21. The Sun Also Rises

"My duty is to Klaus" Aria heard Greta, daughter of Jonas Martin, say to Elena, "The new order".

"Glad to know I still have a dance partner" Klaus said, walking over to the sacrificial grounds with Aria right by his side.

Aria looked around and saw Elena, Jules and a random girl Aria has never seen before surrounded by fire. Seeing Jules, Aria felt no remorse in her heart, she was the reason as to why Rose was dead, she was the reason as to why Rose suffered so much in her last moments, Aria didn't have it in her to feel any sympathy for Jules.

Elena and Aria looked at each other, both girls knew today was the last day they were human, or in Aria's case, a witch, after today both the girls would be vampires, something none of the girls were really ready for.

"Hello, my lovelies" Klaus greeted, the three girls, "Are we ready?".

***

"I've got the moonstone" Klaus said, pulling out the moonstone from his pocket, "I spent 500 years looking for this, I hate to part with it".

Klaus handed Greta the moonstone, "The moon has passed its apex, remember everything you need to do?" Greta asked.

"I remember" Klaus assured.

Greta nodded and turned to Aria, "Your turn".

Aria nodded and went to step towards the alter when Klaus held her arm.

"Did you drink the elixir?" Klaus asked.

For a second Aria froze, she didn't know what to say to Klaus, she couldn't tell him the truth because she knew he wouldn't go through the sacrifice, and Aria didn't want him to wait any longer to unlock his werewolf side, thousand years was enough wait.

"I'll come back" Aria assured, technically she wasn't lying, she was going to come back, just not as a human.

Klaus nodded, believing Aria's words, he let go of her and she stepped towards the alter.

Greta grabbed Aria's hand and made a cut on it, causing her to wince in pain. After making the cut, Greta let Aria's blood spill into the alter.

"That's enough" Greta said, after a good amount of Aria's blood had fallen.

Klaus quickly walked over to Aria, and tied a handkerchief around her injured hand, making Aria give him a small smile.

Greta then threw the moonstone into the alter causing it to explode, as soon as the moonstone exploded, Aria gasped and fell to the ground, feeling pain shot through her body.

"What's happening to her?" Klaus asked worried.

"It's a big spell Klaus, it's going to take a huge toll on her" Greta replied.

Both Jules and Aria yelled out in pain, Aria had never experienced this kind of pain before, when Grams and Bonnie channeled her, she never felt this, just felt weakness not pain.

"Everything I did, I was just trying to help Tyler" Jules told Elena.

"Are you Jules?" Elena asked.

"I didn't want him to be alone" Jules replied.

"How did killing Rose, help Tyler?" Aria snapped, holding on to her head in pain.

"Shall we?" Klaus asked Jules.

Suddenly, the fire around Jules went off, taking the opportunity Jules tried to escape, but Klaus caught her and in a second, ripped her heart out.

***

Klaus placed Jules's heart over the alter and let her blood spill into it, "Does that mean it's working?".

"It's working" Greta assured.

Elena looked over to Aria, who was still on the floor in pain, today was the last day both of them were human, and Elena didn't want to die without making amends with Aria.

"Aria" Elena said, gaining Aria's attention, "Before I die I need you to know, that I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything, I guess the only reason I didn't accept yours and Damon's relationship was because I was insecure, I was scared Damon was going to be become more important to you then me, and in a way he did, but that was my own fault, I pushed you away and I'm not asking you to forgive me, I'm just letting you know that I'm really sorry and if I could, I would take it all back".

"Say that to me when we both survive this" Aria whispered, looking at the doppelganger with tears in her eyes.

"Even we do survive this, you and me both know we won't be the same girls" Elena cried.

"Yes we will be" Aria cried, "We are Elena and Aria, who used to be the greatest of friends and are now, destined to be enemies".

"That won't happen" Elena said, shaking her head, "We will never be enemies, we are going to be different then our ancestors Aria".

Aria didn't say anything, she wanted to say something, she wanted to assure Elena that they would be different, that they would be the one who would break the prophecy but for some reason she couldn't, because even if she said it, she didn't believe it.

***

"We found something in the Gilbert journals" Bonnie informed Damon.

"Johnathan journaled the story of a mother who called on Emily services" John said, "The women's biological and adoptive babies were sick, both of them were dying, Emily casted a spell that would bind the women's life force with her children's".

"Skip to the save Aria part" Damon snapped.

Damon, Bonnie and Jeremy have been looking at other ways to save Aria and Elena's life, though Aria was fine with being a vampire, Damon didn't want that life for her, at least not now, he wanted her to reach her full potential as a witch first, he wanted her to be the most powerful witch like she was meant to be, before she had to even think about turning into a vampire.

"The children died, but the mother's life force flowed through them, restoring them to life" John explained.

"We already know Aria and Elena are gonna come to life, but they'll be vampires" Jeremy said.

"Not if their soul remains intact" John said.

"Their soul, really?" Damon snapped, "You're gonna put your faith in some act of God mumbo jumbo?".

John glared at Damon, "I refuse to let Elena and Aria become the thing I've spent my life protecting them against".

"You haven't been protecting Aria" Damon snapped, "You and your family have been trying to get her killed this whole time".

"I don't care if you believe me or not Damon, but Aria is my best friend's daughter, she is my responsibility" John said, "You can call that God or mystical energy, whatever you want, but, yes, I'm putting my faith in it, I refuse to let Aria and Elena suffer because of yours and Stefan's petty feud".

***

The fire around the mystery vampire went away, the vampire glared at Klaus, and before anyone could register anything, the vampire had speeded over to Greta and bit her in the neck.

Klaus quickly speed over to the vampire and staked her in the back, making her scream in pain. Klaus then threw her on to the floor, and staked the vampire in the heart.

As soon as Klaus staked the vampire, Aria's pain increased.

"Aah!" Aria yelled, tears streaming down her face because of the immense pain she was feeling.

Klaus speeded over to Aria, "It's going to be okay Ari, it's not long now" Klaus comforted.

***

After making sure Aria was okay, Klaus walked over to Elena, "It's time" Klaus said.

Elena glared at Klaus, and without saying anything to him, quietly walked over to the alter.

"Thank you, Elena" Klaus said.

"Go to hell" Elena spat.

Klaus smirked, then without any warning bit into Elena's neck. As soon as Elena fell to the ground, Aria also fell unconscious, both girls were officially dead.

"I can feel it" Klaus said, "It's happening".

Klaus started to transform into a wolf, when suddenly Bonnie entered and threw Klaus into the trees, Greta went to help Klaus but Stefan snapped her neck.

"No, you were dead!" Klaus screamed.

"Bonnie, stop!" Caroline yelled, running over to Bonnie and Klaus, while Damon ran over to Aria.

"I can't stop Caroline!" Bonnie yelled, "He deserves this!".

"Bonnie think about Aria, she saved your life, you owe her" Caroline said, "Don't kill someone she cares about Bonnie, please".

Bonnie looked at Caroline with tears in her eyes, "I owe Aria my life, but I can't let him live".

Caroline glared at Bonnie, "You don't deserve to be her friend Bonnie, she did so much for you and this is how you repay her!".

"Aria" Damon whispered, picking Aria up in his arms, "Don't you dare die on me".

Damon looked towards Caroline, "Go" Caroline whispered.

Damon nodded and speeded away with Aria.

Bonnie ignored Caroline and continued her chanting, making Klaus scream in pain, she stopped when Elijah walked over to Klaus.

"Elijah?" Klaus said shocked.

"Hello, brother" Elijah said.

Before Klaus could realise what was happening, Elijah shoved his hand into Klaus's chest, "In the name of our family, Niklaus".

"Elijah wait!" Caroline yelled, "Elijah, Aria told me to tell you that Klaus didn't bury your family in the sea, your family is safe Elijah, you don't need to kill Klaus".

"She's right" Klaus breathed out, "If you kill me, you'll never find them".

"Elijah" Stefan said, "Don't listen to him".

"Elijah, you made a deal with Aria" Caroline snapped, "You told Aria that you will spare Klaus if he didn't bury your family at sea, your a man of your word, so keep your word, don't let Aria lose someone else she cares about".

"Elijah, I can take you to them" Klaus said, "I give you my word, brother".

"Do it and I'll take you both out" Bonnie threatened.

"Just shut up Bonnie" Caroline snapped, feeling immense anger for the Bennet witch.

"You'll die" Elijah reminded.

"I don't care" Bonnie snapped.

Elijah looked between Bonnie and Caroline, he knew Caroline was right, he had promised Aria and he needed to keep his word, "I'm sorry" Elijah told Bonnie.

"No!" Stefan yelled, running towards the brothers with Bonnie, but Elijah quickly grabbed Klaus and jumped over the fire with him.

***

Damon carried a unconscious Aria into the Salvatore Boarding House, he carefully laid her down on the couch.

"Please don't come back as a vampire" Damon whispered, removing Aria's hair from her face, "I can't stand the idea of you not having the life you deserve".

"Damon", Caroline and Jenna ran into the house, "Is she awake?" Caroline asked.

"No" Damon said, "Not yet, what about Klaus?".

"Elijah didn't kill him, he kept his word" Caroline replied.

"Do you think she's going to come back as a vampire?" Jenna asked, worried for her adoptive niece.

"I really hope not" Damon said.

Before Jenna or Caroline could ask any question, Stefan entered the house with a unconscious Elena in his arms, Jeremy, John and Bonnie right behind him.

"How is she?" Jeremy asked Damon.

"You sure you care" Caroline snapped, Aria's condition making her extra snappy.

"What?" Jeremy asked confused.

"We don't know yet" Damon said before Caroline could say anything, knowing that Aria's condition was making Caroline very anxious causing her to snap at nearly everyone.

John glanced between Aria and Elena and quietly walked out the door.

Aria and Elena both woke up with a gasp.

"Aria" Caroline said, running over to her best friend.

"Hey" Jeremy said, running over to Aria.

"How do you feel?" Damon asked.

"I-I feel normal" Aria said, looking at Damon in confusion, she was supposed to come back as a vampire, not a human.

"Elena, are you okay?" Stefan asked.

"I'm fine" Elena said, equally as confused.

"Thank god" Caroline said, hugging her best friend, "I'm so glad you're okay".

While everyone was rejoicing about Elena and Aria not turning into vampires, they all failed to see John collapse outside.

***

Aria sat down on the bed of her old room, looking around, Aria was met with so many unfamiliar things, the things that once mattered to Aria, now no longer did.

"Aria".

Aria looked up to see Jenna entering the room, "Hey".

"Hey" Aria whispered.

"How you feeling?" Jenna asked, sitting next to Aria.

"Honestly, I don't know" Aria admitted, "I hated John since the day I met him, the hatred increased when I found out he was working with Katherine, the murderer of my parents, but today I'm alive only because he sacrificed his life for mine, and I am so thankful for that but at the same time, how can I forget what he did?".

"You know, no one excepts you to forget, right?" Jenna said.

"You mean you don't" Aria said, "But Elena does, I see it, Elena now excepts me to just forget everything and forgive him for helping the murderer of my parents, but I just can't Jenna, it's so hard to just forget and move on".

"It doesn't matter what Elena thinks Aria" Jenna said, "This is about you, if someone helped the murderer of my parents, I wouldn't forgive them either, take your time, and do what your heart desires".

Aria nodded, "Are you okay?".

Jenna sighed, "I'm okay".

"Want to tell me the truth now?" Aria said, knowing fully well Jenna wasn't okay.

"I thought I could be part of this world, I thought knowing would be so much easier then not knowing, but now that I know, things are so much harder, I just want to leave Mystic Falls, leave this world behind" Jenna admitted.

"Then do it" Aria said, "Leave".

"I can't" Jenna said, "I can't leave you, Elena and Jeremy alone".

"But we aren't alone, we have so many people who can take care of us, all we want is for you to be safe" Aria said, "Leave Mystic Falls and be safe, be free Jenna".

Jenna looked at Aria, then pulled her into a hug, "Thank you for being the best niece a women could ask for".

"Thank you for being the best aunt a girl can ask for" Aria cried into the hug.

***

Aria stared the mirror and looked at the girl infront of her, she didn't recognise that girl anymore, she felt so different, she felt like a completely different person from what she was in the beginning of the year.

Jeremy entered Aria's room and saw her staring at the photos of everyone on her wall, he knocked on the door, gaining Aria's attention.

"Hey" Aria whispered.

"Hey" Jeremy said, "I needed to give you something".

"What?" Aria asked confused.

"This letter" Jeremy said, handing Aria John's letter, "John wrote it for you".

After handing Aria the letter, Jeremy turned to leave, but Aria's voice stopped him.

"I'm so sorry" Aria whispered, tears pooling in her eyes, "I'm so sorry that you've lost so many people".

"I still have you" Jeremy said, "I know you and Elena are not on the best terms right now, but just remember, I care about you Aria, I will always care about you, you are one of the best people I know, and I will be an idiot to let you go".

Aria stepped forward and hugged Jeremy, "Thank you" Aria whispered.

After Jeremy left, Aria opened John's letter.

Aria,

It's no easy task being responsible for a extraordinary child like you, and I know I failed in that task miserably. After Lucas and Amelia's death, I was the one who was supposed to take care of you, protect you, be there for you, but instead I ran away, and I will never forgive myself for that.

I know you hate me for working with Katherine, you think that I was protecting her, but in reality I was trying to protect you, I was trying to make sure Katherine never found out about you, something in which I also failed. If your dad was alive right now, he would have been so proud of the amazing girl you have become, because I know I am.

I'm haunted by how things might have played out differently, if I'd been there for you like I was supposed to. For me, it's the end, but for you, this is a chance to grow old and someday do better with your own child than I did with you and Elena.

I don't ask for your forgiveness or for you to forget, because I know that's not possible, I ask only that you believe this, whether you are now reading this as a human or as a vampire, I love you all the same, as I've always loved you and always will.

John.

***

Aria walked into the cemetery, holding Caroline's hand, while Damon was walking beside her.

Aria and Elena both bent down and placed a rose on John's grave, "Thank you" Aria whispered, tears streaming down her face, though she hasn't forgiven John, she no longer hated him.

While Elena walked over to her parents grave, Aria walked over to the the graves of Lucas and Amelia Connor.

She placed down two roses and glanced at the graves, she tried to stop the tears but they wouldn't stop.

Caroline bent down and pulled her best friend into a hug, letting her cry her eyes out.

"I'm gonna head back to the house" Stefan told Damon, who was staring at Aria and Caroline, as the two girls walked away from the graves.

"I think I'll skip the coffee and tea cakes" Damon said.

"Damon, they need us right now" Stefan said, "All of us".

"And then what's the plan, Stefan?" Damon asked, "What else are you going to do to hurt Aria?".

"Damon, I was trying to save her life" Stefan defended.

"Well maybe next time, trust Aria's judgement instead of going against her" Damon snapped, "I won't be there for her, and as much as I hate saying this, I need you to make sure she will be okay".

"What are you talking about Damon?" Stefan asked confused.

"Tyler Lockwood bit me" Damon revealed, showing Stefan the wolf bite, shocking him, "It's actually more of a nip, really, but there it is".

"We'll find something" Stefan assured, "A cure".

Damon shook his head, "There's no cure, Stefan".

"We kept Elena and Aria human, right?" Stefan said, "We found the way, when there was no way, hey", Damon turned to Stefan, "I will do this".

"You wanna do something for me? Don't hurt Aria anymore, protect her with your life, please" Damon said, "And don't tell her about this, last thing she needs is another grave to mourn".

***

Okay, I know John doesn't deserve such a peaceful death, but I didn't want Aria to turn into a vampire just yet so I needed him to die the way he did.

Also, a lot of people were keen on the alternative book of this story in which Kol and Aria would be endgame, so that would be happening after I finish season 3, but keep this in mind this book will have a lot of Kol and Aria, just like the other book will have a lot of Damon and Aria, it's kind of you guys getting the best of both worlds.

Next chapter is the last chapter for season 2, whose excited for season 3, cause I know I am!

words: 3111

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