MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL

"Our family name, Bennett, has the meaning of 'blessed' or 'one who is blessed,' or so that's what Grams and Google said," Aella shrugged, starting off small and working her way up.

She and Bonnie were sitting in the hospital car park discussing their witch ancestry as they waited for Jeremy while he quickly visited Vicki.

"Our family originally settled in Salem, but after the witch trials began, we relocated to Mystic Falls late 1600s. That's where we remained until 2009."

Aella grinned and quickly turned to Bonnie, "But the coolest thing is our family has one of the strongest witches line, dominated by women."

"Girl power at its best!" Bonnie laughed and fist-pumped the air.

"Hell yeah!" Aella agreed as she smiled softly. "There has only been a select number of men born in the Bennett family, the first was Emily Bennett's brother in the 1800s, and the second was my Dad."

Bonnie grabbed Aella's hand and squeezed it in comfort, Aella quickly squeezed back as she thought about her Dad, "The men, warlocks, can be very powerful, which my dad was."

"And your mom was a witch, too, right?" Bonnie asked, wanting to know more and more. "Grams said she was different to us, which is how your magic is different, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded and explained further. "My mother, me, and her family have a tradition of male and female witches. Their power comes from the elements around us. Without those elements, no magic. While the Bennett witches magic is linked to Traveller magic, a magic that forms inside a person and can be used with belief and spells."

Bonnie took it in, glad it was her cousin explaining this and not Grams who started telling her after half a bottle of brandy. "So my magic needs to be believed in and can be used with spells, but as you are part Elemental and part Traveller, your magic is different?"

"Straight forward, right?" Aella laughed sarcastically, "But yeah, my magic is more Elemental as the elements are a part of life, but it's my Bennett magic that allows me to complete spells." She shrugged her shoulder, spinning the ring on her finger, "To be honest, since my mom worked locally compared to my Dad, who traveled, my elemental magic was more practiced. Then, after she died, it called out to me - it's in my blood." Aella laughed humorlessly, "It's hard to explain-"

"-no, it's not," Bonnie smiled, taking her hand once more. "I think it's beautiful that you can be connected with your parents, even now."

Aella smiled at her cousin, squeezing her hand back.

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Jeremy navigated to Vicki's room and leaned against the doorway, watching her, even though her back was towards him.

"You can't be in here, hon." A nurse told him as she squeezed past him to go into Vicki's room, "Visiting hours don't start till 9am."

Jeremy nodded, taking a step back, "Okay, I just... how is she?"

The nurse smiled sadly at him, "She's lost a lot of blood."

"Yeah," Jeremy shrugged but wanted to know a little more. "But she's gonna be okay, right?"

"She needs her rest," The nurse told him before squeezing his shoulder, leading him away from the room. "So, you come back later."

Jeremy followed her, and just as she let him go so he could leave, he quickly turned and tapped the nurse on her shoulder, "Excuse me, nurse?" She turned to look at him smiling. "Vicki has had some issues with drugs in the past... I just thought you'd like to know."

The nurse smiled brighter and squeezed his arm again, "We did know, her brother told us, but thank you for letting me know. You must be a very good friend to her. After all, you're the only one that's visited."

Jeremy smiled back at her, then realized what she said, "Only one?"

"Yeah," the nurse smiled sadly. "Such a beautiful girl, yet she only has one admirer and her brother."

She nodded at him once more before walking back to the nurse's station. Jeremy stared at Vicki's room before following the exit signs and heading to Aella's waiting car.

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Aella motioned to the glove case, "Can you open that?"

Bonnie nodded, although she was confused. She opened it to see two antique necklaces resting there, both different, but both definitely old.

"The green one," Aella pointed out, and Bonnie pulled it out, closing the case and looking at Aella.

"It belonged to a witch of the Bennett family," She took the necklace from Bonnie and opened the small latch hidden in the back. It was tiny, and only would the wearer know it was there.

She showed Bonnie the inside, "Inside is a herb called Vervain, as long as this is around your neck with this herb and no one knows this herb is inside, then you'll be protected."

Bonnie nodded, taking the necklace, trying out the clasp before she attached it around her neck. Aella told her this with her face as grave as anything Bonnie had seen. If her cousin was this serious, then she would listen.

"Bonnie..." Aella started then stopped biting her lip. "While Witches are immune, Vervain is a powerful herb that protects you from one thing... One something."

"Something?" Bonnie laughed nervously, Aella still had that look on her face.

Her cousin nodded and gulped wearily, "Grams didn't want me to tell you, but I think you should know the evil that is out there that likes to use witches. If you're ready for it."

"One hundred percent," Bonnie nodded slightly scared but then smiled slightly, "You know, I know Jack."

Aella chuckled and took Bonnie's hands in hers, "Vampires are real Bonnie." She ignored the shocked look on her cousin's face and quickly continued. "They use compulsion, which makes your mind listen to what they demand, doing bad things, doing things you wouldn't like, feeding on you. They can do it all but," she touched her own ring and Bonnie's necklace, "We always wear them and never draw attention to them, then we're always safe."

"Even if the lore says as Witches we're protected, I always wear my necklace." Aella went into her handbag and pulled out a packet of loose herbs and a small jar of clear liquid, "As another, backup, add a drop of this to your morning drink and spread the herbs in the coffee granules. As long as you ingest it everyday they can't compel you and God forbid they bite you, this will poison them."

Bonnie took it and quickly placed them in her bag, "You're prepared, any reason why?"

Aella laughed nervously and winked at her cousin, noticing Jeremy making his way to them, "Now that dear cousin, is an answer for another day. But should you go low on either, let me know immediately and I'll get more."

Bonnie nodded and hugged Aella tight, "Next lesson, showing me what you can do."

"Deal!" Aella smiled and started the car when she heard the rear door on Bonnie's side open up. "How'd it go, Baby J?" She asked as she drove them to school.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but she's healing," Jeremy explained, missing Aella's hands tighten on the steering wheel. However, Bonnie didn't and touched her necklace as she hid it underneath her top. "But the jackass hasn't bothered visiting."

Aella raised her brow at Jeremy through the rearview mirror, "Which I'm sure you're gonna give him hell about, right?"

Jeremy coughed out a smug, "Yeah!"

"Good!" Aella nodded in agreement. "Just as long as I'm there, and it's not when Jenna speaks to Tanner."

Jeremy chuckled as she winked at him, "Deal."

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

Stefan was waiting on one of the benches near the car park when he saw Aella's red car pull up in her usual space, when she jumped out of the car he got up from his seat and slowly started towards her.

He was nervous, she took everything so well yesterday that he worried if today she had finally realized that he was a vampire. Though, when she looked at him and smiled brightly, those fears evaporated instantly, and he found himself smiling back at her.

While she slowly walked up to him, she opened up her jacket, revealing her to be wearing a white crop top that showed off her tanned stomach. Yet it was the writing on the top that had him chuckling to himself: 'Play with Fairies, Ride a Unicorn, Swim with Mermaids, Fly to the Moon.'

Aella reached him and immediately went up onto her toes, so her eyes were at the same height as his; Stefan held her in place, allowing him to take the strain from her with ease.

"Good morning, Count Drac," she smirked.

Stefan chuckled, squeezing her waist slightly, "Good morning, Glinda."

She then leaned in and pecked his lips as she pulled back, he was quick to pull her back to his lips.

At the very bench, he waited for Aella, Aella's friends were not hiding their interest in the couple.

"What the hell had happened since the party?"

"Did we know they kissed?"

"I mean, they did ditch together yesterday."

"This is not a mirage, right?"

Caroline stood, her mouth open in shock, not answering the incoming questions from Elena and Bonnie, who thought she knew. She should have known Aella was annoying her last night, even more than usual, for a reason. Stefan had driven Aella to her house and had come in while Caroline had grilled him about where they had been, but Stefan was silent, and no goodbye kisses or hugs had occurred.

That scheming bitch... she so reminded Caroline of... herself.

"So, are you okay with everything?" Stefan asked Aella.

Aella stroked his cheek, smiling gently, "Are you okay with everything?"

"Yes."

Aella chuckled at his confidence, "Then definitely yes. You're a vampire with a crazy brother and an ex that looks scarily like my best friend. I'm a witch with three overprotective best friends."

"Three overprotective best friends, who are currently staring at us right now," Stefan muttered, looking over her shoulder.

Aella faked a gasp, "No? Really?" At his look of disapproval, she shrugged, kissing his cheek before pulling away and walking over to her friends, smiling widely at them. "C'mon, they're not that bad."

Stefan looked at their faces and gulped when Caroline glared at him, as Aella pulled him over to them he thought to himself, 'I think I'd rather go against Damon .'

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Aella's right arm was quickly taken hostage by her best friend as Caroline pulled her towards Bonnie and Elena, allowing Bonnie to take hold of her left arm so that all four best friends walked together in a straight line.

"So..." Caroline smirked at her. "Spill! What the hell happened last night?"

Aella just blushed a little at the question but also knowing that Stefan could hear everything.

"She came home at One am after the party," Elena smiled smugly at the three of them. "And where were you yesterday. You still haven't told us."

Aella glared at her adopted sister before groaning aloud, "Fine, I'll tell you!"

She pulled them over to a bench nearest to the school and turned to look at Stefan, waving him goodbye. He walked past smirking, knowing precisely what they were talking about and knew even across the school, he would still be able to hear it.

"Okay, so I thought I was a bit harsh on him after Caroline hit on him." Aella started holding up her hand when Caroline opened her mouth to talk. "I know you're sorry, C, and I also know you're a complete airhead while you're drunk, so forget it happened. Anyway, I felt like it had been a bit OTT, especially after seeing Vicki, and so I went to his house; we talked, we made out, talked some more, kissed, and then drove me home. Yesterday we just got to know each other. The end."

The bell rang just as the girls were about to demand more, "Oh look! Saved by the bell!" Aella smirked and quickly walked away from them. "See you in History."

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"Originally discovered nearly 5 centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years..." Tanner told his class, as Aella and Stefan wrote secret words in their desks with their fingers to see if the other could guess.

So far, they had written easy words that had been brought up recently; Vampire, Dracula, Wicked, Witch, Kiss, Blood, Damon, Caroline. Now they, meaning Aella, had decided to try two words, only she didn't tell Stefan, and now he wore an adorable confused face that had her giggling.

"Now, the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration. Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore? Ms. Bennett?"

Aella laughter stopped, but her smirk did not fall.

"No, Mr. Tanner," Stefan answered for the two of them.

Tanner stared them down when the bell rang, and Aella, once again, was quick to pull Stefan out of the classroom before Tanner gave them detention.

"Walking Dead!" Aella immediately told him and, at his confused face, revealed more, "The word; walking dead."

Stefan pointed at her immediately in fake outrage, "You went to two words?! Without telling me!"

Aella smirked, "Maybe."

"I win," he declared

Aella stopped on the spot tugging Stefan back, "I think not, Count!"

"I think so. Glinda!" Stefan smirked, "You cheat, you lose."

"In whose world?!"

"Everyone's!" He laughed and pulled her to walk again.

"Everyone's world is boring," she grumbled as Stefan put his arm around her shoulders.

"Except yours."

Aella looked at him, crazily, "Uh, duh!"

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Walking down the opposite corridor, Caroline pulled Bonnie along as Bonnie fiddled with her new necklace.

"I'm confused. Are you psychic or clairvoyant?" Caroline asked, suddenly making Bonnie stop in shock.

"What?!" Bonnie exclaimed, confused about how Caroline knew anything.

"The night of the party?" Caroline confirmed slightly bothered how anxious Bonnie looked. "I may have been drunk, but you don't forget when your best friend says she can see things!"

"I did?!" Bonnie questioned again.

"Yes!" Caroline laughed nervously. "When we were at the Mystic Grill. I saw the hottie, and you said that you couldn't see him, but you felt a bad vibe from him. And then said something about a vision and a bottle."

"Oh yeah," Bonnie chuckled uncomfortably, trying to figure out a way to get out of this conversation. She'd only just found out about being a witch. She needed to understand more from Aella before thinking of explaining to Caroline and Elena.

"Oh, you know how Grams can be when she's looped on the liquor," Bonnie slightly lied. Grams may have told her after a few Brandy's, but she was definitely telling the truth. "So I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Black version of Esmeralda? I don't think so."

Caroline stared at her for a moment before shrugging and walking again, dragging Bonnie, "Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from that night."

"I didn't see him, you did. Why didn't you just talk to him?

"I don't know. I was drunk and had stupidly gotten rejected by my best friend's crush." Caroline frowned, "I wasn't going to risk anything negative happening. I just wanted to stare at his beautiful face."

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At lunch, their whole group, that now included Jeremy and Stefan, sat around the brown bench, eating lunch and discussing different things.

Elena and Matt were talking about Vicki. Jeremy was listening in trying not to make it visible. Caroline questioned Bonnie about what she was wearing to watch the comet, and Stefan and Aella were whispering to each other about Vicki as Stefan listened in on Matt's and Elena's conversation.

Stefan was relaying everything back to Aella, although it looked like he was whispering other things into her ear, especially with the wicked smile that she was portraying. She thought how cool it was to eavesdrop on everyone's conversations.

"Vicki is staying another night," he whispered, and Aella nodded. "She mumbled something, but Matt thinks she was spouting nonsense since she was so out of it."

Stefan went quiet, and Aella spared a glance to see him looking slightly shocked, "What?"

Stefan looked at his phone quickly and went to stand up, but Aella pulled him back down, "What? Sharing is caring!"

"Vampire, Vicki said a vampire bit her," Stefan revealed, and Aella too looked shocked.

"Okay..." Aella started. "Where are you going?"

"Matt said he's going to go see her after lunch, I need to get there before him and see if I can compel her to forget."

"Are you strong enough?" She asked, knowing while he was eating Thumper, his other strengths were not as strong.

"Yes," Stefan smiled. "But, I have to go now to get there before Matt questions her further."

Aella suddenly smirked, thinking of an idea, "Wait a second?"

Stefan frowned but nodded, and Aella got up, heading to Matt. "Hey, Matty!" She smiled, sitting on his lap suddenly.

Matt laughed, "Hey, Lia."

"So..." Aella frowned at him and at the empty space in front of him where his lunch should have been. "A little birdy told me A) you didn't have enough time to make lunch for today and B) you're skipping next class to see Vick, right?"

Matt shook his head, smirking, "I should be surprised you know that, but to be honest, I'm not."

"Good!" She smirked, pulling out a $20 note from her pocket and forcing it in his hand. "Since you're gonna skip the afternoon anyway, go to the Grill and get you and V two burgers and milkshakes and go surprise your sister."

"Lia-" Matt started to give her the money back, but she quickly placed her hand on his mouth.

"Matt, I love you, dearly; you're like a brother. Please, please go and eat a nice greasy meal for me and treat Vick as well?"

Matt hesitantly nodded his head, mouth still covered.

"Good!" Aella exclaimed, jumping off his lap just as the bell rang. "So Matt, go skip and eat burgers, BFFs go to classes, little J," she saw him glaring at Tyler, "Don't kill Tyler, but if you do, call me for help!" She looked to Stefan, who was very impressed, "And you! We are skipping the next class to go make out for a ridiculously long time".

She grabbed Stefan's arm, smiling proudly as her best friends watched them walk off.

"Use protection," Caroline shouted, and Aella just waved the suggestion off.

As they reached her car, Stefan opened the door for her smiling brightly, "You scare me slightly with how well your plans work."

"Good!" Aella smiled, kissing his cheek and getting in her car.

Off to the hospital, they were going, and once Vicki was compelled, Aella was going to demand a celebratory make-out session. After all, she didn't want to say she lied to her friends... Only bent the truth a little.