SHEILA'S HOUSEHOLD

In the dimly lit room, where the only sounds were the gentle hum of the air conditioner and the soft whirring of the ceiling fan, Aella, and Bonnie stood by their grandmother's side. Their hearts weighed heavy with grief and regret, the air thick with an unspoken sorrow that seemed to envelop them like a shroud. Sheila, their beloved matriarch, lay motionless on the bed. She looked almost peaceful as if she were merely sleeping, but the truth hung heavy in the air – Sheila was gone, taken from them too soon.

Bonnie's eyes burned with anger as she cast a sidelong glance at Aella, her cousin and, once, her closest friend. The flames of her fury danced in the depths of her gaze, fueled by grief and resentment. She couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at her heart, the bitter taste of blame lingering on her tongue. In her mind, Aella was responsible for everything that had gone wrong – for Sheila's death, for Klaus's continued existence, for the sacrifices that had been made. If only Aella had listened to her, if only she had trusted her instincts instead of her own misguided sense of heroism, perhaps Sheila would still be alive.

"You did this," Bonnie whispered, her voice trembling with accusation as she turned to face Aella. Her words hung heavy in the air, a damning indictment of Aella's perceived failures. "You wanted all the glory, and now Grams is dead because of you."

Aella recoiled at Bonnie's words, her heart lurching in her chest at the sharpness of her cousin's tone. Each syllable was like a dagger to her soul, piercing through the fragile facade of her composure. She had never felt more alone, more misunderstood, than in that moment. Her own grief mingled with the sting of betrayal, threatening to consume her from within. She had made difficult choices agonizing decisions, but she had never sought glory or recognition. All she had wanted was to protect her family, to keep them safe from Klaus's unnatural transformation.

"I didn't want this," Aella protested, her voice trembling with emotion. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over as she struggled to find the words to express the depth of her sorrow. "I did what I thought was right. I couldn't let you sacrifice yourself when there were other options."

But Bonnie was inconsolable, her grief twisting into anger as she laid the blame at Aella's feet. She couldn't see past her own pain to understand Aella's perspective, to recognize the impossible choices she had faced. Her heart was a tempest of rage and sorrow, her anger a shield against the overwhelming tide of grief that threatened to consume her.

"You should have let me do it," Bonnie insisted, her voice rising with each word. "Now Klaus is still out there, a hybrid because of you. Grams is dead, and John sacrificed himself for Elena because of you."

Aella's heart clenched at Bonnie's words, the weight of her guilt pressing down upon her like a leaden weight. She had never wanted any of this to happen, never imagined that her actions would lead to such devastating consequences. Her own grief threatened to overwhelm her, the burden of her choices too heavy to bear.

"I'm sorry," Aella whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own tears. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I trusted Elijah, and he betrayed us. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now... now I don't know anymore."

But Bonnie's heart was a raging storm, her anger fueled by grief and betrayal. She refused to look at Aella, her gaze fixed on Sheila's still form as if daring her grandmother to awaken and undo the pain she had caused. In that moment, she couldn't see past her own pain, and couldn't fathom the depth of Aella's sorrow.

"I don't want your apologies, Aella," Bonnie spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You think a few words will make everything okay? You think saying sorry will bring Grams back? Well, it won't. Nothing will."

Aella flinched at Bonnie's words, the weight of her cousin's hatred crushing her spirit. She wanted to defend herself, to make Bonnie understand the agony she was feeling, but Bonnie's walls were impenetrable, her heart closed off to any semblance of forgiveness. In that moment, Aella felt more alone than ever before, her grief a solitary burden that she alone must bear.

"You had a choice, Aella," Bonnie continued, her voice rising with each word. "You could have let me do what needed to be done, but you chose to play hero instead. And now Grams is gone, and it's all because of you."

Aella's breath caught in her throat, the sting of Bonnie's accusations cutting deep. She wanted to scream, to make Bonnie see that she had acted out of love, not selfishness. But Bonnie's anger was a wall between them, insurmountable and unyielding. In that moment, Aella felt more powerless than ever before, her voice drowned out by the deafening roar of Bonnie's rage.

"You're just like him, you know," Bonnie spat, her words laced with disdain. "Just like Klaus. Always putting yourself first, always thinking you know what's best for everyone else."

Aella's heart shattered at Bonnie's words, the pain of her cousin's hatred too much to bear. She wanted to reach out, to beg for forgiveness, but Bonnie's walls were too high, her heart too closed off to any semblance of compassion. In that moment, Aella felt more alone than ever before, her grief a solitary burden that threatened to consume her from within.

But Bonnie's rage burned like a wildfire, consuming everything in its path. She couldn't bear to look at Aella, her heart filled with resentment and bitterness. In her eyes, Aella was to blame for everything that had gone wrong, for every life lost and every sacrifice made.

"You could have ended this, Aella," Bonnie accused, her voice trembling with fury. "You had the power to kill Klaus tonight, to save Sheila and everyone else. But you were too selfish, too afraid to make the sacrifice."

Aella's heart clenched at Bonnie's words, the weight of her cousin's accusations crushing her spirit. It felt like a dagger to her chest, piercing through the fragile facade of her composure. The guilt gnawed at her insides, a relentless torment that threatened to consume her whole. She had agonized over the decision, torn between her desire to protect her family and her fear of losing them. But Bonnie's anger left no room for understanding or compassion, only a bitter sting of resentment.

"You always put yourself first, Aella," Bonnie continued, her voice dripping with contempt. "You don't care about anyone else but yourself. If you hadn't angered Katherine, none of this would have happened. Sheila would still be alive."

Aella's throat tightened with emotion, the weight of her cousin's words bearing down on her like a suffocating weight. The guilt washed over her in waves, drowning her in a sea of remorse and regret. She had made mistakes, grave ones, and she would carry the burden of them for the rest of her days. But Bonnie's accusations cut deep, reopening wounds that had barely begun to heal.

"I did what I thought was right, Bonnie," Aella whispered, her voice choked with sorrow.

But Bonnie's accusations cut through the air like knives, each word a cruel reminder of her failures. Aella felt the weight of her cousin's anger pressing down on her, crushing her beneath its unbearable weight. She wanted to defend herself, to plead her case and explain her actions, but Bonnie's accusations left her speechless, tears streaming down her cheeks, each one a silent testament to her pain.

As Bonnie's tirade reached its climax, she uttered words that struck Aella to the core. "You should have died instead," Bonnie spat, her voice dripping with malice.

Stefan's voice cut through the tension like a blade, his shock evident as he arrived. "Bonnie, stop," he urged, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Caroline's horrified gaze bore into Bonnie, her disbelief evident in her expression. She couldn't comprehend the depth of Bonnie's hatred, the cruelty of her words.

But Bonnie was deaf to their pleas, consumed by her rage and grief. She continued to berate Aella, her words like daggers aimed at her heart. "Leave, Aella," she commanded, her voice trembling with emotion. "You don't deserve to be here. Just leave."

Aella's heart shattered into a million pieces as she fled from the room, the weight of Bonnie's hatred crushing her spirit. Stefan followed close behind, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of her emotions.

Caroline's eyes lingered on Bonnie for a moment longer, her gaze filled with disappointment and sorrow. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Bonnie," she whispered, her voice heavy with condemnation. And with one final glance at Sheila's lifeless form, Caroline turned and left, leaving Bonnie alone with her grief and regret.

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Stefan's footsteps echoed through the quiet halls of the Boarding House as he guided Aella inside. Her silence was palpable, her expression void of emotion as Stefan gently set her down on the ground. "Do you want some water?" he asked, concern etched into his features. Aella simply nodded in response, her eyes fixed on some distant point.

Returning her nod, Stefan watched her for a moment longer before instructing her to go upstairs, promising to follow shortly. Aella complied with a silent nod, her movements slow and mechanical as she made her way toward the staircase. As Stefan headed towards the kitchen, Aella's steps faltered, her attention drawn by a faint noise emanating from the nearby library.

Curiosity piqued, Aella changed course and stepped into the dimly lit room. Damon stood before the crackling fire; his silhouette cast in flickering shadows as he stared into the dancing flames. Aella approached tentatively, the silence heavy between them. Before she could utter a word, Damon spoke, his voice laced with a rare sincerity. "I'm sorry about Sheila," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the inferno before him.

Tears welled up in Aella's eyes at his unexpected apology, catching her off guard. She swallowed hard, struggling to find her voice amidst the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Damon remained rooted before the fire, his profile outlined by the dancing flames as Aella entered the library. She hesitated at the threshold, the weight of Bonnie's harsh words pressing down on her like a leaden cloak.

'You did this.'

Echoed Bonnie's accusations in her mind, each word a sharp blade slicing through her thoughts.

'Always putting yourself first, always thinking you know what's best for everyone else.'

Aella winced inwardly, the sting of Bonnie's words reverberating through her soul.

'You should have died instead.'

The final cutting blow that left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

The silence stretched between Damon and Aella, heavy with unspoken truths and lingering resentment. Aella knew they needed to address Elijah's betrayal, to confront the fallout of her misplaced trust. She had been the one to convince everyone, Damon included, that Elijah wouldn't betray them. But she had been wrong, and now the consequences of her actions weighed heavily upon her.

But how could she voice her regret when the air crackled with tension, when Damon's unwavering silence spoke volumes? Aella searched for the right words, the apology burning on her tongue, but the atmosphere between them grew thicker with each passing moment. Damon's refusal to acknowledge her presence only served to deepen her sense of guilt and remorse.

Aella swallowed hard, her throat constricting with the weight of her emotions. She took a hesitant step forward, her resolve faltering in the face of Damon's unyielding demeanor. How could she begin to atone for her mistakes when the distance between them seemed insurmountable?

"Damon," she began, her voice a tremulous whisper that echoed through the silence like a funeral dirge. "We need to talk."

He turned to face her, his eyes blazing with a fire that matched the inferno that raged within her soul. "Talk?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "What's there to talk about, Aella? You trusted Elijah, despite all my warnings, and now look where we are."

"Damon, please," she begged, her voice raspy from all her tears. "I know you're angry, but we need to stick together. We can't let Klaus tear us apart."

But Damon's eyes blazed with fury, his jaw clenched with barely contained rage. "Stick together?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with venom. "Is that what you call it, Aella? Trusting the brother of our enemy despite what I told you. That's not sticking together; that's signing our own death warrants."

Aella's fists clenched at her sides, her nails biting into her palms like daggers. "Don't you think I know all that," she snapped, her voice laced with venom. "I trusted him because I believed in him. Because he shared with me incredible private details about himself and Klaus that would make anyone want Klaus dead. I thought he was different. But I was wrong, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

Damon's laughter rang out like a gunshot, sharp and cutting in the stillness of the room. "Wrong?" he mocked, his eyes glittering with malice. "Wrong doesn't even begin to cover it, Aella. You put your faith in Klaus's brother, an Original vampire, something we can't even incapacitate anymore because you gave him the damned dagger. And now, because of your foolishness, we're all paying the price."

The weight of his words bore down on her like a leaden mantle, crushing her beneath their weight. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes, hot and bitter against her cheeks. "I trusted him because I had to," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. "Because he was all I could find to save Elena. To stop something so unnatural from being created that nature itself has fought a thousand years to try and stop."

But Damon's anger was relentless, a tidal wave of fury that threatened to consume them both. "You really are as naive as you look, aren't you? Elijah doesn't care about us, Aella. He never did. And now, because of your foolishness, we're all paying the price."

Aella's hands trembled at her sides, her magic crackling like lightning beneath her skin. Her heart sank at his words, her chest tight with the weight of his anger. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Damon smiled spitefully at her, the pain in his arm fueling the rage within him, "And all it took was a cocky teenager with a hero complex to ruin it all in one night." He turned his back on her when she froze at his bitter words. "You and my brother really are perfect for each other."

"That's enough, Damon."

Aella and Damon turned at Stefan's voice; he had obviously heard their argument and found them.

Damon laughed loudly and clapped at Stefan's appearance, "And here he is. I was just telling Pixie here how perfect you were for each other. The awards go to Saint Stefan and Saint Aella for the best hero complexes while totally fucking up everything thrown at them.

She tried to speak, to defend herself, as Stefan moved towards her, but Damon's words cut her to the core, leaving her speechless and helpless against the tide of his anger. At the same time, Bonnie's words, which now echoed Damon's, throbbed against Aella's mind.

Aella's magic began thrumming at her emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Damon, please," she pleaded, her voice a desperate cry in the darkness. "Stop."

But he didn't listen. He couldn't, or perhaps he wouldn't. And as his cruel words continued to rain down upon her like a hailstorm, Aella felt herself losing control. Something inside Aella snapped. It was as though a dam had burst, unleashing a torrent of raw power that surged through her veins like wildfire. Her magic flared to life, a blazing inferno that consumed her from within.

Stefan saw the slight glowing of Aella's skin and knew Aella's magic was reacting. Stefan had not seen her this emotional since she thought Bonnie was dead, and then she had exploded the school cafeteria.

"Damon, enough." Stefan tried to stop his brother's barrage of cruel and punishing words, but Damon pushed on.

"You failed Aella," Damon's final words that Aella's emotions and magic just could not deal with any longer. The culmination of such a long and fucked up night, and Damon knew what words to use to nail that final blow. "Sheila is dead, and that is your fault. It's a good thing your parents are dead because they'd be so disappointed by your epic failure tonight."

Just as Damon's words threatened to make her fall to the ground sobbing, something inside Aella snapped. It was as though a dam had burst, unleashing a torrent of raw power that surged through her veins like wildfire. Her magic flared to life, a blazing inferno that consumed her from within. With a scream of pure anguish, she unleashed her magic, a torrent of flames that engulfed Damon in an instant.

Stefan watched, frozen, as Damon cried out in pain as the fire licked at his skin and his body was thrown against the wall with a sickening thud. But even as he writhed in agony, he couldn't help but laugh, a bitter, broken sound that echoed through the room like a funeral dirge.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his voice hoarse with pain. "Being burned alive is a walk in the park compared to what Tyler did to me."

Aella's heart raced as she realized the gravity of the situation. Damon was allowing himself to burn alive, the flames consuming him as her magic spiraled out of control. With a surge of determination, she rushed forward, her hands outstretched to quell the magical inferno. She felt the heat on her skin but did not feel any pain; her magic would not hurt her, so she focused solely on extinguishing the flames that threatened to consume Damon.

Damon looked up at her with a mixture of disappointment and annoyance, his voice laced with sarcasm as he quipped, "You always ruin the fun."

Stefan joined them, his expression deeply furrowed as he questioned Damon about Tyler. Aella's mind raced, the implications of Damon's scathing words sinking in. They both understood the underlying meaning behind Damon's cryptic remarks, but they needed confirmation.

Already beginning to heal from Aella's magical assault, Damon rolled up his sleeve, revealing the telltale signs of a fatal werewolf bite. The reality of the situation hit them like a punch to the gut, a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked in their supernatural world.

Aella's heart plummeted like a stone in her chest as Damon laid bare the fatal wound inflicted upon him. Guilt surged through her veins like a relentless tide, her stomach twisting with the weight of responsibility. Stefan's demand for answers sliced through the heavy air, his voice tinged with frustration as he pressed Damon for an explanation.

"Damon, when were you planning on mentioning this?" Stefan's voice crackled with tension, his brow furrowed in genuine concern.

With a grunt, Damon pushed himself up from his seat, his gaze flitting down to his charred clothes in evident annoyance. There was a resigned air about him as he confessed, "Um, never."

Aella's stomach churned with unease as she averted her gaze, the weight of Damon's words pressing down on her like a suffocating weight. But Damon, ever the master of deflection, couldn't resist a playful jab, shooting them a cheeky grin over his shoulder as he made his way toward the door.

"But when I was being burnt alive," Damon's voice was laced with a mocking tone, his eyes locking onto Aella's with a mischievous glint, while all she felt was sickness. "-it seemed oddly pleasing to reveal it then."

Stefan's plea for them to figure something out fell on deaf ears as Damon waved them off, his focus already shifting to the more immediate concern of finding fresh clothes. But before he could make his exit, he paused, his gaze lingering on the solemn couple with a hint of resignation.

"Maybe this is our punishment for allowing Klaus to break his curse," Damon's words hung heavy in the air, a bitter laugh escaping his lips as he continued up the stairs. "How poetic."

Aella's torment deepened as Damon departed, leaving behind a palpable sense of sorrow and regret. Stefan watched after him, his expression etched with pain, before turning his attention to Aella, who stood there, lost in a whirlwind of guilt and despair.

"Aella," Stefan began softly, his voice brimming with empathy as he reached out to her.

She shook her head, tears finally breaking free from her eyes as she whispered hoarsely, "This is all my fault."

Stefan's heart ached at her words, his resolve strengthening as he vowed, "We'll find a way to fix this, Aella. I promise."

But Aella refused to be comforted, her determination shining through her tears as she silenced Stefan with a shake of her head. With a resolute stride, she turned away from him, her mind set on a singular purpose. She vowed to undo the mistake she had made, to find a solution, no matter the cost.

MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

In the early morning light, as the first rays of dawn filtered through the dense canopy of the woods, Aella Bennett's steps were heavy with determination. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat, a steady rhythm of anger and betrayal that fueled her every movement. The air crackled with magic, a palpable tension that mirrored the storm raging within her heart. And then, like a specter emerging from the shadows, she saw Elijah, his presence a haunting reminder of the betrayal that had torn them apart.

Aella found him waiting amidst the trees, his figure tall and imposing against the forest's backdrop. Elijah Mikaelson, the ancient Original vampire, waiting for his hybrid brother to return after Klaus's admission. Elijah's expression was unreadable as he turned to face her.

Their eyes met in a silent clash of wills, each one a mirror reflecting the pain and anger that simmered beneath the surface. Aella's gaze was a stormy sea, turbulent and fierce, while Elijah's was a mask of regret and longing, his features etched with the weight of his choices.

"Aella," he murmured, his voice a whisper on the wind. "I didn't expect to see you here."

She scoffed, her laughter bitter and sharp. "And yet here I am," she retorted, her words a dagger aimed at his heart. "Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

Elijah's expression softened, his eyes pleading for understanding. "Aella, please," he began, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Don't," she snapped, her voice echoing through the empty alley like a gunshot. "Don't you dare try to justify what you did. You chose him over us, over me. After everything he's done to you. To your family. You let him win."

Elijah's shoulders sagged with defeat, his gaze dropping to the forest floor as he struggled to find the right words. "I know," he confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "And I am sorry. But there is something you must know."

Aella's brow furrowed with confusion, her anger momentarily forgotten as she regarded him warily. "What is it?" she demanded, her voice tinged with suspicion.

Elijah took a deep breath, steeling himself for her reaction. "Klaus," he began, his voice hesitant. He told me something last night—something that changed everything."

Aella's eyes narrowed with suspicion, and her mind raced as she tried to process his words. "And what would that be?" she asked, her voice tinged with impatience.

Elijah hesitated, his gaze flickering with guilt. "He told me that our siblings, the ones I believed were lost to the sea as punishment by Klaus, are alive," he revealed, his voice heavy with emotion.

Aella's heart clenched at the thought of Elijah's lost family, her own grief mingling with his in the cool morning air. "Alive?" she echoed, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But how?"

Elijah's gaze softened as he met her eyes, his expression filled with regret. "Klaus has been hiding them," he explained, his voice tinged with sadness. "Keeping them from me. Just imagine if your parents were in that situation. You'd move mountains to find them, wouldn't you?"

Aella's eyes flashed with pain and indignation, her fists clenched at her sides. "Don't you dare use my parents as a comparison," she spat, her voice trembling with emotion. "Your family are immortal vampires who have lived a thousand years. Mine were human. They're gone, Elijah. And nothing will ever bring them back."

Elijah's heart clenched at the raw pain in her voice, his own guilt weighing heavily upon him. "I understand," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper. "And I'm sorry. But I would have done anything to find my siblings, just as I know you would have done for your parents."

Aella's eyes brimmed with tears as she shook her head, her voice thick with emotion. "You don't get it, Elijah," she whispered, her words heavy with sorrow. "I would have helped you, do everthing I possibly could do to track them down, return them to you. But you didn't trust me. You trusted the beast who tormented you with them with such awful lies. You chose him and betrayed me."

Elijah's shoulders sagged with the weight of her words, his own regret swallowing him whole. "I know," he confessed, his voice barely more than a breath. "And I will spend eternity trying to make amends for the pain I've caused you."

But Aella's anger was unrelenting, her grief too deep to be assuaged by words alone; she closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to spill over, her fists clenched at her sides. "Too late for that," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. "You made your choice, Elijah. And now you have to live with the consequences."

With a final, steely glare, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the mist, leaving Elijah alone amidst the fading shadows of the morning. As the first light of dawn broke through the trees, casting a golden glow upon the forest floor, Elijah stood alone in the silence, his heart heavy with regret and longing for forgiveness he feared he would never receive.

Lost in his thoughts, Elijah failed to notice the subtle shift in the air, the faint whisper of magic that danced on the edges of his senses. It was only when he felt the first tendrils of power wrap around him like invisible chains that he realized something was amiss. Panic surged through him like wildfire, but before he could react, it was too late.

Aella emerged from the mist like a wraith, her eyes ablaze with determination as she stepped forward, her hands raised in a gesture of power. "I can't let Klaus win," she whispered, her voice a haunting echo in the darkness.

And then, with a flick of her wrist, she cast her spell, weaving her magic around Elijah like a cocoon. His body went rigid, frozen in place as though turned to stone. He tried to struggle, to break free from the invisible bonds that held him captive, but it was no use. Aella's magic was too strong, too powerful to resist.

With a sense of grim satisfaction, Aella approached Elijah, her footsteps echoing through the alley like a death knell. "I won't let him destroy everything," she murmured, her voice tinged with steel. "Not after what he did to my grandmother."

And then, without hesitation, she reached out with her mind, delving into the depths of Elijah's consciousness with her magic. It was a risky gambit, a dangerous game of cat and mouse with no guarantee of success. But Aella was determined to find a way to defeat Klaus, no matter the cost.

As she disappeared into Elijah's mind, the forest fell into an eerie silence, the only sound the distant rumble of thunder rolling across the night sky. And as Elijah stood frozen in place, his thoughts consumed by regret and longing, he couldn't help but wonder what fate had in store for them both.

At first, Elijah struggled against the intrusion, his mind recoiling from the invasive touch of Aella's magic. But she was relentless, her power pressing deeper and deeper into his consciousness until he felt like he was drowning in a sea of memories and emotions. Panic surged within him as he fought to maintain control, but with each passing moment, he could feel himself slipping further and further into darkness.

As Aella delved deeper into his mind, Elijah's thoughts became disjointed and fragmented, his memories swirling in a chaotic whirlwind. He grasped desperately at the fragments of his identity, but they slipped through his fingers like sand, leaving him adrift in a void of confusion and despair.

When Aella finally withdrew from Elijah's mind, he lay on the forest floor, his body limp and unresponsive. His eyes stared blankly into the distance, devoid of recognition or understanding. He was a shell of his former self, stripped of his memories and identity by the merciless onslaught of Aella's magic. If he were a mortal, he would be a mindless shell, but he was an Original. Aella knew that he would heal. But he would not remember.

With a heavy heart, Aella turned away from Elijah's prone form, her footsteps heavy with the weight of her actions. She knew she had crossed a line, delving into Elijah's mind without his consent, but she had done it for a reason. Klaus could not be allowed to win, not if she had anything to say about it.

As she disappeared into the depths of the forest, leaving behind the wreckage of betrayal and loss, Aella knew that the consequences of her actions would be severe. But she was willing to face them for the sake of those she loved and the fight against the darkness that threatened to consume them all.