04. Memory Lane

"Wait, you're having dreams about Ariana's life now?" Damon asked Aria.

Damon and Aria were currently at the Grill, talking about the weird dream Aria had last night after Damon had left.

"It was one dream" Aria corrected, "But that dream felt so real, like it has actually happened before".

"And you think it has?" Damon asked.

Aria sighed, "I don't know what to think Damon, all I know is that deep down, Ariana's story sounds very familiar and I think me finding out about Ariana has broken some kind of wall in my brain, which is now enabling me to have dreams about her".

"And what exactly happened in this dream?" Damon asked curiously.

"Well, there was me, or Ariana, and there was this guy" Aria recalled.

"Guy?" Damon asked, "Did you see his face?".

Aria shook her head, "No, I only saw Ariana's face, the guy's face was blurred, almost like something was stopping me from seeing him, but I do know he has a strong British accent".

"What was the guy and Ariana doing?" Damon asked.

"Ariana was running away from the guy, they were in a playful chase, but then Ariana tripped over a rock and she nearly fell in a cliff but the guy saved her, he told her that he will never let anything happen to her, and then--".

"Then what?" Damon asked, frowning seeing Aria's hesitation.

"Then they kissed" Aria said, scared of Damon's reaction.

Damon sighed, knowing Aria hesitated because she didn't want to hurt Damon, "Aria, you can't be scared to tell me these things, I want to know everything, and it doesn't matter if Ariana and the guy kissed in your dream because it was Ariana not Aria, there's only one guy Aria Connor's kissing and his sitting right infront of her".

Aria smiled at Damon, she leaned forward and pecked his lips, "I love you".

Damon smiled at Aria, "Why does that never get old?".

"Because it's the truth" Aria replied, smiling ear to ear, which she did often in Damon's company, "Now can we please move on from Ariana, and instead why don't you tell me, why we are here so early?".

"We are here to pick something up for Jenna's barbecue" Damon informed.

"Wait, how do you know about Jenna's barbecue?" Aria asked confused, "I didn't even tell you about it yet".

"It was my idea, Jenna went to high school with Mason Lockwood" Damon explained, "So I figured a social gathering would be a good way to get to know the guy, so I told Ric to tell Jenna and--".

"Does Jenna know you're coming?" Aria interrupted, "Because if you hadn't realised, Jenna isn't a huge fan of you right now".

Jenna believed Damon was a bad influence on Aria, she thought because of him Aria was spending less and less time at home and more time at the Boarding House, which was kind of true, but it was only because they were trying figure out what was going on with the Lockwood family, and they couldn't exactly tell Jenna that, it also didn't help that Elena told Jenna that Aria and her had a fight because of Damon, so now Jenna believes Damon is coming between two life long best friends, not realising that it was Elena's hatred that was coming between Aria and Elena, not Damon.

A waitress came to Aria and Damon's table and placed down a box, "Perfect, thank you" Damon said, "I'm hoping this peach cobbler will pave the way".

"Well you better hope it's perfect peach cobbler because Jenna is one tough cookie" Aria said, "But tell me, what are you hoping to achieve at this barbecue anyways Vampy?".

"I'm gonna put some silver into Mason Lockwood and prove he's a werewolf" Damon revealed.

"That's a horrible idea" Aria said.

"That's the only idea" Damon retorted, "Now are you in or not?".

"Do I have a choice?" Aria asked.

"No, not really" Damon joked, making Aria laugh.

"I'm just hoping no one dies at this barbecue" Aria said, sipping her coffee.

***

"Hey Jenna" Aria said, entering the kitchen where Jenna and Elena were preparing for the barbeque.

"Hey Aria" Jenna said.

"Thanks for letting me invite Caroline" Aria said, grabbing some chips and putting them into a bowl, "She could really use a day surrounded by positivity".

"Well, she's not the plus one I'm worried about" Jenna said, "Why is Damon coming?".

"Because Alaric is a pity taker" Elena retorted.

"Or maybe because his my boyfriend" Aria snapped, "Come on Jenna, you haven't even given him a chance, you gave Stefan the benefit of the doubt why not give the same to Damon, I really love him, and it would suck if two people I love don't get along".

Jenna sighed, "I'll be nice to Damon when he learns not to come between yours and Elena's friendship".

"Is that what Elena told you?" Aria asked.

"Aria" Elena warned, scared that in her anger Aria would say something she shouldn't have.

"What do you mean?" Jenna asked, looking between the two best friends in confusion.

"Don't worry about it" Aria said, glaring at Elena, "Just know this, Damon isn't the bad guy".

Before Jenna could say anything, Mason walked into the kitchen.

"Aha, good news, found the shot glasses" Mason said, making Jenna laugh.

"That would be my exit" Elena said, leaving the room, while Aria stayed.

"I'm here 10 minutes and already I'm back under the bleachers at the pep rally" Jenna joked.

Mason side hugged Jenna, "It's just like old times, huh?".

"You guys must have had some crazy times together" Aria said, smiling at Mason and Jenna.

"Oh you have no idea" Jenna said, making Aria laugh.

"Only this time, I didn't swipe this bottle from my old man" Mason said, pouring some shots.

"Oh, the expensive stuff, I like you already" Alaric said, entering the kitchen.

"Just happy to be invited" Mason said.

"Oh thank Ric, this was his idea" Jenna said.

Both Alaric and Aria exchanged a look, both of them knew this wasn't Alaric's idea, it was Damon's idea, and if Jenna found out, she would cancel the whole thing.

"Really?" Mason asked, slightly suspicious.

"Yeah" Alaric replied, "I thought it'd be nice to meet some of Jenna's old high school friends".

"I'm going to be honest with you Mason, we just want some dirt on Jenna" Aria joked, helping Alaric out.

"Oh, I've got dirt" Mason said, laughing, "I got dirt".

"I have no secrets" Jenna said, "Only dirty shame".

"To dirty shame" Alaric cheered.

Aria went to pick up a shot, but Jenna quickly slapped her hand.

"Seriously?" Aria asked.

"Seriously" Jenna replied, downing her shot.

"Rude" Aria complained.

"Hey" Damon said, entering the kitchen.

"Damon" Jenna said, the smile disappearing from her face.

"We're just doing shots" Alaric informed, "Let me get you a shot glass, buddy".

"No, here" Jenna said, slamming her used shot glass into Damon's hand, "Use mine".

"Oh dear" Aria whispered.

Jenna and Alaric walked out of the kitchen, while Damon walked over to where Mason and Aria were standing.

"She doesn't like me very much" Damon clarified.

"We haven't met, Mason Lockwood" Mason said, forwarding his hand to Damon.

"Oh, sure, hey, Damon Salvatore" Damon said, shaking Mason's hand.

"As in Aria's boyfriend?" Mason asked, looking between the couple.

"Yeap" Damon replied, smiling at the young witch.

"Wait, how did you know?" Aria asked confused, not remembering telling Mason about Damon.

"Jenna told me" Mason replied, "Heard great things about your boyfriend Aria".

"Really? That's weird" Damon said, "Because I'm a dick".

Aria looked at Mason suspiciously, as far as she knew, Jenna hated her and Damon's relationship so her telling Mason about them just didn't add up.

***

After eating their food, everyone decided to sit in the living room and play pictionary.

"Dress, ballerina!" Jenna yelled, trying to guess Damon's horrible drawing.

"Puppy, puppy, puppy with a tutu!" Caroline yelled, making Aria laugh, "Stop laughing Aria, and help me figure out your boyfriend's horrible drawing".

"Oh please, I've given up on guessing long time ago, how the hell am I suppose to guess that?" Aria asked, pointing to Damon's drawing of a dog wearing a tutu.

"Okay, dog, hound, hound dog" Jenna said, "You ain't nothing but a hound dog".

"Dances with wolves" Mason guessed.

"Mason wins again" Damon said.

"How is that a wolf?" Jenna complained.

"It was enough for the job" Aria whispered.

Another reason as to why Aria wasn't guessing was because all the things Damon drew had something or the other to do with wolves, he was trying to get a reaction out of Mason and Aria didn't want to interfere in that.

After Mason won yet another round, Aria went to the kitchen to get the cobbler out.

"Aunt Jenna is getting tipsy" Damon said, entering the kitchen.

"Will you stop plying her with alcohol?" Elena snapped, coming behind Damon.

"Well, I want her to like me" Damon said, walking over to Aria, "Which you've made much harder then it needed to be".

"How's operation Lockwood going?" Aria asked, interrupting Damon and Elena before another argument could start.

"He's my new BFF" Damon joked.

"With the amount of wolves innuendos you're throwing at him, if his actually a werewolf, surely his catching on by now" Aria said.

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see" Damon said, grabbing some chips.

"There you both are, isn't this fun?" Jenna asked Elena and Aria.

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting me" Damon said.

"Did I have a choice?" Jenna snapped.

"Jenna" Aria warned, "Play nice, please".

"I know what you must think about me--".

"No, you don't" Jenna interrupted Damon, "You've never dated you, I have dated many yous".

"His a work in progress" Aria said, in an attempt to defend her boyfriend.

"Ooh" Damon said, his eyes landing on a set of silver cutlery, "These are fancy".

"Thanks" Jenna said, "My mother's silver set".

Aria and Elena watched as Damon took a silver knife from the cutlery set.

"This isn't going to end well" Aria whispered.

***

"Mason" Damon said, placing the peach cobbler infront of Mason, "Why don't you start us off?".

Mason smiled at Damon then looked down to see a silver knife in the cobbler, "Sure" Mason said, turning the plate around and grabbing the cobbler with his hand, while both Damon and Alaric looked on, "What am I? I apologise, I'm an animal".

"Hmm" Damon said, sitting down, while Alaric just chuckled.

"So, Mason, uh, you and Jenna never dated?" Alaric asked, as Aria came and sat next to Damon.

Damon gave Aria a small smile and held her hand under the table, making a small smile form on Aria's face.

Mason shook his head, "She was always lost in Logan Fell land".

"Yuck" Aria said, disgust evident in her voice.

"Trust me, I know Aria" Jenna said, "He was my first mistake, Mason was a catch, he had girls lining up".

"Really?" Damon asked, "Ha, I always pegged you for a lone wolf".

"Oh, I'm sure I wasn't half the lady killer you were" Mason taunted.

Aria and Damon looked at each other, both not missing the double meaning behind Mason's words.

"How about a toast?" Mason asked, breaking the awkward tension, "To new friends".

Everyone lifted their respective drinks and cheered with Mason.

"Friends" Jenna cheered.

"Cheers" Mason said, while Damon and Aria kept looking at him uncertainty.

***

Damon and Aria were in the kitchen, when Mason walked over to them.

"Jenna just brought out Guitar Hero, might be time to mutiny" Mason said.

"Well, I just happen to like Guitar Hero" Damon retorted, "So you, my friend, are barking up the wrong tree".

Aria had to stop herself from face palming at Damon's words, he just refused to stop with the innuendos.

"Okay, enough with the innuendos, you win" Mason snapped, having enough of Damon, "You're hilarious".

"Thank you" Damon mocked.

"Come on man, you don't think I know what this barbecue's about?" Mason asked.

"How do you know about Damon?" Aria asked, getting to the point.

"Yeah, your brother was completely clueless" Damon said.

"Doesn't matter" Mason snapped, "I'm not your enemy Damon".

"You tried to kill my brother" Damon snapped.

"That was a mistake" Mason defended.

"Really?" Damon asked, not believing Mason's words.

"There was confusion, I couldn't chain myself up in time" Mason explained, "I have no control once I shift".

"What, no obedience school?" Damon taunted.

"Damon" Aria warned, not wanting this situation to escalate.

"I'm serious" Mason said, "Let's not spark some age old feud that doesn't apply to us".

"You except me to believe that you're in Mystic Falls planting peace tress?" Damon asked.

"I lost my brother" Mason replied, "My nephew lost his father, I'm here for my family", Damon stared at Mason, not knowing if he should believe him or not, "Let's be above this", Mason forwarded his hand to Damon, which after a moment Damon shook.

After Mason walked away, Damon grabbed a knife from Jenna's silver set.

"Damon, what are you doing?" Aria whispered.

"I don't believe him Ria" Damon said, "I refuse to believe his here just for his family".

Aria looked at Damon in uncertainty, if she was to be honest she did believe Mason when he said his here for Tyler, knowing all to well how close Tyler and Mason were before Mason left, she just hoped whatever happens between Damon and Mason, it doesn't effect Tyler.

***

"No takers for more drinks at the Grill?" Mason asked, Alaric and Jenna shook their head, "It's like I'm with a bunch of adults here".

"I prefer the term role mode" Jenna said.

"Okay, well, thanks for having me, it was awesome" Mason said, hugging Jenna and shaking Alaric's hand, "Alaric, catch that game next week?".

"Yeah, look forward to it" Alaric replied.

"Hey, you know, I should probably head out too" Damon said.

"Really?" Aria asked.

"Don't worry, I'll see you soon" Damon said, kissing Aria's forehead.

"You better" Aria whispered, knowing Damon is about to go after Mason.

"Jenna" Damon said, grabbing Jenna's hand, "You are a wonderful hostess", Damon placed a quick kiss on Jenna's hand.

"And you are a terrible artist" Jenna replied, taking her hand away from Damon.

"Is that the only thing that makes me terrible?" Damon asked.

Jenna stared at Damon, "Still deciding".

"Good enough for me" Damon said, walking over to the front door, "Alaric, let's not catch that game next week, and Ria, I love you".

Aria smiled at Damon, "Love you too".

Damon smiled and walked out the front door, and Aria went up to her room, hoping Damon comes back to her in one piece.

***

Mason got out of his truck and started walking towards the Grill, but he stopped seeing Damon standing in his way.

"Damon?" Mason asked, "What, more dog jokes?".

"Nah, those got old" Damon said, stabbing Mason with the sliver knife he stole from the Gilbert's.

Mason yelled in pain and fell to the floor, while Damon made his way to Mason's truck, he opened the boot and started searching, completely missing Mason taking out the silver knife from his chest.

"You know, I think it was werewolves who started this whole silver myth" Mason said, making Damon turn around and look at him in shock, "Probably for moments like this".

"Duly noted" Damon said, giving Mason a mock smile.

Mason looked down at his bloody shirt, "I was really looking forward to last call", Mason walked over to Damon, "Now you made an enemy".

Both Mason and Damon glared at each other and after a moment, both of them turned around and walked away in opposite directions.

***

Damon walked along the street, frustrated with the fact that he failed to kill Mason.

"Bad day?" Katherine asked, walking over to Damon.

"Bad century" Damon snapped, glaring at Katherine, "Heard you were on the loose".

After Damon had failed to kill Mason, Stefan had called him to inform him about his day with Katherine, and her threat regarding Stefan and Damon's relationships.

"What's the matter?" Katherine asked, "Jealous I spent the day with Stefan?".

"I don't do jealous" Damon replied, "Not with you, not ever".

Damon started to walk away from Katherine, but Katherine wouldn't have it so she followed him, "Then why so pouty?".

"Tried to kill a werewolf and failed" Damon replied, "Now I feel like I'm not living up to my best self".

"Well, werewolves aren't easy prey" Katherine said, making Damon stop in his spot.

"What do you know about werewolves?" Damon asked.

"Why don't you ask your brother?" Katherine asked, "Don't try to be the hero Damon, you'll end up dead".

"Been there, done that" Damon retorted, "At least this time, it'll be worth it".

Damon went to walk away again, but Katherine once again stopped him, "Did Stefan tell you?".

"Tell me what?" Damon asked, getting annoyed by Katherine's presence.

"About the fact that if you and Stefan don't break up with Aria and Elena, then I will kill everyone they love and then make both of you watch while I kill them, right infront of your eyes while both of you will be able to do nothing" Katherine threatened, making Damon glare at her, "I would love to finish the Connor bloodline once and for all".

Damon grabbed Katherine by her throat and slammed her to the wall, catching her off guard, "Listen here you little bitch, don't you ever threaten Aria infront of me, as long as I'm with her, you are not going to harm her, and for your information, I am not going to break up with Aria just because you told me to, I'm not Stefan who will fall for your threats, you come near Aria, then you watch what I will do to you".

Damon let go of Katherine, making her fall to the ground, and after glaring at her one more time, he walked away, leaving behind a furious Katherine.

***

"Ria" Damon said, walking into Aria's room, where he saw Aria sitting by her window.

"Stefan called" Aria said, not looking towards Damon, "He told me about Katherine's threat".

"Dammit Stefan" Damon whispered.

Damon wanted to be the one who told Aria about Katherine, as he knew she wouldn't take it too well, and he wanted to be there to comfort her when she did find out.

"Ria--".

"Are you here to break up with me?" Aria asked, looking up at Damon for the first time since he got here, and that's when Damon saw Aria's red and swollen eyes, which indicated that she has been crying.

"No, no, no Ria" Damon said, sitting infront of the young witch, "I am not breaking up with you, not now, not ever".

"But Stefan said that if we don't break up then Katherine's going to come after my loved ones, that's the only reason Stefan and Elena broke up" Aria said, "If Katherine comes after me, I can take that, but I can't take her coming after the people I love Damon".

"That's not going to happen Ria" Damon said, wiping Aria's tears, "I already told Katherine, that no matter what, I am not breaking up with you, and don't worry, I will not let anything happen to you or anyone you love, I promise".

Aria looked at Damon then hugged him tightly, "I don't want to lose you because of Katherine".

"And you won't" Damon said, kissing Aria's forehead, "I'm here to stay Aria, as long as you will have me, I'll stay, no Katherine is coming between us, ever".

Aria nodded and tightened her grip on Damon and relished the hug to the fullest, no matter what Damon said, there was still this nagging feeling in Aria's heart that Katherine was going to succeed in separating her and Damon, Aria hoped she was wrong, but if she wasn't then she wanted to relish the moment with Damon to the absolute fullest.

***

Do you think Katherine will succeed in separating Damon and Aria or not?

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