Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries in any shape or form. But I do own my OC.
A/N: Hopefully, you guys like this chapter! We'll see the Founder's Day Kick-off Party and the introduction of John Gilbert. And don't worry, Bonnie will return to the main storyline next chapter in Miss Mystic Falls.
Reviews:
LoveLiveLife22: Thank you so much!
NicoleR85: I know, I'm glad too. I'm sure we'll see more of that in the future.
Guest: Thanks!
tate4eva: No, thank you!
Guest: I agree. I think I'm sick of the Elena show, so I decided to write a story around Bonnie's development in Season 1 and 2. Caroline will have a bigger part in Season 2 after she gets turned into a vampire, but I'm trying to establish a prior relationship between Aliyah and Caroline beforehand. This is minor smut between Niklaus and Aliyah, not very explicit, but soft core.
Guest: Thank you so much!
Stormdancer
Chapter 5
Under Control
"I hate your friends. Like a lot." Aliyah grimaced, throwing herself down on Bonnie's bed, almost knocking the grimoires from her hands.
Bonnie sighed, having heard the same complaint from Aliyah after every single encounter she had with Elena, Stefan or Damon, and after an encounter will all three, Aliyah pretty much drank her anger away, downing at least a bottle of scotch.
"What did they do now?" Bonnie asked, gently, giving Aliyah a mock-sympathetic look.
"They're just so bloody annoying." Aliyah hissed, pushing herself off the bed with the palms of her hands. "They won't stop hounding me. Your BFF's boyfriend got himself kidnapped by a few of the tomb vampires last night."
"Wait, what?" Bonnie dropped the grimoire, haphazardly, on the bed and sat up, looking at Aliyah, intently. "What happened to Stefan?"
"Some of the tomb vampires kidnapped him for being the reason why they were all locked in the tomb in the first place – which, by the way, is a completely legitimate reason to seek revenge – and Damon and Elena sought by help to rescue him. But they compelled the owner of the house to not let Damon and I in, so we had to go to Alaric."
"Wait." Bonnie's eyes widened. "Mr Saltzman? My history teacher? Why would you go to him?"
"Oh, yeah… you don't know." Aliyah shook her head.
"Don't know what?" Bonnie asked through gritted teeth and the windows slammed open through an unseen gust of wind.
"Okay, first of all, calm down." Aliyah looked at her, sharply, a little apprehensive at the sight of magic so unrestrained. "Second of all, don't give me attitude." She said, sternly. "Your history teacher is a vampire hunter." She confessed.
"What does that even mean?" Bonnie threw her hands up in the air.
"Okay," Aliyah sighed. "There are some people in this world that hunt vampires usually with the intention of permanently destroying them. I've met quite a few of them over the years." She neglected to mention that she had known and been hunted by the original vampire himself. But thinking of Mikael just set her teeth on edge and dragged up memories that were best long forgotten "You see, I think after Isobel disappeared, Alaric became a vampire hunter to kill the vampire that he thought had killed her. At least, that's why I'd do. Of course, his wife turned out to be a total nutjob and actually wanted to be turned into a vampire." She rolled her eyes. "But, yeah, your wicked new history teacher is really a vampire hunter. He got into an altercation with Damon after he found out that Damon was the one to 'kill' her. Damon stabbed him in the chest with his own stake, Alaric died and came back to life."
"How did he come back to life?" Bonnie asked, confused.
"Do you remember when I asked you to look through Emily's grimoires for a resurrection spell? When I was looking through the grimoire myself, I think Emily must have put a spell on those rings to bring the wearer back to life after a supernatural death. They were given to Jonathan Gilbert back in 1864 as a way of fighting the vampires."
"So, how did Alaric find one?" Bonnie frowned.
"Give me some time. I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. But, to be fair, if Isobel is Elena's birth mother, there has to be some connection between Isobel and the Gilberts." Aliyah shrugged. "So, Damon killed him, Alaric was brought back and everything was fine, except, you know, for the fact that Damon was the one to turn Alaric's wife." She shook her head. "Damon just keeps making more and more mistakes. Anyway, we had to get inside the house to rescue Stefan. Alaric goes inside and tries to convince the human that owned the house to let us in. Of course she refuses, she's been compelled. Damon kills her and we can get inside-"
"Wait, Damon killed a human?" Bonnie hissed.
"You can get angry at the bad vampire later, Bonnie girl. Let me finish the story." Aliyah patted her hand, comfortingly.
"Wait, why didn't you just compel her to let you in?" Bonnie turned accusing eyes on Aliyah.
"Because compulsion doesn't work like that." Aliyah said, plainly, picking at one of the threads on Bonnie's quilt.
"What do you mean?" Bonnie asked, her voice suspiciously quiet.
"A vampire cannot undo the compulsion of someone who has already been previously compelled through a new compulsion." Aliyah explained. "So, even if Damon wasn't a sociopath, he couldn't have made her let us in. He killed her and the house reverted back to no one's ownership, which meant we could walk in. We killed a bunch of the tomb vampires, who had deviated from their leader's plain."
"Who's their leader?"
"Her name's Pearl Zhu." Aliyah told her, remembering what Damon had told her in the bar. "Apparently, she and Katherine were best friends back in 1864 and she was trapped in the tomb. Her daughter actually came here to find her. Her name's Anna and she struck up quite the friendship with your best friend's brother." She waggled her eyebrows, meaningfully.
"Wait…" Bonnie's eyes widened with horror and disgust. "Jeremy's dating a vampire?"
"Ouch." Aliyah held her hand to her chest, mock-hurt. "Don't be such a racist." She scolded, mildly, grinning when Bonnie blushed at the admonishment.
"How do you even know that they're dating? What have you been doing, Aliyah?" Bonnie asked, leaning forwards.
"Nothing." Aliyah exclaimed, trying to look as innocent as possible, but for a thousand year old vampire, this was practically impossible. "Okay, fine," Her shoulders slumped, admitting defeat. "So, I might have made friends with Jenna Sommers."
"Elena's aunt?" Bonnie's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"
"Well, I'm twenty-four, darling. I need some company if you're going to be such a shut-in, and the only one in town that is remotely my age is Damon Salvatore, and I'd rather stake myself in the stomach than have a drink with him." She shuddered, delicately. "I like Jenna. She's kind, unassuming, lovely hair and has a fire in her I haven't seen in awhile." She shrugged. "I met her outside the Grill, where a tomb vampire was trying to compel her. I shooed him away and we decided to have a couple of drinks together back at her place – and yes, that means I now have a full-fledged invitation to Elena Gilbert's house – and when we got there, I saw Anna and Jeremy in the midst of blood-sharing." She purred.
Bonnie looked interested. "What's blood-sharing?"
"It's very intimate when a human offers blood to a vampire, or a vampire offers blood to a human." Aliyah said, smiling serenely. "Mostly, only mated couples blood-share. It's a very intense process and it shouldn't be taken lightly."
Bonnie fidgeted. "Have you ever... blood-shared?" She asked in a stage whisper, a bit uncomfortable with the topic.
Aliyah smiled to herself. "I've been married twice, Bonnie girl. I have, more than once."
"But we can't let Jeremy date a vampire, especially one of the tomb vampires." Bonnie protested.
Aliyah shrugged. "It's not my problem, Bonnie. I've only met him once and I only know him through Jenna and Elena. I can't get involved in every single injustice that occurs in Mystic Falls, although by the way Mayor Lockwood kept looking down my dress, I should probably get involved in that injustice." She muttered. "Anyway, can I get back to my story or are you just not interested in hearing it anymore?" She asked, dryly.
Bonnie grimaced and threw her arms over her eyes, sinking back down onto the pillow. "Okay, fine, keep going."
"Anyway, Damon killed the house owner, I think her name was Mrs Gibbons, Alaric, myself and Damon fought off a bunch of the tomb vampires. Your friend, you know, brunette, kind of spoilt, dead ringer for a bitchy vampire, Elena Gilbert," Aliyah said her name with barely disguised distaste. "She has a death wish and it's not attractive. We told her so many times to stay in the bloody car and she still snuck inside." She shook her head. "Finally, we went down to the cellar, broke Stefan out and he and Elena escaped into the woods, as far as I know. Alaric, myself and Damon walked out the door and came into contact with Pearl and the other tomb vampires and she promised us she'd take care of any insubordination. The End."
"You really do hate Elena." Bonnie said, shaking her head.
"I can't help it. It's wired in me." She shrugged.
"What did Katherine do to you to make you hate Elena so much?" Bonnie asked, curiously.
Aliyah smiled, secretively. "Oh, Bonnie girl, this doppelganger nonsense goes way beyond simply Katherine Pierce. There's so much you and your friends still don't know."
"So, tell me." Bonnie said, urgently. "Help me protect my friends."
"No."
Bonnie glared at her. "How do you expect me to trust you when you won't-"
"Bonnie," Aliyah's eyes hardened and Bonnie was suddenly reminded that she was currently mouthing of to a vampire, a cool vampire that wasn't affected by magic, but a vampire nonetheless. "Please don't play games with me." She said, coldly. "If you are unable to trust me, I'd rather you just let me know and I can stop wasting my time. Don't think you're capable of playing games with me. I am helping Elena, Stefan and Damon out of my affection for you and with the shared interest of Katherine Pierce not finding out about Elena. You have no idea what's in store for Elena if it is found out that there is a living human doppelganger alive. I'm trying to protect Elena from that. That's why I can't tell you."
Bonnie bit her lip, suddenly afraid that she had offended the woman in front of her who had become so important to her in such a little man. "I'm sorry." She offered. "I wasn't being fair to you. It's not your job to protect my friends and I'm sorry. I… I don't know if I trust you." She confessed. "I mean, you're a vampire and everything inside of me is screaming at me not to trust you." She pursed her lips. "But… you're also my friend. I mean, you helped me at a time where I thought I had no one. My dad's AWOL. Elena's more concerned with Stefan and Damon and I love Caroline, but she has no idea about vampires or witches or any of this stuff. You took me into your home and you offered me guidance, I should be able to trust you, but…"
"It's fine, Bonnie." Aliyah placed a comforting hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "I don't expect you to trust me." She said, gently. "I know how hard it is to be a witch and to trust something that literally goes against nature. All I'm saying is… I know things about your friend, Elena, that I can't talk about right now. Things that I'm trying my hardest to avoid. It won't be easy, but all I ask is that you don't try and manipulate me to reveal those things. It will put all of you in danger, Bonnie, especially you, and I'm trying to avoid that if I can. If it means keeping you in the dark, then that's better in the long run."
"Katherine and Elena looking like each other isn't just a quirk of nature, is it?" Bonnie asked, quietly.
"Katherine and Elena don't just 'look like each other', they look identical, Bonnie." Aliyah confessed. "Elena is a complete and utter doppelgänger. But yes, it isn't just a quirk of nature. It means a lot of pain and anxiety for those involved and I'm trying to stop that from happening, for Elena's sake and your own."
"Why for Elena? You don't even like her." Bonnie pointed out.
"I don't like her, that's true. But I've spent my existence trying to prove to myself that, while I might be a vampire, that doesn't have to make me a monster. I'm a vampire, but that's not all I am. Just because you're a witch, a Bennett witch at that, doesn't mean that magic has to be the be all and end all of your life, Bonnie. You can have a life outside grimoires and aneurism spells and vampires, Bonnie. That's what I want for you. I've seen too many witches die before even having the chance to live their life and I want to see you live your life."
"I don't like Elena and I probably never will. I might tolerate her for your sake, but that's as far as it will most likely go. Frankly, her ancestor has done me entirely too much harm for me to be able to treat Elena, fairly, and I know that's wrong, but I can't help it. But that doesn't mean I'm willing to let vampires take advantage of an innocent teenage girl for their own devices. I'm a bitch, but I'm not cruel. Elena, at the end of the day, no matter how much her appearance and personality gets on my nerves, is just a girl who got shoved into a world in which she has no place." Aliyah shrugged. "And, as for why I'm helping her, the other reason is you. Did you ever wonder why I wanted you to strengthen your powers, Bonnie?"
"I thought that you wanted me to do something for you." Bonnie confessed. "But that was at the beginning." She hastened to clarify.
Aliyah nodded. "To be honest, I'd rather have you on my side than against me." She said, truthfully. "But, I learnt the hard way that witches should stay out of unnatural business. It doesn't work for them in the long run. My mother-in-law, myself and many of the witches that I've befriended over the years have all paid the price for getting themselves involved with vampires and I don't want that for you." She shrugged. "There's more to your life than helping vampires and I don't want you to go down that path."
"You just spent the last few months being the dial-a-witch for Stefan, Damon and Elena and that's no way to live. I don't want you to be unprotected ever again." She said, sincerely. "The reason why I'm pushing you to strengthen your powers, to learn more about what you can do with them, is to make sure you never find yourself in a situation where you're pushed around by vampires or witches or anyone, even me." She murmured.
"Thank you, Ali." Bonnie murmured and threw her arms around Aliyah's shoulders. Aliyah hugged back, smoothing down her hair. "And I'm sorry again."
"It's fine, darling. You don't have to thank me, Bonnie girl. I just want you to be the best Bonnie Bennett you can be."
"So, tell me one good reason why I'm helping you?" Aliyah asked, genuinely not knowing the answer.
"Because I'm hot and appealing and you just can't stay away from me." Damon shrugged.
"Yeah, that's definitely not the reason why." Aliyah smirked. "So, your brother's a stone's throw away from feasting on every unsuspecting townsperson and you want my help?" She shook her head. "Really, Stefan's inability to control himself is just screwing everyone's lives at this point."
"By the way, when we saw you again, you mentioned 'the Ripper of Monterey'. How did you know about that?" Damon asked, curiously
Aliyah shrugged. "I ran into your brother back in the 1920s. He was in pretty much a blood haze back then, feeding on every thing that walked his path. I doubt he even remembers seeing me."
"He'll be off the wagon soon." Damon pointed out.
"He will, won't he?" Aliyah smiled. "What will you do if he goes off the wagon?" She asked, interested.
Damon shrugged. "Probably poison him with vervain and stuff him in the basement of the Boarding House. It's what he did to me after Caroline." He paled, remembering the way Aliyah had attacked him after finding out what he did to Caroline. "Probably best to stay way from that topic…"
Aliyah's eyes went steely. "Probably best." She said, finally. "Why are you telling me all of this?"
Damon smirked. "When Stefan goes all Ripper, I'm gonna need back-up, especially since I don't have my resident witch anymore."
Aliyah growled, lowly. "Watch it, Salvatore. I've warned you entirely too many times and frankly, I'm getting sick of it. If you so much as go near Bonnie, I will make you tear off every single one of your limbs and make you eat them." She deadpanned, her eyes showing that she meant every single word she was saying.
"How would you do that?" Damon smirked, obviously not taking her seriously
Aliyah smirked. "I can be very persuasive when I want to." She purred. She straightened, a dark look entering her eyes. "She is not 'your' anything. If she belongs to any vampire, she belongs to me and I'm very possessive of the things which I consider mine."
I learnt from the best. She thought, wryly.
"Anyway," She smiled, blindingly, as if she had not just threatened to remove his limbs. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"That girl they found in the woods a couple of nights ago?" Aliyah nodded. "She didn't drug overdose like the coroner's office ruled. I actually turned her into a vampire and had to stake her when she lost control."
Aliyah shook her head. "You have absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever, do you?"
He might actually be worse than Niklaus. At least, Niklaus has never forced himself on a woman. He never turned his humanity off, not once.
"Oh, please, Morticia, you known you love me." Damon waggled his eyebrows. "Anytime you wanna show it-"
Aliyah reached in between their bodies and tore at the skin of his arm with her nails, leaving bloody trails and jagged holes in his shirt in her wake.
"That's how I show it." She said, innocently. "Anything else?"
"Elena's uncle is back in the picture. He's a total tool. He told us that a hospital blood bank of Amherst reported several break-ins over the past two weeks. 7 hunters, 4 campers and 2 states employees within a 75-mile radius of Mystic Falls have been reported missing as well."
"Oh, joy, another Gilbert." Aliyah groaned. "Just what I need."
"But Stefan's the major problem right now and then we can deal with John Gilbert." Damon said, confidently.
"We?" Aliyah raised an eyebrow. "By the way, do you always confirm all of your plans with your brother's girlfriend?" She asked, smirking, gesturing to the Gilbert house, which they approached.
"Why, jealous?" Damon smirked, smugly.
"Not even in your nightmares." Aliyah said, blankly.
They walked up the steps onto the Gilbert's porch. Damon reached out and knocked on the door, swiftly, the two of them waiting patiently until Elena opened the door.
"Oh, good, you're here." Elena smiled, gratefully, at Damon.
Damon smirked. "You ask, I come. I'm easing like that." He said, playfully, making Aliyah roll her eyes at his flirting.
She turned to Aliyah. "Why are you here?" She asked, uncomfortably, not knowing how to act around the hostile vampire. It was such a strange thought for her not to be liked by someone. She was the one liked by everyone, but she didn't know why the woman in front of her absolutely disliked her.
"Damon asked me to join him." Aliyah shrugged. "He's like the stray dog that follows you around everywhere."
Elena pointed upstairs and Damon and Aliyah could see Jeremy eating in the kitchen, alone.
Damon smirked, a wicked thought occurring to him. "No, Elena, I will not go to your bedroom with you." He called out, loudly, hoping that Jeremy would hear them.
Elena glared, viciously, at him and caught his arm. Aliyah and Damon laughed and they stepped over the threshold.
Elena stared at Aliyah, horrified. "How did you get inside the house? Don't you have to be invited in?"
Aliyah nodded. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. We do. But I've already been invited in." She said, innocently. "Your aunt and I had a couple of drinks in your house a couple of nights ago." She shrugged.
"If you hurt Aunt Jenna…" Elena hissed.
"Hold it, little girl." Aliyah held up her hand to stop Elena from talking. "Remember what I told you about threatening me?" Aliyah asked, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Just like I told you, I have absolutely no intention of hurting your aunt. I actually quite like her." She paused. "Which was very shocking for me… seeing as she's related to you."
Actually, she might not be.
Elena scowled at her and pushed Damon and Aliyah towards the stairs, gesturing for them to go upstairs with her. Jeremy looked at them with confusion and interest from the kitchen. Elena, Aliyah and Damon entered her bedroom.
"Ah, just like I remember." Damon sighed.
Aliyah rolled her eyes.
Elena glared at him and flushed slightly, sneaking a glance at Aliyah, not wanting the woman to think badly of her. "Stop messing around." She told Damon, warningly.
Damon flopped onto her bed and took the large, stuffed teddy bear with him.
"Did you know that your uncle has been kicking it with the Founder's Council?" Damon asked, suddenly.
Elena glanced at Aliyah, nervously. "What?" She asked Damon.
"Yep." Damon nodded.
Elena sighed and shook his head. "Perfect, we'll just add it to the growing list of how everything is falling apart."
Damon looked at the broken lamp on the floor with interest. "What happened right there?"
Elena blushed bright red and Aliyah smirked, realising what had actually happened. "Uh… nothing."
Aliyah chuckled. "I'll bet."
Elena looked uncomfortable when Damon's blue eyes turned on her. "Look, Damon, Aliyah, I'm worried about Stefan. He says that everything's okay but he's clearly struggling. How long is it gonna take before he goes back to normal?"
Damon shrugged. "A few days. Give or take."
"It's been a few days." Elena pointed out, frustrated.
"What were you expecting when you dated a vampire, Elena?" Aliyah asked, confused. "Your boyfriend drinks blood, he'll lose control at some point, he might even snack on you to get rid of some of those urges. You don't wanna play by the rules, don't play the game."
"What's the big deal?" Damon asked and threw himself off the bed, handing Elena the teddy bear.
"He's not himself." Elena said, urgently, looking between Aliyah and Damon.
Damon moved over to Elena's dresser, opened one of the drawers and peered into it. "Well, maybe his problem is that he has spent too long not being himself." He snatched a bra from the drawer and held it up for Elena's sight.
Aliyah rolled her eyes and took the bra from him, shoving it back in the drawer and making sure to catch Damon's fingers as she did so.
"Would it kill you to stop being a pervert for five minutes?" Aliyah asked, dryly.
Elena looked at her, gratefully, and Aliyah shrugged. "We girls have to stick together. Against the stupid percentage of the male population."
Damon tried to mess around with other items and knick-knacks that lay around Elena's room, Elena running after him to make sure he didn't break anything.
Damon turned to look at Elena and considered her, seriously. "It is what it is Elena. The Stefan you know was "good behaviour Stefan", 'reign it in Stefan", "fight against his nature into an annoying excessive level Stefan" but if you think there isn't another part to this then you have not been paying attention."
Elena took back a photo frame he was holding. "He's not you, not even close." She protested.
"You're right, Elena." Aliyah said, suddenly. "Stefan isn't Damon. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to be. Damon has a lot of control for someone of his age. He's just ridiculously impulsive and he has anger issues the size of the French Quarter. But Stefan's worse."
"Stefan's nothing like-" Elena protested, hotly.
"Stefan's the Ripper of Monterey." Aliyah snapped. "Do you know what that means? Even if he wasn't a Ripper, did you imagine that your boyfriend hadn't killed anyone before? That he had never drank a drop of human blood? Of course he had. It's in a vampire's nature to drink human blood. Just because he tries to satisfy that urge by drinking bunnies dry doesn't mean it works. It makes him weak until he gets to the point where he can't do anything else but drink human blood. He's getting there. He's losing control. And there's nothing you can say that would defend him."
And then, suddenly, Aliyah and Damon were gone.
"You're really getting into all of this Founding Families garbage, aren't you?" Bonnie asked, arranging Aliyah's curls over her shoulders.
Aliyah smoothed down the mid-thigh, halter-neck silver dress, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She settled the thick black belt that fell under her bust, moving it so that it was more comfortable against her torso.
"Are you insane? This is hell on Earth for me." Aliyah rolled her eyes. "My brother-in-law was the one who was good at schmoozing with rich, entitled people. My husband never had any patience for them, he just simply killed them when they pissed him off."
"Something tells me I wouldn't like your husband." Bonnie muttered under her breath.
Aliyah snorted. "No one likes my husband." She tugged at her long earrings. "I never really had much patience for these things, but I did it out of necessity. After centuries of going to these parties and pretending to me interested in what rich people are interested in, I'm just kind of sick of it."
"Well, thanks for not making me go." Bonnie grinned at her in the mirror.
Aliyah spun around to face her. "Don't thank me. This is your last free pass. You're going back to school next week." She said, sternly.
Bonnie's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
"School, Bonnie. Remember school? The institution that you visit to learn?" Aliyah said, sarcastically. "You're going back next week. It's Miss Mystic Falls next week and both of your best friends are running, so you're going to be a good friend and support them when they try and validate their self-esteem by trying to win a pretty crown."
"I hate you." Bonnie grumbled.
"I know, Bonnie girl, but what kind of female role model would I be if I kept letting you wag school?" She leaned down and kissed the shorter girl on the cheek. "I'm gonna hate this, but it's a good way to keep an eye on things. I can watch the Founders' Council at work, talk to John Gilbert and find out what he knows and keep an eye on the Salvatore brothers."
"Have fun reading your dusty grimoires and don't knock over any liquor stores, okay?"
She winked at the younger girl and shut the front door behind her.
"Well, don't you two cut dashing figures in suits?" Aliyah smirked, walking up to the Salvatore brothers outside the Founder's Hall, her six-inch black pumps sinking into the grass as she stalked forwards.
"And you look beautiful." Damon's eyes roved over her lithe figure in the dress. "Are you sure you don't want to-"
"You really don't want me to shove my foot-"
"Can you both stop with your bickering? I'm already having a hard enough time as it is without having to deal with your 'thing'."
"'Thing'? We don't have a 'thing'?" Aliyah scoffed.
"Of course you do." Stefan smirked. "He says something completely stupid, sleazy and Damon-like, you get angry and then you threaten him or actually bodily hurt him, he heals and then he starts up again. It's annoying, so stop." He said, sharply.
"You know," Aliyah's smile turned dangerous and both brothers were suddenly reminded that the woman before them was centuries older than them. "I think I'll take your new-found inability to resist the slightest drop of blood without turning into a foaming-at-the-mouth, blood-sucking monster as the reason for you disregarding to show me some respect. I'm centuries older than you and I can kill you both anytime I want. You should definitely remember that." She observed her sharp nails with new-found interest.
"Oh god! I shouldn't be here." Stefan groaned.
Damon smirked. "Come on, don't be a downer, it's a party for the founding families! That would be us. That would be rude to skip it."
Stefan stared at Damon for a moment. "I really liked you a whole lot better when you hated everybody."
Damon nodded. "Oh I still do. I just love that they love me." He laughed and looked at Stefan, an uncharacteristically soft look entering his eyes. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good, I'm fine." Stefan said, reassuringly.
"No cravings? No urges? Is that whiskey you've been drinking all day doing its job?" Stefan and Aliyah laughed. "We are who we are Stefan. Nothing's gonna change that."
"Ah! Nothing will make you happier to just see me give up, huh, Damon?" Stefan stared at his brother, knowingly.
Damon shrugged. "Whatever, it's inevitable."
"Well, I'm gonna find Elena." Stefan told them before leaving.
"Don't embarrass me, young man!" Damon called out.
"Aliyah Bennett?" A feminine voice called out and Aliyah looked up from her glass of whiskey, as a middle-aged, short blonde-haired woman in a police officer's uniform approached her. "As you're the only person in this room that I don't recognise, I'm going to guess that you're Aliyah, Bonnie's cousin."
Aliyah smiled, slowly, wondering if she was about to be threatened. "Yes, I'm Aliyah. And you are…" She trailed off, expectantly.
"Elizabeth Forbes, I'm the sheriff of Mystic Falls. But, call me Liz." Liz outstretched her hand and Aliyah shook it. "Carol Lockwood asked me to introduce myself to you. It sounds like you're going to be here for awhile and I make it a point to know everyone in Mystic Falls."
"Forbes? Any relation to Caroline?" Aliyah asked, inquisitively, already knowing the answer.
"I'm her mother. You know Caroline?" Liz raised an eyebrow.
"I've intercepted a few of her calls to Bonnie." Aliyah laughed, sheepishly, and rubbed the back of her neck. "And I bet her at that Bachelor Raffle a few nights ago. She's a lovely girl and she's really been there for Bonnie. You must be really proud of her." She said, softly.
Liz took taken-aback by the sudden defence of her daughter, sounding so different to the number of complaints she had received and had thought of her insecure, and neurotic, shallow daughter. "She… really is." She stammered.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by the approach of Jeremy Gilbert, whose attention was directed towards Liz.
"Excuse me, Sheriff. I was curious if there's been any more information about what happened to Vicki Donovan?" Jeremy asked, hurriedly.
Aliyah remembered Damon talking about the recently-turned vampire that he had sired and staked and wondered if Jeremy had been seeing Vicki Donovan as well. If he had, then Elena wasn't the only Gilbert with a thing for vampires.
"It was an overdose, Jeremy." Sheriff Forbes said, softly.
"Yeah, but her body was buried. Somebody must have done that." Jeremy pointed out.
Aliyah looked around the room and her eyes fell onto Damon, who was obviously listening in on the conversation and looked very uncomfortable.
"We're aware of that. The investigation is ongoing but there's nothing more I can tell you at this time. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Jeremy said, sadly.
Aliyah walked up to the bar and ordered another glass of whiskey, sipping on it as she avoided all the invitations for a dance. She watched, out of the corner of her eye, as Damon sauntered up to her, all cocky like, joining her at the bar and ordering a glass of whiskey.
"Oh, Gods, will you stop stalking me?" Aliyah groaned and dipped her lips into the scotch.
"Oh, please," Damon scoffed. "You love it."
"Yes, I love it like I love gonorrhoea." Aliyah said, spitefully.
Elena came up to them.
"And today just gets better and better." Aliyah muttered to herself.
"Have you noticed what your brother has been up to?" Elena told Damon.
Damon snorted. "No, I have been too preoccupied with yours." '
Elena looked at him with scepticism and alarm.
"I think he's referring to the fact that Jeremy has been asking questions about Vicki Donovan's death." Aliyah offered, tipping her drink in Elena's direction.
"How do you even know all of this?" Elena asked, throwing her hands in the air.
"Easy, darling, you're making a scene." Aliyah purred. "And I was with Sheriff Forbes when Jeremy came up to her, asking about Vicki."
"He knows that her death was ruled an overdose." Elena pointed out.
Aliyah raised an eyebrow. " 'Oh, but sheriff, someone buried her. Who would do that?'."
"I know, I know! Me! I mean, I could compel him, but he's wearing vervain." Damon muttered.
Elena shook her head. "No, I don't want you to compel him."
"If he keeps asking questions…" Damon pointed out.
"Damon, no, I'm serious. I'm not going to do that to him again. I'll handle it." Elena told them.
Damon shrugged. "Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Aliyah stood on the balcony, looking out onto the grass, when she heard someone approach her from behind. She turned around and saw a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, a smug face and sharp suit walking towards her.
"You must be Aliyah, right?" John said. "Carol Lockwood told me about the photojournalist writing a book on Mystic Falls."
"You're John Gilbert. Elena's uncle." Aliyah cocked her head and smiled. "Are you enjoying the kick-off party?" She asked, innocently.
John nodded, taking her left on the balcony. "Oh yeah. I forgot how much fun these small town celebrations can be."
"Yeah. When was the last time you were here?" Aliyah asked, faking an interest.
"Hasn't been that long, my brother's funeral. How long have you been in town?"
"Oh, not long at all. Just a couple of weeks." Aliyah said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, right, Carol did tell me who you are. You're Bonnie Bennett's cousin. The same Bonnie that happens to be best friends with my niece. But, it's weird, you know, I swear I've seen a picture of you before."
"That can't be possible." A smile played on Aliyah's lips.
"Her name was even the same, but the surname was different. Aliyah Mikaelson, maybe she's your ancestor?" John asked, innocently.
"Perhaps." Aliyah said, playing along.
"There was this legend about her. Apparently, she was a vampire. One of the first vampires."
The smile fell from Aliyah's face and she tensed, realising that John Gilbert knew exactly who she was and he was attempting to threaten her with that knowledge. "Vampires don't exist."
John Gilbert shrugged. "Oh, but this one's story is very interesting. It's said that she's married to a vampire named Klaus. But you already knew that didn't you?" He smirked, as if he had managed to catch her in a trap. "I mean, it's you, isn't it?"
"Is there any particular reason why you're telling me this?" Aliyah purred, turning to face him.
John shrugged. "I just thought we get the introduction outs of the way."
"Ah!" Aliyah nodded. "If you know about me, and you know about my husband, you should probably know that I can rip your heart out of your chest and make it look like an accident." She said, sweetly.
"Yes."
"Yeah, okay. But you probably ingest vervain so, I wouldn't bite you." She said, thoughtfully.
"Why don't you take a bite to find out?" John suggested.
Aliyah laughed and her hand reached out, suddenly, gripping John by the throat and squeezed. "You know I could drain you of the vervain any time I like." She crooned. "I'd string you up in my apartment and slice the major veins, one at a time, and bleed you out. But that would kill you." She looked down at his hand. "But you're wearing that pesky ring, aren't you? So, you'd just come back to life and all of that hard work would be a waste." She lunged forwards and tore the ring off his hand, a fearful look finally entering his eyes, and bounced it in her hands. "Now, I could kill you," She smiled. "But that's entirely too simple." She slid the ring back on his finger. She looked thoughtful. "I could turn you." A horrified look entered his eyes. "But I have this thing about offering my blood to undeserving humans."
"So, why don't you tell me how you know I'm an Original?" Aliyah smirked.
John shrugged. "I have my sources."
"You should probably know that if you have anything untoward planned for me," Aliyah narrowed her eyes. "My husband will descend on you." She said, coldly. "And he's not one to worry about pesky things like Town Councils, he'll just kill every single person in the town until he gets me back."
"You have a lot of faith in a guy you haven't seen in eighty-five years." John wheezed out.
"I do." Aliyah said, confidently. "My husband and I have millions of issues, but I have absolutely no doubt that he would decimate Mystic Falls if something happened to me."
She smiled, suddenly. "Damon, would you come here for a moment?" She called out and Damon stepped out of the shadows. "Damon, this is John Gilbert, Elena's uncle. Say hello."
"Hello." Damon said, blankly.
Aliyah turned her attention back to John. "I'm not just a vampire, John. I'm an Original and no Podunk town council against vampires will be able to take me down. Least of all, you." She smiled. "I'm an Original and that means that I can compel other vampires. Not to mention, humans. But you're on vervain and I'm trying to stay out of the spotlight, which means Damon here…" She patted him on the shoulder. "…is going to do all of my dirty work for me. It's a warning, keep your mouth shut and I will allow you to live." She said, warningly.
"Damon, why don't you…" She looked thoughtful. "…break his neck and throw him off the balcony. You won't remember any of what happened here, Damon. You came here, you had an altercation with John and he knows that a you're a vampire from 1864." She looked at John, whose face was a mix of anger and worry. "Which I'm sure you do, right?" He nodded, stiffly. "Oh, buck up, John, you'll just come back to life, anyway."
"Damon, do it now." She squeezed Damon's shoulder and spun on her heel, walking away from the balcony and re-entering the Founder's Hall.
Stefan was still drinking at the bar when Damon and Aliyah joined him.
"You want to hear the bad news or the really bad news?" Damon asked Stefan as they approached.
Stefan grimaced. "Actually, I don't want any news, Damon."
"Alright, let me rephrase. Do you want to hear how the council is back in vampire mode or how I just killed Uncle John Gilbert?" Damon smirked.
Stefan spun around on their feet to stare at him with shock. "What?"
"Great party, by the way, huh?" Aliyah muttered.
Damon smiled and left, leaving Stefan and Aliyah alone at the bar. Stefan made to go after him, but stopped when he saw Kelly crying and bleeding, and he approached her.
"Is everything alright?" Stefan asked, softly.
"No. I ruined it, I always ruin it. What is wrong with me?" Kelly sobbed.
Stefan slipped to her knees and stared at the blood coming out of Kelly's forehead. He touched the blood on her forehead, gently.
"What are you doing?" Kelly asked, confused.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Aliyah snarled, her hand coming down heavy on Stefan's shoulder.
The shock of the grip forced Stefan to finally come around.
"Uh, I'm sorry." Stefan murmured and got up and left, Aliyah following him.
She went outside to see Stefan standing by himself, raising his fingers, which were dripping with blood, to his lips and licking the blood off them.
"Thank you all, thank you very much, thank you. Thank you all for joining us tonight. In just a few moments, we will officially begin the countdown to our upcoming Founders' Day celebration and it's a very special one this year. The one hundred fiftieth birthday of our town and I would like to welcome back one of our town's favourite sons to do the honours of ringing our official charter bell. John Gilbert, would you please join me up here?" Mayor Lockwood called out.
Everyone applauded and John joined the mayor on the stage, Damon and Aliyah staring at him.
"He's alive? How is he alive?" Damon hissed at Aliyah.
"Look at his ring, Pennywise, he has one just like Alaric's. So, you snapping his neck and throwing him off the balcony wouldn't exactly kill him permanently." Aliyah rolled her eyes.
"One hundred and fifty years of community, prosperity, family. We take care of each other, we look after each other, protect each other;" John looked at Damon and Aliyah. "It's good to be home."
Everyone clapped and Damon dragged Aliyah over to Alaric.
"Look at his right hand." Damon muttered to Aliyah.
"Whose?" Alaric asked, his brow furrowing.
"The town's favourite son. Look at his ring." Aliyah told him.
John rang the bell and the same ring that Alaric wore was shown to Alaric.
"Well, it looks like mine." Alaric commented.
"Yeah, and that would be a big coincidence if he didn't just came back from the death five minutes ago. Where the hell did you get that ring?" Damon asked, curiously.
"Isobel, my wife."
"Who gave birth to Elena, under the medical care of the esteemed Doctor Grayson Gilbert, John's brother." Aliyah finished, smirking at them when they stared at her with shocked eyes.
They all looked at John.
"Do you think John knew Isobel?" Alaric asked.
Aliyah's smile turned vicious. "John knows a lot of things."
"Why do I have to join in your ambush?" Aliyah muttered as she, Damon and Alaric waited for John to leave the Founder's Hall.
"Because you're our ace in the hole." Damon shrugged and then shushed her when he saw John leaving. "Going somewhere?" He called out.
"I've never liked to be the last one to leave a party. It's too desperate. You going to kill me again or you gonna let Mr Saltzman do your dirty work?" John said, directing his last comment towards Aliyah.
"I haven't decided yet." Aliyah smirked. "I prefer to keep my victims on their toes."
"Okay, you obviously know who I am." Alaric said, glaring at John.
"I do. Alaric Saltzman, a high school history teacher with a secret."
"Sure know a lot for someone who just got to town." Damon said through gritted teeth.
"More than you can imagine, Damon. My knowledge of this town goes beyond anything that you," He looked at Damon. "Or you," He looked at Alaric. "Or the council knows. Of course, probably not as much as you." He smiled at Aliyah. "So, if you're planning on some clever high speed snatch ring vamp kill move again, know that if I die, everything I know goes to the council including the fascinating little tale of the original Salvatore brothers and their present day return to Mystic Falls, and their vampire friend who's much older than she pretends to be."
Damon looked surprised and didn't know what to say, but Aliyah cocked her head, wondering whether it was actually worthwhile keeping the human alive. If Niklaus were here, he'd have torn the ring off, snapped the human's neck and been on his merry way, as there was nothing that the town council could do to kill them.
"How did you get that ring?" Alaric asked John.
"I had inherited one, my brother Gray had the other. This was his," He showed his ring to them. "And I wouldn't have given mine to Isobel if I had known she'd hand it over to another guy."
"So you did know her?" Damon asked.
John shrugged. "Who do you think send her your way when she wanted to become a vampire?"
Damon raised an eyebrow. "You sent her?"
"Guilty." John smirked. "Why, did you think someone else send her? Maybe Katherine Pierce?"
Damon narrowed his eyes, tensing. "How do you know about Katherine?"
"How do I know anything, Damon?" John asked, loftily.
"What do you want?" Damon snapped.
"So many questions. It was a pleasure meeting you, Ric. I've heard so much about you." John smirked and then left.
"Katherine. All of this comes back to Katherine. When I get my hands on that little bitch, I'll tear her head from her shoulders." Aliyah snarled.
"How do you think he knows Katherine?" Damon asked.
Aliyah snorted. "Of course he knows Katherine."
"What do you mean?" Damon asked, frowning.
"Why do you think Elena looks like the spitting image of Katherine? And just not a few similarities?" Aliyah's hands fell to her lips.
Damon shrugged. "I thought it was a quirk of nature."
Aliyah snorted. "Try genetics."
Damon's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"It's a bloodline, dumbass. They look exactly like each other because they're family. They're related. Katherine is Elena's grandmother like a hundred times removed." Aliyah said, slowly, as if she were speaking to a small child.
"That's impossible." Damon said, shaking her head.
"You didn't know her at all, did you?" Aliyah said, sympathetically. "I wouldn't worry, Katerina has a tendency to be a manipulative bitch."
Damon ran a hand through his hair. "I don't believe this."
"Well, it's true, Damon. I'm sorry." Aliyah sighed. "Well, I've had my fair share of drama for today. I'm gonna head home." She smiled at Alaric and Damon. "Bye, boys, I'll see you later."
"It was awful." Aliyah moaned.
"I bet you're just making that up." Bonnie teased.
"No, it was absolutely horrible." Aliyah sat up. "What do you know about John Gilbert?"
"Elena's uncle?" Bonnie asked and Aliyah nodded. Bonnie shrugged. "I don't really know him all that well. He hasn't been back to Mystic Falls since Elena's parents' funeral. I'm fairly sure that Elena doesn't really like him all that much, even though he's her uncle."
"Oh, I don't think he's her uncle." Aliyah shook her head.
"What are you talking about?" Bonnie asked, confused.
"Well, I was figuring out the relationship between Katherine and Elena. If I tell you something, can I trust you not to tell anyone else?"
Bonnie sat up, her face turning serious. "Sure, what is it?"
"No one knows this, but after I saw Elena, I did some research. I already knew that Katerina Petrova – that is, Katherine Pierce – was born in Bulgaria back in 1473. But, what I didn't know is when she was 16 or 17, she fell pregnant by some man. When she gave birth, Katerina's father took the child from her and gave the child to another family. I think Elena's descended from Katherine's line through Isobel."
"So, Elena and Katherine are related and that's why they look identical?" Bonnie's brow furrowed.
Aliyah nodded. "Yes. But then, I was trying to figure out who Elena's father could be. Call it scholar's curiosity. I was trying to form the connection between Isobel and the Gilberts and I think I just found my link. John confessed that he knew Isobel and I think he still knows her. So, tell me, if you got a sixteen-year-old pregnant and you had a brother, who was a doctor, and whose wife was unable to get pregnant, what would you do?" She asked, conspiratorially.
"Wait, you're not saying what I think I'm saying?" Bonnie leaned back. "Are you?"
"I think John Gilbert's Elena's father." Aliyah purred.
"No way." Bonnie shook her head.
"Oh, come on, buy into the conspiracy." Aliyah smacked her, lightly, on the arm.
"Ugh, now you have me thinking things I'd rather not be thinking." Bonnie shook her head, disgusted.
"So, Miss Mystic Falls is next week." Aliyah said, nudging her in the side.
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Do I really have to go back to school? She asked, her eyes widening comically.
"Yes." Aliyah said, finally. "What kind of 'guiding force in your life' would I be if I let you turn into a hermit? You're young, Bonnie girl, you should be out there, living your life." She chided.
"But, I'm still learning." She protested, gesturing to the pile of grimoires stacked up on the floor.
"And you can still learn." Aliyah said, reassuringly. "Just after you finish your homework and school." She ran a hand through her hair. "So, do you have a date for Miss Mystic Falls?"
Bonnie laughed, the idea of her having a date incredibly funny to her. "No, I don't have a date."
Aliyah pouted. "Why not? You're young, smart, gorgeous. Why don't you have a date?"
Bonnie shrugged. "I've had a few boyfriends, but nothing serious like what Elena and Caroline have had. Guys have always flocked towards them." She said, sadly.
Aliyah's brow furrowed. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." She shook her head. "Why wouldn't guys want you? You're amazing." She scowled.
"What about you?" Bonnie asked, deciding to change the subject. "Do you have a date?"
Aliyah laughed. "Of course not. Darling, I am married."
"Well, he's not here, is he?" Bonnie smirked. "There's gotta be someone."
"No." Aliyah shook her head, sadly. "I don't do the dating thing, Bonnie. I really do love my husband… even if we've been separated for eighty-five yeas."
"Why not just end it? I mean, eighty-five years…" Bonnie trailed off.
"I love him." Aliyah shrugged, a wistful look entering her eyes. "And there are times, and they are few in between, that I actually miss him."
"Do you talk to him?" Bonnie asked, softly.
"I haven't spoken to him since… 1976." Aliyah murmured, rubbing the back of her neck.
"I have no idea why I am doing this." Aliyah pouted and her head sank back against the pillow.
"You said that you would let me paint you." Niklaus reminded her, smirking, devilishly.
"You did not tell me that you wanted to paint me… in the nude." She said through gritted teeth.
"Well, I do, so hush and let me paint in peace." Niklaus chided.
Niklaus stood before a large canvas that he had set up in their bedchambers, alternating between looking at Aliyah, who was lying on their silk sheets, gloriously bare, and at the painting. She posed in the same position as Titian's 'Venus of Urbino', one of her elbows resting against a pillow next to her head and the other curling around her thigh, her fingers precariously close to the soft, damp flesh between her thighs. Her body was flushed and wet from the heat, and her skin dark against the green silk of their sheets.
"Are we almost done?" Aliyah asked, impatiently. "Rebekah and Kol will be knocking on our door soon." She reminded him.
Niklaus' eyes narrowed as the painted the curve of her hip just right. "Patience, hellcat. I don't have many chances to do this."
Aliyah couldn't help the fond smile that spread across her pink lips when she saw the determined, intent look on his face whenever he was drawing or painting. It was as if the cruel, immoral vampire mask that he displayed to the public disappeared, and all was left was her Niklaus, her artiste. She didn't even have to be the subject of his focus, all she would do is sit beside him, reading a book, while he painted for hours.
"And… I… am… finished…" Niklaus drawled, his paintbrush making one more stroke before he took a step back.
"Well," Aliyah ran her hand through her hair and seductively curled her body. She watched in pride as Niklaus' eyes darkened, as he stalked forwards. She bit her lip. "How would you like your payment, Mr Artiste?" She purred, playfully, her finger beckoning him towards her.
He climbed onto the bed and crawled over to her, moving so that his body was directly on top of her. His large hand slid through her hair and tipped her head back, exposing the long, lean line of her neck to his dark gaze. She moaned in anticipation and she smiled, wickedly, having a sudden thought. She hooked her feet behind his legs and with a show of strength, she threw him off her, instead pinning him to the bed and straddling his hips. She leaned back, exposing her naked body to his lustful eyes, and pulled her long mane of hair so that it was in front of her shoulders and almost covering her breasts from his gaze. She knew how much he loved having his hands in her hair when they made love.
"Hmm," Niklaus growled, his eyes raking over her naked body. "My sweet little hellcat wants to have her way with me, does she?" He threw his hands out to his sides. "Have at it, my love." He crooned as she rocked down on him.
"No, it wouldn't do well for me to take a date to the pageant." Aliyah shook her head. "I'm still very much in love with my husband, and I'm not ready to move on yet."
"Do you think… he's moved on?" Bonnie asked, hesitantly, hoping that she wasn't about to hurt Aliyah's feelings.
Aliyah pursed her lips, the thought of Niklaus moving on tearing at her heart. "I hope not." She said, weakly. She shook her head. "Anyway, I'll hope you'll reconsider getting a date, Bonnie. A girl your age should be playing the field." She smirked and waggled her eyebrows. "And, don't forget, you're going back to school next week."
"I hate you so much." Bonnie grumbled.
A/N: Well, that was the end of Under Control. I hope you all liked more Bonliyah in this story, even though Aliyah got a bit angry at Bonnie in the beginning. Just because she likes Bonnie doesn't mean that Aliyah's going to let her use her as a punching bag. Next chapter's where Bonnie returns to TVD storyline and Miss Mystic Falls. It'll be an awesome episode where Bonnie finally gets to showcase exactly what she's been learning with Aliyah.
Anyway, I hope you all liked the chapter. I thought John would probably know that Aliyah's an Original, because he knew about them in Season 2. I hope you liked the confrontation between John and Aliyah. She's not one to let someone threaten her. I was really tempted to have Aliyah be one that kissed Tyler in this episode, but then I decided that I didn't want to add the whole Tyler-Aliyah-Klaus love triangle because it would seem too much like Caroline's romance with Klaus in canon.
See you next time!