20. Kill 'Em All

Aria splashed water on her face, after turning the tap off, she looked at her hands where the scabs had gotten worse, she then looked up in the bathroom, removing her shirt from shoulder, she saw more scabs appearing, clearly showing Aria that she was dying, but Aria didn't want to die, she couldn't die, she had to live, for her children, for her friends, for her love.

Aria looked at herself in the mirror and wiped the tears that fallen without her permission, "You're not dying" she whispered to herself, "You're not dying today".

***

Aria entered the psychiatric hospital she knew Alex's sister Virginia was admitted in, she wanted to talk to her, she needed answers and felt like only Virginia was able to give her the right answers.

"Hey" Aria greeted the receptionist, "I'm here to see Virginia St. John".

"And what is your relationship to the patient?".

"She's a friend" Aria lied, giving the receptionist a small smile.

***

Aria sat infront of Virginia, a glass window separating them.

"From the way you're looking at me, I feel like you know me" Aria said.

Virginia nodded her head, "You're Aria Connor, Amelia's daughter".

"And you're Virginia, Alex's sister" Aria said, "I don't have a lot of time so let's just get to the point, your sister is hell bent on making me open the vault you forced my mother to shut, according to my mother's grimoire whatever is in that vault needs to stay in but she doesn't mention what exactly it is that needs to stay sealed, I need you to tell me what is it that my mother sealed shut".

"Well, that's the question everyone's been asking since 1882, when my great-grandfather first managed to open it" Virginia said.

"What did he find in there?" a confused Aria asked, but Virginia stayed quiet, "Virginia I can't stop Alex if you don't tell me what is in that damn vault, I need to know, please just tell me".

"It's not a what" Virginia finally said, "It's not a who, it's what it does to you, it strips away your compassion, it takes away your empathy, your capacity for love, eating away at your soul, until all that remains is darkness, my great-grandfather was only in there a few moments, my sister Yvette has been trapped in there for four years, and I can't imagine what she's been twisted into in that time".

"You realise that there is no way your sister could survive four years in that vault, right?" Aria asked.

"I said the same thing" Virginia said, "Except Alex can hear her through the walls, crying to her for help, whatever's inside that vault, it wants out and you have to promise me, you won't let Alex set it free".

"I promise you Virginia, I won't let Alex set free the thing my mom made damn sure never comes out" Aria assured.

***

Aria entered Enzo's cabin where she saw Rayna throwing papers into the fireplace.

"Goodbye, Desmond" Rayna said.

"Looks like your mind is starting get clearer" Aria commented, shutting the door behind her, "Also, are you wearing my clothes?".

"Considering I'm giving you my life, I figured it qualified me for an upgrade from the storm cellar" Rayna said.

"You know, if I was dying I would have demanded a first class ticket to Italy where I spend my last day in an amazing penthouse and then later go to dinner at the most expensive restaurant where I eat everything" Aria said, checking her phone and smiling at the photos the triplets sent her through Rebekah's phone.

"And when all the names are in the fire, you'll have eternity to do all of it" Rayna retorted.

After putting her phone in her pocket, Aria looked at Rayna, "What are you getting out of all this?" she asked curiously, "I mean don't get me wrong I'm extremely grateful that you're willingly to save my life, but why I don't get, it doesn't make sense to me as to why you're willing to die for me".

"That's because you haven't lived seven lifetimes beyond your own" Rayna said.

"But I know people who have" Aria retorted, "And they aren't as miserable as you".

"That's what I never understood about vampires" Rayna said, "They seek out immortality like it's some kind of gift, but everything that mattered to me, love, family, happiness, I had all of that the first time, until it was taken away from me, and I've spent the last seven lifetimes longing for it", Rayan scrunched up another paper and threw it into the fire, she then stared at the fire infront of her, "I'm ready to be done on this earth, I want to see my father again, I want to know love again, that's what I get out of it, peace".

Aria sighed, "I'd like to see my father as well, and my mother" she whispered, a distant look on her face.

Rayna looked at Aria, "But you have love Aria" she said, making Aria look at her, "Can I say something to you?".

"Go on" Aria said.

"If Damon didn't leave you and the triplets, then I would have used you four to go after him" Rayna informed, making Aria look at her, "Everyone who Damon pissed off, would have gone after you and the triplets to get to Damon, you have the right to be mad at him, but he didn't leave because he stopped loving you, he left because he loved you too much to stay there and watch his family be in danger because of him".

"Why are you telling me this?" Aria asked, slightly confused.

Rayna shrugged, "I don't know" she admitted, "Maybe it's the effect of dying, I just think it will be a shame if a love like yours and Damon didn't get their happy ending".

Aria didn't say anything to Rayna, she just stared at the fire in front of her, with Rayna's words going around her head.

***

Damon ripped the heart of another vampire from Rayna's list, when his phone started ringing, taking it out of his pocket he realised it was Aria calling him.

"Ah" Damon said, answering the call, "Hey Aria, how was your field trip to the nut house?".

"Where's Kol?" Aria asked, ignoring Damon's question, "He's not answering his phone".

"Kol is currently chasing down a blood enthusiast" Damon informed, "What's wrong?".

Aria sighed, she sat on the dinning table, "Damon, my magic's been back for a while, it's not long before the armory figure out that they can finally do a locator spell on me".

"But they don't know that" Damon reminded.

"And how do we know that?" Aria challenged.

"Listen, Aria, we're moving on this list, okay?" Damon said, "If dropping bodies was an Olympic sport, we'd be on a Wheaties box, come on, you should be used to this by now, right? I think you've died what, two times already?", an emotional Aria ran her hand down her face, trying to think of her next words, "Aria?".

Aria took a deep breath, "Thank you" she finally said.

"You're welcome" a slightly confused Damon said.

"Damon, I still think you shouldn't have walked away from us, but I think now that I'm not so angry at you, I can see your point of view, so I wanted to tell you that, I get it, I get why you left and I'm not as mad as I was before" Aria said.

"Nope, you are not allowed to stop feeling angry" Damon snapped, knowing fully well why Aria was saying this, "You're only saying you're not angry anymore because you don't think that we're going to pull this off, and look, yeah, it's gonna be tight Aria, but we're gonna make it, you're gonna make it, so I don't want you to stop being angry at me, you understand? You are going to have to stay strong, okay?".

Aria looked towards Rayna, seeing her use an injection to take some of her blood out, "Take care of the triplets Damon".

"Ria--", before Damon could say anything, Aria hanged up on him.

"You ready?" Aria asked Rayna.

Rayna sighed, "This will just make you sicker" she said.

"My mom shut that vault for a reason, I'm not going to let Alex use me to open something she tried so hard to keep out of this world" Aria stated.

"This will only hide your magic for twenty four hours" Rayna reminded, "What about after it wears off?".

"You give me more blood" Aria said.

"I don't know how many twenty four hours you have left" Rayna argued.

"Well I guess we're about to find out then" Aria said, grabbing the injection from Rayna and injecting her blood into her arm.

***

A frustrated Rayna finally answered the phone, "What?" she snapped.

"Got our voicemail four times" Damon said, having caught up with Kol, "You know, we're literally at a crossroads here, we could use a couple of bread crumbs".

"Would you prefer I left Aria passed out on the bathroom floor?" Rayna asked, looking at Aria who was now laying on the couch, feeling extremely weak.

"Is she alright?" a concerned Kol asked.

"No, she took my blood to hide herself from any locator spells" Rayna informed, making Aria close her eyes in frustration, knowing she was about to hear a lecture from both Kol and Damon.

"Put her on" an angry Kol demanded.

Rayna walked over to Aria and handed her the phone.

"Hey" a weak Aria greeted.

"Have you lost your mind Aria?" Damon asked.

"I'm not going to let the armory find me, I'm not going to let them take me" Aria defended.

"And you thought poisoning yourself is better?" Kol asked, "Ri, we already don't have much time but now we have even less time thanks to this stunt of yours, we're so close".

"Don't lie to me Kol" Aria said, "I know for a fact you guys are no where near done, the names are all infront of them and even if I didn't take Rayna's blood, I didn't have enough time for you finish all these names".

"We will kill every single one of those bloody names" Kol stated, as Damon nodded his head in agreement.

"You two should just come back to the cabin" Aria whispered.

"What?" Kol asked, not sure if heard Aria correctly.

"I want to see my children Kol" Aria said, tears welling in her eyes, "I want to see you, hell I even want to see Damon, just come home, bring the triplets to me, don't make me spend the last few moments I have by myself, I want to spend the time I have left with my family, tell Nik, Caroline, Ric, Rebekah and Enzo to come as well, we'll video call Finn, Elijah, Jeremy and April, I just want to spend my last few moments with all of you, so just come to me, please".

After Aria hanged up on Kol, he stared at his phone for a second, he then let out a frustrated scream.

"I know where you are right now" Damon said, "I've been there for three years, you can't drink your way out of it, you can't fight your way out of it, you can't kill your way out of it, trust me, I tried, this isn't about you, it's not about your fears, it's not about your anger, because if this goes bad, you're going to have nothing but time to drown yourself in every dark emotion your brain can conjure up, Aria doesn't have that luxury, so go to her, take the triplets to their mother".

Kol shook his head, "I won't give up on her, not like this" he stated.

"I'm not asking you to give up" Damon said, "I need to make sure that she doesn't".

Kol looked at Damon, "She wants you to be there as well".

Damon shook his head, "I will see her after I save her".

"Damon--".

"Kol, I can't lose her" Damon stated, "I need to save her, I refuse to see the strongest person I know on her death bed, I will see her again but only after making sure she lives".

***

After Kol left to get the triplets so they could see Aria, Damon got in his car and started driving.

When his phone started ringing, Damon quickly answered, "Thanks for getting back to me".

"I'll admit I was surprised to see you on my phone sheet" Alex said from the other side, "So is there something I can do for you, Damon?".

"I have a rather lengthy kill list of hell-stone rejects that I need killed post haste and I hear you have the resources to do it" Damon replied.

"I do, do you have something to offer in return?" Alex asked.

"How about a key to your creepy walk-in closet?" Damon asked.

"I'm listening" Alex said, suddenly interested in Damon's deal.

"You finish off that list and I'll deliver you Aria Connor" Damon stated.

***

Kol slowly opened the cabin door, a small smile formed on his face seeing Aria sleeping on the couch, he then turned to the three very excited children, he quickly placed a finger on his lips, "Shh" he said, "Your mother is sleeping don't disturb her".

The triplets nodded in understand, all of them entered the cabin together and Kol grabbed a blanket that was on the chair and wrapped it around Aria, immediately causing a smile to form on a sleepy Aria's face.

"You came" Aria whispered.

Kol placed his hand on Aria's knee, "You called" he said, "And I didn't come alone".

A confused Aria slowly opened her eyes and immediately a huge smile came on her face seeing her children infront of her, "Hey babies" she greeted, slowly sitting up.

"Mommy!" the triplets yelled, running into their mother's arms, who gladly hugged them back.

"We missed you so much, mom" Asher said.

"I missed you too" Aria whispered, placing a kiss on Asher's head.

Mia broke the hug and looked at Aria's hands, "Mom, you're hurt".

Alec immediately looked at his mother, "Who did this?" he asked, he then turned to Kol, "Tell me you hurt the person who hurt mom".

Both Aria and Kol chuckled hearing Alec, "No one hurt me" Aria assured her three very worried children.

"Then what's wrong with your hand?" a concerned Asher asked.

Aria and Kol looked at each other, neither of them knowing what to say to the children.

"She's just a little bit sick" Kol finally said after a moment.

"Are you going to be okay?" Mia asked, tears welling in her eyes hearing that her mother's sick, out of the three siblings she was definitely the most sensitive one.

Aria looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes, she wanted to tell her that she is going to be fine but she didn't want to lie to her.

Kol sighed, he grabbed Mia and placed her in his lap, "Of course she's going to be okay, but for that you need to promise not to be sad, okay?" he said, "Your mother won't like if her bunny is sad".

"I don't like seeing mommy being sick" Mia mumbled, hiding herself in Kol's chest, "Mommy's never gets sick so why is she sick now?".

"Everyone gets sick at least once in their life, it's completely normal" Aria assured.

"After you get better, are we going to go back home?" Asher asked, sitting between Kol and Aria while Alec sat in his Aria's lap.

"There's no where else I'd rather go" Aria whispered, kissing Asher's heads then Alec's, she then looked at Kol, who was already looking at with her, he laced his fingers with hers and leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Suddenly the front door opened and Rayna came in, she suddenly stopped like she just had a vision, she then quickly rushed towards the fireplace and threw another name into it.

"Mommy, what's wrong with her?" a confused Alec asked an equally confused Aria.

"I have no idea" Aria replied honestly, looking at Kol.

"Hey, why don't you three go inside and the bedroom and check out the TV your uncle Enzo installed for you guys" Kol said.

"Shot gun on the remote!" Alec yelled, quickly getting off of Aria's lap and rushing into the bedroom.

"No I want to watch Barbie!" Mia yelled rushing after her brother.

Asher sighed, he shook his head at his siblings but nonetheless rushed after them, not wanting a fight to erupt between them.

"Rayna, what's happening?" Aria asked after her kids had gone into the bedroom.

"Killing" Rayna replied, burning more names, confusing both Aria and Kol who didn't know why all of a sudden so many vampires were dying, there was no way Damon, Klaus or Enzo could be doing this.

***

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" a furious Aria asked, stepping out of the cabin and walking over to Damon.

"I'm not going to let you die, Aria" Damon simply said, "Where's Kol?".

"Inside with the triplets" Aria replied, "Now back to the main topic, I'm not opening that vault".

"Aria, I have a shaman ready to make you the proud new owner of Rayna's list life" Damon reminded, "All you have to do is just open the stupid vault for Alex and you're well! You're done!".

"Damon, we both know that Alex can't be trusted" Aria argued.

"Aria, stop being so dramatic, she just wants her sister back" Damon argued back.

"My mother shut that vault for a reason" Aria snapped, "Whatever is in that damn vault, it's causing people to turn into monsters, I'm not going to let out a monster my mother made sure was locked away".

Damon sighed, he then looked at Aria, "Do I need to remind you that you're Aria Connor, the tribrid?" he asked, "You don't want to let that monster out of that vault? Then don't, just pretend".

"Pretend?" Aria asked, looking at Damon as if he has lost his mind, "And how do you suggest I do that?".

Damon shrugged, "You're the one who always figures out to deal with the bad guys, figure this one out too, but nonetheless we're going to the armory".

Aria opened her mouth to protest when the cabin door opened and Mia ran out, "Mommy help me!" she yelled running over to her mom.

"Mia, come back!" Alec yelled, running after his sister.

"No!" Mia yelled, running away from Aria and over to Damon, "Help me please" she said, hiding behind Damon's leg.

Damon looked at Mia, slightly stunned that she came to him for help, while a small smile formed on Aria's face seeing the scene.

Alec stood infront of Damon, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Damon, "Hand Mia over please" he said.

Damon looked at Mia, who hid further behind his leg and then at Alec, "What did Mia do?" he asked.

"Probably nothing" "Nothing" Aria and Mia said at the same time.

Alec looked at his mother with a betrayed expression, "Not true".

"So true" Asher said, walking out of the cabin, "You just like to trouble her".

"Nah uh" Alec said.

"Yes!" Mia said, she looked at Damon and held her arms out, indicating Damon to carry her, "Protect me".

Damon looked at Mia, a small smile on his face, he then looked at Aria, who nodded her head, "A girl always needs her father's protection" she said.

Damon looked back at Mia and picked her up in his arms, she immediately hid her face in his neck, a sense of peace falling over both the father and daughter.

Aria smiled seeing the scene infront of her, wiping the tears that had fell, she kneeled down and pulled her sons into a hug, she then glanced at Damon and gave him a small nod, she now knew what she had to do.

***

Aria stood infront of the vault in the armory, she looked at it for a second, and then she put her hands out and started chanting, immediately blood started pouring from her nose but that didn't stop Aria's chanting, suddenly the candles blew out and the vault door finally opened.

A weak Aria looked at Alex, "It's done" she informed.

"Thank you, Aria" a grateful Alex said, "You are free to go".

Aria looked at Alex then at the vault, and without another word she walked away.

***

Damon and Kol stood next to one of the armory's cell, waiting for Aria to come back.

"You realise by forcing Ri to do this, you've just got rid of any hope of her ever forgiving you, right?" Kol told Damon.

"I didn't know it took so many words to say thank you" Damon said.

"Don't pretend that you did this just to save her, you did this to get rid of your guilt for walking away from her" Kol snapped.

Damon glared at Kol, "Was it selfish for me not to want the I girl love to die?" he asked, "You bet it was".

"Your selfishness caused her to do the one she never wanted to do" Kol argued.

"You know what Kol, it be damn nice to hear you admit you considered making the same deal" Damon snapped, "But you were to afraid to lose what you have with her, that's the difference between me and you, I'd rather her hate me then her dead".

"You think I want her dead?" a shocked Kol asked.

"I think you love her too much to go against her word" Damon retorted, "And I love her too much to see her stubbornness cost her life, neither of us are wrong Kol, we both are just two idiots in love".

Kol sighed, he looked at Damon, "You're not going to leave this time, are you?" he asked.

Damon looked at Kol, "The first time was hard enough, I don't think I have it in me to do it again".

"You want her back" Kol realised.

"I've wanted her back the moment I left" Damon admitted, "But it's not up to me, is it?".

Kol shook his head, "No it's not up to you or me" he whispered, "It's up to her".

"Guys!" Aria yelled, running over to Damon and Kol, "The vault is open we need to get out of here, now!".

Damon and Kol nodded and with that the trio quickly ran out of the armory.

***

Aria stood outside the armory, her hands out, chanting. Damon was right, she was Aria Connor, she always figured out how to deal with the bad guys and she has figured out how to deal with this problem, while her mother had sealed vault, Aria was going to seal the armory with her magic, the magic no one but her children could fight through.

"Aria?!" Alex yelled from inside, having heard Aria's chanting.

"What did you just do?" a confused Damon asked, as he and Kol walked behind Aria.

Aria looked at Damon, "I listened to you" she replied, "I'm Aria Connor, I know how to deal with the bad guys, now neither is that thing in the vault coming out or Alex and her pals".

Damon looked at Aria with a proud expression on his face, before he could say anything to her, Aria suddenly fell unconscious, Damon quickly grabbed her before she hit the ground.

A panicked Damon looked up at an equally worried Kol, "She's running out of time".

***

Damon had brought Aria to the boarding house, currently she laid in hers and Damon's old bed, while an worried Damon watched over her.

"Not long now, Ria" Damon whispered, caressing Aria's cheek with his finger, "Kol is with Rayna now, soon you're going to be completely fine".

"Is mommy okay?".

Damon turned around and saw his children standing there looking at their unconscious mother in worry.

"She's okay" Damon assured.

"You're lying" Alec said, "I know mom, she has been emotional all day, she was hugging and kissing us like she was afraid it was the last time".

"Your mother likes to overthink everything, nothing is going to happen to her" Damon said.

Mia walked over to Damon, "If you save mommy, then I promise I'll forgive you for leaving".

Asher and Alec looked at each other, both of then walked over and stood behind Mia.

"Nothing is more important to us them mom, if you save her then all is forgiven" Asher said.

"Please save her" Alec whispered, him and his siblings extremely worried seeing their mother like this.

"Your mother is the strongest women I have ever known, she's going to be fine, and it's not going to be because of me, it's going to be because she's going to fight to come back to you three" Damon said, feeling the same emotions as the triplets, all four of them were afraid to lose the person who was their world.

"You promise?" Mia asked, holding her hand out.

Damon placed his hand in Mia's, "I promise".

Mia gave Damon a smile and the next second she tightly hugged him, Asher and Alec joining the hug, Damon gladly hugged his children back and glanced at an unconscious Aria, knowing if she was awake then this sight would have made her extremely happy.

***

Kol and Rayna walked side by side in the dark woods.

"You have made mine, Damon and Aria's life hell" Kol told Rayna, "But for saving Ri, I figure you deserve a thank you".

"You're welcome" Rayna simply said.

"All right, here's your bonfire" Kol said, as he and Rayna walked over to a bonfire where a man was waiting for them, "And he is the last living descendant of the tribe that created you, a pain in all of our asses", Kol then handed the man a vile, "And lastly, Ri's blood".

The man looked at Rayna, "It is a great honor to meet you, Rayna".

"Can you we please do this later?" an impatient Kol asked, "This is literally a life and death matter, just get on with the shaman things".

The man nodded, he poured Aria's blood over a blade, he then handed Rayna the blade, who took it and sat infront of the bonfire, the man following.

"Hear me Great Spirit, hear me, we call upon you in this moment of need, one has come before you for many lifetimes, as your servant, your vengeance"

On the other side, Damon and the triplets sat on the bed waiting for Aria to wake up.

Damon looked towards the door when Klaus, Caroline and their twins entered the room, immediately Hope ran over to Mia and hugged her while Jayden went over to Asher and Alec, Caroline walked over and looked at her sister with tears in her eyes while Klaus placed a comforting hand on Damon's shoulder.

"Let her journey end, let another take her remaining years, let another take up her burden".

Kol looked at the shaman in shock, "What the bloody hell did you just say?" he asked, "What does that even mean?".

Rayna looked at Kol, a sinister smile on her face, "I will never forgive you vampires for ruining my life, and now neither will Aria, when she wakes, she'll be just like me, full of hatred for you and your kind, her banshee side will be taken over by the huntress, she will be unable to rest until you've been wiped from this earth".

"Rayna", Kol took a step forward to stop Rayna, but it was too late, Rayna stabbed herself in the heart.

On the other side, Aria gasped and sat up in shock, Rayna's life now flowing through her.

***

Presenting 7x20 of Cold Hearted!

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Aria not wanting to die?

Thoughts on what Rayna said to Aria about Damon?

Thoughts on Damon making a deal with Alex to save Aria's life?

Thoughts on the triplets slowly warming up to Damon?

Thoughts on Aria officially becoming a huntress?