Chapter 10:
Arabella looked down at the girl in front of her who could singlehandedly bring an end to the Bennett bloodline, one of the most powerful if not the most powerful witch bloodline that has ever been.
How did she begin to explain everything Bonnie would need to know to bring down Alderson?
"I guess I should start with how I go the necklace." Arabella started.
"It was on my wedding day to your great grandfather." Arabella added.
FLASHBACK;
"Mama." Arabella said happily.
It wasn't very often that a women got to marry a man she truly loved and Arabella could say that she was one of those women happily.
Jacob was everything a women could hope for he was sweet, protective and loving. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy.
"Baby, I wanted to give you something." Her mother replied giving her a hug.
Arabella smiled warmly.
"What Mama?" She asked.
Her mother handed her over a necklace. It was beautiful.
"It can be your something old." Her mother added with a smile.
But as soon as the necklace touched her palm Arabella could feel the magic run through her fingers.
"Mama what is this?" Arabella sked.
"It's an emulate, that can help you communicate with the dead." Her mother replied.
Arabella looked at her mum confused. Why would she give her something like this?
"You must protect this with all you have." Her mother warned.
"This emulate can bring great happiness and great sadness." Her mother added.
END OF FLASHBACK
"What exactly can the necklace do?" Damon asked.
"The necklace can do many things it depend upon the witch who holds it." Arabella replied.
"And if I had it?" Bonnie asked.
Arabella took a deep breath.
"You are the strongest of us, what the necklace will do for you is unknown." Arabella replied truthfully.
"But the power from the necklace is connected to death?" Bonnie clarified and Arabella nodded.
"What does Alderson want so badly from the dead?" Caroline asked.
"Matthew was always obsessed with death even when he was still human." Arabella started.
"That's how he met his wife." She added.
FLASHBACK.
Matthew Alderson was a doctor who had just inherited his father's Lord status. His practice was busy but he still managed to find time to work out a way to stop death. Part of him new it was impossible but the young naive side of him still hoped.
"What is so wrong with dying anyway?" Cora asked.
Cora was a sweet young women who worked as a receptionist. If he allowed himself more time he was sure he would attempt to court her but his work was important.
"Do you not want to live forever?" he asked stopping his work to give her his full attention generally intrigued to hear her answer.
Cora looked down unused to his full attention.
"I imagine it would be lonely." She said softly.
Matthew smiled at her innocents.
"But with my work people wouldn't be alone, they would be alive forever, together." He replied.
Cora shook her head still confused.
"But they would still age what is the point of living forever unless you could somehow freeze the body and that would be like becoming a vampire." Cora replied.
Matthew laughed at the idea of vampires.
"I guess you could look at it that way." He replied.
Cora stepped closer to him.
"Would you want that life?" she asked.
Now it was his turn to be confused.
"Would you like the chance to live forever?" she asked.
"Of course," he replied.
END OF FLASHBACK
"Cora changed him that night." Arabella replied.
"Why would he stay with her?" Bonnie asked.
Arabella looked to each of the vampires around the room.
"You feel a connection with the person that changed you and sometimes it's hard to let that go." Stefan explained.
"So Cora changed Alderson because she loved him." Caroline clarified.
"And in time he loved her." Arabella replied.
"When did you first use the necklace?" Bonnie asked.
"It was just after your grandfather died, Emily was two." Arabella replied.
FLASHBACK:
Arabella unpacked the last box. Since Jacob was gone Arabella couldn't afford to keep their house and so she had taken a job as a servant in a rich white household in order to provide for her and Emily. The old Arabella would rather of been homeless than be a slave but she had Emily to think about that was the most important thing.
Arabella fingers touched the necklace she had long since hidden and magic pulsed through her. If only there was a way magic could help her. She pulled the necklace out of the box and looked at it. What was it her mother had told her that this necklace could connect the witch to those of the dead.
She put the necklace on as tears ran down her face.
"Jacob," she cried, softly touching the stone in the necklace.
Jacob's image appear in front of her and Arabella gasped.
"Jacob." She whispered.
He smiled at her softly.
"I am so sorry." He replied.
She missed him so much.
"You're dead." She said and he nodded.
"But how?" she asked.
He pointed to the necklace.
Arabella cried harder at the sound of their daughters tears knowing she would never get to know how amazing her father really was.
"She needs you." He whispered sadly.
Arabella shook her head.
"She needs you too." She argued.
He stepped forward and touched her cheek but she couldn't feel it she closed her eyes to remember his touch.
"I wish more than anything I could be there but I'm not and I am so sorry for that." Jacob said.
Arabella opened her eyes.
"I love you Arabella and our daughter so much." He whispered before his shadow disappear.
END OF FLASHBACK
"I started to learn more about the necklace in hopes of somehow bringing Jacob back." Arabella told them honestly.
"That's when you found out that by bring someone from the dead the castor would have to give up their own life or take the life of another." Bonnie said and Arabella nodded.
"Yes. But then word spread of the necklace and the powers in possessed in the supernatural world." Arabella said continuing her story.
"That's when you met Alderson?" Damon asked.
Arabella nodded.
"But I met Cora first," she explained.
FLASHBACK
Arabella smiled as she turned the open sign on the shop window. Her mother had been right the necklace really could bring happiness. The necklace had taken her from a servant to a part owner of her very own Apothecary shop.
"Are you the one that can communicate with the dead?" A voice asked.
Arabella sighed since wearing the necklace she could tell the difference between the humans and that from the supernatural world.
She turned and came face to face with a vampire.
"It depends whose asking?" Arabella replied.
The vampire smirked.
"Lady Cora Alderson." She said hold out her hand.
Arabella took the women's hand and shook it.
"What can I do for you?" Arabella asked.
Lady Alderson smiled.
"What would you say to becoming a full owner of this shop?" She said.
Arabella narrowed her eyes at her.
"I would ask what you want for it." Arabella replied honestly.
Lady Alderson smiled.
"My husband as quite an interest in death, your gifts could help him in his work." Lady Alderson said instantly but Arabella could tell she was hiding something.
"And why would you want me to help him?" Arabella asked.
Lady Alderson glared at her.
"My husband is bored and when he gets bored he wonders, if he can use your gifts to help with his work he won't be bored or wonder." Lady Alderson replied honestly.
Arabella sighed.
"I give you one year of my time and it will be at night here so I can be here for my daughter." Arabella told her.
"Fine." Lady Alderson agreed.
"But I will not be your servant, I will not do spells for you just because you ask." Arabella added as an afterthought.
Lady Alderson nodded.
"Fine, do we have a deal?" she asked hold out her hand.
Arabella nodded and took her hand.
"Deal." She replied.
END OF FLASHBACK
"So you feel in love with Alderson when you started working for him?" Caroline asked.
Arabella shook her head.
"Not quite." She replied.
"Matthew hated me at first." She told them.
FLASHBACK
Lord Alderson walked into the shop like he owned the place.
"Arabella." He said as a stiff greeting.
Arabella nodded a bow.
"My Lord." She replied.
He shook his head as if he was disappointed.
For weeks there routine was the same he would barely talk to her other than to bark orders and ask question to those sprit that he summoned.
END OF FLASHBACK
"But you fell in love with him didn't you?" Caroline asked and Arabella nodded.
"You have to understand he was a different man then." She argued.
"So what changed your relationship with Alderson?" Stefan asked.
Arabella smiled at the memory.
"Emily." She said proudly.
FLASHBACK
"He didn't tell you anything else?" Lord Alderson asked.
"No." Arabella replied honestly.
Lord Alderson sighed.
He slammed his hand down on his work table.
"This is useless." He shouted frustrated.
Arabella sighed used to his outburst.
"Mama." A little voice called.
Arabella looked over at Lord Alderson who froze.
"Who is that?" he asked.
"My daughter would you please cover him up?" Arabella asked pointed to the body.
Surprisingly he nodded.
"Go, see to your daughter," he told her softly.
Arabella smiled her thanks and she disappeared inside to look for Emily.
She returned a few minutes later with her little girl in her arms.
"Forgive me my lord, but she heard you voice and didn't understand who it belonged to." Arabella said hoping he wouldn't make too much of a fuss.
Lord Alderson smiled.
"Hello little one." He said softly.
Arabella had never seen him smile it made him look like a completely different person. Handsome even.
Emily waved.
"I'm Matthew, do you have a name?" he asked.
Emily smiled brightly and reached out for him.
He looked at Arabella to ask her permission and she nodded.
"Please be careful." Arabella added as she handed Emily over.
"Of course." He replied.
"I'm Emily." Emily said cheerily.
He smiled down at her daughter.
Emily talked to him until she fell back to sleep and Lord Alderson carried her to her room with Arabella following closely behind.
"Your daughter is beautiful." Lord Alderson commented when they got back downstairs.
Arabella smiled.
"Thank you." Arabella replied.
He smiled.
"What about her father?" he asked.
Arabella swallowed back her tears.
"I never met to upset you," he said.
Arabella looked up at him and only saw truth in his words.
"It's ok Jacob, my husband…" she started.
"He died just before Emily's second birthday." She whispered but she knew he heard.
Lord Alderson gently whipped the tears from her face that she hadn't known were falling.
"I'm sorry." He replied.
Arabella swallowed her tears and she moved away from him to get back to work.
END OF FLASHBACK
"How did Emily change you relationship with Alderson?" Damon asked sounding confused.
"You have to remember when Cora changed him Matthew wasn't given the chance to be a father and he wanted to be. Being around Emily change him." Arabella replied.
FLASHBACK:
Arabella closed her eyes and tried not to panic.
"Arabella?" Matthews's voice called out through the shop.
"Here." Arabella called weakly.
Matthew came over to her in an instant.
"What's going on the shop hasn't been open all week?" he asked the worry in his voice clear.
She and Lord Alderson had become close over the past month so much so he now allowed her to call him Matthew.
"It's Emily." She said weakly.
Matthew bent down so he was eye level with her.
"Arabella, what's wrong with Emily?" he asked.
"She has a fever that's not breaking. I have checked my spell books over and over again nothing seems to be working." She cried.
Matthew brought her into his arms.
"What about my blood?" He asks.
Arabella pulled back and looked at him.
"You would do that?" she questions.
"For you and for Emily yes." He replied without question.
Arabella nodded and lead him up to Emily's room.
Three days after he feed Emily his blood Matthew returned.
"How is she?" he asked.
Arabella ran to him and threw herself into his arms, he caught her easily.
"Thank you, you saved her." Arabella cried gratefully.
He smiled and gently tightened his hold.
"Anytime." He replied meaning it.
Arabella pulled back.
"Thank you." She said again.
He nodded their faces just inches apart.
"I will be here for you whenever you need me." He promised.
Arabella closed the gap between them without thiningk and kissed him, he seem surprised and when she realised what she was doing she pulled away.
"Oh, God. I am so sorry." She said trying to run away from him.
Matthew grabbed her hand and pulled her back before crushing his lips to hers.
END OF FLASHBACK
"Emily doesn't remember Alderson." Stefan comments.
Arabella nods.
"I made her forget him, when he changed." She replied.
"What made him change?" Bonnie asks.
FLASHBACK
"I pregnant," Arabella whisper.
Matthew eyes dart to hers.
"How is that possible?" he demands.
Arabella cringe at his tone and his face softens.
"You are the only man I have been with since my husband's death." She promises.
Matthew walks towards her slowly as not to scare her which he is aware of already doing.
"I know." He replies.
"But how it is possible vampires cannot have children." He points out.
"But witches can." She replies.
He kisses then until she is gasping for breath.
"You're going to have my child." He says with glee.
Arabella shakes her head nervous.
"But Cora…" Arabella argues.
"Will not hurt either of you." He says adamantly.
"And what about Emily?" Arabella askes.
He touches her cheek and makes her look up at him.
"I love Emily. I would never allow anyone to hurt her." He promised and Arabella believed him.
"So were doing this?" she asks and he nods.
Arabella smiles and he kisses her again.
END OF FLASHBACK
"Witches can have a vampire child?" Caroline asks in disbelief and Arabella nods.
Stefan and Caroline both look from Bonnie to Damon who seem to be avoiding each other eye. Way too soon in their developing relationship to be thinking about children.
"What happened to your child?" Bonnie asks.
Tears fill Arabella's eyes.
FLASHBACK
"He has grown so big." Matthew points out.
Just like everything else in a vampire's life their son Michael grew in 9 weeks and after a difficult birth where Matthew had to save her with his blood. Michael grew inches every day. After 3 more weeks he was already the size of a three year old.
"I don't know what will happen." Arabella admits worriedly.
Matthew wraps his arms round her and kisses both cheeks.
"Whatever it is we will face it together." Matthew promises.
"Cora…" she says shaking her head.
Matthew kisses her to stop her from talking.
"I have asked her for a divorce, so we can be together properly. So we can be a family." He says and Arabella cannot help but smile that the thought of the four them as a proper family.
"You promise." She whispered.
He kisses her again.
"I promise." He replies.
Two weeks later Cora came looking for her.
"He is leaving me for you." She screams.
Arabella tried every spell she knew to protect her children but somehow she still managed to get in and kill Michael.
END OF FLASHBACK
"We were distraught then Matthew tried to make me use the necklace to bring Michael back to life, but I couldn't you can't bring one life back without taking another I couldn't do that I couldn't be responsible for that." Arabella rambled.
Bonnie hugged her as Caroline handed her a tissues to whip the tears she now knew had fallen.
"He lost it, he killed Cora then gave me an option. Either I help him or I am against him." Arabella continued.
"But I couldn't. So I made myself his enemy and we did battle time and time again for the necklace and when I made Emily forget about him that made him madder. The battle become tougher and tougher and as I began to age they became harder to deal with. So I ran and took Emily with me but somehow he still found us." Arabella added.
"So Alderson wants to bring Michael back to life?" Damon asked.
"Yes, he wants the necklace to bring Michael back to life. But Michael would not have been the same and I couldn't have taken a life to do it." Arabella replied.
"How can we stop him?" Stefan asked.
Arabella took a deep breath.
"Do what I should have done before I left this world," she said.
"Destroy the necklace." She added.