12. The Ties That Bind

"Wakey, wakey" Damon whispered into Aria's ear.

Aria groaned and pulled the blanket over her head, "Go away".

"Come on Ria" Damon said, pulling the blanket away from Aria, "I made you breakfast".

Aria opened her eyes and looked at Damon in shock, "Damon Salvatore, made me breakfast?".

"Yeap" Damon replied, placing a tray of food infront of Aria.

"Pancakes" Aria said excitedly, "You made me pancakes".

"After the little stunt I pulled, I figured the least I could do was make you breakfast in bed" Damon said sheepishly.

Aria smiled at Damon, she placed her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down into a kiss, "I love you".

"Even if I'm an idiot at times?" Damon asked.

"Even if your an idiot at times" Aria assured.

Damon smiled and pulled Aria into another kiss.

***

"Your Dad is going to help Tyler break his sire bond?" Aria asked shocked, entering the Grill with Caroline and Rebekah.

"Yeah, Tyler went to him after he bit me, he felt really guilty" Caroline replied, "I don't know what to do, do I tell Klaus or not?".

"Nik isn't an idiot Caroline, whether you tell him or not, he will eventually figure it out himself" Rebekah replied.

"Is that a new bracelet?" Aria asked suddenly, seeing Caroline play with a bracelet on her wrist.

"Um, yeah" Caroline replied, a small smile on her face.

"Who gave it to you?" Aria asked, confused with Caroline's reaction.

"Klaus did" Caroline replied, shocking both Rebekah and Aria.

"What?" Rebekah asked, "My brother gave that to you?".

"It was a birthday present" Caroline defended.

"I told you" Aria told Rebekah, "They are made for each other".

"What?" Caroline asked confused.

"Aria believes you and Nik are going to get together" Rebekah said, a small smile on her face, "I didn't believe her then, but I do now".

"What?" Caroline said shocked, "You both have lost it, there's nothing going on between me and Klaus".

"Yeah, that's why your blushing" Aria teased, poking Caroline's cheek.

"Shut it" Caroline said, slapping Aria's hand away, "It's too early for me to being dealing with you both, I need food".

"Wait for me" Rebekah said, following Caroline to a table.

Aria went to follow, but her eyes landed on Alaric sitting with a person she was all to familiar with.

"Oh my god" Aria whispered, walking over to Alaric and the mystery woman, "Meredith? Meredith Fell?".

Meredith looked at Aria and a huge smile came on her face, "Oh my god, Aria Connor!".

Meredith stood up and pulled the Connor witch into a tight hug.

"I can't believe you're back" Aria said excitedly.

"Yeah, couldn't stay away from Mystic Falls for too long" Meredith said.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Alaric asked confused.

"Yeah, when I was little Meredith used to babysit me" Aria replied, "Wait, how do you both know each other?".

"Oh, me and Alaric met yesterday at the Lockwood's fundraiser and he asked me to meet for lunch" Meredith replied.

"Oh, he did, huh?" Aria said, looking at Alaric teasingly.

"How do you two know each other again?" Meredith asked confused.

"Aria's my adoptive daughter" Alaric replied, making Aria smile, Alaric had never said that out loud to her and it felt nice hearing it.

"Oh" Meredith said shocked, "Oh my god, this must be so awkward for you, your old babysitter and your adoptive dad, together?".

"Relax Meredith" Aria said, "I'm an very open minded person, if you both are happy then I don't mind".

"Oh thank god" Meredith said relived, "Anyways, I should really leave, I've got rounds in fifteen minutes".

"You still working at the hospital?" Aria asked, Meredith nodded, "Well, I'll visit you, we have so much to catch up on".

"Can't wait" Meredith said, "I'll see you later Ric?".

"Yeah, maybe next time we could do dinner?" Alaric asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great" Meredith replied, smiling at Alaric.

"Cool, well, take care" Alaric said.

"Bye, thanks" Meredith said, waving at Alaric and hugging Aria before finally leaving.

"So, Meredith?" Aria asked, giving Alaric a cheeky smile.

"Don't start" Alaric said.

"I ship it" Aria said, "Meredith and Alaric sitting in a tree, k i s s i n g".

"What's going on here?" Damon asked, walking over to Alaric and Aria, "And who was that woman?".

"Alaric's personal doctor, Meredith" Aria singsonged.

"You're not letting this go, are you?" Alaric asked Aria.

"Let of this perfect opportunity to tease you?" Aria asked, "Yeah, not happening Ric".

"So she's a doctor?" Damon asked, sitting down with Alaric and Aria.

"Mm-hm" Alaric replied.

"And my old babysitter" Aria informed.

"Ooh, what's the damage?" Damon asked.

"No damage" Alaric replied.

"Come on, Ric, it's a fact of life" Damon said, "A girl that hot, that smart? Damage".

"You've called me both hot and smart, so are you saying I'm damaged?" Aria asked, giving Damon a pointed look.

"We both are damaged, that's why we work so well together" Damon teased, making Aria chuckle.

"Well, you know, I've been looking for red flags" Alaric said, "Her, uh, ex called her a psycho case the other day".

"Yeah but if it comes from her ex it doesn't count" Damon said.

"Exactly, most of Damon's exes call him a psycho, but me and you both know his not a full psycho, only slightly" Aria teased.

"Yet your still here" Damon said, "So I guess being a psycho isn't all that bad".

Aria laughed at Damon's words, while Alaric simply shook his head.

"I guess you're right" Alaric said, "Wonder what my exes would call me?".

"Nothing, one of them is dead and the other left" Damon said.

"Hm, well, her ex is the medical examiner, so he's dead adjacent" Alaric revealed.

"She dated a medical examiner?" Damon asked.

"Mm-hm" Alaric replied.

"Well I don't think he's dead adjacent, I think he's just dead" Damon informed.

"What?" Aria asked confused.

"Murdered, Sheriff's trying to keep a lid on it because he was staked in the chest like a vampire" Damon explained.

"Meredith didn't say anything about that" Alaric said confused.

"Well, red flag number two" Damon said.

"Okay, hold up people, this isn't a red flag, maybe Meredith doesn't know about his death" Aria defended, "I know her, trust me, she's not a murderer".

"People change Ria" Damon said, making Aria frown.

"Who do you think killed him?" Alaric asked.

"I don't know" Damon replied, "But if I was a cop, your sexy doctor lady friend would definitely be a suspect".

***

While they were at the Grill with Alaric, Klaus called Damon and Aria saying he was at the Boarding House, waiting for Stefan and asked them to join him in making a deal with him.

Which is why Damon and Aria were now dancing around the Boarding House, while Klaus looked at them in amusement.

Stefan entered his house and frowned seeing the trio, he walked over to the stereo and turned the music off, making Damon and Aria stop.

"What are you three doing here?" Stefan asked.

"Well, me and my girl were dancing until you decided to very rudely interrupt us" Damon said, sitting on the couch and pulling Aria on to his lap, making Stefan frown slightly.

"I was enjoying our stalemate" Klaus said.

"What do you want?" Stefan asked.

"Question is, what do you want?" Klaus asked, "My hybrids left town as you demanded so please tell me what I need to do to get my family back".

"Well, see, Klaus, um, I'm not negotiating" Stefan said, making Aria frown.

"And you understand holding them indefinitely is the same thing as dropping them in the ocean" Klaus said.

"No, no" Stefan said, "You leave Mystic Falls and then give me a call in a few years and we'll talk".

"Can we kill him now?" Damon asked, really over his brother's bullshit.

"I'm going to give your brother one last chance, just one more" Klaus replied, "Let's make a reasonable deal".

"Or what?" Stefan challenged, "You make one move and I will drop--".

Klaus interrupted Stefan by laughing, "That's right, crazy Stefan, how's that working out for you? Any friends left?".

"Nope" Aria mumbled, hating being in the same room as Stefan.

***

"We shouldn't be doing this" Aria said, as her and Damon walked in the hospital corridors.

"Come on Ria, I just want to meet my girlfriends ex-babysitter and my friends maybe future girlfriend" Damon said, Aria opened her mouth to speak but Damon interrupted, "Oh look, there she is", Damon grabbed Aria's hand and dragged her to where Meredith was, "You know, we never got a chance to officially meet, Dr. Fell".

"You're Alaric's friend, right?" Meredith asked.

"And my boyfriend" Aria said, "Damon Salvatore".

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

Damon shrugged, "Strolling the halls, I like to wave to the newborns through the window, imagine what mine and Ria's kids will look like".

Aria looked at Damon wide eyed, she was not excepting him to say that.

Meredith smiled at Damon and Aria and went to walk away, but stopped hearing Damon's words, "Sorry about your boyfriend, animal attack, brutal".

"Ex-boyfriend" Meredith corrected, "And thanks, I'm still kind of processing".

"Yeah, I'm sure, I thought I'd come by and tell you it wasn't an animal attack" Damon said.

"Damon" Aria hissed, "This was not part of the plan".

"And then I realised you signed the death certificate" Damon said, ignoring Aria and showing Meredith the death certificate of her ex-boyfriend.

Meredith looked between Aria and Damon and then led them into a private room.

"Would you rather I say he was staked like a vampire?" Meredith snapped, making Aria frown, she didn't realise Meredith knew.

"Wasn't he the guy that coined the phrase animal attack?" Damon asked.

"Why do you even care?" Meredith asked.

"Because Ric really likes you" Aria replied, "And we don't want him to date a psychopath, which I really hope your not because that would mean when I was a child my parents left me with a psychopath".

"Wait, you both think I killed my boyfriend?" Meredith asked shocked.

"I think psychopaths are incredibly high maintenance" Damon replied.

"I didn't kill my boyfriend" Meredith snapped.

"Great, we are done here then" Aria said, "Let's go".

"But--".

"Now, Damon" Aria said, grabbing Damon's hand and dragging him away, but before they could leave, Meredith injected Damon with vervain, shocking Aria.

"What the hell!" Aria yelled.

"I can explain" Meredith said.

"You better start now, before I do something to you for hurting my boyfriend" Aria snapped.

"You might want to sit for this" Meredith said, confusing Aria.

***

After Damon woke up, him and Aria went straight to Alaric's apartment.

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

"Ah, looking for a bunny" Damon replied, "You're good, for now".

"You still obsessed with Meredith?" Alaric asked, "I mean don't you have your off the rails vampire brother to worry about?".

"Uh-uh-uh, do ten more of those" Damon said, gesturing to the weights Alaric was pressing, "You're gonna wanna buff up if you start dating this one, self defense and all".

"What is your problem?" Alaric snapped.

"Your doctor vervained me" Damon revealed, "And then she blood jacked me".

"What? I mean, when did you see her?" Alaric asked confused.

"He went to the hospital, and dragged me along with him, to accuse my babysitter of killing her ex boyfriend" Aria informed, pouring herself some coffee.

"Which, by the way, very sensitive subject" Damon interjected.

"Damon, what the hell are you doing, huh?" Alaric asked.

"Why are you mad at me?" Damon asked.

"I told you I'd handle this" Alaric replied.

"I proved your theory, diagnosed psycho case" Damon defended, "You're welcome".

"Okay, no" Aria said, "She's not a psycho, she uses vampire blood to heal people, she's just trying to help, psychos don't do that Damon".

"Seriously?" Damon asked, "You're seriously defending her?".

"Yes Damon, I am" Aria said, she then turned to Alaric, "Ric, you know I want the best for you and I'm telling you, ignore Damon, Meredith isn't a psycho, she's just trying to make a difference".

Alaric looked between Damon and Aria, he didn't who to believe.

***

"Where are they?" Aria asked, running into the Mikaelson's mansion.

While she was at Alaric's, Klaus called Aria and informed her that, after threatening Bonnie's mother and her adopted son, he had finally managed to get his coffins back.

"Right here" Klaus said, showing the young witch, three closed coffins.

"Why are they still daggered?" Aria asked confused, "Why haven't you undaggered them Nik?".

"Go on Nik, tell your best friend why our family is still in caskets" Rebekah said, "You're going to love this Aria".

"I still have some unfinished business to take care of" Klaus defended.

"What unfinished business?" Aria asked.

"Before I got there, Stefan had manged to take one coffin away" Klaus replied, "I need to get that coffin back".

Aria looked at Klaus in confusion, "But Kol, Finn and Elijah's coffins are right here, so whose coffin did Stefan hide?".

Rebekah and Klaus exchanged a uneasy look, Klaus had told Rebekah who was in the sealed coffin and both siblings agreed it was in Aria's best interest that she never found out who it was.

"It doesn't matter" Klaus replied, "All it matters is that I can't undagger them until I get the coffin back".

"You're not serious" Aria said, she then turned to Rebekah, "Tell me his not serious".

Rebekah sighed, "Unfortunately, his very serious".

"Look Ari, I will undagger them, I just need some time" Klaus said.

"Nik, why not undagger them now and maybe they can help you find the coffin" Aria suggested.

"Not happening" Klaus said.

"At least undagger one of them" Aria pleaded, "Please Nik, just undagger one of them and I will stop annoying you".

"Ari--".

"Please, please, please, please" Aria said, "Just one of them".

Klaus sighed, he knew he wasn't going to win against Aria, "Fine, I will undagger Elijah, happy?".

Aria's heart sank slightly, she was hoping Klaus would undagger Kol, but guess she was going to have to wait a little longer to meet Kol in person.

"Deal" Aria finally said, "But as soon as we find your sealed coffin, we're going to undagger Kol and Finn, and I'm not hearing anymore excuses, okay?".

"Okay" Klaus mumbled, making Rebekah look at him in amusement, it always amused her how easily Aria could get Klaus to agree to her terms.

"Okay, so now that's decided, whose doing the honors?" Rebekah asked, opening Elijah's coffin.

"Go ahead" Klaus told Aria.

"Really?" Aria asked.

"Really" Klaus assured, "Now hurry up before I change my mind".

"Yeah, yeah" Aria mumbled, walking over to Elijah's coffin.

Aria placed her hand on the dagger, and after looking towards Klaus and Rebekah one last time, she finally pulled the dagger out.

***

Presenting 3x12 of The Vampire Diaries. . .

Thoughts on Damon making Aria breakfast in bed?

Thoughts on Aria and Meredith's history?

When it comes to Meredith, who should Alaric listen to, Damon or Aria?

Thoughts on Aria undaggering Elijah?