04. For Whom The Bell Tolls

Aiden Salvatore or Alaia Salvatore?

Asher Damon Salvatore or Amora Damon Salvatore?

Archer Connor-Salvatore or Amayah Connor-Salvatore?

"What are you doing?" Damon asked, entering his and Aria's shared room.

"Trying to find a good name for our child" Aria replied.

"Why are all the names starting with A?" Damon asked, looking at Aria's diary.

"Well, it's our first child, and since A is the first letter in the alphabet, it only makes sense that our child's name starts with A" Aria explained.

"I want three" Damon said suddenly.

"Three what?" Aria asked confused.

"I want three kids" Damon replied.

"Seriously?" Aria asked, looking at Damon in slight amusement.

"Yeap" Damon replied, "One girl, and two boys".

"Two boys?" Aria asked.

Damon nodded, "So my princess will always have two bodyguards protecting her, at all times".

Aria chuckled, "Us two, and our three?".

"Perfect family" Damon said.

Aria smiled and looked at her stomach, if you looked closely, you could see a small bump, "Can I confess something?".

"Go on" Damon replied.

"I think there's more then one" Aria informed.

"What?" Damon asked confused.

"I don't how to explain it, but I feel like we're having more the one baby, it's a motherly instinct" Aria replied.

"You think we're having twins?" Damon asked shocked.

"Or triplets" Aria replied.

"But shouldn't we able to hear more then one heartbeat?" Damon asked.

"According to Meredith, I'm still in my early stages, that's why I'm going to visit her tomorrow, she's going to use her proper medical equipment to find out if we're having having one, two or three kids" Aria replied.

"I'm coming with you" Damon stated.

"Well, obviously you are" Aria said, "But so is Mom, she said she's going attend every appointment with me, she doesn't want to miss out on anything".

"Fair enough" Damon said, taking Aria's diary from her.

"What are you writing?" Aria asked confused.

"I don't know what we will name our son, but I have an idea what to name our daughter" Damon said, giving Aria her diary back.

"Amelia Salvatore" Aria read, tears welling in her eyes, "You want to name our daughter after my mom?".

Damon nodded, "It seems right".

"Thank you" Aria cried.

"Happy tears?" Damon asked, wiping Aria's tears.

"Happy tears" Aria assured, putting her head on Damon's chest, while Damon ran his fingers through Aria's hair.

"You think I'm going to be a good father?" Damon asked.

"You're going to be the best father Damon" Aria replied.

"You think so?" Damon asked.

"I know so" Aria replied.

***

"Mom cried?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah, she cried, so did Jenna" Aria replied, in the Salvatore's kitchen, dipping her apple slices into frosting, while talking to Caroline on to the phone, "God, apples and frosting, best combination ever".

"You're gross" Caroline said.

"I'm pregnant" Aria retorted.

"Hopefully, with triplets" Caroline said.

"You want me to have triplets?" Aria asked.

"Well, duh" Caroline replied, "Imagine how cute the family photo will be".

"Our family is huge, it will be a huge family photo" Aria said.

"Even better" Caroline said.

"So, did you hear the latest gossip?" Aria asked.

"About Stefan losing his memory?" Caroline asked.

"Yeap" Aria replied.

"You have no idea how much joy that brings me" Caroline said, "Until you pop out those babies, I want him and his ex-girlfriend far away from you".

Aria chuckled, "Yeah, Damon and Kol are making sure of that, I feel like I'm a child, they won't let me do anything".

"It's for your benefit" Caroline said.

"But I get bored" Aria complained.

"Then use their credit cards and start doing baby shopping" Caroline suggested.

"I can't do baby shopping without knowing the gender of the baby" Aria said.

"Don't you dare ask Meredith the gender Aria" Caroline warned.

"But--".

"No buts" Caroline interrupted, "If you and Damon find out the gender, then the gender reveal me and Rebekah are planning, will be completely pointless".

"I have a very good pretend surprise face" Aria said.

"Not happening" Caroline said.

Aria sighed, "Fine, so, what have you and Rebekah been up to without me?".

"We've been studying up on Chem, Bio-Chem, Applied Micro Bio, Molecular Bio and Grey's Anatomy" Caroline replied, "The real one and the television show".

"How fun" Aria said sarcastically, "Why did you two study all that again?".

"We're trying to impress Dr. Maxfield" Caroline replied, "We figured if we could get closer to him, i.e., into his biology class, maybe we can figure out why he covered up our roommate's murder-by-vampire, and it's also possible that Rebekah has a study buddy".

Aria smiled, "Is Beks finally giving Dr. Maxfield's hot, funny and single lab assistant, Jesse, a chance?".

"Yeap" Caroline replied, "After much persuasion, Rebekah agreed to invite him to our hometown graveyard bell-ringing ceremony".

"Ooo, first date, and that to with the dead, sounds romantic" Aria teased.

"Right?" Caroline laughed, "Anyways, you're coming right?".

"Of course I am, I'm tired of being cooped up in this huge house" Aria replied.

"All right, see you there then" Caroline said.

"See you there" Aria said, hanging up on her sister.

***

Damon and Kol sat at the Grill.

"You Mystic Falls people are so weird" Kol commented, as someone rang the bell and cheered to their dead uncle, "You guys are so upbeat about people who are bloody dead".

"Well, in the theme of morbid town tradition, you go back to the 1820s when everyone was so paranoid about cholera that they would occasionally bury a body a wee bit before its time" Damon explained.

"Wonderful, this morbid town has a holiday celebrating burying people alive" Kol said, downing his drink.

"Well, they were so paranoid, that they would request to be buried with a string attached to a bell above ground" Damon said, "And the family would hang around the grave for twenty four hours in hopes of hearing the bell and that their loved one would come back, but now it's just a kick-ass excuse to get hammered".

"So morbid and stupid" Kol said, "You know, I should go ring that bell".

"Why?" Damon asked confused.

"If I ring it continuously, others won't be able to" Kol replied.

"You're an idiot" Damon said.

"Thank you" Kol said, "Now, let's get to the main topic here, about you not telling Ri about her meeting your doppelganger when she was five".

"I haven't had time" Damon defended.

"Lies" Kol said, "You're avoiding telling her".

"Not true" Damon snapped.

"So true" Kol retorted, "You think, since technically, Aria met Dean first, him and her are still soulmates, you're forgetting the fact that Aria fell in love with you, she blood shared with you, and is now having your child, you need to let go of your stupid insecurities, and just tell Ri, it's better she knows from you then Adriana's not so dead best friend".

"You think Qetsiyah will tell Aria?" Damon asked.

"If I was her, I would" Kol replied.

"But you're forgetting, not everyone's you" Damon said.

"You're right, there can only be one me, cause I'm unique" Kol said, "I'm not you".

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Damon asked.

"Throughout the centuries, there has been four versions of you, only one version of me" Kol reminded.

"There's only one Damon Salvatore" Damon snapped.

"Not according to the universe" Kol retorted, loving annoying Damon.

"Die" Damon said, downing his drink.

"No can do" Kol said, "If I die, whose going to annoy you".

Damon shook his head, "I need more alcohol".

"I'm going to go ring the bell" Kol said, standing up.

"Kol!" Damon yelled, but it was too late, Kol had already ran to the bell, and started ringing it loudly.

"Go, dead people!" Kol yelled, making Damon laugh.

***

"Sit" Aria ordered, forcing Kol to sit on the chair, "I can't believe you let him do that".

"When has he ever listened to me?" Damon asked.

Aria had come to the Grill to meet up with Kol and Damon, where she saw Kol continuously ringing the bell, annoying everyone at the Grill.

"It was fun" Kol defended.

"The manager was about to kick you out" Aria retorted.

"Let him try, I would have ripped his heart out" Kol said.

"Hey, no talking about murder infront of the baby" Aria said.

"The baby can't hear me" Kol reminded.

"It's the product of Aria Connor, don't be surprised if she can" Damon teased.

"Don't forget Damon, he, also has your characteristics" Aria said.

"Don't be silly Ri" Kol said, "Your baby isn't going to be narcissistic, self absorbed, and a not so reformed serial killer".

"Are you listing your qualities or mine?" Damon asked.

"You both have those qualities" Aria teased, "And why the hell is everyone around me drinking?".

"Ria, just cause your pregnant, doesn't mean everyone else is going to stop drinking" Damon replied.

"It's not fair" Aria complained.

"Suck it up" Kol teased.

Aria glared at Kol, and snatched his drink from his hand.

"Hey!" Kol complained.

"I told you, if I can't drink, so can't you" Aria said.

"But his drinking as well" Kol said, pointing to Damon.

Aria snatched Damon's drink from his hand.

"Seriously?" Damon asked Kol.

"If I don't get to drink, neither do you" Kol replied.

"Aria!" Elena yelled, running over to the trio.

Before Elena could reach Aria, Damon stood between the two girls, "What do you want?" Damon asked.

"Move Damon" Elena snapped, "I need to talk to Aria".

"And she doesn't want to talk to you" Damon said.

"Did you tell her?" Elena asked.

"Tell her what?" Damon asked confused.

"About Bonnie's death" Elena replied.

"What?" Aria asked shocked.

"Bonnie's dead Aria, expression killed her" Elena replied, "And Damon and Kol knew, but didn't say a word".

"Who the bloody hell told you?" Kol asked.

"Silas" Elena replied.

"You're working with Silas now?" Damon asked shocked.

"The only way I can get Stefan's memories back, is by working with Silas" Elena snapped.

"I need to go" Aria whispered, suddenly feeling very claustrophobic.

"Ri--".

"I'm fine" Aria assured, "I just need some air".

***

"You okay?" Damon asked, sitting next to Aria, who had somehow found her way to the town square.

"I don't know if it's the hormones or just me" Aria said, "But when I found out about Bonnie's death, I didn't remember the witch who betrayed me, I remembered the girl I grew up with, and when I remember that girl, it hurts Damon, it hurts so much".

"It's okay" Damon said, bringing a sobbing Aria into his arm, "I've got you".

"I'm so stupid" Aria cried, "Why am I crying over someone who never cared about me?".

"Because you're Aria" Damon replied.

"Stupid, dumb, idiotic Aria?" Aria asked.

"Pure, kind, selfless Aria" Damon replied.

"I hope our baby isn't like me" Aria said.

"And I hope our baby is exactly like you" Damon said.

Aria looked at Damon, "You want our baby to cry over someone who screwed them over multiple times?".

"No" Damon replied, "I want our baby to have a large heart, even when someone screws up, they won't be stupid enough to forgive them, but they will have it in them to feel a little sympathetic for them".

"That's stupid" Aria said.

"It's human" Damon retorted.

Aria sighed, "I think if we have a girl, she will be like me, but if we have a boy, he will be exactly like you".

"Exactly why I want a girl" Damon said, "This world needs more Aria's in it".

"The world needs balance" Aria said, "It needs Damon's and Aria's in it".

Damon smiled at Aria, "We're the perfect balance of good and bad, aren't we?".

"Yeap" Aria replied, placing her head on Damon's shoulder, "I trust people too easily, you take your time".

"I kill people, you give them the benefit of the doubt" Damon said.

"Perfect match" Aria said, "Damon, I'm scared".

"About what?" Damon asked confused.

"I'm scared, I won't be able to do right by our child" Aria replied, expressing her fear.

"You're going to be an amazing mother Ria" Damon said, "Our children are going to very lucky to be raised by you".

"Us" Aria corrected, "To be raised by us, we're in this together Damon".

"Forever?" Damon asked.

Aria smiled, "And ever".

"We're going to tell our children this saying" Damon said.

Aria chuckled, "Yeah, this is going to be the Salvatore family saying".

"Salvatore family, huh?" Damon teased, "Last time I checked, you're weren't a Salvatore".

Aria smiled, "Oh, I didn't tell you? In my mind, we're already married".

"Right" Damon said, "What did you say when I gave you the daylight ring?".

"We're engaged to be engaged" Aria smiled.

"Was that you hinting that I should put a ring on it?" Damon teased.

"Maybe" Aria said.

"One day, I will" Damon promised.

"And when you do, you should know that my answer will be yes" Aria said.

"I know" Damon said, kissing Aria's forehead.

***

"Alright, you ready Aria?" Meredith asked.

Aria looked towards Damon and Liz, both of them gave Aria an encouraging nod.

Aria turned to Meredith and nodded, "I'm ready".

Meredith gave Aria a small smile, she rubbed the cold jelly on Aria's stomach and started doing the ultrasound.

"From what I can tell your about twelve weeks pregnant" Meredith said.

"Twelve weeks?" Aria asked shocked, "But I hardly have a belly, I looked at google images, and my belly is a eight weeks belly, not twelve weeks".

"It's different for everyone Aria" Meredith said, "Some people start showing when they are eight weeks, others take their time, there's nothing to worry about".

"Can you tell if I'm having one or more babies?" Aria asked.

"Of course I can" Meredith said, placing the wand on Aria's stomach, she then pointed to the screen, "Look there".

Aria, Damon and Liz looked at the screen, for a while they heard nothing, not even one heartbeat.

"Meredith, why I can't I hear my baby's heartbeat" Aria said, clutching Damon's hand in fear.

"Relax Aria, you will hear it, just wait" Meredith assured.

After a moment, both Aria and Damon looked at each other in shock, they could hear their child's heartbeat, but what surprised them was that there wasn't one heartbeat, there was three.

"Oh my god" Aria cried, feeling extremely overwhelmed.

"Well Aria, looks like your instinct was right" Meredith said, "You both are having triplets".

Damon and Aria stared at the screen infront of them in tears, both of them were too speechless to say anything.

"I'm going to have three grandchildren" Liz cried.

"Damon" Aria whispered.

Damon looked at Aria, and smiled, "We're having triplets Ria".

Aria smiled and wrapped her hands around Damon's waist, who kissed her head.

"We're going to be the best parents" Damon whispered, looking at the screen.

"I hope so" Aria whispered.

"I know so" Damon assured.

***

"Where's Aria?" Liz asked, as Damon stepped out the hospital room.

"Meredith is running a few more tests on her, she wants to make sure the babies and Aria are okay" Damon replied.

"So, how do you feel about becoming a father?" Liz asked.

"Ecstatic" Damon replied, "When I turned into a vampire, the possibility of becoming a father was gone, I never thought I would ever have my own children, and here we are, centuries later, and I'm about to be a father, it all seems like a dream".

"Well, it's not Damon" Liz said, "It's reality, a very beautiful reality".

"Talking about beautiful realities, there's something I need to ask you" Damon said.

"What?" Liz asked, slightly confused.

Damon looked at Liz, and went on to ask her something very important.

***

Presenting 5x04 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter? I know it was short, I just didn't know where to fit Aria as I couldn't see her attend Bonnie's funeral >.<

Thoughts on Damon and Aria wanting triplets?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria talking about marriage?

Thoughts on Damon and Aria actually having triplets? Predictions on the genders?

Thoughts on what Damon wanted to ask Liz?