16. 1912

Aria gasped and opened her eyes in shock, Aria looked around in a slight panic, she didn't know where she was, she looked down at her stomach to see no knife wound.

"Where am I?" Aria whispered confused.

Suddenly Aria heard voices coming from the room near her, wanting to know what was happening, Aria followed the voices and entered the room, to her shock she saw herself and Rebekah.

"I can't believe today is the day" Rebekah said excitedly.

"I can't believe it either" Ariana said excitedly, "I'm getting married Beks, can you believe it?".

"Honestly, I'm not going to believe it until Finn and Elijah walk you down the aisle" Rebekah said, helping Ariana with her dress.

"Do I look okay?" Ariana asked, feeling slightly insecure.

"Okay?" Rebekah asked, "You look perfect".

"Thanks to you" Ariana said, smiling.

"Anything for my sister" Rebekah said, "Now, I'm going to check on Kol and make sure his ready, are you going to be okay here, I'll be back soon".

"Go Beks, I will be fine" Ariana assured.

Rebekah nodded and left to go check on Kol, leaving Ariana alone.

"Ariana".

Ariana looked towards the door to see Tatia entering the room.

"Tatia?" Ariana asked confused, "What are you doing here?".

"What do you mean?" Tatia asked, stepping towards the Connor witch, "It's my best friend's wedding, I'm here to support you and Kol".

"You weren't invited" Ariana snapped, after the Mikaelson's turned into vampires, Ariana learned the truth about Tatia, how she has been playing spy for Esther, so Ariana cut all her ties with the Petrova, so her showing up like this raised suspicion in Ariana's mind.

"I know, which is why I decided to give you your wedding gift in private" Tatia said.

"I don't want anything from you" Ariana snapped, "I just want you to leave".

Tatia ignored Ariana and turned to the door, "You coming?".

Ariana looked towards the door in shock when she saw her brother Sebastian enter the room.

"Sebastian?" Ariana asked confused, "What are you doing here?".

"Nothing personal little sister, but I'm here to kill you" Sebastian said, shocking Ariana.

"What?" Ariana asked.

"Turns out, your brother hates you as much as I do" Tatia said, pulling out a knife.

Ariana stepped backwards, "Sebastian" she whispered, "Please don't do this, I'm your sister".

"Oh come on, we both know your not my real sister" Sebastian taunted, "Someone left you on Mother and Father's doorstep, and despite you not being their real child, they loved you more then they ever loved me, after their death, when we moved here, I thought I would finally stop being overshadowed by you, but no, even here, people loved you and ignored me, so when Tatia came to me with a plan to get rid of you forever, I gladly agreed".

"Kol will kill you" Ariana said, looking at her brother with teary eyes, she never knew her brother bared so much hatred for her in his heart.

"By the time Kol or anyone else realises something's wrong, we would have disappeared" Sebastian said, walking towards Ariana.

Before Tatia or Sebastian could harm her, Ariana used her magic to smash both of them to the wall, she tried to run towards the door but it was hard with her dress.

Sebastian quickly stood up and grabbed Ariana by her hair, and smashed her head on to the wall, Ariana stepped on Sebastian's foot causing him to let go of Ariana, who once again used her magic to push Sebastian away from him and into a wall.

Ariana turned around to run again, not realising Tatia was behind her, and as soon as Ariana turned around, Tatia stabbed her in the stomach.

"Goodbye Ariana" Tatia said, twisting the knife in Ariana's stomach.

Tatia let go of Ariana, causing her to fall backwards and on to the ground.

Sebastian kneeled next to Ariana and smirked, "Goodbye, little sister".

"Kol" Ariana whispered, before closing her eyes.

"Aria".

Aria turned around, with tears streaming down her face, she couldn't believe her own brother helped Tatia kill her, now she knew why Kol didn't want her to get her memories back, some of the memories were too painful.

Turning around Aria was shocked seeing the person.

"Mom" Aria cried.

"It's not your time baby" Amelia said, looking at her daughter in sympathy, "You can't be a vampire just yet, not until you defeat her".

"I can't do this anymore Mom" Aria cried, "I can't take this anymore, I can't take everyone hurting me, I don't want to keep getting hurt".

"You can't give up like this Aria, I didn't give birth to a quitter" Amelia said, "My daughter is a fighter, and the fight has just started, you have so much more you have to fight for still, you can't give up, not right now".

"I need you, let me stay with you Mom, please" Aria cried.

"I can't baby, as much as I would love to have you with me, your life has just started, it can't end this soon" Amelia said, "You have to go back to them, without you, they're going to lose it, you need to go back Aria".

***

Kol and Damon sat by either side of Aria, both the vampires listening to her heartbeat closely, both of them were happy that Aria didn't die, eventually Kol's blood in her body started healing her instead of turning her, and slowly but surely her heartbeat had come back to normal, now they were just waiting for her to wake up.

Caroline, Liz, Klaus, Elijah, Finn and Rebekah were in the Forbes living room, all six of them were also anxiously waiting for Aria to wake up.

"We should take her to the hospital" Liz said, pacing back and forth.

"We can't mom, how are we going to explain her knife wound healing miraculously?" Caroline asked, equally as anxious as her mother, maybe even more.

"If her wound is healed then why isn't she waking up?" Liz snapped.

"Connor witches take longer to gain conscious then normal people" Elijah informed.

"Come on Ria" Damon whispered, looking at the unconscious girl, "Please wake up, I need you, I promise I will stop being an asshole, I'll accept any of your punishment, just wake up".

"Come back Ri" Kol said, "Come back to us".

Suddenly, Aria gasped and opened her eyes, shocking both the vampires present in the room.

"Ria" Damon whispered happily, taking Aria into his arms, "You're okay, thank god you're okay".

"He helped kill me" Aria whispered, holding on to Damon, she felt extremely weak.

"What?" Kol asked confused.

"My brother helped her kill me" Aria sobbed, crying into Damon's embrace, while Kol looked at her in shock.

"You remember" Kol whispered.

Aria didn't say anything just kept sobbing, while Damon held on to her tightly, he didn't know what she was talking about, but he had never seen her in so much pain, whatever it was Damon knew it was bad, and this time Damon promised to stick by Aria's side.

Kol looked towards the door to see his siblings, Caroline and Liz standing there, Kol and his siblings exchanged a look, they all knew what Aria had remembered, and seeing her in so much pain, reminded them of the reason why they were all to a extent against the idea of Aria getting her memories back.

Liz walked over to Damon and Aria, "Aria".

Aria looked at Liz and sobbed harder, "Mom".

"Oh baby" Liz said, taking Aria into her arms, tears welling into her eyes seeing her youngest daughter in such a state.

"I want my mom" Aria cried.

"Your mom is right here baby, I'm right here" Liz said, running her hands through Aria's hair.

"Mom" Aria sobbed.

Damon stood up from the bed and gestured for Caroline to sit, without wasting anytime, Caroline took Damon's spot, and joined Liz and Aria's hug.

***

"Ric!" Aria yelled, running towards Alaric who was trapped in a jail cell because of Meredith Fell.

After crying for about an hour, and everyone constantly checking on her, Aria finally realised her adoptive father was missing, after much hesitation, Liz told Aria where Alaric was, and despite everyone's protest, and ignoring the amount of pain she still felt, Aria wanted to see Alaric, so Damon and Liz bought her to him.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" A concerned Alaric asked, looking at Aria's bloodshot eyes, she looked like she had been through hell and back, "You should be resting, why are you here?".

"I had to see you" Aria whispered, "I needed to make sure your okay".

"Aria, I'm okay, are you?" Alaric asked.

"What happened?" Aria asked, ignoring Alaric's question, something not missed but him.

"I didn't do it" Alaric told Liz, who came over to the father daughter duo with Damon by her side.

"You arrested him for what this nutjob Dr. Fell said?" Damon asked Liz.

"No, I'm detaining him, the cell is for his own good" Liz replied, turning to Alaric, "You were shot, Dr. Fell used vampire blood to heal you".

"Dr. Fell is the one who shot me" Alaric snapped.

"She did what?!" Aria asked shocked.

"Because you came at her with a knife" Liz retorted.

"Yeah with a knife I had found hidden in her things" Alaric argued.

"We gonna ignore the part that he's one of the killer's victims?" Damon asked, holding Aria's hand, knowing she was feeling extremely angry, "I mean he was practically stabbed to death".

"Dr. Fell suggested his wounds could have been self-inflicted" Liz informed.

"Is she crazy?" Aria snapped, "Why would he stab himself?".

"Look Aria, I don't know what to think" Liz replied, "I've got nothing except murder weapons from his stash, and a respected member of a founding family pointing a very long finger".

"She is setting me up, I'm being framed here" Alaric said.

"Well that may be so" Liz said, "But I don't have any proof of that".

"I'll get you proof then" Aria said, determination shown clearly in her voice.

"Aria--".

"No" Aria said, interrupting Alaric, "I'm not letting you rot here for something you didn't do, it's not happening, I was the one who pushed you towards Meredith, I was the one who told you that she's innocent and you should go for it, her framing you is my fault".

"Aria, none of this is your fault" Alaric said, "Stop thinking like that".

Aria sighed, "I'm still going to do everything in my power to get you out of here".

Without hearing for Alaric's reply, Aria walked out of there.

"She isn't okay" Alaric observed.

Damon sighed, "She just got her memories back, apparently she remembered her own brother helping Tatia kill her, so now she's doing everything but talk about that".

"She's hurting Ric, but she refuses to acknowledge it" Liz said, worried for Aria.

"Take care of her" Alaric told Damon, "Don't be an ass to her, just be there for her".

"Always" Damon assured.

***

After meeting Alaric, Aria walked out, only to come face to face with Elena.

Seeing Elena, all Aria could see was red, not only did Elena help Esther link her and the Originals to each other, but her face reminded her of Tatia, the women who because of, her own brother went against her.

Aria went to attack the doppelganger, when Damon came and wrapped his arm around Aria's waist.

"Relax" Damon whispered into Aria's ear, "We are still at the station".

"Were you just with--?".

"Leave" Aria snapped at Elena, making her frown.

"I'm not here for you Aria, I'm here for Ric" Elena snapped.

"Ric doesn't care about you" Aria snapped, "He doesn't want you here, so leave before you make things worse".

"Ric's fine" Damon told Elena, "But you need to leave before things get messy".

"Why are you both pretending this is my fault?" Elena asked, "If anything, you were the one who introduced Meredith to Alaric, Aria".

Aria glared at Elena, "Get your bloody facts right Elena Gilbert, I never introduced Meredith to Alaric they met a party at the Lockwood's".

Elena rolled her eyes at Aria, she tried to step to the side and go to Ric, when Aria grabbed her wrist.

"Do you need hearing aids?" Aria asked, "I told you to leave".

"I'm not leaving until I meet Ric" Elena snapped, glaring at Aria.

Aria glared right back at her, and suddenly Elena fell to the floor in pain.

"Don't mess with me right now Elena, I'm not in the mood" Aria threatened.

"Ria, stop" Damon said, making Aria stop her magic on Elena, just as Liz walked over to the trio, "Come on, we're leaving".

"But--".

"Aria, go" Liz said, "I've got this".

Aria glanced between Liz and Elena, and finally let Damon drag her away.

"She's lost her mind" Elena commented, making Liz glare at her.

"Don't" Liz warned, "Don't you dare speak a word against my daughter".

"Liz--".

"I don't want to hear a thing from you Elena" Liz snapped, "I am so disappointed in you, if your parents were alive today, and they found out what you did to Aria, they would have also been disappointed in you".

"I had no choice" Elena defended.

"Everyone has a choice Elena, you made the wrong one" Liz said, "Now leave, before I put you behind bars for helping someone try to kill my daughter".

Realising Liz was completely serious, Elena finally gave up and left the police station.

***

"Thank you for meeting with us, mayor" Rebekah said, as her, Caroline and Aria met up with Carol Lockwood.

After Aria and Elena's interaction, Damon remembered similar murders happening in Mystic Falls in 1912, to make sure, he needed Stefan's diary, and not wanting Aria to be near Stefan, Damon ordered Aria to stay with Caroline and Rebekah while he somehow got the information out of Stefan.

After meeting with Rebekah and Caroline, both the girls informed Aria of the current crisis, apparently when Rebekah was in the caves with Elena, she discovered that three hundred years after their family turned, another white oak tree had appeared, meaning there was still a way the Originals could die, they needed to find it before someone else did.

"We figured as head of the Preservation Society you'd be a good person to ask about the oldest trees in this community" Rebekah said.

"A long line of Lockwood women used to keep those records" Carol bragged, "Back before any of them had actual jobs".

"We checked the Founder's archive, but there's no record of the certain tree we're looking for" Caroline said.

"It probably got cut down" Carol said, "Big old trees built half this town in the 1900s".

"In that period, any idea of who would keep the milling ledgers records?" Aria asked.

"Back then, all the logging mills were owned by the Salvatores" Carol replied.

"Things just go much easier" Caroline whispered.

***

After Caroline and Rebekah went to help Damon get information out of Stefan, Aria decided it was high time her and Meredith had a talk.

"I'm due in surgery" Meredith said, seeing Aria walk up to her, "Whatever case you're gonna make against Alaric, make it quick".

Aria grabbed Meredith's arm and stopped her, "I fought for you, Alaric and Damon both had their doubts when it came to you, but I didn't listen to them, I trusted you, and how did you repay me? By framing someone I care about, you and me both know he didn't do anything wrong".

"How do you know?" Meredith snapped, "Sure you live with him sometimes, he takes care of you, but do you really know anything about him?".

"I can say the same about you" Aria snapped, "I basically spent most of my childhood with you, I thought I knew you, but turns out I was wrong".

"You do know me Aria" Meredith said, "But you don't know Alaric, did you know that he was arrested for fighting four times before the age of 21, when he was at Duke, his future wife Isobel filed a restraining order against him twice, although then she married him, so I guess that says more about her".

"Well, would you look at that" Aria taunted, "Looks like someones been stalking Ric, maybe so you can frame him? I don't care what happened in Ric's past, because that was his past, his not that person anymore Meredith".

"And how would you know?" Meredith asked, "You took pity on a borderline alcoholic vampire hunter and you never even thought to look any deeper".

"Enough!" Aria yelled, "I didn't take pity on him, his my father, and I'm his daughter, it's as simple as that, you're messing with the wrong girl Meredith, because trust me I'm in no mood to play, I'm going to prove Alaric innocent and make you rot in jail for framing him".

Meredith shook her head at Aria, "You date vampires Aria, it shouldn't come as a shock to learn that your guardian is a murderer".

"I guess then I also shouldn't be surprised to know that my ex babysitter is a psycho" Aria spat, walking away from Meredith.

***

Aria stood outside Meredith's apartment, a bobby pin in hand, trying to break into her apartment.

"Breaking into someone's apartment Ri" Kol said, walking over to Aria, "That's a little beneath you, don't you think?".

"I need to prove Alaric innocent" Aria said, finally managing to open the door, impressing Kol.

"I'm impressed" Kol said.

"What are you doing here Kol, you can't get in" Aria said.

"Actually I can" Kol said, stepping into Meredith's apartment, confusing Aria.

"Meredith invited you in?" Aria asked shocked, following Kol in, and closing the door behind her.

"No, but her landlord did" Kol said, giving Aria smug smile.

"You compelled Meredith's landlord" Aria realised, "Sounds about right, okay listen, since you're here, you need to help me, I don't know how long her surgery's going to last, so we need to find something quick".

"Of course" Kol said, starting to search the apartment along with Aria, "But didn't Liz already search this place?".

Aria sighed, "Yeah but there has to be something she's keeping to herself, I know it Kol, we just need to find it".

"You sure this is about proving Alaric innocent?" Kol asked, looking through Meredith's files.

"What else would it be about?" Aria asked.

"You trying to forget what you remembered" Kol replied, looking at Aria, who stiffened hearing his words.

"There's nothing on the dinning table, I'm going to check her wardrobe" Aria said.

"Ri, talk to me, please" Kol pleaded, "You need to talk about it to someone, please don't shut people out like this, it's not healthy".

"I'm not shutting people out Kol" Aria snapped, "I'm just trying to prove Alaric innocent, who was framed by Meredith Fell, a founding member".

Suddenly realisation, crossed Aria's face, "What?" Kol asked confused.

Aria didn't say anything just opened Meredith's wardrobe, she shoved her clothes to the side and started looking for a hidden compartment in the wall, Aria turned to Kol, looking very smug, "A hidden secret in her closet, like every other founder".

Kol kneeled next to Aria and helped her remove the wooden slab, after removing the slab, Aria and Kol were met with a blue box.

Aria opened the box and looked inside, where she saw files of all the victims that were attacked.

"Brain Walters, Bill Forbes, Alaric Saltzman" Aria read.

"Look's like your suspicion was right" Kol said, reading the files.

***

"There's everything here, from Alaric's medical records, to his old court documents" Aria said, going through Alaric's file.

"And what do we have here?" Kol asked, pulling out a old journal.

Aria took the journal from Kol and started reading it, "It's a Gilbert journal".

"Why the hell is a bloody Gilbert journal in the evil doctor's closet?" Kol asked, reading another paper, "Ri, didn't you tell me evil doctor's ex died between 1 and 3 a.m?".

"Yeah, why?" Aria asked, not lifting her eyes from the journal.

"Because according to the county coroner's office, that's wrong" Kol informed, handing Aria the paper.

But before Aria could read the paper, Kol heard footsteps approaching them.

"Ri, we need to go, someone's coming" Kol said, quickly putting everything away, but Aria grabbed the Gilbert journal and hid it in her jacket.

Kol and Aria hid in the closet, when Meredith entered the apartment.

Kol looked through the crack to see Meredith go into the bathroom, using this opportunity, Kol slowly opened the door, both Kol and Aria slowly stepped out of the wardrobe, and after slowly closing the door behind them, Kol grabbed Aria by the waist and speeded them out of the apartment.

***

"You both did what?!" Liz asked, as Kol and Aria came to the Sheriff's office to talk to her.

"Okay, I know it was wrong, but we found something" Aria said.

"Aria, you broke the law" Liz snapped.

"I didn't have any bad intention though, I just wanted to prove Ric innocent" Aria defended, "And we did find something, Alaric now has an alibi in Brian Walter's murderer".

"Aria, if you had answered your phone, I would have told you about what Meredith handed to the police today" Liz said.

"Which is what?" Aria asked confused.

"A letter from the county coroner's office correcting the error in the time of death of Brain Walters, Meredith Fell received it today" Liz replied, "She brought it to me hours ago, full of apologies for accusing an innocent man".

"If she's so innocent, then why hide a copy of that in a secret compartment?" Kol asked.

"I can't ask those question Kol, otherwise Meredith is going to know that you both broke into her apartment" Liz replied.

Aria sighed, "I'm sorry, I just wanted Alaric out, I promise I won't do this again, I won't put you in a situation again where you have to choose between me or your job".

"I appericate that" Liz said, giving Aria a small smile, "Now both of you, get out of my office and go home, now".

"But Ric--".

"Alaric will be released as soon as the letter is authenticated" Liz assured Aria, "Go".

"Gladly" Kol said, standing up and dragging Aria along with him.

***

"One hot chocolate for the lady, and one bourbon for the vampire" Kol said, as him and Aria sat in a booth at Mystic Grill, by now everyone had left, but Kol had compelled the manger to open the Grill for a few more minutes for them.

Aria looked at her and Kol's drinks, she then swapped them, handing Kol the hot chocolate and while herself had the bourbon, which she downed in one go.

"Impressive" Kol said, taking a sip of the hot chocolate.

"How could he?" Aria whispered, after a moment of silence, "How could my own brother do that to me?".

Kol sighed, "Jealously ruins people Ri, it ruined Tatia, and it ruined Sebastian".

"You were right" Aria said, looking at Kol with teary eyes, "I should have never got my memories back, I don't want to remember this Kol, it hurts so much".

"Hey, listen to me" Kol said, grabbing Aria's hand from across the table, "I know it hurts right now, and it's going to hurt for a while, but your Aria Connor, you beat death, you can beat this as well, you just need to believe in yourself".

"I can't Kol" Aria cried, "I'm not strong enough".

"Yes you are" Kol said, "You are much stronger then you give yourself credit for, I believe in you, now you just need to believe in yourself".

Aria sighed, "I'll try".

"Come here" Kol said, standing up and pulling Aria up, then pulling her into a hug, "You're going to be fine Ri, I promise".

"Don't promise something you have no control over" Aria cried, hugging Kol back.

Kol sighed, "You know, you're just focusing on your bad memories what about the good ones, I know for a fact you have also remembered all of our moments together, haven't you?".

"I have" Aria mumbled, into Kol's chest.

"So now is there a chance you might leave the older Salvatore for me now?" Kol joked, hoping to make Aria laugh, which worked as she let out a small chuckle.

"Shut up" Aria said.

Unknown to Aria and Kol, the older Salvatore was standing on the entrance of the Grill, looking at the duo in extreme jealousy.

***

After their small moment in the Grill, Kol dropped Aria back at Alaric's apartment, where Caroline and Rebekah were waiting for her.

"What is this?" Aria asked, as Caroline handed her and Rebekah a hot cup of tea.

"Herbal tea" Caroline replied, "Drink it, it's good for you".

"So" Rebekah started, giving Aria a cheeky smile, "You and Kol have been spending a lot of time together".

Caroline groaned, "No".

"Shut up Rebekah, Damon was busy so Kol decided to help me deal with some stuff" Aria said, "That's it".

"Aria, we are your best friends, we are the people you are supposed to talk about boys to" Caroline said, confusing Aria, who didn't know where she was taking this, "So spill, about what you feel for both Damon and Kol".

Aria sighed, she knew her best friends weren't going to let this go.

"When the Gilbert parents died, and Damon, the most dangerous vampire entered my life, I finally felt like I had a reason to live, I finally after a long time felt like I had a home, where I felt safe" Aria said, "When he first told me how much he loves me, I knew then and there I saw a future with that guy, I knew I would never stop loving him, I knew he would never stop loving me".

"And Kol?" Rebekah asked.

"When I first learnt about me and Kol, I was terrified, I thought he was going to come between me and Damon, so I made a decision, that if I was ever to come across him, I would walk the other way, but I couldn't, he snuck up on me just like Damon had, wherever I turned, he was there, when I needed someone I turned around and I always found Kol, I tried to shake him off, but it's hard".

"It's hard to shake someone you are in love with" Caroline said, giving Aria a small smile.

"I'm not in love with Kol, his special to me, and if he was ever to leave me, I would be devastated" Aria said, "But if Damon was to leave me, I think I would die".

Rebekah smiled at Aria, "I know you love Damon unconditionally, but the way you talk about my brother, it seems like you're falling for him as well".

Aria looked at Rebekah in shock, before she could deny her claims, the door opened and in came Alaric.

"Ric!" Aria yelled, running over to him and hugging him, "You're okay, you're okay".

"I'm okay" Alaric assured, hugging Aria back.

***

After catching up with Alaric for a bit, Caroline and Rebekah finally left, leaving the father daughter by themselves.

Aria sat on the couch reading the Gilbert journal, while Alaric was in his room cleaning up.

"Hey, I was gonna make some coffee" Alaric said, coming out of the room.

"Yes, please" Aria said.

Alaric looked at Aria for a second, "Hey Aria, listen, the sheriff told me about everything you did today and while I appreciate it, I don't want you getting in trouble because of me, okay?".

Aria frowned, "Ric, you're one of the few people I will gladly get in trouble for".

"Well, still, I'm the one who's supposed to look after you, even if I suck at it" Alaric said.

"You take care of me all the time, sometimes you need me to take care of you, and that's fine, that's what daughter's are for" Aria said.

Alaric chuckled, "I'm glad I got a daughter like you".

"And I'm glad I got a father like you" Aria said, smiling.

Alaric smiled, he then looked towards the journal Aria was reading, "What are you reading there?".

"Gilbert's old family journal" Aria replied, deciding not to tell Alaric about her stealing this from Meredith.

"Any juicy family secrets?" Alaric asked curiously.

"I can't tell" Aria replied, "When I first started reading this, I thought like the other journals this is Johnathan Gilbert's journal but turns out I was wrong, this is his granddaughter Samantha Gilbert's, who turns out was as equally as crazy as him".

***

After talking with Alaric for a bit more, Aria finally decided to retire, so she laid in her bed, but instead of sleeping, she flipped through Samantha Gilbert's journal, most of the words were to hard to understand, but there were words here and there that Aria was able to read.

"I don't feel like myself".

"I am losing time as though I am going mad".

"Oh my god" Aria whispered, finally figuring out what was happening.

***

Meredith stood in Alaric's apartment, trying to explain to him what was happening to him.

"Like the sheriff said, the victims were killed with your weapons" Meredith said, as a shocked Alaric looked through Brian Walter's file.

"Yeah, but I was attacked" Alaric said, refusing to believe Meredith.

"With your own knife" Meredith reminded, "A wound that could have been self-inflicted".

"It's impossible" Alaric snapped, "I would know if I were killing people".

"Would you?" Meredith challenged, "Have you had any blackouts? Instances of lost time?".

Alaric hesitated, everything Meredith was saying was actually happening to him, but he didn't want to believe it, "You're insane".

"No, but I think you might be" Meredith said, "You wear a ring that lets you cheat death Ric, how many times can you die before it changes you?", Alaric sat on the chair in shock, "I think you're sick, and I want to help you, this has happened before, almost a hundred years ago".

Aria came out of her room, catching Alaric and Meredith's attention.

"Aria" Alaric whispered.

"She's right Ric" Aria whispered, showing Ric the Gilbert journal.

***

Presenting 3x16 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

Thoughts on Sebastian helping Tatia kill Aria?

Thoughts on Aria breaking down?

Thoughts on Kol and Aria teaming up to prove Alaric innocent?

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

Thoughts on how Aria is going to save Alaric from himself?

Below are more aesthetics the amazing blooming_amethyst made for this book, they are so good, fun fact, Aria and Alaric, and Aria and Liz had their moments because of the aesthetic she made for them, so thank her for that 😂