Hi guys! First off I can't express my excitement that this story got passed 100 reviews! Mainly thanks to Erin-Salvatore who reviewed almost every chapter! I can't believe you reviewed too! I love your stories, I've never been much of a reviewer since I'm normally lurking so many websites at once but I'll try to in the future! Thank you for sticking with this story also; it's quickly becoming my baby. A warning to all Delena fans though, this chapter is mainly Stefan and Aria and their past together. I decided that I was going to do something with them and I swear on my life, that I had this idea long before the episode where Klaus had compelled Stefan to forget him. I swear I should write for VD! Ha I wish. I hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think! It's extra long thanks to many flashbacks!
Reading an old book, Stefan was located in the old library of the Salvatore mansion. With Damon away fighting, he felt himself in this room more than he used to. A quiet knock summoned his presence back to reality and he let the person behind the door enter. Closing the book and smiling at where he had left off, he stood as Elizabeth entered. Elizabeth had aged greatly, she was no longer the young nanny who cared for Damon and himself as children but she kept residence in the servants' area of the house and stayed on as a maid for the family.
"Master Salvatore, your father requests your presence in his study,' she said politely, frowning lightly as Stefan shook his head with a slight laugh. He had grasped her hand gently and cradled it in his before smiling softly at her.
"Elizabeth, what have I told you? My name is Stefan to you, you raised me as if I were yours, so please no more Master Salvatore" Having been such a young age when his mother had passed, Stefan only knew Elizabeth to be the only woman in his life. She had raised him as his father kept to his study with bouts of depression from his wife passing. Now at 17, Stefan would continuously remind her this.
"I'm only trying to be polite and someone has to set the example in this house," She said with her gentle smile that made Stefan warm up inside. She was such a gentle creature and he would miss her greatly when it was time for him to leave. He pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand before heading down the grand staircase and to the back of the house where is father had designed a study for himself. As he approached her heard a voice that was foreign to him, an English accent at that coming from the room. He saw a greying dress peaking from the creak that the door had been left ajar. He knocked lightly and stepped inside, eyeing the young girl that stood in front of his father's desk.
"You asked for me, Father?" Stefan asked, standing next to the girl, his hands crossed behind his back.
"Yes, Stefan. With the recent passing of Mrs Donald, I have had to hire a new housemaid. She has recently taken residence in Mystic Falls from London and she is the same age as you are, Son. I would like you too show her to her quarters and make sure she is settled." The younger Salvatore couldn't help but frown at his father's sudden niceness. Usually he would greet the help and then send them off. Never had he given them such hospitality. His father obviously noticed his pause as he commanded soon after. "Now, Stefan"
"Yes, Father," he said with a light nod, searching the ground for a bag for the young lady. He saw nothing however and soon led her from the office. Closing the door lightly behind him, Stefan soon stopped the young maid before the stairs leading back to the second floor. "I never caught your name, Miss."
"Ariana, sir. Ariana Pierce" She told him quietly, her English accent seeping through the words that escaped her mouth. He couldn't help but smile at her shyness as they continued to grace the stairs, her low heels making the only noise between them until they reached the bedroom that was next to Elizabeth's.
"You have no belongings?" he asked curiously as he opened the door, letting her step inside before him. She shook her head gently as she turned to him, her deep chocolate brown orbs catching his interest.
"I'm afraid not, Sir. My family was never wealthy, this was my sisters." She was straightening down a crease in the skirt of her dress. "I relocated in the hope to find a new life, your father was nice enough to let me into your home."
He gulped lightly, having trouble not finding this new addition to the help attractive. "I'm sorry to hear about your family. I will get Elizabeth to find you a new dress for you to wear"
"You needn't do that, Sir"
"No, I shall." He told her with a toothy grin. "The Salvatore's always look their best."
"I am a Pierce, Sir," she said looking down at her shoes.
"You're a Salvatore now. As the only other Salvatore in this household, my father is rarely seen outside his study. Anybody who lives under this roof is apart of the family. I will try to make your stay here comfortable, Miss Pierce. It's the least I could possibly do,"
Aria quickly darted into the bedroom of Damon, Stefan jumping in surprise having not heard the vampire enter. She was fast, he couldn't deny that.
"Aria?" he said her name in a question as he stood quickly, catching her as she almost fell from her feet. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, getting herself back on her feet and walking towards the bed. "I just ran a long way. Has he woken at any point?"
"Once or twice," he told her, his ears catching the sound of Elena's voice from downstairs. "Do you have the cure?"
He watched her as she pressed her hand to his forehead, feeling how high his temperate was at that moment in time. She hadn't seen him in weeks but this was the sight of a dying vampire, something she had seen many a time before.
"Where's the cure?" Elena had stormed into the room, her heels in her hand and mud on her legs from having ran in the field as Aria appeared, Caroline on her heels. Aria turned as the girls entered the room and sighed, gazing at Stefan out of the corner of her eye.
"I haven't got it." She said quietly, Caroline and Stefan obviously hearing her, Elena thinking she hadn't replied yet.
"What do you mean you don't have it?" Stefan asked, his stare deathly.
"Klaus wants something," she said a little louder as Elena came to her side, glaring at the female vampire that stood next to Damon.
"What does he want?" Elena questioned, looking down at Damon as he shifted, a groan escaping his lips.
"Stefan," Everyone in the room soon turned to the younger Salvatore brother, his face full of confusion. "Klaus wants Stefan,"
"For what?" Caroline wondered.
"I don't know but if we go now, I can get the cure back quickly,"
"You can? Why can't it be you and Stefan?" Elena questioned, wondering if this was another one of Klaus' traps. "Wait, where's Bonnie and Jeremy?"
"With Klaus," Aria told her. "He's tied up, vervain, wolfsbane. He can't move."
"I'll go," Stefan spoke up form the corner, coming to stand next to Aria. "If it saves Damon,"
Her giggles sent tingles down his back as they rolled around beneath the cotton sheets of his bed, his hands soon pinning her petite arms to the mattress, a smile playing on his lips. Stefan lifted one of her hands and placed gentle kisses to each of her fingertips, making her smile in return.
"I shouldn't be here," she said quietly, as he grazed a kiss against her wrist, running his nose lightly over her soft skin.
"I want you here. Its my bedroom, my rules," he said huskily, their legs entwined as he looked back down at the young girl laying beneath him.
"What if Elizabeth catches me? Or worse you father?" she said with concern dripping from her words.
"They wont, love. Elizabeth doesn't wake until later. Father is in town until this evening, you know my brother is at war, we have our time" he told her with a smile, placing a kiss against her already swollen lips. "You shouldn't worry so much, Ariana,"
"I could be summoned to death if they do" she mumbled against his lips, feeling his headshake lightly after, his lips stopping her words of worry. He intertwined their hands once again and lifted them to the side of her head, their lips moulding together perfectly in sync as their lower halves moved together creating friction.
"Master Salvatore!" Stefan jumped back as someone rapped loudly on his door, her head snapping around as the doorknob twisted lightly. "Master Salvatore, are you decent for me to enter?"
Aria had covered her mouth with her hand to stop any noise flowing from her mouth. One of the maid's had awoken early, it wasn't Elizabeth for sure, Stefan knew that by the wicked tone of her voice.
"One moment," he called, looking down at a very naked Aria underneath him. He moved off of her and looked around the room. He knew the maid would go into his closet to retrieve his clothes, she would go into the bathroom adjoining to his bedroom to tidy. "Get under the sheets,"
Lying on his usual side of his bed, he arranged the covers and over sheet so that it hid Aria perfectly, placing the spare pillow that he had under his arm and placing that lightly over what he guessed was Aria's back. "Come in," he said cautiously as Aria's arm brushed against his side, making him shift slightly.
"Good Morning Mr Salvatore," the elderly woman said in a sharp tone, moving to the windows and pulling the heavy curtains apart so the bright light filled the room. "Why are you still in bed at this late hour? Elizabeth has already awoken and is preparing your breakfast."
"I found it rather difficult to fall asleep last night, the wind was rather loud on this side of the house." He said unsure of himself. Was it even windy last night? Thankfully, the Maid just nodded as she placed a dress shirt and a black pair of pants against the back of an old wooden chair.
"Breakfast will be ready soon, Master Salvatore. Please be dressed and in the dining room promptly." She said with a nod. Stefan was always scared of her. She was strict with him even at this age. She was grasping the doorknob to leave when Aria nudged him, obviously running low on air under the thick over cover that was hiding her.
"Thank you," he said, his voice pitching slightly as her elbow collided with his ribs. He watched her pull the door closed and he thought he was free but it pushed open quickly once more. "Yes?"
"Have you seen Miss Pierce? She is not in her chambers." Stefan cursed himself mentally and shook his head lightly.
'Not since dinner last night. Maybe she is down by the stables? She did always press an interest in the horses." He suggested this to the maid and she stood perplexed at the idea for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and she nodded, moving to leave and finally closing the door. Stefan listened for her footsteps and sighed a breath of relief as they faded, indicating she had left the floor and was now on the lower floor of the house. Throwing the pillow to the floor, he pulled the sheets from the girl that was beneath them, seeing her biting her nail lightly in attempt to stop her laughter seeping through.
"You think that was funny, do you Miss Pierce?" he asked as he looked down at her. She nodded as she skimmed up the bed into an upright position, pulling the sheet across her chest to cover herself.
"Highly amusing. You are rather scared of old Mrs Brown aren't you?" she asked as she lifted herself from the bed and found her under garments scattered across the young Salvatore's floor.
"Always have been" he said lightly as he watched her dress, the sheet soon falling to the floor as she pulled the nightdress over her head. She tossed the sheet back simply to his side and smiled before walking towards the door. A small shriek escaped her as she felt herself turned against the door and a strong figure pushed against her. "I get no goodbye kiss?"
"Always trying to break the rules," she whispered as their lips collided once more. Their kisses were light and peppering against each other's lips, so much that his arm soon found her waist again but she pushed him back with a light giggle. "No, I must leave. Go dress, I shall meet you after breakfast at the stables."
She pushed him back lightly into his room and smiled once more before opening the door lightly and sneaking her head around the door to make sure she was unseen.
Aria kept her stare forward as Stefan drove them back to where Klaus was being held. She knew he had questions. Hell she had questions. What did Klaus even want with him? He wasn't going to let her make Stefan remember, she knew that. Not being able to tell him who she was after all these years was killing her, especially when they were in such close proximity.
"What does Klaus want with me?" Stefan asked, his eyes hard set on the road ahead as she told him to take a left into the woods not far out from Mystic Falls. She shook her head lightly, unable to answer.
"I don't know." She said in a whisper.
"You should know what he wants, you've been helping us."
"This wasn't in the plan. He wanted Elena not you." She told him as she turned to him in the leather seat, watching his features strain in confusion. "If I knew what he wanted, I wouldn't be bringing you to him but we need the cure."
"We do," he agreed as she told him to stop abruptly as a dirt path was all that was in front of him. "He's here?"
"A mile inwards," she said as she exited the car, not waiting for Stefan before she started to walk. He frowned as he cut the engine and caught up with her, following her to the cave that was covered in moss. He could hear Jeremy from a while back and was able to breathe a sigh of relief that at least Elena wouldn't stake him when he returned. "He's back here,"
Stefan watched as she easily moved a large rock out of the way, Klaus quickly falling into his line of sight.
"Ah you brought him," Klaus said in the same calm and collected voice he always had.
"What do you want?" Stefan questioned him as he looked over at Bonnie and back at the original.
"Time will tell," he muttered as he adjusted his wrist against the rope.
"Klaus you wanted Elena, not Stefan. You told me this, why do you want him?" she asked Stefan looking at her wondering why she was so interested in him. Klaus let out an earthy laugh, shaking his head and making a sharp pain shoot through his neck, a vervain dart lodged just at his hairline.
"I never wanted Elena, I wanted to torture you, Ariana."
"What's he talking about?" Stefan asked as the dark veins became prominent under the brunette vampire's eyes. She latched forward, her fingers wrapping around Klaus' neck and pushing deeply into his throat, causing a sharp intake of breath from the original.
"You had this planned all along," she said coldly, her grip tightening on his neck at every second. "You used me more than I thought. Back in 1864, you left me outside Mystic Falls to watch him so you could take him? In World War 2? Then you made me," she paused, turning to look at a very confused Stefan.
"He doesn't know this Ariana, remember?" Klaus choked out, his voice depleting.
"Know what?" Stefan asked.
"Don't you remember, Stefan? A girl haunting your past. Turning up everywhere." At this point, Ariana's grip was loosening, his voice returning. "But you can't picture her. You can't say what she sounded like. What you felt. But there are feelings deep down. Deep feelings. More than you felt for that Gilbert girl."
"Shut up!" Aria's hand found his chest, shoving him into the cold stone behind him. "You knew how I felt, I came back to help them to see if he remembered without my input and this was your plan all along? Make him remember then take him away?"
"Of course it was. Don't you remember his ripper days? He could come in handy since you managed to kill all my faithful followers. I'm practically the new day Voldemort" Klaus was smirking towards the younger vampire, her eyes cold and dead set on his chest, where his heart would be. She could easily push her hand into his chest at this point and rip it out, just if it had been there. "Now Ariana, be a good girl and release me."
"What's he talking about?" Bonnie spoke up from the corner, Jeremy stood in front of her as Aria looked up at them.
"Oh you poor little witch. Hasn't Aria told you?" Aria pushed him harder against the stonewall as he spoke again but that didn't stop his words. "70 long years ago, Aria here was in love with someone in this room."
She watched quietly in the darkened corners of the bar, a glass of champagne nursing in front of her, music floating around the large room as people danced with smiles upon there faces, dashing soldiers on their arms. The London streets were quiet for once, the music muffling the fear that graced its streets. At any moment, the sirens could sound, people would scream, scatter quickly to the bomb shelters located below the dancing feet of hundreds seeking distraction from the future.
"Another drink, Miss?" Aria moved her gaze, breaking the line of sight of the young soldier at the bar to the older waiter, obviously too old to battle. He held a tray, full of glasses of the overflowing champagne, an ashtray pushing smoke into the already dusky air.
"No, thank you. I've barely touched this one, Walter but I will keep my eye out for you later in the evening." She smiled her famous wicked smile and he walked off, a small smirk gracing his lips as he walked back to the bar. She shook her head and then brought her glass to her lips, downing the liquid in one before standing up, straightening her dress and sauntering to the bar.
He graced the bar, his arm resting loosely over a blonde, laughing at something he had said while another two women sat in their little group. He grasped the whiskey glass, a devilish smile on his face as Aria approached, taking the free stool.
"Whiskey, on the rocks." Stefan watched her as she flirted with the male behind the bar, ushering the other girls off and smirking as the done as they were told.
"Isn't whiskey a little strong for someone as beautiful as you?" he asked her, sheltering her with his strong chest as other soldiers gazed over at her, her pretty face attracting everyone in the bar.
"Isn't whiskey a little strong for a soldier who could be called at any moment?" she retorted, looking up at the younger Salvatore. Her eyes lit up as she looked over at him, a smile playing on her lips. She stood, the glass of Whiskey in her hand and grazed her lips against his cheek, moving to whisper something in his ear. "Wouldn't blood be better for us both?"
His face froze then and he placed the glass down onto the bar top. He chuckled, rubbing the bridge of his nose and grasping her forearm, pulling her away from the crowded bar and into one of the back rooms, locking the door swiftly before she forced her hand from her skin and pushing him against the wall.
"You think you're strong because you've drank half the girls that have come here tonight but I'm stronger and I've been watching you, Stefan."
"Why?" he asked looking down at her, her lipstick-graced lips raising in a smirk.
"Because you intrigue me," she said moving her hand to push some of his hair back gently. It grazed passed his ear lightly and down his neck, brushing her fingers against his uniform jacket. "I like this era, you look very dashing, Sir"
He smiled, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss to the back of it. "And you Miss Pierce, look insanely beautiful."
"I think you mentioned that," Aria whispered gently, Stefan's face moving towards hers slowly. "I've aged nearly another 100 years though,"
"So? I'm nearly 81" he said just as quiet, his lips grazing hers lightly. "You haven't changed a bit."
"A quirk us vampires have," She kissed him then, crashing her lips against his and he immediately followed her actions. His strong hand found the clip that kept her hair upright and tore it gently from her hair, her locks cascading down her back and his fingers immediately lacing themselves in the gentle silk.
"Must you leave?" she asked quietly, their lips inches from each other's as she ran a hand over his arm.
"Its not like I'm not going to come back" he replied in a whisper, his fingers still fondling her hair in a gentle manner.
"You don't know that. I'm sure the German bombs could blow up a vampire as easily as a human," she said worriedly, her eyes finding his again. She watched his head shake in reply, his index finger curling around one of her strong curls.
"I won't let them. Knowing you are waiting back here will keep me fighting. Love is always stronger"
"But I made her compel him. He was young, 80 or so, so fragile when it came to her powers. She was much more mature in controlling her compulsion. Katherine just happened to get in the way of them in 1864 so Ariana fled, writing to the poor boy until she found out he had been turned. From then, she visited him every so often, running from me. Thinking I didn't know about it." All eyes fell on Stefan apart from Aria as the truth came out. She had followed Stefan throughout his after life, becoming closer to him over the years that just caused more hurt for her.
"Klaus, stop it" she said quietly, her eyes on her feet. Without warning, Klaus had broken through the ropes bounding him to the wall and had her against the wall on the opposite side of the cave, Stefan moving forward to protect her only to be pushed away by the original over powering the much smaller girl.
"He forgot you, Aria. He loved Elena, Katherine. Both your relatives but you still live with the knowing he will never know you again until I let him."
The hotel room was quiet apart from the silent whispers that grew louder within her ear. Her eyebrows ruffled in confusion as an eye cracked open, the room dark with the thick curtains to stop any light seeping into the London streets at night. She groaned as she spotted the vampire in the corner, rolling over into the pillow and hiding her face within the material.
"Now Ariana, it's a beautiful day."
"Klaus, its early. You know I hate early." Before she could take a breath, the thin cover was pulled from her, Klaus flipping her over simply and smiling at her tired expression.
"You're a vampire, Ariana. You do not need to sleep, remember?"
"I like sleeping. It stops me having to watch this face.' Her hand slapped his cheek before pushing herself up, stepping into a pair of heels that sat at the side of her bed at all times. Her nightdress swamped her and her flowing brunette locks almost reached her waist. "Turn around, Klaus"
"Nothing I've never seen before" he muttered as he turned to looking out of the window, pulling the black material from the tape securing it to the wooden frame. "Its time"
She pulled her dress over her head and turned to him, a small bag in hand and open, her fingers wrapping around the tube of lipstick and pulling it out. "No," she said quickly, mobbing back to the small mirror on the dirty wall, pursing her lips lightly before covering them in a deep red shade.
"No?" he was behind her then, his gaze watching her reflection as she pouted lightly, running a nail under her bottom lip to fix the make up.
"No" she repeated strongly, finding his eyes in the mirror and locking her gaze with his. "I can't do this again, Klaus."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her sharply, pushing her against the wall making the mirror smash behind her head. "You will compel him, he has a duty and you are getting in the way. We'll be back for him, eventually."
"No," she said once more. "Klaus, I'm not leaving him. I love him"
"You don't love a Salvatore. Your mother loved them both and look what happened to her."
"I don't know anything about my mother" She reminded him which made him laugh darkly, moving away from the wall and sitting on the small bed.
"You will do this Ariana, you will make him forget, let him fight in the war, let him live and when the time is right, we will get him back." Her pupils dilated slowly and she nodded, compulsion taking over her.
"I will compel Stefan to forget me. He never knew me. He never loved me."
"Good girl," Klaus said with a smile as he tucked a strand of her unruly hair behind her ear. "He will be at the club tonight. I made sure of it."
"You remember that night don't you?" Klaus asked her venomously, pushing her into the stone just as she had did to him. She bit back tears, not of pain but of the past. "I'll give you the cure on one condition. You give me him and I'll let you make him remember. I take him after though and you'll never see him again."
"Fine," she spat, relief running through her as he pushed away from her. Her hand found her throat, replacing where his grip had left a burning strand across her skin. Klaus turned to Bonnie, pushing Jeremy out of the way easily and taking the empty water bottle from her purse that was behind her. Biting into his wrist, he let a single drop fall into the bottle before looking back at Aria.
"Go on then," he said coolly, nodding towards Stefan. She gulped, rubbing her neck lightly before standing and going over to Stefan. She grasped his arms to stop him from moving, looking straight into his eyes and stopping his thoughts.
"You will remember every moment we had together. You will remember our feelings, what we had and what we could have. Remember me, Stefan." He stood silent for a moment before blinking, looking down at the small girl in front of him.
"Ari,' he mumbled, using the name only he called her when she lived in the Salvatore boarding house. Behind them, Klaus smirked biting into his wrist more and letting his blood fall into the plastic container.
"There you are, the cure," he said screwing the lid back on and tossing it to Bonnie over his shoulder. Aria stood in front of Stefan as Klaus approached. He grew closer and she stepped aside, keeping her end of the bargain. She thought he had lost him all over again until Klaus stopped suddenly, blood coming from the corner of his lips and dripping onto his chin.
'My sister's name is Elena, you dick" Jeremy was behind him, grasping the blade that Aria had brought, knowing it would end Klaus. It was jammed into his back, right where his heart would be just a few inches from his flesh, penetrating right through and stopping time in Klaus' life. Aria couldn't help but smile at Jeremy as Klaus fell to his knees, his skin greying and cracking quickly as the little life he had as a vampire left his system. "I hear the journey to hell is a little hot, don't get too sunburnt"
Jeremy kicked the vampire over so his face fell straight into the muddy ground. Bonnie stood shocked in the background still clutching the bottle of blood as Jeremy stepped away, looking still at the blade lodged securely in Klaus' back.
'I could hug you right now," Aria said as she looked down at the dead vampire on the ground and then back at Jeremy "But I won't"
"I think someone else should get that hug," Bonnie told, nodding behind her to a confused looking Stefan, his eyes wide as he gazed from Klaus back to Aria. She turned slowly, looking at the younger Salvatore, a small smile on the edge of her lips.
"I'm sorry," she said lightly as she stood in front of him once again. His lips moved to reply but the shrill sound of his phone rang through the echoing surroundings stopping any reconciliation between them. Before he could even say hello, Elena was yelling into the phone.
"Stefan! Get back here now! He's gotten worse! There isn't long left, please!"
Oh how I hope you liked the little thing I came up with Stefan/Aria. I hope you enjoyed the flashbacks too! I always like writing things that give a little more back story. I promise the next chapter will be all Damon/Elena now they have the cure. Some bubbles may be involved too….