05. Live Through This
Five Years From Now,
After spending some time at the Mikaelson-Connor residence with the triplets, Nova was picked up by her father and taken home, which happened to be on the same street as Aria and Kol, and Klaus and Caroline.
Currently, Nova sat on the floor in the living room, drawing with her crayons while her father was in the kitchen, making her favorite grilled cheese sandwich.
"Daddy, how much longer?!" Nova yelled, "I'm starving".
"Two more minutes, little Nova!" her father yelled from the kitchen.
Nova sighed and went back to drawing when suddenly the front door opening caught her attention, immediately a huge smile formed on her face realising her mother was home.
"Hello?!" A voice called out, "Where's my little Nova and her very handsome father?!".
"Mommy!" Nova yelled, standing up and running right into her mother, Rebekah Mikaelson's arms.
"Hey baby" Rebekah greeted, picking her daughter up in her arms and spinning her around, making Nova giggle, "How was your day at RiRi's?".
"It was great" Nova replied, "Did you know Asher promised me that once we are older he will flirt with me?".
"He said what?!".
Rebekah and Nova looked towards the kitchen door, where a very annoyed Enzo St. John stood.
"Clearly me and Asher need to have a talk" Enzo said, making both mother and daughter roll their eyes.
"Don't you dare say anything to Asher" Rebekah warned.
"Your nephew is hitting on my daughter" Enzo argued.
"Your daughter is the one who announced to everyone that Asher's her future husband" Rebekah retorted.
Enzo looked at his daughter with narrowed eyes, "Why do you do things like this?".
"Because Care Bear told me I need to stake my claim before someone else takes him" Nova replied.
"Okay, so I need to start making a list of the people I need to talk to" Enzo mumbled.
Rebekah shook her head at her boyfriend, "You know, one day she's going to date someone, you should be glad it's Asher she's interested in, someone we both know and love and not some stranger from the street".
"Exactly" Nova said, nodding at her mother's words.
Enzo shook his head and walked closer to his daughter and girlfriend, "You two are going to be the death of me" he said, placing a peck on Rebekah's lips, "How were Lizzie and Josie?".
"They were great" Rebekah replied, smiling at the thought of the girls who though weren't hers biologically, but she did give birth to.
"Daddy, where is my food?" Nova asked, making both Enzo and Rebekah laugh.
"Come on" Enzo said, taking Nova from Rebekah's arms, "Let's get you to the kitchen, where your grilled cheese is very impatiently waiting for you".
Rebekah watched with a huge smile on her face as Enzo took Nova into the kitchen, it still surprised her how much her life had changed in six years, five years ago she gave birth to Lizzie and Josie, who though weren't biologically hers, she still considered them as family, and then four years ago, her and Enzo decided to start a family of their own, which was possible once Aria did the once in a lifetime spell.
A lot had gone wrong in the past six years, but despite that Rebekah wouldn't change anything, she had everything she had desired for the past one thousand years, a true love that Klaus didn't kill, a child and her whole family was close to her, she wouldn't trade this life for anything.
***
Today,
"Hey" Aria greeted, entering Alaric's bedroom, where Jo laid on the bed while Alaric sat beside her, staring at her the whole time, making sure she was okay, "How is she?".
"I don't know" Alaric replied, a bit worried, "She's been sleeping for twelve hours, that's normal, right?".
"Completely" Aria replied, "I once slept for twenty hours".
Alaric chuckled, his eyes then landed on the box Aria was holding, "Please tell me that's food".
"It is but alongside that we also have some term papers" Aria informed, "While I was getting you food, I thought I might check on your inbox, and boy was I right because that thing was a mess, did you forget that you are a professor here at Whitmore?".
"Hey" Alaric said, standing up from the chair, "Do you want a job as my new TA? All you have to do is write 'interesting point' in a few margins and then give everyone a B-plus".
"Though the offer is very tempting, I have my hands full" Aria said, handing Alaric the food and term papers, "The triplets are back so I have to take care of them and I also need to figure out how the hell was am able to bring back two dead people".
"Look, she's here, she's okay" Alaric said, "What does it matter now?".
"Because I raised two people from the dead with a very sketchy spell and stone, Ric" Aria replied, "There was no research, no practice, nothing, I need to know what kind of magic I used and that whatever I used it won't have a negative impact on me or the people I brought back, so can you please hand the stone over?".
Alaric nodded, he retrieved the stone from a small box that was placed on his bedside table and gave it to Aria.
"Hey, before you leave, do you think it's possible for Jo to meet the triplets?" Alaric asked, "I don't know, I figured meeting them might help her or the very least distract her".
Aria smiled, "Of course it is" she replied, "They will love her, once she's up and well, text me and we'll figure something out".
"Sounds like a plan" Alaric said.
"Alright, now it's time for me to leave, eat the food before it gets cold and take care of yourself and Jo" Aria said, hugging Alaric.
"You realise I'm your father, not the other way around, right?" An amused Alaric asked, hugging Aria back.
Aria laughed, "We both take care of each other Ric, that's how it's always worked, now goodbye, I have a day full of adventure ahead of me".
"Take care!" Alaric yelled to Aria, who was rushing out.
"You too!" Aria yelled back, leaving Alaric's apartment.
***
Aria knocked on Caroline and Klaus's shared room at the Mikaelson's mansion, Rebekah standing next to her.
"Why can't we just barge in?" Rebekah complained.
"Because I don't want to see Caroline and Klaus in their naked glory" Aria said.
"Right" Rebekah said, nodding her head in agreement.
After a moment, the bedroom door was opened by an amused Klaus, "Just so you two know, I have hybrid hearing" he reminded.
"Don't care Nik, we are here to tell you that you are on babysitting duty today" Aria said.
"Why me?" Klaus asked.
"Because Kol and Damon have gone to interrogate Valerie" Aria replied, "And me, Rebekah and Caroline have to spend time together before I go on my mission of figuring out what I did with the phoenix stone".
"So off you go" Rebekah said, "It's nearly time for the hurricane twins to wake up".
"Did you just call my kids hurricane twins?" Klaus asked, narrowing his eyes at his sister.
"They are your children Nik, of course they are hurricane twins" Rebekah replied, "Now, shoo!".
"Bloody hell, I'm going" Klaus said, shaking at his head at his best friend and sister and leaving his room and walking towards the two nurseries, in one nursery resided Mia and Hope, and in the other resided Asher, Alec and Jayden.
"I don't know if I should laugh or slap you two" Caroline said, as Rebekah and Aria entered the bedroom and laid on either side of Caroline, who was sitting in the middle of hers and Klaus's shared bed.
"None" Aria replied, putting her head in Caroline's lap, "I missed you Care Bear".
"I've been right here" Caroline said, running her hand in Aria's hair.
"Yeah but we've all been so busy with our lives that we didn't spend time together" Rebekah said.
"Exactly" Aria said.
"Well we can spend time together now" Caroline said, smiling at her best friends.
"Yeah but not for long, I have to leave soon to discuss magic with a heretic that I brought back from the dead" Aria said.
"Well, then let's make the most of this" Caroline said.
"Let's" Rebekah said, and with that the three best friends were in endless talks about everything and anything.
***
"Fill this up" Valerie told Damon, as her, Kol and Damon stopped at a gas station.
"There's enough gas in the tank, sassy pants" Damon said.
"I need an accelerant to burn Julian's body, I don't want to take any chances" Valerie said.
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" Damon asked, "We haven't even killed the guy yet".
"Are you really that daft?" Valerie asked, "We don't need to kill him".
"What, you're gonna charm him to death?" Damon retorted.
"Julian's dead" Valeria informed the two vampires, "He's been dead since 1903".
Damon and Kol exchanged a confused look with each other, having no idea what was going on.
***
Aria entered the boarding house and started looking around for Oscar.
"I'm afraid this house no longer has an open-door policy for the local riffraff" Enzo informed, coming behind Aria.
"Yet you're still here" Aria said, giving Enzo a mock smile.
"Shall we spend a few moments catching up before I throw you out?" Enzo said sarcastically, "How was your summer holiday? Meet any charming euro-hunks?".
"You realise I'm engaged right?" Aria asked.
"How can I ever forget" Enzo replied, slightly rolling his eyes, "Please don't tell me you didn't just follow Damon around with spare bottles of bourbon".
"I didn't do that but even if I did, I don't see how that's your problem" Aria said, walking around the living room and trying to find Oscar, "Where's Oscar by the way? I need to talk to him".
"What about?" Enzo asked.
"Oh nothing that will interest you, just some super boring witch business" Aria replied.
"Oh, I'm afraid Oscar is not feeling quite like himself today" Enzo said, "So, maybe another time".
"I'm not leaving until I talk to him" Aria said, standing her ground.
Enzo opened his mouth to say something, when both him and Aria heard a scream of a woman.
"Bollocks" Enzo said, running to see what Oscar had done now, Aria quickly followed behind.
"You're not supposed to eat the help, mate" Enzo said, pushing Oscar away from the girl he was drinking from, while Aria bit into her wrist and fed the weak woman her blood, she then handed her over to Enzo who started compelling her, "Clean yourself up and take a spa day, forget all about Mr. Chompers and his very bad manners".
"Hey Oscar, remember me?" Aria asked, "We met at Myrtle Beach?".
"I've never been to Myrtle Beach, but I do remember you" Oscar replied, slowly walking over to Aria, "From that dark room in the basement, are you the one that got me out?".
"Where exactly did I get you out from?" Aria asked curiously.
Suddenly, veins started appearing under Oscar's eyes, "I think I'm still hungry" he told Enzo, who slowly started walking closer to Aria.
"Get a grip on yourself otherwise you will get seriously hurt" Aria warned, "Look just answer the few questions I have about the phoenix stone then I will go get you more blood myself".
"What stone?" Oscar asked confused, "Why do people keep asking me questions I don't know the answers to?".
"This stone" Aria snapped, pulling the phoenix stone out of her pocket and showing it to Oscar, "Remember it now?".
Oscar looked at the stone, slightly scared, "There" he pointed, "You got me out of there".
***
"What I don't get is why the bloody hell will Oscar stash your mother's dead boyfriend's body out here, in the middle of bloody nowhere instead of just giving it to her?" A confused Kol said, as Damon ripped the barricades from the door.
"Because he knew the moment Lily gets Julian back, the fun's over" Valerie said, "Everything changes".
"And you killed the one guy on your side, you realise that makes no sense right?" Kol said.
"I told you, I have my reasons" Valerie defended, as Damon proceeded to open the many locks on the metal door.
"Hey, quit your bickering, let's get this campfire started" Damon said, finally managing to open the door.
The trio entered the warehouse and once Damon turned the lights on, they realised they were surrounded by coffins.
"Oh, a casket emporium, clever" Damon commented.
"Oscar and his stupid pranks" A frustrated Valerie said, starting to look through the coffins one by one.
"So, Lily's still carrying a torch for some moldy old corpse, hmm?" Damon asked.
"Lily is determined to reunite Julian's body with his lost soul" Valerie informed, "But, in order to do that, she needs the phoenix stone".
"Phoenix stone, huh? Never heard of it" Damon lied, not wanting Valerie to know that the stone was currently with Aria.
"Really?" Valerie asked, "That's funny since you clearly used it on Oscar".
"Who said we used it on Oscar?" Damon challenged.
"Oscar was dead and you needed something to trade for you children's safe return home" Valerie said, "So you tinkered around with it and found a temporary solution, but, hey, good on you, whoever you brought back seemed to pull the wool over Lily's eyes".
"Hold it, what the hell do you mean by whoever we brought back?" A confused Kol asked.
"The phoenix stone is stuffed full of very old vampire souls" Valerie informed, "You didn't raise Oscar from the dead, you clods, you jammed one of those souls into his body".
Damon and Kol exchanged a panicked look, realising they needed to tell Aria this right now especially since she was currently with Oscar.
***
"How's everything with Professor Frankenstein and his rebooted bride?" Damon asked, walking out the warehouse while talking to Aria on the phone.
"Last I checked, good" Aria replied, still standing in Stefan's old room, "I didn't get to talk to her since she was sleeping when I visited".
"Oh, good, glad to hear it" Damon said, "So, quick favor, I'm gonna need you to tell Ric that we made a tiny mistake and that that's not his wife".
"I beg your pardon?" Aria asked.
"Yeah, it turns out that the stone doesn't actually have any magic juice to bring back any old corpse" Damon informed, "It's more like a supernatural holding cell for a bunch of lost vampire souls, one of which you accidentally shoved into Jo's body".
"Wait, that also means that Oscar's--".
"Not Oscar" Damon finished, "He's just some random vampire in a heretic candy shell".
"Damon, I'm currently at the boarding house trying to talk to him about the stone" Aria informed.
"I know, which is why I'm calling you to cut the conversation short, call Ric from the car on the way home" Damon said.
"I can't be the one to tell him this" Aria snapped, dreading taking away Alaric's one hope.
"Well, I'm sorry, I'm trying to do this thing where I do right by our kids and I just don't think that they'd want me to crush his spirit like that" Damon said.
"You are not using our kids to get out of this one Damon Salvatore" Aria warned.
"Let him down gently, Ria" Damon said, ignoring Aria's words.
"This has nothing to do with our kids, this is about you not wanting to break Ric's heart" Aria retorted, when Damon stayed silent, confirming her suspicion, Aria let out a sigh, "Fine Salvatore, but you owe me big time for this".
"Thanks, witchy" Damon said, hanging up on Aria and walking back into the warehouse.
"I found Oscar a few blood bags stashed in the study" Enzo informed, entering the bedroom in which Aria was in, "Probably expired, but he does not seem picky".
"That's great, now excuse me, I'm going back home" Aria said, starting to walk away but before she could Enzo grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"I meant to ask you about this pretty stone" Enzo said, gesturing to the stone Aria was holding, "Where'd you find it?".
"There's this store called Rocks R Us, they have really pretty rocks you can buy with very cheap prices" Aria replied.
"That's funny" Enzo said, grabbing Aria's wrist, "Lily's been looking for one just like it".
"Well, tell her to try that store, she might get lucky" Aria simply said.
"Or I could just take this one" Enzo retorted.
"Not happening" Aria snapped, shoving Enzo away from her, she turned to leave when suddenly her way was blocked by a furious Oscar.
"I'm not going back in there" Oscar stated, grabbing Aria and about to bite her neck but Aria quickly used her magic to push him away from her in the process dropping the stone to the ground without realising it, Oscar stood up and glared at Aria, "I'm not going back", he went to charge at Aria again, but Enzo grabbed him and pushed him into a glass table, shattering the table.
"What the hell is he talking about?" Enzo asked Aria.
"You were right about Oscar not being himself today" Aria replied.
"Why does everyone keep calling me Oscar?!" Oscar, or whoever was in Oscar's body asked, while crawling on the floor and slowly standing up, "My name's not Oscar!" he yelled his yell causing all the lights in the room to burst, making him realise that he had magic, "Did I do that?", he then swiped his hand and caused a light to fall to the ground.
Aria looked at Enzo, "I think we should run" she said, running out the room.
Enzo also followed but not before grabbing the stone Aria had dropped.
***
After looking around the warehouse for ages, Kol finally came across a coffin that wouldn't open.
"You guys!" Kol called out, gaining Damon and Valerie's attention, "I think I found him".
"Where?" Damon asked, walking over to the original with Valerie.
"Here" Kol replied, pointing towards the coffin he was standing infront of, "This coffin won't open, not even with my vampire strength".
"Must be spelled shut" Valerie realised, she wheeled the coffin slightly out, she then placed her hand on the coffin and it started glowing slightly red, indicating that she was siphoning the magic out of the coffin, after a moment the lock clicked and Valerie was able to open the coffin up.
"Doesn't look dead to me" Damon commented, looking at Julian's body, which wasn't greyed or decomposed.
"His body's been preserved with magic" Valerie informed, spitting on Julian's body.
"A lot better-looking than my old man, I'll give my mother that" Damon said, as Valerie started pouring the gasoline over Julian.
"Move, unless you want to burn to a crisp alongside of him" Valeria told the two vampires, she then took a step back, "Incendia", a little fire came but it quickly went away, confusing the heretic, "Incendia" she tried again, but this time nothing happened.
"Should have brought Ri" Kol mumbled, Damon nodded in agreement.
"So, should we get a match?" Damon asked Valerie.
"I don't understand" A confused Valeria said.
Suddenly, Nora and Mary Louise appeared next to the trio.
"Well, of course, I guess it ain't a party until the mean girls show up" Damon commented, realising it was the two heretic who were stopping Valerie from lighting Julian's body on fire.
"Look who's in a heap of trouble" Mary Louise commented.
"What's Lily going to say?" Nora asked.
"Let's ask her" Mary Louise said, "Lily, we found Valerie, she's over here trying to kill the love of your life!".
Damon, Kol and Valerie turned around and saw Lily and Beau walking behind them.
***
Lily looked at Julian's body, a fond look on her face, she then closed his coffin and turned to Nora and Mary Louise, "Girls, I'll meet you in the car, I need a minute with Valerie" she said, once the girls walked away, she turned to Valerie, "You may have stolen Oscar's phone but you left something behind in his pocket", Lily showed Valerie a ring, "Oscar always did covet Julian's ring, Beau found him easily with a locator spell, why would you do this?".
"Lily, he's a monster" Valerie replied, "Bringing him back will only make things worse".
"So you go behind my back, with my son and his friend, to destroy him?" Lily snapped.
"It's not like you'd listen to me" Valerie cried, "You are so blinded by your love for him, it's like no one else exists".
Lily slapped Valeria across the face, shocking both Damon and Kol.
"That's no way to treat a lady" Kol snapped.
"Whatever lies Valerie's told you, that's all they are" Lily said.
"Technically, she's been a bit vague on the details" Damon said, "I mean, mass murder, homicidal maniac, you know, typical run-of-the-mill bad guy stuff, so before we just hand him over you mind telling us what we're missing here? Who is this, really?".
"This man is the love of my life" Lily replied, "The man I didn't think I deserved, the one I fought for, waited for, the one I told myself I could change for, he makes me better, Damon, you know anything about that?".
"A thing or two" Damon simply said, his mind going to Aria.
"Then we are through here, Beau?" Lily said.
"Beau, please, don't, he'll ruin us, he--", but Beau didn't listen to Valerie's pleading instead just started to wheel Julian's casket away, a hysterical Valerie then turned to Damon and Kol, "She's playing you, he didn't make her better, if anything, he made her vindictive and cruel".
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kol asked, slightly confused.
"Who do you think gave Joshua Parker the idea to put Aria in that sleeping beauty coma?" Valerie asked, alerting both Damon and Kol.
"Who?" Damon asked.
"Lily" Valerie replied, angering both Damon and Kol.
"Is that true?" A furious Damon asked his mother.
"She wanted to make both you and Aria pay for refusing to help recuse us from the prison world" Valerie informed, "She didn't care that Aria had children or that she was taking away her own son's soulmate".
Both Damon and Kol glared at Lily, they let out a growl and Damon suddenly speeded and held Lily in a chock hold, the three painful months he spent without Aria going around in his head.
"Screw Julian, I'll kill you" Damon snapped, "You tried to take my Aria away from me, you tried to take my children's mother away from them, and for that you have to die!".
Before Damon could cause any damage, Beau came behind Lily and used his magic to push Damon away from Lily, before Damon could recover, Beau exploded all the coffins near Kol, Damon and Valerie, injuring them, Lily and Beau used the opportunity to walk away.
***
Enzo and Aria rushed into Damon and Aria's old room, Aria closed the door behind her and spelled it shut.
"Spelling the door?" Enzo asked, as they heard Oscar yelling from the other side, "Thought you were leading us to a secret passage".
"This isn't scooby doo Enzo" Aria said, as Oscar tried to break the door, "I'm hoping he will eventually use all his energy and allow us to walk right out the front door".
"Or I could just jump out this window while you fend for yourself" Enzo said, looking at the open window.
"Firstly, I'm also a vampire" Aria said, stopping Enzo from walking away, "Secondly, hand back the stone I know you picked up".
"First, tell me why it's so special" Enzo demanded.
Aria sighed, "It's a trap for vampires souls" she informed, "My guess is that someone Lily cares about is inside that stone which is why she wants it so desperately".
"Julian" Enzo realised.
"Oh lovely, another lunatic heretic" Aria mumbled.
"No, he's not a heretic" Enzo clarified, "He's her long lost vampire boyfriend".
"Then you definitely don't want Lily to get her hands on that stone" Aria said, "Do you really want Lily's dead boyfriend to come back in the picture and ruin yours and Lily's nonexistent relationship?".
"I don't need or want your advice Aria" Enzo snapped.
"Clearly you do" Aria snapped back, "Hey, what's your thoughts on blondes? I have a very hot best friend who is currently single, I think you two will make a very cute couple".
Enzo looked at Aria as if she has lost her mind, "You're crazy".
"Sometimes" Aria said, "But I'm not being crazy here Enzo, you deserve better then someone like Lily".
Before Enzo could say anything, his attention went towards the door when he heard a sound, "Bad news, I think Oscar just learned how to siphon".
Suddenly, the door bursted opened and Oscar pinned Aria to the wall, his hand on her throat, "Where is it? Where's the stone?".
Aria's eyes landed on Enzo, who was trying to escape, "Enzo has it" she quickly said, causing Oscar to quickly block Enzo's way.
Enzo looked at Aria with an annoyed expression on her face, who in turn just gave him a smug look and walked out the room.
***
After leaving Enzo to take care of Oscar, Aria decided to go talk to Alaric, which is why she was walking up to his apartment building when suddenly someone called out her name.
"Aria!".
Aria turned around and came face to face with a hysterical Valerie.
"Valerie?" A confused Aria said, "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Damon and Kol?".
"I need your help Aria, please you're the only one who can help me" Valerie pleaded.
"Help with what?" Aria asked.
"With revenge" Valerie replied.
"Excuse me?" Aria asked, not sure if she heard Valerie correctly.
"Aria, you are a mother, what would you do if someone tried to kill your children?" Valerie asked.
Aria clenched her fists, "I will kill anyone and everyone who dares look at my children the wrong way" she snapped.
"So would I" Valerie said, "As a mother, I'm asking you to help me avenge my baby".
"Valerie, what are you on about?" Aria asked, "You have a child?".
"While Lily had sent Oscar to check up on Damon, she sent me to Stefan, I fell in love with him and one night we ended up sleeping together" Valerie explained, "I ended up pregnant with his child, but before I could tell Stefan or anyone else for that matter, Julian caught me trying to leave, he was desperate to get Lily to Europe and, well, he knew I'd be a distraction because of my pregnancy, Julian then made sure there was nothing to tell".
"What did Julian do?" Aria asked, her heart hurting for Valerie, she couldn't imagine any of her children getting hurt let alone dying before she even knew them.
"He, made sure it wasn't a problem anymore" Valerie whispered, tears falling down her face, "Aria, I've heard about you, you're the tribrid who always does right by people, even if she doesn't know them, please Aria, I'm pleading to you as a mother, help me destroy Julian".
"Hey" Aria said, stepping closer to Valerie, "Stop crying Valerie, I'll help you, I'll help you get your revenge from Julian".
"Really?" Valerie asked.
Aria nodded, "I'm a mother Valerie, I was miserable when my children were away from me for a week, just the thought of them hurting even a little bit causes me so much pain, I don't even want to imagine how much pain you are in, Julian killed an innocent baby, that's not something anyone should get away with, so I promise you this, if Lily brings him back, I will personally deliver his heart to you".
"Thank you" Valerie cried, "Thank you so much".
"It's okay" Aria said, hugging Valerie, "Your child's culprit will pay Valerie, I promise you that".
***
After her promise to Valerie, an overwhelmed Aria realised she couldn't talk to Alaric face to face, she just didn't have it in her to see his heartbroken face, which is why she was currently sitting at the bar, downing shots, trying to gain liquid courage.
After about five shots, Aria finally gained the courage of picking her phone up and dialing Alaric's number.
"Hey" Alaric answered after a few rings.
"Are you with Jo?" Aria asked, getting straight to the point, knowing that beating around the bush isn't going to help anyone, especially not Alaric.
"No, she freaked out a little" Alaric informed, "You know, I could really use your help looking for her, actually".
"Except that's not her, Ric" Aria revealed.
"What are you talking about?" A confused Alaric asked.
"We made a huge mistake" Aria replied, "Turns out, the stone doesn't have the power to bring people back from the dead, it's just an old stone filled with very old vampire souls".
"Aria, that is my wife" Alaric argued, refusing to believe what he was hearing, "I know who I'm looking at, okay? She just needs a little time to adjust".
"Ric, it's not her" Aria repeated, trying to get her words through to Alaric, "Your wife, Jo, her soul was never in the stone, someone else's soul is currently in her body, I'm really sorry Ric, but whoever is in Jo's body, it isn't Jo, look just tell me where you are, I'm meeting up with Kol and Damon, if you want we three can come by and figure something out, together".
"I got to go" Alaric simply said, hanging up on Aria.
Hearing the beeping of the phone, caused Aria to put her phone back and put her head in her hands, feeling extremely emotional and tired with everything happening around her.
***
Damon and Kol entered the bar Aria had told them she was at, after a bit of searching Damon's eyes landed on Aria, who was still sitting at the bar, without wasting another second, Damon ran over to her, once he reached her, he grabbed her arm and forced her to stand up from the bar stood and then pulled her into a tight hug.
"Woah" A startled Aria said.
"Don't push me away" Damon mumbled into Aria's neck, "Not now".
A confused Aria, wrapped her hands around Damon, "I would never push you away Damon" she whispered.
After a few moments, after it finally settled in Damon's mind that Aria was okay, she was awake and she was with him, Damon finally broke the hug.
"What happened?" Aria asked, concerned seeing so much emotions in Damon's eyes.
"It was Lily" Damon replied, "Lily was the reason you went into that three months coma".
Aria looked at Damon wide eyed, "What?" she asked.
"Lily was the one who gave Joshua Parker the idea of linking you and Elena together" Kol informed.
Aria looked between Damon and Kol in confusion, "How do you two know this?" she asked.
Damon and Kol then proceeded to tell Aria about what Valerie had revealed to them.
A shocked Aria sat back on the bar stool, still facing Damon and Kol, "So Lily is the reason I missed out on three months of my kids life?" she asked, Aria looked at Damon, "As to why you and I got separated the day we got engaged?".
Damon nodded, "Apparently, she has a thing for emotional torture".
"I guess the saying is right" Kol said, sitting next to Aria, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree".
"Hey, I do not go behind people's backs and torture them" Damon snapped, "I like my enemies to look me in the eye and see the depth of my rage".
Aria looked at Damon in concern, "Damon--".
"No" Damon interrupted, "You aren't stopping me this time Ria".
"Burning her lover boy's body would have been too good for Lily" Kol said, downing a drink.
"I want to give her that man that she's cherished and loved, and missed for a hundred years" Damon informed, "I want her to run into Julian's arms, and I want her to remember what it feels like to have that love returned, I want her to taste true happiness".
"And after all that, we will rip that bastard's head off" Kol said.
"Right in front of her" Damon added, "We want to break her heart, we want to break her spirit, we want to destroy her for first coming after my children, then coming after you".
"Guys, I don't want you to take revenge from Lily because of me" Aria said, Kol and Damon opened their open to protest but Aria continued speaking, "But I do want revenge from Lily, she went after my children, she separated me from them for three months, I missed their first word, their first step, and I can never get those moments back".
Damon looked at Aria, "Tell me I'm being stupid and reckless and cruel" he said, "Tell me I'm not doing right by our kids".
Aria gave Damon a small smile, "You're doing right by our kids" she assured, she then looked at Kol, "You both are".
Kol chuckled, "Welcome to the train going to crazy town, Ri" he said, "I was losing my mind being here just with Damon".
Aria laughed and shook her head, "Thank you for the warm welcome" she said.
"Anytime" Kol said, pouring Aria a drink while Damon kissed her head.
***
Presenting 7x05 of The Vampire Diaries . . .
How was the chapter?
Thoughts on the flashforward of Enzo, Rebekah and Nova?
Thoughts on Valerie revealing to Damon and Kol that Lily was the reason Aria had gone into a sleeping coma for three months?
Thoughts on Aria promising Valerie to help her kill Julian?
Thoughts on Damon, Aria and Kol wanting to get revenge from Lily?