A/N: Helloo, so it's that time of the week again ;D

It's been a busy week and it'll be a busy week next week as well, but I'll try to slip an update in for you lovely readers.

Thank you for being so patient and reviewing!

~~ Enjoy

Chapter 25:

Aiden…

I barely registered what was going on around us. All I felt were my legs moving towards Aiden's body so fast that no one had time to move.

Blood gushed out of Aiden's stomach where he'd been shot and while he was still alive, he was bleeding heavily.

I was completely frantic and wanted to do something, but someone – Blake – pulled me away from him and allowed Knight to step in.

Someone uttered the word "cursed" and "bullet" in the same sentence, but none of it made sense to me.

Then I saw the sharp blade Knight pulled out from his jacket and watched in horror as he used it to dig around in Aiden's flesh wound with it.

"If you touch it, you'll feel the immense pain it inflicts on supernatural beings as well," Blake explained, struggling to keep me in place.

I was wriggling and attempting to push him away, however, he refused to let go of me and held me close to him.

"The Black Bloods use these cursed bullets to kill supernatural beings. Mr. Moore bought one from him as protection. Clary, you need to listen to me. You cannot touch Aiden right now."

"But he's my little brother! He's bleeding out and– Oh God, why isn't he healing? Blake, why isn't he healing?" I asked, growing more and more hysteric.

"That's why it's so powerful. It contains herbs that stop the healing process completely – no matter what being it is. It's dark magic."

I gulped nervously and waited impatiently as Knight dug the bullet out.

Even though it was out of Aiden's body, he was still bleeding a lot and not healing up properly.

"If you want your brother to live, I suggest we get him to a witch as soon as possible," Knight said, wiping the blood off his hands on the grass. "Or he'll bleed out."

"What? I don't know any witches nearby! The closest one is in Mystic Falls and he'll die before he gets there!" I replied.

"Then it's good I know someone. She's right here on campus and she's an old friend of mine. I got imprisoned while visiting her," Marcel said. "Follow me."

Picking up my injured little brother, we followed Marcel inside the building and searched for the right dorm where his alleged friend was staying.

We had to be quiet, but it was difficult when my brother was suffering tremendously and minutes away from dying in my arms.

As we reached the right room, Marcel knocked on the door and a young, female witch named Davina let us inside.

I'd heard little about her and knew that she fled New Orleans after causing quite a lot of trouble.

She was younger than I expected she would be, but it could've been due to a spell or something like it.

"Davina, I need you to heal this young boy. He and her sister mean a great deal to me," Marcel explained. "He was shot and injured with a cursed bullet. Can you help us?"

"I can try, but I can't guarantee anything. Get him on the floor and add pressure to that wound while I prepare a few things," she replied.

Finding some towels and water, we added pressure to the wound and I sat with Aiden on the floor, talking with him to keep him from losing consciousness.

"I can't believe you'd do such a dumb thing, Aiden. If you die…"

"I won't die… Stop worrying… so much, Clary. You're… my sister and… you've always… helped me out." Aiden said hoarsely.

"Of course I do. I love you, you idiot. I've loved you since Mom told me I was having a little brother and gave birth to you. You were an ugly baby, might I add."

I smiled weakly when my joke made him smile as well.

"You were an… an annoying sister. Getting… in trouble and…" He fell silent and the smile vanished from his face. "I can see Grandma."

"Jesus, don't you fucking die on my watch, Aiden! Davina, please! We really don't have much time."

"It's done now! This should speed up his healing." Davina appeared by my side with a bowl containing a mixture of herbs.

She rubbed it on his wound and slowly, but surely the bleeding started diminishing, but he was still too weak to move and needed blood.

Blake left the room temporarily to fetch a blood bag and I didn't bother asking him where he found it, because my brother needed it more than ever.

"Aiden, I need you to drink this, okay? Nod if you understand."

He gave me his best nod and struggled to keep his eyes open as he drank the contents of the blood bag, slowly gaining more energy and strength.

"We should be able to bring him home now. We'd better go. Thank you so much for your help, Davina. Really. I'm sorry about the things my father did to you once. I could never replace the things or people he took from you. Do know that I will keep you safe from harm."

Her eyes widened a tad when she realized whom I was and an angry look was sent in Marcel's way, however, there was nothing she could do now.

Marcel helped me carrying Aiden out to the car and we placed him in the backseat, so he could rest with his head on my lap.

"Don't forget our deal, Miss Mikaelson," Knight said. "I'll drop by in a few days and expect to own that white oak stake. You do not want to see me when I'm furious."

"You'll have it, I promise. I keep my deals," I said confidently. "Thank you for everything."

Nodding in return, he packed up and vanished into the darkness of the night so fast that I started wondering if he was an illusion.

We headed back home to Mystic Falls and I gave Marcel some tips along the way on how to control his newfound urges.

Aiden slept throughout most of the long drive and occasionally woke up as pale as a ghost, muttering something about the Other Side.

When we finally arrived in Mystic Falls and parked outside our home, I handed Aiden to Rebekah and let him take her inside, needing to speak with Blake and Marcel in private.

She hadn't noticed Marcel in the car with us, but I was certain that she would freak out if she did.

Walking inside with Blake and Marcel, I heard my father's footsteps as he rushed down the stairs to me and I couldn't help but notice that my mother wasn't with him.

Hadn't he found her? Or was she still fighting the virus?

"What is this? What happened to Aiden and what is he doing here?" Dad commanded to know. "You were dead, Marcellus. Evie witnessed it."

"I know you have no reason to trust him, but hear me out first, Dad," I spoke and stepped in front of Marcel to protect him. "Silas framed him. He wasn't anywhere near Mystic Falls when it happened. As for Aiden, then he saved his life. Aiden was shot by Mr. Moore, who hired a Black Blood to bring me to him. He was dying, Dad."

My father fell silent and gazed at Marcel, approaching us with slow and meticulous steps. "What were you doing there? Just happened to be nearby?"

"No, I was visiting Davina, whom you banished from her home when the Augustine kidnapped me. I've been their guinea pig for weeks," Marcel answered. "I know you believe that I have bad intentions with you, Klaus, and I did once, but I don't want to live like this anymore. Like a dead man walking."

"So Silas tried blowing up my wife and I while she was pregnant? Did he threaten me and keep me prisoner with my wife, hoping that I would kill her?"

I'd never heard about those stories and when I turned around to gaze at Marcel, I could tell that it was all true and that he had done those things.

"Davina brought my father back from the dead and plotted to have me murdered. Saving my son won't undo that. Clarissa, step away from him."

Marcel growled. "I've made mistakes, yes. So have you, Nik. Don't you remember how you drove Rebekah and I apart? How you terrorized me and took my city from me? My people?"

"It doesn't matter what happened in the past, Dad. We have bigger problems right now and if this argument keeps up, I'm gonna kill all of you. Literally."

I huffed and stormed out of the room to find my mother with Blake following right behind me.

They could do whatever they wanted to do, because I was more concerned about my mother and brother right now.

I found my mother sitting on her bed, her hand on her stomach, as she seemed lost in her thoughts.

She was surprisingly calm when I appeared in the bedroom and sighed of relief upon seeing me, embracing me tightly for a moment.

"Clary… my sweet daughter. Did they hurt you? What are you wearing? Where's your brother?" she bombarded me questioningly.

"He's with Rebekah. He's resting. It's a long story, but I'm okay and I'm back. Are you okay?" I answered.

My mother nodded and pulled back to gaze at me, thanking Blake for bringing me home. "Your father found a way to cure us of the virus. I already took the cure, so it's important you do it too before we do anything. Also, I have some important news."

She wouldn't tell me what the news were yet, but rushed me downstairs to find the cure and stopped dead in her tracks when the sound of people fighting caught her attention.

Marcel flew across the hall and was slammed into a wall afterwards by my raging father.

So much for focusing on important things…

"Clary, get behind me right now!" Mom ordered protectively.

"No, Mom, it's okay. He came with us. Marcel saved Aiden's life. Silas pretended to be him the night you gave birth to me!" I explained quickly.

My mother furrowed her brows and seemed disbelieving of my explanation, bringing me into the living room where a redheaded witch was waiting.

I was given a vial with a strange orange liquid inside it and it would supposedly cleanse my body of any alterations, so I swallowed every drop of it immediately.

The urge to kill did diminish slowly but surely, although I didn't feel like I was entirely back to normal just yet.

After taking the cure, I brought my mother to Aiden and she comforted him as he was starting to wake up from his slumber.

I allowed them some time in peace and waited outside in the hallway with Blake.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm getting there, but let's hope this cure isn't a short term thing," I answered and released a sigh, feeling exhausted. "I thought I was a goner in there. I really did."

"Your brother insisted to come with me. He really loves you. I wish I had siblings." Blake sighed as well and leaned against the wall beside me.

"What happens now? With us? With our families?"

He shrugged and parted his lips to speak when I suddenly heard Zach utter my name, standing at the end of the hallway.

"It's okay. Go speak with him. I'll go down and make sure those morons don't destroy the whole house…" Blake said quietly.

I thanked him and pecked his cheek before he left, then walked up to Zach and felt him embrace me tightly, having missed me greatly.

"I wish they'd come to me. I would've gladly helped breaking you out of there," he said, pulling back to gaze at me. "How are you? Emotionally, I mean."

"Tired. I want… to go back to how everything was before hell broke loose. Not to mention, I've missed a lot of classes and will probably fail my exams," I answered, joking at the end. "You?"

"I spoke with my sister. She said I could stay with her. I'm gonna transfer school and finish senior year there."

"Oh… so you'll be leaving soon, right?" I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that, because we had developed a friendship over these past couple of months.

"Yeah. I'm leaving next week… after your birthday. I wouldn't miss that for the world."

A smile formed on my lips and I embraced him again, wanting to just hold him for a moment and savor the sense of security he gave me.

Life would be different without him and with everything going on lately, I'd nearly forgotten all about my birthday.

I wasn't really in the mood to celebrate it in a few days when we had more important things to do.

Silence fell over the downstairs living area so abruptly that I wondered if they'd all left or killed one another, so I hurried downstairs.

My father was on the floor when I found them in the trashed kitchen, covering his bloody nose and glaring at Blake to my surprise.

Marcel had bruises and blood on himself as well that were slowly healing up, but he appeared to be fine and rested against the nearest wall.

"I didn't punch him," Marcel said, raising his hands innocently. "He did."

He nodded towards Blake and I buried my face in my palms, shaking my head and feeling tempted to walk out.

"Why did you punch my dad?" I asked angrily.

"He wouldn't listen to me! Also, he knows that we're a couple," Blake answered and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm a dead man anyway."

My father wiped the blood off his nose that had healed at last and stood up, ignoring Blake's comment and turning his angry eyes to me.

"You – come with me," he ordered coldly and turned to Marcel. "You… I'll deal with you later, Marcellus."

He signaled me to follow him and I did, terrified of what would happen now that he knew the truth about Blake and I.

We walked into our atelier where we usually had our art classes together and closed the door behind us to speak privately with one another.

"I wouldn't have brought Marcel here if I wasn't sure he was being honest. Besides, you should've seen Aiden. He was so close to dying."

"That's not what I'm angry with you about. You made the right decision and saved your brother."

"Then what? You can't seriously be upset with me for being in love with Blake? I love him, Dad. It's not some silly teenage crush that'll pass quickly. I. Love. Him."

My father softened his harsh expression and sighed, sitting down on a chair and rubbing his slightly blood-smeared face.

He was quiet for what felt like five minutes and it was agonizingly unbearable, because I had no idea of whether he would ban me of dating or seeing Blake.

"If you ban me of being with him, I… I'll run away and live with Blake. I'm nearly 18. I can handle myself and–"

"No." He paused and gazed up at me with a serious look on his face. "I'm not going to ban you. I have more important things to worry about than whom you're dating. Blake seems to care genuinely about you and loves you very much. I would be a horrible father if I did not recognize that."

"So… you're okay with it? Even after he went behind your back?"

He nodded and smiled weakly. "I've done worse. I simply wanted to see how badly he wanted to be with you – if he would leave you and run away. He didn't. Also, today, I found out that your mother is pregnant. We're having another child."

My eyes widened in shock and the thought of having another baby sister or brother brought tears to them – mostly, because I knew they'd wanted it for a long time.

"Oh my God… Oh my God!" I exclaimed happily, throwing my arms around him. "I'm gonna be a big sister again!"

"Yes, you are. I expect you to take care of the–"

"Oh, shut up, Dad. Just let me be happy and enjoy this, please? Do you know if it's a girl or boy? I hope it's a girl. I want a little sister I can dress up and play with."

My father chuckled as I rambled on and embraced me in return, pecking my cheek and whispering that he loved me so much.

Hopefully, Dad had learned from his mistakes with me and would do a better job with my next sibling – given that we survived all of this drama.

We settled in for the night and although Marcel did leave, the family was gathered under one roof for the first time in months.

Even Damon and Stefan were here with their friends, so we were able to relax and have a large dinner party that we all deserved.

I found out that Bonnie helped us making a cure for the virus, so my father wanted to treat them nicely for a night.

Aiden was still weak, but he insisted on joining us at the dinner party and was spoon-fed by my mother, who treated him like a toddler teasingly.

Perhaps she was practicing for when the child arrived.

"Right, now that team 'Blary' is happening, does that mean that they're still getting married?" Damon asked during dinner.

His best friend and drinking buddy, Alaric, slapped him on the chest and gave him a look, replying, "You're a horrible uncle, Damon. You know that, right?"

"Well said, Ric. But no, my daughter will marry when she wants to," Mom spoke, putting a straw in Aiden's drink. "Tell me how again you let my 15-year-old son steal your car?"

Damon blushed and shut up to our amusement, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to get married one day.

I wouldn't mind it if Blake became the one I ended up with, but we were still young and anything could happen.

I felt Blake's left hand rest on my thigh and placed my hand on top of his, squeezing it gently and forcing myself not to blush.

"I'm happy for both of you," Stefan said and gazed at his sister. "And that you two are having another child, of course."

It was obvious that my mother was ecstatic about the pregnancy, but she was also annoyed, because this meant that she couldn't have her liquor for nine months.

"To my horndog of a brother and wonderful sister-in-law," Rebekah said mockingly, raising her glass of wine. "May they have their own little army of hybrids one day!"

Most of us laughed while my parents were visibly embarrassed, however, it was no secret that the spark between my mother and father hadn't faded at all over the years.

"Oh, yes, that reminds me. Nik, Clary's principal called me today. He'd like for us to come in for a parent meeting," Mom said, making my father groan. "I said we were available tomorrow evening."

"Lovely. A little compulsion here and there, and we should be fine," he muttered as he took a swig of his drink. "You do have to return to school as soon as possible, though, Clary."

"Seriously? I got kidnapped more than once and tortured!" I whined.

"Cheer up, pup. I'll sneak in and make out with you during lunch," Blake teased, earning a deadly glare from my father. "Or maybe not. I'd rather not test my luck."

I giggled and leaned to his ear, whispering quietly, "You can test your luck in my bedroom later."

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