13. Daddy Issues

Aria turned the shower on and quickly slipped in, she let the hot water run down her body and her thoughts crowd her mind, as much as she tried to, she couldn't stop thinking about Rose, Damon had told Aria that they needed to get past this, they couldn't let anyone know how much Rose's death really affected the two, Damon said it was a new day today, and whatever mattered yesterday should no longer matter today, Aria really tried to do as Damon said, but it was a lot harder then it seemed.

Aria's chain of thoughts were interrupted when a hand wrapped around her waist, and someone placed a small kiss on her wet shoulder.

"May I join?" Damon whispered, trailing kisses down Aria's collarbone.

"You already have" Aria whispered, having trouble speaking with what Damon was doing.

Damon didn't reply, instead he turned Aria to face him and pushed her against the cold wall, and smashed his lips on to Aria's.

After a heated make out session, Damon and Aria finally parted.

"Not that I mind this sudden passion, but may I know why?" Aria asked, slightly out of breath.

"You weren't in bed when I woke up" Damon replied, kissing along Aria's shoulder.

"I was in the shower" Aria whispered, really struggling to talk.

"I thought you left" Damon said.

"Damon--".

"Shh" Damon whispered, placing his finger on Aria's lips, "Less talking, more kissing".

"Gladly" Aria said, pulling Damon into another heated kiss.

After Rose's death, whenever Aria wasn't near him, the worst case scenarios always started playing in Damon's head, he knew Jules was still out there and she still wanted to kill Aria, and just the thought of Aria hurt made Damon lose his mind he didn't know what will happen if Jules manages to get her hands on Aria, which is why Damon kept Aria close to him, he wasn't going to risk anything.

***

"You brought back John Gilbert?" Damon asked Stefan, "That was your big save Elena and Aria move?".

"I went to look for Isobel and I got John instead" Stefan replied, "He said he could help us and we're desperate".

"Oh come on Stefan, we're not that desperate" Aria said, "We had just got rid of him, why would you bring him back?".

"Look Aria, I know you don't like John" Stefan said.

"Understatement of the year" Aria snapped.

"But Bonnie's new witch friend is working with Elijah" Stefan said, "So we have to assume the moonstone was never destroyed, you and Elena are putting all of your faith into some deal that you both made with Elijah to keep everyone safe", Stefan turned to Damon, "I mean, do you trust Elijah? I don't trust him, he's an Original, he can't be trusted, it's not like we could go and kill him because apparently he can't die".

"Okay, you know what, I've had it with everyone saying Elijah can't be trusted" Aria snapped, standing up and facing Stefan.

"Ria--".

"No Damon" Aria interrupted, "It's time Stefan knows".

"Know what?" Stefan asked confused.

"You want to know why I trust Elijah so much?" Aria asked, Stefan nodded, "It's because I knew him in my previous life, when I was Ariana, I knew him, he was my family, he cared for me, I think I cared for him too, so yeah Stefan I trust Elijah blindly, because if you want me and Elena safe from Klaus, Elijah is the only one who can help us, and god so help me, if you or Damon go after him then I will not speak to any of you again, ever".

"Aria's right Stefan" Damon said, "I've seen how much Elijah cares for Aria, he will keep her and Elena safe, he can be trusted".

"When were you both going to tell me all this?" Stefan asked, shocked with this new information.

"Never" Aria replied, making Stefan look at her in shock, "Don't look at me like that, Elena already hates me for loving Damon, what do you think her reaction would be when I tell her about mine and Elijah's past connection, and I'm tired of people judging me for things I have no control over".

"Aria--".

"Look, now you know" Aria interrupted, "Just, I beg of you, I get why you don't trust Elijah, but please trust me, I will never let anything happen to Elena, you're not going to lose the girl you love".

"It's not only Elena I'm worried about" Stefan said, making Damon frown.

"I know" Aria said, "I know you're worried about me also, but you don't have to be".

"I can't help it" Stefan admitted.

Aria gave Stefan a small smile, while Damon frowned, not liking the look Stefan was giving his girlfriend.

***

Elena opened her front door to see Damon and Aria standing there, Aria gave Elena a small smile, while Damon just walked in.

"Where's John?" Damon asked.

After talking to Stefan, who informed Damon and Aria, John had a way to save Aria and Elena but wouldn't tell anyone, Damon and Aria decided it was time they had a chat with John face to face.

"He's not here" Elena replied, closing the door after Aria, "He left, I don't know where he went, he just blew in, announced to Jenna that he's my dad and then took off".

"That's public knowledge now?" Damon asked.

"Apparently" Elena replied.

"How did Jenna take it?" Aria asked, worried.

"Not good" Elena replied, "She wasn't happy I kept this a secret for so long, and on top of that she had to hear the truth from John".

"He say what he was doing here?" Damon asked.

"No" Elena replied, "You know, Stefan thinks that he's telling the truth about wanting to help me and Aria".

"Do you believe him?" Aria asked.

"No, I don't believe him for a second" Elena replied.

"I don't either" Damon said.

"Count me in that" Aria interjected.

"What are we gonna do?" Elena asked.

"Kill him" Damon replied.

"I'm down for it" Aria said.

"Damon, Aria" Elena said.

"We're joking" Damon said, walking to the door with Elena, "Okay, I'm a little serious".

"Damon" Elena snapped.

"Relax Elena" Aria said, "His not gonna hurt him".

"No?" Damon asked.

"No" Aria replied, "We're just gonna talk to him".

"Yeah, I'm the good guy now, remember?" Damon asked.

"You're never a good guy" Elena snapped.

"Look, we're just gonna have a civil conversation with your father, you need to relax" Aria said, not appreciating Elena's jab.

"Wait, I'm coming with you both" Elena said, following Aria and Damon out, not trusting them alone with John.

***

Damon and Aria entered the Grill, with Elena right behind them.

"Damon" Aria said, grabbing Damon's arm before he could walk over to John, "Remember, we are only here for answers, no stupidity".

"Yeah, but stupid's so much more fun" Damon complained.

"Damon" Aria said, stopping Damon again, "Look, I'm all for killing John, but me and you both know we can't do that, at least not here, just please, for my sake, try to keep it together?".

Damon stared at Aria, "Fine, I'll try".

"Thank you" Aria said, letting go of Damon.

"John, buddy" Damon said, walking over to John, who was standing near Alaric and Jenna, "How have you been?".

"I've been all right, Damon" John replied, John turned to Aria, "It's good to finally see you, I haven't seen you since I arrived".

Aria looked towards Jenna, "You didn't tell him?".

"Oh right, Aria's not coming home till you're gone" Jenna informed.

"Now don't ask why, you already know why" Aria taunted.

"Right" John whispered, knowing Aria hated him for hiding what Katherine did to her parents.

***

Aria and Damon walked over to John.

"So, John, rumor has it you know a lot and won't say anything" Damon said.

"How do I know you can be trusted, Damon?" John asked.

"How do we know you can be trusted?" Aria retorted.

"Originals can compel vampires Aria" John said, ignoring Aria's question, "And according to Stefan, that's why Katherine's still in the tomb, because an Original has compelled her to stay there".

"Only because all the vervain had left her system" Damon said, "Stefan and I, on the other hand, are chock-full".

John looked at Damon slightly shocked, "You guys are drinking vervain?".

"It's an acquired taste" Damon replied.

"They are evolving, how about you also evolve into a better person and tell us what you know" Aria said.

"About who?" John asked, "Klaus or Kol?".

Aria looked at John in shock, "How do you know about Kol?".

"Let me know I can trust you Aria, and I'll tell you all about Kol and Klaus and their connection to you" John said.

"Wait, Klaus also has a connection to me?" Aria asked confused, as far as she knew Klaus was a vampire trying to sacrifice her.

"There's a lot you don't know about your past life Aria" John informed.

"You know, I don't see that magical ring on your stitched finger" Damon threatened, "So if you know something about Klaus or Kol or anything about Aria's past life, you better start talking, or I will kill you in your sleep".

"Now, is that any way to convince me that you and I are on the same side?" John mocked, "First, I need to know that I can trust you Damon, that I can count on you, to show you that you can count on me, I'll tell you one thing about Kol, when he comes, and he will come, your and Aria's love won't survive, because he would want Aria all to himself, afterall he has been waiting a thousand years for her".

After dropping such a huge bomb on Damon and Aria, John walked away from them, the couple exchanged a worried look, the thought of losing each other scared both of them immensely.

***

Before Aria and Damon could talk about what John had told them, Aria received a message from Caroline saying they needed to talk urgently and to come outside to the parking lot, and much to Damon's dismay, Aria didn't let him tag along, and ordered him to keep an eye on John while she talks to Caroline.

Aria walked into the car park and started looking around for Caroline, but there was no sign of her.

"Caroline!" Aria yelled, but got no response.

"Excuse me" A guy Aria has never seen before in her life said, "Are you by any chance looking for a blonde girl, who has a bit of an attitude problem?".

Aria frowned, not getting a good feeling around the stranger, "Yeah, I am, have you seen her?".

"Funny enough, I have".

"Where?" Aria asked.

"Oh she was right here, but then I shot her in the head, I don't where she went after that".

Aria looked at the man infront of her in shock, but before she could do anything, Jules appeared behind her and knocked her out with a metal rod.

***

Caroline gasped and sat up in the cage she was placed in, she groaned and yelled feeling a wooden bullet inside her head, after much yelling and difficulty she managed to take the bullet out.

After throwing the bullet, Caroline looked around and she froze seeing an unconscious Aria in the cage next to her.

"Aria" Caroline called out, worried for her best friend, "Aria come on, wake up".

Aria groaned and slowly opened her eyes, her head was pounding because of the force Jules had hit her with.

"Care?" Aria whispered.

"Yeah, it's me" Caroline said, glad that Aria woke up.

"Where are we?" Aria asked.

"I don't know" Caroline admitted.

Suddenly both Aria and Caroline froze when they saw a guy enter the trailer, the same guy who had told Aria he had put a bullet through Caroline's head.

"I see you got the bullet out" The guy told Caroline, he then turned to Aria, "And you're also awake, great, now the fun can begin".

"You're not gonna get away with this" Aria whispered, not having any energy to talk.

"Oh I think I will, oh and if you didn't know I'm Brady, wish I could say it was nice to meet you".

The guy shot both Caroline and Aria, making both the girls scream out in pain.

***

Stefan was currently at the Lockwood's, trying to talk some sense into Tyler, who had just found out about Stefan and Damon being vampires, and about Mason's death.

"You wanna be friends, great, we're friends" Tyler said, wanting Stefan to leave, "Will you go now?".

"Look I don't know what else to say to you Tyler" Stefan said, frustrated Tyler wouldn't listen to him, "I came back to this town because I wanted a life, I wanted to exist where I could have friends and where I could build a family, I have that here, we can both have that".

Before Tyler could reply, Stefan's phone started ringing, he took it out of his pocket and realised it was Caroline calling.

"Hey, everything okay?" Stefan answered.

"That depends" Jules said, "How badly do you wanna keep her and Aria alive?".

"Who is this?" Stefan asked, suddenly very worried.

"Ask you brother" Jules replied, "Where is Tyler?".

"Jules" Stefan realised, "Where are Caroline and Aria?".

"You made a mistake, Stefan" Jules snapped, "I'm gonna give you a chance to fix it".

"Where are they?" Stefan asked again.

"Right here, want proof?" Jules asked, entering the trailer, "He needs proof".

Brady nodded and once again shot Aria and Caroline, making both of them scream even louder then before.

"What's happening?" Tyler asked confused.

"Hurt them again and you're dead" Stefan threatened.

"I hurt them again and they're dead, bring Tyler to me" Jules demanded, "The clearing by Wickery Falls, you have 20 minutes until they die".

***

Damon stepped out of the Grill and walked towards the car park, Aria had been gone for too long and Damon was starting to get really restless, he felt like something was wrong.

Damon dialled Aria's phone and started looking around for her, suddenly he heard Aria's ringtone, he quickly ran over to the place but frowned when he saw Aria's cracked phone but no Aria, what worried him even more was the phone had blood on it.

"Dammit" Damon said, he knew he shouldn't have let Aria go by herself, due to his stupidity Aria was in danger once again, and that made Damon angry.

Suddenly Damon's phone started ringing, "What?" Damon snapped, no mood in talking to anyone, he was too worried about Aria and who took her.

"Jules has Caroline and Aria" Stefan informed.

Damon froze, he should have know Jules was behind this, Damon swears when Jules comes infront of him, his going to tear her into bits for harming Aria.

"I'm on my way" Damon said, hanging up on Stefan and speeding to save Aria.

***

Caroline and Aria were still trapped in the cages, only difference was Aria was slowly bleeding out while Caroline was scared out of her mind.

"So how many vampires are there in this town anyway?" Brady asked.

"Rot in hell" Aria whispered, having trouble talking.

Brady smirked and grabbed a knife and started going towards Aria.

"No, don't" Caroline pleaded, "She will bleed out, please stop, why are you doing this to us?".

"You're a vampire, and she is not only a witch, but she also spiked Jules's drink with wolfsbane" Brady explained, with a sinister look in his face.

"Next time, I won't spike her drink, I'll rip her heart out" Aria said, glaring at the man infront of her, she refused to cry, she refused to give him that satisfaction.

"You're a stubborn one aren't you? But let's see how long this stubbornness last".

Brady grabbed a knife and stuck it in Aria's thigh, making Aria scream.

"Stop!" Caroline yelled, "Please, stop hurting her".

"Aww, isn't this cute, look how much the vampire cares for the witch" Brady mocked.

While Brady wasn't looking, Aria took out the knife from her thigh and stabbed the werewolf in the stomach, "Go to hell!".

"You bitch!" Brady said, removing the knife from his stomach and slapping Aria, rendering her unconscious.

***

Jules paced back and forth infront of her trailer, when suddenly she stopped and looked towards the woods.

"I know you're out there" Jules called out.

After a moment, Stefan came forward along with Tyler.

"Where's Caroline and Aria?" Stefan asked, getting straight to the point.

"Locked up tight" Jules replied.

"Let them go and I'll release Tyler" Stefan said, "Doesn't have to get any messier then it already has, I'm not your enemy Jules".

"It's a little late to be waving a white flag, don't you think?" Jules asked.

"You need to leave town" Stefan demanded, "Otherwise my brother will kill you and everyone you know for messing with Aria".

"That reminds me" Jules said, "Where is your brother? Does he not know I have his pet with me, or does he not care about her anymore?".

"If you care even a little about your people, you will leave, you don't know my brother, you don't know what his capable of" Stefan warned.

"I'm not leaving without Tyler" Jules said.

"Tyler's free to make his own decisions, as soon as you release Caroline and Aria" Stefan answered.

"My brother the peacemaker" Damon said, entering the scene, the dangerous look on his face making everyone uneasy, "Since Stefan got here before me, I'm going to let him try his way before I resort to my way, which is a little bloodier, but just know this Jules, whatever happens today, you're not leaving here alive, I told you not mess with Aria and that's exactly what you did".

"Let go of Tyler" Jules demanded.

"Aria and Caroline" Damon demanded, "Without a full moon, it's not an even fight and you know it, we will take you".

"I'm not so sure about that, tough guy" Jules said, she then whistled and suddenly Damon and Stefan were surrounded by werewolfs, "Let's try this again, give us Tyler".

Damon turned to Tyler, "You heard her, go, get over there".

Tyler slowly walked over to Jules and stood beside her.

"Which one of you killed Mason?" Brady asked.

"Uh, that'd be me" Damon answered.

"Boys, make sure that one suffers" Brady ordered.

Damon looked at Jules, "I told you I will destroy your entire bloodline if my Aria came to any harm, I really appericate you bringing your friends right to me, makes my job so much easier", Jules and Brady exchanged a uneasy look, while Damon turned to Stefan, "We can take them".

"I don't know about that" Stefan replied, slightly apprehensive.

"Well, then" Damon said, he stared at Jules then charged towards her only for her to jump away.

While Damon and Stefan were outside fighting, Tyler ran inside the trailer, where Caroline and Aria were being kept.

"Tyler, there's a latch, there's a latch on the door and I can't get to it" Caroline said, relieved seeing Tyler, but Tyler made no movement in helping the two girls, "Tyler? Tyler please, look if not for me then please for Aria, she's going to die Tyler".

Tyler glanced at Aria and realised Caroline was right, if he wasted another second then Aria could possible lose her life, so he quickly ran over to the two latches and opened them, he helped Caroline out and then both of them took a unconscious Aria out.

Tyler and Caroline came out of the trailer when suddenly Jules came, she threw Caroline to the ground and grabbed Aria from Tyler, and placed a gun on her head.

Caroline looked towards Tyler, hoping he would help Aria but he just looked down at his feet.

Just as Jules was about to shoot Aria, her and all the werewolfs around her, all except for Tyler, fell down on to the floor, clutching their head in pain.

Seeing Aria about to fall, Caroline quickly got up and grabbed her, all while looking around in confusion, "What's happening?".

"Elijah" Aria whispered, in a semi conscious state.

"What the hell's going on?" Tyler asked confused, just as Jonas Martin came into everyone's view.

"Elijah made a promise to Aria, he would never let anything happen to her" Jonas said, "I'm here to see it's upheld, you need to go".

Damon quickly grabbed Aria from Caroline and picked her up in his arms, and quickly speeded away, while Stefan tended to Caroline.

***

Damon slowly laid Aria down on to his bed, he had given her his blood but her wounds weren't healing, making Damon extremely worried.

"Damon".

Damon looked towards the voice, to see a worried Caroline standing there, unlike Aria, she was all healed, only her clothes and muddy face indicating she was ever tortured.

"Is Aria okay?" Caroline asked.

"Something's wrong" Damon replied, "I gave her my blood but her wounds won't heal".

"I think I know why" Caroline said, "Brady, the werewolf, he was shooting me with wooden bullets, but he was shooting Aria with some kind of different bullet, I didn't pay much attention but I think he told Jules that those bullets were laced with some kind of witchy herb, that will stop vampire blood from healing Aria".

"Dammit" Damon said, angrily, "I'm going to kill that dickhead".

"I'll join you, but right you need to go get me a first aid kit, I've done a first aid course, I can help Aria" Caroline said.

"Are you sure?" Damon asked, "You've been through so--".

"I need her Damon, just like you need her" Caroline said, "I'm okay and I need my best friend to be okay too".

Damon nodded and proceeded to go grab the first aid kit but he quickly turned to Caroline, who had gone to sit beside Aria, "Hey Blondie".

"Yeah?" Caroline asked,

"Stay" Damon said, "Stay with her tonight, you both need each other".

"I wasn't planning on leaving anyways" Caroline replied, giving Damon a small smile.

Damon gave Caroline a smile back and went to go get the first aid kit.

***

After Damon had given Caroline the first aid kit, there was a knock on front door, making a reluctant Damon leave Aria's side and see who it was.

"What do you want?" Damon asked, seeing John on the other side.

"We didn't finish our conversation" John replied.

"I'll bite, but this better be quick, I've got a girlfriend I need to tend to" Damon said, letting John in.

"I've been thinking, personal feelings aside Damon, I think you and Stefan will do all you can to protect Elena and Aria".

"I agree with that statement" Damon said, not telling John that he wouldn't do anything for Elena, but for Aria he will go against the world.

"So I come bearing gifts" John said, showing Damon a dagger.

"What the hell is that?" Damon asked.

"This is how you kill an Original" John replied, "In this vial is ash from a white oak tree that dates back to the genesis of the Originals, around the time Aria knew the Originals, the dagger must be dipped into the ash and then plunged into their heart".

"How do you know all this, John?" Damon asked, taking the dagger from John.

"Isobel" John replied, "She's very good at finding out things, but of course, you know that".

"Where is Isobel?" Damon asked.

"Let's just say if she accomplishes what she's attempting, Klaus will never set foot in Mystic Falls" John informed, "Where Elena and Aria are concerned, you and I are on the same side".

***

Caroline entered the Salvatore's living room, where she saw a conflicted Damon staring at the fire place infront of him.

"Damon" Caroline said, gaining the older Salvatore's attention.

"Did you take care of her wounds?" Damon asked, "Is she okay?".

"I took care of her wounds and her heart beat is back to normal, I'm guessing as the herb leaves her body, your blood is slowly healing her" Caroline informed, "Now she just needs to wake up".

"When Connor witches fall unconscious, they tend to take long  to wake up" Damon informed, "I've seen it happen with both Natalie and Aria".

"Natalie, your first love right?" Caroline asked, sitting next to Damon, "Aria's ancestor?".

Damon nodded, "Yeah", after a pause, Damon spoke again, "Hey Blondie".

"Yeah?".

"I'm sorry" Damon said.

"What for?" Caroline asked confused.

"For what I did to you in the past" Damon said, genuinely sorry.

Caroline gave Damon a small smile, "I forgave you the day I realised you were the only one who could bring my best friend back to me, you're the only one who can make her happy".

"She's lucky you know" Damon said, "She's lucky to have a friend like you".

"I'm not so sure" Caroline admitted, "Today, I couldn't do anything to help her out, the werewolf was torturing her while I just sat there crying, I couldn't do anything to help her".

"You were tortured too" Damon said.

"It's just, when I turned into a vampire, I thought I could finally protect the people I care about, that I could finally protect my mom and Aria" Caroline said, "But I couldn't".

"You tried Caroline" Damon assured, "There's not a lot you could have done, you were also getting tortured".

Caroline nodded, "I heard what John gave you, are you going to use it?".

Damon looked at the dagger that was placed on the table infront of him, "I don't know".

"Aria will be hurt" Caroline said, having known everything about Elijah and Aria, "And if today has proven anything, it's that Elijah won't let anything happen to Aria".

"I know" Damon said, "But Stefan doesn't trust Elijah to keep Elena safe, even if I don't use the dagger, Stefan will".

"You know, in this sacrifice, everyone's going to choose Elena over Aria" Caroline said, "If it came down to it, Bonnie, Jeremy, Stefan, John, hell even Elena, will pick Elena's life over Aria's".

"How about you?" Damon asked, "Who will you pick?".

"Aria" Caroline said, with no hesitation, "I will pick Aria over Elena any day".

"Well Blondie, then it looks like me and you will be teaming up with Elijah to save Aria" Damon said, determined to do everything in his power to save the girl he loves.

"Sounds like a plan" Caroline said, giving Damon a smile.

***

Okay, so as you guys can see in my book Damon and Caroline's relationship is going to be different compared to the show, Aria and Caroline are best friends practically sisters and I didn't think it was right for Caroline and Damon to hate each other, and I think it was high time Damon apologised to Caroline.

words: 4410

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