Chapter Twenty-Five:

Cut Short

It was warm….actually it was really hot and I felt incredibly heavy. Opening my eyes, I shut them with a quiet hiss when I gazed directly at the shining sun. It was bright but it wasn't the reason why I was so warm.

Slowly turning my head, I came face to face with a sleeping Damon. He looked so peaceful…not the hard, sarcastic vampire everyone was used to seeing. His arm was draped around me and we were dangerously close which explained why I felt so warm.

Settling my head back down on the mattress, I let out a small quiet breath as a smile made its way across my face. What a wonderful turn on events all of this has turned into. I did regret running to this bustling city without telling anyone but if I had known that it was going to end this way…wrapped in Damon's arms…I would do it all over again. The angry fight included.

I held back a girlish giggle when I thought back to our shared kiss. I had kissed other people before but with Damon it was different. He was experienced that was for sure….it was just the way his lips touched mine. It wasn't like some teenage boy…he knew what he wanted. It was incredibly sexy.

It was the blood bond too….this moment made me truly accept it. The bond didn't make me feeling anything for him. It didn't manipulate my feelings…I just felt closer to him…his kiss, his touch made my blood sing and it was incredible.

"Tell me why were not naked again." Damon groaned beside me.

I laughed and rolled my body so we were facing each other. His blue eyes opened with a small smirk on his lips.

Twitching, I tried to pry his arm off.

"You're really hot." I said.

"I know." He waved his brows.

"No, I mean literally. I'm burning up." I laughed finally escaping his hold.

"Mmm…"

Was all that escaped his lips before I found myself down on the mattress again with him hovering above me. My hands snaked around his jacket and gripped onto the thin fabric of his shirt.

"Well good morning to you too." I smiled.

With a look that can only be described as Damon Salvatore, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine for what had to be the hundredth time in the last few hours. My phone ringing broke my bliss. With a sigh I reached for the object but his hand gently held my own in place.

"Leave it." He said slowly in-between kisses.

A moment later his own phone rang in time with my mine.

"It's probably important."

As much as I wanted to be in our own little world, there was still reality to face. Finally grabbing my phone, I answered it not even fully paying attention.

My gaze was locked on the blue eyed vampire that had his own phone. His brows waving up and down in a suggestive manor.

"Aria are you there?" Caroline's panicked voice broke me from my haze.

"Sorry, yeah. What's going on? How's Silas duty with Klaus?" I asked, turning my attention to the New York sky line so I wouldn't be distracted.

"We didn't stop the massacre…twelve withes are dead." Caroline said. I could hear that she had been crying…

Witches? Did that mean that Bonnie was gone too?

"Bonnie…is she…"

"She's fine…but Aria she doesn't remember anything from the point that you all were in the cave with Jeremy…she didn't even know that he's dead."

Running my fingers through my hair, I pinched the bridge of my nose taking in steady breaths. Bonnie was alive…that had to count for something but Silas must have been controlling her since we were on the island.

"So Silas has everything he needs then….except the cure." I thought out loud, watching Damon now.

He was pacing slightly with a very annoyed expression on his face. Whoever he was talking to they weren't helping me out when I drop this bomb of information on him…

"It's okay. We'll get to the cure before he does. Don't you have a prom to plan for?" I tried to change the subject to something that would be perfect for Caroline.

"I'm on three committees." She moaned.

Success with the distraction.

"Focus on that. I'll help once we're home." I smiled.

"So, you're coming back?"

Yes. I had my fun and I have made my choice. I'm going to see all of this through before I start pursuing my old dreams. They will always be there. I have time.

"Count on it. See you soon Care."

Hanging up my phone, I took a few steps forward and wrapped my arms around Damon and pressed my cheek to his back.

"Tell me your news is better than mine?" Damon said.

"They didn't stop the massacre. Your turn."

"Elena gave Stefan the slip. She's working with Rebekah to get the cure."

Of course she is! Pulling away I quickly dialed Elena's phone.

"Good morning!" Her cheerful voice filled the speakers.

"Where are you?" I asked, straight to the point.

"You mean: where are we going?"

"Damon, I think I broke your radio!" Rebekah called out in the background.

Damon tore my phone away from my ear with a deep frown.

"You're in my car?" He hissed.

Whatever she said next sent him over the edge because once the line disconnected he was close to tossing my phone over the edge of the building.

"Hey! Don't take it out on my phone!" I hissed, tearing it out of his grasp.

"If I can handle Stefan without his emotions I can handle Elena. Let's go get this bitch." He murmured.

"I'll be right behind you. I have to make one more call."

Damon gazed at me skeptically. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"I can't just leave without telling my friend." I winked at him in the irony of the situation.

With a blank expression, he motioned for me to carry on with my call but waited.

Shaking my head, I let out a small laugh while I dialed my long time friend's number.

"Yo! You coming to rehearsal?" Brody's deep voice answered instantly.

"Actually…something's come up….they need me and I want to be there for them." I said quietly.

I knew I would be disappointing him. This was really a big moment in his life…it would be for mine too honestly.

"About time!" He sighed with laughter in his voice. I was so in shock that I didn't bother to say anything. "You enjoyed being here helping me but I could see that you weren't really here…you were thinking about them…go help them but stay safe okay…call me when you get home."

Tears sprung to my eyes. He knew me so well and I would forever be grateful to him.

"I will…thank you."

Hanging up, I gave Damon a smile.

"So you two…never hooked up?" He questioned in disbelief.

I couldn't control what happened next. The laughter that erupted from me made my sides hurt.

"No….he's been my best friend since I could walk…do you have any idea how weird that would be?" I explained through the laughter.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

A few hours later we had managed to find Damon's car deserted on the side of the road. They had left the car and must have stolen another when it had run out of gas.

"You let your neck get snapped." Damon fought with Stefan who was currently putting gas in the car.

The two had been bickering back and forth at one another since we had left New York. Leaning against the trunk of Damon's car, I closed my eyes and relished in the feeling of the sun kissing my skin.

It was a beautiful day…the sun was shining; the wind blew through the trees in such a serene way. The few clouds in the sky just added to the picturesque view. I guess I was optimistic. Yes Elena and Rebekah were looking for the cure together but it was the three of us against the two of them. I was only human but I was still one up from their odds…we were going to get this cure and get the old Elena back.

The only question was: what was going to happen next? Would we even be able to find Katherine? Damon had spent years searching for her…Klaus had done it for even longer and they had both failed.

Opening my eyes, I blinked several times when an old feeling of haze washed over me….several images flashed before my eyes….but they weren't as clear as they used to be….

I saw a woman….Elena?...no it was Katherine….she was holding a small box…was it brown…now it's white? I could see her with a man….a tall man who was well groomed with slick black hair….they were in a small town and I could hardly see the city sign right behind them…

When the images faded, I rubbed my eyes and waited for any feeling of exhaustion but it never came.

When we came back from the island I had a few visions but they were clear…none of them affected the way that I felt but this time everything was fuzzy…it was like I was struggling to find a clear channel on a television set.

Closing my eyes, I thought hard trying to imagine everything I had seen so I could have a better understanding of them. If I could just see where they were than it would be a wonderful step for us! We would be ahead of them. As far as I know, maybe Elena and Rebekah haven't found Katherine yet.

With those thoughts in mind, I opened my eyes only to find myself in the same open space as Katherine and the man. The stars were shining brightly above us…Katherine handed the man a small white object and he left her with a very hurt and unsure look on his face…the sign behind Katherine was clear as day…they were in a small town in Pennsylvania.

Coming out of the visions, a large grin spread across my face.

"I can control my visions…" I whispered. "If you two are done bickering, Katherine is in Pennsylvania so let's go." I motioned for them to hurry up.

The brother's exchanged a look before Stefan spoke up.

"How do you know that?"

"I saw it. I think I can control my visions now." I cheered.

"You think? How do you feel?"

Rolling my eyes, I opened the car door and slid in the back seat.

"Don't start Damon." I muttered. "But yes, I feel fine. I've had a few visions since we came back …I think Isis didn't want the Cearess line to end so she gave me this way out."

"You know that for sure?" Damon pressed.

Pursing my lips, I slid down in my seat. I didn't really know for sure but it was safe to assume….right? I wasn't dying….at least it didn't feel like it….even when my visions first started I felt weaker but now I was completely normal. So yes, I did know for sure.

"Yes." I answered confidently.

With a skeptical look through the review mirror, I sighed and gave the vampire a smile.

"But I won't go crazy on using the visions unless it is completely necessary…like a life or death situation." I said, knowing that it would make him happy.

Stefan snorted from the passenger seat. I kicked the back of his seat making him laugh.

"I was being honest." I crossed my arms…well sort of honest.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Small town…this really doesn't seem like Katherine. Are you sure about this?" Damon asked me with uncertainty.

"Maybe she's changed." I shrugged my shoulders.

Both Stefan and Damon laughed in unison. I rolled my eyes and left the brothers with their bonding over the psycho that tore them a part all of those years ago. Fingers lacing with my own pulled me back a few steps.

"If Katherine is really here you need to stay back." Damon ordered more so than warned.

"She's older than us and she will use any leverage she can to ensure her safety." Stefan agreed.

Well, the Salvatore brothers were agreeing today…someone alert the media!

"I'll stay safe but that doesn't mean I'm staying away. I want to help you and you can't stop me. I didn't come all this way in some small town to sit back. So deal with it." I tore my hand from Damon's and continued down the side walk.

It was a few blocks down before Stefan stopped us in front of a small, homey café.

"Looks like you were right Aria."

One look through the windows we saw Rebekah sitting at a table with Elena….actually the look of pure hatred and murder being shared between the two signified that the woman must be Katherine…

I knew the two were doppelgangers….exact replicas of one another and I had seen a glimpse of her in my visions but in person…the resemblance was….creepy.

"Wait out here." Damon said as him and his brother entered the café.

You have to be kidding me….I thought I had made myself perfectly clear. This was another time when I wish I was more than a human….they wouldn't see me as someone as fragile as glass….but I guess compared to a vampire's strength I was….but I'm not going to just sit here and do nothing.

With a huff, I followed after them and slid myself in the booth next to Stefan, ignoring Damon's harsh glare.

"Good to see you Rebekah…running off without me…I thought we were friends." I teased the original.

"No hard feelings…I just want to be human and Elena doesn't want the cure. We're a great team for the time being." She smiled sweetly but the emotion itself wasn't there.

Katherine's hard gaze made me shivers run up my spine. I wanted to shift in my seat but I didn't want to show her that she made me uneasy.

"Athena?" She finally spoke.

I had heard that name before….no I read it in Irelia's journal….she was one of the Cearesses…she must have met Katherine. It made sense. I have spent many life times on the planet…too many to count. It should be no surprise that I have met a vampire in the past.

"Actually I'm Aria." I corrected her.

With a grin she leaned comfortably in her seat.

"So you do come back." She commented.

"Okay enough…we found you…you're losing your touch evil one." Damon turned the conversation away from me.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan spoke up.

"I'll give you a hint: Start looking at the town morgue since she's probably dead. She went to meet up with a friend of mine. You probably know him. An original brother with impeccable taste." Katherine glanced at everyone around the table.

"Elijah." Rebekah breathed in surprise.

"You have to question his impeccable taste if he's friends with you." Stefan poked at the doppelganger.

Good job Stefan…didn't know you had it in you.

"Oh, when I say friend…I mean friend."

My nose scrunched while everyone else groaned at the mental image. My reasoning was far different than theirs though….I couldn't see Elena with anyone other than Stefan…everyone else well, they find Katherine repulsive.

"And I'm sure it took Elijah about ten seconds before he realized she wasn't me and ripped her heart right out of her chest." She smirked.

"So where are they?" I asked Katherine while they all recovered from the new information.

Her doe brown eyes locked with mine but she refused to speak.

"You know Rebekah, if we don't find Elena you're going to lose your chance at getting the cure right?" Stefan turned to the blonde original knowing that she would be more useful.

"Fine. They were supposed to meet at a gazebo in the park." Rebekah surrendered. "You go find Elena while Katherine shows us where the cure is."

"No she won't!" Katherine remarked with a hiss. "The cure is the only shot I have at freedom from Klaus."

"So you're going to make a deal with him?" I scoffed…he wouldn't be that easily persuaded.

"No, she's going to get Elijah to do it for her. That's why you need your little friend isn't it…some things never change." Stefan grinned.

"Nope." Damon agreed with his brother once more.

"Fine…I'll do it."

Sliding out of the booth, we all walked out into the fresh open air.

"Stefan, you sure you want to find Elena alone." I tugged on his jacket sleeve.

"I'll be fine. Elijah is an original with morals. I'll be able to talk with him." He assured before leaving us to follow Katherine to some home in the suburbs….it looked like a place my grandmother would live.

"No sudden moves….no tricks either. No Katherine-ing." Damon pointed to the doppelganger while Rebekah and I surveyed the home. "Wow, a quilt and a fish aquarium…who the hell are you?" He deadpanned.

"An old lady." I muttered searching every spot for the cure.

"With terrible taste." Rebekah smirked.

Katherine opened a safe hidden within a book case with a very panicked expression.

"The cure is gone. It was right there!" The panic reached her voice.

"Yeah not following for that. Where is it Anti-Katherine?" Damon rolled his eyes.

Wow…this woman must have spent her whole life lying if no one believed a word that came out of her mouth.

"I swear it was right here!" She snapped.

"Where is the cure?" Rebekah hissed.

Katherine only smiled innocently which seemed to push the original over the edge. Damon stood between the two before she could rip the doppelgangers heart out of her chest.

"We need her alive. You check up stairs…we'll check down here."

Yes Damon I will help you look for the cure down here. Thank you for asking.

"So, if I was a paranoid, untrustive sociopath where would I hide it…" Damon thought aloud earning an amused expression from Katherine.

"This should be fun." She laughed, watching us search for the cure.

Damon stopped in front of the fish tank with a victories glint in his bright blue eyes.

"Wow that is a fancy little treasure chest in a tank with no fish!" He spoke slowly.

I smiled up at him and joined him by the tank. No fish…I guess this should have been the first obvious place to look at.

"We'll have to check it out."

Once his hand touched the water, a horrific hissing sound erupted. His skin was boiling from the harsh contact.

"Vervain water….looks like I'm right."

I held Damon's hands back and stared at him with disapproving eyes.

"Let me." I lightly moved him aside.

He smirked and held his hands up in mock surrender.

"See? What would you have done if I had just stayed behind?" I grinned.

"New blood toy, Damon?" Katherine eyed the two of us.

With a glare, I rolled up my sleeve and pulled the treasure box from the water. Opening the box, I pried the small white vile of blood out. This tiny thing was the cure…this small object was the reason we had been fighting so hard…

I was pulled from my thoughts when Katherine rushed forward and slammed Damon's face into the tanks water. The horrible hiss made my skin crawl.

"Give me the cure." She snarled.

I wouldn't be able to fight her.

"Don't you even dare." Rebekah spat, blocking any chance of escape.

I don't think I have been any happier to see a vampire before. Perfect timing. I could see the panic flash over the girls eyes…she must have been weighing her options. The veins beneath her eyes pulsed violently when she flashed her fangs…Katherine crunched down into her wrist before flashing forward, pinching my cheeks harshly and forced the red liquid down my throat.

"Let me leave." Katherine hissed, prying the cure from my fingers as she held me dangerously.

"I will kill you before you move." Rebekah snapped back.

I couldn't see Damon, but I could hear him moving. The amount of vervain exposed to him must have really done a number….my heart was beginning to panic and wanted to jump from my chest. I was really terrified…

"What means more to you? Killing me or the cure?" Katherine deduced.

Shoving me to the ground, she tossed the cure into the air which was enough of a distraction that she needed to escape. She was gone before I could even blink and Elena's only chance was in the originals clutches now.

Wiping the blood from my lips, I crawled over to Damon and tried to help him. His face was slowly healing from the severe burns.

"Rebekah…please…" I begged the girl.

"Elena doesn't want the cure…I need this Aria…I'm sorry." She smiled softly.

Ripping off the cap, Rebekah swallowed the vial's contents just as Stefan walked through the door.

"No…" His face fell in defeat and my heart broke for him..

The original fell to the couch with a thud, her eyes closed.

And just like that our fight for the cure was all for nothing. Helping Damon rise to his feet, he stalked off only to return with a towel as he dried himself of the poisonous water.

"Did you even try and stop her?" Stefan glared towards his brother.

"You seem to forget that I was bobbing for apples in vervain water!" Damon countered, his voice level rising.

"All you had to do was stall her!"

"Sorry it's Rebekah. I didn't have a pony to distract her with Stefan!"

"Enough! Jeez!" I hissed at the two.

Sitting by Rebekah's side, I figured that all we could do was wait now.

"Elena's going to be a vampire forever." Stefan spoke slowly…reality crushing down on him.

Rebekah's sudden gasp for air made me jump to my feet. Her eyes blinked frantically.

"How do you feel?" I questioned.

"I feel….great….alive." She smiled at me.

As much as I wanted to be happy for her…I couldn't…she did deserve a chance at a normal life but now the fight to bring Elena back to herself was going to be ten times harder than it needed to be.

"The only problem about being alive is…I can kill you now." Damon sneered.

With a small flick of his wrist, a sharp dagger went flying towards the new human…but even more shocking….the girl was able to catch it with no trouble. The small cut on her hand healed within seconds. Running my hands through my hair, I bit down on my bottom lip.

"It didn't work?" She cried.

"It worked just like she wanted it too. The cure was a fake…it must have been a concentrated shot of vervain or something."

What a clever girl. No wonder she was able to be on the run for so long.

"Unbelievable…" I moaned.

~.~.~.~.~.

Night had befallen the small town now. Damon and Stefan watched as their Cearess friend stood not so far away from them on the phone. She turned and gave them a small wave for them to go inside the café where Elena was waiting for them.

"Okay, I didn't exactly try that hard to stop Rebekah."

"What's your point Damon?"

"I'm sorry. I had a moment of weakness, Stefan…it's my thing."

"Like falling for the same girl is our thing." Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Was our thing." Damon grinned, turning to the brunette who was currently using the cover story they had come up with to her mother.

"And my point is: We can hate Katherine all we want but it was our choice…Elena didn't give up on me and I'm not going to give up on her. Once she's human again I'm going to let it be her choice…I'll leave town if I have too."

"Okay, Okay. Let's get the cure and then you can talk about running off into the sunset all by your lonesome."

"Guess all we have to do is convince her then." Stefan sighed.

The two walked into the dinner not surprised to find it empty. They were in a small town where most people were in bed by this hour. It was the same routine for everyone every day. Joining Elena at a lonely booth, the brown eyed girl gazed at them silently.

"What's with the silent treatment? You called us here." Damon muttered.

His attention was torn away when the entrance door opening causing a small bell to jingle. Aria smiled at him and sent him a wink before turning away. She approached the counter with a gentle smile on her face as she talked to the waitress. His perfectly attuned hearing allowed him to hear it all.

"Just a small coffee for the road." She asked politely.

Damon smiled and turned back the emotionless vampire but watched the girl from the corner of his eyes.

"I don't want the cure and you need to understand that I never will." Elena informed the brother's in a very businesslike tone. "I'm done talking about it. You accept it and let me be who I am or not."

"Elena, this isn't you." Stefan countered.

"It is now. You need to accept it or there will be consequences." She repeated with a threat lingering. Taking a slow slip of her coffee, she eyed her friend across the dinner.

"Listen, I was in the exact same situation that you were in now. I wasn't myself and that's what you're refusing to accept. You didn't give up on me. I won't give up on you." Stefan tried to reason with her.

With a shake of her head Elena rose to her feet and smoothed out her dress.

"Like I said, consequences. If you don't stop there will be more than one." She warned.

With quick speed, Elena appeared behind Aria with a harsh grip around her neck.

"Elena, stop." The girl warned her.

The fear was heavily present within her eyes. The three vampires could hear her heart thumping loudly in her chest…the beating only made her blood run faster which made the veins under Elena's eyes pulse violently.

Damon and Stefan were quick on their feet but they knew that one wrong move would set the girl off.

"Elena, this isn't you. You wouldn't kill your friends!" Stefan fought.

Elena shrugged nonchalantly.

"Have you forgotten that I almost killed Caroline?" Her eyes blinked innocently. "Stop searching for the cure…or there will be consequences…more lives taken and it will be all on you."

With a small gesture, she snapped the girl's neck and flashed away. Damon rushed forward before Aria's body could hit the floor. His hands shook and tightened with the fire that was burning in his chest. Just like in the cave when she had taken her supposed last breath, their blood connection felt like it was being severed away slowly with a dull knife.

"Damon…I….I…" Stefan struggled with his words.

He was still trying to reason with the fact that his once compassionate girlfriend had murdered a dear friend like she meant nothing.

"Katherine fed her Stefan…" Damon hissed through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"She had vampire blood in her system." He gently took the girls wrist in one of his hands…his thumb lightly tracing the Egyptian symbol. "And I don't think she's going to be so lucky this time."

A/N: Ahh, not that shabby of a chapter if I do say so myself. I had mentioned before that I had planned on Aria becoming a vampire. I had two versions where she became one on the island and one much later on but I managed to find a way to merge the two into this. The next chapter is going to stray from the main story line and focus on her transition because that was another plan I had when I started writing this. I will get back to the main story for the conclusion of this one. I think I have an idea for a sequel too.

Thank you for the reviews! I hope you're happy with this speedy update!