MYSTIC FALLS HIGH

When Aella stopped screaming, she fell into Stefan, overwhelmed by the events, and the pain in Damon's head stopped, yet still reverberated. Damon glared over at Aella, who could only scowl in his direction, face wet with tears as a red lump began forming on her forehead.

Damon glanced over to Stefan, trying to ignore the pain still in his head, "Hope you finally understand now, bro."

Stefan watched his brother speed off and looked down at Aella, fingers gently stroking the bump forming, "Are you okay?"

Aella shook her head and turned into his arms sobbing, and Stefan could only hold onto her tighter, rocking her, relieved that Damon hadn't used Aella to make his point as well.

The sound of footsteps grey near, as those who heard Aella's screams, ran to make sure she was okay. Caroline, Matt, and a few football players, who were the closest to the car lot, reached them first. Caroline located her best friend curled up with Stefan and sprinted over to them, about to question what had occurred when Matt gasped in horror, "Oh my god!"

Caroline looked up from her knelt position next to Aella to see the legs of a person, sticking out from the side of a car.

"It's Tanner," Stefan told her, over Aella's sobs.

"What!" Caroline exclaimed, tears filling her eyes. "But he was jus-"

"-Damon did it to prove a point." Stefan interrupted her.

Caroline covered her mouth in horror, "And-" she motioned with her eyes to her best friend.

"I couldn't stop it," Aella confessed, pulling away from Stefan to look at her best friend. "All these powers and I couldn't stop it, C."

Caroline nodded, her heart hurting with how much pain her best friend was in. Holding out her arms, Aella fell into them and started sobbing again.

Stefan held up his phone to Caroline. She held her best friend tight and kissed her head, just as Aella had done with her following her confrontation with Damon less than twenty-four hours ago, "I'm calling 911."

Bonnie ran over just as the ambulance arrived and the paramedics looked over Tanner. She saw her cousin staring lifelessly at the scene in Caroline's arms as Stefan stood on her other side while Matt and Tyler stood next to Caroline. Bonnie had been laughing with some of the other cheerleaders when news started to spread. Stopping in her spot, she looked to the space Tanner's body laid, where she and Aella had stood in only thirty minutes ago.

"Oh no," she gasped at the sight, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's not your fault." Bonnie jumped at the voice and turned to see Stefan standing there, "You and Aella may look very different from each other, but you both have the same 'self-blame' face."

Bonnie glanced over his shoulder and saw her cousin was now missing. Stefan gestured to when Aella just was, "Caroline took Aella to her car."

Bonnie nodded, yet still said nothing.

"This was not your fault," he repeated.

Bonnie nodded, "I know." She then frowned, "Who found him?"

"Aella," Stefan confessed. "I heard her screams and quickly found her."

Bonnie couldn't explain it, be somewhere deep inside her body, she felt Stefan was lying. About what? She didn't know, but in those eight words he confessed to her, there was more to this story.

And she was going to find out.

GILBERT HOUSEHOLD

Caroline and Bonnie took Aella and Stefan home when they realized Elena and Jeremy had left already in Aella's car. Jenna took hold of a sobbing Aella as soon as they stepped into the house, Stefan having called Jenna on the way so she would be aware.

Jeremy and Elena were still MIA. According to Tyler, Vicki had shown up at the game, and Jeremy was still finding it a little challenging to be around the blonde. So Elena, with her spare pair of Aella's car keys, had taken Jeremy somewhere else. The group believed Elena assumed Aella and Stefan would just car share with Caroline or Matt, as they all had a spare key for each other's car, should there be a need for it.

Caroline and Bonnie quickly made up some hot chocolate for the group. Aella had settled into Stefan's safe arms, mind still numb from the events. She didn't want to be dramatic, but someone had been killed in front of her. So what, if she hated Tanner; no one deserved to die - especially that way. Damon treated him as a plaything, just to prove his humanity was gone. He hated Stefan so much that he would kill someone innocent so viciously.

The moment had been going round and round in Aella's head since Damon had staggered off. She wouldn't allow him to do this again, she wouldn't hesitate. She wouldn't be as affected. If he ever put a hand on her family, she would kill him without thought.

"To Mr. Tanner," Jenna held her hot chocolate to the center of the group.

"To Mr. Tanner," Aella repeated through sniffles, then smirked. "An asshole who is really gonna give my Mom and Dad such a lecture in heaven."

The group sniggered at the thought and clicked their mugs with Jenna's and Aella's, "Mr. Tanner."

As they all took their first sip of hot chocolate, the front door opened, and Elena and Jeremy walked in laughing, large sodas in their hands. When they saw the group and Aella's tear-stained face, they stopped in their tracks.

"What's happened?" Elena was quick to ask, she knew that look, it was never a good feeling look.

Jenna smiled softly at the two and stood up, leading them into the kitchen, "There was an accident at the game-" That was the last Aella heard as Jenna shut the doors.

It was clear to Jenna that no one would be leaving Aella on her own that night, and from the tight clinging onto Stefan's arms, he wouldn't be going either. Jenna rubbed Stefan's shoulder in comfort as Aella dozed off on his chest, she knew that the caring boy had been sleeping in her adopted niece's bed and vice versa the past week. She also knew, from Aella, that nothing was happening, and it was all about getting comfort from him. Jenna was happy that Aella had been honest with her, which was why she said nothing when Stefan picked Aella up with ease and carried her upstairs to her room, the girls following.

Stefan left the sleeping Aella to her best friends after he placed her on her bed, stepping out so they could change her. Caroline, worried for her best friend's mental state, had slipped Aella a couple of sleeping pills to calm her down, which she admitted to Stefan and the other girls when Stefan placed Aella down on the bed, and she didn't stir at all.

"I didn't think it would knock her out this badly," was the blondes excuse.

While Stefan brushed his teeth, with the brush Jenna had given - her way of acknowledging his sleepovers with Aella, the girls got his girlfriend ready for bed. Stefan had already decided he would watch over the girls tonight, like a caring boyfriend. However, it was also in case Damon attacked. His brother had made his point very clear, but Aella had also caused him a lot of pain without even comprehending. Stefan worried that Damon would attack just for the sake of attacking, and Stefan wasn't going to risk that.

When he exited the bathroom and saw Aella's door open, he knew this was the girls letting him know that they were all decent. Stefan had taken to leaving his journal and some books in Aella's room; he planned to read and write in his journal throughout the night.

Elena and Bonnie were fast asleep, Bonnie, cuddled up to her cousin. As one bookend, Caroline lay on the other side of Aella, while Elena, the second bookend, cuddled up close to Bonnie. Aella was wrapped tightly around her most precious friend, Caroline, who stroked her hair in comforting motion for Aella, as she sighed peacefully in her sleep.

Stefan smiled at the action as he set up his spot on Aella's big comfy reading chair in the corner opposite her bed, fairy lights were strung on the wall to create a reading nook for the day and night. Each night Stefan would sleepover, the more the nook became his space, and Aella allowed it to be his space. Aella had moved in a small bookshelf that was crammed with his books; a small coaster sat on the top for his coffees to ease his cravings, as well as several pens for when he wrote a thought into the book's margins or when he updated his journal. She had even placed a dark blanket over the chair to hide its flower designs to make it more manly. Stefan loved it and appreciated Aella so much more for doing such a small thing that meant so much.

"What will you be doing tonight?" Caroline asked him, which startled him from his thoughts.

He looked up at her, but she was still staring down at Aella, "I'll read and do some writing."

Caroline chuckled, looking up at him, motioning to the chair he now sat in, "Aella's calls that, your spot."

Stefan smiled at the title, "Yeah, I'm surprised there isn't a sign declaring it."

"There will be," Caroline admitted, very confident.

Stefan was not fooled, "She ordered a sign, didn't she."

Caroline laughed a little louder at the knowledge in his voice; he was beginning to understand her best friend so quickly. "She made a sign," she admitted through giggles.

The laughter stopped too soon. As Caroline returned to watching Aella, she asked Stefan, "He's not going to hurt her, is he?"

Stefan didn't even have to ask who, and with all the confidence in the world, told her, "On my life, he will never hurt her."

Caroline nodded, accepting the answer, she shuffled down and held Aella close, "Goodnight, Stefan."

"Goodnight, Caroline."

...................................
...................................

Stefan wrote in his diary as he watched the four girls sleep. In all his years, he had never seen any relationship like the girls in the bed had. Unconsciously they were all facing Aella, and their free arms were almost cocooning her for safety.

.................................................

I thought there was hope. That somewhere deep inside something in Damon was still human. Love. But I was wrong.

There is nothing human left in Damon. No good. No kindness. No Love. Only a monster that must be stopped.

.................................................

Stefan raised his head when he heard one of the four heartbeats begin to speed up, thinking it was Aella having a bad dream. He promptly turned on the small lamp next to him just in time to see Elena wake with a gasp.

"Are you okay, Elena," he whispered hesitantly.

Elena's eyes met his own, but they were not afraid like Stefan thought may have been from a nightmare but of disappointment.

"Yeah," Elena sighed back with a slight frown on her face. It was like she could feel Damon in the room with her, stroking her face. Yet he wasn't.

She smiled softly, looking over at her best friend and then to Stefan, "You actually stayed."

Stefan nodded at her statement, looking to Aella, "I promised her I would."

"I'm happy she has you," she stated.

"I'm happy I have her," Stefan emphasized, hoping she would understand Aella was all he wanted.

Elena nodded and settled back down into her pillow, "Night, Stefan."

"Good night Elena," he smiled back, looking back at his book.

When he felt someone's eyes on him, he thought it was Elena's at first as she tried to get back to sleep, but the ability to 'ignore' the stare was too much. He was pleasantly surprised when his eyes met, not Elena's, but his girlfriend's soft smile.

"We didn't get to do our nightly routine schedule," she croaked out from sleep, and the emotional night she had endured.

Stefan stared for a second, wondering what she was talking about until two names came to his mind, and he couldn't help but grin, "Goodnight, Glinda."

Aella looked to him, longingly, "Goodnight, Dracula."

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

It had been a week since Tanners' accidental' death by an animal attack which had shocked the small town. Tanner's extended family had taken his body to be buried in his home town. Still, the Principal thought it best the students of Mystic Falls High should be able to say goodbye to such a beloved teacher and asked Caroline and Matt to plan something.

So the blonde duo planned a small memorial service on Friday evening exactly one week after the attack had occurred. It was a strange feeling for many of the students that attended, Aella included. Tanner's death was a horrible incident that scared Aella, not because it was Tanner, but because when Damon attacked, she realized pure evil existed. That fear was still frozen in her bones.

"It was a beautiful memorial, Care," Aella smiled as she and Caroline walked out of school arm in arm towards the parking lot.

"Thanks," Caroline squeezed her arm.

"But-"

"-oh no," Caroline interrupted, shaking her head at Aella's 'but.'

"You couldn't have expected just a compliment, Care," Elena smirked as she, Bonnie and Stefan walked behind the pair.

Aella turned towards the other three turning Caroline with her, "Erm, excuse me, can I finish my sentence?"

"No!" "Yes!" Caroline and Elena said in sync.

"I'll take the yes," Aella smirked at Caroline. "What I was going to say was, it was a beautiful service, but I found it really weird not to feel sad at a memorial service."

"Aella!"

Stefan snorted quietly at his girlfriend's honesty as the other girls scolded her.

"What?" The brunette shrugged innocently. "Tanner and I didn't have the best relationship, and me then crying at his memorial feeling 'sad' felt immoral. Make sense?"

"Perfect," Stefan smiled, putting his arm around her and leaving the other three girls as they absorbed Aella words that actually rang true.

Bonnie looked to Elena and Caroline, "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I agree with Aella. Why fake sadness when we all hated Tanner? Yeah, I'm sad he's dead, but should I make myself sad because he is, no."

Caroline frowned, "I suppose." She looked over to Aella, who was now leaning against her car, laughing with Stefan. "I hate when she's right."

Elena laughed at the blonde, "Reminds me of someone when she proves us right. Maybe that proves why she's best friends with Aella."

"Oh, haha," Caroline scowled, walking over to the love birds, picking up Elena's meaning.

"So, does anyone want to go to the Grill?" Bonnie asked, leaning against her own car that was parked next to Aella's.

"I'm in," Elena smiled, and Caroline nodded.

Aella looked to Stefan who smiled sadly at the girls, "Sorry Bonnie, I've got to talk to my brother about something."

"A?" Bonnie asked.

Aella looked between her cousin and boyfriend before sighing and shaking her head, "Sorry Cuz, I'm exhausted. I'll go with Stefan and have a nap on his bed."

Stefan looked to Aella, she hadn't been to his since Damon killed Tanner.

"Okay, Cuz," Bonnie shrugged, and the three got in her car and sped off, leaving the two alone.

Stefan turned Aella towards him, resting her head against his, "Are you sure?"

Aella smiled, pecking his lips with hers, "I have to see him again sometime, better it is my own choice than his."

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Aella stared up at the Salvatore Building. Never had she felt so hesitant about entering it, including the moment she confronted Stefan about being a vampire.

"You ready?" Stefan asked as he joined her in front of the house.

"Yup!" She smiled brightly, ignoring whatever the feeling was in her stomach.

"Damon!" Stefan called out as soon as they stepped in.

Aella followed her boyfriend through the house towards one of her favorite rooms in the house, second only to the kitchen and library. It was a very masculine room, but the smell, the books, and comfort made it a beautiful room.

"Brother. Pixie."

Well, unless Damon was in it, which, unfortunately, he was.

"Damon," Aella greeted through a tight smile, while Stefan only stared at his brother.

"It was Mr. Tanner's memorial service today," Stefan told Damon as he leaned on the back of one of the chairs.

"Well, that's not nice," Damon frowned, not looking up from the book he was reading. "Where was my invite?"

"With the Devil?" Aella shrugged, sitting opposite him. "You know in hell, where you belong."

Damon smirked, looking up from the book to look at her, "I knew I missed your sarcasm while you've been hiding away."

The scowl that was so desperate to appear on her face finally emerged at that comment, he was such bitch!

"What are you going to do about the council?" Stefan asked quickly to defuse the rising tension.

"Well, according to Zach," Damon put the book down and walked over to the alcohol in the room. "Due to the viciousness of the wound, the fact he was still full of blood and the witness-" he looked pointedly over at Aella "- the council actually believes this may have been an animal attack."

"Was that a dig?" Aella snarled, standing up, fingers flexing. "If I could have named you as that monster who cruelly killed a man to make a point, I would have done so with such a clear conscience!"

Stefan quickly took hold of her, turning her away from Damon, "Don't let him rile you up."

"It doesn't help he's such a douchebag!" She scowled back.

"Um. I can hear you two," Damon sang over as he poured himself a scotch. "Riling, Pixie up, is my new day job since I'm you know, not killing anything."

Aella took a deep breath and turned towards the eldest Salvatore sitting back down with Stefan next to her, "You said the council 'believe' it's an animal attack. How can we make sure they know it was an animal attack?"

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!" Damon smirked, taking a sip of his scotch. "They have to see an animal is the area that can cause such a vicious wound."

Aella didn't like his tone, "What are you going to do about it?"

Damon smirked, and Aella looked to Stefan, who obviously felt the same sense of dread as her at his smirk, "I have an idea."

Stefan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "Yes, we understand that, but what is it?"

Damon looked out of the window and chuckled to himself before walking towards the door and leaving, "Trust me."

"Trust me?" Aella quickly repeated in question to Stefan, who equally looked concerned.

Aella jumped off the couch and ran through the house towards the front door, Stefan running after her knowing how impulsive she was. She opened the door to see Damon casually walking down the driveway hands in his jacket pockets.

"Trust you!?" Aella shouted to his leather-clad back, "That's like the world's fattest man giving dieting tips, Damon!"

But Damon ignored her, and she looked back to Stefan, who was now trying to hide his smirk, "He's your brother!"

She stomped back into the house as Stefan closed the door and chuckled to himself, "Fat man diet tips, I like that one."