22. The Departed

Aria groaned when her alarm clock went off.

"No" Aria complained, turning her alarm clock off and putting the blanket over her head.

Just as she was about to fall back asleep, Jeremy ran into her room, and jumped on her bed, "Wake up Aria!".

"No" Aria said, as Jeremy pulled her blanket away from her, "Let me sleep Jer!".

"No" Jeremy said, grabbing a sleepy Aria by her arms and helping her sit up, "Get up, we have school".

"Since when are you so excited for school?" Aria asked, finally opening her eyes.

"It's your first day as a cheerleader, I want to watch you fail" Jeremy said, getting off Aria's bed and helping her stand.

Aria groaned, and leaned against Jeremy, "I hate cheerleading, I don't want to go".

Jeremy chuckled, "Well you have to, otherwise Caroline will kill you and me".

"Why would she kill you?" Aria asked confused.

"Because she said it's my responsibility to make sure you get to practice and not stay in bed" Jeremy replied.

"I don't get why Caroline's forcing me to be a cheerleader" Aria complained, finally separating herself from Jeremy, "I'm the most clumsy person ever, I can't do cheerleading".

"Because she wants you to do something other then sitting in a corner and reading your books" Jeremy teased, playfully nudging Aria.

"Hey" Aria said, lightly pushing Jeremy, "Reading is good for you".

"I never said it wasn't, but you read non-stop" Jeremy defended, "Now hurry up and change, Elena is waiting for you downstairs".

"Yeah, yeah" Aria whispered, as Jeremy left her room.

As soon as Jeremy left, Aria looked at her bed, it was almost like it was calling for her.

"Just five minutes more" Aria whispered.

"Don't you dare go back to sleep Aria Connor!" Jeremy yelled from his room, making Aria groan.

"I hate you!" Aria yelled back.

"No, you love me!" Jeremy yelled.

Aria sighed, "More then you know" she whispered, grabbing her towel and going into the bathroom.

***

After changing into her new cheerleading uniform, a tired Aria made her way downstairs and into the kitchen where Jenna and Elena were.

"Look who finally showed up" Elena teased.

"Shh" Aria said, sitting on the dinning table and putting her head on the table, "Don't talk to me till my coffee Lena, otherwise we're going to have a problem".

Both Jenna and Elena chuckled at Aria's antics, and Jenna handed Aria her morning coffee.

"Who tells you to stay up all night playing video games with Jeremy?" Jenna asked, ruffling Aria's hair.

"Not the hair Jenna" Aria complained, making Jenna laugh, "And to answer your question, Jeremy forced me to play games with him, it's not my fault I can't say no to him".

"I wonder why" Elena teased, making Aria glare at her.

"If I wasn't so sleepy, I would have throwed something at you" Aria said, making Elena laugh.

"Morning" Miranda Gilbert said, entering the kitchen, and seeing Aria drinking coffee, "Hey! No coffee in the morning".

Miranda took the coffee from Aria, making her protest, "No, I need that please".

"No you don't, what you need is to have your breakfast and get to school" Miranda said.

"I'm going to die without it" Aria said dramatically.

Miranda laughed at Aria, and placed a quick kiss on her head, "Stop with your drama, Drama Queen, now hurry up and eat, I'll drop you both to school".

***

Aria slowly opened her eyes, and was immediately met with the beeping sound of the hospital machine she was hooked to, Aria looked at the hospital room in confusion, she realised she wasn't at the Gilbert house, she was just dreaming about her old life with the Gilbert parents, the time her life used to be much simpler and peaceful.

***

"They are going to be fine" Meredith assured Jeremey, as they looked at a sleeping Aria through her room window.

Last night, Aria wasn't the only one who fell unconscious, according to Matt, Elena also fell unconscious the exact same time Aria did, Bonnie told Jeremy that was because of Aria and Elena's link to Alaric, according to Meredith, all of Elena's vitals were fine, there was nothing visibly wrong with her, while Aria on the other hand had a concussion.

"Aria got a little banged up today, hit her head" Meredith said, "But it was just a slight concussion, nothing to worry about".

"And Elena?" Matt asked.

"Elena's fine, her vitals don't show anything wrong with her, like Bonnie said, I think her and Aria are linked to each other through Alaric, so when Aria fell unconscious so did Elena, but there's nothing to worry about, I've given Elena some medications, she should wake up soon" Meredith replied.

"But Aria collapsed, there was blood" Jeremy said, his heart said something was wrong, something Meredith was hiding from him.

"Honestly, Jeremy, she's okay" Meredith assured, "She's just--she's been through a lot, is there anyone you want to call?".

Jeremy sighed, he knew who he had to call, he just didn't want to call them, knowing how both of them will get.

***

"You did what?" Damon snapped, as he and Kol talked to Jeremy through the phone.

"I took her to the hospital" Jeremy replied, "When you find your best friend unconscious, you call 911".

"Not when you have a Original vampire hunter at your disposal" Damon said.

"Your history teacher is going to want to get his hands on Aria, because her and your sister are the only thing keeping him alive" Kol said, "He would want to take her away from all of us".

"Well, Meredith wants to keep her here for observation" Jeremy informed

"Jeremy, get Aria home, we're on our way" Damon ordered, hanging up on the youngest Gilbert, "Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you not being the dumbest person on Earth?".

"Hey!" Kol said, looking at Damon in offense, "Forget all that, you realise one of us needs to go to Nik, otherwise Ri will murder us, right? Also let's not forget that Nik sired your bloodline, if Alaric finds his body before us, his going to kill him, which is then going to kill you".

Damon sighed, he knew Kol was right, one of them had to go to Klaus while the other went to Aria, but the question was who, as both Kol and Damon wanted to be with Aria right now, both of them wanted to make sure she was safe.

***

"Couch, now" Caroline ordered, as her, Rebekah and Jeremy helped Aria into the Forbes house.

"Guys, I'm fine" Aria assured her worried friends, "I'm just starving, someone make me food, please".

Jeremy chuckled, "I'm on it, but first I need to make sure no ones in the closets".

"Lay down on the couch, now" Rebekah ordered, helping Aria on to the couch, while Jeremy checked the house.

"Are you both going to be my babysitters now?" Aria joked, carefully laying down on the couch.

"Yes we are, since you refuse to take care of yourself" Rebekah said, putting a blanket over Aria.

"The doctor says rest, you rest" Caroline said, "Now, what can we get you? Do you want some tea? Maybe some vodka? Both will help you sleep".

"How about vodka in my tea?" Aria joked.

"We are not giving her vodka Caroline" Rebekah said.

"You're right, giving a concussion patient alcohol can't be a good idea" Caroline said, making Aria chuckle.

"Personally, I think it's a great idea" Aria said.

"Of course you would say that, you're an alcoholic" Rebekah teased.

"Hey! People really need to stop calling me an alcoholic" Aria said.

"People will stop calling you a alcoholic when you stop drinking so much alcohol" Caroline retorted.

"Exactly" Rebekah said, "Now get up Caroline, let's make her some tea".

"Tea, with no vodka" Caroline said, going towards her kitchen, while Aria laughed.

Aria looked at the Forbes wall, where a bunch of photos were hung, one of them being of Aria and Caroline in their cheer uniform, Aria remembered when that photo was taken, it was on her first day of cheerleading, looking at the photo, Aria went into another flashback moment.

***

"You just told Elena, that her ponytail lacked zhuzh" Aria said, walking with Caroline after their cheerleading practice together, "What does that even mean Care?".

"It means her ponytail wasn't as perfect as mine and yours" Caroline replied, looping her arm with Aria's.

Aria chuckled, "Of course, anyways, change of topic, turns out I was right, flare jeans are totally making a comeback".

"Right, all hail the psychic Aria" Caroline joked, Aria having told her about what Sheila Bennett told her about her family being witches.

"Yes, bow down to me peasant" Aria teased, making Caroline laugh, "But in all seriousness Care, I really do feel like something bad is going to happen tonight at the bonfire, let's ditch it and instead have our weekly sleepover".

"No, no, no" Caroline said, "You're only saying that because you hate parties, you are coming to the bonfire Aria, end of discussion".

"But Jenna's in town, and supermom and dad want us to have a family night" Aria said.

"Aria, you have to come" Caroline insisted, "Try sneaking out, please, it won't be the same without you".

"Sneak out and me? Never" Aria joked.

"Shut it" Caroline said, lightly pushing Aria, "No one knows how to sneak out better then you".

"True" Aria said, "I am the best".

Caroline chuckled, "Yes you are, which means your coming".

Aria groaned, "Fine, but tomorrow I'm choosing the movie we watch".

"You have yourself a deal" Caroline said.

Aria laughed and with that her and Caroline walked over to Liz Forbes who was waiting for the two girls with a camera in hand.

***

Aria opened her eyes, and was met with Jeremy, sitting beside her, on his phone.

"Where did Care and Beks go?" Aria asked.

"Rebekah got a call from Elijah, and Caroline got a call from her mom" Jeremy replied.

Aria frowned, "Everything okay?".

"Everything is fine" Jeremy assured, "You tell me, what were you dreaming about, you had a smile on your face".

Aria gave Jeremy a small smile, "About sophomore year".

"Why does that feel so long ago?" Jeremy asked.

"That's cause it was Jer" Aria replied, slowly sitting up, "It feels so long ago when supermom and dad were alive, when me and Elena were best friends, when I was in love with you".

Jeremy chuckled, "I still can't believe I never realised that".

"You were oblivious to the whole world" Aria joked, "Plus it's not like I made it obvious".

"Yeah, that's why everyone in Mystic Falls knew" Jeremy said, making Aria give him a sheepish look, "You know, I never got to apologise to you".

Aria looked at Jeremy in confusion, "Apologise for what?".

"Even if it was unintentionally, I did hurt you, by messing around with Vicki and all the other girls right infront of your eyes" Jeremy said, looking down shamefully.

Aria sighed, "It did hurt Jer, but you didn't know, you can't blame yourself for that".

Jeremy gave Aria a small smile, "You are too forgiving Aria".

"I am not" Aria said, "If you want me to be upset with you, then I can".

Jeremy laughed at Aria, but before he and Aria could continue their conversation, the front door opened and in came Damon.

"Damon" Aria whispered, getting up from the couch and running over to the older Salvatore.

"You okay?" Damon asked, pulling Aria into his embrace.

"I'm okay" Aria whispered, tightening her hold on Damon.

"I'm going to go to the Grill and get some food, you guys enjoy" Jeremy said, leaving Aria and Damon to themselves.

"I'm so glad you're okay" Damon whispered, placing a kiss on Aria's forehead, while Aria relished their hug.

***

"Damon let me help, please" Aria pleaded, as Damon cooked for her in the kitchen while forcing her to stay on the couch, "I feel completely fine, if I wanted to, I could run a marathon".

"Let's not do that" Damon said, "And remember the last time I let you help make me dinner, you ruined the vegetables".

"It's not my fault you're a horrible teacher" Aria joked.

"Oh so that was my fault?" Damon asked, making his way towards Aria.

"Yes" Aria laughed, getting off the couch, and throwing a pillow towards Damon.

"Don't start something you can't finish Ria" Damon playfully warned.

Aria didn't say anything, just grabbed another pillow and threw it at him and laughed at his expression.

"Ria--", before Damon could finish his sentence, another pillow was thrown at him, "Okay, that's it".

Before Aria could throw another pillow, Damon speeded behind her and took the pillow from her hand and turned her around to face him.

"You really shouldn't have done that" Damon whispered, his eyes flickering between Aria's eyes and lips.

"I did" Aria whispered, "What you gonna do about it?".

"You sure you want to know?" Damon asked, stepping closer to Aria, while she stepped backwards, eventually Damon had Aria trapped between the couch and himself.

"I really want to kiss you" Damon said.

"What's stopping you?" Aria asked, looking at Damon with mischievous eyes.

"You are something else" Damon said, wrapping his arm around Aria's waist and pulling her against him, he started leaning in and just as their lips were about to touch, the doorbell rang.

Damon groaned and attached his forehead with Aria's, "Why does everyone keep interrupting us?".

Aria chuckled, "We should probably get that, it might be Jeremy".

"I'm going to murder baby Gilbert" Damon complained, separating himself from Aria and making his way towards the front door.

"Sure you are" Aria said sarcastically.

Damon shook his head at Aria and went to open the door, he frowned seeing Elijah, Elena and Matt standing on the other side.

"We all need to talk" Elijah said, making Damon and Aria look at each other in confusion.

***

Elijah, Damon, Aria, Matt and Elena sat in the Forbes living room, Elijah bought Matt and Elena here so they could all make a deal with each other, regarding Klaus's body.

"All we need is to take that stake away from him, once he's been disarmed, the weapon's in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the earth, and Alaric will follow us" Elijah said, Aria went to protest, when Elijah stealthily held her hand, telling her not to say anything yet.

"And you'll just run?" Matt asked.

"We've done it before" Elijah replied, "Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of 1000 years evading my father, what's another half century while Elena's able to live out the rest of her natural life?".

"We finally stopped him, Elijah, after everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring him back" Elena replied.

"Name one thing" Aria snapped, glaring at the doppelganger infront of her, "Name one thing Nik has done to you".

"He used her in a sacrifice Aria" Matt defended.

"You don't talk" Aria snapped, glaring at the Donovan boy, "You're lucky I've not hurt you for killing Finn, we were friends Matt, so what happened? How could you kill one of my family members?!".

"Aria--".

"No" Aria snapped, "I don't want to hear it from you, you need to sit there and keep your bloody mouth shut before I do something I shouldn't have, and you Elena, Nik hasn't done anything to you, everything done, was your own doing, so quit making him the bad guy and give us his body or god so help me!".

"We will not revive Klaus within yours, or even within your children's lifetimes, perhaps that will finally teach him some manners" Elijah lied, as him, Damon and Aria all knew, Aria was going to wake Klaus up the second they got his body back.

Elena looked at Aria, "Will you agree to that?".

Aria went to snap at Elena again, when Damon held her hand, "Yes she will".

"Why should she trust you?" Matt snapped.

"I'm going to kill someone" Aria whispered, which no one except Elijah and Damon heard

"All you've done is screw her over" Matt said.

"And all she's done is screw me over" Aria snapped, "And why are you talking Matt? This has nothing to do with you".

"If Elijah wanted to kill Elena, she would have been dead long ago" Damon snapped, really not liking the Donovan boy right now.

"Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision, whether to trust us or not" Elijah said.

Matt sighed, "Elena, it's your call".

"Why do you want Klaus' body?" Elena asked Elijah.

"He's my brother" Elijah replied, "We remain together".

Elena sighed, "We have a deal".

***

"You realise Ria is going to wake Klaus the second we get his body, right?" Damon ask Elijah, after Elena and Matt left, and Aria went to her and Caroline's room.

"I know that, but they didn't need to know that" Elijah replied, making Damon smirk.

"Elijah, Damon" Aria said, coming into the living room with her grimoire in hand, "I have a back up plan".

"A back up plan?" Damon asked confused.

"In case something goes wrong, I have a plan to save yours and Caroline's life" Aria revealed.

***

Alaric sat at Mystic Grill bar, when Jeremy called him.

When Jeremy had come to the Grill to grab him, Damon and Aria some food, Alaric had cornered him there, telling him that if he wanted Aria to stay safe, he needed to tell Alaric the location of Klaus's body.

"Yes?" Alaric answered.

"I know where Klaus' body is" Jeremy said.

"Good, tell me" Alaric urged.

"Stefan and Tyler are on their way to bury him in the woods off Route 12" Jeremy revealed, "I'll text you with the specifics".

"Thank you, Jeremy" Alaric said, "You're doing the right thing for your best friend".

"I know" Jeremy said, as Alaric hanged up, Jeremy turned to Aria, Damon and Elijah, "He bought it".

"What's the next part of the plan boss?" Damon asked Aria.

"Now we catch up with Kol, and go to where Stefan and Tyler kept Nik and execute the rest of the plan" Aria replied.

***

Aria, Damon and Kol finally arrived at the storage unit Tyler and Stefan were keeping Klaus.

"Where's your partner in crime?" Damon asked his brother, when he saw no sign of Tyler.

"He had to go back to Mystic Falls, his mother called" Stefan replied, clearly not happy with the trio being here.

"Where the hell is my brother's body?" Kol asked, "Aria needs to cloak his body before Alaric finds him through some other witch".

"Follow me" Stefan replied, leading the trio to the storage unit he had hid Klaus's body.

Stefan led the trio to storage number 1020, and opened it, showing the three Klaus's coffin, "There he is".

Aria looked towards Kol and Damon and nodded, letting them know she got this.

"Let's go" Kol told Stefan, confusing him.

"What, why?" Stefan asked.

"Ria can't work in the company of negative people" Damon replied, "Let's go".

Stefan frowned not liking this, but knew he had no chance against his brother and an Original, so he quietly followed his brother out.

"You got this?" Kol asked.

Aria nodded, "I got this".

After Aria's assurance, Kol closed the storage and Aria opened Klaus's coffin.

As soon as Aria opened the coffin, Klaus's eyes opened.

"You might not like my plan Nik" Aria whispered, knowing he could hear her, "But it's the only way I can save you from Ric".

***

"Everything done?" Damon asked, as Aria made her way towards him and Kol, a unconscious Stefan on the floor, Kol was getting annoyed with him so he ended up snapping his neck.

"Everything's done" Aria replied.

"Good, cause Jeremy is here to take you home" Kol said, causing Aria to frown.

"No" Aria said, shaking her head, "I'm not leaving you both alone here".

"Ria, it won't be long for Ric to figure out that Jeremy lied to him" Damon said, "You need to get out of here before he gets here".

"What if Ric tries to harm you both?" Aria said.

"We will be fine" Kol assured, "We just need to guard Nik's body till Rebekah gets here and shifts it somewhere else".

"Promise you both will come back?" Aria asked, "Cause lately it feels like anyone who steps out of the house never returns".

"Hey, look at me" Damon said, making Aria face him, "I promise you, me and Kol will do everything in our power to make sure that we come back to you".

Aria sighed, "Okay, I'll see you both at home then I guess".

"Yes you will" Kol said, "Now go".

Aria nodded and started walking away.

"Ria" Damon said, stopping Aria, he stepped towards her and pulled her into a kiss, while Kol looked away, not wanting to invade their privacy.

"Just in case I can't keep my promise" Damon said.

"Don't say that" Aria said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Go Ria" Damon whispered.

"Damon--".

"Go" Damon ordered.

Aria stared at Damon for a moment then turned around and left.

"That didn't feel right, did it?" Kol asked.

"No, it didn't" Damon replied, as a horrible feeling started rising in both Kol and Damon's hearts.

***

Kol and Damon sat in the storage unit, trying their best to not let the horrible feeling in their heart get to them.

"We shouldn't have let her go" Kol said.

Damon sighed, "Her staying here would have put her in more danger".

"Did you call Jeremy?" Kol asked, "Did you ask where they are?".

"They are halfway back" Damon replied.

"Something doesn't feel right" Kol said.

"I know Kol, trust me I know" Damon said, "But the sooner your sister gets her the sooner we get to go to Ria".

"Where the hell is Rebekah?" Kol snapped, getting very impatient.

As if almost on que, the elevator dinged, "Look's like she's here" Damon said.

Damon and Kol went towards the elevator to look for Rebekah.

"About time you got here" Kol said.

Before Kol and Damon could react, Alaric came up behind them and held both the vampires in a choke hold.

"Where is Klaus?" Alaric asked.

"How did you find us?" Damon asked, though both him and Kol were excepting him to find them.

"Oh, you'd be amazed how competent law enforcement is when it's not corrupted by vampires, now, where is Klaus?" Alaric asked again.

"In a storage locker" Kol breathed out, "Good luck finding him mate".

Alaric snapped both Damon and Kol's neck.

"I will come for you after I'm done with Klaus" Alaric told a unconscious Kol.

***

"Aria stop fidgeting" Jeremy said, as he drove them back to Mystic Falls.

"I can't help it Jer" Aria said, "Leaving both of them alone didn't feel right, I feel like something is going to go wrong".

"Is that a banshee prediction?" Jeremy asked.

"No, it's just a feeling" Aria replied.

"Tell me about you and Damon" Jeremy said, hoping to divert Aria's attention, which worked as a small smile came over her face.

"Damon" Aria whispered, "Do you remember when your parent's accident happened, no one knew how me and Elena survived, turns out it was Stefan and Damon".

"What?" Jeremy asked shocked.

"Stefan saved Elena, and Damon saved me" Aria replied.

"You never told me that" Jeremy said.

"I just never got the chance to" Aria said, "After the accident, I stopped living, you and me both did, our world turned upside down, there was no happiness, no light, just sadness and darkness, I no longer had any desire to live Jer, I felt like I was cursed, first I lost my biological then my adoptive parents, but then Damon entered my life and everything changed, I started smiling, I started laughing, my dark world lit up, he made the dead me feel alive, being with Damon, being near him, just consumes me".

"Sounds like true love" Jeremy commented, making Aria chuckle.

"It is" Aria whispered.

***

"Caroline and Jeremy ditched me" Aria said into the phone.

"Want to come home then?" Jenna asked, "Grayson is making me play pictionary, I suck at pictionary".

"You do, you're terrible" Grayson Gilbert said.

"Bite me, Grayson" Jenna joked.

"Jenna, do you think someone can come pick me?" Aria asked, "Probably even Lena".

"Oh, having second thoughts about ditching family night?" Jenna teased.

"Very much" Aria complained.

"Here" Miranda said, taking the phone from Jenna, "Aria, is everything okay?".

"Jeremy is with Vicki" Aria whispered, with tears in her eyes, having seen Jeremy make out with Vicki.

"Oh baby, you okay?" Miranda asked.

"I don't know" Aria whispered.

"You know you should tell him how you feel" Miranda said.

"I don't want to lose him though" Aria said.

"You're not gonna lose him" Miranda assured, "You will just be getting rid of the huge burden on your shoulders".

***

Rebekah entered the storage unit Damon and Kol called her to, but frowned when there was no sign of either of them.

"Kol, Damon, where are you?" Rebekah called out, walking around and looking for her brother and the older Salvatore, "Guys, this isn't funny".

Rebekah walked further in and frowned seeing some of the storage units opened, suddenly Damon came behind Rebekah, he covered her mouth and took her to the side, hiding her from Alaric's sight.

"Shh" Damon whispered.

Alaric stood infront of storage unit 1020, he opened it, but found no one.

Kol, Damon and Rebekah wheeled Klaus's coffin out of the storage unit and into Rebekah's car, when suddenly Alaric came infront of them, he grabbed Rebekah and smashed her head on to the car and pushed her on to the floor.

Kol tried to attack him but he punched him the face and smashed his head on to the coffin, Damon tired attacking but even he failed as Alaric easily overpowered him.

Alaric opened the coffin and took out his white oak stake, "No!" Kol, Damon and Rebekah yelled simultaneously.

Kol and Rebekah tried to run to save their brother but it was too late, Alaric had already stabbed him.

"No! No!" Rebekah yelled, as Kol held her back, while the siblings watched Klaus burn into flames.

"Run" Damon ordered the two, as he watched Alaric take out the stake from Klaus, "Both of you, run!".

"So, whose next?" Alaric asked.

"I'm not leaving you" Kol said, "You promised Ri you will return to her".

"So did you" Damon reminded, "Now go Kol, I'll distract him".

Kol and Rebekah glanced at Damon, then at Alaric.

"Be careful" Kol said, speeding away with his sister, while Damon attacked Alaric.

***

"Damon?" Aria answered her phone, still in the car with Jeremy.

"It worked Ria" Damon replied, Alaric having left him to chase after Kol and Rebekah, "Your plan worked".

"Ric staked Nik?" Aria asked.

"Yeah" Damon replied.

"Did you tell Stefan about my plan?" Aria asked, "Because surely by now he knows about Alaric staking Klaus".

"No, I didn't tell him" Damon replied, "Figured he could suffer for a bit".

Aria chucked, "You know you can sound a bit more enthusiastic Damon, we won, we tricked Alaric, his not going to be able to find Nik, we saved him, we saved you".

"Yes we did" Damon whispered, a small smile on his face, "We won Ria, all thanks to you".

"But Kol and Rebekah did sell it, right?" Aria asked.

"Trust me, they did" Damon assured, "I've never seen Rebekah cry like that, she should win an oscar for it".

Aria chuckled, "So are you coming back home now?".

"Yes Aria, I'm coming home, I'm coming back to you" Damon replied.

"Can't wait" Aria whispered.

"See you soon" Damon said, hanging up on Aria.

"So?" Jeremy asked, but the smile on Aria's face gave it all away.

"We did it Jer, we did it" Aria said excitedly.

***

"Hey Jer, can I use your phone to call Care?" Aria asked, "I need to inform her that the plan worked".

"Yeah sure" Jeremy replied, taking out his phone from his pocket and handing it to Aria.

"Thanks" Aria said, taking the phone from Jeremy and dialing Caroline's number.

While Aria was trying to contact Caroline, their car was crossing a interaction, and due to it being so dark and foggy, Jeremy didn't see the speeding truck driving right towards them, they realised it when the truck hit Aria's side of the car and sent their car upside down multiple times.

***

Aria coughed multiple times as Grayson Gilbert tried to open his car door before their car fully submerged into the water.

Aria looked at the front to see Miranda Gilbert unconscious, looking to her side, she realised Elena was also unconscious.

"Dad?" A scared Aria said.

"We're gonna be okay, I promise" Grayson assured.

Aria started gasping for air as their car went underwater.

***

Damon groaned in pain when Alaric punched him one more time, causing him to fall to the ground.

Damon was about to leave to go to Aria, when a furious Alaric showed up, blaming him for helping Rebekah and Kol escape.

"You're not gonna fight back?" Alaric asked.

"You're kind of invincible, Ric" Damon replied.

"Don't call me that" Alaric said, kicking Damon, "We're not friends".

"We were" Damon whispered.

"Our friendship was part of the problem" Alaric spat, "It's what kept me weak, that's also why it took so long for the real me to break through, and now I'm gonna break you", Alaric punched Damon one last time.

"Ria" Damon whispered, laying on the floor and remembering his and Aria's first meeting.

Damon Salvatore laid on the empty road, contemplating his existence, he had come back to the one town that took everything away from them, his life, his brother, and most importantly the love of his life.

Damon's thought process was broken when he heard a voice, a voice that immediately pulled him towards them.

"I know Care, you're right, like always" Aria said, "You and supermom both are, I'm just too scared to tell Jeremy about my love for him, I'm scared he will hate me, anyways, I'll call you later, I need to see where Elena is".

"Natalie".

Aria looked up and saw two bright blue eyes staring back at her.

"Uh, I think you've mistaken me for someone else" Aria said, "My name is Aria".

"Oh, you--you just remind me--", it didn't take Damon long to realise who the girl infront of him was, and what she meant to him, the feeling he got from just locking eyes with her was insane, he knew automatically knew she was Natalie's descendent, and that they were connected, "I'm sorry, you just really remind me of someone", Damon took a moment to stare at Aria, and if it was anyone else Aria would have been creeped out, but for some reason the stranger infront of her gave her an odd sense of comfort, "I'm Damon".

"Hello Damon, may I know why you're walking on the middle of nowhere this late?" Aria asked.

"You're one to talk" Damon replied, "You're out here all by yourself".

"I'd come to attend a party with my friends, but they all ditched me" Aria replied.

"Really?" Damon asked, giving Aria a look.

Aria sighed, "I'm about to tell a stranger my problems, but here goes nothing, I'm in love with someone, who will never love me back and I didn't want to see him make out with other girls, so I left the party".

"That guy is an idiot then" Damon said, "Only an idiot wouldn't love you".

Aria blushed at Damon's words, "How many girls have you tried that pick up line on?".

"You're the first" Damon replied, "Tell me, have you told the guy you love him?".

"No" Aria replied, "I'm scared if I tell him, I lose him".

"Or maybe, deep down you know you and him aren't meant to be" Damon said.

Aria sighed, "I honestly don't even know anymore, I don't know who I love, who I want, or even what I want".

"That's not true" Damon said, "You want what everybody wants".

"And how would you know that mysterious stranger?" Aria asked curiously.

Damon chuckled, "Well, let's just say I've been around a long time, I've learned a few things".

"Okay Damon, please enlighten this stranger, as to what she wants, maybe then I can finally get my life in order" Aria said.

"You want a love that consumes you" Damon said, stepping closer to Aria, "You want passion and adventure and even a little danger".

Aria stared at the blue eyed guy infront of her for a moment, everything he said was spot on, that was the type of Aria wanted, craved for.

"If I want all that, then what do you want?" Aria asked.

Damon smiled at Aria, "I'm going to hate doing this, but I need to, but I promise we will meet again".

Aria frowned, hearing Damon, "What?".

Damon looked into Aria's eyes and started compelling her, "I want you to get everything you're looking for, but right now, I want you to forget this happened, can't have people knowing I'm in town yet, but don't worry Aria, we will meet again, really soon, I promise you that".

Damon groaned, "Is that all you got?".

"Not quite" Alaric replied, going to stake Damon, but he kicked him away from him and repeatedly punched him.

***

Jeremy coughed and slowly opened his eyes, he realised their car was upside down and the blood was rushing to his head.

Jeremy turned to his side to see a unconscious Aria next to him, "Aria" Jeremy breathed out, he tried to get out of his seatbelt but he was stuck, eventually he manged to rip the seatbelt off and get off the car, ignoring the massive headache, he went to the other side of the car and pulled Aria out, just looking at her, Jeremy could tell her injuries were much worse then his as the driver had hit her side.

"Aria, wake up" Jeremy cried, "Please wake up".

Jeremy suddenly noticed something about his best friend's breathing.

"No, no, no" Jeremy cried, "Aria wake up! Please, wake up!".

Jeremy bought Aria to his chest and tried waking her up but failed, Aria Connor was no longer breathing.

***

As Damon and Alaric were fighting, Alaric suddenly started choking.

"What's happening?" Alaric asked, falling to the floor.

"Oh, no" Damon whispered, fear rising in his heart.

"What's happening?" Alaric repeated.

"What?" Damon whispered, "Ric".

"Argh" Alaric yelled, as he started to desiccate.

"No, no, no" Damon cried, knowing what was happening, "You're not dead, please don't be dead".

***

Kol sat infront of a dead Aria's body, tears in his eyes.

When the accident happened, Kol immediately felt the worst feeling in his world, and he knew something had happened to Aria, so he had rushed to find her, that's when he discovered a hysterical Jeremy on the middle of the road, with a dead Aria in his arms.

Refusing to believe Aria had left him, Kol tried feeding her his blood but failed, so he bought Aria and Jeremy to the hospital, where Meredith told him what she did.

"Where is she? Where is she?" A panicked Damon said, entering the hospital.

"No, Damon, wait" Meredith said, stopping Damon, "You need to know when Jeremy brought Aria in here earlier tonight, her injuries were worse than I let on, it wasn't a concussion, it was a cerebral hemorrhage, bleeding on the brain".

"What are you saying?" Damon asked confused.

"He was so worried, I didn't wanna tell him, but I--I helped her, she needed my help" Meredith defended.

"You what?" Damon asked, glaring at the woman infront of her.

A dead Aria, suddenly gasped and opened her eyes in eyes, it was official, Aria Connor was on her way to being a vampire, but she wasn't the only one.

***

Presenting 3x22 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

HOLY SHIT! I have finished season three of The Vampire Diaries, I feel so proud of this season I don't know why I just do, anyways, tell me how was this season overall? Did you like it, or did you hate it?

What are all of you expecting next season?

Any suggestions for season four?

Anyways, back to this chapter, thoughts on Aria's life before meeting Damon?

Thoughts on Damon compelling Aria to forget their first meeting?

Thoughts on Aria tricking Alaric and saving Klaus?

Thoughts on Aria now being a vampire?

Also, thank you so much blooming_amethyst for making this amazing aesthetic for Jeremy and Aria, its sooooooooo good, I love it so much!