09. The Simple Intimacy Of The Near Touch

Damon stood in an empty bar, holding Aria's bracelet in his hand and staring down at it, a longing expression on his face.

When the bar doors opened, Damon quickly hid the bracelet in his jacket pocket, not wanting Kol to see it and once again start his nonsense.

"What'd he do?" a curious Damon asked, as Kol slammed his next victim on to the bar top.

"He sped, really fast" Kol replied, "If you want him, you can have him, I'll gladly find someone else to eat".

"I have a drink, thanks" Damon said, holding his glass of bourbon up.

"Fine by me" Kol said, before biting to the man's neck and sending his soul to Cade, after killing the man, Kol shoved his body off the bar and grabbed a bottle of bourbon for himself, "You seem distracted" he told Damon.

"Oh, yeah?" Damon asked, "And your standards are dropping, you can't tell me Cade gets out of bed for a midlife crisis on a motorcycle".

"What Cade wants takes time" Kol retorted, "And this is me passing it", both Damon and Kol's attention went towards Damon's phone that was placed on the bar, both of them saw that Sybil was calling Damon, "I wouldn't answer that if I was you".

Damon ignored Kol's warning and answered Sybil's phone, "The evil lackey you are trying to reach is no longer at your service".

"There's that Damon sense of humor I miss" Sybil said from the other side, "Where are you?".

"Oh, you know, different city every night" Damon replied, "Salvatore and Mikaelson world tour".

"I'm gonna need to ask you a favor, do you still have that iron ball that you scooped up off Peter Maxwell?" Sybil asked.

"Yeah, so?" a confused Damon asked.

"So, I'm gonna need you to pause your murder spree of bestie love, drive to Mystic Falls, and deliver me that ball" Sybil demanded, Damon looked towards Kol, who immediately shook his head, "If you're nodding, I can't see through the phone, so what do you say, Damon? Yes? or yes?".

"No" Kol mouthed.

"I'm on my way" a frustrated Damon informed.

"I'll text you the details" a smug Sybil said, before hanging up the phone.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" an annoyed Kol asked, "I thought working with Cade meant being done with the sirens".

"I know, but every time I try and tell her no, my mouth says yes" Damon informed.

"You know what?" Kol suddenly said, pouring bourbon over the dead body he killed, "Maybe going back to Mystic Falls is exactly what we need right now".

"It is?" a confused Damon asked.

"Yes it is, till that women is in your head, you're going to keep being distracted, which means it's time to finally put an end to her control over you" Kol replied, before lighting up a lighter and throwing it on to the dead body, "That is exactly what you and I are going to do that siren".

***

While Caroline and Aria were at the boarding house, prepping for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, Aria received a call for Seline, who pleaded for her to meet her at the Grill, which is how both Caroline and Aria ended up sitting across Seline on a table at the grill, Caroline refusing to let Aria meet up with Seline alone.

"My sister's on the warpath" Seline informed the two sisters, "The artifact that she's trying to assemble has the power to kill her, that's why she's after all three pieces of the bell, lucky for you, I already stole the biggest part".

"Did you want a congrats in person?" Caroline asked, confused as to why Seline called them here, "I mean, we're due at an event".

"You have something I need" Seline clarified, "I have something you need, I have the bell, you have the tuning fork, and together, we're like chocolate and peanut butter".

"Or peanut butter and garbage" Caroline retorted.

"Hey, I am trying to make amends" a frustrated Seline said, "I could've just as easily called Damon".

"Damon?" a confused Aria asked, "What does Damon have to do with all this?".

"He has the third piece of the bell, the striker" Seline informed.

"And what exactly is this striker?" a curious Aria asked.

"It's an iron ball" Seline replied, "My sister had him fetch it from the Maxwells, he doesn't even know what it is, look, I am partially responsible for the damage she inflicts on the world, if I want to make good, that starts with killing Sybil".

"I'm just having a hard time taking you seriously because of everything you've done" Caroline said.

"You don't have to trust me" Seline assured, "But I sure as hell am trusting you, with a weapon of terrible power".

Caroline looked at Aria who simply rolled her eyes in response, Caroline then chuckled and looked at Seline, "Well, I love a weapon of terrible power" she said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" a confused Seline asked, as Aria grabbed her bag and also stood up.

"Miss Mystic Falls" Caroline replied, "Those of us who haven't burnt every single bridge we've ever crossed have obligations".

And with that both Aria and Caroline walked out the grill, leaving behind a furious Seline.

***

Aria's Look For Miss Mystic Falls

Aria stood at the entrance of the building where they were hosting the Miss Mystic Falls pageant with Caroline, while Caroline was busy checking the guest list, Aria was on the phone with Dorian.

"Dorian, please tell me you have that tuning fork stored somewhere safe in that armory" Aria said, into the phone.

"Uh, it's called, the staff of Arcadius" Dorian informed.

"I'm guessing that's a yes?" Aria asked.

"That's a yes" Dorian confirmed.

Aria sighed in relief, "Okay, look Dorian, I'm stuck here at Miss Mystic Falls, but before we came here Seline tried to call a truce with me and Caroline, she wants us to put that bell together so she can kill Sybil".

"That doesn't sound right" a worried Dorian said.

"Trust me, I know" Aria said, "But here's the thing, if Seline is still in town, that means the bell has to also be somewhere in town, or at least somewhere close by, do you think you can work with Matt to get a lead on it?".

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm on it" Dorian assured.

"Thanks Dorian" Aria said, before hanging up the phone.

Caroline walked over to Aria, "Okay, everyone on the guest list is here".

"This is perfect, the whole town is here, once the dance starts we can easily sneak away to go find that striker" Aria said.

"Have you tried calling Damon?" Caroline asked.

"Multiple times, but he won't answer me" Aria replied.

Caroline sighed, her eyes then landed behind Aria, immediately she was shocked seeing two very familiar faces entering the building, "Maybe he's not answering, cause he wants you to ask him in person".

Aria looked at her sister in confusion, not knowing what she was on about, Caroline pointed behind Aria, as soon as Aria turned around, her eyes went wide seeing both Kol and Damon standing at the entrance.

Both Damon and Aria's eyes locked and for a second, none of them said anything, since getting the bracelet this was the first time Damon had seen Aria, the love the was erased from his brain had finally come back but despite that there was something holding both Aria and Damon back from each other, which was Damon's deal with the devil.

"What are you even doing here?" Caroline asked the two best friends, breaking Damon and Aria's eye lock.

"I invited them" Sybil informed, walking up to the two sisters, "Don't worry, as long as I get what I want, I'll make sure they behave".

Caroline and Aria looked back at Damon and Kol and then at each other, both of them realising this was going to be a eventful day.

***

Damon walked up to the room Aria was instructing all the girls, Aria's bracelet in his hand, he leaned against the doorway and admired the Connor witch, she was a sight for sore eyes for him.

"Alright, so before I start I will like to inform you all that these things I'm about to say are not from me, they're from Caroline" Aria said, addressing all the girls participating in the pageant today, "According to our former Miss Mystic Falls, you need to look effortless today, she also said that don't forget to smile but not because the society wants you to but because you're happy to be here, yeah that's about it, you all look absolutely beautiful and don't forget to enjoy tonight, it's a one time thing, win or lose doesn't matter, what matters is the memories you make on this day".

Aria turned around and came face to face with Damon, as soon as both of them looked each other, memories of the day they participated in this competition started going through their head.

Damon remembered Aria walking down the stairs, he remembers finding it hard to breath, all his senses were overpowered with Aria, at that time he knew he loved the Connor witch, but he hadn't confessed, they were in a limbo, both of them wanted to be with each other, but neither had the courage to take a step forward, both of them scarred from their respective pasts.

Aria remembered her and Damon's dance, she remembers Damon's touch so vividly, wherever he touched her, Aria felt like her skin was on fire, he consumed her mind, her heart and her soul, everywhere it was just Damon, both of them forgot their surroundings and only remembered each other, everyone else just blurred away and for them it was just Damon and Aria, in their world, with no one to come between them.

"There's my handsome henchman" Sybil said, walking over to Damon and standing infront of him, blocking Damon's view of Aria, "Thank God I don't have to trust one of these townies not to embarrass me on the dance floor".

Damon looked behind Sybil at Aria, who had her hands clenched into fists, she was fighting the urge to attack Sybil here and there.

"I'm not here to dance, with you" Damon told Sybil, but his eyes on Aria, who looked at him and a small smile formed on Damon's face seeing the happy expression on Aria's face after hearing him.

"No, you're here to give me that lovely old Maxwell striker" Sybil said, unaware of Damon and Aria's small interaction.

Damon looked at the bracelet in his hand, then at his soulmate, who shook her head, telling Damon not to give the striker to Sybil, Damon then looked at Sybil, "No" he said, surprising not only Sybil but also himself.

"I think you meant to say, yes, Sybil whatever your heart and beautiful face and body desire" an annoyed Sybil said, putting her hands on Damon's face.

Aria knew that Sybil was trying to gain control of Damon again, she took a step towards them to get Sybil to stop, but Damon ended up pushing Sybil away from himself before Aria could take another step.

"I think what I meant to say was, no" Damon repeated.

Sybil glared at Damon, she then closed her eyes and went inside Damon's head to see what was causing him to disobey her.

Aria went to grab her red dress that was hanging on the mirror.

"Aria?" a present day Damon asked.

Past Aria turned to Damon, but before she could say anything, Aria turned into Sybil, confusing Damon.

"I don't know what's glitching here in your subconscious, but you need to get a grip" Sybil said.

"You're right" Damon said, taking slow and steady steps towards Sybil, "That is exactly what I need to do".

Damon suddenly smashed Sybil's head into the mirror, in reality a shocked Sybil gasped and quickly moved away from Damon.

"How did you do that?" a shocked Sybil asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Damon said, stealthily looked at Aria, and with his head gestured for her to go, Aria nodded her head, understanding that Damon didn't want Sybil to know it was because of Aria that he was about able to fight the siren's control, "But I hope it hurt".

After making sure Aria had left, Damon also left, leaving behind an enraged Sybil who was left wondering how did Damon manage to fight her control.

***

"Alright everyone, it's time to do your finishing touches and meet Caroline by the stairs" Aria told all the contestants, one by one all the girls left the room leaving Aria alone with Damon, who was looking at himself in the mirror.

"Finally got you alone" Aria teased, walking over to the oldest Salvatore.

Damon looked at Aria through the mirror, and for a second he just stared, "Sybil called me back here" he finally spoke, turning to face Aria, "She wants that ball of iron I've been lugging around, for the first time, I was actually able to tell her no", Damon held up Aria's bracelet, "Because of this, and because of you".

"I know" Aria said, a smile on her face, "I saw and heard everything, made me very happy, also please don't give Sybil that striker, we need that striker, it's part of a weapon that can help us finally kill these sirens".

"Absolutely not" Damon protested, walking closer to Aria, "I don't want Sybil dead until she fixes what's going on inside of my head! I don't know what's happening to me, but so far", Damon held up Aria's bracelet again, "This thing has been nothing but trouble, why did you give me this?".

"It was mine" Aria informed, "It is mine".

"Yeah, I know that" a frustrated Damon said, "Why does it mean anything to me? I hold it and I get this little flicker of warmth, and then--", Damon makes a blow noise with his mouth, "And it's gone".

Aria sighed, "That bitch really messed with your memories, didn't she?".

"After I flipped my switch, Sybil tinkered in my head" Damon confirmed, "I don't know what it was, but she did something to guarantee that all my feelings for you went away".

Aria shook her head, "Your feelings for me can never go away" she stated, taking a step closer to Damon, leaving no space between them, "I know Sybil has altered all of my memories in your head, she's made it hers, but Damon deep down you know those memories are ours, not hers, I gave you this bracelet because it is as powerful and magical as the love you and I have, as we will always have, you being here right now, going against Sybil, protecting me and the triplets despite not even remembering us, it proves that you don't need my memories, because I am here", Aria put her hand on Damon's chest, where his heart is, "This is my place and no one in this world can take my place in your heart Damon, not even a siren with her stupid mind games, somewhere deep down in your heart, I'm there, I will always be there Damon, I will fight for you Damon, but I can't do it alone, I need you to come back for me and I promise, this time you and I will get our happily ever after, because after everything we've gone through, we deserve to be happy, with each other, with our children".

Aria looked into Damon's eyes, with unshed tears in her brown eyes, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Damon's cheek, as soon as Aria's eyes lips touched his skin, Damon closed his eyes, Aria's touch causing his heart to beat at a pace he didn't even think it was possible for a dead heart to beat in.

***

"Allow me to introduce this year's Miss Mystic hopefuls" Caroline said, standing on the stairs and addressing the crowd, "Violet Fell, escorted by Ryan Ashton".

Kol walked over to Damon, who was standing on the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm ready to get out of here" Damon told Kol.

"I just had a interesting conversation with a certain siren" Kol said, "You didn't give Sybil that bloody ball she wants".

"Why do you care?" a confused Damon asked.

"Because fighting Sybil is stopping you from becoming the best friend I need you to be" Kol said.

"If this has something to do with me not pulling my weight with Cade, I think you're killing enough for the both of us" Damon stated.

"Relax, that's not what I mean" Kol said, "What I mean is, when I got into that car with you again, I thought we were leaving the past behind us, we were leaving her behind".

Damon looked in the direction Kol had pointed in, only to see Aria standing there, happily chatting to Klaus.

"But she just refuses to leave your head" Kol continued, "Being here just keeps pulling you closer to her".

"What are you talking about?" a confused Damon asked.

"I wasn't here when Caroline and Aria had participated in Miss Mystic Falls, but I know everything that happened here that day" Kol replied, "I know this place and the memoires you have of Aria and you dancing together is going around in your head, you were standing right here, weren't you? Falling for Aria more and more with each step she took towards you".

Damon looked up at the stairs and suddenly his mind flashed to Aria walking down those stairs, in her red dress, surprise evident on her face after seeing Damon standing there, waiting for her.

"I know you think this is where everything changed for you and Aria" Kol said, bringing Damon back to reality, "But the real truth is Damon, this is the place where Aria's doom began".

"That's old news Kol, I don't care about Aria" Damon stated, though deep down he did feel something painful in his heart hearing that he was Aria's doom.

"Is that so?" Kol asked, clearly not convinced.

"Mh-hmm" Damon confirmed.

Kol looked at Damon and suddenly he reached into Damon's pocket and pulled out Aria's bracelet, Damon failing to stop him.

"If you don't care for her, then why is this back?" Kol asked, holding up the bracelet, "Face it Damon, when you gave this bracelet to Aria, it wasn't to protect her from others, it was to protect her from you, because even you knew, you were never good for her".

Damon looked up at the stairs, once again to see Aria, but then Kol broke the bracelet and the image of Aria was changed into Sybil walking down the stairs, having changed from her blue dress into a red one.

"Shall we?" Sybil asked, walking over to Kol.

"Of course" Kol replied, throwing the bracelet on to the floor and leading Sybil out to the dance floor.

As soon as Kol and Sybil were gone, Aria, who heard everything, rushed over to Damon, not wanting Kol's words to reverse all the progress she made with Damon.

"Please don't listen to him" Aria pleaded, as soon as she reached Damon, "Damon, Kol isn't himself, you can't listen to someone whose not themself".

"I haven't been myself lately, either" Damon reminded.

"No" Aria said, "I'm not losing you to Sybil Damon, not in this lifetime".

Aria looped her arm with Damon and forced him to come outside with her.

"What are you doing?" a confused Damon asked.

"Reminding you of our love" Aria replied, her and Damon stood on the stairs and watched the pairs dance together, "You and I did this dance together".

"Yeah, I'm aware of that" Damon said.

"We had feelings for each other before this dance, but this dance just made those feeling even bigger" Aria said, "This event, this place, is special to us Damon, it didn't doom me, but it made me realise that all this time, what I thought was love, wasn't love at all, it was just an infatuation, when I looked into your eyes, when I got lost in your touch, the overwhelming feeling I got from being just in your presence, that made me realise that this is what people call love, and I finally got why everyone in this world wanted to experience it, because your love Damon, it made me the happiest I have ever been"

Aria led Damon towards the dance floor, where Rebekah and Enzo, Caroline and Klaus, Kol and Sybil were dancing together.

"How is a stupid pageant supposed to remind me of feelings attached to something I haven't even forgotten" Damon asked, as both him and Aria put both their hands put, not touching but not too far apart either and both of them started waking in a circle.

"You haven't forgotten the dance, but you've forgotten the feeling" Aria said, "And plus, I would really like to recreate that dance with you, will you let me?".

Damon looked at Aria and nodded his head, he put his hand on Aria's waist and pulled her closer to him, he then intertwined his other hand with Aria's, while Aria put her other hand on his shoulder, for a moment everything around the two soulmates had disappeared all the remembered was each other, all they knew was each other, the last time they did this dance going around both their heads.

"If this isn't helping, which I really hope is, there is another way for you and I to fight Sybil" Aria said, as Damon led her around the dance floor.

"Does this have something to do with that stupid metal ball?" Damon asked.

"That stupid metal ball is called a striker" Aria informed, "It's the final piece of the weapon that will help us kill both Sybil and Seline, maybe if use the weapon it will also break whatever influence Sybil has over you".

Before Damon could say anything, someone grabbed Aria's arm and span her towards him.

"Kol" a shocked Aria whispered as she clashed with Kol's chest.

"My turn" Kol whispered into Aria's ear.

Damon glared at the Mikaelson vampire, he didn't like the fact that he snatched Aria from his arms, he took a step towards them, to bring Aria back in his arms, when Sybil blocked his way, immediately causing an annoyed look to come on Damon's face but nonetheless he started dancing with her.

"When this is over Damon, you are gonna thank me for sparing you so much pain" Sybil stated, as her and Damon walked in a circle with their right hand up.

"Yeah, or murder you for squatting in my mind" Damon retorted.

"Oh, please, if this little Aria girl is the voice of your humanity, I'd be afraid to face her, considering what you've done, are you sure you're worth her love?" Sybil asked.

An image of him and Aria dancing at this very event passed through Damon's brain, "I'm not afraid to face Aria or my humanity" he told Sybil.

"Oh, Damon, you should be" Sybil said, as the two came two a stop and gave each other a bow, "What do you think it's gonna feel like if you keep fighting?".

"You and I will be over, forever" Damon stated.

"That'll be a nice little side-effect" Sybil confirmed, as the duo lifted their left hand up and started walking the opposite direction, "But what's really gonna happen is eventually your humanity is gonna flood back and crush you", once again Damon remembered him and Aria doing this exact step, "You'll be consumed with guilt for trying to kill your own soulmate, for kidnapping your own children", Sybil and Damon lifted both their hands up and started walking in a circle and a memory of him and Aria doing this once again crossed Damon's mind, "For turning Aria and Rebekah against each other, for selling your best friend's soul to Cade", Sybil put her hand on Damon's shoulder and intertwined the other with Damon's other hand and the two started waltzing around the dance floor, Damon once again remembered him and Aria doing this step, "And if you're really honest for stealing the girl Kol has waited for a thousand years".

As another picture of him and Aria flooded his brain, Damon took a step back from Sybil, "You gotta stop that right now" he said, "I can't take any more of this".

"You're finally getting it" Sybil said, "Fighting means feeling, and both are useless, your soul is damned anyway, so just give up, give in, and give me what I want", Sybil leaned her head on Damon's shoulder, "Stick with me Damon, the path of least resistance, I promise", Sybil caressed Damon's face, "It will hurt way less then reality".

"I hid the striker upstairs" Damon finally said, causing a satisfied smile to form on Sybil's face, "I'll take you".

***

A panicked Aria rushed over to Caroline and Klaus.

"You guys, Damon and Sybil just went upstairs together" Aria informed, "I think Damon might be giving her that striker".

"Which means it's time to wrap this party up" Klaus stated.

Aria nodded her head, "I'm gonna go and wrap this party, then you two make sure everyone gets out safely while I get that striker from Damon before Sybil does".

Caroline nodded her head, "Got it" she said.

Aria quickly rushed and grabbed the microphone, "Hey everyone, I am so sorry for doing this but unfortunately we are going to have to end this years Miss Mystic Falls event early because there has been a gas leak in the kitchen, so everyone started walking out as quickly and safely as you can, thank you all for joining us this year, hopefully next year will be better".

As everyone started walking out, Violet and the rest of the participants of Miss Mystic Falls walked over to Aria.

"But who won?" Violet asked.

"No one, everyone tied" Aria lied, then stepped forward and tried to compel Violet, "Now go home".

"No" Violet said, Aria's compulsion not working on her, "No, we have to stay".

"And who told you to stay exactly?" Aria asked, realising Violet and the other girls were already compelled by another vampire.

"The honorary judge, Kol Mikaelson" another participant informed, shocking Aria, who was left wondering what was Kol up to this time.

***

Damon grabbed the striker from where he had left it, he then turned around and showed it to Sybil.

"Good boy" Sybil praised, walking over to Damon.

"One last thing" Damon said, "When you were mucking about in my subconscious, did you ever take the time to understand Aria? Her capacity for forgiveness?".

"Damon, you're slipping, remember what you've done" Sybil warned, walking over to the oldest Salvatore and trying to grab the striker from his hand, but Damon quickly moved the striker away and grabbed Sybil's wrist.

"Oh, I do" Damon said, "I remember all of it, and even though I can't feel a damn thing for Aria, the more you try and push her out, the more I understand she's never going away, and there's not enough room in my head for both of you".

Damon then used the striker to hit Sybil across the head, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.

***

"There you are" Kol said, walking over to Damon who was looking down at an unconscious Sybil with a smirk on his face, "I've been looking everywhere for you, there's something I need to tell you, we are no longer road trip buddies, I'm hitting the road by myself".

"What?" a confused Damon asked, wondering what Kol was up to this time.

"I've faced the bitter truth Damon, you are never going to be the best friend I need you to be" Kol said, "There's just too much you're still holding on to".

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked, "I just fought Sybil, I won, isn't that the whole reason we came here in the first place was to get this woman out of my head?".

"Yeah, here's the thing Damon, Sybil isn't the woman in your head that I have a problem with" Kol said.

"Oh" Damon realised, "Now you have a problem with Aria, whose memories I can't even remember?".

"But they're coming back aren't they?" Kol asked, "Despite all that Sybil has done, despite how much you deny it, truth is Damon, Aria was, is, and will always be in your head, and her hold on is much more powerful then Sybil's hold, she's manipulating your every move despite not even directly being infront of you".

"Let me get this straight" Damon said, "I've been dealing with you for weeks now, covering your tracks, laying in a hospital bed so you can get your kicks, and now you're ditching me?".

"Yeap" Kol simply said.

"You're choosing her over your best friend?" Damon asked, pointing towards a unconscious Sybil.

"No, I'm not choosing her, or you Damon, I'm simply choosing me" Kol said, "The psychotic maniac was made for Cade's work, but like always you just have to ruin my happiness, don't you Damon? But this time I'm not going to let you succeed".

Before Damon could say thing, Kol speeded over to him and staked him in the heart with a hanger, causing Damon to fall to the floor while a smug Kol grabbed the striker and walked out the room.

***

"What the hell did you do?" Aria asked Kol, as he walked over to her and the compelled girls.

"I see all my finalists are here" Kol said, he then looked at Aria, "You are never going to win a beauty pageant, ever, but despite that I have a gift for you, think of it as a pity gift".

Kol threw the striker to Aria, who easily caught it in her hands.

"Now leave" Kol ordered Aria, while walking over to Violet, "Trust me, you don't want to see what happens next".

"Don't do this, Kol" Aria said.

"Why not?" Kol asked, "This is my job Aria".

"Your job is to kill the evil ones, not innocent girls, Kol" Aria snapped.

"Exactly" Kol said, "Such innocent young girls who have no idea what the world has in store for them".

"No!" Aria yelled, seeing Kol snap Violet's neck.

Seeing Kol walk over to another girl, Aria quickly speeded over to him and shoved him away from the girl, Kol chuckled and suddenly speeded over to Aria and shoved her into a table.

Aria quickly stood up and turned to Kol, only to see his hands on the neck of a girl.

"Relax darling, she's not dead, dead" Kol said.

"What?" a confused Aria asked.

"All of these girls have my blood in their system" Kol informed.

"Why would you do that?" Aria asked, not understanding what Kol was up to.

"Look in the mirror, Ri" Kol said, "You'll see that vampirism is a one way path straight to hell".

"Not all vampires" Aria snapped, "Some of us are good, some of us don't lose their control over their bloodlust, we're not all like you, Kol".

Before Kol could snap another girls hands, Aria ripped a piece of the chair and threw it at Kol's chest.

"See?" Kol groaned in pain as he fell to the ground, "You're killer instincts are as bad as me".

Aria watched as Kol desiccated and fell to the floor temporarily dead.

"What the hell happened her?" Caroline asked, entering the room.

Aria looked at her sister, "You have a newbie vampire to deal with, I think I'm done for tonight".

Caroline looked at Aria's exhausted face, then at Kol and Violet's dead body, realising something really bad had happened.

***

Damon woke up and with a groan took out the hanger stuck in his heart, he then glanced at Sybil and a smirk formed on his face seeing the siren laying next to him, still unconscious.

***

An unconscious Sybil woke up, only to see Damon tying her up with chains.

"Ah, back from the dead" Damon said, seeing Sybil awake, "How's Cade? Any words of wisdom for his disgraced ex-servant?".

"Nope, just chitchat" Sybil replied, glaring at the oldest Salvatore, "Sports, weather, movies, what I'm gonna do to you when I get out of these!", Sybil tired to get out of the chains but failed as they were too tight.

"Well, that's not gonna be for a long time" Damon stated, "And if you think you can siren yourself out of here thanks to whatever you did to my brain so many months ago? That's gone, too".

"I got that, upside the head" Sybil said, she let out a scoff, "So, this is Damon's big revenge, if you think there's any kind of torture that I haven't suffered, I would be very interested to hear it".

Damon tightened the chains around Sybil's legs, "Oh, maybe I'll just get in your head, make your life a living hell".

Sybil grunted in pain as Damon once again tightened the chains, "You wouldn't even know where to start".

"That's not true at all" Damon said, "I know you spent your life forgotten and abandoned, feared and hated, hell, anyone who loved you had to be sirened to do so, I mean, except your sister, but now even your sibling doesn't want anything to do with you, I know why, after two thousand years, you have nothing", Damon bent down to Sybil's level, "Because you are nothing, nothing but a spiteful, insecure, unlovable little girl, don't forget, I've seen you, the real you, pool of blood you", a tear slid down an emotional Sybil's face, "Aw, I made a siren cry, what's my prize? Well, I guess I'll take a few centuries of torture".

Damon stood up and pulled on the chains but before he could do anything, Sybil held his head in her chained up hand.

"You want a prize?" a furious Sybil asked, "How about your precious humanity back? All of it, I'm not the thing inside your head you have to fear Damon, you are".

Sybil threw Damon on to the floor, who laid there still, remembering all the people he hurt, remembering the times he hurt Aria, remembering the time he forgot his own children.

Though Damon's humanity was back on, he was still so far away from the Damon that Aria loves.

***

Presenting 8x09 of Cold Hearted!

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Damon and Kol returning back to Mystic Falls?

Thoughts on Damon managing to fight Sybil's control on him because of Aria and her memories?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria recreating their Miss Mystic Falls dance?

Thoughts on Aria temporarily killing Kol?

Thoughts on Sybil forcing Damon to turn his humanity back on?