right now, wait, are you both even in a relationship anymore?".

"Why the hell do you have Aria's phone?" Damon asked, suddenly worried.

"Making my next move" Stefan replied, "Is Klaus there with you? Ask him what he will do if I kill the one person his been waiting for over a thousand years?".

"What?" Aria asked shocked.

"Stefan, leave her out of this" Damon snapped.

Stefan hanged up on Damon and threw Aria's phone out of the car.

"That's my phone, you dickhead!" Aria yelled, really missing her magic, "Let me out now Stefan, or god so help me", Stefan completely ignored Aria, "Have you gone deaf? I said let me out! What is your big plan anyways Stefan? You realise both Damon and Klaus will kill you if anything happens to me".

"I took Klaus' family to make him suffer" Stefan said, "I'm not going to let him make a new one".

"I'm not even the key to his hybrids!" Aria yelled.

"But you are the key to his humanity" Stefan said.

"So what, you're gonna lock me up in some tower?" Aria snapped.

"Maybe I'll just turn you into a vampire" Stefan replied, "If you're no longer human, you can't be his and Damon's humanity".

"Damon's your brother!" Aria yelled, "What's happened to you Stefan, why are you so hell bent on ruining his life?".

"He promised me an eternity of misery" Stefan snapped.

"Yet his done nothing to you!" Aria said, "You're the one whose making him miserable, not him! Now stop the bloody car Stefan!".

Before Stefan could reply, his phone started ringing.

"Hello, Klaus" Stefan greeted.

"Where's Ari?" Klaus asked, Damon right next to him, both men worried about Aria.

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town" Stefan said, ignoring Klaus's question.

"That's not gonna happen until I get my coffins and Ari back" Klaus snapped.

"Okay, well I'm gonna drive your humanity off Wickery Bridge" Stefan said.

"Stefan, if anything happens to Aria, Klaus will be the least of your worries" Damon threatened.

"I don't believe you Stefan, you won't kill her" Klaus said, refusing to believe anything's going to happen to Aria.

"Really, try me?" Stefan said, "After Aria, your coffins are next to go, say goodbye to your family Klaus".

Stefan started speeding along Wickery Bridge.

"Stefan, slow down!" Aria yelled, scared of what was going to happen, "Stefan! Please stop!".

"Fine, I'll send them away, you win" Klaus suddenly said.

"Stefan!" Aria yelled, seeing as Stefan wasn't slowing down, "Stop, Stefan!".

"Stop the bloody car Stefan!" Damon yelled.

Stefan suddenly pressed on the brakes, causing Aria to scream and lunge forward.

Stefan hanged up on Klaus and Damon, while Aria sat there panting in fear.

Before Stefan could say anything, Aria climbed out of the car.

"Get back in the car Aria" Stefan demanded.

"Don't come near me!" Aria yelled.

"Aria, get in the car" Stefan ordered.

"What is wrong with you?!" Aria yelled, tears streaming down her face, "My adoptive parents died going over this bridge, I nearly died, you knew that, you're the one who saved Elena, Damon saved me".

"Look he had to believe I would do it, all right? Your fear sold it" Stefan defended.

"And if he didn't?" Aria cried.

"He did" Stefan replied.

"What if he hadn't Stefan?!" Aria yelled.

"He did, Aria! He backed down!" Stefan yelled, "He has a weakness, you are his weakness, and with you, I can destroy him".

"You told me that you love me" Aria cried, "People who love each other, don't hurt each other like you've been doing to me again and again! You don't love me Stefan, you just want your brother to suffer! You keep claiming Klaus is the villain, when you and Elena have done so much worse!".

Aria turned her back to Stefan and started sobbing.

"I do love you Aria" Stefan said, "And not because Damon's in love with you, but because you're an amazing girl, but the truth is, I can never have you, which means destroying Klaus is all I have left".

"You had Elena, you had Damon" Aria snapped, turning to Stefan.

"I lost them the minute I left town with Klaus" Stefan said.

"Is that why your doing all this?" Aria cried, "Trying to get everyone to hate you, because you believe you have no one left?".

"I don't have to explain myself to you" Stefan said, getting back into his car and driving away.

After Stefan left, Aria fell to the ground and started crying hysterically, suddenly another car pulled over, but Aria paid no attention to the person who got out, she kept crying.

"I got you" Damon said, kneeling next to Aria, and pulling her into a hug.

"They died here" Aria sobbed, "They died here".

"Shh" Damon soothed, "I'm here, I'm here".

Damon and Aria sat there, in each other embraces, Aria needing Damon more then anything, while Damon was making sure Aria was okay.

***

Rebekah opened the front door of the Forbes house, and saw her brother standing there.

"Tyler came to see me" Klaus revealed, "Poor boy seemed quite distressed, he said Caroline had a terrible accident".

When Caroline had gone to get the alcohol from Tyler, she hugged him as a thank you gesture, and Tyler ended up accidentally biting her.

"Did you make him do this?" Rebekah asked, glaring at Klaus.

"I told Tyler to bite one of his friends, I was hoping he would have have bitten Elena or Bonnie, even Stefan, Caroline getting hurt was never my intention" Klaus defended, "I would never hurt Caroline, she means too much to Ari".

"Next time, get your orders straight Nik" Rebekah snapped.

"I'm here to help her Rebekah" Klaus said, as Liz walked over to the siblings, "My blood will heal her, please, ask the sheriff to invite me inside".

Liz sighed, Aria had told her that Klaus wasn't the bad guy, she knew Caroline getting hurt wasn't his fault and he was the only person who could save her daughter, "Come in".

Klaus stepped in and went towards Caroline's room.

"Don't worry, my brother will save her" Rebekah assured a worried Liz.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline whispered, seeing Klaus enter her room, "Are you going to kill me?".

"On your birthday?" Klaus asked, seeing the birthday cards Rebekah and Aria gave Caroline on her bedside table, "You really think that low of me?".

"I don't think low of you" Caroline confessed, "I don't know you enough to think anything of you".

Klaus stepped forward and removed the blanket from Caroline's shoulder and observed the bite.

"That looks bad" Klaus commented, "My apologies, you getting hurt was never my intention".

"I know" Caroline whispered.

Klaus smiled, "I love birthdays".

"Yeah" Caroline said, "Aren't you, like, a billion or something?".

"You have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire Caroline" Klaus replied, "Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions, you're free".

"No" Caroline said, "I'm dying".

Klaus sat beside Caroline on her bed, "And I could let you, die, if that's what you want, if you really believe your existence has no meaning, I thought about it myself, once or twice, over the centuries, truth be told, but I'll let you in on a little secret, there's a whole world out there waiting for you, great cities and art, and music, genuine beauty, and you can have all of it, you can have a thousand more birthdays, all you have to do is ask".

"I don't want to die" Caroline cried.

Klaus lifted Caroline's head, and forwarded his wrist to her, "There you go, sweetheart, have at it".

Caroline bit into Klaus's wrist and started drinking his blood.

"Happy birthday, Caroline" Klaus whispered.

***

Caroline groaned when the sun hit her face, she slowly sat up and sighed, she touched the side of her neck and realised the bite had healed.

She looked at her beside table to see a small black box, wrapped in a white ribbon, Caroline grabbed the note and read it.

From Klaus.

Caroline opened the box and saw a beautiful bracelet, a small smile came over her face as she took the bracelet out of the box and put it around her wrist.

***

"Damon, what are we doing here?" Aria asked confused, as Damon bought her to the Wickery Bridge.

"Rebekah told me what you guys did for Caroline's birthday" Damon said, "You guys let go of the old Caroline, to make room for the new Caroline, now it's your turn".

"What?" Aria asked confused.

"Ria, you're still holding onto the human girl that was supposed to die here that dreadful night" Damon replied, "The girl that was human, who didn't have two vampire brothers after her".

"I don't want to lose that girl Damon" Aria confessed, "If I let go of her, I'm scared I'm letting go of the normal in my life".

"You are Ria" Damon said, "Because your not a normal girl, you're a witch banshee hybrid, you're no longer that human girl anymore, you need to let her go, last night you were in so much pain because you're still holding on to her, it's time to move forward Ria, it's time to let go".

"I'm scared I've disappointed them" Aria whispered, looking at the water infront of her.

"You're doing better then you think" Damon assured, picking some flowers, "Here lies Aria Connor, at times also known as Ariana Connor, a fun and amazing girlfriend, and an even better friend".

Damon threw the flowers into the water, and pulled Aria closer to him.

"I'm sorry" Damon said, confusing Aria.

"What for?" Aria asked.

"For walking out on you that night" Damon replied, "I was angry, not at you but at Stefan, and all I wanted to do was murder someone, so I walked out, and I know that I hurt you, so I'm sorry".

"Damon Salvatore apologising?" Aria teased, "That's a first".

"With you, everything's a first" Damon said, attaching his forehead with Aria's.

"I love you Damon" Aria whispered, "I will never leave you because of Stefan".

"I know" Damon whispered, "Stefan is no competition for me, a certain Original is".

"Kol?" Aria asked, "You think Kol is competition?".

"More then Stefan? Yes" Damon said, "But don't worry, I don't plan on letting Kol take you away from me".

Aria lightly shook her head at Damon, "Your unbelievable".

"I know" Damon whispered, leaning in and placing his lips on to Aria's.

***

Presenting chapter eleven, no Bonnie and Elena in this chapter, hope you guys enjoyed it!

Thoughts on Alaric and Aria's little father daughter moment in the beginning?

Thoughts on the new partnership between Damon and Klaus?

Thoughts on the three girls celebrating Caroline's funeral?

Thoughts on Stefan kidnapping Aria and threatening to drive her off Wickery Bridge?

Thoughts on the Klaroline moment?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria's moment at the bridge?