17. Bring It On

The Other Side (Before Qetsiyah's Spell)

Usually, when supernatural creatures die, they would watch their loved ones from the other side, that's the only thing they could do, but Aria didn't want to do that, she didn't want to see what her death did to everyone, she didn't want to see her family break down, she didn't want to see Damon's heartbreak, so she decided to avoid everyone, which is why she was now sitting on the docks of the lake, she had seen Elijah and Klaus come here, looking for someone, but Aria didn't pay attention, it was too hard.

After her death, Aria saw Katherine feed Jeremey to Silas and Damien, she had screamed from the other side, begging any spirit to help her save her best friend, but nothing happened, all Aria could do was cry and watch her best friend die, and the worst part of all this, he never came to the other side, or if he did, Aria never saw him, not until now.

"Aria?".

Aria turned around in shock, she didn't except to hear that voice ever again, "Jeremy?".

Jeremy gave Aria a small smile, "Hey".

Aria quickly stood up and ran into Jeremy's arms, "I thought I would never see you again".

"I'm not that easy to get rid of" Jeremy said, tightening his grip on Aria, when he saw her die, Jeremy felt like something in him died, he felt like he failed the one person who never failed him.

"But, how can I see you?" Aria asked confused, finally breaking the hug.

"Honestly?" Jeremy asked, "I don't know, I was watching the others, but it became too painful so I decided to come here, I remember you telling me how much peace this place bought you, when I came here I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought I was never going to see you again, but I'm glad that even if it's for a short amount of time, I get to see you one last time".

"What do you mean small amount of time?" Aria asked confused, not knowing what was happening.

Jeremy smiled, "Kol and Damon are bringing you back".

Aria rapidly shook her head, "No" she said, "I'm not leaving, not without you".

"Aria--".

"No Jeremy" Aria snapped, "I am not losing you, either we both come back alive or none of us do".

"You have to go back to them Aria" Jeremy said, "They are breaking apart without you, they need you".

"And I need you" Aria cried, "I can't leave you behind".

"You're not leaving me behind" Jeremy assured, "Once you wake up, I know you will figure out a way to bring me back".

"I still haven't been able to bring Ric and Finn back, how can I bring you back?" Aria asked.

"You will figure it out" Jeremy said, wiping Aria's tears, "You always do".

Before Aria could reply, veins start appearing on her arms and towards her heart, "No, no, no".

"Looks like it work" Jeremy said, giving Aria a sad smile.

"No!" Aria yelled, "Please don't leave me, please".

"I will see you soon" Jeremy promised, as Aria slowly started disappearing.

Aria gasped and opened her eyes in shock, realising she was in her room now.

"Ria", "Ri", Aria heard people call out her name, but she didn't respond.

"Jeremy" Aria whispered, slowly sitting up and looking towards shocked Kol and Damon.

"You're back" Damon whispered.

"You shouldn't have brought me back" Aria whispered, tears streaming down her face, "It should have been him, not me".

"Ri--".

"No!" Aria yelled, "It wasn't suppose to be me Kol, Jeremy was suppose to come back, not me!".

"Ria" Damon said, sitting infront of the hysterical witch, "You need to calm down".

"I can't calm down!" Aria yelled, "Where's his body?! I can bring him back, just tell me where his body is", Aria jumped out of bed quickly, but stumbled back in weakness, before she could fall both Kol and Damon steadied her.

"Ri, you need rest" Kol said worried.

"What I need is my best friend!" Aria yelled, just as Caroline, Rebekah, Liz, Klaus and Elijah entered the room, all shocked seeing Aria awake, "Where's Jeremy's body?!".

"Aria" Liz said, stepping forward.

"Mom" Aria cried, "Mom, tell them to tell me where Jeremy's body is, I can bring him back, I know I can".

"Baby, I need you to listen to me, okay?" Liz said softly, "Jeremy's body isn't here".

"Where is it then?" Aria asked confused, "Did you guys bury him already?".

"No" Caroline replied, tears welling in her eyes seeing her sister in so much pain, "We were all at the cemetery, bringing you back, while we were gone, Stefan took Jeremy's body to Elena".

"Okay, so his at the Gilbert house" Aria said, "Let's go".

"Ria" Damon said, making Aria face him, "Elena burnt the Gilbert house down, with Jeremy's body in it".

Aria stared at Damon in shock, "No" she whispered, "I can't bring him back without his body Damon! I need his body!".

"Shh" Damon soothed, bring Aria into a hug, "It's going to be okay".

"No, it's not going to be okay" Aria cried, holding on to Damon like her life depended on it, "It's never going to be okay".

Damon held on to Aria tightly, letting her cry it out, while everyone else looked on worried.

***

Aria had eventually cried herself to sleep, while Liz, Caroline and Rebekah watched over her, Damon, Kol, Elijah and Klaus sat in the living room.

"You both have to keep a eye on her" Elijah told Kol and Damon, "With the amount of people she's lost, this might be the last straw, Jeremy's death might cause her to turn her humanity off".

"And we can't have that" Klaus said.

"But what if it's the only way to help her?" Damon asked.

"That's not an option" Klaus snapped, "We can't let her turn her humanity off, if she turns it off now, we might not be able to make her turn it back on".

"One of us has to always be with her" Kol told Damon, "We can't let her turn into something she would never want to be".

Damon sighed, "I know, it's just, how much more pain can she take?".

"Give her some credit, she's the most strongest women I've ever met" Elijah replied, "It will take time, maybe a lot of time, but she will get through this".

"We need to make sure she always has something to do, something to even for little while, take her mind off of Jeremy" Klaus said.

"How about school?" Elijah suggested.

"Seriously?" Kol asked, "She just came back from the dead and you want her to go to school?".

"Like Niklaus said, in order to make sure Aria doesn't turn it off, we need to keep her busy, school is the best way" Elijah replied, "Unless Kol, you have a better idea to distract her from her best friend's death".

"Rebekah and Caroline will be with her" Klaus assured the two worried vampires, "She will be fine".

"Fine" Damon said, "Maybe, while Aria's at school, we can finally start looking for the bitch who caused all of this".

Kol nodded, "Sounds good".

***

Aria entered the very busy high school, with Rebekah and Caroline by her side, ever since her break down, Aria hasn't said anything to anyone, when Damon told her maybe she should go to school, she simply nodded, throughout the whole car ride, Rebekah and Caroline kept talking to her but she never replied.

"So, today is the cheerleading tournament, us three are going to kill it, right Aria?" Caroline asked, hoping to get a response from Aria, but she just simply nodded, a blank expression on her face.

"Of course we are" Rebekah replied, realising Aria wasn't going to reply, "We are the most badass trio anyone has ever seen".

Both Caroline and Rebekah turned to Aria, hoping she would say something, but her attention was taken by something else, near the notice board, she saw Elena remove the paper that talked about Jeremy's memorial the school was hosting, Aria frowned when she saw her crunch the paper up.

Without wasting a second, Aria ran over to Elena, and held her wrist before she could throw the paper in the bin, "Don't you dare" Aria warned, holding on to Elena's wrist tightly, causing her to hiss in pain.

Aria snatched the paper from Elena, she opened it up and tried to get rid of the wrinkles as best as she could, then stuck the paper back on the board, "I will not let anyone disrespect my best friend's memory like that", Rebekah and Caroline looked at each other and smiled, even in his death, it was only Jeremy who was able to bring Aria back, even if it was for a small moment.

"Looks like your boy toys bought you back" Elena taunted, but Aria ignored her, and just tried to smooth the paper, "Sucks Jeremy will never come back, I mean that's what he gets for choosing you over me".

Before Elena could realise what was happening, Aria had turned around and slapped Elena across the face, shocking everyone.

"Don't say his name out of your mouth" Aria warned, "You and me both know, out of us two, whose more stronger, if you don't want me to send you right to hell, I will keep your stupid little mouth shut Elena".

Aria started to walk away, when Elena's next words stopped her, "See you at cheerleading then Aria".

"What?" Caroline asked confused.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Elena asked, pretending to be innocent, "I got my spot on the cheer team back".

"That's not possible, I'm the captain" Caroline snapped, "I decide whose on the team, and I decide you are not on the team".

"But the head teacher allowed me" Elena said, "After all, her say, is the last say".

Caroline opened her mouth to talk, but Aria interrupted her, "See you at the tournament Elena, but I'll be careful, sometimes in cheerleading people get hurt".

Without hearing anything else, Aria walked away from Elena.

"She's channeling her sadness into anger, isn't she?" A worried Rebekah asked, as her and Caroline followed Aria.

"Yeah" Caroline replied.

"A humanity less Elena and an angry Aria" Rebekah realised, "Things are about to get messy".

"My money is on Aria" Caroline said simply.

"You and me both" Rebekah mumbled.

***

"The entire supply of blood from the hospital, all the reserves, gone" Liz informed Damon and Kol, "Just vanished".

"It's them" Kol said, "It has to be".

"Silas and Damien?" Liz asked.

Damon nodded, "They followed us from the island, and it makes sense, they haven't had blood in two thousand years, I'm guessing they are pretty hungry".

"If it is them, they are putting lives in danger and risks exposing all of you" Liz said, "Both my daughters included".

"We have to find them" Kol said, "Before they find Ri".

"Aria?" Liz asked confused, "What does my daughter have to do with this?".

"Silas and Damien helped us bring her back to life, they informed us about Qetsiyah possessing Bonnie" Damon replied, "They are two thousand year old immortals, they won't help just anyone".

"Unless they want something from her" Kol finished.

"Damon, Kol, I don't want my daughter stuck in another mess, she deserves at least one day off" Liz said worried.

"Don't worry Liz" Damon assured, "Aria is our responsibility, we won't fail her, not again".

"Thank you" Liz said, giving the two vampires a small smile.

***

"Aria!" Caroline called out, as Aria walked into the auditorium, "Where's your cheer uniform?".

"Caroline, I don't know if I'm in the right head to do cheer" Aria admitted.

Caroline sighed, "I know, I'm actually surprised you even came here".

"Me to" Aria admitted.

"Okay, I won't force you Aria, but will you at least watch me and Rebekah kick Grove Hill's ass?" Caroline asked.

Aria nodded, "Of course, and if you need me, just tell me, I'm sitting on the front row".

"Okay" Caroline said, "Just, please don't disappear".

"I have no where else to go" Aria said, a sad smile on her face.

Caroline looked at Aria's retreating figure with a sad expression on her face, "Is she okay?" Rebekah asked, walking over to Caroline, in her cheer uniform.

"Not really" Caroline admitted.

***

"We might have a problem" Rebekah told Caroline.

"What?" Caroline asked, busy stretching,

"I think Elena's feeding on the competition" Rebekah replied.

"What?" Caroline asked shocked, she looked up to see Elena in her cheer uniform, with a blue ribbon in her hair, standing next to a student from Grove Hill, who was now wearing a scarf around her neck.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Caroline snapped, walking over to Elena, once the other girl had walked away.

"What is your problem?" Elena snapped.

"Feeding on the competition, seriously?" Caroline asked.

"I don't care what you think" Elena replied, "I'll do whatever I want".

Elena turned to leave, but was blocked by Aria, who heard everything, before Elena could say anything, Aria pulled the ribbon from her hair, pulling on Elena's hair a bit harshly.

"That doesn't belong to you" Aria said simply, walking over to the girl who Elena stole the ribbon from, Rebekah and Caroline watched as Aria gave the ribbon back the girl.

"Aria two, Elena zero" Rebekah taunted, making Elena glare at her.

"Let's go Rebekah, unlike some people, we actually have things to do" Caroline mocked, walking away with Rebekah.

***

Aria sat on the bleachers and saw Rebekah and Caroline get ready for their performance.

"Ladies and gentleman, give it up for your very own Lady Timberwolves!".

"Ready!" Caroline yelled.

Aria watched the routine, she frowned when she saw Elena looking at Caroline, almost like she was planning something, Aria slowly started making her way towards them, not trusting Elena to not try anything.

With the help of Rebekah, Elena and one other girl, Caroline jumped into the air and did a flip, Aria saw Elena move out of the way, so Caroline would fall to the floor, but Aria quickly ran and took Elena's spot, just in time so Caroline could perfect her landing.

"You okay?" Aria asked.

"Yeah, thanks for coming to my save" Caroline replied.

"Always" Aria said, she then started looking around for Elena, she finally found her leaving the auditorium with Stefan, "I'll be back".

"Oh I am not missing this" Rebekah said, grabbing Caroline's hand and both of them followed Aria.

"Elena!" Aria yelled, going to the parking lot and seeing Stefan and Elena.

"Aria--".

"Don't talk" Aria warned Stefan, using her magic she pushed Stefan into a pillar.

Elena vamped out and tried to attack Aria, but Aria used her magic to give her aneurism, she then slammed her hardly on the ground, "That's how falling to the ground feels like".

"I'm going to kill you!" Elena yelled.

"You can try" Aria said, finally stopping her magic.

Using the opportunity, Elena speeded over to Aria and shoved her to the ground, before she could do any damage Aria kicked her stomach causing Elena to smash into a car, both the girls quickly recovered and stood up.

"I'm going to finish what Katherine started" Elena said, grabbing a branch.

Elena charged towards Aria with the branch, but Aria easily dodged her, she used her leg to make Elena fall, grabbing the branch, Aria stabbed Elena in the back, right below her heart, and snapped the branch in half, making it so Elena couldn't take it out herself.

"Alaric Saltzman trained me" Aria said, pushing Elena to the ground, "You are never going to beat me", Aria looked towards an amazed Rebekah and Caroline, who had snapped Stefan's neck to prevent him form helping Elena, "I'm going home, I think I've had enough of school for today".

***

"If you are here to lecture me, then please leave" Aria snapped, sitting at the Grill, getting drunk.

"I'm just here to keep you company" Damon defended, sitting next to Aria.

"So, you're not here to lecture me about nearly killing Elena in the parking lot?" Aria asked, downing another drink.

"I would never, she deserves everything that you do to her" Damon replied, pouring Aria another drink.

Aria stared at the glass for a moment, "I talked to him" she whispered.

"What?" Damon asked, slightly confused.

"Right before you and Kol bought me back, I was on the other side, with Jeremy" Aria revealed, downing the drink, and grabbing the bottle from Damon's hand, "You shouldn't have bought me back".

"What else was I suppose to do Aria?" Damon snapped, "I was dying without you, do you even realise what your death did to all of us, we all love you so much, I love you so much, and I refused to live in a world that didn't have you".

"And I refused to live in a world where my best friend isn't alive!" Aria snapped, "I saw it Damon, I saw Katherine drag Jeremy to Silas and Damien, I saw the life drain from him, I was there when his neck was snapped, and you know, I kept screaming, for someone or something to help me save him, but no one came, no one helped me, I just stood there screaming while my best friend died, he was suppose to graduate, go to art school, tell April his feelings, he was suppose to live, not me, it wasn't suppose to me be Damon, it was supposed to be him".

Damon stood up and bought Aria into his embrace, and let her cry it out, "Come on, let's go home".

"No" Aria said, lightly pushing Damon away from her, and wiping her tears, "Didn't you hear? Elena is throwing a party at the Boarding House, and I'm going".

"Ria--".

"Don't be a party pooper Damon" Aria interrupted, standing up from her chair, she was about to fall but Damon grabbed her.

"You're already pretty drunk" Damon said, concerned.

"And I want to get drunk even more, to the point where my brain shuts off, to the point I shut off" Aria said, walking away from Damon, "You can either join the party, or go back to whatever you were doing".

After Aria had walked away, Damon pulled out his phone from his pocket.

"Did you find her?" Kol asked through the phone.

"I found her" Damon replied.

"Is she okay?" Kol asked.

"No" Damon replied, "She's going to the party Elena's hosting at the Boarding House".

"I'll meet you there" Kol said simply, realising why Damon had called him.

"Great" Damon said, hanging up on Kol and going after Aria.

***

Caroline and Rebekah entered the Boarding House, and walked over to Kol and Damon.

"We got here as soon as we could, this is insane" Caroline said, looking at the amount of people Elena had managed to invite in such a short amount of time.

"If I still cared about this house, every single person here would be dead" Damon said.

"Where's Aria?" Rebekah asked curiously.

"Getting on the doppelbitch's nerves" Kol replied, pointing to the table infront of them, where the girls saw Aria, holding a alcohol bottle in her hand, while dancing on the table with a cheerleader.

"Elena looks pissed" Caroline said, looking at Elena, who was standing on the floor, and glaring at the tribrid.

"She's pissed cause she can't get under Ria's skin" Damon said, a small smile on his face seeing Aria.

"You know, if I knew any better, I would think the old Aria's back" Rebekah said, a sad smile on her face.

"But we all know better Rebekah, she's not back, she's pretending" Kol said.

"I know, her pretending, keeping her emotions in, is bad, but right now, look at  her, doesn't she just want you to let go and enjoy?" Caroline asked, "Even if it is for a one night".

"I don't think we should stop her" Rebekah said, "Let's give her this one night where she can be happy, even if it is for pretend".

Damon didn't say anything, he just walked over to Aria, "Mind if I join?!" he yelled over the music.

Aria narrowed her eyes at the vampire, "You want to join me in partying?".

"Yeap" Damon replied, jumping on the table, "You know the saying, if you can't stop them, then join them".

"If I was sober I would question you, but right now, I don't care" Aria said.

"Good, so how about a dance?" Damon asked, grabbing Aria's hand.

"I've got nothing better to do" Aria replied, making Damon smile.

***

Damon, Aria, Caroline, Kol and Rebekah were dancing on the dance floor, when suddenly, both Aria and Caroline's eyes landed on the front door where they saw Elena about to attack Liz.

Without wasting a second, both Caroline and Aria ran over to Liz, Aria grabbed Elena and pulled her away from Liz.

"Are you okay?" Both Caroline and Aria asked Liz.

"I'm fine" Liz assured her daughters.

Aria turned to Elena, she speeded over to her, grabbed her head and smashed it on the wall, she went to attack her again, when Stefan came between Aria and Caroline.

"Aria, calm down" Stefan said, holding on to Aria so she doesn't attack Elena.

"Let go of me Stefan!" Aria yelled.

Suddenly, Stefan was pushed away from Aria, "Don't touch her" Damon warned.

"She's going to kill Elena" Stefan snapped.

"Who attacked her mother" Damon snapped back.

Damon and Stefan's argument was cut short, when they heard Elena speed out the house, and Aria run after her.

Without wasting a second, Damon, Stefan, and Caroline ran after the girls.

***

As Aria was walking in the woods, looking for Elena, she was suddenly shoved to the tree.

"Time for a rematch" Elena said.

Shoving Aria to the ground, Elena held her by the neck, but Aria grabbed her hand and easily broke it and pushed Elena away from her.

"Not bad" Elena said, as both the girls stood up, "But not good either".

"Remind me again, who won the last fight?" Aria taunted.

Elena glared at Aria, she tried to kick her but Aria easily dodged her, and kicked her in the stomach, Elena quickly recovered and held Aria by her neck but Aria headbutted her causing her to let go of her.

"I'm confused" Aria said, "Why did you turn your humanity off? It can't be because of Jeremy, I mean he disowned your sorry ass, this whole no humanity act, it's just another way to gain attention, right?".

"I'm not you Aria, I don't need attention" Elena snapped.

"Sure you do" Aria said casually, "That's why you did the whole, I'm in love with Damon drama, the whole trying to kill the Mikaelson's obsession, and now, trying to hurt my mother, how low are you going to stoop Elena?".

"If you're trying to make me feel bad, it isn't working" Elena replied, "And why do you even care about Liz so much? She's not even your real mother, your real mother's dead Aria, you killed her".

Aria glared at Elena, then punched her in the face.

"You fight like a girl" Elena taunted, kicking Aria.

Aria chuckled, "Yet, everytime we fight, I always beat you".

Elena tried to punch Aria, but she held her hand and twisted it behind her back and kicked her, Aria then ripped a branch from the tree and shoved it in Elena's stomach, then snapped her neck, just as Stefan, Damon and Caroline came over to them.

"Relax" Aria said, looking at a shocked Stefan, "She's not dead".

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked Aria.

"I'm perfectly fine" Aria replied, walking away.

***

Aria was now at the Forbes household, in her and Caroline's shared bedroom, looking down at a polaroid of her and Jeremy.

She grabbed her phone and dialled someone's number, "Hey, it's me, Aria, I know I haven't called in a while, but I was wondering if I could visit, things here aren't good, I'm not good, being in this town is making me lose my mind, I need a break and I was hoping New York could be that break".

***

Aria grabbed her bag and stepped out the Forbes house after leaving a note for Liz and Caroline, letting them know where she was going and when she was going to come back.

Stepping out of the house, she was met with both Kol and Damon, standing by Damon's car, waiting for her.

"What are you two doing here?" Aria asked confused.

"Taking you to New York" Kol replied.

"How did you know about that?" Aria asked.

"The person who your going to, called us" Damon replied.

"Of course she did" Aria whispered.

"She knew you wouldn't tell us that you are leaving, and she didn't want us to worry" Damon informed, "Plus we also have some work in New York".

"What kind of work?" Aria asked curiously.

"That's for us to know and you to not worry your pretty little head about Ri" Kol replied, grabbing Aria's bag from her hand and putting it in the car.

Aria sighed, "I was hoping to be left alone you know".

"We will leave you alone" Damon assured.

"Once we know your safely in New York" Kol interjected.

"Fine" Aria said, "I'm sitting in the back, I want to sleep".

"Of course your highness" Kol joked, opening the door for Aria.

Usually, Aria would have laughed at that comment, maybe even would have said something snarky in return, but today, Aria just nodded at Kol and quietly sat in the car.

"This will be good for her" Damon told Kol, after he closed the door.

"I hope so" Kol whispered, getting into the passenger seat while Damon sat in the driver's seat.

And with that the trio were off to the city that never sleeps.

***

Presenting 4x16 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Aria and Jeremy's talk on the other side?

Thoughts on Elena and Aria's fights?

Thoughts on Aria partying and drinking alcohol to forget about Jeremy?

Thoughts on Aria, Damon and Kol going to New York City? Who could Aria be visiting?