Ariel Forbes - The Vampire Diaries #Wattys2021

Bringing Out The Dead

"So why am I here?" Ariel asks as twirls her hair with one hand while the other is entwined with Damon's arm.

"Because Klaus likes you remember? And with you there, he might not kill us... Might." Damon tells her as they wait at the front door.

The door opens to reveal Elijah causing Ariel to squeal and hug him. Causing a chuckle from the original, he hugs her back.

"Eli, I missed you! When did you get undaggered?"

"It's nice to see you as well, Ms. Forbes. You should give Damon your thanks for that."

"Enough of the Ms. Forbes! I wanna nickname already!" Ariel whines as Elijah escorts her and the Salvatore's into his home. "You just like teasing me, don't you?!"

"Hmm... Not sure what you mean, Ariel. Niklaus! Our guests have arrived."

"I see how it is. Just wait! One of these days you will give me a nickname!"

Elijah leads them to the dining room where Klaus is. "Damon. Stefan." The younger original smiles seeing Ariel and lightly pinches her cheek. "Ariel." She smacks his hand away.

"What is with you always pinching my cheeks?"

"Now Elijah tells me that you two seek an audience. And seeing that you brought Ariel with you, it's very fortunate for you both since her presence here is most welcoming out of you three. Now let's discuss our terms like civilized men, shall we?"

"What about me?!"

"Of course you can be included in the negotiations, princess."

Ariel gives Elijah an "are you serious?" look.

"It's better to indulge him." Elijah tells her as he guides her to the table and pulled out the chair between his and Klaus' seats. She thanked him but Stefan was annoyed by everything.

"I didn't come here to eat Klaus. In fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told we had to cause you would hear us out."

Klaus smiles as he joins Elijah and Ariel at the table. "Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours."

After a moment, the brothers join the three at the table and everyone except Stefan eats and drink.

"You've lost your appetite." He states motioning towards Stefan's untouched plate.

"Eat. I thought we agreed to leave grumpy Stefan at home." Damon tries to feed his brother and Stefan smiles sarcastically, taking the fork from him.

"That's the spirit. Isn't it nice. The five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when pulled the dagger from my brother?"

"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier." Damon playfully winks at Elijah.

"Well, Elijah and I have had our fair share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through."

"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right?" Stefan tries to challenge Klaus.

"Hey, when's Rebekah coming back? I have seen her since homecoming." Damon tenses at Ariel's words.

"Princess, your friends didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Elena daggered Rebekah at homecoming."

"WHAT?!" Ariel bursts out of her chair.

"Little mermaid, calm down please."

"How could you lie to me?!"