Everything in life is easier said than done. It's hard to muster the courage needed for a task as huge as this. Even though I didn't want to do this, I knew I had to.

Coming back to Mystic Falls to face my family was something I never wanted to do. I was doing it because it was what my father expected of me. After more than nine-hundred years, I finally got to see my family reunited.

The doors in front of me open and I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. The foyer was absolutely gorgeous. A crystal chandelier hung over everything, illuminating the room, while a massive staircase stood in the middle of the room, along with marble floors.

"Well, well, well," A voice said from the top of the stairs. "Look who finally decided to show up."

I look up and see Kol smirking down at me.

"Well, well, well," I mock. "Look who finally decided to undagger you."

Kol's smirk turned into a smile as he started down the stairs.

"Touché," he says when he reaches me. "I knew I always liked you."

"It's been too long, Kol," I smile and reach out to give him a hug.

"What're you doing here?!" an annoyed voice said from above.

I looked up and saw Rebekah leaning against the banister grimacing, not at all happy to see me.

"It's nice to see you too, Aunt Rebekah," I snort. "Do me a favor and go tell my father that I'm here."

"Elijah!" she hollers as she stalks down the hallway. "Your daughter is here!"

If I didn't know any better, I'd say her voice was full of contempt.

I look back at Kol who's smiling to himself.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he answers too quickly.

"After all these years, you'd think she'd get over her hatred of me," I sigh.

"You know how Becca is," Kol says. "Always the stubborn one."

"And a bitch…" I trail off.

"I heard that!" Rebekah yelled.

I look around again, taking in my surroundings. Everything was so pristine. This had Klaus written all over it. He enjoyed the finer things in life. Not that I was complaining, but I would've dialed down the luxury just a bit.

"Aria," a familiar voice says from the top of the stairs.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I was rushing up the stairs, into my father's arms, breathing in his familiar scent.

"Hello, father," I say, embracing him hard. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," my father says, kissing my head and rubbing my back.

I pull away to look at him.

"I'm so glad to see you alive," I smile, fighting tears.

"Come," my father says, taking my hand. "We need to find you a dress for the ball tonight."

The ball. Ugh.

I was internally dreading it. An evening filled with dancing, cocktails and celebration; and also pretending to be one big happy family. Someone stake me now.

"Rebekah," Kol says, looking in the mirror at himself in his tux. "Tell me how handsome I am."

I roll my eyes. I'd forgotten how self-centered Kol could be.

"Oh, Kol," Rebekah says, looking at her just-manicured nails. "You know I can't be compelled."

I ignore them and continue to admire my dress in the mirror I was standing in front of. The dress was strapless and deep red, almost like blood, with black lace embellishing the bodice.

The door bursts open and Klaus storms in, looking quite furious. He stomps over to Rebekah and I knew she was going to get it for going after Elena last night.

"You went after Elena?" he says, not very happy. "What is wrong with you?"

"Here we go," Rebekah was smiling.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" Klaus threatens.

"Again with the dagger threats?" Kol interjects. "Don't you have any other tricks?"

I agreed with Kol. Threatening to dagger them was getting pretty old. I dare not say anything, though; in fear of being daggered myself. Only I wouldn't come back like my father, aunt and uncles when undaggered.

Klaus whips his head around to look at Kol.

"Oh, go back to staring at yourself," Klaus says, annoyed.

"And who are you?" Kol asks. "My father?"

"No, Kol," Klaus was getting pissed. "But you are in my house."

Kol gets up from the chair he was sitting in.

"Then perhaps we should go outside," Kol threatens.

Now that was a fight I would want to see. No doubt Klaus would win, considering he was half vampire, half werewolf, but I had a feeling Kol could fight dirty.

"Enough!" Esther walks into the room. "Niklaus. Come."

She walks back the way she came with Klaus following her.

I'd had the pleasure of meeting the Original witch when I arrived. I didn't like her. There was something about her that made me not want to trust her. Then again, the only person I trusted was myself, other than my father.

"You look beautiful," My father says, coming up from behind me.

I smile at him in the mirror.

"Thank you, father," I turn around to face him.

"It's missing something," Elijah says, reaching into his pocket.

"What?" I ask, watching him pull out a piece of jewelry.

He places the jewelry in my palm.

It was a silver chain bracelet with red garnet stones imbedded around it. It was absolutely beautiful.

"Father," I breathe, I was nearly speechless. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

"I've had it for a while," he explains. "I was going to give it to you before Niklaus daggered me. Our reunion seemed like the perfect time to give it to you."

"It's perfect," my eyes were glued to the bracelet in my palm. "Thank you so much."

I wrap my arms around my father and hug him as tightly as I could, never wanting to let go. There were no words to describe how happy I was to see my father again.

"You're very welcome," he kisses the top of my head. "I'm glad you like it."

I pull away from my father and hold out my wrist to him.

"Will you put it on father?"

"I'd be honored to."

Elijah takes the bracelet from my hand and clasps it around my wrist.

"I'll wear it forever," I promise.

I never wanted to take the bracelet off. My father had given it to me and it already had sentimental value, even though I had just received it.

I descend down the staircase, arm in arm with my father. The party had just begun and the guests were milling about, making small talk with one another, eyeing everything speculatively. In their eyes, I could see envy. Envy for what wasn't their's. They were all secretly jealous of the new family in town. The new family, who very few knew, were the oldest, richest vampires in the world. If I were them, I'd have the good sense to be terrified.

Once at the bottom, I spot Damon Salvatore eyeing me, talking to Mayor Lockwood. I really didn't like him, but he was still sexy.

"Excuse me, father," I say to Elijah, and slip my arm from his. "I'll be right back."

I make my way over to Damon through the crowd.

"I don't recall you being on the guest list," I say when I reach him.

"I'm here for Elena," he answers. "Your witchy grandmother wants to speak with her in private. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Why does Esther want to speak to Elena?" I ask, taken aback. Esther was up to something, I just wasn't sure yet.

"I don't know," Damon replies. "But it's not going to happen."

"Whatever an Original wants, an Original gets," I say menacingly. "It's gonna happen when your guard is down, when Elena thinks you've forgotten."

"Which is why she's staying in my sight the whole time."

"Good luck with that, Damon. There are a lot of people here tonight, she could easily get lost in the crowd."

Just then, the doors open and Elena walks through wearing a beautiful gown. I could tell Damon was speechless at how beautiful she looked. I took that as my cue to leave.

I was already bored of the party and it had just started. There was nothing fun to do, no cute human guys I could flirt with. Well, there was Matt, but he was Rebekah's date. She'd probably rip my head off without even thinking if I messed with him.

I make my way up the stairs and lean on the railing, looking down at all of the people, wondering who I could compel to let me feed on them. Probably no one, considering they were probably all filled with vervain. Living in this town and trying to find a suitable meal was going to be hell.

"If everyone would gather, please," my father's voice rang out. He was standing on the stairs along with my aunt and uncles. A few moments later, Esther appeared at the top of the stairs and descends down them, stopping to stand by Kol. I pretend to ignore her. "Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this…it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance." Great, dancing. I groan internally. I hated dancing. "Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz. So if all of you could please find a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

I disappear down the hall before Elijah could drag me onto the dance floor. I was on my way to my room when I pause at Esther's door. She was planning something and I was curious as to what it was. Without thinking, I slip into the room and close the door behind me. I knew I had a matter of seconds before Esther found me trespassing in her room. I move to the closet and open the door. Stepping inside, I close the door behind me and settle in to wait.

What seemed like hours later, I could smell the scent of burning sage. Esther was doing a privacy spell.

There was a knock on the door.

"That'll be the girl," I hear Esther say.

"You're alone," Finn says. "Wise choice."

Coming back here had been the first time I'd ever met Finn. Honestly, he creeped me out. I'd tried staying as far away from him as I could.

"It's only sage," Esther explains. "I've spelled it so we can speak freely without fear of being overheard. That'll be all Finn. Thank you."

I hear the door close.

"You must have a million questions for me, Elena," Esther says.

"How are you alive?" Elena asks. "Are you a ghost, or…?"

"Not exactly," Esther answers. "When I died, the witch Ayana preserved my body with a spell. She was a close friend of mine, an ancestor of your friend Bonnie."

"So that's why only Bonnie and her mother could open up the casket?" Elena questions.

"They complete the Bennett bloodline," Esther explained. "I drew power from them…and their ancestors who were with me on the Other Side."

"You've been on the Other Side for a thousand years?" Elena asked.

"Nature's way of punishing me for turning my family into vampires. But there is a way for me to undo the evil I've created. "

Aha! So that's what she was up to. Trying to find a way to what, turn her children back to humans?

"You're gonna help us kill Klaus, aren't you?" Elena asked.

"One thing at a time, Elena," Esther says. "For now, I simply need your help. I understand Rebekah shared the story of my family. How I upset the balance of nature by turning my children into vampires. "

"She said you did it to protect them from werewolves," Elena said matter-of-factly.

"It's true," Esther admits. "But in no time at all they began to feed on human blood. They ravaged the town with no remorse. Eventually, Niklaus turned against me."

"How are you going to kill him?" Elena asked. "He's immortal."

Yes, Elena, Klaus is immortal, but he's not truly immortal. There has to be some loophole to kill him, there always is.

"It will take time, magic, and your assistance."

"What do I have to do then?"

"My children believe I'm holding this ball to celebrate our reunion. But in truth, I've gathered them together to perform a ritual. The first step requires blood from the doppelgänger. Only a drop."

It sounded like Esther was reassuring Elena.

"It's essence will be in the champagne toast later on this evening," Esther continues. "Will you do it? Or shall I?"

I don't know why she was asking. I was pretty sure Elena had no other choice.

A second later, the spicy, sweet scent of blood engulfed me in the closet. It took everything I had in me not to burst out of the closet and sink my fangs into Elena. Even after almost a thousand years, I still had trouble controlling my bloodlust.

"Elijah is more suspicious that the others," Esther explains. "So he may need more persuasion. But they must all drink the toast in order to be linked as one."

"What do you mean linked as one?" Elena asked.

"You said yourself Klaus can't be killed," Esther answered. "But tonight's spell links all my children together so that if one goes, they all go."

I was speechless. I knew Esther was planning something, but I had no idea it would be this big. I couldn't let her do this, I wouldn't.

I finally created a sequel :)

I hope you guys enjoyed it and I want to know what you guys think, so please continue to read and review

I do not own TVD, only my OC Aria