11. Bloodlines

Aria panicked seeing the man she hit with her car, get up like nothing had happened to him, that's when she realised she didn't hit a human, she hit a vampire, Aria desperately tried to open her seat belt but it was jammed, as the man got closer the more panicked Aria got and the more quickly she tried to free herself but it was no use, she was stuck, the mysterious vampire stood next to Aria's damaged car and slowly started to kneel down, seeing that Aria let out a huge scream, when suddenly the vampire ran away.

Aria looked in the direction the man had run, letting out another scream when someone else popped up.

"How you doing in there?".

"Damon" Aria cried in relief seeing the oldest Salvatore infront of her.

"You look stuck" Damon observed, getting up and trying to flip the car over, but to no use.

"It's my seat belt, I can't get it off" Aria cried.

"Shh, shh, shh" Damon comforted, "Let me get you out of here, I want you to put your hands on the roof", Aria obeyed and placed her hands on the roof, "Just like that, you ready?", Aria nodded, "One, two, three", Damon yanked Aria's seat belt off and quickly grabbed Aria, "I gotcha, you okay? Can you stand?" Damon asked, carrying Aria in his arms, "Is anything broken?".

"No" Aria whispered, feeling really out of it.

Damon helped Aria stand but she couldn't stand up straight, Damon caught Aria before she could hit the ground, "Whoa, you're fading fast, Aria", Damon removed Aria's hair from her face, and cupped her face in his hands, "Aria, look at me, focus, look at me".

Aria looked into Damon's eyes with the little energy she had left, "You lied to me".

"What?" Damon asked confused.

Before Damon could ask Aria what she meant, Aria fell unconscious in Damon's arms, making him very worried, "Shit".

After making sure no one was around, Damon picked Aria into his arms and took her with him.

***

Aria slowly opened her eyes, she looked around in confusion when she realised she was in a moving car, the last thing she remembered was Damon rescuing her, Aria turned to the driver's seat in confusion and realised it wasn't a dream, Damon did rescue her.

"Morning" Damon said, giving Aria a smile once he realised she was awake.

"Where are we?" Aria asked confused, her head still hurting.

"Georgia" Damon informed.

"Georgia?" Aria asked shocked, "Stop joking Damon, seriously tell me the truth, where are we?".

"Seriously, we're in Georgia" Damon said.

"Ugh" Aria said, holding her head into her hands, feeling a headache coming up.

"How you feeling?" a concerned Damon asked.

"My head is pounding" Aria replied.

"There's no broken bones, I checked" Damon informed.

"My car, there was man" Aria said, recalling the accident, "Oh my god, I hit a man, but then he got up like I didn't hit him, who was that?".

"That's what I would like to know" Damon said, wondering who this new vampire was.

"You don't know?" Aria asked, "Damon, I thought we already caught the mysterious vampire, Logan Fell, now your telling me there's another vampire?!".

"Relax Aria" Damon said, "We found Logan didn't we, we will find this new vampire as well, you just need to relax and not strain your head".

Aria sighed, she leaned her head against the seat when suddenly Elena crossed her mind, "Oh my god, Elena", Aria started checking her pockets for her phone, "Where's my phone?", a slightly panicked Aria turned to Damon, "Damon we need to go back, Elena needs me, I was supposed to pick her up last night, but I never showed up, she must be worried sick", Damon ignored Aria's words, "Damon pull over", once again Damon ignored Aria, "Dammit Damon, pull over!".

"Oh, you were so much more fun when you were asleep" Damon said, pulling over, Aria got out of the car and nearly fell over, but before she could, Damon vamp speeded to her and steadied her, "You okay?".

"I'm fine" Aria lied, not feeling fine at all and Damon knew that, "Damon we have to go back, Elena needs me".

"Oh, come on, look, we've already come this far" Damon pointed out.

Aria glared at Damon, "You lied to me, you promised me no secrets between us, how could you not tell me something like this? And now you expect me to just go to Georgia with you?".

"Aria, what are you on about?" a confused Damon asked, "What didn't I tell you?".

"About Elena looking exactly like Katherine" Aria snapped.

Damon sighed, "How did you find out about that?".

"Elena called me last night, she told me, that's why I was going to your house to pick her up" Aria said, "You promised me no secrets Damon, then why did you keep such a big secret from me?".

"Aria, you think I wanted to keep this from you" Damon snapped, "Of course I didn't, but if you couldn't tell, it's not easy telling someone that the women I'm so hell bent on killing looks exactly like their best friend".

"Were you ever going to tell him?" Aria asked.

"Of course I was Aria" Damon said, "I was eventually going to tell you, I was just looking for the right opportunity".

"Damon, you need to take me home" Aria said, not wanting to argue with Damon on this anymore, "You can't kidnap me like this".

"That's a little melodramatic, don't you think?" Damon asked.

"You're not funny Vampy" Aria snapped, "I'm not going to Georgia, I need to be with Elena".

"Oh you're in Georgia" Damon said, shocking Aria, "Without your magic little bracelet, I might add, I could very easily make you agreeable".

Aria glared at Damon, "Don't threaten me Salvatore, you and me both know you will never compel me, so go give that threat to someone else not me".

Before Damon could say anything, someone's phone started ringing, Aria recognised that ringtone, it was her phone.

"That's my phone" Aria said, glaring at Damon.

Damon took out Aria's phone from his back pocket, "Oh look, it's my brother".

Aria went to take her phone from Damon, but Damon answered it instead.

"Aria's phone" Damon answered, Aria glared at Damon, it was like he was purposely trying to piss her off.

"Where is Aria? Why do you have her phone?" a worried Stefan asked, "Is she okay?".

"Aria?" Damon asked, making Aria looked at him, wondering what Stefan was saying, "No, she's right here, and yes, she's fine".

"Where are you? Let me speak to her" Stefan demanded.

"He wants to talk to you" Damon said, handing Aria the phone, but before Aria could grab it, Damon placed it back on his ear, "Yeah, I--you know, I don't think she really wants to talk to you right now".

"Damon, Elena is worried sick here, Aria was supposed to pick her up last night but she never showed up, I swear to God, if you touch her" Stefan warned.

"You have a good day, mm-hm, bye, now" Damon said, hanging up.

"You lied to him" Aria said, "I never said I didn't want to talk to him".

"I know" Damon said smirking.

"Damon..."

"Look Aria, we're almost there".

"Almost where?".

"A little place right outside of Atlanta" Damon informed, "Oh, come on Aria, you don't wanna go back right now, do you? Deal with Stefan and Elena's problems? What's the rush? Time out, trust me, Elena's problems are still gonna be there for you to solve when you get home, look step away from Elena's life for five minutes and let me make it up to you for not telling you about Katherine and Elena".

Aria sighed and thought about Damon's words for a second, "Am I gonna be safe with you?".

"You already know the answer to that Ria" Damon said.

Aria nodded her head, she did know the answer to that, she knew no matter what, she is always going to be safe with Damon, "And your going to make it up to me for keeping such a secret?".

"If you will let me" Damon promised.

After a second of thinking, Aria nodded, "Fine, let's go".

"Great" Damon said, opening the car door for Aria, "Get in the car, come on".

***

"Please don't tell me you left my car in the middle of the road?" Aria asked.

"Relax, I pulled it off to the side of the road" Damon replied, "I don't think anyone will bother it".

"What about the new mystery vampire?" Aria asked, "You didn't know him?".

"If I've never met him, I wouldn't know him" Damon retorted, "I mean, it's not like we all hang out together at the Vamp Bar and Grill".

"No?" Aria asked, "Then what's the point of being a vampire if you're not going to hang out at the Vamp Bar and Grill".

"Oh look, she's using sarcasm, I'm guessing she's back" Damon joked.

Aria laughed and lightly slapped Damon's shoulder, "Shut up", Aria looked out the window, when she suddenly remembered something, "Damon".

"Yeah?" Damon asked.

"Weren't you supposed to meet up with Logan Fell last night?" Aria asked, "Did you meet up with him, did he tell you another way to get into the tomb?".

Damon sighed, "I met up with him, but he didn't tell me anything".

"What? Why not?" a confused Aria asked.

"Because when I reached the old Fell's church, I found Logan, but he had a stake through his heart" Damon informed.

"Someone killed Logan Fell?!" a shocked Aria asked, Damon nodded, "Who?".

"No clue" Damon said, "My guess, probably the same person who turned him".

"Damon then what are we doing in Georgia?" Aria asked, "Shouldn't we be back in Mystic Falls trying to find out what Logan knew?", Damon didn't say anything, just smirked at Aria, making realisation cross her face, "Unless, we are in Georgia to do exactly that".

"Bingo" Damon said, stopping his camaro infront of Bree's bar.

Aria looked at the building in confusion, "You're going to get answers at a bar?".

"Yeap" Damon said.

Aria rolled her eyes and proceeded to open the door but Damon grabbed her arm, stopping her from getting out the car, "What?".

"Aria promise me something, no matter what happens, you are not going to use your magic in there" Damon said, not wanting anyone to realise who Aria is.

"What, why?" a confused Aria asked.

"Just trust me on this one, okay?" Damon pleaded, "Just promise, no magic tonight, no matter what happens".

Aria sighed, "Fine, no magic".

"Good" Damon said, getting out of the car.

"You do realise I'm not old enough right, they're never gonna let me in" Aria said, also getting out of the car.

"Sure they will" Damon assured, taking Aria's hand and leading her into the bar.

***

Damon and Aria entered the bar, and Damon smirked seeing the women who was cleaning the bar.

"No, no, it can't be" The woman, who Aria guessed was Bree, said, when her eyes landed on Damon, "Damon?", Bree jumped off the bar and stood infront of Damon and Aria, "My honey pie", she grabbed Damon's face and smacked her lips on top of his, Aria frowned and looked away, for some reason seeing Damon kiss someone hurt her.

"Listen up, everybody" Bree announced after breaking the kiss, she grabbed a bottle of alcohol and started pouring some shots, "Here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life and ruined any and all chances of happiness", Bree placed two shots of glasses infront of Damon and Aria, "Drink up".

Damon and Bree downed their shots, when Bree's back was turned to them, Damon went to grab Aria's shot, but Aria slapped his hand away and downed the shot, Damon gave her a impressed look while Aria gave him smug smile.

"So how'd he rope you in?" Bree asked Aria, pouring her another shot.

"I'm not roped in" Aria replied, downing the shot, impressing both Damon and Bree.

"Oh honey, if you're not roped, you're whipped, either way, just enjoy the ride" Bree teased.

"Alright" Aria said, unsure what else to say, "So how did you two meet?".

"College" Bree informed.

Aria looked at Damon with disbelief written all over her face, "There is no way you went to college".

"I've been on college campus" Damon clarified, downing another shot.

"About 20 years ago, when I was a sweet young freshman I met this beautiful man and I fell in love, and then he told me about his little secret which made me love him even more, cause you see I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody".

"She's a witch" Damon whispered into Aria's ear.

"Awesome" Aria exclaimed.

"You changed my world, you know" Bree told Damon.

"I rocked your world" Damon said.

"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" Bree asked Aria.

"I wouldn't know" Aria replied.

"Yet" Damon said, nudging his shoulder with Aria's, who in return just rolled her eyes at him.

"But mostly he's just a walk-away Joe" Bree said, downing her shot before turning to Damon, "So, what is it that you want?".

***

While Damon was telling Bree what he wanted from her, Aria decided to head outside to call Jenna and let her know she is safe, knowing she was probably panicking by the way as Aria hadn't been home all night.

"Hey Jenna, I'm so sorry" Aria apologised the second Jenna answered her phone.

"Where are you? Why didn't you call?" a worried Jenna asked.

"I was at Caroline's last night and I was so tired that I ended up falling asleep there, and then this morning I didn't have time to come home so I went directly to school" Aria lied.

"Aria you're okay right?" Jenna asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" Aria assured.

"Come on, there's gotta be another way" Damon told Bree.

"After all these years, it's still only Katherine" Bree said, "Why not go for that pretty brunette you brought here with you?".

"Aria doesn't see me like that, she's in love with someone else" Damon said, a tinge of sadness in his voice, which disappeared before Bree could sense it.

"Oh honey I don't think so" Bree said, "I saw the look on her face when I kissed you, she looked extremely jealous".

Damon scoffed, "Your delusional" Damon said, not wanting to believe Aria felt anything for him, he knew all about her love for Jeremy and he refused to get his hopes up.

"Believe what you want to believe, but I know what I saw" Bree said, "Anyways tell me, how do you even know Katherine's still alive?".

"Well, you help me get into that tomb and we'll find out" Damon said.

"I already did, 20 years ago, remember?" Bree said, "Three easy steps, comet, crystal, spell".

"There's a little problem with number two" Damon said, "I don't have the crystal".

Bree shrugged, "That's it Damon, there is no other way, it's Emily's spell".

"What about a new spell with a new crystal that overrides Emily's spell?" Damon tried.

"It doesn't work that way, baby" Bree said, "Emily's spell is absolute, you can't get into that tomb".

***

Just as Aria's call with Jenna ended, her phone started ringing again, but this time it was Stefan, Aria sighed but nonetheless answered it, unknown to the fact that Damon was listening to their conversation.

"Aria, is that you?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah it's me" Aria confirmed.

"Aria" Elena said, letting her presence her known.

"Elena?" a confused Aria asked, "You're with Stefan?.

"Aria where are you?" Elena asked, ignoring Aria's question.

"I'm with Damon" Aria informed.

"Where, Aria?" Elena asked, "Caroline just gave me your vervain bracelet you left at her house, you need to tell us where you are so me and Stefan can pick you up".

"Elena, I'm not doing this with you again" Aria snapped, "I told you once, and I'm telling you this again, Damon will never compel me so stop thinking like that".

"Aria listen---"

"No Stefan, I don't want to hear it, when I get back I'll meet you at the Boarding House, till then I'm actually going to enjoy myself, don't call again" Aria snapped, hanging up the phone before Stefan and Elena could say anything else.

Aria sighed, she hated that Elena thought so little of Damon despite Aria constantly telling her he would never hurt her, Aria turned around and gasped seeing Damon standing behind her.

"You okay?" a slightly concerned Damon asked.

"Yeah" Aria replied, giving Damon a small smile, "I'm fine".

"You sure?" Damon asked, looking at Aria's upset face, "Wanna talk about?".

"Elena wanted me to tell her and Stefan where I am, she thinks you're going to compel me, or worse, you're going to hurt me" Aria admitted.

"And what do you think?" a curious Damon asked.

"I think, you are a lot of things, but you will never hurt me" Aria replied.

"Why do you trust me so much Aria?" Damon asked, "Everyone has warned you about me, but despite all that, you trust me, why is that?".

"I don't know, Damon" Aria admitted, "I don't know if it's the connection between us or it's just me, but you're not the villain in my story, like Caroline said, you bring out the old Aria, the happy Aria, someone I thought I would never be again, yeah you have your moments in which I want to stake you" Damon let out a small laugh, "But then you've always made it up to me, and ever since we've met you've been nothing but honest with me, you've given me no reason not to trust you".

Damon and Aria started at each other for a moment, after a moment Damon gave Aria a small smile, "Let's go inside Aria, I believe I owe you some fun".

"Yes you do" Aria said, putting her hand into Damon's and letting him lead her back into the bar.

***

"All right, let's say Elena is descended from Katherine" Aria said, her and Damon sitting at the bar, eating burgers and fries, "Does that make her part-vampire?".

"Vampires can't procreate, but we love to try" Damon said chuckling and eating a fry, while Aria just gave him are you serious look, "No, if Elena and Katherine were related it would mean that Katherine had a child before she was turned".

"Did Stefan think he could replace Katherine with Elena?" Aria asked, the question bugging her ever since Elena told Aria about her and Katherine's resemblance.

"Kind of creepy if you ask me" Damon joked, grabbing the pickles from Aria's plate, "Come on, you don't like pickles? What's wrong with you?".

"What's wrong with you?" Aria asked, seeing Damon eat the pickles, "How can you like pickles?".

"Pickles are amazing Aria".

"Yuck" Aria said, "Quick question, how can you even eat, if technically you're supposed to be, you know".

"Dead?" Damon asked, Aria nodded, "It's not such a bad word Ria, as long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system my body functions pretty normally".

"Why don't you show this nice act to anyone else?" Aria asked curiously, she's noticed that when his with her, Damon is actually nice, but when his with others, his a complete dickhead.

"Because it's only reserved for you" Damon winked, causing Aria to roll her eyes.

"Here you go, honey" Bree said, placing two beers infront of Damon and Aria.

"Thank you" Damon said, handing Aria her beer.

"I swear you're going to turn me into an alcoholic" Aria said, clinking her beer with Damon's.

***

"Ready? Go!" Bree yelled.

 Everyone took their shots and started downing it, Aria finished her shot first and slammed her glass down on the bar, "Boom! That's three baby!", Aria turned to Damon, a teasing smile on her face, "You need a bib?".

"Sorry, I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol" Damon teased.

"Excuses, excuses" Aria said, feeling very buzzed, "All right, who's next? Another round, Bree?".

"Honey, you should be on the floor" A drunk women next to Aria said to.

"I am not even drunk, my tolerance is like, way up there" Aria said, pointing up to the sky.

"All right, here you go" Bree said, handing Aria more shots and walking away.

Aria downed the shots, while Damon looked at her in amusement, he's never seen her so carefree before, and Damon will never say it out loud but carefree Aria was his favorite Aria.

***

After having her fun at the bar, Aria made her way over to the pool table, "Yes!" she yelled, jumping up and down when she hit her shot.

Aria's phone started ringing as she was playing, she walked up to her phone and realised it was Elena calling.

"Hello?" Aria answered while laughing.

"Aria" Elena greeted, wondering why was the Connor girl laughing.

"Lena!" Aria yelled, "Wait hold up, it's loud in here".

"Aria, where are you?" Elena asked, hearing the music in the background, "Are you okay?".

"I'm awesome" Aria said laughing, she grabbed her jacket and walking outside.

"Aria, are you drunk?" Elena asked, worried for her best friend.

"Pfft no" Aria said, stepping out of Bree's bar.

"Aria you need to---"

Before Elena could finish her sentence, Aria tripped over the steps outside, causing her to drop her phone, "Dammit", Aria slowly got up and grabbed her phone, "Hello?".

Someone suddenly came behind her and placed a hand over Aria's hand, causing her to drop her phone, Aria struggled in the unknown man's grip but he easily dragged her away.

***

"Hey, where's your girl?" Bree asked Damon, as he came and sat on the bar.

Damon looked around but frowned when he couldn't see Aria anywhere, "She was right back there", Damon's eyes landed on the open back door, Damon quickly got up and went towards the door, a worried look on his face, something told him Aria was in trouble.

Damon stepped outside and looked around, and that's when his eyes landed on Aria's phone, that was placed on the ground, Damon picked it up, he was now seriously worried for Aria.

Damon walked up to a power plant where a panicked Aria was standing on a ladder, "Damon, no!".

Damon looked at Aria in confusion, but before he could go up to her someone vamp speeded up to him and hit him on the legs with a pole, he repeatedly kept hitting Damon, while Aria made her way down the ladder.

"Ow! What the hell?" Damon yelled, extremely confused as to why he was being attacked.

The unknown vampire grabbed a can of gasoline and started pouring it all over Damon.

"No!" Aria yelled, rushing towards Damon.

The vampire snarled at Aria, making her stop in her spot, Aria extended her arms all ready to use her magic, Damon saw what she was doing and stopped her, "Aria, no don't!".

"He's going to kill you, Damon!" a panicked Aria yelled.

"Aria don't, you promised!" Damon yelled, not wanting this vampire to find out about Aria being a Connor witch, "Who are you?".

"That's perfect" The vampire said, "You have no idea".

"What are you talking about?" a confused Aria asked, "What did Damon do to you?".

"He killed my girlfriend" The vampire said, pouring more gasoline over Damon, "What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you?!".

"Nothing" Damon mumbled.

"I don't get it, what's going on?" a confused Aria asked, wondering who did Damon kill.

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan, and Damon killed her, got it?!".

"Oh my god" Aria said, realisation crossing her face, "Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend?", the mystery vampire simply nodded his head before pouring more gasoline over Damon's body, "Look listen to me, I was Lexi's friend and she told me about you, she said that you were human" Aria said, trying to distract the vampire.

"I was", he said taking out a match box from his pocket.

Aria's heart started pounding rapidly in her chest seeing the match box, "Lexi turned you?" Aria asked, hoping to turn his attention away from Damon.

"If you wanna be with someone forever, you have to live forever" Lexi's boyfriend said, kicking Damon, making him groan in pain.

"Look she loved you, she told me that when it's real, you can't walk away" Aria said.

"Well, that's a choice you're not gonna have to make".

"Please don't do this, don't hurt him" Aria pleaded, as he lit the match.

"I'm doing you a favor".

"I don't want your favor" Aria snapped, "Listen to me, Lexi loved you and she was a good person, which means your a good person to, please don't hurt him, be better than him, let him go, I'm begging you, please".

Lexi's boyfriend let Aria's words sink in, after a pause, he extinguished the match and grabbed Damon by his shirt and threw him to the wall.

"Thank you" Aria whispered.

"It wasn't for you" He said, with tears in his eyes.

After he vamp speeded away, Aria ran up to Damon, who was still lying on the floor, groaning in pain.

***

Bree took a shot and turned around to see a unharmed Damon standing infront of her.

"We were just leaving, I wanted to say goodbye" Damon said.

"Good to see you again, Damon" Bree said.

"No kiss?" Damon asked.

"I'm full of vervain" Bree revealed, "I put it in everything I drink".

"And you're telling me this, why?" Damon asked.

"Lexi was my friend" Bree cried, "How could you?", Bree turned to leave but Damon vamp speeded infront of her, making her gasp in fear, "The tomb can be opened" Bree said, hoping Damon will spare her.

"You're lying" Damon spat.

"Emily's grimoire, her spell book" Bree said, "If you know how she closed the tomb, the reversal process will be in her book, you can open that tomb".

"And where is this book?" Damon said, stepping forward causing Bree to step backwards.

"I-I, um" Bree stuttered.

"You have no idea".

"I am telling you the truth".

"And I believe you" Damon said, running has hand down Bree's face, "My dear, sweet Bree, that's why I'm almost sorry" Damon shoved his hand into Bree's chest, "Putting Aria in harms way, bad move", and with that Damon ripped out Bree's heart, he then washed his hands, grabbed his jacket and made his way out to his car where Aria was waiting for him.

***

Damon and Aria were now back on the road, making their way back to Mystic Falls.

"So why did you bring me with you?" Aria asked, "Usually I have to beg you to take me with you, but this time you yourself let me tag along, why's that?".

"Well, you're not the worst company in the world Ria" Damon teased, "You should give yourself more credit".

"Yeah right" Aria said.

"I don't know, you were the in the road all damsel-in-distress-like" Damon said, "And I knew it would piss of Stefan and Elena, and you're not the worst company in the world Ria".

Aria sighed, "I used to much more fun".

"You did okay" Damon said.

Aria narrowed her eyes at Damon, "Hey, that's no way to talk to a girl who just saved your life".

"I know" Damon said, giving Aria a small smile.

"And don't you forget it" Aria said, "I'm thinking of getting, I saved Damon Salvatore's life, t-shirts made, good idea right?".

"Very funny" Damon said sarcastically, which made Aria laugh.

"Well you saved my life once with the car accident, and I saved your life with Lexi's boyfriend, I say we're equal now" Aria said.

"We're actually not" Damon said

"What do you mean?" a confused Aria asked, trying to remember if there was any other times Damon had saved her but nothing came to mind.

"Nothing" Damon said smirking, Aria rolled her eyes and concluded that Damon was just being Damon.

"So, did you find what you were looking for?" Aria asked, changing the subject, "Is there another way to open the tomb?".

"There sure is" Damon informed.

"What is it?" a curious Aria asked.

"Emily's grimoire" Damon revealed, "It should have a reversal spell that will open the tomb".

Aria nodded, and after a pause said, "You know I'm going to help you right? No matter what anyone one says, I'm helping".

"Oh, I know" Damon said, giving Aria a smile.

Aria smiled back, she leaned her head against the seat and closed her eyes, the drinking and saving lives had definitely exhausted her.

***

After arriving back at Mystic Falls, Damon had dropped Aria off at the Salvatore Boarding House, while he himself went to the Grill.

Aria made her way up to Stefan's room where she saw both Elena and Stefan waiting for her, she had called Elena and told her to meet her at the Boarding House.

"Aria" Elena exclaimed, running up to Aria and hugging, "Oh I'm so glad your okay".

"I'm fine Lena" Aria said, "So has story time started?".

"No, we were waiting for you" Stefan replied.

"So Stefan, was Elena your way of replacing Katherine?" Aria asked, getting straight to the point.

"No, absolutely not" Stefan said, "Elena isn't Katherine, she is the opposite of everything she was".

"And when did you figure that out?" Elena asked, glaring at the youngest Salvatore, "Before you kissed me? Before we slept together?".

"Before I met you" Stefan revealed, shocking both Aria and Elena.

"What?" Aria asked, thinking she must of heard wrong.

"First day of school when we met" Stefan said, "It wasn't for the first time".

"Then when was it?" Elena asked.

"May 23rd, 2009" Stefan revealed..

"No" Aria said, shaking her head, "That's not possible, that was--"

"That was the day your parents car went off the bridge" Stefan finished.

"You were there?" a shocked Elena asked.

"Every couple of years I come back here" Stefan said, "To see Zach and see my home, and last spring, I was out in the woods, by Old Wickery Bridge, and I heard the accident, all of it, I was fast getting there, but not fast enough, car was already submerged, your Dad Elena, he was still conscious, I was able to get to him, but he wouldn't let me help him until I helped you and Aria".

"Oh my god" Aria cried, tears streaming down her face rapidly.

"When we woke up in the hospital, nobody could figure out how we got out of the car" Elena cried, "They said it was a miracle".

"There's something else" Stefan said.

"What?" Aria asked.

"I could only get one of you out" Stefan said, looking down at his feet, "I only managed to get Elena out".

"Then how did I get out?" a confused Aria wondered.

"I don't know Aria" Stefan confessed, "After rescuing Elena, I went back for you, but you weren't in the car, and I couldn't rescue your mom and dad, it was to late, I couldn't save them, I went back to where I left Elena and there you were Aria, lying next to Elena unconscious, I have no idea how you got there, or who put you there, but that's when I looked at your face Elena and you looked exactly like Katherine, I couldn't believe the resemblance, after that, I spent months making sure that you weren't her in which I learnt that Aria was Natalie's descendent, I watched both of you, I learnt everything that I could about you both, and I saw that you were nothing like Katherine Elena, and you Aria, you and Natalie had some similarities, but still you weren't Natalie, and I wanted to leave town but Elena, Aria, I couldn't, I couldn't leave without knowing you two, I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you guys, I wanted to, but both of you were so sad and---"

"Why do I look like her?" Elena asked.

"Elena, you've been through so much" Stefan said, really not wanting to break Elena's heart even more.

"Why does she look like her Stefan?" Aria asked, "What are you not telling us?".

"It didn't make any sense to me" Stefan said, "You were a Gilbert, she was a Pierce, but the resemblance was too similar, and then I learned the truth, you were adopted Elena, and Aria, I learnt something about your parents as well".

"My parents?" a confused Aria asked, "What about them?".

"Aria, your parents, they were killed by a vampire" Stefan revealed, shocking Aria.

***

"How do you know this?" Elena asked, as her, Stefan and Aria sat down on the couch, both the girls shocked with the information Stefan just told them.

"Your birth certificate from the city records" Stefan said, "It says Elena Gilbert, Mystic Falls General, but there's no record of your mother ever being admitted, there's no record of her ever being pregnant".

"What else do you know?" Elena asked.

"For me to go any further, I would've had to look into the Pierce family" Stefan said, "And I couldn't do that, that's too much of a risk, if someone found out I was asking about Katherine--listen to me it doesn't matter, you are the woman that I love, I love you".

"What about my parents?" Aria asked, "How are you so sure they were killed by a vampire".

Stefan sighed, "When I realised I couldn't do anymore digging into Elena's family, I decided to find out what really happened to your parents, and that's when I found out that the cause of your parent's death, their throats were ripped out, and their bodies were drained of blood, exactly the way a vampire kills, but I couldn't find out how the vampire was, it knew how to cover its tracks".

Aria nodded and quickly got up, "I need to go".

"Aria, no wait" Stefan pleaded.

"Stefan don't, please" Aria said, trying her best not to burst into tears infront of Stefan and Elena, "I need to go".

"Where are you going Aria?" Elena asked confused, "We need to talk about this".

"No we don't Elena" Aria snapped, "I need to go to the person who saved me".

"You know who saved you?" Elena asked confused.

"I have an idea" Aria said, running out the room and leaving behind confused Elena and Stefan.

***

Damon returned from the Grill and went to his bedroom, where he saw Aria laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, with tears streaming down her face.

"Aria" Damon said, looking at Aria in worry.

Hearing Damon's voice, Aria sat up and looked at Damon with tears streaming down her face, "Damon".

Damon speeded towards Aria and sat next to her, he cupped her face in his hands, "Aria, what's wrong, why are you crying?".

"A vampire killed them Damon" Aria cried.

"Killed who Aria?" Damon asked.

"A vampire killed my parents" Aria cried, hugging Damon.

Damon sighed and hugged Aria, he already knew that, just like Stefan, Damon had also wanted to know what happened to Aria's parents, and he also made the same discoveries as Stefan.

"How did you find about this Aria?" Damon asked.

"Stefan told me" Aria cried, Damon wanted to go punch his brother for telling Aria this, there was a reason he hadn't tell Aria, he knew this was something Aria wouldn't be able to get pass.

Aria broke their hug and looked at Damon, "You knew this already didn't you?".

"Aria I..."

"Damon I don't want any excuses, I just want the truth, did you already know about this or not?".

Damon nodded, "Don't be mad at me Aria, I hid this from you because I knew how much this was going to hurt you".

"I'm not mad at you Damon, I know why you hid it, frankly speaking, I don't think I should have known what happened to my parents, sometimes not knowing is so much better than knowing, I don't know how to get pass this Damon, I don't think I can get past this" Aria cried.

Damon hugged Aria again, "Yes you will Aria, you will get past this, you know why, because your Aria Connor, one of the bravest girl I've ever met".

Aria looked at Damon, "Damon, May 23rd 2009, the night of the accident, Stefan saved Elena but he had no idea who saved me, it was you wasn't it, you're the one who saved me, right? That's why you said that we weren't even yet".

Damon sighed but nonetheless nodded his head, "Stefan doesn't know this, but I was also here at the time when the accident occurred, I saw everything, I saw Stefan save Elena, I wasn't going to save anyone, I was going to let my brother be the hero he has always been, but then suddenly, I felt something in my heart and I had this urge to save someone, so I jumped into the water and that's when I saw you, and soon as I saw you I knew what you meant to me, I immediately knew you were related to Natalie, and I knew you were a Connor witch and that we were connected, however I didn't want Stefan to know I was back so I stayed away from you, but I made sure you were always safe".

"Thank you" Aria whispered, "Thank you for always saving me".

Damon cupped Aria's face, "I will always save you Aria, always".

Aria and Damon gazed into each other's eyes, Damon slowly started leaning towards Aria, leaving enough time for her to push him away, but when she didn't, Damon slowly placed his lips on top of Aria's.

***

Presenting 1x11 of Cold Hearted!

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Damon taking Aria to Georgia with him?

Thoughts on Aria saving Damon from Lexi's boyfriend?

Thoughts on Stefan revealing to Aria that her parents were killed by a vampire?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria finally having their first kiss?

Published: 18th September 2020
Edited: 5th June 2024