SHEILA BENNETT'S HOUSEHOLD

Stefan frowned as he pulled up to Sheila's house and saw Bonnie's car in the driveway.

By chance, Bonnie got out of her car the same time he got out of Aella's and saw Bonnie frowning in his direction, "Why are you here?"

"I'm picking up Aella for the Winter Wonderland," Stefan told her as he met her at her car. "You?"

Bonnie grumbled as they made their way up to the house, "I'm on Grams duty, I knew Aella was going somewhere, but I didn't know where." As they both reached the door, they could hear shouting coming from inside the house, two very familiar voices. Bonnie looked to Stefan, frowning, "Maybe switching was a good idea after all."

Stefan nodded, and Bonnie opened the door, and the shouting between Aella and Sheila grew proportionately.

"You can't do that, Grams!" Aella shouted with gusto from upstairs.

"I can't do what I want, it's mine!" Sheila responded back just as heatedly.

Bonnie and Stefan shared a look as Aella came out at the top of the stairs, "What if you get robbed? That's all your life savings gone! What are you saving it for, heaven? Cos you ain't goin'!"

Bonnie snorted and saw Stefan trying not to laugh, "This is the only time I'm sure Aella has a little black in her."

"That money is for my old age!" Sheila explained, and Aella laughed off her excuse.

"'Old Age'? You don't leave fingerprints anymore!"

Sheila didn't take that lightly, "Aella Grace Bennett! I am not old, I'm in my twilight years!"

Aella laughed sarcastically now, "Twilight Years?" She pushed her head into Sheila's bedroom, "You're in the Twilight Zone! Along with your imaginary banking system!" Aella sprinted to the stairs as four pillows flew from Sheila's bedroom into the hallway. It was only after stomping down the first few stairs that Aella noticed Stefan and Bonnie standing there, "Oh thank the Lord! I gotta get out of here!"

"Good night, then?" Bonnie smirked at her cousin.

Aella hastily pulled on her black padded coat, "I can't stand another minute with that Looney Tune!"

"Jealousy is a very ugly thing, Aella," Sheila shouted from upstairs. "And so are you in anything backless."

Bonnie actually snorted out loud when Aella moved to go after her grandmother. Stefan took hold of her instead, trying his best to ignore the threats coming from his girlfriend's mouth towards her grandmother, who was laughing upstairs.

Waving to Stefan as he threw Aella under his arm easily, even though her body was moving like a snake as she hissed insults towards the house still. She waved at the couple, "Have a nice time."

"Bonnie? Is that you?" Sheila sounded utterly normal, and Bonnie rolled her eyes; she and Aella were such drama queens.

"It's me, Grams," Bonnie replied.

"Oh good," Sheila responded cheerfully. "Aella said you were upset to have missed our Doris Day marathon last week, she set up the DVD player so we can watch them all tonight!"

Bonnie took her coat off as she grumbled, "Touche, Aella. Touche."

WINTER WONDERLAND

The town was gathered around the Christmas tree. At the same time, Liz addressed them, per tradition, as Elena and Aella stood together, waiting for Stefan to return with his and Aella's hot drinks.

"Now that's what I call a Christmas tree. Isn't that gorgeous?"

"Is she kidding, that thing is Fugly!" Aella frowned, ignoring the push from Elena as those around stared over their hot drinks at the teenager. Aella just shrugged at her best friend and in a lower tone said, "What? It is."

Elena shook her head as she always did with Aella, taking a sip of her Hot Chocolate.

"The holidays are all about being with loved ones, and I think that's what makes this tradition so special in our town. It's a reminder that no matter where you turn, you have a friend."

Aella had to smile at Liz's parting words, and shared an 'aw' with Elena, as everyone cheered Liz, Aella had to step it up a notch as she shouted, "Best Sheriff, ever!!!"

Elena didn't have the heart to tell Aella that the previous Sheriff sat just behind where Liz was giving her speech.

Aella heard the familiar marching of her blonde best friend as she stomped over to them, frown on her face, "Biggest mistake of junior year... Including the boys in Secret Santa." She held up the keychain globe of Mystic Falls as Aella snorted into her gloved hands. "Stefan is officially the worst gift giver."

Elena was bewildered by the gift, "He got you a snow globe?" She looked to Aella, "You let him get her a snow globe?"

"Yeah, of Mystic Falls," Caroline grumbled again. "As if I don't see enough of this town every day as it is."

"Um, does anyone not know the true meaning of Secret Santa?" Aella pouted, but they could both see the laughter in her eyes. "Why would I know what Stefan got Caroline? Let alone he had Caroline as a Secret Santa."

The two friends just looked at her and simultaneously said, "Bull!"

Aella ignored them and happily showed them her rainbow gloves, "Did you see what Matt got me? They open up with a button so my fingers can free, and I can close them when they're cold."

The girls ignored Aella's tease as they watched a girl from their school start singing 'White Christmas.' Aella saw out of the corner of her eye, Caroline flicked the snow globe with her finger, "If you hate it that much, give it to the charity box for those without?"

Caroline's eyes widened as she pulled the snow globe close, "No! Mine!"

Her two best friends laughed at her reaction, Aella pulled the blonde close, "Okay, Gollum." She looked down at the snow globe and smiled at her boyfriend's gift, "You know, it may have started as a last-minute gift, but there is another reason."

Caroline stared at the gift with a pout, now snug on her finger, "What? To weigh my keys down?"

Aella chuckled, "To commemorate where he met one of his closest friends, you, C."

Caroline's eyes teared up, "Oh my goodness, really?"

Aella only nodded as Elena smiled between the two, "Looks like someone is realized the true meaning of Christmas." She pulled the two girls in close, "Come on. We're happy and healthy, and we're together."

Caroline kissed Aella's cheek, "I better go say thank you to Stefan, I think he's been avoiding me."

Aella nodded and watched Caroline leave, as she and Elena turned back to watch the end of the song being sung. Elena looked over at the brunette suspiciously, "You just made that up on the spot, didn't you?"

Aella's smirk threatened to reveal itself as she nodded, eyes not leaving the singer, "Yup."

MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

Aella smirked when she saw her cousin stumble behind her, "Headache, cuz?"

Bonnie glared towards her, "How the hell are you not hungover?"

"Easy," Aella shrugged as the two walked towards the tomb together. "It's called not drinking."

Bonnie frowned, "But that isn't fun."

"Oh, Bonnie," Aella laughed, clapping her cousin on the back. "New Year or not New Year, I had fun with my best friends, boyfriend, and family. Plus, I don't have a hangover. Happy 2010, cousin!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Bonnie grumbled as they reached the tomb. "Alcohol bad. Hangover just as bad."

Aella chuckled at her cousin as she climbed into the cave. But her eyes were drawn to the stone that she thought Stefan had closed, "Hey, was that left ajar like that?"

"Huh?" Bonnie frowned, looking at the tomb entrance, "Yeah, I think so. Stefan started closing it when you fainted-" she ignored Aella's muttering that she didn't faint "-so he must have not closed it all the way."

Aella wasn't too sure and started walking towards the tomb entrance when Bonnie grabbed her arm, "Can we please just do this spell so I can go and sleep for another week?"

Bonnie watched her cousin glance at the stone door once more before she nodded, and they split up to re-set the spell to seal the tomb. Once they were all set, the two stood inside the pentagram and held hands. "Phasmatos Salves Nas Ex Malon, Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis, Et Vasa Quo Ero Signos. Phasmatos Salves Nas Ex Malon, Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis, Et Vasa Quo Ero Signos. Phasmatos Salves Nas Ex Malon, Terra Mora Vantis Quo Incandis, Et Vasa Quo Ero Signos."

The flames from the torches exploded with the light on the third chant, and the two witches watched as the stone sealed itself in place.

"Thank god!" Bonnie muttered, letting go of Aella's hands and picking the water bottle up from the floor. "I need to sleep."

Aella put her arm over Bonnie's shoulder and led her out of the cave, with a swipe of her hands the torches flames extinguished. "C'mon Drunky McDrunk, let's get you home."

Bonnie leaned her head on her cousin's shoulder as she led the way to her car. Along the way, Bonnie actually fantasized about her bed until Aella stopped with a short chuckle. Bonnie grimaced as she peeled her eyes open, "Why are we stopping, we're not even close to the car?"

Aella laughed a little louder this time, and Bonnie winced, closing her eyes tightly, "Some dude celebrated the New Year a little too hard." Aella then shouted towards the man, sleeping in just his Boxers, "I know it's a new decade, man, but it's too cold to be just in your boxers!"

When there was no response, Aella's smile dropped, and even Bonnie opened her eyes slightly. Aella shouted over to the man once more, "I'm coming over now, and just so you know, I have mace!"

"Do you?" Bonnie whispered as Aella stepped forward.

"Of course not," Aella whispered back. "But he can say I warned him about something before I knocked him out with my magic."

Bonnie watched on as Aella got closer to the man, and when her cousin stopped, Bonnie shouted, "Is he okay?"

"I don't know," Aella ruffled her hair with a scowl and kicked the ground. "If he's all blue, his eyes are wide open, and he has a bite mark on his neck; would that count as okay?"

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

"Why does it seem like I'm always digging holes with you?" Stefan smirked at Aella as he threw dirt out of his hole.

Aella only smirked back, "Maybe I'm just lucky."

"Um, excuse me," Jeremy snorted next to Stefan as he leaned on his shovel. "She's not even digging, how the hell did I get dragged into this?"

Aella smirked towards Jeremy this time, "Maybe you're just lucky."

Stefan snorted, "Yeah, lucky how much money he was down in poker before you called."

Jeremy pushed the chuckling vampire, "Oh shove off! You've got 200 years on me."

"Oh yeah," Aella stared down at Jeremy from her seated position next to the hole. "Because he spent the whole 200 years learning how to conquer poker just to beat you."

Jeremy just flicked mud at the brunette and continued digging as she cursed him out.

When the hole was finished, Stefan and Jeremy stood either side of the hole, and Stefan looked up to Aella, "Okay, we're done. Push him in."

Aella stood up and walked to the other side of the hole where the man still lay, her face pinched in disgust at having to touch him.

Jeremy rolled his eyes, "Just use your magic."

Aella's frown turned to him, "That seems a bit harsh."

The two men rolled their eyes as Aella crouched down and repeatedly muttered to herself, "Ew, ew, ew, ew," as her hands reached for the man's body. But as her fingers touched his skin, she let out a sharp gasp and fell backward.

VISION

"Jeez! You scared me."

Aella turned at a man's voice, realizing she was in the woods, and when she spotted the dead man standing before her, she knew she was in a vision. The man was hard to center on, his body almost going more and more out of focus.

Aella's eyes followed the man's eyes and was met with another man, but he seemed to be out of his time. The clothes he wore looked old, even out of focus, worn down with rips throughout. The way he stared silently at the hiker was unsettling to Aella.

"Do you know what day it is?"

Aella frowned at the question, alongside the hiker, which only grew more profound when the mystery man questioned the year. Harper turned to leave, but the hiker couldn't seem to let him go without knowing more, "Wait, what's your name?"

"It's Harper," Harper answered and swallowed harshly. "Sir."

Sir?

The only time when she heard someone Harper's age call a man Sir, when not trying to impress someone, was when Stefan made her watch movies set in his time.

Aella took a minute to really observe Harper, ignoring the man questioning him more. His strongest emotion screamed out to her, an emotion she knew all too well when she had Damon locked away.

Hunger.

Her senses tingled, and when Harper took an almost predatory step forward, sorrow matching the hunger, Aella knew what he was.

"You seem like a very nice person. I'm sorry."

Closing her eyes, Aella could hear the man questioning Harper for apologizing when his scream overtook his confusion. And all Aella could do was squeeze her eyes shut and hold her hands tight to her ears, wishing the vision would stop.

"Aella?"

"Aella?"

MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

Aella's eyes opened with a gasp and quickly realized she was laid down, her head resting in Stefan's lap. Pulling her hands down from her ears, her head pounded from the screams of the hiker, "Oh wow, that was harsh."

Jeremy appeared over her, and she took the time to relax as his head blocked out the bright sun, "You okay, A?"

When Aella shifted to sit up, Stefan stopped her, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Smiling at his protectiveness, Aella nodded shakily, and he let her slowly rise up. Still, the two remained sitting on the cold forest floor. But as her eyes turned to the man, now laid in the grave, her eyes teared up, and she shook her head. Stefan pulled her close as the sobs poured out of her mouth; he looked up to Jeremy, who was just as confused and concerned as him.

Only minutes later, Aella's sobs stopped, but her head remained tucked into Stefan's neck. When the words exited her mouth, he thought his ears had deceived him, until reality hit him instead. Mumbling close to her ear, he had to question, "Are you sure?"

When she nodded, Jeremy frowned, "Sure about what?"

Stefan's eyes flickered between the dead man and the direction of the tomb until they returned to Jeremy, "The tomb vampires have escaped."

Aella pulled away, and her eyes met Stefan's, "The pain. Oh my god, the pain!" A sob tore through Aella's throat, and Stefan pulled her back close again.

Jeremy had never seen Aella so upset before, her visions usually depicted something terrible was going to or had already happened. But they had never drawn this kind of reaction. Jeremy assumed Aella had been speaking of the dead man, "The hiker?"

"No." Aella pulled back, and both men could see her shaking. Her hands shook even more as they wrapped around her throat, "The hunger and the pain." Her eyes drifted away as her thoughts consumed with the vision. If Jeremy hadn't known about the supernatural, it would look like Aella was high on something. "He was in so much pain!" Her eyes darted to Stefan's, and he had to hold back his tears and fear, he'd never seen Aella so distraught as she took hold of her hair and squeezed it tight, her eyes doing the same as she cried out. "I can't stop feeling his pain. His regret. His..."

Aella froze, and it took Stefan and Jeremy a minute to realize she wasn't breathing either. Her eyes were just staring into the forest.

"Aella," Stefan whispered as he shook her slightly.

But she didn't take in a gasp or move her pupils.

His voice rose as he shook her with more force, "Aella!"

Jeremy felt sick, Aella's eyes looked dead, "What's wrong with her?"

Stefan didn't respond, his panicked eyes just flashed all over Aella's face and body, wishing there was a wound that he could heal. Yet, from the lack of blood smell, he knew this wasn't a physical issue. This was Aella's magic.

"Aella!"

Jeremy jumped as Stefan screamed at Aella, yet Aella didn't budge, and her face was turning blue from lack of oxygen. He couldn't take it anymore, and did something he never thought he'd ever do, he screamed in Aella's face, "Aella!"

A guttural gasp escaped Aella's throat, her eyes met Jeremy's wet ones for a second until her eyes closed and she fell limply into Stefan's arms.

"Oh, thank god," Stefan sighed and wiped away the tears that had formed when Aella didn't respond. He held her close and just let Aella's breathing calm him down.

"Is-is she breathing?"

Stefan's eyes met Jeremy, and when he nodded, Jeremy fell onto the forest floor in relief.