02. Memorial

"You're making a big mistake" Damon told his brother.

"No, I'm not" Stefan said, "If we can get Elena and Aria used to animal blood right off the gate--".

"First off all, leave Aria out of this, she is my responsibility not yours" Damon snapped, making Stefan frown, "Second of all, you're reaching".

"--Maybe they'll bypass all the things that we went through" Stefan finished.

"Delusional" Damon commented.

"Maybe they'll actually have a shot at this" Stefan snapped, getting annoyed by his brother.

"Wrong, you're just wrong, Stefan" Damon said.

"They won't be able to handle if they hurt someone Damon" Stefan snapped, "Aria and Elena's compassion is their Achilles' heel and everything is magnified right now".

"Then you better hope Elena's not a fan of Bambi, because I assure you Aria is, so she's going to be avoiding your diet" Damon declared, "They need human blood, Stefan, from the vein".

"Oh come, you know what happens, you name me a vampire who didn't kill at least one person when they were new" Stefan said.

"You name me one who went on a bunny diet and didn't kill dozens" Damon retorted.

"If Aria or Elena kill anyone, they will crumble" Stefan snapped, "How much pain you think they can take before they shut off her humanity switch?".

"Stop saying Aria and Elena's name in one sentence" Damon snapped, glaring at Stefan, "As long as I'm with her, Aria won't be shutting anything off, you worry about your girlfriend who takes the smallest thing and makes a huge deal out of it, I am not letting you help Aria, she can't learn to control the bloodlust if she's never actually experienced the bloodlust", Damon stood up and walked over to his brother, "It's a cheat, it's like giving a kid a calculator before they know math".

"Just stop" Stefan snapped, having enough of his brother.

"Damon" A confused Aria said, entering Stefan's room with Elena, and seeing the brothers standing there, glaring at each other, "Everything okay?".

"Just having a little disagreement about process" Stefan replied.

"What process?" Aria asked confused.

"You're still not on board with the animal plan?" Elena asked Damon.

"I don't care what you do, Aria is not following that plan, end of discussion" Damon snapped, "Ria, I say rip off the proverbial band-aid and let it bleed, you're a vampire, Ria, be a vampire".

"Ready to go?" Stefan asked Elena and Aria.

"I'm not going with you Stefan" Aria replied, causing Stefan to frown.

"Aria listen--".

"No" Aria interrupted, "You're not the one whose going to get me through this, it's going to be Damon, you want Elena to follow the animal plan, then be my guest, I think I'm going to be listening to the guy who out of all us, has the most control when it comes to bloodlust".

Damon smirked, "Wonderful, now that's clear, let's go Ria, let's find some people to drain".

"Damon" Aria warned.

"And heal later on" Damon corrected, making Aria smile.

"Much better" Aria commented.

"Let's go" Damon said, grabbing Aria's hand and taking her out of Stefan's room.

***

"Damon" Aria warned, standing in Damon's bathroom, trying to do her makeup, while the oldest Salvatore stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"What?" Damon whispered, trailing kisses down Aria's neck.

"I'm trying to get ready here" Aria whispered, getting lost in Damon's touch.

"Then get ready, I never stopped you" Damon said, continuing his sweet torture.

"I can't" Aria whispered, feeling slightly out of breath, "Your hands on my body is all I can think of".

Damon smirked, "Is that such a bad thing?".

"It is when your touch is all I can think of, everything else flys off the window" Aria replied.

"Hmm" Damon whispered, trailing his finger from Aria's collarbone, down to her arm, causing shivers to run down Aria's spine, "Tell me Ria, what does my touch feel like?".

"Good" Aria whispered, closing her eyes and leaning the back of her head on Damon's shoulder, "Real good, every single nerve of my body can feel you".

"Another perk of your heightened senses" Damon whispered, wrapping his hand around Aria's stomach and pulling her back, right against his chest.

Aria, having enough of Damon's torture, quickly turned around and smashed her lips on to his, Damon put his hands on Aria's thighs and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Damon speeded them over to the bed and placed Aria on his bed and both of them quickly took their shirts off, Damon hovered over Aria and pulled her into another heated kiss.

Aria used her newly found strength and pushed Damon on to his back and straddled him, she kissed along his chest when Damon pulled her up and into another heated kiss.

"God, I love you" Damon whispered, slightly out of breath.

Aria nudged her nose with Damon's, "I love you too".

Aria and Damon smiled at each other, and pulled the covers over themselves, continuing what they started.

***

After having their fun, Aria and Damon decided to go to the Mystic Grill bar.

"Alcohol is the best way to get rid of cravings" Damon told Aria, who was slightly on edge.

"Damon, I can hear everyone's heartbeat, I shouldn't be here" Aria whispered, grabbing Damon's hand so she doesn't lose control.

"You're not going to lose control Ria, trust me, I won't let you" Damon assured, "Take a deep breath, and just focus on me and my voice, and drink this", Damon placed a glass of bourbon infront of Aria.

Aria didn't waste one second in downing the drink, "More" Aria said, "I need more".

"Coming right away" Damon said, pouring Aria more bourbon.

Suddenly a newspaper article was placed infront of Aria and Damon, by none other then Sheriff Forbes herself.

"Faulty Gas Line Leads to Tragic Explosion at Young Farm" Damon read, "Really?".

"Better than Town Council Blown Up, Police Have No Suspects" Liz retorted, "Unless the perpetrator is right next to me".

"Don't look at me, I always take credit for killing people" Damon said, making Liz give him a look, "Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Liz, if I was gonna kill 12 people, I wouldn't blow them up, I'd have a dinner party".

"His not wrong" Aria said, "Plus Damon has spent nearly every moment with me, making sure I don't lose control, it couldn't have been him".

"How are you Aria?" Liz asked, giving her adoptive daughter a smile.

"I'm okay mom" Aria said, Aria has been calling Liz mom ever since she woke up after remembering her past life, and accidently called Liz mom, after that Liz insisted Aria call her mom, and Aria didn't mind one bit, "I'm getting through it one day at a time".

"I'm proud of you, you know that right?" Liz asked.

"Of course I know that" Aria said, smiling at her mother.

"Anyways, the explosion was sparked from inside, this wasn't an accident" Liz said, getting back to the topic.

"You say that like it's a bad thing" Damon commented, "Council is dead, Liz, I see that as a win".

"I've known some of the Council since I was a kid, they were my friends" Liz snapped.

"Your friends tried to kill both your daughters" Damon reminded, "Who's the new guy?".

Aria and Liz turned around, just in time to see a stranger walking over to them.

"Excuse me sheriff" The stranger said, "Um, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute, it's about the explosion at the Young Farm".

"I'm sorry, mister--".

"Oh, Connor Jordan" Connor introduced, forwarding his hand for the sheriff.

"Are you with the insurance investigators?" Liz asked, shaking Connor's hand.

"No, I'm more of a independent contractor" Connor replied, looking towards Damon and Aria, who were keenly listening to their conversation, "Can we speak in private?".

"Sure" Liz said.

"Thanks" Connor said, walking to a more private place.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Busybody-Guy" Damon said, after Connor walked away.

"I don't like him" Aria said, "He gives me a bad feeling Damon".

"Hmm" Damon said, looking in the direction Connor had left in, "Let's find more about this dude then, shall we?".

Aria nodded and clinked her glass with Damon's, due to their past experience, Damon knew better then to ignore any of Aria's feelings, whenever Aria felt something bad, it was usually because something bad was going to happen, so Damon knew he had to be extra careful when it came to the new guy.

***

"Why the bloody hell do you always drag me to do manual labor with you?" Kol complained, placing some boxes into Jeremy's car.

Jeremy chuckled hearing Kol, "It's not like you had anything better to do".

"Excuse me, my schedule was packed, thank you very much" Kol said, throwing a football towards Jeremy, who easily dodged it.

"I don't think sitting around counts as doing something Kol, sorry to burst your bubble" Jeremy mocked.

"I hate you with a burning passion, I hope you know that" Kol said.

"If you hated me, I would be dead, but I'm not, which means I've grown on you" Jeremy retorted.

"Okay, let's not go there, you've not grown on me, the only reason I haven't killed you, is because in this god awful town, you are the only human I can tolerate, be grateful" Kol said.

"I'm so grateful, thank you so much Kol" Jeremy said sarcastically.

"I know your being sarcastic, but still, you're welcome" Kol said, making Jeremy laugh, "Now, tell me, what the hell are in these boxes anyways?".

"They're paper lanterns, student council made them for after the memorial" Jeremy explained, "You light them up in honor of all the dead".

"Using fire to honor the people who died in fire, sounds like Mystic Falls" Kol said.

"At least be a bit sensitive" Jeremy scolded.

"They kidnapped Ri and my sister, sorry I think they got what they deserved" Kol retorted.

"You are unbelievable" Jeremy said, picking more boxes.

"Thank you" Kol said, walking over to Jeremy's car.

"It wasn't a compliment!" Jeremy yelled.

"Sure it was!" Kol yelled back.

Jeremy shook his head at the Original, he went to follow him, when a voice stopped him.

"Jeremy?", Jeremy looked at the girl in confusion, not knowing who she was, "Picture an emo pixie cut and braces".

"April?" Jeremy asked shocked.

"Yeah" April nodded.

"You look great" Jeremy complimented.

"Yeah, you remember Aria and Elena used to babysit me, before I got shipped off to boarding school by my dad" April reminded.

"Your dad" Jeremy realised April was Pastor Young's daughter, "Oh, my god, I am so sorry about your dad".

"Thank you, I guess, I sort of don't know how to answer when people say that" April said, "I'm just, you know, not much for grief, I guess", Jeremy gave April a small smile, "I have to go register or something, I think".

"She's cute" Kol commented, walking over to Jeremy after April had left.

"Yeah, she is" Jeremy whispered, looking at April's retreating figure.

***

"Did you do it?" Elena accused, walking over to Damon and Aria at the Grill.

Aria groaned, and slammed her head on the bar, "No, just no".

"The seat's taken" Damon said, stopping Elena from sitting next to him.

"But there's no one here" Elena retorted.

"Well I'm just gonna pretend like there's someone there because the alternative's just too damn depressing" Damon said.

"Did you set off the explosion that killed the town council?" Elena asked, walking over to Aria's side.

Aria quickly placed her leg on the stool next to her, making Elena glare at her, "Sorry, my legs are tired".

Damon chuckled at his girlfriend's antics, "Am I wearing my, I blew up the Council, t-shirt?" He asked, "Why does everybody keep asking me that?".

"Did you?" Elena asked.

"No Elena, he didn't" Aria snapped, "Did you ask your boyfriend, maybe he did it".

"Stefan will never do that" Elena snapped, "But Damon will, maybe Kol did it".

Aria frowned, "I am getting sick and tired of you blaming everything bad on Damon and Kol, you need to stop and get it in your head that I am this close to smashing your head, I suggest you walk away before I lose it".

"I can't leave" Elena snapped, "I need to speak to Damon, alone".

Both Damon and Aria frowned hearing Elena, "Whatever you want to say to me, say it infront of Ria, otherwise leave".

"Damon please, it's important, I promise I won't take too long, just come outside with me for five minutes, that's it" Elena pleaded.

"No" Damon stated, "I am not going anywhere with you".

"Please, I swear I won't bother you or Aria after this, just listen to me once, something is really wrong and I need your help" Elena said, not giving up.

Aria sighed, "You're not going to leave are you?".

"Not until I talk to Damon" Elena replied, stubbornly.

"Go" Aria told Damon.

"Ria--".

"Damon, if she doesn't leave, I am going to lose it, if her leaving means her talking to you for five minutes, then fine, but only five minutes" Aria said.

Damon sighed but knew Aria was right, if they wanted Elena to leave them alone, he needed to listen to her otherwise she will keep annoying them, "Fine, let's go" Damon said, standing up and placing a quick kiss on Aria's forehead, "I'll be right back".

"I'll be waiting" Aria whispered.

Damon gave Aria one last smile and walked out the Grill with Elena.

"What was all that about?" Kol asked, sitting next to Aria.

"Don't know, don't care" Aria replied, "Want some bourbon?".

"Yes please" Kol said, taking the glass from Aria, "Also, seems to me the doppelganger is hitting on your boyfriend".

"Doesn't matter, Damon will never go for her" Aria said.

"That much trust, huh?" Kol asked.

"Yeap" Aria replied.

"Well, let's hope the doppelganger catches the hint and keeps her filthy hands to herself" Kol said.

"If she doesn't, will you help me kill her?" Aria asked.

"Of course" Kol replied, clinking his glass with Aria's.

***

"Okay, we are outside, talk" Damon said, really not wanting to talk with the doppelganger.

"Something is wrong" Elena informed, "I can't keep any of the animal blood down".

"Well, there's a shock" Damon said sarcastically.

"I think I need your help" Elena said.

"Yeah, no" Damon stated, "I've already got my hands full with Ria, I don't have time to help you as well".

"Damon, please" Elena pleaded, "I don't want to drink human blood, I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone".

"Elena, what exactly do you want from me?" Damon asked.

"Look, I know this is a really bizarre request given our awful history together, but I couldn't ask Stefan, he wouldn't agree" Elena said.

"Get to it" Damon snapped.

"I agree with you, I need warn blood from the vein, but not human blood, I was wondering if I can feed on your blood" Elena said, shocking Damon.

"Excuse me?!" Damon said, glaring at the doppelganger, "Have you lost it Elena! You're asking to blood share with me, something that is very personal by the way".

"I can't think of anything else" Elena defended.

"Well the idea you came up with, is not an option" Damon stated.

"Damon--".

"No" Damon snapped, "If I'm ever to blood share with anyone, then it's going to be my girlfriend, not you".

Without hearing anything else from Elena, Damon walked away from the shocked doppelganger.

***

Aria's dress and hair for the memorial

Aria and Jeremy were now at the church, doing the last minute preparations for the memorial.

"So, Kol didn't come, huh?" Aria asked, placing the program for the memorial across the seats.

"Nope, he said, and I quote, I've done my part in honouring the dead by picking up boxes, setting the church up is now on you and Ri, see you at the memorial" Jeremy said, reading out Kol's text.

Aria chuckled, "Were we excepting anything less from Kol?".

"No we weren't" Jeremy replied, "By the way, how are you feeling since turning?".

Aria gave Jeremy a small smile, "I'm doing better then I thought I would do, crowded places do make me a bit nervous but if Damon's there, I can manage, but my emotions are just all over all the place, I cry at the most smallest things and laugh at the worst time".

"So typical Aria behavior?" Jeremy teased.

Aria laughed, "Yeah but with everything heightened, like right now, being in this church, looking at the names of all these people who died, I want to crawl in a corner and sob my ass off".

"Why did you volunteer then?" Jeremy asked confused.

"Because it will be rude not to Jer, people me and you have known most of our lives just died, if I didn't come today, that would make me an awful person" Aria replied.

"Or it will make you a person who is just grieving" Jeremy retorted.

"Maybe, but I feel much better coming here then ditching" Aria said, her eyes the landed on the front seat, where a very familiar person was sitting, "Oh my god, is that April?".

"Yeah, it is" Jeremy said, "I met her in this morning, she was registering for school".

"I'll be back Jer" Aria said, Jeremy nodded and Aria left to talk to April.

"Hey" Aria greeted, sitting next to April.

"Hey" April whispered.

"Long time no see, not since--".

"Since the Gilbert parents funeral" Aria finished.

"Yeah" April said.

"Come here" Aria said, pulling April into a hug, "You're gonna be okay April, I promise you that, things might be hard in the beginning but it will get better".

April gave Aria a small smile, "I hope so, they want me to speak, I guess all the kids who lost somebody can, what am I supposed to say? I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line? But if I don't say anything, then--I mean, what if nobody does? My dad and I didn't always get along or anything but everybody deserves to have nice things said at their own funeral, you know? I mean, for my mom's funeral, everybody said really nice things".

"April look, talking at your own parent's funeral is never easy, you don't need to think about what others would say or do, this is about you and your father, you go up there and say what your heart wants you to say, or you don't say anything at all, it's up to you, no one else" Aria said, "And about your dad, everybody in this town loved him, you have nothing to worry about".

"Yeah" April whispered, tears in his eyes, "Until two days ago".

"Even still" Aria assured, grabbing April's hand in reassurance.

April gave Aria a small smile, suddenly Aria's attention went down to April's wrist, she could hear the blood flowing in her veins, Aria could slowly feel herself lose control.

"I-um--I need to go, I'll see you when the memorial starts" Aria said, quickly standing up and rushing out the church.

***

"Ria" Damon said, rushing over to Aria who was leaning against the tree trying to catch her breath.

"I was comforting April, then my eyes fell on her wrist and all of a sudden I had this urge to rip her throat" Aria said.

"But you didn't" Damon said, stepping closer to Aria and pulling her into his arms, "And that's what matters, you were strong enough to walk away Ria, not all newbie vampires can do that, be proud of yourself".

"Please stay close to me" Aria mumbled into the hug, "If you stay near me, then I don't think about blood".

"I'm right here" Damon promised, placing a kiss on Aria's head.

***

Damon and Aria entered the church, hand in hand, Damon dipped his hand in the bowl of water placed at the entrance and made a cross, "Don't know why that always makes me smile" Damon said, making Aria chuckle.

Damon and Aria went where Jeremy, Kol and Caroline were sitting and sat next to them.

"You okay?" Caroline asked her best friend.

Aria looked towards Damon, who tightened his hold on Aria's hand, "I'm okay" Aria whispered, making Caroline smile.

"Hey, uh, April was looking for you, she wanted help with her speech" Jeremy informed.

"Where is she?" Aria asked, looking around but finding no sign of April.

"I don't know" Jeremy said, equally as confused as Aria.

"Before we begin the mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the town council" Carol Lockwood said, "I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad, uh, April?", everyone looked around but found no sign of the girl, "April, are you still here, honey?", realising April was gone, Carol spoke again, "Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?".

Seeing no one getting up, Aria took a deep breath and stood up, shocking everyone.

"Come on up Aria" Carol encouraged.

"Ria--".

"I'll be fine" Aria assured Damon.

"Why does she look so panicked?" Kol asked Damon.

"She nearly lost control when she was talking to April, so she's slightly on edge right now" Damon replied, looking at Aria in worry as she stood at the podium.

"It also doesn't help that she hates having everyone's eyes on her" Caroline reminded.

"Then why is she up there?" Kol asked, getting worried.

"Because she's Aria" Jeremy replied, "She couldn't just sit there and do nothing".

"Me and April were speaking earlier, and she was very nervous about speaking today and honestly, I get why, because right now I'm here, I have all your eyes on me and it's very nerve racking" Aria said, taking a deep breath to calm herself down, "You know its easy to love someone, but it's never easy to learn how to live without that someone", suddenly Aria froze, the familiar smell of blood hitting her senses.

"Do you smell that?" Caroline asked.

"Blood" Kol realised.

"Nobody move" Damon ordered, "Don't turn around, it's a trap".

Aria could see where the blood was coming from, the longer she stood there, the more harder it was becoming for Aria to not vamp out.

"I--", Aria didn't realise that the veins had started appearing under her eyes.

Damon, realising what was happening, quickly went up on stage and grabbed Aria, "It's okay, I got you Ria, I got you".

Damon helped Aria back to her seat as everyone stood up to sing the hymn.

"It's too much Damon, there's too much blood" Aria mumbled, holding on to Damon for dear life.

"It's okay Ria, you're going to be okay, just focus on my voice, focus on my heartbeat, push everything away" Damon said.

Aria closed her eyes and put her full focus on Damon, on his voice, on his heartbeat.

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

"She's new Jeremy, so much blood is making her lose control" Damon replied.

"We need to get her out of here" Kol stated.

"We can't, there's a stupid vampire hunter watching us" Damon said, "And I'm this close to ripping his head off".

"You'll expose all of us if you do that" Caroline said.

"Well I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I, you know, rip his head off" Damon snapped.

"Damon, it's not working" Aria mumbled, "I'm losing it".

"Damon" Kol said, suddenly coming up with an idea, "Let her feed on you".

"What?" Damon asked, still holding on to Aria.

"She needs blood, so give her blood" Kol repeated.

Damon nodded, making sure no one was looking, Damon bit into his wrist, "Come on Ria, drink".

Aria grabbed Damon's wrist and started drinking his blood, and Damon positioned them to make it seem that Damon was just comforting his hysterical girlfriend.

"Only Damon and Aria will blood share in a church" Caroline commented.

After sometime, Aria finally separated from Damon, the feeling both of them got from that was incredible, "Thanks" Aria whispered.

"Anytime" Damon said, winking at Aria.

"But Damon, the blood is still there, I can still smell it" Aria said, "I feel like it's April, we need to go and help her".

"Ria, we can't risk it" Damon said.

"We need a distraction" Aria said, just as Tyler, who the hunter knew all about, walked up to the podium.

"Excuse me, I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young" Tyler said.

"What the hell is he doing?" Caroline asked, as everyone sat back down.

"Helping Elena" Jeremy said, pointing to the side where Stefan, Elena and Matt were, Elena looking like she was close to losing control.

"Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports" Tyler said, "Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me, but he was the who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team, a community, giving yourself up for the sake off--".

Everyone screamed when someone suddenly shot Tyler.

Using the distraction, Damon and Kol went to find the hunter, while Caroline and Aria ran to find April.

***

Aria and Caroline ran upstairs and saw a tied up April, with a knife wound in her stomach.

"April" Aria whispered, running towards the injured girl, but froze seeing the amount of blood, "Care I--I can't do this".

Caroline nodded in understanding, she bit her wrist and fed April her blood, waking her up.

"Please, don't hurt me, please" April cried.

"No one is gonna hurt you" Caroline assured, "No one is gonna hurt you", Caroline stood up and turned to her sister, "She needs you Aria, you can make her forget all of this".

"Why did he do this?" April cried.

"I can't Care" Aria whispered, "I can't do this".

"Yes you can" Caroline urged, "The only way you're gonna learn is if you do it yourself, remember I promised not to let you kill anyone, I trust you, do you trust me?", Aria nodded, "Then go, I'm right here, I won't let you hurt her".

Aria took a deep breath and took small steps towards a terrified April, she kneeled down in front of her, "April look at me" Aria said, making the terrified girl turn to her, "You're going to be okay April, you're strong, you're gonna get through this, just like I did, just like Caroline did when she lost her father, and we will help you, I promise".

"I'm gonna be okay, you're gonna help me" April repeated, in a daze like state.

Aria looked towards Caroline with a smile on her face, Caroline smiled back.

"You were up here the whole time, you watched the whole funeral from here because you wanted to be left alone, so you could grieve without having everybody's eyes on you" Aria compelled, "Everything was beautiful, everybody said really nice things".

***

Damon and Aria arrived at Mystic Falls High School, Jeremy having called the two, along with Caroline and Kol.

"What are we doing here?" Damon asked confused.

"We're finishing the memorial" Jeremy replied, handing everyone the lanterns, "Everyday we all lose so much, it's scary how used to that we're becoming, we don't let ourselves stop and just cry".

"So you're lighting lanterns?" Damon asked, not on board with the plan.

"We need to do this" Jeremy replied.

"What we need to do is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the death of the Council, we've more important things to being doing right now then this" Damon snapped.

"For once, I agree with Damon, this is a stupid idea" Kol said, also not on board.

"Guys everything else will still be there tomorrow" Jeremy said.

"See the problem with this is I've not lost anyone, so I'm off, you guys enjoy" Kol said, walking away, not wanting to remember the person his lost.

Jeremy sighed, he knew out of everyone Kol and Damon would be the hardest to convince to do this, but he didn't care, he wasn't doing this for them, he was doing this for Aria, who he saw how devastated she looked at the memorial.

"This is for my parents, for Vicki, Anna and Alaric" Jeremy said, he lit his lantern, then handed the lighter to Caroline.

"This is for my dad" Caroline said, lighting her lantern, she held the lighter out for Damon.

"No way, I'm not doing that" Damon said, also walking away.

"Here, give it to me" Aria said, taking the lighter from Caroline, "This is for my parents, the gilbert parents, Grams, Ric, Rose, Finn and for the old me".

Aria lit her lantern, and one by one the trio let each of their lanterns fly into the sky, both Caroline and Aria hugged Jeremy and the trio stood there for a while, watching their lanterns fly away.

***

Kol walked over to Damon, and sat next to him while he stared at Alaric's grave.

"Floating lanterns in the sky" Damon said, taking a sip on his bourbon, "Can you believe that?".

Kol sighed, "They need to do that so they can move on".

"Japanese lanterns is a symbol of letting go of the past" Damon mocked, "Well, here's a newsflash, we're not Japanese".

"Japanese or not, we still do feel grief" Kol said, taking the bottle from Damon and taking a huge gulp out of it.

"You know what those three are?" Damon asked, "Children, think lighting a candle is gonna make everything okay, or even saying a prayer, or pretending Aria is not gonna end up just like the rest of us murderous vampires, stupid, delusional, exasperating, little children".

"Don't pretend like you don't believe that Aria won't be like us" Kol said, "We both know Damon, Aria will be different, and sometimes lighting a candle or saying a prayer, might just be the one thing that will help all of us get out of bed and go through one more day".

"If you believe that, then why didn't you stay with them?" Damon asked.

"Because showing people that I care, that I feel, kind of goes against the whole psychopathic Mikaelson reputation" Kol replied.

"You know it doesn't make a difference, right?" Damon asked, "Lighting a candle or saying a prayer won't change the fact that in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not gonna make up for the fact that the only thing that you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be, and a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong".

Kol chuckled and patted Damon's shoulder, "I'm sure wherever he is, he misses you to".

Unknown to both Kol and Damon, Alaric's ghost sat behind them and watched the two vampires walk away.

"His right, I do miss you buddy" Alaric said, a sad smile on his face.

***

Presenting 4x02 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Elena asking Damon to blood share?

Thoughts on Damon being the one who keeps Aria in control?

Thoughts on Damon letting Aria feed on him?

Thoughts on Kol and Damon at Alaric's grave?