Chapter Info

Title: Highway to Hell

Number: 7/?

Warnings: Language, angst

Author's Note: These next couple chapters (2-3 of them) will be AU before we start up with season three. And this also means a lot more Klaus/Arlie interactions! :) But also some fillers. Still, thanks for reading! I would love to hear your comments, thoughts, reviews, and questions on this story!

SolitaryWitch16: Wow, thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoy it. :) Hope this one doesn't disappoint! Thanks for reading and commenting!

Guest: Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoy my other stories as well. :) Thanks for reading and commenting!


-Arlie-

Arlie didn't answer him, just glared at him and then turned it over to Stefan who wisely kept his gaze shifted away towards the front, but by the way his shoulders hunched a bit, she could tell that he felt her gaze on him. As usual, she had no idea what was going on, and this time, she knew that nobody else did either. Stefan was being oddly quiet and if anybody else knew, she would've heard at least a little something about needing to "save Stefan" or "Stefan went to the dark side." But having had no hint of it before—and realizing that, of course, she didn't have her phone on her—she didn't know what time of night it was, or what anybody was saying about it. Though, she had a feeling that not too much time had passed since Stefan took her—He drugged me! she raged in her mind—so probably nobody knew about it just yet. But come morning, they definitely would, especially when Damon found Stefan's room empty and Jeremy found Arlie's room empty.

Slowly she let go of her legs and instead crossed them under her at the same time she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're both assholes!" she snapped. "Why am I here? Where are we going?"

Klaus chuckled and turned back to face the front, the action just making her even more irritated. "All in good time, love." He shook his head and patted the seat between him and Stefan. "Now come sit up here before we get into an accident or stop quickly and you go flying."

She snorted. "Don't pretend like you care about me," she snarled. "Otherwise you wouldn't have kidnapped me. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'd rather die by flying out of this car than sit up there between the two of you."

She couldn't see his face, but she saw his jaw tick and to her shock, he merely let out a breathless laugh. "Suit yourself. But who will explain to poor Jeremy what happened to the only sister he has left?" He looked over his shoulder then, eyebrows raised. Arlie glared at him before letting out an angry huff and then began to move. She loathed that he was right, but she didn't want anybody to have to tell Jeremy—and by extension, Elena, though Klaus doesn't know that—that she died because she was too stupid to go sit in between Stefan and Klaus just because she was a bit stubborn. Plus, they lost enough, they weren't going to lose her as well.

"Fine," she grumbled.

Arlie was glad that she was somewhat small so she could wiggle between the top of the seat and the roof, sliding her legs up and over first and using her arms to push herself over, huffing again as her shorts rode up the back of her thighs, before finally she dropped unceremoniously into the seat between the two vampires. She almost fell to the floor, but Stefan quickly reached out and caught her before she did, and she heard what she thought was a low growl, but when she looked up, Stefan's face was set in a careful impassive line so the growl didn't come from him, though she saw the guilt in his eyes.

It was then she realized that he wasn't a willing participant in this little "caravan," as Klaus put it. It was then she remembered the words he said to her after he picked her up, but right before she faded into unconsciousness. "I'm so sorry, Arlie. This is for Damon. I had to save my brother." Her own eyes crumpled a little as she remembered those words, and she gave him the faintest of nods to tell him that she didn't blame him. Frankly, if it meant him or Elena and Jeremy, it would be her brother and sister every time. So the fact that she was there because he was following Klaus's orders so he could save Damon made her forgive and forget the needle poke and the drugs still working to leave her system.

"You okay?" he murmured and slowly she nodded, letting out a silent, shaky breath.

Finally she straightened up and pulled her cardigan tighter around her, huddling there between the two men that could kill her with merely a pinky. The two in the front she thought were human, but she also figured them to be compelled so if one of the vampires were to get too rough, then they wouldn't save her. She was alone in this, a small human girl, and all she could do was hope that her mouth didn't get her in trouble.

But it seemed that filter didn't register in her mouth yet as she blurted out, "Could've at least gotten me shoes." She looked down at her bare feet. She hadn't walked anywhere so they weren't yet dirty, but she figured one step outside and they would be. "I mean, if you wanted to be good kidnappers and everything."

"We'll get you shoes, love, don't worry," Klaus said, and her eyes whipped over to him in shock. He shrugged. "We'll get you whatever you want."

"You mean besides my house and sibling?"

He chuckled. "Yes, besides that," he said.

Arlie huffed and looked away from those blue eyes that always seemed to swim in her mind no matter how much she wanted them gone. It brought up everything over the past few days and she hated it, so she forced all the thoughts away as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared down at her bare feet. Part of her wanted to know where they were going, but she also knew that she wouldn't be told. She doubted even Stefan knew where they were going. A glance out the windshield told her they were still in Virginia, but that they were headed out of it going west. There was so much west to this country and she had never seen any of it. She had never left Mystic Falls much less Virginia, and she hated that she was excited about seeing more of the country, even if she was stuck with Klaus to do so.

.x.x.x.x.

For the next few hours, they were all silent, and Arlie was surprised to find herself waking up again with her head nestled on a shoulder. She yawned then, eyes squinting in the early dawn light, and then realized that she was leaning to her right instead of her left. To the right of her was Klaus and it took her longer to realize that than she was willing to admit. She was rubbing on her eyes by the time she realized she was laying against a firm shoulder covered in a dark jacket and she gasped, pulling away with a jerk, her dark eyes immediately finding the Original above her.

There was a slight moment that felt much longer to her than it actually was where they just looked at each other. He wasn't smirking or anything like that, but his eyes were a bit wider than normal, just letting them run over her facial features. Ever so slightly, crimson crept to her cheeks in a light flush and immediately his eyes were then drawn to that, which only made it darken. The breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, into those hauntingly beautiful navy blue eyes, and without her wanting to, that flash of the chapel crept back into her mind. Only this time it was quickly followed by a passionate kiss between the two of them, and then a blur of movement before she was laid out over a soft bed, the man in question hovering above her and peering down at her with utter devotion, love, and affection. He looked at her as if she were a priceless treasure, and she murmured his name, not realizing she said it out loud as in this flash, he made them one.

"Yes, love?"

The question drew her out of her thoughts and her vision went away making her crash back down into reality. She wasn't in bed with him, she wasn't kissing him, and she certainly never would. She felt nothing for him other than hatred for his actions, even though the racing of her heart tried to disagree with her. Because in her vision, all those emotions she saw in his face, she felt as well, deep down into her very soul and she wanted nothing more than just to be with him. But that wasn't them, and she didn't know why those thoughts came to her; they made no sense. She wasn't Aila, those couldn't be memories. She was Arlie Gilbert, daughter of Miranda and Grayson Gilbert, sister to Elena and Jeremy Gilbert...and niece of Jenna Sommers, the woman he murdered.

Yanking herself away violently, she bumped into Stefan and she realized when she felt him jump that he had fallen asleep as well. At least he didn't witness that almost-eye fucking, she thought to herself as she pressed herself against the younger Salvatore, panting softly as she tore her eyes away from the Original. She didn't see his face close up back into that neutral, cold gaze as he turned away from her.

"Nothing," she finally grumbled and turned to look at Stefan who was blinking away sleep and looking between the two of them warily. "Nice nap, sunshine?" she asked sarcastically with a small grin.

He chuckled. "Lovely." He yawned before he looked out the window.

"What time is it?" Arlie wondered, trying to peak up at the car radio, but the two men driving both had wide enough shoulders that no amount of trying to duck under their arms or stretch over them would allow her to see it. She frowned and sat back with a small pout.

"It is 6:30," Klaus said and she looked over at him slightly, seeing that same look on his face that appeared whenever someone mentioned Aila, but it quickly disappeared as he saw her looking at him, and that cold look stretched across him once more.

Arlie rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she muttered, looking down at her feet. It was then she realized that she was a bit chilly what with the morning just appearing and her in only shorts with no shoes on. So she pulled her legs up and wrapped her cardigan around them, giving her a bit of reprieve, but her toes still poked out and she sighed. However, it was barely a second later that she felt another coat being draped over her and she looked up, seeing that it was Stefan and he gave her a small smile.

"Vampires don't get cold," he said simply.

Arlie smiled and pulled it closer around her, trying to tuck her toes under her cardigan. "Thank you," she said softly with genuine meaning behind it.

Stefan's eyes flickered over her head to Klaus and he frowned. "We need to get her some more clothes," he said. "You made me take her," He emphasized those words, even though they both already knew she understood, "right before she was about to go to sleep. This is all she has." He gestured to her. "She's going to get sick if we don't get her warmer things."

"I know that, Stefan, I know how to take care of her," Klaus snapped and the other two looked at him in surprise. It was clear he didn't mean to blurt out those words, and his teeth snapped shut harshly as he seemed to reconsider, before he said, "I mean, I know how to take care of a woman and a human, so clearly..." He trailed off as he gestured to her.

Stefan narrowed his eyes at him, glancing down at Arlie and back up for a moment before sighing. Arlie wondered if his mind was going back to the other night when she questioned Klaus about herself looking like Aila, but Stefan wasn't dumb enough to bring it up. Even Arlie knew better than to say anything else. Emotions were running high that night and Arlie knew that the ritual was the only reason Klaus didn't kill her on the spot for bringing up his dead wife. But it was different now, his werewolf side had awoken, and they were under no rush. It would be of no qualms to him to off either Arlie or Stefan if they pissed him off.

"Just get me sweats and shoes, and I'll be fine," Arlie muttered, looking down at the floor. "Don't get all crazy and cranky because of me."

"Nonsense, love, we'll get you a whole wardrobe," Klaus said and Arlie's eyes whipped up to him again, lips parted in shock.

"Don't be stupid," she said. "I don't need a wardrobe. I have one. You know, at home where I should be." She glowered at him and he merely smirked. "By the way, why did you take me?" She raised an eyebrow as immediately his smirk fell and he looked forward, face carefully arranged. "I'm not a vampire, I can't be part of your little entourage of soldiers. I'm not a witch or a werewolf... I'm just a human."

Klaus looked like he wanted to say something, but eventually he just smirked. "All in due time, love." And that was the end of the conversation as he leaned forward to talk to the compelled men. Arlie sighed and looked over to Stefan who simply shrugged, but both looked out the window as they slowed down and then turned into a motel parking lot. They all waited as the passenger went in and then came out with two rooms, one for the human men and then one for the two vampires and Arlie. She rolled her eyes, but knew that she wouldn't be granted her own room as they all knew she was a flight risk, not that she would know where to go if she ran anyway. Part of her knew they left Virginia, but that didn't tell her where exactly that happened to be.

With a groan, she pulled herself out of the car after Stefan did and stretched her arms above her head, feeling her back pop, her shirt raising up her body a bit showing off the creamy pale skin of her abdomen. She was unaware of the dark blue eyes on her at first, but when she dropped her arms she glanced over and saw the Original quickly spin away and stalk for the room that the compelled humans directed him to. They went to their own which left Stefan and Arlie alone in the parking lot.

"Think it would be stupid to make a break for it now?" she mumbled as she, once again, wrapped her cardigan around her body, bare feet digging into the gravel of the parking lot.

Stefan sighed. "Only for Damon," he said. At her confused frown, he shrugged. "If we run, he'll go back and infect Damon again."

Arlie's dark eyes flickered over his face before seeing only guilty resolve on his face. She sighed, but nodded and reached over to give a squeeze to his wrist.

"We'll stay," she whispered. "Until Klaus gets tired of us."

Stefan let out a humorless laugh. "I don't think he'll ever get tired of that," he said.

Arlie shrugged. "Well, then he'll just have to turn me if he wants me more than sixty years." She gave him a quirk of her lips and he matched it, glancing over her head at the door that was partially ajar, the lights inside slowly flickering on.

"Look," Stefan started, his voice lower then and Arlie leaned closer, knowing he needed for her to hear, but for Klaus not to. "I'm going to have to do a lot of things that you'll hate me for...a lot of things that I'll hate me for. But please remember who I am, remember that I'm not as much of a monster as he," He gestured to the room, "is. Remember that I love your sister, and I love my brother...and I love you, too, Arlie. I consider you one of my best friends." Her eyes widened and her breath was suddenly caught in her throat. He nodded. "What you had said there on that hill?" He shook his head. "I'm so sorry you felt that. You're not nothing. Nobody forgets about you or leaves you out of things on purpose. We want to protect you. You're such a good person, and—forgive me for saying this—but you're so innocent. Elena didn't want you to be tainted by all of this, and we all agreed with her. You're her twin sister and she would do anything for you." He nodded as tears started to pool and then break over the edges of her eyes. Stefan reached up and wiped them away with the pad of his thumbs, pulling her closer and pressing a gentle, chaste, brotherly kiss to her forehead. "I will do everything I can to protect you in this, okay? I won't let him hurt you. I won't let anything happen to you."

His voice was strong and passionate that there was no doubt in Arlie's mind. She believed him, and for the first time since she found out about all this vampire stuff, she felt absolutely safe. There was nothing that she could say to him at that moment, nothing that would sound right or good enough for his words, and so she just quickly wrapped him up in a tight hug, softly crying onto his shoulder while he wrapped her up close to him.

"Promise?" she whispered.

"Promise," he whispered back, squeezing her once more, before pulling back. She gazed up at him with a watery smile and he smiled back, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ears and she giggled softly.

"Quit flirting out there and get in the room!"

The annoyed yell broke through their moment and Stefan sighed, pulling back some and they both looked over to the door to the motel room. Klaus didn't look very happy to see them embracing, but he was expertly masking it as he gestured inside before turning back around. Arlie shook her head and looked up at Stefan.

"I look like his dead wife."

Stefan looked down at her in shock, pulling back to put his hands on her shoulders. She shrugged. "You want to know who Aila is? That's who. She's his dead wife. Elijah told me she died about a century after they were turned. And I guess I look like her. That's probably why he's being extra grumpy."

The younger Salvatore looked over her face before nodding slowly. "Good to know," he said quietly. "Thank you for telling me."

She nodded. "I wasn't going to. I didn't want anyone to know. But considering we're both in this together now—and you just confessed your undying love for me—I figured you had the right to know."

Stefan rolled his eyes, but her words managed to break the tension and he grinned. She mirrored it and together they walked into the motel room where Klaus waited for them.

.x.x.x.x.

The next time Arlie woke up, it was nearly noon and she was much more rested than she was before. She sighed softly as she sat up, pushing her cardigan off her shoulders as neither of the vampires currently bunking with her had turned the air conditioner on so it was stifling in there. Sweat pooled in the small of her back and along her hairline so she pushed the blankets off, too, looking over at the two vampires who sat in front of the window. Stefan stared out it broodingly while Klaus looked across a map of the few surroundings states and planned quietly with himself.

The human yawned and slowly detangled herself from the blankets, the movement drawing the attention of the two vampires. Stefan smiled gently at her and Klaus, it seemed, had worked on perfecting his cold stare because not a hint of the man who saw his wife in a stranger showed through him. Not that she minded; it was a relief not to have to look at him and constantly see the visions, or the longing look deep in those beautiful eyes.

Not beautiful, she scoffed to herself as soon as she thought it. Cold and dangerous and deadly.

Yeah, she still wasn't convinced.

Annoyed with herself, she carefully arranged her clothing and then pushed the blankets back and climbed out, ignoring the fact that her hair probably looked like a disaster. "I need a shower," she announced in way of greeting, putting her hands on her hips. "Is there at least a robe I can put on until I can get other clothes?"

Stefan got up and trailed into the bathroom, Arlie on his heels and he nodded, taking it off the back of the door. "If you can at least put your shirt and shorts back on, we can find a store to get you some other things at."

She winced. "Going commando," she grumbled. "Joy." She shrugged, though, supposing as far as kidnappings go, this wasn't quite so bad. Most kidnappers wouldn't even offer a shower, much less a change of clothes and a comfortable bed to sleep in. Plus she had Stefan with her and she felt safe so as far as kidnappings went—especially considering this was her second one—this had to be one of the easiest.

Stefan chuckled awkwardly for a moment and shook his head. "Well, I don't think you want me picking out your clothes," Stefan said.

Arlie shook her head adamantly. "No, that's completely okay." Her voice was firm and almost disgusted enough that he actually laughed.

"Go shower quickly and then we'll head out," Stefan said.

"We will, will we?" Klaus asked, setting the map down and turning to look at his captives. He smirked as he saw Arlie's "deer caught in the headlights" look and heard Stefan's sigh. "And exactly how do you intend to get there?"

"You said you would get her some clothes," Stefan pointed out.

Klaus nodded. "I did, however, I'm fairly certain you no longer have your wallet with you—I know this because I took it from you—so it isn't up to you where we go or what we purchase."

"You know what?" Arlie snapped, stepping forward and Klaus's smirk faded a bit. It seemed that he could do all the ribbing he wanted to Stefan and take it just as good as he gave it, but the moment that Arlie stepped in, suddenly he had this look on his face like all he wanted her to do was to stop talking. But there was no way in hell she would be doing that. "Never mind. I don't need your money, I don't need Stefan's money. I'll wear what I have on and wash it in the damn sink."

With that she spun around, head up high as she stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. If he wanted a power trip, fine, she would let him have it. But that didn't mean she was going to sit around in old clothes. So once she was in there, washed up, and back out, she wrapped a towel around her and grabbed for her clothes. She put them in the sink and turned the tap on, pouring in some of the shampoo she made sure to save—even though the bottle was small enough she could've used it all in her long hair—and swirling it around before grabbing a towel. She dried off quickly and wrapped up her hair, grabbing the robe Stefan said was there. After she figured they soaked long enough, she tossed them over the shower curtain bar to let them drip dry, though she did use the hair drier on her bra and panties. She wasn't about to go out in the other room with simply a robe on.

Once that was done, she headed back into the other room, ignoring Klaus as she sent Stefan a smile, and then sat down on the bed she had vacated, luckily the one further away from the brooding hybrid. She found the TV remote and turned it on, searching through channels until she came across Buffy the Vampire Slayer re-runs and snorting in amusement.

"And to think, this show very well could be true," she mumbled to herself. She glanced at Stefan and then patted the bed next to her. "Take a load off, big guy."

Stefan studied her for a moment before laughing lightly and falling onto the bed next to her, sitting with his legs crossed. "So which one is this?" he wondered.

"This is the good one. It's the one where none of them can speak because these demon things called the Gentlemen take their voices so they can't scream." She grinned. "It's my favorite one." The room was silent as they watched it and a quick glance to Stefan told her that he was completely enraptured, and that made her grin slightly.

Five episodes later, the marathon finally ended and they were pulled out of the spell with Stefan shaking his head quickly. "No no no, but I need to find out what happens next. Faith and Buffy switched bodies!"

Arlie snickered and shut the television off, turning to him with a larger amused grin. "Guess you'll have to wait 'til next week to find out." Stefan groaned and they both laughed until they heard a throat clearing and looked over to see Klaus finally had stood, looking very annoyed as he glanced between the two of them.

"We are leaving in half an hour. Be ready." With that he was gone from the room and Arlie huffed, rolling her eyes as she looked back to Stefan.

"Hopefully my clothes are dry," she said, moving to wiggle out of the bed.

"Do you want me talk to him again about getting you more clothes?"

She shook her head stubbornly. "I don't want his money, Stefan. I don't want anything from him. I just want to go home."

Stefan studied her and sighed before murmuring, "Me, too." He gave her a sad smile, patted her shoulder, and moved towards the door to give her some privacy. She sighed and went to dress, needing to use the hair dryer on a couple spots, but they were mostly dry so she put them back on along with her cardigan. She still had no shoes, but at least she had washed her feet while she was in the shower.

Marching out of the room, she made a beeline to the car, head held high as she ignored Klaus standing by the other room talking with the human men. Stefan was standing by the front bumper, and she climbed in, back into her middle seat and shut the door. Stefan joined her a moment later, raising an eyebrow at her. She just shrugged.

"I want to get the show on the road like everyone else," she said quietly. The vampire merely nodded as the compelled humans climbed in only after one opened the back door for Klaus and shut it after him. She minutely scooted closer to Stefan, deciding that if she had to be shoved back there, she would rather be pressed up against him than Klaus. She ignored the hybrid as he gave an address, though specifically didn't say the state, though she wondered if she could keep an eye out for the signs as they passed by boarders.

"Still not gonna tell me why I'm here?" she muttered, glancing over at him with a raised eyebrow. Klaus merely smirked and she sighed, slumping in her seat and crossing one leg over the other, staring dejectedly at her feet as she was so ready for this hell on wheels trip to be over.

.x.x.x.x.

-One Week Later-

Arlie was sick and tired of being on the road. Klaus and his compelled goons had driven all over the southern states evidently looking for something, but just like telling her the reasons she was there, he kept the other one to himself as well. Though it was clear why he had Stefan there; he needed a partner, for lack of a better term. Apparently Stefan had been quite the ripper in his "glory days," as Klaus put it, and Klaus wanted to turn him into that once again for his own benefit.

Now I know what Stefan meant when he told me he was going to do things I wouldn't like, she thought with a wrinkle of her nose as she watched the younger vampire piece together yet another body that he mutilated. Klaus was smirking and Arlie kept herself as far away as she could, staring at the scene with the most impassive glance she could muster. And while any human should be afraid that Stefan would suddenly turn on her, she trusted him and knew that she was probably the only exception to his rule.

And, oddly enough, she knew by then that Klaus never would let Stefan hurt her. Arlie didn't trust him, per se, that would be dumb to do. But she knew that because of her face, he protected her. Once she got too close to Stefan while he was ripping and he yanked her away, growling at Stefan until the other vampire came out of his "drunk on blood" stupor and apologized to her. That was just a day after the first motel and she didn't want to admit that not only was Klaus growing on her, but she was getting used to the constant travel and being around them.

And she didn't want to admit just how many dreams she was having of him.

Night after night, it was the same dream. The flash of the chapel, Elijah walking her down the aisle, meeting Klaus there, and fast forwarding to the night where they joined together as one. In the dream, she knew it wasn't the first time, but it felt like it because he was finally her husband, and not just her lover. She had no idea how she could know what they looked like back then, how he presented himself, but he seemed...calmer? Kinder? Gentler? And deep down she knew it was because of her.

No, she thought quickly. Not me. Aila. I'm not her.

But no matter how many times she told that to herself, the words just seemed more and more like a lie. Of course, she never spoke a word of this to either vampire, even Stefan who she grew to trust more than she ever had before, almost as much as she trusted her own brother, which she never thought possible. But Stefan was the reason she still survived, he was the reason she was looked after and—FINALLY!—after two more days of wearing and washing the same clothes, she was given a small wardrobe, of which she kept in a suitcase in the back of the SUV.

The night everything changed, she was sitting by herself in the motel room. Stefan was out on his own little bender, one of the compelled humans at his side. Klaus had left the other human by her, while he went off by himself. But he left behind his phone, and she knew very well that it wasn't intentional. Though she did know it was a test. If she looked at it, he would know, whether it was the heat from her fingers on the outside of it, or the way she positioned it back on the table. Still, curiosity did kill the cat, and so eventually she stood up and slid over to the table, eyes darting through the crack in the curtains to see Jesse—the "bodyguard" left on her detail—standing outside the door, still as a statue. Hank was the one that went with Stefan, both of them with orders to incapacitate if necessary.

"Kill Stefan if you must, but if you harm one hair on Arlie's head, I will tear your entire family to shreds as you watch, and then perhaps I will kill you."

Arlie had stared at him, stunned, but Jesse seemed shaken enough to follow his orders. Compelled or not, they were still aware of their surroundings and the fact they didn't want to be there anymore than she did. Part of her wished that Klaus removed the compulsion he set on them to never speak, but it's not as if they would or could tell her anything anyways, even if they did know.

Gulping slightly, she sat down at the table, sitting in such a way she could see Jesse. If he moved, she would know Klaus was back. But if he was still, then she was in the clear. Quickly she looked over it and decided that she could probably tap into a couple things without the phone moving.

Of course, her first visit was to text messages, only the passcode stopped her. She sighed, wondering if her quest has ended, but she knew she couldn't give up that quickly. She glanced out to Jesse once before beginning to type in 0428, the date of the full moon that the curse was broken. Nothing. 2010, the year. Nope. 1000, for one thousand years alive. Ziltch. She sighed and tried one more number before it said that she had one more try before the phone locked. Gritting her teeth, she scooted the chair back as she wasn't about to do that, because then Klaus would know that she was snooping, but then she paused.

No, can't be... she thought.

Her hand hovered over the device, wondering if she should attempt it, and decided if this was a test, she would do one of her own. If this didn't work, it would test Klaus's patience with her and how far he was going to let things slide with her. If it did work, it would prove to her what she was fearing this whole time.

So she began to type: 0... 6... 2... 2... 0622, June twenty-second, her and Elena's birthday.

UNLOCKED.

The phone opened up to a plain, generic background with only the text message app, the phone app, and the calendar app on the main screen. Her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprised.

Test number two, then, she thought numbly to herself. Klaus thought she was Aila, or at least connected to her somehow. Why else would he have her birthday as his screen unlock passcode? Of course, she could just be full of herself, and it could be because of Elena's birthday, the birthdate of the doppelgänger, the one who would finally break his curse.

But she had a sick feeling it wasn't. Deep down, she knew it was there because of her.

With trembling fingers, she went right to the texting app, knowing that the call log would tell her nothing. To her disappointment, there wasn't much, only one from a number confirming the name of the motel they were in, and that told her they were in Lafayette, Louisiana, or rather just on the outskirts of it. But the other number gave her much more information. While his name wasn't displayed, she could tell which was which easy enough and she quickly scrolled up a little and went to what was in the middle of the conversation, but there was too much to scroll to the very top.

[text: from (1)872-555-0666] Are you sure it's her? Magic like that is incredibly rare. To bring her back like that, the sacrifices a witch has to make are extravagantly high.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] Of course, I am sure. Do you not think I would know my wife when I see her?
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] I did not intend to offend, Klaus, only to point out the facts. If it is her, then she is more powerful than you can even comprehend.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] She does not display power, but I can feel it.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] She probably didn't know she had it. Once she realizes it and utilizes it, she would put the entire Bennett witch line to shame.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] Will it hurt her?
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] Only if she uses it for dark magic. Even though she is an old soul, she is still of the light magic as witches are. Dark magics take a lot more power to gather and expel.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] I suppose I do not quite understand, though. How could she have this magic inside her? Her family is not of a witch line.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] Think about it. Powerful magics such as the ones to bring her back does not just dissipate. It lingers in her veins giving her the power. Plus, she is of the Petrova line, is she not? She might not be the doppelgänger like her sister, but that line was originated by Amara. Amara had power, though she was forced not to use it, and passed it down through the generations. Some call the magic traveler magic. These people believe it to be more pure than witch magic, and while that argument isn't one that could be proven or disproven, it still exists. And the fact that this girl has both in her veins?
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] Klaus, she is the most powerful witch to ever exist. You have your hybrid genes to keep you safe, and she has that magic, whether she knows it or not.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] I will be the one to keep her safe. She is my wife.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] I don't doubt it. But you can only keep her physical body safe. Her soul? That is what is her magic protects. The magic brought her soul back and placed it upon Earth to be reborn. It was given to John Gilbert and Isobel Flemming to nurture and, though they did not raise her, it is their blood that strengthens her. The blood she shares with the doppelgänger, the traveler magic passed down through Amara, and the magic given to her upon her return to this world.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] I will keep ALL of her safe.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] If you want to be her savior, you have to show her the truth. You can't keep hiding it from her; that isn't fair to either of you.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] She isn't ready.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] Perhaps. But she will be soon. And when she is, bring her to me. I will show her the truth.
[text: to (1)872-555-0666] It's my job to bring back her memories, Gloria.
[text: from (1)872-555-0666] I will not show her her memories, Niklaus. I will show her power, her soul.

And that's where the text conversation, though what she read was enough to have her staring at the phone in horror, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. Even though the phone was still on and the message lit, she couldn't seem to move from her spot. Though the sound of a car door slamming and Jesse shuffling outside had her head whipping up and quickly she backed out of the messages, darkened the screen, and dove for her bed. She tossed off her cardigan and shoes, tugging the blankets over her head and begging her breathing to stay even, just as the door opened.

There was a pause and then a soft, "Arlie?" It was Klaus and he stayed there, watching her still form even as she huddled staring at the opposite wall in horror. But it seemed he wasn't suspicious, at least for the time being, as he sighed and shut the door after telling Jesse to go back to his own room. Klaus put stuff down on the opposite table and headed for the bathroom. Arlie forced her eyes shut and her head tilted so he couldn't see her tears, as he entered the other room and shut the door with a soft click of the handle.

Hopefully he didn't hear the way her heart pounded in desperate fear and confusion, practically breaking her ribs and sternum with how hard it pounded. She ached to know more, but that was all that was on the texting screen, plus she didn't know if she could handle any of it right then.

I...I am Aila, she whispered to herself. But how could that be true? Was the magic she was talking about reincarnation? Or something else? And if it was something else, was it the universe? Or was it somebody that did it? If so, why? And why did she come back with no memories? Why did she come back Arlie Gilbert instead of Aila? And how was she supposed to remember it all? If she was Klaus's wife, wouldn't seeing him bring back those memories? Or even Elijah, she remembered the older Original saying how close he and Aila were. Wouldn't seeing him make her remember?

But then again, she did see those flashes of the chapel. Aila and Klaus's wedding day and night. And she was haunted by dark blue eyes for awhile. And she did feel very sisterly towards Elijah while he was around. She felt as safe with him as she did Stefan.

What if I don't want to be Aila? she thought desperately. I just want to be Arlie Gilbert. But she knew she didn't have a choice in it. For a moment, though, she tried to convince herself it was all silly. Klaus was wrong, she wasn't his dead wife, her face was just a coincidence. This other person—She sounds like a witch—was full of crap.

But deep down, listening to the gentle rhythm of the shower in the other room, she knew that this Gloria witch was right. All of it was true, and she had been wrong all along. She could be Arlie all she wanted, but deep down she was still Aila. And she didn't know how she felt about that, though she knew she didn't have a choice. All of this was meant to happen, at some point or another.

Arlie was Aila, Klaus's dead wife. And there was nothing she could do to stop or change that.


Author's Note: Don't forget to head over to Polyvore and search alysalvatore if you want to see Arlie's outfits from this chapter. :) Thanks for reading, comments are love!