14. Crying Wolf

Aria gasped and opened her in eyes in shock, she looked around in confusion, everywhere she looked she was met with darkness.

"Hello?!" Aria called out into the darkness, "Anyone here? Damon?!".

"Ariana".

Aria quickly turned around when she heard a familiar british accent, "Kol?" Aria whispered shocked.

Kol looked at Ariana with a mixture of shock and admiration, "It worked, the spell worked, you're here".

"How--where--what's going on?" Aria asked, really fumbling with her words, she was not prepared to face Kol, specially after everything John had told her and Damon, "How can I see you?".

"I don't know" Kol whispered, "But I can't say I'm complaining, you have no idea how long I've waited for you".

Aria looked at Kol, a guilty expression coming on her face, "Kol I don't--".

"You don't remember me" Kol finished, giving Aria a small smile, "But it's okay, once we meet in real life, you will remember, you will remember everything, you will remember our love Ariana, you have to".

Aria gasped and sat up, she looked around confused and realised she was now in Damon's room.

"Aria?".

Aria looked towards the door to see worried Caroline and Damon looking at her.

"I talked to him" Aria whispered, still trying to get her head around the fact that she actually talked to Kol.

"Talked to who?" Damon asked confused.

"Kol" Aria answered, shocking both Caroline and Damon.

"What?" Caroline asked shocked.

"I just had a conversation with Kol Mikaelson" Aria said, looking at her boyfriend and best friend in worry, all three of them realising things were about to get much more complicated then they already were.

***

After Aria had woken up and told Damon and Caroline about her conversation with Kol, the trio decided they needed to talk to Elijah, he was the only one with answers, and that's when Damon informed Aria about the dagger John gave him, Aria nearly lost her mind thinking Damon was going to dagger the one person who has the answers to her questions, but Damon assured her nothing like that is going to happen, Elijah was the only one keeping Aria safe and Damon would be stupid to try to kill him.

The trio decided they needed to warn Elijah about this dagger but before they do that they needed to do some research, they needed to be sure this dagger could kill an Original, or if John was playing some other game, which is why Damon had called Alaric over.

"Ric, come on in" Damon said, leading Alaric into the living room, where Aria was, Caroline having left to help Bonnie with something.

"What did you need me for?" Alaric asked.

"So John Gilbert gave me this to kill Elijah" Damon said, showing Alaric the dagger John gave him, "Said you have to dip the dagger in the remains of an old white ash tree that dates back to the Originals, if there's any truth in that".

"So you think it's a set up?" Alaric asked, taking the dagger from Alaric.

"There's a solid chance" Aria replied, "John Gilbert is not a guy you trust blindly".

"Aria's right, I wouldn't put anything past him" Damon said, "What are you up to today Mr Saltzman?".

"Well, Jenna and I are supposed to go to her family's lake house but somehow we both got roped into doing this Historical Society thing at the Lockwoods" Alaric informed.

"Where Elijah's gonna be" Aria said, looking at Damon, both of them realising this was the perfect opportunity to talk to Elijah.

"Please tell me you're not gonna kill him at the party" Alaric said, not knowing that Damon wasn't going to kill Elijah at all.

"No, that would be stupid" Damon said, "I wanna know his endgame before I kill him", though Damon wasn't going to kill Elijah, he needed to know how he's going to save Aria from Klaus, "But I do think it's time Elijah and I officially met".

***

Damon and Aria entered the Lockwood's Historical Society event hand in hand, and immediately both of them started looking around for a certain Original, who they found standing next to Carol Lockwood.

Aria and Damon exchanged a look, Damon's grip tightening on Aria's hand, and both of them walked towards Elijah.

"Damon, Aria, what a surprise" Carol said, hugging the couple.

"Carol, hi" Damon said, kissing Carol's cheek, while Aria just smiled at her, she was too nervous to talk to anyone.

"Elijah, I want you to meet Damon Salvatore and his girlfriend Aria Connor" Carol introduced, not knowing that the trio already knew each other, "Damon's family is one of Mystic Falls founding families".

"Mm-hm" Damon said, "Such a pleasure to meet you".

"No, pleasure's mine" Elijah said, shaking Damon's hand.

There was obvious tension between the two males, and Aria had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at both Elijah and Damon's attempt to be seen better then the other.

***

Aria led Elijah into the Lockwood's office, hoping he would know why all of a sudden Aria was able to talk to Kol, Damon stayed outside with Alaric, minding the door and making sure no one entered, Aria promised to tell him everything Elijah tells her, only reason Damon was standing outside without a fight.

"What can I do for you Ariana?" Elijah asked, with a small smile on his face.

"I need answers Elijah, and you're the only one who can give them to me" Aria said.

"What kind of answers?" Elijah asked.

"I'm sure you know I was tortured by werewolves yesterday" Aria said.

"I know, and I'm sorry Jonas couldn't reach you earlier" Elijah said, genuinely apologetic.

"It's okay" Aria said, "He was right on time actually, he saved all our lives, and I believe I have you to thank for that".

"Don't thank me Ariana, I promised you I would not let any harm come upon you" Elijah said.

"I know" Aria whispered, "Elijah, when I was unconscious the weirdest thing happend to me".

"What?" Elijah asked confused.

"I had a conversation with Kol" Aria informed, "I was hoping you could tell me why I was able to all of a sudden do that".

Elijah smiled at Aria, he knew exactly why this had happened, "It's simple Ariana, you and Kol are connected".

Elijah's words made Aria frown, "No, that's not possible" Aria said, "I'm connected to Damon, and a Connor witch can only be connected to one vampire, not two".

"That is true, but see your case is a little bit different, you're connected to two vampires" Elijah informed.

"But how's that possible?" Aria asked confused.

"It's simple, Aria Connor is connected to Damon Salvatore, but Ariana Connor is connected to my brother Kol" Elijah informed, "You're not just Aria, you're also Ariana, you're connection to Kol in your past life got carried to this life".

"But if I was already connected to Kol, then how could I be connected to Damon as well?" Aria asked, having trouble digesting what Elijah was saying.

"You're what we call a nature's loophole Ariana" Elijah said, "As soon as a Connor witch is born, she is automatically connected to a vampire, when you were born, before anyone could even realise who you were, you were to connected to Damon, you were not Ariana then, you had no memory of her, you were just Aria, Aria Connor who is connected to Damon Salvatore".

"If I remember everything about Kol, then I will remember everything about Ariana, does that mean, mine and Damon's connection will be broken?" Aria asked, slightly scared.

"No" Elijah said, "A connection can only be broken when one of the connected dies, when you remember everything, when you accept Ariana's life, you will be the only Connor witch in this world to have two vampires who she is connected to".

"But why am I seeing Kol now?" Aria asked frustrated, "What changed now?".

"You mentioned you have dreams about Ariana's life right?" Elijah asked.

Aria nodded, "Yeah, I have dreams about Ariana and Kol, I even had a dream about you and Ariana".

"Well it seems, the more memories you get of Ariana, the more your broken bond with Kol repairs, which obviously right now it's not fully repaired but it's getting there, which is why you were able to see Kol, you were able to talk to him".

"I am so screwed" Aria whispered, the last thing Aria wanted was to be connected to two vampires, two murderous vampires.

***

"So not only are you connected to me, you are also connected to Kol" Damon said, "And the more memories you get of Ariana, the more quickly your bond with Kol fixes, am I missing anything?".

Damon and Aria were back at the Salvatore Boarding House, and Aria had just finished telling Damon about what Elijah had told her, and Damon was trying his best to not let it effect him, but he hated the fact that his Aria was connected to another vampire when she was only suppose to be connected to him.

"Yes" Aria said, getting on Damon's lap and cupping his face, "You're missing the fact that it doesn't matter if I'm connected to Kol as well, I'm in love with you, I will always love you, you're my everything Damon Salvatore, when I think about my future I don't see Kol in it, I see you, and I know this whole connected thing with Kol is going to make you think I'm going to leave you for him, but I'm not, yes I want to know what happened to Ariana, I want my memories back of that time, but that's not going to stop me from loving you, no matter what happens, just never forget that".

Damon sighed and placed his hand on Aria's cheek, "I love you so much Aria Connor, and even the thought of someone coming between terrifies me, I don't know what I will do if I actually lose you to a bloody Original".

Aria smiled and leaned forward and kissed Damon, "Kol was my past, but you, you're my present and my future".

Damon looked at Aria with so much love in his eyes, love he didn't know he was capable of, but before he could say anything, there was a sudden crash, confusing the couple.

Damon and Aria looked at each other in confusion, Aria got off of Damon's lap and both of them stood up and started walking towards the crash, Damon keeping Aria behind him.

Before the couple could register anything a werewolf came behind Aria and hit her on the head with a vase, causing her to groan and fall to the ground, Damon looked at the werewolf in anger, he went to charge at him but suddenly another werewolf came and jumped on his back and injected Damon with a syringe full of vervain.

Before Damon and Aria blacked out, they saw Jules enter the house.

"Hello again, lovebirds".

***

Damon groaned and slowly opened his eyes, only to see himself chained to a chair, and a collar device that had wooden nails around his neck, Damon's eyes immediately started searching for Aria, who he saw laying on the ground, Damon focused and breathed a sigh of relief when he realised she was still breathing.

Damon turned to his right to see a smug looking werewolf standing there, "Morning sunshine".

"Oh" Damon complained, throwing his head back, he was getting really fed up with these werewolves.

"I saw this movie once, some torture-porn flick" The werewolf said, circling Damon, "Anyway, they had this collar device that was, really cool, so I just modified it some with some wooden nails, and when I pull", the werewolf pulled on the chains in his hand, making Damon groan in pain.

"So I hear you have the moonstone" Jules said, entering the room.

Damon started chuckling hearing Jules's words, "Oh, if you only knew the irony of this moment right now", Damon glared at Jules, "Let me tell you how this is gonna go, you're gonna torture me, I don't talk, someone loses a heart, last time it was your boy Mason".

"This time, it'll be your little pet" Jules said, walking over to an unconscious Aria.

"You really didn't take my threat seriously, well I suggest you do" Damon said, "If anything happens to Aria, you best believe I will become your worst nightmare".

Jules glared at Damon, while the other werewolf pulled on the chains again, making Damon groan in pain again.

***

Aria groaned and slowly opened her eyes, only to be met with darkness, this time Aria didn't panic, she knew exactly what to except.

"Kol?" Aria called out.

"Welcome back darling" Kol said, giving Aria a small smile.

"Kol, do you know how I can get out of here?" Aria asked, making Kol frown.

"Want to go so soon darling?" Kol asked, "Do you not like my company?".

"What? No" Aria clarified quickly, "It's not that, trust me, I would like nothing more to sit here and talk to you, there's so much I want to know about my previous life, but right now if I don't go back, then I'm pretty sure the werewolves are going to kill Damon".

Kol frowned hearing Aria say the name Damon, this wasn't the first time she mentioned him, and whenever she mentioned him, her eyes always lit up, something that used to happen whenever she used to talk about him.

"Is Damon your boyfriend?" Kol asked, trying his best not to sound jealous.

Aria looked at Kol with a guilty expression, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, she might not remember him or the love they shared, but still she felt like Kol was someone she cared for immensely.

"Look Kol, you need to understand until one month I didn't even know you existed, let alone that I'm Ariana" Aria said, "I'm really sorry, I--".

"Don't apologise" Kol interrupted, "I'm not angry, I am a bit hurt, but that's a given, the girl I've waited for a thousand years, already gave her heart away to someone else, without even letting me have my chance".

"Kol--".

"Shh" Kol said, putting his finger on Aria's lips, Aria frowned when she couldn't feel his touch despite him touching her, "Don't say anything, even a thousand years later you still have my heart and once I come back to you, I have full intent of having your heart, no matter how long it takes".

"I don't know what to say" Aria confessed, making Kol chuckle.

"You don't need to say anything, right now I believe you need to return and save the day like you always do" Kol said.

"But how do I get back?" Aria asked confused.

Kol frowned, "You might not believe this, but I don't have an answer to that question".

Despite the situation, Aria couldn't help but laugh, "So I'm stuck here until my body decides to wake up in the real life?".

"Looks like it, so you might as well get comfortable darling" Kol said, winking at Aria.

***

"You know what the great thing about buckshot is?" Jules asked Damon, "It scatters through the body, maximum damage", Jules pointed her gun at Damon, "Where's the moonstone?".

"Get over it, honey" Damon mocked, "You're never gonna get it".

"No?" Jules asked, pointing the gun at a unconscious Aria, "Not even if I kill this one?".

Damon glared at Jules but before he could say something, someone else did.

"You looking for this?".

Damon and Jules turned to see Elijah standing behind them with the moonstone in his hand, Damon would be lying if he said he wasn't a tiny bit grateful for the Original.

Elijah stepped forward and placed the moonstone on the table infront of him and took a step back, "Go ahead, take it".

One of the werewolf charged forward but Elijah easily ripped his heart, two more werewolfs tried to attack but Elijah killed them as well, realising Elijah was too strong for her, Jules quietly took off.

"What about you sweetheart, huh?" Elijah asked, the last remaining werewolf, "Wanna take a shot?", the werewolf shook his head in fear, "No? Yes? No?", Elijah turned to Damon, "Where's the girl?".

"I don't know" Damon admitted.

"It doesn't really matter" Elijah said, punching the werewolf and rendering him unconscious.

Elijah walked over to Damon and broke the chains that were holding him down, he then walked over to Aria, and carefully picked her up from the ground and placed her on the couch.

"So you realise this is the third time I've saved your life now?" Elijah said, turning to Damon, making him scoff, "Before Ariana wakes up, I believe both of us have something that needs to be discussed".

"Which is what?" Damon asked confused.

"About how I'm going to hand Elena to Klaus, and save Ariana" Elijah said.

***

"So you were planning to kill Elena all along?" Damon asked, walking over to an unconscious Aria, he lifted her head up slightly and sat down, then carefully placed her head on his lap.

"Yes" Elijah replied.

"But you're going to save Aria?" Damon asked, having trouble digesting everything.

"Yes" Elijah repeated.

"But why?" Damon asked confused.

"She's family" Elijah replied simply.

"How exactly are you going to save her?" Damon asked.

"My brother Kol was very paranoid person when it came to Ariana's safety" Elijah informed, "He knew she was coming back, but he was scared that Klaus would use her in the sacrifice, which is why, with some help from very powerful witches, he made a elixir".

"What type of elixir?" Damon asked.

"An elixir that will guaranteed save Ariana's life" Elijah said, "She will be dead, but the elixir will bring her back without any problems".

"What if it doesn't work?" Damon asked.

"It will work" Elijah assured, "If I even had the slightest doubt in it, I wouldn't risk Ariana's life like this".

Damon nodded, he could deny it all he wants to, but he could see how much Elijah cared for Aria.

"Why are you telling me all this?".

"Because I need your word" Elijah said, "No matter what happens, the doppelganger is dying, I need you to promise you will not interfere in that, you will just focus on protecting Ariana".

"I don't care about Elena, if Elena dying means Aria will stay safe, then I'm all for it" Damon said, running his hand through Aria's hair, "But I can't say the same about my brother".

"We can deal with your brother later" Elijah said.

"Well then, looks like we are playing from the same team now Elijah" Damon said.

"Indeed we are" Elijah replied.

***

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